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AirPower 2.0 (MIL_STD) Profile picture
AirPower 2.0 (MIL_STD)
@AirPowerNEW1
Old radar types never die; they just phased array! Aerospace, Defense & NatSec related content Account not affiliated with government or industry
Jul 10 • 7 tweets • 6 min read
Why Is the US Air Force investing in a family of high speed weapons when it is also producing tens of thousands of much lower cost JASSM-ER and low-cost cruise missiles? 🧵👇 goes into this in a bit more detail. 1/7 #HighSpeedStrike #Hypersonic First, let’s look at why high-speed weapons are useful. The 📸👇 captures the challenge. Strike weapons need to deliver range, overcome challenges associated with time and track custody, and be survivable against modern integrated air defense systems. The balance between these three main requirements drivers is crucial. This is why, no single class of weapons can solve all problems. 2/7Image
Jun 27 • 9 tweets • 4 min read
Something I’ve been calling for here for at least half a decade if not more. This is the correct way to signal intent to industry and Congress and secure funding for production ramp. 👍 This 4x ⬆️ in the acquisition objective for the PAC-3 MSE also puts into perspective the recent US Army interest in qualifying a second seeker into missile system. With 13,000+ missiles being the objective, the Army can affordable recompete the seeker.
Jun 25 • 5 tweets • 2 min read
The administration's 2026 defense budget request includes procurement funding for the AIM-260A missile marking the first time the Joint Advanced Tactical Missile procurement funding has been publicly reported. The PB26 budget includes $368 Million procurement funding for #JATM. Image As noted and reported previously, the administration has also requested procurement funding for the AGM-183A #ARRW #Hypersonic missile system. The budget request includes $387 Million funding to begin buying the ARRW missile system. Image
Jun 17, 2024 • 4 tweets • 2 min read
I'm often asked, why ⤵️costs $100K. Coyote includes features that are highly desirable for its intended role of protecting fixed/semi fixed sites (large OCONUS installations). If all we want is a cheap point defense solution look no further than the standard or L3/TSC upg APKWS. Its actually quite sensible to have options across the performance & cost spectrum against G2 and 3 threats while focusing more on EW, DEW or gun based solutions for smaller G1 drones. Fielding layered capabilities is highly desirable.
Jun 9, 2024 • 10 tweets • 4 min read
"We were tasked in Jan 2023 to deliver BMD capability to 🇺🇦..the training occurred at Fort Sill, and in April we conducted a validation exercise in 🇵🇱. #PATRIOT was transferred to protect Kyiv in late April & at 02:30 AM [May 04] it engaged the first ALBM " Col Rosanna Clemente "We parachuted a [ADA] team into 🇺🇦..and they did an assessment in December of 2021..They took some of our #PATRIOT folks/planners. They spent some time with the Ukrainians and looked at the problem set that..2 months later they were absolutely facing" BG Maurice Barnett
May 18, 2024 • 5 tweets • 2 min read
The Joint Simulation Environment #JSE is DOD’s next-gen digital test & training range made up of cockpits, domed simulators & a/c software. It enables pilots to fly wartime scenarios in a near-exact virtual environ & a/c developers to push systems to extreme limits.. ~ US Navy Image Navy and AF pilots will begin training together in NAWCAD’s JSE this summer, and the JSE is now part of the DOD’s formal curriculum for its tactical weapons schools. This includes the Navy’s TOPGUN & Air Force’s 6th Weapons Squadron ~ US Navy Image
May 12, 2024 • 6 tweets • 3 min read
The DOD is moving ahead with rapidly developing an Imaging Infrared Seeker seeker for the Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System. Emphasizing low cost & optimized to defeat the Small UAS threat, DOD wants the seeker to cost <$10K to keep the overall CsUAS #APKWS+ cost under $50K. DOD wants the low cost imager to be capable of detecting small objects at ranges exceeding 2km, within a field-of-view that the target has a high probability of detection in a lock-on-after-launch scenario. OEM's would need to partner with BAE to integrate solutions on APKWS. Image
Apr 27, 2024 • 15 tweets • 6 min read
Lockheed Martin 300 kW High Energy Laser Scaling Initiative laser. Delivered in 2023, the 300kW Laser is foundational to the initial IFPC-HEL prototypes for the Army that will be delivered in the coming month. The 300kW IFPC-HEL will be the most powerful SSLs with the US Army. Image US have a little more than 2 dozen DE (HEL & HPM) systems that have been deployed as of early 2024. There are technical & ops challenges that still need to be overcome that will take several years to work themselves out before these proliferate more broadly (100s of systems). Image
Feb 4, 2024 • 4 tweets • 2 min read
It's worth remembering that since FY19, US Army has been testing some fairly significant enhancements to PATRIOT that the systems with 🇺🇦 do not possess. The PDB-8 & PDB 8.1 (last upgs for legacy PATRIOT) are designed around envelope expansion, communication & overall system imp To advance this, last March, a US Army PDB 8.1 equipped PATRIOT Fire Unit successfully defeated a Medium Range Ballistic Missile #MRBM target (believed to be the focus of PDB 8.1) using a PAC-3 MSE. This was the 3rd operational test for the latest legacy PATRIOT configuration.
Jan 28, 2024 • 7 tweets • 4 min read
How Raytheon's NG PATRIOT sensor has evolved over time. Raytheon had initially focused on developing a #GaN AESA upg to the MPQ-65 to include newly developed rear arrays. Upon seeing formal US Army requirements for #LTAMDS, Raytheon switched to a more powerful clean sheet design.
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Image While Raytheon's decision to develop what became #GhostEye was due to the perf. requirements, Lockheed abandoned its highly innovative dual-aperture (S & X band) #ARES (📸scaled version) due to the compressed schedule choosing instead to partner with Elta on its loosing bid. Image
Jan 24, 2024 • 7 tweets • 3 min read
The U.S. Army recently completed a refurbishment effort to upgrade and extend the shelf life of nearly 1,900 #Stinger missiles that were previously deemed unserviceable, placing them back into DOD inventory. Image In the summer of 2022, the Army Acquisition Executive approved funding for PEO M&S to evaluate approximately 2,700 unserviceable Stinger missiles due to age and refurbish as many as possible to bolster the active inventory. The service managed to bring back 70% of those missiles. Image
Jan 23, 2024 • 8 tweets • 3 min read
The Navy and the DOD are boosting TLAM capacity and procurement (likely via both supplemental and budget funding) and the Navy is investing those strike missile dollars in buying larger quantities of other systems and/or developing other strike missiles and other munitions. The Navy reached out to industry to notify it on a production boost for TLAM, and the first contract to support that was awarded to Raytheon last week.
Dec 25, 2023 • 5 tweets • 3 min read
US Army & SOCOM executed a successful flight demonstration of the @anduriltech Air-Launched, Tube-Integrated Unmanned System #Altius700 on December 3, 2023 at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. Altius 700 has a stated range of 450+ km (when air-launched) with 2+ hrs of endurance. (US Army)

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Image The demonstration, which used a Black Hawk as the launch platform, served as a significant risk reduction event for upcoming Altius 700 test flights according to the US Army. Image
Dec 23, 2023 • 9 tweets • 3 min read
Here is some of what I would like to see before I believe we are truly committed:

🔸 4-6 PATRIOT battalions over the next 5 years

🔸4-6 SHORAD battalions over the next 5 years

🔸Assured supply of 1-2 MM 155 artillery shells/yr

🔸5 squadrons of F-16's over the next 5 years.. I realize I'm just scratching the surface with 👆. But it is going to take that level of commitment through aid, weapon transfers, loans etc to strengthen Ukraine against continued Russian aggression over the next several years. That's what its going to take.
Dec 21, 2023 • 13 tweets • 6 min read
This is a good summary. One thing to note about the Coyote Block 2+ is that its design is targeting a particular capability and not the absolute "cheapest" possible Group 2/3 defeat capability. That's reflected in its range, guidance, and other attributes. As I've tweeted previously 🧵👇, there are a dozen or more US and European OEM's who can produce something like the Coyote and be collectively cranking out tens of thousands of these a year for a fraction of its current cost. If that was the objective.

Dec 17, 2023 • 8 tweets • 3 min read
Question: Why is the US Navy not thinking of or planning to have Counter sUAS capability on its upcoming Frigate?

Answer: It is.
Add to this the fact that the Navy and the program literally asked designs to have margins for Directed Energy (High Energy Lasers) as they were rapidly maturing at the time the requirements were framed and the Navy wanted it on the class.

600kW reserved for DEW / AEW. Image
Nov 24, 2023 • 7 tweets • 4 min read
This 👇 C-sUAS focused EW and close in gun. JCO has matured and fielded several EW systems optimized for this mission and continues to invest in small and medium cal ammo and training on how to employ for force protection. Currently, the Counter small UAS equipment is fitted on dedicated C-sUAS vehicles and systems supporting forward deployed US troops and equipment. A "skinny" EW and gun package can very easily be moved out and fielded more broadly for force protection.
Nov 16, 2023 • 6 tweets • 3 min read
"#ARRW has completed multiple successful missions which are designed to systematically validate the missile’s operational end-to-end capability at hypersonic speeds – from a/c release to target impact" ~ Lockheed Martin Nov. 2023
Image "Alongside dev. & testing, the #ARRW team established a production line in parallel and conducted all production readiness reviews..This enabled all flight test hardware to be built on certified production lines, further demonstrating #ARRW is ready for LRIP" Lockheed Martin Image
Oct 9, 2023 • 7 tweets • 3 min read
US Army & the Boeing & Nammo team have set a record for longest indirect fire test of a ramjet-powered artillery projectile - firing a Ramjet 155 munition from a 58-caliber Extended Range Cannon Artillery at Yuma Proving Ground to support the US Army's #XM1155 program. #AUSA2023 Image “Our objective was to demo the ability to safely operate from #ERCA & validate performance. Both objectives were met. The team is working to deliver a superior, affordable precision strike weapon that can neutralize critical targets at long distances.”~Gil Griffin, Boeing PW Image
Aug 10, 2023 • 5 tweets • 4 min read
The additional #PATRIOT force that will be added in the coming years will not merely field additional PATRIOT FU's. These new units will be fielding Army's IAMD capability from onset. A-IAMD is a giant leap in performance over current PATRIOT & effectively a brand new system. https://t.co/OHCXIYIXZ4



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Image What does AIAMD offer that current PATRIOT does'nt? 🧵👇

🔸Multi sensors integration (C, X, S & L-band)
🔸 Ability of IBCS to fully command PATRIOT FU's even bypassing native Command & Control
🔸All PATRIOT, IFPC and future THAAD elements sharing a common Fire Control Network ..


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Jun 14, 2023 • 6 tweets • 4 min read
"Developed in under a year, Stryker #Leonidas was recently field demonstrated, successfully disabling individual drone targets & swarms of drones. Leonidas’ counter-swarm effectiveness fills a pressing short range air defense (SHORAD) capability gap for the joint force." ~ Epirus ImageImageImage Highly efficient S-S High Power Microwave systems along with HEL's are going to be vital to defend against the scores relatively inexpensive group 1-2 UAS and loitering munitions. I wouldn't be surprised if the Stryker-Leonidas is put on contract for operational prototypes soon.