Latest news with #CVN75
Yahoo
25-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
StormBreaker Advanced Glide Bomb Lands In Yemen Largely Intact
The wreckage of a GBU-53/B StormBreaker glide bomb, also known as the Small Diameter Bomb II (SDB II), has appeared in Yemen. The weapon, which was only recently confirmed as being used in combat in that country, offers some very advanced capabilities, especially over the previous GBU-39/B SDB I. It is set to become one of America's most important and widely employed weapons, across its own aerial fleets and many of its allies. With that in mind, the technological risk of the remains of this still near-completely intact weapon falling into an adversary's hands is significant. Photos showing the StormBreaker laying in the sand began to circulate recently on social media. Reportedly, the weapon was found by citizens in the Asilan area within the Shabwah governorate, a region in southeast Yemen (not in the northeast of the country, as some accounts have implied). The weapon has clearly not detonated and appears to have had its impact cushioned by desert sand, leaving it in one piece. its pop-out wings are seen in a partially deployed position. It's unclear what happened to the StormBreaker, but the relatively limited nature of the damage strongly suggests it had had a technical failure, rather than being brought down by enemy fire. We don't know if this is the first time this has happened, but it appears to be the first time it has been publicly documented. A month ago, TWZ reported on what appeared to be the first evidence of the StormBreaker being used in combat by the U.S. Navy, after official videos were published showing missions against the Iran-backed Houthi militia in Yemen. This included footage of StormBreakers being carried by U.S. Navy F/A-18E/F Super Hornets, as well as being prepared by armorers about the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75). Restoring freedom of navigation#HouthisAreTerrorists — U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) March 23, 2025 U.S Navy ammunition handlers aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) prepare ordnance for Carrier Air Wing One (CVW-1).#HouthisAreTerrorists — U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) March 21, 2025 The new photos of the StormBreaker wreckage in Yemen confirm that the weapon has actually been used in combat. As we have reported in the past, many of the StormBreaker's key advantages lie in the weapon's tri-mode guidance system, which can find targets using imaging infrared or millimeter-wave radar or by employing semi-active laser homing to hit a designated aimpoint. Another notable feature of the StormBreaker is its ability to communicate with the aircraft carrying it via onboard datalink. This means the weapon can be launched and, if required, redirected to a new target once in flight, as well as receiving regular midcourse updates. The weapon can also glide fully on its own guidance using a GPS-assisted inertial navigation system, after which it can strike a specific coordinate or begin searching for a target. This provides considerable flexibility, with the weapon able to engage both stationary and moving targets, including at night or in bad weather, at standoff distances. Based on figures released by the U.S. Air Force, the StormBreaker can hit stationary targets at a maximum of 69 miles and moving targets at 45 miles. The StormBreaker's compact dimensions — including a length of just 69 inches, and a diameter of no more than seven inches — and relatively light weight of 204 pounds mean that an individual aircraft can carry a significant quantity, allowing more targets to be prosecuted. So far, however, the F/A-18E/F has only been seen carrying StormBreaker on twin smart racks, as evidenced aboard the USS Harry S. Truman during the Houthi strikes. The StormBreaker is being used as part of ongoing strikes by the U.S. military against Houthi targets in Yemen, launched by President Donald Trump last month, as we reported at the time. This latest campaign was spurred by the Houthis saying they would resume attacks on Israeli-linked ships over the blockade of humanitarian aid to Palestinians in Gaza. As well as the StormBreaker, airstrikes against the Houthis have seen a wide variety of interesting weapons employed, including a significant proportion of standoff types. Among these, the AGM-154 Joint Standoff Weapon (JSOW) glide bomb has been prominent, as well as the AGM-84H/K Standoff Land Attack Missile-Expanded Response (SLAM-ER) missile, and the more familiar Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) and AGM-88E Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missile (AARGM). Earlier this week, we saw an EA-18G Growler electronic attack aircraft carrying four AGM-88 series missiles, as you can read about here. The extensive use of standoff weaponry, as well as the employment of B-2 stealth bombers, reflects the real threat posed by the Houthis' air defense arsenal, something that you can read about in depth here. Most obviously, the Yemeni militants have been able to down a significant number of U.S. MQ-9 Reaper drones. A U.S. defense official told TWZ earlier this week that the militants have or are suspected to have brought down six MQ-9s since March 15. Last month, an unnamed U.S. defense official told Stars and Stripes that the Houthis had downed 12 Reapers since October 2023. Returning to the StormBreaker wreckage, the fact that this is now very likely in Houthi hands, as well as being notably intact, means that it could present a fairly significant intelligence windfall. Bearing in mind the Houthis' sponsorship by Iran and that country's military and broader strategic connections to both China and Russia, it's very conceivable that technologies from the weapon could now be exploited by some of America's key adversaries. In particular, the tri-mode guidance system would be of great interest, as is its datalink and navigation suite. Access to this kind of technology could help any of these countries in the development of their own weapons and, just as critically, reveal weaknesses in the U.S.-made system that could be exploited in terms of countermeasures. Along with the guidance package, each StormBreaker is packed with other high-tech components, including other electronics, a potent but compact warhead, and even the materials used in its construction. All of these would also warrant close study by an adversary. This is especially true as this advanced weapon that is packed with high-end capabilities will that will be a backbone of U.S. weapons stocks going forward, including being a primary weapon for the F-35. It can be used to prosecute armored formations, SAM sites, and ships, among other target sets. So being able to dissect its exact capabilities and technological advancements is a big deal. While many weapons have been lost in a semi-intact state in Ukraine, none have been this new or densely packed with capabilities. It would be near the top of Russia and China's list of weapons with disruptive capabilities that they would want to copy for their own use and examine in order to learn how to better defend against it. Of course, before the StormBreaker was used in Yemen, the technological risk involved would have been considered. After all, whatever the reliability of weapons like this, every weapon has a failure rate and there's always a possibility they will fall into an adversary's hands once exposed to combat. But one falling into the enemy's hands in such an intact state is certainly an unwelcome development for the Pentagon. Contact the author: thomas@
Shafaq News
22-04-2025
- Politics
- Shafaq News
Hodeidah under fire: US Navy targets Houthi sites
Shafaq News/ On Monday, US Navy warships carried out six strikes targeting Houthi (Ansrallah) positions in southern Hodeidah, Yemeni sources said. The strikes reportedly hit weapons depots in the al-Ghuwariq area of al-Tuhayta district, near frontlines with joint forces. The sources noted an absence of drone or fighter jet activity prior to the strikes, suggesting they were launched directly from US naval vessels stationed in the Red Sea off Hodeidah's coast. Separately, activists reported more than 18 strikes targeting "Houthi arms depots and military sites" in al-Ghuwariq, al-Jabaliya, and al-Faza, all in southern Hodeidah. The US Central Command said on X that the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) is 'conducting round-the-clock operations against the Iran-backed Houthis.' #HouthisAreTerrorists — U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) April 21, 2025
Yahoo
21-04-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
EA-18G Bristles With Rare Four Anti-Radiation Missile Loadout On Yemen Mission
Imagery has emerged of a rarely seen EA-18G Growler electronic attack jet loadout involving four examples of the AGM-88E Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missile (AARGM), or possibly the earlier older AGM-88 High-Speed Anti-Radiation Missile (HARM), during ongoing operations against Houthi targets in Yemen. While many details of the Houthi air defenses and their associated radars and sensors remain murky, the imagery underscores the continued threat that they present. We have a deep dive into the Houthi's air defenses coming soon. However, it's also worth noting that the AARGM can be used against certain other targets, including ground targets not related to air defenses. USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) continues 24/7 operations against the Iran-backed Houthis #HouthisAreTerrorists — U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) April 21, 2025 The imagery was published today in the form of a video posted to X by U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM). This shows an EA-18G Growler assigned to Electronic Attack Squadron 144 (VAQ-144), 'Main Battery,' launching from the deck of the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75). As well as the four anti-radiation missiles, the aircraft is also carrying a pair of AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAMs) and three 480-gallon external fuel tanks. EA-18Gs are regularly seen with a pair of anti-radiation missiles carried under their wings, including on operations against the Houthis, although a set of four is far less common. More typically, the other stations are given over to the various jamming pods that the Growler carries and which you can read about in more detail here. Nevertheless, this remains an established, albeit rarely seen, loadout for the EA-18G and the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet. Even the legacy F/A-18C/D can carry anti-radiation missiles on its outboard underwing stations, too. EA-18Gs on operations against the Houthis have appeared with some other interesting loadouts, with the Growlers getting expanded air-to-air missile capabilities via additional AIM-120 AMRAAM carriage options. These weapons are primarily intended to counter Houthi drones over and around the Red Sea. Meanwhile, carrier-based F/A-18E/Fs have been seen carrying a notably wide array of air-to-ground ordnance during these operations. Such stores include the AGM-154 Joint Standoff Weapon (JSOW) and the AGM-84H Standoff Land Attack Missile–Expanded Response, better known as SLAM-ER. More common are the Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAMs) that have also been seen equipping Super Hornets striking targets in Yemen, specifically equipped with 'bunker-buster' bomb bodies. 1/ Aside from the launch of F/A-18E/Fs armed with JSOW C/C-1s, the video also shows F/A-18Es armed with SLAM-ER ATAs parked on the fligh deck. — Guy Plopsky (@GuyPlopsky) March 16, 2025 The big question raised by this latest imagery is what kinds of targets are being prosecuted using these prized anti-radiation missiles. The Houthis operate ground-based air defenses, and although the kinds of radars and sensors they use for target detection and cuing are not widely known, they are clearly a significant threat. In particular, they've taken a heavy toll on MQ-9 drones — last month, Stars and Stripes reported that the Yemeni militants had downed 12 Reapers since October 2023, citing an anonymous U.S. defense official. The U.S. military has been targeting radars that the group has, also including coastal sea surveillance radars used for targeting ships. Meanwhile, the degree of threat that these air defenses continue to pose is also highlighted by the arrival of B-2 stealth bombers in the ongoing operations, as well as the continued use of expensive standoff munitions. Most likely, the missiles are AARGMs, a direct evolution of the older HARM, designed primarily to suppress and destroy enemy air defenses. This can happen defensively to protect other aerial assets or specifically for going after air defenses proactively. The AARGM can reach targets more than 80 miles away and reach speeds of well over twice the speed of sound. Different in a number of ways from HARM, AARGM offers a major advantage in that it can hit a threat radar with a high degree of precision even if it stops emitting radiation. An adversary air defense operator may shut down their radar mid-attack, but the AARGM will still strike it and do so with extreme accuracy. Even if the emitter is mobile and starts to move after having shut down, AARGM can still hit it, guided by its active millimeter-wave radar seeker. Thanks to its standoff precision strike capability, AARGM has a secondary role as a rapid-response strike weapon against non-air defense-related targets. In this scenario, the missile is programmed to hit selected coordinates, rather than home in on emissions. The missile's high speed and its range make it a very useful time-sensitive target effector for these kinds of engagements. Last year, during the deployment of the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69) to the U.S. Fifth Fleet region, the Navy confirmed to TWZ that the first combat use of AARGM was from an E/A-18G deployed aboard that warship. At the same time, the Navy confirmed to us that an EA-18G assigned to VAQ-130 'Zappers,' from the Dwight D. Eisenhower, had used an AARGM for a ground kill against a Mi-24/35 Hind attack helicopter in Yemen. Did this Growler from VAQ-130 operating in the Middle East kill a hind recently? Maybe a Houthi one since this squadron was with the Ike in the Red Sea. — IntelWalrus (@IntelWalrus) May 15, 2024 For a non-radiation-emitting target like the Hind, something in the Navy's 'kill chain' or pre-mission intelligence will have likely spotted the target and the AARGM will have been used to destroy it as it sat on the ground, using GPS/INS to make its way to the target, then homing in on it using its millimeter-wave radar seeker. Via a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request, TWZ received confirmation of some of the types of targets depicted in 'kill marks' on specific EA-18Gs seen aboard the Dwight D. Eisenhower last year. Of these, one referred to a helicopter kill (the aforementioned Hind), two to Houthi drones downed over the Red Sea, and the remaining six were unspecified Houthi radars. The EA-18G in question's unusually heavy anti-radiation missile configuration is the latest indication the Houthi's air defenses are more advanced than most think and that after all these months, they remain a threat that the Navy is clearly focused on eliminating. Stay tuned for our deeper dive into the murky enemy air defenses situation in western Yemen. Contact the author: thomas@
Shafaq News
13-04-2025
- Politics
- Shafaq News
10+ US airstrikes target Houthis in Yemen
Shafaq News/ On Sunday, the United States launched a series of airstrikes across northern Yemen, targeting areas under Houthi control, the group's affiliated outlet Al-Masirah TV reported. The strikes hit multiple locations; five targeted a vocational training institute in Al-Sawma'ah district of Al-Bayda province, three struck the Al-Sahlin area in Al-Salem district of Saada province, and two others hit Al-Munirah district in Al-Hudaydah. This latest round of attacks follows a statement issued Friday by US Central Command confirming the continuation of military operations against the Houthis. No casualties have been reported so far. The USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) carrier strike group continues non-stop 24/7 operations against the Houthis despite the Houthis' outlandish claims… — U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) April 11, 2025 Washington resumed its air campaign on March 15, aiming to prevent further attacks on US and Israeli-linked vessels in the Red Sea. The escalation came after the Houthis declared on March 12 that their ban on Israeli ships transiting the Red Sea, Arabian Sea, and Gulf of Aden had gone into effect. The group linked the move to Israel's blockade of humanitarian aid into Gaza and warned of further escalation in response. According to Al Jazeera's casualty tracker, more than 61,709 people have been killed and over 111,588 injured in Gaza since the start of the war.
Al Bawaba
27-03-2025
- Politics
- Al Bawaba
At least 2 killed in US airstrikes in Yemen
ALBAWABA - At least two people were killed and two others were injured in four US attacks targeting Khawlan district, east of the capital, Sanaa, local media in Yemen confirmed on Thursday. Also Read Massive U.S. raids pound Yemen's capital, Sana'a Media outlets affiliated with the Houthi group also reported that a series of US airstrikes targeted areas in the northern and southern parts of the Yemeni capital Sanaa. Three airstrikes hit the Jarban area in Sanhan District, two airstrikes targeted the Al-Jumaymah area in Bani Hashish District, and two others targeted the Al-Dailami Air Base north of Sanaa, local media added. Aircraft assigned to Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 1 launch from the flight deck of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) during flight operations in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility. — U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) March 26, 2025 By Wednesday evening, the US has carried out about 100 airstrikes against the Houthi targets in Yemen, killing and wounding dozens, including women and children. Tension between the US and Houthis: Tension has escalated in the past week between the Ansar Allah group and the US. The Yemeni group announced targeting a United States naval vessel (USS Harry S. Truman) in the Red Sea, calling it "retaliation" for Washington's strikes on Yemen. The US attacked the Yemeni rebels after the group announced they would resume targeting Israeli-linked ships in the Red Sea in support of the Palestinian people in Gaza. The Yemeni group announced the resumption of attacks in the Red Sea following the collapse of the Gaza ceasefire deal and Israel's resumption of attacks on the strip. Since then, the US has been carrying out attacks targeting Houthi sites, while the Yemeni group has targeted USS Harry S. Truman in the Red Sea and launched missiles towards Tel Aviv.
