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U.S. Navy Releases Video to Illustrate the Surface Force Distributed Lethality Concept
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While I knew of the plan to fit missiles on LPDs, VLS on oilers is news to me

yeah can somebody explain to me the targeting by, and damage control of, this "striker":
gl5zV.jpg

?​
 

Brumby

Major
yeah can somebody explain to me the targeting by, and damage control of, this "striker":
gl5zV.jpg

?​
Actually there are a bunch of issues that surface immediately. The most obvious is who has command and control over these strike assets? Distribution and control normally do not sit well in the same sentence. How does the decision tree works under this new concept?
 

SamuraiBlue

Captain
I believe the control of missiles on transport and other non-combatant vessels are remotely controlled via satellite up-links to a command flag ship within the strike group.
These days everything is interlinked with one another so it could work if communication is kept up within the whole fleet.
 
Actually there are a bunch of issues that surface immediately. The most obvious is who has command and control over these strike assets? Distribution and control normally do not sit well in the same sentence. How does the decision tree works under this new concept?
I believe the control of missiles on transport and other non-combatant vessels are remotely controlled via satellite up-links to a command flag ship within the strike group.
These days everything is interlinked with one another so it could work if communication is kept up within the whole fleet.
I post a recent article which might be related to what you guys said (when I saw the armed tanker though, I could think just of Hilfskreuzer LOL!):

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In
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, the first clash of arms will be a clash of electrons. If you don’t win
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, you can’t win the visible
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.

Before warships can concentrate their fire on the enemy, they first must
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. Before they can fire at long range at all, they have to communicate with forward scouts — other ships,
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,
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,
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— who can transmit detailed targeting data on enemies beyond the reach of a warship’s onboard radar, typically just 10 nautical miles. (That’s against other ships, which can hide below the horizon: High-flying aircraft and ballistic missiles are detectable hundreds of miles away).

To make the most of all their warships, leaders of the surface Navy have been pushing a concept called “
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,” summed up as, “
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.” Instead of tying surface combatants — cruisers, destroyers, frigates, and
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— to escort duties for aircraft carriers, amphibious warships, and support ships, distributed lethality would send them forward in small Surface Action Groups. The warships would disperse to avoid detection but concentrate their long-range missile barrages on a single target.

Instead of just tracking
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, the adversary would have to worry about every missile-armed warship in the fleet. The director of surface warfare,
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, told the
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that the goal is to “make them wonder where that next missile’s coming from. Make them wonder where those damn Americans are today and how many of them are going to hit us from how many different directions.”

The problem is there’s no guarantee the “distributed” forces can communicate when they need to share targeting data or coordinate attacks. No less a figure than the Pentagon’s then-chief of research and engineering,
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, said in 2014 that “
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.” It’s the spectrum where radio communications and radar detection both operate — as do the myriad
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that detect, deceive, and disrupt them.

“It’s a huge priority,”
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told me. “It’s not just the Pentagon that’s concerned about losing our advantage [in electronic warfare],” the House seapower subcommittee chairman continued. “If you talk to some of the top CEOs at some of our defense contractors, they would take it a step further and say we’ve lost our advantage and now we’re playing catch-up.”

Telltale Emissions

So naval leaders and experts are increasingly concerned that
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will be able to detect US forces and then strike them blind and deaf before striking them dead.

“Ships emitting very high-power, unique RF (radio frequency) waveforms that also have significant visual, infrared, and radar signatures — both the ships themselves and their wakes — will be increasingly susceptible to being located, tracked, and attacked from extended range,” former Navy undersecretary
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told me. “Over the long run, at a minimum, this suggests a need to move toward less detectable means of sensing and communication.” One model is the “
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” concept advocated by his colleagues at the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments, Bryan Clark and Robert Gunzinger. (More on that below.)

Today, we transmit at high power all the time. Since the Cold War ended, US forces have grown accustomed to communicating, sensing, and transmitting at will, unhindered, without regard for who might be listening. But
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,
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, and other potential adversaries are exploiting rapid advances in processing power, sometimes more quickly than the
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can. Meanwhile, the Navy is only now reviving its electronic warfare expertise (and the other services are much further behind), a revival embodied in a 2014 document on
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.

“Distributed lethality depends on electromagnetic maneuver warfare,” says Jonathan Solomon, senior systems and technology analyst at
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, where he works on Navy surface warfare systems. “The initial phases of a distributed lethality operation will heavily leverage cyber/electronic warfare.”

The two concepts are definitely linked, according to
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, head of Fleet Forces Command. The Navy’s great advantage is its ability to network information from satellites, manned reconnaissance aircraft, drones, and ships to create improved situational awareness (SA), he told the Surface Navy Association: “We’ve got to be able to distribute that tactical SA. We’ve got to be able to defend the networks that distribute that.”

But can we defend the networks? “You raise a very good point about potential C3 [command, control, and communications] network vulnerability with the distributed lethality concept,” Martinage told me. “Adversaries are clearly developing and fielding jammers designed to target key datalinks relied upon by the fleet, as well as anti-radiation homing weapons that target the emitters themselves.” There’s also the possibility of
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, using the fleets’ own radio transmissions as cover for a cyber attack.

Navy leaders know they have a problem. The goal of distributed lethality is to “deceive, target, and destroy” the enemy,
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, commander of naval surface forces, said at the Surface Navy Association conference. Note the emphasis on deception, which means especially electronic deception: decoys that emit all the telltale signals of a full-size warship, for example, while the actual warships turn off all unnecessary electronics and operate under strict “emissions control,” or EMCON. And, said Rowden, the Navy is looking to find ways to transmit targeting data from ship to ship even when under EMCON.

We have capability gaps — shortfalls — in all those areas, I noted during the Q&A.

“Absolutely, we have gaps,” Rowden agreed.
...
... goes on in the source (size-limit reached):
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Brumby

Major
I believe the control of missiles on transport and other non-combatant vessels are remotely controlled via satellite up-links to a command flag ship within the strike group.
These days everything is interlinked with one another so it could work if communication is kept up within the whole fleet.

I don't think it is denominated simply to communications. Presumably the CWC concept is still relevant and in view of increasing adoption of adaptive force package, the alignment of command and control and how decisions are formed and executed will become increasingly complex with distributed lethality.
upload_2016-1-29_19-44-21.png
 

FORBIN

Lieutenant General
Registered Member
I believe the control of missiles on transport and other non-combatant vessels are remotely controlled via satellite up-links to a command flag ship within the strike group.
These days everything is interlinked with one another so it could work if communication is kept up within the whole fleet.
Yes

Jura, USN have idea armed AA ships, replenishments ships operated networked with MSC which have sensors, radars and would direct, guided the attack.

But according a recent article i have read it is not good idea coz provides an additional task to the detriment of the main, refueling.
If USN had a big number of fast repl ships with TF about 10 this could worck but sadly she go for 0 !
She say expensive to maintain and special repl ships with a big power of 100000 cv in general others US 30/40000 cv for 41000 t andthey are clearly more expensive to build in more the Supply are the more big Supply ships in the world, 49000 t !

And in war time majority of repl ships would be far enough in the back for reason i explain after * and this idea worck good only for attack with Tomahawk up to 1700 km others weapons get a range of max 150 km

*Don' t forget repl ships get a clearly more low speed as combattants 20 kn vs 30+ except Fast only 3 in the world Supply Class and after Type 901, capable 25/26 kn.

So 2 solutions :
TF with her repl ships at more low speed less logic use a TF at his speed but if rapid movement towards the opponent is not required can worck, actually we look only operations in peace time Navies have time but in War time it is completely different.

Or repl ships alone with if possible an enought decent escorts and this is where a big number of LCS well armed is usefull for complete 84 evetually for few years up to 89/90 CG/DDG which can' t be they can not be everywhere, stationed in more secure areas idealy close allied bases and better covered by CAP, in second line.
And need go back with TF which can also a little go towards them but for it to remain effective enough depends distance btw the 2 and in the Pacific the more big Ocean more difficult.

Or remains a solution USN use also close allies repl ships based more close help for number but problematic for ammo few Navies use same weapons and especially CVN carry different especially Air lauched Harpoon, SLAM-ER, some bombs then difficult but no problem for fuel.
Same problem for ports only some can refuel all logistic to ships.

Supply ships are prime targets also without them, destroyed, a TF need go to port which can take much time.
 
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la-na-nn-missile-defense-20150403-004
LOL I think in the past here I kinda criticized "A Raytheon-made Sea-Based X-band radar" mentioned below:
Homeland Missile Defense System Successful in Non-Intercept Flight Test
The Ground-based Midcourse Defense System completed a successful non-intercept flight test designed to evaluate the performance of redesigned thrusters in its interceptor’s kill vehicle, the Missile Defense Agency announced Thursday night.

The agency, along with the US Air Force 30th Space Wing, the Joint Functional Component Command for Integrated Missile Defense and US Northern Command, launched a long-range ground-based interceptor from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, and was able to evaluate alternate divert thrusters in the new version of the GMD’s ground-based interceptor.

The GMD system is designed to protect the homeland from possible ballistic missile threats from North Korea and Iran.

The divert thrusters were redesigned to address fundamental problems experienced in the previous version of the Exoatmospheric Kill Vehicle (EKV) – a key component of the interceptors designed to destroy targets in high-speed collisions after separating from a booster rocket.

The EKV struggled in tests and the acquisition plan for more ground-based interceptors – a total of 44 in California and Alaska – was threatened after interceptor test failures in 2010 and 2013. In the July 2013 test, the kill vehicle failed to separate from the booster rocket. In June 2014, however, the agency notched a successful intercept test, bringing its success record to four of seven tests and saving the program.

During the test Thursday, “a target representing an intermediate-range ballistic missile was air-launched from a US Air Force C-17 aircraft over the broad ocean area west of Hawaii,” MDA described.

An Raytheon-manufactured AN/TPY-2 radar in forward-based mode at the Pacific Missile Range Facility in Hawaii detected the target and sent the tracking information to the battle management system. A Raytheon-made Sea-Based X-band radar, in the ocean northeast of Hawaii also identified and tracked the target.

The GMD system received the tracking data and identified a fire control solution to engage the target. The test also demonstrated technology to discriminate countermeasures carried by the target missile, according to the agency.

When the GBI was launched from Vandenberg, the kill vehicle performed “scripted maneuvers to demonstrate performance of alternate divert thrusters,” the MDA states. “Upon entering terminal phase, the kill vehicle initiated a planned burn sequence to evaluate the alternate divert thrusters until fuel was exhausted, intentionally precluding an intercept.”

Information from the test will be used to increase confidence of future intercept performance, the agency notes.

Aerojet Rocketdyne, the designer and manufacture of the “liquid Divert and Attitude Control System (DACS) on the EKV, said in a statement that the successful test represents three years of “hard work and dedication” on design improvements made at the company’s Los Angeles site.

“On this flight, we validated key design improvements in the divert and attitude control system, demonstrating improved performance, reliability and producibility,” Michael Bright, Aerojet Rocketdyne vice president of missile defense and strategic systems, said in the statement.

Three companies are also in the midst of redesigning the GMD kill vehicle that can take out multiple warheads with a single interceptor, completing their first program planning reviews with the MDA in November, which marked a critical step toward determining key elements of the designs.

Raytheon, Lockheed Martin and Boeing were all awarded $9.7 million contracts in August by the MDA to work on designs.
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Brumby

Major
US, Australia and UK begin Exercise Red Flag 16-1

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The US Air Force (USAF), the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) and the UK Royal Air Force (RAF) are participating in a national air-to-air combat training exercise, code-named Red Flag 16-1, at the Nellis Air Force Base (AFB) in Nevada, US.

Red Flag is a US Pacific Air Forces Command-led large force employment exercise designed to train pilots and other flight crew members from the US, Nato, and other allied countries for real air combat situations.

The 18-day exercise will include aircraft from 24 different USAF squadrons.

Additionally, the RAAF has deployed six F/A-18F Super Hornet twin-engine carrier-based multirole fighter aircraft, six F/A-18 A/B Hornet aircraft and an AP-3C Orion equipped with features to track down and sink enemy submarines using torpedoes and Harpoon anti-ship missiles, and an E-7A Wedgetail AEW&C.

The exercise will see participation of 410 RAAF personnel.

"The 18-day exercise will include aircraft from 24 different USAF squadrons."
Scheduled to conclude on 12 February, Red Flag 16-1 will involve a battle space recreation to enable the air force personnel to display their abilities in a deployed scenario. It is held four times annually.

The exercise is part of a series of advanced training programmes administered at Nellis AFB and on the Nevada Test and Training Range by organisations assigned to the US Air Force Warfare Center.

Divided into two teams, namely Blue Forces and Red Forces, the participants perform counter air, precision strike and offensive air support in packages of up to 100 aircraft during each exercise.
A sizable Australian contingent but disappointing to note no F-35 participation.
 

FORBIN

Lieutenant General
Registered Member
Watch these pretty chicks in action :)

The bad guys, red side, are played by the 65th Agr Sqn with her 24 F-16C block 25/32 and their unusual cammo.

Last year in March was retired the last 7 F-15C used for some month by this Sqn after the 64th Agr Sqn was stand down in 09/2014 had 19 F-15C, 12 others transfered to ANG.
These 7 scrapped now.


The Red Flag exercise is a realistic combat training exercise involving the air forces of the United States, its allies, and coalition partners. Red Flag is conducted on the vast bombing and gunnery ranges of the 2.9M acre Nevada Test and Training Range. It is one of a series of advanced training programs administered by the United States Air Force Warfare Center and executed by the 414th Combat Training Squadron, both located at Nellis AFB.

 

FORBIN

Lieutenant General
Registered Member
16 new P-8A ( FY 2016 ) ordered now 78, 117 planned, 31 delivered the number increases.

WASHINGTON — The Boeing Company received a hefty $2.5 billion contract award from the US Navy to provide that service with 16 more P-8A Poseidon maritime multi-mission aircraft, along with four P-8As for the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), the Pentagon announced Thursday.
...

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