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UNITED KINGDOM AND NATO
15 Oct 18. UK shipyards to submit bids to build 5 Royal Navy warships. MoD restarts competition despite industry’s concerns over budget and timing. The Ministry of Defence first terminated the frigates tender in the summer after it failed to receive sufficient compliant bids. British shipyards are preparing to submit initial bids to build five cut-price frigates for the Royal Navy despite uncertainty over the programme’s budget and proposed delivery date. The competition, which is being run for the second time after the first tendering was unexpectedly cancelled, comes amid wider industry unease about the continuing delay to the Ministry of Defence’s review of its defence capabilities, as well as concerns over the department’s budget shortfall and what this could mean for a range of equipment contracts. At least two industry consortiums are understood to be ready to take part in the frigate bidding. Babcock International and Thales, the defence companies, are expected to bid using a design based on one currently in use by the Danish navy. Another includes BAE Systems, Britain’s largest defence contractor, but will be led by Cammell Laird. A third consortium, led by Atlas Elektronik UK, could also decide to take part. The Type 31e programme is seen as a vital part of the UK’s national shipbuilding programme and analysts say the navy needs at least five of the ships to maintain the size of its surface fleet. The Ministry of Defence launched the competition in February, saying it wanted contractors to build up to five frigates at a total cost of £1.25bn with the first delivered by 2023 and all by 2028. But the process was thrown into disarray when the ministry abruptly terminated the contest in the summer saying it had failed to receive sufficient compliant bids. The competition was restarted at the end of August and companies are due to submit proposals for the design phase by October 19. Defence industry executives, however, said the demands on budget and timing had not changed. They cautioned that meeting the cost and 2023 deadline would be challenging. “It’s hard to do what they want to do at the price they want to do it at,” said one industry executive. “The budget [for the frigates] has always been completely unrealistic,” said Francis Tusa, editor of Defence Analysis. “It’s all very well to speak about challenging the industry . . . but you cannot buy a warship for £200m or less.” Recommended UK defence spending UK should be free to exclude EU from defence contracts, says MoD The defence modernisation programme was due to be published in the summer but is now not expected until at least the end of the year. The National Audit Office, Britain’s spending watchdog, in January issued a damning assessment of how the MoD manages its procurement budget and warned of a potential funding gap of up to £21bn over the next decade. “We would like the UK to have a national strategy about the defence capabilities it wants to retain,” said a second industry executive. “The MoD can’t fund all that it wants,” he added. Stephen Lovegrove, permanent secretary at the MoD, last week conceded in an appearance at the House of Commons Defence Committee, that “it is absolutely acknowledged by us . . . that there is significant financial risk in our equipment plan”. BAE said its partnership with Cammell Laird on the Type 31e programme “combines proven capability and design that will deliver critical capability” and “an attractive proposition for international customers”. Babcock said it was “participating in the early market engagement phase for the Type 31e requirement”. (Source: FT.com)
EUROPE
19 Oct 18. Turkey Orders 22 More Anka UAVs. Turkey’s military and security forces will receive 22 more Anka unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and special purpose tactical wheeled armoured vehicles (TTZAs), local media reported a few days after the meeting of the Defense Industry Executive Committee (SSIK) of the Turkish Defense Industries Directorate (SSB) on 10 October. In a statement issued after the meeting, the SSIK said it had reviewed and approved projects for national systems that will increase the effectiveness of Turkish security forces, which are involved in internal security and cross-border operations into Syria and northern Iraq. The state-run Anatolia news agency reported on 14 October that the SSIK had decided to add 16 more Anka-S satellite-controlled UAVs and six more Anka Bs to the security forces’ UAV inventory. (Source: UAS VISION/Jane’s 360)
18 Oct 18. Swiss, French procurement chiefs meet amid high-stakes ‘Air 2030’ race. French procurement chief Joël Barre met with his Swiss counterpart Martin Sonderegger this week for bilateral talks on a multibillion-dollar Swiss air-defense program and other defense topics. The Oct. 15 gathering in Switzerland was the first high-level meeting between the two procurement organizations since Barre took office in August 2017. It follows France’s recent acquisition of an initial batch of PC-21 trainer aircraft, made by Swiss manufacturer Pilatus Flugzeugwerke. The visit comes as French companies Dassault and MBDA each await the fate of their offerings in the upcoming Swiss “Air 2030” program, valued at more than $8bn. The effort amounts to a complete revamping of the neutral country’s air-defense and air-policing capabilities, with roughly $6bn envisioned for a new fleet of fighter aircraft and $2bn for ground-based defenses.
The Swiss government over the summer invited bids from Dassault for its Rafale jets, and from MBDA and its parent joint venture Eurosam for the SAMP/T air-defense weapon. Also in the running for the aircraft portion are Airbus and its Eurofigher Typhoon, Saab and its Gripen E, Boeing with its F/A-18 Super Hornet, and Lockheed Martin with its F-35A. Vendors were asked to submit pricing options for a fleet of 30 or 40 aircraft.
In the ground segment, MBDA’s competitors include Raytheon’s Patriot system and Rafael’s David’s Sling. A spokesman for Armasuisse, Switzerland’s defense procurement arm, told Defense News that similar bilateral meetings would be held with other governments whose companies have a stake in the Air 2030 program. “We talk to all governments,” said the spokesman.
Meanwhile, the “competitive dialogue” phase of the program is in progress, which means the Swiss government engages in the complicated game of answering contractors’ questions about programmatic details – some individually, some directed at the whole group.
Companies are expected to deliver their offers by February.
Asked what types of questions the procurement chiefs discussed this week, the Armasuisse spokesman said, “Of course there were questions, but we don’t make those types of conversations public.”
Swiss government officials are in the midst of sifting through feedback from political parties, trade unions, and regional governments on the best path toward making Air 2030 a reality. The key question for proponents is how to convince the population, under the rules of Switzerland’s famous direct democracy, that the bulk sum of more than $8bn is worth spending while leaving the decisions on hardware types to the government. (Source: Defense News)
18 Oct 18. Czech defense minister pledges purchase of new jet trainers from local company. Czech Defence Minister Lubomir Metnar has announced the country’s military could acquire up to six new L-39NG jet trainers from local manufacturer Aero Vodochody to replace its outdated L-39 Albatros aircraft.
“The Ministry of Defence and the military are interested in these aircraft, negotiations are, of course, already taking place and we will acquire these aircraft,” Metnar said, as reported by local broadcaster Ceska Televize.
In addition to the Czech Air Force, Aero Vodochody hopes to supply its new jet trainer to a number of foreign markets.
Earlier this year, Giuseppe Giordo, the company’s president, said the firm estimates that in the next 10 to 15 years there will be a need to replace up to 3,000 training aircraft worldwide. The manufacturer aims to supply more than 100 L-39NGs in the next 10 years.
Four jet trainers have already been ordered by Senegal, and deliveries are expected to begin in early 2020, according to Aero Vodochody. The L-39NG is fitted with the FJ44-4M turbofan engine made by Williams International. Aero Vodochody says it is the Czech Republic’s largest aerospace company, with some 1,900 employees. (Source: Defense News)
17 Oct 18. Leonardo still waiting on launch customer for AW189K. Leonardo Helicopters is certain it will secure a launch customer for the K-model variant of the AW189 super-medium-twin to enable service entry in 2020. The Anglo-Italian airframer launched the upgraded model at least year’s Helitech event, but is yet to confirm any customers for the AW189K, which gains more powerful Safran Helicopter Engines Aneto-1K powerplants to replace the baseline aircraft’s GE Aviation CT7s.
Roberto Garavaglia, senior vice-president of competitive analysis and strategy at Leonardo Helicopters, speaking at Helitech in Amsterdam on 16 October, said he was “fairly confident” of achieving a sale, in order to permit service entry in 2020. Discussions with “several” potential customers are ongoing, he says, noting that the airframer has “roughly two years” in which to make a sale.
So far, the single test article has accumulated 105h across 90 flights and is on track to gain certification in late 2019.
Safran Helicopter Engines anticipates handing the required documentation for the Aneto to the European Aviation Safety Agency in early 2019, leading to certification for the new turboshaft in the second quarter.
Specific fuel consumption from the Aneto powerplants is likely to be around 10% higher than the CT7s they replace, says Garavaglia, adding that the additional 500shp (370kW) per engine would be invaluable for operations in hot and high conditions.
Leonardo Helicopters has also yet to determine a list price for the AW189K. Garavaglia says it will “not necessarily” be more than the baseline model, but does not rule this out.
Garavaglia stresses that the Aneto-powered variant is not designed to replace the existing AW189, but simply to offer operators another option.
The extra power offered could also spur orders for the slow-selling AW149 – essentially a military troop transport variant of the AW189. So far, the only customer for the model is the Royal Thai Army, which has taken five examples. Since the AW149 was originally envisaged in 2006, its maximum take-off weight has increased from 7.5t to 8.6t.
“If you have 1t more you need the right amount of power,” says Garavaglia. He says that feedback from the Italian air force, which had previously tested the AW149, revealed a requirement for more power. “Hence the idea for the Aneto-1K.” (Source: News Now/flightglobal.com)
17 Oct 18. US donates UH-60M helicopters to Croatia. The United States will donate two UH-60M helicopters to Croatia, Defence Minister Damir Krstičević has announced. The announcement was made during a visit involving two US Army UH-60Ms from Germany to Pleso airbase near Zagreb on 12 October. The helicopters are expected to be delivered by 2020 and will be used mainly by the Croatian Armed Forces’ Special Forces Command. The Croatian Ministry of Defence said the helicopters would be used for airborne assault, air-medical evacuation, casualty evacuation, search and rescue, surveillance, command, troop and cargo transport and, if armed, for firing weapons such as rockets. Krstičević placed the donation in the context of a wider Croatian transition to western military equipment, stating that it represents “further evidence of a true alliance and strategic partnership between two countries”. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
15 Oct 18. Lockheed Martin and Rheinmetall team for German Sea Lynx replacement effort. Lockheed Martin is to team with Rheinmetall in its bid to replace the German Navy’s (Deutsche Marine – DM) ageing Westland Mk 88A Sea Lynx anti-submarine warfare/anti-surface warfare (ASW/ASuW) helicopters, the US manufacturer announced on 12 October. The two companies signed a letter of intent (LOI) to partner on offering the Sikorsky MH-60R Seahawk helicopter as a replacement for the DM’s 21 Sea Lynxes.
Although the precise timeline for Sea Lynx replacement programme has yet to be disclosed, Jane’s was told by industry representatives at the Berlin Security Conference (BSC) in 2017 that a contract is expected in 2020/21 time, ahead of an entry-into-service date of 2023 and full-operating capability in 2025. In all, the DM is looking for between 18 and 24 new helicopters to replace the Sea Lynxes, with the chosen platform being able to fulfil both a shipborne ASW and an ASuW capability. While the details of the Lockheed Martin and Rheinmetall bid have not been disclosed, the MH-60R is equipped with the Thales/Raytheon AQS-22 Airborne Low-Frequency Sonar (ALFS) and previous Foreign Military Sales of the type have included torpedoes, 12.7mm GAU-21 (M3M) and 7.62mm M240 (FN MAG) machine guns, AGM-114 Hellfire laser-guided missiles, and 70mm rockets that have been upgraded with BAE’s Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System laser guidance kit.
Besides Lockheed Martin and Rheinmetall, other contenders will comprise Leonardo with its AW159 Lynx Wildcat and Airbus Helicopters with its NH90-derived Sea Lion. The Lynx Wildcat can be configured to carry active dipping sonar (ADS), sonobuoys, and torpedoes, while for the anti-surface warfare role it can be armed with anti-ship missiles, rockets, and guns. An upgraded version of the Sea Lion, known as the Prospective Sea Lion, has been fitted with ASW and ASuW equipment required for the Sea Lynx replacement effort. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
12 Oct 18. German Navy Plans to Replace Fleet of 21 Westland Sea Lynx Anti-Submarine Warfare Helicopters. The German navy has begun planning to replace its fleet of 21 Westland Sea Lynx anti-submarine warfare helicopters, which are due to be retired in 2025. U.S. weapons maker Lockheed Martin Corp and German peer Rheinmetall AG said on Thursday they will make a joint bid to supply the German navy with MH-60R Seahawk helicopters built by Lockheed’s Sikorsky unit. The two firms are also cooperating on a bid to supply new heavy-lift helicopters to the German air force, as announced in February, for a contract that could be worth around 4bn euros ($4.6bn). The German navy has begun planning to replace its fleet of 21 Westland Sea Lynx anti-submarine warfare helicopters, which are due to be retired in 2025. Europe’s Airbus is also likely to bid for the contract with its NH90 Sea Lion multi-role naval helicopter, as is AgustaWestland, part of Italy’s Leonardo Finmeccanica SpA, which built the current fleet of helicopters.
“With this Letter of Intent, Rheinmetall and Sikorsky are prepared to strengthen their partnership in support of the German military and look forward to offering the MH-60R Seahawk as the replacement for the current fleet of Sea Lynx helicopters,” Sikorsky said in a statement. (Source: defense-aerospace.com/Reuters)
11 Oct 18. Decision on the German Army’s next assault rifle is postponed to 2019. A German Army lieutenant colonel has revealed to Jane’s that a decision on the German Army’s next assault rifle has been postponed but disclosed that a final decision should be made during the first half of 2019. According to the officer, who wished to remain anonymous, the deferment of the decision is due to ‘political rather than practical’ reasons. Furthermore, the officer stated that given the past issues with the service’s current G36 assault rifle, the army feels that it needs to be extra cautious in its decision-making process to not repeat the mistakes of the past. Meanwhile, a senior source in the German defence industry told Jane’s that the main reason for postponing the decision is “a fire that broke out at the German Army’s rifle testing range”, where the competing assault rifles were being tested. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
USA
17 Oct 18. Boeing Tanker to Miss Delivery Date, Air Force Secretary Says. Boeing Co. won’t deliver its first KC-46 aerial refueling tanker by month’s end as it had agreed, according to U.S. Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson, the latest in a procession of missed deadlines since the company won the contract in 2011. Air Force officials are meeting with the planemaker Wednesday “to try to lay down the path forward for delivery and to make sure the deficiencies that have been identified are taken care of in a way that brings that aircraft in as promised,” Wilson told editors and reporters in a roundtable at Bloomberg headquarters in New York. The Air Force and Boeing had anticipated delivery October 27 of the first of the tankers, supposedly settling a disagreement over timing for the much-delayed $44.3bn program. That first of 179 tankers was originally supposed to be delivered in April to June of 2016. While the tanker still has unresolved deficiencies with its system for midair refueling, the latest delivery date “slippage really was directly attributable” to the need to wait for certification by the Federal Aviation Administration in September that the aircraft’s refueling and mission avionics system met agency standards, Wilson said. It was “a little later than they expected,” she said of Boeing. (Source: defense-aerospace.com/Bloomberg News)
16 Oct 18. Lockheed’s $29bn Helicopter Running Short of a Needed Part. Timely delivery of Lockheed Martin Corp.’s $29bn CH-53K King Stallion helicopter for the U.S. Marine Corps may be jeopardized by a potential shortage of specialized metal components two years after the bankruptcy of a key supplier. In an illustration of how even the biggest defense contractor depends on its supply chain, the Navy’s aircraft development and acquisition command has assembled a team with Lockheed to assess options for ensuring a steady supply of the parts. General Robert Neller, the Marine Corps commandant, is monitoring the issue. The Navy is looking for an alternate company capable of a manufacturing process called “thin wall casting” to forge very precise, narrow passageways for coolants and lubricants to flow inside a metal housing. The process is designed to save weight, a crucial consideration in aircraft manufacturing. The Navy plans to buy 200 of the helicopters, a lucrative opportunity that was the prime motivation for Bethesda, Maryland-based Lockheed’s $9bn acquisition of Sikorsky Aircraft from United Technologies Corp. in 2015. The Marines are scheduled to declare the helicopter operational in December 2019. (Source: defense-aerospace.com/Bloomberg News)
11 Oct 18. Lockheed, Leonardo DRS won’t protest T-X, handing program to Boeing. In a surprise move, the two losing teams for the U.S. Air Force’s T-X trainer competition have decided not to protest the service’s decision to award the competition to the Boeing-Saab team. Spokesmen from the Lockheed Martin-Korean Aerospace Industries team and the Leonardo DRS group issued statements Thursday confirming they would not protest the contract, which could be worth up to $9.2bn to produce 351 training jets for the U.S. Traditionally, large defense contracts are challenged by the losers as a last-ditch effort to find a flaw in the winning bid that could re-open the competition. However, service officials previously stated they felt that repeated interactions with industry throughout the competition, as well as lessons learned from previous programs, would insulate T-X from a big protest. The Boeing-Saab collaboration is a clean-sheet design to replace the service’s aged T-38 aircraft. Lockheed and KAI were offering the T-50, while Leonardo DRS was offering the T-100, a variant on its M-346 trainer. Under the initial $813m award, Boeing is responsible for delivering five T-X aircraft and seven simulators, with the first simulators arriving at Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas, in 2023. (Source: Defense News Early Bird/Defense News)
REST OF THE WORLD
19 Oct 18. Global wrap-up: Lockheed Martin seeking supply chain partners for Indian F-16s; the US Navy secures next 10 Guided Missile Destroyers. This global wrap-up provides key updates of industry developments across the globe, including new procurement deals, capability introductions and key announcements.
Asia-Pacific:
- Lockheed Martin and Indian conglomerate Tata are teaming up to secure India-based suppliers for F-16 for the Indian Air Force.
- The Pakistani Navy has taken delivery of its first domestically built fleet tanker, PNS Moawin.
- The Filipino Department of National Defense (DND) is reportedly planning to acquire Swedish designed Gripen fighter jets to replace now retired F-5A/B.
- The Indian Navy has employed Sterlite Tech to develop a secure digital network and telecom solution.
- Indian Air Force pilots have begun training to operate CH-47F Chinook heavy lift helicopters as part of a US$3.1bn deal to provide 22 AH-64 Apaches and 15 CH-47F Chinooks.
- The Vietnamese Navy has officially taken delivery of the second 1,200-tonne Pohang Class frigate, formerly operated by the Republic of Korea Navy.
Middle East:
- The Iranian Army is set to unveil new, domestically built drones to support the Army’s ISR goals.
Europe:
- Elbit Systems UK has been awarded a contract by the UK MoD to provide the Morpheus Battle Management Application worth between £10m and £40m, over an initial three-year period. Under the contract Elbit Systems UK will provide the British Army with an operationally proven battle management application for both headquarters and tactical units, based on TORC2H, Elbit Systems’ command and control platform that has been delivered to many customers worldwide, including to the Australian Defence Force as part of its LAND 200 Tranche 2 battle management system.
- The UK MoD has announced that the Royal Navy’s new Type 26 Class frigate will be named HMS Birmingham. The Type 26 serves as the basis for Australia’s $35bn SEA 5000 Hunter Class frigate program.
- Finnish and Estonian Navies started the Baltic Shield 2018 joint-naval exercise, which were carried out in the Archipelago Sea and Gulf of Finland until 11 October.
- Sweden and Saab have offered eight Gripen MS20 fighter aircraft to Bulgaria. The training of pilots and technicians is included in the offer, with a full QRA capability to be achieved within the budget framework.
- The Airbus H225M helicopter successfully flew past 100,000 air hours. The 11-tonne H225M has proven its reliability and durability in combat conditions and crisis areas including Afghanistan, Chad, the Ivory Coast, the Central African Republic and Mali, while also supporting NATO-led operations in Libya.
- The Russian United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC) is gearing up to secure a construction contract for the 10,000-tonne Leader Class nuclear-powered guided missile destroyers. The Leader Class vessels will replace Sovremenny and Udaloy Class destroyers and can be armed with Kalibr and Onix missiles as well as shipborne S-500 air and missile defence systems.
- The Polish Military University of Land Forces has expanded their laser-based training capability.
North America:
- The Pentagon grounded the F-35 fleet following the crash of a Marine Corps F-35B in South Carolina after issues with faulty engine tubes.
- Boeing has secured more than 20 contracts with the Pentagon in recent months, worth a cumulative US$13.7bn, with the company providing $805m worth of MQ-25 Stingray unmanned aerial tankers, $9.2bn for the next-gen US Air Force trainer, $2.4bn for a USAF helicopter replacement, $2.9bn for 18 KC-46 tankers and $3.9bn for the next-generation of Air Force One.
- Raytheon’s new AN/SPY-6(V) radar system successfully tracked a ballistic missile. The system will work with all variants of the SM-3 and SM-6 interceptor missiles.
- Raytheon announced a partnership with Rheinmetall to offer the KF-41 Lynx infantry fighting vehicle as part of the US Army’s M2 Bradley replacement program.
- BAE Systems has announced it will be offering the CV-90 infantry fighting vehicle as part of the US Army’s M2 Bradley replacement program.
- General Dynamics Land Systems used AUSA ’18 to announce that it would be offering the Griffin III infantry fighting vehicle as part of the US Army’s M2 Bradley replacement program.
- The US Navy has awarded a US$9bn contract for 10 Arleigh Burke class guided missile destroyers. The deal will cover US$5.1bn to construct six Flight III to Huntington Ingalls Industries, with the remaining US$3.9bn allocated for the remaining four vessels to be built by Maine-based Bath Iron Works.
Australia:
- The NSW government, in collaboration with the Commonwealth, has launched the NSW Defence Innovation Network (DIN) to support the development of next-generation defence technologies.
- Safran announced a new strategic partnership with Australian company Advanced Navigation and Thomas Global Systems to support the domestic development of next-gen submarine technology.
- Australian Defence Apparel landed a $36m deal to supply the Victorian Police with 14,000 new ballistic vests.
- Orbital UAV announced the extension of a long-term agreement worth US$120 m+ in partnership with Insitu.
- The Defence Innovation Hub and Queensland-based EPE showcased the performance and functionality of its maritime Portable Raman Improvised Explosive Detector (PRIED) in Darwin.
- Volvo Group Australia dispatched a shipment of specialised military vehicles to Malaysia.
- The Defence Chief Information Officer Group partnered with the University of Sydney to enhance cyber security innovation. (Source: Defence Connect)
15 Oct 18. Four European Companies Selected for the Short List. The Brazilian Navy’s Program Management Directorate (Diretoria de Gestão de Programas da Marinha, DGePM), coordinating with the Naval Project Management Company, has announced a “short-list” for the Class-Tamandaré Corvettes (CCT in Portuguese) program comprising the following consortia (listed alphabetically):
1 – “ÁGUAS AZUIS”: EMBRAER and TKMS;
2 – “DAMEN-SAAB TAMANDARÉ”;
3 – “FLV”: Fincantieri and VARD, and
4 – “VILLEGAGNON”: Naval Group and Enseada.
The evaluations of the proposals and the decision-making process followed the best practices of public governance and the principles applicable to Public Administration, with overall evaluations of the proposals based on the criteria defined in RFP nº 40005 / 2017-1, considering the technical quality and the adherence to the interests of the Brazilian Navy and EMGEPRON.
(defense-aerospace.com EDITOR’S NOTE: The Brazilian Navy’s Tamandaré Project calls for the construction of an initial batch of four corvettes to replace the ageing Niteroi- and Broadsword-class frigates.
It is part of the Prosuper Program which calls for a total of 12 modern corvettes as well as five frigates displacing 6,000 tonnes, the optimal size for the South Atlantic. The frigates are expected to cost $700m each, and the corvettes $380m.) (Issued in Portuguese; unofficial translation by Defense-Aerospace.com)(Source: defense-aerospace.com/Brazilian Navy)
17 Oct 18. Brazilian Navy chief says new nuclear submarine will be delayed until late 2020s. Brazil’s new modern nuclear submarine, which was initially expected to enter service as early as 2021, will now likely be delayed until the end of that decade, according to Admiral Eduardo Bacellar Leal Ferreira, commander of the Brazilian Navy.
The submarine should be ready “by the late 2020s”, Adm Leal Ferreira said recently. Brazil and France signed a deal for the Submarine Development Program (PROSUB) on December 2008, but a decade later, construction of the nuclear submarine, Álvaro Alberto (SN-10), has yet to commence. The schedule has been regularly modified, and at one point it was expected that construction would begin in 2015 and be completed by 2021. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
17 Oct 18. Brazilian Army eyes acquisition of 155mm towed howitzers. The Brazilian Army is considering the purchase of 155 mm towed howitzers to progressively replace its 42 M114 and 33 M114A1 155mm guns. To move forward with this effort it has recently approved operational, technical, logistics, and industrial requirements to procure a howitzer and associated towing, ammunition resupply, and troop transport/fire centre high-mobility trucks. The project is currently in its initial phase, with quantities, schedules, equipment, and accessories pending definition, the army recently told Jane’s. However, the acquisition will depend on budget availability, it added. A procurement process is currently being formulated after studies were conducted on the prospect of finding equipment that meets the requirements, the army told Jane’s. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
17 Oct 18. Brazil renews efforts to acquire B767-300ER aircraft. Brazil will field a Boeing B767-300ER passenger aircraft to replace one currently in service, Jane’s learnt on 16 October. The Brazilian Aeronautical Commission in Washington (CABW) on behalf of Brazilian Air Force’s Logistics Support Group (GAL) has issued an international tender to acquire a B767-300ER aircraft, with logistical support for the aircraft and its equipment for 36 months. The CABW launched an initial effort to replace the air force’s current B767-300ER (designated B-767), but that attempt was unsuccessful. Proposals for this renewed effort are due by 6 November. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
16 Oct 18. DND plans to acquire Gripen fighter aircraft for Philippine Air Force. The Department of National Defense (DND) is reportedly planning to acquire the Swedish-built Gripen fighter jet for the Philippine Air Force (PAF). During an interview with the Philippine News Agency (PNA), Philippine Defence Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said: “The acquisition of multi-role jetfighters is badly needed to protect the country’s airspace.”
Lorenzana also noted that the Gripen aircraft is cheaper and has less expensive maintenance costs. Powered by the Volvo RM12 turbofan jet engine, the supersonic fighter jet features a delta wing and canard configuration and has the capability to travel at a top speed of 1,236km/h. The Gripen jet would replace the US-built F5A/B jet interceptors that were retired in 2005 due to old age and lack of spare parts, according to PNA. PAF currently operates F-50 jets that were purchased from South Korea. The airforce intended to buy the F-16 fighter aircraft from the US Government. However, Lorenzana said that the F-16 supersonic jet fighter interceptors are more expensive in comparison to the Gripens.
The Gripen fighter jet is currently being used by various countries across Europe and the Middle East. Earlier this month, the Swedish Defence Material Administration submitted the proposal for the delivery of eight fully Nato-interoperable Gripen C/D fighter aircraft for use by the Bulgarian Air Force. (Source: airforce-technology.com)
15 Oct 18. Canadian frigate delayed again. A long-awaited decision on the Canadian Surface Combatant (CSC) frigate replacement programme has been delayed once more, although it is unclear for how long.
In the official Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) update document released on 27 September, PSPC indicated no CSC design would be chosen in third quarter 2018, after indicating to Jane’s in May 2018 that a decision would be made at that time. In the update document, ‘The National Shipbuilding Strategy in 2018,’ which outlines the state of the federal shipbuilding plan, the PSPC said, “Request for Proposals to select the Canadian Surface Combatant (CSC) design and design team has closed. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
14 Oct 18. India re-issues tender for fleet support ships. The Indian Navy’s fleet support ship (FSS) project is now up for tender once again after talks between Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL) and South Korea’s Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) fell through. In pursuit of the tender, HSL issued a request for proposal (RFP) in early October 2018 seeking possible partners for the construction of five FSS vessels that will displace approximately 45,000 tonnes. The collaborating shipyard would supply key components that would go onboard the vessels, including propulsion and electrical generation equipment, and replenishment gear. The partnering shipyard would also provide technical, logistic, and project management support throughout the design, construction, and pre-delivery phases of the project. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
15 Oct 18. More details about Kenya’s new helicopters revealed. The Kenyan Air Force (KAF) has acquired two new types of Airbus helicopters, it was revealed during the events marking Kenya Defence Forces Day (KDF) on 14 October. President Uhuru Kenyatta visited Kenyatta Barracks in Gilgil, north of Nairobi, where he was shown an AS350B3 Écureuil (now H125) and an AS550C3 Fennec (H125M). The similar-looking helicopters were clearly identified by information panels seen next to the aircraft in Kenyan television coverage of the visit. Both types were painted in the same dark green scheme used by the UAE Armed Forces.
Several new Fennecs were previously seen in a ceremony held on 14 September, when the KDF announced that nine of the helicopters had been donated by the UAE. It did not mention any Écureuils.
It was also confirmed during Kenyatta’s visit to Gilgil that the UAE has transferred weapons as part of the package as the Fennec was displayed with a seven-round 70 mm rocket launcher mounted on one hardpoint and a 7.62mm M134D Minigun on the other.
The helicopter’s avionics suite included a large screen on the left side of the cockpit’s instrument panel, likely used for controlling the electro-optical turret fitted to the aircraft when in service with the UAE’s military. The AS350B3’s instrument console did not have this screen. Pilots told Kenyatta during his visit that the helicopters are capable of conducting operations at night, suggesting the KAF has received the electro-optical systems and/or night vision goggles (Source: IHS Jane’s)
12 Oct 18. Safran signs new partnership agreements with Australian companies to enhance the transfer of submarine technology. Safran is expanding its partnerships, with two Australian companies Advanced Navigation and Thomas Global Systems, to further the development of innovative and world-leading submarine technology in Australia. To support Safran’s commitment to Australian industry capabilities, Safran Electronics & Defense Australasia (SEDA) has recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Australian company Advanced Navigation, to cooperate on the development of inertial navigation systems for land and maritime defence applications. This MoU represents the first step towards close cooperation on the navigation market between Safran (a worldwide market leader) and Advanced Navigation (an inertial navigation expert with a proven export record). The first phase of this cooperation is focused on the navigation subsystem of the Future Submarine Program, and would see Safran and Advanced Navigation’s engineers working together as part of a combined project team.
It is also intended that Safran’s strategic partner, Sydney-based Company Thomas Global Systems, will also play a significant role in Safran’s future submarine activities. The scope of the partnership —signed in early 2018 to manufacture the PASEO sighting system for Land 400 and 907— has been extended to cover the production of hardware for Safran’s naval systems, including submarine optronics and navigation systems.
These two partnership agreements contribute to reinforce Safran’s strategy which comprises two key components: the first is to grow the local subsidiary, Safran Electronics & Defense Australasia, by increasing its capabilities to better support the Australian Defence Force (ADF); the second is to partner with Australian companies to facilitate the exchange of technology and thereby enhance the capabilities of the country’s defence industry.
“We believe this approach will have a positive and enduring effect on Australia’s defence industry. We see this as the most effective path to bring cutting-edge submarine technology to Australia, and it will make real progress towards establishing sovereign capability for the Australian Defence Force,” says Alexis de Pelleport, CEO of Safran Electronics & Defense Australasia.
Safran is an international high-technology group, operating in the aircraft propulsion and equipment, space and defense markets. Safran has a global presence, with more than 58,000 employees and sales of 16.5bn euros in 2017. Safran is listed on the Euronext Paris stock exchange, and is part of the CAC 40 and Euro Stoxx 50 indices. Including Zodiac Aerospace, acquired by Safran in February 2018, the Group now has over 91,000 employees and would have around 21bn euros in adjusted annual revenues (2016 pro forma figures). Safran Electronics & Defense Australasia has complete access to Safran’s OEM knowledge and global network to locally support its customers. Safran Electronics & Defense Australasia is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Safran Electronics & Defense based in Sydney, Australia.
Advanced Navigation is a privately owned company that specialises in the development and manufacturing of navigation technologies and robotics. The company has a focus on generating products of the highest quality standard, both in terms of hardware and software. Advanced Navigation has specialised expertise across a broad range of fields including sensors, GNSS, inertial navigation, RF technologies, acoustics, robotics, AI and algorithms. Advanced Navigation is an ISO 9001 certified company and maintains a strict quality control system across the two research facilities and three manufacturing facilities that they operate in Australia.
Thomas Global Systems: Thomas Global is an industry leader in the design, production and support of innovative electronic systems solutions for aerospace and defence applications. Since 1956, the Company has gained international recognition for practical innovation and dependability. Thomas Global delivers expertise in advanced flight displays, armored vehicle electronics and mission system solutions supported by dedicated service and support teams operating around the world. The Company’s facilities are in Sydney, Australia and Irvine, California.
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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.
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