Defense Industry Daily

F-CK-1D Hsiung Ying
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In 2006, the Taiwan’s Aerospace Industrial Development Corp (AIDC), based in Taichung, celebrated the upgrade of 2 of the ROCAF’s 130 F-CK-1A/B Ching-Kuo Indigenous Defense Fighters, “to improve their combat-capabilities against China.” Details that have emerged since show a set of F-CK-1C/D upgrades that turns the aircraft into fully multi-role fighters, moving them beyond their current limitations as air superiority aircraft and de facto lead-in fighter trainers for the ROCAF’s F-16s and Mirage 2000s.

Upgrades of the ROCAF’s other 128 aircraft were set to follow, even as China continues to deploy advanced SU-30 family and J-10 4+ generation fighters on their side of the Taiwan Straits. The new “F-CK-1C/D Hsiung Ying” (Brave Hawk) would still be a generation behind China’s most advanced machines, and budgets had to be approved to accomplish even that much. That approval was stalled for years, but the upgrade project has finally finished Phase 1 – even as Taiwan’s request to buy 66 F-16C/D fighters remains stalled in Washington…

F-CK-1: Taiwan’s Indigenous Defense Fighter

As one can see, the Ching-Kuo IDF borrows design features from the F-16 Falcon, F/A-18 Hornet, and F-20 Tigershark, but its two ITEC TFE-1042-70 engines generate only 9,500 lbs/ 42kN thrust each, leaving it somewhat underpowered. These air superiority fighters made their first flight in 1989, and in January 2000, the type was declared fully operational in the RoC (Republic of China) Air Force. The last of a total of 130 aircraft entered service in July 2000, and state-run AIDC was commissioned to carry out the IDF’s mid-life upgrade project in cooperation with the military-run Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology.

A 2006 Taipei Times report begins to place this effort in context:

“AIDC is upgrading the IDFs because in most countries, warplanes are upgraded 10 years after they have entered service. Ten years ago the Air Force launched its second-generation fleet — 130 IDFs, 150 F-16 Block A/Bs and 60 Mirage 2000-5s — to boost defenses against China. The Air Force is seeking to introduce its third-generation fleet.”

F-CK-1C/D Hsiung Ying: Key Upgrades F-CK-1C/D cockpit
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AIDC’s improvement package is said to cover 3 main areas.

Avionics. Upgraded F-CK-1C/Ds reportedly features a digital cockpit with a tri-color multi-function heads-up display, a new 32-bit flight control computer system, improved IFF, better electronic counter-measures, and a switch-out of obsolete parts and electronic components for new designs.

Radar. The Golden Dragon CD-53 multi-mode pulse Doppler radar has look-down, shoot-down capability and can operate in air and sea search mode with a range over 80 nautical miles. This is respectable performance, but many modern radars offer significant improvements. The extent of the CD-53’s improvements will make a significant difference to the upgraded fighters’ combat capabilities when facing enemies like China’s SU-30MKKs, with their advanced Phazotron radars and long-range missiles. Reports seem to indicate that the main changes involve better multi-target tracking and jamming resistance.

Weapons. Upgraded fighters have reportedly been fitted with additional fuel tanks to extend range and patrol time, along with a reinforced structure to accommodate dorsal conformal fuel tanks. Added weapon pylons for Tienchien (Skysword) II air-to-air missiles raise capacity from 2 to 4. The integration of Sky Sword IIA ARM radar-killer missiles, and Wan Chien GPS-guided cruise missiles with a 200 km range, will make the aircraft a true multi-role fighter at last.

Beyond the Hsiung Ying ROCAF F-16A fires Maverick
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Beyond the F-CK-1’s upgrade program, press reports have consistently said that Taiwan remains interested in augmenting its F-16 fleet by requesting an NT 150 billion (roughly $4 billion) order of 66 F-16 C/D Block 50/52+ aircraft from the USA. Unfortunately, the USA refused to approve the sale until Taiwan approves a critical weapons package that has been languishing for years, due to the opposition Kuomintang party’s persistent stalling on ever-shifting grounds. By the time that package cleared, the US State Department was no longer prepared to sell Taiwan F-16s, despite a mutual treaty which clearly states that defense needs shall be the only considerations governing weapon sales to Taiwan. Both sides eventually agreed on a program to upgrade existing F-16s, but that requires pulling planes out of service for many months.

That shift, and the coming retirement of Taiwan’s Mirage 200 fleet, makes the Hsiung Ying fleet upgrades more important than ever. Even if it’s not nearly enough to stop the balance of power sliding further away from Taiwan.

Contracts & Key Events F-CK-1C/D unveiling
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August 16/16: It’s all systems go with Taiwan’s planned indigenous trainer development. The state-owned Aerospace Industrial Development Corp (AIDC) will be allocated $15 million next year to begin the process of developing a new aircraft based on their IDF and to have made its maiden flight by 2020. Taiwan’s new government has been extremely keen on bolstering the governments defense industry and military capabilities; so having the new trainer airborne before the next election will be a key goal.

Jan 16/14: Phase 1 complete. A ceremony at Tainan AFB in Southern Taiwan marks the completion of the initial Hsiang-Chang Project to upgrade the 443rd Tactical Fighter Wing’s 71 fighters. Another 56 fighters belonging to the 427th TFW in Taichung AB are slated for upgrades as Phase 2, which will run until 2017.

Articles also focuses on the Wan Chen cruise missile, whose serial production is expected to begin in 2015. They’re said to have a 200 km range, with some evidence of radar shaping to lower their visibility, and are reportedly tasked as delivery devices for cluster bombs against Chinese airstrips, radar installations, missile bases, etc. Sources: FOCUS Taiwan, “President gives thumbs-up to upgraded IDF jets” | The Diplomat, “Taiwan Unveils ‘Wan Chien’ Air-To-Ground Cruise Missile”.

Phase 1 complete

March 13/13: Beyond F-16s. Citing a newly released quadrennial defense review, Taiwan’s media say that the ROCAF wants to step beyond the upgraded Hsiung Yings, and develop a new fighter with features like lower radar cross-section, long-range, and aerial refueling receiver, as well as the ability to launch missiles against land targets or ships.

Taiwan’s military currently estimates that the fighter and small submarine development programs will cost about NT$500 billion (about $16.9 billion). Which means they’ll be lucky to keep the real total below $20 billion.

On the other hand, Liberty Times quotes KMT Legislator Lin Yu-fang statements that “For our national survival, we need to build up our defense capability under our own steam,” as a result of the USA’s increasing reluctance to assist Taiwan. Focus Taiwan [dead link] | Defense Update, “Taiwan to Seek Development of an Indigenous Stealth Fighter”.

Oct 1/12: F-16 upgrades. Lockheed Martin announces a contract valued at up to $1.85 billion to begin upgrading 145 ROCAF F-16A/B Block 20 fighters to the “F-16S” (not T?) configuration, including an Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar, embedded global positioning, electronic warfare upgrades, and other avionics improvements. Note Lockheed’s use of the word “begin”; the complete upgrade is very likely to cost more than $1.85 billion.

The F-16S upgrades will follow a detailed Sept 21/11 DSCA request, but they will not provide any new planes to Taiwan. The firm’s proposed F-16V model is similar, and was unveiled for general export/upgrade at Singapore’s airshow in February 2012.

Parallel F-16 upgrades

June 26/11: Deliveries. Taiwan is set to receive its first batch of upgraded F-CK-1C/D Hsiung Ying Indigenous Defensive Fighters at 443 Wing in central Taichung, on June 30/11. The 4-year, TWD 17 billion (about $587 million) project to upgrade 71 of the fighters began in 2009. Luo Shou-he, the ROCAF spokesman who announced the delivery, said that: “The rest of IDFs may or may not be upgraded, contingent upon our future budget.”

The retro-fitted jets add 2 more pylons, plus improved radars, mission computers, IFF, electronic counter-measures, and other electronics. They also switch out obsolete parts and electronic components for new designs. Several of the reports covering this milestone reiterate the Taiwanese government’s need for F-16C/Ds, which it continues to express in public. Focus Taiwan | Taiwan’s China Post | Taipei Times || AP via CNBC.

F-CK-1B Ching-Kuos
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Dec 8/09: Contract. AIDC’s CEO confirms the signing of a contract for the IDF Hsing Sheng upgrade project, covering 71 fighters. China Times [Taiwan publication, in Chinese].

Contract for 71

July 23/08: Lobbying. Flight International reports that the upgrade program has yet to be funded. Taiwan’s Aerospace Industrial Development Corporation (AIDC) is urging its government to fund the program, citing the USA’s ongoing refusal to approve a multi-billion arms package request that includes F-16C/D fighters.

State Department officials sympathetic to China are reportedly working to block the sale, and despite China’s rapid arms buildup, US Pacific Command, commander Adm Timothy Keating is quoted as saying that Washington’s decision makers have concluded that there is “no pressing, compelling need” for an arms sale to Taiwan.

March 27/07: Rollout. The first upgraded Ching-Kuo fighter makes its debut at Aerospace Industrial Development Corp.’s (AIDC) central Taiwan plant in Taichung County’s Shalu township, in central Taiwan. Reports vary. Some say the upgraded aircraft will be renamed the Chingkuo Imposing Eagle; others say it will be Hsiung Ying (Chinese: “Brave Hawk”). See release.

Rollout

Additional Readings

• DID – Taiwan’s (Un?)Stalled Force Modernization

• Milavia – AIDC Ching-Kuo F-CK-1 (IDF)

• Air Force Technology – Ching-Kuo (IDF) Indigenous Defence Fighter, Taiwan

• Wikipedia – AIDC F-CK-1 Ching-kuo

• AIDC – F-CK-1 C/D (2001 ~). In Chinese.

• AIDC – IDF (1981~1999). In Chinese.

News & Views

• Taipei Times (July 31/06) – Taiwan Quick Take: Fighter jets to be upgraded

• Reuters (July 27/06) – Taiwan seeks 66 F-16 fighters -U.S. official

• Defense Aerospace (July 14/06) – MND Mulls US$4b Budget for 66 Fighters

• (March 14/06) – Edwards flight testers exercise for war performing real-world test for Taiwan. The testing itself was performed to equip the Taiwan Air Force’s F-16s with the capability to carry a pylon that can deploy and tow decoys, while maintaining the aircraft’s full maneuverability. This pylon is a functional replacement for the standard weapons pylon, and provides the additional capability for the jet to carry 2 towed decoys that deploy from the pylon and trail behind the jet to draw missiles away from the aircraft. It’s possible that the F-CK-1C/D may also have this capability.

Puma AE team
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The mini-UAV market may lack the high individual price tags of vehicles like the RQ-4 Global Hawk, or the battlefield strike impact of an MQ-9 Reaper, but it does have 2 advantages. One is less concern about “deconfliction” with manned aircraft, as described in “Field Report on Raven, Shadow UAVs From the 101st.” Mini-UAVs usually fly below 1,000 feet, and a styrofoam-like body with a 5 foot wingspan is much less of a collision threat than larger and more solidly-built platforms like the man-sized RQ-7 Shadow, or the Cessna-sized MQ-1 Predator.

The other advantage is mini-UAVs’ suitability for special operations troops, who are being employed in numbers on the front lines around the world. “Raven UAVs Winning Gold in Afghanistan’s ‘Commando Olympics’” details the global scale of this interest – and in July 2008, a $200 million US SOCOM contract for a breakthrough mini-UAV underscored it again. Now AeroVironment’s S2AS/ RQ-20A Puma AE is moving beyond Special Operations, and into the regular force.

Mini-UAVs: Evolution & Advantages CL-227, pre-launch
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Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) that can perform battlefield missions seem like a recent phenomenon, but countries like Israel and Canada have been building and using them for 3 decades now. Israel translated its early lead into a globally competitive UAV industry; Canada has not, as the early lead generated by projects like the CL-227 Sentinel/”flying peanut” withered on the vine.

As American forces began to adopt UAVs more widely, however, opportunities were created for domestic manufacturers to establish volume production, and become global leaders. The American penchant for technology, and the pressure of battlefield requirements, began to create another opportunity: greater UAV diversity. At the high-end, UAVs moved from brigade, fleet group, and division surveillance roles, and began to replace high-end national reconnaissance assets (vid. RQ-4 Global Hawk). At the brigade and division levels, armed UAVs began to give these devices important strike roles in counterinsurgency scenarios (vid. MQ-1/9 Predator family).

The next level down are tactical UAVs like Textron AAI’s RQ-7 Shadow, IAI’s Searcher II, Elbit’s Skylark II, or the Boeing/Insitu ScanEagle. They require additional support equipment for launch/recovery, and have the ability to cover “this sector” or even “this city”.

RQ-14 Dragon Eye,
Smithsonian NASM
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At the same time, the march of technology had made another new development possible: large numbers of “mini-UAVs” small enough for soldiers to carry, with electronic sensors that could capture good quality imagery, and then relay it to troops over expanding electronic networks.

The mini-UAV market focuses on flying devices that can be carried, launched, and recovered by soldiers. They generally have ranges up to 20 km, and an endurance of 1-3 hours in the air. These UAVs aren’t designed to do depth reconnaissance, but to look over the next hill, watch a neighborhood in a city before troops enter it, patrol a base’s outer perimeter, etc.

Even smaller micro-UAVs are in development, and focus more tightly on “this building” or “this engagement”.

Aerovironment’s Mini-Mes Pointer UAV
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The late Dr. McReady’s Aerovironment, Inc. has a history of aerial innovation, from human and solar-powered flight to early entries that helped define the mini-UAV market. Their main competition is Israel’s Elbit Systems (esp. the popular Skylark I), while their most advanced competitor may be Prioria’s Maveric, selected by the Canadian armed forces. As Aerovironment’s history shows, however, their own firm’s new designs are their most frequent competitors:

1990: Aerovironment delivers the first privately-developed FQM-151 Pointer hand-launched UAVs, for “extended evaluation” by the US military and Special Operations communities. Some are used in Iraq and Kuwait during Desert Storm in 1991.

The subsequent Puma UAV design, begun in 2001, can be fairly characterized as a Pointer UAV that incorporates most of the industry’s advances since 1990. It’s part of a long progression for AeroVironment, which has played a big role in the mini-UAV space’s evolution:

2003: Aerovironment’s Dragon Eye/Swift (RQ-14) wins the US Marines’ competition for a mini-UAV.

2004: A new Aerovironment mini-UAV, the RQ-11A Raven, is fielded under limited expedited orders with the US Army’s 10th Mountain Division, and some special forces. This is not a formal competition, however, but an outgrowth of a 2002 ACTD (advanced concept technology demonstration) project.

RQ-11, Iraq
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Fall 2005: The US Army’s RPUAV competition arises from the RQ-11’s success. SOCOM joins this competition, and the upgraded RQ-11B Raven wins.

The US Marines switched from Dragon Eye to the Raven B in 2007, and the US Air Force now fields them too. Raven has also proved popular with foreign militaries, and is in service with Britain, Denmark, the Netherlands, and Spain, among others.

August 2006: The USAF picks another Aerovironment mini-UAV for its BATMAV UAV competition, and deliveries begin under the 5-year $45 million contract. The Wasp UAV began as a DARPA project, and the larger Wasp-III is a 1-pound vehicle with a wingspan just under 3 feet. It is called a ‘micro-UAV,’ but in truth it sits on the borderline between mini-UAV systems and true micro-UAVs.

Late 2007: The US Marines began buying and issuing Wasp-IIIs at the platoon level, complementing the RQ-11 Raven B, which is issued at the company and battalion levels. In January 2008, the USAF approved full-rate BATMAV production.

June 2008: SOCOM’s AECV program aims to select a mini-UAV that can be used by all branches, including Navy SEAL teams and USMC MARSOC. It picks the Puma AE, a new UAV from Aerovironment that adds a stabilized micro-camera, waterproofing, and the ability to land and recover the UAV on water. The “RQ-20” Puma subsequently finds a niche with route clearance minehunters, thanks to the advanced state of its optics, and ends up serving with the regular US Army, Marines & Air Force.

The Puma AE RQ-20A Puma assembly
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Puma is slightly larger than Raven as is Aerovironment’s largest mini-UAV offering, but it’s still man-portable and hand-launched. The original Puma was almost 6 feet long, with a wingspan of 8.5 feet. Aerovironment pursued the typical young industry profile of build-field test-build as it developed the AE variant, issuing modified UAVs to units in the field for evaluation and feedback.

The US SOCOM contract has been the Puma program’s focus for a some time now, as SOCOM’s specifications led Aerovironment to conclude that its larger Puma platform was a better fit than the existing RQ-11B Raven. Along the way, Puma has been used for hybrid fuel cell experiments, and an “Aqua-Puma” driven by requests from the field served as an interim step along the road to the final Puma AE. In March 2012, it received the formal USAF designation “RQ-20A.”

AV on Puma AE
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The hand-launched Puma AE’s most significant innovation is that it can land on both land and water, surviving near-vertical “deep stall” final approaches. In addition to the obvious special forces scenarios like river infiltrations, the ability to land on water and in very tight areas on land means that Puma can also be used from boats and ships, without vessel modifications for landing systems or vehicle storage.

The other big innovation is its sensor system. Previous mini-UAV systems tended to have micro-cameras that could be moved by the operator to pan, tilt, or zoom. What they usually have not had was a camera that was fully stabilized to fix on a designated point and provide a steady, constant image that compensates for aircraft movement etc. Recently, firms like Israel’s Bental Systems have begun to offer stabilized micro-payloads. Puma AE incorporates this innovation in an EO/IR day- and night-capable, waterproof sensor package that provides this kind of image tracking and stabilization. Other payload designs can be clipped in as they are developed for military or civilian applications.

Control is exercised from Aerovironment’s Ground Control Station (GCS) with a line of sight communications range of 15 km, and the system has its own internal GPS for positioning. The Ground Control Station is shared by the firm’s Raven and Wasp/BATMAV systems. Flight endurance is about 2 hours in the production version, and typical flight altitude is 100-500 feet. Like other mini-UAVs, Puma relies on its small size, small radar profile, and quiet engine to avoid detection.

Contracts and Key Events FY 2013 -2016

Raven & Puma
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August 16/16: A US Navy guided-missile destroyer has received an RQ-20B Puma UAV with a precision recovery system. Manufacturer AeroVironment stated that the recovery system enables the Puma to operate from a variety of vessels for rapid response reconnaissance. The multi-environment UAV is hand launched, and is programmed to autonomously glide back to the flight deck, but can also float; allowing for sea recovery.

July 26/13: FAA. The US Federal Aviation Administration issues its 1st UAV Restricted Category Type Certificates, which include the Puma UAV. The UAV will support emergency response crews for oil spill monitoring and wildlife surveillance over Alaska’s Beaufort Sea, within the Arctic Circle.

Experimental Airworthiness Certificates have been used for non-government UAV operations in the past, but they don’t allow commercial use. The FAA says that US military acceptance of the ScanEagle and Puma designs was an important factor in granting the new Restricted Category certificates, which do allow commercial operations.

That’s going to be a hotter area for UAV manufacturers over the next few years, and for the FAA as well. The Federal Aviation Administration Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 mandated that the FAA integrate UAVs into domestic airspace by 2015, but a key deadline establishing 6 pilot sites by August 2012 wasn’t met. These type certificates are a small step forward, within a larger framework. Sources: US FAA | AeroVironment | NDIA’s National Defense magazine | Seattle Times.

(Restricted) Commercial USA in USA

Jan 3/13: SUAS 2013-2017. U.S. Army Contracting Command in Natick, MA awards a 5-year, $248 million multiple-vendor fixed-price Small UAS contract. From FBO.gov:

“The Army currently has fielded 1,798 RQ-11B systems and 325 RQ-20A systems and has a requirement to sustain and maintain this existing fleet. The Army has met 92% of the RQ-11B Army Acquisition Objective (AAO), and has met 83% of the anticipated need for RQ-20A (required by USFOR-A-issued JUONS). Additionally, the current [DID: RQ-11B & RQ-20A] fleet has pre-planned spiral upgrades such as the Gimbal payload, which will be competed and retrofitted under this effort. The need exists to complete the AAO; maintain, sustain and upgrade the fleet; and procure future SUAS Systems as required by DoD, Other Government Agencies (OGA) and foreign countries.”

Vendors will compete for each order, and work can include full Unmanned Aerial Systems, upgrades, testing, packaging, marking, and storage and shipping. Work location will be determined with each order, and the contract runs until Dec 20/17. The bid was solicited through the Internet, with 5 bids received. All 5 qualified to compete:

• RQ-11B Raven & RQ-20A Puma: AeroVironment Inc. in Monrovia, CA (W911QY-13-D-0073). Obviously, they’re in a strong position for fleet upgrades at least, as well as for additional UAVs.

• NOVA Block III: Altavian in Gainesville, FL (W911QY-13-D-0074). They’re not a household name, but their air/land UAV is working with the USACE (Army Corps of Engineers). They partner with ISR Group Inc. in Savannah, TN for support and service.

• Skylark-I LE Block 2: Elbit Systems of America LLC in Fort Worth, TX (W911QY-13-D-0075).

• Skystinger, and others: Innovative Automation Technologies LLC in Gainesville, FL (W911QY-13-D-0076). Skystinger is more like the RQ-11 Raven, while their AXO is closer to the RQ-20 Puma. Note that The Skystinger is the only UAS that IAT could confirm, but they did say there was more than 1 UAS offered.

• Desert Hawk III: Lockheed Martin Corporation, Owego, NY (W911QY-13-D-0077). The Desert Hawk has been successfully used on the front lines by British forces.

The AECV contract expires in 2013, so this appears to be the follow-on. See also: AeroVironment | Elbit Systems | Gainesville Sun.

SUAS multi-vendor

Oct 20/12: Support. The US government announces a woman-owned small business only solicitation for up to $25.5 million in SUAS support work, after soliciting interest and finding 3 such businesses who qualify. The FBO.gov solicitation adds that:

“…SUAS PdO must maintain the capability to support current and future Warfighter needs for SUAS systems in CONUS and OCONUS…. The objective of the SUAS Support Program is to support the Warfighter’s as well as other Governmental Agencies (OGAs) and Non-Governmental Agencies users’ SUAS-related sustainment needs. These needs primarily include SUAS training, maintenance, repairs, and engineering services. Additionally, the SUAS PdO will require various logistics, technical management, and program management services to support its SUAS customers.”

FY 2012

USAF, USMC, Denmark & Sweden become customers; Puma becomes RQ-20; #1,000 delivered. Moving launch,
Afghanistan
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June 12/12: Danish win. Aerovironment announces a $9.6 million win in Denmark. This competed win follows a $2.4 million Danish Army order for RQ-11B Raven systems in 2007.

Denmark

June 11/12: Swedish win. AeroVironment announces that they’ve won an unspecified Swedish firm fixed-price contract for 12 hybrid small unmanned aircraft systems. The Swedish Army’s order will be a mix of Puma AE and Wasp air vehicles, plus a set of common ground stations, training, and logistics support. Contract options could increase the buy to a total of 30 systems. The firm adds a roundup of foreign RQ-11 Raven, RQ-20 Puma, and Wasp customers:

“In addition to Sweden, other international governments that have purchased AeroVironment small UAS include Australia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, France, Italy, Lebanon, the Netherlands, Norway, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Spain, Thailand, Uganda, and the United Kingdom.”

Sweden

April 20/12: Puma = RQ-20. AeroVironment announces a $20.4 million firm-fixed-price follow-on order from the US Army for RQ-20A Puma AEs. They will provide overwatch for security, route clearance operations, etc. in Afghanistan. Delivery is scheduled within 30 days.

Separately, AeroVironment announced the production and delivery of its 1,000th Puma AE air vehicle, and the USAF’s approval of the “RQ-20A” designation for the Puma AE system.

Milestones: #1,000, RQ-20A

April 20/12: USMC order. AeroVironment announces the 1st RQ-20A Puma AE order from the US Marine Corps. The $5.6 million firm-fixed-price order was placed via the all-services contract now managed by the US Army. Delivery is scheduled within 2 weeks.

The USMC were pioneers in adopting mini-UAVs, picking AeroVironment’s RQ-14 Dragon Eye in 2003 for the Small Unit Remote Scouting System (SURSS) program. Other buys from the firm have included Wasp mini-UAVs beginning in 2007, and the replacement of their Dragon Eyes with RQ-11B Ravens beginning in 2009. The Puma buy will give the Marines the full 3 tiers of mini-UAV performance: Wasp, Raven, and Puma, ahead of the US Army’s own plans (vid. Feb 4/11 entry).

USMC’s 1st

April 18/12: USAF order. AeroVironment announces its 1st Puma AE order from the USAF, which already uses its RQ-11 Raven and Wasp mini-UAVs. The $2.4 million firm-fixed-price order is below the threshold for public notification, and was placed on April 5/12 through the existing U.S. Army contract. Delivery is scheduled within 2 weeks.

USAF 1st

April 4/12: Plans. The US Army discusses its plans for a family of small UAVs again. They may actually be headed toward 2 Family of Small UAS contracts (1 products, 1 services), in an effort to “refine requirements.” After all this time, the Army is still working on a capabilities document outlining the parameters of the Family of Small UAS.

The Army is also hoping to develop a universal control station for the F-SUAS.

Feb 13/12: Sentient MTI. AeroVironment, Inc. announces an exclusive global distribution license with Sentient in Melbourne, Australia for its Kestrel Land MTI Tier I automatic target detection software, designed for full motion video for use with small unmanned aircraft systems (UAS). Kestrel software automatically detects moving objects, then places tracking boxes around them for easy monitoring. That’s especially helpful with mini-UAVs, because of the payload optics’ limitations, and better tracking of multiple moving objects fills an obvious need of front-line troops.

Over the past 18 months Sentient and AeroVironment have optimized and integrated the software with AeroVironment’s mini-UAS common Ground Control System for Puma, Raven, and Wasp UAVs. Sentient makes a number of Kestrel solutions used around the world. It’s worth noting that the AeroVironment deal doesn’t impair its Kestrel Land MTI Tier II/III used by larger UAVs like the ScanEagle, RQ-7 Shadow, and MQ-9 Reaper; and by patrol aircraft like the P-3 Orion; or its Kestrel Maritime products. What it does, is fence in the market for mini-UAS solutions with a desirable and hard-to copy capability. AeroVironment | Sentient.

Jan 31/12: Pentagon DVIDS discusses preparations by the “Lancers” of Second Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, who are “going into Operation Enduring Freedom with the most Raven [a small unit UAS] and Puma operators in the history of OEF combat,” according to AMCOM UAS specialist Tarah Hollingsworth. Sgt. Christopher Harris, a 2nd SBCT UAS operations non-commissioned officer, adds that:

“I was on the initial fielding of the Puma when it was first brought in about three years ago when I was in Afghanistan… We were able to use it on all kinds of patrols, whether it be presence patrols, recon or anything of that sort. I utilized it two times for a call for fire; it’s very accurate for that.”

FY 2011

US Army joins AECV buy, assumes management of the contract; US Army’s 3-tier mini-UAV plans; RQ-16’s Tango Uniform opportunity?; Communication relay demo; Training issues. Puma AE, pre-launch
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2011: The US Army assumes management of US SOCOM’s AECV contract, following its own October 2010 order for the UAVs, and interest from other services. Source.

AECV = Army

Aug 16/11: Comm relay. Boeing announces successful May and August demonstrations of its new narrowband communications relay, using an Insitu ScanEagle and AeroVironment’s Puma AE mini-UAV. During the multiservice demonstrations, held in California, the UAVs flew at a variety of altitudes while linking handheld military radios dispersed over mountainous regions, extending the radios’ range tenfold.

Larger RQ-7B Shadow UAVs have also been used in this role, but those are generally controlled at the battalion level or above. Narrowband relays small enough to work on hand-launched mini-UAVs like the Puma AE would represent an important step forward, especially for Special Operations forces.

August 16/11: AeroVironment, Inc. announces a $65.5 million firm-fixed-price contract delivery order for new digital Puma AEs, and initial spares packages. It’s another buy under the existing $200 million US SOCOM All Environment Capable Variant (AECV) contract (vid. July 1/08), and will be delivered in the coming months.

June 9/11: AeroVironment, Inc. in Monrovia, CA receives a $13.1 million cost-plus-fixed-fee contract modification for “Puma unmanned aircraft systems training and contractor logistics support.” Aerovironment has since confirmed that this is for the Puma AE. They now simply call it “Puma,” because the very different UAV they had formerly called Puma is not in production.

Work will be performed in Simi Valley, CA, and Kandahar, Afghanistan, with an estimated completion date of Oct 14/11. One bid was solicited, with one bid received by the U.S. Army Contracting Command in Redstone Arsenal, AL (W58RGZ-11-C-0004).

April 20/11: Training issues. The US Army currently equips each brigade with 15 RQ-11B Raven systems, but the 9 Afghan BCTs want to raise that to 35 each (105 UAVs). They’re also shipping larger Puma-AE UAV systems into theater, with 64 in and another 20 requested. So what’s the problem? Training.

Right now, the US FAA requires Federal Aviation Administration must issue a certificate of authorization, in order to fly UAVs in US air space. There are limits to that requirement, but it takes months to get that certification, and it’s hurting operator training. Commanders are complaining that some operators lack adequate pre-combat preparation, and must learn on the job.

In response, the US Army has instituted a buddy program, a tracking program for operators, and a ground-based technical solution. Under the buddy program, skilled mini-UAV operators will teach other soldiers. The web tracker will make sure that qualified operators don’t get lost in the shuffle when they move from one brigade to another. The technical solution involves a ground-based sense-and-avoid system that may help expedite FAA certification. NDIA’s National Defense Magazine.

April 21/11: AeroVironment, Inc. announces an $11.5 million firm-fixed-price delivery order for new digital Puma AE systems, initial spares packages, and training services.

The new UAVs were bought under the existing United States Special Operations Command All Environment Capable Variant (USSOCOM AECV) indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity contract, and deliveries are scheduled to be completed over the next several months.

Feb 4/11: Platoon mini-trio. Aviation Week reports that the US Army wants to beef up UAV availability down to the platoon level, in an environment where, as Army Operations Office aviation UAS director Lt. Col. James Cutting puts it, “there will never be enough multi-million-dollar systems to cover them.” Where now there are 17 RQ-11 Ravens in a brigade combat team (BCT), the Army plans to increase this to 49 “Small UAS family of systems”, initially made up of AeroVironment’s Puma at the high end, RQ-11B Raven mini-UAV as the core, and smaller Wasp III as the true “flying binoculars” micro-UAV.

Down the road, this set is expected to be a competition, and the numbers involved make it an attractive target. According to Cutting, the Army will push the new UAVs directly down to engineer, armor and infantry units, rather than forming more aviation units and adding their overhead. Since the UAVs in question are so small, and fly at under 1,000 feet, they can be used without worrying about “deconfliction,” and don’t really require the same planning & support overhead as, for instance, a unit of RQ-7B Shadows, or MQ-1C Gray Eagles. Aviation Week | Aviation Week Ares.

Jan 6/11: The US Army issues a stop-work order on the Class I Unmanned Aerial System (RQ-16 T-Hawk), as part of the E-IBCT next-generation brigades. Formal termination takes place on Feb 3/11. In light of the Oct 22/10 order, this could become a major opportunity for the Puma AE. Defense News.

Oct 26/10: Aerovironment announces a $7.2 million for an unspecified number of new digital Puma AE systems and training services, under the existing US SOCOM indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract.

Oct 25/10: More Army minis. The NDIA’s National Defense magazine reports that Puma AE is forcing its way into regular Army operations, due to a combination of unforgiving high-altitude terrain and roadside mission demands:

“The Army currently supplies 15 sets of Ravens (with three aircraft per set) to each brigade in Afghanistan. The current plan is to buy 3,000 Ravens, and the Army so far has acquired more than 2,000… [but units] have asked for a “larger small” unmanned aircraft that can carry more sensors and fly longer… So the Army is now tapping into the SOCOM contract and buying 72 Pumas to meet urgent demands, Gonzalez said. The Puma request came directly from the top commander in Afghanistan, Gen. David Petraeus… The Army already is testing the concept of a “family” of three aircraft (Raven, Puma and Wasp) in combat. It fielded 15 sets six months ago to the 101st Airborne Division and will allow the unit to keep them for a year for further evaluation, said Gonzalez. One of the concerns is designing a controller that can operate all three aircraft.”

Oct 22/10: AeroVironment, Inc. in Simi Valley, CA receives a $17.2 million cost-plus-fixed-fee letter contract, which establishes not-to-exceed amounts for Puma-AE capable contractor logistics support, training, and accounting for contract services in support of Joint Urgent Operational Need Statement CC-0289, entitled, “Unmanned Aircraft Systems for Route Clearance.”

AeroVironment confirms that this order is for the regular army, not SOCOM. The RQ-16 T-Hawk ducted fan UAV is supposed to be handling that special niche, but the Puma would appear to have carved out a place, thanks to its stabilized EO/IR payload, and added conventional reconnaissance capabilities. Work is to be performed in Simi Valley, CA, with an estimated completion date of Oct 14/11. One bid was solicited with one bid received by U.S. Army Contracting Command, CCAM-AR-A at Redstone Arsenal, AL (W58RGZ-11-C-0004).

Army in.

FY 2008 – 2010

$200M AECV win for US special Operations. Puma AE concept
(click to view larger)

Sept 8/10: An additional order valued at $4.4 million for Puma AE payloads and retrofits. Work is scheduled to be performed “within a period of several months.” Source.

Aug 31/10: Aerovironment announces a $35.3 million delivery order for digital Puma AE systems, spares and training service, under the existing US SOCOM indefinite delivery/ indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract. Work is scheduled to be performed “within a period of several months.”

July 1/08: US SOCOM AECV. AeroVironment, Inc., wins a 5-year (base year plus 4 one-year option periods), maximum $200 million indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity contract for an “all environment capable variant small unmanned aircraft systems” from the US SOCOM’s Program Executive Office – Fixed Wing. It covers aircraft, ground control systems, spares, repairs and training under a combination firm fixed-price, cost-plus-fixed-fee and cost reimbursable arrangement. The initial delivery order is valued at $6 million, and is fully funded.

Work will be performed in Simi Valley, CA and the base year period lasts for exactly 1 year from date of contract award. This contract was awarded through full and open competition (H92222-08-D-0048). See also Aerovironment release.

SOCOM AECV

Puma fuel cell
(click to view full)

March 6/08: AeroVironment announces a 9 hour flight for a modified Puma powered by an onboard fuel cell/ battery hybrid energy storage system. During the flight, a 2-camera payload system provided a live, streaming video feed from the Puma. Aerovironment developed the battery pack, power electronics and controls portion of the hybrid energy storage system, which used London-listed Protonex Technology Corporation’s Pulse UAV fuel cell system.

This successful demonstration is not part of the SOCOM bid, but is conducted under Aerovironment’s separate small business innovation research (SBIR) Phase II contract with the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL). AFRL’s goal is to develop advanced energy storage and propulsion technologies for unmanned aircraft. The overall program advanced swiftly from kickoff in January 2007, to a 5-hour flight in May 2007, a 7-hour flight in July 2007, and then this 9-hour flight. Aerovironment release.

Additional Readings & Sources

• Aerovironment – UAS: Puma AE

• Aerovironment – UAS Advanced Development Center: Fuel Cell Puma

• Designation Systems – Aerovironment Puma. Differs in a number of significant respects from the Puma AE.

• Aerovironment – BATMAV. Also known as Wasp-III.

• USAF – BATMAV Micro Unmanned Aircraft System

• See DID’s coverage of the RQ-11 Raven, beginning in Feb 2005 with “Raven UAV Draws Raves From The Field” and including “Field Report on Raven, Shadow UAVs From the 101st“.

• DID (2005) – AeroVironment Given SBIR contract for New UAVs: Can They Do It Again?

Americas

• After a long wait, the KC-46A tanker has been cleared for production. The Milestone C approval was awarded by US Under secretary of defense for acquisition, technology and logistics, Frank Kendall, following a series of stringent refueling tests of various USAF and Navy aircraft. Contracts are expected to be awarded to Boeing within the next 30 days for the first two low rate initial production lots, totaling 19 aircraft.

• A B-52H bomber equipped with the new Conventional Rotary Launcher (CRL) has successfully dropped three AGM-158 Joint Attack Surface Standoff Missiles (JASSM) from its internal weapons bay for the first time. While the bomber is capable of carrying 12 of the cruise missiles on its wing pylons, the inclusion of the Conventional Rotary Launcher now enables it to hold a further eight internally, a payload increase of 60%. Next in store for the launcher is more of the same testing but with the inclusion of live weapons followed by final validation of the CLR system’s full capability.

• The AIM-9X Sidewinder has become the first short range air-to-air missile to be fully integrated on the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. Testing of the missile so far has lead to a three for three success with a fourth guided test expected by the end of the year alongside final integration work. The F-35 is capable of holding two AIM-9Xs on its wings, and when configured for air superiority missions, can hold four AIM-120s internally.

Middle East North Africa

• Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) has showcased their Drone Guard system to a number of armed forces in order to show its operational capabilities. Designed with the threat of small UAVs carrying explosives in mind, the trails saw the system disrupt a number of different UAVs which can be detected from as far as 3kms. Once identified, Drone Guard can then send the UAV back to its launch point, or hold it in a certain space until its battery or fuel runs out.

Europe

• The US State department has cleared a $231 million munition sale to a number of European NATO members. Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Greece, The Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, and Spain are to receive 2,040 joint direct attack munition (JDAM) guidance kits of various iterations, as well as computer control groups, joint programmable fuzes, and bomb fin assembly and airfoil groups. Also included in the deal would be laser sensors, proximity sensors, avionics kit interfaces, electronic bomb fuzes, repair and return services, transportation, engineering services, and other support services.

• Saab has received a number of contracts for munition and development work for the Swedish military. A $14.3 million deal has been awarded for the provision of a variety of ammunition for the Carl-Gustaf recoilless rifle, an anti-armor weapon. The company has also been tapped to undertake a $15.29 million project to design, develop and deliver vehicle electronics to Germany’s Krauss-Maffei Wegmann Gmbh for use in Leopard 2 tanks used by Sweden.

• The British government has launched a $1 billion defense innovation initiative aimed at fast tracking future defense solutions and changing the MoD’s creative culture. Individuals and companies will be able to avail of the fund over the next ten years, and follows the mentioning in the 2015 Strategic Review for the need to include the cutting edge in departmental culture. Technologies believed to benefit from the extra funding include Birmingham University’s sensors that can survey underground tunnels in minutes, and Animal Dynamics’ work on tiny drones inspired by dragonflies.

Asia Pacific

• Taiwan has agreed to part of a US weapons package that will see delivery of 13 sets of Phalanx close-in weapons systems (CIWS) and other equipment set to the tune of $286.6 million. While not due for delivery until at least 2024, the new CIWS systems will add to one MK 15 Block 1B CIWS system found on one of its Kidd-class destroyers and give an uplift in capabilities to the older Phalanx systems currently in use. The deal is part of a wider $1.83 billion defense package that includes two Oliver Hazard Perry-class guided missile frigates, 36 AAV-7 amphibious assault vehicles, and 250 Block I-92F MANPAD Stinger missiles.

Today’s Video

IAI’s Drone Guard:

Americas

• A long awaited low-rate initial production decision for the KC-46 tanker is to be made by the end of the month. Secretary of the USAF Deborah Lee James informed the media of the upcoming meeting “We believe that the aircraft has met all of the wickets that are required to meet milestone C, but of course that remains to be seen, so I’ll say stay tuned on that.” Flight testing of the aircraft wound up in July following a number of hardware and software fixes to the plane’s boom following aerial refueling problems.

Middle East North Africa

• Russian helicopters seeing action in Syria are to be fitted with composite rotor blades to counter against the rapid wear and tear currently experienced on their metal ones. According to the blade’s manufacturer Mil, the composite blades have already been used in the production of multirole Mi-38 and Mi-35M attack helicopters and have also been included on the newly upgraded Mi-28NM. Russia has been supporting the Syrian government of Bashar al-Assad with air support and logistics since September 2015.

• In addition to a $1.1 billion Airbus H225M helicopter deal, France is also trying to sell Kuwait anti-ship missiles to help fill a specific Kuwaiti requirement for airborne missiles for use against fast offshore boats. The Gulf nation had a similar requirement on its recent purchase of Eurofight Typhoons. Airbus is conducting similar work on H225Ms operated by the Brazilian Navy, integrating the MBDA Exocet AM39 anti-ship missile.

• $50 million in weapons has been delivered by the US to Lebanon. Goodies in the shipment include 50 armored Humvees, 40 Howitzer field artillery pieces, 50 MK-19 grenade launchers and 1,000 tons of ammunition, including small, medium and heavy artillery rounds. With Lebanon being the fifth-largest recipient of US military financing, the country has received more than $221 million in funding this year.

Europe

• With just a day to spare, a joint effort by Lockheed Martin UK and Elbit Systems will enter the UK’s Challenger II upgrade program. The duo’s late entry into the $816 million modernization will see them duke it out with a consortium involving General Dynamic and the tank’s original equipment manufacturer BAE Systems as well as bids from Rheinmetall, Swiss defense company Ruag and a CMI Defence-Ricardo UK partnership.

• The Russian Aerospace Forces are to shortly receive next generation bombs with proximity fuzes. According to state-owned manufacturer Tecmarsh, the fuze has recently passed tests and is being prepared for serial production. Improvements in the new munition aim to decrease the amount of energy lost to crater creation and soil displacement and increasing the radius of damage.

Asia Pacific

• Sri Lanka has expressed an interest in replacing its aging Kfir fighters. According to a cabinet spokesperson, the government has approved a new competition and is looking for interested manufacturers to come forward. The service is looking at getting between eight to twelve aircraft which at present is down to only one serviceable fighter.

• South Korea’s Agency for Defense Development (ADD) has given the second half of 2020 as the date for the first prototype of their indigenous active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar. Developed in conjunction with Hanwha Thales, DAPA foresees six years of development, with the new radar to be ready for deployment in 2026. The radar will be integrated on the upcoming KF-X indigenous fighter.

Today’s Video

China sends its Gaofen-3 radar imaging satellite into space:

Americas

• A survey of 31 F-35A pilots has given their full confidence in the upcoming fifth generation fighter. According to the report, all asked would choose the F-35A over their former fighters if they were to engage in a beyond-visual-range fight. Furthermore, despite its cost, the F-35 was deemed notably more effective and in many cases cheaper than any other four-plus-generation multirole fighter in the world.

• MQ-1 Predator and MQ-9 Reaper pilots are to undergo a fifteen-day course in electric warfare missions. The USAF program will see pilots gain training so that they can continue to operate their UAV when under electronic attack such as jamming of their satellite uplinks. Once completed, they will be known as Electronic Combat Officers.

• While Segway hoverboards are the closest most of us currently have to emulating a scene from the movie Back to the Future, a US company specializing in the explosives-trace-detection business is looking to bring the technology to the military. Massachusetts based firm Implant Sciences Corporation is currently in the process of acquiring the French Zapata Industries SAS who reached a proof-of-concept milestone this year by producing a personal flight system it’s calling Flyboard Air. Once completed, Implant hopes to use the technologies gained in order to explore new markets in the defense, security and commercial markets.

• Lockheed Martin has been awarded a $101 million delivery order against a previous agreement for the production of F-35 software data loads. The deal provides for additional non-recurring effort and integration efforts required in support of the F-35 Reprogramming Center West and includes the production of F-35 software data loads for laboratory testing, planning for verification and validation test, conduct technical support of the test, design, build and delivery of verification and validation modification kits and mission data file generation tools for foreign military sales customers.

Middle East North Africa

• Misplaced hysteria or 1930s appeasement? What ever it may be, Israel and the Pentagon are back at loggerheads over the Iranian nuclear deal a week after discussions over the continuation of Washington’s military aid package to the Israeli government. While Israel’s MoD has likened President Obama to a hapless Neville Chamberlain, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu seemingly softened the criticism by looking to refocus the discussion on ways the two countries must work together to mitigate dangers.

Europe

• While initially docketed to fly in 2019, the Tu-160M2’s maiden flight will now be moved forward to late 2017. The announcement was made by Russia’s Aerospace Force commander Viktor Bondarev last week. Bondarev continued stating that the first serial produced units of the strategic bomber will have been completed by 2021.

Asia Pacific

• In the search to modernize the world’s largest archipelago nation’s military aircraft, Indonesia is looking to Airbus and Antonov. Meetings have taken place between Indonesian officials and Fernando Alonso, Head of the Military Aircraft division of Airbus Defence and Space, over potential sales of the A400M transport plane and Eurofighter jets. Meanwhile, Ukrainian officials have claimed that Jakarta is set to order An-70 transport planes as well as securing a license to serial produce Ukrainian radar systems.

• Leonardo has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Taiwan’s state-owned Aerospace Industrial Development Corporation to supply 66 M-346s to the Republic of China Air Force. According to the document, Italy will provide the first 4-6 aircraft and the rest will be assembled in Taiwan with 50% components made in Italy alongside any relevant technology transfers. The M-346s will replace existing AT-3 jets due for modernization.

Today’s Video

Zapata Industries:

Americas

• Argentina has been cleared by the US State Department for the potential sale of 24 T-6C+ Texan II trainer aircraft. The Foreign Military Sales contract, which includes spare engines and associative support equipment, is estimated to be in the region of $300 million. Under the announcement, new T-6Cs will not only go toward a modernization of the Air Force’s trainer fleet, but will also participate in border control missions.

• The Mexican Navy has debuted its new Arcturus T-20 UAV for surveillance operations. Procurement of the drone came as part of a collaboration between the Navy and the Secretariat of Agriculture, Livestock, Rural Development, Fisheries and Food, with the system featuring three aircraft equipped with high-resolution cameras, control vehicles, antennas, and a pneumatic launcher. Specific tasks include surveillance for the protection and recovery of the endangered vaquita, a rare porpoise, and to prevent poaching of the totoaba fish found in the Gulf of California.

Middle East North Africa

• The UAE is to receive $785 million in US munitions, sustainment and support. Procurements include 7,700 GBU-10 guidance kits with 7,700 Mk-84/BLU-117 bombs; 5,940 GBU-12 guidance kits with 5,940 Mk-82/BLU-111 bombs; 500 GBU-31V1 guidance kits with 500 Mk-84/BLU- 117 bombs; 500 GBU-31V3 guidance kits with 500 BLU-109 bombs; and 14,640 FMU-152 fuzes. The US State Department stated that the munitions would go toward aiding the participation of the UAE in operations against Islamic State militants.

• Several armor manufacturers are to collaborate on a joint venture based in Turkey. Germany’s Rheinmetall AG, Turkey’s BMC, and the Malaysia-based Etika Strategi have joined to focus on wheeled and tracked armored vehicles with the aim of expanding local and external markets. This could then lead to Rheinmetall and BMC working on the new Turkish Altay tank if the latter wins a serial production contract for the vehicle.

• Contract negotiations are underway to clear a $100 million Foreign Military Sale (FMS) for 76mm Super Rapid guns for Israel. Much sought after by Tel Aviv for many years, the sale will see Italian defense contractor Oto Melara, a subsidiary of Leonardo-Finmeccanica, deliver the weapons to Israel via the US Navy. Cash for the guns will come through US military aid.

Asia Pacific

• Military reimbursements to the tune of $300 million will not be paid to Pakistan by the Pentagon. Sourced under the Coalition Support Fund (CSF), the program aims to reimburse US allies that have incurred costs in supporting counter-terrorist and counter-insurgency operations. Since 2002, Pakistan has received $14 billion from the CSF, however US Secretary of Defense Ash Carter has not told Congress that Pakistan was taking adequate action against the Haqqani network insurgent group.

• India’s MoD has approved $294 million to go toward a program to upgrade its ten Ka-28 anti-submarine warfare helicopters. A 42 month modernization will see state-of-the-art western weapons and sensors integrated on a fleet that currently suffers from poor serviceability. First purchased in 1980, only four Ka-28s are currently operational.

• The first export order for the Il-76MD-90 cargo plane could very well be Kazakhstan. It’s been reported by Russian media that both defense ministers are in discussions over a number of military-technical issues which not only include the Il-76, but Yak-152 and Yak-130 trainers. Other potential export customers include Algeria, Iran and South Africa.

Today’s Video

Japanese planes searching for remnants of North Korean ballistic missiles:

AH-1F, Cobra Gold 97
(click to view full)

In June 2008, US GAO auditors released a report that documented issues with the USA’s billions of dollars in “coalition support fund” aid to Pakistan. One of the items cited involved Pakistan’s 20-28 AH-1F “TOWCobra” helicopters; despite reimbursements of $55 million to maintain Pakistan’s MI-17 utility and AH-1 Cobra attack helicopters, the Pakistani army was not in fact maintaining them, causing poor readiness rates for these critical assets.

A recent DSCA announcement indicates that Pakistan may be getting more serious about maintaining its attack helicopters. Whether it becomes more serious about using them in areas under al-Qaeda’s control is another matter…

The Helicopters

The AH-1F was the final Cobra upgrade in the US Army, which phased in out of active army service in 1999 and National Guard service in 2001. They are still in use in number of countries, including Israel, Jordan, South Korea, Turkey, Taiwan, et. al. This model improved upon previous Cobra variants by adding a new fire-control system with a laser rangefinder; an improved cockpit layout with a head-up display (HUD) for the pilot; an AN/ALQ-144 IRCM (“disco ball” infra-red counter-measure) unit mounted above the engine; a cable cutter above and below the cockpit to protect the Cobra in NOE (nap-of-the-earth) flight; and a long exhaust pipe to reduce the helicopter’s infrared signature.

Subsequent upgrades to the fleet included improved night-fighting equipment via the C-NITE Cobra Night Attack system that gave the helicopters the ability to target enemies at night, and in bad weather that obscures normal vision.

Contracts and Key Events

August 5/16: Military reimbursements to the tune of $300 million will not be paid to Pakistan by the Pentagon. Sourced under the Coalition Support Fund (CSF), the program aims to reimburse US allies that have incurred costs in supporting counter-terrorist and counter-insurgency operations. Since 2002, Pakistan has received $14 billion from the CSF, however US Secretary of Defense Ash Carter has not told Congress that Pakistan was taking adequate action against the Haqqani network insurgent group.

Sept 26/08: The US Defense Security Cooperation Agency announces [PDF] Pakistan’s official request to refurbish and maintain 8 AH-1F Cobra attack helicopters. The Government of Pakistan has also requested warranties, system integration, delivery of spare and repairs parts, support equipment, personnel training and training equipment, and other related elements of logistics support. The prime contractor will be US Helicopter in Ozark, AL (a.k.a. Bell Helicopter Services), and the estimated cost is $115 million.

Implementation of this proposed sale will require multiple U.S. Government and contractor representatives in Pakistan for approximately 3 weeks to ensure delivery and operability of the equipment. This will be followed by a 3-person Field Office that will provide technical assistance and contract administration for the Pakistan Army for 3 years.

Feb 2/07: The USA transfers 8 C-NITE equipped AH-1F Cobras to the Pakistan Army, at the Qasim Airbase near Islamabad.

Sources indicate that Pakistan already had about 20 AH-1F helicopters, which were assigned to the Army’s base at Multan in central Pakistan. American issues with Pakistan’s nuclear weapons prevented further shipments, but systems upgrades were shipped in the mid-1990s. Pakistan’s newly-acknowledged status as a necessary ally against al-Qaeda has relaxed American sanctions, and made advanced weapon sales possible again despite some Congressional concerns. See fuller background in “US Transfers 8 More Attack Helicopters to Pakistan“.

Indian Ka-28
(click to view larger)

In September 2008, Flight International reported that India’s defence ministry has issued a tender for “advanced multirole naval helicopters” to several manufacturers around the world, including AgustaWestland, EADS and Sikorsky. The initial RFP reportedly covered 16 helicopters, with a potential expansion to 60 helicopters.

The problem, as usual, is that nothing happened for years, while critical Indian defenses were left rotting. India’s naval sphere of influence is growing, and the country purchased long-range P-8i jets to improve its territorial coverage. Unfortunately, that can’t paper over a glaring hole in India’s defenses. The Navy currently has many high-end ships without serious naval helicopter capability. Few of their Russian Ka-28s are still fit for service, and their small and aged Sea King fleet faces both technological and airframe limitations. It’s a terrible policy for a country that continues to add high-cost, high-value ships to its fleet, in a region with more and better submarines.

Finally, by the end of 2014 India indicated interest in expediting its initial naval multirole helicopter acquisition.

India’s Anti-Submarine Weakness Helicopters: Flying Low, Dying Slow Indian Sea King
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As of 2014, the situation has become grave. India’s Ka-28 fleet has dwindled to just 4 operational helicopters, while a mid-life upgrade that would restore 10 to flying condition and give them modern sensors has been trying to get underway since 2008. The effective Sea King helicopter fleet has dwindled to just 16-17 upgraded machines, and all of them won’t be in flying condition all of the time. India’s Naval Air Arm also has a small number of Dhruv utility helicopters, and a somewhat larger set of very old Chetak helicopters that are only suitable for light supply and search and rescue roles, but neither is much help in sea control roles. The resulting situation is dire:

“For instance, between the six Talwar class frigates, which include the recently inducted frigates Teg, Tarkash and Trikand, only three carry a helicopter. Some other frigates don’t have even one helicopter between them. Coming to larger ships like the destroyers, one Kamov [Ka-28] helicopter is being shared between five Rajput class ships.”

These are key ships that would normally be tasked with anti-submarine duties. Without helicopters, their ability to perform those roles drops sharply. Which means that they are not fit for purpose to protect India’s carriers against Pakistani or Chinese submarines. A July 2014 report in India Today said that just 20% of available slots were filled in the Indian Navy, based on:

• Delhi Class destroyers can carry 2 helicopters
  
• Kolkata Class frigates can carry 2 helicopters
  
• Shivalik, Betwa, and Godavari Class frigates can carry 2 helicopters
  
• Talwar Class frigates can carry 1 helicopter
  
• Offshore Patrol Vessels can carry 1 helicopter
  
• Landing Ship Tank (Large) can carry 2 helicopters
  
• INS Viraat aircraft carrier can carry 8 helicopters
  
• INS Vikramaditya aircraft carrier can carry 12 helicopters

Towed Sonar: Rolling in the Deep Talwar Class
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To make things worse, the Indian Navy has been trying to import an Advanced Towed Array Sonar (ATAS) for its ships since the mid-1990s, but the Ministry of Defence has blocked it in favor of DRDO projects that went nowhere. The Nagan project was finally shut down in 2012, but DRDO just turned around and started a new ALTAS project in its place. As a result, 21 destroyers, frigates and corvettes bought since 1997 lack key sonar systems: 3 Delhi Class destroyers, 3 Kolkata Class destroyers, 6 Talwar Class frigates, 3 Brahmaputra Class frigates, 3 Shivalik Class frigates, and 4 Kamorta Class corvettes. They must depend, instead, on an Indian HUMSA passive array towed sonar with limited capabilities.

Indian MoD approval for a limited 6 ATAS buy was finally granted to an exasperated navy in 2009, but baseless complaints of wrongdoing left Atlas Elektronik’s systems in limbo, despite investigations that cleared the procurement.

That leaves India’s navy with a double ASW handicap, just as advanced submarine systems are proliferating in Pakistan and the Southeast Asian region. At the same time, the country is introducing advanced vessels like aircraft carriers and their accompanying multi-role surface ships. It’s a very poor situation, which would quickly turn disastrous if put to a military test.

Helicopters: Acquisition Programs MH-92
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In response, there are 2 acquisition programs underway, and 2 potential upgrade programs.

NMRH: An initial tender for 16 front-line medium naval helicopters. India wants full anti-submarine capability, and anti-surface warfare capability that includes anti-ship missiles. Required secondary roles will include search and rescue (SAR), transport, casualty evacuation, etc. The RFP included options for 44 more, which could bring the total to 60. If an American helicopter is picked, India wants a Direct Commercial Sale that lets them manage the entire procurement themselves.

The final contenders were Sikorsky’s S-70B-x and NH Industries NH90 NFH; and even though trials finished in 2011, Defense Acquisition Council clearance didn’t happen until 2014. NH Industries’ complaints about requirement waivers granted to the S-70B caused most of the delay, which had predictable results within India’s Byzantine bureaucracies. It got to the point that the Navy openly criticized NH Industries, while insisting that both helicopters met naval staff qualitative requirements. Sikorsky was generally considered to have a strong edge, and ended up winning by default after the NH90 was removed.

A follow-on program is expected in the 9 – 12.5 tonne medium to medium-heavy classes, with reported numbers that have varied over time. If the anti-ship missile requirement changes or is dropped, Sikorsky is widely expected to substitute the MH-60R/S Seahawks, whose lack of an anti-ship missile made them ineligible as an NMRH candidate. Meanwhile, NHI’s NH90 isn’t going away, Airbus could push the NH90 or the naval Super Puma, Kamov can expect to keep trying, and AgustaWestland could offer the AW101 naval helicopter – if their position with the Indian government allows them to bid.

Indian Multirole Helicopter (IMRH). A program to build a domestic 12-tonne class helicopter as a joint venture with HAL. They want a maximum speed of 275 kmh, maximum payload of 3.5 tonnes at sea level, 500 km range at sea level, and a service ceiling of 6,500 metres.

India’s pattern of behavior makes the potential for interference with any NMRH follow-on obvious; in standard style, state industry lobbying for an exclusive contract would be followed by long delays before equipment reaches the Navy. One possibility is to bring in the NMRH/follow-on contenders for this partnership. Sikorsky’s S-92, for instance, is a 12-tonne helicopter that’s already partly manufactured in India at Tata, with a strong civil record in the offshore oil & gas industry and a naval helicopter variant that’s being (slowly) developed for Canada. Airbus has the precedent of their license manufacturing agreement with Brazil for EC725s, including an unarmed naval utility variant. The disadvantage? It throttles the development of a viable private competitor to HAL.

AS565 Panther
(click to view full)

NUH: The Naval Utility Helicopter involves machines with a maximum take-off weight of 4.5 tons, as a replacement for existing HAL Cheetah and Chetak designs derived from the ancient Alouette-III. India’s Navy and Coast Guard were poised to benefit, and the 2012 RFP included 56 helicopters, 3 simulators, 28 spare engines, etc., with an option for another 28 helicopters (TL = 84). RFIs were issued in 2010 and 2011, and the RFP was issued in 2012 at an estimate of $900 million, with entry into service expected for 2016. In 2014, however, the Indian government canceled the competition and restarted it under different terms, which will require full manufacturing in India. Service by 2016 is extremely unlikely.

Coast Guard helicopters must include Search and Rescue duties as a matter of course, along with sensors for finding boats and people. Naval NUH helicopters also need to go beyond transport roles, and will be used both on shore and abord ship. India wanted the ability to carry rocket launchers, lightweight torpedoes, and depth charges on “a modern airframe design, proven fuel-efficient engines and fully-integrated advanced avionics.”

Candidates reportedly included Airbus’ popular AS565 Panther light naval helicopter, and a derivative of AgustaWestland’s AW109 LUH. As a wild card, HAL’s locally-designed Dhruv began shore-based naval utility and SAR service in Kochi in November 2013. Navy disappointment with Dhruv was a key factor in pushing NUH’s existence, but since then, HAL has been working on a naval version with some anti-submarine capability, and has already fielded an armed Rudra ALH-WSI version for India’s land forces. The Navy has been very lukewarm about the Dhruv, citing stability issues, concerns about the ability to operate from ships, a lack of naval features like folding rotors, and the helicopter’s accident rate. Still, delays to NUH create time for more advances, fixes, and lobbying. In other words, a new opportunity for HAL.

Modernized S-61
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Upgrade Programs include both of India’s current naval helicopter fleets.

Ka-28s. At present, India has just 4 flyable Kamov Ka-28 ASW helicopters. The other 6 Ka-28s have been mothballed for spares, while a mid-life upgrade that would restore the 10 to flying condition and give them modern sensors has been trying to get underway since 2008. Bids were finally opened in 2012, and a combination of Russia’s Kamov and Italy’s Finmeccanica won the INR 20 billion project. Contracts are set, and both the Cabinet Committee of Security and India’s CBI investigators cleared the deal, but nothing has been done.

Sea Kings. India also wants to upgrade its 17 Sea Kings with new composite main rotor blades to improve lift, and modern avionics to include a glass cockpit and automatic flight control systems. A 2008 proposal to use Israeli equipment as the upgrade package was vehemently opposed by AgustaWestland, which delayed things. That firm’s limited bidding ability in the wake of the AW101 VVIP helicopter dispute could exclude them now, leaving the door open for Israeli firms. If India needs a competition, Sikorsky’s S-61T contract for the US State Department offers another viable model. S-61 is the Sea King’s civilian designation.

NMRH/ IMRH Naval Helicopters: Contenders Italian AW101
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The initial NMRH competition narrowed down to the NH90 NFH vs. the S-70B, then the S-70B alone, but subsequent buys could introduce additional options. Flight International:

“Defence ministry sources say the new aircraft will be equipped with potent anti-ship and anti-submarine warfare equipment including cruise missiles and torpedoes, and also be capable of being refuelled in flight. The type will operate from both naval vessels and land bases, they add.”

As a further wrinkle, India wants anti-ship missiles with a range of 100+ km, which is about 2-3x farther than most helicopter-launched missiles. They’re reportedly interested in Kongsberg’s stealthy Naval Strike Missile, or MBDA’s Marte-ER.

Sikorsky (winner, S-70B). The S-70 is an export designation for Sikorsky’s H-60 family, designed for international markets through options like federated avionics that can more easily accept country-specific items. Depending on the specific configuration ordered, a wide range of technologies can be included, making them anything from a basic ASW choice to a very advanced helicopter. What will an Indian S-70B naval helicopter look like?

For starters, it will carry an anti-ship missile, per Indian missile requirements. Kongsberg’s AGM-119B Penguin is the S-70B’s standard option, but doesn’t have the range India wants; switching to Kongsberg’s NSM or MBDA’s Marte-ER would require testing for aerodynamic compatibility, and additional integration work. On the flip side, the S-70B offers greater versatility, carrying up to 8 AGM-114 Hellfire short-range strike missiles for troop support ashore, or defense against fast boat swarms. DID has confirmed that qualified torpedoes include Raytheon’s MK-46, Eurotorp’s A244 Mod 3 (Singapore), and the new MK-54 torpedo (Turkey). India is already buying MK-54s for their new P-8i sea control aircraft fleet.

MH-60Rs fire Hellfire
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Sikorsky’s most produced naval helicopters are their MH-60R/S Seahawks. Lockheed Martin’s bid for India’s maritime patrol aircraft competition reportedly included 16 MH-60Rs (est. cost: $350-400 million), alongside 8 of its P-3 aircraft. They lost, but this MRH tender offers Sikorsky a way to get their foot in the door again, and subsequent buys may open up a broader market for their MH-60 family.

The MH-60R’s inability to be exported as a Direct Commercial Sale disqualified it from the initial NMRH competition. It also lacks an anti-ship missile of any kind. On the other hand, it carries a number of potent and attractive anti-submarine and surface warfare technologies. Sikorsky is reportedly looking to offer it for India’s follow-on buys, or it could assemble an S-70B offer that draws on some of those technologies. MH-60R submarine detection options include new processing systems for advanced sonobuoys, while the S-70B’s standard HELRAS dipping sonar is replaced by the same FLASH sonar used in the NH90-NFH. The S-70B’s standard is the AN/APS-143 radar family, which will also be used on India’s P-8i sea control jets; in contrast, the MH-60R uses the AN/APS-153, with inverse SAR mode for detecting submarine periscopes. MH-60R/S helicopters carry AGM-114 Hellfires for use against small boats and land targets, and will soon add APKWS 70mm laser-guided rockets, alongside the latest Mk.54 torpedoes. Australia has ordered some MH-60Rs to replace its S-70B-2s, and of course they’re the current and future mainstay of the US Navy’s ASW force, which ensures wide operational compatibility and future upgrades. The MH-60S is more of a naval utility helicopter, though it can also be armed with Hellfire missiles and APKWS rockets, or fitted with a limited Airborne Mine Countermeasures suite. Thailand has ordered a couple of MH-60S.

Sikorsky had a larger option, but they chose not to offer it here. Canada chose Sikorsky’s larger H-92 Superhawk as the basis for its CH-148 Cyclone naval helicopter, and full production of S-92 helicopter cabins is already outsourced to a joint venture with India’s Tata. Unfortunately, Canada’s program remains beset by delays and capability issues, including the lack of an anti-ship missile. Until its issues are fixed and the helicopter is performing in service, the MH-92 isn’t a viable export candidate anywhere. On the other hand, it could be a logical joint venture partnership offering for the proposed IMRH.

NH90: TTH & NFH

AgustaWestland/ Airbus (quasi finalist, NH90). The NH90 NFH medium naval helicopter finally entered full operational capability service in late 2013. AgustaWestland is the NH Industries consortium lead for the naval variant, but Indian politics may force another consortium member to take the lead. Note that a number of European navies have needed to upgrade and modify their ships to support the NH90 NFH, due to its size and fully-loaded weight.

The NH90 NFH can fire MBDA’s Marte Mk.2/S light anti-ship missile, and work is already underway to integrate the Marte-ER as a heavier and longer-range option. The AM39 Exocet used in Indian submarines isn’t an option, because of its effects on turbulence and the NH90’s center of gravity. Qualified torpedoes include Eurotorp’s MU90, Raytheon’s Mk.46, or BAE’s Stingray. NH90-NFH helicopters have been ordered by Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, and Qatar.

NMRH specifications were too heavy for AgustaWestland’s Super Lynx naval helicopter, which fits a very wide range of naval vessels and is in service all around the world. Britain’s AW159 Lynx Wildcat offers even more advanced technologies. At the heavier 12 tonne end, the AW101 medium-heavy helicopter is used in both naval and search-and-rescue roles with Britain’s Royal Navy, Denmark, and Italy.

Airbus. Eurocopter is the top shareholder in the NH90 consortium, so they’re technically a participant in the NH90 bid, and they may need to step to the fore. Their own AS532/ EC725 Super Puma/Cougar also serves with a number of navies, including some customers near India, and there’s an earlier AS332F variant for ASW roles.

AgustaWestland’s entanglement in the AW101 VVIP helicopter’s legal proceedings left Airbus with a decision: push the NH90-NFH as a more popular and proven alternative with partial Airbus workshare, or push an all-Airbus design instead? The NH90’s disqualification from the initial tender seems likely to push Airbus toward a more exclusive path.

Rosoboronexport/ Kamov can play the commonality and standardization cards, because India’s Navy already uses its Ka-28s and Ka-31 airborne early warning helicopters. On the other hand, it would appear to have the most limited set of upgrade options. India has delayed modernizing the handful of helicopters they have, and reports don’t indicate that they’re a contender, but Kamov is trying anyway.

Contracts & Key Events 2014 – 2016

AW101 VVIP deal blows up, affecting other competitions; Sikowrsky wins initial NMRH competition. NUH canceled and re-started as “Buy & Make India”; Dhruv ASW? S-70B fires Penguin
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August 5/16: India’s MoD has approved $294 million to go toward a program to upgrade its ten Ka-28 anti-submarine warfare helicopters. A 42 month modernization will see state-of-the-art western weapons and sensors integrated on a fleet that currently suffers from poor serviceability. First purchased in 1980, only four Ka-28s are currently operational.

Jan 26/15: RFP for additional 123-unit NMRH purchase expected. Sikorsky’s win of the NMRH contract, to build 16 helicopters, is just weeks old, but the Indian Navy will again put out to tender the next 123 units. Sikorsky does not appear to have won much of an advantage for the larger competition in its many-years fight for the first 16 helicopters. Making things more interesting, the Indian government, under nativist political pressure, is said to be preparing the RFP as a design and price competition with the manufacturing to be done by Indian firms. A new trade group, the Confederation of India Industry’s National Committee on Aerospace (CIINCA), has been loudly insisting on future contract structures that bring manufacturing to India.

At the heart of the long and somewhat embarrassingly
mismanaged helicopter procurements in recent years has been India’s domestic helicopter manufacturer HAL, whose light, single-engine choppers have served the Indian Army – which, in recent times, has not had much love for the manufacturer. The CEO of HAL is currently the chair of CIINCA.

Dec 5/14: Sikorsky wins NMRH. India’s ministry of defense and Sikorsky both announce that the firm has won a contract for 16 S-70B Seahawk naval multirole helicopters, with an option for another 8 helos. The deal is valued at Rs. 6,000 crore (about $1B), but the two parties still have to negotiate procurement details as well as attached logistics, support, and training. Indian officials use the increasingly popular “fast tracking” qualifier to signify they intend to expedite the conclusion of this acquisition.

The US has been putting renewed energy in its courtship of India, but in this case, Sikorsky had been left competing only against possible Indian inaction for the past month.

NMRH winner

AW101 VVIP

Nov 5/14: NH90 out. Sikorsky’s S-70B is now the sole bidder for India’s initial buy of 15 naval helicopters. The NH90 and S-70B both cleared the technical trials a couple of years ago, but the legal fights around the AW101 buy have resulted in a de facto ban on Finmeccanica outside of existing tenders – even though India lacks the evidence to bring a case (q.v. July 29/14). Despite the Attorney General’s opinion (q.v. Aug 7/14), the NH90-NFH has now been removed from the initial tender, leaving Sikorsky’s offering all alone.

Indian procurement laws generally prohibit contracts if there’s only 1 bidder. It remains to be seen whether the government will argue that there were more bidders (a rationale that hasn’t been effective in many similar cases where blacklisting left just 1 vendor), issue an override the law on the basis of emergency needs, or do nothing and sabotage a critical acquisition. Sources: India’s Economic Times, “Finmeccanica out, US’s Sikorsky joins Navy copter acquisition race”.

Oct 15/14: Helicopters – NUH. India’s new BJP government cancels the INR 90 billion NUH tender, and re-starts it on similar terms to the Army’s canceled RSH light helicopter contract. Instead of buying abroad and requiring industrial offsets locally, the competition would buy a foreign design that would be assembled in India by local partners.

Previous rumors (q.v. Sept 20/14) appear to have picked the wrong competition, though some news reports conflict. Note that despite the navy’s earlier unhappiness (q.v. Aug 20/12), HAL is now supplying Dhruv helicopters to the Navy for shore-based SAR and transport roles (q.v. July 20/14), and appears to be working on an ASW variant with DRDO (q.v. June 16/14). If this quote from Defense World is true, therefore, one might have legitimate cause to wonder about the NUH competition’s future:

The DAC has reportedly approved a proposal to allow HAL to manufacture 440 light utility helicopters to be supplied to the Army, Navy and Air Force. The HAL helicopter has not even been fully developed. According to unconfirmed reports, HAL is rushing to finish development of the prototype which it plans to unveil in time for the Aero India show scheduled to take place in February 2015.”

Note that HAL’s stalled LUH project is a single-engine helicopter like existing Chetaks, rather than the twin-engines demanded by NUH. Then again, the welfare of the people who have to perform night rescues in inclement weather isn’t generally a priority for state-run industry lobbyists. Sources: Defense News, “India Cancels Navy LUH Tender; Issues New Request” | Defense World, “Tender Cancellations Bring International Helicopter Procurements To A Halt In India” | India’s Economic Times, “Tender for 56 naval choppers scrapped”.

NUh canceled and restarted

Sept 20/14: Helicopters – NMRH. Indian media report rumors that the NMRH competition is about to be canceled. It would shift from foreign construction with Indian industrial offsets, to a “Buy & Make India” class of competition that requires foreign vendors to find a local partner and have that partner make the helicopters in India. That seems really odd, given recent (q.v. Aug 29/14) DAC approval for the initial NMRH buy.

A shift of that kind does two things, from the Navy’s perspective. One, it delays the project by pushing it back through the bureaucracy, and forces vendors to find a partner it can trust at that level and then re-calculate its bid. That bid is likely to be more expensive, and a shortage of local Indian capability means that manufacturing will also take longer. If confimed, the delay would certainly be measured in years. Sources: India’s Financial Express, “Anti-submarine choppers to be made in India soon”.

Sept 14/14: Helicopters – NUH. India Strategic explains some of the hurdles faced by HAL’s Dhruv, which seems to be trying to angle its way into the NUH contract, even though NUH was floated due to dissatisfaction with Dhruv (q.v. Aug 20/12):

“IAF has often expressed discomfort – and displeasure – at aircraft made/ serviced by HAL…. Its HPT-32 trainer was a poor product, and the Dhruv helicopter, made with French collaboration and parts, still does not inspire confidence, thanks to the number of crashes. There have been two crashes recently, and many IAF officers openly challenge HAL’s capability to give “perfection.” Former Air Chief NAK Browne had also said that HAL charged three times the cost for something that IAF engineers and technicians would do also more efficiently.”

The rest of the article repeatedly stresses the need for timely delivery, lest basic Indian capabilities crumble. Sources: India Strategic, “Choppers, Aircraft and Submarines: More Delays but Some Smiles”.

Aug 29/14: NMRH & ATAS. The new BJP government’s Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) makes a number of key moves, beginning with cancellation of the 197-helicopter LUH competition. At the same time, however, DAC’s clearances included the INR 18 billion foreign NMRH tender for 16-60 naval multi-role helicopters.

DAC also approved a INR 17.7 billion purchase of integrated Active Towed Array Sonar anti-submarine suites for 11 frontline warships: 4 destroyers and 7 frigates. There’s some confusion regarding that approval, however, and it’s hard to tell which public interpretation would be worse for Indian ASW capabilities in the medium term.

The ATAS effort had been focused on an advanced solution from Atlas Elektronik, but some reports cite a developmental ATAS from India’s DRDO research institute instead. In an era where major opponents are deploying quiet submarines that include Air-Independent Propulsion, that may not be enough to do the job. On the other hand, Ajai Shulka says that the ATAS will be Atlas Elektronik’s product, but the buy involves future warships, rather than additions to serving vessels: the Project 17A frigates that don’t even have a contract yet, and the Project 15B Bangalore variant of the new Project 15A Kolkata Class multi-role destroyers. The Bangalore Class isn’t expected to enter service before 2018, and Project 17A is in limbo. Sources: Business Standard, “Govt clears defence deals worth Rs 17,000 cr” | Defense News, “India Cancels $1 Billion Light Helicopter Tender” | Financial Express, “Make in India kicks off with defence deals” | Indian Express, “Centre scraps light utility helicopter tender, opens it to Indian players” | NDTV, “Modi Government Drops Rs 6000-Crore Foreign Chopper Plan, Wants ‘Made in India'” | Livefist, “Advantage Sikorsky As Indian MoD To Finally Open MRH Bids”.

Aug 7/14: Finmeccanica. An official legal opinion states that India can’t afford to blacklist Italy’s Finmeccanica, on strategic grounds:

“Attorney general Mukul Rohatgi has given the opinion that blacklisting Finmeccanica with its several subsidiaries, which are supplying a large number of weapon systems, radars and ammunition to the Indian armed forces, is not advisable since the ongoing CBI investigation and the subsequent trial in the VVIP helicopter case could take a decade or so to be completed…. If any Finmeccanica company has already been declared L-1 (lowest bidder) in a finalized tender process, then it should be allowed…. [but] none of the Finmeccanica firms should be allowed to participate in a new defence tender if the equipment in question could be supplied by more than one company outside the group…. There was another category of cases where some Russian defence suppliers to India had a Finmeccanica subsidiary as a sub-contractor. Rohatgi said such cases should be allowed to continue unhindered.”

He’s correct that Finmeccanica is Kamov’s sub-contractor for Ka-28 naval helicopter modernization, and is arguably in a similar position for the NH90, but that will take a formal political decision to affirm. Note also the secondary escape clause that requires more than one competitor before Finmeccanica could be banned from a tender. The NMRH competition could also go ahead under this provision, as long as India’s politicians accept that other options like AW159s, Ka-28s, AW101s, etc. don’t meet Navy requirements, and that HAL’s Dhruv ASW (q.v. July 20/14) isn’t a front-line option.

To put some specifics on Rohtagi’s opinion, a full Finmeccanica ban would cut off sources and spares for many Indian naval guns, a number of radars, the torpedoes needed by India’s new submarines, Ka-28 modernization, and other programs. The real bottom line is that it’s impossible to blacklist any major supplier, if any formal complaints take a decade to resolve. Sources: Times of India, “Finmeccanica ban can hit forces’ battle-readiness, attorney general says”.

Finmeccanica sanctions

Aug 6/14: Kamov. Russia may not be shortlisted for N-MRH, but they haven’t given up. A 2013 proposal to set up a joint venture and assemble Kamov helicopters in India still stands:

“Sources tell RIR that this proposal was discussed as recently as June when high level defence talks held in New Delhi that were led by Indian Defence Secretary R K Mathur and Rostec Chief Executive Sergey Chemezov.”

On the other hand, India’s issues with Russia tend to revolve around reliability and maintenance delays. Sources: Russia & India Report, “Kamov ready to supply seaborne helicopters to Indian Navy”.

July 29/14: Finmeccanica. Finmeccanica announces that the Italian Prosecutor has discontinued its investigations relating to India’s 2010 contract for 12 AW101 VVIP helicopters:

“The Prosecutor specifically acknowledged the non-involvement of Finmeccanica in the alleged wrongdoing, recognizing that that since 2003, Finmeccanica has implemented – and regularly updated – an organizational, management and audit model, sufficient to prevent unlawful conduct…. AgustaWestland S.p.A. and its subsidiary AgustaWestland Ltd., together with the Prosecutor, have agreed to apply for a negligible fine, whilst confirming the appropriateness of their internal control systems and specifically their non-involvement in the misconduct alleged by the Prosecutor. This decision is not in any way an admission of any wrongdoing or liability.”

Finmeccanica says that the fine isn’t an admission of guilt, but it may not be seen that way outside of Italy. On the other hand, without Italian cooperation, India’s CBI has already acknowledged that it doesn’t have enough to bring a case. There’s also an international arbitration case pending, and the firm can try to use the Italian prosecutor’s statements as a finding of fact. Sources: Finmeccanica, “Finmeccanica: Investigations into the Company relating to the AW101 helicopters contract with the Indian Ministry of Defence discontinued”.

July 28/14: Helicopters – NMRH. The investigation into India’s AW101 VVIP helicopter buy, which became a full-blown legal dispute between India and Finmeccanica in 2013, continues to stall India’s maritime helicopter buy. The introduction of a new BJP government doesn’t seem to have changed that yet:

“The Defence Acquisitions Council (DAC), chaired by defence [DID: and finance] minister Arun Jaitley on July 19, deferred the decision on the MRH helicopter project while clearing other military procurement proposals. The two contenders in the competition are the European NH-90 helicopters, which have Finmeccanica as a partner, and the American Sikorsky-70B choppers.

The contract is crucial for the Navy since it was to be followed by a bigger one for 123 helicopters, with anti-submarine warfare (ASW) capabilities as well as customized for amphibious assaults and commando operations, at a cost of over $3 billion…. While the Navy is on track to induct four to five warships every year over the next decade, it is fast running out of helicopters meant to detect, track and kill enemy submarines. The force currently has just 11 Kamov-28 [DID: 4 operational] and 17 Sea King ASW helicopters to defend its existing fleet of over 130 warships. While the Sea Kings are over 20 years old, the Kamov-28s are long overdue for a mid-life upgrade.”

The problem with waiting for the CBI investigation to conclude is that the CBI has a practice of keeping investigations going for years, with no result. They recently had to admit that they had no solid evidence in the VVIP case, though they may be hoping that recent charges against new senior officials might shake something loose. Unless they’re given a time limit, however, India’s naval posture will be crippled for years. Sources: The Times, of India, “Scam-wary govt defers decision on naval copters”.

July 20/14: Dhruv. India’s Defence Acquisition Council cleared a set of acquisitions worth Rs 21,000 crore (INR 210 billion / $3.493 billion). The largest share involves up to 56 light transport aircraft, but DAC also includes 32 HAL Dhruv helicopters, split evenly between the Navy and Coast Guard (INR 70 billion).

The Coast Guard in particular will be very happy to replace its Chetaks with Dhruvs, though they will need many more in order to become effective beyond Porbandar (q.v. July 19/14). The Navy has been less enthused about Dhruv. There has been some notion of outfitting it as an ASW helicopter for the Navy (q.v. June 16/14) but its limitations (q.v. Aug 20/12) remain. The November 2013 stand up of INAS 322 at Kochi demonstrates how the Navy is working within those limitations, by assigning Dhruvs to shore-based transport, Search and Rescue, and day/night patrol roles.

DAC project approvals also added 5 new supply vessels (INR 90 billion), 5 OPV ships (INR 20 billion), 5 fast patrol boats (INR 3.6 billion), and Search & Rescue equipment (INR 9 billion) to India’s approved list. Note what isn’t on the list: MRH helicopters. Sources: International Business Times, “What Does Indian Defence Get in Military Projects Worth [Rs] 34,260 Crore?”

Navy, CG buying more Dhruvs

July 19/14: Helicopters. India Today adds some more hard numbers behind the Indian Navy’s helicopter problem – and hence its ASW problem. they’re noted above. The article adds that:

“With a requirement of over 100 helicopters across different categories, and yet going nowhere, the navy’s predicament is clear. Said an MoD official, “The Indian Navy had to get 16 choppers as a direct replacement for Seaking 42A helicopters which came with the INS Viraat in 1987 and were decommissioned by the end of the century. Categorised as ‘Multi Role Helicopter’ acquisition, it is yet to take off even today.” Then there is the Naval Multi Role helicopter deal to replace the Chetaks which were first introduced into the Indian armed forces in the 60s, and the Naval Utility Helicopter deal. It is all hanging in balance.”

The Coast Guard has a similar problem, with under 20 ageing Chetak helicopters and 2 newer Dhruv machines all deployed solely at Porbandar, in order to keep an eye on Pakistan. The service was asked to gift 1 of its few helicopters to the Maldives, and 15 years worth of attempts to get new helicopters have come to nothing. Sources: India Today, “Exclusive: Navy, Coast Guard send SOS to Defence Ministry on helicopter crisis”.

June 16/14: Helicopters – Dhruv ASW? India is reportedly looking to outfit their locally-designed HAL Dhruv helicopter with some anti-submarine equipment from the state’s DRDO research agency:

“The Hindustan Aeronautics Limited-built ALH Dhruv is undergoing trials for carrying out role of detecting hostile submarines using systems developed by the DRDO, Defence officials said…. The system was put under trial at Vishakhapatnam and would be tried further before any final decision is taken on deploying the twin-engine chopper on board the carrier, they said.”

The Dhruv is in the same size and weight class as AgustaWestland’s Lynx, but the final result of this program is likely to fall rather short of capabilities possessed by the AW159 Wildcat, or of larger machines like the NH90 NFH or MH-60R Seahawk. On the one hand, adapting an existing HAL platform circumvents India’s broken procurement system, creating a near-term solution for their astonishing weakness in this area (q.v. March 31/14). It also creates a platform that can be improved over time, which is good for India and its industry.

On the other hand, providing sub-standard protection to the flagship of one’s naval force is a terrible idea if it’s the only proposed solution. The question is whether the long-discussed foreign tender (q.v. Feb 25/14) for helicopters like the AW159 will also go forward, in order to equip platforms like India’s high-end destroyers (q.v. Oct 15/13) and add a higher tier of shipborne ASW protection for key assets. Sources: IBD Live, “Dhruv chopper likely to be deployed on-board INS Vikramaditya”.

May 16/14: ATAS. Ajai Shulka says the reason that operational safety was the reason that India’s new Vikramaditya aircraft carrier was joined by an armada of Indian warships for the last leg of its journey to Karwar. The problem is the lack of an effective towed sonar on Indian surface combatants, due to obstruction by the defense bureaucracy. Coming as it does on top of the MoD derelict performance with respect to anti-submarine helicopters, it creates a huge naval weakness that would doom India’s carriers in a shooting war.

The Indian Navy has been trying to import an Advanced Towed Array Sonar (ATAS) since the mid-1990s, but the Ministry of Defence has blocked it in favor of DRDO projects that went nowhere. The Nagan project was finally shut down in 2012, but DRDO just pulled a switch and started a new ALTAS project in its place. As a result, 21 destroyers, frigates and corvettes bought since 1997 lack key sonar systems: 3 Delhi Class destroyers, 3 Kolkata Class destroyers, 6 Talwar Class frigates, 3 Brahmaputra Class frigates, 3 Shivalik Class frigates, and 4 Kamorta Class corvettes. They must depend, instead, on an Indian HUMSA passive array towed sonar with limited capabilities.

MoD approval for a limited 6 ATAS buy was finally granted to an exasperated navy in 2009, but baseless complaints of wrongdoing left Atlas Elektronik’s systems in limbo, despite investigations that cleared the procurement. It remains to be seen whether changing control of the MoD away from the Congress Party will change anything. Sources: India’s Business Standard, “Warships in peril as defence ministry blocks sonar purchase”.

March 31/14: Helicopters – Ka-28. The Ka-28 force is in sad shape:

“The Navy is today being asked to make do with four Ka28 helicopters that have the technology of mid-80s for training pilots, doing ASW roles against modern submarines for the five Rajput Class destroyers as well as the aircraft carrier Vikramaditya,” said a source.”

The other 6 Ka-28s have been mothballed for spares, while a mid-life upgrade that would restore the 10 to flying condition and give them modern sensors has been trying to get underway since 2008. Bids were finally opened in 2012, and a combination of Russia’s Kamov and Italy’s Finmeccanica won the INR 20 billion project. Contracts are set, and both the Cabinet Committee of Security and India’s CBI investigators cleared the deal. Defence Minister Antony’s office has been sitting on that for over a month, however, while playing extreme hardball with AgustaWestland over the VVIP helicopter deal. Meanwhile, the Sea King fleet has problems of its own, and a proposal to buy up to 16 modern naval helicopters from foreign sources remains stalled. Sources: Daily Mail India, “Navy left ‘defenceless’ after being forced to ‘make do’ with outdated Soviet hardware”.

Feb 25/14: No Helicopters. India’s Ministry of Defence clears a whole series of defense projects: upgrades for 37 airbases, modernization of 5 ordnance depots, 4,000 hand-held thermal imagers for soldiers, 5,000 thermal imaging sights for tanks and infantry combat vehicles, 44,000 light-machine guns, 702 light armored multi-purpose vehicles, and 250 RAFAEL Spice IIR/GPS guided smart bombs. The deals not done?

A program to buy M777 howitzers, 56 transport aircraft to replace the ageing Avro fleet, produce 4 amphibious LPDs – and 16 naval multi-role helicopters to restore an effective anti-submarine capability. With elections looming, it will take some time before any of them are restarted. Sources: Times of India, “Decision on four key defence deals put off”.

2008 – 2013

ASW weakness exposed; NUH RFP a vote of non-confidence in Dhruv; Sea King upgrades needed. Merlin & Type 23
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Oct 15/13: ASW weakness. India’s anti-submarine issues continue to surface, which is a serious weakness for a fleet air arm and for a carrier. How serious is it?

“The Navy has given an insight into how it is placed during its ongoing exercise with the Royal Navy off the Goa coast. The Royal Navy’s HMS Westminster – a type-23 frigate known for its advanced anti-submarine capability – is taking part in the exercise Konkan. The frigate is equipped with Merlin helicopters – the maritime version of triple-engine AgustaWestland EH-101 that is used extensively by the Royal Navy… The Indian Navy has pitched a Delhi class destroyer, which is a formidable platform, but it carries only one helicopter although it is capable of operating two. The only helicopter on the destroyer is Chetak, which has a limited role in search, rescue and communication. It cannot carry out advanced anti-submarine or anti-surface operation.”

That isn’t what you want defending your carrier. Sources: Daily Mail India, “Chopper shortage rattles Indian Navy during joint exercise with British fleet”.

Aug 20/12: Helicopters – NUH RFP, etc. India issues its $1 billion NUH RFP for a base of 56 twin-engine light helicopters under 4.5 tonnes, with induction slated for 2016. The helicopters will operate from shore, and aboard ships that range from OPVs to aircraft carriers.

Core NUH utility roles that current Cheetah/ Chetak fleets can’t currently handle include day/night SAR and CASEVAC roles in adverse weather, and transport duties that include underslung cargo. India also wants the NUH to replace some Westland Sea King roles, however, including anti-submarine warfare with a light torpedo or depth charge, and the ability to carry rockets and machine gun pods. Aviation Week adds that:

“A procurement manager with the Indian navy indicates that the NUH has to meld several roles into one modern new platform, after the indigenous naval ALH Dhruv failed to deliver a light, multirole shipborne platform with an ASW capability.”

India Strategic goes farther:

“The rotors have to be foldable so that the machines can be moved to their hangars in the limited space available…. Significantly, the Navy had found the HAL-made Dhruv unsuitable because of excessive vibrations in the rotors as also their large size. The air draft generated by a flying machine and its stability are crucial for landing and takeoffs from moving ships, some of which sail at around 30 knots.”

Other activities are also underway:

“The navy is also finalizing an RFP for a follow-on N-MRH to acquire 75 more helicopters as part of a fresh bid. The N-MRH will progressively replace the navy’s Westland Sea King Mk. 42B fleet…. The navy is also set to solicit bids for a long-delayed upgrade of its Sea King fleet, with original manufacturer AgustaWestland expected to compete against? Israel Aerospace Industries’ Lahav Div. In addition, the navy will shortly begin an effort to upgrade its fleet of Ka-28 Helix ASW helicopters.”

Sources: Aviation Week, “India Floats New Naval Utility Helicopter Requirement” | India Strategic, “Navy floats $ 1 billion RfP for utility Helicopters”.

NUH RFP

Aug 17/12: Sea Kings. India’s Mk.42B Sea King utility/ASW helicopters have readiness issues, which is a problem because India has a shortage of working anti-submarine helicopters. Upgrades have been delayed, and India is considering packages from AgustaWestland and an Israeli consortium. Upgrades to the 20 or so helicopters would include new avionics, electronic warfare suites, new communication kits, and an all-new weapons suite with anti-ship and anti-submarine ordnance. Sources: SP’s Naval Forces, “Indian Navy Sea Kings upgrade process soon”.

Sept 9/08: Tender. Flight International reports on the tender:

“India’s defence ministry has issued a tender for 16 advanced multirole naval helicopters to companies including AgustaWestland, EADS and Sikorsky, with its initial requirement likely to later expand by a further 44 aircraft…. The Indian navy meanwhile plans to acquire five more Kamov Ka-31 airborne early warning helicopters [DID: ordered in 2009], and is exploring the possibility of conducting mid-life upgrades to its Ka-28 and Westland Sea King transport helicopters.”

Sources: Flight Global, “India launches tender for up to 60 maritime helicopters.”

ASW Helicopter Tender

Additional Readings

Readers with corrections, comments, or information to contribute are encouraged to contact DID’s Founding Editor, Joe Katzman. We understand the industry – you will only be publicly recognized if you tell us that it’s OK to do so.

Current Helicopter Force & Issues

• Air Force Technology – Ka-27/28 and Ka-29 Helix Naval Helicopters, Russia.

• Bharat Rakshak – Kamov KA-28 Helix-A.

• Bharat-Rakshak – Westland Sea King.

• Wikipedia – 2013 Indian helicopter bribery scandal.

Finalists

• DID – MH-60R/S: The USA’s New Naval Workhorse Helicopters.

• DID – NH90: Europe’s Medium Helicopter Contender.

News and Views

• DID – Indian Naval Air Defenses: Another Avoidable Crisis. Poor underwater defenses against submarines, and poor aerial defenses against missiles, is not conducive to keeping your navy afloat.

• India Today (July 19/14) – Exclusive: Navy, Coast Guard send SOS to Defence Ministry on helicopter crisis.

• Daily Mail India (March 31/14) – Navy left ‘defenceless’ after being forced to ‘make do’ with outdated Soviet hardware.

• IBN Live (Dec 30/13) – The Indian Navy’s helicopter plans and purchases.

• Sikorsky (Oct 24/13) – TATA Sikorsky JV delivers first fully indigenous S-92 helicopter cabin. “The India operation is not only assembling cabins but also producing all parts needed for the assembly, before shipping the cabins to the U.S. for aircraft completion and customer delivery.”

• Defence Forum India (Oct 6/12) – Sikorsky S-70B – Right choice for Indian Navy Multirole Helicopter program. The illustrated H-60/S-70 variant family tree is very helpful.

Americas

• It’s been a long time coming, but the F-35A has been cleared for service by the US Air Force’s Air Combat Command (ACC). As a result, the 34th Fighter Squadron of the 388th Fighter Wing has the honor of being the first unit declared operational. This follows the F-35B squadron which was passed for combat back in July 2015.

• The Miniature Hit-to-Kill (MHTK) interceptor missile has successfully completed an engineering demonstration for the US Army’s Aviation and Missile Research Development and Engineering Center’s Extended Area Protection and Survivability program. Designed by Lockhhed Martin, the testing was to prove the munition’s agility and aerodynamic capability. At 3 feet in length and 8 pounds in weight, MHTK aims to provide the Army with a cost and logistically effective way to defeat rocket, artillery and mortar threats.

Middle East North Africa

• Lockheed Martin has been awarded a $58 million contract to enhance Qatari and Saudi Patriot missile systems. Work to be undertaken in the deal involves modifications of the Patriot’s segment enhancement software. This will contribute to an entire system’s situational awareness by transmitting precision cueing data to other theater elements while simultaneously protecting against short-range ballistic missile, large-caliber rockets and air-breathing threats.

• Iraqi security forces want to expand their security in Baghdad and counter unmanned aircraft threats from the Islamic State. The recommendations come on the back of a trip to the country by Joint Improvised-Threat Defeat Agency (JIDA) director, Lt. Gen. Michael Shields, who was sent to determine how the Pentagon might be able to help the government in Iraq stabilize and secure Baghdad. Efforts already in place to ease UAV threats in Iraq include the Pentagon requesting an additional $20 million from Congress to address the issue.

Europe

• Poland has expressed an interest in expanding industrial ties with France and Germany. Defense Minister Antoni Macierewicz made the statement in relation to increasing local defense work and may include partnership on a new tank build program. While further details of any formal negotiations have not been released, any program would go towards Poland’s shift away from its older Soviet-era hardware towards Western gear.

Asia Pacific

• Korean Aerospace Industries (KAI) CEO Ha Sung-young is so confident in their T-50A, that he will resign if the trainer is not selected for the USAF’s ongoing T-X competition. The bold statement was made in front of 39 executives attending an executive strategy meeting held at LIG’s Sacheon Training Institute in Gyeongnam Province. Ha’s bet is said to be backed up by T-X partner Lockheed Martin making a clean sweep of contracts recently in the US.

• The Philippine Air Force is set to beef up their attack helicopter capabilities as the service also bulks up munitions with purchases of South Korean Blue Shark light anti-submarine torpedos. Known as the Flight Plan 2028 initiative, the new procurements will add to 12 MD-50s and eight AW-109s. PAF usually implement attack helicopters for clearing and pursuit operations.

• In the latest salvo of sabre rattling on the Korean Peninsula, a North Korean ballistic missile landed in Japanese territorial waters. The launch saw a Rondong missile travel 1,000km, and marks the furthest a North Korean missile has traveled in a year which has seen a gradual continuation of testing. While natural condemnation came from the usual quarters of Washington, Tokyo, and Seoul, Pyongyang hit back at the deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Aerial Defense (THAAD) system in South Korea.

Today’s Video

The F-35A’s road to USAF IOC:

Americas

• An F-35A has shot down its first aerial target with AIM-9X missiles off the coast of California. The kill test saw the fighter take down a drone, and test data confirmed the F-35 identified and targeted the drone with its mission systems sensors, passed the target “track” information to the missile, enabled the pilot to verify targeting information using the high off-boresight capability of the helmet mounted display (HMD), and launched the AIM-9X from the aircraft to engage the target. F-35s carry two AIM-9X missiles on their wings.

• Boeing is to provide $1 billion in spare parts for US Navy F/A-18 fleets. A total of four contracts were awarded by the US Defense Logistics Agency with the largest amounting to $640 million. All four orders were made against the same five-year base contract with one five-year option period.

• Approval has been granted by the US National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) for the production engineering phase of their B61-12 nuclear warhead life extension program (LEP). The first production unit (FPU) of this weapon is planned for 2020, followed by full-scale production. With the modernization projected to cost anywhere between $350-450 million over the next decade, the B61-12 will replace the existing B61-3, -4, -7, and -10 thermonuclear bombs.

Middle East North Africa

• Israel is moving ahead with their $100 million program to procure their own Air Force One. Tricked out with its own special defense systems and advanced communications, it has been reported that the conversion will be carried out on a Boeing 767. Once in service, the aircraft will replace an aircraft leased from flag carrier El Al.

Europe

• Sukhoi Su-34 bombers are to be fitted with new radio surveillance gear that will allow them to spot and destroy enemy headquarters, communications and drone control centers. Dubbed UKR-RT, the system is a scaled-down version of the M-410 radio reconnaissance system that is installed in the Tu-214R. Many foreign military specialists regard the Tu-214R as a unique information gathering platform able to spot targets hundreds of kilometers away.

• Regulations imposed on the testing of the F-35’s on board laser designator will make it almost impossible for Royal Air Force versions to test in the UK. The strict rules prohibit the use of optic devices within 33km of the aircraft, and no observers being allowed within 9km when the laser designator is fired. Approval is now being sought by the MoD to use the device in the UK.

Asia Pacific

• Australia has taken delivery of their last MH-60R Seahawk helicopter from manufacturer Lockheed Martin. Replacing the older S-70B-2 Seahawks, the MH-60Rs now complete a requirement for a fleet of 24 next-generation, multi-role naval combat aircraft. The cost of the replacement is believed to be in excess of $2.2 billion.

• India and France are edging ever closer to closure on a potential $9 billion Rafale fighter deal. According to Defense Minister Manohar Parrikar, New Delhi has agreed to sign a long awaited inter-governmental agreement (IGA), a key requirement for a potential sale; however, negotiations on offsets and final pricing are still to be confirmed.

Today’s Video

Induction of AW159 naval helicopters into the South Korean Navy:

MH-60Rs fire Hellfire
(click to view full)

Australia’s AIR 9000, Phase 8 project aimed to buy 24 modern naval helicopters to 16 existing S-70B-2 Seahawks, along with the disastrous A$1.1 billion, 11-helicopter SH-2G “Super Seasprite” acquisition attempt. With a total sales and support value of over A$ 3 billion, it was a highly coveted award.

The finalists were familiar, and both had roots in Australia. Sikorsky’s MH-60R is a modernized descendant of the RAN’s existing S-70B anti-submarine helicopters, and Australia’s army operates the S-70A utility helicopter. On the other hand, a multi-billion dollar 2006 order made the European NH90-TTH (“MRH-90”) the Army’s future helicopter, and some MRH-90s will even serve as Navy utility helicopters. NHI/Eurocopter’s NH90-NFH naval variant builds on that base. So why did the MH-60R make Australia its 1st export win?

Australia’s Winner MH-60R Seahawk
click for video

A combination of problems with its “MRH-90s,” slow NH90 TTH development, MH-60R naval interoperability benefits with Australia’s principal ally, and the MH-60R’s low-risk already-operational status tipped the balance. Australia’s MH-60Rs will be entirely standard US Navy designs; the only differences will be their paint scheme, and the addition of tamper-proofing to 4 avionics boxes that are considered “sensitive.” Australia’s DoD states that the fleet of 24 will:

“…provide at least eight warships with a combat helicopter at the same time, including ANZAC Class frigates [8 bought] and the new Air Warfare Destroyers [3 bought]. The remainder will be based at HMAS Albatross in Nowra, New South Wales, and will be in various stages of the regular maintenance and training cycle.”

There’s a regular cycle of ship maintenance and training, as well as deployments, which means Australia never has all of these ships at sea at one time. The helicopters can rotate among ships as they enter training & service stages, allowing full coverage with some helicopters left over. Unless the 4-ship Improved Adelaide Class is added to this mix, however, the decision as discussed does raise the question of how to equip Australia’s expensively-upgraded FFG-7 frigates with naval helicopters. One option may involve some sort of service-extension program for the existing S-70B-2s, whether through refurbishment, or by rotating a larger pool of S-70Bs among a small set of operational ships.

The RAN currently has 4 MH-60Rs flying as RAN 725 Squadron, alongside 3 full US Navy MH-60R squadrons in Jacksonville, FL. Australian crews and maintenance personnel are trained in operations and tactics there, until they return to Australia with their machines at the end of 2014. They’ll become the training squadron at the air station in Nowra, New South Wales, and Initial Operational Capability for the Royal Australian Navy as a whole is scheduled for August 2015.

Deliveries to Australia will continue until 2016. The larger RAN 816 Squadron will fly the MH-60Rs from Australian ships, while using Nowra, NSW as its home base.

Contracts & Key Events 2014 – 2016

RAN pilot on MH-60R

August 3/16: Australia has taken delivery of their last MH-60R Seahawk helicopter from manufacturer Lockheed Martin. Replacing the older S-70B-2 Seahawks, the MH-60Rs now complete a requirement for a fleet of 24 next-generation, multi-role naval combat aircraft. The cost of the replacement is believed to be in excess of $2.2 billion.

July 30/14: Testing & Deliveries. The Australians fire their 1st Hellfire missile from the new helicopter, and also update their delivery status and plans.

The RAN has 4 MH-60Rs; the first pair were accepted in the United States in December 2013, and the second pair were accepted in February 2014. They’re currently flying as RAN 725 Squadron, alongside 3 full US Navy MH-60R squadrons in Jacksonville, FL. Australian crews and maintenance personnel are trained in operations and tactics there, until they return to Australia with their machines at the end of 2014. They’ll become the training squadron at the air station in Nowra, New South Wales, and deliveries to Australia will continue until 2016. The larger RAN 816 Squadron will fly the MH-60Rs from Australian ships, while using Nowra as its home base. Sources: Australia DoD, “Hellfire missile firing a first for new Navy helicopters”.

May 13/14: Sensors. Australia’s new MH-60Rs of NUSQN 725 “commence dipping operations” with the new AQS-22 ALFS sonar off of Jacksonville, FL, as part of their training. NUSQN 725 will begin a phased return to the Fleet Air Arm’s home base at HMAS Albatross (Nowra Airport, SSW of Sydney) in October 2014, and current plans involve a full return of all members by Christmas. Sources: RAN Navy Daily, “Romeos packing a new punch”.

March 28/14: Sensors. Lockheed Martin Corp. in Owego, NY receives $13.1 million firm-fixed-price delivery order for 19 radar receiver processors, used in support of Australia’s MH-60R buy.

All funds are committed immediately. Work will be performed at Owego NY (56%) and Syracuse NY (44%), and work is expected to be complete by March 2017. This was a non-competitive requirement in accordance with FAR 6.302.1 by US NAVSUP Weapons System Support in Philadelphia PA (SPRPA1-09-G-002Y).

2013

Support contract Phase 2 awarded; MK-54 torpedo request; 1st helicopters delivered. RAN MH-60R
(click to view full)

Dec 17/13: ANAO Report. Australia’s National Audit Office releases their 2012-13 Major Projects Report. Overall, the MH-60R program is seen as stable in its early stages, and its truly off-the-shelf nature is expected to keep it that way. The helicopters are arriving earlier than predicted, but basing and support facilities may not be ready in time. As ANAO puts it, “there is no float in the construction program.” The RAN is looking at temporary or shared hangar and administrative facilities, and may operate the initial MH-60Rs in the US to mitigate risk and consolidate training – whose infrastructure may fall behind its own February 2015 target date.

Meanwhile, how many ships will actually be ready to host MH-60Rs once the whole fleet has arrived, in 2016? It may be just 3-4 ships. While Australia’s ship certification baseline is the existing S-70B-2 Seahawk helicopters, there are differences. As such, the 3 new Hobart Class air defense destroyers will have to be modified for MH-60R use, and that won’t happen until their 1st docked servicing program after they enter the fleet. As things stand now, HMAS Hobart won’t even be declared operationally capable by the end of 2016, and the 3rd ship won’t be delivered until 2019. The 8-ship ANZAC frigate Class will be looking to make any required changes during their extensive Anti-Ship Missile Defense upgrade; 6 ships will be ready by the end of 2017, excepting HMAS Perth (already done), and HMAS Arunta (already in progress).

The final point ANAO makes is that overseas travel restrictions have become a problem for the project. People need to attend key engineering, project management and airworthiness activities in the USA, but can’t go. The RAN’s proposed solutions involve videoconferencing and teleconferencing, which doesn’t work especially well from Australia to Jacksonville, FL, and also using “contracted staff to represent overseas rather then ADF or Australian Public Service (APS) staff.” None of that seems like a useful solution to the actual problem.

Dec 16/13: ALFS. Raytheon IDS in Portsmouth, RI receives a maximum $42.6 million sole source, firm-fixed-price contract from the Royal Australian Navy for “the manufacture and delivery” of AN/AQS-22 ALFS dipping sonar systems. Australia has ordered 25 systems already (q.v. Dec 22/11), which is more than enough for installation in each helicopter. Spares? Upgrades? Additional reserve units? Finalized payment? Raytheon’s Dec 20/13 release is uninformative. If the 2 orders are combined, they total $123.4 million.

Work will be performed in Rhode Island, with a February 2017 performance completion date. The US Defense Logistics Agency Aviation in Philadelphia, PA manages this contract, unlike the 2011 contract which was managed by US NAVAIR (SPRPA1-09-G-001Y-5027).

Dec 10/13: Australia accepts the first 2 MH-60R helicopters, at a delivery ceremony in Owego, NY. The expected in-service date remains June 2014. Source: Lockheed Martin, Dec 10/13 release.

Delivery

Nov 5/13: Mods. Lockheed Martin in Owego, NY receives a $10.5 million firm-fixed-price delivery order for electronics modifications, on behalf of Australia. They’ll develop and test system configuration 15 series modifications to the MH-60R’s VHF Omni-directional Range/Instrument Landing System, crash data recorder, and ABS-B Out.

All funds are committed immediately. Work will be performed in Owego, NY, and is expected to be complete in February 2016. US Naval Air Systems Command in Patuxent River, MD manages the contract as Australia’s agent(N00019-09-G-0005, #4092).

Nov 4/13: Sub-contractors. Textron’s AAI Test & Training receives a $1.6 million award to provide Advanced Boresight Equipment for Australia’s MH-60Rs. ABE is a gyro-stabilized, electro-optical angular measurement system designed to align systems on any land, sea or air vehicle before a mission begins. The base system is widely used, but adds platform-specific “personality modules” for customization.

The US Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division at Lakehurst, NJ manages the contract, and deliveries are expected to take place throughout 2014. Sources: Textron Systems, “AAI Test & Training to Provide Advanced Boresight Equipment (ABE) Systems for Royal Australian Navy MH-60R Seahawk Helicopters”.

Aug 30/13: Support. The Sikorsky/ Lockheed Martin “Maritime Helicopter Support Co.” partnership in Trevose, PA receives a 6+ year, $170.4 million firm-fixed-price contract modification for the RAN’s MH-60R Through Life Support program (q.v. Feb 2/12), Phase II. They’ll perform depot level Phased Maintenance Interval, and also handle the corresponding back office services of squadron administrative management of aircraft and support equipment, data and aircraft inventory reporting, and supply chain management. All funds are committed immediately.

MHSCo also performs this kind of work for the US Navy. Work on Australia’s behalf will be performed in Yerriyong, New South Wales, Australia (73%); Owego, NY (15%, LMCO); and Stratford, CT (12%, Sikorsky); and is expected to be complete in December 2019. US Naval Air Systems Command in Patuxent River, MD acts as Australia’s agent (N00019-13-C-4000).

July 24/13: The 1st RAN MH-60R arrives at Lockheed Martin Mission Systems and Training in Owego, NY, to have its digital cockpit and integrated mission systems and sensors installed. Sources: US NAVAIR Aug 7/13 release.

July 10/13: Weapons. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency announces Australia’s formal export request for up to 100 MK-54 All-Up-Round Torpedoes, 13 MK-54 Exercise Sections, 13 MK-54 Exercise Fuel Tanks, 5 Recoverable Exercise Torpedoes, support and test equipment for upgrades to MK 695 Mod 1 capability, plus spare and repair parts, and various forms of US government and contractor support. Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems in Keyport, WA is the contractor, and the DSCA says that:

“Australia will use the MK 54 torpedo on its MH-60R helicopters and intends to use the torpedo on a planned purchase of the P-8A Increment 2 Maritime Patrol and Response aircraft.”

Note that this is Australia’s 2nd request (q.v. Oct 5/10), totaling 300 torpedoes now, which they have begun buying (q.v. Oct 18/12). Australia’s uses Eurotorp’s MU90 as its standard lightweight torpedo, but that weapon isn’t integrated with the MH-60R or the P-8A. Australia decided that they’d rather have 2 separate stocks of lightweight torpedoes, instead of paying to integrate the MU90 on those platforms. The cost implications would require a full study; meanwhile, opponents have their lives complicated by knowing that they need to defeat or avoid 2 different weapon types.

DSCA: 100+ Mk-54s for Australia

June 29/13: The RAN’s 1st MH-60R Seahawk is officially delivered by Sikorsky Aircraft and accepted by the US Navy. At this point, however, it’s just the base airframe. Delivery and flight may have happened 6 months ahead of the original schedule approved by the Australian Government in 2011, but the formal delivery of the helicopter to Australia hasn’t changed, It’s still December 2013. Sources: US NAVAIR Aug 7/13 release.

Officially delivered by Sikorsky Aircraft and accepted by the U.S. Navy on June 29, the Seahawk was flown from Sikorsky’s Stratford, Conn., facility by U.S. Navy pilots to the Lockheed facility to have the digital cockpit and integrated mission systems and sensors installed.

“Delivery and first flight of an Australian MH-60R aircraft in late June occurred only two years after contract signature, some six months ahead of the original schedule approved by the Australian Government in 2011,

May 15/13: Training. The first 2 Australian crew complete NATOPS certification for the MH-60R at NAS Mayport, FL, USA, after extensive experience in the RAN’s S-70B helicopters and a 9-week, 17/7 schedule. The team have a few more weeks to absorb the aircraft’s mission and weapon systems, then they’ll move to USN test squadron HX-21 at NAS Patuxent River, MD to work on testing the Australian configured MH-60R. Initial MH-60R deliveries are still expected by December 2013. RAN.

2012

New umbrella contract for global MH-60R buys; Sub-contracts. Upgraded HMAS Perth
(click to view full)

Dec 19/12: ANAO Report. Australia’s National Audit Office releases their 2011-12 Major Projects Report. Project SEA 9000, Phase 8 has A$ 2.91 billion budgeted. The official In-Service Date (ISD), defined as 2 aircraft in US Navy configuration, is June 2014.

Cited risks include an unapproved Helicopter Aircrew Training System (Project AIR 9000 Phase 7). In addition, staffing and work pressures at Australia’s Defence Support Group have hurt the schedule for the facilities required to house the new helicopters. The schedule has slipped by 12 months vs. its Second Pass baseline, and has become a possible issue for the helicopters’ initial operational capability milestone.

At sea, Australia’s new MH-60R Seahawks won’t achieve full capability until all ANZAC Class frigates are modified for interoperability. Unfortunately, ANAO says that can happen only after each updated ship is accepted into naval service, and a suitable maintenance period for the modifications becomes available. The same issues will be present for Australia’s Hobart Class destroyers. It seems likely that Australia’s S-70B Seahawks will be needed well past their successors’ entry into service.

Oct 18/12: Weapons. Raytheon announces a $45.3 million contract to provide MK 54 lightweight torpedo hardware, test equipment, spares and related services for the US Navy, Australia, and India. It’s exercised as an option under the current umbrella contract, but Raytheon doesn’t release numbers or proportions. Australian buys are almost certainly aimed at their forthcoming MH-60R fleet. Sources: Raytheon Oct 18/12 release.

Aug 3/12: Sensor turrets. Raytheon Co. in McKinney, TX receives a $23.9 million firm-fixed-price contract for 24 Multi-Spectral Targeting systems, which includes purchases for the government of Australia under the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) Case AT-P-SCF.

Work will be performed in McKinney, TX, and is expected to be complete by December 2013. This non-commercial contract was procured and solicited on a sole source basis by the US Naval Surface Warfare Center in Crane, IN, acting as Australia’s FMS agent (N00164-12-G-JQ66).

July 11/12: MH-60Rs under MYP-8 contract? Sikorsky signs an $8.5 billion firm-fixed-price umbrella contract with the US government to buy 653 H-60M, MH-60S, and MH-60R helicopters, with options for up to 263 more that could push the contract as high as $11.7 billion (W58RGZ-12-C-0008). Interestingly, Sikorsky adds that:

“To reach the full baseline value of $8.5 billion, the services are ordering aircraft in the base agreement to be sold via the U.S. Government’s Foreign Military Sales program. These aircraft include Foreign Military Sale (FMS) UH-60M aircraft for several allied countries and MH-60R SEAHAWK anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare helicopters for the Royal Australian Navy… BLACK HAWK and SEAHAWK aircraft deliveries under the new contract will begin this month.”

Read “Sikorsky’s $8.5-11.7B “Multi-Year 8? H-60 Helicopter Contract” for full coverage.

June 28/12: IMDS/HUMS. Simmonds Precision Products (United Technologies’ Goodrich Sensors and Integrated Systems) in Vergennes, VT receives a $9.6 million firm-fixed-price contract for 120 various Integrated Mechanical Diagnostic System kits in support of The US Navy and Australia’s MH-60R/S helicopters. As their name implies, these embedded sensors are used to detect mechanical problems in critical areas of the helicopter, allowing maintenance to shift from a regular schedule regardless of need, to a “condition-based” response to problems while they’re still small.

The US Navy gets 11 retrofit kits and one Delta retrofit kit, 18 integrated vehicle health management units and data transfer units, and 18 production kits.

Australia receives 24 Troy kits, 24 integrated vehicle health management units and data transfer units, and 24 production kits for its 24 MH-60Rs.

Work will be performed in Vergennes, VT, and is expected to be complete in March 2014. This contract was not competitively procured pursuant to FAR 6.302-1. US NAVAIR manages the contract (N00019-12-C-2015).

June 11/12: Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. in Stratford, CT receives a $19.1 million firm-fixed-price delivery order for one-time engineering efforts to support delivery of 24 Australian baseline MH-60R helicopters.

Work will be performed in Stratford, CT, and is expected to be complete in September 2017. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity (N00019-08-G-0010).

April 20/12: Avionics. Lockheed Martin Mission Systems and Sensors in Owego, NY receives a $126.5 million modification to Australia’s previous advance acquisition contract, which turns its preliminary order for 24 MH-60R mission systems and common cockpits into a finalized firm-fixed-price contract. This brings all contracts related to these sub-systems up to $315.1 million, or $13.13 million per helicopter. Note that “mission systems” reach well beyond the cockpit, to include things like the maritime radar, integration of the dipping sonar and sonobuoy systems, weapons capabilities, etc.

Work will be performed in Owego, NY (58%); Farmingdale, NY (25%); Woodland Hills, CA (4%); Ciudad Real, Spain (3%); East Syracuse, NY (2%); Victor, NY (2%); Everett, WA (1%); Stratford, CT (1%); St. Charles, MO (1%); Bennington, VT (1%); Lewisville, TX (1%); and various locations throughout the United States (1%), and is expected to be completed in March 2017. US Naval Air Systems Command in Patuxent River, MD acts as Australia’s agent to manage the contract (N00019-11-C-0020).

March 13/12: Sikorsky in Stratford, CT received a $27.6 million firm-fixed-price contract for the “advanced procurement funding services in support of the Royal Australia Navy MH-60R program.” Work will be performed in Stratford, CT, with an estimated completion date of Dec 13/12. One bid was solicited, with one bid received by US Army Contracting Command in Redstone Arsenal, AL (W58RGZ-08-C-0003).

2011

MH-60R picked, contracts begin; Australian industry; Rival MRH-90’s problems. MH-60R TOFT
(click to view full)

Dec 29/11: Avionics. Lockheed Martin Mission Systems and Sensors in Owego, NY receives a $103.5 million firm-fixed-price delivery order for Australia. It covers common cockpit and mission electronics to equip 24 MH-60R helicopters for the Royal Australian Navy, including non-recurring engineering, program support, and associated efforts required for the production and delivery. See also Dec 2/11 entry; the combined value is $188.6 million (abut A$ 185 million).

Work will be performed in Owego, NY (95%), Farmingdale, NY (4%), and various locations throughout the United States (1%). Work is expected to be completed in July 2018. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, MD, is the contracting activity (N00019-09-G-0005).

Dec 22/11: ALFS. Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems in Portsmouth, RI receives an $80.8 million firm-fixed-price contract modification to buy 25 AN/AQS-22 Airborne Low Frequency Sonar (ALFS) dipping systems for the Royal Australian Navy’s 24 MH-60R helicopters.

Thales produces the system’s sonar, which is why most work will be performed in Neuilly-sur-Seine, France (68%). Raytheon in Portsmouth, RI (32%) has the rest, and work is expected to be complete in October 2016. US Naval Air Systems Command in Patuxent River, MD manages the sale on behalf of its Australian client (N00019-11-C-0077).

Dec 2/11: Avionics. Lockheed Martin MS2 in Owego, NY receives an $85.1 million firm-fixed-price contract modification for work at both ends of the MH-60R Mission Avionics Systems and common cockpit life-cycle. It includes both long-lead materials to begin building cockpits, and “end-of-life components” so the Australians have enough of certain items to support their 24 Royal Australian Navy MH-60Rs.

Work will be performed in Farmingdale, NY (53%); Owego, NY (32%); Ciudad Real, Spain (5%); Victor, NY (4%); St. Charles, MO (3%); Lewisville, TX (1%); Windsor Locks, CT (1%); and various locations throughout the United States (1%). Work is expected to be complete in March 2012. US Naval Air Systems Command in Patuxent River, MD manages the contract, as the agent of their Foreign Military Sale client (N00019-11-C-0020).

June 16/11: MH-60R wins. Sikorsky’s MH-60R beats the NH90-NFH for Australia’s 24-helicopter, A$3+ billion (over $3.16 billion) AIR 9000, Phase 8 helicopter competition. The Commonwealth of Australia has signed the Letter of Acceptance with the US Navy, who will manage the acquisition on behalf of its Australian client under Foreign Military Sales procedures.

A subsequent GE release value the T700-401C engines and associated Total Logistics Support package at approximately $100 million.

“Team Romeo” includes Sikorsky (MH-60R) and Lockheed Martin (sensor/ weapon/ mission systems integration), plus CAE (training simulators), GE (engines), and Raytheon (sonar and sensors). The team has pledged to bring long-term industrial benefits to Australian industry valued at $1.5 billion over 10 years, which was a necessary move to compete with Eurocopter’s established in-country MRH-90 infrastructure. Australia DoD | US NAVAIR | Sikorsky | Lockheed Martin | GE | Team Romeo web site.

MH-60R wins.

MRH90 w. 105mm Hamel
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April 29/11: Competition. Australia completes its “full diagnostic review” of the MRH-90 program, after engine failures, transmission oil cooler fan failures and the poor availability of spares ground the fleet. To date, 13 of 46 MRH-90 helicopters have been accepted by Australia’s DoD and are being used for testing and initial crew training. They aren’t operational yet. So far, the Army helicopters are 12 months behind schedule and the Navy utility helicopters, 18 months.

The review doesn’t consign the program to the infamous “Projects of Concern” list – yet. It does ask for a remediation plan, before a follow-up diagnostic review later in 2011 looks at the project again. With the Australian naval helicopter contract looming, a good follow-on review is important to Eurocopter. Australian DoD.

March 3/11: Sub-contractors. Sikorsky signs a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Trakka Corp. in Melbourne, Australia. Searchlights are Trakka’s specialty, and they are integrated into a highly efficient pan and tilt gymbal, allowing slewing up to 60 degrees per second. Internal filtering allows the searchlight to choose the appropriate light spectrum for the mission, while precision optical elements and a low power light source deliver a more intense and efficient on-target beam than conventional reflector-type searchlights.

This MoU goes beyond just Australia’s naval helicopter competition. Trakka develops and manufactures aviation searchlight products in its AS9100 certified facility in Australia, but it also has operations in Scottsdale, AZ to support its U.S. customers, including U.S. Customs and Border Patrol and the U.S. Coast Guard. The MoU covers H-60 Black Hawk and Seahawk helicopters. Sikorsky.

Feb 25/11: Sub-contractors. Lockheed Martin has issued a Request For Information to Australian firms to supply MH-60R weapons pylons, with selections expected by the end of 2011. The RFI is issued under the auspices of a recently signed Global Supply Chain (GSC) Deed, giving Australian companies new opportunities to compete for subcontracts on a range of Lockheed Martin products and services. Lockheed Martin’s naval helicopter program head, George Barton:

“Growth in orders for the MH-60R has resulted in an urgent need for an expanded supply base, and Australian industry has a depth of capability that would be an ideal supplement to our dedicated supplier base.”

The pylons are just the 1st opportunity, and tie into the billion-dollar naval helicopter competition there, featuring the MH-60R vs. the NH90-NFH. Lockheed Martin.

Feb 2/11: Competition. The US Defense Security Cooperation Agency announces [PDF] Australia’s formal request to buy a 10-year Through-Life-Support (TLS) contract for 24 MH-60R helicopters, including associated equipment & part, at an estimated cost of up to $1.6 billion. With the ADF’s MRH-90 program facing difficulties and receiving increased scrutiny, the support offer caps what amounts to a $3.7 billion maximum (A$ 3.66 billion) offer for 24 MH-60Rs, plus 10 years of support (vid. July 20/10), to set against the NH90 NFH.

The principal contractors will be Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation in Stratford, CT; Lockheed Martin of Owego, NY; GE of Lynn, Massachusetts; and the Raytheon Corporation of Portsmouth, RI. Implementation would require temporary assignment of approximately 20 U.S. Government and contractor representatives to Australia on an intermittent basis over the life of this Foreign Military Sale case.

DSCA request: support

Feb 1/11: Competition. The Australian DoD makes an announcement concerning its MRH-90s:

“Mr Smith and Mr Clare also announced that a high-level comprehensive diagnostic review of the MRH-90 helicopter project would occur this month. As reported in both the Defence Annual Report and the ANAO Major Project Report released last year, the project has suffered delays of 12 months for the Navy’s helicopters and 18 months for the Army’s helicopters. Delays are due to a series of key issues, including engine failure, transmission oil cooler fan failures and the poor availability of spares… 13 MRH-90 helicopters have been accepted by Defence to date and are currently being used for testing and initial crew training. Minister Smith said that the full diagnostic review would be supported by external specialists. It will provide recommendations to Government on the actions necessary to fully implement this important project.”

2009 – 2010

Competition announced and underway; US DSCA request. NH90 NFH
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Oct 23/10: Competition. The Australian reports on the Project AIR 9000, Phase 8 helicopter competition. A navy evaluation team reportedly test-flew the MH-60R in early October 2010, and wants to fly the NH90 NFH as well, even though its mission systems software won’t be ready until mid-2011, and the helicopter won’t be operational until late 2011 – well after Australia’s decision deadline.

The paper believes that the Navy will simply declare both helicopters capable of meeting specs, so the buy could simply come down to price in the current budget environment.

Oct 5/10: Weapons. The US DSCA announces [PDF] Australia’s official request to buy up to 200 MK 54 All-Up-Round Torpedoes, 179 MK 54 Flight in Air Material Kits to mount them onto aircraft, 10 MK 54 Exercise Sections, 10 MK 54 Exercise Fuel Tanks, 10 MK 54 Dummy Torpedoes, 6 MK 54 Ground Handling Torpedoes for safe training, plus support and test equipment to upgrade Intermediate Maintenance Activity to full MK 54 capability, spare and repair parts, technical data and publications, personnel training and training equipment, and other forms of U.S. government and contractor support.

It’s an interesting request, because Australia had picked the Eurotorp MU90 as its lightweight torpedo, but an MH-60R pick would require either a MK-54 purchase or expensive integration work. The estimated cost is up to $169 million, and the prime contractor will be Raytheon Company Integrated Defense Systems in Keyport, WA.

DSCA: 200 MK-54s for Australia

July 9/10: Competition. The US DSCA announces [PDF] Australia’s formal request to buy 24 MH-60R Seahawk Multi-Mission Helicopters, along with 60 T-700 GE 401C Engines (48 installed and 12 spares), communication equipment, support equipment, spare and repair parts, tools and test equipment, technical data and publications, personnel training and training equipment, and other support services.

The estimated cost is up to $2.1 billion, but that will not be settled until and unless a contract is negotiated. The prime contractors are Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation in Stratford, CT (helicopter); Lockheed Martin in Owego, NY (mission systems); General Electric in Lynn, MA (engines); and Raytheon Corporation in Portsmouth, RI (sensors). Implementation of this proposed sale would require the assignment of 10 contractor representatives to Australia to support delivery of the MH-60R helicopters.

DSCA requests are not contracts, and in this case, it doesn’t even indicate intent. The MH-60R is competing against the NH90 NFH in Australia, and it isn’t unusual for countries to submit requests during competitions, in order to ensure that the American equipment has full export clearances.

DSCA request: 24 MH-60Rs

April 28/10: Australia issues its formal solicitation for “AIR 9000, Phase 8” to buy naval helicopters: either the NH90 NFH or the MH-60R, with a decision expected in 2011. Ministerial release.

RFP

Jan 6/10: Competition. Australia’s Daily Telegraph reports that Australia’s Labor Party government has rejected a DoD request to approve a $4 billion “rapid acquisition” of 24 MH-60R Seahawk helicopters, plus related equipment including training weapons, etc. The buy would have been an emergency replacement for the long-running, ill-starred, and canceled SH-2G Super Seasprite program.

Instead, successful lobbying by Eurocopter will force a competition between Sikorsky’s MH-60R, in service with the US Navy, and the European NH90 NFH variant, which is expected to be ready for service some time around 2011-2012.

Sole-source buy rejected

Oct 23/09: Recommendation. The Australian reports that the country’s military chiefs have recommended the MH-60R as Australia’s next anti-submarine helicopter, citing it as a cheaper and lower risk solution compared with the NH90 NFH, with better allied interoperability. Australia would be looking to buy 24 helicopters for service by 2014, per its 2009 Defence White Paper.

Australia currently flies 16 older S-70B Seahawks that lack the full range of capabilities required, and delays to the NH90 program do add risks that aren’t present in the already-operational MH-60R. That’s particularly sensitive in light of the A$ 1+ billion SH-2G Super Seasprite fiasco; the Navy is operating none of the planned 11 SH-2G helicopters, and the Labor government who made a big issue of the Seaprite acquisition is aware that delays or overruns in the follow-on program would put them in a very bad situation.

On the other hand, Australia’s Army is standardizing on the NH90-TTH (MRH-90), and Australia has invested large sums of money in building its Eurocopter affiliations through the MRH-90 and Tiger ARH attack helicopter programs. Sikorsky and Lockheed Martin are talking about A$ 1 billion of investment in local industry if the expected A$ 4 billion deal goes through, and assure the Australians that delivery under the ongoing MH-60R program could be made by late 2011. If the US government wishes to trade some of its MH-60R production slots, that date could even move up. Which leaves Australia’s Labor Party government with a decision to make.

Additional Readings The MH-60R

• Team Romeo Web Site

• DII – MH-60R/S: The USA’s New Naval Workhorse Helicopters. Full coverage of these helicopter programs, in the USA and beyond.

• DII – Fly and Listen: The AN/AQS-22 ALFS Sonar System. This dipping sonar is a critical feature of the new MH-60R. As it happens, it shares key components with the NH90 NFH’s system.

• DII – Sikorsky’s $7.4-11.6B “Multi-Year VII” H-60 Helicopter Contract and Sikorsky’s $8.5-11.7B “Multi-Year 8” H-60 Helicopter Contract. Australia’s base helicopter airframes were actually bought under the volume pricing provided by these American deals.

Other Australian Equipment

• DII – NH90: Europe’s Medium Helicopter Contender. The MH-60R’s opponent. A medium utility “MRH-90” variant will serve as the Australian Army’s main helicopter.

• DII – Aussie Anti-Air Umbrella: The Hobart Class Ships. They’ll carry MH-60Rs.

• DID – Australia and USA Collaborating on New Small-Ship Radars. They’ll be the core of the 8 refitted ANZAC Class frigates, which will also get a helicopter upgrade in the MH-60R.

• DII – Australia’s Canberra Class LHDs. Not slated to host MH-60Rs, but they could certainly do so in a revival of the anti-submarine escort carrier role. The question would be datalinks and other interoperability issues, in order to go beyond mere “lily pad” status.

• DID – Australia’s Hazardous Frigate Upgrade. The project to upgrade its FFG-7 frigates didn’t go well, but it was finished. Left hanging: what helicopters will they carry, now that the Seasprites are gone?

• DID – Australia’s Ill-Starred SH-2G Seasprite Project. Canceled, after an A$ 667 million deal for 11 refitted helicopters turned into over A$ 1.1 billion for 11 helicopters, which were years late and deemed not yet ready for service by the RAN. They were eventually sold to New Zealand, which already operated SH-2Gs.

SU-34: takeoff!
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Sukhoi’s SU-27 Flanker fighter has become one of Russia’s great export successes. It’s also a design success. Its basic airframe applied lessons from all of America’s “teen series fighters,” producing a 4+ generation aircraft that remains the yardstick by which other fighters are measured. What’s even more impressive is that the base design has been so flexible, allowing further refinements and modifications that include SU-30 and SU-35 upgrades, versions that add canard foreplanes (SU-30MKA/I/M), and even carrier-launched capability (SU-33).

Then there’s the SU-32/34 “Fullback.” It was envisaged as a Flanker family successor to the F-111 analogue SU-24 “Fencer,” which was very highly regarded in Chechnya as a battlefield support aircraft. Its closest western comparison is the F-15E Strike Eagle, but the Russian design has evolved since its initial drafts in 1986.

Russia’s SU-34 Program SU-32/34, firing
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The collapse of Russia’s arms industry in the 1990s really hurt the SU-34’s development, but it has recovered. A development journey that began with the aircraft’s maiden flight in 1990, as the T10V/SU-27IB, ended in with 2010 deliveries and fielding under a 5-year production contract, followed by a 2012 full rate production order.

RIA Novosti put the plane’s mission simply: “The Su-34 is meant to deliver a sufficiently large ordnance load to a predetermined area, hit the target accurately and take evasive action against pursuing enemy planes.” Other reports have gone further, stating that the plane is also meant to be able to handle enemy fighters in aerial combat. Given its base platform characteristics, it would likely match up well in the air against many of America’s “teen series” aircraft.

In December 2006, Sukhoi announced a target of 18 SU-34s produced by 2010, and in March 2006, defense minister Sergei Ivanov placed the longer-term schedule at 58 aircraft purchased by 2015. Production has taken a bit longer than that, and that order for 18 ended up capped at 5, but Russia remains serious about the platform. Eventual demand levels of 120-200 aircraft have been floated, in order to replace Russia’s 300 existing SU-24s. More recent reports have featured numbers at the low end of this range, but orders have been placed for up to 138 (8 dev, 5 in 2006, 32 in 2008, 92 in 2012).

The determining factor for final SU-34 numbers is likely to be the SU-34’s priority amidst Russia’s rearmament program. So far, that program has been well-fueled by Russian hydrocarbon exports and Central Asian distribution hammerlocks, amidst a global scenario of rising hydrocarbon demand. Discoveries of shale oil and gas may upset those economic arrangements, and force the VVS to prioritize, but the SU-34 program’s critical power projection role and submitted orders ensure its future place.

To date, Russia remains the plane’s only customer. A jamming variant of the SU-32/34 has reportedly been discussed in the Indian and Russian trade press, using an L175V / KS418 high power jamming pod that’s supposedly under development. There are also reports of export interest from Vietnam, and the plane has been exhibited in China.

The SU-32MF/-34 “Fullback” fighter-bomber SU-34, armed
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The SU-34 is also referred to as the “SU-32” by Sukhoi, and Sukhoi’s web site has long used the 2 designations interchangeably. Other sources use SU-32 to refer to a dedicated naval strike variant, but recent company references seem to be distinguishing SU-32s by reserving that designation for exports. DID will be using “SU-34” throughout, until and unless clear differences emerge. The SU-34’s key characteristics reportedly include:

• Side-by-side cockpit configuration of 2 K-36DM ejector seats, with a small aisle in between, and even a toilet of sorts for long missions. The ejector seats can be activated at any speed and altitude, even when the plane is on the ground.

• A 17mm armored cockpit, like the SU-25 Frogfoot ground-attack jet.

• 45.1 tonne maximum takeoff weight.

• 8 tonne ordnance load. Air Force Technology adds that this is distributed on 10 hardpoints, which can accommodate precision-guided weapons, as well as R-73/AA-11 Archer and R-77/AA-12 ‘AMRAAMSKI’ missiles. An internal 30mm GSh-301 gun with 180 rounds out its weapon array.

• AL-31FM1 turbofan engines built by the Moscow-based Salyut Company generate a thrust of up to 13.5 metric tons (over 29,000 pounds) and have a 1,000-hour service life in between repairs. Subsequent reports indicate that more powerful AL-41 engines may be fitted in future.

• Maximum speed stated as Mach 1.8 at altitude. Believed to be supersonic capable at sea level, but that’s often an academic statistic – most planes can’t sustain it without emptying their fuel tanks.

• 3,000 km range with standard drop tanks, extensible to “over 4,000 km” with the help of additional drop tanks. This makes deployment to locations like Tajikistan much easier, because intermediate airfields in Russia can easily be closed by bad weather. The SU-34 can also refuel in mid-air. Note, however, that typical “ground hugging” attack flight profiles will shorten their range considerably – Air Force Technology lists it as just 600 km on internal fuel, or 1,150 km with external fuel tanks.

• Can fly in TERCOM (Terrain Contour Matching) mode for low-level flight, and relies on software to execute a number of other difficult maneuvers. The front horizontal empennage behind the cockpit is designed to help it handle the air pockets found in high speed flight at low altitudes.

• Leninets B004 phased array multimode X-band radar, which interleaves terrain-following radar and other modes. The US B-1B’s stealth bomber’s AN/APQ-164 phased array radar uses a similar approach, and the Leninets radar’s performance is claimed to be of 200-250 km against large surface targets, with ground mapping capability to 75-150 km, and GMTI(Ground Moving Target Indicator) moving target tracking to 30 km. Detection performance against fighter sized aerial targets is claimed to be 90 km. Those are reasonable figures, but the AESA radars on modern American fighters will outclass it.

Other reports add additional details, and can be found in the “Additional Readings” section below.

Contracts & Key Events 2014-2016

SU-34
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August 3/16: Sukhoi Su-34 bombers are to be fitted with new radio surveillance gear that will allow them to spot and destroy enemy headquarters, communications and drone control centers. Dubbed UKR-RT, the system is a scaled-down version of the M-410 radio reconnaissance system that is installed in the Tu-214R. Many foreign military specialists regard the Tu-214R as a unique information gathering platform able to spot targets hundreds of kilometers away.

April 13/16: Talks have reportedly been started between the governments of Jordan and Russia over Jordan’s potential purchase of a small number of Su-32s. Interest in the export version of the Su-34 bomber as well as other Russian made military hardware has increased following Moscow’s military intervention in Syria. Until late, military and technical cooperation between the two have been fairly small, with contracts last year amounting to a refurbishment deal of two Il-76MF transport aircraft and the supply of components for the assembly of RPG-32 grenade launchers. However, a sale of any number of Su-32s would point to a potential reorientation from Jordan, who until now have happily been purchasing American weaponry with American money.

July 7/15: The Su-24 has become the latest Russian Air Force model to be grounded, with flights suspended following a deadly crash in the Eastern Khabarovsk region on Monday. This follows news that the MiG-29 fighter and Tu-95 heavy bomber fleets have also been grounded, also following recent crashes.

Oct 15/14: Delivery. Sukhoi’s Novosibirsk aviation plant hands another batch of Su-34 fighter-bombers to the Ministry of Defense. The aircraft plant is operating at full capacity, and is currently expected to do so until 2020. Sources: Sukhoi, “Sukhoi handed over a batch of Su-34 frontline bombers to the Ministry of Defense”.

June 10/14: Delivery. Sukhoi begins delivering planes from the full rate production order (q.v. March 1/12). These first 3 jets are reportedly headed to Baltimor military airdrome in Voronezh. Sources: Sukhoi, “New batch of Su-34 front-line bombers was transferred to the Russian Air Force” | IHS Jane’s Defense Weekly, “Russia begins receiving Su-34s from third production contract” | Air & Cosmos, “Sukhoi livre un premier lot de Su-34 de série à l’armée de l’air russe”.

2012-2013

Full SU-34 production order; Deliveries; User conference; Crashes ground legacy SU-24 fleet for a while. Fullback in position
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Dec 16/13: Sukhoi finishes delivering the 32 Su-34s ordered under Russia’s 2008 Low Rate Production contract, and holds an official ceremony to mark the occasion. The line will continue producing fighters under the 2012 Full Rate Production contract for 92 planes. Sources, Sukhoi, Dec 16/13 release.

LRIP order delivered

Oct 23/13: Delivery. Another delivery ceremony for SU-34s at the V.P. Chkalov Novosibirsk aircraft plant (NAZ). Sukhoi offers no meaningful details. Sources: Sukhoi Oct 23/13 release.

Oct 12/13: Delivery. A RIA Novosti report says that 29 SU-34s have been delivered to date, that the 2013 target of 14 fighters is on schedule, and that another 16 are slated for delivery in 2014. The official total for present orders is 124. That math works, if the 8 development aircraft and 2006 order for 18 are both excluded. Source: RIA Novosti, “Russian Air Force to Receive 30 New Fighter-Bombers by 2015”.

Aug 19/13: Sub-contractors. Sukhoi signs a sub-contract for 184 IFF transponders (RUB 1.5 billion/ $47 million) with the Ukrainian firm Radiopribor. Sources: RIA Novosti, “Sukhoi Signs $47M Transponder Deal for Su-34” | ZSE Radiopribor, via Ukroboronprom.

July 9/13: Delivery. Another 3 SU-34s are delivered to the VVS, and Sukhoi says that manufacturing is ramping up at the Novosibirsk aircraft plant. Source: Sukhoi release.

May 6/13: Delivery. Sukhoi has a handover ceremony for the 1st in “a batch” of Su-34s to be delivered in 2013 to the Russian Air Force under the State Defense Order for the year. The January 2013 deliveries would have corresponded to earlier orders. Sources: Sukhoi release.

April 2013: Conference. A conference is held at Vorozneh’s “Baltimore” air base about SU-34 operations, attended by the VVS’s 1st Air Force and Air Defense Command, combat units operating the Su-34, UAC and Sukhoi representatives, and top managers and representatives from the manufacturing supply chain.

Sukhoi says that the time period between failures on the ground and in the air met specifications. Even so, a protocol was signed at the end of the conference, providing for the adoption of specific measures to improve SU-34 performance, ergonomics, serviceability, reliability, and durability. Sources: Sukhoi May 6/13 release.

Jan 25/13: Delivery. Another 5 SU-34s are delivered to the Russian air force. They’ll join 5 planes that already fly from Voronezh, in southwest Russia. Sources: RIA Novosti, “Sukhoi Delivers 5 Su-34 Bombers to Russian Air Force” | Sukhoi release.

Nov 12/12: China. Sukhoi announces that it will present its Su-35S fighter, Superjet 100 short-haul airliner, and “Su-32 (Su-34 export version)” at Airshow China 2012 in Zhuhai.

China is still license-producing SU-type aircraft, and Sukhoi continues to supply spare parts for its aircraft in China. Having said that, China’s “indigenous” J-11 copies have been a bone of contention, and a Chinese offer to buy a small number of SU-33 naval fighters was rejected as a transparent ploy to repeat the same theft. China is currently developing its “J-15” naval fighter without help, and similar concerns can be expected to plague potential sales of SU-32 or SU-35 fighters. Sources: Sukhoi release.

Oct 25/12: VVS modernization. Russian Military Reform relays and translates a VPK article about Russian air force procurement plans. The article offers a figure of “129 Su-34 fighter-bombers to be delivered by 2020, with an option for at least another 18.”

Oct 26/12: Vietnam. Phun.vn cites a report from the mysterious site “Periscope 2,” wherein it’s suggested that Vietnam plans to replace its fleet of 50 or so aged SU-22 strike aircraft with SU-34s, and that export approval will be given immediately, once it’s requested. The report also suggests that Saab JAS-39 Gripens will replace the VPAF’s even older fleet of 150 or so MiG-21s, that L-159s may replace existing L-39 trainers alongside Vietnam’s reported Yak-130 options, and that Vietnam may be interested in C295-AEW planes. Read “Vietnam’s Russian Restocking” for a more detailed take.

March 1/12: 92 Ordered. Russia signs a follow-on contract with Sukhoi for 92 SU-34s for delivery by 2020, making this plane the production centerpiece of the VVS’ current rearmament effort. So far, Sukhoi holding’s Novosibirsk Aircraft Production Association (NAPO) has delivered 10 of the 2008 contract’s 32 SU-34s.

Depending on how one reads Russian releases and reports, this could bring the SU-34 order history to 150 (8 development + 18 in 2006-2010 + 32 in 2008 + 92 in 2012). Russia’s lack of transparency also raises the possibility that orders to date are just 100: 8 development planes plus a series of contracts that raised the base from 18 to 92. DID asked Sukhoi for clarification, but has received none.

The current contract was given a strong push by the recent series of SU-24 “Fencer” crashes, and by the swing-wing fighter’s costly, maintenance intensive upkeep. As Sukhoi puts it: “Implementation of the program will allow soon largely replacing Su-24 front bombers currently in service.” Sources: Sukhoi release | Interfax, “Sukhoi to sell 92 Su-34 frontline bombers to Russian Air Force – Defense Ministry” | RIA Novosti, “Russian Defense Ministry to Buy 92 Su-34 Fighters”.

Russia: 92

Feb 28/12: SU-24s. Russia has partially resumed SU-24 flights, following the Urals crash. CIHAN.

Feb 14/12: SU-24 Fencer flights suspended. Russia suspends all SU-24 flights indefinitely, after a SU-24 crashes in the woods of the Urals’ Kurgan region during a routine flight. Both pilots ejected safely. The Feb 13/12 crash is the 3rd SU-24 crash in the last 4 months, and a full investigation is underway to establish the cause. Sources: RIA Novosti, “Russia Grounds Su-24 Bomber Fleet after Urals Crash”.

Fencer crash, fleet grounded

2010 – 2011

SU-34 deliveries behind, but continuing; Long-range flight tests; SU-24 crashes become a problem. SU-24 Fencer
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Dec 29/12: SU-24 Fencer crash. An Su-24 crashes as it attempts to land at the Marinovka air base in the Volgograd region, south of Moscow. The aircraft was on a routine training mission, and both pilots ejected and survived. The plane, on the other hand, catches fire and burns.

Each crash adds to the urgency of the SU-34 program. Sources: AP, “Russian military jet crashes, both crew survive”.

Fencer crash

Dec 12/11: 2 delivered. Sukhoi announces that the Russian SU-34 fleet continues to grow. They’re behind the original production plans, but:

“…four serial [production] Su-34 frontline bombers went up in the sky from the runway airport of the Novosibirsk Aircraft Production Association (NAPO) and off to the place of their deployment at the air base in Voronezh. Two more aircraft will arrive there in the next few days. The aircraft delivery is carried out in the framework of the five-year state contract signed in 2008 to supply 32 Su-34 frontline bombers to the Russian Defense Ministry.”

Oct 20/11: SU-24 Fencer crash. An Su-24 crashes at the Ukrainka military airfield in Russia’s Far East Amur region. It was flying in from the Central Russian city of Voronezh for planned maintenance work, but reportedly ran off the landing strip and caught fire after the landing gear collapsed. Sources: RIA Novosti, “Two killed in Su-24 fighter-bomber crash in Russia’s Far East”.

Fencer Crash

Sept 19/11: Russian media report that Russian Commander of the Air Forces Colonel General Aleksandr Zelin has given then go-ahead for SU-34 mass production, following successful tests. Russia Today:

“Earlier, General Zelin said the Air Forces planned to buy a total of 120 Su-34s, which will be formed into five squadrons with 24 aircraft deployed in each one. The aircraft are to be produced by the Novosibirsk branch of the Sukhoi Corporation.”

Full-rate production

Dec 28/10: 4 delivered. The Russian Air Force receives 4 new Su-34 fighter-bombers at the VVS’s Lipetsk Combat Training Center. Sources: Sukhoi release.

July 20/10: Testing. A Sukhoi release confirms that Su-34s used in the East-2010 military exercises used aerial refueling on their non-stop flight from the European part of Russia to the Far East, but makes it clear that this was more than just a ferry flight. The fighter-bombers carried out attacks as part of their routine. Sukhoi Director General Mikhail Pogosyan added that “…it is planned to increase the operational capability of the aircraft by adding new aerial munitions.”

June 23/10: Testing. RIA Novosti reports that a wing of SU-34s successfully accomplished a non-stop 6,000 km ferry flight from Lipetsk south of Moscow, to the Khabarovsk region in the Russian Far East. Even with a full load of wing tanks on a one-way trip, that’s a huge step up from the turbojet-powered SU-24M Fencer/ “Chemodahn

• ”, whose ferry range with wing tanks is listed as 3,055 Km.

The SU-34’s initial reports suggested a 4,000 km range with full drop tanks, which would match the F-15E Strike Eagle’s published ferry range. A 6,000 km ferry range is so far beyond that goal, and beyond similar aircraft, to make one wonder if aerial refueling was involved. That would still make it a non-stop trip, of course, and hence a “true” (but incomplete) report.

March 16/10: VVS Modernization. In “The future of the Russian Air Force: 10 years on“, RIA Novosti military commentator Ilya Kramnik discusses planned buys and pending recapitalization of the Russian Air Force over the next decade:

“According to various media reports, the Ministry wants to buy at least 1,500 aircraft, including 350 new warplanes, by 2020. The fleet would include 70% new equipment at that point, said Air Force Commander-in-Chief Colonel General Alexander Zelin… The Defense Ministry has now signed contracts for the purchase of 32 Su-34 Fullback advanced fighter-bombers to be delivered by 2013, 48 Su-35 Flanker-E fighters by 2015, 12 Su-27SM Flanker-B Mod. 1 fighters by 2011, 4 Su-30M2 Flanker-C planes by 2011 and 12 Su-25UBM Frogfoot combat trainers. This year, the Defense Ministry intends to sign a contract for the delivery of 26 MiG-29K Fulcrum-D fighters by 2015. Additional contracts for the delivery of at least 80 Su-34s and 24-48 Su-35s are expected to be signed. In all, the Russian Air Force is to receive 240-260 new aircraft of these types. It is hard to say much about the specifications of another 100-110 aircraft, due to be manufactured primarily after 2015. They will probably include 25-30 MiG-35 fighters, another 12-16 Su-30 combat trainers for Su-35 squadrons and 40-60 Sukhoi T-50 PAK FA (Advanced Frontline Aviation Aircraft System) fifth-generation fighters…”

2008 – 2009

Full production starts; Contract for 32 more SU-34s; Last SU-24M4 upgrade delivered; Broader VVS procurement plans. SU-34: Going long
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Dec 21/09: 2 delivered. The V.P.Chkalov Novosibirsk Aircraft Production Association (NAPO) officially delivers 2 Su-34s produced under the framework of the new manufacturing contract to the Russian Air Force. The planes have already arrived to the Russian AF Lipetsk Center for Combat Use and Flight Training.

In accordance with the 5-year state contract with the Ministry of Defense signed in 2008, NAPO will produce 32 Su-34 fighter-bombers till 2013. Sources: Sukhoi release.

Dec 10/09: SU-24. NAPO hands over the final batch of modernized Su-24M2 “Fencer” aircraft to the Russian Air Force, fulfilling its obligations under 3-year state contract, and shifting focus toward SU-34 production. Sukhoi release.

June 5/09: 32 more 34s. Jane’s Defense Review reports that Russia has placed a 5-year contract for SU-34 fighter/bombers. Subsequent quotes by Prime Minister Vladimir Putin place the contract at 32 jets for about RUB 40 billion (about $1.3 billion).

Subsequent Sukhoi releases place the contract date in 2008.

Low-rate production contract: 32

April 24/08: VVS modernization. Moscow News Weekly carries an analysis of the SU-34 and its acquisition plans by Ilya Kramnik of RIA Novosti:

“The Su-34 will replace the Su-24M aircraft (about 400 planes), the Su-24MR surveillance aircraft (over 100 planes), and the MiG-25RB aircraft (about 70). Russia will have to produce between 550 and 600 Su-34s to replace these obsolete aircraft within 10-15 years. However, the Defense Ministry plans to buy only about 58 [SU-34s] by 2015, and a total of 300 by 2022.

Many experts say that if the Su-24 and MiG-25RB aircraft are scrapped by 2020, Russia will be left without fighter-bombers and surveillance aircraft. Others argue that this number will be enough for the Air Force’s new concept.

The concept is focused not so much on the combat characteristics of the Su-34, as on its long range, the ability to refuel in the air (including by other Su-34 aircraft with additional fuel tanks under their wings), and its comfortable cabin… Units armed with such aircraft can be used in the so-called pendulum operations, when an Air Force unit bombs a terrorist base in Central Asia today, delivers a strike at a missile base in Europe the next day, and three days later flies to the Indian Ocean to support a combined group of the Northern, Pacific and Black Sea fleets, with flights from a base in Russia.

…This is not a new concept. Elite units of top-class aircraft manned by superbly trained crews formed the core of the German air force during World War II, and Japan’s Imperial Navy had a similar concept. However, such elite units can be quickly weeded out by swarms of ordinary aircraft in a global war of attrition, such as World War II. From this viewpoint, Russia’s new concept looks vulnerable, but then this country has the nuclear triad for a global war.”

Jan 9/08: Industrial. Sukhoi announces that Russia has started “full-scale production” of the Su-34 Fullback fighter bomber, and a company spokesman said that up to 20 fighters could now be assembled simultaneously at the Novosibirsk Aviation Production Association (NAPO). He did not specify how many would be built each year, and it’s likely that the announcement really means that the industrial infrastructure is ready.

This RIA Novosti report places the price of the plane at $36 million, but real clarity on that front is unlikely until the aircraft wins an export competition. RIA Novosti report | Kommersant report.

2005 – 2007

Contract for 18 SU-34s; Initial deliveries; Phase 2 tests; Don’t drink & courier – it delays the program. Tastes like… Siberia
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Dec 25/07: SU-24. Merry Christmas from NAPO. RIA Novosti reports that the firm has completed the delivery of 4 upgraded swing-wing Su-24M2 Fencer tactical bombers from the Chkalov plant in Novosibirsk to an Air Force regiment based in Russia’s Far East. Another 6 Su-24s are currently being modernized at the same plant, and another 2 modernized aircraft were deployed earlier in December with the Lipetsk pilot combat training center in central Russia.

The Su-24M2 is adds an improved cockpit with multi-function displays, helmet-mounted sights, a new SVP-24 mission computer, and new software that improves navigational accuracy and unguided weapon delivery. The SU-34 is still the VVS’ desired successor, but the pace and success of these modernizations may affect SU-34 Fullback deployment plans, and urgency. Sources: RIA Novosti, “Russian Air Force receives 4 modernized tactical bombers”

Dec 18/07: RIA Sibir relays a notice that NAPO will obtain 43 high-performance processing centers for EUR 50 million, in order to help modernize aircraft production.

NAPO makes Su-34 fighter-bombers, overhauls and upgrades Su-24M fighter-bombers, carries out preparations for the manufacture of Russian regional aircraft Sukhoi Superjet-100, and “participates in the program of Sukhoi Holding on the development of a 5th generation fighter.” Source: RIA Sibir.

Dec 27/06: Production update. A Sukhoi release adds clarity to the SU-34’s production schedule:

“The Sukhoi Aircraft Holding Company, in conjunction with the Russian Air Force, has started the second phase of the official tests of the Su-34 attack aircraft.

The three-year phase will include tests of the aircraft armed with new kinds of armament that the domestic defense industry is offering to further enhance the capabilities of the new aircraft. The first phase of the official tests was successfully completed in October [2006]. As a result Sukhoi has received go ahead to launch series production of the Su-34s at the Novosibirsk Aircraft Production Association (NAPO) and start deliveries of the new aircraft to the Air Force.

The first Su-34s have been handed over to the Russian Air Force this month [December 2006]. By 2010, under a three-year government contract, will build and supply the Russian Air Force with 18 Su-34s. Later, plans to manufacture 8 to 10 Su-34 aircraft a year.”

Subsequent events derail this contract, ending production at 5 planes. Sources: Sukhoi, “Second phase of the Su-34’s official tests has started” | Air & Cosmos, “Sukhoi livre un premier lot de Su-34 de serie a l’armee de l’air russe”.

Russia: 18 (5 produced)

Oct 10/06: Pravda’s tabloid version Fun Reports runs an amusing story that explains a multi-month delay to the program. The saga reportedly began when the Ulianovskoe Designing Bureau of Device Construction received an order from Novosibirsk aviation workers, who needed a control assembly part. The part took 3 months to make, and 2 designers were supposed to deliver the EUR 30,000 shipment to Novosibirsk, in Siberia.

When his colleague fell ill, Pavel Pahomov was sent on the train from Volgograd [DID: once named “Stalingrad”] to Ulan-Ude all alone, with an ordinary looking cardboard box designed to hide the contents. Unfortunately, Pahomov accepted drinks from his comrades on the train. After a missed train in Ufa, a high-speed taxi ride, and more than 24 celebratory hours, he returned to his seat and found the box missing. Pavel called the Russian Federal Security service, and claimed he had been set up American spies. It turned out that a train stewardess decided to clean up, and threw the box of “refuse” (with a false bottom) in the furnace. Yuriy Butov, the director’s assistant for supplying Chkalov’s Aviation Factory in Novosibirsk :

“Without this part the bombardment aircraft SU-34’s serial production cannot be launched. And we have a pending order for 24 planes. That is one billion Euros! Now the Designing Bureau is desperately trying to construct the part but they need another two months to complete it. We are facing serious financial losses.”

Pavel Pahomov’s visit to Siberia may wind up being a bit longer than he had intended. Sources: Pravda, “Russian engineer guzzles away secret Su-34 part”

Don’t Drink & Courier!

Sept 1/06: RIA Novosti reports that Army General Vladimir Mikhailov, commander of the Russian Air Force, has said that they would receive the first batch of Sukhoi Su-34 Fullback fighter-bombers by late 2006. Sources: RIA Novosti, “Russian Air Force to receive unique bomber soon”

1986 – 2004

From program start to the initial development batch. Hey, what’s 18 years between friends? SU-34 Fullback
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2004: Dev batch. Chkalov Aircraft Production Association in Novosibirsk, which produces the planes, had produced a development batch of 8 Su-32 aeroplanes. Source.

Development batch produced

June 2003: The plane successfully completes the first stage of Russian government testing. Source

1997: Sidelined. GlobalSecurity: “The [SU-34’s] development was decelerated [for Sukhoi] to concentrate itself in the development of the Indian Su-30 and the Su-27 acquired by China.”

June 1995: The aircraft is renamed the Su-32 according to Sukhoi, and the aeroplane is shown abroad at the 1995 Le Bourget air show in Paris. Eventually, even Sukhoi will start referring to it as the “SU-34” again. Source

Dec 18/93: The first pre-production T-10V is built and makes its first flight, piloted by the design bureau’s test pilots I.V. Votintsev and Ye.G. Revunov. [Source] This plane reportedly adopts “the Su-35 wing with additional stations, enlarged internal fuel tanks, enlarged spine and lengthened tail stinger, the production reinforced centre section design, and the representative production configuration of the tandem dual wheel main undercarriage” [Source].

April 13/90: The T10V-1’s test aircraft’s first flight is performed by the design bureau’s test pilot A.A. Ivanov. Source

1st flight

1989-90: The first prototype T10V-1 is built on the platform of the production Su-27UB. Source

May 1988: CDR. the plane’s conceptual design is presented for critical design review. In addition to the conventional Su-27UB-style cockpit configuration, with the pilots seated one behind the other, an alternative option of a “side by side” pilot-seating arrangement is discussed – and later adopted. The cockpit overhead space created behind the side-by-side seats allows the pilot to stand up, with the crew boarding the plane using an inbuilt ladder through the bay in the nosewheel landing gear unit and the service hatch in the back wall of the cockpit. Source

June 19/86: Work to produce a two-seat fighter-bomber version of the SU-27 officially begins, initiated by a decree of the government. The Sukhoi Design Bureau assigns the new plane the manufacturer’s designation T-10V. Source

Additional Readings

For the curious, the Russian TV show video features SU-24M2s, MiG-29SMTs, SU-27 family, and the SU-34 as the prime focus. The refueling aircraft for that aerial sequence is an IL-78.

• Sukhoi – SU-32. The firm has also referred to the aircraft as “Su-34” in its releases.

• Sukhoi – Su-32 Historical background

• Air Force Technology – Su-34 (Su 27IB) Flanker Fighter Bomber Aircraft, Russia

• Australian Air Power – Sukhoi Su-32/Su-34 Fullback: Russia’s New Heavy Strike Fighter “In comparing the basic Su-32/34 airframe against Western types, the design with 12.1 tonnes (26.7 klb) of internal fuel sits in between the Boeing F-15E and F-111 in combat radius and weapon payload capabilities. It will provide at lower gross weights lower agility than the F-15E, but higher agility than the F-111. Its top end supersonic performance is inferior to both US types…”

• GlobalSecurity – Su-34 (Su-27IB)

• Air Force Technology – Su-24M Fencer Front-Line Bomber, Russia. The SU-24’s swing-wing predecessor, which has some similarities to the American F-111. Also called “Chemodahn” by Russian crews. The word means “suitcase,” and refers to the aircraft’s boxy shape and slab sides.

Broader Context

• DID – Russia’s Military Spending Jumping – But Can Its Industry? Restarting an entire defense industry is hard.

• Russian Military Reform, via WayBack (Oct 25/12) – Russian air force procurement plans. Gives a figure of “129 Su-34 fighter-bombers to be delivered by 2020, with an option for at least another 18.”

• RIA Novosti, via WayBack (Jan 9/07) – Russian defense industry still faces problems. Points out, inter alia, that: “The management of the Novosibirsk Aircraft Plant had promised to supply six, rather than two, Su-34 bombers in late 2006.” Other items in the report are also highly relevant to the larger rearmament picture, including production difficulties, paper factories, and insolvency levels within the industry.

Americas

• An MV-22B Osprey has successfully flown with critical components fabricated by 3-D printing. The work was undertaken by the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) which involved the creation of a titanium link and fitting assembly for the engine nacelle of the aircraft. This link and fitting assembly is one of four that secure a V-22’s engine nacelle to the primary wing structure. NAVAIR intends to further expand the usage of 3-D printed components, fabricating six additional parts for the V-22, H-1 and CH-53K.

• While it doesn’t seem so at first, an emerging problem for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter is that it is almost too stealthy. Pilots flying the aircraft have discovered that they are unable to participate in certain training exercises such as evading surface-to-air threats. The inability on the ground to track the fighters had to be rectified by crews flipping on their transponders in order to be followed.

Middle East North Africa

• Israel has wheeled out its indigenous Eitan armored personnel carrier (APC) demonstrator. Weighing in at 35 tons, the 8×8 APC will cost nearly half that of new Merkava Mk4-based Namer heavy carriers now in production. Field trials will now commence to assess Eitan’s performance in “varied and complex” conditions and the Ministry of Defense hopes to have it in service within the next five years.

Europe

• A missile explosion at a military installation in northern Ukraine has killed three people, including a NATO representative. The incident occurred last Thursday while a missile was being unloaded from a vehicle. According to local media, the NATO representative was there to oversee the disarmament of Soviet-era weapons.

• Delivery of a South Korean made fleet tanker for the British Royal Navy has now been delayed by seven months. Initially due to enter service in September, the vessel is still undergoing trials with manufacturer Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering (DSME). A total of four tankers are to be eventually delivered as part of the service’s Royal Fleet Auxiliary’s Military Afloat Reach and Sustainability (MARS) program.

Asia Pacific

• South Korea’s Hanwha Techwin is to buy out the Thales SA stake in their joint venture, Hanwha Thales, for $257 million. While the deal has yet to be approved by the South Korean government, the sale would result in Hanwha owning Hanwha Thales outright and integrated into the company. The integration will add expertise in command, control, communications, computers, intelligence surveillance, and reconnaissance (C4ISR) systems to Hanwha Techwin, who primarily deal with land systems.

• AM General has been awarded a $356 million contract to provide Humvees to Afghanistan. The deal will see 1,259 M1151 armament-carrying Humvees and 414 M1152 troop carriers delivered, and is part of an earlier released foreign military sales contract which includes deliveries to Iraq, Kenya, Lebanon, Ukraine, and Tunisia. Features found in the models include armor protection, including frag kits, all of of which can be installed and removed in the field.

• BAE and Rheinmetall have both been shortlisted by the Australian government to participate in the second phase of their LAND 400 program. The vehicles offered, AMV35 (BAE) and the Boxer 8×8 (RM), will now be assessed on their mounted combat reconnaissance capabilities. Once selected, the winning company will provide replacements for the Australian light armored vehicle and M113 armored personnel carrier fleets.

Today’s Video

Eitan 8×8 APC:

RFA Bayleaf, 1982-2011
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Britain’s Military Afloat Reach and Sustainability (MARS) program was begun in 2002, and aimed to buy up to 11 supply ships for the Royal Navy’s Royal Fleet Auxiliary. Unfortunately, all the project could produce was studies, MoD planning delays, and slow progress. In 2007, MARS was broken up into a series of smaller buys, with an initial focus on the critical state of the RFA’s fuel carriers. Even that effort ran into delays, but the last 3 years have seen Britain’s Royal Fleet Auxiliary retire 3 of its 4 Leaf Class replenishment oilers. Another 3 of its remaining 5 oilers were commissioned in 1984 or earlier, and their single-hull design no longer complies with MARPOL regulations for fuel-carrying ships.

Replacements are urgently needed, in order to keep the Royal Navy supplied around the world. In February 2012, Britain finally placed a MARS order for 4 oilers, which will measure over 200m long and around 37,000t apiece. It has been expected for some time that these ships would be built outside of Britain, and that has held true.

Contracts & Key Events

MARS is intended to involve more than 1 block buy. The initial buy involves the 4 Tide Class 37,000t MARS tankers, which will begin entering service in 2016. There are also plans for 3 MARS Fleet Solid Stores ships over the next 10 years, to replace the RFA’s two 23,384t Fort Rosalie Class ships, and the 33,675t RFA Fort Victoria.

2012

MARS Tanker
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August 2/16: Delivery of a South Korean made fleet tanker for the British Royal Navy has now been delayed by seven months. Initially due to enter service in September, the vessel is still undergoing trials with manufacturer Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering (DSME). A total of four tankers are to be eventually delivered as part of the service’s Royal Fleet Auxiliary’s Military Afloat Reach and Sustainability (MARS) program.

Nov 14/12: Named. The MARS tankers will become the Tide Class, restoring a class that had left the fleet. The new ships will be named Tidespring, Tiderace, Tidesurge, after previous ships; and Tideforce, which is a new name for the RFA. RFA, Commodore Bill Walworth confirms that the ships are on contract, with RFA Tidespring scheduled to enter service in 2016.

The original Tide Class fleet tankers were developed using the lessons of the World War II Pacific Campaign, and were the Royal Fleet Auxillary’s 1st purpose-designed replenishment tankers. They served worldwide from 1954 until 1991. UK MoD.

Class & ships named

Sept 14/12: Sub-contractors. Kelvin Hughes Surveillance in London, UK announces that they’ve been picked to supply the 4 MARS tankers’ integrated bridge systems (IBS) and helicopter control radars.

Each shipset will consist of 3 solid state SharpEye radars, accessed and controlled via multiple console mounted Naval MantaDigital tactical displays. The system will also include a suite of navigation sensors, a command and control system, and the helicopter control radar system. All of these elements will be integrated in the IBS.

Feb 27/12: Controversy. The choice of Daewoo as the MARS ships’ builder draws expected criticism, but it also draws a report that there was, in fact, a British bid for MARS. The Daily Mail reports that Fincantieri was partnered with BAE Shipbuilding, and would have built 1 of the 4 tankers in the UK, with 35% of the overall work taking place in Britain. This compares to just 20% for Daewoo, and no ships built in Britian. On the other hand, the Daily Mail’s report cites sources who say that Fincantieri’s bid was about GBP 675 million, compared to announced total of GBP 542 million for Daewoo + BMT.

The very existence of a bid that would have built a ship in Britain contradicts some key MoD statements, which make the story significant enough that British Defence Secretary Philip Hammond and Equipment Minister Peter Luff are forced to respond. Luff says that the Fincantieri bid “did not meet some fundamental requirements,” adding that even BAE has said that they don’t know the exact cost of building such a ship in the UK. Hammond doesn’t deny the partnership, and lays out an alternate defense. Based on the leaked letter cited by the Daily Mail, Hammond’s 1st statement is very problematic, but the rest is straightforward:

“No British firm put in a bid and the Italian company never indicated during the two-year bid process that they would build any of the tankers in the UK.

When we are building complex warships or highly sophisticated weapons, of course we must protect Britain’s industrial base. But when it comes to non-military type equipment, I am clear that my responsibility is to get the best deal for the UK taxpayer and plough the savings back into the front line.

In this case, the choice we were faced with was to buy South Korean and save hundreds of millions of pounds for the taxpayer, or let the work to an Italian shipyard.”

Daily Mail | UK MoD

Feb 22/12: Britain’s Minister for Defence Equipment, Support and Technology, Peter Luff, announces that South Korea’s Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering (DSME) is the Government’s preferred bidder for a deal to build 4 new double-hulled oilers, using BMT’s Aegir family design. The 37,000t ships will be just 200.9m long, and 28.6m wide, with a draught of 10m. Onboard tanks will handle Diesel Oil, Aviation Fuel and Fresh Water, with Lube oil stored in drums, and stowage for up to 8 ISO 20′ containers. A set of 3 abeam Replenishment And Supply stations will be coupled with a hangar and flight deck for a medium helicopter, allowing simultaneous fuel and supplies transfers. The ships will be designed to add a stern fuel delivery reel in future, but won’t be built with one.

The Daewoo contract is GBP 452 million (about $711 million), but the overall buy will be around GBP 602 million (about $950 million). That adds around GBP 60 million to British firms for “customisation, trials and specialist engineering support”; and GBP 90 million to the UK’s BMT Defence Services for “key equipment, systems, design and support services.” The UK MoD explains that:

“A number of British companies took part in the competition, but none submitted a final bid for the build contract. In light of this, the best option for Defence, and value for money for taxpayers, is for the tankers to be constructed in South Korea by DSME.”

South Korea’s industrial policy makes shipbuilding a priority, and it has been successful. ROK shipbuilders are currently global leaders in the civil sector, with extremely advanced shipyards. This has translated into a very good record with new ROK Navy vessels as well. UK MoD | BMT Defence.

MARS contract

Additional Readings

• UK MoD – MARS Tankers

• BMT Defence – Aegir. See also the more specific MARS Tanker, a derivative of the Aegir-26 design.

• Beedall Navy Matters – Military Afloat Reach and Sustainability (MARS). Note: current only to 2008.

M113A1 & M1A1s, 1AR
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The M113A1 family of vehicles was introduced into service in Australia in the mid 1960s, and arrived in time to see service in Vietnam. Additional vehicle variants were added until 1979, and there are 766 M113A1 vehicles currently in the Australian Army fleet. By February 2005, however, only 520 remained in service.

A number of upgrades have been suggested for Australia’s APCs(Armoured Personnel Carrier) over the years, with a number of different reviews and upgrade proposals submitted. Many of Australia’s M113s remained in the old M113A1 configuration, though some had at least been repaired and overhauled at 25,000 km. Bushmaster wheeled mine-resistant vehicles have replaced some M113s in the ADF, but the M113’s lightweight, tracked, off-road mobility remains important to Australian mechanized formations, and to troops deployed in combat zones. A plan approved in the 1990s involved a “minimum upgrade” of 537 vehicles from 1996-1998, at a cost of about A$ 40 million in 1993 dollars, with a major upgrade to follow. That major upgrade did follow – along with schedule slips, and cost increases from around A$ 594 million to nearly A$ 1 billion.

New-Old Vehicles: The M113-AS4s M113AS4 APC
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There are 7 variants of the upgraded M113AS family being produced under LAND 106. Enhancements are being made to a variety of areas.

Protection: Add-on external armor kits to protect against weapons up to 14.5mm; internal spall liners; hull reinforcement to improve mine protection; fuel tanks moved from inside to outside. The change in configuration also allowed the introduction of stealth characteristics into the design by decreasing the overall turret profile, and reducing the vehicle’s radar cross-section and infra-red signature.

Firepower: A new Australian designed and built electrical turret, with improvements designed to lessen the battering its occupant takes. It will host a new .50 caliber weapon that sports a quick change barrel and day/night sights.

M113AS: new controls
(click to expand)

Mobility: Replacement of the engine, transmission, drive train and driver’s controls. To maximize the benefits of this new driveline, the suspension, track and road wheels are also being replaced.

Internal: Compartment improvements like heat mitigation measures and better stowage of equipment externally where it isn’t so much in the way. New electrical and fuel systems; a land navigation system that combines GPS and INS.

The exact designations refer to the upgraded vehicles’ general characteristics. M113-AS3 variants have 5 road wheel stations per side, and a Recommended Gross Vehicle Mass of 15,000 kg/ 33,069 pounds. AS4 variants are stretched by 666 mm/ 26.2″, with 6 road wheel stations per side, and an RGVM of 18,000 kg/ 39,683 pounds. Variants include:

• Armoured Personnel Carrier (M113-AS4 APC). Most common variant.
  
• Armoured Fitters (M113-AS4 AF). Includes a new Hiab crane with a significantly enhanced 2.4-tonne lift at 4 meters. 38 planned of 350.
  
• Armoured Recovery Vehicle Light (M806-AS4 ARVL). Includes a Sepson winch capable of a 13-tonne single line pull. 12 planned of 350.
  
• Armoured Ambulance (M113-AS4 AA)
  
• Armoured Command Vehicle (M113-AS4 ACV)
  
• Armoured Logistic Vehicle (M113-AS4 ALV)
  
• Armoured Mortar (M125-AS3 AM)

The final vehicles will be transportable in the RAAF’s C-17A heavy-lift aircraft (4 per plane, vs. 3 for larger armored vehicles), though that hasn’t been certified as of March 2012. One M113AS4 may be transportable in an Australian C-130J tactical transport aircraft if enough equipment is removed, but it hasn’t been certified, even though the initial test took place 6 years ago in March 2006. ANAO is correct to cite that gap as possible evidence of a problem.

On land, the upgraded M113s will have to wait for the arrival of its LAND 121 (“Overlander”) Phase 3 heavy trucks to transport them, and the ADF will need to lease commercial vehicles until then.

Australia’s LAND 106 The Program

A plan approved in the late 1990s involved a “minimum upgrade” of 537 vehicles from 1996-1998, at a cost of about A$ 40 million in 1993 dollars, with a major upgrade to follow. That initial plan was derailed mid-stream by an unsolicited contractor proposal to combine the 2 phases. The end result was Australia’s LAND 106 project, which aimed to perform major upgrades to a smaller set of 350 M113 APCs. That program suffered from problems in its early stages, delaying any fielded modernization until 2007.

The operational effect of that switch has been to delay fleet upgrades by about a decade. Final delivery is now expected to take place at the end of 2012.

M113AS4 FV
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The LAND 106 M113 Upgrade was scheduled to be completed in 3 stages, and delivery of the first company group of upgraded M113s was scheduled for 2006.

Stage 1: Development and preliminary testing of 2 Demonstration vehicles. Completed in 2004.

Stage 2: Design, construction and testing of the first 14 of the Initial Production Vehicles (IPV). This stage encountered a number of technical difficulties, resulting in an extensive Test and Evaluation Phase. Delivery of the initial 16 Phase 1 & 2 vehicles (14 APCs, 1 AF and 1 ARVL) to the 1st Brigade in Darwin was completed in December 2007.

Design development of the remaining 4 vehicle variants will continue through to the end of 2009.

Stage 3: Design, construction and testing of the remaining IPVs, and the delivery of 336 production standard vehicles. Began with successful completion of the Production Readiness Review for the base M113 APC variant in November 2007.

When Tenix’s land systems business was acquired by BAE Systems, it was easy for the vehicle’s original manufacturer (United Defense, now the largest part of BAE Land Systems) to assume leadership of the project via its new subsidiary. Tenix had chosen Germany’s FFG as the major technology partner for the program. Other key subcontractors and suppliers include Thales Optronics, Moog GmbH, SKF Australia, Bisalloy and a number of Australian SMEs including Imag Australia Pty. Limited.

The ANAO’s 2012 Report

Australia’s independent audit department, the ANAO, has issued a number of reports covering the LAND 106 program, with the program nearing its end, the 2012 audit offers a solid retrospective of the program, its progress, and the lessons learned from its problems. The core of its conclusions:

“Deficiencies in the [2002] Major Upgrade Contract meant that technical problems with the vehicles’ design and production could not be effectively managed under its provisions. Contrary to the advice tendered to government when the major upgrade was initially approved, critical milestones were not effectively incorporated into the contract, which also failed to properly specify vehicle payloads, prioritise vehicle technical specifications in order of necessity and desirability, or establish clear terms for liquidated damages.”

The project subsequently failed to perform, but the government found that it was in a poor position to collect damages, and so ended up renegotiating the contract in 2 global settlements, in an attempt to fix the contract’s original problems. What the November 2007 and August 2011 settlements could not fix, was the time, effort, and money wasted as a result of those omissions.

Defence considers that the Prime Contractor is currently on course to deliver all 431 vehicles by October 2012, after the delivery date has been revised several times.

According to the ANAO, a range of factors hurt project schedule performance, including:

• Delays in the preparation and stretching of M113 hulls under the CSP Contract, which are needed to feed into the major upgrade production line.
  
• Missing/broken lifting eyes on existing M113, which caused delays in moving hulls through the CSP process).
  
• Poor quality, with more vehicles than expected needing rework after quality inspections. That was an especial problem, because the production facilities at Bandiana had limited room for rework.
  
• The ANAO refers to “facility failures at the Defence-owned facilities in Bandiana.”
  
• Hull de-lamination, resulting in additional preparation work, and laminar cracking, which resulted in hulls being set aside until a suitable repair technique could be developed.
  
• Delays in the technical development of the ALV [cargo variant] and AM [mortar variant]; and
  
• Shortages of VIC 3 vehicle communication harnesses, supplied by Defence as government furnished equipment, and required to finish the vehicle.

M113AS4s, Exercise
Chong Ju 2009
(click to view full)

According the ANAO, the full cost of the M113 upgrades is close to A$ 1 billion for 431 vehicles. A$ 2.32 million per vehicle isn’t small change, though in fairness, it is half or less of the cost of a new, modern tracked IFV like BAE’s M2 Bradley, or its CV90. Australia’s Chief of Army responded to the ANAO by saying that:

“…as the Capability Manager … I am satisfied that the [upgraded M113] provides a significantly enhanced capability to Army and that it is a potent and capable platform. I am also satisfied that the delivery of [the upgrade project] satisfies the original requirement specified by the Capability Manager.”

The question ANAO asks is whether the project’s long delays, and 20-year run, have left those requirements behind. The M113AS4 is much less capable than modern IFVs. It has weaker armor protection, less formidable weaponry, and remains stuck with old communication gear. That last issue will be a problem going forward. ANAO:

“The M113 relies on the VIC 3 model communications harness as its main electronic communication system. There are currently a limited number of these harnesses available, and priority… is given to the ASLAV vehicles, currently deployed to Afghanistan… Army aims to rectify this shortage by December 2012 through fitting the Bushmaster fleet… with updated SOTAS communications systems, which will make an increased number of VIC 3 harnesses available… [Even so,] the electronic systems fitted to the upgraded vehicles do not permit optimal communication and data transfer with heavy tanks and the other force elements, such as artillery and aircraft, with which they are intended to operate… Army originally expected to address the current communications limitations of the M113 by fitting to these vehicles the systems to be developed under projects LAND 75 and LAND 125.64 However, in the context of the 2012-13 Federal Budget, the relevant phases… will not now proceed.”

An even more alarming problem involves the M113s’ reliability. ANAO:

“Maintenance records classify the vehicles as ‘Fully Functional’; ‘Restricted Use’; or ‘Unserviceable’. Over the three years to December 2010, the proportion of vehicles at the School of Armour classified as ‘Fully Functional’ decreased from an average of 62 per cent in 2008 to 38 per cent in 2010. Since 2010, this has not improved: Defence advised that as at 19 March 2012 the proportion of vehicles classed as ‘Fully Functional’ was 39 per cent across Army. The main factors affecting vehicle availability have been a lack of supplies (spare parts) and mechanical failures.”

That reliability level would become a serious problem if the upgraded M113s had to be deployed. It also affects the math of a comparison with more expensive IFVs. Assume that buying a new IFV would be 225% of the final upgrade cost, that the budget to buy them remains the same, and that we use reliability benchmarks met by those modern IFVs:

• 431 M113-AS4s x 39% fully functional = 168 available IFVs.

• 192 modern IFVs x 70% fully functional = 134 available IFVs

At similar availability rates, Australia’s DoD would have a strong argument for its choice. Given the actual number of available machines, however, a good counter-argument can be made that it would have been better to own 134 IFVs that are much more capable. What is certain, is that neglecting this key performance parameter seems to have cost Australia hard.

Contracts and Key Events M113AS4 FV and ARVL
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August 2/16: BAE and Rheinmetall have both been shortlisted by the Australian government to participate in the second phase of their LAND 400 program. The vehicles offered, AMV35 (BAE) and the Boxer 8×8 (RM), will now be assessed on their mounted combat reconnaissance capabilities. Once selected, the winning company will provide replacements for the Australian light armored vehicle and M113 armored personnel carrier fleets.

November 17/15: The Australian Department of Defense have issued a request for information for 450 tracked Infantry Fighting Vehicles (IFV) as part of the Australian Defence Force’s largest ever land systems acquisition program. Project LAND 400, which is now in its third phase, has been a major overhaul of existing aging equipment of the ADF and in total will cost approximately USD $7.1 billion. Phase Three will aim to replace the existing M113AS4 and it is hoped that these will be replaced by 2025 and the M113AS4 LOT by 2030, but the Australian DoD find the machinery decaying given current and emerging threats.

May 24/12: The Australian National Audit Office (ANAO) issues “Upgrade of the M113 Fleet of Armoured Vehicles.”

Specific conclusions are covered in the previous section, but its overall tone is that many of the program’s problems and cost increases were avoidable. They also point out that the final product is an APC that’s under the capability standard of modern alternatives, despite its costs. This is true, and was known in advance. Australia accepted that trade, in exchange for what it saw as a lower-cost option, with better transportability. Limited communications compatibility with its companion M1 tanks, and the withdrawal of the M113s from plans for Australia’s new battlefield management C4I systems, is a more serious issue. Most serious of all is the fact that availability rates for the upgraded M113s remain abysmal – under 40%! That will impact training, and unless it’s corrected, it will become a serious problem if the armored vehicles ever get deployed.

Meanwhile, BAE has qualified for the first 3 incentive payments under the August 2011 re-negotiation, and looks to be on target to deliver all M113s by the end of October 2012.

May 10/12: Australia’s budget features a series of reductions. From the Chief of Army’s Budget Message:

“M113AS4 Armoured Personnel Carriers. One hundred M113AS4 Armoured Personnel Carriers will be placed into temporary storage [along with 15 M1A1 Abrams tanks]. The APCs will be placed into temporary storage in a condition where they can be rapidly returned to service when Army’s fiscal situation improves. Army will need to develop an equipment and training methodology to ensure an adequate number of crews are maintained to meet contingency requirements.”

Lt. Gen. D.L. Morrison later pens a letter to the editor of The West Australian, reiterating his confidence in the M113AS4, and citing the current measures as “informed solely by a need to reduce operating costs in order to focus key resources to operational priorities and linked training support.”

August 2011: 2nd global settlement. Dissatisfaction with BAE’s performance led Australia’s DoD to begun reviewing its legal contractual options in June 2010, but it eventually decided that it was on softer ground than it thought, and decided to negotiate a solution instead. The new agreement involves a number of concessions from Defence, and according to the ANAO, key provisions included:

• BAE withdraws A$ 5 million in postponement claims.
  
• Australia’s DoD won’t exercise contractual rights to liquidated damages of approximately A$ 1 million for late delivery.
  
• Final delivery date for all vehicles moves from April 2012 to Dec 9/12.
  
• Incentive payments totaling A$ 2.8 million are available to BAE if certain production targets are met between August 2011 – October 2012, including delivery of the last vehicle by the end of October. Defence says this was done to avoid having BAE close some of its facilities early, and set LAND 106’s schedule back even further.

Oct 7/10: BAE Systems Land and Armaments LP’s US Combat Systems business announces a $14 million contract to provide T150F double-pin track link assemblies and sprockets, for Australia’s M113 upgrades.

Work on the track shoes will take place at the BAE Systems’ Anniston, AL facility by the existing workforce, and is expected to be complete in July 2011. The contract was awarded by Australia’s Defence Materiel Organisation office based in Washington, DC.

M113AS4 night test
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March 27/09: The Australian National Audit Office (ANAO) issues “Management of the M113 Armoured Personnel Carrier Upgrade Project.” The 2009 ANAO report praises progress in a number of problem areas that were highlighted in the 2005 report. The 2007 renegotiation and restructuring has helped the program make significant progress in key areas, from management, to technical development. Having said that:

“The M113 Major Upgrade Project commenced in July 2002 and has suffered a series of delays. Army has so far received 42 of the 350 vehicles to be upgraded [which is behind schedule]… In July 2008, the Prime Contractor informed Defence that the existing production facilities at Bandiana, Victoria, were not adequate to the task and, at December 2008, there was a potential shortfall of around 100 upgraded vehicles by December 2010.

The backlog is caused chiefly by delays in extending the hulls. This is proving to be more complex than anticipated, and is taking longer than expected… would not be able to deliver 350 upgraded vehicles by December 2010. Defence is currently negotiating arrangements with the Prime Contractor…”

Oct 28/08: Australia’s Labor Party government announces an A$ 220 million (currently about $143 million) addition to LAND 106. BAE will upgrade another 81 M113s to equip Darwin’s 5 RAR mechanized infantry and the recently established 7 RAR, raising the total to 431 vehicles.

BAE Systems’ production line at Bandiana in northern Victoria will now remain open until July 2011, and additional facilities will be opened in Williamstown, Victoria and Wingfield, South Australia to ensure that delivery commitments are met.

May 22/08: The LAND 106 project is reported to be back on track. Frontier India:

“The M113 project experienced some well-known technical problems in the development phase, and it was feared these problems would impact on the cost and schedule of the project,” the announcement said. The serious technical risks faced by the project have now been resolved, the schedule pressures have been reduced, and the project does not face cost pressures said the release.”

Nov 15/07: The first 4 M113AS4s built by Tenix Aerospace and Defence are accepted into service with the Australian Army’s 7th Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment (Mechanised Infantry), during a ceremony in Darwin. Australian DoD | Space Daily.

M113A1, last exercise
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June 11/06: Australia’s DMO contracts with Honeywell Germany to supply the new TALIN 500 Inertial Navigation Unit for the M113 vehicles at a cost of A$ 11 million.

Acquired under Project JP5408, the TALIN 500 is the central component of the new navigation system for the M113s, integrating a global positioning system (GPS) with the inertial navigation functions as a backup if GPS isn’t available. The new system will provide full navigation capability to both the commander and driver of the M113. DMO believes the system has export potential. DoD release | DMO On Target article.

July 28/05: The Australian National Audit Office (ANAO) report criticizes Australia’s management of its M113 upgrade program, beginning with the 3-year delay between project approval in June 1999 and the July 2002 contract and continuing to the present day. The report add that the November 2006 goal for introduction into service is unlikely to be achievable. ANAO report | Jane’s

July 15/02: Australia’s Liberal Party government announces an A$ 400 million (then about $223.5 million) contract with Tenix Defence Land Division to upgrade 350 M113 tracked armored fighting vehicles to M113-AS4 configuration. Imag Australia Ltd. Pty release.

June 2002: The M113 Major Upgrade Project is approved at a cost of A$ 552 million (ANAO figure).

Additional Readings and Sources

• Australian DMO – LAND 106 – M113 Upgrade Project

• Australia DMO – Large-Scale Projects: Upgrade of M-113 Armoured Vehicles LAND 106

• ANAO (May 24/12) – Upgrade of the M113 Fleet of Armoured Vehicles

• ANAO (March 27/09) – Management of the M113 Armoured Personnel Carrier Upgrade Project

• ANAO (July 28/05) – Management of the M113 Armoured Personnel Carrier Upgrade Project

• Digger History – “The Tracks”: A Digger’s Best Heavy Metal. Includes history of the M113 in Australian service.

• Australian DoD, Team Australia – Mackay Defence Technologies: armoured vehicles – vibration and noise isolation (APC floor mats)

• Jane’s – BAE Systems Australia one-man turret for M113 APC upgrades (Australia), AFV turrets and cupola

• Army: The Soldiers Newspaper (#1169, June 28/07) – Now that’s better. Discusses firing trials of the new electric turret.

• Army: The Soldiers Newspaper (Ed. 1151, July 27/06) – A fitting display. Discusses the M113-AS4 FV and ARVL.

• Army: The Soldiers Newspaper (#1135) – New M113 on track

Latest updates: USAF to use RQ-11Bs at bases worldwide. RQ-11B Raven
(click to view full)

The RQ-11 Raven is a 4.2-pound, backpackable, hand-launched UAV that provides day and night, real-time video imagery for “over the hill” and “around the corner” reconnaissance, surveillance and target acquisition.

Each Raven system typically consists of 3 aircraft, 2 ground control stations, system spares, and related services. The digital upgrades are still designated RQ-11Bs, but they enable a given area to include more Ravens, with improved capabilities. The secret? Using L-band spectrum more efficiently.

• Ravin’ bout Ravens: Current Models, and Proposed Upgrades
  
• Contracts and Key Events [updated]
  
• Additional Readings
  

Ravin’ bout Ravens Raven in the field

The Raven has received positive reviews from Army units in the field. The basic RQ-11 “Raven B” has a wingspan of 4.5 feet, weighs 4.2 pounds when taken out of its backpack and assembled. The hand-launched UAV includes a color electro-optical camera, or an infrared camera for night operations. The UAV operates just 100-500 feet off the ground, which removes many airspace “deconfliction” and clearance issues. Traveling at 30-60 mph on its quiet electric motor and lithium-ion batteries, it can fly for about 60-90 minutes. Line-of-sight control range is about 6.2 miles.

The man-portable Raven system features 3 UAVs, a ground control unit, a remote video terminal, transit cases and support equipment.

With respect to the digital upgrade, Commenting about the digital upgrades in National Defense magazine, Col. Gregory Gonzalez, project manager of the Army’s unmanned aerial system (UAS) program, said:

“This allows us to have more capable and faster processing for better payloads. By using the frequency spectrum in [the L-band] more efficiently, we will be able to [fly] up to 16 Ravens in a specific geographical area, as opposed to just four.”

The digital upgrade also includes greater communication security through signal encryption. The analog Ravens have come under scrutiny because they send unencrypted video signals that could be intercepted by insurgents equipped with a laptop computer, reports the Associated Press.

The Raven system can be flown manually or autonomously through set way-points with options of either a daylight or infrared camera. Over 3,000 Ravens have already been deployed to US forces for use in light infantry Military Operations in Urban Terrain (MOUT) and dismounted warfare.

Full funding for the digital upgrade order was provided by a US Department of Defense supplemental funding bill. Deliveries of the Raven digital systems and kits began in October 2009.

Beyond the “digital Raven” project, Col. Gonzalez’s office is proposing adding 2 new sizes of UAV: 1 that would be smaller than the current 4.5 feet long, 4.2 pound RQ-11B, and 1 that would be larger. All 3 sizes would use the same controller and frequency, and would link into the Army’s “One System” remote video terminal. The proposal still needs to be approved by the Army leadership.

Contracts and Key Events RQ-11: higher, faster…
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Unless otherwise indicated, AeroVironment in Simi Valley, CA is the contractor.

August 1/16: As part of the European Reassurance Initiative package, Ukraine has received 24 RQ-11B Raven UAV systems from the US. The hand-launched reconnaissance and surveillance tool are being given to help increase and modernize Ukrainian security efforts amid ongoing violence in the country’s eastern regions. More than $600 million has been made available by the US for training and equipment to help Kiev better defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Oct 5/11: A $6.9 million firm-fixed-price contract modification for new USAF Raven systems, and Initial Spares Packages. USAF Security Forces plan to employ Raven systems to enhance situational awareness and security at bases worldwide. This initial order will provide training systems for USAF personnel, as a precursor to broader deployment.

Work will be performed in Simi Valley, CA, with an estimated completion date of Feb 29/12. One bid was solicited, with one bid received by U.S. Army Contracting Command in Redstone Arsenal, AL (W58RGZ-11-C-0055). See also Aerovironment.

Sept 8/11: Aerovironment announces a $15.9 million cost-plus-fixed-fee contract order to support US Army Raven systems over “the next several months.”

May 25/11: AeroVironment, Inc. in Monrovia, CA receives an $8.4 million firm-fixed-price contract for 67 Army Digital Data Link Raven Systems and 67 Army Raven Digital Data Link spares packages.

Work will be performed in Simi Valley, CA, with an estimated completion date of May 14/12. One bid was solicited, with one bid received, by the U.S. Army Contracting Command at Redstone Arsenal, AL (W58RGZ-11-C-0055). The U.S. Army continues toward its total acquisition objective of 2,358 systems (7,074 UAVs), though that may rise. See also Aerovironment release.

April 20/11: The US Army currently equips each brigade with 15 RQ-11B Raven systems, but the 9 Afghan BCTs want to raise that to 35 each (105 UAVs). They’re also shipping larger Puma-AE UAV systems into theater, with 64 in and another 20 requested. So what’s the problem? Training.

Right now, the US FAA requires Federal Aviation Administration must issue a certificate of authorization, in order to fly UAVs in US air space. There are limits to that requirement, but it takes months to get that certification, and it’s hurting operator training. Commanders are complaining that some operators lack adequate pre-combat preparation, and must learn on the job.

In response, the US Army has instituted a buddy program, a tracking program for operators, and a ground-based technical solution. Under the buddy program, skilled mini-UAV operators will teach other soldiers. The web tracker will make sure that qualified operators don’t get lost in the shuffle when they move from one brigade to another. The technical solution involves a ground-based sense-and-avoid system that may help expedite FAA certification. NDIA’s National Defense Magazine.

April 12/11: A $14.8 million order for 248 US Army digital Raven UAV retrofit kits. Work is scheduled to be completed by December 2011, and will be performed at Simi Valley, CA, with an estimated completion date of Oct 9/12. One bid was solicited with one received. by the US Army Contracting Command at Redstone Arsenal, AL (W58RGZ-05-0338). See also Aervironment release.

Feb 4/11: Aviation Week reports that the US Army wants to beef up UAV availability down to the platoon level, in an environment where, as Army Operations Office aviation UAS director Lt. Col. James Cutting puts it, “there will never be enough multi-million-dollar systems to cover them.” Where now there are 17 RQ-11 Ravens in a brigade combat team (BCT), the Army plans to increase this to 49 “Small UAS family of systems”, initially made up of AeroVironment’s Puma AE at the high end, RQ-11B Raven as the core, and smaller Wasp III as the true “flying binoculars” micro UAV.

Down the road, this set is expected to be a competition, and the numbers involved make it an attractive target. According to Cutting, the Army will push the new UAVs directly down to engineer, armor and infantry units , rather than forming more aviation units and adding their overhead. Since the UAVs in question are so small, and fly at under 1,000 feet, they can be used without worrying about “deconfliction,” and don’t really require the same planning & support overhead as, for instance, a unit of RQ-7B Shadows, or MQ-1C Gray Eagles. Aviation Week | Aviation Week Ares.

Jan 27/11: A $7.8 million firm-fixed-price contract for 919 U.S. Marine Corps Raven Module 2 upgrade sets. The upgrade kits allow digital RQ-11B Ravens to operate using a different frequency band than the stock configuration. Funding was appropriated in the 2010 Department of Defense Appropriations Act.

Work will be performed in Simi Valley, CA, with an estimated completion date of April 30/11. Even though they’re for the Marines, 1 bid was solicited with 1 bid received by the U.S. Army AMCOM Contracting Center at Redstone Arsenal, AL (W58RGZ-05-C-0338). See also Aerovironment.

Dec 28/10: A $46.2 million order for 123 new digital Raven UAV systems and spares, as well as 186 digital retrofit kits for the USMC and 339 digital retrofit kits for the US Army. The order represents the remainder of funds appropriated for the Raven systems procured in the FY 2010 DoD appropriations. Work is expected to be completed within a year. AeroVironment release

May 10/10: An $11.2 million firm-fixed-price contract, exercising and finalizing a not-to-exceed FY 2010 option for up to 113 full rate production Raven systems, 113 Raven initial spare packages, and Raven engineering services. This effort procures 63 Raven systems; 63 Raven initial spare packages plus Raven engineering services, and logistics support for the family of systems proof of principle effort. The latter appears to be Col. Gonzalez’ “3 sizes” approach.

Work will be performed in Simi Valley, CA, with an estimated completion date of Jan 30/11. U.S. Army Contracting Command, CCAM-AR-A at Redstone Arsenal, AL is the contractor (W58RGZ-05-C-0338). See also Aerovironment release.

April 12/10: A $12.3 million order for 216 retrofit kits to upgrade existing analog Ravens to digital data link capabilities. Aerovironment release.

April 6/10: A $6.8 million firm-fixed-price contract exercises a priced option for 51 US Marine Corps RQ-11B systems with digital data links plus 51 initial spares packages and contractor logistics support.

Work is to be performed in Simi Valley, CA, with an estimated completion date of March 29/11. One bid was solicited with one bid received by U.S. Army Contracting Command/CCAM-AR-A at Redstone Arsenal, AlL (W58RGZ-05-C-0338).

Feb 23/10: AeroVironment in Monrovia, CA announces that it received firm fixed-price orders valued at $20.7 million for digital Raven UAVs and digital retrofit kits, and $17.1 million for Raven system spare parts, repairs and training services for the US Army and US Marine Corps. The Raven system and retrofit order represents a portion of the $121 million appropriated for RQ-11 Raven system procurement in the FY 2010 Department of Defense Appropriations Act. The items and services provided under these awards are scheduled to be delivered over the next 12 months.

Dec 21/09: AeroVironment in Monrovia, CA announces that it recieved a $23.9 million firm-fixed-price contract modification to supply digital RQ-11 Raven hand-held UAVs and digital kits to upgrade existing analog RQ-11s being used by the US Army and US Marine Corps. If all options are exercised, the potential value of the contract modification is $66.6 million.

Additional Readings

• Aerovironment – UAS: Raven

• USAF Fact Sheet – RQ-11B Raven

• Army Technology – RQ-11 Raven Unmanned Aircraft System, USA

• Designation Systems – AeroVironment RQ-11 Raven

• DID – Handling UAV-Generated Huge Data Volumes

• U.S. Department of Defense (Nov 9/10) – Armed with Science. Describes how Spartans (U.S Army 2nd Heavy Brigade Combat Team) employed the Raven system to reduce enemy attacks on U.S. forces.

• National Defense Magazine (November 2009) – Army to Expand Raven Family of Unmanned Aircraft

• DID (Feb 24/05) – Raven UAV Draws Raves from the Field

Americas

• Competitors involved in the upcoming T-X program will have the opportunity to score bonus points according to a draft request for proposals (RFP) by the USAF. The inclusion comes as part of an incentive by the service to push manufacturers to exceed the threshold requirements in certain performance areas. For example, the minimum requirement is for the jet to pull 6.5g in a turn. Exceeding the specification by each 0.1g will earn a bonus point, with a cap at 7.5g. This system will, in theory, edge out low cost bids.

• Two contracts are to be awarded by the USAF in 2017 for a new Inter Continental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) weapons system, or ground-based strategic deterrent. On Friday, the service released a request for proposals for the replacement of the existing Minutemen III ICBMs as part of the military’s costly modernization of its atomic weapons systems. The next ten years will see up to $350 billion spent on the modernization with some analysts suggesting the costs will run in excess of $1 trillion over 30 years.

Europe

• As part of the European Reassurance Initiative package, Ukraine has received 24 RQ-11B Raven UAV systems from the US. The hand-launched reconnaissance and surveillance tool are being given to help increase and modernize Ukrainian security efforts amid ongoing violence in the country’s eastern regions. More than $600 million has been made available by the US for training and equipment to help Kiev better defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity.

• Two C-23B+ Super Sherpa transport aircraft due to be inducted into the Estonian Air Force have been dropped by the authorities. The two were offered on a free transfer by the US back in 2014, however are no longer deemed necessary to the service’s needs. First used by the USAF in 1985, Estonia along with Djibouti and the Philippines were offered the aircraft as well, along with several being transferred to Alaska.

• The latest version of the Mi-28NM has been spotted at the Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant, with pictures capturing the attack helicopter on its first hover. In development since 2008, a prototype first flew in 2015 with further tests to continue before delivery to the Russian Defense Ministry later this year. The improved version comes equipped with surveillance radar, an advanced suite of optical-electronic sensors mounted in the new nose turret, and a dual control system which allows the navigator-operator to operate the machine if required.

Asia Pacific

• India has finally inked a deal with Rosoboronexport to modernize ten Ka-28 naval helicopters. Valued at Rs 2,000 crore ($428.8 million), the contract will see the submarine hunting helicopters transported to Russian Helicopters’ facility in Kumertau to be overhauled to extend their life-span over the next five years. Upon return to India, new avionics will be installed.

• Japan is to upgrade their Patriot PAC-3 missile defense system with Missile Segment Enhancement (MSE) interceptors with upgrades likely to begin next year. With Tokyo set to host the Olympic Games in 2020, the move represents the most significant upgrade to Japan’s missile defense system in a decade. The work will be carried out under license by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) who are expected to upgrade 12 batteries in the first year, another 12 the following year, with four in the subsequent twelve months.

• Kazakhstan has taken possession of their fifth of eight ordered C-295 transport aircraft from Airbus. Two were originally delivered in 2013 with options to increase to eight if necessary. The C-295 has proved a popular choice, with Airbus supplying the aircraft to over 20 international customers.

Today’s Video

The Mil Mi-28 Night Hunter:

LGM-30G Minuteman III
(click to view full)

For 50 years, land-based Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBMs) have been part of the US primary strategic deterrence capability, the nuclear-armed triad that also includes submarine-launched ballistic missiles and long range heavy bombers.

Although the main target for the US deterrent – the Soviet Union – imploded in 1991, other threats – such as nuclear-armed rogue states and non-state actors – have emerged. To address these new threats, the US Air Force undertook a major ICBM modernization program.

To carry out this program, the USAF awarded a 15-year ICBM Prime Integration Contract (F42610-98-C-0001) in 1997 to a team led by Northrop Grumman. Since then, the team, which includes Lockheed Martin, Boeing, and ATK, has been carrying out a major modernization of the ICBM system to ensure its readiness.

ICBM Prime Minuteman III launch

The ICBM Prime Integration Contract covers modernization of thousands of missile propulsion, guidance, re-entry, and ground system components. The goal is to extend the US Minuteman III ICBM’s life to 2030.

Some of the larger programs covered by the contract include:

• ICBM Security Modernization Program, which is implementing steps to keep nuclear-tipped ICBMs securely in their silos;

• Safety Enhanced Re-entry Vehicle (SERV) Program, which is fitting Minuteman III ICBMs with the Mk 21 re-entry vehicle from the decommissioned Peacekeeper missile force – a change that will provide US Strategic Command planners with increased targeting flexibility and enhanced safety;

• Propulsion Replacement Program, which is remanufacturing motors to replace Minuteman III’s aging propellant to maintain booster reliability;

• Guidance Replacement Program, which is substituting the NS-50 missile guidance set for aging 1960s vintage guidance electronics, improving flight reliability, system maintainability, and nuclear safety;

• Propulsion System Rocket Engine Life Extension Program, which is replacing engine components originally produced in the 1970s that had a 10-year design life;

• Rapid Execution and Combat Targeting Service Life Extension Program, which is updating ICBM command and control capability;

• Minuteman Minimum Essential Emergency Communications Network program, which upgraded communications in all Minuteman III launch control centers and also connected these systems to the Milstar satellite communications system; and

• Improvement to the launch control centers, accomplished through the Environmental Control System program, which is upgrading climate controls to ensure that electronics and ground support systems are maintained at specified pre-set temperatures.

Contracts and Key Events Still Ready.

Numerous contract modifications have been issued under the ICBM Prime Integration Contract (F42610-98-C-0001). Below are contract modifications covered by DID over the years. Unless otherwise noted, the contracts are awarded by Hill Air Force Base in northern Utah to Northrop Grumman Space and Mission Systems in Clearfield, UT.

August 1/16: Two contracts are to be awarded by the USAF in 2017 for a new Inter Continental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) weapons system, or ground-based strategic deterrent. On Friday, the service released a request for proposals for the replacement of the existing Minutemen III ICBMs as part of the military’s costly modernization of its atomic weapons systems. The next ten years will see up to $350 billion spent on the modernization with some analysts suggesting the costs will run in excess of $1 trillion over 30 years.

June 8/16: 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.”

March 14/11: Lockheed Martin announces it received a $12.5 million contract from Northrop Grumman for refurbishment of re-entry vehicle arming and fuzing assemblies for the Minuteman III. Under the subcontract, Lockheed Martin Space System’s Valley Forge facility in King of Prussia, PA will replace components and refurbish and test the assemblies. The subcontract includes an option for a second year. Under an earlier contract in 2009, Lockheed Martin demonstrated the feasibility of the refurbishment effort. Lockheed Martin is the original equipment manufacturer for the arming and fuzing assembly.

Oct 6/10: Lockheed Martin announces it received a $106 million contract from Northrop Grumman to develop next-generation re-entry field support equipment (RFSE) for the Minuteman III. Under the 58-month contract, Lockheed Martin will design, develop, test, and deliver 2 sets of RFSE, with an additional 10 RFSE sets to be delivered in a follow-on contract. The RFSE will replace the aging Minuteman III Re-entry System Test Set (RSTS). Lockheed Martin will continue to sustain the RSTS, for which it is the original equipment manufacturer, until deployment of the replacement RFSE, which will be used, along with SERV support equipment, to test Mk12A and Mk21 re-entry vehicles.

April 19/10: $33.8 million to provide sustainment support for the Minuteman weapon system. At this time, $31.8 has been obligated.

April 2/10: $15.3 million contract to provide a Minuteman enhancement reliability accelerometer engineering and feasibility study, Phase III, prototype phase. At this time, $10.9 million has been obligated.

Dec 24/09: A $16.3 million firm-fixed-price contract modification for the exercise of options 12 and 13 for the Propulsion System Rocket Engine Life Extension Program.

Nov 19/09: A $31.1 million contract modification to provide for the Remote Visual Assessment Program in support of the ICBM Security Modernization Program.

Dec 21/06: A $53.1 million fixed-price-incentive-firm and cost-plus-award fee contract modification, exercising option 1 to continue upgrading the Environmental Control System for the Minuteman III ICBM system. Work is expected to be complete October 2008.

Nov 1/06: A $225.2 million cost-plus-fixed fee, cost-plus-incentive fee contract modification to remanufacture Stage 1, 2, and 3 rockets motors and offer product quality assurance test support. The contractor will provide 75 complete booster components sets (one each Stage 1, 2 and 3 motors and an ordnance kit) and 2 product quality assurance test motors.

April 6/06: A $34.8 million cost-plus incentive-fee contract modification to begin to provide for full rate production of Minuteman III Safety Enhanced Reentry Vehicles (SERV) on US ICBMs. The scheduled completion date is March 2010.

March 17/06: A $7.7 million fixed price incentive (firm target) award fee, firm-fixed price contract modification for Guidance Replacement Program (GRP) full rate production (FRP) Value Engineering Change Proposal 01-OPIC-030 and 01-IPIC-0009.

March 17/06: A $25 million fixed price incentive firm with award fee contract modification. This contract will provide environmental control system units, deployment activities, and interim contractor support to upgrade the launch facilities and missile alert facilities at the 3 US ICBM missile wings. Work is expected to be complete October 2007.

Jan 19/06: A $225.2 million cost-plus-incentive-fee, cost-plus-award-fee contract modification for ICBM Propulsion Replacement Program. Full Rate Production (FRP) options FRP5, FRP6, and FRP7 restructure modification for 212 stage 1, 2 and 3 rocket motors, production quality assurance, ordnance production, and contractor cost data reports.

Sept 20/05: A $122.7 million cost plus award fee contract modification to exercise option VIII for the ICBM Prime Integrated Contract to support the Minuteman ICBM. Work on the contract will be complete by September 2006.

June 20/05: A $5.9 million cost-plus award-fee contract modification to ensure that US ICBM Reentry Vehicles (which carry nuclear warheads) remain functional until retirement and that an industrial base exists to support replacement follow-on systems. Work is expected to be complete by June 2007.

May 19/05: A $24 million cost-plus award-fee contract modification to provide for ICBM Security Modernization Program Fast Rising B-Plug Low Rate Initial Production; 15 B-Plug Kits and 6 B-Plug Kit Installations will be produced under this contract modification. Work is expected to be complete by September 2007.

Additional Readings

• DID (Nov 19/09) – No Dr. Strangelove Here: USAF Takes Steps to Beef Up ICBM Security

• DID (Dec 21/06) – $53.1M for Minuteman III ECS Upgrades

• DID (Nov 1/06) – $225.2M to Remanufacture Minuteman III Rocket Motors

• DID (April 6/06) – SERV Program for “Safety Enhanced” Nuclear Warhead RVs Enters Full-Rate Production

• DID (March 17/06) – $32.7M to N-G as Part of US ICBM Refurbishment

• DID (Jan 19/06) – US Spends $225.2M for 212 ICBM Rocket Motors

• DID (Sept 20/05) – MX Missiles Deactivated, Minutemen at the Ready (updated)

• DID (June 20/05) – $5.9M to Keep ICBM Warheads Operational

• DID (May 19/05) – $24M for ICBM Security Doors

• DID (April 11/05) – $7M to Upgrade ICBM Readiness Testing

Mi-28N with MMR
(click to view full)

In August 2012, Russian Lt. Gen. Viktor Bondarev pledged that the state would buy 60 Mi-28UB attack and training helicopters by 2020. That would be good news for the VVS, as well as the Rosvertol plant at Rostov on Don.

Russia is slowly modernizing its military, and its attack helicopter force is one of the areas being given priority. New Ka-52 Alligator and Mi-28N Night Hunter machines are beginning to replace the VVS’ 240 or so old Mi-24 gunships, but training has been an issue for the nascent Mi-28 fleet.

The Mi-28 Attack Helicopter Aerobatics video

Flight International’s World Air Forces 2013 places the VVS’ Mi-28N inventory at 51 machines, with another 19 on order. The new Mi-28UB model, introduced in 2013, includes an enlarged cockpit for the instructor, and a larger canopy for the pilot. It can be flown from either the pilot’s cockpit or the second seat, and it retains full attack helicopter functionality.

Implementation of Bondarev’s promise would give Russia 130 Mi-28s by 2020, alongside 140+ Ka-52s. That would more than replace the current Mi-24 Hind fleet, and Russia has also ordered 60+ modernized Mi-35M Hinds to help fill in the gaps.

The Mi-28N is most often compared to the American AH-64, as it shares the same basic heavily-armed attack helicopter layout. The specifications above illustrate some of the basic differences between the 2 machines, but the bigger differences relate to concept of employment, and are reflected in harder to see areas like onboard electronics.

Russia is the largest Mi-28 operator, with 70 machines delivered or on order. Flight International’s World Air Forces 2013 also lists 16 Mi-28s ordered by Kenya, with 5 delivered, and Iraq is reportedly in the process of buying about 30 Mi-28NEs. If a deal is done, the Iraqi helicopters’ configuration may serve as a proxy for assessing the state of the platform’s development.

Rosvertol stated in a June 6/10 investors announcement that Algeria had expressed interest in up to 42 machines, and that became a contract in December 2013. Iraq has also purchased 15, and a Rostvertol report cited serious prospects in Egypt, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.

India trialed the Mi-28N against the AH-64D, and chose the American helicopter in 2011. Indian media reported that the AH-64D displayed better maneuverability, more multi-role capability, and better capacity to accept upgrades.

Contracts & Key Events Mi-28UB, 1st flight
(click to view full)

The Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant developed the Mi-28N Night Hunter, and they’ve been produced at the Rosvertol aviation plant since 2005.

August 1/16: The latest version of the Mi-28NM has been spotted at the Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant, with pictures capturing the attack helicopter on its first hover. In development since 2008, a prototype first flew in 2015 with further tests to continue before delivery to the Russian Defense Ministry later this year. The improved version comes equipped with surveillance radar, an advanced suite of optical-electronic sensors mounted in the new nose turret, and a dual control system which allows the navigator-operator to operate the machine if required.

April 26/16: Russia has placed an order for 24 Mi-28UB attack and two 26 transport helicopters. Contracts were signed between Deputy Defense Minister Yuri Berisov and Director General of Russian Helicopters Alexander Mikheyev. The Mi-28 are to be the first procured to come with dual controls and improved flight crew ergonomics. Improvements to the helicopter come as the Russian military aims to improve combat training speeds for crews alongside increasing the helicopter’s operability, safety and combat capabilities.

June 12/14: Rostvertol report. Rosvertol’s 2013 annual report contains a number of interesting details regarding its orders. Deliveries to Russia are confirmed at 14 Mi-28Ns and 1 Mi-28UB. Evidence is conflicting, but the report also cites a 2013 prototype launch for the of Mi-28UB OP-1, and the helicopter and its and its mast mounted radar enclosure are photographed.

Iraq [foreign customer K-8] has its October 2012 order confirmed at 15 machines, and Algeria [foreign customer 012] is confirmed to have ordered 42 Mi-28NE attack helicopters on Dec 26/13. That Mi-28NE order makes them the type’s 2nd export customer after Iraq (15), but they are the largest. Other serious prospects include Egypt [customer 818], Turkmenistan [customer 795], and Uzbekistan [customer 860].

The report adds that Mi-28s have been having problems with increased vibration in the main gearbox. They decided to continue operations with an upgraded set of main gears in the 1st stage. Sources: Rostvertol PLC, “Annual Report ‘Rosvertol’, ZA2013 Year | LiveJournal bmpd [in Russian, incl. photos].

Dec 25/13: Russian Helicopters JSC announces that:

"The Mi-28N Night Hunter combat helicopter, made by Russian Helicopters a subsidiary of Oboronprom and part of State Corporation Rostec, has officially entered into service with the Russian Defence Ministry under an order signed by Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu."

This is a formality. The Russians have of course been flying them for several years now, and the Mi-28N has served as the mount for Russia's Golden Eagles (Berkuty) helicopter aerobatics team since 2012. Sources: Russian Helicopters, "Mi-28N Night Hunter helicopter enters into service with the Russian Defence Ministry".

Aug 10/13: Mi-28UB. Russian Lt. Gen. Viktor Bondarev says that they intend to buy 60 Mi-28UB helicopters by 2020, with a dual training and attack role. The intent is "4-6 [Mi-28UB] helicopters for each unit that has Mi-28N in service," allowing in-unit training while retaining combat power. Source: RIA Novosti, "Russian Air Force to Get 60 Mi-28UB Helicopters by 2020".

Aug 9/13: 1st flight. The Mi-28UB training and attack helicopter conducts its official maiden demonstration flight at the Rostvertol subsidiary in Rostov-on-Don. That plant manufactures Mi-28NE and Mi-35M attack helicopters, as well as Mi-26T super-heavy transport helicopters. The Mi-28UB model is distinguished from the Mi-28N by its dual pilot controls, in order to allow for training.

The Mi-28UB's next destination will be the Zhukovsky airfield near Moscow, for its public unveiling during MAKS 2013. Source: Russian Helicopters JSC Aug 9/13 release.

Dec 26/12: Mi-28NM. A Russian air force (VVS) official says that draft tactical and technical specifications for a modernized Mi-28NM have passed preliminary approval by VVS General Command. A commission on modernization of the Mi-28N had been set up in 2009.

The question is what might be in that modernization. The VK-2500-02 engine could be switched for the VK-2500-03 used in the Ka-52K, which has slightly higher maximum power. There have been some external questions regarding the operational readiness of the type's Arbalets mast-mounted radar, which is seen very rarely on photos of deployed helicopters, so improvements in that area are another possibility. Another obvious improvement area would involve communications technologies, and there's always room for improving an attack helicopter's weapons array. It will be interesting to see what choices they make. Source: RIA.RU [in Russian].

Nov 15/12: Deliveries. Interfax-AVN reports that Russia's Western Military District received 20 Mi-28N helicopters this year, and expects about 20 more in 2013. Deliveries are clearly picking up. Source: Russian Helicopters JSC.

June 2012: Radar. Take-off magazine reports that the helicopter's Arbalets radar may have appeared in pictures for over 7 years, but it's still a work in progress:

"The mast-mounted radar being developed for the Mi-28N by the Ryazan State Instrument-Making Plant cleared a number of test hurdles this spring. In March, the radar's interdepartmental performance tests were completed... April 2013 saw the completion of the radar-equipped Mi-28N's preliminary trials in the Moscow Region and the release of the acceptance report recommending the radar's employment as part of production-standard helicopters of the type. The last hurdle remaining is the joint special flight tests of the helicopter equipped with the radar. Depending on the outcome of the tests, a decision will be made to launch the radar's production.... Concurrently, the radar's export version, designated as N025E, is being developed to equip the Mi-28NE export model..."

Feb 15/11: Grounded. The VVS reportedly grounds its Mi-28 fleet after a crash near Starvopol kills the pilot. Source: Washington Post [dead link].

Additional Readings Background: Helicopter

• Russian Helicopters JSC - Mi-28N

• Take-off (June 2012) - New Mi-28N versions in the pipeline. Also deals with the state of the Arbalets radar.

• DID (July 20/06) - Russia Commits to Multi-Year Buy of 67 Mi-28 Attack Helicopters

• DID - Baby Come Back: Iraq is Buying Russian Weapons Again. Including Mi-28NEs.

Competitors

• DID - Russia’s Ka-52 Alligator Scout-Attack Helicopters

• DID - AH-64E Apache Block III: The Once and Future Attack Helicopter

• DID - Turkey Finally Lands Its Attack Helicopters. The T129 ATAK, formerly the A129 Mangusta.

• DID - Tiger, Tamed? Eurocopter’s New EC665 HAD Helicopters

Americas

• While Canada’s government continues to flounder on its CF-18 fighter replacement, it still continues to contribute to the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. Since the Liberal Party’s campaign promise to ditch the F-35 and launch a new replacement competition, they continued paying $33 million into the program. Meanwhile, consultations have taken place with fighter manufacturers which some see as simply giving the Liberals political cover to buy a plane other than the F-35 without holding a competition. If a fair and free competition were to include Lockheed Martin, a fair bet would be on the F-35 winning.

• Officials from South Korea and the US have met in Washington for their first set of talks to discuss the transfer of technologies for the former’s upcoming KF-X indigenous fighter. Approval had been given for the transfer of 21 technologies as part of Seoul’s commitment to purchase 40 F-35s, however Washington refused on four core technologies, saying they would need to be developed domestically by South Korea. The meeting saw further discussion of the core technologies in question as well as technologies related to the development of the medium-altitude UAV.

• A growth in Paveway guided bomb sales has resulted in Raytheon posting better than expected quarterly revenues for 2016. The sales saw the company’s missile division posting a 6% increase in the second quarter. International sales accounted for a third of all guided munitions with half of exports coming from governments in the Middle East and Africa.

Middle East North Africa

• The Israeli Air Force has announced that its first F-35I “Adir” fighter has flown in the USA and the flight of a second jet is expected shortly. A pilot from lead manufacturer Lockheed Martin will conduct a number of further tests prior to the fighters’ delivery to Israel on December 12. As with its existing fleets of F-15 and F-16s, Israeli F-35As will be heavily customized to suit the IAF’s needs.

Europe

• Despite Bexit, a falling Pound Sterling and a whole lot of uncertainty, BAE Systems has claimed recent events have not resulted in a short-term impact on their business. The company’s statement comes as it rolls out first-half results that show a small rise in revenues compared to 2015. Overall company revenues continued to be dominated by the US with 36 percent of revenues in the first half. Britain and Saudi Arabia remain the company’s other major markets.

Asia Pacific

• Plans for October? Mitsubishi’s X-2 stealth demonstrator is to go on public display at Gifu Air Base, Japan, on October 30. This will be one of the first times regular punters can get up close and personal with the new jet following its maiden flight in April. For those rushing to check those dates, authorities have advised to leave the cars at home and come via rail.

• The Indian government has backtracked on a plan to procure six A330 multi-role tanker transport (MRTT) aircraft for the Indian Air Force. This marks the second time that India has scrapped the aircraft’s tender which is estimated at $2 billion. But Airbus, already in the midst of financial hits due to its A400M transporter, seems to be remaining confident with an official saying the company “will engage with the Indian government in finding a way to bring the A330 MRTT’s capabilities to the IAF.”

• Negotiations continued regarding the modernization of 194 Sukhoi Su-30MKI aircraft operated by the Indian Air Force. A visiting delegation from Russia came to New Delhi to explain their “Super Sukhoi” concept, which if implemented, will give the aircraft near-fifth generation capabilities and effectiveness. With the deal expected to be finalized within four to six months, the project is expected to top $8 billion.

Today’s Video

India’s Super Sukhoi upgrade: