LOCATIONS
LAND
12 Aug 19. Veecraft Marine, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Paramount Maritime Holdings and African-based global aerospace and technology company Paramount Group, opened its new premises at a ceremony held in Cape Town. The companies showcased nearly twenty years of maritime platform manufacturing best practices and expertise while celebrating its strong expansion and ongoing investment in the growth of the African maritime industry.
Veecraft Marine has manufactured over 60 innovative maritime platform solutions in various classes since its inception in 2002, totaling more than R2bn of contracts. Leveraging its expertise and specialization in the construction of 20 to 30 meter vessels, the company has secured a strong order book valued at over R200m. The prime location of Veecraft’s new facility provides excellent ease of access to the ocean, enabling the company to make significant cost and time savings in its logistical operations.
CEO of Paramount Industrial Holdings, Alison Crooks said: “We are delighted to open these facilities here in Cape Town, playing our part in unlocking the benefits of the ‘Blue Ocean’ economy in-country and across the continent. This is an important milestone in the growth and development of Veecraft Marine, and indeed a celebration of the skills and experience of the leadership team and every employee in the company. From these premises, we look forward to meeting the growing needs of our customers while strengthening Veecraft’s value proposition and forging greater opportunities for collaboration with customers from across the continent, providing our partners with world-class vessel design, incorporating the latest technologies and materials, training and long-term operational support.”
Guests toured the 2,500 square-meter facilities which will be the home to 80 members of staff, surveying maritime vessel production processes first-hand and manufactured platforms in various stages of development, including 20m workboats for South Africa’s Special Forces, hydrographic motor boats for the South African Navy and a 24m coastal reconnaissance workboat for a West African customer, powered by Volvo IPS Pod Drives, notably the first commercial maritime vessel to be powered by these drives on the continent.
CEO of Paramount Maritime, James Fisher said: “It is a privilege to expand our market footprint and invest at home and in the home-grown capabilities of South Africa. This nation is a leader in maritime technologies with key research and development capabilities, and the people behind them representing a beacon of innovation for the continent at large. Facilities such as these showcase our commitment to the development of innovative African solutions to meet the challenges of the continent’s present-day. We take great pride in playing a leadership role in driving further vessel manufacturing, maintenance, repair and operations (MRO) capabilities that together have proven to bolster job creation and economic growth”.
MARITIME
15 Aug 19. USN sets out headmarks for T-AGOS(X). The US Navy (USN) is moving forward with plans to recapitalise its fleet of ocean surveillance ships (T-AGOS) with a new class of large Small Waterplane Area Twin Hull (SWATH) vessels. Designed to gather underwater acoustical data over a wide area using Surveillance Towed-Array Sensor System (SURTASS), five T-AGOS ships are operated by Military Sealift Command to support the anti-submarine warfare mission of the Atlantic and Pacific fleets. An initial four Victorious-class vessels (T-AGOS 19) were commissioned between September 1991 and July 1993. A fifth ship, USNS Impeccable (T-AGOS 23), was commissioned in 2001. This vessel adopts the same SWATH hullform but is longer and configured with a more powerful propulsion plant. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
14 Aug 19. BAE Systems has cut steel for the second Type 26 Global Combat Ship, HMS CARDIFF, marking an important milestone in the programme to deliver the most advanced Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) capability to the Royal Navy. In a traditional steel cut ceremony at BAE Systems’ shipyard in Govan on the River Clyde, attended by BAE Systems’ employees and representatives from the Royal Navy, Anne-Marie Trevelyan MP, Minister for Defence Procurement, performed the official duties; setting the plasma cutting machine to work on a plate of steel that will form part of the unit that holds vital fuel stores for the ship.
The Type 26 Global Combat Ship is designed and built by BAE Systems in Glasgow. The Type 26 frigate is an advanced ASW warship designed for the critical protection of the Continuous At Sea Deterrent and Carrier Strike Group. The City Class Type 26 will build on the pedigree of the Royal Navy’s current Type 23 Anti-Submarine Warfare frigates which have served the Nation well. Each Type 26 will be equipped with a range of capabilities including the Sea Ceptor missile defence system, a 5-inch medium calibre gun, flexible mission bay, Artisan 997 Medium Range Radar, powerful bow and towed array sonars and a vertical launch silo capable of hosting a variety of weapons.
The ceremony to mark the formal start of manufacture on the second of the Type 26 Global Combat Ships, HMS CARDIFF, comes two years after steel was cut on the first in class, HMS GLASGOW. Momentum on HMS GLASGOW continues with over one half of the ship now in production and she remains on track to enter service in the mid-2020s.
BAE Systems has now marked the start of construction of seven complex warships for the UK Royal Navy in just five years, with HMS CARDIFF following her sister ship, HMS GLASGOW, and the five River Class Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPV). All five OPVs are now in the water with the first, HMS FORTH, already in active operation for the Royal Navy.
Defence Procurement Minister Anne-Marie Trevelyan MP said: “The Royal Navy’s new world beating Type 26 anti-submarine frigates are truly a UK-wide enterprise, supporting thousands of jobs here in Scotland and across the UK. These ships will clearly contribute to UK and allied security, but also make a strong economic contribution to the country. With 64 sub-contracts already placed with UK-based businesses, there will be new export opportunities for them to tender for through the selection of the Type 26 design by Australia and Canada too.”
BAE Systems is working alongside 80 companies across the UK and international supply chain to deliver the programme, helping to sustain 4,000 jobs across the UK and providing a foundation for work on the Clyde into the next decade.
Commenting on today’s significant milestone, Steve Timms, Managing Director, BAE Systems Naval Ships, said: “Today’s steel cut ceremony demonstrates the significant and positive progress we are making on this hugely complex, sophisticated and important programme. The Type 26 ships will be the most advanced anti-submarine warfare frigates the Royal Navy has ever had and, together with the five-ship River Class Offshore Patrol Vessel programme, we are proud of the role we play at BAE Systems, alongside many thousands of dedicated people in our supply chain, to deliver this critical capability for the UK Royal Navy.”
The Global Combat Ship supports a close partnership between the UK Royal Navy, Royal Canadian Navy and the Royal Australian Navy, all of whom have selected a variant of the Type 26 design for their anti-submarine frigate programmes, supporting greater operational, training and intelligence ties.
AIR
15 Aug 19. Retired Canadian Sea Kings find a buyer. The last 15 of Canada’s retired Sea King helicopters have been sold to Rotor Maxx Support, which will refurbish the aircraft and re-market them to new customers. The aircraft was retired after 55 years from Royal Canadian Air Force and Royal Canadian Navy service in December 2018, since when the Department of National Defence and Public Service and Procurement Canada have been seeking to divest the fleet. In addition to the 15 that have been sole to Rotor Maxx Support, nine will be publicly displayed, and one will remain in service as a training aid. When in service the helicopters were used to conduct anti-submarine warfare and search and rescue operations, as well as providing disaster relief, undertaking counter-narcotic operations, and participating in fishery, international peacekeeping, and pollution patrols. (Source: News Now/ Shephard)
15 Aug 19. Bell Textron Inc., a Textron Inc. (NYSE:TXT) company, announced the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has issued an Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) for the Bell 407GXi. The certification is a requirement for the Navy Advanced Helicopter Training System competition, enabling the Bell 407GXi to replace the Bell TH-57 Sea Ranger as the US Navy’s training helicopter.
Bell’s replacement bid offers a unique combination of capability, ease of transition, and low sustainment costs, giving the best value to the Navy. Should the Bell 407GXi be selected for the US Navy Advanced Helicopter Trainer program, the company plans to conduct final assembly of the aircraft in Ozark, Alabama.
“The team did a great job ensuring the Bell 407GXi achieved the FAA’s IFR certification necessary to meet all of the Navy’s requirements,” said Mitch Snyder, president and CEO. “Bell is an instrumental part of the Navy’s training program and has been for more than 50 years, and we look forward to continuing the tradition for the next generation of Naval Aviators.”
A Bell to Bell transition offers low-risk to the Navy by streamlining instructor pilot and maintainer transition training as well as using common support equipment and infrastructure. The 407 airframe has already proven capabilities as the platform for the MQ-8C Fire Scout for the US Navy. Bell’s industry-leading customer service and support has established capability with cost-efficient and effective helicopter training solutions.
Bell proves its mature production and sustainment support capability every day by supporting more than 1,600 Bell 407s globally. These aircraft have nearly 6 million flight hours across the fleet and are actively performing flight training as well as military and para-public missions helicopter mission-set. The 407GXi’s Garmin G1000H™ NXi Flight Deck enhances situational awareness and reduces pilot workload by delivering easy-to-read information at a glance. The Bell 407GXi’s new IFR capability will allow all-weather operations while continuing to provide multimission capability safely, reliably, and effectively. The Bell 407GXi offers the lowest direct operating costs of any IFR-capable helicopter produced today. Combined with its proven performance, reliability, and ease of transition, the Bell 407GXi is the best value aircraft for US Navy helicopter training.
14 Aug 19. USAF F-35As deploy to austere Middle East airbase. A detachment of US Air Force F-35A Lightnings has carried out the first deployment of the stealth aircraft to a temporary operating site in the Middle East, US Air Forces Central Command (AFCENT) announced on 12 August.
It said the F-35As from the 4th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron (EFS) and support personnel from the 380th Expeditionary Maintenance Squadron relocated from Al-Dhafra Air Base in the United Arab Emirates to an “undisclosed location in Southwest Asia” for Exercise ‘Agile Lightning’, which was held from 4 to 7 August.
“Exercise ‘Agile Lightning’ is a demonstration of the agile basing concepts practised by US Air Force fighter squadrons from their home bases,” Lieutenant Colonel Joshua Arki, the commander of the 4th EFS, said. “The ‘Fightin’ Fuujins’ of the 4th EFS successfully deployed a small detachment of aircraft and personnel to a forward location, supporting combat operations from that location for a given period of time, and then redeployed back to our primary operating location.” (Source: IHS Jane’s)
14 Aug 19. Indonesia receives two more upgraded Su-30s. The Indonesian Air Force (Tentara Nasional Indonesia – Angkatan Udara: TNI-AU) has taken delivery of two more Su-30 aircraft that underwent upgrades in Belarus. In response to queries from Jane’s , the service’s office of information and public affairs replied that the aircraft, bearing serial numbers TS-3001 and TS-3002 respectively, were delivered to the TNI-AU’s Sultan Hasanuddin airbase in South Sulawesi via an Antonov An-124-100M cargo transporter on 28 July. The aircraft received improvements to its avionics and targeting systems at the 558 Aircraft Repair Plant in Belarus. However, no further details of these were provided in the TNI-AU’s email reply to Jane’s. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
12 Aug 19. Upgraded JH-7 fighter-bomber in service with PLAAF. A new variant of the Xian JH-7 fighter-bomber is in service with the China People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF), according to a 5 August report by the state-owned Xinhua News Agency about the Aviadarts 2019 competition of the International Army Games (IAG) being held from 3 to 17 August. The report stated that the aircraft types sent by the PLAAF to Russia to participate in the event include the new JH-7AII variant along with the J-10A fighter and the H-6K bombers, as well as the Il-76 and Y-9 transport aircraft. It also noted that the PLA Naval Air Force (PLANAF) was participating for the first time in the event by sending a JH-7A aircraft. Photographs of the PLAAF aircraft provided by the Russian Ministry of Defence (MoD) show no obvious distinguishing features between the JH-7A and the new variant. This reinforces comments made by Wei Dongxu, a Chinese military analyst quoted in the state-owned Global Times newspaper, that the changes made to the JH-7AII are likely to be primarily related to the aircraft’s avionics and radar.
Internet sources have subsequently suggested that the modifications have focused on changes made to the platform’s mission computer, power supplies, and the post-processing capabilities of the radar, aimed at improving the integration of electronic countermeasure (ECM) pods.
The JH-7A is a two-seat, twin-engine aircraft that entered service with the PLANAF and the PLAAF in 2004. The original JH-7 first flew in 1988. A key role of this aircraft type, which is capable of carrying four anti-ship missiles along with other external stores, is maritime strike. Photographs of the JH-7A, of which more than 200 units are believed to be in PLA service, commonly show the platform fitted with ECM pods.
Images of a prototype JH-7B appeared around 2013, and changes including the capability for in-flight refuelling, upgraded engines, and a new radar were anticipated. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
PLANT CLOSURES, JOB LOSSES AND STRIKES
15 Aug 19. An Indian facility that makes Su-30MKI jets may shut down, toppling 400 local suppliers. An Indian facility that manufactures Sukhoi Su-30MKI fighters may close in March 2020, leading to a domino effect that could see 400 local suppliers shut their shops over a lack of component orders, according to company officials and industry analysts.
A senior executive of India’s state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited said the company, which owns the facility, will complete the production of the remaining eight Su-30MKI fighters on order by March. Then the production facility at Nasik, central India, could shut down if no new orders are placed, the executive warned.
An executive with the industry lobby group Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry, said 400 local suppliers that build about 6,000 components worth $12.5m for each Su-30MKI fighter may also shut down if no new orders are placed with HAL. HAL produces about 12 Su-30MKI multirole fighters each year. The company is expected to complete the delivery of 272 Su-30MKI fighters by March 2020. Each Su-30MKI is built by HAL for $70.3m under license by Russia’s United Aircraft Corporation.
Another HAL executive said a formal request has been sent to the Indian Air Force and the Ministry for Defence that they place an additional order for 72 locally made Su-30MKI fighters for about $5bn, but the government has not yet made a decision.
A senior Air Force official said the service could only order 18 fighters as a response to the number of Su-30MKI jets lost in accidents over the last two decades. The Air Force is not eager to place large orders of these fighters because of the cost of locally made Su-30MKI jets.
“Each HAL-built Su-30MKI fighter costs around $70.3m, where as a Russia-supplied fighter costs around $42.15m,” the senior Air Force official said.
A senior MoD official said that Russia last month tried to pressure the Indian government to order an additional 72 Su-30MKI fighters with HAL, but the Indian Air Force is reluctant to place new orders in such a large number.
“The HAL built Su-30MKI fighter is not fully indigenized, only 51 percent is homemade, where the remaining 49 percent of supplies still comes from Russia,” said Bhim Sigh, a retired wing commander with the Indian Air Force.
Singh noted that most of the raw materials are sourced from Russia, including titanium blocks, forgings, aluminium and steel plates, as well as low-tech items such as nuts, bolts and screws. HAL continues to depend on Russia as the original equipment manufacturer for components, raw material, servicing and overhaul of the fighters. (Source: Defense News)
16 Aug 19. Indian MoD tries to avert month-long OFB strike. Officials from the Indian Ministry of Defence’s (MoD’s) Department of Defence Production met with union leaders representing the workforce of the state-owned Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) on 14 August to try to prevent a strike later this month that will cause an estimated 85,000 OFB defence workers to down tools for several weeks. The MoD said in a press release that its officials met with representatives from unions including the All India Defence Employees Federation (AIDEF), the Indian National Defence Workers Federation, Bhartiya Pratiksha Mazdoor Sangh, and the Confederation of Defence Recognized Association.
The MoD said the unions plan the strike, which the unions have said will last for one month, to begin on 20 August. It added, “The meeting lasted for nearly two hours, in which both parties constructively engaged themselves in a candid and open discussion of each other’s viewpoint. It was decided to keep the process of dialogue open to arrive at a mutual understanding.” (Source: IHS Jane’s)
MILITARY AND GOVERNMENT
PERSONNEL
15 Aug 19. Indian PM Modi announces chief of defence staff post to improve military integration. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced on Thursday the establishment of the post of chief of defence staff for better coordination between the army, air force and navy along the lines of Western military forces.
Defence experts have long called for such a post. A government committee recommended such a position in 1999, after India came close to war with Pakistan over the disputed region of Kashmir, to ensure the three defence arms operate together.
“Our forces are India’s pride. To further sharpen coordination between the forces, I want to announce a major decision … India will have a chief of defence staff,” Modi said in an Independence Day address.
India had organised its military into three different services, each led by its own chief, since independence from Britain in 1947. Such an arrangement was thought necessary to ensure too much power was not concentrated in the hands of a single commander.
However, with military operations now involving close integration, many countries have moved to a single chief of defence staff who directs the military and often reports directly to the political executive for faster decision-making.
Former army lieutenant general H.P. Panag said there was too much squabbling in the previous structure.
“Each service has its own ethos and considers itself as the prima donna of war,” Panag said. “The chiefs feel that under a CDS they will become virtual non-entities. The small services fear that they will be subsumed.”
Modi said the establishment of a chief of defence staff was an important step towards military reform. The new chief would also have control over funding for the military, which is struggling to modernise its Soviet-era equipment.
Modi’s Hindu nationalist ruling group has long promoted national security as a top priority to face the challenge from Pakistan and China, with which it shares disputed borders. (Source: Reuters)
09 Aug 19. US Army senior leaders hand over the reins as McConville, Grinston step up. The Army officially changed out its senior uniformed leaders Friday morning during a ceremony at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall, Virginia. The 39th Army Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Milley is taking over as the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and Gen. James C. McConville has stepped up as the Army’s new top officer.
“It is true, not fake news, that Jim McConville saved my life in Baghdad one day as he rolled in, in an Apache helicopter and pulled me out of a firefight,” Milley said during the ceremony. “McConville is one of the most courageous and thoughtful officers I have ever served with. Jim’s blend of battlefield experience, both in the Middle East and in Washington, made him the perfect officer to take over as chief.”
The 15th Sergeant Major of the Army Daniel A. Dailey has stepped down, handing the reins to Command Sgt. Maj. Michael A. Grinston. Dailey is retiring from the service.
“There is no finer choice for the top officer and NCO than General McConville and SMA Grinston,” Dailey said at the ceremony. “Gen. Milley and I will sleep well at night knowing that both of you, such talent that we have, is at the front of this formation.”
During his tenure, Milley carved out a legacy as a “readiness chief,” said Army Acting Secretary Ryan D. McCarthy, who hosted the ceremony.
“Through General Milley’s unyielding focus and determination — and with help from the Congress and the president — the Army went from a readiness trough to a readiness peak: from two brigades receiving the highest readiness rating to more than 25; from units trained near exclusively for their next [Central Command] rotation to become proficient in the full spectrum of combat operations,” McCarthy said.
McConville, who is the first aviator to be Army chief, will step into Milley’s role and continue the service’s modernization efforts as well as deal with the personnel issues the Army faces, including “sexual harassment and assault, suicide, domestic violence, and more,” McCarthy said.
McConville commanded the 101st Airborne Division for three years and led the storied unit through multiple combat deployments. He also previously served as the Army G-1 for personnel before being nominated as the service’s vice chief. The change of officer leadership is also paired with a change in enlisted leaders. (Source: Army Times)
10 Aug 19. USAF cyber commander departing. The commander of the Air Force’s cyber component is leaving in the fall for a new assignment. Maj. Gen. Robert Skinner, commander of 24th Air Force/Air Forces Cyber, took over in summer 2018. He will be going to Hawaii to be the J6, command, control, communications and cyber director for Indo-Pacific Command, an Air Force spokesperson confirmed to Fifth Domain. No replacement has been named yet. 24th Air Force is the service cyber component to U.S. Cyber Command. Skinner, in his current role, is also responsible for planning, coordinating and executing cyber operations within European Command, as well as Transpiration Command and Strategic Command. In fact, cyber forces under Skinner’s command played a role in thwarting Russian efforts aimed at disrupting the 2018 midterm elections.
The Air Force’s cyber forces are also in the midst of a major internal reorganization. The Air Force will be merging 24th Air Force and 25th Air Force — responsible for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, which also currently provides roughly 40 percent of AFCYBER’s forces — into an integrated information warfare numbered Air Force.
“We’ve come to discover cyber is an element of the larger information warfare and [electromagnetic spectrum] fight that we’re in,” Ted Uchida, deputy director of operations at Air Combat Command, 24th and 25th Air Force’s parent organization, said during an April event. “To view cyber in its lane and in the functional stovepipe is really an incomplete analysis. We’ve come to discover it’s really information warfare.” (Source: Defense News Early Bird/C4ISR & Networks)
U.S. APPOINTMENTS
09 Aug 19. Trump names retired Navy SEAL vice admiral new acting director of national intelligence via Tweet. In a one-two punch, President Donald Trump announced via Twitter both that the nation’s No. 2 intelligence official would resign and that he had named a new acting director of national intelligence ― current National Counterterrorism Center Director Joseph Maguire, a retired Navy SEAL vice admiral. With Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats set to step down Aug. 15, the president announced Aug. 8 that Principal Deputy Director of National Intelligence Sue Gordon ― who would replace Coats as acting director once he stepped down ― would also be resigning Aug. 15. (Source: Defense News Early Bird/C4ISR & Networks)
12 Aug 19. The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) is announced that Phebe N. Novakovic, chairman and chief executive officer of General Dynamics, has joined the CSIS Board of Trustees. Since joining General Dynamics in 2001, Novakovic has served in a variety of roles, including president and chief operating officer, executive vice president for marine systems, senior vice president for planning and development, and vice president for strategic planning. Prior to joining General Dynamics, Novakovic served as the special assistant to the secretary and deputy secretary of defense from 1997 to 2001. She also worked for the Office of Management and Budget and the Central Intelligence Agency.
REST OF THE WORLD APPOINTMENTS
12 Aug 19. The Australian Governor-General has accepted the government’s recommendation to appoint Mike Burgess to lead the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) as Director-General of Security. Burgess is currently Director-General of the Australian Signals Directorate (ASD), where he leads work across the spectrum of operations required of a contemporary signals intelligence and security agency, including foreign intelligence, cyber security and offensive operations in support of the Australian government and Australian Defence Force. Burgess has significant experience across intelligence and cyber security having previously served as a member of the federal government’s Naval Shipbuilding Advisory Board, deputy director for cyber and information security at the Defence Signals Directorate (DSD) and as chief information security officer at Telstra. (Source: Defence Connect)
INDUSTRY
INDUSTRY TEAMINGS
15 Aug 19. BAE Systems Australia partners with NSW government to support Western Sydney Aerotropolis. BAE Systems Australia has committed to deliver a cutting-edge aerospace, space and innovation research and development facility as part of a university and advanced manufacturing precinct being delivered at the Western Sydney Aerotropolis.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian was at BAE Systems headquarters in London to sign a memorandum of understanding with the company, which will ensure NSW leads the nation in developing tomorrow’s scientists, engineers and mathematicians.
BAE Systems has a long track record of supporting the Australian Defence Force to maintain a capability edge, and the Western Sydney Aerotropolis will be the home of Australia’s future aerospace industry.
Western Sydney Airport will be a game changer for the region. Strategic planning for the greenfield land around the airport will unlock opportunities to deliver new jobs and homes supported by key infrastructure in the heart of Western Sydney, bringing us another step closer to realising a 30-minute city.
The Aerotropolis will make a significant contribution to 200,000 new jobs for Western Sydney by establishing a new high-skill jobs hub across aerospace and defence, manufacturing, healthcare, freight and logistics, agribusiness, education and research industries.
Premier Berejiklian said, “The Aerotropolis we are building around the Western Sydney Airport is a great opportunity for firms around the world to invest in NSW. BAE Systems Australia’s interest in NSW as a destination for this research facility is a huge vote of confidence in our economy and our plans for the new airport city.” (Source: Defence Connect)
13 Aug 19. Turkish drone manufacturer begins joint venture with Ukrainian state defence firm. Turkish aviation defence firm Baykar has launched a joint venture to build precision weapons and aerospace technologies with the Ukrainian state defence firm Ukrspetsexport, the Ukrainian presidency’s advisory body on security announced on August 9.
“The main task of the venture is to combine the capabilities of both countries’ defense complexes for large-scale production of new models of modern weapons for their armies”, the National Security and Defence Council of Ukraine said on its website.
“This will allow moving away from classic arms purchase contracts to an entirely new level of cooperation – the synergy of defense technologies and the combination of advanced developments from Turkey and Ukraine”, it said.
The two companies will work together to develop a new generation unmanned aerial vehicle – a specialty of Baykar, which has earned plaudits for its work expanding the Turkish military’s fleet of drones.
The Turkish firm, which is owned by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s son-in-law, Selcuk Bayraktar, has been producing cutting-edge drones that have also been exported to Ukraine and Qatar since the beginning of the year.
The council’s announcement said the two firms plan to jointly produce drones that “will be able to conduct detailed reconnaissance from high echelons of flight, spend hours in the air, develop considerable cruising speed and strike targets with a wide range of high-precision weapons”
The council said Turkish and Ukrainian firms have been cooperating on a range of projects that also includes military transport aircraft, high precision aviation weapons and active defence systems for armoured vehicles. Turkey’s Justice and Development Party (AKP) has made the development of the country’s defence sector a priority, with several ambitious indigenous arms project including the development of a tank and aircraft. (Source: Google/https://ahvalnews.com)
PERSONNEL
13 Aug 19. Australia unveils vision to create STEM workforce for defence needs. The Australian Department of Defence (DoD) has unveiled its science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) Workforce Strategic Vision 2019-2030 to create a skilled workforce for the defence industry. The vision document was released in Canberra as part of National Science Week celebrations. The DoD is looking to partner with industry and academia to create the skilled workforce required to meet the country’s future defence and national security needs.
Chief Defence Scientist Professor Tanya Monro said: “These are the careers of the future and competition for people with these qualifications is fierce. It is estimated that 75% of the fastest-growing occupations in the world today require people with STEM skills.
“In Australia, there is a growing requirement for a workforce with the necessary skills to drive innovation and ensure we remain competitive in a tough global economy.
“Defence aims to shape the national agenda in science, technology, engineering and maths studies and inspire future generations of Australians to pursue careers within defence.”
Monro added that a larger and more specialised STEM workforce of both uniformed and civilian personnel is key for building a high-tech force.
In addition, the department needs to maintain a continuous pipeline of STEM graduates to attract and retain the best minds in their fields, he noted. As part of the initiative, the Australian DoD intends to expand its STEM cadetship programme from 50 interns to 200 cadets.
The expansion will encourage students to pursue career development in defence whilst undertaking their studies. The high-tech workforce is intended to deliver and support critical Australian Defence Force capability. Australia wants to invest in developing the required workforce with skills in various disciplines, including engineering, design, manufacturing, programme management, logistics and support services. (Source: army-technology.com)
11 Aug 19. Swedish defence firm Saab’s CEO to step down. Swedish defence firm Saab’s (SAABb.ST) Chief Executive and President Hakan Buskhe will step down early next year after almost a decade in charge, the company said in a statement on Sunday. Buskhe, 55, said he was leaving because he wanted another operational challenge in his career. “Saab has grown to a new level and is today a strong international defences and security company. We have achieved this through strategic partnerships, global presence and a continuous focus on investments in the product portfolio,” Buskhe said. Saab, which produces the Gripen fighter jet and which has seen its share price drop 4% this year, said it had initiated a recruitment process. (Source: Reuters)
14 Aug 19. Hundreds of jobs to flow from first Australian Defence Export Facility Loan. Defence Industry Minister Melissa Price has welcomed the first contract to be awarded as part of the Commonwealth government’s Defence Export Facility to help small defence businesses get ahead in a competitive global market. Canberra-based defence company CEA Technologies has signed the $90m loan agreement, which will create 200 local jobs – including further high-tech jobs in its Australian supply chain. The first contract awarded under the Morrison government’s Defence Export Facility has been signed, demonstrating the government’s commitment to help small defence businesses get ahead in a competitive global market.
Minister for Defence Industry Melissa Price commended CEA on its contribution to both Defence capability and Australia’s defence industrial base.
“CEA is a fantastic example of Australian industry providing advanced technology to protect our national security, as well as generating local jobs with high-value technological skills. This loan is a win, not only for CEA Technologies, but for the many Australian small businesses in their supply chain – it will support the delivery of innovative defence capability now and into the future,” Minister Price said.
CEA Technologies will use the loan to finance the construction of a new engineering and manufacturing facility in Canberra to help grow their exports and meet Australian Defence Force demand for their world-class phased array radars.
Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment Simon Birmingham welcomed today’s signing, highlighting the government’s commitment to help small Australian defence businesses reach their full export potential.
“This loan will ensure CEA has access to the necessary capital, which will allow them to meet the demands of multiple customers and grow their business through research and development at the same time,” said Minister Birmingham.
Senator for the ACT Zed Seselja said the first contract under this scheme being awarded to a Canberra company showed the government was committed to supporting local industries and jobs.
“This funding will not only create 200 local jobs, supporting skills and knowledge in Canberra, but will continue to keep our local defence industry engaged in developing the latest technologies for Australia’s defence,” Senator Seselja said.
The Defence Export Facility, administered by Export Finance Australia, is a key initiative of the government’s 2018 Defence Export Strategy. Announced as part of the government’s objective to establish Australia as a top 10 global defence exporter by 2028, the $3.8bn Defence Export Facility will support the implementation of the government’s Defence Export Strategy. The Defence Export Facility will support the delivery of the Defence Export Strategy through access to the national interest account to help Australian businesses receive finance necessary to support international growth.
The Defence Export Strategy recognises that Australian industry cannot sustain itself on the needs of the Australian Defence Force alone. Accordingly, new markets and opportunities to diversify are required to help unlock the full potential of Australian defence industry to grow, innovate and support Defence’s future needs. More information on how the Defence Export Facility and Export Finance Australia can support your business access finance and global export markets is available here. (Source: Defence Connect)
EUROPE APPOINTMENTS
14 Aug 19. Expanding PPM Systems Creates New Business Development Role. Continuing growth at PPM Systems has led to the creation of a further Business Development Manager role, which has been filled with the appointment of Paul Cotterill. The new position will help the Shrivenham based company to continue its rapid growth and expanding product range, which includes software defined radio systems like Crossbow, the new SDR scanning/decoding unit for mission-critical electronic surveillance of the electromagnetic environment. With over 25 years of working in systems engineering management and technical sales, Paul’s experience is ideally suited to the company’s main markets, which are in the government and military/defence sectors. An experienced project manager, he also has in-depth manufacturing and operational knowledge of satellite, microwave, military and broadcast transmission equipment.
U.S. APPOINTMENTS
08 Aug 19. Astroscale Appoints New SVP of Programs and Operations. Astroscale has named Dr. Clare Martin as the SVP of Programs and Operations and will work with Ron Lopez, Astroscale’s U.S. President and Managing Director, to build its space sustainability business and help expand commercial and government space industry activities. Dr. Martin brings many years of space technology management, operations and engineering expertise to the Astroscale team. This includes strong leadership over a significant portfolio in orbital debris and smallsat business during her tenure at General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems, Surrey Satellite Technology and QinetiQ. (Source: Satnews)
09 Aug 19. TMD USA, supplier of leading edge, world class microwave and RF products, based in Baltimore, Maryland, has appointed Mike Ryan to the new position of Senior Account Executive. With his in-depth knowledge of selling direct into prime contractors and the US government, Mike will be playing a major role in TMD USA’s ongoing market and customer base expansion program into the defense, homeland security and scientific fields.