Mod. Notice Technological advances in weaponry

[Werewolf]

Update on Britain, Japan and Italy working together on a 6th generation fighter plane:

Britain unveils new stealth fighter design

The three nations of the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) – the UK, Italy, and Japan – have unveiled a new concept model of their next-generation combat aircraft. Set to be in service by 2035, this aircraft will be among the world's most advanced, fighter jets.

ukdefencejournal.org.uk

 

[CD Xbow]

Update on Britain, Japan and Italy working together on a 6th generation fighter plane:

Britain unveils new stealth fighter design

The three nations of the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) – the UK, Italy, and Japan – have unveiled a new concept model of their next-generation combat aircraft. Set to be in service by 2035, this aircraft will be among the world's most advanced, fighter jets.

ukdefencejournal.org.uk

Not sure I know what constitutes a 6th gen fighters other than something to do with drones. Nice looking craft with a big, truncated delta wing. Seems they are making better progress than the Euro's and perhaps even better than the USAF NGAD, which seems to have been put on hold.

 

[Mofra]

Not sure I know what constitutes a 6th gen fighters other than something to do with drones. Nice looking craft with a big, truncated delta wing. Seems they are making better progress than the Euro's and perhaps even better than the USAF NGAD, which seems to have been put on hold.

"Self-healing"?

6th Generation Fighter

Sixth Generation Fighters are the currently conceptual new generation of fighter aircraft, which are expected to be operational in the 2030-2050 timeframe, in comparison to the current Fifth Generation Fighters they will be superior in terms of speed, range, stealth and self-healing structures...

aircraft.fandom.com

 

[CD Xbow]

"Self-healing"?

6th Generation Fighter

Sixth Generation Fighters are the currently conceptual new generation of fighter aircraft, which are expected to be operational in the 2030-2050 timeframe, in comparison to the current Fifth Generation Fighters they will be superior in terms of speed, range, stealth and self-healing structures...

aircraft.fandom.com

That's really a wish list thing. There are a number of materials that have that property but none have been used in the difficult environment of a combat jet. They are at the very start of their evolution and still in the lab. Not saying they wont happen, I think they will, but it's going to be a while. Which sort of highlights the problem, what constitutes a 6th gen fighter? No one knows. There is no clear technical/design innovations that have been identified that would make it so, except 'something to do with drones'.

 

[CD Xbow]

More Drones. Article from the Warzone describing the USN 'Silent Swarm' exercise using multiple USV and other platforms for mainly EW attacks by a distributed system.

Silent Swarm Exercise Accelerates Navy's Path To Distributed Electronic Warfare Future

The Navy recently experimented with hundreds of electronic warfare technologies mounted on aerial drones and swarms of uncrewed boats.

www.twz.com

Mick Ryan talks about Ukraine long range strike and lessons for Oz. It also includes drones.

What Australia can learn from Ukraine's long-range strike weapons | Lowy Institute

Ukraine now has multiple options for strike operations at an affordable cost. This is exactly what the Australian Defence Force needs.

www.lowyinstitute.org

 

[rjslcM]

More Drones. Article from the Warzone describing the USN 'Silent Swarm' exercise using multiple USV and other platforms for mainly EW attacks by a distributed system.

Silent Swarm Exercise Accelerates Navy's Path To Distributed Electronic Warfare Future

The Navy recently experimented with hundreds of electronic warfare technologies mounted on aerial drones and swarms of uncrewed boats.

www.twz.com

Mick Ryan talks about Ukraine long range strike and lessons for Oz. It also includes drones.

What Australia can learn from Ukraine's long-range strike weapons | Lowy Institute

Ukraine now has multiple options for strike operations at an affordable cost. This is exactly what the Australian Defence Force needs.

www.lowyinstitute.org

Makes sense to increase strike range. Comparably more time-efficient and cost-efficient than tactical placement of more jets and subs, I would have thought.

 

[CD Xbow]

Hanwha have been flogging their offerings for the RAN's SEA 3000-requirements, the 11 general purpose frigates. They have proposed a modified FFX Batch II-frigate. The design has already been stretched a bit for the Thai Bhumibol Adulyadej-class frigate, first delivered in 2019. This already has a SAAB combat system which the RAN use. The one for the RAN is stretched a bit more and called the Ocean 4300 Frigate and it integrates all the usual kit the RAN use.

Korean pitch for general-purpose frigates | The Australian Naval Institute

navalinstitute.com.au

The Bhumibol Adulyadej-class is pictured below. a pretty standard looking modern frigate. I think the main changes would be those to accommodate a 32 cell Mk41 VLS behind the main gun.

 

[CD Xbow]

Big step up for the RAN, firing it's first SM6 missile. These have been on the to do list for years and finally they appear deployed. A long range anti-air weapon for use by ships, it's effective for combat aircraft and ballistic missiles in the terminal phase. They have intercepted a number of anti-ship ballistic missiles in the Red Sea. It has a secondary anti surface capability which includes moving targets.

Royal Australian Navy fires long-range missile in military exercise off Hawaii

In a move the federal government said added to the Royal Australian Navy's "long-range strike capability", HMAS Sydney has fired a Standard Missile 6 in a military exercise near Hawaii.

www.abc.net.au

Just recently. the USN have started strapping them onto Super Hornets and turning it into the US longest range air to air missile. A missile for all occasions, at 4+ million USD a pop I hope it can make a cup of tea and give a decent back rub. Only the US, Japan and the RAN operate them.

 

[finanamat]

Big step up for the RAN, firing it's first SM6 missile. These have been on the to do list for years and finally they appear deployed. A long range anti-air weapon for use by ships, it's effective for combat aircraft and ballistic missiles in the terminal phase. They have intercepted a number of anti-ship ballistic missiles in the Red Sea. It has a secondary anti surface capability which includes moving targets.

Royal Australian Navy fires long-range missile in military exercise off Hawaii

In a move the federal government said added to the Royal Australian Navy's "long-range strike capability", HMAS Sydney has fired a Standard Missile 6 in a military exercise near Hawaii.

www.abc.net.au

Just recently. the USN have started strapping them onto Super Hornets and turning it into the US longest range air to air missile. A missile for all occasions, at 4+ million USD a pop I hope it can make a cup of tea and give a decent back rub. Only the US, Japan and the RAN operate them.

"Estimates of the SM-6's range vary; its official published range is 240 km, but it could be anywhere from 370 km to as much as 460 km."

Sheesh.

 

[CD Xbow]

"Estimates of the SM-6's range vary; its official published range is 240 km, but it could be anywhere from 370 km to as much as 460 km."

Sheesh.

Yes, it's certainly a long way. Generally they are pretty cagey about range, like most western systems the quoted figures are often conservative. The range also depends on whether it is launched with a booster from sea/land or from an aircraft. I have seen conflicting claims for which has the greatest range. Range also depends on the type of target, a slow AWAC will be able to be hit greater range because it will be unable to avoid the missile, even with low kinetic energy towards the terminal phase of it's flight. A combat craft in the same circumstance will be able accelerate away and get out of range of the missile whose velocity is dropping.

Added: Reuters has just published an article describing the use of the SM6 as an air to air missile.

https://www.reuters.com/world/us-navys-newest-air-to-air-missile-could-tilt-balance-south-china-sea-2024-08-14/

The USAF have been unusually public about it's deployment, I'm sure there is a message for someone.

 

[Werewolf]

Hmmm no wonder the 6th generation fighter planes are going to cost >$300M

 

[CD Xbow]

Hmmm no wonder the 6th generation fighter planes are going to cost >$300M

Perhaps that's the sort of tech a 6th gen fighter needs. I'm not sure the tech is there yet. Add to the fact no one really knows what will constitute a 6th gen other jet than "something to do with drones", it's an area filled with uncertainty. A big leap in material science like the video describes might be the thing. Both USAF and USN seem to have put the breaks on their next gen aircraft, I think it part because of the uncertainty and partly to concentrate of capabilities that can go boom within a couple of years.

Speaking of high tech. Interesting article about the use of AI in Gaza and Ukraine. Both conflicts have used AI more than any other. I can't say the Israeli AI system fills me with any confidence.

Artificial intelligence at war | The Strategist

There’s a global arms race under way to work out how best to use artificial intelligence for military purposes. The Gaza and Ukraine wars are now accelerating this. These conflicts might inform Australia and others ...

www.aspistrategist.org.au

 

[CD Xbow]

ASPI have an article about GCAP, the UK/Japan/Italy designed next generation fighter. This article talks about the craft in more detail including the design decisions that led to a big, fat, stealthy almost delta winged beasty - lots of volume for fuel and weapons combined with a wing designed for lift and low drag gives you a very long range. Just what you need in the Pacific. I expect RAAF will watch this one very closely. Of all the next generation combat jet projects in the West, this one I feel is the most likely to get legs first, this is despite it being multi-national. There are no Germans or French involved in this one, so that helps.

GCAP: a big fighter designed for Pacific (and Australian) distances | The Strategist

BAE Systems and its Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) partners pulled off a coup of technology theatre at the Farnborough air show in July, unveiling a new design for their GCAP figher, in full-scale model ...

www.aspistrategist.org.au

It's worth a read. It points out of the unanticipated problems with the F35, that GCAP will attend to.

'But what was not recognised was that, in a tightly packed and thermally sealed airframe, the limit on increased performance of electronics was not their volume and weight but getting rid of their heat. GCAP’s designers seem to have taken this to heart.'

 

[CD Xbow]

More about the RAN's Ghost Shark UUV, it's arrived in the US for testing. Picture below shows it in a shipping container being loaded on a RAAF C17. Pretty awesome capability being able to airlift a decent sized sub, expands the scope of deployment incredibly. Note - subs can waste a lot of time in transit.

Ghost Shark XL-AUV Arrives in the United States - Naval News

Anduril announced that its advanced Ghost Shark XL-AUV has arrived in the United States for the first time.

www.navalnews.com

Recently, Anduril Australia unveiled the first prototype a year ahead of schedule and on budget. Early production and testing have been crucial for rapid learning and iteration, enabling Anduril to deliver an operationally relevant capability at the speed required to defeat and deter the emergent threats. Anduril is leveraging technology from its proprietary AUV capability and its Lattice AI-powered software platform to develop Ghost Shark.

In 2022, Anduril signed a co-development contract with the Royal Australian Navy and the Defence Science and Technology Group to design and develop three ‘Ghost Shark’ XL-AUVs in three years. This agreement accelerates production and reduces costs compared to traditional large-scale systems and this investment allows Anduril to meet the urgency of the moment at a fraction of the cost of existing undersea capabilities.

“The first prototype was delivered one year early and on budget, and all three will be delivered by June 2025. So, from conception to full realization, less than three years.”

That is a pretty impressive timeframe. Well done RAN and Anduril. It may be a more operationally important capability than the Nukes because of it's rapid timeframe.

 

[CD Xbow]

I knew the CoA was keen to get missiles produced here but I never realised they were going to get Kongsberg to set a production line for the Naval Strike Missile (NSM) and the Joint Strike Missile(JSM) in Newcastle. I would guess the production includes missiles for other countries, the USN has adopted the NSM as it's deck launched antiship missile so it may be some it's supplies may come from us. The RAAF had in the past a significant roll in developing the JSM with Kongsberg.

https://www.navalnews.com/naval-new...ng-range-strike-for-australian-defence-force/

Added - looks like it's been the plan all along. Good to see it get up

https://archive.is/dPoDt

 

[CD Xbow]

For those who like aircraft pr0n - RAAF E-7, 2 F-18G, 2 F-35 and 2 B-2 and F-22 all flying in formation, shots of a RAAF tanker refuelling a B2 and others. The B2 still looks otherworldly.

 

[CD Xbow]

Not new tech, but new organisation. John Holmes discusses the USMC force redesign and it's importance should a conflict breakout between USA and the PRC. In some ways it mirrors the PRC sea denial tactics, with the US using small, mobile Marine units armed with precision guided weapons able to deny PLAN use of the seas around China.

Marine Corps Force Design: A Smart U.S. Plan to Counter China

A cheery huzzah! goes out to General Eric Smith, the newish commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps. This week Marine Corps headquarters released his first “Commandant’s Planning Guidance” to the service, setting forth his priorities for his tenure. Read the whole thing. Hearteningly, the directive...

nationalinterest.org

The process was started in 2019 by the then Marine Commandant David Berger. It was important for a couple off reasons, firstly it was a realistic strategy and could be implemented quickly, Secondly it showed the US, at least the Marines were taking the PRC challenge seriously. Getting rid of Tanks, towed arty and other platforms crated a huge backlash with many folks calling him a traitor and he should be charged with treason. They were very stupid. Example below.

https://semperfi.quora.com/The-Mari...Of-Retired-Officers-Over-The-Service-s-Future

I think events in Ukraine and the Red sea shows there is significant wisdom in his vision of force redesign.

Added - video in the article from Task and Purpose, Start at 2 minutes, it's ads until then.

 

[CD Xbow]

The EA-18G Growler, the USN and RAAF's electronic warfare aircraft is getting its jamming pods upgraded with the Next Generation Jammer (NGJ). These have multiple AESA radar modules replacing the old mechanically steered units. They don't let much out about the capabilities, for example, I have always wondered if it can jam the radars of of incoming surface to air missiles (SAM) - so did the author.

Q: Can it affect inbound air-to-air missiles?

A: I probably can’t talk much about that. I’ll say it this way, if a weapon was using a radar and you had the ability to affect a radar, I could imagine that there may be some effect.

Note - There is the potential to outfit the NGJ on other airframes, I have no idea how hard the integration would be.

How EA-18G Growler's Next Generation Jammer Actually Works And The Future Of Offensive Electronic Warfare

Raytheon's Chuck Angus talks Next Generation Jammer, the state of play in offensive electronic warfare and how it might look in the future.

www.twz.com

 

[CD Xbow]

More drones. Interesting article by Bill Sweetman about the USAF future with drones.

The rise of small, fighter-like drones in US Air Force thinking | The Strategist

You only had to walk into the exhibit hall at last week’s Air & Space Forces Association (AFA) convention in Maryland to realise that US air power is having a moment. A prime spot to ...

www.aspistrategist.org.au

Naval ships have been challenged by the Houthis with multiple drone and missile attacks, it has quickly become evident that there is a problem with magazine depth. Warships are packed to the gills with systems and have little capacity for adding extra systems. One way to add capability is to use support ships, lower end vessels with small crews or unmanned. The 'loyal seaman', if you will, though they mostly get called a sideick. So far they have been directed toward adding extra missile capacity but I expect they will also act as motherships for drones. The Dutch are building a class of ships with very small crews that carry containerized missiles.

New Dutch Navy Support Vessels Will Be Missile-Toting Wingmen To Frigates

Small and with a tiny crew, the new support vessels will add important magazine capacity to frigates, and launch loitering munitions. Small and with a tiny crew, the new support vessels will add important magazine capacity to frigates, and launch loitering munitions.

www.twz.com

The RAN has a class of six similar vessels planned that will be optionally manned. These are a USN design and will have 32 VLS (note our poor old Anzacs have only 8 VLS cells)

‘Optionally crewed’ vessels provide VLS firepower for Tier 1 combatants

The Commonwealth has announced that it will procure six large optionally crewed surface vessels to increase the Navy’s Tier 1 vertical launching system cell capacity, acquired through a formal engagement with the United States Navy.

www.defenceconnect.com.au

 

[CD Xbow]

More drones. I posted some time ago about the BAE Strix, now its ready to fly after 18 months. The prototype is pictured below.



The STRIX Uncrewed Aerial System has an anticipated range of 540 km, carrying a 200 kg payload. (BAE Systems Australia) The first test flight of BAE Systems Australia‘s (BAESA's) STRIX Uncrewed Aerial System is scheduled for mid-October, with the company citing the vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) platform as a unique combination of operation, range, and payload.
Flight testing for the prototype, X-wing design was approved in July by Australia's Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) and will take place at an undisclosed site in Western Australia.
“Some whiteboard sketches and ideas were thrown around in June/July 2022 but the final design/concept for STRIX was not finalised until March 2023. So, we'll have gone from concept design to first flight of a first-of-type prototype within 18 months,” Kisa Christensen, director of Red Ochre Autonomy and Sensors at BAESA, told Janes . “We're taking a staged approach in the lead-up to the first full-blown flight.” She added, “We're starting with the nose-up manoeuvre, then we'll couple that with a vertical take-off and hover, followed by a vertical landing. The final test flight will implement transition from a hover to conventional flight and then back to hover and a vertical landing. So, the platform's full flight characteristics will be involved.
“Then we will progress to our next spiral, which focuses on testing the unique hybrid propulsion that powers this concept. This will enable realisation of the full range capability that can be achieved through STRIX's efficient fixed-wing cruise.”
Developed in collaboration with Australian firm Innovaero, STRIX's versatility is claimed as one of its assets. Potential multirole mission capabilities include strike, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance, assured targeting, antisubmarine and anti-surface warfare, electronic warfare, and teaming with rotary-wing platforms.

This is from Janes, unfortunately it's paywalled and I don't have a sub. More information can be found at the BAE site, including a PDF with most specs. https://www.baesystems.com/en-aus/strix#

50kg payload 1500km range
160kg payload 800 km
200kg payload 540 km

Cruising speed 140 knots, maximum speed 200 knots
Maximum altitude 15000 ft

 

[CD Xbow]

THIS BUSHMASTER IS WOKE!

1st Armoured Regiment to trial revised electric Bushmaster - Australian Defence Magazine

The 1st Armoured Regiment will trial a modified version of the electric Protected Mobility Vehicle prototype as part of its new role as an experimental unit | Ben Felton

www.australiandefence.com.au

Pure electric didn't work so well because of range, so trialling a hybrid powertrain. Hope it plugs in. Electrics vehicles can have lower heat and noise signatures, things the military appreciates. Also lots of power for running additional gear.

 

[CD Xbow]

​

We are seeing many different types of UAV platforms, one design goal is to combine vertical takeoff/landing with a craft that uses wings for lift. There have been a number of approaches, some even using 'transforming airframes' such as BAE strix which I posted about earlier. One design I thought was really elegant was the V-bat, a small UAV 'tail sitter'. It is apparently being trialled by the USN. The craft needs no infrastructure to launch or land other than a flat surface. The blades are contained in a shroud, a nice feature for operating safely on the deck of a warship that may be moving in a variety of directions.

Martin UAV’s V-BAT UAS flies on 11th MEU missions on board USS Portland

Shield AI company Martin UAV’s V-BAT uncrewed aircraft system (UAS) has successfully conducted flight missions aboard the US Navy’s San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock USS Portland (LPD 27).

www.naval-technology.com

Which provides a nice segue way into the next link, an article suggesting Ukraine is to drones what WWI was to combat aircraft. It certainly makes a good historical analogy with development of similar patterns of use and the evolution of new counter measures.

World War I was the crucible of air power. Ukraine looks the same for drones | The Strategist

Some experts on air power will tell you that Ukraine is not the best place to learn lessons. Neither side in Ukraine enjoys air superiority, retired Lieutenant General David Deptula of the Air Force Association’s ...

www.aspistrategist.org.au

I actually think drones are a more foundational change to warfare than the arrival of aircraft for combat in WWI, it's closer to the arrival of gunpowder in magnitude.

 

[CD Xbow]

First images of the RAN's Ghost Shark UUV operating underwater have been released. Note the blurring out of it's (presumably) rather short masts.

​

Our First Look At The Ghost Shark Uncrewed Submarine Underwater

Ghost Shark was among a host of uncrewed aerial drones, boats, and submarines involved in a recent Australian-U.S.-U.K. maritime exercise.

www.twz.com

This article from Warzone talks about the Ghost Shark and other unmanned systems used in Autonomous Warrior 2024. Some of the imagery is of unknown systems.

 

[CD Xbow]

Just as we see the proliferation of drones we see the proliferation of counter measures. The Australian company Dronesheild has won an innovation award for it DroneGun Mk 4 (electronic) and RfPatrol sensing unit - a passive unit that senses and geolocates drones by their RF emissions. These are handheld devices and I expect them, or something like them to be part of the infantryman's kit as we proceed further into the 21C. Note these are for smaller drones like quadcopters.

DroneShield wins award for counterdrone tech - APDR

DroneShield was awarded the top Platinum Award for Innovation by Military and Aerospace Electronics for its Immediate Response Kit solution

asiapacificdefencereporter.com

You can read more about them at the manufacturers site. Good to see some Australia innovation.

Dismounted Counter-UAS System Products | DroneShield

Handheld counter-UAS systems—like DroneGun Mk4—deliver portable, rapid drone defeat and detection built for demanding, on-the-move operations worldwide.

www.droneshield.com

Hey kids, you can build something like the RfPatrol at home for modest cost. This project by the the very clever Simon Dankelmann, detects and locates drones using the sub 1Ghz spectrum, which is what many small drones use other than the wifi frequencies (2.5/5 GHz) It's pretty simple. Note this identifies drone coms, it is not a jammer, so I'm not expecting a visit from the federal police or communication authorities. Parents, it should be safe for your kiddies to make.

https://github.com/simondankelmann/SubMarine/

I've ordered a couple of the transceiver units and will have a go and making one in the next few months.

 

[CD Xbow]

I've posted earlier acout Ocius Bluebottle, a multipropulsion USV that offers long duration 1SR capabilities. I haven't seen much about numbers or deployment, this article from the ADM talks a bit about the RAN's use. They have 12 and have had them mainly deployed out of Darwin since June 2024. RNZN are getting a few, too. To few if you ask me.

Ocius unveils Bluebottles for RNZN, RAN - Australian Defence Magazine

Sydney-based Ocius Technologies has ceremonially christened the first of two Bluebottle uncrewed surface vessels destined for the RNZN along with the 12th Bluebottle built for the RAN | Julian Kerr

www.australiandefence.com.au