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

[AAR Galileo]

USAF tech to receive the MOH

President Donald Trump will posthumously award the Medal of Honor to the family of a fallen U.S. Air Force Special Tactics Combat Controller at a ceremony on Aug. 22 for his extraordinary heroism in March 2002 while deployed to Afghanistan.

According to the medal nomination, Tech. Sergeant John Chapman distinguished himself on the battlefield through “conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity,” sacrificing his life to preserve those of his teammates. Chapman was part of a joint special operations reconnaissance team deployed to Afghanistan in 2002 that came under overwhelming enemy fire during a heroic rescue attempt on Takur Ghar mountain, Afghanistan, March 4, 2002.

“Tech. Sgt. John Chapman earned America’s highest military award, the Medal of Honor, for the actions he performed to save fellow Americans on a mountain in Afghanistan more than 16 years ago,” said Secretary of the Air Force Heather Wilson. “He will forever be an example of what it means to be one of America’s best and bravest Airmen.”

During the initial insertion onto Afghanistan’s Takur Ghar mountaintop, the MH-47 “Chinook” helicopter carrying Chapman and the joint special operations reconnaissance team flew into an enemy ambush. Intense enemy small arms and rocket propelled grenade fire significantly damaged the helicopter, throwing Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Neil Roberts into the “hornet’s nest” of enemies below. Following a controlled crash landing a few miles away, the remaining team members elected to fly back to the enemy-infested mountaintop in a heroic attempt to rescue Roberts.

During the rescue attempt, Chapman and his teammates once again received heavy enemy fire from multiple directions. Chapman, despite the enemy fire, charged uphill through thigh-deep snow to directly assault an enemy position. He took the enemy bunker, cleared the position, and killed the enemy fighters occupying the position.

Then, with complete disregard for his own life, Chapman deliberately moved from the bunker’s protective cover to attack a second hostile bunker with an emplaced machine gun firing on the rescue team.

During this bold attack, he was struck and temporarily incapacitated by enemy fire.

Despite his wounds, Chapman regained his faculties and continued to fight relentlessly, sustaining a violent engagement with multiple enemy fighters before paying the ultimate sacrifice. In performance of these remarkably heroic actions, he is credited with saving the lives of his teammates.

“Tech. Sgt. John Chapman fought tenaciously for his nation and his teammates on that hill in Afghanistan,” said Air Force Chief of Staff General David L. Goldfein. “His inspiring story is one of selfless service, courage, perseverance, and honor as he fought side by side with his fellow Soldiers and Sailors against a determined and dug-in enemy. Tech. Sgt. Chapman represents all that is good, all that is right, and all that is best in our American Airmen.”

He continued, “I extend my deepest thanks to the members of Tech. Sgt. Chapman's family, his military family, and the Airmen, Soldiers, Sailors and Marines who were his brothers on the battlefield and who have remained committed to honoring his legacy. He is a true American hero.”

“This is a reflection of our commitment to recognizing the heroic actions of our Airmen,” said Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force Kaleth O. Wright. “As Chapman’s story reminds us, we have a sacred duty to honor the actions and sacrifices of all our service members. I share our Airmen’s deepest gratitude to the Chapman family, as well as the family members of all those who gave their lives serving our great nation.”

The Medal of Honor is the nation’s most prestigious military decoration. It is awarded by the president, in the name of Congress, to military members who have distinguished themselves conspicuously by gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of life, above and beyond the call of duty, while engaged in action with an enemy of the United States.

Chapman will be the 19th Airman awarded the Medal of Honor since the Department of the Air Force was established in 1947. He will be the first Airman recognized with the medal for heroic actions occurring after the Vietnam War.

http://alert5.com/2018/07/29/tech-sergeant-john-chapman-to-be-awarded-medal-of-honor/

 

[bdpopeye]

Three Aircraft Carriers to Change Homeports

From Commander, Naval Air Forces Public Affairs
SAN DIEGO (NNS) -- The U.S. Navy announced Aug. 2 that three Nimitz-class aircraft carriers, USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70), USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) and USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) will conduct homeport shifts.

USS Abraham Lincoln, currently located in Norfolk, Virginia, will rejoin the Pacific Fleet, making San Diego its homeport. Abraham Lincoln, commissioned in 1989, previously served in the Pacific Fleet from 1990-2011 before moving to Norfolk for midlife refueling.

The other two carrier homeport shifts are tied to carrier maintenance. John C. Stennis, currently homeported in Bremerton, Washington, will change homeports to Norfolk in advance of its midlife refueling, or reactor complex overhaul (RCOH) at Newport News Shipbuilding. John C. Stennis was commissioned in 1995; Nimitz-class carriers are built to last 50 years.

USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) will conduct a homeport change to Bremerton in advance of its docking-planned incremental availability (DPIA) at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard.

Source >>>> http://www.navy.mil/submit/display.asp?story_id=106596

 

[BravoZulu]

^^I'm guessing there will be a lot of scrambling to change drafts by the ship's company that don't want to transfer to the other side of the country

 

[BravoZulu]

USN:


HII rendering of LPD 30. Credit: Huntington Ingalls Industries Inc.

The US Navy has awarded a $165.5m advance procurement contract to Huntington Ingalls Industries’ (HII) Ingalls Shipbuilding division for the supply of a next-generation amphibious transport dock known as LPD 30.

LPD 30 is slated to be the first Flight II landing platform / dock (LPD).

It is expected to replace the retiring Whidbey Island (LSD 41) and Harpers Ferry (LSD 49) dock landing ships.

Huntington will provide long-lead-time material and advance construction services in support of LPD 30 under the arrangement.

The company will use the contract funds to purchase long-lead-time materials and major pieces of equipment such as main engines, diesel generators, deck equipment, shafting, propellers, valves and other related systems.

Ingalls Shipbuilding president Brian Cuccias said: “This is a significant milestone as we embark toward a new flight of LPDs.

“The Flight II LPDs will be highly capable ships, meeting the requirements and needs of our navy / Marine Corps team.

“We look forward to delivering this series of affordable LPDs to our nation’s fleet of amphibious ships.”
https://www.naval-technology.com/ne...ract-for-lpd-30-to-hiis-ingalls-shipbuilding/

 

[BravoZulu]

USN:
The Navy is investigating what caused a fuel tank to fall from a utility helicopter while it was on the ground last week, killing one sailor and injuring another.

Naval Helicopter Aircrewman 1st Class Jonathan Richard Clement was killed July 30 when an HH-60H Sea Hawk's auxiliary fuel tank detached from the aircraft and landed on him and another sailor at Naval Air Station North Island, California.

Clement died at the hospital, according to the Naval Safety Center. The other sailor involved, a petty officer second class, sustained minor injuries and was treated and released from the hospital the same day, said Cmdr. Ron Flanders, a spokesman for Naval Air Forces.

The Navy did not publicly disclose the deadly mishap when it happened and had not previously released any information about the accident or the sailor who died.

The incident happened "during hotseat," the Naval Safety Center reported. The intent of hot-seating aircraft is to launch and execute the next mission prior to shutting down the aircraft, according to Navy helicopter standard operating procedures.

The cause of the mishap remains under investigation, Flanders said. There is no timetable on when it will be complete.

Clement was born in Florida and enlisted in the Navy in 2007. He was assigned to Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 85, based out of San Diego.

He rated the Enlisted Naval Aircrew Warfare Specialist and Enlisted Aviation Warfare Specialist badges. Clement also had four Navy and Marine Corps Achievement medals, a Good Conduct medal and a Sea Service Deployment ribbon, according to his personnel records.

A U.S. Navy HH-60H Seahawk helicopter assigned to Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 84 taxis across the flight line at Hurlburt Field, Fla., May 6, 2014, during exercise Emerald Warrior 2014. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tim Chacon)

https://www.military.com/daily-news...1&spJobID=600296964&spReportId=NjAwMjk2OTY0S0

 

[BravoZulu]

Canada:
German integrated technology group Rheinmetall has agreed to supply an additional 1,256 Argus soldier systems to the Canadian Armed Forces.

Valued at $C22m (€14.3m), the order will be delivered next year.

This comes after the Canadian Armed Forces exercised options under the Integrated Soldier System Project (ISSP) to purchase additional Rheinmetall Argus soldier systems.

Rheinmetall initially received a contract to begin the qualification phase of the Canadian Army’s Integrated Soldier System (ISS) in 2015.

The company stated that the final production phase of the Argus soldier system is in progress.

Around 1,632 units are expected to be delivered this year under the contract.

Canadian Defence Staff chief General Jonathan Vance noted that Argus soldier system is a tool ‘that will improve situational awareness for the dismounted troops, allowing better command and control and improving their performance and protection’.

He added that the Argus soldier system ‘puts on the soldier or anybody on the ground the ability to understand their environment. Not only is a soldier a sensor but also a receiver of information.’

The Argus soldier system is already in service with the Canadian Armed Forces.

Rheinmetall also provides the Future Soldier – Expanded System (IdZ-ES) to the German Bundeswehr.

According to the company, the systems are designed to bring individual infantry soldiers, combat vehicles and unmanned systems into the tactical sensor-to-shooter network.

The systems provide a common operational picture that enable informed decision-making at all levels.
https://www.army-technology.com/new...-argus-soldier-systems-canadian-armed-forces/

 

[AAR Galileo]

USA:

A World War II-era submarine in New Jersey was intentionally flooded by vandals who sneaked aboard and swiped four bronze memorial plaques, according to reports.

The mystery bandits used tools to cut through locks and open the hatches within the USS Ling, which is docked in Hackensack, NorthJersey.com reported. The 312-foot-long vessel was flooded with several feet of water.

Les Altschuler, vice president of the Submarine Memorial Association, which maintains the craft, said the dirty work was done by someone familiar with the intricacies of the vessel.

“Locks were cut,” he told the website. “Somebody had to know what they were doing to flood the submarine. We didn’t have enough rain to flood the boat — somebody opened the hatches.”

https://nypost.com/2018/08/15/world-war-ii-submarine-vandalized-by-mystery-bandits/

 

[BravoZulu]

US:
The upcoming FY2019 will be good year for US aerospace companies.

The recently signed National Defense Authorization Act allows for the procurement of 413 aircraft at a cost of $39.5 billion. The US Navy is set to order a total of 119 warplanes. This includes 24 Super Hornets, 10 P-8maritime surveillance aircraft, eight CH-53K helicopters.

In addition, the Naval Air Systems Command is being entrusted with a multi-year contract authority for the F/A-18 Super Hornet, EA-18G Growler and E-2D Advanced Hawkeye aircraft which gives it the right to negotiate bulk discounts with vendors based on a guarantee of several years of orders.

The Air Force will buy 15 KC-46 tanker aircraft with a grant of $2.4 billion. The service will also be able to spend a further $300 million to procure aircraft for its Light Attack and Armed Reconnaissance (OA-X) program.

Lockheed Martin will provide the Air Force, USMC and Navy with a total of 77 F-35 fighter jets. This $7.6 billion order is the largest appropriation for a single aircraft type. The company will deliver 48 F-35As, 20 F-35Bs and 9 F-35Cs. The total US defense funding rose by 2.4% to a total of $717 billion.

 

[BravoZulu]

US:
The US Space and Missile Systems Center is ordering new missile defence satellites.

Lockheed Martin will manufacture the three Next Generation Overhead Persistent Infrared Geosynchronous Earth Orbit Space Vehicles at a cost of $2.9 billion. The satellites will be a follow on to the US Space Based Infrared System (SBIRS) program. The SBIRS architecture includes a resilient mix of satellites in geosynchronous earth orbit (GEO), payloads in highly elliptical orbit (HEO), as well as ground-based hardware and software.

The integrated system supports multiple missions simultaneously, while providing robust performance with global, persistent coverage. The Next-Gen OPIR will succeed the current SBIRS by providing improved missile warning capabilities that are more survivable against emerging threats.

This order supplements a similar contract awarded to Lockheed Martin, that sees for the production of two polar space vehicles. The contract encompasses a variety of tasks ranging from requirements analysis to a system critical design review. Work will be performed at Lockheed's facility in Sunnyvale, California, and is expected to be completed by April 30th, 2021.

 

[BravoZulu]

USAF:
The Air Force is quickly moving ahead with its hypersonic missile program.

The service is contracting Lockheed Martin's Missiles and Fire Control division to move ahead with the critical design review and relevant testing of its air-launched rapid response weapon (ARRW). The undefined contract has a value of $480 million.

The ARRW is one of two current US hypersonic missile research programs. Once completed the ARRW will be able to travel at least five times the speed of sound. Current information suggests that the missile will achieve hypersonic speeds by the use of scramjets, which use an aircraft’s forward motion to shovel air at supersonic speeds into the engine, causing thrust. The hypersonic scramjet will be carried aloft by a large aircraft as a wing-mounted missile. Once the parent aircraft is going fast enough that the scramjet will ignite, it launches the missile.

Hypersonic weapons will likely be engineered as “kinetic energy” strike weapons, meaning they will not use explosives but rather rely upon sheer speed and the force of impact to destroy targets. The Air Force is currently investing over one billion dollars to aggressively expedite the ARRW's and HACSW'sdevelopment schedule. Work will be performed at Lockheed's facility in Orlando, Florida and is expected to be completed by November 30th, 2021.

 

[AAR Galileo]

Arizona Senators Fight Battle Against Pentagon Funding 'Beerbots'

Republican Sens. Jeff Flake and John McCain pushed for an amendment to defense spending legislation that would bar the Pentagon from continuing to spend money on research to produce "beerbots," or robot bartenders.

"Did you hear the one about three robots that walk into a bar?" asked Flake, while flanked by the image of the futuristic bartenders. "No, you haven't. It's not a joke but rather a project paid for in part by the Department of Defense."

https://www.military.com/daily-news...battle-against-pentagon-funding-beerbots.html

 

[BravoZulu]

^^ Oh, FFS really! Why oh why should military budgets pay for this rubbish? On the surface this senator has identified $500,000,000 of taxpayer dollars being spent on silly ideas. Put the funds into better pay and conditions for service members

 

[AAR Galileo]

Senator McCain just passed away . RIP. He was a true patriot who served his country until the last day.

 

[bdpopeye]

Senator McCain just passed away . RIP. He was a true patriot who served his country until the last day.

I agree. He was a true patriot. May he rest in peace.



Rest in Peace shipmate..rest in peace...

"Crossing the Bar"..Lord Alfred Tennyson (1889)

Sunset and evening star,
And one clear call for me!
And may there be no moaning of the bar,
When I put out to sea,

But such a tide as moving seems asleep,
Too full for sound and foam,
When that which drew from out the boundless deep
Turns again home.

Twilight and evening bell,
And after that the dark!
And may there be no sadness of farewell,
When I embark;

For tho' from out our bourne of Time and Place
The flood may bear me far,
I hope to see my Pilot face to face
When I have crost the bar.

 

[BravoZulu]

US Marine Corps places $500M order for 29 AH-1Z helicopters

Bell Helicopter has been awarded a US$509 million contract for the manufacture and delivery of 29 Lot 15 production AH-1Z Build New aircraft in support of the US Marine Corps H-1 upgrade program, the US Department of Defense announced on August 23.

The AH-1Z Cobra helicopters are part of the U.S. Marine Corps H-1 Upgrade Program. The program's goal is to replace AH-1W helicopters with new and remanufactured AH-1Zs which provide significant improvements in commonality, reliability and maintainability in addition to increased functionality. The program seeks to upgrade AH-1Ws to AH-1Zs, and UH-1Ns to UH-1Ys. The H-1 Upgrade Program offers 84 percent commonality of parts between the AH-1Z and UH-1Y helicopters.

A total of 189 new and remanufactured AH-1Z helicopters are anticipated.

The AH-1Z Viper, also called "Zulu Cobra", is a twin-engine attack helicopter. Based on the AH-1W SuperCobra, the Viper features a four-blade, bearingless, composite main rotor system, uprated transmission, and a new target sighting system.

The helicopter can carry a payload of 2,600 kg, can fly as fast as 411 km/h, has a range of 685 km, and can fly as high as 6,000 meters. Its two redesigned wing stubs are longer, with each adding a wing-tip station for a missile such as the AIM-9 Sidewinder. Each wing has two other stations for 2.75-inch (70 mm) Hydra 70 rocket pods, or AGM-114 Hellfire quad missile launchers.

 

[bdpopeye]

A KC-46A Pegasus tanker takes off from Boeing Field, Seattle, June 4, 2018. US Air Force

KC-46 mid-air refueling tanker program completed the US Federal Aviation Administration certification....| Business Insider

(Reuters) - Boeing Co said on Wednesday its KC-46 mid-air refueling tanker program completed the US Federal Aviation Administration certification, nearly three years after the planemaker commenced testing for the certification.

The KC-46, which is derived from Boeing's commercial 767 airframe, will receive a Supplemental Type Certificate (STC). The KC-46 is a multirole tanker which will refuel US, allied and coalition military aircraft using its boom and hose and drogue systems.

Earlier in July when Boeing reported quarterly results, the company said it would spend an additional $426 million before taxes on the program as it worked through test delays and production changes to eight aircraft in various stages of production.

Analysts had said they were worried that the additional expenses on the KC-46 program would slow shares, adding that the higher tanker costs came with unchanged earnings and cash flow forecasts.

"This milestone is important in that it is one of the last major hurdles in advance of first delivery to the US Air Force," said Mike Gibbons, Boeing KC-46A tanker vice president and program manager.

Boeing is currently on contract for the first 34 of an expected 179 tankers for the US Air Force, the Chicago-based company said.

(Reporting by Nivedita Balu in Bengaluru; editing by Gopakumar Warrier)

 

[BravoZulu]

The US Air Force awarded Boeing a $2.9 billion contract for 18 additional KC-46A Pegasus tanker aircraft, spares, support equipment, spare engines and wing air refueling pod kits.

The contract represents the fourth production lot of KC-46A tanker aircraft the USAF has ordered from Boeing and brings the total number of tankers ordered to 52. Ultimately, Boeing expects to build 179 tankers for the service.

The contract comes shortly after the Federal Aviation Administration awarded the Boeing KC-46 tanker a supplemental type certificate (STC) on 4 September, completing the aircraft’s FAA certification process. A US Air Force Military Type Certificate, which covers aerial refueling, defensive, and other military systems, is expected to be granted in the coming months, according to Boeing.

The fourth lot contract is a boost for the KC-46 programme which had been plagued by delays and a corruption scandal over its more than a decade and a half saga. The military tanker is based on a commercial Boeing 767 airliner and is the long-awaited replacement for the Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker, a 1950s-era tanker.

The tanker’s boom system can transfer up to 4,540l (1,200gal) of fuel per minute to other aircraft while in flight and its Cobham-supplied hose and drogue systems, located on both the plane's wing and centreline, enable the tanker to refuel probe-equipped aircraft with up to 1,510l of fuel per minute.

In addition to the refuelling mission, the KC-46 can be used to carry passengers, cargo and patients.

The first KC-46 is anticipated for delivery to McConnell Air Force Base in Kansas in October. Then, aircraft will be delivered to Altus AFB in Oklahoma and Pease AFB in New Hampshire.

https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/usaf-awards-boeing-29-billion-for-18-more-kc-46as-451805/

 

[BravoZulu]

USN:
The ex-USS Enterprise will be towed, but not for now.
Huntington Ingalls will be responsible to temporarily store and eventually tow the former Nimitz-class carrier under a $34 million cost-plus-fixed-fee contract modification.
CVN 65 was the oldest carrier in the fleet when it was decommissioned in February 2017.
Early in the ship's career, it was part of a blockade during the Cuban missile crisis and then joined the first nuclear-powered naval task force. The ship saw combat in Vietnam and was the first responder after 9/11. Now the US Navy uses it as a case-study to figure out the best answer to a big problem: How do we best dispose off a large nuclear-powered ship?
When a nuclear-powered vessel is retiring, its shipboard nuclear reactors are defueled, the reactor vessels and their compartments are removed, encased and barged to the federal government's Hanford Nuclear Reservation in southern Washington State, and the ships' remains are cut up for scrap and recycling.
The Navy is currently looking into two options, the Naval shipyard option, and the full commercial option. A recent GAO report estimates that dismantling of CVN 65 will cost around $1 billion and won't start before 2024 or 2034, depending on the option the Navy chooses. Either way, ex-USS Enterprise dismantlement and disposal will set precedents for processes and oversight that may inform future aircraft carrier dismantlement decisions.
https://dod.defense.gov/News/Contracts/Contract-View/Article/1636169/

 

[BravoZulu]

USN:
The Navy is ordering one Freedom-class LCS from Lockheed Martin and two Independence-class LCSs from Austal.
Both companies are being awarded with fixed-price-incentive firm target modifications to previously awarded contracts.
The DoD press release however does not specify the value of those modifications because the price-tag is considered to be a 'source selection sensitive information' as stated under in 42 in US Code 2101 and Federal Acquisition Regulations 2.101 and 3.104. Austal received an initial $584.2 million contract (N00024-17 C-2301) for the construction of one LCS-2 on October 6, 2017.
The ships to be built will be the 33rd, 34th and 35th littoral combat ships in the fleet, and will exceed the 32-ship requirement set by the Navy. Appropriators, however are slashing funds for the acquisition of necessary mission modules in the 2019 Defense Department funding bill, raising concerns about future program delays.
Work will be performed at various locations, including - but not limited to - Mobile, Alabama; Cincinnati, Ohio; Marinette, Wisconsin and Monrovia, California, and is expected to be completed by September 2024.
https://dod.defense.gov/News/Contracts/Contract-View/Article/1638010/

**NB: Why oh why

 

[BravoZulu]

US Army:
The US Army is stocking up on hand grenades.

Day & Zimmermann Lone Star LLC is being awarded with a $10.4 million contract modification that provides for the delivery of M67 fragmentation grenades. The M67 hand grenade is a steel sphere, filled with 6.5 ounces of high explosives. It is designed to burst into numerous fragments when detonated, ultimately causing fatalities within a 49.5 yards radius.

The M67 is currently in service with US military forces among others and has proven a capable area-effect weapon. The M67 was selected as the replacement infantry hand grenade for the M61 series used in the Vietnam War. Work will be performed at the company's facility in Texarkana, Texas and is scheduled for completion by August 31, 2021.

https://dod.defense.gov/News/Contracts/Contract-View/Article/1644936/