Raw Intel

Midrats regulars and all sound thinking navalists rejoiced earlier this year when one of our favorites were offered the honor to serve once again - in this case one of our favorite guests and all around great guy, Mark R. Vandroff, Captain, USN Ret. Mark found himself back in the mix with his appointment as Deputy Assistant to the President, Senior Director, Defense Policy and Strategy at the National Security Council. Just in time for the holiday season, Mark will come visit us this Sunday from 5-6pm to talk about his experience so far at the NSC, the NSC in general, and other related topics that may come up in the process. A 1989 graduate of the United States Naval A…

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jMxlWqNjWjs/U1nIwXMMBjI/AAAAAAAAIJ4/839fmIwW8yk/s320/Galanti-portrait-Newswk-cap.jpgI bumped into a post I did over six years ago on the passing of one of our greats. Phyllis. Thought I'd repost today ... because, she deserves it. Circumstances display character. Character comes often from places least expected - unless of course you know the best of military spouses; She said in a Richmond News Leader interview in 1971 that while Galanti was a POW, she just “wanted to be a housewife.” She wanted to “sink into oblivion” when he returned. By 1969, she had become active with other POW wives. In 1970, the wives group became the National Leag…

Americas Lockheed Martin won a $48.7 million contract modification to exercise an option for AEGIS Combat System Engineering Agent efforts for the design, development, integration, test and delivery of Advanced Capability Build 20. The Aegis Combat System is the Navy’s most modern surface combat system. It was designed as a complete system: the missile launching element, the computer programs, the radar and the displays are fully integrated to work together. This makes the Aegis system the first fully integrated combat system built to defend against advanced air and surface threats. The Aegis combat system uses powerful computers and radar to track and guide weapons to de…

Phalanx, firing (click to view full) The radar-guided, rapid-firing MK 15 Phalanx Close-In Weapons System (CIWS, pron. “see-whiz”) can fire between 3,000-4,500 20mm cannon rounds per minute, either autonomously or under manual command, as a last-ditch defense against incoming missiles and other targets. Phalanx uses closed-loop spotting with advanced radar and computer technology to locate, identify and direct a stream of armor piercing projectiles toward the target. These capabilities have made the Phalanx CIWS a critical bolt-on sub-system for naval vessels around the world, and led to the C-RAM/Centurion, a land-based system designed to defend against incoming artill…

As regulars here know, from the start of the blog - and a decade earlier IRL - one of my core stands is that we are long past the need for having large formation of maneuver forces based overseas in now rich and ready allies. Besides unit rotations, occasional exercises to practice surge, and combined training and logistics facilities, everyone needs to come home. As a maritime and aerospace power, we need to be home based, but postured for forward deployment of land forces to support allies and interests. We are a mercantile republic, not an empire. It has been a lonely vigil, and I know many of the respected and wise members of the Front Porch disagree with me, but …

Looking back at some overlooked but critically important - and successful - naval tactics that have a direct and sometimes dramatic strategic effect ... I found myself thinking of a great example from WWII. Can you defeat the worlds most feared warship with just some lumber and canvas? Maybe ... I'm pondering over at USNIBlog. Come by and give it a ponder with me ... and think why this may be of use today. 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=ZlRR0pcS22c:2NvUlcOXAbQ:gIN9vFwOqvQ http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/FAFV?i=ZlRR0pc…

Americas Raytheon won a $235.6 million deal for the production and delivery of the Silent Knight Radar in support of US Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) requirements. The Silent Knight radar is designed to be outfitted on the MH-47G Chinook and MH-60M Blackhawk helicopters, MC-130 transports and CV-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft. The Silent Knight is built for safe navigation through low altitudes at night or in bad weather. In June 2019 Raytheon was awarded a $96.6 million contract for the initial production of the Silent Knight system for Special Operations Command. Work will take place in McKinney and Forest, Mississippi. Estimated completion will be by July 2025. …

Americas Raytheon and Pratt and Whitney Military Engines won a $642 million deal, which provides for the procurement of performance-based logistics activities including maintenance of support equipment, common program activities, unique and common base recurring sustainment, repair of repairables, field service representatives, common replenishment spares, conventional take-off and landing/carrier variant F135 unique maintenance services and short take-off and landing F135 unique services in support of the F-35 Lightning II F135 propulsion system for the Air Force, Marine Corps, Navy, non-Department of Defense participants and Foreign Military Sales customers. Pratt &…

Some of my most memorable peacetime experiences in my naval career were SINKEX. I mean ... really people. There is the "fun" factor - but I also fully appreciated the good information we received from sending warshots downrange. Sure, the targets didn't shoot back or try to intercept our weapons ... but it did give you a good outline of the performance of those things in the kill chain you could control. That is why - while using the exceptional google translate function - this bit from Russian open source caught me off guard; ... testing modern means of destruction of the Navy on it. And as an example here, we, alas, the US Navy, which does not just use old ships…

Americas According to the US Air Force, a B-1B Lancer bomber conducted a demonstration testing its ability to externally carry potential hypersonic weapons. The “external captive carry” test was conducted last week by the 412th Test Wing’s 419th Flight Test Squadron at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., the Air Force said on Tuesday. The plane carried an inert Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile outside its fuselage. An earlier test demonstrated the capability of carrying large weapons within the plane. The tests indicate that the B-1B can deliver and launch large hypersonic weapons, which by definition fly at over five times the speed of sound. The United States, China an…

Here is one hard fact; Australia has 1.7% of the population of Communist China. Additionally, Australia is 80% of the landmass of Communist China. Australia is also heavily reliant on China with regard to trade. 39% all goods exported in 2019-20 go to China, while 27% of all goods imported were from China. This is top of mind to the Chinese Communist Party. As they have in other parts of the world, once China gets comfortable with their economic leverage, they will begin to use it against you. They are not too good at it, and more often than not they come out as rather thuggish. They also lack cultural competence to see that what may work in some parts of the w…

Americas Lockheed Martin won a $14.1 million contract modification for AN/SLQ-32(V)6 design agent engineering services. The AN/SLQ-32 is a shipboard electronic warfare suite built by Raytheon and the Hughes Aircraft Company. It is currently the primary electronic warfare system in use by US Navy ships. AN/SLQ-32(V)6, the latest fielded variant of the AN/SLQ-32, incorporates receiver, antenna and combat system interface upgrades developed under the SEWIP Block 2 ACAT II program and adds the High Gain High Sensitivity adjunct sensor developed under the SEWIP Block 1B3 ACAT II program. Work will take place in Syracuse, New York, and is expected to be completed by November 20…

“Slick 32” (click to view full) The US Navy’s AN/SLQ-32 ECM (Electronic Countermeasures) system uses radar warning receivers, and in some cases active jamming, as the part of ships’ self-defense system. The “Slick 32s” provides warning of incoming attacks, and is integrated with the ships’ defenses to trigger Rapid Blooming Offboard Chaff (RBOC) and other decoys, which can fire either semi-automatically or on manual direction from a ship’s ECM operators. The “Slick 32” variants are based on modular building blocks, and each variant is suited to a different type of ship. Most of these systems were designed in the 1970s, however, and are based on 1960s-era technology. Un…

One of the highest forms of the military arts is to use your enemy's habits against them. Not forcing them, but simply opening a door for them they are simply too willing to enter out of habit. Anyone who has lived in Europe - especially around or with Germans, French, Dutch, and Scandinavians, will enjoy this FbF. This story is short, but it is important in a couple of ways. First, the French military was never really given a chance in WWII. Beset with spotty leaderships and in some cases just bad luck, the incredible martial example of WWI just two decades earlier was as if it never happened. They had a few bright spots against the Germans ... and this was one. Seco…

Americas Northrop Grumman Systems won a $4.8 billion deal for Global Hawk development, modernization, retrofit and sustainment activities for all Air Force Global Hawk variants. The contract provides for management, including program, business and technical areas; engineering efforts, including configuration management, data management, reliability, availability and maintainability, and related areas of concern such as technical refresh, diminishing manufacturing sources, etc.; studies and analyses; design, development, integration, test and evaluation; contract/production line closeout/shutdown; training; sparing; overseas contingency operations support; fielding; cyber …

...and take a moment not just to think about all the Sailors at sea, but every single person on the Mess Decks who work hard to make it happen. I love those guys. Few ratings are as great a combat multiplier than those who can make the magic happen during the holidays at sea. From the dedicated Culinary Specialists to those just mess cranking for a spell. BZ. 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=iAbzYYKRaqY:yK7LvUw5kb0:gIN9vFwOqvQ http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/FAFV?i=iAbzYYKRaqY:yK7LvUw5kb0:-BTjWOF_DHI http://feeds…

Americas The US Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD) has down selected L3Harris Technologies and Martin UAV for the phase two demonstration of the MI2 technology demonstration. The program’s objective is to identify unmanned air vehicles capable of operating in austere deployed environments without ancillary support systems. Such drones must not require dedicated launch or recovery equipment. Phase 2 demonstrations will take place at Yuma Proving Ground from November 30 to December 18. BAE Systems won a $197.5 million deal for the execution of the USS Wasp (LHD 1) fiscal 2021 Chief of Naval Operations scheduled docking selected restricted availability. Thi…

NH90: TTH & NFH (click to view full) The NH90 emerged from a requirement that created a NATO helicopter development and procurement agency in 1992 and, at almost the same time, established NH Industries (62.5% EADS Eurocopter, 32.5% AgustaWestland, and 5% Stork Fokker) to build the hardware. The NATO Frigate Helicopter was originally developed to fit between light naval helicopters like AW’s Lynx or Eurocopter’s Panther, and medium-heavy naval helicopters like the European EH101. A quick look at the NFH design showed definite possibilities as a troop transport helicopter, however, and soon the NH90 project had branched into 2 versions, with more to follow. The near…

Have you been surprised that Iran and her Houthi proxies in Yemen have not gone after the Saudi's oil industry more? What are your thoughts on home-grown cruise missiles and mines? I'm pondering both over at USNIBlog. Come on over and give it a read. 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=qWHO6_ftgkg:PonTraVb97A:gIN9vFwOqvQ http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/FAFV?i=qWHO6_ftgkg:PonTraVb97A:-BTjWOF_DHI http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/FAFV?i=qWHO6_ftgkg:PonTraVb97A:V_sGLiPBpWU http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/FAFV?i=qWHO…

Americas Northrop Grumman won a $185.7 million deal for the A-10 Structural Integrity Program Legacy VIII. The deal provides for sustaining engineering services of A-10 aircraft. Services under the indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract are intended to support the military branch’s A-10 Aircraft Structural Integrity Program Legacy VII effort. Built by Fairchild Republic Company prior to its acquisition by Northrop, the A-10 aircraft is designed to help USAF perform airborne forward air control and close air support operations. Work will take place in Clearfield, Utah and estimated completion date is November 22, 2030. Lockheed Martin Aeronautics won a $9.3 mill…