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Unmanned Systems

Still Unhappy With Progress On Directed Energy Weapons, SWO Boss Wants More Land Based Testing To Speed Use On Ships

By Cal Biesecker

Tuesday, January 14th, 2025

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Still Unhappy With Progress On Directed Energy Weapons, SWO Boss Wants More Land Based Testing To Speed Use On Ships

Artist rendering of Lockheed Martin's HELIOS laser weapons system used on an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer. (Image: Lockheed Martin)

Laser and high-powered microwave systems are key to increasing magazine depth aboard ships to defend themselves and other assets, but the technologies are not progressing as fast as needed and shifting their testing away from ships at sea to sites on land will accelerate introduction of these systems into the fleet, the commander of Naval Surface Forces said on Tuesday. Vice Adm. Brendan McLane said he “wants to instill a greater sense of urgency” and is still pushing for the…

Congress

House Appropriators ‘Concerned’ With JLTV A2 Delays, Shift Funds For Marines’ Second Supplier Effort

House appropriators have said they’re “seriously concerned” with Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) A2 delays, as their fiscal year 2027 defense spending bill shifts funds to support the Marine Corps’ […]

Budget

House Appropriators Uncertain Navy Will Award F/A-XX Contract By August

House appropriators said they are skeptical the Defense Department will award the engineering and manufacturing development (EMD) contract for the Navy’s F/A-XX next-generation carrier-based fighter program by the most recent […]

Congress

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Budget

House Appropriators Add Restrictions And Reporting Requirement To Battleship, Reject Cut

The chairman’s mark of the House Appropriations Committee’s (HAC) fiscal year 2027 defense appropriations bill funds the administration’s $1 billion request for the BBG(X) Trump-class battleship, but adds restrictions requiring […]