18.02.13 Thales Group

The Spanish Army Aviation (FAMET – Fuerzas Aeromóviles del Ejército de Tierra) and the German Armed Forces (Bundeswehr) who have been involved in different UN-peacekeeping missions and are currently deployed in Mali with Tiger helicopters, are increasing their capabilities with Thales’s rockets to meet their ambitions. The Logistic Support Command of the Army (MALE) of Spain and the German Procurement Agency have just awarded Thales for a batch of respectively 1,000 and 10,000 70mm/2.75” rockets to complete the weapon systems of their Tiger HAD-E and their UH Tiger. Deliveries are expected on a very short term base.

10,000 Thales practice rockets for Germany

Produced by Thales in Belgium (Herstal), the 70mm/2.75” rockets offer a high level of safety and efficiency recognised by their worldwide customers on both helicopters and combat fixed wing aircraft. The aim of this contract with the Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support (http://www.baainbw.de) is to deliver practice rockets to meet the increased demand for training of the German Armed Forces. The rocket will feature a modified rocket motor FZ90 MOD.4 with reduced debris.

First 70mm/2.75” Rockets contract for Spain

Thales 70mm/2.75” rocket system is part of the weapon system installed on the Spanish Tiger fitted with four light weight composite rocket pods, two of 19 tubes (FZ225) combined with two of 7 tubes (FZ233), able to carry a mixed loading of practice and high explosive warhead. On their HAP configuration Tigers, FAMET have used in operation the Thales Induction Rocket System since 2009. Complementarily, with this first batch of Thales 70mm/2.75 rocket, FAMET will now operate on their HAD Tigers the best version of the 70mm NATO standard rocket, which is also in service in German and Australian armies.

Through these new contracts, Thales confirms and strengthens its presence within the Tiger community all over the world. All forces equipped by Tiger helicopters – Spanish, French, German and Australian – are using Thales’s rockets systems solutions, in induction version or in 2.75/70mm.

About Thales

Thales is a global technology leader for the Aerospace, Transport, Defence and Security markets. With 64,000 employees in 56 countries, Thales reported sales of €14.9 billion in 2016. With over 25,000 engineers and researchers, Thales has a unique capability to design and deploy equipment, systems and services to meet the most complex security requirements. Its exceptional international footprint allows it to work closely with its customers all over the world

Oct 6, 2015 Spacewar.com (AFP)

Seoul - A senior US official warned Tuesday that North Korea will face "strong actions" from the international community if it goes ahead with a long-range rocket launch in violation of UN resolutions.

"We hope they rethink that idea. But if they don't it's very clear there will be strong actions taken by the international community," US Deputy Secretary of State Tony Blinken told reporters after talks with South Korean officials.

"We are absolutely unified and in solidarity with regard to challenges posed by North Korea," he added.

There has been speculation for months that the North might launch a long-range rocket to celebrate the 70th anniversary of its ruling Workers' Party on Saturday.

But South Korean officials said North Korea showed no sign of preparing for a rocket launch.

"We don't see any signs of making preparations for an imminent launch such as the movement of a launch vehicle" to the launch pad, a Unification Ministry official said on condition of anonymity.

"After moving components of a launch vehicle, it usually takes two to four weeks of preparations to launch."

Remarks by the head of the North's space agency had fuelled conjecture about a launch to mark the anniversary. Comments by the chief of the North's national atomic commission led to additional talk of a possible fourth nuclear test.

Pyongyang insists its space programme is purely scientific and designed to put peaceful satellites in orbit. But Washington and its allies have warned that any rocket launch will be deemed a test of ballistic missile technology in violation of UN resolutions.

"There is no evidence to support a long-range rocket launch on October 10," Joel Wit, an expert at the US-Korea Institute at Johns Hopkins University, said on Twitter on Monday.

"North Korea could be doing things at night that we cannot watch via satellite, but most government officials agree that there will not be a launch," he said at #38NorthPress.

Citing satellite images of the North's Sohae Satellite Launching Station, the US-Korea Institute said last month on its closely watched website 38 North that a launch on or before October 10 was possible but unlikely.

Pyongyang successfully launched a three-stage, Unha-3 rocket carrying a satellite on December 12, 2012 from the Sohae launching station.

It announced the planned launch 11 days before and notified neighbouring countries including Japan of the intended flight path.

That launch triggered fresh sanctions and a surge in military tensions that culminated two months later in North Korea conducting its third nuclear test.

South Korean President Park Geun-Hye last month warned Pyongyang of serious consequences if it pushes forward with either a rocket launch or nuclear test.

Over the last few years there has been a quiet revolution in ground launched long range rockets that has the potential to challenge existing thinking on Close Air Support, Attack Helicopters, Carrier Strike and Naval Gunfire Support/Land Attack.

To be clear, long range precision rockets are not a replacement for any of these but they do reduce the need.

We should not be thinking about firing GMLRS illumination rounds and a precision rocket cannot provide combat ISTAR like a fast jet but they can provide effective support for ground forces in contact with the enemy and long range interdiction at a greatly reduced cost and in response to enemy countermeasures like air defence systems.

They are rather unglamorous and lacking in expensive contracts though, which means they are not prioritised. The blinkered ‘not invented here’ theme is also strong, it is often assumed that Israeli, Brazilian, Russian and Turkish systems are unsuitable or incapable when nothing could be further from the truth.

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TUCSON, Ariz., July 31, 2014 /PRNewswire

Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) and MD Helicopters, Inc. successfully fired four TALON laser guided rockets from the MD 530G armed aerial scout (AAS) helicopter during a series of tests at Yuma Proving Ground, Ariz.

"This test further demonstrates the maturity of the TALON Laser Guided Rocket weapon system as a complement to MD's AAS platform," said Darryl Kreitman, Raytheon TALON program director. "These test shots included four firings showcasing TALON's versatility over the entire firing envelope with direct hits for all events."

TALON LGR is a low-cost, digital semi-active laser guidance and control kit co-developed with the United Arab Emirates. TALON's guidance section integrates directly to the front of the legacy 2.75-inch Hydra-70 unguided rockets while its unique tail kit replaces the legacy Hydra-70 wraparound tail kit.

"In just a few months, Raytheon worked closely with MD to integrate TALON onto the MD 530G, subjecting the helicopter and rocket to number of realistic mission profiles," said Kreitman.  "The successful testing once again demonstrated TALON's precision guidance capabilities."  

This latest successful firing and subsequent original equipment manufacturer certification of TALON follows the recent certification in April for air worthiness release of the weapon on the Apache AH-64D/E attack helicopter.

During TALON's development program and test program, Raytheon completed more than 35 TALON firings from the AH-64D Apache, which has resulted in a solution that is ready for the international direct commercial sales customers today.

About TALON
Raytheon's TALON requires no hardware or software modifications to the launcher or aircraft platform for any aircraft that fires 2.75-inch Hydra-70 unguided rockets using the standard M260/261 launchers.  TALON's architecture and ease of employment make it a low-cost, highly-precise weapon for missions in urban environments, as well as counter insurgency and swarming boat defense missions.  TALON is fully compatible with existing airborne and ground laser designators.

About MD Helicopters
MD Helicopters, Inc. (MDHI), a Lynn Tilton company, is a leading manufacturer of commercial, military, law enforcement and air-rescue helicopters. The MDHI family of rotorcraft is world renowned for its value, versatility and performance. The MD Helicopters family includes the twin-engine MD Explorer, and single engine versions of the MD 500E, MD 520N, MD 530A, MD 530F, MD 530G, MD 540A and MD 600N. The innovative NOTAR system for anti-torque control with no tail rotor is used exclusively by MD Helicopters to provide safer, quieter, smoother, and confined-area access capability. The company is based in Mesa, Arizona. For more information about MDHI, visit www.mdhelicopters.com.  

About Raytheon
Raytheon Company, with 2013 sales of $24 billion and 63,000 employees worldwide, is a technology and innovation leader specializing in defense, security and civil markets throughout the world. With a history of innovation spanning 92 years, Raytheon provides state-of-the-art electronics, mission systems integration and other capabilities in the areas of sensing; effects; and command, control, communications and intelligence systems, as well as cyber security and a broad range of mission support services. Raytheon is headquartered in Waltham, Mass. For more about Raytheon, visit us at www.raytheon.com and follow us on Twitter @Raytheon.