27 mai 2011 par Édouard Maire INFO-AVIATION

Le 26 mai, Cessna Aircraft a reçu une commande d’un montant de 88,5 millions de dollars pour fournir à l’Afghanistan des avions d’entraînement.

La commande porte sur 6 Cessna T-182T, 26 Cessna 208Bs, 6 dispositifs de formation des équipages, plus le soutien en Afghanistan, et la formation de conseillers.

En Irak, des C-208B Caravans ont été équipés de tourelles de surveillance, et certains d’entre eux ont même été armés de missiles Hellfire sous la désignation « AC-208B Combat Caravans ». De son côté, l’Afghanistan a opté pour le Cessna 182 Skylane Turbo, alors que l’Irak a opté pour le Cessna 172 Skyhawks. Le Skyhawk est un avion d’entraînement très populaire dans le monde, mais l’Afghanistan est un pays à haute altitude avec un air très chaud qui nécessite un moteur puissant. Le moteur Turbo Skylane du Lycoming TIO-540-AK1A réunit toutes ces qualités dans un avion très similaire au Skyhawk, et offrant une pleine puissance à une altitude maximale de 20.000 pieds.

Les avions « Bird Dogs » ont intégré la force aérienne de l’Irak à base de Cessna 172 et 208Bs. Ces avions d’entraînement assurent aussi des missions de surveillance et même d’attaque grâce à des variantes. L’Afghanistan suit le même processus, avec des besoins en formation de nouveaux pilotes très importants.

Ce n’est pas la première fois que des avions civils sont reconvertis en avions militaires. Cette doctrine a très bien fonctionné durant la seconde guerre mondiale, en Corée et au Vietnam. La nécessité pour un pays de s’équiper d’avions de combat à bas prix, et dotés d’une faible technologie tout en affichant des taux d’accidents inférieur à celui des drones font le succès des Cessna « armés » en Afghanistan et en Irak.

Un Cessna AC-208B irakien tirant un missile Hellfire

19 May 2011 army-technology.com

Following successful trials at home, the Swedish Armed Forces have just deployed Systematic Defence products, SitaWare Headquarters and SitaWare WebCOP, as a part of their ISAF C2-platform.

The Swedish Armed Forces participate in the Afghanistan mission as part of Regional Command North situated in Mazar-e Sharif, with a current troop contribution of 500 soldiers. The build-up for deployment of the Swedish C2-system in Afghanistan started back mid 2010, with early planning, followed by intense tests and initial deployment in April 2011.

The initial installation of SitaWare Headquarters 4.9 will provide the Swedish Armed Forces with MIP interoperability, an essential part of ISAF technical requirements, as well as COP and planning capability. SitaWare WebCOP is used for track distribution, including NFFI presentation in SitaWare Headquarters.

Systematic is immensely proud of being able to provide the Swedish Armed Forces with just a tiny piece of their mission in Afghanistan, a piece which will hopefully increase situational awareness and communication capability amongst the many participating ISAF nations.

May 26, 2011: STRATEGY PAGE

France is sending its new SOUVIM 2 mine clearing system to Afghanistan, to give it a chance to succeed under combat conditions. This makes it much easier to sell to export customers. More importantly, France has thousands of troops in Afghanistan, and if SOUVIM 2 works as advertised, it will save French lives. It will may also generate some sales to other NATO nations with troops in Afghanistan. To that end, SOUVIM 2 was designed to work with current MRAP vehicles used for mine clearing. SOUVIM 2 can clear 150 kilometers of road a day, at the rate of 10 kilometers an hour.

SOUVIM 2 consists of a tow vehicle, with a V shaped undercarriage and large, low pressure tires that impart too little pressure on dirt roads to trigger most anti-vehicle mines. The tow vehicle only carries one operator, whose cab is completely armored. This vehicle carries electronic mine detectors in front, and pulls two trailers that carry additional gear for detecting or triggering mines.

SOUVIM 2 is designed to detect or trigger a wide variety of mine designs, including some very old ones. A major source of sales is expected to be peacekeeping operations and civilian relief operations. Because of that, the equipment is designed for ease of use, and capable of being used by civilians after brief training.

May 25, 2011 defpro.com

BETHESDA, MD. | DRS Technical Services, Inc., a DRS Defense Solutions line of business, announced that its Global Enterprise Solutions (GES) business unit has been awarded two task orders to provide X-band satellite connectivity and terrestrial transport services to U.S. Forces serving in Southwest Asia.

The awards, which are valued at more than $48 million, were made by the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) under Defense Information System Network (DISN) Satellite Transmission Services - Global (DSTS-G) task orders 691 and 692. These task orders ensure that DRS Defense Solutions will continue to provide in-theater support to the Department of Defense.

The terms of the award call for DRS Defense Solutions and its suppliers - Intelsat General Corporation, Paradigm Secure Communications, Ltd., and Xtar, LLC - to provide a package of managed services which include: remote terminals, high-speed modems with advanced coding, ground stations, fiber connectivity and terrestrial equipment for high data-rate X-band links, including a total throughput of 620 Mbps satellite links.

DRS Technical Services will also be providing operations and maintenance support services for the remote terminals.

“These awards underscore the importance of our work in Southwest Asia,” notes Dr. Mitchell Rambler, president of DRS Technical Services, Inc. “Our strong presence in theater allows DRS to provide a broad range of communications services to our nation’s warfighters, directly contributing to their safety and mission success.”

May 25, 2011 defpro.com

NATO’s Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen met with President Karzai today to discuss NATO's long-term commitment to Afghanistan and the implementation of the Transition process.

As Transition is implemented, Afghans will take an increasing lead for security over the coming months, with the aim of reaching full responsibility for security throughout the country by the end of 2014. During this time, ISAF troops will move into a supporting role and continue their training and mentoring role.

General David Petraeus, the Commander of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) and Ambassador Simon Gass, NATO's Senior Civilian Representative, were also in attendence.

During his meeting with President Karzai, the Secretary General emphasised, "Those who threaten Afghanistan’s future should be under no illusion – NATO is and remains committed to Afghanistan."

Following the meeting at a press conference at the Presidential Palace in Kabul, Mr. Rasmussen said, “My message to the enemies of Afghanistan is clear. If you continue on the road of violence, you will find no victory, only defeat. Now is the time to follow the road of peace. Cut ties to Al Qaeda and other terror networks; renounce violence; abide by Afghanistan's constitution.”

President Karzai also addressed those Afghans who are fighting with the Taliban, saying "The Afghan people will give them a chance to return to their homes and to participate in the stability and peace building and the reconstruction of Afghanistan."

24 mai 2011 Par TF1 News (d'après agence)

Selon le communiqué de l'armée française, le crash du Mirage 2000 a eu une origine accidentelle. Les deux pilotes ont pu s'éjecter.

Un Mirage 2000-D français s'est écrasé accidentellement mardi en Afghanistan, a annoncé l'armée française à Kaboul, précisant que l'équipage avait pu s'éjecter.

Selon le porte-parole de l'armée française en Afghanistan, le lieutenant-colonel Eric de Lapresle, l'accident s'est produit "à 5 km à l'ouest de Farah", dans l'ouest du pays.  Evoquant une "extinction de réacteur", il a exclu qu'un tir des insurgés soit à l'origine du crash, le premier d'un appareil militaire français depuis le début de l'engagement de la France en Afghanistan, fin 2001. "L'équipage est en bonne santé et a été récupéré", a ajouté le lieutenant-colonel de Lapresle.

Six avions de combat français déployés en Afghanistan

L'appareil, issu du détachement français d'avions de combat basé à Kandahar, intervenait en appui de troupes italiennes prises à partie par des insurgés, quand l'équipage a dû s'éjecter, a précisé l'armée française. Il est l'un des six avions de combat français - trois Mirage 2000-D et trois Mirage F1 - actuellement déployés en Afghanistan. Le Mirage 2000 accidenté appartenait à l'escadron Navarre basé à Nancy.

Début février, un hélicoptère français de combat Tigre avait été détruit et ses deux pilotes légèrement blessés lors d'un atterrissage d'urgence à l'est de Kaboul. L'armée française avait là aussi exclu un tir insurgé.

May 21 2011 David Pugliese - Defence Watch

As you may know the Taliban have started using Twitter. Post Media's Matthew Fisher reports that the Canadian Forces are reacting:

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan — The chief of staff to the general commanding Canada's combat forces in Afghanistan has emphatically denied a tweet sent out by the Taliban this week that said, "Land mine in Boldak obliterates Canadian invaders (sic) tank."

"Task Force Kandahar does not have forces or equipment in the Spin Boldak region," Lt.-Col. Doug Claggett said Friday. "The announcement that a Canadian tank was destroyed in the Spin Boldak region highlights the lies and propaganda published on the insurgents' website and Twitter page."

In fact, no Canadian armoured forces have operated in Spin Boldak, which borders Pakistan, for several years. The Van Doo battle group, which closes out Canada's combat operations in Kandahar in July, is concentrated in two districts about 100 kilometres to the west of Spin Boldak.

The Taliban has for years made outrageous claims on the web of battlefield triumphs against Canadian and other coalition forces. However, it apparently only began using Twitter earlier this month.

Tuesday's tweet, which was written by someone calling himself Mostafa Ahmedi, linked to a longer item credited to Qari Yousuf Ahmadi on the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan's Voice of Jihad website.

"Reports from Boldak district's Dona area say that a Canadin invaders tanak was obliterated this morning at 08:00 am when a land mine ripped through it as the invaders military convoy was passing through the mentioned area," read the Voice of Jihad entry, which contained typos.

While not commenting on how closely Canada monitors the Taliban's use of the web to spread what is usually disinformation, "we are certainly aware of the insurgents' use of the Internet to spread their propaganda," Claggett said. "The absence of relevancy with the population and their failed acts of aggression force the insurgents to spread falsehoods and grandiose claims of victory across the Internet.

"The insurgents' claims are evidence that they are accountable to no one and actively spread lies to advance their cause. Insurgent claims run counter to the truth on the ground and actually demonstrates desperation. We place no value in the unsubstantiated claims of the insurgents."

18 May 2011 By KATE BRANNEN DefenseNews

A shutdown of the supply routes that run through Pakistan would pose problems for the U.S. military but would not halt Afghan operations, according to the Army's chief logistics officer.

"We would overcome it," Army Lt. Gen. Mitchell Stevenson, deputy chief of staff for logistics, told the Senate Armed Services readiness subcommittee during a May 18 hearing. "It would not stop Afghanistan operations, but it would be a challenge."

Several lawmakers have voiced concern about the U.S. relationship with Pakistan following the capture of Osama bin Laden. A key part of that relationship is Pakistan's permission for the U.S. to move supplies for Afghanistan through the country. If those supply routes were shut down for any reason, lawmakers wanted to know what would happen.

The Army keeps 45 days worth of fuel on the ground in Afghanistan so that operations can withstand severe disruptions to its supply lines, Stevenson said.

If the southern routes were shut down, the U.S. would increase its use of airdrops and flow more in from the north. However, that route takes much longer and is more expensive, Stevenson said.

Smaller disruptions already frequently delay the delivery of supplies. For example, a sit-down strike in Karachi is keeping supply trucks from getting to the port, Stevenson said. He expects the strike to last a couple of days.

Of the supplies it delivers by land, the U.S. brings in 60 percent to Afghanistan from the north through Central Asia and the Baltic states and 40 percent from the south through Pakistan. There, supplies arrive in the port of Karachi and travel over land by contractor-driven trucks.

The goal is to increase supplies coming in from the north to 75 percent, Stevenson said. "We're not there yet."

The U.S. relies on airlift for all of its "sensitive" and "high-tech" equipment, Stevenson said. This is due to restrictions placed on the U.S. by countries along the northern route, as well as frequent attacks on supply trucks.

To keep supplies off the roads, the U.S. also relies on a large pool of "theater-provided" equipment. The challenge there is that the equipment requires major overhaul and refurbishment about every two years. The capability to do that in Afghanistan is now available, the three-star said.

The Army is also experimenting with shipping more supplies to a nearby "friendly country" and then flying them into Afghanistan using C-17s. The Army is examining whether this route is cheaper in the long run because it avoids pilferage and other kinds of attacks, Stevenson said.

The general did not name the country. However, Stars and Stripes reported last spring that Bahrain served as a staging area to ship MRAP all-terrain vehicles into Afghanistan. The new vehicles were transported by ship to Bahrain and then flown to theater.

May 15, 2011 by WOTN Editor

Afghans progress in developing sustainable EOD capability

ANA EOD KABUL, Afghanistan – As improvised explosive devices remain the weapon of choice for insurgents, a critical Afghan National Army capability requirement recognized by coalition forces is the need to develop and maintain a sustainable Afghan led Explosive Ordnance Disposal capability.

The growth of this capability will allow ANA to maintain their freedom of movement and protect Afghan civilians from this threat. Significant progress has been made across the country with an extensive recruiting campaign to find individuals who understand the risks associated with this field.

Once recruited and placed into a unit, the Afghan soldiers must complete lengthy training to qualify as an EOD operator. After completing the training courses, soldiers become part of an ANA EOD team and commence further training and mentorship with coalition forces to become better prepared to conduct independent operations.

The Task Force Kandahar EOD Squadron, along with other coalition partners, has transitioned its duties from training to training and validation, which is primarily conducted outside of their compound. Aside from their duties of disposing IEDs, the coalition EOD teams are relied upon to mentor the ANA EOD teams to ensure that their tactical and technical skills are to an acceptable standard in one of the most dangerous parts of the country.

Currently in Regional Command South, the Task Force Kandahar EOD Squadron is the only organizations actively conducting mentorship and partnership with ANA EOD teams and just recently validated the first ANA EOD team in Afghanistan to conduct independent operations.

May 14 2011 By David Pugliese Defence Watch

From the U.S. Army:

Washington - The U.S. Army is acquiring and sustaining Russian-built Mi-17 helicopters for Iraqi and Afghan forces so they can further stand up their respective militaries and enable more U.S. forces to return home, service officials said.

"We're buying those systems because our (servicemembers) don't get to come home until (Iraqi and Afghan militaries) take over the mission and are trained to do it," said Maj. Gen. Tim Crosby, who serves as program executive officer for aviation. "There's incentive for us right now."

 The aircraft purchases are at the request of both the Department of State and the Department of Defense.

The U.S. Army's Non-Standard Rotary Wing program office plans to acquire 21 new Mi-17s for Afghanistan. The office has already bought 22 of the aircraft for Iraq, of which 14 have been delivered, said Col. Norbert Vergez, who heads up the project.

In addition, U.S.-based Northrop Grumman is performing maintenance and sustainment on 52 existing Mi-17s in Afghanistan, Vergez said.

"The primary consideration was based on a desire by the customer, in the case of Afghanistan, to have a platform that they were familiar with and that was simple and easy to operate," Vergez said. "They wanted something that was immediately available for them to assimilate into their armed forces."

The Mi-17 was originally designed by the Russians in the 1970s. The helicopter was used by the then Soviet Army in the war between the Soviet Union and Afghanistan. It is well suited for operating in that environment. Since that time, the Afghan military has used the Mi-17 and become familiar with the aircraft's operation.

Vergez said the high-altitude-capable, troop and supply-carrying Mi-17 is considered a national asset by the Afghans.

"It is an extension of the sovereign Afghan government beyond Kabul," Vergez noted. "For example, during a series of recent floods in the mountains, the Afghan government launched two of its recently acquired Mi-17's to help the people."

Vergez said that over a five day period, using the Mi-17, the Afghans were able to rescue over 1,000 people from the floods.

"That builds good will," he said. "Afghanistan is tribal, so when the central government comes in with that kind of power, it really goes a long way."

Vergez said delivery of the Mi-17s, which fly at altitude up to 19,860 feet, mean the Afghan military will gain further independence and that means fewer U.S. military will need to be in Afghanistan.

"There is no air support for Afghanistan other than the Americans as we establish this capability for Afghanistan," Vergez said. "With every one of these deliveries we are able to bring Americans home."

UH-60M Photo: Sikorsky

May 12, 2011 By Bill Sweetman AviationWeek.com

The stealthier H-60 Black Hawk helicopters used in the May 1 raid on Osama bin Laden’s compound may have been modified at Sikorsky’s Hawk Works facilities near Elmira, N.Y. That is where the United Technologies Corp. helicopter company has completed specialized, low-volume Black Hawk variants and has conducted prototyping activities, such as the construction of the X2 demonstrator.

One indicator of the current sensitivity of the Hawk Works facilities may be that attempts have been made to alter images of them in Google Earth, the leading public portal for aerial and satellite imagery. The Elmira Corning Regional Airport has been blurred out of images supplied by government agencies to Google Earth.

Sikorsky’s Elmira activities build on a legacy that includes low-noise aircraft built for the CIA and other agencies and overseas governments via the 2004 acquisition of Schweizer Aircraft Co. The manufacturer of the 300/330-series helicopters, Schweizer produced a family of ultra-quiet reconnaissance aircraft based on its sailplane designs, including the single-engine SA 2-37B (military designation RG-8A), the tandem-twin-engine SA-38A and its turbine-powered derivative, the SA-38B, designated RU-38A/B.

In fact, the Schweizer acquisition was directed by Paul Martin, former Sikorsky senior vice president for advanced development programs, who joined Sikorsky in 2000 from Lockheed Martin, where he had been executive vice president of its Skunk Works. Martin demurred when asked to comment.

Martin left Sikorsky in 2007 and is now president of California-based management consultancy Humphreys & Associates. Martin’s biography at Humphreys notes that at Sikorsky he was “responsible for all ongoing military production and advanced development programs at Sikorsky. These programs included ... several classified programs.”

From a program viewpoint, a stealth-modified Black Hawk program could have been integrated into the MH-60 Modernization Program for U.S. Army special operations units, which started in 2005 and is delivering 73 MH-60M helicopters to replace the current MH-60K/L force. The first MH-60Ms were delivered to the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne) in Fort Campbell, Ky., in February 2011.

Budgeted at $1.07 billion through fiscal 2016, the program delivers common-standard helicopters based on the Army UH-60M, but with more powerful General Electric YT706 engines (equivalent to the commercial CT7-8) and added communications, situational awareness and survivability equipment. This includes the Raytheon Silent Knight radar, designed to provide in-weather terrain-following and avoidance while operating in a low-probability-of-intercept mode. The Special Operations Forces Supply Activity facility in Richmond, Ky., is performing the modifications on new UH-60Ms.

Sikorsky is making no comments and refers all questions about the helicopters used in the bin Laden operation to U.S. Special Operations Command.

The Elmira unit was originally dubbed the HawkWorks and formally known as the Rapid Prototyping and Military Derivatives Completion Center (RPMDCC). In 2006, the company broke ground on a new 100,000-sq.-ft. HawkWorks facility at Elmira, across the airfield from the larger Schweizer factory. It was announced that “Black Hawk derivative helicopters requiring customized configurations for a range of specialized missions will be manufactured at Sikorsky’s Connecticut facilities and then transported to the RPMDCC for completion.”

On Google Earth, the entire Elmira airport is covered by imagery dated April 2006 and one of Sikorsky’s facilities (built in 2006-07) is missing. The area within the airport perimeter has been blurred to the equivalent of multiple-meter resolution and a 200 X 40-yd. area on the main ramp has been overpainted. Most Google Earth imagery is 1-3 years old.

May 10, 2011 by 438th Air Expedtionary Wing Public Affairs / AFNS – defpro.com

SHINDAND AB, Afghanistan | Seven Afghan Mi-17 instructors graduated from the first Mi-17 "Train the Trainer" upgrade course May 4 taught by AAF and U.S. Air Force instructors at the Afghanistan Premier Flight Training Center here.

"Afghan aircrew instructors are pivotal to growing independent combat flying forces, ultimately leading to a self sustaining air force," said Maj. Sam Kraemer, who is assigned to the 444th Air Expeditionary Advisory Squadron. "These students are the first wave of the train the trainer program at Shindand Air Base, designed to help transition the training of the AAF from coalition forces to Afghan control."

The AAF Mi-17 class 90-01 certified four pilots, two flying crew chiefs and a flight engineer for instructor duties. The students were evaluated on emergency procedures, remote-area operations, tactical formation flying and aerial gunnery.

"I still love to fly at this point, and look forward to teaching students back at Kandahar," said Afghan air force 1st Lt. Abdul Wahid, a graduating instructor flight engineer who has been flying for 25 years.

The course goal is for instructor pilots who graduate to be able to utilize their training to build a professional, fully independent, and operationally capable Afghan air force. The graduates' briefing skills are on track to meet this goal, said Maj. Drew Grigson, a 444th AEAS pilot adviser.

"During this class, we borrowed a train-the-trainer concept we use back home," he said. "This provides AAF instructors with the skills and knowledge of training professional aircrew and future instructor candidates."

Also graduating from class 90-01, were two Afghan Mi-17 flying crew chiefs. Sergeants Qari and Norallah from Kandahar Airfield, completed the course, which included defensive fire training at local ranges. During their graduation sortie, they also directed combat on-load and off-load operations with Afghan National Army forces as part of an infiltration exercise. The exercises help provide combat-ready flying crew chiefs to their operational units.

"The AAF Mi-17 instructors and flying crew chiefs are excited to return to their operational units at Kabul or Kandahar (Airfield) and get back in the fight for a stable and free Afghanistan," Major Kraemer said. "After the graduation ceremony, Shindand instructors provided the new graduates advice, handshakes and contact information for around-the-clock help to truly stay 'Shona ba shone ... ooga pa ooga' (shoulder to shoulder)."

israeli-weapons.com

May 7 2011 by David Pugliese - Defence Watch

The UAVs supplied by MacDonald Dettwiler, based in Richmond, BC, to Australian forces in Kandahar are being used at a high rate, according to the Australian military.

More from the Australian Defence Department:

The fourth rotation (ROT 4) of Australia's Heron Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) Detachment in Kandahar, Afghanistan, has set a unit record for monthly flying hours. Commanding Officer Heron RPA Detachment - ROT 4 Wing Commander Greg Wells said his personnel had achieved 475 hours during April. "This exceeds the efforts of previous Heron rotations and means we have reached a point where we are able to achieve a significant amount of time on station providing an all-important 'eye in the sky' for our troops," Wing Commander Wells said. "One of the advantages of Heron is it can stay airborne for a very long time. We deliver enhanced situational awareness to our soldiers, which is vital in helping them achieve their mission on the ground." "The success of Heron is a combination of both smart technology and people. A typical Heron mission involves a lot of work from a very small team of specialists, ranging from engineers to intelligence officers, imagery analysts and pilots." The Heron team comprises 28 Australian and New Zealand Defence Force personnel. The tri-service unit has logged more than 4600 total flight hours since beginning operations in January last year. Dubbed 'Bluey' by the Australians, the Heron can fly for up to 24 hours and is a key asset in the conduct of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions in the Afghanistan theatre of operations. It helps to protect Australian and Coalition forces, as well as Afghan civilians, from insurgent activity, including the laying of improvised explosive devices. Information collected by the Heron is analysed and processed in real time. This means the commander has the benefit of having eyes on a target to build a more accurate picture of the battlespace. Heron are operated from a ground base, controlled by trained pilots and can withstand a range of weather conditions. "Every suspicious activity we investigate and every improvised explosive device activity we identify is potentially a life saved," Wing Commander Wells said. "We are very proud of the record-breaking milestone the team has achieved this month, and we will continue to push our performance to exceed this in the future." Heron ROT 4 currently operates three airframes forming part of a larger International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) RPA capability in Afghanistan. The Australian Heron RPAs are unarmed.