US Navy News and updates

Ranger25

Active Member
Staff member
Gotcha. So it sounds like the solution may lie in a more distributed ISR approach going forward. Certainly a pressing dilemma for smaller navies I would have thought..
Exactly.

P-8
F35
MQ4c Triton
AN/ZPY-3 Multi-Function Active Sensor (MFAS) with active electronically scanned array
Aegis
Virginia Class(ongoing)
E2D

All via Link 16 and NIF-CA links

One complete integrated sensor
 

gf0012-aust

Grumpy Old Man
Staff member
Verified Defense Pro
Gotcha. So it sounds like the solution may lie in a more distributed ISR approach going forward. Certainly a pressing dilemma for smaller navies I would have thought..
which is what Plan Jericho is achieving - hence my earlier comments re USN and USAF senior sirs being impressed by that Plan

in ADF terms, its the P8's, E7's Gulfs, GHawks, JSF, AWD, phats - and then anything else that comes on line via Link 16, eventually Link 22 and the shared TADLs

managing UAS flights (and then its an issue of type of platforms within that flight) by JSF is doable - and the capability has been flight tested at proof of concept levels.

Its certainly flagged for the P8's
 

Ranger25

Active Member
Staff member
which is what Plan Jericho is achieving - hence my earlier comments re USN and USAF senior sirs being impressed by that Plan

in ADF terms, its the P8's, E7's Gulfs, GHawks, JSF, AWD, phats - and then anything else that comes on line via Link 16, eventually Link 22 and the shared TADLs

managing UAS flights (and then its an issue of type of platforms within that flight) by JSF is doable - and the capability has been flight tested at proof of concept levels.

Its certainly flagged for the P8's
Agreed, one more reason why the JSF critics don't comprehend it's full capabilities ( not to get off topic)
 

Boagrius

Well-Known Member
which is what Plan Jericho is achieving - hence my earlier comments re USN and USAF senior sirs being impressed by that Plan

in ADF terms, its the P8's, E7's Gulfs, GHawks, JSF, AWD, phats - and then anything else that comes on line via Link 16, eventually Link 22 and the shared TADLs

managing UAS flights (and then its an issue of type of platforms within that flight) by JSF is doable - and the capability has been flight tested at proof of concept levels.

Its certainly flagged for the P8's
Interesting stuff, thanks.
 

colay1

Member
This is an interesting concept that the Navy is pursuing. Presumably they would be able to seed an area with enough buoys as the need arises to provide a fallback network should other comms be compromised. Rather ingenious and relatively low-cost solution IMO.

U.S. Navy Wants a Floating Fiber Optic Network



The U.S. Navy relies upon satellite and other communications systems to make sure ships, planes, and sailors can share information across the Seven Seas. In peacetime, those systems are a given. But what happens in wartime, when satellites are shot down and other forms of comms are jammed or otherwise disrupted?

That's a very good question. The United States, NATO, and other key allies rely to a tremendous extent on satellite communications—which makes those satellites target No. 1 in a future war.

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is developing a solution: TUNA. TUNA stands for Tactical Underwater Network Architecture, a portable, temporary communications network made up of floating communications buoys linked by fiber optic cable.

Here's how it would work. In the event of communications failure over a broad area, aircraft and ships would unload a series of TUNA buoys at sea. Each buoy consists of a radio frequency transmitter and power system. The buoys are connected by a "hair-thin, buoyant" fiber optic cable that can carry a tremendous amount of data and survive the harshness of the open ocean for at least thirty days—hopefully enough time to get primary communications restored.

More at the link.
 

John Fedup

The Bunker Group
A wise course of action for the USN. The first strike will be on satellites, by direct hit and EMP, probably via nuclear detonation assuming a conflict with China and Russia.
 

colay1

Member
The Navy hopes to reap the benefits from pursuing a modular MCM package for LCS. The kit will proliferate beyond LCS to other platforms eg. Expeditionary Mobile Base (ESB) and potentially even land-based operators conducting littoral and MCM operations.

https://news.usni.org/2017/01/11/na...s-other-ships-shore-operators-may-also-use-it

Navy Finalizing Counter-Mine Package For LCS; Other Ships, Shore Operators May Also Use It

THE PENTAGON – A recently created Mine Warfare Governance Council is looking to finalize the composition of a first-increment mine countermeasures package that will not only go aboard Littoral Combat Ships but could also deploy on other ships of opportunity or be controlled by shore-based operators, the Navy’s director of expeditionary warfare (OPNAV N95) told USNI News.

Maj. Gen. Christopher Owens said in a Jan. 6 interview that the council, which he chairs, hopes to get this package out to the fleet as soon as possible and then add in capabilities as new technologies complete testing and procured.

The initial package would include the MH-60S helicopter towing the Airborne Laser Mine Detection System (ALMDS) and Airborne Mine Neutralization System (AMNS) – all three of which reached initial operational capability in November – and an unmanned vehicle to tow the AN/AQS-20A sonar. This initial package provides detect-to-engage capabilities, but eventually the service will also add a buried- and high-clutter bottom search capability, a beach and surf zone search capability, a near-surface neutralizer and a minesweeper, with each being added as they wrap up development and test.

More...
 

gf0012-aust

Grumpy Old Man
Staff member
Verified Defense Pro
ONR and SCO are developing unmanned swarming boat systems. This looks quite an interesting development and I think that the system may be similar to the mini UAV swarm system that the USAF is developing in conjunction with the SCO.
there's some very good articles re this over the last few months and current editions of Ocean News and Sea Technology

some useful stuff might come up under additionals like "liquid robotics" "unmanned warrior 16" "seebyte"

will see what I can find when I go back to work
 
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gf0012-aust

Grumpy Old Man
Staff member
Verified Defense Pro
will be interesting to see whether fast tracking occurs on the rail gun project - a mach 7 projectile with a 100 mile/160km range is going to be significant - especially when you consider that you could also use it to launch low orbit packages...
 

colay1

Member
will be interesting to see whether fast tracking occurs on the rail gun project - a mach 7 projectile with a 100 mile/160km range is going to be significant - especially when you consider that you could also use it to launch low orbit packages...
They would also have to fasttrack HVP. AFAIK the technology needs a decade's more before a fieldable weapon materializes.
 

gf0012-aust

Grumpy Old Man
Staff member
Verified Defense Pro
They would also have to fasttrack HVP. AFAIK the technology needs a decade's more before a fieldable weapon materializes.
current view is 10 years - there is an expectation that land based weapons are available within 5 years - at sea weapons within 10.

thats on curr levels of funding and dev
 

CB90

The Bunker Group
Verified Defense Pro
Though i do think we need to continue research efforts because the payoff could be very high, the size/weight reduction and integration for a sea based package is what make me skeptical.

10 years may be doable...but the platform constraint is to fit in something roughly the size of existing gun mounts or a VLS mag at most without loss of capability. Tough.

My money would be on the next gen surface combatant beyond DDG Flight III for rail gun to become a serious consideration.
 
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