Showing results 1 - 10 of 47 for the search terms: phalanx.
Results for "phalanx"
Modernizing Canada’s Halifax Class Frigates
12-Aug-2010 12:33 EDT |
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HMCS Montreal & sub:
HMCS Windsor
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Radar contract; ITAR avoidance; Successful CDR. (Ag 11/10)
Launched between 1988-1995, and commissioned between 1992-1996, Canada’s 12 City Class (now Halifax Class) frigates currently form the high end of its naval capabilities. The Canadian Navy has declined drastically from its post-WWII status as the world’s 4th largest navy, and the Halifax Class itself is finding that its open-ocean design is not suited to cope with modern littoral threats and improving anti-ship missiles. Replacement vessels are still many years away, which means that the 4,750t frigates will need to be modernized within the limits of their design if they are to remain effective.
Canada’s government has decided to fund that modernization, much as Australia and New Zealand are modernizing the Halifax Class’ ANZAC Frigate contemporaries. Refits are scheduled to begin with HMCS Halifax in 2010, and that ship is scheduled to re-enter service about 18 months later in 2012. By 2017, all 12 frigates are scheduled to be upgraded as part of a C$ 3.1 billion (about $2.9 billion) program. This DII Spotlight article explains the scope of the upgrades, notes the current systems, and covers the contracts and developments involved…
- Upgrading The Halifax Class
- Contracts and Key Events [updated]
- Additional Readings
Continue reading…
INS Vikramaditya: Waiting for Gorshkov…
09-Aug-2010 13:06 EDT |
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Adm. Gorshkov: Before.
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Project leader resigns over affair with Russian woman; Sea Harrier woes. (Aug 9/10)
This free-to-view DID Spotlight article offers an in-depth look at India’s troubled attempt to convert and field a full-size aircraft carrier, before time and wear force it to retire its existing naval aviation and ships.
Right now, there are 2 major concerns in India. One is slipping timelines. The other concern involves Vikramaditya’s 3-fold cost increase, including worries that Russia will raise it rates yet again once India is deeper into the commitment trap. The carrier purchase has now become the subject of high level diplomacy, involving a shipyard that can’t even execute on commercial contracts. Russian demands continued to raise the price, even as deliveries of India’s new MiG-29K naval fighters got underway. A revised deal was finally signed in March 2010 – but now Russia still has to make good…
Finding Fire: Canada Looks for Incoming Solutions
20-Jul-2010 17:35 EDT |
Related Stories: After-Action Reviews, Americas - Other, Americas - USA, C4ISR, Europe - Other, Issues - Political, Lockheed Martin, Other Corporation, Other Equipment - Land, Pre-RFP, Radars, Raytheon, Warfare - Trends
ARTHUR on Bv206:
Fading away?
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Fire location radars are valuable in high-end wars against heavy artillery and rocket salvos, and in counter-insurgency conflicts where incoming mortars and simpler rockets are a frequent hazard. While artillery tracking systems have existed for decades, tracking very small, fast-moving projectiles is no easy task. False positives can be a problem during a high-end war in Germany’s Fulda Gap, but they become a bigger problem during counter-insurgency campaigns.
Canada has some radars of this type already, but their limitations were starting to chafe, and a new contract for counter-battery radars could be the result. A recent DSCA request adds impetus to that search – but will it come in time to make a difference?...
Rapid Fire: 2010-07-07
06-Jul-2010 22:17 EDT |
Related Stories: Americas - Other, Americas - USA, Britain/U.K., Budgets, Contracts - Awards, Daily Rapid Fire, Delivery & Task Orders, Europe - Other, General Dynamics, IT - Software & Integration, Other Corporation, Scandals & Investigations, Signals Intercept, Cryptography, etc., Signals Radio & Wireless, Specialty Aircraft, Submarines, Support & Maintenance, T&C - SAIC
- Research and Markets: UK defense exports held steady in 2009 compared to 2008 at slightly over US$1 billion.
- Multiband Radios: Montreal-based Tactical Communication Systems, a unit of UK-based Ultra Electronics Holdings, gets $650 million US DoD contract to supply high capacity line of sight multiband radios.
- SM-6 ERAM: More precise information is in re: the US Navy’s recent SM-6 anti-aircraft missile early production orders. FOCUS article updated.
RAM (Rolling Airframe Missile) Systems: Contracts & Events
06-Jul-2010 12:19 EDT |
Related Stories: Americas - USA, Asia - Other, Contracts - Modifications, EADS, Europe - Other, FOCUS Articles, Missiles - Surface-Air, Other Corporation, Raytheon, Support Functions - Other
Mk-44 firing RAM
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Design agent services contract could rise to $167M. (July 2/10)
The Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM) MK-31 guided missile weapon system is co-developed and co-produced under a NATO cooperative program between the United States and German governments to provide a small, all-weather, low-cost self-defense system against aircraft and cruise missiles. The RIM-116 was later called RAM (Rolling Airframe Missile), because it spins during flight. To save costs, Designation Systems notes that the RAM was designed to use several existing components, including the rocket motor of the MIM-72 Chaparral, the warhead of the AIM-9 Sidewinder and the IR seeker of the FIM-92 Stinger. Cueing is provided by the ship’s ESM suite or radar.
The USA’s New Littoral Combat Ships (LCS)
05-Jul-2010 13:36 EDT |
Related Stories: Americas - USA, BAE, Boeing, Budgets, Coastal & Littoral, Contracts - Awards, Contracts - Modifications, Design Innovations, EADS, Eng. Control Systems, Expeditionary Warfare, FOCUS Articles, Force Structure, Forces - Naval, General Dynamics, IT - Software & Integration, Interoperability, Issues - Political, L3 Communications, Lobbying, Lockheed Martin, Materials Innovations, New Systems Tech, Northrop-Grumman, Other Corporation, Partnerships & Consortia, Policy - Doctrine, Power Projection, Procurement Innovations, Project Methodologies, Protective Systems - Naval, R&D - Contracted, Raytheon, Rolls Royce, Sensors - Aquatic, Surface Ships - Combat, Testing & Evaluation, Training & Exercises, Transformation, UUVs & USVs, Warfare - Trends
General Dynamics Team
Trimaran LCS Design
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Contract to develop a Variable Depth Sonar. (July 2/10)
Exploit simplicity, numbers, the pace of technology development in electronics and robotics, and fast reconfiguration. That was the US Navy’s idea for the low-end backbone of its future surface combatant fleet. Inspired by successful experiments like Denmark’s Standard Flex ships, the US Navy’s $30+ billion “Littoral Combat Ship” program was intended to create a new generation of affordable surface combatants that could operate in dangerous shallow and near-shore environments, while remaining affordable and capable throughout their lifetimes.
It hasn’t worked that way. In practice, what the Navy wanted, the capabilities needed to perform primary naval missions, and what could be delivered for the sums available, have proven nearly irreconcilable. The LCS program has changed its fundamental acquisition plan several times since 2005, and canceled contracts with both competing teams, without escaping any of its fundamental issues. This public-access FOCUS article offer a wealth of research material, alongside looks at the LCS program’s designs, industry teams procurement plans, military controversies, and contracts.
The USA’s America Class: Carrier Air + Amphibious Assault
01-Jul-2010 17:21 EDT |
Related Stories: Americas - USA, Contracts - Awards, Contracts - Modifications, Eng. Control Systems, Expeditionary Warfare, FOCUS Articles, Forces - Marines, GE, New Systems Tech, Northrop-Grumman, Policy - Doctrine, Policy - Procurement, Power Projection, R&D - Contracted, Raytheon, Surface Ships - Combat
LHA-R Concept
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Early LHA 7 contract. (June 30/10)
Modern U.S. Navy Amphibious Assault Ships project power and maintain presence by serving as the cornerstone of the Amphibious Readiness Group (ARG) / Expeditionary Strike Group (ESG). LHA/LHD are a key element of the Seapower 21 doctrine pillars of Sea Strike and Sea Basing, transporting, launching, and landing elements of the Marine Expeditionary Brigade (MEB) via a combination of LCAC hovercraft, amphibious transports and vehicles, helicopters, and aircraft.
Designed to project power and maintain presence, LHA-Replacement (LHA-R, aka. LH-X and now the America Class) large deck amphibious assault ships will replace the LHA-1 Tarawa Class. They’re based on the more modern LHD Wasp Class design, but initial ships will remove the LHD’s landing craft and well deck. While its LHA/LHD predecessors were amphibious assault ships with a secondary aviation element, it’s fair to describe the LHA-Rs as escort carriers with a secondary amphibious assault role.
US Military Adds Heavy Trucks Under FHTV-III
30-Jun-2010 18:12 EDT |
Related Stories: Americas - USA, Contracts - Awards, Delivery & Task Orders, New Systems Tech, Other Corporation, Trucks & Transport
THAAD on HEMTT
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$600M in orders. (June 30/10)
In 2009, with its bridge buy of FMTV medium trucks in place, and initial awards for the potential JLTV Hummer replacement designs underway, the next order of business on the US Army’s agenda was a new Family of Heavy Tactical Vehicles multi-year contract: FHTV-III. That multi-billion dollar FHTV-III contract has been awarded – not as a re-compete like FMTV, but as a single-source solicitation.
Oshkosh has provided the core of this capability for over 20 yeas now. Its Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Trucks (HEMTT) and their 13-ton payloads are the mainstay of the FHTV fleet, serving in variants that include M977/985 Cargo, M978 Fueler, M982/983 Tractors, and M984 Wrecker/Tow; they also serve as heavy transporters for Patriot and THAAD air defense systems. M1074/75 Palletized Load Systems (PLS) and PLS trailers (PLST) are best known for their automated container/pallet loading arms, and for their Universal Power Interface Kit (UPIK) that can add modules for firefighting, construction, cranes, cement mixing, etc. The M1000/1070 Heavy Equipment Transporters (HET) are flatbeds that can transport a 70-ton Abrams tank – or anything less – in order to save wear and tear on expensive armored vehicles and on the roads. A specialized FHTV truck called the M1977 CBT can even lay bridges. This article details the FHTV-III trucks, and related developments and contracts…
DDG Type 45: Britain’s Shrinking Air Defense Fleet
28-Jun-2010 10:38 EDT |
Related Stories: BAE, Britain/U.K., Events, FOCUS Articles, Force Structure, Issues - Political, MBDA, Missiles - Surface-Air, New Systems Tech, Northrop-Grumman, Official Reports, Other Corporation, Protective Systems - Naval, Radars, Rolls Royce, Surface Ships - Combat, Transformation
Daring Class
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Problems with missile system traced; fixes tested by France, Italy, and UK; HMS Dauntless commissioned. (June 28/10)
The 5,200t Type 42 Sheffield Class destroyers were designed in the late 1960s to provide fleet area air-defense for Britain’s Royal Navy, after the proposed the Type 82 air defense cruisers were canceled by the Labour Government of 1966. Britain built 14 of the Type 42s, but these old ships are reaching the limits of their operational lives and effectiveness.
To replace them, the Royal Navy planned to induct 12 Type 45 Daring Class destroyers. The Daring class would be built to deal with a new age of threats: from saturation attacks with supersonic ship-killing missiles that fly from the ship’s radar horizon to impact in 45 seconds or less, to the reality of future threats from ballistic missiles and WMD proliferation. Overall, the Type 45s promise to be one of the world’s most capable air defense ships.
This feature will become a DID FOCUS article in due course. Meanwhile, a reduced 6-ship program continues to move forward. Several ships have been built, but full capability is still several years away. The latest developments include Defender’s launch, HMS Dauntless’ hand-over in Portsmouth, and a testing failure of the ships’ key defensive systems…
Australia’s Nulka Missile Decoys Get “Option 20″ Order
21-Jun-2010 15:48 EDT |
Related Stories: Americas - Other, Americas - USA, Australia & S. Pacific, BAE, Contracts - Awards, Design Innovations, ECM, Lockheed Martin, Other Corporation, Protective Systems - Naval
Nulka launch
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BAE recently announced that Australia’s Defence Materiel Organisation (DMO) had awarded a 12th successive annual contract to produce Nulka (Abor. “be quick”) hovering decoy rockets for the Australian, American, and Canadian navies. The A$ 40 million (about $35 million) “Option 20” deal extends production to 2013.
The SEA 1937 Nulka project was conceived as an Australian/American joint effort, and began with a Memorandum of Understanding in 1986. The Mk.53 Nulka system was designed to supplement “hard kill” systems like missiles and Phalanx guns, and standard chaff/flare decoy systems, with a slightly different approach. The Nulka rocket is launched from the ship, then flies a controllable semi-hover pattern in the air for a while, emitting confusing I/J-band (8-20 GHz) signals designed to decoy incoming anti-ship missiles away from the ship – and toward the Nulka. This gives ships an option against passive decoy rejection and active angular deflection measures in modern missiles, while overcoming chaff’s issues with wind, slow reaction time, and doppler discrimination ECCM.
To date, BAE says that over 940 of their Mk.234/ Mk.250 Nulka rockets have been produced and deployed on more than 130 surface ships, earning more than A$ 800 million over the program’s lifetime. BAE Systems is the prime contractor, Lockheed Martin makes the electronic warfare payload, and Aerojet makes the rocket motor.
