10 Août 2014 par Mathieu M. - generation-nt.com

Qu'on s'en inquiète ou qu'ils nous indiffèrent, les drones sont voués à s'installer dans notre vie active pour les années à venir. Un nouveau rapport indique ainsi que l'industrie liée aux drones devrait véritablement exploser dans les dix années à venir.

Actuellement, on estime à 6,4 milliards de dollars les sommes dépensées chaque année pour le développement des technologies liées aux drones à travers le monde. Un rapport publié par la Teal Group Corp, une société de recherche en aérospatial spécialisée dans les marchés de la défense, indique ainsi que le marché cumulé des drones commerciaux et militaires pourrait atteindre 11,5 milliards de dollars par an d'ici 2024.

Au cours des dix années à venir, ce sont 91 milliards de dollars qui devraient être investis dans le développement, les tests et la validation des technologies des drones.

C'est principalement le domaine de la défense qui devrait concentrer la majeure partie des investissements. L'armée américaine utilise déjà une large gamme de modules volants non habités pour ses différentes missions de surveillance, mais aussi pour des frappes stratégiques et de l'appui aérien.

Les USA ont également déjà commencé des tests sur la conversion d'anciens avions de chasse en modèles totalement contrôlables à distance ou autonomes. Le développement d'avions capables de remplacer un jour les pilotes est également bien avancé avec le programme X-45 Phantom Ray mené par Boeing et le X-47 Pegasus dirigé par Northrop Grumman.

Concernant le domaine civil, le marché ne représenterait actuellement que 11 % du total des technologies liées aux drones. Néanmoins, il faut s'attendre à voir les investissements augmenter dans les années à venir, le marché civil pouvant dépasser les 14 % du marché total  d'ici 2024.

Le rapport sépare l'usage de drones civils dans trois grandes catégories :

Les drones des gouvernements : Dans les dix années à venir, on devrait constater plus de drones utilisés dans le cadre de la surveillance des frontières, l'assistance aux forces de l'ordre, les programmes de recherche sur la vie sauvage.

Les drones commerciaux : Ils devraient être majoritairement utilisés dans l'agriculture, la cartographie aérienne, la prospection de ressources minières.

Les drones de loisir : Les drones volants se présentent comme un marché juteux pour les industriels visant le grand public. De quelques centaines à plusieurs milliers d'euros, les drones de loisir s'adressent de plus en plus aux simples amateurs comme aux professionnels de la prise de vue aérienne.

Malgré tout, le rapport stipule que l'évolution du marché du drone concernera avant tout les applications militaires et de défense. Principalement par le fait que les technologies les plus avancées devraient rester financièrement parlant hors de portée des consommateurs.

July 31, 2014 by Brendan McGarry -  defensetech.org

Increasingly sophisticated radar in China and Russia may soon be able to pierce the stealth armor on F-22 and F-35 fighter jets, according to a news report.

The stealth coating on the U.S.-made fifth-generation fighters shields the aircraft from high-frequency radars operating in the Ku, X and C bands and some of the S band, but not from low-frequency systems utilizing L, UHF and VHF wavelengths, according to an article by Dave Majumdar at USNI News.

China and Russia are now working to develop low-frequency radars with more computing power designed to track stealth aircraft with more precision — enough to target them with a missile, according to the report, citing an unnamed former senior U.S. Navy official.

“Acquisition and fire control radars are starting to creep down the frequency spectrum,” the official told USNI News. “I don’t see how you long survive in the world of 2020 or 2030 when dealing with these systems if you don’t have the lower frequency coverage.”

To be sure, the Defense Department is aware of the increasing sophistication of enemy air defenses, known in military parlance as anti-access, area-denial, or A2-AD, environments.

The Pentagon’s latest annual report to Congress on military and security developments in China notes the country is continuing its military build-up and views defense against stealth aircraft and drones as “a growing priority.”

The People’s Liberation Army, or PLA, has long sought to control the flow of information in the event of war to thwart data-hungry adversaries such as the U.S. It considers the strategy of “information dominance” a critical form of defense against countries that it views as “information dependent,” according to previous assessments.

Perhaps not surprisingly, the People’s Liberation Army Navy, or PLAN, sent an uninvited spy ship, probably the type 815 Dongdiao-class intelligence collection vessel Beijixing (pennant number 851), to this year’s Rim of the Pacific exercise, according to an article by Sam LaGrone of USNI News.

China is participating in the event — the world’s largest naval exercise, held off the coast of Hawaii — for the first time this year, with four vessels.

The head of U.S. Pacific Command, Adm. Samuel Locklear, this week described the presence of the surveillance ship as “a little odd,” though it “hasn’t created any difficulties in the exercise,” which ends Friday.

August 08, 2014 defense-aerospace.com

(Source: Cubic Corp.; issued August 06, 2014)

Cubic Awarded Major New Contract to Supply Army Mobile Instrumented Training System

SAN DIEGO, Calif. –-– Cubic Corporation announced today that it was competitively selected to supply the Army Mobile Instrumented Training System (AMITS) for the U.S. Army Program Executive Office for Simulation, Training and Instrumentation (PEO STRI).

The initial award is valued at $12.5 million, and the contract, if fully funded, has a potential value in excess of $200 million. The five-year contract covers a base year and four option years.

“Cubic is proud to provide AMITS training equipment to the U.S. Army. This next-generation Homestation Instrumentation Training System (HITS) capability provides the Army with usability enhancements that increase the effectiveness of Homestation Training,” said Dave Schmitz, president of Cubic Defense Systems. “AMITS incorporates automation and ease-of-use features such as intuitive applications and game-based virtual instruction that stimulate user engagement, remove complexity, reduce setup time, and minimize operational and sustainment costs, which translate into increased time available for tactical training.”

Under the new contract, Cubic will provide a mobile Training Command Center (TCC) and Mobile Network Nodes (MNNs) as well as instrumentation radios for soldiers and vehicles. AMITS provides a Force-on-Force (FOF) training experience where data is collected, recorded, and used to observe unit performance, monitor safety, teach doctrine, and provide feedback to units through formal After Action Reviews (AARs). The communications architecture supports greater speed, scalability, and improved reliability and coverage for tracking live players.

Cubic’s solution draws from its extensive experience integrating and fielding instrumented live combat training systems worldwide. The system is a powerful enabler for the commanders at all levels, battalion and below, to train soldiers. AMITS supports the soldiers’ ability to train, contributes to their units’ readiness, and ultimately their combat effectiveness.

Cubic Corporation is the parent company of three major business segments. Cubic Defense Systems is a leading provider of realistic combat training systems and secure communications. Mission Support Services is a leading provider of training, operations, maintenance, technical and other support services for the U.S. and allied nations.

8 Aug 2014 By: Craig Hoyle b- FG

NATO’s fleet of Boeing E-3A airborne warning and control system (AWACS) aircraft is to undergo a digital flightdeck update, under a programme worth around $250 million.

Work in support of the upgrade has already been conducted by Boeing under an engineering, manufacturing and development (EMD) phase contract involving one of NATO’s 707-derived AWACS platforms. Flight testing with the enhanced aircraft is due to commence in the fourth quarter of this year, with the asset to be returned to use in December 2015.

“The new technology ensures compliance with current and future air traffic control and navigation requirements, giving the aircraft broader access to airspace around the world,” says Boeing. Other advantages of the new avionics package (pictured below) include improved access to engine, navigation and radar data, which enables a reduction from four to three flightdeck personnel.

Modifications to a further 13 of the NATO fleet will begin in 2016, with the programme scheduled for completion in 2018. The alliance’s E-3A component has 17 of the type, which are based at Geilenkirchen in Germany.

Boeing also will perform the same avionics update on one of the US Air Force’s AWACS aircraft from November, as part of the same EMD contract placed by NATO. Flightglobal’s Ascend Fleets database records the service as having 30 E-3B/Cs in use.

01 August 2014 Eric Schnaible - RAF

Fort Worth, Texas, July 30, 2014 – In an important program milestone enabling U.S. Marines Corps Initial Operational Capability (IOC) certification, the Lockheed Martin F-35B recently completed required wet runway and crosswind testing at Edwards Air Force Base, California.

“This testing is absolutely critical to 2B flight software fleet release and the Marine Corps’ IOC,” said J.D. McFarlan, Lockheed Martin's vice president for F-35 Test & Verification. “Collectively, the results support clearing the 20 knot crosswind envelope for Conventional Take Off & Landings (CTOL), Short Take Offs (STO) and Short Landings (SL), with ideal handling quality ratings and meaningful improvement over legacy 4th generational fighter aircraft.”

The testing, completed in 37 missions during a 41-day period, achieved 114 test points, including 48 of 48 wet runway test points, four of four performance STOs, 12 of 18 unique flight test conditions for STO, 19 of 23 unique flight test conditions for SLs and all directional control and anti-skid wet runway testing. All testing was performed with BF-4, based at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland.

In other achievements, four aircraft surpassed flight hour milestones, demonstrating program maturity and reliability: F-35C aircraft CF-1 and F-35A aircraft AF-4 achieved 500 flight hours, and F-35C aircraft CF-5 achieved 100 flight hours.

The F-35 Lightning II, a 5th generation fighter, combines advanced low observable stealth technology with fighter speed and agility, fully fused sensor information, network-enabled operations and advanced sustainment. Three distinct variants of the F-35 will replace the A-10 and F-16 for the U.S. Air Force, the F/A-18 for the U.S. Navy, the F/A-18 and AV-8B Harrier for the U.S. Marine Corps, and a variety of fighters for at least 10 other countries. Following the U.S. Marine Corps’ planned July 2015 IOC, the U.S. Air Force and Navy intend to attain IOC in Aug. 2016 and 2018, respectively.

Group Captain Paul Godfrey, the Royal Air Force officer responsible for entry into service of the aircraft, which will be known in the UK as Lightning II said: ‘’The achievement of yet another important milestone within the F-35B programme continues to cement the foundations of the UK Initial Operating Capability in 2018. Although crosswind limits and runway conditions do not often get attention outside of specialist forums, the ability to be able to land and take off in a range of weathers is critical to the operational capability of the aircraft. To be at this level early in the development of the aircraft is a huge step forward and has already surpassed legacy STOVL aircraft limitations, which is testament to the next-generation flight control software on the F-35 and the ease of operation for the pilot.’’

10 Aug 2014 By Alan Tovey - telegraph.co.uk

Defence technology group QinetiQ agrees five-year deal to train soliders and pilots in virtual world

Defence and technology company QinetiQ is enabling air force pilots and army commanders to train together in a virtual battlefield – even though they might be thousands of miles apart in real life.

The company has agreed a five-year, £33m deal that will allow airmen and soldiers to practise working together in simulators before being deployed abroad.

The system – at the Air Battlespace Training Centre at RAF Waddington in Lincoln – links together aircraft simulators, ground forces’ control tents and even individual troops so they can train on working in combined operations.

The virtual set-up allows commanders in the simulated headquarters to co-ordinate airstrikes in real-time with troops on the virtual battlefield calling in the jets, which are being flown by pilots in simulators. This means they can learn how to carry out complex procedures and potentially dangerous operations without the risk of harm if they make an error.

Read full article

09 Aug 2014 By James Quinn, Executive Business Editor

Sir Roger Carr is progressing his plans at the British defence giant.

When Sir Roger Carr took over as chairman of BAE Systems, few in the City were surprised. Having served his dues as chairman of Cadbury and Centrica among others, the City grandee was more than ready to take on the challenge at one of the great companies of state.

In the aftermath of the British defence giant’s failed merger talks with European rival EADS, and after predecessor Sir Dick Olver’s steady 10-year reign, it was perceived by some that the arrival of Sir Roger in February heralded a series of significant changes at the FTSE 100 company.

But, despite those perceptions, the external changes have been few.

Read full article

8 August 2014 airforce-technology.com

Northrop Grumman has been awarded a contract to continue the operation and support of the US Air Force's (USAF) battlefield airborne communications node (BACN) system.

Under the $89.7m contract's terms, the company will extend operational support of the BACN payloads in support of overseas contingency missions until June 2015.

Equipped with an airborne executive processor (AEP), BACN is a forward-deployed network-centric enterprise information server, developed to enable data sharing between different battlefield communications systems using a suite of computers and radio systems.

The high-altitude BACN payloads are integrated onto four E-11A Bombardier Global Express BD-700 aircraft and three EQ-4B Block 20 Global Hawk unmanned aerial vehicles deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan.

Northrop Grumman Information Systems communications division vice-president and general manager Jeannie Hilger said: "BACN is making such a tremendous difference for our warfighters that it is regarded as indispensable for mission success.

"The amount of positive feedback BACN receives from our warfighters is a testament to the critical support BACN currently provides and an inspiration to continuously enhance the system's capabilities."

The BACN also provides an advanced airborne communications capability to commanders and troops, as well as enhancing situational awareness and extending voice communications.

Northrop expects BACN to serves as a persistent high-altitude gateway in the joint aerial layer network (JALN) to offer secure communications to disadvantaged soldiers and network connectivity across the theatre.

The JALN would be designed to expand on existing communications networks and capabilities and links ground, space and airborne military assets.

Northrop serves as prime contractor for the EQ-4B Global Hawk UAV and the development, fielding and maintenance of the BACN system, and received the first BACN contract from the US Air Force Electronic Systems Center in April 2005.

Raytheon AIM-9X air-to-air missile (photo : militaryphotos)

9 Aug. 2014 Defense Studies

Raytheon Missile Systems, Tucson, Arizona, is being awarded a $43,991,627 modification to a previously awarded cost-plus-fixed-fee contract (N00019-12-C-2002) for the design, development, and engineering analysis of the AIM-9X Block II Missile System for the U.S. Navy, U.S. Air Force, and the governments of Turkey, Oman, Belgium, Netherlands, Singapore, Malaysia, and Morocco. 

This modification includes the necessary replacements for the AIM-9X Control Actuation System, inertial measurement unit, electronics unit processor and improvements in insensitive munitions performance in the hardware development and Operational Flight Software versions 9.4X, 9.15X and 10.X. 

Work will be performed in Tucson, Arizona (91.6 percent); Minneapolis, Minnesota (6.5 percent); Pinellas Park, Florida (1.3 percent); and Andover, Massachusetts (0.6 percent), and is expected to be completed in July 2015. Fiscal 2014 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy and Air Force) funds and Foreign Military Sales funds in the amount of $22,092,354, will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. 

This contract combines purchases for the U.S. Air Force ($23,620,000; 53.7 percent); U.S. Navy ($8,155,233; 18.5 percent); and the governments of Turkey ($4,095,000; 9.3 percent); Oman ($2,590,000; 5.9 percent); Belgium ($2,100,000; 4.8 percent); Netherlands ($1,680,000; 3.8 percent); Singapore ($980,000; 2.2 percent); Malaysia ($701,394; 1.6 percent); and Morocco ($70,000; 0.2 percent) under the Foreign Military Sales Act. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity.

(US DoD)

August 9, 2014: Strategy Page

The Russian Helicopter Corporation delivered to China the last of 52 Mi-171E helicopters ordered since 2012. This model can carry up to 37 passengers or four tons of cargo and has engines that are particularly effective under "hot and high" conditions. This is useful for the Chinese, who need equipment that can operate in Tibet (where many areas are at altitudes of over 4,000 meters). China is quite fond of the Mi-17 and the older Mi-8 it is derived from. Currently China operates 160 Mi-171 helicopters.

In 2008 China signed deals that allows it to legally manufacture the Mi-171, but it is still buying them from Russia because it takes time to set up manufacturing facilities and China needs more military transport helicopters right now and can afford to pay. Currently China has about 300 Mi-17/Mi-8 type helicopters and over 500 locally made helicopters. Most (Z9/Z-19) of these local builds are based on the Eurocopter AS 365 Dauphin while another hundred locally built Z-10 gunships were based on a Russian design. China has shown a preference for the Mi-8/17 design and would like to build a thousand or more Mi-171s locally under license.

In 2010 Chinese and Russian helicopter manufacturers established a joint venture to perform maintenance and refurbishment on helicopters, especially those of Russian design. This is part of a larger plan, which also includes the factory in China building Mi-171s.

The M-171 is basically an inexpensive transport helicopter. But it can easily be modified to carry weapons, or any other specialized gear. Some of the Mi-171s are even being equipped with radars and other sensors, to be used for reconnaissance and surveillance. The basic Mi-171 is based on the 1970s era Mi-17, which is the export version of the similar Mi-8. Weighing about 12 tons, and carrying a four ton load, the Mi-171 has a range of 590 kilometers at a cruising speed of 250 kilometers per hour. There is a crew of three and as many passengers as can be squeezed in (up to 40 people, but usually 20-30.) A sling underneath can also carry up to four tons.

Several hundred Mi-171s have been exported by Russia. The helicopter is rugged, inexpensive ($4-5 million each) and better suited for less affluent nations. Development of this model was completed in 1998 and Russia has been pushing sales hard.

In 2008 Russia and China signed an agreement, in which China promised to stop stealing Russian military technology. It appears that the main function of the new "military technical cooperation" agreement was to stop China from exporting their copies of Russian equipment, and competing with the Russian originals. This agreement immediately led to some interesting proposals regarding helicopters. Russia agreed to sell China six Helix anti-submarine helicopters, with the possibility of joint manufacture. Meanwhile, the Mi-171 deal quickly turned into the Chinese Mi-171 factory.

There was also a proposal for China and Russia to jointly develop a large transport helicopter, based on the existing Mi-26T (a 20 ton aircraft that can carry 80 passengers). There may be other joint development deals to produce updated versions of existing Russian helicopter designs. This sort of thing could be mutually beneficial, and China now has a domestic source for inexpensive transport helicopters, which its civilian and military markets are demanding many of.

07.08.2014 Eyal Kaddosh (Tel Aviv) – Israel Valley

Poutine ne va pas être bien content. Poussé par les américains, Israël n’a pas le choix. Un arrêt temporaire des ventes de drones a été mis en place par les autorités israéliennes.

Selon des sources Russes : "Le ministère israélien de la Défense a demandé à toutes les sociétés israéliennes qui participent à la fabrication des drones de ne pas commencer ou continuer les pourparlers sur d’éventuels contrats avec la Russie dans ce domaine, rapporte l’hebdomadaire britannique Flight International.

Selon le ministère, un rôle important dans cette décision a été joué par Washington suite à la situation en Ukraine. Deux sociétés israéliennes travaillaient avec les contrats russes. Moscou a déjà reçu une partie des drones commandés.

La nouvelle directive concerne uniquement la conclusion des nouveaux contrats. La poursuite de la coopération sur les contrats qui sont en cours n’est pas interdite, notamment en ce qui concerne la livraison des pièces de rechange et la modernisation du matériel fourni précédemment".

August 08, 2014 defense-aerospace.com/

(Source: U.S Department of Defense; issued August 06, 2014)

Lockheed Martin Corp., Marietta, Georgia, has been awarded a $116,717,704 firm-fixed-price modification (P00001) to FA8625-14-C-6450 for advance procurement funding for long lead parts for production aircraft associated with 14 fiscal 2015 C-130J aircraft.

Work will be performed at Marietta, Georgia, and is expected to be completed by June 30, 2015. Fiscal 2014 advance procurement funds in the amount of $116,717,704 are being obligated at time of award.

Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center/WLNNC, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity.