Latest news with #IRST
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
New Details On F/A-18 Super Hornet's Troubled IRST Pod
More details have emerged about the problems the U.S. Navy is facing with its ill-starred podded Infrared Search And Track system, or IRST, an important capability planned for its F/A-18E/F Super Hornet fighters. The latest issues to be highlighted come after TWZ previously reported on delays caused by production quality problems with the system and a Pentagon assessment of 'significant reliability problems during operational testing,' which emerged earlier this year. The latest status update on the ASG-34A(V)1 IRST pod is provided in the Weapon Systems Annual Assessment that was published today by the Government Accountability Office (GAO). The centerline-mounted IRST pod is intended to provide the F/A-18E/F with a long-wave infrared sensor — the Lockheed Martin-developed IRST21 — that can search, detect, and track airborne targets. Very importantly, it is an ideal tool for detecting stealthy targets, which are proliferating. The IRST sensor assembly is installed in the front portion of a redesigned FPU-13/A centerline fuel tank. According to the GAO, each pod costs $16.6 million. For the full background on the pod, you can read our interview with the Super Hornet program manager responsible for it, back in 2020, here. The GAO report notes that, although the IRST pod achieved initial capability on schedule in November 2024, including delivery of the first lot of low-rate initial production pods, a full-rate production decision has been delayed. At one point, a determination on full-rate production was planned for January 2025, but this was missed 'due to delays incurred during flight testing.' As a result, the program has now breached its baseline schedule for the second time in three years. 'IRST officials told us that operational tests were delayed by two months due to software defects that caused IRST pods to falsely report overheating,' the GAO notes. Director, Operational Test and Evaluation (DOT&E) officials told the GAO that the problem 'was relatively easy to fix and would likely have been addressed during developmental testing had the program allocated more time for that testing.' Thanks to those operational testing delays, the publication of the DOT&E report that informs the full-rate decision production slipped until March 2025. A corresponding decision is now expected sometime this month. Until then, the program is somewhat in limbo, although it has achieved some good results, notably demonstrating 'capability at tactically significant ranges during operational testing.' This has been tempered, however, by how often the pods failed during that same testing. DOT&E officials told the GAO that the pods were 'extremely unreliable.' While we previously knew of issues with reliability, today's report confirms just how bad these are. Although 'the program improved pod reliability as it made software updates, [it] only managed to achieve 14 hours mean time between operational mission failures — short of the 40 hours required.' Not surprisingly, the DOT&E determined that deploying the IRST pods without improving their reliability would transfer risk to the Navy's fleet. Of course, this is bad news for the Navy, and for the F/A-18E/F community specifically, with IRST sensors — which can detect and track objects from a distance and in environments where radar may be ineffective — is increasingly seen as a vital air combat tool. Seemingly ever since it was first flown on a Super Hornet in late 2019, the IRST pod has faced issues. A previous GAO report, in 2023, noted that 'between 20 and 30 percent of the manufactured components [in the IRST pod] failed to meet performance specifications due to microelectronics issues.' These problems persisted more than four years after limited manufacturing had begun and served to delay the launch of developmental and operational testing. The same 2023 report also described how 'staffing challenges' at a critical software development contractor were leading to holdups in the program. Then came a DOT&E report, which looked at the results of tests involving Infrared Optimized Configuration (IROC) pods, described as 'operationally equivalent' but designated for flight test. IROC pods were used for operational test and evaluation (IOT&E) between April and September 2024. This report noted that 'operational test events were adversely affected by IRST Block II system reliability failures' and concluded that the pod 'demonstrated significant reliability problems.' 'Throughout the test period, IRST Block II suffered from hardware and software deficiencies, which required the aircrew to restart the pod multiple times,' the DOT&E report said. 'Troubleshooting and repair often exceeded the abilities of Navy maintenance crews and required assistance from Lockheed Martin.' In the meantime, however, earlier iterations of the pod have already been deployed on operations, carried by Super Hornets in the Middle East, with photos emerging of this appearing in late 2020. As the Navy awaits the decision on whether or not to pursue full-rate production, there's no doubt about the utility of an IRST pod — provided that it works. The specific advantages of the IRST pod are something we have discussed before, including with the Super Hornet program manager: 'Very importantly, the IRST pod provides an entirely passive capability, relying exclusively on the infrared spectrum to detect and track airborne targets, including those at far beyond visual range. With no radio-frequency emissions, the target won't be alerted to the fact that they've been detected and are being tracked. At the same time, the IRST does not give away the location and presence of the host platform. This kind of sensor also provides a vital companion to the Super Hornet's AN/APG-79 radar, functions of which may well be compromised in a heavy electronic attack or radar-denied environment.' Meanwhile, similar kinds of sensors have been found on fighters operated by potential adversaries for decades. China and Russia operate tactical fighters such as the Su-35 and Su-30 Flanker series that incorporate IRST sensors as standard. In Western Europe, the Eurofighter Typhoon and Saab Gripen E, for example, also offer them. Closer to home, the U.S. Air Force has already put equivalent sensors on its F-15Cs and F-16Cs, making the delays to the Navy's program all the more puzzling. On the other hand, we don't know exactly how reliable the Air Force's IRST pods are, and we do know that there are substantial differences between the Air Force and Navy versions, although they both use IRST21 as a base the fact that a functioning IRST capability can be integrated on even older platforms without too much difficulty is also evidenced in the contractor-operated adversary community, which is increasingly flying fast jets with IRST sensors to better replicate potential threat aircraft. On the other hand, it should be recalled that not all IRST sensors offer the same level of capabilities, with significant differences also in terms of depth of integration and fusion between different types and aircraft, especially over time. This applies especially to the higher-end IRST pod for the Super Hornet and some of the cheaper off-the-shelf options that are now available. Threat aircraft with IRST capabilities continue to proliferate, but so do the kinds of threat platforms for which a sensor of this kind would be most useful to counter. China, especially, is making rapid developments in stealth technology and advanced electronic warfare, two areas that make the introduction of an IRST sensor all the more compelling. These kinds of infrared sensors are immune to radar-evading stealth technology and are not affected by electromagnetic jamming and other electronic attacks. For Navy Super Hornets, a fully functional ISRT pod would help to detect and target advanced Chinese platforms in a future conflict in the Pacific theater. At the same time, these pods can significantly boost the flight crew's situational air-to-air 'picture' in conjunction with more traditional sensors. As noted previously, there has been some good news with the latest iteration of the IRST pod, specifically the fact that it has, in a test environment, demonstrated that it can detect targets at long ranges. Furthermore, it can translate this data into stable system tracks that would be suitable for weapons employment. With its clear potential, it's certainly alarming for the Navy that it is still being kept waiting for the vital capabilities promised by the IRST pod. Contact the author: thomas@
India.com
27-05-2025
- Business
- India.com
India Gives Nod To AMCA: Know The Nation's First Stealth Fighter Jet That Is Likely Redifine Air Combat
New Delhi: With an aim to bolster national security and strengthen indigenous defence manufacturing, the Ministry of Defence on Tuesday approved the development of the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) – a fifth generation stealth fighter jet. The programme will be implemented by the Aeronautical Development Agency in collaboration with industry partners. The decision has enabled India enter the elite club of countries that develop the medium-weight and multi-role aircraft – which will be capable of carrying out deep-strike missions. The AMCA will be equipped with low observable technologies to lessen its radar signature. It will help the aircraft evade infrared tracking system and enemy's radar. The technology will allow it to operate with least chances of detection and high degree of survivability in a contested environment. The jet will use radar-absorbent material and have a stealth-optimised airframe and internal weapons bay to further reduce the chances of radar detection. Apart from its stealth capabilities, the AMCA will feature advanced avionics – including electronic warfare systems and sensor fusion. It will also have artificial intelligence-supported flight systems, infrared search and track (IRST) system and active electronically scanned array (AESA). It is expected that the fighter will offer supercruise capability that will enable it to fly at supersonic speeds even without using afterburners. The jet will be capable of carrying air-to-ground and air-to-air weaponry. It can be upgraded in future – with provisions of directed energy weapons and for integration of unmanned systems. The AMCA project is strategically seen as a response to evolving regional security challenges – especially in the context of reports about stealth air cooperation between Pakistan and China. The project is aimed at enhancing India's ability to maintain air dominance and carry out precision operations across a wide range of threat environments. It also reflects India's commitment to self-reliance in defence manufacturing sector. Both public and private sectors will take part in the project under a competitive bidding model that will support the growth of domestic aerospace ecosystem. The estimated expenditure on the initial development phase has been calculated at around Rs 15,000 crore. The AMCA is a long desired requirement of the Indian Air Force.
Asia Times
24-04-2025
- Business
- Asia Times
Outgunned on NGAD, Lockheed doubles down on F-35
Bested at the next-generation US fighter competition, Lockheed Martin is betting big on turning the F-35 into a 'fifth-gen-plus' fighter — retrofitting tomorrow's tech into yesterday's jet to stay in the game. This month, multiple media sources reported that Lockheed Martin CEO Jim Taiclet announced that the defense giant will not challenge the US Air Force's decision to award the US$20 billion Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) fighter contract to rival defense contractor Boeing. The company said it plans to integrate technologies from its unsuccessful NGAD bid into upgraded versions of its F-35 and F-22 fighters. During an earnings call, Taiclet said Lockheed aims to deliver '80% of sixth-generation capability at 50% of the cost' by transforming the F-35 into a fifth-gen-plus fighter. Enhancements will include stealth, passive infrared sensors and advanced tracking and missile systems — some already in development under the F-35 Block 4 upgrade. Lockheed executives said the company intends to export some of these improvements, subject to US government approval. With a projected global fleet of 3,500 F-35s, Lockheed hopes its upgraded jets will offer a cost-effective alternative to the yet-undefined, potentially multi-hundred-million-dollar NGAD aircraft. The NGAD decision, announced in March 2025 by US President Donald Trump, leaves Lockheed temporarily sidelined from all publicly known advanced fighter programs. The US Air Force confirmed Boeing offered the 'best overall value' for NGAD. Naval News mentions in a March 2025 article that under the Next Gen 2.0 OML Coating Program, the F-35 would receive a new mirror coating designed to improve maintainability and survivability, critical for the harsh corrosive maritime environment involved in aircraft carrier-based operations. Further, David Cenciotti and Stefano D'Urso mention in an August 2022 article for The Aviationist that the mirror coating could hide the F-35 from infrared search and tracking (IRST) systems or protect the aircraft from low-power lasers. In terms of propulsion upgrades, John Tirpak mentions in an October 2024 article for Air & Space Forces Magazine that the F-35 Engine Core Upgrade (ECU) is intended to increase the durability and life expectancy of the F-35's Pratt and Whitney F135 engines, which has suffered in recent years due to increased and new equipment installed on the aircraft. Tirpak notes that the ECU upgrade supports the cooling, performance and electrical power requirements for the F-35's Block 4 upgrade. While the F-35 is different from most US fighters as it was designed with an Electro-Optical Targeting System (EOTS) IRST system from the start, the Advanced Electro-Optical Targeting System (A-EOTS) upgrade offers improved resolution, multi-spectral range, greater reliability and reduced costs per operating hour. In addition to A-EOTS, TWZ reported in January 2023 that the new AN/APG-85 radar, which is most likely a gallium nitride (GaN)-based system, could drastically increase the F-35's radar range and resolution and support more dynamic electronic warfare tactics. Combined with the Distributed Aperture System (DAS) that provides F-35 pilots a 360-degree view through the aircraft, the A-EOTS + AN/APG-85 + DAS combination can give the aircraft a substantial 'see-first shoot-first' advantage. New armaments, such as the AIM-260 Joint Advanced Tactical Missile (JATM), could give the F-35 a substantial range and lethality upgrade over the legacy AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM) in US military service, though much of the secretive weapon's capabilities are classified, as stated by TWZ in a February 2025 article. However, integration constraints mean upgrades will be evolutionary, not revolutionary – the F-35 must work within the physical and technical bounds set years ago. For example, the US Director, Operational Test & Evaluation (DOT&E) FY2024 Annual Report mentions that integrating the Technology Refresh-3 (TR-3) avionics upgrade, essential for Block 4 mission capabilities, has encountered substantial hardware and software issues. According to the report, these problems forced the program to delay the delivery of aircraft equipped with TR-3, resulting in newly produced planes being placed in long-term parking due to inadequate mission systems software performance. It says the F-35's existing TR-2 architecture's constraints compounded these issues, limiting the scope of feasible enhancements and highlighting inherent limitations established by legacy design choices. The Asia Live mentions that some analysts say sixth-generation fighters involve fundamental design changes that can't be replicated by upgrading existing platforms, such as the F-35. According to the report, these include airframe shapes for better stealth, adaptive engines for optimized performance and a 'digital first' architecture designed with AI integration from the ground up. In addition to those challenges, the F-35's reliability issues, if not addressed, would leave upgrades pointless. The US DOT&E FY2024 Annual Report says that the US F-35 fleet falls short of several reliability requirements defined in the Joint Strike Fighter Operational Requirements Document (JSF ORD). It states that in FY23, the F-35A, F-35B and F-35C did not meet key thresholds for mean flight hours between critical failures (MFHBCF), which measures how often serious failures occur that prevent mission completion or compromise flight safety. Additionally, the report mentions that trends in the mean time to repair (MTTR) and mean corrective maintenance time for critical failures (MCMTCF) have shown little improvement, indicating ongoing difficulties in maintaining aircraft readiness. Lockheed Martin's push to retrofit the F-35 with some sixth-generation technology could make it a viable alternative for other upcoming sixth-generation aircraft. For instance, the UK's Future Combat Air System (FCAS) received a red rating in the country's Annual Report on Major Projects 2023-2024. According to the report, a red rating means the success of the project appears to be unachievable, with major issues appearing unmanageable or unresolvable. Further, in an April 2023 article for the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), Justin Bronk mentions that the UK-Italy-Japan Global Combat Air Program (GCAP) is unlikely to produce a product more competitive than the F-35. The GCAP is a component of the UK's FCAS. The former is an international collaboration, while the latter is a UK initiative that aims to leverage its partners' technology and industrial expertise for advancement. While Bronk points out that the F-35 is far from a perfect program, decades of US expertise and investment in state-of-the-art sensors, weapons, electronic warfare, stealth, constant upgrades and retrofitting have produced undeniable results. He mentions that every air force that has tested the F-35 versus European or US competitors picked the F-35, as its ability to operate in contested airspace is unparalleled. Bronk assesses that if the GCAP is built in the 2030s, it would not compete with current-generation F-35s. However, Lockheed Martin's evolutionary approach towards the F-35 program may not be sufficient against adversaries who prefer technology leapfrogging. Even with 3,500 F-35s eligible for the fifth-generation-plus upgrade, China may have already flown prototype sixth-generation fighters and could be gearing up for serial production, making such improvements too slow, too little and too late.
Yahoo
16-04-2025
- Yahoo
Canopy Seen Clearly On China's Next Gen Tailless Stealth Fighter For First Time
China's next-generation tailless heavy fighter from the Shenyang Aircraft Corporation seemed to have taken a months-long hiatus between its first known flight and its second. Since then, it has been seen in the skies at an increasing rate. New images and video coming out of China show the jet – referred to unofficially by a number of designations, including J-XDS and J-50 – on another recent test sortie, with clearer shots of the enigmatic stealth fighter than ever before. This includes what appears to be our first real view of its cockpit canopy. The aircraft's canopy has been of particular interest since the plane first appeared to the public on December 26th, 2024. Up until now, no images have clearly shown it. The plane's broad nose, paired with the ground-based perspective of the photos, and their low quality, previously made only what may have been a part of a canopy visible in imagery. This led to the question of whether the heavy fighter-sized aircraft was crewed at all. J-XX/Shengad may have flown again today — 東風 (@eastwind6699) April 16, 2025 Our very in-depth analysis on this aircraft, and its larger tri-engined Chengdu Aircraft Corporation counterpart, came to the conclusion that the aircraft was almost certainly crewed. With this latest imagery, we can finally put that question to rest conclusively. One image shows a side-on view of the aircraft, providing a new perspective to analyze. Above all else, it depicts a very streamlined bubble canopy that blends closely with the upper fuselage. Canopies and cockpits can be a major hot spot for radar reflections. Minimizing their return is critical to the survivability of a low-observable crewed aircraft. In this case, for the same reasons that the canopy was so hard for us to see until now — it is difficult to view from lower aspects — also helps with keeping it out of line-of-sight of radar systems positioned below it. These can be on the surface or lower-flying aircraft. The service ceiling of the fighter is unknown, but it should be quite high in order to maximize its performance, as well as its sensor and weapons reach. It remains unknown if the jet has one or two crew. The canopy does look quite long, which could possibly accommodate a tandem crew layout. As it seems, we finally have a quite decent side shot of SAC's J-XDS from its flight today and also for the first time a clearer proof it has indeed a canopy. — @Rupprecht_A (@RupprechtDeino) April 16, 2025 This side view also provides a bit better sense of scale and form of the new jet. Its diamond-shaped forward fuselage with a prominent chine line high up near the cockpit is also readily visible. The blister under the nose that could represent a faceted aperture for an electro-optical targeting and/or infrared search and track (IRST) system, similar to what's found on the J-20 and the U.S. F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, is also visible. Another angle from the lower rear gives us a clearer view of the aircraft's exhausts. As expected, they are 2-D and likely thrust vectoring types, very similar to the U.S. F-22 Raptor's arrangement. This configuration would balance low observability, performance, agility, and especially stability, considering just how unstable a tailless tactical jet like this would be. China has been displaying its thrust vectoring engine concepts since at least 2022, with the one subscale model on the show floor at Zhuhai looking very similar to what we see in the latest imagery. We also see the unique swiveling wingtip control surfaces in action here, with the right side one highly deflected. Airshow China 2022: #China displays thrust vectoring engineshttps:// #airshowchina2022 #airshow #airdefence — Janes (@JanesINTEL) November 14, 2022 With each passing week, we are getting more and more detailed imagery of Shenyang's tailless stealth fighter, just as expected. If the flights continue, we should have a much better understanding of the aircraft's observable features by summer. Contact the author: Tyler@
Yahoo
02-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Sale Of Advanced F-16s To The Philippines Moves Forward Amid Deepening U.S. Ties
The U.S. State Department has approved the potential sale of 20 F-16C/D Block 70/72 fighters to the Philippines, the latest turn in a long-running saga as Manila seeks to revamp its air force. The announcement comes as the United States reinforces military ties with the Southeast Asian country, with a recent visit there by U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and the forthcoming deployment of U.S. anti-ship and land-attack missile systems for a military drill. The approved Foreign Military Sale package, which has an estimated cost of $5.58 billion, covers 16 single-seat F-16C and four two-seat F-16D versions. As well as the aircraft and engines, the package includes AN/APG-83 Scalable Agile Beam Radars (SABR), AN/AAQ-33 Sniper advanced targeting pods, AN/ALQ-254 Viper Shield electronic warfare or equivalent systems, Scorpion Hybrid Optical-based Inertial Trackers (HObIT) or Joint Helmet-Mounted Cueing Systems II (JHMCS II) helmet-mounted displays, and undisclosed infrared search and track (IRST) systems. The IRST system could be a version of Lockheed Martin's Legion, a pod-mounted sensor that is also offered in miniaturized form for the F-16 Block 70/72 as the Legion-Embedded System (ES). Legion pods are fitted on the left underside of the forward fuselage, on the chin hardpoint. An alternative could be the Northrop Grumman OpenPod, a modular, open-architecture design, equipped with Leonardo's SkyWard IRST sensor. This pod might be more likely for export to the Philippines and is notably already used Top Aces, a private adversary air company. An IRST of any kind is especially useful as an additional way of detecting and tracking other aircraft at long ranges, including ones that employ stealth technology to hide from radar. The pod can also provide targeting information so the pilot can engage an enemy passively, without emitting any electromagnetic energy. You can read more about the capabilities that the Legion pod offers here. Air-to-air weapons are set to be provided in the form of up to 112 AIM-120C-8 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAMs) and 40 AIM-9X Block II Sidewinder infrared-guided air-to-air missiles. Offensive weapons in the package comprise 36 GBU-39/B Small Diameter Bombs (SDB), 60 Mk 82 500-pound general-purpose bombs, 60 Mk 84 2,000-pound general-purpose bombs, 30 Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) tail kits for the GBU-38 or GBU-54 Laser JDAM, and 30 kits for GBU-50 Enhanced Paveway II precision-guided bombs. Overall, the total number of munitions included is relatively tiny, for a deal of this kind. At this point, it's worth noting that the State Department announcement is not final. The quantities of aircraft and other equipment and the costs involved could all change. Potentially, lawmakers could also move to block the deal within the next 30 days, although that is unlikely. 'The proposed sale will enhance the Philippine Air Force's ability to conduct maritime domain awareness and close air support missions and enhance its suppression of enemy air defenses (SEAD) and aerial interdiction capabilities,' the U.S. State Department said in a statement. 'This sale will also increase the ability of the Armed Forces of the Philippines to protect vital interests and territory, as well as expand interoperability with the U.S. forces. The Philippines will have no difficulty absorbing this equipment into its armed forces.' Previously, back in 2021, the Philippines had been approved for another F-16 Block 70/72 sale, this time involving 10 F-16Cs and two F-16Ds, valued at a total of $2.43 billion. In the event, the Philippines didn't proceed with that deal, having only allocated $1.1 billion for the acquisition. Notably, that earlier package didn't include IRST systems, but the Philippines was approved to buy 12 AGM-84L-1 Harpoon Block II anti-ship missiles. The Philippine Air Force retired its veteran fleet of Northrop F-5A/B Freedom Fighters in 2005. As long ago as the 1990s, efforts were being made to introduce new fighters, but so far the only new jets for the service have been 12 Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) FA-50PH light combat jets acquired from Seoul. One of those has since crashed. The Philippine Air Force's combat fleet also includes six Embraer A-29B Super Tucano turboprop light attack aircraft. Compared to anything else in the inventory, the F-16 represents a huge advance in capability, not just in terms of performance, but also in the advanced sensors and precision-guided weaponry it will carry. Currently, for example, the Philippine Air Force doesn't have any aircraft armed with beyond-visual-range missiles. These, combined with an active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar, will represent a step-change in terms of air-to-air capabilities alone. Last year, the Philippine Secretary of National Defense, Gilberto Teodoro, outlined plans to buy 40 fighter jets as part of a major military modernization effort. Known as Horizon 3, the fighter acquisition would be worth $33.6 billion over the next 10 years, provided it's fully approved. However realistic that plan, it's clear that Manila is set on rebuilding its armed forces to better face off against the growing Chinese threat in the region. Reflecting the increasing strategic significance that Washington is assigning to the Philippines, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth visited the archipelago nation last week, as part of a wider Indo-Pacific trip. 'It's a strong message to China on solid bilateral relations' between the U.S. and the Philippines,' Philippine Ambassador to the U.S. Jose Manuel Romualdez told The Associated Press, ahead of Hegseth's visit. On the agenda were joint measures that can be taken to enhance deterrence against Chinese aggression in the disputed South China Sea, almost the entirety of which is claimed by China. The Philippines is one of several regional nations that also have overlapping claims on these highly strategic waters. Romualdez also highlighted the possibility of 'more significant support' from the United States in this regard. U.S. defense policy in relation to the Philippines has become a more important topic in the last couple of years, as confrontations between Chinese and Philippine coast guard and naval forces in the South China Sea have become increasingly tense. In response to clashes between Chinese and Philippine forces in these waters, the previous Biden administration issued repeated warnings to Beijing. These included the fact that the United States is obliged to help defend the Philippines if its ships or aircraft come under armed attack anywhere in the wider region. Such statements from Washington prompt predictably hostile reactions from Beijing, but currently, it seems, the defense relationship between the United States and the Philippines is only set to be reinforced. In addition to the possible sale of F-16s, which would mark a significant advance in capabilities for the Philippine Air Force, Manila's armed forces are also deeply involved in joint exercises with those of the United States and other allies. The most significant of these drills is the Balikatan exercise, the 2025 edition of which kicks off later this month and which also features forces from Australia and Japan. The 2025 exercise is especially notable since it will feature two recently inducted types of U.S. missile systems. While the U.S. Army has said it will not conduct live-fire drills of its Typhon in Exercise Balikatan, the deployment of the system to the Philippines is already a big deal and one that has been criticized by China. Typhon was first deployed to the Philippines during last year's Exercise Salaknib and has remained in the country since then. Typhon can fire Tomahawk cruise missiles and SM-6 multi-purpose missiles. The latest Tomahawk cruise missiles have land attack and anti-ship capabilities, while the SM-6 missiles are intended to be employed primarily against targets ashore and at sea, essentially as a short-range ballistic missile. The Army has also described it in the past as a 'strategic' weapon system that would be used against higher-value targets like air defense assets and command and control nodes. With Tomahawk's range of roughly 1,000 miles, Typhon is highly relevant in this context. From a location in the middle of Northern Luzon in the Philippines, it has more than enough range to reach the southeastern corner of mainland China, as well as Hainan Island with its key naval and other bases. Chinese man-made outposts across the South China Sea would also be within range. Meanwhile, Balikatan will see the U.S. Marine Corps deploy its Navy Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System (NMESIS) anti-ship missile system for the first time operationally in the region. The complete NMESIS system consists of the uncrewed Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV), also known as the Remotely Operated Ground Unit Expeditionary-Fires (ROGUE-Fires), and a launcher with two ready-to-fire Naval Strike Missiles (NSM). The NSM is a stealthy anti-ship cruise missile with a secondary land-attack capability. The NSM is capable of hitting targets 115 miles away. 'The more security cooperation, the better,' U.S. Defense Secretary Hegseth reflected in a press conference with his Filipino counterpart, Gilberto Teodoro, last week. 'The more strategic dilemmas for our adversaries, the better.' The inclusion of Typhon and NMESIS in the upcoming Balikatan drills is a very visible indicator of this strategy. As the United States forges expanded defense ties with the Philippines, the likely transfer of F-16s is very much a logical next step. Contact the author: thomas@
