The Joint Strike Missile is currently a Norwegian only missile. Norway has committed funds for integration onto Norwegian F-35's only. Kongsberg is currently actively marketing JSM to other nations right now.
On which jets do you think that the testing for the JSM is occurring?
They are being externally fitted to all variants of the F-35 (Alpha, Bravo, and Charlie), and internally fitted for the F-35A. That started in March 2013. The JSM is the only such missile that currently fits into the internal bay of the F-35, so I expect it will ultimately be made available to all versions. The new US LRASM will not fit...and at this time, I do not believe there is another effort out there to create another stand-off attack missile that will.
The Norwegian's initial F-35s will not be ready or handed over until 2015.
So the testing for the JSM is occurring on US aricraft and Lockheed Martin and the US Military are working closely with Norway and Kongsberg to make that happen. That missile, IMHO, will be available to the US and other allies. But time will tell.
Pointblank said:
The Harpoon missiles in the current inventory are going to be life-expired soon. I've heard 2017 as the year when the bulk of the Harpoon missile inventory is set to expire without a service life extension, which the Navy has not funded.
The Department of Defense made a presentation to the US Congress in support of the 2014 Defense Budget entitled:
"
"
In the introduction to that presentation the following was said,
US Defense Department Congressional Presntation said:
The United States Department of Defense (DoD) budget for Fiscal Year (FY) 2014 requests $526.6 billion to protect and advance security interests at home and abroad during the coming fiscal year and into the future. This budget reflects the difficult choices involved with protecting America’s security interests and role as a global power at a time of declining budgets and ongoing fiscal uncertainty about the future.
When speaking specifically of Harpoon missile exports in that presentation, they said:
US Defense Department Congressional Presntation said:
The Department of Defense is also expanding flexibility by continuing to export weapons to allies through foreign military sales, providing a critical opportunity to partner with our allies and increase interoperability by exporting munitions including:
• Harpoon maritime weapons
So, the US will continue to export Harpoon missiles to our allies. We would not do that if they missiles were of no use. In addition, and critically for the US inventory of Haproon missiles, the presentation went on to indicate how exporting the older Haproon missiles opens up opportunity for updating existing weapons in the US inventory at no cost:
US Defense Department Congressional Presntation said:
The Department of Defense is also pursuing creative partnerships with industry and allies to increase development and production efficiency. The Harpoon anti-ship weapon is a great example of this type of creative partnership. While we have a sufficient number of existing Harpoons, advancing threats require more capability. Instead of simply buying upgraded Harpoons, we are partnering with industry through a Sales Exchange Agreement to divest some legacy weapons in exchange for Harpoon II+ missile upgrade kits. Legacy missile components support ongoing sales of Harpoon missiles to allied and friendly nations while we receive Harpoon II+ missile upgrade kits at no additional cost. This initiative stabilizes the Harpoon industrial base, while upgrading missile performance, supporting our allies, and increasing US/International interoperability.
So, without allocating additional funding, the Harpoons are being upgraded with more capability and extended life, which is what I was trying to indicate to begin with.
recently a war-game took place
http://www.sinodefenceforum.com/world-armed-forces/us-military-news-thread-165-1547.html#post276192 in which a LCS was was "paired" (this is the word used in that press release) with an AB destroyer
... so I'll it cut it short now: a 3000 tons vessel can't fight alone anyway!
In exercises on the high seas, when an LCS may be assiting in exscort duties, this would happen.
Also, in a major engagement in the littorals, it would happen.
But in the role intended for the LCS, where they are independently patrolling the littorals and conducting their own missions there, having to "pair" a Burke with the vessel defeats the purpose of the program. The LCS was meant ot be a vessel that could conduct independent "combat" operations in the "litorrals."
The problem has come (and embarassingly late in the process I might add, despite many of us crying out about this for years now) that potential adversary nations also have their own vessels in the littorals which carry significantly more powerful and longer ranged missiles than the LCS. The answer is simply to add capanbility (and they have the room for it) to the LCS so it can enggae other corvettes and light frigates it may have to contend with in the littorals.
but one of my hobbies is naval history (beginning with the 1906 Dreadnought though) so I know every Major Navy of the World has been proud of its ships, weapons, tactics etc. if you know what I'm saying
