US Navy making Aegis updates, training changes based on Houthi attacks

On the same subject

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  July 22, 2024 | International, Aerospace

  GA-ASI to Host First Blue Magic Event in the Netherlands

  GA-ASI delivered its MQ-9A RPA to the RNLAF in 2021 and recently announced an increase in the total order of MQ-9As in its service to eight.

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  December 4, 2019 | International, Naval

  US Navy awards largest-ever shipbuilding contract to Electric Boat for new attack submarines

  By: David B. Larter orrection: An earlier version of this story misstated the number of boats awarded to General Dynamics Electric Boat. WASHINGTON — The U.S. Navy on Monday awarded its largest-ever shipbuilding contract to General Dynamics Electric Boat for construction of nine Virginia-class attack submarines, eight of which will have an 84-foot section that boosts the boat's strike missile capacity. The contract for the Block V Virginia-class subs, worth $22.2 billion, could grow by another $2 billion if the Navy exercises an option for a 10th boat. The contract is for two fewer boats than the 11 proposed by the fleet in this year's budget submission. “A lot of hard work across the whole team to structure the contract in such a way as to balance risk between the government and the shipbuilder,” James Geurts, the Navy's top acquisition official, said during a roundtable with members of the media to announce the contract signing. “If the shipbuilder delivers on target, the multiyear savings will be 16.5 percent, or $4.4 billion in savings. So it's a pretty important day for us.” Guerts, the assistant secretary of the Navy for research, acquisition and development, said that when you add government-furnished equipment into the contract, the total value of the program swells to about $35 billion. The first boat in Block V, SSN 802, is currently under construction but does not have the Virginia Payload Module, or VPM. The next boat, 803, will have VPM. All of the boats will have an upgraded acoustics suite. In the briefing, Navy officials said that if the service opts for all 10 boats, six of the boats would be constructed at Electric Boat's partner yard, Huntington Ingalls Newport News, and four would be built at Electric Boat. The move to put most of the work in Newport News was done to balance the increased workload at Electric Boat with the start of the Columbia class, the next generation of ballistic missile submarines slated to begin construction this year. In a statement, Electric Boat President Kevin Graney said the contract provides stability for his shipyard. “This contract allows for our shipbuilding team, our suppliers and our employees to plan ahead so that we can continue to deliver submarines of unmatched quality, stealth and lethality,” Graney said. Dave Bolcar, Newport News' vice president of submarine construction, likewise hailed the contract as a means of stability in the submarine industrial base. "Today's contract maintains the Virginia-class build rate that provides continued stability to our workforce and to the 5,000 suppliers that will support submarines for the next decade,” he said. "This contract also continues the two per year construction cadence essential to sustaining production efficiencies, while ensuring our national security and the Navy's continued undersea superiority.” https://www.defensenews.com/naval/2019/12/02/navy-awards-largest-ever-shipbuilding-contract-to-electric-boat-for-new-attack-submarines/

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  June 30, 2020 | International, Aerospace

  Russian Su-57 Jet Controls Su-35 Aircraft ‘Swarm’ in Teaming Experiment

  A Russian Su-57 stealth jet controlled a group of Su-35 front-line fighter in a teaming experiment designed to function as a ‘swarm' in a coordinated attack mission. "The experiment was carried out in real combat conditions. A group of Su-35 fighters was involved in the flock, the role of the command and control aircraft was performed by the Su-57," news agency TASS reported quoting sources from Russia's ‘military-industrial complex.' Sources explained to TASS that use of a "swarm” operating in a single information space, significantly increases the efficiency of combat missions. The place and date of the experiment was not specified. The report did not describe what ‘real combat conditions' meant. Whether the jet swarm was tested in simulated battle conditions at home or in Syria where Russia has previously conducted several tactical experiments involving the Su-57. Russia has a sizeable military presence in Syria and controls two military bases and has the skies protected by it air defence systems. In addition, foreign reconnaissance and fighter aircraft regularly fly in or near Syrian airspace providing ‘target aircraft' for a swarm experiment. During the experiment, information is exchanged between fighters in real time: the information-control system of each aircraft automatically processes data from its own sensors and sensors of other aircraft providing a comprehensive battle space picture. The command and control aircraft then guides the course of battle. While the Su-57 is not expected to be in Russian air force service till 2022, its manufacturer is ensuring that it offers topine features available in the best of Western made jets such as the F-35 and F-22 by the time it enters service. Another feature being studied is to have the aircraft control a group of drones. https://www.defenseworld.net/news/27298#.XvtaFihKiUk