Naval and Defense News

[Hongjian]

PLAN Weapon test ship 892 is apparently sporting a new two-faced rotating ESA radar.


https://twitter.com/Loongnaval/status/1 ... 7545638912
https://twitter.com/HenriKenhmann/statu ... 1411885056

People suggest that it might be for the upcoming Type 054B FFG. The Type 054A Jiangkai-II construction run from 2006 to 2018 has recently ended, after all. 30 hulls are now in service. Time to move on.
Also, this new radar might be used for the Type 075 LHD as well.

[Hongjian]

A USN (?) UUV caught by Chinese fishers.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/hisutton/2 ... 70d06e6990

[Hongjian]

Pewpew

https://www.janes.com/article/93578/chi ... weapon-pod

China aiming to procure airborne laser-based weapon pod
Andrew Tate, London - Jane's Defence Weekly
08 January 2020


China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) has issued an invitation to tender for the procurement of a laser-based weapon pod, as reflected in an entry on the Chinese military and weapon procurement website: weain.mil.cn.

The website, which lists a "tender announcement for a laser strike pod procurement project", indicates that further information about the planned acquisition is confidential. However, the announcement was picked up by the state-owned Global Times newspaper, which focused on the likelihood that the project is aimed at delivering an airborne laser-based weapon, with the terminology "laser strike pod" suggesting that this is the capability expected to be delivered.

[Hongjian]

New launcher tubes identified onboard the Type 052D DDG, 175 Yinchuan:

https://twitter.com/dafengcao/status/12 ... 9097646080


(@orca; seems like they are rather Mk59 like inflatable decoy launchers instead of some form of ATT - sorry for my mistake)

[kevinkins]

Is it back for good?

https://defensemaven.io/warriormaven/se ... PxogODb3-A

Bit more on missiles today:

https://www.defensenews.com/digital-sho ... -missiles/

[fire-fox]

bet that mounting wont increase the RCS at all ! what is that like 8 phone boxes in close formation.

[KLAB]

https://www.janes.com/article/93680/us- ... cquisition

US AH-64E Apache Guardian to get Spike NLOS. When and how many?
From Jane's:
"The US Army Requirements Oversight Council (AROC) has approved the acquisition of an undisclosed number of Rafael Advanced Defence System Spike NLOS (non-line-of-sight) air-to-surface missiles (ASMs) to equip the service’s AH-64E Apache Guardian attack helicopters with a stand-off ASM capability for multi-domain operations (MDO)" Jane's IHS.

[KLAB]

https://aviationweek.com/special-topics ... e-revealed

New small tactical multi role modular Russian missile. Few details yet.

[kevinkins]

A bit on modern USN sensors:

https://defensemaven.io/warriormaven/se ... oz1z06t0QQ

And today:

https://news.usni.org/2020/01/21/navy-w ... rd%20Brief

News on Tomahawks:

https://news.usni.org/2020/01/22/entire ... rd%20Brief

[Gunner98]

News on Tomahawks:

Scooped! [;)]

I haven't checked if the Block Vb (penetrator) version is in the DB, I know that the anti-ship version (Block Va) is in - I think it's called the Multi Mission version or something.

Doesn't give a timeline for completion but it will take a while I think.

B

[kevinkins]

Dang ...

https://dsm.forecastinternational.com/w ... c-missile/

[Scar79]

ORIGINAL: kevinkins

Dang ...

https://dsm.forecastinternational.com/w ... c-missile/

Larger booster stage, lighter combat one, to increase the maximum range of the system. This missile was in talks for years.

[Broncepulido]

Probably the news report references to in-service entry of Pantsir-SM forecasted for 2021, with development finished in 2017:

This is the best article I did find, the others three are of less interest:

https://ria.ru/20200129/1563993255.html
(In short: new missile speed 3000 m/s = 5831 knots, range 21,6 nm, ceiling 20.000 meters, new search, tracking and targeting AESA radar with 75 Km/40.5 nm range, new alternative TEL with 24xMissile (previously 12xMissile+2xGun).

https://lenta.ru/news/2019/07/08/pantsirsm/

http://army.lv/ru/pantsir-sm/1222/31143

https://tass.ru/armiya-i-opk/3682156

[KLAB]

https://tass.com/defense/1114079
https://rg.ru/2020/01/29/giperzvuk-i-os ... aketu.html

MOSCOW, January 29. /TASS/. The Pantsir air defense system Transporting and Loading Vehicle (TLV) may become capable of firing missiles, while receiving targets from the system’s main unit radar, says Valery Slugin
The RG article has photos of the Pantsir SM.
Pantsir x 24?

[Broncepulido]

World Air Forces 2020, courtesy of Flight Global:
https://www.flightglobal.com/reports/wo ... 65.article

[kevinkins]

"5 Ways Russia is Positioning to Dominate the Arctic"

http://www.internationalpolicydigest.org/?p=128306

Couple of interesting maps in this one. Looks like its from 2016 so not news per se.

[Blast33]

Morocco Buys Israeli Heron Drones Decommissioned From French Service

February 3, 2020 952
Morocco Buys Israeli Heron Drones Decommissioned from French Service
Morocco’s Ministry of Defence (MoD) has taken delivery of three Heron long endurance UAVs made by Israeli Aerospace Industries (IA) which were decommissioned from service with the French Military.

French firm Dassault is said to be mediated the deal between Morocco and IAI as the North African Muslim-majority state does not have diplomatic relations with Israel.

The three drones arrived in Morcco on January 26 for a deal reported to be worth $48 million, French publication Intelligence Online reported. There was no confirmation of the deal by the Moroccan authorities.

Sources told Defenseworld.net that a package of 3 Herons plus ground stations, spares and support would be worth in excess of 150 million if bought new. It is not known how old the Drones are and how much service life they have left.

The report said Morocco bought the drones after they were decommissioned from the French military, which used them for surveillance operations in Afghanistan. The drones are capable of 52 hours of flight, and can be outfitted with secure communication links and a variety of sensors that can see in day or night.

The website said Morocco planned to deploy the UAVs to fight jihadist groups and rebels in Western Sahara.

Morocco has close defence relations with France having ordered Fremm frigates in the recent past. It is one of the major clients of the US having made significant purchases of F-16 jets, missiles, Apache helicopters and many others from Washington.
https://www.defenseworld.net/news/26267/Morocco_Buys_Israeli_Heron_Drones_Decommissioned_from_French_Service

[KLAB]

https://www.janes.com/article/94071/new ... to-gun-use
F35A gun accuracy and other woes, and I didn't know the F35B and C gun pods were model specific?
A10 enthusiasts may have a sense of shardenfreuder?

[Filitch]

ORIGINAL: kevinkins

News on Tomahawks:

https://news.usni.org/2020/01/22/entire ... rd%20Brief

Interesting that Tomahawk ranges given in presentation are far less than specified in DB.
| In presentation | In DB
Range of Block III TLAM C/D | 800 statute miles | 1000 nautical miles
Range of Block IV TACTOM E | 1000 statute miles | 1600 nautical miles

[Gunner98]

Interesting that Tomahawk ranges given in presentation are far less than specified in DB

I suspect that they are allowing range for maneuver, one of the key aspects of newer TLAMS. Manufacturer specs give you the max range (as should be in the db) while user input gives you the operational range (which players should note).