US Marine Corps (USMC)

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The 'Juan Carlos I' Embarks US Aircraft Squadron
(Source: TeInteresa.es; posted Nov. 11, 2015)
(Posted in Spanish; unofficial translation by Defense-Aerospace.com)

MADRID --- The Spanish navy ship 'Juan Carlos I' has taken aboard four MV-22 Osprey aircraft of the US Marine Corps Squadron VMM-261 deployed in the Airland Crisis Response Unit for Africa, and normally based at Moron de la Frontera (Sevilla).

As reported by the Spanish Navy, this constitutes a “first” for both the US and Spain, as never before has a US aircraft unit been part of an air wing embarked on a non-US Navy ship.

The combined air wing comprised six AV-8B Harrier planes and an AB-212 helicopter. The MV-22 Osprey performed main raids (long-distance flights) during joint missions carried out by US Marines, Portuguese 'fusileiros' and Spanish marines.

Troop movements were made between the ship "Juan Carlos I" and maneuvers at 'Pinheiro da Cruz' and 'Milfontes', located in Portugal, at distances of 75 and 105 miles respectively from the position of the 'Juan Carlos I.'

The MV-22 Osprey is a multipurpose military aircraft, classified as a tilt-rotor aircraft, which has both capacity for vertical and/or short takeoff and landing. It was designed to combine the functionality of a conventional helicopter with the capabilities of high-speed cruise and long range of a turboprop aircraft.




http://www.defense-aerospace.com/articles-view/release/3/168715/marine-air-detachment-embarks-on-spanish-lhd.html

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Friday, 13 November 2015

Raytheon completed the flight tests for DARPA’s Persistent Close Air Support programme

Raytheon has completed the flight tests phase for the development of the DARPA’s Persistent Close Air Support (PCAS) programme. The company, which is the systems’ integrator, demonstrated the system’s end-to-end capabilities during a USMC exercise.






http://worlddefencenews.blogspot.com/2015/11/raytheon-completed-flight-tests-for.html

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Marines fly Osprey from Miramar to Brazil, set record

The Marine Corps set a new distance record for Osprey flights on Tuesday as three MV-22Bs traveled from California to Brazil.

Flight crews from Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 764 flew 6,165 miles from Marine Corps Air Station Miramar to Rio de Janeiro. The Marines made the journey as part of UNITAS Amphibious 2015, a nine-day multinational maritime exercise that runs through Nov. 24. About 1,000 troops from Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Paraguay and Peru are participating.

The Osprey squadron made a five-leg flight that included stops in Trinidad and Tobago, and Brazil, said 1st Lt. Tyler Hopkins, a UNITAS spokesman. The three Ospreys were supported by three KC-130J Hercules tankers from Marine Aerial Refueler Squadron 234 and one KC-130 from Marine Aerial Refueler Squadron 452.

The flight took five days as leadership decided to wait out some bad weather, said Lt. Col. Greg Gehman, commander of the VMM-764 Moonlighters. Lessons learned from the long flight will lead to faster and more efficient responses, and help to better prepare flight crews for crossing international boundaries and dealing with environmental concerns, he said.

Such challenges were evident when Special-Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force Crisis Response was called into action in January 2014 to help evacuate the U.S. Embassy in Juba, South Sudan. The team, based out of Morón, Spain, flew nearly 4,200 miles (roughly the distance from Anchorage, Alaska, to Miami) to pull more than 20 embassy personnel out of the country amid violence between factions on the brink of civil war.

The necessity of aerial refueling for the Osprey was a key part of the mission, and the KC-130 Super Hercules allowed the crisis response Marines to travel quickly to the site, conduct a speedy mission and prevent a potential catastrophe.
The Ospreys will lead helicopter operations for UNITAS

The Ospreys will lead helicopter operations for UNITAS Amphibious Operations 2015, and will be assisted by Brazil and Mexico. (Photo: Screen grab from Marine video by Cpl Bethany Barnoski)

That is not to say the Osprey hasn’t been extending its reach. Six Ospreys and two KC-130Js in April 2013 flew from Marine Corps Air Station New River, North Carolina, to Moron De La Frontera, Spain. That 15-hour flight marked the longest and largest transatlantic flight of any Osprey squadron to date.

Four months later, two Ospreys completed the longest MV-22 tanking mission in the Pacific. The Marines flying those aircraft took off from Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, Japan, and landed in Townsville, Australia.

In South America, the Ospreys will lead helicopter operations for UNITAS, and will be assisted by Brazil and Mexico. Members of 23rd Marines, 4th Civil Affairs Group and 4th Marine Logistics Group will also participate in the exercise.

During the exercise, the troops will conduct military operations in urban terrain and live-fire exercises. A final amphibious and humanitarian assistance/disaster relief exercise is set for Nov. 19 at Ihla de Marambaia.

"Exercises like UNITAS Amphib provide real world scenarios for Reserve Marines to train in," Hopkins said. "This allows them the ability to seamlessly integrate with their active duty counterparts and maintain readiness and fosters friendly cooperation and understanding among all participating forces."

http://www.marinecorpstimes.com

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Nouveau véhicule amphibie du USMC : deux contrats attribués

Actualités Christina Mackenzie 25 novembre, 2015

par Nathan Gain

BAE Systems Land & Armaments et SAIC ont été sélectionnées par le U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) dans le cadre du programme Amphibious Combat Vehicle (ACV) 1.1 pour construire et livrer 13 prototypes chacun pour un montant de 98 millions d’euros pour BAE Systems et de 115 millions d’euros pour SAIC. Selon les termes des contrats accordés hier, 24 novembre, chacune des sociétés américaines a aussi reçu une option pour trois véhicules de plus.


Le véhicule proposé par BAE Systems et IVECO. Photographe David Schacher

Cinq entreprises étaient sur les rangs pour ce programme.

BAE Systems Land & Armaments L.P. de Sterling Heights, Michigan, en partenariat avec l’italienne IVECO, et SIAC de McLean, Virginia qui s’est adjointe les services de la singapourienne ST Kinetics, devront livrer leurs 13 véhicules dans le troisième trimestre 2016. Les essais débuteront en janvier 2017 et la sélection finale sera faite en mars ou avril 2018. L’entreprise sélectionnée devra alors construire quatre plateformes supplémentaires pour des tests de tirs réels.

L’objectif est qu’un peloton d’ACV 1.1 pourrait être déployé en 2020, et qu’en 2023 les six bataillons de l’USMC auraient à leur disposition la totalité des 204 véhicules livrés.


Le Terrex2 proposé par SIAC

Qu’il soit basé sur le Terrex 2 de SIAC, ou le SuperAV retravaillé de BAE, le futur ACV sera un 8×8 blindé capable de transporter jusqu’à 10 soldats (voire 13 à l’avenir), d’atteindre une vitesse maximale de 100 km/h sur route et 11 km/h dans l’eau, et de franchir des vagues d’au moins 60 cm.
Les résultats des essais impliqueront d’éventuelles améliorations à apporter lors de la seconde phase du programme, ou ACV 1.2. qui se concrétisera par l’achat de 490 nouvelles unités. C’est seulement alors que l’ACV, future bête de somme des Marines, devrait être déclinée en différentes versions et éventuellement intégrer de l’armement lourd.

Le véhicule est destiné a remplacer le vénérable Assault Amphibious Vehicle (AAV), en service depuis une quarantaine d’années, désormais obsolète. Son grand âge et la raréfaction de pièces détachées, qui ne sont désormais plus fabriquées, ont fait de l’AAV un véhicule coûteux et difficile à entretenir. Cela, ajouté à l’évolution de l’environnement opérationnel des Marines, a mené à la décision de trouver une nouvelle plateforme apte à relever les défis de demain.

En attendant, l’USMC prévoit de moderniser 392 AAV7A1 d’ici 2028 par l’ajout de protections contre les engins explosifs improvisés, l’amélioration du moteur et des sièges, ainsi que d’une meilleure protection du réservoir à carburant. De quoi prolonger la durée de vie des AAV jusqu’en 2035.

http://forcesoperations.com/nouveau-vehicule-amphibie-du-usmc-deux-contrats-attribues/

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US Marine Corps successfully test-fires the new M1122 practice round

The successful test of a new artillery round brings the promise of more explosions and reduced costs for the artillery community after the US Marines of 1st Battalion, 10th Marine Regiment tested the new M1122 practice round at US Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, Nov. 19, 2015.



The battalion tested the round during a series of demonstrations with several members of the artillery and combat arms communities in attendance in order to solicit feedback on the degree of potential use for artillery training.

Potential inclusion and use of this new round by the Marine Corps came about due to fiscal constraints and rising costs of M795. The M1122 practice round may be used at II Marine Expeditionary Force artillery batteries as early as 2017.

“This round could be beneficial to the Marine Corps because it’s going to be a cost-saving initiative,” said Lt. Col Mike McCarroll, the operations officer for 10th Marine Regiment. “Artillery ammunition is expensive. This could help us acquire rounds at a third of the cost of the traditional M795 high-explosive projectile.”

The implementation of the M1122 training round is under evaluation as a training cost reduction measure, potentially by 2017. The primary training HE round will most likely remain the M795; the Marine Corps is working to determine a suitable mix of M1122 and M795 rounds.

The training round provides the same effective experience as the M795; however, the M1122’s low cost allows the Marine Corps to provide more training opportunities and in turn enables Marines to enhance their skills with the M77A7, one of the Marine Corps’ largest guns.

“The M1122 practice round is built from recycled shell casings from the dual-purpose improved conventional munition round, which will be removed entirely from the inventory before 1 January 2019,” McCarroll said. “We’ve recycled this round by taking out [some of the explosives] and filling it with concrete and from there we get to take advantage of having an efficient round at a lower cost for training than our current round.”

McCarroll added the M1122 is the same weight as the current high explosive projectile so there won’t be a great difference on the firing line, but there will be a difference in the scout-observer aspect of training. The training round has about one-seventh of the explosive impact, which allows for the scout-observer to make faster and more accurate adjustments.

The employment of the training round will provide artillery elements throughout the Marine Corps more resources and training opportunities.

“Because the M1122 is so inexpensive in comparison to the M795, the change would allow us more money and training assets,” said Cpl. Andrew Williams, a fire supportman with the battalion. “This round would enable us to have a bigger budget by spending less on the ammunition we use and it would be very beneficial.”

Williams also stated that with having a smaller projectile, the M1122 performs as it is intended, and it provides adequate training.

No matter the weather, artillery units provide capable fire support whenever they are called upon.

“Our demonstration was done in rain today and that proves that when the skies are rainy and clouds are gray, 24/7 fire support is still available with artillery,” McCarroll said.



http://www.armyrecognition.com/december_2015_global_defense_security_news_uk/us_marine_corps_successfully_test-fires_the_new_m1122_practice_round_20212153.html

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Des femmes dans les FS américaines: l'opposition est forte dans les unités




La décision du secrétaire à la Défense Ashton Carter d'accorder aux femmes soldats un accès à toutes les unités de combat de l'armée américaine a été prise la semaine dernière, malgré une demande d'exemption partielle concernant le corps des marines.

Carter a précisé que tous les emplois militaires seraient ouverts "de façon réfléchie et méthodique" aux femmes après une période de réflexion de 30 jours, comme l'exige la loi. Environ 220 000 postes étaient jusqu'alors fermés aux femmes, soit environ 10% des effectifs de l'armée américaine.

L'USMC fait de la résistance. Un récent rapport de la Rand Corporation (il est diffusé depuis le 3 décembre) intitulé "Implications of Integrating Women into the Marine Corps Infantry" dévoile les réticences des membres de l'USMC à voir leurs unités accueillir des femmes. Le document est à lire/télécharger ici.

Mais les marines ne sont pas les seuls... Cette réticence serait encore plus forte au sein des unités des forces spéciales. Selon Defense One, 71% des opérateurs des FS ne souhaitent pas de femmes dans leurs unités et 85% sont hostiles à leur présence dans certaines spécialités.

Mais le patron du SOCOM, le général Joseph Votel, a tranché: les femmes pourront postuler pour rejoindre les Seals, les rangers etc.

http://lignesdedefense.blogs.ouest-france.fr/archive/2015/12/07/femmes-15255.html

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L’US Marine Corps met en veilleuse le projet de « robot mule »


Posté dans Technologie par Laurent Lagneau Le 03-01-2016



Ces derniers temps, il a souvent été question de la « robotisation » du champ de bataille et en particulier des conséquences morales que peut avoir cette dernière. En juillet 2015, des spécialistes de l’intelligence artificielle, des chercheurs et des entrepreneurs ont signé une pétition en faveur de l’interdiction des « robots autonomes tueurs ».

Si les progrès en matière d’intelligence artificielle laissent entrevoir, d’ici quelques années, l’apparition de telles machines, d’autres problèmes devront être réglés. À commencer par celui du bruit émis par les robots.

Et pour le Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory, cette limite ne peut pas être dépassée pour le moment. D’où la décision de mettre en veilleuse le programme de « mule robotique », menée en partenariat avec la Darpa, l’agence de recherche et de développement du Pentagone, et Boston Dynamics.

Pourtant, l’idée de développer un robot capable de transporter des charges lourdes sur des terrains accidentés – en l’occurrence le LS3, pour Legged Squand Support Systems – était pleine de promesses, avec une capacité de suivre des soldats en étant autonomie ou bien encore de répondre à des commandes vocales basiques.

Seulement, les essais menés en conditions réelles, notamment lors de l’exercice Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC), en 2014, ont mis en évidence les limites de cette machine en situation de combat. La principale est donc son bruit de tondeuse à gazon : quand la discrétion est recherchée, surtout en zone hostile, cela pose évidemment un très gros problème. Et ce dernier n’a pas pu être fixé de manière satisfaisante.

Cela étant, Boston Dynamics a travaillé sur un moteur électrique qui aurait remédié à ce problème de bruit. Seulement, le prototype « Spot », aux capacités plus réduites (18 kg de charge contre 180 kg pour le LS3) n’a pas le même intérêt. Sans doute pourrait-il être utilisé pour faire de la reconnaissance. Et encore…

« Nous avons tendance à jouer avec des choses qui sont fantaisistes et étrange », a confié, à Military.com, Kyle Olson, le porte-parole du Warfighting Lab. « Nous avons beaucoup appris [du LS3] et nous avons encore à en apprendre », a-t-il ajouté.

Pour autant, les recherches, même quand elles ont été mises en veilleuse, ne sont jamais totalement perdues : pour son projet de drone MALE destiné à équiper frégates et destroyers de la marine américaine, la Darpa a misé un engin reprenant le concept du Convair XFY Pogo, abandonné en 1955.

http://www.opex360.com/2016/01/03/lus-marine-corps-met-en-veilleuse-le-projet-de-robot-mule/

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Two military helicopters CH-53 of Marine Corps crash of Hawaii
Jan 15, 2016


Two military helicopters CH-53 of Marine Corps crash off Hawaii.

The Marine Corps can confirm there is an active search and rescue for two CH-53’s of the coast of Oahu.

The two helicopters were from the nearby Kaneohe Bay US Marine Corps Air Station, and each had six people on board, CBS News reports, citing the Coast Guard.

Rescuers arrived to the scene just after midnight, after multiple reports of the crash, and found debris, an empty life raft and fire on the water, some 2.5km from the coastal settlement of Haleiwa.

No survivors or bodies have been located so far.

The search and rescue operation could be hampered by waves forecasted to reach up to 12 meters (40 feet) high – predicted to be the largest swell of this year’s season.




http://defence-blog.com/news/two-military-helicopters-ch-53-of-marine-corps-crash-off-hawaii.html

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U.S. Navy & Marine Corps’ RQ-21A Blackjack Unmanned Aircraft System Ready for Fleet Ops

The U.S. Navy and Marine Corps’ RQ-21A Blackjack unmanned aircraft system (UAS) received the official green light for operation Jan. 13, marking a major milestone for the program.





Marine Corps Deputy Commandant for Aviation Lt. Gen. Jon Davis, announced the program has achieved Initial Operational Capability (IOC), which confirms that the first Marine Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Squadron (VMU) squadron is sufficiently manned, trained and ready to deploy with the RQ-21A system.

“We are ‘go for launch,’” said Col. Eldon Metzger, program manager for the Navy and Marine Corps Small Tactical Unmanned Aircraft Systems Program Office (PMA-263) whose team oversees the Blackjack program. “Achieving IOC designation means the fleet can now deploy using this critical piece of intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance architecture to enhance mission success.”



Last month, the first system from low rate initial production (LRIP) lot 3 was delivered to VMU-2 and will be in direct support of the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), based in Cherry Point, North Carolina. The Marines will make their first shipboard deployment with this system in the summer.



“The Blackjack team has endured many long hours seeing this program to fruition and I am very proud to lead such a dedicated team of professionals,” Metzger said.

A Blackjack system is comprised of five air vehicles, two ground control systems, and launch and recovery support equipment. At eight feet long and with a wingspan of 16 feet, the air vehicle’s open-architecture configuration is designed to seamlessly integrate sensor payloads, with an endurance of 10-12 hours.

RQ-21A has significantly larger payload mass, volume and power than other small UAS currently being used by the Marines in theater. The system includes electro-optic and mid-wave infrared sensors with a laser rangefinder and infrared marker. A portfolio of payload options has been developed to deliver immediate situational awareness for land and maritime missions.

http://www.navyrecognition.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3477

RIP

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USA : les douze Marines portés disparus sont morts (Pentagone)


AFP  21/01/2016

Le ministre américain de la Défense Ashton Carter a annoncé mercredi dans un communiqué que les douze Marines portés disparus depuis le 14 janvier après un accident d'hélicoptères dans l'archipel d'Hawaï sont morts. Deux équipes de six Marines se trouvaient chacune dans un hélicoptère militaire près des côtes de l'île d'Oahu lorsque les appareils sont entrés en collision.

"Ces fiers Marines sont morts comme ils ont vécu, au service d'une nation qu'ils aimaient et en dévouement à une cause plus grande qu'eux", a écrit le chef du Pentagone. "Nos coeurs sont avec les proches et les familles des douze Marines". "Je souhaite également étendre ma reconnaissance à l'armée de l'air (Air Force), aux garde-côtes, au personnel des Marines, qui ont été absolument inébranlables dans leurs efforts pour situer et secourir leurs collègues", a-t-il ajouté.

Quelques heures après avoir été informés de l'accident, les garde-côtes américains avaient localisé vendredi une "zone de débris à quelque quatre kilomètres de la côte". La marine américaine avait ensuite envoyé un hélicoptère en renfort et les pompiers fouillaient également la zone avec un hélicoptère et un bateau de secours.
"La perte de ces douze braves américains est un rappel tragique des risques que nos hommes et nos femmes en uniforme prennent chaque jour, au service de notre pays", a insisté Ashton Carter.

Les Marines forment le corps expéditionnaire de l'armée américaine, soumis à un entrainement rigoureux et intense.

http://www.lorientlejour.com/article/966037/usa-les-douze-marines-portes-disparus-sont-morts-pentagone.html

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United States Marines Corps to procure one hundred UAV Blackjack systems by 2017

The United States Marine Corps (USMC) has declared that the RQ-21A Blackjack unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) has achieved Initial Operational Capability (IOC) with deployment of the system to commence this summer. One hundred systems of five vehicles each and using the San Eagle system launcher, are planned for the USMC by 2017.


Formerly known as the Integrator, the Blackjack has been developed by Boeing as part of a low rate production of a small tactical unmanned air system (STUAS) for the US Navy, and uses the same launcher and recovery system as the Scan Eagle system.

ScanEagle’s base Insight UAV platform was originally developed by Washington state’s Insitu, Inc. to track dolphins and tuna from fishing boats, in order to ensure that the fish you buy in supermarkets is “dolphin-safe”. It turns out that the same characteristics needed by fishing boats (able to handle salt water environments, low infrastructure launch and recovery, small size, 20-hour long endurance, automated flight patterns) are equally important for naval operations from larger vessels, and for battlefield surveillance.

A partnership with Boeing took ScanEagle to market in those fields, and the USMC’s initial buy in 2004 was the beginning of a market-leading position in its niche.

This article covers recent developments with the ScanEagle UAV system, which is quickly evolving into a mainstay with the US Navy and its allies.

Incumbency doesn’t last long in the fast-changing world of UAVs, though. Insitu’s own RQ-21 Integrator is looking to push the ScanEagle aside, and new multiple-award contracts in the USA are creating opportunities for other competitors.


http://www.armyrecognition.com/january_2016_global_defense_security_news_industry/united_states_marines_corps_to_procure_one_hundred_uav_blackjack_systems_by_2017_32201161.html

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SAIC Unveils First Upgraded AAV LVTP-7 US Marine Corps Amphibious Vehicle


03 Februari 2016


USMC AAV  also called LVTP-7 (all photos : SAIC, bizjournals)

The American Company SAIC releases a picture on his Twitter account showing the first Amphibious Assault Vehicle Survivability Upgrade for the US Marine Corps AAV (Assault Amphibious Vehicle). The AAV (also called LVTP-7) is a fully tracked amphibious landing vehicle manufactured by U.S. Combat Systems.



The AAV or LVTP-7 is the current amphibious tracked personnel carrier of the United States Marine Corps. It is used by U.S. Marine Corps Assault Amphibian Battalions to land the surface assault elements of the landing force and their equipment in a single lift from assault shipping during amphibious operations to inland objectives and to conduct mechanized operations and related combat support in subsequent mechanized operations ashore. The AAV / LVTP-7 is also in service with many other countries in the world.



In May 2014, the United States Marine Corps (USMC) Program Executive Office – Land Systems (PEO-LS) awarded Science Applications International Corporation (NYSE: SAIC) a prime contract to engineer, design and test upgrades to 10 prototype and 52 LRIP vehicles for the Legacy Assault Amphibious Vehicle (AAV) Personnel Carrier Variant Platform program.



 Ship-to-Objective Maneuver is a transformational tactical application of enduring USMC capabilities for Operational Maneuver from the Sea executed by the AAV platform. From ship to shore to objective, the AAV is designed to assault any shoreline from the well decks of Navy assault ships. AAVs are highly mobile, tracked armored amphibious vehicles that transport Marines and cargo to and through hostile territory.



Under the contract, SAIC will update the AAV to provide improved protection while gaining back land and water mobility that improves the AAV's ability to fight.



The American Company SAIC is a leading technology integrator providing full life-cycle services and solutions in the technical, engineering, and enterprise information technology markets. SAIC's deep domain knowledge and customer relationships enable the delivery of systems engineering and integration offerings for large, complex government and commercial projects.  

http://defense-studies.blogspot.fr/2016/02/saic-unveils-first-upgraded-aav-lvtp-7.html

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First USMC F-35B unit to Deploy to Japan in 2017


By Tamir Eshel - Feb 18, 2016



The US Marine Corps is planning to deploy the first F-35B unit to Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan within a year. “We are operating the airplane, training in the airplane, making us ready to deploy to the Pacific,” Lieutenant General Jon M. Davis, deputy commandant for aviation Said. The US Air Force is planning to deploy its first units to RAF Lakenheath In the UK by 2020.

The Marine Aviation unit scheduled to transition to Japan is VFMA-121 “Green Knights,” currently operating from Yuma AZ. An initial deployment of pilots alongside 10 aircraft will be relocated to Japan starting January 2017, with another six scheduled for July of that year. The unit with 10 F-35B fighter jets has been declared ‘operationally capable’ since August 2015, becoming the first F-35 unit to be ready for combat. By the time the Green Knights move to Japan the Corps is expected to have three F-35 squadrons available in the USA.

Marine F-35 squadrons will routinely deploy to Japan on six month rotations as part of the service’s unit deployment program.

In addition to land basing overseas the F-35B will also be ready for future deployments aboard the US Navy’s fleet of amphibious carriers.

The F-35 is expected to make its international public debut in July at the International Air Tatoo and Farmborough Airshows in the UK, where the aircraft will be shown in flight and on static display for the first time, out of thr USA.

http://defense-update.com/20160218_first-usmc-f-35b-unit-to-deploy-to-japan-in-2017.html

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U.S. Marine Forces Europe and Africa a partagé l’album de Hæren — à Rena.

The Norwegian Hæren Telemark battalion is teaching Marine tankers how to fight in the cold.
The improved capabilities enables the U.S. Marine Corps to support NATO allies and partners.

PHOTOS:

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15/03/2016

Le second CH-53K rejoint le programme d'essais en vol !




West Palm Beach, le second prototype du Sikorsky CH-53K « King Stallion » a réalisé son premier vol. Le second CH-53K va rejoindre ces prochains jours, le programme d’essais en vol en vue de l’obtention de la certification.

Etat du programme :

Le premier Sikorsky CH-53K a atteint la vitesse de 120 noeuds et dépassé les 35 heures de vol, y compris avec un pilote de service de l’US Marines Corps aux commandes. Au total, l’hélicoptériste Sikorsky prévoit de faire voler quatre prototypes du CH-53K, pour un programme de tests d’une durée d'environ trois ans.

Sikorsky CH-53K « King Stallion » :

Bien que conçu de la même taille que les CH-53E «Super Stallion», qu’il doit remplacer à partir de 2019, le CH-53K permettra de tripler la capacité de transport de charge externe à plus de 27 000 lbs sur une distance de plus de 110 miles nautiques. Doté d’une nouvelle motorisation General-Electric GE38-1B offrant un meilleur couple, surmonté d’un rotor de quatrième génération en composite élastomère, dotés de pales avec pointes xénomorphes. La cellule est également nouvelle, car entièrement en matériaux composites. Ravitaillable en vol, équipé de systèmes de communications de dernière génération, le CH-53K est optimisé pour le transport par temps chaud en opérant à partir de terrains peu préparés et deviendra la référence de sa catégorie. En matière de transport, le CH-53K pourra par exemple emporter en interne une Jeep «Humvee».

Le Corps des Marines a l'intention d’équiper huit escadrons actifs, un escadron de formation, et un escadron de réserve pour soutenir les besoins opérationnels avec le nouvel appareil.


Photos : 1 Le second CH-53K 2 le premier exemplaire @ Sikorsky

http://psk.blog.24heures.ch/archive/2016/03/15/le-second-ch-53k-rejoint-le-programme-d-essais-en-vol-861030.html

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Irak : mise en garde d'une milice chiite aux marines américains


Reuters 21/03/2016

Les "marines" américains déployés en Irak pour combattre les jihadistes de l'Etat islamique (EI) seront traités comme une force d'occupation, avertit lundi une milice chiite soutenue par l'Iran.

L'armée américaine avait annoncé la veille qu'un détachement de la 26e Unité expéditionnaire des marines se trouvait en Irak pour soutenir les missions de la coalition mise en place par les Etats-Unis pour lutter contre l'EI.

"Si l'administration américaine ne retire pas ces forces immédiatement, nous les traiterons comme une force d'occupation", dit la Ligue des Vertueux (Assaïb Ahl al Haq) sur l'antenne d'Al-Ahd, sa chaîne de télévision.

"Les forces d'occupation tentent à nouveau de restaurer leur présence dans le pays sous prétexte de combattre Daech, leur propre création", ajoute-t-elle.


http://www.lorientlejour.com/article/976726/irak-mise-en-garde-dune-milice-chiite-aux-marines-americains.html

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APKWS II deployed on USMC Harriers

Richard Scott, London - IHS Jane's Missiles & Rockets
30 March 2016



The US Marine Corps (USMC) has begun to field the fixed-wing variant of the Advanced Precision Kill Weapons System II (APKWS) on AV-8B Harrier II aircraft forward deployed to Bahrain as part of Operation 'Inherent Resolve', the US Central Command mission to degrade and defeat the Islamic State.

The accelerated delivery into theatre - announced by the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) on 30 March - comes just seven months after a formal requirement was raised by Marine Corps headquarters. Fielding of this rapid deployment capability has seen the AV-8B become the first tactical aircraft (TACAIR) platform to integrate APKWS II.

Developed and manufactured by BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration, APKWS II is a low-cost precision-guided 2.75-inch rocket that integrates a low-cost Distributed Aperture Semi-Active Laser Seeker (DASALS) guidance section with existing Hydra 70 rocket motors and warheads. Designed as a 'plug and play' kit, the DASALS unit is installed between the Hydra 70 warhead and the rocket motor; the seeker aperture is divided into four elements, with each element placed on the four wings of the guidance section to provide an integrated navigation solution of the weapon.

The USMC raised the requirement to introduce the fixed-wing APKWS to quickly provide the AV-8B with a low-cost, low-collateral damage, high-precision weapon offering improved weapon-to-target pairing. Two NAVSEA programme offices based at Naval Air Station Patuxent River - AV-8B Harrier Weapon System (PMA-257) and the Direct and Time Sensitive Strike (PMA-242) - have worked together to define a two-phase programme to rapidly release the APKWS II to service on the Harrier II platform: the first phase, which has included the delivery of 80 guidance kits, has expedited fielding of a limited AV-8B fixed-wing APKWS II employment flight envelope capability; the second phase will expand fixed-wing APKWS II employment envelope limits to the maximum extent possible for the AV-8B.

Citation :

Marines ‘Looking Into’ F-35 Vertical Landing During UK Air Show
Lara Seligman, Defense News 4:13 p.m. EDT March 31, 2016





WASHINGTON — The US Marine Corps is looking into the possibility of demonstrating an F-35B vertical landing during a major international air show in the United Kingdom this summer.

The Marine Corps F-35Bs, an aircraft unique in its ability to takeoff and land at short distances with no runway, will open the Royal International Air Tattoo and Farnborough air shows in July, according to Marine Corps spokeswoman Capt. Sarah Burns. The two jets will join a pair of Air Force F-35As at the UK shows, Defense News reported in January.


During the showcase, the Marines will demonstrate the aircraft’s “short-takeoff and vertical landing,” or STOVL, capabilities, where the jet hovers and maneuvers just above the ground, Lt. Col. Brett McGregor, F-35 transition coordinator, told Defense News March 30. The jets will also fly with the Royal Air Force’s Red Arrows, Burns said.

The Marines are "looking into" whether it is possible to do a vertical landing during RIAT, which will take place at Royal Air Force Fairford, Burns said. The team is currently trying to find a suitable location for the demonstration, because RAF Fairford has not traditionally supported STOVL aircraft like F-35s or Harriers.

However, Burns stressed that right now nothing is confirmed.

If the surfaces at RAF Fairford can’t handle the heat and exhaust expelled from the jet during a vertical landing, the Marines may need to use a pad of AM-2 aluminum matting to protect the ground from the blast. It is not clear whether the matting will be necessary at RIAT.

“Finding the right place to do the vertical landing is the issue,” Burns said. “They are looking for suitable soil-slash-even surfaces, things like that.”

The team is also considering a demonstration of an airborne F-35 jet receiving fuel from a KC-130 tanker, Burns said.

The joint strike fighter's appearance at the two major European air shows will mark a critical milestone for the program after the jet was forced to skip its planned international debut at RIAT and Farnborough in 2014 due to an engine fire and subsequent fleet-wide grounding.

http://www.defensenews.com/story/defense/air-space/2016/03/31/marines-looking-into-f-35-vertical-landing-during-uk-air-show/82458502/