Future Combat Systems

By David Crane defrev at gmail dot com Speaking of sub-Hellfire-yield laser-guided missiles, Thales UK Air Systems Division (ASD) has introduced a new low-cost, lightweight multi-role missile called, appropirately enough, the Lightweight Multirole Missile (a.k.a. Lightweight Multi-role Missile)–or LMM for short–as a follow-on to the Starstreak Self-Propelled High-Velocity Missile (SP HVM) a.k.a. Starstreak Multi-role Missile (surface-to-air/surface-to-surface missile) and Starburst surface-to-air …

by David Crane david@defensereview.com Airborne Combat Engineer (ACE) just published a blurb on a potential future force protection technology in the form a a pager/beeper that, if fielded, would reportedly provide infantry personnel with early warning system (a.k.a. advanced warning system) against inbound/incoming rocket and mortar rounds headed their way. It’s called the "Strike Warning System" (SWS), and it’s a …

by David Crane david@defensereview.com DefenseReview was fortunate to get the chance to watch the Full Spectrum Close-In Layered Shield (FCLAS), a.k.a. "Full Spectrum Active Protection Close-In Layered Shield" (FSAP/FCLAS), video demonstration at the FCLAS booth at the 24th Army Science Conference (ASC 2004) exhibition. The Full Spectrum Close-In Layered Shield (FCLAS), or Full Spectrum Active Protection Close-in Layered Shield (FSAP/FCLAS), …

The following is a feeback email DefRev received today from one of our readers in Australia, along with our reply, which has been edited/modified for publication as a story on "Defense Review". DefRev would like to thank "Eddy B" for the information and links he provided to us. One of the links will launch the General Dynamics Armament and Technical …

by Noah Shactman The U.S. Army is betting $92 billion that the wars of the future should be fought with smaller, lighter, more manueverable vehicles. But some military officials and defense contractor executives are saying that that these technology-laden Future Combat Systems (FCS) are too weak to withstand urban conflicts, like the one currently playing out in Iraq. Like the …

The following is an Associated Press (AP) article: "The Bush administration’s argument for shunning a global treaty on land mines rests largely on the U.S. military’s use of "smart," self-destructing mines that don’t linger after wars end to kill and maim civilians. But it has a quiet subtext: the expectation that future generations of mines will be so smart that …