The upcoming test will reportedly utilize Lockheed’s new vertical launch system called the Quad Launcher, which will allow the missiles to be fired from medium and large surface vessels.

The company recently showcased a model of a generic vessel equipped with four JAGM Quad Launchers, indicating its readiness for the much-awaited integration.

Lockheed did not provide a specific date for the planned live-fire demonstration.

If successful, the test could allow for the official integration of Quad Launchers on surface vessels to defeat maritime threats.

“We are still in the development phase of the vertical launch capability and demonstrating to [the] US [Department of Defense] is our near-term goal,” said Patrick Sweeney, Lockheed’s senior manager for international business development.

Potential Applications

The sea-launched JAGM test is part of a broader initiative to transform the munition into a multi-domain weapon system capable of addressing a wide variety of threats.

It can be used to engage uncrewed surface vessels and drones, similar to those used by Iran-backed Houthi rebels in the Red Sea.

Currently, the US Navy employs AGM-114 Longbow Hellfire missiles for targeting small surface vessels.

The existing version of the JAGM only allows for launch on aerial platforms, such as the AH-1Z Viper attack helicopter.

Lockheed plans to offer the sea-launched JAGM to the US military and the Australian Defence Force.

The post Lockheed Braces for First Sea-Launched JAGM Missile Test appeared first on The Defense Post.

Sullivan arrived in Beijing on Tuesday, the first US national security advisor to visit China since 2016, for three days of talks with Foreign Minister Wang Yi and other high-ranking officials.

The visit came as China became embroiled in security rows with US allies Japan and the Philippines.

On Thursday morning, Sullivan met with senior Chinese army chief Zhang Youxia at the Beijing headquarters of the Central Military Commission.

“It’s rare that we have the opportunity to have this kind of exchange,” Sullivan told Zhang in opening remarks.

“Given the state of the world and the need for us to responsibly manage the US-China relationship, I think this is a very important meeting.”

Zhang, in turn, thanked Sullivan for his visit and said the meeting “demonstrates the value the US government puts on military security.”

The two officials also agreed to hold a call between the two sides’ theater commanders “in the near future,” a readout from the White House added.

Sullivan raised the importance of “stability” in the Taiwan Strait and “freedom of navigation” in the South China Sea, where Beijing and Manila have clashed in recent months.

He expressed “concerns about (Chinese) support for Russia’s defense industrial base” – echoing longstanding US claims that Beijing has rejected, the readout added.

He also raised “the need to avoid miscalculation and escalation in cyberspace, and ongoing efforts to reach a ceasefire and hostage deal in Gaza,” the White House said.

‘Destabilizing Actions’

On Wednesday, Sullivan and Wang discussed plans for their leaders to talk in the coming weeks – and clashed over China’s increasingly assertive approach in disputed maritime regions.

Sullivan “reaffirmed the United States’ commitment to defending its Indo-Pacific allies,” the White House said.

He also “expressed concern about (China’s) destabilizing actions against lawful Philippine maritime operations” in the disputed South China Sea, it said.

Chinese state media reported that Wang issued his own warning to Washington.

“The United States must not use bilateral treaties as an excuse to undermine China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, nor should it support or condone the Philippines’ actions of infringement,” Wang told Sullivan, according to state broadcaster CCTV.

Wang and Sullivan previously met five times over the past year and a half – in Washington, Vienna, Malta, and Bangkok, as well as alongside Biden and Xi in Woodside, California in November 2023.

During their latest encounter, they also discussed the tense issue of Taiwan, the self-governing democracy that China claims.

China has kept up its saber-rattling since the inauguration this year of President Lai Ching-te, whose party emphasizes Taiwan’s separate identity.

Wang stressed that Taiwan belonged to Beijing and that China would “certainly be unified,” adding that the United States should stop arming Taiwan, according to CCTV.

The White House said Sullivan “underscored the importance of maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.”

The US and Chinese officials also discussed issues including Ukraine, the Middle East, and the Korean Peninsula, both sides said.

The post US Raises Taiwan, South China Sea Concerns With Beijing Military appeared first on The Defense Post.

Adm. Samuel Paparo, head of the US Indo-Pacific Command, said during his visit to Manila that assisting the Philippines to conduct missions in the disputed territory is an “entirely reasonable option” under their 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty.

However, he pointed out that such a move should be “within the context of consultations” to properly address the problem.

Last month, Philippine military chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. revealed that Washington had already offered its assistance to conduct resupply missions, but Manila turned it down.

“They asked us how they could help,” he told Reuters. “We try to exhaust all possible options that we have before we ask for help.”

Maritime Collisions

China and the Philippines have recently experienced maritime altercations while asserting their rights in the South China Sea.

Last week, a Chinese coast guard ship and a Philippine vessel collided near the disputed Sabina Shoal, causing minor damage.

Beijing said the collision occurred when its Philippine counterpart refused to comply with control measures while attempting to perform a resupply mission.

Manila slammed China’s comment as “completely unfounded,” saying it was the Chinese vessel that “deliberately” rammed and fired water cannons at Philippine boats.

In June, a maritime collision also occurred between the two countries that resulted in the brandishing of weapons and a Philippine Navy sailor losing his thumb.

China Warning

The US has repeatedly condemned China’s dangerous actions in the South China Sea, saying it has resorted to escalatory measures to enforce its “unlawful” claims.

But Beijing was quick to dismiss Washington’s remarks, arguing that the US is not a party in the South China Sea and therefore has no right to intervene in maritime disputes between China and the Philippines.

“The US should stop provoking confrontation in the South China Sea, not disrupt regional stability and not escalate tensions,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said.

The post US Military Could Escort Philippine Ships in South China Sea: Admiral appeared first on The Defense Post.

Announced Tuesday, the deal requires the company to deliver an undisclosed number of Family of Weapon Sights – Sniper (FWS-S) with cutting-edge infrared imaging technology.

According to the company, the equipment will allow army units to have the “most advanced technology” on the modern battlefield.

“We are proud to provide this innovative technology, and proud the US Army recognizes us as a trusted partner to continue delivering these systems to the frontline warfighters,” senior vice president Jerry Hathaway said.

Leonardo did not provide a specific delivery timeline for the weapon sights.

Strategic Advantage

In June 2023, the US Army signed a similar deal with Leonardo DRS for infrared sniper weapon sights worth $94 million.

The sights can be used in conjunction with existing daytime sniper optics, providing rapid target acquisition capabilities to soldiers.

Their infrared imaging technology is designed to give users the ability to acquire targets in difficult environmental conditions, including smoke and fog.

Once delivered, the FWS-S is expected to provide the US Army with strategic and tactical advantages on the battlefield.

Apart from the sniper sights, Leonardo is under contract with the army to deliver thermal weapon sights to support missions in low-light environments.

The post Leonardo Bags $52M Sniper Weapon Sights Order From US Army appeared first on The Defense Post.

The weapon, said to be 10 times smaller and cheaper than existing missile systems, was tested within 11 weeks of the company’s opening.

It is reportedly meant to help fill the “munitions gap” caused by expensive weapons in the US armed forces inventory.

Ares Industries, which builds cruise missiles, launched today out of YC’s current batch.

This is YC's first weapons company, and this is an actual photo of their missile.

Here is the story of Ares Industries and why we funded them. (1/10) pic.twitter.com/n8KR4bFaaN

— Jared Friedman (@snowmaker) August 21, 2024

Typically, anti-ship cruise missiles weigh 3,000 pounds (1,360 kilograms) and cost about $3 million.

But with the Ares Industries initiative, the military will have the option to buy a smaller, 300-pound (136-kilogram) cruise missile for approximately $300,000.

‘A Good Idea’

Y Combinator Management, the American firm that funds Ares Industries, said that developing a much cheaper missile system is useful because giant missile manufacturers “have become bloated” with increased global demand.

It is also not practical to spend much on taking out small targets using highly expensive weapons systems, it said.

“Anti-ship missiles only come in one size: big. These missiles were designed to blow up huge destroyers,” company founder Jared Friedman wrote on X. “But the frigates in the Chinese Navy are much smaller. And now we have drone ships.”

“It makes no sense to take out a $200K drone ship with a $3M missile.”

Like other available missile systems, Ares promises a weapon that is compatible with existing launch platforms and can take out targets hundreds of miles away.

For now, the company said its focus is on ground and ship-launched variants but is open to the possibility of developing an air-launched version with extended ranges and different payload configurations.

The missile is expected to be delivered to its first customers by mid-2025.

The post Ares Industries Flight-Tests New Cruise Missile, 10x Smaller, Cheaper appeared first on The Defense Post.

Stationed at Fort Wainwright in Alaska, the Arctic Aviation Command will be home to two active-duty battalions, which are both the first battalions of the 25th and 52nd Aviation Regiments.

These units, which are already in Alaska, previously reported to Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington and Fort Shafter in Hawaii.

With the recent development, the two battalions will directly and exclusively report to the new local command while continuing to support operations in the region.

“The Arctic is obviously a strategically important region for the US,” command head Col. Russ Vanderlugt said. “You have to be in the Arctic to understand the Arctic.”

Growing Threats

Last month, the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) announced that American and Canadian warplanes intercepted two Russian and two Chinese bombers near Alaska.

Moscow and Beijing then confirmed that they were staging a joint patrol over the north Pacific Ocean during the intercept but insisted that they stayed in international airspace.

The Pentagon also sounded the alarm on the increasing Russian-Chinese collaboration in the region, both militarily and commercially.

“We’ve seen growing cooperation between [China] and Russia in the Arctic commercially, with [China] being a major funder of Russian energy exploitation in the Arctic,” Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks said.

With the new Arctic Aviation Command, the US Army is expected to have a better Arctic posture by stationing its leaders in Alaska to facilitate improved training.

It would also allow for more equipment to provide a direct line of support to Arctic units.

The post US Army Activates Arctic Aviation Command as Threats Rise appeared first on The Defense Post.

AFRICOM officials said during a recent defense conference in Washington, DC, that the General Atomics aircraft is now being “legacy-ed out,” thus the need for a more modern aerial system.

They also highlighted the importance of having a long-endurance platform, which should be able to stay in the air “well beyond three days.”

The extended-range version of the MQ-9 Reaper has a flight endurance of 30 hours.

Changing Geopolitical Landscape

AFRICOM strategic capabilities division chief Fred Gregory said that the changing geopolitical landscape in the region has affected the command’s airborne ISR capabilities.

With its recent withdrawal from Niger, the command reportedly lost some of its key ISR bases in Africa, forcing it to fly from England and Somalia.

“This means we won’t have as much time on station or to react due to the distances,” Gregory explained. “We don’t have a lot of bases, so that’s a challenge as it relates to long dwell and endurance, as they (Reapers) are usually pretty big aircraft.”

Without a suitable replacement, Gregory warned that AFRICOM’s airborne ISR capabilities in the region will have eroded by 2026.

“We won’t have [any airborne] ISR access,” he stressed.

Funding in Place

Pentagon Undersecretary for Research and Engineering Heidi Shyu said that funding and investments are already in place for long-endurance drones.

Without providing specific details, she revealed that the defense department already tested an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that can loiter for “seven to eight days.”

The Pentagon has also reportedly been collaborating with the defense industry for solar-powered, stratospheric UAVs.

In July, the US Air Force announced that its ULTRA reconnaissance drone flew for three days straight during a recent trial.

The post AFRICOM Seeking New Long-Range ISR Drone to Replace MQ-9 Reaper appeared first on The Defense Post.

In a memorandum released Friday, Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks said the department will improve the tracking of all service members’ cognitive health by regularly conducting assessments.

This is meant to spot potential effects on soldiers of repeated blast exposures from early career onward.

At present, the military only provides baseline cognitive testing to soldiers ahead of their official deployment. This often results in failure to spot potential brain injuries from training or combat missions.

“Experiences by [soldiers] in training and operational environments demonstrate possible adverse effects on brain health and cognitive performance (e.g., headache, decreased reaction time, attention difficulty, memory loss),” Hicks wrote.

“Brain health effects from [blast] exposures are not yet fully understood, but adverse health and cognitive performance impacts have been reported.”

The long-term cognitive testing for active-duty troops will begin in 2025.

Standoff Distance

In addition to regular cognitive assessments, the new policy will ensure that protective equipment is provided to anyone firing certain weapons.

There will also be specific safe distances for instructors to follow depending on the weapons being used during training.

For example, instructors should stand 16 feet (4.9 meters) farther from a soldier firing an M3 anti-armor and anti-personnel weapon.

They are also obliged to be at least 7 feet (2.1 meters) away from personnel training with an M107 sniper rifle.

When firing indirect fire systems or mortars, soldiers should assume a posture as close to the ground as possible to avoid blast effects.

Long Called For

The new blast policy comes amid growing pressure from American lawmakers for increased troop protection from blasts.

Earlier this year, a panel of experts told the Senate Armed Services subcommittee on personnel that even low-level blast exposure can cause symptoms similar to traumatic brain injury.

The policy was released nine months after a US Army reservist went on a shooting rampage in Maine and killed 18 people.

An autopsy report revealed that the suspect likely suffered from a traumatic brain injury as he was a longtime instructor at a hand grenade training range.

The post US Military Unveils New Blast Policy to Reduce Risk of Brain Injuries appeared first on The Defense Post.

The demonstration was held nearly three months after China showed off its own version of a weapon-carrying robot dog at the onset of its joint military exercise with Cambodia.

A Ghost Robotics Vision 60, the American Q-UGV features an AR-15-type rifle mounted on a small turret on top of its front end.

It also has a relatively large objective lens and electro-optical targeting system that aids in accurately finding targets.

Furthermore, the rifle-toting robot dog appeared to be carrying a laser aiming device on its side and a high-performance camera similar to a GoPro on its rear.

A Ghost Robotics’ Vision 60 quadrupedal unmanned ground vehicle (Q-UGV) armed with an AR-15/M16-type carbine is among the counter-drone capabilities being demonstrated at the U.S. Army’s Fort Drum in New York as part of what has been dubbed Operation Hard Kill. pic.twitter.com/dRxKUqYZMV

— Katherine Champagne (@keccers) August 8, 2024

The armed version of the Vision 60 is reportedly an anti-drone system, with its sensors supposed to detect hostile unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) then shoot them down using the rifle.

AI-Enabled

Ghost Robotics’ Vision 60 is a mid-sized, all-weather UGV enabled by artificial intelligence (AI).

It was developed to help the military reach areas otherwise inaccessible to ground vehicles and keep soldiers out of harm’s way.

Weighing only 112 pounds (51 kilograms), the robot dog can travel at speeds reaching 3 meters (10 feet) per second with maximum runtime of 3 hours.

During Operation Hard Kill, the rifle-armed Vision 60 demonstrated its ability to maneuver and aim its AI-enabled weapon autonomously.

Representatives from the army and its industry partners monitored the activity and reviewed the robot’s targeting data.

Chinese Version

A video taken during the China-Cambodia military exercise showed a four-legged robot’s ability to walk, hop, lie down, and move backward like a real canine.

It also demonstrated its ability to lead an infantry unit in penetrating a representative enemy building.

American lawmakers immediately sounded the alarm on the new Chinese innovation, requiring the Pentagon to assess its potential application in future conflicts.

PLA showcased two robot dogs — including one with a QBZ-95 assault rifle mounted on its back — during the 15-day China-Cambodia Golden Dragon 2024 joint military exercises that began on May 16. pic.twitter.com/b75K26BWzo

— Byron Wan (@Byron_Wan) May 27, 2024

The post After China, US Unveils Rifle-Toting Robot Dogs appeared first on The Defense Post.

Known as the Cocos Islands, the area sits west of the Australian mainland and is close to an Indian Ocean chokepoint for Chinese oil shipments.

According to a recently-published US Navy construction tender, the island can house infrastructure that would help improve Washington’s defense posture in the Indo-Pacific.

But it noted that the infrastructure may or may not directly support American forces stationed at RAAF Base Darwin in northern Australia.

Apart from the Cocos Islands, the US military listed the Philippines, Timor Leste, and Papua New Guinea for anticipated construction projects under the initiative.

‘Immense Geostrategic Advantages’

With a population of just 600, the Cocos Islands have been a key location for Canberra’s maritime surveillance operations in the Indian Ocean.

They will soon be the home to an expanded airfield that will carry heavier military aircraft such as the P-8A Poseidon.

For the US, the island holds “immense geostrategic advantages” considering that it is closer to the Strait of Malacca, a chokepoint for half of Beijing’s oil shipments, than the US Navy base of Diego Garcia.

It is also “much closer to the theater where Washington anticipates conflict scenarios,” according to Australia India Institute geopolitics director Darshana Baruah.

At present, the Australian Defence Force confirmed that the US has no investments yet in the Cocos Islands, though it is building bomber runways at two key air bases in northern Australia.

Pacific Deterrence Initiative

Modeled after the 2014 European Deterrence Initiative, the Pacific Deterrence Initiative aims to maintain a US military advantage over China.

It plans to earmark billions of dollars to modernize and strengthen the US presence in the region by undertaking construction projects and conducting military exercises.

The initiative also calls for improved cooperation with allies to prepare for a potential conflict with China.

The Australian Defence Force has already assured the US that it will cooperate closely “to advance our force posture” across various locations in Australia.

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