Navy: F-35C Will Be Eyes and Ears of the Fleet

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by popcorn » 05 Aug 2014, 08:12

Not just 5G to 5G and 5G to 4G AFAIK...For the NFC-CA concept, ATDL would apparently be the stealthy data link to allow F-35C in eyes and ears mode to communicate with the E-2D.
"When a fifth-generation fighter meets a fourth-generation fighter—the [latter] dies,”
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by spazsinbad » 09 Aug 2014, 18:36

If this co-operation goes ahead then I guess the RAN is going to join NIFC-CA [Naval Integrated Fire Control-Counter Air](pronounced: nifk-kah) along with our RAAF with the F-35As (and any Bs on LHDs?) but all I can get (not a joiner) is this:
US plan to fire from Australian ships
09 Aug 2014 Greg Sheridan | The Australian

"AUSTRALIAN and US foreign and defence ministers will start ­negotiations next week which could lead to American commanders being able to fire missiles directly from Australian ships...."

Source: http://www.theaustralian.com.au/nationa ... 018493675#


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by popcorn » 09 Aug 2014, 23:46

spazsinbad wrote:If this co-operation goes ahead then I guess the RAN is going to join NIFC-CA [Naval Integrated Fire Control-Counter Air](pronounced: nifk-kah) along with our RAAF with the F-35As (and any Bs on LHDs?) but all I can get (not a joiner) is this:
US plan to fire from Australian ships
09 Aug 2014 Greg Sheridan | The Australian

"AUSTRALIAN and US foreign and defence ministers will start ­negotiations next week which could lead to American commanders being able to fire missiles directly from Australian ships...."

Source: http://www.theaustralian.com.au/nationa ... 018493675#

The RAN's new Hobart-class AWDs armed with SM-6 feature the latest AEGIS tech including CEC. I expect they will be able to operate quite seamlessly with the USN in Sensor/Shooter mode if that is the intent.
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by spazsinbad » 19 Aug 2014, 10:26

Non-Standard: Navy SM-6 Kills Cruise Missiles Deep Inland
19 Aug 2014 Sydney J. Freedberg Jr.

"...a Standard Missile-6 successfully intercepted a mock cruise missile flying low and slow over land. Hitting that target is one sign of how far Navy missile defense programs have cast their net beyond their traditional domain.

The Navy’s Standard Missile is, as the bland name says, the Navy’s standard missile to defend the fleet against incoming strikes by enemy aircraft and anti-ship missiles. (Attacking enemy ships and ground targets is done by other missiles altogether). In recent years, though, the Raytheon-made missile has branched out. The standard Standard, the SM-2, is a straightforward fleet-defense weapon, with some capability to intercept targets over the land and even hit enemy ships. But the military is developing a long-range, high-altitude SM-3 variant to intercept ballistic missiles as they coast through space.

Then there’s the SM-6, first issued to the fleet last fall. “It’s the latest evolution of the Standard Missile family,” Navy Cdr. Sidney Hodgson told me. (SM-4 and SM-5 never saw service). “It doesn’t replace the SM-2,” which will stay in service alongside the SM-6, he emphasized, but “it gives you increased firepower, it gives you extended range.”

To save costs, the Standard Missile Six is an unholy hybrid of the long-range rocket motor from the SM-3, the agile aerodynamic body of the SM-2, and the nose of an AMRAAM air-to-air missile, normally carried by fighter planes. It’s the borrowed AMRAAM components in particular that let the SM-6 pick out tricky targets like a cruise missile maneuvering at low altitude and low speed over land. Even in the desert, the land is never as smooth and flat as the sea, so a low-flying target can hide itself amidst the “ground clutter” of natural features — hills, rocks, buildings — that also show up on radar.

“What we were attempting to show was, [given] something that was subsonic, very low, could we discriminate and engage it?” said Raytheon’s senior program director for SM-6, Mike Campisi. “It was wonderful to see.”

The earlier SM-2 can intercept low-flying targets over land “in some scenarios,” Campisi told me, but that missile relies on the ship to continually “illuminate” the target with its radar. SM-6 has its own built-in targeting radar, more range, and much more capability to intercept a maneuvering target. It will also be able home in on a target too distant for the ship that launched it to detect, using data relayed from other ships or aircraft over the Navy’s future NIFC-CA battle network....

...Campisi and Hodgson told me not to typecast the SM-6. It’s capable of killing both helicopters and fixed-wing planes, Hodgson said, both manned aircraft and drones, as well as missiles. Previous tests included at-sea launches against both low-altitude, subsonic targets and high-altitude, supersonic ones. All have been successful, Campisi said: “We’re 14 for 14 right now.”

Roughly a hundred SM-6 missiles have already been issued to the fleet — what’s called Early Operational Capability — for use with the “Baseline 7″ version of the Aegis fire control system. The current series of tests are proving the missile’s compatibility with the latest Aegis upgrade, Baseline 9C, which can engage enemy aircraft and ballistic missiles at the same time. Overall, the latest tests are meant “to really stretch the envelope [against] a wide range of threat sets,” Campisi said. “We’ve always tried to make this a multi-purpose weapon.”..."

Source: http://breakingdefense.com/2014/08/non- ... ep-inland/


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by popcorn » 22 Aug 2014, 01:28

The aaccompanying image to Spaz' linked article... a pic is worth a thousand words.
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"When a fifth-generation fighter meets a fourth-generation fighter—the [latter] dies,”
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by sferrin » 22 Aug 2014, 15:53

I wish they'd let us see the video. :(
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by archeman » 22 Aug 2014, 17:12

sferrin wrote:I wish they'd let us see the video. :(


That could be it.
Last two frames...
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by bring_it_on » 23 Aug 2014, 02:19

Video will be out shortly ;)


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by spazsinbad » 23 Aug 2014, 11:25

I wonder how TRITON will become involved in all of this:

http://www.navair.navy.mil/index.cfm?fu ... ry&id=5714


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by popcorn » 23 Aug 2014, 11:49

spazsinbad wrote:I wonder how TRITON will become involved in all of this:

http://www.navair.navy.mil/index.cfm?fu ... ry&id=5714

Triton and it's partner Poseidon sensor suites are focused on the maritime surface/sub-surface domains and don't really factor into the Counter-Air arena. Will expect them to be tied into the whole NCW paradigm and contribute to the overall picture. Different horses for,different courses.
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by spazsinbad » 23 Aug 2014, 12:32

How about the TRITON also having relay of data/change waveform (to MADL?) functions - that would not be a stretch?


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by popcorn » 23 Aug 2014, 12:47

spazsinbad wrote:How about the TRITON also having relay of data/change waveform (to MADL?) functions - that would not be a stretch?

Technically just a mater of incorporating JetPack tech onto TRITON I guess but not clear on the business case.i.e. is the intent to communicate with F-35? If so, privacy not a concern as Triton isn't LO AFAIK so Link-16 may suffice. F-35 to communicate with TRITON via stealthy MALD link? Maybe if the latter is gonna serve as some sort of relay as you note.
I can see a need for a,MADL link to Poseidon,as it is a weaponized platform i.e. sensor/shooter. Perhaps toss off some LRASMs based on F-35 input? Exciting times with many new capabilities at hand or soon to be.
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by neptune » 24 Aug 2014, 04:17

spazsinbad wrote:How about the TRITON also having relay of data/change waveform (to MADL?) functions - that would not be a stretch?


Wow! the hotly heated furnace of imagination!; Triton as a comm node (possibly); weapons carrying for a global hawk version is not likely, any weapons (weight) less range/ endurance. (i.e.) ...the flight took 22 hours, (8,214.44 mi)...the flight 33.1 hours at altitudes up to 60,000 feet...was tasked with maintenance of maritime situational awareness, contact tracking, and imagery support of various exercise operations.... Maritime Modes is made up of a Maritime Moving Target Indicator and a Maritime Inverse Synthetic Aperture Radar (MISAR) that function together to provide ISR information on vessels traveling on the water's surface. .. Maritime Modes is planned to be integrated with the RQ-4B's existing (MP-RTIP) Multi-Platform Radar Technology Insertion Program radar that detects and produces synthetic aperture radar imagery of ground vehicles

The Navy MQ-4C differs from the Air Force RQ-4 mainly in its wing. The fuselage comprises an aluminum, semi-monocoque construction; the wings are made of lightweight high-strength composite materials. Triton climbs to 50,000 ft to see a wide area and can drop to 10,000 ft to get further identification of a target. The Triton's wings are specially designed to take the stresses of rapidly decreasing altitude. Though similar in appearance to the Global Hawk's wings, the Triton's internal wing structure is much stronger and has additional features including anti-icing capabilities and impact and lightning strike protection.

Each RQ-4 air vehicle is powered by an Allison Rolls-Royce AE3007H turbofan engine with 7,050 lbf thrust, and carries a payload of 2,000 pounds (sensor packages). So far, no wing stations.

enjoy :)


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by spazsinbad » 28 Aug 2014, 04:35

I guess I could look at / for later USN Aviation Vision PDFs but this one is just excellent with great photos and illustrations and of course must be a large PDF. I wonder how this 2008 version differs from any 2014 version.
NAVAL AVIATION VISION Roadmaps - Unmanned Aircraft Systems
JANUARY 2008

"...Penetrating UAS N-UCAS
Naval Aviation is pursuing the development of an unmanned, low observable, carrier-based aircraft for missions in high-threat environments. With an IOC of 2025, N-UCAS is envisioned to be the strikefighter recapitalization platform (F/A-XX) for heavily defended and denied access targets in maritime, littoral, and overland environments. N-UCAS operator intervention will be minimal, required only for such things as mission planning inputs, updates, target selection, and weapons release approval. In August 2007, the contractor for the UCAS aircraft carrier suitability demonstration (UCAS-D) was selected. UCAS-D is a technical effort designed to demonstrate the carrier suitability of an autonomous, low-observable, unmanned air vehicle and critical technologies relevant to the shipboard environment. This effort is scheduled to conclude in 2013 and will include catapult takeoffs from, and arrested landings aboard, an actual aircraft carrier.

Future Carrier Air Wings (circa 2025) will be transitioning from a mix of F/A-18 and F-35 squadrons to a mix of F-35 and N-UCAS / F/A-XX squadrons. This mix will provide the Navy with the capability to conduct non-traditional ISR in denied access areas, initial SEAD / DEAD, and penetrating strike missions at reduced risk during the early phases of a campaign.

Persistent UAS Global Hawk Maritime Demonstration (GHMD)
GHMD is an initiative directed by the Secretary of the Navy to demonstrate a multi-sensor, persistent ISR, high-altitude UAS capability well before the IOC of the BAMS UAS. The GHMD Program capitalized on the Air Force’s Global Hawk production line by purchasing two air vehicles (with the radar sensor software modified to provide a limited maritime capability) and the accompanying ground station equipment. GHMD is being used for a manned / unmanned aircraft CONOPS; developing Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures (TTP); and collecting lessons learned that will benefit the BAMS UAS Program. Commander, Patrol and Reconnaissance Group (CPRG) is the fleet lead for exercise participation and experimentation.

BAMS UAS
The BAMS UAS Program, scheduled to complete technology development and begin SDD in FY 2008, is integral to the Navy’s airborne ISR recapitalization strategy, along with the P-8A Poseidon and EPX. It will provide a persistent (24 / 7), multi-sensor (radar, EO, IR, ESM), maritime surveillance and communications relay capability with worldwide access, enhancing situational awareness of the battlespace and shortening the sensor-to-shooter kill chain. BAMS UAS will be forward-deployed, landbased, and autonomously operated. As a FORCEnet enabler, it will serve as a distributed ISR node in the maritime environment and help build and sustain the COP for the Fleet Commander. BAMS UAS will be operated under the cognizance of the Maritime Patrol and Reconnaissance Group and its initial infrastructure will be incorporated into fleet TSCs. It is part of the transformation roadmap for the P-3C (see pp. 42-43). IOC is scheduled for FY 2014.

Source: http://www2.omnitecinc.com/files/NAV_Jan08.pdf (30.8Mb)


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by spazsinbad » 28 Aug 2014, 23:09

More recently TRITON has been babbling successfully over the horizon....
Navy’s Strike and Unmanned Aviation System capabilities
July-September 2014 CHIPS Magazine

" MQ-4C Triton test air vehicles at Northrop Grumman’s facility in Palmdale, Calif., will fly cross-country to NAS Patuxent River this fall. The MQ-4C completed a test flight Aug. 19 with updated software that enables additional beyond-line-of-sight communication capabilities. This test marked the first time Pax River’s Navy System Integration Lab took control of the flight and landed the aircraft in Palmdale. It was also the first time the aircraft used a wide band satellite communications command and control link, which allows for rapid transmission of data....

...The Navy’s largest investment in unmanned aircraft to date, the MQ-4C Triton, will bring unparalleled awareness of the maritime environment with the capability to maintain five continuous orbits around the globe.

Teamed with its manned-capability counterpart, the P-8A, Triton will be a key component of the Navy’s family of systems to achieve maritime domain awareness.

I envision our PEO’s role in the development of UAS will continue to play a critical role for the future warfighter as the Navy’s use of unmanned systems increases, particularly in the maritime domain...."

Source: http://www.dcmilitary.com/article/20140 ... pabilities


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