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UNITED KINGDOM AND NATO
02 Oct 18. UK gets set for Type 31e PQQ. The UK government has issued a contract notice calling on industry for expressions of interest to receive the pre-qualification questionnaire (PQQ) for a new acquisition attempt for the Royal Navy’s Type 31e frigate requirement. The programme, to acquire five new vessels to replace the incumbent Type 23 general-purpose frigates, expects the first ship to be delivered in 2023 and the rest by 2028. Under the mandate of the United Kingdom’s National Shipbuilding Strategy, the programme aims to maximise UK content within the programme. The release of the contract notice calls for industry to express their interest by 12 October, and the PQQ will be used to select suitable bidders for the competitive design phase (CDP) of the programme. (Source: News Now/IHS Jane’s)
02 Oct 18. UK in exclusive talks with Boeing to replace Awacs aircraft. Move likely to spark backlash from defence establishment over lack of competitive process. Britain has begun exclusive talks with Boeing, the US aerospace group, about a multibillion pound contract to replace its fleet of ageing surveillance aircraft for the Royal Air Force. The decision to move ahead with one potential supplier, coming ahead of a Nato conference this week, is likely to spark a backlash from parts of the defence establishment as it has been done without a competitive process. The RAF has been keen to secure a replacement for its fleet of six Sentry E-3D airborne warning and control system aircraft (Awacs) which have been in operation since 1992. Gavin Williamson, the defence secretary, confirmed that the Ministry of Defence was in talks with Boeing about the potential of its E-7 Wedgetail radar aircraft to replace the Sentry fleet. Boeing’s E-7 is based on a standard Boeing 737-700 airliner modified to carry an advanced, electronically scanned radar and 10 state-of-the-art mission crew consoles which can track airborne and maritime targets simultaneously. The project could cost the MoD around £5bn over its expected 20-year operational lifespan, for which Britain will receive five or six E-7 aircraft. One consideration in the decision, according to sources close to the talks, was that Australia’s air force had already procured the E-7. A UK purchase would deepen the two nations’ defence co-operation. Both already operate the same maritime patrol aircraft, Type 26 warships and F-35 fighter jets. Australia earlier this year selected the British Type 26 design for its future frigate. Recommended UK defence spending Britain’s ‘withered’ forces not fit to repel all-out attack Mr Williamson said the Wedgetail “is the standout performer in our pursuit of a new battlespace surveillance aircraft, and has already proved itself in Iraq and Syria.” “Our future with Australia will already see us operate the same maritime patrol aircraft, world-class Type 26 warships and supersonic F-35 jets,” he said in a statement. “Wedgetail may join that formidable armoury and help us work together to take on the global threats that we both face.” The MoD is expected to stress that further discussions with Boeing will take place before a final investment decision is made to ensure the aircraft represents value for money. It seems unsatisfactory that these deals are done on the basis of excluding viable alternatives from even being considered. There ought to be a fair competition Julian Lewis The department is, however, expected to face criticism over its decision to move ahead without a competitive tendering process. Analysts have said that Airbus, the European aircraft group which has invested heavily in the UK, could offer an alternative based on its A330 jetliner. But Boeing’s offering is currently the only such aircraft already in service, including with Turkey, Korea and the US in addition to Australia. Julian Lewis, the Conservative MP who chairs the Commons defence committee and who had previously raised concerns about the lack of an open competitive process, said he was aware of one alternative aircraft system which the UK could have looked at before opting for the Wedgetail. “It may be that Wedgetail would have won,” said Mr Lewis. “But it seems unsatisfactory that these deals are done on the basis of excluding viable alternatives from even being considered. There ought to be a fair competition.” “If you go for sole source, where is your negotiation position?” asked Francis Tusa, editor of Defence Analysis. “There is no rush to make a decision,” he added. News of the talks comes as negotiations between Mr Williamson and Philip Hammond, the chancellor, enter a critical phase ahead of the Budget on October 29. Mr Williamson and his defence chiefs are arguing for more money to help plug a potential £20bn shortfall over the next decade in the MoD’s new equipment budget. If selected, Boeing is expected to confirm that the conversion work of the 737s would be undertaken at Marshall Aerospace and Defence Group, an independent aerospace company in Cambridge, and support hundreds of jobs at the site. The US company employs around 2,300 people in the UK and spent $2.3bn in the UK supply chain in 2017. Boeing declined to comment. (Source: FT.com)
EUROPE
04 Oct 18. Sweden Submits Gripen Proposal to Bulgaria. On 1 October, the Swedish Defence Material Administration submitted the Swedish Gripen proposal to the Bulgarian Ministry of Defence. The Swedish offer consists of eight new fully NATO-interoperable Gripen C/D fighter aircraft to equip the Bulgarian Air Force. The Swedish offer consists of eight new NATO interoperable Gripen aircraft with the latest MS20 configuration, which can be delivered to the Bulgarian Air Force within a short time period, with the first aircraft delivered within 24 months of contract signature. Training of pilots and technicians is included and with the offer full QRA capability will be achieved within the budget framework.
“Gripen is an advanced multirole fighter at the start of its development life time. The Swedish offer meets the requirements of the Bulgarian government regarding budget, delivery schedule and capabilities of the new aircraft,” says Joakim Wallin, Director Export and International Relations, Swedish Defence Material Administration.
“When Bulgaria selects Gripen, Saab and Sweden are ready to co-operate with the Bulgarian defence industry in areas such as aircraft maintenance, transferring important know-how to the country that would help to sustain and create skilled jobs”, says Jonas Hjelm, Senior Vice President and head of Saab business area Aeronautics.
“Relations between Sweden and Bulgaria are excellent. The economic cooperation is sizeable, with a growth in bilateral trade and increasing investments by Swedish companies in Bulgaria, which are currently employing close to 9000 people in Bulgaria”.says H. E. Louise Bergholm, Swedish Ambassador to Bulgaria. Gripen C/D is a proven system, in operational service with the air forces of Sweden, South Africa, Hungary, Czech Republic and Thailand. The UK Empire Test Pilots’ School (UK ETPS) uses Gripen as its fast jet platform for test pilots from all over the world. With Gripen, NATO member states Czech Republic and Hungary successfully participate in NATO missions and joint exercises with other NATO countries. The development of the Gripen C/D is on-going and the system will remain operational for at least another 30 years. (Source: ASD Network)
01 Oct 18. Three Proposals Were Received at Ministry of Defense for Four Types of Combat Aircraft. At the Defense Ministry today, October 1, the proposals of three states – the United States, Sweden and Italy – were received for the supply of a new type of combat aircraft. According to the procedure, the proposals were opened in the order of their receipt by the Air Force Commander Major General Tsanko Stoykov, who is the chair of the joint interdepartmental working group for the project. The first two proposals were from the United States – for new F-18s and new F-16s, Sweden’s proposal for new Gripen was third and the fourth bid was from Italy for Eurofighter.
Deputy Minister Zapryanov thanked the countries that sent their proposals as well as the other countries to which the Ministry of Defense sent out inquiries: France – for new and used “Rafale;” Germany, for new and used “Eurofighter;” Portugal, for used F-16 and Israel, also for used F-16.
“This is a historic moment for the modernization and rearmament of Bulgarian military aviation,” Deputy Minister Zapryanov said.
What follows from now on? First of all, the Proposals will be filed under the Classified Information Protection Act as they contain classified information belonging to the bidding States.
The Joint Task Force appointed by the Prime Minister will begin work on analyzing proposals as of 2 October. It is planned that the group will finish its work within 14 working days – by October 19. This period may be extended in case additional information is requested from the tenderers.
Upon completion of the analysis, a Political Military Steering Group, appointed by order of the Prime Minister, will hold talks with the countries on their offers to improve the proposals. The work of the Political and Military Steering Group will end with a summary report to the Minister of Defense, which will then be submitted to the Council of Ministers which will make a political decision on how to implement the project. (Issued in Bulgarian; unofficial translation by Defense-Aerospace.com) (Source: defense-aerospace.com/Bulgarian Ministry of Defence)
29 Sep 18. Finnish Navy Requests Final Tenders for New €400M Corvettes. The logistics command of the Finnish Defence Forces has received permission from the Defence Ministry to request the final tenders for new state-of-the-art military ships for the Finnish Navy. The €400m Squadron 2020 combat system will include four new ice-breaking missile corvettes, along with various weapons, sensors, and integrated command and control systems. The final tender requests are the result of process that began last summer, when three suppliers were chosen from a field of eight to participate in the final bidding: Sweden’s Saab, Germany’s Atlas Electronik, and Canada’s Lockheed Martin Canada.
The combat systems on the ships will include surface-to-surface missile systems, torpedoes, guns and sea mines. The Ministry of Defence announced in July that it had decided to purchase the Israeli Gabriel missile system after a round of competitive bidding. The torpedoes will be ordered from Saab, in Sweden. The ships will eventually be fitted out with new surface-to-air missile systems, which will be ordered later.
Plans to build the vessels in Rauma
The four new vessels are part of a wider naval modernization push in Finland, and will replace the Finnish Navy’s Rauma-class fast-attack missile boats and Hämeenmaa-class minelayers, which will reach the end of their life-cycle in the mid-2020s. Guns and other equipment on the boats to be retired will be moved to the new vessels in the transition. The Finnish Defence Forces hope to have the new corvettes built in Finnish shipyards in the western municipality of Rauma, but the shipbuilding contract has still not been finalized. The project is behind schedule, as the contract was supposed to have been signed already last spring.
“The objective is to sign the shipbuilding contracts and the combat system contracts by the end of the year,” said Major General Lauri Puranen, a former commander of the Finnish Air Force who is associated with the project. According to the plan, the last ship should be handed over to the Finnish Defence Forces by 2025. The value of the entire naval modernization project is estimated at 1.2bn euros. (Source: defense-aerospace.com/Finnish Broadcasting News)
29 Sep 18. Is ISIS buying valuable military equipment in Western Europe? Somewhere in a hobby shop in Denmark, a set of rotors was destined to a life of violence. Attached to a model plane, or perhaps a quadcopter, this drone likely waited on a shelf, perhaps for months, to see if its new owners would take it on hikes, or for family photos, or maybe even film some kayaking from above. Instead, the drone was intended for service as either an insurgent scout or weapon. It never made it, because on Sept. 26, police in Denmark arrested two people on suspicion of buying drones bound for the Islamic State.
We know little more about this exact case. It was part of an ongoing investigation, and the suspects were specifically arrested under Denmark’s anti-terror laws. We do know considerably more about the flow of drones from Europe to ISIS, however, thanks to diligent work by arms investigators and trackers.
In July, the Combating Terrorism Center at West Point released a report on the Islamic State’s drone supply line. One notable component of the supply chain was a range of IT and web service companies, all named variations on IBACs, run by a pair of Bangladeshi brothers named Siful Haque Sujan and Ataul Haque Sujan. When these brothers joined the Islamic State, the Center reports, they converted their companies to fronts to supply money and material to ISIS. The companies run by the brothers operated in the United Kingdom, Bangladesh and Spain, as well as having business activity in Australia, the United States and, notably for the news this week, Denmark.
The actual workings of the network are somewhat complex, and of the two brothers at the center of it, Siful is dead and Atual is in custody. The Center found evidence that their organization acquired drones in Spain, the United Kingdom and Denmark to send to ISIS. The drone purchaser in Denmark, an unmanned 28 year old, was in custody at the time of the report’s publication. Before the network was busted, it sent drones to Sanliurfa, Turkey, which was an hour’s drive from ISIS-controlled territory.
Denmark, and this network, were not the only ways drones moved from the commercial market and into ISIS hands. In February 2018, the Treasury Department sanctioned the Turkish company Profesyoneller Elektronik for supplying at least $500,000 worth of drone componentsto ISIS. Other investigations found drone parts, like gyroscopes, traced back to online Turkish distributors for hobby supplies.
If there are suppliers that can acquire the drones much closer, why might people looking to get the flying robots to ISIS try to buy them in Europe instead?
“It would mean the purchaser could avoid suspicion, and potentially ‘activate’ it [as DJI products have to do] in an acceptable country before being sent to Syria,” suggests Nick Waters, an open-source analyst at Bellingcat.
“However, there are indications that IS was getting round this ‘activation’ step by spoofing the drone’s location.”
Commercial off-the-shelf drones may also be the most valuable military equipment that can be easily acquired in Western Europe for ISIS. An investigation into the arms and ammunition flows into ISIS by Conflict Armament Research found that the overwhelming majority of weapons and ammunition were Warsaw Pact calibres, like that originally made for China, Russia and Eastern European countries. While nearly 30 percent of weapons recovered from ISIS were made by EU members, those weapons overwhelmingly came from former Warsaw Pact members, and matched the calibers of the weapons and ammunition on hand.
We will have to wait for more news from Denmark to see if these drone purchases and arrests are linked to the previous ring of drone buyers. It could represent a continuation of the tacticthrough different proxies, or it could be an attempt to develop new attacks for the drones, now that ISIS is in a very different position than it was when it first started acquiring drones. However the drones are used, something rotten was bought in the state of Denmark. (Source: C4ISR & Networks)
USA
03 Oct 18. US Army releases Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft competitive prototype solicitation. Key Points:
- The US Army has released its solicitation for its Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft
- The solicitation could prove quite lucrative as the army expects to procure up to 500 aircraft
The US Army on 3 October released its Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft competitive prototype (FARA CP) solicitation that anticipates a production quantity of up to 500 aircraft.
FARA CP also expects first flight of a demonstrator aircraft by 2024 and initial operational capability (IOC) by production aircraft by 2028, according to a notice posted on the Federal Business Opportunities (FedBizOpps) website. FARA CP funds an effort to design, build, and test a FARA in an operationally relevant environment. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
03 Oct 18. US Navy to award large-area display contract for Super Hornets and Growlers. The US Navy (USN) is to proceed with the next phase of the Block 3 upgrade of its Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and EA-18G Growler combat aircraft, with a contract for a new large-area display (LAD) to be awarded shortly. Following earlier contracts to develop and fit conformal fuel tanks (CFTs) and a Block 2 infrared search-and-track system (IRST) onto the Super Hornet, the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) disclosed on 2 October that it is to issue a sole-source contract to Boeing to incorporate the Advanced Cockpit System (ACS) upgrade into F/A-18E/F and EA-18G aircraft.
“The ACS installs a 10×19 [inch] large-area display (LAD) into the forward and aft cockpits of F/A-18E/F and E/A-18G aircraft. The ACS LAD replaces the 5×5 [inch] forward and aft advanced multipurpose displays [AMDs], the 8×10 [inch] aft AMD, the upfront control display replacement, and the multipurpose colour display,” according to the notification outlining the scope of the work. It continued, “To accommodate the LAD, the head-up display (HUD) and MARS HUD [Mission Assessment Recording System HUD] camera will be replaced with a low-profile HUD (LPHUD) and new-configuration HUD camera, and the engine fuel display/replacement (EFD/EFDR) will be replaced with a low-profile engine fuel display (LPEFD). The standby display/repeater (RSD/RSDR) will be added to aircraft that do not already have it incorporated. The high-speed video network (HSVN) digital video recorder (HDVR) is required prerequisite equipment for the ACS.”
The notification does not say when the contract will be awarded, and neither does it provide a timeline for the work. Developed by Elbit Systems as the CockpitNG (Next Generation), the LAD for the Super Hornet and Growler is the same as that being fitted to the Boeing F-15 Advanced Eagle also. The LAD is built around a multifunctional display (MFD) ‘touchscreen’. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
02 Oct 18. F-35 upgrade plan awaiting approval from top Pentagon acquisition exec. The Pentagon’s acquisition executive is set to weigh in on the F-35’s modernization plan in the coming weeks, the F-35 program executive officer said Oct 1. An update of the F-35’s acquisition strategy, which spells out the F-35’s Block 4 modernization plan and describes the agile software approach that the department intends to use to incrementally upgrade the jet, is sitting on the desk of Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment Ellen Lord, Vice Adm. Mat Winter told reporters during a roundtable.
Winter characterized the document as going through the “final administrative engagements with her staff and the [Office of the Secretary of Defense] staff,” with Lord’s approval expected “within the next couple weeks,” he said.
The Navy and Air Force acquisition executives — James Geurts and Will Roper, respectively — have already approved the plan.
Although Winter did not provide details on the revised strategy, it is anticipated to contain new cost estimates for Block 4 modernization driven by the new agile software approach, which the F-35 joint program office terms Continuous Capability Development and Delivery or C2D2.
The JPO has argued that, in order to keep the F-35 relevant against emerging, dynamic threats, it needs to be able to quickly field incremental updates to the joint strike fighter’s software.
“The challenge we have is to ensure that we can continue to deliver capability to our warfighter on an operationally relevant, technically feasible pace, and that pace needs to outpace our adversaries and potential threats on the battlefield,” Winter said Monday.
This more intensive software development effort may also boost the cost of follow-on modernization. During a March hearing, Winter acknowledged that U.S. and international customers could pay up to $16bn for Block 4 modernization — a figure that includes $10.8bn for development and $5.4bn for procurement of upgrades to the F-35 between fiscal years 2018 through 2024. However, he also stressed that this was an initial estimate, and that a more solid assessment would be provided to Lord with the revised acquisition strategy. By contrast, the Government Accountability Office in 2017 predicted that the development phase of the Block 4 modernization effort would cost upwards of $3.9bn, but that figure only included up to FY22 and did not include procurement costs. The program office has laid out a total of 53 capabilities to be included in Block 4, which range from updated software to a suite of new weapons like the Small Diameter Bomb II. The first Block 4 capabilities are set to be delivered in April, Winter said, but about 22 modifications will require the F-35 to undergo a set of computing system upgrades called Tech Refresh 3. Those “TR 3” modifications include a new integrated core processor, memory system and panoramic cockpit display.
The Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps currently plan to upgrade all of their F-35s to TR3 in the 2020s, although that could change due to operational or fiscal constraints, Winter noted.
It is still unknown whether all operational F-35s will be converted to the Block 4 version, but that decision could also affect the cost of the follow-on modernization program.
The program office is also gearing up to start initial operational test and evaluation, now slated for mid-November, Winter said. JPO officials are set to meet with Lord’s office on Oct. 2 for the operational test readiness review, which will assess the F-35 system, the resources needed to execute IOT&E and the requirements to start testing.
Once operational test has been completed, Lord will be able to make a full rate production decision, which is projected for end of 2019, he said. (Source: Defense News)
REST OF THE WORLD
05 Oct 18. Lockheed Martin Australia (LMA) is conducting an ‘unclassified’ combat system industry briefing for the future submarine program on Monday, 5 November. Lockheed Martin Australia is offering representatives from companies who have registered their interest in participating in the Combat System Program to attend an unclassified Combat System Industry Forum in Canberra. LMA is seeking to ensure that all companies registered (both with and without Defence security clearances) have an opportunity to attend a Combat System Industry Forum and receive an update on progress and status of the Combat System Program. Attendance numbers are limited to about 75 representatives, and preference will be given to delegates from companies who have not previously attended a Combat System Industry Forum.
The agenda will include the following topics and activities:
- CSI Program report;
- CSI R&D Program overview;
- Enclosure and console infrastructure briefing;
- Networking opportunities;
- CSI Program upcoming events; and
- Opportunities for questions.
The agenda items are aimed at providing the opportunities for:
- Component supplier and hardware manufacturing companies to understand the CSI strategy for design, manufacturing and procurement for the combat system enclosures and consoles; and
- Tactical application and software developers to understand the CSI Program Research and Development White Paper solicitation processes as a lead into the funded R&D activities.
(Source: Defence Connect)
04 Oct 18. Future Australian Frigate contract announced. In a major development for Australia’s $35bn Hunter Class frigate program, an interim contract has been struck between the Commonwealth and BAE Systems Australia. Minister for Defence Christopher Pyne today announced Defence and BAE Systems Australia have entered into an Advanced Work Arrangement (AWA). The AWA will cover ongoing work on the $35bn program, ahead of agreeing the head contract.
Minister Pyne said the AWA is an important first step in the process of transitioning ASC Shipbuilding into BAE Systems in preparation for the nation’s biggest shipbuilding program.
“The AWA is an interim contract which enables BAE Systems to continue to mobilise its workforce and progress the critical work required to ensure the project remains on track to start production in 2020,” he said.
Work continues on negotiating the head contract for the program, with signature expected later in the year after the ASC Shipbuilding transition is completed.
Defence will execute the head contract with ASC Shipbuilding – as a wholly owned subsidiary of BAE Systems – for the delivery of the Navy’s nine Hunter Class frigates and associated support system components.
“The process of transitioning ASC Shipbuilding into BAE Systems is well underway, and ASC Shipbuilding, BAE Systems and the Department of Finance are making good progress in negotiations,” Minister Pyne said.
The AWA signed will allow BAE Systems to continue to mobilise the program, including maturing design and engineering plans, establishing a skilled workforce and setting up the required infrastructure necessary to commence prototyping in 2020.
BAE Systems’ Managing Director for the Hunter Class Frigate Program, Nigel Stewart said, “This is a very important and early milestone in the development of an enduring world-class naval shipbuilding industry in Australia. The AWA demonstrates a commitment by both BAE Systems and the Australian government to ensure timely progress on this critical defence program.”
BAE Systems continues to progress negotiations with the Australian government for the head contract for the Hunter Class Frigate Program and the acquisition of ASC Shipbuilding.
This announcement comes following the selection of BAE Systems and the Type 26 Global Combat Ship earlier in the year, at which time then prime minister Malcolm Turnbull said the vessels would deliver, “the highest levels of lethality and deterrence our major surface combatants need in periods of global uncertainty”.
The Hunter Class would have the capability to conduct a variety of missions independently, or as part of a task group, with sufficient range and endurance to operate effectively throughout the region, according to Turnbull.
The ships will include the incorporation of the leading-edge Australian-developed CEA phased array radar and the US Navy’s powerful Aegis combat management system. With an Australian interface developed by Saab Australia, the Hunter Class will be one of the most capable multi-role warships in the world.
As a responsible regional actor, Australia’s future frigates will also have the flexibility to support non-warfare roles such as humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.
Bringing the ships together will be the joint BAE/ASC workforce at the Adelaide-based shipyards responsible for delivering the Hobart Class Air Warfare Destroyers and the Collins Class submarines. In order to maximise the efficacy of the workforce and to ensure that the key defence project is delivered on time and on budget, BAE will be bringing the concept of a ‘digital shipyard’ to Australia for the first time.
The ‘digital shipyard’ concept will see BAE facilitate the transfer of intellectual property and technical data, including the digital ship design that has been optimised for the production of the new Hunter Class, combined with all the naval shipbuilding processes tailored to the specific requirements of the ASC shipyard in South Australia.
This $35bn program will create 4,000 jobs throughout Australia and deliver unprecedented local and global opportunities for businesses large and small and is a key part of enhancing of enhancing the government’s $89bn sovereign shipbuilding capability. The first Australian vessel will now be the fourth of class. The first ship for the Royal Navy cut steel last year in Glasgow and is due to hit the water in 2020. The nine Hunter Class frigates will begin entering service in the late 2020s, replacing the eight Anzac Class frigates, which have been in service since 1996. BAE Systems Australia employs 3,500 people across the country, including around 1,000 in South Australia. The company has been supporting the men and women of the Australian Defence Force for 65 years. BAE Systems Australia delivers engineering, program management and sustainment solutions to ensure that defence and security customers have the capabilities they need. (Source: Defence Connect)
03 Oct 18. Australia releases RFI for at least 16 special operations helicopters. Australia’s Defence Capability Acquisition and Sustainment Group issued a request for information for at least 16 special operations support helicopters. The helicopters will be acquired under Project Land 2097 Phase 4, which has not been formally approved by the Australian government but has been identified as a priority for future defense spending in the 2016 Defence White Paper. The proposed timeline calls for a request for tender in the fourth quarter of 2019, with the major delivery of equipment to follow in 2022.
“The project is currently in the exploratory phase, collecting information and proposals to inform concepts for capability realisation,” according to the RFI’s cover letter, authored by CASG’s acting first assistant secretary of the helicopter division, Brigadier Jeremy King, and the head of land capability at Army Headquarters, Maj. Gen. Kath Toohey.
“The project is considering a wide range of procurement options based around a light helicopter as the major system. The acquisition strategy is developmental and is subject to Government approval,” the letter read.
According to the RFI, the requirement is for a proven commercial or military off-the-shelf light helicopter, which is already in service with other operators. Other requirements include optimization for use in dense urban environments, capable of rapid deployment by the Royal Australian Air Force’s C-17A airlifters, and the ability to be fitted with simple and proven intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance equipment and weapons.
The helicopters are intended for use by the Australian Army’s 6th Aviation Regiment, based at Holsworthy, south of Sydney, and will complement a squadron of larger NHI MRH-90 Taipan helicopters. The Taipans are replacing the 6th Aviation Regiment’s existing Sikorsky S-70A-9 Black Hawk, beginning in January 2019.
The RFI does not specify a desired size for the new helicopter, but four are required to be deployed aboard one C-17A. In an earlier update to the Army’s major battlefield aviation programs, CASG’s first assistant secretary of the helicopter systems division, Shane Fairweather, and Toohey discussed a helicopter in the four-ton class.
The primary role of the new helicopter will be to provide an air assault capability by small teams of special forces, with secondary roles including ISR (using electro-optical sensors), fire support and general utility. The RFI calls for a helicopter that can be rapidly reconfigured between these roles.
The main base for operations will be at Holsworthy, but the Australian Army is considering the establishment of a permanent detachment of helicopters — referred to in the RFI as the “independent detachment” — in a yet-to-be-decided location. Australia’s Special Operations Command has two commando regiments based at Holsworthy and the Special Air Service Regiment based in Western Australia.
The RFI calls for four helicopters to be maintained online at Holsworthy, in addition to the independent detachment (four aircraft) and two deployable elements, each of four helicopters. The number of helicopters to be acquired is not specified in the document, but respondents are asked to provide an assessment of how many will be needed to support 16 aircraft online at any given time.
The forthcoming RFI was a major focus at the 2018 Land Forces exhibition, held in Adelaide in early September, with several major helicopter manufacturers declaring their intention to respond.
Then-head of Airbus Group Australia Pacific Tony Fraser said the European manufacturer intends to offer its 3- to 7-ton H145M helicopter. “We will compete the H145M and we expect it to be a very strong competitor,” he said.
Also speaking at Land Forces, Bell’s business development director for Australia, Dan McQuestin, revealed that the company intends to bid the 2.5-ton Bell 407GT, an armed version of the popular 407GX civil helicopter. “It’s COTS, it’s already deployed in the field in the Middle East and maintained through a commercial supply chain,” he said.
Boeing Defence & Security’s vice president of global sales and marketing for Australia said he was keen to see what the Commonwealth’s requirements would be, but the U.S. manufacturer saw its 1.6-ton AH-6i Little Bird as a candidate.
“Based on our conversations, we think the AH-6i is a viable alternative for Land 2097 Phase 4,” he said. “We’ll see what is in the RFI, but we certainly expect to bid.”
Leonardo’s helicopter division announced during the show that it will propose the AW109 Trekker helicopter. Other potential contenders include MD Helicopters with its MD530G helicopter, and Northstar Aviation with the 407MRH Lightning, a multirole helo based on the Bell 407. (Source: Defense News)
03 Oct 18. Steel cut for first Offshore Patrol Vessel. Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Defence Minister Christopher Pyne have welcomed a major milestone for the first of Australia’s 12 Offshore Patrol Vessels, with steel cut today at Civmec’s facility in Western Australia.
Australian steel is being used for all 12 OPVs and after being prepared and processed in WA, it will be delivered to South Australia. Two ships are being built at Osborne in SA by ASC Shipbuilding before construction for the other 10 moves to Civmec in WA in 2020.
The first bolt has also been locked down on the steelwork at the country’s largest ship assembly hall at Civmec’s massive new $85m Henderson facility. The facility will also include a blast and paint workshop, undercover storage, offices and carparks.
The facility project will create around 140 jobs and Civmec estimates it will provide positions for up to 1,000 West Australians, including 100 new apprentices and trainees, when it’s up and running.
Minister Pyne said, “This is a major milestone in the Coalition government’s national shipbuilding plan, which is delivering the capability our military needs, using Australian workers and Australian steel.”
SEA 1180 Phase 1 OPVs will replace and improve upon the capability delivered by the 13 Armidale Class Patrol Boats by acquiring the 12 new vessels. The primary role of the OPV will be to undertake constabulary missions and the OPV will be the primary ADF asset for maritime patrol and response duties.
A competitive evaluation process (CEP) commenced in late 2015 and concluded with the signing of a contract with Lürssen Australia on 31 January 2018.
“The new OPVs will have significant improvements over the Armidale Class Patrol Boats, including in range and endurance, to allow the Navy to undertake more border patrols covering greater distances in more complex maritime environments,” Minister Pyne explained.
This announcement comes following a series of concerns regarding cost blow outs of the SEA 1180 project, which saw then Defence Industry Minister Pyne rejecting claims made by South Australian senator Rex Patrick that the OPV project had increased in price by $870m from $1.96bn to $2.83bn.
Additionally, Labor’s Defence spokesman Richard Marles echoed the concerns raised by Senator Patrick, following an ANAO report. Marles also expressed concerns around the exclusion of Western Australia-based ship designer and builder, Austal from the bidding process, with talks between Lürssen and Austal breaking down earlier in the year following months of negotiations to include the Australia company.
Defence strongly denied the cost overrun concerns raised by both Senator Patrick and Marles. The announcement of Lürssen as the winning bidder has provided a boom for Henderson based Civmec, with Civmec CEO Pat Tallon saying at the time, “Securing such long-term work is great news for the company, our employees and our current and future apprentices and trainees. It reinforces our decision to invest in the development of a new state-of-the-art shipbuilding facility at our Henderson yard.”
Civmec’s Henderson existing facility encompasses 200,000 sqm of land at the Australian Marine Complex (AMC). This facility will be joined by a new, purpose built, 53,000 sqm, 70 metre high, undercover modularisation, repair and maintenance facility.
Once completed, the facility will be able to house complete Air Warfare Destroyers, Frigates and OPVs, for construction or maintenance and introduces a national shipbuilding capacity substantially greater than anything that currently exists. Designed to be one of the most efficient and innovative in the world, the new facility will be a significant piece of industrial infrastructure, adding a new world-class resource to the Australian maritime landscape and considerably enhancing the capability available in Western Australia.
Civmec’s Executive Chairman, James Fitzgerald, said: “At times like this, it’s important to stop and reflect on the company’s achievements. This facility will create employment for numerous generations to come. It will be a hub for training and innovation and will be a home-grown leader in the future of modern heavy engineering. It’s a facility that West Australians, and indeed all Australians, can be proud of.”
In April 2018, Lürssen Australia awarded Civmec a significant contract for the new build program for the Royal Australian Navy’s SEA 1180 OPVs. The contract includes the supply and processing of steel for 12 vessels. The first two vessels will be built in South Australia by ASC and Civmec will undertake the fabrication, construction and consolidation for the following 10 vessels in Western Australia.
ASC serves Australia’s naval defence capabilities, with more than 2,500 employees across three facilities in SA and WA. ASC has evolved into Australia’s largest specialised defence shipbuilding organisation, with naval design and engineering resources unparalleled within Australia’s defence industry.
Lürssen is a global leader in designing and building ships of the highest quality for demanding customers all over the world. Lürssen beat out bids from Dutch company Damen, which was also partnered with ASC and Civmec, as well as German company Fassmer, which was in a joint venture with Austal for the SEA 1180 project.
Civmec is an integrated, multi-disciplinary construction and engineering services provider to the Oil & Gas, Metals & Minerals, Infrastructure and Marine & Defence sectors. Headquartered in Henderson, Western Australia, Civmec has regional offices in Broome (Western Australia), Darwin (Northern Territory, Australia), Newcastle and Sydney (New South Wales, Australia), and Gladstone (Queensland, Australia). (Source: Defence Connect)
28 Sep 18. Philippine Air Force prioritises fighter aircraft procurement. The Philippine Air Force (PAF) has budgeted PHP61bn (USD1.1bn) to procure a multirole combat aircraft over the next five years, a senior PAF official told Jane’s at the Asian Defence and Security (ADAS) 2018 exhibition in Manila.
He said the procurement – the Multi-Role Fighter (MRF) programme, which will feature the acquisition of 12 aircraft in its initial phase – is one of several requirements for the PAF as it enters its ‘second horizon’ modernisation phase, which runs from 2018 to 2022. Total funding for PAF modernisation under the second horizon is PHP139bn. Other procurements in this time frame include attack helicopters, long-range patrol aircraft, additional FA-50 light fighter aircraft from Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI), additional Airbus C295 transport aircraft, combat-utility helicopters, and unmanned aerial vehicles. However, the official stated that the PAF regards the MRF project as its priority. “We needed it yesterday,” he said.
The officer also added that although the PAF has acquired 12 FA-50 light fighters, which it ordered in 2014, a bigger, more capable fighter platform is required as part of efforts to enhance territorial defence across the Philippines’ expansive exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
This requirement is specifically outlined in the PAF long-term modernisation project, which is aligned with the three five-year procurement horizons, called Flight Plan 2028. The PAF has been without a dedicated air-combat platform since it retired its fleet of Northrop Grumman F-5 Tiger fighter aircraft in 2005. Since then it has used its Aermacchi S.211 trainers – acquired in the 1990s – and its FA-50s for related missions.
Jane’s understands that the PAF issued a request for information (RFI) in support of the MRF programme in mid-2017 and the service is evaluating submissions and fine-tuning its requirements before seeking presidential approval. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
02 Oct 18. Naval Group: Talks with Australia still underway for sub buy. Naval Group, a French shipbuilder, sought to play down media reports of a potential collapse of talks for a major contract with Australia for 12 ocean-going submarines, with elections looming next year in the Commonwealth nation.
“We are in the process of pursuing the strategic partnering agreement,” a Naval Group spokesman told Defense News. That agreement covers some 30 years and is an extremely close commitment, he added. “It is plain logic that that takes time,” he said. “We are not particularly worried. We remain confident.”
Naval Group is working under a 2016 design and mobilization contract on the Australian future submarine program, while negotiating the strategic partnering agreement. The latter is a critical contract which moves the French company closer to building the diesel-electric boats in Adelaide under an Australian $50bn (U.S. $36bn) deal.
There is concern that failure to reach consensus on intellectual property and warranty conditions have held up a signing of the strategic partnering agreement, with time running out, Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported.
“Negotiations on that document have stalled and it is feared they may not be resolved before next year’s federal election,” ABC reported. Signing the strategic partnering agreement by the end of this year is needed to allow detailed design contracts to be finalized and building of the boats, the broadcaster reported.
In Australia, Defense Minister Christopher Pyne sought to calm the waters with an Oct. 1 reply on social media.
“There is no delay to the delivery of 12 Future Submarines. Negotiation of strategic partnering agreement is continuing & we will ensure we end up with an equitable & enduring agreement to deliver the capability our servicemen & women need, and get the best deal for Australian taxpayer.” (Source: Defense News)
03 Oct 18. Colombia will delay purchase of anti-aircraft missile system – minister. Colombia has no immediate plans to buy an anti-aircraft missile defence system to modernize its air force due to budget constraints, the defence minister said on Tuesday. Military sources said last week the country was looking into the possibility of acquiring a system, though President Ivan Duque said the eventual purchase of equipment would not be part of an arms race.
“We are not going to invest 1.1trn pesos ($367.4m) in anti-aircraft defence for the time being, because among other reasons, we do not have the budget,” Defense Minister Guillermo Botero said during an appearance before Congress.
Sources told Reuters last week that manufacturers from the United States, France and Israel were in the running to provide the system.
Before the global fall in oil prices, Colombia made some 20 percent of its national income from crude sales. The economy is still recovering from the fall.
The purchase would be part of a renewal programme for air force equipment and arms. Despite a 2016 peace agreement with the longtime FARC rebels, Colombia’s military remains at war with the National Liberation Army (ELN) rebels, drug-trafficking crime gangs and dissident FARC who refused to demobilize under the peace deal.
In 2005 Colombia bought 25 Super Tucano A-29B planes from Brazil’s Embraer for $234.5m, its largest-ever military purchase. At the beginning of 2015 the Andean country added 32 Canadian-made armored vehicles to a unit close to the border with Venezuela, at a cost of $84m. ($1 = 2,993.74 Colombian pesos)(Source: Reuters)
01 Oct 18. ASW appointment strengthens links between Australia and Canada. As the Canadian Surface Combatant competition heats up between designs from BAE Systems, Damen Group and Navantia, key personnel from the successful BAE bid for Australia’s $35bn SEA 5000 project are bringing experience and capability knowledge to Canada and supporting strong links between the two nations. In the case of Ultra Electronics, an appointment from their Australian operations to lead their Maritime Systems business unit in Canada further links the paths being pursued by both nations in anti-submarine warfare (ASW).
Bernard Mills, currently regional director Australia and New Zealand, has been appointed president of Ultra Electronics’ Halifax-based Maritime Systems business. Aside from being a primary provider of ASW capability to the Royal Canadian Navy, Ultra Electronics Maritime Systems also provides ASW capabilities to numerous NATO and other allied nations, including elements of Ultra’s Integrated Sonar System on Australia’s Hobart class DDGs as well as the torpedo defence arrays that will be delivered on the Hunter Class frigates and to the Royal New Zealand Navy.
“It’s very humbling to be appointed to lead a business with over 70 years of history, which is not only a jewel in Ultra’s portfolio but indeed one of the leading centres of ASW capability in the world,” Mills said.
Focusing on Australian implications, he added, “Ultra is dedicated to delivering our systems in a way in which creates enduring sovereign capability and a skilled in-country workforce. Our Australian business is in a major growth phase and, as programs evolve and systems come into service, I will continue to support my colleagues, and our partners and suppliers across Australian industry, by ensuring that the necessary level of skills transfer is provided.”
Notably, Ultra’s approach both in Australia and Canada has been to strongly support shipbuilder and combat system partners in major campaigns, focusing on collaboration as well as capability delivery.
Ultra provides the hull mounted sonar and torpedo defence system on Australia’s recently-selected Hunter Class frigate. Nigel Stewart, BAE Systems Australia’s Hunter Class managing director, reflected on the relationship.
“Defence is a truly global business and it is key that companies like Ultra ensure learning can be leveraged across markets. Ultra are a partner with BAE Systems and Lockheed Martin (Canada’s Combat Ship Team) for the CSC procurement. Bernard led the Ultra team supporting us in winning the Hunter Class program in Australia, so I’m confident that this will be a great move for him, Ultra and the broader Type 26 bid into Canada,” he said.
The Canadian Surface Combatant, formerly the Single Class Surface Combatant Project will replace the Iroquois and Halifax Class warships with up to 15 new ships beginning in the early 2020s as part of the National Shipbuilding Procurement Strategy.
As of December 2017, there are three submitted designs, which are:
- BAE Systems and Lockheed Martin Canada Type 26 Class frigate;
- Damen Group and Alion Canada De Zeven Provincien Class frigate; and
- Navantia F-105 Alvaro de Bazan Class Frigate. (Source: Defence Connect)
01 Oct 18. NCSIST, CSBC Corporation unveil frigate concept for export market. Key Points:
- A Taiwan defence research institute has teamed up with a private shipbuilder on a light frigate concept
- Project reflects the country’s ambition to capture international demand for similar surface combatants
Taiwan’s National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology (NCSIST) and CSBC Corporation have teamed up on light frigate concept that will be marketed to potential export customers. NCSIST is the primary research institution of Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense, while CSBC Corporation is the state-linked shipbuilder in the country. A NCSIST representative who spoke to Jane’s at the Kaohsiung International Maritime and Defence exhibition described the frigate project as one that seeks to showcase Taiwan’s more advanced naval shipbuilding capabilities, and capture the global demand for surface combatants. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
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.
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