 MILNET Brief New Weapons, Q4-07 December, 2007 |
| MILNET Brief New Weapons, Q4-07 December, 2007 |
| Weapon
Acronym |
Who |
Description |
Status |
| New
Technology |
|||
| Active Denial System - ADS Heat Wave Device  |
U.S. Army |
A heat
wave device that generates repelling heat on targets up to 750
meters away using high-powered radio waves, which creates a burning
sensation in soldiers it is aimed at. Designed as a non-lethal
crowd control, the system can, and has been redirected for use in troop
suppression on the battlefield. |
Proposed
Deployment in Iraq |
| Advanced Concept/Joint Capability
Technology - AC/JCT UAV Global Observer |
U.S. |
New UAV based featuring a
hydrogen fuel cells and can cruise at
55,000-65,000 feet for up to 7 days at a time, while carrying a 1,000
pound payload. Aerovironment. |
Development
Contract
|
|
Airborne
Aircraft Carrier-AAC
|
U.S. |
Proposed by a USAF Colonel, the
idea is simply to use a Boeing 747-400 mother ship to act as a
dispenser of Unmanned Combat Aerial Vechicles (UCAVs) and other UAVs
into a battlespace. Adding air-to-air refueling
capability to the 747 would allow the AAC "to remain airborne for days
at a time". The idea proposed by
Col. Kramlinger also adds manned stealth aircraft could have
shrouds attached to them and dropped and deployed from the air as well
as recover them for ferrying back to their main base. |
War College
Theory Paper |
|
Assault Breach Vehicle-ABV
 ImageShack  Marine Corps Times  The News Enterprise |
U.S. Marines |
"when troops encounter a minefield, the ABV commander can engage the
Linear Demolition Charge System, which raises a rocket launcher. The
operator can fire one of two linear demolition charges. Once the
charges are in place, the vehicle commander can detonate them from as
far away as 62 meters. The charges can clear a swath 16 meters across
and 90 meters long. Once the explosives have blown the mines, the vehicle can drop its blade to plow the area while the lane marker system shoots three-foot-tall rods into the ground from dispensers on the rear of the vehicle. This effectively delineates the lane of safety for other vehicle drivers. - The News Enterprise Also see Marine Times Article |
Delivered, Ready for Deployment |
| Electric Tank |
South Korea |
Hyundai-Rotem and U.S. company Leo Motors combined forces to develop an electrically powered multi-purpose strategic vehicle/tank vehicle. It can be used as a battle tank or as a remotely piloted vehicle. According to the press release, "equipped with an advanced GPS and laser scan technology for intelligent 3D geometrical navigation" | Proposal |
| Future
Combat System - Micro Air Vehicle  |
U.S. Army | Small UAV that measures
approximately 18 in long, weighing about 2 lbs, and deliver smaller
areas of effect than traditional missiles, possibly
requiring them to be launched in salvoes, or to have a glide
capability. The device shown here is a larger early device
already deployed in Iraq, the smaller ones are still in development. |
Under Development |
|
High
Frequency Exitation Active Flow for Supersonic Weapon Release (HIFEX)
6K MPH Run  Holloman High-Speed Test Track  Photos: 846th Test Sq. USAF |
USAF |
Boeing and the Air Force have
successfully tested a development that allows launch of missiles or
bombs from aircraft which are flying at supersonic speeds. The
test vehicle, a tracked sled on the ground, launched the test missile,
a JDAM at 2,000 feet per second (1363 mph, app. Mach 2). The test
involved carrying a mock up of a weapons bay on a bomber such as the
B-1 on the sled, and using Micro-Adaptive Flow
Control (MAFC) to tailor the air around and inside the bay to
stabilize the release of the JDAM.
The sled was fired on the Holloman
High-Speed Test Track (HHSTT), at White Sands New Mexico. See the NetworkWorld report for more details. |
Under
Development |
| Invisible Bomber |
U.S.A.F. |
Requirements
by U.S.A.F. for a more stealthy large bomber to be delivered by 201 to
replace B-2 bombers with larger payload capability and improved
day-night stealth capabilities. Study allows for Mach 5 speeds
and exoatmospheric capability. |
Requirements |
| Mobile truck-mounted Laser Weapon on K1 Tank |
South Korea |
According to Lewis Page of The
Register, South Korea is in the throes of developing a "zapper"
that will take out incoming artillery or mortar rounds while in
flight. We should note that Mr. Page is not all that convinced
this is a real program and features a picture of a refrigerator in a
humorous attempt to make light of the program. |
Proposed for
Deployment in 2010 |
"Rods of God" SRMRG |
U.S. |
Satellite
Mounted Rail Gun system that can shoot a kinetic kill, 40 pound
projectile at Mach 7, raining down on ground targets from orbit. |
Proposed for
Deployment in 2015 |
| Conventional
Battlefield Weapons |
|||
| ARTHUR - Weapon Locating Radar System |
? |
Locates hostile artillery.. Within a few seconds after detection of rounds from mortars, guns and rockets the systems informs of both launch positions and point of impact. | SAAB Contract for Export |
| Ballistic Sensor Fused Munition - BSFM  |
U.K. |
Smart
munition that drops by a steered parachute with sensors to drift the munition onto
ground targets such as armor or emplacements. Shown in the
photo at left is the British AS90 tracked artillery piece which can
shoot the smart projectile up to 22.5km. |
UK Contract
to Rheinmetall unit GIWS, service by 2011. |
| BILL 2 Anti-Tank System |
? |
The overfly, top attack, anti-tank missile system combats both moving and static targets at ranges up to 2,200 metres. The missile is wire guided, immune to jamming and it attacks the target from above | SAAB Contract for Export |
Cobra AH-1Z "Zulu" Gunship |
U.S. |
Upgrade
of 180 in-service AH-1Ws to Zulu configuration. Twin GEc
T700-GE-401engines power four-blade
main rotor and four-blade 'scissors'-type tail rotor. Maximum
range
of 370 n miles (combat radius 125 n miles. 3 point stub
wing allows double the
number of ATGWs, plus an (AAM), such
as AIM-9 Sidewinder or Stinger (ATAS). Lockheed Martin "Hawkeye"
AN/AAQ-30 Target Sighting System (TSS) features L-3 Wescam gimbal
mounted Gen 3 FLIR (Forward-Looking InfraRed) , a color TV camera,
laser
rangefinder, tracker, and designator. The aircrew wear the Thales
Aerospace TopOwl helmet-mounted sight/display
(HMS/D) system. Also a full suite of self-defense systems sense
laser and radar guided threats as well as deploy chaff and a Directed
InfraRed CounterMeasures (DIRCM) system. - Jane's Defense Online, 11/15/2007 |
About to be
Deployed (OPEVAL Phase 2 in January '08) |
Directional Attack Guided Rocket -- DAGR |
U.S. |
Laser guided 2.75in for
helicopters and UAVs. 10 lbs warhead screwed onto a Hyrda-70
rocket. - Lockheed Martin  |
(Contractor)
|
LAND 17 Artillery Replacement  M2A2 105mm Artillery Piece |
Australian
Army |
The project will also examine advanced high precision munitions and a networked command and fire control system to replace aging systems like the current M2A2 105mm | Planning/ Design Phase |
Littoral
Combat System - LCS |
U.S. Navy |
Optimized for shallow seas and operations within 100 miles of shore, but deployable across the ocean... They will help to counter growing "asymmetric" threats like coastal mines, quiet diesel submarines, global piracy, and terrorists on small fast attack boats. They will also perform intelligence gathering and scouting using helicopters and UAVs, offer some ground combat support capabilities, and share tactical information with other Navy aircraft, ships, submarines, and joint units. The General Dynamics version is shown in the drawing, a high-speed trimaran based on Austal designs and experience. Lockheed Martin team offers a high-speed semi-planing monohull based on Fincantieri designs that have set trans-Atlantic speed records | Competitive
Development Cycle |
Fire Storm - GASM |
U.S. Weapons
Labs |
40mm Grenade Launcher with ammo
stored in barrel storage for rapid (all at once) firing. A 4 barrel
version mounted on the iRobot tracked "droid" has been
demonstrated. Gun is manufactured by Metal
Storm, an Australian company. Shown mounted here on the
iRobot Warrior tracked vehicle. |
Development |
| Hsiung Feng-3 Anti-Ship Missile |
Taiwan |
Range of up to 600km |
May be Deployed |
| M119A2 105mm Light Artillery  |
U.S. Army |
105mm light artillery piece just
now rolling
off the assembly lines at Rock Island Arsenal in Illinois.
The piece shoots some 6 rounds/min and can reach as far as 14,000
meters or 19,500 with rocket assisted munitions. Weighs 4,300 lbs
and can be dropped into position via parachute for mobile infantry and
rapid deployment missions. |
Production |
M777A2-AT |
U.S. Marines |
Recently deployed with Marine Reserve Forces, first deployment was in Iraq | Deployed |
| Next-Gen Conventional Submarine |
Australia |
A 17 year project to develop a replacement for the aging Collins-class submarines in the Australian Navy. The Australian reports that the new sub will almost certainly be built by the privatised shipyard Australian Submarine Company -- ASC. The new sub may be "a larger, quieter, faster and more deadly version of the existing six Collins-class submarines...and may may offer more flexible designs, allowing them to be quickly reconfigured for different types of missions, from intelligence gathering to strategic strikes...[and include] air-independent propulsion systems, which allow conventional submarines to stay underwater for longer periods, greatly increasing operational effectiveness...[the new sub will most likely carry] unmanned vehicles...crammed with high-tech sensors, could travel remotely tens of kilometres away from the mother vessel to conduct surveillance, detect enemy submarines or carry an SAS team." | Initial Planning Begun |
Qadr Smart Bomb |
Iran |
Variant
of the Qased smart bomb, optically guided, one-ton
air-to-surface long-range
bomb based upon the previously released "Qased" 1 ton bomb which
can be deployed on Iran's F-4 and F-5 fighters. |
May Be
Deployed |
| New-generation Light Anti-tank Weapon (NLAW) |
Sweden,U.K., and Finland |
Manufactured by Saab |
Deliveries scheduled for U.K and Sweden in 2008, 2009 for Finland |
| Saeqeh Fighter Jet |
Iran |
Supposedly
similar to the U.S. F-18, no specifications yet |
Industrial
Scale Production |
Surface Launched Advanced MR AAM (SLAMRAAM) |
U.S. |
Ground
launch version of a
fighter missile deployed on F-18 and F-16. Will complement the
Patriot ADCAP-3 batteries mounted on a Humvee or an Military Extreme
Truck (MXT). |
Development (Contractor) |
| TWS II Thermal Weapons Sights  |
U.S. Army & Marines |
A family of next
generation
rifle sights that utilizes thermal imaging technology to
detect threats. Part of the Army's Land
Warrior Integrated Modular Fighting System. - DRS Technologies, Inc. - BAE Systems |
Development Contract Qual Completed |
| Tien Kung-3 Anti-Tactical Ballistic Missile |
Taiwan |
No specifications yet |
May
be Deployed |
UAV |
Russia |
Unnamed UAV
- photo shows the tail of the vehicle in its storage container which is
being carried by a large cargo truck. No specifications |
Deployed |
| Warrior X700 Robot |
U.S. |
iRobot built follow-on to the
PackBot used in IED missions, the Warrior is a 250 lb droid that
carries weapons and ammo and can climb stairs. The larger robot
has dimensions that allow it to enter a building through a standard
door while carrying a 500 lb payload, and can lift 150 lbs with a
single arm. Typical speed is 10 mph. The Warrior is also
being designed to carry a machine gun, 40mm explosive rounds or
multibarrel Metal Storm gun. |
Development |
Wireless TOW Missile |
U.S. & Canada |
Tube-launched,
Optically-Tracked, Wire-Guided Missile, will become a wireless
operated
missile. Based on the newer TOW 2B extended range version
deployed in Iraq. The RF version is slated to be delivered in the
TOW
bunker-buster version which uses a fragmenting, high-explosive warhead
to penetrate heavy concrete walls, and will be useful in urban settings
as well as reinforced emplacements. The contract
with Raytheon is for 462 units. |
Contract |
| Nuclear Weapons/WMD |
|||
| Ashoura Long Range Ballistic Missile |
Iran |
Most likely equivalent to Saudi
Arabia's CSS-2, a 4,000 km range ballistic missile. The new
missile is probably another stage added to the Shahab-3 according to
NewsBlaze. The Ashoura may also just be another name for or a
"marketing" repackaging of the Qadr-1 shown below). |
Test Launch |
|
Qadr-1
MR Ballistic Missile
|
Iran |
Variant
of the Shahab-3, capable of striking Israel or bases in southern Europe
and the Middle East. Another report
indicates that Iran also has weaponized several variants of chemical
and biological delivery systems for these missiles. Range is
thought to be greater than 1200 miles. This may be the same as or
similar to the Ghadr-1
(means "Power") missile which has a 1100 mile range which
was shown in a military parade recently. See also the fine article by he Middle East Media Research Institute on the Iranian Military. |
May Be
Deployed |
Topol ICBM - SS-27 |
Russia |
Despite economic pressures,
Russia has managed to nearly complete development of the new Topol-M
similar to the U.S. minuteman missile. It is shown at left on a
mobile, self-propelled launcher vehicle. The first
test firing took place in December of 1994. The silo based
missile system had five regiments by the end of 2006 along with one
mobile missile regiment. |
Updated |
| New Nuclear Weapon |
Russia | Non specific report by Russian President Vladmir Putin that Russia has begun to develop a new nuclear weapon. | Development |
