US military, technology, arms, tactics

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brar_w
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Re: US military, technology, arms, tactics

Post by brar_w »

I normally do not post twitter threads but in this case, the user has done a very good assimilation of facts from research papers, and studies conducted by researchers at Heritage, RAND and elsewhere. And he provides links/references to all claims. This Tweet thread captures some very useful information on the F-35's stealth, sensor fusion, and particularly its Electronic Warfare capability as a SEAD/DEAD platform.

Notably commentary (with references, some of which I'll link below but others are in the thread) around how its EW suite that includes the dedicated EW system, the 1600+ T/R module AN/APG-81 radar, and a combination of embedded arrays, and towed decoys for self-protection. The EW capabiltiy is highlighted by users the most but is also the most restricted in terms of shared information, but the twitter handle does a pretty good job of getting some known information out there, and also combing through what Northrop Grumman and BAE has been doing in terms of research and development going back many years (as it pertains to radar and ew).

Some snippets from the thread linked above and some additional thoughts from em
1/"There’s limited public data on extent of F-35’s EW capability but there are two areas we know that F-35 enjoy significant advantage over E-18 Growlers in the EW domain".

2/ "Locating enemy radars. A single F-35 can locate, identify, and triangulate emitter locations faster with greater precision than three F-16CJ surrounding the emitters". LINK

3/ "Where most 4th gen. aircraft have 3 to 4 receivers, the ASQ-239 on F-35 has 10 receivers with 6 of them in the forward hemisphere".
On 3, worth noting that the original JSF design allowd for the receiver footprint to be doubled without requiring significant airframe changes. They left room for arrays to be added in the wings, landing gear doors, and the rear aspect of the aircraft. The Block 4 program, that is currently being executed adds about 8-10 additional arrays for a total of 20 receivers on the F-35A, B and C models. These will be cut into production in 2024 production year, or 2025 delivery year. Older aircraft will receive these as upgrades.
7/ "Second important area where F-35 has advantage is jamming power. APG-81 radar is integrated with EW suite and is primary transmitter for all Electronic Attack operations. A massive AESA radar as primary jammer has significant advantage in terms of effective radiated power".

8/ "This due to ability to form tightly focused beams. The amount of radiated power on target depends on the size of radar beam or beam width. Wider beam, bigger area radiated power is spread and smaller radiated power per square km".

14/ "In case you’re wondering that F-35 radar could only jam X band radars. Nope, an AESA radar designed for EW role can perform broadband jamming. This is a 1987 patent of an X band AESA radar performing ECMs across L through Ku band".

15/ "This doesn’t make F-35 a better EW platform than Growler for several reasons, the biggest of all being that Growlers can carry Low-band ALQ-99 pods that can provide stand-off jamming against Early Warning radars".

18/ "F-35 with -40 dB RCS require 1/10,000th jamming power of modern 4th gen and enjoy 100 times smaller burn-through range given same jamming power. This explains why using jamming doesn’t necessarily compromise stealth, rather makes it much worse for the enemy radars".
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Re: US military, technology, arms, tactics

Post by arvin »

Thanks brar for posting this capability about APG 81.
I was amazed at point 19 in the twitter thread.
"
F-35 has cyber warfare capabilities, but public data is only limited to APG-81’s ability to insert algorithm-packed data streams into enemy networks. Cyber warfare is beyond the realm of tactical Fighter EW".
There is more than enough incentive for Russia to get their hands on the British F35 that sunk recently.
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Re: US military, technology, arms, tactics

Post by brar_w »

The UK aircraft crashed upon takeoff so they would know exactly where it is and must have already used some on-ship systems to determine where it ended up under water. The USN is leading the salvage operations given it had the equipment in Spain. Irrespective of what they do or don't there are contingency plans and teams generally available to ensure that sensitive equipment is removed or otherwise destroyed even if the whole aircraft is not retrievable for one reason or another.

The Cyber EW capability of the platform has been referenced previously by no less than the ACC (Air combat command) commander at the time (Mike Hostage back in 2015). It is one of the platforms (along with EA-18, and EC-37B) that is getting Cyber EW and cognitive EW investments for both offensive and defense (countermeasures/ECM).
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Re: US military, technology, arms, tactics

Post by ldev »

brar_w wrote:I normally do not post twitter threads.....
Towards the end of that thread he has acknowledged and given credit to a certain poster in a certain fora....follow that lead, there is a heck of a lot of information and knowledge there, most of which you probably are already familiar with but it's great education not only on the F-35 in particular but on radar, IR and EW in general.
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Re: US military, technology, arms, tactics

Post by brar_w »

I did notice that (just now). Most of this stuff is/was in the original JSF thread (perhaps it is now deleted) here on the forum. But nonetheless, there are some things that were officially revealed in 2016 when the program did its AIAA tour and opened up about several systems but there is still relatively few who know about this. One of the myths is that the F-15E has the largest AESA radar (blogs and news orgs still report this) when it is now confirmed (by JPO) that the AN/APG-81 is the largest US AESA radar in terms of T/R modules (in excess of 1600) from a previously believed to be 1200-1500 T/R count. Here's a F-22 pilot describing the radar on F-35 -
The F-35s "have better detection capabilities kind of against everybody just because of their new radar and the avionics they have," he said. "It definitely adds a level of complexity."
Another is around range and payload. EW is less understood because it is the most classified in terms of specific capabilities but we now know from published text (by folks that designed it no less) that the F-22A's EW suite is not just passive but is capable of Electronic attack capability independent of its radar. The F-35 will be no different, so it would have its Radar as the high power jamming aperture, its EW suite which would have some inherent organic capability beyond the receiver suite, and then finally its towed decoys that will be used against weapons (as opposed to platforms). On EW, the commentary that Heritage published after speaking with F-16CJ pilots is actually quite remarkable. Here are pilots who were basically pre-2015, operating the USAF's flagship tactical EW/EA and SEAD platform (F-16CJ) and the F-35A (which counts SEAD as one of its mission but isn't solely dedicated to it) has the ability to triangulate emitters faster and with more accuracy than 3 F-16CJ's working together. And that would be with Block 3F Block 4 would up the receiver count from 10-12 to 20 including more in the forward sections so more coverage across more frequencies and the ability to handle more number of simultaneous targets. Looking at this one can see why the USMC is not replacing their Prowler fleet with a dedicated platform at all. Their F-35C's with the AGM-88G would offer them all that they need for their internal use case.
Last edited by brar_w on 26 Nov 2021 21:49, edited 1 time in total.
ldev
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Re: US military, technology, arms, tactics

Post by ldev »

brar_w wrote:EW is less understood because it is the most classified in terms of specific capabilities but we now know from published text (by folks that designed it no less) that the F-22A's EW suite is not just passive but is capable of Electronic attack capability independent of its radar. The F-35 will be no different, so it would have its Radar as the high power jamming aperture, its EW suite which would have some inherent organic capability beyond the receiver suite, and then finally its towed decoys that will be used against weapons (as opposed to platforms). On EW, the commentary that Heritage published after speaking with F-16CJ pilots is actually quite remarkable. Here are pilots who were basically pre-2015, operating the USAF's flagship tactical EW/EA and SEAD platform (F-16CJ) and the F-35A (which counts SEAD as one of its mission but isn't solely dedicated to it) has the ability to triangulate emitters faster and with more accuracy than 3 F-16CJ's working together. And that would be with Block 3F F-35's. As I had mentioned, Block 4 would up the receiver count from 10-12 to 20 including more in the forward sections so more coverage across more frequencies and the ability to handle more number of simultaneous targets.
What I found interesting is the ability of DAS and the EW suite on the F-35 to almost reach a firing solution both for AA and AG and a fleeting radar pass below the detection threshold is all that is required for range confirmation and weapons release. So the opposing side has no clue that there is even an aircraft out there or if ULF radar has picked up something, they know that something is out there but cannot get tracking data on it.
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Re: US military, technology, arms, tactics

Post by brar_w »

I am not sure how useful DAS would be for actual engagements, but it is a great tracking tool. For example, EOTS, radar or EW does the positive identification of the target (these are higher fidelity sensors and offer greater range) and DAS places it in track. Unless you lose track, you don't need to go in and re-ID these. There used to be a cool display with 3D glasses that Northrop used to have at events and air-shows a while back that basically showed this. DAS could track objects at many times the distance at which it could provide an ID so as long as some other sensor (or another F-35 ) ID'd it, the fusion engine would automatically have that target tracked via DAS. The new DAS that is going to be in production starting next year, has much higher fidelity (doubles the resolution) and more dedicated computing so should help increase the range of both ID and tracking. It is essentially a short ranged staring IRST capability that can perform tasks (like missile detection, short ranged IRST, and navigation) concurrently with very low latency. Passive EW is the most important capability on the F-22 and F-35. It offers greater range, is passive and allows for very accurate tracking. Increasingly, this will be the primary means of SA as radar use becomes limited due to EMCON and counter EW etc. The fixation on pure radar abilities is a leftover from the 4th gen world when there were some fairly rapid advances in radar modes and performance. With FGFA, the side with the best EMCON and abilities to build passive SA would have the most tactical advantage. And LPI modes for when you must use your active sensors (not just radar but also something like MADL).
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Re: US military, technology, arms, tactics

Post by ldev »

brar_w wrote:Looking at this one can see why the USMC is not replacing their Prowler fleet with a dedicated platform at all. Their F-35C's with the AGM-88G would offer them all that they need for their internal use case.
And while some would say that while the EA mounted by a flight of 3 F-35s would be overwhelmingly stronger than a single EA-18G there are those who say that F-35 EA is confined to 140 degrees forward view. That F-35s cannot provide cover for a retreating force unlike the EA-18G pods with 360 degree coverage. But then if your attack is successful you don't need cover when retreating!!
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Re: US military, technology, arms, tactics

Post by ldev »

brar_w wrote:And LPI modes for when you must use your active sensors (not just radar but also something like MADL).
I think LPI communication is one of the least appreciated areas when talking about LO and VLO fighters. And I think that in this area the US is so far ahead of others including the Europeans that it will take a while for others to appreciate, understand and research this area. Link 16 will die soon. Will MADL be retrofitted on 4th gen fighters?
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Re: US military, technology, arms, tactics

Post by brar_w »

ldev wrote:
brar_w wrote:Looking at this one can see why the USMC is not replacing their Prowler fleet with a dedicated platform at all. Their F-35C's with the AGM-88G would offer them all that they need for their internal use case.
And while some would say that while the EA mounted by a flight of 3 F-35s would be overwhelmingly stronger than a single EA-18G there are those who say that F-35 EA is confined to 140 degrees forward view. That F-35s cannot provide cover for a retreating force unlike the EA-18G pods with 360 degree coverage. But then if your attack is successful you don't need cover when retreating!!
The Growler is still going to be the preferred way to do tactical stand off jamming. Each of those MB-NGJ's generates in excess of 60kW of power at 30,000 ft or below so that's a lot of capability. Plus the low-band pods will be needed to degrade early warning radars (operating at L band or below), and the high band pods needed to degrade space and MMW communications. S-O jamming is preferred when you are in a situation of having fewer jammers and larger number of targets so is more efficient (alternative would be to have escort platforms within each strike package which becomes expensive not to mention requires mobilization of a larger force).

With the F-35C with USN and USMC, the modified escort mission of the Growler will just go away now as the F-35 fleets become larger. It will remain the SO jamming platform, and "Passive growlers (basically SH's)" will employ MALD-N's to support any stand in needs. The USAF already does this which you'd expect given it has a much larger VLO fleet of F-22s and F-35s compared to the USN. The EC-130 and soon the EC-37B will be the S-O jammers, the F-22 and F-35 the stand in SEAD assets, and MALD-J's (USAF fields thousands of MALD and MALD-Js) and soon MALD-X's being the stand-in jammer options. There will be a variant of Skyborg that does the stand-in mission as well in the coming years.
ldev wrote: Link 16 will die soon. Will MADL be retrofitted on 4th gen fighters?
Link-16 will never really die. Not for decades at least. It is ubiquitous and the common denominator with everyone including partners, NATO, and ground forces. L16 is actually now going to Space (using existing L16 terminals) and L16 being transmitted from LEO will basically mean that hundreds if not thousands of L16 enabled platforms will have SATCOM receive capability without actually needing SATCOM terminals.

That said, each user has already created a more capable tactical data link network to the standard L16. One that offers higher data-rates, lower latency, and better performance overall depending on their need (higher data rates, directionality, self-heal features etc etc) . For example, the US Navy uses the S-band (that still remains some L-band capability) TTNT network for its fire-control tracking and connectivity across platforms and AEGIS. F-35 and F-22 use their K band (MADL) and Q band (IFDL) links which are LPI/LPD and directional (this requires a 6 or more antennas per aircraft to provide directional coverage as opposed to a single non directional antenna). The USAF has also begun playing around with the TTNT waveform for some of its non-stealthy higher bandwidth data-link needs. These newer waveforms and data-links will co-exist with L16 which is almost essential because it is present on so many platforms and systems and you can't replace across thousands of air, sea and land based platforms so must design future platforms to be able to communicate with legacy and next gen systems (reason why F35 still has full L-16 capability despite utilizing MADL and in the future TTNT).

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ldev wrote:Will MADL be retrofitted on 4th gen fighters?
No because this will be too expensive and may be physically impossible for some platforms (both from an antenna integration perspective and a translation perspective). Gateways will serve the needs when you need a 5th gen platform to communicate discretely across to 4th gen platforms. The USAF's ABMS platform has a Gateway One payload that it has added to everything from ships, to KC-46's, and even Valkyrie attritable aircraft. The Gateway One payload is able to receive, transmit, translate and share any LPI/LPD communication originating from stealth aircraft so that the data can be shared with non stealthy platforms who don't have this capability. These platforms can continue to share to the 5th gen platforms using L16. This is more efficient and ensures that stealth platforms minimize or eliminate altogether their L16 transmissions which would not have been possible due to the physical limitations (cost and integration) of some of the legacy platforms to accept directional data-links. Cost is a fairly significant limitation even if one assumes that it is physically possible to stuff these systems into legacy aircraft. The CNI-suite and its supporting antennas cost more on the F-35 than its AESA radar. You can't afford that level of hardware upgrades across thousands of platforms just so that they can communicate with the F-35 using the F-35's LPI/LPD data-links. Gateways in contrast are technically simpler, and much more efficient both in terms of adding them to something like the RQ-180, Valkyrie, or larger more powerful gateways on the tanker and transport fleet.

The RQ-180 Drone Will Emerge From The Shadows As The Centerpiece Of An Air Combat Revolution
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Re: US military, technology, arms, tactics

Post by brar_w »

fanne wrote:Is the claim of 2 weeks on patrol in last two years rhetorical or truth? BTW do we know how long was the deployment. USN rule of thumb is 6 months every two years.
The deployment every 2 years is counted only when the Aircraft Carrier (CVN) is handed over by the USN to the concerned Combatant Command. Its not the total at sea period for the carrier. Even in that case, they have far exceeded this of late and 6 month deployments are more like 7-8 month deployments these days with some notable recent examples being even longer. USS Nimitz spent nearly 11 months deployed in 2020 before concluding the deployment in early 2021. Lincoln also had a 10-month deployment in 2020. Since the USN tiers its readiness, the carriers spend a sizable amount of time working up so that they are fully integrated with their air-wing and battle group and are at a high state of readiness when they are handed over to the COCOM. This varies, but generally involves at least a couple of months of training at sea before they are fully ready. This usually involves short (2-3 weeks at a time) at sea periods off the west or east coast of the US where you can see CVN's working their way up to full readiness. That period at at sea (could stretch into months if a CVN is introducing an upgrade to the fleet like a new type of aircraft, or another new technology) is not counted towards the deployment count since the USN still maintains control of the carrier and it is generally (short of an emergency) not available for a COCOM for tasking.

There are also physical and HR reasons that result in large gaps. An air-wing that spends 6-8 months out at sea, covering thousands of miles is going to take weeks if not months to fully recover. Aircraft spend a lot of time in extended maintenance coming off of a deployment and the same for a carrier. As a ballpark, if you assume 4-5 months of air-wing recovery period, and factor in a 2-3 month work up period to recover readiness you are basically at the limits of your deployment frequency. It is generally under-appreciated how beat up aircraft are as they come back after having spent 6+ months at sea particularly if they are also supporting combat ops during this period. That deferred maintenance adds up, and the physical toll of being deployed in the salty environment takes quite a while to reverse.
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Re: US military, technology, arms, tactics

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brar_w wrote:Testing Of Air Force’s Secretive New Long-Range Air-To-Air Missile Is Now Well Underway

The U.S. Air Force has been busy flying QF-16 Full-Scale Aerial Target, or FSAT, missions in support of the Lockheed Martin AIM-260 Joint Advanced Tactical Missile program. While the AIM-260, or JATM, remains a highly secretive weapon, it’s now clear that test work is well underway, with around 30 FSAT missions last year alone. This would make sense given that the goal is to have the new missile start arming Air Force and Navy aircraft as early as next year...
Interestingly, in 2017-2020 time-frame, at least two new DRFM jamming payloads were integrated into the QF-16's primarily to support the F-35 operational test and evaluation. Given what we know from the Warzone article above, regarding the 30 flights of these aircraft in support of AIM-260 testing, particularly the non-destructive testing flights (as highlighted), it is pretty safe to assume that a large portion of these flights would be in support of testing the weapon against countermeasures. This would explain such large number of development test flights particularly the non-destructive component. The destructive component is likely happening with smaller drones, with QF-16 based destructive testing probably being reserved for the official OT&E phase.

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Re: US military, technology, arms, tactics

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Block 4 weapon integration making progress -

F-35B Releases StormBreaker Smart Weapon In First-Ever Munition Drop


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During the test, an F-35B naval aviator used the network-enabled weapon as a guided munition, following the same method one would use in combat, from mission planning to release.

After the F-35B released the weapon, a nearby F/A-18F Super Hornet monitored fly-out of the weapon over a common network. The Super Hornet continued monitoring of the weapon until successful impact, demonstrating successful network connectivity capability.

StormBreaker and the F-35B will continue developmental then operational testing to prove out safety and capability. Meanwhile, the U.S. Navy will declare initial operating capability on the Super Hornet after operational testing concludes.

Last year, the U.S. Air Force fielded the weapon on the F-15E Strike Eagle, and the weapon has performed various live drops and weapons evaluations since.
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Re: US military, technology, arms, tactics

Post by brar_w »

One of the most notable defense projects delayed by COVID 19 which forced a nearly year long pause to radar component installation. A smaller version of this 60 ft x 60 ft radar is also going to be installed in Hawaii and eventually they probably want something on the East Coast if Iran acquires a nuke capability. LRDR is designed to work alongside the UHF band EWRs at Clear and elsewhere, and also the sea based X band radar when available. Most importantly, this now provides the Ground based mid course defense system a 24x7 discrimination capability which was not the case (the XBR had to be deployed at sea to offer that) earlier.

Long-Range Discrimination Radar Reshapes Adversaries' Calculus for Attacks Against U.S. Homeland

The Missile Defense Agency, U.S. Northern Command and the Space Force marked the completion of construction on the long-range discrimination radar site at Clear Space Force Station, Alaska, during a ceremony on Monday.

The multi-mission LRDR is designed, for now, to better track incoming ballistic missiles. It combines the capabilities of lower frequency radars — which can track multiple objects in space at long range, but are not able to help warfighters determine which objects are a threat — with the capabilities of higher-frequency radars, which have a more limited field of view but are better able to "discriminate" among multiple objects and figure out what of those is dangerous.

As ballistic missiles are launched and shed portions of themselves along their trajectory — including decoy and countermeasure material — the LRDR will help to determine which of those objects must be targeted by the missile defense system.

When fully operational, the multi-face LRDR — equipped with a 220 degree wide field of view and arrays measuring 60 feet high by 60 feet wide — will provide the ability to search, track and discriminate multiple, small objects in space, including all classes of ballistic missiles. Future iterations of the radar's software will allow it to also track hypersonic missiles.

The information the LRDR provides will increase the effectiveness of the missile defense system and help the U.S. Northern Command better defend the United States.

"This long-range discrimination radar is designed to defend the homeland by providing [the] unparalleled ability to search, track and discriminate multiple objects simultaneously," Roper said. "This radar provides a much-needed improvement to Northcom's homeland ballistic missile defense mission, ultimately resulting in more effective and efficient employment of the ground-based interceptors."

Full operational capability for the LRDR is expected in 2023, Navy Vice Adm. Jon A. Hill, director of the Missile Defense Agency said. Right now, the newly built LRDR will be evaluated and integrated into existing systems.

"This initial delivery is an important step to declare that we're done with a major construction. We are now fully into the test mode of this radar," Hill said. "That testing is so critical because it pushes you right into the integration, command and control into ground-based midcourse defense. That integration work will be complete and, then, in 2023, we'll be able to do operational acceptance for Northern Command."

Right now, the primary requirement met by the LRDR is against a ballistic missile threat, but in future iterations of the LRDR, tracking of hypersonic weapons can also be included without significant changes to the system, Hill said.

"That is what the radar filters are designed to go after," Hill said. "To bring in what I call a filter — which means you can then space your tracking and your timing to go to hypersonic — that's not a big leap ... that is a software upgrade, but it is not the driving requirement for LRDR today."
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Video:

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Re: US military, technology, arms, tactics

Post by brar_w »

3 x DDG-51 Flight III destroyers, 2 Virginia Class SSNs, 1 x Constellation class FFG funded for the US Navy in the compromise NDAA that is being worked for the FY-22 budget.

https://news.usni.org/2021/12/07/new-de ... er-hornets
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Re: US military, technology, arms, tactics

Post by Prasad »

Look at the size of that thing!
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Re: US military, technology, arms, tactics

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^ Its the largest solid state S-band radar in the world (the Space fence is technically larger but not a BMD system or capable of tracking objects inside atmosphere), but in terms of comparison the UHF band EWRs are larger systems at something like 85 ft and 75 ft diameters each though they are single mission (EW) and not capable of performing discrimination. The Sea based X-band radar in comparison has a diameter of 58 feet which is crazy if you think about it operating at X band (much smaller TRIMMS). LRDR has been described as offering 75% of the capability of the SBX at significantly longer ranges (hence multi-mission) and with 24x7 availability. But it still doesn't allow them to retire the SBX which will now be modernized and kept for at least another decade and a half. Same for the UEWRs, they have been recently modernized and will be kept into the future as well.
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Re: US military, technology, arms, tactics

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General Atomics' Rough Field-Capable Mojave Drone Breaks Cover

General Atomics has offered the first official details about a new unmanned aircraft it has been developing internally called the Mojave. Derived from the MQ-1C Gray Eagle that the company developed for the U.S. Army, it is optimized for short takeoffs and landings from semi-improved surfaces with an emphasis on supporting various kinds of expeditionary and distributed operations. Its new wing gives it a look that is reminiscent in some ways of the OV-10 Bronco. The company says that its improved short-field performance would also make it suitable for carrier-based operations without any need for a catapult to launch it or arresting gear during recovery.

David Alexander, President of General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI), together with C. Mark Brinkley, GA-ASI's Senior Director of Marketing & Strategic Communications, provided details about Mojave to The War Zone during a call with reporters yesterday. The Mojave, only one of which currently exists, took its first flight this past Summer and has conducted a number of flight tests since then.

Alexander said that the company first began laying the groundwork for this drone around two and half years ago and that active work on it has been going on over the past two years. "This idea started back when we were thinking about how to be runway independent," he explained. The decision to go with a short takeoff and landing (STOL) design came after the company determined it would be too difficult to meet its performance targets using a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) configuration.

“It’s just fighting the physics all the time," Alexander said, something that has certainly been noted over the years in the development of advanced VTOL aircraft. “We think this is a very efficient way to get you persistence and get it somewhat runway independent.”

Mojave's fuselage shares a similar mold line with the Gray Eagle, which was itself derived in part from the MQ-1 Predator and MQ-9 Reaper. However, it ditches the MQ-1C's tail in favor of one that is more like that of the MQ-9. There are other significant differences toward the rear of the fuselage to accommodate a Rolls-Royce M250 turboshaft engine. The M250, a popular design that is already used to power various manned fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters, is rated at 450 horsepower. This gives Mojave significantly increased power over the MQ-1C and its 165-horsepower Thielert Centurion 1.7 diesel engine. Compared to the Gray Eagle, the drone's entire tricycle landing gear has been redesigned for rough field performance, including the addition of wider flotation tires designed to help it traverse sandy and otherwise loose terrain.

The design of the Mojave's wing is new, being optimized for maximum lift with the help of leading-edge slats and double-slotted flaps. It has a wider chord and generally broader dimensions, which Alexander likened to that of a crop duster, compared to the wings on the Gray Eagle or the improved Gray Eagle Extended Range (GE-ER). The new drone's wingspan is 52 feet, compared to the 56-foot span on the standard MQ-1C and the 58-foot one on the GE-ER.

During testing so far, Mojave has demonstrated the ability to take off and land in less than 500 feet. The goal is that the drone, in its lightest configuration, would be able to get airborne and touch down in as little as 300 to 400 feet, a capability that would be enabled, in part, by an extremely low stall speed. Flight testing so far has shown that this unmanned aircraft can safely land at speeds as low as 45 knots. It “doesn’t even look like it should be flying, it’s going so slow," GA-ASI's President Alexander said.

Of course, things like the total distance necessary to take off and land, as well as the drone's range and endurance, would vary depending on its configuration. To get the total takeoff and landing roll down to 300 to 400 feet would likely require a more limited payload package focused on intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) missions and with a fuel load offering less than five hours of endurance. Mojave could be capable of staying airborne for up to 25 hours or more, but this would require more fuel, and therefore a greater takeoff weight, resulting in at least the need for a longer stretch of runway to get airborne. GA-ASI provided the chart seen below, which shows the projected relationship between the length of the takeoff ground roll and total endurance. With all this in mind, Alexander highlighted the internal modularity of the design and the flexibility this offers.

In addition to the sensor turret under its nose, Mojave can accommodate various sensors, such as radars with synthetic aperture imaging functionality and signals intelligence suites, and as other payloads, such as communications packages, internally. It is designed to carry a significant array of weapons and other stores externally.

“You can shorten the endurance down and carry a big load when you need to and then when you don’t, you can offload it and have much longer persistence," Alexander said.

The Gray Eagle and GE-ER designs can currently be fitted with four underwing pylons and one the centerline. Mojave has six underwing hardpoints, which are also rated to carry heavier loads, and a centerline one. The company has put particular emphasis on the new drone's ability to carry up to 16 Hellfire missiles under its wings, but has stressed that it could carry various other weapons and stores depending on a customer's requirements.
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The AIM-120D F3R that replaces the signal processor and several other guidance section hardware components seems to be headed for guided tests next year. It is the last planned (currently) hardware upgrade to the AIM-120D missile. Looks like it will be released with the systems imp. program increment 3 software so 2023 deliveries for AIM-120D3 variants will feature the new processors.

Upgraded AMRAAM completes series of captive flight tests
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MQ-25 UAS being craned onboard a CVN for deck handling trials and carrier integration testing -
@USNavy
Receiving the latest in unmanned technology Airplane
@Boeing
unmanned MQ-25 aircraft is craned onto the flight deck of #USSGeorgeHWBush (CVN 77).

The MQ-25 will be the worlds first operational, carrier-based unmanned aircraft.
LINK
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From this angle, that thing looks like a Transformer!

https://twitter.com/max_matrix1/status/ ... 00640?s=20 ---> The F-35B. Good but complicated.

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Lockheed Martin has awarded BAE Systems the Block 4 EW upgrade contract for the F-35 -
BAE Systems received a $493M contract to significantly upgrade and modernize the EW system for the F-35 Lightning II, enabling the fighter to quickly detect and address evolving electromagnetic threats.

Under the contract, BAE Systems will deliver enhanced and highly capable core hardware for the F-35’s high-performance EW mission system, known as AN/ASQ-239, and will provide engineering support services and test infrastructure. The upgraded system will improve superior situational awareness and electromagnetic attack and countermeasure capabilities with new sensors and more powerful signal processing.


The enhanced electronic warfare system’s robust design will enable rapid future upgrades, aligning with the U.S. Department of Defense’s strategy for continuous capability development. The system’s modular architecture will also allow for efficient hardware upgrades that reduce lifecycle and retrofit costs, and support faster software updates across the global F-35 fleet. The system also includes the Non-Intrusive Electronic Warfare Test Solution (NIEWTS) fault isolation and diagnostics capability, which enables precise troubleshooting that further reduces maintenance costs.

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USS Portland Uses Its Experimental Laser To Fry A Floating Target In The Middle East

The amphibious warship Portland has the most powerful laser currently deployed aboard an operational vessel.
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The first four of eventually 50 or so aircraft that will be permanently based in Europe (RAF Lakenheath). They are replacing the F-15C squadrons that have been deployed in the UK for a while. The two F-15E squadrons will remain there through this decade and beyond for a total of 4 squadrons for the air-wing.

U.S. Air Force’s First European-Based F-35s Have Arrived In England


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Affordable Mass - The Need for a Cost-Effective PGM Mix for Great Power Conflict

Interesting article on the need for mass i.e. adequate quantities of PGMs for a peer conflict. How cost determines volume i.e. stand off PGMs are costlier per unit and hence fewer units per munition are procured
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There is an almost inverse relationship between warhead weight and weapon weight. Obviously it is the warhead that determines destructive power
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And the fact that 5th generation VLO aircraft will be able to carry larger numbers of smaller PGMs which cost less all because of their VLO characteristics will enable them to launch weapons from stand in as opposed to stand off ranges that 4th generation aircraft will be forced to operate from.
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Gunzinger is a very lazy analyst who fails to update his data and often begins with pre-decided conclusions that his advocacy group is peddling. Penny is the only *real* analyst at Mitchell these days. He has peddled this for years and seldom updates the data based on real world contract awards and changes to O plans and weapon inventories. The visuals he presents are bound to be dramatic because a lot of the weapons he is looking at are not on multi-year buys so looking at "on order" means little compared to stated inventory goals which is the real metric. For example, the USAF awarded Lockheed Martin a contract to add capacity at its JASSM factory to build in excess of 700 missiles a year. That CAPEX will allow them to increase production rates around 2023-2024 and they've corresponding upped their objective inventory requirements from 5K missiles to in excess of 9K missiles. Likewise, the US Navy now has rejoined the JASSM program and will likely also program at least a 1000-1500 missile inventory as it builds up capacity to support 10 air wings. So a further boost to that weapon will likely come. He also fails to realize that the US Air Force has a stand in attack weapon program that has the potential to add thousands above the Navy requirement for the AARGM-ER if indeed they stick with that weapon to meet their overall requirements. In 2020 (FY-20) the Pentagon made a concerted and very visible pivot away from buying very large quantities of direct attack weapons and towards more stand off and high speed weapons better suited for a potential conflict with a peer adversary. This after decades of buying very large quantities of PGMs. They increased production capacity and buy rates for existing stand off weapons, and initiated new programs. So the pivot is very much still a work in progress and will pay dividend towards the second half of the decade (it takes 3-5 years of capital investment to begin seeing gains).
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https://twitter.com/DfIlite/status/1471 ... 59332?s=20 ---> Damaged submarine USS Connecticut SSN 22 got underway from San Diego this afternoon (15 Dec) after a three day stay. Her bow cone has been removed to expose the forward bulkhead. It is a miracle that no one is lost.

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brar_w wrote:Gunzinger is a very lazy analyst who fails to update his data and often begins with pre-decided conclusions that his advocacy group is ........
Thanks, I was wondering why alarm bells weren't ringing about these projected depletion rates in the event of a major conflict for these long range PGMs and why remedial measures such as increased production contracts not signed.
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Special Operations C-130 Hits Target With A 'Rapid Dragon' Pallet-Dropped Cruise Missile

The U.S. Air Force says it has conducted the first successful end-to-end test of its Rapid Dragon air-launched palletized munitions concept. An MC-130J Commando II special operations transport released an unspecified live cruise missile using the prototype system, which subsequently hit a target floating in the Gulf of Mexico.

The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), which is leading the Rapid Dragon program through its Strategic Development Planning and Experimentation (SDPE) office, announced the completion of this test today. The Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC), the Air Force's Standoff Munitions Application Center, and the U.S. Navy's Naval Surface Warfare Center-Dahlgren Division (NSWC-Dahlgren), as well as private contractors Lockheed Martin, Systima Technologies, Safran Electronics & Defense, Parachutes USA, and R4 Integration, Inc., were also involved in this demonstration.
Rapid Dragon CM deployment concept -

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One of the side effects of increasing hypersonic weapon programs, and getting out of INF treaty (not limited to 500 km ranged ground launched weapons) means an increased burden on test infrastructure, particularly for over the water tests that go beyond the range limitations of any ground test range -

Northrop Grumman To Repurpose EQ-4Bs as Range Hawks

Northrop Grumman has been issued a task order to begin engineering and planning work for the repurposing of four EQ-4B Global Hawk high-altitude, long-endurance (HALE) unmanned aircraft. Formerly used for carrying the Battlefield Airborne Communications Node (BACN) payload, the Block 20 machines were retired from U.S. Air Force service at the end of July and have been handed over to the Department of Defense’s Test Resource Management Center (TRMC), which already has a number of RQ-4 Global Hawks.

Once modified with new sensors and communications equipment, the aircraft—dubbed Range Hawks—will be assigned to TRMC’s SkyRange program. This initiative employs remotely piloted aircraft such as the RQ-4 and MQ-9 Reaper to perform data collection and range clearance duties in support of long-range missile tests. The SkyRange test architecture allows uncrewed aircraft to capture real-time telemetry data and multi-spectral full-motion video, while also providing the range clearance and surveillance information, and meteorological data, to support launch decision-making.

SkyRange seeks to significantly expand U.S. testing capacity. Demand for missile tests has increased and continues to do so, especially in the field of hypersonic weapons. Currently, such tests are undertaken over the Pacific Ocean, supported by a fleet of vessels. These ships are aging and expensive to operate and it is time-consuming to position them correctly for tests. As a result, such tests can only be performed between four and six times per year. Moreover, the vessels are easily tracked by adversaries, alerting them to impending trials. By contrast, unmanned aircraft are cheaper to use and far more responsive to increasing test demands, as well as offering a more secure test environment.

Modification of the EQ-4Bs is to be performed at Northrop Grumman’s 35,000-sq-ft facility in the Grand Sky business park in North Dakota, where they have been stored since retirement. Sharing airfield facilities with Grand Forks AFB, which hosts the 319th Reconnaissance Wing that flies RQ-4B Global Hawks, Grand Sky is the first such location in the U.S. dedicated to unmanned air systems and also houses a General Atomics facility.

One of the drivers behind the SkyRange program is North Dakota Senator John Hoeven. “With divestment of the Global Hawk Block 20s, we’ve worked to secure a real opportunity to leverage the expertise we’ve built at Grand Sky and repurpose these aircraft to support hypersonic missile testing,” he said. “Doing so will save the armed forces time and money in developing these new missiles, as the new Range Hawks will be much more efficient than the current ship-based test range and support additional options for conducting tests.”

Hoeven is continuing to make the case for bringing the Air Force’s RQ-4B Block 30s to Grand Sky after they have been retired from service, which is likely to happen in the coming year or two. This plan could cement the facility's position as the hub of TRMC’s SkyRange program.
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And of an era for the USAF. The type will almost all be gone from operational service by 2029.

F-15C Eagle Weapons School sunsets at Nellis

The single-seat F-15C aircraft entered the U.S. Air Force inventory in 1979, and weapons officers have been trained on the aircraft’s tactics at the Weapons School at Nellis since 1978.

Those years of tradition came to an end Dec. 8, as the last cadre of students and instructors flew the final defensive counter air vul for Weapons Instructor Course 21-B.
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GE successfully concludes phase 1 testing on second XA100 adaptive cycle engine

GE has concluded phase 1 testing on its second XA100 adaptive cycle engine as part of the U.S. Air Force’s Adaptive Engine Transition Program (AETP). Phase 1 testing took place at GE’s Evendale, Ohio, altitude test facility and enabled GE to continue gathering high-quality performance data validating the engine’s transformational propulsion capability. Phase 2 tests will begin at the U.S. Air Force’s advanced testing facilities at Arnold Engineering Development Complex (AEDC) in the first quarter of 2022.

“Phase 1 testing allowed us to further characterize the operation of the engine and puts us in a great position to begin Phase 2 testing at AEDC,” said David Tweedie, GE Edison Works’ general manager for Advanced Combat Engines. “We continue to burn down risk with full-scale engine testing, which is why the XA100 is the lowest risk, most capable, and fastest approach to keep the F-35 a preeminent fighter platform for the long term.”

GE’s XA100 became the world’s first ever flight-weight, three-stream adaptive cycle engine in December 2020 before initiating tests on its second engine in August 2021. GE’s engine is uniquely designed to fit both the F-35A and F-35C without any structural modifications to either airframe, enabling better aircraft range, acceleration, and cooling power to accommodate next-generation mission systems.

The XA100-GE-100 engine combines three key innovations to deliver a generational change in combat propulsion performance:

An adaptive engine cycle that provides both a high-thrust mode for maximum power and a high-efficiency mode for optimum fuel savings and loiter time
A third-stream architecture that provides a step-change in thermal management capability, enabling future mission systems for increased combat effectiveness
Extensive use of advanced component technologies, including ceramic matrix composites (CMC), polymer matrix composites (PMC), and additive manufacturing
These revolutionary innovations increase thrust 10%, improve fuel efficiency by 25%, and provide significantly more aircraft heat dissipation capacity, all within the same physical envelope as current propulsion systems. The XA100’s improved fuel efficiency provides significant reduction in carbon emissions. The engine will also operate on any U.S. Air Force-approved biofuels.

“Between the step-change fuel efficiency improvement and enhanced durability of our advanced materials, this engine provides the maximum opportunity to increase readiness and reduce operational and lifecycle costs,” Tweedie added. “No upgrade of a legacy propulsion system can simultaneously provide the revolutionary improvements in fuel efficiency, thrust, power and thermal management, and durability as the XA100 engine.”

The XA100 is a product of GE Edison Works, a business unit dedicated to the research, development, and production of advanced military solutions. This business unit has full responsibility for strategy, innovation, and execution of advanced programs.

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https://twitter.com/beverstine/status/1 ... 92866?s=20 ---> USAF posts photos of an F-22 being rebuilt, after the 2018 belly landing at NAS Fallon. Air Combat Command tells me it expects this jet to return to service in 2022.

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From the twitter account of CNO of the US Navy.

For newbies, CNO is Chief of Naval Operations and is equivalent to Chief of Naval Staff in India. Four star officer.

https://twitter.com/USNavyCNO/status/14 ... 01898?s=20 ---> In terms of survivability and lethality, our submarine force is our nation’s best-trained platform and our sailors aboard USS Nevada have the watch.

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Air Launched Minuteman ICBM Ballistic Missile Test 1974 US Air Force

https://vimeo.com/474380887
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Northrop continues work with new A2/AD missile


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Northrop Grumman has completed the second test flight of a developmental missile that is aimed at the US government’s requirement for a new Stand-in Attack Weapon (SiAW).

The work involved a missile demonstrator mounted on the nose of a company-owned Bombardier CRJ-7000, says Northrop.

The aircraft served as a test-bed for the new weapon’s surface mission computer and sensors.

“This second flight test demonstrated the mission capability of the missile sensor systems combined with the mission computer,” says Northrop.

The company plans additional flights to test the weapon in “more stressing scenarios”

SiAW is aimed at defeating targets under the anti-access/area denial (A2/AD) umbrellas of potential US rivals, such as China.

The requirement first emerged in early 2020, with the US Air Force requesting information for modifications to the US Navy’s Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missile-Extended Range (AARGM-ER), that would make the weapon suitable for the Lockheed Martin F-35A. AARGM-ER is also a Northrop product.

“We have taken significant steps to mature our missile design, providing capabilities for the U.S. Air Force SiAW program and other programs,” said Dan Olson, vice president and general manager, weapon systems, Northrop Grumman.

“Leveraging our digital engineering expertise to accelerate timelines, our first complete missile is planned to be built and ready for launch in 2022.”

Northrop, which refers to the weapon as its ‘A2/AD missile’, says the weapon builds on the navy’s AARGM-ER, and will be capable of integration with “a variety of aircraft.”

Though Northrop does not state it, the new weapon could also find employment on the developmental B-21 stealth bomber.

In November, the US Mitchell Institute issued a paper stating that the US Air Force needs a new generation of precision-guided munitions to effectively deter and fight major powers such as China and Russia.
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Nostalgia strikes

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Raytheon, US Navy talk EA-18G’s AESA radar providing jamming boost

Raytheon and the US Navy (USN) are looking to increase the jamming capability of the Boeing EA-18G Growler by also using the electronic attack aircraft’s APG-79 active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar.

They have discussed updates that would give the Raytheon-made radar the ability to jam enemy transmissions. Such a capability would be in addition to the Growler’s payload of current and future jamming pods, including the USN’s trio of next-generation jammers.

“The navy is looking to understand how to employ [AESA radar] best, along with the next-gen jammers,” says Eric Ditmars, vice-president of secure sensor solutions at Raytheon Intelligence & Space.

Ditmars’ comment, made in an interview with FlightGlobal last October, offered a rare glimpse into the top-secret world of electronic warfare, which is central to an increasingly heated arms race between the USA and near-peer adversaries China and Russia.

“We are already seeing races in airborne electronic warfare, [in terms of] power and range. This is part of the response to that,” says JJ Gertler, senior associate with the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

Electronic warfare, which includes radar jamming, has been used by the USN and US Air Force in past wars to temporarily blind, frustrate and confuse opponents.

The possibility of using the EA-18G’s AESA radar for jamming points to the navy’s hunger for electronic measures that can help counter the increasing number of advanced surface-to-air missile systems and combat aircraft being fielded by Beijing and Moscow.

Additional jamming capabilities might allow Growlers to attack targets more precisely, or from greater stand-off ranges, say electronic warfare experts. New capabilities might also allow them to hit more targets simultaneously and across a wider swath of battlefield.

The Growler can already carry up to five ALQ-99 Tactical Jamming Systems – two under each wing and one under the fuselage centreline. The USN plans to replace the Cold War-era technology with a trio of next-generation advanced jammers, respectively designed to operate in low-, mid- and high-band frequencies.

The service awarded Raytheon a contract last July to start producing the ALQ-249 Next Generation Jammer Mid-Band (NGJ-MB). That system, scheduled to reach initial operational capability by autumn 2023, is intended for offensive electronic attacks against air-defence and communications systems using mid-band radio frequencies.

“This is the first time we know of [that] anybody has tried to do both technologies on the same airplane,” says Gertler, referring to combining AESA jamming capabilities with purpose-built jammers.


The mid-band ALQ-249 also employs AESA technology. “AESAs are very steerable. You can aim directly at a target,” says Gertler.

Radar jamming could be useful when the Growler’s dedicated pods are already employed. The system could allow electronic warfare officers to quickly shut down specific threats – such as enemy surveillance aircraft and a radar-guided missile – on other frequencies, he adds.

AESA-based jamming is not new. For example, Northrop Grumman’s APG-81 AESA radar, fielded on the Lockheed Martin F-35 stealth fighter, can jam some surface-to-air missile systems.

“While the idea of using AESA in this application has been around for a while, processing improvements make it a viable capability,” says Brad Martin, a retired captain and surface warfare officer with the USN, who now works for think tank RAND Corporation.

AESA radars can operate passively, “listening” for adversary radar transmissions. This can allow defending aircraft to detect adversaries without being detected themselves. That listening ability, as well as computing power to make sense of what is being “heard”, is useful for jamming.

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