Defence`s Feeds

Three interesting videos of the VX-23 F-35Bs landing aboard ITS Cavour aircraft carrier have just been released. Two specially-instrumented U.S. F-35Bs belonging to VX-23 (Air Test and Evaluation Squadron 23) from Naval Air Station Patuxent [...]

The post Watch U.S. F-35Bs from Naval Air Station Patuxent River Land On Italy’s Aircraft Carrier To Begin Sea Trials appeared first on The Aviationist.

Length of video : 128'

Disclaimer : The interpretation of debates serves to facilitate communication and does not constitute an authentic record of proceedings. Only the original speech or the revised written translation is authentic.
Source : © European Union, 2021 - EP

The first F-35A for the Royal Danish Air Force has been given its paint scheme and markings, including the Dannebrog flag. Unlike most other nations, the Danish F-35 feature a toned down version of the [...]

The post First Look At Denmark’s First F-35A Decorated with Dannebrog Flag appeared first on The Aviationist.

On Monday, 1 March and Thursday, 4 March 2021, AIDA will hold a public hearing on the external policy dimension of AI in association with AFET and SEDE. The event will be divided into two panels, with a first panel on "AI diplomacy and governance in a global setting: towards regulatory convergence" and a second panel on "AI, cybersecurity and defence".

The two panels will allow AIDA, AFET and SEDE Members to exchange views with international panelists on a range of emergent policy issues relating to AI, ranging from the developing global regulatory dialogue on AI to the uses of AI in the fields of cybersecurity and defence.
Meeting documents and programme
Follow via webstreaming
AIDA hearings
Source : © European Union, 2021 - EP

The new airframe is a TAV-8B Harrier II of the Spanish Navy (Spanish: Armada Española) that still wears the U.S. Marine Corps paint scheme. An interesting TAV-8B Harrier II aircraft of the Spanish Navy was [...]

The post Ex-USMC TAV-8B Harrier Sporting Spanish Navy Markings And Marine Corps Paint Scheme Flies For The First Time appeared first on The Aviationist.

Numerous technologies used and further developed in the defence domain have civil roots, and vice-versa: Additive Manufacturing (3D-printing), Gallium Nitride, Gallium Arsenide, Graphene, cyber and energy technologies are only a few examples. It makes therefore sense to bring the two sides closer together and promote synergies between them. This was also the objective of an EDA online workshop held this week under the Agency’s ANDES (ANalysis of Dual usE Synergies) project.

Launched in June 2020, the ANDES project aims at developing a Dual Use Technology Transfer Mechanism (DUT2M) to structurally enhance civil-military entanglements on innovation and R&T, for the benefit of both sides.  This week’s workshop, attended by more than 80 participants from 16 EDA Member States, EU institutions, industry, think tanks, academia and research centres, was particularly focused on discussing and defining the most appropriate and promising general framework future civil-military synergies. The main conclusion of the meeting was that there is increasing demand and need for enhancing spin-in/spin-off dynamics in advanced technologies, such as the electronic components, corrosion management or advanced materials. Europe-wide effort

The workshop comes only a week after the European Commission published its Action Plan on synergies between civil, defence and space industries. The plan lays the ground to deliver concrete policy actions under three headlines: - enhancing complementarity between relevant EU programmes and instruments to increase efficiency of investments and effectiveness of results (the ‘synergies’); - promoting that EU funding for research and development, including on defence and space, has economic and technological dividends for EU citizens (the ‘spin-offs’); - facilitating the use of civil industry research achievements and civil-driven innovation in European defence cooperation projects (the ‘spin-ins’). 

EDA’s ANDES project intends to support and promote those efforts by identifying valuable recommendations for the EU’s dual use policy, taking into account the present worldwide situation (e.g. relevant examples are USA and China). A particular focus is dedicated to the Dual Use Technology Transfer Mechanism: there are several possible models but the peculiarities of the defence ecosystem require a facilitator between the institutional stakeholders (e.g. European Commission, Ministries of Defence in Member States, EDA and other relevant EU bodies) on the one hand, and the industrial/academia/research community on the other hand. The ANDES workshop showed the active participation from the institutional/governmental and dual use stakeholders and led to the recognition that a structured EU dual use policy will be beneficial for the European defence and more generally for Europe’s economy, especially now as it is strongly affected by the covid-19 pandemic.

Way ahead

Before the completion of the ANDES project (scheduled for mid-2021), policy recommendations will be submitted to the project management board which, beyond EDA staff, also includes representatives from the European Commission and the European Parliament (think tank), with the objective to support future implementation actions in the EU dual use ecosystem.

More information

• EDA webnews on workshop on dual use technologies – components (June 2016)
• EDA assists dual use projects to access funding
• EDA fact sheet “European Structural Funds for dual-use research”
• European Council Conclusions December 2013 (point 18)

 

Americas

BAE Systems was awarded a $58 million contract from Boeing. The deal is to start low rate initial production of the F-15 Eagle Passive Active Warning and Survivability System for the US Air Force. “The start of EPAWSS production marks a critical milestone and is a testament to the dedication and commitment of our industry team,” said Jerry Wohletz, BAE’s VP/GM of Electronic Combat Solutions, in a press statement. “Our technology is cutting-edge, our factories are world-class, and our people are innovative and mission-focused.” The all-digital system EPAWSS enables pilots to monitor, jam and deceive threats in contested airspace and combines multispectral sensors and countermeasures, industry-leading signal processing, microelectronics, and intelligent algorithms to deliver fully integrated radar warning, situational awareness, geolocation and self-protection capabilities.

The Wasp Class amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge departed Naval Station Norfolk for sea trials Monday, the Navy announced. The crew will test critical systems, operations and personnel requirements needed for deployment. Planned tests include an anchor drop test, a live-fire demonstration using the ship’s close-in weapons system, a small boat recovery evolution, and they will test the aqueous film forming foam fire suppression system.

Middle East & Africa

The Indian Air Force sent six Su-30MKI fighters, two C-17s and one Il-78 aerial tanker to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on March 3 to participate in exercise Desert Flag. The exercise will take place at Al Dhafra airbase and run till 21st of this month. United States, France, Saudi Arabia, South Korea and Bahrain are participating as well.

Europe

Rolls-Royce has been awarded funding by the UK Ministry of Defense to further develop and demonstrate the ‘Artificial Chief Engineer’ technology. The tech is essentially an autonomous machinery control system which “allows naval vessels to undertake long endurance missions with less human interaction”. The funding to continue the development, has been awarded under the MoD’s Defense and Security Accelerator ‘Intelligent Ship Phase Two’ programme, which is used to de-risk and evaluate technologies and approaches to enhance the armed forces’ technical advantage.

French company MBDA has been awarded a first contract for Albatros NG, a brand new CAMM-ER based air defense system. According to the company, the first order, from an undisclosed international customer, marks a “further validation of the wide appeal of the CAMM air defense family on the global marketplace and paves the way to further acquisitions by the same customer and other Navies”. The CAMM-ER missile is capable of providing self and local area defense against the evolving airborne threat at ranges exceeding 40km; it will be integrated in the new ground based air defense systems for the Italian Army and Italian Air Force. CAMM family systems have already been delivered to the British Army, to the Royal Navy and to several export nations.

Asia-Pacific

The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) received three new Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II Joint Strike Fighters on February 11, the Australian Department of Defense announced in March. The aircraft, which arrived at RAAF Base Williamtown, north of Sydney, after completing a three-day journey from the United States as part of ‘Exercise Lightning Ferry 21-1’, are the first to join the fleet since the F-35A reached initial operational capability in December 2020. The three F-35As had previously been based at Luke Air Force Base in the US state of Arizona, where they were used for pilot training.

Today’s Video

Watch: USS Kearsarge – US Navy Amphibious Assault Ship

Ukrainian T-72AMT Main Battle Tank

Length of video : 99'

Disclaimer : The interpretation of debates serves to facilitate communication and does not constitute an authentic record of proceedings. Only the original speech or the revised written translation is authentic.
Source : © European Union, 2021 - EP

Length of video : 88'

Disclaimer : The interpretation of debates serves to facilitate communication and does not constitute an authentic record of proceedings. Only the original speech or the revised written translation is authentic.
Source : © European Union, 2021 - EP

The new digitally engineered Boeing Loyal Wingman UAV went from design to the first flight in just three years. Boeing and the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) announced on March 1, 2021, that the Loyal [...]

The post Let’s Talk About Boeing Loyal Wingman Unmanned Aerial Vehicle’s First Flight appeared first on The Aviationist.

The Italian Navy has just released the first shots of the VX-23 F-35B aircraft taking part in the certification of the compatibility between the 5th generation fighter aircraft and Italy’s aircraft carrier ITS Cavour. At [...]

The post Here Are The First Photos Of The US F-35B (With Special Tail Marking) Operating Aboard Italy’s Aircraft Carrier Cavour appeared first on The Aviationist.

Six prototype infantry fighting vehicles have arrived in Australia as part of the Land 400 Phase 3 program.

The morning sunlight streamed through the cabin windows. The whir of the turbofan engines was almost hypnotic.

Hard times always reveal true friends, and it will also show what a strong alliance looks like. From the beginning of the COVID-19 global pandemic, U.S. Forces Korea has been working with local national agencies and organizations in South Korea to form a united front in the fight against the disease. As one of the largest medical assets in USFK, the 549th Hospital Center

A high-ranking Afghan politician has found himself at the center of a scandal in Tajikistan involving $15 million in cash and some 90 kilos of gold bars seized from smugglers at the Dushanbe airport in November.

US special envoy for Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad has proposed the formation of an interim government in the country that would include the Taliban militant group, Afghan local media say.

Yemen warns of attacking the Saudi Arabian oil giant's facilities if a Riyadh-led coalition waging a war against the country strikes oilfields in a western province that is being liberated by Yemeni forces.

Members of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly (NPA) attended a virtual meeting with the North Atlantic Council, on 2 March 2021, to exchange views on NATO's agenda for the year.

Israel is working to "influence" the International Criminal Court (ICC) in order to protect its forces against possible rulings on war crimes, says the regime's minister of military affairs.