Russia Confirms Tsirkon Hypersonic Missile Test
On 6 October, the Russian Ministry of Defence successfully tested the Tsirkon hypersonic missile. The tests were carried out from the waters of the White Sea, from the “Admiral Gorshkov” frigate. The test is the latest in a series of qualification tests (state tests) of the hypersonic anti-ship missile developed for the Russian Navy and the first performed from a combat vessel at sea.
New Missiles Unveiled at Airshow China 2018
An illustrated report reflecting on of some of the new missiles displayed this week at the Airshow China in Zhuhai.
Fire Scout Completes Test Series at Sea, Operating with Manned Helicopters
USS Coronado (LCS 4) and Air Test and Evaluation Squadron 1 (VX-1) completed the first comprehensive Initial Operational Test and Evaluation (IOT&E) for the MQ-8C Fire Scout unmanned rotary wing platform on June 29, 2018. Results from this IOT&E will inform decision-makers on how best to integrate the Navy’s newest unmanned helicopter with littoral combat ships (LCS) and other platforms.
Finland Stealth Boats to Get Israel’s Gabriel Advanced Naval Attack Missiles
Finland has selected Israel's Advanced Naval Attack Missile to replace its current MTO85M system, a derivative of Swedish RBS15 that will reach the end of its life cycle in the 2020s. The new missile will be installed on existing Hamina-class missile boats and the new Squadron 2020 vessels, the first will be launched in 2019. According to the Finnish MOD, the missile will also be usable from vehicular platforms on land and against land targets.
NATO and the Israeli Navy Train Offshore to Repel Swarm Attacks
The Royal Navy destroyer HMS Duncan (D37) and Spanish navy frigate ESPS Victoria (F82) completed a training mission in the East Mediterranean sea, as part of the Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 operating in the Eastern Mediterranean. By the end of May, after a short port visit at Haifa, the two warships joined with the Israeli navy on an exercise that involved the 'Protector' Unmanned Surface Vessel (USV) that demonstrated how such unmanned boats can assist large vessels in repelling attacks by swarms of fast boats.
BAE Selects Plasan to Armor Britain’s Type 26 Frigates
Israel's armor specialist Plasan was selected to design and produce armor protection for Britain's new Type 26 frigate. The ships will be built by BAE Systems in Glasgow, Scotland and are considered among the world's most advanced combat ships. Armor production for the first three vessels will begin this year. Plasan's advanced armor technology has been implemented to protect armored vehicles and personnel, transport aircraft and helicopters as well as naval vessels. The Royal Navy plans to replace eight Type 23 Duke class anti-submarine frigates with six Type 26s, based on BAE Systems' 'Global Combat Ship' design.
Preparing for Operational Service, B-1B Fires LRASM in Salvo
Lockheed Martin successfully launched production-configuration Long Range Anti-Ship Missiles (LRASM) from a U.S. Air Force B-1B Lancer bomber. to be integrated onboard the U.S. Air Force's B-1B in 2018 and on the U.S. Navy's F/A-18E/F in 2019, LRASM will fulfill the US Navy's Offensive Anti-Surface Warfare (OASuW) Increment I requirement.
Tomahawk Cruise Missiles to Become Dual-Mission, Assume Anti-Ship Role
New capabilities introduced to the new batch of Block IV Tomahawk Land Attack Cruise Missiles (TLAM) are transforming the weapon of the 1980s into a smarter, more versatile 21st century weapon. The U.S. Navy is planning to rapidly deploy the modernized, retargetable Block IV land attack missile on board ships as a dual-mission 'Maritime Strike Tomahawk'.
BELH@RRA and FTI, the New-Generation Digital Frigate Class from France
The French ship builder DCNS presented today the BELH@RRA frigate design - a new 4,000 tonne frigate based on the French-Navy future Intermediate-Size Frigate (FTI) also developed by DCNS.
New Mini-Drone Provides ‘Eye in the Sky’ for Small Boats
Elbit Systems introduce today the Skylark C - the first naval member of its electrically powered mini-UAV family. Based on the operational and combat-proven Skylark I-LEX Mini UAS, the naval variant extends the Skylark reconnaissance and surveillance capabilities to the maritime domain.
Su-30 MKI Conducts First Flight with BrahMos Supersonic Cruise Missile
India tested today an air-launched version of the BrahMos supersonic attack missile on an Indian Air Force (IAF) Sukhoi Su-30 MKI aircraft. The missile was not launched on this test, as the flight was designed to test the weapon's aircraft integration.
Huge Power Containers to Drive the Future Railgun at Sea
The US Navy is gearing to take its futuristic Railgun out of the lab where it has been tested for to past eight years. In the next biennium, these mighty weapons will be tested in open firing ranges and eventually at sea, where the futuristic electromagnetic gun will be able to demonstrate its full capacity to fire projectiles at targets 50-100 nautical miles (92 - 185 kilometers) away.
Israel’s Navy New Anti-Ship Missile
Israel’s Navy conducted a successful test firing of a new surface-surface missiles launched from a Saar 5 corvette. The new missile is assumed to be part of an indigenous surface-to-surface missile system developed for the Israeli Navy by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI).
Israeli Missiles, RWS to Equip Philippine Navy Combat Boats
Rafael Advanced Defense Systems will supply three Mini Typhoon remotely controlled weapon mounts to arm three multi-purpose attack crafts (MPAC MKIII) of the Philippine Navy. The contract amount is $12 million