By David Crane defrev (at) gmail (dot) com September 14, 2009 Updated on 9/15/09 Russian arms manufacturer KBM (KB Mashynostroyeniya) (Moscow region, Russia) is currently offering an improved/uprated next-generation version of the IGLA 9K38 MANPADS (Man-Portable Air Defense System) manpackable fire-and-forget surface-to-air missile launcher system called the IGLA-S (“Needle-S”), or IGLA-Super, portable antiaircraft missile complex (PAAMC) for export to foreign …

By David Crane defrev at gmail dot com April 6, 2009 I’ve been writing about the vulnerability of U.S. Navy surface ships, particularly large expensive aircraft carriers, against other countries’ anti-ship cruise missiles and torpedoes for awhile, now. Specifically, I’ve focused on the latest crop of supersonic anti-ship cruise missiles and supercavitating torpedoes, even though some argue that long-range wake-homing …

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 defrev at gmail dot com April 8, 2008 Updated on 4/10/08. DefenseReview readers may remember an article we published on September 16, 2007 about our aircraft carriers being vulnerable to attack by our enemies and/or potential enemies employing/deploying the latest supersonic cruise missile and supercavitating torpedo technologies being developed by the Russians and shared with countries like …

by David Crane david@defensereview.com Greg Grant has written an interesting article for DefenseNews.com about Hizbollah’s (Hezbollah’s) "innovative" (Grant’s term) use of man-portable anti-tank guided missile (ATGM) systems. Mr. Grant cites several examples of Hezbollah’s "innovative" urban warfare/guerrilla warfare tactics with ATGMs. 1) Hizbollah guerilla fighters "swarmed" Israeli Merkava MBTs (Main Battle Tanks)–including possibly Merkava Mk4 MBTs–and fired at the sides …

by Steven Donald Smith American Forces Press Service July 13, 2006 The Missile Defense Agency successfully completed a developmental flight test of a major element of its ballistic missile defense system today at White Sands Missile Range, N.M., agency officials said. Initial indications show that the test achieved what it set out to do: test parts of the Terminal High …

by David Crane david@defensereview.com Some folks at Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division (NAWCWD), a.k.a. NAVAIR Weapons Division (China Lake, CA), are currently developing a "man-packable, shoulder-launched guided missile" system for U.S. infantry warfighters called SPIKE. The developmental system is essentially a low-cost, compact, and lightweight man-portable shoulder-fired fire-and-forget missile system that incorporates three separate guidance modes–inertial, laser, and imaging …

by David Crane defrev at gmail.com It’s possible that very soon, U.S. armored vehicles, including infantry fighting vehicles/armored personnel carriers (IFV/APC) and main battle tanks (MBT), will be receiving a new type of anti-RPG/ATGM (Rocket Propelled Grenade/Anti-Tank Guided Missile) active protection system. On March 30, 2006, a Stryker combat vehicle outfitted with the Trophy Active Protection System (APS) a.k.a. Trophy …

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), …

By David Crane david (at) defensereview (dot) com Image(s) Credit(s): Boeing and HRL Laboratories May 17, 2022 Speaking of Boeing products, and Boeing aircraft, specifically, Boeing’s designed the “lightest material ever made” for aircraft called the Microlattice, and it’s pretty cool. Boeing has this to say about it: At 99.99 percent air, it’s light enough to balance on top of …