USA Armed Forces

[Blackstone]

GDLS will be showing off an updated version of Stryker Dragoon, the Stryker A1 MCWS, at AUSA.

[Timmymagic]

USS Garrett had her Phalanx in auto-engagement mode which resulted in her engaging the chaff cloud forming over the BB

HMS Gloucester also didn't deploy her chaff specifically not to interfere with the engagement precisely for this reason. One of the lessons learned of the Conveyor was that countermeasures were very useful but had to be carefully deployed when escorting other vessels to avoid leaving an escorted ship exposed.

[Caribbean]

The incident between Missouri and Garret actually didn't happen until the day following the Silkworm attack - something that was unclear in most of the original accounts of the mission (at least in the accounts that I read around the time)

[Qwerty]

U.S. Special Operations Forces - Detachment Delta.

https://warfaretech.blogspot.com/2014/0 ... 6.html?m=1

[Blackstone]

U.S. Special Operations Forces - Detachment Delta.

https://warfaretech.blogspot.com/2014/0 ... 6.html?m=1

SOCOM's currently doing preliminary work for a Next Generation AGMS, with a kickoff planned in FY 22/23. There's been some speculation that they'd just jump to Strykers sourced from Big Army, but the desire to stay light and compact would seem to lean them toward some other solution. It shall be interesting to see what comes of it.

[Blackstone]

[Lord Jim]

I really hope they are not going down the RAH-66 rabbit hole again with this programme.

[xav]

U.S. Navy Fit Checks Next Gen Jammer on EA-18G Growler

The first Next Generation Jammer Mid-Band (NGJ-MB) engineering development model pod delivered to the Navy is fit checked on an EA-18G Growler at Air Test and Evaluation Squadron (VX) 23 in September.

https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/20 ... g-growler/

--

Lockheed, Fincantieri Started Construction of 14th Freedom-class LCS

Lockheed Martin and Fincantieri Marinette Marine marked the beginning of construction on Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) 27, the future USS Nantucket, with a ceremony in Marinette.

https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/20 ... class-lcs/

[Lord Jim]

Does anyone know if Australia are looking at getting these new EW Pods for their Growlers?

[Blackstone]

Does anyone know if Australia are looking at getting these new EW Pods for their Growlers?

Yes, in fact they're a development partner on the mid-band jammer.

[seaspear]

https://news.usni.org/2019/10/23/marine ... le-amphibs
The f35b is becoming very useful

[Blackstone]

Ford going through her post-yard hot-rodding:


JFK touches water for the first time:

[xav]

SEWIP Block 3 on Track to Deliver Critical Electronic Warfare Improvement to the U.S. Navy

As Electronic Warfare (EW) continues to shape the future battlespace, Northrop Grumman is advancing a critical capability for the U.S. Navy. The Surface Electronic Warfare Improvement Program (SEWIP) protects surface ships from anti-ship missiles, providing early detection, signal analysis and threat warning.

Three SEWIP block upgrades have been established and a fourth is planned. SEWIP Block 3, being developed by Northrop Grumman and the U.S. Navy Program Executive Office Integrated Warfare Systems (PEO IWS), adds electronic attack to the SLQ-32(V) EW system, and is a cornerstone capability that will meet the urgent operational needs of the Fleet. The timing couldn’t be more important, as the pace and complexity of emerging threats continues to escalate.

https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/20 ... -u-s-navy/

--

U.S. Navy Experimenting Ressuply of Submarine via Quad Rotor Drone

Commander, Submarine Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet (COMSUBPAC) in partnership with the University of Hawaii, tested their unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) capabilities by delivering supplies onto a submarine off the coast of Oahu, Hawaii, Oct. 10.

https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/20 ... tor-drone/

--

BAE Systems to develop next generation towed decoy for US Navy aircraft

BAE Systems announced on a $36.7 million contract from the U.S. Navy to develop and demonstrate a next-generation, dual band Fiber-Optic Towed Decoy (FOTD) to protect aircraft and pilots from advanced threats.

--

US Navy receives 17th and final C-40 transport aircraft

The US Navy’s C-40 fleet has undergone some major changes in the last few months - adding two airplanes, one squadron and completing its current planned aircraft procurements, the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) press office said on October 22.

https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/20 ... -aircraft/

--

U.S. Navy Destroyer USS John S. McCain Starting Post-Repairs Sea Trials

The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS John S. McCain (DDG 56) completed her necessary repairs and is underway to conduct comprehensive at-sea testing.

John S. McCain completed repairs and extensive, accelerated upgrades over the last two years, following a collision in August 2017.

https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/20 ... -aircraft/

--

Newport News Shipbuilding Delivers Final Block III Virginia-Class Submarine to U.S. Navy

Delaware (SSN 791) is the last and final of eight Block III Virginia-class submarines. The Block III submarines are fitted with the new Virginia Payload Tubes designed to lower costs and increase missile-firing payload possibilities. The first 10 Block I and Block II Virginia-class submarines have 12 individual 21-inch diameter vertical launch tubes able to fire Tomahawk Land Attack Missiles (TLAMS). The Block III submarines are built with two-larger 87-inch diameter tubes able to house six TLAMS each.

https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/20 ... -u-s-navy/

[SKB]

USS Gerald R. Ford sea trials.

[ArmChairCivvy]

On some UK thread we were discussing the ranges of "what will come after GMLRS" and it seems that even the well funded US prgrms will deliver 500 km effects in 2023 (earliest!) and longer than that is... er, much further into the future - if the here https://sites.breakingmedia.com/uploads ... .17-PM.png mentioned prgrms will happen at all

[xav]

Gulf Island Shipyard Laid Keel of First-in-Class T-ATS for U.S. Navy

Gulf Island Shipyard held a keel laying ceremony on Oct. 30 for the future USNS Navajo (T-ATS 6), the lead ship of the U.S. Navy’s new class of Towing, Salvage, and Rescue vessels.

https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/20 ... -u-s-navy/

--

Some LCS starting operational deployment (at last)

U.S Navy LCS USS Detroit Set Sails for Maiden Deployment

The Freedom-class littoral combat ship USS Detroit (LCS 7) departed its homeport of Mayport, Florida, for the U.S. Southern Command area of responsibility on its maiden deployment Oct. 31.
...
USS Detroit is the fourth Freedom-class LCS built by Lockheed Martin at Fincantieri’s Marinette Marine shipyard. It is the first LCS to deploy with the Longbow Hellfire missile as part of its Surface to Surface Mission Module.

https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/20 ... eployment/

--

Another "idea" that makes sense

U.S. Navy Tested TALONS Elevated Sensor Mast System from a Destroyer during NATO Exercise

The U.S. Navy recently tested the TALONS system from Arleigh Burke-class destroyer USS Porter during Exercise Recognised Environmental Picture by Maritime Unmanned Systems REP (MUS) 2019.

TALONS stands for Towed Airborne Lift of Naval Systems. It is a large, tethered parafoil kite that can carry payloads from a host vessel to 1,000 feet in elevation or more. During REP (MUS), TALONS carried a radar and radio-relay system provided by the United Kingdom in order to extend communication ranges between unmanned vehicles, ships and shore points.

https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/20 ... -exercise/

[xav]

A small scoop I am proud of here:

LRASM Gets Funding for B-52 Integration – Could Find its Way to the P-8A Eventually

Lockheed Martin, NAVAIR and the U.S. Air Force will start working on the integration of LRASM on the B-52 following a budget allocation in FY 2019. In addition, fit checks of LRASM aboard the P-8A Poseidon MPA were carried out about a year ago.
...
Contacted by Naval News, Capt. Will Hargreaves, LRASM program director at Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR), said “Integration of LRASM on the B-52 will include work by both services [ed. note U.S. Navy and U.S. Air Force] in a manner similar to the highly successful B-1 integration program […] This is not a new program. Integration of existing weapons on new aircraft provides flexibility to our warfighter as they continue to pace the threat.”

https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/20 ... ventually/

[Lord Jim]

P-8 integration makes sense as it is a Maritime Patrol platform and most likely to find targets of opportunity for any LRASM carried.

[ArmChairCivvy]

in a manner similar to the highly successful B-1 integration program

Yeah, my thinking (from many small bits of text, over the years) is that B-1s retirement "job" is to keep the vast expanses of the Pacific free of hostile (surface) ships
... then the real deal (the contest) is about the two "pearls" of islands. More excactly: about having them or trying to deny the use of them

[Timmymagic]

A small scoop I am proud of here:

LRASM Gets Funding for B-52 Integration – Could Find its Way to the P-8A Eventually

Xav has anything been heard recently about integration of JSM to P-8 that the Australians were looking at? Or has that gone very quiet...

[ArmChairCivvy]

Isn't that a step 2, getting them onto F-35As first?

[Timmymagic]

Isn't that a step 2, getting them onto F-35As first?

The Norgies had agreed with the US to jointly fund JSM onto F-35 (all variants I believe including external carry), that looks to be under Blk.4. But the Australians were at one point looking to get JSM on P-8. Can't imagine the 2 are tied together in any way, yes the Norgies and Australians are both users of JSM, F-35 and P-8 but given the glacial pace of F-35 integration they won't be short of testing teams.

[ArmChairCivvy]

Can't imagine the 2 are tied together in any way, yes the Norgies and Australians are both users of JSM, F-35 and P-8 but given the glacial pace of F-35 integration they won't be short of testing teams.

That 'keep the testing teams busy' argument turns it exactly the other way I was thinking: Block 4 first, and then roll out the weapon, further
- - covering the Barents (Spitzbergen) Gap was a priority for Norway (and lead to preferring the F-35) so now, with all the Block 4 delays, both nations might be inclined to go with the P-8 first

[Blackstone]

Nice doc, wish is wasn't compressed into 20 minutes as there's a lot here that could have been even better with more time to breathe:

[Timmymagic]

That 'keep the testing teams busy' argument turns it exactly the other way I was thinking: Block 4 first, and then roll out the weapon, further

Integration with P-8 will be very easy, no extreme performance envelope to explore weapons release on, plenty of space to operate. For Blk.4 integration of JSM with F-35 I'd imaine they're just treading water at the moment.