April 7, 2021

Navy Installing More Directed Energy Weapons on DDGs, Conducting Land-Based Laser Testing This Year

The Navy continues to learn more about a pair of directed energy weapons, as the service installs the fourth and fifth dazzler system this year and begins land-based testing of a high-energy laser weapon, the program executive officer for integrated warfare systems told USNI News. The Navy has been in parallel working on an Optical Dazzling Interdictor, Navy (ODIN) program, a nonlethal weapon that can confuse instead of shoot down drones, which will become part of the High Energy Laser and Integrated Optical-dazzler and Surveillance (HELIOS) program that Lockheed Martin has been developing since 2018.

March 4, 2021

Report on Navy Laser, Railgun and Gun-Launched Guided Projectiles

Three new ship-based weapons being developed by the Navy—solid state lasers (SSLs), the electromagnetic railgun (EMRG), and the gun-launched guided projectile (GLGP), also known as the hypervelocity projectile (HVP)—could substantially improve the ability of Navy surface ships to defend themselves against surface craft, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and eventually anti-ship cruise missiles (ASCMs).

Jan. 6, 2021

Littoral Combat Ships for Maritime COIN

The U.S. Pacific Fleet is embracing its role in countering China’s maritime insurgency against the rule of international law and freedom of the seas. Persistent presence to safeguard Southeast Asian civilians from China’s depredations against their rights is the new order of the day and already is delivering favorable political-diplomatic results.

Dec. 31, 2020

In Your Face GW’s In-Port Security Force gets OC Sprayed

Eyes burning. Vison blurry. Snot dripping. Instructors screaming. With all of these distractions after getting sprayed by oleoresin capsicum (OC), Sailors go through a course allowing them to practice taking down and defending themselves against attackers.

Dec. 24, 2020

Report on Navy Laser, Railgun and Gun-Launched Guided Projectiles

Three new ship-based weapons being developed by the Navy—solid state lasers (SSLs), the electromagnetic railgun (EMRG), and the gun-launched guided projectile (GLGP), also known as the hypervelocity projectile (HVP)—could substantially improve the ability of Navy surface ships to defend themselves against surface craft, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and eventually anti-ship cruise missiles (ASCMs).

Dec. 17, 2020

Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard Release Maritime Strategy

The U.S. Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard released a new tri-Service maritime strategy December 17, entitled Advantage at Sea. The document provides strategic guidance on how the sea services will prevail in day-to-day competition, crisis and conflict over the next decade. It also directs the services to deepen tri-service integration, aggressively pursue force modernization, and continue robust cooperation with allies and partners.

Nov. 23, 2020

CNO Visits Navy Sailors, Civilians at Naval Support Facility Dahlgren

Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Adm. Mike Gilday visited Sailors and civilians during a day-trip to Naval Support Facility Dahlgren, Virginia, Nov. 17.

Oct. 20, 2020

Report on Navy Laser, Railgun and Gun-Launched Guided Projectiles

The following is the Oct. 15, 2020, Congressional Research Service report, Navy Lasers, Railgun, and Gun-Launched Guided Projectile: Background and Issues for Congress. From the report Three new ship-based weapons being developed by the Navy—solid state lasers (SSLs), the electromagnetic railgun (EMRG), and the gun-launched guided projectile (GLGP), also known as the hypervelocity projectile (HVP)—could substantially improve the ability of Navy surface ships to defend themselves against surface craft, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and eventually anti-ship cruise missiles (ASCMs).

Sept. 24, 2020

NSWC Dahlgren Software Team Recognized with Award for Impact on Laser Systems

Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division (NSWCDD) leaders honored a team of computer scientists and engineers in a virtual awards ceremony for developing software to safely enable the operation of multiple lasers. NSWCDD Commanding Officer Capt. Casey Plew and NSWCDD Technical Director John Fiore recognized the command’s Government Furnished Equipment (GFE) Agnostic Software team with the Award of Merit for Group Achievement in a video presentation released to the workforce on July 27. U.S. Rep. Rob Wittman joined Plew and Fiore in the video broadcast to congratulate individual and group awardees, including the GFE Agnostic Software team for their work to deliver quality software products for use in laser weapon systems.

Aug. 25, 2020

PEO Ships Maturing Systems Ahead of Large Surface Combatant Design Effort

The Program Executive Officer for Ships wants any future ship class to maximize the use of mature technologies and to establish land-based testing sites for any new and unproven systems, to buy down risk and allow for “credible” fielding timelines. Rear Adm. Tom Anderson said today that, coming into an era of flat budgets and a new force design that will likely call for several new ship classes to meet future needs, he had several concerns about how to approach ship acquisition in the near future.

July 21, 2020

SECDEF Esper: U.S. Will ‘Keep Up the Pace’ of South China Sea Freedom of Navigation Operations

The U.S. will continue to keep up the pace of freedom of navigation operations in the South China Sea, which hit an all-time high in 2019, Secretary of Defense Mark Esper said on Tuesday. Esper, speaking at an online event hosted by the International Institute for Strategic Studies, said the U.S. policy has always been backed up by its actions like FONOps and other presence operations. Last year marked “the greatest number of freedom of navigations operations in the South China Sea in the 40-year history of the FONOps program, and we will keep up the pace this year.”

July 20, 2020

Navy’s Only Directed Energy Lab on a Sea Test Range Breaks Ground at NBVC Point Mugu

Demonstrating that Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) remains open for business despite the pandemic, Navy leaders and private contractors have broken ground at Naval Base Ventura County’s Point Mugu for what will become the fleet’s only dedicated facility to test, fire and evaluate complete laser weapon systems in a maritime environment, the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Port Hueneme Division (NSWC PHD) said in a release.

July 13, 2020

HASC Chair Smith: Troops ‘Not Ready to Fight’ Without Resource-Informed Strategy

The House Armed Services Committee chairman praised an ongoing review of the combatant commanders’ force posture, saying he worried the military was “flailing” as its resources didn’t align with COCOM requests or the National Defense Strategy. Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.), who has served on HASC since 1997 and led it since last year, said he was concerned that the military was crafting budgets and the congressional committees were reshaping those budget without a clear strategy.

July 13, 2020

Navy Announces New NAVWAR Commander, Task Force Commanders

The Navy announced several appointments today for high-level jobs, including a new director of warfare integration and a new commander of Naval Information Warfare Systems Command. Rear Adm. Douglas Small has been selected to receive his second star and will serve as the next commander of Naval Information Warfare Systems Command (NAVWAR), formerly the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command (SPAWAR), in San Diego, Calif.

June 12, 2020

NSWC Dahlgren Division Engineer Wins 2020 Dr. Delores Etter Award for Impact on ODIN Laser Technology

A Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division (NSWCDD) engineer who specializes in laser technology was named a Dr. Delores M. Etter Top Scientists and Engineers Award winner, NSWCDD announced June 12. Matthew Lehr will be presented the award at a date to be announced for his impact on the Optical Dazzling Interdictor, Navy (ODIN) laser weapon system’s development.

June 1, 2020

Welcome Aboard, Rear Adm. Selby! New CNR Takes Helm at Office of Naval Research

The Office of Naval Research (ONR) ushered in a new era of leadership Friday, as Rear Adm. Lorin C. Selby—a decorated submarine commander, naval engineer, and acquisition officer—was sworn in as the new Chief of Naval Research (CNR).

May 26, 2020

The ODIN Shipboard Laser: Science Fiction No More

The engineers behind the development of so many cutting-edge U.S. Navy systems have long dreamed of creating a laser weapon that could defeat the fleet’s enemies. Now, they may be closer than ever to making that dream a reality. Earlier this year, the Navy installed the first Optical Dazzling Interdictor, Navy (ODIN) on the Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer USS Dewey.

May 22, 2020

USS Portland conducts Laser Weapon System Demonstrator Test

Amphibious transport dock ship USS Portland (LPD 27) successfully disabled an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) with a Solid State Laser - Technology Maturation Laser Weapon System Demonstrator (LWSD) MK 2 MOD 0 on May 16.

March 22, 2020

Training to Defend

NSFS and SRF-B cover a wide variety of skills for watchstanding such as training on non-lethal weapons, gun qualifications, unarmed self-defense, use of force, common terrorist tactics, tactical team movements, room entry and clearing, and working together as a team to respond to a security alert.

March 19, 2020

Chinese military expert advocates using lasers to paralyze US warships in South China Sea

The Chinese military should consider using non-lethal lasers on U.S. Navy warships to discourage their transits through the South China Sea, a state-run newspaper in China said Tuesday. Chinese military expert Song Zhongping told Global Times that the use of electromagnetic weapons, such as low-energy laser devices, could “send a strong warning” by temporarily paralyzing weapon and control systems on U.S. ships — all done “without visible conflict.”