US Navy – U.S. Navy Follows U.K. Lead On Infrared Systems

– Aviation Week – The U.S. Navy expects to award contracts soon for a longer-range version of the AIM-9X Sidewinder, known as Block III. Not only will it be a major change to the AIM-9X—retaining only the seeker, optical target detector (laser fuze) and data link of the Block II weapon—but its development is starting before the Block II has finished operational tests…With these developments, the U.S. Navy is following the lead of other air arms—notably, the Royal Air Force—in investing in non-RF sensors and weapons that work far outside the within-visual-range envelope. One key technology is better processing that has greatly improved the performance of IRST.

US Navy – Glimpse Inside Air-Sea Battle: Nukes, Cyber At Its Heart

– Breaking Defense – In intellectual terms, Air-Sea Battle is the biggest of the military’s big ideas for its post-Afghanistan future. But what is it, really? It’s a constantly evolving concept for high-tech, high-intensity conflict that touches on everything from cyberwar to nuclear escalation to the rise of China. In practical terms, however, the beating heart of AirSea Battle is eleven overworked officers working in windowless Pentagon meeting rooms, and the issues they can’t get to are at least as important as the ones they can.

Chinese Navy – China Employs Ships As Weapon Test Platforms

– Signal – The People’s Republic of China has been introducing diverse new classes of ships into its navy for decades, but it also has employed some as vessels for weapons trials. Three ships distinctly have served as test platforms for many of the new technologies that entered service with the People’s Liberation Army Navy, or PLAN. An examination of these trial ships can illustrate the next generation of technologies about to be incorporated in the navy.

US Navy – UCAS Anomaly Resolved On Deck After Historic Landing

– Aviation Week – There is no doubt that today’s first-ever arrested landing of the Northrop Grumman X-47B air vehicle 2 on the deck of the USS George H.W. Bush will go down in history books as a major milestone in aerospace history. But, what could be a footnote in the historical record is an anomaly that took place shortly after the first-ever landing of a stealthy, tailless unmanned aircraft on a carrier deck. It could have dampened the historical day had the system not been preprogrammed to handle a host of issues that could crop up. But, it didn’t. That came later when a third landing attempt sent the aircraft ashore

Chinese Navy – China's naval aspirations: A 'blue-water' force

– Stars and Stripes – A century before Columbus discovered America, Chinese naval vessels many times bigger than the Santa Maria sailed the high seas, reaching as far as Africa. But, unlike European voyages of discovery, the Chinese efforts did not forge a global empire. Beset by internal strife, China abandoned its naval efforts, and by 1500, it was a capital offense to build a seagoing junk with more than two masts. Today, fueled by a booming economy, Chinese naval power is on the rise again.

US Marines – Marines See Asian Allies as Their Best Weapon Against China

– National Defense – Analysts predict that as Navy and Marine Corps forces expand their presence in the Asia-Pacific region, they will face so-called “anti-access” threats from emerging powers such as a China. But Marine leaders in the region do not fear such scenarios, and believe that by establishing close ties with Asian allies, the United States will have access when it needs it, said Brig. Gen. Richard L. Simcock, deputy commander of Marine Forces Pacific. The command is the Corps’ largest, with approximately 83,000 Marines and sailors.