28 Nov 24. Versatile UAV-Based Targets Launched. Alpha Unmanned Systems has launched Alpha Target Systems to deliver versatile UAV-based targets in response to growing demand for innovative military target systemsBy Abi Wylie / 26 Nov 2024
Alpha Target Systems is Alpha Unmanned Systems’ newly launched platform to deliver versatile unmanned aerial system-based targets, including the A900T and A800T.
This release is in response to the present era of rapidly evolving defense needs, in which there is a growing demand for innovative target systems that go beyond the representation of simple aerial threats.
Modern military training requires UAVs capable not only of simulating enemy aircraft but also to serve as system calibration tools. Artillery fire correction aids, missed-distance indicators, radar visibility enhancement, and more are all required.
These additional capabilities help provide comprehensive support in dynamic training and testing environments. Each of Alpha Unmanned Systems’ helicopter UAV platforms can be equipped with a number of available payloads for a range of advanced military target and calibration scenarios.
Alpha Target Systems UAVs are specifically designed to simulate enemy aircraft, helicopters, and other threats for realistic defense exercises. They can also be equipped with payloads specifically designed to calibrate and test defense warning systems.
With encrypted data transmission, fuel-powered engines for greater autonomy and weatherproof performance, the A900T and A800T UAV helicopters enable versatile training scenarios for the development and improvement of modern air defense capabilities. (Source: https://www.defenseadvancement.com/)
28 Nov 24. Joint Expeditionary Force successfully completes Exercise JOINT PROTECTOR.
Exercise Joint Protector has concluded in Latvia.
The Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) successfully concluded a multinational exercise in Liepāja, Latvia, demonstrating its ability to deploy and respond to an unfolding near real crises scenario in the Baltic and Nordic region.
In Ex JOINT PROTECTOR 24, more than 300 personnel deployed to Latvia and worked seamlessly with staff in the UK at Strategic Command, the JEF’s Operational Headquarters in Northwood HQ.
The exercise scenario, developed by the Command’s Integrated Warfare Centre, included a range of actions designed to simulate the rapid response needed in the face of potential conflict and security challenges in the region; testing how quickly they can deploy together across Europe to tackle emerging threats. They practiced their ability to deploy with key equipment from their home countries and their collective response.
Combining a partnership of 10 nations like-minded Northern European nations – Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, and the UK as the Framework Nation – the JEF share a commitment to contribute to international security and ensure regional stability.
Major General Tom Bateman CBE, UK’s Standing Joint Force Commander and JEF Operational HQ Commander, emphasised the value of such exercises in confirming the readiness of JEF forces and their ability to work cohesively with NATO:
As a high-readiness deployable HQ Exercise JOINT PROTECTOR 24 has been a real success, it has improved the integration of Participant Nations and has allowed us to work more effectively together.
Exercising in Latvia has not only helped us refine our Joint Response Options but it has also allowed everyone to have a greater understanding of the region’s security challenges.
For the first time, Ukrainian military officials attended the exercise, where ideas and learnings from Russia’s full-scale invasion were shared between Participant Nations. As the JEF continues to evolve, its ability to operate from diverse locations and respond to crisis swiftly remains a cornerstone of its value to the security of Northern Europe.
The exercise highlighted the JEF Nation’s continued commitment to enhancing NATO’s warfighting capabilities and its role as a vital component of the collective defence of Europe. Their presence in Latvia reinforces security, for both NATO members and for the broader region, while helping improve co-ordination and cooperation between nations. (Source: https://www.gov.uk/)
27 Nov 24. RGB Spectrum is proud to announce its integral role in the Modified Mission Rehearsal Trainer (MMRT) program, Lockheed Martin’s latest innovation in F-35 pilot training. This groundbreaking program significantly expands wartime tactical training capabilities while reducing the physical footprint required for high-end simulation, helping to ensure pilots are prepared for the complexities of modern air combat.
Advancing F-35 Pilot Training with Seamless Technology
The MMRT, a smaller, more flexible training device, was recently connected to Full Mission Simulators (FMS) for a successful cooperation test between the two systems. This exercise demonstrated enhanced tactical training capabilities and mission readiness, with RGB Spectrum’s ZioÒ Video-over-IP platform playing a vital role in delivering high-quality video streaming, recording, and playback. From basic flying to multi-aircraft mission planning to after-action reviews, the Zio platform supports every phase of the training process across the FMS and MMRT platforms.
RGB Spectrum’s Role in Advanced Training Solutions
RGB Spectrum’s Zio Video-over-IP platform is seamlessly integrated across the MMRT’s core components:
- Pilot Cockpits: Streaming high-resolution visuals and data, including avionics and target acquisition systems.
- Instructor Stations: Enabling real-time monitoring and interaction during training sessions.
- Debrief Rooms: Providing advanced playback and analytical tools, such as frame-by-frame analysis and variable-speed playback for detailed performance assessments.
This networked video solution ensures the MMRT meets the high demands of F-35 pilot training, offering a scalable and efficient system to prepare pilots for critical missions.
Empowering the Future of Tactical Aviation
“This program highlights our commitment to providing cutting-edge technology that ensures pilots remain ahead of threats and masters of their warfighting domain,” said Bob Marcus, CEO of RGB Spectrum. “The Zio platform’s advanced capabilities, including superior video fidelity, low latency, and intuitive control, set a new standard for mission-critical training environments. We are honored to contribute to the success of the MMRT program and the readiness of F-35 pilots worldwide.”
Discover RGB Spectrum at I/ITSEC – Booth #2112
RGB Spectrum will exhibit next week at I/ITSEC Booth #2112. In the booth, they will showcase state-of-the-art networking, recording, and display solutions for simulation and training. Designed to optimize and connect all simulator parts, including the instructor’s stations and the debrief room, our technologies elevate the pilot’s simulation experience to the next level.
The team will be present to discuss contributions to Lockheed Martin’s F-35 Full Mission Simulator. With over 40 years of innovation, RGB Spectrum continues to lead in video processing technologies that elevate mission-critical training environments.
25 Nov 24. UK-led JEF completes Exercise Joint Protector in Latvia. The focus was on testing the rapid deployment of the JEF across Europe to address emerging security challenges. The UK-led Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF), comprising ten Northern European countries, has concluded Exercise Joint Protector in Latvia. This exercise aimed to bolster Nato’s eastern flank and demonstrate the alliance’s capability to defend Latvia from potential threats. The focus was on testing the rapid deployment of the JEF across Europe to address emerging security challenges. Following two and a half years of conflict, one of the major impacts of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has been the rising deployment of drones and the evolution of counter-drone technologies, underlining the crucial role of Counter-Unmanned Aerial Systems (C-UAS)… The exercise included all nine partner countries – Iceland, Denmark, Norway, the Netherlands, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Sweden, and Finland – alongside the UK as the designated Framework Nation. Military personnel from the nations practised deploying from their home countries to various locations in Latvia, bringing essential equipment with them. The ability to rapidly deploy is seen as crucial for the JEF’s operational effectiveness. For the first time, Ukrainian military officers attended the exercise, reflecting the alliance’s intent to learn from the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. The Ukraine-Russia war has caused hundreds of thousands of casualties, bns in aid to Kyiv, and the delivery of tens of thousands of military assets since February 2022. The collective vision for the JEF’s future is to be a cornerstone of Northern European security, supporting member nations and contributing to regional and multidomain defence activities.
UK Armed Forces Minister Luke Pollard said: “Exercise Joint Protector demonstrates our unwavering commitment to regional security, keeping us secure at home and strong abroad, as well as the strength and depth of our international partnerships. The participation of our Ukrainian partners highlights the exercise’s importance, ensuring that we can learn from Ukraine’s hard-fought combat experience.”
Last month, the UK and Estonia defence ministers signed a new defence roadmap to enhance Nato’s eastern flank over the next two years. This joint declaration aims to strengthen the existing defence partnership between the nations and present a united front against Russian aggression. (Source: army-technology.com)
25 Nov 24. Italian Air Force receives three P.180 Avanti EVO+ aircraft. The Italian Air Force (Aeronautica Militare Italiana AMI) has received into service three Piaggo P.180 Avanti EVO+ aircraft, the manufacturer announced on 25 November. The light utility and liaison twin-turboprop aircraft were delivered to the AMI Air Transport Training School in Pratica di Mare, Rome, and are the first of 15 that will be received as part of a wider modernisation programme.
“After completing the test flights, Piaggio Aerospace delivered to the Italian Air Force three P.180 Avanti EVO+, the … nine-seater aircraft designed and assembled by Piaggio Aerospace in its facilities located in Villanova d’Albenga and Genoa,” the company said.
EVO+ is a military variant of the EVO specifically designed for the AMI, which features a new dual-zone digitally controlled air-conditioning system, a new digitally controlled pressurisation system, a new cabin interior, and a new braking system. The 15 aircraft are being acquired under a programme which also includes the retrofit of some of the 14 aircraft currently in service (there are 19 P.180s in service with the wider Italian armed forces). The upgraded Avanti I airframes are to be redesignated Avanti II+. Piaggio Aerospace expects to deliver one more new aircraft and a retrofitted one by February 2025. For more information on the AMI’s P.180 programme, please see Italy confirms P.180 EVO Plus acquisition, P.1HH cancelled (Source: Janes)
14 Nov 24. With the demanding certification exercise EUROPEAN FALCON 24, the multinational combat unit of the European Battlegroup has now demonstrated its high level of operational readiness and combat power. In the combat training centre on the Letzlinger Heide, the multinational force showed that it is capable of asserting itself, even against an equally strong enemy. It is five in the morning. Lithuanian and German reconnaissance troops are on their way to clear the way for their own forces. They belong to the EU-Battlegroup (EUBG), the European Union’s combat-ready crisis response force. At an intersection, the soldiers take up position behind an earthen wall. They discover a barbed wire barrier. What they cannot yet see: Behind the wire lurk not only mines designed to target combat vehicles, but also a booby trap containing 45 kilogrammes of high explosives. If it is not discovered, the passage of their own vehicles will end in disaster. The 4th Company, consisting of Dutch paratroopers, has now been tasked with opening this barrier in order to create the conditions for the further attack. To do this, the paratroopers have German and Dutch engineers with them who are specialised in detecting and neutralising such charges, but also in planting them themselves. Creating stability and security: Suddenly, shots are fired. The enemy is monitoring the barrier and is firing at the approaching troops to prevent them from opening the barrier and driving through. But amid deafening volleys from heavy machine guns, our own forces still manage to find and defuse the booby trap. The situation is resolved. Now the combat unit, whose core is made up of infantrymen from the 231st Mountain Infantry Battalion (Gebirgsjägerbataillon 231) from Bad Reichenhall, can advance further to clear an airport in the north of the training town of Schnöggersburg and house by house in the town itself of the enemy. They will then create security and stability on site until the follow-up forces arrive. An association of eleven nations: The Mountain Infantry Battalion 231 belongs to the Mountain Infantry Brigade 23. With four companies and the command post, it currently forms the core of the EU-Battlegroup. The infantry battalion will be reinforced by additional Bundeswehr forces as well as soldiers from Hungary, Lithuania and the Netherlands. The force will then be expanded into a powerful multinational battlegroup and will be deployed as a rapid crisis response force of the EU for one year from 1 January 2025 to be available in the highest state of readiness. The soldiers must be ready to move within five to ten days. The battlegroup is the core of the EUBG 2025, with additional support forces there will be a total of up to 5,000 soldiers from eleven nations. In addition to Germany, Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Hungary, Ireland, Lithuania, Latvia, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Sweden are also participating.
“By leading the European Union Battlegroup, Germany is visibly assuming responsibility for the EU ’s ability to act and react as well as for its credibility in the EU area of security and defence. We mountain troops are highly flexible and are able to cover a wide range of conflict potentials with the equipment we have.” Colonel Holger Peterat, Commander of Mountain Infantry Brigade 23 ‘Bavaria’.
National and alliance defence is fundamentally provided by NATO whose military orders could realistically be assigned to the EUBG. These could be, for example, initial operations carried out by the EU. In an emergency, multinational operations are also possible for the rapid stabilisation of crisis regions.
The commander of the combat unit, Lieutenant Colonel Simon Werner, explains: “In the combat training centre, we have the 231st Mountain Infantry Battalion together with supporting units of Electronic Warfare, CBRN Defence, the medical service and operational communications as well as multinational forces from the Netherlands and Lithuania. In this way we are proving our high level of combat capability and showing that we are ready for the EU ‘s mission, ideally suited and fully operational.”
Protecting the population: The infantrymen from Bad Reichenhall can also fulfil their core mission of national and alliance defence thanks to their enormous resilience. Mountain infantrymen are a combat troop, belong to the light forces in the army and can be deployed in every conceivable region of the world due to their high level of mobility, flexibility and professionalism. They are specialised in infantry fighting at high altitudes, in the mountains, in hot and even Arctic regions in summer and winter. This also includes holding their own against a professional, equal military enemy and against irregular forces such as terrorist opponents.
At the end of this year, the troops will then move to the Bergen military training area to train under the leadership of the Force Headquarters, embedded in the overall structure of the EUBG, to practice. The Force Headquarters in turn will be formed from forces of the Eurocorps in Strasbourg. After the preparatory year in 2024, the readiness year in 2025 will include another year of exercises and training at the base as well as further exercises in Europe in order to maintain the high level of training. (Source: joint-forces.com)
23 Nov 24. Ten nation military partnership successfully completes major exercise in Latvia. The UK-led Joint Expeditionary Force partnership has completed an exercise on NATO’s eastern flank. Britain and close European allies have exercised rapidly bolstering NATO’s eastern flank, demonstrating the Alliance’s ability to defend Latvia from any threat. The UK-led Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF), a partnership of ten northern European nations, has successfully concluded Exercise Joint Protector, across multiple locations in Latvia, on NATO’s eastern flank over the last month. The exercise is a vital part of testing how quickly the JEF can deploy together across Europe to meet rapidly emerging threats. Military personnel from across the ten nations practiced deploying from their home countries, along with key equipment, to locations across Latvia. The ability of the JEF to rapidly deploy is reliant on nations being able to seamlessly operate alongside each other. This exercise helped improve co-ordination and cooperation between JEF nations, particularly in the early phases of any deployment. Ukrainian military officers attended the exercise for the first-time this year as the alliance looks to learn from the Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine and the Ukrainian military continues to work closely with its partners across Northern Europe. Minister for the Armed Forces, Luke Pollard MP, said: “Exercise Joint Protector demonstrates our unwavering commitment to regional security, keeping us secure at home and strong abroad, as well as the strength and depth of our international partnerships. The participation of our Ukrainian partners highlights the exercise’s importance, ensuring that we can learn from Ukraine’s hard-fought combat experience.” All nine partner nations— Iceland, Denmark, Norway, Netherlands, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Sweden and Finland – and the UK as the Framework Nation—participated in the annual exercise, testing their collective response to regional security challenges. The value added by the JEF is a significant contribution to both security and deterrence, giving JEF Participant Nation governments, and NATO, more options in times of crisis. Our collective vision for the JEF’s long-term development is for it to be a key component of Northern European security: supporting our members, delivering region-specific and multi-domain defence activities, and contributing to the security of Europe as one of NATO’s Framework Nation Concept. (Source: https://www.gov.uk/)
26 Nov 24. British Army and KDF Test Cutting-Edge Military Tech in Joint Training. The British Army and Kenya Defence Forces conducted a joint training exercise (Ex. Haraka Storm Bravo) in Laikipia County using new state of the art training technology to better monitor and train soldiers – a vital part of the UK-Kenya defence partnership to make the region safer and more secure.
The British Army and the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) recently concluded a six-week joint military training exercise dubbed Haraka Storm Bravo. The annual exercise, which ran through October and November 2024, took place at the Ole Naishu training area in Laikipia County.
This year’s exercise introduced advanced Tactical Engagement Simulation (TES) equipment: an innovative training tool designed to enhance tactical effectiveness. TES technology uses computerised vests that record and transmit tactical data, allowing control units to track and analyse the position, movement, and actions of each soldier during field exercises. Key metrics such as firing accuracy, speed, and direction are captured and reviewed to refine tactical techniques and improve overall operational efficiency.
The exercise was witnessed by senior UK and KDF officials, including: the UK Defence Adviser, Brigadier Olly Bryant; KDF General Officer Commanding (GOC) Eastern Command, Major General Kutto; Commander 2 Mechanised Brigade, Brigadier Kamoiro; Kenya Army Chief of Training, Brigadier Mzee; and Commanding Officer 5KR, Lieutenant Colonel Mulwa.
This joint training exercise was part of the UK-Kenya defence partnership, which enables up to six light infantry battle groups to conduct annual training in Kenya. These exercises are designed to prepare troops for global deployment.
Brigadier William Kamoiro highlighted the benefits of TES in improving training outcomes: “The technology to review the exercise, enabled by the use of TES equipment, not only introduces realism into the exercise but also saves the battle group from wasting live ammunition as the team perfects their skills. The British Army’s 2 Rifles and KDF’s Bravo Company of 5KR have demonstrated well-trained battle groups who know what they are doing and how to target and clear the enemy to achieve the set objective. I can confidently report that through the joint exercise, the soldiers are ready for deployment.”
Major James Athow-Frost, overseeing BATUK’s Tactical Operations, highlighted the unique opportunities Kenya’s terrain offers: “Kenya offers an incredible terrain for the British troops to train – hot and arid locations and living in basic camps in the bush. This enables the units to be prepared for operations in demanding terrain. The combined training offers the two battle groups an opportunity to exchange experience and use technology like the TES program which brings all battle groups’ activities into a virtual world.”
Major General Kutto acknowledged the mutual benefits of the collaboration: “There is a lot of knowledge and skills that we borrow from each other. The demonstration by the two battle groups working together to clear the enemy is a clear indication of the symbiotic relationship between the two forces. The enemy that we are facing is amorphous, it keeps on changing and we must also be able to match and even be smarter. The introduction of TES technology is a huge step towards this.
Kenya remains one of UK’s leading defence partners in East Africa. The UK and Kenya share a long and proud history of military cooperation, working together across land, sea, and air to address shared challenges and ensure the safety of their citizens.
Beyond military preparedness, the British Army Training Unit Kenya (BATUK) also invests in community projects, collaborating with National and County Governments, non-governmental and community organisations to address community needs.
- BATUK TacOps designs the training module, ensures the training happens safely and the training areas are safe for training, and that the troops leave the training areas in good condition as they met them or even better, and that no human being or animal is harmed during the exercise.
- The British Army has contracted Ravenswood Solutions Kenya to provide the TES equipment. The Company works with other contracted companies like Cubic to help bring in wider capabilities for the exercising troops.
- The Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) supports BATUK in setting up structures and systems that ensure physical safety in the training areas. DIO works closely with Kenya Wildlife Services (KWS), Community elders and local rangers to enable authorised training to be conducted safely. Before any training takes place, DIO coordinates with landowners, managers, and communities to ensure the training plans are understood.
- Immediately before training commences, helicopter overflights ensure training areas are clear before the exercise begins. The training areas must be confirmed as clear (of people, livestock, and wildlife) before any live ammunition is used. (Source: https://www.gov.uk/)