Tag Archives: G/ATOR

Army Long Range Missile Launcher Spotted on Navy Littoral Combat Ship

Army Long Range Missile Launcher Spotted on Navy Littoral Combat Ship

An Army MK 70 missile launcher on the flight deck of Littoral Combat Ship USS Savannah (LCS-28) in San Diego, Calif. Photo obtained by USNI News

This post has been updated with additional information on the radar system seen on USS Savannah (LCS-28) .

A portable missile launcher capable of firing a combination of long-range anti-ship and anti-air weapons was spotted this week undergoing testing aboard a Littoral Combat Ship in San Diego, Calif., according to photos provided to USNI News. Read More

Top Stories 2020: Marine Corps Acquisition

Top Stories 2020: Marine Corps Acquisition

The Bell V-247 tiltrotor is an unmanned aerial system (UAS) that will combine the vertical lift capability of a helicopter with the speed and range of a conventional fixed-wing aircraft, and would provide long-endurance persistent expeditionary and surveillance and fires capabilities. The Marines had been considering this type of capability for their shipboard Group 5 UAS program, MUX, before the program was restructured in mid 2020. Bell Image

This post has been updated to clarify that the Marine Corps has begun experimenting with a Marine Littoral Regiment formation, but has not yet formally stood up the unit.

This post is part of a series of stories looking back at the top naval news from 2020.

The Marine Corps’ acquisition efforts this year focused on pursuing its modernization priorities for force redesign, while balancing years-long acquisition programs. Read More

Marines' Land Systems Acquisition Portfolio Highlights Importance of Naval Integration, Littoral Operations

Marines’ Land Systems Acquisition Portfolio Highlights Importance of Naval Integration, Littoral Operations

U.S. Marines with Amphibious Vehicle Test Branch, Marine Corps Tactical Systems Support Activity, drive a new Amphibious Combat Vehicle ashore during low-light surf transit testing at AVTB Beach on Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif., Dec. 18, 2019. US Marine Corps Photo

Navy and Marine Corps acquisition efforts are increasingly colored by the services’ focus on boosting naval integration between the services in support of distributed maritime operations and expeditionary advance base operations (EABO). Read More

G/ATOR Block II Radar Fielded to Artillery Marines, Headed Towards Full-Rate Production

G/ATOR Block II Radar Fielded to Artillery Marines, Headed Towards Full-Rate Production

An AN/TPS-80 Ground/Air Task Oriented Radar starts up at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, N.C., Feb. 26, 2018. The AN/TPS-80 will replace the AN/TPS-63 and reduces set up time from eight hours to 30 minutes for the system. US Marine Corps photo.

SAN DIEGO, Calif. – The Marine Corps fielded its first AN/TPS-80 Ground/Air Task-Oriented Radar (G/ATOR) Block II system to a Marine artillery regiment this month, after having early successes last year with the G/ATOR Block I radars in the air defense community. Read More

Marines' 2020 Budget Will Prioritize Near-Term Readiness, Upgrades for High-End Fight

Marines’ 2020 Budget Will Prioritize Near-Term Readiness, Upgrades for High-End Fight

Lance Cpl. Nicholas Zachary (left) and Lance Cpl. Luis Saldana both assigned to Marine Attack Squadron (VMA) 214, conduct routine maintenance on an AV-8B Harrier on the flight deck of the amphibious assault ship USS America (LHA-6) on May 8, 2017. US Navy Photo

ARLINGTON, Va. – The Marine Corps wants to spend nearly a third of its Fiscal Year 2020 money on modernizing its equipment and nearly another third on rebuilding readiness, a top officer said. Read More

Top Stories 2018: U.S. Marine Corps Acquisition

Top Stories 2018: U.S. Marine Corps Acquisition

USNI News polled its writers, naval analysts and service members on what they consider the most important military and maritime stories in 2018. This story is part of USNI News year-end series

2018 brought the Marine Corps such rapid advances in its next ground vehicle that the service canceled an interim upgrade program, new details on a large Group 5 unmanned aerial vehicle and a plan to upgrade amphibious warships over time to better support future Marine operations. Read More

UPDATED: Marine Corps Nears IOC Decision on G/ATOR Radar System

UPDATED: Marine Corps Nears IOC Decision on G/ATOR Radar System

G/ATOR undergoes cold weather testing, one of many steps in the rigorous process of ensuring that the radar is ready to support the Marines’ missions. Northrop Grumman photo.

This post has been updated to include information from an interview with the G/ATOR program office. It has also been updated to clarify that the Initial Operational Capability declaration could be made after outfitting two units with the training and spares needed to sustain the early radars delivered to the Marine Corps, but that initial operational test and evaluation is pending the delivery of later lots with a new semiconductor.

The Marine Corps is about to declare initial operational capability for its AN/TPS-80 Ground/Air Task-Oriented Radar (G/ATOR) after the service certified that two operational units had the training and logistics in place to sustain the new radar. Read More

Marines Ready to Begin LAV Replacement After Talks With Industry on Next-Gen Capabilities

Marines Ready to Begin LAV Replacement After Talks With Industry on Next-Gen Capabilities

A vehicle commander with 3rd Platoon, Bravo Company, 4th Light Armor Reconnaissance Regiment uses binoculars to observe targets for a TOW missile launcher in 2017. US Marine Corps Photo

SAN DIEGO, Calif — The Marine Corps is finally ready to pursue a Light Armored Vehicle replacement after a couple years of not seeing the right next-generation ideas. Read More

Marines at MCAS Cherry Point Demonstrate the Future of Air Command and Control Operations

Marines at MCAS Cherry Point Demonstrate the Future of Air Command and Control Operations

Tactical air defense controllers and air control electronics operators with Marine Air Control Squadron 24, 4th Marine Aircraft Wing run simulations on the Common Aviation Command and Control System (CAC2S) Phase 1 on Sept. 12, 2013. US Marine Corps photo.

MARINE CORPS AIR STATION CHERRY POINT, N.C. – In a field at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point sits three sets of gear: a tent full of computers connected to a Humvee outside, a truck bearing a tall radio antenna, and a spinning radar sitting atop a hill.

These three systems represent the next generation of Marine Corps air command and control capabilities: connecting Marine Corps units and their operating picture with the Navy’s, sending and receiving data in real time, and detecting more types of incoming threats to Marine Corps ground units. Read More