11 juin 2018 | International, Aérospatial
By: Shawn Snow
The Senate Armed Services Committee plans to dish out millions for a Marine light attack aircraft and the Corps' futuristic sea drone, known as the MUX.
The committee voted 25-2 on May 24 to give $100 million for a Marine light attack aircraft and $100 million for the MUX sea drone in its markup of the fiscal year 2019 annual defense legislation.
The Air Force is still in pursuit of a light attack aircraft. Two aircraft, Textron Aviation's AT-6 Wolverine and the A-29 Super Tucano, are currently undergoing three months of demonstrations, which kicked off in May at Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico.
So, what will the Corps choose?
“The Marine Corps is monitoring the Air Force-led Light Attack Experiment to procure a cost-effective, observation and attack (OA-X) air platform for employment in permissive environments, with the intent to employ such an asset as a joint force capability,” Marine spokesman Capt. Christopher Harrison told Marine Corps Times in an email. “The SASC's decision to authorize $100 million for a light attack platform is only reflected in a policy bill ― nothing has been appropriated to this program yet.”
Light attack aircraft are seen as a cost-effective means to deliver close-air support in more permissive environments like Iraq and Afghanistan. The A-29 Super Tucano is already fielded by the Afghan air force.
Military officials in the past have come under criticism for using expensive aircraft to destroy low key targets.
For instance, on Nov. 20, 2017, an F-22 Raptor was used for the first time in Afghanistan, to destroy a narcotics lab. Gen. John Nicholson, the commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan, said the F-22 was selected because of its ability to carry the small diameter bomb.
As for the MUX, the Corps submitted a request for information in March that spelled out some details the Marine Corps wants in its new futuristic drone.
The Corps is looking for a drone to compliment the long distances of some of its other aircraft like the MV-22. According to the March RFI, the Marines want the MUX to be able to fly 700 nautical miles and carry a 9,500-pound payload.
The Corps wants its future sea drone to have strike capabilities, surveillance and electronic warfare.
Military.com first reported that the Senate Armed Services Committee voted to give $100 million for a Marine light attack aircraft.
13 octobre 2021 | International, Terrestre
The Army is still deciding on the acquisition strategy for its Extended Range Cannon Artillery, or ERCA, system, even as the service seeks initial fielding in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2023, according to Brig. Gen. John Rafferty.
3 février 2021 | International, Naval
By DAVE RESS Huntington Ingalls Industries will provide maintenance, training and planning support for aircraft carriers over the next five years under a new contract worth up to $175 million. The contract covers engineering services, maintenance and operator training as well as technical and repair services. The focus is on continuing maintenance of the carriers' shipboard elevators and cargo-handling equipment, as well as on planning for the overhaul, modernization and repair of these systems. The work, contracted by Naval Sea Systems Command, will be performed onboard U.S. naval aircraft carriers in Norfolk, San Diego, Washington State and Japan. The elevators on the new USS Gerald R. Ford-class carriers built at HII's Newport News Shipbuilding yard represent a major redesign, using electric motor systems to replace hydraulic mechanisms that can leak flammable fluids in areas where bombs and other munitions are prepared. Last year, a team of Newport News Shipbuilding engineers and shipbuilders worked up a new design for the rails on which Ford-class carrier weapons elevators travel. The adjustable bedplate, deemed a “total rethinking of the entire stator installation process,” turned a 56-step installation process into a 16-step effort, eliminating 95% of the welding and 50% of the rigging. That simplifies the work of aligning the rails -- a task which much meet tolerances of a sixteenth of an inch or less over distances equivalent to several stories of a building. Those alignments are a key issue for certifying the 11 elevators on the Ford, work set for completion this spring. Separately, the Military Sealift Command awarded East Coast Repair and Fabrication a $12.1 million contract for repairs and maintenace work on the USNS Kanawaha to be done at East Coast's new Newport News facility. Kanawaha is a fleet oiler, designed to supply fuel to Navy ships at sea. It has been in service since 1991 and is assigned to the Atlantic Fleet. The work includes some structural and electrical work, and the contract includes options which if exercised would increase its value to $13.6 million. The work is expected to be completed by April 19. Dave Ress, 757-247-4535, dress@dailypress.com https://www.dailypress.com/business/shipyards/dp-nw-hii-navy-contract-20210202-m4frhwji2bba3hdwqh5jb2ubay-story.html
16 janvier 2024 | International, Aérospatial
Leaders want feedback on where the service can spend more efficiently and repurpose its funds.