WASHINGTON, Oct. 7 (UPI)

The U.S. State Department has approved the sale of MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aerial vehicles to Spain's military, the department announced on Wednesday.

The sale covers four MQ-9 Block 5 Remotely Piloted Aircraft, and an additional 20 Embedded Global Position System/Inertial Guidance Units, two Mobile Ground Control Stations, five Multi-Spectral Targeting Systems, and five Synthetic Aperture Radar units. The total sale has an estimated cost of $243 million. The MQ-9 Reaper was manufactured by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, and is currently in service with the U.S. Air Force. The unmanned craft is typically armed with a combination of AGM-114 Hellfire missiles, GBU-12 Paveway II and GBU-38 Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM).

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A Desert Wolf Skunk UAV.

07 October 2015 by Guy Martin - defenceWeb

Local surveillance company Desert Wolf is adding grenades to its Skunk riot control unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), which is currently being manufactured with four paintball markers.

Hennie Kieser, Director of Desert Wolf, told defenceWeb that the non-lethal grenades are being supplied by a company in South America and will be available in a number of different formats, including smoke, flash-bang, tear gas etc. Up to 48 grenades can be carried by the upgraded Skunk GL UAV.

The grenades will be dropped over crowds and descend via parachute, minimising collateral damage on the ground and allowing the smoke to spread from above.

The South American company commissioned development of the grenade version of the Skunk, which will be marketed jointly by both it and Desert Wolf.

Kieser said he expected test flights and customer acceptance of the grenade version by the end of December. Photos and videos of the Skunk GL will be made available in the next 6-8 weeks.

Desert Wolf is currently manufacturing its Skunk UAV in Europe. This version is fitted with four paintball markers able to fire a variety of different rounds, from hard plastic to pepper spray. Manufacturing is underway for seven different customers, which have ordered some 400 airframes. Two batches of aircraft have already been shipped and pilots trained. These seven orders should be completed by year-end, Kieser said.

The skunk riot control UAV is being developed into a whole family that can be used for a variety of duties, such as search and rescue, surveillance, LIDAR scanning and lifeguard.

The Skunk multirotor, armed with four paintball markers, cameras and a loudhailer, was unveiled at the IFSEC security exhibition in Johannesburg in May last year, where it generated a considerable amount of interest both locally and abroad.

The Skunk has evolved into the Skunk II. It features two high definition colour cameras, a thermal camera for night operations, spot/strobe lights, eye-safe pulsating lasers, speakers, police sirens and flashing blue lights and four paintball markers.

02 October 2015 by defenceWeb

Five African countries will receive 62 armoured personnel carriers manufactured by Mack Defense of the United States under a contract awarded by the United States Army in support of US Africa Command, while another six countries will receive Oskosh military trucks and two will receive Scan Eagle UAVs.

The US Department of Defence announced the armoured vehicle contract on 25 September, which will see Mack Defense of Allentown, Pennsylvania, supplying the vehicles to Cameroon, Ethiopia, Somalia, Tunisia and Uganda.

The firm fixed-price foreign military sales contract is worth $24 974 528 and covers armoured personnel carriers in both left-hand and right-hand drive as well as common spare parts.

Work will be performed in France with an estimated completion date of 30 December 2016. Bids were solicited via the Internet with seven received. Army Contracting Command, Warren, Michigan, is the contracting activity.

In July the United States Army announced it would seek between 19 and 400 new armoured personnel carriers for the US military’s Africa Command. The presolicitation notice posted on the Federal Business Opportunities (FBO) website, stated that the vehicles should be 2015 or later year models and have a minimum seating capacity for ten passengers. They should also have B7 360-degree ballistic protection (against armour piercing 7.62 mm rounds), 4x4 drivetrain with a V-hull chassis design, manual transmission, mechanically-controlled, high-sulphur (5,000 ppm) diesel engine in both left-hand drive and right-hand drive and operator manuals in English and French or Arabic.

The estimated three-year combined vehicle quantities in year one are 155, year two 125, and year three 120.

Also on 25 September the US Department of Defense announced it had awarded Oshkosh Defense LLC a $21 774 963 modification to an existing foreign military sales contract for Djibouti, Jordan, Kenya, Tunisia, Uganda and Ethiopia for an additional 84 Medium Tactical Vehicle trucks and 59 B-kits (supplemental armour).

The estimated completion date of the truck contract is 28 February 2017.

Oskosh offers its Family of Medium Tactical Vehicles in a variety of configurations, such as five ton tractor, 8.8 ton Load Handling System, 4x4 and 6x6 cargo, ten ton dump truck and five ton wrecker.

One of the other contracts awarded late last month include the delivery of one Insitu Scan Eagle unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) system (comprising multiple aircraft) to Kenya and another to Cameroon. In-country work will be carried out in Nanyuki in central Kenya and the Cameroonian port city of Doula. Both contracts are expected to be completed by September 2016.

02.10.2015 par Jean-Michel Normand - La foire du drone

Evoquée par les pouvoirs publics lors du Comité interministériel de sécurité routière du 2 octobre, la mise en service de drones-radars a créé une certaine surprise. Cette hypothèse n'est pas nouvelle mais, si l'on en croit le ministère de l'intérieur, elle pourrait prendre corps. Des expérimentations vont avoir lieu dans les prochains mois.

Du bluff ou pas ?
Il y a deux façons de jauger l'importance à accorder au projet de drones-gendarmes. La première consiste à n'y voir qu'un élément de la guerre psychologique que le gouvernement entend mener en évoquant le recours à un nouvel outil anti-délinquance routière, nimbé d'un halo de mystère et d'aura technologique. Le caractère très lapidaire de l'annonce d'une « expérimentation » prochaine, ajoutent les sceptiques, suggère que le projet est encore loin de pouvoir se concrétiser au plan opérationnel. Il y a un an, le ministère de l'intérieur avait déjà évoqué la mise à contribution de drones. Il était même plus précis, évoquant la mise en fonction progressive de 10 000 drones-radars à partir de fin 2016. L'autre réaction se base sur les applications actuelles de drones civils (dans les domaines de l'agriculture, des travaux publics ou de la surveillance des voies ferrées, par exemple) pour considérer qu'il est tout à fait envisageable de faire voler des drones pour surveiller le trafic automobile. L'épée de Damoclès serait d'autant plus réelle que police et gendarmerie ont, ces derniers temps, une tendance grandissantes à recourir à des drones dans le cadre de leurs autres missions. Il semble que cette dernière hypothèse soit la plus crédible

Suite de l'article

20.09.2015 par Philippe Chapleau - Lignes de Défense

Lus dans la dernière livraison des avis de marchés du Pentagone, ces deux avis concernant des FMS (Foreign Military Sales) au Kenya et au Cameroun, dans le cadre de la lutte anti-terrorisme:

Kenya:
Insitu Inc., Bingen, Washington, is being awarded $9,858,274 for firm-fixed-price delivery order 0010 against a previously issued basic ordering agreement (N68335-11-G-0009) for the procurement of one ScanEagle unmanned aircraft system consisting of analog medium wave infra-red ScanEagle unmanned air vehicles, launch and recovery equipment, ground control stations, Insitu video exploitation systems and ground support equipment for the government of Kenya under the Foreign Military Sales program. It will also procure one Mark 4 Launcher, two full mission training devices and spares kits. Work will be performed in Bingen, Washington (50 percent); and Nanyuki, Kenya (50 percent), and is expected to be completed in September 2016. Foreign military sales funds in the amount of $9,858,274 are being obligated at time of award, all of which will expire at the end of the fiscal year. The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Lakehurst, New Jersey, is the contracting activity.

Cameroun:
Insitu Inc., Bingen, Washington, is being awarded $9,396,512 for firm-fixed-price delivery order 0009 against a previously issued basic ordering agreement (N68335-11-G-0009) for the procurement of one ScanEagle unmanned aircraft system for the government of Cameroon under the Foreign Military Sales program. The system consists of analog medium wave infra-red ScanEagle unmanned air vehicles, launch and recovery equipment, ground control stations, Insitu video exploitation systems and ground support equipment. Work will be performed in Bingen, Washington (50 percent); and Doula, Cameroon (50 percent), and is expected to be completed in September 2016. Foreign military sales funds in the amount of $9,396,512 are being obligated at time of award, all of which will expire at the end of the fiscal year. The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Lakehurst, New Jersey, is the contracting activity.

September 29, 2015: Strategy Page

The growing availability of small, inexpensive UAVs that can (and are) used by criminals and Islamic terrorists has led to the development of several Anti-UAV Defense Systems (AUDS). These systems consist of multiple sensors (visual, heat, radar) to detect the small UAVs and a focused radio signal jammer to cut the UAV off from its controller and prevent (in most cases) the UAV from completing its mission. The detection range of AUDS is usually 10 kilometers or more and jamming range varies from a few kilometers to about eight.

AUDS can be defeated. For example a user can send a small UAV off on a pre-programmed mission. This can be to take photos or deliver a small explosive. No one has tried, at least successfully, using armed micro-UAVs yet but North Korea has been caught using small recon UAVs flying under automatic control.

If these UAVs are still detected they have to be destroyed via ground or air-to-air fire. This the South Koreans and Israelis have had to do several times. The Israelis were dealing with Palestinian Islamic terrorist groups using small UAVs, often Iranian models. South Korea and Israel has responded by adding more sensor systems, especially new radars that can detect the smallest UAVs moving at any speed and altitude. An American firm has demonstrated a high-powered laser that can take down small UAVs several kilometers away.

North Korea had been interested in UAVs since the 1970s but had never bought or built a lot of them. In the late 1980s North Korea acquired some of China’s first generation UAVs (ASN-104s). These were 140 kg (304 pound) aircraft with a 30 kg (66 pound) payload and endurance of two hours. Very crude by today’s standards but it took real time video and higher resolution still photos. In the 1990s the North Koreans produced some ASN-104s, apparently by just copying the Chinese ones they had. In the 1990s North Korea got some Russian DR-3 jet powered UAVs. These were faster but less useful than the ASN-104s. Attempts to use the DR-3 as the basis for a cruise missile design failed. In the 1990s North Korea also got some Russian Pchela-1T UAVs. These were very similar to the ASN-104s and that means not very useful at all. The Chinese and Russians used these first generation UAVs mainly for correcting artillery fire and this is what North Korea was seen doing with them, particularly North Korean coastal artillery.

In 2014 South Korea was alarmed to discover three North Korean UAVs that had crashed in South Korea. It was soon discovered that North Korea was using modified versions of the commercial Chinese SKY-09P UAV. North Korea gave the SKY-09Ps a new paint job (to make it harder to spot), a muffler (to make it less detectable) and installed a different camera. The SKY-09P was used via its robotic mode, where the SKY-09P flew to pre-programmed GPS coordinates, taking digital photos over selected areas and returned with those photos stored on a memory card. The SKY-09Ps found in South Korea had GPS coordinates in their guidance system showing they originated and were to return to a location in North Korea. The memory cards showed pictures of South Korean government (mainly military) facilities.

Thus the most successful UAV the North Koreans ever used turned out to be a Chinese commercial model, the SKY-09P. This is a 12 kg (26 pound) delta wing aircraft with a wingspan of 1.92 meters (6.25 feet), propeller in the front and a payload of three kg (6.6 pounds). It is launched via a catapult and lands via a parachute. Endurance is 90 minutes and cruising speed is 90 kilometers an hour. When controlled from the ground it can go no farther than 40 kilometers from the controller. But when placed on automatic it can go about 60 kilometers into South Korea and return with photos. These things cost the North Koreans a few thousand dollars each. While South Korea says they detected two of the three crashed North Korea UAVs no other details were provided. The Chinese manufacturer denied selling anything to North Korea, but the North Koreans typically use a third party for purchases like this.  

Sept 15, 2015 defense-aerospace.com

(Source: Saab AB; issued Sept 14, 2015)

Defence and security company Saab has demonstrated and proven an improved capability for its Giraffe AMB radar to detect low, slow and small targets. This ‘Enhanced Low, Slow and Small’ (ELSS) function allows the Giraffe AMB to undertake dedicated counter-Unmanned Air Systems (UAS) operations, while conducting its full suite of regular air surveillance functions.

The new ELSS function was demonstrated in April during a UK-government sponsored trial to test and evaluate radar performance against demanding air targets in a complex environment. Known as ‘Bristow 15’ and conducted over the ranges at West Freugh, in Scotland, the trial is thought to be the only one of its kind held outside the USA.

Over six days more than 100 UAS sorties were flown against the radar, in multiple launches of up to six vehicles at a time. The Giraffe AMB showed unparalleled performance against low, slow and small airborne targets. Despite hundreds of birds and a demanding background of sea and ground clutter, the Giraffe AMB consistently detected, classified and tracked low, slow and small UAS vehicles flying increasingly complex tactical profiles. At the same time, the Giraffe AMB provided full, conventional air surveillance in its regular modes.

“Saab now offers ELSS as part of the Giraffe capability range. This gives a unique performance range from small slow UAVs, to rockets and mortars, to more traditional air targets, but all at the same time,” says Anders Linder, head of business unit Surface Radar Solutions, Saab.

With remarkable accuracy the ELSS function automatically finds and classifies low, slow and small targets; as slow and small as the quadcopter UAS vehicles typically flown by hobbyists. During the Bristow 15 trials, targets had a radar cross section as small as 0.001 sq metres. Saab’s ELSS function pushes the boundaries of small target detection, combines that with the latest in tracking technology and novel target classification techniques and wraps it up with a newly- designed, purpose-built human machine interface concept.

Although it was demonstrated on this occasion with the Giraffe AMB, the ELSS function can now be implemented on all Saab Giraffe radars. This means the Giraffe family of radars uniquely provides a simultaneous capability to detect and classify all kinds of air vehicles from ballistic missiles to the very small UAS.

20.09.2015 par Philippe Chapleau - Lignes de Défense
 

Le 15 septembre, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems a annoncé le premier déploiement opérationnel de son Reaper Extended Range (Reaper ER). Un appareil qui peut rester en vol pendant 33 heures au lieu des 27 heures actuelles.

L'USAF avait exprimé en 2013 le besoin de drones armés ou de surveillance aux capacités accrues. 38 appareils doivent être modifiés

Selon General Atomics (lire ici), le kit comprend deux bidons sous les ailes et une nouvelle hélice à quatre pales. Les capacités d'emport (armement et équipement ISR) restent inchangées. 

Selon Defense Updates, GA-ASI cherche aussi à améliorer les performances des appareils dédiés à l'ISR dont l'autonomie pourrait être portée à 42 heures, en remplaçant les ailes actuelles de 20m par des ailes de 24m.

September 13, 2015: Strategy Page

Jordan recently revealed more details of the Israeli assistance it was receiving for the fight against Islamic terrorism. Israel has supplied Jordan with a dozen lightweight Slylark UAVs and the services of one or more larger Heron TP UAVs. Israel has also provided special electronics and software so that Jordan can more effectively track its own troops and possible Islamic terrorist activity. There appears to be some cooperation in the area of special operations (command0) troops. Both nations have a good track record in this area but Jordan can more easily put their commandos into Iraq or Syria than can Israel.

It’s no secret that since the late 1960s Israel and Jordan have been on good terms. This is mutually beneficial because both nations have large numbers of Palestinians to deal with and these Palestinians tend to be a source of disloyalty for both the Jewish dominated democracy of Israel and the Bedouin (Arab) monarchy of Jordan. Since the American invasion of Iraq in 2003 Jordan has had to deal with lots of refugees and, for a while, more Islamic terror attacks. Jordan continues to keep Islamic terrorists from reaching Israel via Jordan and provides valuable intel on what is going on in Syria and Iraq and the Arab world in general. As it has done for decades, Israel also passes on any useful intel to Jordan, especially if it involves attacks against the royal family.

Jordan is poor and does not have a lot of money for new equipment. Thus the arrival of the Israeli Skylark UAVs was much appreciated. This UAV has been around since 2008, has an impressive combat record and a new version (Skylard 1LE) recently showed up. This is a 7.5 kg (16.5 pound) aircraft with a 1.1 kg (2.4 pound) payload. This is sufficient to carry Israeli designed vidcam, laser designator and communications gear that can work with the American Rover ground terminals (designed to let commanders on the ground see what UAVs are seeing). Max endurance is three hours, max altitude is 4,700 meters (15,000 feet). Max distance from the operator is 40 kilometers.

The Heron TP has been in service since 2009 and is similar to the 4.5 ton American Reaper. Equipped with a powerful (1,200 horsepower) turboprop engine, the 4.6 ton Heron TP can operate at 14,500 meters (45,000 feet). That is above commercial air traffic and all the air-traffic-control regulations that discourage, and often forbid, UAVs fly at the same altitude as commercial aircraft. The Heron TP has a one ton payload, enabling it to carry sensors that can give a detailed view of what's on the ground, even from that high up. The endurance of 36 hours makes the Heron TP a competitor for the U.S. five ton MQ-9 Reaper. The big difference between the two is that Reaper is designed to be a combat aircraft, operating at a lower altitude, with less endurance, and able to carry a ton of smart bombs or missiles. Heron TP is meant mainly for reconnaissance and surveillance, and Israel wants to keep a closer, and more persistent, eye on Syria, southern Lebanon and now parts of Jordan threatened by ISIL. The Heron TP has also been rigged to carry a wide variety of missiles and smart bombs.

In the 1967 war with Israel, the Jordanians caused the Israelis more trouble than any other Arab army. Since then, the Israelis and Jordanians have maintained good relations, partly because of the realization that war between the two nations would be particularly bloody. Jordan also became a good ally of the United States, and American Special Forces have worked with their Jordanian counterparts for decades. Another thing that keeps the Jordanian troops on their toes is the fact that most Jordanians are non-Bedouin Palestinians, a population that has produced a lot of terrorists and disloyal Jordanians. The royal family of Jordan, from an ancient Bedouin family, takes very good care of the largely Bedouin armed forces, which provides security for the royal family.

11 September, 2015 BY: Beth Stevenson - FG

CAE’s defence lead has revealed plans to replicate the unmanned air vehicle training that it offers to the US Air Force to more operators of the General Atomics Aeronautical Systems family of Predator UAVs.

The company currently provides pilot training for the MQ-1 and MQ-9 UAVs to the USAF at Holloman AFB in New Mexico, but with more sales of the type – particularly in Europe – Gene Colabatistto, group president of defence and security, is hoping that more “centres of excellence” can be established worldwide. “The strategy is that we want to be aligned with the Predator,” Colabatistto said during a media briefing at Holloman AFB, adding that there is an opportunity in every region – plus more in the USA – and that CAE has locations for these in mind. Italy is the first operator nation to acquire its own simulator for its Predator fleet, suggesting that Rome could be pursuing an intention to establish itself as a centre for training in Europe. France, Italy and the UK all carry out their pilot training at Holloman, while Dutch personnel are due to begin training next year.

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Sep 12, 2015 defense-update.com

The IAF has been seeking an unmanned, precision attack capability as a matter of high priority. These new drones will be operated by the Indian Air Force (IAF), which already has a large fleet of Searcher and Heron I reconnaissance drones. Both are produced by Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI).

The Indian government recently approved a plan to procure ten new missile-armed drones from Israel. “The $400-million proposal for buying armed Heron TP drones from Israel was cleared last week,” The Economic Times reported.

These new drones will be operated by the Indian Air Force (IAF), which already has a large fleet of Searcher and Heron I reconnaissance drones. Both are produced by Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI). The IAF also has a fleet of Harpy UAVs from Israel – designed as loitering radar-supression weapons. In addition,India operates the HAROP, a spin-off variant of the loitering weapon, designed to attack other surface targets. (Both Harpy and Harop are also made by IAI).

The proposed sale of the Heron TP to India had been on the table since 2012, but, only after the election of the new Modi government, did it receive the necessary political backing.

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August 30, 2015 by David Pugliese, Ottawa Citizen