24 mars 2011

Rivaux de longue date, notamment pour des contrats d’armements à l’étranger, I’industrie aéronautique israélienne (IAI) et Elbit Systems pourraient s’associer en vue de l’acquisition et du maintien d’un avion d’entrainement destiné aux futurs pilotes de chasse de l’armée israélienne. Ce dernier devrait être choisi dans les prochains mois afin de remplacer les vieux Skyhawks A-4, aujourd’hui inadaptés à l’évolution des technologies aériennes et rangés dans les hangars de Tsahal. Ces appareils, utilisés d’abord par l’US Navy au Viêt-Nam, connurent leur heure de gloire au moment de la guerre de Kippour en 1973. D’après le quotidien économique Globes, Elbit Systems, spécialisé dans les équipements électroniques à usage militaire, et IAI, fleuron de l’industrie de défense israélienne, pourraient très rapidement créer une joint venture. Dans les faits, la société serait financée par l’aviation de Tsahal qui louerait les appareils achetés par Elbit et IAI dans le cadre des programmes de formation de ses cadets. L’alliance Elbit-IAI a déjà été approuvée par Ronit Khan, directrice des autorités antitrust israéliennes. Elle intervient dans un contexte agité pour l’industrie militaire israélienne, alors que se murmure toujours une possible fusion entre IMI (Israel Military Industries), en proie à des difficultés économiques, et le puissant missilier Rafael. De son coté, Elbit Systems a annoncé en février avoir racheté 30% des actions d’Elisra, une société dont IAI est l’actionnaire majoritaire.

2011-03-14 par DCNS

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

March 10, 2011 SHEPARD GROUP

Commercial vehicle climate control specialist, Webasto, has been chosen by mechanical engineering firm JCB to supply engine and interior heating systems on machines forming part of JCB's largest order from the British Army for more than 25 years. ALC, a joint venture between Amey plc and Babcock International Group plc, which is the service provider to the Ministry of Defence for plant and mechanical handling equipment for the British Army, awarded the contract for 138 4CX backhoe loaders and 98 436eHT wheel loading shovels, each complete with modifications such as Nato green livery, personal weapons storage inside the cab, convoy lighting and increased wading capacity.

Photo Rui Ferreira

04/03/11 By Rui Ferreira Flightglobal.com

The Portuguese air force should accept its second upgraded Lockheed Martin P-3C maritime patrol aircraft into operational use in March, following its arrival at Beja air base late last month. Having been modified to the so-called CUP+ configuration at Lockheed's Greenville site in South Carolina, aircraft 14809's formal acceptance should coincide with the retirement of Portugal's last legacy P-3Ps. These are now flown by the air force's 601 Sqn. Lockheed finished modernisation work on its first of two ex-Royal Netherlands Navy P-3Cs for Portugal last August, as part of a deal for five of the secondhand aircraft. The remaining three are being completed by OGMA in Alverca, with the $141 million upgrade project due to be complete by February 2012.

March 1, 2011 Source: Teal Group

WASHINGTON --- Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) have been the most dynamic growth sector of the world aerospace industry this decade, report Teal analysts in their latest integrated market analysis.

Teal Group's 2011 market study estimates that UAV spending will almost double over the next decade from current worldwide UAV expenditures of $5.9 billion annually to $11.3 billion, totaling just over $94 billion in the next ten years.

"The UAV market will continue to be strong despite cuts in defense spending," said Philip Finnegan, Teal Group's director of corporate analysis and an author of the study. "UAVs have proved their value in Iraq and Afghanistan and will be a high priority for militaries in the United States and worldwide."

The study suggests that the US will account for 77% of the worldwide RDT&E spending on UAV technology over the next decade, and about 69% of the procurement. "We expect that the sales of UAVs will follow recent patterns of high-tech arms procurement worldwide, with the Asia-Pacific representing the second largest market, followed very closely by Europe," said Teal Group senior analyst Steve Zaloga, another author of the 458-page study. "Africa and Latin America are expected to continue to be very modest markets for UAVs."

The eighth edition of the sector study, World Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Systems, Market Profile and Forecast 2011, examines the worldwide requirements for UAVs, including UAV payloads and companies, and provides ten-year forecasts by country, region, and classes of UAVs.

Teal Group analysts already cover the UAV market in their World Missiles and UAV Briefing, which examines the UAV market on a program-by-program basis. The sector study examines the UAV market from a complementary perspective, namely national requirements, and includes both a comprehensive analysis of UAV system payloads and key UAV manufacturers.

UAV Payloads

The 2011 study provides 10-year funding and production forecasts for a wide range of UAV payloads, including Electro-Optic/Infrared Sensors (EO/IR), Synthetic Aperture Radars (SARs), SIGINT and EW Systems, C4I Systems, and CBRN Sensors, worth $2.6 billion in Fiscal Year 2011 and forecast to increase to $5.6 billion in Fiscal Year 2020. The UAV electronics market will grow steadily, with especially fast growth and opportunities continuing in SAR and SIGINT/EW, according to Dr. David Rockwell, third author of the new study.

"The payload portion of the 2011 study includes many new systems and system types, with expanded coverage of SIGINT/EW and SAR markets," said Rockwell "Few now question the U.S. Air Force's claim that ISR is 'the centerpiece of our global war on terrorism, with production beginning for major endurance UAV systems such as MP-RTIP and ASIP,' new RDT&E programs such as wide angle EO/IR systems, and a variety of ground and foliage-penetrating radars, and future development efforts to bring large-aircraft capabilities to small UAVs; tactical and mini/micro/nano-UAVs will continue to offer some of the best electronics opportunities over the next decade."

UAV Companies

The study also includes a UAV Manufacturers Market Overview that reflects the worldwide UAV market "continuing as one of the prime areas of growth for defense and aerospace companies," said Finnegan. The new study reflects the rapid growth of interest in the UAV business by increasing the number of companies covered to some 35 US, European and Israeli companies, and reveals the fundamental reshaping of the industrial environment.

"Smaller companies can successfully compete against larger players, as AAI Corp., Insitu, General Atomics and AeroVironment have all shown," Finnegan said. "Now the prime contractors are buying the successful smaller companies." In the past year, L-3 Communications bought Airborne Technologies, a small UAV developer and manufacturer, and VT Group purchased Evergreen's UAV fee-for-service operations.

As prime contractors and small companies compete in the dynamic UAV market, they are adopting widely different strategies. "Our overview tracks the widely varying approaches being taken by these key companies, ranging from outright acquisitions to teaming arrangements and internal development of new UAV systems," said Finnegan.

The Teal Group is an aerospace and defense market analysis firm based in Fairfax, Virginia USA. It provides competitive intelligence to industry and government worldwide.

Feb 28, 2011 By Michael A. Taverna AviationWeek.com

PARIS — Thales says deliveries of the Watchkeeper UAV will get under way toward year’s end. Handover of the system, intended for intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance, had been expected in February but were delayed by some as-yet-undisclosed “technical difficulties,” Thales executives said Feb. 25 in revealing 2010 final results. Executives say the issues were detected in a report issued by Britain’s National Audit Office and have now been resolved. Thales is building 54 Watchkeeper units, based on Elbit’s Hermes 450 air vehicle, under a ₤800 million ($1.3 billion) contract with the U.K. Ministry of Defense. It is also supplying spares and support services under a three-year follow-on award issued last year. The UAV made its first flight in April 2010.

Airbus Military A400M begins cold weather trials in Sweden (c) Airbus Military

Madrid,  08 February 2011 Cassidian press release

Airbus Military’s second A400M development aircraft - Grizzly 2 - visited Kiruna in northern Sweden for four days of cold weather trials at the beginning of February. The team experienced temperatures down to -21ºC and successfully achieved all the planned test points during a programme that focused on the powerplants. The A400M was accompanied by an Airbus A340-300 carrying support equipment and the personnel team. These tests followed preliminary cold weather work in Hamburg last December and will be followed by further tests in more extreme temperatures at Kiruna and other locations this winter and next.