09/01/2014 Marine nationale

Déployé dans le golfe d’Oman, le groupe aéronaval constitué autour du porte-avions Charles de Gaulle effectue une période de coopération opérationnelle avec un groupe aéronaval américain. Le 30 décembre 2013, un F18 américain catapulté depuis le porte-avions Harry S. Truman a ravitaillé en vol un Rafale Marine et un Super Étendard Modernisé du groupe aérien français.

Jan 7, 2014 ASDNews Source : US Navy

The U.S. Navy announced Jan. 7, that USS John Paul Jones (DDG 53) will swap homeports with USS Lake Erie (CG 70) this summer. USS Preble (DDG 88) will also leave San Diego for Hawaii this summer to replace the decommissioned frigate, USS Reuben James (FFG 57).

Moving the two guided-missile destroyers to Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam will provide updated, advanced Aegis capabilities to Commander, Naval Surface Group Middle Pacific (CNSGMP). It will also allow Lake Erie, a Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser, to proceed to San Diego for a scheduled, extended docking ship repair availability (EDSRA).

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SAN DIEGO – Jan. 6, 2014 – Northrop Grumman Corporation

Testing Validates Aircraft Performance Before Surveillance Sensors are Installed

Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) and the U.S. Navy have completed nine initial flight tests of the Triton unmanned aircraft system (UAS), marking the half-way point in a process called envelope expansion. 

During envelope expansion, the test team validates the aircraft's ability to operate at a range of altitudes, speeds and weights. The flights are taking place at the company's manufacturing facility in Palmdale, Calif.

"Completion of envelope expansion will allow the test team to prepare for installation and further testing of Triton's surveillance sensors," said Mike Mackey, Northrop Grumman's Triton program director.

The Triton test team accomplished endurance flights up to 9.4-hours at altitudes up to 50,000 feet. The aircraft also performed doublets, a maneuver that tests the aircraft's ability to recover from small perturbations in its flight path caused by turbulence.

Triton carries a variety of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance sensor payloads that allow military commanders to gather high-resolution imagery, use radar to detect targets, and provide airborne communications and information-sharing capabilities to military units across long distances.

The Navy plans to field 68 Triton UAS and will be used with the manned P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft to conduct surveillance missions.

Triton completed its first flight May 22.

Northrop Grumman is a leading global security company providing innovative systems, products and solutions in unmanned systems, cyber, C4ISR, and logistics and modernization to government and commercial customers worldwide. Please visit www.northropgrumman.com for more information.

December 18, 2013 by Kris Osborn - defensetech.org

Navy engineers are upgrading the MH-60R helicopters’ radar, improving its sonar technologies and adding laser-guided precision rockets, service officials said.

The torpedo-armed combat helicopter, in service since 2005, is configured with weapons and sensors designed for anti-surface and anti-submarine warfare, said Capt. James Glass, H-60 Multi-Mission Helicopters Program Manager.

The MH-60R is equipped with two torpedos, the Mk 50 and Mk 54 as well as rockets and small arms.

Glass said the MH-60S is slated to fire a M197 20mm gatling gun produced by General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products. The three-barrel, 132-pound gun can fire up to 1,500 rounds per minute.  The M197 is the same weapon which now arms the Marine Corps’ Cobra helicopter.

The MH-60R is also getting equipped with precision-guided 2.75in folding fin rockets by March of 2015, Glass said. The program, called Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System, or APKWS, uses semi-active laser guidance to create precision targeting technology for the Hydra 70, or 2.75in rockets fired from the MH-60R, he added.

APKWS has been in existence for several years and has been tested on fixed wing aircraft by the Air Force as well. The Navy’s MH-60S model helicopter is slated to receive APKWS by March of 2014.

The aircraft’s maritime-specific radar system is specifically geared toward detecting submarines and conducting anti-surface warfare missions with a 360-degree field of view, said Glass.

Glass said the Navy has a new multi-mode version of the radar system for the MH-60, called the APS-153, which will reach the fleet by January of next year. The new upgraded radar will have automatic radar periscope detection and discrimination, or ARPDD, he said.

“The upgraded multi-mode radar will allow the operator to detect smaller targets much more quickly,” Glass added.

The radar achieves this imaging capability, in part, through a technique Glass described as Inverse Synthetic Aperture Radar or ISAR mode, a technology which helps operators get a rendering, image or representation of a target or item of interest.

Inverse Synthetic Aperture Radar uses the motion of the contact to create a picture of the contact, said Capt. A.C. Lynch, H-60 International Programs Manager.

“The 360-degree radar is designed to identify surface contacts. There are several modes from long-range search to short range search, ISAR, and ARPDD – the radar periscope detect mode to detect submarines,” Glass said.

Made by a firm called Telephonics, the APS-153 is able to detect moving ship targets at night and under restricted visibility situations using the hi-resolution radar, according to statements from the company.

Engineers are also improving the reliability of the MH-60R’s Airborne Low-Frequency Sonar, or ALFS, a high tech sonar system attached to several thousand feet of cable able to lower it under the water to detect submarines.

The Raytheon-built AN/AQS-22 dipping sonar is nine times more effective than previous versions of similar technology. The system has been in service since 2009 and 2010. However, the Navy is now working on technical improvements.

“We’re going after smaller engineering and technical challenges. If we find a piece of hardware that we can improve that will keep the system more reliable, we are incorporating that in these sonars,” Glass said.

The helicopter is engineered with landing gear designed for ship landings. Also, the MH-60R is built with a folding pylon tail and folding rotorblades so as to minimize the amount of space taken up on the flight deck of an aircraft carrier, destroyer, frigate or amphibious assault ship, Glass said.

“The whole thing can be folded up and stuffed in a hangar,” he said.

PEKIN, 18 déc 2013 marine-oceans.com (AFP)

Les autorités militaires chinoises ont affirmé mercredi qu'un de leurs navires s'était "conformé à la procédure" début décembre en mer de Chine méridionale, même s'il a forcé un croiseur américain à manoeuvrer pour éviter une collision.

Lors de cet épisode remontant au 5 décembre, "le bâtiment chinois a suivi à la lettre la procédure et a géré l'incident de façon appropriée", a assuré le ministère chinois de la Défense dans un communiqué.

Des responsables du Pentagone ont affirmé que le croiseur lance-missiles USS Cowpens avait été forcé de manoeuvrer pour éviter d'entrer en collision avec le navire chinois qui lui avait coupé la route et s'était arrêté sur sa trajectoire.

Cet incident, qui s'est produit dans les eaux internationales de la mer de Chine méridionale, illustre les tensions actuelles entre les Etats-Unis et la Chine après que Pékin a unilatéralement instauré le 23 novembre une zone aérienne d'identification sur une grande partie de la mer de Chine orientale, entre la Corée du Sud et Taïwan.

Celle-ci englobe notamment un petit archipel contrôlé par Tokyo, les îles Senkaku, et fermement revendiqué par Pékin sous le nom de Diaoyu.

Les Etats-Unis ont appelé la Chine à renoncer à cette zone controversée. Washington, Tokyo et Séoul y ont tour à tour dépêché des appareils militaires, envoyant ainsi le message qu'ils refusaient de se plier aux nouvelles règles.

Le navire de guerre américain "représentait une menace pour la sécurité militaire chinoise", a assuré lundi un média officiel chinois.

TEWKSBURY, Mass., Dec. 12, 2013 /PRNewswire

Delivering critical capabilities, bringing the next-generation destroyers to life

Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) has been awarded $75 million to complete remaining hardware and electronics for DDG 1000 and 1001, the first two ships of the Zumwalt-class of multimission destroyers. The award reflects exercised options under a previously awarded U.S. Navy contract.

Raytheon's progress on the program continues, remaining on-cost and schedule, meeting all program milestones and shipyard need dates. Under this contract, Raytheon will complete outstanding hardware and electronics production and assembly for the first two ships of the class, including electronics for the multi-function towed array for the sonar suite; canister electronics and uptake kits for the MK 57 Vertical Launching System; and the advanced procurement of Electronic Modular Enclosure shelters for the third ship, DDG 1002.

"The collaboration of this government-industry team has been outstanding, a high-performing team of experts working together to bring the Navy's vision to reality," said Raytheon's Kevin Peppe, vice president of Integrated Defense Systems' Seapower Capability Systems business area. "As systems and deliveries complete, and integration and testing continue, we are advancing closer to demonstrating the capabilities of the most technologically advanced surface combatant in naval history."

As the prime mission systems integrator for DDG 1000, Raytheon provides all electronic and combat systems for the program.

To date, the company has:

    Delivered more than 3,500 hardware items, completing mission systems equipment production for DDG 1000. Production is more than 95 percent complete for DDG 1001.

    Delivered 35 fully populated, integrated and tested Electronic Modular Enclosures, completing the first two ship sets as well as an additional 3 EMEs for the Self-Defense Test Ship.

    Completed more than 6.7 million lines of code for the Total Ship Computing Environment, the integrated mission system for the ship class, achieving all testing and readiness milestones on schedule. Currently 96 percent complete, TSCE software is approaching next level certification, Technology Readiness Level 7.

    Completed advanced ship activation pilot for DDG 1000, demonstrating control of pumps and valves; first use of shipboard software connecting distributed control workstation, TSCE infrastructure network and engineering control system.

    Tested 5,000 hull, mechanical and engineering (HM&E) signals to engineering control system and validated 12,000 additional hardware signals, at the Land-based Test Site.

    Completed more than 1.3 million lines of code for SPY-3/Dual Band Radar for DDG 1000, DDG 1001, CVN 78 and the Self Defense Test Ship and delivered complete radar suite equipment for all ship sets.

    Dedicated a team of experts onsite at the shipyard, supporting installation, integration and test in-line with construction progress to meet HM&E milestones and prepare for ship activation.

    Remained on cost and schedule throughout execution of the program – a testament to the design and development approaches employed, mitigating risks and maturing technologies through phased and incremental testing.

Additionally, the first MK 57 Vertical Launch System and the first Integrated Undersea Warfare suite, with dual-frequency, hull-mounted sonars, have been installed on DDG 1000.

DDG 1000 entered the water Oct. 28, 2013, at Bath Iron Works, Bath, Maine. Construction will continue dockside, supported by Raytheon's Ship Integration and Test team onsite for ongoing system integration and testing.

About Raytheon

Raytheon Company, with 2012 sales of $24 billion and 68,000 employees worldwide, is a technology and innovation leader specializing in defense, security and civil markets throughout the world. With a history of innovation spanning 91 years, Raytheon provides state-of-the-art electronics, mission systems integration and other capabilities in the areas of sensing; effects; and command, control, communications and intelligence systems; as well as a broad range of mission support services. Raytheon is headquartered in Waltham, Mass. For more about Raytheon, visit us at www.raytheon.com and follow us on Twitter @Raytheon.

02.12.2013 lepopulaire.fr

La Marine américaine a déployé à Okinawa (Japon) son tout nouvel avion de surveillance et de lutte anti-sous-marine, en pleine montée de tensions après l'instauration par Pékin d'une zone aérienne d'identification, a affirmé lundi une de ses responsables.

Deux premiers P-8 Poseidon, qui avaient décollé vendredi de Floride (sud-est des Etats-Unis), sont arrivés sur la base de Kadena, située sur l'île d'Okinawa. Ils devraient être rejoints dans les jours à venir par quatre appareils supplémentaires, selon cette responsable s'exprimant sous couvert de l'anonymat.

Ce déploiement était "prévu depuis longtemps" et vise à remplacer les vieux P-3 Orion en fin de vie, selon cette responsable. Il n'est donc pas lié à l'instauration par Pékin d'une zone aérienne d'identification (ZAI) au-dessus de la mer de Chine orientale. Mais en déployant ce tout nouveau matériel, Washington renforce ses capacités dans cette zone qui couvre les îles Senkaku --Diaoyu pour la Chine-- au centre des tensions entre Tokyo et Pékin.

Le P-8 Poseidon entre à peine en service opérationnel. Construit à partir de la structure d'un Boeing 737, il dispose d'une autonomie et d'un rayon d'action accrus par rapport au P-3 et emporte torpilles et missiles anti-navires.

Le Japon, la Corée du Sud et les Etats-Unis ont chacun fait voler des avions dans la zone aérienne d'identification la semaine passée, sans en informer les Chinois, pour montrer qu'ils ne reconnaissaient pas cette ZAI chinoise, conduisant Pékin à envoyer des chasseurs à la rencontre de ces appareils.

Un porte-parole du Pentagone, le colonel Steven Warren, a toutefois noté lundi que la réaction des autorités chinoises aux vols américains dans la zone restait habituelle et "normale", plaidant que les vols américains se poursuivaient comme de coutume.

De nombreux experts estiment que la ZAI s'inscrit dans une démarche chinoise visant à affirmer peu à peu son rang de superpuissance politique, diplomatique et militaire, face à Washington qui, dans le cadre de sa stratégie dite de "pivot" vers l'Asie, entend renforcer ses moyens militaires dans le Pacifique.

Le vice-président américain Joe Biden est arrivé lundi à Tokyo, première étape d'une tournée qui le conduira ensuite en Chine et en Corée du Sud et qui risque d'être dominée par les tensions provoquées par la ZAI.

Dec 2, 201 ASDNews Source : Raytheon Corporation

    SM-6 achieves initial operational capability

The U.S. Navy is deploying Raytheon Company's (NYSE: RTN) Standard Missile-6 for the first time, marking the initial operational capability milestone for the U.S. Navy's newest, most advanced extended range area defense weapon.

"We're very pleased to achieve initial operational capability on schedule," said Capt. Mike Ladner, Surface Ship Weapons major program manager. "The SM-6, with its ability to extend the battlespace, truly offers improved capability for the warfighter. I'm very proud of the entire STANDARD Missile team on this historic achievement."

The SM-6 provides extended range protection against fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles and cruise missiles. The interceptor combines the airframe and propulsion of legacy Standard Missiles with the advanced signal processing and guidance control capabilities of the Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM).

"This is a monumental moment for the SM-6 program and signifies a new era of fleet defense for our naval warfighters," said Dr. Taylor W. Lawrence, president, Raytheon Missile Systems. "The SM-6 significantly improves the sailor's ability to strike at various targets at extended range."

Raytheon has delivered more than 50 SM-6 interceptors to the Navy under low-rate production contracts. In September, Raytheon won a contract for $243 million to build 89 new SM-6 interceptors, signaling the start of full-rate production.

About the Standard Missile-6

SM-6 delivers a proven extended range air defense capability by leveraging the time-tested advantages of the Standard Missile's airframe and propulsion.

    The SM-6 uses both active and semi-active guidance modes and advanced fuzing techniques.

    It incorporates the advanced signal processing and guidance control capabilities from Raytheon's Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile.

WASHINGTON, 28 nov 2013 marine-oceans.com (AFP)

La Marine américaine a annoncé jeudi qu'elle n'aurait dorénavant plus recours aux services d'un sous-traitant spécialisé dans l'avitaillement qu'elle soupçonne de gonfler ses factures, quelques semaines après qu'une affaire similaire a éclaboussé la Navy.

Pointant "une intégrité commerciale douteuse", le contre-amiral John Kirby, directeur de la communication de la Marine, a précisé que les contrats en cours avec la société Inchcape Shipping Services iront à leur terme, mais que l'US Navy ne compte à l'avenir ni renouveler, ni signer de contrats avec la firme.

Le porte-parole n'a donné aucun détail sur les soupçons de surfacturation dont Inchcape se serait rendue coupable.

La société est basée en Grande-Bretagne et fournit des navires américains en Méditerranée et au Proche-Orient.

Cette nouvelle affaire intervient après que la Marine s'est vue forcée il y a deux semaines de mettre fin à ses liens commerciaux avec une autre société spécialisée dans l'avitaillement des navires dans les ports asiatiques, à la suite de soupçons de corruption impliquant plusieurs officiers.

Au centre de cette affaire se trouve le patron de la société GDMA, Leonard Francis, accusé par la justice américaine d'avoir soudoyé des officiers américains chargés de la logistique afin de privilégier sa société.

Les deux affaires ne sont pas liées, selon des responsables du Pentagone.

Inchcape appartient à Istithmar World, la branche d'investissement de Dubai World, un conglomérat basé aux Emirats arabes unis.

The MQ-8C Fire Scout is the Navy's newest unmanned helicopter that can fly twice as long and carry three times more intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance payloads than the existing variant.

Nov 27, 2013 (SPX)

San Diego CA - Northrop Grumman has delivered the second MQ-8C Fire Scout unmanned helicopter to the U.S. Navy after completing final assembly at the company's unmanned systems center in Moss Point, Miss.

The aircraft is joining the first one delivered to Naval Base Ventura County, Point Mugu, Calif., to conduct flight testing before using the system for operational missions in 2014.

"Since 2006 we have conducted final assembly of the earlier MQ-8B Fire Scout aircraft from our Moss Point facility, so we have a lot of manufacturing experience there," said George Vardoulakis, vice president for medium range tactical systems, Northrop Grumman.

"With the MQ-8C variant being assembled there as well, we can use the same expertise and quality processes already developed."

The MQ-8C Fire Scout is the Navy's newest unmanned helicopter that can fly twice as long and carry three times more intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance payloads than the existing variant.

To prepare the second MQ-8C Fire Scout for flight operations, a series of ground and flight tests will occur to validate payload integration and that communications between the ground control system and the aircraft are working properly.

Including the two test aircraft, 14 new Fire Scouts are currently under contract to be built. The Navy's current plan is to purchase 30 MQ-8C Fire Scouts.

Nov. 25, 2013 defense-aerospace.com

(Source: U.S Department of Defense; issued November 21, 2013)

BATH, Maine --- Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said the not-yet-launched Zumwalt-class destroyer he toured here today “represents the cutting edge of our naval capabilities.”

The ship, now known as the Pre-Commissioning Unit, or PCU, Zumwalt, will become the USS Zumwalt, named for former Navy Adm. Elmo Zumwalt. Officials said the ship is about a year away from joining the fleet. (Emphasis added—Ed)

Now littered with large protective crates storing systems not yet installed, the ship is being fitted with new automated systems. The Zumwalt, Navy officials explained, has highly accurate long-range weapons, an impressive power generation capability and a design emphasizing “stealthy” radar-defeating materials and shapes.

The ship will be home ported in San Diego, Hagel noted, and it “represents an important shift … in America’s interests to the Asia-Pacific,” he told a mixed crowd of sailors, government civilians and General Dynamics employees assembled near where the ship is docked.

Hagel thanked General Dynamics and its workforce at Bath Iron Works, which will produce all three of the Zumwalt-class ships planned for production. The secretary called the facility “a magnificent institution that’s been part of the security of this country for 130 years.”

The secretary also spoke to a number of sailors and defense civilians present, who are working to get the ship ready for active duty. Hagel thanked them and their families for their service.

Sharon E. Burke, assistant secretary of defense for operational energy plans and programs, accompanied Hagel’s delegation on the ship tour. Later, she spoke to reporters while en route to Halifax, Nova Scotia, where Hagel landed later in the day for an international security forum that starts tomorrow.

Burke said that the ship’s power generation capacity -- 78 megawatts, impressed her. One megawatt of power can power about 1,000 American homes.

The massive amount of available power makes the ship expandable for future weapon systems such as rail guns, which “take a lot of pulse power,” Burke noted.

“Also, you’re running a lot of very sophisticated systems on that ship,” she said. “It gives them a lot of room to be able to run all those systems.”

The ship can generate 78 megawatts of power, and can channel it to propulsion, shipboard use and weapons systems. Officials said the guided missile destroyer is the first Navy ship to be fully electrical, and it was designed to use automated systems as much as possible to decrease the number of sailors needed as crew.

For example, officials said, automatic systems route, store and load the 300 rounds of 24-pound ammunition each of the ship’s two 155mm guns can fire. The guns have, in testing, successfully fired at a rate of 10 rounds a minute and with 20- to 40-inch accuracy at a range of more than 60 nautical miles, officials noted.

STERLING, Va., Nov. 21 (UPI)

The U.S. Navy has selected Spin Systems Inc. to provide engineering and consulting services under the Seaport Enhanced multiple award contract vehicle.

The term of Spin System's indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity award from the U.S. Naval Sea Systems Command Warfare Center is five years, with two five-year option periods.

"SeaPort-e provides an effective and valuable means of contracting for professional support services and enhancing small business participation," said Wael Ali, president and chief executive officer of Spin Systems. "As a small business, Spin Systems will leverage this contract to provide cost-effective solutions and services to our existing client base and also introduce our solutions and services to potential new clients, expanding our footprint in the Department of Defense community."

The Navy described SeaPort-e as a web-based, e-business procurement portal to facilitate performance-based service acquisition, leverage buying power, improve business intelligence and reduce cycle time.

It is used by the Military Sealift Command, Strategic Systems Programs, Office of Naval Research, Defense Threat Reduction Agency, U.S. Marine Corps and others.

Spin Systems will provide engineering, technical and programmatic related services in response to task orders issued under the contract.

Aujourd'hui, l'armée américaine compte 10 types différents de camouflages, à motifs pixellisés ou à "rayures de tigre", à dominante verte, brune, voire bleue. Pour le Pentagone, cette source de multiplication des dépenses est inopportune en période de disette budgétaire.

21.11.2013 Le Monde.fr (AFP)

Conçus pour se fondre dans l'environnement, les camouflages d'uniforme sont devenus un moyen pour chaque service de l'armée américaine de se distinguer des autres, une coquetterie jugée bien coûteuse par le Congrès qui veut mettre fin à la gabegie.

Avant 2001, la situation était simple : tout le monde avait le même camouflage, à dominante verte pour les pays tempérés, couleur sable pour les zones désertiques. Mais à la faveur d'un budget en constante augmentation, marins, soldats, aviateurs et marines en ont profité pour afficher leurs particularisme au moment où le pays s'engageait dans deux conflits, en Afghanistan et en Irak. Aujourd'hui, l'armée américaine compte 10 types différents de camouflage, à motifs pixellisés ou à "rayures de tigre", à dominante verte, brune, voire bleue.

CAMOUFLAGE PIXELLISÉ

"Cela fait partie de l'esprit de corps. Après le 11-Septembre, les gens ont même commencé à porter leur uniforme camouflé au Pentagone", explique Larry Korb, du Center for American Progress. Un moyen pour ces militaires employés dans des bureaux de montrer qu'ils étaient eux aussi "sur le pied de guerre". Les marines, corps d'élite prompt à faire valoir sa différence, a été le premier à se distinguer dès 2002 avec un nouveau camouflage décliné en deux tons.

Hors des zones de combat, ordre est donné début novembre aux marines dans le monde entier de passer à la collection automne-hiver et de porter la version "terrain boisé" à dominante vert-brun. Début mars, la version sable fait son retour dans les rangs. Propriétaire de la licence, le corps interdit même aux autres services d'utiliser son uniforme et fait imprimer son logo lors de la fabrication du tissu pour s'en assurer. Au grand dam du Sénat, qui dans son projet de loi de financement de la défense pour 2014, actuellement en discussions, a inclus un amendement prévoyant "qu'aucun service n'interdit à un autre service d'utiliser un camouflage d'uniforme".

Le camouflage pixellisé de l'armée de terre, introduit en 2005, devait lui servir aussi bien dans les zones tempérées que désertiques. Mais il est vite apparu qu'il ne camouflait pas suffisamment, conduisant l'US Army à aller chercher en 2010 auprès d'une société privée un nouveau camouflage pour équiper ses soldats déployés en Afghanistan.

"DÉPASSEMENTS DE COÛTS"

Le reste de l'US Army, toujours équipé du camouflage pixellisé à dominante vert pâle et sable, a engagé des recherches pour trouver un nouveau camouflage. Le remplacement de l'uniforme actuel pourrait coûter 4 milliards de dollars sur cinq ans, pronostique un rapport du Government Accountability Office (le GAO), la cour des comptes américaine.

L'Air Force s'est elle aussi lancée en 2002 dans la recherche d'un nouveau type de camouflage pour aboutir cinq ans et 3,1 millions de dollars plus tard à un dessin dit à "rayures de tigre" aujourd'hui jugé totalement inefficace.

Quant à l'US Navy, c'est par un camouflage de bleu et de gris qu'elle s'est distinguée. L'habit n'est pas jugé assez résistant au feu, mais les mauvaises langues ironisent surtout sur le fait que le meilleur camouflage est celui qu'il apporte à un homme tombé à la mer...

Pour le Pentagone, cette source de multiplication des dépenses est inopportune en période de disette budgétaire. "Cela n'a rien à voir avec les dépassements de coûts du F-35 – qui se chiffrent en dizaines de milliards de dollars –, mais c'est quelque chose que toute personne normale considérerait comme de l'argent gaspillé", concède Larry Korb. Sénateurs comme élus de la Chambre des représentants veulent donc y mettre un terme.

Le projet de loi de financement présenté à la Chambre prévoit le retour à un uniforme commun le 1er octobre 2018. "Nous ne pouvons nous permettre d'avoir différents motifs de camouflage simplement pour marquer l'esprit de corps" de chaque service, dénonce l'élu démocrate William Enyart à l'origine de cet amendement. Le patron des marines, le général James Amos, a de son côté d'ores et déjà tonné devant les troupes qu'il n'avait "aucune intention de changer d'uniforme" et qu'il s'y accrocherait "comme un clochard à son sandwich".