05.11.2013 Helen Chachaty et Romain Guillot - journal-aviation.com

Dans un communiqué publié suite à un article d’Aviation Week, Lockheed Martin a dévoilé le 1er novembre son dernier projet en date : le SR-72, un démonstrateur de drone hypersonique, présenté comme « l’héritier du Blackbird » par Aviationweek.

Le projet, secrètement développé par le bureau d’études Skunk Works, serait capable, aux dires de l’avionneur américain, de voler jusqu’à Mach 6, soit deux fois la vitesse du SR-71 Blackbird. Le drone biréacteurs supersonique serait destiné aux missions de surveillance, de reconnaissance et de renseignement, avec une capacité d’emport d’armement, et notamment des missiles hypersoniques.

Brad Leland, directeur de programme « hypersonique » chez Lockheed Martin, a déclaré dans le communiqué : « La vitesse est le prochain enjeu dans le domaine de l’aviation pour contrer les menaces émergentes des prochaines décennies », comme le confirme le titre du communiqué de l’avionneur : « Speed is the new stealth ».

Le SR-72 combinera deux motorisations partageant les mêmes entrées d’air et les mêmes tuyères d’éjection pour réduire la trainée de l’appareil. Un réacteur conventionnel permettra à l’appareil de décoller puis d’atteindre une vitesse proche de Mach 3. Un statoréacteur bimode (pouvant fonctionner comme un superstatoréacteur à des vitesses hypersoniques) prendra ensuite le relais jusqu’à Mach 6 (voir schéma ci-dessous).

Lockheed Martin annonce par ailleurs que le système pourrait être opérationnel à partir de 2030, tandis qu’Aviation Week parle d’un démonstrateur dès 2018.

November 2, 2013. David Pugliese Defence Watch

Sikorsky’s chief financial officer says the company plans to deliver eight more Cyclone helicopters to Canada by the end of December.

Greg Hayes discussed the move during a third-quarter earnings phone call a couple of days ago with analysts. His statement is similar to what Sikorsky has been stating over the last little while.

The 8 Cyclones are in addition to the four already at Shearwater and being used for training….but not formally accepted by the Canadian government.

“Good news is the aircraft are up in Shearwater,” Hayes said. “They are flying. We’re getting traction with the customer. I think everybody recognizes they want to find a solution here, both at the Sikorsky and at the Canadian government level.”

Public Works has stated, however, that “training does not constitute acceptance of an interim helicopter.”

Dominic Perry of Flight Global has also noted that Hayes has hinted that contract negotiations with Canada could be imminent. “I’m going to be very cautious here. That’s atypical with me. I would say that we’re making progress, although it’s slow. And I think again, we haven’t really started formal contract negotiations,” said Hayes.

Russia's military export organization Rosoboronexport said Nov. 1 that it had completed deliveries to the US government of 12 transport helicopters destined for the Afghan National Army. (MC2 David Quillen / US Navy)

Nov. 1, 2013 - By ANDREW CHUTER – Defense News

LONDON — Russia’s military export organization Rosoboronexport said Nov. 1 that it had completed deliveries to the US government of 12 transport helicopters destined for the Afghan National Army.

Deliveries were completed last month, said the state-owned company in a statement. The 12 Mi-17V-5s were ordered in 2012 when the US government took up a $217 million option to purchase additional machines as a result of an earlier 2011 deal.

That deal involved the purchase by the US of 21 Mi-17s to bolster Afghan military transport capabilities in the run-up to the withdrawal of NATO combat forces by the end of next year.

At one point, the US Congress tried to block the purchase of helicopters from Rosoboronexport due to Russia’s continuing supply of military equipment to the Syrian regime of Bashar al-Assad, which is fighting a civil war with rebels. The Pentagon managed to sidestep the attempted ban.

Completion of deliveries of the latest batch of Mi-17s leaves a further 30 of the rotorcraft to be handed over to the US in 2014 under a $572 million deal Rosoboronexport signed earlier this year.

Oct 31, 2013 ASDNews Source : US Air Force

The F-35 Lightning II executed its first live-fire launch of a guided air-to-air missile over a military test range off the California coast on Oct. 30.

The AIM-120 advanced medium range air-to-air missile (AMRAAM) was fired from an F-35A (AF-6) conventional take-off and landing (CTOL) variant fighter operating from the F-35 Integrated Test Facility at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif.

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Nov 1, 2013 ASDNews Source : Northrop Grumman Corporation

    Unmanned Helicopter to Provide Greater Endurance, Payload and Range

Northrop Grumman Corporation and the U.S. Navy successfully completed the first flight of the next-generation MQ-8C Fire Scout unmanned helicopter at Naval Base Ventura County, Point Mugu, Calif.

At 12:05 p.m. the MQ-8C Fire Scout took off and flew for seven minutes in restricted airspace to validate the autonomous control systems. A second flight that took off at 2:39 p.m. for nine minutes was also flown in a pattern around the airfield, reaching 500 feet altitude.

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01/11/2013 by Paul Fiddian - Armed Forces International's Lead Reporter

Hot on the heels of China's recent nuclear submarine fleet unveiling, Taiwan has now showcased its first delivered submarine-hunting Lockheed P-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft.

The first Taiwanese Orion made its public debut at a handover event staged on 31 October 2013, in the presence of defence officials and Ma Ying-yeou - the President of Taiwan. The aircraft is one of 12 ultimately set to equip the Republic of China (Taiwanese) Navy, with three more airframes scheduled to arrive in coming weeks and the remainder by 2015.

According to President Ma, the Taiwanese P-3C fleet is "the most advanced among the hundreds that are serving many countries in the world." He added: "I believe that after the aircraft join the air force, we will see our underwater anti-submarine, ship-to-ship and air attack capabilities greatly enhanced."

Taiwanese Navy Orions

The Taiwanese Navy Orions are refurbished P-3C models. Capable of carrying out sustained 17 hour patrol missions, each carries MK46 torpedoes and Harpoon missiles. Military experts suggest that, equipped with these advanced maritime patrol aircraft, Taiwan's submarine-hunting capability will become no less than ten times more effective than at present.

In Republic of China Navy service, the Orions are the replacement for Taiwan's Grumman S-2T Turbo Trackers, which arrived in 1999. 27 Turbo Trackers were supplied but barely 50 per cent of them remain active. All Taiwanese Turbo Trackers now serve within the Republic of China Air Force.

A key component of NATO's maritime patrol capability, the Orion was originally the US Navy's Lockheed P-2 Neptune replacement and has now been in service for more than 50 years. Adapted from the Lockheed L-188 Electra airliner, it was given a weapons bay and a MAD (magnetic anomaly detector) system, used to detect submarines.

Taiwanese Submarine Hunters

News of the Taiwanese P-3C submarine hunters purchase first emerged in 2007, after former President Chen Shui-bian stressed the need for strengthened defences against China.

Almost six years on, his successor yesterday announced: "Although ties with the Chinese mainland have improved significantly in the last five years, they have not changed their military deployments targeting Taiwan. We must not relax our military preparations."

Right now, it's thought that China's PLA (People's Liberation Army) has some 1,500 missiles pointed Taiwan's way.

Oct 30, 2013 ASDNews Source : BAE Systems PLC

A new warship has been handed over to the Royal Navy of Oman amid colourful celebrations on HM Naval Base Portsmouth this morning.

AL RAHMANI is the second of three 99 metre corvettes designed, built and delivered for the Royal Navy of Oman as part of Project Khareef. Her Interim Acceptance, in which the ship’s title is transferred before sailing to Oman, marks an important milestone for the project.

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Oct 31, 2013 ASDNews Source : Northrop Grumman Corporation

The U.S. Air Force awarded Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) a $43 million contract to retrofit the E-8C Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System (Joint STARS) aircraft, trainers and laboratories. The contract has options for an additional three years to complete retrofit of the entire fleet.

The contract replaces computers in both the operator work stations (OWS) and radar signal processor, installs larger OWS displays to improve operator situational awareness and migrates the OWS operating system to a LINUX-based, open-system architecture. Upgrades to the system's on-board network infrastructure increase its bandwidth to improve communications performance for the operator.

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Oct. 29, 2013 defense-unmanned.com

(Source: Today's Zaman; published Oct. 28, 2013)

SSM Signs Agreement with TAI for 10 ANKA UAVs

İSTANBUL --- The Undersecretariat for the Defense Industry (SSM) has signed an agreement with local producer Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) for 10 ANKA unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).

According to a statement from the SSM yesterday, the agreement was signed on Oct. 25 and the vehicles and their ground control systems will be delivered between 2012 and 2018.

“In the framework of our project to take the utmost advantage of local opportunities, TAI, as the main contractor, will employ the services of many Turkish firms,” the statement said.

The ANKA, a medium-altitude, long-endurance (MALE) class UAV, is used by the armed forces for reconnaissance, observation and targeting.

Oct. 23, 2013 defense-unmanned.com

(Source: General Atomics Aeronautical Systems; issued October 22, 2013)

GA-ASI's Improved Gray Eagle Flies Over 45 Hours Non-Stop

AUSA ANNUAL, WASHINGTON --- General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI), a leading manufacturer of Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA), tactical reconnaissance radars, and electro-optic surveillance systems, today announced the successful completion of the first of two planned U.S. Army endurance demonstration flights with its Improved Gray Eagle (IGE) aircraft.

IGE, a next-generation derivative of the combat-proven Gray Eagle Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS), lifted off from GA-ASI's El Mirage Flight Operations Facility in Adelanto, Calif., at 6:56 a.m. on October 11th and landed 45.3 hours later at 4:16 a.m. on October 13th.

"This first endurance flight is a significant accomplishment for Improved Gray Eagle as it demonstrates the aircraft's game-changing potential for saving the lives of Army Soldiers abroad by providing extended surveillance coverage, along with the ability to self-transit to other remote distant locations," said Frank W. Pace, president, Aircraft Systems Group, GA-ASI.

IGE was developed by GA-ASI on Internal Research and Development (IRAD) funds to demonstrate the increased endurance potential and higher payload capacity with minor modifications to the existing Block 1 Gray Eagle platform. The Army Unmanned Aircraft Systems Project Office is supporting testing of the aircraft by funding two demonstration flights this year that are designed to validate the enhanced capabilities. The first endurance test was performed with the aircraft in a Reconnaissance, Surveillance, and Target Acquisition (RSTA) configuration. During the second demonstration, which is planned for later this year, IGE will carry a wing-mounted external payload and weapons.

IGE has a Max Gross Takeoff Weight (MGTOW) of 4,200 pounds, utilizing the 205HP Lycoming DEL-120 engine. Gray Eagle has a GTOW of 3,600 pounds with a 160HP rated engine. IGE's deep belly design and 500-pound centerline hard point allows for 850 pounds of internal fuel load, with an optional external fuel pod that can accommodate an additional 450 pounds (Gray Eagle's fuel load is 575 pounds). Use of this extra fuel would allow for RSTA missions in excess of 50 hours.

In addition, IGE has a maximum 540-pound internal payload capacity, compared to Gray Eagle's 400 pounds. This internal payload capacity, combined with the increased engine horsepower, provides growth capability for an improved airworthiness design, with the potential of incorporating lightning protection, damage tolerance, and Traffic Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) features.

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc., an affiliate of General Atomics, delivers situational awareness by providing remotely piloted aircraft, radar, and electro-optic solutions for military and commercial applications worldwide. The company's Aircraft Systems Group is a leading designer and manufacturer of proven, reliable remotely piloted aircraft systems, including Predator A, Predator B, Gray Eagle, the new Predator C Avenger, and Predator XP.

10/22/2013 Andrew Elwell - defenceiq.com

DARPA is experimenting with new designs to create a new generation of “ IED-proof ” armoured vehicles. In conjunction with the U.S. Army’s Research Laboratory and, a leading producer of aluminium and fabricated parts, crew protection is hoped to be significantly improved by designing a. No welds, no weak points, just one single fabricated piece of formed aluminium.

In addition to the performance benefits, it’s thought an aluminium hull would be lighter and thinner than traditional steel hulls used for armoured vehicles.

"For decades, the Army has recognised the survivability benefits of a single-piece hull due to its thickness, size and shape for ground combat vehicles," said Dr. Ernest Chin of the Army Research Laboratory in a statement. "Our collaborative effort to develop continuous and seamless aluminium hull technology has the potential to be a game changer for how combat vehicles are designed and made to better protect our soldiers."

“Alcoa has helped the U.S. military stay ahead of emerging threats by innovating durable, lightweight aluminium technologies since World War I,” said Ray Kilmer, Alcoa Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer. “Our experts are now developing the world's largest, high-strength aluminium hull for combat vehicles to better defend against IEDs, the greatest threat our troops face in Afghanistan, while meeting the Army's affordability needs.”

The UK has already mass produced an armoured vehicle with an innovative hull design – the Foxhound. Rather than aluminium, a combination of advanced, lightweight composites are used to provide structural integrity, protection and lightweight performance. The composite pod has a V-shaped hull to help deflect the blast wave in the event of an IED explosion. The UK MoD has high hopes for the export potential of Foxhound, indicating that composite and, presumably, single-piece hull designs are both achievable and desirable.

With Alcoa also developing a single-form bulkhead for the new F-35 joint Strike Fighter, the company is well placed to work with the US military in the development of aluminium components. The real question is if aluminium is the right material to be working with. Composites are stronger, lighter and thinner than most metals, shouldn’t that be the focus of the DARPA’s efforts for future armoured vehicle design?

21.10.2013 Oshkosh - army-guide.com

OSHKOSH, Wis. -- As the U.S. Army advances the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) program to fill a critical capabilities gap for ground operations, Oshkosh Defense, a division of Oshkosh Corporation, has presented a JLTV solution with unprecedented protected mobility.

The Oshkosh JLTV solution, the Light Combat Tactical All-Terrain Vehicle (L-ATV), leverages unmatched depth of experience designing, integrating and sustaining vehicles for missions outside the wire.

Oshkosh is displaying its JLTV solution this week at the Association of the U.S. Army (AUSA) 2013 Annual Meeting and Exposition in Washington, D.C.

“The Oshkosh L-ATV redefines the future of light tactical vehicles – merging key design aspects of highly survivable combat vehicles and off-road tactical vehicles to operate in a wide range of threat levels and terrains,” said John Bryant, senior vice president of Defense Programs for Oshkosh Defense. “In fact, independent testing proves that the Oshkosh L-ATV provides the same ride quality at speeds 70 percent faster than today’s industry gold standard for off-road mobility, the Oshkosh MRAP All-Terrain Vehicle (M-ATV).”

Oshkosh delivered 22 JLTV prototypes to the government in August for the Engineering and Manufacturing Development (EMD) phase. The Oshkosh JLTVs were produced following Oshkosh's standard development process, whereby initial variants were prototyped and remaining trucks were produced on a warm production line.

Oshkosh’s manufacturing facilities operate on lean principles with a mature, disciplined quality management system tailored for military vehicles and systems integration. The Oshkosh JLTV prototypes are undergoing 14 months of robust military testing, and Oshkosh will provide vehicle training and support throughout the testing.

“From design concept to manufacturing, the Oshkosh JLTV solution was developed with soldiers’ needs in mind,” Bryant said. “Since day one, we’ve managed cost as a key technical parameter to optimize the total life-cycle cost of our JLTV.”

Using the Oshkosh TAK-4i™ intelligent independent suspension system, the Oshkosh JLTV solution delivers unprecedented levels of off-road mobility for a light vehicle. The vehicle achieves a 25 percent improvement in independent wheel travel over the most mobile vehicles currently fielded, allowing for faster speeds and new levels of ride quality in off-road environments. The TAK-4i system expands on the success of the Oshkosh TAK-4 system, which has been used on more than 20,000 military vehicles and given Warfighters greater mobility in rugged landscapes like those found in Afghanistan.

Leveraging its experience with armored vehicle platforms like the Oshkosh M-ATV, Oshkosh designed the L-ATV’s crew protection system to be scalable and accept multiple armor configurations to protect soldiers from continually evolving battlefield threats.

The Oshkosh JLTV solution is on display at the Oshkosh Defense AUSA booth #6943. Oshkosh Defense representatives also are on hand to discuss JLTV and other programs.