Jun 22 2011 David Pugliese’s Defence Watch

Sikorsky released this at the Paris Air Show:

PARIS – Sikorsky Aerospace Services (SAS) announced today the signing of a teaming agreement at the Paris Show with Rheinmetall Defence Electronics to provide long-term training and logistics support to the German armed forces should the Government of Germany select the MH148 CYCLONE multi-mission helicopter for its naval rotorcraft needs. SAS is the aftermarket division of Sikorsky Aircraft Corp., a subsidiary of United Technologies Corp. (NYSE:UTX).

“This agreement with Rheinmetall is an important step in strengthening our future support capabilities in Germany. It is in line with our strategy to provide comprehensive aftermarket solutions where our key customers are located and where strong partners exist. It ensures we will have the infrastructure in place should the CYCLONE be introduced, to ensure the fleet maintains optimal readiness rates,” said David Adler, President of SAS.

SAS and Rheinmetall, the second-largest defence contractor in Germany, will work together to lead a team of German industrial providers in creating robust maintenance, training and program support in country for the German armed forces.

The CYCLONE helicopter provides multi-mission capabilities including anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, and search and rescue. The aircraft is a derivative of the S-92® helicopter, which gets its basic design from the BLACK HAWK helicopter, a proven, rugged and durable aircraft.

“With Rheinmetall Defence Electronics being responsible for the In-Service Support and Training for the MH148 CYCLONE fleet we are convinced that a cost-effective, reliable and proven total solution can be provided to the German Navy. We were able to gather important experience from projects like naval and army training centres including comprehensive services and from our UAS Heron 1 project where Rheinmetall Defence Electronics provides the complete service for that platform in Afghanistan. We are eager to offer a similar good solution to the German Navy together with Sikorsky Aircraft,” said Ulrich Sasse, General Manager of Rheinmetall Defence Electronics GmbH in Bremen, Germany.

Sikorsky Aircraft Corp., based in Stratford, Conn., USA, is a world leader in helicopter design, manufacture and service. Its Sikorsky Aerospace Services business designs and applies advanced logistics and supply chain solutions for commercial rotary, military rotary and fixed wing operators. United Technologies Corp., based in Hartford, Conn., USA, provides a broad range of high technology products and support services to the aerospace and building systems industries worldwide.

Serving the global automobile industry and the armies of many nations, Rheinmetall is a world-leading supplier of military systems and automotive components. With some 20,000 employees worldwide, the Group had sales of €4 billion in 2010.

Rheinmetall Defence’s six divisions supply the world’s armed forces with a comprehensive array of products and services, including vehicle systems, weapons and ammunition, simulation and training, air defense, defense electronics and actuators.

PARIS, June 22, 2011 /PRNewswire

The Royal Norwegian Air Force conducted a successful tactical live-fire exercise of its National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System (NASAMS), a surface-launched Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile system, earlier this month at the Andoya Rocket Range in Northern Norway. This annual live-fire exercise, called Silver Arrow, was attended by both Raytheon and KONGSBERG, along with several potential international customers. 

"The conduct of our annual tactical live firing exercise is of greatest importance for the RNoAF GBAD community," said Lt. Col. Bjorn Stai, Royal Norwegian Air Force's (RNoAF) head of the Ground-based Air Defense branch. "It serves as a test of the weapon system's operational status, and in addition, as a proof to the warfighter that NASAMS can detect, identify and destroy targets."

"NASAMS has been fielded by the RNoAF for more than a decade, and this successful test proves the capability of the system," said Sanjay Kapoor, vice president for Patriot Programs at Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems (IDS). "We are proud to work alongside our partner KONGSBERG to provide this superior integrated air and missile defense capability to Norway and all other countries where NASAMS is operationally deployed."

This is the same NASAMS system that is currently protecting assets in the National Capitol Region.

June 21, 2011 defpro.com

After a successful development program in Denmark for the pylon-based Missile Warning System (MWS) installation, the Royal Norwegian Air Force (RNoAF) has ordered a similar solution for their F-16s.

The solution is based on a derivative of the Terma developed Pylon Integrated Dispensing System (PIDS). Pylons on stations 3 and 7 are equipped with each three Missile Warning sensors, providing an almost spherical protection against missile attacks. This solution was tested already in 1998, when the European F-16 users and U.S. Air National Guard conducted a feasibility program to evaluate if this Missile Warner System installation could perform satisfactorily.

The conclusion was that the concept was very cost effective compared to a fuselage installation, and that the performance fulfilled the requirements. The Danish Air Force tasked Terma to develop the integration of the MWS hardware in the pylons and to develop system control software for the ALQ-213 Electronic Warfare Management System including display and 3D-Audio. The system is now installed and fully certified by the U.S. Air Force Seek Eagle Office on the F-16.

The MWS system selected by both Denmark and Norway is the Cassidian Electronics AAR-60(V)2 MILDS-F.

Mounting of the Missile Warning sensors in the weapons pylons offers important advantages: installation is done on pylons rather than on the aircraft structure, which reduces aircraft down time for modification considerably, fewer systems are needed because pylons can be rotated within the fleet.

The Terma EW Management system AN/ALQ-213(V) was already in the Norwegian F-16s and from its birth prepared for installation of a Missile Warning system. A new full color Advanced Threat Display (ATD) replaces the existing 1310 RWR display, and a Countermeasures Signals Processor (CSP) has been installed for correlation and threat declaration of signals from the six sensors.

By the RNoAF, this program is considered an important factor in keeping the F-16s combat ready for possible conflicts in coming years.

June 21, 2011 defpro.com

PARIS, France | Sikorsky Aerospace Services announced today the signing of a teaming agreement at the Paris Air Show with the Swedish defence and security company Saab to support the fleet of 15 UH-60M helicopters recently purchased by the Swedish Defense Materiel Administration (FMV). Sikorsky Aerospace Services (SAS) is the aftermarket division of Sikorsky Aircraft Corp., a subsidiary of United Technologies Corp.

Under the teaming agreement, SAS and Saab, Sweden’s largest defense contractor, will provide logistics support for the UH-60M BLACK HAWK helicopters. The program, designated HKP 16, will be operated by the Swedish Air Force in Linköping, the main base for maintenance, inspections and repairs. The agreement will commence when the first UH-60M helicopter is delivered later this year.

“We look forward to working with Saab to ensure this powerful aircraft operates at peak readiness rates and enables the Swedish Air Force to successfully conduct their missions,” said David Adler, President of Sikorsky Aerospace Services.

The purchase of the 15 Sikorsky UH-60M BLACK HAWK helicopters by the FMV under the U.S. Government’s Foreign Military Sales program was announced last month. The Swedish Armed Forces intend to use the aircraft for medical evacuation, utility, and search and rescue missions.

“This is yet another key step in our efforts regarding maintenance, support and training in the helicopter field. Our collaboration with Sikorsky means that we are building up expertise with regard to Sweden's new helicopter system that has recently been purchased from the USA,” said Lars-Erik Wige, Senior Vice President and Head of Business Unit Support and Services, Saab AB.

The UH-60M helicopter is the latest version in the long and highly successful BLACK HAWK family. It provides additional payload and range, advanced digital avionics, improved handling qualities and situational awareness, active vibration control, and improved survivability compared with the predecessor UH-60L model.

The BLACK HAWK helicopter is well known for its ruggedness, survivability and mission flexibility, having logged more than 9 million flight hours since the first model was introduced in 1978. Worldwide, approximately 2,700 are in operation today. Sweden will become the 26th nation to operate BLACK HAWK helicopters and only the second in Europe, where Austria operates UH-60L models. Sikorsky is scheduled to deliver six of the helicopters in 2011 and the remainder in 2012 under an accelerated production schedule.

June 17, 2011 By Tamir Eshel DEFENSE UPDATE

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is displaying the Guardian, its maritime variant MQ-9 Predator B Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS), at the Paris Air Show 2011. The Guardian is flown from its home base at Cape Canaveral, Fla., to Le Bourget, France, onboard a U.S. Air Force C-17.

CBP procured the remotely-piloted aircraft to enhance the agency’s long-range maritime surveillance, detection and targeting capabilities in the source and transit zones of the Eastern Pacific, Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico, as well as support anti-terror efforts along maritime smuggling routes.

Guardian began operational testing and evaluation in Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in February 2010 and began conducting missions in April. As part of the modification for the CBP mission, a Raytheon SeaVue multi-mode radar was integrated on board along with the Raytheon MTS-B EO/IR and Automated Identification System (AIS) marine search radar was added to the aircraft. This past spring, the agency was honored with a the Aviation Week and Space Technology Laureate Award, for the successful integration of the radar payload.

Jun 20, 2011 By Amy Butler AviationWeek.com

PARIS - Eurocopter, the EADS helicopter business, is prioritizing its potential bid for the U.S. Army Armed Aerial Scout (AAS) program over what could be an iffy chance at winning the forthcoming U.S. Air Force Common Vertical Lift Support Program (CVLSP), according to Dominique Maudet, executive vice president for global business and services.

This slightly more conservative position on CVLSP prospects comes after EADS’ failed bid for the U.S. Air Force’s aerial tanker program.

Through its North American unit, Eurocopter plans to propose a modified version of the UH-72A for the Army program. Maudet says a request for proposals is expected in the fall. This program could be worth more than $5 billion for more than 500 helicopters, says Sean O’Keefe, EADS North America CEO. He argues that a derivative of the Lakota is more cost-effective than continuing to upgrade the OH-58D Kiowa Warrior, a Bell product.

The U.S. already has spent about $10.8 million per unit on the existing Kiowa fleet, and another $14.4 million would need to be spent to fully upgrade that fleet to accomplish the AAS mission, O’Keefe says. By contrast, he estimates that the price tag for a Lakota-based AAS would be about $12.9 million, excluding government-furnished equipment.

The company is funding three prototypes, the first of which is designed to demonstrate the 6,000 ft./95C “high/hot” performance outlined in the program. Its first flight was in December. The second, which flew first in April, is outfitted with all of the hard points and equipment needed to support weaponization, O’Keefe says. The final aircraft is in Europe conducting a series of systems integration tests.

The Air Force’s CVLSP program would replace the Hueys now conducting two missions: executive lift from Andrews AFB, Md., and nuclear convoy support in the ICBM fields in the northern United States.

“It is a lot of investment to go for a U.S. campaign,” Maudet said June 18 during a series of media briefings in advance of the Paris air show. “AAS is a top priority for us. We will only go if CVLSP makes sense, which we are not sure of.”

The Air Force is expected to release a draft request for proposals for the CVLSP by late July, O’Keefe says.

Jun 20, 2011 By Amy Butler AviationWeek.com

PARIS - Turbulence in the U.S. Global Hawk program is not likely to impact Germany’s plan to buy six variants of the unmanned aerial system (UAS) for intelligence collection, says Stefan Zoller, CEO of Cassidian, EADS’ defense business.

The first Eurohawk, already purchased, is slated to ferry from Edwards AFB, Calif., to Germany this summer for integration with an indigenous signals intelligence collector and for testing. The goal is for the country to buy five additional aircraft; negotiations are not yet complete for those additional UAS. The Pentagon’s buy of RQ-4B Global Hawks has been trimmed by 22 aircraft since the beginning of the year, leaving the buy at 55. Eleven of them are Block 40 aircraft, designed to carry the Multi-Platform Radar Technology Insertion Program (MP-RTIP) ground surveillance sensor. The Air Force proposed the cut in its Fiscal 2012 budget plan sent to Congress in February.

Last week, Pentagon acquisition chief Ashton Carter directed another 11 aircraft to be cut from the Block 30 buy; this block is designed to carry the Raytheon Enhanced Integrated Sensor Suite (EISS) and Northrop’s Airborne Signals Intelligence Payload (ASIP).

The first cut prompted a major cost overrun, which the Pentagon declared to Congress in April. It is unclear how much more the per-unit price will increase as a result of the 11 additional Block 30s removed from the program.

Zoller, however, is unconcerned about a major price impact for the German program. The buy of five aircraft is likely to move forward even if there is a per-unit price increase for Germany, he tells Aviation Week. He sees NATO’s Alliance Ground Surveillance program, originally set at eight and now down to six, as in more jeopardy, Zoller says.

Northrop Grumman has submitted its AGS proposal, and George Guerra, the company’s Global Hawk program manager, says he hopes to wrap up those negotiations by the end of summer.

June 20, 2011: STRATEGY PAGE

In a move certain to agitate Russian nationalists, Poland has signed an agreement allowing the U.S. Air Force to base warplanes and transports in Poland. Thus, within two years, the U.S. plans to have F-16s and C-130s stationed in Poland. This is seen by Poland as a further protection from Russian pressure and threats. For over two centuries, Russia has regularly threatened, and often seized parts of,  Poland. Russia is not happy with anything that might prevent more such moves in the future. Since the United States is a nuclear power, Russia will be constrained from moving on Poland as long as American troops are stationed there. But the Russians will definitely not like it, and this pleases the Poles a great deal.

This is a complicated part of the world. For example, Poland borders a small part of Russia; Kaliningrad. This is the former German city of Konigsberg (founded by German invaders in the 13th century). Konigsberg was taken by Russia in 1945, and ceded to them (and renamed Kaliningrad) as part of the many political changes resulting from the end of World War II. All the Germans were expelled from Konigsberg, and the area was resettled by Russians. This was part of the destruction of Prussia, the easternmost German province, and long the jumping off point for German invasions to the east. When the Soviet Union was dissolved in 1991, Russia hung on to Kaliningrad, even though it was now surrounded by non-Russian territory.

To many Russians, the Germans have been replaced (or reinforced) by the Americans, and are seen as the source of yet another invasion from the west. This invaders have been coming for over a thousand years, and those memories die hard in Russia.

18/06/2011 AEROCONTACT, Reuters

PARIS/WASHINGTON, 17 juin (Reuters) - Des responsables norvégiens devraient passer commande de quatre chasseurs F-35 construits par l'américain Lockheed Martin au salon international de l'aéronautique et de l'espace du Bourget, a-t-on appris vendredi de sources industrielles et gouvernementales.

Cette commande, évaluée à 400 millions de dollars, est une bonne nouvelle pour le groupe américain dont le programme F-35 a connu de nombreux retards et des coûts de conception plus élevés que prévu.

Pour l'heure, ce programme est évalué à 382 milliards de dollars, a annoncé Lockheed la semaine dernière.

WASHINGTON, June 17 (UPI)

Germany has asked the United States for base services for its Tornado aircraft operations at Holloman Air Force Base in New Mexico.

The U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency, in its notification to Congress of a possible Foreign Military Sale, said services provided will be for operations and logistics support, including training, fuel, munitions, base operating support and other related operational/logistics requirements.

Munitions will include 720 MK 82, 135 MK 84, and 5 Target Drone BQM 167.

The estimated cost is $300 million.

"This proposed sale will contribute to the foreign policy and national security of the United States by improving the military capabilities of Germany and enhancing standardization and interoperability with U.S. forces," DSCA said.

Holloman AFB is the only location where the German air force trains aircrews in Tornado aircraft operations and tactics. These operations began at U.S. Air Force facilities in 1989.

DSCA said there is no prime contractor involved in the program. There are no known offset agreements proposed in connection with this potential sale.

June 17, 2011 defense-aerospace.com

(Source: Dutch News; published June 16, 2011)

Former junior defence minister Jack de Vries has joined lobby firm Hill & Knowlton, which has a contract from the Dutch aerospace agency to lobby in favour of the Joint Strike Fighter jet project.

While junior minister, De Vries was in charge of government plans to replace the air force's fleet of aging F-16s with the JSF aircraft. According to the Telegraaf, he was a major supporter of the project.

De Vries, a Christian Democrat, was forced to step down after revelations he had had an affair with a subordinate at the ministry. He then set up his own PR company.

The former minister will be public affairs chief of the Dutch operation in his new job.

Group director Ingo Heinen said it was not yet decided if De Vries would also have a role in promoting the JSF. 'We have to be careful about this,' he said.

(EDITOR’S NOTE: While in office, Jack de Vries was an unconditional and uncritical supporter of the JSF, and refused to accept or even admit any contrary opinion about the program, whether by the Dutch Court of Audit, the Dutch Parliament, the US Government Accountability Office, or any of the many other reputable organizations that dared question the wisdom of that choice.

It is thus heartening to see that he has joined the P.R. firm that lobbies in the Netherlands in favor of the JSF.

This demonstrates that he is so dedicated to ensuring the very best acquisition outcomes for his country, and that he takes the future of Dutch air power so seriously, that he has bravely brushed aside potential ethical concerns to assume a position that could allow him to selflessly devote his energy to ensuring that the Royal Netherlands Air Force obtains the best all-round fighter, of which he is, of course, the only impartial and credible judge.

Small-minded critics may well point a concerned finger, but Jack de Vries’ relationship with JSF manufacturer Lockheed Martin, even if indirect, has historical precedents in the Netherlands, going back to the same company’s ultimately successful, if unorthodox, 1960s sales campaign to sell C-130 Hercules transport aircraft to the Dutch air force.)

source kongsberg.com

June 17, 2011: STRATEGY PAGE

The Norwegian firm Kongsberg has been successful in developing a "Joint Strike Missile" (JSM). What makes this missile special is that it is stealthy and designed to be launched from the internal bomb bay of the F-35 fighter. The half ton weapon, with a 250 kilometer range, is based on the existing Kongsberg NSM (Naval Strike Missile). Adapting this weapon for air launch got U.S. firm Lockheed Martin, and the U.S. Department of Defense, involved. JSM uses the NSM guidance system to hit moving targets, like ships. The JSM thus becomes a very useful weapon for nations adopting the F-35. The JSM is also superior to the heavier Harpoon, which has become a standard anti-ship missile in many navies. The JSM has other competition, like the Harpoon variant, SLAM-ER, but at the moment no one weapon has a lock on future anti-ship missiles.

JSM is based on the older, and quite successful, NSM. This is 410 kg (900 pound) missile is designed for use from ships or land based launchers (or trucks). NSM has a 125 kg (275 pound) warhead and a range of 185 kilometers. NSM uses GPS and inertial guidance systems, as well as heat imaging system (and a database of likely targets) for picking out and hitting the intended target. NSM entered service four years ago, and work on an air launched version led to the JSM. If JSM's advanced electronics (especially the gear that defeats defensive jammers) survives realistic testing, the new missile should be ready for service a year or so before the F-35 arrives in about 5 years.

Jun 16, 2011 By Jen DiMascio aerospace daily and defense report

The military’s top leaders defended the U.S. approach to missile defense on Capitol Hill June 15 when questioned about a new report that a key senator says shoots holes in the Obama administration’s European Phased Adaptive Approach (PAA) for defending the continent against ballistic missile attacks.

During a hearing of the Senate Appropriations defense subcommittee, Sen. Richard Shelby (R-Ala.) referenced a report being written by the Defense Science Board (DSB) about early intercept, the post-launch, pre-apogee portion of a missile’s trajectory.

Aviation Week reported this week that the report will be briefed to the Pentagon in the fall and that industry and government sources familiar with the study have different views on its findings. “The report’s unclassified conclusion [is] that [the Missile Defense Agency’s] plans to achieve an early-intercept capability as part of the PAA is simply not credible,” Shelby said. “This is disturbing to some of us.”

MDA, he said, has promised as part of the EPAA to develop early-intercept capability with the Raytheon SM-3 Block IIB missile by 2020. In fact, that early-intercept capability was a “central justification” to cancel two other programs — the so-called Third Site of the Boeing Ground-based Midcourse Defense system in Europe and the erstwhile Kinetic Energy Interceptor, Shelby said.

“Is the department re-evaluating the Phased Adaptive Approach in light of the DSB report?” he asked Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Navy Adm. Michael Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

The response appeared to be no. Gates, who retires at the end of the month, said the current budget funds both the EPAA and the Alaska- and California-based GMD program, and he blasted the notion that the prior plan to build a missile defense site in Poland and the Czech Republic would have been a better course of action than the current administration has taken.

“First of all, the latter will give us a missile defense capability several years earlier than would have been the case with the Third Site in Europe,” Gates said. “And let’s be blunt, the Third Site in Europe was not going to happen because the Czech Republic was not going to approve the radar.”

Mullen told lawmakers he has not seen the report and would not push back on it. But he said he has “confidence” in the current plan to achieve an early intercept capability by 2020. “I think we can get there in that time frame based on my understanding,” Mullen said.

Meanwhile, in Prague, Deputy Defense Secretary William Lynn and Czech Defense Alexandr Vondra in a press conference downplayed the lack of more missile defense collaboration between the countries, as was desired under the George W. Bush administration.

Lynn said NATO’s adoption of missile defense as a strategic goal, as declared in the Lisbon summit, obviated earlier U.S. plans.