A U.S. Air Force HH-60 Pave Hawk lands near Kandahar, Afghanistan.

The Air Force plans to award the helicopter's replacement in 2013.

(Staff Sgt. Eric Harris / U.S. Air Force)

10 Aug 2011 By MARCUS WEISGERBER DefenseNews

New U.S. Air Force combat rescue helicopters might not reach the battlefield until 2018, further delaying the service's ongoing effort to recapitalize its fatigued HH-60 Pave Hawk fleet.

The Air Force plans to award a contract for the HH-60 Recap program in 2013, according to an Aug. 9 request for information (RfI).

This would come seven years after the Air Force selected the Boeing HH-47 as the winner in an unsuccessful effort to replace its Pave Hawks.

The service expects the HH-60 Recap aircraft "will be an existing production helicopter with modifications using existing mature technology with only limited integration of existing subsystems as required," the RfI states.

In all, the Air Force is expected to replace 112 Sikorsky Pave Hawk helicopters, which have been in service since the early 1980s.

Initial operational capability (IOC) not expected until 2018, the RfI states. However, the document does note the battle-ready date could be sooner. IOC includes eight aircraft, training systems, support and the ability to deploy four aircraft for 30 days.

The Air Force will assess companies' ability to reach IOC by 2018 "or sooner with a medium risk schedule," the RfI states. An October 2010 RfI for the Pave Hawk recapitalization effort called for battle-ready helicopters by the end of 2015.

The RfI does not go into many details and refers bidders to a systems requirements document, which will only be released to contractors.

While the RfI does not state performance characteristics of the desired helicopter, it does note the Air Force anticipates using multiple datalinks. It also notes the service "may or may not" include a training system as part of the program's engineering and manufacturing development phase.

Responses to the RfI are due by Sept. 19.

The Air Force selected the Boeing HH-47 as the winner of the Combat Search-and-Recue Helicopter (CSAR-X) competition in 2006.

The $15 billion CSAR-X program was recompeted after industry protest by Sikorsky and a Lockheed Martin-Agusta Westland team. The program was eventually canceled by then-Defense Secretary Robert Gates, who ordered the Air Force to scale back the effort.

Many of the same players are expected to be involved in the HH-60 Recap competition, although the teams might change.

Sikorsky has teamed with Lockheed in recent years to offer the Black Hawk in numerous military helicopter competitions. Lockheed performs systems integration duties.

Agusta Westland has teamed with Boeing to compete to build a new Presidential Helicopter for the U.S. Marine Corps. Boeing has obtained the rights to co-build the AW101.

In prior information requests for the HH-60 recap program, Agusta Westland has pitched its AW101, Bell-Boeing the V-22 Osprey, Boeing the Chinook, EADS the EC725 and NH90 and Sikorsky the UH-60M Black Hawk.

Based on the Army Black Hawk, the HH-60 Pave Hawk is modified with rescue-specific equipment, such as upgraded navigation, communication, radar and sensors. Over the years, the service has lost numerous aircraft and the current fleet has been continuously deployed to Afghanistan and Iraq, where they routinely fly medical evacuation missions.

10 August 2011 by US Army - defenseWeb

US Army researchers have linked tactical radios and military chat systems with cell phones, instant messaging and other commercial communications technologies as part of a wide-ranging effort to streamline collaboration across the force.

The development effort, which aligns with objectives outlined in the Army CIO G6 Common Operating Environment initiative, leverages a new Microsoft collaboration product, Lync 2010, through a Cooperative Research & Development Agreement with the company, and could be extended to other collaborative software tools.

The integration of emerging commercial software with the existing tactical communications infrastructure has far-reaching potential as the Army expands communications for Soldiers at the tactical edge, shares more battlefield data with NATO allies and equips users with tools to help minimize information overload, service officials said.

"Whether you're at the command post or on patrol, you know when someone is online and what the best way to reach that person is," said Osie David, Fire Support Command and Control system engineer and former solutions architect for the Army's Project Manager Mission Command. "Things are still in the early prototyping stage, but there's certainly potential to share information more quickly and easily among NATO partners and U.S. forces."

Spearheading the effort is the Command and Control Directorate for the U.S. Army Research, Development and Engineering Command's communications-electronics centre, or RDECOM CERDEC C2D. Engineers there have integrated Lync and its predecessor, Office Communications Server 2007, with a widely used military situational awareness application called Force XXI Battle Command Brigade and Below/Blue Force Tracking, or FBCB2/BFT.

A Microsoft Office user can then trade chat messages with an operator of FBCB2, which enables warfighters in vehicles and aircraft to exchange messages, such as the location of an enemy or an improvised explosive device, and share a common operating picture of the battlefield.

"The potential for lower echelon forces to have a richer communications capability between stationary command posts and mobile FBCB2-equipped platforms by leveraging this new technology is huge," said retired Lt. Col Jeffrey From, science and technology specialist at the Mission Command Battle Lab at Fort Leavenworth, Kan.

"I was impressed with the work CERDEC C2D has done integrating Lync with our existing Army mission command systems, and I see great potential in a system that can operate at the tactical edge, in the lowest bandwidth environment," From said.

To bridge the gap between military and commercial text-based chat applications, engineers used the Universal Collaboration Bridge, an integration tool developed by CERDEC C2D and transitioned February 2011 to Product Director Common Software.

Beyond text chat, CERDEC also used Lync to enable voice communication between Microsoft Office users and Single Channel Ground and Airborne Radio System radios, cell phones and Voice over Internet Protocol phones. With a mouse click, an individual could place a call to another user and reach him or her on whatever communication medium was available. There was no need to remember phone numbers or take extra steps to call a radio.

"If a general is on a phone or a (computer) and needs to communicate, you could actually bridge that with a mobile radio unit and have that connection be seamless," said Phil West, a principal technologist with Microsoft. "If an officer is speaking with an individual, it can traverse a number of types of systems."

The users' "presence" was also integrated into several applications, letting others know whether someone was available to collaborate.

Adding commercial collaborative systems into the battlefield architecture is challenging for several reasons, especially because the network and communications infrastructure has been designed specifically for a tactical environment that must support a variety of military-specific applications, said Danielle Duff, one of the engineers leading the project for CERDEC C2D.

Microsoft Lync interfaced with the existing infrastructures and added capabilities to the user with little overhead or changes to existing tactical architecture, Duff said.

Moreover, the adaptability of the technology's software development kit can enable the Army to certify the application once and then reuse it across multiple domains, said Ron Szymanski, CERDEC C2D Chief Architect for Science and Technology.

The CRADA between CERDEC C2D and Microsoft represents only the second joint research project Microsoft has throughout the federal government and the Department of Defense. The initial agreement was signed in 2009 and focused on the applicability of multi-touch technologies to command and control systems. The agreement was extended in 2010 and includes hand-held devices, apps development and cognitive-based software.

The CERDEC C2D team is now exploring other potential uses of the technology, such as adding Lync presence and functionality into Command Post of the Future. CPOF ties together collaborative capabilities and allows commanders to share the COP through map displays, charts and other data.

Users were able to share screens between CPOF and Microsoft Office, enabling real-time bi-directional data exchanges, during the initial experiment through a separate plug-in developed by CERDEC C2D. However, further maturation and integration would be required to fully realize this capability, officials said.

"Instead of reengineering each warfighter application to be collaborative, this solution allows users of existing applications to collaborate with other users and their applications," said Brian Freeman, an engineer supporting the project. "This includes both government off-the-shelf and commercially available off-the-shelf desktop applications like Microsoft Office and Open Office. The potential is huge."

The COE initiative places emphasis on leveraging COTS to the maximum extent possible, Szymanski said. One benefit is that it could reduce technology development costs because products can be shared across many Programs of Record.

"The other benefit is that it enables faster collaboration with coalition partners because we don't have to worry about the information assurance implications of releasing commercial off-the-shelf software to foreign groups," Szymanski said.

With NATO allies also investing in OCS/Lync, the technology could potentially serve as a way for the U.S. to share battlefield data and information with other countries without providing them an actual system, David said.

"They can see the screen, they can collaborate in near real-time, so we can potentially use it for sharing the common operating picture," he said.

Within U.S. forces, CERDEC C2D's work could also serve as a "bridge" improving communications between deployed Joint forces and the supporting workforce at home, as well as within both groups, West said.

"Lync can ultimately improve organizational efficiencies across a broad spectrum of environments," said Brett Burland, chief of the Science and Technology branch at the Mission Command Battle Lab. "It could be used in our more stable installation environment, and through the improvements CERDEC C2D has developed, it can function just as well in a deployed, tactical force."

11/08/11 By Stephen Trimble SOURCE:Flight International

The US Navy has confirmed plans to retire the special mission versions of the Lockheed P-3 by 2020, and replace them with an all-unmanned fleet.

The decision comes as a blow to contractors who had been hoping to extend the service life of the fleet beyond 2020, or introduce new manned aircraft as replacements.

In written responses to the Senate Armed Services Committee late last month, incoming chief of naval operations Admiral Jonathan Greenert said the navy's ageing EP-3 Aries and special projects aircraft will be retired in 2019 and 2020.

 The US Navy is to replace its special mission EP-3 aircraft with an all-unmanned fleet by 2020

They will be replaced by an $8 billion investment over the next five years in a family of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance platforms, Greenert said.

Those investments include $1.1 billion in the Northrop Grumman MQ-8B Fire Scout, $3.9 billion in the Northrop RQ-4N broad area maritime surveillance aircraft, $2.5 billion in the unmanned carrier-launched airborne surveillance and strike programme and $1.1 billion in the medium-range maritime unmanned aircraft system.

Those plans leave no room for extending the service of the EP-3 through outer-wing panel replacements, as Lockheed officials had previously expressed interest in performing.

They also end discussion of a manned EP-X programme, which was cancelled by the navy last year.

Some industry officials had speculated that the service could be interested in a turboprop-powered replacement, similar to the US Air Force's MC-12 Project Liberty, or the US Army's enhanced medium-range airborne surveillance system.

Instead, the navy believes its intelligence-collecting capabilities will be improved by transitioning to a larger fleet of long-endurance, unmanned aircraft, Greenert said.

Such systems are also more "tailorable and scalable" to changing needs, he added.

The USN currently operates 16 EP-3 Aries surveillance aircraft, plus an uncertain number of special projects aircraft based on the same platform.

Aug 5, 2011 ASDNews Source : Lockheed Martin Corporation

Marietta, Ga. - The sun shines above the newest addition to the C-5M modernization program. Tail number 85-0003, a C-5B Galaxy, is the eighth aircraft inducted into modernization production line to become a Super Galaxy.

This aircraft is based at Dover Air Force Base, Del. It was first delivered to Dover AFB on November 4, 1986. Throughout its career, this aircraft has supported the warfighter's operations in Desert Storm and, since 2003, it has delivered cargo in locations such as Afghanistan, Iraq, Italy, Germany, Japan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Morocco, Qatar, Spain and Turkey. Tail number 85-0003 has accumulated more than 19,000 flight hours and more than 4,500 full-stop landings.

There are two more inductions scheduled for 2011.

03.08.2011 BAE Systems army-guide.com

ARLINGTON, Virginia -- BAE Systems was recently awarded a contract modification for $108.4 million to provide 45 M88A2 Heavy Equipment Recovery Combat Utility Evacuation System (HERCULES) vehicles and associated parts to the U.S. Army and Marine Corps.

“We are a leading provider of recovery vehicles for the U.S. military,” said Joe McCarthy, vice president and general manager of Combat Vehicles at BAE Systems. “HERCULES answers the need for cost-efficiency, reliability and high performance for our customers as they retrieve heavy vehicles in the field.”

HERCULES provides unparalleled capability for recovering today’s 70-ton combat vehicles including the M1A1, M1A2, Leopard, bridging systems and other medium weight vehicles. The M88A2 offers soldiers additional armor protection and increased engine horsepower, towing muscle, lifting strength and winching power.

Using remanufactured hulls supplied by the U.S. Government, BAE Systems will provide 29 vehicles to the U.S. Army and 16 vehicles to the U.S. Marine Corps.

Vehicle deliveries will begin in April 2013 and continue through December 2013. Work will be performed by existing workforces at BAE Systems facilities in York, Pa. and Aiken, S.C. The contract was awarded by Army Contracting Command – Warren.

This award brings the total value of U.S. Government contracts BAE Systems has been awarded on the HERCULES program to $1.4 billion. To date, 394 HERCULES vehicles have been fielded against an overall U.S. Army requirement of 607 vehicles. A total of 75 vehicles have been fielded to the U.S. Marine Corps.

04.08.2011 par P. CHAPLEAU Lignes de Défense

Lors de la session du 29 juillet de l'Aspen Security Forum, qui dure du 27 juillet au 4 août (cliquer ici pour accéder à la page consacrée au Forum sur le site d'Aspen), le général Michael Hayden, ex-patron de la NSA et ex-directeur de la CIA, a préconisé la création d'un "digital Blackwater". Traduction: une société militaire privée ou une ESOA (dans mon propre jargon) capable de contrer les cyber attaques pour le compte de l'Etat fédéral.

La proposition du général Hayden a surpris des confrères américains qui ont largement commenté ses propos (d'ailleurs, pour voir la vidéo de son intervention, cliquer ici). 

De quoi faut-il être surpris? Des déclarations d'un général qui prône l'externalisation en faisant référence à ceux que l'on brandit comme des "bad guys"? Une fois hors des "affaires" ou après avoir quitté le service actif, les hauts gradés de toute nationalité retrouvent leur liberté de parole et deviennent plus téméraires (je ne dis pas "courageux" parce que ce serait injurier la plupart d'entre eux). Non, je crois que ce n'est pas l'aspect le plus notable de cette déclaration.

Ce qui me paraît beaucoup plus intéressant, c'est que Michael Hayden entérine un "fait accompli". Des "digital Blackwater" existent déjà. Leurs employés comptent parmi les innombrables contractors des agences militaires américaines dont certains services sont en pleine "cyber guerre".

A quelles sociétés appartiennent-ils ? Comme je l'ai écrit dans Les Nouveaux entrepreneurs de la guerre (paru en avril chez Vuibert): "A de petites structures comme SpecTal (300 employés) ou à des entreprises cotées en Bourse comme SRA International (7 000 employés), mais également à Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, Booz Allen Hamilton, SAIC, L3 Communications, BAE Systems, Centra Technology... Au total, une centaine d'officines qui se partageaient un gigantesque gâteau." La liste mériterait d'être affinée.

BF-01, the first F-35B short take-off/vertical landing (STOVL) Joint Strike Fighter built for the U.S. Marine Corps, performs a slow flyby for media July 29 at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md. (Christopher P. Cavas / Staff)

29 Jul 2011 By DAVE MAJUMDAR DefenseNews

NAVAL AIR STATION PATUXENT RIVER, Md. - In a graphic demonstration of the U.S. Marine Corps' strident support of its F-35B version of the tri-service Joint Strike Fighter (JSF), the service flew the first-ever live demonstration the aircraft's short take-off/vertical landing (STOVL) capability before reporters on July 29.

Piloted by Marine Lt. Col. Fred Schenk, the F-35B accelerated down the runway and lifted off in less than 450 feet. Once in the air, it flew past the assembled reporters and senior Marine Corps, Navy and industry brass at 60 knots airspeed. Schenk brought the plane, designated BF-1, to a hover and landed it vertically.

The display was all the more impressive because it was made during a humid summer day when temperatures exceeded 95 degrees Fahrenheit. Heat and humidity reduce aircraft and engine performance.

Moreover, BF-1 is a test aircraft, not a mature production plane. That is not without risk and the service took precautions. Multiple aircraft had been prepared as back-ups, test pilots at the base said.

At least one backup aircraft, BF-3, flown by test pilot Marine Lt. Col. Matt Kelly, went on to conduct a test sortie after BF-1 successfully flew its demonstration. BF-4, which is a mission systems test plane, was also on standby in case both aircraft aborted.

U.S. Marine Corps Commandant Gen. Jim Amos, himself an F/A-18 Hornet pilot, reiterated that the F-35B is vital to his service. The Corps' position is that the service has no backup plans if the F-35B does not make it though the two-year probation period that then-Defense Secretary Robert Gates placed upon the variant when it encountered technical problem and fell behind in flight testing.

"There is no Plan B," Amos said. "We need this airplane."

Asked what would allow the F-35 to exit probation, Amos said that the exit criteria have not yet been set. But he voiced confidence the jet would meet whatever those requirements might be.

Lt. Gen. Terry Robling, the service's deputy commandant for aviation, said the F-35B's progress in test flights since last year was "amazing." The F-35B caught up on last year's test points, and is now head of this year's flight test schedule, he said. Soon, in September, the F-35B will go to sea onboard the amphibious assault ship USS Wasp, he said.

Robling also expressed confidence that the STOVL version, which is the most expensive version of the jet, will come down in price as production increases.

"As soon as that ramp goes up, the costs will start coming down dramatically," he said.

Robling and Amos both reiterated the Corps' argument that the service needs an aircraft that can be based anywhere, which is the primary requirement behind the F-35B. The F-35B model will allow the Navy and Marine Corps to effectively double the number of aircraft carriers in the U.S. fleet because amphibious assault ships would be able to carry strike aircraft.

However, the service is also buying five squadrons of the carrier variant F-35C model planes to support the Navy's carrier fleet. Robling said that even though the service is buying some 80 C-models, the F-35B can also operate from a Navy carrier.

The F-35B will also play in the DoD's Air-Sea Battle concept, Robling said. Despite sacrificing some range, the jet retains all the capabilities of the Air Force and Navy versions. The F-35B would also support the land component of Air-Sea by providing support to Marine ground operations with having to rely on a carrier, he said.

Robling reiterated the Marines' need for a fifth-generation fighter to counter emerging threats such as advanced Russian and Chinese aircraft.

"It's absolutely the aircraft that we need to counter the fifth-generation aircraft that are coming online in places like China, "Robling said. "If we take this fifth-generation aircraft away, there is not another one on the drawing boards in the United States."

July 29, 2011: STRATEGY PAGE

So far this year, U.S. Navy MQ-8B Fire Scout helicopter UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicle) have flown over a thousand hours. Some 70 percent of that was flown by the six MQ-8Bs sent to Afghanistan last April and May, to provide aerial reconnaissance. Two more Fire Scouts were sent to sea with a frigate in the Mediterranean. One of those Fire Scouts was lost over Libya last month.

All this is an interesting development, as the American military has not had a lot of success with helicopter UAVs. Two years ago, the U.S. Army cancelled its RQ-8B Fire Scout UAV project. It just didn't work out. But for the navy, it's been different.

The navy kept their Fire Scouts, and have developed, and put into use, their own MQ-8B version. The RQ-8B died because the army already had plenty of UAVs that got the job done. The navy kept Fire Scout because helicopters are more practical on most navy ships (for landings and takeoffs.) Navy Fire Scouts has already been successfully tested on frigates (in both the Atlantic and Pacific). Meanwhile, there is a huge demand for UAVs in Afghanistan, so the navy sent what it could.

In Afghanistan, the navy hoped to fly each of the MQ-8Bs a hundred hours a month, but this month that is running to 125 hours. The MQ-8B is still in testing mode, and sending them to sea, and Afghanistan, is a field test. The ones in Afghanistan are undergoing a severe test, as Afghanistan is one of the most harsh environments for helicopters. So far there have been some reliability and communications (between the controller and UAV) problems. But the navy believes there can be fixed, and the readiness levels keep increasing, despite the heavy use.

The 1.5 ton Fire Scout is based upon the Schweitzer 333 unmanned helicopter, which in turn is derived from the Schweitzer 330 commercial lightweight manned helicopter. Fire Scout has a payload of 272 kg (600 pounds), a cruising speed of 200 kilometers, max altitude of 6,100 meters (20,000 feet) and endurance of eight hours. The U.S. Navy currently has eight MQ-8Bs and plans to acquire another 160 of them. The ones in Afghanistan are being operated by contractors.

source mod.gov.rs

July 28, 2011 defense-aerospace.com

(Source: Canadian Department of National Defence; issued July 28, 2011)

As part of a multi-national Airborne Exercise Canadian Paratroopers from 3rd Battalion, Royal 22e Régiment, parachute out of a Ukrainian IL-76 Ilyushin during Exercise Rapid Trident 2011.

Thirty-one Canadian Forces paratroopers have undergone Ukrainian paratrooper training from Ukrainian paratroopers of the 80th Airborne Regiment in Lviv, Ukraine, 2011. From July 19 to 23, Canadian soldiers prepared for Exercise Rapid Trident 2011 where they will use Ukrainian paratrooper equipment and aircraft, a first for any NATO country.

Rapid Trident 2011 is an exercise held from July 25 to August 5, 2011, that involves approximately 1,600 personnel from 13 NATO and Partnership for Peace member nations: Belarus, Estonia, Georgia, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Poland, Serbia, Slovenia, Ukraine, the UK, USA and Canada.

This year, Exercise Rapid Trident 2011 consists of a multi-national airborne operation and field training exercise that is hosted by Ukraine in support of Ukraine's Annual National Program to achieve interoperability with NATO.

The complete Canadian delegation is represented by 25 paratroopers from C Company, 3e Battalion Royal 22e Régiment, augmented by four reserve paratroopers, two parachute riggers from Canadian Forces Land Advanced Warfare Center and one medical technician from 5 Field Ambulance with paratrooper qualifications, and representatives of ADM (Pol) and ADM (PA), for a total of 35 personnel.

Canadian soldiers are participating only in the first week of Exercise Rapid Trident 2011 where, along with troops from Partnership for Peace countries, they will jump from Ukrainian Illusion 76 aircraft and MI-8 helicopters.

Held at the International Peacekeeping and Security Center in Yavoriv, Ukraine, Exercise Rapid Trident 2011 is designed to enhance joint combined interoperability with allied and partner nations to achieve common goals of security, stability and peace.

Tactical Laser System Mk38 mod2 TLS

29 juillet 2011 par Optro & Défense

La division Systèmes à Energie Dirigée (DES) de Boeing a annoncé avoir établit avec BAE systems un partenariat pour le développement d’un système d’arme laser tactique pour la défense des navires de la Marine américaine. Boeing interviendra en tant que sous traitant de premier rang dans le cadre d’un contrat de 2,8 million de dollars attribué en mars dernier aux équipes de BAE Systems pour la mise au point d’un tel démonstrateur.

« Boeing s’engage à développer ce système à énergie dirigée qui améliorera considérablement la défense du navire », a déclaré le vice-président de cette division de Boeing. « La combinaison de l’expertise en ingénierie de BAE avec les compétences éprouvées de la division DES sur l’énergie dirigée crée une équipe particulièrement qualifiée pour intégrer des technologies d’énergie dirigée au sein des armements de bord de la Marine ».

Un système d’arme laser tactique (Tactical Laser System, TLS)…

Le Mk38 Mod2/TLS va coupler un système d’arme laser tactique à semi-conducteurs de haute énergie (on annonce 10 kilowatts) à la tourelle mitrailleuse Mk38 déjà opérationnelle. L’ajout du module arme laser apportera une grande précision pour le traitement des menaces de surface ou aériennes tels que les petits bateaux ou les drones. Le système offrira également la possibilité d’adapter l’énergie du laser en fonction de la cible et des objectifs de la mission. On veillera toute fois à ne pas confondre ce type de laser avec le projet JHPSSL mené par l’Office of Naval Research qui avait abouti à la mise hors service d’une petite embarcation.

Boeing et BAE travaillent déjà ensemble depuis deux ans pour développer cette capacité. En 2010, Boeing DES avait mené deux expériences dans le domaine afin de démontrer la capacité de suivi des cibles de surface  du système et le maintient de la focalisation du faisceau laser avec précision tandis que BAE testait au début de l’année 2011 un prototype de laser anti-piraterie qui servira de moyen de dissuasion non létal.

 …monté sur une tourelle mitrailleuse existante…

Le système laser est prévu d’être monté sur la mitrailleuse Mk38 Mod2 standard, ce qui permettra une intégration à moindre frais sur les navires déjà équipés, car sans nécessité de modifier les interfaces à bord ni la structure du navire.

Le système Mk38 Mod2 est une évolution de la tourelle de tir Typhoon Mk 25 développée par les israeliens de Rafael, embarquant la mitrailleuse américaine Bushmaster M242 de calibre 25-mm de ATK (Alliant Techsystems Inc). Ce canon aux standards OTAN affiche une portée de 2.5 km et offre une cadence de tir réglable pouvant atteindre 180 coups à la minute.

…qui mettait déjà en oeuvre de l’optronique.

Le système Mk38 Mod2 était déjà téléopéré à partir d’un radar de conduite de tir externe ou à partir d’un système électro-optique dédié afin d’une part de mettre à l’abri l’équipage et d’autre part d’optimiser l’engagement des cibles ennemies durant la journée mais aussi la nuit et dans toutes les conditions météorologiques.

TOPLITE EOS

 

La boule optronique Toplite de Rafael, dérivé du pod de désignation AN/AAQ-28 Litening, fournit cette fonction. Stabilisée par un cardan 4 axes,  elle offre :

• une capacité FLIR (Forward Looking Infra-Red) modulable avec trois champs de vision auto-focus (NFOV, MFOV, et WFOV) ;
• une caméra CCD couleur ou Noir et blanc à faible contraste ;
• un télémètre laser à sécurité oculaire (1.54 µm) ;
• un désignateur laser à 0.808 µm en option, compatible avec les jumelles de vision nocturne.

Rafael propose pour ses FLIR des caméras thermiques de différente génération :

• technologie à balayage barrette  240×2 dans la bande 8-12 µm ;
• technologie matricielle 320 × 240 (Toplite II) dans la bande 3-5 µm (Toplite II) ;
• technologie matricielle 640 × 480 (Toplite III) dans la bande 3-5 µm (Toplite III).

Le système Toplite propose également les fonctions et interfaces de communication classiques (CCIR, guidage INS/GPS, C4I…).

 

 Sources:

- communiqué de presse du 7 avril 2011 de BAE Systems
- communiqué de presse du 25 juillet 2011 de Boeing Défense
- article du 26 juillet 2011 de Jane’s Defense Industry
- article du 27 juillet 2011 de RP Défense
- article du 25 juillet 2011 de Defense Tech

AN/ALE-55 (photo : BAE System)

29.07.2011 DEFENSE STUDIES

photo allenvanguard.com

July 29, 2011 SHEPARD GROUP Source: Allen-Vanguard

Allen-Vanguard announced today that it has been awarded a contract to provide the Canadian Forces with a fully integrated solution for personal protection against explosives, including Improvised Explosive Devices, and chemical/biological agents.

The Company will be delivering an ensemble that establishes a new level of operational capability against current and emerging threats by integrating best-in-class protection and performance, including: the Med-EngTM bomb suit; a chemical protection undergarment; sophisticated respiratory protection; and, multi-faceted personal cooling to mitigate heat stress before, during and after missions.

Company CEO, Dennis Morris commented, "This contract is particularly significant because it follows extensive independent testing that required the ensemble to be proven against very demanding criteria as a complete system, rather than a collection of individual components." He continued, "We are extremely pleased to once again earn the confidence of the Canadian Forces by providing their personnel with a mission-focused solution that will serve them now and well into the future."

Jul 29, 2011 ASDNews Source : A7 Helmet Systems

A7 Helmet Systems, LLC, a holding of Angel 7 Industries, today released its newest helmet-liner system, the K9-13X Bison, which offers not only the exceptional blunt-impact protection and stability for which A7 is known, but also remarkable ventilation and comfort.

The K9-13X Bison joins two other liners, the K9-7X Super Eagle and the K9-11X Black Eagle, which gives A7 Helmet Systems three liner systems that meet or exceed the "technology need" identified by the U.S. military for a suspension system that keeps peak acceleration below 150g at drop speeds of 14.1 feet per second (ft/s). The U.S. Army and Marine Corps have sought such a system since 2007.

Related Research on ASDReports.com:

The Military Body Armour & Personal Protective Gear Market 2011-2021

"A7 Helmet Systems was created to develop the best possible protection for our warfighters, and our new Bison liner is another positive step toward accomplishing that mission," said Kerry Harris, President and Chief Technology Officer for A7 Helmet Systems. "The military has been clear in saying that a new level of protection for our fighting men and women is needed, and A7 Helmet Systems has met that challenge with not one, but three different systems."

The Bison, like its siblings, offers superior protection against blunt impacts. Independent tests have shown that, when installed in a standard-issue Advanced Combat Helmet (ACH), the liner kept peak acceleration measurements below 150g at 14.1 ft/s regardless of whether the impact targeted the crown, the front, the rear, or the side of the helmet. Additionally, A7's padding systems are designed for use in all weather conditions, so the impact-attenuating qualities of the systems remain consistent in hot, cold and ambient temperatures. The systems also offer increased protection against "backface deformation" by utilizing one-piece designs and more robust and resilient padding material.

The Bison's superior comfort and performance are due in large part to the company's patents-pending Dynamic Suspension Technology(tm), or DST(tm). According to the company, DST(tm) is a game-changing technology because it allows the company to substantially increase the thickness of impact-attenuating materials in critical areas of its suspension systems without requiring the soldier to wear a larger, heavier helmet shell. As a result, a soldier can immediately increase the blunt-impact protection of his or her existing ACH, ECH, PASGT, or LWMH by simply removing the old pads and inserting a new A7 system.

The invention of DST(tm) is well-timed because scientists and members of the medical community have been calling for the use of thicker pads in combat helmets to help reduce the incident rates of troops suffering concussions and other types of traumatic brain injuries (TBIs). For instance, a recent study funded by the U.S. Army and conducted by the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory found that soldiers using military helmets one size larger and with thicker pads could reduce the severity of TBIs caused by blunt and ballistic impacts. The study's authors acknowledged, however, that functional and operational concerns would have to be weighed against the benefit of requiring soldiers to wear a one-size larger helmet to accommodate thicker pads. In fact, the use of a larger, heavier helmet is at odds with initiatives in the U.S. and abroad to increase the protection and effectiveness of troops by making their equipment smaller and lighter (e.g., the lightweight ECH being developed by the U.S. Marine Corps). Because DST(tm) allows for the use of thicker padding without the need for a larger helmet, though, it solves the problems identified by well-intentioned and knowledgeable people on both sides of the discussion and eliminates the operational and moral dilemma of having to choose between increased blunt-impact protection and requiring troops who are already overburdened with equipment and supplies to wear a bulkier, heavier helmet.

"A7's liners with Dynamic Suspension Technology are an effective solution to one of the most serious problems facing our armed forces," said Patrick McGuire, Chief Executive Officer of A7 Helmet Systems. "Soldiers are suffering traumatic brain injuries at an alarming rate and the numbers are rising. Suspension systems play a critical role in preventing TBIs and the 14.1 ft/s goal set by the U.S. military represents a big step forward on the issue because that number represents a doubling of the energy produced in tests used to measure a helmet's blunt-impact protection as compared to the current standard of 10.1 ft/s. We certainly agree with the logic that a higher standard for suspension systems could prevent some TBIs from occurring in the first place and reduce the severity of others. Accordingly, we are excited to be the first company to offer liner systems that meet this goal."

U.S. Department of Defense reports show that U.S. troops are suffering traumatic brain injuries at the rate of approximately 9,800 per quarter, or more than 100 per day, and those numbers are rising. The average cost of treating a case of mild TBI is over $25,000 per year while the cost of treating moderate and severe TBIs can range from $260,000 to more than $400,000 per case per year.

"The economics are not the main concern," McGuire added, "though based on these figures, even a modest decrease in the number of TBIs suffered by our troops could save U.S. taxpayers millions of dollars annually. But more importantly, by reducing the severity of some TBIs and eliminating others altogether, we can save our nation's warriors from having to endure the medical, cognitive, behavioral, and emotional problems that such injuries can bring about. For this reason, we will continue to work with helmet manufacturers and military leaders to get our systems fielded as quickly as possible."