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28 May 20. Images reveal Singapore jets equipped with reconnaissance pods — a capability thought missing for 15 years. Singapore’s F-16 fighter jets have been seen carrying Elbit Systems-made reconnaissance pods, suggesting a hitherto unannounced airborne long-range surveillance capability thought to have been missing from the country’s inventory since 2005.
Defense News has seen several images of different Lockheed Martin-made F-16D Block 52 Fighting Falcons in service with the Republic of Singapore Air Force. In those images, the aircraft were carrying what has been verified to be the Elbit Condor 2 Long Range Oblique Photography system on their centerline station.
The images were shown to Defense News from different sources and were taken over Singapore during several months in mid-2019, although we understand that the system has already been in use for a few years.
One of the photos — which Defense News is not publishing, as the photographers did not grant permission to do so — was shown to Elbit and Singapore’s Ministry of Defence to ask if they can confirm the pod’s identity and provide further details.
The ministry was also asked if the Condor 2 LOROP pod was to replace the Air Force’s eight Northrop Grumman RF-5S Tigereye photo reconnaissance platforms, and whether there was a gap between the RF-5S retirement and the introduction of the Condor 2. The older jets retired quietly from service in 2005 without any publicly identified successor, although Singapore had previously identified a real-time LOROP capability as a core requirement as far back as 2004.
Elbit did not respond, and the ministry declined to comment.
It is also unclear if Singapore was the customer described to be from the Asia-Pacific region in a “follow-on contract award” for the Condor 2 worth $82m and announced by Elbit in March 2017.
Company documentation from 2016 listed four users of the pod, which include Israel, India and now Singapore.
In addition to the F-16, the Condor family of reconnaissance pods is also carried by the Sukhoi Su-30 Flanker, McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II, as well as unnamed business jets and maritime patrol aircraft.
The Condor 2 is an electro-optical/infrared system that Elbit says provides simultaneous, high-resolution visible and infrared reconnaissance images at a long standoff distance from the target, covering wide areas in a short time span.
The Israeli company says this reduces the risk to the parent aircraft by enabling photography to be carried out at higher altitudes (which is listed in company documentation as 50,000 feet) and longer distances of up to 50 miles at speeds of up to Mach 1.4. Elbit also says the system can transmit images in real time via an onboard data link to a ground-based image exploitation station.
Singapore has a fleet of 60 F-16s, split equally between single-seat F-16C Block 52s, two-seat F-16D Block 52s and F-16D Block 52+ aircraft. Three squadrons with 48 aircraft are based in Singapore, while the remainder are assigned to an Arizona-based detachment for training.
The fleet is currently receiving upgrades of new active electronically scanned array radars, new mission computers and other avionics. (Source: Defense News)
27 May 20. Rosoboronexport to globally market 59N6-TE radar. Rosoboronexport is to offer its 59N6-TE mobile 3D radar to customers overseas, according to a company statement released in mid-May.
The 59N6-TE is an exclusively Russian-made radar system with digital processing and signal generation functions. It is a medium and high-altitude radar with a decimetre wavelength range capable of detecting hypersonic targets and aerodynamic and ballistic projectiles, according to Rosoboronexport.
Alexander Mikheev, Director General of Rosoboronexport, said: ‘the 59N6-TE radar will take top positions in its market segment and will become an important asset for countries which are building their own air defence systems with the account of world trends of air attack weapons development.’ Targets travelling at an altitude of 200km with a maximum speed of 8,000km/h and within a 450km range can be tracked by the 59N6-TE using data exchange with C4I complexes. (Source: Shephard)
26 May 20. UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency to Get Latest Radar Technology from Leonardo.
- Aviation services company 2Excel, which supplies customized Beechcraft King Air aircraft to the UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA), has contracted with Leonardo to upgrade the aircraft with advanced new Osprey 30 E-scan radars
- The MCA currently operates Leonardo’s Seaspray 7300E E-scan radar, which has proven highly effective during search and rescue (SAR) and border protection missions
- Leonardo is a world leader in E-scan radar technology and has pioneered its use in surveillance radar applications. It has 30 customers internationally including the US Navy
The UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) will upgrade to Leonardo’s latest Osprey radar to support missions such as search and rescue, border protection, fishery and pollution patrols. The Osprey 30 radar will be installed on-board the two customised Beechcraft King Air aircraft provided to the UK MCA by UK-based aviation services company 2Excel.
Currently, the UK MCA is operating Leonardo’s Seaspray 7300E radar, which has been employed to great effect in support of regular fishery and pollution patrols around the UK. The radar comes equipped with Leonardo’s patented small target detection capability, allowing it to spot shipwrecked individuals in the water at long range, even in the most difficult environmental conditions and sea states. Additionally, the radar provides the ability for MCA crews to identify oil spills and rogue polluters at very long range, day or night.
2Excel will build on this success by equipping the MCA King Airs with Leonardo’s second generation Osprey radar, the latest entry in its range of E-scan surveillance radars. Osprey benefits from all of the capabilities of the Company’s Seaspray family whilst also adding additional modes and optimized overland and coastal imaging capabilities. This makes the radar ideally suited to mixed environment operations, such as along the coast.
Traditionally, coastguard aircraft have used radars with restricted fields of view and limited detection capabilities, making searches laborious and resource-intensive. Leonardo’s radars solve these problems. The Company is a world leader in E-scan, also known as AESA (Active Electronically-Scanned Array) technology, which uses a matrix of hundreds of tiny radar modules to ‘steer’ an electronic beam, rather than mechanically moving the radar to point at a target. With a Leonardo E-Scan radar, crews can lift off, scan in 360 degrees and almost-instantaneously detect, track and classify hundreds of maritime contacts, allowing crews to quickly task cooperating aircraft to deeply search an area of interest. Other E-scan advantages include extremely high reliability, as the radar can continue to operate effectively throughout a mission even if a number of its individual radar modules fail. Customers in 30 countries have selected Leonardo’s E-scan radars including the Seaspray and Osprey families, with the US Navy procuring the Osprey 30 radar for its Fire Scout unmanned helicopter programme.(Source: ASD Network)
26 May 20. Citadel Defense Launches Deepfake AI to Prevent Drone Attacks on Military and Government Assets. As adversaries look for ways to spoof counter unmanned aerial systems (C-UAS), Citadel responds with unparalleled speed and agility. Citadel Defense, a proven innovator in full spectrum counter drone solutions, has released new software incorporating deepfake neural networks to protect against adversarial spoofing tactics. This capability helps U.S. and allied forces combat growing enemy tactics that attempt to confuse existing security intelligence equipment as electronic warfare escalates.
Citadel was the first company to use artificial intelligence and machine learning to counter unmanned system threats. The company has now taken a quantum leap forward by using Generative Adversarial Networks in the Titan C-UAS solution.
Christopher Williams, CEO of Citadel Defense explains, “Just like anti-virus programs have methods to detect software exploits, Titan has automated methods that proactively defend against spoofing exploits. Adding new deep learning capabilities to Titan helps blind the drone-equipped enemy and deny them any advantage or safe haven in contested and complex radiofrequency environments.”
Using proprietary image generation algorithms, Citadel has developed discrimination classification models that help determine whether the signal detected is a real drone or a generated signal by the adversary trying to trick existing signal intelligence equipment.
All too frequently, technology providers are promising support for “some” new drone threats in a release that is “launching soon”. When your customers face genuine threats to safety, “Some is not a number and soon is not a time,” says Williams. “At Citadel, our solution design principles are providing comprehensive, scalable, intuitive, mission-proven and AI-powered capability with unprecedented speed to the customer.”
As the use of drones and surface-based robotic platforms proliferate on the battlefield, Citadel is rapidly equipping militaries and governments with the most cutting-edge capabilities to stay ahead of the weaponized drone threat.
In the last three months, Citadel has trained over 500 military and law enforcement operators on emerging adversarial threat tactics and Titan technology. Over 100 Titan systems are being updated with the company’s latest software release.
ABOUT CITADEL DEFENSE:
Citadel Defense is a counter-drone (C-UAS) technology company that builds industry-leading drone mitigation solutions for military, homeland security and commercial applications. Citadel technology is trusted by commercial, Government, international and military users including, U.S. Special Forces, Army, Navy, Air Force, Department of Homeland Security, Border Patrol, and Coast Guard. For media inquiries, contact or visit www.dronecitadel.com. (Source: BUSINESS WIRE)
25 May 20. Belarus Develops Unmanned Air Defense System. BSVT – New Technologies LLC, a Belarus’ manufacturing company, is developing a new unmanned air defense system, called the Berserk. According to the company, the new unmanned air defense system is intended for precision firing using GShG-7.62 twin machine gun from a halt at enemy personnel and low-flying drones, helicopters and aircraft.
Berserk consists of a self-propelled tracked unmanned combat vehicle and operator AWS enabling remote control and combat operation of the robotized combat vehicle via wireless communication link at the distance of up to 5000m in case of direct visibility up to 2000 m in an urban area.
Equipped with a modern optical-electronic system and elements of artificial intelligence, it is able to independently capture targets at ranges of up to 10 km and identify them by type.
As “Berserk” is equipped with state-of-the-art optronic systems, it is easy for the operator to control the system, as well as detect and recognize different targets.
The system high manoeuvring and cross country ability makes it a good solution for automatic guarding of any sector or object by means of surveillance or patrol. (Source: UAS VISION/Defence Blog)
25 May 20. DroneShield Ltd (ASX:DRO) (“DroneShield” or the “Company”) announced the release of its camera based software for drone detection, identification and tracking, DroneOptIDTM. DroneOptIDTM has an Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning (“AI/ML”) engine at the core of its software, offering the latest in computer vision technology to detect, verify and track drones in real time. The AI/ML model has been developed specifically for drone detection and works seamlessly with DroneShield’s range of best in class drone detection and countermeasure devices.
The software is camera-agnostic and can work with a wide range of cameras. The initial integration includes Bosch MIC 7000 and 9000 cameras, with all current customers of those cameras globally now able to utilise this software. In addition to compatibility with DroneShield’s DroneShieldCompleteTM native GUI, DroneOptIDTM can be used in third party Command and Control (C2) systems.
21 May 20. Rosoboronexport to Roll Out a State-of-the-Art Radar, Capable of Detecting Hypersonic Targets. JSC Rosoboronexport (part of Rostec State Corporation) has started marketing work to bring on the world market of armaments the 59N6-TE mobile three-dimensional radar, developed and produced by the JSC “Federal Research and Production Center “Nizhniy Novgorod Research Institute of Radio Engineering” (NNIIRT).
“Thanks to the work of thousands of Russian researchers, designers and engineers, Rosoboronexport may offer to its foreign partners unique defence solutions, which often do not have countertypes all over the world and are in line with the newest trends in modern warfare. Today Rosoboronexport is introducing to the market a cutting-edge radar, capable of detecting effectively a wide range of existing and future aerial targets, to include hypersonic targets.
“While developing the export version of the radar, the growing role of air defence assets for the provision of security of states was taken into account, as well as the needs of foreign customers in the expansion of the reconnaissance capabilities of their air defence units,” said Rosoboronexport’s Director General Alexander Mikheev.
The 59N6-TE mobile three-dimensional station is an exclusively Russian-made product, which implies present-day Russian hardware components with digital processing and signal generation. It is fully solid-state and has high potential together with enhanced jamming resistance. The 59N6-ТЕ is a radar of medium and high altitude, having a decimeter wavelength range. Apart from hypersonic targets, it also effectively detects aerodynamic and ballistic objects.
The 59N6-ТЕ radar provides for the measurement of the range, azimuth and altitude of aerial targets. It is capable of detecting objects, flying at a speed of up to 8 000 km/h at a range of up to 450 kilometers and at an altitude of up to 200 kilometers. After detection, it exchanges radar information with C4I complexes. It operates in conditions of jamming and carries out direction finding of active noise jammers.
The station has an automatic and a semi-automatic mode of aerial targets’ acquisition and tracking. In a real-time mode, it may simultaneously track no less than 1 000 objects and recognize 8 classes of targets, which includes selection of anti-radar missiles and warning its own combat crew of the danger of elimination, inter alia, by high precision munitions and homing missiles. The 59N6-ТЕ radar also includes equipment for the recognition of detected aerial targets in international radar recognition systems Mk-XA and ATC RBS.
The 59N6-ТЕ radar set includes an antenna-hardware complex and an indicator post, placed on a standard vehicle chassis of the “KAMAZ-6560” type. There are also options to place the item on a single vehicle chassis, deploy it in a stationary version or to place the radar antenna system on a high tower support and other installations. Besides, the station is equipped with remote operator’s work stations, which may stay at a distance of up to one kilometer from the indicator post if connected via glass fiber links, and up to 15 kilometers in case of using a radio link.
“In am confident that in present-day conditions and with obvious prospects of hypersonic technologies, the 59N6-ТЕ radar will take top positions in its market segment and will become an important asset for countries, which are building their own air defence systems with the account of the world trends of air attack weapons development. We rely on high demand for the new station in the countries of the Asia-Pacific region, the Middle East and North Africa,” added Alexander Mikheev. (Source: defense-aerospace.com/Rosoboronexport)
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Blighter® Surveillance Systems (BSS) is a UK-based electronic-scanning radar and sensor solution provider delivering an integrated multi-sensor package to systems integrators comprising the Blighter electronic-scanning radars, cameras, thermal imagers, trackers and software solutions. Blighter radars combine patented solid-state Passive Electronic Scanning Array (PESA) technology with advanced Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave (FMCW) and Doppler processing to provide a robust and persistent surveillance capability. Blighter Surveillance Systems is a Plextek Group company, a leading British design house and technology innovator, and is based at Great Chesterford on the outskirts of Cambridge, England.
The Blighter electronic-scanning (e-scan) FMCW Doppler ground surveillance radar (GSR) is a unique patented product that provides robust intruder detection capabilities under the most difficult terrain and weather conditions. With no mechanical moving parts and 100% solid-state design, the Blighter radar family of products are extremely reliable and robust and require no routine maintenance for five years. The Blighter radar can operate over land and water rapidly searching for intruders as small a crawling person, kayaks and even low-flying objects. In its long-range modes the Blighter radar can rapidly scan an area in excess of 3,000 km² to ensure that intruders are detected, identified and intercepted before they reach critical areas.
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