Sponsored by Blighter Surveillance Systems
www.blighter.com
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07 June 22. Blighter to provide Counter UAS radars to support Ukraine. Blighter Surveillance Systems (www.blighter.com) the British designer and manufacturer of electronic-scanning radars and surveillance solutions, will supply a significant number of its A422 radars as part of a Counter-UAS capability being deployed to support Ukrainian forces in the ongoing conflict with Russia.
The A422 is a medium-range air security military radar capable of detecting and reporting airborne as well as ground targets at up to 20km. The radar has unsurpassed clutter suppression for near horizon, urban and shoreline operation. The A422 offers moving target detection and machine learning classification to aid long range vision for 180° and is ideally suited to the detection of low-slow-small targets.
This order follows on from Blighter’s most recent contract to supply vehicle-mounted tactical radars on an Uncrewed Ground Vehicle (UGV) for a Northern European NATO customer.
The delivery of these radars to Ukraine adds to the United Kingdom’s existing contribution to the war effort, ranging from the 5,000 NLAWs and anti-tank missiles, to Starstreak missiles, body armour, helmets, and communications equipment. This forms part of Western allies’ wider military support for Ukraine, sending a variety of defensive weapons to hold off Russia’s advances. The first delivery of the radars will take place this month.
Blighter CEO, James Long said: “We are proud to be part of the broad package of military support that the UK is providing to Ukrainian forces. The versatility and reliability of Blighter’s A422 radar as part of a comprehensively proven Counter-UAS capability is very well suited to sustaining and strengthening Ukraine’s battlefield operations”.
09 June 22. Germany set to increase Poseidon buy. Germany is to increase its buy of Boeing P-8A Poseidon maritime multimission aircraft (MMA) as part of a wider increase in the national defence budget.
Kommandeur Marineflieger, Sea Captain Thorsten Bobzin, confirmed the additional purchase in early June, which will happen in the context of Germany’s recently announced EUR100bn (USD107bn) Söndervermögen (special fund) uplift in defence spending.
“There will be a supplementary acquisition of sea reconnaissance for the successor [to the current Lockheed] P-3C. We thank Marinflieger for the renewed trust of politicians, and the Bundeswehr for equipment that enables comprehensive task fulfilment. We are happy to take on the resulting tasks,” he said.
Capt Bobzin’s comments followed the 1 June meeting of the Budget Committee of the Bundestag, which noted the procurement of further maritime patrol aircraft (MPA). While neither Capt Bobzin nor the committee disclosed the number of additional MPAs to be procured, German national media reported that seven more Poseidons will be added to the current order of five for a final fleet of 12. (Source: Janes)
09 June 22. Excelitas Technologies CheetIR-L High-Definition MWIR Thermal Camera Selected for the Liteye SHIELD C-UAS Platform. Excelitas TechnologiesE Corp., a leading industrial technology manufacturer focused on delivering innovative, market-driven photonic solutions, announced that its CheetIR-L High-Definition, Long Range Mid-Wave Infrared (MWIR) Camera has been selected for inclusion in the Liteye SHIELD™ counter unmanned air system (C-UAS) platform. The selection of CheetIR-L follows successful demonstration of the detection, tracking and identification of Group 1 and 2 unmanned air systems (UAS) in a range of combat environments at Yuma Proving Ground in the U.S.
Paired with a state-of-the-art 3D radar to detect and track drone threats 24/7 in all weather conditions, the fully digital, continuous zoom CheetIR-L high-definition MWIR camera integrates seamlessly into the SHIELD platform. CheetIR-L increases the range at which drones can be detected and tracked by a factor of two compared to legacy systems in a ruggedized package that is smaller and lighter. Its compact size and high-resolution make CheetIR-L ideal for C-UAS applications including anti-drone, mobile short-range air Defense (M-Shorad), targeting and surveillance.
“We have been extremely excited with the performance obtained by Excelitas’ infrared cameras during our military exercises over the last few months,” said Kenneth Geyer, CEO and Co-Founder of Liteye Systems, Inc. “Liteye will continue to work closely with their team to push the envelope on improving capabilities for the warfighter.”
“Excelitas is proud to support Liteye and the U.S. Army in defense against the ever-increasing drone threat,” said Chris Bigwood, V.P. Technical Business Development at Excelitas. “Combining a ruggedized x14 continuous zoom capability with the very latest in high-operating temperature (HOT) MWIR detector technology, CheetIR-L cameras provide exceptional imagery and deliver long-range surveillance and target identification in a compact volume, which make it a natural fit to pair with Liteye System’s next-generation SHIELD C-UAS technology.”
For additional information about Excelitas’ CheetIR-L and other MWIR thermal camera solutions, please visit Excelitas online at: www.excelitas.com/product-category/mwir-thermal-cameras or in-person at Eurosatory Stand # C788, June 13 – 17, 2022 in Paris, France.
09 June 22. Denmark, Faroe Islands agree to establish North Atlantic air radar. Denmark and the Faroe Islands agreed on Thursday to establish an air surveillance radar on the North Atlantic archipelago as part of efforts to keep a closer eye on activities in the Arctic, the Danish Defence Ministry said in a statement. The two had initially announced a plan for the radar project in February 2021, but it has taken on more urgency in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
“(The radar) will benefit the community at a time when Europe’s security is threatened,” Danish Defence Minister Morten Bodskov said in a statement, although he did not mention Russia by name.
The radar will monitor airspace between Iceland, Norway and Britain with a range of 300-400 kilometres, as part of Denmark’s plans to boost its defensive capabilities and surveillance in the Arctic.
The Faroe Islands, located some 320 kilometres north of Scotland, are sovereign territory under the Kingdom of Denmark.
Copenhagen and its Arctic neighbours have tried in recent decades to keep the Arctic region what they call a “low tension” area. But monitoring the vast area has posed problems. Denmark earlier this week agreed on a partnership to exchange Arctic surveillance data with Iceland. (Source: Reuters)
09 June 22. Plath eyes COMINT system for enhanced vehicle protection.
Electronic warfare specialist Plath is developing a communications intelligence (COMINT) payload to assist armoured vehicles in the detection and defeat of anti-tank weapons.
Speaking to Janes, company officials described how the “innovative sensor technology” was being designed with new technologies to support multiple platforms on land.
Plath is conducting internal research and development to design the payload. However, company sources also confirmed Plath was seeking additional funding from the German Armed Forces.
According to Dr. Ronald M. Meixner, chief executive officer of Plath Signal Products, the new payload comprises a communications warning receiver designed to detect the electromagnetic pulse generated by the launch of anti-tank guided munitions.
Once the launch of anti-tank ammunition has been successfully identified, Meixner described how a vehicle’s active protection system (APS) could then be cued to defeat the incoming round through either the deployment of soft or hard kill effects.
Meixner said that several trials have been conducted in co-operation with Rheinmetall, manufacturer of the StrikeShield APS. (Source: Janes)
09 June 22. Lockheed Martin supplies first five Sentinel A4 radars to US Army. Lockheed Martin has supplied the first five Sentinel A4 radars to the STARE Project Office of the US Army Sentinel Product Office.
The systems are part of the original $281m contract for 18 radars, which was awarded in September 2019. In October 2021, the company received an accelerated contract to start the production of five additional radar systems. According to Lockheed Martin, production of the first A4 system was completed in summer last year.
US Army Sentinel A4 programme office Sentinel product director Leah Cook said: “We are one step closer to getting this enhanced capability to our warfighters.
“The delivery of the first five radars is a result of collaboration and a continued commitment to the US Army.”
Manufactured at the company’s facility in Syracuse, New York, the Sentinel A4 is a high-performance air and missile defence system.
The model was designed to replace the legacy Sentinel A3 air and missile defence radar.
The Sentinel A4 radar has an open scalable design, which allows for future software modifications to help it handle new threats.
The radars will support the US Army with the improved capability to counter cruise missiles, uncrewed aerial systems, artillery, and mortar threats.
In addition, the systems will offer enhanced surveillance, detection, and classification capabilities.
Lockheed Martin Army Radars director Mark Mekker said: “Our soldiers are in unpredictable environments, and the Sentinel A4 will provide improved eyes on the field to keep them safe.”
Production of the next five radar systems has already started, with delivery likely to commence in March 2023.
In addition, Lockheed Martin will cooperate with the US Army for the government testing phase, wherein the radars will be tested for mobility, environmental factors, and logistics.
In February 2021, Lockheed Martin won a contract to support the integration and testing of the US Army’s combat vehicle protection system. (Source: army-technology.com)
07 June 22. US Navy Awards L3Harris $205m Contract for New Passive EO/IR Capability to Protect Fleet.
Highlights:
- Provides a scalable, passive 360-degree EO/IR solution for U.S. Navy fleet protection
- Automatic detection, tracking enhances combat systems and navigation capabilities
- Reinforces L3Harris as a “Trusted Disruptor” for agile modular open systems architecture
A team led by L3Harris Technologies (NYSE:LHX) has been selected to provide the Shipboard Panoramic Electro-Optic/Infrared (SPEIR) system to the U.S. Navy that will provide improved fleet protection. The initial $205m contract has a potential value of $593 m if all options are exercised through March 2031.
The SPEIR program represents a generational leap forward in the use of 360-degree electro-optic and infrared (EO/IR) imagery and situational awareness, elevating EO/IR sensors – the eyes of the fleet – from a dedicated weapons support sensor to a full passive mission solution capability.
L3Harris will serve as systems integrator and prime contractor, delivering capabilities for mission areas including anti-ship cruise missile defense, counter-unmanned aerial systems, counter-fast attack craft/fast in-shore attack craft, mobility, anti-terrorism/force protection and operational tasking visual information. This new system is targeted for installation on destroyers, carriers, frigates, amphibious and landing helicopter assault ships to provide a critical warfighting capability.
The team includes Lockheed Martin and BAE Systems and will provide an L3Harris solution known as SPATIAL that provides a scalable 360-degree EO/IR passive automatic detection and tracking solution, enhancing combat systems and navigation capabilities to the U.S. Navy.
The program was awarded by the Program Executive Office Integrated Warfare Systems (PEO IWS) 2.0.
“The SPEIR program leverages the technologies demonstrated as part of the Office of Naval Research’s Future Naval Capability effort known as CESARS (Combined EO/IR Surveillance and Response System) and a strong heritage of maritime Electro-Optical Sensor Systems combined with L3Harris internal investment to provide a SPEIR capability to the fleet faster, with less risk and cost than other solutions,” said Sean Stackley, President, Integrated Mission Systems, L3Harris. “Passive persistent surveillance capability is a significant step forward in protecting the surface fleet, safe navigation and force protection by enabling operations in an emissions-controlled environment.”
BAE Systems employs image processing development from CESARS that provides a fully automated image processing detection capability that reduces operator workload.
“BAE Systems is leveraging our expertise in machine learning and automation capabilities to maritime defense systems,” said Frank Crispino, Director of Active Protection Solutions for BAE Systems.
Lockheed Martin brings combat system interface experience to ease integration into existing ship systems.
“The SPEIR program builds on Lockheed Martin’s legacy of proven integrated combat system and electro-optical sensor solutions for PEO IWS,” said Rick Cordaro, Vice President, Lockheed Martin Advanced Product Solutions. (Source: BUSINESS WIRE)
08 June 22. TMD Technologies, a division of Communications and Power Industries (CPI), will be attending IMS 2022, with a representative selection of its extensive range of microwave and RF products for defence, electronic warfare (EW), radar and homeland security programmes.
On Booth 3041, visitors will be able to discuss all the latest introductions to CPI TMD Technologies Division’s comprehensive product portfolio and view two typical innovative microwave power modules (MPMs) namely – the PTXM9754 and PTXM1000 – that epitomize the company’s outstanding design and manufacturing capability,
Innovation built-in
The PTX9754 and PTXM1000 MPMs meet the demands of high-performance electronic counter measure (ECM) and Communication Data Link systems, and feature an advanced, integrated ‘super-mini’ travelling wave tube (TWT), a solid-state preamplifier, and an optimized, high density, switched mode power supply to form a single drop-in microwave amplifier block – eliminating TWT interconnections, and further reducing overall physical size. The PTXM9754 operates over a broadband 6-18 GHz range with an output of 100 W, and the PTXM1000 operates over the Ku band 13.75-14.5 GHz typically with an output of 110 W. Both units meet stringent military environmental operating standards.
Strong team
Said Nigel Hann, CPI TMD Technologies Division’s Sales Director: ‘IMS is recognized as the world’s largest microwave and RF industry trade show with over four hundred exhibitors globally expected this year, and we look forward to meeting up again with our growing customer base and welcoming new visitors to discuss their microwave requirements. This year, for the first time, we share the IMS booth with CPI colleagues from Beverly Microwave Division, who market many similar products to significantly strengthen CPI’s capability in the microwave and RF field.’
08 June 22. Smith Myers and Airborne Technologies successful live ‘lost and found’ demonstration of their integrated SAR system.
World debut of SAR package at PavCon showcases ARTEMIS integration with L3Harris WESCAM MX-10, ECS and SHOTOVER Systems. The Smith Myers ARTEMIS mobile phone detection and location system was successfully demonstrated at PavCon (Police Aviation Conference Europe ) 2022. PavCon – acknowledged as an annual must-attend event for Police Aviation professionals and technology innovators – was hosted this year by Airborne Technologies at their headquarter and hangar facilities at Wiener Neustadt airport, south of Vienna, Austria.
Airborne Technologies have integrated Smith Myers Artemis phone location system, SHOTOVER Systems Gear, augmented reality mission software, L3Harris WESCAM MX10 EO/IR camera, and ECS, Evenlode I air to ground video link into their Vulcanair P68 demonstrator aircraft.
Two “hikers” were sent out into the hills with their phones. The aircraft performed a search pattern then located both hikers at separate positions. Artemis calculated the ‘lat’ and ‘long’, Gear read this and slew the L3Harris WESCAM MX-10 to look at the location. The first hiker was located and a call was made asking them to wave to the audience back in the hanger. This was repeated for the second hiker.
The Airborne Sensor Operator’s (ASO’s) screen in the aircraft was relayed by the ECS Evenlode video link to the meeting room display, viewed by the PavCon attendees.
Peter Myers, director and co-founder of Smith Myers – the UK technology innovation company celebrating its 35th anniversary this year – was involved in the demonstration: “Time after time our ARTEMIS system delivers results that can be an all-important lifesaver. Teaming up with Airborne Technologies and the world-class line up of integration partners absolutely places ARTEMIS as an essential part of a SAR mission.”
06 June 22. US Army closes in on faster jet to replace Guardrail aircraft. two demonstrator aircraft logging hundreds of hours in the European and Pacific theaters, the U.S. Army is closing in on a replacement for its aging Guardrail turboprop aircraft that provides intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance with a faster, more capable jet.
The service has significant obsolescence problems with its current fleet of Cold War-era Guardrail Common Sensor ISR aircraft deployed in both South Korea and Europe. The Army has reached a point where it is pulling parts from the boneyard to keep the aircraft operational.
The Army is expected to soon decide on whether to move forward with a program it is calling HADES, or the High Accuracy Detection and Exploitation System.
“The prototype initiative and program scope are still pre-decisional with Army senior leaders,” Army spokesperson Ellen Lovett told Defense News in an emailed statement. “Because aerial ISR is an important part of integrated deterrence, we are proceeding in a methodical, resource-balanced manner to ensure we deliver the right capability.”
The service has not publicly announced plans to move forward on the program, but Army Secretary Christine Wormuth and Army Chief of Staff Gen. James McConville recently told Congress that fixed-wing ISR remains an important organic capability and that HADES would bring more capability to the force.
One lawmaker at a recent House Armed Services Committee hearing asked the Army why it is pursuing its own fixed-wing ISR programs rather than letting the Air Force take on the entire mission.
“Our view is that we have some unique requirements that are distinct from the Air Force, and HADES is something, I think, that we need in terms of looking at our future ISR requirements,” Wormuth replied.
Replacing Guardrail is important, McConville added at the same hearing, because “as we take a look at the future, because of their range and speed and what we see as the threat, we see them as probably, in some situations, they are not the best aircraft to do that, which leads us to why we’re taking a look at HADES.”
According to fiscal 2023 budget documents, the Army plans to begin a prototype acquisition and demonstration phase for HADES in the second quarter of that fiscal year. A prototype would undergo qualification, testing and evaluation beginning in the second quarter of FY24 through the second quarter of FY26, followed by a military user assessment ending in the fourth quarter of FY28.
Artemis and Ares
For the Army to determine what HADES might look like, it is flying two demonstrator aircraft in order to “fly before we buy, so to speak,” McConville said, “to get the requirements right, to make sure it’s providing that capability.”
Artemis — or Aerial Reconnaissance and Targeting Exploitation Multi-Mission Intelligence System — has flown in the European theater for more than a year and has logged more than 2,000 flight hours and counting, Col. James DeBoer, the Army’s project manager for fixed-wing aircraft, told Defense News in a recent interview. Artemis did deploy to the Pacific prior to its European tour for a short period.
The Army awarded a contract to HII, and the company awarded a subcontract to Leidos in November 2019 to build Artemis using a Bombardier Challenger 650 jet.
The plane participated in Defender Europe, a division-sized exercise designed to test the service’s ability to deliver a force from the U.S. to Europe. Artemis has continued to deploy to operational areas throughout the continent.
The other demonstrator aircraft, dubbed Ares — or Airborne Reconnaissance and Electronic Warfare System — deployed to the Pacific on April 18 and had so far flown roughly 130 hours in support of local missions as of mid-May, DeBoer said.
The Army awarded a contract to Alion Science and Technology, which is now owned by HII. Alion awarded a subcontract to L3Harris Technologies in November 2020 to build and fly the aircraft. Ares is based on a Bombardier Global Express 6500 jet.
The service has employed a method to rapidly upgrade and change out sensor packages on the aircraft without losing much demonstration time in theater, DeBoer said. For instance, Artemis returned stateside for upgrades three times, with the last trip taking 29 days, he explained, while the first two upgrade periods took several months.
“We had pre-worked everything, so [Artemis] came in, the engineering work was done, was brought in, did the upgrades and then verifications, and then it went out very quickly,” he noted, “which for aircraft modifications, that’s a very, very short time period.”
Ares is a bigger platform than Artemis, DeBoer said, and it provides the Army longer ranges and higher altitudes — key capabilities for the Pacific region. According to unclassified data, the aircraft has a 5,500-mile range and can fly at 51,000 feet for about 12.5 hours.
A larger aircraft also means payloads can be larger, more powerful and more capable, and electrical generation on the aircraft is greater, DeBoer said.
The sensor packages on Artemis and Ares differ, but both have electronic, communications and signals intelligence sensors.
The demonstrators are answering questions for the Army, including how easy it is to integrate sensors onto a platform, perform electrical work and swap sensors out, and it’s revealing information about their respective performance. For now, according to DeBoer, the Army will continue to fly the demonstrator aircraft and continue learning “until we have HADES that are ready to come out. But obviously that’s a crystal ball; that may change as the world changes.”
From the deployments, the Army has seen advantages of being able to detect and identify things from greater altitudes at farther ranges, DeBoer said. While the mission is the same as Guardrail, Artemis has collected “a significant increase in the number of target data” with better operational readiness rates, DeBoer said.
For example, a component failed on Artemis and it was faster to fly the aircraft back to the U.S., fix it, test it and fly it back than to ship the part to Europe, DeBoer said.
“It’s a completely different way of thinking. I do think that it will allow us to be much more responsive for the Army combatant commanders in the [combatant commands] as we move forward, so we’re seeing a lot of advantages to this,” he said. (Source: C4ISR & Networks)
03 June 22. Unlocking airborne ISR can help achieve regional security in Indo-Pacific. The Biden administration’s Indo-Pacific strategy outlines the need to promote security and stability in one of the most dynamic regions of the world, calling on the U.S. to work with its allies and partners to deepen cooperation by developing and deploying integrated defense capabilities.
Industry can help the U.S. and its allies expand interoperable intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance systems. Integrating advanced capabilities into airborne sensor systems and other assets will create an integrated deterrence to counter regional threats. This will allow allied forces to sense more accurately at longer ranges to discriminate targets, and to detect dangers more quickly in advance of escalation.
Three important advancements enable effective airborne ISR use for the U.S. and its allies:
Increased, innovative use of space assets
There are hundreds of new low earth orbit sensor systems planned for launch in the next few years. The proliferation of commercial and military space platforms enables the U.S. military and its allies to think differently by leveraging data from these assets to focus requirements of airborne collections. From radar to EO/IR and hyper-spectral sensors, the existing and emerging space technologies and systems can help the nation and our allies to more effectively address regional intelligence and surveillance challenges.
For example, through commercial space systems, troops will soon be able to look at multiple threats at much faster revisit rates than ever before. These systems will monitor potential targets in near real-time and allow analysts to update information pertaining to the most pressing threats more quickly.
The smarter, more innovative use of space assets is critical to moving the needle against adversaries in airborne operations.
Multi-function, multi-mission capabilities in platforms
It’s extremely expensive to buy and deploy military aircraft on a regular basis. For this reason, multi-function capabilities are needed to optimize those investments and enable our customers to operate smarter. An example of this can be seen in expanding radar systems to also perform communications and signals intelligence functions, while also advancing the technology to make the new additions smaller, lighter, and more efficient. Industry has been working closely with the Department of Defense to develop this type of multi-function, multi-mission radar approach. This will enable our troops to operate more efficiently, maximizing their airborne intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities.
Maximizing automation and autonomy
During recent operations in Afghanistan and Iraq, the U.S. military collected 22 football seasons’ worth of full motion video every day. That’s an enormous amount of data – far too much for an operator to sift through manually and make critical decisions quickly. With potential adversarial threats spread across much broader regions with strategic competition, as well as multiple military domains, it’s extremely difficult to effectively analyze all this data manually. However, we cannot let insights from such data fall on the floor.
In strategic competition, the timeline from detecting to countering threats is decreasing significantly. Compounding the problem, the ability to add more people – actual humans – to sift through the vast amount of data and provide fast action is not currently an option, leaving a major issue without any immediate resolution.
Automation can help solve this challenge. With smarter airborne intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance systems, automation makes it possible for machines to perform data analysis, with operators coming out of the data analysis loop and remaining focused on the critical decision-making loop – a far better use of their time and skills. Automated sensor systems can deliver intelligence so that combat team members can achieve high-level mission objectives.
Ultimately, expanding automation to full autonomy is key to truly transforming airborne ISR systems. For instance, with autonomy, an unmanned vehicle with multiple sensors can be assigned high level intelligence objectives, enter a high-threat environment, control its sensors to collect required data, adapt to changing collection conditions, process the data and determine whether objectives have been met, and return with answers to the collection objectives. Instead of operators handling reams of radar data – or another big data dump – they can instead focus on analyzing intelligence answers and determine courses of action.
The technology foundations for achieving a more responsive airborne ISR capability that can help the U.S. and Indo-Pacific allies and partners achieve regional security and stability currently exist. Industry must continue to work closely with our security community to develop, deploy and refine these capabilities to fulfill the U.S. Indo-Pacific Strategy. (Source: C4ISR & Networks)
01 June 22. BAE targets 2024 to fly Eurofighter large-area display cockpit demonstrator. BAE Systems expects to fly in 2024 a demonstrator of the large-area display (LAD) cockpit it is developing for the Eurofighter Typhoon combat aircraft.
Speaking to Janes and other defence media at the company’s Warton facility on 24 May, Anthony Gregory, market development director for Europe, said that in early 2024 the LAD should have attained a maturity that will allow for a flying demonstrator to be built, ahead of a design finalisation in late 2024/early 2025, and taking the capability to market in the 2030 timeframe.
The LAD has been developed as part of the Eurofighter consortium’s Long-Term Evolution (LTE) plan designed to place the aircraft at the forefront of military capabilities for decades to come. As the cockpit and aviation design authority for the Eurofighter, BAE Systems is leading the human machine interface (HMI) development activities, with the majority of the work being done at its Warton site in Northern England. (Source: Janes)
01 June 22. ENLETS report identifies challenges for counter drone measures in urban environments. The European Network of Law Enforcement Technology Services (ENLETS) has published its final report on Countering Unmanned Aircraft Systems. The report sets out a summary of the Counter-Unmanned Aerial Systems (C-UAS) Technology Interest Group (TIG) activities; and a summary of the C-UAS technology interest group subgroups activities. The project was funded by the European Union’s Internal Security Fund – Police Programme under Grant Agreement no 814756.
Many European nations have been searching for proper way to control the UAS threat in their countries. The major challenge is to have the proper technology to protect urban environments. The first findings from C-UAS TIG were that most of the detection and neutralisation technology solutions are working well in open areas. In a city and build up environment (high buildings etc.) the systems are not working well, and the Law Enforcement Agencies (LEA) are facing more challenges than benefits.
There are several different action steps in Counter Action procedure from the LEA perspective. In the C-UAS operational process, actions and terminology overall are categorised for three main areas:
- Detection and tracking of overall flying UAS system.
- Identification and verification of the UAS that is causing the reason to clarify the purpose of the flying because of the flying direction or other abnormal behaviour in the outer/external safety/security zone.
- Description of different actions related to the estimations of the safety/security zones. To estimate safety/security zones for different actions and assess the size of the safety/security zone for the external, mid-term and protected core areas.
It is relevant to benchmark the most suitable intervention systems and find out the system gaps in different safety/security zones. It is necessary for ENLETS C-UAS TIG to have an entire picture of the available systems to produce TIG’s activities. This activity was done in cooperation for instance with COURAGEOUS and other projects/networks. The intervention abilities should be assessed from the perspective of safety/security zones.
Challenges regarding C-UAS
There are number of challenges in counter measurements.
- To have a good operative situation picture of the airspace extending at least five kilometers.
- The biggest technological challenge in the field of neutralisation is the possibility of identification and disruption of a particular “enemy” drone, or taking control of this aircraft without disrupting other permitted UAS operations.
- Counter UAS technology is expensive technology and because of that some of the countries are without the special counter technology.
- Small covering area of C-UAS technology.
- The national law and tight frequency limitations for jamming technology.
- Testing standardization of C-UAS devices. Testing is time consuming. The manufacture testing presentations are usually in open environment. The challenge is urban city environment
- Small and fast noncooperative UAS devices.
- How to take-over of command-link of UAS?
- Electronic fencing technology without disturbing GNSS-Signals.
- UAS based on 4G, 5G (and next gen) communication.
- Standardization/certification of C-UAV technologies. Nowadays, all C-UAS technologies need to be tested before LEA can evaluate their efficiency.
- Material capability to do counter measurement actions. Military cooperation is good, but when there is need for military own use, you may not rely too much for military support.
The report found that C-UAS requires a great deal of cooperation from industry, research, law enforcement, networks and projects. It says at present the various detection systems need a comparative observation system alongside each other to support each other in order to obtain the best possible situation in the environment. The need for law enforcement is twofold; find solutions that can be built in place and quickly move. The key objective is that the law enforcement authority has the equipment to be able to extract dangerous-behaving items from other safe-flying destinations.
The built urban environment is a challenge for counter-action. Presentation of equipment to law enforcement authorities often takes place in open locations where there are no other blind spots than the city in the environment. One important development, therefore, would be to define for industrial operators certain requirements and standards needed by law enforcement authorities to ensure that the equipment is operational. In this way, law enforcement authorities will be able to save a lot of resources and time when they have access to up-to-date information on equipment that meets the basic requirements of the operating environment. In addition, from the point of view of the law enforcement authority, the equipment to be transferred should be so automated with regard to the calibration of parameters that separate engineering skills would be unnecessary for the installation of the equipment in a new operating environment.
Technology Interest Group (TIG)
The C-UAS TIG Group is a continuation of the previous Drone Technology Interest Group. The experience gathered in the Drone TIG appeared crucial to understanding the operational concepts and potential threats caused by UAS’s. The group is supported by an Advisory Board made up of representatives of DG HOME of the European Commission (Unit D.2 CounterTerrorism).
ENLETS connects 30 European states, providing an environment that promotes collaboration and stimulates knowledge transfer. The network fosters relations between various actors essential for improving the safety and security of Europe.
ENLETS is a subgroup of the Law Enforcement Working Party (LEWP) reporting to the Standing Committee of Operational Coordination and Internal Security (COSI). It was created in 2008 to establish a stronger connection between law enforcement agencies (LEAs) and innovative technologies. ENLETS’ main goal is to operationally strengthen Law Enforcement (Police) with the use of modern Technology and Development by exchanging information, experience and knowledge on a practical communication level. For more information contact:: www.enlets.eu (Source: www.unmannedairspace.info)
01 June 22. Thales, PT Len partner for Indonesia’s new air surveillance radars. Thales will be partnering with Bandung-based state-owned defence electronics firm PT Len Industri to supply Ground Master 403 (GM403) air surveillance radars and SkyView command-and-control (C2) system to Indonesia.
Both PT Len and Thales confirmed to Janes that 13 units of GM403 will be manufactured to meet the needs of the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI).
The contract will “run from 2023 to 2028”, a spokesperson for PT Len told Janes on 31 May.
In a joint media release on 31 May, Thales and PT Len said the new radar system will be installed across the Indonesian archipelago enabling TNI “to detect all types of threats, from jets and missiles to hovering helicopters and UAVs [unmanned aerial vehicles]”.
Under the agreement, Thales will focus on building the radars and C2 while PT Len will construct the radar stations, provide installation and integration of the systems and manage civil works for the programme with support from Thales, the media release said. (Source: Janes)
02 June 22. Portuguese Army upgrades ISTAR capabilities. The Portuguese Army has upgraded its intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition, and reconnaissance (ISTAR) capabilities, with its deployable intelligence fusion system having achieved an initial operational capability (IOC), the Commander of the Rapid Reaction Brigade’s ISTAR Battalion, Lieutenant Colonel Duarte Jorge Heitor Caldeira, told Janes on 11 May.
Operated by the battalion’s command-and-control company, the system was fielded and reached an IOC during Exercise ‘Orion 22′ held in central Portugal during 2–12 May, gathering information to support decision making by the higher command echelon of the exercise.
Composed of four 15-ft tactical shelters with telescopic masts, and four trailer-mounted 12 kVA diesel power generating sets, the system was purchased via the NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA) from Lavorazioni Elettroniche E Meccaniche (LEM) in 2020 for EUR1.87m (USD2m).
The four shelters were received in November 2021, Lt Col Duarte Caldeira said. (Source: Janes)
01 June 22. UK to fly Eurofighter ECRS Mk 2 E-Scan radar in 2023, IOC slated for 2030. The United Kingdom is planning to fly the Leonardo European Common Radar System Mark 2 (ECRS Mk2) radar aboard a Eurofighter test aircraft in late 2023, with initial operating capability (IOC) slated for 2030, a Ministry of Defence (MoD) spokesperson said on 24 May.
Speaking to Janes and other defence media at BAE Systems’ Warton site, the representative from Royal Air Force (RAF) Air Capability, who declined to be identified, said that the schedule planned for the first flight has yet to be fully determined, but that he expects it to occur “towards the back end of 2023”. (Source: Janes)
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