US Navy Missiles to Be Converted by US Army for Remote-Launched Strikes

The US Army is developing conversions of naval missiles into medium-range weapons that will complement other systems. It will be linked to a network that connects various weapon systems in combat.

Missile defenses are developed by the US Army add to it shorter ranged rockets and super-fast missiles as extra weapons. Should the conversion work fine into land-based batteries will form a defense net against missile attack.

It will be part of a connect-everything network, which links all missile batteries to target data that paint on more targets. It allows soldiers to remotely fire them to attack at the right time when they are detected, reported Defense One.

The theory is when a target comes in. Data will be shared by more than one missile launcher based on the command given to fire.

Last November 6, Army officials in charge of the project gave it to Lockheed Martin to develop for $339.3 million for a new Mid-Range Capability or MRC missile system. One key feature is the conversion of Navy SM-6 and Tomahawk cruise missiles that can fire them.

The projected distance they can strike is 500 to 1,500 kilometers or 310 to 930 miles as relevant distances in dealing with Chinese threats. The army did tests last August to have the weapon ready y 2023.

According to Brig. Gen. John Rafferty, a part of the missile conversion project slated for a next-gen remote fire system. He said that the navy's ships are massive weapons mounts that us way more significant than any ground-based launcher on land. The maritime theatre of combat is different from moving missiles overland, which affords particular concerns to get the system designed to fire missiles.

Also read: Unmanned Aerial Vehicles Fill in Gaps as Force Multipliers Not Replacements

With the completion of the project in 2023, UAVs, UCAVs, and semi-robotic launchers liked packrats to support other weapons. The AI-type launcher will allow humans to operate in hazardous battle zones remotely on the battlefield, said Gen. Rafferty.

He clarified that the systems would be operated by humans far away from harm, not like automated drones. It is the crucial difference that allows a human overseer to check what's happening remotely. Autonomous systems are based on leader-follower technology used by the army already. Human operated launchers will be following a remotely controlled unit that acts as number one.

It is a concept that works by having one human remotely controlling several support launchers and firing with the applicable munitions-shifting the firing sequence according to the commander's decision, not all at the same time when firing. The volley of fire still uses human discrimination of targets, not depending on a single AI for all.

This way, the targets are hit more efficiently than drone AI (drone artificial intelligence) to command these high-tech systems firing sequence. Instead of massed artillery that is usually manned to fire at targets. Such systems will lay fire against defended locations.

It will allow a more extensive remote control wingman mobile attack system to move faster than humans in close-quarter battles. Developing this system by the US Army of US Navy missiles added lethality to the package.