Sea, Air, Space 2024 hints at future of Navy, Marines: Weapons and Warfare

[RYAN ROBERTSON]

HELLO AND WELCOME TO THIS EPISODE OF ‘WEAPONS AND WARFARE’ FROM NATIONAL HARBOR, MARYLAND, FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS I’M RYAN ROBERTSON. WE’RE HERE FOR THE U.S. NAVY LEAGUE’S ANNUAL EXPOSITION, ‘SEA, AIR, SPACE 2024’. OVER THE NEXT FEW WEEKS WE WILL BRING YOU SOME OF THE MOST INTERESTING STORIES TO EMERGE FROM THIS YEAR’S EVENT. FROM NEW TECH TO THE NEXT GENERATION OF SAILORS, MARINES, AND COAST GUARDSMEN, WE’VE GOT IT COVERED.

WITH THAT, LET’S GET INTO OUR HEADLINES.

AFTER A FATAL CRASH OF AN AIR FORCE V-22 IN LATE NOVEMBER OF LAST YEAR, ALL OSPREYS WERE TEMPORARILY GROUNDED AS THE INITIAL CRASH INVESTIGATION GOT UNDERWAY. IN EARLY MARCH MORE THAN 400 OSPREYS AND THEIR FLIGHT CREWS WERE ALLOWED TO RESUME FLIGHT TRAINING AND OPERATIONS.

[Kurt Fuller, Bell Sr VP & Prog. Director, V-22 Osprey]

“They’ve been given some guidance and maintenance procedures that the services have been following. Each service is returning at their own pace, their own operational needs. You may have seen the Navy is back up flying, an aircraft out of Norfolk. The Marine Corps has been active, getting ready for deployments. So far it’s been going well, they’ve been getting their legs underneath them and getting back up in the air.”

[RYAN ROBERTSON]

OFFICIALS INVOLVED IN THE CRASH INVESTIGATION HAVE IDENTIFIED A PART FAILURE THAT CAUSED THE CRASH BUT HAVE YET TO SAY WHAT THAT IS, BUT THEY DID SAY IT’S AN ISSUE THAT’S UNRELATED TO ANY PREVIOUS CRASH.

ONE INTERESTING PIECE OF HARDWARE ON DISPLAY AT THIS YEAR’S EXPOSITION WAS THE LONG-RANGE ANTI-SHIP MISSILE BUILT BY LOCKHEED MARTIN. THE STEALTHY-LOOKING WEAPON IS PART OF THE NEXT WAVE OF PLATFORMS THAT USE SEMI-AUTONOMOUS GUIDANCE TO PROVIDE A PRECISION STRIKE ON A TARGET THAT’S USUALLY IN MOTION. WHAT THAT MEANS IS IT CAN COURSE-CORRECT WITHOUT OPERATOR INPUT. FOR THOSE INVOLVED AT LOCKHEED MARTIN IT’S AN EXCITING DEVELOPMENT.

[Anthony DeSmet, Dir./ Hypersonic & Strike Weapons, Lockheed Marting]

“This new target set, and the capability you need against that target set, this weapon is the premier of going against that threat. This weapon, as a former kowarfighter gets me really excited to find that capability and know that we’re going to give it to fleet. ”

[RYAN ROBERTSON]

THE L-RASM AS IT’S ALSO KNOWN, IS FRESH OFF A RECENT TEST FIRING OF FOUR MISSILES AT THE SAME TIME. WHILE THE NAVY IS MUM ON SPECIFICS, THEY DID SAY THE TEST MET ALL EXPECTATIONS.
AMONG THE STORIES TO EMERGE FROM ‘SEA, AIR, SPACE 2024, IS CALIFORNIA-BASED DRONE MAKER SAILDRONE ANNOUNCING A PARTNERSHIP WITH THALES AUSTRALIA TO INTEGRATE THE THALES BLUESENTRY THIN-LINE TOWED ARRAY WITH SAILDRONE SURVEYOR-CLASS UNCREWED SURFACE VEHICLES FOR AUTONOMOUS ANTI-SUBMARINE WARFARE MISSIONS.

TOWED ARRAYS USE SONAR TO LOCATE POTENTIAL THREATS IN THE AREA, BASICALLY IT’S UNDERWATER SURVEILLANCE. PAIR THAT WITH THE SIZE AND RANGE OF THE SURVEYOR-CLASS DRONES AND IT GIVES OPERATORS THE ABILITY TO GATHER INTELL THOUSANDS OF MILES AWAY FROM ITS ACTUAL OPERATORS.

UP NEXT FOR THE COLLABORATORS, A SERIES OF TESTS FOR THE NAVY TO FOCUS ON THE ABILITY OF THE SURVEYOR TO DELIVER INTELL FROM ABOVE AND BELOW THE WATER’S SURFACE.

[RYAN ROBERTSON]

FOR THE MOST PART THE PROBLEMS FACING ONE BRANCH OF AMERICA’S NATIONAL DEFENSE, ARE USUALLY VERY SIMILAR TO THE PROBLEMS FACED BY THE OTHER BRANCHES. IN THAT REGARD THE NAVY, MARINE CORPS, AND COAST GUARD AREN’T ALL THAT DIFFERENT FROM THE ARMY, AIR, AND SPACE LKFORCES. OF COURSE, HOW THEY ANALYZE AND APPROACH PROBLEM-SOLVING IS AS UNIQUE AS THEIR INDIVIDUAL HISTORIES. FOR OUR MARITIME ELEMENTS THAT MEANS ALIGNING NEW THINKING WITH THEIR CORE BELIEFS.

THIS YEAR’S GATHERING STARTED WITH A LEADERSHIP PANEL FEATURING SOME OF THE MOST SENIOR VOICES IN OUR NATION’S MARITIME DEFENSES.

CHIEF OF NAVAL OPERATIONS ADMIRAL LISA FRANCHETTI, WITH NEARLY FOUR DECADES OF SERVICE TO HER CREDIT, AND THE FIRST WOMAN TO SERVE ON THE JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF, HAMMERED HOME HER STANCE THAT THE NAVY, NOT ONLY NEEDS MORE SAILORS, BUT NEEDS THEM TRAINED AND READY TO SERVE, TELLING THE AUDIENCE….

“It’s pretty clear that we need a bigger Navy and every study since 2016 has said we need a larger Navy, The more important thing right now is having a ready Navy. When you talk about more players on the field, that really is ready players on the field.”

[RYAN ROBERTSON]

THAT SENTIMENT WAS ECHOED BY UNDERSECRETARY OF THE NAVY ERIK RAVEN, WHO TOLD THOSE GATHERED IN NATIONAL HARBOR, MARYLAND…

[ERIK RAVEN]

“We need budgets to support our strategy, with people and readiness coming first.”

[RYAN ROBERTSON]

ASSISTANT COMMANDANT OF THE U.S. MARINE CORPS, GENERAL CHRISTOPHER MAHONEY, POINTED TO HIS BRANCH’S RETENTION NUMBERS WHICH ARE QUOTE “VERY, VERY GOOD.” AT THE SAME TIME ACKNOWLEDGING THE CORPS CAN’T STAND PAT AND NOT ADDRESS QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUES.

[CHRISTOPHER MAHONEY]

“That equates to their conditions of the barracks, access to healthcare, access to childcare, good childcare, good gyms. And you’ve got to bring in new ideas to continually, not sit there and declare victory once again, but to make sure that you are addressing needs that they have.”

[RYAN ROBERTSON]

ADMIRAL FRANCHETTI ALSO ADDRESSED THE MILITARY’S NEED FOR CONGRESS TO DO ITS JOB, SPECIFIACLLY, GETTING THE BUDGET FOR THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR DONE IN A TIMELY MANNER.

[LISA FRANCHETTI]

“Getting a budget on time, not having a [continuing resolution], would be very helpful for us to maintain the momentum that we’re trying to achieve.”

[RYAN ROBERTSON]
ALL RIGHT, FOLKS, IT’S TIME ONCE AGAIN FOR OUR WEAPON OF THE WEEK THIS WEEK AND WE HAVE A DOOZY. I AM STANDING IN FRONT OF THE PROWLER. IT’S MADE BY METAL SHARK. AND JOINING ME TO TALK ABOUT THIS THING IS THE PRESIDENT, CEO OF METAL SHARK. CHRISTOPHER ALLARD. CHRIS, THANKS SO MUCH FOR JOINING US TODAY. THE PROWLER TELL ME ABOUT THIS THING.

[CHRISTOPHER ALLARD]
YEAH, IT’S, IT’S A PRETTY COOL PRODUCT. SO WE LAST FIVE OR SIX YEARS, WE’VE BEEN WORKING ON AUTONOMOUS VESSELS, DIFFERENT COAST GUARD, NAVY MARINE CORPS. LEARNED A LOT AND WANTED TO TAKE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DEVELOP SOMETHING. IT REALLY WASN’T TARGETED AT A SPECIFIC SET OF REQUIREMENTS. THAT WAS YOU KNOW, WE COULD TAILOR IT TO WHAT WE THOUGHT SOME OF THE OPTIONS COULD BE DONE.

A COUPLE OF THINGS ABOUT HER, SHE’S ABOUT 30 FEET LONG, INBOARD DIESEL POWERED, BUT ALSO AUTONOMOUS. SHE HAS A SELF-POWERED FRONT WHEEL THAT ALLOWS HER TO KIND OF CLIMB A RAMP AND MOVE AROUND A BASE THREE TO FIVE MILES AN HOUR. NOT LONG RANGE, JUST GETTING IN AND OUT OF THE WATER ON ITS OWN. AND THEN THE FRONT WHEEL RETRACTS AND THE REAR WHEELS ARE OVER THE ROAD HIGHWAY RATED. IT IS ITS OWN TRAILER, WE LEARNED A LOT IN THE USV SPACE ABOUT HOW HARD IT IS SOMETIMES IN A USV MISSION, WHEN IT STARTS AT LOCATION A MOVES TO LOCATION B AND IT DIDN’T BRING ITS OWN TRAILER, DIDN’T BRING ITS OWN SUPPORT SYSTEM. SO WORKING TO TRY AND GET IT TO BE SELF SUFFICIENT IN THOSE KIND OF APPLICATIONS.

IT’S ALSO SEMI-SUBMERSIBLE, OKAY, UM, IT WASN’T IN THE ORIGINAL DESIGN BRIEF, BUT ONE OF MY ENGINEERS AND I WERE LOOKING AT IT, AND WE REALLY REALIZED THAT IT WASN’T THAT HARD. AND EFFECTIVELY THE BOATS ARE A BOAT IN A BOAT, IF YOU WILL, THERE’S A BOX IN THE MIDDLE. THE BOX IS WATERTIGHT CARRIES THE ENGINE, THE FUEL, THE AUTONOMY SYSTEMS, ALL THE THINGS THAT IT TAKES TO OPERATE. AND THEN THE OUTER PART OF THE BOAT IS BASICALLY TANKS FREE TO FLOOD.

SHE OPERATES AT SPEED LIKE A NORMAL BOAT, BUT WHEN SHE STOPS, SHE KIND OF AUTOMATICALLY INGESTS WATER INTO THESE TANKS. CREATES A LOWER PROFILE, WHICH, YOU KNOW, CERTAIN APPLICATIONS IS NICE FROM A VISIBILITY OR LACK OF PERSPECTIVE. BUT ALSO IT MAKES THEM MORE SEA KINDLY ON STATION, RIGHT. SO THE EXTRA WATER IS ADDED MASS DAMPENING. SO IT KEEPS THE BOAT MORE STABLE FOR BOTH THE SENSORS AND THEN ALSO FOR SURVIVABILITY IN KIND OF HIGHER SEA STATES THAT IT MIGHT HAVE TO LIVE THROUGH. SO YEAH, THOSE ARE OUR PRIMARY FEATURES.

[RYAN ROBERTSON]
YOU BET. AND WE HAVE A, YOU KNOW, KIND OF A DEMONSTRATOR. YEAH, MICRO USV UP HERE. AND THAT’S REALLY YOU WERE SAYING TO JUST KIND OF DEMONSTRATE THE CAPABILITIES THAT THE PROWLER COULD DO, RIGHT?

[CHRISTOPHER ALLARD]
YEAH, I MEAN, CERTAINLY THE THE MATURITY LEVEL OF PROWLER AND WHAT WE PUT INTO THAT IS FURTHER ALONG THAN A MICRO USV. BUT YOU KNOW, WE’VE SEEN WITH OUR CLIENTS, YOU KNOW, THE WORD ATTRITABLE, IS TALKED ABOUT A LOT. AND I THINK AS THE MARKET GOES FORWARD, ATTRITABLE WILL CONTINUE TO GET SMALLER AND CHEAPER. AND WE WANTED TO KIND OF DEMONSTRATE THAT THAT’S AVAILABLE COMMERCIALLY. BUT THEN ALSO, YOU KNOW, LAUNCH AND RECOVERY IS SUCH A BIG THING. AND YOU KNOW, THE RAMP WAS A KEY PART OF WHAT WE WANTED TO DO. AND WE WANTED TO TEST TO SEE AS OPPOSED TO THESE LAUNCH AND RECOVERY CAPTURE METHODS, WHICH ARE REALLY CHALLENGING, CAN WE JUST DRIVE IT UP ON THE BOAT? AND SO THAT’S KIND OF A, YOU KNOW, A DEMONSTRATOR FOR THAT. SHE’S CERTAINLY YOU KNOW, THAT ONE, IF YOU TAKE HER APART, THERE’S EVERYTHING THAT NEEDS TO BE IN IT ISN’T. BUT WHAT WE’RE, WE’RE JUST SHOWING WHAT WHAT OUR THOUGHT PROCESS IS SO.

[RYAN ROBERTSON]
YOU BET YOU BET. SO YOU SAID YOU’RE YOU’RE WORKING WITH MARINES AND THE NAVY RIGHT NOW. IT’S THERE’S NO CONTRACTS YET BUT YOU’RE WORKING TO HOPEFULLY GET TO THAT POINT. IS THAT CORRECT?

[CHRISTOPHER ALLARD]
WE STILL HAVE AN ONGOING CONTRACT WITH THE MARINES IN SUPPORT OF THE LR USV WE’RE CERTAINLY AT THE TAIL END OF IT, YOU KNOW, THE BOATS HAVE BEEN FIELDED THE MARINES HAVE BEEN OPERATING THEM. BUT YOU KNOW, THAT THAT ONE’S STILL ONGOING.

[RYAN ROBERTSON]
OKAY, YOU BET. WHAT’S NEXT FOR PROWLER? WHAT’S THE FUTURE?

[CHRISTOPHER ALLARD]
YOU KNOW, I MEAN, PART OF COMING HERE AND DOING WHAT WE’RE DOING WITH IT TO THIS IN A COUPLE OF SHOWS IS TO GET FEEDBACK, SEE WHAT IDEAS HIT HOME, WHAT DON’T. UNDERSTAND WHAT PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO DO. YOU KNOW, WE ARE MOVING INTO KIND OF DEVELOPING OUR OWN COMMAND AND CONTROL SYSTEM THAT WILL GIVE US THE ABILITY TO CONTROL THEM. THAT’S NOT DONE YET. BUT UM, THAT WOULD BE WHAT WAS WHAT WOULD BE NEXT, YOU KNOW, THE ABILITY TO, WE WANT TO MAKE IT A TURNKEY SOLUTION THAT WILL THEN JUST INTERFACE WITH A SOFTWARE ONLY WITH AUTONOMY PROVIDERS, UAV PROVIDERS, AUTOMATIC TARGET RECOGNITION PROVIDERS. THAT’S NOT OUR SPACE, BUT WE CAN PROVIDE THE HOST SYSTEM THAT MAKES THEM READY TO READY TO DO THAT WITH A SOFTWARE UPDATE, THAT KIND OF THING. SO THAT’S OUR GOAL.

[RYAN ROBERTSON]
SO THIS IS THE PROWLER FROM METAL SHARK, ONE OF THE MORE EYE CATCHING USVS OUT THERE ON THE MARKET TODAY. AND WITH THE NEED THAT THE NAVY AND MARINE CORPS HAVE FOR MORE SURFACE VESSELS, I CAN IMAGINE YOU’LL BE SEEING MORE OF THESE ON THE WATER VERY SOON.