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EUROPE
04 Aug 22. Estonia and Latvia plan joint procurement of MRAD system and HIMARS. The two countries will focus on strengthening cooperation and enhancing their defence capabilities. Estonian Defence Minister Hanno Pevkur and his Latvian counterpart Artis Pabriks have announced plans to jointly procure medium-range air defence (MRAD) systems.
The move is intended to strengthen Estonian-Latvian cooperation and enhance the region’s defence capabilities.
The two sides also discussed the development of a Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS) and a High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) to boost their land-based rocket launcher capability.
The ministers also held talks on providing necessary assistance to Ukraine and the implementation of other commitments made during the Nato Summit in Madrid.
In June this year, the Estonian and Latvian defence ministers signed a letter of intent (LoI) at the summit to form a legal framework for the joint procurement of MRAD systems.
According to the LoI, the joint procurement will be managed by the Estonian Centre for Defence Investment.
The procurement will ensure air defence for the mobilisation of Estonian reserve troops.
Minister Pevkur said: “I hope that the governments of both countries will quickly take the necessary decisions to start the actual purchase process. (Source: army-technology.com)
01 Aug 22. ELETTRONICA Plays Key Role In EU Defence Fund Calls. All 7 proposals submitted in 2021 have been selected for a total of €8.3m of grants In its 70 years’ history, Elettronica has built a solid reputation as a European company by participating in the main defence programmes, such as Eurofighter Typhoon, FREMM, NH90, which have consolidated its expertise and, at the same time, built a joint heritage of competences, together with various nations and companies.
As a company with a strong European vocation, Elettronica has contributed to defining the national and European technological sovereignty, and to be ready to face the challenges of the coming years. This has also been done through participation in EU funded projects with the main European partners and players of innovation, working together on new courses of industry research.
Against this background, Elettronica has set up an internal dedicated unit and developed specific competences for promoting, activating, and responding to the opportunities offered by European Union initiatives. This approach was not only meant for seizing returns in terms of investment, but also for strengthening the development of its own engineering capability, and to position itself within future European military programmes.
The projects selected by the European Commission, in the framework of the 2021 Work Programme of the European Defence Fund, range from surveillance capability and platform self-protection projects, where Elettronica contributes, with its robust expertise in the Electromagnetic Spectrum Operations EMSO, to European defence and security applications, in every domain, including Space. There are also projects on disruptive technologies, such as those on quantum, which characterize the company as constantly projected towards the future requirements of the defence sector.
Below an overview of the projects selected for European funding participated by Elettronica:
NAVGUARD Advanced Galileo PRS resilience for EU Defence
The project aims at building an EU NAVWAR capability gathering efforts and federating means of the Member States. Such an EU NAVWAR capability will contribute to the unlimited and uninterrupted access to the Galileo PRS worldwide, on EU Member States territory and abroad during operations or missions.
Through this project, Elettronica – which contributes with its capabilities in the development of CONOPS and operational requirements, as well as in the definition of active countermeasures – applies its EMSO knowhow also in the Space domain and in the part of the electromagnetic spectrum dedicated to satellite navigation.
EuroHAPS High altitude platform system demonstrator
The aim of the project is to develop HAPS solutions to test properly the operational and technical challenges of the different HAPS platform types, and as such making a substantial contribution to European Defence and Security applications. HAPS systems provide unique performance in terms of resolution and/or link margin due to their relative proximity to the ground and can provide over-the-horizon detection capabilities of low-flying land, sea or air targets. In addition, the implementation and operation of multiple different sensors – which provide different types of data – can help process valuable, high-quality information which, when integrated with each other, can greatly improve the relevance of those HAPS platforms.
Through its contribution to this project – the development of a SIGINT payload operating from 20Km of altitude – Elettronica extends its competences to new environments. Together with Navguard, this is a fundamental call for the growth of Company in the Space domain.
ENGRT EU Next Generation Rotorcraft Technologies.
The aim of this project is to focus on next generation EU military rotorcrafts, with a special attention to research into future technologies, the future operating environment and operational concepts of the next military vertical take-off and landing systems.
The importance of rotorcrafts, as principal vertical take-off and landing assets/systems in military operations is widely recognized. Military rotorcrafts perform missions such as Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR), MEDical EVACuation (MEDEVAC), which are critical to the success of military operations.
By participating in this project, and in synergy with the CARMENTA project (coordinated by Elettronica and already funded by the EU in 2020), the company confirms itself as the European leader in platform self-protection.
ADEQUADE Advanced, Disruptive and Emerging Quantum technologies for Defence
This project aims at providing a breakthrough in different quantum-sensing domains, which will develop capabilities with significant technological, operational and strategic advantages over existing defence products or technologies in different warfare areas.
The possession and implementation of quantum technologies will be a turning point in many application domains. Developing and mastering these technologies will give both superiority in the mission, and a competitive advantage on the international market. Europe and its Member States are fully committed to supporting this technological development to compete with important international competitors.
In this project, Elettronica’s contribution is focused on the use of RF quantum sensors in the EW segment.
AGAMI_EURIGAMI European Innovative GaN Advanced Microwave Integration
The project covers the complete supply chain for Gallium Nitride (GaN) starting from epitaxy up to the component packaging and integration in modern electronic defence systems. The project also focuses on the improvement of the technology and of the resilience against electrical and environmental threats.
The technology is a key enabler for high performance RF electronic components, which are the cornerstone of critical military systems like radar and electronic warfare. GaN has replaced previous gallium arsenide (GaAs) technology, providing more power, bandwidth and linearity to electronic RF amplifiers.
By participating in this project, Elettronica will obtain new generation European devices (MMIC and SiP) that can be used in its own future systems.
EICACS European Initiative for Collaborative Air Combat Standardization
The main challenge of the project is to build a European perspective that allows Member States to address collaborative air combat capabilities in the medium and long term, combining future air combat systems, manned and unmanned platforms, legacy platforms and their evolution, including sensors and effectors.
The EICACS aims at ensuring the interoperability of such assets and a seamless integration of future combat air systems.
Elettronica’s contribution to this project is fundamental in view of the benefit a collaborative approach to Electronic Warfare systems can provide to the platform survivability. Elettronica’s participation to the project is also in synergy with other EU funded projects such as CARMENTA and REACT.
AInception AI Framework for Improving Cyber Defence Operation
The project aims at developing tools and techniques for AI-based intrusion detection that outperform current military systems for selected scenarios and techniques that which can abstract, aggregate, enrich and contextualize alerts into a more manageable set of abstracted meta-alerts.
USA
03 Aug 22. Fuse Integration and Raytheon Missiles & Defense enter into a Department of Defense Mentor-Protégé Agreement to enhance federal defense networking capability at the tactical edge. Fuse Integration, an innovative federal defense communications, networking and computing solutions provider, and Raytheon Missiles & Defense , a leading aerospace and defense company that provides advanced systems and services for commercial, military and government customers worldwide, today announced they have entered into a formal DoD Mentor-Protégé agreement sponsored by the Missile Defense Agency Office of Small Business Programs. The DoD’s Mentor-Protégé program is designed to support eligible small businesses to gain capacity and win government contracts through relationships and partnerships with large companies. Under the program, Raytheon Missiles & Defense will help Fuse mature its engineering capabilities and corporate infrastructure.
“Raytheon Missiles & Defense is committed to supporting small businesses that strengthen our nation’s defense,” said Dr. Jennifer Brower, director, Advanced Technology Maritime at Raytheon Missiles & Defense. “By helping Fuse Integration through this program, we can advance DoD’s goal of enabling joint force integrated connectivity.”
Fuse specializes in virtualized network systems, tactical edge virtual networks and airborne networking gateway products, utilizing a warfighter-focused engineering and design approach to improve connectivity in contested environments.
“The DoD Mentor-Protégé program is an exciting opportunity to engage with Raytheon Missiles & Defense across multiple domains,” said Sumner Lee, CEO of Fuse. “Fuse benefits from working closely with a large and well-respected prime as we grow our team, evolve our innovative products and continue to drive an intense focus on the warfighter.”
About Raytheon Missiles & Defense
Raytheon Missiles & Defense brings global customers the most advanced end-to-end solutions delivering the advantage of one innovative partner to detect, track, and intercept threats. With a broad portfolio of air and missile defense systems, precision weapons, radars, command and control systems and advanced defense technologies Raytheon Missiles & Defense solutions protect citizens, warfighters and infrastructure in more than fifty countries around the world. www.raytheonmissilesanddefense.com
About Fuse Integration
Fuse, a warfighter-focused engineering and design firm, provides communications, networking and computing solutions for defense customers. Fuse’s virtualized network systems, tactical edge virtual network and airborne networking gateway products improve the sharing of information, video, text and voice among warfighters throughout airborne, maritime and ground environments. Fuse is a service-disabled veteran-owned small business headquartered in San Diego with corporate offices in Washington, D.C. www.fuseintegration.com (Source: PR Newswire)
02 Aug 22. US Navy tests Insitu, L3 Harris wide-area mission UASs for potential prototype award. Insitu, a Boeing subsidiary, and L3 Harris demonstrated competing unmanned aircraft systems (UASs) for the US Navy (USN) for a potential prototype project award later in 2022.
The demonstrations to perform wide-area missions took place from 11 to 15 July aboard USS Paul Hamilton (DDG 60) in San Diego.
Insitu and L3 Harris “showcased multiple technologies designed to operate as a portable system in challenging conditions while providing the same wide-area coverage as a shore-based system”, the navy said in a statement on 27 July.
The navy and Marine Corps Small Tactical Unmanned Aircraft Systems program office (PMA-263), Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division’s AIRWorks, along with other navy experimentation units, chose the two vendors based on their “ability to provide a system able to operate without additional support systems, deploy without dedicated launch or recovery equipment, and have maximum portability, self-sufficiency, and modularity across UAS hardware and payloads”, the navy said.
The navy could award either contractor an Other Transaction Authority (OTA) prototype project later in 2022. (Source: Janes)
REST OF THE WORLD
04 Aug 22. Japan working on F-X fighter jet programme amid pending deal with UK on FCAS. As momentum builds on a potential merger of the UK’s Future Combat Air System (FCAS) and Japan’s F-X fighter jet programmes, eight Japanese industries are deepening their involvement in developing systems and structures of the future fighter aircraft. Officially, the UK and Japan are said to be discussing the scope of F-X/FCAS collaboration towards the year-end agreement. In the interim, Japan’s Ministry of Defense (MoD) is seeking greater indigenous expertise for the development of F-X fighter-related technology. This is being driven by the fact that Japan’s last industrial involvement in a fighter development project (the Mitsubishi F-2) was 27 years ago.
“The situation surrounding the manufacturing industry has drastically changed,” Japan’s Acquisition, Technology & Logistics Agency (ATLA) of the MoD told Janes . “While digital transformation has been promoted in the manufacturing industry, Japanese defence-related industries have not yet reached that point at this moment.” (Source: Janes)
03 Aug 22. Saudi Arabia-UAE: US approval of proposed defence deals underscores regional re-engagement; likely to intensify Iranian hostilities. On 2 August, the US State Department approved a proposed sale of 300 Patriot missiles to Saudi Arabia and 96 Terminal High Altitude Area Defence (THAAD) missiles to the UAE, in deals worth approximately USD 3.05 bn and USD 2.25 bn, respectively. The Pentagon reported that the proposed deals, which await congressional notification, will advance US foreign policy and national security objectives in the Gulf. This includes by supporting the capabilities of Gulf partners to meet the threat of Houthi cross-border attacks, currently mitigated in the short-term by the two-month extension of the Yemen conflict ceasefire agreement until 2 October. Coming only weeks after President Joe Biden’s visit to the region in July, the potential sale underscores Washington’s efforts to assure Gulf allies of its continued strategic engagement. This is likely to further exacerbate tensions with Iran, resulting in intensified tit-for-tat hostilities in the coming weeks, also via its proxy networks in Yemen, Lebanon and Iraq. (Source: Sibylline)
01 Aug 22. SA Navy planning submarine spares acquisition. SAS Charlotte Maxeke alongside during the 2014 Navy Festival. The SA Navy (SAN) looks to be planning ahead when cognisance is taken of an Armscor issued request for information (RfI) for the 2023/24 financial year.
The maritime service of the SA National Defence Force (SANDF) wants information on 151 items listed in the Armscor RfI. As background, the RfI document has it “the requirement exists within the SAN for the procurement planning of SAN submarine spares to effectively maintain operational capabilities”. The intention is to utilise information obtained via the RfI as “guidance” for future “dated procurement planning” of submarine spares.
None of the items listed pertain to the Type 209 Heroine Class submarines’ weapons and other combat related systems, with propulsion and ancillaries the thrust of the RfI.
This sees items such as casket and seal sets, various valves, wire rope assemblies, pressure sensors, retaining and O rings, impeller pumps, various sealing compounds, packing material, solenoids, circuit cards, pressure regulators, preheaters, indicating “gage pressure dails (sic)”, valve seat bushes, helical compression springs, bolts and a lone computer sub-system listed. Quantities vary from one to a hundred but are generally in the 20 to 30 range number-wise.
A retired SAN submariner, speaking on condition of anonymity, told defenceWeb it was “good” the SAN is planning ahead, adding his old service should be looking to stockpile the type of parts named in the RfI for at least five years. “This will eliminate panic buying and save money as many of the spares named are of foreign origin and in all probability will have to be paid for in US dollars,” he said.
Budget cuts mean there is no funding for mid-life upgrades/refits of the SA Navy’s three submarines and four frigates. These vessels will have to wait until at least 2033/35 before sufficient funding becomes available for this.
Due to limited funding, only one of four frigates SAS Amatola (F145) was partially refitted in 2014/15 and one of three submarines SAS Manthatisi (S101)was refitted in 2013/14. Funding for refitment of the remaining three frigates – SAS Isandlwana (F146) , SAS Spioenkop (F147) and SAS Mendi (F148) – and for submarine SAS Queen Modjadji I (S103) has not been available since this work became due, according to the Department of Defence (DoD).
Queen Modjadji I is overdue for a refit. Manthathisi is operational and scheduled to undergo maintenance and repairs in the second half of last year. Additional funding to complete the refit of SAS Charlotte Maxeke (S102) by the end of 2023 has been made available by the SAN.
According to the DoD, the average cost estimate for a frigate refit is R687 m with a submarine refit costing R660 m.
Pending the conduct of the outstanding refits, the SAN is currently focused on prioritising essential maintenance and repair of frigates Spioenkop and Mendi, the combat support vessel SAS Drakensberg (A301) and Manthatisi to ensure operational availability. (Source: https://www.defenceweb.co.za/)
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Since 1946, Industrial Electronic Engineers, IEE, has specialized in the design, test, support and fielding of display products for use in demanding military and aerospace applications throughout the world. IEE has developed an extensive product portfolio that today includes enhanced flat panel displays, smart displays and handheld devices.
From rapid prototyping of custom designs to full-scale production runs, IEE, produces displays with advanced features like low-latency video processing, high-bright and NVIS backlighting, and lightweight rugged enclosures. Their SWaP-C products employ the latest lightweight composite materials; low power, high performance integrated ARM processors; standard Ethernet and USB communication, in a low cost, highly producible design.
In-house California facilities include optical bonding, clean rooms for display assembly, a dark room for optical measurements and environmental chambers for pre-compliance and customer acceptance testing. On-site manufacturing includes PCB assembly and flow soldering. IEE has manufactured handheld, in-vehicle, airborne and naval LCD displays for all military branches as well as leading aerospace firms both domestically and internationally.
IEE is ISO 9001:2015 and AS9100D certified.
IEE’s Advantage:
- Direct control of critical process steps that reduce cost, decrease production lead times and improves life-cycle management
- Unique advantage to serve to both smaller quantity, highly custom displays needs as well as high volume production outputs
- Expert in delivering the best value in form and fit replacement by modifying existing COTS products to meet legacy requirements
- Leading the next generation avionics efficiencies by leveraging open architectures and common software standards
- Field-proven, pre-engineered displays minimize lead-time and non-recurring engineering costs.
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