Chuck Hill's CG Blog

Chuck Hill's CG Blog

Category Archives: Weapons

APKWS for Counter Drone

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At about $30,000 each APKWS is a low-cost way to provide a precision counter to a number of threats.

We have already seen reports of the 70mm APKWS guided rocket being used against relatively small Class 2 unmanned aerial systems.

A close-up of the modified CROWS II, a small remote weapons system mount, fitted with the LAND-LGR4 launcher and the added sensor or other system (silver/gray rather than tan). US Army

Here we have a better picture of how the system might be deployed on the PATFORSWA Webber class patrol craft.

The PATFORSWA cutters already have the air search/detection or “hunter” part of a C-UAS system. Reportedly their Mk38 systems have been upgraded to 30mm capable of firing airburst munitions that can provide close in UAS kill capability. Adding a CROWS II RWS with LAND-LGR4 launcher and a laser designator mounted on the O-1 deck, above and behind the Mk38, would allow them to begin engaging UAS and other threats at triple the effective range of the 30mm.

“Exercise Digital Talon Advances Unmanned Lethality at Sea” –U.S. Naval Forces Central Command

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Below is a US Naval Forces Central Command news release that included the video above.

While the Unmanned Surface Vessel was identified as a MARTAC T38 Devil Ray USV, the weapon was not identified. I think we can be pretty the “Lethal Miniature Aerial Missile System” was the AeroVironment Switchblade 300 launched from their Multipack Launcher (MPL).

The Drive has a more extensive report, “Switchblade Kamikaze Drone-Armed Uncrewed Fast Boat Tested.”

I have suggested this weapon would be almost ideal for the Coast Guard, should they need to stop a terrorist attack using a small, fast, highly maneuverable boat.

As a counter such an attack, this weapon is far better than a 7.62mm or .50 caliber machine gun. 

  • It has a range of up to 20km so it could engage a target far earlier than a machine gun and from outside the effective range of hostile small arms fire.
  • With a sprint speed of 100 mph (87 knots) it can cover the 2200 yards nominal effective range of the .50 caliber in about 45 seconds.
  • It has demonstrated a high probability of a first round hit on target.
  • It has a man in the loop function so it can be aborted if necessary.
  • There is little danger of collateral damage compared to firing multiple bursts from a crew served machine gun mounted on a bouncing highspeed boat.

MANAMA, Bahrain –November 02, 2023

U.S. Naval Forces Central Command (NAVCENT) is advancing lethality and the combat capabilities of unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) during live weapons firing exercises in the international waters surrounding the Arabian Peninsula, Oct. 23.

The firing exercises were conducted as part of Exercise Digital Talon and constituted the first use of lethal munitions from USVs in the Middle East region.

During the exercise, NAVCENT’s Task Force 59, the Navy’s first Unmanned and Artificial Intelligence Task Force, demonstrated the ability of unmanned platforms to pair with traditionally crewed ships in “manned-unmanned teaming” to identify and target simulated hostile forces at sea. The hostile forces were represented through the use of a target boat. Then, using live munitions launched from another unmanned platform, NAVCENT forces engaged and destroyed the targets.

During multiple firing events, a MARTAC T38 Devil Ray USV, equipped with a Lethal Miniature Aerial Missile System, successfully scored direct hits each time. A human operator ashore at Task Force 59’s Robotics Operations Center made the engagement decisions.

Digital Talon was coordinated with and supported by Commander, Special Operations Forces Central Command.

This exercise is the second time in as many months the U.S. Navy has successfully demonstrated advanced unmanned capabilities in the region, according to Vice Adm. Brad Cooper, NAVCENT commander. In September, unmanned underwater surface and aerial vehicles were able to track Iranian Navy and Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy ships and small boats over several days during routine patrols in and around the Strait of Hormuz.

“We are focused on the operational application of new, cutting-edge unmanned systems and artificial intelligence technologies. Last month, we integrated 12 different unmanned platforms with manned ships for ‘manned-unmanned teaming’ operations to conduct enhanced maritime security operations in the waters surrounding the Arabian Peninsula,” he said. “During Digital Talon, we took a significant step forward and advanced our capability to the ‘next level’ beyond just maritime domain awareness, which has been a traditional focus with Task Force 59. We have proven these unmanned platforms can enhance fleet lethality. In doing so, we are strengthening regional maritime security and enhancing deterrence against malign activity.”

Looking ahead, Cooper said, he expects to see the progress expand in scale and impact, including future exercises expanding the arsenal of combat-capable unmanned systems.

“I’m excited about the direction we’re headed,” he said.

U.S. Naval Forces Central Command/U.S. 5th Fleet’s area of operations encompasses about 2.5 million square miles of water area and includes the Arabian Gulf, Red Sea, Gulf of Oman, Gulf of Aden, Arabian Sea and parts of the Indian Ocean. This expanse, comprising 21 nations, includes three critical choke points at the Strait of Hormuz, the Suez Canal and the Strait of Bab al Mandeb.

PATFORSWA has sophisticated gun sight on .50 cal.

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I ran across the photo above on the PATFORSWA Facebook page. (The photo was posted in Oct. 2022.) For some time, I have been advocating for improvements over our existing crew served .50 caliber mounts, if not outright replacement, then at least better protection and greater accuracy. When I saw this photo, I was pleased to see this more sophisticated gun sight. I believe this is the sight I did a 2017 post about. The post was in reference to a report from Defense News. There is a night vision version of this sight.

I don’t have any knowledge about the extent of the use of this sight. It may have been a one-of-a-kind evaluation, but I found it encouraging. It is perhaps, something to look for. Would not hurt if these became standard on all cutters.

Late addition:

Screen grab. Flexrotor launching from USCGC Emlen Tunnell (WPC 1145). Also note the sight on the M2 .50 caliber machine gun mounts.

 

“US Navy LCS Successfully Fires SM-6 From MK 70 Payload Delivery System” –Naval News

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“USS Savannah (LCS 28) conducts a live-fire demonstration in the Eastern Pacific Ocean utilizing a containerized launching system that fired an SM-6 missile from the ship at a designated target. The exercise demonstrated the modularity and lethality of Littoral Combat Ships and the ability to successfully integrate a containerized weapons system to engage a surface target. The exercise will inform continued testing, evaluation and integration of containerized weapons systems on afloat platforms.” (I note this LCS, unlike Coast Guard cutters, has ballistic protection for the crews of its .50 caliber machine guns)

Naval News reports,

US Navy Littoral Combat Ship USS Savannah (LCS 28) successfully launched an SM-6 missile from a MK 70 Mod 1 Payload Delivery System placed on the ship’s helicopter deck.

This is significant for the Coast Guard, in that this could just as easily been a cutter. In fact, in some respects the cutters are better equipped than the LCS. It could give Coast Guard cutters a wartime role that would not require a lengthy refit in the yard, assuming the Navy could provide the expertise to augment the cutter’s crew with the necessary expertise.

There are other considerations that might be limiting, but the flight decks on the National Security Cutters are 50 by 80 feet and those of the Offshore Patrol Cutters will be a similar size, so there is sufficient deck space to host several 40x8x8 foot Mk70 containers, each with four cells each of which can contain up to four missiles (ESSM and possibly others).

In this particular exercise, an SM-6 was used against a surface target. The SM-6 was originally intended to be used for long range anti-air warfare (AAW) including terminal phase ballistic missile defense. but it also has a proven capability against surface targets, including an anti-ship capability.

The Mk70 can launch any of the weapons that can be launched from Mk41 vertical launch systems, meaning they can be used against ships, aircraft, submerged submarines, or targets on land.

The system could certainly be used on cutters acting alone to attack fixed facilities ashore. Already installed sensors might permit short range use against ships and aircraft.

But perhaps more importantly, there is concern for the depth of magazines on Aegis combatants and the difficulty of underway rearming. Cooperative Engagement Capability would allow missiles mounted in Mk70 launchers on cutters and/or other vessels to be launched by Aegis capable combatants against any threat they can target. This would allow relatively unsophisticated ships armed with the Mk70 systems to serve as offboard magazines for the Aegis combatants. 

The Australians might also be looking at this for the Arafura class Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs) as well. In fact, it could be applied to virtually any allied OPV or ship with a flight deck more than 40 feet in length.

“First on CNN: US Navy warship near Yemen intercepts multiple missiles, US officials say”

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USS Carney (DDG-64

CNN repoorts (one of several such reports):

Pentagon press secretary Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder confirmed that the USS Carney shot down three land attack missiles as well as several drones that were launched by Iran-backed Houthi forces in Yemen.

Presumably this refers to land based anti-ship cruise missiles.

USS Carney (DDG-64) is a Flight I Burke class guided missile destroyer. In 2016 Carney completed an upgrade with a SeaRAM rolling airframe missile launcher replacing her after Phalanx CIWS.

Reportedly Carney brought down three cruise missiles and 8 drones. Other reporting suggests Carney was in company with USS Bataan (LHD-5) which may have been the intended target.

This incident occurred in the Red Sea. PATFORSWA cutters also operate in this area.

UPDATE:

Military Times reports,

“We cannot say for certain what these missiles and drones were targeting, but they were launched from Yemen heading north along the Red Sea, potentially towards targets in Israel,” Ryder said in a Pentagon briefing. A U.S. official said they do not believe the missiles were aimed at the ship. That official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss military operations that had not yet been announced.

Israeli Sa’ar 6 Corvette Conducts Shore Bombardment

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The C-Dome air defense system mounted on Sa’ar 6 corvette includes a 40-round canister located at the front deck and loaded with vertically-launched Tamir surface-to-air missiles for 360-degree coverage. (Picture source NavalAnalyses.com)

Naval Technology reports that Israel had employed at least one newly commissioned Sa’ar 6 corvette to conduct shore bombardment with its 76mm gun.  We discussed this class earlier here, “Perhaps the Most Well Armed Cutter Sized Corvette in the World.”

Also found this video, which looks more like it was done by a 25mm (except the last 22 seconds), with some secondary explosions.

“Israel Navy takes out Hamas terrorists with grenades and machine guns after sinking boat” –Video

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Felt I had to pass along this video, taken from what looks a lot like a Response Boat, Small. The accompanying narrative,

“An Israeli Navy patrol eliminates Hamas terrorists whose boat has been destroyed in this footage from the October 7 attacks. Soldiers from the Snapir harbour security unit throw grenades and open fire at Hamas fighters as they swim towards Zikim beach. Dvora class patrol boats had destroyed the terrorists’ inflatable boats. Several Hamas fighters made it to shore at Zikim and attacked a military training base and a Kibbutz. More than 1,000 Israelis died in the attacks.”

I would point out that following the Battle of the Bismarck Sea in March 1943, when US Army Air Corps and Allied aircraft sank eight loaded Japanese transports and four of their escorting destroyers, US Navy PT boats had a similar unpleasant task, killing the survivors in the water, rafts, and lifeboats so that they could not make it to Lae, a nearby island and their original intended destination, and continue the fight.

During the Vietnam War concussion grenades were also commonly used against combat swimmers.

There was also this video, apparently taken through the sighting system of a Remote Weapon Station, probably very similar to the Mk38 Mod2/3. This seems to be related to the incident in the video above.

The accompanying Narrative,

“On July 8, five Hamas terrorists infiltrated Israel from the sea near Zikim in order to carry out an attack. The IDF neutralized the terrorists through a combined effort of the ground, air and naval forces. This footage shows the Israel Navy targeting one of the terrorists on the beach.”

Greek Island Class Cutters to be Armed With Lionfish 20mm Remote Weapon Station

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LIONFISH 20 RWS (Leonardo image)

Two separate reports from Naval News (here and here) that four Island class cutters being transferred to the Greek Navy will be equipped with the Leonardo Lionfish 20mm Remote Weapon Station.

The weapon has a reported rate of fire of up to 1000 rounds per minute with 250 rounds on the mount, and an effective range of at least 2000 meters.

Unlike the Mk38 Mod2/3/4 mounts, traversing the electro-optics also requires training the gun.

“Northrop Grumman to Develop New Guided Ammunition for the US Navy” (57mm) –News Release

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Test firing of the 57mm Bofors aboard USCGC Bertholf, photo by MMagaro

Below is a news release from Northrop Grumman. I have to ask what is going on? The L3 developed 57MM MK 332 Mod 0 (ALaMO) guided round, meant to address the same type targets the Northrop Grumman news release talks about, is already in service and available for export. Additionally, Raytheon was developing MAD-FIRES as a guided round to engage the more difficult cruise missile threat. I still have not heard anything that would indicate MAD-FIRES is in service.

Is this Northrop Grumman round cheaper? More capable? Or is the Navy just diversifying sources? The news release below does claim, “Utilizing seekers and an aft-maneuver system, the round provides continuous trajectory guidance no matter how often the target may pivot.“ (emphasis applied) That might be a difference.

My last post on ALaMO here.

(The 57mm Mk110 is mounted on both types of LCS, the National Security Cutters and will be mounted on the Offshore Patrol Cutters and the Navy’s new frigate)

PLYMOUTH, Minn. – Oct. 4, 2023 – The U.S. Navy has awarded Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) a development contract for the company’s newly designed 57mm guided high explosive ammunition. Designated for use with the Mk110 Naval Gun Mount, the company will test and mature the munition for qualification.

The 57mm guided high explosive ammunition has the unique ability to continuously maneuver in-flight as it moves toward a designated target. Designed to defend against fast moving surface threats, drones and swarming threats, the guided 57mm ammunition features an on-board seeker to acquire moving targets and a fuze with the ability to self-select for either proximity or point-detonation mode to best engage and defeat the intended target.

“Our new 57mm guided ammunition is truly innovative in its ability to identify, track and guide itself to a target,” said Dave Fine, vice president, armament systems, Northrop Grumman. “The Navy will gain a greater capability to defend against moving threats and a new level of accuracy to defeat them.”

As the newest addition to Northrop Grumman’s advanced ammunition portfolio, the 57mm round leverages the company’s expertise in guided munitions, such as the Precision Guidance Kit. Utilizing seekers and an aft-maneuver system, the round provides continuous trajectory guidance no matter how often the target may pivot. This new guided ammunition will give the Navy greater stand-off range and a cost-effective solution against small, fast-moving threats, without any weapon system modifications.

Northrop Grumman is a leading global aerospace and defense technology company. Our pioneering solutions equip our customers with the capabilities they need to connect and protect the world, and push the boundaries of human exploration across the universe. Driven by a shared purpose to solve our customers’ toughest problems, our 98,000 employees define possible every day.

“MSI Defence Systems to supply MK 48 Mod 2 EOS to US Navy & US Coast Guard” –Navy Recognition

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MK48 Mod2 EOS MSI-DS Electro-Optical Sight System. (Picture source: MSI Defence Systems)

Navy Recognition reports,

According to information published by the US DoD on September 29, 2023, MSI-Defence Systems has been granted a contract worth $29,263,267 for the supply of the MK 48 Mod 2 Electro-Optical Sight (EOS).

This electro-optic system is associated with the 30mm Mk38 Mod4 gun weapon system.

30mm Mk38 Mod4

As far as we know, the first Coast Guard ships to get the Mk38 Mod 4 will be the Polar Security Cutters. I am hoping we will see the weapon on some of the Offshore Patrol Cutters.

I found it interesting that this contract provides not only for the Navy and Coast Guard but also the Military Sealift Command, because, currently, none of their ships have installed weapon systems.

“This initiative is in line with the enhancement of the MK 38 Mod 4 Machine Gun System, which will benefit the Navy, Coast Guard, and Military Sealift Command.”