(TargetLiberty.org) – Military innovation plays a key role in America’s ability to defend itself and its allies from harm. In fact, the discovery of new technologies empowers US military forces to stay one step ahead of our adversaries. That’s what makes a recent announcement about a new system in testing with the Marines so exciting.
The History of NMESIS
The “Navy-Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System (NMESIS)” is a blend of two existing technologies discovered in recent years: the well-known Naval Strike Missile (NSM) and a remotely operated tactical ground unit known as ROGUE or JLTV. Yet, the combination is different enough to consider the new technology truly unique.
Researchers started with a Raytheon Missiles & Defense-created NSM capable of seeking out and destroying enemy ships from distances of up to 100 nautical miles. The USS Gabrielle Giffords first tested that device in 2019 during exercises just off the coast of Guam. At the time, however, they were firing it from the deck of a ship, rather than from land.
The most recent innovation didn’t occur until shortly afterward. Military researchers loaded Raytheon’s NSM onto Oshkosh Defense’s “Remotely Operated” Ground Unit for Expeditionary (ROGUE) Fires vehicle. This instantly extended the NSM’s flexibility, granting troops access to a far more flexible and highly portable anti-ship defense system capable of firing from coastal regions.
Extensive Testing Planned
While the two technologies contained within the NMESIS system aren’t necessarily new, it must still undergo extensive testing to prove its worth. The US Marines are currently in charge of that process, and apparently, have been for some time. Back in April, a Raytheon spokesperson told Naval News the first such test occurred in November 2020.
The military engaged in another more recent test on August 18, during the Navy’s Large Scale Exercise 2021. That particular event saw troops fire at, and successfully strike, a decommissioned ship from the coast of Hawaii’s Kauai island. Marines also practiced loading the ROGUE and its deadly payload onto, and off of, Lockheed C-130 Hercules aircraft.
NMESIS will move to Camp Pendleton in October, giving Marines more time to work with the device and test the limits of its capabilities. Reports show it will remain there for at least two years. Thus, troops will have plenty of time to explore its potential.
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