Defense Innovation Unit issues contract for unmanned orbital outpost

On the same subject

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  June 2, 2020 | International, Aerospace

  The Air Force's Goal: Turn Cargo Planes into Makeshift Bombers

  The Air Force is proposing turning unarmed military cargo jets into temporary bombers. Cargo jets, with their large internal volume, could launch missiles from safe distances, far away from enemy forces. The Air Force has already successfully tested dropping simulated munitions from the back of airplanes. The U.S. Air Force is looking at arming otherwise unarmed cargo planes, pressing them into service as makeshift bombers. The service believes future wars with adversaries like Russia or China will require plenty of aerial firepower and transport planes, loaded with pallets of cruise missiles, could provide an inexpensive solution. According to Defense News, the Air Force thinks aircraft such as the C-130J Super Hercules and C-17 Globemaster III could become part-time missile trucks. The unarmed aircraft typically shuttle troops and equipment, but in a pinch, would be equipped with “smart pallets” carrying long-range cruise missiles and other munitions. The pallets would be capable of feeding position, navigation, and targeting data to their onboard missiles. Once dropped from the rear of the aircraft, the pallets would quickly release their missile cargoes, sending them downrange to their targets. The larger the aircraft, the more missiles it could carry. https://www.popularmechanics.com/military/aviation/a32714464/air-force-cargo-planes-makeshift-bombers/

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  April 8, 2020 | International, Naval

  Huntington Ingalls Industries Awarded $1.50 Billion Contract for the Construction of LPD 31

  Pascagoula, Miss., April 3, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) - Huntington Ingalls Industries (NYSE: HII) announced today that its Ingalls Shipbuilding division has received a $1.50 billion fixed-price-incentive modification to a previously awarded contract for the procurement of the detail design and construction of amphibious transport dock LPD 31. The ship will be the 15th in the San Antonio class and the second Flight II LPD. “In building this 15th LPD, Ingalls experienced shipbuilders will continue this hot production line of great amphibious warships for our Navy/Marine Corps team,” Ingalls Shipbuilding President Brian Cuccias said. “We are all proud to be building these great ships, and will continue to deliver the most survivable and affordable ships possible for our customers and our nation.” Ingalls' LPD Flight II program vendor base consists of more than 600 manufacturers and suppliers in 39 states, including 387 small businesses. More than 1,500 shipbuilders work on each LPD. Ingalls has delivered 11 San Antonio-class ships to the Navy, and it has three more under construction. The 684-foot-long, 105-foot-wide ships are used to embark and land Marines, their equipment and supplies ashore via air cushion or conventional landing craft and amphibious assault vehicles, augmented by helicopters or vertical takeoff and landing aircraft such as the MV-22 Osprey. The ships support a Marine Air Ground Task Force across the spectrum of operations, conducting amphibious and expeditionary missions of sea control and power projection to humanitarian assistance and disaster relief missions throughout the first half of the 21st century. About Huntington Ingalls Industries Huntington Ingalls Industries is America's largest military shipbuilding company and a provider of professional services to partners in government and industry. For more than a century, HII's Newport News and Ingalls shipbuilding divisions in Virginia and Mississippi have built more ships in more ship classes than any other U.S. naval shipbuilder. HII's Technical Solutions division supports national security missions around the globe with unmanned systems, defense and federal solutions, nuclear and environmental services, and fleet sustainment. Headquartered in Newport News, Virginia, HII employs more than 42,000 people operating both domestically and internationally. For more information, visit: HII on the web: www.huntingtoningalls.com HII on Facebook: www.facebook.com/HuntingtonIngallsIndustries HII on Twitter: www.twitter.com/hiindustries CONTACT INFORMATION Teckie Hinkebein Manager of Media Relations (228) 935-1323 teckie.hinkebein@hii-co.com View source version on Huntington Ingalls Industries : https://newsroom.huntingtoningalls.com/releases/photo-release-huntington-ingalls-industries-awarded-1-50-billion-contract-for-the-construction-of-lpd-31

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  May 13, 2022 | International, Other Defence

  Loi de programmation militaire : bilan et mise en garde de la Cour des comptes

  Dans un rapport présenté mercredi 11 mai, la Cour des comptes dresse un bilan de la loi de programmation militaire (LPM) adoptée en 2018. Les crédits alloués aux armées ont bien progressé de 35,9 Md€ en 2019 à 40,9 Md€ en 2022, comme prévu. La Cour alerte toutefois sur le «  risque d'éviction sur les investissements programmés par la LPM qui restent à réaliser  », pour les années à venir. « La réalisation de “l'ambition 2030” annoncée par la LPM est confrontée au double défi de la dégradation des finances publiques à l'issue de la crise sanitaire et de l'accélération de la montée des menaces décrite dans l'actualisation stratégique de 2021 », prévient la Cour. « Le ministère des Armées doit mieux identifier et exploiter les marges de manœuvre qui peuvent se présenter à lui, notamment dans le domaine de la coopération européenne et s'agissant de la définition du périmètre des missions des armées ». Ensemble de la presse du 12 mai