Military Tech / Science

xwraith · Post by **xwraith** » Tue Mar 03, 2015 8:36 pm

Paul Allen found the Musashi
Twitter link

Daehawk · Post by **Daehawk** » Tue Mar 03, 2015 9:26 pm

Maybe I should contact him about finding that coin I dropped in 1974 and we could never find even with a metal detector. Then theres a couple socks over the years. I could keep him busy a good while.

stessier · Post by **stessier** » Fri Mar 13, 2015 11:57 am

I don't know if this is really the right place, but these maps always amaze me.

A map of all the deep see internet cables.

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Fri Mar 13, 2015 12:51 pm

If that's your thing, I recommend that you read Cryptonomicon. The entire "present day" half of the book is all about undersea cables.

Holman · Post by **Holman** » Fri Mar 13, 2015 3:49 pm

My dad worked for AT&T from the 60's to the 90's, and one of the curiosities he kept in his office was a cross-section piece of trans-Atlantic cable (really several cables bundled together) sealed in glass. When I was a kid it was fascinating to think about something like that spanning the distance of the whole ocean floor.

Kasey Chang · Post by **Kasey Chang** » Mon Mar 30, 2015 3:19 am

Are you ready for a ballbot, for military?

http://www.defenseone.com/technology/20 ... ls/105258/

Daehawk · Post by **Daehawk** » Mon Mar 30, 2015 6:24 am

Is that a run flat? The enemy will surely shoot it and flatten it.

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Thu Apr 23, 2015 10:21 am

X-47B drone performs aerial refueling.

The Navy conducted its first ever aerial refueling of its X-47B carrier based drone demonstrator aircraft Wednesday at Patuxent River Naval Air Station, Md.

The X-47B was refueled by an Omega Air Refueling Tanker, Navy and Northrop Grumman officials said.
...
After an eight minute flight, the X-47B executed an arrested landing, folded its wings and taxied out of the landing area before moving out of the way for an F/A-18 to land, Navy officials said.
...
The refueling of the X-47B happens as the Pentagon’s ongoing review of the Navy’s next-generation carrier-launched unmanned drone works to make sure the new platform is well-suited to operate in a joint combat environment – and prominent members of Congress continue to push for a stealthy, long-endurance, penetrating strike capability.

Unagi · Post by **Unagi** » Thu Apr 23, 2015 11:33 am

Next we need an Omega Air Refueling Tanker Drone to perform the aerial refueling...

coopasonic · Post by **coopasonic** » Thu Apr 23, 2015 11:36 am

the Navy’s next-generation carrier-launched unmanned drone

Unmanned drone... as opposed to?

LawBeefaroni · Post by **LawBeefaroni** » Thu Apr 23, 2015 11:46 am

FWIW, the X-47 (whatever it will be called) isn't supposed to enter service until after 2020. There are only 2 built right now. So this is really early proof of concept type testing.

Unagi wrote:Next we need an Omega Air Refueling Tanker Drone to perform the aerial refueling...

Exactly.

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Thu May 28, 2015 10:19 am

EMP!

Taking a page from Hollywood movies, the Air Force and Boeing confirmed they are testing a weapon that uses electromagnetic pulses to target and destroy digital weapons and systems right down to a specific building.

The weapon is called CHAMPS – Counter-electronics High-powered Microwave Advanced Missile Project – and is something akin to what Hollywood screenwriters dreamed up for "Ocean's 11" and "The Matrix," which could knock out electrical grids and electrical supplies to the enemy without harming humans, according to CNN.

The electromagnetic pulse, or EMP, weapons would make the opponent's targeted electronic devices useless.
...
Boeing had publicized some of its first successful test for the weapon back in 2012. Boeing said then that a test at Kirtland Air Force Base in New Mexico successfully disabled electronics in a flight over the Utah Test and Training Range.

Boeing said that the weapon allowed them to make multiple selective high-frequency radio wave strikes against several targets during a single mission.
...
Lulu Chang of Digital Trends said the ability to destroy the enemy weapons without collateral damage makes the weapon desirable for the military.

"Indeed, it is this capacity to target individual buildings and not cities at large that makes the new weapon so effective, as it would allow military members to cut off electricity supplies to enemy parties while keeping civilians out of the melee," Chang wrote.

LawBeefaroni · Post by **LawBeefaroni** » Thu May 28, 2015 10:29 am

Isgrimnur wrote:EMP!

Taking a page from Hollywood movies,

Yeah, credit "Hollywood movies" for what Sci-fi was doing 50 years ago.

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Sat Jun 06, 2015 3:36 pm

This year's DARPA Robotics Challenge is streaming live.

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Sat Jun 06, 2015 3:42 pm

I just watched Team Vigir's bot, turn sideways to get through a doorway, then tumble over through it like a felled tree. I imagine that's going to cost them a few points.

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Mon Jul 20, 2015 10:59 am

LCS-9 USS Little Rock launched.

The almost violent side-launching affair took place yesterday at Marinette Marine’s ship-building facility along the Menominee River in Wisconsin. The occasion included all the typical ship launching fanfare, including broken bottles of champagne and politician’s speeches.
...
Its predecessor, the USS Little Rock (CL-92), was a valiant ship with multiple lives. It was born a light cruiser towards the end of WWII and then decommissioned in 1949. It was later brought back into service and converted into a guided missile cruiser in 1960, after which the Little Rock served till 1976, often times as the Sixth Fleet Flagship. Today, that USS Little Rock is a museum ship in Buffalo.

Video and gif at the link.

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Mon Jul 20, 2015 2:12 pm

Lockheed Martin Sikorsky

Lockheed Martin Corp., the world’s biggest defense contractor, is about to get even bigger after buying helicopter maker Sikorsky from United Technologies Corp. in a deal worth 7.1 billion after “taking into account tax benefits resulting from the transaction.”

It will be Lockheed’s biggest acquisition since 1995, when it merged with Martin Marietta in a deal valued at $10 billion.
...
The agencies reported that the deal isn’t likely to face too much pressure from antitrust authorities, as Lockheed doesn’t currently make helicopters itself, so the Department of Defense isn’t likely to suffer any reduction on competition for further contracts.

Reuters said that Textron Inc., the parent company of Bell Helicopter, had dropped out of the bidding for Sikorski due to price concerns. United had needed a high price because it faces a chunky tax bill, given that the value of Sikorsky has risen so much since United bought it.

LawBeefaroni · Post by **LawBeefaroni** » Thu Jul 23, 2015 10:46 am

USN CNO 2016-2020 plan.

Includes 10 more Arleigh Burke destroyers and 10 more Virginia SSNs. And some replacement LSD.

Remaining 9 LCSs get funded.

Continues to support the F-35C Lightning II, the carrier-based variant
of the Joint Strike Fighter, and keeps it on schedule to enter operational
service in 2018. With advanced sensors, data sharing capability, and
the ability to operate closer to some threats, it will enhance the air wing’s
ability to find targets and coordinate attacks.

Jeff V · Post by **Jeff V** » Thu Jul 23, 2015 11:00 am

LawBeefaroni wrote:USN CNO 2016-2020 plan.

Includes 10 more Arleigh Burke destroyers and 10 more Virginia SSNs. And some replacement LSD. Remaining 9 LCSs get funded.

Continues to support the F-35C Lightning II, the carrier-based variant
of the Joint Strike Fighter, and keeps it on schedule to enter operational
service in 2018. With advanced sensors, data sharing capability, and
the ability to operate closer to some threats, it will enhance the air wing’s
ability to find targets and coordinate attacks.

Sounds expensive. Since we're paying for it, we should get free rides.

LawBeefaroni · Post by **LawBeefaroni** » Thu Jul 23, 2015 12:53 pm

Jeff V wrote: Sounds expensive. Since we're paying for it, we should get free rides.

Free ride with every enlistment!

No purchase necessary. Restrictions apply. USN does not guarantee any specific vessel, craft, or duty. Valid only to legal residents of the US, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia. Allow 2-4 years for delivery.

Max Peck · Post by **Max Peck** » Fri Aug 28, 2015 1:03 pm

Drone-killing laser weapon demoed by Boeing

A laser weapon that can take down a drone from hundreds of metres away in under a minute now really exists. Aerospace giant Boeing held a media demonstration of its Compact Laser Weapons System this week in Albuquerque, N.M. The portable device aims a silent, invisible laser at a target and tracks it as it moves, heating it until it burns a hole — a process that takes about 15 seconds. It's possible because all the energy in the laser beam is concentrated in a very tiny spot.

"Think of it like a welding torch being put on target but from many hundreds of metres away," said Isaac Neal, a Boeing engineer, in a video of the demonstration posted online Thursday. "If you were on the receiving end of laser energy, you'd have no idea where it was coming from or what was even happening."

Jeff V · Post by **Jeff V** » Fri Aug 28, 2015 1:10 pm

What is the top speed of a drone? 15 seconds seems more than enough time to cover several hundred meters and deliver a nasty payload to whatever the lasers are protecting. Or are these lasers also drone mounted and dogfight the other drones?

Max Peck · Post by **Max Peck** » Fri Aug 28, 2015 1:26 pm

Jeff V wrote:What is the top speed of a drone? 15 seconds seems more than enough time to cover several hundred meters and deliver a nasty payload to whatever the lasers are protecting. Or are these lasers also drone mounted and dogfight the other drones?

For reference, it appears that the top (publicly disclosed) speed for a USAF MQ-1B Predator is 135 mph; for the MQ-9 Reaper, 300 mph; for an Avenger 460 mph. I'd expect small recce drones (probably what the CLWS is intended to deal with) to be at the low end of the scale. The CLWS looks like a small, rapidly deployable, ground-based system.

LawBeefaroni · Post by **LawBeefaroni** » Fri Aug 28, 2015 2:01 pm

It can take out some artillery rounds as well.

Jeff V wrote:What is the top speed of a drone? 15 seconds seems more than enough time to cover several hundred meters and deliver a nasty payload to whatever the lasers are protecting. Or are these lasers also drone mounted and dogfight the other drones?

They're not trying to take out apex combat drones. Just smaller recon/C&C drones. Besides, anything that can deliver a "nasty payload" can usually do it from a mile away or so. You focus on taking out the payload.

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Fri Aug 28, 2015 2:14 pm

Personally, I want my lasers to make a 'pew-pew' noise. No silent ones for me, thanks.

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Tue Sep 29, 2015 3:10 pm

KC-46A first flight

Boeing, the world’s largest aerospace company, earlier this summer said the first test flight of the new refueling tanker, known as Pegasus and based on the 767 twin-engine commercial airliner, would be delayed until late September or early October.
...
The Air Force plans to spend $49 billion to develop and build 149 of the planes to replace its aging fleet of KC-135s, according to Pentagon budget documents. Boeing forecasts an $80 billion global market for the new tankers, according to Trading Alpha.
...
The plane’s fuel system is being fixed after workers mistakenly loaded a mislabeled chemical into it, among other problems — work that’s expected to cost more than $800 million, according to The Oklahoman, the largest daily newspaper in Oklahoma, one of the first three states where the airplane will be based.

The Air Force in 2013 selected as preferred bases for the aircraft Altus Air Force Base in Oklahoma, McConnell Air Force Base in Kansas, and Pease Air National Guard Base in New Hampshire.

In addition those related to the fuel system, wiring and software issues have also contributed to cost overruns totaling more than $400 million. The cost and schedule changes have attracted the scrutiny of lawmakers, including Sen. John McCain, a Republican from Arizona and chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee.

LawBeefaroni · Post by **LawBeefaroni** » Wed Oct 07, 2015 11:55 am

Cruise drones.

Raytheon wrote:A Tomahawk Block IV cruise missile successfully showed it can take a reconnaissance photo and follow orders to re-target in mid-flight during a test conducted by the U.S. Navy and Raytheon Company.

During the test, a missile launched from the guided missile destroyer USS Gridley (DDG 101) used its onboard camera to capture battle damage indication imagery and then transmitted the image to fleet headquarters via its two-way UHF SATCOM datalink. The missile then entered a loiter pattern to await further instructions.

Meanwhile, strike controllers at the U.S. Fifth Fleet headquarters in Bahrain retargeted the missile to a new aim point on the Navy's range at San Nicolas Island, off the coast of southern California. The missile performed a vertical dive and struck the designated target.

xwraith · Post by **xwraith** » Sun Oct 11, 2015 1:09 pm

Iran tests its latest ballistic missile the Emad "potentially" violating the recent accord.

This is apparently a follow-on to the Shahab-3 -- but I wonder if it is more related to the BM25/R-27 missile.

At any rate Iran is claiming it has capabilities in line with other IRBMs like the Pershing IIand SS-20

Edited to fix URLs

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Wed Oct 14, 2015 2:05 pm

Raytheon mini-missile:

The Waltham, Massachusetts-based company displayed a model of the so-called Pike precision-guided munition on Monday at the Association of the United States Army’s annual conference in Washington, D.C.
...
Measuring just 17 inches long and 1.5 inches wide and weighing just 1.7 pounds, the projectile has a range of about 2 kilometers and is designed to be fired from existing rocket-propelled grenade launchers, such as the M203 and ELGM, Smith said.

While the munition will cost more than a unguided rocket-propelled grenade, it would be orders of magnitude cheaper than the FGM-148 Javelin anti-tank missile some troops now carry, he said.
...
In May, Raytheon successfully tested two Pike munitions with dummy warheads at a private range in Texas, he said. The technology is compatible with any kind of properly coded laser designator, he said.
...
An M203 launcher beneath an M4 rifle would need to be modified to accept the round, Smith said. “The ones that are underneath the M4 carbines now, they can’t swing out far enough to slide it in,” he said. “It only sticks out so far. So they would have to modify that.”

Raytheon officials are talking to Army personnel about helping to fund additional testing of the design to include live-fire exercises, Smith said.

Daehawk · Post by **Daehawk** » Wed Oct 14, 2015 2:19 pm

So you could use the old Jav and take out a tank or use this and maybe get 2 people in the blast radius?..Well ok then.

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Wed Oct 14, 2015 2:21 pm

A Javelin would be appropriate for a tank. Taking out a fortified mud hut is probably overkill for a Javelin.

Max Peck · Post by **Max Peck** » Wed Oct 14, 2015 7:48 pm

We'll see your Pike, and raise you an XM25 smart-grenade launcher.

The shoulder-fired machine uses a laser rangefinder to help its user determine the distance to their target and then tells them how to adjust their aim to take into account the force of gravity. The settings can be altered, so, for example, if a window is measured to be 200m (656ft) away, the grenade can be set to explode after 201m to travel just past the wall for maximum effect. Each of the five 25mm (1in) grenade rounds contained in a clip can be programmed to detonate at a specific distance, which they measure as they speed towards their target.

Orbital ATK says the weapon can be used to "precisely" kill hidden enemies up to 500m away or hit them with a powerful air-burst from up to 700m.

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Wed Oct 14, 2015 8:06 pm

That's so 2010.

Max Peck · Post by **Max Peck** » Wed Oct 14, 2015 8:42 pm

Isgrimnur wrote:That's so 2010.

Cool. The article mentions that the XM25 was field tested in Afghanistan, but it didn't occur to me to go looking for an old thread about it here.

Holman · Post by **Holman** » Thu Oct 15, 2015 7:30 am

Isgrimnur wrote:A Javelin would be appropriate for a tank. Taking out a fortified mud hut is probably overkill for a Javelin.

Not to mention that every Javelin fired costs $80,000.

Max Peck · Post by **Max Peck** » Thu Oct 15, 2015 8:42 am

I was going to joke about how, with mini-missiles and smart-grenades, we must be inching ever closer to the smart bullets from Runaway. It turns out, though, that is old news too. Heheh, EXACTO...

Now they just need to mount all this ordnance on some proper power armour. Mobile Infantry!

LawBeefaroni · Post by **LawBeefaroni** » Thu Oct 15, 2015 10:20 am

Max Peck wrote: Now they just need to mount all this ordnance on some proper power armour. Mobile Infantry!

Warrior Web is the unarmored version.

Part of the "human enhancement" vision of the future.

Max Peck · Post by **Max Peck** » Thu Oct 22, 2015 12:28 pm

A $550 million Air Force bomber so good it will never be used

The Air Force wants a new bomber so that it never actually has to use it.

The Defense Department recently announced it will soon pick a contractor to build a new stealth bomber for the Air Force. The potentially $80-billion Long-Range Strike Program is a big deal, particularly for the Air Force. It hasn’t developed a new bomber in more than 30 years. The Pentagon is increasingly worried that its existing fleet of about 160 B-52s, B-1s and B-2s is largely outdated, vulnerable to the newest Chinese- and Russian-made air defenses.

The Air Force wants up to 100 new bombers armed with all the latest weaponry and radar-evading stealth technology — and plenty of fuel. For the new warplanes must be able to fly long distances, penetrate even the heaviest defenses and destroy scores of targets in a single bombing run.

That doesn’t mean, however, that the Pentagon really believes it will be fighting a war against Russia or China. Defense planners instead want the new bombers to reinvigorate a once-key concept that the military has allowed to atrophy: conventional deterrence.

By deploying high-tech armaments of such fearsome nonnuclear destructive power, the mere presence of such weapons should give pause to U.S. enemies. This would buy time so diplomats could negotiate to work out major conflicts without anyone resorting to violence.

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Thu Oct 22, 2015 12:32 pm

Ask Richard Gatling how that mentality worked out.

LawBeefaroni · Post by **LawBeefaroni** » Thu Oct 22, 2015 1:02 pm

Max Peck wrote:A $550 million Air Force bomber so good it will never be used

It's not as crazy as it sounds. Everyone knows you're not going to resort to nukes so you have to have a plausible "conventional" alpha weapon that scares the crap out of people too.

The pricetag might be insanely high, but people gots to get paid, right?