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jtoatoktoe
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RE: Naval News

Post by jtoatoktoe »

US jet destroys Russian T-72 battle tank in E Syria in 'self-defense' Saturday after 'pro-regime forces' fired on US special ops and allied Syrian fighters near same location of last week's attack, officials say. No US or allied casualties. 3 inside tank killed.
https://twitter.com/LucasFoxNews/status/963421462223826944

Update
UPDATE: U.S. MQ-9 Reaper drone destroyed Russian-made T-72 tank in E Syria Sat on same say Iranian drone shot down over Israel. Tank came from “same hostile forces” which attacked US special ops troops and allied Syrian fighters late last week, officials say
https://twitter.com/LucasFoxNews/status/963428762997182464
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xavierv
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RE: Naval News

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TKMS Cut 1st Steel of First Israeli Navy Saar 6 Corvette
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The steel cutting ceremony for the first Saar 6 (Sa'ar 6) corvette ordered by Israel at the ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) shipyard in Kiel, Germany on February 7, 2018. The low key ceremony (no media representatives were admitted) took place in presence of the chief of the Israeli Navy, Admiral Eli Sharvit, and German Navy inspector Vice-admiral Andreas Krause.
https://www.navyrecognition.com/index.p ... vette.html

Huge amount of firepower in a tiny hull... not sure about the seakeeping however
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kevinkins
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RE: Naval News

Post by kevinkins »

Speculation on the lost F-16I event:

https://www.defensenews.com/global/mide ... rd%20Brief
“The study of history lies at the foundation of all sound military conclusions and practice.”
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Dysta
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RE: Naval News

Post by Dysta »

The discussion in Ars about the SpaceX 's broadband satellites comes to tests and planned to deploy them all around the world. However, many commenters said that the network will bypass censorship from certain countries, especially China and Russia. Citing possibilities that they will jam the broadband signals or even ASAT them:

https://arstechnica.com/information-tec ... st-launch/
Hongjian
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RE: Naval News

Post by Hongjian »

IISS did a little writeup on the air-force weapon modernization of China and Russia. This chart is interesting.
Some data seem wrong here, including the service entry date for the PL-15 (which already mass equips Sino-Flankers and J-10B/Cs since 2015). And the PL-XX should also be in limited service at least, since we do have image evidence of it participating the Red Sword Exercise in 2015 - onboard a J-11B. This shows that not only the J-16 is capable of carrying that huge AWACS/Tanker killer missile.

Image
Hongjian
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RE: Naval News

Post by Hongjian »

https://twitter.com/HenriKenhmann/statu ... 9667755008
Si le compte est bon, la marine chinoise aurait actuellement au moins 11 navires de surface déployés en océan Indien, à savoir 7 destroyers et frégates, 1 navire amphibie de 20 000 tonnes et 3 pétroliers ravitailleurs. Il y aurait fort probablement des sous-marins également.

Translated from French by Microsoft:

If the account is good, the Chinese navy would currently have at least 11 surface vessels deployed in the Indian Ocean, namely 7 destroyers and frigates, 1 amphibious vessel of 20 000 tonnes and 3 tankers. There would most likely be submarines as well.

....

Guess that China's assets in the Indian Ocean are quite a bit larger than I thought. If they could manage to pull them all together into a task force, it would be quite a fleet for a possible intervention on behalf of the Maldives vis a vis India.

Though with the lack of the air-craft carrier, China may be at a disadvantage compared to India's air-power so close by.
Hongjian
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RE: Naval News

Post by Hongjian »

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-43036302
The 'globalisation' of China's military power

Interesting article about that recent IISS report.
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Dysta
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RE: Naval News

Post by Dysta »

ORIGINAL: Hongjian

*PLAAF AAM ranges*

PL-15 is a stopgap between 50nm and 200nm classes. It may sounds redundant, but for a good reason -- giving the farthest range without reducing loadout versatility or performance, and even improving it by associate with better/extra sensors for the terminal stage.

Supposedly it should be fired with a ballistic arch to gain range, so it's not designed for LO-LO-LO engagement, even it can, the range benefit will be none compare to the older, but nearly same-sized mid-range AAMs.
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kevinkins
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RE: Naval News

Post by kevinkins »

Sam Tangredi, author of the book "Anti-access Warfare:Countering A2/AD Strategies" several years ago, updates his concepts in this recent (2/15) video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cPmx4LRwNFs
“The study of history lies at the foundation of all sound military conclusions and practice.”
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gpotter511
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RE: Naval News

Post by gpotter511 »

Question: does anyone have information on how many Meteor BVR AAMs have been acquired by the partner nations to date, particularly Germany? Having a devil of a time tracking this down. Thanks!
orca
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RE: Naval News

Post by orca »

Contract signed for F/A-18 Super Hornet conformational fuel tanks.

Estimated delivery 2022.

https://www.popularmechanics.com/milita ... nks-range/
https://www.defense.gov/News/Contracts/ ... e/1442289/
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xavierv
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RE: Naval News

Post by xavierv »

Video: Boeing Wins US Navy Contract to Develop CFT for Super Hornet
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The U.S. Navy's Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) awarded Boeing a contract for the design, development, test and integration of the conformal fuel tanks (CFT) for the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet.

Plans of CFTs for the Super Hornet first surfaced last year: At the Navy League’s Sea-Air-Space 2017 exposition held last year, Boeing unveiled the Block III variant of its F/A-18E/F Super Hornet. The Block III Super Hornet consists in a series of upgrades for the existing Block II aircraft. These upgrades (a Boeing representative at the show identified five of them) would bring more capabilities to the affordable and combat proven Super Hornet (as well as to the EA-18G Growler):
The most visible upgrade is the conformal fuel tanks (CFTs) which would bring more range, more percistance and less drag to the aircraft. CFTs are additional fuel tanks fitted closely to the profile of an aircraft that extend either the range or "time on station" of the aircraft. CFTs have a reduced aerodynamic penalty compared to external drop tanks and they do not occupy ordnance hardpoints like drop tanks, allowing the aircraft to carry more payload. The combat range increase for the Block III is estimated to be about more or less 150 nautical miles compared to the use of legacy drop tanks.
https://www.navyrecognition.com/index.p ... ornet.html

Video: Here are the Five Finalists for FFG(X)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISTRSL80VaU
The U.S. Navy down selected five ship designs to compete for the FFG(X) Frigate Program on February 16, 2018. Austal USA, Fincantieri Marinette Marine, General Dynamics Bath Iron Works, Lockheed Martin and Huntington Ingalls Industries received a contract award for "conceptual design" of their frigate proposals.
https://www.navyrecognition.com/index.p ... ffg-x.html
Hongjian
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RE: Naval News

Post by Hongjian »

Pakistani JF-17 test fire CM-400AKG "Wrecker" air-launched ballistic missile.

Those are the first ever shots of an operational test:

Image
Image

Hongjian
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RE: Naval News

Post by Hongjian »

ORIGINAL: Dysta
ORIGINAL: Hongjian

*PLAAF AAM ranges*

PL-15 is a stopgap between 50nm and 200nm classes. It may sounds redundant, but for a good reason -- giving the farthest range without reducing loadout versatility or performance, and even improving it by associate with better/extra sensors for the terminal stage.

Supposedly it should be fired with a ballistic arch to gain range, so it's not designed for LO-LO-LO engagement, even it can, the range benefit will be none compare to the older, but nearly same-sized mid-range AAMs.

On topic of the PL-XX VLRAAM, the major insider Xinhai mentioned this:

https://twitter.com/starmil_admin/statu ... 3257001984

"Summary of IISS on Chinese AAMs addresses range. However, cooperative guidance, trajectory programming, energy management (dual-pulse rocket, throttleable SDR), terminal phase maneuverability (lateral jets/aerodynamic surfaces coupling) of LRAAMs should also be paid attention to."

So, it seems like China is also developing some sort of CEC here, which is logical given the ranges of the PL-XX and the necessity for off-board targeting.

And the "terminal phase maneuverability" does indicate that the PL-XX isnt just for non-maneuvering targets.

Interesting stuff.
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xavierv
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RE: Naval News

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Keel Laying for Italian Navy Future LHD at Fincantieri Shipyard
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The keel laying ceremony of the multipurpose amphibious unit (LHD or Landing Helicopter Dock) took place today at Fincantieri’s shipyard in Castellammare di Stabia, marking the beginning of the slipway works of the unit.

The new unit will be delivered in 2022 and it falls within the naval program of the maritime capability of Defense, approved by the Italian Government and Parliament and started in May 2015.
...
The unit will be approx. 215 meters long with a maximum speed of 25 knots. It will be equipped with a combined propulsion system diesel/electric and gas turbines (CODLOG).
https://www.navyrecognition.com/index.p ... pyard.html
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Dysta
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RE: Naval News

Post by Dysta »

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xavierv
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RE: Naval News

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French Navy to Procure E-2D Advanced Hawkeyes for 2026-2028
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The French Navy is looking to procure some E-2D Advanced Hawkeye carrier-capable tactical airborne early warning (AEW) aircraft from Northrop Grumman for delivery in about ten years, Navy Recognition has learned.

A French Navy spokesman explained to us that "three E-2Ds are scheduled to be delivered by 2026-2028. They will renew the 'gateway' function of the French naval aviation". Navy Recognition understands a formal order for the Advanced Hawkeyes should be placed in the next French military planning law (LPM) set to be released in 2024. France just issued its 2019-2025 military planning law.
https://www.navyrecognition.com/index.p ... -2028.html
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Dysta
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RE: Naval News

Post by Dysta »

The most recent ABM test launched by China was the DN-3 interceptor, and it hit DF-21 as a target successfully:

https://thediplomat.com/2018/02/reveale ... ptor-test/
Hongjian
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RE: Naval News

Post by Hongjian »

ORIGINAL: Dysta

The most recent ABM test launched by China was the DN-3 interceptor, and it hit DF-21 as a target successfully:

https://thediplomat.com/2018/02/reveale ... ptor-test/

Beat me to it.

Good information on the other BMD missiles in Chinese arsenal:
The DN-3 is thought to be China’s most capable midcourse hit-to-kill interceptor, but the country has other systems capable of exoatmospheric ballistic and anti-satellite interception, including the DN-2, the HQ-19, and the ASAT-oriented SC-19.

In 2017, the U.S. Department of Defense observed in its annual report on the Chinese military that the HQ-19 might “fill the midtier of China’s BMD network.”

“The HQ-19 is still undergoing PLAAF [People’s Liberation Army Air Force]-organized testing; as of May 2016, China was focused mainly on testing the HQ-19’s capability to intercept 3,000 km ranged ballistic missiles,” the report noted.

The HQ-19 would be China's THAAD-ER equivalent, i.e. a terminal BMD.
And we remember the DN-2 from a test of 2011 and 2013, 2015 and 2017, where it achieved an altitude capable of reaching GPS satellites in 2013:

http://freebeacon.com/national-security ... e-missile/
China tested a DN-2 in 2013 that traveled 18,600 miles in space where U.S. intelligence satellites are located.

http://freebeacon.com/national-security ... e-missile/
While details of the DN-2 are not known, U.S. officials said it is expected to be a high earth-orbit interceptor capable of destroying strategic navigation, communication, or intelligence satellites by ramming into them at high speeds.

The DN-2 is said to be capable of hitting targets in high-earth orbit between 12,000 and 22,236 miles above earth. Many military, intelligence, and commercial satellites orbit at that altitude.

So, if the DN-3 is based on the same booster and main stage, it might also be able to reach that orbit and hence would explain its larger size compared to the SM-3.


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Dysta
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RE: Naval News

Post by Dysta »

Nice analysis.

Anyway, this picture can definitely confirmed the Z-20 is in service, and the bulged cabin compartment has no resemblance to S-70 that China bought in 1980s. But that also means the specifications will be different as well:

Image

EDIT: More clear Z-20 pictures during the ground test at plateau region, time and location unknown.

https://twitter.com/OedoSoldier/status/ ... 43522?s=20
https://twitter.com/OedoSoldier/status/ ... 93248?s=20
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