According to an announcement, the US Air Force has successfully demonstrated a new low-cost method of neutralising surface vessels from the air.
This development was part of the QUICKSINK programme, which aims to enhance the military’s ability to address maritime threats across vast ocean areas.
The demonstration took place in July in the Gulf of Mexico near Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, where a B-2 Spirit stealth bomber deployed the air-delivered weapon, sinking the M/V Monarch Countess as part of the second RIMPAC SINKEX exercise.
The U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) Munitions Directorate, in collaboration with the US Navy, is leading the ongoing Maritime Weapon Programme that focuses on increasing anti-ship lethality with air-launched weapons.
The QUICKSINK programme is described as a response to an urgent need for the US military to quickly and effectively neutralise maritime threats. Col. Matthew Caspers, director of the AFRL Munitions Directorate, highlighted the importance of this capability in maintaining US superiority in naval warfare.
“The development of this technology helps deliver technological superiority to ensure the United States can defend our interests, maintain freedom of action, and seize the initiative over large maritime areas,” Caspers said in the press release.
The QUICKSINK demonstration showcases the potential for modifying existing and future weapons systems to address evolving maritime threats.
Col. Caspers praised the innovative efforts of the Munitions Directorate in addressing these challenges, noting that “QUICKSINK is an answer to an urgent need to neutralise maritime threats to freedom around the world. This programme is unique in that it can provide capabilities to modify existing and future Department of Defense weapons systems, giving combatant commanders and our national leaders new ways to defend against maritime threats.”
Only the Americans would come up with a name like QUICKSINK. 😂
Very good. Now what is it, exactly?
It’s ultra stealthy apparently
They basically take a jdam, which is relatively cheap and available in the thousands, attach a multi mode seeker to it which allows it to target and destroy adversary’s surface ships from dozens of miles away.
A smart bomb, then? OK, thanks.
Pretty much yes with the key being it’s ability to hit moving ships. I think this weapon is being procured purely with the PLAN maritime militia in mind. They have hundreds of military and “civilian” vessels that they plan to use in a conflict that will are lightly armed and will need to be cheaply sunk.
Doesn’t it deliberately target the waterline? I’d read it sinks 2-3 feet away from the hull. Goes down a metre or two then detonates ripping a massive hole in any warships hull. Leading to QUICK SINK. Likely breaks the back of the ship.
yeah, you can see videos of it online. looks like it goes under the ship (hits the water then momentun carries it under the ship when it goes off)
Was the MV firing back a la T52D (?) like the Chinese are building in huge numbers.
What AUKUS and Canada need in a shed load of numbers submarines and their expensive crews.
Incidentally, how in God’s name are Aussies training on our subs when only Triump has really been on duties and the others tied up alongside?
Most subs are “down under” anyway..😉
You should be keel hauled for that attempt at humour 😉
I’ll flag that up for future use…
Please use the Jack Staff.
You can train in a sub that is on the wall or RN has, im pretty sure, a concrete Asutute.
You can certainly do most of the reactor monitoring alongside.
Torpedo loading etc has always been drilled alongside. HMS Dolphin used to have an old conventional sub dry docked for that.
I suspect that they just have a training simulator for it now in a large warehouse style building.
I know nothing of the Navy other than I was tall, often right hand marker and Navy marched very, very, peculiar… like they all had bottom plugs inserted OR had had their bottoms plugged, the night before… Just saying.
I think George might have a little chat?
This sort of thing is quite triggering to others who were crucified for who they were giving their best service to their country.
Things have moved on.
No, an observation from the mid-80s to mid-90s.
My sister came out as a lesbian when she was 14. My, 26 year time served Dad, struggled with the concept.
My gaydar, as RMP, was automatic, I just looked away; at the end of the day, if we were going to fight and die next to each, we were going to fight and die.
I had no interest in the sexuality of my colleagues.
Meanwhile, the Royal Navy still march funny.
Then why make such a bonkers post?
Ratings doesn’t choose the marching style – that is drilled……
It just isn’t appropriate in 2024…..I’m not very PC……
Except, it was an observation from 30ish years ago. Well, should you be triggered, you are a little bit PC, would you perhaps agree? My Sri Lankan wife has been attacked twice in Cumbria, I’m not there to protect her or our 3½ y/o; so please try to understand that there are sick people who do not understand diversity, do not appreciate what a person of colour with a Bsc Econ, MSc Econ and… 2… MBAs, working in the Civil Service does for them. Personally, I will defend anyone in need, it is my creed. Except for the Royal Navy… Read more »
why would they use this on a type-52D? thats what LRASMs, subs, SM-6 and PRsM are for. there will be hundreds if not thousands of boats that need sinking. most of them with little to no defense which is what you’d use a cheap bomb that will send it to the bottom quickly on.
Meanwhile the U.K. right wing press jump on this claiming it makes our carriers a waste of money . Quietly omitting the fact that America is not an enemy.
I doubt they would have printed a letter if the Tories had still been in power.
🔔 ends !!
Just the papers. They don’t count as knowing anything about defence. You’re wrong about the D.T. They’ve been getting in wrong for years. 🤔
I try not to soil my hands with the DT. I came across he weapon on GB news. Yes I know but curiosity got the better of me.
GB news eh? Umh…😎
You are, unfortunately, so right.
Used to love DT for Defence but most Broadsheets are pants; total lack of questioning much like the current front benches. Awful state of affairs.
I’ve always leaned to the right…👉
I’ve always been a tad left.
So betwwen us we can occupy the middle ground.
I don’t lean either way. I question our government regardless. The last shower drove this country into the ground, it remains to be seen what this lot does.
I wouldn’t atgue with that. We’ve had a lot of nonsense for a very long time. I can’t see it improving though.
I only do storm the middle ground 😉
You with me?
Umh..NO.🙄
2,000-pound mk84 JDAM. Sandboxx news on youtube did a video on it.
Good source of info as is Millennium 7.
I also watch him.
“QUICKSINK is an answer to an urgent need to neutralise maritime threats to freedom around the world. This programme is unique in that it can provide capabilities to modify existing and future Department of Defense weapons systems, giving combatant commanders and our national leaders new ways to defend against maritime threats.”
or in plain English “ china has so many bleeding ships we need to seriously think how we can sink them all”.
Use junk to sink junks?
Jonathan, it’s a plan except when the PLAN shoot back.
Indeed and I think people hoping the PLAN are junk are living on hope not reality….PLAN have sunk untold billions into warship construction since 2010 and its fleet is modern….it “may” not have the same sensor synergy as western vessels…but the PLAN is a navy full of newer ships than western navy’s tend to have…the T45s are older than the vast majority of the PLAN…. But what the PLAN also have on top of a blue water navy the size of the USN ( apart from its carriers and SSNs) is whole extra navy of essentially smaller to medium sized… Read more »
And let’s not forget their trawlers.
There are swarms and then Chinese swarms and their swarms will be like locusts, impossible to defeat.
I feel we are missing mass and should the Govt announce an extra 15 T31, uparmed along with 15 B3 OPVs, seriously uparmed, I’d be happier.
Just need the crews.
Time for my cocoa 😉
Hmmm…USAF so rarely does anything inexpensively; believe there should be a celebration to mark the occasion. If it is indeed JDAM w/ a multi-mode seeker, the cost could be little more than rounding error in the overall budget, to hopefully provide an ancillary capability. Taxpayers, rejoice! 🤔😁🎇🇺🇸🍻
Yes but look what platform they used to test the inexpensive munitions from….probably the most expensive aircraft flight hours wise on the planet…..😂😂😂😂. Look it’s a cheap bomb dropped from a 2 billion dollar bomber….see how efficient we are.
Yeah, but everyone realizes that a/c lose half their value in depreciation w/ first takeoff! 🤣😁
B-2s are nominally scheduled to be retired in early 2030’s; willing to wager that date will migrate to the right in the real world. Maintenance intensive description is, however, perhaps an epic understatement.
Glide bombs or JDAMS are not new. The B2 featured here can lob an awful lot of them.
Against Chinese trawlers? With a well armed PLAN backing them up and AD, good luck with that one.
Perhaps why they are using a stealth bomber. PLAN will have to detect them first
you use expensive stuff to take out their ships that have good AD and use this for everything else, its not rocket science. thats like saying “whats the point of a gepard when the enemy has khinzals!!” or “why use a million dollar PAC-3 when the enemy’s drones cost only $10,000!”. militaries always have different tools for every job unless you have thousands of LRASMs to use against a chinese coast guard cutter- but thats ignoring that QUICKSINK is going to be more effective at actually sending that ship to the bottom and at 1/100th the cost and a b-2… Read more »