15.06.2014 Youval Gordon – IsraelValley.com

Eurosatory, ou « Semaine internationale de la défense et la sécurité», est un salon international d’exposition des produits du monde de la défense et de la sécurité : terrestre, aéroterrestre. Il se tient tous les deux ans en juin au parc des expositions de Paris-Nord Villepinte. Cette exposition est aussi appelée « Salon de l’armement ».

De nombreuses sociétés israéliennes sont présentes sur le pavillon israélien d’Eurosatory. Un nouveau record pour 2014. En quantité et en qualité, qu’il s’agisse de sécurité et de défense physique ou logique (cyber). Premier tour d’horizon rapide au cœur du microcosme militaro-industriel israélien :

1. Sibat, le bras export et coopération internationale du ministère de la défense israélien. Incontournable pour les autorisations.

2. Elbit Systems fait partie des leaders mondiaux en électronique de défense. Le cœur de métier d’Elbit est le C4ISR (commande, contrôle, communication, computer, intelligence, surveillance et reconnaissance), les systèmes de guerre info-centrée, les véhicules sans pilote pour la défense ou la sécurité intérieure. Elbit fait l’objet d’une double cotation sur le Nasdaq et sur le TASE israélien.

3. Gilat Satcom est le champion des communications satellites en Afrique, Asie et au Moyen Orient. Les solutions de Gilat s’adressent aux opérateurs, aux fournisseurs d’accès, aux gouvernements, aux organisations internationales, etc. Gilat apporte des solutions de communications et permet le déploiement de réseaux privés dans les lieux les plus reculés. Il est ici question de qualité de service, de solutions de satellite mobile sur terre, air, mer.

4. IMI Israel Military Industries, fondée en 1933 sous le mandat britannique. a conçu à l’origine des armes de renommée mondiale (Uzi, Galil, Tavor etc, une branche privatisée en 2005 pour devenir IWI) mais le spectre d’activités de IMI est aujourd’hui infiniment plus large et couvre les systèmes de combat sur air, terre et mer.

Parmi les clients d’IMI on trouve bien sûr Tsahal, mais aussi l’armée américaine (l’USAF, l’US Army, la Navy), et les membres de l’OTAN. IMI compte 5 cinq branches d’activité: les munitions; les missiles; les tanks; les systèmes avancés (systèmes guidés, brouilleurs électro-optiques) et les leurres. A Eurosatory, IMI présente entre autres ses leurres anti-lance-missiles, ses têtes air-sol à fragmentation, ses stations mobiles de lance-missiles sol-air à courte portée (efficaces à 15 km), ses nouvelles grenades, ses bombes guidées, ses systèmes de protection passive et réactive contre les IEDs – engins explosifs improvisés – et les missiles avec soft et hard kills. Soft, on détourne. Hard, on fait exploser.

5. IAI, Israel Aerospace Industries, est la plus grande entreprise technologique israélienne (au coude à coude avec la pharmaceutique Teva) avec près de 17000 employés répartis en 20 divisions.

IAI présente sur les marchés civils et militaires est notamment spécialisée dans l’aéronautique, le spatial , la sécurité intérieure, la défense (air, terre, mer, espace, cyberespace). Son chiffre d’affaires est d’environ 4 milliards de dollars dont 80% réalisés à l’export. Le carnet de commande s’élève à 8 milliards de dollars. Parmi les fleurons du groupe: Elta spécialiste de la guerre électronique et la prestigieuse branche missile et espace.

6/4/2014 IsraelDefense

The worldtribune reports that India and Israel have concluded an agreement to assemble a ballistic missile defense system after two years of discussions. The contract between Rafael, IAI and Indian companies should be signed by the end of the year. The system will be based on the Arrow system and the Indian Prithvi

India and Israel have reached an agreement for developing a ballistic missile defense system, according to the worldtribune website. Indian sources said Israel and India concluded more than two years of negotiations with an agreement in principle to build a BMD system for India (this confirms a report published two months ago on IsraelDefense).

The sources said the system would be designed to protect against nuclear warheads fired from China or Pakistan. “This system would integrate Indian and Israeli assets into a layered defense network,” a source said to worldtribune. The sources said the Indian Defense Ministry agreed to the project. But the two sides were preparing for contract negotiations that could extend into late 2014.

Israel has long offered a partnership in BMD development, particularly the Arrow system by Israel Aerospace Industries. The sources said New Dehli began to express strong interest only in 2013 when Israel proposed a program that would integrate and enhance Indian air defense assets.

"The Indians were looking for Israeli expertise and technology that would allow New Dehli to eventually work on its own in BMD,” the source said. “They were not interested in an off-the-shelf Arrow purchase." The initial agreement would partner IAI as well as Israel’s state-owned Rafael with India’s Defense Research and Development Organization, Bharat Dynamics and Bharat Electronics. All of the participants are state-owned entities, and Bharat Electronics has developed the Prithvi air defense system, scheduled for deployment in 2015. .

The attractiveness of the proposal is that India could contribute any asset deemed suitable for missile defense, including radars, interceptors and launchers,” the source said. “Because the network is meant to protect against a range of threats, no existing or future Indian system could be ruled out.”

03.04.2014 Yair Cohen (Savyon) – Israel Valley

Un deal qui va certainement booster les relations bilatérales entre les deux pays. L’Argentine est en négociation exclusives avec Israël pour racheter plus de 20 Kfirs (remis à jour) fabriqués dans l’Etat Hébreu depuis au moins 30 ans. C’est IAI qui devrait bénéficier de ce contrat important.

ISRAELVALLEY PLUS

Les origines du Kfir remontent à l’embargo imposé par la France en 1969. Suite à la guerre des Six Jours et à l’attaque de l’aéroport de Beyrouth par l’armée israélienne (Opération Gift, 28 décembre 1968), le président Charles de Gaulle décrète un embargo sur le Moyen-Orient (pour Israël, cela concerne principalement les vedettes Sa’ar III et les Mirage 5).

En conséquence, l’État hébreu n’est plus en mesure d’approvisionner son aviation militaire en chasseurs Mirage et pièces détachées. Les autorités décident de procéder au développement d’un chasseur de fabrication nationale.

Le gouvernement israélien lance alors deux projets : le projet Raam A, construction d’un appareil d’après les plans du Mirage 5 (celui-ci devient le Nesher) ; le projet Raam B, qui impliquait alors le changement du réacteur ATAR 9C par le General Electric J79 pour le projet Raam A.

Le 19 avril 1971, Alfred Frauenknecht, ingénieur suisse, employé de la firme helvétique Sulzer fabriquant sous licence le Dassault Mirage IIIS, a avoué avoir vendu les plans secrets de cet appareil à Israël pour la somme de 200 000 $;

25.03.2014 by Arie Egozi - FG

Tel Aviv - Israel Aerospace Industries is in different stages of negotiations with four countries that have shown interest in the Airbus Defence & Space C295 medium transport, fitted with an airborne early warning and control system suite supplied by its Elta Systems subsidiary.

Airbus has previously flown one of its C295 development aircraft with an aerodynamic model of an AEW rotodome installed.

Elta is offering a mission system including a radar, command, control and communications equipment and electronic intelligence sensors.

An Israeli source says the proposed AEW version of the C295 is an attractive option for air forces that already use the European design for transport applications. The current interest includes some nations that currently use the twin-turboprop, the source reveals.

Airbus says an AEW version of the C295 would have a mission endurance of up to 9h, and be capable of operating at an altitude of up to 26,000ft (7,930m). The company is exhibiting a Brazilian air force-operated C295 at the 25-30 March FIDAE show in Santiago, Chile.

17.02.2014 actunautique.com

Le Katana se destine à des missions de sécurité du littoral. C'est à New Delhi, lors du salon Defexpo, qu'il a été dévoilé, qui porte le nom du sabre des samouraïs japonais pour mettre en avant sa vitesse, sa fiabilité et la létalité de son système (sic !).

Ce drone naval (véhicules marins de surface sans pilote ou USV), d'une douzaine de mètres de long, motorisé par deux Z-Drive, intègre un système de navigation autonome, notamment anti-collisions, des systèmes de caméras, optiques et infra-rouges, des radars, des systèmes de communication ainsi... que de l'armement ! Outre son rôle de drone, le KATANA peut être transformé en quelques minutes à peine, en un intercepteur pouvant accueillir 4 membres d'équipage.

Les missions auxquelles se destine le Katana consistent dans la protection des Zones d'Exclusivité Economiques (ZEE), des frontières maritimes, des plateformes de forage, des gazoducs offshore.

Il serait également particulièrement adapté à la sécurité portuaire et à la guerre électronique (l'espionnage), ainsi qu'au renseignement...

Il est à noter que la marine israélienne utilise déjà des bateaux drones dénommés Protector, fabriqués par la société Rafael.

Jan. 20, 2014 By Arie Egozi - FG

Tel Aviv - The two airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) system aircraft that Italy will get from Israel – linked to the latter's acquisition of the Alenia Aermacchi M-346 trainer – will have some "extra" capabilities, based mainly on the miniaturisation of the different building blocks.

Israel Aerospace Industries' Elta Systems subsidiary is currently manufacturing the AEW&C system selected by the Italian air force, with the service's modified Gulfstream G550 business jets expected to be delivered in late 2015.

The Israeli air force is to field a fleet of 30 M-346 trainers, which it will refer to as the "Lavi".

IAI has previously supplied G550-based AEW&C aircraft to the air forces of Israel and Singapore. These operate a combined six of the model, according to Flightglobal's Ascend Online Fleets database.

In a parallel effort, Elta continues to offer a version of its AEW&C package with the Airbus Defence & Space C295 – a radome-equipped demonstrator of which has already been shown to potential clients.

The G550 and C295 are offered with a full range of equipment, including an AEW radar, electronic intelligence and communications intelligence sensors, plus self-protection systems, command and control systems and a comprehensive communication suite – including datalinks and a satellite communication capability.

Nov. 26, 2013 defense-unmanned.com

(Source: Israel Aerospace Industries; issued Nov. 25, 2013)

Israel Aerospace Industries' Unmanned Aerial Systems Surpass One Million Operational Flight Hours - an Unprecedented Accomplishment

Israel Aerospace Industries' (IAI) Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) have accumulated over one million operational flight hours worldwide – an unprecedented accomplishment.

IAI will present its UAS and Unmanned Ground Vehicles (UGVs) at the AUS&R 2013 Expo of Autonomous, Unmanned Systems & Robotics, which will be held tomorrow, Tuesday November 26, 2013, in Reshon Lezion, Israel.

Regarding the AUS&R Expo, Joseph Weiss, IAI's president & CEO said: "IAI has long been a leading pioneer in the field of unmanned aerial systems. With over forty years of operational experience and fifty customers worldwide, I am proud to announce that IAI's unmanned aerial systems have accumulated over one million flight hours.

“The Heron UAS has been the leading system in its class in the international markets for over a decade and has been sold to 20 customers worldwide. Heron has accumulated over 200,000 operational flight hours with extensive use in combat in Afghanistan and in other hot spots around the world.

“As a result of the lessons learned from the Heron’s exceptional history and extensive experience, we continue to refine and upgrade the Heron and our UAS's design."

30.09.2013 ( Xinhua )

La société Israël Aerospace Industries (IAI), propriété de l'Etat, a emporté un contrat pour fournir à la Marine israélienne trois navires patrouilleurs rapides de prochaine génération, a indiqué dimanche la société dans une déclaration.

IAI, le plus important fournisseur de la défense israélienne, a expliqué que le Super Dvora III, doté d'un équipage de 12 personnes, développé et fabriqué par sa division Ramta, disposait d'un système de propulsion avancé qui permet des manoeuvres rapides et précises, de capacités de défense et d'attaque, et d'une autonomie de croisière de 1000 miles nautiques, selon la déclaration.

Les détails sur le montant du contrat et la date de livraison n'ont pas été révélés.

La Marine israélienne déploie à l'heure actuelle quatre Super Dvora dans des patrouilles de sécurité de routine le long des côtes du pays et des frontières maritimes avec le Liban et la bande de Gaza, dans le cadre d'opérations anti-terrorisme et anti-infiltration. Ces navires ont également pour mission de prévenir la contrebande ou toute autre activité illégale mettant en danger des avoirs stratégiques, tels que les gisements de gaz naturel découverts récemment, a indiqué IAI.

L'entreprise a décrit le vaisseau de quatrième génération inclus dans le contrat comme "un des plus avancés au monde" dans la catégorie d'attaque rapide du fait de sa vitesse exceptionnelle, sa robustesse et détection avancée, sa navigation, ses communications, ses missiles de défense et ses mesures pour des tirs de précision, expliquant qu'il est adapté pour avoir la supériorité en cas de combat rapproché.

La division Ramta de IAI, dont le quartier général est situé dans la ville de Beersheba, au milieu du désert, a déjà vendu plus de 120 Super Dvora des générations précédentes aux différentes Marines du monde entier.

Oct 12, 2012 Spacedaily.com (UPI)

Tel Aviv, Israel - Israel Aerospace Industries, flagship of the Jewish state's defense sector, is reported to have secured a $958 million contract from India's military to upgrade its IAI-built Heron and Searcher unmanned aerial vehicles.

UAVs are one of the biggest money-spinners for Israel's defense industry and India, which is engaged in a massive multiyear rearmament program, is a key customer.

Israel's Globes business daily cited Indian media reports that the deal covers some 150 UAVs acquired from IAI since the 1990s that are operated by India's army, air force and navy.

The Indian army deploys around 100 Searchers along the country's western, eastern and northern borders. The air force employs Searcher IIs and Herons for reconnaissance and surveillance missions.

"Once the upgrades are complete, the air force will be able to use the aircraft for long-range missions and control them through satellite communications systems," Globes reported.

Israel is one of the world's leading arms exporters, with most of its key customers in the developing world.

The U.S. Congressional Research Service at the Library of Congress reported in August that from 2004-11, Israel signed arms transfer agreements worth $12.9 billion. That ranked it as the eighth largest arms supplier in the world, behind the United States, Russia, France, Britain, Germany, China and Italy.

IAI has had major dealings with India in recent years.

In early 2006, IAI and the Indian Defense Research Development Organization signed a $480 million contract on missile development. Israeli business sources said the deal was a major boost to IAI's orders backlog at a time when Israel's defense industry, a key revenue earner, had to grapple with a big dip in the global market.

IAI won a $1.1 billion deal with the Indian navy in 2009 to provide advanced Barak-8 tactical air-defense missile systems for its warships. The Indian army is jointly funding a project to adapt the Barak-8 into a multipurpose weapons system.

Also in 2009, Israel's Rafael Advanced Defense Systems secured a $1 billion contract with New Delhi for 18 Spyder surface-to-air missile systems by 2012.

IAI sold the Indian air force three Phalcon early warning aircraft worth $1.1 billion in 2004.

All told, Israeli companies have sold India weapons and other military systems worth more than $10 billion over the last decade or so. In 2007, the Jewish state replaced France as India's second largest arms supplier after Russia.

India has also expressed interest in Israel's Arrow-2 anti-ballistic missile system jointly manufactured by IAI and the Boeing Co. of the United States.

But the technology transfer involved could impede any sale since U.S. approval would be required.

With a significant slowdown in the growth of high-tech exports to the United States and Europe, Israeli defense exporters are shifting their marketing focus to Asia.

In 2010, Israeli defense sales reached $9.6 billion, with the three largest defense-oriented companies along employing 30,600 people.

In March, India blacklisted Israel Military Industries, a major arms manufacturer, for 10 years because of a 2009 bribery scandal that has dogged links between the Jewish state's defense industry and one of its biggest customers.

State-owned IMI is the main supplier of defense platforms for the Israeli military and is a significant exporter in the defense field. This sector that has become increasingly crucial to maintaining production lines and developing new systems at a time when the government is slashing Israel's defense budget.

The decision by the Indian government "is expected to significantly impact IMI's activities in India, as well as that of other Israeli defense firms," the liberal Haaretz daily reported following the announcement of the blacklisting.

"However," Oxford Analytica observed in a December analysis, "these industries are now facing a problem similar to the one they faced in the late 1970s and early 1980s, when they reacted quickly to the lessons learned during the 1973 war and the spate of airline hijackings.

"Systems invented at that time included UAVs and sophisticated airport security networks but for a while it was hard to sell these products.

"Both systems have since been adopted by the security forces of many countries and form the core of Israeli defense exports."

NEW DELHI, Aug. 10 (UPI)

India's government in March banned several foreign defense contractors from bidding on contracts.

The restrictions are to last a decade

India is a key export market for Israeli defense firms, including Israel Military Industries, Israel Aerospace Industries, Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and Elbit Systems.

Defense imports are critical for India's defense establishment, which, lacking a domestic military industrial base, remains dependent on foreign imports for roughly 70 percent of its military purchases.

The ban, which includes IMI, has attracted critics, as shortsighted.

"We can expect the indigenous manufacture of ammunition to be slow, and we will have to import more artillery ammunition in the future as a result of the ban," retired Brigadier Gen. Rahul Bhonsle with New Delhi's Sasia Security-risks.com Pvt Ltd. told The Times of India.

"Many of the banned firms are the owners of proprietary technologies. These technologies may not be available with other contractors, so the country's defense establishment is set to lose access to such technology."

New Delhi's Society for the Study of Peace and Conflict Vice President Deba Ranjan Mohanty added, "This is a lose-lose situation for both the companies banned from bidding contracts and the country, which is heavily dependent on foreign countries for purchasing arms and defense technologies."

The situation "is not a very happy one," she said.

"The blacklisting act was thus necessary to make the system more transparent," Moanty said. "The defense firms will be more careful and not indulge in unfair practices as a result."

Israeli arms sale to India are longstanding -- in the 2001-06 period India purchased arms worth nearly $15 billion from Israel.

In March, India announced it had blacklisted the six weapons firms, including IMI, in connection with an alleged bribery scandal in 2009.

"We are surprised by the Indian Defense ministry's decision because the process of hearings over the intended sanctions against the company has not been completed," IMI spokesman Josh Hantman said when the ban was imposed.

Hantman added that the decision was premature and unexpected, "especially in light of the fact that IMI had good reasons to oppose this measure. The Israeli Defense ministry will consult with Israel Military Industries about how to respond to the Indian Defense Ministry decision."

The fiscal stakes are immense, as India intends to spend upward of $100 billion in acquiring weapon systems and platforms over the next decade.

Among those nations seeking to increase their market share is the United States.

U.S. Deputy Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter recently said, "As a country committed to enduring peace and security in the Asia-Pacific region, India deserves the best military equipment available ... India is a top priority in our export considerations.

"Practically, we want to be India's highest-quality and most trusted long-term supplier of technology ... We trust India and know India is not a re-exporter or exploiter of our technologies."

February 16, 2012 Noam Eshel – Defense Update

Facing a growing threat of ballistic missiles and rockets capable of hitting any point in the country from distances of four, up to 2,000km, Israel has grouped its air defense forces into the ‘Air Defense Command’, integrating all active defense elements into an multi-layered defensive system. Israel’s missile defense wing currently maintains two principal assets, the ‘Sword Shield’ unit operating the IAI Arrow-2 ASIP (improved versions) since 1998, and the new ‘Iron Dome’ unit, equipped with three Rafael Counter-Rocket, Artillery & Missile (C-RAM) missile systems. The two systems were developed in Israel to meet specific requirements, peculiar to Israel at the time. The Arrow was designed to intercept Scud type medium range ballistic missiles, acquired by Iraq and Syria, while the Iron Dome was developed to defend from terrorist rocket attacks Israel has endured since 1968.

Arrow 2 is designed to intercept ballistic missiles at their terminal phase, as they re-enter the atmosphere. Unlike the modern air defense missiles, employing ‘hit to kill’ interceptors, Arrow 2 uses an advanced ‘aimable’ warhead to increase hit probability when passing the target at extremely high closing speed. Arrow 2 ASIP represents the latest evolution of the Arrow system, capable of intercepting faster targets, fired from longer ranges. The next step in its evolution is the Arrow 3 Exo-Atmospheric missile interceptor, currently in development. With thrust vectoring kill vehicle designed for hit-to-kill intercept, Arrow 3 will provide the ‘upper tier’ for the Israeli missile defense system, engaging hostile missiles in space, through their midcourse phase. The proliferation of ballistic missiles throughout Asia has triggered missile defense programs in the region, and the Israelis are hopeful that the newly expanded cooperation with the Boeing Company will open new opportunities for export of Arrow systems.

A most significant change will take place in 2013, as the new David’s Sling missile system, currently in final developmental testing at Rafael, will reach initial operational capability. Unlike the task specific Arrow 2 and Iron Dome, David’s Sling was developed as a flexible, multi-purpose weapon system capable of engaging aircraft, cruise missiles, ballistic and guided missiles as well as long range ballistic rockets. The missile is designed for land based, maritime and airborne applications. Providing a common missile known as ‘Stunner’, it is fitted with a dual seeker (IIR+RF) and a powerful multi-stage rocket motor enabling all weather operation and powerful kinematics including effective endgame maneuverability at extended ranges. David’s Sling will initially deploy with the IAF ‘Air Defense’ wing, replacing the Hawk missiles.

The system’s primary role will be to intercept medium and long-range ballistic and guided rockets, such as the Fajr-5 and M-600 (a Syrian copy of the Iranian Fateh-110), carrying half-ton warhead, these threats have a range of about 300 kilometers.

A different threat expected from the sea is the Russian supersonic Yakhont anti-ship missile recently delivered to Syria. This threat would be challenged by another air-defense system developed in Israel – IAI’s Barak 8. The missile, developed by IAI is designed to replace the existing Barak I point defense missile system deployed on the Israeli Saar V corvettes, providing extended ‘networked’ air defense protecting naval forces or offshore installations over a large area. Unlike the Arrow and David’s Sling, Barak-8 was developed without U.S. support, as it was designed primarily for the export market. Developed primarily as a naval air defense missile, Barak 8 is the cornerstone of the Indian Medium and Long Range Surface to Air Missile (MR-SAM/LR-SAM). The missile made the first flight test in 2010 and the entire system is scheduled to enter developmental testing in Israel and India in early 2012.

Iron Dome represents the world’s first combat proven C-RAM missile system. The IAF is planning to deploy a fourth Iron Dome battery in the coming months and is mulling the possibility of stationing it in Haifa Bay to protect Israel’s strategic industrial hub located there. The Defense Ministry has allocated a budget to manufacture three additional batteries by the end of 2012. IAF operational requirements call for the deployment of about a dozen batteries along Israel’s northern and southern borders. Future evolution of Iron Dome foresee the use of the system as a mobile asset, providing mobile land forces with protective C-RAM coverage, countering UAVs and defeating precision guided weapon attacks. Rafael is also evaluating a short-range complement for the current system, utilizing a guided projectile to be developed with the Italian group Oto-Melara.

Dassault is negotiating with Israel Aerospace Industries on the contract for the Heron TP, which the French company would then deliver to French authorities. (Israel Aerospace Industries)

16 Jan 2012 By PIERRE TRAN DefenseNews

PARIS - France is offering the Heron TP as its contribution in kind to the NATO Alliance Ground Surveillance program, but technical and financial problems related to adapting the medium-altitude, long-endurance (MALE) UAV to French standards are holding up a deal with Dassault and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), industrial and political sources said.

French Defense Minister Gerard Longuet told the French aerospace journalists' press club that the deal would be sealed by "the end of 2012."

That's later than expected by industry and parliamentary sources, who had thought the controversial contract would be signed before the presidential elections starting in April.

Dassault is negotiating with IAI on the contract for the Heron TP, which the French company would then deliver to French authorities.

"There are many difficulties" on adapting the Heron TP, driving the cost above the 320 million euro ($408 million) budget, a parliamentary source said. An extra 150 million euros each for Dassault and Thales has been estimated for the modifications, the source said.

That would push the cost to 620 million euros, approaching the 700 million euro price tag of a previous Dassault offer of the Système de Drone MALE.

The Defense Ministry has asked Dassault to submit a technical-financial proposal on the Heron TP at the end of the month.

Among the key modifications are a satellite communications link and de-icing equipment, vital to plugging the UAV into the French - and NATO - network and fly in the northern European climate, the industry executive said.

Procurement officials are working hard to make progress on the UAV case, and one option might be to acquire the Heron TP with little or no modification, the executive said.

That might create problems of interoperability within NATO as Paris has offered the Heron TP as its asset contribution, instead of paying cash, toward maintaining the AGS system, the executive said.

Although 13 nations are acquiring AGS, based on the Northrop Grumman Global Hawk UAV, all 28 alliance members help maintain the system in return for access to AGS information.

"The AGS package is still being discussed at NATO," an alliance press officer said. "It is a topic to be discussed in the February meeting of defense ministers."

NATO has long sought to launch the AGS program, intended to provide commanders with a common operational picture.

France has had a troubled relationship with AGS, as Paris looked to gain a big technological role. The planned AGS system relies on five Global Hawks to provide radar and optical pictures of conditions the ground, and a network of transportable ground stations. The UAVs will be based at Sigonella airbase, Italy.

The choice of the Heron TP sparked resistance in the French Senate, which argued for acquisition of General Atomics' Reaper on grounds of cost, performance and interoperability with allied forces.

Longuet defended the choice of the Israeli UAV as "a compromise between capability and a long-term interest for industrial policy," he told the press club.

"We could have found a cheaper, more efficient, quicker solution, but at the [unacceptable] price of long-term dependence," he said.

Longuet denied that most of the contract value would go to IAI, saying that air vehicle is the smallest part of the system, with communication and observation more important.

The government argues that adapting the Heron TP to French needs will help develop competences among about 10 domestic companies in high-value areas, particularly in communications. Critics of the choice say there would be more work for French companies on the Reaper, pitched by EADS and General Atomics.

"No proposition was made by Reaper, which did not want to share, nor to adapt to French standards," Longuet said.

General Atomics did not make a formal offer because France did not send a letter of request, an industry executive said.

In 2010, the U.S. company signed a technical-assistance agreement with EADS detailing its offer, the executive said. The agreement listed modifications, including a communications link developed by French equipment firm Zodiac for the Harfang UAV flying in Afghanistan.

General Atomics also wrote in June 2011 to French Sens. Jacques Gautier and Daniel Reiner, setting out a $209 million offer for seven air vehicles, ground gear and service support.

The government, however, sees Dassault as holding a key position on a strategic roadmap intended to ensure interoperability in observation, surveillance, targeting and air power. That position stems from its work on the Rafale and Anglo-French cooperation, in the government's view.

Longuet said risk-reduction work on the Heron TP would start in 2013.

Dassault and DGA were unavailable for comment.

On a proposed new MALE UAV to be developed with Britain, Longuet urged a pan-European rather than a strictly bilateral approach.

The project "should accept the construction of Europe," he said. "We can't ignore countries with industrial capabilities. We'll probably have an Anglo-French project, which cannot avoid opening to other European partners."

On the Anglo-French cooperation treaty, Longuet said, a new date for a summit meeting would be set for before his birthday on Feb. 24.

"There are no doubts on defense," he said on relations between London and Paris.

EADS and Finmeccanica signed a deal in December to team on UAV development, reflecting wider discontent in Italy and Germany over the Anglo-French defense accord.

France would not develop the EADS Talarion Advanced UAV, Longuet said.

One way of bringing a European dimension into the planned Anglo-French MALE UAV would be to integrate it into the European combat aircraft environment, dominated by the Eurofighter Typhoon and Rafale aircraft, Longuet said.

"If we're intelligent, we should say, 'You British work on Eurofighter with Germany, Italy and Spain, and we'll work on Rafale,'" he said. "It would be good if the MALE UAV were to be compatible with one and the other."

Other Programs

France will buy the A330 Multi-Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) from Airbus "in 2013 for delivery four years later," Longuet said, leaving Boeing out in the cold.

Longuet dismissed previous official denials that Airbus had been chosen as "semantic elegance."

The U.S. Air Force's $35 billion pick of Boeing over Airbus for its KC-X tender effectively shut the door on a French tender.

France is expected to order five to seven A330 MRTT units in a first-batch order that could total 14.

Paris had been considering leasing part of Britain's A330 tanker fleet, but the Libyan air campaign led French authorities to decide they wanted their own aircraft.

On domestic consolidation, Thales would likely take a 10 percent to 20 percent stake in Nexter in exchange for handing over its TDA Armements mortar and munitions business to the land systems specialist, Longuet said.

Thales' holding would be significant but would not leave Nexter "dependent," he said.

Answering a question on anxiety at DCNS, where Thales is raising its stake in the naval company to 35 percent from 25 percent, Longuet said, "Thales is not the obligatory supplier of systems. DCNS can choose its systems."

DCNS makes naval combat management systems, and executives fear Thales will impose its own products, relegating the company to being a platform maker.

Nexter and DCNS had to forge European alliances to compete with companies from emerging economies such as Brazil, but first they had to consolidate their domestic base, Longuet said. Nexter had to look to German partners, as that was where the land sector was strong, he said.

Asked about the health of French defense companies, Longuet said, "Thales is a company necessarily in more peril because it is innovative on creative subjects on a world scale. It is more difficult. It has to take risks and goes through periods of uncertainty."

Regarding arms exports, the 2011 total for France would be around 6.5 billion euros, helped by an Indian contract for modernization of its Mirage 2000 fighters, Longuet said. That compared with 5.12 billion in 2010.

In October, procurement chief Laurent Collet-Billon had told lawmakers in October he expected 2011 export sales to reach 7.5 billion euros.

On export prospects for the Rafale, Longuet said a UAE decision to pick the Rafale would help sell the fighter to Kuwait and Qatar, which want to be interoperable with their neighbor's Air Force.

"They are interested" but would not be the first to commit, he said. "If they think no decision is being made [by UAE], they will look elsewhere."

Kuwait is looking at acquiring 18 to 22 jet fighters, with Qatar potentially 24, industry executives said, according to La Tribune.

The Defense Ministry appeared to harbor worries about Qatar raising its stake in Lagardère, the family-controlled company which owns 7.5 percent of EADS.

"There are fewer problems in football than in military aeronautics," Longuet said. "It's a subject."

But the decision on Qatar's shareholding in Lagardère was up to the Finance Ministry, not the Defense Ministry, he said.

A Qatari sovereign fund holds 10.07 percent of Lagardère stock, making it the largest single stockholder in the French company, and has asked for a seat on the board. Qatar bought 70 percent of the Paris Saint Germain football club for 30 million euros in May.

Julian Hale in Brussels and Tom Kington in Rome contributed to this report.

Jun 21, 2011 ASDNews Source : Israel Aerospace Industries Ltd.

The German Air Force recently announced that the "Heron", Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI)' advanced unmanned aerial system (UAS), has achieved full operational capability (FOC) under its activities in Afghanistan.

It's a significant milestone for the program, where IAI provided its Heron UAV system, together with its partner Rheinmetall Defence, to the Bundeswehr (German Armed Forces). The program included full in-theatre logistical and maintenance services performed by Rheinmetall.

The aerial platforms supplied, are equipped with IAI's stabilized day/night electro-optical, SAR payloads and Satellite Communications (SATCOM). Within five months of the signing of the contract, Heron was already deployed in the Afghan skies.

The Heron MALE (Medium Altitude Long Endurance) UAS, is an interim solution, yet decisively enhances the Bundeswehr's important real- time intelligence, reconnaissance and surveillance (ISR) capabilities in their missions in Afghanistan. Heron is the first unmanned aerial system (UAS) ever to operate under the aegis of the GAF.

To date, the SAATEG interim solution has flown over 4,000 hours in Afghanistan, representing an average of twenty hours a day. At the end of May, the German Air Force declared the Heron squadron based in Mazar-e-Sharif to be fully operational.

Given its positive experience with the system, the Bundeswehr opted to extend the original one-year service contract for a further two years.

Furthermore, the German Air Force is reviewing ways of enhancing its performance.

In response to the Bundeswehr's requirement for a follow-on solution for SAATEG in the near term IAI and Rheinmetall plan to participate in the tender and offer IAI's Heron TP (turbo prop) strategic UAS. An advanced version of the Heron, the Heron TP is ready to go into operation right away. Heron TP was successfully inducted into the Israeli Air Force in February 2010.

To a large extent, the system will be modified and produced in Germany, meaning that it will make a major contribution to national know-how in this field.