Top tweets on naval tech in Q1 2020

1. US Marines’ tweet on late night specialists’ operation in Thailand

US Marines, the official account of the United States Marine Corps, tweeted on marines in a late night operation with the 31stMEU and the Thai marines. The reconnaissance and surveillance insertion training program called the CobraGold 20 was conducted in the Kingdom of Thailand, to advance regional security and effective responses to crises.

Username: U.S. Marines

Twitter handle: @USMC

Retweets: 977

Likes: 3,062

2. US Navy’s tweet on assessing submarine readiness and operational excellence

U.S. Navy, the official account of the US Navy, tweeted on the US Navy working with their international partners at the ice camp Seadragon to assess submarine readiness and operational excellence. Conducted in the Arctic region during the ICEX2020, alternatively known as Ice Exercise 2020, is a three-week biennial exercise that allows boat crews to stay sharp and demonstrate tactical readiness in the region, which officials regard as increasingly vital to national security.

Username: U.S. Navy

Twitter handle: @USNavy

Retweets: 253

Likes: 911

3. David Larter’s tweet on what the enormous sum diverted to building the border wall amounted to

David Larter, a Naval warfare reporter, shared an article on how the Trump administration diverted additional funds worth $7.2bn from the Pentagon to build the border wall. The influencer tweeted that the enormous sum being taken out of military counter drug programs and military construction funding could comprise three guided-missile destroyer (DDGs), two Virginia-class submarines, seven multi-mission guided-missile frigates or FFG(x), 14 littoral combat ships (LCS), and three squadrons of combat aircrafts or F-35s.

Username: David B. Larter

Twitter handle: @DavidLarter

Retweets: 403

Likes: 527

4. SpokespersonNavy’s tweet on the deputy chief of naval staff reviewing carrier operations in the Arabian Sea

SpokespersonNavy, a spokesperson of the Indian Navy, tweeted on the deputy chief of naval staff reviewing carrier operations in the Arabian Sea. Vice Admiral, M S Pawar, embarked the INS Vikramaditya, the Navy’s flagship aircraft carrier, to review the operation readiness.

Username: SpokespersonNavy

Twitter handle: @indiannavy

Retweets: 125

Likes: 699

5. Steve Trimble’s tweet on two unmanned EA-18Gs controlled by a manned EA-18G

Steve Trimble, the defense editor for AviationWeek, shared an article on how Boeing and the US Navy successfully flew two autonomously controlled EA-18G Growlers as unmanned air systems using a third Growler controlling the other two. The article noted that the Navy’s Warfare Development Command’s annual fleet experiment (FLEX), helped prove that technology can allow F/A-18 Super Hornet and EA-18G growlers to undertake combat missions with unmanned systems.

Username: Steve Trimble

Twitter handle: @TheDEWLine

Retweets: 161

Likes: 318

6. US Central Command’s tweet on the US Navy seizing illegal weapons in the Arabian Sea

U.S. Central Command, the official account of the US Central Command, shared an article on the US Navy seizing illegal weapons including Iranian-manufactured anti-tank guided missiles (ATGM), surface-to-air missiles, thermal imaging weapon scopes, and components for unmanned aerial and surface vessels, as well as other advanced weapons parts, in the Arabian Sea.

The weapons are expected to be identical to the ones seized by the guided-missile destroyer USS Forrest Sherman (DDG 98), established to be of Iranian origin and being supplied to Houthis in Yemen.

Username: U.S. Central Command

Twitter handle: @CENTCOM

Retweets: 115

Likes: 117

7. Flynavy’s tweet on the second operational F-35C squadron

Flynavy, the official account of the US Naval Air Forces, tweeted on the Black Knights of Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 314 to have achieved safe for flight in the F-35C, giving naval aviation its second operational squadron, with 10 F-35Cs in each squadron. These F-35Cs fly off of navy carriers just like the F/A-18C Hornets have been doing for years.

Username: flynavy

Twitter handle: @flynavy

Retweets: 124

Likes: 492

8. US Naval Institute’s tweet on deploying global strike hypersonic weapon on the Virginia-class attack submarines

U.S. Naval Institute, an independent forum that offers national defense and security news, shared an article on the US Navy deploying its conventional prompt strike hypersonic weapon on the Virginia-class attack submarines. The weapon was earlier decided to be put on the larger Ohio-class guided-missile submarine (SSGN), according to budgets documented.

The article further noted that the prompt global strike capability would allow the US to hit any target anywhere in the world with precision-guided weapons in less than an hour. The strike capability is being tested to launch from ships, submarines or ground launchers globally.

Username: U.S. Naval Institute

Twitter handle: @NavalInstitute

Retweets: 127

Likes: 255

9. Chris Cavas’ tweet on US Navy ships featuring laser weapon systems

Chris Cavas, a naval warfare journalist and commentator, shared an article on how two US Navy ships in San Diego now feature laser weapons; one being the amphibious transport dock USS Portland (LPD 27) which was fitted with a 150-kilowatt solid-state laser technology maturation (SSL-TM) weapon. A similar laser weapon was fitted but in more secrecy aboard the destroyer USS Dewey (DDG 105). Dewey’s optical dazzling interdictor, Navy (ODIN) system is a laser weapon system that allows ships to counter unmanned aerial systems.

The article noted that other laser weapon systems were being developed to provide increased lethality for the fleet, such as the HELIOS that can destroy unmanned vehicles and small attack craft.

Username: Chris Cavas

Twitter handle: @CavasShips

Retweets: 113

Likes: 184

10. Capt(N)’s tweet on the ultra light-weight helicopter

Capt(N), a retired navy officer, tweeted on the Kamov Ka-56, an ultra light-weight helicopter. The influencer added that the Ka-56 was built for submarines and surface ships. The Ka-56 is expected to be driven for 15 minutes and only one person. Torpedo tubes helped transport the container with a Ka-56.

Username: Capt(N)

Twitter handle: @Capt_Navy

Retweets: 101

Likes: 259