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Summary and Key Points: The F-15SE Silent Eagle, developed by Boeing in 2009, was an advanced variant of the F-15E Strike Eagle, designed to compete with Lockheed Martin’s F-35 Lightning II. It boasted stealth features, including canted vertical stabilizers and conformal fuel tanks, reducing radar cross section and increasing range.

-Equipped with advanced avionics, sensors, and weapons systems, it could perform multiple mission sets. Despite its lower cost and impressive capabilities, South Korea opted for the F-35, leading to the Silent Eagle's discontinuation.

-This decision left a gap in affordable, stealthy fourth-generation fighters, potentially limiting the diversification of modern air combat capabilities.

Why the F-15SE Silent Eagle Failed to Fly

The F-15SE Silent Eagle, developed by Boeing in 2009, was an advanced variant of the F-15E Strike Eagle, designed to compete with Lockheed Martin’s F-35 Lightning II.

It boasted stealth features, including canted vertical stabilizers and conformal fuel tanks, reducing radar cross section and increasing range. Equipped with advanced avionics, sensors, and weapons systems, it could perform multiple mission sets. Despite its lower cost and impressive capabilities, South Korea opted for the F-35, leading to the Silent Eagle's discontinuation.

This decision left a gap in affordable, stealthy fourth-generation fighters, potentially limiting the diversification of modern air combat capabilities.

The F-15SE Silent Eagle: What Should Have Been

The F-15SE Silent Eagle was a proposed all-weather multirole strike fighter developed by Boeing. A variant of the F-15E Strike Eagle, the aircraft was first conceptualized in 2009. It was supposed to pull business away from Lockheed Martin’s F-35 Lightning II by offering a cheaper but still stealthy warplane.

While still a fourth-generation aircraft, the Silent Eagle’s stealth capabilities were beyond anything its F-15 siblings could offer. A number of features would have reduced its radar cross section and improved its survivability in contested airspace. 

The Specs for the F-15SE 

Possessing advanced avionics, sensors, and weapons systems, the Silent Eagle was designed for a variety of important mission sets. 

It could arm a variety of air-to-air missiles, including the AIM-9 Sidewinder and AIM-120 AMRAAM. Air-to-ground munitions included the Joint Direct Attack Munition and Small Diameter Bomb. The bird would have carried AGM-84 Harpoon missiles as well as AGM-65 Mavericks. 

The Silent Eagle would have flown with external fuel tanks for extended range. These Conformal Fuel Tanks increased the aircraft’s internal fuel capacity. The stealthy warbird would have possessed vertical stabilizers that were canted outward at 15 degrees. (All other F-15 models have perfectly parallel stabilizers.)

These stabilizers reduced radar cross section, but they also increased its range by 75–100 miles over the jet’s non-stealthy predecessors. 

The aircraft was to feature a Digital Electronic Warfare suite for electronic attack and protection. The Silent Eagle had Infrared Search and Track for passive detection and tracking of enemy aircraft. Advanced countermeasures dispensers for chaff and flares were included. An F-15 Silent Eagle would have packed a powerful radar system for enhanced situational awareness and electronic warfare capabilities. 

South Korea Almost Bought the F-15SE Silent Eagle

The South Korean Air Force considered purchasing these birds in 2009 at $100 million per unit (as opposed to the F-35 at $176 million per unit). Ultimately, however, South Korea went with the pricier, fifth-generation warplane. 

South Korea is a medium power, and Seoul now seeks to build its own indigenous warplane, the KF-21. It might have just made more sense to purchase a tranche of the F-15 Silent Eagles. Their capabilities would have been impressive. They come from an established global supply chain. They’re advanced, but not so complex that it would be a catastrophe to lose or damage one in combat. 

Seoul went with the fifth-generation bird. Because of that, we never got to see a stealthy variant of the ubiquitous American F-15. Too bad. It might have helped plug some significant gaps in America’s overall defense.

Author Experience and Expertise: Brandon J. Weichert

Brandon J. Weichert, a National Interest national security analyst, is a former Congressional staffer and geopolitical analyst who is a contributor at The Washington Times, the Asia Times, and The-Pipeline. He is the author of Winning Space: How America Remains a Superpower, Biohacked: China’s Race to Control Life, and The Shadow War: Iran’s Quest for Supremacy. His next book, A Disaster of Our Own Making: How the West Lost Ukraine, is due October 22 from Encounter Books. Weichert can be followed via Twitter @WeTheBrandon.

All images are Creative Commons or Shutterstock. 

From the Vault

Russia Freaked Out: Why the U.S. Navy 'Unretired' the Iowa-Class Battleships

Battleship vs. Battlecruiser: Iowa-Class vs. Russia's Kirov-Class (Who Wins?)

The Committee on Foreign Affairs elected it's Bureau on 23 July 2024 during its constitutive meeting. David McAllister (EPP, Germany) was re-elected Chair of the Committee. He is joined in the Bureau by Hana Jalloul Muro (S&D, Spain) as First Vice-Chair, Urmas Paet (Renew, Estonia) as Second Vice-Chair, Alberico Gambino (ECR, Italy) as Third Vice-Chair and Ioan-Rareş Bogdan (EPP, Romania) as Fourth Vice-Chair (elected in absentia).
Taking the floor following his election, David McAllister stressed the need for AFET to start its work as quickly as possible in this time of high geopolitical tensions: "The European Union needs to maintain a strong transatlantic relationship, strengthen the European pillar within NATO, continue its support of Ukraine in its fight against the Russian war of aggression and contain Chinese influence. We need to put continued emphasis on the necessity of European enlargement. The Foreign Affairs Committee has an important role to play in all of those tasks. I will continue to work hard to ensure that all Members have the opportunity to contribute to this endeavour".
Press release
Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

The Committee on Foreign Affairs elected it's Bureau on 23 July 2024 during its constitutive meeting. David McAllister (EPP, Germany) was re-elected Chair of the Committee. He is joined in the Bureau by Hana Jalloul Muro (S&D, Spain) as First Vice-Chair, Urmas Paet (Renew, Estonia) as Second Vice-Chair, Alberico Gambino (ECR, Italy) as Third Vice-Chair and Ioan-Rareş Bogdan (EPP, Romania) as Fourth Vice-Chair (elected in absentia).
Taking the floor following his election, David McAllister stressed the need for AFET to start its work as quickly as possible in this time of high geopolitical tensions: "The European Union needs to maintain a strong transatlantic relationship, strengthen the European pillar within NATO, continue its support of Ukraine in its fight against the Russian war of aggression and contain Chinese influence. We need to put continued emphasis on the necessity of European enlargement. The Foreign Affairs Committee has an important role to play in all of those tasks. I will continue to work hard to ensure that all Members have the opportunity to contribute to this endeavour".
Press release
Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

Summary and Key Points: Britain faces an identity crisis, attempting to maintain global military influence despite economic constraints. The costly Future Combat Air System (FCAS) program exemplifies this struggle. Instead of investing in an uncertain and expensive new system, Britain should consider restarting the F-22 Raptor production line with the United States.

-The F-22, though prematurely cut by the Obama administration, remains the world's most advanced air superiority fighter.

-Partnering to produce more F-22s would provide Britain with a superior warplane at a potentially lower cost and strengthen collective defense capabilities, aligning better with Britain's financial and strategic realities.

Forget FCAS! Britain Should Help Restart the F-22 Production Line

Britain is going through an identity crisis. In fact, they’ve been having one since 1945. Their empire is gone. A nation that long defined itself by leadership of a globe-spanning empire has had great difficulty coming back to Earth as just another medium-sized power in a world that is not run according to its preferences. 

Brexit, while an important step for the nationalist-populist movement sweeping across so much of the developed world, did not help to allay the identity crisis. 

The British economy cannot support an imperial military the way it once did. Nevertheless, London has persisted in its commitment to become a primary world military power again. 

They’re investing in the systems designed to accomplish this task. Well, they’re trying to invest in those systems.

Creating Wasting Assets

Britain has two modern aircraft carriers. But operating these behemoths is a challenge. In fact, the British have struggled repairing HMS Queen Elizabeth after it suffered a freakish onboard fire. This has created a significant capability gap in the Royal Navy. 

To pay for these monstrosities, by the way, the Royal Navy had to mothball several other ships that it could have used, and it needed to redirect finite resources away from platforms that were cheaper and might have given Britain greater leverage over its enemies.

Now comes the Future Combat Air System (FCAS). The Royal Air Force is trying to build a “systems of systems,” and emulate the U.S. Air Force’s Next-Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) program. 

The NGAD is replete with problems. So, too, is the British program.

The FCAS faces budgetary woes. It’s simply too expensive. Especially because it’s not just a plane, it’s an entire ecosystem of next-generation, era-busting aerospace and computer technologies. 

Such wonder weapons are a fanciful dream, especially considering the dire financial and economic straits facing Western nations. Britain itself is a tiny country with finite resources. It cannot complete such a herculean project.

Britain Should Stick with the Fifth-Generation Warplane

The British have already purchased a tranche of the American-designed F-35 Lightning II fifth-generation warplane. Trying to reinvent the wheel, as the NGAD and FCAS programs attempt to do, when there are plenty of excellent and advanced warplanes available for purchase, is a waste of limited resources and time. 

If Britain is really looking to build something new, they should look to something slightly older than the FCAS: the F-22 Raptor.

Here is the world’s most advanced air superiority fighter, cut down in its prime by a shortsighted Obama administration. Every expert has assessed that the F-22 remains the world’s most powerful warplane and will be for many years to come. 

But there are too few F-22s, because the Obama administration killed the production line in 2009. If Britain really wanted to be a pal and to ensure the ideal of collective defense in the air lives on between the U.S. and UK, then they would help restart the F-22 production line.

In the long run, it would be cheaper and more effective – and still allow Britain to have an advanced warplane capability. 

Author Experience and Expertise: Brandon J. Weichert

Brandon J. Weichert, a National Interest national security analyst, is a former Congressional staffer and geopolitical analyst who is a contributor at The Washington Times, the Asia Times, and The-Pipeline. He is the author of Winning Space: How America Remains a Superpower, Biohacked: China’s Race to Control Life, and The Shadow War: Iran’s Quest for Supremacy. His next book, A Disaster of Our Own Making: How the West Lost Ukraine, is due October 22 from Encounter Books. Weichert can be followed via Twitter @WeTheBrandon.

All images are Creative Commons or Shutterstock. 

From the Vault

Russia Freaked Out: Why the U.S. Navy 'Unretired' the Iowa-Class Battleships

Battleship vs. Battlecruiser: Iowa-Class vs. Russia's Kirov-Class (Who Wins?)

Measures the new EU Commission will set out for insurers in the second half of the year risk thwarting policymakers’ efforts to boost Europe’s competitiveness and private funding capacity if not re-calibrated differently, the sector has warned.

Regions cannot authorise the hunting of wolves if their population numbers are still low at the national level, as is the case in Spain's Castilla Leon region, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) said on Monday (29 July), weeks after upholding strict protection measures in Austria.

Malnutrition is rising in northern Nigeria, with many families struggling to feed their children.

Summary and Key Points: The USS George Washington (CVN-73) has completed its midlife refueling and overhaul and is heading to Japan as the U.S. Navy’s forward-deployed aircraft carrier. However, the USS John C. Stennis (CVN-74) may face a Refueling and Complex Overhaul (RCOH) extending beyond five years. Meanwhile, the USS Boxer (LHD-4), a Wasp-class amphibious assault ship, recently returned to service following rudder repairs but will undergo significant maintenance next spring, potentially lasting 18 months.

-Despite these issues, the USS Boxer earned seven Navy-wide awards for sustained superior performance, highlighting its resilience and operational excellence amidst ongoing challenges.

The Navy's Aircraft Carriers Challenges 

The United States Navy has a new problem involving one of its aircraft carriers. After an extended midlife refueling and overhaul, the USS George Washington (CVN-73) is now finally on her way to Japan, where she will become the sea service's forward-deployed aircraft carrier. The troubles with the Nimitz-class nuclear-powered supercarrier are over, but the U.S. Navy is expecting that her sister vessel, USS John C. Stennis (CVN-74), could face a Refueling and Complex Overhaul (RCOH) that will extend to more than five years.

Another issue is impacting another carrier – namely the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Boxer (LHD-4). What makes this notable is that the vessel, only returned to service earlier this month following an emergency rudder repair. The flattop was deployed on April 1 but was forced to return to San Diego Bay just 10 days later to deal with the problems.

"Following a successful operational test of its rudders, the amphibious assault ship USS Boxer (LHD-4) and embarked elements of the 15 Marine Expeditionary Unit departed San Diego, conducting pre-deployment training and operations in U.S. 3rd Fleet," the U.S. Navy said in a statement to USNI News earlier this month. "It remains on schedule for an Indo-Pacific deployment."

Is The Boxer Going Down For the Count?

In recent years, the 843-foot-long warship has spent more time undergoing repairs than actually on deployment – and while LHD-4 is finally en route to the Indo-Pacific, the amphibious assault ship will be forced to undergo more significant repairs next spring.

The U.S. Navy hasn't said what kind of further repairs are required, nor did it say where the work will be carried out, but it was reported that USS Boxer could be pierside for as long as 18 months.

The U.S. Navy released a solicitation notice on May 17 that sought contractors capable of conducting maintenance on the vessel – and it noted the work could begin in April 2025 and run through October 2026. The sea service has sought "a highly capable contractor with substantial human resources capable of completing, coordinating and integrating multiple areas of ship maintenance, repair, and modernization," while the anticipated scope of the procurement includes all labor, supervision, production, testing, and quality assurance necessary to prepare for and accomplish this CNO (Chief of Naval Operations) Availability."

The solicitation called for the work to be completed on the West Coast, which may be necessary given that LHD-4 is homeported in San Diego, California.

"Given that this Availability will be greater than 10 months in duration, the Navy would compete the acquisition on a coast–wide basis (West), without limiting the place of performance to the ship's homeport," the U.S. Navy stated.

It would seem that the problem isn't so great that the current deployment needs to be further delayed; yet, it may be significant enough that the vessel will be out of service for a year-a-half. The issues aren't entirely new either.

As Breaking Defense reported, USS Boxer has suffered a plethora of problems, including engine component failures and now the rudder mishap.

The sea service can ill afford to have the amphibious assault ship down for such an extended period, especially after it was forced to scrap USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD-6), following a fire that broke out while the ship was undergoing maintenance at Naval Base San Diego in July 2020.

Honored Warship

USS Boxer is the fourth Wasp-class LHD. She was constructed by Ingalls Shipbuilding at Pascagoula, Mississippi, and was commissioned in February 1995.

Despite the maintenance issues, in March, the United States Navy announced that USS Boxer earned seven Navy-wide awards for sustained superior performance. That included the Battle Effectiveness Award; the Maritime Warfare Excellence Award; the Command, Control, Communications and Information Warfare Excellence Award; the Logistics Management Excellence Award; the Self Sufficiency Award; the Force Health and Wellness Unit Award or Green 'H'; and the Captain Edward F. Ney Memorial Food Service Award.

Author Experience and Expertise: Peter Suciu

Peter Suciu is a Michigan-based writer. He has contributed to more than four dozen magazines, newspapers, and websites with over 3,200 published pieces over a twenty-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a Contributing Writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: Editor@nationalinterest.org.

All images are Creative Commons and/or Shutterstock. 

Summary and Key Points: The U.S. Navy is exploring modifications to its Virginia-class submarines to enhance seabed warfare capabilities. This comes as underwater infrastructure, such as cables and pipelines, faces increased threats, highlighted by last year's Nord Stream pipeline sabotage.

-Currently, the USS Jimmy Carter, a highly modified Seawolf-class submarine, performs such specialized tasks, equipped with unique features like the "Multi-Mission Platform" for special operations and seabed missions.

-While the Virginia-class Block V variant may introduce advanced seabed capabilities, the Jimmy Carter remains a critical asset in safeguarding underwater infrastructure and conducting covert operations.

Meet the USS Jimmy Carter

A report published by The Drive indicates that a modified Virginia-class submarine variant capable of carrying out seabed warfare might be in the midst. Over the last decade or so, underwater cables, infrastructure and other networks have grown exponentially. Considering seabed attacks are very challenging to defend against, the potential for attacks under water pose a significant threat. In September of last year, a series of bombings and subsequent gas leaks damaged the Nord Stream 1 and 2 natural gas pipelines in the Baltic Sea. This sabotage and the consequences surrounding it highlight the role seabed warfare may play in future conflicts.

While a specially modified Block V Virginia-class submarine aimed at defending U.S. underwater infrastructure would provide an instrumental asset to the Navy, the service already sails an SSN built for these types of tasks. The USS Jimmy Carter is a highly modified variant of the formidable Seawolf class of submarines.

A brief history of the Seawolf-class

During the height of the Cold War, America and the former-USSR were embroiled in a grueling arms race. Both nations were working hard to achieve Naval superiority over the other. In an effort to contend with the Soviet’s ballistic missile and attack submarines, including the Typhoon-class and the Akula-class, U.S. engineers designed the Seawolf SSNs. The Seawolf vessels were developed to replace the aging Los Angeles-class submarines, which were less advanced than its Soviet counterpart in terms of acoustic strength. By the late 1980’s, the Navy began constructing its new class of submarines in hopes of restoring its edge over the Soviets.

Production time on the Seawolf was lengthy, and by the time the new submarine was commissioned in 1997 the geopolitical landscape had altered quite a bit. For this reason, the number of Seawolf boats expected to be built decreased from 29 to just 12. The ship’s whopping price tag of over $3 billion per vessel also hindered additional submarines from being constructed. Ultimately, only three Seawolf-class submarines were ever launched.

The USS Seawolf (SSN-21) was the first vessel in the class to be constructed. Built by the Electric Boat Division of General Dynamics and Newport News Shipbuilding, the new submarine was officially launched in 1995.

During the boat’s trial period, the Seawolf proved to achieve unprecedented speed. Three years later, the Connecticut (SSN-22) was commissioned and followed closely by the Jimmy Carter (SSN-23) in 2004. 

Specs and capabilities

Designed to destroy Soviet ballistic missile submarines before they could locate and target U.S. cities and military installations, the Seawolf-class SSNs immediately became the mainstay of the Navy’s underwater arsenal. The new submarines were equipped with a modular design that enabled future upgrades such as ordnance development of sonar systems to be easily incorporated. Two turbines rated 52,000 hp, a single shaft, a pumpjet propulsor and a GE PWR S6W reactor helped make the Seawolf-class vessels so powerful.

All vessels were constructed out of high-strength steel to enable the ships to dive as deep as 490 meters beneath the sea-level. Additionally, the SSNs hosted a S6W pressurized water reactor which allowed the subs to travel at a maximum speed of 40 miles per hour.

Weapons-wise, all three Seawolf-class vessels could pack a punch. An eight-tube, double-deck torpedo room allowed the vessels to engage multiple targets simultaneously. In comparison, the class’ Los Angeles predecessors could only sport half this number of torpedo tubes. The three Seawolf vessels have recently undergone facelifts and now feature a Lockheed Martin AN/BQQ-10 (V4) sonar processing system.

What makes the USS Jimmy Carter special?

While all three Seawolf-class submarines are sophisticated vessels, the USS Jimmy Carter hosts several modifications differentiating it from its peers. In fact, the Jimmy Carter’s capabilities are so unique that some industry experts consider it to be its own class of submarines.

Due to the ship’s “Multi-Mission Platform,” the Jimmy Carter is around 100 feet longer than the USS Connecticut and USS Seawolf counterparts. This platform allows the vessel to engage in special operations, including the deployment of Navy SEALS or seabed missions. According to Popular Mechanics, “Because of the USS Jimmy Carter’s advanced stealth and unique troop-deployment bay, it is considered the most dangerous submarine currently carrying out missions.”

Although a new Virginia-class Block V variant could feature more advanced seabed capabilities, the USS Jimmy Carter’s unique operations over the years should not be discounted.

About the Author: Defense Expert Maya Carlin 

Maya Carlin is an analyst with the Center for Security Policy and a former Anna Sobol Levy Fellow at IDC Herzliya in Israel. She has by-lines in many publications, including The National Interest, Jerusalem Post, and Times of Israel. You can follow her on Twitter: @MayaCarlin. 

Image Credit: Creative Commons. 

Summary and Key Points: Britain's new Dreadnought-class SSBNs are essential for maintaining its nuclear deterrent, set to replace the aging Vanguard-class submarines. Designed to carry Trident II/D5 ballistic missiles, these nuclear-powered subs will feature advanced sensors, increased autonomy, and artificial intelligence.

-Despite economic challenges and competing defense priorities, Britain must invest in more than the planned four Dreadnought-class subs to ensure robust defense capabilities in the Atlantic.

-By focusing on submarines rather than aircraft carriers, Britain can enhance its naval strength and strategic deterrence, addressing threats closer to home while maintaining a potent maritime presence.

Britain Needs to Get Behind Its Dreadnought-class SSBN

The Dreadnought class is a new generation of ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs) being developed for the British Royal Navy. 

The lead boat in the class, HMS Dreadnought, is currently under construction. The class is intended to replace the existing force of Vanguard-class SSBNs that have been in service since the 1990s, and it will carry the United Kingdom’s nuclear weapons deterrent. 

It is expected that Dreadnought will enter service in the early 2030s.

Britain has sought to replace its aging Vanguard-class submarine force since 2011, when the Dreadnought class was first announced.

Currently, the UK intends to build just four of these submarines, likely because the British military is a shadow of its former glory. Further, whatever funds the British military had at its disposal were likely blown on aircraft carrier vanity projects over the last decade. 

Indeed, the Dreadnought-class submarines would have been a much better investment by Britain’s Ministry of Defense than were Queen Elizabeth and Prince of Wales.

What Can the Dreadnought-class Do?

In terms of capabilities, the Dreadnought class is a nuclear-powered submarine, giving it a great range. While it is not known specifically what the maximum range of this boat will be, it will likely be akin to that of its Vanguard-class predecessor, thereby exceeding 10,000 nautical miles. 

Details on this program are murky, but what is known is that the Dreadnought class will feature a Common Missile Compartment (CMC). 

According to the UK Defence Journal, “CMC aims to define the missile tubes and accompany systems that would be used to launch new ballistic missiles, successors to the current Trident II/D5 missile fleet used by the USA and Britain.”

In terms of nuclear weapons capabilities, the key element of any SSBN, British designers are expanding the diameter of each vertical launch tube from 2.21 meters to 3.04 meters, meaning the Dreadnought will have greater interoperability with its allies. The U.S. Navy’s replacement for the Los Angeles-class attack submarine, the Virginia-class Block III submarine, did something similar with their cruise missile launch tubes, installing the Common Weapon Launcher.

A Dreadnought-class submarine will carry Trident II/D5 ballistic missiles that can arm multiple nuclear warheads. 

The Dreadnought-class SSBN is believed to cost Britain’s MOD the equivalent of $39.9 billion. The costs include the design, construction, and testing of these new boats. But the British have to spend gobs of their taxes on modernizing the country’s rather depressing shipyard capabilities in order to reliably build and maintain these advanced submarines. 

The Dreadnought intends to employ cheaper sensors, increased autonomy, and artificial intelligence capabilities. Further, the Dreadnought-class SSBN is expected to carry a crew of around 130. 

Britain Isn’t a Superpower Anymore

Britain has yet to come to grips with the fact that it is no longer the world’s superpower. Indeed, it is a middle power in relative decline. Their budgets do not comport with their lofty ambitions. 

For example, British strategists still speak seriously about going “East of Suez” with their two-aircraft carrier fleet. Yet at the same time, they struggle to maintain these two ships and are faced with significant threats much closer to their shores, emanating from Russia, but also from Argentina in relation to the Falkland Islands, an issue that has never been fully resolved. 

The British Royal Navy is as ever the most important aspect of Britain’s military. But it is not, and never will be, big enough or well-funded enough to do everything British strategists want it to do. London should refocus its intentions and tailor its capabilities accordingly. Rather than trying to be a global power projection force, perhaps Britain should focus instead on being a potentate in the Atlantic, specifically the North Atlantic. 

The Dreadnought class sounds like a solid investment for Britain. Rather than continuing to seek power via aircraft carriers, Britain should get smaller in its power-projection platforms. 

Submarines, such as the Dreadnought class, are the future, as are unmanned underwater vehicles. Only four Dreadnought-class subs are being built. That’s a problem. They should be building an armada of them to dominate the North Atlantic and deter Argentina in the South Atlantic. 

Author Experience and Expertise: Brandon J. Weichert

Brandon J. Weichert, a National Interest national security analyst, is a former Congressional staffer and geopolitical analyst who is a contributor at The Washington Times, the Asia Times, and The-Pipeline. He is the author of Winning Space: How America Remains a Superpower, Biohacked: China’s Race to Control Life, and The Shadow War: Iran’s Quest for Supremacy. His next book, A Disaster of Our Own Making: How the West Lost Ukraine, is due October 22 from Encounter Books. Weichert can be followed via Twitter @WeTheBrandon.

All images are Creative Commons or Shutterstock. 

From the Vault

Russia Freaked Out: Why the U.S. Navy 'Unretired' the Iowa-Class Battleships

Battleship vs. Battlecruiser: Iowa-Class vs. Russia's Kirov-Class (Who Wins?)

L'"Africa Corps" russe, composé principalement d'anciens mercenaires de PMC Wagner, a perdu plusieurs dizaines de ses combattants à la frontière entre le Mali et l'Algérie. Un convoi de soldats russes et maliens a été pris en embuscade dans une tempête de sable par des Touaregs, qui prônent la création de l'État indépendant de l'Azawad.

Summary and Key Points: France is building its first new aircraft carrier in decades, the PANG (Porte-Avions Nouvelle Génération), designed to replace the aging Charles De Gaulle. Set to be one of the largest carriers globally, the PANG will boast an impressive airwing and advanced defenses.

-However, given France's current economic challenges and strategic needs, investing in such a colossal project seems misguided.

-France's real threats lie in Russia and the Greater Middle East, where cheaper, unmanned underwater vehicles, submarines, and advanced technologies like hypersonic weapons and military space capabilities would be more effective.

-The PANG may symbolize power, but it doesn’t address France's strategic priorities.

France’s New PANG Aircraft Carrier is a Bad Idea

France is the most recent medium-sized power to pursue building a massive nuclear-powered aircraft carrier. Under the acronym of PANG, which means “Porte-Avions Nouvelle Génération,” France is building its first new indigenous aircraft carrier in decades. 

It is designed to replace the aging French carrier Charles De Gaulle. The French Navy intends to create one of the largest warships ever built by France.

An Unnecessary Expenditure for France

With a length of 310 meters and a width of 85 meters at its widest point, the PANG will be one of the largest aircraft carriers in the world. She’ll displace approximately 75,000 tons, which is far larger than the Charles De Gaulle, which displaces 42,000 tons. 

Never mind that the French, with their current economic woes and domestic political instability, are unlikely to actually build this monstrosity. Egos must be stroked. And the French must remind everyone that, many centuries ago, they were a dominant imperial power. 

The French Navy plans on building only one PANG aircraft carrier, which will also serve as the flagship of the French fleet. It will undoubtedly be interoperable with the wider NATO naval capability. 

PANG’s Airwing

PANG’s airwing will be substantial, with the carrier expected to carry up to 30 new-generation maritime variants of France’s New Generation Fighter aircraft and remote carrier vehicles, all of which are part of the Future Combat System, or FCAS. As I’ve written elsewhere, Europe’s FCAS is the most promising of the sixth-generation warplane systems being developed by the world’s great powers, if only because of the many countries burden-sharing to build this system. 

Besides these new systems, the PANG will host an undisclosed number of Dassault Rafale M multi-role fighter aircraft, E-2D Hawkeye airborne early warning and control aircraft, various helicopters, and other unmanned aerial vehicles.

Specifications of the PANG Aircraft Carrier

France’s proposed PANG carrier will have a crew of around 2,000 personnel, including aircraft engineers to undertake repairs onboard that would normally be done by the manufacturer. 

PANG is expected to be delivered to the French Navy in 2037 and will be made operational by the French Navy a year later, at which point the ancient Charles De Gaulle will be retired from service. 

According to specifications, the PANG will be equipped with advanced defenses, including the SeaFire radar system and a variety of satellite communication systems. The carrier will also have a catapult-assisted take-off but arrested recovery (CATOBAR) system, which will allow the onboard aircraft to launch from the deck using electromagnetic catapults, and to land using arresting wires. 

As for her weapons, the PANG will be armed with a variety of advanced missiles, including the Aster 15 and Aster 30 surface-to-air missiles, the Exocet MM40 Block 3 anti-ship missile, and the SCALP naval cruise missile. The carrier will have a range of other defensive systems, including the Sylver A50 vertical launch system. 

A Fundamental Mismatch of Resources and Needs

It's true that the PANG represents a significant leap forward for the French Navy. If constructed according to her designs and the preferred timeline, the PANG carrier will provide a powerful and versatile platform for projecting sea-based airpower across the globe. 

Of course, to what end is a question that few in Paris apparently dare to ask. 

Even more so than Britain, France is a European power. Its problem set and the threats it currently faces derive from Russia to the east and the Greater Middle East to the south.

Sure, an aircraft carrier can help deal with terrorism issues in the Greater Middle East, but what can it do against Russia? 

More important, as evidenced by the French experience fighting in Mali, no amount of firepower will assist the French in winning back North Africa. It goes deeper than mere firepower. Their problems in that part of the world are cultural, historical, and ideological. 

As a medium power, France should instead be focused on building their fleet of cheaper, unmanned underwater vehicles, as well as submarines and possibly destroyers. And if Paris really wanted to get ahead of the rest of the advanced militaries of the world, they’d focus on military space issues as well as developing hypersonic weapons capabilities. 

An aircraft carrier, like the proposed PANG, may make them feel like a great power again. But it won’t actually make France a great power again. 

Author Experience and Expertise: Brandon J. Weichert

Brandon J. Weichert, a National Interest national security analyst, is a former Congressional staffer and geopolitical analyst who is a contributor at The Washington Times, the Asia Times, and The-Pipeline. He is the author of Winning Space: How America Remains a Superpower, Biohacked: China’s Race to Control Life, and The Shadow War: Iran’s Quest for Supremacy. His next book, A Disaster of Our Own Making: How the West Lost Ukraine, is due October 22 from Encounter Books. Weichert can be followed via Twitter @WeTheBrandon.

All images are Creative Commons or Shutterstock. 

From the Vault

Russia Freaked Out: Why the U.S. Navy 'Unretired' the Iowa-Class Battleships

Battleship vs. Battlecruiser: Iowa-Class vs. Russia's Kirov-Class (Who Wins?)

Summary and Key Points: Britain's Vanguard-class nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines, commissioned in the 1990s to replace the Polaris-equipped Resolution-class, are crucial for maintaining the country's continuous at-sea deterrent (CASD) posture.

-Despite their impressive capabilities, these subs have faced controversies, including collisions and maintenance issues. Britain's strategic vision and post-industrial challenges have compounded these problems, raising concerns about the fleet's sustainability.

-With the first Dreadnought-class replacement not expected until the 2030s, the Vanguard-class subs must remain operational longer than intended, highlighting the need for a clearer defense strategy and increased investment in submarine capabilities.

The Struggles and Strengths of Britain's Vanguard-Class Nuclear Submarines

Although a medium-sized power, Britain is a nuclear weapons-armed state. A key component of Britain’s nuclear capabilities is the Vanguard-class nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine (SSBN) operated by the British Royal Navy. 

There are only four Vanguard-class subs in operation today, and they were designed initially in the 1980s to replace the aging Polaris-equipped Resolution-class nuclear submarines that defined the British Royal Navy throughout the Cold War. 

The first Vanguard-class submarine, HMS Vanguard, was commissioned in 1993. 

Some Interesting Points

These subs were constructed by Vickers Shipbuilding and Engineering (now BAE systems) at the Barrow-in-Furness Shipyard in Cumbria, England. They were designed to carry the Trident II/D5 missile, a submarine-launched ballistic missile capable of delivering multiple independently targetable re-entry vehicles. Each Vanguard-class submarine can carry up to 16 Trident II missiles with multiple nukes on top. 

They are legendary mass killing machines.

The Vanguard-class sub is powered by a single Rolls-Royce PWR 2 nuclear reactor, providing virtually unlimited range and endurance. They can accommodate a crew of 135 officers and sailors. These subs are designed to operate for extended periods at sea, maintaining a continuous at-sea deterrent (CASD) posture that is vital for Britain’s national defense. 

A Vanguard-class SSBN displaces 14,900 tons and, when submerged, can displace 15,900 tons. Such a boat has a length of 491 feet, 10 inches, a beam of 42 feet, and a draught of 39 feet, four inches. 

Currently, all four Vanguard-class SSBNs are in service with the Royal Navy. 

Vanguard-class Complications

While these submarines are impressive, they have suffered through controversy. About a decade ago, poor seamanship led a Vanguard-class submarine to crash into an allied French submarine underwater. Similarly, another incident occurred in which a bad depth measurement nearly led to one of these boats sinking with all hands. Thankfully, a secondary depth finder gave an accurate reading of the ship’s true depth, allowing for the crew to correct and save the ship. 

Britain is also struggling with an identity crisis. 

On the one hand, they have their imperial legacy. On the other, Britain is not an imperial superpower anymore. Further, they are no longer part of the supranational European Union. They have become a small, independent country that needs to better define its overall strategic objectives. 

Submarines are expensive. In fact, modern militaries are expensive. Britain is struggling, like so many other Western nations, to maintain a reliable fighting force. This is partly because of limits of resources and bad leadership. It’s also because Britain is much smaller than other countries and is inherently limited.

Britain’s Post-Industrial Mistakes Catch Up with Them

Beyond that, Britain is a post-industrial country. It has difficulty sustaining physical platforms that are highly complex and require gobs of money to build and maintain. There are several woes afflicting the Vanguard-class submarine fleet. These problems include complications in Britain’s ability to maintain these boats and refit them as needed. The Vanguards are old and require expensive maintenance and refit schedules to remain in fighting shape. 

For example, HMS Vanguard recently returned to service in the Royal Navy after a seven-year-long refit – a refit significantly longer than originally planned. Thus, concerns have arisen from British leaders about the availability of the fleet and ability to maintain CASD.

The Royal Navy is invested in building the Dreadnought-class SSBN as a replacement for the Vanguard class. But the first vessel in the class, HMS Dreadnought, is not expected to enter service until the 2030s, meaning Vanguard-class subs will need to remain operational for several more years, probably longer than their designers ever intended.

General Decline

Also at issue is a decline in the quality of the Royal Navy sailors. Because of increased operational tempo (and not having enough of these units on hand), reports have surfaced over recent years about significant declines in crew well-being and morale aboard these SSBNs. Indeed, one of Britain’s Vanguard-class subs recently returned from a record-breaking tour of over half a year at sea, raising questions about the sustainability of such deployments.

Overall, significant capabilities gaps have formed in Britain’s undersea fleet. Not only with the Vanguard class, but also with Astute-class attack submarines. 

If British leaders had a cogent vision for what they wanted British military power to achieve, they would find a way to build submarines in greater numbers, which is what they need. But British leadership still thinks they’re running an empire. The elite in London’s government clearly believe that their military can do everything, everywhere, all at once. But, they are wrong. And Britain’s submarine force is showing dangerous signs of decline as a result of this faulty thinking. 

Author Experience and Expertise: Brandon J. Weichert

Brandon J. Weichert, a National Interest national security analyst, is a former Congressional staffer and geopolitical analyst who is a contributor at The Washington Times, the Asia Times, and The-Pipeline. He is the author of Winning Space: How America Remains a Superpower, Biohacked: China’s Race to Control Life, and The Shadow War: Iran’s Quest for Supremacy. His next book, A Disaster of Our Own Making: How the West Lost Ukraine, is due October 22 from Encounter Books. Weichert can be followed via Twitter @WeTheBrandon.

All images are Creative Commons or Shutterstock. 

From the Vault

Russia Freaked Out: Why the U.S. Navy 'Unretired' the Iowa-Class Battleships

Battleship vs. Battlecruiser: Iowa-Class vs. Russia's Kirov-Class (Who Wins?)

Summary and Key Points: China boasts about its anti-ship missiles, nicknamed carrier killers, but sinking a U.S. aircraft carrier is no easy feat. The USS America, a conventionally powered Kitty Hawk-class carrier, demonstrated incredible resilience during explosive tests almost a decade after its 1996 retirement.

-Despite sustained simulated attacks meant to mimic wartime conditions, it took four weeks before the America was finally scuttled.

-This exercise revealed the carrier’s robust design and ability to withstand significant damage.

-Lessons learned from the USS America’s endurance have informed the design of future carriers, like the Gerald R. Ford-class, underscoring the complexity of sinking these formidable vessels.

USS America: The Carrier That Showed Why Sinking a U.S. Supercarrier is No Easy Task

China lauds its anti-ship missiles that are nicknamed carrier killers, but just how difficult is it to sink U.S. aircraft carriers?

The USS America is a case in point. The America had a distinguished service history since its commissioning in 1965. The flat-top was retired in 1996 and the Navy wanted to know how a carrier would react to explosions that would simulate an attack. During explosive tests almost ten years later it took four weeks to the carrier before America was finally scuttled. So, this action showed that the America could take a punch and not go down easily.

Let’s take a look at why the carrier was so resilient: 

USS America: An Exemplary Service Record

The USS America was a non-nuclear conventionally powered carrier of the Kitty Hawk supercarrier class. The America was a mainstay during the Vietnam war with three deployments in theater and later patrolled the Persian Gulf and saw action during Operation Desert Storm. The America had a nose for difficult jobs having been deployed off the coasts of Libya, Iraq, Haiti, and Bosnia during its service history.

Big and Dangerous

The vessel displaced 83,573 tons. It had four hangar elevators. These serviced 79-aircraft. The air wing was made up of fighters, bombers, and anti-submarine airplanes such as F-4 Phantoms, A-6 Intruders, A-7 Corsair IIs, and SP-2 Neptunes.

Air Defense Was Effective

The America had a full complement of air defenses including radars and sensors that at the time of the Vietnam War were of advanced quality. It also carried surface-to-air missiles and a close-in weapons systems for better protection and survivability from any bogeys that made it past the main air defenses.

USS America: No Pilots Lost Over Vietnam

The USS America had an excellent record during Vietnam. Amazingly, it lost zero pilots while flying 10,500 sorties and dropping over 11,000 pounds of bombs.

Enviable Record in the Middle East

During the 1980s under President Ronald Reagan, the America saw more combat off the coast of Libya. By then it carried F-14 Tomcats and was engaged in battle with Libyan surface-to-air missiles and small ships which it destroyed or damaged. 

But Middle East service for the America was not complete. The carrier sent 3,000 sorties to attack Iraqi positions during the First Gulf War. After the war, the America sent its aircraft to patrol the no-fly zone over Iraq.

Simulated Battle Testing

In 1996, the USS America was decommissioned. Rather than converting it into a museum, the Navy selected it for testing in 2005 to study how huge ships would cope with explosions on board and respond to the flooding that took place after.  

Dario Leone of the Aviation Geek Club unearthed this quote on Quora about the America from mechanical engineer Blake Horner that is quite telling: “[T]he whole point of the tests was to make future carriers more survivable, as well as see how warships reacted to underwater explosion and damage. Clearly, after taking a beating for four weeks, they can survive a LOT due to just their sheer bulk. But at the same time, the tests were not meant to truly sink her immediately. Thus, there was no ‘shoot to kill’ mindset of the naval officers conducting the test, versus the whole point of attacking enemy battleships was to sink them,” Horner said.

The USS America was thus the largest ship in the U.S. Navy to ever sink. The evaluators learned that a double-hulled ship of its size was difficult to destroy. They concluded, according to Horner, that missiles would have to penetrate deeply through numerous rooms and empty spaces to mortally wound a large carrier. These lessons helped the Navy design future carriers such as the Gerald R. Ford-class.

Now, the USS America, after a notable 30-year service record, is at the bottom of the sea between Charleston, South Carolina, and Bermuda.

About the Author: Dr. Brent M. Eastwood

Brent M. Eastwood, PhD, is the author of Humans, Machines, and Data: Future Trends in Warfare. He is an Emerging Threats expert and former U.S. Army Infantry officer. You can follow him on Twitter @BMEastwood.

Image Credit: Creative Commons and/or Shutterstock. 

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The post The de Havilland Comet at 75: From Troubled Jetliner to Military Icon appeared first on The Aviationist.

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