Tag Archives: AEGIS Combat System

Navy

Testing Hobart Destroyer

Lockheed Martin’s Integrated Test Team (ITT) begins Aegis combat system integration and testing aboard the Royal Australian Navy’s (RAN) first Aegis-equipped Air Warfare Destroyer (AWD), HMAS Hobart (DDGH-39).

Lockheed Martin Integrated Test Team start Aegis Combat System integration and testing
Lockheed Martin Integrated Test Team start Aegis Combat System integration and testing

The Aegis Combat System testing will be facilitated by Lockheed Martin engineers and technicians who are responsible for testing the Aegis Combat System to ensure the equipment is properly installed and functional.

«The Lockheed Martin team has successfully brought Aegis to life», said Rob Milligan, Lockheed Martin Australia, surface ships program lead. «Our team is dedicated to ensuring the successful delivery of Hobart’s Aegis capability to the Royal Australian Navy».

Lockheed Martin anticipated the need for the future Australian domestic sustainment of Aegis on AWD several years prior to this event. Lockheed Martin used internal funds to develop specialist skills in the Aegis Combat System for Australian AWD Program workforce. «We strengthened the AWD test team which now includes experienced Lockheed Martin engineers and technicians from both Australia and the United States to conduct the Aegis combat systems integration», Milligan added.

The Hobart-class destroyers are being built under Australia’s SEA 4000 program, which will ultimately deliver three advanced multirole ships. These ships will be Australia’s first ships to be equipped with Lockheed Martin’s Aegis Weapon System including the SPY-1D(V) radar. When paired with the Mk-41 Vertical Launching System (VLS), Aegis is capable of delivering missiles for every mission and threat environment in naval warfare. The RAN has received the Lockheed Martin Aegis Baseline 8 configuration, which integrates commercial-off-the-shelf technology and open architecture into the combat system.

«This milestone is a significant step towards an increase in the Royal Australian Navy’s maritime security capabilities through the seamless integration of the Aegis combat system to defend against advanced air, surface and subsurface threats», said Commodore Craig Bourke, CSC, RAN Program Manager Air Warfare Destroyer. «With more than 100 Aegis-equipped ships deployed worldwide, Australia is joining a family of allied nations that continues to push the boundaries of innovation with adaptable and affordable capabilities that meet the warfighter’s multi-mission needs».

Lockheed Martin is the Aegis Combat Systems Integrator and engineering agent for the U.S. Navy Aegis destroyers and cruisers, Australian Air Warfare Destroyers, as well as a range of other international customers for both new construction and modernisations. Lockheed Martin also provides the combat system engineering, integration and test for the U.S. Navy’s future frigate and Freedom class Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) programs.

With more than 40 years of significant investment by the U.S. Navy and its allies, the Aegis Combat System is used globally by five navies, across seven ship classes. Lockheed Martin is the trusted Aegis Combat Systems Integration partner to governments around the world, enabling mission ready, combat capable ships affordably and timely to the fleet.

 

Characteristics

Length 481.3 feet/146.7 m
Beam 61 feet/18.6 m
Draft 23.6 feet/7.2 m
Full load displacement 7,000 tonnes
Main Engine 36 MW/48,276 hp
Top speed 28+ knots/32 mph/52 km/h
Range at 18+ knots/21 mph/33 km/h 5,000+ NM/5,779 miles/9,300 km
Crew 186
Accommodation 234
Combat System Aegis Weapon System Baseline 7.1
AN/SPY-1D(V) Phased Array Radar (81 NM/93 miles/150 km)
AN/SPQ-9B Horizon Search Radar
Mk-41 Vertical Launch System (48 VLS cells: RIM-162 Evolved SeaSparrow Missile (ESSM)/Standard Missile-2 (SM-2)/SM-6)
Mk-45 Mod.4 5” (127-mm) 62 Calibre Gun (Range: 20 NM/23 miles/37 km)
Advanced Harpoon Weapon Control (2 × 4 launchers)
Electronic Warfare (EW) Suite
Very Short Range Air and Surface Defence
Nulka Active Missile Decoy system
Integrated Sonar System incorporating a hull mounted and towed array sonar
Communications Suite
Aviation Flightdeck and hangar for one helicopter
Boats Two Rigid Hulled Inflatable Boats (RHIBs)

 

This computer-generated animation highlights the multi-mission capability of the three naval destroyers being built as part of the Air Warfare Destroyer Project

 

Navy

The Aegis baseline

The U.S. Navy and Missile Defense Agency (MDA) certified the latest evolution of the Aegis Combat System – called Baseline 9.C1 – for the U.S. destroyer fleet. The Aegis baseline, built by Lockheed Martin offers advanced defense capabilities and enhanced integration with other systems external to the ship.

The latest evolution of the Aegis Combat System – Baseline 9.C1 – was certified for the U.S. Destroyer fleet, which will one day include the USS John Finn (DDG-113), now under construction
The latest evolution of the Aegis Combat System – Baseline 9.C1 – was certified for the U.S. Destroyer fleet, which will one day include the USS John Finn (DDG-113), now under construction

«The Aegis Combat System Baseline 9.C1 offers unprecedented capabilities, including simultaneous air and ballistic missile defense», said Jim Sheridan, Lockheed Martin director of Aegis programs. «This Aegis baseline also improves Aegis networking capabilities, allowing Aegis vessels to automatically coordinate defense with input from satellite and ground-based radar assets – forming a true shield of defense over a wide area».

Baseline 9.C1, also includes the most current generation of ballistic missile defense programming, known as BMD 5.0 Capability Upgrade, which offers the proven capability to shoot down ballistic missiles in both the exo-atmosphere (upper atmosphere) and endo-atmosphere (lower atmosphere). The BMD capabilities of Baseline 9.C1 are also present in Aegis Ashore, the ground-based missile defense program that is the second phase of the U.S. Phased Adaptive Approach to protect Europe from ballistic missile attack.

Over the summer, the U.S. Navy and MDA conducted the Multi-Mission Warfare (MMW) tests to verify performance of recent BMD upgrades and are a critical part of the baseline certification process. Over the course of the four test events aboard USS John Paul Jones (DDG-53), Aegis flawlessly detected, tracked, and engaged two Ballistic Missile and two air warfare targets. Each event resulted in the successful intercept of a single target.

Aegis Baseline 9.C1 provides the U.S. Navy surface fleet with the most advanced air defense capability ever. Under this baseline configuration, Aegis merges BMD and anti-air warfare into its Integrated Air and Missile Defense (IAMD) capability using commercial-off-the-shelf and open architecture technologies.

The central component of the Lockheed Martin-developed Aegis BMD Combat System is the SPY-1 radar, deployed on more than 100 ships worldwide – the most widely fielded naval phased array radar in the world. SPY-1 capability has been greatly enhanced with the introduction of a new Multi-Mission Signal Processor (MMSP). Baseline 9.C1 improves radar resolution and discrimination abilities.

As the Aegis Combat Systems Engineering Agent, Lockheed Martin leads the ongoing development of the weapon system for the U.S. Navy and MDA. Lockheed Martin pioneered the open-architecture software design of Aegis and each new program developed for Aegis becomes part of the Aegis Common Source Library, which allows the U.S. Navy and MDA to affordably and efficiently re-use and upgrade Aegis programing across a variety of defense platforms.

Navy

Japan AEGIS

The U.S. State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to Japan for DDG 7 and 8 AEGIS Combat System (ACS), Underwater Weapon System (UWS), Cooperative Engagement Capability (CEC) and associated equipment, parts and logistical support for an estimated cost of $1.5 billion. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale on August 4, 2015.

A new ship class of Japan DDGs based upon a modified Atago-class hull (Ship Class not yet named)
A new ship class of Japan DDGs based upon a modified Atago-class hull (Ship Class not yet named)

The Government of Japan has requested a possible sale of two (2) ship sets of the Mk-7 AEGIS Weapon System, AN/SQQ-89A(V) 15J UWS and CEC. Additional items include associated equipment, training and support for its Japan Fiscal Year (JFY) 2015 and JFY2016 new construction destroyers (DDGs). The ACS and associated support will be procured over a six (6) to seven (7) year period, as approved by Japan in budgets for JFY2015 and JFY2016. The estimated value of this proposed sale is $1.5 billion.

The ACS/UWS/CEC support ship construction for a new ship class of DDGs based upon a modified Atago-class hull (Ship Class not yet named) and a new propulsion system. The equipment and services to be provided include: two (2) ship sets of installation support material and special purpose test equipment, as well as the systems engineering, technical services, on-site vendor assistance, spare parts, systems training and staging services necessary to support ship construction and delivery. Post-construction Combat System Qualification Testing is expected to be procured in a future Foreign Military Sales (FMS) case.

 

Major Defense Equipment (MDE) includes:

-Two (2) AEGIS Weapon Systems (AWS) Mk-7

-One (1) J7 AWS Computer Program

-Two (2) ship sets Multi-Mission Signal Processor (MMSP)

-Two (2) ship sets AN/Mk-8 Mod 4 AEGIS Common Display System (CDS)

-Two (2) ship sets AN/SPQ-15 Digital Video Distribution System and Common Processor System (CPS)

-Two (2) ship sets AWS Computing Infrastructure Mk-1 Mod 4

-Two (2) ship sets Operational Readiness Test System (ORTS) hosted in AWS computing infrastructure

-Two (2) Mk-99 Mod 8 Fire Control Systems

-Two (2) ship sets AN/SPG-62A Radar, Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) including Mission Planner blade server processors hosted in the CPS

-Two (2) Kill Assessment System/Weapon Data Recording Cabinets (KAS/WDRC)

-Two (2) ship sets Mode 5/S capable Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) System

-Two (2) ship sets Mk-36 Mod 6 Decoy Launching System

-Two (2) ship sets AN/SQQ-89A(V) 15 Underwater Surveillance and Communication System

-Two (2) Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) Navigation systems with OE-553/U antenna

-Two (2) ship sets AN/SSN-6F(V) 4 Navigation Sensor System Interface (NAVSSI)

-Two (2) ship sets WSN-7(V) Inertial Navigation System (INS)

-Two (2) ship sets AN/URC-141(V) 3(C) Multifunctional Information Distribution System (MIDS) Radio Set

-Two (2) ship sets AN/UYQ-86(V) 6 Common Data Link Management System (CDLMS)

-Two (2) ship sets AN/SQQ-89A(V) 15J UWS

-Two (2) ship sets Gigabit Ethernet Data Multiplex System (GEDMS)

-Two (2) ship sets Maintenance Assist Modules (MAMs) cabinets for Fire Control and Combat Systems equipment

-Two (2) ship sets Multi-Function Towed Array (MFTA) and associated OK-410(V)3/SQR handling equipment

-Two (2) ship sets of Vertical Launching System (VLS)

-MK41 components for Direct Commercial Sales (DCS) launcher to support BMD missions employing the Standard Missile-3 (SM-3)

-Two (2) ship sets Launch Control Units (LCU) Mk-235 Mod 9 with Vertical Launching System (VLS) Global Positioning System (GPS) Integrator (VGI)

-VLS launcher components including twenty-four (24) Mk-448 Mod 1 Motor Control Panel

-Four (4) Programmable Power Supplies Mk-179 Mod 0

-Twenty-four (24) Launch Sequencers Mk-5 Mod 1

-Four (4) Fiber Optic Distribution Boxes (FODB)

-Twenty-four (24) Single Module Junction Boxes

-Two (2) ship sets Gun Weapon System Mk-34

-Two (2) ship sets Mk-20 Electro-Optical Sensor System (EOSS)

-Two (2) ship sets of Cooperative Engagement Capability (CEC)

-Two (2) ship sets Global Command and Control System-Maritime (GCCS-M)

-Two (2) ship sets AN/SPQ-9B Radar

-Two (2) ship sets Enhanced AEGIS Combat Systems Trainer (ACTS) with communication suite

-Two (2) ship sets technical documentation

Japan continues to modernize its fleet to support Integrated Air and Missile Defense (IAMD) roles and special mission requirements. The addition of two (2) new AEGIS DDGs will fulfill Japan’s mission goal of acquiring eight (8) ballistic missile defense capable ships and will further enhance interoperability with the U.S. Navy, build upon a longstanding cooperative effort with the United States, and provide enhanced capability with a valued partner in a geographic region of critical importance to Japan and the U.S. Government.

The proposed sale to Japan will represent an important commitment by the U.S. Government in furtherance of foreign policy and national security goals for both the United States and Japan. Japan is one of the major political and economic powers in East Asia and the Western Pacific and a key partner of the United States in ensuring peace and stability in that region. It is vital to the U.S. national interest to assist Japan in developing and maintaining a strong and ready self-defense capability. This proposed sale is consistent with U.S. foreign policy and national security objectives and the 1960 Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security.

The addition of two (2) new AEGIS DDGs to Japan’s fleet will afford more flexibility and capability to counter regional threats and continue to enhance stability in the region. Japan currently operates AEGIS ships and is proficient at using evolving ballistic missile defense capability and effective at employing the AN/SQQ-89 UWS for undersea surveillance and detection. Japan has demonstrated the capability and commitment necessary to incorporate CEC into its fleet and will capably assimilate this technology into its operations.

The proposed sale of these combat systems will not alter the basic military balance in the region.

The prime contractors will be Lockheed Martin, with offices based in Moorestown, New Jersey; Syracuse, New York; and Manassas, Virginia per sole source request from Japan as the primary AEGIS System Contractor for JFY 2015 and JFY 2016 DDG Class Ships. Japan has also requested Data Link Solutions, Cedar Rapids, IA be designated as the sole source prime contractor for the Multifunctional Information Distribution System (MIDS) on Ships (MOS) to reduce the cost of sparing and logistics for its AEGIS Ships. There are also a significant number of companies under contract with the U. S. Navy that will provide components and systems as well as engineering services during the execution of this effort.

Japanese industry has requested participation with U.S. industry as sub-contractors under the FMS case on a limited basis to provide selected components and software. Japanese industry sourced items are:

1) TR-343 Equivalent Replacement Sonar Transducers for SQS-53C sonar by NEC;

2) Partial AEGIS Display System application software by MHI;

3) Partial AEGIS Display System Hardware and Common Display System hardware by Fujitsu.

The Japan sourced products will be subject to product qualification, export control or other requirements for use in FMS-provided systems. The U.S. Navy retains the option to use U.S. Navy Programs of Record to source products or services as required to meet program requirements. There are no known offset agreements in connection with this potential sale.

Implementation of this proposed sale will require travel of U.S. Government or contractor representatives to Japan on a temporary basis for program technical support and management oversight.

There will be no adverse impact on U. S. defense readiness as a result of this proposed sale.

This notice of a potential sale is required by law and does not mean the sale has been concluded.