Mod. Notice Technological advances in weaponry

[Werewolf]

Will there ever be anything more powerful than Nuclear weapons?

Quantum torpedoes? Double the power of the biggest nuclear bomb

Quantum torpedoes first appear in the Deep Space Nine episode "Defiant" as a weapon aboard the USS Defiant. In the DS9 episode "Paradise Lost", the USS Lakota was also stated to be carrying quantum torpedoes, although they were never used. Additionally, the USS Enterprise-E is equipped with quantum torpedoes in Star Trek: First Contact and Star Trek: Nemesis. The Federation and Cardassian Union are the only known users of quantum torpedoes. The Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Technical Manual states that quantum torpedoes derive their destructive power from vacuum energy. Various in-universe sources describe quantum torpedoes as roughly double the destructive power of standard photon torpedoes, putting their yield somewhere in excess of 100 megatons of TNT.

Will we ever need anything that destructive? I doubt it. Nuclear weapons have been a pretty good deterrent to major wars in the last 70 years. But anything more than the bare minimum sized nuclear arsenal is a waste of money, better spent on conventional weapons and new technologies.

 

[CD Xbow]

The first of the RAAF's Electronic Warfare aircraft, the MC55 Peregrine has been seen flying in the US - Australia's New MC-55 Peregrine Electronic Warfare Jet Breaks Cover This is a modified Gulfstream jet that has a unique collection of capabilities to monitor and manipulate the EM domain. Note all the antnnae and the 'canoe' beneath hull. Our MC-55A won’t feature the large fuselage side ‘cheek’ fairings used by the airborne early warning (AEW) version of the G550 which some other countries have, we use the Wedgetails E7 in that role. RAAF will have a world class collection of electronic surveillance, intelligence and attack craft when you add the MC55 to the E7, the P8, the Growlers and the F35.

 

[Werewolf]

Spot on - it's why air forces avoid multiple airframe types (although the Greeks notably used to mix their fleet as Turkey relied solely on F-16s so they took a mixture of F-16s and other airframes)
The Flankers are very cheap for their supposed capability. Makes no difference if they can't get into the air.

The Yanks have been working very hard of reducing maintenance requirements of their airframes (which drives up the cost substantially). IIRC The F-14 Tomcats had a 20 hour maintenance cycle per 1 hour of flying time. Their replacement (the E/F model Super Hornets) reduced that down to 4 Hours.

Is that average hours put in by the maintenance team or just man-hours? If it's the former, the B-2 Spirit has a diabolical maintenance cycle:

In 1996, the General Accounting Office (GAO) disclosed that the USAF's B-2 bombers "will be, by far, the most costly bombers to operate on a per aircraft basis", costing over three times as much as the B-1B (US$9.6 million annually) and over four times as much as the B-52H (US$6.8 million annually). In September 1997, each hour of B-2 flight necessitated 119 hours of maintenance in turn. Comparable maintenance needs for the B-52 and the B-1B are 53 and 60 hours respectively for each hour of flight. A key reason for this cost is the provision of air-conditioned hangars large enough for the bomber's 172 ft (52 m) wingspan, which are needed to maintain the aircraft's stealth properties, particularly its "low-observable" stealth skins. Maintenance costs are about $3.4 million a month for each aircraft.

That would imply two months of maintenance after a 12 hour flight! Surely it's not that bad? Maintenance cycles won't be getting any lower now that stealth warplanes are the benchmark. The expenses involved make me think simpler is often better. Save the fancy gear for the peer on peer conflicts.

 

[Mofra]

Is that average hours put in by the maintenance team or just man-hours? If it's the former, the B-2 Spirit has a diabolical maintenance cycle:



That would imply two months of maintenance after a 12 hour flight! Surely it's not that bad? Maintenance cycles won't be getting any lower now that stealth warplanes are the benchmark. The expenses involved make me think simpler is often better. Save the fancy gear for the peer on peer conflicts.

The complexity of modern airframes is more software than anything else. A block 3 vs a block 4 F-35A looks identical from the outside but in terms of capability, the block 3s are pretty much not combat ready while the block 4s could almost consider themselves mini-AWACs.

I assume that the B2 numbers include whole of life hours which include major refits as part of the maintenance cycle.
IIRC When Mig-29s started hitting the airshow circuit their party trick was taking off on a grass runway to showcase how they are lower maintenance and more 'operation-ready' than western airframes (e.g. F-15s need a longer runway than any other 4 gen air-superiority fighter)

 

[Werewolf]

Some F-22 Raptors (and other US warplanes) have been spotted with shiny coatings; possibly a test of how much better they hold up against a laser weapon? These coatings might feature on next generation warplanes and drones:



Edit: other possibilities for those coatings suggested in the comments were to do with stealth in the visible/IR wavelength regions (?)

 

[Werewolf]

More fighter plane spam (sorry!) - these new planes are NOT getting any cheaper

 

[Werewolf]

This (somewhat) took me by surprise; Rheinmetall unveils their new KF51 "Panther" tank prototype armed with a 130mm main gun:



Note: This is NOT the Main Ground Combat System, a joint Germany/France tank venture that will use the same 130mm gun.

Obviously the cynical viewer will ask... "But how will it hold up against a Javelin, Kornet or NLAW?"

 

[Werewolf]

Strewth! The K-329 Belgorod was commissioned into the Russian Navy the other day; a specially modified Oscar II class submarine, measuring in at a whopping 184m long! Even longer than the Typhoon class, but not as wide. Designed to carry up to 6 "Poseidon" UUV's, giant nuclear torpedoes

It will serve in Russia's Northern fleet, then transfer to their Pacific fleet, so maybe we shouldn't make Putin angry... just to be safe!

 

[CD Xbow]

Strewth! The K-329 Belgorod was commissioned into the Russian Navy the other day; a specially modified Oscar II class submarine, measuring in at a whopping 184m long! Even longer than the Typhoon class, but not as wide. Designed to carry up to 6 "Poseidon" UUV's, giant nuclear torpedoes

It will serve in Russia's Northern fleet, then transfer to their Pacific fleet, so maybe we shouldn't make Putin angry... just to be safe!

Mr P recapitalized much his armed forces with many of these 'wonder weapons', high propaganda/terror value. However none of which have been any use in the Ukraine. Silly really. He has built an army 'not fit for purpose' if he wanted to invade a neighbour.

The US has a small, podded laser, alleged to be in the 100 KW class to test on fighters. First Laser Weapon For A Fighter Delivered To The Air Force This is probably not enough to shoot down missiles, but may blind them, softer targets like plastic drones probably would be destroyed. The ability to keep time on target is most important with energy weapons, a difficult task for a fast moving aircraft against a moving and possibly evading target.

 

[Werewolf]

Speaking of laser weapons that can accurately track targets...

British ‘Dragonfire’ laser weapon passes early trials

Dragonfire, Britain’s new laser weapon, has successfully undertaken a series of trials to prove the accuracy and power of the directed energy weapon. It has been claimed that the system can successfully track air and sea targets with "exceptionally high accuracy".

ukdefencejournal.org.uk

 

[CD Xbow]

This is really amazing Australian bred, antidrone biotech - video

 

[CD Xbow]

Back to killer robots - a guard dog. This ones been doing the rounds.



I think this is fake, it looks digital. That's a very sky box looking sun, which doesn't cause any camera glare. You hear the tapping of the feet but no whining of servos, if you have seen any vids of the Boston Dynamic 'Big Dog' it whines like crazy.

PRC shifted a satellite to get a view of the SR72 hypersonic aircraft model used in Top Gun China Freaked (And Moved a Satellite) Over SR-72 Darkstar In Top Gun: Maverick

 

[CD Xbow]

​

Not a technological advance, but something new, the Luftwaffe is sending 6 Eurofighter Typhoons and support aircraft to Operation Pitch Black German Air Force joining Australian maneuvers for first time One of them will be sporting this spiffy livery

 

[CD Xbow]

An article from the SCMP alleges the US successfully jammed PLA radars How Pelosi’s Taiwan trip set off a new wave of US-China electronic warfare during the Pelosi visit.

 

[Mofra]

An article from the SCMP alleges the US successfully jammed PLA radars How Pelosi’s Taiwan trip set off a new wave of US-China electronic warfare during the Pelosi visit.

There's a reason western militaries often go 'on patrol' in the SC Sea.
Our old 2xRAN EW Draggies were pretty useless except for their recording capacity.

 

[Werewolf]

Amongst many other war trophies, Ukraine captured an almost brand new T-90M recently; basically intact (with one track thrown off) but notably making use of "Nakidka" camouflage which reduces IR & radar signature. These sorts of concepts have been in development for some time, but I think this tank might be the first "stealth" ground vehicle captured in a war. Russia's best gear seems to be quite good, but it's often squandered!



Another IR stealth system is Adaptiv which can be used to disguise a tank as a car, but I don't believe it's been tested on the battlefield.

 

[CD Xbow]

Raytheon have won a nearly $1 billion USD deal to operationalize a hypersonic cruise missile based on the SCIFIRE project. US adds air-breathing hypersonic missiles to its arsenal
SCIFIRE is a joint AU/US project to design a scramjet powered hypersonic cruise missile. RAAF, DTSG and QU are the Australian contributors. The QU group were the first ever to successfully test in the atmosphere a functioning scramjet.

 

[CD Xbow]

Operation Pitch Black 2022 finished recently, it's our premiere air defense exercise with our allies - the RAAF F35 did well

Two RAAF F-35A Lightning II stealth fighters killed Six RSAF F-15SG fighters in a single mock engagement during Exercise Pitch Black 2022 - The Aviation Geek Club

Two RAAF F-35A Lightning II stealth fighters killed Six RSAF F-15SG fighters in a single mock engagement during Exercise Pitch Black 2022

theaviationgeekclub.com

'During one engagement the RAAF deployed 2 F-35As against 6 RSAF F-15SGs. RSAF Detachment Commander Colonel Mark Tan explained, that the RAAF joint strike fighters were able to find all its opponents in the air and then kill all the them before being detected by the opponents too.'

That's $800 miliion USD worth of 6 dead F-15SG. which are one of the most advanced air defence fighters in the world and the most advanced in SEA. Looking like the F35 was a great choice by the RAAF.

 

[Werewolf]

Lighter, hybrid drive, more fuel efficient, enhanced lethality & survivability, and apparently automatic loading:

Next Generation AbramsX Tank Will Have Hybrid Power Plant

The next-generation Abrams tank is designed to be more fuel efficient, quieter, lighter, and have a smaller crew, among other features.

www.thedrive.com

 

[CD Xbow]

The PRC have copied our MQ28 Ghost Bat

Clone Of Boeing's MQ-28 Ghost Bat Drone Displayed By China

The same Chinese company that previously unveiled a mockup aping Kratos' XQ-58A is at it again with Boeing Australia's signature design.

www.thedrive.com

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. The USAF have borrowed one for testing with NGAD project.

 

[CD Xbow]

This article from ADBR lists all the unmanned projects underway in the ADF - Industry Insight: ADF uncrewed systems update | ADBR , except it misses one, the sub projects with Anduril. Defence has already partnered with Anduril to design and develop extra-large autonomous undersea vehicles (XLAUVs). How to Ramp Up ADF Capabilities in the Near Term? A Perspective from Anduril Australia - Second Line of Defense
I did learn we had converted 20 M113 to being uncrewed, last I heard it was 3, which was a rather limiting number, twenty is much better.

 

[Mofra]

JAS-39: Precisely Designed To Battle Russia, British Think Tank Wants Ukraine To Be Armed With Swedish Fighters

RUSI said Swedish JAS-39 SAAB Gripen offers "by far the most suitable candidate" for Western-made fighter jets for Ukraine to battle Russia

eurasiantimes-com.cdn.ampproject.org

 

[CD Xbow]

JAS-39: Precisely Designed To Battle Russia, British Think Tank Wants Ukraine To Be Armed With Swedish Fighters

RUSI said Swedish JAS-39 SAAB Gripen offers "by far the most suitable candidate" for Western-made fighter jets for Ukraine to battle Russia

eurasiantimes-com.cdn.ampproject.org

Yes, there seems to be a few good reasons, but politics may be a stopper. I have seen it said somewhere the F16's are relatively fragile in the landing gear department which makes them a poor choice for austere conditions but in other ways they would be ideal because of numbers and support. F18 is better in the rough being a carrier aircraft but I don't think there are quite the numbers available. Whatever choice is made I wish they would hurry up.

Saw this article in The Warzone about SK new air defence missiles, the M RAM and L RAM.

South Korea’s New Anti-Ballistic Missile System Downs Targets In Tests

The announcement of the successful interception of target missiles comes hot on the heels of a spate of missile tests by North Korea.

www.thedrive.com

SK needs missile defense more than any other country than the Ukraine and it looks like they are well on their way to building their own sovereign capability. The high altitude antiballistic version users a divert and attitude control system (DACS) to provide maneuvering during the terminal phase of the engagement, there is video of it in the article. Below is an image of it working on a test rig:

Looks like there are 4 thrusters mid body and 4 at the rear.

 

[Mofra]

Yes, there seems to be a few good reasons, but politics may be a stopper. I have seen it said somewhere the F16's are relatively fragile in the landing gear department which makes them a poor choice for austere conditions but in other ways they would be ideal because of numbers and support. F18 is better in the rough being a carrier aircraft but I don't think there are quite the numbers available. Whatever choice is made I wish they would hurry up.

Saw this article in The Warzone about SK new air defence missiles, the M RAM and L RAM.

South Korea’s New Anti-Ballistic Missile System Downs Targets In Tests

The announcement of the successful interception of target missiles comes hot on the heels of a spate of missile tests by North Korea.

www.thedrive.com

SK needs missile defense more than any other country than the Ukraine and it looks like they are well on their way to building their own sovereign capability. The high altitude antiballistic version users a divert and attitude control system (DACS) to provide maneuvering during the terminal phase of the engagement, there is video of it in the article. Below is an image of it working on a test rig:

Looks like there are 4 thrusters mid body and 4 at the rear.

The Canucks also use Hornets in dispersed cold environs so might have some lessons for Ukraine as well, although as it currently stands the Swedish model looks ideal.

China's missile technology seems weighted towards pure speed so kinetic damage will still be a factor regardless of how good air defense systems are (especially for fixed ground targets... Taiwan)

 

[CD Xbow]

The Canucks also use Hornets in dispersed cold environs so might have some lessons for Ukraine as well, although as it currently stands the Swedish model looks ideal.

China's missile technology seems weighted towards pure speed so kinetic damage will still be a factor regardless of how good air defense systems are (especially for fixed ground targets... Taiwan)

Fixed ground targets are going to be dead very quickly. Everything needs to be mobile and actually moved around randomly. Sadly, I have a strong feeling politics will be a stopper for the Gripen.