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NewsTranscript
00:01Something dark is happening between Russia and Lithuania.
00:05Yet another aerial incursion by a Russian drone may not seem like major news at first,
00:10but this was no ordinary incursion.
00:12NATO responded with immense force this time, and it sent a message to Putin.
00:18Russia keeps on pushing, and threats are being made and the hybrid war is intensifying.
00:23Lithuania is paying attention to all of it.
00:26As Putin's Kremlin cronies plot and scheme, Lithuania is quietly preparing for a full-scale war against Russia.
00:34On September 15, news broke that a drone had not only entered Lithuanian airspace,
00:39but that it had also been shot down by NATO fighter pilots in a response that was clearly designed
00:45to let Putin know that drone incursions are being taken more seriously than ever before.
00:50Lithuania's President Gitanas Nausada took to X in the aftermath of the drone attack, declaring,
00:55A drone that just entered the Lithuanian airspace was destroyed by NATO fighter jets.
01:00I thank Allied personnel for their swift response.
01:03With Russia intensifying its aggression against Ukraine, such readiness is vital for our region.
01:08Together with our NATO allies, Lithuania will defend its airspace.
01:12We'll explain more in a moment.
01:13First, if real, human-made military reporting matters to you, subscribe and tell us what you think below.
01:19You can also become a member for exclusive content while directly supporting the work behind this chat.
01:25What has been confirmed so far is that an unidentified drone entered Lithuanian airspace at some point during the night,
01:32leading to alerts being sent to drones, warning residents to find a safe place and wait for the all-clear.
01:39Drone alerts also sounded in the Lithuanian capital of Vilnius, along with the surrounding region.
01:44As all of this was happening, NATO fighter jets were being scrambled.
01:48Though Lithuania hasn't confirmed which jets, the most likely candidates are the four Eurofighter Typhoons that are stationed in Lithuania,
01:55along with their Italian pilots.
01:57Those jets are currently on the Shulai rotation of the Baltic air policing mission,
02:02making them the jets that are assigned the task of defending Lithuania's airspace.
02:06And that's exactly what they did.
02:08At 1.19 local time on September 15th, the unidentified drone came crashing to the ground somewhere near the village
02:15of Prakkutnai in Kaunas County.
02:17The drone had flown far enough to reach the center of Lithuania before it was destroyed.
02:22The dark attack didn't do any serious damage and no casualties have been reported.
02:26And though it hasn't yet been established who sent the drone or what its origins may be,
02:31there is only one suspect.
02:33Russia.
02:33Again.
02:35Now, Zayda certainly believes that.
02:37Even without confirmation, he has readily implied that Russia is the likely culprit.
02:41And his ex-post mentioned the nation by name and linked the most recent attack to Russia's hybrid warfare efforts.
02:47Russia, of course, hasn't commented on the incident.
02:50It rarely does, unless it wants to unleash a scathing statement suggesting that it wasn't behind a drone incursion,
02:56regardless of what the evidence shows.
02:58That evidence is being inspected as we speak, as the debris from the drone is being gathered and is being
03:03examined
03:03to determine where it came from and whether it was launched at Lithuania purposefully or was sent off course.
03:09The outcome of that investigation seems almost inevitable at this point.
03:13After all, it's not as though Russia is a stranger to threatening Lithuania from the air.
03:18Balloons and drones are almost becoming a fixture in Lithuanian airspace.
03:21Back in November 2025, the Institute for the Study of War reported that Lithuanian authorities had identified
03:27more than 60 balloons that flew from Belarus into Lithuanian airspace.
03:32Those balloons forced Vilnius International Airport to suspend operations, affecting 22 flights and more than 3000 passengers.
03:40This balloon attack was part of a wider 2025 campaign that Resilience Media reports ultimately ended up with Russia having
03:47sent 600 balloons and 200 drones,
03:50all from Belarus, into Lithuanian airspace.
03:53Many of the devices were found to have been carrying contraband.
03:57However, collectively, these aerial devices were also responsible for the diversion of over 300 flights from Vilnius International Airport, indicating
04:05their true purpose.
04:06Russia wants to disrupt.
04:08It's using Belarus as the launching ground for aerial incursions that cause the disruption it covers.
04:14Adding to the likelihood that it was Russia behind this latest incursion is that the drone flying into Lithuania fits
04:19a pattern of Russian hybrid attacks that have been happening all over Europe.
04:23Over the past couple of months, we've seen an increasing pattern of drone incursions as well as NATO responses.
04:28Back in August, a Russian drone was shot down over Romania by a Spanish F-18 Hornet, which was quickly
04:35followed a few days later by a Romanian F-16 destroying a maritime drone with its cannons.
04:40Returning to the Baltic region, Estonia has been dealing with as many aerial incursions as Lithuania.
04:45In September, a drone crossed into the country's territory, causing an alert and a fighter jet scram.
04:51Extend the scope over the last couple of years, and NATO has scrambled fighter jets around 700 times, all due
04:57to Russian activity near or over the borders of member nations, MiG Flug reports.
05:02On the surface, that makes what we've just seen look like more of the same.
05:05Distressing, of course.
05:06Russian drones crossing into NATO airspace will always be a concern.
05:10However, given Russia's behaviour over the last couple of years, these types of incursions are almost starting to feel strangely
05:17normal.
05:17Only there's a more disturbing element to the Lithuanian incident that suggests Russia is cooking up something much darker than
05:24this seems on the surface.
05:25We take you to September 11th, just four days before the drone incident over Lithuania.
05:31The deputy chairman of Russia's Security Council, Dmitry Medvedev, chose that day to issue a warning.
05:36Again, standard Russian fare.
05:38Only this time, the warning was levelled at the very country that has just been targeted by one of Russia's
05:43drones.
05:44Speaking about the possible implementation of NATO's Article 5,
05:48perhaps in the event of Russia trying something dangerous in the Baltic region, Medvedev said,
05:52If it is implemented, it will be a global catastrophe, a planetary one.
05:57They are not fools, but Lithuania will disappear from the world map.
06:01Medvedev went on to claim that Lithuania is attempting to open the door for nuclear weapons to be placed on
06:06its territory,
06:07and that if Russia were forced to react to that, no one will step in for them.
06:12Lithuania has indeed made recent moves to lift a constitutional ban on nuclear weapons deployment.
06:18That news broke on September 10th, as Lithuania's Parliamentary Committee on Legal Affairs voted 7-2 in favour of removing
06:25restrictions against hosting foreign military bases that are home to weapons of mass destruction.
06:30But Russia hardly has a leg to stand on.
06:33It has hosted nukes in Belarus for several years, having first announced its intentions to do so in March 2023.
06:40But Putin wants a situation where what's good for the goose isn't good for the gander,
06:45and he's throwing a tantrum via one of his mouthpieces now after Lithuania made a move to defend itself.
06:49First, that tantrum amounted to a threat.
06:52But now, another drone has entered Lithuanian airspace, forcing NATO jets to scramble.
06:57As we said, something dark is brewing.
07:00Tensions have existed between Russia and Lithuania for years,
07:03and they intensified following Putin's invasion of Ukraine as Lithuania threw its support behind Ukraine.
07:08Both nations know exactly what it's like to exist under Russian occupation,
07:12having previously been part of the Soviet Union that Putin seems so desperate to restore.
07:17Russia is making moves that suggest it's looking for a fight with Lithuania.
07:22The message he's getting back is simple.
07:24Lithuania isn't scared.
07:26That's precisely what Lithuania's defence minister Robert Kaunas said as the Russian threats grew louder.
07:32Speaking to CBS Evening News, Kaunas declared,
07:35We don't fear you.
07:36We are in our home and we will protect our home.
07:39And protect is just what Lithuania intends to do.
07:42As Russia continues to push NATO's buttons and test the limits of its hybrid warfare,
07:46Lithuania has been preparing for a war that seems more likely now than it ever has before.
07:52Russia may threaten.
07:53Lithuania will be ready.
07:55In a moment we'll dig deeper into those preparations, but first you're watching the military show.
08:00If you haven't subscribed to the channel yet,
08:02now's the perfect time to hit that button and ring the notification bell.
08:07Lithuania clearly sees something coming, even though Kaunas has claimed as recently as August,
08:12that Russia has yet to make a specific decision to attack any of the Baltic states.
08:17What hasn't been decided right now can always be decided in the future,
08:20and Lithuania wants to be prepared for any eventuality.
08:24One of the ways that it's preparing is by digging.
08:26In an August 13 report, which landed just six days after Kaunas claimed that Russia is unlikely to attack soon,
08:33Militani revealed that Lithuania has developed a new plan.
08:36It's set to start digging trenches and restoring the wetlands that run along the borders that it shares with Russia
08:41and Belarus.
08:42Both are measures designed to slow down a Russian ground assault by forcing troops to navigate massive ditches that can
08:47stop tanks in their tracks,
08:49and bogging them down in marshy land that is a nightmare to traverse.
08:53The Deputy Minister of National Defence, Tomas Mikkelkevicius, helped to announce the move, stating,
08:59Military counter-mobility is an important part of Lithuania's defence preparedness.
09:03We seek to make the best use of the peculiarities of the Lithuanian territory and engineering measures
09:08so that, if necessary, we can complicate the enemy's movement and create more favourable conditions for our troops to operate.
09:15Plans for the new defence includes the creation of a 20-metre-wide strip of obstacles, including the previously mentioned
09:22ditches,
09:22that will span the borders with Belarus and the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad.
09:27In some strategically important areas, the width of this strip will expand to 150 metres.
09:32The goal right now is to have all of these measures in place by the end of 2028.
09:37The restoration of the wetlands will take a little longer.
09:392030 is the reported target.
09:42Lithuania also plans to build new storage facilities for barrier equipment, which it will place in 50 different locations.
09:48The logic here is simple.
09:50If Russia is slowed on the ground, that gives Lithuania more time to organise other defences,
09:55as well as give NATO a bigger window for a collective response.
09:58What we are seeing in these latest moves is also part of a wider border defence policy
10:03that has seen Lithuania build other barriers in preparation for a potential Russian advance.
10:08Lithuania has been developing counter-mobility parks since 2023, and they are covered in the latest proposals.
10:14Those parks were meant to be up and running by April 2025, but have been delayed.
10:19Not due to slow work, rather Lithuania has expanded the number at once from 27 to the 50 we mentioned,
10:25and has dedicated an extra $57.7 million to the task.
10:29And long before all of this, Lithuania completed the construction of a barbed wire-strewn border fence along its border
10:35with Belarus.
10:36Finished in August 2022, that fence was installed in sections and now spans 502km of the 679km border the two
10:45nations share.
10:46Another 100km of that border run along rivers and lakes, providing a natural water barrier.
10:51All of this is also part of a much wider project named the Baltic Defence Line, a collaborative effort between
10:57the Baltic states of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia.
11:00This line will include a massive network of trenches, observation posts, bunkers, surveillance systems and anti-tank obstacles.
11:08All to make it as hard as possible for Russian or Belarusian forces to cross the border.
11:12The Baltic defence line is still a work in progress, but Lithuania's latest move shows that it's committed to wider
11:18Baltic defence, as well as protecting itself from Russia.
11:22So Lithuania is becoming increasingly ready to slow Russia down on the ground.
11:26But it's doing much more than that.
11:28The Lithuanian military is also being readied for a fight.
11:31And a clear example came on September 14th, when it launched a large military exercise covering 12 municipalities.
11:38That exercise began on September 14th and runs through September 18th, with the majority being focused on the southern half
11:45of Lithuania.
11:47Troops will use drones, weapons, boats and both military and civilian transports during the exercise.
11:52And it's not the only exercise happening in Lithuania.
11:55As this exercise kicks off, another, named Strong Griffin, 2026, is happening along the border that Lithuania shares with Belarus.
12:03This is the larger of the two exercises, running from September 2nd to September 20th.
12:08And it involves 2,500 soldiers and 500 pieces of equipment.
12:14Lithuania isn't the only nation involved in this second exercise.
12:17France, Portugal, the US, Poland, Moldova, the Netherlands and even Ukraine are also taking part, with the main focus being
12:24the use of drones.
12:25Perhaps we're seeing Lithuania and its NATO allies trying to actively learn from Ukraine's drone expertise.
12:31Another example of Ukraine's drone diplomacy comes into play.
12:35Along with preparing its soldiers for war, Lithuania is also trying to ready its civilians.
12:40In a September 8th report, CBS News said that its reporters have visited high schools in Vilnius,
12:46where lessons on military-style preparedness are being added to the curriculum, alongside maths and science.
12:52Training is also being offered to civilian adults, including weapons training that could aid those adults in defending themselves if
12:59they're forced to face off with Russian soldiers.
13:01Of course, nobody is expecting Lithuania's civilians to operate anywhere near as effectively as the country's armed forces.
13:07But a little training can go a long way if your country is plunged into an emergency.
13:12Returning to the Lithuanian military, more is being done to make that military as effective as it can possibly be.
13:18Increased spending is one example.
13:20Lithuania isn't a large nation.
13:22As CBS News points out, it has a population of about 3 million people, making it roughly the size of
13:27the Greater Minneapolis.
13:29That means we're also not going to see Lithuania spending hundreds of billions of dollars on its military.
13:34Still, the country is spending more heavily as a proportion of its gross domestic product, or GDP, than almost all
13:40of its NATO allies.
13:41On August 31st, the country's ruling political parties voted to maintain defence spending at more than 5% of GDP
13:48in 2027.
13:50The country's 2026 budget was 5.38% of GDP in 2026.
13:55Right now, it's unclear if that will be the exact figure for 2027.
13:59As Prime Minister Mindaugas Sienkiewicz explains,
14:02Our defence and our defence funding will allow us to remain in the 5% club.
14:06What the exact number will be and what will follow the decimal point cannot be answered at this time, Sienkiewicz
14:11declared.
14:12Still, anything 5% or over puts Lithuania in relatively rarefied air, showcasing how serious it is about tackling the
14:19growing Russian threat.
14:20This spending amounts to about $2.3 billion per year.
14:24Granted, that's not a huge amount of money, especially when Russia has spent over 50 times that much in the
14:30first half of 2026 alone.
14:31But for a country the size of Lithuania, it has a huge commitment to improving its defence as the nation
14:36also works alongside its NATO allies.
14:39And speaking of those allies, they're not standing around idly and leaving Lithuania to handle things on its own.
14:44We saw that with the drone incident, as it was likely Italian fighter jets that scrambled to take out the
14:49drone.
14:50Air policing has always been a key NATO priority in the Baltic region, and now soldiers are heading into Lithuania
14:56too.
14:57In a September 14 report, the Kyiv Post reported that Germany is going to add postings for the permanent brigade
15:02that it already has stationed in Lithuania,
15:04which could lead to up to 1,000 more German soldiers entering the Baltic nation.
15:09Germany's plan is to station 4,800 soldiers across NATO's eastern flank by the end of 2027.
15:15Right now, Berlin is about 60% of the way to hitting that goal.
15:19The extra 1,000 soldiers will bring it a little closer, as well as enhancing the NATO presence in Lithuania.
15:24As macabre as it may be to say, more German soldiers in Lithuania also means
15:29a high chance of Russia causing casualties against a nation other than Lithuania if it chooses to invade.
15:35If German soldiers start getting hurt, the call for Article 5 to be activated would be even louder than it
15:40was if it was just Lithuanians.
15:43This is collective defense in action.
15:45And it's the last thing that Russia wants to see.
15:48None of this is to say that Lithuania would be able to defeat Russia if the two went to war.
15:52That isn't the point.
15:53For Lithuania, these moves are about strengthening its defenses, readying its people,
15:58and ensuring that NATO has everything it needs to ensure a rapid response to any Russian aggression.
16:04Militarily, Lithuania's job will be to hold the line as a much larger NATO force is prepared to press back
16:09against Russian invaders.
16:10Lithuania knows that role, and it's preparing for war with Russia in the best ways that it can.
16:16More can always be done, of course.
16:17There are lessons to be learned from Ukraine, as well as things that Lithuania can do to strengthen its defense.
16:22Beyond accepting that it will likely be among the first nations called into action in the case of a war
16:27with Russia,
16:28the country should preserve strong engagement with the U.S., while also seeking to strengthen itself via a more Europe
16:34-focused defense, says the Jamestown Foundation.
16:37Stronger cooperation with Baltic, Nordic, and Polish partners will help NATO's eastern flank present a more united front right off
16:44the bat.
16:44The focus on integrating new technologies, such as drones and sensors, should also be increased, the same outlet says.
16:51Lithuania seems to understand that. Drones are the centerpiece of the exercise we told you about earlier.
16:56And perhaps the most important thing that Lithuania can do is incorporate Ukraine's battlefield experience as much as possible,
17:03as Ukraine has created the blueprint for how a smaller nation can fight back against Russian aggression.
17:09That's already happening too. The two countries signed a drone defense deal in May,
17:14and have also collectively said that they are working to rid themselves of administrative obstacles that could slow that deal
17:20down.
17:21And don't forget that Ukraine is part of Strong Griffin 2026, which only deepens its cooperation with Lithuania.
17:27The point of all of this is that Lithuania is taking Russia more seriously than ever.
17:32A drone incursion that forced fighter jets to scramble is already big news for the country,
17:36even if such drone incursions are becoming depressingly commonplace.
17:40What's really important is the response.
17:43The Kremlin has dark plans for Lithuania that could include an invasion.
17:47Lithuania needs to make sure that it's ready for anything, and it's doing just that.
17:52As Russia's forces failed to make progress on the ground, and Putin leans more heavily into a missile-based strategy
17:58that seems to be its only real way of doing damage to Ukraine, Canada has been quietly cooking.
18:04A recipe for disaster to be delivered directly to Russia was being prepared, and now the meal is being served.
18:11Canada just did something insane for Ukraine.
18:14Several things, actually, as Canada combined the symbolic with the practical to send a clear message to Russia.
18:20Pacts have been signed, Ukraine's air force has been levelled up, and Canada, often seen as a military minnow,
18:27is evolving into one of the biggest threats that Russia faces.
18:30We'll start with the pact.
18:32On September 10, the news broke that Ukraine and Canada had signed a 100-year pact,
18:37covering everything from trade and investment to critical minerals and energy,
18:41but all underpinned by shared defensive goals and Ukraine's ultimate weapon, drones.
18:46CBC News says that the pact lays all of the foundations for a new partnership that could produce millions of
18:53drones for both countries,
18:54setting up Canada to be prepared for the way war is waged in the 21st century,
18:59while ensuring that Ukraine has more of the weapons that have proven most effective against Russia as the war creeps
19:04closer to moving into 2027.
19:06But before we continue, if real human-made military reporting matters to you, subscribe and tell us what you think
19:14down below.
19:14You can also become a member for exclusive content while directly supporting the work behind this channel.
19:20Though more details will come in time, the century-long pact has been kicked off with several contracts
19:26focusing on drone development and defence investment already being signed.
19:30Canadians understand in our bones the importance of your struggle.
19:34There is no qualification to our commitment, because your cause, freedom, democracy, sovereignty, is our cause.
19:41Canada's Prime Minister, Mark Carney, declared as he announced the new pact.
19:46Carney also declared that a key part of this pact is that Canada will build up its industrial capacity to
19:51the point
19:52where it can build millions of drones within the next couple of years.
19:55That would be a major upgrade, underpinned by Ukraine's help.
19:59Right now, Canada has 2,000 drones in its military inventory, but it's investing heavily,
20:05having already committed $50 million to increase its drone numbers.
20:08And with Ukraine as a partner, Canada will only get stronger.
20:12In fact, a partnership between Canada's General Dynamics Mission Systems Canada
20:17and Ukraine's Greentech Harvest was announced on the same day as the pact.
20:21Surely the first of many.
20:23There are echoes of a similar pact that the UK signed with Ukraine here.
20:27In January 2025, the UK formed its own 100-year partnership with Ukraine,
20:33with defence being the first and most important of nine pillars that include economic cooperation,
20:38science, tech, innovation, and even countering foreign intelligence and disinformation.
20:43What we're seeing with both of these deals is Ukraine integrating more deeply into the Western world,
20:49while also sending a clear message to Putin.
20:51The UK and Canada are both major powers that have officially declared that they expect to see Ukraine alive and
20:57kicking a century from now.
20:59In other words, these pact say that Russia is going to lose.
21:03And that symbolic message is almost as powerful as the very tangible results that these deals are designed to produce.
21:10Now, returning to the new deal between Canada and Ukraine,
21:13it isn't the beginning of support provided to Ukraine by Canada.
21:16It's an extension of an already impressive line-up of military aid and support services that Canada has been using
21:23to give Ukraine a much-needed boost.
21:25On the investment front, Canada has committed $4.5 million in military assistance to Ukraine since Putin launched his invasion
21:33in February 2022.
21:34That number is about to rise significantly, but we'll be getting to that in a few minutes.
21:40Donations have run the gamut from air defence and artillery to field equipment and even individual meal packs,
21:47highlighting Canada as a key partner to Ukraine long before the 100-year pact was signed.
21:52That partnership is exemplified by Operation Unifier.
21:56Established way back in 2015 at the request of Ukraine, with that request coming in the wake of Putin's illegal
22:02annexation of Crimea,
22:04Operation Unifier was expanded significantly in 2022 and has now been extended to run as a programme through 2029.
22:11That's big for Ukraine, as this operation gives it access to untold amounts of expertise via direct connection to the
22:18Canadian military.
22:19Under this operation, Canada provides military training to Ukraine and works with a country on capacity building and improving the
22:26professionalism of its armed forces.
22:28The operation has been successful.
22:31Since it was launched, Canada has trained more than 49,000 members of Ukraine's military,
22:36along with opening doors for 16,000 of those armed forces' members to complete training in various European locations since
22:43Putin launched his invasion.
22:44Such training covers basic and advanced military skills, along with combat engineering and medical and leadership training.
22:52The point we're making here is that Canada was already a strong partner to Ukraine.
22:57With the 100-year pact, that partnership has levelled up, establishing Canada as a key threat to Russia.
23:02And nowhere is that threat clearer than in a series of announcements that Canada made in the build-up to
23:08the pact reveal.
23:09You see, the 100-year pact is great for Ukraine's future, and it carries immense symbolic importance.
23:15But Ukraine needs tangible help right now.
23:18Canada recognises that fact, and it's delivered.
23:21How?
23:22With a bumper aid package and the promise to contribute to a programme that looks set to make Ukraine's air
23:27force unstoppable.
23:28Canada has already put its money where its deal is by pledging more than $1 billion to support Ukraine's air
23:35defences.
23:35The package is perfectly timed.
23:37With winter approaching, Russia has been intensifying its aerial assaults and is now targeting Ukraine's energy infrastructure once again.
23:45Putin's plan is clear.
23:46He wants to terrorise Ukrainians by shutting off their access to heat and power using Russia's ballistic missiles.
23:52Canada's new package offers immediate aid to help with that problem, along with a promise to contribute to a key
23:58air defence platform that's currently under development in Ukraine and Europe.
24:02The $1 billion in military aid is part of a wider series of agreements valued at more than $2 billion,
24:09Ukraineform reports.
24:11A chunk of this cash, amounting to about $40 million, is being provided to support a new veterans fund that
24:17Ukraine has developed.
24:18However, the bulk is going to something that helps the war effort right now.
24:22Ukraine's President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, explained this when speaking to journalists in Canada following a meeting with Kani.
24:29Overall, the agreements reached today are substantial, more than $2 billion.
24:34The government package is worth than $1 million for our defence.
24:37This primarily includes air defences, Patriot missiles, ammunitions for F-16s and the co-production of drones between our countries,
24:45Zelenskyy announced.
24:46The delivery of Patriot missiles is the big news in this announcement.
24:50Zelenskyy did a reveal how many Patriot missiles Ukraine will be receiving from Canada, or when.
24:56But Ukraine needs those missiles.
24:58By mid-August, several outlets, including The Guardian and CNN, were reporting that Ukraine had practically run out of Patriot
25:05missiles.
25:05The former highlighted why that was such a problem, as it dubbed Patriot missiles as a godsend for Ukraine, due
25:12to their ability to track and destroy Russian ballistic missiles when they're in flight.
25:16With stockpiles diminishing to almost nothing, Ukraine's rate of ballistic missile interception has also plummeted.
25:22But once Ukraine was taking out about 70% of Russia's ballistics before they ever touched the ground, now the
25:28interception rate of ballistic missiles is closer to zero.
25:32Interceptions were already on the wane before supplies ran out.
25:35July saw Ukraine intercept just 29 out of 195 ballistic missiles it faced, the University of Portsmouth reports.
25:43And Russia is betting heavily on ballistic missiles being its route to victory in Ukraine.
25:48It's currently working on tests for a new type of ballistic missile with an 800km range.
25:53And the commander of Ukraine's Unmanned Systems Forces, Robert Brovdy, says that Russia is working toward being able to launch
25:59200 ballistic missiles in a single strike.
26:02To say this is a problem would be an understatement.
26:05Canada's announcement that it will be delivering Patriot missiles to Ukraine has come at the perfect time.
26:11It also comes at around the same time as news broke that Ukraine has signed contracts for 1,000 Patriot
26:17missiles per the country's defense minister, Yevheni Kamara.
26:20Those missiles won't arrive in Ukraine immediately.
26:23Production and delivery will take time, making it key that Ukraine receives Patriot interceptors from its allies' stockpiles ahead of
26:30the winter.
26:31Canada has recognized this conundrum and made a commitment.
26:35Again, we don't know how many missiles or when those missiles will arrive in Ukraine,
26:39but if they can contribute to the roughly 300, breaking down to 100 per month,
26:44that international relations insights and analysis says that Ukraine needs to survive the winter aerial assault,
26:50they'll make a massive difference.
26:52But speaking of making a massive difference,
26:54something else was announced during the meeting between Zelensky and Carney
26:57that will have a frightening impact on Russia's ability to wage its aerial war.
27:01The Patriots are a handy stopgap.
27:04But the other thing that Canada is doing will help set Ukraine up for a future
27:07where it can handle its own defense against ballistic missiles.
27:11But before we tell you what that is, this is a reminder that you're watching The Military Show.
27:16If you haven't subscribed yet, now's the perfect time to hit the button and enable notifications
27:20so you never miss any of our videos.
27:24We have one word for you. Freya.
27:27No, not the Norse goddess of love and fertility.
27:30Freya is the name of a new ballistic missile air defense system that Ukraine is developing
27:35alongside several of its European partners,
27:37and it's being designed to shoot Russia's ballistic missiles out of the sky.
27:41Now, Canada is bringing some North American flavor to that project.
27:45Zelensky announced that Canada is going to start providing technological assistance
27:49related to the development of Freya, along with everything else that was announced on a bumper September 10
27:54that's going to go down in history as the day that Canada turned the screw on Russia.
27:59Mark assured me that Canada is ready to join our European Freya anti-ballistic program with its technologies.
28:06This is a necessary and timely step," Zelensky declared following his meeting with Carney.
28:11This announcement also came in the immediate wake of Zelensky holding a joint meeting
28:15with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Garstora, which saw both hold discussions with the heads of defense companies
28:21involved in the Freya project.
28:23That meeting helped to establish a framework for what governmental leaders need to do at their levels
28:28to bring Freya to life.
28:29As with so many of Canada's announcements, the details are still to be revealed.
28:34But the important point is that Canada is going to be contributing to a Europe-wide program
28:38that is already well underway.
28:40Freya isn't some far-off concept.
28:42It's actually far closer to completion than you might think.
28:45What we know so far is that the deadline for developing Freya was tight and ambitious from the very start.
28:51The system is intended to be a ground-based missile interceptor, similar to the Patriot,
28:56and it's being worked on by several major European defense companies.
29:00Saab and Leonardo are among them, as is Ukraine's fire point,
29:04which has been key in helping Ukraine develop its long-range drone capabilities
29:07and now seems to have taken the lead on developing the ballistic missile technology that Ukraine needs to make Freya
29:14viable.
29:15The Freya system will be capable of firing an interceptor missile named the FP7.X,
29:21which is being designed as a low-cost alternative to the Patriot.
29:24A single Patriot missile carries a price tag of up to $4 million,
29:28with an entire Patriot battery costing around $1 billion.
29:31According to Firepoint co-founder Denis Stielemann, the goal with Freya is to drive the cost of a missile interceptor
29:38down to $1 million,
29:40creating a cost-effective system that's just as effective as the Patriot against Russia's ballistic missiles.
29:46Freya was progressing nicely even before Canada came on board.
29:50Back in June, Firepoint carried out a test of the FP7.X, which Firepoint declared as extremely important.
29:56Footage of the test was published, showing the Ukrainian missile hurtling into the air, suggesting a successful test.
30:03As Zarina Tarek, who is the chief technical officer at Firepoint, put it,
30:07However unrealistic and ambitious this goal may sound today,
30:10we're making every possible and impossible effort to ensure that it becomes a reality as quickly as possible,
30:16and that Ukraine can protect its own skies independently.
30:18According to Zelensky, the path is now clear for Ukraine to reach key technical milestones in the Freya project,
30:25through the rest of 2026 and into 2027.
30:29Ukraine's president seems confident.
30:31He believes that Freya will be up and running at some point in 2027,
30:35as all of the aspects of the system are moving into place.
30:38Detection radars are being provided by Saab, Tales and Hensholt, as Sweden, Germany and France come together.
30:45Illumination radars from Leonardo and Wiebel bring Denmark and Italy into the picture.
30:49And the command module for the system comes courtesy of Norway's Kongsberg.
30:53This is a true European collaborative effort, with Ukraine developing the mobile launcher and interceptor missile itself,
31:00the latter of which has a projected speed of up to Mach 5.8.
31:04It's into this developing ecosystem that Canada moves.
31:07Though it's unclear what technologies Canada can contribute beyond what's already being put in place for Freya,
31:13this marks another of Ukraine's partners getting directly involved in the development of a key ballistic missile interception system.
31:19For Canada, this could also represent an opportunity to avoid reliance on US-made air defense systems like the Patriot,
31:26which is timely and important.
31:28Tensions are brewing between the US and Canada.
31:31The two are locked in a trade war, sparked by US President Donald Trump claiming that the US has been
31:36ripped off for 50 years by Canada,
31:38as he considers pulling out of the three-way North American trade pact that includes Canada and Mexico.
31:44Trump negotiated that pact during his first term, but now seems to consider it a problem.
31:48Trump has also regularly insulted both Canada and Carney, leading journalists to talk about Carney's combative tone during a press
31:55conference at the end of August.
31:56At that press conference, a journalist made reference to the sombre tone in the room, asking,
32:01Why does it feel like today Mark Carney is going to war?
32:05Carney took a moment, then responded,
32:07We were attacked. You're at war when you get attacked. We got attacked.
32:11That came in the wake of Trump signing an executive order to rename Lake Ontario as Lake America,
32:17amidst tariffs being threatened on both sides following the breakdown of a new trade deal.
32:21So, there's an element of you scratch our backs and we'll scratch yours to Canada's involvement in Freya.
32:27Canada wants to decouple its defences from the US as these tensions brew, and this is the one way to
32:33do it.
32:33For Ukraine, any technological help from a partner, especially one investing so heavily in air defence procurement as Canada,
32:40can help bring Freya to life faster.
32:42Russia won't care about the politics that are behind Canada's latest moves.
32:46What the Kremlin will worry about is that what Canada has just done is establish itself as an even greater
32:51threat to Russia than it was before.
32:54That's because what we're seeing in all of these moves is that Canada is establishing itself as a stronger military
32:59power.
33:00And that means it's becoming more of a threat to Russia's ambitions, not just in Ukraine, but in a key
33:05territory that's emerging as the 21st century's key battleground.
33:09The Arctic.
33:10Canada's pact with Ukraine, aid package and involvement in Freya come on the back of a military build-up that's
33:16accelerated in 2026.
33:18Canada has finally started spending enough on its defence to reach the 2% of gross domestic product spending that
33:24NATO offers as a guideline to all of its members.
33:27Canada has also started restructuring its armed forces, with September 10 also bringing with it the news that Canada has
33:34created its 1st Division solely dedicated to defending Canadian territory.
33:38The 1st Canadian Division will be Canada's principal manoeuvre force for large-scale combat operations, whether overseas or in Canada.
33:46And the 2nd Canadian Division will serve as the Army's primary force for domestic operations.
33:51The BBC also reports that Canada reached its highest number of military recruits in three decades in May.
33:57That boosted recruitment has been accompanied by a slightly slower rate of attrition in terms of people leaving the Canadian
34:03Armed Forces.
34:04None of this is good news for Russia and its Arctic ambitions.
34:07The Kremlin doesn't want to see Canada getting stronger.
34:102026 has seen Canada deploy ships, aircraft, vehicles and soldiers in operations across the Arctic and Northern Territories, which its
34:18government says are designed to detect, deter and, if required, defend against threats.
34:24We're getting ready for Russia.
34:26Highlights of these enhanced efforts include an Arctic patrol involving 1,300 service members in April, showcasing that Canada is
34:34now actively monitoring its northern regions.
34:36That exercise involved members of the Canadian Rangers using snowmobiles to travel a 5,200-kilometre route across the Arctic
34:43that's not been attempted in 80 years, the BBC reports.
34:47The mission was a success.
34:49Canada is getting better at dealing with Arctic conditions.
34:53Russia has had plenty to say about all of this.
34:55On September 4, CBC reported that Russia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Sergei Lavrov said,
35:01Such military activity in the far north poses a direct threat to Russia's security.
35:06It also increases the risk of incidents that could trigger an armed confrontation with potentially disastrous consequences.
35:13There's a good rule of thumb to keep in mind when we hear things like this come out of Putin's
35:17mouthpieces.
35:18If threats are being made, then Russia is worried about something that a potential enemy is doing.
35:23That's what we see with Canada now.
35:25Russia doesn't like what it sees coming out of the Great White North.
35:29A resurgent Canada is building its military strength and actively working alongside Ukraine.
35:34In Ukraine, this is going to manifest in better air defences and whatever else comes as a result of the
35:39100-year pact.
35:41But in the Arctic, Canada's resurgence presents a deeper problem for Putin.
35:45He wants the Arctic to be controlled by Russia.
35:48Canada is standing up and saying no.
35:50A threat is emerging against the Kremlin.
35:53And as Canada's Arctic presence grows, it's doing insane things for Ukraine that will counter Russia's ballistic missile strategy once
36:00and for all.
36:01Ukraine will be delighted to see yet another of its allies stepping up to the plate against Russia here.
36:06Not that Canada is the only one.
36:08Sweden, which we already know is directly involved in the Freya project, has also provided Ukraine with something important.
36:16Modern warfare is evolving so fast, it's become difficult to keep up.
36:21But the more things change, the more some things stay the same.
36:24Take anti-submarine warfare, or ASW for example.
36:29Today, the process of hunting enemy submarines bears little resemblance to ASW of a century ago.
36:35It's now conducted with an integrated high-tech suite of sensors, platforms and weapon delivery mechanisms.
36:40But the primary ASW effector, the weapon that actually destroys the submarine, remains the same as ever.
36:48The trusty torpedo.
36:50There's no more effective method of sinking a sub than striking it directly with high-explosive warheads.
36:55And the lethality and precision of torpedoes improve constantly, as technology does.
37:00The problem today is getting your helicopters, jets, ships and other torpedo delivery platforms close enough to launch them securely.
37:08Modern, layered anti-air and anti-ship defenses are also improving constantly, making close-range deployment an increasingly risky affair.
37:16But now, the US Navy has come up with an ingenious new way of deploying torpedoes with precision from extended
37:23ranges,
37:23by turning them into weapons that fly before they hit the water.
37:27The new system is called the Silent Anvil Air Launch Torpedo, or SALT for short.
37:33So, let's dive into what this new system is all about, and how it fits into the Navy's plans to
37:39continue being the dominant naval force on the planet for the foreseeable future.
37:43But first, if you enjoy our content, consider subscribing, and let us know your thoughts in the comments down below.
37:50We always read them.
37:52And, if you really enjoy our content, consider becoming a member.
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38:00Now, to be clear, Silent Anvil doesn't exist yet. It's still at the conceptual stage.
38:05In late August 2026, the US Department of the Navy released a Request for Information, or RFI, seeking companies that
38:14can help develop a new air-launch torpedo for use from manned, unmanned aircraft.
38:18The main purpose of the new system is to address current limitations in the Navy's inventory, cost-effectively by developing
38:26a new type of anti-submarine weapon capable of engaging enemy submarines at greater distances.
38:31It's one of several new or developing ASW initiatives the Navy has announced in recent years.
38:38Since 2024, the Navy has been conducting technical reviews on its new long-range anti-submarine warfare, or LROAR, weapon
38:47system.
38:47In May 2026, its Research, Development, Test and Evaluation, or RDT&E, documentation for the fiscal year 2027, revealed that
38:58the program will now actually commence in that year.
39:00So, the Navy is clearly taking the development of the next generation of its ASW capabilities very seriously.
39:07But while the two projects have the same core objective, killing submarines from extended ranges, they're distinct developments with several
39:15key differences.
39:16Currently, the U.S. uses two main torpedoes for ASW.
39:21The MK-48 heavyweight torpedo, specifically the ADCAP and MOD-7 Sea Bass variants, serves as the primary heavy weapon
39:30for U.S. and Allied submarines.
39:32It's a beast of the seas, 19 feet long with a 21-inch diameter, a 650-pound high-explosive warhead,
39:40and an estimated maximum speed of 55 to 65 knots.
39:44It can be launched from any of the U.S. Navy's 65-plus strong fleet of nuclear-powered submarines, and
39:50has a range of up to 31 miles.
39:52It was originally designed to be compatible with surface ships, and the Navy successfully tested the MK-48 from deck
39:59-mounted tubes on destroyers and escorts, including USS Talbot and USS Bridget.
40:05But launchers for the MK-48 have never been installed on any other platform besides submarines. At least, not yet.
40:12At the end of August 2026, just a few days after the RFI for Silent Anvil was released, details of
40:19another innovative new program to deploy MK-48 were derived from the aforementioned Navy RDT&E document.
40:27Liberator
40:28It's a stationary containerized launcher that's placed onto the ocean floor.
40:33Liberator is built to fire the MK-48 ADCAP heavyweight torpedo as a leave-behind autonomous weapon against surface ships
40:40and submarines.
40:41The container is sized to fit inside the Boeing ORCA extra-large unmanned undersea vehicle's 32.8-foot multipurpose payload
40:50module, which identifies the ORCA as the intended delivery vehicle.
40:55Due for testing in 2027, Liberator would mark the first known non-submarine-based platform for the MK-48.
41:02But the Liberator's payload isn't just limited to the MK-48.
41:07One-way attack undersea vehicles have also been flagged as potential payloads, as has the other main torpedo currently in
41:14use by the US military, the MK-54 lightweight torpedo.
41:18Thanks to ongoing upgrades over the years, the MK-48 remains as fearsome a weapon as ever.
41:25The next upgrade, Mod-8, is scheduled to enter serial production in 2027, testifying to its enduring usefulness.
41:33But it's very expensive and takes a long time to produce.
41:37Unit costs have risen to the $4.2 to $5.4 million range in recent fiscal years, with annual production
41:44rates hovering at around 50 to 80 units for procurement.
41:48That production capacity may be insufficient to meet the needs of the US and several allied operators of the MK
41:55-54, including Australia.
41:57So the US started developing lighter, cheaper, quicker to produce alternatives.
42:02And the MK-54 has become the Navy's primary lightweight torpedo for aircraft and surface ship launch ASW.
42:09With a 12.75-inch diameter, it's significantly smaller than the MK-48.
42:15It's also somewhat lighter, at around £608, and more than four times cheaper to produce, at between $839,000 and
42:24$1 million per unit.
42:25But the big difference compared to the MK-48 is that the MK-54 can be deployed from a much
42:31wider range of platforms, including helicopters, aircraft and surface ships.
42:36Its smaller size and weight make it suitable for launch from a wider range of platforms.
42:41But that does come with one significant drawback.
42:44With a range of approximately 3.5 to 5.65 miles, the delivery platform has to be in proximity to
42:51its target by military standards.
42:52As noted earlier, the intelligence-gathering and anti-air and anti-ship defenses of the US's main adversaries are improving
43:00all the time, particularly China.
43:02That means the need for delivery platforms to be in proximity to launch MK-54s is becoming an increasingly high
43:09risk to those expensive platforms.
43:11That's why the need for more powerful and stealthy standoff torpedoes has become one of the Navy's priorities.
43:18And that's where the Silent Anvil and LROAR enter the picture.
43:21Both systems are envisaged as upgrades to or expanded options for the MK-54, but from different angles.
43:29The main objective for the LROAR program is to extend the range of the current Vertical Launch Anti-Subbarine, or
43:35VLA, missile systems on the US's surface warships.
43:39The currently fielded VLA missile systems are also known as the RUM-139 Vertical Launch Anti-Subbarine Rocket, or VLA
43:47-AS-ROC.
43:48The VLA-AS-ROC weapon system comprises a solid propellant booster coupled to a lightweight torpedo, i.e. the MK
43:55-54.
43:57It can be deployed from any Aegis-equipped cruisers and destroyers, housing the MK-41 VLS.
44:03The LROAR will work in more or less the same way.
44:06A rocket booster flies to a pre-designated drop point and then deploys the torpedo via parachute.
44:11The torpedo hurtles downwards at high speed, then enters the water and homes in on its target acoustically.
44:18LROAR's main benefit is to increase the range of the launch torpedoes, possibly even doubling it.
44:24So, it's not a torpedo but a torpedo-launching system, which will almost certainly be used with the MK-54
44:31or its successors.
44:32By contrast, Silent Anvil is a proposed air-launch ASW standoff weapon designed to deliver a lightweight torpedo
44:40or potentially integrate the torpedo and glide system into a single package.
44:45The idea here is for a small, lightweight, inexpensive, mass-producible torpedo that can operate at standoff distances
44:52and be deployed from a variety of aerial platforms like fighters, helicopters and large drones.
44:58In other words, it's a tiny weapon that can be fired towards enemy submarines from planes or drones launched from
45:04aircraft carriers or other ships.
45:06Now, enjoying the video? Make sure to subscribe to the channel for much more of the same.
45:11Here on The Military Show, we provide daily coverage and analysis of the most important military stories.
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45:21Measuring just 70 inches and weighing about 268 pounds, Silent Anvil is significantly smaller and lighter than the MK-54.
45:30That's what in part enables it to be launched from a greater variety of platforms.
45:34But it also has three other significant advantages over the US's other anti-submarine weapons.
45:40The first advantage that Silent Anvil provides is its deployment versatility.
45:45As per the Navy's RFI for the project, the SALT is intended to operate with current US military aircraft and
45:52future unmanned systems.
45:54The document specifically states that the weapon should be mounted on an external pylon or carried internally,
46:00thus eliminating the need for a new type of aircraft to carry it.
46:03More specifically, the Navy has specified that the Silent Anvil should be mountable on the Brew 61A bomb rack.
46:10By specifying that the Silent Anvil should be compatible with this specific bomb rack and its 70 by 7.5
46:17inch envelope,
46:18the Navy is guaranteeing that the weapon can be widely deployed.
46:20The Brew 61A is a four-placed pneumatic ejector rack designed to carry 250-pound class glide munitions,
46:29such as the GBU-39B SDB-1, GBU-53B Stormbreaker and GBU-53A SDB-2 on a single hardpoint.
46:40It's the primary carrier for smaller diameter bombs, or SDBs, on the F-15E Strike Eagle, which can carry up
46:47to seven of them at once.
46:48The F-22 Raptor and F-35 Lightning II also both have two Brew 61A racks in their weapons bays,
46:56and the AC-130J Ghost Rider and A-10 Thunderbolt II carry two and four racks on their wing pylons,
47:03respectively.
47:04The system has also been tested with the MQ-9 Reaper drone,
47:08although it's not clear whether any such units have actually been deployed.
47:12Back in the 2010s, the F-16 Fighting Falcon, F-18EF Super Hornet, B-1B Lancer, B-2 Spirit, B
47:21-52 Stratofortress,
47:23and Unidentified Unmanned Combat Air Systems were also listed as objective aircraft platforms for the rack.
47:30Although again, it's unclear whether the Brew 61A has actually been integrated into any of these platforms meaningfully.
47:37Even so, while some have questioned whether the F-35's internal base will be able to hold the Silent Anvil,
47:43compatibility with the Brew 61A rack gives the Navy a healthy set of deployment options for different scenarios.
47:50And that is, after all, one of the main strategic points of the system,
47:55a weapon that can be carried by virtually any USAF, USN strike aircraft or large UAV without new pylon development.
48:02The second major benefit of Silent Anvil is the killer feature.
48:07It glides before hitting the water.
48:09The idea is that the new weapon will be deployable from the air, far from its target.
48:14Once released, it will silently glide to the target area before submerging and striking like a regular torpedo.
48:20This would enable the Navy to strike enemy submarines from greater distances without putting its pilots or drones in harm's
48:27way.
48:27As noted earlier, the MK-54 has to be deployed close to the target before the torpedo can lock onto
48:34and seek its target.
48:35Not so with Silent Anvil.
48:38In effect, it starts as a glide bomb and converts into a torpedo when it hits the water.
48:43In that sense, it's more comparable to a guided glide weapon concept than to a conventional torpedo.
48:48The basic idea resembles weapons that use aerodynamic guidance to cover part of their journey through the air before reaching
48:55the target area.
48:56But the fact that so much of its journey to the target takes place while gliding means Silent Anvil offers
49:02another crucial benefit,
49:04especially in today's radar and electronic warfare-saturated battle theatres.
49:08Stealth.
49:09The RFI is deliberately vague on the specific acoustic signature metrics of the torpedo,
49:15but it's abundantly clear from the stated requirement that stealth is a top priority.
49:19And the stealth benefits are provided precisely by Silent Anvil's glide mechanism.
49:25That's apparent from the wording of the RFI itself.
49:28Salt shall maximize aerial flight endurance while minimizing aquatic immersion time,
49:33restricting water residents strictly to the minimum duration required for successful mission execution,
49:39it states, for very good reason.
49:41While it's gliding, the weapon is unpowered.
49:44There's no propulsion, no cavitation, and no acoustic signature.
49:48That means the target submarine's passive sonar hears nothing until the torpedo hits the water.
49:53And the later a submarine detects an incoming threat,
49:56the harder it is to repel or take evasive action.
49:59Adding to the stealth of Silent Anvil is the angle at which it enters the water.
50:04The louder and more audible the splash,
50:06the easier it is for the target sub to detect the exact location of the incoming torpedo
50:10and begin taking precise countermeasures.
50:13A steep, fast water entry may help reduce some aspects of the acoustic signature associated with water entry,
50:20although the actual acoustic effects depend on the final weapon design and entry conditions.
50:25And the Silent Anvil's entry angle of 45 to 90 degrees at a speed of 40 to 120 feet per
50:32second
50:32is exactly the kind of steep, speedy entry that'll minimize the acoustic splat
50:37that would otherwise reveal the weapon's position at the moment of entry.
50:41That should offer a huge improvement in detection time compared to both the MK-48 and MK-54.
50:47Once it enters the water, the Silent Anvil will have a significantly smaller acoustic footprint
50:53than either due to its smaller size and propeller.
50:55It's roughly half the mass and a third of the diameter of an MK-54 after all.
51:00But the real stealth benefits come from that extended glide time.
51:04Because the Silent Glide phase covers the bulk of the total range,
51:08the target submarine may only have seconds to minutes of warning before the torpedo is on top of it.
51:13By contrast, the MK-48 ADCAP is audible pretty much right from launch,
51:18given that it's launched from submerged submarines.
51:20That means it's detectable minutes or even ten to minutes before arrival over its full range,
51:26even when traveling at its top speed.
51:28The MK-54 is largely silent while being parachuted into position from launch.
51:33It also aims for a fast, steep water entry to minimize the entry splat.
51:37However, it has a larger acoustic signature in the water due to its greater size and louder propulsion.
51:44Altogether, given that it travels a significant part of its journey to its target in the air,
51:48largely silently, the enemy submarine probably has a few minutes to react before the torpedo arrives.
51:54So, although it has a smaller payload than either the MK-54 or MK-48,
51:59the Silent Anvil may have a greater chance of a successful strike.
52:03Decreasing the reaction time from many minutes to mere seconds
52:06makes a huge difference in a submarine's ability to counter incoming torpedoes.
52:10And that reaction time might be reduced even further,
52:13depending on the final specs that the chosen developer ultimately delivers.
52:18The RFI presents potential contractors with two options for delivery of the final system.
52:22The first is what it calls an end-to-end solution.
52:26As it sounds, this would involve developing an entirely new system that integrates a glide system,
52:31a guidance system and an underwater propulsion system into a single package.
52:36This option is the more technically challenging of the two and likely much more costly,
52:40but it would deliver a single all-encompassing product in one fell swoop.
52:44The second option is much simpler and more cost-effective, at least on paper.
52:48It requires the manufacturer to produce a glide kit that would carry a government-furnished torpedo
52:53to the target area before the torpedo does the rest of the work.
52:58In other words, it would be something very much like the JDAM kit attached to existing GBU bombs.
53:04There's just one small problem.
53:06Currently, neither the US nor any of its allies produce a torpedo
53:09that fits the dimensions required for Silent Anvil.
53:13The listed constraints are a mass of around 267 pounds for the torpedo plus guide kit combined,
53:19a maximum of around 70 inches and a diameter of 7.5 inches.
53:24But every production lightweight torpedo in Western and Allied service is in the 12.75 inch diameter,
53:3075 inch, 550 to 660 pound class.
53:35That includes the MK-54, Legacy MK-46, NATO Standard MU-90 Impact,
53:41the British Stingray Mod 1, Japanese Type 81 and even the Standard NATO MU-90 Impact torpedo.
53:49These weapons are substantially wider, longer and heavier than the Silent Anvil system's
53:54stated overall constraints.
53:56The glide kit, the wings, radio and guidance may consume 20 to 44 pounds of the total mass.
54:02But even after subtracting it, the torpedo alone would need to be under roughly 220 pounds
54:08and under 7.5 inches in diameter.
54:10And nothing in any current Western production line comes close.
54:14That means the most realistic path is the end-to-end option,
54:17a completely new 5.9 to 6.7 inch torpedo designed from the ground up
54:23to fit inside the BREW's 61A sized envelope.
54:26It remains to be seen what different manufacturers come up with to meet the demand
54:30and which design ultimately gets the nod from the Navy.
54:34Fortunately, we're not going to have to wait too long to find out.
54:37The Navy hopes to have a working SALT prototype within 18 months of any signed agreement,
54:42to produce around 180 prototype units three years after that.
54:46To streamline and expedite the process,
54:49it's said intends to use a group called the Naval Air System Consortium
54:53to award agreements outside the slow federal contracting process.
54:57The RFI is also open to foreign companies,
55:00provided that they comply with U.S. arms export regulations
55:03under the International Traffic in Arms Regulations or ITAR.
55:07Companies interested in the program have until September 29, 2026
55:11to respond to the Navy's request.
55:14As for the cost, at this stage your guess is as good as ours,
55:17but it's likely to be significantly cheaper than any of the U.S.'s existing torpedo options.
55:22We'll of course be following developments closely and keeping you updated,
55:27so make sure you're subscribed to the channel to keep your finger on the pulse.
55:31In the meantime, check out this video about how Ukraine sank a $400 million Russian submarine,
55:37not with a torpedo, but with an underwater drone.
55:39Thanks for watching.
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