March 23, 2013. defense-aerospace.com

(Source: Reuters; published March 21, 2013)

Dutch Orders for F-35 Likely to Be Scaled Back -Sources

AMSTERDAM/WASHINGTON --- Dutch orders for the Pentagon's F-35 warplane are likely to be cut back, sources close to the discussions told Reuters, citing cost overruns and delays in the program, uncertainty over the Netherlands' defense strategy and budget cuts across Europe.

The Netherlands may cut 17 to 33 F-35s from its initial plans to buy 85 of the new warplanes, according to people close to the discussions who were not authorized to speak publicly since final decisions are not expected until later this year. (…/…)

The Netherlands is one of several allies, along with Britain and Italy, that are deeply invested in the program. So far it has spent a total of 1.233 billion euros ($1.59 billion) on its involvement, the General Auditor reported in October.

However, continued Dutch participation in the project and the size of future orders are under increasing scrutiny as the euro zone's fifth biggest economy has been forced to come up with billions of euros in government spending cuts, while the two parties in the ruling coalition are at odds over the F-35.

Prime Minister Mark Rutte's Liberal Party, re-elected in September, has always been in favour of the F-35, but his new coalition partner, Labour, called in July for ending Dutch participation in the project. The plane's rivals are lobbying hard for cancellation, according to Dutch media reports.

The Netherlands was slated to buy 85 F-35 A-models to replace its F-16 fighter jets. But the former defense minister last year said the government would buy as few as 56 F-35s because costs had risen and only 68 F-16s needed to be replaced. The new coalition, sworn into office in November, expects to finalize a new defense policy and F-35 purchase plans this year. (end of excerpt)


Click here for the full story, on the Reuters website.


(EDITOR’S NOTE: The consensus in the Netherlands for the past year has been that the F-35 order should be scaled back to about 55 aircraft, but a bigger cut is likely not only because of financial constraints but also because only 24 of the Dutch air force’s fleet of 68 F-16 fighters are available for operational duties due to maintenance issues and the lack of spare parts, Parliament was told last week.

These problems would likely be even more acute with a more expensive and complex aircraft like the F-35, Dutch observers fear, so the wisdom of buying more and more costly F-35s and then park them in hangars because the air force can’t afford to fly them is being increasingly questioned.

The budget currently available for the new fighter procurement is € 4.5 billion, but this includes 21% Value-Added Tax, meaning that the air force’s real purchasing power is of only € 3.72 billion, which in the best of conditions might buy fewer than 35 F-35s.

The Dutch Parliament’s Standing Committee on Defence has already scheduled presentations of their competing fighters by Boeing and Saab, and the situation is also being monitored by the Eurofighter consortium.

“We are monitoring the developments in the Netherlands as we do it in all other markets worldwide. If the Netherlands decide to reassess their position with regards to a replacement for their F-16 fleet and consequently invite Eurofighter to take part in a re-evaluation process, then we would respond appropriately,” a company spokesman said in an e-mailed statement.

A final Dutch decision on the way forward in its fighter replacement program is expected this year.)

March 20, 2013 by Dave Majumdar – FG

Washington DC - The first operational UK pilot selected to fly the Lockheed Martin F-35B undertook his first training sortie in the Joint Strike Fighter on 19 March at Eglin AFB, Florida.

"It flies very smoothly," says Royal Air Force Sqn Ldr Frankie Buchler, who previously flew the Sepecat Jaguar and Eurofighter Typhoon. "Nothing unexpected, it went pretty well."

US Marine Corps Capt Daniel Flatley, who was flying as Buchler's instructor in another F-35B, says the purpose of the first training sortie was primarily to familiarise the student with the differences between the simulator and the real aircraft. Additionally, the student had to familiarise himself with flying the F-35B around the traffic pattern at the base.

"Really, the landing pattern is what we want to expose the student to on the first flight," Flatley says.

With one flight out of the way, Buchler has five more sorties to complete before undertaking his checkride in the F-35B. After he receives his initial qualifications in the aircraft, he will undertake an instructor pilot upgrade course.

Wg Cdr Jon Millington, the senior UK officer at Eglin AFB, says the next UK pilot to qualify on the F-35B will be Royal Navy Lt Cdr Ian Tidball, who will fly in the coming weeks.

The British pilots who are undergoing training at Eglin AFB are highly experienced aviators with operational test and weapons instructor pilot backgrounds, Buchler says.

Another pilot, who will eventually become the commander of the British F-35B operational test squadron, will be selected "shortly" - but that selection is currently on hold, Millington says. The UK is also training a dozen maintainers at the Florida base, he adds. More UK engineers and maintainers will undergo F-35 academics at the site starting in September 2013.

For the next few months, the first two UK pilots and maintainers will remain at Eglin AFB, operating as part of the USMC's VMFAT-501 squadron, until they move to Edwards AFB, California. The personnel are spilt 50:50 between the RAF and RN. "The 12 that we've got here plus our two pilots will form up the initial cadre of our test and evaluation squadron, which will move up to Edwards in the spring next year," Millington says. In addition to the British personnel, the two UK F-35Bs currently assigned to Eglin AFB will also be transferred to the California base.

Under the current plan, 17 Sqn, which is a joint RAF and RN unit, will conduct operational testing through 2015 to 2016, Millington says. If everything goes according schedule, the UK hopes to stand-up its first operational F-35B squadron consisting of RAF and RN personnel in 2018. But, Millington cautions, the dates are not set in ston,e given the F-35's programmatic fluctuations.

A third UK F-35B is expected to arrive this April at Eglin AFB, Millington says. The aircraft will be the first F-35 stationed at the base to be equipped with the more advanced Block 2A software. Aircraft currently at the base are in the older Block 1A and 1B configuration.

19 March 2013 naval-technology.com

Selex has delivered and integrated its airborne tactical observation and surveillance (ATOS) system onto Hawker Beechcraft special mission extended-range (ER) King Air 350 maritime patrol aircraft for an undisclosed customer.

The delivery follows a previous contract awarded to Selex to design and integrate a complete surveillance solution in support of the customer's maritime patrol aircraft.

The aircraft has completed more than 80 hours of flight testing and validated its capabilities to the end-user prior to its delivery.

All installations onboard the aircraft have been certified by the Federal Aviation Administration and European Aviation Safety Agency, enabling it to conduct patrol missions for more than six hours.

Equipped with a retractable electro-optical system and ventral radome, the aircraft was integrated with an ATOS system that consists of electro-optics, a laser illuminator and the T200 Gabbiano radar to provide 360° coverage.

Available in multiple configurations, ATOS has been designed for easy installation on a wide range of aircraft, including fixed and rotary-wing aircraft, while providing maximum flexibility to meet customers' requirements.

In addition, the system can support missions such as detection of foreign vessels operating within the seaboard limit zone, environmental survey and maritime patrol, as well as search-and-rescue missions.

Based on the Beechcraft King Air 350, the aircraft features nacelle fuel tanks to provide extended range capabilities, in addition to supporting special missions as an airborne intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) platform.

Beechcraft SKA 350ER aircraft also features high-density seating to support military transport missions and two medical sleds for air ambulance missions.

15 March 2013 airforce-technology.com

Lockheed Martin has conducted the first fit check of Kongsberg's new joint strike missile (JSM) onboard an F-35 Lightning II joint strike fighter (JSF) aircraft at its facility in Fort Worth, Texas, US.

Performed as part of phase two of the missile's development programme, the fit check involved JSM integration on the F-35's external pylon, confirming its ability to be installed for external carriage of the aircraft.

Similar external fit checks are scheduled to be conducted by Lockheed on all three F-35 variants, in addition to an internal fit check to confirm missile's ability to fit into internal weapons bay of the F-35A conventional take-off and landing (CTOL) versions of the Royal Norwegian Air Force in late 2013.

Norwegian F-35 programme director Anders Melheim said the fit check confirms that the JSM development programme is moving forward, even though its operational use is still far away.

"We are working hard to ensure that Norwegian F-35s receive the operational capabilities we need, and therefore we believe that JSM is very important," Melheim added.

Developed in collaboration with the Norwegian Ministry of Defence, the JSM is a long-range anti-surface missile primarily designed to integrate within the F-35's internal weapons bay, enabling destruction of the objects protected by advanced defence systems.

The missile's critical design review (CDR) will be carried out in the summer of 2013, which will confirm its maturity and suitability for integration onto the F-35.

Norway is planning to procure up to 52 F-35 aircraft for a total cost of NKr62.6bn ($10.9bn), and had placed orders for first four aircraft for training purposes in 2011.

The initial two fighters will be delivered in 2015, followed by the remaining two in 2016, whereas deliveries under the main batch are scheduled to start in 2017.

15 March 2013 airforce-technology.com

Z Microsystems has been selected by Boeing to supply its rugged display systems for both the US and French air forces' E-3 Sentry advanced warning and control system (AWACS) Block 40/45 upgrade programme.

Under the contracts, worth a combined $1.2m, the company will supply an undisclosed number of its Gen3 Orion universal display platform (UDP) units for installation on both the US and French AWACS fleets.

Z Microsystems CEO Jack Wade said the Gen3 Orion selection represents the quality, performance and reliability of the company's rugged display products.

Equipped with resistive touch technology, Gen3 Orion is an ultra-rugged new-generation UDP designed to deliver real-time enhanced video, digital and analog video support to pilots during flight.

The display features a new ultra-high performance modular video processor, which supports picture-in-picture (PIP), dual-view, Quadview, real time enhanced video (RTEV) options, fast FPGA graphics cards and user-friendly on-screen Softmenus with GUIs.

All displays models to be supplied under the contract have already passed stringent environmental qualification testing, including Mil-Std-810 and Mil-Std-461 standards.

Valued at $2.9bn, the Block 40/45 upgrade aims to improve the aircraft's potential for using network-enabled operations, boost AWACS mission execution capability, effectiveness and reliability, while also reducing lifecycle costs.

The upgrade involves improvements to the primary AWACS display, data link infrastructure, machine-to-machine interaction, as well as reduction of timeline from threat engagement to neutralisation.

Boeing completed modernisation of the first aircraft in May 2011 under a contract for block 40/45 upgrade of six USAF E-3 AWACS, while the remaining E-3s are scheduled to complete in 2014. Block 40/45 modernisation of the entire US fleet of 32 E-3s is expected to complete by 2016 or 2017.

The four AWACS fleet upgrade for the French Air Force is being conducted as part of a $324m contract awarded by USAF in November 2010. Deliveries under the contract are scheduled to complete by 2014.

Mar. 13, 2013 raytheon.com

When ships and missiles talk, they don’t do it over coffee; they do it over datalinks.

A key component of Raytheon’s Standard Missile-3, the “dual-band datalink,” successfully exchanged information with a Dutch X-band radar last week, moving the company one step closer to proving that European ships with this radar can employ SM-3s to defend the continent against ballistic missiles.

The SM-3 destroys attacking missiles by colliding with them while they are still in space. U.S. Navy ships carrying SM-3s are currently deployed off Europe’s coast providing the continent’s only “upper tier” defense from this growing threat.

The new dual-band datalink could broaden Europe’s options when it comes to participating in its own protection, said Wes Kremer, vice president of Raytheon’s Air and Missile Defense Systems.

“A NATO pool of SM-3 interceptors shared between European countries is a feasible path forward if more European partners can employ the SM-3,” Kremer said.

The SM-3’s onboard datalink communicates with outside radars to help guide the missile toward its target. The new dual-band datalink is a drop-in replacement that Raytheon is developing with the company’s own funds.

The March 5 test took place at a shore-based test facility in Den Helder, Netherlands, on the North Sea coast.

Engineers used a Thales-made Advanced Phased Array Radar, or APAR, to send information to the datalink, which responded by sending data back. No missile was launched during the test.

SM-3s were originally designed to communicate with the Aegis Combat Weapon System, which operates in a radio frequency range known as S-band. Currently Spain and Norway are the only European nations with Aegis ships that can employ SM-3s.

Adapting the missile to communicate in X-band in addition to S-band would allow 10 more ships to participate in Europe’s defense.  The Netherlands and Germany have seven frigates that utilize SMART-L/APAR radar systems, and Denmark is adding three SMART-L/APAR ships to its fleet this year.

 “A common datalink that operates with both X- and S-band radars is a very affordable, near-term solution that allows Europe to take advantage of proven technologies available today,” Kremer said.

Communicating in both S-band and X-band isn’t just a concern for European customers. The dual-band datalink means the U.S. Navy would not have to maintain separate stocks of Standard Missiles for the Zumwalt (X-band) and Aegis (S-band) ship classes.

The test follows a string of recent achievements for the SM-3 program, including a successful flight test using a remote cue from Space Tracking and Surveillance Satellites and the opening of a state-of-the-art SM-3 missile factory in Huntsville, Ala.

March 13, 2013 defense-aerospace.com

(Source: U.S Department of Defense; issued March 11, 2013)

Raytheon Co., Tucson, Ariz., is being awarded a $6,563,713 modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract (N00019-12-C-2000) for the procurement of four torpedo tube launched (TTL) Tomahawk Block IV all-up-round missiles for the government of the United Kingdom under the Foreign Military Sales Program.

The Tomahawk Block IV missile is capable of launch from surface ships equipped with the vertical launch system (VLS), submarines equipped with the capsule launch system (CLS), and submarines equipped with the TTL launch system.

Work will be performed in Tucson, Ariz. (32.6 percent); Camden, Ark. (13 percent); Ogden, Utah (10.5 percent); Dallas, Tex. (3.5 percent); Minneapolis, Minn. (3.3 percent); Glenrothes, Scotland (3.3 percent); Spanish Fork, Utah (3.1 percent); El Segundo, Calif. (3 percent); Walled Lake, Mich. (2.6 percent); Anniston, Ala. (2.5 percent); Ft. Wayne, Ind. (2.3 percent); Ontario, Canada (2.2 percent); Vergennes, Vt. (2.1 percent); Berryville, Ark. (1.8 percent); Westminster, Colo. (1.6 percent); Largo, Fla. (1.5 percent); Middletown, Conn. (1.3 percent); Huntsville, Ala. (1.2 percent); Clearwater, Fla. (0.8 percent); Moorpark, Calif. (0.8 percent); El Monte, Calif. (0.6 percent); Salt Lake City, Utah (0.6 percent); Farmington, N.M. (0.2 percent); and various continental U.S. (CONUS) and outside CONUS locations (5.6 percent); and is expected to be completed in February 2015.

Foreign Military Sales funding in the amount of $6,563,713 are being obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year.

The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md. is the contracting activity.

March 12, 2013 by Dominic Perry – FG

London - Kongsberg's developmental Joint Strike Missile (JSM) has been attached to a Lockheed Martin F-35 for the first time at the airframer's Fort Worth, Texas facility.

Installed on 27 February as part of a "fit check" using one of the stealthy fighter's external weapons pylons, the munition will undergo a further test later this year to verify that it is also able to be carried within the F-35's internal weapons bay.

Lockheed will conduct similar external trials on all three variants of the fighter, while internal fit checks of the JSM will be confined to the conventional take-off and landing F-35A ordered by Norway, says Norwegian F-35 programme director Anders Melheim.

A critical design review of the missile will be carried out in mid-2013 to confirm that integration efforts can continue.

Oslo will acquire up to 52 F-35s for operation by the Royal Norwegian Air Force. Two initial examples will be delivered in 2015 with a second pair due to follow in 2016. These will remain in the USA to support training activities.

Deliveries under the main part of the up to NKr62.6 billion ($10.9 billion) order will commence in 2017.

11 mars 2013 Par Rédacteur en chef. PORTAIL DES SOUS-MARINS

Washington a exprimé son souhait de fournir des avions de patrouille maritime à la marine grecque, quelques jours seulement après des discutions entre des responsables français et grecs sur un éventuel accord.

Les Etats-Unis seraient prêts à fournir 4 avions de patrouille maritime Lockheed P3-Orion gratuitement ou pour un loyer symbolique, pour autant que la marine grecque accepte de conclure un contrat de remise en état avec Lockheed Martin. Ce contrat couterait environ 190 millions € sur 5 ans.

Des sources américaines expliquent que chaque avion neuf coute environ 150 millions $.

Référence : Ekathimerini (Grèce)

Type 45 destroyer (library image)

Picture: Leading Airman Nicky Wilson

6 March 2013 Ministry of Defence - Defence Science and Technology Laboratory

The potential for Type 45 destroyers to help protect deployed UK and Allied forces from threat of ballistic missiles is to be investigated.

Building on its relationship with the US Missile Defense Agency (MDA), the joint Ministry of Defence and industry-run UK Missile Defence Centre (MDC) has agreed to take part in a trial which will include, for the first time, a Royal Navy Type 45 taking part in a major research and development programme. This will include testing the Sampson radar, part of the Sea Viper missile system, in detecting and tracking ballistic targets.

A missile is launched from a Type 45 destroyer's Sylver system on the ship's forecastle (library image) [Picture: Leading Airman (Photographer) Ben Sutton, Crown copyright]

While there is no programme to fit Type 45 with Theatre Ballistic Missile Defence (TBMD) capability, much of the MDC’s research over recent years has been geared towards understanding potential the Royal Navy’s newest destroyers may have in this arena.

 

Simon Pavitt, Head of the MDC, remarked on the new research and development approach:

It will be a step change to be able to work so closely with such a ship in an emerging area of Defence. Working with an operational platform will make a significant difference to our level of understanding and could contribute both financially and technically towards any future programme.

A Type 45 destroyer fires an Aster 30 missile; part of the Sea Viper anti-air missile system (library image) [Picture: Copyright MBDA Incorporated]

The MDA regularly conducts similar trials to test and verify the US military’s BMD systems. Including a Type 45 in one of these events for the first time, allows the two allies to closely cooperate with each other. HMS Daring, the first of the Type 45 Class, is no stranger to operating with the US Navy, having completed several training exercises in both US and UK waters. HMS Daring’s recent deployment to the Gulf included several joint operational missions.

 

The UK Missile Defence Centre was established in 2003 following signature of a Memorandum of Understanding between the UK and US on how to jointly conduct ballistic defence studies. By establishing a joint industry and MOD centre the UK government can best meet the UK’s long-term policy and research requirements.

27.02.2013 Oleg Severguine - La Voix de la Russie

Lors de la première rencontre du nouveau secrétaire d'État américain John Kerry avec le chef russe du Ministère des Affaires étrangères Sergei Lavrov, les parties peuvent commencer les discussions sans préambule. L'ordre du jour accorde une importante place à la Syrie, mais les experts pensent que les deux hommes peuvent faire un écart et rapprocher leurs positions sur la défense antimissile européenne.

La rencontre se déroule à Berlin dans le cadre de la première grande tournée de Kerry en Europe et au Proche-Orient, qui se finira le 6 mars. Le ministre russe des Affaires étrangères est venu dans la capitale allemande spécialement pour cette rencontre .

À la veille de la rencontre à Berlin, certains médias russes, en se référant à des sources diplomatiques et autres, ont communiqué que les discussions pouvaient concerner les négociations russo-américaines sur le problème de l'ABM européen. Actuellement, elles sont dans une impasse, mais il est possible que des échanges politiques en haut lieu sur les principes de la coopération concernant l'ABM puissent permettre de sortir de l'impasse.

Les experts précisent que, pour qu'un tel document soit signé, le président américain n’est pas obligé de demander l'accord du Congrès. En 1937, la Cour suprême des États-Unis a décidé que « les accords présidentiels exécutifs » ont la même force que les accords internationaux. Le président russe Vladimir Poutine devra seulement, dans ce cas, signer un mémorandum semblable au texte américain. Selon des sources diplomatiques, les négociations pour établir de tels documents ont déjà commencé. Et même s'il se peut que, lors du futur changement d'administration de la Maison Blanche, les accords actuels soient supprimés, l'essentiel est de créer un élan vers le compromis mutuel. Dmitry Danilov, responsable du service de la sécurité européenne de l'Institut de l'Europe, en est persuadé.

N'importe quel pas vers un quelconque accord démontrerait l'envie de débloquer le processus. Et n'importe quelle déclaration politique permettra, sûrement, de le faire bouger. En plus, ce serait bien aussi parce que cela activerait aussi la machine politique.

Le docteur Margarete Klein, expert auprès du Fonds allemand de science et de politique, a souligné, de son côté,que la signature d'un tel document permettra, pour ainsi dire, à Obama de ne pas avoir à faire valider le document par le Congrès.

Peu importe si la rencontre de Berlin pourra être considérée comme une avancée ou non. Après les négociations à Bruxelles avec le secrétaire général de l'OTAN, Sergei Lavrov a dit que Moscou continuerait le dialogue avec l'OTAN en tant qu’organisation, et avec les États-Unis en tant que principal initiateur du système européen de l'ABM. Comme on peut le voir, ce dialogue repartira pas de zéro

02/25/2013  Andrew Elwell - defenceiq.com

Welcome Major General Kaluzinski, thank you for joining us. Could you please outline your role as the Polish Air Force Deputy Commander & Chief of Training and what it entails?

It is very hard to speak about one’s own range of responsibilities especially if it is as wide as mine because listing them, even in a random order, can make an impression that you are treating some of them as more important than other, but I will try to do my best. As everyone can suppose the role of the Polish Air Force Deputy Commander & Chief of Training is mainly connected with the broad issue of the Air Force training including specialised training provided to Air, GBAD and Radar units, staff exercises as well as every day military drill and Air Force soldiers’ physical fitness. I am also responsible for fulfilling NATO requirements and interoperability standards, supervising training methodology activities; developing new training concepts, programmes and methods as well as developing and implementing proposals and recommendations in order to improve the Air Force flight safety.

Could you please briefly outline the topics you plan to address during your presentation at the Military Flight Training conference in March?

Thanks to the invitation offered by the event’s organisers I will have the honour and pleasure to present a short briefing during the 12th Annual Military Flight Training Conference. My presentation will make the conference participants a bit more familiar with the Polish Air Force’s plans and goals connected with the new model of the Polish pilots training, which will let us effectively and economically prepare our student-pilots as well as to optimise the whole process of achieving the combat ready status in air operational units.

Are there any military flight training capabilities you would like made available to the Polish Air Force? Are you planning to procure any new trainers?

Taking into account my answer to your previous question I can say that it is almost obvious that if you want to build a new pilot training model you must acquire new capabilities, at least to some extent. The Polish Air Force’s most urgent training issue is to develop autonomous national capability for F-16 conversion, so plans connected with new trainers are subordinated to this goal.

The first “new trainer” which will be introduced into service is a domestically produced turboprop PZL-130 ORLIK Glass Cockpit. In fact this aircraft is a deep modernisation of the currently used PZL-130 equipped with an analogue cockpit. As the first training step the candidates will fly the “analogue” PZL - 130 in order to achieve basic pilot’s skills including VFR and IFR procedures. The next step will be accomplished on the PZL-130 airframe equipped with digital avionics (Glass Cockpit) and student-pilots will be taught how to perform basic tactical manoeuvres as well as how to fly tactical formations.

The second enabler, but in fact the most important one to reduce the skill gap and “pave” a “digital path” training for F-16 pilots is the Advanced Jet Trainer. The Polish Air Force plans to acquire up to 12 modern aircraft of such type as well as integrated logistics support, related training sub-systems (such as Full Mission Simulator, Squadron Level Simulator, CBT etc.) and initial training for instructor-pilots and ground crews. After a detailed analysis of potential possibilities to provide advanced training for the Polish pilots our requirements concerning the Integrated Training System (AJT level) are as follows:

• Jet A/C (at least 1 engine)
• Cockpit as closely as possible similar to the combat A/C (MFDs, HUD, HOTAS)
• Training missions (day & night, VMC & IMC) simulated weapon training (A-A, A-G)
• Advanced flying envelope (subsonic A/C with high manoeuvrability and excess of the thrust)
• Safety, reliability
• Low Life Cycle Cost

From the Polish Air Force’s point of view the acquisition of the Integrated Training System (AJT level) will help to guarantee the Polish Air Force Academy’s graduates entry-level skills to join the F-16 training and in effect it will let us to reduce the training cycle’s overall time and costs.

How important do you think simulation is today? Is it a viable training method and, since it so is cost-effective, does that mean it will be used more frequently in the future?

As an Air Force Commander is aware, the training provided to military aircrews is a very complex and lengthy process due to sophisticated aviation technology and wide range of tasks performed in the air. It requires an enormous range of knowledge from the participants as well as it being time and money consuming. Personally I find the simulation devices of different kind used today as a tool to save both time and money in this process. Simulators also give us a unique opportunity connected with the need to increase the flight safety level allowing to practice emergency procedures and obtain the required skills without any danger to the aircrew and aircraft. It is very hard to predict how the simulation will look in the future but taking into account the current pace of technology development I would go along with the view that it will be used more and more often in the air training process. Because at present we use equipment and devices such as 3D TVs or tablets which 10 or 20 years ago used to be a total fiction maybe in 10-years’ time we will be able to accomplish whole pilot’s air training on simulators, giving him or her the CR status and permission to execute the first real flight on a combat airframe, without the need to possess any real training aircraft or OCU. In fact nobody can be sure how the future will look like.

What about the joint networked simulation – how important do you think collaboration with other Air Forces will be in the future?

Currently the flight simulator training is an essential element of the whole aviation training and is an element which keeps on evolving due to the development of new technologies. One of the directions for the flight simulators is to increase capabilities connected with the potential to connect a group of simulators into a network and create a qualitatively new training device. I believe that this approach opens new possibilities in the field of air crew training. For example, when planning an exercise with different air units involved we would be able to execute a series of preparatory exercises for aircrews from different locations with the use of the squadron level flight simulators network, creating one joint virtual reality, saving money, time and in fact better preparing crews for real tasks. Of course at present the Polish Air Force does not have enough capabilities to connect more than 2 or 3 flight simulators into one network but we are aware of the possibilities connected with this issue and we are currently working on it. As far as the idea of collaborating with other Air Forces in this dimension is concerned we are open to all initiatives. Many countries are much more advanced in building joint networked simulation so I am sure that if any other Air Force or organization comes forward with an adequate proposal the Polish Air Force will be happy to accept it.

What are you looking forward to most about attending the Military Flight Training conference in March? What are you hoping to get out of the event?

The Military Flight Training Conference seems to be one of the most important conferences of this kind all over the world. I hope that taking part in it gives me a possibility to broaden my knowledge about current trends in the flight training, exchange and present my personal opinions on it as well as to make conference participants a bit more familiar with the Polish Air Force’s plans on the new model of the Polish pilots training. I think that an attempt to build or rebuild the national air training system which in fact is a constant process, but without being aware of the experiences gained by others, may lead to failure, so this conference is an occasion to hear the others and eventually adjust our plans.

25.02.2013 Sergyi Way - army-guide.com

General Dynamics European Land Systems and Falck Schmidt Defence Systems have signed a comprehensive teaming agreement to respond to the requests for the Danish Armored Personnel Carriers Replacement (APC-R) Program.

Under the teaming agreement, General Dynamics European Land Systems (GDELS) and Falck Schmidt Defence Systems (FSDS), a leading Defence contractor in Denmark, are working together to provide the best armored personnel carrier for the Danish Army.

The Danish Defence Acquisition and Logistic Organization (DALO) invited General Dynamics European Land Systems to submit tenders for both wheeled and tracked options of the program. GDELS has been the only contender chosen for both options with the ASCOD and PIRANHA 5.

This partnership, the core industrial team and open to other Danish Industry, creates a powerful platform for both companies to provide a turn-key armored personnel carrier solution to the Danish Army combining their existing capabilities and strengths. General Dynamics European Land Systems’ previous experience in the design and deliver of combat vehicles to key allies of Denmark such as USA, UK, Germany, Spain and Canada provides the perfect background for the technology transfer of production to FSDS.

The collaboration between the two companies will create a basis for numerous new job opportunities at FSDS, not only for the production period, but also in the following years of operation and logistics support. Furthermore, the added value that FSDS will obtain during this partnership will help this company and other Danish enterprises in getting new contracts on the international market, with further job opportunities as a result.

“We look forward to working with Falck Schmidt Defence Systems to prove again that we are a trusted key supplier for the Danish Army vehicle fleet and a global leader of wheeled and tracked vehicles, and we to engaging in close cooperation with the overall Danish defence industry,” said Alfonso Ramonet, President of General Dynamics European Land Systems.

“For FSDS this is a key strategic alliance with an international perspective which can raise the technology knowledge and production skills for the company even further than it is today,” said Jan Falck-Schmidt, CEO of Falck Schmidt Defence Systems. “FSDS has a proven record in production, assembly, integration and test of complete armored personal carriers to the Danish Army, and this partnership will improve this capability to an even higher standard”.

Over the past years, General Dynamics European Land Systems has delivered through the GDELS-Mowag Site to the Danish Army more than 260 PIRANHA 3, DURO IIIP 6x6 and EAGLE 4x4 vehicles. GDELS has demonstrated to be a reliable partner living up to the expectations of the Danish Army, by delivering the vehicle capabilities to operate across the full spectrum of operations.