20 septembre 2012 Propos receuillis par Thibaut de Jaegher, Frédéric Parisot et Patrick Déniel – USINE NOUVELLE

EXCLUSIF  ENTRETIEN  Le PDG enclenche une nouvelle réorganisation visant à autonomiser les patrons de ses usines. Sur la fusion EADS-BAE, Fabrice Brégier estime qu’elle peut permettre au constructeur aéronautique de développer son activité au Royaume-Uni et sur le marché de l’aviation militaire.

L’Usine Nouvelle - Airbus vient d’annoncer le lancement d’un nouveau plan de réorganisation. Quel en est l’objectif  ?

Fabrice Brégier - Power 8, le plan précédent, était indispensable. Il a fallu être courageux pour lancer l’A350 à une période où Airbus était au fond du trou. Maintenant que nous avons franchi cette étape, nous enclenchons la seconde étape. Il s’agit cette fois de rebondir, de gagner des parts de marché, de redevenir conquérant, notamment en lançant l’A320 Neo.

En quoi le fonctionnement du groupe sera-t-il différent ?

La nouvelle organisation permettra de donner davantage de marge de manœuvre aux usines. Nous allons remettre les équipes locales sous la responsabilité des directeurs de sites pour leur apporter plus d’agilité et de réactivité dans les cycles de prise de décision.

Aujourd’hui, lorsqu’un directeur d’usine rencontre un problème et qu’il a besoin de davantage de ressources, il lui faut franchir de multiples barrières hiérarchiques et la boucle est très longue. Nous prenons le risque de ne pas résoudre le problème à temps et de perdre beaucoup d’argent. Désormais, s’il y a un manque d’ingénieurs, un directeur de site pourra contacter directement le directeur ingénierie pour qu’il lui affecte temporairement des ressources.

Et dans le cas d’un problème avec un fournisseur ?

De la même manière, le directeur de site pourra mobiliser temporairement des experts de notre division Supply Chain Management s’il en éprouve le besoin. Il n’y a qu’en cas de problème majeur que l’on fera intervenir la direction achats du groupe. En clair, nous souhaitons apporter de la flexibilité à nos managers pour leur donner les moyens de réussir leurs objectifs. Et pour cela, il nous faut revenir à une organisation simple, qui rompt avec l’inertie habituelle des grands groupes.

Vous avez annoncé que ce plan serait effectif en janvier 2013. Et après, quelle sera la prochaine étape ?

Nous n’allons pas multiplier les plans indéfiniment, car nous serons sur une politique d’amélioration continue. Même si Power 8 était nécessaire pour réduire nos coûts (et il a été efficace puisqu’il a permis d’économiser 2 milliards d’euros par an), nous avons mis en place une organisation capable de s’améliorer d’elle-même au fil des années.

Quel avenir pour les usines européennes du groupe ?

Les grands groupes qui marchent sont ceux qui savent investir dans l’innovation tout en conservant un outil de production compétitifs. Aujourd’hui, Airbus innove et lance de nouveaux produits (A380, A350), mais il y a un problème de compétitivité dans nos usines qui fabriquent des avions d’ancienne génération. Nos usines sont rentables sur les technologies de pointe, mais cela ne sert à rien de s’arc-bouter sur des productions pour lesquelles nous ne sommes plus compétitifs. Sur ces vieilles technologies, il nous faudra apprendre à travailler avec d’autres fournisseurs, d’abord avec nos PME européennes, ensuite dans les pays low cost.

Est-ce qu’Airbus a quelque chose à gagner dans le projet de fusion EADS-BAE ?

Je pense que c’est une bonne chose d’avoir à notre capital un groupe comme BAE Systems, qui est déjà un grand actionnaire britannique mais aussi international. Cela devrait nous permettre de développer du business. Nous pensons en particulier au Royaume-Uni où nous pourrons développer notre image, bien que celle-ci soit déjà très forte puisque nous y avons déjà des usines qui fabriquent les voilures de nos appareils.

Et en termes d’organisation ?

Je crois qu’Airbus a tout intérêt à devenir le plus solide possible. On voit que c’est le cas pour nos concurrents, comme Boeing qui a des activités bien réparties sur des sites différents. Cela permet de dépasser plus facilement des challenges techniques importants.

Vous pensez qu’un tel actionnaire vous aurait permis de battre Boeing sur le contrat des 179 avions ravitailleurs pour l’US Air Force, par exemple ?

Je ne saurais le dire, mais avoir un groupe qui a déjà une très forte crédibilité dans le secteur militaire aux Etats-Unis, ce serait un atout considérable pour développer les versions militarisées de nos appareils.

Propos receuillis par Thibaut de Jaegher, Frédéric Parisot et Patrick Déniel

19.09.2012 cy2012.eu

The Defence Minister of Cyprus, Mr. Demetris Eliades called on Member States to enhance their cooperation in the field of defence in order to achieve their common goals of peace, security and growth. Mr. Eliades was speaking before a high level seminar in Brussels today, which examined innovative ways, such as pooling and consolidating demand, in which Member States can collaborate in using their declining defence budgets more efficiently. Some of the seminar’s issues are expected to be discussed during the upcoming Informal Meeting of Defence Ministers in Lefkosia (Nicosia) on September 26 and 27.

The seminar, entitled “Innovative European Defence Cooperation – Pooling and Consolidating Demand”, was organised by the Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the EU, in collaboration with the European Defence Agency (EDA) and the Egmond Royal Institute for International Relations of Belgium.

The Chief Executive of EDA, Ms Claude-France Arnould addressed the seminar, while among the distinguished speakers were the Chairman of the EU Military Committee, General Håkan Syrén and the Chief Executive Officer of Krauss-Maffei Wegmann, Mr. Frank Haun. The seminar was attended by representatives of Defence Ministries of Member States and other countries, the European Commission, other relevant EU defence institutions and the European defence industry.

Pulling together

“In difficult times we join forces, knowledge, experiences, ideas, initiatives and we collaborate to achieve the best possible results,” said Mr. Eliades, while stressing that the challenges faced in the defence sector due to the financial crisis could be combatted through flexible initiatives such as pooling and sharing.

The Defence Minister signalled out pooling and consolidating demand as areas where cooperation between Member States could provide successful results, and also enable smaller Member States to contribute and benefit more significantly.

Participants conducted a broad assessment on the manner by which the consolidation of demand could benefit both EU Member States governments and the EU defence industry alike, while they also focused on effective procurement methods as linked to the process of pooling demand.

Considered a basic tool of pooling demand, joint ‘off-the-shelf’ procurements offer significant financial savings by increasing order sizes and achieving economies of scale, thus improving the efficiency of military expenditure within the EU.

During the seminar, several areas of possible collaboration were identified, including capability development and requirement identification, armaments cooperation, joint research and technology.

Smaller Member States with a role to play

Since small Member States do not have a defence industry, Mr. Eliades stressed that “thanks to EDA, smaller Member States are given the opportunity to actively co-operate and contribute in areas such as Research and Technology programmes”.

“Our Common Security and Defence Policy is built with common efforts targeting at peace, security, stability and growth. We share a common vision for a better Europe and a better World. We, also, share a common belief, that a better Europe is needed for a better world,” concluded the Defence Minister.

September 20, 2012 defpro.com

(Issued in Dutch only; unofficial translation by defense-aerospace.com)

The crew of the NH90 helicopter and the patrol vessel HNLMS Holland last week tested deck landings with winds up to Force 8 and waves up to 4 meters high.

"You're looking at the very limits of the capabilities of the ship, of the helicopter and of yourself," is how the ship's commander described testing of these two new systems in the North Sea.

The tests are being conducted to determine the wind limits for operating the NH90 from the Holland-class offshore patrol vessel.

These are needed, according to the captain, Lieutenant Commander Chris van den Berg, to know how far you can go during operations in heavy weather.

UTMOST CONCENTRATION

These factors are tested and analyzed with each class of ships. “For example, you have to deal with wind turbulence," says the ship’s commander. “And, compared to the larger air defense and command frigates, and the amphibious transport ship, the Holland-class is more susceptible to waves."

A test team from the Air Force was present to collect all measurement data for analysis. In addition, for the first time a ship controlled the helicopter’s approach. In such cases, the air controller aboard the ship uses the radar images of the NH90 to talk down the helicopter when its crew has poor or no visibility.

INDEPENDENT FLIGHTS

Night approaches and landings were carried out autonomously by the helicopter crew using night vision goggles.

“Whereas last week we waved off a Lynx because it had too much cockpit lighting and was not suitable to fly with this night vision equipment, its successor will be able to operate with it.”

Test Pilot Lieutenant First Class Job Sicking said "This makes faster approaches possible. You can easily fly out and land independently."

The heavier NH90 also makes the test flights interesting for Sicking. "The NH90 weighs 11 tonnes, which is 6 tonnes more than the Lynx, where a knock on the stick often enough."

This is the final week of sea trials aboard the Holland-class ships. While training is slightly behind schedule pending the delivery of more NH90s, the test schedule is on track. "Only deck landings on the M-frigates and additional testing, such as hot weather trials, remain."

SHIPBOARD HELICOPTERS

Earlier this year, Air Force and Navy tested deck landings with an Apache attack helicopter on the amphibious transport HNLMS Rotterdam. Cougar transport helicopters are currently operating from the ship, which is deployed on counter-piracy operations off the coast of Somalia.”

September 19, 2012 Official Blog of the UK MOD – defpro.com

There is media coverage of the Future Maritime Surveillance report published by the House of Commons Defence Committee yesterday which expressed concern about the security implications of the Government's decision to scrap the latest generation of Nimrod maritime surveillance aircraft.

The Nimrod MRA4 was cancelled in the 2010 Strategic Defence and Security Review. Responding to the report, Armed Forces Minister Andrew Robathan said: "UK maritime surveillance is being delivered by a wide range of military assets, including our surface ships, submarines, Merlin and Sea King helicopters, Sentry and Hercules aircraft, and we are also co-operating with our allies.

"Tough decisions had to be taken to get the MOD's books back into balance and cancelling the Nimrod MRA4 programme was the right decision. Only one Nimrod MRA4 had been delivered to the RAF and it had not passed air worthiness tests, the project was hundreds of millions over budget, years late, and needed considerable further funding to rectify ongoing technical problems."

19.08.2012 par Guillaume Belan (FOB)

C’est le 18 septembre que le premier NH90 TTH belge a réalisé son premier vol d’essai. Un vol qui s’est bien déroulé, depuis les installations Eurocopter de Marignane. Le NH90 belge apportera aux forces armées des capacités nouvelles, remplaçant les vénérables Alouette III et A 109. Le NH90 TTH choisi par Bruxelles est identique au Caiman français actuellement déployé à Valence, ce qui a permis de faire bénéficier aux belges du retour d’expérience acquis lors du développement des appareils français.

Le premier équipage belge poursuit sa formation dans les locaux de Marignane. En parallèle Eurocopter achève la production de la version navale du NH90. Au total, la Belgique a commandé huit NH90 pour un montant de 300 millions d’euros. La commande se divise en quatre appareils de transport tactique et quatre appareils pour les opérations navales destinés à remplacer les vieux Sea King.

Brussels - 19 September 2012 European Defence Agency

EDA announces the contract notice for the competitive dialogue “European Armed Forces GO GREEN” (GO GREEN), inviting industrial candidates to submit their requests to participate in this procedure. Interested parties can consult the contract notice and tender specifications available here.

EDA supports its participating Member States in establishing and promoting innovative concepts and collaboration in the area of renewable energy production and energy efficiency as a means of becoming less dependent on expensive and unstable energy sources and of increasing compatible renewable energy development.

Through the GO GREEN project, contributing Member States will develop and demonstrate a generic photovoltaic power generation exploitation model that could subsequently be used more widely in their nations as well as expanded to other EU Member States as well as other sources of renewable energy. The final target is to demonstrate the production and use of renewable energy for Armed Forces by installing photovoltaic panels on dedicated national pilot sites with benchmarking at the end of the project.

The GO GREEN project was officially launched at the European Defence Agency Steering Board on March 22nd, 2012 with the participation of six EDA participating MS (Austria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Germany, Greece, Luxembourg), with Germany as lead nation. Romania joined the project in June 2012 as the seventh contributing Member State.

For more information on the GO GREEN initiative you can consult the relevant EDA Factsheet.

19/09/2012 Michel Cabirol – LaTribune.fr

Le constructeur aéronautique suédois s'est fixé un objectif ambitieux de vendre au moins 300 Gripen de nouvelle génération dans une dizaine de pays dans les dix prochaines années. Un objectif irréalisable ?

September 19, 2012 Think Defence

We have discussed this a number of times and to add further to those discussions the House of Commons Defence Select Committee has published its fifth report, Future Maritime Surveillance.

Future Maritime Patrol

Lots of interesting comments and the written and oral evidence is also illuminating.

In summary

The Committee has serious concerns following the decision in the 2010 Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR) to cancel the Nimrod MRA4 maritime patrol aircraft (MPA) programme.  Although the MoD’s own capability investigations have concluded that a MPA is the solution to the UK’s maritime surveillance requirements over the next 20 years, the MoD has postponed any decision on a further MPA until at least the next SDSR in 2015. The UK therefore now has no current or planned sovereign MPA capability (i.e. a capability that could be operated independently) and the MoD has acknowledged that the resultant capability gap cannot be completely covered by an existing single asset or collection of assets. The reduction in certain sovereign long range maritime surveillance capabilities also highlights the UK’s interim dependency on allies for support in protecting the increasingly important reaches of the UK as well as its wider defence and direct military capability.

 

Chair of the Committee, Rt Hon James Arbuthnot, says,

“We are unconvinced that the MoD has the capacity to respond to any escalation in the risks that may appear beyond the UK’s shores. Furthermore we believe the risk is likely to worsen in the medium term as further maritime surveillance capabilities are withdrawn or not yet filled.”

The Committee is concerned that the MoD is sending mixed messages in respect of the need for a maritime patrol aircraft. On one hand it says that there is no requirement for such an aircraft and that it is not funded or in the programme but on the other hand it acknowledges that its absence is a risk and something may need to be done.

 

Chair of the Committee, Rt Hon James Arbuthnot, says,

“The MoD must explain why it is satisfactory to wait until 2015 or beyond before deciding how to close the capability gap in maritime surveillance.”

 

The Committee is also concerned about the withdrawal of other maritime surveillance assets, such as the Type 22 Broadsword Frigates, and the potential for other capability gaps to occur in the future, for example when the Sea King (SKASaC) helicopter is taken out of service in 2016 to be replaced by Project CROWSNEST operating from the Merlin Mk 2 helicopter. However the report acknowledges the work the MoD has undertaken to explore the potential options for maritime surveillance in the longer term, such as unmanned systems, lighter-than-air vehicles and space technology.

 

The report welcomes the establishment of the Maritime Security Oversight Group and the National Maritime Information Centre as first steps towards a more strategic and co-ordinated output and as a way of mitigating some of the capability gaps. The challenge is to develop these further. The Committee is keen to see a more prominent ministerial role in maritime surveillance, particularly given the number of cross-government interests that exist.

It will be business as usual of course, the Committee issues a strongly worded report, the MoD look concerned, write a response and carry on normal jogging.

Related articles from the bowels of Think Defence

http://www.thinkdefence.co.uk/2012/04/future-uk-maritime-patrol/

http://www.thinkdefence.co.uk/2012/09/the-airbus-a400m-atlas-part-3-a-multi-purpose-platform/

http://www.thinkdefence.co.uk/2012/09/the-airbus-a400m-atlas-part-1-background-progress-and-c130j-or-c17-options/

http://www.thinkdefence.co.uk/2012/09/the-airbus-a400m-atlas-part-5-say-hello-to-my-little-brother/

http://www.thinkdefence.co.uk/2012/07/an-interesting-proposal-from-mr-boeing/

http://www.thinkdefence.co.uk/2011/12/a319-maritime-patrol-aircraft/

http://www.thinkdefence.co.uk/2011/07/the-reason-nimrod-was-cancelled/

http://www.thinkdefence.co.uk/2011/03/a-spare-3-47-and-an-iou-for-mpas-what-shall-we-buy-then/

http://www.thinkdefence.co.uk/2011/02/narco-subs-a-conventional-threat/

http://www.thinkdefence.co.uk/2011/06/nimrod-strikes-back/

http://www.thinkdefence.co.uk/2011/03/a-spare-billion-for-mpas-what-shall-we-buy-then/

sept 19, 2012 Damien Kerlouet (BRUXELLES2)

Des hélicoptères européens vont voler ensemble au dessus du sol belge dans le cadre d’un exercice européen. Dénommée «Green Blade», la manoeuvre, entamée le 17 septembre, se terminera le 5 octobre à partir de la base aérienne de Kleine Brogel (Belgique). Au total 18 appareils italiens, belges et allemands s’entraineront ensemble, allant d’hélicoptères de transport CH47 aux engins utilitaires tels que l’A109 et l’UH-1D et en passant par l’hélicoptère d’attaque A129. Organisé par l’Agence Européenne de Défense (AED), Green Blade se déroule en coordination avec l’exercice international Pegasus. Ce dernier étant également organisé par les forces spéciales belges et dépendant d’une forte participation en hélicoptères. En tout, 800 personnes vont ainsi être mobilisées pour les deux exercices, rassemblant des militaires d’Italie, d’Allemagne, de Belgique, d’Autriche, du Luxembourg, d’Irlande et d’Espagne (et du Canada dans le cadre Pegasus).

Un programme bien chargé

«Afin de maximiser le réalisme de ces missions tests», les hélicoptères travailleront en concert avec d’autres moyens aériens tels que des AWACS, des F16, des C130 ainsi que des UAVs, dont le B-Hunter belge, qui «sera intégré dans le cadre de reconnaissance et de surveillance de cibles (…) ainsi qu’en surveillance lors de scénarios de récupération du personnel » indique-t-on à l’agence européenne de défense. La majorité des 65 missions devrait se dérouler en Belgique (côté flamand) autour de zones «peu habitées et géographiquement variées». Trois semaines d’entraînements en perspective donc, qui vont couvrir un large spectre d’activités militaires. Trois modules sont au programme. Les pilotes commenceront par des exercices de perfectionnement de combat et d’entraînement à l’intégration des forces, leur permettant de se familiariser avec l’espace aérien belge et ses règles propres, tout en accomplissant les exercices en complicité avec les autres unités (dont des vols en vision nocturne et au ras de terre). Le second module ne comprendra exclusivement que des exercices des forces spéciales (insertion/Extraction, Action Directe, Récupération du Personnel, Surveillance, Renseignement et Reconnaissance). Enfin, la troisième et dernière étape ressemblera de près à la deuxième mais se déroulera dans le sud-est du pays, sans en savoir plus quant à la location exacte.

Objectif : augmenter la déployabilité des forces

L’Agence Européenne de Défense espère, à travers ces quelques 650 heures de vol, améliorer les capacités de déployabilité de sa flotte d’hélicoptères. «Nous nous battons ensemble, et nous devons donc travailler ensemble, mettre nos ressources en commun» explique Peter Round, le directeur des capacités à l’Agence. Sans compter que peu de pays européens peuvent se permettre une opération de cette ampleur par leurs seuls moyens nationaux. «Un exercice tel que celui-ci est le meilleur moyen d’apporter un entrainement de haute qualité en ces temps difficile» s’explique M. Round.

Un des plus vieux programmes

«Green Blade» est le plus récent des exercices de l’Agence. Mais ce programme a démarré il y a trois ans déjà. De fait, c’est un des plus vieux programmes dans la lignée des initiatives « pooling and sharing » adoubées par les Ministres de la Défense à la réunion ministérielle de Gand. Depuis 2009, ainsi, 108 appareils ont participé à ces entraînements en France (Gap 2009), en Espagne (Logrono 2010), en Italie (Viterbo 2011) et au Portugal, cet été près de Porto. (Voir : C’est l’été, les pilotes européens s’entraînent). L’Agence organise également un programme visant à former des instructeurs «européens» ; placé sous les auspices du Royaume-Uni et de la Suède, le programme vise à harmoniser l’apprentissage des formateurs à travers l’UE.

Sep. 18, 2012 By ANDREW CHUTER  Defense News

LONDON — With capability already compromised by the axing of the BAE System’s’ Nimrod MRA4 patrol aircraft, the British military faces a further decline in maritime surveillance capabilities as other key assets are withdrawn, a Parliamentary defense committee report warns.

The report on maritime surveillance, scheduled to be released Sept 19, will say that the committee is concerned about the Ministry of Defense’s capacity to manage further emerging capability gaps in the short and medium term.

In a statement, the committee’s chairman, James Arbuthnot, said the panel is “unconvinced that the MoD has the capacity to respond to any escalation in the risks that may appear beyond the UK’s shores. Furthermore, we believe the risk is likely to worsen in the medium term as further maritime surveillance capabilities are withdrawn or not yet filled.”

Responding to the report, new Armed Forces Minister Andrew Robathan said, “Maritime surveillance is being delivered by a wide range of military assets, including our surface ships, submarines, Merlin and Sea King helicopters, Sentry and Hercules aircraft, and we are also cooperating with our allies.

“Tough decisions had to be taken to get the MoD’s books back into balance, and canceling the Nimrod MRA4 program was the right decision,” he said.

The MRA4 was Britain’s only maritime surveillance and attack aircraft but was cut ahead of entering service. Along with the scrapping of the Royal Navy’s aircraft carrier capability, it was the most controversial decision of the 2010 strategic defense and security review held by the cash-strapped, Conservative-led coalition government.

Scrapping the aircraft, largely for financial reasons, has left the British with a serious capability gap in areas like long-range surface and underwater detection and the protection of naval vessels, including nuclear-deterrent submarines as they exit their bases.

Since the MRA4 was ditched, the government has also withdrawn four Type-22 frigates with intelligence-gathering and towed-array sonar capabilities and, at least for the moment, is sticking to the line that it will axe the Sentinel intelligence, surveillance, target-acquisition and reconnaissance aircraft once the Afghanistan campaign runs down.

Some believe the almost-new Sentinel capability could be adapted for maritime duties.

The capability could decline further, though, with the removal of the Royal Navy’s Sea King airborne surveillance and control helicopter fleet.

“There is the potential for other capability gaps to occur, such as when the Sea King (SKASaC) helicopter is withdrawn in 2016 to be replaced by the Project Crow’s Nest operating from the Merlin Mk2 [helicopter],” according to the report.

The Lockheed Martin-led Crow’s Nest is in limbo for the moment while the MoD looks for funding for the program.

The committee said it was disappointed by the MoD’s assertion that there was no requirement and no funding to buy a replacement maritime patrol aircraft at present.

Responding to a parliamentary question Sept 17, new procurement minister Philip Dunne said, “A decision on any future requirement will not be made until the strategic defense and security review in 2015.”

That hasn’t stopped would-be suppliers from peppering the MoD with proposals in the last year or so for an interim or long-term replacement for the MRA4.

At the Farnborough airshow in July, potential suppliers like EADS, Saab, L-3, Boeing and Lockheed Martin were already trying to catch the MoD’s eye.

The committee said it was concerned the MoD was sending mixed messages in respect of the need for a maritime patrol aircraft.

“On the one hand it says that there is no requirement for such an aircraft and that it is not funded, but on the other it acknowledges that its absence is a risk and something may need to be done,” the report notes.

The MoD recently revealed it was urgently seeking a limited number of UAV systems capable of being deployed from warships to improve maritime surveillance capabilities.

19.09.2012 Mer et Marine

L’Etat-major de la Marine nationale et la Direction Générale de l’Armement planche sur le rachat d’un nouveau système de drone aérien Camcopter S-100, produit par le groupe autrichien Schiebel. Le premier engin de ce type a, en effet, été accidentellement perdu en mer le mois dernier, quelques semaines seulement après son acquisition par la DGA. Baptisé Serval, le drone de 200 kilos était déployé sur le patrouilleur hauturier d’expérimentation L’Adroit, dans le cadre d’une campagne visant à évaluer l’utilisation et le maintien en condition opérationnelle d’un drone embarqué. Ces derniers mois, le Serval, mis en œuvre par une équipe du CEPA/10S, avait notamment été employé depuis le patrouilleur pour des missions d’identification et de surveillance grâce à la boule optronique (avec caméra TV et infrarouge) embarquée sur l’engin et transmettant ses images au bateau porteur. Considérant que l’apprentissage et la maîtrise des engins sans pilote est l’un des grands enjeux des prochaines années, les marins français souhaitent, malgré la perte du premier Serval au large de l’Afrique, disposer rapidement d’un nouvel engin afin de poursuivre les expérimentations.

Le Serval (Photo : Marine nationale)

Premier appontage d’un engin de 2 tonnes dans les prochaines semaines

Dans le même temps, la flotte française, première d’Europe à déployer un drone sur un bâtiment, se prépare à un nouvel évènement majeur dans ce domaine. Dans les prochaines semaines, probablement fin septembre, un drone de 2 tonnes devrait réaliser son premier appontage sur une frégate de la marine. Les tests seront menés dans le cadre de la Démonstration technologique d'un système d'appontage et d'atterrissage pour drones (D2AD), notifiée en juin 2009 par la DGA à Thales et DCNS. Dans cette perspective, les deux industriels ont réalisé de premiers atterrissages et  décollages automatiques depuis une plateforme terrestre aux Etats-Unis, une phase préparatoire indispensable aux essais qui vont être menés en mer. Le drone retenu pour cette campagne est le H-6U Little Bird, développé par Boeing à partir de l'hélicoptère piloté MD 530.

Qu’il s’agisse de l’expérimentation menée avec le Serval ou du contrat D2AD, ces travaux ont pour objectif de préparer le lancement du futur SDAM (Système de drone aérien de la marine).

Le Little Bird lors des essais aux Etats-Unis (Photo : DCNS)

September 18, 2012 Think Defence

I think we all understand the desire of those in mainland Europe to move ever closer to a single entity in all matters, many have foreseen this and despite the so called Euro scepticism in the some of the mainstream political parties and general feeling of negativity amongst the public they all either seem unable to articulate a coherent alternative or simply want more Europe anyway.

For many, defence cooperation which inevitably leads to defence co-dependence and ultimately defence unification is a red line but by their deeds we should know them, not their cheap soundbites.

The issue of the possible merger of BAE and EADS and the current governments reaction to it will demonstrably show which flag their colours are nailed to and despite the reported ‘conditions’ David Cameron and Nick Clegg are thought to be in favour.

With EADS, which is largely owned by the French and German governments, set to have a majority stake in the new organisation we will have little  influence. One can’t blame BAE, despite their sometimes deserved reputation for milking the MoD’s teat, the simple fact is they have been arsed around by incompetent government defence industrial policy for a long time.

So with the nations apex defence contractor under effective foreign government control the rest will surely follow.

With good, or bad timing, depending on your perspective, the Final Report of the Future of Europe Group of the Foreign Ministers of Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Italy, Germany, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal and Spain was published yesterday.