November 29, 2012 defense-aerospace.com

(Source: Radio Sweden; posted Nov. 28, 2012)

Stockholm is hosting the country’s first ever defence and security trade fair. About 30 exhibitors, including Swedish arms manufacturer Saab, Norwegian arms company Kongsberg and smaller weapons and equipment firms are displaying their goods at the Stockholm International Fairs centre.

“The Nordic countries have a sizeable defence and security market. And the region has good entrepreneurs but they often lack resources to market their products internationally,” said Erik Hasselström, who heads up Future Security and Defence Nordic, an organization aimed at expanding the industry.

However on the first day of a three day fair the number of visitors barely matched the number of exhibitors. And the equipment on offer was mostly from non-Nordic countries.

Svenska Freds, (the Swedish Peace and Arbitration Society) also attended the fair and said the city council should not allow a municipal conference centre to be used for weapons proliferation.

“This is the first fair and I hope it’s the last one. The arms industry should not get any more support,” said the group’s chairperson Anna Ek.

“It’s seriously hampering Sweden’s work for peace and disarmament in the world.”

29 November 2012 Thales

The Netherland’s Ministry of Defence and Thales Nederland have signed an agreement for the update of 16 Goalkeeper Close-In Weapon Systems that are operational in the Royal Netherlands Navy.

The operational modification will bring the system to the highest operational status again,  capable of dealing with current and future threats. In addition, this contract solves various obsolescence issues. The enhanced surface target mode of Goalkeeper, in combination with a new frangible ammunition, provides Goalkeeper with the capability to act also as a highly effective defence weapon against surface targets including speed boats.

Goalkeeper’s prediction capabilities will be substantially increased through the use of new algorithms and state-of-the-art Electro-Optic tracking capabilities. This enables  Goalkeeper to successfully engage the latest generation of missiles. Multi-Goalkeeper deployment capabilities will also be improved. Goalkeeper was developed in the 1980s; these modifications enable its deployment until 2025.

The first Goalkeeper will be modified in 2015 and will be performed by Thales. All other Goalkeepers will be modified by the Royal Netherlands Navy at the naval base in Den Helder.

The contract includes an option for the two Goalkeeper systems on board of the M-class frigates of the Royal Belgian Navy. This option would ensure identical configurations and facilitate maintenance.

About Goalkeeper

Goalkeeper is a close-in defence system against highly manoeuvrable missiles and aircraft. It is an autonomous and fully automatic system which detects and tracks targets, opens fire and performs kill assessment for several targets simultaneously. Continuous search with track-while-scan provides an automatic and fast switch-over to the next-priority target in multiple-target scenarios. Goalkeeper assures timely detection of small and supersonic targets, even in dense clutter and jamming environments. Pin-point tracking of sea-skimming targets is assured by the unique dual-frequency track radar. Last but not least, the high-rate-of-fire Gatling 30-mm gun and special ammunition provide the lethal power necessary to destroy missile warheads. Goalkeeper's excellent performance was clearly demonstrated during various live firing trials. A total of 63 Goalkeepers have been sold to Navies in Europe, the Middle East and the Far East.

Nov. 28, 2012 –  by Craig Hoyle – FG

London - With the UK little more than two years away from ending its combat involvement in Afghanistan, the British Army is looking for a decision on a potential capability sustainment programme (CSP) for its Westland/Boeing Apache AH1 attack helicopters.

The Army Air Corps (AAC) declared initial operating capability with its originally 67-strong Apache fleet in October 2004, but a modernisation is required due to the US Army's planned withdrawal of support by 2017 for the Block I AH-64D model on which it is based. The US service has an operational fleet of more than 600 Apaches, but is transitioning to using the Block III/E-model version of the rotorcraft.

"The AH CSP is designed to address the sustainment issue that this raises, and provide the required capability, training and support out to 2040," says Col Andrew Cash, commander of the army's attack helicopter force and 16 Air Assault Brigade.

"The technical options are being evaluated, and I expect a decision on the way ahead for assessment by early next year."

Potential courses of action, he says, include: "Do nothing; do the minimum; technology insertion based on the current airframes; update to the US AH-64E standard, or this standard but with UK-specific equipment; or an entirely new replacement attack helicopter."

Organisational changes are also planned, with the AAC expecting to reduce its Apache force from five to four operational squadrons, to be divided between two regiments, plus an operational conversion unit. The move forms part of wider spending reductions as a result of the UK government's Strategic Defence and Security Review of late 2010.

First flown in combat in Afghanistan as part of the UK's Operation "Herrick" in May 2006, the UK's Apaches have accumulated more than 100,000 flight hours, also including an offensive contribution from the Royal Navy vessel HMS Ocean during the NATO-led operation in Libya in 2011.

The UK government has signalled its intention to halt combat activities in Afghanistan by 31 December 2014, which Cash says will place additional demand on the Apache fleet. "I envisage a wide range of roles for AH during that transition, particularly for escort and protection of the UK draw-down activity," he said during a lecture at the Royal Aeronautical Society in London on 20 November.

Longer-term, he adds: "We are already looking beyond Herrick. We need to relearn some sills, knowledge and capabilities."

This process will include developing the army's find/strike concept of operations for employing the Apache in conjunction with its future AgustaWestland Lynx Wildcat armed reconnaissance helicopters, he says.

28.11.2012 SEDE

Photo Joris van Boven

Nov 28, 2012 by Joris van Boven  - FG

The Royal Netherlands Air Force has demonstrated its full fleet of four modernised Lockheed Martin C-130H tactical transports together for the first time, following the introduction to service of its last example to have been upgraded by the UK's Marshall Aerospace.

Pictured at Eindhoven air base, the quartet comprises two stretched-fuselage C-130H-30s introduced in 1994 and two short-fuselage Hercules acquired from ex-US Navy stocks, and the subject of a major modernisation effort in the UK.

Marshall Aerospace earlier this month completed a cockpit upgrade and cabin safety improvement programme for the last of the four-strong fleet, with this having included the installation of digital avionics and communications and navigation equipment at its Cambridge airport site. The modernised aircraft also now have night vision goggle-compatible cockpits to support night-time operations.

The Netherlands' C-130s are operated by the air force's 336 Sqn.

28 November 2012 airforce-technology.com

The European Union (EU) is planning to release a roadmap for unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) air traffic by the end of 2012, which will enable UAVs to fly in the same airspace as general air traffic by 2016.

European Defence Agency research and technology director Christian Breant was quoted by Defense News as saying that the officials preparing future technologies and those devising future regulations have been working since early September 2012 to rapidly develop the roadmap.

The officials are expected to determine the cost of putting the roadmap into practice in early 2013, Breant added.

The project is expected to achieve initial capability with some restrictions in 2016, followed by full operational capability by 2020.

Pursued as part of a European Framework Cooperation agreement, which was signed between the European Defence Agency (EDA) and the European Commission, the project is an effort to further improve civil-military cooperation in research and technology domains.

Other programme partners include the European Commission (EC), Eurocontrol and the European Aviation Safety Agency.

Funding for the project is expected to be provided through the EU's civilian Horizon 2020 programme and the EDA's joint investment programme.

The latest move follows a written declaration submitted by the French, German, Italian, Polish and Spanish foreign affairs and defence ministers to EU, urging it to continue further research into dual-use technologies and enhance synergies between member countries' defence-related research and technology activities.

EC and EDA are already coordinating research activities in chemical and biological protection, and areas where dual-use technologies could emerge include cyber defence, unmanned maritime systems and development of materials based on carbon fibre and gallium nitride for high performance radar and electronic warfare.

Note RP defense: lire aussi

EDA Awards Contract for UAV Air Traffic Insertion Road Map

Background on New EDA Initiative on UAVs

Eurocontrol : ATM specifications for use of Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS)

GORIZIA, Italy, Nov. 27 (UPI)

Italian defense electronics manufacturer Selex Galileo has received about $10.4 million in contracts for aircraft simulation systems.

The identities of the customers weren't disclosed but the company said some of the units would be for non-Italian clients. The simulation systems would be used to train pilots and mission operators of both fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters.

"Selex Galileo has more than 10 years of experience in providing training systems for program such as the Eurofighter Typhoon, Tornado and M-346," said Gianfranco Terrando, senior vice president of the company's Air Systems, UAS and Simulation business unit.

"We are confident that this experience will allow us to continue to develop our business relating to Typhoon training and will put us in good stead to play a leading role in new programs and with new platforms.

"The simulation business is dominated by big players but we believe that our expertise in sensors and mission systems, high level of technological innovation and closeness with our customers will allow us to compete strongly in the market by delivering highly customized solutions that meet customer requirements in terms of capability, performance and cost."

Selex Galileo produces the Aircrew Synthetic Training Aids system for the Eurofighter Typhoon system.

BRUXELLES, 27 novembre - RIA Novosti

Le major général autrichien Dieter Heidecker a été nommé mardi à la tête des troupes de l'Union européenne (UE) en Bosnie-Herzégovine et en prendra le commandement le 3 décembre prochain, rapporte le service de presse de la chef de la diplomatie européenne Catherine Ashton.

M.Heidecker succède à son compatriote, le général de brigade Robert Briege, qui avait pris le commandement des troupes de l'UE en Bosnie-Herzégovine en décembre 2011.

Le Conseil de sécurité de l'Onu a autorisé le 15 novembre dernier la reconduction de 12 mois du mandat de la Force multinationale de stabilisation de l'Union européenne en Bosnie-Herzégovine (EUFOR Althea).

Forte de 600 hommes, la force EUFOR Althea veille à la mise en œuvre du volet militaire de l'Accord de paix de Dayton (1995). Cette force européenne fonctionne en coopération avec le quartier général de l'Otan à Sarajevo, conformément aux arrangements conclus entre l'Alliance et l'UE. EUFOR Althea a succédé à la Force de stabilisation (SFOR) de l'OTAN le 2 décembre 2004.

Nov 27, 2012 ASDNews Source : BAE Systems PLC

Under the programme known as Retrofit 2, 43 Royal Air Force Typhoon aircraft have been upgraded to the Tranche 1 Block 5 standard.

This includes installation of the forward looking infra-red (FLIR) system, enhancement of air-to-air capability, the introduction of an air-to-surface capability and the ability to use the laser designator pod for precision weapon delivery.

Martin Taylor, BAE Systems’ Combat Air Support Director said: “This upgrade programme gives the Royal Air Force Typhoon fleet an improved baseline capability, making it better than it has ever been before.  This improved capability will also allow the Royal Air Force greater scope for how they manage the Typhoon fleet.”

Air Commodore Keith Bethell, Head of the Fast Air Support Team, Defence Equipment and Support said: “The Retrofit 2 programme was one of the first steps on our ongoing journey to deliver Typhoon availability and capability through a partnered approach with BAE Systems.  This early step helped lead us onto the highly successful Typhoon Availability Service into which Retrofit 2 was then subsumed. The conclusion of the Retrofit 2 programme is a significant milestone on the Typhoon journey and one we will build from as we continue to grow the Typhoon Force.”

Over the last six years, a mixture of twin and single seat aircraft have been processed through the programme which has been managed by a team of around 160 employees working in close co-operation with the Royal Air Force/Ministry of Defence fleet management team.

Under the programme, the last aircraft to be handed back to the Royal Air Force is British single seat Typhoon number BS23 (tail number ZJ932).  The aircraft originally entered service with 3 Squadron on 10th November 2006, delivering Quick Reaction Alert duties from RAF Coningsby.  The aircraft will return to service with XI Squadron to provide a major contribution to the deployable Typhoon Force.

In the early days of the contract it was recognised that synergies could be gained by contracting BAE Systems to also perform primary servicing on the aircraft at the same time as the upgrade programme was being undertaken. This combination of work minimised downtime of the aircraft from the Typhoon fleet and offered significant savings to the customer.

Previously under standalone national contracts, the activity was subsequently subsumed into the wider Typhoon Availability Service (TAS) contract.

All future upgrade and maintenance programmes will be carried out at the RAF Coningsby Typhoon Maintenance Facility.

27. 11 .2012 CNE Mickaël Aubout - Chargé d’études au Centre d’études stratégiques aérospatiales

Initiée dès le milieu des années 1950 avec le projet de Communauté européenne de défense, l’idée d’une défense européenne revient à l’ordre du jour à la fin de la Guerre froide. Dans le cadre du traité de Maastricht en 1992, une politique étrangère et de sécurité commune (PESC) est lancée. Cette dernière est suivie, en 1998, d’une politique européenne de sécurité et de défense (PESD) et devient, en 2009, suite au traité de Lisbonne, une politique de sécurité et de défense commune (PSDC). Elle définit le cadre d’action de l’Union européenne en ciblant les missions humanitaires, d’évacuation, de maintien, de rétablissement de la paix et de force de combat. Plus largement, et la baisse continue des budgets de défense des pays européens renforce cette démarche, l’objectif est aussi de réfléchir à une mutualisation des capacités de défense des armées européennes. En outre, le recentrage stratégique actuel des forces américaines vers la zone Pacifique laisse à penser que le rôle des États-Unis, comme gage de sécurité en Europe, va se réduire. La position américaine « leadind from behind » durant l’opération Harmattan en Libye illustre ce glissement de position. Cette évolution poussera les Européens à s’investir beaucoup plus dans leur sécurité collective . Quelques pistes sont envisagées pour dynamiser la défense commune : spécialisation des missions par pays, renforcement des capacités communes et/ou programmation d’équipements futurs en commun . Dans le domaine aéronautique, des synergies entre les armées européennes existent déjà et les bases aériennes constituent l’un des espaces de cette coopération.

Télécharger l’intégralité de  l’article au format pdf

source info-tsunami.fr

27/11/2012 Le Point.fr

Ce test sera le premier du genre et vise à "s'assurer du bon fonctionnement des flux de communication", a expliqué l'Unesco.

L'Unesco organise, mardi et mercredi, une grande simulation d'alerte au tsunami en mer Méditerranée et dans l'océan Atlantique, à laquelle participera notamment le Centre national d'alerte aux tsunamis (Cenalt) pour la France. Ce test sera le premier du genre depuis la création du Système d'alerte aux tsunamis dans l'Atlantique du Nord-Est, la Néditerranée et les mers adjacentes (NEAMTWS), supervisé par la Commission océanographique intergouvernementale (COI) de l'Unesco et mis en place en novembre 2005. Il vise à "s'assurer du bon fonctionnement des flux de communication entre les différents organismes impliqués dans ce type de catastrophe naturelle", explique l'Unesco dans un communiqué.

Voici le scénario de la simulation à laquelle participera la France : mardi matin, un séisme de magnitude 7,5 se déclenche au large des côtes algériennes et provoque la naissance d'un tsunami de faible amplitude ; en à peine une heure, une vague d'environ un mètre de haut atteint la Côte d'Azur. "C'est un scénario plausible étant donné l'activité sismique dans cette zone", a expliqué à Sipa François Schindele, expert en tsunamis au Commissariat à l'énergie atomique (CEA) et coordonnateur de ce projet.

Concrètement, un message d'alerte sera transmis au Cenalt environ 15 minutes après le séisme fictif, contenant de nombreuses données sur l'événement : latitude, longitude, profondeur, heures d'arrivée théoriques sur les côtes, niveau d'alerte. Ensuite, le Cenalt devra traiter ces informations le plus rapidement possible et transmettre un rapport au Cogic, la division du ministère de l'Intérieur qui gère les crises touchant à la sécurité civile.

Un risque pas inexistant

Après le test, la réactivité des centres nationaux engagés sera analysée, ainsi que la rapidité dans la transmission de l'information. Le système d'alerte, qui existe depuis longtemps dans l'océan Pacifique, en est à ses balbutiements en Méditerranée, où le risque n'est pourtant pas inexistant.

"Il y a un vrai risque de tsunami dans la partie ouest de la méditerranée, et les gens ne sont pas suffisamment informés", a confirmé à Sipa Francesca Santoro, membre de l'unité "tsunami" de l'Unesco. "Sur la Côte d'Azur, par exemple, les plages sont occupées pendant de longues périodes et une montée des eaux, même faible, peut provoquer des emportements. Il faut donc informer les gens et réagir très vite si une vague arrive vers le littoral. Cette simulation nous permet d'aller vers plus d'efficacité." "Même si le risque en mer Méditerranée est très éloigné de ce que l'on observe dans le Pacifique, par exemple, avec des vagues géantes, il peut tout de même y avoir des dégâts et il faut s'y préparer", ajoute François Schindele, du CEA.

Un deuxième test doit avoir lieu simultanément dans l'Atlantique du Nord-Est, avec un séisme fictif au large du Portugal. Ce scénario correspond à un fait historique réel : en 1755, la ville de Lisbonne a été presque entièrement détruite par une vague provoquée par un tremblement de terre au niveau de la faille Açores-Gibraltar.

Nov 2012 - science.mod.uk

Centre for Defence Enterprise themed call under the Weapons Domain on the 'Non-Destructive Evaluation of Munitions'.

• Call launches 8 January 2013 at Harwell Oxford (pm)
• Call closes 19 February 2013 at 1700 hrs. 

The Centre for Defence Enterprise (CDE) proves the value of novel, high-risk, high-potential-benefit research sourced from the broadest possible range of science and technology providers, including academia and small companies, to enable development of cost-effective capability advantage for UK Armed Forces and national security.

The Weapons Domain in the Defence Science and Technology Programme Office is responsible for planning and delivery of research and technology to support the future UK weapons needs. The Domain achieves this primarily through placing research with industry and academia. Key goals include the fast and effective delivery of technical capability to the front line and encouraging innovation to exploit emerging and potentially disruptive technologies. This CDE themed call is looking for innovative research proposals in any area of weapons systems that help to reduce cost, weight and volume and to increase life, performance and modularity; however this call focuses on the following specific area:

Non-Destructive Evaluation (NDE) of Munitions

NDE is used to determine the chemical and physical state of an energetic formulation(s) (explosive, propellant or pyrotechnic) within munitions. NDE is used by manufacturers to develop processes and verify the quality of their products, and by MOD to assess to determine the remaining safe life of munitions’ in-service use. However, the techniques currently available are limited in applicability and resolution. Many physical and chemical properties of interest can only be measured by destructive testing, or are inferred from initial development testing and the munitions’ service history. These properties include stress, strain, temperature, modulus, porosity, bond strength, hardness, chemical stabiliser content, degree of decomposition, polymer chain length, and degree of polymer cross linking.
Therefore, proof-of-concept research proposals are sought in this CDE themed call for novel techniques to determine properties such as, strain, stress, density, porosity, etc. throughout the energetic formulation(s) as well as evidence of cracking and wall separation without the need to destroy the munition. The energetic formulation may be housed in munitions with metal or composite cases from 1mm to 10mm. 

A call document and presentations from the launch event will be provided on this webpage after the launch event.

This call will launch on Tuesday 8 January 2013 at an event at Harwell Oxford. The event is expected to run in the afternoon from approximately 1300-1600 but details are still to be confirmed. The launch event will consist of presentations and networking opportunities.

The call will close on 19 February 2013 at 1700 hrs.

All proposals must be submitted via the CDE Portal.

Register for the launch event below.

Non-Destructive Evaluation of Munitions - Call flyer

Register