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UNITED KINGDOM AND NATO
03 Sept 24. RAF’s next-generation battlefield helicopter at risk of cancellation. Lack of bidders for defence contract threatens to leave UK reliant on Cold War-era Pumas. Plans to replace the RAF’s ageing battlefield helicopters have been thrown into doubt after two of the three expected bidders for the £1bn contract walked away.
Airbus and US manufacturer Sikorsky both failed to submit bids to replace the fleet of 50-year-old Pumas ahead of a deadline on Friday, saying terms of the contract weren’t sufficiently attractive. It leaves only Italy’s Leonardo in the running.
Industry and defence sources said the likelihood of the Government proceeding with the tender had been greatly diminished in the absence of competition, which would have helped to keep costs down.
John Healey, the Defence Secretary, signalled on Tuesday that some military projects were in doubt as the Government moves to slash spending. He said “tough choices” must be made across Whitehall and will include the Armed Forces.
A decision to scrap the tender would cast doubt on the future of Britain’s only helicopter plant.
Formerly known as Westland Helicopters, now part of Leonardo, the factory produced the Sea King and Lynx models and employs 3,300 people. Westland would assemble the Puma replacements at its Yeovil site should Leonardo’s bid be successful.
The site makes Wildcat and Merlin helicopters for export but has little order visibility over future work.
Scrapping the tender would leave Britain reliant on the Pumas, a battlefield workhorse model that is “used in a variety of combat roles, including the tactical movement of troops, weapons, ammunition and stores on the battlefield”, according to the RAF.
First entering service in the early 1970s, the Pumas have been used in Northern Ireland, Iraq, former Yugoslavia and Afghanistan. The helicopters, which can hold up to 16 passengers or two tonnes of freight, are also used in humanitarian missions such as evacuations and disaster relief efforts.
Defence analyst Francis Tusa said of the replacement tender: “This is an obvious programme for Labour to cut. But if they do cancel it the question is whether we will still want to have a UK helicopter industry in 10 years’ time?
“If we do, there is going to have to be some work given to Leonardo. It’s hard to see how they are going to get by on upgrades and exports alone.”
Leonardo has said that replacing the Pumas with its AW149 model would support jobs at the Westland plant and add hundreds more. (Source: Daily Telegraph)
30 Aug 24. UK receives more AH-64E Apaches, but schedule could slip into 2025. A total of 41 of 50 AH-64E Apache helicopters have been delivered to the British Army, although the programme was originally scheduled to be complete by the end of 2024.
The UK Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S) has revealed that three additional Boeing AH-64E Apache attack helicopters have been delivered to the British Army, although original timelines for the completion of the programme could slip to the right.
Citing an article written for its own Desider digital magazine, DE&S, which is an arm of the Ministry of Defence (MoD), revealed that the latest batch of three AH-6Es to the UK brings the British Army’s fleet up to 41 aircraft of an eventual 50-strong force.
DE&S stated the new aircraft were undergoing acceptance checks with 656 Sqn of 4 Regiment Army Air Corps at Wattisham Flying Station, with the fleet on course to be fully operational by 2026.
The Australian Defence Force (ADF) demonstrated a deployable prototype of its first Directed Energy Weapon (DEW), the Fractl Portable High Energy Laser, at the Puckapunyal range in May. The DEW, which is capable of tracking objects “as small as a…
However, DE&S had originally stated that all 50 aircraft were due to be delivered in 2024 under a $2.3bn Foreign Military Sale (FMS) with the US government, but with the most recent arrivals nine airframes are still outstanding and appear unlikely to be handed over by the end of the year.
By February 2024, 38 airframes had been delivered ahead of the arrival of the final dozen AH-64Es by the end of the year, but with the latest delivery the first since then, time is running out to keep to the planned schedule.
British Army attack helicopter fleet drops numerically
The 50 AH-64E Apaches that will form the British Army’s frontline combat attack helicopter capability for the foreseeable future are part new-build, part refurbished and remanufactured AH-64Ds already in UK service, with older airframes being cannibalised for parts.
While more capable than the D model, the acquisition of the AH-64E will see a reduction in fleet size, dropping from 66 to 50 airframes.
In May 2024 it was reported that the acquisition of 50 AH-64E Apache attack helicopters from the US appeared to be running to budget.
Detailing the initial procurement cost of the UK Apache FMS, the then UK Defence Procurement Minister James Cartlidge stated on 17 May that the current forecast was £1.793bn ($2.3bn) against an approval of £1.999bn. This was broadly on track with the figures outlined in the earlier FMS agreement between the UK and US.
In addition, the long-term training and support for the British Army’s future AH-64E, which will be supplied by Boeing Defence UK through the current five-year Long-Term Training and Support Contract has a value of £341.2m, not including actual operating costs of the platform, which are accounted for separately.
This sees a change in sustainment provision, with the older Mk1 ‘D’ model Apaches being maintained by Leonardo until they leave service.
According to GlobalData intelligence the British Army retains around 20 Apache Mk1 variants in service, originally procured between 2001 and 2007, which are due to leave service by the end of the 2024. (Source: army-technology.com)
EUROPE
04 Sep 24. thyssenkrupp Marine Systems and NVL Agree on Cooperation to Build New Frigates for the German Navy.
- Oliver Burkhard and Friedrich Lurssen sign agreement to cooperate on the construction of the future F127 frigates
- The joint venture pools expertise, strengthens innovative energy and accelerates delivery to increase the defense capability of the Federal Republic of Germany
At SMM 2024, the leading major trade fair for the maritime industry, thyssenkrupp Marine Systems and NVL announced the planned establishment of a joint venture and signed a cooperation agreement. The aim of the cooperation is to jointly realize the construction of the MEKO A-400 AMD – a pioneering ship concept from thyssenkrupp Marine Systems that was specially developed to meet the requirements of a German Navy air defense frigate.
The cooperation agreement was signed by Oliver Burkhard, CEO of thyssenkrupp Marine Systems, and Friedrich Lürssen, shareholder of the NVL Group. As the principal shareholder in the joint venture, thyssenkrupp Marine Systems will play a leading role in the development and production of the Type F127 with its MEKO A-400 design, while NVL will contribute its extensive manufacturing capabilities and many years of experience in the construction of naval vessels to the cooperation. The exact structure of the work packages will be determined at a later stage. The cooperation will generate considerable synergies and make a significant contribution to strengthening and securing key national technologies in the field of naval shipbuilding. The planned cooperation was approved by the Federal Cartel Office on 2 September.
“We have already made considerable investments in the development of the MEKO A-400 technology and in the expansion of construction capacities at the Wismar site. Now it is up to the politicians to successfully drive forward the project for the successor to the F124 and provide it with the necessary funding. With the signing of this contract, we are setting an important milestone for the construction and operational readiness of a completely new type of frigate,” explained Oliver Burkhard during the signing ceremony. He added: “The sole purpose of establishing this joint venture is to implement the future frigate program. This is all because commissioning the construction of the new F127 is urgently required in terms of security policy. The serious geopolitical situation demands the fastest possible realization and closing of a capability gap. The F127 must not be put on the back burner!”
Friedrich Lürssen emphasized: “The new air defense frigate is a key project for surface vessel shipbuilding in Germany. Through our cooperation, we are creating the industrial prerequisites for further technological development at a high level, sustainably strengthening our competitiveness in military surface vessel shipbuilding, and securing and expanding important industrial jobs at the shipyards and in the national supply industry.”
The MEKO A-400 AMD extends existing capability profiles with an improved energy supply for future weapon and command systems; in addition, the new type of hull offers more space for the installation of missiles and a higher cruising speed for multinational task forces. This means that the new frigate type can be equipped with a combination of novel defense missiles to combat threats from the air and engage several targets simultaneously at previously unreachable distances using long-range missiles. At the same time, the frigate can also be used against sea and land targets as well as for submarine hunting. Equipping the ship with systems that meet NATO requirements will also ensure integration and cooperation in NATO’s transatlantic strategy with this ship design.
Both companies also emphasized the military significance of the F127 project: The current Type F124 ships will reach the end of their service lifetime in the next few years. Extending the utilization period of the “Sachsen class” currently in service makes neither military nor economic sense.
The joint venture will be based in Hamburg and will act as the project company for the construction of the future F127 frigates. thyssenkrupp Marine Systems and NVL are thus creating the fundamental conditions for construction of the new frigate to begin as early as 2025. As things stand at present, the ships will be built by thyssenkrupp Marine Systems in Wismar and by NVL in Hamburg and Wolgast, among other sites. The German Navy wants the first ship to be ready for deployment in 2034; the prerequisite for this goal is that orders are received promptly.
“As project partners, we are joining forces to rapidly close the looming capability gap in sea-based air defense, to secure the future of the key technology of naval shipbuilding in Germany and to equip the German Navy with state-of-the-art equipment,” said the two company leaders. (Source: ASD Network)
02 Sept 24. Czech Republic to lease Gripen fighters beyond 2027. The lease renewal will likely maintain the Czech force structure until its forthcoming F-35A units are delivered from 2031.
The Czech Republic has signed a Joint Declaration with Sweden to extend its lease of 14 JAS 39 Gripen combat aircraft beyond 2027.
Two double-seated and 12 single-seated units were delivered to Prague on the 31 August 2005; the fleet is stationed at Čáslav Air Base.
As well as the lease renewal, the defence cooperation agreement includes joint training activities with the Swedish-made CV90 infantry fighting vehicle, which the republic seeks to purchase in a joint effort with neighbouring Slovakia.
According to a statement from the Swedish Minister of Defence, Pål Jonson, on 31 August 2024, “the defence cooperation between Sweden and the Czech Republic will further increase to the benefit of both parties.”
As a former eastern-bloc nation, the Czech Republic is undergoing a transformational programme to shed its Soviet-era inventory – such as the Army’s BVP vehicles, 200 of which were donated to Ukraine – for more modern equipment and platforms.
Ultimately, the Gripen aircraft were always intended to be an interim solution as the Czech Air Force explore their options for a major longer-term fighter procurement. In July 2022, the longstanding frontrunner in the competition – Lockheed Martin’s F-35A multi-role stealth fighter – was confirmed as the Czech Republic’s choice.
The F-35 sale was approved by the US State Department in June 2023 and approved by the Czech Parliament three months later. The 24 planned units will be a step up in overall force numbers, necessitating expansion of Air Force personnel.
These first F-35As are expected to arrive in 2031 while deliveries conclude in 2035. It is doubtless that the Gripen renewal will play out until such a time that they may be replaced by the F-35A fleet on a more permanent basis. Contrary to any sense of defence expansion, the lease renewal serves to extend the interim period.
Nevertheless, the Gripen fleet in the Czech Air Force play a crucial role for the country and Nato more widely. The service recently hosted exercise Lion Effort from Čáslav Air Base in May this year. There, 150 air force personnel from Hungary, Sweden, Thailand and Brazil conducted flying manoeuvres with more than 20 aircraft including Gripen. This was the second time the Gripen operator hosted the triennial rotating pattern after its first time in 2015. (Source: airforce-technology.com)
03 Sept 24. Babcock ready to respond to ORKA submarine programme. Babcock International Group, the defence company, announces it is gearing up to play its part in the future ORKA submarine programme as it gains momentum. Babcock has been working with submarine builders around the world for decades, providing solutions into Navies around the world, including the Royal Navy, Royal Australian Navy, Royal Canadian Navy, Spanish Navy and Republic of Korea Navy. Our expertise and reputation as world leaders in design, manufacture and integration of submarines Weapons Handling and Launch Systems goes back more than 50 years.
Babcock has provided through life maintenance support to the entirety of the Royal Navy’s nuclear fleet since the inception of the UK’s Nuclear submarine programme, over 60 years ago, maintaining their safety, availability and capability. This includes undertaking design changes through-life, across the whole of the submarine in order to deliver a significant operational capability in the defence of the UK.
We are also specialists in weapon handling and launch systems for both ships and submarines.
Our unique position as the single support provider for the UK nuclear submarine fleet and the Canadian conventional diesel electric submarine fleet means that whether we are supporting a new submarine type or extending the life, upgrading and supporting older submarines, Babcock has the expertise, experience, people and capability to provide Poland with comprehensive, effective support in the ORKA programme.
Babcock is privileged to be working in Poland today in partnership with PGZ-Miecznik Consortium to deliver the Miecznik frigates’ programme, based on the Babcock Arrowhead 140 design. Through our existing presence and relationships in Poland, we understand the importance of the ORKA programme in terms of Poland’s national defence, security, industrial, commercial, and social value priorities.
Capabilities
- We provide world-class submarine Weapon Handling and Launch Systems to Naval customers around the around the world.
- We are OEM/platform agnostic: Our ability to act as a systems integrator and a Mission Partner in payload launch and handling means we can collaborate, engage and operate in any domain on any platform.
- We deliver through-life support for submarines and their associated systems and equipment, covering both nuclear and diesel electric submarines together with supporting infrastructure. We provide this support throughout the entire product lifecycle, including design, manufacture, in-service maintenance, life-extension and decommissioning of critical naval assets.
Technology
- From support to systems integration; from design to the entire digital thread. Our highly skilled expertise means we can access, utilise and integrate the best technology solutions to help deliver the Orka programme.
- Weapon Handling and Launch Systems: Our Air Turbine Pump-driven positive launch systems with programmable firing valve, represents the state of the art in WHLS, enabling compatibility with a wide variety of Torpedoes, Mines and Missiles produced by leading manufacturers. It has significant advantages in terms of launch flexibility, integration, mass, signature, volume and economy of operating air.
- Payload integrator: Babcock is the UK’s most experienced submarine payload integrator, having integrated a diverse range of payloads on-board UK and overseas submarines.
Strategic Partnerships
From Aukus to ORKA we understand the changing defence and geo-political landscape and work with our customers wherever they are in the world, whatever the challenge.
We are a trusted Mission Partner that can deliver on technology design, engineering build, systems integration and platform management with a proven ability to integrate cutting-edge capabilities into modern submarine platforms, building on the work we are already doing to deliver the Miecznik frigates to the Polish Navy.
05 Sept 24. Boeing [NYSE: BA] is offering the CH-47 Chinook heavy-lift helicopter to Poland. The announcement was made at the annual MSPO International Defence Industry Exhibition where Boeing is highlighting advanced defense systems, capabilities and services.
“The Chinook has been a key part of the European defense and humanitarian relief missions for more than five decades and would enhance Poland’s cooperation with allied forces, and support the country’s defense needs,” said Tim Flood, senior director, International Business Development for Europe and Americas. “In addition, the Chinook would deliver additional benefits to Poland through job creation, economic growth and greater autonomy for the Polish defense industry.”
The CH-47F Block II is the newest iteration of the Chinook, providing increased lift and range. Chinook Block II is a modernized and ready now solution that provides increased operational flexibility, improved performance, and enhanced survivability. It builds upon the proven capabilities of the CH-47 Chinook, offering an upgraded platform that meets the capability that militaries need today and serves as a strong foundation for affordable future upgrades.
“Operating the Chinook in tandem with the newly acquired Apaches will serve as a force multiplier for the Polish Armed Forces due to their complementary capabilities,” said Adam Hodges, Business Development for Vertical Lift Programs. “The combination of the Apache and Chinook helicopters provides greater operational effectiveness and the ability to conduct a wider range of missions.”
With more than 950 aircraft in 20 countries, the Chinook has a long history of successful operations worldwide and has been extensively used in various military operations and humanitarian missions. Germany is the 21st customer and the 9th NATO nation to have selected the Chinook as its heavy-lift helicopter.
USA
03 Sep 24. Cuashub.com said today that U.S. announces intent to source C-sUAS assessment. The U.S. Government has issued a notice of intent to award a contract for a Counter-Small Uncrewed Aerial System (C-sUAS) Red Team Assessment at Eielson Air Force Base. This announcement indicates that the government plans to award the contract without full and open competition, selecting a specific vendor to conduct the assessment.
The C-sUAS Red Team Assessment at Eielson Air Force Base is designed to rigorously test and evaluate the capabilities of small uncrewed aerial systems in a contested environment. The assessment will focus on several critical areas:
Red Team assessment:
o The assessment aims to simulate adversarial tactics, techniques and procedures to evaluate the effectiveness of existing C-sUAS technologies under real-world conditions.
o The evaluation will consider the systems’ ability to detect, track, identify and defeat small UAS threats across various operational scenarios.
Mission requirements:
- The selected system must demonstrate effective operation in a contested electromagnetic environment, with specific emphasis on resisting adversarial jamming and interference across a broad frequency spectrum.
- The assessment will also test the system’s adaptability to evolving threat environments and variable operational conditions.
This notice suggests that the government has identified a specific contractor that can meet these stringent requirements. However, other potential vendors with the capability to fulfill this role may still have the opportunity to express interest and challenge the sole-source decision.
- Original Published Date: Aug 29, 2024 01:34 pm AKDT
- Original Response Date: Sep 08, 2024 04:30 pm AKDT
For more information, please visit the Intent to Sole Source notice on sam.gov.
https://cuashub.com/en/content/u-s-announces-intent-to-source-c-suas-assessment/?utm_campaign=C-UAS%20Hub%20General&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz–NpVTTLTGDgPdZTqkAXwkad9V0dxjgRjvqyXUNb66H3SVyh3UXeIN60PLtGik9T-2LtgDSvotFuMktHSRV_DE4J0feVbgmIf3vhJxHQBgpW6NJjUo&_hsmi=322789472&utm_content=322789472&utm_source=hs_email (Source: https://cuashub.com/)
REST OF THE WORLD
05 Sept 24. Personnel carrier tender: Is all well at Armscor?
The Request for Bid (ELWS/2024/71) for the procurement of personnel carriers for the SA Army was issued on 23 July 2024, with a requirement for 462 vehicles. This Request for Bid followed the initial Request for Information (RFI/01/2023) for armoured personnel carrier vehicles capable of counterinsurgency operations.
This is an exciting development for providing locally produced solutions for the market. The problem is that there have been too many changes in approach since the issuing of the RFI. It makes industry wonder if the Handbook for the Acquisition of Armaments in the Department of Defence and in Armscor (DAHB 1000) has been followed. The Required Operational Capability would have been completed. The definition phase with the Staff Target that guides the Functional Study, which gives the output of a Staff Requirement would have been captured prior to entering the rest of the procurement process. Project Study Report has earmarked a buy decision. The buy decision is for existing Off-The-Shelf products with minor modifications to achieve specification. The specification of the end user is generally captured at this stage in the Functional User Requirement Specification (FURS). This process is signed off by the Operations Staff Council for recommendation by the Military Command Council. This guides procurement requirements and Armscor then generates a procurement specification based on the FURS.
The confusion started with the RFI mentioning different levels of protection. Firstly, paragraph 3.1.1 states minimum 7.62 x 51 mm ball ballistic protection and Level 1 blast protection, followed by second requirement 5.2.1.2 & 3 that “shall be used as a guideline” that mentioned protection against 7.62 x 51 mm and 5.56 mm ball ammunition and protection against a single 8 kg surrogate mine (Level 3 blast) placed under the vehicle. The mine protection was subsequently reduced to Level 1 (only against hand grenades).
The standard APC configuration in the RFI aligned with the South African defence industry (SADI) accepted norm of 10 crew members (generally 2+8 seating configuration), with the option for variant configurations of Section, Command and Ambulance variants.
Many Military-Off-The-Shelf (MOTS) solutions were options that could satisfy the differing range of protection mentioned in the RFI. Below are some vehicles by local entities that meet the various descriptions of APC for counterinsurgency operations.
The specification has called for the RFI minimum 7.62mm x 51mm ball ballistic protection and no blast protection. There was then an additional change in configuration to have a minimum of 11 crew with 10 seats in the rear crew compartment of the Section Variant. This effectively requires a 2+10 seat configuration, but also asks for all patrol equipment and personal kit for 72-hour operations to be carried inside the vehicle, not in storage bins as per the RFI. A further development captured in the RFP is that the vehicle is to have a 13.5 ton Gross Vehicle Mass, while catering for a minimum payload of 1.5 tons.
The RFP was issued on 23 July 2024 with a bid submission date one month later of 23 August 2024. A bidder’s conference was held on 8 August 2024 (initial date was 31 July 2024).
The answers to questions raised leading into the bidder’s conference were only answered on 21 August 2024, just two days before submission. On this date, an extension was granted by Armscor for submission of bids to 13 September 2024. The problem is that the answers to the questions have significantly changed the vehicle system requirements.
The ballistic protection has effectively been increased to “full” STANAG Level 1 protection that covers 7.62 x 51 mm and 5.56 mm ball ammunition. Not just the 7.62 x 51 mm ball ammunition of the RFP Specification. Even more importantly, the mine blast protection was changed to a Level 2 blast (single 6 kg surrogate mine placed under the vehicle) versus the RFP specification mentioning NO mine blast protection, and then down to Level 1. These two changes have a significant mass impact, but also eliminate some potential supplier solutions. I am thinking of the competitive Paramount Maatla in a Long Wheel Base as an example of how the changes to requirements can cause bidders to restart documentation, or even change the solution being offered, or in the worst case decide on a no bid due to a now non-compliant solution.
Of less consequence is that the decision to allow a crew member to sit in the open front seat, thus changing the configuration to 2+9 seat. This could aid in fitting the equipment to be fitted in the vehicle. As example, the radios must be mounted behind the driver, using seat space.
The changes are significant. If a MOTS vehicle needs to be modified to achieve the specification, then in reality the mine blast certification would have to be conducted again. This adds significant overhead to a product in terms of time and cost to initial delivery.
At what point does a change of specification imply that a tender needs to be retracted? There is hope that the submission would not have to be redone by suppliers due to a future challenge of any contract award. Think of the VISTULA programme that was challenged. The impact is that the SANDF still does not have a replacement for the SAMIL support vehicle fleet 20 years later.
The reality of the time for placing orders and the potential of industry to deliver complex systems is also in question. The process of acquisition is well specified in DAHB-1000. The Personnel Carrier approval will be at the highest level of the Armaments Acquisition Council (AAC) that is chaired by the Minister of Defence & Military Veterans. Delays in the approval process are well known. As examples, the pilot rescue vehicle tender (ELWS/2023/39) that was posted on 26 September 2023 with a validity of 365 days has requested bidders for extension to 31 March 2025. The really urgent 6×6 vehicle tender (EWSD/2024/18) published on 14 May 2024 that was going to be delivered for testing by 31 July 2024 has requested bidders for an extension to 31 October 2024.
Now the Personnel Carrier tender has set stretch targets for industry to submit a proposal for a complex system. Keep in mind that the previous timelines related to a complex RFP would generally be minimum three months to submission. The last large complex vehicle programme RFPs of similar stature (VISTULA and HOEFYSTER) had a one-year timeframe for submission. It is as if the defence industry is being punished for delays in the internal acquisition process. If the original Armscor tender is correct, then an order should have been placed from 1 April 2024. The RFP was only issued in July 2024.
The delivery dates are also a stretch. The first article vehicles of each variant are required two months after receipt of order for entering testing. According to the DAHB 1000, these would establish a manufacturing baseline after testing. Then 20 of each variant is required by 15 March 2025. This is 60 vehicles. A question would be why Armscor does not specify the 82 vehicles needed to cover the first deployed battalion. The vehicle supply of 60, or 82 vehicles, would be a challenge unless the vehicles are in stock. If not in stock, then a realistic timeline based on long lead items would be 12 months for the initial 60 vehicles. The remaining portion of the 462 vehicles with the logistics and support deliverables are required by a realistic 15 March 2028.
The earliest AAC would be at the beginning of December 2024 or end January 2025. Keep in mind that there are at least three other approval levels to be navigated prior to submitting the information to an AAC. The AAC also needs the information at least two weeks in advance of a meeting. The examples used above indicate that this is stretch. The tender validity of 180 days is more realistic, but still tight. So, the revised dates are interesting and raise questions on the validity of the tender process.
Is all well at Armscor?
Written by James Kerr, Orion Consulting CC, which provides Market Entry Strategy and Bid & Proposal services to the Aerospace & Defence related industry and assists international SME mission system product suppliers to gain traction in South Africa. (Source: https://www.defenceweb.co.za/)
04 Sept 24. Defence pursues ‘Camel Train’ autonomous air logistics support system. The Department of Defence has released new information about a new “Camel Train” autonomous air logistics support system to strengthen the nation’s northern supply chain.
The new system is designed to strengthen the supply chain and offer a solution for rapid resupply of smaller stores to meet unforeseen urgent demands, according to information published under “Camel Train Phase 1 Development Services” earlier this year on 30 July by AusTender.
“Jericho Disruptive Innovation continues to develop prototype capabilities for Head of Air Force Capability to demonstrate options to solve gaps, risk and issues and take opportunities,” AusTender said in a statement.
“A part of this remit includes the testing of developmental systems in a safe and risk managed way, and in this context JDI has raised Project ‘Camel Train’.
“Improving the Australian Defence Force’s ability to operate from Australia’s northern approaches is a key priority outlined by the National Defence Strategy for the future integrated force and this will be the primary focus for Camel Train.
“The logistics supply chain within Australia’s northern approaches needs fundamental modernisation and novel solutions to meet the strategic objective of responding with credible military force. A resilient and robust logistics supply chain management system is required to enable commanders to fight, sustain and win in Australia’s northern approaches.
“Camel Train will deliver a suite of air vehicles integrated into an autonomous Air Logistics Support (ALS) system. The Camel Train system will strengthen the supply chain and offer a solution for rapid resupply of smaller stores to meet unforeseen urgent demands. The ability to rapidly resupply spokes from a logistic hub without straining personnel or larger airframes would significantly enhance the capacity and efficiency of the existing air logistics system.
“Camel Train will eventually encompass a family of vehicles, ranging from short distance (50 kilometres) rotor variants capable of precision delivery up to 50 kilograms, to longer range (1,000 kilometres) fixed-wing variants capable of transporting 1,000 kilograms. Larger variants will allow for optional crewing. Support at sea as well as land is planned, with at least some variants to be able to support maritime units by air drop or amphibious landings in waters up to Sea State 2. (Source: Defence Connect)
03 Sept 24. Indian Navy to equip its vessels with defence systems to counter drone swarms. The Indian Navy is to equip its vessels with High Explosive Preformed Fragmentation (HEPF) shells which the Indian Defence Ministry says are capable of neutralising drone swarms. The 30mm HEPF shell has been developed by ARDE, the Pune-based laboratory of India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation.
“The features of HEPF shell are similar to the in-service ammunition (HE/I Shell) so that it can be fired from an existing AK-630 Naval gun,” The Ministry of Defence said in a statement. “The HEPF shell yields better fragmentation lethality than the HE/I shell, making it effective for the neutralisation of drone swarms.”
The HEPF shell hardware is manufactured by three Indian firms, adhering to ARDE specifications and subjected to gun firing proof tests in association with the Naval Armament Inspectorate, Jabalpur. The Ministry of Defence said these test results confirmed the suitability of the HEPF shell for its adaptation in the AK-630. (Source: www.unmannedairspace.info)
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