cannon, long-range weapons, militarization, military, military tech, military technology, military weapon, military weapons, national defense, national security, US defense, weapons, weapons technology. A US military official has confirmed that the Army will embark on efforts to construct a groundbreaking strategic, long-range cannon (SLRC) capable of firing projectiles some 1,000 nautical miles (1,150 miles or 1,850 kilometers). Two weapons in particular break the mold on what the term “fires” has traditionally connoted in Army circles. What is the real need behind the U.S. Army's proposed long-range cannon that can shoot out to 1,000 miles or more? What Weapons Systems Won’t The U.S. Sell The UAE. “What they have to do is demonstrate the capability at each phase along the way. Organization. “We need 70 … In 1789 after the Revolution there was only one … The cannon system, Rafferty said, can be used to combat defensive systems such as those of China and Russia. Both countries use a combination of long-range air defense systems, artillery and coastal defenses, as well as long-range, over-the-horizon radars. 4 … Several companies with a stake in these programs contribute to my think tank. The information on this site is provided for educational and entertainment purposes only. This surface-to-surface launch capability, Rafferty said, could prove beneficial if positioned in strategic areas such as the Pacific island chains. Who calls for fires? “We have the time to get … Aside from the long-range cannon system, the U.S. military is also pursuing plans for other precision munitions, such as a hypersonic weapon and new strike missiles. Assessing the Feasibility of the Strategic Long Range Cannon Project Scope: An ad hoc committee of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine will examine the feasibility of the U.S. Army's Strategic Long Range Cannon program, which aims to fire … But other next-generation fires emerging from Army laboratories are so capable that they raise unprecedented questions about how targeting information will be generated, what kind of unit will host the weapons and how their use will be authorized. The hypersonic missile will be more expensive per round, but pack such a punch that it can destroy targets like hardened underground command posts. The Pentagon is talking up a project to develop a Strategic Long-Range Cannon with a mind-boggling range of 1,150 miles—far enough for cannons … shoot projectiles over a distance spanning 1,150 miles, can be used to combat defensive systems such as those of China and Russia, could prove beneficial if positioned in strategic areas. ... [+] But big changes are coming to the fires portfolio. The Army will need a network that connects sensors to shooters with minimal delay. About this Author . Get independent news alerts on natural cures, food lab tests, cannabis medicine, science, robotics, drones, privacy and more. the Strategic, Long-Range Cannon is to be able to successfully engage targets out to 1,000 nautical miles. A hypersonic glide missile being developed in concert with the Navy and Air Force will reach even further, presenting enemy defenders with the nearly impossible task of intercepting a maneuvering munition that is moving at five times the speed of sound. Who owns the assets? Rafferty stated that each of the technology gates allows them to assess if the cannon system — or any other weapon being developed for that matter — is meeting lethality and cost goals. This Paladin self-propelled howitzer exemplifies how the Army has traditionally thought about fires. Get the world's best independent media newsletter delivered straight to your inbox. Gen. Rafferty says much of the targeting information will be provided by space-based assets. You may opt-out by. Rafferty spent much of the dinner discussing progress on systems such as the Extended Range Cannon Artillery being developed for use on an upgraded version of the BAE Systems self-propelled howitzer, known as Paladin. But any weapon that can destroy diverse targets with high accuracy at ranges in excess of a thousand miles will inevitably require discussions of when and how it should be used, potentially involving national command authorities (i.e., the White House). The Strategic Long Range Cannon (SLRC), according to Murray, would have a range of up to 1,000 nautical miles—or 1,150 miles. It is a testament to what Gen. Rafferty has accomplished during his two years leading the cross functional team for long range fires that people are beginning to ask such questions. Watch: New long-range artillery with double the distance | Newsbreak ... is simultaneously developing the Precision Strike Missile and the Strategic Long Range Cannon to … The Army last year selected Dynetics, a Leidos The cannon system, Rafferty said, can be used to combat defensive systems such as those of China and Russia. And if that doesn’t happen, we are not doing it,” he added. Army Chief of Staff Gen. James McConville agreed, noting that while the Army does welcome innovations pertaining to advancements in weaponry, protocol states that the capabilities of these weapons must be up to par before they are allowed to be fully developed and produced. A cannon with a 1,150 mile range is fantasy-land capability. America's Top Givers: The 25 Most Philanthropic Billionaires, EY & Citi On The Importance Of Resilience And Innovation, Impact 50: Investors Seeking Profit — And Pushing For Change, Biden Faces New Shipbuilding Crisis; Must Move Fast And Kill Freedom Class LCS, Art Is Cheap, Aircraft Carriers Are Expensive—Russian Shipyard Dreams Up Wacky New Flattop, Four Reasons The Navy’s Bold Plans For Its Surface Fleet Are Doomed In The Biden Era, Does Britannia Rule The Waves Again? The long-range cannon will generate less kinetic force, but be cheaper per round. The pivotal make-or-break year looks to be 2023, by which time both the hypersonic missile and long-range cannon likely will have proven themselves (tests to date have been promising). I focus on the strategic, economic and business implications of defense spending as the Chief Operating Officer of the non-profit Lexington Institute and Chief Executive Officer of Source Associates. The Army has lifted the veil on its plans for a Strategic Long Range Cannon, outlining a $228 million, three-year funding project that aims to mature technologies for both weapons and munitions in order to one day dramatically increase the reach of its artillery forces and advance a key leadership priority to bolster the punch of the service's long-range precision fires inventory. Army Eyeing Strategic Cannon Tech with 1,000-Mile Range U.S. Army Wisconsin National Guard Soldiers from the 1-426 Field Artillery Battery operate an … Who provides the targeting information? And while putting steel … New technologies often raise these kinds of questions. The Strategic Long-Range Cannon is one of several new weapons the Army wants to help it match, and eventually exceed, the range and destructive power of North Korean, Russian and Chinese fires. Both have invested more than $215 billion in military operations combined. The Army is probably going to regret using the term “strategic” in the name of its long-range cannon, because in American usage that implies complicated release authority for weapons whose use could raise far-reaching issues. Some of the new systems, such as the Precision Strike Missile being developed by Lockheed Martin, will fit neatly into the Army’s existing doctrine and organization for defeating enemies at a distance. The Strategic Long-Range Cannon (SLRC) would probably be the shorter-ranged of the two, according to at least one reliable report, at about 1,000 miles. Prior to holding my present positions, I was Deputy Director of the Security Studies Program at Georgetown University and taught graduate-level courses in strategy, technology and media affairs at Georgetown. On August 4, I attended a small dinner hosted by my think tank at which the head of the Army’s “cross functional team” for long-range fires, Brigadier General John L. Rafferty, was the guest of honor. I write about national security, especially its business dimensions. Tagged Under: Strategic fires include the Army’s Space and Missile Command’s Long Range Hypersonic Weapon and the Strategic Long Range Cannon. The Strategic Long-Range Cannon (SLRC) project is aiming to deliver an artillery piece that can enable precision strikes from beyond a 1,000 miles away. China, for example, has claimed that it has about 2,500 ballistic missiles in its arsenal, including one of the world’s most powerful weapons, DF-41. That’s greater than … The U.S. military may soon be able to shoot projectiles over a distance spanning 1,150 miles – roughly the same amount of space between Nashville, Tennessee and New York City – using a powerful long-range cannon. Disclosure: The Lexington Institute receives funding from many of the nation’s leading defense contractors, including Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Raytheon and United Technologies. But it was the part of the discussion bearing upon very long-range fires that provoked the most reflection, because the Army may soon have ground-based fires that exceed the unrefueled combat radius of fighter jets—fires that adversaries will be powerless to counter. Gen. John Rafferty, director of the U.S. Army‘s Long-Range Precision Fires Cross-Functional Team, revealed that the military is set to demonstrate a prototype of the weapons system as early as 2023. “That integrated system challenges even our most sophisticated aircraft and challenges our most sophisticated ships to gain access to the area,” he said, adding that the cannon system, once it is developed and perfected, can deliver surface-to-surface fires that can then penetrate the mentioned layered enemy defense systems. All content posted on this site is protected under Free Speech. Army's 1,000 Mile Cannon: Strategic Long Range Cannon Details Target spotting for field artillery typically is provided by warfighting systems organic to the Army, such as scout helicopters and reconnaissance drones. The wheeled Strategic Long-Range Cannon is one of several new, long-range weapons the Army is working on as it tries to revive its ailing artillery corps. Army studies indicate that the two new systems will be complementary. The U.S. Army’s top modernization priority is to increase the reach and lethality of its fires, meaning artillery and tactical missiles. Both countries use a combination of long-range air defense systems, artillery and coastal defenses, as well as long-range, over-the-horizon radars. Rafferty is not inclined to speculate about matters beyond his job description, but it seems the Army is on the verge of securing fires far superior to those any country has possessed in the past, and that may lead to big changes in how the joint force conducts warfare. Pin. “This idea of volume and affordability and lethality is first and foremost in our minds,” Rafferty said. The details haven’t been fleshed out, but when weapons have the kind of ranges being contemplated, it is pretty clear that wartime operations and peacetime training will need to transcend the immediate tactical concerns of Army commanders. Rafferty acknowledges that the classification (secrecy) level of overhead collections will need to be changed to gain access to much of the required information, but that’s just the beginning of the challenge. Strategic Long Range Cannon For strategic fires, the Army is investing in hypersonics research, along with experiments on a strategic long-range cannon, which conceivably could … LDOS At that time, the Strategic Long Range Cannon was referred to as Strategic Strike Cannon Artillery. Assessing the Feasibility of the Strategic Long Range Cannon. 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