UNITED KINGDOM AND NATO
18 Nov 21. Powering Royal Navy ships with hybrid-electric engines. DASA is exploring solutions for innovations in hybrid powertrain technologies that could power Royal Navy vessels and reduce carbon emissions.
The Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA) is pleased to launch a new Market Exploration called Hybridisation of the Naval Fleet, which aims to identify hybrid powertrain technologies for Royal Navy (RN) and Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) ships.
This Market Exploration is being run on behalf of the UK Ministry of Defence (MOD) Naval Ships Support Central Engineering Team and seeks hybrid powertrain technologies to explore options that will implemented by 2030, to aid the defence environmental sustainability strategy to reduce carbon emissions by 2050. Proposals submitted to this Market Exploration should be at Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs) 5-9.
Do you have an innovative solution? Read the full Market Exploration now and submit your idea
Using hybrid engines to reduce the emissions of Royal Navy and Auxiliary ships hybrid powertrain solutions for RN and RFA ships could reduce emissions by 20-40% by 2030. We want to understand the hybrid powertrain market for ships that meet the capability requirements for Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S), as solutions will be retrofitted to ships.
We are seeking solutions per vessel, based around electrification (AC as well as DC) and electrical storage. Solutions will be able to be retrofitted to current vessels and will not have a negative impact on their individual operational capability. Preferable solutions will be weight saving or neutral.
What kind of ships will solutions need to be implemented on?
- mass of 65,000 Tonnes at a speed of no less than 25 Knots • mass of 6,900 Tonnes at a minimum of 26 Knots • mass of 7,350 Tonnes at a minimum speed requirement of 32 Knots
Do you have an in-depth understanding of emerging capabilities, technologies, initiatives and novel approaches that may help better our understanding of the hybrid powertrain market? Submit an idea and help inform UK Ministry of Defence (MOD) Naval Ships Support Central Engineering Team in methods for reducing carbon emissions in the Royal Navy.
Submit your innovation
Read the full Market Exploration document and submit your innovation: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/hybridisation-of-the-naval-fleet (Source: https://www.gov.uk/)
12 Nov 21. UK launches New Medium Helicopter effort with Market Interest Day. The United Kingdom has launched its New Medium Helicopter (NMH) effort, with the announcement on 11 November that the Ministry of Defence (MoD) is to hold a Market Interest Day later in the month.
The MoD said that a day to gauge industry interest in its requirement to replace the Westland-Aerospatiale SA 330E Puma HC2 and three other rotorcraft types will be held on 25 November, after which a formal request for information will be issued.
“The MoD is considering the procurement of a New Medium Helicopter to replace existing rotorcraft systems for [the British] Army and Strategic Commands,” the ministry said in its notification. “The purpose of this prior information notice is to invite potential and interested suppliers to a Market Interest Day, planned for Thursday 25 November, and subsequent market engagement to further inform the NMH requirement and procurement strategy.”
Along with announcing the industry engagement day, the MoD revealed some details on the scope of the NMH project. According to the notification, the requirement will cover between 36 and 44 aircraft, as well as two cockpit and one cabin simulator; will be valued at GBP1bn (USD1.34bn) over five years; and will run from 2 October 2023 to 2 October 2028. The requirement will also include contractor-based aircrew and maintainer training and support. For the NMH requirement, the MoD is looking to replace the Royal Air Force Puma HC2, as well as the Army Air Corps Bell 212 and Bell 412, and the Special Air Service Airbus Dauphin. (Source: Janes)
12 Nov 21. £10m DASA funding for Scottish innovation. DASA has funded over 60 innovators based in Scotland to help them take their ideas to the next level. Innovators in Scotland have reached a key milestone, receiving over £10m in DASA funding for defence and security related projects.
Since 2016, DASA has been working with innovators all across the UK to help address challenges in defence and security. We achieve this by welcoming ideas from innovators small and large, providing support to those who have not previously worked with Government.
We are pleased to have strengthened and broadened our links to innovators based in Scotland – attracting the best ideas for defence and security, and helping them pull those ideas through into capability.
Scotland has thriving digital, data and space technology industries, showcasing a long tradition of tech innovation. 66 highly ambitious Scottish innovators have had their ideas funded through DASA’s Themed Competitions and Open Calls, with the underlying theme being technologies that will help solve the big challenges facing UK security, both present and in the future.
Key technology areas that received funding in Scotland include: Space Technology, Photonics, LIDAR, Ai & Robotics and Materials Science.
Reaching out to Scottish innovators
DASA works locally, to support and advise innovators of all shapes and sizes, providing a critical link to pull through innovation to help the Ministry of Defence, Home Office, Department for Transport and other Government departments keep the UK safe by staying ahead of the threats we face.
We have a team of regionally based Innovation Partners, who are available to give advice to suppliers about their ideas and how they can best engage with DASA.
Debra Carr, DASA Scotland Innovation Partner, said: “I’m thrilled that DASA has reached £10 m in funding for projects based in Scotland. It is a testament to the incredible work that has come through our competitions and a great showcase of Scottish contributions to vital areas of defence and security such as space, robotics, artificial intelligence and photonics. We greatly look forward to working with more Scottish innovators in the future.”
DASA’s largest Scottish funding award
The largest funding award to a Scotland-based innovator was received by Spire Global, which received £800k for its Radio Frequency (RF) Signals Detection and Geolocation Project, as part of the Space to Innovate Themed Competition.
On working with DASA, Theresa Condor, EVP & GM Spire Space Services at Spire Global Inc., said: “It is an honour for us to be selected by DASA for this mission in support of the UK Government and its defence activities and to be recognised as part of Scotland’s innovative space technology scene. Using Spire expertise in signal detection and geolocation, the project will take advantage of our capabilities as a space services provider and utilise the expertise and heritage of our low earth orbit nanosatellite constellation, consisting of more than 100 satellites and 17 ground stations globally.”
Get involved with DASA
DASA looks forward to working with more innovate Scottish companies. If you have an innovative idea for a defence or security challenge, we want to hear from you. Reach out to your local Innovation Partner today. (Source: https://www.gov.uk/)
EUROPE
15 Nov 21. Saab ‘stands ready’ to offer Gripen E/F to Czech Republic. Saab is ready to offer its Gripen E/F to the Czech Republic, as the country considers its future fighter plans towards the end of the decade.
A spokesperson for the Swedish manufacturer told Janes on 12 November that the Gripen E/F would be “the logical choice” for the eastern European country, if it decides not to extend the lease for 14 Gripen C/Ds that is due to expire in 2027 (with the option for extension through to 2029).
“Although we cannot confirm at this stage any specific details of a formal response [to any request for information from the Czech government], Saab is ready to offer Gripen E/F to the Czech Air Force. We see this as a logical step. Countries using Gripen today can in the future undergo a seamless transition to Gripen E, reusing part of the ground support equipment and support systems,” the spokesperson said, adding that any formal response for such a government-to-government deal requested by Prague would need to come directly from Stockholm.
Saab’s statement came days after Janes first revealed that the Czech government is considering its long-term fighter plans, with the news on 3 November that Lockheed Martin had responded to a request for information with its F-35A Lightning II. Speaking under the Chatham House Rule, an official said that the Czech government was looking at a type selection to take place in 2025, ahead of deliveries from 2027. (Source: Janes)
12 Nov 21. Damen submits proposal for Greek Navy corvette programme. Dutch shipbuilder Damen has submitted a proposal based on its proven SIGMA 10514 design to the General Directorate for Defense Investments and Armaments (GDDIA) for the Hellenic Navy’s (HN) corvette programme, industry sources have confirmed to Janes. Key specifications for the SIGMA 10514HN design include an overall length of 107.5m, a beam of 14m, and a maximum displacement of 3,000 tonnes. The ship will have a top speed of more than 27 kt at full load and a standard range of more than 5,000 n miles at 15kt. The ship will be powered by diesel engines and motors in a combined diesel or electric (CODOE) configuration. Proposed armament includes a 76 mm Super Rapid gun, 16 VL MICA-NG surface-to-air missiles in a vertical launching system, one 21-cell Rolling Airframe Missiles launcher, eight Exocet Block 3C surface-to-surface missiles, one 30 mm remote weapon station, two triple torpedo launchers for ASW torpedoes, and M2HB 12.7 mm heavy machine guns. The sensor fit includes Thales’ NS110 active electronically scanned array multifunction radar with integrated IFF, STIR 1.2 EO Mk 2 fire-control radar (FCR), and TACTICOS combat management system. Other equipment includes a complete electronic warfare and sonar suite. The SIGMA 10514HN features a hangar that can accommodate an 11-tonne helicopter (S-70B or MH-60R in Greek inventory) and an unmanned aerial system. It will also carry two 6 m rigid-hull inflatable boats on davits. (Source: Janes)
REST OF THE WORLD
19 Nov 21. Taiwanese submarine development programme reaches key milestone. Taiwanese shipyard CSBC Corporation has reportedly laid the keel of first indigenous diesel-electric submarine (SSK) under construction for the Republic of China Navy (RoCN) at its purpose-built submarine construction facility in Kaohsiung, several local news agencies have claimed.
However, no imagery of the ceremony – purportedly attended by senior RoCN officials – were released because of the high level of secrecy associated with the Indigenous Defense Submarine (IDS) programme.
“The project team is paying attention to construction safety and confidentiality throughout the process,” RoCN chief Admiral Liu Chih-pin was quoted as saying. “I hope the first submarine will be completed on schedule to meet the expectations and support of the president and the people.”
The RoCN awarded CSBC Corporation a construction contract for a prototype submarine in May 2019. The company had earlier declared that the first boat is expected to be completed in the third quarter of 2024, followed by sea trials and commissioning in 2025.
CSBC Corporation is partnering with the state-owned National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology (NCSIST) to construct eight IDS SSKs worth up to US$16bn.
The SSK is expected to have an overall length of 70 m and will displace about 2,500 tonnes when submerged. Although detailed performance specifications remain unconfirmed, the RoCN is reportedly expecting an operational range of up to 6,000 nautical miles as well as surface and submerged speeds of around 8 kt and 17 kt, respectively.
It is also expected to be armed with US-made Mk 48 Mod 6 Advanced Technology heavyweight torpedoes and UGM-84L Harpoon Block II missiles, with combat management and sonar systems supplied by US companies such as Lockheed Martin and Raytheon.
The RoCN’s operates an ageing submarine force comprising two refurbished Dutch-built Zwaardvis/Hai Lung (Sea Dragon)-class SSKs subs acquired in the late 1980s. It also maintains two Second World War-vintage former US Navy Guppy II/Hai Shih (Sea Lion)-class boats, which are the oldest submarines in naval service anywhere in the world today. (Source: AMR)
18 Nov 21. RoK undaunted as parliament suspends weapon project. The military is more committed than ever to building the first homegrown light aircraft carrier even though the National Assembly decided to cut the budget for a second straight year, saying more studies are needed to determine if the 2trn won ($1.8bn) project is worth the cost. The Navy, which plans to roll out the seagoing air base by 2033 to supplement its air power against North Korea, asked for 10bn won this year and 7bn won next year, but was given 100m and 500m, respectively. The project practically ground to a halt. But the Defense Acquisition Program Administration, which is working with the Navy on the project, said the drastic cuts will not affect the program.
“It’s true that the cuts will in some way influence the way we lay the initial groundwork, but we won’t rewrite the time frame. The same goes for all the other smaller projects,” the arms procurement agency said Thursday, referring to efforts to localize key technologies while building the aircraft carrier.
The Navy was more blunt, saying it will do its best to keep the plan in place and use the 500 m won next year to prepare infrastructure and learn how to localize technologies. The Navy did not offer details. Meanwhile, lawmakers on both sides of the aisle said the military is neither ready to oversee the project nor persuasive enough to convince critics who say the aircraft carrier is not a priority.
“Even if that’s indeed the weapon we need now, we’ll have to come up with a more accurate cost-benefit analysis,” Rep. Shin Won-sik of the main opposition People Power Party said. An independent analysis has already taken place but is discredited by some lawmakers.
Shin said he agreed that the weapon would elevate the military’s status, but that the project would be an irresponsible use of government resources since a seagoing air base would require a separate fleet of support vessels, which would incur additional costs to both make and run. The military has dismissed the concern, saying it has a fleet lineup ready so it would not be draining the government’s finances in the years to come. But even the ruling Democratic Party lawmakers were wary of the Navy’s proposal, with many saying it was not the best time to grant the military the billion won it requested. But they did not elaborate on what the “right conditions” would be. Korea first discussed building its own aircraft carrier in 1996, but a decades long dispute has prevented the Navy from securing the budget. A military official said the Navy would not back down, adding that some money was better than no money and that circumstances could change next year. (Source: News Now/http://www.koreaherald.com/)
17 Nov 21. Brazilian Air Force reduces KC/C-390 buy. The Brazilian Air Force (Força Aérea Brasileira: FAB) has reduced the contract for its acquisition of the Embraer KC/C-390 Millennium transport aircraft from 28 to 15 units after negotiations for a contract modification failed. The decision was announced on 12 November by the FAB’s Commander, Lieutenant Brigadier Carlos de Almeida Baptista Junior. The FAB initiated a negotiation process with Embraer on 23 April seeking a consensual solution. Embraer reported that it did not accept the proposal and that it will seek legal action and evaluate the effects of the reduction on its business. A total of 28 production aircraft, worth BRL7.25bn (USD3.26bn in 2014), were ordered in May 2014 to replace the Lockheed Martin C-130M Hercules aircraft fleet. Four KC/C-390s have been inducted by the Squadron Zeus, located at the Wing 2 in Anápolis, in the state of Goiás. (Source: Janes)
16 Nov 21. DST Group calls for C2 EoIs. DST Group is calling for Expressions of Interest (EoI) from academic partners wanting to explore the efficacy of an organisations Command and Control (C2) sociotechnical system. Submissions close 1 December. The principal focus will be on the integration of C2 of operations in the physical environment with effects in the information environment. In doing so, this EOI seeks to inform the critical C2 challenges, including:
- How to implement Defence end-to-end joint all domain C2 organisational change, to achieve multi-domain operations posturing the ADF to deliver synchronised effects, and;
- How to optimise Defence’s C2 approach to operate in contested, congested and denied environments while withstanding operational shocks.
This research is being conducted under the aegis of the Agile Command and Control STaR Shot program to transform how military capabilities are synthesised into a more effective and resilient force.
For further information go to the DST Group web site: https://www.dst.defence.gov.au/partner-with-us/opportunities/eoi-call-c2-sociotechnical-experimentation-collaboration(Source: Rumour Control)
15 Nov 21. Rafale Contract for Egypt comes into force. The contract for the acquisition by Egypt of 30 additional Rafales to equip its air force came into force. Announced on 4 May, this contract completes the first acquisition of 24 Rafales, signed in 2015, and will bring to 54 the number of Rafales operated by the Egyptian Air Force, the second in the world, after the French Air Force, to operate such a fleet of Rafales. It sets a new milestone in the strategic partnership between Egypt and France, and strengthens the historical ties forged with Dassault Aviation for nearly fifty years. It also demonstrates the satisfaction of the Egyptian authorities with the smooth execution of the first contract. Finally, it confirms the technological and operational excellence of the Rafale and its export success.
“In a demanding geopolitical context, Egypt has chosen the Rafale to ensure its role as a key player in the regional and international arena, in full sovereignty. This is an honour for Dassault Aviation and its partners, who are fully committed to meeting the expectations of the Egyptian authorities,” said Eric Trappier, Chairman and CEO of Dassault Aviation.