The competition to produce weapons that are highly effective, easy to modify, and low-priced has been the main factor influencing naval warfare at sea. Such a phenomenon can be perfectly illustrated by the project of the U.S. Air Force – the QUICKSINK plan – which provides a very easy, but very efficient way to destroy other ships. The United States cannot keep its command of the naval area of the Indo-Pacific simply by throwing more ships into the water. Improved and more intelligent ammunition, rather than just an increase in the number of ships, might become the answer.
Initiated by the Air Force Research Laboratory as a Joint Capability Technology Demonstration, QUICKSINK was intended to convert conventional unguided bombs into precision ship-killer munitions.
The idea is simple but ingenious: add a Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) guidance kit to excess 2,000-pound or 500-pound bombs, and then add an advanced seeker system. Developed on a Weapon Open Systems Architecture (WOSA), this seeker integrates millimeter-wave radar with imaging infrared sensors. The radar will be able to spot ships regardless of weather, and the infrared system will lock onto warm objects, assisting the weapon in distinguishing between legitimate military targets and civilian vessels.
Tactically, QUICKSINK is a significant force multiplier. It enables the U.S. to quickly disable large numbers of enemy vessels—possibly including carriers—without depleting its naval resources. Stealth jets like the B-2, and eventually the B-21 Raider, can drop these from standoff distances, presenting reduced risk to aircrews and making enemy defenses harder. The modularity in seeker design also makes it easy to adapt the system for future weapons and planes, keeping it relevant as threats and technology evolve.
What most attracts me about QUICKSINK is its price. Pricier anti-ship missiles like the AGM-158C Long Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM) cost around $3 million per copy, and even the aging Harpoon is $1.4 million.
In comparison, a JDAM kit is $20,000 to $30,000, and the QUICKSINK seeker now costs around $200,000—and might fall to $50,000 with mass production. That would put an entire weapon in the range of $70,000 to $250,000. At that cost, the U.S. can have deep reserves and support long, high-density operations in a manner that’s simply not possible with higher-priced missile systems.
It enables the U.S. to quickly disable large numbers of enemy vessels—possibly including carriers—without depleting its naval resources.
Stealth jets like the B-2, and eventually the B-21 Raider, can drop these from standoff distances, presenting reduced risk to aircrews and making enemy defenses harder. The modularity in seeker design also makes it easy to adapt the system for future weapons and planes, keeping it relevant as threats and technology evolve.
As the Navy and Air Force develop and expand the program further, QUICKSINK is proving itself an exemplar of the way innovative engineering and frugal design can tip the balance of power at sea—without shattering the defense budget.
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