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06 Dec 23. USN Seeks New Role for LCS Ship as USV Mother Ship.
Littoral Combat Ship, Unmanned Systems Pair Up to Advance Lethality in the Middle East.
U.S. Naval Forces Central Command (NAVCENT) continues advancing lethality at sea, utilizing the Freedom-class littoral combat ship USS Indianapolis (LCS 17) as a staging base and command center for a host of unmanned systems during live weapons firing exercises in the international waters of the central Arabian Gulf, Nov. 27.
Digital Talon 2.0, the second exercise of its type in as many months, showcased “manned-unmanned teaming” by meshing together Indianapolis, three unmanned surface vehicles, and an unmanned aerial vehicle to create a single common operating picture and what is known as a “mesh network” providing targeting data to all stations taking part in the exercise.
NAVCENT’s Task Force 59 – the Navy’s first Unmanned and Artificial Intelligence Task Force – partnered with Indianapolis to demonstrate the ability of unmanned platforms to pair with traditionally crewed ships. The manned and unmanned teams identified, targeted, engaged and then destroyed simulated hostile forces at sea, represented through the use of a target boat.
“This second iteration of Digital Talon continues building on our earlier successes,” said Capt. Colin Corridan, TF-59 commodore. “We keep progressing toward fulfilling NAVCENT’s priorities of deterrence and de-escalation by demonstrating live firing from a tight ‘manned-unmanned teaming’ model.”
In multiple firing events, a T-38 Devil Ray unmanned surface vessel (USV), equipped with a Lethal Miniature Aerial Missile System, and successfully scored direct hits on the target boat each time. As with the previous Digital Talon exercise, a human operator ashore at TF-59’s Robotics Operations Center made the engagement decisions.
The unmanned vehicles taking part in the exercise included a Flexrotor unmanned aerial vehicle; an Arabian Fox MAST-13 USV; and an additional T-38 Devil Ray USV.
Digital Talon 2.0 took a significant step forward, Collidan said, noting the results from this event, “have proven these unmanned platforms paired with our manned combat ships can enhance fleet lethality. In doing so, we are strengthening regional maritime security and enhancing deterrence against malign activity.”
U.S. Naval Forces Central Command/U.S. 5th Fleet’s area of operations encompasses about 2.5 million square miles of water area and includes the Arabian Gulf, Red Sea, Gulf of Oman, Gulf of Aden, Arabian Sea and parts of the Indian Ocean. This expanse, comprising 21 nations, includes three critical choke points at the Strait of Hormuz, the Suez Canal and the Strait of Bab al Mandeb.
(Source: https://www.defense-aerospace.com/USN)
06 Dec 23. Airbus Picks Kenya for First HAPS Drone Hub. AALTO HAPS Ltd. aims to deploy its Zephyr aircraft that can stay aloft for days at a time from four or five bases around the world, starting with the operational hub in Laikipia County in Kenya early next year, Samer Halawi, the unit’s chief executive officer said in an interview in Nairobi.
However, this plan is subject to regulatory approvals from the Kenyan government.
This development could bring about a significant boost to the local economy by potentially creating up to 1,000 job opportunities for Kenyan residents.
AALTO’s CEO, Samer Halawi, recently engaged with various government agencies and telecommunications companies to discuss the potential of this groundbreaking technology. These high-altitude drones, operating in the stratosphere between 10 to 50 kilometers, have the capability to act as mobile signal masts and attract telecommunication companies as key users.
After thorough consideration, Airbus selected Kenya as the preferred hub for this groundbreaking initiative due to several favorable factors. The country offers the ideal combination of optimal weather conditions for launching and landing the aircraft, business-friendly practices, a substantial talent pool, and quick licensing processes.
Mr. Halawi, while emphasizing the significance of this milestone project, stated that Airbus plans to establish four to five hubs worldwide to serve the global market. Each hub will encompass various units, including launch and landing ports, maintenance facilities, assembly lines with a production capacity of up to 50 aircraft per year, an operations center, and customer support facilities.
A crucial aspect that makes Kenya stand out as a hub is its ability to launch and land these high-altitude drones for up to 10 months annually. Consequently, the country is slated to host the majority of launches and landings, further solidifying its position in the aerospace industry.
The establishment of the hub is expected to generate approximately 800 to 1,000 jobs in the information and communication technology (ICT), manufacturing, and service sectors over a span of seven years.
Furthermore, the Zephyr aircraft developed by Airbus over the past two decades brings a new dimension to the aerial landscape. With its unique ability to land and take off in a corkscrew motion and remain airborne for more than 30 days, the Zephyr HAPS has enormous potential. It weighs 75 kilograms, boasts a wingspan of 25 meters, and can serve multiple purposes such as security observation, border security, mobile connectivity, forest fire management, precision agriculture, and aerial photography for mapping.
As this groundbreaking initiative takes shape, Kenya stands to benefit from becoming a pioneering force in HAPS commercial and technical regulations, potentially paving the way for accelerated industrialization of the sector throughout the decade.
Airbus recognizes Kenya’s language capabilities and favorable time zone as advantages that would enable them to establish the program’s main customer care in the country.
With this next-generation technology and strategic collaboration, Kenya is on the brink of a new era in high-altitude communication drones, ushering in unparalleled opportunities for economic growth and technological advancement. (Source: UAS VISION/TS2)
05 Dec 23. Bluebottle USV begins trial with Royal New Zealand Navy.
A Bluebottle renewable-powered uncrewed surface vessel is set to begin trials with the Royal New Zealand Navy this month.
HMNZS Aotearoa, a Polar Class logistics support ship, will deliver the 6.8-metre craft constructed by Sydney-based Ocius Technology from Sydney to Devonport Naval Base in Auckland for the short-term lease, according to a statement from RNZN published on 4 December.
The solar, wind and wave-powered Bluebottle is expected to undertake fishery protection, border protection, meteorological data and maritime tasks at sea without fuel or personnel. The craft is powered to a maximum speed of five knots by a retractable rigid sail, photo-electric cells and a flipper/rudder system.
RNZN Maritime Component Commander, Commodore Garin Golding said the sheer size of New Zealand’s Exclusive Economic Zone is a key contributing factor for the potential capability of the USV.
“Our EEZ is the fifth largest in the world at more than 4 million square kilometres. Coupled with the 30-million-square-kilometre search and rescue area that New Zealand has responsibility for, that is a lot of ocean to cover,” Commodore Golding said.
“The evidence we’ve seen from our partner militaries overseas is that uncrewed drone aircraft and vessels can provide real value in fulfilling some of these search and surveillance tasks.”
The RNZN’s Autonomous Systems Staff Officer, Commander Andy Bryant said the RNZN is looking forward to the USV demonstrating its potential.
“The Bluebottle has already undertaken a range of activities in support of the Australian government for long periods of time without the need for refuelling, recharging or crew respite,” Commander Bryant said.
“I’m confident we will see similar benefits from the time we have with the vessel, particularly a better understanding of how to operate and sustain uncrewed vessels, and this will provide a great opportunity to share experiences on the new system with the Royal Australian Navy.”
The craft is able to utilise sensors (including radar, electro-optic and infra-red cameras) for effective control of the system and identification of other vessels. The USV will be constantly monitored and operated from a control room at Devonport Naval Base using mobile phone signal while close to shore or via high and low bandwidth satellite when further offshore.
The USV can be transported by trailer for launch and recovery from a boat ramp or craned on and off a Navy ship to launch on operations while deployed overseas.
Earlier this month, the RNZN also confirmed two successful live fire events from Anzac Class frigate HMNZS Te Mana using 3.2 metre-long, 25-kilometre range Sea Ceptor surface-to-air missiles in the East Australia Exercise Area.
The test, against two two-metre-long uncrewed aerial drones simulating inbound missiles, completes the final part of the frigate’s testing and evaluation process for a Frigate Systems Upgrade on Te Mana and compatriot Anzac Class frigate, HMNZS Te Kaha.
During the test, the ship’s combat management system identified and classified both threats before Sea Ceptor missiles were launched, intercepting and destroying the targets. (Source: Defence Connect)
05 Dec 23. On Nov. 9, 2023, the Italian Air Force (ItAF) made its first flight of a new MQ-9A Block 5 Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) built by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI). The new RPA was delivered to the ItAF, along with a new Mobile Ground Control Station (MGCS), as part of a Mid-Life Modernization (MLM) update to the ItAF fleet of RPAs from GA-ASI. The aircraft and MGCS are part of a Foreign Military Sale.
The Block 5 RPA provides a significant increase in electrical power generation, auto takeoff and landing capability with improved landing gear and datalinks, and the latest version of the GA-ASI Lynx® Multi-mode Radar.
“The Italian Air Force has long been a leader in using the MQ-9 Reaper to support a wide range of Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions in Italy, over the Mediterranean, and in support of NATO operations,” said GA-ASI Vice President of International Strategic Development Jaime Walters. “The delivery of this new Block 5 and MGCS will help to update the Italian Air Force’s existing fleet.”
The ItAF’s current fleet of RPAs from GA-ASI consists of four Block 1s and two Block 15 MGCSs.
04 Dec 23. Japan Granted Observer Status on EuroDrone Program.
OCCAR-EA Director Delivers Letter of Approval of Japanese Observer Status in MALE RPAS Programme to Japanese Ambassador to Germany. The Government of Japan (GoJ) on 07 September 2023 requested to be granted Observer Status in the OCCAR managed MALE RPAS Programme.
On behalf of the OCCAR Board of Supervisors (BoS), OCCAR-EA Director, Joachim Sucker, delivered the Letter of Approval signed by the Chairman of the OCCAR Board of Supervisors (BoS), Vice-Admiral Stawitzki, to the Japanese Ambassador to Germany, His Excellency, Hidenao Yanagi.
The Director expressed the BoS’s appreciation and positive support for Japan’s interest in OCCAR and highlighted that the BoS has taken note of Japan’s willingness to explore opportunities to collaborate on subjects of common interest and its recognition of the importance of cooperation between Japan and Europe.
Director Sucker congratulated the Government of Japan on committing to start this special relationship and expressed his hope that this first step will lead to a long, fruitful and mutually beneficial collaboration.
(Source: https://www.defense-aerospace.com/OCCAR)
01 Dec 23. Anduril reveals Roadrunner drone, mum on first US customer. Anduril Industries unveiled its latest autonomous system, Roadrunner — a reusable aircraft that can carry a range of payloads, takeoff vertically and intercept and destroy airborne threats.
The California-based technology firm revealed two variants of the system Dec. 1. The baseline Roadrunner can quickly launch and fly at high subsonic speeds and its payloads can be reconfigured for a variety of missions.
Roadrunner-M is a munitions version of the system designed to protect against uncrewed aerial system threats. The company says the vehicle can rapidly locate, track and disable adversary systems and its interceptors can be recovered, refueled and reused if they’re not deployed.
“Instead of having to fire multiple interceptors at one threat, you can now deploy multiple interceptors to go out and loiter, to gather additional intelligence, to be on site in a timely way in the case that you actually want to employ them,” Chief of Strategy Chris Brose told reporters Nov. 28.
Palmer Luckey, founder of Anduril, told reporters during the same embargoed briefing the company has been designing, building and demonstrating the Roadrunner systems with its own funding for two years and is about to begin low-rate production through a contract with a U.S. customer.
Luckey declined to disclose the customer, but said the initial order is for “hundreds of units” and he expects the company will quickly scale into the hundreds of thousands. Brose noted that the U.S. government has been closely watching the effort and Roadrunner has demonstrated operational utility through a rigorous flight test program.
“One of our main motivations as a company has been to prove it and then talk about it,” Brose said. “I think we’re at the beginning of that conversation on Roadrunner.”
The use of uncrewed aircraft systems on the battlefield has expanded in recent years and the Defense Department is working to both leverage the potential of swarming drones in its own arsenal and counter increased threats from adversaries.
The Pentagon established the Joint Counter-Unmanned Aircraft Systems Office to develop a coordinated, long-term response to drone threats in 2019, and in August, Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks revealed a new DoD initiative called Replicator to field thousands of autonomous systems over the next two years.
Brose said Roadrunner was designed with both of those challenges in mind.
“We’re very hopeful that the government will see in this capability what we see in it, which is a novel solution that is built to be adaptable to where those threats are going in the near future – which, by the way, has been a process that’s been playing out over the past few years, and it’s just going to get worse,” he said.
Counter-drone systems
Fielding capabilities such as drones and other high-need systems in larger quantities is a “critical challenge,” for DoD right now, Brose said, but he’s hopeful the department is serious about funding large-scale production efforts.
“Our belief and our hope is that this is an opportunity to really produce this capability at scale, which is something we are absolutely capable of doing,” he said.
On cost, Luckey said a single Roadrunner is “in the low hundreds of thousands of dollars,” but the company expects that to drop as it produces the systems at a higher rate.
“The more of these we make, the cheaper they get,” he said, adding that the company’s decision to build its own turbojet engines rather than work with another supplier will help it control cost and performance moving forward.
Brose noted that while Roadrunner-M may cost more than other counter-drone systems, it can address a wider range of threats, making it a lower cost alternative to missiles like the Patriot, which cost about $4 million each.
“Roadrunner can come in and actually fill a gap in the market that is perhaps maybe a bit more exquisite and a bit more expensive than those low-end solutions, but it’s going to be an order of magnitude cheaper than a patriot missile,” he said. “That seems like a pretty good deal to us.” (Source: C4ISR & Networks)
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The British Robotics Seed Fund is the first SEIS-qualifying investment fund specialising in UK-based robotics businesses. The focus of the fund is to deliver superior returns to investors by making targeted investments in a mixed basket of the most innovative and disruptive businesses that are exploiting the new generation of robotics technologies in defence and other sector applications.
Automation and robotisation are beginning to drive significant productivity improvements in the global economy heralding a new industrial revolution. The fund allows investors to benefit from this exciting opportunity, whilst also delivering the extremely attractive tax reliefs offered by the Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme (SEIS). For many private investors, the amount of specialist knowledge required to assess investments in robotics is not practical and hence investing through a fund structure makes good sense.
The fund appoints expert mentors to work with each investee company to further maximise the chance of success for investors. Further details are available on request.
www.britbots.com/fund
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