SNAFU!

Friday, April 20, 2018

The proposed aircraft “would combine the F-22 and F-35 and could be superior to both of them”...This is Lockheed Martin's plan B.

via Reuters

Lockheed has discussed the idea with Japanese defense ministry officials and will make a formal proposal in response to a Japanese request for information (RFI) after it receives permission from the U.S. government to offer the sensitive military technology, said the sources, who have direct knowledge of the proposal.

The decision on whether to release parts of the highly classified aircraft designs and software to help Japan stay ahead of Chinese advances will test President Donald Trump’s promise to overhaul his country’s arms export policy.

The proposed aircraft “would combine the F-22 and F-35 and could be superior to both of them,” said one of the sources.

Japan, which is already buying the radar-evading F-35 to modernize its inventory, also wants to introduce a separate air superiority fighter in the decade starting 2030 to deter intrusions into its airspace by Chinese and Russian jets.

The country’s air force currently flies the F-15J, based on the Boeing F-15; and the F-2, based on the Lockheed Martin F-16. Both designs are decades old.

Japan’s ambition to build its own stealth fighter was in part spurred by Washington’s refusal a decade ago to sell it the twin-engined F-22, which is still considered the world’s best air superiority fighter.

Story here.

I have been wondering. The US Govt refuses to execute on a plan B when the F-35 fails. It's been beyond obvious for quite awhile now that the plan will not deliver on its promise of performance, affordability and maintainability.

What escaped me was this.

What was Lockheed Martin's plan B when the US and its allies cut F-35 production because of the above reasons and the death spiral hits full force.

Now we know.

They're gonna try and build an airplane that deliver on all the broken promises of the F-35.

The irony?

They'll probably pull it off. As much as I HATE TO SAY IT, build a non-stovl fighter and the dynamics of the whole thing change. If successful this could give LM the market dominating fighter they always wanted.

Spanish Army moves forward on new 8x8 with tech demonstrators delivered to the Legion Brigade this Nov.

via Spanish Army Magazine.

8x8, the end of the wait.

The Army's aspiration to have a modern vehicle to replace the half-wheeled veterans (BMR) and was the key vehicle of the modern Brigades comes from afar. However, the bad economic situation caused the project to be suspended. The recovery has made it possible to resume it and already has specific dates, a budget of 92 million euros and a successful bidder: the Temporary Business Union formed by Indra, General Dynamics European Land Systems-Santa Bárbara Sistemas and SAPA operations.

At the end of 2015, the contract was signed to launch the first phase (design and development), which will culminate next November with the arrival of five technological demonstrators. Once delivered, the operational tests will be carried out with them, and the Legion Brigade has been the unit chosen to make them.

The 8x8 Combat Vehicle on Wheels (VCR) program aims to obtain a combat system that incorporates new technical solutions to face the evolution of threats and is key in the new organic structure of the Army. It includes a family of armored, wheeled, medium-weight vehicles, versatile, adaptable, with high protection capacity, lethality and operational mobility (thanks to a lower fuel consumption and ease of travel using different types of communication channels). They also enjoy greater strategic mobility, since they can be projected by air more easily, due to their weight, which allows rapid deployment in any scenario, in a short space of time. At the same time, they provide the average units with superiority in the confrontation. They also stand out for their modularity and versatility, which allows the compatibility, collaboration and incorporation of future updates and subsystems as a result of technological progress, as well as their integration with the plans and programs that the Army already has in operation.

Its purpose is to replace, progressively, the historical BMR, Armored Caterpillar Transport (TOA) and Cavalry Exploration Vehicle (VEC), and vehicles acquired for protection against mines and improvised explosive devices, such as the Lynx and the RG-31.

Story here.

Interesting. I'm looking forward to seeing what they come up with. Spain, Italy, Poland, The Netherlands and alot of the so called mid powers don't get enough attention.

They're the backbone of NATO (meaning unsung heroes in my opinion) and stressed countries like Spain that are doing it while under economic distress, and still fielding credible forces is beyond impressive.

Back on task. I also like the idea of them building a family of vehicles out the box. For some reason this fell out of favor but was once common.

Open Comment Post. April 20, 2018

JLTV operational testing is complete...

via Defense Aerospace.

TWENTYNINE PALMS, Calif. --- Marines and Soldiers will finish testing the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) Thursday at the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center (MCAGCC) here.

Soldiers from Bravo Troop, 1st Squadron, 33rd Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 101st Airborne Division joined with Marines of Weapons Company, 1st Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, to run the JLTV through its paces by conducting real-world missions in an operational environment as realistic as Iraq or Afghanistan.

Testing began late February, and according to Randall G. Fincher, JLTV test officer with the U.S. Army Operational Test Command (USAOTC), 39 JLTVs in two variants of Combat Tactical Vehicle and Combat Support Vehicle were split, with 18 going to the Marines and 21 to the Army test units.

"The Marines and the Army were equipped with both variants in the following mission packages: Heavy Guns Carrier, General Purpose, Close Combat Weapons Carrier, and the Utility version," said Fincher.

The biggest advantage to testing was the almost unreserved size of the MCAGCC training area and its harsh terrain, providing a true test of the vehicle's maneuverability.

"The Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center offers us a large expanse of maneuverable terrain with hardball routes, secondary routes, and cross-country terrain in a realistic desert environment," said Col. John W. Leffers, director of USAOTC's Maneuver Support and Sustainment Test Directorate.

"The terrain I see out there, is very indicative of what a Soldier or Marine would see in southern Afghanistan," he continued.

"It's absolutely the conditions the JLTV will be operating in, real-world, based on past deployments and the strong possibility of areas we will operate in for the foreseeable future."

Leffers said the two particular Marine and Army units performing tests represent the JLTV's primary customers.

"It's a joint vehicle," he said. "We used the Marines, who picked the company they thought would use the JLTV on a frequent basis. And, for the Army, the Recon Troop was perfect because of the number of JLTVs we wanted to test in a variety of missions that we project the JLTV might be operating under."

Operationally realistic scenarios allowed the test unit Marines and Soldiers to tell the Department of Defense how well the system supports their mission execution.

For the Marines, live fire and helicopter sling load operations, as well as a Marine Amphibious Landing mission at Camp Pendleton, Calif., were added to testing.

Story here.

I just want them to get it done. Not a complaint but a wish.

Don't know why but I personally don't think things bode well for future defense budgets after the latest plus up the Republicans, Dems and President were able to push thru.

I think so seriously lean times are ahead for the defense dept and I don't think they're ready.

Projects like this one (in my opinion) should be shitting JLTVs across the forces like beads during Mardi Gras.

We've neglected our ground forces for too long.

We've GOT to get busy upgrading them.

If we've lost air superiority and everything coming out of the DoD indicates at BEST we're gonna be seriously challenged, then we've got to have ground forces that can survive alone.

That means programs like the JLTV should be given new priority.

AAV-Survivability Upgrade at Expo South...pics by Pfc. Tyler Solak

Good to see and nothing to complain about. I would however love to see the Marine Corps move out on a lethality upgrade for these old warhorses.

Make it something compatible with the ACV and get it into the fleet. There are plenty of compact turrets and cannons to go with them so all it takes is a little will to get it done.

SISU GTP 4×4

Story here.

Roshel Senator APC

via Defense Aerospace

Roshel Defence Solutions has started serial production of its recently developed and tested multi-purpose Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC) – Senator. The APCs of these series are produced from start to finish at the Roshel’s manufacturing facility in Toronto, Canada.

The Roshel Senator is a high mobile multi-purpose transport vehicle, which was specifically developed for peacekeeping and law enforcement applications. This tactical platform features a high level of maneuverability as well as advanced off-road capabilities, making it efficient in accomplishing its missions in urban and cross-country terrain. In addition to being an Armored Personnel Carrier, this versatile platform offers various interchangeable function modules, such as Medical Evacuation, Anti-riot, Command & Control Centre, EOD, NBC, Reconnaissance, etc.

Depending on the intended role, the Roshel Senator provides ballistic and mine protection for up to CEN B7/ STANAG 4569 Level II. As an industry leader in the law enforcement vehicle market, Roshel focuses its R&D and engineering efforts on the survivability of its vehicles, along with ergonomic design and increased performance. To achieve this highly-desired combination, Roshel has developed and implemented an innovative technology based on multilayer composite materials offering superior ballistic performance (protection against fragmentation and bullet penetration) at a lighter weight.

The manufacturer only utilizes ballistic materials and heavy-duty components, which have been tested by internationally recognized North American and European laboratories, to meet ballistic protection standards.

The Roshel Senator APC stands out from its competition by providing advanced integration capabilities allowing the platform to be equipped with comprehensive security systems, such as observation and surveillance, thermal and infrared imaging, two-way communications with a command control center, night vision, fire source detection, laser range finder, remote control weapons, chemical protection and many more.

The base model of the Senator comes with perimeter gunports, escape hatches, perimeter view cameras, gas extraction system, siren/PA system, emergency lighting, military-grade mine protected seats, 3-point military-grade seatbelts and many other security systems and emergency equipment.

To date, Roshel has already received several orders for its new Senator APC, and plans to deliver the first batch of vehicles in the third quarter of 2018. An official public release of the vehicle will be held at 2018 AUSA Annual Meeting & Exposition, the largest defence trade show in North America, which will take place on October 8-10, 2018, in Washington, DC, USA (Roshel’s booth #2835).

Story here.