Raw Intel

FC-1/ JF-17, armed (click to view full) The FC-1/ JF-17 Thunder is a joint Chinese-Pakistani project that aimed to reduce Pakistan’s dependence on western firms for advanced fighters, by fielding a low-cost multi-role lightweight fighter that can host modern electronics and precision-guided weapons. It isn’t a top-tier competitor, but it represents a clear step up from Pakistan’s Chinese MiG-19/21 derivatives and French Mirage III/V fighters. This positioning addresses a budget-conscious, “good enough” performance market segment that the West once dominated, but has nearly abandoned in recent decades. Pakistan has fielded JF-17s in squadron strength, with more on order…

Learn from it. On the list of things future historians will blow-torch early 21st Century US Navy leadership over will be the almost criminal mismanagement of their battle fleet - and it's cruiser fleet most of all. Building off the least worst compromise of making a cruiser from a Spruance Class destroyer in the last quarter of the 20th Century, we coasted in the "peace dividend" 1990s by ignoring a century of shipbuilding experience by not having the replacement class of warship building as the last of the previous class was finishing up. A bit more than a decade and a half later, the absolute Monty Python skit that was CG(X) blew up the second best option. That…

Our comfortable, modern life exists on a delicate fabric of global transportation, laws, and lines of communication supported by assumptions of stability, peace, and professional competence. Over the last twelve months, from COVID-19 to EVER GIVEN in the Suez, the delicate nature off the global system of trade that allows affordable technology, food, and the full spectrum of consumer goods has broken in to the open for everyone to see. Is the global system of trade as delicate as it seems? Where are its weakest points, and how robust is it to various disruptions? Our guest this Sunday from 5-6pm Eastern for the full hour to discuss this and related topics will be …

Americas According to the US Navy, Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division has completed five weeks of integrated test evaluations of the AN/TPS-80 Ground/Air Task-Oriented Radar (G/ATOR) system. The Dahlgren Division, based in Virginia, performed interoperability testing with the G/ATOR system, preparing first by verifying the command’s infrastructure functionality, including power accessibility, radar data recording abilities and data analysis capabilities. The G/ATOR system, made by Northrop Grumman, is designed to detect low-observable targets with low radar cross sections such as rockets, artillery, mortars, cruise missiles and drones. Northrop Grumman is des…

Prince Philip passed today after a long and full life defined by service and duty. I first posted this years ago when he left his official duties, but thought it was the right thing to do to bring it back. As a nod to his service - serving as men of privilege and education should - let's take a moment today to recognize a good XO. Hargreaves was a yeoman aboard the destroyer HMS Wallace on which Philip, son of Prince Andrew of Greece, had been appointed first lieutenant - second-in-command - at the age of 21. In July 1943, engaged in the Allied landings in Sicily, the ship came under repeated bombardment at dead of night and its crew realised that they would probably …

Americas The F-15EX variant of the F-15 series of US Air Force fighter planes, was renamed the Eagle II in a ceremony on Wednesday at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. Lt. Gen. Duke Richardson announced the official designation in a rollout of the plane, which will replace the aging F-15C/D fleet. The US Air Force accepted its first F-15EX from manufacturer Boeing on March 11. The US Air Force (USAF)/Lockheed Martin AGM-183A Air-launched Rapid Response Weapon (ARRW) conventional hypersonic glide weapon prototype failed its first booster vehicle flight test on April 5, according to a statement. The ARRW failed to complete its launch sequence and did not deploy from its Boein…

There are but a few options here, none of which speak well of our Navy or its leadership – but we have to look at where this is with clear eyes. I have tried to be as clean-slate optimistic as possible with the CNO, Admiral Gilday. On a lot of actual Navy issues, I find him incredibly well informed, intelligent, and thinking in the right direction – but that is only part of his job. Another part of his job is to be a good steward of the position of the CNO, the Navy’s apolitical stance in line with our national traditions, and to ensure that all his Sailors can expect fair and equal treatment and consideration under his command. In the last respect, I can no longer giv…

There was not a sea battle to be fought in that little war ... but there are lessons for our Navy all in it. I ponder my #1 lesson over at USNIBlog. Come by and ponder with me. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/FAFV?d=yIl2AUoC8zA http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/FAFV?d=qj6IDK7rITs http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/FAFV?i=2ouXuomqzRQ:332CV29lP8w:gIN9vFwOqvQ http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/FAFV?i=2ouXuomqzRQ:332CV29lP8w:-BTjWOF_DHI http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/FAFV?i=2ouXuomqzRQ:332CV29lP8w:V_sGLiPBpWU http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/FAFV?i=2ouXuomqzRQ:332CV29lP8w:F7zBnMyn0Lo http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/…

Americas Universal Propulsion Company won a $10.9 million contract for the manufacture of up to 5,000 cartridge initiators and thrusters used in V-22 and CV-22 aircraft. This contract includes a five-year base period with no options. The V-22 Osprey is a joint-service, medium-lift, multimission tilt-rotor aircraft developed by Boeing and Bell Helicopters. Boeing is responsible for the fuselage, landing gear, avionics, electrical and hydraulic systems, performance and flying qualities. Work will take place in California. Estimated completion will be by March 2026. The XQ-58A flew its sixth flight on March 26 and this time the drone opened its weapons bay door in-flight fo…

I don't know who lead it will be or what crisis will cause it, but at some point we will realize that the golden calf idol of a procurement process we seem to think is a god is not only false, it is evil. An entire generation going or two of acquisition professionals have grown up in a system that consistently fails the nation. It doesn't have to be this inefficient or this ineffective, but it is. Latest datapoint is the overthinking and self-doubt is the replacement for the Super Hornet. We have individuals who know what needs to be done - and if they had their way we would be a long way down the road to a modern fighter to replaced the butched-up 1970s runner-up th…

Americas Raytheon won a $79.4 million deal for Small Diameter Bomb Increment II (SDB II) lot integration and test. This contract effort will deliver all-up round (AUR) test vehicles, perform AUR-level assembly, checkout, testing and systems integration testing; and prepare for production cut-in and fielding for the multiple engineering changes needed, including National Security Agency (NSA) cryptographic modernization, Global Positioning System (GPS) military code, mitigation of part obsolescence, and design changes evolving from production and/or operations. SDB II’s capabilities include the ability for the weapon to be employed in three primary attack modes, each with …

The latest iteration of the People’s Republic of China’s highly successful island hopping campaign in the Southwest Pacific has brought us to another round of the US national security nomenklatura and chatterati pounding away at their keyboards trying to figure out not just what is going on, but what China’s goals are. Everyone continues to talk each other in circles, your humble blogg’r included. Towards the end of last week it started to dawn on me that perhaps part of the problem is that “we” continue to think ourselves in to the same intellectual box canyons. As a result, at the end of each iteration we don’t make progress and the Chinese get more islands. The last …

Americas The US Navy will establish its second CMV-22B unit and the first squadron for the East Coast, at NAS North Island this fall. The squadron will eventually relocate Naval Station Norfolk in 2023. So far, 18 C-2A pilots have completed their transition to the CMV-22B. The goal is to have 115 C-2A pilots eventually. A new effort at synchronizing US Air Force maintenance and fighter squadrons is paying dividends, according to the branch’s Air Combat Command. The Combat Oriented Maintenance Organization, attempted first at Shaw Air Force Base, S.C., in 2020, reduces the maintenance organizational structure, among other benefits, it said in a press release. Middle East…

The last year has seen a growing bi-partisan consensus that the United States and the People's Republic of China are in competition to set the global order for the next century. After a year to firmly set in the minds of national security leaders on both sides of the aisle, we find ourselves at a moment when Congress and the Executive branch of government are both in the mood to strengthen our nation and expand job opportunities by opening the door for more spending. Why haven't we seen the logical connection between the two? To explain the importance of this moment in time is returning guest poster, Bryan McGrath. Bryan, over to you. In a speech in Pittsburgh Wed…

They've found her; USS Johnson (DD-557); A team of ocean explorers has found the wreck of World War II Fletcher-class destroyer USS Johnston (DD-557) which played a critical role at the Battle off Samar, Navy History and Heritage Command said on Thursday. Victor Vescovo, explorer and retired Navy officer, in the manned submersible Limiting Factor located Johnston‘s bow further down a cliff face at 21,180 feet. He said he is committed to respecting the final resting place for many of its crew, but will provide the Navy with all sonar data, imagery and field notes from his expedition. Caladan Oceana's Battle of Samar Expedition has a superb website I highly encourage…

Americas Northrop Grumman Systems won a $195 million contract modification to a previously awarded fixed-price incentive (firm-target) contract (N0001918C1037). This modification exercises options to provide support services to include non-recurring engineering, software support activity and product support in support of E-2D Advanced Hawkeye (AHE) Lot 9 full rate production (FRP) aircraft. In addition, this modification adds scope to procure one E-2D AHE CV-22B variation in quantity aircraft Lot 10 FRP aircraft. The E-2D Advanced Hawkeye (AHE) is the newest variant of the E-2 aircraft platform. It features a state-of-the-art radar with a two-generation leap in capability…

I thought that we would have plenty to white space to concentrate on the start of what will be an interesting start to the fighting season in Afghanistan as we try to unwind our intervention there, but alas ... the Russians seem to have other plans, as we noticed yesterday. ~70 miles east of the Ukrainian border. Engineers with their bridging kit. Hey @thinkdefence - how often does a western nation have that much river crossing equipment together in that volume? https://t.co/5fsbafGRNw — cdrsalamander (@cdrsalamander) March 31, 2021 We are in the golden age of OSNIT, but traditional news is reporting on this as well. Ukraine demanded on Thursday that Russia halt…

Americas During a virtual Navy League event, Rear Adm. Gregory Harris, who heads the Air Warfare Division, said the service is unlikely to adopt the small aircraft carrier concept. “I believe the L Class ships operating with the F-35B fit that bill,” Harris was quoted as saying. L-class ships include the Wasp- and America-class amphibious assault ships (LHDs and LHAs). The Navy is preparing to launch a formal review — called an analysis of alternatives — that will look at options for a light aircraft carrier and the type of ship that replaced the Ford Class. The USS Gabrielle Giffords successfully launched the Naval Strike Missile earlier this month, the Navy announced o…

Well, it should be. My thoughts, updates, and observations over at USNIBlog. Come on by and get a peek at a possible future imperfect. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/FAFV?d=yIl2AUoC8zA http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/FAFV?d=qj6IDK7rITs http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/FAFV?i=pxNXai9TYZg:-hbSu87eDOQ:gIN9vFwOqvQ http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/FAFV?i=pxNXai9TYZg:-hbSu87eDOQ:-BTjWOF_DHI http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/FAFV?i=pxNXai9TYZg:-hbSu87eDOQ:V_sGLiPBpWU http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/FAFV?i=pxNXai9TYZg:-hbSu87eDOQ:F7zBnMyn0Lo http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/FAFV/~4/pxNXai9TYZgView the full article

Americas Lockheed Martin won a $67.5 million contract modification to exercise an option for the Advanced Electronic Guidance and Instrumentation System (AEGIS) — Combat System Engineering agent efforts for the design, development, integration, test, and delivery of the Advanced Capability Build 20. The Aegis Combat System is an American integrated naval weapons system developed by the Missile and Surface Radar Division of RCA, and now produced by Lockheed Martin. Work will take place in New Jersey. Estimated completion date is December 31, 2021. Rolls-Royce won a $26.5 million modification, which exercises an option that provides for the production and delivery of eight…