Naval and Defense News

[Filitch]

ORIGINAL: TheOttoman
If I posted all of the "cool news" that came across my desk here, I'd be considered a spammer, so I wouldn't say that it went undetected.

May be you considered a spammer, but I think this was first mass usage of UAVs.

https://www.vif2ne.org/nvk/forum/files/ ... 8b4568.jpg

[TheOttoman]

Request for database addition?

ARLINGTON, Va.— The U.S. Navy will test a new laser weapon aboard the San Antonio-class amphibious ship Portland as early as this fall, the service’s program manager announced Tuesday.

The integration of a laser with the Portland (LPD-28) will be the first such effort since the demonstrations of the prototype Laser Weapon System, or LaWS, aboard the amphibious transport dock ship Ponce in 2014.

At this point, the Navy has no plans to put a laser onto LPD-28, LPD-29 or the follow on LX amphibious transport dock, said Capt. Brian Metcalf, the program manager for LPD-17 and LX(R).

https://www.defensenews.com/digital-sho ... ser-weapon

[TheOttoman]

ORIGINAL: Filitch

ORIGINAL: TheOttoman
If I posted all of the "cool news" that came across my desk here, I'd be considered a spammer, so I wouldn't say that it went undetected.

May be you considered a spammer, but I think this was first mass usage of UAVs.

https://www.vif2ne.org/nvk/forum/files/ ... 8b4568.jpg

I guess it depends on your definition of "mass".

ISIS has been using multiple drones in coordinated attacks for a years now in Iraq and Syria. I've yet to see any actual "swarm" intelligence being used by ISIS, or in this specific attack. One of the main reasons why I think that this *wasn't* a swarm attack was that the Russian infowar unit stationed at the base (which itself points to a specific piece of intelligence) managed to take over only three of the units - which points to a non swarm communication system.

Specifically speaking on swarm drones, one only need to look at the releases from China Electronics Technology Group which had an operational swarm of close to 120 units which bested the Navy Perdix and Locust systems in size.



Unless you want to bandy around the theory that the US has been responsible for the drone strikes via the P-8 that's been hanging out in Syria?

[kevinkins]

"If I posted all of the "cool news" that came across my desk here, I'd be considered a spammer, so I wouldn't say that it went undetected."

@TheOttoman We would all like to understand where your desk is in relation to the defense industry.

Thanks.

Kevin

[Filitch]

ORIGINAL: TheOttoman

I guess it depends on your definition of "mass".

ISIS has been using multiple drones in coordinated attacks for a years now in Iraq and Syria. I've yet to see any actual "swarm" intelligence being used by ISIS, or in this specific attack. One of the main reasons why I think that this *wasn't* a swarm attack was that the Russian infowar unit stationed at the base (which itself points to a specific piece of intelligence) managed to take over only three of the units - which points to a non swarm communication system.

Of course, that was not a swarm. Just coordinated by time and by place multiple drones attack.

ORIGINAL: TheOttoman
Specifically speaking on swarm drones, one only need to look at the releases from China Electronics Technology Group which had an operational swarm of close to 120 units which bested the Navy Perdix and Locust systems in size.

All these are just tests and drills, not a combat employment

ORIGINAL: TheOttoman
Unless you want to bandy around the theory that the US has been responsible for the drone strikes via the P-8 that's been hanging out in Syria?

Logic and Occam's razor require to discard this version. P-8 flied many times long before this attack, so I see no reasons to tie US with this strike. But I don't know about navigation and control systems of drones, about they hardware.

[kevinkins]

A bit of an update on the F15 story from a few days ago:

http://www.popularmechanics.com/militar ... rd%20Brief

[Scar79]

Su-34 testbed with a new ELINT pod.



Actually, it's a family of the Recce pods(left to right): electro-optical, ELINT, SAR.

[Broncepulido]

At last, no rounds for Zumwalt 155mm guns:
https://news.usni.org/2018/01/11/no-new ... g-industry

[Dysta]

Another Sino-Japanese naval confrontation recently, but this time has some mixed informations about the unidentified submarine. Japan protested about sea protrusion by a Chinese submarine and intercepted with P-3C, but China refuted and instead they sent warships to intercept a Japanese submarine:

http://www.asahi.com/sp/ajw/articles/AJ ... 10046.html

EDIT: It’s a Chinese 093B. A victory to caught a fish by JMSDF, and there is no white flag for PLAN;

https://mobile.twitter.com/bouei_saigai ... 5480861697

[redcoat]

United States Nuclear Posture Review. January 2018.

https://assets.documentcloud.org/documents/4347479/Npr-2018-A.pdf

Pre-decisional/Draft copy. To replace the NPR of 2010.

For Armageddon scenarios. [:D]


Update:

Some analysis of the NPR from Defense News:

https://www.defensenews.com/space/2018/01/12/nuclear-posture-review-draft-leaks-new-weapons-coming-amid-strategic-shift/

https://www.defensenews.com/space/2018/01/12/russias-nuclear-underwater-drone-is-real-and-in-the-nuclear-posture-review/

[stilesw]

Redcoat,

Very interesting and thanks for the reference. I've included the document in the Dropbox CMANO "unofficial" reference library.

Any forum member who would like access to the library please PM me with your email address and I'll add you to the list.

-Wayne Stiles

[redcoat]

You're welcome Stilesw.

It is a draft version though. When it is finalized I expect it will be uploaded to the U.S. Department of Defense website - which is where you can find the 2010 NPR:

https://www.defense.gov/Portals/1/features/defenseReviews/NPR/2010_Nuclear_Posture_Review_Report.pdf

[c3k]

ORIGINAL: Broncepulido

At last, no rounds for Zumwalt 155mm guns:
https://news.usni.org/2018/01/11/no-new ... g-industry

What a great plan: a gun with no ammo.

I wonder what is so wrong with the Army's 155 rounds? Excalibur has extended range and GPS guidance. I can't imagine even a small seeker head would be too hard to bolt on to that round.

[Dysta]

ORIGINAL: c3k

I wonder what is so wrong with the Army's 155 rounds? Excalibur has extended range and GPS guidance. I can't imagine even a small seeker head would be too hard to bolt on to that round.

Maybe an entirely different casing and/or loading mechanism preventing to be interchangeable?

[stilesw]

Many thanks! I'll include the 2010 version also.

-Wayne

[Gunner98]

ORIGINAL: c3k

ORIGINAL: Broncepulido

At last, no rounds for Zumwalt 155mm guns:
https://news.usni.org/2018/01/11/no-new ... g-industry

What a great plan: a gun with no ammo.

I wonder what is so wrong with the Army's 155 rounds? Excalibur has extended range and GPS guidance. I can't imagine even a small seeker head would be too hard to bolt on to that round.

As far as the seeker head, that exists: https://www.orbitalatk.com/defense-syst ... roved).pdf

Excalibur is fading into the background due to expense, reduced payload (HE) and a few other reasons. I suspect that the Navy will use a similar technology, not sure what solution they will come up with.

Believe it or not, development of an artillery round is not a simple thing, and getting more range, more precision, and higher rate of fire are all competing demands. This one does smell like a problem though...

B

[Hongjian]

Chinese Type 9IIIB improved Shang-class SSGN (notice the hump) shows flag while cruising around the waters of the Diaoyu/Senkaku islands.

Quite a ballsy move, exposing such a new nuclear submarine to JMSDF surveillance. Photo is taken by the Japanese, supposedly.

[c3k]

ORIGINAL: Dysta

ORIGINAL: c3k

I wonder what is so wrong with the Army's 155 rounds? Excalibur has extended range and GPS guidance. I can't imagine even a small seeker head would be too hard to bolt on to that round.

Maybe an entirely different casing and/or loading mechanism preventing to be interchangeable?

Yeah...that's why I'm wondering why the Navy didn't use the Army's solution. Sure, different needs. So, why go 155mm if you couldn't use the existing 155mm infrastructure?
Navy needs some armor piercing. That's easy enough to change the warhead. Army uses powder bags. Did Navy go with fixed cartridges???

This just smells of a poor plan, poorly executed. A new ship with a gun with no ammo. Go Navy.

[kevinkins]

This is a sad procurement story for sure. The use of existing 155 mm rounds should have been part of the contract even at degraded performance. IDK, maybe the Army put a strangle hold on its stockpile. I wonder if there were hearings on the Hill on this. Had to be.

From wiki: "Shortly after the USS Zumwalt (DDG-1000) was commissioned, the U.S. Navy moved to cancel the LRLAP due to excessive cost overruns. With the number of ships reduced from 32 to 3 examples, the per-unit cost of each LRLAP shot increased to $800,000-$1 million. This made the system untenable despite no significant performance issues. Other projectiles are being examined to replace the LRLAP, but since it is the only munition designed to be fired from the AGS, the barrel, software, cooling system, and automated magazines would have to be modified to accommodate a different round. It is not likely an LRLAP replacement could be put into service by the time Zumwalt enters operational service in 2018. It could cost up to $250 million in engineering costs to modify all six guns on the three ships to accept a new round."

[xavierv]

Hi guys,
I am back from the US after a break there and SNA.

Our coverage of Surface Navy Association SNA 2018!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-6hbsl26rRw

Day 1, coverage of:
- Interview with Admiral Hart, SNA Chairman of the Symposium Committee
- Lockheed Martin FFG(X) Frigate design
- BAE Systems ADL Adaptable Deck Launcher
- Kongsberg NSM Naval Strike Missile
- Raytheon ESSM & RAM for UAE Navy Gowind corvettes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=31YL7i4OQPo

Day 2, coverage of:
- General Dynamics Bath Iron Works / Navantia F100
- TKMS / Atlas North America MEKO
- Austal Frigate
- Fincantieri Marine Group FREMM
- Northrop Grumman SSMM and 30mm LCS mission modules

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uyGWALqBtrg

Day 3 Part 1/2, coverage of:
- Royal Saudi Navy MMSC
- General Dynamics Bluefin Robotics Knifefish UUV
- Northrop Grumman AQS-24 mine hunting system
- Rheinmetall 35mm Millennium gun