International Naval News & Discussion

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 17 Nov 2018 15:35

everything onboard that is electrical except that one radar face is going to be a total writeoff due to prolonged salt water immersion.
the ammo and missiles may be ok in sealed containers but will need to factory cleaned and repacked.
the ship is probably going to spend a few years in drydock or may be written off for cost of repair reason

the captain and other officers may face a lot of heat why this happened in their own home waters. they are supposed to be masters of warfare in the narrow Fjords.

brar_w · Post by **brar_w** » 17 Nov 2018 19:09

Important development given that AEGIS Baseline 9.0, which introduces the Navy Integrated Fire Control-Counter Air (NIFC-CA) capability is now exportable and I believe Japan has a path to upgrade its AEGIS capability to that standard. South Korea has already chosen to do so and the baseline-9.0 will be standard on new vessels and older block 7.1R will be upgraded to 9.0 over time. Both will then be able to procure the SM-6 and utilize Over The Horizon targeting using the E-2D or F-35's and the TTNT or MADL network. Wouldn't be surprised if South Korea becomes an E-2D customer somewhere down the line as well.

Japan cleared to buy more Advanced Hawkeyes
Jane's Defence Weekly|11-Sep-2018

Japan has been cleared to buy a further nine Northrop Grumman E-2D Advanced Hawkeye airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft to augment the four already ordered.The US State Department approval, announced on 10 September, covers the aircraft and systems, as well as training, support, and other services. As noted by the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) the total value of the proposed sale is USD3.135 billion.

News of the approval came just four days after the last of an initial four E-2Ds for Japan was contracted on 6 September. This initial batch is due to be delivered to the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) before the end of 2020.

The Japanese Ministry of Defense initially selected the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye in 2014 to help fulfill the nation’s AEW&C requirements, serving alongside the earlier model E-2C as well as the Boeing E-767 Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft. Once operational with the JASDF the first four E-2Ds will augment the 13 E-2C aircraft already in service, with the latter aircraft likely to replace them in due course.

As the latest variant of the Hawkeye carrier-based E-2 AEW&C aircraft, which has been in US naval service since the mid-1960s, the E-2D features the more powerful UHF band AN/APY-9 radar that is designed to provide 360° coverage against hostile aircraft and cruise missiles. The aircraft is also to be fitted with an aerial refuelling probe to greatly enhance its range, which will be particularly useful for the vast maritime domain of the Pacific region (the E-2D is currently billed as having an endurance of six hours).

Prem · Post by **Prem** » 19 Nov 2018 03:37

https://www.yahoo.com/news/argentine-su ... 33389.html
Argentine submarine found in the Atlantic a year after going missing with 44 crew on board

In a statement, it said a “positive identification” had been made by a remote-operated submersible from the American ship Ocean Infinity, which was hired in the latest search for the missing vessel.The San Juan was returning to its base in the coastal city of Mar del Plata when contact was lost.Argentina gave up hope of finding survivors after a search helped by 18 countries, but the navy has continued searching for the vessel.he San Juan – a German-built diesel-electric TR-1700 class submarine – was commissioned in the mid-1980s.It was refitted between 2008 and 2014 which involved it being cut in half and having its engines and batteries replaced.The navy said previously the captain reported on November 15 that water had entered the snorkel and caused one of the sub’s batteries to short-circuit but later said it had been contained.Some hours later, an explosion was detected near the time and place where the San Juan was last heard from.The navy said the blast could have been caused by a “concentration of hydrogen” triggered by the battery problem reported by the captain.Experts have said that refits can be difficult because they involve integrating systems produced by different manufacturers, and any mistake during the cutting phase can put the safety of the ship and crew at risk.

brar_w · Post by **brar_w** » 20 Nov 2018 17:27

HMS Queen Elizabeth successfully completes F-35B flight testing

HMS Queen Elizabeth has completed the second phase of flying trials (DT-2) with F-35B jets.

The goal was to test the aircraft in more challenging wind conditions and to practice the ship in handling and loading of the aircraft with weapons.

The test team—comprising nearly 175 ITF members aboard the ship— already completed several needed parameters during DT-1, including day and night short-takeoffs and vertical landings with minimal deck motion, in varying wind conditions and with and without internal stores.

“I’m very proud of the test accomplishments by the combined team of the 1,500 personnel comprised of the ITF, the carrier strike group and the crew of HMS Queen Elizabeth with her embarked 820 and 845 squadrons,” said Andrew Maack, the F-35 Pax River ITF’s chief test engineer.

“It was impressive to see the excellent teamwork at all levels of the organisations.”

During DT-1—which were performed within the same flight envelope as will be used in the first operational test phase—the ITF also conducted about half of the testing that fell under the DT-2 threshold, or the flight envelope needed to reach initial operational capability (maritime), speeding up the now completed second phase. The second phase concentrated on external stores testing, minimum performance short-takeoffs and SRVLs, and night operations.

A third developmental test (DT-3), followed by operational testing, is scheduled for 2019. Together, the tests will help the Ministry of Defence reach F-35B initial operating capability (maritime) in 2020.

Ravi Karumanchiri · Post by **Ravi Karumanchiri** » 22 Nov 2018 05:04

Legal challenge filed over high-stakes competition to design $60B warships
By Lee BerthiaumeThe Canadian Press
Wed., Nov. 21, 2018

OTTAWA—The $60-billion effort to build new warships for Canada’s navy has hit another snag, this time in the form of a legal challenge by one of three companies in the competition to design the vessels.

The federal government announced last month that U.S. defence giant Lockheed Martin beat out two rivals in the long and extremely sensitive competition to design replacements for the navy’s frigates and destroyers.

Lockheed’s design was based on a brand-new class of frigates for the British navy called the Type 26. The company is negotiating a final contract with the government and Halifax-based Irving Shipbuilding, which will build the ships.

But one of the other two bidders, Alion Science and Technology, has asked the Federal Court to quash the government’s decision, saying Lockheed’s design did not meet the navy’s stated requirements and should have been disqualified.

Two of those requirements related to the ship’s speed, Alion said in court filings, while the third related to the number of crew berths.

The rules of the competition required the federal procurement department and Irving, which helped evaluate the bids, “to reject Lockheed’s bid because of its non-compliance,” Alion added. Instead, they selected it as the preferred design.

<SNIP>

brar_w · Post by **brar_w** » 25 Nov 2018 03:58

UK Hails Successful Initial F-35 Carrier Trials
Aerospace Daily & Defense Report Nov 22, 2018

LONDON—Initial trials bringing together the Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter and Britain’s new HMS Queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier have exceeded expectations, senior officers say.

The first two of three planned rounds of developmental testing (DT-1 & DT-2), also known as First of Class Flight Trials (FOCFT), taking place off the Eastern Seaboard of the U.S. concluded on Nov. 18 with the F-35s having carried out 202 takeoffs, 187 vertical landings and 15 ship rolling vertical landings (SRVL).As well as recording 75 flight hours, the four test pilots also carried out 54 weapon drops.
“The schedule has been busy and challenging and the results have eclipsed the aspiration,” said Captain Nick Cooke Priest, HMS Queen Elizabeth’s new commanding officer.

“This deployment has, however, delivered far more than the initial integration of fixed wing aircraft with the ship…it has re-introduced the true value that carrier capabilities bring to the UK and her allies.”

DT-1 got underway on Sept. 25 when Royal Navy test pilot Cmdr. Nathan Gray made the first historic landing on the carrier using an instrumented F-35Bs from U.S. Naval Air Systems Command (Navair). The DT-1 trials, which also included the first-ever SRVL, ran through mid-October, when HMS Queen Elizabeth visited New York.

The DT-2 trials aimed to find more complex weather and rougher seas and included the first vertical landing with the F-35’s nose towards the stern of the ship rather than pointing towards the bow, as it does in normal operations.

Scientists from the Integrated Test Force recorded data from the ship and the aircraft to determine weather, humidity, pitch-and-roll and aircraft weight limits.

The team also loaded different weapon configurations, both internal and external, making use of the ship’s automated weapons magazine.

A third round of developmental testing is planned for the summer of 2019 closely followed by operational testing.

brar_w · Post by **brar_w** » 25 Nov 2018 06:43

The French Consider a New Aircraft Carrier: Opening the Aperture on Innovation

As the US and the United Kingdom have launched three new carriers in the past few years, clearly it will be important for France to look at the innovations introduced by their allies in the carrier domain.

New aircraft, new launch systems, new C2 systems, new ISR systems, new power generation systems with a clear leaning forward to the coming of directed energy weapons is clearly part of that picture...

During our visit onboard the USS Ford, we discussed EMALS and its impact on the carrier navy.

In a piece, which we published on January 25, 2015, we discussed the USS Gerald R. Ford’s landing and take off systems, clearly of interest to the French.

During our visit to the Gerald R. Ford, we examined both the Electro-Magnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) and the Advanced Arresting Gear (AAG) and discussed them with Captain Meier and with Mr. Hicks, Construction Superintendent.

With regard to the installation of meals, the two big steam cylinders are replaced with banks of electromagnetic motors.

A great advantage of EMALS is the acceleration curve is very smooth.

It ramps up very smooth as opposed to a steam cat that spikes up on the front end.

The control that you have around that acceleration is virtually infinite.

And if you get half way down the cat and the system senses that you’re not getting there, it will increase power as necessary to reach end speed.

The system itself is intelligent enough to increase power as you go and increase the acceleration rate so that at the end you’re actually going 160 knots per hour or whatever you want to be at the end.

or decrease power as necessary.

When you think about that there’s a whole array of failures that can happen within this system and still give the proper launch speed.

It’s impressive to watch the system operate at Lakehurst.

They deliver 150 knots every single time.

Question: This will allow for less loss of aircraft and provide less wear and tear on the airframes?

Hicks: It should reduce the wear and tear on the airframes…..

Question: Maintenance should be improved as you shift from hydraulics and steam?

Hicks: It clearly should and we provide a very different approach to maintenance as well associated with computer management of an electric power driven system.

There is a single officer on a single console who does the health monitoring of the system and will guide the maintenance process.

This system is one of numerous initiatives built into the design of this ship that will allow us to change from the current nine to ten year dry dock repair cycle and extend it to a 12 year docking cycle.

Essentially in a half-life you have taken away one full dry dock repair cycle.

The publication Navy Recognition highlighted the French interest in EMALS in an article by Xavier Vavasseur, the Editor in Chief of the website.

The French defence procurement agency (DGA) and the French Navy (Marine Nationale) started discussions with the United States regarding Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) for the potential future French aircraft carrier. According to our information, the program will be known as “PA NG” (for porte-avions de nouvelle génération in French).

During the Euronaval 2018 press conference held on September 24, General Sellier, DGA’s head of naval programs told Navy Recognitionthat discussions on EMALS with American counterparts started in the summer of 2018.

While he stressed that those were preliminary talks and that no firm decision have been taken (about fitting EMALS on a future aircraft carrier) yet, he acknowledged that the discussions included technical aspects…..

During the Naval Group Innovation Days, back in June, Naval Group’s CEO Hervé Guillou told Navy Recognition that there are two new factors, two “unknowns” that will impact the size of a future aircraft carrier: The first one being the EMALS.

Guillou explained that technical details about the EMALS were necessary in order to design and size the aircraft carrier.

The second factor being the air-wing: More than the FCAS (the future manned combat aircraft currently being developed by France and Germany) Guillou stressed that the real unknown factor is the future UCAV because drones have never been used aboard aircraft carriers before: Future carrier vessels will have to be sized taking into account the “unmanned aircraft” factor.

The DGA and French Navy previously conducted a test campaign to study the use of a UCAV in a naval environment: In July 2016, the nEUROn unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) demonstrator made several low altitude vertical passes above aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle.

The test campaign included interactions at sea with the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle to assess the nEUROn’s stealthiness relative to the naval platforms sensors.

The featured photo shows a Naval Group / Dassault Aviation image showing the NGF (next generation fighter) and a UCAS being launched from a conceptual aircraft carrier.

SaiK · Post by **SaiK** » 25 Nov 2018 20:54

The $250-million, attack-optimized F-35B includes a secondary, downward-blasting engine for short and vertical takeoffs and landings — a feature that the Marines demanded and which has added significantly to the plane’s weight, complexity and cost.

The Navy’s F-35C — which the sailing branch primarily touts as a stealthy sensor-platform — possesses a bigger wing to allow for low-speed carrier landings and suffers from greater drag than the F-35A does. It cost a staggering $330 million per jet in 2014.

The Pentagon alone plans to buy around 2,300 F-35s through at least the 2030s, replacing a wide range of existing planes including F-16s, F/A-18s, AV-8s and A-10s.
https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/ ... cret-37027

brar_w · Post by **brar_w** » 25 Nov 2018 22:02

David Axe? again focusing on an obscure and irrelevant cost for the times given the recent contract announcements. Somethings never change and its only befitting that NI gave him an audience.

I see that he decided to right an article in late 2018 while adopting some obscure and probably inaccurate cost metrics from 4-5 years ago just to drive home a point in the hope that ignorant readers wold lap it all up. Not that one would expect much technical accuracy from the "War is Boring" blogger but given he must have written a few dozen F-35 articles one would have thought that he would know enough to realize that the F-35 B does not include a "second engine".

ks_sachin · Post by **ks_sachin** » 26 Nov 2018 07:34

There are DDM's in the USof A as well.

"Second engine".

God. People peddle all kinds of twaddle - the unfortunate thing that the general population is too stupid not to lap it up.

brar_w · Post by **brar_w** » 26 Nov 2018 08:17

This guy has practically being feeding readers his drivel on the F-35 since its inception, and still doesn't understand the fundamental workings of the Lift-Fan and how it differs from other STOVL applications where they actually used engines to generate lift during STOVL. This was an approach applied by Convair for its Model 200 in the late 1960s, for which Allison developed the XJ-99 engine. Similar approach was used by YAK on the YAK-38 and later on the 141. The USMC was quite clear that it did not want a secondary engine/s for lift because of the problem of hot air ingestion hence the lift-fan on the F-35 which incidentally is also an Allison product.

Pratyush · Post by **Pratyush** » 26 Nov 2018 13:21

brar_w wrote:David Axe? again focusing on an obscure and irrelevant cost for the times given the recent contract announcements. Somethings never change and its only befitting that NI gave him an audience.

I see that he decided to right an article in late 2018 while adopting some obscure and probably inaccurate cost metrics from 4-5 years ago just to drive home a point in the hope that ignorant readers wold lap it all up. Not that one would expect much technical accuracy from the "War is Boring" blogger but given he must have written a few dozen F-35 articles one would have thought that he would know enough to realize that the F-35 B does not include a "second engine".

As an observer and enthusiast I find such articles quite amusing.

The users are ultimately responsible for the aircraft and it's functions. They know best what they want and what the aircraft is capable of doing. How to overcome deficiency in performance if any.

No one on the outside will have a clue. Unless they have access to information they are not supposed to have.

brar_w · Post by **brar_w** » 26 Nov 2018 17:09

There is actually a heck of a lot of information that is publicly shared, or otherwise discoverable via FOIA on the JSF. People like Axe have obtained it, manipulated it and have developed a career doing it. They use DOTE reports which are a snapshot of time look at test discoveries and corrective actions and they have in the past used those reports, ignored the corrective actions taken and focused solely on the discoveries bit without educating their ignorant readers that the entire point of developmental testing is to find stuff and fix it before the program completes its development. Now that development is complete they can't help writing articles and referencing 5 year old cost data that is also likely wrong and then showing their lack of basic knowledge on the workings of the aircraft. If only these folks were around when the teens were developed (particularly the F-16) the programs would have driven them crazy given the volatile development phase of those efforts.

The operators don't really care because they are busy putting their aircraft through its paces and maturing it to a point where it becomes a widely used asset to their service. In the case of the US Navy, this means sending aircraft to Top Gun each year and making sure they have a pool of pilots who are experts at operating this aircraft by the time they declare it operational which is expected in the next few months for their first land based squadron. The USMC is also very close to declaring FOC and the USAF will complete deliveries to Hill AIr Force Base Utah of its 70+ F-35As next year before standing up the second Unit at Alaska before moving to the UK. Foreign partners are busy doing the same as some of them like Italy and Israel have already declared IOC while others like Norway and UK are going to do so shortly for land use.

brar_w · Post by **brar_w** » 26 Nov 2018 21:28

Japan Set to Procure F-35B STOVL Aircraft for JMSDF Izumo-class 'helicopter destroyer'

The Japanese government has decided to procure the F35B short take-off and vertical-landing (STOVL) stealth fighter aircraft as part of the new defense plan to be outlined next month. This information was reported by Japanese media Nippon News Network (NNN).

The carrier-borne aircraft would be procured to be deployed from the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force(JMSDF) two Izumo-class helicopter destroyers, JS Izumo and JS Kaga. The two vessels, the largest in the JMSDF fleet with a displacement of 27,000 tons (full load) and a length of 248 meters would be modified in order to accommodate the aircraft.

The first ship in the class, Izumo was launched on 6 August 2013. The ship was commissioned on 25 March 2015. Kaga was commissioned on 22 March 2017. The F35B is a derivative of the F35A already operated by the Japan Air Self Defense Force.

According to the NNN report, the Japanese government decision to introduce the F-35B is related to China strengthening its expansion into the ocean. Japan aims to strengthen the defense capabilities of the Southwestern islands including the Senkaku Islands.

The Japanese government will incorporate its decision in the Defense Outline that will be announced next month after showing these policies to both Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and Komei parties.

In February 2018, the Yomiuri Shimbun reported that Japan was planning to acquire 40 vertical takeoff and landing F-35Bs, which could be operated from these ships with some alterations. In March this year, the ruling LDP called upon the Japanese government to develop its own aircraft carriers and operate F-35B aircraft, which has been thought to include refitting the Izumo class.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 26 Nov 2018 22:00

China will react with paroxysms of rage hehehe

brar_w · Post by **brar_w** » 26 Nov 2018 22:17

Singha wrote:China will react with paroxysms of rage hehehe

This may piss them off even more -

Japan to expand SDF base in Djibouti in part to counter China

Austin · Post by **Austin** » 27 Nov 2018 11:13

The Missile Capable Buyan-M Corvette: High Seas Hellraiser

brar_w · Post by **brar_w** » 28 Nov 2018 17:24

USS John S. McCain Leaves Dry Dock

Guided-missile destroyer USS John S. McCain (DDG -56) has left a dry dock in Yokosuka, Japan, after nine months of repairs stemming from a 2017 collision with a merchant chemical tanker that killed ten sailors.

Following the Aug. 20 collision off the coast of Singapore, the destroyer was taken via heavy-lift ship to Yokosuka, where it entered the dry dock in February.

“Today, McCain has a fully restored hull, a new port thrust shaft, and newly constructed berthing spaces,” reads a statement from U.S. 7th Fleet.

Several divisions of Naval Sea Systems Command, representatives from General Dynamics Bath Iron Works and Sumitomo Heavy Industries worked to create an assessment of the damage and then a plan to repair the ship after the bow of Alnic MC punched through the hull of McCain.

Now pierside at the naval base in Yokosuka, where McCain is homeported as part of the Forward Deployed Naval Force Japan fleet, the ship and crew will undergo comprehensive testing and additional repairs. The work is set to be completed sometime next year, according to 7th Fleet.

brar_w · Post by **brar_w** » 30 Nov 2018 15:19

US Navy's VFA-147 Argonauts getting ready for a targeted February 2019 IOC for the first operational F-35C squadron. First operational carrier tour expected in 2021.

Navy Stands Up Joint Strike Fighter Wing to Oversee F-35C Operations, Training, Manning

“The F-35C is unlike any other airplane we’ve had to date. It brings unique capability; how we sustain and maintain it is different; and it offers new ways of training our pilots to fly it,” he said.

“So breaking it out as its own type wing is absolutely critical so that we could give it the 100-percent focus that it needed to mature the program and to integrate it into the carrier air wing and the carrier strike group as fast as we can. So I think standing up a wing and building a staff whose sole purpose in the world is focusing on the uniqueness of this airplane and making sure we succeed as fast as we can was critical and absolutely the right decision.”

In many ways, the JSF Wing will operate like any other type wing in the Navy that oversees any of the other planes or helicopters in the carrier air wing. McCoy oversees all the F-35C squadrons and reports directly to the Commander of Naval Air Forces. However, whereas the other communities have an East Coast and a West Coast wing, the JSF Wing in Lemoore will be the sole wing, to ensure the growing F-35C community has a single voice and a single path forward as the Navy learns best practices for operating, maintaining, sustaining and manning the fleet.

A first priority for the new wing, which formally stood up on Oct. 1, is getting Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 147 ready for operational testing and an initial operational capability (IOC) declaration early in 2019.

VFA-147 will pave the way for the fleet as the squadron to go through the IOC process and then the first to deploy. McCoy said the squadron is fully manned and operating like any other squadron in the Navy. Pilots have been conducting field carrier landings ashore, ahead of heading out to sea to conduct carrier qualifications on USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70). Once all the pilots are carrier-qualified in early December, the squadron will be declared safe for flight “and then they’ll be off to the races operating” ahead of their formal testing.

“147 has absolutely knocked it out of the park; they have had zero defects on all of their inspections, their maintenance programs as well as their weapons inspections,” McCoy said, noting that he doesn’t see any hurdles between now and the squadron’s safe for flight certification, which is the last IOC-related event the JSF wing can control. Once certified, the squadron will work with the Navy’s operational test and evaluation community to prove they are capable of sustaining themselves at sea. McCoy stressed the IOC decision will be events-based, not time-based, but officials previously told USNI News they’re hoping for a February IOC declaration, and McCoy said “I don’t foresee any hurdles or anything that we can’t overcome or would prevent us from declaring IOC on the current schedule.”

Once IOC is declared, VFA-147 will have to ensure all its pilots have redone all their certifications – an F/A-18E-F Super Hornet pilot transferring to the F-35C cannot transfer over any certifications and must requalify before the first deployment, due to the aircraft being so different, McCoy said. The squadron will be focused on completing those qualifications quickly so they can move on to workups and eventually a first deployment as part of a carrier air wing in 2021.....

For now, there’s still a lot to learn, but McCoy said the F-35C maintainer base was growing quickly and that pilot production should accelerate soon too. The F-35C community is about 400 or 500 strong, with more than 50 pilots to date.

“Right now we’re small in the sense that we’re a small community in the Navy, we’re building experience with our sailors and our pilots, we’re getting more aircraft,” McCoy said.

On the maintenance side, he said, the F-35 program is nascent enough that Lockheed Martin and the JPO are still shaping maintenance and logistics are handled for all the services and for international partners.

“Right now we all work through the Joint Program Office and through Lockheed Martin, so collectively we’re tied together. …

We will specifically have to figure out how to fit into that as we go to the ship and we start doing more ship integration and more shipboard operations, and then looking long as we get ready to deploy in the near future. I think the advantage of where we are now in the Navy is that we’ve had the opportunity to see the Marine Corps fly the F-35B on deployment and take those lessons learned and then apply them to where we’re going. Obviously, we’re all tied together in doing exercises and continuing to refine how we sustain and support logistics for the aircraft, not just for the C model but for the A and B.”

Overall, the commodore said, “we will get better faster the sooner I get the airplane in the hands of sailors and junior officers who are either going to maintain or fly it. As any platform, it doesn’t matter what the capability is, but it’s those individuals that, the more they fly it, they discover better ways of doing things. And that ultimately leads to operational readiness improvements: for the sailor side of it, the guys working on it, that means they get up jets much faster, more mission-capability. And then with our pilots, as they fly it and they understand the mission systems better, they’re capable of refining the tactics we use. So I think what we’ll see is exponential growth in the next few years as we bring more of the junior folks into it and they learn how the system operates. And I will tell you right now, talking to the people who work for me, they really like working on the airplane and they like flying the airplane. So those are good signs, and I think there’s a lot of positive stuff in our future.”

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 30 Nov 2018 22:39

what is the round perforated dishy thing mounted on a small balcony to right of the Phalanx gun?
sound kind of non-lethal sound weapon to fight off boarders from greenpeace / occupy wall street er occupy the bridge ?

Bala Vignesh · Post by **Bala Vignesh** » 01 Dec 2018 11:14

That would be the LRAD but that is more portable and is placed on the bridge wings or lookout stations, based on what I could find on the net. Unless of course USN has deployed a significantly more powerful variant that is mounted onto the superstructure.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 01 Dec 2018 14:40

looks like some long range directed loudspeaker https://www.lradx.com/pp_mn_usn_rx_750x300/

SaiK · Post by **SaiK** » 09 Dec 2018 09:06

The S5W was a highly successful design that produced fifteen thousand shaft horsepower and was the standard U.S. Navy reactor until the introduction of the S6G reactor that powers the Los Angeles class. (HMS Dreadnought as well)

their speed was limited to maximum of twenty knots.

The Skipjack’s hull was later used as the basis of the first purpose-built fleet ballistic missile submarines, the USS George Washington class. A 130-foot-long missile compartment was inserted between the navigation/control areas and the nuclear reactor. Each of the five George Washington boats was fitted with sixteen Polaris A1 missiles. The first submarine-launched ballistic missile, each Polaris A1 had three two-hundred-kiloton nuclear warheads and a range of 2,500 nautical miles.

://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/meet-americas-skipjack-class-submarine-and-russias-worst-nightmare-38092

brar_w · Post by **brar_w** » 11 Dec 2018 17:36

A very comprehensive Jane's article on the Queen Elizabeth Class Aircraft Carrier's DT-1 and DT-2 integration trials with the F-35B test force. Posting only a couple of areas pertaining to testing but the long article is definitely worth a read to see what it takes to integrate a new carrier with a new aircraft :

Flying start: F-35B/QEC flight trials set the course to Carrier Strike

An intensive programme of F-35B Lightning II first-of-class trials from HMS Queen Elizabeth
was completed towards the end of 2018. Richard Scott embarked on board the Royal Navy’s new aircraft carrier to gain a first-hand appreciation of their execution. This was the first time in almost 40 years that the UK had brought a new carrier and a new carrier-borne fast jet aircraft together (the previous occasion being the first trials of the Sea Harrier from HMS Invincible back in October 1980)....

WESTLANT 18

The RN’s ‘WESTLANT 18’ deployment got under way in mid-August when Queen Elizabeth departed Portsmouth. Leading a mini-task group also comprising the Type 23 frigate HMS Monmouth, the carrier completed work up with its rotary-wing air group (made up of four Merlin HC.4 helicopters of 845 Naval Air Squadron (NAS) ‘Furious’ Flight, three Merlin HM.2 helicopters from 820 NAS, and a single Wildcat HM.2 from 815 NAS) before sailing across the Atlantic.

Berthing at Naval Station Norfolk in mid-September, Queen Elizabeth embarked approximately 175 ITF personnel (drawn from government and navy personnel as well as contractors from both nations) and test equipment (including control cabins and a UHF radio telemetry system). “This was the next stage, to bring it all together on the ship,” Peters said. “It’s proved to be a fairly seamless transition…everyone has been fully vested in what we do right from when we arrived on the ship to set everything up, briefed the ship’s company on all the things we were trying to do, and outlined the challenges and expectations.”

RN Commander Nathan Gray was one of the ITF test pilots embarked on Queen Elizabeth for DT-1/DT-2 (the others being Royal Air Force test pilot Squadron Leader Andy Edgell, US Marine Corps’ [USMC] test pilot Major Michael ‘Latch’ Lippert, and BAE Systems’ F-35 STOVL lead test pilot Peter ‘Wizzer’ Wilson). “Preparations and test planning had been ongoing for the last four years,” Cdr Gray told Jane’s.

“We have been doing the ski-jump testing and envelope expansion since 2015, and completed the second set of land-based ski-jump trials [at Patuxent River] back in October 2017.”

Cdr Gray had the distinction of executing the first F-35B vertical landing on Queen Elizabeth
. Piloting BF-05, he executed a vertical recovery to deck spot 3 at 1045 EST on the morning of 25 September, and in doing so ended a near eight-year hiatus in RN carrier fast jet operations.

BF-04, piloted by Squadron Leader Andy Edgell, landed on board shortly afterwards. Cdr Gray later that day became the first pilot to execute a short takeoff over Queen Elizabeth's ski-ramp.

Within days of the first landing, all four ITF pilots had qualified for daytime flight operations. Night flying operations began on 29 September.

On 2 October, the test team worked on wind envelope expansion, conducting ski-jump short takeoffs and vertical landings with wind conditions over the deck exceeding 40 kt, on the deck. The team conducted the same manoeuvres nine days later, but this time with winds on the deck exceeding 50 kt.

Another milestone was recorded on 9 October when BF-05 performed first weapon drops after a launch from
Queen Elizabeth Two inert GBU-12 laser-guided precision bombs – carried externally on hardpoints 3 and 9 – were successfully released.

The first SRVL was executed by Pete Wilson in BF-04 on 13 October, who had previously flown more than 2,000 SRVLs in a simulator environment as part of work intended to de-risk the manoeuvre ahead of at-sea trials.

BF-04 and BF-05 returned to NAS Patuxent River on 16 October on completion DT-1, by which time the two aircraft had completed 98 ski-jump launches, 96 vertical landings, and two SRVLs. The tempo of flight testing achieved during DT-1 allowed a large number of test points earmarked for DT-2 to be brought forward, despite the fact that BF-05 was unable to fly for part of DT-1.

Queen Elizabeth arrived in New York on 19 October to begin a week-long visit. The ship returned to sea on 26 October to resume FOCFT and after a short shakedown period re-embarked BF-04 and BF-05 on 2 November. This second test period focused on external stores testing, minimum performance short-takeoffs and SRVLs, and testing aircraft in more challenging wind conditions. A ‘back to front’ vertical recovery was also performed as part of envelope expansion.

As is routine with first-of-class trials, all flying was undertaken to visual flight rules. However, the ship’s AN/SPN-41 radar was operational and pilots flew a number of approaches using azimuth/elevation alignment from the system.

Flight testing

According to Maack, the relationship forged between the ITF and Queen Elizabeth was pivotal to the success of the flight testing campaign. “We’ve had tremendous co-operation between the ship and our needs as the test team to get the test conditions we needed,” he said. “Mother nature was also quite good to us with a lot of natural wind, which is necessary for a lot of the testing.

“We were flying in Sea State 6, with wind conditions in excess of 50 kt for both take offs and landings, [and] cross winds out to 24 kt. We were way out there.”

As a result, the progress achieved during DT-1/DT-2 went some way beyond initial expectations. “We planned…to be able to develop envelopes to support the initial CQ [carrier qualification] of the operational testers [in 2019] and to be able to get the maritime initial operational capability envelopes for the aeroplane,” noted Maack. “That was largely based on building an operating envelope with internal stores.

“As it turned out, we managed to test in conditions that provided us [with] stretch capability wind envelopes and with different loadouts, such as external stores and max asymmetry levels. We’ve completed all that work already, which was planned for DT-3 and in some cases beyond [as stretch goals].

“It’s going to provide a tremendous envelope that the ship can manoeuvre within to support F-35 operations,” he continued. “We talk about the F-35’s carefree handling qualities. In this case I think the envelopes we’re going to be able to recommend for fleet use is going to provide the ship with the flexibility to have very carefree envelopes with regards to how they can manoeuvre, and still [provide] suitable conditions for an F-35 to launch and recover.”

“For the envelope that the UK will be operating the airplane, what we’ve cleared is 500 lb external stores. We’ve used GBU-12s versus Paveway IVs because they have the same mass properties.

“Part of our internal mass came from our instrumentation system. The DART [Data Acquisition, Recording and Telemetry] pod is in essence the weight of a 1,000 lb air-to-ground store,” said Maack.

Peters added, “Our last test point was in that [full external] configuration where we launched and dropped four bombs downwind of the ship…that takes us up into the mid-to-high 50,000 lb maximum gross weight capability. We’ve tested all UK weapons [Paveway IV, AMRAAM, and ASRAAM] back at Pax River. We will marry that data with what we’ve tested throughout this period so that there are no holes left.”

For Commodore Mike Utley, Commander UK Carrier Strike Group (COMUKCSG), the success of DT-1/DT-2 was a vindication of the prior investment in ship/air integration. “The real challenge for this deployment was marrying the jet and the aircraft carrier together,” he said. “Because this ship was built specifically for the F-35B we are seeing a lot of rapid gain in our operating envelopes because the two have been modelled together.

“It’s worked well, actually better than we expected it to. We are well through [DT-3] trials right now because we’ve been able to really put the foot down and get through the different test points.”

The next stage of F-35B/QEC testing will take place as part of the ‘WESTLANT 19’ deployment in the latter part of 2019, again off the east coast of the US. The first phase will be DT-3, which will look to increase SRVL envelopes and establish ship/air operating limits in higher sea states.

Testing to date has demonstrated the QEC platform to be an exceptionally stable design. “The rather positive problem we’ve had to date is that, even in winds of over 50 kt, we haven’t been able to get the ship to roll,” acknowledged Cdre Utley. “It’s a testing issue because we would like to be able to test the jets on a rolling deck. I think we just need to go away and have a think about how we’re going to do that. Perhaps we go further offshore next [time] in order to get the deep North Atlantic swell to generate some roll.”

DT-3 will be followed by operational testing. “I am confident, even now, that I have an operational test envelope for that next period of trialing at the back end of 2019,” said COMUKCSG. “This will prepare us for work-up here in 2020 [ahead of initial operating capability (maritime) at the end of that year] and ultimately [to] be prepared to go on operations.”

The UK plans to achieve initial operating capability (maritime) with the F-35B at the end of 2020; Queen Elizabeth’s first operational deployment, given the name CSG 21, is planned for 2021. A USMC F-35B squadron is planned to embark alongside UK aircraft as part of CSG 21.

Maximising bring back: testing proves shipborne rolling vertical landing manoeuvre

Whereas a vertical landing is intended as the primary recovery mode for the F-35B on board the QEC carriers, the size and arrangement of the QEC flight deck has opened up the opportunity to use an SRVL as an alternative recovery manoeuvre.

The SRVL manoeuvre exploits the ability of the F-35B to fly in a semi-jetborne mode. In this regime, the forward speed maintains airflow over the aircraft surfaces, providing additional wingborne lift to augment the thrust from the engine. This extra lift allows the aircraft to land on board the ship at weights some way above the aircraft’s maximum hover weight, promising a significant increase (estimated at over 2,000 lb) in bring back payload compared to a vertical recovery. This will be most appreciated when the F-35B is bringing back a significant load of external stores, particularly in hot weather/low pressure conditions where vertical recovery margins are narrowed.

However, it is acknowledged that an SRVL recovery presents some additional risks, given that the F-35B must approach the ship from aft, at the correct overtake speed, and on a precise glide slope. The three-bearing swivel nozzle aft is angled down on the approach, bringing with it the risk that the nozzle could strike the deck if out of limits. With no arrestor equipment, the aircraft must also use its own brakes to stop once on the deck.

Additionally, the SRVL manoeuvre demands close co-operation with the Landing Signal Officer (LSO), who is located in FLYCO. The LSO monitors the aircraft’s approach to the deck to check that glide slope, airspeed, altitude, and line-up remain within normal parameters, and will communicate a ‘wave-off’ signal to the pilot in the event of an unsafe approach.

“The SRVL [approach] is notionally about 60 kt on a nominal 7 deg glide slope,” Peters explained. “At the moment it's test cases, so we’re looking at some of the key aspects with regard to pushover points.

“We fly to a 200 ft plateau, and then as we intercept that 7 deg glideslope – that’s when we push over on the stick or we engage Delta Flight Path. Delta path is a flight control scheme which, when engaged, automatically flies a precise glideslope; the pilot is just required to make slight refinements on the approach.”

Wind over the deck is typically around 25 kt, giving a notional overtake of 35 kt in ground speed. “Touchdown is somewhere about 120–150 ft [over the deck],” said Peters. “Notionally we’re stopping at around the 400 ft mark. It doesn’t take up very much deck overall.

A total of 15 SRVLs were performed across DT-1 and DT-2 to demonstrate the initial manoeuvre capability. “That was really looking at the heart of the envelope, translating the thousands of simulated events we’ve done using the Warton-based motion simulator, taking all of that learning and bringing it here,” Peters said. “Throughout that initial [SRVL] demonstration, we’ve shown very good robustness to all the clearances, all the loads, all the handling qualities.

“It’s all been very good and it looks like we’ve got a platform that is absolutely viable. What we will look to do [in DT-3] is expand that envelope.”

Final quantification of maximum bring back is still to be determined. “We [will] take our real world data that we’ve collected and take that back to the labs back in Fort Worth, and also to the Warton simulator, and then we’ll refine the models based on the real-world use cases,” Peters said. “Then we’ll start to extrapolate from there.”

Proving the SRVL manoeuvre was a particularly significant FOCFT achievement, observed Cdre Utley. “[SRVLs] open the tactical envelope of the jet for the commander that I can return the [aircraft] to the deck with stores on board,” he said. “Therefore we are saving money [by] no longer ditching [weapons], which we had to do with the Harrier to get it back on deck. Also, it increases my tactical flexibility to redeliver those weapons at a future point of choosing."

brar_w · Post by **brar_w** » 13 Dec 2018 06:44

The First US Navy Operational F-35C squadron has completed the last hurdle before IOC which is expected in February 2019. The USN is moving at a fairly brisk pace when it comes to conversions given that it is still buying F/A-18E/Fs while also fielding F-35B squadrons for the USMC (from the DON budget). The plan is to transition one operational squadron to F-35C every 12-18 or so months for a total of 20 squadrons by early 2030's.

VFA-147 completes carrier qualifications, fully certified safe-for-flight in F35C

The “Argonauts” of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 147 completed their carrier qualifications Dec. 12 aboard USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70), the final required component for Commander Joint Strike Fighter Wing (CJSFW) to issue the squadron its safe-for-flight operations certification. This marks a major milestone for the U.S. Navy toward declaring Initial Operating Capability (IOC) next year.

The safe-for-flight operations certification (SFFOC) is the final step for VFA-147’s transition from the F/A-18E Super Hornet to the F-35C Lightning II. This process ensures a squadron is manned with qualified personnel to implement maintenance and safety programs in support of fleet operations. All transitioning squadrons are required to complete this certification prior to independently conducting flight operations.

When introducing a new aircraft to the Fleet, the appropriate fleet replacement squadron (FRS) is assigned oversight responsibility for the transitioning unit. The VFA-125 “Rough Raiders” were re-activated in January of 2017 to fulfill the appropriate FRS role for the Lightning II. Since completing their combat deployment last winter, VFA-147 has been working with the Rough Raiders to accomplish the safe-for-flight operations certification. The Argonauts will be able to operate independently from the Rough Raiders, having received their safe-for-flight operations certification.

“Since we returned from deployment last December, our team has been driving toward fully bringing this platform online for the Navy," said VFA-147 Commanding Officer Cmdr. Patrick Corrigan. “As the Argonauts close out 2018 and the final stages of our safe-for-flight certification, we continue to exhibit the relentless drive required to meet transition goals and milestones. With this certification, we are announcing that we have the right skills, training and people to take this mission and execute it, to its fullest potential.”

The safe-for-flight operations certification encompasses areas such as equipment, personnel and programs. Not least among them is the requirement for the squadron to be in the physical custody of at least 30 percent of the assigned aircraft. Other requirements include the installation and operation of management information systems such as Autonomic Logistics Information System (ALIS) and its accompanying support networks. There is also a requirement for operational F-35C squadrons to maintain robust, on-track, maintenance programs, as well as complete various inspections ranging from weapons to safety. Aircrew complete a transition flight syllabus and maintain certain proficiencies in accordance with Naval Air Training and Operating Procedures and Standardization (NATOPS).

“The Argonauts’ safe-for-flight operations certification was earned through the herculean effort of squadron Sailors and is an acknowledgement that they have developed the skills to safely maintain and operate the F-35C Lightning II,” said Joint Strike Fighter Wing Commander, Capt. Max McCoy. “We eagerly look forward to declaring IOC and integrating the F-35C into the Carrier Strike Group. This aircraft is a key component to maintaining the U.S. Navy’s dominance anywhere in the world.”

“VFA-147 continues to accomplish significant milestones, advancing this program closer to its ultimate goal of integrating the F-35C into the Fleet,” said McCoy. “The exceptional performance of the squadron throughout the entire transition process is a testament to the hard-working Sailors who make the U.S. Navy F-35C program a reality. We will succeed because the professionals in this program will not let it fail. It is evident in all that they do. It is who we are as a team.”

Commander, Joint Strike Fighter Wing, headquartered at Naval Air Station Lemoore, Calif. ensures that each F-35C squadron is fully combat-ready to conduct carrier-based, all-weather, attack, fighter and support missions for Commander, Naval Air Forces. With its stealth technology, advanced sensors, weapons capacity and range, the F-35C will be the first 5th generation aircraft operated from an aircraft carrier. Currently, the U.S. Navy F-35C program is scheduled to declare initial operating capability by the end of February, 2019.

Austin · Post by **Austin** » 16 Dec 2018 09:51

Russian LCS Project , Project 20386 Corvette

Project 20386

The Project 20386 is fundamentally a new design concept for the Russian Navy: It features a balanced composition of weapons, integrated information management system, open architecture, new radar and robotic systems and a reduced crew complement. Similar to the U.S. Navy littoral combat ships (LCS), the project is based on the principle of modularity: Equipment aboard the ship depends on the mission. There is a completly modular mission bay under the helicopter platform.

The corvette also shares size and displacement comparable to the LCS of the U.S Navy.

Sensor suite includes the new multifunctional radar complex MF RFCs "Barrier" and sonar system "Minotaur ISPN-M" with towed array based on the CIM 335 EM-03. Main propulsion is a combined gas turbine unit with a partial electric drive composed of: two gas turbine engine M90FR by JSC Saturn with a capacity of 27,500 hp, two 2200 hp electric motor.

According to original plans, the Russian Navy was set to receive the lead ship in 2021 but this has alread been postponed by at least a year.The Russian Navy plans to procure at least 10 ships for now. As expected, the head of the order exceeds the value of 20 billion Rubles.

Basic tactical and technical characteristics:
Displacement - 3400 tons.
Length - 109 meters.
Width - 13 meters.
Speed - 30 knots.
Cruising range - 5000 miles.
Crew - 80 sailors.

Armament (planned):
1x1 - 100mm universal gun mount type A-190.
2x6 - 30mm AK-630M-type machine.
2x8 - SAM type "Redoubt" vertical launchers.
2x4 - launchers "Uranus" RCC for complex "Kalibr-NK".
2x4 - torpedo launchers complex protection "Packet-NK".

chola · Post by **chola** » 16 Dec 2018 16:42

Austin wrote:

Wow! That elevator system for a helo! On a corvette!

brar_w · Post by **brar_w** » 16 Dec 2018 20:33

Integrated operations between Stennis (CVN/CAW) and Essex strike groups (F-35Bs and V-22's) currently underway in the Arabian Sea...

The crews and fighters from both Stennis and Essex are expected to conduct a series of joint exercises, including an in-flight refueling of an F-35 from an F/A-18F Super Hornet, and cross-deck training of deck, supply, intelligence, media, and medical personnel, according to a 5th Fleet statement.

USS John C. Stennis (CVN-74) left Naval Base Kitsap, in Bremerton, Wash., for deployment in October, and will ultimately enter a four-year mid-life refueling and complex overhaul (RCOH) at Huntington Ingalls Industries Newport News Shipbuilding in Virginia. Stennis’ arrival marks the first time a Navy aircraft carrier operated in the region since March when USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71) left the area.

In October, Wasp-class amphibious warship USS Essex (LHD-2) entered the Persian Gulf, bringing for the first time a squadron of Marine Corps F-35B Lightning II Joint Strike Fighters to the region through the Strait of Hormuz.

Joining Stennis in the Arabian Sea is Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 9, Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Mobile Bay (CG-53) and Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers USS Decatur (DDG 73) and USS Mitscher (DDG-57).

https://news.usni.org/2018/12/13/39636

brar_w · Post by **brar_w** » 16 Dec 2018 20:52

US Navy has put Raytheon on contract to put the SM-6's Active/Semi-Active mode RF seeker on the SM2 missiles for both upgrades of existing missiles and new missile rounds given that Raytheon has restarted production of the SM2 family. The expect development, integration and testing to be done by 2022. The new missile designation is IIIC and as far as upgrades, the seeker will be compatible with both the previous SM2 types (RF only and dual RF/IR missiles).

Raytheon Awarded US Navy Development Contract for SM-2 Block IIIC Missile Through 2022

Austin · Post by **Austin** » 17 Dec 2018 13:56

Video: Latest Redut SAM intercepting AntiShip missile in combat exercises

https://mobile.twitter.com/Capt_Navy/st ... 7086084096

Austin · Post by **Austin** » 18 Dec 2018 09:19

The first photos and videos of the new Israeli anti-ship missile Gabriel 5

brar_w · Post by **brar_w** » 19 Dec 2018 19:41

At baseline, the 13.5" SM-6 has a stated maximum engagement range (ABT) of 370 km. A >50% increase in missile diameter should increase that substantially though the objective is probably also to increase the speed and acceleration of the weapon to extend its BMD envelope out to IRBM class targets to match the SM3's exoatmospheric envelope on the endo side.

The Defense Department has launched a prototype project that aims to dramatically
increase the speed and range of the Navy's Standard Missile-6 by adding a larger rocket
motor to the ship-launched weapon, a move that aims to improve both the offensive and
defensive reach of the Raytheon-built system.
On Jan. 17, the Navy approved plans to develop a Dual Thrust Rocket Motor with a 21-
inch diameter for the SM-6, which is currently fielded with a 13.5-inch propulsion package.
The new rocket motor would sit atop the current 21-inch booster, producing a new variant
of the missile: the SM-6 Block IB.
https://fas.org/sgp/crs/weapons/RL33745.pdf

brar_w · Post by **brar_w** » 20 Dec 2018 22:37

USAF receives first LRASM missiles - Jane's Missiles & Rockets - Gareth Jennings, London 20-Dec-2018

The US Air Force (USAF) has received into service the first Lockheed Martin AGM-158C Long-Range Anti-Ship Missiles (LRASMs), the company announced on 18 December.The rollout of an undisclosed number of missiles to unspecified operational units coincides with the declaration of early operational capability (EOC). Lockheed Martin told Jane’s that EOC is similar to initial operating capability (IOC) in that it is defined by the delivery of a quantity of missiles. The US Navy (USN), which oversees the LRASM programme, had not responded to a request for information at the time of writing.

In USAF service the LRASM will be carried by the Rockwell B-1B Lancer bomber (up to 24 missiles in its internal weapons bay), while the USN is integrating it on board its Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornets. With the first LRASMs now with the USAF, the USN should begin receiving its missiles in 2019.

The LRASM is a stealthy subsonic cruise missile that is designed to meet the anti-surface warfare (ASuW) needs of both services in contested environments. Armed with a 1,000 lb penetrator and blast-fragmentation warhead, the LRASM utilises a multimode sensor, weapon datalink, and an enhanced digital anti-jam Global Positioning System to detect and destroy specific targets within a group of ships.

Developed as a successor to the Lockheed Martin AGM-158A Joint Air-to-Surface Stand-off Missile (JASSM) and AGM-158B JASSM-Extended Range (ER) missiles currently fielded by the USAF, the LRASM will also replace the AGM-84 Harpoon fielded by the USN.

Receipt of the first missiles by the operational USAF units comes some 18 months after the Department of Defense (DoD) awarded the first production contract. Under the contract, which is valued at USD86.5 million, Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control will deliver 23 Lot 1 production LRASM missiles by 29 September 2019.

An error in their reporting that states that LRASM will be replacing the Harpoon. Their are no current plans to do this at this point. LRASM is a specific response to a specific need from one COCOM and DARPA/USNavy are supplying a few hundred missiles to B-1 and F/A-18E/F crews deploying to that region. There are no plans to replace any Harpoon stocks at this time and this is quite unlikely in the short term. NSM is replacing the Harpoon on LCS and the future Frigate, and the USN does not have any plan to put either the Harpoon or the LRASM back into its MK41 cells choosing instead to create a new seeker and data link on the next iteration of the Tomahawk and move to offensive hypersonic weapons that could potentially double up and do Long Range surface warfare as well just like the SM-6 has residual capability to support that need.

It also seems that they'll clear the F/A-18E/F for 4 X LRASM carriage:

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 21 Dec 2018 08:07

Sir what is that blunt thing on outboard pylon? I see label now
But why is sniper pod pushed ot from under the centerline?

brar_w · Post by **brar_w** » 21 Dec 2018 08:59

That's just for the trade show with the OEM showing off its products. I don't think the USN operates the Sniper pod. Here is the actual picture of the LRASM flight check on the SHornet for the 4 x AGM-158C configuration. IOC on the Super Hornet is due in the second half of 2019.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 21 Dec 2018 12:31

the B1 should be able to cart a ungodly number of LRARM and JASSM internally and under the wings if need be.
probably enough to match a squadron of F-18
based out of Guam and Japan, they form a formidable new fighting unit at the high table.
these old heavy bombers continue to adapt to new roles. russia will likely equip all its blackjacks old and new for conventional PGM delivery also keeping in few emerging bush wars on its rim. right now its limited to just ALCM payloads.

brar_w · Post by **brar_w** » 21 Dec 2018 12:35

The B-1 has been cleared to carry up to 24 JASSM-ER/LRASMs internally although it will seldom carry such an exclusive loadout. It is going to be the primary carrier of LRASM and I believe the USAF will likely field a larger stock of the few hundred missiles that will be produced given this dynamic and the fact that it is easier to sustain the system for them given they already operate JASSM family which the USN does not. I think the USN will just equip the carriers going on Pacific patrols with the LRASM and won't have the missile in other geographic commands.

Gagan · Post by **Gagan** » 21 Dec 2018 13:19

Austin wrote:Video: Latest Redut SAM intercepting AntiShip missile in combat exercises

https://mobile.twitter.com/Capt_Navy/st ... 7086084096

The antiship missile is the P-120 or SS-N-9 Malakhit which is of 70s vintage and travels at 0.9 Mach

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 21 Dec 2018 14:39

in other news 2nd test of Zircon mach8 was conducted

brar_w · Post by **brar_w** » 23 Dec 2018 21:17

Destroyer Paul Ignatius Passes Acceptance Trials Ahead of Early 2019 Delivery

DDG-117 getting ready to enter service. I believe she is the 5th ship of the DDG-51 Flight IIA production re-start and includes AEGIS Baseline 9.0 (Simultaneous BMD and AIr Defense mission) and NIFC-CA from the start. It also has elements designed for the Flight III destroyers such as the new open architecture for the software and open missions systems standards for the hardware as well as some other changes.

8 additional Flight IIA ships will be delivered to the US Navy at 2 DDG/year to wrap up the Flight IIA 3+10 ship award. Meanwhile, Huntington Ingalls started fabrication on the the first Flight III destroyer - DDG-125 ( Jack H. Lucas) back in May and the ship is expected to be commissioned sometime in late 2021. Bath Iron Works is also expected to begin work on its Flight III shortly though it is going to be delivering ships slightly differently as far as schedule is concerned.

There is a fair bit of visual difference between the two. Note the space reserved for the High Energy laser (HELIOS) on the Flight III. The USN receives the first two HELIOS units in 2019 (one for at sea testing and one for testing on the desert ship) and has the intentions to procure 15 full systems for Flight IIIs and retrofit on Flight IIs.

DDG-117 (Flight IIA):

Flight III (DDG-125) CGI future Jack H. Lucas :

Flight III with HELIOS :