U.S. Marine Corps Unmanned Launch Vehicle for Next Anti-Ship Weapon NMESIS First Showcase

On April 28th (Eastern Standard Time), the anti-ship weapon "NMESIS", which will be the main equipment of the US Marine Corps, was unveiled for the first time. This is the world's first epoch-making surface-to-ship missile system that mounts anti-ship missiles on unmanned vehicles.

Normally, a surface-to-ship missile is a weapon of a size that can be carried by being mounted on a truck vehicle with 6 or more wheels, but NMESIS makes the 4-wheel vehicle unmanned, omits the driver's seat, and uses the empty volume to carry missiles. By allocating it for use, we succeeded in significantly reducing the size of the vehicle equipped with a surface-to-ship missile. NMESIS will carry two NSM anti-ship missiles on one JLTV unmanned vehicle.

US Marine Corps Next Anti-Ship Weapon Unmanned launch vehicle for NMESIS unveiled for the first time

　Since the small NMESIS is more air transportable, the transport efficiency of the C-130 tactical transport aircraft will be greatly increased.

The C-130 transport can carry two 4-wheelers or one 6-wheeler in the cargo hold.
The four-wheeler can carry two anti-ship missiles.
The 6-wheeler can carry 4 anti-ship missiles (2 x 2 stacks).
Due to the height limit of the cargo compartment of the C-130 transport aircraft, it is not possible to carry two anti-ship missiles.
2 four-wheelers per C-130 transport aircraft, four, one six-wheeler, two.

When comparing the size that can be mounted on a C-130 transport aircraft, the number of anti-ship missiles that can be mounted on a six-wheeled vehicle is reduced by half due to the height limit of the cargo compartment, so 4 Two wheeled vehicles are twice as advantageous. (*The 6-wheel vehicle is compared with the same size as the HIMARS high mobility rocket artillery system.)

　In addition to this, if it is a four-wheeled vehicle, it is possible to carry it under suspension with a CH-53 heavy transport helicopter, making it possible to deploy it by various means of air transport.

　This NMESIS is the new equipment that corresponds to the US Marine Corps' new policy of island warfare against China. We will deploy to the islands, attack, and quickly repeat the withdrawal. Combined with anti-ground rockets and short-range ballistic missiles, it attacks enemies that have landed on islands and eliminates surrounding enemy ships with anti-ship missiles.

NMESIS-related terms

Summary of Marine Corps Force Design 2030

* There are two types of surface-to-ship missiles planned for new equipment. Both are mainly for anti-ship attacks, but can also be used for anti-ground attacks.

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