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07 Nov 18. Companies line up to deliver Turkey hundreds of micro drones. The Turkish government has launched a competition to buy hundreds of multi-rotor micro drones, with scores of local companies having already expressed interest. SSB, Turkey’s procurement authority, has said that the planned drones would be used in homeland security missions like search and rescue, surveillance and reconnaissance, remote sensing and mapping. An SSB official said all drone programs come with a “priority” tag. Under the multi-rotor micro drone program, SSB will procure a total of 499 units. Twenty-two companies have replied to SSB’s Request for Proposal (RfP).
“The level of interest [in the contract] and potential competition during the race reflects the vibrancy of Turkey’s fast-growing drone industry,” said Özgür Ekşi, an analyst with C4Defense.com, a defense industry specialist. “Especially when you think that only a decade ago there was not a single drone maker in the country.”
Turkey has long prioritized developmental and operation of unmanned systems for its military and for export. The Turkish military was largely dependent on the Israeli-made Heron unmanned aerial vehicles in its fight with Kurdish insurgents in early 2000s when the government-controlled Tusas Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) started working on the Anka, Turkey’s first indigenous drone. In 2013 TAI won a contract from the Turkish government to supply 10 Ankas and ground control stations. The Anka, a medium-altitude, long-endurance drone, can fly at an altitude of 30,000 feet for 24 hours and can carry up to 200 kg payload.
TAI later developed the armed and satellite-controlled versions of the Anka as the country’s dependency on drones in its asymmetrical warfare against Kurdish insurgency deepened.
The Anka has paved the way for the entry into the market of private sector players. Kale-Baykar, a consortium, has successfully developed the Bayraktar TB-2, a drone system that comes in unarmed and armed versions, and delivered to the military six systems in 2017.
The Bayraktar uses the MAM-L and MAM-C, two mini smart munitions developed and produced by state-controlled missile specialist Roketsan. Turkey’s local industry also is developing BSI-101, a SIGINT system, for the Bayraktar to end Turkey’s dependence on U.S.-made SIGINT systems for drones.
The Bayraktar can fly at a maximum altitude of 24,000 feet. Its communications range is 150 kilometers. The aircraft can carry up to 55 kilograms of payload.
“We encourage private companies to spend more on drone R&D and come up with solutions cut for our specific (mostly asymmetrical) requirements,” said one procurement official. “there is a lot of activity going on and the market will deepen in quantity and quality in the years ahead.”
Ekşi from C4Defence.com said: “Twenty-two local bidders in a relatively small drone competition is a sign that the market, infant by age, will flourish soon.” (Source: Defense News)
08 Nov 18. Ukraine to Procure Turkish Combat UAVs. According to a news release put out by Mil.in.ua, during an official visit to Turkey by the President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko on 3-4 November, was signed an agreement on the purchase of Bayraktar TB2 unmanned combat aerial vehicles manufactured by Baykar Makina. It is noted that the signing of the agreement was attended by Minister of Defense of Ukraine Stepan Poltorak, deputy secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine Oleg Gladkovsky and chairman of the Ukroboronprom Pavlo Bukin. Negotiations for the purchase of these unmanned combat aerial vehicles lasted about two years.
Bayraktar TB2
According to the Baykar Makina company, the Bayraktar unmanned aerial vehicle is a Medium Altitude Long Endurance class system developed for tactical reconnaissance and surveillance missions. It can carry a maximum payload of more than 55kg, fly up to 22,500 feet and loiter for more than 24 hours. Prototype Development Phase started within 2007 based on competition model. Bayraktar Tactical UAS with its critical all subsystems including Flight Control, INS-GPS, Automatic Take Off-Landing systems developed in house demonstrated fully automatic taxi, take off, cruise, landing, parking phases in 2009 and was selected as the winner of the program. (Source: UAS VISION/Defence Blog)
08 Nov 18. Russian Army Received Over 1,800 UAVs in Last 6 Years. The Russian army has received over 1,800 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) of different types over the last six years, the Russian Defense Ministry’s official newspaper “Krasnaya Zvezda” (Red Star) reported.
“Over the last year, a qualitative leap has been made in the development of unmanned aerial vehicles. Almost 400 military units and subunits were formed, and they received over 1,800 modern unmanned aerial vehicles, which allows them to conduct reconnaissance at the depth of 500 km,” the newspaper said.
The technical characteristics of Russian UAVs are constantly being improved, the newspaper added. “In particular, the development of promising systems that are capable of fulfilling tasks at the depth of 3,000km, is underway,” the newspaper added. (Source: UAS VISION/TASS)
06 Nov 18. Japan to develop underwater drone to defend remote islands against Chinese. Japan plans to develop a large underwater drone to monitor its remote islands as Tokyo continues to build up assets set to guard against Chinese incursion. The unmanned submersible will be unveiled in a Ministry of Defense’s policy document that lays out the island nation’s five-year plan from April 2019, Japan’s Kyodo News service reported Monday, citing a “government source.” Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s cabinet is slated to approve the policy in mid-December.
Officials have been mum on when the drone’s development will begin but an Iwakuni facility — where experiments to “detect sound waves” will take place in a large water tank — could be operational by fiscal year 2021, Kyodo reported. The submersible will be more than 32 feet long and “adaptable to various missions including surveillance.”
A Defense Ministry spokeswoman confirmed a funding request for research and development for the project in the fiscal year 2019 budget, which starts in April.
“The surrounding environment around Japan is pretty harsh, and for our national security, it is most important to raise our surveillance ability, including the sea,” MOD spokeswoman Akiko Asai told Stars and Stripes on Monday evening.
Japan has not decided “when, how and where” to utilize the underwater drone, Asai said. That decision will depend on the outcome of the project.
The underwater drones could be shared with multiple branches of the nation’s Self-Defense Forces.
Japan’s Mid-Term Defense Program — the document that includes the drone plan — and the National Defense Program Guidelines are scheduled to be approved by the cabinet on Dec. 18, Kyodo reported. The guidelines are expected to call for a broader strategy utilizing “unmanned equipment.”
The Self-Defense Forces are suffering from a “chronic shortage” of personnel, which may explain the move, Kyodo said.
News of the underwater drone came a week after the Defense Ministry said it was also developing supersonic glide bombs that can be launched from nearby islands to deter attacks in the region. Those projectiles are said to be less likely to be intercepted by anti-aircraft artillery and could be put into service by March 2026.
The resource-rich Senkakus in the East China Sea have long been a point of contention between the two neighbors, who boast the world’s second and third largest economies, respectively. The uninhabited island chain between Okinawa and Taiwan are claimed by Japan, Taiwan and China, which refers to them as Diaoyu.
The United States has long declined to take a position on the islands’ sovereignty; however, Presidents Barack Obama and Donald Trump have both declared the Senkakus will be protected under the U.S-Japan security alliance.
The East China Sea has been the scene of countless disputes in the air and at sea in recent years, with Chinese ships, submarines and aircraft buzzing Japan’s contiguous zone, just outside its territorial waters. The incidents often lead to protests from Japanese diplomats, which have been ineffectual in stopping the intrusions.
Maritime confrontations and jet interceptions between China and Japan have become commonplace in recent years, especially around the Senkakus. Five submarines have been spotted entering Japan’s contiguous zone since 2013, Defense Ministry officials said earlier this year. A Chinese frigate was last seen in the contiguous zone in June 2016.
The Japan Coast Guard said Chinese ships entered Japanese waters 114 times last year. In response, Japan and its allies in Washington are reportedly drafting an “operations plan” for a combined response should China threaten the disputed islands in the East China Sea, Kyodo said, citing Japanese government officials. They hope to have the plan completed by March. (Source: Defense News Early Bird/www.stripes.com)
06 Nov 18. Tiny RoboFly flies when powered by a laser. On gossamer-like wings, the delicate robot flits lightly into the air. Its rectangular body, protruding with functional greeblings and connecting copper strands, lifts off the ground, wobbles, and then lands again on wire-thin railings. The flight is almost imperceptible at normal speed, becoming clear only when the frame rate is slowed to 3/20ths. In total, the flight lasts less than half a second. The altitude gained is perhaps three, maybe four millimeters, if that. First flights don’t have to be big flights for them to matter. The proof is in what comes next.
The drone in question is the “RoboFly,” created by the Autonomous Insect Robotics Lab at the University of Washington. The robot uses a photovoltaic cell for power, which normally implies solar power but in this specific case absorbs energy from a laser directed at the cell. RoboFly flies by flapping, a piezoelectric actuator functioning as as contracting and expanding muscle as electric current flows through it. Coordinating it all is a microcontroller on the RoboFly’s body.
“Specifically, we present the lightest wireless robotic flight to date by showing liftoff of a 190 mg robot,” write the RoboyFly’s creators. That weight, 190mg, is roughly the same as a toothpick. And here it is! A tiny flying robot! Now what?
The applications for a miniature robot depend on a lot of subsequent miniaturization. For the RoboyFly, simply fitting the circuitry on the body that amplifies the power it receives was a hurdle, and while adding sensors is a logical direction, it will take new sensors on a similar scale, a way to transmit the data collected from those sensors, and possibly even some way to direct the robots. That’s a lofty ambition, and the gap between university research project and battlefield application can be years or even more than a decade away.
That’s a lot of “if” to happen first, and there are further limitations. The RoboFly needs a laser focused on its power cell or else it loses power. The small size suggest a use in denied environments, but unless there’s a separate robot that is pointing lasers at the RoboFlies, they’ll need a nearby human operator, or another way to work.
Still. Sparrow sized drones are now part of the battlefield, even operating from other vehicles. Insect-sized machines could be scattered by planes, activated remotely with the right lasers, creating a swarm of flapping robots. With sensors they could provide some surveillance from difficult-to-reach corners. With directional control the swarms could move like locusts, a mess of miniature wings and metal. If they could fit into pockets, little drones could slide through cracks and then be beamed back upwards if person trapped beneath rubble could just shine the right light. The use cases are narrower than that of larger drones, but the surprise and the form factor are compelling enough to warrant serious thinking about these miniature machines. (Source: C4ISR & Networks)
07 Nov 18. Airshow China 2018: CASC reveals stealth UCAV development. China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) used Airshow China 2018, held in Zhuhai from 6-11 November, to announce it is developing a turbofan-powered high-altitude unmanned combat air vehicle (UCAV) called the Cai Hong 7 (Rainbow 7, or CH-7). Under development by the China Academy of Aerospace Aerodynamics (CAAA), the flight technology development arm of CASC, the prototype CH-7 on display is at the detailed design stage and adopts a truncated diamond-shaped ‘flying wing’ planform that is equipped with sweptback outer wings with control surfaces let into the trailing edges of the air vehicle’s fuselage, and trailing edges and upper surfaces of its wing sections. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
07 Nov 18. Airshow China 2018: Yunzhou Tech showcases armed USV development. China’s Yunzhou Intelligence Technology (Yunzhou Tech), a company specialising in the design and manufacture of unmanned surface vehicles (USVs), has unveiled a new armed USV at Airshow China 2018 held in Zhuhai from 6 to 11 November. The company has integrated two types of weapon systems on its L30 multirole USV, which displaces 3.75 tonnes and has a length, width, and height of 7.5m, 2.7m, and 4.2m, respectively. The sea vehicle is equipped with a pair of marine diesel engines that gives it maximum speed of 45kt with an endurance of around 310n miles at an economical speed of 22kt. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
06 Nov 18. USN taps Textron Systems Aerosonde SUAS for long-term deployed ISR. The US Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) is set to deploy Textron System’s Aerosonde small unmanned aircraft system (SUAS) for additional sea-based intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) operations. The Aerosonde is slated to be loaded later this year aboard the Expeditionary Mobile Base USNS Hershel ‘Woody” Williams (ESB 4) for up to a 32-month deployment, David Phillips, Textron Systems senior vice-president and general manager, told Jane’s. The deployment will build on the experience developed by the SUAS during missions and related operations for the US Navy (USN) 4th Fleet, as well as other maritime-related work in the African Command area. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
06 Nov 18. China’s X-47B Knockoff at Zuhai Airshow. The Chinese government regularly uses Zhuhai, also known as the China International Aviation & Aerospace Exhibition and Airshow China, to formally reveal new aircraft and other military technologies. This time around, China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation (CASIC) has brought a stealthy flying wing design that has reportedly been in development for more than four years now. The company has placed it within its Tian Ying, or Sky Hawk, series, even though it does not appear to be in any way related to any of the other four known designs in that family. CASIC says that this new drone has made a number of flights since late 2017 and released photos of the design team standing around it in 2018. The firm blurred out the unmanned aircraft itself in those images.
“Eighty percent of our drone’s technologies are the newest and most advanced, some of which are leading the global [drone] industry” Ma Hongzhong, the lead designer of the newest Tian Ying said, according to a post from CASIC’ s WeChat social media account in February 2018. At that time, he only mentioned that there had been ground tests of the design, which he did not specifically mention by name.
The images we have now from Zhuhai 2018 show a drone that appears somewhat similar in shape to Lockheed Martin’s recently revealed X-44A design. The aircraft may be a bit larger though, with a wingspan around the 35-foot range.
Earlier reports said that the drone was designed for long-range operations, but beyond its apparent stealthy shape, there are no clear distinctive visual features to indicate any particular mission sets. It seems more likely that this Tian Ying, as with the X-44A, is or has served more as a testbed and technology demonstrator, which is something we at The War Zone had suggested was a possible role for this drone in the past. The design could evolve into an actual operational design in the future, though.
What is particularly interesting is that its landing gear appears to be more robust than one might associate with a land-based design and better suited to carrier-borne operations. A model of the future Type 003 carrier, which may be China’s first nuclear-powered type, at the Military Museum of the Chinese People’s Revolution, the official museum of the People’s Liberation Army, shows it carrying a drone very similar in size and shape to the new Tian Ying.
China is also reportedly planning to install electromagnetic catapults, similar to those on the U.S. Navy’s Ford-class carriers, on this ship, as well as its predecessor, the Type 002, which will be the country’s first to feature a Catapult Assisted Take-Off But Arrested Recovery (CATOBAR) configuration. Operators can more precisely tune the power of these aircraft launching systems, which is important for more readily accommodating the very different launching demands of full-size manned aircraft and drones.
China seems to be increasingly aggressive in the UCAV space in particular and if CASC’s reveal does turn out to be an X-47B knockoff with an eye toward carrier operations down the road, or even just a more mature land base UCAV design, it would be another example of the country seemingly picking up where the United States decided to drop off. (Source: UAS VISION/The Warzone)
05 Nov 18. China to unveil CH-7 new-generation stealth unmanned combat aircraft. China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) has taken the opportunity at the AirShow China 2018 exhibition to unveil a new-generation stealth unmanned combat aircraft. CASC is planning to unveil its new CH-7 fighter-sized stealth unmanned combat aircraft during the AirShow China 2018 exhibition, which is set to take place in Zhuhai from 6–11 November. According to CASC’s officials, the new CH-7 is a stealth unmanned reconnaissance aircraft but some experts said that this is a new Chinese unmanned combat air system a similar to Northrop Grumman X-47B. The aircraft is designed for stealth or low observable relevant requirements. The first prototype will have a 20m wingspan and a cruising altitude of less than 10000 – 13000m. CH-7 will can to conduct last reconnaissance, guard detection, air defense operation, and operation support. It can also launch a strike or guide other weapons to hit on targets of high value. (Source: Google/https://defence-blog.com)
05 Nov 18. Kratos opens new unmanned aircraft production unit in Oklahoma, US. Kratos Defense and Security Solutions has opened a new unmanned aerial system (UAS) manufacturing facility in Oklahoma City, US. Located at the Will Rogers Business Park in Oklahoma, the 100,000ft² production facility will help address the current and anticipated future demand for the company’s newest line of autonomous aircraft systems. The new site will be used to manufacture Kratos’ high-performance jet-powered Mako tactical UAS and the MQM-178 Firejet unmanned aerial target system. Over the next five years, the facility is expected to generate high-skilled engineering, design and manufacturing job opportunities for at least 350 people in the state. The new UAS will help support the company’s US military and foreign ally military customers, with its primary customers comprising the US Air Force (USAF), the US Navy and the US Army. Oklahoma congressman Steve Russell said: “Kratos is a company that’s always innovating and producing cutting-edge technology for our military.
“Their vision and expertise in UASs will allow our warriors to have the most effective tools they need to keep our country safe. I am glad Kratos recognises the value of Oklahoma and the Fifth District. We are fortunate and honoured to be the site of their latest expansion, which will undoubtedly have a significant and positive impact on helping our military protect our national security.”
Kratos’ 20.11ft-long UTAP-22 Mako is an unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV), which can travel at a maximum speed of 607k and a range of 2,600km.
The MQM-178 Firejet is a 10.8ft-long unmanned aircraft that is capable of flying a wide range of speed and manoeuvrability profiles for both air-to-air and surface-to-air missions. Last year, the company completed a UTAP-22 Mako multi-UAS demonstration mission as part of a larger military exercise. (Source: airforce-technology.com)
02 Nov 18. Cranfield University joins EuroDRONE programme. Cranfield University has joined the EuroDRONE programme, to test the European Union’s (EU’s) readiness to manage a broad range of UAS operations including interaction with manned aviation. The EuroDRONE programme intends to connect operators, regulators, law enforcement agencies and product developers – and the different systems they use – in a unified environment. It is part of an 18-month UAS demonstration programme to test the implementation of EU initiatives (called U-Space) to ensure safe and secure UAS traffic management in its airspace. EuroDRONE will test U-space functionalities at an enhanced service level, paving the way for a broad range of UAS operations and related services that are currently restricted. These could include parcel deliveries in dense urban locations, medical emergencies and police interventions, maritime SAR missions and forestry inspections. The EuroDRONE architecture is made up of cloud software and hardware to be installed on UAS. It is a self-learning system operating in a distributed computing environment and offering multiple levels of redundancy, fail-safe algorithms for conflict prevention/resolution and asset management. Cranfield is leading work around path planning and clearance procedures, connectivity between airports and UAS, the tracking of UAS to monitor their operations and behaviour, and the assessment and development of appropriate sense and avoid techniques. EuroDRONE partners include Aslogic, Dronsystems, the Hellenic Civil Aviation Authority, Hellenic Post, University of Patras and Romanian Post. The project is being coordinated by the University of Patras in Greece. (Source: Shephard)
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