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26 septembre 2013 4 26 /09 /septembre /2013 07:40
NYT: Russia Sells Stake in Maker of AK-47s to Investors

25.09.2013 rostec.ru

 

A government-owned conglomerate announced plans to sell to two private investors 49% of the Kalashnikov Group

 

A Russian government-owned conglomerate announced plans on Monday to sell to two private investors just under half of the company that makes Kalashnikov assault rifles.

 

The company, Izhevsk Machine Works, has made AK-47s, which are the world’s most distributed firearm, since shortly after World War II. And despite years of deep financial crisis, the company has been seen as a crown jewel of Russia’s military industrial complex.
Izhevsk returned to profitability in recent years in large part because of robust sales to American civilians.

The government had been searching for investors to share the burden of modernizing the sprawling machine shops and integrating the business, known as Izhmash, with other small arms makers as part of a broader overhaul of military enterprises, an important sector in the Russian economy.

In the deal announced Monday, the two Russian investors are buying 49 percent of Izhmash and four related enterprises that make pistols, cartridge cases and machine tools for the firearms industry for 2.5 billion rubles ($78 million). The investors are Aleksei Krivoruchko, a part owner of suburban trains linking Moscow to its airports, and Andrei Bokarev, who has a background in Siberian coal mining.

The controlling stake of 51 percent will remain with the state-owned conglomerate, Russian Technologies, an umbrella organization President Vladimir V. Putin established in 2007 to revive the military industry, in part by attracting investors.
“Private and state partnerships are an effective model to reform enterprises,” Sergei V. Chemezov, the Russian Technologies chief executive, said in a statement Monday.

The sale culminates the transformation of a Russian military enterprise that adapted to a civilian clientele, and also testifies to the money to be made in the gun market in the United States, where ownership laws are more lenient than in many other countries. Because China and former members of the Soviet Union make so many bootlegs of Kalashnikov assault rifles, producing the gun of choice for a broad spectrum of people who carry firearms was never good business for Izhmash until sales to relatively wealthy American buyers picked up.

Kalashnikov-pattern rifles are colloquially known as AK-47s — a name derived from the Russian word for automatic and the surname of the inventor, Gen. Mikhail T. Kalashnikov, as well as the year the first prototype appeared.

In an interview in 2012, the former factory director, Maksim Kuzyuk,described sales in the United States as integral to the business. About 40 percent of the factory’s output went to gun buyers there, about the same number as bought by the Russian military. The United States is the world’s largest importer of small arms, bringing in about $1.2 billion worth of guns in 2011, according to the Small Arms Survey, a standard reference of weapons trading globally.

Under a business plan announced along with the sale on Monday, the gun maker said it expected to quadruple its annual profit to $770 million, from about $193 million last year, and to triple output to 1.9 million guns annually by 2020.

In the deal, the government bundled five firearms manufacturers and related companies including Izhmash into a new structure that will be called Kontsern Kalashnikov, or the Kalashnikov Concern. These include Izhmekh, a pistol maker, as well as Koshkina, an engineering company making cartridge cases and machine tools for the food canning industry.

Government sales in Russia are also expected to rise. The American civilian rifle sales helped Izhmash to retool its factory for a new version for the Russian military, called the AK-12, which will be available next year.

Source: The New York Times

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26 septembre 2013 4 26 /09 /septembre /2013 07:40
New Arena-3 APS Debut At RAE-2013

Arena-3 covers 360 degrees in four quadrants with four modules, each comprising two sensor modules (possibly bi-static transmit and receive modules) photo Noam Eshel, Defense-Update

 

September 25, 2013  by Tamir Eshel - Defense-Update

 

A new active protection system from Russia appeared today at RAE-2013, as part of the display of a series of upgrades offered to The T-72 main battle tanks. The new system, dubbed Arena-3 covers 360 degrees in four quadrants with four modules, which seems to comprise two sensors two effectors. According to the manufacturer, two targets can be intercepted at each direction, at 0.3 second intervals. The system is effective at elevation of +20 degrees and -6 degrees. It is designed to intercept projectiles and missiles at a distance of 50 meters from the protected tank. The previous configuration included multiple effectors and a high profile radar that has not received well among tank crews. According to the tank manufacturer Uralvagonzavod, the system is effective at target velocity of 70-1000 meter/second (pertaining to RPGs, anti-tank missiles and HEAT tank rounds). The upgraded T-72 with Arena-3 weighs 46.5 tons.

New Arena-3 APS Debut At RAE-2013

According to the manufacturer, two targets can be intercepted at each direction, at 0.3 second intervals. The system is effective at elevation of +20 degrees and -6 degrees. Photo Noam Eshel, Defense-Update

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26 septembre 2013 4 26 /09 /septembre /2013 07:35
Three More Mi-17s Delivered to Afghan Air Force

A Russian Antonov An-124 unloads the first of three new Mi-17 helicopters at Kabul airport. Russia is to deliver 9 additional Mi-17s to the Afghan air force in the coming months. (USAF photo)

 

Sept. 25, 2013 defense-aerospace.com

(Source: US Air Force; issued Sept. 25, 2013)

 

New Aircraft Arrive for Afghan Air Force

 

KABUL, Afghanistan --- Three brand-new Mi-17 helicopters arrived in the belly of a Russian Antonov An-124, Sept. 1, on the Afghan air force ramp of Kabul International Airport, Afghanistan, at 8 a.m.

 

“This is the first time the Afghans have downloaded an aircraft of this size completely by themselves,” said Maj. Greg Douglas, NATO Air Training Command-Afghanistan J4-M deputy commander. Douglas is deployed from the 48th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron at RAF Lakenheath, England, and hails from Fort Walton Beach, Fla.

 

The three helicopters are the first of 12 to be arriving in the upcoming months.

 

“The significance of having these aircraft is each unit will have helicopters with only one variation,” Douglas explained. “This streamlines the process for maintenance, operations and training.”

 

Two of the new helicopters will travel to Kandahar Airfield once they are put together, and one will stay in Kabul. The aircraft were shipped directly from the manufacturer, and will be assembled here before leaving for KAF.

 

“The assembly should take anywhere from three weeks to a month,” Douglas added.

 

Once assembled, the aircraft will add another step in the sustainment and autonomy of the Afghan air force.

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26 septembre 2013 4 26 /09 /septembre /2013 07:20
Commentary: US Needs a Minerals Policy

Rare earth oxides. Clockwise from top center praseodymium, cerium, lanthanum, neodymium, samarium, and gadolinium - Photoh by Peggy Greb, US Department of Agriculture

 

Sep. 25, 2013 - by HAL QUINN – Defense News              

 

Reliance on Foreign Sources Risks Readiness

 

In June, the US House Armed Services Committee released a draft of the fiscal 2014 Defense Authorization Act, which included several proposals dealing with critical minerals often used in Defense Department weapon systems.

 

For years, the Pentagon has raised concerns about access to minerals, and yet the government still lacks a modern, coherent minerals procurement strategy and useful mineral resources remain locked beneath US soil. As a result, US military and defense contractors find themselves at the mercy of foreign countries for the minerals they need.

 

Minerals are critical components of the advanced technologies on which modern militaries rely. Each year, DoD must acquire roughly 750,000 tons of minerals for an array of systems to ensure America’s fighting force remains at the cutting-edge. Beryllium, for example, is used in the airborne forward-looking infrared system, missile guidance systems and surveillance satellites, while molybdenum is an effective smoke suppressant and fire retardant — especially useful in the confined spaces on aircraft.

 

Despite the importance of these resources, the military and its suppliers are unable to readily access many of the minerals they need. As revealed by the DoD’s 2013 Strategic and Critical Materials Report, the US faces shortfalls of 23 minerals crucial to national security. This year, the US Geological Survey warned that we remain 100 percent dependent on imports for 18 minerals — many of which were flagged in the DoD’s report.

 

As the world’s population surges and millions join the middle class in fast-rising economies, demand and competition for these vital ores will continue to rise. According to a recent report by retired Army Brig. Gen. John Adams for the Alliance for American Manufacturing, “The increased demand for minerals has encouraged resource nationalism, where countries seek to exert greater control over the extraction and processing of key elements. Many minerals are mined in only a few countries, exposing the United States to potential supply disruptions and other risks.”

 

Night-vision devices (NVDs) offer a prime example of how supply disruptions threaten our military. NVDs are integral to countless defense operations and were key to mission success in capturing Osama Bin Laden. Despite ranking in the top four globally for rare earth reserves, the US imports nearly 80 percent of the rare earth elements needed to manufacture NVDs — among other defense technologies — from China. In recent years, China has imposed export restrictions on rare earths, forcing prices for the minerals to increase by nearly 300 percent and tightening the supplies available to American manufacturers.

 

Simply put, the United States cannot remain at the mercy of foreign governments for key security minerals and continue to jeopardize its strategic autonomy.

 

There is a solution to these escalating supply concerns, one that would both boost America’s security outlook and the economy: the $6.2 trillion worth of key minerals within US borders. Minerals such as copper, zinc and nickel could be extracted in greater abundance domestically with improved regulatory certainty. The extraction of these minerals would also generate a number of other crucial minerals for which we’re facing tight supplies. Copper ore, for example, contains rhenium, selenium and tellurium, along with small amounts of rare-earth elements. Zinc ore contains indium, germanium and cadmium.

 

But under the current minerals mining permitting process — which is marked by unnecessary delays and redundancies at the local, state and federal levels — it can take up to 10 years to secure approval to mine for these and countless other minerals in the United States. This is five times longer than it takes in countries with comparably stringent environmental standards, such as Australia and Canada. This policy pitfall has driven investment overseas, leading to a 13 percent drop in our nation’s share of global investments in metals mining over the past decade and an increased reliance on mineral imports.

 

Encouraging domestic mineral production and establishing secure mineral supply chains for manufacturers and the US military would put our national security back into our own hands. The bipartisan National Strategic and Critical Minerals Production Act of 2013, introduced by US Rep. Mark Amodei, R-Nev., would address this national challenge. The bill would ensure a predictable and streamlined permitting process that maintains strict environmental protections, making the US more attractive to investment in mining and facilitating the development of minerals needed across our security spectrum.

 

For the US, a stable and robust mineral supply is, and will continue to be, a strong pillar supporting the nation’s global competitiveness, a key driver of its technological prowess and the foundation of countless national defenses. Allies and competitors alike have enacted policies to address minerals security, and it’s time for the United States to do the same. A reformed permitting process for minerals mines is a long-overdue first step.

 

Hal Quinn, president and CEO of the National Mining Association, which advocates on behalf of the US mining industry.

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25 septembre 2013 3 25 /09 /septembre /2013 21:55
Assemblée nationale : Audition de M. P. Boissier, président de DCNS, sur le projet de loi de programmation militaire

25.09.2013 Assemblée Nationale

 

Audition, ouverte à la presse, de M. Patrick Boissier, président de DCNS, sur le projet de loi de programmation militaire

 

Compte rendu n° 96 - mercredi 18 septembre 2013 - séance de 11 heures 30

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25 septembre 2013 3 25 /09 /septembre /2013 21:40
Modern Optoelectronics at Russia Arms Expo-2013

Ural Optical and Mechanical Plant will present a line of optoelectronic systems

 

25.09.2013 Rostec.ru

 

The Ural Optical and Mechanical Plant (UOMP) will demonstrate the advanced optical-radar station 13SM-1 and an optical-radar station designed for modern combat aircraft.

The 13SM-1, designed for MiG-29, and the optical-radar station for the Su-27 will be presented. Both systems are designed from an entirely modern point of view.

These systems differ from their predecessors primarily in their functionality–for example, by forming an image in two spectral ranges. Compared to previous stations, this significantly increases the possibilities for detection and identification.

New tactical and technological characteristics also allow for tracking of several air and ground targets simultaneously, and multi-channel capture and tracking provides for accurate targeting even during episodes of natural and man-made interference.

Ural Optical and Mechanical Plant, a leading manufacturer of optical-electronic platforms for various purposes, will present an upgraded, around-the-clock GOES-337M search-and-surveillance system for Mi-17 airplanes.

The system consists of two television cameras (monochrome and color), a thermal camera, and an eye-safe laser rangefinder. GOES-337M allows for around-the-clock visibility and search capabilities in any weather condition. Its detection and identification capabilities can be used in various situations, such as unguided weapons and air attacks and for conducting helicopter landings on unprepared sites.

Ural Optical and Mechanical Plant will also introduce visitors at the exhibition to civilian optical surveillance systems (SOSS) that can produce high-quality, stable images for all recording needs at any time of the day and even in low-visibility conditions. SOSS can be attached to air, sea, and land carriers, as well as to a stationary observation point. Civil optical surveillance systems are broad in scope: they can be used by emergency services in search and rescue missions; for monitoring power, oil, and gas lines; controlling traffic; and in other scenarios.

One of the most promising of these systems is the SOSS (SON) 730, the simplest of the “long-range” civil optical surveillance systems. With a weight of 25 kg, it can detect objects at a distance of up to 10 km. Upon request, the SOSS 730 can be equipped with additional functions, such as automatic capture and object tracking.

The civil optical surveillance system SOSS (SON) 820 is distinguished by its small size and weight. It can be mounted on unmanned aerial aircraft and helicopters, as well as aeronautic systems. The weight of this system is less than 5 kg.

The SOSS (SON)-M-02 is a next-generation system of civil optical surveillance. It differs from previous versions in a number of important ways. Its product design is based on the principle of modularity, which allows for a rapid change of information channels directly in the field.

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25 septembre 2013 3 25 /09 /septembre /2013 21:40
Kalashnikov Group to sell 49% stake to private investors

25.09.2013 Rostec.ru

 

Rostec will retain a controlling interest

 

Rostec has proposed selling a 49% stake in Kalashnikov Group to private investors. At the same time the state corporation will retain a controlling stake of 51% of shares. Andrei Bokarev, President and Co-owner of Transmashholding, and Aleksey Krivoruchko, CEO of Aeroexpress and a member of the Board of Directors of Transmashholding, have come forward as investors. The deal amounts to RUB 2.5 billion.

 

In accordance with the development strategy for the small arms sector lasting until 2020, which has been developed by Rostec together with the Ministry of Industry and Trade, Kalashnikov Group will be responsible for the full product lifecycle from design to disposal. It will also carry out research and development work to create advanced weapon systems. According to the strategy, revenue from the sale of small arms is anticipated to grow by four times to RUB 24 billion, the production of small arms is predicted to grow three times to 1.9 million units per year, and labor productivity is predicted to grow three times to RUB 2.5 million per person.

To implement Kalashnikov Group's strategy, RUB 3.6 billion will be required, 2.5 billion of which will be raised from the private investors Andrei Bokarev, President and Co-owner of Transmashholding as well as Co-owner of Ural Mining and Metallurgical Company, and Aleksey Krivoruchko, member of the Board of Directors of Transmashholding.

“Public-private partnership is an effective model for reforming Russian industry, and it allows for implementing large-scale projects,” said Sergey Chemezov, CEO of Rostec. “In addition to investments, it is especially important to attract investors who have both market expertise along with a responsible attitude to the purchased assets. Since Kalashnikov Group is a strategic company, the main condition was that the deal needed to be absolutely transparent. The new strategy adopted by the corporation will place Kalashnikov on the path of sustainable development. At the same time the state, as represented by Rostec, will retain a controlling interest in the corporation, which is essential to maintaining a balance of commercial and public interest in the enterprise.”

The corporation plans to issue additional stock in order to complete the deal, so that investors' funds can be invested directly into Kalashnikov’s authorized capital and contribute to the company's development. In accordance with the terms of the deal, the investors will use their own funds and loans to buy 49% ownership of Kalashnikov Group for RUB 2.5 billion. To achieve this goal, the investors will create a joint venture in which investor ownership will be split 50/50. The amount of RUB 2.5 billion will be invested over the first two years, with RUB 1.3 billion to be invested in the authorized capital immediately. These funds will be used, among other things, to pay off debt as well as to pay the corporation’s loans. Rostec has invested RUB 1.2 billion in Kalashnikov Group over the last two years. An independent evaluation of Kalashnikov Group will be completed by the end of October.

"The Russian small arms industry has great potential, but in order to realize it we need significant resources and managerial competence,” noted co-investor Andrei Bokarev. “Our decision to invest in the Kalashnikov Group was primarily due to financial motivations. We already have experience in creating financially successful hi-tech machine-building companies, and we are ready to apply these competencies to the development of Kalashnikov Group.”

The deal to sell a 49% stake to private investors was approved by the Ministry of Industry and Trade, and it has also won the support of Vladimir Putin during his recent meeting with Sergey Chemezov at a presentation by Kalashnikov Group.

Andrei Bokarev and Aleksey Krivoruchko have extensive experience in the arms manufacturing industry. Transmashholding has fulfilled a number of contracts for the Ministry of Defense, including those for the production of "Shilka" self-propelled anti-aircraft weapon systems, tractors, as well as “Thor”, "Buk", and "Tunguska" crawler chassis. The company also manufactures diesel engines for submarines, railway platforms for mobile missile systems and shipping containers for missiles.

In 2010, state-owned Rostec was actively engaged in resolving the problems of NPO Izhmash when the Russian small arms industry was in deep crisis. At that time enterprises faced severe financial difficulties and suffered due to a lack of modern technology. Izhmash had an opaque and cumbersome management system: it consisted of 32 legal entities, some of which were in offshore jurisdictions. It relied on illegal methods for withdrawing funds. The company was on the verge of bankruptcy.

The creation of the Kalashnikov Group was the systematic result of a financial crisis bailout program developed under the leadership of Sergey Chemezov.  In addition to Izhmash, the corporation includes Izhevsk Mechanical Plant, Vyatsko-Polyansky Engineering Plant Molot, Koshkin Automatic Lines Design Bureau and NITI Progress.

 

The Kalashnikov Group is an association of the largest companies in the Russian small arms industry, which are subsidiaries of the Rostec State Corporation. The corporation was founded on the basis of Izhmash, Izhevsk Mechanical Plant, Vyatsko-Polyansky Engineering Plant Molot, Koshkin Automatic Lines Design Bureau (Klimovsk) and NITI Progress (Izhevsk). The corporation is the largest Russian manufacturer of military-grade automatic and sniper weapons as well as guided artillery shells. It also produces a wide range of civilian products, including hunting rifles, sporting rifles, machine tools and tools.

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25 septembre 2013 3 25 /09 /septembre /2013 18:25
BMPT-72 tank support fighting vehicle  - Terminator-2 (Uralvagonzavod)

BMPT-72 tank support fighting vehicle - Terminator-2 (Uralvagonzavod)

NIZHNY TAGIL, September 25 (RIA Novosti)

 

Russia’s Uralvagonzavod defense manufacturer on Wednesday unveiled the BMPT-72 tank support fighting vehicle, dubbed the “Terminator-2,” at the Russia Arms Expo 2013 in Nizhny Tagil.

 

The BMPT-72 is an extensive modernization of the world-famous T-72 main battle tank, also produced by Uralvagonzavod. Compared with its predecessor – the BMPT – the BMPT-72 has an improved fire control system and better turret weapon station protection.

 

“The key advantage that the BMPT-72 gives to all the counties that operate T-72 tanks is that they can promptly and at minimal cost upgrade their armies to an ultra-modern level, and enhance capacity, mobility, protection and armament without purchasing new high-cost machines,” Uralvgonzavod said in press release prior to the Nizhny Tagil show.

 

The BMPT-72 is armed with two 30-mm cannons, two 30-mm grenade launchers, four launchers for 130-mm Ataka-T anti-tank guided missiles, a 7.62-mm machine gun, and two 81-mm smoke grenade launchers.

 

Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin said Wednesday that the idea to build new heavily armed tank support vehicles emerged on the basis of experience acquired by the Russian military during the First Chechen War in North Caucasus, especially during the urban fighting in Grozny in 1995 when Russian troops lost a large number of combat vehicles to “guerrilla warfare” tactics used by Chechen separatists.

 

Rogozin, who oversees the Russian defense and space industries, said future versions of the BMPT would most likely be based on the platform of Russia’s highly anticipated new main battle tank: the Armata.

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25 septembre 2013 3 25 /09 /septembre /2013 17:55
Comité « Pacte Défense PME »

25.09.2013 Association des entreprises partenaires de la Défense

 

L'Association des entreprises partenaires de la Défense a créé un Comité « Pacte Défense PME » en charge de faire le lien (retours d'expérience, propositions...) avec le ministère de la Défense.

 

Pacte Défense PME est une stratégie globale du ministère en faveur des PME et des ETI et mobilise l'ensemble de ses services autour des principales problématiques de ces entreprises : accès à la commande publique, soutien à l'innovation, sous-traitance, financement, accompagnement à l'exportation...

 

Contact unique : comitepactedefensepme@entreprisespartenairesdeladefense.fr

 

Pour télécharger les 10 actions principales du Pacte Défense PME : LIEN

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25 septembre 2013 3 25 /09 /septembre /2013 17:50
Polish Army Eyes New Biological Reconnaissance Vehicles

Sep. 25, 2013 - By JAROSLAW ADAMOWSKI – Defense News

 

WARSAW — The Polish Defense Ministry has launched a technical dialogue to select defense manufacturers willing to supply seven new biological reconnaissance vehicles to the Polish Army, the ministry’s Armament Inspectorate said in a statement.

 

According to the released technical specification, the designed high-mobility vehicle will have a medium loading capacity. The vehicle must carry a crew of seven and weigh a maximum of 16 tons. The seven vehicles are also to be enabled for air transport by the Lockheed C-130E Hercules aircraft. Polish Air Force has six such transport aircraft in its fleet.

 

Under the plan, the vehicle contract will also cover servicing and maintenance.

 

Applications are to be submitted by Sept. 30, according to the Armament Inspectorate. After the applications are reviewed, the ministry aims to meet with the manufacturers to discuss the technical and financial aspects of their initial offers by Oct. 18. The Polish ministry has already established a task team to handle the application and evaluation process.

 

Delivery of the vehicles to the Polish Army is scheduled for 2014.

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25 septembre 2013 3 25 /09 /septembre /2013 17:40
Chars: la Russie occupera 50% du marché mondial d'ici 2016 (expert)

MOSCOU, 25 septembre - RIA Novosti

 

La Russie occupera d'ici 2016 près de 50% du marché mondial des chars de combat principaux neufs, a déclaré mercredi à Moscou Igor Korottchenko, directeur du Centre russe d'analyse de commerce mondial d'armes (TsAMTO).

 

"Les ventes de chars de combat principaux (MBT) neufs atteindront 1.552 unités pendant la période de 2013 à 2016. Elles se chiffreront à 8,98 milliards de dollars en cas de réalisation des contrats déjà signés et en cours de discussion. La Russie représentera 48,8% (758 unités) du total", a indiqué M.Korottchenko.

 

Ceci sera possible si la Russie et l'Inde poursuivent la réalisation de leur programme conjoint de production des chars T-90S après l'assemblage du premier lot de 300 chars. Au total, la licence prévoit la production de 1.000 chars T-90S.

 

"La Russie a détenu 52,7% du marché mondial des MBT neufs de 2009 à 2012 en termes de volume (806 unités) et 31% en termes de revenus (2,58 milliards de dollars)", a ajouté l'expert.

 

Au total, 1.527 chars neufs pour 8,32 milliards de dollars ont été exportés ou produits sous licence dans le monde de 2009 à 2012, selon lui.

 

Les Etats-Unis occupent le 2e rang sur le marché mondial des exportations avec 868 chars pour 5,9 milliards de dollars, l'Allemagne arrive en troisième position avec 394 chars pour 4,7 milliards de dollars et la Chine est troisième avec 112 chars pour 354,4 millions de dollars.

"Pékin a accédé au marché mondial des chars de combat principaux neufs grâce au projet de char MBT-2000 qu'il réalise conjointement avec le Pakistan. Ce char a également été livré au Bangladesh, au Maroc et au Myanmar (Birmanie)", a expliqué M.Korottchenko.

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25 septembre 2013 3 25 /09 /septembre /2013 17:40
Russian Army to Accept Armored Vehicles Rejected in 2010

MOSCOW, September 24 (RIA Novosti)

 

An order for the delivery of BMP-3 infantry fighting vehicles that the Russian Defense Ministry suspended three years ago over inferior quality will be completed, a defense industry official said Tuesday.

 

The vehicles, manufactured in 2010 at the Kurganmashzavod plant, “were criticized by the Defense Ministry” when they were first made, Oleg Bochkarev, deputy head of the governmental Military Industrial Commission, said in an interview with RIA Novosti.

 

The vehicle has since been modernized and given “a large number of various modifications,” he said, adding that the product is in high demand on foreign markets.

 

“This equipment will function for a long time yet,” Bochkarev said.

 

First Deputy Defense Minister Alexander Sukhorukov said last year that Kurganmashzavod had been fined 3 billion rubles ($90 million) over its failure to deliver BMP-3s on time and meet the required quality standards.

Russian Army to Accept Armored Vehicles Rejected in 2010
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25 septembre 2013 3 25 /09 /septembre /2013 17:40
Russia, France Develop New Infantry Fighting Vehicle

MOSCOW, September 25 (RIA Novosti)

 

Russia’s Uralvagonzavod and France’s Renault Trucks Defense  are jointly developing a new infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) with an increased firing range of up to 16 kilometers, the Russian company said Wednesday.

 

“We [Uralvagonzavod and Renault Trucks Defense] unveiled today a prototype of a future IFV,” Uralvagonzavod general director Oleg Sienko said at Russian Arms Expo-2013, which opened Wednesday in the Urals city of Nizhny Tagil.

 

“The French side provided us with the transmission, the engine, the concept and the fire control system,” he said.

 

According to Sienko, the new IFV will be highly competitive on global markets because it is equipped with a powerful 57-mm gun, instead of the 30-mm variant that is standard for current IFVs.

 

“With its maneuverability and fire power, we are certain that this product will be in high demand on the market,” Sienko said, adding that a joint Russian-French venture could be formed to set up localized production of the new IFV in Russia.

 

Renault, France’s second-biggest carmaker, has made the Russian market one of its priorities for international development. Russia is already Renault’s fourth-largest automobile market.

 

In 2014, the Renault-Nissan Alliance will get a majority stake in a joint venture with the Russian Technologies State Corporation, called Alliance Rostec Auto BV, which will control AvtoVAZ, leader of the Russian car market.

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25 septembre 2013 3 25 /09 /septembre /2013 17:40
INS Vikramaditya (formerly Admiral Gorshkov) aircraft carrier

INS Vikramaditya (formerly Admiral Gorshkov) aircraft carrier

KOCHI (India), September 25 (RIA Novosti)

 

A Russian-built aircraft carrier is to be handed over to the Indian Navy on November 15, and will reach India by February 2014, a senior official at the Russian arms exports monopoly said Wednesday.

 

The Vikramaditya carrier, which is already years past its original 2008 delivery date, was supposed to have been handed over to India in December 2012, but last year’s sea trials revealed that the vessel's boilers were not fully functional.

 

“We expect that Vikramaditya will dock at a Mumbai port by February,” Viktor Komardin, deputy head of the state-run arms exporter Rosoboronexport, said Wednesday at the NAMEXPO-2013 naval exhibition in India.

 

Komardin said that the carrier would dock at 14 ports on its way to the final destination.

 

The carrier, renamed the Vikramaditya for India, was originally built as the Soviet Project 1143.4 class aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov.

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25 septembre 2013 3 25 /09 /septembre /2013 17:35
Russia Starts Building 2 Frigates for Vietnamese Navy

The Russian Gepard (Cheetah) class frigates Photo Mike1979 Russia

 

KAZAN, September 24 (RIA Novosti)

 

A Russian shipyard on Tuesday started work on a second pair of frigates for the Vietnamese navy, the shipbuilding company said.

 

The Gepard (Cheetah) class frigates are designed to guard and patrol the state border and economic zone, fight smuggling, poaching and piracy at sea and aid vessels in distress. They are armed with modern missile and artillery systems.

 

The first contract was signed in 2005, and the first two frigates entered service with Vietnam’s navy in 2011, the Kazan-based Zelenodolsk shipyard said in a statement.

 

The second contract was signed in February 2013. Unlike the first two, the new frigates feature antisubmarine weapons and an advanced propulsion system.

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25 septembre 2013 3 25 /09 /septembre /2013 17:30
Roaring Back

25.09.2013 Lior Estline --.iaf.org.il

 

It is almost 40 years old, but it is perfectly fit and though many years have passed since it started its service in the IAF, the IAI "Kfir" is one of the most surprising exports of the IAI. From outside it looks almost the same, but on the inside, technology from the second decade of the 21st century is installed, making it a fighter that can do anything on the modern battlefield

 

 

"It was the evening of Israel's Independence Day and high above Ben Gurion Airport a triangular winged fighter plane rolled in and performed maneuvers with grace and precision. What made the inaugural flight noteworthy is the fact that after years of relying on French and American fighter planes, Israelis now manufacture a plane with their own hands".

 

IAF Magazine opened its August 1975 edition with these very words. Four months prior, on the eve of Independence Day, two Kfir planes were delivered to the IAF and the vision of the "Israeli fighter plane" became a reality with the inaugural flight described in IAF Magazine.

 

While it is fixed in the national consciousness as the first Israeli fighter plane, few people know that today, almost 40 years after that evening in Ben Gurion Airport, the Kfir ('Lion" in Hebrew) has leapt into the 21st century, a leap that has brought with it the best of technology and armaments of 2013 and has made it a plane with diverse and attractive capabilities.

 

New, Brand New

 

"In the critical area of 'see first - shoot first', the Kfir has capabilities that are no less powerful than the capabilities of any western or eastern fighter plane of the fourth generation (F-16, F-15, Eurofighter, Rafal, MiG-29, Sukhoi-30) and is a first class competitor with planes that are not equipped with stealth technology produced in recent decades", says Oren Aviram, Director of Marketing and Business Development in the "Lahav" factory of the IAI. "If we take into account the technology and the computer systems installed in the newer fourth generation planes, it's around a decade old; in the 'Block 60' Kfir, the latest technology that is produced here these days is installed and that is where the advantage lies".

 

This situation is made possible because of the unique configuration of the aircraft system. According to Yossi Melamed, director of "Lahav":

"We work with open architecture, which allows us to continue to install innovations in the field of computing and avionics in the planes and actually to upgrade them all the time, unlike other fighter planes".

 

The "Block 60" which is the 2013 model of the Kfir, is an upgraded fighter plane that undergoes "stripping" before the beginning of the upgrading process. "Whether it's a Kfir that has arrived from a foreign customer or whether it's a local Kfir, we remove everything down to what we call the 'pipes', i.e. the central cylinder which constitutes the fuselage. Afterwards, we install everything new and if need be we produce parts that are needed", explains Melamed. "Of course, the equipment that is installed in the whole plane is new: wiring, avionics, computer systems, radar and various types of armaments and plane systems with zero hour flight".

 

During the stripping process, the body of the plane is checked down to the smallest screw. "After the process the plane undergoes in the 'Lahav' factory, it leaves with the ability to fly 8,000 hours with the manufacturer's warranty, meaning the plane can fly for decades", explains Aviram.

 

After the stripping process, the next step is the installation of the systems. One of the main systems is the version of the Data Link system that is installed in the Kfir planes produced by "Lahav" and also in all of the IAF fighter planes connecting the planes, control and command systems, and the armaments. The systems turns the Kfir into a plane that is suited for the battlefield of the 21st century, a battlefield that is based on a multitude of data, constantly connected and mainly data processing at record speeds in order to take necessary actions against targets with short exposure lengths and low signatures.

 

The Colombian Challenge

 

One of the main customers of the Kfir is the Colombian Air Force. "Colombia is a country that engaged in a battle", explains Oren. "The Kfir planes there work and attack; they have been engaged in continuous and intense operational activity for years".

 

Up until a few years ago the Colombians operated around a dozen Kfir fighters of the third generation configuration. "We faced some significant challenges on the Colombian project", adds Oren. "We had to upgrade the planes they own from third generation to fourth generation as well as double the number of Kfir planes of Colombia and finally, we were supposed to complete the project with in a period of three years".

 

All the Colombian planes underwent the upgrade process and became new planes within the same period of time that was assigned to the project. Consequently, on Colombian Independence Day which was set as the deadline, an impressive flying formation of 24 upgraded Kfir fighters flew across the sky.

 

"One of the main things in the project we put emphasis on was a high level of usability", said Melamed and not long before the level of usability was put to the test. The Colombian Air Force received an exclusive invitation to take part in the famous "Red Flag" week in USA. The Colombian Kfir planes flew over 2000 miles to the Nellis airbase in Nevada, using the new aerial refueling capabilities that constitute part of the upgrade and they all arrived safely, but the long flight was just a prelude to what happened at the "Red Flag" week.

 

"At some points in the flights during the week, the advanced fourth generation fighters of different countries took off in a partial composition following usability problems, while the Kfir planes demonstrated full usability in the air and yielded excellent results", explains Oren. "They did their job, scored hits and even surprised with their offensive abilities in aerial combat: the updated Kfir with advanced radar, electronic warfare, long range air-to-air armaments and advanced avionics managed to shot down fourth generation American fighters that flew against them as simulated enemy plane. The American participants thought very highly of the Colombian pilots and their Kfir planes, the many indications of which can be found on the internet".

 

Fire in the Sky

 

The people in "Lahav" put an emphasis on the Cost-Benefit characteristic of the 2013 "Block 60" model of the Kfir. "The Kfir is in line with fourth generation planes and brings with it between 80-120 percent of their capabilities in terms of avionics, armaments, payload and pods such as the 'Lightning' for nighttime attacks and laser designation capability for a precise attack, radar capabilities that include high resolution ground mapping, SAR capability that allows for information gathering and attacks in all weather conditions, all of this at a third of the price of fourth generation planes and with a flight hour at a fourth of the price of fourth generation Western planes with single engine", explains Aviram and Melamed adds that: "the customer receives a plane with radar capabilities, computer systems and advanced armaments at a significantly lower price than similar planes on the market".

 

The result is that more countries are already expressing interest in the Kfir planes, among them countries in Europe. The "Block 60" version for NATO countries will include connectivity, advanced radar of the AESA kind that allows activities in more than one mode simultaneously and more very advanced capabilities. Beyond that, aerial refueling capabilities were also added giving the plane a much broader scope and there were significant changes in the cockpit.

 

"The cockpit of the Kfir fighters has undergone a big change", explains Oren. "There is a colored radar screen, a moving map, a new multi-strength mission computer and HOTAS capabilities that allow control of many activities without removing your hands from the stick".

 

The Kfir can now lock on 64 targets, share them with other planes and get an indication of who is locked on whom. "The ability of the radar to separate targets and categorize together with the network sharing allows for a full picture of the battlefield", says Oren. "The Kfir has cross-section radar that is very low and coupled with the capabilities of its radar it 'sees first and shoots first' better than most of the other fighter planes of the fourth generation".

 

Even with respect to armaments, the Kfir planes are at the forefront. "You can hang on the Kfir any kind of armament on the nine stations", Melamed emphasizes. "We combined laser-guided munitions that are assisted by the designation pod with autonomous guided bombs and advanced air-to-air missiles, like the Python-5 and BVR missiles equivalent to AMRAAM".

 

It turns out that these capabilities also have evidence in reality. As stated, Colombia is very active with the upgraded Kfir planes in the air-to-ground area, precise attacks in inclement weather and at night. As a result, the Kfir planes remain operational and in use at all hours of the day.

 

Melamed is looking forward with optimism. "In a few years, the intention is to sell between two to three squadrons".

 

Kfir in action

 

The 27th of June, 1979 was a good day for world records and indeed two were actually set. It was a day in which for the first time, an F-15 fighter shot down an enemy plane but more interestingly, it was the first time the Kfir won a "Dog fight".

 

Captain S', who holds the world record, said in the August 1979 edition of IAF Magazine: "I got cold feet, but when you're inside, everything work out", and today when Lieutenant Colonel (Res.) Shai Eshel looks back at that battle, he says that, in retrospect, it was possible to down even more Syrian MiGs. "The flight that same day was intended to intercept the Syrian MiGs that harassed the aerial photographing flights of the IAF that followed the placement of Syrian missile batteries in the Beqaa Valley in Lebanon", he adds.

 

The pair of Phantom F-4 jets that took photographs was accompanied by eight intercepting planes. "Four of the planes consisting of Falcon (F-15) jets were visible. They talked on the two way radio and flew above Beirut, while our other four planes consisting of two Falcon (F-15) jets and two Kfir fighters, where I was number 4, went silent and flew at a low altitude outside of the area".

 

The Phantom planes began to go north from the Dead Sea area and ascended to reach an altitude of 60,000 feet from which the photographs can be taken. The Syrians that located the flight deployed eight MiGs from the Damascus area towards the Beqaa Valley in Lebanon. Crossing the northern line of the photographers getting ready to intercept them, the MiGs accelerated and gained height.

 

"Immediately afterwards, the F-15 jets start to make radar contact with the MiGs, while the photographing planes turn their tails towards the Syrian planes that were

flying towards them without knowing that they are arriving at a trap", explains Eshel. "Then, the controller tuned to the F-15 planes and gave the approval to open fire".

 

That is how the historic aerial battle began. While Eshel's silent aerial formation of four planes started to gain height towards the battle, the aerial formation of four F-15 planes opened fire. "We dropped extra fuel tanks, but my fuel tank got stuck because of a technical malfunction. As I was gaining height, the missiles launched by the F-15 fighters passed over our heads. We also entered the battle and I noticed a MiG spinning that I assumed was going to crash, so I didn't exert any effort on downing him. In retrospect, he landed safely and I missed an easy downing opportunity".

 

The radio network was filled with a lot of yelling and the air with missiles that were launched one after another. "I noticed two MiGs turning east and I went after them. From a range of 1500 meters I launched a missile towards the leader that exploded 2-3 meters behind it. It started to emit smoke, but the pilot continued to fly it. I approached it at a short distance in order to finish the job with canons, but he abandoned the plane and, in retrospect, it turned out that this moment was captured by the camera lens of the canon".

 

Eshel also tried to hit the second MiG. "The two of us were at low speed and so I tried to gain speed and raise the nose of the plane. I got into the missile launching position and I launched the second missile, but to my disappointment, it didn't hit the target. I reduced the distance between us in order to down him with a canon but he rolled over, entered a cloud and that is how lost the opportunity".

 

At the end of the massive battle that lasted a very short time, it became clear that five MiGs were shot down. Landed at the base, it became clear to Eshel that the real battle had just begun.

 

"The F-15 pilots claimed that all the shoot-downs belong to them", recalls Eshel. "Together with the Commander of the Base, I traveled to the debrief in which it was determined that the downing belonged to me".

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25 septembre 2013 3 25 /09 /septembre /2013 13:00
Pierre Moscovici, Jean-Yves Le Drian, Patrick Boissier photo Ouest France

Pierre Moscovici, Jean-Yves Le Drian, Patrick Boissier photo Ouest France

25.09.2013 par P. CHAPLEAU Lignes de Défense


Devant la commission de la Défense, la semaine dernière, le PDG de DCNS, Patrick Boissier, a critiqué l’étalement de deux programmes navals majeurs (voir Ouest-France du 20 septembre) et il a exprimé ses craintes pour l'emploi sur les sites de Cherbourg et de Lorient. On écoutera ses propos devant la commission en cliquant ici.

 

Le ministre de la Défense n’a guère apprécié la charge. Il s'est exprimé dans notre édition de ce mercredi.

 

Le PDG de DCNS s’est montré très critique sur la Loi de programmation militaire
Je suis surpris par ses déclarations. Je voudrais rappeler que c’est le ministère de la Défense qui est le premier client de DCNS et l’État le premier actionnaire de DCNS (64 %). Monsieur Boissier doit rester dans le cadre de ses fonctions. Ainsi en matière d’actionnariat, le décideur c’est moi ; aujourd’hui la question d’un nouveau modèle n’est pas à l’ordre du jour. C’est un peu ferme, mais c’est le patron qui parle. Un conseil à Monsieur Boissier : quand on négocie, il vaut mieux s’adresser à ceux qui détiennent le pouvoir de décision.

 

Ses critiques portaient sur l’étalement du programme FREMM.
La LPM 2008-2014 tablait sur une remontée vertigineuse et totalement irréaliste des crédits d’investissement ; c’était avant la crise. Le président de la République ayant pris la décision de sanctuariser les crédits pour la Défense, cela m’a permis de maintenir l’ensemble des commandes. Il y aura onze FREMM (frégates multimissions) et six sous-marins Barracuda, alors que dans les premières prévisions que l’on m’avait présentées, ce n’était pas le cas. J’ai maintenu ce cap et je suis garant de ce choix.

 

Patrick Boissier s'inquiète aussi pour l'emploi et les surcoûts.
Il y a 11 FREMM dans la loi de programmation militaire, toutes livrées avant 2025. Ce qui veut dire que, pour la commande nationale, le plan de charge de DCNS Lorient est assuré et que le site peut voir l’avenir avec optimisme. D’autant plus que nous n’intégrons pas les éventuelles commandes à l’exportation. En outre, pour garantir le plan de charge du bureau d’études de DCNS, j’ai pris deux décisions. Une, d’avancer les études pour les frégates de défense aérienne et les frégates de nouvelle génération. Deux, pour les trois dernières FREMM, j’ai décidé d’attendre 2016 pour choisir entre les actuels modèles et la frégate de nouvelle génération. Certes il y aura un peu de lissage mais les conséquences sur l’emploi seront limitées.

 

Et les Barracuda à Cherbourg ?
Il est faux de dire que la première livraison interviendra en 2019, ce sera en 2017. Là aussi il y aura un peu d’étalement mais nous maintenons les Barracuda. Enfin, le programme des bâtiments de soutien et d’assistance hauturiers (BSAH) reste inscrit dans la LPM. Toutefois, Monsieur Boissier défend un mode d’acquisition qui ne nous convient pas; à ce stade, son offre est trop chère.

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25 septembre 2013 3 25 /09 /septembre /2013 12:55
Jean-Yves Le Drian recadre sèchement le PDG de DCNS

24.09.2013 par P. CHAPLEAU Lignes de Défense
 

Le PDG de DCNS a averti, à, plusieurs reprises, que son entreprise risquait de devoir affronter un sérieux coup de tabac. La faute à la LPM.

 

Il s'est ainsi exprimé la semaine dernière devant la commission de la Défense de l'Assemblée nationale. Selon lui, la remise en causes des programmes de sous-marins Barracuda et de frégates multi-missions Fremm coûtera à l’Etat jusqu’à 1,2 milliard d’euros et fragilisera un millier d’emplois, directs ou indirects. Toujours devant la commission de la Défense, P. Boissier s'est aussi interrogé sur la part de l'Etat dans le capital de DCNS.

 

On écoutera l'audition de Patrick Boissier en cliquant ici.

 

Le pavé dans la mare de P. Boissier lui a valu d'abord une volée de bois vert de la part de la DGA. Et voilà que Jean-Yves Le Drian monte à son tour au créneau pour exprimer sa très mauvaise humeur; on est loin des amabilités de juillet dernier.

 

On lira demain, dans Ouest-France et sur Lignes de défense, l'interview du ministre de la Défense. Un ministre très remonté, qui met les points sur les "i" et rappelle qu'il est "le patron".

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25 septembre 2013 3 25 /09 /septembre /2013 12:54
Assemblée Nationale : Audition de G. Amiel, président de Renault Trucks Defense, sur le projet de loi de programmation militaire

25.09.2013 Assemblée nationale


Compte rendu n° 93 - mardi 17 septembre 2013 - séance de 18 heures 45

- Audition, ouverte à la presse, de M. Gérard Amiel, président de Renault Trucks Defense, sur le projet de loi de programmation militaire
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25 septembre 2013 3 25 /09 /septembre /2013 12:50
Rheinmetall Defence's Air Burst Hand Grenades Feature 2 Charges

Sep. 24, 2013 - By HOPE HODGE SECK – Defense news

 

Rheinmetall Defence's Air Burst Hand Grenade is designed to eliminate the tactical advantage of a wall or vertical structure sheltering an enemy target.

 

QUANTICO, VA. — Rheinmetall Defence is showcasing a technology here at Modern Day Marine that could cause enemies sheltering in trenches or behind berms to feel much less safe.

 

The Austrian company has developed an Air Burst Hand Grenade that is equipped with two charges, not just one. After being activated and thrown, the first charge shoots the grenade about two meters in the air, where the second charge detonates the explosive. The system is designed to eliminate the tactical advantage of a wall or vertical structure sheltering an enemy target.

 

Other features include a cone-shaped body that directs fragments downward to ensure the elimination of the target on the ground, while controlling outward dispersion.

 

The company’s senior advisor, Mike Miller, said while no Air Burst grenades have been fielded to U.S. military buyers yet, the Swedish Armed Forces began using the new weapons system last year.

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25 septembre 2013 3 25 /09 /septembre /2013 12:30
Oshkosh Delivers M-ATVs to UAE

Oshkosh Defense recently delivered the last of the 750 M-ATVs sold to UAE. (Oshkosh Defense)

 

Sep. 24, 2013 - By PAUL McLEARY – Defense news

 

Company Says It's Working on Saudi Deal

 

QUANTICO, VA. — Oshkosh Defense finished shipping the last of the 750 MRAP-All Terrain Vehicles (M-ATV) sold to the United Arab Emirates, and is working on a deal with Saudi Arabia for an undisclosed number of the lighter MRAPs, company officials here said.

 

John Bryant, senior vice president of defense programs for the company, said that Oshkosh is working on a long-term maintenance and supply agreement with the UAE to keep those M-ATVs humming. The UAE deal was announced in July 2012, and deliveries were completed this past August.

 

Since the potential Saudi deal is still in its early stages, Bryant said he could not provide any additional details, though he does expect announcements to be made by the end of the year.

 

Since the program came on line in 2009, the US Army, Marine Corps, and Special Operations Command purchased about 8,700 M-ATVs for use in Afghanistan, but as part of the overall divesture of its wartime MRAP fleet, the government will keep about 5,600 of them, with the Special Ops Command retaining about 250 vehicles.

 

Bryant said that the US government is planning on re-fitting almost all of the vehicles that come back from Afghanistan at its own government depots, but that Oshkosh’s supplier base should still see plenty of work funneling parts and technical expertise to the depots to finish up the work.

 

He also said that the company’s supplier base should stay pretty healthy over the next several years given the amount of work they have servicing Oshkosh’s heavy and medium vehicle fleets, as well.

 

“We don’t see any drying up of our supply base,” he said.

 

The company is also working on a series of safety, survivability, and mobility upgrades for the vehicles as they come home, including suspension upgrades and a new communications suite for international customers that would allow them to integrate more — and different — radios onto the platforms.

 

As one of the three finalists for the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle program, Bryant is concerned about the fact that the program’s managers say that they’ll run out of money to continue testing by next summer, unless they receive an infusion of cash.

 

Still, he said, the company is continuing to perform its own testing on the JLTV, and is eager to share that information with the government if they need it.

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25 septembre 2013 3 25 /09 /septembre /2013 12:20
Oshkosh Defense Answers U.S. Marine Corps’ Light Vehicle Needs

25.09.2013 Oshkosh - army-guide.com

 

OSHKOSH, Wis. -- The U.S. Marine Corps is reshaping its light vehicle fleet to equip Marines with the right mix of protected mobility for future missions. Oshkosh Defense, a division of Oshkosh Corporation, has developed vehicle and upgrade offerings to meet those requirements, including a Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) solution that will be showcased at Modern Day Marine in Quantico, Va., Sept. 25-27.

 

“The last decade of conflict combined with an aging light vehicle fleet has shaped the Marine Corps’ priorities for its future vehicle fleets,” said John Bryant, senior vice president of Defense Programs for Oshkosh Defense. “Chief among those priorities is the JLTV, a transportable vehicle that will allow Marines to operate in rugged, off-road environments, while keeping them safe in high-intensity combat situations.”

 

The Oshkosh JLTV solution, the Light Combat Tactical All-Terrain Vehicle (L-ATV), delivers unprecedented levels of off-road mobility for a light vehicle. Using the Oshkosh TAK-4i™ intelligent independent suspension system, the vehicle delivers a 25 percent improvement in independent wheel travel over most mobile vehicles currently fielded, giving Marines greater off-road performance across rough terrain. Marines already rely on Oshkosh’s combat-proven vehicles with today’s gold standard in off-road capability, such as the Medium Tactical Vehicle Replacement (MTVR) and MRAP All-Terrain Vehicle (M-ATV).

 

Oshkosh Defense was down selected for the Engineering, Manufacturing and Development (EMD) phase of the JLTV program in August 2012 and delivered its 22 JLTV prototypes for government evaluations last month ahead of schedule. Oshkosh will provide vehicle training and support for the prototypes as they undergo 14 months of robust military testing.

 

HMMWV Upgrade Solutions

 

In addition to the procuring JLTV, the Marine Corps is seeking to upgrade a portion of its aged High-Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV) fleet. Up-armoring HMMWVs in recent conflicts has diminished key vehicle capabilities, including off-road performance, ride quality and reliability.

 

Oshkosh Defense has developed modular and scalable HMMWV upgrade solutions that provide varying levels of capabilities at a range of price points. The upgrades can be provided individually or as more complete solutions for upgrading all critical vehicle systems. Oshkosh’s comprehensive, cost-effective approach addresses requirements for engine and powertrain, suspension, driveline, hubs and brakes, frame and hull, electrical, cooling, and auxiliary automotive improvements to meet the Marine Corps needs.

 

For example, Oshkosh has tailored its industry-leading TAK-4® independent suspension system to deliver higher levels of mobility, including a 70 percent off-road profile capability, improved ride quality and a 40 percent increase in the vehicle’s maximum speed. The TAK-4 system also gives the HMMWV greater whole-vehicle durability, a restored 2,500-pound payload capacity and a restored ground clearance of 17 inches. Oshkosh also can deliver a modern engine option that’s more powerful than the HMMWV’s stock engine and provides increased fuel efficiency.

 

Oshkosh Defense leadership will be available to discuss the company’s vehicles, technologies and IPS services at Modern Day Marine at booth #2404.

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25 septembre 2013 3 25 /09 /septembre /2013 11:20
Defense Firms Need to Get Out of Defense

September 24, 2013 defense-aerospace.com

(Source: Forbes.com; published Sept. 23, 2013)

 

Five Reasons Defense Companies Need to Start Getting Out of Defense (excerpt)



It’s hard to change when staying the same seems to be working. After listening to warnings of impending doom for the better part of a decade, defense contractors find their share prices at record levels, their margins largely intact, and their dominance of the global arms market growing. So they aren’t showing much urgency about diversifying. Instead, they are buying back stock and raising dividends — the typical behavior of companies that think they are headed for a rough patch ahead, but nothing fundamental in the way of change.

That’s an understandable response, given the performance-driven incentive structure within which industry executives operate. Wall Street wants to hear about the fourth quarter, not the lay of the land four years from now. But such short-term thinking explains why only one of the original Dow Jones 30 industrials (General Electric) is still in the index. It also explains why my hometown of Plymouth, Massachusetts — once home to the world’s biggest rope factory, shipbuilders and textile mills — no longer makes much of anything.

Nothing lasts forever, and that includes the geopolitical forces that forged the modern defense industry in the Cold War. America got along just fine without a big, dedicated military-industrial complex for most of its history, and there are reasons to suspect we are gradually headed back to that state.

Each of the five major factors driving demand for military technology are now pointed downward, a situation that has never existed before in the industry’s history. If defense companies don’t get more aggressive about hedging their bets, they could be headed for a bleak future. (end of excerpt)


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

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25 septembre 2013 3 25 /09 /septembre /2013 07:55
Sagem Mission Planning for French Helo Crews

September 24, 2013 defense-aerospace.com

(Source: Sagem; issued Sept. 24, 2013)

 

Sagem to Supply New Mission Planning System for French Army’s Tiger and NH90 Helicopter Units

 

PARIS --- Sagem (Safran) has signed a contract with French defense procurement agency DGA for the development and production of a new version of the MPME (Module de Préparation de Missions) mission planning system for helicopter crews, to be deployed by the French army’s air arm (ALAT).

 

The new version of the MPME system is designed to support the service entry of the army’s Tiger HAD (support & destruction) and NH90 TTH Caïman tactical transport helicopters.

 

The MPME system is operated in a network from transportable tactical modules or in a fixed infrastructure. It allows helicopter crews to plan their mission as a team, and supports formations comprising different types of helicopters. Mission planning is based on advanced functions enabling replay on the ground of flight paths in three dimensions. The MPME multiplies effectiveness during the most critical mission phases: at night, for deconfliction, avoiding known surface-to-air threats (“SAM rings”), use of weapons, landing zones, etc.

 

An upgraded version of the MPME system already in service, this new version is part of the program contract awarded to Sagem by the DGA in 2005, covering regiments deploying the Puma, Cougar, Gazelle and Tiger HAP (support-protection) helicopters, as well as the French-German Tiger flying school. This latest contract includes life-cycle support services and provides for the modernization of MPME systems already in service.

 

Part of the digital battlefield, the MPME features greater security and access to new mapping and aeronautical data.

 

The first systems should be delivered toward the end of 2014.

 

The current MPME system has been deployed in combat. It has been used for ALAT in Afghanistan, on the French navy’s Mistral and Tonnerre amphibious ships for Operation Harmattan in Libya, and most recently during Operation Serval in Mali this year.

 

Sagem is prime contractor for the SLPRM (Système local de préparation et de restitution de missions) mission planning and restitution system, designed for combat aircraft of the French air force and navy. Sagem has developed the Helipsys mission planning system for international markets, based on the MPME system.

 

 

Sagem, a high-tech company of Safran, holds world or European leadership positions in optronics, avionics, electronics and safety-critical software for both civil and military markets. Sagem is the No. 1 company in Europe and No. 3 worldwide for inertial navigation systems (INS) used in air, land and naval applications. It is also the world leader in helicopter flight controls and the European leader in optronics and tactical UAV systems. Operating across the globe through the Safran group, Sagem and its subsidiaries employ 7,500 people in Europe, Southeast Asia and North America. Sagem is the commercial name of the company Sagem Défense Sécurité.

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25 septembre 2013 3 25 /09 /septembre /2013 07:40
RTD et UVZ lancent leur nouveau blindé 8x8 ATOM

24.09.2013 red-stars.org

 

Le russe Uralvagonzavod (UVZ) et le français Renault Trucks Défense (RTD) vont lancer demain au salon « Russia Arms Expo 2013 » de Nizhny Tagil une maquette à l’échelle 1 d’un tout nouveau concept de véhicule blindé 8x8 que Redstars vous dévoile en exclusivité.

 

Désigné ATOM, ce véhicule se veut le successeur des BTR-80 et BTR-80A de l’armée russe dont plus de 2000 exemplaires sont encore en service. Sans compter les nombreuses possibilités export, le BTR-80 ayant été vendu à au moins 35 pays dans le monde. Le BTR-82, actuellement en production, n’est en effet qu’une ultime modernisation du BTR-80 arrivé en fin de vie.

 

L’ATOM 8x8 sera un à plusieurs crans au-dessus dans tous les domaines (emport, mobilité, protection, armement) afin de répondre aux besoins actuels et futurs des nouvelles brigades médianes russes. Pour mémoire, les brigades lourdes russes seront en parallèle rééquipées en blindés lourds à chenilles Armata et Kurganets-25 (UVZ) tandis que les brigades légères recevront vraisemblablement des blindés 6x6 Typhoon (KamAZ ou Ural) et 4x4 TIGR (VPK).

 

Le poids en ordre de combat de l’ATOM 8x8 est de 32 tonnes, soit plus du double par rapport au BTR-82A de 15,4 tonnes. Ce qui autorisera une charge utile bien supérieure ainsi qu’une meilleure évolutivité. Il permettra donc de dériver toute une famille de véhicules en plus d’un véhicule de combat d’infanterie et d’un transport de troupes : mortier automoteur, anti-aérien, engin du génie, PC, ambulance, sécurité intérieure. On peut également imaginer à terme des porteurs de systèmes variés (anti-chars, guerre électronique, etc.).

 

Même à 32 tonnes, l’ATOM 8x8 restera très mobile en tout-terrain grâce à toute l’expertise de Renault Trucks Défense en véhicules haute mobilité. RTD a en effet développé l’excellente driveline du VBCI 8x8 qui a largement fait ses preuves au combat avec l’armée française sur des théâtres aussi variés qu’exigeants : Afghanistan, Liban, Mali… Plus récemment, RTD a lancé le blindé médian 6x6 VAB Mk3 qui dispose également d’une excellente mobilité tout-terrain ainsi que d’une capacité amphibie. Cette dernière capacité sera préservée en option sur l’ATOM 8x8, la Russie restant une fervente utilisatrice de l’amphibie. L’ATOM 8x8 sera capable de franchir une fosse de 2 mètres, une marche de 0,7 mètres, une pente de 60% ou un dévers de 30%. RTD a pioché dans sa banque d’organes un moteur diesel de plus de 600 hp couplé à une transmission automatique pour déplacer la bête. Les suspensions sont indépendantes pour franchir des obstacles à haute vitesse. L’ATOM sera en outre aérotransportable par les deux avions de transport tactique et stratégique russes : les Il-76 et An-124.

 

Côté blindage, l’expérience d’UVZ dans les chars lourds comme le T-90 est sans doute mise à profit pour obtenir un haut niveau de protection, tant balistique que contre les mines et IEDs, qui faisait défaut au BTR. Une protection balistique de niveau 5 OTAN (i.e. contre les munitions de 25 mm et les éclats d’obus d’artillerie de 155 mm), est annoncée. La protection mines / IED se ferait sous forme de kits de surprotection autour de la caisse en acier. L’ATOM 8x8 pourra également recevoir une protection active ou passive contre les RPG et opérer en environnement NBC.

 

Pour l’armement, toute la gamme russe sera mise à profit sur le châssis de l’ATOM 8x8. Le véhicule de combat d’infanterie à 3+7 hommes recevra une toute nouvelle tourelle télé-opérée de 57 mm en cours de développement. Ce qui en ferait le VCI 8x8 le mieux armé au monde si l’on exclut le projet de 8x8 émirien avec la tourelle de 100 mm du BMP-3 qui n’a pas encore abouti. Le véhicule de transport de troupes à 2+10 hommes recevrait un tourelleau télé-opéré en 12,7 mm. S’y ajouterait également une version mortier automoteur de 120 mm pour remplacer les 2S31 Vena ! Une architecture électronique ouverte est prévue pour gérer les différentes configurations et évolutions ainsi que pour faire entrer les brigades médianes russes dans l’ère de la numérisation. Peut-être s’agit-il de la solution "BattleNet Inside" développée par RTD.

 

L’ATOM 8x8 est un nouvel exemple de coopération franco-russe réussie après le Bâtiment de Projection et de Commandement BPC (DCNS) dans le domaine naval ou les équipements (Sagem et Thales) dans le domaine aéronautique. Il entre par contre en concurrence avec les projets d’autres industriels comme VPK avec son Boomerang 8x8. La Russie avait également testé le 8x8 VBC Freccia de l’italien Iveco ; à la fois en versions VCI et char léger (Centauro). Souhaitons bonne chance à l’ATOM sur ce marché prometteur !

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