LOCATIONS
LAND
20 May 19. Navy Frigates Order Secures Engineering Site’s Future. The future of an engineering factory has been secured after an order from the Ministry of Defence for motors for Naval frigates. Workers at the GE site in Rugby, Warwickshire, have reportedly been told that an order had been agreed for the second batch of Type 26 frigate motors to be built at the site. The union Unite said the order secures the immediate future of the site, which employs more than 250 workers making power conversion units.
The union’s Assistant General Secretary Steve Turner said:
“This world-class workforce, whose skills and expertise has built motors which power all the Royal Navy’s warships, can look forward to working on the second batch of Type 26 frigates.”
GE had previously announced the site’s closure with its work being moved to Nancy in France by the end of 2019.
The union said their priority is to reduce the number of potential redundancies at the site and secure its long-term future.
Unite is urging the Government to ensure vital skills and knowledge are not lost for a generation by working to ensure the site has a pipeline of work for years to come.
Responding to the announcement of the agreement at the Warwickshire site, defence minister Stuart Andrew said: “Following a new long-term agreement reached with the MOD, I am pleased that General Electric have confirmed work will continue at their site in Rugby. This announcement comes after months of hard work by government officials and will ensure key skills and capabilities are retained in the UK.” (Source: News Now/https://www.forces.net)
MARITIME
22 May 19. Hyundai launches Philippine’s first José Rizal-class frigate, lays keel for second.
Key Points:
- South Korea has launched the first HDF-3000 frigate on order for the Philippine Navy
- The vessel is on track to be delivered in September 2020
South Korean shipbuilder Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) has launched the first José Rizal-class frigate on order for the Philippine Navy, and laid down the keel for a second ship.
Ceremonies for both events were held on 23 May at HHI’s facilities in Ulsan, South Korea93. José Rizal (150) and its sister ship, which will be known as BRP Antonio Luna(151) once in service, were ordered under a USD337m contract awarded to HHI in 2016.(Source: IHS Jane’s)
21 May 19. South Korea’s second Dokdo-class helicopter carrier begins sea trials. Key Points:
- South Korea has begun sea trials for its second Dokdo-class helicopter carrier
- The amphibious vessel is on track to be delivered by end-2020
The Republic of Korea Navy’s (RoKN’s) second Dokdo-class helicopter carrier, which will be known in service as ROKS Marado (6112) once commissioned, has begun its first sea trials.
The vessel, which was ceremonially launched in May 2018, began its sea trials on 20 May, an industry source closer to the matter has confirmed with Jane’s.
Marado is a 199m long landing platform helicopter (LPH) ship that has been constructed by South Korean shipbuilder Hanjin Heavy Industries and Construction (HHIC). The ship displaces 14,500 tonnes and features a ‘through-deck’ flight operations area with five landing spots.
It has carrying capacity for up to 10 UH-60 helicopters, about 700 embarked troops, and 10 main battle tanks (MBTs) and associated support vehicles. These troops and vehicles can be delivered on-shore via two landing craft air cushions (LCACs) from its stern well deck.
While similar to its first-of-class sister ship, RoKS Dokdo (6111), in terms of platform design, Marado has been fitted with a different suite of sensors and weapons. These differences include the ELM-2248 (MF-STAR) multifunction surveillance radar from Israeli defence firm ELTA Systems in place of the SMART-L multibeam radar from Thales.
South Korea has also selected the SPS-550K three-dimensional air and surface surveillance radar from local company LIG Nex1, in place of the Thales MW08 surveillance radar found on the first-of-class. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
21 May 19. RNZN’s future hydrography ship arrives in New Zealand. The Royal New Zealand Navy’s (RNZN’s) future hydrographic and diving support vessel has arrived in New Zealand following a 46 day-long journey from Denmark. The service announced in mid-May that the 84.7 m-long vessel, which will be known as HMNZS Manawanui once commissioned, sailed into Wellington Harbour on 12 May after leaving the Danish port of Frederikshavn on her delivery voyage to New Zealand via the Panama Canal: a distance of 11,570n miles (21,427km). The vessel, which is expected to be officially commissioned in early June during a ceremony at the Devonport Naval Base, is set to be home-ported at Gisborne on New Zealand’s North Island. In February the vessel arrived in Denmark from Norway to be fitted out and conduct subsequent sea trials according to RNZN requirements. The ship, which had previously been in service as a commercial offshore support vessel known as Edda Fonn, was acquired by New Zealand in 2018 for NZD103m (USD67.3m) to fulfil operational gaps in the RNZN’s diving support and maritime survey capabilities following the retirement of the service᾿s hydrographic ship HMNZS Resolution in 2012 and of dive tender HMNZS Manawanu i in 2018, as Jane’sreported.
The vessel has an overall beam of 18 m, a hull draught of 6.3 m, and is equipped with a 100-tonne salvage crane. Powered by four diesel-electric engines driving two azimuth propulsion systems, the 5,700-tonne vessel can reach a top speed of 13 kt.
The vessel, which is also fitted with a diving chamber and a helicopter flight deck, can accommodate a core crew of 39, with 27 more bunks for mission-specific personnel. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
21 May 19. Aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth has passed her rigorous dry dock inspection with flying colours and is leaving her birthplace once again. The 65,000-tonne future Fleet Flagship has spent the last six weeks back in the cavernous dock in Rosyth where she was first pieced together as engineers inspected her hull and conducted routine maintenance. During her time out of the water, 284 hull valves were changed, both rudder blades were removed and cleaned, her sea inlet pipes were inspected, all sacrificial anodes were replaced, and a renewed coat of anti-foul paint was applied to the ship’s bottom. The huge port and starboard anchors and cables were also laid out along the length of dock to allow them to be inspected. The docking period was a mandatory requirement and its successful completion means HMS Queen Elizabeth should not need to dock down again for another six years.
Head of Marine Engineering onboard, Cdr Mark Hamilton said: “It’s the first time that such a short docking period has taken place with a Royal Navy ship of this size. It’s real testament to the great working relationship forged between the MOD and industry to make this such a success. We’ll now carry the concept forwards to future docking periods, as well as to those of our sister ship HMS Prince of Wales”.
The maintenance was completed on time after the ship entered dry dock ahead of schedule, despite an initial delay to entering the basin because of bad weather.
After a phased exit from Rosyth, into the Firth of Forth before passing once again under the Forth Bridges, the ship will conduct a period of sea trials and training in preparation for her deployment to the east coast of the USA later this year. ‘WESTLANT 19’ will include ‘operational testing’ with UK F-35B Lightning II fighter jets, following on from last’s year’s ‘developmental tests’ with US trials jets.
17 May 19. PLAN decommissions four Type 051 destroyers. China’s People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) decommissioned four Type 051 (Luda)-class destroyers in a ceremony held at the North Sea Fleet base in Lushun, formerly known as Port Arthur, on 16 May. Named Kaifeng (with pennant number 109), Dalian (110), Zunyi (134), and Guilin (164), the ships had been assigned to the 10th destroyer flotilla, and been in service for more than 30 years. The Type 051 destroyers were built in China but the class was heavily influenced by Russian designs, particularly the Kotlin-class destroyers. Seventeen ships were built between 1970 and 1990, although only two – Zhanjiang (165) and Zhuhai (166) – remain in service after the recent decommissioning. The 3,250-ton displacement of the Type 051 class is only about half that of the Type 052D (Luyang III) class, of which the 19th and 20th were launched in Dalian on 10 May. Although the weapon systems on the Type 051 class had been updated, particularly on Kaifeng and Dalian, which were equipped with 16 YJ-83 anti-ship missiles, the class had very limited capabilities compared with the destroyers that are currently entering service with the PLAN. The Type 051 ships are unlikely to be sold to another navy as their steam propulsion plant is manpower intensive, both to operate and to maintain. Several of the previously decommissioned ships have become floating museum exhibits.
The PLAN still operates a surprising number of steam-powered destroyers in addition to the two remaining Type 051s. Shenzhen (167) – which is the only Type 051B (Luhai)-class destroyer ever constructed – and the two Type 051C (Luzhou)-class destroyers – the second of which was commissioned as recently as 2007 – are steam powered, as are the four Sovremenny-class destroyers imported from Russia between 2000 and 2006. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
17 May 19. Indonesia to reinstate missile capabilities on KCR-60M fast attack craft. Key Points:
- Indonesia plans to reinstate missile capabilities on two of its KCR-60M vessels in the long term
- First- and second-of-class were earlier stripped of their missile launchers after receiving Chinese-made CIWS turrets
Slightly more than a year after removing missile launchers from two of its KCR-60M fast attack craft (FAC), the Indonesian Navy (Tentara Nasional Indonesia – Angkatan Laut: TNI-AL) is now working to reinstate the capability on these vessels.
The matter has been confirmed with Jane’s by a senior crew member of KRI Tombak(629), which was berthed at RSS Singapura – Changi Naval Base for the 2019 IMDEX exhibition, which was held in Singapore from 14 to 16 May. Tombak is one of the two KCR-60M vessels taking part in the event, with the other being KRI Halasan (630).
Beginning in late 2017, Indonesia’s state-owned shipbuilder PT PAL removed diagonally mounted missile launchers on Tombak and first-of-class KRI Sampari (628) as part of efforts to reconstitute the class.
The vessels were subsequently installed with the Chinese-made Type 630 close-in weapon system (CIWS) turret on a pedestal at the stern position where a rigid hull inflatable boat (RHIB) used to be positioned.
Type 630 CIWS set-up on Sampari and Tombak includes the Type 347G ‘Rice Bowl’ short-range fire-control radar and its associated fire-control console, and the SR47B air-and-surface search and gun-target indication radar, which has been integrated with an identification friend-or-foe system. In response to requests for clarification from Jane’s, a PT PAL official who first informed Jane’s of the reconstitution confirmed that Tombak has now been refitted with its original missile launchers, but at a slightly different position in the aft section. He explained that this weapon has yet to undergo evaluations in its new position, or to be integrated into the vessel’s wider combat systems. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
16 May 19. ST Engineering introduces Super Swift series of air-cavitating boats. The marine division of ST Engineering unveiled a new series of high-speed patrol boats for maritime interdiction, and law enforcement operations at the IMDEX 2019 exhibition. The line-up is known as the Super Swift series and each vessel in the family has been designed with an air cavitation hull, which allows for speeds of up to 70kt, said an ST Engineering official who spoke to Jane’s at the exhibition.
Despite being capable of high speeds, the Super Swift vessels have been incorporated with features that mitigate against high G forces, including shock-absorbing seats. This makes it particularly suited for very high-speed activities such as pursuit and arrest, search-and-rescue, and covert surveillance operations. The Super Swift series comes in the 17m, 26m, and 35m variants. An unspecified government agency in Singapore has also placed an order for a 23m variant of the boat, although the variant procured does not feature an air cavitation hull.
“But should a customer require an air-cavitating version of the 23m vessel, we can also customise a solution for this,” said a company official who spoke to Jane’s at IMDEX 2019. ST Engineering has declined to reveal the customer for the 23m variant, but Jane’s understands that it is the Singapore Police Coast Guard (PCG). (Source: IHS Jane’s)
16 May 19. ST Engineering unveils Vanguard 130 multi-role combatant concept. Key Points:
- ST Engineering has unveiled a new variant in its Vanguard series of modular naval ships
- The concept has been optimised for unmanned vehicle operations
The marine division of ST Engineering has unveiled the latest iteration of its Vanguard series of modular surface vessels.
Known as the Vanguard 130, the concept was introduced at the IMDEX 2019 marine and defence exhibition. It has been unveiled against the backdrop of requirements for a similar type of vessel from the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN).
The Vanguard 130 has optimised for unmanned vehicle operations, and features flushed doors on its port and starboards sides to support launch and recovery of remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) and autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs).
The vessel can be equipped with an ST Engineering-designed launch-and-recovery system (LARS) for rigid-hull inflatable boats (RHIBs) and unmanned surface vessels (USVs) known as the Q-LARS 2.0. Another in-house designed component that has been incorporated onto the Vanguard 130 is the integrated modular mast (IMM) system with reduced radar cross-section (RCS) features.
The Vanguard 130 can accommodate a 15-tonne helicopter, or rotary-winged unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) on its flight deck, and up to eight 20-foot containerised mission modules within its mission bay in the aft section, and a storage area amidships. Weapons that can go onboard the Vanguard 130 include a vertical launching system (VLS) for anti-air missiles in the forward section, a 76mm naval gun in the primary position, and launchers for anti-ship missiles amidships. The vessel can also be equipped with remote-controlled weapon system (RCWS) turrets on its bridge wings, and at various locations in the aft section. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
20 May 19. Delivery of Russia’s newest SSN delayed. Technical problems have delayed the entry into service of the Russian Navy’s newest nuclear-powered attack/cruise missile submarine (SSN/SSGN) until late in 2020 at the earliest, according to Russian state news agency TASS on 17 May.
TASS reported that auxiliary systems on the Project 885M SSN Kazan had failed to meet requirements. The submarine, which is the second Severodvinsk (Yasen)-class boat, was launched at the Sevmash shipyard in the northern port city of Severodvinsk in March 2017 and had been expected to formally enter service with the Northern Fleet in late 2018.
“Following the results of dockside trials and also the winter stage of shipbuilders’ trials [which ended in January], it has been established that some of the vessel’s auxiliary subassemblies and mechanisms do not meet the requirements of the specifications set by the Defence Ministry, including reliability characteristics, and require finalising in the Sevmash dock,” an industry source was quoted by TASS as saying. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
20 May 19. Damen launches first of two corvettes for Pakistan Navy. The first of two corvettes on order for the Pakistan Navy (PN) has been launched at the facilities of Dutch shipbuilder Damen in Galati, Romania.
The service announced on its Facebook page that the vessel, which had been previously described as an offshore patrol vessel (OPV), entered the water on 17 May in a ceremony held at the shipyard in Romania and attended by PN Vice Admiral Abdul Aleem, among others.
The contract for the two vessels was signed in June 2017, with the first corvette expected to enter service by the end of 2019, and the second one set to be delivered by mid-2020, according to the navy.
Vice Adm Aleem was quoted as saying during the ceremony that these platforms “will act as force multipliers in enhancing [the] navy’s capability of safeguarding maritime frontiers and will offer more flexibility in the conduct of [the] Pakistan Navy’s initiative of independent Regional Maritime Security Patrols in the Indian Ocean Region”.
The multirole corvettes have been previously described by the PN as “state-of-the-art vessels” especially suited for anti-surface, anti-air, and maritime security operations.
Each of them features a helicopter pad to facilitate search-and-rescue missions, as well as surveillance and intelligence-gathering operations. No further details were provided about the systems or weapons set to be fitted onto the class. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
AIR
20 May 19. India delivers first two Mi-24 attack helicopters to Afghanistan. India has delivered the first two of four refurbished Russian-built Mil Mi-24 ‘Hind’ attack helicopters it had promised the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF) in early 2018 to boost their counter-insurgency capabilities. Purchased from Belarus, the two Mi-24s were officially handed over by Vinay Kumar, India’s ambassador to Afghanistan, during a ceremony held on 16 May at the Afghan Air Force (AAF) base in Kabul, according to a statement by the Indian Embassy in Kabul.
“These [Mi-24s] are a replacement for the four attack helicopters previously gifted by India to Afghanistan in 2015,” said the embassy, adding that the gifted platforms are set to enhance the ANDSF’s effectiveness in “combating the scourge of terrorism”.
The statement referred to four refurbished Mil Mi-25 assault helicopters India delivered to the ANDSF in April 2015 as part of a bilateral strategic agreement signed in 2011 between New Delhi and Kabul. India, however, has declined to elaborate on whether these Mi-25s have been lost operationally or simply become inoperative.
That same day, Afghanistan’s acting defence minister, Asadullah Khalid, tweeted that two remaining Mi-24s would be “purchased [by India from Belarus] and supplied to the Afghan Air Force to make the aerial operations more effective”. No details were provided as to when these platforms will be delivered.
In March 2018, Afghanistan’s then-ambassador to India, Shaida Mohammad Abdali, had told the Hindustan Times newspaper that the Mi-24s were being acquired under a trilateral agreement signed between Afghanistan, Belarus, and India. At the time, a senior military official had told Jane’s that India had sourced the Mi-24s from Belarus, given that Russia was under international sanctions due to its military actions in Ukraine in 2014 and, hence, was unable to export the rotorcraft. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
21 May 19. Greece receives 70 OH-58Ds and a Chinook from United States. Greece received 70 Bell OH-58D Kiowa Warrior armed reconnaissance helicopters and a Boeing CH-47D Chinook heavy-lift helicopter at the port of Volos on 16 May. The US-sourced rotorcraft package is intended to significantly boost the capabilities of the Hellenic Army’s aviation branch, Elliniki Aeroporia Stratou (EAS). The former US Army OH-58Ds were received through the US Excess Defense Articles (EDA) programme. The shipment, which was agreed in 2018, consists of 36 fully equipped aircraft, plus 24 that lack certain avionics, navigation, and communication equipment, and will be dedicated to training. The remaining 10 airframes are to be used for spares. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
20 May 19. Angola receives all 12 Sukhoi fighters. The delivery of all 12 Sukhoi Su-30K fighters ordered by Angola has been completed, the Tass news agency reported on 16 May. It cited an official from Belarus’ 558th Aviation Repair Plant, which modernised the aircraft, as saying the last two aircraft were delivered in April. The Belarus official said that the modernisation had effectively brought them up to the Su-30SM standard with the ability to jam air-to-air missiles operating in 8-12 GHz frequency range and carry weapons that include the Kh-31A anti-ship missile, Kh-31P anti-radiation missile, and air-to-air class RVV-AE (export version of R-77) medium-range air-to-air missiles. Angola’s Sukhoi order was first reported in October 2013 and the fighters have been seen in satellite imagery of Lubango Air Base since July 2017. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
17 May 19. The Sikorsky HH-60W Combat Rescue Helicopter achieved first flight today at Sikorsky’s West Palm Beach, Florida site, an important step toward bringing this all-new aircraft to service members to perform critical search and rescue operations. The aircraft, developed by Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin Company (NYSE: LMT) and based on the proven UH-60M Black Hawk, is customized for the U.S. Air Force ‘s rescue mission and will ensure the Air Force fulfills its mission to leave no one behind. Total flight time was approximately 1.2 hours and included hover control checks, low speed flight, and a pass of the airfield.
“This achievement is yet another vital step toward a low rate initial production decision and getting this much-needed aircraft and its advanced capabilities to the warfighter,” said Dana Fiatarone, vice president, Sikorsky Army & Air Force Systems. “We are very pleased with the results of today’s flight and look forward to a productive and informative flight test program.”
Today’s flight paves the way for a Milestone C production decision in September 2019, per the original baseline schedule, to which both Sikorsky and the Air Force are committed. A second HH-60W helicopter is expected to enter flight test next week, with a third and fourth aircraft entering flight test this summer. These aircraft will provide critical data over the course of the program which will enable the Air Force to make an informed production decision.
“The HH-60W’s first flight is the culmination of significant development and design advances. We are excited to now move forward to begin full aircraft system qualification via the flight test program,” said Greg Hames, director of the Combat Rescue Helicopter program. “Together with the Air Force, our team is motivated and committed to advancing this program and delivering this superior aircraft to our airmen and women.”
The HH-60W Combat Rescue Helicopter is significantly more capable and reliable than its predecessor, the HH-60G Pave Hawk. The aircraft hosts a new fuel system that nearly doubles the capacity of the internal tank on a UH-60M Black Hawk, giving the Air Force crew extended range and more capability to rescue those injured in the battle space. The HH-60W specification drives more capable defensive systems, vulnerability reduction, weapons, cyber-security, environmental, and net-centric requirements than currently held by the HH-60G.
“With the Combat Rescue Helicopter’s successful first flight now behind us, we look forward to completion of Sikorsky’s flight test program, operational testing and production of this aircraft to support the Air Force’s critical rescue mission,” said Edward Stanhouse, Chief, U.S. Air Force Helicopter Program Office. “Increased survivability is key and we greatly anticipate the added capabilities this aircraft will provide.”
The U.S. Air Force program of record calls for 113 helicopters to replace the Pave Hawks, which perform critical combat search and rescue and personnel recovery operations for all U.S. military services. A total of nine aircraft will be built at Sikorsky’s Stratford, Connecticut, facility during the Engineering & Manufacturing Development (EMD) phase of the program ― four EMD aircraft and five System Demonstration Test Articles (SDTA).
17 May 19. Russia to acquire more Su-57s and Mi-28NMs. The Russian Air Force is to acquire 76 Su-57 fifth generation multi-role aircraft and 100 modernised Mi-28N helicopters, designated Mi-28NM, by 2028, Russian President Vladimir Putin said during a meeting on defence-related issues held in Sochi on 15 May. He also reported that over 1,000 new fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft were delivered to the Russian forces from 2013–18, resulting in modern aircraft accounting for over 65% of the current fleet. During the meeting, Putin stated, “The [state] armament programme plan was to procure 16 such aircraft by 2028”, but after further assessment, Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu reported to him that manufacturers had managed to reduce the cost of both the aircraft and accompanying weapon systems by 20%. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
PLANT CLOSURES, JOB LOSSES AND STRIKES
20 May 19. Norway set to write off salvaged frigate. Norway is set to write-off the damaged Fridtjof Nansen-class frigate KNM Helge Ingstadafter a report found that repairing the salvaged ship would cost more than buying a new-build replacement. Released on 15 May, the analysis prepared by the Norwegian Defence Materiel Agency (Forsvarsmateriell) estimated that repairs would cost NOK12-14bn (USD1.4–1.6bn) and take more than five years. The cost of purchasing a new similar vessel is estimated at NOK11–13bn, with a similar time to completion. Commissioned into the Royal Norwegian Navy in September 2009, Helge Ingstad was severely damaged on 8 November 2018 after colliding with the tanker Sola TS in waters just outside Ågåtnes oil terminal in Hjeltefjorden. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
MILITARY AND GOVERNMENT
PERSONNEL
U.S. APPOINTMENTS
21 May 19. Trump taps Barbara Barrett, former Aerospace Corporation chairwoman, as next Air Force secretary. President Trump on Tuesday announced that he plans to nominate Barbara Barrett, a former chairwoman of the nonprofit Aerospace Corporation, to be the next secretary of the Air Force.
Trump revealed that he has settled on Barrett as the service’s 25th secretary in a tweet Tuesday afternoon, shortly after the conclusion of a farewell ceremony for departing Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson. Wilson will leave the Air Force at the end of the month to be the next president of the University of Texas at El Paso. (Source: Defense News Early Bird/Airforce Times)
17 May 19. BG George N. Appenzeller, commanding general, Brooke Army Medical Center; deputy commanding general, Regional Health Command-Central; and market manager, San Antonio Military Health System, Joint Base San Antonio, Texas, to commanding general, Regional Health Command-Central, Joint Base San Antonio, Texas.
17 May 19. BG Mark S. Bennett, director for Resource Management, Installation Management Command, Joint Base San Antonio, Texas, to commanding general, U.S. Army Financial Management Command, Indianapolis, Indiana.
17 May 19. BG Edmond M. Brown, deputy commanding general (Support), 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas, currently deployed as commander, Train Advise Assist Command-South, Resolute Support Mission, North Atlantic Treaty Organization, Operation Freedom’s Sentinel, Afghanistan, to deputy director/chief of staff, Futures and Concepts Center, U.S. Army Futures Command, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia.
17 May 19. BG Omuso D. George, director, Operations and Support, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army (Financial Management and Comptroller), Washington, District of Columbia, to director for Resource Management, Installation Management Command, Joint Base San Antonio, Texas.
17 May 19. BG Wendy L. Harter, command surgeon, U.S. Army Forces Command, Fort Bragg, North Carolina, to commanding general, Brooke Army Medical Center; deputy commanding general, Regional Health Command-Central; and market manager, San Antonio Military Health System, Joint Base San Antonio, Texas.
17 May 19. BG Michael L. Place, deputy commanding general, Regional Health Command-Pacific; deputy command surgeon, U.S. Army Pacific; and senior market manager, Hawaii Enhanced Multi-Service Market, Honolulu, Hawaii, to commanding general, Regional Health Command-Atlantic, Fort Belvoir, Virginia.
17 May 19. BG Michael J. Talley, deputy commanding general, Regional Health Command-Atlantic, Fort Belvoir, Virginia, to commanding general, U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command and Fort Detrick, Fort Detrick, Maryland.
17 May 19. BG Todd R. Wasmund, deputy commanding general (Support), 1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley, Kansas, to deputy commanding general, 3d Armored Division (France), France.
INDUSTRY
PERSONNEL
U.S. APPOINTMENTS
16 May 19. BAE Systems, Inc. today announced that Tom Arseneault has been named president and chief operating officer of BAE Systems, Inc. and appointed to the BAE Systems, Inc. Board of Directors. Jerry DeMuro will continue to serve as CEO for the U.S.-headquartered organization. For several years, Arseneault has served as COO, responsible for operational performance and delivering key business objectives across the enterprise, to include leading the Inc. Strategy and Corporate Development team. As president & COO, his responsibilities will expand to include functional leadership of the BAE Systems, Inc. organization. (Source: ASD Network)
21 May 19. DoT Appoints PrecisionHawk CEO to Chair Drone Advisory Committee to FAA. PrecisionHawk, Inc., a provider of drone technology for the enterprise, has announced that U.S. Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao has appointed Michael Chasen, CEO of PrecisionHawk, to lead the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) Drone Advisory Committee (DAC) as its chairman. Chasen assumes the role immediately and will lead the DAC in advising the FAA on key integration issues relating to unmanned aircraft systems (UAS). Michael is the second Chairman of the committee and he follows Intel’s previous CEO, Brian Krzanich, who held the position in the prior term. Convened in 2016, the DAC is comprised of executives from the drone and technology industries, as well as research, academia, and traditional aviation. This committee assists the FAA in setting the overall integration strategy and vision for UAS, identifying challenges and priorities. The UAS industry is experiencing exponential growth—the FAA has forecasted commercial drone use will triple by 2023—requiring a balanced, forward-leaning regulatory framework that can promote safety and innovation. During his two-year term as chairman of the FAA’s DAC, Chasen will lead a diverse group of stakeholders as they work through the taskings of the FAA to foster meaningful advice and strategic guidance. Chasen shares the vision of the FAA and other industry stakeholders for working towards achieving full and safe integration of all types of vehicles in U.S. airspace to reap the societal and economic benefits of traditional and emerging airspace technologies. Public-private partnerships are essential to realizing this vision and will remain his primary focus.
Chasen has served as the CEO of PrecisionHawk since 2017. Since then, the business has expanded, adding energy utilities, renewable energy, oil and gas, telecommunications, and architecture, engineering, and construction, to its existing work in aviation and agriculture. PrecisionHawk has a track record of enabling advancements in safety and regulations, partnering with industry leaders and the FAA through the Pathfinder Program and the UAS Integration Pilot Program.
Chasen’s appointment extends his existing membership on the DAC. He assumes the chairman role after more than two years in the drone industry in addition to his experience as CEO of Blackboard Inc (NASDAQ: BBBB) and CEO of SocialRadar. Chasen joins 35 other industry leaders on the DAC, including executives from Amazon Prime Air, Wing (an Alphabet company), CNN, Lockheed Martin, UPS, DJI, AT&T and Garmin. (Source: UAS VISION)
19 May 19. SSPI Names the Organization’s Board of Directors. Following the 2019 Elections. Space & Satellite Professionals International (SSPI) has announced the results of 2019 elections to the organization’s Board of Directors. The SSPI membership has elected six new Directors and re-elected four Directors to serve three-year terms beginning May 8.
Newly elected and re-elected Directors include:
- Ariane Cornell, New Glenn Commercial Sales Director – Americas, Blue Origin
- Jonathan Crawford, President & CEO, The SPACECONNECTION
- Jonathan Hofeller, Vice President of Commercial Sales, SpaceX
- Jason Juranek, CEO, Globecomm
- Aaron Lewis, Vice President, Arianespace
- Arnulf Kjeldsen, CEO, Kongsberg Satellite Services
- Barry Matsumori, CEO, BridgeSat
- Nicole Robinson, Senior Vice President, SES
- Dr. Walter Scott, CTO, Maxar
- Billie Sims, Vice President, Hunter Communications
The Board also appointed Mike Safyan, Planet’s Vice President of Launch, and Sharyn Nerenberg, Director of Corporate Communications at Hughes Network Systems, to complete the terms of directors resigning from the Board in their favor. Continuing in service on SSPI’s Board of Directors are:
- David Myers, President, Communications Sector, Peraton (Chair)
- Thomas Van Den Driessche, CEO, Newtec (President)
- Michael Antonovich, CEO, Eutelsat Americas
- Tony Gingiss, CEO, OneWeb Satellites
- Chris Johnson, President, Boeing Commercial Satellite Services
- Keith Johnson, Executive Vice President – Energy, Speedcast
- David Kagan, CEO, Globalstar
- Ric Vandermeulen, Vice President and General Manager, Government Satcom, ViaSat
Elizabeth Evans of Reed Smith LLP serves as General Council.
Founded in 1983, Space & Satellite Professionals International is on a mission to make the space and satellite industry one of the world’s best at attracting and engaging the talent that powers innovation. With more than 3,700 members in 40 nations, it is the largest space and satellite industry association in the world. It delivers on its mission through programs that promote space and satellite as the invisible but indispensable infrastructure of the modern world, and that help turn individual promise into careers filled with purpose through research, career education for young people, management education for working professionals and talent recognition that spans the industry. (Source: Satnews)