Up next in 10
USS Ponce AFSB(I)-15 at DIMDEX 2016
1K views
Dec 19, 2023
The USS Ponce (AFSB(I)-15) standing for Afloat Forward Staging Base (Interim) is a former Austin class of amphibious transport dock. It has been converted to serve as mother ship and floating Base for mine counter-measure and coastal patrol vessels, as well as helicopter support. The Ponce also serves as a testbed platform for the Laser Weapon System (LaWS). LaWS is a prototype laser weapon system said to be effective against drones and small watercraft. The LaWS was deployed on the Ponce to the Persian Gulf in late August 2014.
View Video Transcript
0:00
This is Day 2 of Dimdex 2016
0:11
Let's now get on board USS Ponce, a former US Navy LSD converted into a float forward
0:17
staging base. Good afternoon. I'm Captain Ken Riley, commanding officer of the USS Ponce
0:52
We're the float forward staging base. We were previously a dock landing ship personnel
1:00
LPD 15 and we've been re-designated as AFSBI 15. We're the interim vessel between what we used to use for a float forward staging bases
1:12
and what the Navy is planning on using in the future, which are some previous Alaska class tankers
1:18
which have been modified with flight decks and personnel spaces. So unlike a regular U.S. amphib that primarily embarks and employs Marines
1:28
We are capable of bringing on our Army assets, Coast Guard, Air Force, both air and surface vessels
1:38
And we've done that in the past. We continue to do that with U.S. assets, and we're also capable of bringing on board our foreign partners as well
1:47
So we are the Mine Countermeasures Command Ship for the Gulf, the U.S. forces
1:54
We can embark a full staff on board provide communications for them to reach ground back to their shore facilities as well as bring them out into the environment so that they can provide close command of control over their mine sweeping assets
2:07
We have the capability to embark the MH53 mine sweeping helicopters, so they tow mechanical gear
2:16
they also tow search gear, so side scan sonars from the back, and they also employ airborne mine neutral
2:23
centralization systems so they can go out and not only sweep and hunt, but they can neutralize the mines as well
2:30
And we provide the bandwidth and the communication pipes to do that from sea
2:35
One of the key features of USS Ponzi is the LOS, a prototype laser weapon system
2:44
Let's now hear from the Laser Weapon Office Store in Charge. Well, hello, my name is Lieutenant David Wayne from the USS Ponce
2:52
from the USS Ponce. I am the laser weapons system officer in charge of our small detachment
2:59
of four people. I work in conjunction with Naval Service Warfare Center, Dahlgren. They're
3:05
essentially the engineers that develop the laser weapon system. Now the laser weapon system
3:10
has been deployed on the USS Ponce since August of 2014. Last year, around May, June
3:16
time frame, we did an operation called J-flame, where we shot down three UAVs to show the
3:22
the lethality of the system. Since then, the system has been working perfectly. Right now
3:27
it's a prototype weapon. So, you know, what you see is what you get right now, but, you know
3:32
the lessons learned from here will be applied to future weapon systems. The main mission
3:37
sets are generally UAVs and small fast attack craft. So small water boats, and it's mainly
3:45
as an anti-materials weapon. Well, for one, it's a laser, so it's pretty awesome in itself
3:52
There a low cost component there precision So with kinetic weapons with bullets and whatnot you always have that potential of collateral damage
4:03
With a laser weapon system, it's incredibly precise. And we're able to know how much power we put on target
4:11
and what the target is. And it's $1 per shot. So it's not something that is even remotely
4:20
in comparison to the amount of money that we we have to spend for missiles and ammunition
4:26
So it's a cheap weapon to use, but like science, it's being developed for, you know, this is the first stages of future technology for solid-state lasers
4:52
We are now on the flight deck of USS Ponce, with several Scan Eagles on display
5:03
so let's find out about these UAVs. My name is Lieutenant Tim Nank with the United States Navy
5:08
Behind me on my right is our Scan Eagle demonstration, which is UAV aspect to our surveillance missions
5:16
Well, we do various types of missions, basically surveillance. Some of it can be humanitarian, some of its recon, search and rescue
5:24
Directly behind me is the launcher. Once the scan eagle is powered up, you place the bird onto the launcher
5:31
It then acts as a catapult at about 50 miles per hour, which launches it into the sky
5:37
The UAV, the scan eagle, then begins its mission. It flies for about at most 20 hours, depending on the altitude, 40 to 50 miles, also based on the altitude
5:48
Recovery is also behind me. is basically with a line that hangs down from the top There a GPS system both on the bird and on the top of the crane They communicate with each other and the bird itself comes back to the crane
6:04
Because the wingspan is about four to feet long, it's hard to miss the line
6:08
and at the end of the wing, there's a clip that catches on to the rope
6:14
Once the rope catches it, stops the bird immediately, cuts the engine, and it just drops and hangs
6:19
about halfway up the line. and then we lower it and�-pound unit, the bird that is
6:27
so it's fairly lightweight, we just carry it off and put it back on its stand
6:30
We'll now get briefed about the small arms aboard USS Ponce. My name is 83 Romaine. Behind us we have the M2 HB, HB that denotes heavy barrel for the system
6:41
The rounds it uses is 50 caliber rounds. Total length of it is at 65 inches, total weight, 82 pounds
6:48
when it's fully put together. This is our primary weapon defense system aboard the ship for anti-craft and anti-personnel
6:57
Outside of that, we also have the M-240. M-240 is the predecessor to the M-60
7:03
It took over a while back, but the best thing about the M-240 is, is more mobile
7:08
We can move station to station cover fields of fire that are open and it's more or less mobile
7:15
Hi, I'm GM2NNOS下次. Behind me, we have the Mach 38, also known as the 25
7:21
5 millimeter. Max range for the Mark 38 is around 16,000 yards. It can be controlled remote
7:28
as well as manual. You can move it, the train, which is up and down, as well as from side
7:33
to side. In the event that we needed to use the Mont 38 manually, we would go to the Iron
7:39
Site to view our target
#Boats & Watercraft
#Engineering & Technology