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09 June 22. China’s great leap in unmanned warship development.
The state-owned China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC) on 31 May used its official social media account to announce that it has begun construction of a new trimaran-hull large USV at its Guangzhou-based 716th Research Institute subsidiary. The new USV is also being jointly developed with other company units such as Huangpu Shipyard (427 Factory), and the 605th Research Institute.
“The large-scale [USV] adopts a trimaran high-speed hydrofoil design, which has the characteristics of high speed and long endurance, and can independently perform tasks in different scenarios,” the company stated, without disclosing further details.
A large concept representation of the large USV at the launch ceremony suggests that vehicle is based on the new 300-tonne class Multirole Unmanned Combat Surface Vehicle (UCSV) design that CSSC had earlier unveiled for the first time at the World Defense Show (WDS) 2022 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in early March.
According to official specifications, the UCSV design will displace around 340 tonnes at full load and features a 58-metre-long hull with an overall width of 18.1 metres. Three waterjets provide a top speed of 42 knots and a maximum range of 4,000 nautical miles.
The sea vehicle will likely serve as a mothership for vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) as well as autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs), with the model featuring a stern helipad supporting a rotary-wing UAV and provision for launch and recovery of AUVs underneath.
Meanwhile, a video circulated by the Maritime China journal on 8 June suggests that Zhejiang Beikun Intelligent Technology has completed sea trials of its 100 tonne-class large USV prototype. The unnamed USV – which is constructed by the Jiangxi-based Tongfang Jiangxin Shipbuilding – is based on a trimaran-hull design comparable to the US Navy’s Sea Hunter with a large main hull and pontoon-like outriggers.
The prototype USV was first observed at the shipbuilder’s yard on the banks of the Yangtze River via open-source satellite imagery in mid-2019.
China has in the past highlighted other large USV concepts aimed at high-end naval operations. State-owned defence prime China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) had in late 2017 unveiled its unmanned D3000 Oceanic Combat Vessel development, although the status of this programme is unknown.
07 June 22. Spear unveils the Ninox 103 Sub-to-Air loitering UAS system.
This world-first unmanned aerial system can be launched underwater, enabling real-time beyond-line-of-sight situational awareness for submarines.
UDT, Rotterdam, The Netherlands, June 7-9 Stand G18
SpearUAV – developer of an autonomous, AI-based technology for encapsulated SWARM-based UAS – is unveiling the encapsulated Ninox 103 Sub-to-Air loitering UAS, which for the first time enables launch of sub-marine drones into the air, providing immediate beyond-line-of-sight situational awareness.
Designed for undetectable, underwater launch, and focusing on existing operational needs, the Ninox 103 Sub-to-Air is an autonomous AI-based system. Intuitive and easy to operate, it provides the most effective way for submarines, Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) and other underwater platforms to gain instant aerial capabilities, supporting various missions, including those of special forces, reconnaissance, and joint-force operations.
Capable of instantaneous launch, the system enables the vessel’s team to receive real-time imaging beyond the coastline, at long ranges, while remaining undetected and at a distance from land.
Ruggedized for harsh underwater and maritime environments, the Ninox 103 is payload agnostic, with open architecture that enables third-party data link integration. Seamlessly integrated into existing submarine launching infrastructure, its low visual, thermal and acoustic signatures support stealth-mode operation.
“The first technological development of its kind in the world, the Ninox 103 Sub-to-Air has been developed in response to the needs of Spear’s customers worldwide for a drone capable of underwater launch,” says Colonel (Ret.) Gadi Kuperman, Founder & CEO of SpearUAV. “The system has been successfully tested, and Spear is collaborating with a number of defense companies as it continues to work on new developments.”
08 June 22. Portugal to build multi-purpose unmanned carrier. The Portuguese Navy announced on 27 May that it is planning to design and build an offshore multi-purpose surface ship dedicated to deploying unmanned surface vessels (USVs), unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs), and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). The local development and construction of the ‘Plataforma Naval Multifuncional’ (multifunctional naval platform) was formally approved by the Council of Ministers on 24 May for a maximum amount of EUR94.5 m (USD101 m) between 2023 and 2025, with funding from the Recovery and Resilience Plan of the European Union. The Portuguese Navy will be responsible for defining the concept of employment and requirements, the technical specifications, as well as having overall responsibility for the contract and construction of the ship. The future ship will carry out a wide range of roles, including surveillance, search-and-rescue (SAR), underwater survey, scientific research, and disaster relief. (Source: Janes)
08 June 22. Nigerien Bayraktar TB2 deliveries begin. Six Bayraktar TB2 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) were delivered to Niamey airport last month following a November 2021 order for the type from Turkey’s Baykar.
This was reported by RFI, with reports stating the six UAVs arrived at Niamey Airport in two Il-76 flights from a Ukrainian cargo company on 20 and 21 May. Other reports indicate a UAV base is being built in the central region of the country, with an eye on monitoring the security situation in Libya and Mali.
Niger’s Presidency in March said that the country has ordered several TB2s “to strengthen its air fleet as part of the strategy to fight terrorism and secure our borders. These drones, which will be delivered in the coming months, will certainly allow our populations living in certain areas marked by insecurity to be able to live their daily lives with more serenity, in accordance with the commitment of the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces to guarantee security to all our fellow citizens.”
Niger has also ordered armoured personnel carriers (APCs) from Turkey’s Nurol Makina, in addition to Hurkus turboprop trainer/light attack aircraft.
In November last year, Turkish President Recep Erdogan revealed that Niger was acquiring TB2 and Hurkus aircraft as well as APCs to boost the capacities of its military and security forces. The first Hurkus will be delivered by mid-2022.
Roketsan will be supplying missiles and smart rockets to Niger. They will likely be used to arm the Hurkus and TB2 aircraft – Roketsan manufactures the MAM and MAM-L guided munitions and UMTAS missiles used by the TB2. The Hurkus-C can carry L-UMTAS anti-tank guided missiles, Cirit laser-guided rockets, bombs, and cannon pods, although it is not clear which variant of the Hurkus Niger will be getting.
Turkey has sold its Bayraktar TB2 to Ethiopia, Ukraine, Morocco, Qatar, Kyrgyzstan, Libya, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan and Poland.
The Bayraktar TB has a wingspan of 12 meters, endurance of 24 hours, and a mission range of 150 km. It is powered by a Rotax 912 engine.
(Source: https://www.defenceweb.co.za/)
06 June 22. Aeronautics unveils Trojan ‘unmanned hover plane.’ Aeronautics has launched what it describes as a new category of unmanned aircraft – the unmanned hover plane. The company unveiled its Trojan system on 6 June, stating that it has been developed to offer the ability to operate at extended ranges and in a hover flight profile when required.
Speaking to Janes, Matan Perry, Aeronautics Group’s chief marketing officer and vice president of sales, said that Trojan had been developed following a company-led analysis of the future battlefield that coincided with feedback from operators, which highlighted several common requirements that could not be met by existing technologies.
According to Aeronautics, Trojan can operate out to 150 km and has an endurance of 2.5 hours, which Perry said can be achieved when carrying its maximum payload of 12 kg. (Source: Janes)
01 June 22. BAE to fly T-650 heavy-lift UAS in drive to electric propulsion.
BAE Systems plans to fly the T-650 all-electric heavy-lift unmanned aircraft system (UAS) that it first unveiled in September 2021 in the coming weeks, a company official said on 24 May.
Neil Appleton, head of Electric Products, BAE systems, told Janes and other defence media that it will fly a demonstrator version of the T-650 that it is developing with Malloy Aeronautics before the end of the third quarter of 2022.
First showcased at the 2021 DSEI exhibition in London, the T-650 is an electrically powered heavy-lift UAS capable of lifting 650 lb (295 kg) out to a range of 30 km (or a radius of 15 km), at 140 km/h. As Appleton noted, BAE envisages a range of applications for the UAS, including automated resupply, casualty evacuation, anti-submarine warfare using the Sting Ray torpedo, maritime mine countermeasures using the Archerfish expendable mine clearance ordnance, maritime search and rescue, surveillance tasks, and close air support. (Source: Janes)
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