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03 Jan 25. Defence hints at Aussie Apaches to team up with loyal wingman-like drones. In a statement to The Australian, a Defence spokesperson said future drone investments would “work together and complement crewed systems.”
The previous federal government announced in 2022 that it would spend $8 billion on a new fleet of 29 AH-64E Apaches to replace its troubled Taipan and Tiger fleets.
However, critics have argued that the war in Ukraine has highlighted how vulnerable traditional crewed aircraft can be to surface-to-air missiles or cheap drones.
“The AH-64E Apache carries a range of sensors, munitions and weapons well beyond that of an uncrewed platform and provides the critical step change in capability to enable the teaming of crewed-uncrewed aerial systems,” said Defence.
“Crewed attack helicopters will remain an essential part of the Australian Defence Force’s capability mix to support land force operations across a range of operational scenarios.”
The US Army still operates the Apache, but can now partner them with Gray Eagle drones, which give pilots in the helicopter the ability to control the uncrewed vehicle from 100km away and even fire its weapons.
The Gray Eagle is the largest drone in the US Army’s arsenal of weapons, can fly for up to 25 hours and dispatch four Hellfire missiles.
“Unmanned aircraft help to take away the unknown on the battlefield because they can fly out from the Apache and allow the Apache pilot to see over the horizon,” said the US Department of Defence’s Program Executive Office.
“Any additional capabilities we can provide above what we have now will only make it better for our Apache pilots. The response from the field is that soldiers really like it.”
Australian Aviation reported in 2023 how Australia would spend $700 million upgrading RAAF Base Townsville to become the new home of the Apache fleet.
The investment includes renovations and the construction of new facilities to accommodate the helicopter and crew, which will arrive from 2025.
The Apache’s arrival forms part of one of the biggest shake-ups in Australia’s helicopter fleet in a generation, which will also see Defence acquire 40 UH-60M Black Hawk, an additional12 MH-60R Seahawk/Romeos and four additional CH-47F Chinooks.
Australia has also pioneered the use of teaming drones with crewed aircraft, with Boeing currently manufacturing the ‘Ghost Bat’.
The UAS, unveiled to the world in May 2020, is the first military aircraft designed, engineered, and manufactured in Australia in over 50 years.
It uses AI to help both crewed and uncrewed aircraft in mid-air, hence its previous Australian project name, Loyal Wingman.
Eight prototypes have already been created, and three ‘second-generation’ prototypes of the Ghost Bat are expected to be completed by the end of this year. (Source:Google/ Defence Connect)
02 Jan 25. Baykar confirms Akinci deliveries to UAE. The Turkish company Baykar announced on 1 January that it has delivered at least two of its Bayraktar Akıncı twin-engine unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
In a statement listing its major achievements in 2024, it said at least one Akinci was delivered to the UAE in January with at least one more delivered in December. In contrast to most of the other deliveries it listed for the year it did not release photographs to show the Akıncıs in the UAE.
The UAE’s Akıncı order was not previously announced but Haluk Görgün, the president of Türkiye’s Defence Industry Agency, said in October 2023 that Turkish-Emirati co-operation on the UAV and Baykar’s smaller Bayraktar TB2 was unprecedented in quantity and quality.
The Baykar statement also noted it had signed a strategic alliance with the UAE’s Edge group and carried out test-firings of that company’s Desert Sting 16 small guided bomb in January. These developments were announced by Edge at the time, when it released a video showing a Desert Sting 16 being dropped from a TB2 during testing in Türkiye.
Baykar’s end-of-year statement also announced that Akıncıs had been delivered to Pakistan in July and Azerbaijan in November, releasing photographs showing the UAVs in those countries. Both Azerbaijan and Pakistan have previously confirmed they had received Akıncıs.
The statement did not mention Akıncı deliveries to Burkina Faso even though that country’s president officially handed over at least two to his military on 8 April or Mali, which displayed two in November. (Source: Janes)
02 Jan 25. Gulf of Guinea navies turn to drones for surveillance. Coastal countries in Africa face a variety of maritime threats. These include trafficking; illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing; illegal immigration; and piracy. But countries often lack the resources to monitor and protect their maritime domains.
The task these countries face is enormous. If added together, Africa’s coastal countries are responsible for more than 13 m square kilometers of ocean, far beyond what they can patrol with vessels and traditional aircraft. Sub-Saharan African countries have a total of 420 vessels categorized as “surface combatants,” meaning ships designed for warfare on the open water. This is a significant increase since 2008, when that total was 158, according to a database produced by The Military Balance. But experts say the growth was driven by a handful of countries, and most still struggle to patrol their waters.
In light of this, nations are looking for cost-effective alternatives to expand their reach. Several Gulf of Guinea states, including Nigeria and Côte d’Ivoire, have turned to drones to improve maritime security, a choice that allows them to bridge a capability gap.
The relative affordability of tactical drone systems can offer savings compared to the high cost of extended sea missions that require ships and large numbers of personnel. Drone platforms equipped with advanced avionics offer operational flexibility thanks to their payloads, which can carry various sensors such as day and night infrared cameras and radars. Their light weight makes them easy to transport and adaptable to many mission conditions. But drones are not a cure-all. They have weaknesses, including a limited range, relatively slow speed and the fact that they fly at low altitudes, which increase their vulnerability to anti-aircraft weaponry. Despite limitations, they are quickly becoming indispensable tools in the field of intelligence collection and surveillance.
A Tool Showing its Value
Militaries have used drones dating to 1937, when the U.S. developed the first radio-controlled unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), known as the Curtiss N2C-2 Fledgling, and used it for target practice. The South African Council for Scientific and Industrial Research developed the first surveillance drones used in Africa. They were flown over what was then Rhodesia in 1978.
Today, drones represent a critical and versatile operational asset for intelligence gathering. Tactical drones address capability gaps such as persistence, autonomy and compatibility with the onboard weapons system, according to a 2010 paper, “Rotary-wing Tactical Drones in Contemporary Engagements,” published by the Foundation for Contemporary Research. Monitoring vessel traffic in an area can be done in record time thanks to the considerable endurance of the drones. Drones also can carry automatic identification systems, which have become one of the main tools for maritime domain awareness. These tools make it possible to identify and classify unrecognized radar echoes, which provides a more complete real-time picture to professionals working in maritime operations centers.
Pirates tend to operate far from shore. A naval force alone cannot cover these areas. The use of a tactical drone with many hours of endurance will widen the areas monitored. For example, the use of aerial drones by the Premier-Maître L’Her of the French Navy was essential in locating the tanker Monjasa Reformer, which was attacked on 25 March 2023. Similarly, drones are integrated into a nation’s system for monitoring maritime and land borders.
Drones represent a force multiplier to support law enforcement at sea and deter crime. Visit, board, search and seizure (VBSS) operations are one of the main missions carried out by warships in connection with the fight against maritime crime. Paired with the use of other naval assets, drones can significantly increase the individual capabilities of vessels during VBSS operations, according to a 2019 paper written by French Navy Rear Adm. Benoit de Guibert. Drones make it possible to have a clear and immediate view of the boarding, to follow the progress of it, and assess risks during these operations.
In the event of contact with pirates or tracking of a pirated ship, the drone allows continuous monitoring. This possibility of remotely monitoring a captured ship is all the more important in hostage-taking, when it is imperative not to provoke an extreme reaction from pirates toward their victims. In addition, the information collected during interventions becomes useful for self-assessment and after action reviews. With the risks inherent in VBSS operations, being able to provide feedback is essential to improve the effectiveness of the team. This efficiency is essential, especially when human life is threatened and urgent actions become necessary.
A growing number of African navies are investing in drone technology. Côte d’Ivoire recently acquired two offshore patrol vessels that will be paired with drones for use at sea. Nigeria relies on drones for its counterpiracy and maritime security project known as Deep Blue. The Seychelles uses two long-range surveillance drones with artificial intelligence to protect its fisheries. The Ghana Navy and the Ghana Boundary Commission use drones to track suspicious vessels and monitor the country’s maritime borders.
UAVs are being used for a variety of maritime tasks such as border patrol, port security, search and rescue, and ship and cargo inspections.
Limits and Constraints on Drone Use
The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea defines states’ rights and obligations in maritime spaces. In its Article 19, the convention does not guarantee “innocent passage” for vessels that “launch, land or take on board” a military device in the territorial sea of a state. From a legal point of view, it becomes difficult to classify drones in a category that can benefit from the right of innocent passage, although the provisions are not explicit on this fact. As a result, the use of aerial drones for maritime surveillance is restricted to areas of sovereignty and areas where the law of the high seas applies — that is to say in the territorial sea, the exclusive economic zone and the high seas. Thus, during operations in which transnational criminals are involved, rigor is required to avoid violating the airspaces of other parties, particularly during operations close to borders or zone limits.
The development of computing and communications technologies strongly supports drone development. In a world where these technologies break down barriers, cyber risks have increased. The use of drones at sea often relies on navigation and satellite data. Disruptive practices can jeopardize the platform. One of the most common is “GPS spoofing,” which occurs when a GPS device is diverted from its coordinates, according to a report titled, “Can a new wave of drone tech make Africa’s seas safer?” published by the Institute for Security Studies. This spoofing can cause accidents as serious as ship strikes, which could be interpreted as an act of war. In addition, terrorists can use cyberattacks to take control of equipment by deprogramming then reprogramming it. Finally, data collected by the sensors is sensitive and must be protected to avoid disclosure of classified information. Consequently, naval forces need to enact procedures for assessing and reducing cyber risks related to the use of drones in their operations so they do not compromise missions and equipment security.
The Navy of the Future
The use of drones in the Gulf of Guinea can optimize traditional naval resources and help navies be more flexible and quicker to respond to threats. The advantages linked to their use particularly relate to maritime security operations, such as VBSS and other missions requiring naval forces to have intelligence gathering and surveillance capabilities. But adopting new technology can have disruptive effects on navies. One consequence could be a loss of interest and investment in vessel-based surveillance missions, especially in the Gulf of Guinea where resources are limited. It must, therefore, be remembered that new tools should be adopted to make the overall fighting force stronger, not to replace it or make it obsolete. As de Guibert wrote: “It is important not to submit to new technologies, it’s better to master them to construct the Navy of the future.”
With proper planning and understanding, new technologies such as drones can be an important tool in helping naval professionals carry out their mission of providing safety at sea for commerce, travel, conservation and recreation to thrive.
Written by Lieutenant Commander Djaiblond Dominique-Yohann Kouakou, Côte d’Ivoire National Navy.
Kouakou is an officer in the National Navy of the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire. He has more than 15 years of service and commands a warship. He has an engineering degree in naval operations from the Royal Naval School of Morocco. Additionally, he holds a master’s degree in maritime affairs from the World Maritime University in Malmö, Sweden. He is passionate about securing the seas with a particular emphasis on maritime technology.
Republished with permission from Africa Defense Forum and republished with permission. The original article can be found here.
(Source: https://www.defenceweb.co.za/)
23 Dec 24. US DARPA completes at-sea refuelling test for NOMARS USV Defiant. The NOMARS FAS method allows for refuelling without any human presence on the USV, although the refuelling vessel is manned.
The US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has successfully completed an initial at-sea refuelling test for the No Manning Required Ship (NOMARS) programme’s Defiant uncrewed surface vessel (USV).
This vessel is engineered for fully autonomous operation without human crew members.
The Uncrewed Maritime Systems Program Office (PMS-406) and USV Squadron 1 (USVRON-1) of the US Navy executed the test using two experimental USVs, Ranger and Mariner.
The goal was to tackle the challenges of fuelling at sea (FAS) without personnel on board.
Traditional FAS operations depend on human involvement to manage equipment, which imposes design limitations and potential risks during personnel transfer to USVs in adverse weather conditions.
The NOMARS FAS method allows for refuelling without any human presence on the USV, although the refuelling vessel is manned.
This system aims to replicate standard refuelling procedures to ease the transition for Military Sealift Command (MSC) oiler crews.
The DARPA has collaborated with MSC’s Taluga Group to guide the FAS system and its operational concept development.
During the test, the USV Ranger was outfitted with a receiving station indicative of the one planned for NOMARS USV Defiant while the USV Mariner was equipped with a custom-designed refuelling station by Serco, the programme’s prime contractor.
The trial successfully demonstrated all aspects of the system’s operational concept, including the transfer and connection of the refuelling probe and the simulation of fuel transfer using water. (Source: naval-technology.com)
31 Dec 24. ‘Safe and evidence-led’: New guidance for smaller Remotely Operated Unmanned Vessels.
Maritime and Coastguard Agency to uphold safety while supporting development.
The UK has become one of the leaders internationally in upholding the safe operation of smaller Remotely Operated Unmanned Vessels (ROUVs) with new guidance published by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA).
Marine Guidance Notice (MGN) 705 (M), which comes into force today (31 December 2024), sets out a pathway for operation of the rapidly growing number of hi-tech ROUVs between 2.5 and 4.5 metres in length.
It puts the UK among the first in the world to formally set out the scope of regulation and operators’ obligations in this emerging category, as well as the MCA’s commitments to well-founded oversight that keeps people safe.
Publication is the first step since extensive consultation began in 2022 with a range of maritime industries.
The core of MGN 705 (M) is a two-year general exemption for eligible ROUVs. It runs alongside research commitments by the MCA to ensure future updates are underpinned by firm evidence and clear criteria.
Key obligations are set out for owners and operators, such as for eligible ROUVs to be under constant supervision by a human able to take control at any time.
A safety assurance assessment must be declared before operation, and speed will be limited to 6 knots or planing speed, whichever is lower. Other safety requirements cover vessel visibility, anti-fouling, and remote camera capability.
The MCA has committed to reviewing MGN 705 (M) by 31 December 2027 to ensure the conditions remain supportive for ROUV technology to progress safely.
MCA Code Vessel Lead Rob Taylor said: “The welfare of people at sea is our priority, whatever the vessel. Through MGN 705 (M) we will continue to support the development and safety of ROUVs and take swift regulatory action where the evidence leads. This is not the end of the process. We will continue to listen and respond to new technology and feedback. Our aim is to maintain regulations that are proportionate, consistent, evidence-led and, most importantly, keep people safe.”
Read Marine Guidance Notice 705 (M) by visiting MGN 705 (M) Remotely operated unmanned vessels (ROUVs) of 2.5 metres to less than 4.5 metres in length overall. (Source: https://www.gov.uk/)
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