The world's first aircraft carriers

 The world's first aircraft carriers can be categorized based on their evolving functions, ranging from modified versions of other ships to ships designed specifically to carry aircraft.

Here are some milestones in the history of the world's first aircraft carriers:

Hōshō (Japan): The world's first ship designed and built specifically from the outset as an aircraft carrier (not a modified version), and was successfully commissioned in December 1922. Although the British began construction on a similar ship earlier, the Japanese completed it faster.

HMS Argus (England): The first aircraft carrier to feature a full-length flat deck, allowing aircraft to take off and land freely. This ship entered service in September 1918, but was modified from an unfinished merchant ship.

HMS Hermes (England): The first ship designed specifically as an aircraft carrier from scratch (its keel was laid in 1918), but due to various tests and budget constraints, it was not officially commissioned until 1924, after Hōshō.

USS Langley (United States): The US Navy's first aircraft carrier, commissioned in March 1922. It was converted from a coal carrier called the USS Jupiter.

The carrier was sunk in the waters around Cilacap, Central Java, Indonesia, by Japanese bombers on February 27, 1942.

Smart combat helmet system - Anduril EagleEye

 Anduril EagleEye is a smart combat helmet system based on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Augmented Reality (AR) developed by Anduril Industries. This technology is designed to transform soldiers into "mobile command centers" by providing real-time battlefield situational awareness directly before their eyes.

The EagleEye system features the following key features and advancements:

Lattice AI Integration: Uses Anduril's Lattice AI platform to combine data from multiple sources such as drones, ground sensors, and teammates into a single visual display.

Heads-Up Display (HUD): Presents crucial information such as digital maps, friendly positions (Blue Force Tracking), detected enemy locations, and even drone camera images directly on the helmet visor or tactical goggles.

360-Degree & Panoramic Vision: Equipped with cameras and sensors on the sides and rear to provide over 200 degrees of field of vision, enabling soldiers to detect threats from directions not naturally visible.

Hands-Free Robotic Control: Enables soldiers to control drones or other robotic systems through voice commands or eye movements/gestures, without the need to remove a weapon or use a separate controller.

Flexible Module: Available in lightweight AR glasses (Oakley) for daytime use and full-face ballistic helmets (Gentex) for maximum protection on the front lines.

Additional Sensors: Includes gunshot detection, radio frequency (RF) scanning for hidden threats, and biometric monitoring of soldier health.

This program is part of a $159 million contract with the U.S. Army to replace Microsoft's previously troubled IVAS program.

The Zumwalt-class destroyers are the most advanced and expensive warships

 The Zumwalt-class destroyers are the most advanced and expensive warships ever built by the United States, specifically for destroyers.

Stealth design: These ships have a unique shape with sharp angles and a tumblehome hull designed to reflect radar. To enemy radar, these giant ships appear as small as fishing boats.

Armament: Currently, the Zumwalt-class destroyers are undergoing a major upgrade to install hypersonic missile launchers (missiles that travel at 5x the speed of sound) after the original gun system was deemed too expensive to operate.

Only 3 built: Due to the cost escalating to an estimated $8-$9 billion per ship, the US Navy has cut production from an initial plan of 32 to just 3.

The three ships in this class are:

USS Zumwalt (DDG-1000)

USS Michael Monsoor (DDG-1001)

USS Lyndon B. Johnson (DDG-1002)

Giant Dimensions: Although called a destroyer, it is much larger than a standard Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, measuring 185 meters in length.

Development and Production Phases:

1. Development Phase (1990s – 2000s)

Initial Concept (1990s): Began as the SC-21 (Surface Combatant for the 21st Century) program, which later evolved into the DD(X) project to create a next-generation destroyer with a focus on land attack and stealth technology.

Budget Approval (2005): The DD(X) program received funding approval to enter the construction phase.

Official Naming (2006): The U.S. Navy officially named this class of ship the Zumwalt (DDG-1000).

2. Production and Construction Phase

Production takes place at General Dynamics' Bath Iron Works shipyard in Maine:

USS Zumwalt (DDG-1000): Construction commenced (keel laid) in February 2009, launched in October 2013, and commissioned on October 15, 2016.

USS Michael Monsoor (DDG-1001): Construction commenced in September 2009, launched in May 2014, and commissioned in January 2019.

USS Lyndon B. Johnson (DDG-1002): Construction commenced in April 2012 and completed in November 2021.

3. Modernization Phase (current)

Although in production, these ships continue to undergo functional changes. Starting in 2023, the U.S. Navy began dismantling their outdated gun systems to replace them with hypersonic missile launcher tubes, which are scheduled to begin sea trials in 2027 or 2028.

Send feedback

C4ISR - Controlling the flow of battle

 C4ISR stands for Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance. It is an integrated system that serves as the central nerve of modern military operations, collecting data, processing information, and supporting rapid and precise decision-making on the battlefield.

The following is a breakdown of the components of C4ISR:

Command & Control (C2): Command and control, referring to the hierarchy and procedures for directing operations.

Communications (C): Communications, the system for exchanging data and information between units.

Computers (C): Computers, data processing infrastructure, hardware, and software.

Intelligence (I): Intelligence, the analysis of information about the enemy and the environment.

Surveillance (S): Surveillance, the systematic monitoring of the battlefield.

Reconnaissance (R): Reconnaissance, the search for specific information on the ground.

Primary Functions of C4ISR:

Improving Situational Awareness: Providing a real-time picture of the battlefield.

Accelerate Decision-Making: Quickly transform raw data into tactical decisions.

Interoperability: Enables seamless coordination between units, services, and allies.