Thanks for the correction — have edited previous video link to Boeing’s offering.That video depicts Lockheed Martin's submission for the MQ-25.
It wasn't selected. Boeing's offering was.
Thanks for the correction — have edited previous video link to Boeing’s offering.That video depicts Lockheed Martin's submission for the MQ-25.
It wasn't selected. Boeing's offering was.
No, but I'm not sure it would be applicable. Hulls move a lot more, often multiple different vectors at once, so something needing tight tolerances may be challenged in a marine environment in a way that land based systems never would be. Torsion in a hull could be a real problem, as would modest corrosion. Lot's of electricity, magnetic fields, metallic surfaces with wear & tear combined with seawater actually sounds a really, really challenging environment to run an electromagnetic lift or EM catapult.More bad news on the Ford’s electromagnetic elevators. Only 2 out of 11 working despite promises they would be working by now. Apparently there is a very tight requirement on tolerances for stuff that interfaces to the elevator shafts. Is anyone aware of successful land based electromagnetic freight elevators?
Bloomberg - Are you a robot?
The USNI has just published a paper titled Dispelling 7 myths about LCS, it is a supportive paper and provides real insight into the programme.
I can’t post the paper but one reply caught my eye, it’s from a total believer and I think gets to the reasons why the LCS is a success and will be an important contributor for the USN.
Naturally there will be a variety of views but they should target the points made in the linked reply.
However, I think that what drives most of the incomprehensible ship hatred directed at LCS - it is thus, a raw emotion devoid of facts or common sense - is nothing more than blatant old timerism. A bunch of gnarly old geezers who hate change, who think the glory years of the US Navy were decades ago, when of course they served .. and who simply are not intellectually capable of understanding that 21st century naval warfare is nothing at all like 20th century naval warfare. Just as, of course, 20th century naval warfare was nothing at all like 19th century naval warfare. The dedicated shiphaters are mostly nothing but old fellows who are still living as if it is 1945 or 1975 or 1995, and who are incapable of getting with the modern world of naval warfare, which is changing at a rapid rate. Every single myth about LCS has been thoroughly debunked hundreds of times over, yet the shiphaters refuse to acknowledge their own incapacity to grasp modern naval warfare. LCS are indeed the most heavily armed littoral surface warships on the planet, especially now with the addition of the OTH missiles, RAM missile defenses, the fantastic Mk 110 57 mm gun system which is death for small vessels, small aircraft, and for cruise missiles. Plus now the 24-cell Hellfire missile. And the AEGIS-derivative COMBATTS-21 combat management system. And the pair of 30 mm cannons. And Mk 54 LWTs for ASW. And now SEWIP Block 2 electronic countermeasures for missile defense. When the integration work on it is complete by next year, the LCS will have, according to Surface Warfare Director Admiral Boxall, the world's finest surface ship ASW sonar system with both VDS and a new towed array. LCS already features the MH-60 and its air dropped Mk 54 torpedoes, and both the MH-60 and the MQ-8 drop dipping sonobuoys to detect submarines at ranges both near and far from the ship at any depth, along with periscope detection systems and shallow water submarine detection systems. ASW skills and equipment in the US Navy have degraded substantially since the end of the Cold War, but the LCS is in the process of restoring and improving upon those capabilities. Once the final integration work is completed, the already half-deployed unmanned MCM systems will enable LCS to operate the world's finest and safest mine countermeasures systems. And there are many other kinds of equipment and roles that the LCS can take on, if necessary. And as for that silly trope about insufficient room for growth, the LCS has already, just in the last 10 years, actually incorporated more growth in weapons and sensors and aircraft than any other warship in the US fleet.
Thanks Ranger.
John there are many things which we would “rather” have but you still haven’t reconciled the multi roles, deployment rotations or the concept of sending the ships to less important areas and expose those countries to the USN, they’re a package which doesn’t fit with convention.Here’s a second article by the same author. All this hype about about how great the LCS is makes me wonder what the latest horror is about to be revealed. I would rather have another dozen SSNs with VPM instead of the LCS, less money, and they work.
Why LCS Has Been Slow to Deploy
Agree, the AB class has been quite successful. I saw an article recently that suggested a flight 4 version is under consideration as the new large surface combatant ship may be delayed to allow more time to finalize its design. As for “presence”, the new frigate will certainly fulfill this requirement.Doesn’t seem much wrong with the Arleigh Burke program. Submarines are nice, but are not suitable for a lot of missions - something known as “presence”, where being seen is the whole point, is one of them. Escorting MERSHIPS through the Strait of Hormuz is another.
This somewhat surprising but I have never seen what the control interface looks like. Based on some interfaces I have seen for other applications, crap software and design interface are a nightmare. Perhaps this the case or training issues. Certainly numerous different interfaces throughout the fleet would be problematic as well.Navy Reverting DDGs Back to Physical Throttles, After Fleet Rejects Touchscreen Controls - USNI News
Back to conventional control in the bridge. Seems despite most of the Sailors that will control, are millennials they are not comfortable enough with 'gadget' style touch screen.
Bit surprised for me at least, this supposedly has to be done trials interaction test with targeted segment (thus young sailors).
This make total sense to me. You wouldn't want to control your car with a touch screen, people need something tactile to know what they are doing. Even video games use a mouse or joystick.This somewhat surprising but I have never seen what the control interface looks like. Based on some interfaces I have seen for other applications, crap software and design interface are a nightmare. Perhaps this the case or training issues. Certainly numerous different interfaces throughout the fleet would be problematic as well.