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Navy Hornets Mock-Dogfight With Malaysian Flankers In South China Sea

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With Malaysia operating Russian and U.S. made designs alongside one another, including the thrust vectoring Su-30MKM Flanker, U.S. fighter crews love to get a chance to spar with their increasingly close Asian ally. This is exactly what the Carl Vinson Strike Group did Sunday while churning through the strategic South China Sea.

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During the dissimilar air combat training (DACT) event, Carrier Air Wing 17’s Hornets and Super Hornets went to war with and against Malaysian Su-30sMKMs, MiG29Ns, and their own F/A-18Ds. Engagements included everything from 1 vs 1 basic fighter maneuvers (BFM) to elaborate combat scenarios featuring large groups of aircraft. According to the Navy, Malaysia’s Su-30MKMs were especially dynamic, showcasing “maneuvering speeds estimated at close to Mach 1, making training aggressive and realistic.”

Cmdr. Dwayne Ducommun, a key operations officer for the Carrier Strike Group, described why this type of training is ideal:

“Exercises like this validate our training and allows us to see what our aircraft can do... When you’re flying the same aircraft that you are fighting or training against, it comes down to the skill of the pilot, but when you have aircraft that aren’t the same, both technology and the skill of the pilot are tested.”

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Air combat was not the only training event that took place during the Carl Vinson’s visit off of Malaysia. A photo exercise also took place, shooting different formations of U.S. Navy and Malaysian aircraft flying together, as well as the incredible shots in this piece.

There was also a 5 inch gun exercise between a Malaysian Navy frigate and U.S. Navy surface combatants assigned to the Carrier Strike Group, as well as an expendable maneuverable acoustic training target (EMATT) exercise.

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The Mk.39 EMATT is used to train aerial and surface anti-submarine assets to search, track and engage submarines by emulating their magnetic and acoustic signature. The torpedo-like device can be programmed to go through a series of dynamic maneuvers, just as an enemy submarine would that is trying to avoid detection, and it can even react autonomously on the spot to different types of sonar pings.

The EMATT exercise is especially useful for training with regional allies as it allows both forces to better understand the each other’s sub-hunting capabilities and how to work as a team in what is a complex and dire (in real combat) operation.

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The 5 inch gun live fire drill was held between the Malaysian Frigate KD Lekir (FSG 26) and the Carrier Strike Group’s Cruisers and Destroyers, which include the USS Bunker Hill (CG-52) and the USS Gridley (DDG-101). The firing of deck guns on a regular basis has become a new priority in the US Navy, and doing so with our allies gives American crews the chance to improve their skills and measure their abilities against a foreign counterparts.

America and Malaysia have grown closer in recent years, with many American fighter units taking advantage of the country’s diverse fighter fleet and their enthusiasm for multi-national training. This training is quite valuable, especially for U.S. forces, as China’s most advanced operational fighter mirrors the capabilities, at least to a certain degree, of their Su-30MKMs.

And China is definitely what is on regional players and American military planner’s minds as the country is active building an array of islands throughout the South China Sea, which it most likely will militarize heavy. Additionally, their naval capability is rapidly expanding, with acarrier group of their own now and a submarine fleet that is eclipsing that of the U.S. in numbers.

With all this in mind, China’s potential play to control the air and sea around one of the world’s most strategic waterways is seen as unacceptable by many in the international community, including the U.S.. As a result, American forces have been making a stronger presence and tightened ties with foreign powers in the neighborhood. And there is no better way to enforce freedom of navigation on the high seas than by sailing a Carrier Strike Group right through the area and conducting war games with less powerful military powers that China seeks to overshadow by the very weight of their increasing military might alone.

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Air & Missile Defense Radar Sails through Critical Design Review

TEWKSBURY, Mass. — The U.S. Navy and Raytheon Co. have completed the AN/SPY-6(V) Air and Missile Defense Radar (AMDR) critical design review, the company announced in a May 12 release. The outcome confirms Raytheon’s design and technologies as mature, producible and low risk; on track to meet all radar performance requirements, on schedule and within cost.

The review assessed all technical aspects of the program, from hardware specifications, software development, risk mitigation and producibility analysis, to program management, test and evaluation schedules, and cost assessments. The review concluded with Navy stakeholders impressed with the radar’s progress to date and confident in the program’s path forward to on-time delivery.

“This successful milestone is the culmination of our team’s unwavering focus on continuous technology maturity, risk mitigation and cost reduction throughout all phases of development,” said Raytheon’s Kevin Peppe, vice president of Integrated Defense Systems’ Seapower Capability Systems business area. “With customer validation in hand, we will now advance production, driving toward the ultimate – and timely – delivery of this highly capable and much-needed integrated air and missile defense radar capability to the DDG 51 Flight III destroyer.”

The Engineering and Manufacturing Development (EMD) phase of the program continues and is now more than 40 percent complete. Raytheon attributes its exemplary performance to the implementation of an Agile development and management methodology for AMDR. This approach supports the ongoing hardware and software design verification, technology maturity, producibility, and risk-reduction imperatives – yielding benefits across all program elements in productivity, quality and affordability.

All aspects of the AMDR EMD phase are progressing according to plan, from software development to pilot array testing. The first Engineering Development Model production-representative Radar Modular Assembly is currently undergoing testing in the risk-reduction pilot array at the company’s Near Field Range in Sudbury, Mass.

The team has also delivered the first external combat system interface definition language increment to the Combat System Integration Working Group – the Government-industry team comprised of Raytheon, Navy and Lockheed Martin experts that is focused on AMDR integration with the DDG 51 Flight III’s AEGIS combat system.

SEAPOWER Magazine Online
 
Yup, jammers will do that, even to AESA radars
True, but could they do it to LPI AESAs? There was an article not to long ago where it said that the EW suite on the EA-18 managed to jam the APG-77 on an F22 to the point where it could engage it with an AMRAAM. However it didn't say in what mode and power the -77 was operating on. If the -77 was operating at full potential. I find it a BS story though because you would need incredibly sophisticated ESM hardware to pick up a radar jumping frequencies like that. Then you need an equally sophisticated jammer to actually degrade it, and the ALQ-99 isn't exactly new.

I love watching the Air Force vs Navy stealth saga tho.
 
US Navy’s Super Hornet Crashes in the Arabian Gulf
Posted on May 13, 2015
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US Navy’s Super Hornet Crashes in the Arabian Gulf

A U.S. Navy F/A-18F Super Hornet assigned to Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 211 crashed at 1:30 p.m. (GMT), yesterday, shortly after launching from the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) operating in the Arabian Gulf.

The two personnel aboard the strike fighter ejected from the aircraft, survived the crash and were quickly recovered by search and rescue personnel from the ship. The recovered Naval Aviators were evaluated by medical personnel aboard USS Theodore Roosevelt. Initial reports indicated that both are without serious injury.

The crash was not a result of hostile activity.

Strike Fighter Squadron 211 is based at Naval Air Station Oceana, Virginia, and is assigned to Carrier Air Wing 1. USS Theodore Roosevelt, with its embarked carrier air wing, is currently in the U.S. 5th Fleet supporting Operation Inherent Resolve, conducting strike operations against ISIL in Iraq and Syria.

The Navy is investigating the cause of the crash.

US Navy’s Super Hornet Crashes in the Arabian Gulf | Naval Today
 
Raytheon successfully tests APG-79 (V) X AESA radar
13 May 2015

Raytheon has successfully completed the flight test of its APG-79(V) X AESA radar system, demonstrating the functions required to extend the combat relevance of F/A-18C/D Hornet aircraft for 15 to 20 years.

The Hornet fleets, upgraded with new APG-79V(X) radar, will benefit from extended detection ranges, simultaneous air-to-air and air-to-ground capabilities, production of high-resolution synthetic aperture radar (SAR) mapping and better reliability.

Raytheon Space and Airborne Systems business Tactical Airborne Systems business development director Mike Garcia said: "We put our latest AESA radar to the test, and it exceeded our expectations.

"Our APG-79(V)X combines the best features of our AESA portfolio to maintain tactical advantage for F/A-18C/D aircraft."

The world's first operational AESA radar for fighter aircraft was deployed in 2000. Since then, Raytheon has delivered more than 500 tactical AESA radars for F-15, F/A-18E/F, EA-18G and B-2 aircraft.

"We put our latest AESA radar to the test, and it exceeded our expectations."
Currently installed on the F/A-18E/F Super Hornets and EA-18G Growlers, the APG-79 system has been used in four combat theatres since its first delivery in 2006.

Raytheon Space and Airborne Systems business vice-president Roy Azevedo said: "Our experience with AESA radar systems ensures a low-risk transition to the APG-79V(X). Installations require less than 60 minutes."

"In these uncertain economic times, when defence budgets are particularly tight, Raytheon's APG-79V(X) radar offers a proven, cost-effective solution for Hornet life extension, as well as significant opportunities for in-country manufacturing partnerships."

In January this year, Raytheon flight tested its APG-79 (V) X AESA radar system on the US Navy's F/A-18C/D Hornet fighter/attack jets.
Raytheon successfully tests APG-79 (V) X AESA radar - Naval Technology
 
Here's Why Dynamic Mongoose Is NATO's Biggest Anti-Sub Exercise Ever

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Operation Dynamic Mongoose is the biggest anti-submarine exercise NATO has ever conducted, and it reflects both deep-seated fears and the effort to catch up on years of management mistakes.

And yeah, Dynamic Mongoose is a pretty silly name.

When NATO says that the exercise is the biggest one it’s ever held, they aren’t joking. Submarines from Germany, Norway, the United States, and Sweden are converging on chilly Norwegian waters, variously playing the hunter and the pursued. Particularly astute observers of geopolitics might note that Sweden, funnily enough, isn’t actually a member of the vaunted North Atlantic Treaty Organization. While it is friendly with virtually every country in the alliance, it’s never formally joined up for a variety of reasons.

But when it comes to hunting for submarines, Sweden recently received a big reason to up its game, so here it is.

It’s not just about Sweden, however. More than a dozen surface ships from Canada, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Spain, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and the US are taking part as well, along with a ton of personnel and aviation elements.

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In short, it’s kind of a big deal. But the reasons why NATO has decided to make such an effort now don’t exist in a vacuum. It’s the result of years of buildup, and, because this is NATO, Russia.

The buildup in this case isn’t actually the result of an increase in forces, but rather the opposite. In the immediate post-Cold War era, when it looked as if humanity might be seeing a new dawn of peace. To anyone that’s been alive in the past 20 years, it’s a bit obvious that that didn’t happen. But for awhile there, it looked like this whole “easy peace” thing might work out, and we even had the Red Army Choir sing “Sweet Home Alabama” with a bunch of Finns in weird suits with even weirder hair.

Things were looking pretty great.

So great, in fact, that the United States Navy (and by extension, NATO) cut deep into its anti-submarine warfare efforts. Billions of dollars were poured into technologies for low-intensity, littoral conflicts, and things once used to hunt Soviet submarines, like the aircraft carrier-based S-3 Viking, were retired without direct replacement.

And it wasn’t just the Americans cutting back, either. The British Royal Air Force retired its land-based Hawker Siddeley Nimrods, and the Dutch put a heavy anti-air emphasis into its surface fleet. Similar re-focusing was reflected pretty much across the board when it came to NATO budgeting, if for nothing else than a great sense of optimism about the future.

But while everything was looking all shiny topside, underneath the surface the world was getting more dangerous. Major advances were made in submarine stealth, with technologies like Air Independent Propulsion coming to the fore, enabling less wealthy countries to build non-nuclear yet incredibly quiet submarines.

And the whole time, lurking like the big bear in the room no one wanted to talk about, was the Russian Navy. It completely atrophied in the years after the collapse of the Soviet Union, with once-mighty Typhoon-class ballistic missile subs left rotting away in icy shipyards. But it didn’t stay that way long.

With the rise of Russian President Vladimir Putin, along with the corresponding rise in global oil prices, the Russian Navy saw a bit of a rebound. Massive development was put into new submarine technologies and classes, along with new submarine-launched ballistic missile technology.

1252323361731834000.jpg


In just the past few years, the world has seen Russia launch submarines of the Borei-class andYasen-class for the first time, in addition to new improved Kilo-class submarines and special service subs, as well as the entry into service of the Bulava submarined-launched ballistic missile. The size of the Russian sub fleet now totals around 60 boats.

But it’s not just Russia. China, too, has found submarines to be a cost-effective way of making sure NATO doesn’t get too comfortable with its aircraft carriers, and the contentious staredownsin the South China Sea look like they’re going to get worse, before they get any better. Couple that with Type-093G subs capable of launching supersonic anti-ship cruise missiles, and suddenly NATO isn’t very comfortable at all.

Put the lack of submarine hunting equipment and skills on the NATO side, and the increased focus on subs on the Russian, Chinese, and yes, even the nutty North Korean side, and you can see why NATO now wants to make a show of force in its anti-sub capabilities.

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The only question is whether or not this whole thing is effective. We’re not the only ones who are curious, either. From the sound of people on the inside, it looks like Russia’s interested, too.

@Sinan @cabatli_53 @xxxKULxxx @Hakan - I don't know if you guys frequent this thread, but here's an update that involves Turkey too.

_82938976_submarine5epa.jpg


_82948394_submarine2reuters.jpg


_82948420_submarine4epa.jpg


_82948390_submarinereuters.jpg
 
Here's Why Dynamic Mongoose Is NATO's Biggest Anti-Sub Exercise Ever

1252323361538391696.jpg


Operation Dynamic Mongoose is the biggest anti-submarine exercise NATO has ever conducted, and it reflects both deep-seated fears and the effort to catch up on years of management mistakes.

And yeah, Dynamic Mongoose is a pretty silly name.

When NATO says that the exercise is the biggest one it’s ever held, they aren’t joking. Submarines from Germany, Norway, the United States, and Sweden are converging on chilly Norwegian waters, variously playing the hunter and the pursued. Particularly astute observers of geopolitics might note that Sweden, funnily enough, isn’t actually a member of the vaunted North Atlantic Treaty Organization. While it is friendly with virtually every country in the alliance, it’s never formally joined up for a variety of reasons.

But when it comes to hunting for submarines, Sweden recently received a big reason to up its game, so here it is.

It’s not just about Sweden, however. More than a dozen surface ships from Canada, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Spain, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and the US are taking part as well, along with a ton of personnel and aviation elements.

1252323361653188752.jpg


In short, it’s kind of a big deal. But the reasons why NATO has decided to make such an effort now don’t exist in a vacuum. It’s the result of years of buildup, and, because this is NATO, Russia.

The buildup in this case isn’t actually the result of an increase in forces, but rather the opposite. In the immediate post-Cold War era, when it looked as if humanity might be seeing a new dawn of peace. To anyone that’s been alive in the past 20 years, it’s a bit obvious that that didn’t happen. But for awhile there, it looked like this whole “easy peace” thing might work out, and we even had the Red Army Choir sing “Sweet Home Alabama” with a bunch of Finns in weird suits with even weirder hair.

Things were looking pretty great.

So great, in fact, that the United States Navy (and by extension, NATO) cut deep into its anti-submarine warfare efforts. Billions of dollars were poured into technologies for low-intensity, littoral conflicts, and things once used to hunt Soviet submarines, like the aircraft carrier-based S-3 Viking, were retired without direct replacement.

And it wasn’t just the Americans cutting back, either. The British Royal Air Force retired its land-based Hawker Siddeley Nimrods, and the Dutch put a heavy anti-air emphasis into its surface fleet. Similar re-focusing was reflected pretty much across the board when it came to NATO budgeting, if for nothing else than a great sense of optimism about the future.

But while everything was looking all shiny topside, underneath the surface the world was getting more dangerous. Major advances were made in submarine stealth, with technologies like Air Independent Propulsion coming to the fore, enabling less wealthy countries to build non-nuclear yet incredibly quiet submarines.

And the whole time, lurking like the big bear in the room no one wanted to talk about, was the Russian Navy. It completely atrophied in the years after the collapse of the Soviet Union, with once-mighty Typhoon-class ballistic missile subs left rotting away in icy shipyards. But it didn’t stay that way long.

With the rise of Russian President Vladimir Putin, along with the corresponding rise in global oil prices, the Russian Navy saw a bit of a rebound. Massive development was put into new submarine technologies and classes, along with new submarine-launched ballistic missile technology.

1252323361731834000.jpg


In just the past few years, the world has seen Russia launch submarines of the Borei-class andYasen-class for the first time, in addition to new improved Kilo-class submarines and special service subs, as well as the entry into service of the Bulava submarined-launched ballistic missile. The size of the Russian sub fleet now totals around 60 boats.

But it’s not just Russia. China, too, has found submarines to be a cost-effective way of making sure NATO doesn’t get too comfortable with its aircraft carriers, and the contentious staredownsin the South China Sea look like they’re going to get worse, before they get any better. Couple that with Type-093G subs capable of launching supersonic anti-ship cruise missiles, and suddenly NATO isn’t very comfortable at all.

Put the lack of submarine hunting equipment and skills on the NATO side, and the increased focus on subs on the Russian, Chinese, and yes, even the nutty North Korean side, and you can see why NATO now wants to make a show of force in its anti-sub capabilities.

1252323361829957264.jpg


The only question is whether or not this whole thing is effective. We’re not the only ones who are curious, either. From the sound of people on the inside, it looks like Russia’s interested, too.

@Sinan @cabatli_53 @xxxKULxxx @Hakan - I don't know if you guys frequent this thread, but here's an update that involves Turkey too.

_82938976_submarine5epa.jpg


_82948394_submarine2reuters.jpg


_82948420_submarine4epa.jpg


_82948390_submarinereuters.jpg

A NATO exercise involving Norway - being led and hosted by Norway, I should be able to get some pics from my friends in the Forsvaret. If I can, you'll find them here:

Nordic Defense News, pictures, videos and history
 
@SvenSvensonov @Transhumanist @Nihonjin1051 @C130 @AMDR @Peter C @F-22Raptor @KAL-EL @Desertfalcon
Good news for Thales,and the US army :victory:

http://www.thalescomminc.com/media/Thales ANPRC-154 Rifleman Radio.pdf
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Thales Selected for U.S. Army Rifleman Radio Program

Thales has recently been selected to provide the U.S. Army with Rifleman Radio systems. This award, under a ten-year (five-year base with five-year option) indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract, will allow Thales to compete for the different orders of the programme.The selection is for the Rifleman Radio Full Rate Production (FRP) programme, also part of the U.S. Army’s Joint Tactical Radio System (JTRS) Handheld, Manpack and Small-form Fit (HMS) programme.

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Soldiers of the US 82nd Airborne Division using a Thales AN/PRC-154 family radio


The Army’s projected contract cost through 2025 for radios, accessories, technical support and sustainment, will not exceed $3.9 billion (€3.4 billion).

The Army’s acquisition strategy is to compete individual delivery orders following qualification testing. Testing will be performed on radios delivered under the initial delivery order. Qualified radios are expected
to begin being fielded in 2017.

Thales’s enhanced AN/PRC-154A Rifleman Radio is the most advanced, fielded, and proven soldier radio on the market, delivering voice and data simultaneously. It provides secure, inter-squad, networked
communications and situational awareness to the soldier at the tactical edge of the battlefield, improving mission effectiveness.

Thales has been involved in the development and fielding of the Rifleman Radio since 2004 under Low Rate Initial Production (LRIP). The Army has procured more than 21,000 radios to date under the LRIP.

Thales has leveraged over two decades of handheld radio design experience in its latest Rifleman Radio solution, which exceeds the original programme requirements by improving battery life, mission weight, and waveform performance while also enhancing the user interface.

Thales Selected for U.S. Army Rifleman Radio Program 14051503 | May 2015 Global Defense Security news UK | Defense Security global news industry army 2015
 
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