01/04/2011 DGA

En mai 2010 - Antoine Torres a eu pour mission l'adaptation réactive sur les équipements à Kaboul, Bagram, en Kapisa et en Surobi. Cette mission a été organisée conjointement avec la STAT et l’état-major de l'armée de terre (EMAT).

En mars 2010 -Norbert Fargère a assuré la mise en place du partenariat DGA / armée de terre sur les urgences opérations (UO) à Kaboul, Nijrab et Tora. Mission organisée conjointement avec la STAT et l’EMAT

En juillet 2009 -Patrick Dufour et Pascal Marchandin ont effectué le maintien en condition opérationnelle du matériel à Kaboul, Kandahar, Bagram et Tora. Mission organisée avec le soutien logistique interarmées (SLI) de l’état-major des armées (EMA).

En mars 2009 -Sylvie Gravelines s'est rendue à Kandahar pour le soutien au déploiement du Rafale.

En février 2009 -François Moysan, Jacques Doumic et Emmanuel Canton ont eu pour missions la lutte contre les engins explosifs improvisés (EEI), les moyens d'ouverture d'itinéraires et les drone.

En novembre 2008 -Joël Reingewertz s'est chargé du déploiement du AASM (armement du Rafale) à Kandahar.

Photo Alenia Aeronautica

31/03/11 By Craig Hoyle Flightglobal.com

Alenia Aeronautica delivered the Bulgarian air force’s third and last C-27J Spartan tactical transport during a 31 March ceremony at Sofia Vrazhdebna airport. The Italian company also opened a new logistics support centre for the type at the site. Introducing the C-27J forms part of a modernisation effort by the Bulgarian air force. The service’s other current transport assets include three Antonov An-26s and three Let L-410s, says Flightglobal’s MiliCAS database. Examples of both legacy types are visible in the image below, along with the air force’s lone An-30 reconnaissance aircraft.  Bulgaria had originally intended to acquire five C-27Js via a contract signed in 2006, and received its first example in November 2007. However, the NATO nation last April announced its intention to cancel the final two aircraft in an effort to save funds. Delivery of the third example was delayed while negotiations took place. Alenia Aeronautica has also previously delivered C-27Js to Greece, Italy, Lithuania, Morocco, Romania, Slovakia, the US Air Force and the US Army. It also recently named Indonesia as a potential future customer for the type.

30 Mar 2011 DefenseNews AFP

BRUSSELS - NATO on March 30 began to take command of Libyan air bombing operations from a U.S.-led coalition, as warplanes and other assets from several allies came under the military organization's control. "NATO aircraft are flying under NATO command in the Libyan sky," NATO spokeswoman Oana Lungescu said. "This is a phased process, which will be completed as soon as all allies and partners have transferred authority for their assets." The 28-member alliance is gradually replacing the United States at the helm of aerial missions that have been conducted by U.S., French, British and other coalition planes since March 19 to protect civilians from Moammar Gadhafi's ground forces. Britain, Canada, Belgium, Denmark, Spain and the Netherlands placed all or part of their military assets under NATO's authority on March 30, an alliance official said on condition of anonymity. NATO's combined air operations centre in Poggio Renatico, northern Italy, transmitted flight plans to units involved in the aerial campaign, the official said. A NATO diplomat has said that the alliance would effectively be in full command of the operations on March 31. NATO has enforced an arms embargo off Libya's coast since last week and also is policing Libya's skies to prevent hostile jets from flying. NATO agreed to take on the broader mission - strikes against forces threatening civilians - on March 27 after overcoming Turkish concerns about the air strikes and French reluctance to hand the lead to the alliance.

An artist concept showing the Global Hawk RQ-4B Block 40 configured for the NATO AGS core capability. Photo: Northrop Grumman

March 29, 2011 by Tamir Eshel DEFENSE UPDATE

Northrop Grumman Corporation submitted its final proposal for the NATO Alliance Ground Surveillance (AGS) core capability. NATO AGS system will employ an air segment consisting of six Northrop Grumman Block 40 Global Hawks specially missionized to provide persistent intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance to ground, maritime and air commanders, anytime and anywhere in the world. These Global hawks will be equipped with Northrop Grumman’s Multi-Platform Radar Technology Insertion Program (MP-RTIP) ground surveillance radar sensor, which will be capable of detecting and tracking moving objects throughout the observed areas, as well as providing radar imagery of target locations and stationary objects.

The primary ground segment component will consist of a number of ground stations in different configurations, such as mobile and transportable configurations, which will provide data link connectivity, data processing and exploitation capabilities, and interfaces for interoperability with Command, Control Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance(C2ISR) systems. The AGS Core ground segment will also include dedicated mission support facilities at the AGS Main Operating Bases (MOB), and ground stations for flight control of the UAVs. The Main Operating Base will be located at Sigonella Air Base, Italy. The Core system will be supplemented by interoperable national airborne stand-off ground surveillance systems from NATO countries, thus forming a system of systems.

NATO AGS program was approved by European heads of state and government as a priority capability initiative at the 2010 Lisbon Summit. In support of the new strategic concept, system will establish a network-enabled sensor system, supporting interoperability with national systems in support of all possible missions, including force protection, border and maritime security, counter- and anti-terrorism, crisis management, peacekeeping and enforcement, and natural disaster relief.

The current proposal is based on refinements introduced by the team to meet NATO requirements. “Our updated proposal offers an affordable, executable program that will provide an operationally relevant system to the Alliance,” said Pat McMahon, sector vice president of Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems’ Battle Management & Engagement Systems Division. Northrop Grumman is expecting contract award by July 2011.

NATO embarked on the AGS program in 1995, when the NATO Defence Ministers agreed to develop a pooled NATO asset, consisting of both manned and unmanned platforms, as well as ground control stations in various configurations. The manned platform was to be based on the Airbus A321 commercial airliner, and the unmanned platform on the Global Hawk high altitude long endurance UAV. Both the manned and unmanned platforms were to carry the Transatlantic Cooperative AGS Radar (TCAR). In November 2007, however, due to declining European defense budgets, NATO chose to move forward with a UAV-only solution based on the Global Hawk RQ-4B and the multi-platform radar technology insertion program (MP-RTIP). With this revision, the number of cooperating nations was reduced from 24 to 14.

NATO AGS is the first international sale of the Block 40 Global Hawk. The ground element, which provides real-time data, intelligence and target identification to commanders within and beyond line of sight, will be wholly produced by the team’s European industry partners, offering the potential for national re-use in other programs as well as direct work in the program for the participating nations. Northrop Grumman is the prime contractor for the program, leading a team which includes companies from each of nations participating in the acquisition.

The program is managed by NATO Alliance Ground Surveillance Management Agency (NAGSMA) and being implemented by the AGS Implementation Office (AGS IO) at Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE). The agency was established in September 2009 after all participating nations signed the AGS Program Memorandum of Understanding. NAGSMA, was chartered to acquire the NATO-owned and operated core capability, and is responsible for the procurement of the NATO AGS capability until it has reached full operational capability at the NATO AGS main operating base in Italy.

March 28, 2011by Michael Listner THE SPACE REVIEW

Note: This essay is based on an article previously published March 8, 2011, at Examiner.com.

The March 7 edition of The Hindu reported that India performed a test of the interceptor missile portion of its ballistic missile defense system on March 6, 2011. The test, the sixth of the series, was reportedly a success and a validation of the technology to be integrated into India’s defense system.1

The target missile, a modified Prithvi, was launched at 9:32 a.m. from Launch Complex III of the Integrated Test Range at Chandipur, Orissa. The modified Prithvi mimicked the trajectory of a ballistic missile with a 600-kilometer (324-nautical-mile) range. Radars at different locations tracked the modified Prithvi, determined its trajectory, and passed the information in real time to Mission Control Centre (MCC) to launch the interceptor. The interceptor used a directional warhead to maneuver the interceptor to the modified Prithvi before exploding. As part the announcement, V.K. Saraswat, Scientific Adviser to the Defence Minister and the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) Director-General, stated this latest success demonstrated India’s capability to effectively neutralize satellites belonging to an adversary.2

While not the primary purpose of the test of India’s ABM program, Sarawat’s statement reflects India’s interest in anti-satellite (ASAT) technology, and it has reportedly put together the necessary components to acquire such a capacity (see “India’s missile defense/anti-satellite nexus”, The Space Review, May 10, 2010). The question remains that, even with the necessary technology to acquire an ASAT capacity, does India now have a proven capability?

source Cassidian

28/03/11 By Craig Hoyle Flight International

Frustrated by a continued lack of progress with advancing its Talarion unmanned air system programme, EADS company Cassidian has suggested an alternative funding proposal to planned participants France, Germany and Spain. Approval to launch an estimated €3 billion ($4.2 billion) effort for development and production of the Talarion has already slipped by around two years. Cuts in defence spending among European governments mean that getting a green light for a major new programme at this time is unlikely, concedes Cassidian chief executive Stefan Zoller. "Seeing the budget constraints of the nations, we have come up with a stepped approach, where we have proposed to build a prototype to fly at the end of 2013 to 2014," he said during a financial presentation at the company's Unterschleissheim headquarters near Munich on 28 March. "To build this prototype we are asking right now for €300 million: €100 million per nation, spread over three years. That is something that should be manageable, despite the crisis." Zoller declined to detail further terms of the offer, or to reveal any requested deadline for a decision.

March 27, 2011 DEFPRO.COM

NATO Allies have decided to take on the whole military operation in Libya under the United Nations Security Council Resolution. Our goal is to protect civilians and civilian-populated areas under threat of attack from the Gaddafi regime. NATO will implement all aspects of the UN Resolution. Nothing more, nothing less. This is a very significant step, which proves NATO's capability to take decisive action. In the past week, we have put together a complete package of operations in support of the United Nations Resolution by sea and by air. We are already enforcing the arms embargo and the No Fly Zone, and with today's decision we are going beyond. We will be acting in close coordination with our international and regional partners to protect the people of Libya. We have directed NATO's top operational Commander to begin executing this operation with immediate effect.

Publié le 27 mars 2011 par Nicolas Gros-Verheyde

(BRUXELLES2/Synthèse) Sur les interventions militaires en Libye, la confusion règne, habilement entretenue, par plusieurs des acteurs du dossier. Il n’y a pas une opération en Libye mais quatre, voire cinq (si on compte la mission Frontex). Tour du(des) propriétaire(s)…

La répartition des tâches paraît claire sur quatre de ces cinq missions. L’opération « No Fly Zone » devant passer sous contrôle de l’OTAN dim 27 mars.  Il ne reste, en fait que, sur la « protection des civils », le partage des tâches entre OTAN et Coalition reste encore à préciser (1). La première réunion du groupe de contact a lieu à Londres le 29 mars 2011. L’avancée de l’opposition sur le terrain pourrait faciliter et accélérer la recherche d’une solution.

Un partage de moyens et une confusion des rôles

Avant tout, il faut savoir qu’il n’y a pas d’étanchéité totale entre toutes ces opérations. Notamment au niveau des moyens employés. Ceux-ci (navires, avions et militaires/experts) restent essentiellement sous contrôle des Etats membres qui ne font que déléguer – sous des degrés divers le commandement aux structures multinationales (OTAN, UE, Coalition). Comme aucun pays n’a de moyens illimités, des moyens affectés à une opération peuvent servir à une autre, notamment en matière de renseignement aérien ou de surveillance aérienne. C’est plutôt classique dans certaines opérations internationales où coexistent plusieurs missions. Ainsi au Tchad, lors de l’opération Eufor Tchad, les avions français faisaient lors d’une même sortie des missions dénommées « Alpha » et « Bravo, » l’une pour le compte d’Eufor Tchad, l’autre pour le compte de la mission nationale Epervier.

Il faut savoir aussi que les commandants ont plusieurs casquettes. Ainsi l’amiral Sam Lockwear qui commande actuellement l’opération Odyssey Dawn (no Fly zone et protection des civils)) est commandant des forces navales américaines d’Africom et d’Eucom mais aussi le commandant OTAN du JFC (commandement conjoint) de Naples qui va superviser et/ou coordonner la plupart des opérations militaires sur la Libye de l’OTAN. Et il a comme adjoint le général Bouchard qui va prendre en charge le commandement de l’opération « No Fly Zone » pour le compte de l’OTAN et rapportera à son supérieur hiérarchique à l’OTAN qui est … Lockwear (2).

Le contrôle du ciel « No Fly zone » (OTAN)

Objectif : « interdire tous les vols dans l’espace aérien de la Jamahiriya arabe libyenne afin d’aider à protéger les civils »

Nom de code : « Odyssey Dawn ». Base juridique : §6 à 12 résolution 1973 NU. Démarrage : 19 mars 2011. La mission passe sous contrôle de l’OTAN dim. 27 mars (2). Durée : 3 mois.

Contrôle politique : les ambassadeurs des 28 pays membres de l’OTAN (NAC), élargi aux autres pays contributeurs. Commandant : Lieutenant General Bouchard (Canada). Chaine de commandement : OTAN (SHAPE) / JFC Naples / QG Aérien d’Izmir (Turquie). Financement : Etats participants / Etats membres de l’OTAN

Moyens : Belgique, Danemark, Emirats Arabes Unis *, Espagne, France, Grèce, Italie, Norvège, Pays-Bas, Qatar *, Royaume-Uni, Turquie, USA.

La « protection des civils » (Coalition / OTAN)

Objectif : prendre « tous les moyens nécessaires pour protéger les populations et les zones civiles menacées d’attaque », notamment les frappes sur les moyens militaires du régime.

Nom de code : « Harmattan » (france) / Ellamy (Uk). Base juridique : §4 résolution 1973 NU.

Contrôle politique : groupe de contact. Chaine de commandement : OTAN / USA (Africom) / Coalition. Structure de commandement : QG Africom (Stuttgart / Uss Mount Whitney) – France (Lyon) – Royaume-Uni (Northwood) -> OTAN (SHAPE) / JFC de Naples (Italie). Commandant : Admiral Sam Lockwear (USA) + Lieutenant General Bouchard (Canada).

Moyens essentiels : France, Royaume-Uni.

Autres moyens : Belgique, Canada, Danemark, Espagne, Qatar *, USA

Le contrôle de l’embargo sur les armes par voie maritime (OTAN)

Objectif : « garantir la stricte application de l’embargo sur les armes, inspecter sur leur territoire et en haute mer, les navires et aéronefs en provenance ou à destination de la (Libye) ».

Nom de code : « Unified Protector ». Base juridique : §9-10 résolution 1970, §13 résolution 1973 ONU. Démarrage : 22 mars 2011. Financement : Etats membres / OTAN

Contrôle politique : les ambassadeurs des 28 pays membres de l’OTAN (NAC). Chaine de commandement : OTAN / SHAPE – MCC Commandement maritime de Naples. Commandant : vice-amiral Rinaldo Veri (Italie).

Moyens essentiels : Italie, Turquie.

Autres moyens : Belgique, Canada, Espagne, Grèce, Pays-Bas, Royaume-Uni, USA, Bulgarie, Roumanie.

Le soutien humanitaire (Union européenne)

Objectif : fournir des moyens aux organisations internationales « à leur demande » pour : 1) rapatrier les réfugiés et personnes déplacées (pont aérien et maritime), 2) gérer ou sécuriser les camps de réfugiés en Tunisie, Egypte, ou dans « d’autres pays » (NB: Libye, Niger…).

Nom de code « Eufor Libya » (provisoire). Base juridique : §26 résolution 1970 NU / Décision Union européenne. Démarrage : avril 2011 (à préciser)

Contrôle politique : 26 ambassadeurs du COPS de l’UE. Structure de commandement : QG de Bruxelles / OHQ Rome ? (à définir). Chaine de commandement : UE.

Moyens : à définir (pourraient participer : Finlande, Grèce, Pologne, Suède, Arabie Saoudite * ?).

La surveillance des frontières (Union européenne / Frontex)

Objectif : surveiller les arrivées de bateaux chargés d’immigrés.

Nom de code : Hermès (mission civile avec les moyens de gardes-côtes et certains moyens militaires). Base juridique : art. 67 et 77 Traité de fonctionnement de l’UE.  Démarrage : 19 février 2011.

Contrôle politique : ministères de l’Intérieur des Etats riverains (Italie / Malte). Structure de commandement : coordination entre Etats membres / Frontex.

Moyens : Italie (navals + aériens) + France, Allemagne, Pays-Bas, Malte, Espagne (+ experts : Espagne, Belgique, Portugal, Allemagne, Autriche, Pays-Bas, Roumanie,  Malte, Suède, Suisse *). Financement : budget CE.

(*) Non membre de l’OTAN, non membre de l’UE

(1) Le général américain Carter Ham qui commande l’US Africom a bien distingué les 3 opérations (le 25 mars) : « There are three components of implementing the provision of UN Security Council Resolution 1973. Maritime, which is the arms embargo that has transitioned to NATO and is under the command of an Italian admiral; no-fly zone, which will transition very soon, probably this weekend, and there’ll be a Canadian three-star operating under NATO command for that; and the protect civilians mission, which NATO, as my understanding has agreed to in principal, and I think they’ll have discussions over this weekend as precisely how to accept that mission. That should occur pretty shortly. In the interim, the protect civilians mission and currently the no-fly-zone mission are under my authority, and I work for the secretary of defense and the president of the United States. »

(2) Le général américain Carter Ham qui commande l’US Africom a confirmé cette « boucle » à nos confrères de NBC : « the next higher NATO commander is Admiral Sam Locklear, who is, in his NATO capacity, is the commander of Joint Force Command Naples – a NATO position – but he is also the U.S. commander of Joint Task Force Odyssey Dawn, so he is intimately familiar with this mission. And he is exercising presence simultaneously – some U.S. responsibilities and his NATO responsibilities. Ultimately, when the entirety of the mission goes to NATO, assuming that decision is made, there’ll be the three-star Canadian officer who I know and have great confidence in, will be the commander and he will report to Admiral Locklear in his NATO role, and of course Admiral Locklear reports to Admiral Stavridis, U.S. officer who is the Supreme Allied Commander Europe

A Rosomak M1 (Patria AMV) of the Polish Army in Afghanistan, equipped with RPG Net offering RPG protection. Photo: Polish Ministry of National Defence

March 26, 2011 by Tamir Eshel

The U.S. Army has ordered 829 rocket-propelled grenade RPG Net kits for the MaxxPro Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicle. In February 2011 the Army (TACOM) awarded Navistar Defense a $40 million contract to supply the kits designed to augment the MaxxPro MRAP vehicle protection, improving its effectiveness in defeating RPG attack. The RPG Net, developed by QinetiQ North America, has been developed to defeat RPGs by disrupting their fusing mechanism as the incoming rocket is trapped by the net.

25 Mar 2011 By WENDELL MINNICK

TAIPEI - Canadian-based CAE won a U.S. Navy contract under the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program to design and manufacture an operational flight trainer and operational tactics trainer for Taiwan's P-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft. Taiwan procured 12 P-3C aircraft from the U.S. for $1.9 billion in 2007. Lockheed Martin is refurbishing the aircraft and the first P-3C delivery to Taiwan is scheduled for June. CAE provides simulation and modeling technologies and integrated training solutions for the aviation industry and defense community.  The P-3C operational flight trainer will be a Level D equivalent flight simulator and be used to train pilots, said a March 23 CAE press release. The P-3C operational tactics trainer will be used to train the sensor operators. Both training devices will be delivered to Taiwan in 2014. CAE did not reveal the amount of the contract award. The award follows a January FMS announcement that Lockheed will supply mission system spares to outfit new avionics components for Taiwan's P-3C under a $47.5 million contract with delivery in 2012.

25 March 2011  by defenceWeb

The South African Air Force (SAAF) has upped its bill to keep the venerable Lockheed Martin C130BZ flying by another R9.5 million. The SAAF last week awarded Denel Aviation an extension of an existing contract to provide product support services for the aging aircraft. The SAAF C-130 fleet consists of seven platforms (401 - 407) purchased in 1963 before a US arms embargo was imposed on South Africa's apartheid government and five received in 1997/8 from the US (two ex-United States Air Force C-130B's – 408 and 409 – and three ex-US Navy C-130F's – 410 to 412 as part of their Excess Defence Articles programme. The two ex-US C-130B 's and a C-130F (411) were subsequently put in service, but the C-130F was retired soon thereafter.

23 mars 2011 La Presse Canadienne

Le fabricant de simulateurs de vols CAE (T.CAE) a récolté pour 100 millions de dollars de contrats militaires dans une dizaine de pays, dont le Canada, Taïwan et les États-Unis. La société fournira ainsi ses services-conseils au ministère de la Défense nationale du Canada et réalisera des contrats de sous-traitance pour le compte du géant Lockheed Martin, dans le cadre du programme d'avion de transport militaire Hercule C-130J. L'entreprise construira par ailleurs des dispositifs d'entraînement pour les avions de patrouille maritime Lockheed P-3C Orion de la marine taïwanaise. CAE offrira en outre des mises à niveau à celle des États-Unis pour l'entraînement sur les hélicoptères de patrouille MH-60S. Ces appareils servent notamment à des missions antimines, à la recherche et au sauvetage de combat ainsi qu'au ravitaillement. L'entreprise dont le siège social est situé à Montréal emploie aujourd'hui 7500 personnes dans plus de 20 pays.

2011-03-14 par DCNS

Conformément au planning du programme, la réalisation de l’OPV Gowind se poursuit au sein du centre DCNS de Lorient. La jonction du flotteur ayant été achevée à la fin de la semaine dernière, tous les efforts se concentrent désormais sur le prochain objectif : la mise à flot du navire au cours du printemps. Ce bâtiment est le premier de série d’une gamme conçue pour optimiser les outils de surveillance et d’intervention des marines et gardes-côtes.