Monthly Archives: November 2022

Navy

Arkansas

Huntington Ingalls Industries’ (HII) Newport News Shipbuilding (NNS) division hosted a keel authentication ceremony on November 19, 2022 for Virginia-class submarine USS Arkansas (SSN-800).

USS Arkansas (SSN-800)
HII’s Newport News Shipbuilding authenticateв the keel for Virginia-class submarine USS Arkansas (SSN-800)

The ship’s sponsors are the six women of the historic group known as the Little Rock Nine, the first African American students to attend all-white Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas during desegregation. NNS honored all nine members, including the three men, during Saturday’s ceremony.

The Little Rock Nine made history in 1957 with their response to the Supreme Court ruling in Brown v. Board of Education, declaring racial segregation in public schools unconstitutional. Faced with shouting mobs, threats of violence and hostile state leaders who blocked their way, the teenagers were escorted into the school by federal troops at the direction of President Dwight D. Eisenhower.

«Their courageous spirit will forever inspire Arkansas and her crew. This group forever changed our nation’s history and their submarine will help ensure their legacy continues», NNS President Jennifer Boykin said. «The bravery and resilience of the Little Rock Nine sparked a fire of change and demonstrated the strength of blending different perspectives and backgrounds. We harness this strength in the shipyard every day. Our diversity allows us to extend beyond our own limits, to reach new heights, and build each boat even better than the one before it. Arkansas will be proof of this power».

During Saturday’s ceremony, NNS welders etched a historic six sets of initials of the Little Rock Nine onto metal plates, signifying the keel of SSN-800 as being «truly and fairly laid». The metal plates will remain affixed to the submarine throughout its life.

«(Former Navy) Secretary Ray Mabus asked us to be supporters of the ship and its crew. I signed on to be a foster grandmother», said Elizabeth Eckford, a member of the Little Rock Nine, who spoke on behalf of the group during the ceremony. «President Eisenhower sent 1,000 paratroopers to Little Rock to disperse a mob, bring order, and they made it possible for us to enter Central High School. From that point, I’ve had very high regard for specially trained forces».

Arkansas is the 27th Virginia-class fast attack submarine being built under the teaming agreement with General Dynamics Electric Boat.

«With advances in sound silencing, acoustic sensors, and weapons delivery systems, Arkansas will traverse the world’s oceans and seas as an apex predator. Representing our asymmetric advantage in the undersea domain, the Arkansas will have no equal», said Vice Admiral William Houston, commander, Naval Submarine Forces.

«It is an incredible honor for the crew to begin to establish the relationship with our namesake state of Arkansas as well as with the ship’s sponsors», said Commander Adam Kahnke, commanding officer of the pre-commissioning unit. «The story of the Little Rock Nine demonstrates the power of perseverance in the face of adversity. I find the relationship with the ship’s sponsors very appropriate due to the fact that perseverance is an essential attribute to success in the art of submarine warfare».

NNS is one of only two shipyards capable of designing and building nuclear-powered submarines. The advanced capabilities of Virginia-class submarines increase firepower, maneuverability and stealth.

This milestone on Arkansas comes following the delivery of USS Montana (SSN-794), the launch of USS New Jersey (SSN-796), and continued progress on USS Massachusetts (SSN-798) at NNS earlier in 2022, as the shipyard continues to invest in its workforce and facilities to make steady progress on delivering these important assets to the U.S. Navy.

 

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 IV

Ship Yard Christening Commissioned Homeport
SSN-792 Vermont EB 10-20-18 04-18-20 Groton, Connecticut
SSN-793 Oregon EB 10-05-19 05-28-22 Groton, Connecticut
SSN-794 Montana NNS 09-12-20 06-25-22 Norfolk, Virginia
SSN-795 Hyman G. Rickover EB 07-31-21
SSN-796 New Jersey NNS 11-13-21
SSN-797 Iowa EB Under Construction
SSN-798 Massachusetts NNS Under Construction
SSN-799 Idaho EB Under Construction
SSN-800 Arkansas NNS Under Construction
SSN-801 Utah EB Under Construction

 

Space

Artemis I mission

Two Northrop Grumman Corporation five-segment solid rocket boosters helped successfully launch the first flight of NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket from Pad 39B in Kennedy Space Center, Florida as part of the Artemis I mission. This is the first in a series of Artemis missions focused on deep space exploration and establishing a sustainable human presence on and around the moon.

Space Launch System (SLS)
NASA’s Space Launch System rocket, with twin Northrop Grumman solid rocket boosters, lifts off for the first Artemis program launch (Photo Credit: Northrop Grumman)

«The SLS rocket was launched by a powerful 7.2 million pounds/3,265,865 kg of thrust from our solid rocket boosters which are largest, human-rated solid rocket boosters ever built», said Wendy Williams, vice president, propulsion systems, Northrop Grumman. «Northop Grumman has been pioneering in space for over 50 years and our contributions to NASA’s Artemis missions continue our incredible legacy of innovation».

Booster segments for Artemis II, the first crewed mission, and Artemis III, the mission that will land the first woman on the lunar surface, are complete. Artemis IV segments are currently being cast with propellant. Northrop Grumman supplied rocket propulsion for NASA’s Apollo and Space Shuttle programs and developed the five-segment SLS solid rocket booster based on the flight-proven design of the space shuttle boosters. The company will provide ongoing support for SLS and the Artemis missions through 2031.

Navy

City Class Type 26

The UK Ministry of Defence has awarded a £4.2 bn contract to BAE Systems to manufacture the next five City Class Type 26 frigates for the Royal Navy in Glasgow.

City Class Type 26
BAE Systems awarded £4.2 bn contract to build five more Type 26 frigates in Glasgow

The contract sustains more than 4,000 jobs across BAE Systems and the wider UK maritime supply chain. It also secures shipbuilding at BAE Systems’ facilities in Scotland into the 2030s. Up to £1.8 bn of the new order will be spent in the supply chain, including £1.2 bn with UK suppliers.

The Type 26 is one of the world’s most advanced warships. It is designed for anti-submarine warfare and high-intensity air defence, but can adapt its role quickly to transport high volumes of humanitarian aid and house medical facilities.

Three Type 26 ships are already in build in Glasgow, with the first of class, HMS Glasgow (F88), on track to enter the water later this year and be delivered to the Royal Navy in the mid-2020s. The construction of HMS Cardiff (F89) and HMS Belfast (F90) is also underway.

«We are investing in our fleet to ensure our Royal Navy maintains its world-leading capability to protect and defend our nation at sea. This design has already been successfully exported to Australia and Canada, proving itself as a world-class maritime capability, securing thousands of UK jobs and strengthening alliances with our allies. Supporting thousands of high-skilled jobs in Scotland, and more across the wider UK supply chain, this contract will continue to boost our British shipbuilding industry, galvanising the very best of British engineering, manufacturing and design», said Ben Wallace, Secretary of State for Defence.

«This contract secures a critical UK industry and allows us to build on our long history of shipbuilding on the Clyde as we continue to deliver cutting-edge equipment to the Royal Navy into the next decade. It underpins the ongoing investments we’re making in the skills, infrastructure and technologies needed to stay at the forefront of the maritime sector and to support the UK Government’s National Shipbuilding Strategy», said Charles Woodburn, Chief Executive, BAE Systems.

The Type 26 programme is a UK-wide endeavour, with more than 120 UK suppliers having already secured contracts linked to the new batch of frigates, including for steering gears in Dunfermline, gas turbines in Filton and maritime LED lighting in Cumbria.

This year, 180 new apprentices joined the 400 already working at BAE Systems on the Type 26 programme. BAE Systems’ Naval Ships business employs 4,500 people across the UK and is recruiting a further 400 trades people as the programme continues to ramp up.

The Company is investing approximately £15 m in a new Applied Shipbuilding Academy in Glasgow to support the development of the entire workforce, from apprentices through to senior leaders. In addition, BAE Systems has applied for planning consent to start construction on a new shipbuilding hall worth more than £100 m to greatly enhance productivity on the Clyde to support the delivery of these eight ships and future orders.

The Commonwealths of Australia and Canada have selected the Type 26 design, which, together with the UK, provide an anticipated 32 ship programme across the three nations. Sharing build and transition into service lessons across all three programmes will benefit all parties in this multinational effort.

Air Force, Space

Orbital Test Vehicle

The Boeing built X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle (OTV) set a new endurance record after spending 908 days on orbit before landing at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 5:22 a.m. ET, November 12, 2022. This surpasses its previous record of 780 days on-orbit.

X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle (OTV)
The Boeing-built X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle (OTV) landed at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 5:22 a.m. ET, November 12, 2022 (Photo credit: Boeing/U.S. Space Force)

With the successful completion of its sixth mission the reusable spaceplane has now flown over 1.3 billion miles/2,092,147,200 km and spent a total of 3,774 days in space where it conducts experiments for government and industry partners with the ability to return them to Earth for evaluation.

For the first time, the vehicle carried a service module to augment the number of payloads it can haul. The module separated from the OTV prior to de-orbiting ensuring a safe and successful landing.

«This mission highlights the Space Force’s focus on collaboration in space exploration and expanding low-cost access to space for our partners, within and outside of the Department of the Air Force (DAF)», said General Chance Saltzman, Chief of Space Operations.

The sixth mission was launched atop a United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in May 2020. Hosted experiments included a solar energy experiment designed by the Naval Research Lab, as well as a satellite designed and built by cadets at the U.S. Air Force Academy in partnership with the Air Force Research Laboratory. The satellite, dubbed FalconSat-8, was successfully deployed in October 2021 and remains on orbit today.

This mission also hosted multiple NASA experiments including the Materials Exposure and Technology Innovation in Space (METIS-2), which evaluated the effects of space exposure on various materials to validate and improve the precision of space environment models. This was the second flight for this type of experiment. Mission 6 also hosted a NASA experiment to evaluate the effects of long-duration space exposure on seeds. This experiment informs research aimed at future interplanetary missions and the establishment of permanent bases in space.

«Since the X-37B’s first launch in 2010, it has shattered records and provided our nation with an unrivaled capability to rapidly test and integrate new space technologies», said Jim Chilton, senior vice president, Boeing Space and Launch. «With the service module added, this was the most we’ve ever carried to orbit on the X-37B and we’re proud to have been able to prove out this new and flexible capability for the government and its industry partners».

The X-37B program is a partnership between the U.S Department of the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office and the U.S. Space Force. Boeing designed and manufactured the spaceplane and continues to provide program management, engineering, test and mission support from sites in Southern California, Florida and Virginia.

In 2020, the X-37B received the Robert J. Collier Trophy for advancing the performance, efficiency and safety of air and space vehicles.

Space

Cislunar Patrol System

The Air Force Research Laboratory has awarded a $72 million contract to Advanced Space LLC to demonstrate space situational awareness, object detection and tracking in the region of the Moon, supporting a resurgence of interest in lunar exploration and development across civil, commercial and international space agencies.

Cislunar Highway Patrol System (CHPS)
AFRL awards contract for pioneering spacecraft in region of Moon

AFRL’s Space Vehicles Directorate awarded the contract to support the lab’s Oracle spacecraft program, previously called the Cislunar Highway Patrol System, or CHPS. The project has been renamed Oracle after the Oracle of Delphi in ancient Greece. The high priestess of the Oracle would channel the knowledge of Apollo and provide wisdom and foresight to those with whom she would consult.

The name was chosen to acknowledge the accomplishments of the Apollo program and the U.S. Space Force’s commitment to support NASA as they return to the Moon. The Oracle spacecraft is projected to launch in late 2025, with two years of on-orbit experimentation.

«Our primary goals for the program are to advance techniques to detect previously unknown objects through search and discovery, to detect small or distant objects, and to study spacecraft positioning and navigation in the XGEO realm», said Doctor James Frith, Oracle principal investigator.

AFRL often uses the term XGEO to refer to the space beyond geosynchronous orbit out to the Moon, 10 times further than the traditional operational regime for U.S. Space Force and U.S. Space Command. Oracle will operate in the vicinity of Earth-Moon Lagrange Point 1, at a range of about 320,000 kilometers, or about 200,000 miles from Earth. The current Space Surveillance Network has a mixture of sensors on Earth or in traditional orbits like GEO. It is optimized to track satellites at GEO and below, or within distances of 36,000 kilometers, or 22,369 miles.

«Oracle is the culmination of years of ongoing research at AFRL into how to detect and track objects in XGEO given the vast distances, challenges of lunar and solar exclusion, and complexity introduced by the Moon’s gravity», Frith said.

An additional goal of Oracle is to help mature AFRL’s green propellant Advanced Spacecraft Energetic Non-Toxic, or ASCENT, that will carry a refueling port. While there are no specific plans yet to refuel Oracle, AFRL wants to encourage civil and commercial development of on-orbit refueling services.

«We have a great deal to learn when it comes to operating, navigating and communicating from cislunar space and the more distant XGEO region», said Colonel Jeremy Raley, the director of AFRL’s Space Vehicles Directorate. «We look forward to working with Advanced Space LLC, as we deliver novel space capabilities, thereby providing a safe and sustainable cislunar environment».

Ground Forces

Robotic Vehicle

General Dynamics Land Systems, a business unit of General Dynamics (GD), on November 2, 2022 delivered to the U.S. Army an initial tranche of 16 Small Multipurpose Equipment Transport (S-MET) vehicles, making them the first ground robots of their kind in Army history.

Small Multipurpose Equipment Transport (S-MET)
Small Multipurpose Equipment Transport is designed to lighten load for Soldiers

Based upon GD’s Multi-Utility Tactical Transport (MUTT), the S-MET is an eight-wheeled, enabling robotic technology for the dismounted Soldier. It lightens the load as an equipment-carrying «robotic mule» but also has built-in flexibility for wide variety of combat, combat support and combat service support functions and payloads.

Featuring a hybrid-electric powertrain, it provides expeditionary power generation and is operated by a single-hand remote control.

«We are proud to deliver this breakthrough unmanned ground vehicle capability», said Gordon Stein, vice president and general manager of U.S. operations at General Dynamics Land Systems. «Through our partnership with the Army, General Dynamics Land Systems has remained at the leading edge of robotic combat vehicles that are designed to relieve Soldiers of dull, dirty and dangerous missions now and into the future».

GD won the Army’s competition for the S-MET program in 2020.

Artillery, Ground

Anti-Tank warheads

BAE Systems successfully tested its Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS) laser-guidance kits with High-Explosive Anti-Tank Anti-Personnel Anti-Materiel (HEAT/APAM) warheads from General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems. Guided by APKWS guidance kits, the rockets went three for three against armored targets, demonstrating their versatility to engage a broad set of targets and enable new missions for warfighters.

APKWS
Rockets guided by APKWS guidance kits went three for three against armored targets

APKWS guidance kits transform unguided rockets into smart munitions for precision strikes on soft targets, equipment, and armored targets.

During the test event, BAE Systems launched rockets with HEAT/APAM warheads and APKWS guidance kits against well-armored targets – including a steel plate and an armored military vehicle. All test shots were direct hits, defeating fortified targets at range. The HEAT/APAM warheads are capable of penetrating thick armor, which improves the versatility of rockets guided by APKWS guidance kits.

«We’re giving our customers more in-mission options for precision strikes against tougher targets», said Sam Kirsh, APKWS program manager at BAE Systems. «APKWS guidance kits with HEAT/APAM warheads provide a low-cost, lightweight, easy-to-deploy strike capability against armored and unarmored targets».

The APKWS guidance kits are also compatible with 2.75” (70 millimeter) Hydra rocket components – including new and existing inventories of motors, warheads, fuses, launchers, and laser target designators. They require minimal training to assemble and fire, and can be fired from a variety of launch platforms, including fighter jets, combat helicopters, ground vehicles, and remote weapon stations.

APKWS guidance kits have proven their accuracy in combat with hundreds of successful shots fired with the M151 high-explosive warhead. The guidance kit is available to allied nations via Foreign Military Sales.

Ground Forces

TITAN

Northrop Grumman Corporation delivered its Tactical Intelligence Targeting Access Node (TITAN) space pre-prototype ground system to the U.S. Army for demonstration at Project Convergence 2022 – a military exercise aimed at advancing the Army’s role in Joint All-Domain Command and Control (JADC2) capabilities. The pre-prototype is the preliminary model of the first of two space prototypes Northrop Grumman is developing for the Defense Innovation Unit and the Tactical Exploitation of National Capabilities (TENCAP) office.

TITAN
Northrop Grumman demonstrated and delivered the semi-autonomous, mobile TITAN pre-prototype system to the US Army and provided support during Project Convergence 2022

The mobile, semi-autonomous pre-prototype system leverages commercial and military space assets to facilitate deep-sensing, reduce sensor-to-shooter timelines and maximize the effectiveness of long-range precision fires. This new capability fully integrates data from multiple assets into a single mobile system. The groundbreaking technology supports the Department of Defense’s strategy for its JADC2 network to conduct multi-domain operations.

«Our TITAN solution is a pioneering technology integrating critical space capabilities into a mobile system», said Pablo Pezzimenti, vice president, integrated national systems, Northrop Grumman. «Our unique ability to provide access to multi-domain, actionable intelligence from commercial and military space systems directly contributes to success on the battlefield by helping the warfighter make quicker decisions when every second counts».

The prototype capabilities are part of a larger TITAN program, a scalable and expeditionary intelligence ground station that will leverage space, high altitude, aerial and terrestrial layer sensors to provide targetable data to commanders at all levels so they can quickly assess threats. The system will also connect the joint force by providing near real-time intelligence using artificial intelligence and machine learning techniques to rapidly deliver fused data from multi-domain sensors to weapon platforms, such as artillery, jammers and airborne systems.

Navy

DragonFire

MBDA and its partners in the DragonFire consortium have successfully carried out the first static high power laser firing of a sovereign UK capability at the Dstl’s range in Porton Down on 17th October 2022.

DragonFire
Latest DragonFire laser trials deliver a UK first

Using QinetiQ’s phase-combined laser demonstrator, generating in the order of 50 kW of power, focused by Leonardo’s Beam Director and delivered using MBDA’s advanced image processing and Command and Control (C2) system, the trials showed that DragonFire could safely control and focus a high-power laser onto an extremely precise point at long range.

The firing was part of a second set of tests in a series of trials to prove the accuracy and power of the novel DragonFire laser weapon. The first trials, announced in July 2022, proved DragonFire can successfully track, and hit, air and sea targets with exceptionally high accuracy.

Chris Allam, Managing Director of MBDA UK, said, «These successful trials are the latest step in accelerating delivery of a UK sovereign Laser Directed Energy Weapon (LDEW) capability. MBDA, Leonardo, QinetiQ and Dstl working together are putting the UK at the forefront of research & technology in this field. The results from these trials have verified analysis and given the team confidence that DragonFire will offer a near term and unique capability».

The next step will be to combine the outcomes of these first two trials, pairing the proven tracking accuracy and the high-power laser, by engaging targets in operationally representative scenarios.

Navy

Defence and Intervention Frigate

On Monday 7 November, the first defence and intervention frigate ordered by the French defence procurement agency (DGA) and destined to the French Navy was floated out in Lorient. Named Amiral Ronarc’h, this frigate will be delivered in 2024.

Amiral Ronarc'h (D660)
Naval Group launches the first defense and intervention frigate (FDI) for the French Navy

The ceremony took place in presence of Sébastien Lecornu, French minister of the Armed Forces, and his Greek counterpart, Nikolaos Panagiotopoulos.

During the ceremony, Pierre Eric Pommellet, CEO of Naval Group, said: «We are proud to be here today to mark this new milestone in the industrial production of the first defence and intervention frigate for the French Navy. These latest generation ships bring together the best of French naval know-how. The Navies operating them with benefit from a high-performance, resilient ship, capable of dealing with threats that are constantly evolving, thanks in particular to the use of the most modern digital technologies. Naval Group remains committed to offering its customers the best of its know-how, at the service of their sovereignty».

The first sea trials will begin in 2023 and the ship will be delivered in 2024. The remaining four ships of the series will be delivered until 2030. During this period, Naval Group will also produce three FDI frigates for the Hellenic Navy, with a fourth currently planned as an option.

 

A local and national industrial performance

Thanks to the investments made by Naval Group, the site of Lorient has a modern industrial infrastructure that enables it to meet the technical and technological challenges of designing and building naval vessels in series. Thanks to this industrial organisation that optimises construction times, Naval Group is able to deliver two ships per year at its Lorient site from 2025.

To deliver these frigates with the required military performance, Naval Group mobilizes a wide range of skills. Some of them are very specific and rare and are often the result of a long or even very long acquisition: sheet metal carpenter, formator-straightener, hull welder, pipe fitter.

To ensure the sustainability of these cutting-edge skills in the service of naval programs, Naval Group promotes the recruitment of young talents and has recruited almost 500 work-study students and over 1500 new employees since the beginning of the year.

The FDI program reinforces the technological lead of the French naval industrial base. The program supports employment in the shipbuilding industry throughout France and, more particularly, in Lorient. At Naval Group, more than 1,200 people are working full time on the programme with more than 400 subcontractors. The FDI program involves a large number of French and Greek partners, including Thales and MBDA.

 

FDI, the first innovative, 100% digital and cyber-secure multi-role combat frigate

The FDI is a high sea vessel. Multipurpose and resilient, she is capable of operating, alone or within a naval force. She offers capabilities for all types of warfare: anti-surface, anti-air, antisubmarine and as well as for special forces projection. Bringing together the best of French naval technologies on a compact platform, the FDI is a powerful and innovative frigate, designed to meet the evolution of threats.

Designed and produced using the latest digital tools, FDI is the first frigate to benefit from a digital architecture that will allow her continuous adaptation to technological and operational evolutions. As a result, the FDI will be able to address current and future threats and to handle always more data.

The FDI will be the first French frigate natively protected against cyber threats, with two data centers virtually accommodating a great part of the ship applications. The FDI introduces the concept of a dedicated system for asymmetric warfare. This system will enable the coordination and conduct of the fight against small and close air and surface threats, including booby trapped boats.

Strongly armed (Exocet MM40 B3C anti-surface missiles, Aster anti-air missiles, MU90 antisubmarine torpedoes, artillery), the FDI is able to embark simultaneously a helicopter (10 tons class such as NH90) or the future Joint Light Helicopter and an unmanned aerial vehicle (up to 700 kg/1,543 lbs.). She can also receive a Special Forces detachment with their two commando boats. They are equipped with the new generation Seafire radar with four fixed panels, developed by Thales, which, combined with the missile delivery system, offers unmatched area defence capabilities.

 

Technical specifications

Displacement 4,500 tons class
Length 122 meters/400 feet
Beam 18 meters/59 feet
Maximum speed 27 knots/31 mph/50 km/h
Autonomy 45 days
Accomodation 125-persons crew + 28 passengers