(Toy) “Trucks to Troops” Fights Land Mines

Military grade robots may have swarmed into war theaters as a US “Army of the Grand Robotic”, but the ingenuity and charity of hobbyists still has a place on America’s front lines. In the 2000s front-line troops started using remote-controlled toys then US military made a big push to investigate and destroy suspected land mines using military-grade robots instead.

Americans are a tinkering lot by nature. The remote-controlled toy trucks that some troops were already using to nudge suspicious packages, are a classic example. They work even better with a weatherproof wireless camera on board, for looking under vehicles. Which is what software engineer Ernest Fessenden of Rochester, MN put together for his deployed brother, Chris, with the help of a local store called Everything Hobby…

Up to $32.9M to Support Norway’s Nansen Frigates

F310, Gulf of Aden

In December 2011, Lockheed Martin Mission Systems and Sensors in Moorestown, NJ received a $19.8 million cost-plus-incentive-fee, fixed-fee contract to support Norway’s Fridtjof Nansen frigates to July 2014. Exercising all of the contract’s options could bring its value to $32.9 million.

The 5-ship Fridtjof Nansen Class (F310 – F314) is a 5,290t Navantia design, which uses the smaller AN/SPY-1F radar in place of the AN/SPY-1D that equips other Aegis ships like Spain’s F100s. That’s partly because Norway’s Aegis frigates are specialized for anti-submarine warfare. Even so, their 8-cell/ 32 ESSM missile pack will give them good anti-air defenses, Naval Strike Missiles on-board will offer ship/surface strike options, and specialized facilities offer medical and special forces capabilities. Both their capabilities and their state of manufacture have attracted controversy, but the question now is one of maintenance and service. Under this contract…

Brazil Seeks Sub Fleet Combat System Upgrades

S31 Tamoio

The Marinha do Brazil’s 4 diesel-electric Tupi Class submarines (1,440t U-209/1400 variant) and single 1,550t Tikuna Class (Improved Tupi) boat must suffice to patrol a very large ocean zone, along one of the world’s longest navigable coastlines. The SS Tupi [S30] was commissioned in 1989, the other 3 Tupi class subs were commissioned in 1996-1999, and the Improved Tupi Class, aka. S34 Tikuna, was commissioned into service in 2005. Both submarine classes were designed by HDW.

The Tupi and Tikuna boats are currently listed as being capable of launching indigenous Brazilian torpedoes, as well as the British BAE Stingray. Adding the Mk48 heavyweight torpedo would increase the subs’ attack punch, and upgrading the combat system would also offer an easy path to integration of anti-ship missiles like the Harpoon if the Brazilians wished. In the intervening years, other electronics have also advanced, and keeping the Tupi Class modern requires an upgrade. Hence the recent contracts with Lockheed Martin MS2.

SSGN “Tactical Trident” Subs: Special Forces and Super Strike

Latest updates[?]: Combat debut; Will their successors be Virginia Class boats?

From these…

In the aftermath of the START-II arms control treaty, some of the USA’s nuclear-powered Ohio Class SSBN nuclear missile submarines were converted to become long range conventional strike and special operations SSGN “Tactical Tridents.” Four ultra-stealthy Ohio-class SSBNs had their 24 Trident II D-5 nuclear ballistic missiles removed. They were replaced with up to 154 Tomahawk cruise missiles, plus space in the sub for 66-102 special forces troops, special attachments for new Advanced SEAL Delivery System (ASDS) or older Seal Delivery Vehicle (SDV) “mini-subs,” and a mission control center. Unmanned Underwater Vehicles, and even UAVs for aerial operations, are expected to become equally important options over the SSGN fleet’s career.

…to these

These modifications provide the USA with an impressive and impressively flexible set of conventional firepower, in a survivable and virtually undetectable platform, which can remain on station for very long periods of time. As surveillance-strike complexes make the near-shore more and more hazardous for conventional ships, and the potential dangers posed by small groups continue to rise, America’s converted SSGN submarines will become more and more valuable. This updated, free-to-view article covers their origins and timeline, the key technologies involved, contracts from the program’s inception to the present day, with all 4 submarines back in service.

Rapid Fire 2011-12-02: NAVAIR Procurement Management System

• JSF PEO Vice Admiral David J. Venlet said in an interview with AOL Defense that ramping up production quickly while completing tests was a “miscalculation” but he has to live with concurrency, though he questions the delivery pace.

• Northrop Grumman’s 3-year, $8.9M Microscale Power Conversion contract could lead to higher-power radars with wider frequency ranges, without increasing their size. It’s an outgrowth of DARPA’s R&D into Gallium Nitride (GaN) circuits, and is one of several GaN-related contracts Northrop has received.

• MASTERing the CHIRP. What goes with the USAF’s ground-breaking Commercial Hosted Infrared Payload? Why, a MASTER ground control architecture that can expand to hosted payloads on other commercial satellites.

InTop: Sorting out Ships’ Topside Mess

USS Philippine Sea

A quick look at almost any modern warship shows a bewildering array of gear on its mast and upper surfaces. These “topside apertures” serve an array of functions, from communications, to data transmission, to electronic listening and defense. Not only do they disrupt ship smoothness, and hence radar profiles, when installed, but they can also be extremely difficult to integrate together so that object A’s transmissions aren’t interfering with critical service B. While firms like Thales in Europe pursue “integrated modular mast” technologies, the US Navy is aiming to go one step beyond. They’re funding “Integrated Topside” R&D to go beyond just a pre-packaged array, and turn all of these little bolt-ons into one common, smooth-running, and upgradeable basic architecture.

InTop for surface ships will be based on AESA radar technology, and aims to become an innovative, scalable suite of electronic warfare, information operations, and line-of-sight communications hardware and software. Its performance goals are to improve ships’ anti-radar profiles, increase communications bandwidth, and resolve electromagnetic interference and compatibility issues…

NGC Footing the Bill for LHD 8 Makin Island Ship Fix

LHD 8 construction

USS Makin Island [LHD-8] was built in Pascagoula, MS, as the last ship of America’s Wasp Class amphibious assault carriers. The keel was laid in February 2004, but all of the changes from the LHD-1 Wasp Class meant that about 67% of the previous line drawings, and 75% of the test procedures, needed to be modified for Makin Island. Then Hurricane Katrina hit the in-progress ship. The labor pool also took a hit, with up to 1/3 of the Gulf Coast personnel leaving the area and the company. The pool of electrical professionals was especially hard hit, and 55-60% of the LHD 8′s final labor force was under the 4-5 year threshold to be considered experienced workers.

Even so, Katrina hit back in August 2005. Which is why Northrop Grumman was surprised at the slowness of its integration and testing progress during final construction in 2008, as part of the ship’s preparation for sea trials. That led to a comprehensive review and audit – and a bill of $320-360 million to fix the ship, which was footed by Northrop Grumman:

• Makin’ Makin
  
• Updates & Outcomes
  
• Additional Readings & Sources
  

“Suspect Counterfeit”: Fake Electronics in US Defense Equipment

The steady rise in the number and variety of electronic systems in military equipment has spawned 2 trends. One has been reduced readiness, as multiplying points of failure consistently push readiness rates down and maintenance costs up, for each successive generation of advanced equipment. The other is a security issue, as equipment “obsoletes itself every 18 months, is made in unsecure locations and [in an industry where] we have absolutely no market share influence [any more].”

The defense industry that played such a big role in building Silicon Valley now grapples with ways to ensure that chips and circuits don’t have hidden design codes in them. They’re also grappling with the issue of counterfeit electronics.

$23.1M to Bren-Tronics for PRQ-7 CSEL SAR Radio Accessories

CSEL Handset

Bren-Tronics Inc. in Commack, NY recently received a sole source 5-year, $23.1 million fixed price with economic price adjustment, indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity, contract from the US Army, for AN/PRQ-7 Combat Survivor Evader Locator radio batteries and adapters. The money will come from FY 2012 Army Working Capital funds, and the contract will run to Nov 1/16. The US Defense Logistics Agency Land at Aberdeen in Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD, manages this contract (SPRBL1-12-D-0001).

Statistics indicate that most downed pilots are captured within the first hour. CSEL’s system is designed to provide search and rescue forces with the immediate ability to locate, authenticate and communicate with downed aircrew worldwide, using precision GPS-based geoposition and navigation data, 2-way over-the-horizon (OTH) secure data communication via satellite to Joint Search and Rescue Centers (JSRC), and an OTH beacon. Once rescuers are in range, it uses line-of-sight voice communication, with swept tone beacon capabilities to vector rescuers in. Those technologies tend to bulk up its size compared to the smart phones we’re all used to, and its screen and texting are small and basic. On the other hand, if you’re a pilot deep in enemy territory, the only Angry Birds you want to see are your buddies in helicopters and close-air support jets. Boeing delivered the 50,000th AN/PRQ-7 CSEL handset to the US military in October 2011.

Tending the Tender: Maintenance for USS Frank Cable

AS-40 & SSN-714, Guam
(click to enlarge)

It’s great to have a fleet of submarines, but even nuclear submarines need some level of at-sea support to improve their effectiveness. Submarine tenders can bring a boat food, fuel, weapons, and other supplies, while carrying a full array of maintenance equipment and personnel. The 664 foot, 23,000 ton USS Frank Cable [AS-40] was commissioned back in 1978, and was supposed to have ended her career in 1996. Unfortunately, the USS Holland [AS-32] needed to be retired that year, after 33 years of service, and the US Navy had no ship to replace her in the Western Pacific. USS Frank Cable was refurbished and reactivated for that role, and reached the 33-year mark herself in 2011. The ship was transferred from the US Navy on Feb 1/10, becoming 1 of only 2 Submarine Tenders in US Military Sealift Command’s 26-vessel Special Mission Ships Program. AS-40′s crews have won a number of commendations, but her most high profile incident took place on Dec 1/06 in Guam, when a steam line ruptured during a safety valve check, killing 2 sailors and injuring 7. A Navy investigation cited the sailors’ heroism during the incident, but there were serious questions afterward concerning some of the command decisions.