Monthly Archives: August 2022

Air, Navy

Next Generation Jammer

The U.S. Navy’s first AN/ALQ-249 Next Generation Jammer Mid-Band (NGJ-MB) production representative pods arrived at the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD) Patuxent River, Maryland, July 7.

AN/ALQ-249
From left: Kennie Martinez and Marc Dannemiller, Raytheon Intelligence & Space employees, unbox the first of two Next Generation Jammer Mid-Band fleet representative pods that were delivered to the Airborne Electronic Attack Systems (PMA-234) pod shop at Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Patuxent River, Maryland, July 7 (U.S. Navy photo)

The two fleet representative test articles, which make up an NGJ-MB shipset, were delivered to the Airborne Electronic Attack Systems Program Office (PMA-234) pod shop where they will be used to complete the Developmental Test (DT) program and commence Operational Test (OT) that requires the use of operationally representative hardware and software.

Lieutenant Alexander Belbin, AEA project officer with NAWCAD’s Air Test and Evaluation Squadron (VX) 23 said he’s most looking forward to being able to test what the fleet is getting.

«We will test the pods for everything we expect to encounter in the fleet», said Belbin. «For example, the power they generate, the frequency range they operate in, and the effects we can achieve against expected targets across the spectrum».

The remainder of DT will be conducted by VX-23 and VX-31, located at the Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division, China Lake, California, and OT will be conducted by VX-9 at Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake. To date, NGJ-MB has successfully completed more than 300 hours of developmental flight testing and has more than 5,000 hours of chamber and lab testing using the Engineering Development Models that were designed specifically for DT.

NGJ-MB is part of a larger system that will augment and ultimately replace the legacy ALQ-99 Tactical Jamming System currently used on the EA-18G Growler.

Belbin said NGJ-MB’s increased power and capacity to target multiple systems will be significant enhancements over the ALQ-99.

«I have flown the Growler in the fleet and will eventually be going back. I may one day fly missions with the very pods that we will be testing for the first time», Belbin said.

The U.S. Navy will receive six shipsets from Raytheon Intelligence & Space, the original equipment manufacturer. Once the flight test program is complete, the pods will be sent to the fleet in conjunction with the first Low Rate Initial Production (LRIP) shipsets for Initial Operational Capability (IOC), which is scheduled for fall 2023.

«It is imperative we deliver this game-changing electronic warfare capability to the warfighter as quickly as possible», said Captain Dave Rueter, PMA-234 program manager. «Receiving the production representative pods allows us to finish the flight test program and ensure we have a reliable product for the U.S. Navy and our Royal Australian Air Force cooperative partners».

Space

American-built first-stage

Northrop Grumman Corporation and Firefly Aerospace have joined forces to provide an American-built first-stage upgrade for the Antares rocket and a new medium launch vehicle to serve commercial, civil and national security space launch markets.

Antares
Northrop Grumman Teams with Firefly Aerospace to Develop Antares Rocket Upgrade and New Medium Launch Vehicle

«Through our collaboration, we will first develop a fully domestic version of our Antares rocket, the Antares 330, for Cygnus space station commercial resupply services, followed by an entirely new medium class launch vehicle», said Scott Lehr, vice president and general manager, launch and missile defense systems, Northrop Grumman. «Northrop Grumman and Firefly have been working on a combined strategy and technical development plan to meet current and future launch requirements».

Firefly’s propulsion technology utilizes the same propellants as the current Antares rocket, which minimizes launch site upgrades. The Antares 330 will utilize seven of Firefly’s Miranda engines and leverage its composites technology for the first stage structures and tanks, while Northrop Grumman provides its proven avionics and software, upper-stage structures and Castor 30XL motor, as well as proven vehicle integration and launch pad operations. This new stage will also significantly increase Antares mass to orbit capability.

«Firefly prides itself on being a disrupter in the new space industry and collaborating with a proven space pioneer like Northrop Grumman will help us continue that disruption», said Peter Schumacher, interim CEO, Firefly.

The Antares 330 performance upgrade will enable Northrop Grumman to continue to support the company’s current contracts while planning for future mission capabilities.

Firefly Aerospace is an emerging end-to-end space transportation company focused on developing a family of launch vehicles, in-space vehicles, and services to provide industry-leading affordability, convenience, and reliability to its government and commercial customers. Firefly’s launch vehicles, combined with their in-space vehicles, such as the Space Utility Vehicle (SUV) and Blue Ghost Lunar Lander, provide the space industry with a single source for missions from LEO to the surface of the Moon and beyond.

Northrop Grumman is a technology company, focused on global security and human discovery. Our pioneering solutions equip our customers with capabilities they need to connect, advance and protect the U.S. and its allies. Driven by a shared purpose to solve our customers’ toughest problems, our 90,000 employees define possible every day.

Navy

U.S. Navy Ships

General Dynamics National Steel and Shipbuilding Company (NASSCO), a subsidiary of General Dynamics (GD), announced on August 05, 2022 that it received $1.4 billion in U.S. Navy contract modifications for construction of a sixth Expeditionary Sea Base ship (ESB-8) and two additional John Lewis-class fleet oilers (T-AO 211 and 212). This award comes in addition to $600 million already received to procure long-lead time materials for the same ships. The contract modification also provides an option for the Navy to procure an additional oiler, T-AO-213, bringing the total potential value to $2.7 billion for the four ships.

Lewis B. Puller-class
Contract modifications provide full funding for three ships – ESB-8, T-AO-211, and T-AO-212; and an option to build T-AO-213

«NASSCO is committed to working together with the Navy to deliver these much needed ships to the fleet», said Dave Carver, President of General Dynamics NASSCO. «As partners with the Navy, we remain dedicated to ensuring the success of both of these programs to help enhance and expand the Navy’s forward presence and warfighting capabilities while providing sustained growth for our workforce».

Construction of the four ships is scheduled to begin in the third quarter of 2023 and continue into 2027.

In 2011, the Navy awarded NASSCO with a contract to design and build the first two ships in the newly created Mobile Landing Platform program, the USNS Montford Point (T-ESD-1) and USNS John Glenn (T-ESD-2). The program evolved, adding the USS Lewis B. Puller (ESB-3), USS Hershel “Woody” Williams (ESB-4), USS Miguel Keith (ESB-5), the future USS John L. Canley (ESB-6) and the future USS Robert E. Simanek (ESB-7), configured as ESBs. ESB ships are highly flexible platforms designed to support multiple maritime-based missions, including Air Mine Counter Measures, Special Operations Forces, and limited crisis response.

Acting as a mobile sea base, this 784-foot/239-meter ship has a 52,000 square-foot/4,831 square-meter flight deck to support MH-53, MH-60 Seahawk, MV-22 Osprey tilt-rotor, and H1 aircraft operations. The future USS John L. Canley (ESB-6) and USS Robert E. Simanek (ESB-7) are currently under construction.

In 2016, the Navy awarded NASSCO with a contract to design and build the first six ships in the next generation of fleet oilers, the John Lewis-class. Designed to transfer fuel to U.S. Navy ships operating at sea, the 742-foot/226-meter vessels have a full load displacement of 49,850 tons, capacity to carry 157,000 barrels/24,961,005 liters of oil and significant amounts of dry cargo, as well as providing aviation capability while traveling at speeds up to 20 knots/23 mph/37 km/h. The first ship, USNS John Lewis (T-AO-205), was delivered to the U.S. Navy in July 2022. The USNS Harvey Milk (T-AO-206), USNS Earl Warren (T-AO-207), and USNS Robert F. Kennedy (T-AO-208) are currently under construction.

Space

Missile Warning

Following a successful launch from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida today, the U.S. Space Force is now communicating with the sixth Space Based Infrared System Geosynchronous Earth Orbit (SBIRS GEO)-6 satellite, built by Lockheed Martin.

SBIRS GEO-6
The U.S. Space Force’s SBIRS GEO-6 early missile warning satellite built by Lockheed Martin

The final satellite in the SBIRS program series, GEO-6 joins the U.S. Space Force’s constellation of missile warning satellites equipped with powerful scanning and staring infrared surveillance sensors.

«The need for Overhead Persistent Infrared systems has never been more critical», said Michael Corriea, vice president of Lockheed Martin Space’s Overhead Persistent Infrared (OPIR) Mission Area. «At Lockheed Martin, we are making advancements to keep pace with evolving needs based on emerging threats in our military customers’ environment, helping pave the way for the future».

The GEO-6 satellite is a stepping stone toward the resilient missile warning to be provided by SBIRS’ successor, the Next Generation OPIR GEO System (NGG). Like SBIRS GEO-5 and GEO-6, NGG will be based on Lockheed Martin’s modernized LM 2100 Combat Bus, which provides additional capabilities such as cyber hardening, resiliency features, enhanced spacecraft power, and improved propulsion and electronics.

The SBIRS GEO-6 satellite is responding to the U.S. Space Force’s commands as planned. Signal acquisition was confirmed 3 hours and 43 minutes after the satellite’s 6:29 a.m. EDT lift off aboard a United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket. The satellite is now orbiting under its own propulsion following separation from the rocket. The onboard sensors collect data that allow the U.S. military to detect missile launches, support ballistic missile defense, expand technical intelligence gathering and bolstering situational awareness on the battlefield.

 

A Step Toward More Resiliency

The OPIR mission has become more critical as ballistic missile technology has proliferated around the world with over 1,000 missile launches tracked annually. Lockheed Martin recognizes that modernized technology is needed to augment the current missile warning architecture and improve resiliency against attacks.

«SBIRS GEO-6 fortifies the current missile warning architecture, and it also signifies that we are on our way to achieving even greater technological capacity and expanded coverage with NGG», Corriea said.

Lockheed Martin is proud to be part of the SBIRS team led by Space Systems Command’s Space Sensing Directorate at Los Angeles Air Force Base. Lockheed Martin Space, Sunnyvale, California, is the SBIRS prime contractor, with Northrop Grumman of Azusa, California, as the payload supplier.

Navy

Patrol Boat

Austal Limited (Austal) is pleased to announce Austal Australia has delivered the second of eight Evolved Cape-class Patrol Boats (ECCPB’s) to the Royal Australian Navy.

ADV Cape Peron (315)
Austal Australia has delivered the second Evolved Cape-class Patrol Boat, ADV Cape Peron (315) to the Royal Australian Navy (Photo: Austal)

The vessel, ADV Cape Peron (315), was officially accepted by the Commonwealth of Australia.

Austal Limited Chief Executive Officer, Paddy Gregg said the delivery of the second Evolved Cape-class Patrol Boat highlights the critical importance of the vessel as a capability to the Royal Australian Navy, and Australia’s national naval shipbuilding enterprise.

«The Evolved Cape-class Patrol Boats are not only enhancing the Royal Australian Navy’s capability, but further strengthening Australia’s sovereign shipbuilding capability, which is more important than ever before», Mr. Gregg said. «Austal continues to engage over 300 defence industry partners across Australia to construct the Evolved Cape-class Patrol Boats. We’re part of the national naval shipbuilding enterprise that is delivering enhanced capability for the Navy, protecting Australia’s borders, and maintaining security in our region. It’s a great source of pride for the entire Austal team knowing that we’re equipping our Navy, and our nation with the best possible patrol boat capability. Our congratulations and thanks go to the Navy, the Commonwealth, and our industry partners on this latest delivery».

The 58-metre/190-foot aluminium monohull patrol boat is the second of eight to be delivered to the Royal Australian Navy. The first Evolved Cape-class Patrol Boat, ADV Cape Otway (314), was delivered in March 2022, following approximately 18 months construction. The six remaining vessels are in various stages of production at Austal’s Henderson, Western Australia shipyard and deliveries are scheduled progressively through to 2024.

With greater capability than the benchmark Cape-class Patrol Boats, the Evolved Capes feature new, larger amenities to accommodate up to 32 people, improved quality of life systems and advanced sustainment intelligence systems that further enhance the Royal Australian Navy’s ability to fight and win at sea.

The Evolved Cape-class Patrol Boat Project (SEA1445-1) is employing approximately 400 people directly in Western Australia and engaging more than 300 supply chain partners across Australia.

Austal Australia is also contracted to deliver 21 Guardian-class Patrol Boats to the Commonwealth of Australia under the Pacific Patrol Boat Replacement Project (SEA3036-1) and has delivered 15 vessels to date.

This ASX announcement has been approved and authorised for release by Paddy Gregg, Austal Limited’s Chief Executive Officer.

Air

Sky Warden

U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) has selected L3Harris Technologies and Air Tractor, Inc.’s AT-802U Sky Warden system for its Armed Overwatch program. Award of the Indefinite Quantity, Indefinite Delivery contract includes a cost ceiling of $3 billion. The program includes delivery of up to 75 manned, fixed wing aircraft, with an initial program contract award of $170 million.

AT-802U Sky Warden
USSOCOM selected Sky Warden, L3Harris and Air Tractor’s system, for its Armed Overwatch program. The fleet will address SOCOM’s need for a deployable, sustainable single-engine fixed-wing, crewed and affordable aircraft system

The fleet of modern multi-mission aircraft will address SOCOM’s need for a deployable, sustainable single-engine fixed-wing, crewed and affordable aircraft system. It will provide close air support, precision strike, armed Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR), strike coordination and forward air controller requirements for use in austere and permissive environments. The aircraft will be used in irregular warfare operations.

«An important part of our Trusted Disruptor strategy is listening closely to combatant commanders’ needs, and responding faster than the evolving threats», said Christopher E. Kubasik, Chair and Chief Executive Officer, L3Harris. «We want to deliver game-changing, modular solutions to U.S. special operators for their hardest missions, and Sky Warden does just that».

L3Harris expects to rapidly modify last summer’s Armed Overwatch prototype demonstrator into the production configuration and provide for customer weapon system testing in approximately six months. Production of new, fully-modified, Armed Overwatch mission-configured aircraft will begin in 2023 at L3Harris’ Tulsa, Okla. modification center, following initial production at Air Tractor’s Olney, Texas aircraft manufacturing facility. Six new aircraft will be delivered under the low-rate initial production Lot 1.

«Sky Warden will bring powerful and affordable close air support, precision strike, armed ISR, and command and control capabilities directly to special operations forces in the battlefield», said Sean Stackley, President, Integrated Mission Systems, L3Harris. «We are ready now to begin work on this modern, multi-mission system for the SOCOM Armed Overwatch program».

The production-ready Sky Warden system is tailorable for a variety of mission requirements to meet U.S. mission needs.

«The Sky Warden design reflects our commitment to America’s national security and the AT-802U will be equipped with everything we’ve learned manufacturing aircraft over the past 46 years», said Jim Hirsch, President, Air Tractor, Inc. «The L3Harris team is an excellent partner, and our production and engineering staff are ready to immediately deliver this world-class product to our nation’s special forces».

Navy

Autonomous capabilities

The future USNS Apalachicola (T-EPF-13) is performing a series of planned test events assessing autonomous capabilities integrated into the shipboard configuration, demonstrating that a large ship can become a self-driving platform.

USNS Apalachicola (T-EPF-13)
The future USNS Apalachicola (T-EPF-13) performed a series of planned test events – known as Unmanned Logistics Prototype trials – assessing autonomous capabilities integrated into the shipboard configuration, demonstrating that a large ship can become a self-driving platform, July 14

Known as Unmanned Logistics Prototype trials, each test event increases the perception capabilities and complexity of behaviors demonstrated by the autonomous systems. Test evolutions to date include point-to-point autonomous navigation, vessel handling and transfer of vessel control between manned to unmanned modes.

«The autonomous capabilities being demonstrated by this prototype system represent a major technological advancement for the EPF platform, the U.S. Navy at large and our industry partners. EPF-13 will be the first fully operational U.S. naval ship to possess autonomous capability including the ability to operate autonomously in a commercial vessel traffic lane», said Tim Roberts, Strategic and Theater Sealift program manager, Program Executive Office (PEO) Ships. «This testing is a game changer and highlights that there is potential to expand unmanned concepts into existing fleet assets».

Collaboration for the test events include team members from PEO Ships, PEO Unmanned and Small Combatants, Naval Systems Engineering and Logistics Directorate – Surface Ship Design and System Engineering, Supervisor of Shipbuilding – Gulf Coast, Naval Surface Warfare Center support from Carderock, Combatant Craft Division, Dahlgren and Philadelphia and the Navy’s shipbuilding and industry partners, Austal USA, L3 Harris and General Dynamics.

Future test events will add levels of difficulty and include night navigation, and differing weather and sea states. These trials will set crucial groundwork for autonomous vessel operations, to include vessel encounter and avoidance maneuvering and compliance with International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea.

EPFs are shallow draft, commercial-based, catamaran designed for rapid, intra-theater transport of personnel and equipment. The EPF’s high speed, shallow draft, and ability to load/unload in austere ports enables maneuver force agility in achieving positional advantage over intermediate distances without reliance on shore-based infrastructure.

USNS Apalachicola (T-EPF-13) is scheduled to deliver to the U.S. Navy later this year.

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.

Navy

Experimental Vessel

The Royal Navy on 29 July 2022 unveiled a unique testbed ship to support trials of the latest tech and autonomous systems.

XV Patrick Blackett
New testbed ship to enhance experimentation in Royal Navy

The 42 m/138 feet, 270-tonne vessel arrived in Portsmouth this week and is named after former Royal Navy sailor and Nobel Prize winner Patrick Blackett.

It will be used by the navy’s experimentation and innovation experts NavyX who have been driving innovation across the service and testing new technology, kit and concepts, passing them quickly to the frontline.

And procuring the Damen 4008 Fast Crew Supply ship has been an example of this with the boat purchased, adapted for Royal Navy use and delivered within 12 months.

Thanks to the addition of the XV – Experimental Vessel – Patrick Blackett, NavyX will be able to carry out more trials at sea to enhance the Fleet’s operations and ensure the UK stays at the leading edge of naval warfare.

XV Patrick Blackett will enable NavyX to experiment without the need to place demand on other navy ships, many of which are deployed permanently away from UK waters. She will also offer the chance to work closer with industry and academia partners.

Damen Shipyards, in the Netherlands, won the contract for the test ship which can reach speeds of 20 knots/23 mph/37 km/h and has been modified to support NavyX operations.

The ship, with a crew of five Royal Navy personnel, will have a «plug and play» element to support the navy’s new Persistently Operationally Deployed Systems (PODS) concept which means it can be adapted to the specific trials or experiments it’s carrying out including testing drones and autonomous vessels and AI decision-making.

It will also have container secure points on the work deck so a range of payloads can be embarked, offering flexibility and a modern approach to testing.

In the future, XV Patrick Blackett will take part in Royal Navy and NATO exercises, with the possibility of it being upgraded with autonomous technology.

Colonel Tom Ryall, Head of NavyX, said: «The arrival of this vessel is a pivotal moment for NavyX’s ability to deliver output for the Royal Navy. She will give us greater flexibility to experiment with novel military capabilities, and accelerate new technology, kit and concepts to the frontline».

NavyX chose to name the ship XV Patrick Blackett to honour the British physicist who won a Nobel Prize for Physics in 1948.

He served in the Royal Navy in the First World War and made a major contribution in the Second World War advising on military strategy and developing operational research – being named the Admiralty’s first director of Operational Research.

Navy

Sweep System

Program Executive Office, Unmanned and Small Combatants (PEO USC) announced the Unmanned Influence Sweep System (UISS), a critical component of the U.S. Navy’s suite of mine countermeasure technologies, has achieved Initial Operating Capability (IOC).

UISS
Mine CounterMeasure Unmanned Surface Vehicle (MCM USV) is recovered onboard USS Manchester (LCS-14) during Unmanned Influence Sweep System Initial Operational Test & Evaluation June 2021. The UISS recently achieved Initial Operating Capability

The Office of the Chief of Naval Operations (OPNAV) declared UISS IOC on 22 July. The program completed formal testing and delivered a system with logistics and training material with appropriately trained Fleet personnel to execute minesweeping as part of the Mine CounterMeasures (MCM) Mission Package (MP).

«UISS’s declaration of IOC is a monumental achievement for the Navy’s Mine Countermeasures (MCM) Mission Package (MP)», said Captain Godfrey «Gus» Weekes, LCS Mission Modules (PMS-420) Program Manager. PMS-420 is the office that oversees UISS within PEO USC.

Capable of being operated from Littoral Combat Ships (LCS), shore, or vessels of opportunity (VOO), UISS provides acoustic and magnetic minesweeping coupled with the semi-autonomous, diesel-powered, aluminum-hulled Mine Countermeasures Unmanned Surface Vehicle (MCM USV). The MCM USV is an integral part of the MCM mission package and serves as the tow platform for both minesweeping and mine hunting missions.

Notably, this is also the first IOC of an unmanned surface platform by the U.S. Navy, marking an important milestone in the evolution toward a hybrid fleet of manned and unmanned systems. «Over the years, the program has worked tirelessly to mature and field the UISS system that will keep the Navy’s most valuable asset, our sailors, safer by keeping them out of the minefield. With this declaration, the program is inching closer toward system-wide IOC for the MCM MP», Weekes said.

Navy

The lead ship

The U.S. Navy accepted delivery of the lead ship of its new class of fleet replenishment oilers, USNS John Lewis (T-AO-205), July 26.

USNS John Lewis (T-AO-205)
The U.S. Navy accepted delivery of the lead ship of its new class of fleet replenishment oilers, USNS John Lewis (T-AO-205), July 27. T-AO 205’s delivery follows the completion of Acceptance Trials with the U.S. Navy’s Board of Inspection and Survey to test the readiness and capability of the craft and to validate requirements

T-AO 205’s delivery follows the completion of Acceptance Trials with the U.S. Navy’s Board of Inspection and Survey (INSURV) to test the readiness and capability of the craft and to validate requirements.

«USNS John Lewis (T-AO-205) will provide much needed capability to the fleet as the primary fuel pipeline at sea», said John Lighthammer, program manager, Auxiliary and Special Mission Shipbuilding Program Office. «This is the first of a 20-ship class providing the Sailors and merchant mariners another tool to support at-sea operations».

The new John Lewis-class T-AOs will be operated by Military Sealift Command to provide diesel fuel and lubricating oil, and small quantities of fresh and frozen provisions, stores, and potable water to Navy ships at sea, and jet fuel for aircraft. The new T-AOs will add capacity to the U.S. Navy’s Combat Logistics Force and become the cornerstone of the fuel delivery system.

NASSCO is currently in production on USNS Harvey Milk (T-AO-206), USNS Earl Warren (T-AO-207), and USNS Robert F. Kennedy (T-AO-208). The future USNS Lucy Stone (T-AO-209) and USNS Sojourner Truth (T-AO-210) are under contract.

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.