Not often you get a DS30M Mk.2 in action with a clear view of the target...and close up of effect. Taken at the Bushmaster User Conference held at Big Sandy range in the US. This is the mount that the USN and USCG appear to have chosen as the Mk.38 Mod 4. Will be going on all new build US vessels. Q...

Thought I'd better post these...couple of big wins for RR in the US military market. The B-52 re-engining is a massive win, on top of the huge order it guarantees 50 years of recurring maintenance work and upgrades, and sends a message to any other buyers of the engines that support and parts will b...

Of the six aircraft due this year, how many have been delivered up to the present date. Zero. But thats not unusual, the last few UK batches have tended to come at the end of the year. It now looks like there might be a delay on a number of them (according to the tweet above), which shouldn't come ...

The Australian company that made the MES must rub its hands in glee with each test....getting it back aboard, recertified and prepped for use again must have cost a pretty penny....

Mind you at least they don't have to get the divers out to retrieve the doors on these tests...

So they've discovered DSMAC and Terprom....

What's the re-base-lining that he mentions? Production has fallen somewhat due to COVID. Whats not mentioned is Turkey's ejection from the programme must have caused some delays as well. LM delivered 120 F-35 in 2020, 21 short of the production goal. 133-139 to be delivered in 2021, about 20 short ...

Won't be long for no.7 to arrive...ZP807 is flying.

Why has the RN never gone in for the Prairie/Masker system? UK had/has its own system called Agouti RN has had a greater focus on reducing signature on ships for longer than the US, but they have used the Prairie part on Type 22 Batch 2's. The props had the 'Agouti' system, which worked similar to ...

Why would a single stage motor give more speed? With a kick motor you lose space with the venturi(s) for the main motor having to run through the kick motor, unless its seperated as a seperate stage (like Starstreak, which brings complications and expense). Having one motor avoids failure points, c...

GarethDavies1 wrote:The photo of the single stage rocket is interesting as it would give more speed. Has it been tested by Thales or purely a paper concept?

These were options that Thales said could be developed as LMM is modular. All would require funding, some more than others.

So would the first stage rocket simply eject the missile from its cannister? Yes, its a kick motor. It's stopped firing by the time the missile exhaust exist the tube, the 2nd stage ignites when the missile is clear of the canister and operator/platform. You can see this clearly in the Wildcat vide...

Ron5 wrote:The second video appears to be of an earlier event.

The second video shows the formation from the 2nd half of the first video.

Yes, I know that about Ikara, but why didn't they continue with Ikara on later classes, like Type 22? Or even ASROCs, because I think that even ASROC is better than ordinary torpedo tubes? End of the Cold War, recognition that VL or canister launched 'sealed rounds' was the way forward from 'built ...

Rather good JMSDF video of Pacific Crown 21



UK MoD rushes..

For shoulder launched weapons I believe they really need to be fire and forget, such as stinger. Hopefully Thales will, at some point, develop the Imaging Infra Red Seeker. That would allow fire and forget operation. The single stage motor would also give much greater range and speed (but would mak...

No reason to doubt the Editor of Air International...but this does appear to indicate a change in the profile of deliveries..weirdly its only been reported that the UK has 14 actually contracted...he's got 16 down...unless a contract has been signed for a further 2. But that would require the FRP pr...

And that might be a good sign....if MSI are prepared to invest to create a more, permanent, integrated solution than the previous 7 or 5 missile lash-ups it looks like they may have confidence in orders coming... Worth noting (and apologies its not Martlet/LMM related) is that the USN appears to ha...

Incorrect. Totally. Especially the thinking that the mission bay and flight deck were a major source of cost. They are not. Just cheap steel. The mission bay is absolutely critical for operating unmanned systems, in fact I'd say that T26 is the only escort being designed and built at present that h...

I've had the same thought myself but I don't think it's practical. I agree. But when I look at loitering munitions in particular I can't see any other practical answer (and I think there's a real chance that loitering munitions may kill off the attack helicopter as well...). Either you kill them at...

It states that there is a 12s timer (and a 7.8s one) but it doesn’t indicate what that timer actually does. It could be a safety timer that cuts launch signal power after the launch window or breaks up the darts to reduce the danger area. Given the other videos out there or the intended mode of fun...

RunningStrong wrote:WCSP with the CT40 airburst (ground or air round) would have been capable.

This is true...but not Ajax...the airburst capability was, incredibly, not there...

I still like this on a UK chassis. Boxer is just too tall esp with a turret. And this would be better protected too. You won't find any argument from me...its been a gap for decades... Mind you I'm of the opinion that every armoured vehicle with an autocannon should be capable of fast rotation and ...

That grey one, number 7450, could be considered the first "fixed wing aircraft" to have "Royal Navy" painted on its side since Sea Harriers last left HMS Ark Royal in November 2010. I'm guessing you mean onboard a ship? Because if not the Hawk T1's of 736 NAS and Beechcraft Aven...

For real or just a theory? Just a theory, but it was 7 rounds for an age, the 5 round launcher arrived with the weapons wing. Could be a host of reasons, aero related or weapons handling perhaps. But when you look at a Wildcat on the ground with the new wing and a 5 round pod they're only just lowe...

KiwiMuzz, shame I thought I had read it was in front of where the MK41s would be added. Thanks That would be where the Mk.8 4.5 inch gun is.. Suspect the RN will extend the enclosure around the Sylver farm to surround the CAMM installation. From what we've seen to date the RN seems to want to keep ...