Sponsored by
https://ieeinc.com/
————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————
UNITED KINGDOM AND NATO
28 Nov 24. DASA links innovators to defence and security investors.
DASA demonstrates its commitment to fostering innovation and collaboration at the 2024 Investment Showcase event
The Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA) provides a collaborative platform for innovative companies to pitch their businesses and novel technologies to investors. Running for a sixth consecutive year, the DASA Investment Showcase was held in London in November 2024. The event saw twelve small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) present their innovative business opportunities and technologies to an invited audience of over fifty investors from both Government and industry.
The SMEs showcased how their cutting-edge technologies could boost defence and security capabilities while offering compelling commercial returns on investment. The streamlined 2024 showcase, hosted in an open-plan venue, hit the mark with attendees who praised both the dynamic, concise pitches and valuable networking opportunities.
The featured SMEs and innovations included:
- AI GPR showcased their system that can enhance ground-penetrating radar capabilities using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).
- Aphelion showcased their technology ‘Targe’, which offers space-station-level protection at mass and volume levels suited for modern satellites, addressing the growing need for specialised defence in space.
- Decision Lab showcased their ‘DroneMind’ platform, which can produce a customisable 3D simulation environment and reinforcement learning training suite. It will enable development of enabling algorithms in easily configurable defence related scenarios.
- Elemendar showcased their AI-powered platform which automates the interpretation of cyber threat intelligence (CTI) and transforms complex, unstructured threat data into actionable insights.
- Ethicronics showcased ‘Heavens’, the first tamper-proof, transparent, ready-to-use software that eliminates counterfeit and compromised hardware.
- FlockfireAI showcased their AI platform that provides a deep-learning-based malware detection solution designed for air-gapped and disconnected environments, ensuring security in even the most restricted or remote environments.
- Gibson Robotics showcased Red Kite, an autonomous UAS capable of hunting down and ensnaring an aerial threat using its patented net capture device and sophisticated flight algorithms and Shadow Hawk which offers autonomous and continuous patrols of a fixed site.
- HTMS showcased their novel matrix chemistry that enables lower temperature processing, allowing the use of lower-cost fibres and electromagnetic additives, and a simplified manufacturing process.
- Nquiring Minds showcased their technology ‘TDX Volt’ which integrates security principles into the heart of its AI powered analytics system. The novel design mirrors the complexity of the real world: an analytics processing paradigm that fuses data from different organisations.
- NuTissu showcased ‘E-Plaster®’, which enables wounds to rapidly and completely heal whilst preventing infection through delivering microcurrents at high-voltage.
- Optomel showcased ‘LuxJet’ a technology that offers governments and industry more secure, but easy-to-verify, physical features to improve the resilience of documents and products to counterfeiting and falsification.
- Zest Consult showcased ‘S-VID (Synthetic Video & Image Data)’, a tool designed to create the substantial volumes of labelled datasets required for training Machine Learning models.
Showcase Success
Since its inception in 2019, the DASA Investment Showcase has built a reputation as a key event for defence and security focused investors and DASA-funded innovators to connect.
The showcase has a strong track record: participating companies have been able to grow securing investment from investors in attendance, while DASA’s expertise helped strengthen SMEs fundraising capabilities through pitch-training. An impressive 33% of SME’s showcased at the events have successfully raised funding with a total of £36.8 m of investment being raised to date.
The DASA Investment Showcase not only facilitates crucial financial opportunities but also fosters valuable networking and learning experiences, contributing significantly to the growth and success of pioneering SMEs in the defence and security sectors.
Supporting Innovators: the Business Growth and Finance team
DASA’s support extends far beyond initial funding. DASA offers funded companies access to business mentoring and finance advice via the Business Growth and Finance (BG&F) service. DASA is committed to not just find and fund novel innovations, but to ensure the businesses that are funded have the appropriate strategies, plans and structures in place to commercialise their products and services.
The Business Growth and Finance team provides a suite of 1 to 1 support services to SMEs to help them become business, funding and supply chain ready. The BG&F team of specialists bring their extensive experience from the worlds of consulting, business banking and company support to offer DASA funded companies the assistance they need to identify and access the expertise and funding required to scale, grow and supply into the defence & security sectors.
You can find out more about the funding opportunities DASA offers here.
Are you an investor? Find out more: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/apply-for-funding
Investors who are interested in more details about UK innovations are welcome to get in touch with DASA to find out more about the companies that showcased this year and the associated investment opportunities.
(Source: https://www.gov.uk/)
27 Nov 24. GCAP vs carriers: analysing UK defence priorities. Certain programmes are under scrutiny; this is exhibited by the government’s distinct tonal differences, particularly where jobs and the economy are concerned. HMS Prince of Wales operated in Vest Fjorden in the Arctic Circle. F-35B Lightning jets of 617 Squadron landed back on the carrier at sunset, after a day of sorties, participating in Exercise Joint Warrior, 3 March 2024. Several programmes are under scrutiny as part of the Strategic Defence Review, and the Royal Navy’s two aircraft carriers are one to be reconsidered. Credit: Crown copyright/UK Ministry of Defence. UK defence priorities are increasingly determined by the jobs and economic conditions that surround certain programmes. Recent defence activity over the last month, since the government’s Budget statement was released at the end of October, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) has begun to implement cost-cutting measures which have affected certain projects. As part of these measures, the Secretary of State for Defence John Healey, in his first session in front of the newly formed Defence Select Committee on 21 November, offered an ambiguous assessment of a major flagship programme that until now seemed beyond reproach.
Both of the Royal Navy’s two Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers “are under scrutiny but not in jeopardy,” he said.
“The decisions that we will have to take are those that will we will take – but we’ll take it in light of the reviewers’ analysis when they come to report.”
The status of the two carriers, which entered service in 2017 and 2019 respectively, are dependent on the findings outlined in the Strategic Defence Review (SDR). This hotly anticipated examination of the Armed Forces’ capabilities and global strategy will be released in the spring of 2025. Unlike the dubious position of the British carriers, the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) to build a sixth generation crewed fighter jet is treated as an indispensable endeavour by MoD officials, more as a source of economic prosperity these days than for its next-generation capability. In a parliamentary written response on 25 November, the Minister for Defence Procurement and Industry, Maria Eagle noted that the government want to align the imperatives of national security with a high-growth economy:
“The combat air sector… provides highly skilled jobs across the UK and the [future] Defence Industrial Strategy will consider how we grow and retain the skills needed, working closely with partners across government, industry and skills bodies to ensure we retain and attract a skilled workforce across the sector.”
Slimming down defence
On 20 November, Healey addressed Parliament to lay out plans to cut programmes and platforms. This includes an end to the British Army’s close-to-obsolete Watchkeeper tactical uncrewed aerial vehicle programme, but more significantly, and perhaps unnecessarily, a Type 23 frigate and two Albion-class amphibious assault ships. While the decision will save up to £500m ($629.2m) over the next five years, the move will reduce mass – a major consideration when we consider the attritional rate of platforms in Ukraine as Britain inexorably approaches conflict in Europe against Russia this decade.
“These are common-sense decisions,” Healey added without offering a replacement for these new gaps in the UK’s military. “They are decisions which have been backed by the Chiefs and have been taken into consultation with SDR reviewers.
“Our soldiers, our sailors, aviators have been stuck with old, outdated equipment because [previous Conservative] ministers wouldn’t make the difficult decommissioning decisions.”
This activity indicates that enduring programmes are only here to stay in their full-fledged capability so long as they deliver economically and without any operational issues. This is worrying given the enduring trouble with the carriers.
Carriers could be mothballed
The relative inactivity of the service’s two aircraft carriers, combined with each suffering mechanical problems that have required repairs, could see each vessel taking turns in being placed in ‘extended readiness’, effectively mothballed by another name.
Lately, the Royal Navy response to Houthi disruption in the Red Sea centred on the use of its Type 45 air defence destroyers, which operated well, claiming dozens of kills of Houthi drones and anti-ship missiles fired at civilian ships. The absence of a Queen Elizabeth-class carrier was notable, given their relative proximity to the region and theoretical ability to embark an air defence group.
Their absence resonated in another written response from a senior MoD official on 22 November. The official noted the “credible” posture of Type 23 and Type 45 combatants as part of the UK’s carrier strike capability, without any reference to the carrier centrepiece.
Under the former Conservative government, Britain arranged a Carrier Strike Group in 2025 to which the incumbent administration is also committed. This will be led by HMS Prince of Wales, the second in the class, which will deploy to the Indo-Pacific where the fleet will interoperate with allies and partners in the region. Certain naval assets in the Royal Norwegian Navy will accompany the British expedition.
GCAP: a source of economic growth
Earlier this month, the UK government cited a forecast that suggested the Tempest programme – the UK name for GCAP – is expected to contribute £26.2bn to the British economy from 2021 to 2050. In addition, it would support on average 21,000 jobs per annum from development to operational service.
At this stage, however, the unit price of each aircraft and the size of the UK order are unknown, meaning the total cost of the programme remains unquantified.
Moreover, Justin Bronk, airpower specialist, RUSI, has argued that Tempest is competing for funding with the requirement to regenerate frontline Royal Air Force combat capability to deter Russia and meet Nato commitments this decade. This reality, he says, means that the current funding falls short of the required level of investment.
To give some sense of the complexity and scale of building a sixth generation aircraft, we need only look to the US Air Force, which has lately taken a step back from their own Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) programme.
“GCAP is such a big, complex programme for a capability far beyond anything even the US is pursuing at the moment,” commented Tristan Sauer, a GlobalData defence analyst. “While it could be seen as forward-looking, it is also a very risky oversight driven by a desire to keep British programmes with ‘good economics.’”
The new Labour government is keen to find ways of balancing the budget while responding to the Europe-wide defence investment bonanza, and this is proving a difficult line to straddle.
Right now, according to GlobalData intelligence, GCAP is dominating spending in combat air which is a questionable fiscal decision. “I’m not sure GCAP is the best basket to put all their eggs,” Sauer stated.
(Source: army-technology.com)
28 Nov 24. Opportunity for Make UK Defence Members: Brakestop Project Bid.
Key areas:
- Airframe Components
o Supply of wings, fuselage, nosecone, and associated fixtures/fittings
o Materials of interest include both composite and metallic options
- Small Turbojet Engines
o Provision of innovative, high-performance small turbojet engines
- Methods of Launch
o Boost motors
o Ground launching systems
o Support equipment
- Final Assembly Facilities and Resources
o Identifying, specifying, and equipping assembly facilities
o Providing resources to run these facilities effectively
This is a unique opportunity to collaborate on a high-profile defence initiative, leveraging your capabilities and contributing to a successful bid.
We will share your interest with the organization and facilitate introductions where appropriate. This will be a competitive process, and a targeted response will maximize the potential for collaboration.
Required
1.First Name
2.Last Name
3.Email Address
4.Company Name
5.Company Website
6.What are you’re company’s capabilities?
(Source: MakeUK Defence)
28 Nov 24. Seven leading businesses have joined Digital Catapult’s latest quantum innovation accelerator to fast track the development of solutions and accelerate the practical application of deep tech. Aiming to help solve complex market challenges in major sectors of the UK economy including transport, defence and telecommunications, the programme convenes unique quantum capabilities and innovation consultancy to de-risk technology adoption.
The Quantum Technology Access Programme is part of a wider Innovate UK funded project called ‘Quantum Data Centre of the Future’ which aims to embed a quantum computer within a classical data centre to explore real-world access to quantum technologies. Partners include ORCA Computing, Riverlane and PQShield, and the inaugural programme saw a 26% boost in confidence about quantum computing from industry leaders such as Rolls Royce, Airbus and the Port of Dover.
This year, Digital Catapult welcomes more household names, including BAE Systems, and Vodafone, signalling growing industrial interest in the technology and the spectrum of sectors that could benefit from quantum innovation. With tailored consultancy from Digital Catapult’s experts and access to cutting-edge quantum computing technology, the services available to participating companies are designed to achieve defined use-cases, and make sustainability and efficiency gains.
Aiming to demonstrate the value quantum tech solutions can bring to the UK’s deep tech sector, the programme will explore how new products and services can address global imbalances between the supply and demand of new quantum solutions. Vodafone, for example, will explore innovative use cases to address complex telecommunications challenges, including the NP-Hard Steiner Tree problem which focuses on optimising telecoms networks by finding the most efficient way to connect multiple points.
The full list of participating companies include:
- Autonomia: Autonomia is a technology innovation start-up pioneering new ways to solve complex engineering challenges, specialising in the development of intelligent software solutions for the mobility and energy ecosystems.
- BAE Systems PLC: BAE Systems is a global defence and security company offering advanced technology solutions across air, land, sea, and cyberspace.
- Origami Labs UK Ltd: Origami Labs was created to discover and develop the next generation of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Autonomy technologies. It delivers applied R&D to find solutions to complex problems and accelerate turning innovation into deployable capabilities.
- SIMULEX Limited: SIMULEX is a cutting-edge R&D technology startup driving hydrogen integration across carbon capture and storage, geothermal, renewables and fossil sectors to accelerate the energy transition through advanced chemical and reservoir engineering solutions.
- Viasat: Viasat is a global communications company specialising in satellite technology for high-speed broadband and secure networking to power high-quality, reliable, secure, affordable, fast connectivity solutions and services.
- Vodafone Group Services: Vodafone is a leading European and African telecoms company. The company provides mobile and fixed services to over 330 m customers in 15 countries, partners with mobile networks in 45 more and has one of the world’s largest IoT platforms.
- ZF Automotive UK: ZF is a global technology company supplying advanced mobility products and systems for passenger cars, commercial vehicles and industrial technology.
Dr Chloe AI, quantum researcher at Vodafone Group R&D, said: “We’re excited to join the Quantum Technology Access Programme to further deepen our quantum knowledge and explore how quantum computing can enhance optimisation challenges like the Steiner Tree problem. This programme will provide valuable insights as we look to leverage quantum computing in areas such as machine learning and combinatorial optimisation.”
Roger McKinlay, Challenge Director for Quantum Technologies int UKRI, said: “The clear demand for this innovation programme and associated consultancy services is testament to the growing maturity of quantum computing, the increasing interest from many industrial sectors and growing investor confidence”.
Daniel Goldsmith, Senior Quantum Computing Technologist at Digital Catapult, said: “The ‘quantum revolution’ is underway, and businesses need to innovate to incorporate quantum technologies into their operations if they are to succeed in the long term. However, many are unsure where to start. This is why innovation programmes are invaluable for UK businesses, serving as an essential resource to help them navigate the complex quantum landscape. I look forward to working with this new cohort to drive innovation and advance the application of deep tech across industry.”
Research indicates that quantum technology could contribute up to $450 bn to the global economy by 2040, and our work will play a key role in scaling solutions and increasing investor confidence in early stage deep tech. Any reader interested in learning more about the cohort’s progress can sign up to the newsletter here
EUROPE
27 Nov 24. Turkey scales down $23bn F-16 jet deal with US, minister says. Turkey has reduced its planned $23bn acquisition of an F-16 fighter jet package from the United States, scrapping the purchase of 79 modernisation kits for its existing fleet, Defence Minister Yasar Guler said late on Tuesday.
“An initial payment has been made for the procurement of F-16 Block-70. A payment of $1.4bn has been made. With this, we will buy 40 F-16 Block-70 Viper and we were going to buy 79 modernisation kits,” Guler told a parliamentary hearing.
“We gave up on this 79. This is why we gave up: Our Turkish Aerospace Industries (TUSAS) facilities are capable of carrying out this modernisation on their own, so we deferred to them,” he said.
25 Nov 24. Norway asks US about maritime drone options as it ponders new, long-range capability.
“Norway is considering several types of drones, and it is too early to comment further on the type, number, or specific requirements for the acquisition beyond what is outlined in the adopted long-term plan,” a Norwegian official told Breaking Defense, though one US executive expects a decision within months.
Norway has embarked on studies to examine how it would introduce a new, long-range, aerial maritime surveillance drone into its forces in the high north and has asked the US for information about suitable American options, the Ministry of Defence said in a new statement.
“Norway is considering several types of drones, and it is too early to comment further on the type, number, or specific requirements for the acquisition beyond what is outlined in the adopted long-term plan,” Anne Marie Aanerud, state secretary at the Norwegian Ministry of Defence, told Breaking Defense Thursday.
“As part of the ongoing studies we have requested additional information on relevant drones from the U.S. authorities,” she said. “The response will be incorporated into the ongoing work on the drone acquisition.”
Aanerud noted that a timeline for contract signing has has still to be decided, as military officials continue to work up a strategy to implement recommendations for the long-term defense plan.
That defense plan, published in April, revealed Oslo’s intention to procure the maritime surveillance drones, and Aanerud told Breaking Defense the ministry envisions platforms that are able to “monitor large areas for extended periods of time, complementing the tools we already have.”
The future drones are set to be based out of Andøya Air Station, northern Norway, 300 kilometers north of the Arctic Circle and previously home to Royal Norwegian Air Force P-3 Orion Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA). Olso decided to reverse a decision to close the base in the aftermath of the Ukraine war and amid a renewed focus on bolstering defense capabilities to counter Russian aggression.
Though Aanerud declined to say if any specific platforms are under consideration, and several international firms make drones that could fit the bill, the fact that US authorities had been contacted suggests that American systems are in the running.
An executive at Northrop Grumman, for one, said the company’s MQ-4C Triton, a pricey high-altitude, long-endurance (HALE) system, was among them. The US Navy operates the Uncrewed Aerial System (UAS) mainly to support intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) missions and as a complement to Boeing P-8A MPA operations. Norway operates five of the P-8 crewed platforms.
Doug Shaffer, vice president of autonomous intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, and targeting programs at Northrop Grumman, told Breaking Defense his firm has had “extensive” written exchanges as well as face-to-face meetings with Norwegian officials about the aerospace giant’s offerings.
“We’ve had all our engineers there, answering hundreds of questions,” he said, adding that an aircraft selection decision could come in the “next few months.”
Northrop says the Triton, which can fly above 50,000 feet, can cover some 4 m nautical miles with its sensor array in a 24-hour sortie — roughly equivalent to the size of China.
But it is expensive. In July, Inside Defense reported that each newest version of Triton has an estimated price tag of $618 m though that figure was a result of a per-unit price jump in the US Navy program after the total acquisition was slashed.
Shaffer argued the capabilities of a single airframe are worth the price tag over the drone’s entire lifecycle.
“The largest cost is the operational sustainment over decades, and to do the same mission as a HALE platform, it takes three to five times more MALES,” he claimed, referring to medium-altitude, long-endurance drones. “That calculus is what Norway is evaluating.”
If that is a calculus Norway is doing, on the other end of the equation could be the much less expensive American-made MQ-9B SeaGuardian, a MALE variant of the MQ-9 Reaper produced by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) that can fly at 40,000 feet. The flyaway unit cost of a MQ-9B sits at approximately $38m, excluding through life and sustainment costs, according to figures from Shephard Media, a British trade publication.
GA-ASI has positioned the drone for sale up north, saying in company literature that “with MQ-9B, the Nordic and Northern European allies now have a surveillance platform to choose that can perform all their key missions with low acquisition and operating costs.”
- Mark Brinkley, a spokesperson for GA-ASI, declined to comment on whether the SeaGuardian is in the race for Norway’s next UAV, but did suggest it would be an effective high north asset.
“MQ-9B’s advanced sensors, data processing power, worldwide proliferated low-Earth orbit (pLEO) satellite communications link, and impressive endurance make Arctic awareness possible from anywhere in the world,” he said. “Over the Arctic, MQ-9B can detect air, ground, surface, and subsurface targets of interest, including surveillance balloons, maritime vessels, and submarines, and then feed real-time intelligence to military and civil authorities around the world.”
Brinkley also said that future upgrades of the aircraft, including detect and avoid technology integrated with Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) capability, Automatic Dependent Surveillance–Broadcast (ADS-B) and air-to-air radar, “will add to the ease of operating in the Arctic.”
Specific to maritime missions the MQ-9B can also be equipped with a 360-degree maritime radar, fitted with an Automated Identification System (AIS), an Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) capability, featuring a sonobuoy monitoring and control system capable of dispensing up to 40 sonobuoys, noted Brinkley.
A spokesperson for the US State Department, which plays a key role in negotiating foreign military sales, told Breaking Defense that the US has a “close defense trade partnership with Norway that includes co-production of advanced systems like the National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System, or NASAMS. However, we have no comment on our specific cooperation in the long-range maritime UAV space and would refer you to the Government of Norway.”
In A Cold Country, A Heated UAV Debate
Generally speaking, Oslo has consistently stressed that multinational collaboration with allies will be a core element of the maritime surveillance drone acquisition, particularly in areas such as development, operations and training.
In June, it committed to closer bilateral defense cooperation with Scandinavian counterpart Denmark, through a letter of intent, covering drones and air defense, among other items. Similarly, Copenhagen has committed to the acquisition of long-range drones to monitor the Arctic and North Atlantic. Additional funding for the effort was secured in January, as part of an initial cross party agreement, that falls under a new, national defense settlement, according to a Danish Ministry of Defence statement.
But at a local level, the Norwegian drone effort has been hotly debated in recent months with critics, including senior defense officials, publicly warning against the procurement of large, long-range surveillance types at all.
Writing in a Norwegian Armed Forces magazine, Rolf Folland, former Chief of the Royal Norwegian Air Force and currently the Norwegian military representative to NATO, questioned the survivability of the US platforms, specifically citing shootdown incidents of both aircraft.
“We have seen examples of this vulnerability in Ukraine, and in the Middle East, where large drones of the type MQ-9 Reaper and RQ-4 Global Hawk have been shot down,” he wrote. “These shootings illustrate how today’s large drones, even with advanced technology, can become easy targets for hostile actors who use relatively simple air defense systems.” (Triton is a variant of the Global Hawk.)
Large drones “with their low speed and large radar cross-section … can become relatively easy targets for an adversary that has modern anti-aircraft systems, and they are vulnerable to electronic countermeasures that can disrupt their communication and navigation systems,” stated Folland.
Instead of Norway opting for such large, expensive platforms, he recommended looking into alternative ideas, specifically procurement of a stealth-designed drone or ordering additional satellites. “Monitoring and situation overview from space can potentially be significantly better than from a drone,” he added.
Despite such sentiment, there are few indications though that Norway will change course on its current acquisition approach. (Source: Breaking Defense.com)
26 Nov 24. Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel has called for the country to relax its “debt brake”, joining the chorus of politicians calling for the end of an economic straitjacket that she implemented. Today, our Berlin correspondent reports on last night’s bonhomie between EU and British defence ministers, and our finance correspondent profiles the frontrunner to lead Europe’s new anti-fraud watchdog. On December 12 I will be at the FT Tech and Leadership Forum in Brussels, moderating a series of panels and keynotes about the intersection of technology, leadership, and geopolitics: check out the agenda and participation options here. Brothers in arms More joint arms production and procurement: that was the message from Berlin as five European defence ministers met to discuss how to beef up the continent’s domestic defence industry and maintain support for Ukraine ahead of Donald Trump’s return to the White House, writes Laura Pitel. Context: The group of Europe’s five biggest defence spenders hastily came together as part of a continental drive to formulate a response to the re-election of Trump, who has threatened to pull US military protection from Nato allies that fail to spend enough on their own security. Yesterday was their first meeting. Speaking alongside his British, French, Polish and Italian counterparts, German defence minister Boris Pistorius said that closing gaps in Europe’s defence capabilities was even more important than securing more money. “Regardless of whether we spend 2 per cent, 2.5 per cent or 3 per cent [of GDP] on defence in the future, we must close the capability gaps,” Pistorius said, pointing to weapons such as long-range missiles and long-range land systems. “That is the priority . . . We must develop, produce and procure more weapons systems together. We agreed on that today.” Though France has for years been notoriously protective of its own weapons industry, the country’s defence minister Sébastien Lecornu showered London with praise as he said that Britain should play a role in contributing to the European Commission’s White Paper on industrial policy for the defence sector expected in the next few months. Speaking after the FT revealed that Paris had dropped its opposition to non-EU companies accessing EU-funded financial incentives for defence procurement, he said: “No security concept can be developed without partnership and close, trusting co-operation with Great Britain.” UK defence minister John Healey told the FT after the meeting that the need for greater European self-sufficiency was “concentrating minds”. He said: “There is a real will and determination to strengthen our ability to co-ordinate as the European defence industry, not within the institutions of the European Union, but within Europe [as a continent].” (Source: FT.com)
USA
28 Nov 24. US Army developing AESA radar for combat rotorcraft. US Army officials are looking to develop an Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar, specifically for the ground service’s fleet of combat rotorcraft, according to a November request for information (RFI). The Apache Attack Helicopter (PM AAH) office, within the Program Executive Office for Aviation (PEO AVN), is leading the development of the ASEA radar variant, the RFI stated. The radar will be designed to meet programme requirements for the service’s AH-64 Apache, UH-60 Black Hawk, CH-47 Chinook, and Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA). US Army officials approved the Bell V-280 Valor to enter the Engineering and Manufacturing Development (EMD) phase for the FLRAA programme in August, clearing the way for work on the prototype and low-rate initial production (LRIP). Bell is set to build six prototypes of the Black Hawk replacement, with the first scheduled to fly in 2026. LRIP aircraft are scheduled for production in 2028, and the type’s entry into service is expected in 2030. EMD approval came after the V-280 cleared preliminary design review (PDR) in April. The capabilities aboard the AESA radar being sought by the army for the FLRAA and its current rotorcraft fleet will include fire control, pilot aid in Degraded Visual Environments (DVEs), airborne hazard detection, terrain following and avoidance, and shoreline mapping using augmented reality (AR) techniques, according to the RFI. Industry prototypes will be evaluated during test exercises at Army Test and Evaluation Command’s Redstone Test Center (RTC) at Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, service officials wrote in the RFI. Test and evaluation scenarios will include “attack profiles for ground, air, and littoral targeting”, they added. (Source: Janes)
28 Nov 24. USAF seeks C2, data relay capability for tactical drone swarms. Programme officials at the US Air Force (USAF) are soliciting information from industry to support the development of new command-and-control (C2), data relay, and electronic warfare (EW) payloads, specifically for small unmanned aircraft systems (sUASs). Managed by the Offensive Small Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (sUAS) System Program Office (SPO), as part of the air service’s Intelligence Surveillance Reconnaissance & Special Operations Forces directorate, the sUAS payloads being sought will be able to provide C2 and data relay capabilities “to an sUAS swarm in a contested environment”, according to a November request for information (RFI). The EW payload will enable the USAF’s small unmanned aircraft to carry out those missions “in a contested environment”, the RFI stated. The focus of the programme will be to develop those specific integrated payloads for signature-managed Group 3 sUASs, service officials said. Group 3 sUASs are defined as tactical-level UASs with an operational weight of 1,320 lb, a maximum speed of 250 kt, and an altitude ceiling of 180 ft, according to a US Department of Defense (DoD) fact sheet. Examples of Group 3 sUASs include the RQ-7 Shadow and the Small Tactical Unmanned Aerial System (STUAS). USAF programme officials have not publicly disclosed which Group 3 sUAS the payloads will be developed for in the RFI. However, they did note that industry proposals would be weighed against “platforms with currently integrated payload solutions”. The C2 and data relay payloads, according to the RFI, would be used to enable drone swarms of Group 2 sUASs. (Source: Janes)
22 Nov 24. Lockheed, Pentagon reach handshake deal for next 2 F-35 production lots. The so-called “handshake deal” precedes a formal contract finalization, which Lockheed expects will occur before the end of 2024. After protracted negotiations, the Pentagon and Lockheed Martin have reached an informal agreement, known as a “handshake deal,” for the next two production lots of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, the parties confirmed to Breaking Defense.
“We have reached an initial agreement as part of ongoing negotiations for the Lot 18/19 Air Vehicle Production Contract,” the F-35 Joint Program Office (JPO) and Lockheed said in a joint statement.
The statement did not share final quantities or prices, saying only that those figures will be disclosed “when a final agreement is signed.” The news was first reported by Air & Space Forces Magazine, which stated the agreement covers roughly 300 aircraft.
Progress on F-35 negotiations is likely welcome news to Lockheed, which has recently been funding the tri-variant stealth fighter’s production out of pocket as talks dragged on. A Lockheed executive told Breaking Defense last year that the aerospace giant aimed to finalize the lot 18/19 deal by the end of 2023, marking a significant delay for the negotiations. The program has recently battled inflation woes, supply chain challenges and technical problems that halted deliveries of upgraded jets for a full year.
It’s not clear what the price might be for the forthcoming jets, though Lockheed has telegraphed that inflation may hike costs. Jets in lots 15 through 17 came in at an average price of $82.5 m for the conventional takeoff and landing F-35A, $109 m for the short takeoff and vertical landing F-35B and $102.1 m for the carrier-launched F-35C, Breaking Defense previously reported.
Unlike the previous contract structure that included three production lots, the upcoming F-35 deal only covers two. Officials have discussed lot 20 serving as the first multi-year production agreement. Lockheed maintains that its Fort Worth, Texas, plant can build 156 jets annually.
If the past is any guide, it could be several months before an agreement is inked. When the two parties reached a similar handshake agreement for lots 15-17 in July 2022, the contract was not finalized until December of that year.
Asked when Lockheed planned for the 18/19 deal to become official, a company spokesperson referred Breaking Defense to comments from Chief Financial Officer Jay Malave during the firm’s third quarter earnings call in October. Malave said then that company officials anticipated the lot 18/19 contract will be awarded this year. (Source: Breaking Defense.com)
25 Nov 24. The U.S. Commerce Department said on Monday it is finalizing nearly $60m in government subsidies for BAE Systems to build chips used in jets and satellites, and for Rocket Lab to build compound semiconductors used in satellites and spacecraft. The department is finalizing $35.5m to BAE (BAES.L) to quadruple production in New Hampshire for key semiconductor chips used in F-35 fighter jets and commercial satellites. The investment will cut the company’s planned modernization timeline in half, Commerce said. The Pentagon plans to spend $1.7trn on the F-35 program including buying 2,500 planes in the coming decades. The chips are critical to F-15s and F-35s. The Commerce Department is also finalizing $23.9m for Rocket Lab unit SolAero Technologies Corp, which the government said would boost the company’s production of solar cells by 50% over the next three years. Rocket Lab (RKLB.O) founded in 2006 by New Zealander Peter Beck, is one of two U.S. firms specializing in the production of highly efficient, radiation resistant compound semiconductors called space-grade solar cells. (Source: Reuters)
25 Nov 24. The Office of Management and Budget today delivered a request to Congress for approximately $5.7bn in emergency funding to account for unexpected “shortfalls” in the Navy’s Virginia-class fast attack submarine program, according to a senior Navy official. The emergency funding request was accompanied by a separate “anomaly” that would permit the service to continue funding the Columbia-class ballistic missile submarine program in the event lawmakers pass a continuing resolution prior to when government funding is set to expire on Dec. 20. (Anomaly is the term the Defense Department uses when it seeks permission from Congress to spend money outside the traditional constraints of a continuing resolution.)
“Our Virginia-class fast attack submarine program is not where it needs to be right now. The program and the shipyards are not producing submarines at the rate that our national security strategy and the national defense strategy require,” the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, told reporters. The Navy’s stated goal for its submarine programs is the so-called “2+1” cadence, which refers to two Virginia-class subs and one Columbia-class submarine built per year. The service’s historical record for Virginia-class submarines is closer to 1.2 to 1.3 boats per year.
The official said roughly $2bn would go towards addressing funding “shortfalls” for the two fiscal 2024 Virginia-class submarines and $1.5 bn would go towards a similar anticipated shortfall for the one Virginia-class boat in the FY-25 budget.
The rest of the funding would be split between submarine prime contractors General Dynamics Electric Boat and HII’s Newport News Shipbuilding for increased wages and “other productivity enhancements,” the official said.
Both General Dynamics and HII in their most recent earnings calls have expressed concerns about the state of the post-COVID supply chain as well as the financial pain it has put on them. While speaking to reporters, the senior Navy official said the service has had numerous conversations with those companies and sees the emergency funding as a way to address the issues raised during those talks.
“The phasing of these investments is focused on improving shipbuilder capability, capacity and efficiency and thereby reducing submarine construction delays and hope and ultimately controlling costs of future submarines,” the official said. (Source: Breaking Defense.com)
REST OF THE WORLD
28 Nov 24. Hanwha Ocean, Babcock to team up for submarine exports. South Korea’s Hanwha Ocean Co. said on Friday it signed a strategic partnership with the UK-based global defense industry giant Babcock International Group to expand its joint presence in global naval markets, including submarine exports. Babcock secured a frigate project in Poland in 2022 and managed maintenance for four Victoria-class submarines in Canada under a contract since 2008. Under the agreement, Hanwha Ocean and Babcock will jointly pursue submarine exports to Canada and Poland. The two companies also plan to provide customized solutions for other global naval export projects. Babcock Group CEO David Lockwood visited Hanwha Ocean’s Geoje Shipyard. Lockwood was accompanied by Nick Hine, CEO of Babcock Marine and a former Royal Navy Admiral, and Mark Goldsack, Director of International Collaboration at Babcock and former head of UK Defence and Security Exports. In June 2023, Hanwha Ocean signed a Technical Cooperation Agreement (TCA) with Babcock Canada for submarine projects. In February, it entered a Teaming Agreement (TA) with Babcock in Poland to strengthen cooperation in global submarine projects. (Source: Google/https://www.kedglobal.com/)
27 Nov 24. Lockheed ‘hopeful’ JP9102 could return in new form. Lockheed Martin’s most senior space leader in Australia has said his company is “hopeful” JP9102 contracts could return after its surprise axing earlier this month.
Speaking at the Space & Earth conference in WA on Tuesday, David Ball told the audience the prime was going to “employ a lot of people in Melbourne” to fulfil the deal and urged the federal government to continue to invest in local companies.
The intervention from Lockheed Martin Space’s regional director is believed to be the first public comment from the prime since the $3 bn project to deliver a new military satcom capability for Australia was effectively cancelled.
The Australian, which broke the story, claimed the decision was due to a lack of budget, but multiple officials subsequently insisted the money is still there, and only the tender with Lockheed was ripped up.
Defence Minister Richard Marles then argued the decision was actually taken because multiple low-Earth orbit satellites are more secure from attacks than a single geostationary spacecraft, as planned by Lockheed.
“We had a great lineup of Australian companies [for JP9102] to come and help us build the network, sustain the network, and operate the network, and we’re hopeful that will come around again as government reforms its thinking within those areas,” Ball said on stage.
“It’s really important that we participate here… we were going to employ a lot of people in Melbourne, around the engineering centre for JP9102.
“From a Lockheed Martin perspective, we employ about 1,600 people across Australia today, everywhere except Tasmania, and that’s going to probably double in the next three or four years, given the amount of work we have on with other capabilities that the government has acquired.
“So it’s really important to act locally, even though we’re a big global company. We’re here for a reason, and really, that reason is to embrace Australian industry and see how we can go forward.”
It comes after Defence’s Director General of Space Capability told an audience in Canberra earlier this month that JP 9102 would be replaced. Speaking at MilCIS, Air Commodore Peter Thompson insisted the project was “not dead” and argued that the threat from adversaries had evolved.
“The only thing that changed was our potential procurement activity with Lockheed Martin,” he said on stage. “The capabilities have changed immensely since first pass. The threat is changing as well.
“Defence isn’t going to waste money on something that is no longer the best use of our money that we’ve got.”
JP 9102 was only signed off just 18 months ago, with prime contractor Lockheed Martin beating big hitters including Boeing, Northrop Grumman Australia, and Optus to become the “preferred tenderer”.
If approved, JP 9102 would have created more than 200 direct jobs, while Lockheed itself pressed ahead with making key appointments for its staff to oversee it.
Speaking to the ABC after Defence released a 187-word statement confirming the changes to JP 9102, Marles said that since the tender was announced eight years ago, industry has created technology that can “literally shoot satellites out of the sky”.
“But we’ve also seen technologies develop where you have thousands of microsatellites in a much more distributed way providing the same effect,” he said.
“We believe we can do that in this way faster and more cost-effective. So, this is frankly moving with the times and making sure that we have the capability that we need which meets the threats and the opportunities that we have in the future.” (Source: Space Connect)
27 Nov 24. Conroy puts OneSKY-CMATS under projects of concern spotlight. Minister for Defence Industry and Capability Delivery and Minister for International Development and the Pacific Pat Conroy MP addresses the National Press Club in Canberra. Photo: DefenceMinister for Defence Industry and Capability Delivery Pat Conroy has convened a Projects of Concern Summit to discuss the Civil Military Air Traffic Management System (CMATS) Project. Conroy attended the summit in Canberra with government officials and industry representatives to discuss OneSky-CMATS and how to remediate the delivery of the important capability. These summits are an important forum for senior stakeholders to meaningfully engage and agree on remediation activities. Following the collaborative development of a project remediation plan throughout 2023, a revised delivery strategy for the project is now being executed.
“I thank industry representatives, Defence and government officials for their attendance today. Top-level focus is critical to getting this project back on track,” Minister Conroy said.
“I’m pleased to say there is strong commitment from all parties to move forward and resolve outstanding issues.
“The actions we are taking to provide leadership and oversight of project delivery will ensure the Australian Defence Force gets the capability it needs.
“When we came to government, we inherited at least 28 projects running a combined 97 years behind schedule. Regular summits are one part of our approach to cleaning up the mess left by the former government.”
This is the seventh Projects of Concern Summit held since the Albanese government came to office just two-and-a-half-years ago. Conroy said this approach is in stark contrast to the record of the former Coalition government, which held only four Projects of Concern Summits during almost a decade in office. The increasing frequency of these summits demonstrates the government’s commitment to take action and address problems arising in the delivery of complex projects. It is part of the government’s plan to strengthen and revitalise Defence’s projects of concern process. (Source: Defence Connect)
26 Nov 24. US Pitches F-16s to Replace Colombian Air Force’s Israeli Kfir Jets. The US has proposed a deal to supply F-16 Fighting Falcons as replacements for the Colombian Air Force’s Israeli-made Kfir combat aircraft. The potential deal stipulates up to eight of the Lockheed Martin jets and could cost around 2.5bn Colombian pesos ($566.4m), according to Bogotá-based news agency Blu Radio.
In addition to the fleet, the package will incorporate spare parts, logistics support, ground equipment, sustainment services, training, and simulator solutions.
The report claimed that the US government is also considering giving 24 F-16s to the Latin American nation during the acquisition process on top of the procured units.
Part of the overall pitch is the construction of a facility to complement the incoming fleet at a military air base in Palanquero.
Earlier in November, Swedish defense company Saab confirmed an offer to provide its JAS 39 Gripen light attack aircraft for Colombia’s Kfir replacement program.
The same month, Colombian President Gustavo Petro said that the South American government had already selected the industry partner for the initiative, adding that the sale would deliver related services in exchange for the purchase decision.
The ‘Lion Cub’ Aircraft
Developed by Israel Aircraft Industries, the Kfir (Lion Cub) aircraft is a combination of the French Dassault Mirage 5 supersonic fighter airframe and Tel Aviv’s version of the American General Electric J79 turbojet engine.
The Kfir first entered service under the Colombian Air Force in the early 1990s, with the initial tranche sourced from the Israeli Defense Forces’ stockpile.
Since then, the aircraft has received upgrades to match the evolving battlespace. Most of the Colombian Kfirs have been deployed for counter-insurgency and ground-attack assaults.
Around 20 Kfirs are operational in the country.
The Kfir has a length of 16 meters (52 feet), a wingspan of 8 meters (27 feet), and a weight of approximately 7,400 kilograms (16,310 pounds).
It has a top speed of 1,320 knots (2,445 kilometers/1519 miles per hour), a range of 1,000 kilometers (621 miles), and an operational altitude of 17,680 meters (58,005 feet).
The plane can be armed with revolver cannons, air-to-ground rockets, air-to-air missiles, and standard, cluster, and laser-guided bombs.
(Source: Google/https://thedefensepost.com/)
25 Nov 24. Algeria Poised to Be the First International Operator of Russia’s Su-57 Fighter Jet. Russia’s Su-57 “Felon” stealth fighter may soon secure its first international buyer, with Algeria emerging as the leading candidate. Rosoboronexport, Russia’s arms exporter, recently announced a contract with an unnamed foreign operator, fueling speculation about Algeria’s involvement.
A key Russian defense client, Algeria has acquired platforms like Su-30MKAs, MiG-29M/M2s, T-90S tanks, and S-400 systems, relying on Moscow for advanced military technology. Beyond hardware, Algeria’s relationship with Russia extends to joint training programs and exercises. Algerian personnel regularly train in Russian academies to operate and maintain sophisticated systems.
Speculation has also suggested Iran or India as potential buyers, but Algeria appears the most plausible candidate. Iran faces economic struggles and international sanctions that hinder its ability to acquire and integrate systems like the Su-57. Meanwhile, India, though a longtime Russian defense partner, has diversified its procurement and relies less on Moscow for advanced technology.
The Su-57 features composite materials for reduced radar visibility, AESA radar technology, and advanced electronic warfare systems. Its twin engines allow for supercruise capabilities, while internal weapons bays allegedly enhance its stealth profile.
The fighter has seen limited combat use, including deployments in Syria and Ukraine, which have tested its sensors, precision-strike capabilities, and networked operations.
A potential Su-57 deal reportedly aligns with Algeria’s ongoing 2021–2027 defense modernization plan, which prioritizes acquiring state-of-the-art systems, including fifth-generation aircraft.
(Source: https://www.sofx.com/)
25 Nov 24. The Israeli Ministry of Defense has approved a major new procurement deal to acquire five new corvettes for the Israeli navy and “hundreds” of new Joint Light Tactical Vehicles for the ground forces. Israel has not specified how much each deal is worth, but in a statement described the two packages as a “multi-bn Shekel” expenditure. The Hamas attack on Oct. 7, 2023 has led to the fast-tracking of a number of procurement deals, but this most recent announcement is the first to come from the Nagel Committee, a commission stood up in August. Chaired by Prof. Jacob Nagel, the commission was established by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with the goal of “formulating recommendations on the force building needs and the security budget in the coming decade.” The Israel Military Procurement Ministerial Committee approved the two acquisitions. They will now be submitted to the Knesset’s Joint Committee for the Defense Budget; however, the government did not give a timeline for when the Knesset submission and subsequent vote will happen
The new “next generation” advanced missile ships will be built by Israel Shipyards, and dubbed the Reshef-class, named after one of the older Sa’ar 4 class ships that have since been retired. The new Reshef-class frigates will replace the Sa’ar 4.5-class missile boats which Israel has used since the 1980s. These eight ships, which were launched between 1981 to 2003, are set to be decommissioned.
Plans for the new Reshef class ships go back several years. Naval News reported in July 2023 that the ships will include a main gun at the bow, as well as the new C-Dome air defense system, which is the naval version of Iron Dome.
The Israeli navy has undergone a major expansion in the last decade, with four new Sa’ar 6 naval ships that began to be commissioned in 2022, as well as new submarines. The Israeli navy currently has four active Sa’ar 6 ships, which first saw action in the recent war against Hamas in Gaza. It also has three Sa’ar 5 corvettes as well as eight of the Sa’ar 4.5. Meanwhile, the IDF held a naming ceremony for its sixth submarine in Germany on Nov. 12. The Israeli navy was also bolstered by two new landing craft that began arriving in 2023.
The overall cost of the five ships was not revealed. However, the Sa’ar 6 cost more than $400m each.
Israel Shipyards built the original Reshef class Sa’ar 4 back in the 1960s. The company describes itself as the “first in the Western world to design and build a fast-attack missile boat. … At that time, it was a new concept to use relatively small, fast missile-equipped craft to meet threats in the naval arena.”
The Shipyards currently offer a 72 meter and 80 meter version of the Sa’ar series of ships, which they call Sa’ar -72 and Sa’ar-80 respectively. A report in 2022 said the Sa’ar 80 would be the export version of the new Reshef class; the firm that year said that “The S80 will be the flagship of the Israel Shipyards for the next decades and she will serve the Israeli Navy and many other navies around the world.”
In addition to the ships, Israel is procuring hundreds of new JLTVs. Oshkosh is the current procurer on the JLTV, but AM General in 2023 won the right to produce the US Army’s next-generation of vehicles. Which company’s version Israeli would receive could depend on when an order is officially placed.
“These armored combat mobility vehicles will be supplied to the IDF’s maneuvering forces in the coming years,” the Defense Ministry noted in a post on social media. The vehicles, which first entered service in the US in 2019, will bolster Israel’s ground forces by giving new options in place of aging Humvees, which have been used widely in the 2024 war.
In December 2023 Oshkosh Defense said it would fulfill two Israeli orders for a total of seventy-five of the 4X4 JLTVs. In 2020 Rafael Advanced Defense Systems showcased its Spike LR on a JLTV in Slovenia and Elbit has equipped weapon stations on JLTVs for Montenegro. The CH-53K which Israel is also acquiring can lift JLTVs, a point Lockheed Martin highlighted in a 2018 Hebrew statement about the heavy lifter.
(Source: Breaking Defense.com)
——————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————–
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.
———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-