USA Armed Forces

[ArmChairCivvy]

Pacific Command also gets an airman at the helm... a new thing?

[Halidon]

Pacific Command also gets an airman at the helm... a new thing?

Air Force officer, rather. But yes, first time ever it's not a Navy officer. Somewhere, Nimitz is displeased.

[benny14]

Back to the future for Stratgic Air Command, not sure if Nth Korea warrants this level of expence tho.

B-52 bombers rigged with nuclear weapons are being prepared for 24-hour alert for the first time since the Cold War, a senior U.S. Air Force official has reportedly said.

https://www.cnbc.com/2017/10/23/us-nucl ... grows.html

"The U.S. Air Force has no immediate plans to put its nuclear-capable B-52 bombers back on 24-hour alert, although officials have acknowledged the service is making improvements to facilities that could support a change in status should U.S. Strategic Command make that decision.

In an Oct. 22 story, Defense One reported that the Air Force was preparing to put the Boeing B-52 Stratofortress back on 24-alert for the first time ever since 1991. The story, based on an interview with Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Goldfein, noted that an alert order had not been given by STRATCOM head Gen. John Hyten."

https://www.defensenews.com/air/2017/10 ... our-alert/

[xav]

HIMARS MLRS Test Fired from US Navy LPD USS Anchorage during Dawn Blitz 2017 Exercise

The High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) was fired from the flight deck of the San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ship USS Anchorage (LPD 23) during Dawn Blitz 2017 Oct. 22. The HIMARS is a weapons system made up of the M142, five-ton chassis vehicle and can carry either a launcher pod of six rockets or one MGM-140 Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS).

https://www.navyrecognition.com/index.p ... rcise.html

Lockheed Martin to Design U.S. Navy’s Orca Extra Large Unmanned Undersea Vehicle - XLUUV

Lockheed Martin will support the growth of the U.S. Navy’s family of unmanned undersea systems under a design phase contract valued at $43.2 million for Orca, the U.S. Navy’s Extra Large Unmanned Undersea Vehicle (XLUUV). XLUUV Orca is a two phase competition, including the currently awarded design phase and a competitive production phase for up to nine vehicles to meet increasing demands for undersea operational awareness and payload delivery.

https://www.navyrecognition.com/index.p ... xluuv.html

Picture: First E-2D Advanced Hawkeye Aerial Refueling

Another major milestone was reached on the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye program this summer, when the first E-2D equipped with aerial refueling successfully received its first in-flight fuel transfer from a tanker aircraft on July 14.

https://www.navyrecognition.com/index.p ... eling.html

[xav]

U.S. NRL Tested New Nomad UAS from USS Coronado LCS 4

Researchers from the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) successfully completed testing their Nomad flight vehicle off of USS Coronado (LCS 4) in August. This test demonstrated the Nomad’s upgraded launch and control capabilities as well as a new recovery capability by launching multiple vehicles in quick succession, conducting formation flying operations, and recovering all vehicles sequentially onboard the USS Coronado.

https://www.navyrecognition.com/index.p ... lcs-4.html

BAE Systems Begins Mass Production of LRASM Anti-Ship Missile Advanced Sensor

BAE Systems has begun production of its sensor technology for the Long Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM) following a $40 million order from prime contractor Lockheed Martin. The sensor enables the missile to seek and attack specific high-threat maritime targets within groups of ships, including those protected by sophisticated anti-aircraft systems. The missile’s range, survivability, and lethality capabilities are designed to help warfighters more effectively conduct missions in denied environments from beyond the reach of return fire - meeting a pressing need for both the U.S. Navy and U.S. Air Force.

https://www.navyrecognition.com/index.p ... ensor.html
(BTW, picture seems to show that F-18 can carry up to 4x LRASM ? That's a lot)

Guided-Missile Cruiser USS Mobile Bay Testing updated AEGIS Baseline 9 Weapons System

During a recent underway to test weapons capabilities, guided-missile cruiser USS Mobile Bay (CG 53) conducted a live-fire missile exercise using the updated AEGIS Baseline 9 weapons system. There are currently 84 U.S. Navy ships in service with variations of the AEGIS Weapons System installed: 22 cruisers and 62 destroyers, with Mobile Bay being the first cruiser to upgrade to Baseline 9 software and capabilities, with minor changes in equipment on top of the Baseline 8 system.

https://www.navyrecognition.com/index.p ... ystem.html

[xav]

Northrop Grumman Delivers First Operational MQ-4C Triton UAS to US Navy

Northrop Grumman Corp. delivered the first operational MQ-4C Triton unmanned air systems (UAS) to the U.S. Navy facility at Point Mugu, providing the service with unparalleled endurance and 360 degree coverage that allows for a vastly expanded maritime intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) mission.

https://www.navyrecognition.com/index.p ... -navy.html

[Smokey]

Pubescent teen pilot?

https://www.stripes.com/news/us/militar ... y-1.498325

https://www.rawstory.com/2017/11/absolu ... n-the-sky/

[SKB]

[Lord Jim]

I have a feeling some senior Officer is going to have a sense of humour failure over this.

[SKB]

[Smokey]

Made me laugh

[Dahedd]

BBC R5 reporting that a USN aircraft with 11 onboard has crashed into the Sea of Japan while heading to USS Ronald Reagan.

No type mentioned on the radio but it'll have to be an Osprey or a Greyhound I guess. Fingers crossed for the folk on board.

[Halidon]

It was a greyhound. 8 rescued with minor injuries, 3 missing. Search efforts are ongoing.

[xav]

Navantia & GD Bath Iron Works teamed up for US Navy FFG(X) Future Frigate Program

Navantia and General Dynamics Bath Iron Works have signed a teaming agreement to collaborate on the U.S. Navy’s next-generation FFG(X) Guided Missile Frigate. The partnership between Bath Iron Works, the designer and builder of some of the most advanced warships in the world, and Navantia, the world’s premier frigate designer, will provide the most capable and affordable light surface combatant for the US Navy.
...
The teaming agreement will see Navantia and Bath Iron Works collaborate on designs evolved from Navantia’s family of AEGIS Frigates, which include the Norwegian F-310 and the Spanish F-100. The latest of this family of vessels, HMAS Hobart, was commissioned into the Royal Australian Navy in September 2017.

https://www.navyrecognition.com/index.p ... ogram.html

[Halidon]

I Shall be interested in what they put forward; despite losing on OPC Bath, and Navantia seem to fit well together. Still have no end of concerns about this program overall, but fascinating to watch nevertheless.

[ArmChairCivvy]

Still have no end of concerns about this program overall

What would be your top 3 in that respect?

It is a fascinating project, esp. when
- there seems to be no end to admiration (here) when it comes to the T26
- and T31 (as well as LCS) have been done to death (with overriding negativity)

[xav]

Video: U.S. Navy Second Zumwalt-Class Destroyer Michael Monsoor Started Sea Trials

The second Zumwalt-class destroyer, the future USS Michael Monsoor (DDG 1001) sailed out of General Dynamics-Bath Iron Works (GD BIW) shipyard in Bath, Maine, yesteday for its very first sea trials (called builder trials). The Zumwalt-class is the largest class of destroyers ever built for the U.S Navy. This initial builder sea trials will help check basic systems onboard.

https://www.navyrecognition.com/index.p ... rials.html

[BigFoe]

The DOD IG had alot of Investigations closed on defense contractors and military officials during November. Some of the noteable ones;

https://media.defense.gov/2017/Nov/15/2 ... ING-FI.PDF

https://media.defense.gov/2017/Nov/15/2 ... ND-CON.PDF

And a dude impersonating being a Marine and CG official https://media.defense.gov/2017/Nov/29/2 ... NCED-1.PDF

[Halidon]

Still have no end of concerns about this program overall

K
What would be your top 3 in that respect?

It is a fascinating project, esp. when
- there seems to be no end to admiration (here) when it comes to the T26
- and T31 (as well as LCS) have been done to death (with overriding negativity)

Sorry I didn't mean to blow you off, my week got hectic at the end. My top 3 concerns about the Frigate program:

1. While there has been progress in producing the contractual requirements for the program, there is as yet not a solidly constructed vision for what the USN Frigate will be to the service. "We need a frigate" has been a long-standing talking point in Navy circles, one which is actually not nearly as universally supported as it may appear from the outside, but you dive at all below the surface of that particular ocean you'll find a kaleidoscope of arguments, definitions, and visions. And this has been exacerbated by the changeover from the previous DoD leadership, which at least started down this path by seeking a more capable/survivable LCS, and the current DoD leadership.

2. While the mandate to using an "existing" hull design is portrayed as a move to curb costs, discussion of the actual costs of the overall program has been distressingly thin. While "skipping" the cost of a clean-sheet hull is certainly going to reduce the development bill, how much it does save depends heavily on what adaptions are made to the parent design in the name of supporting USN requirements. My information is by no means comprehensive, but I think it's clear they will struggle to stay under a $Billion each.
There's also the fact that it may, and likely will, do little to reduce the recurring costs of the platform. While sailaway costs aren't to be dismissed, recurring costs are the real dragon we must combat in order to grow the fleet.

3. In no small part due to the above, I am pretty worried about the leadership and management of this program. There have been opportunities to demonstrate that lessoned learned have been applied to make this program a success, so far I'm not seeing it. And anyone expecting a Grand Navalist Vision, married to unimpeachable management credentials, to have come striding purposefully onto the bridge and seize the helm these last few months... is still waiting.

[BigFoe]

Still have no end of concerns about this program overall

K
What would be your top 3 in that respect?

It is a fascinating project, esp. when
- there seems to be no end to admiration (here) when it comes to the T26
- and T31 (as well as LCS) have been done to death (with overriding negativity)

Sorry I didn't mean to blow you off, my week got hectic at the end. My top 3 concerns about the Frigate program:

1. While there has been progress in producing the contractual requirements for the program, there is as yet not a solidly constructed vision for what the USN Frigate will be to the service. "We need a frigate" has been a long-standing talking point in Navy circles, one which is actually not nearly as universally supported as it may appear from the outside, but you dive at all below the surface of that particular ocean you'll find a kaleidoscope of arguments, definitions, and visions. And this has been exacerbated by the changeover from the previous DoD leadership, which at least started down this path by seeking a more capable/survivable LCS, and the current DoD leadership.

2. While the mandate to using an "existing" hull design is portrayed as a move to curb costs, discussion of the actual costs of the overall program has been distressingly thin. While "skipping" the cost of a clean-sheet hull is certainly going to reduce the development bill, how much it does save depends heavily on what adaptions are made to the parent design in the name of supporting USN requirements. My information is by no means comprehensive, but I think it's clear they will struggle to stay under a $Billion each.
There's also the fact that it may, and likely will, do little to reduce the recurring costs of the platform. While sailaway costs aren't to be dismissed, recurring costs are the real dragon we must combat in order to grow the fleet.

3. In no small part due to the above, I am pretty worried about the leadership and management of this program. There have been opportunities to demonstrate that lessoned learned have been applied to make this program a success, so far I'm not seeing it. And anyone expecting a Grand Navalist Vision, married to unimpeachable management credentials, to have come striding purposefully onto the bridge and seize the helm these last few months... is still waiting.

Top DoD leadership atm is a pretty good joke. same with the all around management of the Intelligence Community and Homeland Security to a extend. None of them are giving a fuck in the world about public-vision of them and (more specifically for the IC and DoD) their CI programs and SAP's are becoming extremely fucking sloppy in how they're managed and kept on the DL.

[ArmChairCivvy]

Thanks, I took the freedom to cut it down to shorter points, to x-ref (later) with the RN T31 prgrm
- even though point 2 does not apply
- both, though, aim to accelerate the "getting things done"

1. While there has been progress in producing the contractual requirements for the program, there is as yet not a solidly constructed vision for what the USN Frigate will be to the service. "We need a frigate" has been a long-standing talking point in Navy circles, one which is actually not nearly as universally supported as it may appear from the outside

2. "skipping" the cost of a clean-sheet hull is certainly going to reduce the development bill, how much it does save depends heavily on what adaptions are made to the parent design in the name of supporting USN requirements - they will struggle to stay under a $Billion each.


3. demonstrate that lessons learned have been applied to make this program a success

[Halidon]

Thanks, I took the freedom to cut it down to shorter points, to x-ref (later) with the RN T31 prgrm
- even though point 2 does not apply
- both, though, aim to accelerate the "getting things done"

1. While there has been progress in producing the contractual requirements for the program, there is as yet not a solidly constructed vision for what the USN Frigate will be to the service. "We need a frigate" has been a long-standing talking point in Navy circles, one which is actually not nearly as universally supported as it may appear from the outside

2. "skipping" the cost of a clean-sheet hull is certainly going to reduce the development bill, how much it does save depends heavily on what adaptions are made to the parent design in the name of supporting USN requirements - they will struggle to stay under a $Billion each.


3. demonstrate that lessons learned have been applied to make this program a success

Which brings be to point 4: will the growing cost/complexity of this program have a greater negative impact on the Destroyer/Cruiser fleet than the benefit gained by having a new class of Frigate? Because recent history with navies like the RN suggests deleting high-end ships for more medium/low-end hulls has its own set of risks...

[ArmChairCivvy]

deleting high-end ships for more medium/low-end hulls has its own set of risks...

V good point.

Not only the UK, but also India and Russia seem to be going that way (so, the US - so far - and China excepted).
- Japan and France seem to be so methodological in their approaches that they never seem to be changing course
... of course they do, but "under the radar"

[Halidon]

Anyone interested in the USN's recent history with major surface combatant programs should check out Phil Ewing's twitter today. Phil's a good follow every day, but last night and today he's been talking a lot about the topic of Cruisers and the conversation has had veterans, active duty service members, and others weigh in with some good stuff.

[xav]

U.S. Navy Completes Dual LRASM Test Against Moving Targets

The U.S. Navy is closer to delivering its new Long Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM) after completing another milestone test flight from an Air Force B-1B Lancer Dec. 8 over Point Mugu Sea Test Range in California. During the test, aircrew aboard the B-1B simultaneously launched two missiles against multiple moving maritime targets for the first time.

https://www.navyrecognition.com/index.p ... rgets.html