US Military News, Reports, Data, etc.

Jura said:

inside you (if I understood the formatting correctly) said

"Interesting that both China and Russia continue to take a differing view with their reliance on 4th gen birds."

and I guess that "differing view" is because in their military–industrial complexes isn't strong enough what some in Internet call Stealth Mafia

(don't worry: as I've repeatedly said, I'm not in MIC Conspiracy)

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Jura said:

one of the sentences you posted is, quote,

The F-22 upgrade, called Increment 3.2B, will invest $1.75 billion to add new air-to-air weapons, processors, and data links.

end of quote, while
Mar 18, 2017

just noticed, have no idea what this means

("this" = the Pentagon saying something in 2014, then probably doing nothing, and now repeating what sounds similar to what was said in 2014, but with money tripled)

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Jura said:

almost missed this sentence you quoted:

"The Eagle Passive Active Warning Survivability System, or EPAWSS, may not “make an F-15 into an F-35 or F-22,” said ACC chief Holmes, but it will help F-15s “buy back” penetrating capability, making it harder to detect them so they can get closer to enemy air defenses."

while May 17, 2019


what gives, I mean hasn't the EPAWS been cancelled??

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Jura said:

inside you (if I understood the formatting correctly) said

"Interesting that both China and Russia continue to take a differing view with their reliance on 4th gen birds."

and I guess that "differing view" is because in their military–industrial complexes isn't strong enough what some in Internet call Stealth Mafia

(don't worry: as I've repeatedly said, I'm not in MIC Conspiracy)

Click to expand...

Brumby said:

I don't follow the F-22 program as closely as the F-35 and so my understanding of the issues you raised is limited. This is what I know. You are correct that the 3.2B upgrade was initiated in 2014 and was meant to take at least 3 years to retrofit the entire fleet. I don't know the reason for the cost increase or whether it is due to requirement creep.

The upgrade scope as I understand it are :
1)Streamline upgrade architecture path between 3.2B and update 6 by establishing a baseline for future updates. Update 6 is primarily a software upgrade. It also incorporates some "crypto gear” to improve the F-22’s cryptography capabilities;
2)Weapons integration of AIM-9X.and AIM-120D. The former was to align timing with the introduction of the helmet cueing feature. The AIM-120D I think was not a priority until now as the F-22 wasn't dependent on longer range AAM due to its VLO;
3)The data link upgrade I believe is the addition of mode 5 to Link 16 to allow transmit of data to other 4th gen platforms as it was previously limited to receive only and voice com.

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Brumby said:

The EPAWSS program was never cancelled just that at one stage upgrade scope was removed from the F-15C but the upgrade to the F-15E went forward. More recently, the USAF put back on the upgrade for the F-15C. The upgrade in my view is crucial because the present EW suite is seriously outdated as it is entirely analog. EPAWSS is state of the art all digital integrated EW suite.

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Viktor Jav said:

What is perhaps more surprising is how long it took for the USAF to finally take the decision to upgrade it's existing fighters with technologies that have existed for nearly a decade. Prior to this I thought that the newest of the F-16s came with AESA radar and that the F-15 to have comprehensive ECM installed already.

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Brumby said:

I think is just the general conviction level between the militaries as to the effectiveness of 4th gen platforms. In order for 4th gen to remain relevant there is a need to have electronic warfare support and or electronic upgrade. The USN has the Growler and the NGJ. The USAF is upgrading the F-15C with EPAWSS and the F-16 with the APG-83.

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Air Force Brat said:

Stealth Mafia?? feeling a little paranoid here Bub? Russia and China line their coast with anti aircraft missiles, so if we intend to operate there, we need an L/O aircraft.

The US does NOT line our coasts or our territories with anti aircraft missiles, US air travel is far safer because of that.

The US operates a global fighter fleet, with tankers and support everywhere we wish to operate! China and Russia do not have that reach....

so facts of life dictate what you operate and where, 5th Gens are the future, as of yet there is not 6th Gen capability to that would set an aircraft apart from current 5th Gens.

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Kongsberg's US subsidiary Hydroid has been awarded a USD 15.8 million indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for the US Navy Mk 18 family of Unmanned Underwater Vehicle systems, the Norwegian defense group stated on August 8.

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Hensoldt has successfully installed the first two of its TRS-4D naval radars aboard the U.S. Navy’s “Freedom” Variant Littoral Combat Ships (LCS), the company announced on August 22.

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USNS Puerto Rico (EPF 11), successfully completed the first integrated sea trials for an Expeditionary Fast Transport (EPF) ship Aug. 22. The ship returned to the Austal USA shipyard following two days underway in the Gulf of Mexico.

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General Dynamics NASSCO, a subsidiary of General Dynamics, was awarded a contract by the U.S. Navy
worth up to $1.6 billion for the construction of the sixth and seventh ships of the Expeditionary Sea Base (ESB) program, as well as an option for ESB 8.

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The first cut of metal for the future USNS Apalachicola (T-EPF 13) took place on August 19, 2019 at the Austal USA shipyard in Mobile, Alabama.

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