US Navy News and updates

[Milne Bay]

Fantastic photos, a real step to the future. (sorry for the one liner)

A most futuristic ship indeed. This is a very large vessel, and it will be interesting to see what its actual seakeeping qualities are.
Oh, I have just read the captions with the pix.
The hull was moved under the superstructure. I had assumed that it happened the other way around. Interesting.
One puzzle-why was the work done at night .......... I wonder.

 

[Volkodav]

One puzzle-why was the work done at night .......... I wonder.

Short answer, thermal expansion.

Slightly longer answer the sun heats the blocks as it passes over during the day, causing which ever surface is in direct sunlight to expand in relation to the surfaces not in direct sunlight. The larger the block the greater the overall expansion and the more difficult to mate the block. Easy fix, do it all after midnight when everything has cooled and stabilised.

 

[AegisFC]

Fantastic photos, a real step to the future. (sorry for the one liner)

The more I read about this ship the more impressed I am about it. I'm not a big fan of the gun system but the rest (engineering plant and the rest of the combat system) is a massive step in the right direction.

A most futuristic ship indeed. This is a very large vessel, and it will be interesting to see what its actual seakeeping qualities are.

It can't be any worse than a Tico. The only time I've ever been "land sick" was after riding one for a month. :
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This has been out for over a week but the USN has posted some videos of the X-47B on the Harry S. Truman.

X-47B Unmanned Combat Air Systems (UCAS) Demonstrator - YouTube

Basically they are teaching the drone what the hand signals mean.

 

[AegisFC]

DDG-1000 is about 80% complete and the super structure has been mated to the hull.

Biggest pieces of ZUMWALT (DDG 1000) come together in the night

Time lapse video of the joining.

DDG 1000 deckhouse translation, December 13-15, 2012 - YouTube

 

[Belesari]

The more I read about this ship the more impressed I am about it. I'm not a big fan of the gun system but the rest (engineering plant and the rest of the combat system) is a massive step in the right direction.



It can't be any worse than a Tico. The only time I've ever been "land sick" was after riding one for a month. :
----

This has been out for over a week but the USN has posted some videos of the X-47B on the Harry S. Truman.

X-47B Unmanned Combat Air Systems (UCAS) Demonstrator - YouTube

Basically they are teaching the drone what the hand signals mean.

"This has been out for over a week but the USN has posted some videos of the X-47B on the Harry S. Truman.

X-47B Unmanned Combat Air Systems (UCAS) Demonstrator - YouTube

Basically they are teaching the drone what the hand signals mean."

Which i think alot of people dont understand the amazingness of. Think about it. 12 years ago drones were little more than a small fetish or spy tool. Now they have become part of every large military in the world and even more in the US.

They have gone from spys with a couple helfires to aircraft that can fly to a target and deliver tons of weaponry-and now to aircraft like the X-47B, Sea Avenger, and even Unmanned space shuttles like the X-37.

Damn interesting time to be alive.

 

[colay]

I don't believe gesture recognition has been implemented in the X-47B in it's current configuration. That may be something for the future. Those deliberate hand gestures seem more for the benefit of the guy controlling the drone with the hand control unit.

 

[colay]

I was curious how the new Ford CVN issupposed to achieve a 25% increase in sortie rate over it's predecessors until I came across some specs highlighting the difference in the 2 designs in the area of weapons handling.
Obviously a lot of thought has gone into improving productivity and efficiency of the new ship... Now, can someone kindly explain the significance of the reduction in "messing area" and "seats" ?

Nimitz vs. Ford Specs

Weapons Elevators : Cabled-Electric 9 x 10,500 lbs vs. Adv Weapons Elev 11 x 24,000 lbs (Ford)
Horizontal Weapons Movement Distance : ~ 1225 ft vs. 390 ft (Ford)
Messing Area Consumed by Weapons Production (ft²/seats) : ~ 12,500 ft² / 650 seats vs. 260 ft² / 32 seats (Ford)

 

[StobieWan]

I don't believe gesture recognition has been implemented in the X-47B in it's current configuration. That may be something for the future. Those deliberate hand gestures seem more for the benefit of the guy controlling the drone with the hand control unit.

They can do that stuff with an X-Box Kinect so I'd say there's scope for getting a gesture input to work. You're likely right that this *isn't* what's happening in the video right now however.

 

[AegisFC]

In December the USS Monsoon did some testing of the Griffon missile system. This small missile will be fitted to the PC's and the LCS's.

USS Monsoon Patrol Coastal (PC) Griffin Test Video - YouTube

Here is some more information on the test.
Information Dissemination: USS Monsoon Griffin Test

I don't believe gesture recognition has been implemented in the X-47B in it's current configuration. That may be something for the future. Those deliberate hand gestures seem more for the benefit of the guy controlling the drone with the hand control unit.

The print version of the Navy Times article I read (which I can't find online unfortunately) said that the deck tests were being recorded and the hand gestures stored for the X-47 to use autonomously in later tests.

 

[Volkodav]

In December the USS Monsoon did some testing of the Griffon missile system. This small missile will be fitted to the PC's and the LCS's.

USS Monsoon Patrol Coastal (PC) Griffin Test Video - YouTube

Here is some more information on the test.
Information Dissemination: USS Monsoon Griffin Test

Wasn't there plans to integrate Griffin into the Mk-144 GMLS permitting a mix of RAM and Griffin in each launcher? This would be a useful system for ships operating under threat from swarm tactics.

 

[kato]

What for when you can just as easily stick RAM HAS in that launcher? Griffin actually has less range. And a smaller warhead. Would only be useful if they managed to stick two Griffins behind each other in each launch tube...

 

[Volkodav]

What for when you can just as easily stick RAM HAS in that launcher? Griffin actually has less range. And a smaller warhead. Would only be useful if they managed to stick two Griffins behind each other in each launch tube...

Fair call, I wonder if the Griffen can be double stacked and if not what advantage it would have over RAM HAS. There is always the possibility I misread or am mistaken.

 

[NeoIsolationist]

I think griffin is about 1/10 the cost per round of the RAM.


Current griffin is just a stop-gap. They want a version that will be able to hit targets out to the horizon. Griffin with that kind of range will probably be very successful, for its defined mission requirements.

 

[ADMk2]

What for when you can just as easily stick RAM HAS in that launcher? Griffin actually has less range. And a smaller warhead. Would only be useful if they managed to stick two Griffins behind each other in each launch tube...

It's cheap and does the job. They can get it to the fleet quickly and by using it, put more money towards developing the real capability that Griffin is only an interim for...

 

[RobWilliams]

Good to see progress like this being made on GRF

555 Tons Island installed on Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) Nuclear-Powered Aircraft Carrier

Huntington Ingalls Industries celebrated significant progress on January 26, 2013 as the 555-metric ton island was lowered onto the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) at the company's Newport News Shipbuilding (NNS) division. The island will serve as the command center for flight deck operations aboard the first of the next-generation class of aircraft carriers.

"The Gerald R. Ford continues our tradition of building quality ships," said NNS President Matt Mulherin. "It is our duty, our responsibility and--indeed--our great privilege because we know CVN 78 will provide American presence and diplomacy anywhere she is needed. She will be home to thousands of sailors, and she will keep President Ford's legacy alive for future generations."

90% structurally complete apparently. Pity about the finish we're currently seeing for the rest on her

 

[t68]

Things aren’t looking good for the USN and the greater defence budget if the US cannot sort out its budgetary woes, sad to say but I think no matter what happens the defence budget will have to take a hit either way. Wonder what the bare minimum number of carrier strike groups would be needed to cover all the US commitments or would they have to drawdown the shift to the Pacific as the Middle East is to volatile.

Budget Crisis Impact Laid Out By U.S. Navy | Defense News | defensenews.com

 

[fretburner]

It's cheap and does the job. They can get it to the fleet quickly and by using it, put more money towards developing the real capability that Griffin is only an interim for...

Maybe they'd have like a Griffin Blk 2 or a Griffin-ER with more range and bigger warhead but still costs significantly lower than the current alternative? That NLOS thing really was a bummer. It was a good concept.

 

[fretburner]

Good to see progress like this being made on GRF

555 Tons Island installed on Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) Nuclear-Powered Aircraft Carrier



90% structurally complete apparently. Pity about the finish we're currently seeing for the rest on her

I just read through the Ford-class "brochure" and came across this:

Weapons Elevator: Elevators use moving electromagnetic fields instead of cabling, which allows elevator shaft to use horizontal doors to close off magazines. This reduces manning and maintenance costs.

Is there any chance that you can do this later on for the aircraft elevators?

Seems like an awesome piece of technology. I'd like to see this installed in skyscrapers

That island looks sexy btw. Those angles where the phased array radars are, are too cool. Awesome design! Brilliant shipbuilders!

 

[AegisFC]

The minesweeper USS Guardian will be removed from the reef it is stuck on by cutting the ship up.
So far the information available says her electronic charts were off, by quite a bit.

Also here are some more pics of the USS Zumwalt now that the super structure is in place.
Mighty ZUMWALT Is Coming Together

 

[ASSAIL]

The minesweeper USS Guardian will be removed from the reef it is stuck on by cutting the ship up.
So far the information available says her electronic charts were off, by quite a bit.

Also here are some more pics of the USS Zumwalt now that the super structure is in place.
Mighty ZUMWALT Is Coming Together

Unless the anchor goes through the bottom of the hull behind the Sonar, anchoring will be an extremely interesting evolution

Is there any info on that?