17 Jun 10. PIAP displays latest UGV offerings .Polish robotics specialist PIAP debuted two new unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) at Eurosatory 2010 in Paris: TRM (Tactical Throwable Robot); and the latest version of its Scout explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) system, known as New Scout. Speaking to Jane’s , company spokesperson Emanuel Neto said that the TRM has been designed primarily to act in a reconnaissance role for anti-terrorist operations undertaken by special forces and the police. (Source: Jane’s, IDR)

28 Jun 10. French military leaders appear to be edging toward Britain’s approach to UAV procurement, focusing development on a tactical system and adding medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) assets as needed to complement the core requirement. Defense Minister Herve Morin says he is seriously considering an off-the-shelf purchase of General Atomics Predator Bs to complement France’s small fleet of EADS Harfang MALE UAVs now serving in Afghanistan, instead of pursuing a development program. A follow-on purchase of four additional Harfangs is also an option, as is an acquisition of Israel Aircraft Industries Heron TPs. The Herons would be acquired through a government-to-government deal. A ministerial investment committee meeting last month determined that EADS’s and Thales-Dassault Aviation’s development options for meeting the MALE requirement are too uncertain, and the likely cost would be well beyond the €139m ($171m) currently budgeted, Morin says. (Source: Aviation Week)

29 Jun 10. Northrop Grumman is preparing the high-altitude RQ-4 Global Hawk unmanned reconnaissance system for review by the US Office of the Secretary of Defense’s Defense Acquisition Board (DAB). Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems corporate vice-president and president Gary Ervin said Global Hawk was conducting combat and civil missions around the world. Since 2001, Global Hawk has flown 1,665 combat sorties totalling 33,280 combat flight hours, and collected over 606,000 images on an average of 15 hours on station per sortie. The USAF has deployed four systems in the Persian Gulf from a fleet of nine systems based at Beale Air Force Base and at US Naval Air Station Patuxent River. The air force is currently conducting formal test and evaluation of two Global Hawk configurations designed to collect enhanced image and signals intelligence in the ongoing war against terror. The system will soon be deployed to serve as a communications relay over the battlefield to meet urgent operational need. (Source: airforcetechnology.com)

25 Jun 10. Meggitt Safety Systems, a Meggitt group company, has been
selected by EADS Military Air Systems to supply fire and overheat detectors for the ATLANTE long-endurance unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). The UAV will perform intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance missions. Meggitt’s extreme environment technology will be installed to detect aircraft engine fire and overheat conditions. (Source: ASD Network)

23 Jun 10. Meggitt claims world record for Hammerhead USV-T swarmex. Meggitt Training Systems Canada has conducted a swarm exercise involving 16 Hammerhead expendable unmanned surface vessel targets (USV-Ts) with the Canadian Navy off the country’s Pacific coast. Intended to simulate the threat posed to naval surface combatants by multiple fast inshore attack craft (FIACs), the event was the “world’s first large-scale ‘swarmex’ demonstration”, the company said on 16 June. (Source: Jane’s Navy International)