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26 février 2015 4 26 /02 /février /2015 12:45
Weaponised Seeker 400 at IDEX 2015 Picture Sam Basch - defenceWeb

Weaponised Seeker 400 at IDEX 2015 Picture Sam Basch - defenceWeb

 

24 February 2015 by defenceWeb

 

Denel Dynamics showed an armed version of its Seeker 400 Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) for the first time at the IDEX show currently underway in Abu Dhabi.

 

Sello Ntsihlele, UAV general manager of the company in the Denel Group specialising in UAVs and missiles, told the IDEX show daily that a final series of recent flight trials of the Seeker 400 system cleared it for production this year.

 

“The system is being offered in both a ‘clean’ ISR [Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance]-only and an armed reconnaissance version designated Snyper,” he said.

 

“The latest trials involved the full gamut of performance tests, including range and altitude, safety, endurance and functional payload. This brought us to the baseline as specified by the client, allowing us to head for production.”

 

The Seeker 400 is the latest and most advanced of Denel Dynamics’ UAV portfolio, with an operating altitude of 18 000ft, 16 hours endurance and a cruising speed of 150 km/h. With a payload capacity of 100 kg it can carry dual payloads comprising synthetic aperture radar, optronics turret and digital video system for different tactical missions.

 

The Seeker 400 builds on the heritage of the smaller Seeker 200, derived from the Seeker II, which had significant export success. Both versions are on display at IDEX.

 

“By aligning the design with international specifications for an armed surveillance UAV, we can offer Snyper with four Impi-S missiles. That still allows for a 40 kg payload, typically the Goshawk II HD from Airbus DS Optronics, although we are still optimising Snyper’s structure,” Ntsihlele told the IDEX daily publication.

 

The Impi-S is derived from the proven Denel Dynamics short-range (5 000 m) Ingwe and long-range (10 000 m) Mokopa anti-armour missiles.

 

According to Ntsihlele, potential international clients have indicated a preference for the existing Denel Dynamics forward tactical ground station, despite a smaller ground station being available for ease of transport. The tactical ground station typically more than doubles the line-of- sight range of the aircraft – up to 750 km in the case of Seeker 400.

 

The IDEX show daily, produced by IHS Jane’s, suggested that the South African Air Force has ordered the type. However, at the time of publication the SAAF had not responded to a request for comment on the possible UAV acquisition or whether 10 Squadron, which operated the Kentron Seeker RPV in the late 80s, will be re-activated.

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4 juillet 2014 5 04 /07 /juillet /2014 07:45
Denel Dynamics poised for growth

 

03 July 2014 by Guy Martin - defenceWeb

 

Denel Dynamics is poised for growth.Missiles and aerospace house Denel Dynamics plans to nearly double is revenue over the next five years to nearly R2 billion and will do so in part by investing in new products and growing skills.

 

Denel Dynamics is hoping to achieve revenue of R1.8 billion for 2019 and R152 million in earnings before interest and tax (EBIT), compared to revenue of R999 million in 2013 and EBIT of R21 million (EBIT for 2012 was R40 million, according to Denel's 2013 annual report). Speaking at Denel Dynamics' recent Show and Tell, Dynamics CEO Tsepo Monaheng estimated that Denel Dynamics would grow by an average 12% year-on-year in the next five years.

 

The company also seeks to grow the number of employees from 872 to 942 and increase investment in skills development by 50%. Monaheng said growing skills is a big challenge - one strategy is to design a Specialised Technical Training (STT) program for employees under age of 35. Monaheng said that there is a crisis situation regarding skilled employment, especially of young people.

 

He also cautioned that the competition is aggressive as major manufacturers in the industry are moving into Denel's traditional markets as their home markets dry up. He said that South Africa is looking up to Denel Dynamics to deliver on hi-tech systems and solutions. "South Africa should be the country of choice to partner and do business with, the continent is looking up to us for solutions," he said, adding that Denel Dynamics has to not only continue to develop products for the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) but also position to compete in the international market.

 

Developing products for the SANDF is especially important in light of the Defence Review, which expects Denel to be responsible for sovereign capabilities such as commander and control.

 

Part of Denel Dynamics' strategy going forward is to keep developing new technology and focus on research and development. Christo de Kock, Chief Operations Executive at Denel Dynamics, said it was necessary to evolve and change especially in light of the fact that six out of the ten major conflict areas in the world are in Africa.

 

He noted that conflicts are starting more quickly and lasting longer and that warfare is changing and becoming increasingly asymmetric. Cities are more frequently becoming battlegrounds while the nature of warfare is changing - for instance cyber warfare and economic warfare are on the rise while organised crime syndicates and cartels are having a destabilising effect on certain countries - the Mexican drug cartels are a good example.

 

As a result of these changes, certain requirements are emerging for things like unmanned aerial vehicles, unmanned ground vehicles, unmanned marine systems, static observation sensors, precision weapons, man-portable weapons, weapons with targeted warheads and precision target marking and engagement, de Kock said.

 

On the protection side, de Kock said that vehicles, bunkers, assets, convoys etc. require protection, both active and passive, such as counter-artillery, rocket and mortar munitions and IED jammers. Another requirement he identified was the need for stealth, particularly a stealth anti-tank missile to defeat countermeasures systems as well an infrared stealth for vehicles.

 

Denel Dynamics is delving into all these areas (unmanned systems, space, sensors, stealth, and precision weapons) through various projects, many of which are funded by Armscor and the Department of Defence.

 

De Kock said that it is important to establish a research facility to look at future needs and solutions and that Denel Dynamics will do that and prioritise effort based on the SANDF's needs.

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9 avril 2013 2 09 /04 /avril /2013 16:30

Al-Tariq-precision-guided-munition.jpg

 

09 April 2013 defenceWeb

 

The partnership between Denel Dynamics and Abu Dhabi-based Tawazun Holdings looks set for greater heights following the successful execution of a difficult mission profile by the Al Tariq precision-guided munition.

 

It demonstrated superior accuracy against a laser designated target in a flight test evaluation. The test evaluated the weapon’s capability to dynamically determine its own flight path according to set launch and pre-programmed terminal phase conditions.

 

The missile was launched off-track of target and was instructed to fly into the target arena from a different direction during its terminal phase.

 

“This implies the missile had to perform a dog-leg manoeuvre and the flight path had to be calculated dynamically ‘on the fly’,” said Al Tariq programme manager Coenie Loock.

 

Despite the level of difficulty intentionally selected to give Al Tariq a thorough test, the weapon completed its mid-course guidance successfully and during terminal phase had a direct hit on the designated target with the miss distance at less than half a metre.

 

Al Tariq has a number of range options, from 40 km for the standard version to 100 km for the long-range version. The demonstrated accuracy is independent of the range variant. The weapon can also be pre-programmed to engage targets from specific directions and at different dive angles.

 

A model of the Al Tariq weapon is currently on show at the Tawazun Dynamics stand at the LAAD 2013 defence exhibition in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

 

“This is a great result for Denel Dynamics and reflects the success of the joint venture announcement last September with Abu Dhabi-based, Tawazun Holdings, for the development, manufacturing, assembly and integration of precision-guided weapon systems in Tawazun Dynamics, opening up an international gateway to potential new opportunities.

 

“Geographically, this is the first deal of its kind for Denel where the partnership is located outside South Africa creating an international footprint,” the South African company in the State-owned Denel group said in a statement.

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21 février 2013 4 21 /02 /février /2013 12:45

Hungwe UAV

 

21 February 2013 defenceWeb (Reuters)

 

Global demand for drone aircraft is especially strong in Gulf Arab states worried about regional instability, industry executives said as a big U.S. manufacturer unveiled the first sale of an unarmed Predator to the Middle East.

 

Controversy over the legality of attacks by missile-firing drones will not dampen the volatile region's enthusiasm for the technology, in part because export curbs mean most equipment sold will be for use only in reconnaissance, experts say.

 

Sello Ntsihlele, executive manager for UAVs at Denel Dynamics, a division of state-owned Denel, South Africa's biggest maker of defense equipment, told Reuters this was "the best time" for unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) sales, Reuters reports.

 

"Demand is growing fast in developing countries, in the Middle East, the Far East and Africa. The Gulf is critical in all this," he said on the sidelines of the biennial International Defence Exhibition and Conference (IDEX) in Abu Dhabi, capital of the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

 

"I can't be specific but all countries in the Arabian Gulf are talking to us," he said, adding that Denel's UAV sales had risen around 20 percent in the last four years, driven mostly by the Middle East.

 

UAE DEAL

 

The company had received up to double the number of inquiries from prospective clients than at the same conference two years ago, Ntsihlele said.

 

At IDEX on Monday, the United Arab Emirates announced a deal to buy an unspecified number of Predator drones from the privately-owned U.S. firm General Atomics in a deal worth 722 million dirhams ($196.57 million).

 

Also on Monday, Abu Dhabi Autonomous Systems Investments (ADASI), a subsidiary of state-owned investment firm Tawazun Holding, said it had signed an agreement with Boeing Co for ADASI to "provide training, support and marketing services" for Boeing unmanned aircraft systems in the UAE.

 

Frank Pace, president at General Atomics Aeronautical, said his firm's sales had risen by about 120 percent over the last five years, though until now it had not been able to sell to the Middle East due to tight export restrictions.

 

The UAE and Saudi Arabia are among several states, according to diplomatic cables released by WikiLeaks, that have asked U.S. officials to buy armed drones but which have been rebuffed.

 

Washington says its commitments to the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR), a non-binding international agreement designed to limit the spread of long-range precision weaponry, restrict drone exports.

 

Thomas Kelly, principal deputy assistant secretary at the U.S. State Department's Bureau of Political-Military Affairs, told reporters at IDEX that "caution" was Washington's point of departure on drone sales.

 

"We're not pushing armed systems right now to other countries. We understand there's a lot of interest in UAVs internationally ... (but) in terms of armed UAVs I think the administration is going to take its time to make sure that we have a policy that we're comfortable with."

 

General Atomics' export-variant Predator will have no "hard points" to attach missiles and would be deliberately engineered to make adding new weaponry impossible, the firm said last year.

 

Pace said he hoped the company would get approval to sell to more countries, especially in the Middle Eastern market, where he saw great potential. "We are talking to all of the Gulf (Arab) countries," he said.

 

KEEPING TABS "VERY IMPORTANT"

 

Sales are growing in the Middle East because having developed surveillance systems is fast becoming a requirement for all states, said Theodore Karasik, director of research at the Institute for Near East and Gulf Military Analysis.

 

"The region is still unstable, there are state actors and non-state actors that want to cause trouble, and being able to keep tabs on what's happening is very important."

 

The oil-rich, sparsely-populated Gulf Arab states are alarmed at the civil war in Syria, and want to ensure that popular uprisings in North Africa do not stir dissent at home.

 

The intentions of regional rival Iran, locked in a dispute with major powers over its nuclear program, are a perennial concern for the Gulf region's hereditary ruling families.

 

Controversy over the legality of drone strikes would have little impact on global appetite for UAVs, Karasik said.

 

"Don't forget the debate over UAVs is concentrated in the United States. Countries that want that capabililty over here will make their own decisions," he added.

 

The U.S. government has dramatically increased its use of drone aircraft abroad in recent years to target al Qaeda figures in far-flung places from Pakistan to Yemen. Britain and Israel have also carried out such attacks, and dozens more states are believed to possess the technology.

 

Targeted killings carried out by remotely piloted unmanned aircraft are controversial because of the risks to nearby civilians and because of their increasing frequency.

 

General Atomics' Pace said, however, that he didn't expect the controversy to have much impact on sales.

 

Missiles are "not a significant function of the aircraft and most of the people that are buying (are buying) for ISR and are going to keep buying," he said, referring to intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance.

 

The surge in drone use has stirred debate in the United States about the transparency of lethal strikes and the powers of the president to order attacks on U.S. citizens overseas. A 2011 strike killed U.S.-born Anwar al-Awlaki, a recruiter and propagandist for al Qaeda's Yemen-based affiliate.

 

Pace said unmanned aircraft would have to be used responsibly, but that ultimately they would help to save lives compared to some of the older systems.

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7 mars 2012 3 07 /03 /mars /2012 13:25

model-of-the-Seeker-400-carrying-two-Mokopa-anti-tank-missi.jpg

model of the Seeker 400 carrying two Mokopa anti-tank

missiles - photo Denel Dynamics

 

March 7, 2012 defpro.com

 

The prototype of Denel Dynamics’ latest Unmanned Air Vehicle (UAV), the Seeker 400, has been completed and is due to make its maiden flight in the first quarter of 2012. It is a long-endurance tactical UAV. “The decision by Denel to consider investing in this new product was mainly based on requirements globally of such a capability. Based on the business case, Denel decided to fund the development from its balance sheet. The nation is waiting in anticipation for the first flight.” says Tsepo Monaheng, Executive for Denel UAVs.

 

Although the US and Israel dominate the global market, there is scope for South Africa to use local skills to create market-leading UAVs to the broad spectrum of nations (from developing to developed) – a market estimated at US $14bn per annum. The RSA UAV industry aims to capture in excess of 20% of this end of the market.

 

The aircraft has already been displayed in mock-up form at the Africa Aerospace and Defence Show (AAD) 2010, in Cape Town South Africa. There is already a launch customer for the Seeker 400 who operated the Seeker I tactical UAV in the early 1990s. The other two countries which currently operate the Seeker II are also interested in the Seeker 400 because the new aircraft can be controlled by simply using their existing Seeker II control stations.

 

Though it utilizes the Seeker II architectural design, the Seeker 400 is a totally new aircraft. The Seeker 400 is much larger and much more capable than the Seeker II. It provides a variety of operational options. It is deployable in most conditions, including taking off from an unprepared piece of land.

 

Monaheng describes the Seeker 400 as a “typical entry-level” towards the long-endurance UAV (MALE). It can stay in the air for 16 hours and can simultaneously operate two payloads. Currently, it has a range of 250 km, because it uses only line-of-sight communications, but it could be upgraded to use satellite communications, which would allow it to operate at much greater ranges. With the use of the existing tactical ground station (TGS), the range may be extended to 750km. The Seeker 400 flight test programme will run for most of 2012, and production should start by the end of that year.

 

Denel Dynamics plans, in due course, to add weapons to the Seeker 400. The prototype was recently displayed at the company’s 2011 ‘Show and Tell’ briefing in Centurion with a Mokopa antitank missile (also a Denel Dynamics product) under each wing. A number of countries have already expressed interest in an armed version of the UAV.

 

The Seeker 400 was originally conceived as an upgrade of the Seeker II (hence, the name) but, as the project developed, the company realized that a totally new and larger aircraft would do better in the market. The retention of the name ‘Seeker’ also takes advantage of the Seeker II’s established brand.

 

The Seeker 400 programme schedule is on track. The medium-altitude, long-endurance (Male) UAV project, the Bateleur, has not been abandoned but is currently on hold; this is to allow for a focused development of the Seeker 400.

 

Globally, UAVs are becoming ever more important and ever more widely used. Although costs are coming down, UAVs are not necessarily cheaper or easier to operate than crewed aircraft – some top-of- the-range UAVs are very expensive, indeed – but the fact that they have no human on board means they can be sent into high-risk environments without any qualms and they can be kept aloft much longer than a conventional aircraft.

 

The availability of capable and affordable South African UAVs triggers the enhancement of not only national security, but crime fighting, disaster management, election monitoring and search and rescue. UAVs even provide benefits to the agricultural, mining, health and environmental sectors. Within the next five years UAVs will be used by a diversity of industries from policing poachers on land and coastlines, carrying test specimens from remote clinics to laboratories for analysis, to keeping an eye on livestock on farms, and will prove to be a lucrative parallel market for international UAV players.

 

Foreign experience in combat zones has established that the key service that UAVs provide to ground force commanders is live video coverage. This provides them with real time surveillance, intelligence and target acquisition as well as much better situational awareness. The French Army has reported that, in Afghanistan, UAVs have saved the lives of its soldiers and some 80% of its UAV missions are to protect its troops. Indeed, it is now known that one of the operators of the Seeker II has deployed these UAVs under UN command in a foreign country.

 

 

Denel Dynamics is an exhibitor at Defence and Security Asia 2012, Thailand. On display will be the new Seeker 400 which is scheduled to take its maiden flight this year. Another product is the 5th generation air-to-air missile, A-Darter, due for production in 2013.

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13 août 2011 6 13 /08 /août /2011 05:35

http://www.defenceweb.co.za/images/stories/AIR/Air_new/denel-seeker400-2010ep21.jpg

 

10 August 2011 by defenceWeb

 

Denel Dynamics’ latest unmanned air vehicle (UAV), the Seeker 400, is due to make its maiden flight in the first quarter of next year. This will be followed by flight tests leading to production for an unspecified client that “operated the Seeker I tactical UAV in the early 1990s.”

 

Two other countries which currently operate the Seeker II are also interested in the Seeker 400 because the new aircraft can be controlled by simply using their existing Seeker II control stations, the state arsenal says in a statement. “The decision by Denel to invest in this new product was mainly based on the global requirements for this capability. Based on the business case, Denel decided to fund the development from its balance sheet,” says Tsepo Monaheng, executive for Denel UAVS.

 

Although the USA and Israel dominate the global market, there is scope for South Africa to use local skills to create market-leading UAVs to a broad spectrum of countries - from developing to developed. This market is estimated at US $14 billion per annum, the company says in a statement. The South African UAV industry aims to capture in excess of 20% of this end of the market, the media release adds.

 

Simphiwe Hamilton, chairman of the South African UAV forum and executive director of the SA Aerospace, Maritime and Defence Industries Association in September 2009 said the South African unmanned aerial systems (UAS) industry was worth an estimated R400 million and is chasing annual business worth the same amount. The forum brings together SA UAV producers Denel Dynamics and ATE as well as research-and-development centres based at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research and experts from the departments of Science and Technology as well as Trade and Industry. "It was estimated in 2005 that 200 full-time people employed in the wider South African industry would create a sustainable business turnover of around R200 million per year," Hamilton said.

 

 

The aircraft was displayed in mock-up form at the Africa Aerospace and Defence Show (AAD) 2010, in Cape Town in September last year. Though it utilises the Seeker II architectural design, Denel insists the Seeker 400 is a totally new aircraft. The Seeker 400 long-endurance tactical UAV (TUAV) is much larger and much more capable than the Seeker II and provides a variety of operational options, the company explains. It is deployable in most conditions, including taking off from an unprepared piece of land.

 

Monaheng describes the Seeker 400 as a “typical entry-level” long-endurance TUAV. It can stay in the air for 16 hours and can simultaneously operate two payloads. It currently has a maximum expected range of 250 km, the same as the Seeker II, because it will use only line-of-sight communications. This can be upgraded to satellite communications, which would allow it to operate at much greater ranges. With the use of the existing tactical ground station (TGS), the range may be extended to 750km.

 

The Seeker 400 flight test programme will run for most of 2012, and production should start by the end of the year.

 

Denel Dynamics plans, in due course, to add weapons to the Seeker 400, turning the aircraft into an armed reconnaissance platform. The prototype was recently displayed at the company’s 2011 ‘Show and Tell’ briefing in Centurion with a Mokopa precision-guided missile (PGM, also a Denel Dynamics product) under each wing. Last year, at AAD2010, Denel Dynamics exhibited a mock-up of the Impi, a 25kg hybrid of the business' existing Mokopa and Ingwe PGM. Denel Dynamics' Garsen Naidu said at the show the new missile concept “brings all our experience together”. The missile combines the Mokopa's seeker and laser guidance units with the Ingwe's multipurpose warhead and the Umkhonto short-range surface-to-air air defence missile's datalink. Like the Mokopa, the weapon has a 10km range. Impi is currently in its design phase and is a small, low-cost system designed specifically for operation on lightweight armed reconnaissance platforms, Naidu added. A number of countries have already expressed interest in an armed version of the UAV, Denel adds.

 

The Seeker 400 was originally conceived as an upgrade of the Seeker II but, as the project developed, the company realized that a totally new and larger aircraft would do better in the market. The retention of the name ‘Seeker’ also takes advantage of the Seeker II’s established brand.

The Seeker 400 programme schedule is on track. The medium-altitude, long-endurance (MALE) UAV project, the Bateleur, has not been abandoned but is currently on hold to allow for a focused development of the Seeker 400.

 

Globally, UAVS are becoming ever more important and more widely used. Although costs are coming down, UAVs are not necessarily cheaper or easier to operate than crewed aircraft – some top-of- the-range UAVs are very expensive, Denel says. But the fact that they have no human on board means they can be sent into high-risk environments and they can be kept aloft much longer than a conventional aircraft.

 

The availability of capable and affordable South African UAVs has obvious benefits for national security as well as crime fighting, disaster management, election monitoring and search-and-rescue, Denel says. UAVs are also utilised in the agricultural, mining, health and environmental sectors. Within the next five years UAVs will be used by a diversity of industries-- from policing poachers on land and coastlines or carrying test specimens from remote clinics to laboratories for analysis, to keeping an eye on livestock on farms. “This wide range of applications will open up lucrative parallel markets for international UAV players,” Denel adds.

 

Foreign experience in combat zones shows that the key service that UAVs provide to ground force commanders is live video coverage. This provides them with real time surveillance, intelligence and target acquisition as well as much better situational awareness. The French Army has reported that, in Afghanistan, UAVs have saved the lives of its soldiers and some 80% of its UAV missions are to protect its troops. Indeed, it is now known that one of the operators of the Seeker II has deployed these UAVs under UN command in a foreign country.

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