Monthly Archives: June 2018

Air, Unmanned Systems

Australian Triton

The Australian Department of Defence officially announced its plan on June 26, 2018 to purchase the Northrop Grumman Corporation-built MQ-4C Triton aircraft system, further cementing the company’s commitment to a longstanding U.S. ally.

Australia to purchase MQ-4C Triton aircraft system, delivering unprecedented maritime domain awareness
Australia to purchase MQ-4C Triton aircraft system, delivering unprecedented maritime domain awareness

An unmanned aircraft system with an autonomous capability built for maritime intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, MQ-4C Triton is the first Northrop Grumman-built aircraft system Australia has purchased. The system will be operated by the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF).

«Northrop Grumman looks forward to bringing the MQ-4C Triton unmanned system with its autonomous capability to Australia», said Ian Irving, chief executive officer, Northrop Grumman Australia. «Working with the Royal Australian Air Force and the U.S. Navy, we are confident that we can provide the best capability to fulfill Australia’s maritime mission».

Triton can fly at altitudes of 55,000 feet/16,764 m for 24 hours at a time and is equipped with sensors that provide high-resolution imagery and near real-time video. Pilots and sensor operators fly the Triton from ground stations, which can command flights all over the world.

«Triton provides unprecedented endurance and 360-degree coverage through its unique sensor suite», said Doug Shaffer, vice president of MQ-4C Triton programs, Northrop Grumman. «Australia has one of the largest sea zones in the world over which it has rights to use marine resources, also known as an Economic Exclusion Zone. As a flexible platform, MQ-4C Triton can serve in missions as varied as maritime domain awareness, target acquisition, fisheries protection, oil field monitoring and humanitarian relief».

MQ-4C Triton builds on Northrop Grumman’s legacy of success in autonomous systems. The U.S. Navy recently acquired two operational MQ-4C Triton aircraft and is under contract for six more. These aircraft will go to Guam later this year and provide the Navy with an unprecedented common operating picture of the maritime environment. MQ-4C Triton can detect, classify and track ships over large swaths of ocean and littorals. The U.S. Navy program of record is for 68 aircraft.

Northrop Grumman has been building its presence Down Under for many years. The global aerospace and technology company will be the anchor tenant of an AUD $50 million Electronic Sustainment Centre of Excellence, to be established at the Badgerys Creek Airport precinct in western Sydney. The new centre will support advanced electronics such as communications and electronic warfare equipment and targeting pods. Northrop Grumman will bring together highly skilled technicians, engineers and other professionals whose work will be further supported by the company’s high-end technology and software expertise.

Through a Global Supply Chain Deed signed with the Australian Department of Defence in 2011 and renewed in 2017, Northrop Grumman is identifying opportunities for Australian industry to be part of the company’s global supply chain. For example, Northrop Grumman’s largest Australian F-35 Lightning II joint strike fighter supplier, Quickstep Technologies, demonstrated that its new production facility is equipped and qualified to manufacture and deliver quality composite parts for the F-35’s centre fuselage. At a new facility opened in Bankstown, Sydney, in 2012, Quickstep is expected to manufacture over 36,000 parts for the F-35.

Northrop Grumman also works with CEA Technologies, one of Australia’s leading military electronic systems and radar companies, and Electro Optics Systems, which develops products incorporating advanced electro-optic technologies for the global aerospace market.

«Australia and the United States are celebrating 100 Years of Mateship this year, marking an alliance that goes back to the trenches of WWI. Northrop Grumman is proud to partner with such a loyal friend and provide this unprecedented capability to the RAAF», said Irving. «We consider Triton and its autonomous technology to be the future of the next centennial of aviation, and we are honored to be part of this century-long partnership».

 

Key Features

  • Provides persistent maritime ISR at a mission radius of 2,000 NM/2,302 miles/3,704 km; 24 hours/7 days per week with 80% Effective Time On Station (ETOS)
  • Land-based air vehicle and sensor command and control
  • Afloat Level II payload sensor data via line-of-sight
  • Dual redundant flight controls and surfaces
  • 51,000-hour airframe life
  • Due Regard Radar for safe separation
  • Anti/de-ice, bird strike, and lightning protection
  • Communications bandwidth management
  • Commercial off-the-shelf open architecture mission control system
  • Net-ready interoperability solution

 

Payload (360-degree Field of Regard)

Multi-Function Active Sensor Active Electronically Steered Array (MFAS AESA) radar:

  • 2D AESA;
  • Maritime and air-to-ground modes;
  • Long-range detection and classification of targets.

MTS-B multi-spectral targeting system:

  • Electro-optical/infrared;
  • Auto-target tracking;
  • High resolution at multiple field-of-views;
  • Full motion video.

AN/ZLQ-1 Electronic Support Measures:

  • All digital;
  • Specific Emitter Identification.

Automatic Identification System:

  • Provides information received from VHF broadcasts on maritime vessel movements.

 

Specifications

Wingspan 130.9 feet/39.9 m
Length 47.6 feet/14.5 m
Height 15.4 feet/4.6 m
Gross Take-Off Weight (GTOW) 32,250 lbs/14,628 kg
Maximum Internal Payload 3,200 lbs/1,452 kg
Maximum External Payload 2,400 lbs/1,089 kg
Self-Deploy 8,200 NM/9,436 miles/15,186 km
Maximum Altitude 56,500 feet/17,220 m
Maximum Velocity, TAS (True Air Speed) 331 knots/381 mph/613 km/h
Maximum Endurance 24 hours

 

Ground Forces

Ribbon Bridge

General Dynamics European Land Systems (GDELS) has signed a contract with the Brazilian Army Commission for the production and delivery of its Improved Ribbon Bridge (IRB).

General Dynamics European Land Systems awarded new contract to supply Improved Ribbon Bridge system to Brazil
General Dynamics European Land Systems awarded new contract to supply Improved Ribbon Bridge system to Brazil

In addition to the Improved Ribbon Bridge, the company will deliver trucks, bridge adapter pallets, a bridge erection boat, as well as Integrated Logistics Support (ILS).

Delivery of the first system is scheduled for 2019.

The Brazilian Army is an existing user of the company’s Floating Support Bridge (FSB). The FSB and IRB systems are interoperable and offer key capabilities for armed forces worldwide.

The Improved Ribbon Bridge can be operated as a multi-bay ferry as well as a floating bridge. It provides wide wet-gap crossing capability for loads up to MLC80 (Military Load Capacity) Tracked/96 Wheeled.

«This new acquisition of the IRB demonstrates the high confidence and satisfaction of the Brazilian Army in the performance of our advanced bridge systems», said Thomas Kauffmann, General Dynamics European Land Systems Vice President International Business & Services.

The Improved Ribbon Bridge is in service worldwide and has supported theatre and peacekeeping operations, as well as humanitarian and environmental missions. The IRB is fully interoperable with General Dynamics European Land Systems’ legacy floating bridge systems, including the Floating Support Bridge, the Standard Ribbon Bridge (SRB) and the M3 Amphibious Bridge and Ferry System.

Ground Forces

Future combat vehicles

DARPA’s Ground X-Vehicle Technologies (GXV-T) program aims to improve mobility, survivability, safety, and effectiveness of future combat vehicles without piling on armor. Several Phase 2 contract awardees recently demonstrated advances on a variety of potentially groundbreaking technologies to meet the program’s goals.

GXV-T advances radical technology for future combat vehicles
GXV-T advances radical technology for future combat vehicles

«We’re looking at how to enhance survivability by buttoning up the cockpit and augmenting the crew through driver-assistance aids», said Major Amber Walker, the program manager for GXV-T in DARPA’s Tactical Technology Office. «For mobility, we’ve taken a radically different approach by avoiding armor and developing options to move quickly and be agile over all terrain».

Demonstrations, such as one in May at Aberdeen Test Center, have given potential military service transition partners an opportunity to observe technical progress on the GXV-T program, including:

 

Radically Enhanced Mobility

GXV-T envisions future combat vehicles that could traverse up to 95 percent of off-road terrain, including slopes and various elevations. Capabilities include revolutionary wheel-to-track and suspension technologies that would enable access and faster travel both on- and off-road, compared to existing ground vehicles.

Reconfigurable Wheel-Track (RWT)

Wheels permit fast travel on hard surfaces while tracks perform better on soft surfaces. A team from Carnegie Mellon University National Robotics Engineering Center (CMU NREC) demonstrated shape-shifting wheel-track mechanisms that transition from a round wheel to a triangular track and back again while the vehicle is on the move, for instant improvements to tactical mobility and maneuverability on diverse terrains.

Electric In-hub Motor

Putting motors directly inside the wheels offers numerous potential benefits for combat vehicles, such as heightened acceleration and maneuverability with optimal torque, traction, power, and speed over rough or smooth terrain. In an earlier demonstration, QinetiQ demonstrated a unique approach, incorporating three gear stages and a complex thermal management design into a system small enough to fit a standard military 20-inch/51-cm rim.

Multi-mode Extreme Travel Suspension (METS)

Pratt & Miller’s METS system aims to enable high-speed travel over rough terrain while keeping the vehicle upright and minimizing occupant discomfort. The vehicle demonstrator incorporates standard military 20-inch/51-cm wheels, advanced short-travel suspension of four-to-six inches, and a novel high-travel suspension that extends up to six feet – 42 inches/106.7 cm upward and 30 inches/76.2 cm downward. The demonstration in May showed off its ability to tackle steep slopes and grades by actively and independently adjusting the hydraulic suspension on each wheel of the vehicle.

 

Crew Augmentation

Traditional combat vehicle designs have small windows that improve protection, but limit visibility. GXV-T sought solutions with multiple onboard sensors and technologies to provide high-resolution, 360-degree situational awareness while keeping the vehicle enclosed.

Enhanced 360-degree Awareness with Virtual Windows

Honeywell International demonstrated its windowless cockpit in an All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV) with an opaque canopy. The 3-D near-to-eye goggles, optical head-tracker and wrap-around Active Window Display screens provide real-time, high-resolution views outside the vehicle. In off-road courses, drivers have completed numerous tests using the system in roughly the same time as drivers in All Terrain Vehicles with full visibility.

Virtual Perspectives Augmenting Natural Experience (V-PANE)

A tactical vehicle offers limited visibility and data for decision-making, especially when moving rapidly through unfamiliar territory. Raytheon BBN Technologies’ V-PANE technology demonstrator fuses data from multiple vehicle-mounted video and LiDAR cameras to create a real-time 3-D model of the vehicle and its nearby surroundings. In a final Phase 2 demonstration, drivers and commanders in a windowless recreational vehicle successfully switched among multiple virtual perspectives to accurately maneuver the vehicle and detect targets of interest during both low- and high-speed travel.

Off-Road Crew Augmentation (ORCA)

A second CMU NREC technology demonstration, ORCA aims to predict in real time the safest and fastest route and when necessary, enable a vehicle to drive itself off-road – even around obstacles. In Phase 2 testing, drivers using the ORCA aids and visual overlays traveled faster between waypoints and eliminated nearly all pauses to determine their routes. The team found autonomy improved either vehicle speed or risk posture, and sometimes both.

 

Walker said GXV-T performers are pursuing a variety of transition paths for the new technologies.

«DARPA’s excited about the progress made to date on the GXV-T program and we look forward to working with the Services to transition these technologies into ground vehicle technologies of the future», said Walker.

DARPA’s Ground X-Vehicle Technologies (GXV-T) program demonstrations show progress on technologies for traveling quickly over varied terrain and improving situational awareness and ease of operation

Navy

Support Ship

The launching ceremony of the LSS logistic support unit «Vulcano», took place on June 22, 2018 at the Muggiano (La Spezia) facility of the Naval Integrated shipyard, in the presence of the Italian Minister of Defence, Elisabetta Trenta, who was welcomed by the CEO of Fincantieri Giuseppe Bono and its Chairman Giampiero Massolo. The unit was ordered to Fincantieri within the renewal plan of the Italian Navy’s fleet.

The LSS is the first ship of the Navy renewal plan to touch the sea
The LSS is the first ship of the Navy renewal plan to touch the sea

The godmother of the ship was Mrs. Maria Teresa Piras, who also was the godmother at the launch of the section of the same unit in Castellammare di Stabia, widow of the lieutenant of vessel Emilio Attramini, who died in the air accident of the Monte Serra.

The ceremony was attended, among others, by the Chief of Defense, General Claudio Graziano, and the Chief of the Navy, Admiral Valter Girardelli.

The multi-year program for the renewal of the Italian Navy’s fleet foresees the construction, besides the LSS, of one transport and landing unit (LHD or Landing Helicopter Dock) – under construction in this same shipyard with delivery in 2022 – as well as seven Multipurpose Offshore Patrol Ships (PPA), with other three in option. The launch of the first is scheduled in 2019, with delivery in 2021. The following deliveries will take place in 2022, 2023, 2024 (two units), 2025 and 2026.

The fundamental characteristic common to all three classes of ships is their high level of innovation providing them with a considerable degree of efficiency and flexibility in serving different mission profiles. In particular, these are dual use vessels, meaning that they may be used for both standard military purposes and those in favour of the community (as for example for civil protection), and they also have a low environmental impact thanks to a state-of-the-art auxiliary propulsion system generating a low level of pollution emissions (electric engines).

The vessel «Vulcano» will be classified by the Royal Institution of Naval Architects (RINA) pursuant international conventions about prevention of pollution regarding the more traditional aspects, like the ones of the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL) Convention, as well as those not yet mandatory, as the Hong Kong Convention about ship recycling.

 

Vessel’s characteristics – LSS – Logistic Support Ship

The LSS is a vessel that provides logistics support to the fleet, endowed with hospital and healthcare capabilities thanks to the presence of a fully equipped hospital, complete with operating rooms, radiology and analysis rooms, a dentist’s office and hospital rooms that will be capable of hosting up to 17 seriously injured patients. The ship combines capacity to transport and transfer to other transport vessels used for liquids (diesel fuel, jet fuel, fresh water) and solids (emergency spare parts, food and ammunitions) and to perform at sea repairs and maintenance work for other vessels. The defense systems are limited to the capacity of command and control in tactical scenarios, communications and dissuasive, non-lethal defense systems. The vessel is also capable of embarking more complex defence systems and becoming an intelligence and electronic war platform.

 

Facts

  • 193 meters/633 feet long
  • speed of about 20 knots/23 mph/37 km/h
  • 200 persons including crew and specialists
  • 4 replenishment station abeam and 1 astern
  • Capacity to supply drinking water to land
  • Capacity to provide electricity to land with 2500 kw of power
  • Possibility of embarking up to 8 residential and healthcare modules
  • Capacity to perform rescues at sea, through recovery and seabed operations (the ship is equipped with a 30 tons offshore stabilized crane stabilized)
  • base for rescue operations through helicopters and special vessels

 

Navy

16th Virginia submarine

Huntington Ingalls Industries’ (HII) Newport News Shipbuilding division on June 25, 2018 delivered the newest nuclear-powered fast attack submarine to the U.S. Navy.

USS Indiana (SSN-789) was delivered to the U.S. Navy by Newport News Shipbuilding on June 25. Pictured during sea trials in May, the newest Virginia-class submarine will be commissioned later this year (Photo by Matt Hildreth/HII)
USS Indiana (SSN-789) was delivered to the U.S. Navy by Newport News Shipbuilding on June 25. Pictured during sea trials in May, the newest Virginia-class submarine will be commissioned later this year (Photo by Matt Hildreth/HII)

The future USS Indiana (SSN-789) is the 16th Virginia-class submarine built as part of the teaming agreement with General Dynamics Electric Boat and the eighth delivered by Newport News.

«We are proud to deliver Indiana to the Navy», said Dave Bolcar, Newport News’ vice president of submarine construction. «For the nearly 4,000 shipbuilders who participated in construction of the boat, there is nothing more important than knowing that this vessel will support the Navy’s missions».

Indiana, which began construction in September 2012, successfully completed sea trials earlier this month. The vessel will be commissioned later this year.

Virginia-class submarines are built for a broad spectrum of open-ocean and littoral missions to replace the Navy’s Los Angeles-class submarines as they are retired. Virginia-class submarines incorporate dozens of new technologies and innovations that increase firepower, maneuverability and stealth and significantly enhance their warfighting capabilities. These submarines are capable of supporting multiple mission areas and can operate at submerged speeds of more than 25 knots/28 mph/46.3 km/h for months at a time.

Huntington Ingalls Industries is America’s largest military shipbuilding company and a provider of professional services to partners in government and industry. For more than a century, HII’s Newport News and Ingalls shipbuilding divisions in Virginia and Mississippi have built more ships in more ship classes than any other U.S. naval shipbuilder. HII’s Technical Solutions division provides a wide range of professional services through its Fleet Support, Integrated Missions Solutions, Nuclear & Environmental, and Oil & Gas groups. Headquartered in Newport News, Virginia, HII employs nearly 39,000 people operating both domestically and internationally.

 

General Characteristics

Builder General Dynamics Electric Boat Division and Huntington Ingalls Industries Inc. – Newport News Shipbuilding
Date Deployed October 3, 2004
Propulsion One GE PWR S9G* nuclear reactor, two turbines, one shaft; 40,000 hp/30 MW
Length 377 feet/114.8 m
Beam 33 feet/10.0584 m
Hull Diameter 34 feet/10.3632 m
Displacement Approximately 7,800 tons/7,925 metric tons submerged
Speed 25+ knots/28+ mph/46.3+ km/h
Diving Depth 800+ feet/244+ m
Crew 132: 15 officers; 117 enlisted
Armament: Tomahawk missiles Two 87-in/2.2 m Virginia Payload Tubes (VPTs), each capable of launching 6 Tomahawk cruise missiles
Armament: MK-48 ADCAP (Advanced Capability) Mod 7 heavyweight torpedoes 4 torpedo tubes
Weapons MK-60 CAPTOR (Encapsulated Torpedo) mines, advanced mobile mines and UUVs (Unmanned Underwater Vehicles)

* – Knolls Atomic Power Laboratories

 

Nuclear Submarine Lineup

 

Block III

Ship Yard Christening Commissioned Homeport
SSN-784 North Dakota EB 11-2-13 10-25-14 Groton, Connecticut
SSN-785 John Warner NNS 09-06-14 08-01-15 Norfolk, Virginia
SSN-786 Illinois EB 10-10-15 10-29-16 Pearl Harbor, Hawaii
SSN-787 Washington NNS 03-05-16 10-07-17 Norfolk, Virginia
SSN-788 Colorado EB 12-03-16 03-17-18
SSN-789 Indiana NNS 04-29-17
SSN-790 South Dakota EB Under Construction
SSN-791 Delaware NNS Under Construction

 

Navy

Black Shark

Leonardo will supply Black Shark Advanced (BSA) torpedoes and associated logistic support services to equip the Italian Navy’s U212A 2nd Series submarines. The new equipment will significantly increase the Anti-Submarine Warfare capability of the Navy.

Leonardo to Supply the Next-Generation Black Shark Advanced Torpedo to the Italian Navy
Leonardo to Supply the Next-Generation Black Shark Advanced Torpedo to the Italian Navy

The Black Shark Advanced is an evolution of the Black Shark heavy torpedo, already acquired by many countries including Chile, Indonesia, Malaysia, Portugal and Singapore.

This latest version integrates an innovative energy production section that can be optimised, according to the use of the system, for training or operational purposes. When the BSA is used for training activities, a newly developed rechargeable battery is used that allows a higher number of launches – up to one hundred – compared to that of previous versions, providing significant cost savings. In the operational configuration, the BSA is equipped with an innovative battery that ensures an increase in capabilities and performance. The new solution also delivers a significant reduction in life cycle costs.

Made in Italy at Leonardo’s Livorno plant, the Black Shark Advanced torpedo is an example of national excellence in the underwater defence sector and is the result of extensive and successful collaboration between the Italian Navy and industry.

Navy

Tamandaré Corvette

In order to meet the needs of the Brazilian Navy, Damen Schelde Naval Shipbuilding and Saab come together to develop the project that will supply four Tamandaré Class corvettes. The companies are world-leading references in the development of naval solutions.

Damen and Saab announce partnership to participate on the tender for the Tamandaré Class Corvette
Damen and Saab announce partnership to participate on the tender for the Tamandaré Class Corvette

Damen is a Dutch company and a global leader in shipbuilding that has supplied over 6,000 vessels. Over twenty navies throughout the world operate Damen-built vessels. The company will be responsible for supplying the ship Sigma 10514, proven platform that will be adapted to meet the demands of the client.

Saab is a Swedish company with more than 70 years of experience in the defence industry. Among other features, it will provide the Saab 9LV combat management system, used by navies from several countries and which is known for its flexibility and easy integration of third-party modules.

Damen is experienced in building its vessels with other partners at non-Damen yards with the Damen Technical Cooperation, which has worked on over 1,000 projects all over the world.

In addition to supplying the corvettes, the partner companies are proposing a thorough technology transfer programme for much of the project, which will benefit Brazil’s national defense industry.

The companies will be at RIDEX (Rio International Defense Exhibition), a security and defense fair that will be promoted in Rio de Janeiro, from June 27th to 29th, at a common space, where they will present details of the proposal that will be delivered on June 18th.

 

CHARACTERISTICS

DIMENSIONS
Length overall (o.a.) 345 feet/105.11 m
Beam Moulded (mld) 46.6 feet/14.2 m
Depth no.1 deck 28.7 feet/8.75 m
Draught (dwl) 12.1 feet/3.7 m
Displacement (dwl) 2,365 tonnes
PERFORMANCE
Speed (Maximum power) 28 knots/32 mph/52 km/h
Range at 14 knots/16 mph/26 km/h 5,000 NM/5,754 miles/9,260 km
Endurance 20 days at sea
PROPULSION SYSTEM
Propulsion type Combined Diesel or Electric (CODOE)
Diesel engines 2 × 10,000 kW Maximum Continuous Rating (MCR) Propulsion type
Electric motors 2 × 1300 kW
Gearbox 2 × double input input/single output
Propellers 2 × Controllable Pitch Propellers (CPP) diameter 12 feet/3.65 m
AUXILIARY SYSTEMS
Generator sets 6 × 715 kWE
Emergency gen. set 1 × 180 kWE
Chilled water system 2 × units, redundant distribution
Fire fighting 4 × main pumps +1 x service pump
Degaussing System
DECK EQUIPMENT
Helicopter deck Max. 10 tons helicopter, with lashing points
Helicopter operations day/night with refueling system
Helicopter hangar
RAS on helicopter deck PS&SB, astern fueling
Boats 2 × Rigid Hull Inflatable Boat (RHIB)
ACCOMMODATION
Fully air-conditioned accommodation for 120 persons
Commanding Officer 1
Officers 26
Chief Petty Officers 10
Petty Officers 36
Junior Ratings 29
Trainee Officers 18
Provisions for Nuclear, Biological and Chemical (NBC) citadel/decontamination
WEAPON & SENSOR SUITE
3D-Surveillance & target indication radar & Friend or Foe Identification (IFF)
Radar/electro optical fire control
Hull Mounted Sonar
Combat management system
Medium calibre gun 76-mm
1 × Close In Weapon System (CIWS)
2 × Surface-to-Surface Missile (SSM) launcher
12 cell Vertical Launching (VL) Short Range Air Defense (SHORADS)
2 × triple Torpedo launcher
Electronic Support Measures (ESM) & Electronic CounterMeasures (ECM)
2 × Decoys/chaff
Integrated internal & external communication system
NAUTICAL EQUIPMENT
Integrated bridge console, 2 × Radar, Electronic Chart Display & Information System (ECDIS), Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS-A3), reference gyro

 

Navy

Amphibious Combat

The U.S. Marine Corps has awarded BAE Systems a $198 million contract to deliver an initial 30 Amphibious Combat Vehicles (ACV), with options for a total of 204 vehicles which could be worth up to $1.2 billion.

BAE Systems team wins U.S. Marine Corps’ Amphibious Combat Vehicle competition
BAE Systems team wins U.S. Marine Corps’ Amphibious Combat Vehicle competition

BAE Systems, along with teammate Iveco Defence Vehicles, prevailed in the Marine Corps’ robust competition for the next generation of vehicles to get the Marines from ship to shore to engage in land combat operations.

«We are well positioned and ready to build the future of amphibious fighting vehicles for the Marine Corps, having already produced 16 prototypes», said Dean Medland, vice president and general manager of Combat Vehicles Amphibious and International at BAE Systems. «Through this award, we are proud to continue our partnership with the Marine Corps by providing a best-in-class vehicle to support its mission through mobility, survivability and lethality».

The ACV provides exceptional mobility in all terrains, and blast mitigation protection for all three crew and 13 embarked Marines, along with other improvements over currently fielded systems. The new vehicle is an advanced 8×8 open ocean-capable vehicle that is equipped with a new 6-cylinder, 700HP engine, which provides a significant power increase over the Assault Amphibious Vehicle, which is currently in service and has been in operation for decades. The ACV is also adaptable to accommodate growth for future technologies or requirements.

The BAE Systems team conducted its own extensive risk mitigation testing and evaluation for land mobility, survivability, and swim capabilities that proved its vehicle’s performance prior to delivering the first 16 prototypes to the Marine Corps in 2017.

Over the past 15 months, the company supported the Marine Corps’ rigorous Developmental Testing and Operational Assessment of the vehicles, which performed superbly in water and land operations, payload, and survivability.

Work on the program will be performed at the company’s facilities in Aiken, South Carolina; Sterling Heights, Michigan; Minneapolis; Stafford; San Jose, California; and York, Pennsylvania.

The Marine Corps’ selection of BAE Systems for the ACV 1.1 program further solidifies the company’s 70-year legacy of providing superior amphibious vehicle capabilities to meet ship-to-objective and combat tactical lift objectives. As a leading provider of combat vehicles, the company has produced more than 100,000 systems for customers worldwide. Iveco is also a proven manufacturer of combat vehicles, having designed and built more than 30,000 multi-purpose, protected, and armored military vehicles in service today.

 

Specifications

Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 67,500 lbs./30,617 kg
Payload up to 7,280 lbs./3,302 kg
Personnel capacity 13 + 3 crew
Speed
Paved road >65 mph/105 km/h
Open ocean 6 knots/6.9 mph/11.1 km/h
Range on road at 55 mph/89 km/h up to 325 miles/523 km
Range at sea followed by land up to 12 NM/13.8 miles/22.2 km followed by 250+ miles/402+ km on land
Turning radius 36-foot/11-meter curb to curb turning radius
Side slope >30%
Gradient >60%
Overall length 350 inches/8.9 m
Width 124 inches/3.1 m
Height (hull) 113 inches/2.8 m
Capable of operating in conditions up to Sea State 3 and through a nine-foot plunging surf

 

Ground Forces

Franco-German MBT

Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW) and Nexter welcome the announcement by the French and the German governments on the joint development of a new Main Ground Combat System (MGCS) and a new Common Indirect Fire System (CIFS). The Letter Of Intent (LOI) signed on June 19, 2018, is a significant step forward in the defense cooperation between the two countries and in Europe. This close cooperation was the key motivation for the foundation of KNDS in 2015, where Nexter and KMW cooperate as national system houses for land systems.

The European tank unveiled by KMW and Nexter at Eurosatory 2018 in Paris mates the three-man turret of the French Leclerc with the hull of the German Leopard 2A7, and symbolizes the future French-German tank (Twitter photo)
The European tank unveiled by KMW and Nexter at Eurosatory 2018 in Paris mates the three-man turret of the French Leclerc with the hull of the German Leopard 2A7, and symbolizes the future French-German tank (Twitter photo)

MGCS will develop a new generation of Main Battle Tanks (MBTs), providing their users enhanced, innovative, and best-in-class systems with the most advanced technologies. Thus, Germany and France are jointly launching the most strategic project in European land defense for the 30 years to come, a program package that will shape the future of European armies’ main combat capabilities and contribute to Europe’s sovereignty and strategic autonomy.

The skills and background of KMW and Nexter qualify both companies as suitable and particularly powerful and pivotal industrial partners for the Franco-German landsystem-program MGCS. Thus, in close cooperation with leading technology companies, KMW and Nexter will substantially contribute to a strengthened European defense capability.

The agreement of both nations to capitalize on the success of the German and French MBT programs and to base the industrial leadership for the MGCS program in Germany demonstrates the strong commitment towards a unique European cooperation in land systems. Beyond that, it strengthens Europe’s excellence in providing leading edge land-systems-technologies for the years to come.

Navy

Navy Accepts

The U.S. Navy accepted delivery of future guided-missile destroyer USS Thomas Hudner (DDG-116) from shipbuilder General Dynamics Bath Iron Works (BIW), June 15.

Navy Accepts Delivery of Future USS Thomas Hudner (DDG-116)
Navy Accepts Delivery of Future USS Thomas Hudner (DDG-116)

DDG-116 is named in honor of the late Captain Thomas Jerome Hudner Jr. (Ret.), naval aviator and Medal of Honor recipient. Captain Hudner received the Medal of Honor for his actions during the Battle of Chosin Reservoir in the Korean War when he crashed his plane in an effort to save the life of his wingman, Ensign Jesse L. Brown, the Navy’s first African American aviator. Captain Hudner was laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery with full military honors on April 4, 2018.

During the delivery ceremony, a flag was raised onboard USS Thomas Hudner (DDG-116), which was previously flown over Arlington National Cemetery by Hudner’s former squadron, and also previously flown on USS Constitution December 4, 2017, in honor of the day Hudner attempted rescue of Brown.

«The delivery of the future USS Thomas Hudner represents a very special milestone in this shipbuilding program», said Captain Casey Moton, DDG-51 class program manager, Program Executive Office (PEO) Ships. «The ship honors the legacy and heroism of Capt. Hudner and also represents the proud efforts of the shipbuilders at BIW. As the ship now prepares to sailaway and enter the fleet, it will continue the strong Aegis tradition in serving our Navy for decades to come».

DDG-116 is the 66th Arleigh Burke-class destroyer and the fourth DDG-51 Flight IIA restart ships to deliver. The ship is equipped with Aegis Baseline 9 combat system, which includes an Integrated Air and Missile Defense capability incorporating Ballistic Missile Defense 5.0 and Naval Integrated Fire Control-Counter Air. Aegis Baseline 9 IAMD destroyers have increased computing power, along with radar upgrades which improve detection and reaction capabilities against modern anti-air warfare and ballistic missile defense threats. These capabilities are designed to provide the U.S. Navy with a 21st century fighting edge.

BIW is currently constructing four additional Arleigh Burke-class destroyers USS Daniel Inouye (DDG-118), USS Carl M. Levin (DDG-120), USS John Basilone (DDG-122) and USS Harvey C. Barnum, Jr. (DDG-124), as well as future Zumwalt class destroyers USS Michael Monsoor (DDG-1001) and USS Lyndon B. Johnson (DDG-1002).

As one of the Defense Department’s largest acquisition organizations, PEO Ships is responsible for executing the development and procurement of all destroyers, amphibious ships, special mission and support ships, boats and craft.

 

Ship Characteristics

Length Overall 510 feet/156 m
Beam – Waterline 59 feet/18 m
Draft 30.5 feet/9.3 m
Displacement – Full Load 9,217 tons/9,363 metric tons
Power Plant 4 General electric LM 2500-30 gas turbines; 2 shafts; 2 CRP (Contra-Rotating) propellers; 100,000 shaft horsepower/75,000 kW
Speed in excess of 30 knots/34.5 mph/55.5 km/h
Range 4,400 NM/8,149 km at 20 knots/23 mph/37 km/h
Crew 380 total: 32 Officers, 27 CPO (Chief Petty Officer), 321 OEM
Surveillance SPY-1D Phased Array Radar and Aegis Combat System (Lockheed Martin); SPS-73(V) Navigation; SPS-67(V)3 Surface Search; 3 SPG-62 Illuminator; SQQ-89(V)6 sonar incorporating SQS-53C hull mounted and SQR-19 towed array sonars used with Mark-116 Mod 7 ASW fire control system
Electronics/Countermeasures SLQ-32(V)3; Mark-53 Mod 0 Decoy System; Mark-234 Decoy System; SLQ-25A Torpedo Decoy; SLQ-39 Surface Decoy; URN-25 TACAN; UPX-29 IFF System; Kollmorgen Mark-46 Mod 1 Electro-Optical Director
Aircraft 2 embarked SH-60 helicopters ASW operations; RAST (Recovery Assist, Secure and Traverse)
Armament 2 Mark-41 Vertical Launching System (VLS) with 90 Standard, Vertical Launch ASROC (Anti-Submarine Rocket) & Tomahawk ASM (Air-to-Surface Missile)/LAM (Loitering Attack Missile); 5-in (127-mm)/54 (62) Mark-45 gun; 2 (1) CIWS (Close-In Weapon System); 2 Mark-32 triple 324-mm torpedo tubes for Mark-46 or Mark-50 ASW torpedos

 

Guided Missile Destroyers Lineup

 

Flight IIA: Technology Insertion

Ship Yard Launched Commissioned Homeport
DDG-116 Thomas Hudner GDBIW 04-01-17
DDG-117 Paul Ignatius HIIIS 11-12-16
DDG-118 Daniel Inouye GDBIW
DDG-119 Delbert D. Black HIIIS 09-08-17
DDG-120 Carl M. Levin GDBIW
DDG-121 Frank E. Peterson Jr. HIIIS
DDG-122 John Basilone GDBIW
DDG-123 Lenah H. Sutcliffe Higbee HIIIS