05/12/2013 Michel Cabirol – LaTribune.fr

La direction générale de l'armement (DGA) a notifié le programme du « Missile moyenne portée » (MMP) à MBDA. Un soulagement pour le missilier qui a pris des risques financiers importants pour lancer ce programme.

L'armée de Terre a enfin son prochain missile tactique. C'est aussi un soulagement pour le missilier MBDA, qui a pris pas mal de risques pour lancer ce programme important pour sa stratégie visant à couvrir tout le spectre de la trame missiles. Conformément à la décision prise par le ministre de la Défense Jean-Yves Le Drian, la direction générale de l'armement (DGA) a notifié mardi à MBDA France, le contrat de développement et production du missile MMP (Missile moyenne portée) d'un montant de 400 millions d'euros, selon un communiqué de la DGA publié ce jeudi.

Le missilier, qui autofinance depuis 2010 le développement du MMP, avait proposé sur la base d'une commande française de 3.000 missiles, de prendre à sa charge 75 % des coûts R&D (Recherche et développement) estimés entre 200 et 250 millions d'euros. Ce projet constitue l'un des nouveaux programmes destinés à la modernisation de l'armée de terre prévus au titre de la future Loi de programmation militaire (LPM). Il vise à fournir un nouveau système de missiles de combat terrestre en remplacement du système d'arme Milan à compter de 2017. Il équipera les unités de combat de l'armée de terre et les forces spéciales pour le combat débarqué.

Un marché de 2.850 missiles

Le parc cible, selon la DGA, comprend "400 postes de tir et 2.850 missiles. 175 postes de tir et 450 missiles seront livrés sur la période 2014-2019", a précisé la DGA. Le MMP est un missile polyvalent, basé sur le concept "tire et oublie". Il permet aux forces de neutraliser les différents types de cibles rencontrés sur l'ensemble des théâtres d'opérations avec une grande précision, "tout en maîtrisant les dommages collatéraux et en réduisant leur vulnérabilité pendant le tir".

Le MMP est un missile de nouvelle génération à haute technologie avec un fort potentiel à l'exportation comme le Milan l'a été dans le passé. Il participe au maintien des compétences de la filière missilière française (9.000 emplois) dont certains sous-traitants sensibles en particulier dans le secteur des autodirecteurs à infrarouge.

December 5, 2013: Strategy page

Ukraine is trying to interest buyers in its new Corsar ATGM (Anti-tank guided missile). The 105mm (diameter) missile and its storage/launch container weigh 18 kg (40 pounds). The missile is laser homing, with a range of 2,500 meters and its tandem warhead can penetrate 550mm of armor that is behind reactive (explosive panels) armor. Poland has expressed some interest, even though Poland has been using the Israeli Spike LR for several year. But Corsar is cheaper than Spike and uses laser guidance rather than the more expensive “fire and forget” system. The Spike LR, along with the sealed storage/launch canister, weighs 13 kg (28.6 pounds). The canister is mounted on a 13 kg fire control system (10 kg without the tripod) for aiming and firing. The missile in its canister has a shelf life of twenty years and a range of 4,000 meters. The Spike uses a fiber-optic cable so that the operator can literally drive the missile to the target, although the missile can also be used in "fire and forget" mode. Israel is apparently flexible on what they charge for the Spike LR, saying only that it's cheaper than similar the U.S. Javelin.

Before the Cold War ended in 1991 many Soviet weapons design and production operations were in Ukraine. These were inherited by the newly independent Ukraine after 1991. But most of these organizations went out of business because there was no more Soviet Armed Forces placing large orders each year. Most of the foreign sales disappeared as well. Ukraine salvaged some weapons and design capability by selling off its large Cold War stocks of Soviet weapons at low prices and developing a willingness to sell to anyone who could pay. Ukraine now has a lot of customers in Africa and Asia and noted a demand for ATGMs. These weapons are popular not just for ability to destroy or disable most tanks, but as highly portable and accurate artillery against all sorts of targets. Corsar is old technology but the Ukrainians still know how to produce it cheaply and reliably enough to attract some customers.

Dec. 5, 2013 defense-unmanned.com

(Source: Today’s Zaman; published Dec. 4, 2013)

US Blocks Company from Exporting UAV Tech to Turkey

ANKARA --- The US government has prevented an American company from exporting camera systems and laser pointers to a Turkish company, Vestel, which wants to acquire the technology for its newly developed unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), the Karayel.

The Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) tasked Vestel in 2011 with developing new UAVs, and the company is expected to deliver the Karayel in July 2014. Aiming to equip these new UAVs with camera systems and laser pointers, Vestel sought out an American company, WestCAM Solutions, from which to acquire the technology. The American company applied to the US government for permission to sell their products to the Turkish company, but the request was denied. The US also canceled the delivery of Predator drones in 2013.

The laser pointers that Vestel ordered from the American company are used in UAV targeting systems.

The US's apparent disapproval of Turkey possessing weaponized UAVs could hinder Turkey's efforts in that direction. The country is also seeking to arm its first domestically developed UAV, the Anka.

Sources at the Turkish Defense Ministry who requested anonymity told Today's Zaman that Turkey has the capacity to produce its own technology, hinting that Turkey may start efforts to produce the laser pointers it needs domestically.

Some are speculating that the US prevented WestCAM Solutions from exporting the technology to Turkey because of Washington's anger with Turkey's recent selection of a Chinese missile system for its long-term, long-range missile and aerial defense program, instead of a NATO member country.

The tactical UAV system Vestel has been developing consists of six aircraft, three ground control stations and one launching pad. The Karayel UAVs will be able to reach altitudes up to 18,000 feet and carry up to 35 kilograms. The Karayel will be able to stay in the air for 10 hours of uninterrupted flight.

More than 450 GRIFO radars have been sold by Selex to five air forces worldwide. Photo: © 2013 Selex ES S.p.A - A Finmeccanica Company

5 December 2013 airforce-technology.com

The Brazilian Air Force (FAB) has taken delivery of an additional GRIFO fire control radar from Selex ES during a ceremony at the Museo Nazionale della Scienza e della Tecnologia Leonardo da Vinci, in Milan, Italy.

Wholly designed, developed and manufactured at the Selex ES facility in Nerviano, near Milan, the avionic combat radar represents the overall 400th GRIFO to have been delivered to date to FAB.

The radar is used for the modernisation of FAB's Northrop Grumman-built F-5 light supersonic fighter aircraft fleet.

Weighing less than 100kg, the GRIFO is a fourth-generation, X-band coherent, pulse-Doppler multimode-multirole fire-control radar designed to provide advanced performance to both new and upgraded aircraft.

Fitted with a powerful avionic radar air cooler transmitter, the modular radar can be easily integrated with modern avionic suites, and fully interfaced through a hands on throttle-and-stick (HOTAS) command, for a cost-effective solution.

Selex ES chief executive officer Fabrizio Giulianini said the success of the GRIFO radar demonstrates the critical importance of continual investment in sustaining company products.

''Thanks to this commitment, GRIFO has today begun an evolving technological roadmap for electronic scanning which will guarantee the system's success for many other years to come,'' Giulianini said.

Designed for installation in a range of combat aircraft, the GRIFO radar can operate in several modes, including an air-to-air mode and air-to-surface mode to effectively support multi-role missions.

In addition to this, the radar features modes for supporting navigation, a flight-proven suite of functions to combat electronic threats and modes for the search and identification of targets with high resolution imaging capability.

Apart from Brazil, the radars are also used by the air forces of Singapore, Czech Republic, Pakistan and South Korea, in seven different types of aircraft.

Dec. 5, 2013 by Howard Gethin – FG

Moscow - Russia's defence ministry has signed a deal worth over Rb100 million ($3 million) with Kazan-based Eniks for delivery of 34 short-range surveillance unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV).

The company will deliver 17 Eleron-ZSV systems, says the company’s general designer Valery Pobezhimov, after a contract was signed with the ministry on 3 December.

“I can’t state the exact value of the deal but it is in excess of 100 million roubles,” he told news outlets.

The UAVs – a modernised variant of earlier Eleron systems – will be delivered by next year, he adds.

Pobezhimov claims the Eleron costs just 20% of the price of similar foreign systems such as the Israel Aerospace Industries Zastava UAVs made under licence in Russia.

The 5.3kg (12lb) Eleron can carry a 1kg imaging payload, with a top speed of 70kt (130km/h) and ceiling of 13,000ft (4,000m), Eniks claims.

Meanwhile, UAE-based Adcom Systems is to deliver its United 40 medium-altitude long-endurance UAV to the Russian defence ministry for trials in February 2014, the company’s chief executive Ali Al-Dhaheri says.

“Regardless of the results of the first tests, further deliveries of the UAV will take place,” he told Russia’s RIA Novosti news agency.

Russia has signed a draft deal with Adcom for purchase of a trial batch of the system, he says.

The 1,500kg MTOW United 40, powered by a single pusher engine, is optimized for battle damage assessment, mission planning, border surveillance and communications relay, Adcom says, and can also be armed with air-to-surface missiles.

A USAF's A-10A Thunderbolt II aircraft in flight during a Nato Operation Allied Force combat mission. Photo: courtesy of USAF Senior Airman Greg L. Davis.

5 December 2013 airforce-technology.com

Marvin Test Solutions has received a contract for the delivery of a customised test platform for the portable armament test set-70 (PATS-70) flightline test set for the US Air Force's (USAF) upgraded A-10/C Thunderbolt ll aircraft.

Under the $5.7m contract, the company will supply the MTS-207 ultra-rugged flightline test set, a PXI-based, portable solution customised by the company in response to the requirements defined by test officials from Hill Air Force Base (AFB).

Marvin Test Solutions CEO and USAF (Ret.) major general Steve Sargeant said the company used its mil-spec compliant commercial off the shelf, ultra-rugged chassis to partner with the USAF, enabling its test engineers to rapidly develop and qualify the system for support of A-10/C avionics and electronics.

Sargeant said: ''We were able to significantly reduce the fielding time of this mission-critical test set to the A-10/C community.

"The new PATS-70 is a high-performance flightline test set in a portable, ultra-rugged deployable chassis, and allows the A-10/C maintenance community to fully test the critical systems of the A-10/C while minimising logistics and simplifying operation."

"The MTS-207 also enabled the air force to significantly reduce the time and cost required to provide the PATS-70 to the A-10/C community."

Equipped with 14 slots, the platform will form the basis for the new PATS-70 test solution, which will fully validate the soldiers' upgraded digital avionics and precision weapon electronics, including friend-or-foe identification, anti-skid, alpha mach, fuel quantity, stability augmentation system and MIL-STD-1760 protocol buses.

In addition to offering necessary flexibility for integration of additional test instrumentation into the system for future test requirements, the MTS-207 also enabled the air force to significantly reduce the time and cost required to provide the PATS-70 to the A-10/C community.

The system was fitted with cables, a user interface and test programme software for conversion to PATS-70 test solution.

The A-10/C is a modified variant of the A-10/A aircraft, featuring upgraded avionics, and carry smart weapons.

05/12/2013 Marine nationale  

L’édition 2013 des assises maritimes se tenait du 3 au 4 décembre 2013 à Montpellier et à Sète sous la présidence du premier ministre Jean - Marc Ayrault. Le chef d’état-major de la Marine y participait, la Marine étant un acteur incontournable de l’économie maritime et le Cluster maritime un vecteur essentiel de soutien de la stratégie maritime de la France.

Les  enjeux maritimes sont en effet clairement intégrés dans la stratégie de défense de la France. L’ensemble des missions de la marine nationale, permanentes ou ponctuelles y ont été aussi réaffirmées. Cette importance confère donc une responsabilité supplémentaire au monde maritime qui réfléchit et prépare les réponses à ces enjeux. Au-delà de l’action de sécurisation des  espaces maritimes, la marine est un véritable réservoir de compétence et  fait vivre de nombreuses entreprises du monde maritime.

Pendant deux jours, les débats ont portés à la fois sur le contexte maritime mondial actuel et sur  les nouveaux horizons de l’économie maritime à travers les ressources humaines et technologiques.

Au cours de cet évènement,  l’amiral Rogel a remis le prix du chef d’état-major de la Marine au professeur Tristan Lecoq, inspecteur général de l’Éducation nationale pour distinguer son action de  rayonnement au service de la mer à travers les ouvrages qu’il a consacré à la Marine dans le cadre de ses enseignements ainsi qu’à Francis Vallat, président du Cluster maritime. Ce prix est remis à des personnes qui agissent en faveur de la connaissance des enjeux maritimes.

Les 800 invités ont ensuite franchi la coupée du BPC Tonnerre pour la soirée de prestige présidée par l’amiral Bernard Rogel. Ce moment de convivialité a permis de rappeler le rôle central de la Marine dans l’économie maritime et dans la stratégie de défense de la France. Cette manifestation à bord du BPC, était également l’occasion pour le CEMM, arrivé en fin d’après-midi à bord, de s’entretenir et d’échanger avec l’équipage.

Dec 4, 2013 ASDNews Source : BAE Systems PLC

The 400th Eurofighter Typhoon, the world’s leading swing role fighter jet, has been delivered to its worldwide customer base

The delivery

The German Air Force has today taken delivery of the 400th aircraft during special ceremony at Cassidian’s Military Air Systems Center in Manching, Southern Germany. It was built by the Eurofighter consortium, which includes us.

Demonstrating high operational effectiveness

In the past 10 years the global Eurofighter Typhoon fleet has demonstrated its high operational effectiveness in international missions and trainings and accumulated more than 210,000 flying hours. Several developments such as the Phase 1 Enhancement, the integration of the METEOR air-to-air missile, the new electronic radar (E-Scan) and additional weaponry increase the capabilities of the Eurofighter Typhoon and secure the future of this modern combat aircraft in the next decades.

In the hundreds

The delivery of the very first Eurofighter Typhoon to the Royal Air Force in the United Kingdom took place end of 2003. The 100th Eurofighter was delivered also to the Royal Air Force in September 2006. The 200th aircraft was handed over in November 2009 to the German Air Force. The 300th aircraft was delivered to the Spanish Air Force in November 2011.

In attendance

At the ceremony, the State Secretary of the German Ministry of Defence, Christian Schmidt, received the aircraft with the markings ‘31+06’. The event was witnessed by several high ranking representatives from politics and industry including: the Bavarian Minister for Economic Affairs, Media, Energy and Technology, Ilse Aigner; the Chief Executive Officer of Cassidian, Bernhard Gerwert, and representatives from the British, Spanish and Italian Eurofighter Partner companies.

A historic milestone

Alberto Gutierrez, Chief Executive Officer of Eurofighter Jagdflugzeug GmbH, said: “The delivery of the 400th Eurofighter Typhoon marks a historic milestone in Europe’s largest defence programme. Now we must focus much more strongly on export campaigns in order to win new contracts and new customers for this outstanding aircraft. Right now, especially in these difficult times in the defence industry, it is more important than ever that we stand up and be counted. That is what today is all about.”

A reliable backbone of many Air Forces

The General Manager of NATO Eurofighter and Tornado Management Agency  (NETMA), Jesus Pinillos, added: "Eurofighter Typhoon secures the airspace of six nations 24 hours a day, seven days a week even under extreme arctic weather conditions on the Falkland Islands. The aircraft has proven itself as a reliable backbone of the Air Forces in Germany, Italy, Spain, and in the UK as well as in Austria and Saudi Arabia. The reliability of the Eurofighter Typhoon in its global missions has surpassed expectations."

DCNS table en moyenne sur des marchés de "200 millions d'euros maximum" dans les pays africains ciblés, soit deux à trois patrouilleurs Adroit (photo DCNS)

05/12/2013 Michel Cabirol – LaTribune.fr

Le groupe naval nourrit quelques ambitions en Afrique au moment où s’ouvre à Paris un sommet pour la Paix et la Sécurité sur le continent africain. Objectif de DCNS : vendre des bâtiments pour lutter contre la piraterie.

DCNS a en ce moment les yeux de Chimène pour le marché africain d'où il était jusqu'ici complètement absent. Et plus particulièrement pour les pays producteurs de pétrole off-shore, qui ont besoin de renforcer leur marine afin de protéger leurs plates-formes et leurs bateaux contre la piraterie. Le groupe naval, qui propose quatre modèles de bâtiments différents à partir du patrouilleur "L'Adroit" pour des missions de surveillance et de police, a donc mis le cap vers ces pays en bâtissant une stratégie pour pénétrer ces marchés. DCNS est également prêt à fournir des systèmes de communications C3I ou C4I

DCNS table en moyenne sur des marchés de "200 millions d'euros maximum" dans les pays ciblés, soit deux à trois patrouilleurs Adroit, explique-t-on à "La Tribune". A l'exception du Nigéria, qui souhaite renforcer fortement sa marine (800 à 900 millions d'euros). Les offres de DCNS prévoient en général une charge de travail locale.

Piriou et le sud-africain Paramount pour gagner en Afrique

Le groupe naval va s'appuyer sur deux partenariats, l'un avec le chantier Piriou à travers la société Kership (55 % Piriou et 45 % DCNS),  l'autre avec le sud-africain Paramount, propriétaire depuis peu du chantier naval Nautic Africa. Kership a pour mission de s'adresser à l'Afrique plutôt francophone (mais pas que) et, plus précisément aux pays du Golfe de Guinée : Gabon, qui veut des OPV (Offshore Patrol Vessels), Congo Brazzaville, Guinée équatoriale et Cameroun.

"Ces pays font un énorme effort pour moderniser leur marine", précise-t-on à "La Tribune". Kership est également en première ligne au Nigéria intéressé par des patrouilleurs de type Adroit, qui seront fabriqué en France.

De son côté, Paramount vise a priori les pays anglophones. DCNS est notamment allié depuis de longues années à Nautic Africa, bien avant son rachat par Paramount, pour remporter le programme Biro de la marine sud-africaine. Les Sud-Africains veulent acquérir huit navires, quatre OPV de 85 mètres et quatre IPV (Inshore Patrol Vessels) de 60 mètres. Outre l'Afrique du sud, Paramount, qui a obtenu une licence de production, prospecte au Ghana, Tanzanie, Namibie, Angola, Mozambique et… Sénégal.

Les Chinois bien positionnés en Afrique

Pour DCNS, la partie sera loin d'être facile en Afrique :  peu de pays ont une planification d'acquisitions à l'occidentale et la concurrence fait très souvent du low cost. C'est le cas des Chinois, qui sont par exemple très bien implantés au Nigéria. Ils y ont déjà vendu des OPV. Les Israéliens sont également au Nigeria pour des raisons commerciales - ils ont vendu des patrouilleurs Shaldag - mais aussi pour surveiller les islamistes locaux. Sans oublier la concurrence coréenne et brésilienne. Brasilia a récemment envoyé des OPV faire le tour de l'Afrique.

Outre la concurrence féroce, les banques sont également assez réticentes à financer les opérations en Afrique. Enfin, "les marchés africains peuvent être parfois compliqués", rappelle-t-on. Sous-entendu, la corruption y est endémique.

PHOENIX, Dec. 4 (UPI)

Additional hard armor inserts for tactical vests worn by U.S. troops are being produced by BAE Systems under contracts worth nearly $18 million.

"The body armor is designed with the specific purpose of stopping armor-piercing bullets," said Ashoo Agarwal, a quality engineer at BAE Systems. "Our team of engineers works hard to ensure every plate we make meets a rigorous set of requirements and standards. This commitment to quality helps protect warfighters around the world."

Among the recently issued contracts is a $10.2 million order from the U.S. Defense Logistics Agency for Enhanced Small Arms Protective Inserts; an indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract worth as much as $6 million from the U.S. Department of Defense for SPEAR BALCS inserts and a $500,000 research and development contract from the U.S. Marine Corps for Enhanced Concealable Small Arms Protective Inserts.

The hard armor inserts -- worn inside the fronts, backs, and sides of outer tactical vests – have been fully qualified by the U.S. government in physical, environmental, and ballistic testing, BAE Systems said.

The number of inserts to be provided was not disclosed.

MOSCOU, 4 décembre - RIA Novosti

D'ici quelques années, l'Inde, l'Irak et le Vietnam seront les plus grands importateurs d'armes russes, a annoncé mercredi à RIA Novosti le directeur du Centre d'analyse du commerce mondial d'armes (TSAMTO) Igor Korotchenko.

"De 2013 à 2016, la part de l'Inde dans l'ensemble des importations d'armes russes augmentera considérablement pour atteindre 32,75% contre 27,31% en 2005-2012", a souligné l'expert. Selon les prévisions du Centre TSAMTO, la part de l'Irak s'élèvera à 9,87% contre 0,54% en 2005-2012 et celle du Vietnam à 8,92% contre 4,86% en 2005-2012.

D'après M. Korotchenko, entre 2013 et 2016, ces trois pays pourraient totaliser 51,24% des exportations d'armes russes. 32,54% de ces exportations devraient revenir aux pays situés entre la quatrième et la dixième place du classement établi par le Centre.

"Il s'agit de la Chine, du Venezuela, de l'Algérie, de la Syrie, de l'Azerbaïdjan, du Brésil et de l'Iran, à condition de conclure avec ces pays des accords sur les systèmes de défense antiaérienne", a indiqué l'expert.