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[l] at 2/11/25 6:25pm
During his first overseas flight as Defense Secretary, Pete Hegseth shared a video of himself aboard a C-17 Globemaster III transport jet sitting in a Silver Bullet Command and Control Module. The converted Airstream trailer is one of two the Air Force deploys to give senior leaders like Hegseth and other VVIPs a secure, quiet place to conduct business in the middle of a noisy, often-crowded cargo aircraft. The Silver Bullets’ days are numbered though. For a host of reasons, a replacement unit called the Roll-On Conference Capsule (ROCC) is scheduled to be fielded in December, the Air Force told us today. Unlike the adapted Silver Bullets, which first flew in the early 1990s, these were purpose-built for the mission. The short video showed Hegseth sitting on a brown leather chair at a small workstation inside the Silver Bullet, where he signed an order changing the name of Fort Liberty in North Carolina to Fort Roland L. Bragg. It was during a long flight from Joint Base Andrews (JBA) in Maryland to Germany, where he visited U.S. Africa Command and U.S. European Command in Stuttgart on Tuesday before heading to Brussels to discuss the future of U.S. support for Ukraine with NATO allies. Bragg is back! I just signed a memorandum reversing the naming of Fort Liberty back to Fort Bragg. pic.twitter.com/EGgZNHK72x— Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth (@SecDef) February 11, 2025 Long airplane trips can interrupt critical functions of any executive, as well as add stress to already hectic schedules. In addition to giving Hegseth a place to do his job as defense secretary, the Silver Bullet at best a homey hideaway reminiscent of a 1990s motorhome also offered him a place to rest.  SECDEF Hegseth at his desk in the Silver Bullet. (DOD Screencap) Dick Cheney in the Silver Bullet at the same desk areas as Hegseth. (The U.S. National Archives) The Silver Bullet “was certainly comfortable and provided a relatively quiet place to work and concentrate.” Joseph Votel, the retired Army general who commanded U.S. Central Command from 2016 to 2019, told The War Zone in a 2022 story about the modules. “As a combatant commander, I had a need to stay in constant communications even during lengthy travel to the Middle East and do it in a place that I could work from. Purpose-designed aircraft and some other capabilities made available to us helped to make that possible — it was a multiplier for me. In the end – I just needed to be able to operate.” The Silver Bullet then-U.S. Central Command leader Gen. Joseph Votel used during a 2016 trip to the Middle East. (Howard Altman photo) The Silver Bullet aboard a C-17 on a flight to Afghanistan and other nations in the U.S. Central Command region with then-CENTCOM commander Gen. Joseph Votel in 2016. (Howard Altman photo) Then-Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld in an Airstream trailer aboard an Air Force C-17 as he heads to Iraq, December 8, 2006. His aide, Colonel Will Grimsley, is reflected in the microwave. (Photo by David Hume Kennerly/Getty Images) Then-Defense Secretary James Mattis (middle), with then-U.S. permanent representative to NATO Kay Bailey Hutchison (left) and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg in the Silver Bullet. (DOD photo) The Silver Bullet is essentially a mobile SCIF, office, and apartment all in one. An arsenal of communications tech has been continuously upgraded that works to connect the pod to the outside world. This includes multiple options for unsecure and secure voice, data, and video teleconferencing. These systems “plug in” to the existing communications systems aboard a select number of C-17s via a set of umbilical cables. There is a large “mechanical caboose” that brings up the rear of the palleted Silver Bullet system where the communications technology and controls that support the pod are held and where the pod’s electronics are interfaced with the C-17. The updated version of this enclosure is called the “Silver Eagle” and it can support communications at the very highest levels. Above all else, this includes being able to connect with the National Command Authority which underpins Americas nuclear deterrent, anywhere and anytime. A very rare view inside the “Silver Eagle. (SelectTech) We reached out to the Pentagon to see how Hegseth liked the Silver Bullet, which like its twin is owned by Air Mobility Command and maintained by the 89th Maintenance Group at JBA. It was by chance, meanwhile, that Hegseth flew the Globemaster on his maiden voyage as SECDEF. He was scheduled to fly one of the four existing E-4B Survivable Airborne Operations Center jets. Occasionally, due to routine scheduled maintenance, the small fleet of four aircraft cannot support additional tasking such as SecDef travel. In such cases, it is not uncommon for the SecDef to be supported with an alternative type of aircraft,” Justin R. Oakes, spokesman for the Eighth Air Force and the Joint-Global Strike Operations Center told us earlier this week. In addition to better availability, the Globemasters have another advantage over the E-4Bs. They have a defensive suite includes multiple types of expendable decoys and the laser-based Large Aircraft Infrared Countermeasure System (LAIRCM). This system uses staring missile launch detectors arrayed around the aircraft that alert the crew of an incoming missile via detection of the missile’s infrared plume and cue a number of laser turrets positioned around the jet’s fuselage to fire their blinding beams into the missile’s infrared seeker. This capability makes using the Silver Bullet a requirement for traveling into hostile locales. An Air Force E-4B flies over the Canadian Pacific Coast April 10, 2014. . (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Mary ODell) An Air Force E-4B flies over the Canadian Pacific Coast on April 10, 2014. This shot gives us a good look at the E-4s spine, which is festooned with antennas. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Mary ODell) Regardless, Hegseth has only about 10 more months to use the Silver Bullets. They are scheduled to be retired and replaced by the newer, safer ROCCs. In 2019, the Air Force awarded an $8.5 million contract to SelectTech Services Corp. of Centerville, Ohio, for the design, development, integration, test and delivery of two ROCCs to replace the aging Airstream units. As we noted in our previous coverage, the Silver Bullets were considered so unsafe they were deemed not airworthy back in 2000. It wasn’t until 2020 that the flying branch issued a memo authorizing occupancy of the modules, except during takeoffs and landings, refueling and “moderate turbulence in flight as determined by the aircraft commander,” Air Force officials told The War Zone. The Silver Bullets “did not meet the numerous airworthiness requirements, including crash loads, egress, gusts loads, electrical system design, smoke and fumes, etc.,” the Air Force explained to us in 2022. In addition, a 2015 Air Force assessment “identified numerous risks which were generally associated with substandard electrical system design, improper use of materials for an aircraft environment, and inadequate structural design integrity for crash scenarios, hard landings, and turbulence in flight.”  The situation was of great enough concern that the House Armed Services Committee in its markup of the Fiscal Year 2023 National Defense Authorization Act asked the Air Force Secretary for a full report by March 2023 on the Silver Bullet’s problems and plan for replacement. The Silver Bullet airstream trailer carrying U.S. Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel is seen inside a U.S. Air Force C-17 aircraft transporting him and his staff from Kabul to Ramstein Airbase in Germany, Monday, March 11, 2013. Hagel returned to Washington from his first visit to Afghanistan as Secretary of Defense on Monday. (AP Photo/Jason Reed, Pool) The ROCC is designed to mitigate those concerns, the Air Force told us. “The intent is for [the ROCC]  to be fully certified for all phases of flight when it is fielded,” Air Force Capt. Denise Guiao-Corpuz told us.” Those modules will have “intercom systems, lavatories, Ethernet network, Wi-Fi, VTC system display, external voice and data connectivity (wideband or narrowband), 120V/60Hz outlets, sleeping quarters, and a 9-person conference room,” according to SelectTech. The new Roll-On Conference Capsule from SelecTech will replace the Silver Bullet. (SelectTech graphic) In 2019, the Air Force awarded SelectTech an $8.5 million contract for two Roll-on Conference Capsules to fly on C-17s. (SelectTech graphic) In 2019, the Air Force awarded SelectTech an $8.5 million contract for two Roll-on Conference Capsules to fly on C-17s. (SelectTech graphic) The Silver Bullets have a storied past, hosting U.S. cabinet members, service secretaries, other military leaders, vice presidents, and even celebrities like Robin Williams and Drew Carey. Considering their significance, these unique but dated VVIP pods will hopefully find their way into museums. Contact the author: howard@thewarzone.com The post C-17s Silver Bullet Airstream Trailer Pod Used By Secretary Of Defense Hegseth On First Overseas Trip appeared first on The War Zone.

[Category: Air, Air Forces, Airborne Communications, C-17, Command & Control, E-4, Transports, U.S. Air Force] [Link to media]

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[l] at 2/11/25 6:07pm
What looks to be a previously unseen vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) capable aircraft design with a mix of tilting and fixed rotors has emerged at the Mojave Air and Space Port in California. Mojave is a hotbed for aviation development where testing of new and often intriguing designs, including VTOL types, regularly occurs. Photographer Matt Hartman took the pictures seen above and below of the unusual aircraft at Mojave yesterday and posted them on social media. The aircraft was sitting outside a hangar on the eastern side of the main apron area, according to Hartman. Several aviation companies have a permanent presence at Mojave and the U.S. military also makes use of its facilities. and here the #EVTOL oddball of the week seen at MHV! No id or idea on this one… #avGeek #VTOL 02-10-25 pic.twitter.com/5oWXKnvWd4— Matt Hartman (@ShorealoneFilms) February 11, 2025 No identifying markings are readily visible on the aircraft and it is unpainted in its primer coating. It is also physically anchored to the ground and hoses are seen snaking down from the nacelles holding the rotors, all of which is common to see during ground testing of VTOL designs. Matt Hartman From what can otherwise be seen in Hartmans pictures, the design has six rotor assemblies. There are two larger ones in tilting nacelle pods at the wingtips and two pairs of smaller ones that appear to be fixed vertically in nacelles built into the high-mounted wing. A single horizontal trapezoidal tail points to a twin-boom tail configuration is also visible. Matt Hartman A closer look at the three rotor assemblies on the right wing. Matt Hartman There is a central fuselage with a front windscreen with two distinct halves, pointing to side-by-side seating, at least for individuals up front. A large doorway is also seen on the left side of the forward fuselage. A tricycle landing gear arrangement consisting of a nose wheel and two main wheels attached to struts sticking out from the sides of the rear of the fuselage is visible, as well. In some very broad respects, it almost looks like a mashup of the OV-10 Bronco light attack and observation aircraft and the V-22 Osprey tilt-rotor. An ever closer look at the front of the mystery VTOL aircraft. Matt Hartman Though what kind of propulsion system the design might have is unknown, the wingtip nacelle pods at least have exhausts pointing to turbine engines, which could drive the rotors directly or produce electricity to run electric motors that drive these rotors. They could also drive the wing rotor via mechanical linkages or by providing electronic power to their motors. Additional turbines might also be present in the wing nacelles to provide power to those rotors, either mechanically or electrically, but they would have to be small and this seems less likely to be the case. A hybrid-electric design where turbines provide electricity to at least some of the rotors would be a particularly big deal as this is still an emerging technology space, especially for the U.S. military, if it is involved with this design at all. The market space for hybrid and electric VTOL designs, crewed and uncrewed, and intended for civilian and/or military use, has exploded in recent years in the United States and globally. In April 2024, the independent Vertical Flight Society said its database of distinct electric VTOL, or eVTOL, concepts had hit 1,000 entries. Many such designs have been tested at Mojave. The Air Forces Agility Prime program, which began in 2020, is perhaps the best-known example of recent U.S. military efforts in this space. Run through AFWERX, the services internal technology incubator, Agility Prime has been experimenting with a variety of eVTOL designs, including types from Beta Technologies, Joby Aviation, and LIFT Aircraft. In December, Aviation Week reported that persistent range limitations with existing eVTOL designs had prompted Agility Prime to refocus its efforts on hybrid-electric types. For the U.S. military, interest in new VTOL aircraft designs, including the active development of types with more traditional propulsion arrangements, is being driven in part by a desire for greater runway independence amid concerns about the growing vulnerability of air bases, as well as other established facilities, during a future high-end conflict. This, in turn, has led to the development of new concepts of operations focused heavily on expeditionary and distributed operations, including in remote and austere sites with limited existing infrastructure. New VTOL designs, especially uncrewed ones, are also increasingly viewed as important components of future supply chains for forces in forward areas, including right on the front lines. Casualty evacuation and the extraction of downed pilots, including from behind enemy lines, have also been presented as potential roles for such aircraft. There is also considerable civilian interest in hybrid-powered and eVTOL designs, including from commercial operators eyeing them for use as air taxis. While we dont know if the aircraft that has now emerged at Mojave is intended for civilian or military use, or both, it does appear to be quite elaborate overall. Larger tilt-rotor designs also remain rare among civilian-focused general mobility concepts. TWZ will be keeping an eye out for more information about this VTOL aircraft and what its projected roles might be. Contact the author: joe@twz.com The post Mystery Tiltrotor Aircraft Emerges appeared first on The War Zone.

[Category: Air, Civil Aviation, Future Vertical Lift, Helicopters, News & Features] [Link to media]

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[l] at 2/11/25 5:45pm
What looks to be a previously unseen vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) capable aircraft design with a mix of tilting and fixed rotors has emerged at the Mojave Air and Space Port in California. Mojave is a hotbed for aviation development where testing of new and often intriguing designs, including VTOL types, regularly occurs. Photographer Matt Hartman took the pictures seen above and below of the unusual aircraft at Mojave yesterday and posted them on social media. The aircraft was sitting outside a hangar on the eastern side of the main apron area, according to Hartman. Several aviation companies have a permanent presence at Mojave and the U.S. military also makes use of its facilities. and here the #EVTOL oddball of the week seen at MHV! No id or idea on this one… #avGeek #VTOL 02-10-25 pic.twitter.com/5oWXKnvWd4— Matt Hartman (@ShorealoneFilms) February 11, 2025 No identifying markings are readily visible on the aircraft and it is unpainted in its primer coating. It is also physically anchored to the ground and hoses are seen snaking down from the nacelles holding the rotors, all of which is common to see during ground testing of VTOL designs. Matt Hartman From what can otherwise be seen in Hartmans pictures, the design has six rotor assemblies. There are two larger ones in tilting nacelle pods at the wingtips and two pairs of smaller ones that appear to be fixed vertically in nacelles built into the high-mounted wing. A single horizontal trapezoidal tail points to a twin-boom tail configuration is also visible. Matt Hartman A closer look at the three rotor assemblies on the right wing. Matt Hartman There is a central fuselage with a front windscreen with two distinct halves, pointing to side-by-side seating, at least for individuals up front. A large doorway is also seen on the left side of the forward fuselage. A tricycle landing gear arrangement consisting of a nose wheel and two main wheels attached to struts sticking out from the sides of the rear of the fuselage is visible, as well. In some very broad respects, it almost looks like a mashup of the OV-10 Bronco light attack and observation aircraft and the V-22 Osprey tilt-rotor. An ever closer look at the front of the mystery VTOL aircraft. Matt Hartman Though what kind of propulsion system the design might have is unknown, the wingtip nacelle pods at least have exhausts pointing to turbine engines, which could drive the rotors directly or produce electricity to run electric motors that drive these rotors. They could also drive the wing rotor via mechanical linkages or by providing electronic power to their motors. Additional turbines might also be present in the wing nacelles to provide power to those rotors, either mechanically or electrically, but they would have to be small and this seems less likely to be the case. A hybrid-electric design where turbines provide electricity to at least some of the rotors would be a particularly big deal as this is still an emerging technology space, especially for the U.S. military, if it is involved with this design at all. The market space for hybrid and electric VTOL designs, crewed and uncrewed, and intended for civilian and/or military use, has exploded in recent years in the United States and globally. In April 2024, the independent Vertical Flight Society said its database of distinct electric VTOL, or eVTOL, concepts had hit 1,000 entries. Many such designs have been tested at Mojave. The Air Forces Agility Prime program, which began in 2020, is perhaps the best-known example of recent U.S. military efforts in this space. Run through AFWERX, the services internal technology incubator, Agility Prime has been experimenting with a variety of eVTOL designs, including types from Beta Technologies, Joby Aviation, and LIFT Aircraft. In December, Aviation Week reported that persistent range limitations with existing eVTOL designs had prompted Agility Prime to refocus its efforts on hybrid-electric types. For the U.S. military, interest in new VTOL aircraft designs, including the active development of types with more traditional propulsion arrangements, is being driven in part by a desire for greater runway independence amid concerns about the growing vulnerability of air bases, as well as other established facilities, during a future high-end conflict. This, in turn, has led to the development of new concepts of operations focused heavily on expeditionary and distributed operations, including in remote and austere sites with limited existing infrastructure. New VTOL designs, especially uncrewed ones, are also increasingly viewed as important components of future supply chains for forces in forward areas, including right on the front lines. Casualty evacuation and the extraction of downed pilots, including from behind enemy lines, have also been presented as potential roles for such aircraft. There is also considerable civilian interest in hybrid-powered and eVTOL designs, including from commercial operators eyeing them for use as air taxis. While we dont know if the aircraft that has now emerged at Mojave is intended for civilian or military use, or both, it does appear to be quite elaborate overall. Larger tilt-rotor designs also remain rare among civilian-focused general mobility concepts. TWZ will be keeping an eye out for more information about this VTOL aircraft and what its projected roles might be. Contact the author: joe@twz.com The post Mystery Vertical Takeoff And Landing Aircraft Emerges At Mojave Air and Space Port appeared first on The War Zone.

[Category: Air, Civil Aviation, Future Vertical Lift, Helicopters, News & Features] [Link to media]

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[l] at 2/11/25 4:35pm
The Navy’s new AN/ALQ-249(V)1 Next Generation Jammer-Mid Band (NGJ-MB) electronic warfare pods have completed their maiden deployment with an E/A-18G Growler squadron. The pods went on cruise with Electronic Attack Squadron 133 (VAQ-133) to the highly tumulteous Red Sea and Gulf of Aden with the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group (CSG) last year, with the carrier returning home in time for the holidays.  TWZ spoke this month with two of the top officers involved in the NGJ-MB effort to get a sense of how the pods performed, what’s next for the system and the decision-making process behind fielding the ALQ-249 last year, even as formal Pentagon testing and evaluation remained incomplete. Details about the ALQ-249 pod’s capabilities remain limited. Cmdr. Erik Dente, VAQ-133’s commanding officer, declined to comment on precisely how the NGJ-MB pods performed on deployment, or the target sets they took on against the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen. An EA-18G Growler, assigned to Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 133, launches from the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) with the Next Generation Jammer-Mid Band (NGJ-MB) affixed under its wings. (U.S. Navy) Capt. David Rueter, program manager for airborne electronic attack systems at Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR), also declined to talk specifics, but he noted how the ALQ-249 represents “a quantum leap in where we are with airborne electronic attack.” “They performed as expected, or maybe even a little better than I expected,” Rueter said of the ALQ-249 pods. “When you’re developing a program, you have an idea how you think it’s going to be employed, between hangar bay, flight deck, cyclic ops, that kind of stuff. And then what actually happens is probably not the exact scenario you plan for.” Rueter added that his team will be traveling to the squadron this week to get more feedback on how the NGJ performed. Dente called the transition to the new pods “pretty seamless.” The AN/ALQ-249 Next Generation Jammer is seen under the outer wing of an E/A-18G Growler. (U.S. Navy) “I won’t get into specifics about pod performance,” he said. “I will say it’s always a challenging thing about a brand new system … Those challenges, to me, largely spoke to what that system is capable of.” While the Navy has remained mum about what precisely the ALQ-240 can do, manufacturer Raytheon describes the NGJ-MB as “an advanced electronic attack system that denies, disrupts and degrades enemy technology, including communication tools and air-defense systems.” Its capabilities include “operating at significantly enhanced ranges” and “attacking multiple targets simultaneously.”  The Navys AN/ALQ-249 Next Generation Jammer. (Raytheon) They are replacing the legacy AN/ALQ-99 pods, which first entered service in the early 1970s and have received upgrades since then, even as officials concede that upgrade capacity on the ‘-99s’ is running out.  “We realized years ago that weve kind of maxed out the ALQ-99 form factor,” Rueter said. “So next gen jammer really brings us up into modern and evolving threats. So much more modern architecture, more capacity than ALQ-99, more power and certainly more capability.” ALQ-249 pods are designed to improve EA-18G capabilities against modern, advanced radiofrequency (RF) threats — namely air defenses — as well as communications, datalinks, and non-traditional RF targets. The pods also offer the Navy a new way “to deny, degrade, or deceive the enemy’s use of the electromagnetic spectrum by employing both reactive and preemptive jamming techniques while enhancing the friendly force’s use of the electromagnetic spectrum,” a Pentagon report assessing the capability states. You can read our assessment of how the new pods could provide additional capabilities here. The AN/ALQ-99 pod. (Hunini via Wikicommons) The NGJ-MB’s use of multiple active electronically scanned arrays (AESA), something not found on the older ALQ-99s jammers, as well as its modular open architecture design, could open the door to a variety of new and improved capabilities.  General configuration of the NGJ-MB pod, with its ram-air power generator and two AESAs on each end. (U.S. Navy) During past U.S. operations in Afghanistan and Iraq, it emerged that Growlers, as well as the EA-6B Prowlers they replaced, had been using their electronic warfare suites to prevent militants from remotely detonating improvised explosive devices. The bottom line is that these new pods have capabilities we do not know anything about and the tactics behind their use are rapidly evolving. Marines and their EA-6B Prowler jets at al-Udeid Air Base, Qatar, in 2018, before the air frames retirement. (U.S. Navy) As its name indicates, the NGJ-MB pods are only designed to work in certain frequency bands. L3 Harris has been developing an entirely separate NGJ-Low Band (NGJ-LB) pod to complement the mid-band ones.  There are also high and low-band versions of the ALQ-99, and Rueter told TWZ that the service’s priorities for next-generation jammers are midband first, then low band and eventually high band. “Ill say high band is still on the to do list, but its prioritized appropriately, and well get to it eventually,” he said.  A US Navy briefing slide outlining the service’s plans for the Next-Generation Jammer program as a whole. (U.S. Navy) While VAQ-133 was the first unit to deploy with the pods, Rueter said an initial ship set was sent to them at the onset of their pre-deployment workups, to get the air crew familiar with the new system. “We really tried hard to get their air crew and their maintainers trained, and give them at least one ship set from the very beginning,” he said. “So they were actually flying with NGJ mid band for a little under a year before they actually deployed.” Nothing much changed on the pre-deployment workups side with the arrival of the NGJ-MB, Dente said, it was just new technology to incorporate.  The new jammer pods are loaded and offloaded onto the Growler depending on mission requirements, and Dente said his squadron noted very little change when it came to handling and operating the AN/ALQ-249, although incorporating the new tech into the unit and getting everyone trained up on the system before deployment took some time. “How we operated is largely similar,” he said. “There’s just some differences in basic admin of the pod, turning it on and off, those things are a little bit different, but generally speaking, employment and operation is similar.” Because the new jammers pods were still going through operational testing, Air Test and Evaluation Squadron 9 (VX-9) designated VAQ-133 as “adjunct testers” as they began fielding the AN/ALQ-249, Rueter said.  “So 133 was able to do that, and VX-9 was able to leverage any data from 133 to help augment operational tests,” he said.  Sending the NGJ-MB out into the fleet provided invaluable feedback to the Navy regarding how the new pods hold up to the stressors of a combat deployment, Rueter added.  “It’s just the pure number of flight hours,” he said. “We put a lot of hours on in test, but we cannot do what the fleet does. The fleet probably puts more hours on in a month than we do in a year in developmental and operational test.” A Navy E/A-18G Growler, left, and a F/A-18E Super Hornet launch from the deck of the USS Abraham Lincoln in October during a deployment to the Middle East. (U.S. Navy) Deploying the NGJ-MB aboard a flattop in a combat environment for the first time presented its own unique challenges, according to VAQ-133 CO Dente. “Saltwater environment, being out to sea, how do these things live on an aircraft carrier with us?” he said. “It takes adaptation … because not only do we have to worry about the safety challenges that are always presented by new equipment being stored on an aircraft carrier, but we also have to learn how to keep the system itself safe from bumps, bruises, scuffs and normal day-to-day hazards that operations on an aircraft carrier present.” Sailors remove chocks and chains from an EA-18G Growler armed with NGJ pods. (U.S. Navy) While ALQ-249 now has its first deployment under its belt, the latest Director, Operational Test & Evaluation (DOT&E)  Pentagon report released this month highlighted challenges the service has faced with ALQ-249 development in the past year. “Technical challenges were significant during the course of all testing in FY24,” the report states. “Specifically, reliability has been a clear challenge during the course of the program development, to the point of affecting suitability and the ability to assess the performance of the system overall. Early reliability issues were predominantly hardware related, but after further development and implementation of fixes, the remaining issues appear to be mostly software centric. Although data are still insufficient to fully assess the reliability of the system, data trends have been markedly improving, suggesting the potential for a strong positive reversal in the future.” Rueter called the DOT&E assessment “fair,” and said that previous development programs have followed such a progression. “The hardware failures, or the hardware things, kind of mask the software,” he said. “So the first thing you do is get the hardware reliable, then you start working on the software. And like [DOT&E] said, we have seen great improvements in our reliability over the last year.” EA-18G Growlers attached to Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 133, arrive home to Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Washington, in December. (U.S. Navy) The decision-making calculus remains unclear regarding the Navy choosing to deploy the new jammer pods despite this initial testing and evaluation not being completed. Naval Air Forces officials did not answer TWZ questions about the decision to send the capability into the hectic skies over the Red Sea, where the Navy has battled Iran-backed Houthi rebel missile and drone barrages for more than a year. Rueter deferred questions about sending the pods out with VAQ-133 to the fleet, but noted how the squadron got their first pod set during pre-deployment workups and chose which pods to affix to the jet depending on the mission. Growlers can carry both at the same time. “The midband pods are carried on the wings, and then the ALQ-99 are on centerline,” he said.  Sending a system out for some real-world application before testing is completed is “happening more and more,” Rueter said.  As TWZ previously reported, the latest DOT&E report also showcased how the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier undertook its first full deployment in 2023, even as multiple systems aboard that first-in-class flattop had yet to be fully assessed. “I won’t speculate as to why it’s happening more and more, but yeah, I think we are seeing more and more systems that are fielded by the services before all initial operational tests are complete,” Rueter said. “I think the days of having a large, dedicated [Initial Operational Test & Evaluation (IOT&E)] period, that we wait until that whole period is done, those days are probably behind us, and we need to get a much more agile, continuous operational test cycle.” While not a program office function, Rueter said the squadron’s air crew was calling back to stateside testers for technical questions as they planned different operations. Another unidentified Growler squadron has also received the new jammer. Under an existing agreement, the Royal Australian Air Force’s (RAAF) No. 6 Squadron is also slated to get the NGJ “in the near future,” he said.  A Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) E/A-18G Growler. (RAAF) “They’ve already completed maintenance and air crew training, and they’re getting ready to accept the ship set,” he said. “The program now, one part of it is production and fielding, along with, we’ve got a continual improvement development program.” Rueter wants to get the NGJ to a point where the Navy can send out four software updates a year, to keep the system more reliable, add new capabilities and mitigate software anomalies that pop up. “I tell the team here, look at ALQ-99, it’s been flying for 50-plus years,” he said. “You need to have the mindset that ALQ-249 is going to fly for 50 years, and you’re going to continually upgrade it so we can continue to pace and stay ahead of the threat.” Meanwhile, Rueter said his team is looking hard at getting electronic warfare to a place where systems leverage cognitive electronic warfare and can be updated in real time, or close to it.  “I cant talk about specific systems or anything, but Ill say, as an electronic warfare practitioner for going on 27 years now, I think that is definitely one of the areas we need to move in,” he said. “Artificial intelligence and machine learning brings a lot of capabilities that we havent really had access to before, and one of our charges here in the program office is to figure out what do they bring that we didnt have before, and how can we use that to give the fleet better tools.” A VAQ-133 Growler assigned to the USS Abraham Lincoln with the AN/ALQ-249 Next Generation Jammer-Mid Band (NGJ-MB) pods under its wings. (U.S. Navy) Since the Air Force retired the EF-111A in 1998, the Navy has been the only disclosed operator of dedicated fast-jet tactical electronic warfare capability within the U.S. military, and is therefore tasked with providing such support across the branches. Rueter said he welcomes any collaboration with other platforms or services that helps him put the “fog” into the fog of war when it comes to airborne electronic attack (AEA).  “While a majority of the systems we work on fly on a Growler today, I want to be the center of excellence, if you will, for all offensive electronic attack,” he said. “Another platform, whether its an [unmanned aerial drone], whether its a different manned aircraft, whether its a surface vessel, Id like to think if they want to project some sort of electronic attack effect, they could come to us. Weve already got a long lineage of people developing jammer techniques. Other people might refer to them as electronic warfare skills. So weve got a lot of experience and are happy to build payloads for whoever wants to do AEA.” The NGJ has now deployed, contributed to combat operations and returned home. Meanwhile, the importance of such capabilities will only continue to grow in a warscape that places an increasingly imperative on dominating the electronic spectrum.    Email the author: geoff@twz.com The post How The EA-18G Growlers Next-Generation Jamming Pod Went To War On Its First Cruise appeared first on The War Zone.

[Category: Air, Airborne Electronic Warfare, EA-18G, Electronic Warfare/Countermeasures, F/A-18, Fighters, Navies, News & Features, Sea, U.S. Navy] [Link to media]

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[l] at 2/11/25 3:39pm
A Russian military convoy was reportedly prevented from entering Tartus naval base in Syria. This is the latest indication of estrangement between the two erstwhile allies. The move came amid the ongoing withdrawal of Russian forces from Tartus in the wake of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham’s (HTS) sudden overthrow of dictator Bashar Al Assad late last year. “The Syrian Defense Ministry has prevented a Russian military convoy from entering the Tartus base,” the Turkish TRT media outlet reported on Tuesday. “A column of 30 missile-armed vehicles that set out in the morning from the Khmeimim airbase in Latakia province was stopped at a checkpoint in Tartus by troops subordinate to the new Syrian government. After waiting at the checkpoint for eight hours, the convoy was forced to return to the Khmeimim base at around 5 p.m. local time.” Video emerging on social media showed Syrian forces ordering the convoy to turn around and head back to Khmeimim. The trucks appear to be caring missiles in their launch tubes. Syrian Arab Army blocked a Russian military convoy of around 35 military vehicles loaded with air defense missiles and various weapons from entering the city of #Tartus this evening, and the convoy was forced to turn back towards the Hmeimim base in the countryside of Latakia. pic.twitter.com/KBzT1GFabg— Mete Sohtaoğlu (@metesohtaoglu) February 11, 2025 Russians have frequently traveled this route to move equipment and supplies from Khmeimim, their master airbase in Syria, to Tartus, where they had a major naval facility prior to the fall of Assad, and vice versa, as you can see in the following videos. Ka-52 and Mi-8 escort Russian military convoy moving between Tartus port area and Khmeimim military base, Syria.View full content here : https://t.co/j4oscGIzkH pic.twitter.com/aNst8jS5S0— Uncensored News (@uncensorednews9) January 8, 2025 Footage recorded yesterday showing a large convoy of empty trucks including heavy duty trailers heading from Tartus to Khmeimim.This indicates that Russia is continuing to move equipment from Khmeimim to Tartus for evacuation, not just vehicles from their smaller bases in Syria https://t.co/U0PlAAmBMn pic.twitter.com/4wxBAfI3MC— Oliver Alexander (@OAlexanderDK) December 31, 2024 No specific reason was given for the Russian convoy being denied entry to Tartus this time. However, TRT noted that it took place “amid recent statements by the Defense Minister of the transitional government of Syria, Murhaf Abu Kasra, that the preservation of Russian bases would depend on their benefits for Syria.” If we benefit from this for Syria, then yes, the Russians could remain there, Abu Kasra was quoted as saying. Negotiations between Moscow and Damascus over the future of Russian bases in Syria “are almost certainly ongoing,” according to an assessment yesterday by the U.K.’s Defense Intelligence.  “Russia almost certainly continues to actively engage HTS to develop ties and promote itself as a beneficial partner,” the assessment suggested. “However, Russias negotiating position is weaker due to various factors, including, probably, the Syrian leaderships hostile attitude towards former Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad, who is now being sheltered by Russia.” Latest Defence intelligence update on the situation in Ukraine 10 February 2025.Find out more about Defence Intelligences use of language: https://t.co/9eO2iukOE0 #StandWithUkraine pic.twitter.com/OxmN2jHVw9— Ministry of Defence (@DefenceHQ) February 10, 2025 Despite continuing its withdrawal from Syria, Russia still has a keen interest in maintaining a presence there. Having a port and air base on the Mediterranean gives it the ability to project tactical and strategic power into NATOs backyard, as well as into Africa and deeper into the Middle East. Syria, meanwhile, could possibly benefit from the return of Russia’s advanced air defense systems to the country helping to protect its skies. Adding to the complexity of this issue, Turkey, which backed HTS’ surprise overthrow of Assad, also wants to further assert its influence over Syria. Turkish journalist Mete Sohtaoğlu told us that no deal has yet been reached between Moscow and Damascus in part due to pressure from Ankara. The recent activity in and around Tartus also follows reports from Syrian media that the country’s fledgling government in Damascus canceled Russia’s 49-year lease agreement for its base in Tartus. The Kremlin had struck the deal back in 2017 with the Assad regime, which had essentially gifted the naval facility, as well as Khmeimim Air Base, to the Russians. Two years earlier, Russia’s military launched an intervention in the country, which had saved Assad from advancing rebel forces. Russian forces were still actively fighting rebel forces, including elements of the coalition led by HTS that ultimately deposed Assad, right up until the collapse of the regime. The port of Tartus in Syria is strategically located along the Mediterranean Sea and near Africa. (Google Earth) As part of the Russian withdrawal from Tartus, two Russian-flagged roll-on/roll-off (RO/RO) cargo ships Sparta and Sparta II were loaded with equipment. They transited the Strait of Gibraltar and are both currently located off the coast of Spain yesterday, according to the MarineTraffic.com vessel tracking website. Sparta is bound for St. Petersburg, according to MarineTraffic.com while Sparta II is headed for the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad. As we previously reported, satellite imagery taken on Jan. 25 that TWZ obtained from Maxar, showed those RO/ROs docked in Tartus amid cargo loading activity. The two ships had been holding offshore for days before finally being allowed to enter the port.  A satellite image taken on Jan. 25, 2025, showed Sparta and Sparta II docked in Syria’s port of Tartus. (Satellite image ©2025 Maxar Technologies) The images also showed the disappearance of a significant number of Russian vehicles and other materiel from a pier where they had been marshaled weeks ago. You can read more about that in our initial report here. A look at a section of one of the piers at Tartus where Russian assets had been had been marshaled weeks ago showing the disappearance of various vehicles and other materiel. (Satellite image ©2025 Maxar Technologies) It remains to be seen whether Syria will allow Russia to remain at Tartus and Khmeimim. Being able to turn around an armed convoy from Tartus highlights that Damascus has the upper hand in any negotiations over the future of those two facilities. Contact the author: howard@thewarzone.com The post Russian Military Convoy Blocked From Entering Port Of Tartus In Syria appeared first on The War Zone.

[Category: News & Features, Around The Globe, Europe, Mediterranean, Middle East, Russia, Sea, Syria] [Link to media]

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[l] at 2/11/25 2:19pm
At least 20 U.S. Air Force tanker aircraft, 10 KC-46s and an equal number of KC-135s, supported the first day of the latest Bamboo Eagle exercise off the California Coast, according to online flight tracking data. The first Bamboo Eagle occurred last year, as you can learn more about in this past TWZ feature. The large force exercise series has quickly become one of the most important for the U.S. military, as well as key allies, and has a clear eye on preparing for a future coalition fight in the Pacific with China. A stock picture of a US Air Force KC-46 tanker. USAF The U.S. Air Force announced the start of Bamboo Eagle 25-1 yesterday. Like all previous iterations, the U.S. Air Force Warfare Center (USAFWC) at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada has been leading the exercise, but units spread across many other bases, predominantly in California, are also participating. U.S. Air Force and U.S. Navy units are known to be taking part, but other branches have also been included in past iterations of Bamboo Eagle. Britains Royal Air Force (RAF) and the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) have also returned and the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) has joined the exercise for the first time. A US Air Force KC-135 tanker. USAF As already noted, online flight tracking data showed a large force of KC-46 and KC-135 tankers supporting day one of Bamboo Eagle 25-1. At least one RAF Voyager, the British name for the Airbus A330 Multi-Role Transport Aircraft (MRTT), was also tracked in the area. Another "Wow" moment. We have a significant capability being demonstrated tonight with a 2nd round of sorties launched in support of Bamboo Eagle 25-1. First round participants launched earlier today from Travis AFB in California and included at least 20 tankers. A number of… https://t.co/AtM7gtFpOT pic.twitter.com/DnA60KHqrA— MeNMyRC (@MeNMyRC1) February 11, 2025 Exercise BAMBOO EAGLE 25-1 has kicked off in earnest off the coast of Southern California. Several aircraft are taking part, including a UK Royal Air Force MRTT as COPPER57. Not shown are the multitude of fighter aircraft. https://t.co/qBvT6YHxKR pic.twitter.com/ySyIlHL895— TheIntelFrog (@TheIntelFrog) February 10, 2025 I was able to capture some tankers for Bamboo Eagle 25-1 early in the morning before it got cloudy.1. Silver15 57-1468 KC-135R2. Silver10 63-8019 KC-135R3. Brass74 16-46022 KC-46A4. Brass 71 21-46092 KC-46A pic.twitter.com/N0T6DD43Uv— José (@WR_Spotter_Guy) February 11, 2025 At least a dozen tankers have also been tracked now supporting the second day of Bamboo Eagle 25-1. Morning BAMBOO EAGLE 25-1 sorties are underway off the coast of Baja, California. No less than a dozen tankers are positioning to refuel dozens of fighter aircraft for the exercise. pic.twitter.com/Cgf7yNjuqz— TheIntelFrog (@TheIntelFrog) February 11, 2025 U.S. Air Force E-3 Sentry and RAAF E-7A Wedgetail airborne early warning and control aircraft were also present yesterday. Its interesting to note here that the U.S. Air Force, the RAF, and NATO are in the process of acquiring Wedgetails to succeed their Sentry fleets. An RAAF E-7A takes off from Nellis as part of an earlier exercise in 2024. USAF William Lewis An Air Force RC-135V/W Rivet Joint intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) aircraft was also spotted likely supporting Bamboo Eagle 25-1 yesterday. However, Rivet Joints have been recently tracked flying over the Pacific off southern California, as well as elsewhere in the southwestern United States, as part of a surge of U.S. military support to border security operations opposite Mexico. Not visible in the online flight tracking data from yesterday or today are the huge numbers of tactical jets that the tankers and other supporting aircraft were working with. In its announcement about the start of Bamboo Eagle 25-1, the Air Force included pictures of Air Force F-35A and RAF Typhoon FGR4 fighters, as well as Navy EA-18G Growler electronic warfare jets, taking part in Red Flag 25-1 at Nellis. Red Flag is the U.S. Air Force’s premier air combat exercise series and recent iterations have been increasingly focused on operations in the Pacific. This in turn has put new emphasis on the range complexes off the coast of southern California, which offer larger areas in which to train on physically broader and otherwise more complex scenarios, and do so over water. Red Flag is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year and the RAF and RAAF, among other key allies, are often participants. Other aircraft, including Air Force F-15E Strike Eagles and B-2 Spirit stealth bombers, as well as RAAF Growlers, took part in Red Flag 25-1, which flowed directly into Bamboo Eagle 25-1. A US Air Force B-2 bomber at Nellis for Red Flag 25-1. USAF Air Force F-15Es at Nellis during Red Flag 25-1. USAF Airman 1st Class Timothy Perish An RAF Typhoon FGR4 seen during Red Flag 25-1. USAF An RAAF EA-18G taking part in Red Flag 25-1. USAF Senior Airman Makenna Patterson “This is the largest number of aircraft we’ve deployed for an exercise at Nellis (AFB) since we first attended Red Flag in 1980,” RAAF Group Captain Stewart Seeney said in a statement yesterday. “These exercises provide a realistic training environment where we can integrate different capabilities and develop our ability to work with key allies and partners. For many of our aviators, deploying on these exercises is a career highlight and is not an experience that can be easily replicated elsewhere.” F-35As from Hill Air Force Base in Utah are also notably operating from Naval Air Station North Island in California as part of the exercise. The Navy facility has been used as a staging point in past iterations of Bamboo Eagle. Air Force units using it for this purpose also have the opportunity to train around still-evolving rapid deployment and related concepts of operations, currently referred to collectively as Agile Combat Employment (ACE), which the service has been working on for years now. ACE has been and continues to be a central focus for Bamboo Eagle exercises, in general. A US Air Force F-35A assigned to the 388th Fighter Wing at Hill Air Force Base at Naval Air Station North Island taking part in Bamboo Eagle 25-1. USAF Micah Garbarino “We have had the luxury of operating from safe haven bases for many decades, and modern threats have fundamentally changed that reality,” Air Force Maj. Gen. Christopher Niemi, head of USAFWC also said in a statement. “Bamboo Eagle is a big part of helping us figure out how to manage those threats, and training together with our allies improves our ability to face those threats as a unified team.” Other branches of the U.S. military, especially the U.S. Marine Corps, have been developing similar concepts of operations all centered heavily on ways to quickly deploy and redeploy forces throughout forward areas to upend enemy targeting cycles. Concerns about access to established bases, especially in the context of a potential future high-end fight in the Pacific, have been particular drivers of these efforts. There are growing calls for the U.S. military to do more to physically harden bases in the Pacific, along with other defensive improvements, which you can read more about here. A US Air Force F-16 Viper fighter sits inside a hardened aircraft shelter. USAF The prospect of a major conflict with China in the Pacific, where bases on the ground may be few and far between, has also been contributing to concerns about overall aerial refueling capacity, as well as the vulnerability of existing tankers. What has been seen from Bamboo Eagle 25-1 already underscores the critical importance of aerial refueling, especially for supporting shorter-legged tactical jets. The Air Force is in the process of refining requirements for new stealth tankers and has also been exploring more novel options for increasing aerial refueling capacity. The Navy and Marine Corps, which have the added planning consideration of expeditionary aviation operations from carriers and other big deck ships, are also acutely aware of the issues at play. The Navy is planning to add MQ-25 Stingray drone tankers to its carrier air wings in the coming years and there is also interest in new options for extending the ranges of existing tactical jets. Private contractors, which can provide aerial refueling support for non-combat missions and help free up organic U.S. military tankers in the process, are another steadily growing part of the equation. There is significant uncertainty around future defense spending plans under President Donald Trumps new administration, especially when it comes to Air Force modernization priorities like stealth tankers and other next-generation aircraft that were already facing affordability concerns. A rendering of a notional stealth tanker. Lockheed Martin Skunk Works Bamboo Eagle 25-1 also comes ahead of Air Force plans to stage a massive air combat exercise across reperetantive operating areas in the Pacific this summer, which you can read more about here. Dubbed REFORPAC, the exercise is expected to last some two weeks, days of which will be spent just getting forces to and from operating locations, underscoring the basic geographical challenges the region presents. At least some units taking part in REFORPAC are expected to go almost straight from that exercise into another iteration of Bamboo Eagle, as well. A map Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Allvin shared together with the details about the REFORPAC exercise during a talk at the Hudson Institute in 2024. USAF via Hudson Institute Bamboo Eagle exercises themselves only look set to continue expanding in scale and scope as important parts of broader preparations for a future major Pacific fight. Contact the author: joe@twz.com The post Tankers Flood Airspace Off The California Coast For China-Focused Air Combat Exercise appeared first on The War Zone.

[Category: Air, Air Combat Exercises, Air Forces, Around The Globe, China, E-3, E-7, EA-18G, F-35, F-35A, F/A-18, Fighters, Flight Training, Indo-Pacific, Manned ISR, Navies, News & Features, RC-135, Royal Air Force, Royal Australian Air Force, Royal Canadian Air Force, Sea, Typhoon, U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy] [Link to media]

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[l] at 2/11/25 12:04pm
The Navy’s new AN/ALQ-249(V)1 Next Generation Jammer-Mid Band (NGJ-MB) electronic warfare pods have completed their maiden deployment with an E/A-18G Growler squadron. The pods went on cruise with Electronic Attack Squadron 133 (VAQ-133) to the highly tumulteous Red Sea and Gulf of Aden with the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group (CSG) last year, with the carrier returning home in time for the holidays.  TWZ spoke this month with two of the top officers involved in the NGJ-MB effort to get a sense of how the pods performed, what’s next for the system and the decision-making process behind fielding the ALQ-249 last year, even as formal Pentagon testing and evaluation remained incomplete. Details about the ALQ-249 pod’s capabilities remain limited. Cmdr. Erik Dente, VAQ-133’s commanding officer, declined to comment on precisely how the NGJ-MB pods performed on deployment, or the target sets they took on against the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen. An EA-18G Growler, assigned to Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 133, launches from the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) with the Next Generation Jammer-Mid Band (NGJ-MB) affixed under its wings. (U.S. Navy) Capt. David Rueter, program manager for airborne electronic attack systems at Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR), also declined to talk specifics, but he noted how the ALQ-249 represents “a quantum leap in where we are with airborne electronic attack.” “They performed as expected, or maybe even a little better than I expected,” Rueter said of the ALQ-249 pods. “When you’re developing a program, you have an idea how you think it’s going to be employed, between hangar bay, flight deck, cyclic ops, that kind of stuff. And then what actually happens is probably not the exact scenario you plan for.” Rueter added that his team will be traveling to the squadron this week to get more feedback on how the NGJ performed. Dente called the transition to the new pods “pretty seamless.” The AN/ALQ-249 Next Generation Jammer is seen under the outer wing of an E/A-18G Growler. (U.S. Navy) “I won’t get into specifics about pod performance,” he said. “I will say it’s always a challenging thing about a brand new system … Those challenges, to me, largely spoke to what that system is capable of.” While the Navy has remained mum about what precisely the ALQ-240 can do, manufacturer Raytheon describes the NGJ-MB as “an advanced electronic attack system that denies, disrupts and degrades enemy technology, including communication tools and air-defense systems.” Its capabilities include “operating at significantly enhanced ranges” and “attacking multiple targets simultaneously.”  The Navys AN/ALQ-249 Next Generation Jammer. (Raytheon) They are replacing the legacy AN/ALQ-99 pods, which first entered service in the early 1970s and have received upgrades since then, even as officials concede that upgrade capacity on the ‘-99s’ is running out.  “We realized years ago that weve kind of maxed out the ALQ-99 form factor,” Rueter said. “So next gen jammer really brings us up into modern and evolving threats. So much more modern architecture, more capacity than ALQ-99, more power and certainly more capability.” ALQ-249 pods are designed to improve EA-18G capabilities against modern, advanced radiofrequency (RF) threats — namely air defenses — as well as communications, datalinks, and non-traditional RF targets. The pods also offer the Navy a new way “to deny, degrade, or deceive the enemy’s use of the electromagnetic spectrum by employing both reactive and preemptive jamming techniques while enhancing the friendly force’s use of the electromagnetic spectrum,” a Pentagon report assessing the capability states. You can read our assessment of how the new pods could provide additional capabilities here. The AN/ALQ-99 pod. (Hunini via Wikicommons) The NGJ-MB’s use of multiple active electronically scanned arrays (AESA), something not found on the older ALQ-99s jammers, as well as its modular open architecture design, could open the door to a variety of new and improved capabilities.  General configuration of the NGJ-MB pod, with its ram-air power generator and two AESAs on each end. (U.S. Navy) During past U.S. operations in Afghanistan and Iraq, it emerged that Growlers, as well as the EA-6B Prowlers they replaced, had been using their electronic warfare suites to prevent militants from remotely detonating improvised explosive devices. The bottom line is that these new pods have capabilities we do not know anything about and the tactics behind their use are rapidly evolving. Marines and their EA-6B Prowler jets at al-Udeid Air Base, Qatar, in 2018, before the air frames retirement. (U.S. Navy) As its name indicates, the NGJ-MB pods are only designed to work in certain frequency bands. L3 Harris has been developing an entirely separate NGJ-Low Band (NGJ-LB) pod to complement the mid-band ones.  There are also high and low-band versions of the ALQ-99, and Rueter told TWZ that the service’s priorities for next-generation jammers are midband first, then low band and eventually high band. “Ill say high band is still on the to do list, but its prioritized appropriately, and well get to it eventually,” he said.  A US Navy briefing slide outlining the service’s plans for the Next-Generation Jammer program as a whole. (U.S. Navy) While VAQ-133 was the first unit to deploy with the pods, Rueter said an initial ship set was sent to them at the onset of their pre-deployment workups, to get the air crew familiar with the new system. “We really tried hard to get their air crew and their maintainers trained, and give them at least one ship set from the very beginning,” he said. “So they were actually flying with NGJ mid band for a little under a year before they actually deployed.” Nothing much changed on the pre-deployment workups side with the arrival of the NGJ-MB, Dente said, it was just new technology to incorporate.  The new jammer pods are loaded and offloaded onto the Growler depending on mission requirements, and Dente said his squadron noted very little change when it came to handling and operating the AN/ALQ-249, although incorporating the new tech into the unit and getting everyone trained up on the system before deployment took some time. “How we operated is largely similar,” he said. “There’s just some differences in basic admin of the pod, turning it on and off, those things are a little bit different, but generally speaking, employment and operation is similar.” Because the new jammers pods were still going through operational testing, Air Test and Evaluation Squadron 9 (VX-9) designated VAQ-133 as “adjunct testers” as they began fielding the AN/ALQ-249, Rueter said.  “So 133 was able to do that, and VX-9 was able to leverage any data from 133 to help augment operational tests,” he said.  Sending the NGJ-MB out into the fleet provided invaluable feedback to the Navy regarding how the new pods hold up to the stressors of a combat deployment, Rueter added.  “It’s just the pure number of flight hours,” he said. “We put a lot of hours on in test, but we cannot do what the fleet does. The fleet probably puts more hours on in a month than we do in a year in developmental and operational test.” A Navy E/A-18G Growler, left, and a F/A-18E Super Hornet launch from the deck of the USS Abraham Lincoln in October during a deployment to the Middle East. (U.S. Navy) Deploying the NGJ-MB aboard a flattop in a combat environment for the first time presented its own unique challenges, according to VAQ-133 CO Dente. “Saltwater environment, being out to sea, how do these things live on an aircraft carrier with us?” he said. “It takes adaptation … because not only do we have to worry about the safety challenges that are always presented by new equipment being stored on an aircraft carrier, but we also have to learn how to keep the system itself safe from bumps, bruises, scuffs and normal day-to-day hazards that operations on an aircraft carrier present.” Sailors remove chocks and chains from an EA-18G Growler armed with NGJ pods. (U.S. Navy) While ALQ-249 now has its first deployment under its belt, the latest Director, Operational Test & Evaluation (DOT&E)  Pentagon report released this month highlighted challenges the service has faced with ALQ-249 development in the past year. “Technical challenges were significant during the course of all testing in FY24,” the report states. “Specifically, reliability has been a clear challenge during the course of the program development, to the point of affecting suitability and the ability to assess the performance of the system overall. Early reliability issues were predominantly hardware related, but after further development and implementation of fixes, the remaining issues appear to be mostly software centric. Although data are still insufficient to fully assess the reliability of the system, data trends have been markedly improving, suggesting the potential for a strong positive reversal in the future.” Rueter called the DOT&E assessment “fair,” and said that previous development programs have followed such a progression. “The hardware failures, or the hardware things, kind of mask the software,” he said. “So the first thing you do is get the hardware reliable, then you start working on the software. And like [DOT&E] said, we have seen great improvements in our reliability over the last year.” EA-18G Growlers attached to Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 133, arrive home to Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Washington, in December. (U.S. Navy) The decision-making calculus remains unclear regarding the Navy choosing to deploy the new jammer pods despite this initial testing and evaluation not being completed. Naval Air Forces officials did not answer TWZ questions about the decision to send the capability into the hectic skies over the Red Sea, where the Navy has battled Iran-backed Houthi rebel missile and drone barrages for more than a year. Rueter deferred questions about sending the pods out with VAQ-133 to the fleet, but noted how the squadron got their first pod set during pre-deployment workups and chose which pods to affix to the jet depending on the mission. Growlers can carry both at the same time. “The midband pods are carried on the wings, and then the ALQ-99 are on centerline,” he said.  Sending a system out for some real-world application before testing is completed is “happening more and more,” Rueter said.  As TWZ previously reported, the latest DOT&E report also showcased how the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier undertook its first full deployment in 2023, even as multiple systems aboard that first-in-class flattop had yet to be fully assessed. “I won’t speculate as to why it’s happening more and more, but yeah, I think we are seeing more and more systems that are fielded by the services before all initial operational tests are complete,” Rueter said. “I think the days of having a large, dedicated [Initial Operational Test & Evaluation (IOT&E)] period, that we wait until that whole period is done, those days are probably behind us, and we need to get a much more agile, continuous operational test cycle.” While not a program office function, Rueter said the squadron’s air crew was calling back to stateside testers for technical questions as they planned different operations. Another unidentified Growler squadron has also received the new jammer. Under an existing agreement, the Royal Australian Air Force’s (RAAF) No. 6 Squadron is also slated to get the NGJ “in the near future,” he said.  A Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) E/A-18G Growler. (RAAF) “They’ve already completed maintenance and air crew training, and they’re getting ready to accept the ship set,” he said. “The program now, one part of it is production and fielding, along with, we’ve got a continual improvement development program.” Rueter wants to get the NGJ to a point where the Navy can send out four software updates a year, to keep the system more reliable, add new capabilities and mitigate software anomalies that pop up. “I tell the team here, look at ALQ-99, it’s been flying for 50-plus years,” he said. “You need to have the mindset that ALQ-249 is going to fly for 50 years, and you’re going to continually upgrade it so we can continue to pace and stay ahead of the threat.” Meanwhile, Rueter said his team is looking hard at getting electronic warfare to a place where systems leverage cognitive electronic warfare and can be updated in real time, or close to it.  “I cant talk about specific systems or anything, but Ill say, as an electronic warfare practitioner for going on 27 years now, I think that is definitely one of the areas we need to move in,” he said. “Artificial intelligence and machine learning brings a lot of capabilities that we havent really had access to before, and one of our charges here in the program office is to figure out what do they bring that we didnt have before, and how can we use that to give the fleet better tools.” A VAQ-133 Growler assigned to the USS Abraham Lincoln with the AN/ALQ-249 Next Generation Jammer-Mid Band (NGJ-MB) pods under its wings. (U.S. Navy) Since the Air Force retired the EF-111A in 1998, the Navy has been the only disclosed operator of dedicated fast-jet tactical electronic warfare capability within the U.S. military, and is therefore tasked with providing such support across the branches. Rueter said he welcomes any collaboration with other platforms or services that helps him put the “fog” into the fog of war when it comes to airborne electronic attack (AEA).  “While a majority of the systems we work on fly on a Growler today, I want to be the center of excellence, if you will, for all offensive electronic attack,” he said. “Another platform, whether its an [unmanned aerial drone], whether its a different manned aircraft, whether its a surface vessel, Id like to think if they want to project some sort of electronic attack effect, they could come to us. Weve already got a long lineage of people developing jammer techniques. Other people might refer to them as electronic warfare skills. So weve got a lot of experience and are happy to build payloads for whoever wants to do AEA.” The NGJ has now deployed, contributed to combat operations and returned home. Meanwhile, the importance of such capabilities will only continue to grow in a warscape that places an increasingly imperative on dominating the electronic spectrum.    Email the author: geoff@twz.com The post Growlers Next-Generation Jamming Pod Went To War On Its First Cruise appeared first on The War Zone.

[Category: Air, Airborne Electronic Warfare, EA-18G, Electronic Warfare/Countermeasures, F/A-18, Fighters, Navies, News & Features, Sea, U.S. Navy] [Link to media]

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[l] at 2/11/25 10:11am
French Air and Space Force Mirage 2000-5F and Rafale fighters shot down “nearly a dozen drones” in recent combat operations over and around the Red Sea, the head of that service has confirmed. The announcement comes soon after the first French-supplied Mirage 2000-5Fs arrived in Ukraine, where they will be expected to face similar threats, in the form of Russian-operated long-range one-way attack drones. “In the Air and Space Force, both the Mirage 2000-5 and the Rafale recently demonstrated their effectiveness against Shahed-type suicide drones, against which Ukrainian pilots will have to fight,” Jérôme Bellanger, the Chief of Staff of the French Air and Space Force wrote on LinkedIn yesterday. A Rafale fighter at Prince Hassan Air Base, northwest of the Jordanian capital Amman, during the counter-ISIS operation. Photo by DAPHNE BENOIT/AFP via Getty Images DAPHNE BENOIT Bellanger continued: “I salute our combat crews engaged in operations, who recently destroyed nearly a dozen drones, notably in the Red Sea. The quality of our weapons systems and the expertise of our crews have once again demonstrated their operational effectiveness.” Bellanger also posted a brief video from the head-up display of a French Rafale, showing the close-range interception and engagement of a Houthi drone using an air-to-air missile. (Note that in the caption for the video below, the fighter is misidentified as a Mirage 2000, but the electro-optical sensor characteristic to the Rafale is visible when illuminated by the missile’s motor). The exact total of Houthi drones that were downed by the French fighters was not disclosed and TWZ has approached the French Ministry of Defense for more details, including the dates of these incidents. The French Air and Space Force has a permanent detachment of Mirage 2000-5F fighters in Djibouti, on the Horn of Africa, from where they would be ideally positioned to intercept drones over the Red Sea. Meanwhile, Rafales have been deployed on a rotational basis at Prince Hassan Air Base in Jordan, as well as at Al Dhafra in the United Arab Emirates, both of these primarily in support of Operation Chammal, the French contribution to the anti-ISIS mission in Iraq and Syria. A French airman displaying the patch signifying Operation Chammal, the French military operation within Operation Inherent Resolve, the international coalition against the ISIS group, as he stands in front of a Rafale at Prince Hassan Air Base in Jordan. Photo by Daphné BENOIT / AFP DAPHNE BENOIT Both the Mirage 2000-5 and the Rafale are primarily armed with MBDA MICA air-to-air missiles for air defense, with these beyond-visual-range weapons being available with optional radar-homing or infrared seeker heads. Both fighters also have cannon armament, with the Mirage having a pair of 30mm DEFA weapons and the Rafale being armed with a single GIAT weapon of the same caliber. The Iranian-backed Houthis began launching drone, missile, and other attacks against foreign warships and commercial vessels in and around the Red Sea, as well as targets in Israel, in October 2023, and fighters from various nations have been prominently involved in tackling some of these threats. The fact that French fighters had been involved in shooting down Houthi drones over and around the Red Sea had been disclosed before, although the French Ministry of Defense provided very few details. A French Mirage 2000 conducts training over Djibouti, on May 22, 2023. U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Aaron Irvin Staff Sgt. Aaron Irvin During a large-scale Houthi attack on ships in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden on March 9, 2024, the French Armed Forces stated that one of its warships and undisclosed French fighters shot down four combat drones that were advancing toward naval vessels belonging to the European Aspides mission in the region. A video showing the French Navy Aquitaine class frigate Lorraine during a Red Sea deployment last year: The drones presented “an imminent threat to merchant vessels, U.S. Navy, and coalition ships in the region,” the French Ministry of Defense said in a post on social media platform X. Later the same month, the French Armed Forces released a video showing the downing of a Houthi drone over the Red Sea by a French Navy helicopter, using machine gun fire. “On March 20, while conducting close protection under EUNAVFOR Aspides in the Red Sea, the embarked helicopter of a French destroyer shot down a Houthi UAV threatening the commercial navigation,” the official Aspides account said on X. EUNAVFOR ASPIDES | Interception par lhélicoptère de la frégate dun drone aérien en provenance du Yémen menaçant le trafic maritime civil en mer Rouge. La priorité: assurer la liberté de navigation et la sûreté maritime de Suez à Ormuz https://t.co/pJjwPK2c8b pic.twitter.com/KQ8DD17hRL— Armée française Opérations militaires (@EtatMajorFR) March 20, 2024 Aside from these actions involving aircraft, the French Navy has also shot down multiple Houthi drones within these same waters since becoming an active player in the Red Sea in December of 2023. For a time, France was part of the international, U.S.-led task force Operation Prosperity Guardian (OPG), launched in that same month to combat the threat of Houthi missiles and drones on commercial shipping. France subsequently said it would not operate under U.S. command, amid possible strains in the relationship, as we reported previously. Since then, France has conducted its mission in the region as part of the Aspides task force. Unlike OPG, Aspides was set up as a purely defensive task force. Returning to fighters being used to counter Houthi drones, TWZ recently broke the news that U.S. Air Force F-16s have been using 70mm laser-guided rockets to down these during operations in and around the Red Sea in the past year. This involves the Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System II (APKWS II) rockets, originally developed to engage targets on the ground, but now also employed as lower-cost, more numerous air-to-air weapons. So far, officials have not confirmed how many of the rockets have been used in this manner, how many Houthi drones have been shot down as a result, or when this capability was first used in combat. A pair of U.S. Air Force F-16Cs on patrol somewhere in the Middle East on January 25, 2025. The jet seen at the rear is armed with a 70mm rocket pod, as well as other weapons. U.S. Air Force The extent of the Houthis’ mass drone and missile attacks has, on occasion, seen fighters having to land to reload with missiles while threats were still flying overhead. With primary air-to-air weapons being rapidly expended, the crew of at least one U.S. Air Force F-15E was forced to switch to guns after running out of missiles but did not succeed in downing any targets. For the French Mirage 2000-5F, the combat employment against the Houthi drone threat has provided something of a proving ground for the next stage of the type’s career in Ukraine. As you can read about here, the first Mirage 2000-5Fs, taken from French stocks, arrived in Ukraine last week. The delta-winged jet is the second Western-made fighter type for Ukraine, following the arrival of the F-16, the first of which arrived in Ukraine last summer. Three photos showing unmarked Mirage 2000-5Fs over Poland, apparently on their delivery flight to Ukraine: Ex-French Mirage 2000-5 Multirole Fighters spotted recently over Poland, heading towards Ukraine; with the first of several Mirages said to have turned over to the Ukrainian Air Force on February 5th. pic.twitter.com/k6OHlLmdSv— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) February 7, 2025 The Ukrainian Mirages are receiving new air-to-ground capabilities before being delivered, but the aircraft was primarily developed for air defense. The Mirage 2000 can take off in a relatively short distance and has a very impressive rate of climb, as well as a top speed of Mach 1.6 even when carrying missiles and a fuel tank. With a single external fuel tank, the Mirage 2000-5F can also patrol for 1 hour and 45 minutes, provided use of the afterburner is limited. With these qualities in mind, it’s expected that the fighters will help contribute to the protection of Ukrainian cities and infrastructure against Russian drone and cruise missile attacks. In these missions, they will face Iranian-designed Shahed long-range one-way attack drones and derivatives, very similar to at least some of the drones that have been used by the Houthis. A Russian-operated Shahed drone that was brought down or crashed in Ukraine. via X Via Twitter “The Ukrainian Air Force has new, combat-proven capabilities to carry out this air combat,” Bellanger, the Chief of Staff of the French Air and Space Force, commented, in relation to the Mirage 2000-5F transfer. While the Mirage 2000-5F continues to complement the Rafale with the French Air and Space Force and appears to have found something of a niche for itself intercepting drones in the Red Sea region, we surely won’t have to wait too long for the first reports of the venerable fighter flying combat missions with the Ukrainian Air Force, too. Contact the author: thomas@thewarzone.com The post French Fighters Downed “Nearly A Dozen Drones” In Red Sea Combat appeared first on The War Zone.

[Category: Air, Air Forces, Around The Globe, Drones, Fighters, French Air Force, Middle East, News & Features, Rafale, Red Sea, Ukrainian Air Force] [Link to media]

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[l] at 2/11/25 12:52am
The last of the Martin Mars flying boats just made its final landing, arriving in Arizona, where its eternal resting place will be the Pima Air and Space Museum (PASM). It took off earlier today from San Francisco and touched down in Lake Pleasant, Arizona. From there the iconic aircraft will be partially disessmbled and trucked to PASM for display. It will be one of more than 400 aircraft calling the 80-acre PASM museum home. Originally developed for the U.S. Navy as a maritime patrol bomber and later reconfigured as a transport ferrying supplies between Hawaii and the Pacific Islands, the Mars family of flying boats found their niche as firefighting water bombers. Philippine Mars landed in San Francisco on Sunday, making a pit stop on its way to its final destination after leaving its lakeside home in Vancouver, British Columbia. The flying boat was moored alongside the USS Hornet overnight in San Francisco Bay. The retired aircraft carrier now converted into a museum. Always a beautiful day on the USS Hornet! Yesterday the legendary WWII water bomber, Philippine Mars made a landing near the ship on its way to its final home at Pima Air & Space Museum. A rare sight to see two legends of the second world war, side by side! pic.twitter.com/p3zphVXO6d— USS Hornet Museum (@HornetMuseum) February 10, 2025 Coulson’s Aviation Philippine Mars docking at the historic ex-NAS Alameda after the first leg of it’s Retirement Tour. pic.twitter.com/hmtiadbOu1— Patriotic Capybara (@USAcapybara) February 10, 2025 Historic visit of Philippine Mars at Alameda Naval Air Station after so many years, on its way to the Pima Air & Space Museum for permanent display. #coulsonaviation @CoulsonAviation pic.twitter.com/IZvDeGC24k— CTP Watcher (@WatcherCtp) February 10, 2025 The Philippine Mars is on the move! After departing Sproat Lake yesterday, the aircraft is set to leave San Francisco today between 11–12 PT, continuing its journey to Arizona. Stay tuned for updates as it makes its way to its final home! #philippinemars #coulsonaviation pic.twitter.com/EkgMCtIj7Y— Coulson Aviation (@CoulsonAviation) February 10, 2025 Philippine Mars took off on its final flight around noon local time today, passing over the Golden Gate Bridge and then south along the California coast before a more overland route after reaching Monterey Bay according to the FlightRadar tracking site. For a good part of the day, it was the site’s most closely followed aircraft. The legendary Philippine Mars is on her way to Arizona, and thanks to our partnership with SKYTRAC, you can track her journey in real time!  #coulsonaviation #philippinemartinmars  Track her progress here: https://t.co/Giv1mJwYdm pic.twitter.com/x65yHOpZeY— Coulson Aviation (@CoulsonAviation) February 9, 2025 And lift off your of Philippine Mars C-FLYK from Oakland, next stop Arizona. #philippinemars #martiamars #cflyk #flynavy #pimaairandspacemuseum #aviationsafari #aviationpreservation #boneyardsafari #aviationadventures pic.twitter.com/ZkB0nq43ur— Boneyard Safari (@Boneyardsafari) February 10, 2025 The flight path of Philippine Mars, which took off from San Francisco today. (FlightRadar screencap) In 2007 Coulson Aircrane Ltd. purchased Philippine Mars and its sister aircraft, Hawaii Mars “to expand its firefighting capabilities, establishing itself as the only operator at the time operating both fixed wing and rotary wing firefighting aircraft,” according to the company. The Martin Mars flying boats were unique aircraft. With a wingspan of 200 feet and a length of more than 117 feet, the Mars — in its ultimate configuration — tipped the scales at 165,000 pounds at its maximum takeoff weight. It was powered by four Wright R-3350 Duplex-Cyclone radial engines, each producing 2,500 horsepower.    A three-view line drawing of the Martin JRM-1 Mars, from the Bureau of Aeronautics, Navy Department, dated August 1948. (Public Domain) There were seven Martin Mars flying boats, all produced between 1942 and 1947, according to Coulson. The surviving fleet of four aircraft were sold in 1958 to a consortium of timber companies in British Columbia, Canada, and converted into the world’s largest waterbombers carrying 7,200 U.S. gallons per drop, according to Vintage Aviation News. “The Mars fleet flew cargo between Hawaii and the Pacific Islands to support the U.S. Navy during World War II,” the company explained. “After the war, they supported the Korean War with medical air transport lifts between Hawaii and California, later transitioning to cargo lift work between Hawaii and California before being decommissioned in 1956.” The Philippine Mars when it flew for the Navy in World War II. (USN) The surviving fleet of four aircraft was sold in 1958 “to a consortium of timber companies in British Columbia, Canada, and converted into the world’s largest waterbombers carrying 7,200 U.S. gallons per drop.”  Coulson purchased two of the aircraft, the Hawaii Mars and the Philippine Mars, in 2007, which marked the beginning of the company’s fixed-wing air tanker operations for aerial wildfire support.  The Mars water bombers “served the Province of British Columbia from 1960-2015 and over the span of 55 years dropped over 50 million gallons each which is more water on fires than any other single firefighting aircraft in history anywhere in the world.” The aircraft were put up for sale nearly a decade ago, but nobody bought them. Eventually, they were fully retired as the cost to fly and maintain them grew. A deal was later worked out to send Philippine Mars to PASM. As we previously reported earlier this year, its sister ship, Hawaii Mars, made a two-hour flight to its new home at the B.C. Aviation Museum in Sidney on Vancouver Island. Now that Philippine Mars has arrived in Arizona, there will be no more majestic Mars flying boats to ever grace the skies again, marking the end of an aviation era. Contact the author: howard@thewarzone.com The post The Last Mars Flying Boat Just Made Its Final Flight appeared first on The War Zone.

[Category: Air, Military Aviation History, Naval History, Sea] [Link to media]

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[l] at 2/10/25 4:55pm
The Ukrainian Air Force has shared some rare views of S-300V1 surface-to-air missile systems firing their 26-foot-long 9M83 interceptors. Early in the conflict, the Soviet-era S-300V1 was one of the highest-end air defense systems available to Ukraines armed forces, and one of the few offering critical anti-ballistic missile capability, but its unclear how many of them are still in service. Two different clips of S-300V1s firing, as well as other footage of the system in use, were included in a video montage that Ukraines Air Force recently released. In the Ukrainian armed forces, the Air Force is the service primarily in charge of higher-end ground-based air and missile defense. And another S-300V engagement, released as part of the same video.From what I have seen, these are the third and fourth Ukrainian S-300V engagement videos released since the start of the war. pic.twitter.com/wPHnYbCQKP— OSINTtechnical (@Osinttechnical) February 9, 2025 Should note: first tweet includes a small error on my end, it’s a 9A85 TEL firing a 9M83 interceptor, not a 9M82. https://t.co/lZSKYgfEaW pic.twitter.com/HiMU2blgh0— OSINTtechnical (@Osinttechnical) February 9, 2025 Despite the shared nomenclature, the S-300V series is completely different from the S-300P series variants developed by the Soviet Union and then by Russia. Versions of the S-300V include self-contained tracked transport-erector-launcher and radar (TELAR) vehicles. There are also TELs without the radar, but that also feature a crane and can be used to reload other launchers. Offboard radars can also be used with the system. An S-300V1 TELAR on display in its deployed configuration at a museum in Ukraine in 2007. George Chernilevsky via Wikicommons (Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license) Two different interceptors exist for the S-300V series, the 9M82 and 9M83, referred to by NATO as the SA-12B Giant and SA-12A Gladiator, respectively. The 9M83 has a maximum engagement range under optimal conditions of about 47 miles. The larger 9M82, which is nearly 33 feet long and that Ukraine is now known to possess, has a reach of up to 60 miles. S-300V TELARs and TELs can, depending on subvariant, be loaded with up to two 9M82s or four 9M83s. Both interceptors have the ability to engage ballistic missiles in the terminal phase of their flight under limited circumstances. S-300V1 TELARs on parade in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv in 2018. VoidWanderer via Wikimedia (Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license) 9M82s and 9M83s are so-called cold-launched missiles that are forcefully ejected vertically from their tubes first before their main rocket motor kicks in, making launches particularly dramatic, as can be seen in the recently released clips. As noted earlier the S-300V1 was an important air defense capability for Ukraine at the time of Russias all-invasion in 2022. The tracked TELARs also gave the system valuable mobility that could be used to set up these powerful systems near the front lines and relatively. quickly relocate as required. However, it is not clear how many S-300V1s many may still be available. The Soviet-era systems were reportedly pulled out of storage and refurbished following Russias illegal annexation of the Crimean Peninsula in 2014. As TWZ has highlighted in the past, the global S-300V operator base has always been small and the only source for new production missiles has been the original manufacturer in Russia. As such, even if Ukraine still has a significant number of V1s that are still functional, stocks of interceptors for them can only have been dwindling in the past three years. An already rare sighting of a Ukrainian S-300V1 TELAR somewhere in the eastern Donbas region in June 2022. Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images In fact, the video the Ukrainian Air Force recently released showing the S-300V1s in action is centered on an interview with an air defense officer, identified only as Dennis, who was originally trained on the system, but has since transitioned to the National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System (NASAMS). Developed by defense contractors in the United States and Norway, NASAMS can fire AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missiles, AIM-9X Sidewinders, and IRIS-T missiles. NASAMS has been a major boon for Ukraine, and in no small part because of the many sources of missiles for it to fire, but it is not intended for use against incoming ballistic missiles. Video of the work of the NASAMS air defense system to protect the Ukrainian sky pic.twitter.com/KebzAseKpr— Ukrainian Air Force (@KpsZSU) April 21, 2023 Demand for additional ballistic missile defense capacity was an important driver behind the delivery of U.S.-made Patriot surface-to-air missile systems to the Ukrainian military, as well as a variety of different interceptors to go with them, as you can read more about here. Patriots can be and have been used by Ukrainian forces against non-ballistic targets, as well. Just in January, Israel reportedly began sending additional stocks of PAC-2 interceptors to Ukraine following its retirement of its Patriot systems last year. A screen capture of another Ukrainian Air Force video showing kill marks representing ballistic missiles, as well as cruise missiles, drones, fixed-wing aircraft, and helicopters painted on the side of part of a Patriot air defense battery. The three helicopters and two jet silhouettes that are highlighted all bear the same date, May 13, 2023. Defense Industry of Ukraine Russias ballistic missile arsenal, now bolstered by imports from North Korea, remains a serious threat to Ukraine and could grow further if much-reported deliveries of additional examples from Iran materialize. Though aging and increasingly difficult to support, any S-300V1s that remain operational in Ukraine would offer a still valuable mix of capabilities. Contact the author: joe@twz.com The post Rare Look At S-300V1 Surface-To-Air Missile Systems In Action In Ukraine appeared first on The War Zone.

[Category: Land, Around The Globe, Europe, Land-Based Ballistic Missile Defense, News & Features, Russia, S-300, Surface-To-Air Missile Systems, Ukraine] [Link to media]

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[l] at 2/10/25 3:53pm
New imagery has appeared showing the Chinese J-20 stealth fighter carrying external air-to-air missiles, mirroring the so-called ‘beast mode’ that we’ve seen on U.S. fifth-generation fighters. The development comes as China looks at various ways of increasing the number of primary weapons that the J-20 can accommodate internally, while also working on various new longer-range air-to-air missiles. A video emerged recently showing a J-20 in flight, apparently fitted with eight PL-15 medium-to-long-range air-to-air missiles, carried in pairs on four underwing pylons. A screen capture from the same footage had begun to circulate late last year, although it wasn’t immediately clear if it was genuine. The appearance of the video would seem to put at rest most of those concerns. I think we have seen this image in a smaller version already in December (second image), but now an ever clearer, larger version and a video was leaked showing a J-20 in "beast mode" carrying what appears to be 8x PL-15 (?) AAMs.(Image via @人畜无害遥感星 from Weibo) pic.twitter.com/hlwI5MCiFO— @Rupprecht_A (@RupprechtDeino) February 10, 2025 Here an attempt to post a video of the video pic.twitter.com/EYB0rnB9q2— @Rupprecht_A (@RupprechtDeino) February 10, 2025 Its meanwhile also well known that the J-20 has underwing hardpoints, since we have seen the fighter in the past carrying four large external fuel tanks, as you can read about here. #China #PLAAF #J20 #Stealth with four external drop tanks. via CDF/Deino,fxmdlr_ms pic.twitter.com/vTdUkyexSJ— 卫纳夜格.巴特 Col Vinayak Bhat (Retd) @Raj47 (@rajfortyseven) February 21, 2017 In fact, when we first became aware of the J-20 carrying drop tanks, we surmised that, in the future, the stealth fighter would likely also appear with weapons under their wings. In particular, we predicted that China’s very long-range air-to-air missile, now known to be designated as the PL-17, could end up arming the J-20, and that it would be carried externally. After all, the huge missile does not fit in the fighter’s weapons bay. Now, however, it seems that the ‘beast mode’ J-20 is carrying additional examples of the PL-15 — the aircraft’s standard medium-to-long-range air-to-air missile, reportedly able to hit targets at up to 124 miles. Already, the J-20 can carry four of these weapons in its main internal weapons bay. Close-up of a J-20 fighter carrying four inert examples of the original PL-15 in its main ventral bays. via Chinese Internet They can be supplemented by two short-range PL-10 air-to-air missiles. These infrared-guided weapons are deployed via novel side weapons bays, which allow the missiles to be exposed on the outside of the aircraft, with the doors closed behind them. You can read more about this fascinating aspect of the J-20’s design here. A J-20 with its short-range PL-10 air-to-air missiles deployed via the side weapons bays. via Chinese Internet Returning to the PL-15, this is an incredibly important component of China’s fast-developing airpower capabilities. In the past, the U.S. Air Force has publicly said that the emergence of the PL-15 was a key factor in the decision to start the AIM-260 program, which seeks to provide a new air-to-air missile with a range longer than that of the now-standard AIM-120 AMRAAM. The Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) defense and security think tank determines that the PL-15 “out-ranges the U.S.-made AIM-120C/D AMRAAM series and has a comparable maximum range to the Meteor.” This long range may be achieved through the use of a dual-pulse rocket motor, although this remains unconfirmed. The AIM-120D-3 is the latest variant of the combat-proven AMRAAM, developed under the Form, Fit, Function refresh, known as F3R. Raytheon An AIM-120D-3 sits at Raytheon’s Tucson, Arizona plant. The AIM-120D features the same clipped fins as the C model. (RTX) While we don’t know what — if anything — is in the internal weapons bays of the J-20 in the video, the potential for the aircraft to carry 12 PL-15s is very significant in terms of ‘magazine depth,’ although the penalty is the loss of the aircraft’s low-observable characteristics. This, however, is not necessarily a huge problem, if tactics are optimized to overcome it. In this way, it would be expected that a stealthy flight of J-20s (with all-internal missiles) would work in concert with a flight of J-20s in ‘beast mode.’ With the stealthy flight operating ahead, they would then call on the more heavily armed jets behind them as a force-multiplier, thereby overcoming their limited air-to-air missile carriage capability. In the same way, a J-20 in ‘beast mode’ could serve as something akin to an arsenal ship to support other tactical aircraft, including the forthcoming J-35 stealth fighter. Chinas Flanker-derivative series of fighters could also work in concert with stealthy J-20s in a similar fashion. Beyond the PL-15, China is also working on other air-to-air missiles that are likely to be added to the J-20’s armory. These include the aforementioned PL-17, a very long-range missile that may well be intended primarily to target high-value assets, like tankers and airborne early warning aircraft. You can read more about this still-mysterious missile here. As mentioned previously, this would only be available for external carriage on the J-20, although it’s unclear whether eight would be possible — four PL-17s underwing seems a much more likely maximum load-out with two being realistically more optimal for most missions. A 2016 image where the PL-17 first appeared. via Chinese Internet These two missiles are likely to be joined before long by another weapon, tentatively dubbed PL-16, the design of which seems to have been driven by the requirement for the J-20 to accommodate six longer-range missiles internally. The PL-16 will likely be superficially similar to the PL-15 but will be a compressed-carriage missile. It is expected to feature an active electronically scanned array (AESA) seeker, a Mach 5-plus fly-out speed, and significant resistance to jamming. This reflects similar trends in the United States, where, in addition to working on secretive new longer-range air-to-air missiles, there have been efforts to add more weapons to the F-22 and F-35, which are constrained by their internal weapons carriage — provided they are to retain their critical low-observability advantage. The F-35 can only carry four internal AMRAAMs, which led to a program to develop the Sidekick weapons bay adapter, which will boost the number of internal AMRAAMs a Joint Strike Fighter can carry to six. The current four-missile AIM-120 internal carriage configuration on the F-35. Crown Copyright In fact, the eight missiles that we see in the video would introduce the prospect of a J-20 that can eventually carry 14 medium/long-range air-to-air missiles, complemented by the pair of PL-10 shorter-range weapons, for a whopping 16 missiles in total. For comparison, the F-22 could theoretically carry a similar loadout, although this never happens in practice, nor is it clear if it that configuration has been tested. One of the F-15EXs biggest selling points is the ability to carry 12 AIM-120s today and possibly more tomorrow, as magazine depth becomes a greater concern in the increasingly complex domain of air-to-air combat. We still dont know whether this configuration is now operational or still in the test phase. It would seem likely, however, that we will learn more in due course and, at the same time, the development potentially opens up a much wider variety of external weapons carriage possibilities, too. Contact the author: thomas@thewarzone.com The post China’s J-20 Fighter Is Now Flying In ‘Beast Mode’ appeared first on The War Zone.

[Category: Air, Air Force Munitions, Air Forces, Air-To-Air, Fighters, J-20, People's Liberation Army Air Force (China)] [Link to media]

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[l] at 2/10/25 1:18pm
Russian troops have set up a 2km (1.24 mile) mesh netting “tunnel” on a road linking Bakhmut and Chasiv Yar in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine. The mesh netting is designed to protect Russian logistics against first-person view (FPV) drones that have become a ubiquitous attack weapon for both sides. The move comes as Russian forces are launching another major push against the town of Chasiv Yar. “To cover the supply routes of the Russian Armed Forces from FPV drones, military engineers are installing protective nets,”  a Russian soldier said on a video showing the construction of the mesh net tunnel. “Our group maintains more than two kilometers of anti-drone nets. The nets are placed on the most exposed sections of the roads to ensure the safe movement of our equipment. We strive to continuously expand the coverage area, enhancing the installation technology of the nets to set them up more quickly.” To protect themselves from Ukrainian drone attacks, the Russians have fenced off the road from Bakhmut to Chasiv Yar, creating a 2-km mesh tunnel. In this way, the Russians are trying to rescue their equipment and personnel from threats from drones. pic.twitter.com/qbtFvwrAcx— WarTranslated (@wartranslated) February 9, 2025 The video shows Russian troops unrolling a spool of mesh netting, which they then attached to 15- to 20-foot poles spaced evenly along both sides of the road. The theory is that the netting will provide a buffer to keep Ukrainian FPV drones from directly striking vehicles. “The expectation is that the FPV drone, on the final trajectory of its attack, will simply get entangled with its propellers in the taut net or go off course, even if it manages to break it,” the Russian Military Informant Telegram channel wrote. Russian troops built a mesh net tunnel to protect against Ukrainian FPV drones. (X screencap) You can see how Ukrainian FPV drones have affected Russian vehicle traffic in the following video. A road of death. Russia shows an area constantly targeted by Ukrainian FPV drones pic.twitter.com/2qZ2ZRui2b— Preston Stewart (@prestonstew_) February 5, 2025 The netting is the latest iteration of the ongoing efforts by each side to develop drone technology and ways to counter it. “A year ago, the enemy created roads covered by electronic warfare posts,” Ukrainian drone expert Serhii Beskrestnovs, also known as Serhii Flash, wrote on Telegram about the mesh tunnel. “Now drones have so many frequencies that it is not realistic to close them with electronic warfare (EW). And plus, drones with [artificial intelligence] and drones on fiber optic [cables] have appeared.” Yuri Podalyak, an influential Russian milblogger, suggested that the anti-FPV drone netting is a creation by troops in the field on an ad hoc basis because the Russian Defense Ministry is providing insufficient EW equipment. “This is the ingenuity of the fighters against the bureaucrats of the General Staff who are still unable to understand that today electronic warfare is more important than tanks,” Podolyak wrote on Telegram. “And even more so than a bunch of different expensive junk that was created for war and which is absolutely useless now. But which is still being mass-produced by our factories (and often ahead of schedule).” The anti-FPV drone system erected in Donetsk is not the first time Russians have tried to use netting on a grand scale to defeat these fast, highly maneuverable weapons. As we previously reported, the Russians used mesh nets strung between lamposts on a road near Bakhmut to try and break up and deter FPV drones. However, the Ukrainians quickly found a workaround, flying over the nets to strike targets behind them. That system, however, did not have side or top netting that would provide better, encapsulated protection. The following video shows how Ukrainian FPV drone operators overcame that netting. This morning there was a video with anti-drone nets hanging Wagner above the road near Bakhmut, and already in the evening a video testing their effectiveness pic.twitter.com/eGXVbfsrJ1— MilitaryNewsUA (@front_ukrainian) September 25, 2023 “Similar initiatives to hang anti-drone nets along roads in the Bakhmut direction have been observed since 2023. But such an extended single structure is encountered for the first time,” the Russian Military Informant Telegram channel noted. “The downside is that such networks will need to be constantly updated, given the intensity with which the enemy uses its kamikazes against Russian logistics.” Another potential downside not addressed by Russian sources is how these nets would hold up against Ukrainian drone-dropped munitions. Those could take out not just the nets, but the poles supporting them, without exposing the drone to the mesh countermeasure. Even FPV drones with the ability to command detonate would also punch holes in these nets, allowing other FPVs to enter.  Given the vast number of deadly FPV drones deployed, however, even an imperfect solution could prove beneficial. One noted Russian milblogger suggests that is already the case in Chasiv Yar, a town Russia has partially held since last July and is making another large push to capture the rest. “Now, along the road, supplies are calmly flowing to the units liberating Chasiv Yar,” Oleg Tsarov posited on Telegram. The city, as the following video shows, has been devastated by the fighting. This is how the streets of Chasiv Yar in the Donetsk region look like now.Shots from fighters of the Donbas BSP of the 18th Slavic Brigade. Follow @blyskavka_ua pic.twitter.com/Cs5ZL6Rq1P— BLYSKAVKA (@blyskavka_ua) February 10, 2025 Still, creating a netted ‘tunnel’ of sorts will also confine Russian forces to a very narrow and well-defined corridor that can be bombarded by artillery and other means of attack. This could prove to be a far more ‘fatal funnel’ than what an open road plagued by FPV attacks would be. It will be interesting to see how successful this tactic ends up being. We will likely know more in the near future. Contact the author: howard@thewarzone.com The post Russians Erect Mesh Net ‘Tunnel’ Over A Mile Long To Counter Ukrainian FPV Drones appeared first on The War Zone.

[Category: News & Features, Around The Globe, Drones, Europe, Russia, Ukraine] [Link to media]

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[l] at 2/10/25 1:02pm
Indian drone maker NewSpace Research and Technologies has officially unveiled a new jet-powered drone concept being pitched as a loyal wingman called Abhimanyu. The Indian Navy is now investing in the design as the basis for a future Naval Collaborative Combat Air Vehicle (N-CCAV), which it hopes to team with the services existing carrier-based MiG-29K Fulcrums, Rafale-Ms expected to arrive in the coming years, and future domestically-developed fighters. A model of the current iteration of the Abhimanyu drone design is on display at the Aeroindia 2025 exhibition, which opened in the southern Indian city of Bengaluru earlier today. Angad Singh was generous enough to share pictures of the model, as well as renders the company has shared with journalists, with TWZ. Abhimanyu has been funded in part to date through the Indian Ministry of Defenses Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX) initiative, as well as internal company funding, according to Singh. iDEX has launched multiple rounds of Acing Development of Innovative Technologies (ADITI) innovation challenges since it was launched in 2018, including one centered on the Navys N-CCAV needs. Indian defense outlet Livefist first reported over the weekend about Abhimanyu and the N-CCAV effort. A rendering of the Abhimanyu drone. NewSpace Research and Technologies via Angad Singh Details about the Abhimanyu drone itself are still very limited. The model at Aeroindia 2025, as well as the company renders, show a design with swept wings, horizontal stabilizers, and a single vertical tail. There are a pair of narrow air intakes for the drones single jet engine, one on either side of the rear fuselage. Livefist says Abhimanyu was designed to have a low radar cross-section. A continuous chine-line that wraps around the fuselage is visible on the model and in the renders, which is a typical radar cross-section-reducting design feature. A main engine tucked away in the rear fuselage behind the low-profile air intakes would also help in this regard. The Abhimanyus continuous chine-line is visible in this view of the model on display at Aeroindia 2025. Angad Singh As seen below, NewSpaces renderings also show what look to be trapezoidal-shaped main landing gear doors, another typical feature of stealth designs. No door for a nose wheel or weapons bays are readily visible. While the design clearly has features that reduce the aircrafts radar signature, it is not a low-observable design. NewSpace Research and Technologies via Angad Singh Placards that NewSpace has on display at Aeroindia 2025 along with the Abhimanyu model say the company is targeting a top speed of almost 300 knots (550 kilometers per hour), a 620-mile (1,000-kilometer) operational range, and a service ceiling of close to 19,700 feet (6,000 meters). This is relatively slow, short-range, and low-ceiling for a loyal wingman-type design, which does raise questions about the extent to which it will be able to directly operate together with faster-moving crewed combat jets. With proper planning, lower-performance drones can still enjoy teaming benefits, but with far less persistence and direct tactical cohesion with their high-performance fighter counterparts. It is worth noting that NewSpace has been working on the Abhimanyu project since at least 2023 and the current design differs completely from concepts the company has shown in the past. There has been talk previously of Abhimanyu being more of a group of designs rather than a single drone. The Indian Navy is now interested in a family of different versions of the Abhimanyu with increasingly diverse capabilities achieved through iterative development cycles, Angad Singh told TWZ. New design of NSRT Abhimanyu. Instead of external podded engines, the new design incorporates internally mounted engines with trapezoidal side intakes.@alpha_defense pic.twitter.com/a5gEMJW6cg— Frontliner (@FrontlinerUV) June 25, 2024 Abhimanyu drones with a mixture of capabilities might offer Indias carrier air wings valuable added offensive and defensive capacity in cooperation with other crewed aircraft and forces down below. The pilotless planes could also help extend the sensor reach of a carrier strike group, including to provide better situational awareness and tactical flexibility. Depending on their exact capabilities, the Indian Navy might also be able to deploy N-CCAVs to locations ashore to support operations, which could also help make up for range and other limitations. NewSpace also promises a high degree of autonomy for Abhimanyu leveraging artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI/ML) technology. The company has already been testing AI/ML-driven autonomous capabilities as part of work on swarming technologies for much smaller drones. NewSpace also unveiled a new line of smaller uncrewed aerial systems with swarming capabilities, including kamikaze types, called Sheshnaag at this years Aeroindia event. The company has done work in the past on so-called air-launched effects (ALE) type uncrewed systems in collaboration with the U.S. Air Force, as well. What unit cost NewSpace is targeting for Abhimanyu is unknown. Documents reviewed by Livefist suggest that NRT is developing the N-CCAV to be both cost-effective and expendable, with an emphasis on rapid production, that outlet reported. That is certainly in line with the potential decoy role. There are some broad strokes similarities to the U.S. Navys vision for “consumable carrier-capable Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) drones that could be expended as munitions or targets for training or testing purposes after short service lives measured in hundreds of flight hours rather than years. From what is known about it now, Abhimanyu is a notably lower-end concept compared to many other loyal wingman or CCA-like drone efforts globally, even those focused on lower costs and rapid production with capabilities balanced against those requirements. This includes the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) Warrior under development for the Indian Air Forces Combat Air Teaming System program. The twin-engine Warrior, a demonstrator or mockup thereof of which is also being shown at Aeroindia 2025, is understood to be much larger and heavier than the Abhimanyu. The demonstrator design, which HAL previously unveiled, also differs significantly from models and renders that had been shown in the past, especially the less stealthy configuration of the top-mounted air intake. The HAL Warrior demonstrator. Hindustan Aeronautics Limited HAL’s CATS Warrior wingman UCAV first flight later this year. pic.twitter.com/JdfiTHLu2C— Livefist (@livefist) February 10, 2025 Finally HAL unveiled CATS Warrior.Design evolution pic 1 in 2021 -> pic 2 in 2023 -> pic 3 finally a reality today This is our equivalent of USAF CCAs(Pic 4) and by American figures will cost around $25 million/pop perfect for mass production. pic.twitter.com/UEVc8Gau86— Aman Kashyap (@AmanKashyap89) January 11, 2025 The Indian military has been working on a more advanced stealthy flying wing-type unmanned combat air vehicle (UCAV), as well. In 2021, it emerged that a subscale UCAV demonstrator, the Stealth Wing Flying Testbed, had flown at least once. China, Indias top competitor, has also been very actively developing stealthy flying wing UCAVs. A number of other countries, including Russia, Turkey, and France, are doing the same. The U.S. military, at least publicly, very pointed abandoned work in this vein decades ago, as you can read more about here. Just stunning to see the Swift being developed As reminded by DRDO officials at their Aero India stand, this is not to be mistaken with the Ghatak!! pic.twitter.com/WFPZqL6Bda— Vayu Aerospace Review (@ReviewVayu) February 10, 2025 A model of a Chinese GJ-11 Sharp Sword flying wing UCAV on display. Yang Suping/VCG via Getty Images China and the United States, and now India, are among a growing number of countries with uncrewed naval aviation ambitions more specifically, efforts that also reflect the differing views on the future of uncrewed collaborative airpower. The Chinese Peoples Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) looks increasingly set to operate UCAVs from the decks of at least some of its aircraft carriers, as well as its new monster Type 076 amphibious assault ship, while the U.S. Navy remains more focused on its disposal CCA vision. For the Indian Navy, progress on the N-CCAV effort comes amid talk of scaling back its aircraft carrier plans. Indian media reported earlier this month that a proposed second domestically-produced flattop could ultimately replace the existing INS Vikramaditya, a heavily modified Soviet-era ship, rather than supplement it as had originally been expected. India has two carriers in service today, the other being the domestically-developed INS Vikrant. The Indian military, overall, does have a long history of upsets and resets on major defense procurement programs. It remains to be seen when any Abhimanyu drones actually begin to enter service regardless of what the countrys carrier force might look like in the future. The current funding ceiling for Abhimanyu through iDEX is just around $2.85 million, according to Angad Singh. Much more funding is expected to be necessary to complete the designs initial development, as well as that of future variants with new capabilities. Abhimanyu has certainly now gotten another important vote of confidence from the Indian Navy. Special thanks again to Angad Singh for sharing the pictures of the Abhimanyu model and the renders, as well as information gleaned about the drone from Aeroindia 2025. Contact the author: joe@twz.com The post Indian Naval Collaborative Drone Concept Unveiled appeared first on The War Zone.

[Category: Air, Air Forces, Around The Globe, Carriers, Drones, India, Indian Air Force, Indian Navy, Indo-Pacific, Loyal Wingman, Navies, News & Features, Sea, Unmanned] [Link to media]

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[l] at 2/10/25 12:12pm
A Russian Su-57 Felon next-generation fighter sharing tarmac with a U.S.-made F-35 stealth fighter is a truly unusual sight, and it has quickly become a signature image of the Aero India 2025 international airshow. With the Indian Air Force looking for new fighters, and with a complex path toward fielding its own fifth-generation combat aircraft, the rival jets have both been pitched, to some degree or another, toward emerging Indian requirements. However, it’s far from clear whether either of these advanced combat aircraft will be suitable, for varied reasons. The first-ever such meeting on the ground between Su-57 and F-35A (two of which were sent to the airshow) occurred at Aero India over the weekend. The airshow is taking place at Air Force Station Yelahanka in Bangalore, southwestern India, and is open to the public between February 10-14. A Su-57 after landing during the inaugural day of the 15th edition of Aero India 2025 at Yelahanka Air Force Station in Bengaluru on February 10, 2025. Photo by Idrees MOHAMMED / AFP IDREES MOHAMMED At the opening of the show, the Indian Ministry of Defense published a statement that made a fairly direct reference to the presence of the rival fighters. “Aero India 2025 will provide a rare side-by-side comparison of Eastern and Western fifth-generation fighter technology, offering defense analysts, military personnel, and aviation enthusiasts valuable insights into their respective capabilities,” the ministry said. For the FIRST time ever, two global rivals—the United States and Russia—are bringing their most advanced 5th-generation stealth fighter jets together on Indian soil! F-35 Lightning II (#USA ) Su-57 Felon (#Russia ) Aero India has become the ultimate stage where the… pic.twitter.com/IGN8oO9sGd— Defence & Security Alert Magazine (@DSAlert) February 10, 2025 Only in (HIGH-RES)A historic first time & 5th gen aircraft sharing the same tarmac.Su-57 crew eagerly their first in-person glimpse of the F-35, while, vice versa, F-16 & F-35 pilots get their first look at the Felon. A rare moment of mutual fascination. pic.twitter.com/Sa28PqWwtw— Vishal Jolapara (@VishalJolapara) February 9, 2025 Sigh.[/@SauravChordia1] pic.twitter.com/v8RxwOGDS8— Livefist (@livefist) February 10, 2025 Today, Rosoboronexport, Russia’s state-run arms export/import agency, announced that an undisclosed foreign customer will start to receive Su-57s this year, but provided no details as to that nation’s identity. The statement was made at the opening of Air India by Rosoboronexport chief Alexander Mikheev. Aero India 2025 at Air Force Station Yelahanka in Bangalore, seen from the cockpit of a Su-57. Photo by PJSC United Aircraft Corporation/Anadolu via Getty Images Anadolu Since it was first offered, the Felon has not achieved any confirmed export orders and previous plans for India to acquire it fell apart in dramatic fashion. As long ago as 2003, the Prospective Multirole Fighter (PMF) was planned as an India-specific version of the Su-57 (then still known by its T-50 prototype designation). This was intended to meet the requirements of the Indian Air Force’s Fifth-Generation Fighter Aircraft (FGFA) program. Russia and India signed a letter of intent covering the common development of the PMF, in January 2003, followed by a related inter-governmental agreement in 2007, and another contract covering the preliminary design of the aircraft in 2010. Vladimir Putin, at that time Russian Prime Minister, in front of a Sukhoi T-50 — the prototype of the Su-57 Felon — at Zhukovksy, outside Moscow on June 17, 2010. The T-50 had made its first flight earlier the same year, on January 29. Photo by ALEXEY DRUZHININ/RIA NOVOSTI/AFP via Getty Images ALEXEY DRUZHININ The PMF would have had various new and modified systems, compared with the baseline Russian standard, including an N079 active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar, derived from the Russian N036. However, the project made only slow progress and was punctuated by some embarrassing incidents, including the fifth aircraft, T-50-5, catching fire on the runway at Zhukovsky, near Moscow in June 2014. This reported happened in full view of an Indian delegation. Regardless, by 2018, India had left the PMF program, as you can read about here. Nevertheless, Russia continues to push the Su-57E export version on the international marketplace. Last November, Rosoboronexport claimed that the first export contracts for the Su-57 had been signed, but, again, the buyer — or buyers — were not named. When it was first launched in 2018, Russia claimed that the Su-57E version would be “significantly cheaper” than the F-35, although no numbers were provided. In 2019, a Su-57 was personally shown to Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan by his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, as seen in the video below, with the hope of securing Ankara’s interest in the Su-57E. Otherwise, Algeria and Egypt have been identified by analysts as possible customers, although Russia’s ostracization from much of the international community as a result of its war in Ukraine has further diminished the chances of major international arms sales. In India, meanwhile, the focus has been on the development of a homegrown fifth-generation fighter, the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA), although this is still a long way off, with the latest reports indicating it’s not planned to enter service until 2036. Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has been officially working on the AMCA project since 2010 and, at one point, there was a stated goal of having a flying prototype by 2025. A model of the AMCA next-generation fighter. FlyingDaggers45SQUADRON/Wikimedia Commons In the meantime, the Indian Air Force faces the problem of a diminishing frontline fighter force driven by the retirement of older types, like the MiG-21 Fishbed — the Soviet-designed jet that was once the backbone of the service. This is compounded by a lack of movement on projects to buy foreign-made fighters as interim equipment, something that Angad Singh, an Indian defense journalist and contributor to this website, characterizes as “decision paralysis.” Of course, the Indian Air Force would not have faced such problems had India’s Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas program, the MiG-21’s designated successor, not suffered such lengthy delays. Currently, the Indian Air Force still has only two operational squadrons with the LCA Tejas Mk 1 and this is, in many ways a fairly limited combat aircraft — certainly when compared to fifth-generation types. Ultimately, only 40 examples are being purchased. An Indian Air Force Rafale and a Tejas Mk 1. IAF With that in mind, deliveries of the improved LCA Tejas Mk 1A are planned to start soon, allowing the Indian Air Force to finally dispose of its last MiG-21s. While more capable than the Tejas Mk 1, with more advanced radar, avionics, and weapons, the Mk 1A is still classified by the Indian Air Force as a fourth-generation type, putting it more or less on par with the South Korean FA-50, or the Saab Gripen, for example. The first series-production Tejas Mk 1A made its maiden flight from the HAL facility in Bengaluru on March 28, 2024. Hindustan Aeronautics Limited There are currently 83 Tejas Mk 1A fighters under contract, with plans to supplement this with another 97 aircraft, for a total of 180 Mk 1As. After that, 120 examples of the altogether more ambitious Tejas Mk 2 are set to be delivered to the Indian Air Force, between 2028 and 2035. Classified as “generation 4++” fighters, these will be fitted with more powerful F414 engines and have much-improved performance as part of generally expanded capabilities. If all goes to plan, the experience with the Tejas Mk 2 should pave the way for the first of the all-new AMCA fifth-generation fighters to enter service in 2036. Currently, plans call for 120 aircraft to be procured under the AMCA program. First and only sign of the Tejas AF Mk.2.Absolutely no talk about it anywhere or from anyone!!Strange pic.twitter.com/5xNyFnLuks— Vayu Aerospace Review (@ReviewVayu) February 10, 2025 The AMCA will feature a low-observable design, including internal weapons bays, new-generation AESA radar, and advanced avionics, and will be intended, from the outset, to operate alongside drones as part of ‘manned-unmanned’ teaming concept. Again, the AMCA is still a long way in the future and, based on prior experience, the program will likely face more delays of its own. With that in mind, and with so many different moving pieces in the Indian Air Force’s fighter puzzle, the service also launched the Multirole Fighter Aircraft (MRFA) competition. This aims to select an existing foreign-made fighter, with a total of 114 to be acquired, through a combination of off-the-shelf purchases and licensed production in India. Many might ask why India wouldn’t simply buy more Dassault Rafales, but when the 114-aircraft requirement was launched it was billed as being specifically for single-engine types, ruling out the French product. Since then, however, the competition appears to be wide open, with the F-15EX, for example, now also being offered to India, and with the Rafale and the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet also in the running. If India decides to procure another single-engine fighter, after all, the Indian-specific F-21 configuration of the F-16 is also a viable candidate. Indian Air Force personnel watch a U.S. Air Force F-15 take off during Exercise Cope India 2023 at Air Force Station Kalaikunda, on April 24, 2023. Photo by Debajyoti Chakraborty/NurPhoto via Getty Images Debajyoti Chakraborty On the other hand, with its emphasis on a ‘non-controversial’ procurement of more ‘generation 4+’ fighters in the same class as the Rafale, the MRFA competition doesn’t appear to have a place for the Su-57, or the F-35. That brings us to the Joint Strike Fighter. In the past, there have been tentative offers of the F-35 to India, notably in 2018, when the then head of U.S. Pacific Command supposedly stated that he supported the sale of the stealth fighter to India. Just a normal day at Aero India.10 minutes ago, it was the Su-57and now the F-35Just how lucky are we attending this spectacle! pic.twitter.com/5CJbhS47EE— Vayu Aerospace Review (@ReviewVayu) February 10, 2025 #WATCH | Bengaluru | 054 Russian Federation Air Force Sukhoi T-50 (Su-57) and US F-35 fighter aircraft at #AeroIndia2025 For the first time, advanced fifth-generation aircraft of both Russia and the US are participating in the 15th edition of Asias top aerospace exhibition,… pic.twitter.com/80CrEFfFMp— ANI (@ANI) February 10, 2025 The U.S. government has still not technically cleared the F-35 for offer to India, although, as in the case of the United Arab Emirates, where the same was true, this didn’t stop the previous Trump administration from pitching the aircraft to the Gulf country. It’s notable, too that, in the past Lockheed Martin hinted that India choosing its F-21 (essentially an advanced F-16, rebranded) might pave the way for the country to eventually join the F-35 program — although the company removed that claim from its official F-21 webpage shortly after it went live, as you can read about here. An artist’s impression of the F-21 that has been offered to India. Lockheed Martin For India, however, there is another potential sticking point, as Angad Singh explained to TWZ: “Regardless of political winds in the United States, our case for the F-35 is complicated by the S-400 and the hordes of other Soviet/Russian equipment we operate.” It is worth recalling that it was the S-400 air defense system specifically that saw Turkey ejected from the F-35 program, even after the first aircraft had been built for the Turkish Air Force and with a significant industrial stake in the manufacturing effort. An S-400 air defense system during testing at Murdet Air Base near Ankara, Turkey, on November 25, 2019. Turkey purchased the weapons system from Russia over the objections of the United States, which excluded it from its F-35 program in response. Photo by Getty Images Getty Images So, while India acquiring the F-35 is by no means impossible, it would require significant negotiations, with safeguards and assurances that New Delhi might not be willing to agree to — especially if it meant giving up the S-400 or other high-end Russian-origin systems. With that in mind, could that somehow provide the Su-57 with another chance to win an Indian Air Force order? Singh is skeptical. “The Felon, let’s be real, is probably the least-capable ‘fifth-generation’ fighter out there, and the least mature. Not a good combination. I don’t see the utility in it as a counter to Chinese fifth-generation developments.” Putting aside the respective capabilities of the Su-57 and a growing fleet of stealthy Chinese adversaries, there is also the fact that the Indian Air Force hasn’t necessarily had a good experience in the past with Russian imports — especially as regards after-sales support and maintainability. This is something that has only been exacerbated since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. “The last thing the Indian Air Force needs is another decades-long debugging exercise like the Su-30MKI Flanker,” Singh observes. An Indian Air Force Su-30MKI during an exercise at Jodhpur in the Indian state of Rajasthan on November 8, 2022. Photo by Emmanuel DUNAND / AFP EMMANUEL DUNAND Once again, while the Indian Air Force is actively looking for new foreign-made fighters, neither the Su-57 nor the F-35 are really what the service needs and it has admitted as much in the past in terms of the aircraft that it has identified for the MRFA competition. Su57 of #Russia and F35 of #USA Sharing same airspace first time ever- Its only happened in #India. #AeroIndia Pic: @SauravChordia1 pic.twitter.com/WWTHXKsH3x— Manish Prasad (@manishindiatv) February 10, 2025 On the other hand, the Su-57 would appear to offer one clear advantage for India that the F-35 cannot compete with: the offer of local licensed production for the fighter, as HAL has done with the Su-30MKI. For India, offsets are an enormously important part of major defense acquisitions and the promise of technology transfers could also be tempting, especially as it sets to work on its own fifth-generation fighter program, the AMCA. While the appearance of the Su-57 and the F-35 together at Bangalore is certainly intriguing from the perspective of observers, it does also reinforce the urgency of the Indian Air Force’s need for new fighter equipment. With delays seemingly inbuilt for its various domestic combat aircraft programs, the need for interim fighter equipment is more obvious than ever. The Indian Air Force needs to decide on the outcome of the MRFA competition sooner rather than later. At this stage, however, the Su-57 and the F-35 both look to be outsiders. Contact the author: thomas@thewarzone.com The post F-35 And Su-57 Face Off In India appeared first on The War Zone.

[Category: Air, Air Forces, Around The Globe, Europe, F-35, F-35A, Fighters, India, Indian Air Force, Indo-Pacific, News & Features, Russia, Su-57] [Link to media]

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[l] at 2/7/25 5:19pm
stuff that went on this week that we didn’t cover. We can also talk about the stuff we did or whatever else grabs your interest. In other words, it’s an off-topic thread. The caption to this week’s top shot reads: 12/2/1962-Nebraska- New visual display system designed to expedite command and control of Strategic Air Commands far flung retaliatory forces in operation in the Commands underground Control Center here. Also, a reminder: Prime Directives! If you want to talk politics, do so respectfully and know that there’s always somebody that isn’t going to agree with you.  If you have political differences, hash it out respectfully, stick to the facts, and no childish name-calling or personal attacks of any kind. If you can’t handle yourself in that manner, then please, discuss virtually anything else. No drive-by garbage political memes. No conspiracy theory rants. Links to crackpot sites will be axed, too. Trolling and shitposting will not be tolerated. No obsessive behavior about other users. Just don’t interact with folks you don’t like.  Do not be a sucker and feed trolls! That’s as much on you as on them. Use the mute button if you don’t like what you see.   So unless you have something of quality to say, know how to treat people with respect, understand that everyone isn’t going to subscribe to your exact same worldview, and have come to terms with the reality that there is no perfect solution when it comes to moderation of a community like this, it’s probably best to just move on.  Finally, as always, report offenders, please. This doesn’t mean reporting people who don’t share your political views, but we really need your help in this regard. The Bunker is open! The post Bunker Talk: Let’s Talk About All The Things We Did And Didn’t Cover This Week appeared first on The War Zone.

[Category: News & Features, Bunker Talk] [Link to media]

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[l] at 2/7/25 2:12pm
Closed-circuit television video has emerged offering a new very up-close and personal view of the large-scale and highly-coordinated strike on Hezbollahs command bunker in Dahieh, a southern Beirut suburb and a stronghold of the militant organization, on September 27th, 2024. GBU-31/B Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) bombs with BLU-109/B bunker-busting warheads were the primary weapon used for this attack that killed Hezbollahs leader Hassan Nasrallah, as well as other top officials. It has been reported that dozens of civilians were killed and hundreds more were wounded in the attack. The decapitation strike aimed at the large bunker buried beneath a residential area was one of the key operations that sent the Iranian-backed militant group far off kilter, allowing for Israels air and ground operations to have a far greater effect than they would have otherwise while limiting Hezbollahs ability to respond in kind. The pager and walkie-talkie sabotage operation that preceded this strike was another. Hezbollah remains heavily degraded today with the fall of the Assad regime in Syria, a key ally outside of Tehran, being another massive blow that came months later. BLU-109 with JDAM tail kits. (USAF) The video below shows what appears to be a normal day in Dahieh, with people moving about, including two motorcyclists that are shown in-frame. Then the bunker busters arrive. One is seen burrowing deep through the concrete roadway, narrowly missing one of the motorcyclists, followed by a massive subterranean explosion that lifts the entire surrounding area. This is exactly the effect of a bunker buster like the BLU-109. The bombs tough casing allows it to penetrate deep underground with its delayed fuzing detonating the warhead at a predetermined depth or even level of a reinforced compound. CCTV Footage was released today, from Israel’s Precision-Airstrike against Hezbollah’s Central Command Bunker in the Dahieh Suburb of Southern Beirut on September 27th, which resulting in the elimination of the Secretary-General of Hezbollah, Hassan Nasrallah as well as several… pic.twitter.com/SLzTYiG0WW— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) February 7, 2025 The strikes that killed Nasrallah were the result of decades of Israeli intelligence efforts to infiltrate Hezbollah and being able to the movements of its reclusive leader, according to multiple subsequent reports. Israel’s unprecedented sowing of pagers and other electronics containing small explosive charges into Hezbollah’s supply chains had already underscored its deep penetration into the group. Israels strike is known to have involved the use of many GBU-31/Bs with BLU-109/B warheads delivered by at least eight F-15Is. Pre-strike imagery of the F-15s shows eight of them loaded to the brim with seven BLU-109/B-equipped JDAMs each, for a total of 56 bombs for the strike. Other reports put the number at over 80 bombs. ویدیویی از بلند شدن جنگنده های F-15 نیروی هوایی اسراییل مجهز به بمب GBU-31 و هسته سنگرشکن BLU-109 با وزن 2000 پوند برای حمله به مقر حسن نصرالله در بیروت روز گذشته: pic.twitter.com/Psn6BYUQ96— Awes spad (@awes_spad) September 28, 2024 IAF IAF IAF IAF It’s unclear whether or not Israel has received any BLU-116/Bs, a 2,000-pound-class penetrator featuring various improvements over the BLU-109/B, including an advanced smart fuze and the ability to punch through nearly 12 feet of reinforced concrete. The development of another 2,000-pound-class penetrator, the BLU-137/B, as a replacement for the BLU-109/B also began at least a decade ago, but to what extent that weapon is even in U.S. military service currently is not clear. Just today, the U.S. government approved the potential sale to Israel of additional JDAM kits specifically for use with the BLU-109/B, as well as precision-guided bombs and related components. A BLU-109 "Bunker Buster" undergoing testing. The 25mm thick steel casing enables the bomb to penetrate 4-6 ft of reinforced concrete! As you can see, the BLU-109 goes through concrete like a hot knife through butter. Incredible weapon. #avgeeks #aviation #aviationdaily #USAF pic.twitter.com/EeZGSemZgh— Air Power (@RealAirPower1) April 29, 2023 Video taken of the Israeli strike from afar shows highly precise targeteering that aimed to defeat the bunker system totally in one barrage. Images that emerged after the strike show giant craters and other impact areas spaced to provide continuous effects across a subterranean area. Different fuzing could have been employed to take out multiple levels of the complex and/or to ensure areas where the depth of the target wasnt known still resulted in the desired level of destruction. Layering in multiple BLU-109/Bs atop each other, allowing them to dig deeper than they could if used in a singular manner, is also likely to have been used as there are reports that the bunker was located as deep as 60 feet below the surface. Incredible footage from Lebanon during IDF airstrikes. Explosions underground as well. pic.twitter.com/CUP128uifv— Clash Report (@clashreport) September 27, 2024 A massive crater, reportedly caused by a bunker buster, where Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah was killed in an Israeli airstrike on September 27 in Beiruts southern suburbs. The strike, carried out by Israeli F-15 “Raam” multirole fighter aircraft, is believed to have… pic.twitter.com/KV9kccBR0y— OSINTWarfare (@OSINTWarfare) September 29, 2024 Beirut now. pic.twitter.com/db5rKV7Y32— Clash Report (@clashreport) September 27, 2024 Regardless, the video is perhaps the most up-close view we have seen of the real-world effects of these weapons and their ability to reliably drill down through the soil and concrete to reach their intended target. Contact the author: Tyler@twz.com The post Unprecedented New View Of BLU-109 Bunker Buster Strike That Killed Hezbollahs Leadership appeared first on The War Zone.

[Category: Air, Air Force Munitions, Air Forces, Air-To-Ground, Bunker Busters, Israeli Air Force, News & Features, Terrorism] [Link to media]

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[l] at 2/7/25 1:46pm
Russian officials are investigating a plot that allegedly sent explosive-laden first-person view (FPV) goggles to drone units in the hope they would detonate, killing or injuring the operator. It mirrors the mass attack Israel carried out against Hezbollah last September using thousands of explosive-packed pagers and walkie-talkies. More than two dozen Hezbollah members were killed and thousands wounded in that incident. You can read more about that here. Investigators reportedly interceded before any of the explosives-rigged goggles were activated. Straight from the Israeli Playbook: Russia Intercepts Explosive-Laden AR Goggles Meant for Frontline TroopsRussian authorities have intercepted a shipment of FPV goggles rigged with explosives, allegedly intended to detonate upon first use.According to Russian war… pic.twitter.com/brmncNweZt— DD Geopolitics (@DD_Geopolitics) February 7, 2025 “ATTENTION! According to our sources, enemy saboteurs have attempted a mass terrorist act on Russian territory using volunteers (without their knowledge),” the Russian Razved Dozor Telegram channel wrote Friday. “The competent authorities are already working on the situation.” “There are reports from military personnel of multiple cases of volunteers delivering mined FPV Skyzone Cobra goggles,” Razved Dozor claimed. “The goggles contain improvised explosive devices (IED) with 10-15 grams of plastic explosive. Detonation occurs when the goggles are turned on.” Razved Dozor posted several pictures and a video claiming to show these goggles and the explosives embedded in them. Russians complain about receiving humanitarian aid with explosives – FPV drone goggles that explode upon activation. Inside, an explosive device was found, discovered only during use. pic.twitter.com/iHesNJtZLF— WarTranslated (@wartranslated) February 7, 2025 The goggles were sent in humanitarian aid packages by unwitting volunteers, Razved Dozor noted. As FPV drones have played an increasingly important combat role, there have been crowd-sourced efforts by both sides to supply drones, goggles and other required equipment to front-line troops. It is unclear how many of these sabotaged goggles were sent out. Authorities intercepted several after the condition of the boxes raised suspicions. “The boxes with the glasses themselves show weak signs of being opened,” the Russian Readovka news outlet reported on Friday. ”Only thanks to the vigilance of the military was it possible to avoid a catastrophe. Information about what happened has already been passed on to the security forces, and the perpetrator of the assassination attempt is being identified.” “The sender is listed as a certain Roman,” Readovka noted. “The parcels were sent via SDEK,” a large global logistics company. A box of allegedly explosive-laden FPV goggles sent to Russian troops. (Via X) Though the goggles contained only a small amount of explosives, “the power of the explosion would have been enough to break a temple,” the popular Alex Parker Returns Telegram channel explained. “The work was done rather sloppily, traces of opening were visible on the glasses and therefore sabotage was miraculously avoided. I am sure that this is only the beginning and further intensity of such sabotage will only increase. What a horror.” Ukrainians “were able to repeat the trick with pagers,” Alex Parker Returns suggested in a reference to the Israeli pager and walkie-talkie attack on Hezbollah. The first wave of those explosions, on Sept. 17, 2024, targeted pagers used by Hezbollah that were triggered simultaneously. The second wave of explosions, on the following day, targeted walkie-talkies used by Hezbollah. You can read more details about how it unfolded in our reporting here. A photo taken on September 18, 2024, in Beiruts southern suburbs shows the remains of exploded pagers on display at an undisclosed location. . (Photo by AFP) While the Israeli and suspected Ukrainian plots to embed explosives in devices used by their enemies are similar, there is one big difference. The Israeli attack was far more sophisticated, with pagers and walkie-talkies triggered by a specific message command sent simultaneously to thousands of devices. It also came after years of espionage work, which included setting up front companies and an elaborate supply chain. The FPV plot just required the goggles to be powered up, meaning that if one exploded, it would likely warn other operators, reducing the number of casualties. Russian milbloggers remain concerned that this may be only the beginning of a much larger campaign. With good reason. The fact that a sabotage attempt of this nature has occurred means that any electronics that troops interface with could be at risk of similar tampering. Having to physically disassemble every device that is needed to fuel a very hot war would drastically slow down supply chains. It also causes deep psychological effects on troops who now have to wonder if any item they pickup is similarly equipped. We will have to wait and see how the Russian military reacts at scale going forward. Contact the author: howard@thewarzone.com  The post Explosive-Laden Goggles Sent To Russian FPV Drone Operators appeared first on The War Zone.

[Category: News & Features, Around The Globe, Europe, Russia, Ukraine] [Link to media]

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[l] at 2/7/25 12:17pm
A recently emerged video shows testing of the Chinese GL-6 active protection system (APS), including against a drone-launched rocket-propelled grenade. High-angle top-down attacks are particularly threatening to tanks and other armored vehicles and can present challenges for many APSs. The footage also highlights the potential of hard-kill APSs to provide a valuable additional layer of defense against uncrewed aerial threats, including highly maneuverable first-person view (FPV) kamikaze drones, something TWZ has previously explored in an in-depth feature. The video of the GL-6 testing, seen below, first began circulating on social media yesterday after being broadcast by state-run television outlets in China. The footage shows variants of the Soviet-designed RPG-7 rocket-propelled grenade, or of the Chinese copy, the Type 69, being fired at a Type 96 tank, or at least the turret from one, fitted with the APS. The rocket-propelled grenades are seen fired from a commercial-style hexacopter drone, as well as a test fixture at ground level. One clip notably shows the GL-6 engage a top-down threat and then quickly shift to respond to one coming in laterally. China’s GL-6 active protection system (APS) tests has been released.The program includes intercepting top-down and horizontal attacks. The GL-6 system is designed to counter various threats, including ATGMs and RPGs, even those launched from drones. pic.twitter.com/w8Pwg9126v— Clash Report (@clashreport) February 7, 2025 At its core, the GL-6 consists of two main components, turreted launchers that fire projectiles with explosive warheads and an array of small radars to detect incoming threats and cue turrets to engage them. Many hard-kill APS designs on the market globally, such as the combat-proven Trophy from Israels Rafael, use some combination of projectiles designed to destroy or at least disrupt their targets and associated sensor arrays. Israeli firms have been and continue to be particular pioneers in this space. Detailed shots of the VT4A1 tank vehicle APS (Active Protection System) exhibited by China North Industries Corporation at the Defense Military and Police Exhibition (IDEAS) in Karachi, Pakistan pic.twitter.com/8zB5HcHGjg— Sajawal Rana (@Saju__302) November 18, 2022 Footage from testing of Chinas GL-6 active protection systemThe system is used to protect PLA armored vehicles from infrared- or laser-guided anti-tank missiles and other precision-guided munitions capable of penetrating armor. pic.twitter.com/BNXCwDSSBJ— Lord Bebo (@MyLordBebo) November 17, 2024 The GL-6s turrets are designed to allow for high-angle engagements against top-down threats. Chinese media reports say that the system is capable of defending against anti-tank guided missiles (ATGM), infantry anti-armor rockets, rocket-propelled grenades, and uncrewed aerial threats like loitering munitions. The GL-6 is not new, having been seen publicly displayed since at least 2022. There is evidence that it has been tested, if not fielded on several Chinese armored vehicles already. This includes the Type 99/ZTZ-99 main battle tank and a new infantry fighting vehicle capable of being air-dropped that first emerged last year, the official designation of which is not yet known. It is also being offered for export, including as an option for the VT-4A1 main battle tank. #China has modernized the Type 99 main battle tank (ZTZ-99).The tank is equipped with a new GL-6 active protection system against anti-tank missiles and high-explosive fragmentation shells. The GL-6 includes two launchers and four threat detection radars. pic.twitter.com/H23tpIkOlH— OSINT Expert (@OsintExperts) September 28, 2024 China unveiled a new airborne Infantry fighting Vehicle equipped with GL-6 active protection system (APS) during Chinese president visit to PLAAFs airborne forces command.#PLA #China #defense pic.twitter.com/H5b0KNxF2d— Global Defense Agency (@Defense_GDA) November 5, 2024 An advanced variant of Chinese VT-4 main battle tank VT-4A1 is being displayed at Zhuhai Airshow 2024.It is equipped with advanced Active protection system (APS), Remote controlled weapon sys (RCWS) and drone jamming systems.#ZhuhaiAirshow2024 #airshow2024 #China pic.twitter.com/iaNfd0b9EG— Global Defense Agency (@Defense_GDA) November 3, 2024 Hard-kill APSs are already becoming an ever more common feature on tanks and other heavy armored vehicles in armed around the world just due to threats posed by the steady proliferation of increasingly more capable ATGMs and other infantry anti-armor weapons. Within this, there has also been work to expand the ability of APSs to tackle threats with specialized top-down-attack capabilities, as well as typical lateral attack profiles. A prime example of the former is the U.S. TOW 2B anti-tank missile, which has a tandem warhead that detonates downward as it passes over its target. There is also just the danger of enemy forces using high ground to launch high-angle top-down attacks, especially in dense urban environments. The tops of tanks and other armored vehicles are typically their most vulnerable points and their crews often have limited situational awareness even in open field conditions, especially if they are buttoned up inside the hull for added protection. In addition, as noted, the new GL-6 testing footage highlights the additional role defensive systems could play against similarly expanding dangers posed by uncrewed aerial systems. Drones, especially highly maneuverable maneuverable FPV kamikaze types, can be used to conduct both top-down and lower-angle attacks. Though the threat of drone attacks, including on armored vehicles specifically, is not new, something TWZ regularly highlights, the ongoing war in Ukraine has been instrumental in thrusting that reality into the public consciousness. Both Russian and Ukrainian forces now make daily use of FPV kamikaze types, as well as weaponized commercial designs capable of dropping small munitions. Various tiers of armed uncrewed aerial systems are now a common feature in hotspots globally and new advances driven by artificial intelligence and machine learning promise to make them even more deadly, as you can read more about here. Reposting this video showing a Russian T-80BVM tank with a roof screen and deploying smoke surviving multiple FPV hits and misses.https://t.co/nS5v1Vx15F https://t.co/YpwuUrelOT pic.twitter.com/A6ethi6l0O— Rob Lee (@RALee85) December 13, 2023 A Ukrainian drone from the 79th Air Assault Brigade drops a 40mm HEDP grenade on a Russian UR-77 Meteorit, causing a catastrophic payload explosion. pic.twitter.com/SsaQCKXsNL— OSINTtechnical (@Osinttechnical) August 14, 2023 China has already clearly been taking note of what is happening in Ukraine and elsewhere when it comes to its own expanding drone capabilities, as well as ways to defend against them. Chinese media has shown several videos in the past year or so highlighting new training for members of the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) around the use of FPV kamikaze drones in particular. The Chinese army has released video from a UAV training base where FPV drone operators are honing their piloting skills.The footage shows pilots practicing combat stunts and improving their control skills. Aerobatic stunts include snake flying in confined spaces, flying… pic.twitter.com/Nkiyn22sHU— Zlatti71 (@Zlatti_71) January 22, 2025 Chinese PLA troops train with FPVs for bomb dropping and situational awareness, including operating from moving armored vehicles.But Im sure Western militaries are exercising hard to better understand the use of FPVs as well… pic.twitter.com/m3C4uJ67Nv— Roy (@GrandpaRoy2) December 29, 2024 Chinese PLA soldiers on counter-FPV drone training. pic.twitter.com/Ft43f3IQyW— Clash Report (@clashreport) April 27, 2024 When it comes to adding additional defenses to armored vehicles, various Chinese types have already emerged sporting so-called cope cage anti-drone armor screens. Copes cages first appeared on Russian tanks in the immediate lead-up to the all-invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and have now become commonplace on both sides of that conflict. Such screens have been increasingly showing up on vehicles elsewhere around the world. Cope cage-type armor has popped up on platforms beyond ground vehicles, too. A ZTZ-96A Tank With Cope Cage.The Chinese Army is widely installing cages on military vehicles. pic.twitter.com/DmdGeZb1E9— ??? ???? ????????△ (@TheDeadDistrict) February 1, 2025 Cope cage era arrives in Chinese PLA.ZBD-09 IFV spotted with cope cage. pic.twitter.com/5nZXzK9lwt— Clash Report (@clashreport) May 7, 2024 With all this in mind, hard-kill APSs like the GL-6 continue to present a potential route to adding an additional layer of counter-drone defenses to tanks and other armored vehicles, many of which already have such systems installed. In our feature last year, TWZ noted that there were already examples of defense contractors adding anti-drone capability to their APSs or at least looking to do so. This past October, Israels Rafael notably announced that it had added new functionality to the Trophy systems specifically to enable it to defeat drone attacks. It is important to note that hard-kill APSs, even just against ATGMs and other infantry anti-armor threats, are not a silver bullet solution in themselves. Modern armored vehicle design is defined by continually evolving layers of defensive capabilities. The new GL-6 testing footage is the latest evidence of the general trend toward hard-kill APSs becoming not just valuable, but essential additions to tanks and other armored vehicles. This only looks set to be increasingly the case if systems like this can also demonstrate their ability to provide added protection against drones. Contact the author: joe@twz.com The post Chinese Tanks Active Protection System Seen Intercepting Drone-Fired Rocket Propelled Grenade appeared first on The War Zone.

[Category: Land, Air, Armies, Around The Globe, China, Counter-Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (C-UAS), Drones, Indo-Pacific, News & Features, People's Liberation Army (China), Unmanned] [Link to media]

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[l] at 2/7/25 12:13pm
Germany has moved a step closer to building a new main battle tank — already dubbed Leopard 3 — with a contract issued for technical studies of 130mm ammunition, as well as a powerplant, protection systems, and other equipment. The resulting systems are expected to find their way into an interim tank that will be operated by the German military pending the arrival of an all-new Franco-German main battle tank. This more advanced tank may well also end up using some of the same equipment now being studied. The German Armed Forces procurement office, the BAAINBw, published details of the technical studies on TED, the European online procurement platform. The announcements were first reported in the media by the German defense and security website hartpunkt. These reveal that technical studies have been commissioned to cover three different areas: firepower, mobility, and protection. So it seems Germany might be developing a Leopard 3 tank. Recent contracts announced by the BAAINBw point to the following developments: Ammunition for the @RheinmetallAG 130 mm gun New engine from @Liebherr Improved protection from @hensoldt And improvements to the… pic.twitter.com/a87dE9mtpz— Sam Cranny-Evans (@Sam_Cranny) February 6, 2025 All of these new technologies are intended to be compatible with the existing Leopard 2 main battle tank. However, should they eventually be integrated into a single platform, the result will be a significantly different tank. This will likely be designated Leopard 3 — although it has also been described as the Leopard 2 AX or “the bridge solution.” The study for 130mm ammunition will be conducted by Rheinmetall. This reflects a broader interest in moving to increased-caliber tank armament and the gun itself is something that Rheinmetall has been working on for some time now.  A size comparison of Rheinmetall’s original 120mm gun, its extended L55 variant, and an earlier, proposed 140mm type. The new 130mm design is shorter than the 120mm L55. Rheinmetall This work is broken down into three components, for three different ammunition types: the DM13 rounds that will be used as qualification ammunition for trials; DM11 multifunctional high-explosive ammunition; and DM23 kinetic-energy anti-armor ammunition. It was previously known that a large-caliber 130mm main gun was being planned for the Main Ground Combat System (MGCS) a Franco-German project that seeks to field an advanced new main battle tank as well as a ‘system of systems’ of other crewed and uncrewed vehicles. The tank component is expected to ultimately replace Germany’s existing Leopard 2s, as well as France’s Leclercs. Rheinmetall’s 130mm gun has also been around for some time. The smoothbore gun, with 52 caliber lengths, was first revealed in prototype form in 2016. At the time, Rheinmetall said that the new gun would offer a 50 percent increase in kinetic energy compared with the 120mm gun used on the Leopard 2. While this is significant, in terms of penetration power, the larger gun is also notably heavier and bulkier than the 120mm weapon. When it was unveiled, Rheinmetall said the 130mm gun weighed more than 7,700 pounds, compared with around 6,600 pounds for the 120mm gun. At the same time, the larger projectiles fired — each of which weighs more than 66 pounds and is around 4.2 feet long — require an automatic loader within a turret of revised design. Rheinmetall’s 130mm tank gun. Note the difference in the size of the ammunition, at left, compared to a standard 120mm round. Rheinmetall Rheinmetall has already carried out firing demonstrations with the 130mm gun, as well as extensive simulations and studies. Meanwhile, Liebherr will be responsible for the study for a new engine, known as OLYMP. Like the 130mm main gun, this will be tailored for the ‘interim’ Leopard 3, but it could potentially have other applications too. In the past, Liebherr has developed and produced engines for the Marder 1 infantry fighting vehicle as well as its successor, the Lynx KF41. The BAAINBw description specifies a complete engine block, comprising the combustion engine itself as well as steering, manual gearbox, cooling system, combustion air filtration, and exhaust system. Also required are engine mounts to attach the power pack to the chassis, side gears, and connections to the control system and fuel supply. The study calls for the use of as many existing components from the Leopard 2 as possible. Hensoldt and KNDS Deutschland are the two companies commissioned to study the increased level of protection for the Leopard 3. This calls for the development of a “significantly more combat-capable variant of the MUSS,” a reference to Hensoldt’s existing Multifunctional Self-Protection System. This may result in a further enhancement of the MUSS 2.0 the company presented last year, for use on the Puma infantry fighting vehicle and other platforms. The MUSS 2.0 installed on a Puma infantry fighting vehicle. Hensoldt The current MUSS 2.0 is a lighter-weight and lower-profile system than the original MUSS. It essentially consists of four passive sensors located around the vehicle. Each of these sensors combined a missile and laser warning sensor, as well as a laser-based infrared jammer and an infrared countermeasures dispenser. The system is designed to defend against anti-tank guided missiles, but it can also detect tracer rounds, muzzle flashes, projectile fire, and low-power lasers. The MUSS 2.0 is able to detect different threats simultaneously, prioritize them, and then counter them, in semi- or fully autonomous modes. The threat database can also be regularly updated, to deal with new and emerging threats. Finally, two further technical studies have been awarded to Hensoldt and to KNDS Germany, calling for work in a field adjustment system. This is required to compensate for the effects of barrel bend, a phenomenon that is caused by changes in temperature and which can affect the accuracy of the main gun. In the Leopard 2, a manual system is used for field adjustment, which is the responsibility of the gunner. The BAAINBw wants a new system to be fully automated so that regular manual adjustment is no longer necessary. The interim main battle tank, if development continues, will provide the German Armed Forces with a tank that will serve at least until the introduction of an all-new fighting vehicle, being developed under the MGCS project. The report from hartpunkt, which cites unnamed defense insiders, suggests that the interim Leopard 3 (provided it receives this designation) will be “adapted to the current threat level in terms of performance and will have additional capabilities compared to the Leopard 2A8.” The latter is currently the most advanced production version of the Leopard 2. The report adds that the interim tank should start to enter service in the 2030s — if the German government gives it the go-ahead. The tank should then serve for around 25 years. A Leopard 2A8 tank. KNDS At this stage, the final specifications of the Leopard 3 are still to be determined, and they will likely be refined after these three technical studies are completed. The German Armed Forces procurement office expects this work to be finished by the end of 2026. It’s unclear where the new technical studies will leave the Leopard 2 A-RC 3.0 version of the Leopard 2, which was rolled out by Franco-German defense conglomerate KNDS last summer, as you can read about here. This new version of the Leopard 2 features a completely uncrewed turret that can be armed with an even larger 140mm main gun. The tank also features a built-in anti-tank guided missile launcher and a remote weapon station armed with a 30mm cannon optimized for engaging drones, a threat that has now fully emerged thanks to the war in Ukraine. The Leopard 2 A-RC 3.0. The pop-up missile launcher is visible on top of the turret. KNDS KNDS wants to offer the Leopard 2 A-RC 3.0 for sale but also expects it to be a key stepping stone to the next-generation MGCS. Last year, KNDS announced it would establish a new joint company with Germany’s Rheinmetall and Thales in France specifically to work on MGCS. As for Rheinmetall, this company also unveiled its own next-generation tank, the KF51 Panther, back in 2022. The KF51 also has a 130mm main gun — as specified for the new interim tank — in a more traditional crewed turret. That turret also features a built-in launcher for missiles or drones and the option to install a remote weapon station on top. You can read more about the Panther’s design and capabilities here. An artist’s concept of the KF51 Panther. Rheinmetall It had previously seemed likely that the Leopard 2 A-RC 3.0 would find itself in direct competition with the KF51 and, while that may be the case for sales outside Germany, the latest technical studies suggest that the BAAINBw is eyeing a different solution. While this will be broadly based on the Leopard 2, it will be a more ambitious project than the Leopard 2 A-RC 3.0, which does not — as far as is known — include a new powerplant. Regardless, it’s notable that Germany is once again very active in tank development, something that reflects wider trends. After years during which many tank operators either reduced their fleets or removed them altogether, armored warfare is now experiencing something of a renaissance, spurred, in no small part, by the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. While France and Germany remain committed to the MGCS, the German Armed Forces clearly see a requirement for a main battle tank that can be introduced to service before this next-generation fighting vehicle becomes available. In the meantime, these German studies for an interim main battle tank — whatever it might be called — look like they could also provide a pointer to what the future MGCS tank could look like. Contact the author: thomas@thewarzone.com The post Germany Kicks Off Work On Leopard 3 Main Battle Tank appeared first on The War Zone.

[Category: Land, Around The Globe, Europe, Germany, Leopard, NATO, News & Features, Tanks] [Link to media]

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[l] at 2/6/25 4:20pm
Iran has finally shown a drone taking off and landing on – in the latter case with the help of arresting gear – the deck of the countrys unusual new drone carrier, the Shahid Bagheri. Newly emerged imagery also shows various drones and crewed helicopters on the flight deck, which has a ski jump at the bow end, including the appearance of drones styled after the infamous Qaher 313. Officially touted as a sea base-like ship, Shahid Bagheri has now been shown launching a small missile boat and is armed itself with cruise missiles along with weapons for self-defense. The new pictures and videos of the Shahid Bagheri were released around a ceremony earlier today marking its formal entry into service with the naval arm of Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The conversion of the carrier from a commercial container ship reportedly started in May 2022 and it began sea trials in its new configuration in November of last year. The imagery from todays ceremony includes footage showing a modified Ababil-3 drone with an arresting hook, which does not appear to retract or otherwise be capable of being stowed during flight, launching from the Shahid Bagheris 590-foot (180-meter) flight deck. What is presumably the same drone is seen in another clip recovering on the deck by catching an arresting wire with its hook. The Ababil-3 also has two small turbojet engines installed, one under each wing, which could provide valuable additional performance for operations from a short flight deck without the aid of a catapult 2. Second video shows the takeoff & landing of Ababil-3 drone on the IRGCN drone carrier named Shahid Bahman Bagheri. pic.twitter.com/5HhY1qlcV3— Mehdi H. (@mhmiranusa) February 6, 2025 Something like microjet engines (probably for test) are installed under the Ababil-3 drone wing pylons onboard the IRGCN drone carrier Shahid Bahman Bagheri during the ceremony today. pic.twitter.com/igtzRMsi3x— Mehdi H. (@mhmiranusa) February 6, 2025 How permanent the carrier modifications to the Ababil-3 might actually be and whether a more refined design is in the works are unknown. At its core, the Ababil-3 is otherwise a well-established Iranian design in active service in Iran, as well as other operators in the Middle East, including Iranian-backed proxies in the Middle East. The drone is capable of performing surveillance and reconnaissance missions and employing small precision munitions. Video clips show small remote control plane-esque drones, styled on Irans Qaher 313 aircraft taking off and landing on Shahid Bagheris deck, as well. Larger drones, or mock-ups thereof, with a design in line with the Qaher 313 are also seen on the deck. There are unconfirmed reports that the larger and smaller types are 60 and 20 percent of the size of the original Qaher 313, respectively. Both are seen marked JAS-313 and one of them is seen in a clip being lifted up to the flight deck on an elevator. What their actual capabilities they might have are unknown. 2 new drones derived on the Qaher-313 project were unveiledThe first, is a 60% scaled version dubbed JAS-313, which likely serves as an armed strike droneLikely has some kind of internal bay for smaller missiles/PGMs pic.twitter.com/PDnXdhRtmv— Iran Defense|نیروهای مسلح جمهوری اسلامی ایران (@IranDefense) February 6, 2025 Another photo of the Iranian JAS-313 drones onboard the IRGCN drone carrier Shahid Bahman Bagheri.Looks like they ran out of the exhaust covers and covered the left ones exhaust with glue tape and plastic cover. pic.twitter.com/mEqahSz8oa— Mehdi H. (@mhmiranusa) February 6, 2025 The Qaher 313, also known as the Q-313 and F-313, which first appeared publicly in 2013, is itself a dubious and widely ridiculed design that has never flown. Iranian media has shown imagery in the past of a remote control plane-like subscale model of the design, as seen in the video below. In 2023, media outlets in Iran reported that an uncrewed variant or derivative was in development. Subsequent reports claimed that a Qaher 313-derived drone had made its maiden flight last year. Other types of drones are also seen on Shahid Bagheris deck in the imagery from todays ceremony. This includes the Mohajer-6, another popular Iranian design in service in Iran and many other places globally, including now with the Russian armed forces. American-designed Bell Model 206 and Model 212 helicopters, as well as Russian-made Mi-17 Hips, are seen operating from the ships flight deck. Despite the aforementioned clip of the aircraft elevator, no views have yet emerged of any internal aircraft hangars. 9. Another photo of Qaher/Qaem/Jask-313 drones onboard the IRGCN drone carrier Shahid Bahman Bagheri. pic.twitter.com/YPFHzNUc6v— Mehdi H. (@mhmiranusa) February 6, 2025 The IRGC Naval Forces have released footage of their new drone-carrier ship, the IRGC Shahid Mahdavi. The ship has been seen on commercial satellite imagery and rather grainy footage before, but this is the first such footage of the deck in use by drones and helicopters. Also,… pic.twitter.com/yDQLx4VPup— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) February 6, 2025 Beyond its aviation-related capabilities, the new imagery of Shahid Bagheri highlights ability to launch and recover small boats using davits behind large doors on either side of the hull, as seen below. Using small boats armed with missiles and other weapons in swarms has long been a signature tactic of the IRGCs naval arm. There are claims that the ship can be used to launch uncrewed surface vessels *(USV) and underwater vehicles (UUV). Government of Iran Pictures that have now emerged, as seen below, also show one of Shahid Bagheris boat launching ports being used as a way to connect, via a ramp, to a smaller landing craft-like vessel alongside. In this way, the carrier could more rapidly load and unload personnel and materiel, including for onward movement ashore. Government of Iran Government of Iran The Shahid Bagheri has its own onboard armament, including launchers at the aft end that look to be for anti-ship cruise missiles and a turret with what appears to be an automatic cannon at the bow. The ship otherwise has a large open area at the aft end behind its main superstructure that could be used for various purposes, including as an additional flight deck for helicopters and vertical takeoff and landing capable drones, as well as additional missile launchers, especially containerized types. Iranian officials claim the ship has short and medium-range air defenses, as well as electronic warfare and intelligence-gathering capabilities, but any clear evidence thereof is less visible from the imagery that has now emerged. A look at Shahid Bagheri from the rear. Launchers that look to be for anti-ship cruise missiles are seen behind the ships main superstructure. Government of Iran A close-up of Shahid Bagheris bow showing the cannon turret. A pair white-colored systems are also visible on either side of the ski job, but their exact purpose is unclear. Government of Iran We have also not gotten a look at some of the spaces inside Shahid Bagheri, including a medical bay and a gymnasium complete with an astroturf soccer pitch, as well as basketball hoops. 7. Hospital of the IRGCN drone carrier Shahid Bahman Bagheri. pic.twitter.com/gPgJJZj4xs— Mehdi H. (@mhmiranusa) February 6, 2025 5. Soccer pitch of the IRGCN drone carrier Shahid Bahman Bagheri. pic.twitter.com/QyZNArXGDn— Mehdi H. (@mhmiranusa) February 6, 2025 Major questions about Shahid Bagheris capabilities do remain. As TWZ has noted in the past, the retention of the original container ships main superstructure toward the aft end immediately creates an unusual flight deck arrangement. After images of the ship largely completed emerged last year we wrote: The fact that the Shahid Bagheri retains the original superstructure, which spans the entire width of the deck, means that a conventional flattop configuration cannot be adopted. Instead, an angled flight deck provides the requisite runway length, presumably for launch and recovery. Adding the angled deck — which extends all the way to the bow ramp — involves the construction of a prominent overhang or flare on the left-hand side of the vessel. In contrast to the satellite image seen below, the angled deck now has white-painted markings applied, showing the margins, which extend to the end of the ramp, as well as the centerline. The dimensions are very tight and the superstructure is located immediately next to the angled deck area, meaning that recovering aircraft, if indeed they plan on recovering aircraft, could hit the superstructure even with a small error in its flight path. If the angled deck is used, and aircraft don’t make a full stop after touching down, they will head up the ski jump again, but will they have the power to actually fly off for another attempt? It’s also unclear if the vessel will use arresting wires to bring drones to a stop, or perhaps a barrier recovery system for some type. We now know that at least some level of arresting gear has been fitted, though it remains unclear if the installation was temporary in nature for the commissioning events and whether more refinements may be coming. So far, the modified Ababil-3 and the smaller of the two JAS-313s are the only fixed-wing craft we have seen use the ships flight deck, as well. Government of Iran How Iran might employ the ship remains an open question, though what we have now seen is entirely in line with our past assessments. TWZ previously wrote: The question of what aircraft will fly from this odd ship is key to understanding the goal of its design. Medium-altitude, long-endurance types seem like ideal candidates, as do vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) drones and many of the one-way attack munitions Iran currently fields. Jet-powered, higher-performance drones could potentially call the carrier home, which would help explain some of its features. In this way, the vessel could also be used to launch heavier and longer-range drones, including one-way attack types, which would be an advantage. We just don’t know at this time. Regardless, there is ample space on the side opposite the angled deck extension for many types of drones and other modular weaponry. The aft deck behind the superstructure could field helicopters or smaller catapult and net/line-recovered drone types too. Cruise missiles launched from containers on trailers or trucks are another option and something that Iran already has experience of using. While it wouldn’t necessarily be expected to launch its drones against U.S. and allied warships and other assets in the region in some sustained manner, the Shahid Bagheri could conceivably wreak havoc on commercial shipping, including more opportunistic attacks against poorly defended targets, even for a brief period. Having the ability to launch drones, especially one-way attack drones, from a dedicated drone carrier could be beneficial in some scenarios against some enemies, as well as for ‘gray zone’ attacks. It remains very questionable, however, how long the Shahid Bagheri would survive were it to be used in an offensive capacity like this. The fact that it can deploy these capabilities, potentially anywhere around the globe, also gives it a unique place in Iran’s military portfolio. While it may not survive long after doing so, being able to threaten targets far beyond its current reach using weapons launched from its own country or by its proxies certainly seems like an asymmetric play Iran would go for, regardless of its actually tactical relevance. Government of Iran The Shahid Bagheri does also join a number of other one-off sea base-like ships with aviation and other capabilities already in service with the IRGC and the regular Iranian Navy. Iran has also used modified commercial vessels as covert motherships to coordinate attacks, including by regional proxies, and to conduct intelligence-gathering missions. In addition, Shahid Bagheri carries significant symbolic value for Iran, which regularly rails against U.S. Navy carriers and other warships operating near the country in the Persian Gulf. In turn, Iranian officials have increasingly sought to mount long-distance naval deployments, including in the Western Hemisphere. It is claimed that Shahid Bagheri has an operational range of 22,000 nautical miles, which, while dubious, is in line with these more global ambitions. Whatever actual capabilities Shahid Bagheri offers, it does also reflect a real global trend toward the construction of new big deck warships heavily focused on drone operations, as well as the conversion of existing vessels into differing degrees of drone carrier. Countries that operate traditional flattops, including the United States, are increasingly looking to expand the uncrewed components of their carrier air wings, as well. With Shahid Bagheri now officially commissioned into IRGC service, we are likely to start seeing more of what it can actually do and how the Iranians intend to employ it. Contact the author: joe@twz.com The post Irans Wacky Aircraft Carrier Has Entered Service appeared first on The War Zone.

[Category: Sea, Air, Around The Globe, Carriers, Drones, Iran, Iranian Navy, Middle East, Navies, News & Features, Sea Bases, Unmanned] [Link to media]

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[l] at 2/6/25 4:11pm
Ukraine has staged a new offensive in Kursk, according to the Russian Defense Ministry (MoD) and mibloggers. However, its scale and objective remain unclear at the moment and Ukrainian officials have yet to comment. Ukraine first invaded this Russian region six months ago to the day. Most accounts say that Ukrainian forces are attacking southeast of Sudzha, their main stronghold in the salient. There are differing assessments of the success of that advance. Daily Ukraine map thread for Thursday 6th February 2025Highlights: Ukrainian mechanized and motorized forces attacked towards Ulanok, Kursk, about 5-7 km from the line of contact this morning seemingly bypassing Cherkasskaya Konopelka. Geolocations show Ukrainian forces east of… pic.twitter.com/HUYUpgbUyi— Ukraine Control Map (@UAControlMap) February 6, 2025 Animated map w/ #Kursk offensive in the past 6 months just as #Ukraine reportedly launched new incursions in adjacent #Russian territory. pic.twitter.com/c02NtpyVZH— Yellow (@Yellow34950210) February 6, 2025 Thursday evening local time, the Russian MoD claimed the advance was halted. “Units of the North group of forces thwarted an attempt by the Ukrainian Armed Forces to conduct counteroffensive actions in the direction of the settlements of Cherkasskaya Konopelka and Ulanok in the Kursk region,” the MoD stated on Telegram. “All attacks were repelled.” The MoD claimed that Ukraine launched eight waves of attacks with “up to two mechanized battalions in infantry fighting vehicles and armored combat vehicles, supported by tanks and obstacle clearing vehicles.” The Kremlin-connected Rybar Telegram channel offered a different view a few hours earlier. Ukrainian formations, claimed Rybar, continued attacks in the direction of Ulanok and Russkaya Konopelka. Those villages are about four miles south and five miles east respectively of Sudzha. “Based on objective control footage, the enemy was able to pass through Cherkasskaya Konopelka, but two armored fighting vehicles were hit by UAV strikes from the 177th separate air defense regiment on the highway north of Fanaseyevka,” Rybar wrote. “Information about the status of Fanaseyevka itself is still not clear, but the loss of Cherkasskaya Konopelka by Russian troops is confirmed. Most of the footage so far appears from the roads right near this settlement.” That village is about two miles southeast of Sudzha. Rybar suggested that the appearance in this advance of mine-clearing equipment and tank recovery vehicles pointed to Ukraine trying to make a major push. The Telegram channel noted that video emerged on social media showing such vehicles being destroyed. One was a U.S.-donated M1150 Assault Breacher Vehicle (ABV). A variant of the M1A1 Abrams, it is one of the world’s most capable combat mine-clearing vehicles. Мakhnovka Cherkasskaya Konopelka, Kursk regionPrince Vandal of Novgorod Breached M1150Coordinates51.175900, 35.302350 pic.twitter.com/evttydqsdw— ДражаМ (@DrazaM33) February 6, 2025 The other destroyed vehicle was a German-made Bergepanzer 2 armored recovery vehicle used to pull tanks off the battlefield. Defeat of the Bergepanzer 2 armored recovery vehicle and M113 armored personnel carrier, which attacked in the direction of the village of Ulanok, Kursk Front pic.twitter.com/vp2KgbUHaK— Tony (@Cyberspec1) February 6, 2025 “It is precisely the use of scarce equipment, and not the total number of armored fighting vehicles, that speaks of the rather serious plans of the Ukrainian command for these attacks,” Rybar posited. At the moment, the nature of those plans remains unclear. The only mention of Kursk in the latest Ukrainian Armed Forces General Staff battlefield assessment is a terse sentence: “Five clashes have occurred in the Kursk direction since the beginning of the day.” One Russian milblogger posited that the operation could be a “diversionary maneuver” to draw forces from other directions. “The next few days will be extremely tense in the entire Kursk direction,” well-known milblogger Roman Alekhine wrote on Telegram. “So to those who are helping in this direction, continue to help your units!” BBC Russia painted a gloomy picture of Ukraine’s prospects for advancing much beyond the 500 square miles of the existing salient, which is about half what it was at its peak. “This section of the front does not look promising for the Armed Forces of Ukraine it is an impassable and sparsely populated area, and the main cities of the Kursk region are located in other directions, to the north of Sudzha,” the outlet explained.  One likely goal “is to push the Russian units that have advanced closer to the regional center to the east, and to remove the threat of its assault,” BBC postulated. “In the case of the loss of control of the Armed Forces of Ukraine over Sudzha, the retention of the rest of the territory of the Kursk region loses its meaning.” Ukraine invaded Kursk on Aug. 6, 2024 and both sides have suffered a large number of casualties and lost equipment. The importance of this region to both sides was highlighted by North Koreas decision to send some 12,000 troops to the region, about a third of which are said to have been killed or wounded. This photo shows a North Korean soldier captured by Ukraine in Kursk last month. (Photo by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskys Social Media / Handout/Anadolu via Getty Images) Anadolu While Ukrainian military officials have remained quiet about what’s happening in Kursk today, Ukrainian President Voldodymry Zelensky talked about the importance of holding on to the territory it captured.  “The aggressor and criminal can and should be fought in their own home,” Zelensky said on X earlier on Thursday. “The occupier can and should be confronted on their own territory. And this is not only fair, but also effective—for protecting lives in our country and across Europe. The Kursk operation clearly demonstrates the essence of the ‘peace through strength principle.” The aggressor and criminal can and should be fought in their own home. The occupier can and should be confronted on their own territory. And this is not only fair, but also effective—for protecting lives in our country and across Europe. The Kursk operation clearly demonstrates… pic.twitter.com/phQFm73E3q— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) February 6, 2025 Those comments come at a possible inflection point for Ukraine. Next week, three major meetings of world political and military leaders will take place in Europe. The future of this nearly three-year-old war will be the main focus. Next Wednesday, U.K. Defense Secretary John Healey will lead a meeting of Kyiv’s allies under the Ukraine Defense Contact Group format, a coalition of some 50 nations brought together to help arm Ukraine. It was the brainchild of former U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, but now the U.K. is taking charge, the British Ministry of Defense said on Thursday. “The meeting is scheduled ahead of a summit of NATO defense ministers in Brussels, but the Ukraine grouping, also known as the Ramstein Format, is far bigger, including more than 50 allies,” Politico noted. In addition, the Munich Security Conference will take place between Feb. 14 and 16. The announcement that U.S. President Donald Trump’s special envoy for Ukraine and Russia will be attending set off speculation that a peace plan would be unveiled there. However, Keith Kellogg shot that suggestion down. The only guy that can do that in the world, and bring this to a conclusion, is Donald J. Trump, Kellogg told Newsmax.  President Trumps Special Envoy for Ukraine and Russia Gen. Keith Kellogg joined "Rob Schmitt Tonight" to describe next steps in the administrations plan to end the Russia-Ukraine war."The only guy that can do that in the world, and bring this to a conclusion, is Donald J.… pic.twitter.com/7EkUzN9ySe— NEWSMAX (@NEWSMAX) February 6, 2025 The coming days will shed more light on the extent and nature of this latest Ukrainian advance in Kursk. The last such advance, launched last month, fizzled out with little ground gained. However, despite two large-scale attempts and constant smaller ones by Russia to push them out, Kyiv’s forces in Kursk remain a problem for Russian President Vladimir Putin ahead of any peace talks. Contact the author: howard@thewarzone.com The post Ukraine Launches New Offensive Push In Russias Kursk Region appeared first on The War Zone.

[Category: News & Features, Around The Globe, Europe, Russia, Ukraine] [Link to media]

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[l] at 2/6/25 3:31pm
In its latest annual report, the Office of the Director, Operational Test & Evaluation (DOT&E) provides an absolutely glowing assessment of the F-15EX Eagle II, the latest fighter to enter U.S. Air Force service. However, the assessment also offers a note of caution, especially when it comes to the survivability of the fighter when faced with potential future threats. In the report, the Pentagon provides an update on the status of the F-15EX, which was approved for full-rate production in June of last year. It also reinforces the fact that, at present, the two-seat F-15EX is primarily an air superiority platform, despite its multirole capability. An F-15EX arrives at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. The aircraft is the first in the Air Force to be tested and fielded from beginning to end through combined developmental and operational tests. The 40th Flight Test Squadron and the 85th Test and Evaluation Squadron personnel are responsible for testing the aircraft. U.S. Air Force U.S. Air Force photo/1st Lt. Karissa Rodriguez The F-15EX could potentially take on a multi-role mission once it’s established in service, but for now, the air-to-air mission is the priority. Specifically, the report notes, this includes missions such as offensive counter-air, cruise-missile defense, and defensive counter-air capabilities, including escort of high-value airborne assets. At this point, the F-15EX has only “a limited capability to employ precision-guided, air-to-surface munitions.” With that in mind, the DOT&E report outlines the results of tests that assessed the F-15EX primarily against the kinds of threats it might encounter in the air-to-air part of its mission set. Here, the Eagle II appears to have passed with flying colors. “Against the level of threat tested, the F-15EX is operationally effective in all its air superiority roles, including defensive and offensive counter-air against surrogate fifth-generation adversary aircraft, as well as basic air-to-ground capability against the tested threats,” the report notes. The reference to the F-15EX’s effectiveness against fifth-generation threats is especially notable. While its unclear exactly what kinds of threats are being referred to, a fifth-generation fighter will typically have a low-observable design, advanced sensor fused avionics, and generally high performance, among other attributes. Prior to the F-35, the fifth-generation rubric often included extreme agility and supercruise, but definitions for generations of fighters are highly subjective and change with the times. You can read more about this reality here. An F-15EX undergoes testing at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida. Jamie Hunter Jamie Hunter Critics of the F-15EX have, in the past, suggested that the aircraft would not be able to compete on level terms with fifth-generation types, since it’s after all a heavily upgraded fourth-generation design, the first prototype of which flew in 1972. Regardless, the report seems to put such concerns aside, at least in the air-to-air arena, and based on the currently available test data. Furthermore, “The F-15EX was able to detect and track all threats at advantageous ranges, use onboard and off-board systems to identify them, and deliver weapons while surviving,” the report continues. While it has clearly excelled in simulated air-to-air combat, the F-15EX also wins plaudits from the Pentagon on account of meeting “all its reliability, availability, and maintainability requirements,” and achieving “nearly all objectives although maintenance technical orders were still immature.” This is a huge achievement as the reliability of modern fighters has become nearly as big of a concern as their basic capabilities, with fifth-generation types struggling in this regard. Compared with the ‘legacy’ Eagle, the F-15EX boasts a much-enhanced cockpit, including a large touchscreen display, which you can read more about here. The crew are each provided with Digital Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing Systems (D-JHMCS). The cockpit of an F-15 with the new Large Area Display and low-profile head-up display. Boeing The cockpit environment is singled out for praise in the report, with survey data assessing human-systems interactions indicating that the pilots had positive opinions of F-15EX cockpit usability. However, the report does highlight some potential concerns that were raised during the initial operational test & evaluation (IOT&E). Here, the Pentagon notes that, while adequate for the current F-15EX mission set, the threat level was not representative of some of the kinds of higher-end threats that the aircraft may encounter in the future. “The mission-level testing did not include some advanced, longer-range threat weapons becoming operational at the time of F-15EX fielding.” As a result, the report continues, follow-on testing will be required “to assess the system against higher threat levels in more complex mission scenarios.” An F-15EX fires an AIM-120D AMRAAM missile during a test mission near Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. John Raven The F-15EX Eagle II fires an AIM-120D missile during a test mission near Eglin Air Force Base, Fla, Jan 25, 2022. The F-15EX can carry up to 12 AIM-120D missiles. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. John Raven) More details weren’t provided, although the “advanced, longer-range threat weapons” would appear to be a reference to one or more of the new Chinese air-to-air missiles currently coming online or poised to do so. China is known to be working on further-reaching air-to-air missiles, including the big PL-17, a very long-range missile that may well be intended primarily to target high-value assets, like tankers and airborne early warning aircraft. You can read more about this still-mysterious missile here. A Chinese J-16 fighter armed with the very long-range PL-17 missile. Chinese Internet As well as the more specialized PL-17, there is also another new Chinese air-to-air missile, currently dubbed PL-16, the design of which seems to have been driven by the requirement for the Chinese J-20 stealth fighter to accommodate six longer-range missiles internally. In the past, Douglas Barrie, the Senior Fellow for Military Aerospace at the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) think-tank told TWZ that the PL-16 will likely feature “an active electronically scanned front end, Mach 5-plus fly-out, a lot of very capable onboard software, and be very resistant to jamming.” There’s no doubt that China is making rapid progress in air-to-air missiles, with even the relatively well-established PL-15 thought to out-range the U.S.-made AIM-120C/D AMRAAM series. Indeed, the Air Force has publicly said that the emergence of the PL-15 was a key factor in the decision to start the AIM-260 program to provide a longer-range AMRAAM successor. Four dummy PL-15 missiles in the weapons bay of a J-20. Chinese Internet Its notable, too, that the F-15EX has also been earmarked as a potential platform for the carriage of new and larger long-range air-to-air missiles, as you can read about here. The report points out that some of the difficulty in obtaining the required test data for the F-15EX has resulted from the limitations in existing open-air range infrastructure. This is something that will only become more acute as missile ranges increase — not to mention the need to conduct these kinds of tests away from the prying eyes of potential adversaries. With this in mind, the F-15EX test campaign may, in the future, make use of the Joint Simulation Environment (JSE). This is a facility offering a so-called “software battlespace environment,” for testing and training that cannot currently be conducted on the Pentagon’s major physical test and training ranges. An artist’s rendering showcases a Joint Simulation Environment station. U.S. Air Force graphic illustration courtesy of 412th Electronic Warfare Group With the F-15EX now in Air Force service, the generally highly positive results of its operational testing thus far will be a significant confidence boost for the service and for manufacturer Boeing. Time will tell how the F-15EX copes with the kinds of “advanced, longer-range threat weapons” that it hasn’t currently been pitted against in test simulations. But provided it continues to excel, this could be another strong argument for the Air Force looking to acquire more than the 98 F-15EX aircraft that it now plans to buy. Contact the author: thomas@thewarzone.com The post F-15EX Nails Pentagon Test Campaign, Survivability Concerns Remain appeared first on The War Zone.

[Category: Air, Air Force Munitions, Air Forces, Air-To-Air, F-15, Fighters, U.S. Air Force] [Link to media]

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