BATTLESPACE UPDATE Vol.20 ISSUE 26
25 June 2018
NEWS
NEWS IN BRIEF – EUROPE
NATO: Secretary-General’s Visit
Poland: Security Ties Strengthened
Defence Fire and Rescue Project: Contract
Autonomous Warrior 2018: Land Experiment
HMS ARGYLL: Asia-Pacific Deployment
Minehunters: Gulf Deployment
Challenger 2 MBT: Holdings
Warrior AFV: Trials programme
Arctic: Climate Change and Security
Science & Technology Committee: Galileo
Germany’s fighter jet race
Dawning reality of Brexit
Solidarity Among NATO
Nato UK spending statement
Brexit home truths for UK
US, German relationship confirmed
RIAT 2018 Update
Czech modernization program
UK’s status as military power?
EU eyes investments in defence
UK call for spending increase
US Bill Blocking Turkish F-35 Sales
Turkish fighter jet deal stalled
Should US send Poland troops?
NEWS IN BRIEF – USA
Senate’s defense policy bill
Chinese Actions Threaten Technology
First KC-46 tanker delivery
U.S. Senate passes defence bill
Strict export regulations pitfalls
NEWS IN BRIEF – REST OF THE WORLD
U.S. Remains Engaged in Indo-Pacific
Canada discussing fighter changes
U.S. identifies N. Korea test site
Afghan Opportunity for Peace?
Philippine military upgrade
Operation Roundup Hits ISIS
US cancels RoK exercise
Korea seek artillery withdrawal
BUSINESS NEWS
WB Group to Crack U.S. Market
Chemring takes countermeasures
Chemring’s profit rises 5.2%
MAG Aerospace acquires NASS
Europe’s defense stocks update
CybAero files for bankruptcy
EU ruling on Thales’ Gemalto buy
Ministers halt Chinese takeover
GE booted from the Dow
Elbit buy of IMI approved
Melrose fires starting gun
Chinese buy of Ukrainian firm
MILITARY VEHICLE NEWS
Wiesel 1 AWC upgrades
First Leopard 2PL to Poland
LAND 400 Phase 3 commences
Input for Land 400 Phase 3
European Ground Combat System
BAE wins Marine Corps contract
USMC awarded BAE Systems contract
Production line for BTR-4E hulls
Russian fire direction vehicles
Lithuania receives first Boxer IFVs
Slovak Armed Forces receive new IFVs
Ukraine highlights MT-LB Shturm-SM-2
France showcases Fardier SOV
Kembara Suci develops 4×4 SOV
Weight of Military Ground Vehicles
AM-CME joins BAE Systems’ CV90 team
Horiba Mira unveils Centaur 6×6 UGV
LOGISTICS AND THROUGH LIFE UPDATE
USN fleet maintenance back on track
MoD awards Capita fire contract
New GDELS develops bridging system
NEW TECHNOLOGIES
U.S. Maintains Technological Advantage?
UK launches Autonomous Warrior experiment
CTC to upgrade USAF’s lighting equipment
Graphene’s higher thermal conductivity
Raider cleared for flight test program
UK Prepares for combat
Race for quantum computing supremacy
Reliance commits to composites
Defence embraces blockchain technology
UAV Endurance with Solar Soaring Tech
Mercury embedded server system memory
DARPA search for AI common sense
SATELLITE SYSTEMS, SATCOM AND SPACE SYSTEMS UPDATE
Viasat awarded ID/IQ contract
Raytheon’s GPS integrated into WAAS
Guidance to Troops About Space Force
IHS Markit Vessel Tracking Solution
- Australia space economy segment
Aevum’s New Rocket-Drone Airplane Duo
Electronics for Stratos III Rocket
Ariane 5’s Next Galileo Launch
Directive to clean up space junk
Europe sets sights on Australia
Creation of US space force
U.S. force to dominate space
ViaLite’s L-Band HTS
Kratos Roaming Contract
Launch Trilogy for Rocket Lab
Australia’s space industry
ESA GomSpace Development Contract
Intelsat Raising Fresh Funds
Launch Unit Standards for Smallsats
Integrasys’ Carrier Monitoring System
RADAR, EO/IR, NIGHT VISION AND SURVEILLANCE UPDATE
UK undecided on F-35 DAS upgrade
BNVG II For Battlefield Survivability
UAE Updates Saab’s GlobalEye system
DIUx contract for USMC counterdrone tech
FAI addition of fifth Global Express
10 millionth US patent to Raytheon
Nikon P-TACTICAL SUPERDOT Available!
Elta 3D radar excluded from NATO
Technology to increase UAV mission
Link Microtek S-band assembly
CETC gunfire detection device
MISSILE, BALLISTICS AND SOLDIER SYSTEMS UPDATE
ADF to trial F90-SMASH rifle
Turkish airstrikes continue
Israel takes on new torpedo
MBDA Licorne VSHORAD C2 system
ArcGIS Online at Autonomous Warrior
US Army test-fires Belgian-made gun
Lockheed Will Transfer Titanium Tech
JAGM enters LRIP
Arquus readies Hornet RCWS
Live-fire M58 MICLIC range
Edwards AFB Norway’s JSM testing
Way Industries develops OMT turret
Turkey Develops Heavy Armed UAS
Model of the SLWT Torpedo at UDT
TRB presents its first pistol
Streit Group unveil Triton-G810
UNMANNED SYSTEMS UPDATE
Guardian RPA flights in Japan
Travis seeks VTOL UAV
Quieter UAVs that fly farther?
French Army Patroller in 2019
Black Hornet modular micro machine
Elistair tethered UAV portfolio
Another One Bites the Dust
China’s Eating Up US UAV Market
C2, TACTICAL COMMUNICATIONS, AI, CYBER, EW, CLOUD COMPUTING AND HOMELAND SECURITY UPDATE
AI can let humans down
US Army will plan cyber and EW ops
Northrop CEESIM gathering
DoD’s largest VoIP deployment
US Army’s cyber training platform
DoD IG UAV cybersecurity audit
R&S SMB100B RF signal generator
Counter-Terror Startup Competition
NATO cyber team adds Romania
JEDI’s disruption beyond cloud
Indra portable EW manpack
OTA under increased scrutiny
AN/PRC-162(V)1 MUOS SATCOM test
Quads for Squads grounded
DISA contract competition
Aquabotix Joins Consortium
INTERNATIONAL PROCUREMENT OPPORTUNITIES
UNITED KINGDOM AND NATO
EUROPE
Belgium delays fighter programme
France, Germany agreements
Super Tucano to Europe
USA
Pentagon Pushes Counterintel
Travis seeks VTOL UAV
Carrier-Based Tanker UAV Program
DISA contract competition
REST OF THE WORLD
Australian Army contracts
Taiwan overhauls IP rules
Philippines modernisation
LAND 400 Phase 3 commences
Saab and Damen for Brazil CCT
CONTRACT NEWS IN BRIEF
UNITED KINGDOM
SEA
Prodrive RN contract
EUROPE
LAND
Elbit EW contract
Hensoldt IFF contract
L-3 Italy NVG contract
SEA
ATLAS/Thales German contract
Kongsberg Norway contract
Leonardo Italian contract
Lockheed Romania contract
USA
LAND
BAE Systems USMC contract
DRS Abrams M1A2 contract
GDLS Stryker contract
GDLS Stryker contract
Harris radio contract
L3/Optics 1 contracts
L3 ENVG-B contract
Oshkosh FMTV contract
Raytheon Excalibur contract
Raytheon ETSC contract
Viasat MIDS-LVT contract
AIR
DynCorp contract
LiquidPiston DARPA contract
Lockheed F-35 contract
Marvin Engineering contract
TECHNOLOGY
DISA SETI contract
REST OF THE WORLD
LAND
GD rocket contract
GDELS Brazilian contract
SEA
Rheinmetall MASS contract
AIR
Boeing Kuwait contract
Boeing Kuwait contract
Canada Aus F/A-18 contract
Bangladesh signs for K-8W
L-3 Gulfstream G550 contract
Textron Argentina contract
MANAGEMENT ON THE MOVE
LOCATIONS
LAND
Chinese LCAC facility spotted
Northrop facility in Illinois
New UK treatment centre
Seychelles withdraws offer
MARITIME
HSwMS Gotland Relaunched
Prince of Wales SCC control
Swedish SIGINT ship update
USN commissions Thomas Hudner
PLANT CLOSURES, JOB LOSSES AND STRIKES
NGA’s officer steps down
MILITARY AND GOVERNMENT
PERSONNEL
U.S. APPOINTMENTS
Trump Nominates Kimberly Reed
MG Keith L. Thurgood appointed
USAF LG M.D. Kelly appointed
USAF LG K.S. Wilsbach appointed
USAF MG C.P. Weggeman appointed
USAF MG T.A. Bussiere appointed
USMC LG Gary L. Thomas nominated
MG Charles A. Flynn appointed
MG Mark W. Gillette appointed
MG Lewis G. Irwin appointed
MG Michael E. Kurilla appointed
MG A.C. Roper Jr. appointed
MG Robert P. White appointed
BG Windsor S. Buzza appointed
BG Jeffrey C. Coggin appointed
BG Mark E. Black appointed
BG N.L. Griffin Olive appointed
BG Gregory J. Mosser appointed
BG Dion B. Moten appointed
BG Alberto C. Rosende appointed
Col. Shan K. Bagby appointed
Col. Wendy L. Harter appointed
Col. Michael L. Place appointed
REST OF THE WORLD APPOINTMENTS
Aleksei Krivoruchko appointed
INDUSTRY
INDUSTRY TEAMINGS
Bell collaboration with Safran
PARLIAMENTARY QUESTIONS
Armed Forces Mental Health
Indispensable Allies
House of Commons and House of Lords Hansard Written Answers
Ministry of Defence: Brexit
Galileo System
Joint Strike Fighter
Joint Strike Fighter
Trident Submarines
Armed Forces: Recruitment
Royal Fleet Auxiliary
Royal Fleet Auxiliary
Tornado Aircraft: Accidents
Israel: Military Aid
Military Aid
FEATURES
The Debate To Spend More
By Howard Wheeldon, FRAeS, Wheeldon Strategic Advisory Ltd.
Last Chance ‘Brexit’ Warning From Airbus to British Government
By Howard Wheeldon, FRAeS, Wheeldon Strategic Advisory Ltd.
Trump’s Border Policy: Separation Anxiety
By Richard Miles, Linnea Sandin, and Sarah Baumunk
As Mexico Moves to Political Left, American Relationship Put to Test
By Richard Miles
GE Kicked Out of the Dow Jones Industrial Average Index
By Howard Wheeldon, FRAeS, Wheeldon Strategic Advisory Ltd.
How Does Space Policy Directive 3 Affect Space Traffic Management?
By Todd Harrison and Kaitlyn Johnson
Of Galileo and Potential UK Options
By Howard Wheeldon, FRAeS, Wheeldon Strategic Advisory Ltd.
Of Damaging ‘Fake’ and ‘Raked’ Up News
By Howard Wheeldon, FRAeS, Wheeldon Strategic Advisory Ltd.
TAILPIECE
“A religious icon has been returned to worshippers in Russia – 76 years after they gave it to a British sailor to protect his ship on the fearful Arctic convoys.” (RN website, 21 Jun 18.) (Source: DNA DEFENCE NEWS ANALYSIS, Issue 18/23, 25 Jun 18)
CONTACT DETAILS
Julian Nettlefold
BATTLESPACE Publications
8 Sinclair Gardens
London W14 0AT
Tel/Fax: +44 (0)207 6105520
Mobile: +44 077689 54766
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NEWS IN BRIEF – EUROPE
Sponsored by Harris Corporation
http://www.harrisforcemodernization.com
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21 Jun 18. NATO: Secretary-General’s Visit. The Prime Minister welcomed (21 Jun 18) the NATO Secretary-General to London, ahead of the NATO Summit to be held in Brussels from 11 to 12 Jul 18. A range of issues was discussed, including NATO modernisation and ‘burden sharing’ between the transatlantic allies. In a joint press conference, the Prime Minister said that “the UK will continue to lead by example in NATO, meeting the 2% target on Defence spending and contributing across the board to Alliance missions and operations”. During his two-day visit, the Secretary-General also held talks with the Foreign and Defence Secretaries.
Comment: Media comment during the past week has speculated on the UK’s ability to sustain comprehensive military capabilities, given pressures on public spending. It is reported that the Prime Minister has asked the
Defence Secretary to justify the UK’s role as a leading military power, in advance of the Modernising Defence Programme (MDP) review which is expected to be produced in the Summer.
Publishing the preliminary findings of its Inquiry into the MDP, the Defence Committee concluded (18 Jun 18) that in order to finance Defence on a sustainable basis, expenditure should move “closer to 3% of GDP”. The report entitled ‘Beyond 2 per cent: A preliminary report on the Modernising Defence Programme’ was published as HC 818 and can be accessed via the Parliament website (www.parliament.uk).
(Source: DNA DEFENCE NEWS ANALYSIS, Issue 18/23, 25 Jun 18)
21 Jun 18. Poland: Security Ties Strengthened. The Foreign and Defence Secretaries visited Warsaw (21 Jun 18) “to strengthen Security, Defence and Cyber ties with Poland”. The joint UK-Poland measures include: strengthening collective defence against cyber-attacks; establishing a strategic communications project to support independent media in Eastern European
countries; improving resilience to chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear-related risks and further work to
prepare for the signature of the UK-Poland Defence Action Plan.
Comment: The above measures follow the Ministerial Agreement of 13 Jun 18 providing a framework for Defence co-operation with Poland in areas such as training, information sharing and capability development.
The Agreement was the second such treaty, after France, to be signed with a European Union nation. (Source: DNA DEFENCE NEWS ANALYSIS, Issue 18/23, 25 Jun 18)
21 Jun 18. Defence Fire and Rescue Project: Contract. In response to an Urgent Question in the House of Commons the Junior Defence Minister made a statement (21 Jun 18) on the MoD’s intention to award the Defence Fire and Rescue Project (DFRP) contract to Capita Business Services Ltd. The 12-year contract, worth around £400m, is set to deliver “improvements in the safety of military and civilian firefighter personnel, and improvements in the equipment and training available to them”.
Describing Capita as a “strategic supplier to Government” the Minister said that contractual arrangements have been “subject to the fullest range of testing and scrutiny”.
Comment: The DFRP team was originally established in 2013 but plans to privatise the military fire and rescue
services have been controversial, particularly since the collapse of Carillion who provided support services to
the Defence Estate. There are also concerns regarding Capita’s record
on MoD outsourcing contracts, such as the delivery of recruitment to the British Army (see DNA Issue 18/05
dated 5 Feb 18). The Unite Union has described the proposed contract award as “wrong-headed and alarming”. (Source: DNA DEFENCE NEWS ANALYSIS, Issue 18/23, 25 Jun 18)
20 Jun 18. Autonomous Warrior 2018: Land Experiment. Delivering the opening address at RUSI’s Land Warfare Conference (20 Jun 18), the Armed Forces’ Minister announced that EX AUTONOMOUS WARRIOR will feature “innovative ideas in Robotics and Autonomous Systems [RAS]”. The four-week exercise will run from 12 Nov 18 with a battlegroup from 1 Armoured Infantry Brigade providing the exercising troops and taking responsibility for command and control. The battlegroup will operate alongside RM and RAF Regiment personnel, as well as elements from the US Army, and will be joined by observers from other allied countries.
Comment: EX AUTONOMOUS WARRIOR is to test and evaluate the effectiveness of RAS on the battlefield with over 70 new systems from 45 commercial partners. One key focus will be on the automation of ‘last mile’
supply covering the delivery of food, fuel and ammunition to the combat zone. In addition, surveillance capabilities are to be developed which will improve the effectiveness of long-range and precision targeting. (Source: DNA DEFENCE NEWS ANALYSIS, Issue 18/23, 25 Jun 18)
18 Jun 18. HMS ARGYLL: Asia-Pacific Deployment. The RN reported (18 Jun 18) that HMS ARGYLL has left Devonport Naval Base for a nine-month deployment to the Far East “as part of a national push to strengthen military and diplomatic ties in the region”. Before arriving in the Asia-Pacific region later this Summer, the Type 23 frigate will spend time patrolling the Red Sea and Gulf as part of international efforts to protect civilian shipping from piracy and terrorism. As well as undertaking military exercises with the Japanese Defence Force, HMS ARGYLL will contribute to EX BERSAMA LIMA, a Five Powers Defence Arrangements exercise with Australia, Malaysia, New Zealand and Singapore.
Comment: HMS ARGYLL will be the first RN warship to deploy with the Sea Ceptor missile system developed by MBDA. Sister ship HMS SUTHERLAND and the amphibious assault ship HMS ALBION are currently deployed to the Asia-Pacific region. (Source: DNA DEFENCE NEWS ANALYSIS, Issue 18/23, 25 Jun 18)
18 Jun 18. Minehunters: Gulf Deployment. The RN reported that the Sandown Class Mine Counter Measures Vessel HMS SHOREHAM left her home port at HM Naval Base Clyde (Faslane) on 18 Jun 18 to deploy to the Gulf, where she will relieve sister-ship HMS BANGOR. Portsmouth based Hunt Class minehunter HMS BROCKLESBY also deployed to the Gulf on 19 Jun 18 to take over from HMS MIDDLETON. Both ships are due to work with the US Navy Fifth Fleet as part of the multinational Combined Maritime Forces.
Comment: It had previously been assumed that HMS SHOREHAM and HMS BROCKLESBY would be relieving HMS BLYTH and HMS LEDBURY which were drawing near to the end of their deployments. (Source: DNA DEFENCE NEWS ANALYSIS, Issue 18/23, 25 Jun 18)
14 Jun 18. Challenger 2 Main Battle Tanks: Holdings. The Defence Procurement Minister said (14 Jun 18) that the MoD has purchased 386 Challenger 2 tanks and 22 driver training tanks based on the Challenger 2 chassis. 80 tanks have been disposed of “through commercial means”.
Comment: The Challenger 2 Life Extension Programme is in the competitive assessment phase, with the main investment decision planned for mid-2019. BAE Systems and Rheinmetall are bidding for the opportunity to
update those tanks remaining in service with the Armoured Infantry Brigades and training establishments. (Source: DNA DEFENCE NEWS ANALYSIS, Issue 18/23, 25 Jun 18)
11 Jun 18. Warrior Armoured Fighting Vehicles: Trials programme. The Defence Procurement Minister said (11 Jun 18) that the Warrior Capability Sustainment Programme (WCSP) was at the Demonstration Phase, with 11 vehicles being manufactured. The Minister said that the MoD
would “report back” when the current trials programme is complete.
Comment: The Warrior fleet, including all variants, numbers 769. The assumption is that “a number” of vehicles will be upgraded under the WCSP: that number to be decided in due course. Expected improvements include: an environmental control system; a new turret; 40mm CT40 cannon (replacing 30mm Rarden); visual display unit and improved transmission. (Source: DNA DEFENCE NEWS ANALYSIS, Issue 18/23, 25 Jun 18)
07 Jun 18. Arctic: Climate Change and Security. Addressing questions concerning climate change and security issues in the Arctic, the Armed Forces Minister said (7 Jun 18) that as the ice recedes in the High North, the region will open-up to increased maritime activity, including “fishing, commercial shipping and tourism”. Competition for natural resources and increased traffic “could present greater opportunity for sources of international tension…The UK and our allies remain vigilant to
changes in the region and their potential impact.”
Comment: The Minister also noted that Russia’s Arctic Command “has increased its military presence and activity in the High North”. The Minister added that Russia’s actions are legal and that it currently acts “within existing conventions”. (Source: DNA DEFENCE NEWS ANALYSIS, Issue 18/23, 25 Jun 18)
22 Jun 18. Science & Technology Committee: Galileo. The House of Commons Science and Technology Committee will be taking evidence from the Defence Procurement Minister on Tue 26 Jun 18 at 16.10hrs in Committee Room 6 (Palace of Westminster). The session will focus on the UK’s access to Galileo, the EU global satellite-based navigation system, and the implications for UK Defence and industry. (Source: DNA DEFENCE NEWS ANALYSIS, Issue 18/23, 25 Jun 18)
21 Jun 18. Germany’s fighter jet race could start dropping bidders this summer. A multibillion dollar program to replace the German military’s Tornado aircraft is nearing another round of decisions that could narrow the field of bidders. The due date for a “quality gate” review, as the wide-ranging analysis is called in Bundeswehr jargon, has been on the calendar for this month. But officials now say the exercise could last through the summer. The discussions are principally about realizing an extended service life for the 1970s-era Tornados, though exactly by how long remains to be seen. Closely linked to that question is an examination of what potential follow-on aircraft are best suited to pick up the legacy planes’ roles in a variety of life-span scenarios.
Officials emphasize that no decision has been made on who will build the new planes to replace roughly 90 Tornados. A formal competition is expected to begin later this year or early 2019 among those aircraft types still deemed suitable by the government at that time. In the running is the Eurofighter Typhoon, Lockheed Martin’s F-35, and Boeing’s F-15 and F-18. The Typhoon is made by a European consortium of Airbus, Leonardo and BAE Systems.
Defence Ministry officials have said they prefer the Eurofighter option, arguing that keeping the European aircraft industry busy will be key in strengthening the continent’s defense capabilities. That goes especially for the Franco-German alliance in charge of developing a combat-capable aerial drone and, later, a sixth-generation Future Combat Air System.
Some in the Luftwaffe, the German air force, are rooting for the F-35. The affinity partly stems from personnel exchanges with the U.S. Air Force, giving German pilots some exposure to the marquee American defense program. All companies delivered their formal offers to the Defence Ministry in April, coinciding with the ILA Berlin air show. Lockheed Martin staged a sizable promotional showing at the event for its F-35, mixing promises about the jet’s advanced capabilities with a professed obliviousness to the political minefield of Europe’s economic powerhouse that is Germany weighing a U.S. aircraft at this time.
As German analysts continue to crunch the numbers on the Tornado-replacement effort, Reuters reported this week that Berlin requested information from the Pentagon in April about what it would take to certify the Eurofighter to deliver nuclear weapons.
NATO policies for nuclear burden-sharing dictate that German pilots will carry American atomic bombs in case of a war on the continent. The Luftwaffe has set aside a number of Tornados for that purpose, and any follow-on aircraft will have to be configured to carry out the mission.
While the Pentagon has no say over which jet Germany will eventually pick, officials in Washington must approve the integration of American nuclear bombs on the aircraft. Citing sources on both sides of the Atlantic, Reuters reported that the process could take up to 10 years and that the F-35 was in line for the nuclear weapons integration before the Eurofighter would be considered.
A wait time of seven years could conflict with Berlin’s plan to begin phasing out Tornados starting in 2025. But according to officials, that’s where the fine-tuning of the “quality gate” could come into play, making it possible to alter the timing accordingly.
“We are confident that Eurofighter Typhoon can deliver all the capabilities the German Air Force requires and perform all the roles that are currently performed on Tornado for Germany,” a Eurofighter spokesman said. “This of course includes the nuclear role.” (Source: Defense News)
22 Jun 18. ‘Dawning reality’ of Brexit. Aviation giant Airbus, which employs about 14,000 people at 25 sites in the UK, is warning it could leave the country altogether if no Brexit deal is reached. With the clock ticking and no agreement so far, the European aircraft manufacturer says it has to start assuming the worst-case scenario is looming. It fears that scenario – crashing out of the single market and customs union without a trade agreement and without a transition period – could cost it billions of pounds a week. Even if a deal is reached, Airbus says the two-year transition period favoured by government is too short, forcing it to “refrain from extending” the number of UK suppliers it uses from now on. “Far from ‘Project Fear’, this is a dawning reality for Airbus,” the chief operating officer says. (See Features: Last Chance ‘Brexit’ Warning From Airbus to British Government By Howard Wheeldon, FRAeS, Wheeldon Strategic Advisory Ltd.) (Source: BBC)
21 Jun 18. Secretary General: History, Interests Argue for Solidarity Among North Atlantic Alliance. There have been disagreements throughout the history of the North Atlantic Alliance, but the member states have always been able to work together for collective defense, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said in London today.
The secretary general previewed the NATO summit in Brussels next month during an address at the Lancaster House. He stressed the necessity of the trans-Atlantic alliance and urged the nations to stand together.
The United States has disagreements with NATO allies on economic aspects such as the Iran deal and climate change. There are disagreements within Europe, too, Stoltenberg said. European allies disagree other over the future of the European Union, what makes up European values, and the growth of populism.
Overcoming Divisions
But NATO must overcome the divisions, the secretary general said, adding that he believes the nations will deal with them as they have throughout to 70 years of peace alliance enabled in Europe.
“Our bond is strong, but today, some are doubting the strength of that bond,” Stoltenberg said. “It is not written in stone that the trans-Atlantic bond will survive forever, but I believe we will preserve it.”
The alliance is not a monolithic entity like the Warsaw Pact once was. It was and is made up of democracies that have had legitimate differences throughout the history of the alliance. “We have overcome disagreements before — differences of opinion is nothing new,” the secretary general said. “Some of them have been substantial.” Stoltenberg listed the Suez Crisis of 1956, the French withdrawal from NATO’s command structure in 1966 and the Iraq War in 2003.
“We are 29 democracies with different history, geography and culture,” he said. “So of course, sometimes there are disagreements.”
But that has not stopped the most successful alliance in history, he said. “Again and again, we unite around our common goal. We stand together. We protect each other,” he added.
But beyond the disagreements, one aspect stands alone: it is in each country’s strategic interest to maintain the trans-Atlantic alliance, the secretary general said, noting that history is a harsh teacher.
“Two world wars and a Cold War have taught us that Europe and North America are stronger, safer and more prosperous together,” Stoltenberg said. “That is why young American and Canadian soldiers fought on the Western Front in the First World War, and why their sons fought their way across the beaches of Normandy almost 30 years later.”
The United States fought in World War I and then washed its hands of the continent, he pointed out. “That was not a success,” Stoltenberg said. “After World War II, they stayed – in NATO — and that was a success.”
Stronger and Safer
All Western nations are stronger and safer under the alliance, he said. “It is why hundreds of thousands of European and Canadian troops have served shoulder to shoulder with American troops in Afghanistan, to defeat international terrorism, and with more than a thousand paying the ultimate price,” said he added. “It is – and has always been – in our fundamental interest to stand together. That is as true now as it has been ever before.”
The security environment is more complicated now than it has been in a generation, the secretary general said. International terrorism, missile and nuclear proliferation, cyberattacks and a resurgent Russia, which uses intimidation and force against its neighbors, are just some of the challenges of this new security environment. “It is in our common interest to face them together,” he said.
And alliance nations are facing these common challenges. “There are many different ties that bind Europe and North America together,” he said. “We may have seen the weakening of some of them lately, but our ties on defense have grown stronger. After the Cold War, the U.S. and Canada gradually reduced their military presence in Europe, and European allies cut defense spending.”
But that has changed. U.S. armored forces are back in Europe. The number of American service members on the continent has risen. Since coming to office, the Trump administration has increased funding for the U.S. presence in Europe by 40 percent. Canada has also increased its commitment to the defense of Europe.
“At the same time, Europeans are stepping up too, spending billions more on defense and taking greater responsibility for Euro-Atlantic security alongside their North American allies,” Stoltenberg said. “All allies have stopped the cuts to defense. All allies are increasing their defense spending in real terms.”
European allies and Canada have added an extra $87bn since 2014, and more are investing 2 percent of gross domestic product – the NATO goal — on defense. “This has underpinned the biggest increase in our collective defense since the Cold War,” the secretary general said.
And there are concrete capabilities to show for the money, including the deployment of multinational battlegroups to the Baltic countries and Poland. The alliance also has tripled the size of the NATO Response Force and established a task force ready to move in 48 hours, and NATO has joined the global coalition to defeat the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria.
New Capabilities
The alliance will do more, Stoltenberg said, and he expects leaders to approve new capabilities during the Brussels summit. “They will agree to increase the readiness of our forces with 30 mechanized battalions, 30 air squadrons and 30 combat ships ready to use within 30 days or less,” he said. “They will decide on a new NATO command structure with two new commands.”
NATO leaders will make decisions of integrating national cyber capabilities into the alliance’s operations, and will agree a new training mission in Iraq, he said.
Finally, he said, alliance leaders will extend funding for the Afghan forces and deepen cooperation with the European Union.
“All of this shows our determination to provide for our common defense, ready to respond to any attack from any direction,” he said. “We face a difficult security environment, but when NATO is challenged, when others would divide us, weaken us undermine us; we must stay united and rise to the challenge with strength, solidarity and resolve, just as we always have.” (Follow Jim Garamone on Twitter: @GaramoneDoDNews)
21 Jun 18. Nato secretary general calls on UK to maintain defence spending. Nato secretary general Jens Stoltenberg called on the UK to maintain its role as one of the world’s biggest spenders on defence after Prime Minister Theresa May asked Gavin Williamson to explain what it means to be a tier one military power. At a meeting this week Mrs May asked her defence secretary to produce a paper defining Britain’s top level military status, sending shockwaves through the Ministry of Defence. Her intervention has raised fears among defence officials that the Treasury will not find any extra money for the armed forces when a review of UK capabilities concludes in the autumn. In a speech in London on Thursday Mr Stoltenberg said the UK was able to play a major role in Nato because it has “full spectrum” capabilities and spends 2 per cent of GDP on defence. He added: “I expect the UK to continue and to maintain that role. To maintain that role, you need to spend and invest in defence.” Mr Stoltenberg is due to hold talks with Mrs May at Downing Street ahead of a press conference later on Thursday. (Source: FT.com)
21 Jun 18. Brexit Britain discovers home truths on defence Nato, European security and cyber warfare should be top priorities. Britain has a long and proud military history, and retains in several areas world-class capability in defence and intelligence. These strengths underpin its global role. But that role is coming under pressure with the UK’s impending departure from the EU and budgetary constraints at home. Now is the time to reassess its priorities. It is against this backdrop that Theresa May has asked the Ministry of Defence to justify the UK’s position as a “tier one” military power. The prime minister may appear to be casting doubts on one of the country’s unique strengths. In reality, her question reflects fiscal reality and the thinly-disguised ambitions of pretenders to the leadership. Gavin Williamson, the Tiggerish defence secretary, is jostling in the queue. He hopes to achieve the highest office by first winning more resources for his cash-strapped department. The MoD is reportedly shocked at Mrs May’s question. The timing of the exchange with Downing Street is less surprising. With the spending taps recently opened up for the health department, Mr Williamson wants similar treatment. True, the prime minister has committed to defence as a national priority. But the overall spending envelope remains tight. Despite the impressive achievements in reducing the deficit, hard choices still lie ahead. The notion of “tiers” of military power is a red herring. The UK’s military power has already been reshaped and shrunk during the past decade. The British army is at its smallest size since the Napoleonic wars. Forces are now so limited that the UK would struggle to engage today in another solo foreign intervention, such as the 1982 Falklands war. Billions of pounds have been spent on aircraft carriers that are suffering from water leaks, never mind the shortage of suitable fighter jets. Post-Brexit Britain should focus on three defence priorities. The most important is Nato. For seven decades, the western alliance has protected Europe. Yet its future has scarcely looked bleaker. Donald Trump has described Nato as “obsolete” and “too expensive”. The US president will probably continue these attacks at a summit next month. The UK should respond by maintaining its 2 per cent defence spending commitment while encouraging other European nations to meet it as well. Meanwhile, it should press Mr Trump to maintain America’s role as protector of the liberal transatlantic order. Next, UK defence policy must protect stability and security in Europe, particularly with regards to terrorism. The UK hopes to maintain close security links with the rest of the continent after Brexit. Unwisely, EU negotiators have largely failed to reciprocate. EU27 leaders should acknowledge Britain’s vital strengths; resistance to future co-operation only helps terrorists. The third area is cyber defence, where Britain holds some of the highest cards. The increasing evidence of Russian interference in western elections indicates where future battles will be fought. The UK’s expertise in intelligence is the envy of European nations and the rest of the world. Resources should be focused on this and other areas where Britain has an advantage. As a middle-sized power, the UK will inevitably discover there are some things it will no longer be able to do. Full-spectrum military capability — from troops to a solo expeditionary force and a nuclear deterrent — no longer looks viable. That is not an excuse to slash defence spending. Britain, however, must prioritise and focus on where military spending can have the greatest effect at home, in Europe and selectively across the world. (Source: FT.com)
21 Jun 18. Mattis, German Counterpart Reaffirm Defense Relationship in Pentagon Meeting. Defense Secretary James N. Mattis met with German Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen at the Pentagon yesterday to reaffirm the long-standing defense relationship between the United States and Germany, chief Pentagon spokesperson Dana W. White said.
In a statement summarizing the meeting, White said the two leaders discussed a broad range of defense issues, and that Mattis thanked von der Leyen for her country’s commitment to NATO, the coalition to defeat the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, and the United Nations. “They discussed German efforts to increase defense spending and agreed on the need for all allies to focus on readiness and investments,” she added.
Mattis praised Germany for its leadership across the alliance and congratulated her on Germany’s recent election to the United Nations Security Council, White said.
Powerful Moral Voice
“Today, we welcome you and your delegation as representatives from one of the world’s most respected nations — a nation that speaks with a powerful moral voice on a range of issues — and we thank you for exercising that voice in support of our NATO alliance, leading by example in Afghanistan, where Germany has determined to increase forces by 30 percent,” Mattis told his counterpart in a welcoming ceremony before their meeting. He noted Germany’s position as the framework nation in Afghanistan’s north and as host for NATO’s new logistics command, as well as its contributions to NATO’s enhanced forward presence mission in Lithuania.
Germany hosts the largest U.S. troop presence in Europe and the second largest in the world, Mattis said, and he thanked von der Leyen for her nation’s hospitality to our U.S. forces and their families.
“I also note Germany’s material and financial support for the U.N. stability mission in Mali, as well as France’s G-5 Sahel joint force supporting the counterterrorism mission in North Africa,” Mattis said. “Germany’s responsible voice carries great weight. Where it’s exemplified, we see a unity of shared democratic values from Europe to the Far East.” (Source: US DoD)
21 Jun 18. RIAT 2018. One of the biggest public demonstrations of RAF air and ground capability will be on display at this summer’s Royal International Air Tattoo as part of international celebrations marking the Royal Air Force centenary.
Fast jets, transports, surveillance and training aircraft will be joined by warbirds from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight as the airshow showcases the Royal Air Force’s past, present and future.
Among more than 300 aircraft due to take part in the Air Tattoo will be in excess of 40 aircraft from RAF stations across the UK. These include some of the biggest, newest and most rarely-seen – such as the Phenom trainer, the RAF’s multi-engine aircrew training aircraft; the Voyager, an air-to-air refuelling and strategic air transport and the RC-135W Rivet Joint, the RAF’s electronic surveillance aircraft. And, of course, adding a splash of colour to the centenary celebrations will be the world’s greatest aerobatic display team – the RAF Red Arrows.
Also helping bring the RAF’s history to life will be a number of civilian operated historic aircraft including the Hawker Hunter, Gloster Meteor, de Havilland Vampire and de Havilland Tiger Moth.
This summer’s global salute, which takes place at RAF Fairford on July 13-15, will also feature exciting aircraft from a number of Coalition Partners as well as the UK’s European, Commonwealth and Middle Eastern allies such as France, Ukraine, Italy, Canada, Germany, the US and Romania.
Whilst each of the three days will feature more than seven hours’ flying, on the Friday only, visitors will be treated to a special RAF Flypast, a Royal Review of Aircraft and a parade by service personnel from the Queen’s Colour Squadron. Over the weekend there are plans to stage other special RAF formations, details of which will be confirmed soon.
Throughout the year, RAF100 is seeking to Commemorate, Celebrate and Inspire the nation and there will be ample opportunity to do all three at the Air Tattoo where a large area of the Showground has being dedicated to the centenary. Visitors will have the opportunity to view RAF aircraft up close, meet today’s Service personnel and learn the roles they perform in the ‘RAF Experience’. They will also be invited to step back in time in the Vintage Village, where there will be the opportunity to meet RAF veterans.
Among the other showground attractions is the critically-acclaimed Techno Zone, offering exciting hands-on activities and entertainment that is designed to stimulate and inspire young minds by bringing the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) curriculum to life.
The Air Tattoo is staged in support of the RAF Charitable Trust and is free to all accompanied under-18s. For more information about the airshow and the various ticket and enclosure options, please visit www.airtattoo.com
20 Jun 18. Here’s what the Czech military wants to buy with its record $4.5bn modernization program. Lt. Gen. Ales Opata, the chief of the General Staff of the Czech Armed Forces, has unveiled plans by the country to spend 100bn koruna (U.S. $4.5bn) on what he called the largest military modernization program in the Czech Republic’s history.
By 2027, the Czech military is to acquire 210 infantry fighting vehicles, 50 self-propelled howitzers, 12 multipurpose helicopters, two transport aircraft, and short-range air defense systems and combat drones, among other materiel. The purchases are to allow the Czech Armed Forces to replace a decisive share of its Soviet-designed gear.
“Soldiers must feel that the Czech military budget is rising, and that the situation is starting to improve,” Opata said, as quoted in a government statement.
The government also plans to acquire new 3-D radars. However, the pending purchase of eight ELM-2084 multimission radars from Israel’s Elta Systems, a subsidiary of IAI, is currently under investigation by the Czech military police. The procedure was initiated on the request of Defence Minister Karla Slechtova amid concern over the equipment’s interoperability with NATO infrastructure. This year, Prague’s defense expenditure is to total 58.9bn koruna, up 12 percent compared with 2017, according to government figures. (Source: Defense News)
20 Jun 18. May casts doubt on Britain’s status as ‘tier one’ military power. ‘Shockwaves’ at MoD as PM challenges defence secretary to justify spending plans. Theresa May has asked Gavin Williamson, the defence secretary, to justify Britain’s role as a “tier one” military power, throwing the Ministry of Defence’s armed forces modernisation plan into disarray just weeks before a crucial Nato summit. At a tense meeting this week, the prime minister said Mr Williamson needed to rethink the capabilities needed to be a modern military force and focus more on Britain’s cyber warfare capability to meet new threats, including Russia. Senior officials said Mrs May’s intervention created “shockwaves” at the MoD, with some claiming she appeared to be questioning Britain’s role as a global military player. “People have their head in their hands,” said one official. Downing Street acknowledged that Mr Williamson’s plans had been challenged by Mrs May in Tuesday’s meeting but dismissed suggestions that she was arguing for a reduction in Britain’s military status. “It is categorically untrue to suggest that the UK’s current position as a leading defence nation is somehow in question,” a spokesman said. “The prime minister is strongly committed to the United Kingdom’s armed forces and to maintaining their strength and their ability to deter and where necessary defeat the threats we face.” MoD officials are now urgently working on a paper that will set out what it means to be a top-tier power alongside the US, Russia, China and France. Recommended FT View Britain confronts limits of its military power Although there is no formal definition of what constitutes a tier one power, the MoD has interpreted it as having a full spectrum of military capabilities, including an independent nuclear deterrent and a navy, army and air force capable of being deployed anywhere in the world. Mr Williamson has fought a high-profile campaign in Whitehall for more cash for the armed forces as the MoD faces a funding shortfall of up to £20bn over the next decade. But in the “trilateral” meeting, he faced resistance from Mrs May and Philip Hammond, the chancellor. According to one official briefed on the talks, Mrs May’s doubts were raised near the end of the meeting, after General Sir Nick Carter, the new chief of the defence staff, set out the threats the UK is facing, with a particular focus on Russia. Gen Carter detailed the capabilities required to meet those threats and touched on some of the cost implications, prompting the prime minister to raise the question of tier one status and request a fuller review. “The PM was simply asking, ‘Are you sure this is the right way to proceed’?” said a second government official with knowledge of the meeting. Mrs May said this week that the NHS is the government’s “priority” and Mr Hammond has told colleagues that the plan for £20.5bn in extra health spending by 2023 will mean tighter settlements for other departments in a spending review next year. The chancellor will on Thursday say in his annual Mansion House speech that he is committed to reining in borrowing and sticking to his fiscal rules, including raising taxes “a bit” to pay for higher NHS spending. Mr Williamson is pressing for more cash and wants to make an interim statement on his “modernising defence programme” before next month’s Nato summit, at which President Donald Trump is again expected to demand US allies boost military spending. But the pushback by Mrs May and Mr Hammond has put the statement on hold. “More work needs to be done,” said one senior official. The modernisation review is scheduled to conclude in the autumn. On exercise with the British Army as it battles for funds Britain is one of only five Nato countries which meet the alliance’s spending goal of committing 2 per cent of gross domestic product to defence. The current UK defence budget stands at £37bn a year. Britain is also committed to spending a further £178bn on new defence equipment over the next 10 years — but the MoD’s budget remains under strain and Mr Williamson and military chiefs are seeking more. The shift in tone from the prime minister comes after hopes were raised that defence would be granted extra money beyond the current commitment to increase the MoD’s budget by 0.5 per cent above inflation each year. Earlier this week a report by the defence select committee called for ministers to raise defence spending to nearer 3 per cent of GDP. On Wednesday, General Mark Carleton-Smith, the new head of the army, said sacrificing conventional war fighting capabilities to pay for new capabilities like cyber was “flawed”. In a speech to the Rusi land power conference in London, Mr Carleton-Smith said it was wrong to believe that “the answer lies somehow in disruptive technology and the quicker we can field those technologies the less useful the traditional measures of combat power become as indicators of national power”. (Source: FT.com)
20 Jun 18. EU eyes greater investments in defence, US officials stress value of partnership.
Key Points:
- The EU is considering a new fund to support operations and equipment for partner nations
- A US senator has raised concerns about the potential fallout from the president’s tariffs policy
Officials from the European Union and the United States emphasised the need for increased investment and collaboration on defence during a 13 June conference in Washington.
The European Union is taking several steps to increase its own defence capability, thereby strengthening NATO and enhancing co-operation with the United States, according to an official with the European External Action Service.
During the seventh annual EU Security and Defense Washington Symposium, Deputy Secretary General for Common Security and Defence Policy Pedro Serrano said member states “need to do more” to enhance their own security. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
19 Jun 18. UK parliamentarians call for defence spending increase towards 3% of GDP. The UK parliamentary defence committee has published a report calling for defence spending to be increased towards 3% of gross domestic product (GDP) to provide the necessary resources for national security.
Entitled ‘Beyond 2 per cent: A preliminary report on the Modernising Defence Programme’ (MDP), the 18 June report states, “defence spending is far too low”, pointing out that the United Kingdom is “narrowly exceeding” NATO’s 2% target, which includes pensions that used not to be counted when spending was 3%, in the mid-1990s. Produced in anticipation of the publication of the MDP at the end of June, the report recommends areas it expects this review to consider, including capability, commercial practices, recruitment, and international partnerships. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
19 Jun 18. Turkish PM Says US Bill Blocking F-35 Sales ‘Unfortunate.’ The U.S. Senate’s decision to pass a bill prohibiting the sale of Lockheed Martin’s F-35 jets to Turkey is unfortunate and against the spirit of strategic partnership, Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım said on Tuesday.
“The decision is unfortunate, but Turkey is not without alternatives. It is regrettable that the U.S. Senate has made such a move, which is against the spirit of strategic partnership,” he said.
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu said on Tuesday that the first F-35 jet would be delivered to Turkey on Thursday. “The rollout ceremony for Turkey’s first F-35 aircraft will be held on June 21,” Çavuşoğlu said.
The U.S. Senate passed a $716bn defense policy bill late on Monday, taking the first step to blocking the delivery of F-35 Joint Strike Fighter jets to Turkey. The Republican-controlled Senate voted 85-10 for the annual National Defense Authorization Act, or NDAA, which authorizes U.S. military spending but is generally used as a vehicle for a broad range of policy matters.
The Senate NDAA also includes an amendment prohibiting sales to Turkey of F-35 Joint Strike Fighter jets made by Lockheed Martin Corp unless Trump certifies that Turkey is not threatening NATO, purchasing defense equipment from Russia or detaining U.S. citizens.
The amendment claimed that purchasing the S-400 system from Russia increases tensions and risks to the NATO alliance. It also demands the release of American Pastor Andrew Brunson, who is facing terror charges in Turkey. Before it can be legislated, the bill must be reconciled with one already passed by the House of Representatives. That compromise measure must then be passed by both chambers and signed into law by Trump. (Source: defense-aerospace.com/Yeni Şafak)
19 Jun 18. The Turkish fighter jet deal is stalled, and so is UK defence. Britain needs to put on a better defence planning show. As Britain braces for life after EU membership, it faces searching questions about its future trading and security relationships. Hard choices will have to be made, not just about potential partners but also the terms of business. This is why the putative partnership with Turkey to build a fifth generation fighter jet, the TF-X, carries particular resonance. After months of delicate diplomacy, the deal has run into trouble. Initial concerns about the management of intellectual property raised this year by Rolls-Royce, the British aero-engine group, appeared to have been resolved after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s high-profile visit to London last month. Now they have resurfaced, partly due to the involvement of a subsidiary of BMC, the Turkish defence manufacturer that has the Qatari government, and a businessman with close links to Mr Erdogan, as shareholders. Turkish defence officials have upped the ante by again demanding that Rolls-Royce hand over sensitive technology. The UK government of Theresa May has taken a pragmatic approach to its diplomatic relationship with Turkey, hoping it would pay quantifiable dividends. It maintained this attitude, even in the face of Mr Erdogan’s increasingly ugly attacks on human rights and democratic principles. The TF-X jet project looked like a good return on UK investment in the relationship. Failure to strike a deal would be a lost revenue opportunity for Rolls-Royce — and BAE Systems, which is also involved. Far more important, however, are the ramifications for the UK’s air defence capability. The TF-X could also help to fix a pressing problem at home. Production of the Eurofighter Typhoon will cease in the mid-2020s. There is no new defence programme to maintain the UK’s sovereign capability to design and develop a combat jet. Last summer France and Germany announced plans to develop their own fighter, and could eventually include the UK. Britain and France have a solid record in defence co-operation, but post-Brexit the UK may only have a back-seat role. The TF-X might allow the UK to maintain crucial expertise and a skilled workforce until the government’s options are clearer. On the bright side, the government’s support for TF-X project at least suggests it has learnt from the mistakes it made with the Astute submarine. The government’s constant deferral of submarine production meant the vessels ended up costing far more and taking far longer than planned. But jets burn holes in public and private budgets. They are a hard sell to a cash-strapped Treasury. The UK (unlike France, which systematically considers the wider economic benefits of building aircraft, including job creation and the tax take) has yet to figure out how best to defend projects with a billion-pound price tag. Some argue that sovereign capability in combat aircraft, which the TF-X fighter jet would help provide, is worth almost any price. Finding the money will be difficult — despite significant cuts since 2010, the Ministry of Defence faces a funding gap of up to £21bn over the next decade. Brussels’ determination to keep the UK out of a €13bn defence programme will make it even harder. The UK air defence industry needs a clearer flight path. A new combat air strategy and a review of defence capability promised this year could provide it. Gavin Williamson, the combative UK defence secretary, should produce the reviews before the Farnborough Air show in July. That would send a signal to Europe and Turkey that the UK has a serious plan. (Source: FT.com)
16 Jun 18. Should US send Poland its combat enablers? Senators want DoD to weigh in. The U.S. Senate on Thursday advanced a measure to require the Pentagon assess the need for combat enablers, should a U.S Army brigade be permanently stationed in Poland. The Senate added the language by voice vote to its version of the mammoth annual defense policy bill, due for a vote on Monday. It came as an amendment from Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman John Boozman, R-Ark., who touted it as a means to deter Russian aggression.
“Combat enablers are the essential non-combat force that help to maintain our defense posture around the globe. They can help us prepare for the serious threats Russia poses to our allies and interests in Eastern Europe,” Boozman said. “The United States needs to turn the page and set a clear course to deter Russia over the long term.”
The language is a few steps from becoming law, as the $716bn authorization bill must first pass the Senate and then be reconciled with the House-passed bill. However, provisions ordering studies are often deemed non-controversial.
Beyond the study, the bill expresses a “sense of the Senate” in favor of a broad, long-term strategy that includes helping European allies, “backed by all elements of United States’ national power to deter and, if necessary, defeat Russian aggression.”
It’s one of several Russia-focused provisions.
The bill already orders a report on whether to forward-station a U.S. Army armored brigade combat team in Europe—which comes after Poland last month offered to host a division-sized unit. The Army relies on a rotational deployment of an Armored Brigade Combat Team to Europe in order to deter Russia.
The Commission on the Future of the Army — which was tasked in 2015 to examine the service’s structure and policies relating to its size and force mix between the active, Army National Guard and Army Reserve — determined in its 2016 report that the Army should forward station an armored brigade in Europe. But the commission also acknowledged the political sensitivities of removing an armored brigade from a U.S. lawmaker’s district. (Source: Defense News)
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21 Jun 18. What survived in the Senate’s defense policy bill? The Senate passed its version of the annual defense authorization bill June 18, sending their draft to a conference committee with House leaders.
Here’s what the bill means for future battlefield technologies:
Cuts to underwater drones
Though unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs) are considered by some members of Congress and industry to be the answer for deterring adversaries in the 21st century, the Senate does not seem to agree. The research, development, test and evaluation budget for large UUVs was cut by $21.2m, from the requested $92.6 m down to $71.4m. This cut could affect research funding for the Navy’s Extra Large UUV and Large Displacement Unmanned Underwater Vehicle Innovative Naval Prototype programs.
Boost to next-generation missile defense
The Air Force’s next generation missile satellite warning system, the Evolved Space Based Infrared System program, or SBIRS, received a $100 m hike in the Senate’s NDAA draft. That boost increases the programs RDT&E funding from $643m to $743m. The additional funding was justified to accelerate development of the next-gen system’s sensor.
Air Force command and control bump
One of the Air Force’s advanced UAVs received a $120 m plus-up, from $221m to $344m, to speed up development of the new Advanced Battlefield Management System. This so-called system-of-systems technology looks to link together existing platforms to track ground targets and do command and control.
Found under the MQ-9 Reaper procurement budget line, the Air Force is looking to develop a concept that “disaggregates [C2] capability using multiple sensor platforms, including teamed manned and unmanned systems, a robust battlespace information architecture, and dispersed command and control,” according to the Air Superiority 2030 Flight Plan.
By equipping MQ-9’s with the system, the Air Force will continue to be able to continue missions historically carried out by JSTARS.
Blackjack gets a boost
DARPA’s Blackjack project aims to develop a low Earth orbit satellite constellation of smaller, cheaper military-grade satellites, received a $110m hike. The program is attempting to leverage commercial industry to develop low-cost space payloads and satellite buses with low size, weight, power, and cost (SWaP-C) with similar capabilities as today’s military communications that operate in higher orbits.
JSTARS recap
In one of the most contentious items in the NDAA, the Senate authorized $50m to JSTARS ground moving target indicator research and development fund, even though the Air Force did not request any new funding for the GMTI radar development. (Source: Defense News)
21 Jun 18. DoD Officials: Chinese Actions Threaten U.S. Technological, Industrial Base. Defense Department officials warned lawmakers today about the unprecedented threats DoD is facing to its technological and industrial base, as China and other nations actively seek out advanced technology and intellectual property.
“We are here to underscore the urgency with which all of us must focus our actions to maintain our technological and military dominance,” Michael D. Griffin, undersecretary of defense for research and engineering, told the House Armed Services Committee’s military personnel subcommittee.
Chinese actions include theft of technology and intellectual property through the exfiltration of the work of others, Griffin said in a hearing on military technology transfer.
“The breadth and depth of Chinese malfeasance with regard not only to our technology, but also to our larger economy and our nation, is significant and intentional,” he said.
Griffin appeared before the committee with Kari A. Bingen, deputy undersecretary of defense for intelligence; Eric Chewning, deputy assistant secretary of defense for manufacturing and industrial base policy; and Anthony M. Schinella, national intelligence officer for military issues at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.
Maintaining Global Military Advantage
The United States remains the world’s pre-eminent military power, Griffin and the other witnesses said in a joint written statement.
“However, in order to continue to maintain this advantage in an environment of vigorous world competition, we must remain vigilant and employ whole-of-government approaches to the problem set at hand,” they said.
To do that, they explained, the Defense Department not only must adapt to the environment, but also must remain the drivers of global technological advances.
“We must get within the decision loops of our adversaries,” they said. “We must increase the speed and efficiency at which we educate, invent, adapt, prototype and demonstrate to respond to current and future threats to ensure and preserve our dominance in the field.”
China Seeks Advanced U.S. Technologies
The threats are putting at risk the capabilities critical to the United States maintaining its military advantage, Bingen said.
“China, in particular, has made it a national goal to acquire foreign technologies to advance its economy and to modernize its military,” she said. “It is comprehensively targeting advanced U.S. technologies and the people, the information, businesses and research institutions that underpin them.”
China, she said, is using a variety of methods to steal information from the United States and to exploit and circumvent processes. The Defense Department is making significant changes in its approach to industrial and information security, as well as to counterintelligence, she pointed out.
‘Multifaceted Threat’ to United States
China has acquired proprietary technology and early stage ideas through cyber-enabled means, Schinella said. Some actors use largely legitimate legal transfers and relationships to gain access to research fields, experts and key enabling industrial processes that could, over time, erode America’s long-term competitive advantages, he explained.
China and Russia are among the nations that recognize that investing in and acquiring technology is essential to achieving their strategic goals, Schinella said.
“They want to develop weapons systems that strike farther, faster, harder and more precisely as a means to erode the traditional pillars of U.S. military strength and challenge the United States in all warfare domains,” he said.
The threat from China, Chewning pointed out, has the potential for both long- and short-term impacts.
“Chinese industrial policies of economic aggression, such as investment-driven technology transfer and illegal intellectual property theft, pose a multifaceted threat to our entire national security innovation base,” he said. (Follow Lisa Ferdinando on Twitter: @FerdinandoDoD)
20 Jun 18. Here’s when the US Air Force will get its first KC-46 tanker. After months of public — and sometimes contentious — disagreements, Boeing and the U.S. Air Force have finally settled on an October delivery date for the first KC-46 tanker.
“As a result of months of collaboration, the Air Force and Boeing KC-46A teams have reached an agreed joint program schedule to get to the first 18 aircraft deliveries. This includes the expectation the first KC-46A aircraft acceptance and delivery will occur in October 2018, with the remaining 17 aircraft delivered by April 2019,” Air Force Under Secretary Matt Donovan said in a statement.
“While the KC-46A flight test program is nearly complete, significant work remains. The Air Force is looking forward to KC-46A first delivery and will continue to work with Boeing on opportunities to expedite the program.”
The new schedule appears to be a compromise between Boeing and the Air Force’s estimated timelines. For months, Boeing has held that it could deliver its first KC-46 this summer, with a total of 18 tankers delivered this year.
The Air Force projections have been much more pessimistic, with first delivery at the end of the year, and 18 delivered by spring.
While it’s clear that Boeing will not meet the required assets available, or RAA, deadline — a contractual obligation to deliver 18 certified tankers and nine refueling pods — whether it will have to pay a penalty for being late is still murky. The company has already had to pay more than $3bn in pretax charges on the program due to repeated schedule delays and technical issues.
Boeing has already missed its original RAA date, which was scheduled for August 2017, in addition to having to push back its first planned delivery a number of times.
A look at KC-46 flight testing
Get a unique look at KC-46 flight testing and construction at Boeing’s facilities near Seattle. (Jeff Martin/Staff) jeff Martin
“In partnership with the U.S. Air Force, our team has made great progress on the KC-46 tanker,” Boeing said in a statement. “With first delivery now set, the men and women of the Air Force know when they will start receiving this warfighting capability. The KC-46 is a top priority for The Boeing Company, and we have the best of Boeing working to ensure the U.S. Air Force gets their tankers as quickly as possible.”
The new schedule is the result of months of discussions between the aerospace giant and the service.
Top Air Force officials have recently made multiple visits to Boeing’s tanker production facilities near Everett in Washington state, including Chief of Staff Gen. Dave Goldfein, who traveled there earlier this month; Donovan; and Will Roper, its acquisition executive.
And while the agreement on schedule is a big victory for Boeing, which has been raked over the coals for its performance and overly optimistic approach, it still needs to prove itself by delivering the tankers on time. That won’t be easy. The KC-46 currently has three outstanding category-1 deficiencies, the designation given to urgent technical problems with no workaround in place. (Source: Defense News)
19 Jun 18. U.S. Senate passes defence bill, battle looms with Trump over China’s ZTE. The U.S. Senate passed a $716bn (£540.4bn) defence policy bill on Monday, backing President Donald Trump’s call for a bigger, stronger military but setting up a potential battle with the White House over Chinese telecommunications firm ZTE Corp (000063.SZ). The Republican-controlled Senate voted 85-10 for the annual National Defense Authorization Act, or NDAA, which authorizes U.S. military spending but is generally used as a vehicle for a broad range of policy matters. Before it can become law, the bill must be reconciled with one already passed by the House of Representatives. That compromise measure must then be passed by both chambers and signed into law by Trump. Considered must-pass legislation, the fiscal 2019 Senate version of the NDAA authorizes $639bn in base defence spending, for such things as buying weapons, ships and aircraft and paying the troops, with an additional $69bn to fund ongoing conflicts.
This year, the Senate included an amendment that would kill the Trump administration’s agreement to allow ZTE to resume business with U.S. suppliers, one of the few times the Republican-led Senate has veered from White House policy. That ZTE provision is not included in the House version of the NDAA.
While strongly supported by some of Trump’s fellow Republicans as well as some Democrats, the measure is opposed by the White House and some of its close Republican allies, who control the House as well as the Senate.
It could face a difficult path to being included in the final NDAA, especially if Trump lobbies the Republican-led Congress against it, as he is expected to do.
Republicans and Democrats have expressed national security concerns about ZTE after it broke an agreement to discipline executives who had conspired to evade U.S. sanctions on Iran and North Korea.
The U.S. government placed a ban on ZTE earlier this year, but the Trump administration reached an agreement to lift the ban while it is negotiating broader trade agreements with China and looking to Beijing for support during negotiations to halt North Korea’s nuclear weapons programme.
Republicans Tom Cotton and Marco Rubio and Democrats Chuck Schumer and Chris Van Hollen, who led the Senate push for the ZTE provision, said in a joint statement after the vote that they were “heartened” by support, adding: “It is vital that our colleagues in the House keep this bipartisan provision in the bill as it heads towards a conference.”
But the final NDAA could include only a much less stringent provision, included in the House bill, that would bar the Defense Department from dealing with any entity using telecommunications equipment or services from ZTE or another Chinese company, Huawei Technologies Co Ltd HWT.UL.
FOREIGN INVESTMENT RULES
The Senate version of the NDAA also seeks to strengthen the inter-agency Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, which assesses deals to ensure they do not compromise national security.
The bill would allow CFIUS to expand the deals that can be reviewed, for example making reviews of many proposed transactions mandatory instead of voluntary and allowing CFIUS to review land purchases near sensitive military sites. The Senate NDAA also includes an amendment prohibiting sales to Turkey of F-35 Joint Strike Fighter jets made by Lockheed Martin Corp (LMT.N) unless Trump certifies Turkey is not threatening NATO, purchasing defence equipment from Russia or detaining U.S. citizens.
Senators included the legislation because of the imprisonment of U.S. pastor Andrew Brunson and the purchase of the S-400 air defence system from Russia. The measure also includes an amendment to bar the U.S. military from providing aerial refuelling support for the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen unless Secretary of State Mike Pompeo certifies that Saudi Arabia is taking urgent steps to end the civil war in Yemen, ease the humanitarian crisis there and reduce the risk to civilians.
Shipbuilders General Dynamics Corp (GD.N) and Huntington Ingalls Industries Inc (HII.N) could benefit from the bill’s authorization of advance procurement of materials needed for the Virginia class nuclear submarines. (Source: Reuters)
18 Jun 18. Strict export regulations may be costing US industry billions in foreign sales. A new RAND report assessing the proliferation of unmanned aerial vehicles suggests existing export controls for drones may hurt the U.S. more than it helps. Limiting U.S. drone exports has left a hole in the global market for the technology, especially in historically U.S.-dominated Middle East markets, which has been readily filled by U.S. competitors — specifically China and Russia. The Trump administration recently unveiled a new set of export policies regarding military technology in an attempt to facilitate the transfer of military technology, but the changes do not change the status of drones under the Missile Technology Control Regime, or MTCR.
How does the MTCR work?
The MTCR is a voluntary export control consortium of 35 nations designed to prevent signatories from proliferating longer-range cruise and ballistic missile technology. The arms control regime was extended to UAVs because early iterations of drones were considered a subset of cruise missile technology due to their active guidance system.
The regime divides missiles into two categories. Category I items are capable of delivering a 500 kg payload more than 300 km. The sale of category I systems is restricted by a “strong presumption of denial,” meaning they are only exported in rare circumstances. The MQ-9 Reaper, RQ-4 Global Hawk and MQ-4 Triton are well-known unmanned systems that fall under this category.
Over the past several years, U.S. partners such as Jordan, Saudi Arabia and UAE were denied requests to purchase American drones, and have since turned to China to purchase comparable systems.
Trump administration officials have been attempting to alter the regime by adding new languagethat would drop any vehicle that flies under 650 kilometers per hour to category II systems. This would make all but the most advanced U.S. systems available for international sale. For example, the MQ-9 Reaper clocks in with a cruise speed of 230 mph or 370 kph, according to an Air Force facts sheet.
Drone proliferation
RAND found that 10 nations operate category I drones, and more than 15 operate near-category I systems that register just below the MTCR’s payload and distance restrictions. The report says increased proliferation rates are due to a handful of countries, specifically China, Israel and the United Arab Emirates, who are not party to the MCTR.
More countries are expected to procure drones, which pose a “growing threat to U.S. and allied military operations,” the report says. While category I systems can deploy missiles and other guided munitions, their main threat lies in “their ability to conduct intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) operations against U.S. forces prior to hostilities,” according to RAND. “Adversaries that would otherwise have difficulty detecting U.S. force deployments, monitoring U.S. operations, and maintaining targeting data on U.S. units can employ UAVs to maintain situational awareness of U.S. capabilities”
The report identifies Russia, China and Iran as unfriendly nations that will seek to utilize drones to complicate U.S. military operations.
For example, China and Saudi Arabia recently agreed to set up a UAV manufacturing plant in Saudi Arabia for up to 300 new UAVs, and Italy will receive 20 Hammerhead UAVs from the UAE. The coproduction of regional drone factories “could further exacerbate the proliferation of large UAVs to the degree that these systems are exported to other nations,” according to RAND, and that hurts U.S. industry.
A U.S.-sized hole
Voluntarily restricting U.S. drone exports have allowed competitors to establish themselves in a market Rand expects to “grow from about $6bn in 2015 to about $12bn in 2025.”
RAND expect export controls to have a negative impact on the U.S. industrial base, something those in industry already know.
“What you are enabling the competition to do is not just to sell some hardware,” Linden Blue, General Atomic’s chief executive, told reporters during an Aug. 16, 2017 roundtable at the company’s headquarters in Poway, California. “You’re enabling it to build a customer base for at least 20 years, I would say. You’re enabling them to build a logistics system. It will take them many years to get to where we are right now, but you’re helping them start out. They should be very thankful.” (Source: glstrade.com/Defense News)
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Harris Corporation is a leading technology innovator, solving customers’ toughest mission-critical challenges by providing solutions that connect, inform and protect. Harris supports government and commercial customers in more than 100 countries and has approximately $6 billion in annual revenue. The company is organized into three business segments: Communication Systems, Space and Intelligence Systems and Electronic Systems. Learn more at harris.com.
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22 Jun 18. U.S. Remains Engaged in Indo-Pacific Region, Officials Say. The United States has deep interests in the Indo-Pacific and will remain engaged in the region, U.S. officials said at the Center for a New American Security conference here yesterday.
Alex N. Wong, the deputy assistant secretary of state for East Asia and Pacific Affairs, said the United States has an unmatched alliance structure in the region with treaties with Japan, Thailand, South Korea, Australia, the Philippines and New Zealand.
There are more forward-deployed U.S. service members in the Indo-Pacific region than anywhere else, Wong said, and they field the most advanced weapons systems in the U.S. inventory.
And, the United States does more two-way trade with Indo-Pacific countries than any other country in the world, he said, with the United States the premier foreign investor in the region.
It is clear, Wong said, the international order based on the rule of law the United States has championed in the Indo-Pacific since the end of World War II has served the region well, and Chinese attempts to change that would be bad for the nations of the region and the world.
David F. Helvey, the principal deputy assistant secretary of defense for Asian and Pacific Security Affairs, said Defense Secretary James N. Mattis’ National Defense Strategy identifies the Indo-Pacific region as the priority for DoD.
‘We Have Deep Interests in the Region’
“This reflects the reality,” Helvey said. “We have deep interests in the region that span the gamut of our relationships.”
The core principles of the region’s international order based on the rule of law are long established, he said, and they include freedom of navigation and overflight, peaceful resolution of disputes and support and upholding international norms and standards for behavior.
Helvey said most nations in the Indo-Pacific region support these principles and see the benefits of them each day via trade and economic prosperity.
Since taking office, Mattis has make six trips to the Indo-Pacific region to visit with established allies, and also meeting with defense and military leaders from Indonesia, Vietnam and India, he said.
Wong said the Chinese want to replace the long-established system with One Belt, One Road — a system centered on benefiting China.
“You look at [One Belt, One Road], which was only announced in 2013 … that is a response from China to catch up to the free and open system,” Wong said. “We don’t really don’t need to respond to OBOR, we need to empower our partners in the region to say that if China wants to play in the area of regional integration … it has to play by the high standards; the best value standards that will ensure broad prosperity and ensure the sovereignty of the nations of the Indo-Pacific.”
Indo-Pacific Regional Alliances
Key to this is the network of alliances the United States maintains with the nations of the region, Helvey said, noting the American military conducts exercises each year to ensure interoperability with allied and partner nations. Many of those nations, he said, are members of the defeat-ISIS coalition and previous training has been invaluable in allowing the militaries to work together.
“To the extent that we can work together, we can operate together,” Helvey said. “We can perform different types or missions and operations seamlessly in concert with our allies and partners. It represents one of the best ways to maintain our strategic advantage.”
Helvey said the United States must pay attention to China, which is a large U.S. trading partner and an emerging super power.
“How do we manage the competition with China in a way that … ultimately redounds to our benefit?” Helvey posited. “Part of that is maintaining open and stable means of communication with our Chinese counterparts. Part of it is ensuring we are introducing and exercising the right kind of risk reduction measures — hot lines, confidence-building measures — so that when we are operating in close proximity … they are done in a safe way.” (Follow Jim Garamone on Twitter: @GaramoneDoDNews)
21 Jun 18. Canada could make it harder for U.S. to win fighter bid – sources. Canada is discussing changes to a multibillion-dollar fighter jet procurement process that could make it harder for a U.S. company to win the order as trade relations between the neighbors sour, two sources with direct knowledge of the discussions said. Canada is considering whether to penalize companies from countries that have caused it economic damage, the sources said on Wednesday. While a final decision is not expected before next year and the threat could be posturing, the move shows how the Trump administration’s trade disputes are spilling over into other areas.
A spokeswoman for federal Procurement Minister Carla Qualtrough – who has overall responsibility for major purchases of military equipment – declined to comment. Sources declined to be identified as the discussions are confidential.
Boeing Co’s (BA.N) F-18 Super Hornet and Lockheed Martin Corp’s (LMT.N) F-35 fighter were among the favorites to capture the contract to supply 88 planes, worth between C$15bn ($11.3bn) and C$19bn.
Defense sources have long said the Canadian air force would prefer an American-built jet, citing the importance of operating easily with U.S. armed forces.
But a change in procurement terms would give more of a chance to European suppliers: Airbus SE (AIR.PA), which makes the Eurofighter; Saab AB (SAABb.ST), which makes the Gripen; and Dassault Aviation (AVMD.PA), which makes the Rafale.
Defense sources, however, say the European jets are likely to become obsolete by around 2040, at which point they could no longer incorporate the latest technologies. Canada has been trying unsuccessfully for almost a decade to buy replacements for its aging F-18 fighters, some of which are 40 years old. The former Conservative administration said in 2010 it would buy 65 F-35 jets but later scrapped the decision, triggering years of delays and reviews.
Ottawa has already said bids will be evaluated in part by examining whether firms competing for the order have caused any past economic damage to Canada. Officials said at the time this was aimed at Boeing, which last year launched a trade challenge against Canadian planemaker Bombardier Inc (BBDb.TO).
Government officials are now discussing whether Canada should also consider economic damage caused by governments, a clear reference to worsening relations with Washington, said the sources.
“Politically it’s hard to spend billions of dollars on contracts with a country that’s hurting you,” said one of the sources, who asked to remain anonymous given the extreme sensitivity of the situation.
However, the sources emphasized that the discussions are at an early stage and Ottawa could eventually decide to drop the proposed language.
Canada – which is due to release the exact specifications for the jets next year – has not yet finished work on the clause referring to economic damage caused by a single firm.
U.S. President Donald Trump last month slapped tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum, prompting Canada to announce its own retaliatory measures. Trump has also threatened tariffs on Canadian autos, which could badly hurt the economy.
Ottawa froze talks with Boeing about the fighter jet contest but after the company’s trade challenge against Bombardier failed, Canadian officials made clear the firm would not be discriminated against if it chose to bid. ($1 = 1.3304 Canadian dollars)(Source: Reuters)
21 Jun 18. U.S. identifies North Korea missile test site it says Kim committed to destroy. The missile engine test site that President Donald Trump said North Korean leader Kim Jong Un had committed to destroy is a major facility in the western part of the country that has been used for testing engines for long-range missiles, according to a U.S. official.
Trump told reporters after their June 12 summit that Kim had pledged to dismantle one of his missile installations, which would be North Korea’s most concrete concession at the landmark meeting in Singapore. However, the president at the time did not name the site.
A U.S. official identified it on Wednesday as the Sohae Satellite Launching Ground, saying North Korea “has used this site to test liquid-propellant engines for its long-range ballistic missiles.” Pyongyang has said its missiles can reach the United States.
“Chairman Kim promised that North Korea would destroy a missile engine test stand soon,” the official told Reuters, speaking on condition of anonymity. There was no immediate word on the exact timetable, and North Korea has not publicly confirmed that Kim made such a commitment.
CBS News was the first to identify the site, which is the newest of North Korea’s known major missile testing facilities.
Although Trump has hailed the Singapore summit as a success, skeptics have questioned whether he achieved anything, given that Pyongyang, which has rejected unilateral nuclear disarmament, appeared to make no new tangible commitments in a joint written declaration.
The U.S.-based North Korea monitoring group 38 North said in an analysis at the end of last week there had been no sign of any activity toward dismantling Sohae or any other missile test site.
The U.S. official said: “The United States will continue to monitor this site closely as we move forward in our negotiations.”
LITTLE-KNOWN SITE
What little is known about the Sohae site, located in Tongchang-ri, has been pieced together from analysts’ assessments and the North Korean state news agency KCNA.
It was reported to have been established in 2008 and has research facilities nearby for missile development as well as a tower that can support ballistic missiles. The site is mainly used to test large Paektusan engines built for long-range missiles such as the Hwasong-15.
North Korea has other missile testing facilities but the shutdown, if it happens, would be significant, analysts said.
“The missile testing is not just done in Tongchang-ri so it does not necessarily mean all ICBMs (intercontinental ballistic missiles) will be disabled. But the most well-known one is this, so there is a great symbolic meaning if this is shut down,” said Moon Hong-sik, a research fellow at the Institute for National Security Strategy in South Korea.
North Korea announced ahead of the Singapore summit the suspension of its ICBM testing and also closed its nuclear bomb test site. U.S. officials, however, have cautioned that such actions are reversible.
Asked on Wednesday whether North Korea has done anything toward denuclearization since the summit, U.S. Defence Secretary Jim Mattis told reporters: “No, I’m not aware of that. I mean, obviously, it’s the very front end of a process. The detailed negotiations have not begun. I wouldn’t expect that at this point.”
Yang Uk, senior research fellow at the Korea Defence and Security Forum, agreed that a shutdown of the Sohae testing site would be a symbolic gesture rather than a move to technically disable its missile capabilities.
“Sohae has technically been used as an ‘engine’ testing site. North Korea has already finished developing (the) Baekdu Engine, so there would be no problem running ICBM missile programs even if they close down the Sohae site,” Yang said.
“If North Korea comes up with a ‘big deal’, it would be something like getting one of the ICBMs out of the country to a third country, talk about the procedures for disassembling the missiles, or actually showing Pompeo to the missile facility and say to his face that they will get rid of it.” (Source: Reuters)
20 Jun 18. Afghanistan May Be on ‘Edge of Opportunity’ for Peace. The Eid al-Fitr ceasefire and the burgeoning peace movement in Afghanistan lead NATO officials in the country to believe the country is on the “edge of opportunity.”
British army Lt. Gen. Richard J. Cripwell, the deputy commander for the Resolute Support Mission in Afghanistan, called Afghan President Ashraf Ghani’s call for a cease-fire over the Eid holiday “courageous.” The Taliban agreed to the cease-fire and the nation saw what peace could look like as government and Taliban marked the end of the holy month of Ramadan this past weekend.
Ghani extended the ceasefire, but the Taliban, sadly, did not choose to honor that and attacked Badghis, a city in western Afghanistan. Thirty Afghan soldiers were killed in the attack.
The scenes in Kabul with Taliban entering the city to snap selfies and eat ice cream, show peace is possible.
Assisting Afghan Partners
Cripwell discussed the military pressure the Taliban are under in an effort to bring the group to the table. “We are not here to do this ourselves,” the general said to Pentagon reporters via video teleconference. “Our focus is on building capability to ensure the Afghan security forces can deliver effective, targeted military pressure to protect and secure their population and create the conditions for a political settlement.”
NATO trainers are helping Afghan forces, now, at every level. Senior NATO leaders partner with Afghan defense and interior officials. They work to increase institutional strength and look to root our inefficiency and corruption, the general said. They also help Afghan leaders establish procedures, doctrine and regulations to allow security forces to develop in a professional manner.
“We are also helping at the structural level to redesign and to produce a different sort of army: One that is capable, one that is professional and, in the long run, one that is affordable for the Afghan government,” Cripwell said.
Afghan Government Reform
Part of this is the Afghan government enforcing a mandatory retirement rule that is replacing older leaders with younger, better trained leaders who rose through the ranks on their merits and not family or tribal connections.
“My own country, the United Kingdom along with Denmark, Australia and New Zealand, oversee the training of over 1,000 new officers — male and female — per year at the Afghan National Officers Academy,” he said.
NATO trainers are also helping at the tactical level with the American 1st Security Force Assistance Brigade making its efforts felt at all regional commands in the country. Those officers and noncommissioned officers primarily advise at the brigade level, but can reach lower if needed.
The Afghan Air Force is also a growing factor, Cripwell said, and NATO advisors working at all levels to ensure the force is effective, accurate, proportional and sustainable.
There are seven regional support commands in Afghanistan, with four U.S.-led and the rest commanded by Germany, Italy and Turkey. They provide the advice to the corps units in the nation.
“I’ve seen for myself how resilient the security forces are, despite the challenging circumstances they find themselves in,” Cripwell said. “So far this year, they have defended over 80 percent of the district centers that have been attacked by the enemy.”
Peace marchers are showing the social pressure that Taliban is under from the people of the nation. One group marched from Helmand province to Kabul. They received shelter and aid from local mosques along the way. Other groups are active in the eastern part of the country and in Herat — in the west. (Source: US DoD)
20 Jun 18. Philippines’ Duterte approves $5.6bn military upgrade. Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has approved a five-year plan to spend 300bn pesos (£4.3bn) to modernise the outdated military, defence officials said on Wednesday. A previous 15-year upgrade plan failed to take off in the mid-1990s, leaving the Philippines with outdated hardware, including warships from World War Two and helicopters used by the United States in the Vietnam War.
“We have the go signal now to buy brand-new equipment, like fighters, drones, light tanks, radar, an additional frigate and a submarine to boost our defence capability,” said a defence official, who declined to be named because he is not authorised to speak to media.
The previous administration of Benigno Aquino spent about $1.7bn on the military during its 2010-2016 term in office, mostly on secondhand ships and planes. Duterte approved the $5.6bn modernisation plan at a meeting with top defence and military officials last month. A senior general said Duterte had approved 33 modernisation projects, with a focus on domestic security and protecting the vast maritime borders of the archipelago nation.
“We’re putting a premium on unmanned aerial vehicles, long-range patrol aircraft, offshore patrol ships and an electric-diesel submarine,” he told Reuters.
The military is bent on preventing another Islamic State-inspired insurgency after rebels seized Marawi, the country’s only Islamic city, for five months last year.
The Philippines also faces a challenge in South China Sea, a strategic waterway most of which is claimed by China, which has built military outposts there.
Besides the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam also have rival claims on the area, through which $3trn worth of sea-borne goods pass every year.
Manila had planned to acquire four submarines after 2023, but the plan could be accelerated to boost the navy’s regional capabilities, said Arsenio Andolong, a defence department spokesman.
“We want to get submarines as soon as possible,” he said.
Duterte had set aside $1bn for new helicopters and light tanks, but no purchases have been made yet.
The Philippines has received donated military hardware from Australia, China, Japan, Russia and the United States, mostly to assist in disaster response and fighting militants and pirates. (Source: Reuters)
18 Jun 18. Operation Roundup Hits ISIS Remnants in Iraq, Syria. Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve and its partners have increased offensive activity against Islamic State of Iraq and Syria targets in designated parts of Iraq and Syria throughout the months of May and June. Since the May 1 start of Operation Roundup, Syrian Democratic Forces resumed major offensive operations in the Middle Euphrates River Valley. Since then, the SDF has continued to gain ground through offensive operations coupled with precision coalition strike support.
Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve and its partner forces continue to exert pressure on ISIS senior leaders and associates in order to degrade, disrupt and dismantle ISIS structures and remove terrorists throughout Iraq and Syria. ISIS morale is sinking on the frontlines as privileged ISIS leaders increasingly abandon their own fighters on the battlefield, taking resources with them as they flee.
Over the coming weeks, Operation Roundup will continue to build momentum against ISIS remnants remaining in the Iraq-Syria border region and the middle Euphrates River Valley. The coalition remains committed to the lasting defeat of ISIS here, increasing peace and stability in the region and protecting all our homelands from the ISIS threat.
Coalition military forces conducted 26 strikes June 11-17, consisting of 36 engagements in Iraq and Syria.
Strikes in Syria
On June 17 near Shadaddi, coalition military forces conducted a strike consisting of two engagements against ISIS targets, destroying two ISIS fighting positions.
On June 16 near Abu Kamal, coalition military forces conducted three strikes consisting of three engagements against ISIS targets, destroying two ISIS supply routes.
On June 15, coalition military forces conducted three strikes consisting of three engagements against ISIS targets. Near Abu Kamal, a strike engaged an ISIS tactical unit and destroyed an ISIS vehicle. Near Shadaddi, two strikes engaged an ISIS tactical unit, destroying an ISIS vehicle and an ISIS anti-air artillery system.
On June 14, coalition military forces conducted two strikes consisting of two engagements against ISIS targets. Near Abu Kamal, a strike destroyed an ISIS-held building. Near Shadaddi, a strike destroyed an ISIS logistics hub and an ISIS fighting position.
On June 13, coalition military forces conducted seven strikes consisting of seven engagements against ISIS targets. Near Abu Kamal, four strikes destroyed two ISIS vehicles, an ISIS supply route and damaged an ISIS vehicle. Near Shadaddi, three strikes engaged an ISIS tactical unit, destroying an ISIS tactical vehicle, an ISIS line of communication and an ISIS headquarters.
On June 12, coalition military forces conducted four strikes consisting of 10 engagements against ISIS targets. Near Abu Kamal, a strike engaged an ISIS tactical unit. Near Shadaddi, three strikes engaged an ISIS tactical unit, destroying two ISIS fighting positions and three ISIS lines of communication.
On June 11 near Abu Kamal, coalition military forces conducted three strikes consisting of three engagements against ISIS targets, destroying three ISIS supply routes.
Strikes in Iraq
There were no reported strikes conducted in Iraq on June 15-17.
On June 14, coalition military forces conducted two strikes consisting of four engagements against ISIS targets. Near Basheer, a strike engaged an ISIS tactical unit and destroyed seven ISIS-held buildings. Near Rutbah, a strike engaged an ISIS tactical unit.
There were no reported strikes conducted in Iraq on June 13.
On June 12 near Basheer, coalition military forces conducted a strike consisting of two engagements against ISIS targets, destroying two ISIS tunnels and an ISIS supply cache.
There were no reported strikes conducted in Iraq on June 11.
Definition of Strikes
This coalition strike release contains all strikes conducted by fighter, attack, bomber, rotary-wing or remotely piloted aircraft, rocket-propelled artillery and ground-based tactical artillery.
A strike, as defined by coalition officials, refers to one or more kinetic engagements that occur in roughly the same geographic location to produce a single, sometimes cumulative effect in that location. For example, a single aircraft delivering a single weapon against a lone ISIS vehicle is one strike, but so is multiple aircraft delivering dozens of weapons against a group of ISIS-held buildings and weapon systems in a compound, having the cumulative effect of making that facility harder or impossible to use. Strike assessments are based on initial reports and may be refined.
Task force officials do not report the number or type of aircraft employed in a strike, the number of munitions dropped in each strike, or the number of individual munition impact points against a target. (Source: US DoD)
18 Jun 18. US cancels military exercise with South Korea after Trump-Kim summit. Concrete step comes after Washington and Pyongyang pursue talks towards denuclearisation. The timing of the exercises is likely to raise eyebrows after US President Donald Trump announced he had cancelled long-running joint drills between Washington and Seoul. The US has cancelled a joint military exercise with South Korea, marking the first concrete step since Donald Trump vowed to end war games on the Korean peninsula after his summit with Kim Jong Un. The Pentagon said it had suspended planning for “Freedom Guardian”, a large-scale war game that had been scheduled for August. Spokesperson Dana White said the Pentagon had made no decisions about subsequent military exercises with South Korean forces. “Consistent with President Trump’s commitment and in concert with our Republic of Korea ally, the US military has suspended all planning for this August’s defensive war game Freedom Guardian,” said Ms White. The US national security team would meet to discuss the issue this week. The cancellation cemented Mr Trump’s move to halt exercises on the peninsula for as long as the US and North Korea were in talks towards denuclearisation. At a press conference following his summit with Mr Kim in Singapore last week, the president surprised South Korea by saying he would cancel the regular war games, which he described as “provocative”. His decision sparked criticism in the US. Many analysts believed he had rewarded North Korea with one of the things it had long demanded but received nothing in return. “We will be stopping the war games, which will save us a tremendous amount of money, unless and until we see the future negotiation is not going along like it should,” Mr Trump said in Singapore. Mr Trump and Mike Pompeo, the US secretary of state who has been leading the North Korea talks, came under fire after the summit because of the widespread view that the joint declaration signed by Mr Trump and Mr Kim lacked detail. The document did not mention “complete, verifiable, irreversible denuclearisation”, which the US had previously insisted on. If President Obama . . . had gotten along with North Korea and made the initial steps toward a deal that I have, the Fake News would have named him a national hero! Donald Trump tweet Speaking in Seoul and Beijing, Mr Pompeo pushed back against suggestions that Washington had weakened its stance. He also suggested that North Korean state media reports to the effect that Washington would lift sanctions before denuclearisation were wrong. Mr Trump tweeted on Monday: “If President Obama (who got nowhere with North Korea and would have had to go to war with many millions of people being killed) had gotten along with North Korea and made the initial steps toward a deal that I have, the Fake News would have named him a national hero!” The White House has not said when or where the US and North Korea will hold their next meeting, which analysts believe will be crucial to determining whether Mr Kim is serious about abandoning his nuclear weapons. (Source: FT.com)
18 Jun 18. Koreas seek withdrawal of long-range artillery near border. South and North Korean army generals are set to discuss a matter of moving away their respective long-range artillery from the heavily fortified border in the upcoming high-level military talks as part of efforts to ease cross-border military tension, according to defense officials. The Ministry of National Defense has denied local media reports that said the two sides had already discussed the tension-defusing measure during the June 15 inter-Korean military talks at the truce village of Panmumjom in the Demilitarized Zone that divides the two Koreas. Multiple ministry sources have acknowledged the relocation of artillery is among the agenda items for the follow-up talks slated for as early as later this month.
“Both sides didn’t make mention of removing artillery guns near the border but talked about the possible reduction of front-line conventional weapons to prevent accidental clashes between the two militaries,” said a ministry source, speaking on condition of anonymity. “As the artillery forces near the border are regarded as a major threat to both sides, the issue is likely to be discussed as a key agenda item in the upcoming talks.”
Last week’s military talks, led by two-star generals from their respective armies, were the first of its kind in more than a decade. They also served as a follow-up on the so-called Panmunjom Declaration from the April 27 inter-Korean summit, which promised an end to hostile actions between the neighbors.
For South Korea, the North’s artillery deployed near the border justifies the former’s defenses, as the North’s weaponry is capable of hitting Seoul and surrounding areas. According to the latest South Korea defense white paper, published in 2016, the North Korean military has about 14,000 artillery weapons, including 5,500 multiple rocket launchers, a majority of which have been deployed near the border.
The North is also said to have forward-deployed about 150 170mm self-propelled howitzers and 200 240mm multiple rocket launchers to fire 10,000 rounds within an hour. In addition, the North’s longer-range 300mm multiple rocket launchers are said to be capable of reaching key U.S. military installations in Pyeongtaek ― about 70 kilometers south of Seoul ― and the South Korean military compound Gyeryongdae, some 150 kilometers south of Seoul.
South Korea wants North Korea’s forward-deployed artillery guns to be moved back 30 to 40 kilometers from the border, Yonhap news agency reported.
Security experts in South Korea that anticipate Pyongyang, in return, will demand that key artillery operated by South Korean and U.S. forces move back to reduce the combined forces’ artillery threat against the North.
“North Korea is expected to demand, in particular, the removal of the Army Tactical Missile Systems, or ATACMS, deployed by the U.S. Army’s 210th Field Artillery Brigade near the border,” said Kim Dae-young, a military analyst at the Korea Research Institute for National Strategy. “The unit is mainly tasked with defending South Korea against possible multiple-rocket attacks from the North.”
ATACMS is a surface-to-surface precision-guided missile system with an estimated range of about 300 kilometers and is capable of hitting the North Korean capital of Pyongyang. The brigade also operates M109A6 Paladin howitzers and artillery-locating radars to simultaneously engage targets.
The South Korean Army has deployed about 1,000 K9 self-propelled howitzers near the border and plans to deploy newly built surface-to-surface missiles, which can destroy North Korea’s hardened long-range artillery sites, with an artillery brigade that will be stood up in October.
The brigade is also to operate the Chunmoo Multiple Launch Rocket System, which can fire three types of ammunition: 130mm non-guided rockets; 227mm non-guided rockets; and 239mm guided rockets. The range of the rockets are 36 kilometers, 80 kilometers and 160 kilometers, respectively.
(Source: Defense News)
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20 Jun 18. Polish Defense Firm Makes Moves to Crack U.S. Market. A major Polish defense contractor is opening a U.S.-based subsidiary to better focus on the North, Central and South American markets and global foreign military sales opportunities.
The WB Group, the largest privately owned defense contractor in Poland, designs and manufactures specialized electronics, military information technology and unmanned aerial systems. WB America, which will be headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia, plans to offer these products to all U.S. military services, with a focus on Special Operations Command, as well as to allies in Latin America, said Jim Curtin, the new subsidiary’s president.
These technologies include a fully integrated fire control product that connects unmanned aerial vehicles to existing intercoms and command-and-control systems that are deployed in the field, according to the company. This system, known as the battlefield overwatch and strike capability, can be tailored to end-user requirements using technologies such as WB Group’s Fly Eye hand-launched intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance UAV, or its Warmate, a catapult-launched drone that can carry three distinct warheads to provide a strike capability.
While the company plans to offer a variety of systems and platforms to markets on the left side of the Atlantic, its initial plan is to build relationships with already established providers, Curtin said in an interview at the National Defense Industrial Association’s annual Special Operations Forces Industry Conference in Tampa, Florida.
“For the first year to 18 months, I don’t really want to sell a product here,” he said. “I want to show that we are reputable, that we are stable and more than anything else, humble.”
As those relationships develop, Curtin sees WB America providing services to Latin American countries such as Peru, Colombia and Chile.
“They also have a strong U.S. presence [and] good FMS structure. … But they have developing militaries that have needs and certain budgets where we fit in perfectly and we can generate product-side revenue,” he noted.
Curtin, a mechanical engineer with an industry background in aerospace, ground communications and missile defense, most recently served as a program manager with Harris Corp., handling an internal research-and-development portfolio of about $30 million. Using his experience in the U.S. defense industry, he plans to help WB Group better navigate new markets.
“I am in a position where I sit between primes in the U.S. and our Polish office, [and] there are times where I am … that conduit,” he said.
The parent company will continue to handle the European, Middle Eastern and Southeast Asian markets, but WB America could coordinate foreign military sales deals from those regions, he noted.
Over the next two years, Curtin hopes to build additional locations for the subsidiary, including a satellite office in Tampa to be near SOCOM, as well as a West Coast-based operation. (Source: glstrade.com/National Defense)
21 Jun 18. Chemring takes decisive countermeasures. Chemring’s (CHG) half-year figures were met with approval from analysts at Peel Hunt, who pointed to “a better underlying trading environment overlaid with self-help initiatives that have driven much improved margins and lower net debt”. A net working capital reduction and a 44 per cent fall in finance costs suggest that management has paid due attention to those aspects of the business within its control. It’s just unfortunate that the defence contractor updated the market on the day that reports emerged of a meeting between Theresa May and Gavin Williamson, the Defence Secretary, during which the Prime Minister questioned the UK’s status as a “tier one” military power.
Happily, for Chemring, there are no such qualms across the Atlantic, where “the Presidential Budget Request for Fiscal Year 2019 sees the largest military budget in US history, at $700bn (£531bn). So, it’s little wonder the group has initiated a $50m programme to transform its Tennessee facility, with the aim of reinforcing its position in the global countermeasures market (flares, chaff and decoys, including infra-red and radio frequency jamming). The order book for this segment of the business – which is also the most profitable – came in at £193m, an 11.6 per cent increase at constant currencies since the October year-end; something of a contrast to the group backlog, which at £442m was £36m adrift of the end rate in FY2017. There’s a degree of predictability, however, because £212m should be delivered over the second half, representing around 80 per cent of expected revenues.
The countermeasures market continues to show rising bid activity and order intake, but recent events in Salisbury and Syria could act as demand catalysts for products within the group’s sensors segment – particularly those concerned with chemical and biological detection. The group remains in the mix for several contract awards in this area from the US Dept of Defense, though they’re still “subject to on-going development, customer testing programmes and customer decision making processes”.
Peel Hunt gives cash profits of £83.6m for the Oct 2019 year-end, together with free cash-flow yield of 5.9 per cent, rising to £86.9m and 6.6 per cent in FY2020.
IC View
There was no material update on the ongoing investigation by the Serious Fraud Office into allegations of money laundering and bribery, and therefore no indication of any contingent liabilities, though the group did reveal a £17.4m deferred tax write-off relating to changes under US tax legislation. Outside the burgeoning US market, a firming oil price could translate into improved order intake from customers in the Middle East. But the shares are trading bang in line with their historic P/E ratio. Hold. Last IC view: Hold, 181p, 19 Jan 2018. (Source: Investors Chronicle)
21 Jun 18. Chemring’s profit rises 5.2 percent. Defence contractor Chemring Group Plc (CHG.L) on Thursday reported a 5.2 percent rise in six-month operating profit and said it sees more benefits from increased U.S. defence spending. Chemring’s operating profit rose to 18.1m pounds, in the six months ended April 30, from 17.2m pounds reported a year earlier. The company said the total amount of its current orders was 442m pounds, down from 478m pounds a year earlier.
Michael Flowers, Chemring Group Chief Executive, commented, “Market conditions and business performance in the first half of 2018 have continued to strengthen, with margins and earnings improving across the Group. We expect this trend to continue as the impact of significant increases to the US Defense budget start to flow through, with the Group maximising the impact of these improvements through improved delivery performance resulting from the Operational Excellence Programme. Our Countermeasures segment continues to grow, with a strengthening order book and increased global market activity underpinning capital investments in all facilities, most notably our recently approved transformation programme at the Tennessee site. Improved operational performance, improved capability, and an improved market all point to strong future performance in the segment. With contract finalisation on the first phase of the Husky Mounted Detection System program expected shortly and customer decisions on the Next Generation Chemical Detector and Enhanced Maritime Biological Detection programs imminent, the second half is key to our long term growth in the US sensors market. In light of strong order book cover and improved performance, the Board’s outlook for FY 2018 remains positive, with expectations unchanged. As previously highlighted, we expect a stronger contribution from Countermeasures and scheduled reductions in Energetics.” (Source: Reuters)
Chemring results, Edison view: “Chemring reported revenue of £229.3m (H117 £249.6m) represented a 2% organic decline, reflecting the expected lower 40mm ammunition deliveries to the Middle East. ”
Annabel Hewson, analyst at Edison said: “Chemring reported revenue of £229.3m (H117 £249.6m) represented a 2% organic decline, reflecting the expected lower 40mm ammunition deliveries to the Middle East. More encouragingly, underlying operating profit of £18.1m (H117 £11.3m) demonstrated a 14% organic improvement as the Operational Excellence Programme bears fruit. Operating margin improvement was visible in both Countermeasures and Sensors. While order intake was down yoy (H118 £208m vs H117 £218m), H218 is 80% covered by the existing order book and the market backdrop remains supportive. The company has maintained outlook for a stronger contribution from Countermeasures and scheduled reductions in Energetics. No further comment on the ongoing SFO investigation. FY18 is about consolidation and although the year is H2 weighted, consensus estimates may be a fraction ambitious. However overall we continue to feel that Chemring is making strong progress on many fronts as market dynamics begin to play in its favour. It has re-established its financial footing and is positioned to drive growth organically and with selective M&A.”
20 Jun 18. MAG Aerospace acquires NASS. MAG Aerospace has acquired North American Surveillance Systems (NASS) and related entities, the company announced on 18 June. The acquisition will enhance MAG’s technical services and integration capabilities. NASS is a Florida-based aerospace company that provides ISR quick reaction capability integration for rotary and fixed-wing aircraft, systems engineering, manufacturing, testing, certification, training and logistics support.
NASS holds an FAA Part 145 Repair Station Certificate and has over 35 FAA Supplemental Type Certificates for fixed and rotary wing platforms.
Joe Fluet, MAG CEO, said: ‘NASS has a tremendous reputation in the aerospace industry for its highly technical integration services. Adding NASS to the MAG family allows us to continue to meet the evolving needs of our customers around the world. We are proud to have the NASS team join the other experienced professionals at MAG who set the standard for excellence in special mission aviation services.’ (Source: Shephard)
20 Jun 18. Looking for another Nasdaq? Try Europe’s aerospace and defense stocks. Fat order books covering several years of sales have made European aerospace and defense firms a winning bet as a slowing economy and political instability have clouded prospects for the region’s equity market. The sector’s stock prices have been hitting record highs, even as investors become more wary of European economic growth falling from its peak and as fears of a global trade war put other big multinational industrial stocks in the crosshairs. For many investment funds, the aerospace and defense sector is more insulated from the economic cycle as it works through a huge backlog of orders and fractious geopolitics spur demand for military equipment.
“Order books are currently very large (and this) gives visibility and makes the group somewhat more resilient from the general economic cycle,” said Sandrine Perret, strategist at Credit Suisse, International Wealth Management, in Zurich.
“It gives the aerospace sector a comparative advantage relative to others that are more sensitive to short-term business fluctuations,” Perret added.
On top of that, while U.S. President Donald Trump’s trade protectionism raises uncertainty about future U.S. demand, that could be more than offset for European firms from countries seeking to reorientate trade away from Washington.
The European aerospace and defense index .SXPARO is up 15 percent so far this year, just below the all-time peak touched last week when the European Central Bank cut its growth forecasts following four months of largely weaker-than-expected economic data .CESIEUR.
That has put the sector ahead of others not only in Europe, but also in the United States. The record-breaking Nasdaq .NDX, for example, is lagging with a 13 percent year-to-date gain.
A number of stocks in the sector, from plane maker Airbus (AIR.PA) to French defense electronics group Thales (TCFP.PA) and German engine firm MTU Aero Engines (MTXGn.DE), have been surging from one record to another.
“Investors are very happy and companies are delivering,” said Celine Fornaro, head of European Industrials equity research at UBS in London. “The sector is long-cycle, less exposed to the volatility of the quarters.”
Airbus’s commercial order book of more than 7,100 jetliners currently represents a record eight years of anticipated production.
And defense companies have once again begun selling more than they deliver, in a sign growth is returning to the sector amid tensions between the West and Russia. (Source: Reuters)
20 Jun 18. CybAero files for bankruptcy. Swedish unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) manufacturer CybAero announced on 19 June that it had filed for bankruptcy. Further details of the bankruptcy are expected to be revealed at the company’s annual general meeting on 30 June. CybAero manufactured the APID family of rotary-wing UAVs. Since its formation in 2003, CybAero established a number of collaborations with organisations including former Airbus business unit Cassidian, Saab, and the US Navy’s Naval Research Laboratory, with interest being received from countries including China, Pakistan, Spain, and the United Arab Emirates. Filings with the Nasdaq’s First North Sweden stock exchange show that the company had experienced significant declines in revenues and a worsening cash flow situation. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
BATTLESPACE Comment: Is this the beginning of the much talked about shakeout of the burgeoning UAV industry where private investors and VCs have put billions into a market that cannot support the growing number of UAV companies.
19 Jun 18. EU ruling on Thales’ 4.8bn euro Gemalto buy due by July 23. EU antitrust regulators have set a July 23 deadline for their ruling on French aerospace and defense group Thales’s (TCFP.PA) 4.8bn euro ($5.5bn) bid for Franco-Dutch chipmaker Gemalto (GTO.AS), the European Commission said on Tuesday. Thales, Europe’s largest defense electronics group, sought EU approval on June 18, according to a filing on the EU competition enforcer’s site. The Commission can nod through the deal with or without concessions or open a four-month investigation if it has serious concerns. Thales, which beat off a competing bid from French rival Atos (ATOS.PA) for Gemalto, is looking to expand in the fast-growing digital security market via the acquisition. The combined company would be one of the top three players in digital security. The French state is the largest shareholder in Thales while state-owned bank Bpifrance is Gemalto’s second-biggest shareholder. (Source: Reuters)
20 Jun 18. Ministers halt defence firm’s Chinese takeover fearing military secrets may be compromised. Cabinet ministers have blocked a Chinese takeover of a British defence company, risking enraging Beijing, amid fears that sharing sensitive information could put British and American air troops in danger. Greg Clark, Business Secretary is thought to have intervened earlier this week to prevent a Chinese business giant from purchasing Northern Aerospace Limited. It was about to be bought by a subsidiary of Chinese firm Shaanxi Ligeance Mineral Resources. But, defence sources raised concerns the sale would give the Chinese government access to military design plans. The decision was based on advice from Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson, Mr Williamson’s team has confirmed.
“We’re working on the adage that if they can’t steal it, they’ll try to buy it.”
A Business Department spokesman confirmed the plans for a takeover have been put on hold.
A statement read: “The Business Secretary has issued a public interest intervention notice on the grounds of national security.
“This requires the Competition and Markets Authority to investigate and report on the proposed sale of Northern Aerospace to Gardner Aerospace.
“This is a statutory process we have followed a number of times before to ensure national security implications of a proposed sale are fully assessed and accounted for.”
Northern Aerospace makes systems and wing parts for RAF and US Air Force planes. They also build components of unmanned drones used by military forces. A full report into the takeover and security concerns will now be drawn up. (Source: Google/https://www.express.co.uk)
19 Jun 18. General Electric booted from the Dow after more than a century. Industrial group, a founder member of the index in 1896, cedes its place to Walgreens. After more than a century on the Dow Jones Industrial Average, General Electric will be replaced in the index by pharmacy chain Walgreens Boots Alliance when trading begins on June 26. The decision has little practical impact, but is symbolic of the industrial group’s decline in recent years. GE was a constituent of the Dow when the index was created in 1896, and has been a member continuously since 1907. In the 1990s GE was the largest US company by market capitalisation, and as recently as 2009 was one of the five-largest listed groups in the world. It has been hit by a series of problems including downturns in the market for gas-fired power plants and oilfield services, and legacy liabilities from insurance operations it sold in 2006. Last year it was forced to cut its dividend, for the second time since 1938. David Blitzer, managing director and chairman of the S&P Dow Jones Indices’ index committee, said in a statement that putting in Walgreens to replace GE would “make the index a better measure of the economy and the stock market” by giving greater weight to the consumer and healthcare sectors. The decision also reflects the idiosyncratic nature of the Dow, which has 30 constituents weighted by share price rather than by market capitalisation. After falling 54 per cent in the past 12 months, GE’s shares were $12.95 at the market close on Tuesday, and it has much less effect on the index than members with higher share prices such as Goldman Sachs at $228 and Apple at $186. Recommended Industrials GE chief warns against quick-fix expectations At an equity valuation of about $113bn, GE still has a larger market capitalisation than other industrial companies that have been kept in the Dow, including United Technologies at $100bn and Caterpillar at $86bn. In the broader S&P 500 index, GE is ranked 44th by market capitalisation. GE shares dropped about 1.5 per cent in after-hours trading on Tuesday following the announcement. Walgreens got a lift, rising 4.4 per cent. That modest reaction reflects the fact that the Dow is little used by investment funds for tracking or benchmarking performance. About $29.6bn worth of assets tracks the Dow or is benchmarked against it, compared to $9.94tn that uses the S&P 500, according to S&P Dow Jones Indices. GE said in a statement: “We are focused on executing against the plan we’ve laid out to improve GE’s performance. Today’s announcement does nothing to change those commitments or our focus in creating in a stronger, simpler GE.” (Source: FT.com)
19 Jun 18. Elbit Systems Ltd. (NASDAQ:ESLT and TASE: ESLT) (“Elbit Systems” or the “Company”) announced today that the agreements reached between Elbit Systems and the Israeli Government for the acquisition of IMI Systems Ltd. (“IMI”), were approved by the Committee for the Tender of the Sale of State Shares and by the Board of Directors of the Company. The purchase price will be approximately $495m (NIS 1.8bn), with an additional payment of approximately $27m (NIS 100m) contingent upon IMI meeting certain performance goals. Completion of the transaction is subject to the signing of the relevant documents and the receipt of the remaining applicable governmental approvals, including the approval of the Head of the Israeli Antitrust Authority.
Bezhalel (Butzi) Machlis, Elbit Systems President & CEO, commented: “IMI Systems capabilities and technologies are synergetic to Elbit Systems, making this acquisition significant to our long-term growth strategy. We look forward to completing the transaction, which will enable us to offer an enhanced portfolio to both the Israeli and global markets. Elbit Systems has a proven track record of successfully performing major acquisitions, and we are confident that this acquisition will be beneficial for Israel’s economy as well as for both companies’ employees and customers.”
17 Jun 18. Just three months after Melrose’s hostile takeover of engineer GKN, now the asset stripping begins with a £2bn sale. Asset-stripper Melrose has fired the starting gun on its sell-off of engineer GKN.
Bosses are plotting to kick-off the sale of its powder metallurgy division potentially as soon as this autumn, according to reports.
The business accounted for about £1.1bn of GKN’s £10bn sales in 2017. It is thought it could fetch between £1.5bn and £2bn. Plans are being drawn up and investment bank Rothschild is in line to be hired as adviser, Sky News reported. It comes just three months after turnaround firm Melrose bought car and plane parts-maker GKN for £8.1bn. They won a bitter hostile takeover battle with 52per cent of the vote. During the bid, bosses said they planned to sell powder metallurgy in the medium term and only after improvement. They criticised GKN’s own plans to sell the division before boosting its value. Sources have now confirmed to Sky News that the division will be sold in the near term. Industry analyst Howard Wheeldon said there was likely to be interest in the division from China or Japan.
He said: ‘It’s a great company that has been developed by GKN over the past 25 years and is a very big player globally.
‘I believe it is a gem of a business and could have massive potential in the right hands.
‘If GKN had survived as an independent business, I would have liked it to stay part of the group, but I think the future of powder met is far better secured with a company that wants to develop it.’
Powder metallurgy makes specialised metal powders used in parts for cars, planes and engineering equipment, and also makes around 11million parts itself.
It employs 6,000 around the world, with key sites in France, Germany and elsewhere, but not the UK. It is Redditch-based GKN’s third core division alongside aerospace and automotive. Under a deal agreed following the takeover, the UK government can block the sale of parts of GKN on national security grounds. The planned sale suggests Melrose bosses, who made £40m each last year, are wasting no time in implementing their plans for GKN. Chief executive Simon Peckham, 55, executive chairman Christopher Miller, 66, and executive vice-chairman David Roper, 67, have a strategy of selling firms on within three to five years. They made £40m each last year. Sources close to Melrose stressed a timetable for the sale of powder metallurgy has yet to be fixed. Melrose did not comment.
(Source: http://www.thisismoney.co.uk)
17 Jun 18. Blocked Chinese takeover of Ukrainian aerospace firm no closer to being resolved. Courts intervened to stop ‘enemy plot’ by Beijing Skyrizon Aviation to control Kiev’s vital state enterprise Motor Sich and officials want issue resolved quickly. On April 23, masked agents from Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) raided the offices of aerospace company Motor Sich in Zaporizhzhia as part of a criminal investigation into the company’s bosses. After jumping over the compound’s gates, SBU agents clashed with security guards. An SBU spokesman said the raid was part of a probe into “preparations for sabotage”, claiming a planned takeover by a Chinese company represented an “enemy plot”.
Motor Sich issued statements describing the raid and searches as illegal.
Ukrainian authorities insisted their concerns about Beijing Skyrizon Aviation’s multimillion dollar move on Motor Sich were justified.
The company is considered strategically vital to Ukraine as it is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of turbine engines and engine parts for civilian and military aircraft.
The courts claim a Chinese takeover could cause severe damage to the country’s defence industry and intervened in Skyrizon’s attempt in September 2017 to buy a controlling stake.
Some observers described it as an overreaction, while others praised authorities for protecting a vital state industry.
Skyrizon tried to acquire the controlling stake by buying US$100m worth of shares. It said it planned to invest a further US$250m in Ukrainian factories and move additional manufacturing to China.
Court documents show Skyrizon used a subsidiary company in the British Virgin Islands to acquire a 56 per cent stake in Motor Sich.
Under the initial agreement between Motor Sich and Skyrizon, some Ukrainian engineers would move to the south-western Chinese province of Chongqinq to help assemble state-of-the-art engines for planes and helicopters.
But Ukraine’s highest courts have indefinitely delayed the plan by freezing the Chinese shares and authorising a criminal investigation.
They cited serious national security concerns and fears that vital and sensitive Ukrainian technology could be lost to China, resulting in the “destruction” of Ukraine’s aerospace industry.
Vyacheslav Boguslayev, a veteran member of Ukraine’s parliament and co-owner of Motor Sich, called the court’s decision a politically-motivated “hostile state takeover” of his publicly listed company.
Boguslayev earlier told reporters he had only sold 15 per cent of the company for US$100m and knew nothing about any more shares being sold.
Investigators and the courts are not convinced. They say if any deal was made then it was not approved by Ukrainian authorities and the sale bypassed the country’s Anti-Monopoly Committee.
Last week, Ukraine’s National Agency for the Prevention of Corruption announced it planned to audit Boguslayev’s financial declarations.
Ukraine’s defence and aerospace industries have been on the rocks since the country pivoted away from its traditional ally Russia and towards the West.
Ties with the European Union and North America have strengthened, but these markets are not interested in Ukrainian aircraft or weapons. So Asian clients – notably China – have become more interested.
Bilateral ties between Ukraine and China have grown while trade and investment from Beijing have risen, including plans to pump at least US$7bn into Ukrainian infrastructure.
But it’s the aerospace sector that has caught Beijing’s eye, with the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) possibly the driving force behind the interest.
Despite concerns about the possible reverse-engineering and mass reproduction of the aircraft, China and Ukraine have formalised a deal for two Ukrainian Antonov An-225s – the world’s largest cargo planes – to be shipped in parts to state-owned factories in Chengdu and Shaanxi for assembly.
The Antonovs are expected to end up in the hands of the PLA. It would not be the first time defence equipment has been repurposed by China for military use.
In 1998, the Soviet cruiser Varyag was sold by Ukraine to Chinese businessmen supposedly to be used as a floating hotel and casino. Today, it is the Liaoning aircraft carrier.
Skyrizon – jointly owned by businessmen Wang Jing and Du Tao – has strong connections with the Communist Party and is considered by some to be a proxy for the PLA.
At least one of the subsidiaries that form Skyrizon’s network of aerospace companies – Chongqing Skyrizon – is 45 per cent owned by trusts and Chinese government entities, according to company filings and court documents. Ukrainian approval of Skyrizon’s acquisition of a majority stake in Motor Sich would create a new company: Chongqing Motor Sich Skyrizon Aviation – a firm that would be partly Chinese state-owned.
Wang’s foreign business moves – including a failed US$10bn deep water port in Crimea and a US$50bn Nicaraguan shipping canal to compete with Panama have often been seen as heavily aligned with Beijing’s foreign policy objectives.
“His access to financing and the fact that his projects are often in line with Chinese government objectives have led to speculation that, in some of his ventures, he may be acting on behalf of the state,” Bloomberg BusinessWeek reported in a recent profile of Wang.
Professor Usha Haley of West Virginia University, who has testified before the US Senate about Chinese corporate takeovers, is unsure about Wang’s motives.
“It’s hard to say whether Wang is a proxy for the Chinese state or just good at aligning with Beijing’s interests,” he said.
In Ukraine, criminal investigations and court proceedings can be dropped as quickly as they appear.
With few countries able to match China’s spending power, Beijing has lots of leverage in Kiev. In May, Chinese officials told Ukrainian ministers that they want a quick resolution to the situation, citing the importance of continued cooperation between the countries.
Officials including trade minister Stepan Kubiv met China’s Ambassador to Ukraine Du Wei and representatives from Skyrizon.
Speaking to Interfax Ukraine news agency after the meetings, officials said they were confident Skyrizon planned to continue its “cooperation” with Motor Sich.
“I think that in the near future the situation around Motor Sich will be solved … taking into account the interests of Ukrainian-Chinese cooperation in the aviation industry,” one minister told reporters. The SBU said its criminal investigation is still going on. Motor Sich could not be reached for comment. (Source: Google/http://www.scmp.com)
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21 Jun 18. FFG readies Wiesel 1 AWC upgrades. Flensburger Fahzeugbau Gesellschaft (FFG) is expecting to complete three prototypes of the upgraded Wiesel 1 Armoured Weapon Carrier (AWC) in October 2018. The vehicle will be fitted with the CAMAC passive armour package developed by Morgan Advanced Materials for improved survivability. It will also benefit from an overhaul of its equipment and electrical systems. The current steel tracks will be replaced by Soucy International composite rubber tracks that are approximately 50% lighter and produce 70% less vibration, providing a significant boost to fuel efficiency. The upgrade programme is aimed at extending the vehicle’s operational life as well as improving its reliability and survivability. FFG will deliver the updated prototypes to the German Army for trials following internal testing. Four contractors were invited to bid for the Wiesel 1 AWC upgrade programme and a contract was awarded to FFG in June 2017. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
21 Jun 18. First Leopard 2PL to be delivered to Poland. Rheinmetall Defence has confirmed that the first prototype of the Leopard 2PL tank is to be transported to Poland.
“The first Leopard 2PL has passed all Rheinmetall’s factory tests in Germany. Now it will be transported to Poland’s Military Institute of Armoured and Automotive Technology (WITPiS) in Sulejówek for additional qualification,” Otmar Schultheis, Rheinmetall Defence Polska managing director, told Jane’s.
Schultheis added that part of the evaluation in Poland will be identical to the testing in Germany, but has to be repeated by WITPiS because of Polish Armed Forces requirements. The Leopard 2PL prototype will be tested and qualified by the Polish military. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
20 Jun 18. Australian Industry consultation for LAND 400 Phase 3 commences. As the government and Rheinmetall work towards finalising contracts for the LAND 400 Phase 2 project, Defence is now seeking input from Australian industry on the proposed tender timeline for LAND 400 Phase 3, which will see the Army acquire new infantry fighting vehicles.
The acquisition of mounted close combat vehicle capability through the LAND 400 Phase 3 tender will be one of Army’s largest purchases.
Minister for Defence Industry Christopher Pyne said consulting on the draft timeline would allow for a smoother and better informed tender process, reducing the cost of tendering to industry.
“Just as with the Phase 2 combat reconnaissance vehicles, Australian industry involvement and Australian workers will be critically important to this project,” Minister Pyne said.
“This project is another exciting opportunity for Australian industry to deliver leading-edge technology in support of the Army.”
Minister for Defence Marise Payne said the government was committed to investing in advanced vehicles that are better equipped to meet the range of current and emerging threats, which are becoming more lethal and sophisticated.
“This multibillion-dollar project will replace Army’s M113 armoured personnel carriers with a fleet of up to 450 modern infantry fighting vehicles and 17 manoeuvre support vehicles,” Minister Payne said.
“These will provide new levels of protection, firepower, mobility and enhanced communications. The new vehicles are expected to enter into service by the mid-2020s.
“The proposed tender timeline identifies key milestones in the tender evaluation. We welcome industry’s feedback on the timeline to better enable both industry and defence to plan for this significant boost to capability.”
The government provided first pass approval for LAND 400 Phase 3 on 13 March 2018 to acquire the infantry fighting vehicle and manoeuvre support vehicle capabilities.
Rheinmetall, which secured the LAND 400 Phase 2 project earlier this year and will build over 100 combat reconnaissance vehicles in Queensland, recently unveiled its Lynx KF41 infantry fighting vehicle, which it will offer for the LAND 400 Phase 3 project.
The opportunity to review and comment on the timeline will remain available until Monday, 9 July 2018 and can be viewed here. (Source: Defence Connect)
20 Jun 18. Australia seeks industry input on infantry fighting vehicle project. Key Points:
- Australian DoD seeks industry advice on tender timeline for Land 400 Phase 3 procurement project
- Industry feedback intended to support better planning and to reduce the cost of tendering
The Australian Department of Defence (DoD) is looking to engage with local industry on the schedule to issue a tender in support of a multi-billion dollar programme to procure close combat capability under Project Land 400 Phase 3.
The DoD said on 20 June that it is inviting local companies to review and comment on the timeline for project through which it will replace the Australian Army’s M113AS4 armoured personnel carriers (APCs) with up to 450 modern infantry fighting vehicles and 17 manoeuvre support vehicles. A draft request for tender (RFT) document for the programme has also been issued as part of the engagement.
According to the DoD’s 2016 Integrated Investment Program, which identifies defence investments in the decade to 2026, the Land 400 Phase 3 acquisition is worth between AUD10-AUD15bn (USD7.4-USD11bn). The DoD issued a request for information (RFI) for the project in November 2015, while government gave ‘first pass’ or preliminary approval for the procurement in March 2018.
Commenting on the decision to seek industry’s advice on the tender schedule, Australia’s Minister for Defence Industry Christopher Pyne said that it would lead to a better informed tender process and reduce the cost of tendering for local industry.
“The proposed tender timeline identifies key milestones in the tender evaluation,” said Pyne. “We welcome industry’s feedback on the timeline to better enable both industry and [the DoD] to plan for this significant boost to capability.”
The DoD indicated that the move to seek industry advice on the Land 400 Phase 3 tender timeline was requested by local companies during the programme to acquire more than 200 combat reconnaissance vehicles under Land 400 Phase 2. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
20 Jun 18. KMW and Nexter welcome the announcement by the French and the German governments on the joint development of a new Main Ground Combat System and a new Common Indirect Fire System. The Letter Of Intent signed yesterday is a significant step forward in the defense cooperation between the two countries and in Europe. This close cooperation was the key motivation for the foundation of KNDS in 2015, where Nexter and KMW cooperate as national system houses for land systems.
MGCS will develop a new generation of Main Battle Tanks, providing their users enhanced, innovative, and best-in-class systems with the most advanced technologies. Thus, Germany and France are jointly launching the most strategic project in European land defense for the 30 years to come, a program package that will shape the future of European armies’ main combat capabilities and contribute to Europe’s sovereignty and strategic autonomy.
The skills and background of KMW and Nexter qualify both companies as suitable and particularly powerful and pivotal industrial partners for the Franco-German land-system-program MGCS. Thus, in close cooperation with leading technology companies, KMW and Nexter will substantially contribute to a strengthened European defense capability.
The agreement of both nations to capitalize on the success of the German and French MBT programs and to base the industrial leadership for the MGCS program in Germany demonstrates the strong commitment towards a unique European cooperation in land systems. Beyond that, it strengthens Europe’s excellence in providing leading edge land- systems- technologies for the years to come.
19 Jun 18. BAE wins Marine Corps contract to build new amphibious combat vehicle. BAE Systems has won a contract to build the Marine Corps’ new amphibious combat vehicle following a competitive evaluation period where BAE’s vehicle was pitted against an offering from SAIC.
The contract allows for the company to enter into low-rate initial production with 30 vehicles expected to be delivered by fall of 2019, valued at $198m. The Marines plan to field 204 of the vehicles. The total value of the contract with all options exercised is expected to amount to about $1.2bn. The awarding of the contract gets the Corps “one step closer to delivering this capability to the Marines,” John Garner, Program Executive Officer, Land Systems Marine Corps, said during a media round table held Tuesday. But the Corps isn’t quite done refining its new ACV. The vehicle is expected to undergo incremental changes with added new requirements and modernization. The Corps is already working on the requirements for ACV 1.2, which will include a lethality upgrade for the amphibious vehicle.
BAE’s ACV vehicle will eventually replace the Corps’ legacy amphibious vehicle, but through a phased approach. The Assault Amphibious Vehicle is currently undergoing survivability upgrades to keep the Cold War era vehicle ticking into 2035. BAE Systems and SAIC were both awarded roughly $100m each in November 2015 to deliver 16 prototypes to the Marine Corps for evaluation in anticipation of a down select to one vendor in 2018.
All government testing of the prototypes concluded the first week of December 2017 and the Marine Corps issued its request for proposals the first week in January 2018. Operational tests also began concurrently.
Government testing included land reliability testing, survivability and blast testing and water testing — both ship launch and recovery as well as surf transit.
Operational evaluations included seven prototypes each from both SAIC and BAE Systems, six participated and one spare was kept for backup.
BAE Systems’ partnered with Italian company Iveco Defense Vehicles to build its ACV offering.
Some of the features BAE believed were particularly attractive for a new ACV is that it has space for 13 embarked Marines and a crew of three, which keeps the rifle squad together. The engine’s strength is 690 horsepower over the old engine’s 560 horsepower, and it runs extremely quietly. The vehicle has a V-shaped hull to protect against underbody blasts, and the seat structure is completely suspended.
SAIC’s vehicle, which is being built in Charleston, South Carolina, offers improved traction through a central tire-inflation system to automatically increase or decrease tire pressure. It also has a V-hull certified during tests at the Nevada Automotive Test Center — where all prototypes will be tested by the Marine Corps — and has blast-mitigating seats to protect occupants. The 3rd Assault Amphibian Battalion, 1st Marine Division out of Camp Pendleton, California, is expected to receive the first ACV 1.1 vehicles.
19 Jun 18. The U.S. Marine Corps has awarded BAE Systems a $198m contract to deliver an initial 30 Amphibious Combat Vehicles (ACV), with options for a total of 204 vehicles which could be worth up to $1.2bn. BAE Systems, along with teammate Iveco Defence Vehicles, prevailed in the Marine Corps’ robust competition for the next generation of vehicles to get the Marines from ship to shore to engage in land combat operations.
“We are well positioned and ready to build the future of amphibious fighting vehicles for the Marine Corps, having already produced 16 prototypes,” said Dean Medland, vice president and general manager of Combat Vehicles Amphibious and International at BAE Systems. “Through this award, we are proud to continue our partnership with the Marine Corps by providing a best-in-class vehicle to support its mission through mobility, survivability and lethality.”
The ACV provides exceptional mobility in all terrains, and blast mitigation protection for all three crew and 13 embarked Marines, along with other improvements over currently fielded systems. The new vehicle is an advanced 8×8 open ocean-capable vehicle that is equipped with a new 6-cylinder, 700HP engine, which provides a significant power increase over the Assault Amphibious Vehicle, which is currently in service and has been in operation for decades. The ACV is also adaptable to accommodate growth for future technologies or requirements.
The BAE Systems team conducted its own extensive risk mitigation testing and evaluation for land mobility, survivability, and swim capabilities that proved its vehicle’s performance prior to delivering the first 16 prototypes to the Marine Corps in 2017.
Over the past 15 months, the company supported the Marine Corps’ rigorous Developmental Testing and Operational Assessment of the vehicles, which performed superbly in water and land operations, payload, and survivability.
Work on the program will be performed at the company’s facilities in Aiken, South Carolina; Sterling Heights, Michigan; Minneapolis; Stafford; San Jose, California; and York, Pennsylvania.
The Marine Corps’ selection of BAE Systems for the ACV 1.1 program further solidifies the company’s 70-year legacy of providing superior amphibious vehicle capabilities to meet ship-to-objective and combat tactical lift objectives. As a leading provider of combat vehicles, the company has produced more than 100,000 systems for customers worldwide. Iveco is also a proven manufacturer of combat vehicles, having designed and built more than 30,000 multi-purpose, protected, and armored military vehicles in service today.
18 Jun 18. New production line for BTR-4E hulls launched. Ukroboronprom’s Malyshev Plant has launched a new production line to manufacture experimental hulls for the BTR-4E armoured personnel carrier.
The plant, which has received basic materials and corresponding equipment from the Mykolayiv enterprise, has begun preparatory work to manufacture the first hulls.
Dmytro Kolesnikov, commercial director of the plant, said: ‘After successful product manufacture and testing, the SE Malyshev Plant will receive a permission (qualification) for manufacture. As a result of passing of all these stages, we will be able to begin mass production of hulls.’ The plant is also preparing to manufacture hulls for BTR-3E and has already purchased stands and a roll-over machine for the purpose. (Source: Shephard)
18 Jun 18. Russian Army fields latest artillery fire direction vehicles. The Russian Army is replacing its legacy artillery fire direction vehicles with the new PRP-4A Argus platform, Jane’s has learnt.
“The artillery men of the Central Military District [TsVO] and Southern Military District [YuVO] are mastering the vehicles,” a military source told Jane’s. The PRP-4A is based on the tracked BMP-1 infantry fighting vehicle with a combat weight of 13.8 tonnes. It is operated by a four-person crew, comprising the commander, a radar operator, a topographical surveyor, and driver.
The vehicle is fitted with a radar station, periscopic laser rangefinder, range-gated imaging system and range-finding thermal imager.
The vehicle can detect a moving tank-sized target and an individual soldier at distances of up to 12 km and 7 km respectively using the radar. The periscopic laser rangefinder can recognise up to three tank-type targets at distances of up to 10 km. The PRP-4A can recognise large stationary targets, such as buildings, at a distance of 25 km.
“The vehicle can detect a concealed, stationary tank-type target with its engine shut down at a distance of [over 2 km],” the source said.
The PRP-4A’s circular error probability does not exceed 20 m with the use of the optical-electronic subsystems and 40 m with the use of the radar, the source added, noting that it can come into action within two minutes of coming to a halt. The vehicle is armed with a Kalashnikov PKTM 7.62 mm machine gun and four smoke dischargers. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
19 Jun 18. Lithuania receives first Boxer IFVs. Lithuania has taken delivery of it first two pre-series Boxer prototypes configured as heavily-armed IFVs, with series production of the initial batch of vehicles also now getting underway.
The head of ARTEC – the joint venture between KMW and Rheinmetall responsible for Boxer – told Shephard that the prototype vehicles will remain in Germany for the rest of the year to carry out qualification and verification trials on the final build standard.
The two prototypes will be used by ARTEC and Lithuania to agree on final modifications required for the serial production examples, which will begin delivery from the beginning of next year until 2021.
‘From January [2019] onwards this will be the series standard and these two prototypes will be upgraded to the final build standard and also delivered,’ said Stefan Lischka, the MD of ARTEC, speaking at Eurosatory.
The Baltic state has 89 IFV-configured Boxers on order in four subvariants, along with two driver training vehicles (DTV) that were delivered at the end of 2017. All 89 vehicles will feature a Rafael-developed Samson Mk2 remote turret armed with a 30mm Bushmaster cannon, as well as a co-axial 7.62mm machine gun and Spike anti-tank missiles.
As Eastern Europe boosts its defences against a belligerent Russia, the 8×8 vehicles will be one part of the Lithuania’s plan to develop its mechanised capability. They will equip the Lithuanian Grand Duke Algirdas Mechanised and the Grand Duchess Birutė Uhlan Battalions of the Mechanised Infantry Brigade Iron Wolf.
Meanwhile, Lischka confirmed to Shephard that the Netherlands – one of the original customers for Boxer along with Germany – now had ‘less than five’ vehicles left to be delivered, which will complete the Dutch Army’s order of 200 vehicles.
The composition of the Dutch Army’s Boxer inventory once delivery is complete will include 36 command posts, 52 ambulances, 12 cargo carriers, 92 engineer group vehicles and eight DTVs. Despite completion, the Dutch manufacturing line – which ARTEC utilises along with two German sites – is likely to remain open and be used to retain production capacity.
Discussions are also underway with Slovenia for 48 vehicles, although Lischka was unable to comment in detail about any negotiations. Slovenia’s accession to OCCAR, the governmental organisation that runs the programme, will happen in parallel to the negotiations, with the country formally joining once a contract is signed.
‘We still assume that this will take place this year,’ said Lischka.
Although not confirmed, several sources have indicated to Shephard that Slovenia will closely follow the Lithuanian IFV configuration, owing to the maturity of that design.
Slovenia has also stated a requirement for an additional eight mortar carrier variants, although there is currently no such configuration for Boxer. ‘Currently we are focusing on the 48 and get that running, and then we will focus on the next stage, maybe there are other countries that are interested in [a mortar] variant and it makes sense for them to combine efforts and share costs.’
Lischka told Shephard that Slovenia is studying whether other Boxer user nations are interested in a mortar variant, principally to share development costs.
Meanwhile, the production of a second batch of Boxers for the German Army, approved in 2015, has now entered ‘normal delivery rate’ after an initial ramp up. German ordered the additional 131 APC variants to supplement an initial batch of 272 vehicles (125 APC, 65 CP, 72 ambulance and 10 DTV).
This first batch of German Boxers, including the APC and CP variants, are now going through ‘A2’ upgrades.
The A2 upgrades are ‘mainly in the mission module’ taking lessons learned from missions in Afghanistan, including new racks for ammunition on the roof and water canisters on the back. The vehicles will also receive a new driver vision system, supplied by KMW, in order for it to be licensed to drive on public roads.
Production of the new Boxer A2s and Lithiuanian IFVs are expected to run until 2021. (Source: Shephard)
18 Jun 18. Slovak Armed Forces receive new IFVs. Slovak Defence Minister Peter Gajdoš handed 21 upgraded infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs) to Lieutenant General Daniel Zmeko, the chief of defence staff, at the end of May. The Slovak Ministry of Defence (MoD) said the vehicles were handed over to the ISTAR Battalion in Prešov and 10 to mechanised units.
Lt Gen Zmeko said the upgraded vehicles would increase the capabilities of the Slovak ISTAR Battalion, especially its reconnaissance company.
Gajdoš expected the upgrade to extend the lifetime of the IFVs by at least 20 years at a lower cost than procuring new vehicles.
The Slovak MoD said a total of 35 upgraded IFVs would be delivered and that some were already being used for training and preparation.
The upgrade is being performed by Slovak company Konštrukta Defence. The company told Jane’s the vehicles being upgraded are BMP-1 Svatava IFVs, a modernised version of the BMP-1 dating from the 1980s. The upgrade involved the complete overhaul of the chassis and installation of an EVPU TURRA-30 turret with a remote control weapon system (RCWS). The turret is fitted with a fire control system, laser warning system, smoke grenades, commander observation and aiming sight day TV camera, thermal camera and laser range finder. The vehicle received an inertial navigation system, air conditioning, independent heating unit, fire suppression system, new inner and outer lighting system. A new communications and information system has been integrated, and the crew members have new seats and improved observation devices. The vehicles have received further mechanical modifications to carry new equipment and devices. The ISTAR version is designated Bojové prieskumné vozidlo ISTAR (Combat Reconnaissance Vehicle, BPsVI) and is specially equipped for ISTAR, with a crew consisting of the commander, driver, gunner, scout/observer, with two more seats for crew members. (Source: Defense News Early Bird/IHS Jane’s)
18 Jun 18. Ukraine highlights MT-LB Shturm-SM-2 tank destroyer. Ukraine’s UkrInnMash Corporation is developing the Shturm-SM-2 tank destroyer based on the widely deployed MT-LB multipurpose tracked armoured fighting vehicle (AFV) that was originally manufactured in the Ukraine and in service with over 20 countries. The rear troop compartment of the baseline MT-LB has been raised to provide greater internal volume for its new role and fitted with a retractable launcher which can be raised up to a maximum height of 3m. The launcher is equipped with four RK-2M laser guided missiles (LGM) in the ready to launch position with the day/night target engagement pod in the middle. The vehicle carries eight missile reloads internally. The RK-2M LGM can be armed with several warhead types, including a tandem high-explosive anti-tank (HEAT) warhead that is claimed to penetrate at least 1,100 mm of steel armour protected by explosive reactive armour (ERA). It can also be fitted with a high explosive fragmentation/explosively formed penetrator (EFP) warhead which is claimed to be capable of penetrating at least 120 mm of armour. The missile has a stated minimum range of 400m and a maximum range of up to 5,500m with a 25 second flight time to the target at maximum range. The baseline MT-LB is typically equipped with a manually operated turret armed with a 7.62 mm PKT machine gun (MG). However, this has been replaced by a locally developed remote weapon station (RWS) armed with a stabilised 12.7mm MG aboard the Shturm-SM-2 variant. The combat weight of the Shturm-SM-2 is being quoted as 14.5 tonnes and, like the original vehicle, it is fully amphibious being propelled in the water by its tracks at a maximum speed of up to 5km/h. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
15 Jun 18. France showcases Fardier SOV prototypes. The French Ministry of Defence (MoD) unveiled an additional special operations vehicle (SOV) at Eurosatory in Paris. A representative of the Section Technique de l’Armée de Terre (STAT) told Jane’s that two 4×4 Fardier SOV technology demonstrators had been manufactured ahead of a trials and evaluation programme with French special operations forces (SOF) scheduled to begin in 2019. The Fardier, which can be loaded in the cargo hold of the NH90 helicopter, will be operated as an internally transportable vehicle (ITV) and will join the French Special Operations Command’s (COS’s) inventory of next-generation Heavy (PLFS) and Light (VLFS) Special Forces Vehicles which are due to enter service over the next few years.
Manufactured by French company Unac Militaire, the Fardier measures 2.5m in length and 1.5m in width. The left-hand drive vehicle is operated by two personnel with capacity for a third passenger in the rear.
The vehicle has a gross vehicle weight of 1,940kg and can be armed with a pair of 7.62mm machine guns. It can tow a 350kg trailer carrying equipment such as a 120 mm mortar.
A Kohler KDW1404 engine enables it to attain a top speed of 60km/h.
It is also designed to reduce maintenance and logistics requirements by incorporating minimal electronic equipment.
Following the successful completion of trials in 2019 to 2020, a total of 300 Fardier SOVs are expected to enter service with the COS as well as French Army airborne components from 2021. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
15 Jun 18. Malaysia’s Kembara Suci develops 4×4 SOV. Malaysia’s Kembara Suci has developed a new special operations vehicle (SOV) using internal funding to meet the potential requirements of the Malaysian Army.
The service tested the vehicle in late 2017, although a firm order has yet to materialise.
The SOV is powered by a Caterpillar 5-cylinder line diesel developing 197hp at 2,400 rpm coupled to a ZF 6-speed automatic transmission.
The chassis features front independent double wishbone suspension with coil springs and ventilated disc brakes, while the rear suspension comprises a rigid axle with leaf springs and drum-type brakes.
The upper part of the crew compartment is fitted with roll-over protection and on the first example there is provision for up to three machine guns (MG) or other weapons.
The first version is in right-hand drive configuration with a 5.56mm or 7.62mm MG to the left of the driver, with a similar weapon mounted on the roof to the immediate rear of the driver and commander.
A heavier weapon such as a 12.7mm MG can be accommodated in the rear, covering a full 360° arc.
The first SOV example is fitted with a front-mounted winch for self-recovery, while a bank of three electrically operated 76mm grenade launchers are mounted on either side at the front and an additional set installed on either side of the rear load compartment.
The company is quoting a gross vehicle weight (GVW) of 3,200kg. This includes a 1,500kg payload comprising 80 litres of fuel, the crew, weapons, ammunition, water stowed in containers either side of the rear stowage area, and other essential equipment. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
15 Jun 18. Analyst: Burgeoning Weight of Military Ground Vehicles.
Ground combat vehicles around the world are being overburdened with protective gear, sensors and other capabilities, to the detriment of mobility and transportability, said one analyst June 14.
The current trend of vehicle weight increases across the gamut of military combat trucks and tanks is unsustainable, and industry and government leaders need to take heed, said Oscar Widlund, senior analyst for land warfare programs at IHS Jane’s at the Eurosatory air and land defense conference outside Paris.
“Weight has increased significantly over the past few years” as a result of continued operations in the Middle East, he said. “Survivability is being eroded as a consequence of the constant pursuit of physical protections, where vehicles are being fitted with more and more armor.”
Platform designers and users are focusing too much on passive and reactive armor, internal protection and fire suppression technologies, while ignoring other capabilities that could keep the vehicles’ contents safe while reducing the overall weight, he noted.
Non-armor-based solutions like active protection systems and signature management technologies can fill some of these survivability needs, he noted. Other factors such as power generation requirements, cost and extended service life are driving the global market for military ground vehicles, Widlund said.
Troops are adding more devices to trucks and incorporating features such as air conditioning for operations in warmer climates. As a result, power generation has become a critical component for new vehicles, he noted.
As procurement budgets continue to shrink around the globe, users are prioritizing lower cost over better capability, and production numbers have been slashed, he added. But ground vehicles being developed and fielded today are also expected to remain in service much longer than their predecessors, he noted.
“Extensive room for growth will be required to allow these vehicles to be used for decades to come,” he said.
Many nations are indicating a desire to pivot to lighter, more mobile trucks that can be rapidly deployed for future contingency operations, and are capable of being used for a wide scope of missions within a short period of time, Widlund said.
Rheinmetall Defence revealed its next-generation Lynx KF41 combat vehicle at Eurosatory, pitching an agile and adaptable system that can be configured for a variety of roles, including command and control, infantry fighting and armored reconnaissance, according to the company.
The platform features more than 39,000 pounds of reconfigurable payload space as well as open and modular electric, electronic and mechanical architectures, said Ben Hudson, global head of Rheinmetall’s vehicle systems division during the platform’s unveiling June 12.
Mike Ivy, vice president of international programs and global product support for Oshkosh Defense, said the company is seeing an increased demand for protective systems and greater mobility from customers worldwide.
Fitting with that trend, Oshkosh designed its joint light tactical vehicle to be scalable and capable of supporting a variety of protective kits or weapons systems, he told National Defense.
“In this warfighting environment that our customers face now, protection is always a big deal, [and] mobility is important to most of our customers,” he said. The JLTV is currently in low-rate initial production under a U.S. Army contract to replace some of the service’s aging Humvees. The U.S. military plans to eventually buy about 55,000 joint light tactical vehicles.
The United Kingdom has announced an intent to procure the truck via a foreign military sale, though the timing of the sale is dependent on a Milestone C decision by the Army, which is slated for the first quarter of 2019, Ivy said.
“We think that as soon as we get to a Milestone C decision, we expect to see orders for the truck,” he added.
Global militaries are increasingly looking at procuring families of vehicles that can perform multiple roles and bring savings in operations, maintenance and training costs, Widlund said.
But despite countries expressing an intent to move to more modular, flexible and adaptable vehicles, many Western militaries are displaying a preference for medium- and heavyweight vehicles, he noted.
Platforms designers must also consider the proliferation of unmanned aerial vehicles and the increasing threat they pose to troops in trucks, he said. The Islamic State has used drones to spread propaganda and support military operations. Counter-UAV systems are likely to become more common on military ground vehicles in the coming years, he said.
Global military ground vehicles sales are expected to remain fairly steady over the next 10 years, Widlund said. Analysts forecast the market to be worth about $539bn, with nearly 453,000 vehicles to be produced during that timeframe.
Armored fighting vehicles take up about half of that market share, and nearly 108,000 vehicles are expected for production, he said. Infantry fighting vehicles and armored personnel carriers remain major sellers, with investment in tanks remaining slightly less popular but nonetheless steady.
Surveillance and reconnaissance trucks and anti-tank vehicles will continue to hold a smaller, but still important spot in the market, with countries expected to spend $15bn and $9bn, respectively, on those types of platforms over the next 10 years, Widlund said.
The market for self-propelled artillery platforms is expected to grow more quickly than other ground vehicle segments, he noted. Analysts anticipate a market value of about $49 bn through 2027, with 11,300 units expected within that timeframe. That market value is expected to grow 3.5 percent throughout the period.
Sales of air-and-missile defense vehicles are forecast to grow by 2022 but then decline for the rest of the decade, with an overall compound annual growth rate of -2.7 percent, he added. The anticipated market value is about $40bn, with 3,400 units expected for production.
The market for logistic support vehicles should remain relatively flat, valued at $80bn with over 307,000 vehicles currently slated for production, Widlund said.
The United States remains the top buyer of military ground vehicles, and is expected to spend over $101 bn on about 106,000 units through 2027. China is the second largest buyer, and is expected to spend over $75bn and develop 44,100 trucks in that timeframe. India, Western Europe, Saudi Arabia, Russia and South Korea all remain invested in ground vehicles, Widlund said. (Source: glstrade.com/National Defense)
15 Jun 18. Czech firm AM-CME joins BAE Systems’ CV90 team. BAE Systems has reached an agreement with the Czech firm AM-CME, an international supplier of high-quality steel parts, to provide mechanical components through its subsidiary Strojirny Sobislav s.r.o. to the CV90 Infantry Fighting Vehicle mortar upgrade program for the Swedish Army.
AM-CME becomes the latest Czech company to team up on the CV90 program as BAE Systems continues to expand its relationship with Czech industry to build industrial cooperation, and to support the company’s offer of CV90s to the Czech government. BAE Systems has a long established history of working indigenously within countries to promote growth, technical knowhow, and job creation in local economies.
“We are happy to welcome AM-CME to the team and look forward a long, fruitful, and mutually beneficial relationship,” said Peter Nygren, vice president of business development at BAE Systems’ Hägglunds business. “The agreement marks only the beginning of what can become many potential opportunities in the future, especially if the Czech government selects the CV90.”
BAE Systems has already established relationships with several Czech companies, including VOP CZ., an integrator and supplier of advanced defense equipment. With this new arrangement, AM-CME, based in Plzen, will become a supplier for the Swedish government’s program to install mortar systems, known as Mjölner on CV90s.
The CV90 is a modern, adaptable, proven combat vehicle in service with seven nations, including four NATO members. (Source: ASD Network)
15 Jun 18. Horiba Mira unveils new Centaur 6×6 UGV. The Centaur UGV is a modular, lightweight 6×6 multipurpose platform. Source: Horiba Mira
UK engineering group Horiba Mira has unveiled the Centaur, a mid-sized multirole unmanned ground vehicle (UGV), at the Eurosatory 2018 exhibition in Paris.
Centaur was developed as a lightweight 6×6 platform that can mount various payloads. “Having spoken to a number of different stakeholders across the defence and humanitarian communities, we knew that there was a requirement for a platform of this size and functionality that could fulfil a number of roles, for example: IED [improvised explosive device] detection, remote weapons station, solider support, and so on,” Rob Mohacsi, Horiba Mira’s senior commercial manager for defence systems, told Jane’s.
Centaur, a variant of the Viking platform, has been tailored for a Turkish defence requirement. The prototype was built in the UK and production is planned in Turkey by Horiba Mira’s consortium partner, the defence manufacturer Katmerciler. The agreement was signed at the 2018 Turkish British Tatlidil Forum held in the United Kingdom from 11-13 May.
The platform is nearly 3m long and is capable of reaching speeds of up to 40 km/h. It weighs 2,000kg and can carry payloads of up to 600 kg. Standing at just over a metre tall, the vehicle incorporates a flatbed on which payloads (from 1.60 to 1.80m) can be mounted.
Mohacsi added, “It has been designed to fit on the British Army’s MAN Trucks … thus reducing the logistics footprint. For the logistics support application, it can accommodate a NATO standard pallet as well. Centaur also provides electrical power for those payloads that require it.”
Centaur has 2- and 4-wheel steering which Mohacsi said provides “smoother steering capability over skid-steer at low speed and refined control at higher speed”. Mohacsi said the power system “is an electric drive but a new hybrid powertrain is currently under development for production.”
(Source: IHS Jane’s)
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Millbrook, based in Bedfordshire, UK, makes a significant contribution to the quality and performance of military vehicles worldwide. Its specialist expertise is focussed in two distinct areas: test programmes to help armed services and their suppliers ensure that their vehicles and systems work as the specification requires; and design and build work to upgrade new or existing vehicles, evaluate vehicle capability and investigate in-service failures. Complementing these is driver and service training and a hospitality business that allows customers to use selected areas of Millbrook’s remarkable facilities for demonstrations and exhibitions.
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LOGISTICS AND THROUGH LIFE UPDATE
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19 Jun 18. The US Navy’s acquisition boss has a plan to get fleet maintenance back on track. The US Navy’s acquisition boss, aiming to get his arms around the long-term maintenance and ownership costs of the world’s most complex fleet, has directed Naval Sea Systems Command to undertake an ambitious long-term plan for all the ships in the fleet.
James “Hondo” Geurts, the assistant secretary of the Navy for research, development and acquisition, has asked NAVSEA to compile a 30-year ship repair and maintenance plan that he intends to roll out alongside the annual shipbuilding plan.
“The idea is, we have this 30-year shipbuilding plan, that’s only as good as our ability to repair and modernize those ships once we build them,” Geurts told a gaggle of reporters Tuesday. “So what we’d like to do is create the companion plan that takes the shipbuilding plan and what we have in inventory, then forecast and plan for all the repair and modernizations that we’ll have to do.”
The Navy wants to have an idea, as it looks down to road, if it has the needed industrial capacity and infrastructure in place to meet the fleet’s needs, which will become especially important as the fleet builds up.
In fact, the Navy struggles to adequately maintain the smaller fleet it has today. In testimony last week, NAVSEA head Vice Adm. Thomas Moore told House lawmakers that the net capacity private shipyards that handle surface ship maintenance was only 75 percent of what the Navy required.
During the past decade, the increasing demands on a smaller fleet drove deployment lengths to nine months or longer, which racked up a readiness deficit that the Navy is still working through. Deployment lengths have come back down closer to seven months, but the unpredictable operations tempo made it difficult for the Navy to plan yards periods and impacted the business of the private shipyards.
Geurts conceded that operations will undoubtedly impact a 30-year maintenance schedule but said having it on paper was the right place to start when managing complicated schedules.
“It’s a very complex issue with inputs and outputs,” Geurts said. “But the only thing I know is the best way to get after a complex issue is laying out at least what you know and having that at least as a baseline so then when you have to do changes – for operational reasons of whatever — you are changing from a known baseline and you can understand quickly what the second and third order effects are. Like we do on new construction, I’d like to introduce that kind of rigor.”
Ultimately the hope is that industry can plan better with a long-term plan in place, Geurts said.
“My hope is if we can do that, industry can start planning resources, they can start hiring resources when they see the signal,” he said. “Right now we are not as well positioned in the future as I’d like to be.” (Source: Defense News)
19 Jun 18. MoD awards Capita new contract despite handing it highest risk rating. Outsourcers still under scrutiny after collapse of Carillion, defence ministry’s biggest supplier. Capita was given the highest possible risk rating in an internal Ministry of Defence assessment, shortly before being handed a new contract to run military fire and rescue services. According to the document, which was updated on June 7, Capita scored 10/10 for risk, with 1 indicating the lowest probability of distress and 10 the highest. It also saw its “health score” plummet to just 3 out of 100, with any company scoring 25 or less judged to be in a red “warning area”, indicating it may be “vulnerable and should be viewed with care”. The assessment emerged as the MoD awarded Capita a new firefighting contract, estimated to be worth £500m over 10 years, which will see the company take over 69 defence fire stations worldwide. Capita beat Serco for the deal, with the latter company being judged an 8/10 risk. The MoD said the assessment had been supplied by Company Watch, an independent analyst. “All our suppliers are subject to robust assessments ahead of any contract placement and closely monitored throughout. This document provides background information, using a range of statistics and figures from external sources.” But Jim Kennedy, at the union Unite, said it was “absolutely scandalous that even though the MoD’s own financial check found that awarding a contract to Capita was extremely risky, ministers thought it appropriate to award this contract”. He called for an urgent investigation, adding: “The government has clearly learnt nothing from the Carillion fiasco.” Carillion, then the MoD’s biggest supplier, collapsed in January. The MoD has given Capita contracts worth about £1.8bn over the next eight years — the largest of which is a £582m deal recruiting soldiers for the British army. Recommended Analysis UK defence spending UK army unease mounts after decade of ‘underfunding’ Last year, Capita was told a key £400m contract to run the MoD’s estate, from airfields to training bases, would end five years early after a highly critical National Audit Office report. Capita has won a number of significant public sector contracts since it raised £662m of funding from investors via a rights issue last month. New chief executive Jonathan Lewis is trying to turn the company around after a profit warning this year that wiped £1bn off its value. Other key awards include a two-year extension to a high-profile contract running controversial disability assessments tests for the Department for Work and Pensions; a £37m contract to handle claims for the Financial Services Compensation Scheme, the financial industry’s lifeboat for customers in case of bank failure,; and an extension to its congestion-charge contract for Transport for London. Capita said: “We are executing our strategy announced in April, including action to address the balance sheet. Our successful £701m rights issue and today’s £160m disposal of Supplier Assessment Services demonstrates the progress we are making to simplify and strengthen the business to deliver future success.” (Source: FT.com)
15 Jun 18. GDELS develops new bridging system. The first example shown at the Eurosatory 2018 exhibition is based on the widely used 8×8 GDELS-MOWAG Piranha 3 armoured personnel carrier (APC) platform.
The VFB can be integrated on other tracked and wheeled armoured fighting vehicles (AFV) to provide units with a rapid gap crossing capability.
The system is fitted with the Bridge Launching Mechanism (BLM) and Jettison Fitting Kit (JFK) developed by Pearson Engineering.
The scissors type bridge is constructed from aluminium and is rated to Military Load Class 50 (MLC 50). (Source: IHS Jane’s)
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About Oshkosh Defense
Oshkosh Defense is a leading provider of tactical wheeled vehicles and life cycle sustainment services. For decades Oshkosh has been mobilizing military and security forces around the globe by offering a full portfolio of heavy, medium, light and highly protected military vehicles to support our customers’ missions. In addition, Oshkosh offers advanced technologies and vehicle components such as TAK-4® independent suspension systems, TerraMax™ unmanned ground vehicle solutions, Command Zone™ integrated control and diagnostics system, and ProPulse® diesel electric and on-board vehicle power solutions, to provide our customers with a technical edge as they fulfill their missions. Every Oshkosh vehicle is backed by a team of defense industry experts and complete range of sustainment and training services to optimize fleet readiness and performance.
Oshkosh Defense, LLC is an Oshkosh Corporation company [NYSE: OSK].
To learn more about Oshkosh Defense, please visit us at www.oshkoshdefense.com.
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21 Jun 18. U.S. Must Act Now to Maintain Military Technological Advantage, Vice Chairman Says. The United States must act or China will achieve its goal of equaling American technological prowess by 2020 and surpassing it by the 2030s, the vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said here today. Air Force Gen. Paul J. Selva said DoD is working on technologies to keep the U.S. military superior to the Chinese and stressed the need to safeguard critical technologies. He took part in a panel discussion at the Center for a New American Security’s annual conference this morning.
China has announced goals to have technological parity with the United States in the early 2020s and surpass America in the next decade, the general said. This could happen, Selva said, but it presumes the United States won’t react to the challenge.
China and Russia are doing their best to offset American capabilities in the Western Pacific and in Europe, he said. In both cases and areas, the United States must protect the nation’s greatest military advantage: the ability “to project American power when and where it is in our national interests,” Selva said.
Preventative Power Projection
If the American military fails at projecting power into situations where interests are threatened, then it fails the American people, the general said.
“This is not about trying to counter an anti-access, area denial strategy — that’s admitting defeat up front and saying we have to go back and fix something we broke,” he said.
Selva proposed an alternate approach of analyzing what the opponent is trying to do, and “make this a competition, not a conflict, and checkmate them or prevent them from getting so much an advantage that they can prevent you from doing the things that are in your national interests.”
This is spelled out in the National Security Strategy and National Defense Strategy, he said. “If we sit back and don’t react, we will lose our technological superiority in 2020, the Chinese are right,” the general said. “But we should be a player in this game, not an observer.”
The United States is doing significant research and development in a number of key technologies, including: long-range strike capability, artificial intelligence and hypersonics, he said.
“We are way ahead in the sensor and sensor-integration technologies,” Selva said.
This last is important as the United States must protect technologies like this to maintain its advantage, the general said.
“[We] have to protect what we have, because the Chinese, if they can’t learn about it, they will try to buy it; and if they can’t learn about it or buy it, they will steal it,” he said. “We know they are active in all three domains — learning, buying or stealing — so we have to be careful to defend the technologies that are important to us, while we continue to develop additional capabilities.” (Follow Jim Garamone on Twitter: @GaramoneDODNews)
21 Jun 18. British Army to launch Autonomous Warrior (Land) experiment. The British Army is set to launch the Autonomous Warrior, the 2018 Army Warfighting Experiment, on 12 November.
Autonomous Warrior 2018 will help enhance the technology and military capability of the UK Army in land environments.
As part of the experiment, the army will test the autonomous last mile resupply, which ensures that the soldiers receive food, fuel and ammunition. The ‘last mile’ represents the extremely dangerous final approach to the combat zone.
The four-week Autonomous Warrior exercise will also examine and evaluate a number of unmanned aerial and ground cargo vehicle prototypes, which aim to reduce the danger to soldiers during combat. The exercise will help provide the vehicles with additional surveillance capabilities, which will significantly improve the effectiveness of long-range and precision targeting by service personnel.
The soldiers will also test and assess the effectiveness of robotic and autonomous systems (RAS) on the battlefield.
A Battlegroup from 1 Armed Infantry brigade, which will provide the exercising troops, will assume the command and control during the exercise.
UK Armed Forces Minister Mark Lancaster said: “Our Armed Forces continue to push the limits of innovative warfare to ensure that we stay ahead of any adversaries or threats faced on the battlefield.
“Autonomous Warrior sets an ambitious vision for army operations in the 21st century as we integrate drones, unmanned vehicles and personnel into a world-class force for decades to come.”
The army warfighting exercise is the result of a large collaboration between the British Army, Royal Navy, Royal Air Force (RAF), UK Ministry of Defence (M0D), Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) and the US Army, as well as approximately 50 industry participants. (Source: army-technology.com)
21 Jun 18. CTC to upgrade USAF’s lighting equipment to increase energy efficiency. The US Air Force Research Laboratory (ARL) Advanced Power Technology Office has awarded a contract to Concurrent Technologies Corporation (CTC) to improve the energy efficiency of the service’s lighting equipment.
Under the $983,790 competitively bid contract, the company will be responsible for designing, testing and demonstrating a more energy-efficient light cart for the US Air Force (USAF).
Upgraded equipment will help reduce dependence on and consumption of petroleum fuels while improving the USAF’s mission and range.
Currently, the service uses deployable light carts that provide ground-level flightline illumination, task lighting for aircraft maintenance and troubleshooting, as well as perimeter lighting to secure deployed and contingency locations.
CTC will modernise the existing light cart with upgraded technologies and control strategies that would facilitate improved energy efficiency. This will help reduce maintenance and sustainment costs.
The new Advanced Flightline Power and Light System developed by CTC will incorporate energy-efficient lighting, energy storage and various modes of operation.
CTC president and chief executive officer Edward J Sheehan Jr said: “We’re happy to continue to support this important long-time client by advancing technology that will help them reach their goals of energy efficiency and enhanced readiness.
“For this project, we are using a traditional system engineering approach designed for a swift transition into the airforce inventory. Not only will our work help the airforce now, this technology can be leveraged for similar needs across the Department of Defense.” (Source: airforce-technology.com)
21 Jun 18. Graphene assembled film shows higher thermal conductivity than graphite film. Researchers at Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden, have developed a graphene assembled film that has over 60 percent higher thermal conductivity than graphite film – despite the fact that graphite simply consists of many layers of graphene. The graphene film shows great potential as a novel heat spreading material for form-factor driven electronics and other high power-driven systems.
Until now, scientists in the graphene research community have assumed that graphene assembled film cannot have higher thermal conductivity than graphite film. Single layer graphene has a thermal conductivity between 3500 and 5000 W/mK. If you put two graphene layers together, then it theoretically becomes graphite, as graphene is only one layer of graphite.
Today, graphite films, which are practically useful for heat dissipation and spreading in mobile phones and other power devices, have a thermal conductivity of up to 1950 W/mK. Therefore, the graphene-assembled film should not have higher thermal conductivity than this.
Research scientists at Chalmers University of Technology have recently changed this situation. They discovered that the thermal conductivity of graphene assembled film can reach up to 3200 W/mK, which is over 60 percent higher than the best graphite films.
Professor Johan Liu and his research team have done this through careful control of both grain size and the stacking orders of graphene layers. The high thermal conductivity is a result of large grain size, high flatness, and weak interlayer binding energy of the graphene layers. With these important features, phonons, whose movement and vibration determine the thermal performance, can move faster in the graphene layers rather than interact between the layers, thereby leading to higher thermal conductivity.
“This is indeed a great scientific break-through, and it can have a large impact on the transformation of the existing graphite film manufacturing industry”, says Johan Liu.
Furthermore, the researchers discovered that the graphene film has almost three times higher mechanical tensile strength than graphite film, reaching 70 MPa.
“With the advantages of ultra-high thermal conductivity, and thin, flexible, and robust structures, the developed graphene film shows great potential as a novel heat spreading material for thermal management of form-factor driven electronics and other high power-driven systems”, says Johan Liu.
As a consequence of never-ending miniaturisation and integration, the performance and reliability of modern electronic devices and many other high-power systems are greatly threatened by severe thermal dissipation issues.
“To address the problem, heat spreading materials must get better properties when it comes to thermal conductivity, thickness, flexibility and robustness, to match the complex and highly integrated nature of power systems”, says Johan Liu. “Commercially available thermal conductivity materials, like copper, aluminum, and artificial graphite film, will no longer meet and satisfy these demands.”
The IP of the high-quality manufacturing process for the graphene film belongs to SHT Smart High Tech AB, a spin-off company from Chalmers, which is going to focus on the commercialisation of the technology.
More about: The research
The work has been done in collaboration with research teams at Uppsala University and SHT Smart High Tech AB in Sweden, Shanghai and Tongji University in China and University of Colorado Boulder in USA.
The paper Tailoring the Thermal and Mechanical Properties of Graphene Film by Structural Engineering is published online in the well-known scientific journal Small.
Related publications:
- Functionalization mediates heat transport in graphene nanoflakes
- Characterization and simulation of liquid phase exfoliated graphene-based films for heat spreading applications
- Thermal chemical vapor deposition grown graphene heat spreader for thermal management of hot spots
More about the graphene film
The manufacturing method of the graphene film is based on simultaneous graphene oxide film formation and reduction, on aluminum substrate, dry-bubbling film separation, followed by high-temperature treatment as well as mechanical pressing. These conditions enable the formation of the graphene film with large grain size, good atomic alignment, thin-film structure, and low interlayer binding energy. All these features have great benefit for the transfer of both high-frequency diffusive phonons and low-frequency ballistic phonons, and thereby lead to the improvement of in-plane thermal conductivity of the graphene film. Phonons are quantum particles that describe the thermal conductivity of a material.
Chalmers University of Technology conducts research and offers education in technology, science, shipping and architecture with a sustainable future as its global vision. Chalmers is well-known for providing an effective environment for innovation and has eight priority areas of international significance – Built Environment, Energy, Information and Communication Technology, Life Science Engineering, Materials Science, Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Production, and Transport.
Graphene Flagship, an FET Flagship initiative by the European Commission, is coordinated by Chalmers. Situated in Gothenburg, Sweden, Chalmers has 10,300 full-time students and 3,100 employees.
20 Jun 18. Experimental helicopter Raider cleared for full flight test program. Sikorsky’s S-97 Raider — an experimental coaxial helicopter — has met the required objectives to move forward into its full flight test program with its second prototype after the first aircraft was sidelined following a hard landing last year, according to the company’s vice president for future vertical lift.
The second aircraft began ground testing on April 25 at the company’s West Palm Beach, Florida, facility.
Operating the Raider for 90 minutes on Tuesday, pilots Bill Fell and John Groth completed the flight-test card, marking a “significant milestone” that will allow Sikorsky to proceed with its full flight test program, Dan Spoor told Defense News in a June 20 statement.
“We look forward to demonstrating to the U.S. military that high flight speed and extraordinary maneuverability in the hover and low-speed regimes will dramatically change the way that military aviators fly and fight with helicopters,” he said.
The plans to get back into the test program appear to be happening on schedule. Sikorsky was shooting to get the helicopter back in the air in the summer and pick up where it left off with its first aircraft.
Before the first aircraft’s hard landing, the company had been able to complete low-speed handling, and in 20 hours of flight testing, it expanded the speed envelope to 150 knots.
This summer, the plan is to push the speed above 200 knots, which is the next step in achieving speeds well over that benchmark.
Sikorsky believes it has solved the problem that caused the first prototype’s hard landing.
The first hard landing had nothing to do with Sikorsky’s X2 coaxial technology used in both Raider and its SB-1 Defiant demonstrator, which the company is building with Boeing for the Army’s Joint Multi-Role demonstration. That demo will help define requirements for a Future Vertical Lift aircraft expected to fly in the 2030s.
Defiant is expected to fly by the end of the year.
“The neighborhood of the root cause is the complex interaction between the ground, the landing gear, the flight control system and the associated pilot interactions,” Chris Van Buiten, Sikorsky’s vice president of technology and innovation, said in response to a National Transportation Safety Board preliminary report issued in September 2017.
The findings required Sikorsky to make some changes to the flight-control system software to assure the same thing will never happen again, Van Buiten said.
Sikorsky is hoping the U.S. Army will choose Raider for its FVL light aircraft that will serve the attack reconnaissance mission. The service has not yet indicated how and when it will procure a new helicopter that meets such a mission. (Source: Defense News)
20 Jun 18. Prepare for combat, says new army chief General Mark Carleton-Smith. The world has never been so unpredictable and British troops must be combat-ready, the new head of the army will say in his first public speech today.
General Mark Carleton-Smith talks of a “darkening geopolitical picture” and says warfare is moving into areas, such as cyberwarfare, artificial intelligence, space and autonomous technology, not conventionally associated with an army career. “We need a more proactive, threat-based approach to our capability planning, including placing big bets on those technologies that we judge may offer exponential advantage because, given the pace of the race, to fall behind today is to cede an almost unquantifiable advantage from which it might be impossible to recover.”
General Carleton-Smith took over as head of the army this month, replacing General Sir Nick Carter, who was promoted to chief of all the armed forces.
To prepare for the wars of the future, the army will start testing autonomous aircraft and vehicles in November for delivering supplies to frontline forces.
Mark Lancaster, a defence minister, said: “Our armed forces continue to push the limits of innovative warfare to ensure that we stay ahead of any adversaries or threats faced on the battlefield.
“Autonomous Warrior sets an ambitious vision for army operations in the 21st century as we integrate drones, unmanned vehicles and personnel into a world-class force.” (Source: The Times)
19 Jun 18. How the Five Eyes can win the race for quantum computing supremacy. Since China started quantum computing research in 2004, it has invested over 30 times more than America in this revolutionary technology. In 2017 China announced that it was creating an $11bn, 4 million-square-foot national quantum laboratory in the city of Hefei. This lab will accelerate China’s research into various applications of quantum computing, but particularly quantum hacking.
To protect against this growing threat to their data and security, Americans should look to their country’s oldest intelligence allies: the Five Eyes.
The Five Eyes alliance was originally formed to pool intelligence between the U.S. and the UK during WWII, and expanded to include Australia, New Zealand and Canada. Since then, the Five Eyes framework has evolved to share the strengths and exploit the weaknesses of emerging technologies — first radio transmissions, then satellites and, most recently, the internet. Quantum computing is the next step in this progression.
Quantum computers use elementary particles like photons to make calculations far more rapidly than a traditional “classical” computer. Unlike the binary “bits” of classical computers (0s and 1s), these particles — or “qubits” — can act as a 0 or a 1 at the same time. This allows them to do two calculations at once, and means that their power scales exponentially with the number of qubits, rather than linearly like a classical computer.
One result of such super-charged processing power is the ability to hack into encrypted data.
Modern encryption, like that used for bank accounts, typically works by multiplying two large prime numbers to form an even bigger “semi-prime” number of more than 600 digits. Yet, unlike classical computers, a quantum computer would be able to reverse factor all the numerical possibilities almost instantly, cracking the encryption. The first nation to develop one may be able to easily gain access to enormous amounts of protected data — including credit card information, health records and possibly classified government intelligence.
Despite a vibrant quantum private sector, the U.S. should approach quantum research as an emerging area of critical national security rather than as a simple tech transition. It should also prevent sensitive quantum data from becoming the latest example of China’s intellectual property theft. The best tool to achieve both of these ends is the unique structure of the Five Eyes alliance.
For prior emerging technologies the Five Eyes have coordinated at the operations, intelligence and leadership levels. However, the most useful security applications of quantum computers are still unclear. Therefore, the allies should take a “bottom up” approach to applying this new technology, first ensuring that they understand the fundamentals of how it can be used before moving on to a wider strategy.
This process should start on the Five Eyes’ shared platforms. Each ally shares digital intelligence tools that they’ve developed with the other four. In the PRISM program, the U.K. was granted access to data the National Security Agency (NSA) had intercepted from U.S. internet companies. In STATEROOM, Australian embassies in Asia were bugged and the information gathered from foreign diplomats was passed on to allies.
But the most relevant shared platform for quantum cooperation is the STONE GHOST program. This is a database that acts as both a platform for sharing intelligence software and a forum for Top Secret communications. The use of this system could allow critical quantum research to be shared quickly and securely, preventing incidents like China’s theft of 50 gigabytes of classified data from the F-35 program in 2016.
With a more robust model of how to use quantum technology effectively, the Five Eyes could then test and implement their shared quantum capabilities against critical developing situations. Joint quantum operations could be either defensive or offensive. They could follow the model of the 2012 London Olympics, where the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency worked with British authorities to map security vulnerabilities at venues and transport routes. Or they could resemble Operation RAMPANT LION 2 in Afghanistan, where U.S. and U.K. intelligence agencies supported Canadian troops in real time.
Leadership coordination would be the final step in creating an integrated quantum strategy. Fortunately, this is one of the Five Eyes’ greatest strengths. Each nation’s heads of defense intelligence and national assessments meet with their counterparts at least annually, if not more frequently. They analyze each other’s performance and plan the alliance’s future activity. In a field developing as rapidly as quantum computing, this high-level collaboration will allow the allies to be both proactive and reactive in gaining an advantage from quantum capabilities.
The major role of the U.S. in maintaining global security means its defense funding is stretched thin. There are limited economic and human resources that America can spend to confront a new security threat as serious as quantum computing. Collaborating with the Five Eyes alliance offers the clearest path to maximize these resources and maintain American technological supremacy. (Source: C4ISR & Networks)
18 Jun 18. India’s Reliance commits to composites investment. Indian energy group Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) is setting up an entity to produce carbon-fibre composites for aerospace and defence, the group announced in its annual report published on 15 June. According to RIL, the new enterprise – Reliance Composites Solutions (RCS) – will be the largest of its kind in India. “RIL is investing in India’s first and largest carbon-fibre production line with its own technology to cater to India’s aerospace and defence needs as well as the specialty industrial applications,” the report said. RIL said the composite market in India is worth more than INR300bn (USD4.4bn) and “is growing rapidly”. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
18 Jun 18. Defence sector to embrace blockchain technology. Defence and aerospace companies across the globe are gearing up to integrate blockchain technology into their corporate systems within the next three years, a new report has found. The report, conducted by professional services company Accenture, found that 86 per cent of aerospace and defence businesses surveyed plan to integrate the technology into their corporate systems by 2021, a figure higher than the percentage for all but two of the 18 industries surveyed as part of Accenture’s broader Technology Vision research. Blockchain is one of the fastest growing technologies and is a type of distributed ledger that maintains and records data in a way that allows multiple stakeholders to confidently and securely share access to the same information.
According to the Launchpad to Relevance: Aerospace and Defense Technology Vision 2018 report, blockchain’s secure, immutable and decentralised features can help aerospace and defence companies reduce maintenance costs, increase aircraft and vessel availability and minimise errors in tracking parts.
“Blockchain is well-suited to improve the performance of one of the world’s most complex, globally interconnected and security-dependent supply chains,” said Paul Mylon aerospace and defence lead for Accenture Australia.
“This innovative and paradigm-shifting technology has the potential to deliver profound benefits for the hundreds of suppliers typically involved in complex manufacturing ecosystems.”
The survey findings point to numerous data challenges that blockchain technology can help address. Accenture’s research found that more than two-thirds (70 per cent) of the aerospace and defence executives surveyed believe that companies will be grappling with growing waves of corrupted insights as more falsified data infiltrates their data-driven information systems.
In addition, 73 per cent of them believe that organisations are basing their most critical systems and strategies on data – yet many have not invested in the capabilities to verify the accuracy of that data. The same number, 73 per cent, also believe that automated systems create new risks, including fake data, data manipulation and inherent bias.
Blockchain can help ferret out falsified data and verify its veracity because it provides a secure and unchangeable data chain. The technology can also help track and provide consistent aircraft configuration data throughout the supply chain, as aircraft manufacturers, maintenance providers and airlines currently keep track of configuration data in their own systems yet rarely if ever integrate that information with other companies’ data.
“Knowing the actual configuration of an in-service aircraft or ship as examples at any point in time is important,” Mylon said
“Blockchain enables aerospace and defence companies to securely share, capture and authenticate data from a single source.”
Among other key findings, the report found that 67 per cent of aerospace and defence companies said their companies will invest in AI in the next year, with many focusing initially on production, security, research and development. Eighty per cent also said they expect that every human in their workforce will be directly affected daily by an AI-based decision by 2021.
Fifty-seven per cent will also invest in augmented reality and virtual reality in the next year, and nearly all (96 per cent) believe extended reality will help close the physical distance gap when engaging employees or customers. (Source: Google/Defence Connect)
15 Jun 18. NRL Increases UAV Endurance with Solar Soaring Technology.
Researchers at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) are developing technology for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) that has given them the ability to fly for more than 12 hours by harvesting energy from the atmosphere and the sun. Solar-Soaring is a pair of endurance-enhancing technologies. They aid the warfighter by enabling a UAV to fly longer without carrying extra weight in batteries.
“One of the common complaints that we hear across industry and the warfighters is that they want aircraft to fly longer,” said Dr. Dan Edwards, senior aerospace engineer in NRL’s Tactical Electronic Warfare Division. “One great way to do this is to capture atmospheric wind energy or solar energy to extend the endurance.”
Since 2005, Edwards has been exploring how to teach an autopilot how to soar using thermals in the atmosphere, much like how a bird flies. Using special sensing and guidance algorithms, the UAV flies a waypoint route until it senses a thermal updraft, then commands the aircraft to circle in the rising air.
“Sunlight heats up the surface of the Earth, which in turn heats the lowest layer of air,” said Edwards. “That warm air eventually bubbles up as a rising air mass, called a thermal, which the airplane can use to gain altitude. It’s indirectly solar-powered.”
Solar power is also used directly to power the UAV using solar cells, which are semiconductor devices that convert light into electricity. While these devices have been around for some time, it was only recently that photovoltaic technology advanced to the point where a UAV could be solar-powered. For an aircraft, every gram of weight has to be justified. Essentially, it has to pull its own weight. Until recently, solar cells were not worth the added weight.
“For a long time, even though there has been solar aircraft since the 1990s, the efficiency of the solar cells wasn’t high enough to pay the mass penalty, meaning you weren’t getting enough energy to justify the additional mass,” said Phil Jenkins, head of the Photovoltaics Section in NRL’s Electronics Science and Technology Division. “But over the last 10 years, that has really changed. The cells have gotten more efficient and lighter.”
The aircraft still carries a battery. However, the battery can be smaller because of the solar and soaring capabilities on board.
“With Solar-Soaring, the UAV doesn’t need a huge battery because it is getting energy from the environment,” said Edwards. “It just carries more intelligent software in the case of the autonomous soaring algorithms, or a lightweight, integrated solar array that captures much more energy from the sun compared to the amount of mass.”
Bringing these two technologies together, NRL found the combination works better than either individually. While soaring, the motor is turned off and the solar array can recharge the on-board battery faster. This increases the mission availability of a UAV for warfighters.
“Between the two, you have the most robust energy-harvesting platform, because sometimes you’ll be able to soar and sometimes you won’t have the solar, and vice versa,” said Jenkins.
The NRL-developed technologies are applicable to platforms that are already in use by the military, such as the Raven, a small hand-launched remote-controlled UAV or the Predator, a larger UAV.
“In the case of Solar-Soaring, we’re demonstrating the techniques to fly aircraft with a higher endurance,” said Edwards. “These techniques are portable to a lot of the programs of record, like the small-size Raven or potentially the larger Predator, so it’s a pretty broad application space.”
Having a UAV with extended endurance capabilities is important for military information, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions, or a communications relay. The technology also has important uses for civilian applications, including monitoring and inspection of railways and oil pipelines, surveying crops, and search and rescue.
“The technology could be very useful for coastal monitoring or pollution monitoring, for example,” said Jenkins. “In these cases, you just want eyes up there for hours and hours, and Solar-Soaring makes that possible.”
Both Edwards and Jenkins identified a hurdle they would eventually have to overcome with Solar Soaring – the ability to fly through the night.
“We still can’t fly through the night because the batteries are just too heavy, but we currently get dawn to dusk-enhanced endurance,” said Jenkins.
For Edwards, the next step in solving this problem is swapping out the battery for a hydrogen fuel cell.
“Fuel cells have much more energy per unit mass than a battery,” said Edwards. “So we’re marrying the fuel cells, which are great for getting through the night, and the Solar-Soaring, which is great in the daytime for getting energy directly from the sun and wind.”
Although the Solar Soaring technology was a success, it did not come without its challenges.
“There’s always an interesting jump from pure math, pure theory, to the application space,” said Edwards. “Some algorithms look great in simulation, but just doesn’t give the desired results in the real world with noisy data. Real thermals are so much more complex than in simulations, so we have had to fly a lot to find out what is robust in the real world.”
Jenkins spends his time at the lab developing solar cells on a small scale, so having the opportunity to take the solar cell technology and apply it was both challenging and rewarding.
“It is fun to see the application of advanced solar cells at work, as opposed to when you’re developing new solar cell technology, where the end product is usually a published report,” said Jenkins. “Here we have something that is very close to the end application.” (Source: ASD Network)
15 Jun 18. Mercury Systems expands embedded server system memory. Mercury Systems has expanded its secure command, control and intelligence (C2I), and artificial intelligence (AI) processing solutions, providing more system memory than previous generations, the company said.
Mercury’s pre-engineered processing building blocks are available as OpenVPX and AdvancedTCA EnsembleSeries processing blades and rugged EnterpriseSeries 3U and 6U rackmount ATX servers. These processing nodes feature the latest Intel and NVIDIA processing devices to deliver embedded on-platform processing capability. For system-wide integrity and deployment in the harshest environments, each processing solution may include BuiltSECURE and modified off-the-shelf technologies, the company said. Mercury’s EnsembleSeries and EnterpriseSeries C2I/AI processing solutions include the HDS6603 and LDS6527 TRL9 processing blades as well as the HDS9624 server. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
16 Jun 18. US military trains financial force on search for ‘common sense.’ AI Defence research group Darpa seeks breakthrough in quest for truly intelligent machines. The US defence department is preparing to take on one of the biggest challenges in artificial intelligence: how to endow computers with common sense. The effort could lead to military systems with greater awareness of the world around them and the ability to adapt in the way humans do, said Dave Gunning, a programme manager at Darpa, the US defence research group best known for funding early work on the internet and autonomous vehicles. One result would be systems that “don’t drive off a cliff and have the sense to come in out of the rain”, he said. It could also lead to flexible machines that communicate more naturally with people and can adapt to unexpected events. The pursuit of machines with common sense highlights design weaknesses in today’s AI that could severely limit the usefulness of the technology. “This is the elephant in the room, the 800lb gorilla. If we don’t make progress on this we’ll never get beyond the brittle [AI] systems we currently have,” said Mr Gunning. Programming computers to have the sort of intuitive understanding of the world that comes as second nature to humans was a central hope when the field of AI was founded more than half a century ago. It was abandoned early on but has seen a recent revival of interest in academic circles. Paul Allen, Microsoft co-founder, doubled investment into his own AI research institute earlier this year to push the idea. “This is one of the oldest, if not the oldest, dream of AI researchers,” said Joshua Tenenbaum, a professor of cognitive science and computing at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. “We think of this as at the heart of what it means to be intelligent.” Many of the recent breakthroughs in AI have come from systems that crunch vast amounts of data in search of patterns, enabling them to do things such as identify images or make predictions. But with no real understanding of the world, these so-called deep-learning systems are unable to take on problems outside the narrow areas they were designed for. “They don’t generalise well across different topics and aren’t robust in unforeseen situations,” said Yejin Choi, an associate professor at the University of Washington who is among the AI researchers working on common sense. Recommended Inside Business Henny Sender People’s Liberation Army and corporate China draw ever closer Darpa typically backs a range of academic and commercial research groups when it takes on a new field of research, hoping the benefits will flow back indirectly to the military. That has made it an important funder of basic research in the US. However, the importance of military backing for new technologies has also proved controversial, most recently when Google’s image-recognition work for the Pentagon caused a storm of internal protest. “It would be a good thing if money wasn’t just coming from the defence department,” said Mr Tenenbaum, whose research has had backing from a number of military research arms. He added that while AI researchers actively discussed the ethical issues raised by new AI research like this, the field needed more open debate. Darpa is open about the wider implications of far-reaching technologies it backs. Building common sense into computers “would certainly make an AI system more intelligent or more capable — and that could be used for good or for evil”, said Mr Gunning. He also called it “another rung on the ladder” towards computers with full human intelligence, known as artificial general intelligence. The renewed hopes for bringing common sense to computers stem from advances in a number of fields. These include the availability of more data and the ability to “crowdsource” intelligence from people over the internet to help machines develop a basic understanding, said Ms Choi. Some researchers have started to tap theories about how the human brain develops in the hope of building new types of learning system. Recent psychology research suggests the brains of babies “have a lot of the structure built in” from the start, rather than being blank slates that are formed by exposure to the world, said Mr Tenenbaum. This foundational understanding includes a basic grasp of physics, as well as an intuitive sense of psychology that enables very young infants to understand that other agents in the world have their own goals, he said. This has raised the hope of programming a similar foundation for common sense into machines, although that will require the invention of new programming techniques that draw on fields of AI beyond deep learning. Mr Gunning pointed to this work as one of the most promising starting points for forging truly intelligent systems. If computers could develop the same basic building blocks for learning that are present in a one-year-old infant, that could prepare the machines for the next step towards learning language, he said. Darpa called together outside researchers this year for a “brainstorming” session to consider which avenues of research into common sense it wanted to back. The agency is now putting together a formal proposal before moving ahead with the project, Mr Gunning said. (Source: FT.com)
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Oxley Group Ltd
Oxley specialises in the design and manufacture of advanced electronic and electro-optic components and systems for air, land and sea applications within the military sector. Established in 1942, Oxley has manufacturing facilities in the UK and USA and enjoys representation worldwide. The company’s products include night vision and LED lighting, data capture systems and electronic components. Oxley has pioneered the development of night vision compatible lighting. It offers a total package incorporating optical filters, equipment modification, cockpit and external lighting along with fleet wide upgrade services including engineering, installation, support, maintenance and training. The company’s long experience of manufacturing night vision lighting and LED indicators, coupled with advances in LED technology, has enabled it to develop LED solutions to replace incandescent and fluorescent lighting in existing applications as well as becoming the lighting option of choice in new applications such as portable military hospitals, UAV control stations and communication shelters.
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SATELLITE SYSTEMS, SATCOM AND SPACE SYSTEMS UPDATE
Sponsored By Viasat
www.viasat.com/gov-uk
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21 Jun 18. Viasat Inc. (NASDAQ: VSAT), a global communications company, announced it was awarded an Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (ID/IQ) contract in May 2018, worth up to $42m by the United States Air Force (USAF) for the purchase of supplemental units, maintenance and support services for Viasat’s AN/USQ-140(V) Multifunctional Information Distribution Systems (MIDS) Low Volume Terminals (LVT). MIDS-LVT units are part of a tactical Link 16 radio communications system that provides warfighters greater situational awareness by exchanging digital data over a common communication link. Link 16 is continuously and automatically updated in real-time, reducing the chance of fratricide or duplicate assignments, while increasing mission effectiveness. Under the ID/IQ contract, the USAF has the ability to quickly provide global defense forces with Viasat’s AN/USQ-140(V) terminal, which will provide assured, real-time, jam-resistant secure transmission of data, voice and position and location information between geographically dispersed military forces operating across the battlespace. The MIDS-LVT units are recognized for enhancing mission effectiveness and improving warfighter safety. Today, Viasat currently has over 3,500 MIDS-LVT terminals fielded to 20 customers worldwide.
“Viasat is a leader in Link 16 MIDS-LVT technology. Enabling our customers to quickly and easily acquire sustainment services and support for our AN/USQ-140(V) MIDS-LVT is critical for combat communications,” said Ken Peterman, president, Government Systems, Viasat. “This ID/IQ contract exemplifies Viasat’s ability to address unique mission requirements today while preparing for the sustainment needs of tomorrow. Viasat’s AN/USQ-140(V) MIDS-LVT will provide USAF customers with greater operational capabilities around the globe.”
Specifics about the award:
Under the ID/IQ contract, Domestic and FMS customers will place orders for depot repairs and returns. Work will be performed in Carlsbad, California, and is expected to be complete by March 29, 2023. This award is the result of a sole-source acquisition. Air Force Sustainment Center, Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, is the contracting activity (FA8539-18-D-0002).
21 Jun 18. The Federal Aviation Administration’s Geosynchronous Earth Orbiting 5 Wide Area Augmentation System navigation payload, developed by Raytheon’s (NYSE: RTN) Intelligence, Information and Services business, is now operational and fully integrated into the WAAS network. The GEO 5 payload joins two others already on orbit in correcting GPS satellite signal ionospheric disturbances, timing issues, and minor orbit adjustments, giving users increased coverage, improved accuracy, and better reliability.
“GPS alone can’t meet the FAA’s stringent requirements for accuracy, integrity and availability,” said Matt Gilligan, vice president of Raytheon’s Navigation, Weather and Services mission area. “The WAAS network corrects even the slightest errors, and that provides peace of mind when it comes to safety of flight.”
In operation since 2003, WAAS increases GPS satellite signal accuracy from 10 meters to 1 meter, ensuring GPS signals meet rigorous air navigation performance and safety requirements for all classes of aircraft in all phases of flight.
WAAS provides precision navigation service to users across the United States from Maine to Alaska, as well as portions of Canada and Mexico. For aviation users, WAAS offers pilots more direct flight paths, precision airport approaches and access to remote landing sites without depending on local ground-based landing systems.
Raytheon is the system integrator on the GEO 5 system, which includes a WAAS navigation payload on Eutelsat’s GEO satellite, two ComSAT ground sites, and SED Systems specialized equipment. To learn more about Raytheon’s portfolio of air traffic management solutions, visit us here.
20 Jun 18. USAF Issues First Guidance to Troops About Space Force. Air Force leaders have broken their silence following President Trump’s order to create a new military service branch for space.
Leaders issued a message to airmen telling them to stay the course as the process of implementing the president’s guidance moves forward. Trump gave the order Monday during a speech to the National Space Council at the White House.
In a message to all airmen sent Tuesday night, service brass including Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Goldfein confirmed that, as rumored, the new “space force” would be established as a military service inside the Air Force.
It’s an idea that Wilson and Goldfein have previously opposed publicly as too costly and presenting too many organizational challenges for the service.
In the new message, the leaders voiced agreement with Trump’s position that the U.S. military approach to the space domain must become more robust to meet current and future challenges.
“The President’s statement to the National Space Council adds emphasis to the Air Force position — space is a warfighting domain and the entire national security space enterprise must continue to enhance lethality, resilience and agility to meet the challenge posed by potential adversaries,” they wrote. “We look forward to working with Department of Defense leaders, Congress, and our national security partners to move forward on this planning effort.”
Trump offered few details about the implementation of a space force in his announcement Monday, though he did say the Air Force and the proposed new service would be “separate, but equal.”
Air Force leaders told airmen they should not expect any “immediate moves or changes” in the wake of the announcement, saying creation of the new force would take time.
“The work directed by the President will be a thorough, deliberate and inclusive process,” they wrote. ” … Our focus must remain on the mission as we continue to accelerate the space warfighting capabilities required to support the National Defense Strategy.”
Policy experts told Military.com this week that building a new force could take years and would require major legislation and planning, even if it’s staffed by current service members and takes advantage of existing infrastructure.
The message to airmen concluded on an upbeat note.
“We remain the best in the world in space and our adversaries know it,” it said. “Thank you for standing the watch. We’re proud to serve with you!” (Source: Military.com)
20 Jun 18. IHS Markit and exactEarth to Deliver Real-time Vessel Tracking Solution.
- AIS Platinum to provide real-time vessel tracking
- Clients of new solution will get access to unrivalled detection rate of vessels in high density locations such as South China Sea and Gulf of Mexico.
IHS Markit (Nasdaq: INFO), a world leader in critical information, analytics and solutions, and exactEarth (TSX: XCT), a leading provider of satellite AIS data services, today announced an alliance agreement that will provide a new combined tracking service, AIS Platinum, offering unprecedented frequency and coverage of vessel movements worldwide.
The AIS Platinum solution will provide an exceptionally fast flow of real-time intelligence to assist organizations that require the most time-critical intelligence. The solution has been developed with exactEarth’s global, persistent real-time Satellite AIS service, exactView™ RT powered by Harris, which will consist of a system of more than 60 maritime satellite payloads.
exactEarth’s satellite coverage is coupled with more than 2,000 IHS Markit terrestrial AIS stations that will provide further geographical coverage in high-density areas along coastal locations and busy port locations around the world. Additional global trade intelligence from IHS Markit will provide insights on commodity movements, along with ship information, including details on the owner, the operator and technical manager, among other information, that will give customers a clearer picture of the operating and commercial structure of the movement of goods.
“This unique partnership between two industry leaders in the vessel tracking sector will deliver major benefits to our customers in the commodity, finance, security and government sectors,” said Stuart Strachan, senior vice president for maritime & trade at IHS Markit. “The combination of our capabilities means customers of AIS Platinum will experience significant enhancements to what is available today from combined terrestrial / Satellite AIS services in terms of coverage, frequency and latency. No other vendor in the market will be able to offer a combined AIS service of this quality and speed.”
Peter Mabson, CEO at exactEarth, said: “When measured by vessel detection, update rates, reliability and expected longevity, exactView RT is the premium high-performance service in the Satellite AIS industry. We are extremely pleased to be partnering with IHS Markit to expand our market footprint and to provide such improvements to the customer experience.”
“High density areas in the Gulf of Mexico and South China Sea have always been difficult for detection rates, due to the volume of vessels in close proximity,” Mabson said. “Moving forward, with the combined coverage of both terrestrial and exactView RT Satellite AIS services, customers will see far greater detection rates than any other service on the market.”
Who is the service for?
AIS Platinum has been created for customers requiring real-time vessel position information and intelligence, including, but not limited to, the following:
- Quant Analysts: Vessel position information within computer algorithms and programs enables the identification of, and capitalization on, available trading opportunities. Historical data can also assist with identifying profit opportunities.
- Commodity Traders: As commodity markets move and change throughout the world, verified intelligence on commodity shipment activities help commodity traders stay ahead of markets and capitalize on trading opportunities.
- Compliance Officers: Information can help reveal whether a company is conducting its business in full compliance with all national and international laws and regulations that pertain to the financial sector, ensuring that business operations are not conducted with sanctioned countries, companies or individuals.
- Defence Intelligence Analysts: Information can give visibility within a maritime domain to understand the potential risks that vessels may pose. Analysts can use the information to understand anything associated with the maritime domain that could impact the security and safety of a country.
- Customs & Border Agents: Help agents evaluate the impact of illegal importing and exporting of commodities through seaborne activity. Track and trace irregular behaviour that could indicate drug trafficking, illegal arms importation and illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing.
(Source: BUSINESS WIRE)
21 Jun 18. South Australia pursues downstream space economy segment. A report by the South Australian Space Industry Centre has determined that almost 1.5 million Australian companies need space-derived applications.
According to the report’s author, Gianluca Strada, the largest market for the Australian space industry is supplying solutions to companies that may not even know they need them.
Strada, who produced the report as part of an international internship with the South Australian Space Industry Centre (SASIC) in Adelaide, determined through Australian Bureau of Statistics data that more than 1.4 million Australian businesses operated in industries that could benefit from space-derived technology.
He found that although talk of Australia’s new Space Agency had people thinking of rocket launches and space exploration, the biggest market was in exploiting space technology for the benefit of businesses on earth.
Strada said that the space economy consisted of upstream and downstream segments, with the upstream segment including all activities focussed on launching spacecraft.
“The downstream segment refers to all activities that employ data and knowledge that are derived from the space for Earth-related objectives as well as the products and services that support them,” he said.
“In other words, the upstream segment can be seen as the provision of space technology, whereas the downstream segment can be seen as the exploitation of space technology.”
According to Strada, more than half of the global US$329bn space economy is concentrated in the downstream segment, which includes Earth observation, GPS systems and satellite communications.
Australian businesses in industries as diverse as farming and financial services rely on these systems and he found a massive opportunity for Space 2.0 companies to develop new technologies for the market.
“Operators involved in the downstream segment need to raise awareness of the importance of space technologies and provide high quality, affordable and user-friendly services,” Strada said.
SASIC director Nicola Sasanelli said South Australian companies Fleet Space Technologies and Myriota were examples of businesses driving the downstream sector.
Fleet, which this week announced it’s first two nanosatellites would be launched by the end of 2018, plans to link up the Internet of Things with its satellites and LoRaWAN™hub technology.
Myriota, a spinoff technology company from the University of South Australia, this year raised $15m to further its IoT network of sensors, attracting investment from Boeing.
“South Australia is involved in this fantastic journey to the knowledge economy and space activities are very important to this,” Sasanelli said.
Sasanelli said Morgan Stanley expected the space economy to hit US$1.1trn by 2040, while Bank of America Merrill Lynch estimated it would grow eight-fold in the next 30 years, reaching US$2.7trn in 2045.
“At the moment we (Australia) take .08 per cent of the $300bn global space economy that is growing at 9 per cent a year, so there is still an opportunity for us to be active in this area,” Sasanelli.
“Other countries with space agencies, like Canada, manage $500m per year and they are part of the big, global program.
“It’s an ambition for our industries and our research centres to be involved in these global programs.”
Sasanelli said South Australia had 30 organisations involved in the space industry just 12 months ago.
“Now it is 60, with more than 800 jobs in these South Australian organisations,” he said.
“Growing Australia’s space industry to realise its full potential will take a truly national approach and this is something which South Australia has consistently worked towards.” (Source: The Lead)
20 Jun 18. Aevum’s New Rocket-Drone Airplane Duo Could Launch Satellites Every 3 Hours. A space launch every 3 hours may soon be possible using rockets carried on a fully autonomous unmanned airplane, a new startup company suggests. Alabama-based startup Aevum aims to per mission, using an air-launch system called Ravn.
“Ravn is designed to launch every 180 minutes,” Jay Skylus, Aevum’s CEO and chief launch architect, told Space.com. “Other launch vehicles fly only a handful of times a year with an average of 18 months of lead time.
“The typical turn time, from landing to takeoff, for a commercial aircraft can range from 30 to 80 minutes,” said Skylus, an aerospace engineer who worked at NASA and Boeing. “Ravn operates just like a commercial aircraft would.”
Aevum is focused on launching multitudes of tiny satellites into space. Such constellations of satellites could enable advances such as “wireless internet everywhere,” Skylus said.
The key to Ravn’s planned launch rate is its unmanned nature, which “simplif[ies] ground operations considerably,” Skylus said. “Ravn takes off and lands horizontally on any standard runway. Ravn is engineered to be autonomous from the moment it leaves the hangar from taxi, takeoff, launch, landing and taxi return to the hangar.”
As such, Ravn may need a ground crew of as few as six people, Skylus said. “Compared to the ground- crew needs of other launch systems, Ravn requires at least an order of magnitude less ground-crew personnel,” he said.
The first stage of Ravn consists of a reusable, fully autonomous unmanned aircraft system designed for atmospheric flight. “The overall aerodynamic design of the vehicle has been optimized for the rocket separation,” Skylus said. “The maximum speed of the Ravn first stage is Mach 2.85 [2,186mph, or 3,519km/h].”
This aircraft carries an expendable two-stage rocket engineered for spaceflight. The first stage of this rocket uses a proprietary fuel approved by the U.S. Department of Transportation, while the second stage relies on liquid oxygen. “The rocket engines have already been hot-fire demonstrated,” Skylus said.
Skylus was inspired to ramp up the rate of satellite launches when he came across a story of U.S. soldiers killed in action in Afghanistan in 2005.
“With my own brother serving in the U.S. Army and away from home during that time, the news felt personal to me,” Skylus said. “Upon research, I gained insight that communication failure was partly responsible for the losses we suffered in Afghanistan. I recall being furious that, while I could instant-message readily, people who were fighting to protect our country struggled with communication challenges.”
“Determined to figure out exactly why, I dug into communication technologies and found out that, in locations where geography is the limiting factor, the communication technologies were not necessarily faulty. We just needed better satellite-revisit times and positioning — more satellites,” Skylus said. “However, the cost of deploying those satellite assets was stifling progress.”
In flight simulations, “Minnie, Aevum’s autonomous flight software, has already completed nearly 640 flights,” Skylus said. This work included the successful simulated launch “of a 30-satellite constellation in less than 3 hours,” he added.
Aevum has designed, built and tested both its aerodynamic components and a prototype unmanned aircraft system. “Aevum’s currently building a proto-flight Ravn vehicle and aims to complete the ground qualification of the entire proto-flight Ravn vehicle this year,” Skylus said.
Aevum’s customers can use the company’s web app or call or email to deliver their cargo. In this sense, Aevum wants to be “the UPS or FedEx of space,” Skylus said. “We take care of all the logistics and offer mission design at no cost to you, and you can book launches and track your satellite through our app.”
Aevum is working toward beginning flight testing in 2019. If the entire flight test campaign goes according to plan, Aevum has three launches planned for the fourth quarter of 2019, Skylus said. “We’re always seeking to connect with more customers — there’s still some capacity on these three launches,” he said.
“Ravn is unlike any other launch system known today,” Skylus said. “Aevum’s focused on providing a delivery service that will directly enable the solutions that address global challenges that cause pain every day, which include communication and connectivity.”
Skylus described Aevum’s work on June 2 at the Dawn of Private Space Science symposium in New York. (Source: UAS VISION/Space.com)
19 Jun 18. Sensitive NLR-developed Electronics for Stratos III Rocket Survives Vibration Test. The beginning of June, a so-called ‘avionics box’ developed by the Netherlands Aerospace Centre (NLR) for the Stratos III rocket was successfully subjected to an important vibration test. The researchers applied forces that correspond to those occurring during the actual launch. The nose cone, the on-board computer and the avionics box successfully withstood the vibration test, marking the completion of a key phase in the development of the Stratos III rocket, which is designed and built by the Delft Aerospace Rocket Engineering (DARE) group at Delft University of Technology. The upcoming launch of the rocket on 16 July in southern Spain is expected to achieve a European altitude record for rockets designed by students, and will contribute to the EU’s aim of developing low-cost European launch systems.
The avionics box is the only payload on board the rocket. It records flight data such as the rocket’s location and position using gyroscopes and Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) like Galileo and GPS. The resulting data is saved in the on-board computer and partially transmitted to the ground station during the launch. The challenge was to develop an avionics box that consists of light-weight, affordable components that are commercially available, but that is also capable of withstanding the forces that occur during the launch. The researchers first had to integrate the box in the rocket’s nose cone and connect it to the on-board computer. The box performed well and subsequently proved capable of withstanding the large forces exerted on it.
After the launch, the researchers will analyse the measurement data and compare them to highly accurate external position measurements performed during the rocket’s flight. This will enable them to determine if the low-cost and light-weight components are of sufficient quality and provide sufficient accuracy to be used in the rocket’s navigation system.
The avionics box, the payload of the stratos III rocket, is part of the European SMILE project (SMall Innovative Launcher for Europe), an NLR coordinated collaboration between fourteen partners from eight different European countries. SMILE is aimed at developing a small, affordable light-weight European rocket that is capable of simultaneously launching multiple small satellites into space. A series of small satellites operating at lower altitude is more cost-efficient and less vulnerable than a single large satellite orbiting at a greater distance from the earth. In addition, such a constellation of satellites will contribute to a more complete and up-to-date picture of the earth. The satellites can for example be used for telecommunications, earth observation or monitoring the climate. Europe wants to gain an independent, competitive position in this market. SMILE is being financed by the EU’s Horizon 2020 innovation programme, has a budget of EUR 4m, and runs from January 2016 through to December 2018.
NLR plays a key role in SMILE. It serves as the independent coordinator of the project, bringing together a range of European partners and ensuring knowledge development and exchange in this promising market. NLR’s expertise in small launch systems, electronics and vibration and simulation testing is essential for the development and testing of launch systems. In addition, NLR’s VST facility (Vibration and Shock Testing) is the only one of its kind in the Netherlands, offering unique opportunities for research in aerospace as well as other fields. (Source: ASD Network/NLR – Netherlands Aerospace Centre)
18 Jun 18. All Four Satellites Are Undergoing Preparation for Ariane 5’s Next Galileo Launch. The four Galileo satellites for Arianespace’s next Ariane 5 mission at the service of Europe’s navigation system are coming together in their flight configuration, while parallel preparations continue with the mission’s heavy-lift launcher. During pre-flight activity in French Guiana at the Spaceport’s S1A processing facility, these FOC (Full Operational Capability) spacecraft have undergone their fit-checks with the dispenser system to be installed on Ariane 5.
This dispenser system will secure the Galileo FOC satellites in place during their ascent to a targeted release altitude of 23,222 km., then deploy them in rapid sequence using a pyrotechnic separation system.
Designated as Flight VA244 in Arianespace’s numbering system, the July mission’s Ariane 5 is now at the Spaceport, positioning it for build-up in the Launcher Integration Building. After completion of verifications and systems checkout by production prime contractor ArianeGroup, this Ariane 5 ES version will be moved to the Spaceport’s Final Assembly Building for payload integration.
Galileo: Europe’s global navigation satellite system
As Europe’s own global navigation satellite system, Galileo is operated under civilian control, offering guaranteed high-precision positioning around the world. Its initial services began in December 2016, allowing users equipped with Galileo-enabled devices to combine Galileo and GPS data for better positioning accuracy.
The European GNSS Agency (GSA) is responsible for operating the Galileo satellite navigation systems on behalf of the European Union. Galileo spacecraft are built by OHB System in Bremen, Germany, and the navigation payloads provided by Airbus-owned Surrey Satellite Technology in the United Kingdom.
Flight VA244 is Arianespace’s third Ariane 5 mission carrying European Galileo satellites, following previous launches in November 2016 and December 2017. Prior to that, the company orbited 14 of them on seven Soyuz missions performed between October 2011 and May 2016. (Source: ASD Network)
19 Jun 18. Trump signing directive to clean up space junk. President Donald Trump is signing a new space policy directive at the White House that aims to reduce satellite clutter in space. Trump said Monday that the United States’ space program had been bogged down by politics and rising costs. The policy calls for providing a safe and secure environment in orbit, as satellite traffic increases. It also sets up new guidelines for satellite design and operation, to avoid collisions and spacecraft breakups.
Trump also declared that “there’s no place like space.”
The president made the announcement at the same time he revealed the creation of what he called the Space Force, a new branch of the military whose creation will be overseen by Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Joseph Dunford. (Source: C4ISR & Networks)
20 Jun 18. European space industry sets sights on Australia. While US President Donald Trump has set the stage to establish “American dominance” in space, European space companies have Australia’s burgeoning space industry firmly in their sights.
In the last week, Italian company SITAEL has confirmed it will set up shop in Adelaide, South Australia, where it will design and manufacture satellites and payloads of up to 300 kilograms.
Its Australian headquarters, to be based at Mawson Lakes, will open from 1 July this year.
SA Premier Steven Marshall said the establishment of SITAEL Australia will further cement SA’s international reputation as a hub of innovation and an ideal environment to develop fresh ideas in the space industry.
“SITAEL is an innovative company leading the development of next-generation small satellites, and their decision to expand into South Australia demonstrates confidence in our state’s growing space industry,” said Premier Marshall.
“SITAEL’s move into Adelaide will create high-tech jobs for South Australians, open up new collaboration opportunities with local companies and strengthen our state’s reputation as a leader in space innovation and technology development.
“We are focused on building our thriving space industry to make it a key contributor to the growth and diversification of South Australia’s economy.
“International collaboration with leading countries in the global space market will encourage investment and attract entrepreneurs, talent, researchers and students to South Australia.”
SA is one of the states, along with Victoria, Western Australia and the ACT, lobbying hard to be the base site of Australia’s Space Agency.
Nicola Zaccheo, SITAEL chief executive, said SITAEL Australia will focus on developing innovative small satellites, space missions and space technologies in upstream, downstream and ground segments.
“SITAEL is the first large space company manufacturing space systems in Australia. We believe Australia has a huge growth opportunity in the space sector, particularly with the establishment of the new Australian Space Agency. South Australia in particular is an ideal environment to develop innovative new ideas,” Zaccheo said.
Professor Roberto Battiston, president of the Italian Space Agency (ASI) also welcomed the move and said that in the last two years the Australian space sector has grown very fast, with the new Australian Space Agency proof of a forward-looking political vision that puts space infrastructure at the centre of social and economic development.
“The establishment of SITAEL Australia in Adelaide is a tangible outcome of the Letter of Intent that the Italian Space Agency signed with the South Australian government in 2016 in Rome,” Professor Battiston said.
“ASI greatly welcomes the new Australian Space Agency with which they intend to develop strong and fruitful scientific and technological collaboration.”
Space industry professional Mark Ramsey has been appointed as general manager of SITAEL Australia. Ramsey, who is a member of the Space Industry Association of Australia advisory board, has previously worked at Thales Alenia Space, NewSat and Lockheed Martin.
SITAEL, a member of the International Aerospace Federation, is also involved in emerging fields including the internet of things (IoT) and instrumentation of science application. The company signed a letter of intent with SA company Inovor Technologies at last year’s International Astronautical Congress in Adelaide, for the purposes of developing joint technological and commercial activities.
Meanwhile, the Ukrainian government is considering building a spaceport outside Western Australia’s Curtin air base in the Kimberley.
The State Space Agency of Ukraine (SSAU) has told media the site could be the home of rockets being launched into orbit. Under their proposal, they would need 5,000 to 7,000 square kilometres to establish the spaceport.
The global space industry is now worth $420bn per annum and growing by 10 per cent each year, and is forecast to be worth more than US$1trn by 2040. Currently, Australia’s space industry is estimated to be worth $3.94bn a year. (Source: Defence Connect)
18 Jun 18. Trump orders creation of independent space force – but Congress will still have its say. President Donald Trump on Monday appeared to sign an executive order directing the Pentagon to create a new ”Space Force,” a move that could radically transform the U.S. military by pulling space functions variously owned by the Air Force, Navy and other military branches into a single independent service.
But while the president’s support for a new military branch is notable, experts — and a powerful member of Congress — believe Trump still needs the support of Congress to make a space force happen.
“I am hereby directing the Department of Defense and Pentagon to immediately begin the process necessary to establish a Space Force as the sixth branch of the armed forces,” Trump said during a meeting of the National Space Council.
“That’s a big statement. We are going to have the Air Force and we are going to have the Space Force. Separate but equal. It is going to be something. So important,” Trump added. “General Dunford, if you would carry that assignment out, I would be very greatly honored.”
Dunford responded in the affirmative, telling Trump, “We got you.”
According to a White House pool report, the president signed the executive order establishing the Space Force at about 12:36 p.m. EST.
However, a readout issued from the White House later that day of the executive order contained no language related to the creation of a new military branch, leaving open the question of whether Trump has actually issued formal guidance to the military.
The Air Force referred all questions to the Office of the Secretary of Defense, which did not respond immediately to requests for comment.
However, a defense official, speaking on background, said “The Joint Staff will work closely with the Office of the Secretary of Defense, other DoD stakeholders and the Congress to implement the President’s guidance.”
Trump’s support for creating a separate branch for space is a break from his own administration’s stance last year, as well as that of Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis.
“At a time when we are trying to integrate the Department’s joint warfighting functions, I do not wish to add a separate service that would likely present a narrower and even parochial approach to space operations vice an integrated one we’re constructing under our current approach,” Mattis wrote in a 2017 letter to members of Congress.
But in recent months, Trump has signaled he was intrigued by the idea of a stand alone space force, saying in a May 1 speech that “We’re actually thinking of a sixth” military branch for space.
At the time, that statement confounded Air Force leaders who had publicly opposed the creation of a separate space service, leading them to adopt a softer tone when talking about the potential for Space Force to avoid being seen as out of step with Trump. This time, however, Trump’s announcement tracks with the Pentagon’s schedule for an interim report on whether to establish an independent space corps. Deputy Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan said in April that it was on track to be wrapped up on June 1. The final report, which would be sent to Congress, is due in August.
Trump’s announcement was characteristically vague, but experts say that any new branch would have to come through an act of Congress.
“The Congress alone has the power to establish a new branch of the military and to establish the positions of senior executive officials to lead such a department,” said Jonathan Turley, a professor at Georgetown University’s law school who has studied constitutional issues relating to the military. “While the Pentagon can informally create study or working groups, it has no such authority.”
The president can have the military lay the groundwork for a future new branch, Turley said, which is close to what Trump seemed to be getting at.
“What the President can do is to order the study and proposal for a new branch, which would ultimately go to Congress of any authorization and appropriations,” he said.
Todd Harrison, an expert with the Center for Strategic and International Studies, agreed, tweeting Monday that “The president can’t just create a new military service on his own. It requires congressional authorization..”
“So the near-term practical effect of all this is that the president can direct DoD to come up with a plan and start preparing to create a Space Force, but he still needs congress to authorize it,” Harrison continued.
And while sources on Capitol Hill said they believe Trump does have the authority to establish the new military branch, and that their attention will now turn to funding and missions for the new Space Force, at least one Republican member of Congress made his stance clear.
“Establishing a service branch requires congressional action,” House Armed Services Tactical Air and Land Forces Subcommittee chair Mike Turner, R-Ohio. “We still don’t know what a Space Force would do, who is going to be in it, or how much is it going to cost.
“The congressionally mandated report evaluating a Space Force to answer those questions is due in August,” Turner added. “After we get the report that we required as a legislative body and the President signed off on, then this issue can be appropriately evaluated for what’s best for national security.”
Congress reacts
Trump’s announcement also left it unclear whether this new space force will rest under the Department of the Air Force — much like the Marine Corps is a component of the Department of the Navy — or whether a new “Department of the Space Force” will also be created.
Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Ala., the head of the House Armed Services strategic forces subcommittee, tweeted out his support for Trump’s order. Rogers had previously proposed a separate space service as part of Congress’ annual defense policy bill.
However, lawmakers and experts also immediately registered their opposition to the announcement. Sen. Bill Nelson, (D-Fla.), the top Democrat on the Senate Commerce Committee that oversees nonmilitary space programs, tweeted that now was not the right time to establish a separate space force. (Source: Defense News)
18 Jun 18. Trump orders creation of U.S. force to dominate space. U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday said he was ordering the establishment of a sixth branch of the military to clear the way for American dominance of space.
“It is not enough to merely have an American presence in space. We must have American dominance in space,” Trump said before a meeting of his National Space Council.
“We are going to have the Air Force and we’re going to have the ‘Space Force.’ Separate but equal. It is going to be something. So important,” he said later.
The United States, however, is a member of the Outer Space Treaty, which bars the stationing of weapons of mass destruction in space and only allows for the use of the moon and other celestial bodies for peaceful purposes. Trump also signed a directive on the management of traffic and debris in space. The announcements were his administration’s latest moves to scale up U.S. space exploration. The United States wants to send robotic explorers to the moon as soon as next year as a preparatory step towards sending astronauts back there for the first time since 1972, a NASA official said on Monday. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is planning a series of lunar missions beginning next year aimed at developing the capacity for a return to the moon, said Cheryl Warner, a spokeswoman for NASA’s Human Exploration Directorate. NASA will work with private companies, which have not yet been chosen, on the missions, Warner said in a phone interview. In December, Trump signed a directive that he said would enable astronauts to return to the moon and eventually lead a mission to Mars. He ordered the government last month to review regulations on commercial space flights.
Americans first landed on the moon in 1969, reaching a goal set by former President John F. Kennedy in 1961 and capping a decade-long space race between Washington and Moscow.
Since then, U.S. efforts to explore beyond the Earth’s orbit have largely focused on remote spacecraft that do not have human crew members, though American presidents have repeatedly raised the idea of sending human explorers back to the moon or further.
President George W. Bush in 2004 said humans would return to the moon by 2020. His successor, President Barack Obama, said in 2016 the United States would send humans to Mars by the 2030s. (Source: Reuters)
17 Jun 18. ViaLite’s L-Band HTS for Defense Provides Security for Those Who Defend Others. ViaLite solves the issue of keeping information secure with the use of ViaLite RF over fiber transmission equipment. The use of optical fiber provides added benefits in securing information-gathering centers against lightning and EMP strikes, as well as preventing attempts to eavesdrop or corrupt critical operational/sensitive data.
ViaLite products for government and defense provide:
- Enhanced data security
- Signal integrity
- Reliable and secure data transmission
- Efficient incident management
- Enhanced personnel safety
- Integrates into command, control, comms, computer and intelligence systems
ViaLite addresses customer applications for many communication technologies including:
- Professional Mobile Radio (PMR)
- TETRA
- GSM-R
- Cellular (In-Building)
- GPS
- WiFi/WiMax
- Satcom
ViaLite’s L-Band HTS 700-2450
The ViaLite L-Band HTS – HWDR link offers hyper-wide dynamic range (114 dB/Hz 2/3) and also allows for multiple channels to be sent down a single fiber. The link is ideal for the extremely demanding dynamic range applications associated with HTS and defense, and is based on the ViaLiteLong Distance DWDM System technology used for site diversity, or up to 600 km of antenna remoting. The features include:
- Transmission distances of 0-50km (DWDM)
- Ideal for 500, 800 and full 1500MHz bandwidths used in High Throughput Satellites (HTS)
- Designed for Satcom and Defense – RF and fiber connections on the rear
- Uses a regular L-Band HTS Receiver
- 13/18 V and 22KHz tone LNB control
- True Plug and Play
- 50 and 75ohm
- Superior linearity and low noise
- SNMP or web GUI interface for easy set-up, remote monitoring or control
- 5-year warranty as standard
ViaLite products are INFOSEC, EMSEC and TEMPEST compliant, so guarantee the delivery of services such as GPS/MSF time signals, digital TV, HF, VHF/UHF Radio, cellular and satellite signals. PPM Systems specializes in: RF over fiber systems (Satcom and COMINT), antennas and stacked antenna systems, RF filtering and conditioning, EM spectrum and decoding receivers, and IED/ECM defeat systems. Predominately working with the Government and Military/Defence sectors, PPM can design and supply a complete customized system meeting specific requirements. (Source: Satnews)
15 Jun 18. Kratos Awarded $2.6m Contract to Develop Proof of Concept System Enabling Satellite Communication Roaming Capability.
Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc. (Nasdaq:KTOS), a leading National Security Solutions provider, announced today that its Kratos RT Logic subsidiary won an award for the Pilot Phase 2 program. This effort will implement a proof-of-concept system enabling an enterprise solution to increase the capacity and resiliency of wideband satellite communications (SATCOM).
Kratos’ system will enable government satellite users to roam, similar to the way cell phone users roam through multiple cellular networks. This will be demonstrated with a Flexible Modem Interface (FMI) that enables secure communication across multiple operator networks, in multiple frequency bands, utilizing diverse waveforms and modems. It will show implementation of critical command and control (C2) capabilities allowing an existing U.S. government terminal to switch to different satellites if the main satellite is compromised, enhancing resiliency through path diversity and enabling global service connectivity to multiple available networks.
Under the terms of the award, Kratos will also demonstrate a prototype government network operating center (GNOC) function that responds to user requirements and service provider capabilities. The function interfaces to SATCOM gateways and remote terminals, provides situational awareness, and successfully mitigates threats.
Kratos is supported on this effort by a world-class team of satellite operators to execute the program, including Intelsat General, SES Government Solutions, and INMARSAT.
The program is sponsored by the Space and Missile Systems Center, MILSATCOM Systems Directorate, Advanced Concepts Division (SMC/MCX). Joseph Vanderpoorten, SMC/MCX Division Chief, said, “The Pilot Phase 2 initiative realizes new concepts for enabling more flexible and resilient use of wideband SATCOM resources.”
“The commercial product solution illustrates how minor modifications to existing government terminals can create the ability to seamlessly leverage multiple commercial SATCOM resources,” said Mike Rice, Vice President of Satellite Ground Systems at Kratos. “The U.S. government will have the capability to utilize efficiencies developed within the commercial sector to improve the responsiveness of wideband SATCOM, increase capacity and enhance space situational awareness, all while supporting a more resilient enterprise ground architecture.” (Source: ASD Network)
13 Jun 18. A Launch Trilogy for Rocket Lab and a Noteworthy New Customer — Canon Electronics. Spaceflight has partnered with Rocket Lab for three upcoming launches — the first Electron mission, scheduled for the end of 2018, will launch a BlackSky smallsat along with several rideshare customers — the second mission will launch satellites from commercial and government organizations in early 2019, and the third mission, also scheduled for early 2019, will launch a spacecraft from Canon Electronics. All three missions will lift off from the Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1 on the Mahia Peninsula in New Zealand and dispense the customer spacecraft into LEO. Spaceflight has procured the launch capacity on behalf of its customers and will provide mission campaign integration services. Rocket Lab will assist with satellite to launch vehicle integration and will provide the launch service to orbit using the Electron. Following on the success of Canon Electronics’ experimental Earth observing CE-SAT-I smallsat, which was launched in 2017, the company secured launch services with Spaceflight via Rocket Lab’s Electron rocket.
Dr. Nobutada Sako, group executive, Satellite Systems Lab, Canon Electronics Inc., said that this launch is critical for Canon Electronics, as the company is launching two satellites built with all of the components made by Canon Electronics. CE-SAT-I Mark II is Canon’s first mass-production model and CE-SAT-II is a model equipped with two cameras with different resolutions. Just as Canon provides world premium technologies, sales, and services, the company believes Spaceflight and Rocket Lab offer the same premium services to their clients and look forward to a long-term partnership with them.
This deal cements Spaceflight’s first missions aboard the Electron rocket and signifies the company’s continual expansion of dedicated rideshare missions to small launchers.
Melissa Wuerl, Spaceflight’s VPof business development, noted that adding the Electron to the firm’s portfolio of small launch vehicles fulfills a need for customers to access space with shorter lead times. In addition to providing rideshare services on other organizations’ missions, the company is pleased to offer first-class integration services and dedicated launches for customers on the Electron rocket.
Rocket LabFounder and CEO, Peter Beck, added that rapid and repeatable access to space is crucial for the development of vital infrastructure on orbit. In partnering with Spaceflight, Rocket Lab delivers streamlined launches and enables innovative missions like those of Canon Electronics and BlackSky. (Source: Satnews)
18 Jun 18. Australia stepping up in space industry. One of the largest players in the global space business Airbus says Australia is changing gear in its engagement in space.
Nicolas Chamussy, head of space systems for Airbus Defence and Space, said Airbus wanted to play a role in Australia’s space renaissance, signing two partnership agreements with Australian companies and institutions this week.
Mr Chamussy, who was in Australia to attend the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) conference on building Australia’s strategy for space, said Airbus has identified strategic space opportunities in Australia.
That includes leveraging Australia’s expertise in research and development and potential partnerships with industry on space-based applications.
“It seems there is a huge trend in this country to change gear and make a significant advance and progress in the space domain,” he told reporters in Canberra.
“There is clear momentum … to have an overarching agency overlooking all the commercial and civilian space business and to develop industry.”
Mr Chamussy said it wasn’t just Australia – other countries were also developing their space industry.
“There is renewed interest for space. Capability is cheaper than it used to be in the past, especially to launch. You can launch much cheaper than you could 20 years ago,” he said.
In one of the two new agreements, Airbus will become a founding member of the new SmartSat Cooperative Research Centre (CRC), led by the University of South Australia and Nova Systems.
Airbus will provide funding for seven years for the CRC’s research activities in areas of advanced communications, intelligent satellite systems, earth observation data analytics and space regulatory and policy environment.
The second agreement is with the University of NSW and its space company Skykraft to develop hyperspectral remote sensing technology.
“It’s a clear sign of recognition on either side of the significantly growing space activities in Australia,” he said.
“We have been in the country for quite a while. We have more 1,500 employees in Australia plus 250 in New Zealand. This is a country of significant importance but not that much in space.
“We have decided to increase our presence.”
Mr Chamussy said Airbus was establishing a space footprint in Australia, investing $18m in the SkyNet 5 satellite ground station in Adelaide and to establish the first operating base in Western Australia as part of the ongoing development of the Zephyr High Altitude Pseudo Satellite Capability.
Airbus is a major player in space services. The company makes satellites for commercial, scientific research and military applications as well as ground facilities.
The company is also a shareholder in Arianespace, which provides launch services at the French government owned facility in French Guiana.
However, Airbus satellites are launched wherever the customer desires, including the US, Russia, India and Japan, but not yet from New Zealand’s new launch facility.
Australia was a pioneer of space exploration, hosting British rocket launches from the South Australian outback. In 1967, Australia became only the third nation on earth to design, build and then launch its own satellite. Australia has been a major user of space services and has pockets of excellence but until now there’s been no guiding organisation. The new Australian Space Agency officially starts up on 1 July with former CSIRO chief Dr Megan Clark as inaugural head. (Source: Defence Connect)
13 Jun 18. Development Contract Awarded to GomSpace by ESA. The Luxembourg National Space Program (LuxIMPULSE), implemented by the European Space Agency, has awarded GomSpace Luxembourg SARL — a subsidiary of GomSpace Group AB (the ”Company”) — a 1.575m euros development contract. The scope of the project is the development of a novel product called the Mega-Constellations Operations Platform (“MCOP”) that will become a key part in GomSpace Luxembourg’s plans to offer constellation operations services for smallsats. The project will conclude in Q1 2020.
GomSpace Group AB’s business operations are mainly conducted through the wholly-owned Danish subsidiary, GomSpace A/S, with operational office in Aalborg, Denmark. GomSpace is engaged in the global market for space systems and services and introduces new products, such as components, platforms and systems, based on smallsat innovations. The company is listed on the Nasdaq First North Premier exchange under the ticker GOMX. FNCA Sweden AB is the company’s Certified Adviser. (Source: Satnews)
12 Jun 18. Intelsat Raising Fresh Funds. Chris Forrester is reporting in the Advanced Television infosite that, as expected, Intelsat has confirmed the company will raise more than $600m in fresh funds.
Intelsat says that about $230m (195m euros) will take the form of new common shares (with a nominal value of $0.01) and be used as an inter-company loan to a new division, Intelsat Envision Holdings. The shares will be priced at $14.84 and they be issued on June 14th. This new business will become the direct parent of Intelsat Connect Finance SA, and which will be used to guarantee Intelsat’s new convertible notes.
An additional (approximately) $350m will be raised via the firm’s Convertible Senior Notes (due 2025) in a private offering to institutional buyers. According to an Intelsat statement, the notes will be convertible into common shares at the option of the holders under specified circumstances (subject to Intelsat’s option to cash settle such conversions in whole or in part). There’s already market enthusiasm for the bond issue and Intelsat says that it could lead to a further $52.5m being raised under the same terms. The issue will pay interest of 4.5 per cent.The cash raised is expected to be used to purchase existing bonds due for repayment in 2021. Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley are the joint book-runners for the offering. (Source: Satnews)
11 Jun 18. Aerospace Corporation Proposes Launch Unit Standards for Smallsats. The Aerospace Corporation’s Center for Space Policy and Strategy (CSPS) has released a new policy paper that explores the benefits of Launch Unit standards for smallsats during the company’s Emerging Issues in Space Technology and Policy event at the Rayburn House Office Building in Washington, D.C.
In recent years, smallsats have proven to be invaluable in the space domain. Currently, most smallsats are launched as secondary payloads when there is excess space in a launch vehicle — every deployment must be specifically designed for each smallsat.
CSPS’s new Setting the Standard: Launch Units for the SmallSat Era paper discusses the implementation of a launch standard for medium-class (25-200 kilogram) smallsats and the benefits those standards would provide to smallsat manufacturers, launch providers, government satellite acquisition programs, and other key stakeholders.
“More than 6,000 smallsats are expected to launch in the next 10 years, which is six times more than in the previous decade,” said Carrie O’Quinn, senior project engineer for Aerospace’s Research and Development Department. “As smallsats have increased in popularity, many stakeholders continue to advocate for cost-effective solutions in order to reduce cost and time-to-launch.”
Just as smallsats have increased in popularity, so have rideshares. The authors’ proposed standard configurations, such as the Launch Unit, would enable straightforward access to launch vehicles, cargo, and satellites, leading to standard schedules and known pricing.
“The development of a standard smallsat Launch Unit is critical for high-launch availability and flexibility, integral aspects of achieving low-cost access to space,” said co-author Danielle Piskorz, member of the technical staff in Aerospace’s Visual and Infrared Sensor Systems Department. “The ability to swap out launchers and payloads on short notice is key for resiliency and addresses some of the shortcomings of modern launchers.”
Aerospace is currently leading a coalition of industry leaders working to select a smallsat standard, called a Launch Unit, by the end of 2018. The group’s recommendation will be announced at the Small Satellite Conference in Ogden, Utah in August 2018. At the same conference, CSPS will also host a panel discussion on the policy and economic implications of current trends in smallsats and launch.
“Aerospace has taken on a key role in the development of a standard smallsat form factor, or Launch Unit,“ said Jamie Morin, vice president and executive director of CSPS. “The Launch Unit pushes the smallsat community toward an ecosystem where one could build a satellite without knowing its launch vehicle, or where one could swap out launch vehicles or payloads on launch day. The implementation of the Launch Unit would significantly impact the development and success of the smallsat industry.” (Source: Satnews)
12 Jun 18. High Quality and Interference Free Service for Belintersat Provided by Integrasys’ Controlsat and Keysight’s Analyzer. With Integrasys’ Controlsat Carrier Monitoring System, Belintersat is able to monitor up to 200 carriers per second. Additionally, the service offers unmanned operation 24/7 with interference detection, automatic SLAs compliance and reports and data analysis. All of which are crucial to maintaining a high quality service. Upon detection of service degradation or interference, Controlsat alerts operators, meaning any issues can be resolved immediately. Reliable QoS analysis and plots ensure the upmost QoS and SLAs compliance.
For this implementation, Controlsat has been customized to address Belintersat’s unique requirements. This included enhancements to the solution’s data collection and reporting functionality as well as integration with a spectrum analyzer from Keysight. The N9000B is the newest X series analyzer that, with the unique Ku switching matrix manufactured by Integrasys, achieves unmatched performances and measurement speeds of up to 200 carrier per second.
Alvaro Sanchez, General Manager, Integrasys, said that Belintersat is a forward-thinking operator with a focus on enhancing the quality of experience for its customers and differentiating itself from the competition. For Integrasys, this was important to also be integrated with a high quality spectrum analyzer. Having worked with Keysight’s products in the past, the company knew it could support the fast rate of measurement and high accuracy the firm’s customers demand.
Alexander Armonik, Head of Ground Applications Service Center, Belintersat, added that the company’s operations have been growing over recent years. That growth, coupled with international expansion, means it is more important than ever to be able to effectively monitor and control the entire network. Controlsat gives us peace of mind and the assurance that we can provide a continuous and good quality service to all of our customers.
Julian Arribas, Account Manager, Keysight added that as satellite operators face increasing pressure to deliver a seamless experience, detecting and reducing errors is more important than ever. Thanks to the combination of Controlsat and Keysight’s spectrum analyzer, Belintersat is able to deliver a great experience for its customers. (Source: Satnews)
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At Viasat, we’re driven to connect every warfighter, platform, and node on the battlefield. As a global communications company, we power millions of fast, resilient connections for military forces around the world – connections that have the capacity to revolutionize the mission – in the air, on the ground, and at sea. Our customers depend on us for connectivity that brings greater operational capabilities, whether we’re securing the U.S. Government’s networks, delivering satellite and wireless communications to the remote edges of the battlefield, or providing senior leaders with the ability to perform mission-critical communications while in flight. We’re a team of fearless innovators, driven to redefine what’s possible. And we’re not done – we’re just beginning.
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RADAR, EO/IR, NIGHT VISION AND SURVEILLANCE UPDATE
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20 Jun 18. UK undecided on F-35 DAS upgrade. The United Kingdom has yet to decide if it will upgrade its Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter (JAF) combat aircraft with the new Distributed Aperture System (DAS) announced earlier in the month.
Answering questions in the House of Commons, Guto Bebb, Minister for Defence Procurement, said that a decision on whether or not to swap the current Northrop Grumman AN/AAQ-37 DAS with a new system to be developed by Raytheon will be made “once [the government] understand[s] the time and cost implications”.
“As with all upgrades, this will be undertaken as part of the future capability development programme,” he said on 19 June. “Costs have not yet been negotiated or agreed.”
Bebb’s comments came five days after Lockheed Martin announced that from Lot 15 production in 2023 it is to switch DAS suppliers to “enhance capability and reduce cost”. This timeline coincides with the commencement of deliveries of Block 4 (now known as Continuous Capability Development and Delivery [C2D2]) full-operating configuration in the early 2020s, which will be the first post-system design and development (SDD) standard (Block 4 is to be rolled out in increments from 2020, with the full configuration being made available from 2023).
By 2023, the United Kingdom will have received 42 of the 48 short take-off and landing (STOVL) F-35Bs that it has so far committed to (the wider international programme will have seen 951 aircraft of all variants delivered during the same period). A decision to upgrade these UK aircraft to the newer DAS system will have to be made as part of a wider plan to bring them up to the latest Block 4/C2D2 standard. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
20 Jun 18. Next-Generation Binoculars Contribute to Battlefield Survivability. Marines will have better situational awareness on missions in dark areas thanks to new night-vision goggles. The Binocular Night Vision Goggle II, or BNVG II, is a helmet-mounted binocular that gives operators improved depth perception at night, and uses white phosphor image intensification technology to amplify ambient light, with a modular thermal imaging overlay capability. BNVG II helps Marines identify potential buried explosive devices, find hidden objects in foliated areas and safely conduct tasks that require depth perception.
Marine Corps Systems Command began fielding the BNVG II to force reconnaissance and explosive ordnance disposal Marines this spring, and full operational capability is planned for early next year.
The BNVG II includes a binocular night-vision device and a clip-on thermal imager, or COTI. The BNVD amplifies the small amount of existing light emitted by stars, the moon’s glow or other ambient light sources and uses the light to clearly display objects in detail in very dark conditions. The COTI uses heat energy from the Marine’s surroundings to add a thermal overlay that allows the image to be viewed more clearly, helping Marines with situational awareness in conditions with little to no light.
Enhanced Vision
“The BNVG II helps Marines see enemies at a distance, and uses the COTI to detect ordnance or power sources for an explosive device that gives off heat,” said Nia Cherry, an infantry weapons program analyst. “The COTI intensifies Marines’ ability to see anything in dark conditions, rain, fog, dust, smoke and through bushes that the legacy binoculars couldn’t.”
The BNVG II is a follow-on to the legacy, battle-proven AN/PVS-15 binocular, but offers more features, such as the COTI, for increased survivability. The BNVD component is a compact, lightweight, third-generation, dual-tube night -vision goggle with an ergonomic, low-profile design. It offers superior situational awareness compared to the AN/PVS-15 used by reconnaissance Marines and the single-tube AN/PVS-14 monocular night-vision device used throughout the rest of the Marine Corps, officials said. It mounts to the enhanced combat helmet and may be used individually or in conjunction with the COTI.
“In March, we held an exercise in San Diego where Marines provided positive feedback on their ability to easily maneuver with the goggles,” said Joe Blackstone, optics team lead in infantry weapons. “The depth perception provided by the BNVG II enhances precision and increases the operator’s survivability while on missions with limited lighting.” (Source: US DoD)
20 Jun 18. UAE orders additional functionality for Saab’s GlobalEye system. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has awarded a Skr345m ($39.10m) contract for additional functionality to Saab’s GlobalEye advanced airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) solution.
GlobalEye AEW&C provides air, maritime and ground surveillance in a single solution. The Saab system is equipped with a complete range of the latest advanced sensors, including the powerful extended range radar called Erieye ER. Saab surveillance head Anders Carp said: “GlobalEye is the most advanced airborne early warning and control solution on the market and the programme is progressing very well, with the first flight completed in March this year.
“This order is further testament to our successful collaboration with the UAE.”
In November 2015, the UAE awarded a development and production contract to Saab for the GlobalEye system to be used by its armed forces.
The initial order included delivery of the first two GlobalEye systems to the UAE. An additional order for a third system was placed last year.
GlobalEye is a swing role airborne surveillance system based on Bombardier’s Global 6000 jet aircraft, which has undergone a complete upgrade and modernisation to adapt to its current role.
On 23 February, Saab revealed the first GlobalEye AEW&C aircraft to the media at its Linköping site in Sweden. In March, the company successfully completed the first flight of the aircraft in Linköping. (Source: airforce-technology.com)
19 Jun 18. DIUx extends contract for USMC counterdrone tech The US Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory (MCWL) has extended a prototype contract with Sensofusion for an additional year to develop a system that would give troops advanced warning of threats from drones.
The contract was extended to “innovate and implement new capabilities within signal intelligence,” a June 6 press release said.
The contract with Sensofusion is through the Defense Innovation Unit Experimental (DIUx), which is an upstart Department of Defense organization that contracts commercial solutions to solve national defense problems.
Sensofusion’s partnership with the Marine Corps and DIUx launched in March 2017 with a one-year contract and the goal of developing a ground-based mobile counter-UAS solution based on Sensofusion’s core product, AIRFENCE.
According to a DIUx quarterly report, “Sensofusion can automatically detect, locate, track, and take over UAS controls, as well as locate a UAS operator with pinpoint accuracy in real-time.”
AIRFENCE is already used by law enforcement and government leaders.
DIUx has focused on counterdrone technologies in the past. In July 2017, CNN reported that DIUx signed a $1.5m contract with SkySafe, a company that develops technology to disable rogue drones.
As commercial drones become increasingly available, government and military leaders have expressed safety concerns. “We know that terrorists are using drones overseas to advance plots and attacks,” Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen said.
A study by New America reported several non-state actors who have used commercially available drones, including ISIS and the Houthi rebel group in Yemen.
According to a data sheet from the Center for the Study of the Drone at Bard College, the Department of Defense counterdrone budget rose from $528m in fiscal year 2018 to $1.05bn in the fiscal year 2019 proposal.
“Given the proliferation of commercially-available UAS and the increasingly dangerous threat they post, a force protection capability like that provided by AIRFENCE will be an essential part of any integrated air defense system for the foreseeable future,” Major J.B. Persons at MCWL said in a 2017 release.
Working with the Marine Corps, Sensofusion developed a single sensor AIRFENCE which is beneficial for use in a mobile convoy scenario. AIRFENCE can also be used for fixed installations like military bases or prisons that need counterdrone technology.
Working with DIUx, Sensofusion integrated radar and optics into a counter-UAS system that can be either fixed or mobile and can operate in extreme weather conditions, according to a press release.
(Source: C4ISR & Networks)
20 Jun 18. FAI grows its fleet with the addition of fifth Global Express. German Special Mission Operator FAI rent-a-jet AG has expanded its fleet of managed aircraft with the addition of a fifth Global Express (S/N 9084). This brings FAI’s total fleet to 25, including its 10 managed aircraft. In addition to the five Bombardier Global Express jets, FAI currently operates five Challenger 604s, 12 Learjet 60s, one Learjet 55, one Premier 1A and a King Air 350. All Bombardier aircraft are maintained by FAI Technik. The new Global Express will be German registered and operated on behalf of a corporate client. It will be based at FAI’s corporate headquarters in Nuremberg following a full cabin refurbishment and new exterior paint undertaken by FAI’s growing MRO subsidiary, FAI Technik GmbH. This project marks FAI Technik’s third Global Express full cabin refurbishment in just six months. It is anticipated that the project will be complete by mid-November when the aircraft will be available for charter.
Siegfried Axtmann, FAI Aviation Group Chairman, comments: “We are very pleased to welcome a fifth Global Express to our managed fleet. Through our management contracts we provide value for aircraft owners and offer charter clients a diverse fleet from which to choose. We are delighted to be undertaking another full cabin Global refurbishment marking yet another major project for FAI Technik this year. We are seeing growing demand in our MRO business which is proving to be increasingly successful following an outstanding 2017.”
The additional aircraft also serves to strengthen the company’s position as one of Europe’s largest Bombardier operators, which brings significant operational and cost benefits. FAI is one of the world’s largest air ambulance jet operators by revenue, having logged more than 200,000 hours flying air ambulance missions. It is also Germany’s largest general aviation operator by fleet operating more than 13,000 hours of airtime in 2017. This latest news follows FAI’s recent Diamond Safety of Flight Award from the European Business Aviation Association (EBAA) marking the highest safety recognition awarded by EBAA to member companies operating business aircraft for 50 years or 100,000 hours without an accident.
19 Jun 18. The U.S. government has granted the 10 millionth patent in the nation’s history to Raytheon (NYSE: RTN). The patent covers a system for obtaining real-time readings on speed and distance from the data stream created by laser radars. The system was invented by Joe Marron, Ph.D., an optical engineer at Raytheon. Raytheon’s story of innovation stretches back to the company’s founding in 1922. Its first successful invention was a vacuum tube that made it practical to run home radio sets from a wall socket rather than big, messy batteries. The laser was invented over fifty years ago by a Raytheon engineer.
The company currently holds 13,000 active patents – nearly 4,500 of which are in the U.S. – and has more than 4,300 patent applications pending.
Those numbers tell a story, Raytheon Chairman and CEO Thomas A. Kennedy said.
“Raytheon engineers and researchers like Joe have been pushing the bounds of what’s possible for generations. It’s what we do. We innovate, we solve hard problems, and we create solutions that explore new frontiers to shape an exciting future,” said Kennedy, an electrical engineer with a Ph.D. and holder of four U.S. patents.
Raytheon, Marron applied for the patent in 2015, little realizing he would become the inventor behind U.S. Patent 10,000,000.
“It’s equivalent to a guy who buys a lottery ticket every month,” Marron said of his noteworthy new patent number. “Eventually, it hits.”
Marron was a good candidate for landing on the numerically significant patent. He has turned his ideas into more than 20 patents over the years, starting with a 1991 concept to improve upon bifocal lenses.
His invention improves the ability of laser radars, which use reflected light to measure speed and distance, to identify and track objects.
One problem with large laser sensors is that light fluctuates very quickly, creating an enormous amount of data to process. That means large laser radar arrays rely on a series of converters and processors just to create a coherent picture of what they’re seeing.
To get that information faster and with high fidelity, Marron called upon his knowledge of two familiar technologies: digital cameras and FM radio.
By redesigning a laser radar like a digital camera, he could spread that data out across many pixels, each with its own processing electronics. Then, using an approach called quadrature detection, which underlies many forms of wireless communications, those pixels would report only the bits of data the sensor would need to draw a picture; in essence, it’s a form of data compression.
“We can take terabytes of information and translate it down into something that can be digested by a computer,” he said.
The potential applications are many, he said, including autonomous cars; a laser radar that can identify objects with speed and clarity could help a car’s artificial intelligence make better decisions.
And that would be another entry in Raytheon’s history of innovation; along with Smith’s revolutionary S-tube, the company’s famous breakthroughs include Percy Spencer’s 1943 patent application for mass-producing magnetrons, which helped meet a critical supply need for radars in World War II. The following year, Spencer struck again, this time with a way to use the magnetron to cook, resulting in the first commercial microwave ovens.
Raytheon’s more recent patents cover many areas of emerging technology, such as a method for detecting malicious code in a computer system and a sensor that can detect a single, low-energy light particle, which could pave the way for quantum communications.
19 Jun 18. Nikon P-TACTICAL SUPERDOT Now Available! Nikon announces that its new red dot sight previewed during SHOT Show 2018 is now a reality and headed for dealer shelves. The new P-TACTICAL SUPERDOT joins Nikon’s growing family of optical sights for a variety of shooting platforms and applications. The P-TACTICAL SUPERDOT is engineered with fully multicoated lenses and Nikon’s proprietary “TRUCOLOR” coating, which virtually eliminates the bluish tint associated with red dot sights. The sight’s 2 MOA dot is adjustable with 10 levels of brightness—the first two settings being night vision compatible—and is centered within the field of the 22mm sighting window for a wide field of view with unlimited-and-non-critical eye relief. Windage and elevation adjustments on the P-TACTICAL SUPERDOT are in 1-MOA increments and are made using the integral tool on the top of each cap. The internal adjustment range for both elevation and windage is 100 MOA.
Nikon builds the P-TACTICAL SUPERDOT on a compact (2.8″ x 1.7″ x 1.7″), lightweight (4.2 ounce) aluminum alloy chassis that is shockproof, waterproof (IPX7) and extremely durable. The sight includes a removable rail mount with height spacer for fast, easy mounting to MSRs or any firearm with Picatinny rail or base. Suggested retail price for the new Nikon P-TACTICAL SUPERDOT sight is $199.95.
The P-TACTICAL SUPERDOT and all of its components are covered by Nikon’s 5-Year Warranty.
19 Jun 18. Elta 3D air-defence radar excluded from NATO air-defence architecture. The NATO Air and Missile Defence Command and Control Security Accreditation Board (ASAB) informed the Czech Ministry of Defence (MoD) on 7 June that the Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) Elta EL/M-2084 3D mobile air-defence radar (MADR) systems it plans to procure for the Army of the Czech Republic (ACR) could not be integrated into NATO’s air-defence architecture since the system is not manufactured by an alliance member country.
“It is an extraordinary decision”, Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš told the media on 7 June.
Babiš said that he had earlier consulted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about the MADR procurement and was assured that the Israel Defense Forces use the system in combat and that it had also been procured by the armed forces of NATO member Canada. (Source: Google/IHS Jane’s)
19 Jun 18. NRL scientists develop technology to increase UAV mission availability. Researchers at the US Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) are currently developing ‘Solar-Soaring’ technology to provide the unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) with the ability to fly for more than 12 hours using energy from the atmosphere and sun.
Solar-Soaring is the name given to a pair of endurance-enhancing technologies that help warfighters by enabling an autonomous aircraft to fly for longer periods without the need to carry extra weight in batteries.
NRL Tactical Electronic Warfare Division senior aerospace engineer Dr Dan Edwards said: “One of the common complaints that we hear across industry and the warfighters is that they want aircraft to fly longer.
“One great way to do this is to capture atmospheric wind energy or solar energy to extend the endurance.”
Edwards added: “Sunlight heats up the surface of the Earth, which in turn heats the lowest layer of air.
“That warm air eventually bubbles up as a rising air mass, called a thermal, which the airplane can use to gain altitude. It’s indirectly solar-powered.”
Furthermore, solar power can be harnessed to directly power the drone using solar cells, which are semiconductor devices that help convert light into electricity.
The motor is turned off during soaring and the solar array is able to recharge the on-board battery faster, thereby increasing the unmanned aircraft’s mission availability.
Despite the integration of the new technologies, an aircraft still needs to carry a battery.
However, the battery can be smaller in size as a result of the solar and soaring capabilities on-board the jet.
Edwards noted: “In the case of Solar-Soaring, we’re demonstrating the techniques to fly aircraft with a higher endurance.
“These techniques are portable to a lot of the programmes of record, like the small-size Raven or potentially the larger Predator, so it’s a pretty broad application space.” (Source: naval-technology.com)
18 Jun 18. Link Microtek delivers multichannel rotating joint assembly for S-band radar application. Link Microtek, the manufacturer of RF and microwave subsystems, has successfully created and shipped a complex, one-metre-long microwave rotating joint assembly for an S-band ground-based radar. Allowing microwave signals to be fed to and from a radar antenna, such large rotating joint assemblies are an essential component of the S-band radar systems that are used around the world in air-traffic control, weather forecasting and shipborne applications.
“Creating such a device from scratch posed a significant design challenge,” said Link Microtek’s managing director, Steve Cranstone, “not least because it is a large and hugely complicated microwave assembly, consisting of one high-power waveguide channel, six coaxial channels and an integrated slip ring. Design and development of such large multichannel rotating joints firmly puts us on the map as a supplier. It also complements our existing range of small rotaries for satellite communications.
“With the renowned engineering expertise and specialist knowledge we have in-house, we were able to accomplish the mammoth task of producing the electrical and mechanical design. Using CST electromagnetic simulation software and SolidWorks CAD software, a complete 3D model was developed and from this we were then able to procure the assembly components and fabricate the hundreds of individual custom piece parts that make up the device.”
The rotating joint assembly incorporates one WR284 waveguide channel for 2.7-3.1GHz (S-band) transmissions up to a peak power of 200kW, four N-type coaxial channels for 2.7-3.1GHz transmissions up to a peak power of 1kW, two N-type coaxial channels for 1.0-1.1GHz (L-band) transmissions with a peak power 10kW, and a 35-way slip ring and brush block for feeding DC power to the antenna. As is usual for radar applications, the assembly had been specified for continuous rotation at up to 60rpm, so the finished unit was subjected to a prolonged run-in programme and comprehensive electrical testing on a custom-built test rig at Link Microtek’s Basingstoke facility.
With decades of experience in this area, Link Microtek’s engineering team has the necessary expertise to ensure that the company’s S-band rotating joints provide years of reliable service, despite the complexity of the designs and the demanding nature of both their duty cycle and the environments in which they are deployed.
18 Jun 18. China’s CETC showcases acoustic gunfire detection device. The Beijing-based CETC International has developed a tripod-mounted acoustic detection device, which it claims to be in production and in service.
The CETC International acoustic detection system has been designed to detect small arms from ranges of up to 1,000 m. (Christopher F Foss)
The device comprises a set of three acoustic sensors mounted horizontally that cover a 360° arc, with an additional detector mounted on top to provide omni-directional coverage.
CETC International officials told Jane’s that it is designed to detect incoming 5.56mm, 7.62mm and 12.7mm calibre fire at distances of at least 1,000m.
Information on incoming small arms fire is provided on a small display, which can be positioned a short distance from the device or attached to its tripod. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
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Blighter® Surveillance Systems (BSS) is a UK-based electronic-scanning radar and sensor solution provider delivering an integrated multi-sensor package to systems integrators comprising the Blighter electronic-scanning radars, cameras, thermal imagers, trackers and software solutions. Blighter radars combine patented solid-state Passive Electronic Scanning Array (PESA) technology with advanced Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave (FMCW) and Doppler processing to provide a robust and persistent surveillance capability. Blighter Surveillance Systems is a Plextek Group company, a leading British design house and technology innovator, and is based at Great Chesterford on the outskirts of Cambridge, England.
The Blighter electronic-scanning (e-scan) FMCW Doppler ground surveillance radar (GSR) is a unique patented product that provides robust intruder detection capabilities under the most difficult terrain and weather conditions. With no mechanical moving parts and 100% solid-state design, the Blighter radar family of products are extremely reliable and robust and require no routine maintenance for five years. The Blighter radar can operate over land and water rapidly searching for intruders as small a crawling person, kayaks and even low-flying objects. In its long-range modes the Blighter radar can rapidly scan an area in excess of 3,000 km² to ensure that intruders are detected, identified and intercepted before they reach critical areas.
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MISSILE, BALLISTICS AND SOLDIER SYSTEMS UPDATE
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21 Jun 18. ADF to trial ‘F90-SMASH’ assault rifle. The Australian Defence Force (ADF) is set to begin trialling the ‘F90-SMASH’ assault rifle later this year, according to a 21 June joint statement by Israel’s Smart Shooter and Thales Australia. The weapon, which integrates one of Smart Shooter’s SMASH electro-optical fire control systems with Thales Australia’s EF88 (also known as F90, its export/commercial designation) assault rifle, “dramatically improves the soldier’s ability to hit targets accurately”, said the statement. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
21 Jun 18. Turkey – Iraq: Turkish airstrikes continue, additional MANPADS recovered from PKK along shared border. On 20 June, Turkish security forces reported the recovery of a Russian-made 9K32 Strela-2 (SA-7 GRAIL) man-portable air defence system (MANPADS) tube from Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) militants in Semdinli District of Turkey’s Hakkari Province, located along the border with Iraq. This follows the recovery of a North Korean-made HT-16PGJ MANPADS from PKK militants by Turkish security forces in Yuksekova District in Hakkari Province, also along the border with Iraq on 14 June. Turkish military air and artillery strikes along with ground operations targeting PKK militants in the Iraqi Kurdistan Region and the southeast provinces of Turkey have significantly increased in frequency since 1 May. Of note, our analysis indicates the PKK has claimed to have conducted seven attacks on Turkish military helicopters and drones along the Turkey-Iraq border since 1 May. Additional analysis indicates the PKK only claimed two attacks against Turkish military air assets along the Turkey-Iraq border from January-April.
Analysis
The PKK has long been assessed to be in possession of MANPADS capable of engaging aircraft up to FL260. During raids targeting PKK militants in Hakkari Province on 9 April 2018 and 1 July 2017, security forces seized weapons caches which included North Korean-made HT-16PGJ MANPADS. On 10 May 2017, Turkish security forces in nearby Sirnak Province along the border with Iraq recovered a Russian-made 9K310 Igla-1 (SA-16 GIMLET) MANPADS. Of note, the PKK downed a Turkish military helicopter over Hakkari Province via Russian-made 9K38 Igla (SA-18 GROUSE) MANPADS engagement in May 2016. Due to the additional MANPADS cache recoveries, increasing frequency of airstrikes and spike in claimed attacks against Turkish military air assets inflight by the PKK, we now assess the southeast provinces of Turkey comprise a HIGH risk airspace environment below FL260. In addition, we continue to assess the entirety of Iraq, including the Kurdistan Region, to be a HIGH risk airspace environment below FL260. (Source: Osprey)
21 Jun 18. Israel takes new torpedo into service. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced on 19 June that is has acquired a new type of torpedo that it calls the Kaved (heavy) for its submarines.
“The torpedo systems possess advanced capabilities and characteristics, including increased precision and range,” the IDF said in a statement. “The operationalisation of these systems signifies a great advance in the Israeli Navy’s operational capabilities and ability to defend the State of Israel.”
The announcement came after months of testing, including live-fire trials in which targets were struck. A senior naval source said the final test was conducted overnight on 18-19 June by Flotilla 7, the navy’s submarine unit. “This is an event that happens once in decades,” the source said. “This will safeguard our operational advantage over a [long] period of time.”
He said the Kaved is made by a non-Israeli defence company that he did not name, but that future upgrades and all maintenance would be conducted in-house by the navy. It will equip Israel’s three older Dolphin submarines as well as the new three new-generation boats, the last of which is expected to be delivered by the German company TKMS in 2019.
The source described the Kaved as a very high-speed weapon that could hit both surface and sub-surface targets, including those at depths of “hundreds of metres”. Unlike the navy’s previous type, the new torpedo has a digital sonar guidance system that “lets us conduct upgrades in the future without changing hardware” and makes the weapon difficult for a target to evade by manoeuvring, the source said.
While he did not give specific ranges, the source said the torpedo enables the engagement of targets that are beyond the range that the attacking submarine can be detected. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
20 Jun 18. MBDA unveils evolved Licorne VSHORAD C2 system. MBDA has unveiled a new version of its Licorne lightweight very short range air defence (VSHORAD) command and control (C2) system, which includes an integrated anti-drone capability.
First launched at Eurosatory 2016, the Licorne pocket C2 system is designed for use with systems such as MBDA’s Mistral family and has been derived from its existing Missile Control Post (MCP) and Platoon Command Post (PCP) systems, which are in service in several countries.
The system provides surveillance, detection, and identification functions with a high level of connectivity. It can be used in association with passive infrared 360° surveillance sensors, lightweight radars, or electronic support measures (ESM) and acoustic sensors. It provides multisensor data fusion, real-time ranging, shared tactical position calculation, and can upload battery sensor images to upper command levels using standard NATO military datalink protocols such as JREAP-C.
The organic sensor capability consists of a radar and an electro-optical (EO) sensor. The new anti-drone capability adds a mobile radio frequency (RF) detection unit produced by Cerbair to intercept mini-drone datalink transmissions. Drones can be detected and identified either by the radar/EO combination or by the RF unit. Once the threat has been detected and located, Licorne allows operators to activate countermeasures using a network of field-deployed jammers developed by KEAS. The new version of Licorne has a scalable architecture and has been designed particularly for early entry forces to give them a lightweight and portable air defence (AD) C2 capability, including in the manpack role if necessary. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
20 Jun 18. Denel Dynamics unveils layered C-RAM system. South Africa’s Denel Dynamics is developing two vertically launched missiles as effectors for a layered, integrated counter-rocket, artillery, mortar (C-RAM) system also able to counter cruise missiles, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and helicopters: The 2,000 m range transonic Mongoose 3 as a Close Area Protection System (CAPS), and the 10,000 m range Mach 3+ Cheetah for wider area protection. Both are designed to counter the full spectrum of threats, and both interface with air defence acquisition and fire-control radars, eliminating the need for a dedicated radar. The warhead and motors have been developed by Rheinmetall Denel Munition.
Both missiles are suited to a similar naval role and can be ‘quad-packed’ in the vertical launch system of the Denel Dynamics Umkhonto SAM or in stand-alone vertical launch units, being light enough to mount on the upper deck.
The Mongoose 3 is a 1.2 m, 13 kg missile. It has a launch motor, tip-over motors to give 360o capability and a booster that gives some 200 g acceleration. Agility is provided by dorsal and tail fins that can move in parallel for prompt lateral translation. Initial guidance is from an air defence radar, terminal guidance by an in-house active radar seeker. The optimised warhead has been successfully demonstrated against high explosive (HE) and insensitive munition (IM) Mk 82 bombs and Mk 84 bombs, a simulated BLU109 bomb (50mm EN19 steel plate placed between the bomb and the warhead), HE and IM 60mm, 81mm and 120mm mortar bombs, HE and IM 155mm shells and 127mm rockets.
Originally envisaged to deflect APFSDS penetrators as part of the Saab Grintek Defence Land Electronic Defence System (LEDS), it retains that capability from a VLS or a high-rate trainable launcher. It is also envisaged as a self-protection weapon for helicopters and could be used air-to-air against other helicopters. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
20 Jun 18. Esri UK’s cloud-based mapping and analytics platform, ArcGIS Online, will provide the vital information integration and collaboration platform for Autonomous Warrior, part of the 2018 Army Warfighting Experiment (AWE) series. Autonomous Warrior will test how Robotic and Autonomous Systems (RAS) can be exploited in the Land Environment. The exercise will take place in late Autumn 2018.
Esri’s ArcGIS Online will provide Autonomous Warrior with a means to exploit, integrate and visualise data from a wide variety of disparate ground and airborne RAS devices and sensors, using location and time as the common framework. This will support, through the re-use and fusion of multiple information layers, collaborative planning, shared situational awareness and dynamic decision making, enabling RAS to demonstrate its effectiveness in speeding up the military OODA (Observe, Orient, Decide, Act) loop. Previously, this data would have been held in standalone and static spreadsheets, slides and paper maps.
Esri UK is the leading provider of geographic information systems (GIS) to UK MOD and NATO Armed Forces and is among some 50 industry participants collaborating with the British Army, Royal Navy, Royal Air Force, US Army, UK MOD and Dstl on Autonomous Warrior. ArcGIS Online will enable the participants to view, share and contribute to the plan collaboratively from their own locations and ensures that everyone is working on a common and up-to-date set of plans.
“ArcGIS Online has proved itself as a game-changer in planning for tactical exercises and for deployed operations. For Autonomous Warrior, GIS addresses the key challenge of information integration. It does this by underpinning the operation of unmanned platforms and sensors, and the exploitation of their data, to deliver critical situational awareness and decision support,” said Adrian Friend, Head of Defence National Security and Public Safety at Esri UK.
Lieutenant Colonel Nick Serle, of the Infantry Trials and Development Unit, commented: “ArcGIS Online should provide us with a platform for integrating information to deliver a fused common operating picture. It should enable a new way of planning and we look forward to exploring its full potential in Autonomous Warrior to inform future RAS operations.”
19 Jun 18. US Army test-fires Belgian-made gun amid plans for Stryker upgrade competition. The U.S. Army’s test-firing of a 30mm gun turret from CMI Defence is seen by the Belgian firm as putting it in a privileged position for an upcoming tender for greater firepower for the Stryker combat vehicle, a company spokesman said.
“We’re in pole position,“ Xavier Rigo, communications manager of CMI Defence, told Defense News on June 18. “That does not mean we will win the race, but it puts us in a very good position. We are very proud to have been selected for tests, a real recognition for our team and our equipment.”
That test-firing stems from a cooperative research and development agreement CMI signed in 2015 with the U.S. Army Armament Research, Development and Engineering Center, which is seeking a lethality upgrade for the Stryker. CMI adapted the turret to fit the U.S. requirement for linkless ammunition, he said. ATK supplies the 30mm gun, which CMI fitted to its turret. The Belgian company also supplies a 105mm gun turret for a bid led by SAIC in the U.S. tender for the Mobile Protected Firepower program. CMI has fielded its Cockerill 3105 turret, which uses its turret and 105mm cannon, with the latter built in a factory in northern France.
A Cockerill 3105 turret was among the products on display at the CMI stand at the Eurosatory trade show, which ran June 11-15. The stand at the show two years ago used the Cockerill brand name.
BAE Systems, General Dynamics Land Systems and SAIC are the competitors in that Stryker lethality upgrade competition, Rigo said. The next step is a down-select to two bidders, which will be asked to build and supply 12 prototype vehicles for tests.
In Europe, CMI is ”in discussion with the Belgian government“ in its search for a role in Belgium’s planned €1bn (U.S. $1.2bn) acquisition of the Griffon and Jaguar armored vehicles from the French Army Scorpion program.
Those talks are exploring the possibility for CMI to participate in local production and maintenance of the Scorpion vehicles, he said. The Belgian project, dubbed Capacité Mobilisé, or CAMO, sparked debate, as the planned acquisition boosted French contractors Arquus, Nexter and Thales, but left CMI turrets by the wayside.
CMI has delivered 130 gun turrets and is building some 20 turrets per month to supply GDLS, which has a contract with a Middle Eastern country, he said, declining to identify the client nation.
Those turrets are based on four modules, armed with 30mm, 90 mm, 105 mm, and both 105mm and 30mm guns. There are both manned and unmanned versions of the turret.
Canadian broadcaster CBC reported March 19 that GLDS Canada has sold to Saudi Arabia combat vehicles armed with 105mm and 30mm guns for ”heavy assault,” anti-tank and direct-fire support. CMI conducted a firing demonstration of its six Cockerill gun turrets June 15 at the French Army Suippes firing range, eastern France. Some 60 representatives of foreign army delegations attended, the company said in a statement. The Belgian company had been one of the bidders for Arquus, the then-Governmental Sales unit of Volvo Group, until the Swedish truck maker canceled the sale. Nexter had been the other bidder. (Source: Defense News)
15 Jun 18. Lockheed Martin Will Transfer Titanium Tech. and New Patriot Missiles to Taiwan. The Ministry of National Defense (MND), on Friday, June 15 announced that the Unites States had agreed to transfer new military technologies to Taiwan to bolster the country’s domestic defense industry. According to reports, Lockheed Martin’s Missiles and Fire Control department will transfer technology and training for Taiwan’s defense industry to produce its own aerospace and military grade titanium, as part of a deal that will also include six sets of Patriot Advanced Capability – 3 (PAC-3) missiles and upgrade kits for PAC-2 missiles. The titanium production technology will allow Taiwan to bolster its armoring capabilities as well as strengthen the effectiveness of various weapon’s platforms currently under development. A senior official of the MND speaking to the media said that the new technology is part of an arms package deal to upgrade Taiwan’s Patriot Missile (PAC-2) systems, which includes several new PAC-3 missiles and some MIM-104 Patriot surface-to-air missiles (SAM) as well. Liberty Times reports that the cost for the entire package will total NT$179.1bn (approx. US$6bn). The official reportedly said that the U.S. government has already approved the transfer from Lockheed Martin and that Taiwan can expect the new missiles and upgrade kits by 2021. In addition to the military applications, the titanium casting technology will also be a huge boon to Taiwan’s aerospace and heavy industry. The transfer is reportedly being overseen by the MND and managed by the Ministry of Economic Affairs’ Industrial Cooperation Program, which has already received an application for the transfer from Lockheed Martin, reports Liberty Times. Once dates and details are finalized, a joint press conference from the Ministry of National Defense and the Ministry of Economic Affairs will be announced.
(defense-aerospace.com EDITOR’S NOTE: The last Congressional notification of a Patriot sale to Taiwan was released in January 2010 and covered 114 PAC-3 missiles and enough equipment for three batteries, at a cost of $2.81bn. No other notification concerning Patriot missiles has been made public since.) (Source: defense-aerospace.com/Taiwan News)
18 Jun 18. JAGM enters LRIP. Low rate initial production (LRIP) of the US Army’s new Joint Air-to-Ground Missile (JAGM) has now commenced following the successful completion by Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control and the Army’s Joint Attack Munitions Systems (JAMS) Project Office of the programme’s Engineering and Manufacturing Development (EMD) phase and declaration of Milestone C on 8 June. Milestone C officially establishes LRIP, which in turn is intended to demonstrate Lockheed Martin’s capacity to ramp up production in support of an expected full rate production (FRP) contract in 2019.
Lockheed Martin’s JAGM solution features a new-design dual-mode (fire-and-forget Millimeter Wave [MMW] radar/Semi-Active Laser [SAL]) guidance section integrated on to the AGM-114R Hellfire II missile bus (including the control actuation system, multi-purpose warhead (shaped-charge packaged within a fragmenting case), and solid rocket motor). The resultant munition is 175.3cm (69 inches) in length, 17.8cm in diameter, and weighs 51.5kg (113.5 lb). With a stated range of between 0.5km and 8+km, JAGM is intended for day/night use against high value stationary, moving, and re-locatable land and maritime targets in adverse weather; battlefield obscured conditions; and against a variety of countermeasures.
JAGM is fired from Lockheed Martin/Marvin M299 and M310 missile launchers and will be backwards compatible with all US Joint rotary-wing and fixed-wing (manned and unmanned) platforms that fire the Hellfire II missile.
Managed by the JAMS Project Office – a component of the US Army’s Program Executive Office (PEO) Missiles and Space – the JAGM programme is a follow-on from the AGM-169 Joint Common Missile (JCM) initiative, which was terminated in 2007, and is intended to deliver the next generation air-launched fire-and-forget air-to-surface missile. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
15 Jun 18. Arquus readies Hornet RCWS. France’s Arquus (previously Renault Trucks Defense) has completed development of the Hornet remote controlled weapon system (RCWS) which will be fitted to future French Army armoured fighting vehicles (AFVs). The first application for the Hornet RCWS will be for the new 6×6 Griffon armoured personnel carrier (APC) from 2019, followed by the 6×6 Jaguar reconnaissance vehicle from 2021. The most basic version, called the Hornet Lite, will be installed on some models of the Griffon APC and will be armed with a 7.62mm machine gun (MG) provided with 400 rounds of ammunition. Features include a manual firing mode, automatic cocking, and ammunition counter. The company also claims that the weapon station is capable of compensating for vehicle movement and roll. The standard Hornet RCWS can be armed with a 7.62mm MAG58 with 1,000 rounds of ammunition, 12.7mm M2 HB MG with 300 rounds, or a 40mm automatic grenade launcher (AGL) with 64 grenades. Ammunition is stored in a box magazine on the left side.
It has the same features as the basic variant, although it is also fitted with eight Galix electrically operated grenade launchers which can fire a variety of munitions including obscurant and riot control.
The sensor pack is mounted on the right side and includes a day camera, thermal camera, and laser rangefinder. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
18 Jun 18. US Army units conduct live-fire M58 MICLIC range.
Idaho Army National Guard’s 116th Brigade Engineer Battalion has carried out live-fire M58 mine clearing line charge (MICLIC) training in collaboration with the US Army Reserve’s 321st Engineer Battalion.
The trial was conducted at the Orchard Combat Training Center, Boise, Idaho. Both teams are supporting the 116th Cavalry Brigade Combat Team’s exportable Combat Training Capability rotation.
Combat engineers use MICLIC rocket-projected explosive line charges to clear a path in order to enable an M1A2 Abrams main battle tank to pass through 100m-long obstacles or minefields.
A rocket propels a 100m cable downrange, while carrying approximately 2,000lb of heavy explosives.
However, the rounds of the two army units did not include explosives during the training range.
The two engineer battalions belong to different components and use varied platforms to fire the MICLICs.
116th Brigade Engineer Battalion commander lieutenant colonel Lee Rubel said: “Engineers are engineers. MICLIC training between National Guard and Army Reserve elements is the same. Joint training such as this is beneficial to all combat engineers because we share the wartime mission of supporting armoured brigade combat teams.”
During the live-fire test, the Idaho Army National Guard’s 116th Brigade Engineer Battalion fired the MICLIC platform from the Assault Breacher Vehicle. This is also capable of proofing and marking a lane for manoeuvre forces to follow using a two-soldier crew. Headquartered in Boise, the Army Reserve’s 321st Engineer Battalion used an M60 Armoured Vehicle Launched Mine Clearing Line Charge (AVLM) to fire the weapon system, which is a M60 Armored Vehicle Launched Bridge (ABLV) with the bridge downloaded. The weapon system is mounted to the vehicle with the deployment of the bridge. (Source: army-technology.com)
18 Jun 18. USAF’s Edwards AFB concludes Norway’s JSM testing. A squadron from the US Air Force’s (USAF) Edwards Air Force Base (AFB) has completed a large phase of testing for Norway’s Joint Strike Missile (JSM) programme. The test was carried out by USAF engineers and test pilots, in addition to Norwegian Government and industry personnel. The JSM is Norway’s advanced anti-surface warfare missile developed for the new F-35A Lighting II fighter jets. Norway serves as a partner nation for the development of the fifth-generation joint strike fighter.
To be equipped in the aircraft’s internal weapons bay, the JSM has been designed to be used against both sea and land-based targets.
Initially, the missile was trialled at Edwards AFB on the F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft from the 416th Flight Test Squadron (FLTS) before integration testing was carried out on the F-35A jets.
416th FLTS JSM project engineer Collin Drake said: “The weapons ranges needed simply don’t exist in Norway.
“So they were able to come here and utilise the Edwards [AFB] airspace and ground test facilities for the captive carriage flight and ground testing. The 416th FLTS has a long and storied history of testing systems with our foreign partners, especially with Norway.”
Since the beginning of its development programme at Edwards AFB in 2015, the new missile system underwent a series of tests such as ground testing, captive carriage testing and live-drop testing.
This demonstrated the capability of the weapon system to safely release from the fighter jet and carry out its autonomous functions effectively and efficiently.
Testing at Edwards AFB included several variants of the JSM that were upgraded in complexity and capability throughout the course of the programme.
Missile variants were inert until the final flight test events were conducted when it was capable of successfully hitting a target with full mission systems software and guidance.
In addition, the scope of the test programme included several modifications and updates to the weapon’s software and hardware.
All live releases of the missile were carried out at the US Department of Defense’s Utah Test and Training Range.
Norway will now integrate the JSM on to the F-35 and perform other weapons and integration testing. (Source: airforce-technology.com)
18 Jun 18. Way Industries develops OMT turret. Slovakia’s Way Industries has privately developed and tested a new one-person turret called OMT designed for new build tracked or wheeled armoured fighting vehicles or back-fitted to existing vehicles for increased firepower.
The OMT turret is constructed from all-welded steel armour with appliqué passive armour providing protection to STANAG 4569 Level 3, but a higher level of ballistic protection can be fitted if desired. It weighs 1,750kg without the gunner and ammunition. Armament comprises a fully stabilised Russian 30mm 2A42 dual-feed cannon with 250 rounds of ready-use ammunition. It is also armed with a coaxial 7.62mm PKT machine gun with 1,200 rounds of ready-use ammunition. A two-cell launcher containing the Russian Konkurs anti-tank guided weapon is mounted externally on the left side of the turret and moves in elevation with the main gun. The missiles have a maximum range of 4,000m and with the latest models equipped with a tandem high-explosive anti-tank warhead to penetrate armour protected by explosive reactive armour. Banks of 902 V 81mm electrically-operated grenade launchers can be fitted in several configurations, including a pod of six mounted on the turret, on the roof, or on either side of the turret. Other grenade types could be fitted such as the widely-deployed Wegmann 76mm system. Turret traverse is all-electric through 360° at a rate of up to 32°/s and all-electric elevation is from -10° to +50° at a rate of up to 33°/s. A stabilised sighting system holds the daylight camera, thermal imager, and laser rangefinder plus the missile optics, while a computerised fire-control system is fitted to improve firing accuracy. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
18 Jun 18. Turkey Develops New Heavy Armed UAS. Unmanned air system manufacturer Baykar Makina is developing a new heavy armed unmanned aerial vehicle called Akinci, according to Turkish media reports.
Turkish media has published photos showing a new 4.5-tonne Akinci twin-engine, medium-altitude, long-endurance unmanned vehicle (UAV) at Baykar’s facility. According to the report, Akinci will be equipped with a turboprop engine. The altitude of the flight of Akinci UAV will be 12 thousand 192 m, the mass of the payload on external suspensions – 900kg and inside the fuselage – 450kg. In an interview with the Yeni Safak daily, Turkish Defence Minister Nurettin Canikli said the Akinci would pave the way for Turkey to develop unmanned combat aircraft starting in 2027 based on the technology acquired. The first deliveries of the Akinci are scheduled for 2021. (Source: UAS VISION/Defence Blog)
18 Jun 18. Saab Shows Full Scale Model of the SLWT Torpedo at UDT 2018.
Saab will be exhibiting at the Undersea Defence Technology (UDT) exhibition and conference which takes place 26-28 June at the Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre in Glasgow. During UDT Saab will showcase the latest products in the underwater segment, including a full size model of the new light weight torpedo (SLWT).
The main focus for Saab during UDT will be the SLWT torpedo with a full size model as well as a new animation and a 360 degree VR-video. Saab continues the development of the new light weight torpedo system which will handle the toughest environment in the world, the Baltic Sea. The new system is ordered by Sweden and Finland. The project is ongoing and Saab is now looking for the third customer on the export market.
“The project with the SLWT is going well, we recently concluded a successful test campaign with our first prototype torpedo that fulfilled all set requirements. The development now continues with addition of more advanced functionality and step by step with more equipment being added and verified“, says Stefan Sjogren, Programme Director, Lightweight Torpedoes.
Saab will also demonstrate its new 3D imaging technology — UWSLAM System. The system is a stereo underwater real-time 3D reconstruction with high performance and image based navigation. The demonstration will be held by Fredrik Lundell and Jimmy Jonsson from Saab Dynamics Image Processing & Optronics Development and Technology department.
“The uniqueness with the UWSLAM System is its highly optimized algorithms which is derived from the requirement for a defense and security company. The highly optimized algorithms leads to a fast real-time 3D reconstruction. Within the undersea naval defense, this technology can be used to create high detailed 3D maps, search for mines, identify objects, and even navigate“, says Jimmy Jonsson, Image Processing Specialist.
For the first time on UDT Saab will show the maritime patrol aircraft; Swordfish, the high-end, multi-role platform that offers strategic ISR capabilities over both sea and land. The Swordfish will be demonstrated in an AR-solution where the visitors can experience the cutting-edge solution.
This year UDT will be an exhibition as well as a conference, Two of Saabs papers will be from the operational perspective and performed by The Swedish Armed Forces; Sea Wasp, performed by Rasmus Andersson, Chief Area Search Unit 4th Naval Warfare Flotilla and AUV62-AT performed by Captain Fredrik Palmqvist, Commanding Officer 4th Naval Warfare Flotilla. Saab will have a total of six papers on the UDT exhibition and conference.
There will be a lot more from Saab during UDT, for example Grintek and Medav will show solutions for Electronic Support Measures (R-ESM and C-ESM) and Saab business area Kockums will provide more insight on the submarines and the Mine counter-measure vessel — MCMV.
15 Jun 18. Bosnian Serb company TRB presents its first pistol. Tehnicki Remont Bratunac (TRB), a defence and security company based in Bratunac, Republika Srpska (RS) in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), promoted its new RS9 Vampire pistol at Eurosatory 2018, held in Paris on 11-15 June. Expected to serve as a platform for developing new and more advanced models. the RS9 is a semi-automatic 9×19 mm weapon with an 18-round magazine. The barrel has a thread for mounting the silencer and Picatinny rail at the 6 o’clock position for tactical lamps and laser pointers. In its standard version, the RS9 is 190.5 mm long and weighs 920 g with a magazine and 1.1 kg when fully loaded. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
15 Jun 18. Streit Group unveil Triton-G810 armoured boat. The Streit Group unveiled the Triton-G810 armoured boat at Eurosatory 2018 defence exhibition in Paris. The boat is 8.1m long, has a beam of 2.32m, a draught of 0.85m, and can accommodate up to 10 people. It is powered by two outboard engines; the 250hp unit gives a maximum speed of 80 km/h; the 350 hp unit gives up to 100km/h, according to Streit.
The hull is made of high density polyethylene, while the cabin is armoured and has six gun ports in the sides and a hatch in the roof. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
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21 Jun 18. General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) today announced that the Guardian Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) has concluded the first large-scale demonstration flights in Japan. The demonstration flights, which took place from 10 – 23 May were intended to promote the civil and scientific applications of the RPA.
“We thank the Mayor of Iki and the many other public and private stakeholders who made this demonstration possible,” said Linden Blue, CEO, GA-ASI. “We believe that the flights of long-endurance RPAs in Japan’s maritime environment yielded valuable information, and we now begin the process of reviewing the important data gathered from these flights.”
During the demonstration which operated from the Island of Iki in Japan’s Nagasaki Prefecture, GA-ASI’s Guardian:
- Successfully demonstrated utility in Humanitarian and Disaster Response, by monitoring the volcano on Fugendake, and tracking the spread of a small brush fire on Iki;
- Monitored the environmental impact of overfishing in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ);
- Provided overwatch support to the Japanese Fisheries Agency during routine patrols;
- Demonstrated the utility of GA-ASI’s “Detect and Avoid” system which ensured safe operational flight throughout Japanese airspace;
- Verified the Automatic Identification System (AIS) ability of SeaVue Radar, enabling rapid identification of ships at sea as a method of countering piracy and illegal fishing;
The Guardian configuration RPA has an endurance of in excess of 20 hours, and has been operated successfully by the United States Department of Customs and Border Protection since 2008.
This was the first demonstration of a long-endurance RPA by a private company in Japan. The aircraft’s sensors included a long-range maritime surface-search radar, stabilized optical and infrared video cameras, and an active collision-avoidance system, including a short range air-to-air radar.
GA-ASI led the demonstrations in cooperation with Iki Airport personnel and Japanese national authorities. The sensor data collected by Guardian will be provided to scientific research institutions, and flight data will be given to airspace management organizations to help establish procedures for using RPA systems in national and international civil airspace.
GA-ASI sent its own team of experienced RPA pilots, sensor operators, and maintenance personnel to Japan to ensure safe operation during all phases of the demonstration. The demonstration was funded by GA-ASI and the equipment used belongs to the company.
21 Jun 18. Travis seeks VTOL UAV for base support and security mission. The US Air Force (USAF) is seeking a small- to medium-sized vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) to undertake support and security details at Travis Air Force Base (AFB) in California.
A request for information (RFI) posted by Air Mobility Command (AMC) on 19 June calls for a VTOL UAV “ecosystem” that can support a number of flight and ground operations for the 60th Air Mobility Wing (AMW), and its fleet of Lockheed Martin C-5M Galaxy, Boeing C-17 Globemaster III, and McDonnell-Douglas KC-10A Extender aircraft. Specifically, the RFI is looking for a UAV that can be used day and night for aircraft and airfield inspections; approach lighting and Foreign Object Debris (FOD) sweeps of runways/taxiways/parking areas, etc; building inspections; post-attack reconnaissance sweep after a chemical attack (inspecting colour changes on pre-positioned chemical detection tape); maintenance-part delivery on the flightline; kinetic counter-UAV capability; perimeter patrol; crisis-response ‘eyes-on’ (during an active shooter situation, etc); personnel search and rescue; and commercial drone delivery. The RFI also calls for swarm-enabled formations to carry larger objects. In terms of the UAV being sought, the RFI states that it should be a small- to medium-sized fixed-wing VTOL platforms weighing 20 lb (9.1 kg) or less; have a range of greater than 10 miles (16.1 km); should be low-cost; feature secure command and control; be survivable and robust; and be equipped with UAV collision avoidance technology. Ground infrastructure should include traffic management solutions; identification friend-or-foe (IFF); wireless datalink to enable centralised override control capability to any UAV operating within the base perimeter; centralised dashboard for situational awareness of UAV locations within and just beyond the perimeter; an ability to push real-time geofencing data updates to UAV operators; the ability to approve, deny and revoke airspace clearances within the perimeter in real-time; and interoperability with other systems. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
19 Jun 18. The all-day UAVs that soak up sun and intel. Researchers at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory are exploring technology that allows unmanned aerial vehicles to fly for more than 12 hours using thermal and solar energy. Solar-soaring technology uses both thermal energy in the atmosphere and solar energy to power UAVs. Dan Edwards, senior aerospace engineer in NRL’s Tactical Electronic Warfare Division, described in a press release how UAVs can use sensing and guidance algorithms to detect a thermal updraft, when air close to the Earth is warmed by the sun and starts to rise, to soar. Solar-soaring technology also uses solar energy to power solar cells that convert light to electricity. New solar cell technologies are now small enough to justify the weight they add to UAVs.
“For a long time, even though there has been solar aircraft since the 1990s, the efficiency of the solar cells wasn’t high enough to pay the mass penalty,” said Phil Jenkins, head of the photovoltaics section in NRL’s Electronics Science and Technology Division. “But over the last 10 years, that has really changed. The cells have gotten more efficient and lighter.”
Solar-soaring technology combines thermal energy and solar energy technology to better power UAVs.
“Between the two, you have the most robust energy-harvesting platform,” Jenkins said in a release.
Using solar and wind energy, UAVs can have higher endurance, which can be useful for both military and civilian applications. Tasks like information gathering, surveillance, communication and pollution monitoring require long-term observation, which UAVs can do.
“In these cases, you just want eyes up there for hours and hours, and solar-soaring makes that possible,” Jenkins said.
Although solar cells are now more efficient, UAVs still carry batteries, which can now be smaller because the UAVs can more effectively use solar energy.
One of the challenges that researchers still face is the UAVs’ ability to fly through the night, when solar-soaring technology cannot be used.
“We still can’t fly through the night because the batteries are just too heavy, but we currently get dawn-to-dusk enhanced endurance,” Jenkins said.
The next step to making UAVs more efficient is replacing the batteries with fuel cells, which are more efficient than batteries, Edwards said.
“Fuel cells have much more energy per unit mass than a battery, so we’re marrying the fuel cells, which are great for getting through the night, and the solar-soaring, which is great in the daytime for getting energy directly from the sun and wind,” Edwards said. (Source: Defense News Early Bird/C4ISR & Networks)
19 Jun 18. Quieter military drones that fly farther? The Pentagon thinks this engine could be the answer. Most people haven’t heard of the engine created by Felix Wankel in the 1960s, but its derivatives may end up powering the military’s future unmanned aerial vehicles.
Despite a compact design that allows it to run at higher speeds and produce more power than conventional internal combustion engines, the Wankel engine never really caught on.
It’s bad on fuel efficiency, and it burns too much oil.
But now, engine technology company LiquidPiston Inc. may have changed that, and they want to throw their new design into military drones.
Company CEO Alec Shkolnik has a Wankel engine design that’s essentially been inverted, and he says it can increase flight endurance by more than 50 percent — the maximum length of time that an aircraft can spend in cruising flight.
“We developed what we call the X4 engine, which is like the old Wankel rotary engine, but flipped inside out,” Shkolnik said. “It solved a lot of the challenges the Wankel used to have while giving it this new thermodynamic cycle upgrade.”
In addition to the advanced flight time, LiquidPiston’s propulsion can reportedly reduce a drone’s engine heat signature and minimize vibration impact on sensitive intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance equipment.
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, or DARPA, is certainly interested. The government agency just awarded LiquidPiston another $2.5m to develop and refine its 30 kilowatt, 40 horsepower X4 rotary diesel engine prototype.
“DARPA believes that there is potential for a family of high-efficiency, compact, lightweight heavy-fuel engines,” Mark Gustafson, a DARPA program manager, said.
“If fully successful, this project will provide proof of concept that our challenging objectives are achievable and pave the way for potential new capabilities in ground, air, and maritime applications,” he added.
Combined with previous funds from 2016, DARPA has pushed $6m into the new technology.
Here’s how it works: The regular Wankel engine replaces pistons with triangular rotors that follow an elliptical path around an oval-shaped chamber. Combustion then occurs in the space between the triangular and circular shapes.
LiquidPiston inverted that design.
The X4 engine uses an oval rotor in a triangular chamber. Combustion occurs at fixed points within the chamber, which makes it easier to lubricate without burning oil. By doing it this way, the company says it has engineered the first new combustion engine and engine cycle in more than 80 years. LiquidPiston’s design can be five to 10 times smaller than a normal piston engine — as small as an iPhone — lighter than a diesel engine, and two times more efficient than a gasoline engine.
On top of that, an electric vehicle using a LiquidPiston engine combined with a small battery pack could have a lower carbon dioxide footprint than plug-in electric vehicles.
DARPA gave the company the most recent investment after they proved the feasibility of their design.
“The targets are extremely aggressive,” Shkolnik said. “The engine should weigh 30 to 40 pounds and double the efficiency compared to other engines, for example the Army’s Shadow UAV.”
The Army’s RQ-7 Shadow — a drone with a 20-foot wingspan and 18,000-foot ceiling — currently uses a Wankel engine design and has a flight time of four to nine hours, depending on payload and variation.
Another important factor is that the X4 technology is scalable.
“We have a 5 horsepower engine as well, which could fit in something like an Aerosonde [a 30-pound UAV],” Shkolnik said. “This 40 horsepower one is more suited for the Shadow, or drones of similar size.”
“The Shadow, though, is something we talked about with DARPA because it’s a well-known platform, its got more than a million hours of operating time, and it’s really not a good engine on that bird,” Shkolnik added. “It’s one of the big limiting factors for that platform.”
The Shadow’s engine has had issues scattering the enemy due to the engine’s excessive noise, which is like a “flying lawn-mower,” Shkolnik said.
“Our engine has the potential to be very quiet,” he added. “There’s no piston slap, for instance, so the only real noise is from the gears and combustion. So, it’s relatively quiet.”
Because the X4 will be a pure diesel engine and not spark ignited, LiquidPiston can also design variants that have no electronics on board that could interfere with certain types of surveillance equipment. The rotary engine design also decreases engine vibration that could throw off measurements.
On top of that, because the engine is thermally more efficient, less heat goes into the exhaust, so it should have a lower heat signature to bypass an enemy’s thermal imaging devices.
“The other thing I want to point out is the reliability and durability, because that’s a big limiting factor for today’s UAV engines,” Shkolnik said.
The Army’s Shadow drones have difficulties starting and are often lost in mishaps, he said. Their current engine has to be serviced frequently.
“Because our engine is an inside-out version of the Wankel rotary, our seals aren’t in the rotor, they’re actually in the housing and they’re much easier to lubricate,” Shkolnik added.
The engine is entering its second phase of testing this year, which should wrap up around October. The objectives are to demonstrate the 30 kilowatts of power and to reach 45 percent fuel efficiency. That development will be executed at LiquidPiston’s test facility in Connecticut. After the second phase, LiquidPiston plans to team up with a transition partner company that makes UAVs to bring the design to life. (Source: Defense News)
19 Jun 18. French Army to Receive Patroller in 2019. The arrival of Safran’s Patroller tactical unmanned aerial system next year will provide the French army with significantly upgraded capabilities and increased performance with a lower logistics footprint for reconnaissance operations and other missions, industry and military officials said June 12. In 2016, the French government signed a contract with the defense and electronics firm to procure the next-generation remotely piloted aircraft to replace its current fleet of Sperwer drones.
Those aircraft, also developed by Safran, have been used by the army since 2004 for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions and target acquisition, and have been deployed in Kosovo, Afghanistan, Lebanon and the Central African Republic, said Commandant Guillaume Nicloux of the French army weapons systems office handling unmanned aerial vehicles, during a panel discussion at the Eurosatory air and land defense conference outside of Paris. A French commandant is the equivalent rank as a U.S. major.
But those systems are now showing their age, Nicloux said. The service has experienced recurring technical problems and software obsolescence issues, as well as limited ground control station and ground data terminal carrier availability.
The Sperwer “has been a very profitable system, but it’s time to change for a newer and more modern” capability, he said.
The use of UAVs at the tactical level has grown since Sperwer was delivered, Nicloux noted. “The need for a reactive capacity able to support ground forces during a long time with a wide range of sensors” is greater than it was 15 years ago, he said.
The Patroller was procured in April 2016 by the Directorate General of Armaments, the French government’s defense procurement and technology agency, also known as DGA. The contract includes two ground systems and 14 drones — 10 operational units and four training systems — along with in-service support.
Deliveries are expected to begin in the first quarter of 2019, said Patrick Durieux, vice president of unmanned aerial vehicles and airborne surveillance systems at Safran. The army is aiming for the program to reach initial operating capability by early 2020, Nicloux said.
Durieux said the Patroller’s size, weight and payload capacities are four to five times larger than the previous system. It has a wing space of 18 meters, compared to just over four meters for the Sperwer. It possesses more than twice the range and three times the flight endurance of its predecessor, he added.
The new drone was co-developed by Safran and Ecarys, a division of German aircraft manufacturer Stemme AG, which contributed its ES15 light airframe, Durieux said.
The airframe is affordable and optimized for operations from small airfields with limited resources and personnel, he said. It allows the Patroller to operate silently and deploy from rough runways, he added. The Sperwer system is catapult-launched and retrieved via parachute.
As a result, the aircraft’s logistic footprint will be significantly reduced, he noted. Removing the catapult frees up space for additional payloads, and the army no longer needs to send troops to follow the parachute or trucks to recover the UAV.
“Operations can be carried out with much smaller teams,” he added.
The Patroller can carry over 550 pounds of payloads, a significant increase from the Sperwer’s 175-pound capacity, Durieux said. That allows the system to be more modular and capable of carrying different sensor packages, he noted.
Safran also upgraded its mission systems for the new UAV, he said.
“We moved from a single payload configuration to a multiple sensors configuration, allowing to perform wider real detection with additional sensors such as radar or [communications intelligence],” he said.
The company installed its latest generation Euroflir 410 turret, which includes 10 sensors — eight more than in the Sperwer system — and six video channels “to cover the complete observation spectrum,” Durieux said. It also contains four laser systems: a range finder, pointer, designator for weapon guidance and illuminators, he added.
The Patroller will also be the first unmanned aerial system to be formally certified according to the internationally recognized and NATO-endorsed Stanag 4671 standard. Safran will be the certificate holder and responsible for continued airworthiness, Durieux said.
The company designed the system to carry a wide range of additional sensors under the wing as needed by the army, such as an electronic warfare package or maritime radar, he said. It will also be capable of carrying weapons, as the French army has expressed a desire for armed drones in the future. Safran is looking at a variety of systems that could be compatible with the aircraft, such as laser-guided rockets or missile systems.
“Of course, the intent is not to make a bomber. It’s just to have an ISR capability which [also] has the capacity to engage time-sensitive targets,” he said.
The weapons package could also be desirable for potential export partners, he noted. (Source: UAS VISION/National Defense)
16 Jun 18. Latest Black Hornet drone is a modular micro machine. The Black Hornet drone seems built for the fever swamps of the internet. Roughly the same weight and size as a sparrow, the Black Hornet’s body is shaped like a tiny helicopter, with a camera instead of a cockpit. It is real, used by military special forces, and last week FLIR Systems announced the latest iteration of the design: the Black Hornet 3.
“We are excited to bring this advanced Black Hornet 3 to our war fighters and first responders,” James Cannon, FLIR’s president and CEO, said in a released statement.
“With longer range and indoor flight capabilities, the latest generation Black Hornet provides full surveillance coverage continuity to the mission. The Black Hornet 3 is representative of FLIR’s new focus on providing full-solution technology, and we look forward to playing a role in helping modernize our military customers.”
FLIR prefers the term “personal reconnaissance system,” or PRS, for the miniature drones, adding yet another acronym into the endless alphabet soup of remotely piloted unmanned aerial vehicles and systems. Acronym stew aside, the Black Hornet is popular enough that FLIR notes it’s been fielded by at least 30 countries since it was introduced by Prox Dynamics.
Designs for the Black Hornet date back to 2008, and the first generation of the drone saw action with the British Army until it was retired last year. (FLIR acquired Prox Dynamics in 2016, and introduced a model with night vision in 2017.)
The Black Hornet 3 clocks in at just over an ounce in weight. It has a top speed of over 13 mph and a range of almost 1.25 miles, with a total flight time of up to 25 minutes. A new thermal sensor and camera offer better images, and new software allows the Hornet to stop at certain waypoints and scan 360 degrees around itself before continuing on. All the video it captures is sent to a tablet in the hands of the person controlling the Hornet, giving real-time information to the unit using the tiny scout. It can navigate by GPS or in GPS-denied environments, like inside buildings or caves.
The most interesting feature of the model 3 is what is yet to come: unlike previous versions, this one is modular. Most immediately, that means a squad can scout an area, return the drone, swap out the battery for a new, fully charged one, and send the drone back into action. For the future, it could mean different sensor payloads, all built to fit and serve a tiny, tiny body. (Source: C4ISR & Networks)
15 Jun 18. Elistair expands tethered UAV portfolio. French company Elistair has unveiled the 60m Ligh-T V.3 compact tethering station for vertical take-off and landing unmanned aerial vehicles (VTOL UAVs) designed to support dismounted and mobile operations. The Ligh-T V.3 comprises a carrying case which features a 60 m lightweight ‘plug and fly’ cable and 1.2kW power connector that can be attached to external power sources for persistent operation. According to Elistair, the Ligh-T V.3 can be integrated with more than 20 commercial UAV types including DJI as well as specialist military off-the-shelf (MOTS) air vehicles. The station is also supported by a 200 Mbps data transfer capability as well as ability to provide “secure and unjammable communications”, company literature claims. It weighs 12kg and measures 475mm × 415 mm × 211mm, making it ideal to support small unit teams in the counter-terrorism environment, a company official told Jane’s. The Ligh-T V.3 joins Elistair’s SAFE-T smart tethering system which is designed to be integrated on board a variety of tactical ground vehicles to boost the situational awareness of forward-deployed special operations teams. Also contained in a carrying case, the SAFE-T weighs 26 kg and includes a 100 m tether with automated winch. Elistair also used Eurosatory to promote its Orion UAV, which is designed for persistent surveillance and communications missions, and can be tethered to the SAFE-T solution for extended operation. First announced by the company in January, the Orion is funded by the French Procurement Agency (DGA). Jane’s sources said it has already been deployed by undisclosed military and security forces in Europe. The UAV has an endurance in excess of 10 hours untethered and a hover altitude of 80m. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
18 Jun 18. And Another One Bites the Dust. A British Army Watchkeeper has crashed near Aberporth, taking the number of crashes involving the unmanned aircraft to five. Launched from West Wales Airport at Aberporth, it crashed in a lane close to the airstrip at around 5 pm on Thursday afternoon. Police and firefighters were called to the scene near Cyttir Mawr farmhouse after the pilotless plane – also known as a UAV – apparently came down in some trees. No-one was injured but a Mid & West Wales Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson said one crew used foam to clean up the resulting fuel spill. The incident came on the very day Ceredigion planners were asked to approve plans for a major facelift at the airport which has been used by military and civil aviators since opening in 2002.Its unmanned aircraft centre is the only type of facility of its kind in Europe and the Ministry of Defence use it to test their Watchkeeper drone. All enquiries to the airport were being directed to the MoD press office this morning.
“We are aware of an incident involving a Watchkeeper aircraft which did not result in any injuries,” said a spokesperson. The aircraft has been secured and there is no risk to the public. An investigation is underway.”
Jill Gough, of CND Cymru, said: “By my reckoning this is the fourth drone they’ve lost – and these UAVs cost £6m apiece – it’s an absolute scandal, really. I suppose we should consider ourselves fortunate it didn’t come down on someone’s home or on a school – Penparc School is not far away from where this crash happened. I find the fact another £6m has gone down the drain completely outrageous. If these things are supposedly so safe as we’re always being told then why can’t they be tested around Westminster?” (Source: UAS VISION/Cambrian News)
15 Jun 18. China’s Eating Up US Drone Market; U.S. Troops At Risk.
While Washington struggles to update its arms export policies, China is spreading its influence, one drone sale at a time. U.S. forces are at increasing risk as China and other nations sell more armed drones to anyone with the money to pay for them, and restrictive U.S. export policies may be making the situation worse, says a new report delivered to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs.
The RAND Corp. report says that drones produced by unfriendly nations will pose a “growing threat to U.S. and allied military operations,” in the near future, as China, Russia, and Iran recognize the power of unmanned platforms, making it certain that in future conflicts, “U.S. forces will have to cope with adversaries equipped with different types and sizes of UAVs, both armed and unarmed.”
In some ways, the future is now. In 2017, Iranian-made drones dropped small munitions near U.S. forces in Syria, forcing American aircraft to knock them out of the sky. Iranian drones have also buzzed American warships in the Persian Gulf, and Iranian-made unmanned suicide boats have targeted Saudi warships off the coast of Yemen.
American export restrictions on the sale of large long-range drones have allowed China and Iran to step in and fill the gap left open by US policies. Beijing has really stepped up its efforts to capture the market in ISR and strike drones, making plans to build a drone production facility in Saudi Arabia, and actively courting countries spurned by the American restrictions.
Exports of American-made drones have primarily been restricted to the handful of allies who have signed the Missile Technology Control Regime, a consortium of 35 nations that sets limits based on range and payload.
At issue are Category I drones, which can carry a payload of 500 kilograms for more than 300 kilometers. Under the MTCR, these systems are subject to a “strong presumption of denial” for transfer. But changes being proposed by Washington seek to open new categories of drones available for sale in part by focusing on speed instead of range— allowing drones that can fly less than 650 kilometers per hour to be capable of being shipped to international partners. U.S. partners such as Jordan, the UAE, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia — all denied requests to purchase drones from the United States — have turned to China, which is not an MTCR member.
Chinese CH-4 medium range drones are already stationed at the Saudi’s Jirzan Regional airport, not far from where UAE-operated Predator drones operate from the same air base. Egypt has also purchased the system, along with the Medium-Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) Wing Loong drone. The UAE has also taken to selling drones to Russia and offering them to other countries. Overall, China has sold advanced drones to at least nine nations.
China has signed an agreement to establish a UAV manufacturing plant in Saudi Arabia to produce up to 300 new drones — some of them Category I. China and the UAE are not only marketing their own drones, but also offering to build factories for co-production.
Even MTCR member states appear to be edging away from the protocol, with Germany codeveloping a unmanned system with Qatar, and Italy making plans to export a long-range system to the UAE.
The Trump administration has been loosening controls on U.S. exports of advanced drones, allowing General Atomics sell some advanced drones to India, and lifting some other restrictions on arms transfers overall this spring.
The White House has for months been circulating what it calls its Arms Transfer Initiative, which would further slash red tape in military sales to allies, speeding up the process and making more weapons more readily available for export.
The Rand report concluded that while the MTCR has been effective in limiting the proliferation of large drones, “the availability of these vehicles from non-MTCR nations has significantly eroded the MTCR’s efficacy to limit the proliferation of large UAVs,” while also hurting U.S. drone makers who are restricted in who they can sell to.
Ellen Lord, head of Pentagon acquisition, told reporters at a special operations conference in Florida last month that she wants to “promote allied readiness by enhancing military capacity through targeting improvements in foreign military sales.”
The glacial pace of the U.S. government in approving sales means that some allies look elsewhere, telling American officials that “we’re going to go with the Russian alternative, we’re going to go with the Chinese alternative because we know we can get it quickly,” Lord said. “We know that it might fail 80 to 90 percent of the time, but we will have something. That’s a missed opportunity for the U.S. and we’re going to make sure we do everything possible to improve upon that.”
(Source: glstrade.com/Breaking Defense.com)
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21 Jun 18. 4 ways AI can let humans down on the battlefield. Artificial Intelligence has made incredible progress over the decade, but the relatively nascent technology still has a long way to go before it can be fully relied upon to think, decide and act in a predictable way, especially on the battlefield.
A new primer from the Center for New American Security’s’ technology and national security program highlights some of promises and perils of AI. While the ceiling for the technology is high, AI is still immature, which means systems are learning by failing in some spectacular, hilarious and ominous ways.
Here are four potential areas of concern:
- The machine might cheat
Machine learning is a method of AI that allows machines to learn from data to create solutions to problems. But without properly defined goals the machine can stimulate flawed outcomes. CNAS’ report identifies numerous examples of AI systems that have engaged in “reward hacking” where the machine “learns a behavior that technically meets its goal but is not what the designer intended.”
In other words, the machine cheats.
For example, one Tetris-playing bot learned that right before the last block fell on the screen, causing the machine to lose the game, it could pause the game, preventing an undesired outcome. In another example, one computer program learned rather than taking a test, it was easier to delete the computer file containing the correct answers, resulting in the machine being awarded a perfect score.
In both of these cases the machine accomplishes the goal it was tasked with, but it does not play by the rules human designers expected.
The authors of the report, Paul Scharre and Michael Horowitz, note in a national security context such deviation from designer’s intentions could result in serious consequences. They explain “a cybersecurity system tasked with defending networks against malware could learn that humans are a major source of introducing malware and lock them out (negative side effect). Or it could simply take a computer offline to prevent any future malware from being introduced (reward hacking). While these steps might technically achieve the system’s goals, they would not be what the designers intended.”
- Bias
AI is only good as the data that fuels it, which means if the training data is flawed or tainted, the AI system will be as well. This can occur if the people collect corrupted data that is incorporated into the system’s design.
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Take a step back from AI. Examples of racial bias already exist in relatively innocuous technology, like automatic soap dispensers. As the video shows, the dispenser is perfectly responsive to a white hand, but fails to sense the hand of a person of color.
Now, it’s likely the designer did not construct the sensor in the dispenser to only work for white people, but nonetheless the operational issue remains.
Similar bias in AI meant to serve national security and warfighting applications could lead to catastrophic consequences. Because of limited and biased training data related to real-world operational environments, AI systems intended to lift humans above the fog of war may do anything but that. Scharre and Horowitz explain, “The fog and friction of real war mean that there are a number of situations in any battle that it would be difficult to train an AI to anticipate. Thus, in an actual battle, there could be significant risk of an error.”
For example, an AI image recognition system may be tricked into identifying a 3-D printed turtle as a rifle. Or worse.
Additionally, bad actors may look to exploit this weakness by infecting training data. The report cites one popular example of Microsoft’s chatbot Tay, which within 24 hours on Twitter ― after learning from its interactions with humans ― went from saying things like “humans are super cool!” to spewing anti-Semitic and misogynist hate speech.
- “The answer to the ultimate question of life, the universe and everything is 42.”
This line from the cult classic sci-fi series “Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy” highlights another key issue with AI ― it cannot tell you how it thinks or generates answers. While some AI behavior can be generally understood given its particular set of rules and training data, others cannot.
“An AI image recognition system may be able to correctly identify an image of a school bus, but not be able to explain which features of the image cause it to conclude that the picture is a bus,” the authors say. “This ‘black box’ nature of AI systems may create challenges for some applications. For instance, it may not be enough for a medical diagnostics AI to arrive at a diagnosis; doctors are likely to also want to know which indicators the AI is using to do so.”
There’s a reason math teachers take of points off for students who calculate the right answer but do not show their work. Being able to demonstrate the process matters just as much as coming to the right answer.
- Human-machine interaction failures
At the end of the day, AI systems are very advanced and complex. This means that humans operators need to understand the system’s limitations and capabilities to properly interpret feedback and avoid accidents.
Scharre and Horowitz point to recent car accidents involving Tesla’s employing their autopilot feature, including one fatal accident in Florida that killed the driver in 2016. In these cases human operators failed to appreciate the limitations of self-driving technology, and the consequences were tragic.
Another issue, as with many national security and military technologies, is that designers may struggle to make a product that suits end-user’s needs.
“This is a particular challenge for national security applications in which the user of the system might be a different individual than its designer and therefore may not fully understand the signals the system is sending,” the report reads. “This could be the case in a wide range of national security settings, such as the military, border security, transportation security, law enforcement, and other applications where the system’s designer is not likely to be either the person who decides to field the system or the end-user.” (Source: C4ISR & Networks)
21 Jun 18. How the Army will plan cyber and electronic warfare operations. With cyber playing a critical role in conflict going forward, the Army has begun to recognize the need to have organic cyber planners within a brigade’s staff to offer commanders options related to cyber as well as electronic warfare.
Cyber and Electromagnetic Activities, or CEMA cells, have been stood up in each brigade acting as planners to provide targeting options and capabilities to get at commander objectives just as an artillery planner would offer the commander choices related to their field for a pending operation.
At the tactical level, these two disciplines – cyber and electronic warfare – have become intertwined.
“When I talk to Army commanders and staffs, I try to make the point that I want you to worry less about whether it’s a cyber or EW effect,” Lt. Col. Christopher Walls, deputy director for strategy and policy, at the Army’s Cyber Directorate within the G-3/5/7, said at the C4ISRNET Conference in May.
For example, Walls said for a river crossing mission, a commander might say he needs to buy a few hours to get a battalion across. The CEMA cell, in turn, would look across the capability sets in its portfolio and come up with a course of action.
These cells potentially have the ability to allow the commander to target local internet service providers or local routers and prevent opposing forces from using them. The teams may also have an electronic warfare capability that can jam local area network protocols. Finally, these teams might know where mobile switching centers are by digitally geolocating them allowing physical strikes to take them out, Walls said.
“I don’t want the commander to worry about which of those three things, I just want him to talk to me in terms of desired objective and effects and then us, along with the staff, will determine which capability makes sense,” Walls said. “That’s kind of the way we’re thinking about the tactical fight.”
The best choice comes down to understanding the commander’s objectives and intent in order to offer the best solution.
“What I would do is understand his intent, what effect he wants and what I’ll do is submit that in a formal request and I’ll let the higher echelons determine if they can provide that effect,” Capt. Daniel Oconer, brigade CEMA officer, told C4ISRNET during a recent visit to the National Training Center.
“In general, all I really need to know for my planning processes is understand what the maneuver force wants to do,” he added. “How do tanks and Bradleys [move], how are the troops on the ground moving. Then, what is their mission? What is their objective? What is the commander’s intent? Once I understand that I throw some CEMA flavor, so to say, onto it and then enable them to accomplish their mission.”
Oconer is currently billeted as a 29 series electronic warfare officer. The Army will begin to transition these individuals into the cyber branch, or 17 series, so they will all eventually be cyber planners in the CEMA cell.
“The way that we’re transforming our electronic warfare professionals is they will become cyber operators. They will be the face inside our brigade combat teams and our maneuver formations for cyber operational planning,” Maj. Gen. John Morrison, commander of the Cyber Center of Excellence, said during a May speech. “They’re complimentary. You cannot look at electronic warfare professionals and cyber operators in isolation.” (Source: C4ISR & Networks)
21 Jun 18. For more than a decade, users of the Northrop Grumman (NYSE: NOC) Combat Electromagnetic Environment Simulator (CEESIM) have been gathering each year to share best practices and get a glimpse of new technologies. The venue is the CEESIM User Review Meetings, hosted in the United States and the United Kingdom by Northrop Grumman. At the meetings, users have opportunities to share best practices and review operating techniques with system engineers. The meetings also include hardware demonstrations, hands-on user training sessions and discussions about the future of electromagnetic spectrum testing.
“The value of collaboration with our customer in this forum is invaluable,” said Joe Downie, director of programs, land and avionics C4ISR division, Northrop Grumman. “Since we began these meetings 12 years ago, we have been able to take our customers’ feedback and translate it into new CEESIM features and configurations.”
One of the solutions developed with user feedback is the Integrated Microwave Assembly (IMA) version of the Advanced Pulse Generator (APG). Northrop Grumman’s APG technology uses the latest direct digital synthesis techniques to generate advanced waveforms. The IMA version will enable a novel, cost effective solution for advanced sensors that require high fidelity time difference of arrival simulation. The IMA APG is a building block of next generation COTS packaging that provides true plug-and-play modularity and scalability. New product configurations will bring affordable, high performance synthesized RF capability to the full range of the CEESIM product line.
“I look forward to the user meetings,” said product manager Harold Screven. “Hearing how our products are used to benefit our customers in the field is extremely rewarding and helps us continue to advance our technology.”
To learn more about CEESIM, visit http://www.northropgrumman.com/Capabilities/CEESIM/Pages/default.aspx.
21 Jun 18. Ribbon Communications Inc. (Nasdaq: RBBN) (formerly GENBAND and Sonus), a global leader in secure and intelligent cloud communications, today announced that the US Department of Defense has completed one of the largest Voice Over IP (VoIP) deployments in DoD’s history leveraging Ribbon’s Joint Interoperability Test Command (JITC)-certified Application Server.
“We have been working closely with the Department of Defense and our solutions partners for several years to meet the demanding requirements of DoD deployments,” said Steven Bruny, Executive Vice President of Global Operations for Ribbon Communications. “It is very rewarding for our team and our partners to have successfully completed a migration of this magnitude. We believe it is a reflection of our commitment to standards and innovation and are pleased that we could provide DoD a path forward without having to start over.”
Bruny added, “We are thankful to Verizon, Black Box, and Visioneering for helping make this deployment a success.”
The deployment allows the command and control organization to significantly upgrade its communications capabilities with the latest in secure real-time unified communications (UC) technology, including the ability to seamlessly integrate voice, video, instant messaging, presence and conferencing into the end-user experience.
In addition to the significant operational cost savings offered by upgrading to Ribbon’s application server, the rich enterprise features it enabled played a major role in the DoD’s selection of Ribbon. Another key factor was Ribbon’s long history of providing tier one service providers with carrier-grade reliability and the company’s ability to improve DoD’s network reliability and uptime.
The deployment provided DoD with the ability to replace the core of its communications infrastructure while leveraging its existing endpoints and using standards-based technology going forward. In addition, existing endpoints and gateways were leveraged from multiple voice systems, further protecting the Department of Defense’s current investments. The cost and time required were significantly less than implementing an entirely new solution. Eliminating the need to retrain end-users or disrupt DoD office operations was also a key factor in the DoD’s decision to deploy the Ribbon solution.
Already supporting more than 40 million SIP endpoints globally, the Ribbon Application Server’s carrier-grade heritage provides a unique capability to offer a highly scalable, private cloud-based upgrade option for legacy communications systems deployed by the US Department of Defense. The advanced Ribbon solution is deployed with standards-based SIP and ASSIP endpoints, so there is no proprietary endpoint lock-in. It easily scales to millions of endpoints per node, making it ideally suited for geographically redundant, organization-wide, private cloud environments. The Ribbon Application Server shares it heritage with the Nortel AS 5300, so it is uniquely capable of migrating legacy Nortel deployments.
The migration process and deployment, led by Verizon, was designed for rapid execution with little operational disruption to enable members of every component to leverage secure real-time UC technology. “This deployment represents a significant step towards modernization for the US Department of Defense agency involved,” said Sonya Cork, Vice President of Sales for Verizon Enterprise Solutions. “We are pleased to know that with this deployment and the broader Verizon-led migration to Unified Communications (UC), users are now using a communications system that addresses their IT needs now and is also scalable for the future.”
“We have worked closely with Ribbon on a number of very large civilian and DoD government engagements, but none with the scale and vital importance of this one,” said Black Box spokesperson. “Our close working relationship with the Ribbon team helped us move tens of thousands of end-users in a single weekend – most of whom arrived at work on Monday morning without knowing that this major upgrade had occurred.”
“With extensive experience in designing and deploying UC systems, the Visioneering team is honored to have played a key role in delivering the DoD an enhanced communications system that was scalable with best-in-class security and high-availability,” said Jerry James President, Visioneering. “We worked closely with the Ribbon team and other partners on a strategic approach to address the complex architectural design and ensure a seamless implementation and cutover of this project with minimal disruption.”
Key Takeaways:
- The US Department of Defense has completed one of its largest VoIP deployments ever, leveraging Ribbon’s JITC-certified Application Server.
- The deployment, which migrated more than 50,000 users to Ribbon technology, allows the Department of Defense to significantly enhance its unified communications and collaboration capabilities. Ribbon’s ability to deliver significant operational savings to DoD along with key enterprise features such as Shared Line Appearance (SLA) played a major role in the Department of Defense’s selection of Ribbon for this project. Another significant factor was Ribbon’s ability to improve system reliability and uptime as well as its long history of providing carrier-grade reliability for tier one service providers.
- The deployment enables the Department of Defense to extend the value of significant investments in communication systems by allowing end-users the ability to leverage existing phones and equipment and seamlessly migrate to upgraded technology.
- Going forward, Polycom’s portfolio of JITC certified endpoints will provide a cost-effective option to enable DoD to further enhance the user experience with upgraded voice and video capabilities.
- The Ribbon Application Server is uniquely designed to enable customers to maximize the investments in their existing legacy Nortel communications systems, by offering an easy migration path to a state of the art Unified Communication platform.
19 Jun 18. 4 companies start work on the US Army’s cyber training platform. Four companies have been awarded contracts to develop initial prototypes for components to make up the Department of Defense’s comprehensive cyber training range. They include ManTech, Simspace, Metova and Circadence. The Persistent Cyber Training Environment, which the Army is managing on behalf of U.S. Cyber Command, will effectively be the module where cyberwarriors can conduct ongoing individual and collective training on par with rifle ranges for infantry troops and combat training centers for brigades.
Currently, no system exists for cyberwarriors to conduct ongoing training; typically, they test readiness in large-scale annual exercises.
The PCTE is one of the major cyber acquisitions of this fiscal year. The Army is issuing awards for prototypes under five separate innovation challenges to help shape the larger program of record, Brett Barraclough, executive director of cyber and information solutions of the mission solutions and services group at ManTech, told Fifth Domain in an interview. Using a rapid acquisition vehicle know as other transaction authority, the Army can get an interim solution to cyberwarriors faster, while also better informing the requirements document for the ultimate program, he added. Under this first stage of prototypes, ManTech will be providing planning networks, scheduling tools and deploying environments, Barraclough said. Other industry partners under the award will provide capabilities including scenario design and actual execution of the training. Right now, the government is acting as the integrator of all the disparate capabilities being provided by members of industry, Barraclough said.
Barraclough added the development of the PCTE will be an ongoing, agile process of building and feedback with the first training in the system occurring in August and feedback coming in September. Each month, partners will work with stakeholders to gain more and more feedback to improve the prototype.
Barraclough said the goal is to do larger-scale exercises in the January 2019 timeframe; in the meantime, the prototypes will shadow some of the larger exercises.
The timeline for the first request for proposals for the larger program is slated for fiscal 2019, by which time all five innovation challenges should have been completed and analyzed, Barraclough said. (Source: Fifth Domain)
19 Jun 18. The DoD IG expands its drone cybersecurity audit. The Department of Defense’s Inspector General is expanding the scope of a previously announced investigation into the cybersecurity risks related to drones. In March, the IG’s office kicked off an audit to ensure that the Pentagon had followed cyber and physical security controls for select unmanned aerial systems. But in a June 18 announcement, the IG’s office said that over the course of several site visits it determined there were additional cybersecurity risks related to commercial products.
As a result, the IG is changing its original objective.
“The reannounced audit objective is to determine whether the DoD is assessing and mitigating cybersecurity risks when purchasing and using select commercial items,” the IG memo states.
The acknowledgement is emblematic of the growing threat vector and vulnerability connected systems pose.
Congress took aim at a similar issue in the 2016 annual defense authorization bill, mandating an assessment of the cyber vulnerability of major weapon systems. The DoD IG said it will perform its audit at the offices of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment; the DoD Chief Information Officer; the military departments; U.S. Cyber Command; the National Security Agency; the Defense Information Systems Agency; and the Defense Logistics Agency. Additional locations might be identified during the audit. (Source: C4ISR & Networks)
19 Jun 18. With the predecessor models R&S SMB100A (analog model) and R&S SMBV100A (vector model), Rohde & Schwarz established the portfolio of compact benchtop signal generators up to 6 GHz, integrating uncompromising performance into a ¾ 19″ form factor. This successful family of signal generators has been further enhanced and improved to create two new models. The new R&S SMB100B analog RF signal generator and the R&S SMBV100B vector signal generator again set standards in the midrange class. The instruments’ excellent spectral purity and very low phase noise result in superior measurement accuracy. Their maximum output power tops all previous records. The compact, lightweight generators are easy to transport and take up minimal space in the lab.
Compact powerhouse
The new signal generators are available in various configurations. With frequency ranges from 8 kHz to 1 GHz, 3 GHz and 6 GHz, they can be tailored to address diverse applications. Customers can choose among three different RF output power stages to scale the maximum output power to their specific needs. The generators can deliver up to +34 dBm output power (at 1 GHz carrier frequency) without an external amplifier, which simplifies the test setup and eliminates downtime due to calibration. The R&S SMB100B and the R&S SMBV100B offer precise, calibrated RF output power for all configurations.
Excellent modulation quality
The two signal generators feature excellent signal quality. This makes the R&S SMB100B analog RF signal generator ideal for radar and receiver tests in the aerospace and defense sector, as well as for CW-based production tests on wireless devices and infrastructure.
The R&S SMBV100B additionally offers superb signal quality for vector-modulated signals, with a powerful baseband section with up to 500 MHz bandwidth. It comes with options for all major digital communications standards, such as 5G, cellular IoT, LTE, WLAN IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax and Bluetooth 5.0. Signals for these digital standards can be generated directly on the instrument; no external PC is required. This makes it quick and easy to vary signals and parameters. The R&S SMBV100B also provides envelope tracking and digital predistortion (DPD). Signals with up to 2 GHz bandwidth can be modulated via external I/Q inputs. Internally generated 160 MHz WLAN IEEE 802.11ac signals exhibit a measured EVM as low as –49 dB. Wideband signals benefit from the generator’s excellent I/Q modulation frequency response of 0.1 dB (measured) across the entire 500 MHz bandwidth. All this helps developers ensure outstanding product quality even for wideband communications systems such as 5G.
Safe investment thanks to easy upgrading The signal generators feature a well-conceived upgrade concept. Desired functions can in most cases be added via software keycodes. For example, modulation standards, output power and, with the R&S SMBV100B vector model, even the RF frequency range and modulation bandwidth can be upgraded as needed without requiring customers to send in their instrument to a Rohde & Schwarz service center. This procedure is easy, saves time and money, and gives customers maximum flexibility. It makes the R&S SMB100B and R&S SMBV100B signal generators a safe investment, well prepared to meet the needs of tomorrow.
Customers worldwide appreciate and rely on the exceptional, industry-leading quality of Rohde & Schwarz T&M products. Advanced production technologies and pioneering design are key to this prominent market position. Purchasers of a new R&S SMB100B or R&S SMBV100B benefit from a three-year warranty.
The R&S SMB100B analog RF signal generator and the R&S SMBV100B vector signal generator are now available from Rohde & Schwarz.
19 Jun 18. Winners Announced in Counter-Terrorism Startup Competition.
The winners of a counter-terrorism technology competition backed by the Israeli and U.S. governments were announced on June 18th.
CardioScale Ltd. won first place and $100,000 prize with a device that promises to help monitor the vitals of survivors of terrorist attacks and mass casualty events. Second place, and a $10,000 check, went to Colugo Systems Ltd., which is developing a hybrid drone that combines the features of a quadrotor and a fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicle. Both companies are early-stage startups based in Israel.
The competition, known as the Combating Terrorism Technology Startup Challenge, took place in Tel Aviv, and is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Defense, Israel’s Ministry of Defense and the Israeli chapter of MIT Enterprise Forum, a nonprofit affiliated with the eponymous university, that promotes tech innovation. CardioScale and Colugo Systems competed in a field of 130 startups from around the world. (Source: UAS VISION/CTECH)
18 Jun 18. NATO cyber team to add another teammate. Romania will join the NATO’s cyber training and research center next year, according to the country’s prime minister.
Viorica Dăncilă announced Romania’s participation at the NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence in Tallinn, Estonia.
The move comes amid an increasingly dangerous security environment in the online world, both for Europe as well as the United States. Finland specified cyber as a crucial domain of national defense, while American defense contractors continue to be targeting by Chinese-based hackers.
NATO conducts yearly live-fire exercises such as Crossed Swords to prepare for attacks on critical infrastructure, including communication networks and power grids.
“Enhancing cyber defense is all about teamwork, and we welcome the decision of Romania to contribute to the strength and capability of our unique team,” said Merle Maigre, director of the CCDCOE.
Maigre also praised nations in NATO who “want to be also strong allies in our cyber defence hub.” (Source: Defense News)
15 Jun 18. JEDI’s disruption could extend far beyond cloud. The wait continues as the Defense Department is working behind-the-scenes to get a final solicitation out the door for its potential $10bn JEDI cloud computing contract that slipped past the expected release at the end of May. But that slippage may work in DOD’s favor if it is to build a consensus within its own leadership structure and broader enterprise for not just JEDI but any emerging next-generation technology from the commercial marketplace, says a June 4 report from IT market intelligence firm Technology Business Research. Traditional technology procurement models are being disrupted by innovations outside government-backed research-and-development initiatives.
That shift is “elevating consensus-building into a prerequisite for embarking on disruptive technology adoption” for desired government outcomes, according to the report from TBR Public Sector IT Analyst Joey Cresta and Principal Analyst Geoff Woollacott.
Some recent moves by DOD related to the Joint Enterprise Defense Infrastructure contract may indicate that consensus is becoming a priority. The Pentagon met its deadline for a pair of reports to Congress before the May 7 deadline on the strategy for JEDI and a justification for the single-award plan.
In that report to Congress, DOD turned a somewhat critical lens on itself with respect to how the military has looked at cloud computing adoption, our sister site FCW.com noted May 14.
DOD has more than 500 ongoing cloud acquisition and migration efforts that are “reminiscent of DOD’s current legacy information technology environment, which is not optimized for the 21st century,” the Pentagon said in its report.
The history of defense technology innovation and adoption has largely been driven by catalysts dating back to the Cold War. As Cresta and Woollacott note, the U.S. has traditionally had a “top-down innovation engine” that saw the government drive investment in technologies key to both security and economic vitality.
GPS was operationalized by the military in response to the Soviet Union’s Sputnik satellite launch. High-performance computing was adopted for nuclear research and artificial intelligence was initially dependent on funding form the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency.
But that dynamic has flipped since the end of the Cold War and defense spending reductions in the 1990s, during which the economic power government once held in technology switched to commercial enterprises. Cresta and Woollacott attribute this to Moore’s Law economics, a term coined by Intel co-founder Gordon Moore.
Moore observed that the number of transistors on a chip doubles every year while the costs are halved — a clear allegory for the pace of technology innovation.
In essence, the pyramid of innovation has essentially flipped but the DOD’s approach to technology acquisition largely remains unchanged.
The new catalyst for DOD to reinvest in technological superiority can be found in the recent National Defense Strategy: Russia and China in particular have ramped up their technology investments that made cyberspace and space contested domains.
And DOD’s aggressive push on the JEDI effort even with certain procurement delays are in part a response to that catalyst, the TBR analysts noted. (Source: Defense Systems)
14 Jun 18. Indra has finished developing an innovative, lightweight and portable electronic defense system (manpack), which equips soldiers with the most advanced radar-band analysis capacities to determine the position of enemy air defense systems, aircraft, vessels or vehicles.
Until now, because of its size and complexity, electronic warfare equipment had to be installed in fixed locations, vehicles and other platforms. Indra has reduced its size and weight to incorporate it into a backpack that is easy to carry by one individual.
As such, this equipment harnesses the soldier’s ability to infiltrate a hostile zone and approach the target area to gather intelligence without being detected. It also harnesses their ability to move across mountainous and steep areas that are often inaccessible to vehicles.
The system scans any radar signal and analyzes its characteristics to find out how the enemy uses its surveillance systems and how they can be neutralized. The system’s robust and reliable algorithms incorporate the most advanced artificial intelligence techniques to learn how to characterize radar pulses with increasing precision, how to operate in dense electromagnetic environments and how to identify the most effective countermeasures.
The information gathered by soldiers will play a key role in hindering the efforts of enemy radars to surprise and attack our forces. It will also facilitate the work of countermeasure teams and help them blind or deceive enemy systems by disrupting their signal.
This manpack equipment is able to exchange information in real time with other units and, as such, help create an electronic defense network. The data are then sent to the command center for planning and oversight. The result is a major tactical advantage over the enemy, which is a decisive factor in the operation’s success.
The development of this new generation of solutions derives from Indra’s efforts in the last few years to adapt its portfolio of solutions to the needs and requirements of armed forces across the world.
The company is still a strong leader in electronic defense, a sector in which it has competed for over thirty years. It supplied the full electronic defense system used by the Spanish army. Its solutions protect more than twenty types of platforms used in countries on all five continents. Its technology is used in sophisticated aircraft such as Eurofighter and A400M, helicopters, frigates and the most modern conventional submarines.
14 Jun 18. OTA comes under increased scrutiny. In the wake of Oracle’s successful protest of a $950m “other transaction authority” award by the Army to REAN Cloud, House appropriators are putting the Defense Department on notice that they’ll be keeping a close eye on future OTA awards. For appropriators, as was the case for the Government Accountability Office, the issue is the use of such awards for procurements that don’t fit the experimental or prototype model that OTAs were intended to handle.
The flexible procurement authority is “an important tool to provide flexibility and agility for cutting-edge research and development projects and prototypes,” lawmakers wrote in a legislative report accompanying the defense funding bill released by the House Appropriations Committee on June 13. “However, the Committee is concerned with the lack of transparency on the use of OTA authority for follow-on production procurements.”
The bill requires that the Secretary of Defense notify House and Senate defense committees 30 days in advance of obligating funds for production contracts under other transaction authority.
In the decision on Oracle’s protest of Army’s cloud award on behalf of U.S. Transportation Command, which was released with redactions on June 4, GAO General Counsel Thomas H. Armstrong concluded “the Army had no authority to award the [production OTA] here.”
GAO found that the solicitation for the prototype, prepared in conjunction with the Defense Innovation Unit Experimental (DIUx), didn’t indicate the possibility for a follow-on production award. The decision also points out that the sole-source production OTA was issued despite the fact that the prototype work of moving Transcom apps and data to cloud enclaves had not been completed.
In a June 12 note to clients, the Washington, D.C., law firm Arnold and Porter said the Oracle decision sends a strong signal to defense agencies that GAO will use its authority to review whether agencies are following the law when it comes to choosing OTA over a competitive procurement.
In the case of Oracle’s complaint, the attorneys wrote, “the GAO identified specific process flaws and implied that had the agency written its prototype OTA award slightly differently, and waited slightly longer for completion of the prototype project before issuing its follow-on production order, there may not have been a problem from the GAO’s perspective.”
The report concludes that “OTAs are not a get-out-of-protests-free card.” (Source: Defense Systems)
18 Jun 18. Rockwell Collins’ AN/PRC-162(V)1 passes MUOS SATCOM testing. Rockwell Collins’ AN/PRC-162(V)1 software-defined military radio has successfully passed the critical mobile user objective system (MUOS) testing. The manpack radio has become the first tactical ground radio to pass the test to meet security requirements required for operation with the US Department of Defense’s (DoD) final version of the MUOS.
Dubbed ‘Do No Harm’ (DNH), the critical test on the AN/PRC-162 radio has been carried out by the US Navy’s Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command (SPAWAR). SPAWAR has used the current version of the MUOS waveform to conduct testing.
Rockwell Collins communication, navigation and electronic warfare solutions vice-president and general manager Troy Brunk said: “MUOS will provide the warfighter with more mobility, improved signal quality and availability, which is especially important for units on the ground if they’re operating in rough terrain or communicating beyond line of sight.
“We understand how critical MUOS is to the future success of our armed forces and we’ll continue to lead the development of this technology both for use in the air and on the ground.”
MUOS is a next-generation upgrade over the current ultra-high frequency (UHF) satellite communications (SATCOM). It will provide military forces with worldwide, crystal-clear voice, video and mission data over a secure high-speed internet protocol (IP) based system.
In addition, the system will provide a connection into the Global Information Grid and the Defense Switched Network, and can distribute integrated broadcast service (IBS) messages. AN/PRC-162(V)1 is a two-channel networked communications ground radio, which features multiple waveforms, and the latest in-theatre IP-based waveform communications. In February last year, Rockwell Collins’ ARC-210 RT-2036(C) radio became the first airborne radio to pass ‘Do No Harm’ testing for MUOS SATCOM.
(Source: naval-technology.com)
16 Jun 18. ‘Quads for Squads’ grounded over cyber concerns. The Corps is being forced to ground commercial drones it has been fielding to infantry units because of a recent Department of Defense policy memo.
The policy memo, released at the end of May and signed by Deputy Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan, bans the purchase and use of commercial off-the-shelf, or COTS, drones, citing cybersecurity concerns.
“The DoD Inspector General found that the DoD has not implemented an adequate process to assess cybersecurity risks associated with using commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) Unmanned Aerial Systems,” the memo reads.
The Corps has been rapidly issuing small Instant Eye quadcopters to every rifle squad as part of a program called ‘Quads for Squads.’
To date, the Corps has given out roughly 600 of the small tactical drones and another 200 are pending, Capt. Pena, a Marine spokesman, told Marine Corps Times.
Those drones are now grounded “until the DoD identifies and fields a solution to mitigate known cybersecurity risks,” the memo states.
The Corps plans to submit a waiver “requesting an exemption,” Pena added.
However, Shanahan is the only authority authorized to approve exemptions and any waivers will be reviewed on a “case by case basis, to support urgent needs,” according to the memo.
The recent DoD memo will not interrupt the shipping of the remaining drones, Pena added.
The Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen. Robert B. Neller has been pushing to equip grunts with the small drones to aid in battlefield situational awareness. And recently, the top Marine cut the size of the Marine rifle squad from 13 to 12 while also adding a new drone systems operator role.
(Source: C4ISR & Networks)
16 Jun 18. 14 companies will compete for a share of this $7.5bn DISA contract. The Defense Systems Information Agency will allow 14 large corporations to compete for IT business worth as much as $7.5bn over the next decade. The indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contract is for the Systems Engineering Technology and Innovation (SETI) program. The $7.5bn, unrestricted pool contract seeks to streamline critical engineering expertise to research, design, develop, integrate, and optimize Department of Defense information technology capabilities, systems, and solutions, the agency said.
DISA said it the program is “designed for current and future mission requirements, next-generation technological advancements, and disruptive innovation that looks to create paradigm shifts in the ways warfighters interact with DOD’s information technology.”
The companies that can win task orders include: AASKI Technology, Inc., Accenture Federal Services, BAE Systems, Booz Allen Hamilton, Inc., Deloitte Consulting, LLP, Peraton, Inc. (formerly Harris Corp.), IBM, KeyW Corp., Leidos Innovations Corp., Linquest Corp., NES Associates, LLC, Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Parsons Government Services, Inc., and Vencore, Inc.
Thirty-five companies had bid for the work, the agency said.
According to former DISA director, Lt. Gen. Alan Lynn, SETI will provide “an overarching approach for fulfilling requirements for developmental IT and engineering support services across the department.”
DISA said it expects to award a separate, small business pool in the fourth quarter fiscal 2018. (Source: Defense News Early Bird/C4ISR & Networks)
18 Jun 18. Aquabotix Joins Consortium Supporting the U.S. Navy.
- Aquabotix to support development and maturation of Science and Technology capabilities in support of United States Navy’s Forward Deployed Energy and Communications Outpost (“FDECO”)
- Aquabotix becomes a member of the Innovative Undersea Prototype Development Consortium supporting FDECO
UUV Aquabotix Ltd (ASX:UUV) (“Aquabotix”), an underwater robotics company with operations in Australia and the U.S., today announces its agreement to support the United States Navy’s Forward Deployed Energy and Communications Outpost (“FDECO”) program as a member of the Innovative Undersea Prototype Development Consortium (“iUPDC” or “Consortium”).
Historically, unmanned underwater vehicle use has been challenged by limitations in endurance and difficulties in transferring data. FDECO’s publicly-stated mission is to seek to prototype a forward deployed, open, scalable and coordinated undersea energy replenishment, data management, and communications infrastructure for undersea vehicles and sensors.
This Consortium brings together the defence industry to conduct prototype technology research in support of FDECO’s goals. Aquabotix was accepted as a member of this Consortium as it has demonstrated a clear ability to make a meaningful technical contribution in this field.
Whitney Million, Aquabotix’s Chief Executive Officer, commented, “We continue to execute on our strategy of leaning on our strengths in the defense industry and of close engagement with governmental customers, particularly the United States Navy. As a member of iUPDC, Aquabotix will be afforded opportunities to bid on research and development and prototype maturation projects. Aquabotix is grateful to the Consortium for the confidence that this invitation shows in Aquabotix’s abilities. Participation in this Consortium provides a means for Aquabotix to continue cultivating close-working, cooperative relationships with other defense companies and the United States Navy. We look forward to making a meaningful difference through our contribution.”
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Spectra Group Plc
Spectra has a proven record of accomplishment – with over 15 years of experience in delivering secure communications and cybersecurity solutions for governments around the globe; elite militaries; and private enterprises of all sizes.
As a dynamic, agile, security accredited organisation, Spectra can leverage this experience to deliver Cyber Advisory and secure Hosted and Managed Solutions on time, to spec and on budget, ensuring compliance with industry standards and best practices.
Spectra’s SlingShot® is a unique low SWaP system that enables in-service U/VHF tactical radios to utilise Inmarsat’s commercial satellite network for BLOS COTM. Including omnidirectional antenna for the man, vehicle, maritime and aviation platforms, the tactical net can broadcast over 1000s miles between forward units and a rear HQ, no matter how or where the deployment. Unlike many BLOS options, SlingShot maintains full COTM (Communications On The Move) capability and low size and weight
On 23 November 2017, Spectra Group (UK) Ltd announced that it had recently been listed as a Top 100 Government SME Supplier for 2015-2016 by the UK Crown Commercial Services
Spectra’s CEO, Simon Davies, was awarded 2017 BATTLESPACE Businessman of the Year by BATTLESPACE magazine and is a finalist in the inaugural British Ex-Forces In Business Awards in the Innovator Of The Year category.
Founded in 2002, the Company is based in Hereford, UK and holds ISO 9001:2015, ISO 27001 and Cyber Essentials Plus accreditation.
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INTERNATIONAL PROCUREMENT OPPORTUNITIES
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UNITED KINGDOM AND NATO
EUROPE
19 Jun 18. Belgium delays, rescopes fighter programme. Belgium’s ongoing programme to replace its Lockheed Martin F-16AM/BM Fighting Falcon fleet has been hit by another roadblock, as the government considers a previously disregarded option to upgrade its incumbent fleet and not necessarily acquire a new-build aircraft.
Two offerings were being considered for the replacement of the F-16AM/BM fleet under the country’s Air Combat Capability Program (ACCaP), including the Eurofighter Typhoon and Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter. Final bids for the two aircraft were offered to the Belgian government under the formal acquisition process in February 2018.
In addition to this, Dassault Aviation submitted a bid for the Rafale fighter outside the formal competition, offering increased political links and industrial participation in return for a direct selection of the aircraft. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
19 Jun 18. France, Germany kick off race for ‘quantum leaps’ in aircraft and tank tech. The defense ministers of Germany and France have inked new agreements for the joint development of a new combat aircraft and a next-generation tank, key programs that could shape the European defense landscape for decades to come.
Ursula von der Leyen and Florence Parly signed the letters of intent on the sidelines of a bilateral Cabinet meeting in Berlin on Tuesday. The documents are meant to provide the necessary guidance to set up a program of record for the Future Combat Air System and the Main Ground Combat System.
A defense spokesman in Berlin told Defense News the agreement calls for the examination of potential management structures, for example through OCCAR, a European collective for joint weapons acquisition and management. The core members of OCCAR include France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Italy, Spain and Belgium, though other nations can partake in individual projects.
According to a German Defence Ministry statement, the signed documents establish the two governments’ “left and right boundaries” for the programs.
“Industry is now requested to fill the space,” the statement reads. “Both projects … stand for technological quantum leaps that shall be approached together while integrating the strengths of each nation’s industries.”
Led by France, the Future Combat Air System aims to replace the Eurofighter Typhoon in Germany and the Rafale aircraft in France. The Main Ground Combat System, helmed by Berlin, will succeed the German Leopard 2 tanks ― used widely in Europe and beyond ― and the French Leclerc.
The new aircraft are envisioned to hit the skies by 2040, while the the new tanks are pegged to roll in the mid-2030s. Connected to the tank effort is also an artillery replacement plan, named Common Indirect Fire System.
While both projects initially are exclusively German and French, partner countries will have an opportunity to join once a “strong foundation” is established by the two lead nations, the German Defence Ministry said.
KNDS, a joint venture by German tank-maker Krauss-Maffei Wegmann and France’s Nexter, unveiled a European Main Battle Tank as an interim step toward the future tank program at the Eurosatory defense trade show in Paris last week. The next-generation combat aircraft project, which officials said will include a sizable unmanned component, is slated to enter a concept-study phase by the end of the year, according to the German ministry.
Both efforts are still some time away from formulating concrete military requirements, to which companies eventually can tailor their offers. That cooperation process is expected to be thornier than the agreement on political pronouncements so far that paint Germany and France as the motor of Europe’s new defense ambitions.
Absent from Tuesday’s joint statement was any mention of cooperative work on a new air-to-ground missile and modernization of the Tiger attack helicopter to a Mark 3 version.
The two ministers had announced at the ILA Berlin air show in April that the two countries would cooperate on the airborne weapon and the midlife upgrade of the combat helicopter.
A common weapon for both French and German Tiger helicopters would cut down integration costs for the missiles. (Source: glstrade.com/Defense News)
08 Jun 18. Embraer pitches Super Tucano to Europe. Embraer is looking to secure its first European customer for the EMB-314/A-29 Super Tucano light attack turboprop, a company official said on 7 June. Speaking at the SMi Close Air Support (CAS) conference in London, Embraer’s vice president for sales in Europe and North Africa, Simon Johns, said that the Super Tucano could provide European air arms with a lower-cost alternative to jets and helicopters for many of their missions. Embraer also pointed to nations like Ukraine that lack funding for a new multirole combat aircraft, and which would find the Super Tucano an affordable option that would add considerable combat power. Furthermore, the Super Tucano’s ability to operate close to the frontline makes it agile and flexible enough to respond to events in a timely fashion. As part of this drive into Europe, Embraer is offering some enhancements to the baseline aircraft. As Johns noted, the changes “include the integration of dedicated anti-tank munitions, like the Lockheed Martin [AGM-114] Hellfire missile, which [is] already in the roadmap of the aircraft, as well as laser guided rockets.
“There are scenarios where the Super Tucano, operating in a battlespace with a benign or semi-degraded air defence system on the opposing side, could perform the tank-killing mission that has largely been left to helicopter gunships until now.”
Pursuant to being equipped to perform these missions, the Super Tucano now has a radar warning receiver and missile approach warning system in development for an increased threat environment in the European theatre. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
USA
21 Jun 18. Pentagon Pushes Counterintel For Industry As China Hacks Away. The Pentagon is kicking off a new effort to integrate counterintelligence and law enforcement into acquisition, citing a string of successful Chinese hacks that resulted in the theft of defense secrets.
The Pentagon’s undersecretary for intelligence, Kari Bingen, told lawmakers at the House Armed Services Committee today that the Pentagon can no longer be concerned only with cost, schedule, and performance. “We must establish security as a fourth pillar in defense acquisition,” she said, while making security “a major factor in competitiveness for U.S. government business.”
The plan, dubbed “Deliver Uncompromised,” is looking for ways the Pentagon can work with the defense industry on a case by case basis to toughen security and head off threats, adding security and counterintelligence assets “to augment our collection and analysis capabilities, gain a more comprehensive understanding to threats against our technologies.”
The announcement came days after reports emerged that China had hacked into a U.S. defense contractor, stealing classified information about undersea warfare technologies, including plans to develop a supersonic anti-ship missile for use on U.S. submarines by 2020.
The episode was seemingly referenced by Rep. Adam Smith, who tore into the administration for failing to put together an industrial-base policy to confront Chinese and individuals’ hacking attempts.
“We had a briefing yesterday on a cyber breach, and it was shocking how disorganized, unprepared, and, quite frankly, utterly clueless the branch of the military was that had been breached,” Smith said.
Bingen added that the current security procedures for government contractors are “checklist-based,” and ineffective for a new era of sophisticated penetration by a variety of means. New rules must be “risk-based” and “informed by the threat and the department’s technology protection priorities.”
She acknowledged that the new scrutiny might not be wholly welcome by industry. “It’s probably going to be more uncomfortable for industry, but we need them as a partner to do this if they’re going to be able to deliver uncompromised.”
Another top Pentagon official, appearing alongside Bingen, compared Chinese theft of American technologies, hacking defense contractors, and investing in U.S. technology companies to the illegal Chinese construction of military outposts in the South China Sea.
“It is adversarial behavior,” research and engineering chief Michael Griffin said. “And its perpetrator must be treated as such.”
Despite the tough talk, however, the government has yet to figure out a way to impose those penalties. Several lawmakers were frustrated at the lack of punitive measures taken against China in the wake of several high-profile hacking and intellectual property theft cases.
Democrat Rick Larsen criticized the Pentagon’s embrace of the phrase “great power competition” when describing the competition between Washington and Beijing. The phrase “is being tossed around like candy at a 4th of July parade, and I don’t think you’re living up to it,” he said, citing the lack of pushback against Chinese investment in U.S. tech companies, and the well-publicized theft of American intellectual property.
Appearing across town at a thinktank event, Gen. Paul Selva, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs echoed a similar theme. “With the Chinese, you have to protect what you have because, if they can’t learn about it, they’ll try to buy it. If they can’t learn about it or buy it, they’ll try to steal it. And we know they’re active in all three domains–learning, buying and stealing.”
Speaking with reporters after the hearing, HASC Chairman Mac Thornberry said that a solution is elusive, but some will be dealt with in the upcoming defense policy conference between the House and Senate slated for next month.
He said he doesn’t want to limit the analysis to any particular incident, but instead to consider the broad pattern of Chinese activity against the entire U.S. industrial base and government. “That’s the real concern. It’s what they’re doing across the board that’s so concerning,” he said. The lawmaker also warned not to look for any magic solution that will clean up the problem in the short term. “We’re not going to pass a bill that will fix it all,” he said. “But we’ve got lots of catching up to do because we have not updated our laws to reflect the changes in world circumstances or the changes in technology, primarily cyber.”
(Source: glstrade.com/Breaking Defense.com)
21 Jun 18. Travis seeks VTOL UAV for base support and security mission. The US Air Force (USAF) is seeking a small- to medium-sized vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) to undertake support and security details at Travis Air Force Base (AFB) in California.
A request for information (RFI) posted by Air Mobility Command (AMC) on 19 June calls for a VTOL UAV “ecosystem” that can support a number of flight and ground operations for the 60th Air Mobility Wing (AMW), and its fleet of Lockheed Martin C-5M Galaxy, Boeing C-17 Globemaster III, and McDonnell-Douglas KC-10A Extender aircraft. Specifically, the RFI is looking for a UAV that can be used day and night for aircraft and airfield inspections; approach lighting and Foreign Object Debris (FOD) sweeps of runways/taxiways/parking areas, etc; building inspections; post-attack reconnaissance sweep after a chemical attack (inspecting colour changes on pre-positioned chemical detection tape); maintenance-part delivery on the flightline; kinetic counter-UAV capability; perimeter patrol; crisis-response ‘eyes-on’ (during an active shooter situation, etc); personnel search and rescue; and commercial drone delivery. The RFI also calls for swarm-enabled formations to carry larger objects. In terms of the UAV being sought, the RFI states that it should be a small- to medium-sized fixed-wing VTOL platforms weighing 20lb (9.1kg) or less; have a range of greater than 10 miles (16.1km); should be low-cost; feature secure command and control; be survivable and robust; and be equipped with UAV collision avoidance technology. Ground infrastructure should include traffic management solutions; identification friend-or-foe (IFF); wireless datalink to enable centralised override control capability to any UAV operating within the base perimeter; centralised dashboard for situational awareness of UAV locations within and just beyond the perimeter; an ability to push real-time geofencing data updates to UAV operators; the ability to approve, deny and revoke airspace clearances within the perimeter in real-time; and interoperability with other systems. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
16 Jun 18. Contract Imminent for Unmanned Carrier-Based Tanker Program.
A program that could revolutionize maritime warfare is about to enter its next phase as the Navy moves to launch unmanned tankers off of aircraft carriers within the next decade. Once fielded, the MQ-25 Stingray will provide the service with a “robust, organic refueling capability to make better use of Navy combat strike fighters and extend the range of the carrier air wing with an increased fuel offload capability,” Capt. Chad Reed, unmanned carrier aviation program manager told National Defense in an email. Naval Air Systems Command is expected to award a fixed-price engineering, manufacturing and development contract to one of three competitors for the program — Boeing, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems or Lockheed Martin — by the end of this summer, less than a year after proposals were submitted. The Navy plans to buy 76 aircraft, including four EMD systems to be procured across the service’s five-year budget plan. Initial operating capability is currently expected in the mid-2020s.
The Stingray program comes on the heels of an earlier initiative to develop the unmanned carrier-launched airborne surveillance and strike, or UCLASS aircraft. That project was restructured in 2016 as stakeholders failed to agree on mission requirements. The Navy then settled on the current unmanned carrier aviation concept and dubbed the program MQ-25.
Boeing is offering a clean-sheet design that leverages the research and development that went into the UCLASS program, said Donald “BD” Gaddis, MQ-25 director at the company.
The prototype is ready to fly, company officials said at a recent media event at Boeing’s facilities in St. Louis. It is designed to carry a 330-gallon fuel tank and a Cobham air refueling pod. Boeing has selected Rolls Royce’s AE 3007 engine for the airplane, which is already installed on the Air Force’s RQ-4 Global Hawk and the Navy’s MQ-4C Triton unmanned aerial systems, Gaddis said.
Boeing invested its own money into the “T-1” flying prototype to reduce risk up front, he noted. “Normally you’re talking about risk reduction for your [low-rate initial production] planes,” he said. “We have pushed that whole value equation way, way to the left.”
The company began building the airplane in 2012 for its UCLASS proposal, and revealed it in 2014 as part of the preliminary design review stage of the program. Once the requirements morphed, “this prototype was right in the wheelhouse,” Gaddis said.
General Atomics opted to go with a clean-sheet design for the MQ-25 that is similar to the company’s Avenger developmental unmanned aerial system, said Rob Walker, senior director of marketing for the company.
“MQ-25 requirements are significantly different than UCLASS and we believe that a clean-sheet design makes the most sense,” he said in an email. The company capitalized on past lessons learned from its experience as a leading global manufacturer for large unmanned aerial vehicles, including the MQ-1 Predator and the MQ-9 Reaper, Walker noted.
The system will include Pratt & Whitney’s PW815 engine. UTC Aerospace Systems will design and build the landing gear, while United Kingdom-based GKN Aerospace’s Fokker Technologies will provide the arresting hook, according to General Atomics. L3 Technologies will supply the communications systems, while BAE Systems will provide software capabilities including mission planning and cybersecurity. Rockwell Collins will deliver advanced navigation technologies and a new generation of the TruNet ARC-210 airborne radio, and Boeing Autonomous Systems will provide “aviation and autonomous experience.”
Lockheed Martin designed a clean-sheet “flying wing” aircraft for the competition.
The company initially tried to derive a platform based on its UCLASS configuration, said Rob Weiss, former vice president and general manager of the company’s Skunk Works advanced development programs division. Weiss stepped down as the head of Skunk Works in March in anticipation of his retirement at the end of 2018. Jeff Babione, former executive vice president and general manager for the F-35 program, was named as his successor.
“Frankly, we were not satisfied with what we got,” Weiss told reporters at a recent conference in National Harbor, Maryland. After several design attempts with wing-body-tail configurations, the team turned back to the flying wing model from the UCLASS days, this time with “a completely clean-sheet approach,” he added.
Lockheed Martin has assembled a supplier team to include Triumph Aerostructures, which will lead the design and manufacturing of the internal structure, and United Technologies Aerospace Systems, which provided the landing gear for the F-35 and will do the same for the MQ-25. The company’s Stingray submission includes General Electric’s F404 engine.
Weiss noted that Navy requirements call for the unmanned tanker aircraft to use Raytheon’s joint precision approach and landing system, which is currently only installed on Lockheed’s joint strike fighter.
Each design offering reflects a different interpretation of the MQ-25 mission concept, but all should meet the Navy’s requirements for the program, said Bryan Clark, a senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments in Washington, D.C.
General Atomics’ submission is likely to have enhanced payload capacity, he noted. Lockheed Martin’s offering, on the other hand, could be more easily adapted for stealthy missions, should the Navy decide over time to transition a number of the aircraft into a strike role.
“There is a trade space that the Navy will have to think about. … The question will be, do you favor just carrying more fuel overall, or do you favor being able to deliver fuel at efficient speeds, or do you favor the potential for being able to do other missions maybe more effectively because you’re stealthier by design?” he said.
The Navy is pushing to award a contract more quickly than is typical, said Gaddis, a retired Navy flag officer who served as the program executive officer for tactical airplanes.
“Normally it takes NAVAIR about 18 months to do a source selection like this,” he said. “They’re going to do it in six months.” (Source: glstrade.com/National Defense)
16 Jun 18. 14 companies will compete for a share of this $7.5bn DISA contract. The Defense Systems Information Agency will allow 14 large corporations to compete for IT business worth as much as $7.5bn over the next decade. The indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contract is for the Systems Engineering Technology and Innovation (SETI) program. The $7.5bn, unrestricted pool contract seeks to streamline critical engineering expertise to research, design, develop, integrate, and optimize Department of Defense information technology capabilities, systems, and solutions, the agency said.
DISA said it the program is “designed for current and future mission requirements, next-generation technological advancements, and disruptive innovation that looks to create paradigm shifts in the ways warfighters interact with DOD’s information technology.”
The companies that can win task orders include: AASKI Technology, Inc., Accenture Federal Services, BAE Systems, Booz Allen Hamilton, Inc., Deloitte Consulting, LLP, Peraton, Inc. (formerly Harris Corp.), IBM, KeyW Corp., Leidos Innovations Corp., Linquest Corp., NES Associates, LLC, Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Parsons Government Services, Inc., and Vencore, Inc.
Thirty-five companies had bid for the work, the agency said.
According to former DISA director, Lt. Gen. Alan Lynn, SETI will provide “an overarching approach for fulfilling requirements for developmental IT and engineering support services across the department.”
DISA said it expects to award a separate, small business pool in the fourth quarter fiscal 2018. (Source: Defense News Early Bird/C4ISR & Networks)
REST OF THE WORLD
21 Jun 18. The latest round of innovation contracts have been awarded to Australian industry, with the Australian Army partnering with the Defence Innovation Hub to support three new contracts.
Minister for Defence Industry Christopher Pyne announced the three Defence Innovation Hub contracts have a combined value of $2.2m.
The first contract, valued at $1.04m and awarded to DefendTex, is to explore the development of a light weight, modular shotgun system. If successful, this technology could deliver a considerable capability improvement in shotgun capability.
The second contract, also awarded to DefendTex, is valued at $957,000 and will explore the development of a low profile body armour for potential use in combat operations.
DefendTex is one of the founding company members of the first Defence Co-operative Research Centre (CRC) for Trusted Autonomous Systems and has also collaborated with the DST Group, the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, Flinders University and Cranfield University in the UK to develop new technologies around the safety and performance of explosives.
The Victorian company is also working with the DST Group for research into energetic materials and systems relating to weapons delivery systems and rocket propellants, and has recently celebrated a milestone with UNSW Canberra with the launch of a prototype combustor that enables hypersonic flight.
The Defence Innovation Hub also awarded a contract to Thales Australia, valued at $227,000, to explore development of an innovative optics system for use with the current in-service enhanced F88 rifle to provide enhanced targeting capability and shooter accuracy on operations.
The contracts were selected as part of Army Innovation Day 2017, utilising the new Special Notice platform managed by the Defence Innovation Hub. Special Notices allows capability managers to call for industry and research organisations to submit proposals in response to specific capability challenges.
Minister Pyne said it is encouraging to see the Defence Innovation Hub, the Australian Army and local industry partners working together to develop innovative solutions to enhance Defence capability.
“These contracts support the development of innovative solutions to challenges of novel weapons and novel effects in a combined arms team in a joint environment,” the minister said.
Special Notices will be advertised on the Defence Innovation Portal as they arise. (Source: Defence Connect)
21 Jun 18. Taiwan urged to overhaul IP rules to support US defence trade ties. Key Points:
- Protection of IP and trade secrets regarded as challenges to deepening US-Taiwan defence trade and industry co-operation
- President of the US Taiwan Business Council calls for an “entire new architecture” to support defence trade between the two countries
The President of the US Taiwan Business Council has highlighted a requirement in Taipei to overhaul intellectual property (IP) and security clearance regulations in order to support deeper defence trade and related industrial collaboration between the two countries.
Rupert Hammond-Chambers told Jane’s on 21 June that the protection of IP and trade secrets was regarded as a major challenge for the two countries as they seek to engage on major Taiwan defence procurement programmes – including the development of an advanced jet trainer aircraft (AJT) and a diesel-electric submarine – as well as potential supply chain opportunities. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
21 Jun 18. Philippines moves ahead with ‘second horizon’ modernisation. Key Points:
- President approves USD5.6bn modernisation programme
- Requirements include accelerated submarine procurement
Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte has given approval to the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to progress plans to procure a wide range of defence equipment under its ‘second horizon’ modernisation programme, which runs 2018–2022.
The state-run Philippines News Agency (PNA) reported on 20 June that the second horizon programme has been allocated “roughly PHP300bn” (USD5.6bn) and includes the procurement of a range of tactical military platforms including multirole combat aircraft and diesel–electric submarines.
Department of National Defense (DND) spokesman Arsenio Andolong was quoted by the PNA as saying Duterte has approved the funding programme, which also encompasses an accelerated schedule for the submarine procurement. This was originally scheduled for the 2023–2027 third horizon but has now been moved forward, said Andolong. “This is not included in horizon three any more,” he said. “It has been pushed into horizon two [and the procurement] must be studied.”
While Andolong did not state the reason for the shift in schedules, Philippine Navy (PN) officials have confirmed to Jane’s a need to accelerate the submarine procurement given the growing trend in Southeast Asia to boost subsurface warfare capability as part of efforts to secure offshore territory.
PN officials have said the service requires at least two submarines and that the procurement was initiated in 2015 through the issue of a preliminary request for information (RFI). The PN has also established a submarine office that, as part of planning processes, is reviewing contemporary submarine designs and drawing up a concept of operations. Philippine Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana also confirmed in 2017 that the Russian-made Kilo-class submarine was one platform under consideration. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
20 Jun 18. Australian Industry consultation for LAND 400 Phase 3 commences. As the government and Rheinmetall work towards finalising contracts for the LAND 400 Phase 2 project, Defence is now seeking input from Australian industry on the proposed tender timeline for LAND 400 Phase 3, which will see the Army acquire new infantry fighting vehicles.
The acquisition of mounted close combat vehicle capability through the LAND 400 Phase 3 tender will be one of Army’s largest purchases.
Minister for Defence Industry Christopher Pyne said consulting on the draft timeline would allow for a smoother and better informed tender process, reducing the cost of tendering to industry.
“Just as with the Phase 2 combat reconnaissance vehicles, Australian industry involvement and Australian workers will be critically important to this project,” Minister Pyne said.
“This project is another exciting opportunity for Australian industry to deliver leading-edge technology in support of the Army.”
Minister for Defence Marise Payne said the government was committed to investing in advanced vehicles that are better equipped to meet the range of current and emerging threats, which are becoming more lethal and sophisticated.
“This multibillion-dollar project will replace Army’s M113 armoured personnel carriers with a fleet of up to 450 modern infantry fighting vehicles and 17 manoeuvre support vehicles,” Minister Payne said.
“These will provide new levels of protection, firepower, mobility and enhanced communications. The new vehicles are expected to enter into service by the mid-2020s.
“The proposed tender timeline identifies key milestones in the tender evaluation. We welcome industry’s feedback on the timeline to better enable both industry and defence to plan for this significant boost to capability.”
The government provided first pass approval for LAND 400 Phase 3 on 13 March 2018 to acquire the infantry fighting vehicle and manoeuvre support vehicle capabilities.
Rheinmetall, which secured the LAND 400 Phase 2 project earlier this year and will build over 100 combat reconnaissance vehicles in Queensland, recently unveiled its Lynx KF41 infantry fighting vehicle, which it will offer for the LAND 400 Phase 3 project.
The opportunity to review and comment on the timeline will remain available until Monday, 9 July 2018 and can be viewed here. (Source: Defence Connect)
18 Jun 18. Saab and Damen announce partnership for the Tamandaré Class Corvette. Saab and Damen Schelde Naval Shipbuilding have come together to compete for the project that will supply four Tamandaré Class Corvettes (CCT) for the Brazilian Navy. The companies are world-leading in the development of naval solutions. Saab will provide, in case the partners’ proposal is chosen by the Brazilian Navy, the complete combat system including the world leading Saab 9LV Combat Management System (CMS). The Saab 9LV is the most modern and proven open architecture CMS on the market today, known for its flexibility and easy integration of third-party modules as well as high performance mission equipment. The 9LV is based on experience from more than 300 successfully delivered systems, used by navies from several countries.
Damen will be responsible for supplying the ship Sigma 10514, an off-the-shelf product that will be adapted according to the requirements of the client.
This project is proposing a large technology transfer programme, in addition to partnerships with local companies, benefiting the Brazilian defence industry. The companies are ready to prove to the Brazilian Navy that they are reliable as long-term partners, because this is part of the business culture of these companies.
“Saab is looking forward to the cooperation with Damen and the local partners for the CCT programme. We believe our proposal meets the requirements of the Brazilian Navy and offers the added value of industrial cooperation and transfer of technology that are intrinsic to Saab’s way of doing business, says Marianna Silva, Head of Saab do Brasil.
“We at Damen appreciate the increasingly important task of the Brazilian Navy to safeguard the maritime domain against its existent and future threats and challenges. We are looking forward to participate in a constructive way in this process”, says Mr. Richard Keulen, Director Naval Sales of Damen. “We also are confident that our product will integrate perfectly with those of Saab”.
18 Jun 18. Australia invites proposals from SMEs for UAS protection technologies. The Australian Department of Defence has invited the country’s small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to submit proposals for new technologies to protect unmanned aerial systems (UAS).
The new technologies are proposed to be developed to protect Australia’s small, fixed-wing UAS by making them more difficult to be detected.
Australian Defence Industry Minister Christopher Pyne said: “Australian SMEs are great innovators and we want them to put forward innovative concepts to protect our UAS from being readily seen or heard in different environmental conditions.
“Defence is looking for outcomes to reduce both the visual and acoustic detection of UAS from ground-based observation without disrupting the operation of the aircraft.”
The autonomous aircraft are used for intelligence gathering, surveillance and reconnaissance, particularly in situations where operating manned flights might prove to be risky.
Proposals for the development of the advanced technologies are being invited under the Small Business Innovation Research for Defence (SBIRD) initiative, which is part of the Next Generation Technologies Fund.
Pyne added: “This programme is designed to stimulate innovative research for defence application by SMEs, with this being the first project under the initiative requiring a novel application of material sciences and advanced sensors.”
Funded proposals will be eligible to receive up to $100,000 and must be completed within nine months. Successful SMEs will be eligible to apply for a maximum of $750,000 funding to support further research and concept maturation within 24 months. (Source: airforce-technology.com)
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American Panel Corporation
American Panel Corporation (APC) since 1998, specializes in display products installed in defence land systems, as well as military and commercial aerospace platforms, having delivered well over 100,000 displays worldwide. Military aviators worldwide operate their aircraft and perform their missions using APC displays, including F-22, F-18, F-16, F-15, Euro-fighter Typhoon, Mirage 2000, C-130, C-17, P-3, S-3, U-2, AH-64 Apache Helicopter, V-22 tilt-rotor, as well as numerous other military and commercial aviation aircraft including Boeing 717 – 787 aircraft and several Airbus aircraft. APC panels are found in nearly every tactical aircraft in the US and around the world.
APC manufactures the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Large Area Display (LAD) display (20 inch by 8 inch) with dual pixel fields, power and video interfaces to provide complete display redundancy. At DSEI 2017 we are exhibiting the LAD with a more advanced design, dual display on single substrate with redundant characteristics and a bespoke purpose 8 inch by 6 inch armoured vehicle display.
In order to fully meet the demanding environmental and optical requirements without sacrificing critical tradeoffs in performance, APC designs, develops and manufactures these highly specialized displays in multiple sizes and configurations, controlling all AMLCD optical panel, mechanical and electrical design aspects. APC provides both ITAR and non-ITAR displays across the globe to OEM Prime and tiered vetronics and avionics integrators.
————————————————————————-CONTRACT NEWS IN BRIEF
UNITED KINGDOM
SEA
21 Jun 18. Prodrive Composites has fast-tracked a Design to Manufacture development programme for the Ministry of Defence (MOD). Within a very tight and critical time frame, the business helped deliver an Urgent Operational Requirement for HMS Diamond that optimised the positioning of the ship’s close defence ballistic protection structures. The upgraded protective mounting incorporated a bespoke composite design to withstand aggressive environments and sea conditions and fits within existing packaging space. Having met all technical requirements and undergone sea trials, this system has also been installed to HMS Dragon and HMS Duncan, the Royal Navy’s most modern operational warship. Prodrive Composites completed all CAD work and tool design, component design, validation, manufacture and installation. “The ability to complete each stage in-house provided the platform to significantly streamline the development process,” continues Roberts. “This significantly improved our ability to concurrently engineer each element of the project. Ensuring the Royal Navy’s fleet was operational in the shortest possible time frame. During the programme, Prodrive Composites worked closely with T45 COM, the Maritime Commissioning and Testing Authority (MCTA), and Royal Navy staff. Project requirements included the ability to control aggressive operational characteristics and to conform to World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) sea state code level 6, which controls conformance against very rough conditions with a wave height of up to six metres.
EUROPE
LAND
21 Jun 18. Elbit Systems Ltd. (NASDAQ:ESLT and TASE: ESLT) (“Elbit Systems” or “the Company”) announced today that it was awarded an approximately $17m contract from a European country to supply a range of advanced ground-based Electronic Warfare (EW) and Signal Intelligence (SIGINT) systems. The contract will be performed over a two-year period.
19 Jun 18. Hensoldt to deliver IFF testers to France. Hensoldt has received a contract to deliver 130 BTI1000I Identification-Friend-or-Foe (IFF) testers to the French armed forces. The testers, compatible with the military and civilian Mark XIIAS standard, will ensure the correct performance of identification systems onboard the French military’s aircraft and ships. Hensoldt’s BTI1000I IFF testers were qualified by the French Defence Procurement Agency in 2017. The testers are used to make sure that IFF systems are working correctly before a military aircraft or ship is deployed for a mission. Also called secondary surveillance radars, IFF systems correctly identify ships and aircraft by automatically sending interrogation signals which are answered by transponders on-board friendly aircraft or ships. In this way, IFF enables field commanders to quickly differentiate friendly from hostile forces, and avoid friendly fire incidents. (Source: Shephard)
15 Jun 18. Italy orders L3’s fusion night vision goggles. L3 Warrior Sensor Systems has been selected by the Italian Ministry of Defence to provide fusion night vision goggles as a part of the country’s soldier modernisation programme, the company announced on 11 June. Fusion technology enables soldiers to switch from a thermal visual display to a traditional image-intensified display, or a combination of the two, without changing or adding a clip-on component to their goggle. L3 Warrior Sensor Systems’ suite of fusion technology includes the Fusion Goggle System, the Fusion Goggle Enhanced and the Enhanced Night Vision Goggle. Italy is the ninth NATO country to purchase L3’s fusion technology. (Source: Shephard)
21 Jun 18. Lockheed Martin Missile and Fire Control, Dallas, Texas, was awarded a $364,637,120 firm-fixed-price domestic and foreign military sales (Romania) contract for Army Tactical Missile Guided Missile and Launching Assembly Service Life Extension program. One bid was solicited with one bid received. Work will be performed in Dallas, Texas; Lufkin, Texas; Camden, Arizona; Vergennes, Vermont; Boulder, Colorado; Middletown, Connecticut; Clearwater, Florida; St. Louis, Missouri; Joplin, Missouri; and Cincinnati, Ohio; with an estimated completion date of March 26, 2020. Fiscal 2017 and 2018 research, development, test and evaluation; foreign military sales; overseas contingency operation; and aircraft procurement (Army) funds in the combined amount of $145,854,848 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity (W31P4Q-18-C-0078).
SEA
21 Jun 18. ATLAS ELEKTRONIK and Thales Deutschland have jointly been commissioned to deliver the combat system of the German Class K130 Corvette. The order comprises 5 corvettes as well as the Test and Training Centre (EZ/BUZ) in Wilhelmshaven. With completion scheduled for 2025, the “FüWES K130” consortium formed by the two companies and led by ATLAS ELEKTRONIK will deliver the combat system hardware and also adapt and update the existing Combat Management System software of the K130, first batch (ship 1-5). The contracted solution for Ship 6-10 is identical to the original contract (2003) for the K130, first batch. In line with the re-build requirement, changes in the solution are only related to obsolescence and compliancy with German regulations. Regulations regarding Safety and IT Security are significantly aggravated since commissioning the first batch of corvettes. Although the industrial situation has changed over the past years, the existing K130 combat system knowledge is preserved within the companies concerned. For this reason, ATLAS ELEKTRONIK will remain responsible for the operational software and Thales will remain responsible for an IT secure combat system infrastructure.
20 Jun 18. Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace AS (KONGSBERG) has entered into contract with the Norwegian Defence Materiel Agency worth 220m NOK for a cooperation agreement on the Naval Strike Missile (NSM). The Norwegian Government announced February 2017 the Strategic Cooperation with Germany for acquisition of new submarines, where Germany intends to acquire NSM for their Navy. Norway and Germany will cooperate in a long-term evolution of the NSM for their vessels. This contract is the first phase in this cooperation and has a duration of one year. (Source: ASD Network)
21 Jun 18. Leonardo to Supply the Next-Generation Black Shark Advanced Torpedo to the Italian Navy. Leonardo will supply Black Shark Advanced (BSA) torpedoes and associated logistic support services to equip the Italian Navy’s U212A 2nd Series submarines. The new equipment will significantly increase the Anti-Submarine Warfare capability of the Navy.
The Black Shark Advanced is an evolution of the Black Shark heavy torpedo, already acquired by many countries including Chile, Indonesia, Malaysia, Portugal and Singapore.
This latest version integrates an innovative energy production section that can be optimised, according to the use of the system, for training or operational purposes. When the BSA is used for training activities, a newly developed rechargeable battery is used that allows a higher number of launches – up to one hundred – compared to that of previous versions, providing significant cost savings. In the operational configuration, the BSA is equipped with an innovative battery that ensures an increase in capabilities and performance. The new solution also delivers a significant reduction in life cycle costs. Made in Italy at Leonardo’s Livorno plant, the Black Shark Advanced torpedo is an example of national excellence in the underwater defence sector and is the result of extensive and successful collaboration between the Italian Navy and industry. (Source: ASD Network)
USA
LAND
19 Jun 18. The U.S. Marine Corps has awarded BAE Systems a $198m contract to deliver an initial 30 Amphibious Combat Vehicles (ACV), with options for a total of 204 vehicles which could be worth up to $1.2bn. BAE Systems, along with teammate Iveco Defence Vehicles, prevailed in the Marine Corps’ robust competition for the next generation of vehicles to get the Marines from ship to shore to engage in land combat operations. Work on the program will be performed at the company’s facilities in Aiken, South Carolina; Sterling Heights, Michigan; Minneapolis; Stafford; San Jose, California; and York, Pennsylvania.
15 Jun 18. DRS Sustainment Systems Inc., was awarded a $192,517,762 fixed-price-incentive contract for procurement of Abrams Active Protection systems, sets of countermeasures, calibration/maintenance kits for the Abrams M1A2 System Enhancement program version 2. One bid was solicited with one bid received. Work will be performed in St. Louis, Missouri, with an estimated completion date of March 31, 2020. Fiscal 2018 other procurement (Army); and research, development, test and evaluation funds in the combined amount of $85,843,574 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Warren, Michigan, is the contracting activity (W56HZV-18-C-0131).
21 Jun 18. General Dynamics Land Systems, Sterling Heights, Michigan, was awarded a $258,631,225 modification (0002 01) to contract W56HZV-17-D-B020 for the upgrade of Stryker flat bottom vehicles to the double V-hull configuration. Work will be performed in Sterling Heights, Michigan, with an estimated completion date of March 31, 2020. Fiscal 2018 procurement of weapons and tracked combat vehicles funds in the amount of $258,631,225 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Warren, Michigan, is the contracting activity.
20 Jun 18. General Dynamics Land Systems, Sterling Heights, Michigan, was awarded a $68,598,360 modification (0002) to contract W56HZV-17-D-B020 for the upgrade of Stryker flat bottom vehicles to the double V-hull configuration. Work will be performed in Sterling Heights, Michigan, with an estimated completion date of March 31, 2020. Fiscal 2017 Army procurement of weapons and tracked combat vehicles funds in the amount of $68,598,360 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Warren, Michigan, is the contracting activity.
18 Jun 18. Harris Corp., Lynchburg, Virginia (W52P2J-18-D-0008); Motorola Solutions Inc., Linthicum Heights, Maryland (W52P1J-18-D-0009); Icom America Inc., Kirkland, Washington (W52P1J-18-D-0010); E.F. Johnson Co., Irving, Texas (W52P1J-18-D-0011); and Relm Communications Inc.,* Melbourne, Florida (W52P1J-18-D-0012), will compete for each order of the $495,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for land mobile radio supplies and services. Bids were solicited via the Internet with five received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of June 17, 2023. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Rock Island Arsenal, Illinois, is the contracting activity.
21 Jun 18. L3 Technologies Inc., Londonderry, New Hampshire (W91CRB-18-D-0007); and Optics 1 Inc., Bedford, New Hampshire (W91CRB-18-D-0008), will compete for each order of the $236,019,734 firm-fixed-price contract for the Small Tactical Optical Rifle Mounted Micro-Laser Range Finder. Bids were solicited via the Internet with two received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of June 20, 2025. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, is the contracting activity.
18 Jun 18. L3 Technologies (NYSE:LLL) announced today that it has been awarded a three-year, $391m contract from the U.S. Army Contracting Command to provide soldiers with true next-generation Binocular Night Vision Goggles that improve mobility, targeting and maneuverability for ground forces. The Enhanced Night Vision Goggle – Binocular (ENVG-B) includes L3’s high-performance white phosphor image intensification technology in a dual-tube goggle, as well as a separate thermal channel for image fusion and thermal target detection. This technology will increase the ability to locate and engage threats, and access common operating environment imagery. The ENVG-B will also include a new high-resolution display and an embedded soldier wireless personal area network, rapid target acquisition and augmented reality algorithms to interface with the U.S. Army’s Nett Warrior. The complete system will interface with the Army’s next-generation family of weapon sights, while enhancing interoperability and data sharing. (Source: BUSINESS WIRE)
15 Jun 18. Oshkosh Defense LLC, Oshkosh, Wisconsin, was awarded an $18,320,175 modification (0032) to contract W56HZV-15-D-0031 for Family of Heavy Tactical Vehicles recapitalized guided missile transport trucks (M985E1A4); recapitalized load handling system trucks (M1120A4); new palletized load system trucks (M1074A1); and new palletized load system trailers (M1076A0). Work will be performed in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, with an estimated completion date of Jan. 31, 2020. Fiscal 2016, 2017 and 2018 other procurement (Army) funds in the amount of $18,320,175 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Warren, Michigan, is the contracting activity.
15 Jun 18. Raytheon Missile Systems, Tucson, Arizona, was awarded a $93,657,284 modification (P00085) to contract W15QKN-08-C-0530 for Excalibur 155mm projectiles. Work will be performed in Tucson, Arizona; McAlester, Oklahoma; Farmington, New Mexico; East Camden, Arizona; Healdsburg, California; Cincinnati, Ohio; Cedar Rapids, Iowa; Joplin, Missouri; Lansdale, Pennsylvania; Karlskoga, Sweden; South Plymouth, United Kingdom; Glenrothes, United Kingdom; Gilbert, Arizona; and Santa Ana, California; with an estimated completion date of Sept. 30, 2020. Fiscal 2018 other procurement (Army) funds in the amount of $93,657,284 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, New Jersey, is the contracting activity.
21 Jun 18. The U.S. Army Contracting Command has selected Raytheon’s (NYSE: RTN) Intelligence, Information and Services business as one of the contractors for the Enterprise Training Services Contract, known as ETSC. The multi-award indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contract is valued up to $2.4bn over five years. Under the contract, Raytheon will provide training services in support of the U.S. Army and its security cooperation mission for individuals, units, crew and collective training, from platoon through Joint Task Force levels.
21 Jun 18. Viasat Inc. (NASDAQ: VSAT), a global communications company, announced it was awarded an Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (ID/IQ) contract in May 2018, worth up to $42m by the United States Air Force (USAF) for the purchase of supplemental units, maintenance and support services for Viasat’s AN/USQ-140(V) Multifunctional Information Distribution Systems (MIDS) Low Volume Terminals (LVT). MIDS-LVT units are part of a tactical Link 16 radio communications system that provides warfighters greater situational awareness by exchanging digital data over a common communication link. Link 16 is continuously and automatically updated in real-time, reducing the chance of fratricide or duplicate assignments, while increasing mission effectiveness. Under the ID/IQ contract, the USAF has the ability to quickly provide global defense forces with Viasat’s AN/USQ-140(V) terminal, which will provide assured, real-time, jam-resistant secure transmission of data, voice and position and location information between geographically dispersed military forces operating across the battlespace. The MIDS-LVT units are recognized for enhancing mission effectiveness and improving warfighter safety. Today, Viasat currently has over 3,500 MIDS-LVT terminals fielded to 20 customers worldwide. Under the ID/IQ contract, Domestic and FMS customers will place orders for depot repairs and returns. Work will be performed in Carlsbad, California, and is expected to be complete by March 29, 2023. This award is the result of a sole-source acquisition. Air Force Sustainment Center, Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, is the contracting activity (FA8539-18-D-0002).
AIR
18 Jun 18. DynCorp International LLC, Fort Worth, Texas is being awarded a $21,744,426 modification (P00085) on an existing firm-fixed-price contract (FA7014-11-C-0018) for the Very Important Person Special Air Mission contract. This contract provides the following services aircraft maintenance, base supply and fuels in support of aircraft assigned to the 11th Wing and 89th Wing at Joint Base Andrews-Naval Air Facility Washington. This modification exercises the last option period 7, Sept. 1, 2018, to Dec. 31, 2018. Total cumulative value is estimated at $455,092,644. The 11th Contracting Squadron, Services Flight, Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, is the contracting activity.
22 Jun 18. The U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has awarded LiquidPiston Inc., an advanced internal combustion engine technology company, an additional $2.5m to continue development of its 30kW X4 rotary diesel engine prototype, bringing DARPA’s total funding of the engine technology to $6m. LiquidPiston received this award after meeting the objectives for Phase I of the program, which had focused on the clean sheet design of the X4, and demonstrating the structural integrity of the new engine platform while operating under compression ignition of diesel fuel. The objectives for the $2.5m phase II of the program are demonstrating 30kW of power and reaching 45% net indicated fuel efficiency from the .75L X4 prototype. Development will be executed at LiquidPiston’s state-of-the-art dynamometer & engineering test facility in Connecticut. Phase II also lays a foundation for future work. When development of the fully packaged engine is complete, the 30kW X4 engine is expected to weigh just 30lbs and fit into a 10” box, while achieving 45% brake thermal efficiency – approximately an order of magnitude smaller and lighter than traditional piston diesel engines, and also 30% more efficient. The efficient, lightweight, and powerful rotary Diesel/JP-8 X4 engine offers a disruptive power solution for direct as well as hybrid electric propulsion and power generation. (Source: UAS VISION)
15 Jun 18. Lockheed Martin Corp., Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is awarded $503,228,000 for a not-to-exceed modification to a previously issued firm-fixed-price delivery order 0584 placed against basic ordering agreement (N00019-14-G-0020). This modification provides for air vehicle initial spares, to include F-35Lightning II deployment spares packages, afloat spares packages, and associated consumables required to support the air vehicle delivery schedules for the Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, and non-Department of Defense (DoD) participants. Work will be performed in Fort Worth, Texas (24.4 percent); El Segundo, California (9.1 percent); Owego, New York (8.6 percent); Samlesbury, United Kingdom (7.2 percent); Cheltenham, United Kingdom (6.2 percent); Nashua, New Hampshire (5.8 percent); Torrance, California (5.5 percent); Orlando, Florida (4.9 percent); Cedar Rapids, Iowa (3.7 percent); San Diego, California (3.6 percent); Phoenix, Arizona (3.1 percent); Melbourne, Florida (3.1 percent); Irvine, California (2.5 percent); N. Amityville, New York (2.4 percent); Windsor Locks, Connecticut (2.2 percent); Baltimore, Maryland (2.2 percent); Papendrect, The Netherlands (1.9 percent); Rolling Meadows, Illinois (1.8 percent); and Alpharetta, Georgia (1.8 percent), and is expected to be completed in December 2023. Fiscal 2018 aircraft procurement (Air Force, Marine Corps and Navy) and non-DoD participant funds in the amount of $503,228,000 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This modification combines purchases for the Air Force ($106,506,000; 21 percent); Marine Corps ($91,695,000; 18 percent); Navy ($68,190,000; 14 percent); and non-DoD participants ($236,837,000; 47 percent). The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity.
15 Jun 18. Marvin Engineering Co., Inglewood, California, has been awarded a $126,559,670 firm-fixed-price supply contract for 1,450 guided missile launchers and 925 sub-assembly components as follows, launcher guided missile-LAU-129/128 and launcher sub-assembly component used for F-15s, F-16s and Navy F-18s AIM-120 missile systems. Work will be performed in Inglewood, California, and is expected to be completed by May 28, 2023. This contract involves foreign military sales and is the result of a competitive acquisition, with one offer received. Fiscal 2018 defense capital working funds in the amount of $3,493,776 is being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, is the contracting activity (FA8554-18-D-0008).
TECHNOLOGY
15 Jun 18. DISA awards $7.5bn SETI contract. Fourteen companies have won positions on the full-and-open portion of a potential 10-year, $7.5bn contract for systems engineering and technical services to the Defense Information Services Agency. DISA received 35 total bids for this unrestricted piece of the Systems Engineering, Technology and Innovation contract vehicle also known as “SETI.” The Defense Department said in its Thursday awards digest that DISA will separately award the small business track at a later date. SETI is a brand new requirement and was awarded on a best-value tradeoff basis. The contract is intended as a more flexible and innovative, higher-end complement to DISA’s $17.5bn Encore 3 commodity IT services vehicle that was awarded as low-price, technically acceptable.
Awardees for SETI are:
- AASKI Technology
- Accenture Federal Services
- BAE Systems Inc.
- Booz Allen Hamilton
- Deloitte
- IBM
- KeyW Corp.
- Leidos
- Linquest
- NES Associates (acquired by CSRA, which is now part of General Dynamics)
- Northrop Grumman
- Parsons
- Peraton
- Vencore (now part of Perspecta)
AASKI, Booz Allen, Leidos and General Dynamics through its CSRA acquisition are on both SETI and Encore 3. The SETI contract has a five-year base period followed by a single five-year option. (Source: Defense Systems)
REST OF THE WORLD
LAND
21 Jun 18. General Dynamics – OTS Inc., Williston, Vermont, was awarded a $149,163,995 modification (P00094) to foreign military sales (Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, Kenya, Jordan, Nigeria and Qatar) contract W31P4Q-14-C-0154 for the procurement of various quantities of M151, M274, M257, M278, M156, M264, M278, and WTU-1/B, rockets, warheads, motors and, or, associated components. Work will be performed in Williston, Vermont; and Hampton, Arizona, with an estimated completion date of Feb. 28, 2021. Fiscal 2016, 2017 and 2018 other procurement (Army) funds in the amount of $149,163,995 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity.
21 Jun 18. General Dynamics European Land Systems has signed a contract with the Brazilian Army Commission for the production and delivery of its Improved Ribbon Bridge (IRB). In addition to the Improved Ribbon Bridge, the company will deliver trucks, bridge adapter pallets, a bridge erection boat, as well as Integrated Logistics Support (ILS). Delivery of the first system is scheduled for 2019. The Brazilian Army is an existing user of the company’s Floating Support Bridge (FSB). The FSB and IRB systems are interoperable and offer key capabilities for armed forces
worldwide. The Improved Ribbon Bridge can be operated as a multi-bay ferry as well as a floating bridge. It provides wide wet-gap crossing capability for loads up to MLC80 Tracked/96 Wheeled.
SEA
20 Jun 18. The Canadian Forces have awarded Rheinmetall an important follow-on contract. The Canadian Navy plans to expand the MASS countermeasure systems installed on its Halifax-class frigates. The order is worth about CAD20m (€12m). MASS (Multi Ammunition Softkill System) is an automated decoy system that protects surface combatants from advanced anti-ship missiles. Scheduled to run for four years (2018-2022), the project will be carried out in close cooperation between Rheinmetall’s Fronau plant in Bavaria and Rheinmetall Canada Inc. in Québec. The Canadian procurement authorities have given a green light to the project, with €6m each to go to Fronau and Rheinmetall Canada. During the course of the upgrade, the twin-launcher systems already installed on Canada’s Halifax-class frigates will be transformed into triple launcher systems. The necessary subassemblies and individual parts for the MASS systems will first be shipped to Rheinmetall Canada, where they will be assembled and commissioned prior to being installed onboard. Back in 2009, Canada contracted with Rheinmetall to equip its twelve Halifax-class frigates with MASS. The Canadian forces also ordered the accompanying Omnitrap and MASS-Dueras decoy ammunition from Rheinmetall.
MASS – and the accompanying special ammunition – is a decoy-launching system developed at Rheinmetall’s Fronau plant, specifically designed to counter the threat from anti-ship missiles. It can be installed in surface combatants of all types, integrated into existing command and weapon engagement systems or operated as a standalone system. The navies of thirteen nations now deploy a total of 224 MASS launchers to protect their ships primarily from radar-guided anti-ship missiles but also from infrared threats and rocket-propelled grenades in asymmetric threat scenarios. Rheinmetall recently unveiled two technical advances that confirm once again the product’s operational versatility. MASS OCR (standing for “offboard corner reflector”) uses a special radar signature to replicate the silhouette of the ship at a safe standoff, reliably luring the latest generation of anti-ship missiles away from their intended target. Equipped with its own special sensor unit, the MASS standalone version is ideal for modernizing major surface combatants and smaller craft. The system is capable of quickly detecting a missile threat, radar and laser target markers or a laser rangefinder measurement, and then taking the necessary action to thwart it – fully automatically. The countermeasures initiated by the system generate a decoy target, which the incoming missile then interprets to be a higher-value asset, ultimately causing the projectile to veer off course. MASS initiates these countermeasures autonomously, taking into account wind and the ship’s navigation data as well as information concerning the nature of the threat. This important order underscores once again Rheinmetall’s preeminent role in the field of force protection, while simultaneously expanding MASS’s global market lead.
AIR
21 Jun 18. Kuwait to get Super Hornet simulators. Kuwait is set to receive two tactical operational flight trainers (TOFTs) for the Boeing F/A-18E/F Block III Super Hornet multirole fighters that it has ordered, according to a notice released on the US Federal Business Opportunities website on 18 June. The notice said Boeing will supply one legacy TOFT that has been modified for the Super Hornet and one new Super Hornet TOFT, as well as associated training aids, spares, and courseware. Boeing will also provide training for 26 pilots. The first TOFT will be delivered to a location in the United States – probably Naval Air Station New Orleans – in the first quarter of 2021 to support initial aircrew training. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
15 Jun 18. The Boeing Co., St. Louis, Missouri, is awarded an undefinitized contract action with a not-to-exceed value of $179,000,000 to procure system configuration set H12K for the Kuwait Air Force configured F/A-18E/F Aircraft software development, modification, integration, testing and support for the government of Kuwait. Work will be performed in St. Louis, Missouri, and is expected to be completed in September 2022. Foreign military sales funds in the amount of $89,321,000 will be obligated at time of award; none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured pursuant to 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(4). The Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division, China Lake, California, is the contracting activity (N68936-18-C-0026).
19 Jun 18. The Government of Canada is reportedly purchasing an additional seven used Australian F/A-18 A/B Classic Hornet fighter jets. The development has been confirmed by Canadian Department of National Defence spokesman Dan Blouin. It will take the total number of aircraft to be acquired to 25, reported Ottawa Citizen. Negotiations are currently being carried out between the two nations, Canadian Procurement Minister Carla Qualtrough said. In December, the Government of Australia agreed to the sale of 18 used F/A-18 A/B Classic Hornets following an expression of interest from the Canadian Government received in September.
The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) is expected to retire its F/A-18 A/B Classic Hornets by 2022 and replace the fleet with the F-35A Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter. The US Government is currently evaluating the deal before granting approval to Australia for the sale of the F-18 fighter jets. (Source: airforce-technology.com)
21 Jun 18. Bangladesh Air Force signs for additional K-8W trainer aircraft. Dhaka signed an intergovernmental agreement with Beijing on 20 June for the procurement of an undisclosed number of additional Hongdu Aircraft Industries Corporation (HAIC) K-8W Karakoram basic jet trainers for the Bangladesh Air Force (BAF).
The Bangladeshi military’s Inter-Services Public Relations announced that the contract was signed in a ceremony attended by BAF Chief of Air Staff Air Marshal Masihuzzaman Semiabat and China’s Ambassador to Bangladesh, Zhang Zuo, among others. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
21 Jun 18. L-3 Communications, Greenville, Texas, has been awarded an $83,015,065 firm-fixed-price contract for the procurement of two Gulfstream G550 aircraft. Work will be performed in Greenville, Texas; and Savannah, Georgia, and is expected to be complete by August 2021. This contract involves 100 percent foreign military sales. This award is the result of a sole-source acquisition. Foreign military sales funds in the amount of $83,015,065 are being obligated at the time of award. The 645th Aeronautical Systems Group, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity (FA8620-16-G-3027/FA8620-18-F-4873).
15 Jun 18. Textron Aviation Defense, Wichita, Kansas, has been awarded a $36,198,112 undefinitized contract modification (P0003) to a previously awarded undefinitized contract action (FA8617-17-C-6216), increasing the not-to-exceed price to $124,917,625 for four T-6C+ aircraft, maintenance and pilot training, and interim contractor support for maintenance. Contractor will provide supplies and services to provide for the replacement of current training aircraft fleet and the enhancement of the Argentina Air Force surveillance and border security mission. Work will be performed in Wichita, Kansas, and is expected to be complete by Nov. 30, 2018. This contract is 100 percent foreign military sales to Argentina. This award is the result of a sole-source acquisition. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Wright Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity.
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MANAGEMENT ON THE MOVE
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LOCATIONS
LAND
20 Jun 18. Chinese LCAC facility spotted near Zhanjiang. A new facility for China’s growing number of air-cushioned landing craft (LCACs) has been constructed near the southwestern coastal city of Zhanjiang, which is also the main South Sea Fleet base of the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN). The location is close to the base for the two brigades of the PLAN Marine Corps, numbering about 12,000 personnel. Built on reclaimed land, the new facility is located on Nansan Island, southeast of Zhanjiang, with satellite imagery captured on 23 March showing hard standing areas that have been partitioned with concrete walls to create individual bays: six sized for operating Yuyi-class (Type 726/726A) and four for Zubr-class LCACs. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
19 Jun 18. Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony and reception for the opening of its newest facility in Illinois. Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi, 8th District of Illinois, Congressman Peter Roskam, 6th District of Illinois, Arlington Heights Mayor Thomas W. Hayes and local community leaders were special guests for the celebration.
“It’s wonderful to see Northrop Grumman opening this new facility as it will continue creating jobs, bringing new investment to our area, and helping to ensure that our men and women in uniform will have the best technology and equipment available,“ said Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi. “I’m also heartened by Northrop Grumman’s ongoing commitment to STEM education partnerships, internships, and other programs which strengthen its workforce along with that of our entire region.”
Northrop Grumman’s new facility is 40,000 square feet situated at 1421 West Shure Drive in Arlington Heights. The location will provide additional office space for employees supporting Northrop Grumman’s land and avionics C4ISR division. The building is a concrete symbol of the company’s growing presence in the greater Chicago region.
“I want to congratulate Northrop Grumman on opening a new facility in Arlington Heights that will employ many people in the Sixth District,” said Congressman Peter Roskam. “Their strong ties to the community – promoting STEM education through robotics competitions and scholarships to Space Camp and partnering with community organizations – is an added value to Arlington Heights and I’m pleased that they’ve chosen our state to call home. This new facility paves the way for an increase in innovation while also creating many jobs in the process. I’m looking forward to the positive impact the new facility will have on my constituents, opening up the possibility for great opportunities.”
“Our expanded footprint enables us to better serve our customers in support of national security,” said Mary Petryszyn, vice president and general manager, land and avionics C4ISR, Northrop Grumman. “This investment in our employees and in the local community will also enable a variety of new opportunities.”
The ceremony took place at the new Northrop Grumman facility with remarks by Congressman Krishnamoorthi, Congressman Roskam and Mayor Hayes. The event was attended by other elected officials, members of the community, local partners in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education, as well as Northrop Grumman employees.
18 Jun 18. UK opens new national treatment centre for wounded soldiers. £300m Defence and National Rehabilitation Centre has lab to 3D print new limbs. Wounded soldiers to be treated at new £300m facility 3D printed prosthetics and gait laboratory are part of complex Duke of Westminster contributes funds Captain Ibrar Ali had to have his lower right arm surgically removed after he was ambushed in a roadside bomb attack in Iraq in 2007. “I lost my right hand straight away,” recalled the former British soldier. “The artery in my left wrist was severed and I had injuries to my legs. The driver beside me died on site and I had to wait two hours before I could be evacuated.” For most people, the prospect of returning to a war zone after such a horrific experience would be unthinkable. And yet, less than two years later, Captain Ali was back fighting in Iraq after being fitted with a prosthetic arm that enabled him to fire a rifle. “I felt I would only be living half a life if I didn’t go back to service and fulfil my potential,” said Mr Ali, who eventually left the army in 2013. “The military can’t just replace young soldiers and officers. We’ve been trained and nurtured for years. We are assets.” With the size of the UK’s regular army falling to just over 77,000 — its lowest number for more than a century — rehabilitating soldiers has never been more important for Britain’s armed forces. 3D printer used to produce prosthetic limbs For decades the task of returning injured soldiers such as Captain Ali to fighting fitness has been carried out at Headley Court, Surrey, a facility established in 1949 to treat wounded RAF personnel after the second world war, and now seen by those who use it as out of date. A study carried out by the engineers Arup in 2011 concluded Headley Court was in the wrong part of the country, too small to meet growing clinical demands and raised concerns over “cleanliness and hospital acquired infection”. The task of repairing the British military’s wounded will now be switched to a new purpose built centre at the Stanford Hall Estate, just outside Loughborough in England’s East Midlands. Building work is completed at the Defence and National Rehabilitation Centre near Loughborough © Neville Williams/FT Built at a cost of £300m, the Defence and National Rehabilitation Centre (DNRC) will be formally handed over to the Ministry of Defence this Thursday. Its first patients will transfer from Headley Court in the autumn. The MoD will assume the running costs for the facility but no public money was used to buy the 145 hectare site or build the complex, which includes a 3D printing facility to manufacture prosthetic limbs, state of the art gyms and a 25 metre swimming pool. There is a “gait laboratory” to reconstruct how a patient walks and moves and, for the first time, a specialist unit to treat long term brain impairment in soldiers suffering head wounds from improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in Iraq and Afghanistan. About 80 of the DNRC’s 200 beds will be reserved for seriously wounded soldiers, with a further 20 set aside for those with severe brain trauma. The DNRC will not treat post-traumatic stress disorder, which is seen as a longer term mental health issue. Walled gardens give sense of safety The site was designed in the immediate aftermath of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, but the MoD said the unit remains essential, even though politicians are now more wary of committing to foreign missions. “There is a misperception that we are quieter than we have been,” said Group Captain Teresa Griffiths, commanding officer at Headley Court. “That’s absolutely the opposite. We are busier [now] than we were in 2013 with patients coming through after multiple deployments. They have invisible wounds. They are more challenging.” Special attention has been made to the landscaping of the facility. Soldiers suffering from complex brain trauma will be situated in the quietest part of the complex and offered the best views of the rolling Charnwood Hills.
Walled gardens, built to give patients who may still be in serious shock a sense of safety and security, have been designed with pathways between raised flower beds for patients in wheelchairs — in contrast to Headley Court where former patients found their wheels slowed by gravel. Almost a quarter of the money to develop the facility has come from a £70m gift made by the sixth Duke of Westminster, Gerald Grosvenor, who spent more than 40 years as an army reservist and rose to the rank of a two star general. The rest of the funding has come from private individuals, institutions and fundraising events. The sixth duke died in August 2016, but his son, Hugh, has pledged to deliver his father’s vision for the DNRC. The Grosvenor group said the investment by the Duke of Westminster is one of the biggest single philanthropic gifts made in the UK. Civilian facility looking for funding But a separate national facility to treat civilian trauma and long term injuries that was also part of the Duke of Westminster’s plan has made slower progress. The idea of placing a civilian facility nearby was to benefit from the military’s know-how in treating trauma. According to data collected by the Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, which is preparing a business case for the new civilian site, the military returns 85 per cent of its serious trauma patients to military service, compared with 35 per cent of civilian patients returning to work. General Sir Timothy Granville-Chapman, a former vice chief of the defence staff, at the new Defence and National Rehabilitation Centre in Loughborough. © Neville Williams/FT While the land for the civilian facility will also be gifted, funding for the project is yet to be found. The military is supportive. “We have to get the opportunity across the line,” said General Sir Timothy Granville-Chapman, a former vice-chief of the defence staff, who has overseen the DNRC project from its inception nearly a decade ago. (Source: FT.com)
18 Jun 18. Seychelles withdraws offer to India for military base. Seychelles has revoked an offer that would have allowed India to construct and operate a military base on one of its islands and boost its presence in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).
The president of Seychelles, Danny Faure, said during a press conference on 4 June that the 27 January agreement signed with India to develop and operate such a base on Assumption Island would “not move forward”.
“In next year’s budget we will put funds for us to build a coastguard facility on Assumption [Island] ourselves,” Faure was quoted by the Seychelles News Agency as saying.
“It is important for us to ensure that we have a military post in the area,” he added, signalling that the deal with New Delhi has been cancelled. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
18 Jun 18. Boeing expands engineering presence in India. Boeing has announced the expansion of its engineering and technology facility in Bangalore, India.
Boeing said the newest phase of the Boeing India Engineering and Technology Centre (BIETC), which was inaugurated on 15 June, will double its existing footprint of 160,000 sq ft and will accommodate an additional 1,000 employees.
BIETC was established in early 2017 with just 100 employees, said Boeing in a statement. “As the centre grows over the next few years it will develop into a team of over 2,500 employees in specialised fields of IT, engineering, and research and development,” it added.
Focus areas of the expanding facility include the development of Industry 4.0 technologies such as data analytics and internet of things (IoT) as well as software design, mechanical and systems design, and advanced materials. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
MARITIME
HSwMS Gotland Relaunched After Mid-Life Upgrade. After a comprehensive mid-life upgrade (MLU) to meet tomorrow’s naval challenges, HSwMS Gotland has been relaunched and is ready to start her sea trials.
Strategically important in a nation’s defence, submarines are designed to operate for decades in challenging environments whilst remaining adaptable given the advance of technology and future threats. To keep them at the cutting-edge of technology, Sweden’s Gotland-class submarines have received regular overhauls and upgrades during their operational life.
Due to this MLU, the Gotland submarine has capabilities that will be found in the next generation of Swedish submarines, the A26.
“The relaunch of Gotland is an important milestone in the evolutionary development of Swedish submarines. After a comprehensive upgrade, integrating the latest generation of important systems such as the Stirling engine, modern sensors and new management functions, Gotland is almost a new submarine, ready to take on missions around the world,” says Gunnar Wieslander, Senior Vice President, head of business area Kockums at Saab.
The Gotland was designed and built by Kockums in Malmö in the early 1990’s and commissioned in 1996. The mid-life modification consists of upgrades of onboard systems and technology, sustaining the submarine’s operability, and ensuring service to Sweden beyond 2025.
The upgrade process entails many important systems, such as the Stirling Air Independent Propulsion (AIP). Sensors and management system are replaced with updated versions. Even the traditional optical periscope is replaced with a new optronic mast.
This updated version of the Gotland will pave the way for the most modern AIP submarine under production today: the A26 for the Royal Swedish Navy. More than 20 systems on-board the new Gotland-class will be implemented in the A26. The MLU of Gotland therefore contributes to the test and qualification of some of the innovative solutions to be implemented in the future Swedish A26 submarine class. The relaunch ceremony of the Gotland took place in Karlskrona on June 20. (Source: ASD Network)
21 Jun 18. Iranian replenishment ship back in action. The Islamic Republic of Iran Navy’s (IRIN’s) largest ship is operational again after being overhauled, the Fars News Agency reported on 20 June. It said Kharg (431), a replenishment ship that the Iranian press sometimes refers to as a helicopter carrier, had put to sea with the frigate Sabalan to patrol the Gulf of Aden, Indian Ocean, and Bab al-Mandab. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
19 Jun 18. HMS Prince of Wales crew formally receives control of SCC. The control centre of the British Royal Navy’s second Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carrier, the future HMS Prince of Wales, has been officially handed over to the vessel’s crew members.
The milestone marks a major step towards the completion of the aircraft carrier.
HMS Prince of Wales’ Ship’s Control Centre (SCC) will now be maintained and operated by engineers and technicians from the Aircraft Carrier Alliance following the transfer of control.
The Aircraft Carrier Alliance was previously responsible for constructing and fitting out the vessel.
The alliance has been established under a partnership between BAE Systems, Babcock, Thales and the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD), who are all involved in the development and delivery of the navy’s Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers.
It has completed the hand-over of the SCC to the sailors around 18 months before the vessel is scheduled to be formally delivered to the Royal Navy.
Commander Marine Engineering commander Pete Buckenham said: “Taking ownership of the SCC this early in the build programme is a significant achievement and testament to the collaborative and integrated approach between industry and the Royal Navy.
“Having the ability to operate from the SCC enables us to support industry through commissioning and trials activity, and to learn our ship, systems and equipment in preparation for sea trials and future operations.”
The aircraft carrier’s control centre plays an important role in managing the entire range of on-board machinery, from propulsion systems to sewage and water works.
A team of engineers has been deployed to constantly monitor the displays and read-outs round the clock and throughout the year until the vessel is decommissioned after 50 years of service. The SCC serves as the headquarters for the ‘internal battle’ during wartime combat scenarios. All information from around the vessel, including data related to damage sustained, fires, floods, breakdowns and casualties, are reported to the control centre. The damage control officer uses this data to determine where to send repair teams, firefighters and first aid parties in order to ensure the ship is able to continue supporting combat operations. (Source: naval-technology.com)
18 Jun 18. Keel laid for Swedish SIGINT ship. The keel-laying ceremony for the Royal Swedish Navy’s (RSwN’s) new signals intelligence (SIGINT) vessel took place at the PGZ Group-owned Nauta Shipyard in Gdynia, Poland, on 15 June, building on an agreement signed between the two companies in 2016 to facilitate work on naval programmes.
The Swedish FMV defence procurement agency selected Saab for the development of the SIGINT vessel in 2017, after which it subcontracted Nauta to construct, launch, and carry our early sea trials of the ship.
“Special purpose ships are primarily used for the interception and analysis of radio-transmitted signals and need to be highly reliable and available,” Gunnar Wieslander, head of Saab Kockums, said. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
18 Jun 18. US Navy to commission Arleigh Burke-class ship Thomas Hudner. US Navy Secretary Richard V Spencer has said that the newest Arleigh Burke-class (DDG 51) guided-missile destroyer, the pre-commissioning unit Thomas Hudner (DDG 116), will be commissioned in Boston later on this year. Commanded by US Navy commander Nathan Scherry, DDG 116 is the 66th Arleigh Burke-class destroyer and the 36th DDG 51-class destroyer constructed by General Dynamics subsidiary Bath Iron Works (BIW).
The ship is fitted with the Aegis baseline 9 combat system, which features an integrated air and missile defence (IAMD) capability. It incorporates ballistic missile defence 5.0 capability upgrade and naval integrated fire control-counter air. The IAMD radar will provide the destroyer with increased computing power and radar upgrades that will help enhance the vessel’s detection and reaction capabilities against modern air warfare threats. Once commissioned with the US Navy, the future USS Thomas Hudner will set sail to its homeport in Mayport, Florida. While keel on DDG 116 was laid on 16 November 2015, the vessel was christened on 1 April last year during a ceremony at the BIW shipyard in Bath, Maine. The 513ft-long Thomas Hudner guided-missile destroyer was launched on 23 April 2017. On 31 March this year, the future USS Thomas Hudner successfully completed builder’s tests and concluded acceptance trials on 3 May. With a displacement of 9,217t, the navy ship is capable of travelling at a speed of more than 30k and can accommodate two SH-60R light airborne multi-purpose system (LAMPS) MKIII helicopters.
The Arleigh Burke-class destroyers can carry out a wide range of operations, varying from peacetime presence to national security.
(Source: naval-technology.com)
PLANT CLOSURES, JOB LOSSES AND STRIKES
19 Jun 18. NGA’s first chief technology officer steps down. The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency’s first chief technology officer, Anthony Vinci, will step down next month, about five months after his appointment, the agency said in a June 15 press release.
Vinci will leave NGA for the private sector, the agency said. He was appointed in February 2018.
As CTO, Vinci’s role focused on increasing NGA’s ability to use and integrate new technology.
“It is not enough to only focus on machine-learning, computer vision and augmentation technologies—we must be equally committed to the integration of these technologies with out people and processes,” said NGA Director Robert Cardillo when the NGA announced Vinci’s appointment.
In the position, Vinci served as technology adviser to the director and deputy director, chief evangelist who champions technology inside and outside the agency and tackled the technology transformation within the agency, he told C4ISRNET in April.
“I truly believe that agencies across the government need to have CTOs in strong leadership positions for the same reasons that companies have adopted them as direct reports to CEOs,” Vinci said. “You need someone in these agencies that’s thinking about the future, thinking quickly, bringing some of the new ideas from industry, working closely with chief information officers and chief data officers, taking that champion, evangelist approach.”
Prior to his role as CTO, Vinci served at NGA as the associate director for capabilities and director of plans and programs. He also was the founder and CEO of Findyr, a data crowdsourcing technology company.
NGA has not yet named a new person to the role. In the same release, NGA also announced the appointment of Cindy Daniell as director of research. Daniell has previously served as director of advanced technology programs at SRI international, a research institution based in California. Her expertise is in imaging sensors, signal processing and compression, chemical, radiological, nuclear and explosive sensors, solar energy an surveillance technologies to NGA. (Source: C4ISR & Networks)
MILITARY AND GOVERNMENT
PERSONNEL
U.S. APPOINTMENTS
22 Jun 18. President Trump Nominates Kimberly Reed to be ExIm Bank President. The White House has announced that President Trump has nominated Kimberly A. Reed of West Virginia to be President of the Export-Import Bank of the United States for a term of four years expiring on January 20, 2021. Ms. Reed was president of the International Food Information Council Foundation where she collaborated with the United States Department of Agriculture and Department of State to increase acceptance of United States exports in emerging markets. At the United States Department of the Treasury, Ms. Reed headed the Community Development Financial Institutions Fund, where she oversaw the award of four billion in tax credits, loans, and grants to financial institutions and economic development groups investing in distressed communities across the Nation. She also served as senior advisor to Secretaries John Snow and Henry Paulson. As counsel to three committees in the United States House of Representatives — the Ways and Means, Government Reform and Oversight, and Education and the Workforce Committees — Ms. Reed focused on oversight and reform of federal agencies. She was vice president for financial markets policy relations at Lehman Brothers. Ms. Reed was the first woman elected as chair of the Republican National Lawyers Association in 2016, and was named one of the “100 Women Leaders in STEM.” She currently serves on the boards of the Alzheimer’s Association and American Swiss Foundation. She earned a B.S. from West Virginia Wesleyan College and a J.D. from West Virginia University College of Law. (Source: glstrade.com)
21 Jun 18. The Department of Defense announced retired U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Keith L. Thurgood, as task force director of the Enterprise Management of Community Services reform initiative under the Office of the Chief Management Officer. The establishment of the task force, slated for early July, was directed by the Deputy Secretary of Defense on May 29. The task force will perform financial due diligence, business case analysis, and organizational and operational integration planning to form a corporate umbrella for the defense resale enterprise. It will also consider retention of military-service unique branding and equities. This work will take several months to complete and is the first phase in the department’s reform agenda for enterprise delivery of all military Community Services programs.
21 Jun 18. USAF LG Mark D. Kelly for appointment to the rank of lieutenant general, and assignment as deputy chief of staff, operations, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Pentagon, Washington, District of Columbia. Kelly is currently serving as commander, Twelfth Air Force (Air Forces Southern), Air Combat Command, Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona.
21 Jun 18. USAF LG Kenneth S. Wilsbach for appointment to the rank of lieutenant general, and assignment as deputy commander, U.S. Forces Korea; commander, Air Component Command, United Nations Command; commander, Air Component Command, Combined Forces Command; and commander, Seventh Air Force, Pacific Air Forces, Osan Air Base, Korea. Wilsbach is currently serving as commander, Alaskan Command, U.S. Northern Command; commander, Eleventh Air Force, Pacific Air Forces; and commander, Alaskan North American Aerospace Defense Region, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska.
21 Jun 18. USAF MG Christopher P. Weggeman for appointment to the rank of lieutenant general, and assignment as deputy commander, Air Combat Command, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia. Weggeman is currently serving as commander, 24th Air Force, Air Force Space Command; and commander, Air Forces Cyber, U.S. Cyber Command, Joint Base San Antonio, Texas.
21 Jun 18. USAF MG Thomas A. Bussiere for appointment to the rank of lieutenant general, and assignment as commander, Alaskan Command, U.S. Northern Command; commander, Eleventh Air Force, Pacific Air Forces; and commander, Alaskan North American Aerospace Defense Region, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska. Bussiere is currently serving as commander, 8th Air Force, Air Force Global Strike Command; and commander, Joint-Global Strike Operations Center, Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana.
21 Jun 18. USMC LG Gary L. Thomas has been nominated for appointment to the rank of general, and assignment as assistant commandant of the Marine Corps. Thomas is currently serving as the deputy commandant for programs and resources, Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps, Washington, District of Columbia.
15 Jun 18. MG Charles A. Flynn to assistant deputy chief of staff, G-3/5/7, U.S. Army, Washington, District of Columbia. He most recently served as deputy commanding general, U.S. Army Pacific Command, Fort Shafter, Hawaii.
15 Jun 18. MG Mark W. Gillette, deputy director for strategic planning and policy, J-5, Camp H. M. Smith, Hawaii, to chief of staff, United Nations Command, U.S. Forces, Republic of Korea.
15 Jun 18. MG Lewis G. Irwin, U.S. Army Reserve, deputy chief of Army Reserve (Individual Mobilization Augmentee), Office of the Chief of Army Reserve, Washington, District of Columbia, to commandant, Joint Forces Staff College, National Defense University, Norfolk, Virginia.
15 Jun 18. MG Michael E. Kurilla, commanding general, 82d Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, North Carolina, to chief of staff, U.S. Central Command, MacDill Air Force Base, Florida.
15 Jun 18. MG A.C. Roper Jr., U.S. Army Reserve, commanding general (Troop Program Unit), 76th U.S. Army Reserve Operational Response Command, Salt Lake City, Utah, to deputy chief of Army Reserve (Individual Mobilization Augmentee), Office of the Chief of Army Reserve, Washington, District of Columbia.
15 Jun 18. MG Robert P. White, commanding general, 1st Armored Division and Fort Bliss, Fort Bliss, Texas, to director, J-3, U.S. European Command, Germany.
15 Jun 18. BG Windsor S. Buzza, U.S. Army Reserve, deputy commander (Troop Program Unit), 84th Training Command, Fort Knox, Kentucky, to commanding general (Troop Program Unit), 91st Training Division (Operations), Fort Hunter-Liggett, California.
15 Jun 18. BG Jeffrey C. Coggin, U.S. Army Reserve, commander (Troop Program Unit), 350th Civil Affairs Command, Pensacola, Florida, to deputy commanding general (Troop Program Unit), U.S. Army Civil Affairs and Psychological Operations Command, Fort Bragg, North Carolina.
15 Jun 18. BG Mark E. Black, U.S. Army Reserve, deputy commander (Troop Program Unit), 108th Training Command (Initial Entry Training), Charlotte, North Carolina, to commander (Troop Program Unit), 350th Civil Affairs Command, Pensacola, Florida.
15 Jun 18. BG Nikki L. Griffin Olive, U.S. Army Reserve, deputy commander – Signal (Troop Program Unit), 335th Signal Command (Theater), East Point, Georgia, to commanding general (Troop Program Unit), 335th Signal Command (Theater), Operational Command Post (Forward), Kuwait.
15 Jun 18. BG Gregory J. Mosser, U.S. Army Reserve, commander (Troop Program Unit), 364th Sustainment Command (Expeditionary), Marysville, Washington, to assistant to the deputy commanding general – Readiness (Individual Mobilization Augmentee), U.S. Army Reserve Command, Fort Bragg, North Carolina.
15 Jun 18. BG Dion B. Moten, U.S. Army Reserve, deputy commanding general (Troop Program Unit), 81st Readiness Division, Fort Jackson, South Carolina, to deputy commander – Signal (Troop Program Unit), 335th Signal Command (Theater), East Point, Georgia.
15 Jun 18. BG Alberto C. Rosende, U.S. Army Reserve, assistant to the deputy commanding general – Readiness (Individual Mobilization Augmentee), U.S. Army Reserve Command, Fort Bragg, North Carolina, to chief of staff (Individual Mobilization Augmentee), U.S. Army Reserve Command, Fort Bragg, North Carolina.
15 Jun 18. Col. (Promotable) Shan K. Bagby to deputy chief of staff for support, U.S. Army Medical Command; and chief of the Dental Corps, Falls Church, Virginia. He most recently served as deputy chief of staff, U.S. Army Medical Command, Falls Church, Virginia.
15 Jun 18. Col. (Promotable) Wendy L. Harter to command surgeon, U.S. Army Forces Command, Fort Bragg, North Carolina. She most recently served as commander, 65th Medical Brigade, Eighth Army, Republic of Korea.
15 Jun 18. Col. (Promotable) Michael L. Place, commander, Madigan Army Medical Center, U.S. Army Medical Command, Joint Base Lewis McChord, Washington, to deputy commanding general, Regional Health Command-Pacific; command surgeon, U.S. Army Pacific; and senior market manager, Hawaii Enhanced Multi-Service Market, Honolulu, Hawaii.
REST OF THE WORLD APPOINTMENTS
18 Jun 18. Civilian industrialist tapped as Russian military’s chief of armaments. On 13 June, Russian President Vladimir Putin appointed former Kalashnikov general director Aleksei Krivoruchko to be deputy defence minister and chief of armaments. Krivoruchko replaces Yuri Borisov, who was promoted to deputy prime minister for defence industry in May. Krivoruchko’s primary responsibility will be oversight of the annual fulfillment of the state defence order and the new 10-year RUB19trn (USD306bn) armaments programme by Russian defence companies and suppliers. Business daily Kommersant reported Krivoruchko’s pending selection on 18 May. Before Putin could appoint him, however, he needed to resign leadership and transfer control of his shares in TKKh-Invest and Kalashnikov to avoid the appearance of conflicts of interest with his new duties in the Ministry of Defence (MoD). (Source: IHS Jane’s)
INDUSTRY
INDUSTRY TEAMINGS
19 Jun 18. Bell Helicopter, a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company, announced today at the Future of Transportation World Conference a newly formed collaboration with Safran (Euronext Paris: SAF) on the development of innovative hybrid electric power system solutions to support Bell’s vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft concept.
“Bell is at the forefront of on-demand mobility – ushering a new era of flight where the benefits of aviation are accessible to more people in more places,” said Scott Drennan, Bell’s director of Innovation, while speaking at the Transportation Conference. “This announcement is another proof point of our commitment to providing transportation of people and logistics in new, innovative and more efficient ways; our work with Safran is a historical milestone for future transport solutions.”
For several years, Safran innovation teams have been actively exploring the potential of hybrid solutions for future propulsion systems. Bell and Safran’s shared vision for electric and hybrid electric aircraft is to strive for the successful deployment of Bell Air Taxis and new on demand mobility systems in the future.
“Thanks to the long and sustained technology-development strategy conducted within the Safran group, we can now offer Bell our hybrid electric power solutions for their next generation products that result in improved performance giving more value to our customers,” said Stéphane Cueille, Safran senior executive vice president, R&T and Innovation.
In this collaboration, Bell will lead the design, development and production of VTOL systems, and Safran will bring its technical expertise to bear in the development of a disruptive propulsion system.
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TopEngineer was founded by serial digital recruitment entrepreneurs, the Potts brothers, the founders and former owners of Jobsite and the Evenbase digital recruitment group. They have used all of their knowledge and experience of digital recruitment and candidate attraction to deliver this global platform. TopEngineer was launched in 2015 to help organisations drive down the cost of engineering recruitment and to provide engineers with a one-stop-shop for all of their job hunting needs as well as career advice, news and events.
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PARLIAMENTARY QUESTIONS
21 Jun 18. Defence Committee. Armed Forces And Veterans Mental Health
Minister Session. Tuesday 26 June 2018 Committee Room 18, Palace of Westminster at 11.30am.
- Rt Hon Tobias Ellwood MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State and Minister for Defence People
- Lieutenant General Martin Bricknell, Surgeon General, Ministry of Defence
- Jackie Doyle-Price, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Mental Health and Inequalities
- Kate Davies, OBE, Director of Health & Justice, Armed Forces and Sexual Assault Services Commissioning, NHS England
In this session the Defence Committee questions Ministers and officials from the Ministry of Defence and the Department of Health and Social Care on the Government’s understanding of the extent of mental health issues. The Committee will examine the data available and current trends, the limitations of that data and what the departments are doing to improve their understanding of the mental health needs of serving personnel and veterans.
21 Jun 18. Defence Committee. Report, Indispensable Allies: US, NATO and UK Defence relations. Tuesday 26 June at 00.01am. This will be the Committee’s Eighth Report of Session 2017–19 (HC 387).
House of Commons and House of Lords Hansard Written Answers
Q
Asked by Rushanara Ali
(Bethnal Green and Bow)
[N]
Asked on: 14 June 2018
Ministry of Defence
Ministry of Defence: Brexit
153829
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the oral evidence of the Permanent Secretary of HMRC of 23 May and 5 June 2018 to the Treasury Committee, whether he had seen prior to the publication of the estimated figures of £17 billion to £20 billion for the cost of the maximum facilitation model in a letter to that Committee on 5 June 2018 (a) submissions and (b) briefing papers on those figures; and what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of those estimates.
A
Answered by: Gavin Williamson
Answered on: 19 June 2018
The analysis to support the estimated £17-20 billion figure was published in a letter by the Chief Executive of Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs to the Treasury Select Committee on 5 June, 2018.
The Government is considering two approaches to a future customs relationship with the EU: a ‘new customs partnership’ and a ‘highly streamlined customs arrangement’. Ongoing analysis continues to support the development of both models.
Q
Asked by Nia Griffith
(Llanelli)
[N]
Asked on: 14 June 2018
Ministry of Defence
Galileo System
153786
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, on how many occasions he has discussed the UK’s future engagement with the Galileo satellite programme with the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.
A
Answered by: Gavin Williamson
Answered on: 19 June 2018
I have attended several international meetings with the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, including the NATO Defence Ministers meetings, where the UK’s future security and defence relationship has been discussed.
Similarly, I have regular meetings with my counterparts across the EU and the High Representative of the European Union at which matters of European defence and security, including the Galileo satellite programme, are discussed.
The UK is unconditionally committed to European security and believes that it is in the UK’s and the EU’s interests to have a deep and special future security partnership. Ministry of Defence and other British Government officials regularly discuss the UK’s future security relationship with the EU with the European External Action Service and European Commission.
Q
Asked by Mr Kevan Jones
(North Durham)
[N]
Asked on: 14 June 2018
Ministry of Defence
Joint Strike Fighter Aircraft
153778
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of converting pre-2023 delivered F-35B aircraft from the Northrop Grumman to Raytheon supplied Distributed Aperture System.
A
Answered by: Guto Bebb
Answered on: 19 June 2018
A decision on the upgrade of the UK’s existing F-35B Lightning aircraft to the Raytheon Distributed Aperture System will be made once we understand the time and cost implications.
As with all upgrades, this will be undertaken as part of the future capability development programme. Costs have not yet been negotiated or agreed.
Q
Asked by Mr Kevan Jones
(North Durham)
[N]
Asked on: 14 June 2018
Ministry of Defence
Joint Strike Fighter Aircraft
153777
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many F35B aircraft are scheduled to have been delivered to the UK by 2023.
A
Answered by: Guto Bebb
Answered on: 19 June 2018
By the end of 2023, the UK is scheduled to have had 42 F-35B Lightning aircraft delivered.
Q
Asked by Dr Matthew Offord
(Hendon)
Asked on: 13 June 2018
Ministry of Defence
Trident Submarines
153252
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what progress has been made on the Royal Navy’s Dreadnought submarine programme.
A
Answered by: Guto Bebb
Answered on: 19 June 2018
With last month’s investment of £960 million into its second delivery phase, the Dreadnought programme remains on schedule to deliver the first of class in the early 2030s and is within the £31 billion cost estimated in the 2015 Strategic Defence and Security Review.
Q
Asked by Dr Matthew Offord
(Hendon)
Asked on: 13 June 2018
Ministry of Defence
Armed Forces: Recruitment
153253
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to recruit (a) more engineers and (b) intelligence specialists in the armed forces.
A
Answered by: Mark Lancaster
Answered on: 19 June 2018
The Armed Forces are proactively recruiting and training individuals as engineers and intelligence specialists to meet the needs of Defence. There is a competitive market for such skills and we have introduced a range of measures to support our recruitment and retention efforts. These include remunerative measures such as targeted Golden Hellos and enhanced bursary schemes; the use of specialist recruiting teams, enhanced digital marketing campaigns, pioneering lateral entry at more senior grades for trained professionals and accelerated apprenticeship schemes.
In addition, and distinct from recruiting, the Ministry of Defence is fully engaged in youth STEM outreach activity as part of the UK national effort, to ensure that the talent pipeline has sufficient numbers from which then to recruit. This is underpinned by the launch of the Defence Youth STEM engagement strategy in 2016, and subsequent support to cross-Government initiatives such as the Department for Transport led Year of Engineering and the Department for Education led STEM oversight board.
Q
Asked by Luke Pollard
(Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport)
Asked on: 13 June 2018
Ministry of Defence
Royal Fleet Auxiliary
153442
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether bids from (a) EU and (b) non-EU bidders for the RFA Solid Support Ship contract will have to demonstrate compliance with EU state aid rules.
A
Answered by: Guto Bebb
Answered on: 19 June 2018
European Union (EU) laws governing state aid do not apply to activity conducted outside the boundaries of the EU, however, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) makes no such distinction and treats all bidders who participate in its competitions equally.
State aid is generally prohibited under the Treaty of the Functioning of the EU, apart from under a few specific exemptions stipulated by legislation. Under EU and UK law, the mechanism available to the MOD for addressing state aid concerns is through the concept of an abnormally low tender, related to a specific competitive procurement. The MOD has the right to reject a tender if a grant of aid was not in accordance with EU and UK law.
The MOD takes open competition very seriously and is confident in the measures in place to ensure that the Fleet Solid Support ships’ competitive process is conducted strictly in accordance with the EU regulations on state aid.
Q
Asked by Douglas Chapman
(Dunfermline and West Fife)
Asked on: 12 June 2018
Ministry of Defence
Royal Fleet Auxiliary
152792
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what comparisons his Department has undertaken regarding the procurement of Royal Fleet Auxiliary fleet solid support ships with similar ships procured internally by the national navies of (a) France, (b) Germany, (c) Italy and (d) Spain.
A
Answered by: Guto Bebb
Answered on: 19 June 2018
The procurement of the Fleet Solid Support (FSS) ships through international competition reflects the fact that they are Naval Auxiliary Support Ships whose primary role is the replenishment of naval vessels with bulk stores. They are non-combatant ships, manned by civilian Royal Fleet Auxiliary crews and are equipped with weapons solely for self-defence. We are clear that FSS ships are not warships.
We are therefore required by law to procure them through international competition, under our obligations set out in the Defence and Security Public Contracts Regulations 2011 and as outlined in the National Shipbuilding Strategy. It would not be appropriate to comment on the procurement practices of other nations.
The forthcoming tender for the design and build of the FSS ships will not include the provision of the ships’ self-defensive weaponry. Sensitive elements of the ships will be included in a customisation package to be procured through a separate competition later in the programme and restricted to UK companies.
Q
Asked by Martin Docherty-Hughes
(West Dunbartonshire)
Asked on: 11 June 2018
Ministry of Defence
Tornado Aircraft: Accidents
152201
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what training was provided for Tornado crew members in the operation and control of the GQ 5000 parachute prior to the collision of two Tornado aircraft over the Moray Firth in July 2012.
A
Answered by: Mr Tobias Ellwood
Answered on: 19 June 2018
Tornado aircrew are required to undertake a range of parachute training, including parachute flight and landing drills. Training covers canopy handling, safe landing procedures, actions to be carried out when bailing out over water, the effects of drift, parachute dragging on the ground and in water, and harness release. This training should be undertaken every two years, and has not changed since 2012.
Q
Asked by Baroness Tonge
Asked on: 11 June 2018
Ministry of Defence
Israel: Military Aid
HL8534
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what training programmes are delivered by the British army and Joint Forces Command to (1) the Israeli Defence Force in Israel and (2) security forces in the Occupied Territories.
A
Answered by: Earl Howe
Answered on: 19 June 2018
The British Army and Joint Forces Command do not provide training to the Israeli Defence Force (IDF) in Israel, although representatives do participate in Israeli-hosted conferences and visits to share knowledge and experience. Some education and training activities are provided to IDF personnel in the UK, including at the Royal College of Defence Studies.
In the Occupied Palestine Territories (OPTs), the UK Ministry of Defence provides several training programmes to the Palestinian Authority Security Forces (PASF). In the financial year 2017-18 the British Support Team based in Ramallah oversaw the delivery of the following courses to members of the PASF in the OPTs: Building Integrity for Senior Leaders; Strategic leadership; Conflict resolution; Training Needs Analysis; English language; Quality assurance and continual improvement of training delivery; Lessons identification; Media skills. The UK has also provided education and training to PASF personnel in the UK.
Q
Asked by Dr Matthew Offord
(Hendon)
Asked on: 13 June 2018
Ministry of Defence
Military Aid
153251
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what plans his Department has to provide military support to NATO allies in (a) Estonia and (b) Iceland in the next 12 months.
A
Answered by: Mark Lancaster
Answered on: 20 June 2018
The UK provides military support to its NATO Allies in many ways, and the next 12 months will be no different. For example, in Estonia the UK will continue to be the Framework Nation for NATO’s enhanced Forward Presence, with an 800-strong armoured battlegroup deployed there. We will also conduct Air Policing from Estonia and Iceland in 2019. In addition, UK forces will take part in range of exercises and training activities with their Estonian and Icelandic counterparts.