US Navy Destroyer Shows Off New Launcher For Mystery Weapons The U.S. Navy has quietly equipped one of its Arleigh Burke-class destroyers with a previously unseen launcher, reflecting a broader effort to counter the growing threat posed by drones in contested maritime environments, according to TWZ . USS Carl M. Launcher mounted on Levin (DDG 120) (U.S. Navy, VIRIN: 260329-M-FP389-1205) A U.S. Mar...
US Navy Destroyer Shows Off New Launcher For Mystery Weapons The U.S. Navy has quietly equipped one of its Arleigh Burke-class destroyers with a previously unseen launcher, reflecting a broader effort to counter the growing threat posed by drones in contested maritime environments, according to TWZ . USS Carl M. Launcher mounted on Levin (DDG 120) (U.S. Navy, VIRIN: 260329-M-FP389-1205) A U.S. Marine Corps photograph released April 8, taken March 29 at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, shows the USS Carl M. Levin fitted with the system on its aft upper deck. The multi-cell launcher, positioned between the port-side torpedo tubes and the aft Mk 41 Vertical Launch System, was not visible in imagery of the ship as recently as December 2025 , TWZ reported. A Japanese-language defense blog first noted the addition on social media, prompting speculation that it may be designed for counter-unmanned aerial systems missions. USS Carl M. Levin (DDG 120) got a new Hellfire/JAGM launcher improving C-UAS capability. はてなブログに投稿しました 米海軍DDGへのC-UAS用Hellfire/JAGM発射機搭載 - OSINFO https://t.co/R8hyf4B6L6 #はてなブログ — おるか (@hone_hone_bone_) April 8, 2026 Similar launcher configurations appeared last year aboard the USS Bainbridge and USS Winston S. Churchill for Raytheon’s Coyote counter-drone interceptors, which have been used to engage low-cost aerial threats in the Red Sea and other regions, according to TWZ . It remains unclear whether the system installed on the Levin is intended to deploy interceptors, loitering munitions, decoys or a combination of capabilities. Navy officials did not respond to requests for comment from TWZ. The upgrade comes as President Donald Trump ordered the U.S. Navy to impose a naval blockade on Iranian ports beginning April 13. The operation, launched after the collapse of weekend talks in Islamabad, is aimed at interdicting maritime traffic to and from Iran, including along the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman, in an effort to increase economic pressure on Tehran. The block...
Industrial metals jumped to a record high on the London Metal Exchange, driven gains in aluminum after the Middle East war disrupted supplies, as well as a recent revival in copper. An LME Index , which tracks six major metals, has rallied by almost 12% over the past four weeks and was at an all-time peak on the close on Thursday. Aluminum has risen about 15% since the start of the Iran war, with ...
Industrial metals jumped to a record high on the London Metal Exchange, driven gains in aluminum after the Middle East war disrupted supplies, as well as a recent revival in copper. An LME Index , which tracks six major metals, has rallied by almost 12% over the past four weeks and was at an all-time peak on the close on Thursday. Aluminum has risen about 15% since the start of the Iran war, with around 9% of global output coming from the Middle East. Aluminum has the biggest weighting on the LME gauge and, together with copper, the two metals make up almost three-quarters of the index. JPMorgan Chase & Co. has warned the aluminum industry was heading toward a “black hole” as a serious, prolonged supply deficit is hitting the market after supply losses escalated dramatically in the wake of Iranian strikes directly targeting two key smelters in Abu Dhabi and Bahrain at the end of last month. A double blockade of the Strait of Hormuz — by the US and Iran - is also keeping shipments stranded. But while the waterway remains closed, hopes that a ceasefire between the US and Iran will be extended and signs the two sides may be moving closer to a peace deal have aided other metals. They were hit by soaring energy costs and fears of slowing global growth due to the war, but have recovered in recent weeks on signs the conflict might be winding down. President Donald Trump claimed on Thursday, without evidence, that Iran had agreed to terms it has long resisted, including giving up ambitions for a nuclear weapon. Tehran hasn’t confirmed it’s made concessions. Mercuria Energy Group and BMO Capital Markets forecast this week that copper would surpass a record high hit in January. They cited Chinese buyers coming back to the market and a looming decision on tariffs from the White House that’s encouraging more shipments to the US. Copper has rallied 11% in the last four weeks, and is around 3% off its all-time closing price peak. The LMEX Metals Index was up 3.6% this week throug...