U.S. Army News:

Oh deary, deary me, don't say that this was another profit over function' MIC contract.

Fragile, Vulnerable and Loud: US Army Chief Says $6 Billion Battlefield Communications Network Won’t Survive Combat.

On Thursday, the US Army’s chief of staff told legislators that he isn’t confident that the service’s Warfighter Information Network-Tactical (WIN-T) can withstand the hardships of battle.

A part of the Army’s 2003 Future Combat Systems (FCS) effort, the service attempted to save WIN-T in 2009 after FCS was canceled. The $6 billion program led by General Dynamics Corp was put in place to create secure communication on the battlefield for mobile mounted forces.

During a May 25 Senate Armed Services Committee hearing, Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) told Army Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Milley that he had concerns about WIN-T’s effectiveness. He said, "I have seen credible reports that WIN-T has ineffective line-of-sight communications … It is too fragile to survive in a contested environment and has an electromagnetic signature so loud that it practically would call for enemy artillery on the top of its user’s heads," according to DOD Buzz.

Cotton asked the chief if he had heard similar reports, and Milley replied that he shared his concerns and that he’s leading "a rigorous, thorough and painful review of the entire communications [and] electromagnetic capability of the US Army," including WIN-T.  "Frankly, my concern is these systems may or may not work in the conditions of combat that I envision in the future," he said. "t is fragile and it is vulnerable, so we are taking a very, very deep, hard, wide look."

Milley said that the review should be complete in another four to six weeks, and that he had received correspondence from Congress asking to accelerate the program. "I am not going to accelerate it until I am convinced it will work in combat against the enemies of our country that may be coming in the future," Milley declared.

Along with Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), Cotton said that the Army should make a decision about WIN-T’s future soon, as it has already cost $6 billion over the last decade, saying, "If the program is not working, it doesn’t seem that we should be accelerating more money into it until we can get it to work or find a replacement."  Mcain called the program a "debacle" and bemoaned what he called the Army’s "disastrous acquisition record over the last two decades," according to The Hill.

The Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman added, "This program — I urge my colleagues, if they don't pay any attention to anything I say today — this program has cost the taxpayer over $6 billion, and has yet to meet the requirements of our war fighters. Six billion."

The Army describes WIN-T as the service’s "tactical communications network backbone that enables mission command and secure reliable voice, video and data communications anytime, anywhere. Leveraging both satellite and line-of-sight capabilities for optimum efficiency, effectiveness and operational flexibility, the WIN-T network provides the data ‘pipe’ that other communication and mission command systems need to connect into in order to operate."

https://sputniknews.com/military/201705271054032525-chiefs-doubts-wint-battlefield-capability/

Upgraded ATACMS operational-tactical missile is being prepared for adoption

As the US Army reported, the soldiers of the B missile battery of the 2nd Division of the 20th Army Field Artillery Regiment began training in the use of the modernized tactical missiles Lockheed Martin ATACMS (Army TACtical Missile System), designated M57A1. In the near future, this unit will conduct military "qualification" training and testing launches of M57A1 missiles from the M142 HIMARS rocket launcher combat vehicles at the White Sands missile range (New Mexico). These "qualifying" tests should open the way for the adoption of a modernized missile into service in roughly August-October 2017 and the beginning of the supply of upgraded missiles to the troops.



http://bmpd.livejournal.com/2688966.html

'
Good read:

The American Military, Uncontained



https://warisboring.com/the-american-military-uncontained/

Another American program to create a prospective infantry fighting vehicle

As reported by the US edition of Defense News, the US Army moved to the practical implementation of another attempt to create a prospective infantry fighting vehicle by issuing a $ 700 million contract under the Next-Generation Combat Vehicle (NGCV) program to a consortium led by SAIC Corporation to develop and build two prototype demonstrators of the NGCV 1.0 stage. Manufacture should be made by September 30, 2022, with transfer for tests in 2023.

Possible conceptual image of a prospective infantry fighting vehicle under the Next-Generation Combat Vehicle (NGCV) program of the US Army. An image from the March 2017 official presentation of the NGCV program. The actual appearance of the machine may have little in common with this image (c) Tank Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center (TARDEC)

The SAIC-led concoctium also includes Lockheed Martin, Moog Inc., GS Engineering, Inc., Hodges Transportation Inc. and Roush Industries.

The NGCV program was launched in 2016. It is reported that the requirements of the US Army to NGCV include a crew of two people and a landing force of six. It is assumed that in accordance with the concept of "squad-centric, mounted maneuver concept", the infantry squad will thus be placed on two machines that must interact with each other. The machine should be equipped with a 50-mm automatic cannon in a uninhabited combat module and have an engine with a capacity of 1000 hp. to ensure high mobility. The basis for the protection of the machine should be a complex of active protection.

According to the NGCV work plan announced by the Tank Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center (TARDEC) in the spring of 2107, after two years of testing prototype demonstrators of the NGCV 1.0 stage (2023-2024 fiscal years), a transition to tested prototypes of the NGCV 2.0 stage. In general, the year 2035 has been determined for the possible start of the mass production of NGCV.

Earlier, the US Army tried to determine the appearance of the BMP of the new generation within the programs of Future Combat Systems (FCS, conducted since 1999 and was discontinued in 2008), and then Ground Combat Vehicle (GCV, discontinued in 2014)













https://bmpd.livejournal.com/2896547.html

2nd Cavalry Regiment of the US Army received the first armored vehicle Stryker with a 30-mm gun

Dislocated in Europe (in Filsack, Bavaria, Germany) and the 2nd Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Dragoons, which regularly rides near Russian borders, reported on social networks that on December 8, 2017 received the first wheeled armored vehicle Stryker XM1296 Stryker ICV Dragoon (ICVD), equipped with a combat module with a 30-mm automatic cannon. The machine will be used for military tests before the beginning of the main series deliveries to the 2nd ICVD cavalry regiment, expected from May 2018.



https://bmpd.livejournal.com/2997216.html

From Paladin upgrades to a 1,000-mile cannon, Army artillery aims high — er, farther

WASHINGTON — After two decades of counterinsurgency warfare, the Army is beefing up its investments in artillery, once a core part of America’s ground force. The move is part of the Pentagon’s strategic focus on near-peer adversaries Russia and China.

The Association of the U.S. Army’s annual meeting this week takes place as America’s land force is engaged in a multipronged effort that includes an upgrade to the armored and fully tracked M109A6 Paladin 155mm howitzer and the development of a “strategic long-range cannon” that shoots 1,000 nautical miles (or 1,852 kilometers), Army officials say.

The powerful Senate Armed Senate Armed Services Committee chairman — Sen. Jim Inhofe, R-Okla., whose state is home to the Army’s artillery school at Fort Sill — is watching.

“I’m concerned that we’re currently behind China and Russia, both in terms of range and rate of fire. During the eight years of [President Barack] Obama, we fell behind. We delayed maintenance and deferred modernization — all while China and Russia were improving their conventional forces and artillery,” Inhofe told Defense News on Oct. 3. “We don’t have the best of everything right now, and I want to make sure we can get the best equipment for our war fighters so they don’t face a situation where they are out-ranged or outgunned.”

Still, the Army “is taking the right steps,” Inhofe said, praising Army Secretary Mark Esper’s testimony last month that artillery is a No. 1 priority; a cross-functional team is being dedicated to long-range precision fires — which provides a focus on the Paladin Integrated Management, or PIM, program.

https://www.defensenews.com/digital-show-dailies/ausa/2018/10/07/from-paladin-upgrades-to-a-1000-mile-cannon-army-artillery-aims-high-er-farther/

A new proposal for the US Army with an 50 mm autocannon

http://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/24114/one-of-these-big-cannon-toting-armored-vehicles-may-replace-the-bradley-fighting-vehicle

Beyond the triumphalist propaganda, US armed forces are carefully taking note of all those aspects where they have been surpassed, like for instance Armata and specifically the outstanding T-15 they are trying to replicate to with this development. Kind of useless since they have no need for such to defend US but at least shows they know what is going on.

Woow two missiles in a pod now only one ATACMS range 500 vs 300 km ( Sputnik do error for ATACMS ) and all Bns with TELs can fired him in more rockets versatile !

Raytheon accelerates DeepStrike missile development
https://www.armyrecognition.com/october_2018_global_defense_security_army_news_industry/raytheon_accelerates_deepstrike_missile_development.html

Labrador wrote:Woow two missiles in a pod now only one ATACMS range 500 vs 300 km ( Sputnik do error for ATACMS ) and all Bns with TELs can fired him in more rockets versatile !

Raytheon accelerates DeepStrike missile development
https://www.armyrecognition.com/october_2018_global_defense_security_army_news_industry/raytheon_accelerates_deepstrike_missile_development.html

So, a less effective Iskander.

Pretty much yes.... a less effective Iskander...

Are the Amis pretending to get ready for a ground war with Russia or what? Only trying to copy existing Russian weapons as of late... only they do not really mean to use them, so it is difficult that these are anything else than half-arsed efforts me thinks...

American 82nd Airborne Division again received armored vehicles

According to the official web portal of the US Army (exposition), the US 82nd Airborne Division again received full-time armored vehicles when the "A" company of 4th battalion of the 68th Tank Regiment was activated in Fort Bragg (A Company, 4th Battalion, 68th Armor Regiment) as part of the 1st Brigade Division. The company received eight LAV-25A2 armored vehicles with a 8x8 wheel formula, transferred from the US Marine Corps.



Thus, the 82nd Airborne Division again regularly received armored vehicles for equipment, which it lost in 1997, and began the revival of the traditions of the 4th Airborne Thunder battalion of the 68th Tank Regiment, which was part of the division from March 1968 to February 1984 and equipped with light tanks M551 Sheridan. In 1984, the battalion was reorganized into the 3rd battalion of the 73rd Tank Regiment (3rd Battalion, 73rd Armor Regiment) of the same division, but in 1997, the M551 tanks were finally removed from service. From this point on, the 82nd Airborne Division did not have full-time armored vehicles, and the 73rd Tank Regiment was re-formed into the 73rd Cavalry Regiment (73rd Cavalry Regiment), which became a purely airborne reconnaissance unit (three squadrons of the regiment were assigned as reconnaissance brigades of the 82nd division).

Eight armored vehicles LAV-25A2 were received by the 82nd division from the US Marine Corps in 2016, but have so far been part of the division overstock, being in the 3rd brigade of the division, where they underwent evaluation tests to study their capabilities in terms of airborne troops. Including in the beginning of 2018, successful tests were carried out on the landing of LAV-25A2 by parachute method on parachute platforms.

The appearance of the Marine LAV-25A2 vehicles was not accidental, since as early as 1990-1991, during the first campaign in the Persian Gulf, the 82nd Division received for temporary use from the marines 14 LAV-25 vehicles, which were then given a good estimate during practical combat use in the division. After this, the proposals on the introduction of armored vehicles of the LAV-25 class or the Stryker into the division were put forward by its commanders and officers more than once, but only in 2016 did they reach implementation. In this case, the Stryker BTRs were rejected because of their large mass and size, affecting the air transport.

American commentators suggest that after the company "A" as part of the 1st brigade of the 82nd division, similar companies on the LAV-25A2 will be formed in two other (2nd and 3rd) brigades of the division. In the longer term, it appears that these activities will serve as the basis for the 82nd airborne division of aero-transportable tanks planned for adoption as part of the Mobile Protected Firepower (MPF) program now launched by the US Army.







https://bmpd.livejournal.com/3395268.html

The US Army chose the Iron Fist Israeli active defense system for installation on Bradley infantry fighting vehicles.

At the first stage, 140 systems will be purchased (for 138 Bradley, brigade kit) with a total value of $ 240 million. Implementation of the program should begin in fiscal year 2020, while the US Army has only 80 million for this project.

This order will be the first contract for Hetz Dorban. Until now, the system was tested and integrated with various platforms (the Griffin III infantry fighting vehicle, the JLTV armored vehicle, the Challenger 2 tank and others), but there were no serial orders.

And one more news of the last days. The US Army has chosen General Dynamics and BAE Systems to build prototypes of a light (up to 30 tons) airborne tank under the program MPF (Mobile Protected Firepower). The choice of the winner will be made in 2022, it is planned to purchase 504 tanks. It is highly likely that KAZ on these tanks will be Israeli: “Hetz Dorban” on BAE machines or “Meil Ruach” on GD machines.


https://bmpd.livejournal.com/3464426.html

US Army intends to increase the number of rocket artillery

According to the Ashley Roque article "US Army Boosting Artillery Launcher Numbers," Jane's Defense Weekly magazine, the US Army intends to increase the number and combat capabilities of its rocket artillery in order to "counter Russian aggression". According to the notifications posted on December 26, 2018 on the US Federal Government Opportunities (FBO) US government procurement website, the US Army intends to issue two contracts to Lockheed Martin - one (for a period of 12 months with options for another four years) to supply an additional 343 combat vehicles The M142 of the HIMARS reactive system, and the other for the repair and upgrading of 385 available M270 / M270A1 combat vehicles of the MLRS reactive system to the level of the new modification M270A2.

A notice to the US Army says that the contract for the repair and modernization of MLRS jet system combat vehicles will extend its service life until 2050.

Earlier in September 2018, the United States Army issued Lockheed Martin a contract worth $ 289 million to supply the next 24 HIMARS M142 combat vehicles by July 2022.

To date, the US Army has received 375 combat vehicles of the M142 HIMARS jet system (of which 363 were in service for 2018), and the US Marine Corps - 45 combat vehicles of the M142. The HIMARS system uses both GMLRS adjustable rockets (range up to 70 km, GMLRS + version - up to 120 km, and ER GMLRS version under test - up to 150 km), and ATACMS tactical missiles (range nominally up to 300 km, in fact, apparently , more). It is assumed to use from the M142 installations also promising missiles with a range of up to 500 km or more.

For 2018, the US Army (including reserve components) retained only 222 MLRS combat vehicles (of 225 previously upgraded) combat vehicles, so the planned repair and upgrade contract for 385 MLRS combat vehicles to M270A2 also indicates an intention to increase again MLRS systems in service (apparently, due to the restoration and modernization of M270 installations from storage). Recall that in time from 1983 to 1991, the US Army received 830 M270 combat vehicles of the MLRS system.

https://bmpd.livejournal.com/3482492.html

Tests of Onyx exoskeletons and unmanned all-terrain vehicles in the 10th Mountain Division of the US Army





https://bmpd.livejournal.com/3486988.html

New US Army Helmet

As the US military website www.military.com reports in Matthew Cox "Army's New Years Offering Greater Protection, Rails for Mounting Lights," the US Army should soon start getting a new IHPS (Integrated Head Protection System) protective helmet designed to 100 percent increased protection against head injuries on the battlefield.







https://bmpd.livejournal.com/3562630.html

The US has been getting 'its ass handed to it' in simulated war games against Russia and China, analysts say

https://taskandpurpose.com/russia-china-war-games

Bullet points here (their words, not mine):

- U.S. stealth fighters die on the runway

- U.S. warships are wiped off the board

- U.S. bases burn

- U.S. networks and systems crumble

They also claim F35 will be invincible in the sky.... hahahaha...

So if the Indian Su-30MKI can stop Pakistani AMRAAMs, can we expect Russian Su-30s and Su-35s to defend themselves from AMRAAMs launched from F-35s?

And so without AMRAAM, the F-35 has sidewinders and a gun right?

How does that make it superior to a MiG-21 with an upgrade and decent modern targeting pod?

Plans for modernization of armored vehicles of the US Army

Immediate plans for the US Army to modernize and improve the main types of available armored vehicles - M1 Abrams tanks, M2/M3 Bradley infantry combat vehicles, Stryker wheeled armored personnel carriers and the acquisition of AMPV tracked armored personnel carriers (based on Bradley) from the presentation of the office of ground combat systems (clickable) .



https://bmpd.livejournal.com/3564135.html

Enhanced Bushmaster III 50mm cannon for a promising infantry fighting vehicle of the US Army

This week, Northrop Grumman, together with the United States Army Research and Development Center (ARDEC), will begin testing the prototype Enhanced Bushmaster III 50 mm cannon. The gun is designed for the future American infantry fighting vehicle Next-Generation Combat Vehicle (NGCV).










https://bmpd.livejournal.com/3600645.html

Perspective American 155-mm self-propelled howitzer received the designation HM1299

 As follows from the open arms presentation of the Arms Center Command for the Development of Combat Capabilities of the US Army (Combat Capabilities Development Command (CCDC) Armaments Center), the promising American 155-mm long-range self-propelled howitzer created in the first stage (Increment 1) of the Extended Range program Cannon Artillery (ERCA). received the official designation HM1299. Previously, this system was unofficially attributed to the designation M109A8.



   Recall that BAE Systems Corporation on July 15, 2019 reported that it had received a US $ 45 million contract for the creation of an advanced prototype of a promising 155-mm long-range self-propelled howitzer (now designated XM1299) as part of the first stage (Increment 1) of the Extended Range Cannon Artillery program (ERCA). The implementation of the ERCA program is carried out by BAE Systems in partnership with the Armament Center of the Command to develop the combat capabilities of the US Army with the direct involvement of the US Army arsenal in Picatinny.

   The prototype of the first stage of the ERCA program should be based on the BAE Systems 155-mm / 39 self-propelled howitzer M109A7, but with the installation of a new turret (combat compartment) with a new 155-mm XM208 cannon with a 58-gauge swinging part, developed by the arsenal in Picatinny and held fire tests on two experimental self-propelled installations in 2018 at the site in Yuma in Arizona. Judging from the photographs, one of these installations was made on the M109A6 self-propelled howitzer chassis, and the other on the M109A7 self-propelled howitzer chassis.

   The firing range of the HM907 reaches “more than 70 km” when using the new active-reactive corrected (with inertial-satellite guidance) projectile XM1113 RAP with the new “supercharge” XM654. The XM1113 RAP projectile, when firing from a standard 155 mm / 39 howitzer, reaches a range of more than 40 km. The development of the XM1155 long-range corrected projectile is also underway.

   According to a number of reports, it is planned to manufacture eight prototypes of the XM1299 self-propelled howitzer for the first stage of the ERCA program from 2019 to 2023, and the US Army plans to start ground tests of the first of them in October 2019.

   In case of successful tests, it is possible to deploy the serial production of ACS M1299 from the 2025 financial year. As a further development, the HM1299 is planned to equip it with an automatic loader from about 2025, which will allow an increase in the rate of fire from 3 to 10 rounds per minute. In the future, the possibility of creating a fully unmanned version of the ACS is being considered.

https://bmpd.livejournal.com/3714455.html

US Army Tank Park

The US National Defense and Reserve Equipment Report for Fiscal Year 2020, released in March 2019 by the U.S. Department of Defense, provides information on the equipment at the beginning of fiscal year 2019 (October 1, 2018) with M1 Abrams series tanks and a number of other linear armored vehicles forces "of both the US regular army and its reserve components - the National Guard and the army reserve (excluding training units and storage), as well as the prospects for this equipment in the coming years.

15 M1 Abrams tanks are currently equipped (excluding training units) in the United States with 15 armored brigades (Armored Brigade Combat Team - ABCT) - ten in the regular army and five in the US National Guard (in the fiscal year 2019, the creation of another ABC Regular army. The staff of the ABCT is 87 tanks of the M1 Abrams series and 138 (according to other sources, 144) are the Bradley M2 infantry fighting vehicles. The Army Reserve (AR) does not have these equipment. United States (ARNG) at the beginning of fiscal year 2019.



It can be concluded that while all 15 brigades are equipped with tanks of the M1 Abrams series, they are fully staffed with regard to the BMP of the M2 Bradley series.

The plans contained in the document for the further equipping of ABST with these models of equipment testify to plans for re-equipping 10 (out of 11 planned) armored brigades of the US regular army with modernized M1A2C tanks (previously designated M1A2 SEPv3), which should be converted from storage M1A1 tanks, from 2021 to 2031 Fin years (one ABST per year). The M1A2 SEPv2 tanks freed up as a result of this rearmament are planned to be transferred from the regular army in 2023–2026 for the rearmament of five ABST National Guards.

By 2024 financial year R&D is planned to create a new modification of the Abrams M1A2D tank (designated M1A2 SEPv4), however, the data on the plans for serial modernization of tanks in this version are not indicated in the document.

Also, from 2021 to 2031 financial years, it is planned to rearm 10 (out of 11 planned) armored brigades of the US Army with modernized BMP M2A4 (one ABCT per year), with the transfer of the released BMP version M2A3 in FIN 2023-2026 from the regular army for the rearmament of five ABCs National Guard.

Plans for the further equipment of the armored brigades (ABST) of the regular army (AS) and the US National Guard (ARNG) with modernized tanks of the M1 Abrams series and BMP M2 Bradley:



Also, the US Armed Forces are nine brigades equipped with wheeled (8x8) armored vehicles of the Stryker family (Stryker Brigade Combat Team - SBCT) - seven brigades in the regular army and two in the US National Guard. The composition of the SBCT equipment of the regular army (AC) and the US National Guard (ARNG) at the beginning of fiscal year 2019 according to the Stryker machine options:




https://bmpd.livejournal.com/3741180.html

The first test of the promising US operational tactical missile PrSM

Lockheed Martin Corporation reported that on December 10, 2019, at the U.S. missile test site, White Sands (New Mexico) made the first test of its version of a promising operational tactical missile being created in the interests of the U.S. Army under the Precision Strike Missile (PrSM) program.


Graphic depiction of the Lockheed Martin variant of a promising operational tactical missile under the US Army Precision Strike Missile (PrSM) program when launching the M142 HIMARS (c) Lockheed Martin missile system from the launcher

During the test, a prototype missile was launched from the M142 launcher of the HIMARS missile system and flew about 240 km to the target area. The test was deemed successful with the "achievement of all the objectives of the test."

The Precision Strike Missile (PrSM) program has been implemented by the U.S. Army since March 2017, proposing the creation of a new generation of high-precision tactical missiles with an official initially declared range of 60 to 499 km to replace the existing Lockheed Martin MGM-140 ATACMS family of American tactical missiles. Like ATACMS, a PrSM rocket should be launched from standard launchers of American missile systems M270A1 MLRS and M142 HIMARS, but, unlike ATACMS, four PrSM missiles (instead of two ATACMS) should be placed on the M270A1 MLRS launcher, and on the M142 HIMARS launcher - two PrSM missiles (instead of one ATACMS).

Although the maximum range of 499 km was initially officially announced for the PrSM rocket, in fact, the development was initially carried out taking into account the US expected withdrawal from the INF Treaty, and it is currently stated that the actual range of the rocket will be at least 550 km, and for a number of sources, it is possible to achieve the range 700-750 km (that is, the PrSM missile is a "shorter" range missile in terms of the INF Treaty).

The creation of PrSM is conducted on a competitive basis by Lockheed Martin and Raytheon corporations on the basis of contracts worth about $ 116 million each, issued by the U.S. Army in June 2017. Initially, flight tests of missiles of both competitors were planned to begin in July 2019, but they were postponed due to the delay in the creation of a number of systems by subcontractors. Although it was then expected that Raytheon would begin flight testing of its DeepStrike rocket created under this program earlier than Lockheed Martin, the latter eventually managed to launch its own rocket first. According to recent reports, the first Raytheon DeepStrike missile test was delayed until early 2020.

The U.S. Army now expects to make a sample choice for the program by the end of 2020 and begin mass production of the selected PrSM sample as early as 2023 (the initial plans were for 2027) with the achievement of initial combat readiness (IOC) in 2025, and also to begin in 2025 obtaining modified missile variants with the possibility of hitting moving sea targets and ground defense systems.

https://bmpd.livejournal.com/3869321.html

That is fantastic news... because it means now that MLRS would violate the INF treaty if deployed in Europe and if there are any MLRS units deployed there Russia can start extending the range of its missiles beyond 500km.

Russia said it would abide by the INF treaty as long as the US does... so the INF treaty really is over...

BTW I see on the Croatian thread they want to buy MLRS... which will speed up the process of Russia being able to deploy much longer ranged models of Iskander... to europe...