More unmanned ships for the USN.
Stories like this give me some hope that the USN is thinking out of the box and won’t get caught equipping itself to fight the last war.
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April 17, 2019
April 10, 2019
It would take a heart of stone……
not to laugh at this story. First the Russians sink the only dry dock capable of servicing their only carrier, and at the same time it is extensively damaged. Now, they may just scrap the thing. While I have some worries about the current state of the USN (the LCS, the DDG-1000, the Fitzgerald incident, etc) I am sure we are worlds better off than the Russian military. Frankly, that is why we need to spend more of our time and resources addressing the Chinese threat.
April 4, 2019
The LCS
The continuing disaster that is the LCS. The idea that after all this investment we end up with fancy minesweepers is just sad. There just has to be a way to fix the broken procurement system and Pentagon budgeting in general.
Strategy Talk Podcast
If you like podcasts, I recommend the Strategy Talk podcast, by the guys who run Strategypage.com. The latest episode is on the South China Sea, which is one of the areas where I have a real interest.
April 3, 2019
The return of the light carrier
Looks like the Marines while exercising in the Philippines have loaded up the USS Wasp (LHD-1)with an unusually large contingent of F-35Bs. This isn’t really surprising. I suspect that the USN will test out multiple configurations on the LHA/LHD and even LPDs. Where a US presence is required with an air presence, but not enough to warrant a CVN, these “light carriers” with F-35Bs will be a real force multiplier. When the Loyal Wingman drones come online down the road, there will be even more of a force multiplier effect.
March 31, 2019
DDG-1000
This program continues to be an embarrassment. There ought to be an investigation and some heads ought to roll. I know there won’t be, but there should be.
March 30, 2019
A new USAF missile?
New to the USAF, that is. It appear that the USAF is going to base a new missile for use in its next generation aircraft on the current USN Anti-radar ARM. In this case there seems to be some actual cooperation between the services to make a weapon usable by both. Hopefully it will save some money as well.
March 29, 2019
Virginia class SSNs
Looks like the Block V versions of the Virginia class SSNs will be getting additional weapons capabilities. More and more, subs are being seen as cruise missile delivery platforms. This latest upgrade seems to confirm this. My prediction is that UUVs will become one of the things that these SSNs ultimately end up carrying and launching. (h/t to Jeff “Inch High” Groves).
March 25, 2019
Chinese icebreaker
It appears the Chinese are going to build a nuclear powered icebreaker. Given the remoteness of China from the Arctic, that wouldn’t seem to make much sense, though as the article points out, it makes perfect sense as the test-bed for the propulsion of a future nuclear powered aircraft carrier.
March 9, 2019
Super Blues
Looks like the Blue Angels will be transitioning to F/A-18E/Fs between 2020 and 2021. This should put an end to speculation that they would move to the F-35.
