On Tuesday, the U.S Navy took delivery of the first AN/SPY-6 radar array for the Flight III Arleigh Burke-class destroyer USS Jack Lucas (DDG-125). The new radar is 30 times more powerful than the SPY-1 array and is expected to become a fleet standard for the Navy. The USS Jack Lucas itself is scheduled to be delivered in 2024, the first of the Flight III's specifically built to accommodate the new radar.
Also on Tuesday, the head of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command told reporters he wants an Aegis Ashore missile defense system to bolster the defense of Guam from China. Admiral Phil Davidson remarked that the Aegis Ashore Baseline 10 provides an available technology that could be delivered within the next five years while next-generation missile defense capabilities are in development.
On Thursday, U.S. Space Command stated that Russia tested an anti-satellite weapon on orbit on July 15. According to the SPACECOM statement, a Russian satellite called Cosmos 2543 released another object close to another Russian satellite, an action inconsistent with its officially stated purpose.
On Friday, the GAO released their annual report on the U.S missile defense program. The report was critical of the now-cancelled Redesigned Kill Vehicle (RKV) program, which cost a total of $1.21 billion, triple the original estimate, and slipped four years behind schedule.
On Sunday, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the Russian Navy would arm itself with hypersonic nuclear strike weapons and underwater nuclear drones. Speaking at an annual naval parade, Putin also mentioned that the navy's capabilities were growing and that it would add 40 new vessels this year.
Also on Sunday, the Russian Navy tested their hypersonic "Tsirkon" missile, with the Defense Ministry reporting a successful launch. The Russian President previously stated the missile would fly quicker than Mach 9 and have a range of over 1,000 km.
Click here to read all of the headlines from the week.
