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06 May 21. Leonardo nets ‘major export order’ for M-346 trainer. Leonardo appears to have secured a new order for its M-346 advanced jet trainer on top of a likely commitment from Elbit Systems for the type.
Disclosing its first-quarter performance on 6 May, the Italian aerospace and defence group noted that new orders at its aircraft division had improved against the same period in 2020 “thanks to the finalisation of a major contract for the export of M-346 aircraft.”
Elbit in April was awarded a $1.65bn, 20-year contract by Greece covering the establishment and operation of an international flight training centre for the Hellenic Air Force. The Israeli firm will provide 10 M-346 aircraft for the requirement.
However, Leonardo confirms the latest export deal is for another undisclosed customer and is unrelated to the Elbit commitment.
New orders in the aircraft division during the first three months of the year stood at €595m ($717m), a 15% increase on the €515m recorded a year earlier.
Divisional revenues also rose to €510m, up from €431m, due to “higher production volumes achieved… in particular on the line of M-346 trainers”.
Cirium fleets data lists a backlog of 10 M-346s: four from a total 16-aircraft commitment for the Polish air force, and six for an undisclosed customer, widely believed to be Turkmenistan. (Source: News Now/https://www.flightglobal.com/)
05 May 21. US Army fires are at the center of a major NATO exercise — as Russia watches. The Army this week kicked off a key element of Defender Europe 2021, a series of Army-led military exercises across Europe and Africa, as the United States works out ways to fight battles alongside allies from Estonia to Morocco. This portion of the larger Defender Europe 2021 exercise has been dubbed “Fires Shock,” service officials told reporters in a call Wednesday. The annual Defender Europe exercise, in the works for more than a year, follows a scaled-down version, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, that took place last year. But it comes shortly after Russia sent as many as 100,000 troops to its border with Ukraine and Crimea, an area Russia forcibly annexed from Ukraine in 2014.
Russia did pull back some of its soldiers, but as of this week 80,000 troops remain.
Officials within President Biden’s administration told the New York Times that Russian personnel were kept on sight to show the United States and its NATO allies that Russia can match the number of troops taking part in the Defender Europe exercise. Troops there now would far outnumber the estimated 28,000 soldiers from various countries participating in Defender Europe.
Military officials who spoke with the press about the “Fires Shock” portion of the larger exercise declined to discuss Russia specifically, deferring to the U.S. State Department.
“(The exercise) is not conducted in direct response to any specific threat or adversary,” said Brig. Gen. Chris Norrie, head of the U.S. Army’s 7th Training Command in Grafenwoehr, Germany.
On the same call, Maj. Gen. Indrek Sirel, deputy commander of Estonian defense forces, also waved off specific references to Russia. But did hint at the deterrence factor.
Part of Estonia’s role in a potential conflict is to receive Army airborne forces to help them fight off an adversary.
“This is a demonstration of allied cohesion, demonstration of our will, as well as improving our skills on all levels,” Sirel said.
While there was no special reason for the first of the exercises to start in Estonia, “All of them are signals, all of them are deterrence messages,” he said.
For years, Army officials have pressed to improve long range precision fires capabilities in Europe, especially to counter the out-distancing fires and defenses Russia has developed and deployed along its borders with Eastern European rivals.
Soldiers, primarily with the 41st Field Artillery Brigade, will deploy their precision-strike Multiple Launch Rocket Systems to “soften” the area ahead of airborne unit forcible entry exercises this week in Estonia.
The unit and other fires elements in U.S. Army Europe and Africa will also bring out the big guns — with a little help from U.S. Air Forces Europe — in Germany and Poland through the rest of May for Exercise Dynamic Front; in Bulgaria for Exercise Saber Guardian in early June; and in Morocco from early to mid-June for Exercise African Lion.
This kind of work, especially with other nations’ militaries, helps the Army work out how best to use sensors and shooters, especially when calling for fires with partner or allied forces, Norrie said.
“It allows us to best understand how to position sensors and then to test the entire sensor-shooter linkage,” Norrie said. “You’ve got to practice this. It’s critical for us to routinely exercise Army joint fires and integration with our allies.”
Col. Daniel Miller, who heads the 41st FAB, told reporters that procedures and digital communications between U.S. and allied systems are the same, regardless of system type or language spoken by the operators.
But soldiers still need to do the work of loading gear, hauling it to the site, shooting accurately and moving rapidly to another location. And that has to be done with partner forces.
As the Army only forward stationed, organic long-range precision fires rocket unit in Europe, Miller called his brigade the “action arm” of the fires exercises running now through mid-June.
By integrating their fires capability with units from Norway to southern Europe, his soldiers and their counterparts will pass targeting data to rocket systems, evaluating the best ways to sense and strike for current and likely future operations.
Planning for the operation began more than a year ago. In March, equipment in the United States was loaded aboard ships to arrive in Albania, Croatia, Germany and Greece, officials said.
Soldiers with the 41st FAB got a dress rehearsal last year when they transported their missile systems from Germany to Estonia in August for the first time, Sirel said.
“These exercises demonstrate our ability to command and control long-range fires across continents, using a variety of networked and multi-domain communications platforms,” Norrie said.
(Source: Defense News Early Bird/Army Times)
05 May 21. VIPs From Around World Visit Defender-Europe 2021 Exercise. The annual Defender-Europe 2021 exercise distinguished visitor day, hosted by Albania yesterday, was attended by the Albanian President and Prime Minister, the U.S. Ambassador to Albania Yuri Kim and three four-star U.S. generals: U.S. European Command commander, Gen. Tod Wolters; U.S. Air Forces Europe and Africa commander, Gen. Jeffrey Harrigian; and U.S. Army Europe and Africa commanding general, Gen. Christopher Cavoli, Pentagon Press Secretary John F. Kirby said today.
Defender-Europe is an annual, large-scale U.S. Army-led, multinational, joint exercise designed to build readiness and interoperability among U.S., NATO and partner militaries.
“This was the first time that Joint Logistics Over the Shore was conducted in Europe since World War II,” the press secretary noted. “This was [also] the first time Albania has hosted a U.S.-led, multinational exercise.” The Defender Europe 2021 exercise runs through June with more than 28,000 participating personnel from 26 countries. During the next two weeks, the exercise will conduct events in Bulgaria, Croatia, Estonia, Greece, Hungary and Romania.
Help for India
The fourth U.S. military aircraft landed in India today, delivering necessary life-saving supplies, Kirby said.
“On these four flights, U.S. Transportation Command delivered 1 million Rapid Diagnostic Tests, 545 oxygen concentrators, more than 1.6 million N95 masks, 457 oxygen cylinders, 440 regulators, 220 pulse oximeters and 1 deployable oxygen concentration system,” he said.
“That is just part of the whole-of-government response to our friends in India,” Kirby said. “And of course, we remain in communication with them to see if there are other ways we can help them defeat COVID-19 as we move forward.”
Spotlight: Coronavirus: DOD Response
The press secretary also noted that as of today, the National Guard has administered more than 10 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine to Americans, and the Defense Department has given 3 million doses to the DOD population.
Special Operations
Kirby said Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III today directed that the assistant secretary of defense for special operations and low-intensity conflict, or SO/LIC, organization retain its direct reporting chain to the secretary for its administrative chain of command role over the U.S. Special Operations Command.
“The assistant secretary remains a principal staff assistant and will continue to have full access… that the service secretaries have,” he said. “The secretary also directed that the SO/LIC organization now rejoin the office of the under secretary of defense for policy organization. This will ensure Special Operations policy is fully integrated into all aspects of the department’s policies.”
DOD will soon publish a revised charter to further codify the ASD (SO/LIC)’s role and responsibilities, he added.
“These efforts are significant steps forward toward strengthened civilian oversight of U.S. Special Operations Command and the provision of integrated policy advice for the department,” Kirby said. (Source: US DoD)
04 May 21. Australia, US, UK, France conduct joint sea mine training in Arabian Gulf. The Royal Australian Navy recently completed a joint sea mine training exercise, Artemis Trident, in the Arabian Gulf alongside the UK, US and France.
The RAN recently completed a joint exercise alongside personnel from the UK, US and France as part of exercise Artemis Trident, to build expertise in keeping sea lanes open in the Arabian Gulf in the event of a sea mining event.
The four nations assessed their mine hunting abilities, with seven mine warfare ships, several patrol boats, helicopters, dive teams and a command ship all taking part in Artemis Trident. Exercise Artemis Trident occurs every two years, with the recent exercise marking the completion of the fifth Artemis Trident.
Lieutenant Commander Peter Needle of the Royal Navy welcomed the opportunity to expand the RN’s mine warfare procedures.
“The exercise provided an excellent opportunity to practise and develop expeditionary mine warfare tactics, techniques and procedures, sharing ideas and experiences between the three nations,” Lt Cdr Needle said.
“It will provide valuable lessons learned as the Royal Navy moves towards increasing use of offboard, autonomous systems alongside existing capabilities such as clearance divers.”
The RN’s Commander James Lovell, heading the Gulf mine forces for the United Kingdom described that the exercise was the opportunity for allied countries to prepare for a potential warlike scenario.
“Exercising with our Gulf partners and coalition partners in the region is all about maintaining our military fitness so that we are ready to work together when the time comes,” Cdr Lovell said.
“Artemis Trident is even more poignant this year as the UK is celebrating its 15th year of a continuous mine warfare presence in the Gulf.”
(Source: Defence Connect)
03 May 21. Increased Government Support and Extensive Spending on the Defense Sector by Many Regions will serve as Vital Growth Boosters for the Shooting Ranges Market, Says TMR.
– The shooting ranges market will observe considerable growth on the back of the rising use in the defense sector and the growing popularity of shooting simulators among a considerable chunk of the populace
– The global shooting ranges market expects to record a CAGR of ~7 percent during the forecast period of 2020-2030
Shooting Ranges Market: Current and Subsequent Growth Opportunities
Shooting ranges play a crucial role in training the individuals recruited in the defense sector. Defense forces invest heavily in these shooting ranges for increasing the shooting efficiency of the soldiers. Furthermore, shooting ranges are also operated on a commercial level for the entertainment of the common people. Thus, all these factors will help in increasing the growth rate of the shooting ranges market during the forecast period of 2020-2030.
Shooting ranges are controlled facilities designed for the testing and training of firearms. The facilities are either indoor or outdoor. These ranges are specifically designed for a particular purpose such as competition, training, or practice. The growing popularity of shooting as a sport and the high investments of many countries in the defense sector will play a significant role in boosting the growth prospects of the shooting ranges market.
The Transparency Market Research (TMR) team projects the shooting ranges market to expand at a CAGR of ~7 percent across the assessment period of 2020-2030. The global shooting ranges market is prognosticated to surpass US$ 38.6 bn in terms of valuation by the end of the forecast period, that is, 2030.
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The emergence of novel and advanced firearms is offering a plethora of opportunities for the shooting ranges market to flourish. The new weapons undergo rigorous quality checks for which shooting ranges are necessary. Weaponization is increasing at a rapid rate across countries like Brazil, Russia, China, U.S., India, and others. These aspects will turn the tables of growth across the shooting ranges market.
Key Findings of the Report
Replacement and Upgrading of Existing Shooting Ranges to Bring Good Growth Opportunities
The advent of novel technologies in the weapon sector and a considerable increase in the participation of individuals in sports activities will bring good growth opportunities for the shooting ranges market. The government bodies of numerous countries are funding various shooting ranges for their renovation. For instance, the Youth Affairs and Sports Ministry of India recently released Rs. 5 crores for the creation of the latest laser technology and the upgradation of facilities at a shooting range known as the Dr. Karni Singh Shooting Range. Such developments bring good growth opportunities for the shooting ranges market.
Explore 108 pages of superlative research, current market scenario, and extensive geographical projections. Gain insights into the Shooting Ranges Market (Type: Indoor Shooing Range [Virtual Simulators and Targets] and Outdoor Shooting Range [Moving Targets and Fixed Targets]; and Application: Military and Recreational) – Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast, 2020-2030 at https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/shooting-ranges-market.html
Development of Simulation Shooting Ranges to Propel the Growth Prospects
Simulation shooting ranges are gaining considerable momentum across a large chunk of the global populace. These shooting ranges provide great entertainment. Along with entertainment, the shooting ranges are safe as the guns are electronically tagged and locked within the armory. Hence, all these aspects bode well for the growth of the shooting ranges market.
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Point Blank, a simulation shooting range venue is a classic instance. With the growing popularity of shooting ranges, it is in the process of opening its third venue. These developments signal the growing popularity of the shooting.
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Shooting Ranges Market: Key Growth Drivers
- The increasing popularity of simulation shooting among many individuals will bring good growth prospects for the shooting ranges market.
- Ongoing research and development activities are leading to the discovery of innovative solutions, which will further lead to tremendous growth advancements across the shooting ranges market.
- The replacement of old rangers with technologically advanced ranges will sow the seeds of growth across the shooting ranges market.
About Transparency Market Research
Transparency Market Research is a global market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. Our experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyse information.
Our data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts, so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With a broad research and analysis capability, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques in developing distinctive data sets and research material for business reports. (Source: PR Newswire)
03 May 21. SimX Receives New U.S. Air Force Contracts to Advance VR Training Programs, Explore Space Warfighter Readiness. SimX continues to expand its partnership with the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Space Force to develop innovative training solutions for special operations forces, with four new contracts totaling over $1.5m. These contracts, part of the $2.5M Virtual Advancement of Learning and Operational Readiness (VALOR) research and development program, seek to further develop fielded capabilities for training the USAF’s elite medical personnel with the SimX Virtual Reality Medical Simulation System. The SimX system allows for highly immersive and customizable scenarios, and this new funding will enhance the capabilities of the system to train operational medical handoffs between roles of care, train missions involving multiple simultaneous caregiving teams, train in dynamic and realistic environments such as night and weather operations. Additional funding will go towards development of in-flight medicine during aerial and space operations.
The new funding is targeted primarily towards enhancing the capabilities of the system to train operational medical handoffs between roles of care, train missions involving multiple simultaneous caregiving teams, train in dynamic and realistic environments (such as night and weather operations), and provide more customizable and adaptable training capabilities. Additional funding has also been allocated to adapting VR medical simulation training for in-flight medicine during aerial and space operations with the Air Force and Space Force.
These partnerships provide a capability for special operations medical personnel of the 24th Special Operations Wing, to train through simulated medical scenarios based on real-world experience and reinforce learning on the relevant medical techniques, tactics and protocols. The overall objective is to enable the wing’s Special Tactics operators including pararescuemen and combat controllers as well as their unit medics and Special Operations Surgical Teams to “train how they fight.” The capabilities include a broad array of situations, including Tactical Combat Casualty Care-based scenarios as well as routine medical care in order to provide training across the continuum of care in a variety of medical roles. All newly developed capabilities will be fielded for operational testing and evaluation at the existing SimX deployments at installations across the United States as well as USAF installations in Europe and Asia.
“The practice of medicine depends on high performance teams working together fluidly and transferring knowledge and responsibility rapidly, efficiently, and effectively. The USAF and USSF’s continued investment in the VALOR program will enable us to continue to push the envelope of VR medical training by ensuring that we can train for these critical interactions,” said Karthik V. Sarma, VALOR Principal Investigator and Chief Technology Officer at SimX.
Col. John R. Dorsch, Wing Surgeon of the 24th Special Operations Wing (SOW), and medical director of the Air Force’s Pararescue career field, heads the effort for the U.S. Air Force. “”The VALOR program is helping to increase overall medical capability and has the potential to improve survival rates in combat casualties,” said Dorsch, “Expanding and innovating capabilities is critical for ensuring the highest level of combat trauma and austere medical care is provided by our special operators and medical personnel.” In addition to the distribution to the 24th SOW’s units stationed around the country, the new capabilities will be fielded at the new Special Operations Center for Medical Integration and Development (SOCMID), a collaboration between the USAF and the University of Alabama-Birmingham designed to provide the next generation of standardized training to Special Operations Surgical Team members, pararescuemen and independent duty medical technicians.
These projects are made possible through the highly competitive Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) programs, in collaboration with AFWERX, a team of innovation specialists within the USAF, and the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), the primary scientific research and development center for the Air Force. AFRL and AFWERX have partnered to streamline the Small Business Innovation Research process in an attempt to speed up the experience, broaden the pool of potential applicants and decrease bureaucratic overhead. Beginning in SBIR 18.2, the Air Force has begun offering ‘Special’ SBIR topics that are faster, leaner and open to a broader range of innovations.
SimX’s industry leading virtual reality medical simulation platform is used around the world and by top institutions including Mayo Clinic, Stanford, Northwestern, University of Pennsylvania, the US Air Force, and many others. It allows trainees to work together in multiplayer virtual reality cases either together in the same space or from the safety of their own homes. SimX’s unique system allows for a “holodeck-like” experience without dropdown menus or virtual selections. You talk with and interact with virtual patients the same way that you would in real life. The scalable SimX Scenario System allows for very rapid development of new training materials and cases, and instant deployment to all learners. Learn more about the SimX System at simxvr.com. (Source: PR Newswire)
03 May 21. Defender Europe 21 Exercises Multinational Interoperability, Readiness, Transparency. Exercise Defender Europe 21 has started once again. This year’s exercise involves 26 nations, including the U.S., and around 28,000 multinational forces all focused on building operational readiness and interoperability between NATO allies and partners.
“It’s defensive in nature, focused on deterring aggression, while preparing our forces to respond to crisis and conduct large-scale combat operations if necessary,” said Pentagon Press Secretary John F. Kirby, during a briefing today at the Pentagon.
Another key attribute of Defender Europe 21, Kirby said, is the transparency surrounding what it is all about, who will participate, what is meant to be accomplished.
“[Defender Europe] is an exercise that’s annual. We’ve been doing it a long, long time … it’s a defensive exercise. And it’s one that helps us build interoperability,” Kirby said. “Here’s the other thing that’s different: we actually come to the podium and tell you about it.”
Kirby said that openly discussing the Defender Europe 21 exercise and why U.S., NATO partners and other European allies are gathering troops is an important facet of the operation. Other nations have not been so clear or forthright about their own amassing of troops, he said.
“I’m going to continually talk about what we’re doing — it’s called transparency — it’s a wonderful thing,” he said “And we’re not getting that out of Moscow and we haven’t. So that’s a big difference right there. It’s a defensive exercise and you will be able to hear us talk about it and communicate to you and to the world what we’re doing and why.”
In past weeks, Russia had amassed more than 100,000 troops on the Russian side of its border with Ukraine — alarming the Ukrainians and allies. In recent days, those troops have started to pull back, but many still remain.
“There’s still quite a few, I mean there’s still a lot of forces arrayed against, or aligned along the border with Ukraine and in occupied Crimea,” Kirby said. “And it’s still never been completely clear what the intentions were.”
Defender Europe is an Army-led exercise, though this year it has significant Air Force and Navy participation. Last week, for instance, the USNS Bob Hope arrived off the coast of Albania in advance of its participation in a joint logistics over-the-shore exercise there.
The Defender Europe 21 exercise will also include several smaller “linked” exercises, Kirby said. Those include Swift Response, which involves airborne operations in Estonia, Bulgaria and Romania; Immediate Response, which involves more than 5,000 troops from eight nations conducting live-fire training in 12 different countries; Saber Guardian, which includes more than 13,000 service members doing live-fire training as well as air and missile defense operations; and a command post exercise with 2,000 personnel exercising the ability of a headquarters to command multinational land forces.
“The Defender Europe exercise is going to conclude in June, but not before demonstrating joint force readiness, lethality and interoperability, reinforcing the U.S. commitment to our allies and partners, and providing an outstanding opportunity to highlight the superb job our men and women are doing every day and in the region — the Balkan and Black Sea regions in particular, and throughout Europe and the Africa area of operations,” Kirby said. (Source: US DoD)
30 Apr 21. Multilateral mine countermeasures exercise Artemis Trident concludes. The Multi-lateral mine countermeasures (MCM) exercise Artemis Trident (AT) 21 has successfully concluded in the Arabian Gulf.
The French Marine Nationale, the Royal Australian Navy (RAN), the British Royal Navy, and the US Navy took part in the MCM drill. AT 21 started on 18 April and ended on 29 April.
Exercise Artemis Trident is aimed at enhancing mine hunting and communications interoperability.
According to the US Navy, the latest drill was the fifth iteration in the series of MCM exercises between the four partner nations.
Royal Navy Task Force (TF) 52 deputy commander captain Don Crosbie said: “This exercise served to refine our procedures as a multi-national MCM task force.
“We were excited to be able to integrate next generation technology with current capabilities in order to enhance our overall readiness.”
As part of the defensive exercise, coalition forces participated in several simulated scenarios designed to provide training for maritime security, force protection, and dive operations.
Alongside the traditional MCM capabilities, such as mine hunting ships and aircraft, the exercise also included unmanned underwater systems.
More than 700 personnel, seven MCM ships, two patrol boats, three expeditionary MCM companies, as well as two helicopters from the four nations, participated in the exercise.
Throughout the exercise, the Royal Navy’s landing ship dock RFA Cardigan Bay (L 3009) served as flag ship.
TF 52 commander captain Oscar Rojas said: “AT 21 reinforced the need for interoperability, flexibility and adaptability between our coalition partners, especially as we adopt and employ new technology like unmanned systems and artificial intelligence to our evolving inventory of MCM capabilities.”
US 5th Fleet area of operations includes the Arabian Gulf, Gulf of Oman, Red Sea and parts of the Indian Ocean and encompasses area of some 2.5 million square miles. (Source: naval-technology.com)
29 Apr 21. Leonardo Boosts Customer Service Growth Strategy Opening Seamless Helicopter Training Academy in the US.
- New state-of-the-art Academy in Philadelphia will meet growing demand for training services across North and South America leveraging advanced simulation, augmented reality, artificial intelligence among others
- Provides all-in-one, productive training experience in the classroom, in a virtual environment and in the air for both pilots and maintenance technicians
- Features the world’s first comprehensive training syllabus for the AW609 TiltRotor, also including the first Full Flight Simulator
New state-of-the-art Academy in Philadelphia will meet growing demand for training services across North and South America leveraging advanced simulation, augmented reality, artificial intelligence among others
Provides all-in-one, productive training experience in the classroom, in a virtual environment and in the air for both pilots and maintenance technicians
Features the world’s first comprehensive training syllabus for the AW609 TiltRotor, also including the first Full Flight Simulator
Leonardo announced today a further major reinforcement of its presence and customer service and technologies in US with the official opening of their brand new, state of the art Helicopter Training Academy, located on their existing campus in northeast Philadelphia that also includes production, support and administrative functions for the United States. The new Academy was first announced at the 2019 Heli-Expo in Atlanta and, despite the challenges of Covid-19, was able to open two years later, on schedule.
The new Academy in Philadelphia is part of an $80m investment in United States operations that will provide training services for a growing demand and need for pilots, cabin crews and maintenance technicians across North and South America. The Training Academy in the US will mirror the services provided by its sister facility in Sesto-Calende (Italy) offering ground, air and virtual training and leverages also simulator capabilities jointly developed by Leonardo and CAE and operated by their Rotorsim JV. The Academy, which is already up and running for customers, features training services for the AW119, AW169, AW139 models and will also be home to the training services for global customers of the world’s first tiltrotor set to receive civil certification, the AW609. This one of a kind Academy strengthens the role of Leonardo as the only helicopter OEM that has an own capability of designing, developing, delivering, qualifying, supporting and operating the fullest range of Training Systems, with certified OEM-data into the simulated environment.
Alessandro Profumo, Leonardo CEO, said: “In our sector, only organizations with a clear vision, strategy and consistency in execution can aim for a sustainable long-term business and become strategic assets for their countries. We want to be regarded as a partner, not just a supplier, by continuing to ensure an outstanding service and training experience. And we integrate these capabilities into our unique helicopter offer with the ambition of becoming the world leader in the sector. Advanced simulation, augmented reality, artificial intelligence – all embedded today in our US Academy – are examples of this vision. It can leverage on game-changing technologies we are deploying and on investments in the deep digitalization of our offer and processes.”
Gian Piero Cutillo, Leonardo Helicopters MD, added: “Our new US Training Academy will help to serve the largest market for helicopters in the global industry, and will be part of a continued process to guarantee customer proximity and expand our range of offer. We are committed to devoting every possible effort to continue to build a training culture as part of our value proposition, a true benefit of all our stakeholders, customers, end-users.”
“We purposely co-located the Academy next to our main production, support, and administrative offices because we wanted to not only provide cutting-edge training with modern technology to our customers, but also give them an inside view of our organization, our culture, and how our product is made and maintained with a constant emphasis on quality and safety” said Bill Hunt, CEO of AgustaWestland Philadelphia Corporation and Managing Director of Leonardo Helicopters US.
“I want to congratulate Leonardo Helicopters on completing their new Training Academy in the US at their existing production and support campus at Northeast Philadelphia Airport. I am proud of the role this Philadelphia-based team has played in bringing this Academy online, together with their teammates in Italy”, said Jim Kenney, Mayor of the City of Philadelphia.
The first Leonardo Helicopter Training Academy opened in Sesto-Calende (Italy) in 2006 and in its inaugural year provided training to 600 students; by the 2018-2020 period, that number grew to an average of 10,000 annually across the growing global training network also including similar facilities in the United Kingdom, Poland and Malaysia as well as authorized training centres. The latest step in US confirms Leonardo’s commitment to a continued enhancement of the level of customer service.
Since 1980, the helicopter business of Leonardo has been proud to call Philadelphia, Pennsylvania its home in the United States. Located at Northeast Philadelphia Airport (KPNE) just minutes outside the Central Business District, the facility has grown over the last 40 years from a basic service center to the Leonardo’s US Industrial Center of Excellence for helicopters.
Leonardo is committed to providing leading, comprehensive support and training services to deliver unprecedented benefits to customers in terms of safety, quality, effectiveness, cost, and sustainability as a cornerstone of Leonardo’s Be Tomorrow 2030 Strategic Plan. (Source: ASD Network)
01 May 21. The pace of DEFENDER-Europe 21 (DEF21) and the linked exercises is picking up momentum from the Balkans to the Baltic.
Following Monday’s arrival in Albania of US Naval Ship Bob Hope, the first fast sealift ship carrying vehicles and equipment over from the United States for DEF21, a US Army Logistics Support Vessel (LSV-6 SP4 James A. Loux) anchored at the Port of Durres prior to commencing the execution of a Joint Logistics Over-the-Shore (JLOTS) operation. This JLOTS operation will demonstrate the ability to move massive amounts of equipment and supplies quickly from ship to shore, rather than direct from the Ro-Ro fast sealift ship straight onto the dockside, as we witnessed at Bremerhaven during DEF20, in order to support thousands of troops in the field as they train to respond to any threat or crisis during DEFENDER-Europe 21 exercises across the European theatre. Regrettably, because of COVID-19 travel restrictions, we were unable to be present in Durres to watch the start of the JLOTS operation today but we will try to post official images in due course.
US Army Logistics Support Vessel 6 at anchor in the Port of Durres ~ alongside landing craft, LSV-6 (SP4 James A. Loux) is bringing vehicles and equipment ashore in Albania [US Army: SSgt. Elizabeth Bryson]
Yesterday, Friday 30th, at the opposite end of Europe from Albania in the Balkans Peninsula, US Army soldiers assigned to the 41st Field Artillery Brigade landed in Estonia in the Baltic Region to “kick off FIRES SHOCK and SWIFT RESPONSE 21 with a boom”. The ‘Rail Gunners’ from 41 FAB are in Estonia to conduct a Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS) live-fire next week to notionally suppress enemy air defence systems in support of the 3rd Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division airborne operation the following day.
Previously, on Wednesday 28th, US Army Paratroopers assigned to 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division conducted cold load training with flight crews from the 82nd Combat Aviation Brigade at Fort Bragg in North Carolina. This training taught them how to safely load a UH-60 Blackhawk with their equipment, offload quickly and provide security. The training was in preparation for their participation in Exercise SWIFT RESPONSE 21, a multinational airborne exercise involving 7,000 Paratroopers from ten nations, which begins the DEFENDER-Europe exercise series.
Paratroopers from 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division conduct cold load training with a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter at Fort Bragg, 28 April 2021 [US Army: Sgt. Justin Stafford]
DEFENDER-Europe is an annual large-scale US Army-led, multinational, joint exercise designed to build readiness and interoperability between US, NATO and Partner militaries. This year, more than 28,000 multinational forces from 27 nations will conduct nearly simultaneous operations across more than 30 training areas in more than a dozen countries from the Baltics to the strategically important Balkans and Black Sea Region. (Source: joint-forces.com)
28 Apr 21. US and Hellenic air forces conducted exercise INIOCHOS 21. The US Air Force (USAF) and Hellenic Air Force (HAF) have successfully conducted the annual medium-scale exercise INIOCHOS 21. The US Air Force (USAF) and Hellenic Air Force (HAF) have successfully conducted the annual medium-scale exercise INIOCHOS 21.
The operational and tactical level field training exercise was sponsored by the Hellenic air force and hosted by the Hellenic Air Tactics Center (ATC) at Greece’s fighter weapons school.
INIOCHOS 21 was divided into three phases, namely Detachment Deployment, Execution Phase and Force Redeployment.
US airmen and F-16 Fighting Falcons assigned to the 31st Fighter Wing (FW) took part in the exercise.
Canada, Cyprus, Israel, Slovenia, Spain and the UAE also supported INIOCHOS 21.
INIOCHOS 21 is designed to help participating nations improve their combat readiness and fighting capability while honing skills to protect ‘regional and global security.’
It allows them to develop capabilities planning and perform complex air operations in a joint force environment.
US Air Force general Jeff Harrigian said: “INIOCHOS is an important opportunity for our airmen to train alongside and learn from our Greek allies, as well as the other exercise participants.
“It both improves the relationships that underpin our military alliance and creates opportunities to refine critical skills that enhance our interoperability.”
The 510th Fighter Squadron (FS) conducted a ‘multitude of joint operations and air defence training’ during the exercise.
The training included air-to-ground strike missions, defensive counter-air and close air support (CAS).
During the exercise, the 510th FS dropped about 170 inert munitions and fired 8,300 training rounds on Greek live-fire ranges and completed over 200 sorties. (Source: airforce-technology.com)
30 Apr 21. Rosyth: Military exercise to feature in Forth with USA, Germany, France taking part. ELEMENTS of one of the largest military exercises of its kind in Europe will take place in the Forth.
Ten nations will take part in Exercise Strike Warrior and will bring 31 warships, three submarines, 150 aircraft and 13,400 military personnel.
A total of 1,500 ground troops will take to ranges across the country and to maritime areas off the north and west coasts of Scotland.
Strike Warrior starts next Saturday, May 8, and will run to May 20, with a number of the participating vessels departing from ports on the east coast.
For this exercise, port visits will be kept to a minimum, however vessels are expected to arrive at Rosyth and Leith before joining the exercise.
Joint Warrior 21-1 is integrated with Exercise Strike Warrior 21 as part of the final preparations for the first deployment of the UK’s Carrier Strike Group (CSG) next month.
HMS Queen Elizabeth, the Royal Navy’s Fleet Flagship sits at the centre of the CSG which will deploy shortly after the completion of Strike Warrior.
Ten nations, (nine NATO and one non-NATO) will take part.
The participating NATO nations will be the UK, USA, Denmark, France, Germany, Latvia, The Netherlands, Norway, Poland; Australia is the non-NATO participant.
Joint Warrior (which takes place twice a year, in the spring and autumn) and Strike Warrior are designed, planned and delivered by the Joint Tactical Exercise Planning Staff (JTEPS) based at Northwood in London, some of which will deploy to HM Naval Base Clyde to coordinate events during the Exercise.
Exercise activity will include 34 naval units from Australia, Denmark, France, Germany, Latvia, The Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, the UK and the USA participating around the Scottish coast.
Exercise Joint Warrior or Strike Warrior as it is known for this time only, is linked directly with the NATO Military Training Exercise Programme and brings together all three UK Armed Forces – the Royal Navy, Army and Royal Air force – along with the other participating countries, to provide high quality training opportunities and improve joint operations between the UK and its allies.
Participants will practice a wide range of capabilities across land, sea and air in coordinated joint operations with other allied nations, with the Carrier Strike Group being a key element on this occasion prior to the deployment of the HMS Queen Elizabeth Task Group.
The scenario of the exercise will mirror a broad range of crisis and conflict situations which could realistically be experienced in real-world operations.
Over the fortnight, participants will be faced with a period of increasing political and military tensions, along with a huge range of realistic military tasks such as: intelligence gathering and reconnaissance; anti-smuggling and counter-terrorism operations; humanitarian assistance and evacuation operations. (Source: News Now/https://www.dunfermlinepress.com/news/)
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InVeris Training Solutions combines an agile approach with an unmatched expertise in training technology to design and deliver customized, cutting-edge, first-rate training solutions that keep military, law enforcement, private and commercial range clients safe, prepared and ready to serve – Because Seconds Matter™. With a portfolio of technology-enabled training solutions, and a team of 400 employees driven to innovate, InVeris Training Solutions is the global leader in integrated live-fire and virtual weapons training solutions. With its legacy companies, FATS® and Caswell, InVeris Training Solutions has fielded over 15,000 live-fire ranges and 7,500 virtual systems globally during its 90-year history. The Company is headquartered in Suwanee, Georgia and partners with clients in the US and around the world from facilities on five continents.
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