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Next-Gen Naval Gunfire Support: The USA’s AGS & LRLAP

LRLAP Firing from DDG-1000 Concept
AGS fires LRLAP

Guns for DDG 1002. (Jan 31/12)

As costs rose and missions proliferated, it was easy to forget that the original rationale for the DDG-1000 Zumwalt Class centered around naval gunfire support for troops ashore. Heavily armored US battleships with massive 16-inch (406 mm) guns once performed extremely well in this role, as their volkswagen-weight shells gave enemies pause. While USS Iowa was brought back into service during the Reagan era, she was decommissioned again in 1990. That left America with a floating museum in Los Angeles, and a gap in its options.

While European manufacturers are fielding guided, long range adaptations of existing 127mm/54 and 76mm shells, the Zumwalt Class will be getting an entirely new Advanced Gun System that fires the same 155mm shells used by field artillery ashore. The goal was to combine the wide range of available 155mm shell options with extra-long range, GPS precision guidance, and rapid fire…

LCS & MH-60S Mine Counter-Measures Continue Development

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MH-53E/Mk-105
MH-53E & Mk-105 sled
DII

Reliability improvement efforts for the RMS snorkeling USV. (Dec 19/11)

The US Navy currently uses large CH-53/MH-53 helicopters and towed sleds to help with mine clearance work, but they hope to replace those old systems with something smaller and newer. The MH-60S helicopter’s Airborne Mine Counter-Measures (AMCM) system adds an operator’s station to the helicopter cabin, additional internal fuel stores, and towing capability, accompanied by a suite of carried systems that can be mixed and matched. AMCM is actually 5 different air, surface and sub-surface mine countermeasures systems, all deployed and integrated together in the helicopter.

While the US Navy develops AMCM, and complementary ship-launched systems for use on the new Littoral Combat Ships, new minehunter ship classes like the Ospreys are being retired by the US Navy and sold. All in an era where the threat of mines is arguably rising, along with tensions around key chokepoints like the Suez Canal and Strait of Hormuz.

This article explains the components involved (AQS-20, ALMDS, AMNS, OASIS, RAMICS; COBRA, RMS, SMCM), chronicles their progress through reports and contracts, and provides additional links for research…

M777: He Ain’t Heavy, He’s my Howitzer

M77A2 USMC Iraq
M777: dragon’s breath
DII

Negotiations in India; Request from the Saudis; US Order. (Oct 4/11)

The M777 ultra-lightweight towed 155mm howitzer has an integrated digital fire control system, and can fire all existing 155mm projectiles. Nothing new there. What is new is the fact that this 9,700 pound howitzer saves over 6,000 pounds of weight by making extensive use of titanium and advanced aluminum alloys, allowing it to be carried by Marine Corps MV-22 tilt-rotor aircraft or medium helicopters, and/or airdropped by C-130 aircraft. The new gun is a joint program between the US Army and Marine Corps to replace existing 155mm M198s, and will perform fire support for U.S. Marine Air Ground Task Forces and U.S. Army Stryker Brigade Combat Teams.

Britain is the USA’s M777 LWH co-development partner, but Canada became the first country to field it in combat, thanks to an emergency buy before their 2006 “Operation Archer” deployment to Afghanistan. Customers now include the US Army & USMC, Australia, and Canada – but not Britain. This is DID’s FOCUS article covering the M777 program…

Afghan Ammo Orders

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Afghan Policeman Sabari
Policeman, Sabari

$30M to ATK, who details full scope to date. (Sept 14/11)

Readers may recall “AEY’s Ammunition: Ain’t An April Fools, Alas”, which detailed a $300 million contract to a Miami company, who delivered ammunition that was not up to standard and is charged with sourcing its stock illegally. Now, more established firms like ATK and General Dynamics are stepping into the breach.

They are not the only firm receiving contracts for “non-standard” ammunition. By “nonstandard,” the military means non-NATO standard, such as the 7.62×39mm caliber used by rifles like the AK-47 and its copies around the world. Other common options include the 7.62×54mm (used in Dragunov sniper rifles and PKM machine guns), and 12.7×108mm (as opposed to NATO’s .50 BMG 12.7×99mm). Even RPG-7 panzerfaust rounds and aviation rockets have been specified in these contracts, which include…

Rapid Fire 2011-08-05: Reopening the UK’s SDSR

  • Defense Secretary Leon Panetta describes the ‘sequestration’ element of the United States’ new debt-reduction law as a ‘doomsday mechanism’ that would result in a dangerous new round of defense cuts.
  • An Indian Air Force (IAF) Jaguar strike fighter crashes in Uttar Pradesh killing the pilot and an 18 year old girl. The crash comes two days after a fatal accident involving a MiG-21 fighter.

Rapid Fire 2011-08-04: Turboprop Transport Aircraft for Ghana

  • US Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta responds to the debt ceiling agreement by declaring that the Department of Defense’s spending choices must be based on sound strategy and policy and not result in the weakening of national security.
  • The US Army awards Safariland a contract with a potential maximum value of almost $32 million to provide ammunition, over 30mm up to 75mm.
  • ThyssenKrupp releases a statement indicating that there are no plans to form a joint venture or merger between its Marine Systems division and the French shipbuilder DCNS.
  • EADS’ Airbus Military subsidiary signs a contract to supply Ghana with two C-295 turboprop transport aircraft.
  • USAF officials believe that they can save $15 million in energy costs by making some changes to the Kaiserslautern Military Community Center at Ramstein AB, Germany. The steps were actually pretty simple. Next step? Maybe solar on the KMCC’s 10 acres of roof.

Rapid Fire 2011-07-29: Intrepid Tiger II

  • A recent meeting of the Defense Business Board at the Pentagon recommended the creation of a single Defense Logistics Organization (DLO) [PDF]. The Board argued that a single DLO with sole responsibility for supply, maintenance and transportation would increase logistics effectiveness and efficiency.
  • Raytheon’s Second Quarter Results show net sales of approximately $6.2 billion, a slight increase on corresponding figures for 2010. The company’s Chairman and CEO attributes a strong second quarter performance to its ‘focus on execution and cost reduction strategies’.
  • Israel and India are reportedly negotiating to buy 3 more IL-76 Phalcon AWACs aircraft, to follow the current order of 3. IAI had been touting the long-range G550 CAEW used by Israel and Singapore as an even better follow up.
  • EADS attributes its ‘solid results’ for the first half year 2011 to strong demand in the commercial aviation sector. The company reports that revenues increased in the first six months of 2011 by 8% to €21.9 billion ($31.2 billion).
  • Dassault accuses Safran of holding up talks in relation to the French Government-backed deal to swap assets with Thales.
  • Russia is studying the possibility of deploying paratroopers as part of its multi-branch Arctic contingent.  This may be extended to helicopter regiments by 2020, when Russia’s arms procurement program is due to be completed.

Next-Gen 120mm Tank Killer: ATK’s M829E4 AKE

Ammunition APFS-DS Mid-Air
APFSDS in flight

ATK recently announced a $77 million, 3-year contract, exercising an option to develop and qualify the USA’s new 120mm tank-killing round for use in the U.S. Army’s M1A2 SEP Abrams tanks. The M829E4 is called the Advanced Kinetic Energy round, and belongs to a class known as APFSDS-T: Armor Piercing, Fin Stabilized, Discarding Sabot with Tracer. As the picture shows, the shell casing releases a penetrator sabot dart, which flies at extreme velocity to punch through enemy tank armor. The tracer element makes it easy to see the round in flight.

While manufacturers like Rheinmetall use tungsten alloys for the APFSDS dart, American rounds use alloys of similarly-dense depleted uranium (DU)...

Rapid Fire: Morning 2011-06-16

  • Reuters reports that the Chinese language Liberation Army Daily newspaper has published an article advocating that China builds up cyber warfare capabilities to counter American attempts to “seize the commanding military heights on the Internet”.
  • The French  Directorate General of Armaments awards Zodiac Milpro [PDF] a contract for 20 multi-purpose commando RIBs (ECUME) and four air delivery systems (SLE).
  • Rheinmetall unveils new HE DM-11 secondary ammunition for MBT 120mm smoothbore guns. The HE DM-11 can be fired from any in-service 120 mm smoothbore gun and is deemed safe to fire in all climate zones.
  • As the Arctic continues to increase in strategic significance Defence Watch considers the Canadian Armed Forces’ procurement requirements.
  • Danger Room ponders over the topics to be covered by DARPA’s 100 Years Starship conference. The program ties ethical and moral concerns to DARPA’s quest to achieve interstellar flight by 2111. If Jack Kirby’s - the creator of the Silver Surfer cartoon – comments are anything to go by, then the defense industry will be more than welcome to attend.

Rapid Fire 2011-05-16: Goodrich Buys Microtecnica

  • Turkey’s current account deficit is hitting levels that worry some observers. High levels have been predictors of economic crises in the past. If that comes to pass, there are a lot of new and pending weapons programs that would be affected.
  • Turkey’s next-generation fighters are among them. There are reports of growing interest in a split-buy, to reduce dependence on the USA. Italy’s government is pushing Turkey to solve that problem by joining the Eurofighter consortium. Turkey might also pick a hi-low approach, and join existing arms partners South Korea and Indonesia in KF-X.
  • In the money: EADS posts a net loss of EUR 12 million, on revenues of EUR 9.9 billion, as a result of negative dollar accounting revaluation; however, net cash reserves reach record EUR 12.2 billion (~17.2B USD).
  • Russian Space Forces plans to test a new Voronezh DM radar being built near Baltic port of Kaliningrad by end of 2011, one of four radars being built to fill radar coverage gaps created by the collapse of the Soviet Union.
  • Goodrich completes EUR 331 million for Microtecnica, a Turin, Italy-based provider of flight control actuation systems for helicopters, aircraft, missile actuation, and aircraft thermal and environmental control systems for military and commercial customers.
  • Azerbaijan extends joint production agreement with South Africa’s Paramount Group to produce an additional 30 Marauder [PDF] and 30 Matador [PDF] mine-protected vehicles, with deliveries running through late 2012.
  • Raytheon & Boeing finish government testing of their JAGM light strike missile contender, and keep their perfect test record.
  • Good news: 1st A109 light helicopter from the May 2008 contract enters service in New Zealand. Bad news: They’re still waiting for the NH90-TTH medium helicopters from their July 2006 contract.
  • Northrop Grumman is cutting 200 jobs at its Electronics Systems division, mostly in the Baltimore area.
  • Terrorists have procurement networks, too – most of which also have criminal uses. Read FP Magazine’s slanted but still enlightening “Tunnelnomics” piece re: the Israeli/Gaza border.