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UNITED KINGDOM AND NATO
06 Aug 20. The race is on to replace NATO’s early-warning aircraft fleet. On June 29, a solicitation titled, “NATO International Competitive Bidding (ICB): Alliance Future Surveillance and Control (AFSC) Project-Risk Reduction and Feasibility Study,” popped up on Beta.Sam.Gov, a U.S. government contracting site.
The appearance of the notice represented an early, but important, step in a long process of finding a replacement for NATO’s fleet of airborne early warning and control AWACS planes, which have seen increased usage over the past five years.
“What you’ve spotted online is the U.S. government preparing U.S. companies for this upcoming call for bids,” a NATO official, speaking on background, explained to Defense News. “Allies will then need to decide what form [the new design] should take.”
Currently, 18 nations participate in NATO’s early-warning-and-control force, which operates 14 E-3As: Belgium, Canada, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United States. The planes are based at NATO Air Base Geilenkirchen, Germany.
NATO plans to spend $1bn for a final service life extension of the aircraft, which would keep it flying until 2035. Any delays in the decision-making process will likely increase the cost for the fleet, meaning there is heavy pressure to hit key milestones for an alliance that rarely buys military gear as collective.
As of July, six consortia from across the alliance have delivered concept studies to NATO leadership; Brussels is “currently assessing” those concepts with the goal of defining a “more narrow scope” for requirements before the end of 2020, per the NATO official. That will be followed in 2021 by another round of responses from industry, and a 2023 deep dive by NATO which is likely to set up the final requirements. Overall, the development stage through 2023 has a budget of EUR 118.2m ($139m).
In the U.S., expect Boeing and Northrop Grumman to be in the running, while the likely European contenders would be Saab and Airbus, according to Doug Barrie, senior military air analyst at the International Institute for Strategic Studies think tank in London. “With all the usual caveats, the most likely outcome is that it is U.S., perhaps with some European add-ons,”
Richard Aboulafia, an analyst with the Teal Group, agrees that a “U.S. prime, and lots of European mandates for local sustainment, support, and upgrade work” is a likely outcome.
“The European industrial role is a bit complicated by the fact that Airbus has zero experience here,” Aboulafia argued. “Saab certainly can do the job, but GlobalEye simply doesn’t have the capabilities of a higher-end system, which means Boeing, or, just conceivably, Northrop Grumman/Lockheed Martin.”
Firms that end up as second-tier suppliers may still end up with a strong work share, depending on how the project shapes up. The official NATO line on the program follows the “system of systems” approach currently popular inside the U.S. Air Force, with the idea that a single platform may not be the optimal solution.
“The replacement for the AWACS aircraft could include different combinations of systems in the air, on land, at sea, in space and in cyberspace,” the NATO official said. “The aim is for the solution to be ready by 2035, when the AWACS aircraft reach the end of their service life.”
Barrie sees costs and benefits to either approach, noting that a distributed system “is less vulnerable overall to kinetic attack but is heavily reliant on connectivity,” while a traditional setup “is more vulnerable to physical attack, but if there is onboard command and control less reliant overall on wider connectivity and off-board analysis.”
Adds Aboulafia, “That system-of-systems approach is a good talking point, but creating the broader architecture is quite complicated. Also, creating a system is kind of a given for airborne early warning, but there needs to be a central platform doing the bulk of the heavy lifting. Thus, the teams will need to revolve around a platform prime.”
While the overall price of the program will depend on the final design, Aboulafia predicts everything put together could cost in the $10bn range to buy an equivalent of the original 17-aircraft NATO purchase. And that money may well be worth it for the alliance, according to Barrie.
“It’s been a practical and a symbolic asset,” he said, “and in the current European security environment air surveillance and C2 isn’t becoming any less important.” (Source: Defense News Early Bird/Defense News)
USA
14 Aug 20. US Army seeks new airborne tech to detect, defeat radar systems. The U.S. Army is seeking industry input on new technology allowing aircraft to survive and defeat systems in sophisticated adversarial environments made up of sensitive radars and integrated air defense systems.
A notice posted online Aug. 12 from the Army Combat Capabilities Development Command’s Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Cyber, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Center is asking industry for ideas ahead of an industry day in September that will provide additional information regarding the technical specifications. The service will also answer questions in depth at the event.
“The future multi-domain operational environment will present a highly lethal and complex set of traditional and non-traditional targets. These targets will include networked and mobile air defense systems with extended ranges, and long and mid-range fires systems that will deny freedom of maneuver,” the notices stated.
To maintain an advantage, the notice stated, the Army aviation community must modernize its reconnaissance, surveillance, target acquisition and lethality with an advanced team of manned and unmanned aircraft as part of its Future Vertical Lift modernization effort, which calls for a future attack reconnaissance aircraft.
The desired end state of this interconnected ecosystem will enable the penetration, disintegration and exploitation of an adversary’s anti-access/area denial environment comprised of an integrated air defense system as well as surveillance and targeting systems, command-and-control capabilities, and communications technology. It will do this through a series of air-launched effects, which are a family of large and small unmanned or launched systems capable of detecting, identifying, locating and reporting threats while also delivering nonlethal effects.
Some of the sensors described include those that can passively detect and locate threats within the radio frequency/electro-optical/infrared spectrums, active detection, electronic or GPS-based decoys, and sensors able to disrupt the detection of friendly systems through cyberspace or the electromagnetic spectrum.
The notice lists five technology areas of interest:
- Hardware for the mission payloads.
- Hardware, software or techniques for distributed collaborative teaming capabilities to include processing technologies, cyber protection and data links to enable command and control of air-launched effects.
- Software or algorithms that can fuse, process, decide and act on sensor data allowing air-launched effects to autonomously react and adapt to countermeasures.
- Multimode/multifunction technologies consisting of payloads for synthetic aperture/moving target indicator radar or combined electronic warfare, radar and communication functions that share common apertures.
- Modular open-systems architecture. (Source: Defense News)
REST OF THE WORLD
13 Aug 20. Australia launches feasibility study into gearboxes for Hunter batches. The Government of Australia has launched a feasibility study to explore the locally manufactured main reduction gearboxes for the upcoming Hunter batches.
The latest move is expected to create more opportunities for the industry through its Hunter Class Frigate Program.
Minister for Defence Linda Reynolds stated that the study is set to establish the capability and suitability of gearboxes that are sourced locally in order to meet the strict technical needs of the programme.
Reynolds said: “The manufacture of an anti‑submarine frigate’s main gearbox must meet a very high standard in respect to shock resilience, noise and vibration, which has never been done before in Australia.
“As we grow Australian industry capacity and skills to support sovereign shipbuilding, this feasibility study demonstrates the Morrison government’s commitment to actively open new opportunities for Australian industry to grow its capacity to support the Hunter Class Frigate Program.”
Reynolds further added that the government does not underestimate the value of Australian industry as a fundamental input to capability.
The industry is capable of producing the gearboxes in the country to enhance its sovereignty, she said.
ASC Shipbuilding will collaborate with Australian industry to build on the experience gained on the first three ships.
This will ensure that the Hunter Class Frigate Program adheres to the capabilities and technical needs.
The programme continues as planned and the ‘cut steel’ for prototyping is expected to commence at the end of this year.
In June this year, ASC Shipbuilding sought suppliers for the Australian Hunter Class Frigate Program. (Source: naval-technology.com)
14 Aug 20. ‘Help and guidance’: Land combat plan outlines SICPs for industry. With the release of the Land Combat and Protected Vehicles and Technology Upgrades Plan on Thursday, Minister for Defence Industry Melissa Price has outlined a framework for small businesses to work with government to build and grow one of the key sovereign industrial capabilities envisioned by Canberra.
The Implementation Plan – which identified opportunities for Australian businesses – was released alongside the Department of Defence’s overarching Industry Plan for the land combat SICP.
As defined by Defence, the priority captures the following:
- Combat vehicles – vehicles operated in sustained close combat and designed to generate warfighting advantage through lethality and protection systems.
- Protected vehicles – vehicles designed to enable the safe movement of personnel and/or equipment through a conflict environment, however, not designed for sustained close combat.
- Technology upgrades – an improvement to the quality or usefulness of a system or platform, or a change that incorporates a new function or component. An upgrade is generally connected with design changes to improve the systems’ capability or performance.
The third SICP implementation document released by the current government, the release of the plan follows the first tranche of SICP plans: the Combat Clothing and the Munitions and Small Arms Plans, posted as of December 2019. Implementation and Industry Plans for the remaining seven SICPs will be released throughout the year.
According to Minister Price, it provides a useful point of reference to both businesses already operating as part of the defence supply chain, as well as those looking to get involved, in order to “invest in a way that best supports the Australian Defence Force’s capability needs”.
“The Morrison government is delivering a record $270 billion of defence capability for our men and women in uniform, backing small businesses and creating thousands of Aussie jobs in our defence industry,” Minister Price said.
“The release of this plan is a significant step in providing greater clarity, supporting industry to make the most of this unprecedented opportunity.
“My number one priority is giving small business the tools they need to be involved in our defence industry, and grow their businesses to enable them to enter global markets.” (Source: Defence Connect)
14 Aug 20. Babcock calls for Aussie industry to get involved with LAND 125 bid. Babcock Australasia has announced it will respond to Defence’s call to equip Australian soldiers with next-generation technology, drawing on an extensive network of Australian suppliers to deliver sovereign capability as part of LAND 125 Phase 4.
The LAND 125 Phase 4 project will provide Australian soldiers with “best of breed” products, systems and emerging technology so they can defend the nation armed with the latest, disruptive advances in modern warfare.
Babcock Australasia’s program manager – land, Mick Burgess, announced that expressions of interest to join Babcock’s supplier network for the project are now open.
“We invite suppliers throughout the country to work with us in partnership with Defence, as we bring a new way of working to LAND 125 Phase 4. We want to hear from Australian technology developers and disruptive innovators,” Burgess said.
The LAND 125 Phase 4 project will deliver an Integrated Soldier System (ISS) integrating all elements and subsystems that are used, worn or carried by soldiers in any operational context or environment for up to 72 hours without resupply.
The ISS will include robotic and autonomous platforms integrating a wide range of inter-connected technologies including un-crewed ground and aerial systems and self-learning machines.
Burgess added, “As a Defence prime committed to building Australian industry capability, Babcock welcomes submissions from suppliers as well as existing partners as we bring together the best technology that Australia has to offer to achieve a common goal. Collaboration is the key as we work together to equip Australian soldiers for the future.”
Delivering an agile and responsive sovereign capability is central to Babcock’s AIC plan for the LAND 2097 Phase 4 Special Forces Helicopter project and the JP 9101 Enhanced Defence High Frequency Communication System program, with all partners selected specifically for reliability, flexibility, cost-effectiveness and their IP expertise.
“Babcock is at the forefront in having the supplier networks, the experience and the capacity to deliver this long-sought after capability, which will maximise soldier performance both individually and in small teams,” Burgess explained.
“In partnership with Defence, Babcock bring extensive, proven expertise in asset management and technology integration to the LAND 125 Phase 4 project, delivering an Integrated Soldier System to equip Australian soldiers now and into the future.”
LAND 125 is a multi-phase program dedicated to equipping the Australian Defence Force soldiers with advanced gear and equipment that meet the modern combat requirements and provide advanced features such as decreased detectability, enhanced protection and other improvements that increase the survivability and efficiency of the personnel in the modern battlefield.
The LAND 125 Phase 4 project will deliver a range of Defence Field Equipment items to address obsolescence issues and capability gaps within current equipment and deliver upgrades to meet emerging threats. The proposed program of upgrades and enhancements to field equipment will require a new prime vendor engagement model through a standing offer arrangement that will support this ongoing requirement. (Source: Defence Connect)
14 Aug 20. Updated Commonwealth procurement guidelines to support Aussie defence industry, SMEs. Defence Industry Minister Melissa Price has announced that Australian defence industry businesses seeking to participate in the government’s $270bn capability investment will benefit from updated Commonwealth procurement guidelines.
As the Commonwealth government continues to navigate through the economic turmoil resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, it has shifted gear to enhance the opportunities available to Australian business, particularly defence industry seeking to support the government’s $270 billion defence capability investment.
Like all Commonwealth procurement, defence procurement is guided by the Department of Finance’s Commonwealth Procurement Rules (CPRs), which includes more stringent requirements for procurements valued above $4 million for non-construction services and $7.5 million for construction services.
In order to support domestic economic growth and support Australia’s burgeoning defence industrial base, the Commonwealth update to the CPR guidelines includes a number of policy additions designed to foster stronger ties between industry and the government.
Defence Industry Minister Melissa Price explained the government’s objectives and rationale with the updated CPR guidelines, telling Defence Connect, “These are important changes aimed at forging new opportunities for Australia’s terrific defence industries.
“With the impacts of COVID-19, it’s critical we continue to explore ways to support local businesses. That’s why I am working on a new and enhanced AIC contractual framework and an Independent AIC Audit Program.”
A central focus of the changes is government’s discretion when considering the ‘value for money’ proposition, with a specific focus on the broader economic impact procuring Australian content would have on the local economy.
The updated guidelines explain this in greater detail, stating, “The government recognises the importance of considering the economic benefit of procurements to the Australian economy. Commonwealth entities have flexibility in the way in which they assess value for money, including the economic benefit to Australia, depending on their business need and the nature and scope of the procurement.
“This assessment will require officials to gather appropriate information on economic benefits as part of the decision making process and document how economic benefit has been considered as part of the overall value for money assessment.”
Expanding on these two points, with defence industry specifically in its sights, the updated guidelines spell out specific measures for nurturing the growth of Australia’s sovereign defence industrial capabilities, stating:
“[The domestic economic benefit] provides broader benefits that support the development and sustainment of industry capabilities; for example, enhancing key industry sectors through the Department of Defence’s Sovereign Industrial Capability Priorities.” This is also expanded to focus on supporting an increased transfer of intellectual property, with the update adding: “transfer of technology to Australian businesses such as through licensing arrangements for intellectual property”.
This means that when considering ‘value for money’, Defence must give consideration to the contribution of small business, AIC, sovereign capability and building skills.
Minister Price added, “The new procurement guidance will also strengthen the case to back local businesses.”
Australian defence SMEs will receive a major boost from the updated CPR guidelines, with government placing specific focus upon levelling the playing field for SMEs. To this end, the updated guidelines state:
“Procuring officials should be careful to ensure that the requirement to demonstrate economic benefit does not inadvertently disadvantage SMEs. For example, officials should be mindful that additional requirements in tender documentation could result in a greater burden on SMEs than larger businesses. This could be due to the SME possessing fewer resources to demonstrate their capability to meet the requirements, compared to established large suppliers to the government. All potential suppliers must be treated equitably and must not be discriminated against on the basis of their size, location or ownership.”
Expanding on this, the guidelines add more targeted advice for the consideration of Australian defence SMEs when tendering for programs: “Officials should make clear in tender documentation that only direct effects, or first-round economic effects to the Australian economy are considered in the evaluation of a tender’s economic benefit. This will help to provide clarity around the requirement and reduce the likelihood of tenderers including claimed benefits that will not be considered. Where feasible, quantitative and qualitative economic benefits considered in tender submissions should be verified at the appropriate stage of the procurement.”
Minister Price said, “I welcome the fact that tender evaluators within Defence have been given clear guidance to consider the benefit Defence opportunities bring to Australian jobs and small businesses.”
It is important to recognise that Australian SMEs will be expected to show how they will deliver a domestic economic benefit, with some metrics highlighted, including:
- Providing skills and training that benefit Australian communities;
- Employing workers in Australia;
- Employing apprentices or trainees in Australia;
- Reducing environmental impact through energy-efficient inputs;
- Using recycled materials or content;
- Developing and adopting innovative products or practices that benefit Australian communities;
- Creating export opportunities for Australian goods and services; and
- Developing Australian industry capabilities or industrial capacity.
Minister Price explained to Defence Connect, “This gives Australian small business full, fair and reasonable opportunity to be front and centre when Defence makes procurement decisions.”
The Commonwealth government has updated the guidance around these provisions to strengthen the expectations of procurement decision-makers, so they give the best possible opportunity to Australian industry. The expanded guidance includes more specific details about what factors to consider when awarding a Defence contract.
The full updates to the Commonwealth Procurement Rules are available here.
https://www.finance.gov.au/sites/default/files/2020-08/consideration-of-broader-economic-benefits-in-procurement.pdf (Source: Defence Connect)
13 Aug 20. Barrett Communications and CBG Systems join Team C4 EDGE. C4 EDGE welcomes West Australian HF SSB and VHF radio communications equipment designer and manufacturer, Barrett Communications, and Tasmanian radio frequency antenna designer and manufacturer, CBG Systems, to the team.
C4 EDGE (Evolutionary Digital Ground Environment) is a defence industry co-operative of C4 subject matter experts leading a communications program scoping the demonstration of a sovereign land battlegroup and below communications environment for the Australian Army.
The C4 EDGE program will leverage internationally agreed open standards to grow and demonstrate Australian C4 (command, control, communications and computers) industry capacity and ability to deliver a battlegroup and below C4 capability demonstration.
Andrew Burt, CEO of Barrett Communications, said, “Barrett are excited to be a participant in the C4 EDGE Team bringing the inherent capability of Australian industry together to provide Defence a truly sovereign communications capability for the future.”
Ultimately, by the end of 2021 the program will have delivered a proof of concept demonstration that shows the capability of Australian industry to further develop a protected, integrated and supportable sovereign system: one that delivers agile and resilient C2 functionality to meet the flexible, scalable and interoperability needs of a battlegroup operating independently or with partners.
“We are very pleased to be involved in this collaboration of leading Australian advanced manufacturing companies. It represents a unique opportunity to showcase Australia’s sovereign capability in the development of evolutionary communications environments,” said Javier Herbon, CEO of CBG Systems.
Adrian Neville, program manager at CBG Systems, added, “The knowledge and experience gained in over 40 years of manufacturing Moonraker antenna systems, combined with our development, prototyping and manufacturing capability, allows CBG Systems to significantly contribute to the success of the C4 EDGE program.”
Barrett Communications and CBG Systems join Victoria partner Tectonica Australia, Queensland partner EM Solutions, NSW partners GME and 3ME Technology, and ACT partners 1LM, EOS Defence Systems, Insitec, Kord Defence, Outlander Solutions, Penten, Skykraft, and XTEK.
Established in 1976, Barrett Communications designs, manufactures and markets HF and VHF radio equipment for specialised, autonomous, medium and long distance radio communications.
HF and VHF radio communications is “free to air”; having no recurring usage charges once the communications network has been installed.
CBG Systems has been operating in the defence, marine and communications sectors for nearly 40 years.
CBG specialises in the design and manufacture of leading-edge structural fire protection systems, thermal signature management and Moonraker antenna systems for global defence, commercial and recreational markets. (Source: Defence Connect)
13 Aug 20. Australian industrial content at the core of Babcock’s Special Forces Helicopter offer. Babcock Australia will leverage local industry partnerships to ensure that the Australian Army’s LAND 2097 Phase 4 program will deliver leading-edge capability to Australia’s special forces. Delivering an agile and responsive sovereign capability is central to Babcock’s AIC (Australian industry capability) plan for the LAND 2097 Phase 4 Special Forces Helicopter project, with all industry partners selected specifically for reliability, flexibility, cost-effectiveness and their IP expertise.
Babcock’s plan will see 95 per cent of the helicopters’ maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) undertaken in Australia.
This plan is expected to generate $326.6m in economic benefits and create 178 new jobs, as well as driving growth opportunities for small to mid-size enterprises (SMEs) across the engineering, training and simulation industries.
Chief executive David Ruff said the AIC commitment was integral to Babcock Australasia’s strategic focus of building Australia’s defence capability and capacity.
“We recognise the importance of supporting Australian innovation and developing and enhancing local skills, knowledge, systems, technology and infrastructure to meet Australia’s defence capability goals, create jobs and support economic growth,” Ruff explained.
“The plan for acquisition is supported by an integrated capability model, Babcock’s Australian Industry Development Office (AIDO), which enables major suppliers and SMEs alike to maximise their current capability and grow that capability for future resilience.”
The AIC plan comprises 12 Australian SMEs in addition to educational institutions and community organisations.
The SMEs include Airspeed Composites, Bend-Tech, Craig International Ballistics, Eagle Copters Australasia, FlightSafety International, HeliMods, L3Harris Technologies, Logistic Engineering Services, MMC Learning and Development (MMCLD), Omni Executive, Praxis Aerospace and Virtual Simulation Systems.
Executive director, strategy and future business, Graeme Nayler, said the expertise and experience of Babcock’s AIC network was essential to its LAND 2097 Phase 4 response.
Nayler explained to Defence Connect, “Our Defence work, including bids for new contracts such as LAND 125 Phase 4 Field Equipment, JP 9101 Enhanced Defence High Frequency Communications System and LAND 2097 Phase 4 Special Forces Helicopter Capability, has a proven track record of partnership with Australian suppliers and communities.
“Our local SME partners offer specialist capabilities that are vital to our Defence offering, from maintenance, repair and overhaul, ballistics protection, and targeting systems, to logistics support, engineering services, simulation and computer-based training,” Nayler expanded.
Together with its AIC network, Babcock will be leading the customisation program for the Bell 429 Global Ranger to meet the capability required by defence as part of LAND 2097 Phase 4.
As part of the partnership, Babcock’s AIC plan will see a range of benefits, including building partner capability, jobs creation and economic growth, including:
Coffs Harbour-based Eagle Copters Australasia will receive the aircraft, re-assemble, and provide ongoing maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) on the helicopter and communications system in Australia.
Eagle will maintain a trained workforce to be positioned to provide surge staffing to Defence bases or deployed locations as required. Eagle will work with Babcock to create two apprenticeship opportunities in Coffs Harbour; one airframe and engine and one Avionics.
“Part of the offering for 2097 was focused heavily on the end user, accordingly Babcock has worked heavily with the special operations community, and particularly Army to deliver the best outcome for both defence and AIC,” Nayler said.
“Defence is looking for a low-risk solution, which has resulted in a COTS platform that can be militarised to meet the specific requirements, this is why Babcock with Bell to offer the 429, which will draw on extensive domestic industrial capabilities to meet the unique and stringent end user requirements.”
Babcock’s AIC plan will see the transfer of training technologies from L3Harris Technologies to Babcock Australasia and Cobham Aviation Services in Australia, to enable support during acquisition and ongoing training for installation and line maintenance of the EO/IR (electro-optical/infra-red) turrets.
Babcock is committed to transferring the skills to Australia to contribute to the development of the Sovereign Industry Capability Plan as it applies to LAND 2097 Phase 4 from ‘day one’.
Gold Coast-based Craig International Ballistics (CIB) is a 100 per cent Australian owned SME and a leading supplier of body armour to the ADF and police forces. The company will design the armour concept for the Bell 429 helicopter, including 2D and 3D renders.
CIB will assist Babcock with LAND 2097 Phase 4 from design to end of armour end-of-life disposal services. All materials will be manufactured on the Gold Coast, and additional up-armour proposal to include the rear passenger compartment was also designed and is available if required.
“In building on our established commitment to Australian industry, we also work with Indigenous-owned and operated businesses, support veteran employment as well as provide backing for STEM initiatives in schools, universities and TAFEs,” Nayler told Defence Connect.
Based in Brisbane, Praxis Aerospace is a veteran-owned company that provides specialty engineering services for aerospace programs.
The company will assist Babcock in the acquisition contract for LAND 2097 Phase 4 by providing the required certification for electromagnetic environmental effects (E3) systems safety, human factors and airworthiness.
During the acquisition program, Praxis Aerospace will need to employ new staff in Sydney, and will provide five staff in the delivery of specialities engineering services and supporting activities such as the C-17 Load trials and a future flight of class flight trial.
Nayler added, “Babcock has a fully evolved AIC plan meeting with the stringent expectations identified by Defence and government, that benefit is provided by the fact that while having a global parent company, Babcock Australia is an entirely Australian owned entity.”
Babcock Australasia is a 100 per cent Australian company, employing over 1,100 Australians and New Zealanders. Operating across the defence, emergency services, and oil and gas sectors, we support our customers’ technical, program and complex platform requirements through our proven processes, systems and people.
A subsidiary of Babcock International Group, we are proud to help keep our nation secure, our communities safe and the country moving, using Babcock’s specialist skills and knowledge to facilitate our clients’ operational requirements.
“The AIC value is not just in the existing proposal, Babcock is expecting additional requirements through the life of the capability, which will see Babcock draw on the experience and expertise of its Australian SME partners to ensure that special operations command and Army’s mission requirements,” Nayler said. (Source: Defence Connect)
03 Aug 20. Egypt Acquires Russian Fighter Jets Despite US Warning. Russia Today quoted military sources July 27 as saying that the Egyptian army will acquire the Russian Sukhoi Su-35 fighter jet, a first for Egypt, after photos emerged of five of them heading to Egypt. Neither the Russian nor the Egyptian side has so far made any official comments on the alleged acquisition, while the United States objects to any such deals. According to Russia Today, “The sources indicated that these heavy and long-range fighter jets would give the Egyptian army superiority in the regional sky, which is why the US strongly objected.”
Russia’s Top War website, which focuses on defense affairs, reported July 23 that the first batch of Su-35 fighters took off from the Komsomolsk-on-Amur Aviation Plant and headed to the European side of Russia, from where they will be delivered to Egypt.
The report read, “Photos of the first five Su-35 fighters built for the Egyptian Air Force appeared on the web, which made a stopover at Novosibirsk Tolmachevo Airport during a flight to the European part of Russia. As can be seen from the photographs, there are no identification marks on the planes, but the tail numbers on the keels are marked from 9210 to 9214.”
On March 18, 2019, the Egyptian Air Force inked a $2bn deal to buy 24 Russian-made Su-35 fighter jets, including related equipment, according to Egypt’s State Information Service (SIS). (Source: defense-aerospace.com/Al Monitor)
07 Aug 20. Aussie sovereign C4 SMEs secure Army contract for new defence industry co-operative model. Seventeen Australian companies have joined the C4 EDGE (Evolutionary Digital Ground Environment) Communications Program, to scope the demonstration of a sovereign land battlegroup and below communications environment for the Australian Army.
The C4 EDGE program will leverage internationally agreed open standards to grow and demonstrate Australian C4 (command, control, communications and computers) industry capacity and ability to deliver a battlegroup and below C4 capability demonstration.
Ultimately, by the end of 2021 the program will have delivered a proof of concept demonstration that shows the capability of Australian industry to further develop a protected, integrated and supportable sovereign system: one that delivers agile and resilient C2 functionality to meet the flexible, scalable and interoperability needs of a battlegroup operating independently or with partners. At an event held in Canberra yesterday, ACT-based companies 1LM, Insitec, Kord Defence, Outlander Solutions, Penten, SkyKraft and Xtec, contracted under the nation-wide program comprised of 17 businesses, were officially welcomed to Team C4 EDGE by senator Zed Seselja (ACT) and EOS Defence Systems chief executive Grant Sanderson.
Sanderson said, “The C4 EDGE program is an innovative and creative initiative from the Australian government and Army that demonstrates their commitment to improved Australian industry engagement and opportunity. EOS feels very privileged to have the opportunity to lead this activity and help industry present their capabilities.”
Team members based in NSW, Queensland, Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania and Western Australia, who were unable to participate in the event due to COVID-19 travel restrictions, will be officially welcomed during a series of locally-arranged events and announcements next week.
Joel Deans, CEO of 1LM, said, “We are excited and honoured to be a part of this tremendous initiative showcasing sovereign Australian defence capability. 1LM is proud to contribute its local domain knowledge and technical expertise to shape and manage the system design and engineering program.”
1LM is a professional services company that supports government and defence industry to define, design and deliver major capital equipment and information technology projects.
The company supports all stages of the capability life cycle, from initial concept definition and needs analysis through to introduction into service. 1LM’s services include project/program management, technical and systems engineering, test and evaluation, cost analysis, enterprise and solution architecture, procurement and contracting, and materiel logistics.
Peter Moran, CEO of Kord Defence, added, “It is both an honour and a privilege to be working with so many innovative Australian companies in developing a communications capability that is not only unique but developed in Australia for Australian soldiers. Kord’s push-button control technology will enable the soldier to simply and easily operate this new communications technology without being distracted or putting themselves in harm’s way; a small, but important contribution to the overall effort.”
Matthew Wilson, CEO of Penten, welcomed the collaboration and the innovation the model would bring to Australia’s defence industrial capability, saying, “There is a grand opportunity for Australia to build its own domestic industry and the C4 Edge program will prove it’s possible. Australia is well placed to grow a sovereign industrial base and create competitive advantage through digital resilience.
“Here is an opportunity to use this momentum to steer Australia’s economic story. We are proud of what we are building as an industry. It’s possible that Australia can be the digital security leader in our region and be a reliable source of technology advantage to our allies, but first we need to be a customer of our own innovations.’’
C4 EDGE has also launched further collaboration with NSW-based GME. The company specialises in the design, development, prototype, test manufacturing, certification and support through the life of RF communication systems, including encrypted radios and emergency beacons using in-house Australian engineers, expertise and production line.
Warwick Clancy, CEO of GME, welcomed the collaboration, and the opportunities it presented, stating, “GME are very excited to participate in this once in a life time Australian industry opportunity. We are very proud to be a part of this team and are looking forward to delivering value to the Army in conjunction with other like-minded Australian organisations via EOS and the C4 EDGE program.”
Ultimately, by the end of 2021 the program will have delivered a proof of concept demonstration that shows the capability of Australian industry to further develop a protected, integrated and supportable sovereign system: one that delivers agile and resilient C2 functionality to meet the flexible, scalable and interoperability needs of a battlegroup operating independently or with partners.
GME joins ACT partners 1LM, 3ME, Insitec, Kord Defence, Outlander Solutions, Penten, SkyKraft, and XTEC announced at in early-August in Canberra. (Source: Defence Connect)
08 Aug 20. Second Batch Of Rafale Jets: India Could Follow Egypt’s Footsteps & Opt For SU-35s Over Rafales? Ever since the India-China border clash broke out, New Delhi has been aggressively procuring military equipment to boost its defence. After the deal to acquire 36 Rafale jets, India still needs to procure modern combat jets which could include additional Rafales, Russian heavyweight jets like Su-35s or American jets including F-21s.
Last year, Russia had offered to work with India as a Strategic Partner (SP) under Make in India Initiative when the MiG and Sukhoi series were competing for IAF’s massive contract for 114 jets. Russia had chosen to collaborate with the state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. as its SP.
Russia considered Su-35 as an interim solution; as a state-of-art air superiority fighter to sustain the Russian Aerospace Forces through the 2010s until the Su-57 fifth-generation stealth fighter enters serial production.
However, the Su-35 has been very successful, almost too successful for its own good that it appeared to tarnish the reputation its more expensive Su-57 successor. According to defence experts, at full power, the radar of Su-35 can detect an F-35 at a distance of 58-km and in the tracking mode, the distance drops to 29km. (Source: Google/https://www.defenceaviationpost.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.
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