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To be honest they made so many changes to the design I would not call it low risk.
But the US does lack ships right now. The LCS debacle and Perry frigate firesale are the cause of the problem.

gelgoog said:

To be honest they made so many changes to the design I would not call it low risk.
But the US does lack ships right now. The LCS debacle and Perry frigate firesale are the cause of the problem.

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The USN has substantially different missions than the French as such design changes were needed.
Next on the story’s point is missed by most of the comments here which fall into the category of “Gotcha” and “Zingers”.
When you open a second production line it has to go through the same certification process as the first. When it’s a naval combat vessel that makes the first ship off the line in essence the prototype of a second new class. As such the resources used in trails double. Congress wants to get one line running before kick starting the second.

Boeing has shown off its intent for the development of a carrier based UCAV; based on the existing the MQ-28 “Ghost Bat” platform currently in development.

A new program appears to have been added to the relative flurry of activity in the field of next-generation air-to-air missiles, or AAMs, for the U.S. military. While very little is known about the Modular Advanced Missile, reference to which first appeared in a recent Air Force budget document, we now know that the weapon is an AAM and that there are plans to test-fire it from a fighter jet. The Modular Advanced Missile joins several other developmental AAM programs, most of which stress long-range capability, although at this stage we have no idea what range category this new weapon will fit into.

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However, the use of the term “modular” in the program name is also interesting and may point to some kind of option to swap out boosters, warheads, and seekers, or at least some of those items, adapting the basic missile for different missions and platforms. The ability to field different seekers on the same air-to-air missile is something that’s been pursued by France and Russia, for example. The last operational American AAM to offer this seeker modularity was the Falcon series, back in the 1950s.

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Successful test of the HAWC

(CNN)The US successfully tested a hypersonic missile in mid-March but kept it quiet for two weeks to avoid escalating tensions with Russia as President Joe Biden was about to travel to Europe, according to a defense official familiar with the matter.

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The Hypersonic Air-breathing Weapon Concept (HAWC) was launched from a B-52 bomber off the west coast, the official said, in the first successful test of the Lockheed Martin version of the system. A booster engine accelerated the missile to high speed, at which point the air-breathing scramjet engine ignited and propelled the missile at hypersonic speeds of Mach 5 and above.

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An update on the Constellation class progress. Critical design review is coming up next month and the plan is for construction start later this year. One recent change was the adoption of a new VDS system. Currently in consideration is the AAC Thales CAPTAS system.


Also showcased are two containerized Mk.41 VLS configurations to be used on unmanned ships, fast expeditionary ships, patrol boats and trucks. At least theoretically, there should be ample room for this on the LCS flight deck if they choose to sacrifice aviation capability for the duration of a mission. The LockMart solution is strike length and accommodates Tomahawks, LRASMs and SM-6 missiles.

Overbom said:

Successful test of the HAWC

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How does this compare to what China has done so far?

New maritime patrol and anti-submarine warfare UCAV was unveiled; dubbed the “MQ-9B”

It appears the United States is attempting to catch up with major players such as Turkey and China in the large unmanned aircraft field; which they both respectfully dominate as major developers and manufacturers of related platforms and technologies.