On Monday, December 5, General Dynamics National Steel and Shipbuilding Company (NASSCO) laid the keel for the future USNS Robert F. Kennedy (T-AO-208), the fourth ship in the John Lewis-class fleet replenishment oiler program for the U.S. Navy.
General Dynamics NASSCO Lays Keel for Future USNS Robert F. Kennedy (T-AO-208)
Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, sixth Lieutenant Governor of Maryland, the sponsor for the future USNS Robert F. Kennedy (T-AO-208) and daughter of the ship’s namesake, welded her initials onto a steel plate that will be permanently affixed to the ship’s keel and will remain with the vessel throughout its time in service.
Former Secretary of the U.S. Navy Ray Mabus declared the John Lewis-class of oilers be named after leaders who fought for civil and human rights. The fourth ship honors Robert F. Kennedy, who served as the U.S. Attorney General from 1961 to 1964 and as a U.S. Senator from New York from 1965-1968.
Textron Inc announced on December 5, 2022 that Bell Textron Inc., a Textron company, has been awarded the development contract for the U.S. Army’s Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) program. The award is based on Bell’s V-280 Valor tiltrotor that was developed and tested as part of the Joint Multi-Role Technology Demonstrator (JMR TD) program that began in 2013. The V-280 progressed through design, manufacturing, and more than three years of rigorous flight testing that provided extensive data validating the technical and operational advantages of the aircraft for the long-range assault mission.
Textron’s Bell V-280 Valor chosen as new U.S. Army Long-Range Assault Aircraft
«We are honored that the U.S. Army has selected the Bell V-280 Valor as its next-generation assault aircraft», said Scott C. Donnelly, Textron’s chairman and chief executive officer. «We intend to honor that trust by building a truly remarkable and transformational weapon system to meet the Army’s mission requirements. We are excited to play an important role in the future of Army Aviation».
«This is an exciting time for the U.S. Army, Bell, and Team Valor as we modernize the Army’s aviation capabilities for decades to come», said Mitch Snyder, president and CEO of Bell. «Bell has a long history supporting Army Aviation and we are ready to equip Soldiers with the speed and range they need to compete and win using the most mature, reliable, and affordable high-performance long-range assault weapon system in the world».
This award builds on a decade of the V-280 Valor’s progress through design, manufacturing, and thorough testing to demonstrate that this aircraft will deliver on the FLRAA program requirements. Bell and its industry partners have systematically validated the V-280 aircraft and their modular open systems approach in collaboration with the Army.
«For the past several years the Bell team demonstrated the exceptional operational capabilities, digital thread synergies, and platform affordability enhancements the V-280 provides», said Keith Flail, executive vice president, Advanced Vertical Lift Systems at Bell. «Bell stands ready with our world-class manufacturing facilities to apply our nearly seven decades of tiltrotor expertise to deliver a modern FLRAA fleet to the Army».
The initial contract refines the weapon system design, sustainment, digital enterprise, manufacturing, systems integration, flight-testing, and airworthiness qualification.
The V-280’s unmatched combination of proven tiltrotor technology coupled with innovative digital engineering and an open architecture offers the Army outstanding operational versatility for its vertical lift fleet
The U.S. Army accepted delivery of the first prototype Mid-Range Capability (MRC) battery. The MRC provides a land-based, ground-launched system with a range between the Army’s Precision Strike Missile and the Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon.
Army accepts delivery of first prototype MRC battery
Building from existing U.S. Navy missile and launcher systems, the MRC provides a fires capability that has not existed in the U.S. Army since the implementation of the Intermediate Nuclear Forces (INF) treaty in 1987. Answering the call to the Army’s No. 1 modernization priority, Long-Range Precision Fires, the MRC can defeat a variety of mid-range targets.
«The MRC rapidly progressed from a blank piece of paper in July 2020, to the Soldiers’ hands in just over two years. The Rapid Capabilities and Critical Technologies Office (RCCTO) team, as well as our joint service and industry partners, delivered this hardware so Soldiers can begin training as quickly as possible», said Lieutenant General Robert Rasch, Director of the Army RCCTO.
Initial hardware delivery occurred with ongoing support planned through December 2022 in preparation for training to begin after the holidays. The delivery includes a complete MRC ground equipment and reload capability, which comprises a battery operations center, four launchers, prime movers, and modified trailers.
The MRC achieves operational capability in fiscal year 2023 upon completion of system testing, training, and delivery of the missiles. Delivering the ground hardware first allows the Soldiers to train on the equipment, create doctrine for the system, and develop tactics, techniques, and procedures.
The MRC Project Office works closely with the Soldiers and Sailors who benefit from this system via embedded Soldier-Sailor Centered Design Events. These events provided critical user feedback throughout the design process and ensured Soldiers and Sailors were at the center of this effort.
In executing the mid-range fires system and testing, the Army continues to work in close coordination with its joint service and agency partners.
Dino Pusinsky, Director of Next Generations Solutions for Lockheed Martin with Gary Hallinan, RCCTO’s Mid-Range Capability Project Manager. The first Mid-Range Capability battery was delivered to the U.S. Army, increasing their capability to address threats and provide support in multi-domain operations (Lockheed Martin)
General Dynamics Electric Boat, a business unit of General Dynamics (GD), announced it hold a keel-laying ceremony for the future submarine USS Arizona (SSN-803) on December 7, 2022, at its facility in Quonset Point, Rhode Island. The keel laying is a ceremonial event in which the initials of the ship’s sponsor are welded onto a plate to be affixed to the submarine. It marks a milestone in the construction of a ship.
VPM firing underwater
The submarine will be the first U.S. Navy warship to carry the name Arizona since the battleship USS Arizona (BB-39), sunk in the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor December 7, 1941. Several armored-piercing bombs struck the ship, including one which exploded the forward magazines. The sunken hull is a permanent memorial to the 1,177 officers and crewmen who were killed in the attack.
«We are proud to observe this milestone in the construction of the submarine USS Arizona (SSN-803), a ship which symbolizes the legacy and courage of those who died that fateful day serving their country, a legacy we must never forget», said Kevin Graney, president of General Dynamics Electric Boat. «The capabilities provided by this ship will enhance the reach of America’s warfighters to preserve our nation’s freedom».
General Dynamics Electric Boat Hold Keel-Laying Ceremony for Submarine Arizona December 7
The ship’s sponsor, Nikki Stratton, welded her initials onto a steel plate to be permanently mounted in a place of honor on the completed vessel. Stratton is the granddaughter of Donald Stratton, who served on the battleship during the 1941 attack. Badly burned, he was discharged in 1942 and sent home, but successfully reenlisted in 1944 and returned to the Pacific Theater to fight in campaigns in New Guinea, the Philippines and the Battle of Okinawa. He worked throughout life to help honor the memory of Pearl Harbor and those who gave their lives in service to their country. Stratton died in February 2020 at the age of 97.
The Arizona will be the 30th ship of the U.S. Navy’s Virginia-class fast attack submarines and the first to be equipped with the Virginia Payload Module (VPM). The VPM comprises four large-diameter, vertical payload tubes in a new hull section inserted into the existing Virginia-class submarine design. The tubes enable the submarine to deliver a variety of capabilities, including weapons, unmanned undersea vehicles, and other undersea payloads.
General Dynamics Electric Boat is the prime contractor and lead design yard for the Virginia class, which is the first class of U.S. Navy submarines produced for post-Cold War missions. It is designed to be more cost-effective and modular construction enables it to be equipped to perform a wider range of mission capabilities than previous classes. The company’s construction teammate is Huntington Ingalls Industries’ Newport News Shipbuilding in Virginia.
Virginia Payload Module
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
460 feet/140 m
Beam
33 feet/10 m
Hull Diameter
34 feet/10.4 m
Displacement
Approximately 10,200 tons
Speed
25+ knots/28+ mph/46.3+ km/h
Diving Depth
800+ feet/244+ m
Crew
135: 15 officers; 120 enlisted
Armament: Tomahawk missiles
two 87-in/2.2 m Virginia Payload Tubes (VPTs), each capable of launching 6 Tomahawk cruise missiles
four 87-in/2.2 m Virginia Payload Modules (VPMs), each capable of launching 7 Tomahawk cruise missiles or 3 hypersonic 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)
The 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment frequently functions as an opposing force, providing a realistic training environment for service members participating in exercises at Fort Irwin’s expansive National Training Center.
U.S. Soldiers assigned to 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment assess the Integrated Visual Augmentation System and Enhanced Night Vision Goggle – Binoculars during Project Convergence 22 (PC22) at Fort Irwin, California, November 7, 2022. PC22 brought together members of the Joint and Multinational Force to experiment with cutting-edge weapons and battle systems (U.S. Army photo by Sergeant Thiem Huynh)
Last month, however, select Soldiers from the regiment had the opportunity to serve in a different and very unique role – that of a future warfighter.
Equipped with prototype wearables, next-generation drones and specialized knowledge of maneuver warfare, the Soldiers lent their time and insights to support Project Convergence 22, an experiment designed by the Army to illuminate the benefits and challenges new technologies could bring to tomorrow’s battlefields.
«It’s cool that we’re shaping the future of the Army», said Sergeant Austin Gazaway. Gazaway saw value in conducting future force experimentation alongside major allies – an effort he viewed as helping to «open up transparency» about emerging capabilities and warfighting systems.
Sergeant Calvin Robinson also enjoyed taking part in operational scenarios created specifically to field-test new technologies. «I feel like the PC22 event went really well», he said. «It was a good opportunity to see what the Army is possibly deciding to give future Soldiers».
Gazaway, Robinson and other 11th ACR Soldiers, many of whom had not previously participated in dedicated Army innovation efforts, spent seven days in early November assessing the effectiveness of equipment such as the Enhanced Night Vision Goggle – Binocular, or ENVG-B; the Integrated Visual Augmentation System, or IVAS; and the ExoBoot.
«Going from old to new, to high-powered technology, it’s pretty nice», said Specialist Ian Campbell. Campbell felt the ENVG-B’s dual scopes performed better than a more traditional single scope night vision goggle. «I thought it was really helpful to keep track of my team and to see where my guys are», he said. «I think overall it improved our team’s lethality».
For many of the Soldiers, using the still-in-development technology took some getting used to. Several experiment participants noted that the IVAS and ExoBoot still had «some kinks» to work through, but that they looked forward to seeing how the Army would incorporate their feedback into future iterations of the apparatuses.
«The fact that they gave us a chance to actually use some of the products is a really good thing, I feel like», Robinson said. Robinson added that the 11th ACR’s familiarity with the terrain at the National Training Center, which encompasses more than 1,000 square miles/2,590 square km, helped ensure the technology received a rigorous and authentic evaluation.
Following completion of the experiment, the overall consensus among 11th ACR Soldiers interviewed was that the Army’s new approaches to enhancing Soldier Lethality were promising.
«I feel like it will make a lot of stuff easier», Gazaway said. He additionally reflected on how Soldiers in the past likely thought certain equipment that the Army uses today was «weird» or awkward when first introduced, but that adjustments to new operating tools and methods are a natural and necessary aspect of change.
«The future just keeps moving forward», Campbell agreed. «At some point, it will just become the new normal».
The Royal Navy on December 01, 2022 ordered its first crewless submarine to shape the future of underwater warfare.
Royal Navy orders first crewless submarine to dominate underwater battleground
In just two years’ time Cetus – named after a mythological sea monster – will move stealthily through the oceans, monitoring hostile activity, listening out for ships or submarines which may pose a threat to the Fleet, or to key national infrastructure such as deep-sea cables and pipelines.
The Royal Navy has experimented with – and in some cases operated – autonomous underwater systems for more than a decade. Most are small, off-the-shelf technologies, largely used in minehunting.
The £15.4 m Cetus is in a different league: the length of a bus, it will be the largest and most complex crewless submersible operated by European navies, designed and built specially for the Royal Navy by Plymouth-based tech firm MSubs, creating ten specialist jobs and supporting 70 more.
Funded by the Anti-Submarine Warfare Spearhead programme, run by the Royal Navy’s «Develop Directorate» from their Headquarters in Portsmouth and delivered through the Submarine Delivery Agency in Bristol, this is the latest in a series of novel underwater technologies being brought to life to deal with the threats of the next decade.
First Sea Lord Admiral Sir Ben Key said, «This is a hugely exciting moment for Project Cetus as the Royal Navy surges ahead with the development of autonomous technology. This Extra Large Autonomous Underwater Vehicle is a capability step-change in our mission to dominate the underwater battle space. And I am delighted that the project is able to support a small, innovative UK company which is at the cutting edge of this sector».
At 12 metres/39 feet long and 2.2 metres/7 feet in diameter, the 17-tonne submarine can fit inside a shipping container and be transported around the world to wherever the Fleet needs it.
The unarmed battery-powered craft will be able to dive deeper than any vessel in the current submarine fleet and cover up to 1,000 miles/1,609 km in a single mission.
Acting as an operational demonstrator, the goal is for Cetus – and its successors – to work side-by-side with traditional crewed submarines, such as the current Astute-class hunter-killers, or independently.
The crewless submarine is the latest step taken by the Royal Navy into the world of autonomy.
Autonomous minehunting systems are already operating in Scotland, driverless Pacific 24 sea boats are undergoing testing, numerous aerial drones are employed by ships both for reconnaissance/intelligence gathering and target practice for air defence.
And the Royal Navy has invested in a dedicated tech trials ship, XV Patrick Blackett, to assess this new equipment and help determine how it might be used or integrated into the Fleet.
Cetus will do the same for the Silent Service, explained Lieutenant Commander Andrew Witts.
«One hundred and twenty years ago the Royal Navy had the foresight to invest in Holland I – the UK’s first submarine – which helped revolutionise naval warfare above and below the waves», he said. «Cetus is our first venture into large-scale, uncrewed submarines. It’s exciting, the possibilities are enormous, and I like to think Cetus could change the way we fight under the sea as much as those pioneers in Holland I did».
Brett Phaneuf, Chief Executive of MSubs, said his team was proud to take the lead in developing the next generation of autonomous underwater vehicle for the Royal Navy. «The faith the Royal Navy has shown in our small business is humbling and we look forward to working closely together in the future, as we have in the recent past, to develop and deploy Cetus, in the national interest».
BAE Systems is teaming with Elbit Systems of America, Curtiss-Wright Corporation, and QinetiQ Inc. on its design for the U.S. Army’s Optionally Manned Fighting Vehicle (OMFV).
BAE Systems announces partners for Optionally Manned Fighting Vehicle design
The companies will work together to produce an innovative, purpose-built, next-generation combat vehicle designed to meet the U.S. Army’s requirements for an agile, lethal, and survivable solution that will help redefine land combat operations and maneuverability in future conflicts. The proposal was submitted to the U.S. Army earlier this month and on November 30, 2022, BAE Systems announced details of how the companies are collaborating.
BAE Systems and Elbit Systems of America are leveraging their extensive experience in the evaluation, demonstration, and validation of next generation combat systems. For OMFV, Elbit is providing its 50-mm Unmanned Turret (UT50), one of the most versatile armament configurations with multiple mission payloads and capabilities, which recently completed a successful live fire demonstration at the Aberdeen Test Center. The UT50 features a XM913 50-mm cannon and a high-capacity ammunition handling system.
The OMFV design will use a standardized, Modular Open Systems Architecture (MOSA), designed by BAE Systems and Curtiss-Wright Defense Solutions. MOSA solutions are critical for enabling the customer to rapidly refresh technology to field new capabilities and meet emerging threats on the battlefield. The two companies are also providing vital electronics and control systems into the OMFV.
BAE Systems has invested in and collaborated with industry for more than 40 years to advance Hybrid Electric Drive (HED) technology. BAE Systems and QinetiQ Inc. are developing and integrating the HED technology with an electric cross-drive transmission, a key component of an HED system for tracked combat vehicles, to ensure the OMFV has the speed, reliability, and maneuverability necessary to dominate in the toughest battlefield conditions. QinetiQ Inc.’s Modular E-X-Drive transmission has been tested and proven in a wide range of tracked vehicles and weight classes over the last decade.
«The synergy from our diverse and highly capable team allows us to deliver the next-generation, transformational technology and capabilities our customer is looking for», said Andy Corea, vice president and general manager for BAE Systems Combat Mission Systems. «Together we have continually researched, developed, innovated, and delivered and we believe this team can provide a purpose-built vehicle with the winning solutions for future battlefields and, most importantly, for the men and women who put their lives on the line for us each and every day».
BAE Systems already has the expertise, infrastructure, and resources to deliver results for the U.S. Army’s OMFV platform, with plans to complete project elements at facilities across the U.S. that contribute a diverse set of workforce talent and manufacturing quality.
Northrop Grumman Corporation and the U.S. Air Force unveiled the B-21 Raider to the world on December 02, 2022. The B-21 Raider joins the nuclear triad as a visible and flexible deterrent designed for the U.S. Air Force to meet its most complex missions.
Northrop Grumman and the U.S. Air Force introduce the B-21 Raider, the world’s first sixth-generation aircraft (Credit: Northrop Grumman)
«The Northrop Grumman team develops and delivers technology that advances science, looks into the future and brings it to the here and now», said Kathy Warden, chair, chief executive officer and president, Northrop Grumman. «The B-21 Raider defines a new era in technology and strengthens America’s role of delivering peace through deterrence».
The B-21 Raider forms the backbone of the future for U.S. air power, leading a powerful family of systems that deliver a new era of capability and flexibility through advanced integration of data, sensors and weapons. Its sixth-generation capabilities include stealth, information advantage and open architecture.
«The B-21 Raider is a testament to America’s enduring advantages in ingenuity and innovation. And it’s proof of the Department’s long-term commitment to building advanced capabilities that will fortify America’s ability to deter aggression, today and into the future. Now, strengthening and sustaining U.S. deterrence is at the heart of our National Defense Strategy», said Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III. «This bomber was built on a foundation of strong, bipartisan support in Congress. And because of that support, we will soon fly this aircraft, test it and then move into production».
The B-21 Raider is capable of networking across the battlespace to multiple systems, and into all domains. Supported by a digital ecosystem throughout its lifecycle, the B-21 Raider can quickly evolve through rapid technology upgrades that provide new capabilities to outpace future threats.
«With the B-21 Raider, the U.S. Air Force will be able to deter or defeat threats anywhere in the world», said Tom Jones, corporate vice president and president, Northrop Grumman Aeronautics Systems. «The B-21 Raider exemplifies how Northrop Grumman is leading the industry in digital transformation and digital engineering, ultimately delivering more value to our customers».
The B-21 Raider is named in honor of the Doolittle Raids of World War II when 80 men, led by Lieutenant Colonel James «Jimmy» Doolittle, and 16 B-25 Mitchell medium bombers set off on a mission that changed the course of World War II. The designation B-21 recognizes the Raider as the first bomber of the 21st century.
Huntington Ingalls Industries’ (HII) Ingalls Shipbuilding division delivered the Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer USS Lenah Sutcliffe Higbee (DDG-123) to the U.S. Navy on December 1, 2022. Delivery of DDG-123 represents the official transfer of the ship from the shipbuilder to the U.S. Navy.
HII delivers destroyer USS Lenah Sutcliffe Higbee (DDG-123) to U.S. Navy
«Delivering an incredibly capable finished ship to the U.S. Navy is always an important event for our Ingalls team», said Kari Wilkinson, president of Ingalls Shipbuilding. «We are absolutely committed to the work that we do for our customers, communities and country».
USS Lenah Sutcliffe Higbee (DDG-123) is the 34th Arleigh Burke-class destroyer Ingalls has delivered to the U.S. Navy and will be the final Flight IIA ship built at Ingalls as the U.S. Navy transitions to Flight III destroyers. Ingalls currently has in production the future Arleigh Burke-class Flight III destroyers USS Jack H. Lucas (DDG-125), USS Ted Stevens (DDG-128), USS Jeremiah Denton (DDG-129) and USS George M. Neal (DDG-131).
Arleigh Burke-class destroyers are highly capable, multi-mission ships that can conduct a variety of operations, from peacetime presence and crisis management to sea control and power projection, all in support of the national defense strategy. Guided missile destroyers are capable of simultaneously fighting air, surface and subsurface battles. These ships contain a myriad of offensive and defensive weapons designed to support maritime defense needs well into the 21st century.
DDG-123 is named to honor Lenah Sutcliffe Higbee, a Navy nurse and first woman to receive the Navy Cross for her heroic actions during World War I. Higbee joined the Navy in October 1908 as part of the newly established Navy Nurse Corps, a group of women who would become known as «The Sacred Twenty», and became the second superintendent of the Navy Nurse Corps in January 1911. The ships motto truly reflects the heritage of this naval hero – Bellatrix illa, meaning «she is a warrior».
Ship Characteristics
Length Overall
510 feet/156 m
Beam – Waterline
59 feet/18 m
Draft
31 feet/9.5 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
SPY-1D Phased Array Radar (Lockheed Martin)/AN/SPY-6 Air and Missile Defense Radar (Raytheon Company) 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)
The leading European robotics and autonomous systems developer, Milrem Robotics, and the German defence company Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW) have signed a contract to deliver 14 THeMIS Unmanned Ground Vehicles (UGVs) to Ukraine.
Milrem Robotics to deliver 14 THeMIS UGVs to Ukraine in cooperation with KMW
Of the 14 vehicles, seven will be configured for CASualty EVACuation (CASEVAC) and are scheduled to be delivered by the end of this year. The other seven, to be delivered in the second quarter of 2023, will be configured for route clearance with payloads from the French defence manufacturer CNIM Systèmes Industriels.
The effort is being funded by the German Ministry of Defence.
«Casualty evacuation and route clearance are two labour-intensive activities that require the engagement of several people who remain in constant threat of enemy fire. Automating these tasks with unmanned vehicles alleviates that danger and allows more soldiers to stay in a safe area or be tasked for more important activities», explained Captain (res) Jüri Pajuste, Defence R&D Director at Milrem Robotics.
Milrem Robotics delivered one CASEVAC THeMIS to a Ukrainian charitable organization earlier this year that has proven to be a valuable asset.
«The deployment of the THEMIS UGV to Ukraine means that the Ukrainian forces can increase the safety of their soldiers and let the UGVs handle tasks that are an immediate threat to humans. That is the ultimate purpose of robotic systems. Milrem Robotics is proud to be able to contribute to Ukraine’s fight against the aggressor», said Kuldar Väärsi, CEO of Milrem Robotics.
«This important project gives evidence of our common ability to provide advanced technology to Ukraine. We are determined to support Ukraine with protective and lifesaving equipment. The fast delivery of 14 THeMIS UGVs proves that KMW and Milrem are partners you can rely on», said Ralf Ketzel, CEO of KMW.
THeMIS is a multi-mission unmanned ground vehicle with an open architecture that enables it to be rapidly configured from having a transport function to being weaponized, performing ordnance disposal or supporting intelligence operations according to the nature of the mission.
The THeMIS UGV is already part of different programs in 16 countries, including eight NATO members: Estonia, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, the UK, and the US.
