Navy Signals Need for New Large AUV Class
The Defense Innovation Unit of the Pentagon has issued a call under the Project Description "CAMP – Combat Autonomous Maritime Platform" for deploying large payloads across extended ranges. According to the solicitaion, "current UUV capabilities present limitations in range and payload capacity, hindering the effective deployment of critical resources in certain operational scenarios.""CAMP" is a project dedicated to the late Richard “Mike” Camp, former Director of Warfare Systems, U.S. Pacific Fleet. Mike Camp was a highly accomplished
Ukraine's Drone Success Shapes US Pacific 'Hellscape' Strategy
1,000 targets within a 24-hour period.That included working with the Defense Advanced Research Project Agency on a data-crunching program called "assault breaker" and integrating existing commercial technology.U.S. Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks used the same conference to outline the Pentagon's "Replicator" program, designed to build tens of thousands of cheap, disposable cutting-edge drones to outstrip China's production capability in a time of war.“Replicator” and “Hellscape” both appear to have evolved and developed further since last year
Sea Drone Warfare has Arrived, and the US is Floundering
The U.S. Navy's efforts to build a fleet of unmanned vessels are faltering because the Pentagon remains wedded to big shipbuilding projects, according to some officials and company executives, exposing a weakness as sea drones reshape naval warfare.The lethal effectiveness of sea drones has been demonstrated in the Black Sea where Ukraine has deployed remote-controlled speed boats packed with explosives to sink Russian frigates and minesweepers since late 2022.Yemeni-backed Houthi rebels have employed similar vessels against commercial shipping in the Red Sea in recent months, albeit without
US Navy Orders Saab UUVs for Kuwait
storage containers, training naval mines, spare parts, training documentation, training and transportation, the U.S. Department of Defense announced.This contract, which was not competitively procured in accordance with 10 U.S. Code 3204(a)(4), involves Foreign Military Sales to the State of Kuwait, the Pentagon said.Work will be performed in Cranston, R.I. (75%); and Syracuse, N.Y. (25%), and is expected to be completed by September 2025
U.S. Revives Cold War Submarine Spy Program to Counter China
in any conflict with China, the three people said.Finally, rapid technological change, including more sensitive underwater sensors, artificial intelligence, and sea drones, is fueling a surveillance arms race between Beijing and Washington.U.S. upgrades are long overdue and moving too slowly because the Pentagon remains focused on building huge warships and submarines, Brent Sadler, a former U.S. Navy submarine officer, told Reuters.“We have to invest faster in next-generation capabilities. We're losing the lead, and the Chinese are rapidly catching up,” said Sadler, now a naval warfare
Inside the Subsea Cable Firm Secretly Helping America Take on China
the company in its statement.SubCom’s journey from Cold War experiment to global cable constructor and now a shadowy player in the U.S.-China tech war is detailed in this story for the first time.Reuters is revealing details of the Diego Garcia project and SubCom’s deepening ties with the Pentagon. The news agency is also the first to report on a confidential contract the company secured from tech giant Google to build the world’s largest private undersea internet network.That partnership is the kind of America Inc project that President Joe Biden has been calling for in his drive to
US, Australia to Unveil Submarine Pact to Counter China
of the AUKUS project, the three countries will share advanced technology such as artificial intelligence and hypersonic weapons. British and Australian officials said last week there was still work needed to break down bureaucratic barriers to such technology sharing.Bill Greenwalt, a former senior Pentagon official for industrial policy, said that since it will be years before the Australia has new submarines, the partners urgently need to move forward with this second stage, which covers capabilities that could be deployed within the next few years and are needed quickly given the growing threat
Bollinger to Build Uncrewed Mine Countermeasure Vessels for the US Navy
Lockport, La.-based Bollinger Shipyards earlier this month was awarded a U.S. Navy contract for the production of the Mine Countermeasures Unmanned Surface Vehicle Unmanned Surface Vehicle (MCM USV), engineering services and other direct costs.According to the Pentagon, the $13,725,953 fixed-price incentive (firm target), firm-fixed-price, cost-plus-fixed-fee, and cost-type contract includes options which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $122,908,682.Work will be performed in Lockport, La. (65%); Portsmouth, Va. (22%); Atlanta, Ga. (10%); and Orrville, Ohio (3%)
US Navy to Recover F-35 Warplane that Fell into South China Sea
month, a South Korean F-35A fighter made an emergency landing during training.In April 2019, a Japanese F-35 stealth fighter crashed in the Pacific Ocean close to northern Japan, killing the pilot.The U.S. Navy said the pilot ejected safely in Monday's incident, but was among the personnel hurt.The Pentagon says two Carrier Strike Groups, led by the Carl Vinson and USS Abraham Lincoln, began operations in the South China Sea on Sunday. They entered the disputed sea for training as Taiwan reported a new Chinese air force incursion at the top of the waterway.Lockheed Martin, which makes F-35 jets, reported
February 2025
