Latest news with #NavyLeague
Yahoo
5 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
World War II veteran among those honored at HHI Memorial Day ceremony
HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. (WSAV) – Monday, Hilton Head Island's annual ceremony drew dozens of veterans and hundreds of people who showed their respect for those who fought. 'We honor those today that gave the ultimate love. You can't give any more than they did.' USMC Colonel Kenneth Delmazo said from the podium. That was why this crowd came to the Hilton Head Veterans Memorial to honor those who fought and those who sacrificed for our country. 'They put their lives in danger,' Delmazo said. 'They left their families. They answered the nation's call when it was needed. Regardless of the politics of the day, it didn't matter. And here's what always gets me. And when I think about this, they did it for people they don't even know.' The 32nd annual event sponsored by the Navy League offered patriotic music and a special resolution offered by Mayor Alan Perry from the town to all veterans. That resolution was then given to the longest serving and surviving member of the military at today's ceremony, World War two veteran Gerald Hushour. Hushour is 97 years old and offered a very simple message on carrying on a long life. 'Exercise and don't get upset over political problems,' said a smiling Hushour. Among the veterans and citizens who came to the event, the entire Gleason family. More than a dozen people from four generations. They have come to the Island for vacation and come to this ceremony for 18 years in a row. They say it is the best way they can think of to honor their father and grandfather, a World War two veteran himself who first brought them to the annual event. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
22-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
To bootstrap US maritime industrial base, link allies and innovators
There is now bipartisan consensus that the decline of the U.S. maritime industrial base is a national security risk. The current U.S. flagged commercial fleet falls well short of the robust sealift capacity that would be needed in wartime. The proposed solution: rapid reindustrialization of the American economy. Efforts such as the SHIPS for America Act, the new White House shipbuilding office and the April maritime executive order all aim to boost investment in American commercial and naval ship construction. The challenge is that the words 'rapid' and 'reindustrialization' are an awkward fit. The U.S. is unlikely to move from effectively last place into a pole position dominating the commercial maritime sector in the span of one, two or three presidential administrations. And if the justification for such initiatives is the proximate threat China poses to Taiwan, then time is a scarce commodity. As policymakers on both sides of the aisle consider the feasibility of a wholesale resuscitation of U.S. shipbuilding, there is a nearer-term lever worth pulling: engaging more with U.S. allies in ways that link strategic maritime partners to America's innovation economy. Navy League urges rapid expansion of battle fleet for future wars The April maritime executive order included a mandated 90-day assessment of how allies and trade policy relate to the issue of domestic shipbuilding. Yet to the extent policymakers talk about allies in this context, it is generally to argue for purchasing foreign-built warships or conducting maintenance on U.S. Navy vessels in overseas yards. These are legitimate ideas, and the Navy has been pursuing overseas maintenance thanks to increased congressional support. However, neither idea addresses the core political project of revitalizing national shipbuilding. For that, we must consider the relative strengths of the U.S. and allied economies, which leads to four possible lines of effort in support of nearer-term wins for the U.S. industry. Given the dearth of U.S. commercial shipbuilding expertise, America's innovation economy is almost entirely disconnected from the global shipping industry. American tech titans and startups alike have for decades grown in an ecosystem starved of interest or expertise in maritime applications. There are substantial gains to be made from linking those two disconnected sectors, such as fostering partnerships between major shipbuilders in allied countries and innovative U.S. companies working on everything from robotic welding to flexible manufacturing facilities, navigational autonomy and portable nuclear microreactors. These linkages do not guarantee full-scale reindustrialization. They do, however, play to U.S. competitive advantages in software and venture capital- or private equity-backed business, which could be encouraged to consider maritime uses for their technologies if given the right inducements and connections to overseas shipbuilding firms. Another avenue for cooperation in the maritime sector would link U.S. defense technology startups with allied manufacturers abroad in support of boosting U.S. materiel production. To reach near-term targets for fielding hundreds or thousands of autonomous vehicles across all domains, there is a credible argument that U.S. startups must harness the preexisting capital expenditures of legacy manufacturers in countries like Japan and South Korea. Much like an iPhone says on the back, 'Designed by Apple in California, Assembled in China,' it is possible to envision a Saronic Corsair unmanned surface vessel with the stamp, 'Designed in Texas, Assembled in Yokohama.' Leveraging shipbuilders for drone manufacturing is already happening on a smaller, domestic scale. California-based Saildrone partners with Alabama-based Austal USA to manufacture its 65-foot Surveyor USV. There is more room to export this model abroad while American startups invest in the long-running project of capitalizing their own domestic manufacturing capacity, helping the Navy address near-term national security concerns while enabling startups to scale fast. U.S. shipyards are much less efficient relative to overseas competitors. A U.S. Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, a U.S. San Antonio-class amphibious assault ship and Royal Caribbean's Icon of the Seas cruise liner are each roughly an order of magnitude larger than one another, yet they all cost about the same amount: $2 billion. There are good reasons why a warship would cost more on a per-tonnage basis than a commercial vessel, but the underlying assertion still holds: U.S. shipyards are not operating at the cutting edge. U.S. yards are already looking closely at Japanese and Korean management models and attempting to graft relevant lessons. And South Korea's Hanwha has made a direct move into the U.S. through its acquisition of the Philly Shipyard. The U.S. naval shipbuilder HII recently signed a teaming agreement with Hyundai Heavy Industries, another Korean firm. Importing overseas techniques is not a surefire route to success, as we have seen with TSMC chip manufacturing in Arizona. Nevertheless, as South Korean, Australian and Italian shipbuilders enter or expand in the U.S. market, a goal for policymakers should be to promote not only increased capital and capacity, but also a tighter embrace of the practices and expertise that these companies bring to American yards. Financial services are a domain where greater interaction between U.S. banking and insurance centers on the one hand and allied ship owners and operators on the other could be critical in a crisis or conflict. As recent events in the Red Sea have demonstrated, the U.S. government wields little direct influence on maritime insurance rates, which remained inflated despite U.S. patrols to protect commercial shipping from Houthi attacks. Likewise, there are few clear mechanisms to indemnify or financially incentivize private carriers to continue supplying cargo in hazardous locations when it is in the national interest to do so. In the event of a crisis or conflict in the Pacific, the U.S. would want to promote the flow of essential supplies to allies and partners like Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and the Philippines. Joint ventures between financial hubs in New York, London, Seoul, Tokyo and others might help bolster financial service offerings in support of mutually desirable national security considerations for the commercial maritime sector. Financialization across borders will likewise also play an important role in continuing to bring allied shipbuilding firms into the U.S. maritime market, which has so far been limited to the narrow construction of naval vessels. The U.S. cannot seize a significant market share in conventional commercial ship construction overnight. As policymakers assess the universe of possibilities to achieve meaningful domestic capability and workforce rebalancing in service of whatever a viable maritime industrial base looks like, allies wait in the wings to provide more and more creative partnerships than have previously been considered. To best harness allied expertise and scale, the U.S. must enter with a clear-eyed assessment of our own strengths, weaknesses and business cases for mutual gain. Part of the answer to that equation is the following: What we lack in an industrial maritime footprint, we make up for in innovation, capital markets and financial services. Therein lie the onramps to a truly American foray into the maritime ecosystem, one built on competitive advantages and the power of friends. Joshua Tallis, Ph.D., is a principal research scientist at the Center for Naval Analyses, a research and analysis organization. He is the author of The War for Muddy Waters: Pirates, Terrorists, Traffickers, and Maritime Insecurity.'
Yahoo
11-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Rep. Kiggans introduces new bill expanding military recruitment in schools
WASHINGTON, D.C. (WAVY) — Congresswoman Jen Kiggans (VA-02) is looking to build up the next generation of military leaders through a new bill targeting secondary schools. On Thursday, April 10, Kiggans introduced the Engaging Next-Generation Leaders in Information about Service and Training (ENLIST) Act alongside Congressman Jimmy Panetta (CA-19). The ENLIST Act would require high schools to display and make accessible information regarding military recruiting during school hours so students can consider military service as a path after graduation. The bill builds on existing law that guarantees military recruiters have the same access to schools as colleges and employers. 'As a Navy veteran, Navy spouse and Navy mom, I believe every young American deserves to understand the vast opportunities military service can provide,' said Kiggans. 'When America's high school students are weighing their post-graduation options and deciding their future, they deserve to understand every potential path. …This bipartisan legislation is about fairness, visibility, and giving our next generation the full picture of how they can lead, grow, and serve their country.' 'Too often, students aren't given clear information about military service as a path of graduation, despite a growing interest in service among our youth,' said Panetta. 'The ENLIST Act ensures military recruiting materials are as visible and accessible in schools as college and career information, giving students a full picture of their post-graduation options.' 'The Navy League recognizes the critical importance of recruiting the next generation of military servicemembers to defend the homeland and safeguard our national security,' said Mike Stevens, CEO of the Navy League of the United States. 'Unfortunately, too many of our talented young citizens are unaware of the career opportunities available through service in the armed forces. The ENLIST Act addresses this deficiency and ensures that young people across the country have all of the information necessary to make an informed decision about a possible future in the United States military.' 'We at Veterans for Mustangs are proud to endorse the ENLIST Act,' said Veterans for Mustangs. 'This is a vital step toward ensuring that students are fully informed about the opportunities available in the U.S. military. …To us, military service is not just a job, it's a pathway to leadership, discipline, and purpose. This legislation will ensure that every student has the chance to consider this honorable and rewarding career option, and we fully support its passage!' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
10-04-2025
- Yahoo
Handheld counter-drone devices headed to deploying Marine units
NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. — Deploying dismounted Marine units will soon field handheld counter-drone system prototypes as the service also bulks up their drone protection on fixed bases. Those systems, paired with an increased emphasis on air defense training for all Marines, are part of how the Corps is getting after the drone threat. The announcement came Tuesday at the Navy League's annual Sea, Air and Space Exposition during a panel on Marine Corps modernization. 'It has been a long time, maybe since World War II, since a member of an infantry squad on the ground actually had to look up or over his shoulder do anything other than clear an aircraft hot, or call in a medevac or something like that,' said Lt. Gen. Benjamin Watson, head of Training and Education Command. Drone killing Marines: Corps seeks 'buckshot-like' counter-drone gear The Marine Corps provided few details about the prototypes, citing security concerns. 'As a matter of operational security, the exact technologies will not be discussed, but the interim solution fielded will allow Marines to detect, track, identify, and kinetically and non-kinetically defeat adversary [small unmanned aircraft systems] in a dismounted formation,' according to a release. Watson noted that in the Cold War era, Marines commonly trained in defending small units from air attack. That was less necessary during the era of complete air superiority that troops experienced in recent wars. A return to cover, concealment and camouflage focus is also part of the initiative, Watson said. 'We may never fight again with the air superiority in the way we have traditionally come to appreciate it,' Watson said. The protection isn't just for the infantry, either. 'One of the things that is apparent to all of us is that unmanned aerial systems are a threat not just to infantry Marines, but to all Marines,' said Lt. Gen. Eric Austin, head of Combat Development Command. Those deploying units are likely going to be the Marine Expeditionary Units and Marine Littoral Regiments, a Marine official told Marine Corps Times. The handheld dismounted prototypes are for defeating small drone threats, which thwart small, dismounted units. The Corps also has a larger ground-based air defense program known as GBAD, which works against larger threats, such as missiles and mortars. 'Current Ground Based Air Defense (GBAD) capabilities that are being fielded today predominantly focus on mounted platforms organic to the Low Altitude Air Defense Battalions (LAAD Bn) and the Littoral Anti-Air Battalions (LAAB), which encompass the entire air defense continuum up to and including defeating manned aircraft and cruise missile threats,' according to a Marine release. 'Those dedicated air defense assets are not always practical or available at scale to support individual unit operations.' The selection came after a year-long review process and a fly-off, which pitted various systems against each other in September, officials said. In March, the Corps awarded a $642 million, 10-year contract to Anduril to provide installation-based, counter-drone equipment to protect Marine bases and fixed sites. The same company received a $200 million contract to develop the Marine Air Defense Integrated System in November. The MADIS and L-MADIS, a light version, are key to protecting disparate, disaggregated units from a range of airborne threats.
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Infrared Seeker For APKWS Guided 70mm Rockets Unveiled
We now have our first look at a new version of the Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System II (APKWS II) 70mm guided rocket with an infrared seeker on top of the existing laser guidance capability. The dual-mode APKWS II allows the launch platform to more rapidly engage multiple targets in succession, which could be particularly valuable in the air-to-air role when facing down large groups of drones or cruise missiles. Dave Smialek, director of business development at BAE Systems' Precision Guidance and Sensing Solutions, talked today about the dual-mode APKWS II configuration with our Howard Altman on the floor of the Navy League's Sea Air Space 2025 exhibition. TWZ was the first to report that an additional passive infrared seeker was in the works for APKWS II, which emerged in the 2025 Marine Aviation Plan released earlier this year. 'So we're working on what we call a dual-mode seeker. So, it's an infrared seeker on top of the standard APK[WS II]. And the purpose is to increase the rate of fire,' Smialek explained. 'So now you'll still lase the target. You'll do an anoint and shoot. So rather than having to hold the lase for the duration [of the flight], from launch to terminal, you can now anoint your target, fire the rocket, [it] heads out, [and the] infrared seeker picks up the target.' Then you can 'move to your next target, do the same thing,' he continued. 'It's all about increasing the rate of fire and doing a kind of a pseudo fire-and-forget capability.' So, to summarize, an operator would initially lase the target to lock the infrared seeker onto it. Then after firing, the new APKWS variant would travel to its target autonomously. This is a major increase in efficiency over having to maintain a laser lock on the target throughout the weapon's flight. TWZ highlighted exactly these factors in our previous reporting on work on an infrared seeker for APKWS II and what that would bring to the table, especially for anti-air use, writing: 'Still, there are real limitations to APKWS in the anti-air role, whether fired from the ground or the air. It is generally usable against slower-flying drones and some cruise missiles, both of which are largely non-reactionary, non-hard-maneuvering targets. They also require the target to be lased (laser-designated) throughout the rocket's flight. In other words, this is not a 'fire-and-forget' weapon, it needs to have its target illuminated until the warhead detonates. This limits the rapidity of multiple engagements and, especially for air-to-air applications, makes engagements tricky. For the latter, having one aircraft lasing and one firing would help with these limitations, especially considering that the rocket has limited range and speed, and the firing aircraft has to clear any blast fragmentation area quickly in order to not be struck by its own weapon's effects.' 'What would make these engagements far easier is if the APKWS rocket was equipped with its own infrared seeker, something we have mentioned before. This would allow it to lock on before launch and fly to its target autonomously. This means multiple targets could be engaged far faster and, in many cases, in a safer manner. It also means that radar could be used to help initially acquire the target and point the seeker at it prior to firing, both in ground and air-based applications.' BAE's Smialek further described the dual-mode APKWS II as a next-generation evolution of the munition. The basic configuration consists of a laser guidance kit slotted in between one of a variety of warhead options and a standard 70mm rocket motor. This arrangement has been key to helping keep the overall unit cost of the munitions down, as well as allowing for the use of existing warhead and rocket motor stocks. The price point for the laser guidance unit is between $15,000 to $20,000, with the other components typically adding another few thousand dollars to the total cost. Putting the infrared seeker on the nose of the dual-mode APKWS II is prompting changes to the warhead arrangement, which BAE Systems is still working out. 'When we go to the dual mode, we'll go to a mid-body warhead. We're going through lethality studies now that are showing really no impact to [the] end game,' Smialek said. 'Actually, the lethality analysis is showing that you're getting … potentially a greater blast-frag[mentation] pattern. But you should have no loss of lethality based on the mid-body warhead.' How the new warhead configuration, together with the additional infrared seeker, will impact the unit cost of the dual-mode APKWS II compared to the baseline version is unclear. Smialek said that the new version is being developed with an eye toward 'maintaining the affordability' offered by the original design. Even if the dual-mode APKWS II is two or three times more expensive than laser-guided-only types, it would still be significantly cheaper than traditional air-to-air and surface-to-air missiles. Current generation AIM-9X Sidewinders and AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAM) air-to-air missiles have price tags around $450,000 and $1 million, respectively. The latest variants of the Stinger short-range man-portable surface-to-air missile reportedly each cost around $400,000, while higher-end interceptors like the Patriot PAC-3 Missile Segment Enhancement (MSE) have a price tag of close to $4.2 million. As noted, the dual-mode seeker would also be a valuable addition for engaging threats on land and at sea, and doing so more rapidly. There is another 70mm rocket with an infrared seeker on the market now, the U.S.-South Korean Low-cost Guided Imaging Rocket (LOGIR), which was developed primarily for coastal defense and other maritime applications. The baseline laser-guided APKWS II is already a combat-proven munition in the air-to-surface, surface-to-surface, surface-to-air, and air-to-air roles. TWZ was first to confirm earlier this year that U.S. Air Force F-16 fighters have been using APKWS II rockets as air-to-air munitions to down Houthi drones over and around the Red Sea. It has since emerged that those rockets have been optimized for use against aerial targets with the help of a software modification called FALCO, which stands for Fixed Wing, Air Launched, Counter-Unmanned Aircraft Systems Ordnance. The Air Force first announced it had demonstrated the ability of APKWS II to serve as an air-to-air weapon back in 2019. U.S. Fighter aircraft shoot down Iran-backed Houthi one-way-attack drones with AGR-20 FALCO Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS) Laser Guided 2.75" Rockets.#HouthisAreTerrorists — U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) March 19, 2025 Dual-mode APKWS II will also retain the magazine depth benefits that the baseline version already offers, which again have particular value in the air-to-air role. A traditional air-to-air for the F-16, for instance, is just six missiles. Swapping just one of those missiles for a pair of seven-shot 70mm rocket pods, something we have seen on Vipers operating in the Red Sea region, more than triples the number of total engagement opportunities that the jet has on a single sortie. U.S. operations against the Houthis in Yemen, as well as in the defense of Israel since October 2023, have underscored the importance of magazine depth when trying to shield against large waves of incoming drones and missiles. During the response to Iran's drone and missile barrage on Israel in April 2024, the crew of at least one Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle switched to the aircraft's 20mm M61 Vulcan cannon after running out of missiles, but was unable to bring down anything with the gun. In that instance, aircraft were also landing to rearm while threats were still passing overhead. These are scenarios that U.S. forces could expect to play out in even larger forms in future higher-end fights, especially a potential one against China in the Pacific. Interestingly, Air Force F-16s based in Japan have also been observed with air-to-air loadouts that feature APKWS II rockets during exercises. 2025.01.23ロケット7発 # — ポテッタン (@potettan620) January 23, 2025 The addition of the infrared seeker to the proven APKWS II package raises the possibility of future iterations of the design, as well, though BAE's Smialek says that the company is presently focused on the new dual-mode configuration. The company says it is targeting the end of 2026 to at least have the development of the new version of the APKWS II, which is currently being internally funded, largely wrapped up. When a branch of the U.S. military or any other customers might field it remains unknown. Regardless, the new dual-mode guidance capability is a major development for the already highly-proven APKWS II rocket. Howard Altman contributed to this story. Contact the author: joe@
