Defence`s Feeds

C-130H Hercules aircraft of the 910th Airlift Wing, based at Youngstown Air Reserve Station, Ohio, carry out mosquito control missions. The 910th AW (Airlift Wing) based at Youngstown Air Reserve Station, Ohio, is the only [...]

The post The U.S. Air Force Special Mission C-130H Hercules Aircraft Which Fly Mosquito Control Aerial Spray Ops appeared first on The Aviationist.

The Subcommittee on Security and Defence will discuss the continuing global threat from Daesh and its affiliates, on 28 October. In spite of its drastic loss of territory in Syria and Iraq, the group remains undoubtedly dangerous, as shown by the recent tragedy in France. The debate is expected to focus in particular on the danger of Daesh propaganda and the problems of infiltration and disinformation within the European Union.

Some 170 experts from 29 European countries and more than 20 different institutions and organisations participate in the 1st conference of the third phase of the Consultation Forum for Sustainable Energy in the Defence and Security Sector (CF SEDSS III) which opened today. The two-days online event (27/28 October), held under the auspices of the German EU Presidency and hosted by the German Ministry of Defence, marks the kick-off of the third phase of the Consultation Forum which will cover the next three years. It has set higher ambitions than the previous two phases and can also rely on an increased funding.

In Phase III, the Consultation Forum will pursue the implementation of the EU’s legal framework on energy in the defence sector, and help improve energy efficiency and buildings performance by utilising renewable energy sources and increasing the resilience of defence-related critical energy infrastructures. It will also address cross-cutting topics such as energy management/policy and energy innovative technologies, and identify co-funding and financial instruments to be potentially used for defence energy-related projects. The Forum will also support the generation of defence energy-related project ideas and studies which could lead to new collaborative projects among Member States.

The conference was opened with speeches by Barbara Wießalla (Head of the Directorate-General for Infrastructure, Environmental Protection and Services at the German Ministry of Defence), Tudor Constantinescu (Principal Adviser to the Director-General for Energy at the European Commission) as well as Jiří Šedivý, EDA’s Chief. 

In his speech, Mr Šedivý welcomed the fact that, for the first time, all EU Member States participate in the Consultation Forum, which confirms “that sustainable energy is high on the agenda of the EU’s Ministries of Defence”. The Consultation Forum represents a “unique platform enabling knowledge-sharing and promoting collaborative defence research and innovation on sustainable energy”, he said. Mr Šedivý also stressed the importance of the European Green Deal which gives defence the opportunity “to turn to energy-efficient buildings and installations, to strengthen the use of renewable energy and to intensify efforts on climate proofing infrastructure” and thereby contribute to reaching the EU’s goal of climate neutrality by 2050. “For the green transition to be successful, it requires an all-inclusive approach and a whole-of-society engagement, leaving no one behind”, he stated. “EDA and the Consultation Forum are well-placed to support the defence sector and armed forces to play their role”, Mr Šedivý concluded. 
 

The 2nd CF SEDSS III conference is scheduled to take place in Lisbon on 16/17 June 2021 under the auspices of the Portuguese Presidency of the Council of the EU and hosted by the Portuguese Ministry of National Defence.
 

The Consultation Forum for Sustainable Energy in the Defence and Security Sector (CF SEDSS) is a European Commission funded initiative managed by the EDA. This Forum was established with the primary scope to create a defence energy-related community to share information, knowledge and best practices on improving energy management, increasing energy efficiency and buildings performance, utilising renewable energy sources in the defence sector and enhancing the resilience of defence-related critical energy infrastructure. To address these objectives, and with the support of the European Commission, EDA has implemented two phases: the first phase took place from October 2015 to October 2017 and the second one from October 2017 to August 2019. Building on the successful outcome of these two phases and to address emerging and future challenges in the field of energy, EDA and the European Commission launched on 1st October 2019 the third phase, which will run over a period of four years until 30 September 2023. CF SEDSS phase III is funded by the European Union’s (EU) horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the grant agreement No. 882171.
 

• Speech EDA Chief Executive
• CF SEDSS website
• CF SEDSS video (Youtube)
• CF SEDSS III phase III 
• First Energy Consultation Forum project to receive EU funding
• European Funding Gateway for Energy in Defence
  
  
  

The Artificial Intelligence-powered Loyal Wingman Unmanned Aerial Vehicle for the Royal Australian Air Force will be also independent from runways. Boeing Australia recently announced that the Loyal Wingman unmanned aircraft developed for the Royal Australian [...]

The post Boeing Loyal Wingman Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Performs First Taxi Test appeared first on The Aviationist.

How the rapid increase in computing power and affordability of advanced technologies are driving the move from legacy analog EW systems to new digital ones. A recent feature by Northrop Grumman provided some interesting insights [...]

The post Let’s Talk About The Digital Evolution Of Electronic Warfare appeared first on The Aviationist.

The honorificence was awarded for significantly promoting and supporting Naval Aviation with the Top Gun films. Tom Cruise and Jerry Bruckheimer, respectively leading actor and producer of the Top Gun films, were awarded the title [...]

The post Tom Cruise And Jerry Bruckheimer Named Honorary Naval Aviators appeared first on The Aviationist.

The U.S. airlifter performed a successful emergency landing at Kandahar, Afghanistan. The following video was reportedly filmed on Sunday, Oct. 18, 2020, when a U.S. Air Force C-17 Globemaster III aircraft experienced a nose gear [...]

The post Video Shows U.S. C-17 Globemaster III Aircraft Performing Nose Gear Up Landing in Afghanistan appeared first on The Aviationist.

Gripen E Officially Presented During The Brazilian Air Force Day. On Oct. 23, 2020, the first Saab Gripen E, designated F-39E Gripen by the Brazilian Air Force, made its official debut during the celebrations of [...]

The post First Brazilian Air Force F-39E Gripen Makes Official Debut appeared first on The Aviationist.

The Last F-2000 Typhoon of the Italian Air Force Has Been Delivered By Leonardo. On Oct. 23, 2020, the last Eurofighter Typhoon for the Aeronautica Militare (Italian Air Force) was officially handed over during a [...]

The post The Italian Air Force Takes Delivery Of Its Final, Most Advanced Eurofighter Typhoon appeared first on The Aviationist.

The F-16AM with a Special Tail is from the 10 Wing of Kleine Brogel Air Base in Belgium. On Oct. 21, 2020, the Belgian Air Force unveiled an F-16AM Fighting Falcon with a special colored [...]

The post Here’s The F-16AM That Celebrates The 45th Anniversary Of The F-16 Multinational Fighter Program appeared first on The Aviationist.

Europe’s maritime security has significantly improved over the last years on several aspects including international or regional cooperation, information sharing, capability development, risk management and training. This is the conclusion of a new report about the implementation of the EU’s maritime security strategy action plan, developed by the European Commission together with the European Defence Agency (EDA) and the European External Action Service (EEAS).

We all depend on safe, secure and clean seas and oceans. Through maritime security policies, we can maintain the rule of law in areas beyond national jurisdiction and protect the EU’s strategic maritime interests. These include, among others, our external borders, common natural resources and maritime infrastructures such as ports, offshore platforms and scientific equipment. Climate change and our preparedness to face its impact on the marine and coastal environment are also important maritime security priorities.

The European Union maritime security strategy explains how the EU defends its maritime interests, in full respect of international rules and principles. An action plan – adopted in 2014 and revised in 2018 – helps implement this strategy. 

According to the progress report, significant improvements have been achieved in all five “key areas for immediate action” defined in the strategy. Actions vary strongly, from improving resilience against cyber-attacks, over common information sharing platforms to developing semi-autonomous surveillance capabilities. The international level remains of critical importance to the EU, as it has strengthened its cooperation with the United Nations, NATO and other strategic partners.
 

Curious to see in detail how the EU has been doing so far in protecting its maritime interests?

Have a quick look at our factsheet or read the full report.

In the framework of the Gender Equality Week, the SEDE Subcommittee will hold on 29 October 2020 an exchange of views on the 20th Anniversary of UNSC Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security (WPS) including a focus on women in CSDP. The emphasis will be on progress achieved in ensuring full participation of women in peace processes around the world. Members will also assess additional steps that need to be taken to further enhance the role of women in all phases of peacebuilding, while increasing in particular the number of women taking part in the decision-making process. The debate will also include a focus on women in CSDP missions/operations and actions taken by the EU and its Member States to fully implement UNSCR 1325 on WPS.

An interesting video shows the two F-117s which have recently deployed to Marine Corps Air Station Miramar departing for a mission in Southern California. On Tuesday Oct. 20, 2020, two F-117s, using radio callsign “KNIGHT”, [...]

The post Watch Two F-117 Nighthawk Stealth Jets Launch From MCAS Miramar Yesterday Afternoon appeared first on The Aviationist.

The iconic USMC attack helicopter is replaced by the upgraded AH-1Z Viper after 34 years of service and almost one million flight hours. The United States Marine Corps retired the AH-1W Super Cobra with an [...]

The post The United States Marine Corps Bids Farewell To The AH-1W Super Cobra Helicopter appeared first on The Aviationist.

Last week, experts from 12 EDA Member States as well as Norway and Switzerland participated in an online workshop organised by the Agency to identify and discuss research & technology needs as well as potential future applications of hypervelocity systems.

The workshop (12-13 October) took place as part of an ongoing series of EDA Technology Foresight Workshops which aim to assess the potential of emerging technologies which are expected to strongly impact future defence capabilities. Hypervelocity is without doubt among these, given its high potential for application and disruptiveness in the defence domain. 

Against this backdrop, last week’s workshop gathered some 90 European subject matter experts to discuss current and future hypervelocity technologies and associated R&T needs. The topic was approached from different angles, including hypersonic transport, effectors and protection against hypervelocity threats. More detailed discussion took place on propulsion and launching platforms, manoeuvrability, trajectory, questions related to information management as well as guidance and control of such hypervelocity systems. In this way, the workshop comprehensively covered the defence view on hypervelocity from an EU perspective and its required autonomy. Furthermore, potential synergies with the civilian sector were also discussed. 

This workshop was an activity bringing together several EDA Capability & Technology (CapTech) groups on: Missiles and Munitions Systems, Air Systems, Guidance, Navigation and Control, and Materials and Structures.  

The workshop on hypervelocity systems was conducted virtually over a period of two working days, with the support of Ingeniería de Sistemas para la Defensa de Espana (Isdefe), under a specific contract with EDA. At the beginning, participants attended a plenary session during which keynote speakers introduced the topic and set the scene of hypervelocity, the expected advantages, examples of use cases and the current challenges, such as suitable test systems. Afterwards, participants were separated in smaller groups (virtual tables) in which they thoroughly discussed the subject of hypervelocity from different perspectives. In a final plenary session, the results of the virtual tables discussions were presented and summarized. The workshop results will be further analysed in the upcoming weeks and a comprehensive report will be elaborated for EDA participating Member States’ Ministries of Defence. It will include the main conclusions and recommendations for Member States concerning hypervelocity applications for defence, research needs and possible dual-use synergies.
 

EDA’s Technology Foresight Workshops aim to provide input to the EDA process of technology evaluation, including the identification and classification of technology trends and emerging technologies as well as the prioritisation of important technologies with respect to medium- and long-term capability needs. The output of the workshops is used as background information for relevant defence technologies, to be integrated in EDA Strategic Research Agendas (SRAs) and their Technology Building Block (TBB) roadmaps, as well as the Overarching Strategic Research Agenda (OSRA) toolchain, the analyses of Key Strategic Activities (KSA) and in the Strategic Context Cases of the 2018 Capability Development Plan (CDP).
 

• Missiles and Munitions Systems
• Air Systems
• Guidance, Navigation and Control
• Materials and Structures

You have probably seen the pics. Here’s a video of an F-117 landing at Miramar. As already reported, on Tuesday Oct. 20, 2020, two F-117 Nighthawk stealth jets made a surprise visit to Marine Corps [...]

The post Check Out This Video Of One Of The Two F-117s Landing at MCAS Miramar Yesterday. appeared first on The Aviationist.