Monthly Archives: March 2021

Air, Navy, Unmanned Systems

MUAS for Australia

Northrop Grumman Australia and Leonardo Australia’s team has been shortlisted to proceed to the next phase of the SEA129 Phase 5 program for the acquisition of a Maritime Unmanned Aerial System (MUAS) designed to deliver a deployable Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance and Targeting (ISR&T) capability to the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). The Northrop Grumman and Leonardo proposal will enhance capability effects and tactical decision-making during RAN maritime operations.

Leonardo AWHERO
Leonardo AWHERO – First Ocean 2020 sea trial demonstration (Source: Leonardo S.p.A.)

Northrop Grumman brings decades of unmatched expertise delivering and sustaining unmanned and manned aerial systems for customers in Australia and across the globe , said Christine Zeitz, general manager, Asia Pacific, Northrop Grumman. We are confident our MUAS offering delivers world-class capability that addresses the RAN’s ISR&T mission requirements and optimises Australian industry capability .

Without a doubt, the quality of equipment, as well as manufacturing processes, should surpass ordinary industry standards to ensure that the end product remains robust and matches the high-level requirements of the RAN. When working to produce Intelligence mechanisms and machines for the Australian Defence Force, a certain level of excellence is a natural expectation. Companies that strive on this front should ideally be recognised as the authority in this field, and maintain quality standards by obtaining necessary certifications through iso 9001 quality management systems in Australia, among others, to truly stand out as a contender.

The Northrop Grumman and Leonardo team’s proposal includes the state-of-the-art AWHero MUAS platform and subsystems, a capability specifically designed to operate in complex maritime environments. The AWHero is based on a mature and modular architecture that allows a wide and easily reconfigurable range of payloads including Leonardo’s Maritime Radar for unmatched ISR&T area coverage.

The team’s offering also includes an exportable variant of Northrop Grumman’s ground-breaking Distributed Autonomy/Responsive Control (DA/RC) command and control system. Integrated with the ship, control station and aircraft, DA/RC will deliver enhanced and automated tactical decision making to the RAN to help outmatch threats in a complex, unpredictable threat environment. The collaborative autonomy software will also be incorporated in Northrop Grumman Australia’s distributed systems integration laboratory which will provide the RAN and Australian industry a collaborative development environment to effectively exploit evolving technologies.

We are excited to join forces with Northrop Grumman and Australian industry partners, further strengthening our collaborative approach in Australia , said Brian McEachen, VP Military Sales Asia-Pacific, Leonardo Helicopters. The integrated capability of the AWHero leverages Leonardo’s expertise in rotorcraft, system integration, UAS and operations in the maritime domain, which combined with Northrop Grumman’s extensive portfolio of world-leading capabilities and technologies will provide the Royal Australian Navy with a level of advanced MUAS-based ISR&T they seek both now and into the future .

An integral part of the Northrop Grumman and Leonardo proposal is a commitment to maximising Australian industry participation. A robust and reliable domestic support network of proven industry members will be engaged in the production, delivery, sustainment and follow-on development of sovereign MUAS capability to the Australian Defence Force to meet the RAN’s current and future needs.

Northrop Grumman solves the toughest problems in space, aeronautics, defense and cyberspace to meet the ever evolving needs of our customers worldwide. Our 97,000 employees define possible every day using science, technology and engineering to create and deliver advanced systems, products and services.

Ground Forces

Arctic strategy

The Army is currently conducting a gap analysis as part of its new Arctic strategy to identify if any new equipment or training sites will be needed or expanded to prepare Soldiers for upcoming missions in extreme cold weather.

509th Parachute Infantry Regiment
Paratroopers from the 509th Parachute Infantry Regiment attack the Combined Arms Collective Training Facility in the Donnelly Training Area, Alaska, February 11, 2021, as part of the Arctic Warrior exercise. The Army is currently conducting a gap analysis as part of its new Arctic strategy to identify if any new equipment or training sites will be needed or expanded to prepare Soldiers for upcoming missions in extreme cold weather (John Pennell)

Army leaders recently announced the release of an Arctic strategy, which outlines how the service will support the Defense Department’s Arctic strategy published in 2019. It also discusses how Soldiers and units will be able to regain cold weather capabilities after years of counterinsurgency operations in the Middle East.

Last month, Army officials carried out a gap analysis during the Arctic Warrior exercise in Alaska that examined any shortfalls of equipment required for the harsh region, said Colonel J.P. Clark, chief of the strategy division within the Army G-3/5/7.

Some equipment needs may be addressed in the next presidential budget, while long-term efforts, such as creating a multi-domain task force for the region, may take years to manifest, he said Wednesday during a media roundtable.

While there are no current plans to station more Soldiers in Alaska, a decision on that could occur within a year. About 11,600 Soldiers now serve in Alaska, which has the majority of permanent Army forces in the Arctic and sub-Arctic areas.

«Those options are being worked for the Army senior leaders and we expect there will be an announcement for that probably later this year or even next», he said.

The strategy will also dig deeper on if training sites in Alaska, including the Northern Warfare Training Center, should be modified to meet requirements.

«There are a number of training areas that provide a great opportunity to do this training in Alaska», said Elizabeth Felling, a strategic planner in the Army G-3/5/7. «The Northern Warfare Training Center is the proponent for cold region training for the Army. How we utilize those training areas is something we’re really going to be looking at».

Much of the training will be based on survival skills and being able to operate in one of the most extreme climates in the world, Clark said.

«We want every Soldier who is assigned to an arctic-capable unit to have those basic capabilities», he said.

The Army can also lean on its partnerships to better prepare its units for this type of warfare.

«This is where we can gain a lot from our allies and partners», Clark said. The «Canadians, Norwegians and Swedes have very impressive capabilities on how they build a unit to fight and win in this region».

While subzero temperatures may impact operations, Soldiers can also face other challenges during missions.

«We tend to kind of gravitate towards the extreme cold weather, but actually a lot of what we hear, in terms of mobility, it’s the summer months that are actually the most difficult», Clark said.

When frozen, waterways can be used as logistical routes for ground vehicles, especially due to the lack of roads in remote parts of Alaska. Those routes can then disappear when the weather warms up.

The high latitudes of the region can also affect satellite coverage. «That is an underserved area for some of the space support that we depend on», he said.

The north magnetic pole could even limit certain electronic items that may otherwise work elsewhere, he said, adding the Army plans to work with other military branches to find solutions.

Arctic-capable formations could also train with partners in mountainous parts of the world, Felling said.

«When they’re properly trained and equipped, we can ensure an arctic-capable formation is ready to meet the demands of our geographic combatant commanders around the globe, wherever those may be», she said.

Navy

Fighting Dragon

According to Navy Recognition, on March 24, 2021, Japan Ministry of Defense Nakayama attended the commission ceremony for the new submarine JS Tōryū (SS-512), the 12th submarine of Sōryū-class and instructed to the crew.

JS Tōryū (SS-512)
Defense state Minister Nakayama attended the commission ceremony for the new submarine JS Tōryū (SS-512)

JS Tōryū (SS-512) is the 12th and final Sōryū-class submarine produced for the JMSDF (the 6th built by Kawasaki Heavy Industries, the other 6 having been built by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries). «Tōryū» means «Fighting Dragon». The name of Tōryū is derived from the famous scenic dragon fighting in Kato City, Hyogo Prefecture, where the torrent of the Kako River flows between strangely shaped rocks.

The ship, built for 69 billion yen, has a displacement of 2,950 tons and a total length of 275.6 feet/84 meters and a width of 29.8 feet/9.1 meters. It is capable of navigating at about 20 knots/23 mph/37 km/h when submerged and 12 knots/14 mph/22 km/h when surfaced. The power source uses a lithium-ion battery, which has excellent submarine capabilities and automates the system. The Submarine is equipped with a Kawasaki 12V 25/25SB type diesel engine and another Kawasaki Kokkamusu V4-275R Stirling engine four.

The Sōryū-class is a diesel-electric submarine built by the Japanese companies Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Kawasaki Shipbuilding Corporation for the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF). It is an improved version of the Oyashio Class submarine. The keel for the first Sōryū-class submarine was laid down in March 2005 and launched in December 2007 and commissioned in March 2009.

The Sōryū-class is equipped with six HU-606 533-mm torpedo tubes that can fire Type 89 heavyweight homing torpedoes and UGM-84 Harpoon anti-ship missiles. It has an optronic mast and ZPS-6F surface/low-level air search radar for detection of enemy Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) and maritime patrol craft, as well as the Hughes/Oki ZQQ-7 sonar suite incorporating one bow-mounted sonar array and four flank sonar arrays.

The Sōryū-class submarine has a range of 6,100 nautical miles/7,020 miles/11,297 km and can reportedly dive to a depth of 2,132 feet/650 m, or two-fifths of a mile.

Missiles & Guided Weapons, Rocket

Next Generation
Interceptor

The Department of Defense has awarded two contracts to Northrop Grumman Systems Corp. and Lockheed Martin Corp. in support of the Next Generation Interceptor (NGI) program. With an estimated maximum value of $1.6 billion through fiscal year 2022, this contract award is structured to carry two designs into the technology development and risk reduction phase of the acquisition program to reduce technical and schedule risk. This award will ensure NGI is an efficient and effective part of an integrated Missile Defense System (MDS) solution.

Next Generation Interceptor
The MDA down selects Northrop Grumman Systems Corp. and Lockheed Martin Corp. teams to deliver Next Generation Interceptor

The Missile Defense Agency awards on March 23, 2021 support the department’s goal of increased competition by funding two designs while remaining flexible to align with evolving Defense Department strategies and priorities.

«Today’s awards are an important step in modernizing our Missile Defense System», said Stacy Cummings, performing the duties of Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment. «NGI plays an important role in our homeland defense, and our acquisition strategy is ensuring the department maximizes innovation to keep pace with rapidly advancing threats».

As the ground-based midcourse missile defense system, NGI is an advanced interceptor designed to protect the nation against intercontinental ballistic missile attack. The department will uphold «fly before you buy» principles to ensure the overall system and components have been rigorously flight-tested prior to making any procurement decisions.

«NGI is the result of the first holistic technical assessment of homeland defenses the department has conducted since initial system operations began in 2004», added Vice Admiral Jon Hill, Director, Missile Defense Agency. «By planning to carry two vendors through technology development, MDA will maximize the benefits of competition to deliver the most effective and reliable homeland defense missile to the warfighter as soon as possible. Once fielded, this new homeland defense interceptor will be capable of defeating expected threat advances into the 2030s and beyond».

Space

Space-Based 5G

Omnispace, LLC and Lockheed Martin, have entered into a strategic interest agreement to explore jointly developing 5G capability from space. The proposed global 5G standards-based Non-Terrestrial Network (NTN) would offer commercial, enterprise and government devices ubiquitous communications worldwide. This type of network has the potential to redefine mobile communications, benefiting users requiring true mobility, regardless of environment or location.

5G NTN
Lockheed Martin And Omnispace Explore Space-Based 5G Global Network

Omnispace’s vision is ‘one global network’ that will combine the reach of a non-geostationary orbit satellite constellation with the capacity of the world’s leading mobile wireless carrier networks. This 5G NTN will leverage the company’s priority 2 GHz S-band spectrum rights and employ 3GPP standards to enable direct-to-device connectivity and interoperability. In collaboration with Lockheed Martin, this hybrid 5G network would provide the coverage and capacity to support essential applications requiring seamless, reliable, global communications.

«Omnispace is fully committed to the vision of creating a new global communications platform that powers 5G connectivity directly to mobile devices from space», said Ram Viswanathan, president and CEO for Omnispace. «We welcome Lockheed Martin’s holistic approach to complex systems and deep expertise in satellite technology and government markets, along with their commitment to creating innovative communication solutions».

Seamless, global 5G connectivity has a wide range of civil and commercial applications. It also brings the coverage and capacity to support defense, government and military use, including mobile joint all-domain interoperable communications.

«We share a common vision with Omnispace of a space-based 5G global network that would enable users to seamlessly transition between satellite and terrestrial networks – eliminating the need for multiple devices on multiple networks», said Rick Ambrose, executive vice president of Lockheed Martin Space. «Ultimately, it’s about empowering end users with low latency connections that work anywhere. This step forward has the potential to upend space-based mobility».

Through a shared vision to redefine mobile communications for the 21st century, Omnispace and Lockheed Martin are collaborating to deliver a potential global 5G from space solution. This would be the first truly dual-use 5G platform for commercial and government missions.

The Ultimate High Ground: 5G in Space

Air, Navy

Growler Modification

The F/A-18 & EA-18G Program Office (PMA-265) commenced the five-year Growler Capability Modification (GCM) program at Naval Air Station (NAS) Whidbey Island, Washington. This kicks off the first major effort to upgrade the capabilities of the EA-18G Growler in the history of the platform.

EA-18G Growler
The first EA-18G Growler is inducted into Growler Capability Modification at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Washington on March 3 (Courtesy photo from The Boeing Company)

«As the first major upgrade to the platform since its inception, the GCM will allow the Growler community to maintain the advantage in the electromagnetic spectrum and lay the basis for future upgrades to keep the aircraft relevant into 2040», said Commander Chris Gierhart, PMA-265 Growler Systems Integration lead.

The EA-18G Growler, a variant of the F/A-18F Super Hornet, will receive multiple modifications, which support the upcoming fleet release of the Next Generation Jammer Mid-Band (NGJ-MB) pod (AN/ALQ-249(V) 1). These modifications focus on updating the jets’ Airborne Electronic Attack (AEA) and mission systems, enabling future capability growth for the U.S. Navy’s 160 EA-18Gs that serve a critical role in jamming radar and communications signals of threat forces, hindering their ability to detect and track U.S. and allied military forces. GCM will integrate advanced datalinks and the NGJ-MB pod, providing a considerable increase in electronic attack capability over the Growler’s current AN/ALQ-99 Tactical Jamming Systems pod, which has been in use since the 1970s.

«These modifications provide the warfighter a significant leap in capability across the electromagnetic spectrum, improving combat support to front-line strike fighters of U.S. joint and allied forces», said Gierhart.

GCM is comprised of multiple Engineering Change Proposals across several of the EA-18G aircraft systems. The very first EA-18G production aircraft delivered to the U.S. Navy in 2007 was the first aircraft inducted for GCM.

No major aircraft modification line previously existed at NAS Whidbey Island, the EA-18G Growler fleet homeport. The PMA-265 team took on the challenge of standing up the operational GCM line, on-site. In addition to coordinating with NAS Whidbey Island, PMA-265 also worked closely with AEA Systems Program Office (PMA-234), Commander Electronic Attack Wing Pacific, Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane, Indiana, Fleet Readiness Center Northwest, and industry partner The Boeing Company, to ensure overall cost, schedule and performance metrics are met.

«The team’s diligence and extensive coordination resulted in a cross-organizational solution that brought in the required support equipment, facility upgrades and workforce, all during the restrictions and protocols associated with the COVID-19 pandemic», said Captain Stephen May, PMA-265 EA-18G Growler deputy program manager.

«We’re excited to get this effort underway to ensure the latest technologies are incorporated into the EA-18G Growler, giving our warfighter the tools needed to be successful in every mission».

Air

Light Utility Helicopter

Airbus Helicopters has handed over the seventh and last H145 for the Search And Rescue (SAR) service of the Bundeswehr to the Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support (BAAINBw) on time. The previously delivered helicopters are used for training and field testing and are available 24/7 at the Niederstetten and Nörvenich air bases for rescue operations. Operations with the new H145 Light Utility Helicopter (LUH) SAR will begin shortly, as planned, at the third SAR station in Holzdorf.

H145 LUH SAR
Airbus delivers seventh H145 for the German Armed Forces’ Search and Rescue service

«We are pleased that we have completed this order from start to finish on time and within budget and that the commissioning is proceeding according to plan», said Wolfgang Schoder, CEO of Airbus Helicopters Germany. «The feedback we have received from our customers has been very positive. Because of their flexibility and very high availability, the helicopters of the H145 family have proven themselves in the Bundeswehr. We see considerably more possibilities for a wide range of tasks in all branches of the armed forces for the reliable model».

Among other features, the helicopters are equipped with high-performance cameras, searchlights, emergency beacon locator systems, a full suite of medical equipment, rescue winches, and load hooks that can be used for fire-extinguishing tanks, for example. They are easy to identify thanks to the characteristic bright orange paintwork on their doors, featuring ‘SAR’ in blue lettering.

 

Technical Description

Fast cruise speed at Maximum TakeOff Weight (MTOW) 129 knots/149 mph/240 km/h
Maximum range with standard fuel tanks 345 NM/396 miles/638 km
Maximum endurance with standard fuel tanks 3:32
MTOW 8,378 lbs./3800 kg
Useful load 4,200 lbs./1,905 kg
MTOW with external load 8,378 lbs./3800 kg
Maximum seating capacity 2+10
Sling capacity 3,527 lbs./1,600 kg
Engine 2 × Safran Helicopter Engines Arriel
2E turboshaft
Maximum TakeOff Power (per engine) 667 kW/894 shp
Maximum emergency power (O.E.I) 800 kW/1,072 shp
Usable fuel capacity 1,593.9 lbs./723 kg

 

Navy

Block V Virginia-class

General Dynamics Electric Boat Corp., Groton, Connecticut, is awarded a $2,417,500,565 fixed-price incentive modification to previously awarded contract N00024-17-C-2100 to exercise an option for the construction of a 10th Block V Virginia-class submarine with Virginia Payload Module.

Block V Virginia-class
The U.S. Navy inks a deal for a tenth Block V Virginia-class submarine

On 2 December 2019, the Navy announced an order for nine new Virginia-class submarines – nine Block Vs – for a total contract price of $22 billion with an option for a tenth boat.

Electric Boat Corp. will continue to subcontract with Huntington Ingalls Industries – Newport News Shipbuilding. Work will be performed in:

  • Newport News, Virginia (34%);
  • Quonset Point, Rhode Island (14%);
  • Sunnyvale, California (7%);
  • Groton, Connecticut (7%);
  • Annapolis, Maryland (1%);
  • Norfolk, Virginia (1%);
  • Tucson, Arizona (1%);

Bethlehem, Pennsylvania (1%), with other efforts performed at various sites (each less than 1%) throughout the U.S. (33%) and other areas outside of the U.S. (1%).

Work is expected to be complete by February 2030:

  • fiscal 2021 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funds in the amount of $2,139,601,847 (79%);
  • fiscal 2020 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funds in the amount of $388,281,954 (14%);
  • fiscal 2019 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funds in the amount of $174,049,792 (6%);
  • fiscal 2018 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funds in the amount of $18,844,873 (1%) will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year.

These include funding for previously announced long lead time material and economic ordering quantity material. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity.

Navy

First Knifefish system

General Dynamics Mission Systems recently delivered the first Knifefish Surface Mine CounterMeasure Unmanned Underwater Vehicle (SMCM UUV) system under a contract awarded by the U.S. Navy on August 26, 2019. The contract, awarded immediately after a successful Milestone C decision and approval to enter Low-Rate Initial Production (LRIP), calls for the procurement of five Knifefish systems (10 total UUVs) and support equipment.

Knifefish SMCM
First Knifefish system delivered to U.S. Navy six months after final acceptance test completed

Knifefish SMCM is a medium-class mine countermeasure UUV intended for deployment from the U.S. Navy’s Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) and other Navy vessels of opportunity. Knifefish SMCM will reduce risk to personnel by operating within minefields as an off-board sensor while the host ship stays outside the minefield boundaries.

«Together with the U. S. Navy’s Program Executive Office for Unmanned and Small Combatants, our Knifefish team has worked to deliver critical mine countermeasure mission capabilities to protect our Sailors», said Carlo Zaffanella, vice president and general manager at General Dynamics Mission Systems. «We designed Knifefish using an open architecture concept that can be quickly and efficiently modified to accommodate a wide range of missions».

General Dynamics Mission Systems is the prime contractor for the Knifefish program. The company designed the tactical UUV using an open architecture concept that can be quickly and efficiently modified to accommodate a wide range of missions. The Knifefish SMCM UUV is based on the General Dynamics Bluefin Robotics Bluefin-21 deep-water autonomous undersea vehicle.

General Dynamics Mission Systems, a business unit of General Dynamics (GD), provides mission critical solutions to the challenges facing our defense, intelligence and cyber security customers across all domains. Headquartered in Fairfax, Virginia, General Dynamics Mission Systems employs more than 12,000 people worldwide.

Navy

Aegis equipped ship

According to Naval News, 19 March, 2021, the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) held the Ship Commissioning ceremony of the JS Haguro (DDG-180) at Yokohama Shipyard, Japan Marine United Corporation. She is named after Mt. Haguro of Yamagata Prefecture.

JS Haguro (DDG-180)
Japan commissions new Maya-class AEGIS destroyer JS Haguro (DDG-180)

JS Haguro (DDG-180) is the second and final vessel of the Maya-class of destroyers. It is also the eighth Aegis destroyer of the JMSDF. Her keel was laid in January 2018 and she was launched on July 17th 2019. First ship-in-class, JS Maya (DDG-179) was commissioned on March 19 2020. The new class of destroyers comes with ballistic missile defense (BMD) capabilities. Each unit costs around US $1,5 Bn and were being built at the Japan Marine United Corporation’s (JMU’s) shipyard at Isogo Ward in Yokohama.

The Maya-class will be limited to just two ships. The next Japanese vessels to feature Aegis are the still unspecified «Aegis equipped ships» that will likely be ordered as a consequence to the cancelation of Aegis Ashore.

Like her sister-ship, the vessel is named after a mountain: Mount Haguro (Haguro-san). The previous vessel to bear this name was the famous heavy cruiser Haguro of the Imperial Japanese Navy. Commissioned in 1929, Haguro saw significant service during World War II, participating in nine naval engagements. She was sunk in 1945 during a fight with Royal Navy destroyers, one of the last major Japanese warships to be sunk in open waters during World War II.

Contrary to JS Maya (DDG-179) Haguro’s hull number is painted in low visibility.

Originally known as 27DDG (this means that she was built in the FY2015 budget), this new project of improved Aegis destroyers started in 2015. The new destroyer class is 170 meters/558 feet long and displaces standard 8332 tons (10,414 tons full load). She operates with a crew of 310 sailors, and features a COmbined Gas turbine-eLectric And Gas turbine (COGLAG) propulsion system.

This new destroyer class will be limited to two units named after famous mountains in Japan: The first ship-in-class, JS Maya (DDG-179), had its keel laid in April 2017, was launched on July 30th 2018 and commissioned with the JMSDF on 19 March this year. Its sistership, JS Haguro (DDG-180) had its keel laid in January 2018, was launched on July 17th 2019 and is currently conducting sea trials.

Each ship costs around US $1,5 Bn and both were being built at the Japan Marine United (JMU) shipyard at Isogo Ward in Yokohama. The Maya-class is the first of JMSDF’s Aegis destroyers fitted with Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) capabilities from the design stage, and is also the first of Japan’s AEGIS fleet to be equipped with Cooperative Engagement Capability (CEC) from the start. The CEC allows the ship to receive targeting information from other assets, such as U.S. Navy and Royal Australian Navy AEGIS destroyers or American and Japanese E-2D AEW&C aircraft. Japan has four E-2D Advanced Hawkeye aircraft on order, with the first one delivered on March 29 to the Japan Air Self-Defense Force.

Fitted with the AEGIS Baseline J7 combat system, the AN/SPY-1D(V) passive electronically scanned array radar and the AN/SPQ-9B surface search radar, the Maya-class destroyers is able to fire the latest iteration of Raytheon’s SM-3 ballistic defense missile. Being jointly developed by the U.S. and Japan, the SM-3 Block IIA features larger rocket motors that will allow it to defend broader areas from ballistic missile threats and a larger kinetic warhead.

The Maya-class features 96 cells of Mk41 VLS (64 cells forward and 32 cells aft). Other weapon systems of the Maya-class include:

  • SM-6 also known as RIM-174 Standard Extended Range Active Missile (ERAM);
  • SM-2MR Block IIIB Surface to Air Missiles;
  • Type 07 Vertical Launch Anti-submarine rocket;
  • Type 90/17 anti-ship missiles;
  • Mk 45 Mod 4 127-mm main gun;
  • 2x Phalanx Close-In Weapon System (CIWS);
  • 2x HOS-302 triple torpedo tubes (for Mk-46 or Type 73 torpedoes).

The SM-6 is a multi-mission missile that can engage both air and surface targets. According to our Japanese sources, SM-6 was scheduled to be procured in Japan’s defense budget of FY2019, but procurement was postponed due to shortage of SM-6 parts in the United States. Japan is set to become the first export customer of this missile type. SM-6, SM-3 and SM-2 are all designed and produced by Raytheon.

As we reported recently, the Maya-class destroyers will feature a cooperative table developed by Japanese company Fujitsu. Placed in the CIC, this table will be used for mission planning, among other tasks.

For electronic warfare, the Maya-class is fitted with NOLQ-2C Electronic Support Measures and Mk.137 decoy launchers. The Maya-class is not fitted with any Electronic CounterMeasures (ESM) system.

For anti-submarine warfare, the Maya-class is equipped with an AN/SQS-53C bow sonar and a Multi-Function Towed Array (MFTA) sonar at the stern.

Last but not least, the Maya-class would typically deploy with an SH-60K maritime helicopter.