USMC FASt - Future Attack Strike

[Kirkhill]

New Vision To Fill Gaps After AV-8B Harrier And AH-1Z Viper Retirements Laid Out By Marines

The Marines also see what is called Future Attack Strike as addressing demands that will arise when the F/A-18C/D Hornet is finally retired.

www.twz.com

Legacy systems and end of life dates

FA-18 C/D - 2030



AV-8B - 2026



AH-1Z - beyond 2040



UH-1Y - Beyond 2040



Apparently the intent is to get as many air hours out of these aircraft as possible by extending their utility. Part of that means withdrawing them from the Front Line and Close Air Support and use them in the rear as trucks. The mix of kit will see them employed with Long Range Precision Fires, EW, RRB and AD/C-UAS systems (20mm, APKWSII, NG Stingers, Sidewinders and AIM-120s).

As part of this transitional effort the USMC is joining with the other services in developing new low cost stand off weapons that are platform independent and can be applied across existing and future platforms.

More to follow....

 

[Kirkhill]

Existing Attack Strike options

F-35 C



F-35 B


MV-22



HIMARS - PrSM



NMESIS - ROGUE




But there is a desire for more runway independence, more platform independence, more LRPF options and more Close Support options.


More to follow....

 

[Kirkhill]

Developing Attack Strike Options

MQ-35 V-BAT (now available in armed configurations) - In service

Martin UAV’s V-BAT UAS flies on 11th MEU missions on board USS Portland

Shield AI company Martin UAV’s V-BAT uncrewed aircraft system (UAS) has successfully conducted flight missions aboard the US Navy’s San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock USS Portland (LPD 27).

www.naval-technology.com

MQ-58 Valkyrie CCA - in limited trial service

Valkyrie: USMC picks Northrop and Kratos CCA combo

The USMC looks to expedite development of its collaborative combat aircraft with Northrop Grumman and the Kratos XQ-58 Valkyrie.

www.calibredefence.co.uk

YFQ-42 - in limited trial service (ca 2030?)

YFQ-42 Fighter Drone To Test USMC's Autonomy 'Brain' Alongside Crewed Jets

General Atomics' YFQ-42 has been selected by the Marines to test how CCAs will think and fight with the MAGTF.

www.twz.com

XBAT - in development (ca 2040?)

.....

One common feature throughout these is the predominance of the Shield Hivemind AI system.

Currently integrated on 8 or 9 platforms including the:

MQ-35 V-Bat
MQ-58 Valkyrie
MQM-178 Firejet
(Q)F-16 Fighting Falcon

Shield AI Awarded Contract to Integrate Hivemind AI Pilot onto eighth aircraft: the Kratos BQM-177A

Kratos BQM-177A, courtesy of the United States Navy. SAN DIEGO (March 12, 2024) – Shield AI, the defense technology company building the world’s best AI pilot, today announced it has been awarded a contract from NAVAIR PMA-281 to integrate its AI Pilot onto the Kratos BQM-177A to enable advanced...

shield.ai

....

All this concurrent with the effort to find a 450 knot helicopter

Special Operations Command Is Now Seeking A High-Speed VTOL Aircraft

The special ops folks want something that is far faster than the CV-22 and even leapfrogs the next generation of high-speed rotorcraft technology.

www.twz.com

SPRINT: Speed and Runway Independent Technologies | DARPA

The Speed and Runway Independent Technologies (SPRINT) project is a joint DARPA/U.S. Special Operations Command effort that aims to design, build, and fly an X-plane to demonstrate the key technologies and integrated concepts that enable a transformational combination of aircraft speed and...

www.darpa.mil

....

And meanwhile ROGUE, HIMARS and Typhon are developing into the CAMML (Common Autonomous Multidomain Missile Launcher) Family

Army issues RFIs for Common Autonomous Multi-Domain Launcher program

The Army’s new portfolio acquisition executive for fires issued RFIs to industry as it looks to advance the Common Autonomous Multi-Domain Launcher (CAML) initiative.

defensescoop.com

 

[Kirkhill]

This still has to be part of the Future



but they need to get the training time down from 100 hours for people that can surf.

 

[Kirkhill]

And I forgot to include this as part of the existing mix

MQ-9B drone to get long-range strike missiles

General Atomics is developing a long-range strike missile capability for its MQ-9B drone, expanding the aircraft mission set to include naval and deep standoff attack roles.

ukdefencejournal.org.uk

Canada to acquire fleet of MQ-9B SkyGuardian drones - Skies Mag

Canada's federal government has announced the procurement of remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS) to be based in Comox, BC, and Greenwood, NS.

skiesmag.com