US Navy to Deploy its First ‘Electric Ship’ – DDG1000 – to the Pacific
On May 20, 2016, the U.S. Navy accepted delivery of the lead ship of the next generation, ‘electric ship’ guided missile destroyer, USS Zumwalt (DDG 1000). The Navy announced the home port of the new combatant at Naval Base San Diego following its commissioning in Baltimore, on October 15 this year. Zumwalt is scheduled to arrive in San Diego in late 2016.
US Navy Uses Spike Miniature Missiles to Shoot Down UAVs
Weapons specialists at the US Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division (NAWCWD) at China Lake, CA. have recently tested the capability of guided missile to defeat an unmanned aerial vehicle in flight. Two Spike 'forward-firing miniature missiles' were used to defeat two Outlaw UAVs, employing both proximity and contact activation (in separate tests)
Beefing up Defense Against Chinese ‘Carrier Killers’
The U.S. Navy yesterday intercepted a medium range ballistic missile (MRBM) target using the new SM-6 Dual I interceptor, proving the capability of the upgraded multi-mission missile to defend the fleet against 'carrier killer' ballistic missiles.
British F-35B Begins Weapons Testing in the US
The tests are a step towards full inter-operability between the current force of Typhoon and Tornado GR4s and future fifth-generation jets that will be used by the RAF and the UK’s Royal Navy from 2018.
Americanized RPG-7 is Ready to Serve
The US weapon manufacturer AirTronic USA is offering its Precision, Shoulder-fired Rocket Launcher (PSRL), anticipating future requirements for simple and effective weapon systems for asymmetric warfare in complex terrain. AirTronic USA’s answer for these requirements is the ‘Americanized’ version of the Russian-designed Rocket Propelled Grenade launcher – the RPG -- a low-cost, reusable, safe and reliable weapon system, of...
The High Cost of Precision Attack
Depleting stocks of Precision Guided Munitions (PGM) used by European Air Forces in Libya is expected to trigger demand for affordable guided weapons. This article examines the operational advantages and weaknesses of the various weapons, and how it reflects in their costs
Newest Aircraft Carrier USS Gerald R. Ford Launched
USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78), the first of class of the US Navy next generation aircraft carrier (formerly known as CVN-21) officially received its name today. USS Gerald R. Ford represents the first new design since the USS Nimitz (CVN 68), which was launched in 1972. The new aircraft carrier will be able to sustain higher operational tempo, while costing...
Apache Helicopter Fires High-Energy Laser Against a Ground Target at White Sands
A high-energy laser mounted on an Apache AH-64 attack helicopter acquired and hit an unmanned target during a recent firing test at the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico. The test was conducted by Raytheon and the U.S. Army Apache Program Management Office, in collaboration with U.S. Special Operations Command.
Semi-Stealth ‘Advanced Super Hornet’ Completes First Phase of Test Flights
The Boeing Company and its F/A-18E/F program partner Northrop Grumman have recently completed the first series of flight-testing an advanced version of the Super Hornet multirole strike fighter. According to Boeing, the tests demonstrated that the fighter could outperform threats for decades to come, with improvements that make the jet much harder for radar to detect and give it...
F-35 Thermal Scan Highlights New Stealth Features
FLIR Systems published today a short video depicting the F-35 Lightning II 5th Generation fighter during its flight display at the recent Farnborough Airshow (2016). The clip shows the JSF after a simulated takeoff, in forward flight, approach to vertical landing and hover. While the video highlights the extremely hot air exhaust during vertical hovering, it also shows the striking...
New Launcher to Deploy C-RAM, C-UAV and Counter Cruise-Missile Defenses by 2019
The US Army is seeking to field a new air defense system comprising two types of missiles, capable to protect military forces against cruise missiles, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), Rockets, Artillery and Mortars. The truck mounted system called ‘Indirect Fire Protection Capability Increment 2 Intercept (IFPC Inc. 2-I) is designed for rapid deployment on contingency operations.
Could Super Ghost become the future Littoral Combatant?
Could a stealthy, fast going corvette-sized 'super Ghost' vessel take on the US Navy Littoral Combat Ship and win? The people at Portsmouth' Juliet Marine Systems believe it can. They are proposing that, at a cost of a single LCS, the navy take six of Ghosts which will be able to assume many of the LCS' littoral operations either independently, or operating with oceangoing naval vessels as motherships, providing a more affordable, agile and survivable naval strike force.
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.
Carbon fiber clouds hiding naval destroyers from anti-ship missiles
The US Navy has tested radar absorbing carbon-fiber cloud generators on board ships, which could be used to protect naval vessels from attacks by radar-guided anti-ship and air-launched cruise missiles
