Category: Magazine

USA - Hypersonic weapon HALO sidelined

Too expensive - and not available before 2030 In mid-April, it was announced that the US Navy had unexpectedly cancelled the ambitious project for an airborne hypersonic weapon against sea targets as part of a review of its investment programmes. Launched in 2021, the Hypersonic Air-Launched Offensive Anti-Surface Warfare System (HALO) project was previously considered time-critical and a priority in order to close a technological gap with Russia and China before the end of this decade. Raytheon and Lockheed Martin had already been awarded initial contracts for the development of HALO in 2023 - not least because they are already working on a similar hypersonic cruise missile solution for the US Air Force. Now...

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Frigate F124 - a turning point

Class 124 frigates were once ahead of their time. However, the rapidly advancing development of their main sensor in particular has required an upgrade for years. Only recently, the Marineforum asked the question "Quo Vadis F124?" at the end of the article congratulating the frigate Sachsen on its 20th anniversary of commissioning. In the meantime, the Inspector of the Navy has provided an answer to this question. For him, the availability of the units at sea has priority. Instead of the extensive obsolescence elimination of the long-range sensor and air defence capabilities, which has been planned for years and is now associated with a high project risk, the three Sachsen-class units are to remain in service until they are replaced in the middle of the coming...

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Ukrainian Magura drone also successful against jets

After Ukrainian surface drones had already managed to take out a combat helicopter before the turn of the year, two further successes followed at the beginning of May: a Su-30 Flanker fighter jet was hit first, followed shortly afterwards by a second. Images of the new Magura V7 drone, a further development of the well-known Magura platform, have been awaited for a long time - now the Ukrainian side has released them with obvious pride. The V7 is similar to the previous Magura V5 in many respects, but at around eight metres in length, it is around one and a half times larger than its predecessor. The latter was specially designed for direct hits by ramming attacks on sea targets. It was initially assumed that...

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I'm not sending anyone away!

What is the situation regarding the recruitment of new recruits for the navy? An interview update with the head of the Bundeswehr's career centre in Wilhelmshaven Captain Christian Clausing has one of those jobs that makes you think of "Mission Impossible". Nevertheless, the 52-year-old, with whom marineforum spoke for the first time last year, has retained his optimism. What has changed in recent months, especially in terms of bureaucracy? He laughs: "A little bit," he says, pointing to a small gap between his thumb and index finger. And there is also reason for optimism, as the number of applicants is developing well. What is he responsible for? As a...

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Taiwanese submarine enters sea trials

After the launch in February 2024 and the christening of the SS-711 "Hai Kun" (Narwhal, 80 metres, 2,550 - 3,000 tonnes), not much was heard or seen of the project for a nationally developed conventional submarine, which had begun with great vigour. Technical difficulties arose at the start of the harbour acceptance tests, which delayed the publicly visible sea acceptance tests until the beginning of May this year. Seven more boats are to follow in batches of three, two and another three units by 2038. In view of Taiwan's stock of older submarines, regeneration is urgently needed: Two Dutch Zwaardvis boats from 1988 (67 metres, 2,700...

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