Defense Technology International - March 2008 - (Page 42)

OPERATIONS NAVAL AIR don’t pass visual muster can expect a visit from a Navy or coalition boarding party. Although the exact location of the carrier strike group is classiﬁed, the Truman, as the air component of the group, holds on station relatively close to where aircraft must operate to minimize transit time and conserve fuel. The other components of the strike group can range furAn aviation ordnanceman works on ther away. Destroyer Group the launch mechanism of a Raytheon 26 is attached to the strike AGM-65 Maverick missile. group and supports ground Receiver (Rover) system to forward forces as well as serving as part of the air controllers on the ground becomes destroyer screen that is protecting the Truman. critical. The Ticonderoga-class guided missile The Rover lets a controller or other soldier on the ground view on a laptop cruiser USS Hue City was conducting computer what any given aircraft near- maritime security and littoral operaby sees, via live video and synchronized tions “somewhere in the vicinity of the GPS coordinates. The ground operator Strait of Hormuz.” The Hue City plays can point and click on a target for the several key roles in the strike group, one pilot rather than wasting valuable time of which is air defense commander. This in combat trying to describe what needs means that she and her crew are retargeting. This is intended to save time sponsible for identifying and responding and reduce the “fog of war” created by to air threats, including cruise missiles, miscommunication between ground units hostile aircraft and ballistic missiles. As and aircraft thousands of feet overhead. Link 16 coordinator for the strike group The Rover feed can be beamed direct- as well, the Hue City “puts together the ly over a Link 16 system so the signal big picture and sends it out again so evis sent to other aircraft on the scene as eryone is seeing the same picture,” says well as remote commanders and ana- Capt. Michael J. Jacobsen, commanding lysts. This is critical in combat opera- o cer of the ship. While the Hue City uses many of the tions—commanders and analysts gain a live view of what’s going on in the cock- advanced technologies common to Navy pit while being fully integrated, digitally, ships, Jacobsen says two low-tech systems are invaluable—the .50-cal. mawith the rest of the battleﬁeld. One signiﬁcant use of this technol- chine gun and the rigid-hull inﬂatable ogy is for maritime reconnaissance boat (RIB). “The good, old-fashioned .50-cal. maand vessel identification. Capt. Rick Pawlowski, commander of CVW-3, says chine gun is still a main battery on surthat aircraft monitoring sea tra c use face combatants today,” he notes. The the Rover and Link 16 feed to give ana- .50-cal. machine gun battery on the lysts on the Truman a view of ships to RIB is also a major asset in search and confirm their identities. Vessels that boarding operations of suspect vessels— U.S. NAVY PHOTOS an engraved invitation, some might say, that virtually guarantees access. RIBs are an extension of the ship, capable of providing a closer look at approaching vessels as well as short-range ﬁrepower when necessary. Every ship in the destroyer group carries two RIBs, Jacobsen says. Another technology used in the Gulf is Automatic Identiﬁcation System (AIS). This lets ships ﬂash to nearby vessels via radio link their description, name, GPS coordinates and other data. AIS allows di erent ships to be distinguished and hailed during security operations. Unmanned aerial vehicles are also key assets for counterinsurgency opera- A Truman security detail ﬁres a .50-cal. machine gun during a training exercise. tions, as they are ideal for asymmetric battleﬁelds. UAVs remain on station for extended periods while providing persistent surveillance. The drones use the Rover and Link 16 data systems to enable ﬁeld assets to interface with the live information they gather. The Navy has been slow to adopt UAVs, due in part to the complexities and distances involved in launching and retrieving them during carrier operations. Some experts say it is more efficient to launch and operate them closer to their area of surveillance. But Navy UAV programs are ongoing (DTI October 2007, p. 28). UAVs, of course, provide a di erent role in combat than piloted aircraft. Pawlowski says a human still needs to drive a warplane and make decisions. Nevertheless, in 20 years, “we’ll see a lot of drones on the ﬂight deck,” because of their multirole capabilities and a ordability versus new piloted aircraft. I AviationWeek.com/dti The USS Hue City transits alongside the Truman in the Mediterranean en route to the Persian Gulf. 42 DEFENSE TECHNOLOGY INTERNATIONAL MARCH 2008 http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aw/dti1007/index.php?startid=28 http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aw/dti1007/index.php?startid=28 http://www.aviationweek.com/dti

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Defense Technology International - March 2008

Defense Technology International - March 2008 Contents Sweden Cancels SEP; Israel Launches Imaging Satellite; Geotextiles Secure Ammo Dump U.S. Navy Taps Neural Architecture Software to Assure Job Satisfaction Shrapnel-Like Pieces of Reactive Materials Increase Explosive Force of Bombs Technology is Rapidly Closing the Gap Between Sensors and Shooters Italian Army Program Aims to Develop a Fully Networked Land Force Political and Military Uncertainties Plague U.S. Defense Budget Democrats Put Pentagon on Notice Over Spending and Policy at DTAR Conference Russian Combat Vehicle Protects Tank Formations from Anti-Armor Weapons European Battlelabs Use Simulation to Verify Technologies and Stretch Defense Funds Malaysia Accelerates Fleet Modernization to meet Long-Term Goals U.S. Navy Says Composite Raiding Boat May Reduce Injuries From Wave Shocks Seeing Isn’t Believing When it Comes to Deciphering Funds for Secret Projects Advances in Sensors and Propulsion Make Torpedoes Ever More Lethal FAA is in No Rush to Approve Rules that Let UAVs Fly in Civil Airspace USS Truman Carrier Strike Group Patrols a Rough Neighborhood 24/7 U.S. says Sino-Russian Space Disarmament Plan is Riddled with Pitfalls Hyperspeed Projectile; “Sound Cloak” Hides Subs; Improving Nuclear Forensics Dutch Air Commodore Theo ten Haaf Analyzes the Impact of Rotary-Wing Operations One Soldier’s War is a Behind-the-Headlines Look at Russia’s Campaigns in Chechnya Black Budgets are Huge and Growing, and Often Conceal Amazing Failures

Defense Technology International - March 2008

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