23-05-2013 par Jeff Mason et Steve Holland  - Nouvel Observateur

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Barack Obama a présenté jeudi de nouvelles directives limitant l'usage des drones armés à l'étranger et a pris des mesures pour sortir de l'impasse sur la fermeture de la prison militaire de Guantanamo.

Le président des Etats-Unis, qui s'exprimait à l'Université de la Défense nationale dans le cadre d'un grand discours de politique étrangère, a en outre recadré ce que son prédécesseur George Bush a nommé la "guerre contre le terrorisme" après les attentats du 11 septembre 2001.

"Notre pays est toujours menacé par des terroristes. Nous devons toutefois reconnaître que la menace a changé et évolué par rapport à ce qui est arrivé sur nos rivages le 11-Septembre", a-t-il déclaré.

"Nos efforts systématiques pour démanteler les organisations terroristes doivent se poursuivre. Mais cette guerre, comme toutes les guerres, doit prendre fin. C'est ce que l'histoire nous enseigne. C'est ce que notre démocratie exige.

"Au-delà de l'Afghanistan, nous devons définir notre action non pas comme 'une guerre mondiale contre le terrorisme', mais comme une série d'efforts continus et ciblés pour démanteler les réseaux d'extrémistes violents qui menacent l'Amérique."

En ce qui concerne les drones, a expliqué Barack Obama, leur usage serait limité aux circonstances dans lesquelles des Américains font face à un "danger imminent". La doctrine en vigueur jusqu'ici autorisait le recours à ces armes controversées employées sur des théâtres éloignés lorsqu'une menace significative était identifiée.

"Dire qu'une tactique militaire est légale ou même efficace, ne revient pas à dire qu'elle est sage ou morale en toutes circonstances", a souligné le président.

En vertu des nouvelles directives qu'ils a signées mercredi, le recours aux drones sera désormais du ressort du département de la Défense, alors qu'il était jusqu'ici de celui de la CIA.

LA QUASI-CERTITUDE QU'AUCUN CIVIL NE SERA TUÉ

Ces mesures devrait laisser davantage de latitude au Congrès et pourrait amener le Pentagone à prendre en charge l'activité des drones au Yémen, mais pas au Pakistan, où la CIA en restera sans doute maîtresse.

Par ailleurs, l'ordre ne sera donné que lorsque le suspect ne peut être capturé, la souveraineté des Etats tiers sera respectée et seuls Al Qaïda et ses alliés seront visés.

"Avant toute frappe, il doit y avoir la quasi-certitude qu'aucun civil ne sera tué ou blessé - c'est la norme la plus stricte que nous puissions adopter", a poursuivi Barack Obama.

Décrié par certains mouvements de défense des droits de l'homme, l'usage de plus en plus fréquent des drones suscite de vives tensions avec le Pakistan et l'Afghanistan. Barack Obama s'était engagé à davantage de transparence sur le sujet.

Mercredi, le gouvernement avait reconnu pour la première fois que quatre Américains, dont le religieux Anouar al Awlaki, né au Nouveau-Mexique, avait été tués par des drones au Yémen et au Pakistan.

Lorsqu'un Américain quitte son pays pour aller le combattre ailleurs, il ne doit pas pouvoir s'abriter derrière sa nationalité, a estimé Barack Obama, justifiant ces opérations. Il a toutefois jugé que l'emploi de drones armés aux Etats-Unis ne serait pas conforme à la constitution. La question faisait débat au Congrès.

Face à l'hostilité des parlementaires, le président n'a pu tenir la promesse faite en 2008 concernant la fermeture de la prison militaire de Guantanamo, à Cuba. La grève de la faim observée par 103 des 166 détenus qui s'y trouvent a donné une nouvelle urgence à ce chantier.

"Rien d'autre que la politique ne justifie que le Congrès nous empêche de fermer une installation qui n'aurait jamais dû ouvrir", a-t-il lancé jeudi.

Le président, qui ne peut prendre cette décision seul, a annoncé une série de mesure pour hâter la fermeture, telles que la levé du moratoire sur le transfert de détenus au Yémen.

Sur le plan politique, ce discours lui a permis de tourner la page des scandales liés à l'attaque du consulat américain de Benghazi, en Libye, aux enquêtes du fisc sur des mouvements conservateurs et à l'obtention par les pouvoirs publics de relevés téléphoniques de journalistes.

Avec Mark Felsenthal et Roberta Rampton,; Jean-Philippe Lefief pour le service français

5/18/2013 Strategy Page

Aircraft deployed with the John C. Stennis Carrier Strike Group fly in formation during an air power demonstration. The John C. Stennis Carrier Strike Group is returning from an eight-month deployment to the U.S. 5th and 7th Fleet areas of responsibility. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Marco Villasana)

May. 23, 2013 - By AARON MEHTA and MARCUS WEISGERBER – Defense News

WASHINGTON — The total price tag for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program fell $4.5 billion in 2012, according to a new government report.

This marks the first time in the F-35’s checkered history that estimators have lowered the projected cost of the program, the Pentagon’s most expensive acquisition effort.

The pricing, unveiled in the Pentagon’s annual selected acquisitions report (SAR), released Thursday, now projects development and procurement of the fifth-generation stealth fighter at just over $391 billion, still tens-of-billions of dollars more than originally projected.

The F-35 is just one of 78 DoD acquisition programs reviewed in the SAR. Collectively, the cost of those programs grew $39.6 billion — or 2.44 percent — in 2012.

Frank Kendall, the undersecretary for acquisition, technology and logistics, said it was the “first time in my memory” no program in the SAR breached any of the federal spending caps. If a program breaches a so-called Nunn-McCurdy threshold, it could be canceled unless recertified by DoD.

The Pentagon’s Better Buying Power initiative, an acquisition reform effort designed to improve the weapons buying process and get DoD more bang for its buck, has helped improve program performance, according to Kendall.

“There is some evidence that things are getting better,” he said during a May 23 speech at the Center for Strategic and International Studies think tank. “We’re going in the right direction, but there’s still a lot of room to do better.”

Earlier this year, Kendall rolled out an updated version of Better Buying Power, which continues to refine the acquisition process and make programs more affordable.

The SAR report breaks the F-35 program into two subprograms — the aircraft, built by Lockheed Martin, and the engines, made by Pratt & Whitney. Costs for the aircraft dropped $4.9 billion, or 1.5 percent, during 2012. At the same time, engine costs rose by $442.1 million, which the report primarily blames on “revised escalation indices.”

Overall, the average procurement cost per plane dropped from $109.2 million in 2011 to $104.8 million in 2012. The main driver of the reduction is a drop in the labor rates for Lockheed, Pratt and their subcontractors, as well as revised airframe and subcontractor estimates.

Unit Recurring Flyaway costs — the total cost for the platform, engine, mission and vehicles systems and engineering change orders — remained fairly steady, with the average of the F-35A variant dropping from $78.7 million to $76.8 million, and the Navy’s carrier variant rising from $87 million to $88.7 million.

The largest drop came from the Marine Corps F-35B jump-jet model, which dropped the average almost $3 million, from $106.4 to $103.6 million.

The operations and support (O&S) and cost-per-flying-hour estimates were not updated in the SAR. Instead, those figures will be released in concert with the annual F-35 Defense Acquisition Board (DAB), which is due out in the fall, according to an F-35 Joint Program Office official.

The SAR noted that the program triggered an administrative research, development, test and evaluation cost breach this year, but dismissed it as a result of relocating funds rather than a cost overrun.

“This is the first year a cost reduction was noted,” Laura Siebert, Lockheed spokeswoman, wrote in a statement. “We will work with the F-35 Joint Program Office to implement further cost saving measures, which will result in additional significant decreases to the total program cost. The top priority of the government/contractor team is to continue to cost-effectively deliver the F-35’s unprecedented 5th generation capabilities to the warfighter.”

The F-35 was not the only program to receive good news.

The Air Force’s Advanced Extremely High Frequency satellite program, a key part of the Pentagon’s secure communications network, saw costs for the fifth and sixth satellites drop $510.4 million, or 14.6 percent, since 2011, a result of “reduced estimate to reflect program efficiencies for production and launch operations.”

The Army’s procurement program for the UH-60M Black Hawk helicopter also significantly drove costs down, by 11 percent. Those savings came from a combination of multiyear contracting, an acceleration of the procurement schedule and a reduction in engineering change orders

22 mai 2013 Chu-Anh Pham - canoe.ca

Après un premier faux départ, Lockheed Martin tente de séduire les Canadiens avec son F-35 en entreprenant une tournée pancanadienne.

Au centre-ville de Montréal, l’entreprise américaine a même déployé un simulateur de la cabine de pilotage pour justifier la pertinence de son appareil pour l’armée canadienne.

Lockheed croit avoir le modèle le plus performant sur le marché : indétectable et vision à 360 degrés.

«C’est spécialement important en Arctique. On parle de mille de miles qu’il faut surveiller. C’est pas juste 40 miles devant nous qui est important, c’est d’un horizon à l’autre. Je vais être capable de sentir avec les appareils électroniques tout ce qui se passe au sol ou sur les bateaux», a expliqué le pilote canadien Billie Flynn de Lockheed Martin.

Selon lui, il n’y a pas de superflu : tous les outils sont importants.

«Les missions sont tellement compliquées que, à un moment donné, même si on voit tout ce qui se passe, on n'est plus capable de décider ce qui est important ou pas. Alors on a changé ça. […] Ce sont les ordinateurs qui décident ce qui est important ou pas, pas les humains.»

Le gouvernement fédéral doit remplacer ses vieux CF-18 avec l'achat de 65 appareils.

Ottawa avait déjà jeté son dévolu sur Lockheed Martin, mais devant l'explosion des coûts, maintenant évalués à 45 milliards $, il n'a eu d'autre choix que de recommencer tout le processus d'achat en décembre dernier.

Le F-18 Super Hornet de Boeing et le Rafale de Dassault sont deux autres appareils qui pourraient intéresser le gouvernement. Tout dépend de ses besoins, selon l’analyste Philippe Cauchi.

«Tous les autres avions sont quand même des avions retouchés, améliorés. Lui, c'est une nouvelle conception. L'invisibilité à ses avantages, surtout pour des missions à haut risque. Parce que le problème maintenant, c'est de perdre de l'équipage.»

Présentement, le F-35 a des retombées économiques de 450 millions $ au Canada, mais elles pourraient grimper à 10 milliards $ selon Lockheed Martin.

Les fournisseurs canadiens doutent pouvoir décrocher mieux si Ottawa change de constructeur.

«Selon nous ça serait difficile. Si l'on prend le F-18 ou le Rafale, ils ont déjà une chaîne d'approvisionnement bien établie. Ils ont déjà des fournisseurs depuis 15-20 ans. Alors les opportunités pour nous seraient plutôt limitées», a affirmé le vice-président au développement des affaires de Héroux Devtek, Jean Gravel.

Pour l’entreprise Composites Atlantic, basée en Nouvelle-Écosse, une soixantaine d’emplois pourrait être créée si le gouvernement canadien maintient son choix avec Lockheed Martin.

«Si on va avec une autre plateforme, on ne sait pas ce qu'on pourrait avoir. Un vaut mieux que deux tu l'auras. Donc on est plus confiant de rester avec le F-35 en terme de création d'emploi», explique Claude Baril, président de l’entreprise qui possède aussi des installations à Mirabel.

Il estime que le projet F-35 devrait pouvoir lui permettre de rapporter 120 millions $ au total.

Lockheed a déjà livré 80 F-35 auprès de ses clients et compte en fabriquer près de 4000.

May 21, 2013 ASDNews Source : Kraken Sonar Systems Inc.

Kraken Sonar Systems Inc. announced today that a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with the U.S. Navy’s Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC) in Newport, Rhode Island was a complete success.

NUWC Division Newport is one of two divisions of the U.S. Navy’s Naval Undersea Warfare Center. Its mission is to provide research, development, test and evaluation, engineering and fleet support for submarines, autonomous underwater systems, undersea offensive and defensive weapons systems and countermeasures.

In October 2012, NUWC Division Newport and Kraken entered into a CRADA to evaluate the performance of Kraken’s AquaPix® Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Sonar (InSAS) deployed from a REMUS 600 Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) owned and operated by NUWC.

During 26 AUV missions NUWC and Kraken collected significant amounts of InSAS data in Narragansett Bay and in Block Island Sound against both deployed targets and targets of opportunity.

Kraken’s AquaPix® InSAS demonstrated the capability of generating high resolution imagery to ranges as distant as 200 metres from the sensor. The sonar also demonstrated the capability of generating bathymetry that correlated well with corresponding SAS imagery and compared favourably with bottom maps obtained from an independent bathymetric survey. These test results demonstrated the suitability of a REMUS 600 AUV for hosting an AquaPix® InSAS sensor capable of generating wide swath high resolution imagery and bathymetry.

"The CRADA with NUWC was an important test and evaluation of our AquaPix® sonar," said Karl Kenny, President and CEO of Kraken. “We are very pleased to have demonstrated the mature performance of our system. These results will give customers an added degree of confidence in deploying Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Sonar solutions.”

Kraken’s AquaPix® InSAS provides much higher resolution imagery at greater ranges than conventional side scan sonars. This is done by replacing traditional sonar hardware with sophisticated signal processing software. The principle of Synthetic Aperture Sonar is that the transducer array length is “synthesized” up to 25 times longer than its actual physical length.

Synthetic Aperture Sonar provides image quality unmatched by conventional sonars and is a key technology whenever high resolution seabed imagery is required. Kraken’s AquaPix® generates detailed 3cm resolution images at ranges to over 200m. In addition, Interferometric SAS can simultaneously deliver 3D bathymetric imagery that enables precision digital terrain models of the seabed. The highly accurate bathymetric data provided by the AquaPix® InSAS exceeds IHO S44 special order requirements.

May 21, 2013 ASDNews Source : Science Applications International Corporation

Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) [NYSE: SAI] announced it was awarded a prime contract by the Joint Program Executive Office for Chemical and Biological Defense (JPEO-CBD) to provide program, engineering, medical, and technical support services. The multiple-award indefinite-delivery/indefinite quantity contract has a three-year base period of performance, two one-year options, one six-month extension optional period, and a total contract value of $495 million for all awardees, if all options are exercised. Work will be performed in multiple cities throughout the continental United States and outside the continental United States.

JPEO-CBD provides research, development, acquisition, fielding and life-cycle support of chemical and biological defense equipment and medical countermeasures for the U.S. This includes the acquisition and fielding of chemical and biological detection and reconnaissance systems, individual and collective protection systems, decontamination systems, information management systems, medical devices, drugs and vaccines, and installation and force protection systems.

Under the contract, SAIC will provide support services to JPEO-CBD in several domains, including business and analytical; engineering and technical; logistics; information technology; and medical. SAIC is one of 42 contractors eligible to compete for task orders under the contract.

"Through a convergence of our health and national security offerings, SAIC will provide program, engineering, medical, and technical support services in a more dynamic and efficient way," said Joe Craver, President of SAIC's Health and Engineering Sector.

"The services we offer through this contract vehicle greatly improve JPEO-CBD's ability to respond to the needs of the warfighter, which provides greater security to the nation and our assets and allies overseas," added John Thomas, acting President of SAIC's National Security Sector.

May 21st, 2013 By Army News Service - defencetalk.com

This week, the Army Intelligence and Security Command conducted a demonstration of the Distributed Common Ground System – Army, for members of the press as well as members of Congress and their staff to help them better understand the system.

The top message coming out of the demonstration was that Distributed Common Ground System – Army, or DCGS-A, is compliant with the standards of the intelligence community, that includes the Army, the other services, the DOD intelligence agencies, and other federal government intelligence services as well.

Also a key message of Army intelligence community leaders at the demonstration was the idea that new tools and software packages could be added to the already robust DCGS-A “family of capabilities,” but only if they are compliant with the standards of the intelligence community, only if they are seamlessly interoperable.

The DCGS-A is part of a larger network of DCGS systems within the DOD, including one run by the Navy, the Marine Corps, and the Air Force.

The “system” connects Soldiers involved in intelligence gathering and analysis with each other, with those in the intelligence community of joint partners, and with the larger intelligence community of the U.S.

DCGS-A is already deployed to theaters worldwide, said Lt. Gen. Mary A. Legere, the Army’s deputy chief of staff, G-2.

“It is globally deployed,” Legere said. “This is not a system that is in the lab. This is a system that is supporting and has supported nine corps, 38 divisions and 138 brigade combat teams. It has been since its inception, fielded, and supporting both of the wars, as well as spreading out to other global theaters.”

Today, she said, DCGS-A is in Afghanistan and is used by Soldiers throughout the Middle East, as well as at units assigned to U.S. Africa Command, U.S. Army Pacific Command, “and anywhere you have Soldiers who are deployed.”

The DCGS-A is not a piece of software, or a piece of hardware. It’s really an “enterprise,” Legere said.

That is, there is now a collection of different software packages, only some developed by the Army, that are used by members of the intelligence community across the Army. All of those software packages can process intelligence that is shared in a way that they can all access it and process it without the complication of incompatible data.

Intelligence information produced by Army sensors, such as a Gray Eagle, a Global Hawk or a Shadow unmanned aerial system, or by human intelligence gatherers, are easily ingested into the DCGS-A system because they are all compliant with one standard. And the data, once inside the system, is easily shared, around the world and instantly, with users of DCGS-A.

The data, because it is compliant with a single standard, can be ingested and processed by any one of dozens of intelligence analysis software tools because all the data is compatible. Output from those tools also remains compatible and visible across the DCGS-A “enterprise,” across the intelligence assets of other services, and across the wider U.S. intelligence community.

Legere said DCGS-A is a “family of capabilities, [that] includes sensor controls and downlinks for data that connects our Soldiers to the joint intelligence platforms. It’s a common enterprise, it ensures all the data they see is viewable and is accessible so the Soldiers can collect, analyze, collaborate, re-task and redistribute intelligence.”

It’s not the Army, or one defense contractor that has built DCGS-A. Legere said more than 40 private sector industry partners across the U.S. are participants in development of the system, all of whom have adjusted their own independent products they brought to the table to fit within the DCGS-A environment, and within the environment of the larger U.S. intelligence community.

Legere said that there is better software available to be included within the DCGS-A enterprise, but that in order for such software pieces to be accepted and integrated, they must first be compliant with DCGS-A, which is in turn compliant with intelligence community standards.

“We take joint and intelligence community interoperability very seriously,” Legere said. “We work with the other DCGS programs [in the other services], so that nothing comes in on our hardware or software that would impede our ability to share or interact with our partners, their data or sensors.”

The general went on to say that Soldier safety, and winning the war fight is the No. 1 priority of the DCGS-A program, and data standards is key to ensuring that.

“Ultimately, every decision we make about our program is about our Soldiers and their commanders,” she said. “Sometimes we have to explain that that intelligence community standard, and that data access, may be more important than the thing that, quite frankly, seems easier, but creates issues.”

The Army didn’t create the intelligence community data standards, Legere said. But the Army does, as the largest “footprint” in any theater, have a responsibility for compliance with those standards, and like joining the Army itself, part of participation means compliance with standards.

“Other services count on the Army for this disciplined support,” she said. “And our industry partners who work with us understand we do not want to compromise interoperability in order to use their products.”

May 16, 2013 ASDNews Source : US Navy

The Navy accepted delivery of the first Mobile Landing Platform, USNS Montford Point (MLP 1), from General Dynamics-NASSCO, May 14, in San Diego, Calif.

The Mobile Landing Platform is a new class of ship and highly flexible platform that will provide capability for large-scale logistics movements such as the transfer of light and heavy vehicles and equipment from sea to shore.

"MLP-1 has gone from concept to delivery in under five years, a remarkable feat reflecting the diligent work of the Navy and shipbuilding team from design through testing and trials," said Capt. Henry Stevens, PEO Ships' program manager for strategic and theater sealift. "With its open, reconfigurable mission deck, USNS Montford Point will deliver innovation and exceptional flexibility to future Fleet operations."

Delivery of Montford Point represents the official transfer of the ship from the shipbuilder to the Navy and is a major milestone in the ship's transition to operational status. Delivery follows the successful completion of Acceptance Trials, evaluating the ship's major systems and equipment.

Named in honor of the 20,000 African-American Marine Corps recruits trained at Montford Point Camp, N.C., MLP-1 is a modular, adaptable platform that may be used across a broad range of military operations supporting multiple operational phases. Acting as a mobile seabase, MLP will be part of the critical access infrastructure that supports the deployment of forces and supplies to provide prepositioned equipment and supplies with flexible distribution.

The 83,000 ton, 785-foot ship will leverage float-on/float-off technology, allowing Montford Point to partially submerge, facilitating easy movement of cargo and craft. Additionally, the ship's size allows for 25,000 square feet of vehicle and equipment stowage space and 380,000 gallons of JP-5 fuel storage. MLP-1 has a maximum speed of 15 knots and range of 9500 nautical miles.

Following delivery, the ship will undergo test and trials period to install and incorporate the ship's Core Capabilities Set (CCS) in Portland, Ore. The CCS includes modules that support a vehicle staging area, sideport ramp, large mooring fenders and up to three landing craft air cushioned (LCAC) vessel lanes. With this set of capabilities, MLP-1 is able to easily transfer personnel and vehicles from other vessels such as the large, medium-speed, roll-on/roll-off ships (LMSRs) onto LCAC vehicles and transport them ashore.

The ship is owned by U.S. Navy's Military Sealift Command (MSC) and operated by a 34-person civilian-mariner crew under contract to MSC. The Navy plans to integrate an MLP into each of MSC's Maritime Prepositioning Ship Squadrons. These ships, coupled with a maritime prepositioning force (MPF), auxiliary dry cargo/ammunition ship (T-AKE) and legacy platforms, provide a first step in crafting a sea-based capability and illuminating future seabasing requirements.

MSC operates approximately 110 non-combatant, civilian-crewed ships that replenish U.S. Navy ships, conduct specialized missions, strategically preposition combat cargo at sea around the world and move military cargo and supplies used by deployed U.S. forces and coalition partners.

As one of the Defense Department's largest acquisition organizations, PEO Ships is responsible for executing the development and procurement of all destroyers, amphibious ships, special mission and support ships, and special warfare craft. Delivering high-quality war fighting assets - while balancing affordability and capability - is key to supporting the Navy's Maritime Strategy.

May 15, 2013 ASDNews Source : Northrop Grumman Corporation

Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) and the U.S. Navy today launched a new chapter in the history of unmanned systems – carrier-capable unmanned aircraft – by successfully catapulting the X-47B Unmanned Combat Air System (UCAS) demonstrator from the deck of the USS George H.W. Bush(CVN-77).

The launch occurred at 11:18 a.m. Eastern time while the carrier was under way off the coast of Virginia. The tailless, strike-fighter-sized aircraft flew autonomously back to Naval Air Station Patuxent River where it landed safely 65 minutes later.

"Today's catapult launch of the X-47B is a momentous feat for naval aviation," said Capt. Jaime Engdahl, Navy UCAS program manager for the Naval Air Systems Command. "It proves that the Navy's goal of operating unmanned systems safely and effectively from aircraft carriers is well on its way to becoming a reality."

Northrop Grumman is the Navy's prime contractor for the UCAS Carrier Demonstration (UCAS-D) program. The company designed, produced and is currently flight testing two X-47B air vehicles for the program. Air Vehicle 2 completed the catapult shot.

"Catapulting the unmanned X-47B off the USS George H.W. Bush is an event as historic as the Navy's first catapult of a manned aircraft, which occurred in Nov. 1915 from the armored cruiser USS North Carolina (ACR-12)," said Carl Johnson, vice president and Navy UCAS program manager for Northrop Grumman. "We are delighted to help launch this new era of naval capability."

The X-47B catapult launch occurred just one day after the USS George H.W. Bush had departed from Naval Air Station Norfolk, Va.

The current at-sea period is the second such test period for the UCAS-D program. In December 2012, the program hoisted an X-47B aircraft aboard the USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75), then demonstrated that the aircraft could be maneuvered safely and precisely on the ship's flight deck, in its elevators and in its hangar bay.

In preparation for the launch, the UCAS-D program successfully completed a series of shore-based catapult shots at Naval Air Station Patuxent River between November and March. The air vehicle was transported by barge from Patuxent River to Naval Air Station Norfolk in early May, then hoisted aboard the ship.

Northrop Grumman's UCAS-D industry team includes Pratt & Whitney, GKN Aerospace, Eaton, GE Aviation, UTC Aerospace Systems, Dell, Honeywell, Moog, Lockheed Martin, Wind River, Parker Aerospace and Rockwell Collins. The latest news and information about the UCAS-D program can be found atwww.northropgrumman.com/X-47B.

May 15, 2013 ASDNews Source : Lockheed Martin Corporation

The worldwide community of Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] C-130J Super Hercules operators recently surpassed a landmark 1 million flight hours milestone, logging this time through numerous combat, special operations and humanitarian missions.

Thirteen countries operating C-130Js, and members of Lockheed Martin’s Flight Operations and the U.S. Government’s Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA) teams contributed to this achievement. Hours were tracked beginning with the C-130J’s first flight on April 5, 1996, through the end of April 2013.

“There are a million reasons to pick the C-130J, as the Hercules continues to demonstrate the ability to fulfill any mission at any time,” said George Shultz, vice president and general manager of C-130 programs at Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company. “Not only is this milestone a testament to the capability of the C-130J Super Hercules, it reflects the dedication displayed by crews and maintainers each day they fly a C-130J. Once again, the Super Hercules family continues to prove why the C-130J’s flexibility and versatility remains without equal.”

The C-130J is the standard by which all other airlift is measured in terms of availability, flexibility and reliability. C-130Js currently are deployed in two combat theaters and are operating at a very high tempo efficiently and reliably. In non-combat — but equally harsh environments — C-130Js are often the first to support humanitarian missions  such as search and rescue,  aerial firefighting  in the U.S., and delivering relief supplies after earthquakes, hurricanes, typhoons and tsunamis around the world.

Countries with C-130Js contributing to these flight hours include (in order of delivery) the United Kingdom, United States, Australia, Italy, Denmark, Norway, Canada, India, Qatar, Oman, Iraq, Tunisia and Israel (now in flight test for a summer 2013 delivery). In the U. S., C-130Js are flown by the Air Force, Air Force Reserve Command, Air National Guard, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard units. Fifteen countries have chosen the C-130J as an airlifter of choice — including Kuwait and the Republic of Korea, which will join the fleet with C-130J deliveries in 2014.

14/05/2013 by Victoria Knowles - Armed Forces International Reporter

The US Navy plans to launch a carrier drone for the first time, making aviation history.

On Tuesday, the Navy will catapult an unmanned plane from an aircraft carrier, testing a stealthy, long-range, bat-winged jet that signifies a leap forward in drone technology.

With a flying capability of over 2,000 nautical miles in one journey and a six-hour endurance, the X-47B is scheduled to depart in the Atlantic from the USS George H. W. Bush utilizing the same sling-shot method that shoots manned jets upward from aircraft carriers' short runways.

X-47B Drone Launch from US Aircraft Carriers

Developed by defense technology firm Northrop Grumman, the jet was first flown in 2011, and boasts a 62-foot wingspan. The X-47 project is now part of the US Navy's Unmanned Combat Air System Demonstration (UCAS-D) program, and as of January 2012, the project's cost inflated to $813 million.

Due to its stealth potential and bettering the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter's range nearly two-fold, the X-47B and its descendants are regarded as a potential solution to the posing threat by Iran and China's developed anti-ship medium-range missiles, among other potential rival, according to defense analysts.

These missiles and other reputed area denial, anti-access weapons would oblige US aircraft carriers to function distant enough from land that F/A-18 and F-35 jets would be forced to undertake refueling to execute their missions, leaving them susceptible to attack.

Dual-Purpose Attack and Defence Capabilities

But an unmanned drone such as the X-47B could provide the Navy both with a reconnaissance competency and a long-range attack.

"That makes it strategically very important," says senior defense analyst Anthony Cordesman, from the Center for Strategic and International Studies. He regarded the jet as "essentially a really long-range stealth system."

Subsequent variants of the aircraft could potentially be developed for full-spectrum broadband stealth, making it difficult for the radar to position it, said the analysts.

US drones currently in operation in areas like Afghanistan and tribal regions of Pakistan, like the Reaper and Predator - are not stealthy planes and are not subject to air defense.

Due to its long range and requisite to have take off and landing capability from an aircraft carrier, day and night, the X-47B can operate with much greater autonomy than existing remotely piloted jets.