11 juin 2018 | International, Aérospatial

Is a light attack aircraft coming to the Corps?

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.

https://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/your-marine-corps/2018/06/04/is-a-light-attack-aircraft-coming-to-the-corps/

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21 octobre 2018 | International, Aérospatial

Czech defense minister pledges purchase of new jet trainers from local company
By: Jaroslaw Adamowski WARSAW, Poland — Czech Defence Minister Lubomir Metnar has announced the country's military could acquire up to six new L-39NG jet trainers from local manufacturer Aero Vodochody to replace its outdated L-39 Albatros aircraft. "The Ministry of Defence and the military are interested in these aircraft, negotiations are, of course, already taking place and we will acquire these aircraft," Metnar said, as reported by local broadcaster Ceska Televize. In addition to the Czech Air Force, Aero Vodochody hopes to supply its new jet trainer to a number of foreign markets. Earlier this year, Giuseppe Giordo, the company's president, said the firm estimates that in the next 10 to 15 years there will be a need to replace up to 3,000 training aircraft worldwide. The manufacturer aims to supply more than 100 L-39NGs in the next 10 years. Four jet trainers have already been ordered by Senegal, and deliveries are expected to begin in early 2020, according to Aero Vodochody. The L-39NG is fitted with the FJ44-4M turbofan engine made by Williams International. Aero Vodochody says it is the Czech Republic's largest aerospace company, with some 1,900 employees. https://www.defensenews.com/air/2018/10/18/czech-defense-minister-pledges-purchase-of-new-jet-trainers-from-local-company
6 juin 2024 | International, Terrestre

Lockheed Martin and Rheinmetall expand strategic collaboration
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19 juillet 2019 | International, Autre défense

This is Knight’s Armament’s new machine gun suppressor
Knight's Armament Company of Titusville, Florida, unveiled a new suppressor at this year's Special Operations Forces Industry Conference where members of the SOF community get to interact with vendors and industry partners to preview and try out the latest and greatest in special operations kit and gear. KAC's suppressor is designed primarily to be used with the company's premier belt-fed Light Assault Machine Gun platform, chambered for 5.56 NATO and marketed more towards the SOF and private military contractor communities than to conventional infantry forces. True to its name, the LAMG is indeed very light, weighing only 8.6 pounds unloaded. In comparison, the M249 Squad Automatic Weapon weighs in at 17 pounds unloaded. According to KAC, one of the LAMG's biggest selling points is its ability to put down a high volume of fire with a low cyclic rate of just around 575-625 rounds per minute, allowing the end user to maintain a greater degree of control over the weapon and concentrate accurate fire on target. The suppressor, delivered in kit form, mounts to a threaded barrel included in the kit, and makes heavy use of a unique Pressure Reduction Technology system, which vents the gasses from each shot forward, preventing the gas from venting backwards into the shooter's face. Additionally -- and probably its best feature -- the PRT system allows the LAMG to keep its factory cyclic rates during sustained fire without any major dips. The LAMG is currently available to defense buyers, which means that the new suppressor will likely only be targeted towards military sales. At the moment, US SOCOM doesn't list the LAMG in its belt-fed arsenal, though it's possible that there are foreign SOF units that make use of KAC's innovative light machine gun platform, and might potentially avail of a sustained fire suppressor. https://www.militarytimes.com/off-duty/gearscout/irons/2019/07/09/this-is-knights-armaments-new-machine-gun-suppressor/

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Is a light attack aircraft coming to the Corps?

Sur le même sujet

Lockheed Martin and Rheinmetall expand strategic collaboration Specifically, this includes rocket artillery systems, laser weapon systems, simulation and training for land vehicles and helicopters, short-range air defence (SHORAD) and other areas of cooperation.

Lockheed Martin and Rheinmetall expand strategic collaboration
Specifically, this includes rocket artillery systems, laser weapon systems, simulation and training for land vehicles and helicopters, short-range air defence (SHORAD) and other areas of cooperation.