Defence`s Feeds

Acknowledging water as a critical resource throughout Europe, five EDA Member States – Greece, Cyprus, Spain, Portugal and Ireland - have recently committed to participating in a novel water management project which seeks to examine water management on defence lands from a hydro-informatics, conservation, sustainability and technological innovation point of view.

The Smart Blue Water Camps (SBWC) project was proposed and developed by Greece who will lead it supported by the EDA. The project seeks to assess existing military water management systems and installations on European soil. For the first phase of the project, the five participating Member States will conduct analysis of the water infrastructure on a chosen military site in each Member State through a series of workshops in order to define the ‘Smart Blue Water Camp Blueprint’. Interventions will be identified and listed according to suitability, cost and impact on the ‘Smart Blue Water Camp Blueprint’. Phase 1 will take place over a ten month period. Thereafter, phase two of the project will involve implementation of the most suitable identified interventions.

Water management

Existing civil and military water management infrastructure is facing pressure due to climatic changes and limited new investment. There are two major trends developing in water management technology: ‘smarter’ and environmentally integrated infrastructure. Military installations are among the least acknowledged elements in water cycle management.

Military camps have great potential for improvement due to their unique characteristics such as significant water and energy demands, significant drainage and wastewater flows, generally aging and inefficient infrastructures, in some cases a need for more autonomy from centralised water and energy systems and a transient population of end users, all of which have a detrimental impact on water management.

The opportunities that are presented by military camps in terms of improved water management include: (1) space abundance for the deployment of water demand management technologies e.g. sustainable draining systems, rainwater harvesting & recycling systems, green roofs & walls, (2) similarity of military installations from an upscaling perspective and transferability of best practices and knowledge and (3) the long term commitment of military from a continuation perspective.

Background

The Smart Blue Water Camps project is launched within the EDA’s energy and environment programme. Centred on four main themes: data collection and analysis, energy efficiency, alternative energy, and defence sustainability, the programme identifies and builds a portfolio of activity that spans the capability, armaments and research & technology perspectives with a view to sharing best practice and enabling collaborative activity wherever possible.

More information:

• Energy & environment project page

In this issue: Australia’s shifting defence spending priorities, military innovation made in Japan, the next stage of the British-French Future Combat Air System project, modernising IT for the UK MoD, what’s next for the Successor submarine programm…

Savox will be exhibiting their products at Eurosatory this year.

SIMOX is a simulator that can educate and trains an entire section of mortars and each of its members.

Americas

• The US has changed its relationship status with India to “major defense partners,” following a new series of agreements on climate change, nuclear power, and national security. The announcement comes after a meeting between between President Obama and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday. Under India’s “Make In India” initiative and the expansion of the co-production and co-development of technologies under the Defense Technology and Trade Initiative (DTTI), the two nations are starting DTTI working groups to include agreed items covering naval, air, and other weapons systems.

• Elon Musk, the CEO of SpaceX, visited the Pentagon on Wednesday for a private meeting with Secretary of Defense Ash Carter. The topic of the meeting was “innovation,” according to a White House statement by press secretary Peter Cook. He went on to state that Carter has been continuously seeking out ideas and feedback from those in the technology community and to see what developments can help keep the US and DoD on the cutting edge.

Middle East North Africa

• Boeing has been awarded a $667 million US Army contract to supply 24 AH-64E Apache helicopters to Qatar. Included in the deal are 1 Longbow crew trainer, ground support equipment, and Thales radios. The deal comes ahead of a planned five-year multi-year contract, which Boeing is hoping to sign in fiscal year 2017. The manufacturer is working with the US Army to accelerate the agreement of such a deal, which would cover the production of 275 aircraft – plus options to ramp up to 450 to support potential export deals – between then and FY2022.

• Italy has shipped its SAMP/T air defense system to Turkey as the German NATO Patriot battery’s three year mandate is drawing to a close. It is believed that NATO will also provide Turkey with a much sought after Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) by July. NATO’s package of assistance measures are set to be fully applied ahead of the much anticipated July 8-9 Warsaw Summit.

• AMTEC Corp. has been awarded an $84.5 million foreign military sales contract to provide 40mm grenade systems to Iraq. Completion of the contract is expected for September 30, 2018. AMTEC Corporation is the only company in the world manufacturing the M550 Fuze and corresponding M433 Cartridge to the current US Military Specifications, and thus is the current sole prime contractor to the US DoD for the 40mm Family of Grenade Ammunition.

Europe

• Manufacturer Irkut has revealed that the Russian Ministry of Defense has ordered 150 Yak-152 basic trainers. The announcement was made by plant director Sergey Yamani as the company unveiled the three aircraft under various stages of assembly at their plant in Irkutsk. Operated by a single pilot, the cockpit can accommodate two crew members in tandem configuration. The aircraft is intended to provide primary pilot training, professional selection, and occupational guidance for future pilots of military fighter aircraft.

• Denmark has received the first three of an eventual nine Sikorsky MH-60R Seahawk anti-submarine warfare helicopters to be operated by the Royal Danish Air Force. Completion of the order is expected by mid-2018. The MH-60R acquisition will see the RDAF replace their aging Westland Lynx 90 fleet and aims to extend Copenhagen’s reach and capabilities.

Asia Pacific

• Safran Helicopter Engines has been selected to provide the engines for South Korea’s planned Light Civil Helicopter (LCH) and Light Armed Helicopter (LAH). Both helicopters will be based on the Airbus Helicopters H155 but developed by Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI). Under a contract signed between Airbus and KAI, the former will transfer the H155 assembly line to South Korea, where KAI will assume production of the type. The Safran engine award follows shortly after General Electric’s F414 engine was chosen to power the F-X experimental fighter.

Today’s Video

• Flying demo of the new An-178 at the Berlin Air Show:

American AH-64E Apache Guardian Attack Helicopter

The US Missile Defense Agency (MDA) has successfully tested the Orbital ATK-developed enhanced MK 136 third stage rocket motor (TSRM) nozzle on Raytheon's Standard Missile (SM) 3 Block IB at the Pacific Missile Range facility.

French shipyard DCNS has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Australian company Quickstep to collaborate on the production of naval vessel components and assemblies for Australia's Future submarines.

Damen Shipyard Group has introduced a new range of naval multi-role auxiliary vessels (MRAV) at the Oceanographic Survey Vessel Conference held in London.

Source : © European Union, 2016 - EP

After a successful first meeting in Brussels in January this year of the two-year Consultation Forum for Sustainable Energy in the Defence &Security Sector, the second meeting kicked-off today in Dublin, Ireland. The conference was officially opened by the Assistant Secretary General and Defence Policy Director at the Irish Department of Defence, Mr Ciaran Murphy, the EDA Chief Executive, Mr Jorge Domecq, and the Chief Executive Officer of the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland, Mr Jim Gannon and Mr Dominique Ristori, Director General for Energy at the European Commission.

“Defence is one of the largest energy consumers in Europe. One of the key challenges is to quantify the extent of this energy usage and to assess how projects stimulated through the Consultation Forum for Sustainable Energy in the Defence and Security Sector can impact on overall EU energy usage”, EDA Chief Executive Jorge Domecq said at the opening of the second conference. “This is a unique opportunity for change. We have the right experts gathered in the right place. The focus is on military installations and activity on European territory. The goal is to examine where improvements can be made and where assistance is required to address existing challenges”.

Whilst the first meeting in Brussels was attended by over 80 participants, primarily from European government ministries of defence and armed forces, the second conference is attended by more than 140 experts from government administrations, as well as industry, academia, NATO representatives and the European Commission, namely DG ENERGY and EASME, the Executive Agency for SMEs.

This unique Consultation Forum is actively supported by DG ENERGY and aims at progressing the work started with European Ministries of Defence and Armed Forces relating to energy management, energy efficiency in military buildings and infrastructure and the use of renewable energy systems on defence lands. The activity is now carried forward with the participation of 27 EU Member States including Denmark which shows the critical importance of energy efficiency.

Background

The Consultation Forum is a European Commission initiative managed by the European Defence Agency. It brings together experts from the defence and energy sectors to share information and best practice on improving energy management, efficiency and the use of renewable energy in the civil uses of the military. The Consultation Forum takes place in a series of five plenary meetings over two years. The work is carried out in three parallel working groups each with a particular focus: (1) Energy management, (2) Energy efficiency & 3) Renewable energy.

 

Picture: from left to right: Vice Admiral Mark Mellett, Chief of Staff Irish Defence Forces; Jorge Domecq, Chief Executive of the European Defene Agency; Paul Kehoe Minister of State at the Department of Defence, Mr Ciaran Murphy, Assistant Secretary General and Defence Policy Director at the Irish Department of Defence, Mr Jim Gannnon, Chief Executive Officer of the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland. 

More information

• Consultation Forum page
• Website Directorate-General for Energy, European Commission

Tornado refuels M346
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Alenia’s Aermacchi’s M-346 advanced jet trainer began life in 1993, as a collaboration with Russia. It was also something of a breakthrough for Alenia Aermacchi, confirming that the Finmeccanica subsidiary could design and manufacture advanced aircraft with full authority quadriplex fly-by-wire controls. Those controls, the aircraft’s design for vortex lift aerodynamics, and a thrust:weight ratio of nearly 1:1, allow it to remain fully controllable even at angles of attack over 35 degrees. This is useful for simulating the capabilities of advanced 4+ generation fighters like the F/A-18 Super Hornet, Eurofighter, and Rafale. Not to mention Sukhoi’s SU-30 family, which has made a name for itself at international air shows with remarkable nose-high maneuvers.

The Russian collaboration did not last. For a while, it looked like the Italian jet might not last, either. It did though, and has become a regular contender for advanced jet trainer trainer contracts around the world. Its biggest potential opportunity is in the USA. For now, however, its biggest customer is Israel.

Italy’s M-346: Fast Plane, Slow Aerospace From Partnership to Solo Flight Yak-130
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The original Italian and Russian partners partners on this project eventually went their separate ways, and Russia’s Yak-130 went on to limited initial success. It uses Russian equipment, avionics, radar, and weapons, and is powered by a pair of AI-222-25 or Povazske Strojarne DV-2SM (export option) turbofans. By 2006 the aircraft had beaten the MiG-AT and Sukhoi’s S-54 to be selected as Russia’s next advanced jet trainer, bagged an export order from Algeria as a trainer and light attack aircraft, and received interest from several additional customers.

Italy’s M346 didn’t develop the same light attack capabilities as its Russian counterpart, and it flies using Fiat Avio/Honeywell ITEC’s F124-GA-200 turbofans, and uses its own distinct set of avionics, training systems.

Some 3rd party data sheets for the aircraft state various weapons-carrying options, but the company has been silent concerning any weapons trials, while avoiding any mention of armaments in data sheets, and issuing releases that clearly place the light attack variant in the future tense as something that would happen if the UAE signs a contract. That hasn’t happened yet, and Finmeccannica companies have not been able to clarify its status; as such, DID must characterize the M-346 as a training-only aircraft, unlike its Yak-130 counterpart or other lead-in fighter trainer competitors.

Slow Aerospace & M-346 Exports M-346 in Singapore
by Mark Chen
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Despite serious development work since 2000, and aid from the Italian Ministry for Economic Development, by the end of 2008, Alenia’s M346 had no confirmed customers at all.

The Italian Aeronautica Militare announced the plane’s first confirmed contract in November 2009, and their current trainer fleet of 102 MB-339s offers room for future M-346 sales beyond the initial 15. At present, only 30 of Italy’s existing trainers have been modernized to the MB-339CD variant. Growth beyond that fleet of 45 is likely to mean further M-346 orders.

Other orders followed, giving the M-346 a solid foothold in the international market.

Confirmed and Potential Purchases

Confirmed M-346 contracts include:

• Italy (15)
  
• Israel (30)
  
• Poland (8 + 4 options)
  
• Singapore (12). 1st export order.

Of special note, Israel’s 30-plane order in 2012 reportedly cited future compatibility with the F-35. That can only be good news for future European sales, and the Italian Defence Ministry has been heavily involved in supporting the M346 Master’s bids round the world, even pledging a billion-dollar offset buy of Israeli defense equipment. Selections that haven’t been followed by contracts include:

• UAE. That 48-plane deal is estimated to be worth about EUR 1 billion, but no contract since 2009. The UAE reportedly wants a plane that can perform some air policing and attack missions, plus a UAV development project as an industrial offset. Piaggio’s P.1HH Hammerhead UAV offers a big development opportunity by a company that already has a UAE main shareholder, but at present, the M-346 is just a trainer.

Opportunities and Losses T-38A Talons
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The M-346 has lost competitions in India (Hawk), Indonesia (T-50 family), the Philippines (T-50 family), and Saudi Arabia (Hawk).

Alenia Aermacchi has stated that their plane is seeking potential orders in Chile, Ecuador, Greece, and Qatar, among others. Alenia’s largest opportunity by far, however, involves the USA’s potential T-X competition. It would replace about 450 Northrop Grumman T-38 Talon supersonic trainers with about 350 new aircraft, and dozens of accompanying simulators.

The USAF is conducting an analysis of alternatives, but any decisions re: the way forward have been delayed to 2016. If a T-X decision aims for new aircraft, the M-346 aims to compete for that role as the “T-100 Training System.” A win there would easily outweigh all other opportunities put together, but the challenge was finding an American partner to compete against Lockheed Martin (T-50 Golden Eagle) and BAE Systems (Hawk 128). General Dynamics became that partner in January 2013. Now, the USA’s parlous fiscal state is the remaining issue. Even the current delayed 2016 decision date presumes that further budget costs, or escalating costs for programs like the F-35 and new bomber, won’t force further postponements.

M-346: Contracts and Key Events 2014 – 2016

M-346 simulator
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June 8/16: Aermacchi unveiled the first M346 advanced jet trainer for Poland at its plant in Venegono-Superiore. The June 6 event was attended by Polish Deputy Defense Minister, Bartosz Kownacki, the Italian State Under Secretary to the Ministry of Defence, Gioacchino Alfano, and by the Managing Director of Leonardo-Finmeccanica Aircraft, Filippo Bagnato. Warsaw has ordered eight of the aircraft in total at a cost of $383 million.

March 23/15: Nine additional Aermacchi M-346 advanced jet trainers have been ordered by the Italian government, doubling the initial order by the air force. The Honeywell F124-powered aircraft come at a cost of $336 million, with delivery to commence this year and last until 2018. In addition to the trainers, the contract also includes logistics support and a further, unspecified development effort for a wider integrated training system.

February 26/16: Final assembly has begun on the first two of Poland’s ordered M-346 trainers from Finmeccanica. A total of eight have been ordered, with deliveries to begin in 2016 for the contract including logistic support; a training program for pilots and engineers, and a state of the art Ground Based Training Systems. Orders of the M-346 of late amount to 59 with Italy, Israel, and Singapore all awaiting awaiting deliveries.

Sept 3/14: Singapore. The RSAF holds a formal ceremony to inaugurate the M-346 into the RSAF’s 150 Squadron at Cazaux Air Base in France. The squadron actually began receiving then planes in 2012, ans has all 12 already. Sources: Singapore MINDEF, “The RSAF Inaugurates the M-346 into 150 Squadron”.

March 20/14: Israel. Rollout of the 1st Israeli M-346 (q.v. July 19/12) at Venegono Superiore, Italy. Official delivery is scheduled for summer 2014, and the first 2 planes do arrive in early July. The ground-based training center and its networked simulators with added Elbit Systems technology officially open in September 2014. Read “Trainer Jets for Israel: From the Skyhawk, to the M-346 Lavi” for full coverage.

March 4/14: USA T-X. The USAF and USN unveil their preliminary budget request briefings. They aren’t precise, but they do offer planned purchase numbers for key programs between FY 2014 – 2019. T-X is included in the USAF’s plans, with a program start in FY15. It’s listed as a $905 million RDT&E program, which seems odd for a mostly off-the-shelf buy.

The documentation targets early FY17 for the RFP’s release. The USAF is still working on their acquisition strategy, so we’ll have to see how the notional goal of 300 aircraft holds up over time. Sources: USAF, Fiscal Year 2015 Budget Overview.

Feb 27/14: Poland. Alenia Aermacchi announces a EUR 280 million contract from Poland for 8 trainers, logistic support, a training programme for pilots and engineers and a ground-based training system with dedicated classrooms and educational materials.

The contract brings the total number of global M-346 sales to 56. Sources: Finmeccanica, “Alenia Aermacchi signs a EUR 280 million contract with Poland for eight M-346”.

Feb 13/14: Poland. An Italian Air Force M-346 passes all verification tests at 41 Aviation School Base in Deblin by Feb 5/13. That leads Poland’s MON to declare that they will accept Alenia Aermacchi’s contract offer. The formal signing will happen soon. Source: Polish MON, “M-346 Master: oferta na AJT wybrana”.

Contract: 8 jets + support

Feb 12/14: Singapore. As Singapore opens its air exhibition, Alenia discusses the state of their order:

“ST Aerospace and Alenia Aermacchi will deliver the last of the 12 M-346 new generation advanced trainers to the RSAF in March 2014…. a total of 10 aircraft have been delivered along with the delivery of the relevant ground based training system and the associated M-346 initial logistics support…. In February 2013, the RSAF commenced the pilot training in its Advanced Training School at the Cazaux Air Base in France, while in March 2013 the first training flight for a pilot trainee in the M-346 was successfully conducted.”

Sources: Alenia Aermacchi, “ST Aerospace and Alenia Aermacchi set to deliver the last of 12 M-346 aircraft ordered by RSAF”.

2013

Picked in Poland; Deal with GD in the US; Prototype crashes. “T-100”
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Dec 20/13: Poland. Poland’s MON picks the M-346 as its next jet trainer. The package includes 8 planes + 4 options, along with simulators and other training systems, spares, and technical support.

Even though the M-346 was the only finalist without certified dual-role capability, Alenia (PZL 1.167 billion / $377.1 million) was the only contender to submit an offer within the MON’s PZL 1.2 billion budget. BAE’s Hawk T2 LIFT (PZL 1.754 billion/ $566 million) and KAI/Lockheed’s T-50 (PZL 1.802 billion/ $582 million) could not, and consideration of lifetime costs wasn’t enough to save them from disqualification. Read full coverage at: “Poland’s New Advanced Jet Trainer: M-346 Wins“.

Polish pick

Aug 9/13: Grounded. Alenia and Italy’s M346 fleets are still grounded, while 3 separate investigations (Alenia, ItAF/AM, judicial) look into the May 2013 accident. Test pilot Matteo Maurizio, who lost the ability to control the jet, sustained “serious injuries.”

The fleet grounding has delayed Italy’s final operational test and evaluation. Alenia will certainly want this behind them before deliveries to Israel begin in 2014, and the firm told AIN that they believe the issue will be resolved “very soon.” Singapore’s training squadron in Cazaux, France has already received several jets, but their flight status is unclear. AIN.

May 11/13: Crash. An M346 prototype crashes around 20 minutes after take-off from Turin-Caselle airport, in Val Bormida, Italy. There was only 1 pilot, who ejected safely. The crash was in a location that didn’t harm anyone or destroy anyone’s property. Alenia is not discussing possible causes of the crash.

This is the 2nd prototype to be destroyed in a crash, following the Nov 18/11 incident in Dubai. Details regarding the Dubai crash remain sketchy, but the technical problem was said to be confined to the prototypes. The accident leaves Alenia with just 1 prototype aircraft. ASN report | Alenia | Aviation Week.

Crash

April 11/13: Chile. Defense News reports that Chile is stepping back from plans to replace their 35 T-35 Pillan trainers and 23 A-36 Halcon light attack jets. These are actually local designations for CASA’s C-101 jets, which are no longer in production. The usual contenders were reportedly involved: BAE’s Hawk, KAI/ Lockheed’s supersonic T-50, and the M-346.

Chile is reportedly focusing on its F-16 fleet instead, and a Lockheed Martin representative at LAAD confirmed that they were discussing F-16 upgrades. Chile does fly 33 second-hand F-16A/B MLUs, alongside 10 more modern F-16C/D Block 52 fighters. A common configuration would be a logical step, but if Chile really wants to wait for the USA to sort out their T-X competition, as the article implies, they could be waiting a long time.

March 4/13: Testing. Alenia announces that the M346 passed its Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) Test to certify it for hose-and-drogue air-to-air refueling when configured with external tanks. When an air refueling probe approaches the tanker basket, it can generate a discharge higher than 100,000 volts. Bit of a risk around lots of jet fuel, so they tested the M-346 at Alenia Aermacchi’s Venegono Superiore plant. The British firm Cobham, who makes hose-and-drogue refueling pods, provided support. Alenia.

Jan 17/13: USA. Alenia Aermacchi and General Dynamics sign a Letter of Intent for the T-X trainer competition. General Dynamics C4 Systems will act as the prime contractor for purposes of this competition, offering the “T-100”. As the prime contractor, GDC4S will be responsible for managing Alenia’s delivery of the aircraft, integrating some specific components; and supplying flight simulation devices, multi-media classrooms and logistics support.

Boeing had an agreement with Alenia for sales beyond the USA (vid. May 28/08 entry), and this announcement makes it very unlikely that they’ll work together within the USA. Alenia North America | Alenia | General Dynamics.

Jan 7/13: Israel. Alenia Aermacchi announces a $140 million sub-contract from Elbit Systems, Ltd./ TOR, covering Alenia’s share of logistics support (CLS) services for Israel’s 30 M-346i advanced trainer aircraft.

The CLS services include supply, maintenance and overhaul of spare parts, and will be performed jointly with Elbit Systems, who will have a contract of their own from the Israeli govvernment.

Israel support

2012

Israel win; USA’s T-X delayed to 2016. M346
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July 19/12: Israel. Italy and Israel sign a set of 2-way defense deals. Israel will get 30 M-346 trainers, for delivery beginning in mid-2014. It’s a $1 billion deal, with Alenia’s share announced at around $600 million. Israel will join Italy and Singapore as M-346 operators.

Going the other way, Israel’s IAI will supply 2 Gulfstream 550 “Eitam” Conformal Airborne Early Early Warning & Control (CAEW) planes, which can monitor airspace and even maritime areas in a wide radius around the aircraft. Italy will join Israel and Singapore as G550 CAEW operators. The last component of the deal is a shared IAI/Finmeccanica project for a high-resolution Italian OPTSAT-3000 surveillance satellite. Read “Italy & Israel: A Billion-Dollar Offer They Didn’t Refuse” for full coverage and details.

Israel: 30

Feb 17/12: US T-X delayed. The USAF confirms that it won’t make a T-X selection until 2016, and doesn’t expect initial operational capability for its new trainers until 2020. Until then, they’ll continue to use 2-seat F-16s to bridge the gap from the T-38 to the F-22A and F-35.

The extra time could be bad news for Alenia, as their international sales partner Boeing is reportedly readying a design of their own. Flight International discusses a notional twin-tail, single-engine trainer, which sounds rather like ATG & IAI’s Javelin design. The magazine also reports that Northrop Grumman is considering its own entry, and a check reveals that their Sept 19/11 announcement of a T-X partnership with BAE no longer displays on BAE’s site or on Northrop Grumman’s. Flight International.

Feb 16/12: Israel. Alenia is picked by the IAF as the preferred bidder to stock IAI & Elbit’s TOR public-private joint training venture. The IAF says that the Master’s readiness to accommodate F-35A pilots played a role in its win. Government approval is still required, and a contract award for 30 planes is expected later in 2012. If the expected billion-dollar contract is signed, deliveries would be expected to begin in the middle of 2014.

In return, Italy is rumored to have pledged to buy an equivalent amount of equipment from Israel: IAI’s CAEW 550 AEW&C jets, and a new jointly-developed reconnaissance satellite. Read “Trainer Jets for Israel: From the Skyhawk, to the Master” for full coverage.

Israeli pick.

2011

Italian military certification & MHD approval; Singapore support contract; Crash in Dubai. M-346/T-100
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Dec 18-22/11: HMD. Alenia Aermacchi performs flight tests using the Italian Air force’s 3rd series production T-346A plane, which includes night missions, as part of the plane’s certification program. The 7 flight tests took place at Torino Caselle airport, Italy, including night flights using the HMD in Night Configuration.

In the M-346, both student and instructor pilots wear the HMD, which is fully integrated with the avionics suite, in order to support training for Navigation and Attack modes. Color symbology can be projected to the eyepiece, and Alenia Aermacchi touts combination as “the only Advanced Trainer that [currently] comprises the HMD, in both Night and Day configuration.” The tests provide the final go-ahead for production deliveries of the systems to Italian Air Force. Alenia, via Al Defaiya.

Nov 18/11: One of Alenia’s 3 prototypes crashes into the sea near Dubai, UAE. Both pilots ejected safely.

The aircraft was on its way home after participating in the Dubai airshow , as part of Alenia’s efforts to keep the M-346 front and center as the UAE’s next trainer. The UAE picked it in February 2009, but hasn’t signed any contracts. ASN accident report | Defense Update.

Crash

June 24/11: Sub-contractors. Alenia Aermacchi announces that EUR 170 million (about $243 million) in support contracts have been finalized with ST Aerospace, to cover Singapore’s 12 M-346 trainers.

A Supply Chain Management contract will feature joint management of the fleet’s after-sales support by Alenia Aermacchi and ST Aerospace, including spare parts provisioning, repair and overhaul services. The 2 firms will share risks, sales and profits on that contract.

The Operations & Support contract is solely Alenia Aermacchi’s, covering engineering support, program/ contract management, and field support services.

Singapore support deal

June 20/11: The Italian General Directorate for Aeronautical Armaments of the Ministry of Defense issues the M-346 a military type certificate, a critical step in customer acceptance of any new aircraft. The Italian Air Force will now begin the acceptance procedure for its first 2 “T-346A” aircraft, which have already been delivered.

Certifications take longer than most people appreciate. In order to complete the military type certification process, the M-346 program made 180 flights, totaling 200 hours, over the past 5 months, with over 3,300 Test points were completed. defpro.

Military certification

March 31/11: Italy’s T-346A. The first M-346 aircraft produced specifically for the Italian Air Force (ITAF) has a successful first flight. The ITAF has designated the plane as the T-346A. Alenia Aermacchi.

Feb 24/11: UAE. Flight International reports that M346 negotiations between the UAE and Alenia Aermacchi have stopped, with no word on when they might resume. Unfortunately for KAI, this apparently does not indicate an opening for competitors, just a priority shift. Having said that:

“There have also been reports that there was a misunderstanding over the aircraft’s specifications, and that components wanted by the UAE were not included… “Political problems that are outside my domain have resulted in the delays,” says [Alenia’s] Vincenzo Giangrasso… “We have discussed the technical issues with the end user, and the air force is very happy with the aircraft…” …The door appears to remain closed to KAI and the T-50, with officials from the South Korean company agreeing. “Obviously, we would love to get back into the competition and offer the T-50. But we have not had any discussions with the UAE officials about the T-50 since they picked the M-346, and we are not expecting that to change any time soon,” says a KAI official.”

Feb 23/11: UAE. IDEX 2011 is drawing to a close, with AED 11.8 billion ($3.21 billion) in contracts from the UAE alone, but still no M346 contract. Jane’s:

“This week there has been no comment on the Alenia Aermacchi M346 trainer aircraft deal announced here two years ago, but yesterday the Italian company was awarded a contract for four MB339 trainers [which also equip the UAE’s aerobatic team].”

Jan 20/11: Sub-contractors. CAE announces a contract from Boeing Training Systems and Services to design and manufacture 2 M-346 full-mission simulators, as part of the plane’s ground-based training system for “an international customer.” Italy and Singapore would both qualify for that designation.

The simulators will be delivered in 2012, and will feature a cockpit configuration to train the pilot and weapon systems officer (WSO), as well as the capability to network the simulators for joint training. Boeing’s Constant Resolution Visual System (CRVS) will be powered by CAE Medallion-6000 image generators, running databases based on the CAE-developed Common Database (CDB) standard. The contract’s value is cloaked by its presence within a scattershot set of announcements worth a total of “more than $140 million.”

2010

Singapore win; India loss; Opportunities in Poland, UAE, USA, Europe’s AEJPT; HMD development; Rollout in Italy. M-346’s HMD
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Dec 21/10: Italy unveiling. Alenia Aermacchi unveils the first 2 M-346 advanced trainers from Italy’s first batch of 6 aircraft, in a ceremony at Venegono Superiore.

These 2 planes will eventually be delivered to the Experimental Flying Unit at Pratica di Mare Air Force Base, near Rome, for operational evaluation testing. The Italian Air Force will receive the other 4 aircraft in 2011; they are already under construction at the Venegono Superiore factory. Alenia Aermacchi.

Sept 28/10: Singapore. Rumors of a win in Singapore are confirmed, via a EUR 250 million contract to supply Singapore with 12 M-346 trainers. Delivery of the first aircraft is expected in 2012. Together with Singapore’s ST Aerospace (the deal’s prime contractor), Alenia Aermacchi will make a contribution to ITS (Integrated Training System) activities and to supporting the fleet, but Boeing will have most of the responsibility for the ground based training system. That firm will be able to leverage its existing prime contractor role for the US Navy’s T-45 Goshawk advanced jet trainer and its associated ground systems.

The win comes via its global marketing agreement with Boeing, who already supplies Singapore’s new F-15SG fighters. Its main competition was the T-50 Golden Eagle by Korean Aerospace. That was a partnership with Lockheed Martin, who supplies and support the RSAF’s large F-16 fleet. Singapore MINDEF | Finmeccanica | ST Aerospace | Defense News | Flight International | UPI.

Singapore: 12

Sept 6-8/10: Poland, UAE & Singapore. Poland’s 18th International Defence Industry Exhibition MSPO is held in Kielce. Alenia brings the M-346 to Poland for the 3rd time, and its announcements include some interesting tidbits.

The first is a tacit admission that the M346 is currently only a jet trainer: “The development of the light attack version is already under way to meet specific requirements of individual customer Air Forces.” That’s a reference to a United Arab Emirates requirement, but the UAE isn’t an M346 customer yet.

The second point of interest is their confirmation that “The M-346 has also been selected by the Republic of Singapore for its Fighter Wings Course (FWC) requirement, which aims to replace its current advanced trainers fleet.” There is no contract yet, but its status as Singapore’s preferred bidder is a sharp blow to Korea’s KAI. Alenia Aermacchi. See also “Poland Seeks Advanced Jet Trainers” for full coverage of Poland’s trainer competition.

July 28/10: India loss. The M-346 loses a competition opportunity in India, as that country decides to extend its purchases of BAE Systems Hawk Advanced Jet Trainer (AJT) aircraft. This 2nd batch will be built under licence in India for the Indian Air Force (40) and Indian Navy (17). Read “Hawks Fly Away With India’s Jet Trainer v2 Competition” for full coverage.

India loss

July 1/10: Singapore. Defense News reports that Singapore’s government has selected Alenia Aermacchi’s M-346 as the preferred bidder in its $1.3 billion competition for 48 advanced jet trainers. The report adds that the UAE’s M346 deal remains in limbo over a stalled side deal to jointly develop UAVs, which may give KAI’s T-50 an opening.

May 2010: “T-100” for USA. An online campaign by Alenia North America rebrands the Italian M346 as the “T-100 integrated training system (ITS)”. Alenia NA is actively seeking US partners to front its bid for the emerging T-X contract. The DEW Line.

May 18/10: HMD. Alenia Aermacchi announces initial flight tests of an M-346 equipped with a 1.6 kg Helmet Mounted Display (HMD) system to complement the traditional cockpit Head-Up Display. The HMD is fully integrated with aircraft avionics and with the Embedded Tactical Training Simulation system.

More and more advanced fighters are flying with HMDs, so an acceptable HMD option becomes an important feature for any advanced jet trainer.

April 26/10: AEJPT. Alenia Aermacchi has formally teamed with EADS to offer the M-346 Master for the 9-nation, 100 aircraft Advanced European Jet Pilot Training (AEJPT) program. Under their memorandum of understanding, Alenia Aermacchi would supply the aircraft while EADS would provide the ground-based training systems. Support would be split between the two companies.

The team is 1 of 7 that responded to the European Defence Agency’s AEJPT request for information. A formal RFP is expected by late 2011, with the winner to be under contract by 2014 and initial operational capability planned for 2017. The question is whether any of this will actually happen, given budget pressures in European countries. What this agreement does, is effectively spell the end of EADS’ Mako HEAT supersonic combat trainer concept. Alenia Aermacchi | EADS.

2009

Italy places the 1st orders for planes & support; UAE picks the M-346; 1,000th flight. M-346 prototypes
(click to view full)

Nov 30/09: Sub-contractors. CAE in Montreal, QB, Canada announces that Alenia Aermacchi (AAEM) has awarded CAE a contract to design and manufacture a M-346 full-mission simulator and a M-346 part-task trainer as part of the M-346 ground-based training system for the Italian Air Force. The award flows from the initial Nov 10/09 ARMAEREO contract for 6 M-346 Master Integrated Training Systems (ITS), which include aircraft and their related flight simulators.

Within this contract, CAE has subcontracted the development and supply of simulation and instructor operator station (IOS) subsystems to Selex Galileo in Ronchi dei Legionari, Italy. The M-346 full-mission simulator and part-task trainer is scheduled for delivery to Galatina Air Force Base near Lecce, Italy during the second half of 2011. CAE.

Nov 12/09: Sub-contractors. Finmeccanica subsidiary SELEX Galileo discusses [PDF] its own participation in the M-346 program. Much of their work revolves around the plane’s Mission Core System (MCS), which includes a Mission Computer (MCSG) hosting the operational flight program, a “glass” (digital) cockpit with 6 AMLCD 5″x5″ smart multi-functional displays, and 2 HUD-100 Head Up Displays. The M-346 Mission Core System manages the databus and some communications links, symbology generation for displays, sensor data collection and Tactical Data Base management; and EICAS “Crew Alerting” control.

SELEX Galileo will do extensive work on the Ground Based Training System alongside CAE. SELEX Galileo will deliver the Instructor Operating Station (IOS) – a high-fidelity replica of the M-346 Cockpit, modeling and simulating the Avionics and most of the Aircraft Systems. Production will be carried out mainly at the Group’s sites in Pomezia (Rome), Nerviano (Milan), and Ronchi dei Legionari (Trieste).

Nov 10/09: Italy. Finmeccanica subsidiary Alenia Aermacchi and the Italian government’s ARMAEREO (Direzione Generale per gli Armamenti Aeronautici) sign a EUR 220 million (about $327 million) contract to provide the Italian Air Force with 6 Integrated Training Systems (ITS). This includes 6 T-346A Master advanced trainer aircraft, related flight simulators, logistics support, training for military personnel to include construction of multimedia training rooms, and a new flight line for the M-346 Master to be built at the Lecce Flying School along, with a hangar and maintenance services.

This contract forms part of a broader agreement to supply a total of 15 aircraft and related support (vid. June 18/09 entry). The first 2 aircraft are scheduled for delivery by the end of 2010, and will be initially assigned for testing and procedures workups to the Flight Testing Department at Pratica di Mare air base. The Italian Air Force will receive 4 more aircraft by the end of 2011, making them the world’s first Air Force to have a training line based on the M-346 Master. Finmecanica.

Italy: ground training

Nov 4/09: 1,000th flight. Alenia Aermacchi announces that its M-346 Master fleet has reached the 1,000-flight milestone, with a flight by LRIP02. The thousand flights performed by the 3 M-346 prototypes cover a broad range of missions, from aircraft testing and development to the displaying to the many interested Air Forces and ferry flights for international demo tours for important aviation events.

Flight #1,000

Sept 21/09: Israel. Flight International reports that Alenia Aermacchi’s M-346 Master and the Korea Aerospace Industries/Lockheed Martin T-50 have emerged as the leading candidates to replace the Israeli Cheyl Ha’avir’s TA-4 Skyhawk advanced jet trainers. See also full DID coverage: “Israel’s Skyhawk Scandal Leads to End of an Era.”

June 18/09: The Italian Job. At the 2009 Le Bourget air show, Alenia Aeronautica announces [PDF] that Italy’s Air Force has signed a long-awaited contract to buy Alenia’s new M346 Master advanced trainer jet. This initial agreement covers 6 jets and an integrated training service, with an option for another 9 aircraft that could take it to 15.

Not so coincidentally, the Italian agreement also includes a series of joint initiatives between Alenia Aermacchi and the Italian Air Force to develop international training support capabilities for the Air Forces of other countries through flight simulators, GBTS (Ground Based Training System) and integrated logistics. Canada’s CAE is currently executing a simulator contract for the M346, and can be expected to be part of that solution.

Italy: 6-15

April 28/09: DOMA cert. Alenia Aermacchi receives D.O.M.A. (Design Organization Military Approval) certification for the M-346 Master, on the basis of the audits carried out by the DGAA for compliance with Regulation AER.P-10. The company release adds that:

“Alenia Aermacchi is the first Italian aeronautical industry which, following its DOMA certification, enjoys the privilege to manage directly and autonomously the homologation process and continuing airworthiness of the M-346 Master advanced trainer. The privileges presently apply to the ECS (Environmental Control System), Windshield & Canopy System, Lighting System and all equipment. This allows internal M-346 design and development processes to be made more efficient and to streamline its interface with the DGAA.”

Feb 25/09: UAE “win”. At IDEX 2009, the UAE announces that negotiations have begun to buy 48 M346s, including a number of aircraft that will be configured in a light attack configuration, plus flight simulators and other ground-based training systems. The aircraft beat BAE Systems’ Hawk Mk.128 and KAI’s T-50 Golden Eagle to gain preferred bidder status, and this order would give the UAE the world’s largest M-346 fleet if a contract goes through.

If a contract is signed, an accompanying venture involving Mubadala Development is expected to establish a local final assembly line for the M346, and may also manufacture composite aerostructures for the civil sector. Flight International reports that the eventual contract could be worth around EUR 1 billion, with deliveries expected to begin in 2012. See also: Finmeccanica release | Arabian Aerospace.

UAE pick

2007 – 2008

M346 “Master”; Supersonic flight; Partnership with Boeing; Shortlisted by UAE; MoU with Portugal; Interest from French DGA. M-346 Master
(click to view full)

Dec 19/08: Call me Master. The Examination Committee of the competition to name the M-346 trainer picks the name “Master.” The competition was launched on Oct 20/08, and over 4,000 entries were received from every corner of the world. In order to remove any questions of motivation, the Aermacchi release kindly explains what they say they were thinking:

“This international name is the succinct embodiment of what the M-346 represents: the ideal tool to train the future jet pilots of the latest generation and at the same time the maximum level of training that a student can attain.”

Naming

Dec 18/08: Supersonic. Alenia Aermacchi announces that an M-346 advanced trainer test aircraft has flown at supersonic speed, making it the first Italian-designed aircraft to do so in 52 years. The aircraft reached Mach 1.15 in the “supersonic corridor” off the Italian Riviera coast, during a 75 minute flight which began and ended on the company airfield at Venegono Superiore.

The release does not say that the speed was achieved in level flight, but it does add that test activities will continue until the top design speed of Mach 1.2 is reached.

Supersonic

LRIP00 flies
(click to view full)

July 9/08: The first low-rate initial production M-346 trainer makes its maiden flight. Alenia Aermacchi.

May 28/08: Boeing partnership. Alenia Aermacchi and Boeing announce an agreement to jointly pursue the international trainer aircraft market. Aermacchi’s M-311 and M-346 are both covered, for efforts outside of Italy or the USA. For those pursuits, both companies will cooperate on marketing, sales, training and product support. Under the agreement, Boeing Integrated Defense Systems’ Support Systems division will be responsible for several aspects of the program’s spares and support work, and associated ground-based training. Alenia Aermacchi | Boeing.

April 23/08: Sub-contractors. CAE in Montreal, QB, Canada announces that Alenia Aermacchi (AAEM) has picked them as the M-346 program’s preferred full-mission simulator supplier, and awarded CAE a contract to design, develop and validate the simulator’s Initial Training Capability. As part of the overall ground-based training system, CAE will initially design and manufacture a prototype M-346 flight training device (FTD) – a high-fidelity replica of the M-346 cockpit with CAE’s Medallion-6000 image generator, driving a dome display that includes liquid crystal on silicon (LCoS) projectors. CAE will also provide a simulation-based development and validation environment so AAEM engineers and test pilots can perform a range of tests as the M-346 completes its development.

Finmeccanica’s Selex Galileo will partner with CAE for simulator development, delivery, and support, including responsibility for the instructor operating station and cockpit environment. CAE.

April 2/08: Chile. At the FIDAE air show in Santiago, Chile’s state-owned firm Enaer and Alenia Aermacchi announce an agreement to market the M-346 new-generation trainer jet and M-311 basic trainer to Latin American countries. The agreement also opens the possibility of joint manufacture in Chile. The FACh is interested in replacing its C-101 variant trainers at some point, though it isn’t a formal competition yet. Flight International.

June 7/07: Portugal. Alenia Aermacchi announces a Memorandum of Understanding with the Industria Aeronautica de Portugal (OGMA), which “establishes the terms of the OGMA industrial participation in the [M-346] programme” for production and assembly, structural testing work, and support. “The agreement also covers the involvement of a significant number of companies active in high-tech fields as well as in aeronautics, which will join the programme as sub-contractors.”

This is all standard stuff for companies that need to offer industrial offsets in order to win a specific contract, but that isn’t the case in Portugal, which doesn’t have an active competition.

Portugal MoU

May 17/07: France. Aermacchi announces that an Evaluation Team of the French DGA procurement agency’s official CEV flight test centre carries out a flight evaluation of the Alenia Aermacchi M-346 advanced trainer in April 2007. The team evaluated the M-346 in terms of performance, handling, human-machine interface, powerplant system and logistic and maintenance considerations; and examined the engineering and flight data processing capabilities available at the Alenia Aermacchi flight test centre.

This appears to be a case of lending greater expertise to a partner state, in the context of bilateral cooperation agreements. France already flies Alpha Jet trainers, which it intends to keep flying for many years. At some point, however, a replacement will be needed, and early bridge-building never hurts.

May 3/07: Industrial. The first M-346 Low Rate Initial Production fuselage comes out of the jig at Alenia Aermacchi’s Venegono facility. LRIP 00 differs from the prototype and pre-series aircraft in a number of ways, including a new main landing gear optimized wiring, and a weight reduction program that made more use of advanced materials such as unidirectional carbon fiber, thermoplastic and titanium materials, etc. Alenia Aermacchi.

Feb 21/07: UAE. The United Arab Emirates shortlists 2 Alenia Aermacchi aircraft – the M-346 advanced trainer and M-311 basic trainer – among its candidates for a new advanced jet training system. Alenia Aermacchi.

2004 – 2006

1st flight; Greece MoU; Interest from Poland. Polish TS-11
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Oct 2-4/06: Poland. The M-346 performs 8 evaluation flights at the Polish Airbase of Deblin. Poland is looking for new trainer aircraft, to accompany its new fleet of F-16s. Read “Poland Seeks Advanced Jet Trainers” for full coverage.

May 30/06: Greece. The M-346 performs 9 evaluation flights at the Hellenic Air Force Training Base in Kalamata, including flights by HAF pilots. During the Kalmata missions, continuous monitoring of all flight parameters conducted by a data receiving station set up at the base, and by Alenia Aermacchi at Venegono, through a proprietary satellite telemetry system. Aermacchi.

May 2005: Testing. First flight of the 2nd M-346 prototype.

Dec 15/05: Greece. Aermacchi and Hellenic Aerospace Industry (HAI) sign a Memorandum of Understanding that sets out the terms of their industrial cooperation in the M-346’s development program. HAI will be the Hellenic prime contractor, responsible for a planning, production and assembly of about 10% of the aircraft, including the posterior fuselage. HAI will also manage the contributions of the other Greek companies taking part in the program as sub-contractors. Aermacchi.

January 2005: Greece. The Greek Ministry of Defence signs a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to become a partner in the M-346 program.

They aren’t buying any jets yet. The HAF flies a number of T-6B advanced turboprop trainers, as well as some T-2E Buckeye jets that are well past their sell-by date. The challenge will be finding budgetary funds to buy new trainer jets.

Greece MoU

July 2004: 1st flight. First flight of the M-346 prototype.

1st flight

Additional Readings

DID thanks Mark Chen for authorized use of his Singapore Airshow photo.

• Aermacchi – M-346

• Alenia North America – T-100 Integrated Training System.

• Air Force Technology – M-346 Master Advanced Fighter Trainer, Italy

• Wikipedia – Alenia Aermacchi M-346

• Teal Group’s Richard Aboulafia – October 2009 letter. Discusses Italy’s “slow aerospace” industrial model counterpart to the “slow food” movement.

The USA’s T-X

• Defense News (Sept 8/10) – BAE Sees USAF T-X Contest as Foothold. “BAE is going it alone in its bid, despite its successful partnership with Chicago-based Boeing to supply the U.S. Navy with 223 T-45 Goshawk trainers… BAE would still use some U.S. firms as subcontractors…”

• Training & Simulation Journal (Aug 24/10) – The hunt for a jet trainer

• Flight International (Feb 9/09) – Three designs to contest USAF’s T-X deal, believes BAE. Hawk, M-346, and the T-50.

Competitors & Market

• DID FOCUS – Russia’s Yak-130 Trainer & Light Attack Jets. Its design is closely related to the Aermacchi M346; they were once a joint program, but their evolutions diverged in significant ways.

• Air Force Technology – Hawk Trainer / Light Combat Aircraft, United Kingdom. Hawk is the world’s most popular in-production trainer.

• Air Force Technology – Hawk Mk 127 / Mk 128 LIFT Lead In Fighter Trainer, United Kingdom

• Air Force Technology – L159 ALCA Advanced Light Combat Aircraft, Czech Republic. Now it’s also a 2-seat trainer version. Bought by Czech air force, which is trying to sell some of its fleet due to budget issues, but without much success.

• Air Force Technology – MiG-AT – Advanced Flight and Combat Trainer Aircraft, Russia. No market traction as yet.

• DID FOCUS – Korea’s T-50 Spreads Its Wings

• Forecast International (March 25/09) – Fighter R&M Market Facing Conflicting Priorities.

“In its new analysis entitled “The Market for Fighter/Attack/Trainer Retrofit & Modernization,” Forecast International estimates that nearly $20 billion will be spent on military aircraft upgrades during the 2009-2018 period. The United States alone is expected to earmark $9.5 billion for fighter/attack/trainer retrofit & modernization (R&M) programs, with the rest of the world kicking in another $10.3 billion… Caught between changing needs and tight budgets, militaries will seek upgrades for their air fleets that grant the greatest capability without being prohibitively expensive – literally, the most bang for their buck.”

Americas

• DARPA has awarded eight companies contracts to work on Phase 2 of the Collaborative Operations in Denied Environment (CODE) program. The Lockheed Martin and Raytheon led program aims to make unmanned systems perform sophisticated tasks both individually and in teams under the supervision of a single human mission commander. Joining Lockheed and Raytheon include Daniel H. Wagner Associates, Scientific Systems Company, Smart Information Flow Technologies, Soar Technology, SRI International, and Vencore Labs dba Applied Communication Sciences.

• The USAF has claimed it is not looking at a road-mobile option for its next-generation intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). Under the Ground-Based Strategic Deterrent (GBSD) program the aging Minuteman III ICBM fleet will be replaced. Speaking about the mobile option, a service official said “We want to make sure that as we look at GBSD, we’re building it modular so if changes need to be made in the weapon system you don’t have to open up, let’s say, the software to redo the entire software.”

• Canada’s Foreign Affairs Minister Stéphane Dion has insisted that the government still has leverage over the controversial contract to sell light armored vehicles (LAVs) to Saudi Arabia. It had been earlier reported that any cancellation of the sale by the Canadian government would see them liable for a multi-billion dollar cancellation penalty. Dion assured reporters that Canada’s hands are not tied when it comes to ensuring “that the military equipment that any Canadian company is selling abroad is not used against human rights and the interests of Canada and our allies.”

Middle East North Africa

• The newly appointed defense minister of Turkey, Fikri Isik and his Pakistani counterpart met to discuss increasing bilateral defense ties. Among last Friday’s discussions was the potential sale of Turkish developed T129 attack helicopters. Other potential deals include the purchase by Turkey of the Pakistani-made Super Mushshak basic trainer aircraft.

• Kilgore Flares has been awarded a $24.8 million contract modification from the US Army to provide infrared countermeasure flares to the governments of Qatar and UAE. Delivery of the stocks is expected to be completed by June 30, 2017. Kilgore Flares, which operates within the countermeasures business group of Chemring North America, manufactures expendable IR decoy flares and other countermeasure systems.

Europe

• Aermacchi unveiled the first M346 advanced jet trainer for Poland at its plant in Venegono-Superiore. The June 6 event was attended by Polish Deputy Defense Minister, Bartosz Kownacki, the Italian State Under Secretary to the Ministry of Defence, Gioacchino Alfano, and by the Managing Director of Leonardo-Finmeccanica Aircraft, Filippo Bagnato. Warsaw has ordered eight of the aircraft in total at a cost of $383 million.

• The French and German governments are currently in discussions over an inter-governmental arms export agreement. Such a bilateral pact for foreign sales of weapons is seen as key to the future of the 50/50 joint venture holding company created by France’s state-owned Nexter and family-controlled Krauss-Maffei Wegmann of Germany, two specialists in land systems. The partnership will have annual sales of almost $2.3 billion and an order book of $10.2 billion, and employ more than 6,000 staff, the companies said.

Asia Pacific

• An Indian order worth over $200 million for Black Shark torpedoes from WASS, a subsidiary of Leonardo-Finmeccanica, has been cancelled. News of the decision comes in the wake of corruption charges involving another subsidiary of Italy’s Leonardo-Finmeccanica, AgustaWestland, and the Indian National Congress political party. A ban on new deals with Leonardo and its subsidiaries was put in place in 2014 following the coming to power of the Indian People’s Party (BJP), although existing contracts continue. No alternative for the order is currently in place.

Today’s Video

• Collaborative Operations in Denied Environment (CODE) program:

Atlas Elektronik Canada has agreed to enter into a partnership with Canadian manufacturer Magellan Aerospace to co-develop the rocket motor and warhead sections of the SeaSpider anti-torpedo torpedo (ATT).

The US Navy's newest expeditionary fast transport (EPF) vessel, the future USNS Carson City (EPF 7), has completed acceptance trials during an underway period in the Gulf of Mexico.

A consortium of Airbus Defence and Space, and Telespazio France has been contracted to provide satellite-based maritime surveillance services for the French Navy.

Russian RPG-2 Anti-Tank Rocket Launcher

Since its founding in 1983, ITIM Systems has have developed a wealth of experience by working in close association with boat builders and survey authorities.

One trouble that many of us who work in and study security sector reform have is that we find actually measuring security a challenging concept. Due to a variety of factors – lack of good data, difficulty in operationalizing complicated social issues, and the specific aspects to focus on are just a few examples –

The European Defence Agency (EDA) collects defence data on an annual basis. The Ministries of Defence of the Agency’s 27 Member States (MS) provide the data. EDA acts as the custodian of the data and publishes the aggregated figures. The 2014 and estimated1 2015 figures refer to the total for all EDA Member States2, and if not otherwise stated, they are nominal.

Key findings:

• Defence expenditure increased for the first time after six years of continuous decline
• Operation and maintenance expenditure further increased, while investment further decreased
• Defence R&T expenditure at its lowest level
• Collaboration increased in equipment procurement and European defence R&T
• Defence personnel decline slowed down
• Deployment figures noticeably decreased
• Slight progress recorded on two out of four collective benchmarks

 

Defence expenditure increased for the first time after six years of continuous decline

The year 2014 marked a turning point for the European defence expenditure, the results of the EDA 2014 Defence Data gathering exercise reveal. After a continuous six-year decline, which started in 2008 following the outbreak of the global economic and financial crises, total defence expenditure of the 27 EDA Member States increased in 2014 by 2.3% from EUR 190 billion to EUR 195 billion, compared to the previous year. This was sufficient to overcome inflation and achieve a 0.6% or EUR 1.1 billion real-term3 growth. 2015 estimates suggest a further nominal increase of 2.6% or EUR 5 billion to EUR 200 billion, the level comparable to that before the crisis. In real terms, however, this increase translates into a 0.2% or EUR 0.33 billion decrease.

This is the first time to have a decade’s perspective on the European defence spending, starting with 2005 data gathered through the pilot defence data exercise. From 2005 to 2015, although in nominal terms defence expenditure increased by 3.6% from EUR 193 billion to EUR 200 billion, in real terms there was a 10.7% or EUR 22 billion decrease.

Counting from the peak of expenditure reached in 2007 with the EDA Member States collectively spending EUR 204 billion on defence to the lowest point of EUR 190 billion in 2013, total defence spending reduced by 6.8% (EUR 14 billion) in nominal terms or by nearly 12% (EUR 24 billion) in real terms. The share of defence expenditure in GDP4 and in total government spending being as high as 1.81% and 3.86% in 2005, has been steadily decreasing since then, and in 2015, it is estimated to have dropped to the lowest recorded level of 1.40% and 2.95%, respectively.

 

Operation and maintenance expenditure further increased, while investment further decreased

As regards defence expenditure structure, the year 2014 further highlighted the trend that began to emerge back in 2011, namely that of increasing expenditure on operation and maintenance and decreasing investment. Operation and maintenance - the second largest component of total defence spend with the average share of 23% – appears to be on an upward trajectory as of 2011. During the years 2011 to 2013, it grew at an average annual rate of 2.3%, and in 2014, it jumped by 11.7% (9.8% real increase) to EUR 52.2 billion, the highest absolute and relative (26.8% of total expenditure) value since 2006. Overall, operation and maintenance expenditure increased in real terms by EUR 4.6 billion or 10.3% from 2006 to 2014.

By contrast, defence investment, comprising equipment procurement and R&D (including R&T), continues to decline – a trend that started with a sharp 11.6% real decrease in 2011 and was reinforced with another significant real fall of 9.1% in 2014. Given a relatively small volume of R&D expenditure, this result was largely driven by another component of investment – equipment procurement – which in 2014 dropped by EUR 4.3 billion or 15.0%, compared to the previous year, the largest real decrease since 2006. R&D expenditure that has been declining as well, appears to be on an upward trend since 2012. In 2013, it achieved a 1.5% increase, and in 2014, it jumped by another 16.0% to EUR 8.8 billion, the biggest nominal increase observed so far. A real increase was slightly smaller, 0.8% in 2013 and 14.1% in 2014. From 2006 to 2014, R&D expenditure decreased by almost EUR 2 billion or 18.5% in real terms.

The share of investment in total defence expenditure, traditionally accounting for around 20%, shrank in 2014 by almost two percentage points to 17.8%. Within the investment category, the share of equipment procurement, amounting to around 16% on average, reduced by over two percentage points to 13.3%, while the share of R&D increased by 0.5 percentage points to 4.5% between 2013 and 2014. On average, R&D share in total investment stood at around 4.3% between 2006 and 2014, with the highest value of 4.9% reached in 2006, and the lowest – 3.9% – in 2012.

Personnel expenditure remains the largest component accounting for slightly above half – 51.2% – of total defence spend. Despite decreasing personnel numbers, personnel expenditure increased in some countries. At the aggregate EDA level, personnel expenditure has been gradually decreasing since 2006, but in 2014, it increased by 4.1% (2.4% real increase) to EUR 99.8 billion. During the entire period from 2006 to 2014, Member States’ real expenses dedicated to personnel reduced by over EUR 19 billion or almost 17%.

 

Defence R&T expenditure at its lowest level

A slight increase (+3.2%) in R&T expenditure achieved in 2013, was lost the year after, as R&T spending dropped by 4.6% (-6.1% in real terms) back to 2012 level of EUR 2.0 billion, the lowest since 2006. R&T expenditure was highest in 2006 amounting to EUR 2.7 billion – the expected response to the ambitious goal set by the EU leaders at the Hampton Court summit in 2005 to achieve a paradigm shift in defence R&T by spending more and spending more together. However, it has been gradually decreasing since then, despite the repeated urge to invest in defence R&T now to have effective and credible defence capabilities in the future. A real-term decrease in R&T expenditure was rather dramatic, amounting to nearly EUR 1 billion or 32% from 2006 to 2014. The share of R&T in total defence spend has been gradually shrinking as well, from the biggest of 1.32% in 2006, to the smallest of 1.02% in 2014.

 

Collaboration increased in equipment procurement and European defence R&T5

Since 2012, it has not been possible to have a comprehensive picture of the total Member States’ expenditure on collaborative (including European collaboration) defence equipment procurement and R&T projects and programmes, as several Member States were not in a position to provide this data. Nevertheless, although incomplete, 2014 data suggests slight improvements on three out of four collaborative expenditure categories, namely collaborative and European collaborative defence equipment procurement and European collaborative defence R&T.

Collaborative defence equipment procurement of the reporting EDA Member States increased by almost EUR 1 billion or 20.5%, compared to 2013, to EUR 5.7 billion. The share of European collaboration within this category increased in absolute terms – from EUR 4.5 billion to EUR 5.1 billion – but decreased in relative terms – from 94.6% to 89.8% of total collaborative procurement – during the same period. In relation to total defence equipment procurement expenditure, the share of collaborative equipment procurement increased from 15.9% to 22.1%, suggesting that the remaining 77.9% were directed to non-collaborative procurements. The share of European collaborative equipment procurement in total defence equipment procurement grew from 15.0% to 19.9%, an achievement of almost five percentage points with respect to the corresponding benchmark.

As regards R&T, total collaborative defence R&T expenditure of the reporting Member States decreased by EUR 18.6 million or 9.2% to EUR 185 million from 2013 to 2014, while European collaboration part within this category increased in both absolute – from EUR 168 million to EUR 172 million – and relative – from 82.5% to 93.3% of total collaborative R&T – terms. In relation to total defence R&T, the share of collaborative R&T decreased from 9.7% to 9.3%, indicating that 90.7% were non-collaborative expenditure. Meanwhile, the share of European collaborative R&T in total defence R&T increased from 8.0% to 8.6% during the same period, signalling a minor progress in terms of the respective benchmark.

 

Defence personnel decline slowed down

Since 2006, defence personnel (military and civilian) has been steadily declining, mainly due to internal restructuring processes. Between 2008 and 2011, this was more evident (-4.9% annual average decrease), possibly due to unfavourable economic conditions. Thereafter personnel numbers continued to fall, thought at a slower pace, a rate of -1.7% per year on average. From 2013 to 2014, total civilian personnel reduced by almost 2% to 400,000, whereas military personnel - by half that (almost 1%) to 1,423,000. During the entire period from 2006 to 2014, total defence personnel shrank by almost 500,000 or 21.4%, where civilian personnel decreased by almost 85,000 or 17.5%, and military personnel – by almost 411,000 or 22.4%.

As total military personnel decreased, so did the numbers in each military personnel breakdown category. During the 2006-2014 period, Army reduced by 209,000 or 22.5% to 720,000, Maritime – by 36,000 or 16.0% to 191,000, Air Force – by 96,000 or 28.4% to 241,000, and military personnel not assigned to any of the above categories and nominated as “Other” – by 72,000 or 21.3% to 268,000. In relative terms, the shares of military personnel categories remained to a greater or lesser extent stable, with Army accounting for 52%, Maritime – for 13%, Air Force – for 18%, and Other – for 17% of the total military personnel, on average.

Investment (equipment procurement and R&D) per military has been increasing since 2006 (except in 2011) – a growth caused more by decreasing military personnel numbers, than increasing Member States’ investment – but the last two years witnessed a decline resulting from faster diminishing overall investment. In 2014, investment per military stood at around EUR 24,000, a 6.8% reduction on the 2013 figure of EUR 26,000.

 

Deployment figures noticeably decreased

The average number of troops deployed outside the European Union territory decreased by almost 46%, from 58,000 in 2013 to 32,000 in 2014, mainly due to disbanded ISAF6  security mission at the end of 2014 and withdrawal of participating Member States’ troops from Afghanistan. In relation to the overall strength of the 27 Member States’ military personnel, the share of deployed troops almost halved, from 4.0% in 2013 to 2.2% in 2014. During the period from 2006, when deployment figures were the highest, to 2014, the average number of troops deployed decreased by over 62% in absolute terms, and from 4.6% to 2.2% in relation to the total military personnel.

Total number of deployable (land) and sustainable (land) forces also decreased between 2013 and 2014 by over 13% and over 28%, respectively. In 2014, the 27 EDA Member States had in total 417,000 deployable (land) forces and 79,000 sustainable (land) forces, both numbers being the smallest since 2006. The ratio between the sustainable and a pool of deployable forces, which remained virtually stable during 2006-2013 at around 1:4, in 2014, equalled to 1:5.

After a five-year-long upward trend, costs of deployed operations decreased for the third year in a row, both in absolute terms and as a share of total defence expenditure. It reduced by over 25%, from EUR 7.4 billion (3.9% of total expenditure) in 2013 to EUR 5.6 billion (2.9%) in 2014, the lowest value and share since 2006, which is again largely a result of withdrawing Member States’ combat troops from Afghanistan. Operations costs per military deployed followed the same pattern in 2012 and 2013, but it increased in 2014 by almost 38% to EUR 176,000. This may signal that deployments become increasingly expensive, and, in the case of some Member States, can be explained by the fact that countries continue contributing to international operations financially, without sending actual troops.

 

Slight progress recorded on two out of four collective benchmarks

In 2007, EDA Member States agreed on a set of four collective benchmarks for investment. There is no obligation in terms of timelines or translation of these benchmarks into national targets.

Since 2012, due to incomplete collaborative data it is no longer possible to accurately measure progress towards two out of the four agreed benchmarks, namely European collaborative equipment procurement as a percentage of total equipment procurement (benchmark 2: 35%) and European collaborative defence R&T as a percentage of total defence R&T (benchmark 4: 20%). Nevertheless, the partial data suggests a slight increase in European collaboration in both equipment procurement (from 15.0% in 2013 to 19.9% in 2014) and R&T (from 8.0% in 2013 to 8.6% in 2014) among those countries that reported the data.

With regard to the benchmark 1 – defence equipment procurement and R&T (investment) as a percentage of total defence expenditure – the trend has been mixed. Since 2006, it has been slowly but steadily increasing, but after reaching its maximum of 21.9% in 2010, it appears to be on a decline. It stayed above the 20% benchmark from 2007 to 2012, except in 2011, but in 2014, it dropped to the lowest recorded level of 17.8%.

As for the benchmark 3, defence R&T expenditure as a percentage of total defence expenditure has been steadily declining since 2006, except in 2011 and 2013, when it slightly increased. In 2014, it dropped to the lowest level so far of 1.02%, which is barely above half of the 2% benchmark.

 

More information:

• Download the 2014 Defence Data booklet

Footnotes

1. During the 2014 Defence Data gathering round, Member States were asked to provide not only the actual defence expenditure of the previous year (i.e. 2014), but also the estimated defence expenditure of the current year (i.e. 2015). At the aggregate level, however, these estimates are only available for total defence expenditure. At the same time, a major effort has been undertaken by EDA to revise all the previous years’ data, including 2005 data collected as part of the pilot exercise, to ensure the best achievable data accuracy and comparability across Member States and over time. Consequentially, numerous figures have been revised.

2. Data in this publication do not include Denmark, which is not an EDA Member State. 2005 data do not include Bulgaria and Romania, which joined EDA in 2007. 2006–2012 data do not include Croatia, which joined EDA in 2013.

3. In order to measure real growth and ensure a “real” comparison over years, inflation needs to be taken into account. Thus, data from 2005 to 2015 has been adjusted to 2010 economic conditions (Source of deflator: European Commission, DG ECFIN, based on the weight of the EU-28).

4. As of 2014, reduced defence expenditure shares in relation to GDP in most Member States can partially be explained by the new GDP accounting methodology implemented by Eurostat, following the introduction of the new European System of National and Regional Accounts (ESA 2010).

5. All 2012-2014 figures on collaboration are partial, as several Member States were not in a position to provide the data.

6. The International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) was a NATO-led security mission in Afghanistan, established by the United Nations Security Council in December 2001 by Resolution 1386, as envisaged by the Bonn Agreement.