Mil News USA, Canada & Caribbean Nations Military News & Discussion Thread

[BravoZulu]

In 2020 the Marine Corps released its Force Design 2030 plan in hopes of transforming the Marine Corps for a future fight against China.

Part of the plan calls for a massive reduction in the number of M777 tube artillery batteries in favour of more High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems, or HIMARS.

The Corps currently has 21 active duty M777 batteries and plans to reduce that number to five, essentially a reinforced battalion worth of artillery by 2030.

In its place the Corps will see a “300 percent increase in rocket artillery capacity,” a brief about the force design changes said.

The Corps hopes to eventually have a rocket system capable of sinking ships. The increased firepower is meant to force enemy ships to stay in port, while allowing the U.S. Navy to operate freely in any future battlefield.

The Corps hopes to have 36 Joint Light Tactical Vehicles capable of firing a Naval Strike Missile by 2022.
https://www.marinecorpstimes.com/ne...-why-the-corps-may-see-fewer-m777s-next-year/

 

[BravoZulu]

USA:
The Senate voted Friday to overturn President Trump's veto of the mammoth annual defense bill in an unprecedented act that assures the decades-long continuity for that legislation. It follows a House vote earlier this week.

The Senate vote, 81-13, came after an unusual political detour for the National Defense Authorization Act, which establishes policy and handles myriad other issues for the military services. The popularity of the military, together with the scale of the bill, means it passes virtually every year and has for decades — until this one hit a snag.

It is the first veto override by Congress in the Trump presidency.

Congress, with bipartisan agreement, included provisions in the bill that would rename military bases and other facilities that have Confederate names. The support for that gesture followed this year's national movement on behalf of racial equality and police reform following the deaths of Breonna Taylor, George Floyd and other Black citizens at the hands of police.

Trump, however, supports preserving the names of figures such as Confederate Gens. Robert E. Lee, Braxton Bragg and others on Army bases and other military infrastructure that now bear them. The president dismissed his last Senate-confirmed defense secretary, Mark Esper, in part over a split on that issue.
https://www.npr.org/2021/01/01/9524...e-bill-after-political-detour?t=1609753293538

 

[BravoZulu]

USN:
The Defense Department announced the the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz and its strike group are to remain in the Middle East to counter Iranian threats days after it was ordered to return home following a 10-month deployment.

Acting Secretary of Defense Christopher Miller announced the move in a statement,saying the carrier "will now remain on station in the US Central Command area of operations," which consists of more than 4 million square miles and 20 countries, including Iran.

 

[BCNTM]

Second B-21 Under Construction as Bomber Moves Toward First Flight | Air & Space Forces Magazine

Production of a second B-21 stealth bomber is underway in Palmdale, Calif., while the first Raider is expected to roll out in early 2022.

www.airforcemag.com

First one is built and now is in final phase of fitting before flight testing next year

Second one is now being built

Looks like Boeing slowdown on the civilian side is allowing them to allocate staff over to this project

Still no pictures - but expect something black and smaller than a B2

Build still seems to be on track for 100 of these - cost is eye watering

 

[BravoZulu]

USA:
The F-35 fighter jet’s exorbitant life-cycle costs means the Air Force cannot afford to buy as many aircraft as it needs to fight and win a war today, which makes the Next-Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) program all the more important, says outgoing Air Force acquisition czar Will Roper.

“I think the F-35 program is a long way from being at a sustainment point that we need. I think it’s a long way from being an affordable fighter that we can buy in bulk,” he told reporters today.

“That’s the reason why Next-Generation Air Dominance is so important to the Air Force,” he said. “It doesn’t just represent a next-generation fighter with bells and whistles that we will need in warfighting. It doesn’t just represent a completely different acquisition paradigm. It also represents a chance to design an airplane that is more sustainable than the F-35 if, in fact, the F-35 cannot get its cost-per-flying-hour down.”

Roper would not be drawn on whether the Air Force was considering downsizing it plan to build a total inventory of 1,763 F-35s — with the Air Force requesting 48 aircraft in 2021, and planning to ask for the same annual buy for the foreseeable future, according to a study last month by the Center for Strategic and International Studies. “But what I can say is we’re not at the sustainment price point we need to be for a very large fleet. So, the next few years are critical for the F 35 program,” he added.
https://breakingdefense.com/2021/01...3.1478394867.1610583674-1200932153.1610583674

 

[Fluff]

USA:
The F-35 fighter jet’s exorbitant life-cycle costs means the Air Force cannot afford to buy as many aircraft as it needs to fight and win a war today, which makes the Next-Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) program all the more important, says outgoing Air Force acquisition czar Will Roper.

“I think the F-35 program is a long way from being at a sustainment point that we need. I think it’s a long way from being an affordable fighter that we can buy in bulk,” he told reporters today.

“That’s the reason why Next-Generation Air Dominance is so important to the Air Force,” he said. “It doesn’t just represent a next-generation fighter with bells and whistles that we will need in warfighting. It doesn’t just represent a completely different acquisition paradigm. It also represents a chance to design an airplane that is more sustainable than the F-35 if, in fact, the F-35 cannot get its cost-per-flying-hour down.”

Roper would not be drawn on whether the Air Force was considering downsizing it plan to build a total inventory of 1,763 F-35s — with the Air Force requesting 48 aircraft in 2021, and planning to ask for the same annual buy for the foreseeable future, according to a study last month by the Center for Strategic and International Studies. “But what I can say is we’re not at the sustainment price point we need to be for a very large fleet. So, the next few years are critical for the F 35 program,” he added.
https://breakingdefense.com/2021/01...3.1478394867.1610583674-1200932153.1610583674

sounds like a market stall haggling....

 

[muck]

The U.S. Department of Defense has ordered a further 15 KC-46A refueling aircraft worth $2.1 billion after a previous order for 12 units of the type announced on January 12. In total, Boeing has been contracted to build 79 KC-46A's until May 2024. The first KC-46A was delivered to the U.S. Air Force in early 2019. (Source, English)

Interesting news, but is there any reason for this peacemeal tactic?

 

[Fluff]

The U.S. Department of Defense has ordered a further 15 KC-46A refueling aircraft worth $2.1 billion after a previous order for 12 units of the type announced on January 12. In total, Boeing has been contracted to build 79 KC-46A's until May 2024. The first KC-46A was delivered to the U.S. Air Force in early 2019. (Source, English)

Interesting news, but is there any reason for this peacemeal tactic?

maybe it just shows that things could change. US Navy has a UAV as a tanker.

If a real war becomes more likely, maybe we see a stealth tanker(or maybe we dont see it..), or an unmanned KC46

 

[BravoZulu]

The U.S. Department of Defense has ordered a further 15 KC-46A refueling aircraft worth $2.1 billion after a previous order for 12 units of the type announced on January 12. In total, Boeing has been contracted to build 79 KC-46A's until May 2024. The first KC-46A was delivered to the U.S. Air Force in early 2019. (Source, English)

Interesting news, but is there any reason for this peacemeal tactic?

They still don't work as promised. Billions poured into the programme and major flaws still in the refuelling equipment with no end in sight

 

[morris]

The nuclear triad is not sacred

The triad as currently configured makes us less safe.

www.defensenews.com

The Pentagon is embarked on an enormously expensive, across-the-board nuclear modernization plan that includes building new nuclear-armed bombers, submarines and long-range missiles along with new nuclear warheads with which to arm them, at a cost that could approach $2 trillion over the next three decades. This is unaffordable in light of the Pentagon’s other priorities and the urgent need to address challenges ranging from the COVID-19 pandemic to climate change to racial and economic injustice.

There are plans afoot or under discussion that would accelerate production of the F-35 combat aircraft; ramp up spending on the troubled KC-46 refueling aircraft; build a new generation of unmanned aerial, ground and naval vehicles; create a 500-ship Navy; and increase investments in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and hypersonic weaponry. Add in a costly nuclear weapons buildup, the administration’s ability to craft a reasonable defense budget that leaves room for spending on other urgent priorities goes out the window.

 

[morris]

Boeing’s F-15EX jet makes its first flight

The Eagle has landed.

www.defensenews.com

WASHINGTON — Boeing’s first F-15EX took to the skies for its inaugural flight on Feb. 2, a milestone that will allow the company to deliver the first two planes to the U.S. Air Force by the end of March.

Boeing test pilot Matt “Phat” Giese took off from Lambert International Airport in St. Louis, Missouri, at approximately 1:57 p.m. EST.

The flight lasted approximately 90 minutes, and the plane performed as expected, Boeing said in a news release.

 

[morris]

Attempted coup foiled in Haiti: justice minister - France 24

Attempted coup foiled in Haiti: justice minister

www.france24.com

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[morris]

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The U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency wants to create an air-launched drone that carries its own smaller weapons, a concept that brings to mind a lethal Russian nesting doll packed with missiles.

If successful, the new UAV — called LongShot — could allow high-value manned aircraft like fighters and bombers to hang back at standoff distances while the drone moves forward and strikes multiple targets using its own air-launched weapons.

 

[morris]

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The Air Force has started a study that will describe its preferred mix of fighters and other tactical aircraft that will be used to help build the fiscal year 2023 budget. That result could include a brand new “four-and-a half or fifth-gen minus” fighter with capabilities that fall somewhere in between the 1970s era F-16 and stealthy fifth-generation fighters like the F-22 and F-35 joint strike fighter, said Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Charles “CQ” Brown.

 

[BravoZulu]

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The Air Force has started a study that will describe its preferred mix of fighters and other tactical aircraft that will be used to help build the fiscal year 2023 budget. That result could include a brand new “four-and-a half or fifth-gen minus” fighter with capabilities that fall somewhere in between the 1970s era F-16 and stealthy fifth-generation fighters like the F-22 and F-35 joint strike fighter, said Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Charles “CQ” Brown.

Personal opinion here. 2023 is the timeline they want for prototypes....that’s simply logistically impossible.
Only way I can see that this can work is if they start off with an existing design and strip it to bare bones then reengineer the computer systems which seems to be the main problem point. Five platforms come to mind as options for that.
Bring forward a Block 80 F16 . Save the engine, save most of the airframe but with a totally new avionics set.
F7 Red tail Boeing and SAAB. Again totally new avionics in the T7 package.
Gripen E but the heart of the matter seems to be a new computer system with apps like interface which would basically mean no matter what is offered would be complicated by the timeline and is better suited to starting with some degree of US packaging existing.
FA50 USA. Lockheed and KA trainer again new avionics. Prototypes of this or the T7 could be reconfigured for the program, assuming it isn’t scrapped.
Korean KF-X. It seems almost tailored for plug and play boarder line 5th Gen machine. Just a question of getting license US build.
Really though I am pretty pessimistic on this due to the timeline.

BUT
With massive debt and money needed for new ICBM and bombers, and a new high-end fighter, all while what money there is will be shifted toward the Navy? All while the rest of the world IS buying F-35 from a hot production line? Good luck with that. Even if the money worked (which it won’t) the politics with allies won’t. If anything, more money will flow into the effort to get the support software system replacement working sooner and better to lower sustainment costs, which is where the problem lies.

At best, I believe they will go with the off-the-shelf India or UAE F-16 variants to supplement a curtailed F-35 production. I would still expect to see the Marines getting their B models and probably the entire limited C production run before it gets killed off since USMC has 4-6 squadrons tied to carrier wing support. The Navy would stick to an all Super Hornet Block 3 fleet and transfer a couple of their new squadrons worth of 35Cs to the Marines.
With much thanks to a couple of lads at:https://www.snafu-solomon.com/2021/...il&utm_campaign=Feed:+blogspot/gSklN+(SNAFU!)

 

[BravoZulu]

Feb 19, 2021. Huntington Ingalls Industries (NYSE:HII) announced today that its Newport News Shipbuilding division has been awarded a $2.9 billion contract for the refuelling and complex overhaul (RCOH) of the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74).

“We are pleased to be awarded the contract to execute this extensive construction and engineering project,” said Todd West, Newport News’ vice president, in-service aircraft carrier programs. “Our teams have spent three years preparing and planning for each step of the process along the way, and we look forward to continuing our work with our suppliers and Navy partners in anticipation of the ship’s arrival at Newport News.”

The RCOH represents 35% of all maintenance and modernization in an aircraft carrier's 50-year service life. Stennis’ RCOH will include the refuelling of the ship’s reactors, as well as extensive modernization work to more than 2,300 compartments, hundreds of tanks and systems. In addition, major upgrades will be made in the propulsion plant, to the flight deck, catapults, combat systems and the island.

Built at Newport News, Stennis was christened in 1993 and delivered to the Navy in 1995. The ship is the seventh Nimitz-class carrier to undergo this major life-cycle milestone. More than 4,000 Newport News employees will support the execution effort, which will continue through late 2025.

https://newsroom.huntingtoningalls....stennis-cvn-74-refueling-and-complex-overhaul

 

[muck]

Personal opinion here. 2023 is the timeline they want for prototypes....that’s simply logistically impossible.
Only way I can see that this can work is if they start off with an existing design and strip it to bare bones then reengineer the computer systems which seems to be the main problem point. Five platforms come to mind as options for that.
Bring forward a Block 80 F16 . Save the engine, save most of the airframe but with a totally new avionics set.
F7 Red tail Boeing and SAAB. Again totally new avionics in the T7 package.
Gripen E but the heart of the matter seems to be a new computer system with apps like interface which would basically mean no matter what is offered would be complicated by the timeline and is better suited to starting with some degree of US packaging existing.
FA50 USA. Lockheed and KA trainer again new avionics. Prototypes of this or the T7 could be reconfigured for the program, assuming it isn’t scrapped.
Korean KF-X. It seems almost tailored for plug and play boarder line 5th Gen machine. Just a question of getting license US build.
Really though I am pretty pessimistic on this due to the timeline.

BUT
With massive debt and money needed for new ICBM and bombers, and a new high-end fighter, all while what money there is will be shifted toward the Navy? All while the rest of the world IS buying F-35 from a hot production line? Good luck with that. Even if the money worked (which it won’t) the politics with allies won’t. If anything, more money will flow into the effort to get the support software system replacement working sooner and better to lower sustainment costs, which is where the problem lies.

At best, I believe they will go with the off-the-shelf India or UAE F-16 variants to supplement a curtailed F-35 production. I would still expect to see the Marines getting their B models and probably the entire limited C production run before it gets killed off since USMC has 4-6 squadrons tied to carrier wing support. The Navy would stick to an all Super Hornet Block 3 fleet and transfer a couple of their new squadrons worth of 35Cs to the Marines.
With much thanks to a couple of lads at:https://www.snafu-solomon.com/2021/02/arguably-single-most-important-decision.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed:+blogspot/gSklN+(SNAFU!)

I agree a new development seems highly unlikely, but the overall idea strikes me as sound. Yes, many Western nations do buy F-35's and nothing else at the moment – but we're talking about smaller countries here. It'd be unsound or downright unfeasible for them to operate multiple types of combat aircraft.

At the same time, the fact is Gen 4.5 will be sufficient in most scenarios for decades to come, and for some others the F-35 is ill-suited or an overkill. Air policing would be such a role. But even in all-out war the rules of engagement might require the visual identification of an aircraft before it can be engaged, as was the case e.g. in the skies of Vietnam, Bosnia and Kosovo.

The thing is, if the F-35 has to leave its comfort zone against say a SU-30 or a J-10 apparently it might end up in a pickle. Spreading ones eggs across many baskets seems reasonable in this regard. Especially considering the technology to counter the aircraft's LO-technology over densely populated areas is nearing production. I'm not sure if Iran or the European part of Russia constitute such an area, but China surely does.

 

[morris]

New Senate defense appropriations chairman talks nuclear modernization, defense cuts and earmarks

Defense News spoke with Sen. Jon Tester about his priorities as the chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee's defense subpanel.

www.defensenews.com

The Air Force plans for the Ground Based Strategic Deterrent being built by Northrop Grumman to replace the Minuteman III ICBM. But some Democrats and arms control advocates have pushed to cut the program amid the Pentagon’s estimate that it will cost $100 billion to build.

 

[BravoZulu]

Footprint of the coaxial SB1 Defiant vs Black Hawk helicopter.​

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[BCNTM]

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