Category Archives: Anti-Surface

Precision Guided 70mm Rockets–APKWS and LOGIR, Poniard Low-Cost Guided Imaging Rocket

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Couach 2200FPB Fast Patrol Boat. 12 being built for Royal Saudi Navy, armed with multiple rocket launchers by LIG Nex1 fitted at the stern.

Lately I have been seeing a lot of news about various developments related to guided 70mm (2.75 inch) rockets, particularly since an APKWS took down a cruise missile less than two weeks ago.

I probably don’t need to say this again, but I think these are extremely appropriate weapons for the Coast Guard because of their light weight, minimum training and maintenance requirements, low cost, and their range, accuracy, and effectiveness against the range of threats the Coast Guard is most likely to encounter from small drones to merchant ships.

The CUSV seen in the video and below is only 12 meters, 39′ in length.

Textron USV fitted with LIG Next1’s Poniard guided rocket. Textron photo.

South Korean Guided Rocket Test-Fired from USV at RIMPAC 2024

LIG Nex1’s K-LOGIR / Poniard guided rocket successfully finished a Foreign Comparative Testing (FCT) during RIMPAC 2024.

“A launch system for the 2.75-inch guided rocket was developed to be mounted on ships. Currently, it is installed on the Royal Saudi Navy’s 2200 Fast Patrol Boat (FPB) and HSI-32 interceptors, The UAE Navy new Gowind corvettes and is planned to be installed on the UAE Navy’s Falaj 3-class OPV.

Installing LIG Nex1’s Poniard launcher on Textron’s CUSV for the live fire test during RIMPAC. (ROK Navy Photo)

Infrared Seeker For APKWS Guided Rockets Is In The Works

“Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System II, better known simply as APKWS, is slated to be demonstrated with a passive infrared seeker. The news came in the 2025 Marine Aviation Plan, which states that “Additional demonstrations are also in [the] work[s] with the Army and Air Force to determine [the] feasibility of adding additional guidance methods to the APKWS family, including passive infrared seekers.”

“While little is known about this initiative, such a capability could potentially offer a far cheaper solution with independent targeting capabilities compared to existing missiles, while also increasing magazine depth on certain platforms dramatically.”

OKSI Awarded USSOCOM and AFRL Contracts for Precision Guidance Seeker for Munitions

“July 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — OKSI has been awarded multiple contracts totaling nearly $6 million from USSOCOM and the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) for their ARMGDN seeker. ARMGDN is a capability enhancement to BAE Systems’ APKWS® laser-guidance kit, providing passive target acquisition and tracking for precision engagements. APKWS is a guidance kit for the 2.75 inch Hydra-70 rocket. Together, the APKWS with OKSI’s ARMDGN seeker will facilitate rapid engagements of multiple air or ground targets via ripple fire of multiple precision- guided rockets in rapid succession.”

U.S. F-16 Fighters Shot Down Drones with Laser-Guided Rockets in Combat

“The U.S. Navy also announced in late 2023 that it was about to deliver a new proximity-fused warhead for APKWS II rockets, optimized for use against drones, albeit developed ostensibly for the surface-to-air role. However, further developing an air-to-air capability out of these older rockets is another impressive feat for the U.S. Air Force, that has now the possibility to engage targets at a very small fraction of the cost of other existing missiles.”

Marines to give air-to-ground missile new counter-drone capabilities

“APKWS II continues to provide a reliable, high-capacity precision guided munition for both the rotary wing and fixed wing communities. The program has now completely transitioned to the Single Variant Block Upgrade (SVBU) that will enable the same guidance unit to be used for any platform, as well as increasing the overall employment envelope. To improve performance against UAS, certification of a suitable proximity fuse is in work for fielding to the fleet with current guidance and warhead combinations. Additional demonstrations are also in work with the Army and Air Force to determine feasibility of adding additional guidance methods to the APKWS family, including passive infrared seekers,” officials wrote.

“MQ-9B SeaGuardian Showcased at RIMPAC 2024” –News Release

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An MQ-9 Sea Guardian unmanned maritime surveillance aircraft system flies over the Pacific Ocean during U.S. Pacific Fleet’s Unmanned Systems Integrated Battle Problem (UxS IBP) 21, April 21. UxS IBP 21 integrates manned and unmanned capabilities into challenging operational scenarios to generate warfighting advantages. US Navy Photo

The Coast Guard has an unfilled requirement for a shore based Uncrewed Air System (UAS) to provide Maritime Domain Awareness.

Below is a news release from General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc.

Reading the news release, I see the system incorporated an “integrated Minotaur Mission System.” Minotaur is a system currently being installed on all Coast Guard fixed wing search aircraft as well as US Navy and Marine Corps platforms. It went on to say “For RIMPAC, the MQ-9B effectively passed ISR&T (Intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, and targeting–Chuck) information to various surface and air units, such as the Nimitz-class carrier USS Carl Vinson, Guided Missile Destroyers (DDGs), Littoral Combat Ships (LCS), frigates, patrol boats, P-8s, P-3s, and numerous other U.S. and foreign units that took part in the exercise.” Could that have included Midgett and her task force? The use of the MQ-9B to drop sonobuoys for the task force and their embarked ASW helicopters would have been an interesting experiment.

GA-ASI’s MQ-9B SeaGuardian® Showcased at RIMPAC 2024

Sonobuoy Dispensing System and LRASM Among the New Capabilities Featured

SAN DIEGO – 14 August 2024 – With the completion of the U.S. Navy’s Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) flight operations on July 28, 2024, the MQ-9B SeaGuardian® Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) supplied by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc., self-deployed back to its home base in El Mirage, Calif., but only after introducing an array of new capabilities. The flight home followed close to 100 flight hours supporting RIMPAC 2024 over the four-week exercise in and around the Hawaiian Islands.

RIMPAC is the world’s largest international maritime exercise. RIMPAC 2024 featured 29 nations, 40 surface ships, three submarines, 14 national land forces, more than 150 aircraft, and 25,000 personnel.

SeaGuardian provided real-time Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) data feeds to the U.S. Pacific Fleet Command Center using Signals Intelligence (SIGINT) parametrics and full-motion video to the watch floor and intelligence centers for real-time dynamic tasking — just as it did for the RIMPAC 2022 exercise. This year, SeaGuardian delivered some new features and capabilities, including Long Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM) targeting and a new Sonobuoy Dispensing System (SDS) to support its Anti-Submarine Warfare capability. SeaGuardian was configured with a prototype SDS pod capable of deploying 10 A-size sonobuoys per pod (SeaGuardian can carry up to four SDS pods or up to 40 sonobuoys) and the SeaVue Multi-role radar from Raytheon, an RTX business. Upon dispensing, the sonobuoys were successfully monitored and controlled by the SeaGuardian’s onboard Sonobuoy Monitoring and Control System (SMCS).

SeaGuardian is a maritime derivative of the MQ-9B SkyGuardian® and remains the first UAS that offers multi-domain Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance, and Targeting (ISR&T) as an internal payload that can search the ocean’s surface and depths in support of Fleet Operations. At RIMPAC 2024, SeaGuardian showcased all operational payloads, which includes the SeaVue, SNC’s Electronic Support Measures (ESM) solution, an Automatic Identification System (AIS), and a self-contained Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) system.

SeaGuardian’s multi-domain capabilities allow it to flex from mission to mission and pass real-time sensor data directly to the Fleet. For RIMPAC 2024, SeaGuardian added Link 16 Joint Range Extension Application Protocol (JREAP) “C” (internet protocol) and an integrated Minotaur Mission System to provide real-time sensor data for the various Maritime Operations Centers, ships, and aircraft with Minotaur nodes.

“For RIMPAC, the MQ-9B effectively passed ISR&T information to various surface and air units, such as the Nimitz-class carrier USS Carl Vinson, Guided Missile Destroyers (DDGs), Littoral Combat Ships (LCS), frigates, patrol boats, P-8s, P-3s, and numerous other U.S. and foreign units that took part in the exercise,” said GA-ASI President David R. Alexander.

On July 31, 2024, SeaGuardian self-deployed back to GA-ASI’s Desert Horizon Flight Operations Facility in El Mirage, Calif.

About GA-ASI

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI), an affiliate of General Atomics, is a leading designer and manufacturer of proven, reliable RPA systems, radars, and electro-optic and related mission systems, including the Predator® RPA series and the Lynx® Multi-mode Radar. With more than eight million flight hours, GA-ASI provides long-endurance, mission-capable aircraft with integrated sensor and data link systems required to deliver persistent situational awareness. The company also produces a variety of sensor control/image analysis software, offers pilot training and support services, and develops meta-material antennas.

For more information, visit www.ga-asi.com     

Avenger, Lynx, Predator, SeaGuardian, and SkyGuardian are registered trademarks of General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc.

ga-asi  Aug 14, 2024

 

Sweden Selecting New Family of Weapons for Small Craft

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Swedish Combat Boat 90 (CB 90) in the port of Gothenburg. Photo by Arco Ardon

Naval News reports,

The Swedish modernization of their coastal troops is continuing, with the formal call for tenders for a new surface-to-surface anti-ship missile. The new weapon will receive the formal designation RBS 18, and unlike the current man-portable Hellfire-missile system used in the short-range anti-ship role by the Swedish marines will be mounted aboard the CB 90 combat boat.

Defense News reports,

“Sweden plans to acquire anti-aircraft guns for its fast-assault boats to counter drones and helicopters…”

Defense Industry Europe reports,

“FMV (Försvarets materielverk), the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration, announced the signing of a contract for the delivery of mortar-armed boats as part of the Amfbat 2030 programme.”

The Mortar equipped assault craft appears to be a resurrection of the previously cancelled Combat Boat 2010 program. The associated Patria 120mmAdvanced Mortar System could also be used in a direct fire mode.

The Amphibious Battalion operates between sea and land with the overall task of preventing enemy amphibious assaults. With the new maritime artillery, the fire controller on, for example, a Combat Boat 90 HSM can provide target data to the firing platform, enabling the firing of grenades at a high rate of fire while advancing, for indirect engagement of various types of ground targets. Image: FMV.

What we are seeing is a comprehensive overhaul of Sweden’s approach to littoral combat for their Amphibious Battalions (Amfibiebataljonen) of the Swedish Armed Forces from Stockholm and Gothenburg, assigned with defending the coastline, including numerous islands, against potential amphibious assaults.

While the mortars will be mounted on new construction boats, the new air defense and anti-ship missile systems will be mounted on existing CB90 (combat boat) assault craft.

The CB90 is a very popular product, used by at least nine different nations including the US, UK, and Ukraine. The Russian Navy even has what appears to be unlicensed copies of the craft. Mexico’s eight ship Oaxaca class Offshore Patrol Vessels carry a CB-90 HMN Patrol Interceptor in their well deck.

The CB90 displaces 23 tons and is 52 feet long with a 12.5 foot beam. 

If a weapon system fits on a CB90 it will certainly fit on any of the US Coast Guard’s patrol boats and larger cutters. 

In all probability the AAW weapon system will include a 30mm chain gun. Short range AAW missiles are possible. Perhaps the APKWS.

The anti-ship missile may be something entirely new. The closest to the description I know of, other than the MARTE MK2/N mentioned in the article, is the Spike NLOS.