by Joe Katzman | Jul 19, 2019 | Bombs - General, Bombs - Smart, Contracts - Awards, Contracts - Intent, Contracts - Modifications, Design Innovations, Explosives, Other Corporation, R&D - Contracted, RFPs, USA, Warfare - Trends
Mark 82 bombs (click for full sequence) The “Focused Lethality Munition” is a variant of the 250 pound Small Diameter Bomb I that changes its casing and internal fill, in order to produce more devastating effects within a smaller area. A carbon-fiber bomb...
by Joe Katzman | Jul 16, 2019 | China, Contracts - Intent, Fighters & Attack, New Systems Tech, Other Corporation, Rumours, Russia, Surface Ships - Combat
SU-33s: folded, landing (click to view full) In 1998, the former Russian carrier Varyag was bought by a Chinese firm for use as a “tourist attraction.” Nobody believed that, and by 2005, she was in drydock for secret refits. Still, a carrier needs planes....
by Joe Katzman | Jul 5, 2019 | Asia - Central, Contracts - Awards, Force Structure, Official Reports, Policy - Procurement, RFPs, Support & Maintenance, Transport & Utility, USA
Afghan C-130H (click to view full) When a USAF program to refurbish 20 Italian C-27A light tactical transport planes for the Afghan Air Force formally imploded at the end of 2012, the American looked for a longer-term plan B. At the high end, the proposal was to hand...
by Joe Katzman | Jul 2, 2019 | BAE, Coastal & Littoral, Contracts - Awards, Contracts - Modifications, Design Innovations, Electronics - General, FOCUS Articles, Forces - Special Ops, General Dynamics, Issues - Political, Missiles - Precision Attack, New Systems Tech, Northrop-Grumman, Nuclear Weapons, Other Corporation, Power Projection, Procurement Innovations, Submarines, Transformation, Underwater Weapons, USA, UUVs & USVs
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...
by Joe Katzman | Jul 1, 2019 | Airbus, France, India, Rumours, Russia, Specialty Aircraft
Air India A330 (click to view full) By the early 2000s, India’s Air Force was expressing interest in buying modern aerial tankers, AWACS radar planes, maritime patrol aircraft, and other long-range, high-value aircraft. Things always take a longer time than they...
