USA military developments

[youngindian]

U.S. to Join South Korean Military Exercise Off North Korea Coast

WASHINGTON, June 2, 2010

The U.S. aircraft carrier USS George Washington will participate in a joint naval exercise with South Korea next week in the Yellow Sea, the same waters west of the Korean peninsula where North Korea is accused of sinking a South Korean warship last March, ABC News has learned.A U.S. official said the carrier, which operates from its home port in Japan, "will be sent to the waters off South Korea within coming days to participate in joint exercises" with the South Korean navy.

Slated to begin June 8, the official said this exercise will be "separate and distinct" from an upcoming anti-submarine warfare exercise that Pentagon officials had said recently would be occurring "in the near future." The upcoming exercise was first reported by South Korea's Yonhap News Agency.

Another U.S. official says additional U.S warships will be participating in the exercise, including a Japan-based Aegis destroyer and a Hawaii-based nuclear submarine. South Korea will also deploy a destroyer, a submarine and F-15 fighter jets to participate in the exercise.

Last week, South Korea conducted a one-day anti-submarine exercise close to where the incident with North Korea had occurred.This won't the first time American aircraft carriers have participated in a major military exercises with South Korea. Last October, the USS George Washington participated in a practice operation in the Yellow Sea with the South Korean navy, and every year in March, the U.S. typically joins its southeast Asian ally for exercises at sea.

But the latest involvement of the U.S. military in South Korean exercises comes at a time of heightened tensions between North and South Korea after 46 South Korean sailors died in March when its warship Cheonan sunk under mysterious circumstances near a disputed maritime border.Following a months-long international investigation that included salvaging the ship from the ocean floor, South Korea accused North Korea last week of using a mini-submarine to launch a torpedo that sunk the warship.

In a statement issued by the White House after South Korea announced its findings, the United States said South Korea could count on its full support. It also said "U.S. support for South Korea's defense is unequivocal."

Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman said last week that as part of that commitment, the South Korean findings had prompted the U.S. and South Korea to hold two military exercises with South Korea in the "near future." He said the U.S. had committed to holding an anti-submarine exercise and was in discussions about conducting a maritime interdiction training exercise.Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said during a trip to Asia last week that the evidence against North Korea is "overwhelming and condemning" and it was "important to send a clear message to North Korea that provocative actions have consequences."We cannot allow this attack on South Korea to go unanswered by the international community," she said. "This will not be and cannot be business as usual. There must be an international, not just a regional, but an international response."Defense Secretary Robert Gates will be attending this week's Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore where among several bilateral meetings with regional Defense officials he will meet with South Korean Defense Minister Kim Tae-young.


http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/Medi...exercise-north-korea/story?id=10807101&page=2

 

[nandu]

Harvest Hawk aircraft to be equipped with Viper Strike

Viper Strike. A Northrop Grumman photo.

ALASKA (BNS): The US Marine Corps Harvest Hawk aircraft will soon be equipped with Northrop Grumman Corporation -built Viper Strike stand-off precision guided munition as part of an effort to bring greater utility to the Marines' KC-130J refueling and cargo aircraft.

According to the contract, the company will deliver 65 Viper Strike munitions beginning this year to the Joint Attack Munition Systems Project Office within the Program Executive Office Missiles and Space at Redstone Arsenal.

"Viper Strike provides the right characteristics needed to support our warfighters in the current fight. It gives high precision and agility to hit targets in complex terrain and with very low collateral damage," said Steve Considine, programs director, Aviation and Weapons for Northrop Grumman's Land and Self-Protection Systems Division, as quoted in the company news release.

Viper Strike is a gliding munition capable of precision attack from extended stand-off ranges using GPS-aided navigation and a semi-active laser seeker. Its small size, precision and high agility provide a very low collateral damage weapon that can be used in the difficult operational environments where U.S. troops may be deployed.

http://www.brahmand.com/news/Harvest-Hawk-aircraft-to-be-equipped-with-Viper-Strike/4060/1/11.html

 

[nandu]

Axing DDG 1000 radar could save money

Saturday Jun 5, 2010 9:45:49 EDT

The Pentagon's move to delete half the radar system for the Navy's DDG 1000 Zumwalt-class destroyers could save more than $600 million and may eventually open the door to giving the ships a ballistic missile defense capability, industry sources said.

The decision to eliminate the S-band Volume Search Radar (VSR) from the ship's Dual Band Radar (DBR), announced June 1 as part of a program restructuring brought on by a Nunn-McCurdy breach, means the ship will rely on the Raytheon SPY-3 X-band Multi-Function Radar (MFR) as its primary radar.

The Navy was unwilling to discuss how much money the move will save.

One source said it would be at least $100 million per ship, while an industry source said it would be "at least" $200 million for each of the three planned Zumwalts.

In letters sent to Congress on June 1 to explain the Nunn-McCurdy breaches, DoD acquisition chief Ashton Carter also said the initial operational capability (IOC) for the Zumwalt had been shifted from 2015 to 2016.

One source said the move reflects a "more realistic date" and is more in line with production and contractual realities.

The DDG 1000 was one of six programs whose cost growth required the Pentagon to reassert that the program "is essential to the national security." Its Nunn-McCurdy breach was due to the Navy's mid-2008 decision to cut the number of ships in the class from seven to three. Since development and test costs remain the same regardless how many ships are built, the decision boosted average individual cost per ship.

Navy leaders said changing priorities led them to cut DDG 1000 production and re-start DDG 51 Arleigh Burke-class destroyer production. More ballistic missile defense (BMD) was needed, and the Navy chose to continue development of the Lockheed Martin Aegis combat system, carried by the DDG 51s, for sea-based BMD.

Sources said the decision to eliminate the VSR was "purely a budget decision" and not a reflection of any decision to install BMD capability in the ships.

But an industry source insisted the move meant space, weight and power would be available for the possible future installation of a BMD radar — which could be the Air Missile Defense Radar (AMDR), currently in the early stages of development. The Navy plans to fit that radar, which will be designed from the start to handle ballistic missile defense, into new Flight III versions of its venerable DDG 51-class destroyer. The first Flight III ship is scheduled to be ordered in 2016.

"Given that the Navy is engaged in the AMDR competition for the future S-band radar, why spend the money on a three- or four-of-a-kind approach to create these one-offs, when in fact, in about the same schedule, you can have a fairly good match to whatever comes out of the AMDR program?" the industry source said.

"You could do it," a technical source said. "If Zumwalt were to stay around and take on a BMD mission, it's certainly an option."

Raytheon, Northrop Grumman and Lockheed Martin bid for the AMDR contract in April, and the Navy is considering whether to downselect to one or two competitors or move ahead with all three. An announcement could come as early as September, according to the industry source.

The same technical source, however, noted that the Navy is requiring the AMDR phased array to fit into the 12-foot hole that currently houses the Aegis system's SPY-1 radar, and the VSR.

Prime contractor for the DBR is Raytheon, which is responsible for the SPY-3 MFR and the controllers that marry the system with the SPY-4 S-band volume search radar, whose arrays are made by Lockheed Martin. Navy officials confirmed the DBR still is to be installed on the new aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78), already under construction by Northrop Grumman, and on the as-yet-unnamed CVN 79. No decision has been made on the radar for carriers beyond CVN 79.

In the case of the carriers, the VSR will replace two large air search radars carried by current ships, and also become the primary air traffic control radar.

The Navy has been testing both radars for some time. The SPY-3 MFR reportedly has exceeded technical expectations and will receive upgrades to give it a better volume search capability.

The VSR encountered "no serious problems," according to an industry source, although its performance "was acceptable but somewhat below expectations." Combined with dramatic cost growth — the radar was originally forecast to come in at about $20 million per ship — "it simply became a cost-benefit tradeoff." The drop in the number of radars that would be built also contributed to the radar's cost growth, the industry source said.

The Navy was apparently caught off guard by the June 1 announcements. Although the service realized by late 2008 that the program would be in breach of Nunn-McCurdy, service officials were unable to respond to media queries following the June 1 Pentagon press briefing.

The service did not respond to repeated requests by Defense News to speak to an informed expert on the subject, and a seven-question press query took three days to process.

http://www.navytimes.com/news/2010/06/navy_radar_cuts_060410w/

 

[nrj]

Carrier Launch System Passes Initial Tests

Recent tests at NAS Lakehurst, N.J., should have builders of the USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78) sleeping more easily. The Navy's risky bet in the design of the Ford—its reliance on an all-electric replacement for the steam catapult—appears to be paying off.

Problems and delays with the electromagnetic aircraft launch system (Emals) last year were a threat to the carrier, because its design and construction reached a point where reverting to steam would have been difficult and expensive. With Emals in mind, the Ford-class features a much more powerful electrical generation and distribution system than the predecessor Nimitz-class ships, along with the virtual elimination of steam-energized services such as heating, galleys and pumps and 10 km. (6 mi.) of steam lines.

The Navy has delayed delivery of the $11.5-billion carrier for budgetary reasons twice. (Commissioning is expected in September 2015.) The scheduled progress of Emals now matches the carrier's build schedule but with so little slack in some areas that the Navy is continuing to monitor development of the system closely.

The land-based prototype of Emals at Lakehurst started high-speed "no load" test runs in April, and will start to accelerate with dead loads—ballast—at speeds increasing from 50-180 kt. At prime contractor General Atomics' plant in Tupelo, Miss., prototypes of the Kato Engineering power modules are undergoing accelerated life testing, performing 6,800 power cycles. So far, tests show no signs that the powerful electrical surges cause electromagnetic interference with aircraft, ammunition or ejection seats. The first aircraft launch at Lakehurst is expected by year-end.

Initial Emals components for Ford are due at the Newport News shipyard in May 2011. The tightest schedule concerns the 12 power units, which are high-speed motor-generators weighing 80,000 lb. each and functioning as flywheel energy storage and release units. Some are not due at the yard until the day before they are installed.

Emals will deliver energy more flexibly than Nimitz-class steam catapults. The F-35C Joint Strike Fighter demands more launch energy than the F/A-18E/F, and Emals will allow the Ford to launch the JSF at maximum weight with less wind-over-deck.

Emals can also be set to lower energy levels than a steam catapult, allowing it to launch small, lightly loaded aircraft like unmanned aerial vehicles.

The Ford class features a new advanced arrester gear as well, also produced by General Atomics and replacing hydraulic rams with a water turbine and induction motor, permitting a finer setting of arresting force and reducing the need for manual adjustments between landings. Like Emals, it is expected to allow the carrier to operate heavier and lighter aircraft than the current Mk. 7 arrester gear. Unlike Emals, it is intended to be backfitted to Nimitz-class carriers.

The carrier will be part of the process of introducing a landing guidance system to the Navy: the Joint Precision Approach and Landing System (Jpals). It will be one of the first ships with Jpals, which is slated to be on all carriers and large amphibious transports by 2018. The second Ford-class ship, CVN-79, is due to be the first carrier without SPN-41 and SPN-46 radars, which provide carriers with an automatic landing capability.

Adoption of Jpals is urgent for the Navy because current radars will not be supportable after the early 2020s. Jpals is also associated with the F-35C, because the fighter's reduced radar cross-section means that current radar-based autolanding systems cannot acquire it. The installation of Jpals on carriers will match service entry of the F-35C.

The first increment of Jpals will be qualified for flight guidance down to 200 ft. and 0.5-mi. visibility. Accuracy is intended to be sufficient for an automatic landing, and that capability is being demonstrated as part of the Northrop Grumman X-47B Navy Unmanned Combat Air System program.

The key to its accuracy is shipboard-relative GPS, which uses two GPS receivers—one forward of the island on the starboard side and the other on the portside stern. The space between the sensors and their relative location allows the system to measure the position of the ship accurately and track its movement—speed, pitch, roll and heave—with the aid of three Northrop Grumman LN-270 inertial reference units. Using the same differential GPS technique, Jpals also provides an accurate aircraft position. A data link allows the system to transmit automatic landing guidance.

Credit: US Navy

 

[nandu]

Fire X Has Market Potential


Contractors are playing "20 Questions" with the Pentagon, trying to determine the next big thing the services want.

The latest team to run the request-for-information (RFI) gauntlet comprises Northrop Grumman and Bell Helicopter. The companies are taking Northrop Grumman's Fire Scout vertical-takeoff-and-landing unmanned aerial vehicle (VTUAV) capabilities and marrying them to Bell's 407 commercial helicopter. The result, Fire X, will be flown in a demonstration for the U.S. Navy this year.

The Navy issued an RFI recently for a persistent ship-based unmanned aircraft system (PSB UAS). The aircraft should provide "longer-duration intelligence, reconnaissance, surveillance and targeting [and] limited strike . . . from Navy air-capable ships," states the RFI. The system should comprise one or more air vehicles that are shipboard compatible with numerous ship sizes and be "autonomous, affordable, rugged and reliable."

Northrop Grumman has the shipboard piece worked out. The Navy is flying Fire Scout off the USS McInerney, where it made its first drug bust April 3. Fire Scout launched for a test flight when the ship acquired a suspected narcotics "go-fast" boat on its radar. Fire Scout monitored the boat for 3 hr., feeding real-time video to the McInerney. The Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachment moved in and seized 60 kg. (132 lb.) of cocaine.

For Fire X, Bell will have to make the 407 rugged enough to operate at sea. "We've taken a cursory look at what would be needed," says Martin Peryea, director of Bell's XworX special projects and rapid prototyping center. "Getting it equipped for shipboard operations is high on our [priorities]." Modification plans are on hold until the successful completion of a land-based test flight.

Fire X will be a four-blade, single-engine VTUAV, designed to carry 3,000 lb. of internal payload and haul 2,600 lb. of external load. It will have an operational ceiling of 20,000 ft. and 14-hr. endurance, although when loaded with 1,250 lb. of payload, endurance will only be 8 hr. The aircraft will operate with nearly any current or future military standards-based control, according to Northrop Grumman, and communicate with the Navy's Tactical Control Station and the Army's One System ground-control station.

The Navy wants initial operating capability for a PSB UAS by 2016. It should have a range of 1,000 nm., endurance of 8-72 hr. (a single UAV needs 8-hr. endurance, whereas multiple UAVs can target the 72"‘hr. goal) and payload weight of 600-1,000 lb. Fire X would more than fit the bill.

Northrop Grumman's experience with loading Fire Scout with sensors will meet the requirements for the payload, including electro-optical/infrared, still and full-motion video, laser designation and range-finding, intelligence (communications, electronics, measurement and signature) and wide-area radar, and the potential for weapons and synthetic aperture radar.

If Fire X is large enough to support that load, along with lots of now-empty cabin area for cargo and is unmanned, the aircraft could have uses beyond the Navy's requirements.

Northrop Grumman has been smart about marketing and testing Fire Scout in the face of challenges, including the January cancellation by the Army of the requirement for what it called a Class IV UAV. The company made a good showing at the Army Expeditionary Warrior Experiment (AEWE) at Ft. Benning, Ga., demonstrating capabilities in a purely Army environment.

But there is a far larger brass ring than a potential Class IV competition, if a requirement is ever determined to be necessary for the Brigade Combat Team Modernization program. The Army's failed Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter program has not relaunched. When it does, it will be the Armed Aerial Scout—in keeping with an increased focus on manned/unmanned teaming, the word "helicopter" will be removed—and the possibility for Fire X to fill that requirement is real.

Both companies say their goal for now is to successfully demonstrate Fire X to the Navy and prepare it for the PSB UAS competition. Mike Fuqua, Northrop Grumman's director of business development for tactical unmanned systems, hedges when asked about an Army Fire X. "We are confident the Army will see how important this is," he says. "Given Defense Department budgets . . . leveraging proven technology for the future makes more sense economically."

Neither Northrop Grumman nor Bell Helicopter divulge how much they have invested in the project, but the sum is surely considerable. "We're self-funding," says Peryea. "We're combining our strengths and expertise." Fuqua only says, "We have a level of investment that will get us to the demonstration."

http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/gene...7253.xml&headline=Fire X Has Market Potential

 

[nandu]

USN 2011 shipbuilding program: 9 ships, $13.7 billion

http://www.examiner.com/x-36464-NY-...2011-shipbuilding-program-9-ships-137-billion

 

[Patriot]

USS George H.W. Bush Conducts First Missile Launch
by Staff Writers
USS George H.W. Bush, At Sea (SPX) Jun 28, 2010

USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77) successfully fired two Evolved NATO Sea Sparrow missiles and two Rolling Airframe Missiles (RAM) for the first time, to conclude its first Combat Systems Ship's Qualification Trials (CSSQT), June 23.

CSSQT is part of the series of qualifications and certifications the aircraft carrier must undergo in preparation for her upcoming maiden deployment.

According to Combat Systems Officer, Cmdr. John B. Vliet, CSSQT is a combined effort between the Combat Systems, Operations and Weapons departments to test the aircraft carrier's self-defense systems.

"It's an end-to-end testing of the Combat Systems Suite, to include tactics, techniques, and procedures," Vliet said. "It's an operational verification of the ship's warfighting and self-defense capabilities.

Combat Systems with Operations department has worked around the clock for the last six months, grooming equipment and training for this exercise. More than 200 personnel have directly or indirectly supported this evolution."

Of those 200-plus personnel, two of the most directly involved were Fire Controlman 2nd Class (SW/AW) Ezekiel S. Ramirez, work center supervisor for the Evolved NATO Sea Sparrow Surface Missile System, and Fire Controlman 2nd Class (SW/AW) Ryan P. McWilliams, work center supervisor for the RAM system.

The Evolved NATO Sea Sparrow missile is a semi-active missile that requires feed from directors to locate its target, and the RAM is a passive missile, meaning the missile uses built-in sensors to home in on targets.

All of the missiles used during the launch were telemetry missiles, which are live missiles that have the warheads replaced with data recovery technology used to gauge accuracy.

Ramirez and McWilliams, on board experts for the missile systems, said that the launch was the culmination of months of hard work and preparation that included more than 40 maintenance checks, going aloft to fix radar, multiple pre-fire checks, and 21 "detect-to-engage" pre-fire drills.

"We've been preparing for this evolution ever since the ship left the shipyard and we took ownership of the system," said McWilliams. "This was one of the hardest evolutions Combat Systems department will have to do during the existence of this aircraft carrier."

Prior to the launch, Ramirez and McWilliams were responsible for loading the two launchers for each system.

"The NATO Sea Sparrow Missile system holds eight missiles in each launcher and the RAM uses 21 missiles in each launcher," said Ramirez. "It's a lot of work for one launch, but when we deploy we will have to load a total of 58 missiles."

Ramirez stressed the significance of the successful missile fire, what it meant for the entire command, and for the small group of 14 Sailors directly involved with operation of the missile systems.

"It's a pretty a big accomplishment," he said. "We are the aircraft carrier's first and last line of defense. This test is the way we prove that the self-defense systems work. We're finally doing our job."

Directing the crew in the Combat Direction Center (CDC) were the Blue and Gold team Tactical Action Officers (TAO), Lt. Chris Caton and Lt. Jeff Moen of the Operations department. The CDC Officer Cmdr. Les Spanheimer credits proactive tactical leadership and outstanding teamwork with the successful missile test.

"Lt. Caton began training our tactical watchstanders with live aircraft while the ship was still being outfitted in the shipyards," said Spanheimer. "That proactive tactical development combined with a perfectly groomed weapons system helped us demonstrate today how very capable this ship is."

"The test involved two watch teams made up of 13 to 15 people," Caton said. "During the exercise the watch teams are responsible for communicating with Range Control, tracking and data-linking the targets and engaging those threats when they enter our engagement envelope. We've been preparing for this for well over a year, putting in long hours."

Fire Controlman 1st Class (SW/AW) John L. Rodriguez-Hardy and Fire Controlman 2nd Class (SW) Jason E. Pugh, members of the Gold Team, said the reason for two watch teams was to create two unique scenarios for each missile system. They said that the watch teams acted as the communications link between combat systems and the weapons systems.

Rodriguez-Hardy and Pugh described the long hours of preparation that went into their pivotal roles in the evolution.

"We've performed more than 80 hours of pre-fire maintenance on all weapons systems, 40 hours of system testing and 20 hours in briefs and debriefs," said Rodriguez-Hardy, the defense weapons coordinator for the Gold Team. "It's a big stress relief to know that we're capable of defense," he added.

Pugh, the Gold Team NATO supervisor's console operator, noted that the success also had an impact on the morale of the operators and crew.

"This test makes or breaks the defense mentality of the entire ship," he said. "It's the first step in a trust-building foundation, between the systems operators and the rest of the crew."

The lengthy systems certification process, which involved weapons onload and system approval from Carrier Strike Group 2 and the Board of Inspection and Survey (INSURV), directly involved the aircraft carrier's Weapons department.

According to Aviation Ordnanceman 1st Class (AW/SW) Chris J. Morrison of Weapons department, the certification involved every member of the Weapons Inventory Control.

"We had to verify and requisition the exact missiles being used in the launch," he said. "Once missiles were on board, we were responsible for turning them over to Combat Systems personnel. From there we inspected, stowed and moved the missiles to the launchers."

In addition to all the preparation that went into the test, Vliet described how the systems operators had to be fully prepared to handle any situation.

"The operators and technical experts have got to be ready and fully understand all of the dud and misfire procedures in the event of an equipment or missile casualty," Morrison said.

Ramirez reaffirmed the team's readiness with confidence.

"We're fully trained and capable to handle misfires," he said. "We're ready no matter what happens. We are here to defend the ship. We're ready and willing to do our job."






http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/USS_George_HW_Bush_Conducts_First_Missile_Launch_999.html

 

[Neil]

Finmeccanica Receives Order Worth $319 Million for Eight More C-27Js for the U.S. Air

The US Administration is budgeting for eight more aircraft in 2011

Finmeccanica, through Alenia North America (a subsidiary of Alenia Aeronautica), received an additional order for eight C-27J JCAs (Joint Cargo Aircraft) for the US Air Force, valued at $319 million.

These aircraft are scheduled for delivery to L-3, Finmeccanica's US partner, during 2012.

As part of the agreement signed in June 2007 to supply new tactical transport aircraft to the US Army and Air Force, Finmeccanica has to date received orders for 21 C-27Js from the US Government worth $812 million.

The US Congress is currently also in the process of approving the US military's 2011 budget. This budget, which was passed by a key committee within the US Congress, includes $351 million for an additional eight C-27Js.

With next year's budget, the US government will have purchased 29 C-27Js since 2007, generating $1.16 billion in revenue for Alenia North America, Finmeccanica's subsidiary in the US.

Source: Finmeccanica


Background Information C-27J Spartan:

The C-27J Spartan is the perfect fixed-wing multipurpose cargo aircraft for today's diverse missions. Extremely maneuverable and versatile, the rugged C-27J boasts the highest power-to-weight ratio in its class and the ability to perform 3.0g force maneuvers in the style of fighter aircraft, enabling tight turns and a rapid climb and descent. The C-27J can fly farther, faster and higher than any other twin engine military transport aircraft in its class.

The C-27J features the unique capability to vary cargo floor height and continuously adjust attitude, ensuring easy loading and unloading of large volume, highdensity payloads without ground support equipment and also facilitating drive-in/out of vehicles so that they can be in use immediately.

The C-27J offers significantly more capability than any other aircraft in its class. Its large flight envelope allows it to carry out the most demanding tactical missions quickly, safely and effectively.

The C-27J's structural strength, power and system redundancy provide a high level of safety and an unbeatable mission accomplishment rate. The C-27J has outstanding threat-avoidance capabilities, including a take-off ground run of about 1,900 feet at maximum take-off weight on an unpaved surface. In a tactical environment, the aircraft is capable of climbing to 10,000 ft in 3 minutes, descending from 10,000 ft in under 2.5 minutes, and can handle up to 3.0g forces. At its maximum landing weight, the C-27J has a ground roll of less than 1,115 ft.
Reply With Quote

http://www.israelmilitary.net/showthread.php?t=14902

 

[Patriot]

USS GW completes 'Undersea Warfare Exercise'
Last Updated: Jun 29, 2010

WASHINGTON (BNS): US and Japanese naval forces have successfully completed the Undersea Warfare Exercise (USWEX) in the western Pacific Ocean.

The American nuclear-powered super carrier, USS George Washington (CVN 73) participated in the exercise held from June 21 to 25.

The exercise was conducted by elements from Commander, Battle Force 7th Fleet (CTF 70), Commander, Patrol & Reconnaissance Force, 7th Fleet (CTF 72), Commander, Submarine Force, 7th Fleet (CTF 74), Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 5, Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 15 and components from the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF).

"This year during USWEX we continued to strengthen interoperability between the US Navy and the JMSDF and trained against tactics, techniques and procedures to develop new concepts in anti-submarine warfare (ASW)," Lt. Justin Santos, a surface operations officer for DESRON 15, said in a US Navy news release.

The exercise was focused on the training and coordination of anti-submarine warfare (ASW) efforts between the maritime partners.

During the exercise, USS George Washington and JMSDF Sailors were tasked for locating, tracking and completing simulated engagements with allied submarines in their vicinity.

"Working with the JMSDF has provided unique opportunities for all involved to learn from one another, furthering the US-Japan relationship, and show how they can further their joint operational efforts," he added.

This year, US-Japan Treaty of Mutual Cooperation has marked its 50th anniversary.





http://www.brahmand.com/news/USS-GW-completes-Undersea-Warfare-Exercise/4296/1/11.html

 

[Neil]

Boeing moves towards mother ships for UAVs

Boeing is working on a program to integrate Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) with manned aircraft, to enable the latter to control and direct them in the air and increase the scope of ISR (Intelligence Surveillance Reconnaissance) sensory inputs.

"We've done demonstrations in the air where we controlled unmanned aircraft from our large ISR aircraft. And we're trying to demonstrate that capability and learn what the benefits are, long term. But we're doing it from an open perspective, because we recognize that our customers may already have unmanned aircraft in service, or they may have desire to buy other aircraft. SO the systems we put in place talk NATO standard command and control language. So open standards for talking to UAVs. And we see that as one of the big growth areas for the future of ISR. How the manned and the unmanned work together," says Egan Greenstein, Senior Manager, AEW&C (Airborne Early Warning & Control) Program Business Development at Boeing's Puget Sound facility.

According to him, two Scan Eagle UAVs participated in an exercise in Australia in May 2009, where they were controlled by 737 AEW&C Wedgetail aircraft over a distance of a thousand nautical miles and the integration between manned and unmanned systems managed to share sensory information successfully. This is to be demonstrated again in an exercise called Empire Challenge in September this year. According to a US government website, 'Empire Challenge is an Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence (USD(I)) sponsored, US Joint Forces Command (USJFCOM) executed joint/combined Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) interoperability demonstration. EC10 will focus on improving the ability of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) Afghanistan to effectively and efficiently manage, access and use ISR to improve command and control (C2), and enhancing information sharing and situational understanding to improve the effectiveness of operations while minimizing collateral damage in a complex environment'.

While so far, Boeing's Apache combat helicopters have displayed the ability to control a single UAV, the company has multiplied the scope of the same system to enable larger aircraft like the family of 737 AEW&C Wedgetail and P8 to control multiple UAVs.

"If I'm a manned ISR airplane and I am out doing my mission, and I'll use P8Is for my example, I'm really focused on the area around the airplane. I may be identifying ships or targets in my vicinity. But I can use a UAV to maintain surveillance over something suspicious continuously, even as I move to another area. So the information flows to the commanders in the airplane and I can make decisions and maintain – they're complementary to the manned aircraft," says Greenstein.

This systems integration for manned and unmanned aircraft is being developed at Boeing's Puget Sound facility near Seattle. "On the surveillance aircraft side of things, what we're doing is putting command and control software into our airplanes that can talk to not just the Boeing unmanned aircraft but any unmanned aircraft. Because we see unmanned as a separate part of ISR that makes us more effective. So there will always be a role for a manned aircraft and an unmanned, when they work together they're much more effective," he says.

Boeing also hopes to take this program to the next level by integrating systems to the extent where they can be launched from aircraft, but Greenstein says that capability is still at least a couple of years away. He says, "The (UAVs) ones that are on the market today are launched either from ship or from land. There is a shipboard version of Scan Eagle, launched from relatively small ships. We are doing research into the ability to air launch UAVs." In such a scenario, UAVs could either be throw-away models where they're simply crashed safely or their recovery could be managed by directing them to land in friendly territory.

http://www.stratpost.com/boeing-moves-towards-mother-ships-for-uavs

 

[Patriot]

USS Gravely completes maiden sea trials
Last Updated: Jun 30, 2010

PASCAGOULA, US (BNS): The USS Gravely (DDG 107) guided missile destroyer has successfully completed its first-ever sea trials in the Gulf of Mexico and will be delivered to the US Navy later this summer, builder of the ship Northrop Grumman has announced.

The multi-mission warship completed the acceptance trials last week. The 'super trial' was modified to an integrated acceptance trial to mitigate the impact of the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, Northrop said.

Several systems on board the vessel, including its communications and propulsion systems, were put to test by officials from the US Navy and the ship builder.

Any testing that could not be accomplished because of the oil spill will be achieved at a later date, a Northrop official said.

USS Gravely is the 57th Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer to be inducted in the US Navy.

The warship incorporates the Aegis combat system and the SPY-lD multifunction phased array radar. Other weapon suite of the destroyer includes the Vertical Launching System, an advanced anti-submarine warfare system, advanced anti-aircraft missiles and Tomahawk cruise missiles.

The 510-foot, 9,500-ton USS Gravely has an overall beam of 59 feet and a navigational draft of 31 feet. Four gas-turbine propulsion plants will power the ship to speeds above 30 knots.

Gravely will be capable of simultaneously fighting air, surface and subsurface battles, Northrop said.



http://www.brahmand.com/news/USS-Gravely-completes-maiden-sea-trials/4303/3/10.html

 

[Patriot]

Thaad Conducts Its Lowest-Altitude Intercept
Jun 30, 2010
By Amy Butler

The Lockheed Martin Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (Thaad) system successfully intercepted and destroyed a short-range ballistic missile during a flight test in Hawaii on the evening of June 28.

The target, described by Lockheed Martin Thaad Vice President Tom McGrath as a foreign military asset, was launched at 9:32 p.m. local time; the interceptor was dispatched about five minutes later. U.S. Missile Defense Agency (MDA) officials say "preliminary indications are that planned flight test objectives were met," and McGrath said the target was destroyed. "We don't knock things off course. We destroy them," he says.

During the test, a few firsts were achieved for the developmental system, including the lowest-altitude intercept for the system in the endoatmosphere to date. The actual altitude is classified, but McGrath said it was just beyond Patriot's engagement zone. Thaad also is designed to operate in the exoatmosphere.

Soldiers operating the Thaad system also for the first time had two-way communications with those handling a nearby Patriot system, McGrath says. This capability is key as operators in the field must be able to quickly identify targets and react with the appropriate defenses.

The flight test also was followed closely with a sequence of simulated testing events. This included a simulated repeat of the target used in the live flight test "minutes after intercept," to explore engaging multiple targets fired in succession. That was followed about an hour later with a "mass raid," McGrath says. The number of simulated targets injected into the system is classified, MDA officials say. But they say that early data indicate that these engagements were successful.

This flight test restores some confidence to the agency after some recent failures. In January, a $200 million test was deemed a failure after testing conditions overwhelmed a primary sensor in the system. In December, a target for an intended Thaad test failed to deploy, prompting an abort of the interceptor launch.

The agency was pleased, however, with the first-ever intercepts of missile targets by the 747-400F based Airborne Laser in February. The Airborne Laser is set to continue testing an expanded engagement envelope in late July or early August.

The next Thaad flight test is set for the second quarter of 2011 at the earliest; the trial scenario hasn't yet been outlined. Another is slated to follow in the fourth quarter. This will involve two targets and two interceptors, McGrath says.

Photo credit: Lockheed Martin





http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/generic/story.jsp?id=news/asd/2010/06/30/06.xml&headline=Thaad%20Conducts%20Its%20Lowest-Altitude%20Intercept&channel=defense

 

[rogerjack]

These is really nice information to sharing with us for US military development. The U.S military's space community has become focused on managing programs and budgets "to capability gaps" rather than ensuring there are ample space systems "in the barn" ready to be placed on orbit, Chilton said in a speech that at moments was critical of the military's space community's recent performance . In these way military development can be developed.

 

[nandu]

Growler Grows Up

The U.S. Navy's efforts to ready the growing EA-18G Growler fleet for operational use are ramping up.

Having declared initial operational capability with the new electronic attack aircraft last year with VAQ-132, efforts are now underway to increase the number of squadrons and train personnel. When the first EA-18Gs will deploy operationally is not yet clear, but VAQ-141, which has also transitioned to the aircraft, is expected to be the first squadron to embark on an aircraft carrier, Navy officials indicate.

The EA-18G is meeting performance requirements, but the electronic attack community clearly also is still working through some of the transition issues, particularly as they result from shifting to two-person crew arrangement from a four-person aircraft, according to Navy personnel detailed who detailed their transition efforts from the venerable EA-6B Prowler to the EA-18G during a recent visit by several reporters to the aircraft's home base, the Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Wash.

"The community is still in its infancy and still trying to figure out how to best use the system" says Lt. Cmdr. Travis Inouye, another VAQ-129 pilot.

So far there are no major complaints with the hardware and software, though. "Every system works on the jet," notes Lt. Mathew Driskill, an instructor at VAQ-129, the Navy's EA-18G transition squadron.

One of the main issues now being worked through is "crew coordination standardization," Inouye adds. For now, the syllabus remains in flux and there is no set definition, yet, on what elements of the electronic attack mission the pilot will take on versus what is the responsibility of the electronic warfare officer.

On the Prowler -- with its two crew in the front seats and two in the back -- personnel have a sense of what the operator next to them is doing, which eases the coordination process and builds a level of trust between personnel. That's not the case on the EA-18G, where the EWO sits behind the pilot with no direct visibility into what the other is doing.

On the other hand, on the EA-18G the pilot is much more integrated in the electronic attack mission and, says Driskill, "the front seat has the full capability to operate the [airborne electronic attack systems]." The pilot will be responsible for all safety of flight elements of a mission, but operators say the aircraft is relatively easy to fly, so there is time for electronic warfare roles. Still, the level of involvement in electronic attack activities will be heavily dependent on how much flying has to be done.

Advanced tactics will be taught elsewhere, although the Navy has only begun the discussions to prepare that work and also to stand up a course at the Navy Fighter Weapons School at NAS Fallon, Calif.

VAQ-129 typically flies without the ALQ-99 jamming pod or other stores because the training can be done without the drag of the pods. Much of the training is done around Whidbey, although units also go to Fallon to exercise on the ranges there.

Once deployed, it will be left to units to decide whether pilots and EWOs are paired permanently or whether the teams will rotate. In most cases a junior EWO and senior pilot would work together, or vice versa.

One big plus of the new aircraft should be reliability. Aviation Structural Mechanic David Schuster, a Navy technician notes that the EA-6B required about 30 man-hours per flight hour of maintenance; on the Growler that figure is to be around 1.6 hours per flight.

There is still room for growth in the system. For instance, the APG-79 active electronically scanned array radar is not, yet, integrated with the jamming system.

The Navy's EA-6Bs, which still dominate the landscape at Whidbey Island, are due to be retired in 2013, leaving the U.S. Marine Corps as the sole operator. Meanwhile, the Navy hopes to transition two squadrons a year to the Growler; that effort is now underway for VAQ-138. Each squadron will operate aircraft (VAQ-129 is an exception owing to its training role).

http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/blog...&plckScript=blogScript&plckElementId=blogDest

 

[Neil]

Generally Speaking: Rules of engagement in US politics

Recalled from the Far East war theatre in 1951 for criticising the Truman Administration,General Douglas MacArthur was pensioned off after a farewell address to the US Congress.He concluded a rousing speech,interrupted by fifty ovations,by recalling a popular barrack ballad of his time: "Old soldiers never die;they just fade away."

Fade away the general did,but not before generating immense speculation that he would run for the White House as a Republican candidate in the 1952 election.As it turned out,he went no further than endorsing Senator Robert Taft of Ohio for the Republican nomination,and delivering a keynote address at the GoP convention.But he could not generate the same spark he did when he was sacked.Taft lost the nomination to another soldier,Dwight Eisenhower,who went on to join the long list of generals (12 by one count) who have become president of the United States.

It's too early to get a sense of what route Gen Stanley McChrystal,recalled and fired from leading the US effort in Afghanistan,will take.He has not shown any inclination for politics,and like MacArthur,he could just fade away.For now,he has crept away to retirement,with the Obama administration throwing a fourth star after him to add to the three he wore with much distinction.The scuttlebutt in Washington is that if there's anyone in the military just now with the nous for politics,its McChrystal's boss-cumsuccessor,David Petraeus.

For all the jaw-jaw about civilian primacy over the military,American voters heartily embrace men in uniform - after they have shed their brass outfit.No democratic country in the world has had as many men from the services become head of government as the US.While Europe has produced an occasional de Gaulle and Franco,an astonishing 31 of the 44 (almost threefourths ) US presidents have served in the military in one capacity or another;12 of them were generals.

In fact,being a general is second only to being a lawyer in terms of the most common occupation of those who become US President.And most generals have preferred the Republican Party.Of the 12 generals who became president,eight were of Republican or allied persuasion: William Harrison,Zachary Taylor,Ulysses Grant,Rutherford Hayes,James Garfield,Chester Arthur,Benjamin Harrison and Dwight Eisenhower.Only three generals elected to the presidency were Democrats: Andrew Jackson,Franklin Pierce and Andrew Johnson.George Washington,the Founding Father,belonged to neither party.

The last Democratic president to have been a general was Andrew Johnson,who lost the presidency in 1869.Since that year,there have been six Republican presidents who were former generals.This should give McChrystal,Petraeus,Mullen,and others something to think about in 2012/ 2016,especially if Barack Obama is doing badly.

On the flip side though,most generals came into the White House riding on victory in war.George Washington won the War of Independence;Andrew Jackson was elected after defeating the British at the Battle of New Orleans.Zachary Taylor came into office after defeating Mexico in the US-Mexican War.Ulysses Grant became President soon after forcing three Confederate armies to surrender.In the 20th century,Eisenhower,the only five-star general other than Washington to occupy the White House,won the presidency soon after the defeat of Germany in World War II.

But almost every post-World War II US President has put in some military service,with the exception of Bill Clinton and Barack Obama.Even George Bush Jr - okay,hold the sniggers served as a first lieutenant,performing guard duty as an F-102 pilot and logging a modest 336 flight hours.

Not that wearing a uniform in a previous avatar made US presidents the best or the most successful commanders-in-chief.Neither Woodrow Wilson,president during World War I,nor Franklin Roosevelt,president during World War II,served in the military.India finest military hour came under the prime ministership of a woman who probably had never picked up a weapon in her life.

In fact,none of India's 14 prime ministers and 12 presidents (technically the commander-in-chief of the armed forces) served in the military.In contrast,four of Pakistan's 11 presidents were from the military,and they lost every war they fought,besides squandering half the country.


http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...ement-in-US-politics-/articleshow/6123608.cms

 

[Neil]

'We are in war to win in Afghanistan'

KABUL: General David Petraeus formally assumed command of the 130,000-strong international force in Afghanistan on Sunday, telling Nato and Afghan officials 'we are in this to win" despite rising casualties and growing skepticism about the direction of the nearly 9-year-old war.

Petraeus received two flags, one for the US and the other for Nato, during a ceremony marking the formal assumption of command. "We are in this to win," he told a crowd of several hundred Nato and Afghan officials at the ceremony at a grassy area just outside coalition headquarters. "We are engaged in a contests of wills," he said. "We have arrived at a critical moment."

Petraeus succeeded general Stanley McChrystal, who was fired last month for intemperate remarks he and his aides made to Rolling Stone magazine about Obama administration officials who were mostly on the civilian side. "Upfront I also want to recognise the enormous contributions of my predecessor, gen Stanley McChrystal," Petraeus said. He said the progress made reflects McChrystal's "vision, energy and leadership".

The change of command comes at a time when the Taliban are at their strongest since being overthrown in 2001, with ISAF casualties mounting daily. Petraeus, wearing camouflage fatigues and speaking near a marble column dedicated to ISAF forces who have died in the Afghan campaign, said his appointment signaled a change in command, not strategy.

Petraeus landed in Kabul on Friday after his appointment was confirmed by the Senate and the House of Representatives approved $33 billion in funding for a troop surge he hopes will turn the tide of the war. agencies

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...to-win-in-Afghanistan/articleshow/6129225.cms

 

[Neil]

RQ-170 Sentinel "Beast of Kandahar"

The RQ-170 Sentinel is an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) developed by Lockheed Martin and operated by the United States Air Force (USAF). It has been deployed to Afghanistan as part of Operation Enduring Freedom. Beast of Kandahar, an aircraft, which was photographed in Afghanistan in 2007, is a surveillance aircraft, confirms US Air Force. The US Air Force on 8th December confirmed for the first time that it is flying a stealth unmanned aircraft known as the "Beast of Kandahar," a drone spotted in photos and shrouded in secrecy.

According to the details, the drone aircraft which previously could be seen in photos only is actually an aircraft of US Air Force and the USAF has confirmed its existence. According to the officials, US Air Force was looking for a technology on which the ground forces could rely for its surveillance characteristics. RQ-170 Sentinel, generally known as Beast of Kandahar, is an unmanned aerial vehicle which provides the technical support to the troops appointed on grounds.

The "RQ" prefix for the aircraft indicates an unarmed drone, unlike the "MQ" designation used for Predator and Reaper aircraft equipped with missiles and precision-guided bombs. Aviation experts dubbed the drone the "Beast of Kandahar" after photographs emerged earlier this year showing the mysterious aircraft in southern Afghanistan in 2007. The image suggested a drone with a radar-evading stealth-like design, resembling a smaller version of a B-2 bomber. The air force said the aircraft came out of Lockheed Martin's "Skunk Works," also known as Advanced Development Programs, in California — the home of sophisticated and often secret defense projects including the U-2 spy plane, the F-22 fighter jet and the F-117 Nighthawk.

http://www.defenceaviation.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/rq-160-300x221.jpg


http://www.defenceaviation.com/2009...ast-of-kandahar-confirmed-by-us-airforce.html

 

[Neil]

Bell Boeing Quad TiltRotor

The Bell Boeing Quad TiltRotor (QTR) is a proposed four-rotor derivative of the V-22 Osprey tiltrotor being developed jointly by Bell Helicopter and Boeing. The concept is a contender in the U.S. Army's Joint Heavy Lift program. It would have a cargo capacity roughly equivalent to the C-130 Hercules, cruise at 250 knots, and land at unimproved sites vertically like a helicopter.
Development

Background..::
Bell developed a quad tiltrotor concept as the model D-322 in 1979. The Bell Boeing team disclosed in 1999 about a Quad TiltRotor design the companies had been investigating for the previous two years. The design was for a C-130-size VSTOL transport for the US Army's Future Transport Rotorcraft program and would have 50% commonality with the V-22. This design was to have a maximum takeoff weight of 100,000 lb (45,000 kg) with a payload of up to 25,000 lb (11,000 kg) in a hover.The design was downsized to be more V-22-based and to have a payload of 18,000 lb (8,200 kg) to 20,000 lb (9,100 kg). This version was referred to as "V-44". Bell received contracts to study related technologies in 2000. Development was not pursued by the US Department of Defense.

Studies..::
In September 2005 Bell and Boeing received a cost-sharing contract worth US$3.45 million from the U.S. Army's Aviation Applied Technology Directorate for an 18-month conceptual design and analysis study lasting through March 2007, in conjunction with the Joint Heavy Lift program.The contract was awarded to Bell Helicopter, which is teaming with Boeing's Phantom Works. The QTR study is one of five designs; another of the five is also a Boeing program, an advanced version of the CH-47 Chinook.

During the initial baseline design study, Bell's engineers are designing the wing, engine and rotor, while the Boeing team is designing the fuselage and internal systems. A similar arrangement is used on the V-22.

A one-fifth-scale wind tunnel model has undergone testing in the Transonic Dynamics Tunnel (a unique transonic wind tunnel) at NASA's Langley Research Center during summer 2006. The "semi-span" model (representing the right half of the aircraft) measured 213 inches in length, and had powered 91-inch rotors, operational nacelles, "dynamically representative" wings.

The primary test objective was to study the aeroelastic effects on the aft wing of the forward wing's rotors and establish a baseline aircraft configuration. Alan Ewing, Bell's QTR program manager, reported that "Testing showed those loads from that vortex on the rear rotor [are the] same as the loads we see on the front [rotors]," and "Aeroelastic stability of the wing looks exactly the same as the conventional tiltrotor". These tests used a model with a three-bladed rotor, future tests will explore the effects of using a four-bladed system.

Besides the research performed jointly under the contract, Bell has funded additional research and wind tunnel testing in cooperation with NASA and the Army.After submission of initial concept study reports, testing of full-scale components and possibly a sub-scale vehicle test program was expected to begin. Pending approval, first flight of a full-scale prototype aircraft was slated for 2012.

The study was completed in May 2007,with the Quad TiltRotor selected for further development. However, additional armor on Future Combat Systems (FCS) vehicles caused their weight to increase from 20 tons to 27 tons which requires a larger aircraft.In mid-2008, the Army continued the Joint Heavy Lift (JHL) studies with new contracts to the Bell-Boeing and Karem Aircraft/Lockheed Martin teams. The teams are to modify their designs to reach new JHL specifications. JHL became part of the new US Air Force/Army Joint Future Theater Lift (JFTL) program in 2008.

Design..::
The conceptual design is for a large tandem wing aircraft with V-22 type engines and 50-foot rotors at each of the four wing tips. The C-130-size fuselage would have a 747-inch-long cargo bay with a rear loading ramp that could carry 110 paratroopers or 150 standard-seating passengers. In cargo configuration, it would accommodate eight 463L pallets.

In addition to the baseline configuration, the Bell-Boeing team is including eight possible variants, or "excursion designs", including a sea-based variant. The design team is planning on payloads ranging from 16 to 26 tons and a range of 420 to 1000 nmi. The baseline version includes a fully retractable refueling probe and an interconnecting drive system for power redundancy.

One of the design excursions explored by the team, dubbed the "Big Boy", would have 55-foot rotors and an 815-inch-long cargo bay, making it able to carry one additional 463L pallet, and accommodate a Stryker armored combat vehicle

http://www.hahnsoft.com/images/quad_tiltrotor.jpg


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bell_Boeing_Quad_TiltRotor

 

[LETHALFORCE]

This could be a good alternative to landing in inaccessible areas with no runways,possibly even more practical than C-17's?? Which need crude runways.

 

[Yusuf]

The V-22 itself took quite sometime to get mainstream approval. Wonder what will be the fate of this new craft. But if this is being looked at as a replacement for the C130, then it has a legend to compete with.