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UNITED KINGDOM AND NATO
09 Apr 24. UK seeks Next Generation Red Air pilot training. The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) is seeking commercial contractors to deliver Next Generation Red Air (NGRA) pilot training for the Royal Air Force (RAF). A tender posted by the ministry in mid-March said the effort is part of a wider modernisation of the UK’s air training infrastructure taking place under Portfolio Mustang, and “is paramount to building and/or keeping maximum combat effectiveness in the air domain”.
“NGRA has an outline objective to provide red air (RA) services to the RAF for a period of up to 15 years from circa 2028,” the MoD said, noting that this represents Project 1 of Portfolio Mustang. (Source: Janes)
09 Apr 24. Defence Support has launched the first Support Modelling and Analysis Framework. Simply put, modelling and analysis is how we go about deriving ‘insight’ from all the data at our disposal. It can help us understand why certain things happened or what may happen in future scenarios. Helping us to make better decisions in the future. This new Framework sets-out how we will prioritise and exploit modelling and analysis activity to improve decision making across the Defence Support Enterprise. Establishing standard methods and practices that everyone (including industry partners) can adopt so that we can share tools, methods and operational models more openly across the Defence Support community. The Framework should be of interest to anyone involved in Support, who uses (or could use) information to improve the outputs they deliver. It will be of particular interest though, to those directly involved in providing modelling and analysis capability across the Department. Or those that are working on associated initiatives that will ‘indirectly’ improve modelling and analysis (e.g. data improvement projects, digital transformation programmes).
Chief of Defence Logistics and Support (CDLS), Vice Admiral Andy Kyte, spoke to the Framework with industry at the Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S) Digital Engineering Conference.
On the framework CDLS said…
‘The framework is the result of extensive collaboration within MOD and industry, which highlighted the common issues that we must get our arms around. Focused on five key area it is a great first step in providing the governance and structures which we can begin to properly embed Support modelling and analysis in the way that we want to.’
Why is it important?
Used well, modelling and analysis can
- improve operational output (e.g. improve platform availability),
- reduce cost (e.g. ensure we buy what we actually need)
- save time (e.g. making sure we do things right first time).
Done badly, or not at all, it means we miss a real opportunity to improve how we deliver all aspects of Support.
How will it be implemented?
Publishing the Framework is a good first step but it is only really the start. To realise the benefits that modelling and analysis has to offer we will be looking to implement the Framework through a series of ‘interventions’.
The Framework contains five key interventions,
- Effective prioritisation of Support modelling and analysis to enable delivery of Defence needs.
- A consistent, comprehensive, and coherent through life Support modelling and analysis approach.
- Innovative and effective Support modelling and analysis enabled by resilient, integrated digital technologies.
- Fully exploited high-quality, digitised assured data that rapidly adapts to customer requirements.
- An integrated and skilled Support modelling and analysis workforce across MOD and industry.
What’s next?
The key focus will be the interventions, ensuring we have a realistic plan in place to deliver the necessary change through each of the interventions. Alongside this though we will continue to look to raise the profile of modelling and analysis across the Support environment.
Questions:
Please contact Paul Salmon () for more information.
To join the TD-Info Supportability Modelling & Analysis Community of Practice, please use the following link and click the button to receive email updates:
https://www.teamdefence.info/the-supportability-modelling-and-analysis-working-group/
EUROPE
15 Apr 24. BAE pushes to delay Royal Navy frigate to prioritise Norway deal. A British bid to sell submarine-hunting warships to Norway cannot go ahead unless the Royal Navy agrees to take late delivery of one of its own vessels, it has emerged.
Oslo this month set out plans to buy at least five frigates, starting with at least one for delivery by 2029, as it grapples with an increasingly active Russian presence in the Norwegian and Barents seas.
It is thought BAE Systems could be in pole position to supply the vessels, with the UK defence giant currently building a new generation of Type 26 frigates at its Govan shipyard in Glasgow.
However, the company is committed to supplying the first eight to the Royal Navy, with the first batch of four currently under construction.
It is understood that due to the tight Norwegian timelines, BAE would only be able to supply a frigate to Oslo by its 2029 deadline if the Royal Navy agreed to give up one of the early-stage hulls.
The Navy is currently expecting to take delivery of the Type 26 frigates from 2028 to 2035, with the first, HMS Glasgow, currently being outfitted ahead of sea trials planned for 2026.
Also known as the City-class, the warships will be among the most advanced and stealthy vessels of their kind in the world and used for hunting submarines, air defences and general duties.
On Friday, the Ministry of Defence confirmed that discussions were taking place about the matter but stressed that no decisions had been taken.
Providing the ships to Norway, a fellow Nato member, would support the UK’s defence aims while also helping to guarantee work for BAE’s Glasgow shipyard beyond the mid-2030s.
At the same time, the company’s chances of striking a deal with Oslo have improved after a recent US review found that Fincantieri Marinette Marine, which makes the rival Constellation-class frigate, is suffering a three-year delay on existing orders.
However, handing over UK ships to an ally at a time when the Royal Navy surface fleet is already stretched could prove controversial domestically.
If the Navy agreed, industry insiders have speculated BAE would likely divert one of the earlier-stage hulls known as Ship 3 and Ship 4, or HMS Belfast and Birmingham respectively.
An MoD spokesman said: “We are working jointly with BAE Systems on options to support Norway’s future frigate programme and actively support the promotion of the Type 26 Global Combat Ship design to other navies around the world with a similar requirement.”
A BAE spokesman added: “We’re committed to delivering the eight ship Type 26 programme for the Royal Navy and are making good progress with construction underway on the first four vessels.”
Sidharth Kaushal, sea power research fellow the Royal United Services Institute, said the Royal Navy’s surface fleet’s current state was “effectively one of temporary retrenchment, which may start to be alleviated by the delivery of the Type 26s”.
He added: “The fleet is at a historic low in terms of surface escort ships and the Type 26 will be particularly critical to what the Royal Navy does in future.
“They are already looking at a reduced number, down to eight from the original 12 the Navy wanted, so I imagine giving one to an ally would be a difficult sell.”
BAE has secured contracts worth £7.9bn overall from the Ministry of Defence to build the Type 26 frigates, which will be among the most advanced and stealthy warships in the world.
They are designed for anti-submarine warfare as well as air defence and general purpose operations, replacing some of the functions of the existing fleet of Type 23 frigates.
When outfitted by the Royal Navy, they will be equipped with a medium-calibre gun, Sea Ceptor missiles, a towed sonar array and a helipad capable of accommodating heavy-lift Chinook helicopters.
They will also boast Thunderbird Two-style “mission bays” capable of transporting boats, drones, special forces equipment, disaster relief supplies or up to eight container-sized “pods”.
Both the Ministry of Defence and BAE have previously expressed hopes that the Govan shipyard could also build Type 26s for export, although so far deals to sell the ships to Australia and Canada have seen those countries opt to build them domestically. (Source: Daily Telegraph)
10 Apr 24. Eurofighter Outlines Possible New Orders From Partner Nations. In addition to the currently disclosed orders, the Eurofighter consortium envisions up to 74 aircraft from domestic orders and 130 from export customers. Eurofighter discussed future growth scenarios for its orders portfolio both from partner nations and export customers as part of a press release about the scale of the Eurofighter Typhoon programme’s contribution to economies across Europe. These new orders, which could add to the ones already acknowledged by Germany and Spain, would support the production lines and preserve the know-how until the FCAS aircraft are ready for mass production.
The report is part of the Eurofighter Economic Impact Assessment study published on April 9, 2024, by Strategy&, part of the PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) network. The in-depth report examines the entire spectrum of development, production, and support activities, encompassing the four Eurofighter Typhoon partner nations of the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy and Spain.
Giancarlo Mezzanatto, Chief Executive Officer at Eurofighter Typhoon, said: “The vital role that the Typhoon performs to keep Europe’s skies safe is widely known to all, however people are often less aware about the incredible economic benefits that the programme also brings.
Focusing on the next decade, the report shows the current economic benefits of the Eurofighter programme as well as anticipating future economic contributions. Two scenarios are analyzed: a “base” scenario, which includes the recent new orders of partner nations, and a “growth” scenario with opportunities also for export. The report continues saying the base scenario would sustain a minimum production rate for a few years, but further domestic and export orders are needed.
The “base scenario” takes into account orders for new Eurofighter Typhoons from Spain (Halcon I and II) and Germany (Quadriga). This scenario shows that, for the next decade, the programme is set to contribute €58 bn to the GDP of the four core nations’ economies; generate tax revenues of €14bn for the respective governments; and support 62,700 jobs annually.
“The Eurofighter Typhoon programme directly boosts European economies and supports tens of thousands of crucial aerospace jobs – benefiting the communities where we live and work,” said Mezzanatto. “There is also significant spill over in regions where Eurofighter production lines are located and where the programme often sustains SMEs, start-ups and educational institutions.
An infographic about the production of the Eurofighter Typhoon. (Image: Airbus)
This scenario includes a total of 83 aircraft, of which 38 are part of the German Air Force’s Quadriga order, 20 are part of the Spanish Air Force’s Halcón order and 25 are part of the subsequent Halcón II order. According to current planning, Airbus previously said production of Eurofighter in Germany will come to an end in 2030 with the delivery of the last Tranche 4 aircraft.
Those numbers increase significantly in the report’s “growth scenario” with opportunities for sales of approximately 200 Eurofighter Typhoons on the domestic and export market. This scenario shows, for the next decade, a programme contribution of €90bn to GDP; tax revenues of €22bn generated; and more than 98,000 jobs each year. The benefit of future export opportunities would mean that around 30 per cent of the core nation investment would return as tax revenues.
The report further outlines that up to 74 new aircraft orders could come from domestic opportunities and 130 could come from new export orders. According to Airbus, these orders would also avoid a production gap of 10 years without orders for the domestic industry until the Future Combat Air System (FCAS) goes into operation in 2040.
Airbus previously mentioned that up to 100 new Tranche 5 aircraft would be required to avoid the gap, while the Strategy& report envision double of the aircraft as part of the new possible orders. The customers, however, are not known at this time as no orders have been inked yet.
(Source: News Now/https://theaviationist.com/)
09 Apr 24. Serbia closer to deal over Rafale jets with France, President Vucic says. Serbia could soon sign a deal on the procurement of 12 Rafale multi-purpose fighter jets from France, President Aleksandar Vucic said on Tuesday.
Vucic, who is on a two-day visit to France, said he and President Emmanuel Macron reached concrete agreements over the purchase of the Rafale planes.
“The contract is expected to be signed in the next two months and in the presence of the president of France,” he told Serbian journalists in Paris.
The purchase of Rafales from France would mark a shift away from Russia as a traditional weapons supplier and could strain political ties between Belgrade and Moscow.
Last year, Vucic told Reuters that 12 new Rafale jets could cost the Balkan country around 3bn euros ($3.26bn).
Serbia, a candidate to join the European Union, has one of the largest militaries in the Balkans which is still reliant on Soviet-designed aircraft, such as MiG-29 jets and MI-35 helicopter gunships, alongside Russian missiles and tanks.
It also operates Chinese anti-aircraft missiles and combat drones.
Vucic also said Serbia was seeking to expand cooperation with Airbus (AIR.PA) and Thales (TCFP.PA).
Belgrade has already purchased Airbus-made H125M helicopters and C-295 transport planes for its military and police, Mistral surface-to-air missiles and Thales radars.
Serbia remains militarily neutral, but it joined NATO’s Partnership for Peace programme, tailored for countries which do not aspire to join the transatlantic alliance.
Vucic has said Serbia will seek other weapons suppliers after the introduction of Western sanctions against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine. The Serbian military is now loosely modelled after NATO standards and its troops often exercise with alliance members, including the United States.
Serbia has repeatedly condemned the invasion of Ukraine, but not joined Western sanctions against Russia. ($1 = 0.9203 euros) (Source: Reuters)
USA
09 Apr 24. USAF reports lower B-21 costs after negotiations with Northrop. The Air Force is seeing the unit cost of the B-21 Raider, its next stealth bomber, come down after negotiations with manufacturer Northrop Grumman, the service’s secretary said Tuesday.
Frank Kendall told the Senate Appropriations subcommittee on defense the cost decline shows the negotiations are “going in the right direction.”
He declined to discuss upcoming milestones for the B-21 in the hearing on the department’s proposed fiscal 2025 budget, citing the secretive program’s high levels of classification.
When the first B-21 was unveiled to the public in December 2022, the Air Force said it was staying under its inflation-adjusted average procurement unit cost of $692 m. An Air Force spokesperson on Tuesday declined to say what the bomber’s unit costs are now, citing its classification.
The spokesperson said the Air Force’s procurement budget for the B-21 in fiscal 2025 was adjusted to take into account the favorable negotiations on low-rate initial production prices. The service said neither the program’s quantities nor scope were adjusted.
Northrop Grumman did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Kendall’s remarks. The company reported a nearly $1.6 bn charge on the B-21 in the last quarter of 2023, citing rising production costs and macroeconomic disruptions. This came after chief executive Kathy Warden warned investors several times last year Northrop Grumman could lose money at first on the program.
As the B-21′s development continues and moves into low-rate initial production, the Air Force is trying to make sure it plans for all aspects of the program, Kendall said, not just getting the aircraft itself ready. That includes building the facilities needed to operate and maintain it, training the pilots and other airmen who will work on it and setting up simulators.
“I’ve seen programs get into trouble because there was too much focus on the platform and not enough on all the things that are necessary to support it,” Kendall said. “Hopefully, we will have avoided that in the case of the B-21.”
Meanwhile, the recapitalization of another key portion of the United States’ nuclear triad, the LGM-35A Sentinel intercontinental ballistic missile, is not seeing the same cost decline. The expected price tag of the Sentinel program has grown at least 37%, largely due to the massively complex construction projects it will require. It is now expected to cost more than $130 bn.
The Sentinel cost growth has triggered a process known as a critical Nunn-McCurdy breach, and the Defense Department is now reviewing the program to find a way to restructure it and bring its price under control. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Dave Allvin said Tuesday the Pentagon’s decision on the Sentinel review will likely come in July.
A Nunn-McCurdy review process can also lead to a program being canceled, but top Air Force officials have repeatedly said the Sentinel — slated to replace the aging, Cold War-era LGM-30G Minuteman III ICBM — is too important to cancel.
Allvin said the service remains committed to recapitalizing its ICBM program. Land-based nuclear missiles allow a quicker response than the military’s nuclear bombers and submarines and have “a great deterrence effect,” he said.
“We’re supporting [the review process] with facts and data,” Allvin said. “Regardless of what the outcome of that committee [is], we will ensure we have a safe and reliable and effective [nuclear] triad in the future.”
The Air Force has taken steps to improve the structure of the Sentinel program, including by putting a two-star general in charge as program executive officer for ICBMs, Allvin said.
And other parts of the Air Force’s modernization efforts — namely its plans for next-generation tankers and transport planes — are likely to take a back seat to its efforts to recapitalize its nuclear bombers and ICBMs, another top official said Tuesday.
If nuclear modernization gets delayed, said Lt. Gen. Richard Moore, deputy chief of staff for plans and programs, that could have ripple effects — potentially including major service life extensions of older mobility aircraft.
“I don’t view it as realistic to see a next-gen tanker or a next-gen airlifter … until after the nuclear bow wave,” Moore said at an Air and Space Forces Association discussion. “And if that nuclear bow wave pushes out, I think there’s a possibility — just from a reality perspective — that it will push recapitalization of the remainder of the mobility fleet out.” (Source: C4ISR & Networks)
08 Apr 24. US Army seeks soft-kill C-UAS system integrated within its H-MIF autonomous platform. The U.S. Army’s Rapid Capabilities and Critical Technologies Office (RCCTO) has extended its deadline from 12 April to 15 April 2024 in its Request for White Papers (RFWP) for counter-small Unmanned Aerial System (C-sUAS) solution/capability that will be integrated into robotic platforms as part of the human-machine integrated formation (H-MIF) architecture that will guide emerging Robotics and Autonomous Systems (RAS) capabilities.
According to the project description in www.sam.gov: “The Army must protect and defend personnel, facilities, and assets in an environment where increasing numbers of UAS’ will share the skies. In response, the H-MIF C-sUAS effort has been initiated to develop robotic infantry and armor platoon capabilities to detect and defeat Group 1&2 threat UAS. The C-sUAS should be able to disrupt the threat posed by small UAS as well as the indirect threat posed by small UAS used for targeting. Further development of U.S. Army counter-UAS capabilities and an effective counter-UAS approach are essential to meeting the challenges of the battlefields of today and the battlefields of future.”
“The Army RCCTO seeks solutions and approaches to design, build, test, and deliver a C-sUAS that can operate in a RAS contested environment, This C-sUAS effort will build on the work and demonstrations of prior C-sUAS efforts conducted by various DoD entities. The derived operational specifications and evaluation criteria will be employed to develop selected candidate CsUAS platforms as operational prototypes that can integrate with existing unmanned Army ground vehicles…. H-MIF C-sUAS solutions shall adopt a modular open systems approach (MOSA) in their offerings. The solution is envisioned to be a non-kinetic system that can be employed autonomously or operated manually.”
For more information: https://sam.gov/opp/302c49a47eb14237b1d3c14ea49ee61d/view (Source: www.unmannedairspace.info)
REST OF THE WORLD
12 Apr 24. Philippines releases further funds for corvette construction. This latest funding package was released to the Department of National Defense (DND) on 3 April. The first three milestone payments – totalling some US$225m – had been released from 2021 to 2023. The DND and HHI signed the US$495m contract for two newbuild multirole missile corvettes which are capable of conducting anti-ship, anti-submarine, and anti-air warfare missions in December 2021. It is believed that HHI is using a version of its 3,100-tonne and 114 metre-long HDC-3100 platform concept. The first missile corvette is scheduled to be delivered to the Philippine Navy in 2025 with the second corvette expected in 2026. The Philippine Navy’s future corvettes will be equipped with lightweight ALPHA 3D active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar systems developed by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI). Developed by IAI’s ELTA Division, the ALPHA 3D radar system shares technology with the larger MF-STAR radar and features a modular construction and fully digital software-driven architecture that enables it to be continuously enhanced via software updates to address new threats. The radar will be fully integrated with the combat management system (CMS) supplied by South Korea’s Hanwha Systems. This contract marks the second major defence procurement between HHI and the Philippines. The company earlier won a bid to construct two new frigates for the navy, which are based on the Republic of Korea Navy’s Incheon (FFX-I) class platforms. Both vessels are now in service as the Jose Rizal-class. (Source: AMR)
11 Apr 24. Embraer sees market for 490 Super Tucanos. Embraer Defence & Security sees a market for up to 490 A-29 Super Tucano trainer and attack aircraft over the next two decades, Embraer president and CEO Bosco da Costa Jr told Janes on 10 April at the FIDAE 2024 airshow in Santiago, Chile.
“We are in touch with several countries around the world, not only here in South America, but we have some potential [customers] in Africa, in Asia, and in Europe as well,” said da Costa. “We are in advanced conversations with countries in Europe [and] in advanced conversations with countries in Asia. I cannot disclose the countries because the defence procurement process does not allow us to do that. But I assure you that we are now in a final stage in some of them.” (Source: Janes)
11 Apr 24. Brazilian Air Force signs MOU with Embraer to study special mission C-390. The Brazilian Air Force (FAB) announced a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Embraer on 10 April at the FIDAE 2024 airshow in Santiago, Chile, to study adapting the C-390 transport aircraft for special missions.
Potential uses under study include maritime patrol and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) missions. The C-390 is primarily a transport and air-to-air tanker aircraft, with no additional variants in service.
Embraer has delivered six C-390 to the FAB, Bosco da Costa Jr, president of Embraer Defense and Security, told Janes at the FIDAE airshow. The service has 13 more on order, according to Janes World Air Forces . Studying the C-390’s adaptability would “maximise commonality and technological autonomy”, FAB Commander Lieutenant-Brigadier Marcelo Kanitz Damasceno said in a statement.
Brazil operates a fleet of Lockheed Martin P-3s, Embraer C-95s, Airbus C-295s, and other aircraft types in maritime surveillance roles. The country has an extensive coastline and significant offshore interests. (Source: Janes)
11 Apr 24. Singapore’s H225M and CH-47F fleets fully operational. The H225M and CH-47F rotorcraft were procured to replace older platforms in service with the Republic of Singapore Air Force and will provide increase payload capacity and operational effectiveness.
The Republic of Singapore Air Force’s (RSAF) H225M and CH-47F helicopter fleets have each reached Full Operational Capability (FOC) as the platforms work up to replace the AS332M and CH-47D aircraft in their respective medium- and heavy-lift capability.
The H225M and CH-47F platforms are operated by 125, 126, and 127 Squadrons of the RSAF, and were aided in the reach to FOC through the service’s Oakley Detachment in Australia, and assistance from the Singaporean Army and Navy.
Announcing the milestone on 11 April, Singapore Minister for Defence, Ng Eng Hen, said the new platforms would provide “enhanced” capability to the RSAF.
“More importantly, these two new helicopter platforms will enhance cross-service integration, allowing the RSAF to better support our Army and Navy troops in equipment lifts,” stated Ng.
The new helicopters will enable the RSAF to provide improved troop lift and payload capability, as well as performing search and rescue, aeromedical evacuation, counter terrorism, and Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) operations.
A wider procurement programme has also been active in order to train Singaporean military personnel to operate the platforms, with Spanish company Indra contracted in February 2024 to develop, produce, and deliver a full mission simulator for the Airbus H225M military helicopter. The simulator will have Level D certification from the European Aviation Safety Agency.
Singapore’s H225M and CH-47F acquisition
The H225M medium-sized, twin-engine helicopter is a member of the Cougar helicopter family by Airbus Helicopters. The aircraft has been developed in the military H225M version and a civil EC 225 version.
The rotorcraft is used employed by Brazil, France, Hungary, Indonesia, Kuwait, Malaysia, Mexico, Thailand and Singapore – the RSAF only operates one unit, according to GlobalData intelligence.
The RSAF received its first CH-47F heavy-lift helicopter in 2021 from a planned acquisition of up to 16 airframes, with the first platforms being based in Australia. (Source: naval-technology.com)
09 Apr 24. Canada vows fresh focus on Arctic defense, equipment purchases. The Canadian military will receive new tactical helicopters, early warning aircraft as well as long-range missiles and will increase its presence in the Arctic as part of the country’s updated defense policy.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced details of the policy at a news conference on Monday during which he talked about the need to deal with an increasingly unpredictable security situation.
The update, which expands on the country’s 2017 defense policy, puts more emphasis on the country’s Arctic and northern territories.
“Climate change is rapidly reshaping Canada and reshaping our North,” Trudeau said in the televised news conference from Canadian Forces Base Trenton, Ontario.
“Our Arctic is now warming at four times the global average, making a vast and sensitive region more accessible to foreign actors who have growing capabilities and regional military ambitions,” states the policy update document titled, “Our North, Strong and Free.”
The policy will see an additional $8.1bn Canadian dollars (US$5.9bn) for military spending which will be rolled out over the next five years. The country’s defense budget will increase from the current $30bn to $50bn by 2029.
Among the equipment to be acquired are specialized maritime sensors, a new tactical helicopter fleet and long-range missiles for the Canadian Army.
Canada will also acquire a new fleet of airborne early warning aircraft that will improve the country’s capability to monitor airborne threats and ensure a faster, coordinated response with the United States when required, according to the policy update.
In addition, new satellite communications systems will be acquired and cyber operations capabilities will be expanded. With a focus on the Arctic, the Canadian military will establish support hubs in the far north. A new satellite ground station will also be built in the Arctic.
The policy update talks about broad capabilities but specific dates for equipment acquisitions were not included.
The initiatives come on top of the other Canadian projects, including plans to improve radar and early warning systems of the joint U.S.-Canada North American Aerospace Defense Command. In the last year Canada has announced $30bn in new equipment purchases, including the acquisition of the Lockheed Martin F-35 and the Boeing P8-8A Poseidon. Canada is also buying a fleet of General Atomics MQ-9B Reapers as well as trucks.
In April 2023, Canada announced that it was moving forward with a new long-range radar designed to protect North American cities. That Arctic Over-the-Horizon Radar will be established in the southern portion of the province of Ontario and provide long-range detection of incoming threats approaching Alaska. The system would be part of what the Canadian government is calling a layered approach to keep watch over the northern approaches of North America.
In February 2024, Canada also announced it was spending $316m for new air-defense and counter-drone systems as well as anti-tank missiles for its troops in Latvia as part of shoring up its NATO commitments.
Canada has been under pressure from the U.S. and NATO to boost its military spending.
Canada is the seventh-largest spender in NATO when it comes to actual dollars. But in terms of the commitment by alliance nations to spend 2% of their GDP on defense, the country has yet to reach that figure. It currently spends 1.3% of its GDP on defense.
The new funding outlined in the defense policy update will increase that rate to 1.76%. Defense Minister Bill Blair said at the news conference that the announcements outlined in the updated policy show that Canada is serious in reaching the NATO mandate.
Trudeau also indicated that more equipment projects are going to be announced in the coming years. He said the Royal Canadian Navy is now working on the acquisition of a new submarine fleet.
“We haven’t yet defined exactly what types of submarines and how they’re going to be deployed,” Trudeau said. “So we haven’t put in the money that Canada will be spending on submarines in the coming years into this calculation.”
David Cohen, the U.S. ambassador to Canada, released a statement Monday noting that the policy update articulated what he called a substantial down payment to meeting the NATO spending goal.
“The firm financial commitments in the policy update represent some of the most significant investments in defense spending in recent Canadian history,” Cohen said. “Moving from 1.33 percent to 1.76 percent by 2029- 2030 is real progress, and we are also encouraged by the assurances we have received that there will be additional investments.”
“With today’s announcement, Canada continues its long history of being a strong NATO ally and United States partner,” Cohen added.
While much of the focus in the policy update was on the Arctic and the defense of North America, there were initiatives in the document sparked by the war in Ukraine. The policy noted that Canada will invest $9.5bn over 20 years to build a strategic reserve of ammunition and scale up the production of made-in-Canada artillery rounds. (Source: Defense News)
08 Apr 24. RETID-Boosting Brazilian Industry with Competitiveness and Innovation. RETID: Boosting Brazilian Industry with Competitiveness and Innovation. The RETID (Special Tax Regime for the Development of the Defense Industry) established by Law No. 12,598 of 2012, represents a milestone in the modernization and strengthening of the Brazilian defense industry. By suspending contributions such as PIS/Pasep, Cofins and IPI for companies accredited by the Ministry of Defense, RETID offers a more competitive and conducive environment for the sector’s growth, boosting the national economy and generating benefits for society as a whole.
Benefits of RETID for Brazilian Industry:
- Enhanced Competitiveness:
Reduction in production costs, making Brazilian companies more competitive in the global market.
Greater capacity for investment in research, development and innovation, driving the technological modernization of the sector.
Attracting new national and international investments, boosting industry growth.
- Stimulated Technological Innovation:
Encouragement of research and development of new defense technologies, with potential for application in other sectors of the economy.
Creation of an environment conducive to the transfer of technology and knowledge between companies and universities.
Strengthening the national capacity to produce high-technology defense goods and services.
- Job and Income Generation:
Estimated creation of up to 200 thousand new qualified jobs in the defense industry by 2032.
Increased income and quality of life for workers in the sector and their families.
Boosting the local and regional economy, with benefits for the entire country.
- Strengthening the Defense Industrial Base:
Increase in the national capacity to produce strategic goods and services for the country’s defense.
Reduction of dependence on imports, guaranteeing national sovereignty and security of the country.
Strengthening the Brazilian defense industry as an important actor in the global market.
- Benefits for Society:
Development of technologies with potential for application in areas such as health, public safety and education.
Strengthening national capacity to respond to natural disasters and other crises.
Promotion of peace and regional security, through the modernization of the Brazilian Armed Forces.
Conclusion:
RETID is an innovative and strategic program that offers a set of benefits to the Brazilian defense industry. By suspending contributions and encouraging research and development, RETID contributes to the competitiveness of the sector, the generation of jobs and income, technological innovation and the strengthening of the country’s defense industrial base. The program demonstrates the Federal Government’s commitment to the development of the national defense industry and to building a stronger, more prosperous and safer Brazil. (Source: Paulo Dominonni)
05 Apr 24. Canada’s DND issues request to industry for vehicle mounted soft-kill C-UAS system – part two. Canada’s Department for National Defense (DND) has issued a request to industry to proposals for its Integrated Counter Uncrewed Aircraft System (ICV) – CUAS Phase 2 project, (see also https://www.unmannedairspace.info/counter-uas-systems-tenders/industry-rfi-announced-for-canadian-armed-forces-integrated-vehicle-mounted-counter-uas-system/).
The mounted CUAS intends to deliver an Integrated Vehicle Mounted System including radar and jamming capabilities.
Among requirements listed in the tender:
- The CUAS Payload LRUs must be MOTS or COTS equipment with a minimum TRL of 8 as defined by the government of Canada at (https://ised isde.canada.ca/site/innovation canada/en/technology-readiness-levels).
- Bidders must provide proof that the ICV meets the requirement. Proof can be data sheet, formal test results, demonstration results, etc.
- The ICV must have RF detection, RF jamming and protocol manipulation capabilities while in motion at a minimum speed of 60 Km/h on hard surfaced paved roads
Solicitation number WS4511866041
Closing date and time 2024/05/0914:00 EDT
For more information: DRAFT RFP Integrated CUAS Phase 2 – Tender Notice | CanadaBuys: https://canadabuys.canada.ca/en/tender-opportunities/tender-notice/ws4511866041-doc4512238331 (Source: www.unmannedairspace.info)
08 Apr 24. KF-21 to create export opportunities for South Korea. With the recent approval of the production of 20 KF-21 Boramae fighter aircraft, South Korea intends to provide a major boost to its future defence capabilities. The KF-21s will not only help in deterring threats originating from North Korea but owing to their stealthy design, they will also open up export opportunities for Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI), as more air force organisations worldwide seek to possess this technology in recent years, according to GlobalData, a data and analytics company.
GlobalData’s latest “Fleet Size Dashboard”, reveals that 84% of fixed-wing aircraft active in South Korean Air Force inventory are relatively new, with an average age of less than 30 years. With the induction of new KF-21aircraft, it is anticipated that the average age of the South Korean fixed-wing aircraft fleet will diminish further as older equipment is gradually phased out.
Furthermore, the dashboard also indicates that about 20% of South Korea’s fixed-wing fleet is domestically produced, a proportion set to improve as older imported aircraft are replaced by the KF-21. Along with the KF-21, other notable ongoing and planned fixed-wing aircraft acquisition programs by the country include the TA-50 trainer and C-390 transport aircaft.
Harpreet Sidhu, Aerospace and Defense Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “The initiation of production of the KF-21 will mark a significant stride in South Korea’s indigenous defence manufacturing, positioning it as one of the few countries in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region to design and deploy stealth fighters.”
As South Korea prepares to phase out its aging F-4 and F-5 fleet, the advanced capabilities of the KF-21 will play a pivotal role in bolstering its operational readiness. Furthermore, the government’s push for indigenous defence manufacturing not only enhances domestic defense supply-chain infrastructure but also fosters economic growth by generating employment opportunities.
Sidhu concludes: “Facing persistent threats from its northern neighbour, South Korea’s overarching goal is to protect its sovereign territory while building up its own defense manufacturing capabilities. By reducing reliance on foreign suppliers, the country aims to ensure effective maintenance and higher availability of KF-21 throughout its operational life. This plan will not only promote self-reliance in the defence sector but will also open opportunities for exports to friendly nations.”
(Source: News Now/APDR)
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