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19 Jul 22. South Korea’s KF-21 fighter completes first flight. South Korea’s domestically developed KF-21 (Boramae) fighter has successfully completed its first test flight. The flight was conducted by the Republic of Korea Air Force’s (RoKAF’s) 52nd Test Evaluation Group at Sacheon-si on 19 July. The city is the headquarters of the Korea Aerospace Industry (KAI), which developed the aircraft. According to a statement from the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA), the aircraft took off at 3.40 pm and landed at 4.13 pm.
Images of the aircraft in flight, which appeared in social media, show that the KF-21 conducted the flight with its landing gear down. The aircraft was shown to carry four Meteor air-to-air missiles in the semi-recessed, under-belly position. (Source: Janes)
19 Jul 22. Turkey on course for TF-X/MMU, Hürjet milestones. Turkish Aerospace (TA) is on course to deliver simultaneous milestones for Turkish Fighter Experimental (TF-X)/National Combat Aircraft (MMU) and the Hürjet advanced jet trainer aircraft, with the company telling Janes and other defence media that 18 March 2023/2025 will be highly significant dates for both projects.
Speaking at the Farnborough Airshow on 19 July, TA President and CEO Temel Kotil said the rollout of TF-X/MMU and the first flight of the Hürjet are both timed to take place on 18 March 2023 to coincide with Turkey’s Gallipoli victory day. He added that the TF-X/MMU will make its maiden flight on the same day in 2025.
“We are counting down the days,” Kotil said, adding, “Progress is going well, and we are on track – the rollout [of TF-X/MMU] is a big deal for us. The Hürjet will fly on the same day”. (Source: Janes)
19 Jul 22. GE and BAE Systems collaborate to explore next generation adaptive power systems for Combat Air application. BAE Systems and GE announced a technical collaboration to explore next generation adaptive power management systems in the Combat Air domain.
“We’re proud to collaborate with BAE Systems to explore the next generation of Combat Air technologies building upon our existing relationship on the Tempest program,” said Joe Krisciunas, president of Electrical Power Systems for GE. “Adaptive power management allows more efficient use of existing and available electrical power. We’re working with BAES to demonstrate how this technology could enable increased operational capability to Combat Aircraft.”
GE has delivered electrical power demonstration equipment into the BAE Systems lab to start exploring how to adopt and use solid state power controllers. Adaptive and dynamic power management systems, utilizing solid state power controllers, enables the use of software to implement, modify and control aircraft utility power functions. There are further opportunities for a continued collaboration beyond this demonstration activity, subject to the current active tender process.
GE has been a major supplier to BAE Systems on Typhoon since its inception, providing cockpit displays and fuel system equipment from their Cheltenham facility in the UK. Since entry-into-service in 2004, some 680 aircraft have been sold to nine nations across the globe.
GE Aviation, an operating unit of GE (NYSE: GE), is becoming GE Aerospace. The business is a world-leading provider of jet engines, components and systems for commercial and military aircraft with a global service network to support these offerings. With an installed base of 39,400 commercial and 26,200 military aircraft engines, and systems on nearly every platform, the business is playing a vital role in shaping the future of flight. (Source: BUSINESS WIRE)
19 Jul 22. New dual-use LOAM-V2 anti-collision system launched. The latest generation Electronics technologies presented by Leonardo at the Farnborough International Airshow include the new LOAM-V2, a dual use self-protection system for small to mid-sized helicopters. The laser sensor is capable of alerting crews to the presence of obstacles, however small and hard to see in flight
At the Farnborough Airshow, Leonardo launched a new-generation dual-use laser anti-collision system for small to mid-sized platforms. Called LOAM-V2 (Laser Obstacle Avoidance and Monitoring), it weighs only 13 kg and is particularly compact in size. The new obstacle identification and alarm system for rotary wing aircraft promptly detects the presence of small obstacles along the route, such as cables as small as 5 mm in diameter, pillars and structures, offering the crew an opportunity to modify their altitude or direction.
The navigation aid acts as a radar-laser (LADAR), safely scanning the area around the flight path to collect real-time information on the environment, terrain and obstacles. The information is then processed to identify and classify any obstacles and provide acoustic and visual warnings in sufficient time. To ensure the pilot has maximum situational awareness under various flight conditions, the system’s behaviour is optimised for flying at a higher cruising height on course or for approaching at lower speeds while hovering.
LOAM-V2 – developed by Leonardo on the experience acquired with the previous version operative on NH90, EH-101 and CH-47 helicopters -, offers a unique ability to orient field of vision in order to guarantee broader coverage, thanks to “look-in-turn” technology permitting early detection of obstacles and generation of the appropriate warnings. When flying at low speeds, the system’s behaviour changes to provide up to 360⁰ coverage. The active sensor can be integrated with other active and passive sensors such as radar, visual or infrared fixed or adjustable video cameras, and systems based on static databases of obstacles and digital maps.
In addition to self-protection equipment, Leonardo will also be displaying some of its top electronics technologies developed for civil and military applications at the Farnborough Airshow. These new-generation solutions for the digitisation of on-board apparatuses include surveillance and firing control radar and medium-to-long-range air defence sensors capable of reinforcing the company’s international position in Electronics for Defence and Security.
19 Jul 22. Airbus and Singapore’s DSTA to Launch Digital Services for Military Helicopter Platforms. Airbus and Singapore’s Defence Science and Technology Agency (DSTA) are adding helicopters to the scope of their agreement signed at the Singapore Airshow earlier this year, to advance the co-development of digital solutions for the Republic of Singapore Air Force’s (RSAF) military aircraft platforms.
Under the agreement, Airbus Helicopters and Airbus Defence and Space will work together with Singapore to co-create and implement a unique data pipeline capable of exchanging maintenance data automatically and securely between RSAF’s and Airbus Helicopters’ IT systems. Both parties will also explore the shared use of maintenance data from existing in-service aircraft information systems.
The addition of helicopters comes on top of the collaborative agreement between DSTA and Airbus’ Defence and Space division to advance cooperation in the design and certification of parts produced by additive manufacturing, and in data analytics for predictive maintenance of its A330 Multi-Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) aircraft.
Once the data pipeline is in place, Airbus Helicopters will be able to capitalise upon the company’s SmartForce suite of data analytics services to make recommendations that will improve fleet efficiency and optimise maintenance operations for RSAF’s fleet of H225Ms. The RSAF will be Airbus Helicopters’ first military operator to benefit from this data pipeline as part of the SmartForce solution. Services within the SmartForce portfolio include fleet planning and predictive maintenance.
“Airbus Helicopters is proud to be joining forces with Airbus Defence and Space and DSTA to build an innovative technical solution that will pave the way for future digital products and services for the military market,” says Christoph Zammert, Executive Vice President of Customer Support & Services at Airbus Helicopters. “By unlocking the intelligence hidden inside their data, our customers will be able to better anticipate unplanned maintenance needs, reduce maintenance downtime, improve helicopter availability and optimise their budget expenditures.”
The co-development agreement signed at the Singapore Airshow saw DSTA extending its earlier partnership announced in 2018 to intensify technology exchange and collaboration for the development of digital products and services, specifically for RSAF’s fleet of A330 MRTT. (Source: ASD Network)
19 Jul 22. Sustainable fuel set to power the Royal Air Force reaches landmark new stage. Major research into sustainable fuel that could revolutionise the Royal Air Force and eliminate its reliance on fossil fuels has reached a landmark new stage.
- Major new research into mass production of sustainable aviation fuel is set to get underway
- British technology could have the potential to eliminate use of fossil fuels in military aircraft
- New fuel could increase resilience and boost RAF’s Net Zero goal
The research, carried out by the RAF in partnership with British firm Zero Petroleum, and focussed on using synthetic fuel technology, was announced today at the Farnborough International Airshow.
It will provide crucial data to evidence the scalability and efficiency of the synthetic technology, which has the potential to revolutionise the RAF’s fuel while ensuring its capability remains cutting edge.
The Royal Air Force, having flown a world-record first 100% synthetic flight in November 2021, will move to the next phase producing more fuel for certification and testing. Design blueprints from this research will enable construction of squadron-scale fuel manufacturing capability as a next stage.
Synthetic fuels are believed to burn more cleanly and consistently than fossil fuels – that theory will form part of the testing in this phase. Fuel manufactured using this technology could eliminate fossil carbon emissions in flight, lessen the RAF’s reliance on global supply chains, and improve operational resilience through reducing the necessity for fuel resupplying.
Defence Minister Jeremy Quin said: “The creativity and ingenuity of the RAF and UK industry, backed by our ring-fenced research and development funding, has resulted in ground-breaking new fuel technology. It has the potential to improve operational resilience while eliminating fossil carbon emissions in flight.”
In November 2021 the Ikarus C42 microlight aircraft, which was on display at Farnborough today, completed a short UK flight, powered by 15 litres of whole-blend synthetic gasoline. Whilst green technologies like electric and hydrogen power generation are viable for many RAF platforms, high-performance aircraft for example fast jets require a liquid fuel alternative to maintain operational capabilities.
Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Sir Mike Wigston said: “This ground-breaking collaboration with Zero Petroleum is a glimpse of the future for aviation fuel. It points to how we will crack the NetZero challenge as a national and international endeavour, and the leading role the Royal Air Force and UK science and technology can play in that.”
Zero Petroleum’s synthetic fuel is manufactured by extracting hydrogen from water and carbon from atmospheric carbon dioxide. Using energy generated from renewable sources like wind or solar, these are combined to create the ‘drop-in’ synthetic fuel.
Paddy Lowe, founder of Zero Petroleum, said: “The RAF’s vision for fossil-free flight using synthetic fuels is matched by Zero Petroleum’s commitment and enthusiasm to deliver the solution using unique British technology. Together we showed what was possible with our record-breaking demonstration flight in 2021. We are incredibly excited to start now on the important development of this technology to production-readiness in advance of deployment at scale to flight operations. We could not wish for a better partner than the RAF which has been a pioneer throughout its 100+ years of existence.”
The revolutionary breakthrough underscores the MOD’s solution-based approach to addressing climate change issues whilst meeting operational commitments and remaining agile in a world of evolving threats. It also supports ambitions laid out in the Defence Command Paper and is backed by the £24 bn defence settlement, including a £6.6 bn R&D investment.
The sustainable aviation fuel could mark a step-change towards the RAF’s goal to be Net Zero by 2040. Working towards the Government’s Net Zero by 2050 goal, the RAF also plans for their first Net Zero airbase by 2025. (Source: https://www.gov.uk/)
18 Jul 22. Xerox® Elem™ Additive and U.S. Navy Deploy First Metal 3D Printer at Sea. Xerox® ElemX™3D metal printer installed on USS Essex (LHD 2) and at-sea trials have begun in Pacific Rim.
Xerox® Elem™ Additive Solutions today announced that an ElemX liquid metal printer was recently installed on board USS Essex (LHD 2), making it the first metal additive manufacturing machine deployed on a U.S. Naval vessel.
The ElemX was placed on the ship earlier this month in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, with at-sea trials beginning immediately. The installation is the latest step in the U.S. Navy’s strategy of using additive manufacturing (AM) to increase operational readiness for the fleet. It also builds on the relationship between the U.S. Navy and Xerox Elem Additive that began with the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California receiving the first-ever installation of the ElemX in 2020.
“The military supply chain is among the most complex in the world and putting the ElemX on USS Essex means that sailors can now bypass that complexity and print parts when and where they need them,” said Tali Rosman, GM of Elem Additive. “We are proud to continue our partnership with the Navy to help them advance their additive manufacturing capabilities and execute their long-term vision.”
The ElemX leverages Xerox’s liquid metal AM technology that uses standard aluminum wire. Unlike other metal 3D printing technologies, there are no hazardous metal powders with ElemX and no need for special facility modifications or personal protective equipment to operate the machine. The printer also requires minimal post-processing and therefore provides a faster time-to-part. This ability to produce reliable replacement parts on-demand reduces the dependency on complex global supply chains for deployed forces.
To withstand various sea states and environmental challenges that U.S. naval warships encounter, the ElemX was installed in an industrial shipping container to ruggedize it. Currently at sea on board USS Essex, trials have already begun to establish operational guidelines and technical feasibility studies to determine applications and use cases. A team on board USS Essex will design and print shipboard items and provide feedback to NPS and Commander, Naval Surface Force Pacific (COMNAVSURPAC).
The ElemX 3D printer was commercially introduced in February 2021, and since then, Elem Additive Solutions has expanded operations, including opening an Additive Manufacturing Center of Excellence in Cary, North Carolina. The ElemX is a safer and simpler metal 3D printer, addressing supply chain resiliency for transportation, aerospace, defense and industrial manufacturing. Engineered to bring simplicity to the supply chain process, ElemX is the ideal option for spares, repairs and low-volume production parts. (Source: BUSINESS WIRE)
18 Jul 22. UK reveals ‘Concept V’ hypersonic aircraft. The United Kingdom has revealed a new concept for a hypersonic military aircraft, dubbed Concept V. Revealed at the Farnborough Airshow on 18 July, Concept V is part of the wider Hypersonic Air Vehicle Experimental (HVX) programme being run by the Royal Air Force’s Rapid Capabilities Office (RCO), the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl), and the UK’s National Security Strategic Investment Fund (NSSIF), as well as industry partners Reaction Engines and Rolls-Royce.
“The [HVX] programme is undertaking design work on experimental hypersonic vehicle concepts. At the Farnborough International Airshow, a single-engine hypersonic concept vehicle – ‘Concept V’ – has been unveiled. This example vehicle is one of a number of concept designs in active development by the programme,” Reaction Engines said.
As noted by Reaction Engines in its announcement, the HVX programme “has been established to rapidly develop critical high-Mach/hypersonic technologies, including novel airbreathing propulsion architectures, innovative thermal management systems, and advanced vehicle concepts. A full-scale experimental engine test campaign has now commenced”. (Source: Janes)
18 Jul 22. Vertical Aerospace and Babcock International Partner to Explore New Variants for the VX4.
- Vertical’s VX4 to be reviewed for use in aerial emergency medical services (EMS) and cargo transportation
- Babcock will lend its expertise as a global aerospace and defence business with extensive Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) experience
- Vertical and Babcock to collaborate on development of MRO capabilities for the VX4
Vertical Aerospace (Vertical) [NYSE: EVTL], a global aerospace and technology company that is pioneering zero emissions aviation, today announces a partnership with Babcock International (Babcock) [LON: BAB], the aerospace, defence and security company to explore new applications for its VX4 eVTOL aircraft.
The VX4 has proven demand in the passenger transportation markets from established airline customers including Virgin Atlantic, aircraft lessors such as Avolon, and helicopter and tourism operators such as Bristow and Iberojet. With today’s announcement, Vertical and Babcock will set up a Joint Working Group (JWG) to explore how to use the VX4 in new applications such as aerial EMS and cargo transportation. The VX4 has the potential to transform these types of operations and reduce their carbon impact at a lower overall cost.
The piloted zero operating emissions four-passenger VX4, is projected to be capable of travelling distances over 100 miles, achieving top speeds of over 200mph, while producing minimal noise and having a low cost per passenger mile.
Babcock has over thirty-five years of experience in EMS, performing thousands of missions every year globally, and is the largest single operator delivering helicopter emergency services (HEMS) in the UK. By reducing the medical response time, Babcock not only saves lives, but also significantly minimises the long-term effects of injuries. This will include reviewing how to use the VX4 in vital services such as attending accidents and providing emergency transport between hospitals.
The partnership will also see the two companies working on developing modular MRO capabilities to enable cost effective maintenance of the aircraft in both remote and challenging environments. The partnership will also see the two companies working on the development of modular MRO capabilities to maximise availability and enable cost effective maintenance of the VX4 in service. Leveraging Babcock’s experience in the defence industry, the partnership will also explore how the eVTOL concept may be expanded in the future to support the armed forces with medium range logistics delivery and casualty evacuation services.
Stephen Fitzpatrick, Founder & CEO, Vertical Aerospace, said “Climate change is the greatest challenge of our time. As with all other areas, the emergency services and logistics sectors must respond and adapt. I am delighted that Vertical Aerospace will be able support Babcock, a trusted provider of emergency response services, in their efforts to decarbonise their operations.”
Phil Craig, Managing Director of UK Aviation at Babcock, added: “Partnering with Vertical Aerospace not only enables us to harness our extensive digital and data expertise across Babcock, but also our reputation as a trusted MRO provider with a highly skilled workforce. As a business, we’re committed to reducing our carbon footprint and this partnership is an exciting step into the world of electric aircrafts. Exploring VX4’s technological capabilities allows us to understand how it can be used to deliver critical care and logistical support in challenging environments with zero emissions.”
About Vertical Aerospace
Vertical Aerospace is pioneering electric aviation. The company was founded in 2016 by Stephen Fitzpatrick, an established entrepreneur best known as the founder of the OVO Group, a leading energy and technology group and Europe’s largest independent energy retailer. Over the past five years, Vertical has focused on building the most experienced and senior team in the eVTOL industry, who have over 1,700 combined years of engineering experience, and have certified and supported over 30 different civil and military aircraft and propulsion systems.
Vertical’s top-tier partner ecosystem is expected to de-risk operational execution and its pathway to certification allows for a lean cost structure and enables production at scale. Vertical has a market-leading pre-order book by value for more than 1,400 aircraft from global customers creating multiple potential near term and actionable routes to market. Customers include American Airlines, Virgin Atlantic, Avolon, Bristow, Marubeni, Iberojet and FLYINGGROUP, as well as Japan Airlines (JAL), Gol, Air Greenland, Gozen Holding and AirAsia, through Avolon’s VX4 placements.
Vertical’s ordinary shares and warrants commenced trading on the NYSE in December 2021 under the tickers “EVTL” and “EVTLW,” respectively.
About the VX4 eVTOL Aircraft
The piloted zero operating emissions four-passenger VX4, is projected to be capable of travelling distances over 100 miles, achieving top speeds of over 200mph, while producing minimal noise and has a low cost per passenger mile. The VX4 is expected to open up advanced air mobility to a whole new range of passengers and transform how we travel. Find out more: vertical-aerospace.com (Source: BUSINESS WIRE)
19 Jul 22. Honeywell (NASDAQ: HON) and Civitanavi Systems, two leading manufacturers of inertial navigation, georeferencing and stabilization systems, have announced a collaboration to develop inertial measurement units, attitude heading reference systems and inertial navigation systems for commercial and defense customers. The HG2800 high-performance, tactical-grade inertial measurement unit (IMU) will be the first product launched under this collaboration, and it will be used on a wide range of commercial and military aircraft, among other applications. The HG2800 IMU includes fiber-optic gyroscopes (FOG) and micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) accelerometers designed for improved pointing, stabilization and short-duration navigation at low power and low noise.
“At Honeywell, we have a long history of delivering high-precision inertial products for use in commercial, military and industrial platforms, and this collaboration with Civitanavi Systems will expand our expertise. The HG2800 IMU will come in multiple variants, utilizing Honeywell next-generation MEMS Accelerometer technology, coupled with Civitanavi Systems’ low-cost, high-performance FOG sensors to provide a new suite of products,” said Matthew Picchetti, vice president and general manager, Navigation & Sensors, Honeywell Aerospace.
“Civitanavi Systems is very happy to announce our collaboration with Honeywell on this new IMU. This is a truly synergistic opportunity for such a new stabilization and guidance product. We believe that this collaboration will combine Civitanavi Systems’ exceptional agility and leading high-performance FOG technology with Honeywell’s market leadership to provide a game-changer in the global marketplace,” said Andrea Pizzarulli, CEO and co-founder, Civitanavi Systems.
The HG2800 IMU is a low-noise, high-bandwidth, high-performance, tactical-grade IMU designed for pointing, stabilization and short-duration navigation applications in a small-form factor (32 cubic inches). The product is initially being introduced in two variants — the HG2801, an IMU that originates entirely in the European Union, and the HG2802, a non-ITAR classified IMU. This new range of IMUs will be commercially available in the first quarter of 2023.
14 Jul 22. The Open Group Sensor Open Systems Architecture™ (SOSA) Consortium Releases New SOSA Business Guide. The Open Group Sensor Open Systems Architecture™ (SOSA) Consortium has today announced the publication of the SOSA Business Guide, Edition 1.0., a new comprehensive guide for stakeholders in the acquisition, deployment, modernization, and sustainment of sensor systems that support Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Cyber, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (C5ISR).
With the business model for the sensor market ecosystem undergoing a significant transition from federated systems to plug-in cards, the standardization defined by the SOSA Technical Standard translates into considerable cost savings by reducing time and effort needed to set-up and integrate modules, resulting in substantial benefit to end-customers such as the US Government.
In addition, the rapid portability of SOSA based systems helps industry vendors by standardizing business development and technical activities, thereby reducing spending dollars in customization for similar capabilities.
“We are proud to release the first edition of the SOSA Business Guide, providing readers with the background of the SOSA Consortium, its objectives and organization, while laying out the Consortium’s business strategy and Open Business Model,” said Dr. Ilya Lipkin, SOSA Steering Committee Chair and US Air Force Open Architecture Technical Expert.
“As threats to sensing and communications advance and accelerate, the US Government needs to acquire sensor capabilities in a more agile and affordable way than traditional acquisition methods. Moreover, the industry needs a viable business model with real opportunities to compete for business. The Open Group SOSA Consortium provides these differing interests with a balanced open approach where all stakeholders’ needs are fairly represented in a collaborative forum,” added Lipkin.
The SOSA Business Guide is available here. More information about the SOSA Consortium and a list of Members can be found on https://www.opengroup.org/sosa.
18 Jul 22. UK builds momentum on combat air programme with demonstrator set to fly within five years. A new flying demonstrator will be unveiled within the next five years as part of the UK’s Future Combat Air System (FCAS).
- UK develops next generation fighter demonstrator aircraft as part of the Future Combat Air System (FCAS) programme.
- Project involves the Ministry of Defence and the Team Tempest industry partners, led by BAE Systems.
- Comes as the UK deepens collaboration with Japan and Italy as it builds a combat air international partnership.
- FCAS Enterprise launches its ‘Generation Tempest’ initiative creating early careers job opportunities across the UK and a new Tempest Academy.
A new flying demonstrator will be unveiled within the next five years as part of the UK’s major next generation fighter aircraft programme, the Future Combat Air System (FCAS). It comes as the future combat air programme launches a new recruitment and skills initiative known as Generation Tempest, set to create thousands of new job opportunities across the United Kingdom.
The demonstrator aircraft is already in development between the Government and Team Tempest industry partners and the UK is actively progressing collaboration opportunities on the project with Italian industry partners.
The flying demonstrator will be a piloted supersonic aircraft testing a range of new technologies including integration of stealth compatible features. This is the first time the UK will have developed a new fast aircraft using 21st century technology.
Work is rapidly gathering pace on this important part of the FCAS programme, with development of the demonstrator underway at BAE Systems’ facility near Preston in the north of England. This is being supported by hundreds of companies and thousands of engineers across the UK.
The demonstrator is vital for ensuring our technology, skills and industrial capability are ready for the future. Designing and building the flying demonstrator will prove integration and test skills. It will also provide invaluable data and lessons to UK industry to support the introduction of a new FCAS aircraft from 2035.
Separately, the UK is now conducting joint concept analysis with close partners Japan and Italy to understand areas of shared interest and to explore potential Future Combat Air partnership options and continues to explore wider partnerships. Further decisions are expected to be made by the end of 2022. Like the UK, both Japan and Italy operate F-35 fighter jets and the nations have undertaken joint exercises together in the past.
Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said: “I am delighted that the UK, alongside Italy, Japan and Sweden are working on the same combat air journey together. Our work with Japan and Italy on cutting-edge technologies like this, shows the benefit of our alliances across the world. The design and development of the demonstrator aircraft represents an important milestone, showcasing the success and talent of our engineers, programmers and software developers. This programme will go on to attract opportunities for many more great minds and talent from across the UK.”
To support the programme, a series of measures to attract the brightest minds onto FCAS have been announced, including plans for a new Tempest Academy, joint recruitment and talent development between partners, and the launch of a new careers website. It is hoped that this initiative will create a ‘Generation Tempest’ who will bring their own unique ideas and experiences to the programme.
The FCAS programme plays an important role in supporting the Government’s levelling up ambitions, employing around 2,500 highly skilled people across the UK including at combat air sector industrial hubs in Scotland, the north-west and south-west of England. The programme now employs 1,000 apprentices and graduates, offering attractive employment opportunities in STEM subjects such as industrial digitisation, artificial intelligence and data analytics.
Team Tempest partners, BAE Systems, Rolls-Royce, Leonardo UK and MBDA UK, aim to hire an additional 1,300 early careers starters by the end of 2023.
UK Director Future Combat Air Richard Berthon said:
FCAS is an exciting, dynamic and inclusive programme, needing a diversity of people, ideas and skills working together. We are recruiting fresh talent who will lead FCAS, delivering one of the world’s most important Defence programmes.
The FCAS programme is driving developments at the cutting edge of technology and there have been a series of advances across UK industry supporting the programme, some of which are being showcased at Farnborough Airshow this week including:
- Rolls-Royce Defence has delivered a new gas turbine demonstrator engine, known as Orpheus, designed, built and tested in under two years to prove innovative technology developments for FCAS. Working with international partners, Rolls Royce have also agreed the next stage of the full-scale engine demonstrator programme.
- BAE Systems has used digital transformation to design and build a representative military fast jet fuselage, demonstrating how innovative technologies can transform the design and manufacturing capability for Tempest. Commercial robots were adapted and utilised, and 65% of the parts were guided into location using automation.
- Leonardo UK and Japan’s Mitsubishi Electric have agreed the concept for a radar technology demonstrator called JAGUAR, first unveiled in February, following the completion of joint concept work and feasibility studies earlier this year.
- Leonardo has also revealed ongoing bilateral work to support the future electronics on-board the FCAS programme. Leonardo in the UK and in Italy are working together on a number of projects with Elettronica in Italy including joint assessment of potential architecture of a common Integrated Sensing and Non-Kinetic Effects (ISANKE) and Integrated Communications System. The work is complementary to ongoing collaboration with Japan on 6th generation sensor capabilities, an area in which Italy will soon be involved.
- MBDA unveiled its concept for a weapon effects management system, to aid the coordination of all available weapons in the battle space using Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning enhanced software. (Source: https://www.gov.uk/)
17 Jul 22. USAF’s sixth-gen fighter downselect ‘not all that far away,’ says Kendall. An unknown number of companies are still competing to build the sixth-generation fighter that will be the centerpiece of the Air Force’s Next Generation Air Dominance family of systems. The Air Force has yet to pick a winner among the companies still vying to build the service’s sixth generation jet, but a final downselect is “not all that far away,” the service’s top leader told Breaking Defense this weekend.
While Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall declined to say when the service will choose a manufacturer for the fighter jet that will be the cornerstone of the Next Generation Air Dominance family of systems, he offered a small clue about the trajectory of the highly-classified program.
“It’s not imminent but it’s not all that far away,” Kendall said in an exclusive interview at the Royal International Air Tattoo. “There’s a little hint I’ll drop for you.”
The Air Force has confirmed three elements of the NGAD program so far: a manned, sixth-generation fighter, the AIM-260 Joint Advanced Tactical Missile currently under development, and a suite of drones — what Kendall calls “collaborative combat aircraft” — that will augment the manned fighter in battle.
In June, Kendall announced that the NGAD fighter had progressed to the engineering, manufacturing and development stage, prompting speculation about whether the Air Force had chosen a prime contractor for the program. However, later that month Kendall said there was still ongoing competition for NGAD, raising further questions about the status of the program.
Although Kendall declined to answer most of Breaking Defense’s questions about NGAD, he stated that the program will not have a single prime in the “systems integrator” that oversees the makeup of the family of systems, and that the Air Force has separate acquisition efforts for each of the elements.
“The overarching integrator will probably be the government, with probably some industry help,” he said. “The NGAD platform itself will have a traditional prime [contractor].”
The Air Force has been unwilling to discuss which aerospace companies are involved in NGAD. Boeing, Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman could potentially manufacture the sixth-gen fighter, but it is unclear whether all three are currently still participating in the ongoing competition.
At least one full-scale NGAD fighter demonstrator made its inaugural flight in 2020. Air Force officials have declined to give further details about the maker of the aircraft or its capabilities, although they have made clear that digital engineering has been a critical technology that has allowed the service to develop it much more quickly than onlookers had expected.
“What we did was an experimental prototype,” Kendall said in June. “We basically had an X-plane program which was designed to reduce the risk of some of the key technologies that we would need for a production program.”
Kendall has said the Air Force plans to field NGAD “by the end of the decade.” How many the service will ultimately buy is still yet to be disclosed. (Source: glstrade.com/Breaking Defense.com)
18 Jul 22. The UK Secretary of State for Defence, Ben Wallace MP has confirmed plans for Britain to lead the development of a new flying combat air demonstrator, which will play a critical role in proving the technology and design principles needed to deliver the UK’s Future Combat Air System.
Work is being led by UK sovereign combat air industry leader BAE Systems, working with the Ministry of Defence and a number of suppliers across the UK. This pioneering project will deliver the first flying combat air demonstrator in a generation – designed and developed in the UK. The demonstrator aircraft will fly within the next five years.
The flagship project is part of a suite of novel technologies being developed by Team Tempest. These concepts are designed to demonstrate and test the next generation combat air skills, tools, processes and techniques needed to ensure Tempest, the UK’s Future Combat Air System, achieves in service in 2035.
Team Tempest comprises the expertise of the Ministry of Defence and UK combat air leaders BAE Systems, Leonardo UK, Rolls-Royce and MBDA UK. Launched in 2018, alongside the UK’s Combat Air Strategy, Tempest will play a crucial role in providing long-term defence and security for the UK, while delivering significant economic benefits to the nation, securing high-value skills and careers and contributing to prosperity in many UK regions.
Engineers at BAE Systems across the North of England are leading the design, test, evaluation and build process, bringing together new and novel digital engineering technologies such as synthetic modelling and model-based systems engineering. These innovative design and engineering methods are helping to demonstrate how they will significantly reduce the time it takes to design, deliver and upgrade complex combat aircraft.
Defence Secretary, Ben Wallace, said: “I am delighted that the UK, alongside Italy and Japan are working on similar combat air journeys together. Our work with Japan and Italy on cutting-edge technology like this shows the benefit of our alliances across the world. The design and development of the demonstrator aircraft represents an important milestone, showcasing the success and talent of our engineers, programmers and software developers. This programme will go on to attract opportunities for many more great minds and talent from across the UK.”
Charles Woodburn, BAE Systems Chief Executive, said: “We recognise our responsibility in providing trusted sovereign combat air capability. We’re partnering with the UK’s highly motivated and skilled supply chain to accelerate the innovation of the nation’s future air power; integrating new technologies so the Royal Air Force and its allies can stay ahead of our adversaries. The demonstrator is an exciting once-in-a-generation opportunity providing experienced and young engineers alike a chance to contribute to an endeavour which really matters to our national defence and security.”
The demonstrator will provide evidence for the critical technologies, methods and tools, which will be used on the core platform. As part of the broader activity involved in developing Tempest, the demonstrator programme is also helping retain, further develop and stimulate the next generation of skills and expertise required to deliver this ambitious programme.
Tempest was launched in 2018, in response to the UK’s Combat Air Strategy, which set out an ambitious vision for the future. It outlined the importance of the UK’s sovereign combat air sector in ensuring that the UK retains choice in how it meets its defence and security capability needs and initiated the programme to deliver the successor capability to Typhoon.
The strategy also recognised the broad benefits the sector delivers to the nation and committed to ensure that future procurement decisions take into account military capability, international influence and economic benefit, along with the overall cost to deliver maximum benefit for the UK.
Today’s announcement was made at the Farnborough International Airshow
- Technology developments on the Tempest programme are focused on delivering a flexible and upgradeable system, exploiting leading technologies to ensure air forces stay ahead of quickly evolving threats, whilst delivering an advanced and cost-effective solution.
- The programme is already driving jobs and economic benefits with more than 580 UK suppliers on contract across the programme, including more than 90 SMEs and more than 25 academic institutions.
- Research conducted by PwC underlines how the Tempest programme is expected to deliver significant and wide-ranging benefits to all UK regions, stimulating vital investment, productivity, skills and innovation. The programme will make an estimated £26.2bn contribution to the UK economy, create high productivity employment – 78% higher than the UK national average – and will support an average of 21,000 jobs a year.
- The programme will stimulate R&D investments in regions most in need and generate wider economic benefits for these areas, with 70% of the programme’s value to be generated in the North West, South West and East of England. This means Tempest is well placed to support the UK Government’s levelling up priorities and contribute to the UK’s economic prosperity in the decades ahead.
18 Jul 22. Boeing Becomes Founding Member of UK Innovation Hub to Drive Sustainable Aviation Fuels Development.
– Boeing has become a founding member of the University of Sheffield’s Energy Innovation Centre (EIC) to drive the development of sustainable aviation fuels (SAF)
– This gives Boeing access to the first-of-its-kind in the UK SAF research centre and other key research facilities to help move toward more sustainable aviation
– It marks another key partnership for Boeing in the region, alongside the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) and the Boeing Sheffield factory
Today at the Farnborough International Airshow, Boeing became the founding member of the University of Sheffield’s Energy Innovation Centre (EIC), leading the way for the company to help develop and bring SAF to the market.
The EIC includes the Sustainable Aviation Fuels Innovation Centre (SAF-IC), a first-of-its-kind facility in the UK that will help test and certify new sustainable aviation fuels (SAF), and the Translational Energy Research Centre (TERC), which will contain pilot-scale production facilities suitable for investigating different methods of producing SAF.
SAF offers the most immediate and greatest potential to decarbonise aviation over the next 20 to 30 years. Sustainably produced jet fuel reduces CO2 emissions by as much as 80 percent over the fuel’s lifecycle with the potential to reach 100 percent in the future. Made from several feedstocks, SAF is certified for commercial use and can be blended by up to 50 percent with traditional jet fuel without modifications to airplanes, engines or fueling infrastructure. Boeing has committed to deliver its commercial airplanes capable and certified to fly on 100 percent SAF by 2030.
“In order for the aviation industry to meet its net zero carbon emissions commitment by 2050 it will take all of us collaborating and investing in scientific research and testing,” said Brian Moran, Boeing’s vice president of Global Sustainability Policy and Partnerships. “We are honoured to partner with the University of Sheffield on the UK’s first major SAF hub, which highlights our global commitment to developing SAF as a safe, proven, near-term solution to decarbonise aviation.”
The EIC is located in the University of Sheffield Innovation District, home to the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC). Boeing founded the AMRC with the university in 2001. The AMRC today supports 520 jobs and contributes more than £55 m to the South Yorkshire economy each year. Boeing Sheffield, the company’s first factory in Europe, is an outgrowth of Boeing’s partnership with the AMRC.
“Boeing has a long history in South Yorkshire, having set up the AMRC to drive innovation in aerospace manufacturing, and subsequently opening our first European manufacturing site here,” said Sir Martin Donnelly, president of Boeing Europe and managing director of Boeing in the UK and Ireland. “This opportunity to build upon our existing partnerships with Sheffield and to build new ones, while also working toward a more sustainable future for aviation, is a great privilege for us.”
The EIC is funded, in part, by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy’s Energy Innovation Programme.
“This partnership, backed by £7 m government funding, will help accelerate the development of cleaner, fuel efficient flight,” Energy Minister Greg Hands MP said. “This will be vital as we work to end our dependency on volatile fossil fuels, to strengthen our energy security and slash emissions.”
Aviation Minister Robert Courts MP said: “This new partnership is a great opportunity to boost the use of sustainable aviation fuels. The University of Sheffield has two of the world’s greatest research facilities which Boeing, and hopefully many more, can now use – a crucial step towards a jet zero future. Decarbonising the aviation industry remains one of the Government’s top priorities, and earlier this year we set out plans for the first transatlantic flight powered by sustainable aviation fuel to take to the skies in 2023.”
The University of Sheffield is one of Boeing’s six partner universities in the United Kingdom, where it has 3,000 employees and spends £2 bn in the supply chain each year.
“At a time when the UK’s commitment to net zero is questioned and debated, R&D into low carbon technologies and products couldn’t be more important,” Professor Koen Lamberts, president and vice-chancellor of the University Sheffield. “We are delighted to welcome Boeing as a founding partner of the University of Sheffield Energy Innovation Centre. Our partnership with Boeing spans over 20 years, and together we are committed to developing the type of innovation needed to address some of the world’s most pressing challenges.”
Members of the EIC will have access to a platform to prove, test, develop and optimise new technology and ideas, and up-scale and develop technology on a cost-effective basis before investing in commercial-scale testing or production. The membership programme is open to industrial partners of any size, from SMEs to multinational corporations.
“We are thrilled to welcome Boeing as our first member of the Energy Innovation Centre scheme,” said Professor Mohamed Pourkashanian, managing director of the TERC and the SAF-IC, and head of the Energy Institute, “The EIC has an impact strategy built around delivering societal and economic benefit through rigorous research with industry, and this connection with Boeing takes a step towards making that aim a reality, especially in the exciting and vital realm of sustainable flight.”
15 Jul 22. US Navy’s F-5N+/F+ ARTEMIS programme reaches Milestone C decision. The programme will now move to production and deployment phase.
The US Navy has successfully completed the engineering phase of F-5N+/F+ avionics reconfiguration and tactical enhancement/modernisation for inventory standardisation (ARTEMIS) programme.
The ARTEMIS programme has now reached Milestone C decision, which will be followed by production and deployment phases.
The key milestone was achieved by the US Navy’s Specialised and Proven Aircraft programme office (PMA-226) on 28 June.
PMA-226 programme manager captain Gregory Sutton said: “This programme will provide a fleet of upgraded, safe and modernised adversary aircraft, providing realistic and relevant tactical training that our aviators need to win the fight.”
Under this programme, the PMA-226 Adversary Team is inducting 22 repatriated Swiss Air Force’s F-5E/F aircraft.
The effort aims to meet the requirements of the US Navy and Marine Corps (USMC) by increasing the fleet’s adversary training capacity with high-altitude tactical jets.
The modernisation programme involves reconfiguration of airframes and conversion of F-5E/F engines to the USMC and Navy standard F-5N/F.
Subsequently, the project will incorporate block upgrade, comprising of a new glass cockpit and avionics suite, which uses modern aircraft technology to enhance safety and capability.
Following the block upgrade, the fleet of 22 aircraft will move to the F-5N+/F+ baseline configuration.
The Adversary Team is executing the ARTEMIS programme in collaboration with industry partner, Tactical Air Support (TAS).
TAS has performed similar modernisation and safety upgrades on its own F-5AT aircraft, which is currently supporting PMA-226 tactical fighter training. (Source: naval-technology.com)
16 Jul 22. USAF looking to Europe for commercial technologies, official says. The U.S. Air Force will lean heavily on commercial technology to achieve its near-term goals more quickly and wants to hear from potential suppliers in Europe during two major air shows this week, the service’s top acquisition official said.
Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall last year outlined a list of seven issues that are crucial to the service maintaining resilience in the future. Those “operational imperatives” range from ensuring space capabilities can operate in a contested environment, determining the suite of long-range strike systems that will complement the B-21 bomber and developing the Advanced Battle Management System to better share data and connect forces on the battlefield.
Andrew Hunter, the Air Force’s acquisition executive, told reporters July 16 during a briefing at the Royal International Air Tattoo at RAF Fairford in England that in order to make fast progress, the service must work closely with industry and the scientific community through organizations including the Air Force Research Laboratory, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency and the Defense Innovation Unit, which partners with innovative companies to transition commercial capabilities for military use.
“A big piece of what we’re doing with the operational imperatives is harvesting recently developed technology,” he said. “Some of that is from DARPA, some of that is from the Air Force Research Lab activity, some of that is form the kind of work that DIU has done on the commercial side and our own efforts to reach out to commercial industry.”
Hunter said the service wants to begin fielding new capabilities to support its operational imperatives within the next few years, a timeline that he called “a very quick turn.” Transitioning mature commercial technology brings the added challenge of making sure a system is prepared to operate in a military environment, he said.
“Commercial capability really lends itself to that approach where it has direct application to military problems,” he said. “The hard part is making sure that they’re missionized in the right way and integrated with their other capabilities.”
During his time at RIAT this weekend and at the Farnborough Airshow next week, Hunter said he wants to hear from European companies that are doing innovative work that the U.S. Air Force might be able to leverage. Of particular interest are space capabilities, unmanned aerial vehicle technology and air refueling systems, he said.
“Being here, a lot of the focus is talking to European heritage companies, because we can have a lot of robust dialogue with our US primes when we’re back in the states,” Hunter said. (Source: Defense News Early Bird/Defense News)
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