Sponsored by BCB INTERNATIONAL
http: https://www.bcbin.com/
———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-
03 Dec 24. NATO draws up plans for its own fleet of naval surveillance drones. The NATO alliance has begun planning for its own fleet of unmanned boats meant to help protect critical undersea infrastructure across the Baltic and Mediterranean seas.
Following a pattern of undersea cable damage across European waters in the last year, with the most recent disruptions happening just weeks ago, top NATO officials have begun envisioning a capability that would allow the alliance to have permanent eyes above and under the waterline.
In an interview with Defense News, Adm. Pierre Vandier, the alliance’s Norfolk, Virginia-based commander for concepts and transformation, likened the idea to police CCTV cameras installed on street lights in urban trouble spots for recording evidence of crimes.
“The technology is there to make this street-lighting with USVs,” he said, using the military’s shorthand for unmanned surface vessel.
Vandier said his team is in the early stages of developing a USV fleet so that “NATO can see and monitor daily its environment.”
The first step would be to achieve this at a surface level, and then later under water.
The new project has already received “great support” from the central command of all NATO maritime forces, known as MARCOM, and the alliance operational headquarters of SACEUR, Vandier added.
While many details still need to be hashed out, officials believe they can equip the drone formation with fielded platforms that are known to work, leaning on experiments done by the U.S. Navy’s Task Force 59.
“There is no name [for now], just USV Fleet,” Vandier told Defense News. “In fact, it already exists, so somehow it’s not very risky. The U.S. has enforced Task Force 59 in the Gulf for years, so everything is known and sold, so it is much more a matter of adoption than technology.”
Launched in 2021, TF 59 is a unit dedicated to integrating unmanned systems and artificial intelligence in the U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet area of operations. It operates out of Bahrain and includes drones as well as other uncrewed vehicles working alongside manned ships.
In January, a new sub-unit was established, called Task Group 59.1, whose focus is on testing and upgrading industry systems to bolster maritime security across the Middle East region.
As of last month, the unit has trialed, upgraded and experimented with more than 23 different unmanned systems.
The task group took part in exercise Digital Talon in early November, during which it succeeded at remotely launching a loitering munition at sea and tested the vertical take-off and landing of drones from a USV.
According to Vandier, the goal is to launch the drone surveillance fleet before the next NATO Summit, which will be held in the Netherlands next June.
“We are to experiment with the first talks about this and then work with the allies to find a proper way to make this happen,” he added.
The most recent incidents of undersea cable disruptions took place on Nov. 17 and 18, when a cable of a telecommunications company between Lithuania and Sweden was cut, and a cable connecting Finland and Germany was damaged.
Investigations of the incidents are still ongoing. (Source: Defense News)
02 Dec 24. European defence technology start-up Helsing has unveiled its first attack drone as the AI specialist seeks to capitalise on rising demand for autonomous weapons driven by the war in Ukraine. The company is pitching its new drone, which is already being used in Ukraine, to the UK and other Nato allies. Helsing says it can produce tens of thousands of the AI-enabled drones a year at a lower cost than existing systems, using advanced manufacturing techniques such as 3D printing. Nato “urgently requires technology to protect the integrity of the eastern flank”, said Gundbert Scherf, co-founder of Helsing, in reference to the military alliance’s members in eastern and central Europe. The company believes that if deployed at scale along borders then the new drones, dubbed HX-2, will be able to act as a “counter-invasion shield” against enemy forces on the ground. Ukraine has underlined the shift in modern warfare from the use of traditional hardware such as tanks, guns and munitions to more software-defined technologies, in particular autonomous systems, to enable troops to outsmart the enemy. One of the challenges Ukraine’s armed forces have encountered is Russian electromagnetic jamming, which disrupts GPS and communications between drones and their operators. An HX-2 drone Helsing said its HX-2 drones, which are able to fly up to 100km, will be equipped with software that will enable them to search for, re-identify and engage targets even without a signal or a continuous data connection. A human operator will retain control at all times. Helsing, founded in 2021, was valued at €4.95bn during its latest funding round in the summer, which was led by General Catalyst and included Accel and Lightspeed Venture Partners. The company has pledged to set up a manufacturing facility in the UK as part of a £350mn investment in the country over the next five years Helsing hopes to emerge as one of the winners from the British government’s strategic defence review and plans for a new defence industrial strategy, which aims to include input from technology companies as well as the industry’s traditional giants. Defence secretary John Healey, unveiling the plans for the new strategy on Monday, said the government needed to learn the lessons from Ukraine where the “pace of innovation is measured in weeks, not months”. Helsing has already signed partnership deals with some of Europe’s established defence contractors, including Germany’s Rheinmetall and Sweden’s Saab, to integrate AI into existing platforms such as fighter jets. The start-up is also working with Airbus on AI technologies that will be used in manned and unmanned systems. Business School Insider, premium, Mondays. (Source: FT.com)
29 Nov 24. Leonardo’s Falco Xplorer Completes Successful EUDAAS Demonstration. The European Detect and Avoid System (EUDAAS) demonstrator, integrated into Leonardo’s Falco Xplorer, completed its final test flight at Trapani airport, validating advanced sensors, digital flight controls and smart technologies for safe integration of large remotely piloted aircraft into European air traffic alongside other crewed and uncrewed aircraft.
Leonardo announced the successful completion of a landmark demonstration with its Falco Xplorer uncrewed aerial system, which took off from Trapani Birgi (Italy) airport to validate the European Detect and Avoid (DAA) technological demonstrator, part of the European Defence Industrial Development Programme (EDIDP) funded EUDAAS project.
The event, attended by high military and industry representatives from the five contributing member states (Sweden, Italy, Germany, France and Spain), marks a pivotal milestone for integrating large uncrewed aircraft into the European airspace alongside crewed aircraft, meeting critical needs in both civil and military sectors.
The in-flight demonstration concluded a technological development cycle that began four years ago in Europe under Saab’s coordination, with the involvement of aeronautical excellences supported by a highly qualified European ecosystem of 10 partners from the member states.
With Leonardo’s dedicated engineering support from Ronchi dei Legionari, the EUDAAS project has advanced cutting-edge technologies that enable uncrewed aircraft to operate in non-segregated airspace, an innovation expected to enhance air traffic safety and efficiency across Europe. The Falco Xplorer’s role as the European flying test bed underscores Leonardo’s dedication to the advancement autonomous flight and artificial intelligence capabilities.
The in-flight activities conducted at Trapani confirmed the effectiveness of the technical solutions developed for DAA demonstrator, including advanced sensors, innovative digital flight control algorithms and smart systems. These systems provide traffic awareness, remain well clear, and collision avoidance capabilities, enabling the uncrewed aircraft to operate safely and efficiently in A-G class airspace. They achieve this by detecting and avoiding both cooperative and non-cooperative air traffic, performing necessary maneuvers to prevent conflicts while reducing the workload for operators.
The DAA system represents a game-changing capability for the aviation sector, aligning with ICAO standards. This advanced system, incorporating both cooperative and non-cooperative sensors, a central processing computer and a DAA display for pilot guidance, provides a solid framework for the safe and reliable operation of unmanned aircraft across multiple airspace classes.
Leonardo’s Falco Xplorer demonstrated its advanced DAA capabilities, showcasing how uncrewed aircraft can be integrated into standard air traffic management systems, a confirmation to Leonardo’s leading role in innovative aerospace solutions. The results of this demonstration are expected to have long-term positive implications, enabling uncrewed aircraft to serve as reliable assets in support of diverse community and operational needs across Europe.
Building on these achievements, the EUDAAS consortium is moving forward to the follow-up project, “EUDAAS2”, to start 1st December 2024 under the EDF 2023 framework. With the continued support of the European Commission EDF and the five member states and funding, the EUDAAS consortium will complete the full suite of DAA functionalities at the highest technology readiness levels, including the definition of European standards in EUROCAE WG-105 as the base for the future certification of the system. The robust collaboration among the European institutions, member states and industry partners underscores the commitment to advancing European defense and aeronautical innovation for a safer, more connected future.
With the Falco Xplorer’s success in EUDAAS, Leonardo reaffirms its commitment to shaping the future of uncrewed aviation and ensuring safer skies.
Falco Xplorer Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS), which has achieved approximately 100 test flights and reached the Initial Operational Capability (IOC) milestone in its Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance (ISTAR) configuration, is a state-of-the-art system. Building on the proven legacy of the Falco Evo, the Falco Xplorer is designed to meet dual-use requirements, providing 24/7, all-weather persistent regional surveillance. It is equipped to support a wide range of missions for both military and governmental applications. Looking ahead, Falco Xplorer roadmap includes the integration of a new engine and multiple armaments, aimed at enhancing its performance. Full Operational Capability (FOC) will be reached by 2026, solidifying the system’s position as a cornerstone of modern surveillance and defence solutions.
About the EUDAAS project
The EUDAAS project is dedicated to developing and validating a European Detect and Avoid (DAA) solution for the safe integration of large military Remotely Piloted Air Systems (RPAS) into European airspace. This initiative aims to ensure RPAS can operate seamlessly alongside both crewed and uncrewed aircraft. Additionally, EUDAAS focuses on advancing the maturity of non-cooperative sensor technologies, enabling RPAS to be utilized more broadly and flexibly than is currently feasible.
The consortium driving these activities comprises the following organizations: Saab AB (Sweden, coordinator), Centro Italiano Richerche Aerospaziali CIRA S.C.P.A. (Italy), Diehl Defence GMBH & Co. KG (Germany), Deutches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt (Germany), Hensoldt Sensors GmbH (Germany), Indra Sistemas (Spain), Leonardo S.P.A. (Italy), Safran Electronics & Defense (France), Thales Six GTS France SAS (France), Onera (France) and Eurocontrol (Belgium). Additional participants include Thales AVS SAS (France) and Airbus Defence and Space GmbH (Germany). The project is supported by the Ministries of Defence of Sweden (lead nation), Italy, Germany, France, and Spain, which provide funding alongside contributions from the European Commission.
The EUDASS project has received funding from the European Defence Industrial Development Programme (EDIDP) under grant agreement EDIDP-ISR-DAA-2019-020-EUDASS. The total programme budget amounts to €30 m, with €21m funded by the EU grant. (Source: UAS VISION)
04 Dec 24. DJI FLIP with Compact Folding Design Leaked. The next addition to DJI’s lineup of compact folding drones has been revealed in leaked images, videos, and FCC filings. The new DJI Flip, which has propeller guards similar to the DJI Neo, will have a folding design that resembles the HoverAir X1, according to a video shared by reliable leaker Jasper Ellens on X. DJI’s current folding drones, including the Mini 4 Pro and Mini 3, feature collapsing propellers and arms that fold towards the sides of each drone’s body. The guarded propellers on the DJI Flip appear to instead fold downwards in the leaked animation, resulting in all four of them being neatly stacked to help make the drone smaller and easier to transport when not being flown. The addition of propeller guards will not only make the DJI Flip safer for novices to fly, but its larger propellers and their ducted design could also make the new drone quieter, according to DroneXL. Other features spotted in the leaked image and animation include a camera on a three-axis gimbal, landing leg supports under the front propellers, support for DJI’s O4 video transmission system, and an “advanced LiDAR array matching the DJI Air 3S’s sensor capabilities,” says DroneXL The new leaks follow technical details and the first look at the DJI Flip revealed in FCC filings last week by Jasper Ellens. The Flip will ship with a 3,110mAh battery — larger than the DJI Neo’s 1,435mAh that allows the smaller drone to fly for up to 18 minutes. That’s also larger than the 2,590mAh that ships with the DJI Mini 4 Pro and the DJI Mini 3’s 2,453mAh battery, which gave both of those drones flight times of 34 to 38 minutes. What’s still unknown are pricing details or when the DJI Flip will launch, although DroneXL suspects it could be announced as early as January 2025. Jasper Ellens also believes the Flip will be DJI’s replacement for the Mini 5 or Mini 5 Pro that was expected to debut sometime in late 2024 or early 2025. (Source: UAS VISION/The Verge)
———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————–
BCB certainly has a rich history (1854) and an impressive portfolio of products designed to enhance the safety and effectiveness of NATO defence personnel in various environments.
The core competency of protecting lives in hostile environments, includes:
LAND:
BCB`s camouflage creams and camouflage nets have been standard issue to conceal generations of British and NATO forces.
Our newly developed MultiSpectral Cam technology, the MK8 Phantom, camouflages and protects people/vehicles/assets in the visual, IR and thermal (SWIR/MWIR/LWIR) spectrums.
FireDragon, our eco field cooking fuel, burns cleanly so can also be used in the confined space of a foxhole or tent. It is waterproof, easy to light, non-toxic and smokeless.
SEA;
Our patented Floating Body Armour is unique, versatile and sensibly protects both you and your life jacket, under the soft and hard armour. Designed to be low bulk, it`s massive 275 newtons of buoyancy is self-righting. We say it will “save your life twice”.
Our range of Boat Stopping Systems, provided a layered non-lethal stopping capability against all sizes of vessels, including unmanned threats. So you can stop and search, defeat pirates from boarding, prevent terrorists from getting near your vessel or close off quickly a waterway, port or maritime borders.
AIR;
BCB`s sister company UAVE have been manufacturing since 2013, the Dragon MK3, large, long range (1,000km) long endurance (12hours), versatile and mission-ready UAV. It is proven and operational from the polar regions to 45deg C heat in the Middle East and Asia. The larger of the 3 models, carries 25 kilos payload.
—————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————