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16 décembre 2011 5 16 /12 /décembre /2011 08:55

http://supersonique.blogs.challenges.fr/media/00/00/572189778.jpg

source supersonique.blogs.challenges.fr

 

15.12.2011 Liberation.fr (AFP)

 

PARIS  - L'armée de l'air américaine maintient en vol soixante drones de surveillance en permanence, les Européens n'en ont toujours pas produit un seul, risquant même de développer deux modèles concurrents.

 

Cassidian, division militaire du géant européen EADS basée en Allemagne, et Alenia aeronautica, filiale de l'italien Finmeccanica, ont annoncé mercredi un accord pour essayer de répondre aux besoins des armées allemande et italienne en drones de surveillance et de combat.

 

Cette initiative répond à la décision de la France de développer un drone de surveillance avec la Grande-Bretagne, dans le cadre de la coopération de défense résultant du Traité de Lancaster House (2 novembre).

 

La France a confié le développement d'un drone MALE (moyenne altitude longue endurance) à Dassault en coopération avec le britannique BAE Systems, excluant de fait le drone Talarion en développement chez EADS.

 

"Le traité franco-britannique a entraîné les Allemands et les Italiens à se rapprocher, on parle d'un projet de traité germano-italien qui serait dans les cartons", explique Jean-Pierre Maulny, directeur adjoint de l'Institut de relations internationales et stratégiques (IRIS).

 

Pourtant, dit-il, "personne aujourd'hui n'a intérêt à faire un drone MALE sur une base nationale". D'autant que le marché européen du drone MALE est estimé à 50 ou 60 appareils maximum, souligne-t-il.

 

Pourtant, les drones sont devenus indispensables dans la guerre moderne.

 

L'US Air Force maintient en permanence 60 patrouilles de drones au-dessus de l'Irak et de l'Afghanistan, d'après l'hebdomadaire spécialisé DefenseNews. La Chine dispose déjà d'une gamme de 25 drones différents.

 

Comment l'Europe en est-elle arrivée là malgré sa volonté affichée de rapprocher ses industries de la défense ?

 

Aux différences d'approche des gouvernements s'ajoutent les rivalités industrielles et les querelles de personnes qui deviennent des querelles d'Etat.

 

Ainsi le projet Talarion avait été lancé pour répondre aux besoins des armées françaises, allemandes et espagnoles. Mais face aux hésitations de Berlin à soutenir le projet, Paris a répondu aux sollicitations des Britanniques.

 

Après les déboires de l'avion de transport militaire A400M, Paris comme Londres préfèrent lancer des projets sur une base bilatérale, quitte à les ouvrir ensuite à d'autres partenaires. Conçu pour satisfaire huit pays différents, l'A400M a accumulé retards et dépassements de coûts et sera livré en 2013.

 

Rivalités industrielles: EADS et Dassault sont à couteaux tirés. Le géant européen, né de la coopération industrielle franco-allemande, n'a pas avalé la décision de Paris de choisir Dassault pour développer un drone MALE.

 

"EADS a beau détenir 46% du capital de Dassault aviation, nous n'avons pas voix au chapitre", explique un de ses dirigeants.

 

Querelles personnelles: au sein des quatre divisions d'EADS, les différends entre Allemands et Français tournent vite aux tensions entre Etats.

 

"Mais ce n'est pas la fin de l'histoire", estime M. Maulny. Les cartes peuvent encore être redistribuées.

 

EADS continue à financer sur ses propres fonds le Talarion, auquel Turkish Aerospace Industries est associé depuis un an.

 

Le secrétaire d'Etat allemand à la Défense, Stéphane Beemelmans, s'est prononcé récemment pour une coopération avec la France dans le domaine des drones. "Je ne crois pas à deux projets de cette envergure au niveau européen", a-t-il déclaré.

 

A Paris, le ministère de la Défense s'inquiète de la vision britannique de la coopération. Pour Londres, il s'agit moins de construire un nouvel appareil MALE que d'en acheter un en commun: et pour le moment les seuls qui existent sont américains.

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15 décembre 2011 4 15 /12 /décembre /2011 08:00
Cassidian : coopération sur les drones avec Alenia

 

14 décembre 2011 par DSI

 

Un protocole d’accord a été signé entre Cassidian et Alenia Aeronautica afin d’étudier conjointement la possibilité d’une coopération dans le domaine des systèmes de drones MALE (Moyenne Altitude Longue Endurance) et de combat.

 

Grâce à cet accord, les deux entreprises analyseront les besoins exprimés par leurs gouvernements respectifs en matière de drones. Le mouvement est important : Alenia est un acteur plus expérimenté que Cassidian en matière de drones, en ayant développé les Molynx, Sky-X, Sky-Y et en travaillant également sur le projet Neuron.

 

On notera que Selex Galileo, également membre de Finmeccanica comme Alenia, s’est spécialisé sur les micro-drones et les drones tactiques. C’est donc à un acteur de poids que s’associe Cassidian. Reste que ce dernier semble également accroché au Talarion.

 

Ainsi, selon Bernhard Gerwert, Chief Operating Officer (COO) de Cassidian, « nous nous réjouissons à la perspective d’explorer toute forme de collaboration possible avec Alenia Aeronautica autour des drones MALE de prochaine génération, tels que le Talarion (…) ». En tout état de cause, une alliance franco-italienne pourrait bien chercher à faire face à une alliance franco-britannique (Dassault-BAE).

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14 décembre 2011 3 14 /12 /décembre /2011 21:06

http://referentiel.nouvelobs.com/file/2816358.JPG

 

14-12-2011 Par Challenges.fr (Avec AFP)

 

Cassidian, au nom d'EADS Allemagne, et Alenia Aeronautica ont signé un protocole d'accord pour explorer les possibilités de coopération sur les drones.

 

Cassidian, division défense du géant européen EADS, et le constructeur italien Alenia (Finmeccanica) ont annoncé mercredi 14 décembre un accord en vue de développer des drones de surveillance et de combat pour l'Allemagne et l'Italie. Les modèles concernés sont des drones MALE (moyenne altitude longue endurance) et des drones de combat.

 

"Les deux sociétés vont analyser les besoins exprimés par leurs gouvernements respectifs dans le secteur des drones avec pour objectif de créer un partenariat stratégique", explique le communiqué.

 

Bernhard Gerwert, directeur opérationnel des opérations de Cassidian cité dans le communiqué, se dit heureux d'explorer les possibilités de collaboration dans le secteur des drone MALE, "comme par exemple le Talarion qui est de la plus haute importance pour l'industrie européenne de l'aviation militaire".

 

Premier vol programmé pour 2015

 

Le programme Talarion a été lancé par Cassidian pour répondre aux besoins exprimés à l'origine par la France, l'Allemagne et l'Espagne. Son premier vol est programmé pour 2015 et la production en série pour 2018.

 

La France ne s'est pas montré intéressée par le Talarion et a confié à Dassault Aviation le développement d'un drone MALE, baptisé Telemos, en coopération avec le constructeur britannique BAE systems.

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9 décembre 2011 5 09 /12 /décembre /2011 19:55
Du Rafale aux drones, Dassault perd des soutiens…

 

9 décembre 2011 by Nicolas Gros-Verheyde (BRUXELLES2)

 

Infoutu de vendre le merveilleux avion à l’export alors que les Européens arrivent à placer l’Eurofighter et les Suédois le Gripen (en Suisse), Dassault peut se faire un peu de mourron. Car les soutiens nationaux commencent à être moins enthousiastes, que ce soit pour la fabrication du Rafale ou son option d’importer un drone israélien.

 

La chaîne du Rafale interrompue en 2018 s’il ne trouve pas de client à l’export

 

Cela a été sensible lors de la dernière intervention du ministre de la Défense, Gérard Longuet, sur LCP-FranceInfo-LeMonde, le 7 décembre. Le ministre a eu cette phrase qui en dit long sur une certaine confusion. « Si Dassault ne vend pas son appareil à l’étranger, la chaîne sera arrêtée » non pas en 2013 car il reste des commandes à assurer pour l’armée française mais en « 2018 ». Tout ne sera pas perdu pour l’industriel cependant a tenu à rassurer le ministre. Car dans le prix d’un avion « l’achat représente un tiers et la vie deux tiers. Lorsqu’on a un Rafale, sur sa durée de vie, on paiera deux fois le prix normal. Donc l’industrie sera servie. » a-t-il expliqué avant de défendre « Le Rafale est un avion réellement polyvalent qui permet le combat aérien, surveillance, frappes au sol. » Et s’il ne se vend pas c’est peut-être tout simplement une question de « savoir où on place son ambition » a-t-il ajouté.

 

La bataille des drones

 

Mais l’attaque majeure est venue du Sénat qui a choisi de frapper … au portefeuille. Dans son rapport sur le budget 2012, voté début décembre, le Sénat a, en effet, revu le choix effectué par le ministère de la Défense. Une révision effectuée – faut-il préciser – de façon non partisane puisque l’amendement a été proposé par des députés PS (Daniel Reiner), comme UMP (Xavier Pintat). Il a estimé qu’en comparant le projet de drone israélien Heron TP fabriqué par IAI et adapté par Dassault et celui du drone amériain Reaper, il y avait matière plutôt à opter pour le second, ce à la fois pour des raisons économiques que militaires.

 

Le drone Heron TP d’IAI (promu par Dassault) est un drone de surveillance produit à 7 exemplaires, qui n’est pas encore opérationnel dans l’armée israélienne. Pour le rendre apte au combat, il faudrait aussi modifier la liaison satellitaire (satcom) qui le relie au segment sol. La francisation, effectuée par Dassault, revient à 370 millions d’euros pour sept véhicules aériens et deux stations sol, maintien en conditions opérationnelles compris pour dix ans et francisation incluse. Mais ce drone ne pourrait pas être disponible « dans le meilleur des cas », pas avant 2015, voire après. Il est « 30 % plus cher, 20 % moins performant » a reconnu lui-même le ministre de la Défense Gérard Longuet lors des auditions.

 

Le drone Reaper de l’industriel américain General Atomics, « produit à plus de 150 exemplaires,  est un drone de maraudage et de combat ». Son coût est de 209 millions d’euros. Avec la francisation qui peut être effectuée par EADS, on arrive à « un coût total à 297 millions d’euros pour sept véhicules aériens et deux stations sol, maintien en conditions opérationnelles compris pour dix ans. Et sa disponibilité pourrait être un peu plus rapide : entre deux ou trois ans » selon que l’on « francise » ou non l’appareil.

 

Le choix du Sénat

 

Entre les deux programmes, il n’y a pas photo selon le Sénat. L’option du ministère de la Défense choisir le drone Héron TP, sans appel d’offres, est « difficile à comprendre : elle est financièrement désavantageuse, militairement contestable et industriellement hasardeuse, puisque selon l’offre de mai 2011 la Société Dassault ne serait responsable outre l’intégration de la satcom et des capteurs supplémentaires, que de l’importation, de la certification et des essais en vol. En outre, elle ne permettrait de satisfaire le besoin opérationnel qu’après la fin du contrat de maintien en conditions opérationnelles du drone Harfang, engendrant de ce fait une rupture capacitaire. » Du coup le Sénat a voté à la majorité de ses membres une coupe de 80 millions d’euros, laissant sur le programme 146, 289 millions d’euros pour acheter le drone Reaper (209 millions d’euros) et traiter les obsolescences du drone Harfang (29 millions d’euros). Les 80 millions d’euros économisés ne seront pas perdus pour la défense, ils seront affectés au programme de drone du futur.

 

Le mauvais choix du gouvernement

 

Non contents d’avoir opérés cette recomposition, les principaux artisans de cet amendement, UMP comme PS, cosignent un article publié dans le Monde aujourd’hui, intitulé « le mauvais choix du gouvernement », les sénateurs descendent en flamme le drone Heron. « Il est grand, lent et vulnérable face à des conditions météorologiques dégradées. Il a été conçu pour évoluer au-dessus du territoire réduit d’Israël afin d’écouter et d’observer à ses frontières. Il n’est pas armé et ne pourra jamais emporter un armement polyvalent en raison de son architecture. Enfin, il est produit à moins d’une dizaine d’exemplaires et n’est technologiquement pas abouti. »…

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7 décembre 2011 3 07 /12 /décembre /2011 18:45

http://www.techlahore.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/ch3nov2mo8.jpg

 

Dec.04, 2011 techlahore.com

 

Since the war on terror started in Afghanistan back in 2001, the United States Air Force has employed various different UAV platforms to target insurgents and the Taliban. Both on Afghan soil as well as in Pakistani territory, with the covert approval of the Pakistan government. Observing the efficacy of UAV platforms like the Predator, the Pakistani military establishment requested the United States to equip it with UAVs so that the war on terror could be prosecuted with more efficacy on the part of the Pakistani military. However these requests were denied repeatedly and America cited the potential use of these UAV platforms in military theaters outside the Afghan Pakistan border (i.e. India) as a flimsy excuse. Faced with these denials, but unwavering in its resolve to achieve its objectives, Pakistan undertook a domestic UAV development program. Even prior to Predator requisition requests being turned down, the Pakistani military had already invested in various autonomous target drones, built both by the private and public sectors. Here at TechLahore, we covered Pakistani drone developments a couple of years ago. In fact, we pointed out that the level of sophistication was such that – in a rather ironic twist -private Pakistani drone  manufacturers were exporting UAVs even to the United States homeland security department for oversight applications on the US-Mexico border.

 

Since then, much has happened. Pakistan entered into a deal with the Italian firm, Selex-Galileo, for the licensed production of fairly capable UAV aircraft at the Kamra Aeronautical facilities. In addition, the Pakistan Navy also acquired rotorcraft drones from foreign sources. Separately, the Pakistan Army has pursued partnerships with China and has incented local manufacturers to continue to develop more advanced platforms within the country. One of the more promising UCAV projects currently in progress in Pakistan is the Burraq armed drone. Burraq is envisioned as a high endurance, long-range, over the horizon, armed UAV aircraft. For the last four years it has been under development and rumors are now surfacing that it may be ready for deployment. At the recent Zhuhai airshow in China, in which the Pakistan Air Force participated with its JF-17 Thunder fighter aircraft, Chinese manufacturers also displayed miniaturized lightweight missiles that were particularly suited for carriage on a drone. Various parts of this sprawling Pakistani drone development program are coming together, in partnership with China – weapons development, control systems development, propulsion, airframe, ground stations and much else. The Burraq will only the first in a line of capable, armed Pakistani drones.

 

And soon. The Burraq, it seems, will be flying in early 2012.

 

http://www.techlahore.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/1_5_1_FALCO-1024x739.jpg

The Pakistani UAV program is a wonderful example of the breadth of technological capability that exists in the country, its ability to collaborate internationally without relying on problem-ridden dealings with America, and the benefits of investing in local development and local manufacturing as opposed to wiring a ton of money to a foreign country and importing somebody else’s equipment (Saudi Arabia style). As with the JF-17 Thunder fighter aircraft, Pakistan will discover that the flexibility of owning and running a domestically developed military platform allows unending customization, full control of capabilities, and absolutely no worries with regards to security or someone else knowing its true performance, or even inhibiting the capabilities by doctoring the IFF system or other internal electronics. Not only that, but for private technological firms based in Pakistan a program of this nature creates tremendous economic opportunity. A variety of different inputs, ranging from materials to software to optics to electronics and propulsion technologies are required to build a high-tech UAV. A sophisticated military program such as the Burraq will lead not only to an improvement in Pakistan’s defensive and offensive military capabilities, but also in significant benefits for the economy and local industry.

 

We hope that in future, with military programs such as Burraq, the continued development of the spectacularly successful JF-17 Thunder fighter aircraft and its various space technology ventures, Pakistan will continue to create domestic research and development capabilities which will ensure a brighter future for its people and a credible defense against any would-be aggressor.

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28 novembre 2011 1 28 /11 /novembre /2011 07:20

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/61/ROVER_Laptop.jpg/800px-ROVER_Laptop.jpg

U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Shelly Burroughs

 

November 26, 2011: STRATEGY PAGE

 

For the last two years, one of the most popular electronic gadgets in Afghanistan was not the iPad or satellite phone, but Rover 5, otherwise known as the fifth generation ROVER (Remote Operations Video Enhanced Receiver). This is small (14cm/5.5 inch wide) handheld video device provides ground troops with UAV video feeds. Each Rover 5 costs about $35,000 and is the size of a seven inch tablet. Rover is more than three times heavier than a tablet (at 1.6 kg/3.5 pounds). But Rover can still be hand held, and enables the user to direct the camera on the UAV supplying the video. A stylus is used for this. The additional weight in the ROVER is for all the electronics needed to receive a wide variety of signals and display several different video types, plus a larger battery. Rover 5s are more often mounted in vehicles, giving convoys a top-down view of the terrain ahead. This has made it more difficult to ambush American troops. Commanders use Rover 5 to check UAV feeds and their own troops.

 

ROVER allows troops to view real-time video from a UAV or aircraft overhead. Aircraft with targeting pods (like Litening and Sniper) or surveillance gear (like AC-130 gunships) are much more effective when the guys on the ground have a ROVER unit that can receive that video feed.

 

 This kind of real-time, "common picture", capability makes air power much more effective, and reduces friendly fire incidents. U.S. Special Forces troops and infantry unit commanders use ROVER to obtain a larger view (than their low flying Raven UAVs can provide) of the surrounding area. This ROVER devices use a built in antenna to get the video from overhead UAVs or aircraft. The original ROVER system, as well as the current one, was developed and sent to the troops in record time. So don't let anyone tell you this sort of thing can't happen. However, except in wartime, such rapid technology development usually does not happen.

 

ROVER came to be nine years ago, when a Special Forces soldier, just back from Afghanistan, walked into the Aeronautical Systems Center at Wright Patterson Air Force Base, and asked the technical people why his guys could not have a device that would allow them to watch the video being generated by a Predator, AC-130 or other aircraft overhead. In particular, the soldiers wanted the capability of the AC-130 getting video from a Predator that had spotted something the AC-130 was being sent to destroy. Since it was the Special Forces troops on the ground who were running, and fighting, the ground battle, it would help them a lot if they could see the real time video from Predators and combat aircraft. At that time, the video was being viewed by people in the aircraft, or the UAV operators (who were back in the United States, running things via a satellite link.) The ground troops had to ask the air force what could be seen on the video, and there was usually a delay in getting that information. It would be much better for all concerned if the ground troops could see that video in real time.

 

 The air force geeks went to work, and in two weeks had a ROVER prototype that Special Forces personnel could take back to Afghanistan. ROVER I was not terribly portable, but the Special Forces could haul it around in a hummer, and see what any Predators overhead were seeing. This proved very useful. A few months later, Rover 2 appeared which allowed troops to view UAV vids on a laptop computer. By late 2004, Rover 3, a 5.5 kg (12 pound) unit built to be carried in a backpack, was put into service.

 

 Although Rover 3s cost $60,000 each, they addressed dozens of suggestions and complaints from the troops who used earlier ROVERs. Some 700 Rover 3s entered service within a year. They were used in Afghanistan and Iraq, and can grab video feeds from army, marine and air force UAVs and bomber targeting pods (which have great resolution, even when the aircraft are 20,000 feet up.)

 

 The Rover 4 appeared in 2005. It allowed users to point and click on targets to be hit. With Rover 3, the guys on the ground could see what they want bombed, or hit with a missile, but had to talk the bombers to it. This happens often, especially when the target is behind a hill or buildings, preventing the ground troops from using their laser range finders to get a GPS location. With Rover 4, the bomber pilot, or UAV operator, is looking at the same video as the ground troops, and can confirm that the indicated target is what is to be hit. This is particularly important in urban warfare, where the building next door might be full of innocent civilians.

 

Shortly after Rover 5 appeared two years ago, Tactical Rover appeared. This is a 440 gram (one pound) hand held device that uses a variety of display devices (like helmet monocle, laptop, PC or tablet). Tactical Rover was popular with the Special Forces, who often sneaked into hostile territory on foot, and need to minimize their weight load.

 

 The original ROVER gear was initially operated, mostly, by air force ground controllers. The larger number of ROVER units out there now allows platoon leaders and company commanders access, as well as Special Forces teams and some army or marine ground patrols.

 

 Without the wartime pressure, it would have taken a decade or more to get ROVER to where it got in only a few years. Special Forces frequently get special equipment made, as they have a "mad money" fund just for that sort of thing. But these new ideas do not always travel so quickly to the rest of the army. A decade ago, army planners did not see anything like ROVER being available until the 2020s.

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23 novembre 2011 3 23 /11 /novembre /2011 13:15
Iran equips air defence unit with advanced rocket launchers

 

23 November 2011 airforce-technology.com

 

Iran has equipped its air defence unit sentinels with advanced shoulder-fired rocket launchers to boost the nation's air defence capability.

 

The new man-portable air defence system was tested during the second phase of the ongoing Samen ol-Hojaj exercise at the Khatam ol-Anbia Air Defence Base, Iran.

 

During the mock combat drill, the sentinels fired the rockets at hostile unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).

 

The exercise is being conducted to test Iran's integrated air defence network and the operational capacities of newly developed anti-aircraft weapons.

 

Iran recently equipped the air defence units with the indigenous Mersad air defence missile system to enhance combat power, according to Fars News Agency.

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13 novembre 2011 7 13 /11 /novembre /2011 20:10

http://www.flightglobal.com/assets/getasset.aspx?itemid=43002

 

13.11.2011 By: Greg Waldron – Flight Global

 

UAE firm Adcom Systems is displaying a full-sized mock-up of a medium altitude long endurance UAV called the United 40 in the static park.

 

An illustration at the Adcom stand, however, labels what appears to be an identical aircraft the Yabhon-Smart Eye 2. The single-engine, single-tailed turboprop aircraft has a dramatic s-curve in the middle fuselage and full-sized wings both forward and aft.

 

Adcom has flown a similar, but smaller, UAV called the Yabhon-Smart Eye 1 that is believed to be a technology demonstrator.

 

According to a placard with the United 40 mock-up, the aircraft has a maximum take-off weight of 1,000kg (1,257lb), with its dual wings providing a total lifting area of 24.3m. The United 40 will have an endurance of 25h, a ceiling of 23,000ft, and can carry four 100kg pods on its wings.

 

    All the latest news, video and images from the 2011 Dubai air show

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8 novembre 2011 2 08 /11 /novembre /2011 08:10
Germany to Decide on UAS Purchase in 2012

 

Nov 7, 2011 By Sabine Siebold and Sarah Marsh/Reuters -  AviationWeek.com

 

BERLIN - Germany will decide next year which drones to purchase for its Bundeswehr military forces, a senior defense source told Reuters, which suggests it is refusing to bow to pressure from EADS for a quick decision to order its Talarion product.

 

The source said the Bundeswehr would continue leasing Israeli Heron drones until 2014. It could decide to order the EADS Talarion drones but could also opt for another model already available on the market and with a proven track record, the source added.

 

A separate source familiar with the matter said last week EADS was pushing for a quick decision from Germany on ordering Talarion drones and offering to waive penalties for a cut to orders for the Eurofighter jet if it did so.

 

EADS has spent years developing the Talarion unmanned aerial vehicle at its own expense in the hope of winning an order from the project’s instigators France, Germany and Spain. Yet the Talarion will likely only be operational from 2018.

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24 septembre 2011 6 24 /09 /septembre /2011 08:10

http://www.asdnews.com/data_news/ID38371_600.jpg

 

Sep 23, 2011 ASDNews Source : Saab AB

 

Defence and security company Saab has signed a frame agreement and received a first order from the EADS company Cassidian to supply safety-critical avionics equipment for the new advanced UAV system Talarion.

 

The order includes design and development of the Aircraft Vehicle Management Computer (AVMC), Communications Computer (CC) and Mission & Payload Management Computer (MPMC) for Talarion. The work will be carried out by the Avionics Division of Saab's business area Electronic Defence Systems, in Jonkoping and Jarfalla, Sweden, and deliveries of the first order will take place 2012-2014.

 

"The selection of Saab to provide mission and flight critical avionics equipment for this new advanced platform verify our position as a competitive supplier in the avionics market," says Micael Johansson, Senior Vice President and Head of Saab's business area Electronic Defence Systems.

 

"It also acknowledge our product strategy of developing common avionics building blocks that could be adapted for many different functions for various customer needs."

 

Talarion is a European development program to fulfill functional and operational capability for in-theatre ISTAR (Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition, and Reconnaissance). Due to its specific design, Talarion is able to operate over its broad flight envelope spectrum thereby establishing persistent surveillance, precise adversary identification, localization and real-time intelligence.

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23 septembre 2011 5 23 /09 /septembre /2011 07:40
Saab to build Talarion computers

Photo EADS

 

22/09/11 By Zach Rosenberg SOURCE:Flight International

 

EADS Cassidian has awarded Saab the job of building crucial avionics for the Talarion unmanned air vehicle (UAV).

 

Saab will build and supply vehicle, payload and communications management computers for the medium altitude, long endurance (MALE) UAV. Deliveries are expected to begin in 2012, and the first order completed by 2014.

 

"The selection of Saab to provide mission and flight critical avionics equipment for this new advanced platform verify our position as a competitive supplier in the avionics market," says Micael Johansson, Senior Vice President and Head of Saab's business area Electronic Defence Systems.

 

The computers are based off a Saab common module, easily adaptable to a number of platforms. The details of the order, including the number of systems to be produced, have not been finalised, but Saab plans to deliver prototypes in 2013 and 2014.

 

Design and construction work will take place at Saab facilities in Jönköping and Järfälla, Sweden.

 

Despite the €500m ($684m) and climbing development costs of Talarion, another €300m is required to build a flying prototype, according to Cassidian chief executive Stefan Zoeller. Sales efforts targeted at ten prospective European customers, particularly Germany, France, Spain and Turkey, have thus far been unsuccessful, and the aircraft has no orders on the books. Falling military budgets have cast doubts upon the programme's ultimate success.

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22 septembre 2011 4 22 /09 /septembre /2011 17:20

http://www.flightglobal.com/airspace/media/paris_air_show/images/31274/eads-talarion-uav-paris-air-show-2009.jpg

source flightglobal.com

 

Sept. 22, 2011 defense-aerospace.com

(Source: Saab AB; issued Sept. 22, 2011)

 

Defence and security company Saab has signed a frame agreement and received a first order from the EADS company Cassidian to supply safety-critical avionics equipment for the new advanced UAV system Talarion.

 

The order includes design and development of the Aircraft Vehicle Management Computer (AVMC), Communications Computer (CC) and Mission & Payload Management Computer (MPMC) for Talarion.

 

The work will be carried out by the Avionics Division of Saab’s business area Electronic Defence Systems, in Jönköping and Järfälla, Sweden, and deliveries of the first order will take place 2012-2014.

 

“The selection of Saab to provide mission and flight critical avionics equipment for this new advanced platform verifies our position as a competitive supplier in the avionics market,” says Micael Johansson, Senior Vice President and Head of Saab’s business area Electronic Defence Systems.

 

“It also acknowledges our product strategy of developing common avionics building blocks that could be adapted for many different functions for various customer needs.”

 

Talarion is a European development program to fulfill functional and operational capability for in-theatre ISTAR (Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition, and Reconnaissance). Due to its specific design, Talarion is able to operate over its broad flight envelope spectrum thereby establishing persistent surveillance, precise adversary identification, localization and real-time intelligence.

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15 septembre 2011 4 15 /09 /septembre /2011 07:00
EADS Awaits Fighter Radar, UAV Decisions

photo Eurofighter - source flightglobal.com

 

Sep 14, 2011 By Robert Wall aerospace daily and defense report

 

LONDON – With two flagship programs in the balance, EADS is awaiting formal government endorsement of both its Eurofighter Typhoon active, electronically scanned array (AESA) radar and Talarion unmanned aircraft endeavors.

 

The outlook for the two is slightly split, though. For the Typhoon AESA – deemed critical for the Indian Medium Multirole Combat Aircraft program, which is considering the Typhoon and Dassault’s Rafale – the prospects are internally seen as positive. “We are almost there,” says Cassidian chief executive Stefan Zoller. Since Typhoon buyers endorsed the effort, Zoller says it is “no concern anymore.” The money is being finalized and is expected to materialize.

 

For the Talarion program, EADS is trying to sustain a similarly positive outlook. But reality is more complex.

 

Spain and Turkey have signaled their willingness to participate, but the support of Germany and France is crucial to see the program gain traction. Neither country has signed on yet.

 

Furthermore, EADS is reaching the end of the time it will self-fund Talarion development efforts.

 

The focus now is securing €300 million to €400 million ($409 million - $545 million) for prototyping work. Zoller notes that spread over several countries, that is a small sum. But he refuses to discuss how long EADS will sustain self-funded activities, noting merely that “there is no deadline,” while conceding “we can’t be going on forever.”

 

Zoller believes Talarion still has a chance at survival, though, even if France and the U.K. are discussing the Telemos bilateral medium-altitude long-endurance drone effort. Two countries cannot sustain such an initiative, he argues, which is why a broader effort is needed.

 

When a German funding decision may materialize is uncertain. And any commitment from Paris – even if the government were favorably disposed to Talarion – could be caught up in electoral politics, slowing decision cycles.

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12 septembre 2011 1 12 /09 /septembre /2011 07:00

http://images.defensetech.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/reapernose.jpg

 

09.09.2011 DEFENSETECH

 

Being part of Military​.com, it wouldn’t be right if we here at DT didn’t do something to recognize the ten-year anniversary of 9/11. We figured we’d list off some of the most significant advances in weaponry that have occurred over the last decade — some driven by the wars spawned by that day, some independent of them. We gradually saw a shift away from extremely high-end weaponry designed to defeat major armies in favor of tech that could be fielded quickly and rapidly adapt to the needs of “low intensity” warfare. Case in point; the F-22 Raptor buys being cut while buys of relatively low-tech drones and propeller-driven ISR planes were dramatically increased . However, now that those wars are winding down, we may see a return to high-end tech at the cost of low-end tech.

 

You’ll find our list below, set up in no particular order. We’ve kept it to major weapons systems that have become operational in the last decade. Feel free to add your own suggestions in the comments.

 

 

 

The rise of unmanned vehicles: Yes, UAVs existed before 9/11 but the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan saw them pressed into mass production as full-on spy planes and attack aircraft that are in the process of replacing manned aircraft. When the U.S. invaded Afghanistan in November, 2001, the Pentagon had less than 100 of the early model MQ-1 Predators and it had yet to master the art of using them in combat. By early February 2002, Predators armed with Hellfire missiles were killing al Qaeda operatives, the beginning of the controversial drone bombing campaign that garners so much attention today. Soon after, the Pentagon would unleash the Predator’s bigger brother, the MQ-9 Reaper and field the RQ-4 Global Hawk — though, the Global Hawk still hasn’t replaced the U-2 Dragon Lady as Air Force planners had hoped would have happened by now. Don’t forget the dozens of micro-UAVs operated by small units of troops on the ground giving them unprecedented situational awareness. Hundreds of UAVs of all sizes have now joined the fights in the Middle East and are seen as one of the most important weapons in the U.S. arsenal. A few years ago, the demand for UAVs in Iraq and Afghanistan became so high that the Air Force began pulling pilots from fighter planes to fly UAVs. As the second decade of the 21st Century begins, we’re seeing the development and fielding of stealthy, jet-powered drones like the Navy’s X-47B  and UCLASS planes that are designed to perform high-end strike and reconnaissance missions that were always the domain of the manned-aircraft. Keep in mind that the robot planes have been joined by thousands of ground robots that are doing everything from explosive ordnance disposal to scouting for bad guys. Just recently, the Army announced that it is sending robotic jeeps to Afghanistan to haul soldiers gear on patrols.

 

 

 

Advances in electronic warfare: As U.S. troops began to fall victim to Improvised Explosive Devices in Iraq, the Pentagon scrambled to find ways to defeat the insurgents weapon of choice. While up-armored Humvees and eventually MRAPS were fielded in the fight against IEDs military officials began applying electronic warfare in ways they had never planned. Hundreds of millions were spent developing a range of vehicle-mounted and handheld IED jammers (some worked others were notoriously bad) that were carried on the deadly Middle Eastern roads. Navy EW personnel were put in land billets to share their expertise with troops on the ground in Iraq and Afghanistan. Even the Air Force’s big spy planes were brought into the effort. The RC-135 Rivet Joints helped intercept insurgent communications. The E-8 Joint STARS used their powerful ground-scanning radars, originally designed to spot Soviet tank columns, to find disturbances in the earth where insurgents had buried bombs. Even the EC-130 Compass Call was pressed into service using its electronic attack gear to prematurely detonate IEDs. All sorts of new EW technology has been developed with the aim of identifying enemy signals,  hacking insurgent communications and disrupting electronic IED detonation tech. This surge of EW gear and a steep learning curve led to the Pentagon eventually dominating the electronic landscape of Iraq — eventually, special operators, the CIA and the NSA were able to listen to all communications in the country as they systematically dismantled bomb making networks and insurgent groups. Not surprisingly, the success of EW in targeting insurgents and defeating IEDs in Iraq has led to Afghan insurgents moving toward more low tech bombmaking techniques.  Still, you can bet the advances made in EW over the last decade (many of which are classified) will no doubt continue to influence the ways wars are fought. Don’t forget that work on high-end jammers, like the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter’s Next Generation Jammer built for the 21st century also continues.

 

 

The MRAP: As we mentioned earlier, the fight against IEDs led to the fielding of an entirely new class of ground vehicle for the U.S. military when the thin-skinned yet highly-mobile Humvees proved far too vulnerable to explolsives to use on patrol. A vehicle was desperately needed that could carry infantry troops yet provide them levels of protection normally afforded by heavy armored vehicles like tanks. Enter the MRAP. As you know, they’re big trucksvcentered around blast deflecting hulls and lots of armor. Now, we’re  seeing the design scaled down to accommodate the terrain in Afghanistan that limits the use of big trucks.  We’ll see how many of them the military hangs on to after the Iraq and Afghan conflicts end — though, many of the lessons learned from fielding MRAPs are being incorporated into the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle, one of the trucks that will replace the Humvee.

 

 

Cyber warfare: We write about it all the time here at DT. It’s gone from something no one talked about to becoming a universally fretted about topic. We see new reports of cyber espionage, hacking and full on attacks every week. The Stuxnet virus unleashed against the Iranian nuclear program is a great example of a full on cyber attack that had physical results. With technology so widely available, many worry that almost any rouge group or a nation state will be able to cripple a nation’s critical infrastructure. Before 9/11, heck before 2006–7 it was hard to get senior leaders at the Pentagon to take the cyber threat seriously. However, in the last few years, we’ve seen all four services establish cyber fighting arms and watched as the Pentagon stood up U.S. Cyber Command.

 

 

Fifth generation fighters: On 9/11 the USAF’s most potent fighter was arguably the F-15 Eagle. In 2005, the F-22 Raptor became operational ushering in a new era in manned aerial combat. Many believe it’s hands-down the best fighter ever built. However, with the last decade’s focus on irregular warfare, the Raptor came under fire as a jet that was built to meet threats that never materialized and former Defense Secretary Robert Gates cut the Raptor buy to 187 jets. Adding insult to injury, the plane has yet to see combat and has been grounded for months now due to problems with toxins seeping into its oxygen system. Still, opened the door for the development of not only the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter but fifth gen planes around the world like Sukhoi’s T-50 PAK FA and China’s J-20. It remains to be seen how all of these planes with their stealth designs, high-speeds and maneuverability and most importantly their advanced sensors and EW gear will change air warfare around the globe.

 

 

Tiltrotor tech: Like the Raptor, the V-22 Osprey wasn’t out of testing on 9/11.  However, by the end of the decade, the Osprey has become an integral part of the U.S.’ vertical lift fleet after decades of development troubles that garnered it a ton of critics. The revolutionary birds can fly at near-C-130-speeds to targets far beyond the range of most helicopters and then swoop in for a vertical landing. This has opened up a range of options to mission planners that were never before available. Since their first combat deployments in 2008, Marine Corps MV-22s and Air Force CV-22s have been used to do everything from CSAR missions in Libya to special operations raids in Afghanistan, carrying bin Laden’s body to the U.S.S. Carl Vinson and even ferrying the Secretary of Defense around the ‘States. And yes, they’ve seen real combat. Still, the Ospreys have experienced teething problems, particularly with dust and sand seeping into their massive engines, leading to higher than normal maintenance rates.

 

 

The Littoral Combat Ship: Yup, these little ships have finally come on line and the Navy is going to buy both classes of LCS for a minimum of 22 ships. We’ll see how the prove themselves since they have yet to  recieve their full weapons suites or work out all the problems with their plug-in mission modules. Oh, and they’ve had some issues with corrosion. Still, Navy officials have high hopes for the controversial vessels which they see as extremely flexible platforms for fighting close to shore.

 

 

Soldier tech: From more advanced body armor and flame resistant uniforms and sweet mountain boots (for troops in Afghanistan) to better radios and the XM-25 counter-defilade grenade launcher, ground troops have received numerous and often life-saving advances in their individual gear over the last decade. For more on how the grunt’s gear has evolved since 9/11 check out this piece at sister site, Kit Up!

 

We could go on about everything from the Small Diameter Bomb and the M982 Excalibur guided artillery round to new blue force tracking tools and data sharing devices (we should also mention the Army’s Stryker armored vehicle that came online very soon after 9/11), and we’re sure you can too, so please do in the comments.

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9 septembre 2011 5 09 /09 /septembre /2011 11:55
Watchkeeper flies to new endurance record

Photo Thales UK

 

09/09/11 By Craig Hoyle SOURCE:Flight International

 

Operational trials with the British Army's Watchkeeper unmanned air system (UAS) remain on track to start next month, after the WK450 air vehicle has set a new endurance record in testing.

 

Maj Matt Moore, SO2 UAS for headquarters, Royal Artillery, said a WK450 completed an almost 14h flight in early September from West Wales airport.

 

With current approvals restricting test flights to daylight hours only, the aircraft landed with around 4h of fuel remaining, he said.

 

During the record-breaking UK flight, the aircraft's dual mission payload of an Elop Compass IV electro-optical/infrared camera and Thales I-Master/Viper synthetic aperture radar/ground moving target indication sensor were employed, along with its data link.

 

 The WK450's dual mission payloads, data link and software were tested during the record-breaking sortie

 

The UAS was also taken to its 16,000ft (4,880m) service ceiling and 115km (62nm) away from the airport, Moore told the UK Air Warfare Centre's remotely piloted air systems symposium in Shrivenham, Wiltshire, on 8 September. The aircraft also flew using its operational-standard software, prime contractor Thales UK said.

 

Operational trials with the Watchkeeper will be conducted in October and November, with the first training flights over Salisbury Plain to be made from the Ministry of Defence/Qinetiq Boscombe Down site in Wiltshire in December.

 

Watchkeeper vehicles and equipment will be deployed to Afghanistan from late this year, to deliver one daily "task line" from the first quarter of 2012. A full service using six task lines should be in place within 12 months, Moore said.

 

In addition to continuing flight testing, other Watchkeeper activities currently include preparing modifications - such as the addition of covert lighting - for deployment in Afghanistan, Moore said.

 

Development testing with the WK450 has now passed 230 flights and 320h in the UK and Israel.

 

Thales UK/Elbit Systems joint venture Utacs is responsible for delivering the Watchkeeper system, which will replace an interim service in Afghanistan currently using leased Elbit Hermes 450s.

 

The service has delivered 50,000h of intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance services for the British Army since April 2007.

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8 septembre 2011 4 08 /09 /septembre /2011 18:00
EADS ne participera pas au projet de drone Telemos (màj1)

Talarion - source aeroplans.fr

 

08/09/2011 Les Echos Reuters

 

EADS ne souhaite pas rejoindre le programme franco-britannique de drone Telemos, qu'il s'efforce de concurrencer avec son propre drone Talarion, a déclaré jeudi un porte-parole du groupe.

 

Cette déclaration répond à des rumeurs qui annonçaient l'entrée d'EADS dans ce programme binational, après un article paru dans Le Monde, dans lequel Louis Gallois, président exécutif d'EADS, jugeait qu'une coopération de seulement deux pays n'était pas suffisante pour un programme de drone.

 

"Avec le Talarion, qui est en avance de cinq ans par rapport aux autres concurrents européens, nous sommes prêts pour la compétition", a dit le porte-parole.

 

Le projet Telemos rassemble le britannique BAE Systems et le français Dassault Aviation.

 

Les deux groupes envisagent de faire voler en 2016 le premier prototype de cette nouvelle génération de drones, développée dans le cadre de l'accord de coopération franco-britannique de novembre 2010.

 

Le porte-parole d'EADS a par ailleurs de nouveau mis en garde l'Europe contre le risque de lancer deux programmes de drones concurrents, en pleine période de réduction budgétaire.

 

A plusieurs reprises le groupe aérospatial européen avait en effet prévenu que l'Europe se devait d'éviter de répéter le scénario d'un affrontement sur les marchés à l'exportation, comme ce fut le cas pour les avions de combat Rafale et Eurofighter.

 

L'Etat français détient directement 15% d'EADS, 30% de Safran et 27% de Thales, les deux derniers étant susceptibles de jouer un rôle dans le projet de drone de Dassault Aviation et BAE. De son côté, Dassault Aviation est détenu à 46% par EADS.

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19 août 2011 5 19 /08 /août /2011 05:30

http://www.flightglobal.com/assets/getAsset.aspx?ItemID=41505 

NATO AGS - photo Northrop Grumman

 

18/08/11 By Stephen Trimble SOURCE:Flight Daily News

 

Canada has become the second country to withdraw from the Northrop Grumman RQ-4 alliance ground surveillance (AGS) program, but the remaining NATO partners are "very close" to signing a contract, according to sources familiar with the negotiations.

 

The decision means AGS will lose another source of funding that must be compensated for by the 13 NATO members still committed.

 

In June, Canadian TV broadcaster CBC reported that Canada also is withdrawing from the NATO partnership operating the E-3 airborne warning and control system (AWACS).

 

The AGS program had lost another key partner last June. Denmark also decided to withdraw from the partnership acquiring a six-aircraft RQ-4 fleet in June 2010.

 

Meanwhile, Northrop and NATO officials are likely to sign a contract to launch the development phase of the AGS programme within several days. The contract award may still have to be approved by each of the national partners before it becomes official.

 

Previously, Northrop officials had predicted that the long-awaited contract award milestone might not be reached around October.

 

Northrop is offering to deliver six RQ-4 air vehicles configured with the US Air Force's Block 40 equipment, which includes a wide area surveillance sensor called the Northrop/Raytheon multi-platform radar technology insertion program. It will perform the same role as the USAF E-8C joint surveillance target attack radar system.

 

European partners, including EADS, will supply mobile ground control stations for the NATO RQ-4 fleet, which will be based at Sigonella AB, Sicily.

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13 août 2011 6 13 /08 /août /2011 05:35

http://www.defenceweb.co.za/images/stories/AIR/Air_new/denel-seeker400-2010ep21.jpg

 

10 August 2011 by defenceWeb

 

Denel Dynamics’ latest unmanned air vehicle (UAV), the Seeker 400, is due to make its maiden flight in the first quarter of next year. This will be followed by flight tests leading to production for an unspecified client that “operated the Seeker I tactical UAV in the early 1990s.”

 

Two other countries which currently operate the Seeker II are also interested in the Seeker 400 because the new aircraft can be controlled by simply using their existing Seeker II control stations, the state arsenal says in a statement. “The decision by Denel to invest in this new product was mainly based on the global requirements for this capability. Based on the business case, Denel decided to fund the development from its balance sheet,” says Tsepo Monaheng, executive for Denel UAVS.

 

Although the USA and Israel dominate the global market, there is scope for South Africa to use local skills to create market-leading UAVs to a broad spectrum of countries - from developing to developed. This market is estimated at US $14 billion per annum, the company says in a statement. The South African UAV industry aims to capture in excess of 20% of this end of the market, the media release adds.

 

Simphiwe Hamilton, chairman of the South African UAV forum and executive director of the SA Aerospace, Maritime and Defence Industries Association in September 2009 said the South African unmanned aerial systems (UAS) industry was worth an estimated R400 million and is chasing annual business worth the same amount. The forum brings together SA UAV producers Denel Dynamics and ATE as well as research-and-development centres based at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research and experts from the departments of Science and Technology as well as Trade and Industry. "It was estimated in 2005 that 200 full-time people employed in the wider South African industry would create a sustainable business turnover of around R200 million per year," Hamilton said.

 

 

The aircraft was displayed in mock-up form at the Africa Aerospace and Defence Show (AAD) 2010, in Cape Town in September last year. Though it utilises the Seeker II architectural design, Denel insists the Seeker 400 is a totally new aircraft. The Seeker 400 long-endurance tactical UAV (TUAV) is much larger and much more capable than the Seeker II and provides a variety of operational options, the company explains. It is deployable in most conditions, including taking off from an unprepared piece of land.

 

Monaheng describes the Seeker 400 as a “typical entry-level” long-endurance TUAV. It can stay in the air for 16 hours and can simultaneously operate two payloads. It currently has a maximum expected range of 250 km, the same as the Seeker II, because it will use only line-of-sight communications. This can be upgraded to satellite communications, which would allow it to operate at much greater ranges. With the use of the existing tactical ground station (TGS), the range may be extended to 750km.

 

The Seeker 400 flight test programme will run for most of 2012, and production should start by the end of the year.

 

Denel Dynamics plans, in due course, to add weapons to the Seeker 400, turning the aircraft into an armed reconnaissance platform. The prototype was recently displayed at the company’s 2011 ‘Show and Tell’ briefing in Centurion with a Mokopa precision-guided missile (PGM, also a Denel Dynamics product) under each wing. Last year, at AAD2010, Denel Dynamics exhibited a mock-up of the Impi, a 25kg hybrid of the business' existing Mokopa and Ingwe PGM. Denel Dynamics' Garsen Naidu said at the show the new missile concept “brings all our experience together”. The missile combines the Mokopa's seeker and laser guidance units with the Ingwe's multipurpose warhead and the Umkhonto short-range surface-to-air air defence missile's datalink. Like the Mokopa, the weapon has a 10km range. Impi is currently in its design phase and is a small, low-cost system designed specifically for operation on lightweight armed reconnaissance platforms, Naidu added. A number of countries have already expressed interest in an armed version of the UAV, Denel adds.

 

The Seeker 400 was originally conceived as an upgrade of the Seeker II but, as the project developed, the company realized that a totally new and larger aircraft would do better in the market. The retention of the name ‘Seeker’ also takes advantage of the Seeker II’s established brand.

The Seeker 400 programme schedule is on track. The medium-altitude, long-endurance (MALE) UAV project, the Bateleur, has not been abandoned but is currently on hold to allow for a focused development of the Seeker 400.

 

Globally, UAVS are becoming ever more important and more widely used. Although costs are coming down, UAVs are not necessarily cheaper or easier to operate than crewed aircraft – some top-of- the-range UAVs are very expensive, Denel says. But the fact that they have no human on board means they can be sent into high-risk environments and they can be kept aloft much longer than a conventional aircraft.

 

The availability of capable and affordable South African UAVs has obvious benefits for national security as well as crime fighting, disaster management, election monitoring and search-and-rescue, Denel says. UAVs are also utilised in the agricultural, mining, health and environmental sectors. Within the next five years UAVs will be used by a diversity of industries-- from policing poachers on land and coastlines or carrying test specimens from remote clinics to laboratories for analysis, to keeping an eye on livestock on farms. “This wide range of applications will open up lucrative parallel markets for international UAV players,” Denel adds.

 

Foreign experience in combat zones shows that the key service that UAVs provide to ground force commanders is live video coverage. This provides them with real time surveillance, intelligence and target acquisition as well as much better situational awareness. The French Army has reported that, in Afghanistan, UAVs have saved the lives of its soldiers and some 80% of its UAV missions are to protect its troops. Indeed, it is now known that one of the operators of the Seeker II has deployed these UAVs under UN command in a foreign country.

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6 juillet 2011 3 06 /07 /juillet /2011 07:20

http://www.defense.gouv.fr/var/dicod/storage/images/base-de-medias/images/ema/sitta/zhuhai-2010/wj-600/1065523-1-fre-FR/wj-600.jpg

source defense.gouv.fr

 

2011-07-05 (China Military News cited from washingtonpost.com and written by William Wan and Peter Finn)

 

At the most recent Zhuhai air show, the premier event for China’s aviation industry, crowds swarmed around a model of an armed, jet-propelled drone and marveled at the accompanying display of its purported martial prowess.

 

In a video and map, the thin, sleek drone locates what appears to be a U.S. aircraft carrier group near an island with a striking resemblance to Taiwan and sends targeting information back to shore, triggering a devastating barrage of cruise missiles toward the formation of ships.

 

Little is known about the actual abilities of the WJ-600 drone or the more than two dozen other Chinese models that were on display at Zhuhai in November. But the speed at which they have been developed highlights how U.S. military successes with drones have changed strategic thinking worldwide and spurred a global rush for unmanned aircraft.

 

More than 50 countries have purchased surveillance drones, and many have started in-country development programs for armed versions because no nation is exporting weaponized drones beyond a handful of sales between the United States and its closest allies.

 

“This is the direction all aviation is going,” said Kenneth Anderson, a professor of law at American University who studies the legal questions surrounding the use of drones in warfare. “Everybody will wind up using this technology because it’s going to become the standard for many, many applications of what are now manned aircraft.”

 

Military planners worldwide see drones as relatively cheap weapons and highly effective reconnaissance tools. Hand-launched ones used by ground troops can cost in the tens of thousands of dollars. Near the top of the line, the Predator B, or MQ9-Reaper, manufactured by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, costs about $10.5 million. By comparison, a single F-22 fighter jet costs about $150 million.

 

Defense spending on drones has become the most dynamic sector of the world’s aerospace industry, according to a report by the Teal Group in Fairfax. The group’s 2011 market study estimated that in the coming decade global spending on drones will double, reaching $94 billion.

 

But the world’s expanding drone fleets — and the push to weaponize them — have alarmed some academics and peace activists, who argue that robotic warfare raises profound questions about the rules of engagement and the protection of civilians, and could encourage conflicts.

 

“They could reduce the threshold for going to war,” said Noel Sharkey, a professor of artificial intelligence and robotics at the University of Sheffield in England. “One of the great inhibitors of war is the body bag count, but that is undermined by the idea of riskless war.”

 

China on fast track

 

No country has ramped up its research in recent years faster than China. It displayed a drone model for the first time at the Zhuhai air show five years ago, but now every major manufacturer for the Chinese military has a research center devoted to drones, according to Chinese analysts.

 

Much of this work remains secret, but the large number of drones at recent exhibitions underlines not only China’s determination to catch up in that sector — by building equivalents to the leading U.S. combat and surveillance models, the Predator and the Global Hawk — but also its desire to sell this technology abroad.

 

Original Full Article

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22 juin 2011 3 22 /06 /juin /2011 20:05
EADS: nouvel accord de coopération avec TAI

 

22 juin 2011 CercleFinance.com

 

EADS a signé, via ses divisions Cassidian et Astrium, un protocole d'accord en vue d'une coopération avec Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI), dans le cadre du salon du Bourget.

 

Cet accord concerne des activités en Turquie, en Allemagne, en France, au Royaume Uni et en Espagne. Il porte notamment sur l'étude d'opportunités de collaboration dans le domaine des véhicules aériens sans pilotes (programmes UAV).

 

Pour rappel, un autre accord avait été signé le mois dernier à Istanbul entre Cassidian et TAI pour coopérer sur le programme de drone Talarion.

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22 juin 2011 3 22 /06 /juin /2011 11:25

http://lignesdedefense.blogs.ouest-france.fr/media/01/00/843583512.jpg

 

22.06.2011 par P. CHAPLEAU Lignes de Défense

 

Le Salon du Bourget bat son plein et l'on y parle beaucoup de drones. Ainsi, le projet de drone de combat européen est sorti des limbes au premier jour du Salon avec l'annonce par le ministre français de la Défense de la probable formation, dès cet été, d'une équipe commune franco-britannique de militaires chargés de l'esquisser.

 

L'armée de l'air française qui ne dispose que de quatre exemplaires de l'Harfang (voir la photo ci-dessus prise à Bagram), plaide pour un achat de Reaper et la France, dans un premier temps, a effectivement envisagé de recourir à cette solution. Une mission de la Direction générale de l'armement a même été dépêchée aux Etats-Unis pour entamer des disussions avec General Atomics, fabricant du Reaper et du célèbre Predator.


Gérard Longuet estime cependant qu'il n'y a pas réellement d'urgence opérationnelle faisant valoir que cette lacune capacitaire française était comblée en Afghanistan par la "mutualisation des moyens" alliés.

Le point sur ce dossier avec Bertrand Slaski, consultant senior à CEIS.

 

- Quels sont les besoins actuels et à venir de l'armée française ? Il y a les besoins connus et admis, et ceux qui pourraient s'imposer (drone de surveillance maritime, par ex)?

 

Avant de parler des drones, qui ne sont pas une fin en soi, il parait nécessaire de revenir rapidement sur les besoins militaires auxquels ils répondent. En effet, les drones ne sont que des moyens parmi d'autres, aussi performants et modernes soient-ils, qui sont utilisés au profit du succès de la mission. Ce n'est qu'en ce sens que la technologie est utile aux militaires.  

 

Aujourd'hui, face à un ennemi sans uniforme, très mobile, maitrisant son environnement géographique et agissant au milieu de civils, les forces armées opèrent dans des conditions particulièrement difficiles. C'est le cas en Afghanistan et c'est ce qui rend d'ailleurs délicates les opérations aériennes entreprises en Libye.

 

Afin de reprendre l'initiative de la manœuvre et la maitrise du tempo opérationnel, les forces armées doivent avoir en permanence la meilleure connaissance qui soit de leur environnement. La mise en œuvre de drones répond de manière significative à ce besoin qui est généralement désigné par l'acronyme anglo-saxon ISR pour Intelligence, Surveillance & Reconnaissance.

 

Ainsi, grâce aux données que les drones fournissent aux forces en temps réel et en quasi-permanence, notamment aux troupes au sol, celles-ci peuvent non seulement adapter plus rapidement leur posture, selon l'évolution de la menace qu'elles rencontrent, mais aussi les effets à délivrer (ex. : démonstration de force, emploi de moyens de coercition). 

 

Actuellement, les drones en service au sein des forces armées françaises sont le Tracker (DRAC), le Sperwer (SDTI) et l'Harfang (SIDM). Les deux premiers, respectivement un mini drone d'EADS (Cassidian) et un drone tactique de Safran (Sagem), sont mis en œuvre par l'armée de terre. L'Harfang, qui est un drone MALE (Moyenne Altitude Longue Endurance) d'EADS (Cassidian), est quant à lui opéré par l'armée de l'air. Chose assez exceptionnelle pour être soulignée, il s'agit d'un drone intérimaire et non d'un système produit en série.     

 

Comme les avions traditionnels, c'est-à-dire ayant un pilote à bord, les drones se distinguent par leurs dimensions. Celles-ci ont un effet direct sur leurs performances : plus un drone est de taille importante, plus il est endurant et plus il emporte de systèmes différents, complexes et de charges utiles complémentaires, sans compter l'énergie nécessaire à son temps de vol et à alimenter les équipements embarqués. 

 

Par exemple, le drone Tracker, qui est lancé à la main, sert au chef d'unité afin de voir « derrière la colline » (sa portée est de ~10Km et son autonomie de ~2H). Il s'agit ici de pouvoir reconnaitre ponctuellement un axe ou une zone, ou encore d'observer des individus. Pour sa part, l'Harfang décolle à partir d'une piste et couvre des zones nettement plus importantes, avec un rayon d'action de l'ordre de 1 700 km et plus d'une dizaine d'heures d'autonomie. Grâce à sa liaison satellitaire, il transmet en temps réel et de manière simultanée les données qu'il recueille à des abonnés localisés dans  différentes régions du monde.   

 

Le retour d'expérience montre que le besoin porte d'abord sur des drones disposant de charges utiles complémentaires, l'idée étant toujours de permettre aux forces armées de mieux connaitre leur environnement et de pouvoir réagir en conséquence, et de la manière la plus adaptée qui soit.

 

L'un des besoins le plus souvent cité est la nécessité de disposer de charges utiles de guerre électronique pour accélérer la localisation de zones ou de personnes d'intérêt. Une fois cette localisation faite, un capteur vidéo peut alors prendre le relais afin de confirmer l'intérêt ou non d'une activité suspecte.

 

En Afghanistan, il est évident qu'un homme armé, observant la progression d'une unité amie, n'est pas forcément un taliban. En revanche, si ce même homme communique sur ce qu'il observe par radio ou téléphone, il devra faire l'objet d'une attention soutenue. Une action visant à brouiller ses échanges grâce au drone pourrait même être engagée.

 

Ensuite, l'armement des drones s'inscrit dans la logique naturelle des choses, comme celui des hélicoptères ou des avions avant eux.  Leurs opérateurs pourront ainsi avoir la possibilité d'appuyer une unité amie prise sous le feu ennemi. Ils seront également en mesure de neutraliser  quasiment sur le champ un groupe d'éléments hostiles tirant aux mortiers sur une base amie. De fait, l'armement des drones les fera entrer pleinement dans la fameuse boucle OODA (Observation, Orientation, Décision, Action), surtout dans le volet « Action ». 

 

Les besoins moins urgents portent sur des drones pouvant assurer le ravitaillement d'éléments isolés, citons le cas d'unités des forces spéciales dans certaines zones d'Afrique ou de bases éloignées en Afghanistan. Les convois terrestres y sont en effet devenus des cibles toutes trouvées pour les poseurs de bombes improvisées et les snipers ennemis. Les drones à voilure tournante (VTOL) paraissent ici les mieux adaptés à ses missions de logistique.

Les Etats-Unis étudient d'ailleurs sérieusement cette piste. Ils envisagent ainsi le déploiement de l'A160T Hummingbird de Boeing en Afghanistan ainsi que celui du MQ-8B Fire Scout de Northrop Grumman et du K-Max de Lockheed Martin et Kaman Aerospace.  

 

Enfin, à terme, il n'est pas exclu que ces mêmes drones VTOL soient engagés pour des missions plus délicates telles que l'évacuation de blessés ou le ravitaillement en armements, équipements, etc. de troupes engagées au combat.   

En France, la marine ne dispose pas de drones en service. Toutefois, comme pour les avions et les hélicoptères, nul ne doute qu'elle saura rapidement intégrer ces autres moyens aériens si le besoin s'en fait sentir.

 

Néanmoins, plusieurs axes d'emploi se dessinent déjà. Des drones MALE ou HALE (Haute Altitude Longue Endurance) pourraient se révéler utile pour surveiller des zones maritimes étendues, puis orienter les navires vers des cibles éventuelles. Puis, à proximité de l'objectif, un VTOL décollant d'un bâtiment pourrait alors permettre de confirmer ou non son intérêt. Ce même VTOL pourrait assurer une surveillance aérienne si une opération de contrôle venait à être décider.    

Enfin, au-delà des drones, c'est-à-dire des vecteurs aériens, les besoins portent sur le développement de systèmes permettant de fournir la bonne information, en temps utile, au bon abonné. Les travaux portent ici sur les capteurs, les logiciels (traitement et fusion de données) et les moyens de communication. Les Américains, par exemple, visent le développement de charges utiles (ex. : Gorgon Stare) qui permettront à un même drone de transmettre simultanément des données différentes à des unités distinctes au sol et vers des aéronefs. C'est le principe de l'information « à la demande ». Ils étudient également l'intérêt des couples « drones-aéronefs ». Un avion et un hélicoptère pourraient utilement se servir de drones « éclaireurs » pour reconnaitre un axe ou de drones « anges gardiens » pour leurrer un système de défense ennemi.       

 

- Vers qui se tourner pour s'équiper au plus juste prix? Achat sur étagère?

 

Comme dans d'autres domaines, pour s'équiper au plus juste prix, il convient de se rapprocher du producteur vendant le plus pour profiter de l'effet de série. Or, à ce jour, force est de constater que ce producteur a de grandes changes d'être américain, avec General Atomics, ou israélien, avec Israel Aerospace Industries et Elbit Systems.

 

Il faut dire que les entreprises américaines et israéliennes ont la chance de disposer d'un marché intérieur très important et protégé, en plus de profiter depuis au moins une dizaine d'années d'investissements conséquents et réguliers dans le domaine des drones.     

 

En France, les industriels n'ont pourtant pas à rougir de leurs réalisations. Avec le Sperwer et le Tracker, Sagem et Cassidian sont parvenus à développer des drones dont certains ont même été vendus à l'export, preuve de leur compétitivité commerciale.

 

Et avec le système intérimaire Harfang, à ce jour, Cassidian jouit d'une connaissance sans égale en Europe dans le domaine des drones MALE, ce qui est loin d'être trivial puisqu'elle porte sur le vecteur aérien et ses charges utiles mais aussi (et surtout) sur leurs intégrations à une architecture de communication, sans oublier l'ensemble des moyens au sol nécessaires au traitement et à la dissémination des données recueillies par le drone.

 

Enfin, Bourget 2011 oblige, il n'est pas improbable de penser que si par le passé le domaine des drones avait fait l'objet d'un intérêt plus marqué par l'ensemble des acteurs concernés en France et en Europe, nos industriels présenteraient alors sur leur stand des solutions au moins équivalentes aux produits américains.   


- Le drone de combat pose-t-il un problème éthique, comme l'a affirmé un ministre britannique? Quel est le point de vue des concepteurs sur cette question qui n'a rien de technique?

 

Concernant particulièrement l'armement des drones et les questions d'éthique liées, le débat n'a pas lieu d'être, du moins pas sous cet angle, à moins qu'il ne faille l'ouvrir pour l'ensemble des plateformes mettant en œuvre des armements à distance (sous-marins, navires de surface, avions de combat, hélicoptères, etc.).

 

En fait, il semble que les questionnements portent davantage sur le degré d'automatisme à donner aux systèmes d'armes modernes. Ces derniers sont en effet de plus en plus automatisés, particulièrement grâce aux systèmes issus des nouvelles technologies de l'information et de la communication (NTIC). Néanmoins, ici encore, l'intérêt du débat peut être lui-même discuté. L'emploi des armes est en effet très strict. Il est encadré par des règles d'engagement, les fameuses ROE (Rules Of Engagement) et c'est toujours l'homme qui décide in fine d'appuyer, ou non, sur le bouton.

 

N'en déplaise aux amateurs de science fiction, les robots dotés du libre arbitre n'existent pas ![1].

 

Lire également l'interview de Monsieur Bertrand Slaski, Consultant au sein de la CEIS - Lettre du CESA

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20 juin 2011 1 20 /06 /juin /2011 18:20
EADS Urges European UAV Program

 

Jun 18, 2011 By Robert Wall AviationWeek.com

 

PARIS - With France and the U.K. looking to pursue a bilateral medium altitude, long-endurance unmanned aircraft program, EADS warns of creating competing European programs by not going for a broader cooperative approach.

 

If the French and British work alone “the risk is all the countries develop their own program,” says EADS CEO Louis Gallois. “We need a European program,” he says, if not “we’ll have two.”

 

EADS has been trying to entice Germany, France and Spain to back its self-funded Talarion MALE UAV program, although so far there has been no government commitment to go ahead with the project. Turkey also has indicated it would join such an effort.

 

“We are not pleased by the development that we have potentially two competing programs in Europe,” says Stefan Zoller, CEO of EADS’s Cassidian defense business. “We need to have one single European program where even more nations participate.”

 

Gallois warns that if the BAE Systems-Dassault partnership moves forward, EADS may have to find its own partnerships, with Italy’s Finmeccanica being one potential.

 

EADS has been self-funding its Talarion work for several years, but now is looking for governments to back a $300 million prototype phase that would last three years and lead to a first flight in 2014.

 

Zoller says he is in talks with the British government to offer Talarion there as well.

 

One of the issues for Talarion is it is largely an EADS program, with little other industrial participation. But Zoller says he’s ready to change that. Thales, for instance, could provide the sensor. Other companies could also eventually be brought onboard, when the program enters a new phase. But Zoller is reluctant to open the industrial participation issue immediately for fear of slowing the program further.

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17 juin 2011 5 17 /06 /juin /2011 07:55

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d3/NATO_flag.svg/800px-NATO_flag.svg.png

 

June 16, 2011 Andrew White, SHEPARD GROUP

 

Brussels –  NATO is threatened with a substantial shortfall in airborne surveillance should the UK retire its Sentinel Airborne Stand-Off Reconnaissance (ASTOR) fleet in 2013, a senior officer in the organisation has warned.

 

Referring to the forthcoming Alliance Ground Surveillance (AGS) programme which is due to come into service in 2015, Col Matt Anderer USAF, Force Command Requirements at Supreme HQ Allied Powers Europe said NATO's airborne surveillance capabilities were currently 'stretched' and 'heavily tasked'.

 

Speaking at the UV Europe conference in Brussels, Anderer warned that such a shortfall would be exacerbated should the UK scrap the Sentinel as outlined in October's Strategic Defence and Security Review. The Royal Air Force (RAF) has already lost its Nimrod MRA4 maritime patrol aircraft programme as part of the same review.

 

The Ministry of Defence said Raytheon’s ASTOR system could be ‘withdrawn once it is no longer required to support operations in Afghanistan’. Two Sentinel R Mk I aircraft are regularly contributing to coalition operations in Afghanistan on a daily basis.

 

'AGS is one of the alliance's most pressing capability needs. Now, we only have this capability from two [UK and US] alliance members. Assets are heavily tasked and very scarce resources and this will be even more if the UK retires the Sentinel fleet in 2013. AGS is critical to NATO and at this point in time, we cannot fail,' Anderer urged.

 

Supported by 14 member nations, NATO's AGS programme comprises the procurement of six Block 40 RQ-4 Global Hawk UAVs from Northrop Grumman as well as two transportable general ground stations (GGS), six mobile GGS, mission operations support installation and remote workstations. Anderer said he expected a contract to be signed by September this year with activation of the AGS main operating base at Sigonella air force base in Italy launched within the following 18 months.

 

It is envisaged that the Global Hawks will work alongside NATO Airborne Early Warning and Control aircraft or AWACS. 'The AGS core will be able to look at what is happening on the Earth’s surface, providing situational awareness before, during and, if necessary, after NATO operations,' according to officials.

 

Referring to current operations in Libya, Anderer said an AGS capability would 'provide a constant watch to help thwart Gaddafi's [military] attacks on civilians as well as supporting human relief efforts on land and at sea'.

 

The AGS programme will carry standard and high resolution SAR, GMTI and maritime moving target indicators for missions ranging from border control and humanitarian operations through to counter-IED and anti-piracy missions.

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14 juin 2011 2 14 /06 /juin /2011 19:40

http://www.flightglobal.com/assets/getAsset.aspx?ItemID=40089

A Global Hawk mock-up at the UK's Royal International Air Tattoo in 2009

 

14/06/11 By Stephen Trimble SOURCE:Flight International

 

Despite no lack of interest, acquiring a dedicated platform to detect ground moving targets on radar has eluded NATO for 20 years.

 

Casualties in the quest among NATO's European partners lay strewn across the historical records like the bombed-out tanks of Iraq's III Corps along the highway from Kuwait City to Basra in February 1991. France mothballed the Horizon, a radar-equipped Eurocopter AS532 Cougar, in 2008.

 

Italy developed the CRESO radar for the AgustaBell 412 helicopter, but that project also fizzled. Perhaps the most successful project - the Royal Air Force Sentinel R1 fleet equipped with the airborne stand-off radar - is to exit service post-Afghanistan campaign.

 

Each of these projects was launched in the aftermath of a failed push by the US government in the mid-1990s to persuade NATO to acquire the Northrop Grumman E-8C JSTARS airborne ground surveillance system. JSTARS pioneered the application of ground moving target indicator (GMTI) radar and spotted Iraq's III Corps en route to Basra through a sandstorm.

 

 

NATO is as close today as it has ever been to finally awarding a contract for a GMTI system, now defined as the RQ-4 Block 40 with the Northrop/Raytheon multi-platform radar technology insertion programme sensor.

 

Northrop submitted its proposal in March. A contract for six aircraft is to be awarded in October, to fulfil a vision nearly 20 years old.

 

In the interim between the JSTARS proposal and the Global Hawk-based Alliance Ground Surveillance (AGS) system, NATO's European members have decided that they cannot afford the expense of a national GMTI capability. Instead, NATO has approved a system based exclusively on the RQ-4 Block 40 already in service with the US government.

 

 

RQ-4 Northrop Grumman
 © Northrop Grumman
 An RQ-4 Block 40 in action

 

"The airframe and the sensor are identical to the US Air Force. The only thing we've done is we've added a European wideband datalink to the system to allow unfetterred flow of information," says Matthew Copija, director of Northrop's AGS programme. "There are no [export control] issues associated with getting the data down. We made it cleaner from an export standpoint approach."

 

Allowing the GMTI data to flow among all of NATO's members is critical for preserving its support as defence budgets tighten. The alliance has been making progress on interoperability over the past 15 years.

 

 

Global Hawk shot over Haiti - Northrop Grumman
 © Northrop Grumman
A Global Hawk shot over Haiti 

 

The first step was setting up a NATO command, control and communications agency (NC3A) testbed in 1996. That led to development of coalition aerial surveillance and reconnaissance (Caesar), establishing protocols for exchanging classified data generated from the synthetic aperture radars of member countries. The next step - developing software to facilitate that exchange - brought the advent of the multi-sensor aerospace-ground joint intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance interoperability coalition (MAJIIC).

 

"NC3A started out as a testbed, it turned into Caesar," Copija says. "Caesar now has MAJIIC. [That system is about] how do they deal with interoperability within NATO on GMTI data and it's becoming a key backbone system for NATO as we go forward."

 

That is not to suggest that NATO has overcome the budget and operational challenges that have delayed the GMTI programme for decades. Even as member countries experimented with individual programmes, NATO tried to launch the transatlantic industrial proposed solution programme, which included the RQ-4 and the Airbus A321 with the Thomson-CSF applications radar (TCAR).

 

 

RQ-4 Global Hawk fact box 

 

"The TCAR became the critical path for deployment of the system," Copija says. "The nations that weren't really benefiting from it, they all came away... [deciding] the return on investment and technology reuse just wasn't there for the risk and cost associated."

 

Instead, NATO has settled for an off-the-shelf system that includes six RQ-4s - down from eight air vehicles - based at Sigonella air base in Sicily. The system also includes an almost entirely off-the-shelf ground system. If NATO members object to GMTI this time, it will not be driven by the budget or schedule of the development phase. "This approach is a turnkey," Copija says. "It is designed to develop it, demonstrate it, qualify it and then produce it and then stand it up, all in one single contract."

 

For the ground station, the proposed offer calls for EADS to be responsible for the mobile system, including a communications truck and a trailer. Selex, meanwhile, is working with Romania and Bulgaria to develop a mobile operating base. "The [NATO] force commander stands up every day and says he needs it," Copija says. "It will save alliance lives and save troops on the ground and protect them. It makes them more efficient and effective at what they do. The reason it survives is operationally it has a need."

 

See the latest in unmanned air vehicles

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11 juin 2011 6 11 /06 /juin /2011 11:40

http://www.flightglobal.com/assets/getAsset.aspx?ItemID=36172

 

10/06/11 By Zach Rosenberg SOURCE:Flight International

 

The Pentagon has issued a report highly critical of Northrop Grumman's RQ-4 Global Hawk, the troubled unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) slated to replace the U-2 for high-altitude reconnaissance. The operational test and evaluation (OT&E) report, issued 27 May, slams Global Hawk Block 30 as being able to accomplish its mission only 27% of the time.

 

"Since their worldwide deployment began last August, the Block 20/30s have performed quite well," read a Northrop-issued statement. "Today, the deployed system are performing at better than 90% Mission Effectiveness." Northrop also noted that low effectiveness rates are common among new aircraft types.

 

Four low-rate initial production (LRIP) examples of the Block 30 were provided to evaluators for testing. "Due to poor air vehicle reliability, operational units are not able to consistently generate or maintain long endurance sorties to provide persistent ISR support," the report reads. The report notes that operating at low operational tempos, provided adequate spare parts and maintenance time, the aircraft can provide 40% capability. The air force requires 55% capability to declare the aircraft operationally effective.

 

Northrop Grumman said there were no surprises in the report but would not confirm the details beyond noting that the company has made significant progress since the evaluation period.

 

"We don't see any major show stoppers," said Northrop executive Ed Walby in a February interview, two months after the December, 2010 evaluation concluded. "We expect to get an average grade, as most programs do."

 

Also in February the air force cut its order of the follow-on Block 40 from 22 to 11, using the money saved to fix "significant" deficiencies with Block 30 payloads; those payloads, the Enhanced Imagery Sensor Suite (EISS) and Airborne Signals Intelligence Payload (ASIP) received mixed reviews in the OT&E.

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