US Marine Corps (USMC)

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Sikorsky delivers the third CH-53K helicopter to the US Marine corps


Aviation Defense News July 2022 aerospace air force industry

POSTED ON FRIDAY, 15 JULY 2022 15:38

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According to a press release published by Sikorsky on July 14, 2022, the Lockheed Martin Company, delivered the third Low-Rate Initial Production (LRIP) CH-53K helicopter ahead of contract schedule to the U.S. Marine Corps.

CH-53K King Stallion picks up a tactical vehicle during Exercise Potomac Restore on
Camp Lejeune, North Carolina (Picture source: USMC )

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This aircraft, built in Sikorsky’s digital factory, is the first CH-53K from the Lot 2 LRIP contract awarded by the U.S. Navy in 2019, and the seventh overall delivered to the fleet.

The CH‑53K’s heavy-lift capabilities exceed all other U.S. Department of Defense rotary wing platforms and is the only heavy-lift helicopter that will remain in production through 2032 and beyond.

This CH-53K heavy lift helicopter joins the six in operation at Marine Corps Air Station New River in Jacksonville, North Carolina. The CH-53K is the only sea-based, long range, heavy lift helicopter in production and will immediately provide three times the lift capability of its predecessor.

Technical details about the CH-53 K helicopter

The CH-53K is a general redesign with new engines and a cockpit layout. The CH-53K uses General Electric T408 (GE38-1B) engines rated at 7,500 shp (5,600 kW) each and able to fly 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph) faster than its CH-53E predecessor.

It features a new digital glass cockpit with fly-by-wire controls and haptic feedback, HUMS, a new elastomeric hub system, and composite rotor blades to improve "hot and high" performance.



Sikorsky delivers the third CH-53K helicopter to the US Marine corps (airrecognition.com)

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3d Battalion, 3d Marines conduct fire team attack drills on Camp Hansen, Okinawa, Japan

If the Marine Corps is flexing into the Stand-In-Force concept & EABO then these skills while practiced today (in the pics below) will atrophy. Guarding missiles and refueling points is a defensive mission. The thought that Marine Corps Infantry will maintain the 'elan to be called upon to perform light infantry tasks is questionable. Dedicated Army Infantry (along with Special Operations most notably Rangers) will soon have more capable and sport a better combined arms team supporting those forces than the Marine Corps will. From better ground mobility, to better direct fire capability, along with more cannon artillery to provide fires and attaching USAF fighter wings, the Marine Corps will go from a flexible, fight anywhere/anytime and in any clime to be relegated to the Pacific, not by desire but by capability. Tying into the Navy so forcefully will further limit opportunities to be called on by the nation in any fight except for one against China. Force Design 2030 is a horrible mistake.

Posted by Solomon at 8/07/2022 01:07:00 PM 


SNAFU!: 3d Battalion, 3d Marines conduct fire team attack drills on Camp Hansen, Okinawa, Japan (snafu-solomon.com)

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03/11/2022

Bell Textron a livré le dernier AH-1Z « Viper » à L’USMC !

Le Corps des Marines des États-Unis a pris livraison de son 189ème et dernier hélicoptère d'attaque de type AH-1Z « Viper » de Bell Textron Inc. lors d'une cérémonie au centre d'assemblage Amarillo. L’appareil va rejoindre l'escadron d'entraînement d'hélicoptères d'attaque légère Marine 303 (HMLAT-303) du Marine Aircraft Group 39, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, au sein du Marine Corps Air Station Camp Pendleton, en Californie.

Rappel

L'AH-1Z « Viper » a remplacé l'AH-1W Super Cobra à deux pales, introduisant un nouveau système de rotor composite à quatre pales, une transmission adaptée aux performances, un rotor de queue à quatre pales, un train d'atterrissage amélioré et un cockpit en verre entièrement intégré. 

En 1966, Bell a créé le AH-1 « Cobra » comme premier vaisseau de combat dédié. En 1970, l'AH-1N a apporté des capacités bimoteurs à plus de 28 pays, et en 1984, l'AH-1W a fourni à l'US Marine Corps une capacité d'hélicoptère d'attaque accrue. L'AH-1Z a atteint sa capacité opérationnelle initiale en février 2011.Le premier déploiement du « Viper » avec une unité expéditionnaire maritime a eu lieu en 2009.
Au sein de l’USMC
L'AH-1Z fournit un appui aérien rapproché, des capacités anti-blindées, anti-aériennes, d'escorte armée, de reconnaissance armée / visuelle et d'appui-feu de jour / nuit et dans des conditions météorologiques défavorables pour l'USMC.

Le Bell Textron AH-1Z « Viper »

L’ultime version du célèbre « Cobra » est dotée d’une nouvelle motorisation, soit le General-Electric T700-GE-401, l’appareil est doté d’une avionique de dernière génération qui incorpore un FLIR de troisième génération et fournit actuellement, une des plus longues portées du marché. En outre, le système complètement passif et automatique de balayage du champ de bataille, permet d’identifier de façon positive et de suivre des cibles multiples à des distances, au-delà, de la portée maximale de son système d'armes. L’AH-1Z permet l’usage varié d’un armement complet comme les AGM-114A, B, C, F « Hellfire », des roquettes de 70mm et missiles air-air AIM-9 « Sidewinder ». Le poste de pilotage rénové comprend des écrans couleurs de grandes tailles, multifonctionnels et combinés avec la technologie de cartes mobiles.

Photos : AH-1Z Viper @ USMC


Bell Textron a livré le dernier AH-1Z « Viper » à L’USMC ! : avia news (24heures.ch)

Citation :

BAE Systems to supply 30 additional ACV Amphibious Combat Vehicles to US Marine Corps


POSTED ON THURSDAY, 17 NOVEMBER 2022 10:06

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BAE Systems Land & Armaments LP is awarded a $153,735,465 firm-fixed-price modification to previously awarded contract M67854-16-0006 for Amphibious Combat Vehicles (ACVs). The total cumulative face value of the contract is $2,074,435,899. This contract modification provides for the exercise of options for the procurement of 30 full-rate production ACVs and associated production, fielding and support costs.

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U.S. Marines offload amphibious combat vehicles (ACVs) with 3d Assault Amphibian Battalion,
1st Marine Division from the amphibious assault dock landing ship USS Anchorage (LPD 23)
during exercise STRATMOBEX at Naval Base San Diego, California, Oct. 19, 2021. (Picture source:
U.S. DoD)

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Work will be performed in York, Pennsylvania (60%); Aiken, South Carolina (15%); San Jose, California (15%); Sterling Heights, Michigan (5%); and Stafford, Virginia (5%), with an expected completion date of December 2024. Fiscal 2023 procurement (Marine Corps) funds in the amount of $153,735,465 will be obligated at the time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, Virginia, is the contracting activity.

The ACV represents the optimum balance of sea/land mobility and survivability, with future growth potential. The ACV was born out of a combination of BAE Systems’ amphibious vehicles legacy and Iveco Defence Vehicles’ long history of producing more than 30,000 multi-purpose armored vehicles.

The U.S. Department of Defense on May 9 announced that BAE Systems Land & Armaments L.P. was awarded an $89,467,675 firm-fixed-price modification to previously awarded contract M67854-16-0006 for Amphibious Combat Vehicles (ACV). The total cumulative face value of the contract is $1,825,427,258.



BAE Systems to supply 30 additional ACV Amphibious Combat Vehicles to US Marine Corps | Defense News November 2022 Global Security army industry | Defense Security global news industry army year 2022 | Archive News year (armyrecognition.com)

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 LAST UPDATED: 14 JANUARY 2023




First KC-130Js arrive for VMGR-153



On 13 January 2022, Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron (VMGR) 153 was formally activated at Kaneohe Bay MCAF, Marion E. Carl Field (HI) with two Lockheed Martin KC-130J Super Hercules tanker transport aircraft. The unit is assigned to Marine Aircraft Group 24 (MAG-24).


Both aircraft already arrived on 6 January 2023, in time for the the activation ceremony. Upon arrival, the KC-130Js, BuNo 170272 and BuNo 170273 were still coded QB (VMGR-352). On the photo of aircraft 272, the code seems to be KB, but this has to be confirmed.


The total number of VMGR-153’s KC-130Js will increase over the next few years, with a final strength of fifteen aircraft arriving by fiscal year 2026.


In December 2022, the US Marine Corps (USMC) completed an Environmental Assessment (EA) in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) to determine the impacts of home basing two new types of aircraft at Marine Corps Base Hawaii, the KC-130J and the MQ-9 Reaper. The latter aircraft will also arrive in 2023 and they will be assigned to Marine Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Squadron (VMU) 3 Phantoms ('FZ-xx'), also part of MAG-24, where they will replace the RQ-21 Blackjack UAS.


Photo via USMC


First KC-130Js arrive for VMGR-153 (scramble.nl)

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MAR 7

BAE Systems receives full-rate production contract from US Marine Corps for additional ACV Amphibious Combat Vehicles

The U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) has awarded BAE Systems a $256.8 million contract for additional Amphibious Combat Vehicles (ACVs) under a third order for full-rate production (FRP). This award covers production, fielding, and support costs for the ACV Personnel (ACV-P) variant and the Command variant (ACV-C). The contract exercises existing contract options, which include $145.3 million for more than 25 ACV-P vehicles, and $111.5 million for more than 15 ACV-C vehicles.

U.S. Marines offload amphibious combat vehicles (ACVs) with 3d Assault Amphibian Battalion, 1st Marine Division from the amphibious assault dock landing ship USS Anchorage (LPD 23) during exercise STRATMOBEX at Naval Base San Diego, California, Oct. 19, 2021 (Picture source: U.S. DoD) BAE Systems receives full-rate production contract from US Marine Corps for additional ACV Amphibious Combat Vehicles | World Defence News

Citation :

06.06.2023

Le "811 Marine battalion", clin d'oeil au retour du mortier de 81

La refonte du Corps des Marines (USMC) se poursuit. Les choses s'affinent si l'on compare la version de [url=https://www.hqmc.marines.mil/Portals/142/Docs/CMC38 Force Design 2030 Report Phase I and]mars 2020 du projet "Force Design 2030"[/url] et celle de juin 2023. La réduction du nombre de bataillons d'infanterie se situe toujours à 3 unités (de 24 à 21); ce qui évolue, ce sont les effectifs de ces bataillons. 

Initialement, ces unités d'infanterie devaient compter 735 Marines. Mais des tests dans les Appalaches en hiver et dans les jungles d'Okinawa en été ont confirmé que ce format n'était pas adapté. La taille des bataillons a donc été ajustée à 811 Marines. 

Coïncidence numérique, le nouveau format doit beaucoup à l'adjonction d'une section de mortier de 81mm, comme l'a expliqué le général Kyle Ellison, qui commande le Marine Corps Warfighting Lab. "Cette section de mortiers de 81mm va permettre un appui-feu tous temps, ce qui ne sera pas le cas des munitions rôdeuses que nous allons déployer mais qui ne sont pas tous temps". 

Outre les mortiers, les bataillons seront équipés de moyens d'observation tous temps, de capacités antichars et de matériel de soutien.

Ce dispositif sera mis en place à compter du 1er septembre.



Le "811 Marine battalion", clin d'oeil au retour du mortier de 81 : Lignes de défense (ouest-france.fr)

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JUL 26

US Marine Corps reveals new Tomahawk ground-based Long Range Fires Launcher


According to an article published by the U.S. Naval Institute on July 25, 2023, the US Marine Corps has publicly disclosed its most recent unmanned 4x4 launcher vehicle, designated as the Long Range Fires Launcher (LRFL), at the core of the new ground-based Tomahawk cruise missile unit. The LRFL was unveiled during the official ceremony commemorating the establishment of Battery A, 11th Marines, at Camp Pendleton in California on July 21, 2023.  




The new Long Range Fires Launcher will join the NMESIS as ground-based Tomahawk launchers (Picture source: US Marine Corps)


http://worlddefencenews.blogspot.com/2023/07/us-marine-corps-reveals-new-tomahawk.html  

Les groupes aéronavals de l'USS Dwight D. Eisenhower #CVN69 & de l'USS Gerald R. Ford #CVN78 vont être rejoints par un groupe amphibie: le Bataan Amphibious Ready Group qui transporte une Marine Expeditionary Unit (la 26e MEU avec 2 500 marines) https://t.co/7XHueyi3K4 pic.twitter.com/cqoaoVNqUh

— Philippe Top-Action (@top_force) October 17, 2023

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 NOV 6

BAE Systems to supply USMC with 40 additional ACV Amphibious Combat Vehicles


The U.S. Department of Defense on November 3 announced that BAE Systems Land & Armaments LP, Sterling Heights, Michigan, is awarded a
$211,477,415 firm-fixed-price modification to a previously awarded contract for Amphibious Combat Vehicles (ACV). The total cumulative face
value of the contract is $2,552,695,877. This contract modification provides for the exercise of options for the procurement of 40 full-rate production
ACV Personnel variants and associated production, fielding and support costs, and support & test equipment.



An Amphibious Combat Vehicle (ACV) with the 3rd Assault Amphibian Battalion, 1st Marine Division disembarks the well deck of the amphibious
transport dock USS Anchorage (LPD 23) during waterborne training (Picture source: U.S. NAVY / Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class
Hector Carrera)


http://worlddefencenews.blogspot.com/2023/11/bae-systems-to-supply-usmc-with-40.html  

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DEC 8

Elbit America with Theon Senors subcontractor wins USMC Night Vision Goggles supply contract


Elbit Systems of America is awarded, through an international tender, a five-year $500 million IDIQ contract for the supply of the Squad Binocular
Night Vision Goggle (SBNVG) to the U.S. Marine Corps (USMC). The contract is awarded by the US Department of Defense. For the first delivery
order following contract, a total amount of $126.8 ml will be obligated.




Engineered with close-focus technology and an integrated IR illuminator, this night vision binocular delivers a tactical advantage in low-light and
no-light combat scenarios (Picture source: Theon Sensors)


http://worlddefencenews.blogspot.com/2023/12/elbit-america-with-theon-senors.html  

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JAN 14

US Marine Corps Boosts Its Air Defense Capabilities With New MADIS System


The Marine Air Defense Integrated System (MADIS), an innovative air defense capability, has marked a significant enhancement in the U.S. Marine
Corps' ability to counter unmanned aircraft systems. In a pivotal development this past December 2023, the Program Executive Officer Land
Systems conducted a successful test of the MADIS low-rate initial production model. This test carried out at the Yuma Proving Ground in Arizona,
saw the system effectively engage and destroy multiple drone targets during a live-fire exercise.


U.S. Marines with Marine Corps Systems Command, fire a Stinger Missile from a Marine Air Defense Integrated System (MADIS) Mk1  vehicle at
Yuma Proving Ground, Arizona, December 13, 2023. (Picture source U.S. DoD)


https://worlddefencenews.blogspot.com/2024/01/us-marine-corps-boosts-its-air-defense.html  

Citation :

  FEB 2

US Marine Corps receives first ACV-30 armored fighting vehicle from BAE Systems


On February 1, 2024, BAE Systems announced the delivery of the initial production representative test vehicle (PRTV) of the Amphibious Combat
Vehicle 30mm Cannon (ACV-30) 8x8 amphibious armored vehicle to the US Marine Corps. This development is viewed as an important addition to
the Marine Corps capabilities, aimed at enhancing direct fire support for dismounted Marines.


The ACV-30 features a Kongsberg-manufactured stabilized, 30mm Remotely controlled Turret System, designed to eliminate the space
constraints associated with legacy turreted cannon systems. (Picture source: BAE Systems)


https://worlddefencenews.blogspot.com/2024/02/us-marine-corps-receives-first-acv-30.html  

VMFA-312 in Norway

USMC photo by Cpl. Christopher Hernandez pic.twitter.com/DEV9aY7yc0

— Fighterman_FFRC (@Fighterman_FFRC) February 23, 2024