US Air Force and NATO Upgrade Nuclear Readiness

Raytheon Intelligence and Space (RIS),a division of Raytheon Technologies,has installed the first Global Aircrew Strategic Network Terminal (ASNT) system for the US Air Force at Barksdale Air Force Base,Louisiana.Barksdale is home of 2nd Bomb Wing (2BW) and its approximately 44 B-52H Stratofortress strategic bombers,as well as Air Force Global Strike Command.The project modernises existing protected communications systems,while adding new capabilities for both nuclear and non-nuclear Command and Control,the company explained in a news release on 11 April 2022: Global ASNT ensures robust communications to provide protected communications to nuclear bomber,missile and support aircraft crews in austere environments.* The Global ASNT system uses satellite communications to provide Command and Control,linking nuclear forces to national command authorities,operating on both MILSTAR and Advanced Extremely High Frequency satellites.They provide critical data at the tactical edge for smart decision-making in near real-time.The nearly 600 million dollar contract supports the Air Force Global Strike Command (GSC).* RIS will complete three additional base installs to bring GSC up to Initital Operating Capability (IOC).A total of 90 terminals will be fielded in both fixed and transportable configurations by the end of 2023,according to RIS.RIS delivers disruptive technologies for success in any domain,against any challenge.It develops advanced sensors,cyber services and software solutions for a decisive advantage to its military customers,according to RIS.* A communications dish on the command post roof maintains the connection between the Global ASNT and nuclear Command,Control and Communications (C3).The system delIvers assured communications between national command authorities and strategic deterrence forces in a range of environments and circumstances,better connecting warfighters through improved information sharing.Using multiple satellite constellations provides resilience and redundancy in challenging circumstances,such as jamming or while coming under attack.* Along the same lines,NATO,as authorised by the NATO Nuclear Committee,has been upgrading its nuclear deterrence assets from Cold War standards since at least 2015,in the wake of Russia's first invasion of Ukraine.These assets are located on air bases in Belgium,Germany,Italy,the Netherlands,Turkey and,more recently,the UK.For exampe,new nuclear security perimeters for the Protective Aircraft Shelters (PAS) and the underground vaults that contain tactical nuclear weapons (US B61 bombs) that are sited beneath each PAS have been installed at Aviano Air Base,Italy and Incerlik Air Base,Turkey.The upgraded nuclear security perimeters include double fencing;lighting;cameras;intrusion detection;and a vehicle patrol road between the two fences,in accordance with US standards.As well,the B61 bombs are to be serviced in the PAS by the new Secure Transportable Maintenance System (STMS) trailers,and communications are being,or have been,modernised.* The US has recently begun the forward deployment of 24 USAF nuclear-capable Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II Joint Strike Fighters to RAF Lakenheath,England.There the extensive underground vaults are to be upgraded after having been removed from service in 2008 during an era of rising hopes for arms control.Now,however,Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the improved accuracy of its cruise missile guidance systems have made NATO rethink its requirements.So the Lakenheath bunkers are once again considered desirable,adding flexibility for tactical nuclear weapons storage in light of the heightened Russian capabilty and aggression near NATO'S Eastern Flank.In the event of a crisis,some of the weapons could be shifted around from the other nuclear air bases to RAF Lakenheath as needed,and the aircraft to deliver them would be readily available at RAF Lakenheath.Although Russian resort to nuclear weapons cannot be dismissed,the Intelligence Community does not assess that there is an acute threat of Russian use of tactical nuclear weapons at this time.* The new B61-12 tactical nucear weapons are considered superior because of lower yield;greater accuracy;and reliability for such missions as nuclear attack;earth-penetrating strikes;above surface detonation;and bunker-buster explosions.* Lockheed Martin (LMT),Raytheon Technologies (RTX)

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UH-60V Black Hawk With Northrop Grumman’s OpenLift Cockpit Gets Airworthiness Certification - Aviation Today

UH-60V Black Hawk With Northrop Grumman’s OpenLift Cockpit Gets Airworthiness Certification - Aviation Today: Northrop Grumman said Monday the UH-60V Black Hawk, which is a retrofit of the UH-60L upgraded with the company’s ‘digital cockpit’ suite and OpenLift architecture, has received official certification to fly in all conditions. The Army Systems Readiness Directorate granted an Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) Airworthiness Release for the UH-60V as the program heads into …

Orion Program Update:Gateway Launch Date Scheduled

On 9 July 2021,NASA announced that it had finalised a contract with Northrop Grumman for the development of the Habitation and Logistics Outpost (HALO) for the Gateway,a small yet critical space station in lunar orbit that will serve as a waypoint and research platform for deep space exploration,including the Artemis Moon missions and missions to Mars.Under the 935 million dollar fixed price contract,Northrop Grumman will attach and test the integrated HALO with the Power and Propulsion Element by Maxar Technologies.Northrop will also lead the HALO/PPE turnover and launch preparations with SpaceX,which is slated to launch them in November 2024 on its Falcon Heavy rocket.Northrop will also support activation and checkout of HALO during the flight to its near-rectilinear lunar orbit,which will take it to tens of thousands of miles beyond the Moon at its farthest point,yet within easy reach of the lunar surface for sustained lunar exploration missions.Thus the core modules will be deployed and ready for the first crewed mission to Gateway.* According to NASA,the Gateway will facilitate inspirational scientific discoveries at and around the Moon,and provide the chance to further develop and test technology and science needed for crewed missions to Mars.Gateway will have pressurised living quarters with command and control systems,and three docking ports for the Orion spacecraft;lunar landers;and logistics resupply spacecraft.With its internal and external payload accomodations,Gateway will host science investigations and communications with lunar surface expeditions.Indeed,HALO will enable the aggregation of further habitable elements,such as the international module by the Japanese Space Agency (JAXA) and ESA.ESA will also provide a refueling module and high-data-rate communications.Immediately after launch,HALO will host the Heliophysics and Radiation Measurement Experiment Suite (HERMES) built by NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt,Maryland.HERMES will conduct research outside HALO.* Gateway's unique orbit will allow NASA and its international and commercial partners to conduct unprecedented deep space science and technology investigations,while also enabling sustained lunar exploration missions.* Canada will provide the Canadarm3 robotic arm for Gateway,and Canadian astronauts will be on the crew of the first crewed mission of the Orion spacecraft in lunar orbit,Artemis 2, and a later mission to Gateway,per an agreement signed by the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) and NASA.* HALO is based on the design of Northrop Grumman's Cygnus spacecraft,which provides logistical support to the International Space Station.* Northrop Grumman (NOC),Maxar Technologies (MAXR)

Legion, Ganassi leading effort to reduce veteran suicides through ‘Be the One’

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NROL-85 Mission - classified payload launch for the National Reconnaissance Office - Vandenberg Space Force Base,California