Guided-missile destroyer USS Dewey (DDG-105) transits the Pacific Ocean while underway in the U.S. 3rd Fleet area of operations. US Navy Photo
Last summer USS Dewey (DDG-105) fired 20 hyper velocity projectiles (HVP) from a standard Mk 45 5-inch deck gun in a quiet experiment that’s set to add new utility to the weapon found on almost every U.S. warship, officials familiar with the test have told USNI News. Read More
USS Shoup (DDG 86) fires a MK 45 5-inch gun during a live fire exercise during Rim of the Pacific 2016. US Navy Photo
The Pentagon’s office tasked with tweaking existing and developing military technology for new uses is pushing development of ammo meant for the electromagnetic railgun for use in existing naval guns and artillery pieces. Read More
USS Ross (DDG-71) test fires the MK45 5-inch lightweight gun on April 30, 2015. US Navy Photo
CORRECTION: This post has been updated to include a new statement from Naval Sea Systems Command that changes one previously given to USNI News revising the planned speed of hyper velocity projectile fired from a Mk 45 naval gun from Mach 5 to Mach 3.
The U.S. Navy’s deck guns could take on new relevance if ongoing tests to fire a guided round at three times the speed of sound from their muzzles are successful, USNI News has learned. Read More
USS Porter (DDG-78) fires its MK 45 5-inch lightweight gun during a weapons training exercise on April 3, 2015. US Navy Photo
PENTAGON — The Navy is still interested in pursuing guided rounds for naval guns on its surface fleet but waiting for the technology to get cheaper before moving forward, the director of surface warfare said Wednesday in a press briefing with reporters. Read More
USS Nitze (DDG 94) fires its MK-45 5-inch/54-caliber lightweight gun on May 12, 2014. US Navy Photo
This post was updated from an earlier version to include a statement from Raytheon.
The Navy’s surface warfare community is taking a second look at a guided shell that could be fired from existing ship board guns as part of the service’s recent focus on expanding the combat power of the Navy’s surface ships, USNI News has learned. Read More
USS Donald Cook (DDG 75) fires its five-inch gun during a weapons exercise on Jan. 16, 2014. US Navy Photo
The Navy is taking another look at a five-inch guided round for the U.S. surface fleet following the development of the 155 mm Long-Range Land Attack Projectile (LRLAP) for the Zumwalt-class destroyers (DDG-1000), Rear Adm. Thomas Rowden, director of surface warfare (N96) for the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations (OPNAV) told USNI News in a Jan. 9 interview. Read More
