Defense Industry Daily

KAL A330-200
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South Korea is moving to buy 4 long-range aerial refueling tankers with secondary transport capabilities, with a budget of WON 2 billion (about $1.8 billion). That capability isn’t a huge priority on the Korean peninsula itself, but it’s very useful for international operations. It’s useful as a way of projecting regional power, as territorial disputes flare with China.

As Asian economies grow and militaries modernize, these factors have made long-range aerial refueling a growing regional priority. China, India, Pakistan and China deploy the Russian IL-78. Japan fields 4 Boeing KC-767As, and may raise that to 8 under recent plans. Similar American KC-46As will join them in the region after 2017. Elsewhere in the region, Australia (5) and Singapore (4) picked Airbus Defense & Space’s larger A330 MRTT instead, and India looks set to buy 6 at some point. What will the ROKAF do?

Contracts & Key Events

JASDF KC-767 & F-15J
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April 2/19: Second A330 MRTT South Korea reportedly received the second Airbus Defense and Space A330-200 Multi Role Tanker Transport aircraft. The country had ordered four MRTTs in 2015. The A-330-200 is designed as a dual-role air-to-air refueling and transport aircraft. The A330 MRTT has a maximum fuel capacity of 111,000 kg (245,000 lb) without the use of additional fuel tanks, which leaves space for the carriage of 45,000 kg (99,000 lb) of additional cargo. In the South Korean Air Force the tanker is known as the KC-330 Cygnus. The aircraft is expected to extend the reach of the Air Force’s strike aircraft into North Korea and improve strategic operations beyond the Korean Peninsula. The MRTT is expected to become operational within a month and the two remaining platforms are scheduled to be delivered in November and December this year.

July 2/15:South Korea has selected Airbus’ bid to supply the country’s Air Force with four refueling tankers, beating competitors Israel Aerospace Industries and Boeing for the $1.07 billion program. The winning bid – the A330 MRTT – dashed Boeing’s hopes of securing its first export order for the KC-46A, which saw a strong dollar raise its bid price compared with a weakened euro for the European bid. The four tankers are scheduled for delivery in 2019.

March 13/15: South Korea opted to delay the deployment of the future acquired tankers, as the selection process is taking longer than anticipated.

Nov 23/14: The Korea Herald confirms that Boeing (KC-46A 767), Airbus (A330 MRTT), and IAI (B767 MMTT) are all competing in Korea, but there’s a hitch, as an unnamed DAPA official explains:

“We are nearing the tail end of our price negotiations. But the competitors’ proposals regarding the [industrial economic] offset agreements are yet to satisfy our targets. Thus, there may be a delay in choosing the winner…. we are trying our best now in consideration of our best national interests. We may need at least one or two more months to finish negotiations.”

Either plane type will have widespread support infrastructure, with about 1,000 planes of each type in global service. Boeing is touting the KC-46A’s NBC (Nuclear, Biological, Chemical) hardening in like of North Korean stockpiles, interoperability with the USAF, and lower operating costs for a country that may not need the A330’s extra size and range. Airbus touts a more capable A330/ KC-30B platform that will actually be ready, and is already proven in regional service. IAI touts the 767’s infrastructure and operating benefits at about half the cost of its rivals, freeing up funds for other military projects. On the flip side, IAI lacks their rivals’ easy resort to passenger airline production work for industrial offsets. Sources: Korea Herald, “Competition heats up for tanker procurement deal”.

Nov 19/14: KC-46A. The USAF publicly admits what KC-46A program watchers already know: Boeing is essentially out of schedule margin to deliver the 767-based KC-46As on time by 2017. The USAF is still describing the contract as “achievable,” but so many things have to go right that this isn’t a smart bet for outside observers. The USAF won’t really say anything else until disaster is certain, though, because the admission will make the service look bad. Airbus publicly predicted this exact outcome when the USAF overturned their A330 KC-45A in favor of Boeing’s developmental design.

South Korea wants to receive tankers no later than 2019, but any significant slippage getting the initial set of 17 delivered to the USAF and approved would begin to create delivery risks for Korea. Since testing hasn’t even begun yet, the ROKAF needs to think carefully. Sources: Reuters, “US Air Force sees challenges on Boeing KC-46 tanker program”.

June 30/14: Boeing. Boeing confirms that they’ve formally offered South Korea the KC-46A tanker being developed for the USAF, rather than the KC-767 model that’s already in service with Japan and Italy. They tout the KC-46A’s quick-conversion main deck cargo floor, but make a point of mentioning this in the face of North Korea’s WMD arsenal, and ability to target ROKAF bases with missiles:

“Unique among tankers, the KC-46 can operate in chemical, biological and nuclear conditions, features cockpit armor for protection from small arms fire, and can also operate from a large variety of smaller airfields and forward-deployed austere bases.”

Sources: Boeing, “Boeing Offers Next-Generation KC-46 Tanker in Republic of Korea Competition”.

May 21/14: Proposals are due in June 2014, and briefing sessions in Korea lead to the standard statements from the 2 main competitors. Airbus is touting the A330 MRTT’s larger fuel reserves, while Boeing touts the KC-46A’s lower cost due to volume production and its smaller size. They’re also promising that they can deliver KC-46As to Korea beginning in 2017, which is their deadline to finish the USAF’s development phase.

Other governments in the region have employed national airlines as maintenance contractors for their new fleets. In KAL’s case, they operate A330-200s, but no 767s in their Boeing-tilted fleet of 737s, 747s, and 777s. Sources: Korean Times, “Boeing, Airbus compete for Seoul’s flight tanker project”.

May 20/14: Boeing. Eric John is the new President of Boeing Korea, after a 30-year career in the US Foreign Service that included 3 tours of Korea. Sources: Boeing, “Boeing Announces New Leader for Korea”.

November 2013: South Korea finalizes its tanker program at a maximum cost of WON 2 trillion ($1.8 billion). Sources: Korean Times, “Boeing, Airbus compete for Seoul’s flight tanker project”.

Oct 22/13: Industrial. Boeing announces that assembly of the 3rd KC-46A aircraft and 2nd boom are underway. They sound confident that manufacturing of the initial batch of 4 aircraft remains on track to be completed by Q3 2014.

This would be good news for their USAF client, and would also help the company make its case in South Korea, where parliament is about to review whether to proceed with a competition for 4 tankers, to be delivered in 2017-19. Sources: Boeing, Oct 22/13 release.

Aug 7/13: Requirements. Yonhap reports that South Korea may acquire 4 aerial refueling tankers by 2019. It seems to be at the discussion level rather than a firm decision. If it proceeds, Boeing’s KC-46A and Airbus Military’s A330 MRTT are seen as the logical contenders, and the 2019 date makes the KC-767 a viable possibility.

The A330’s challenge is that, unlike Australia, South Korea’s zone of action doesn’t really need the A330’s range and size. That will make the extra expense problematic. It’s also worth noting that South Korea already has significant defense relationships with Israel’s IAI. That could create an opening for IAI’s much cheaper K-767 MMTT option, which is also on offer to Singapore. Sources: Yonhap News, “Air Force to acquire 4 aerial refueling tankers by 2019”.

Additional Readings

• Airbus – A330 MRTT.

• DID FOCUS – KC-46A Pegasus Aerial Tanker: The USAF’s Top Priority Program.

• Boeing – KC-46A tanker. The 767 variant that will be flown by the USAF.

• Boeing – KC-767 Global Tanker. Sold to Italy and Japan, and in service, but Boeing preferred the higher-risk, higher-rewards approach of promising the KC-46A.

• IAI – B767 capabilities [PDF]. The Multi-Mode Tanker Transport conversion involves used 767s, which saves money. On the other hand, neither Brazil nor Colombia ordered IAI’s boom unit, and most of the ROKAF’s aircraft need refueling booms.

Americas

The US Navy tapped General Electric for support of the F404 engine components used on the F/A-18 Hornet aircraft. The $77.6 million contract action provides for repair, replacement, and program support of 35 family groups of the F404. The General Electric F404 is an afterburning turbofan engine specifically developed for the Hornets. The F404 is based on the YJ101 engine, which General Electric had developed for the Northrop YF-17 but it enlarged the bypass ratio from .20 to .34 enabling higher fuel economy. More than 3,700 F404s are in service, including the engines on the Hornets operated by the Air Forces of Australia, Canada, Finland, Kuwait, Malaysia, Spain and Switzerland. The F404 has more than 10 million flight hours of outstanding operating experience and is combat-proven. A few days ago during the LIMA-19, the left F404-400 engine of a F/A-18D fighter of the Malaysian Air Force experienced a flameout 50 feet above the ground during a solo display. General Electric will perform work under the contract action in Jacksonville, Florida as well as at other facilities and will approximately be finished by March 2020.

The Naval Surface Warfare Center awarded Ultra Electronics Ocean Systems $46.8 million to support new construction of Arleigh Burke Class Destroyers. The deal has Ultra Electronics provide TR-343 Sonar Transducers shipsets, which is part of the AN/SQS-53 hull mounted sonar array assembly. The AN/SQS-53 is a component of AN/SQQ-89(V) acoustic sonar weapons system – a fully integrated surface ship undersea warfare combat system with the capability to search, detect, classify, localize, and attack submarine targets. The AN/SQS-53 is a computer-controlled surface-ship sonar that has active and passive operating capabilities providing precise information for ASW weapons control and guidance. It is a large bulb-like structure built into the bows below the water line of US Navy Arleigh Burke Class Destroyers, Ticonderoga Class Cruisers, and Japanese Navy Kongo Class destroyers. The contract has Ultra Electronics provide fabrication, assembly, inspection, test and delivery of TR-343 sonar transducer shipsets in Braintree, Massachusetts. Work is scheduled to be complete by March 2024.

Raytheon won an $18.7 million delivery order from the Naval Air Systems Command for 120 Navigation and Communication Advanced Communications Architecture Antenna Kits for the Tomahawk Block IV All-Up-Round recertification. The Tomahawk is the primary ship-based cruise missile in use by the US Navy, as well as many foreign allied fleets. It is a long-range, all-weather, sub-sonic cruise missile. The Block IV missiles have an improved turbofan engine allowing throttle control, in-flight speed changes, better fuel economy and quicker launch times. They have enhanced loiter capabilities and are equipped with a real-time targeting system for striking fleeing targets as well as onboard electro-optical sensors allowing for real-time battle damage assessment. Work for the Navigation and Communication Advanced Communications Architecture Antenna Kits will take place in Colorado and Arizona and will approximately be completed in September 2020.

Middle East & Africa

The US Navy contracted Northrop Grumman $104 million for the procurement of up to 503 technical refresh mission computers for the UH-1Y Venom, AH-1Z Viper, and UH-60V Black Hawk aircraft. The deal includes units, retrofit units, and spare units not only for the US Marine Corps and the US Defense Logistics Agency, but also for the government of Bahrain under the Foreign Military Sales Act. The Venom is a twin-engine, medium-sized utility chopper providing command & control and assault support under day/night and adverse weather conditions. The UH-1Y is the most significant upgrade ever made to the battle-proven H-1 helicopter. At the heart of the upgrade is a new four-bladed, all-composite and ballistically tolerant (up to 23 mm) rotor system. The Viper is a twin-engine attack helicopter based on the AH-1W SuperCobra developed for the US Marine Corps. It features a four-blade, bearingless, composite main rotor system, upgraded avionics and a new target sighting system. In February, Bell Helicopter won $240 million to manufacture and deliver 12 AH-1Z attack helicopters to Bahrain. The UH-60V Black Hawk is the upgraded version of the UH-60L with the glass cockpit of the UH-60M. Upgrades feature a centralized processor with a partitioned, modular operational flight program enabling capabilities to be added as software-only modifications. Work for the technical refresh mission computers will take place in Utah, Maryland, and California and is scheduled to be finished in December 2023.

South African defense and aerospace company Paramount Group launched its Marauder AV and personal carrier with the Nigerian Air Force. The company did not disclose how many vehicles were delivered to Nigeria. According to reports, The country is bolstering its efforts to effectively tackle a range of threats posed by various terrorist and extremist groups. The 15-tonne Marauder is a uniquely designed armored land system. It can be reconfigured as either a troop carrier or combat vehicle, maintaining excellent cross-country agility while reaching a top speed of 120 km/hr over challenging terrains. The Marauder can carry a crew of two and eight dismounts. The vehicle has a blast protection of STANAG 4569 levels 3A and 3B standards, which can be increased to Level 4 standards with add-on kits. The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) is in the process of training its own force protection and special forces components. On March 15, the NAF announced that it had graduated the first class of Nigerian-trained special forces personnel.

Europe

As Jane’s reports, the Romanian Piranha 5 program is facing delays. General Dynamics European Land Systems-Mowag still needs to deliver the first batch of 30 vehicles. The Mowag Piranha 5 is a fighting vehicle that provides protection against current threats. According to General Dynamics, its integrated modular and adaptable survivability system can also be tailored to protect against future threats. The first eight Piranha 5s were delivered to Romania during the third quarter of 2018 and the first 36 products should have been delivered within 12 months of the signing of the contract. The delay is however still in the 60-day grace period, which mean the company still has time to deliver.

Asia-Pacific

Insitu won a $10 million contract modification from the US Navy for the procurement of one ScanEagle Unmanned Aircraft System that consists of six ScanEagle Air Vehicles, technical services and related support equipment for the government of Indonesia. The ScanEagle is solidly based on Insitu’s original “Insight” platform, with different variants distinguished by their payloads and accompanying equipment rather than their aerodynamic design. The UAVs are launched by catapult, and autonomously recovered using a folding “skyhook” and catch-line. In July 2018 the Indonesian Navy announced it was establishing a new squadron called the Skadron Udara 700, primarily tasked with UAV maritime surveillance missions, that would operate the ScanEagle UAS. In 2018 the country has ordered four ScanEagles. Work under the current modification will take place within the US and is expected to be complete in May, 2022. Foreign Military Sales funds in the amount of $9,919,602 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year.

Today’s Video

Watch: Finally: Royal Navy’s new vessel HMS Forth begins training

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Low value. Corrupt. Aid-driven. Despite the odd exception like Algeria, and South Africa’s indigenous defense industry, most people think of these terms when they think of the African defense market. Analyst firm Forecast International sees a different picture, however: “tomorrow’s growth market for the global defense industry.”

This assessment didn’t come from reading Nigerian email solicitations. F.I. admits that overall African spending isn’t expected to suddenly become impressive: 3.5% increases year-on-year from 2007-2011 to $15.9 billion, with under 20% of defense budgets slated for procurement.

That isn’t much to write home about, but “African Market Overview” author Matthew Ritchie sees the opportunities in much more specific terms. Meanwhile, Konstantin Makienko of Moscow Defence Brief discusses the key features of the arms market in Africa, and explains how they have worked to shift Russia out of its dominant role, in favor of China. His chronicle of Russian exports reveals at least one recent market success, however – in Sudan…

J-7 with weapons

Matthew Ritchie, Forecast International:

“…looking at the confluence of burgeoning security requirements and vast oil and [natural] gas reserves in the context of high energy prices and it becomes readily apparent that there is a collection of Africa nations demonstrating procurement characteristics reminiscent of the Middle East three decades ago.”

Algeria, Libya, and Nigeria are cited as key examples of the energy-wealth driven increases, and their specific increases are both higher and more procurement-driven than other African governments’. Growing oil production around the entire Gulf of Guinea could lift other boats as well, creating other nations with “rentier governments” with a correlated interest in overhauling their military capabilities in order to secure their position against external or internal hostility.

The African arms market has traditionally featured a US/European vs. Russian focus, thanks to the Cold War. Russia’s lack of interest in the uses its weapons are put to will continue to make them somewhat popular, and their Algerian natural gas for arms squeeze play aimed at Europe remains the most significant arms deal on the continent. China is a growing player in this market, however, for reasons that combine their ‘no strings’ policy and growing ties to the region created by China’s resource needs. Nigeria’s 2005 buy of J-7 fighters is a good example of that trend, and the relative low cost of Chinese export offerings is a plus in this market.

Konstantin Makienko of Moscow Defence Brief describes 3 key factors influencing most African arms purchases:

Economic weakness. This leaves a very few states as serious players who can buy new equipment, coupled with concentration of demand in lower market segments like used equipment.

High levels of localized conflict does drive demand for weapons, but the demand it drives is often the cheapest, simplest weapons with the fastest delivery times. This can be items like small arms, but basic items delivered from existing state stockpiles also have an edge.

Finally, the weakness of state institutions, pervasive corruption, and in many case the collapse of central government into ‘failed state’ status drive illegal arms sales in which non-state and even black market dealers thrive.

These dynamics, coupled with key losses during the 1990s in South Africa and Nigeria, have eroded Russia’s standing in favor of China, whose offerings and approach offer a much better fit with these characteristics. The biggest exception is Algeria, and even that deal has become shaky. Makienko’s chronicles the history of Russian defense exports to the region reveals another bright spot, however – Sudan, who is also a notable chinese arms and oil client.

Despite all this, Forecast International reports that American and European share of the total value of arms transfer agreements with Africa rose from 34% to 37% between 1999-2002 and 2003-2006. As the oil market drives military modernizations in a number of key African states, will that trend continue?

Updates

April 1/19: Nigerian Marauders South African defense and aerospace company Paramount Group launched its Marauder AV and personal carrier with the Nigerian Air Force. The company did not disclose how many vehicles were delivered to Nigeria. According to reports, The country is bolstering its efforts to effectively tackle a range of threats posed by various terrorist and extremist groups. The 15-tonne Marauder is a uniquely designed armored land system. It can be reconfigured as either a troop carrier or combat vehicle, maintaining excellent cross-country agility while reaching a top speed of 120 km/hr over challenging terrains. The Marauder can carry a crew of two and eight dismounts. The vehicle has a blast protection of STANAG 4569 levels 3A and 3B standards, which can be increased to Level 4 standards with add-on kits. The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) is in the process of training its own force protection and special forces components. On March 15, the NAF announced that it had graduated the first class of Nigerian-trained special forces personnel.

December 16/15: South African manufacturer Paramount Group has opened a new facility in Kazakhstan with the capacity to produce 200 armored vehicles per year. The facility’s opening is part of a technology transfer and local manufacturing model that Paramount has been pursuing with the aim of building alliances with governments and local partners. The factory will produce Paramount’s Marauder vehicle as well as a specialized winter version named the Arlan. The Arlan vehicle has been developed and tested in collaboration with the Kazakhstan military.

Additional Readings

• DID (March 29/12) – Super Tucano Counter-Insurgency Plane Makes Inroads Into Africa. Bought by Angola, Burkina Faso, and Mauritania

• South Africa’s Paramount Group (Nov 29/10) – Oil boom and terror fears fuel African defence spending spree. They use SIRPI’s figures of $23.6 billion for Africa-wide spending in 2007, and $27.7 billion in 2009.

• Forecast International (Dec 3/09) – African Defense Market Churning Despite Economic Woes

• DefPro (March 26/09) – Russia’s Presence in African Arms Market on the Decline

• DID (Feb 1/09) – China’s Unusual Deals Working to Grow African Arms Presence

Americas

The US Navy awarded Raytheon Space Airborne Systems $58 million for repair services for the APG-79 active electronically scanned array radar system used on the F/A-18 Super Hornets. The deal has Raytheon fix 25 weapon repairable assemblies for the AN/APG-79. The APG-79 AESA radar system utilizes active electric beam scanning, which provides nearly instantaneous track updates and multi-target tracking capability. It features an entirely solid-state antenna construction, which improves reliability and lowers the cost compared to a traditional system. The radar allows the Super Hornet crew to fire the AIM-120 AMRAAM, while at the same time guiding several missiles to several targets widely spaced in azimuth, elevation or range. Its X-band radar allows for higher resolution imaging, helping with target identification and discrimination. Raytheon delivered the first low rate production APG-79 radar set to Boeing Integrated Defense Systems in Saint Louis on January 13, 2005. Up to 415 radar sets were expected to follow the first one to outfit US Navy’s Super Hornets beginning in September 2006. On 28 June 2005, Boeing awarded Raytheon a $580 million multi year procurement contract for 190 APG-79 radars to equip the US Navy’s F/A-18E/F and EA-18G aircraft. Raytheon will perform work in Forest, Mississippi and will approximately be finished by March 2022.

The Air Force tapped CAE USA with a $7.3 million modification to support the KC-135 Aircrew Training System. The KC-135 Stratotanker is a military aerial refueling aircraft that features four turbofans, mounted on 35-degree swept wings. The tanker platform enhances the Air Force’s capability to accomplish its primary mission of global reach. The turbofans power the KC-135 to takeoffs at gross weights of up to 322,500 pounds. A cargo deck above the refueling system can hold a mixed load of passengers and cargo. Depending on fuel storage configuration, the KC-135 can carry up to 83,000 pounds of cargo. CAE USA is the prime contractor in the KC-135 Aircrew Training System program and connects the KC-135 simulator fleet to a virtual network where they can train with other aircrews in simulators representing various platforms to provide virtual air refueling. The KC-135 aircrew training devices help train more than 3,500 KC-135 aircrews annually. The current modification provides for collective bargaining agreement wage adjustments resulting from Fair Labor Standards Act and Service Contract Act, and brings the total cumulative face value of the contract to $464,618,081. Work will take place at Altus Air Force Base, Air Reserve Base, Pittsburgh Air National Guard Base and various other locations and is scheduled to be complete by the end of the year.

Middle East & Africa

BlueForce won a $12.3 million task order from the US Air Force for the Royal Saudi Air Force (RSAF) English Language Training outside the continental US program. BlueForce is a global professional services firm focusing on Department of Defense and Department of State clients. Back in 2016 BlueForce won an award to provide English Language Training to RSAF military students. The company mobilized a team of 86 ELT instructors to Saudi Arabia. Work for the new task order will be performed at King Abdul Aziz Base, Saudi Arabia, and is scheduled to be finished by January 3, 2024. Foreign Military Sales funds in the full amount are being obligated at the time of award.

Europe

The US Department of State approved a deal for Belgium to procure General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc (GA-ASI) MQ-9B SkyGuardian Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS). The proposed sale also includes related equipment and the cost is estimated at $600 million. The approval specifically covers four SkyGuardian medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and two fixed ground control stations (GCSs), as well as sensors, ancillary equipment, training, and a five-year support package. Belgium plans to use the SkyGuardian for intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition, and reconnaissance (ISTAR) in support of national, NATO, United Nation-mandated, and other coalition operations. The SkyGuardian is a next-generation, type-certifiable variant of Predator B (MQ-9B) multi-mission remotely piloted aircraft. It can carry out missions such as intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR), maritime patrol, border surveillance and disaster relief.

According to Reuters, Germany’s social democratic and junior coalition party, SPD wants to allow some arms exports to Saudi Arabia. Germany had imposed a weapon embargo on Saudi Arabia due to the situation in Yemen as well as concerns about the country’s role in the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. The ban was actually scheduled to end on March 9, but at the beginning of the month, it was reported, that Germany would extend the embargo until the end of March. Germany’s security council will decide whether to extend the ban on Wednesday. SPD’s wish to allow exports is not likely to be received well by its conservative coalition partners. The move would however ease concerns from Britain and France, that the ban may threaten joint tank, combat jet and drone development.

Asia-Pacific

The Royal Australian Navy’s second Hobart-Class Air Warfare Destroyer, HMAS Brisbane, has completed trials to validate a number of its weapons systems including the Aegis combat system. The tests also included the Seaworthy Assurance Trials (SWATs) and lasted over a period of three weeks. The successful completion of the trials ensured Brisbane can now provide positive assurance to the Chief of Navy that she is capable of operating in a range of different scenarios. The Aegis Weapons Systems were tested in several areas, and functions of the ship were assessed, from the propulsion and organic services to the combat and weapons systems. The Hobart-class is the first class of Australian surface combatants to be built around the Aegis combat system. The Hobart-Class will replace the Adelaide-Class Frigates. They feature an overall length of 47.2 meters (483 ft), a maximum beam of 18.6 meters (61 ft), and a draught of 5.17 meters (17.0 ft).

The Royal Malaysian Air Force’s Sukhoi fleet won a new lease of life, for the next 15 years, under a $539.5 million full refurbishment package. Two squadrons of 18 Sukhoi Su-30MKM, based at Gong Kedak in Terengganu, are being given a full refurbishment package which includes service life extension for the Flankers’ airframe, avionics, weapons systems and overhaul of its engines, until 2035. The SU-30MKM is a supermaneuverable fighter that carries missile approach warning sensor (MAWS) and laser warning sensor (LWS) manufactured by South African company Avitronics. It can carry up to 8,000 kg of weapons and payloads over 700 nmi unrefueled combat radius.

Today’s Video

Watch: Finland’s HX F/A-18 Hornet replacement programme

AN/APG-79 AESA Radar
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The AN/APG-79 Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar began life as a replacement. Initial F/A-18 E/F Super Hornet production batches installed Raytheon’s all-weather, multimode AN/APG-73, but the APG-79 has intrinsic technical features that offered revolutionary increases in capability, reliability, image resolution, and range.

Unlike the APG-73 that equipped the first Super Hornets, the APG-79’s AESA array is composed of numerous solid-state transmit and receive modules that are fixed in place, eliminating a common cause of breakdowns. To move their beams, they rely on electronic changes in each module’s transmissions, creating useful interference patterns in order to aim, focus and shape their output. Other system components include an advanced receiver/exciter, ruggedized commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) processor, and power supplies. With its open systems architecture and compact COTS parts, it changes what both aircrews and maintenance staff can do with a fighter radar – and does so in a smaller, lighter package.

AN/APG-79 & The AESA Advantage The APG-79 Program

APG-79 usage concept
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The AN/APG-79 will replace Raytheon’s own AN/APG-73 on F/A-18 E/F Super Hornet Block II aircraft, and equips the derivative EA-18G “Growler” electronic warfare aircraft now entering service.

Since the original contract award in 2001, Raytheon employees say that the APG-79 program has met all its milestones on time. The system has performed well in flight tests, and is already in widespread use.

In April 2005, Boeing and Raytheon debuted an F/A-18F Block II Super Hornet equipped with the AN/APG-79 AESA radar system at a St. Louis ceremony. That was the first step toward fulfilling the Navy’s roadmap to expand the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet family’s future capabilities. In October 2006, the first Super Hornet Block II squadron attained the requisite “safe for flight” designation, certifying that they were ready for independent operations with the new equipment. Production installations and retrofits of older Super Hornets have continued, with the 300th radar delivered in November 2011.

The APG-79’s AESA Advantage AESA: Technical Advantages

Before: AN/APG-73
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The downside of AESA radars is that they cost more to buy. The cost of producing all those transmit/receive (T/R) modules has come down, but it’s still a more expensive choice initially. On the other hand, AESA radars offer a number of performance advantages, and appears to be a cheaper choice over the fighter’s entire lifespan.

American AESA radars feature a fixed array, with active electronic beam scanning that moves the beams rather than the radar array. That allows faster scans over a broader area. AESA radar can also commit clusters of T/R modules to each task, allowing pilots and crew to do something previous generation radars could not: conduct simultaneous air-to-air and air-to-surface operations, at a higher level of performance.

Raytheon personnel cited a 2-3x expected range improvement when moving from a mechanical phased array radar to Raytheon AESA radar with the same power input and the same aperture. This is due to better dynamics in the beams, and more efficient use of power by the array of individual T/Rs.

F-35B
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The final set of AESA technical advantages involves entirely new roles. AESA arrays’ depth of individually programmable T/R modules gives them the potential to send high-bandwidth communications, and even perform offensive electronic warfare functions. That latter capability suggests that the radar may start to become the fighter’s electronic warfare fulcrum, instead of relegating that role to drop in EW system “black boxes”. The dedicated EW systems would still be there, but emphasis would shift to coordination with the radar as both an emissions receiver and a compatible electro-magnetic emitter.

Raytheon sees this EW Center of Gravity role as more of a next-generation feature for integrated platforms, but the APG-79’s use in the EA-18G dedicated electronic warfare aircraft may give them some future development opportunities. That will be important, because Northrop Grumman’s APG-77 and APG-81 AESA radars have already been picked to equip the USA’s next-generation F-22 and F-35 fighters. The F-35 in particular features a lot more integration between its systems, and electronic warfare capabilities are among the top requests from F-35 customers. That creates demand-pull pressure on Northrop Grumman to move forward along these lines. If they do, it could create a competitive advantage for NGC that would affect Raytheon’s Electronic Warfare components business, as well as its radar orders.

AESA Advantages AESA: The Tactical Advantage

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The tactical consequences are equally significant.

One is concealment. AESA radars also offer less emission “leakage” beyond their scanning cone, and can spread their signal emissions over a broad set of frequencies. Most people don’t think of the radar as part of a platform’s stealth level, but it is. Less side-lobe leakage improves the radar cross-section directly. “Agile beam” radars can both spread and switch frequencies as they go, which makes the radar very hard to detect, even when it’s on. Previous generation radars haven’t had that advantage, and turning on your fighter’s radar was kind of like the policeman who turns a flashlight on to find bad guys in a big warehouse. In all likelihood, they can see the light source before the policeman can use the beam to see them. Modern infantry solve this problem by using invisible infrared lights, which work with their night-vision goggles and allow them to see without being seen. Agile beam AESA radars offer the same advantage for a modern fighter jet.

In air-to-air mode, an AESA radar’s improved sensitivity can allow targets to be engaged at longer ranges. If political Rules of Engagement permit, fighters can launch at maximum range, taking full advantage of new longer-range air-air missiles and air-ground weapons. Raytheon employees could not comment on speculation that resolution improvements might allow APG-79 radars to lengthen the positive ID range for enemy aircraft. If that were true, however, it would solve a big problem. Rigid Rules of Engagement have often required positive identification, which has forced American planes to close to visual range before firing. This removes many of the benefits of having beyond visual range air-to-air missiles like Raytheon’s AIM-120 AMRAAM on board.

In air-to-surface mode, AESA radars offer a choice of same-resolution ground mapping at 2-3x longer standoff ranges, or improving the resolution “by faster than linear” margins (i.e. by more than 2-3x). Its SAR (synthetic aperture radar) images can be used to designate multiple targets at once, identify unplanned ground targets and engage them, and sort fast-moving naval targets despite the clutter created by waves and weather. With the previous APG-73 radar, only pre-planned ground targets, entered into the system before the mission began, could be attacked at full capability.

A US Navy R&D program called “Initiated Strike Accelerator” aims to “identify targets using Advanced Target Recognition,” using the AN/APG-79 radar and ATFLIR surveillance and targeting pod. If it succeeds, it could certainly help with ground strikes. The interesting question is whether these capabilities could also be used for air-to-air engagements, in order to break through the up-close visual identification Rules of Engagement.

APG-79: The Maintenance Advantage

APG-79 LRM removal
(click to view full)

Beyond the front lines, AESA radars offer a number of operational and maintenance advantages.

One set of advantages involves long-term costs. Unlike predecessor radars like the mechanically scanned APG-73, American AESA designs to date have no moving parts to serve as sources of failure. Better yet, AESA radars’ inherent redundancy allows them to fly and perform well even if some of the individual T/R modules need replacing. As a rule, therefore, failed modules are just left alone. Raytheon touts a 10x – 15x improvement in overall reliability, and an expected flight lifetime of 10,000 – 15,000 hours. That compares to a 6,000 flight hour lifetime for their fighters, or 10,000 with life-extension programs. Fighters can take 30 years to exhaust 10,000 flight hours, so the maintenance savings make AESA radars a cheaper long-term option, in exchange for higher up-front investment.

The APG-79 adds one more operations & maintenance innovation: Line Replaceable Modules (LRM). Most radars, up to and including Raytheon’s APG-63v3 AESA that flies on advanced F-15s, have Line Replaceable Unit “black boxes,” that must be sent back to depots for diagnostics and repair. It’s expensive, and time consuming. In contrast, the LRM philosophy has the radar do most internal monitoring and diagnosis. Once its recommendations are delivered, a field technician on the front lines can open a box that used to be a depot-only LRU, and swap out an LRM that looks like a circuit card. Doing this in the field, on the front lines, really lowers costs and improves readiness.

As a bonus, the LRM philosophy makes options like processor upgrades, etc. similarly modular. Money and time must still be spent on testing durability for the new LRMs, ensuring software compatibility, and testing it with other radar components. Once that’s done, however, the hardware swap is much faster and cheaper, saving money that can be used on development work to take advantage of the new capabilities.

The AN/APG-79 has a downside, however, and it’s a big one. Pentagon testing reports consistently cite software problems with the APG-79, including instability and issues with its Built-In Test (BIT) functions.

A Wider Market? Spinoffs and Spin-back

RAAF F/A-18F, armed
(click to view full)

The U.S. Navy plans to buy over 400 AN/APG-79 AESA systems, and potential foreign sales span future Super hornet family customers, as well as the 7 countries that fly earlier-model F/A-18A-D Hornets. Australia’s purchase of 24 F/A-18F Block II Super Hornets made them the radar’s first foreign customer.

At present, the AN/APG-79 appears destined to equip only F/A-18 Super Hornet family aircraft, but co-investment in the APG-79 by the US Navy and by Raytheon has paid wider dividends beyond the program itself. Related technologies will equip American F-15s, and may equip a wide variety of American and foreign fighters as retrofits. Once those products are sold, Raytheon’s Common Radar Roadmap’s emphasis on commonality and modularity means that the technology influence will begin to cut both ways.

One spinout has already paid dividends for the USAF. Technologies from the APG-79 have found their way into the AN/APG-82v1 radars that will be retrofitted to USAF F-15E Strike Eagles, and the new radars will also share the APG-79’s LRM approach.

RACR in F-16
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Raytheon’s resizable RACR AESA radar also owes the APG-79 a debt. RACR is aimed at a very large potential market, as a retrofit for F-16s and F/A-18 Hornets around the world, and as an option for new planes like the JAS-39 Gripen New Generation.

The essential idea of RACR is to leverage the AESA improvements described earlier, using APG-79 technologies. Keep the existing radars’ aperture and keep the same power requirement, allowing customers to just drop it in F-16 and F/A-18s without structural or power changes. The translation of received data is mostly handled within the RACR modules already, minimizing other changes to the receiving fighter. This same flexibility is possible for other platforms with previous-generation radars. Aperture sizes can be changed by changing the number and arrangement of T/R modules, and power back-ends can be varied. The continuum from the large APG-82, to the APG-79, to RACR, using closely related technology, demonstrates this. That makes RACR retrofits or forward-fits on other platforms equally plausible.

As related radars like the APG-82 and RACR are sold, they will bring benefits back to the APG-79. Raytheon employees told DID that it’s possible to develop a radar mode like RCDL high-bandwidth communications for a platform like the F/A-18E/F, and have it made available to RACR or APG-82 customers. The cost and effort would involve minimal engineering work, followed by LRM swap-in or software reprogramming, and check-out testing. The reverse would also be true, allowing innovations requested by RACR customers to find their way back to the APG-79 fleet.

Beyond the aerial domain, Raytheon employees added that the firm is involved in requests from other customers to bring the firm’s Common Radar Roadmap technologies and approach over to non-aircraft platforms. They won’t say who or what, yet. It’s worth noting, however, that Northrop Grumman’s G/ATOR multimode ground radar for the USMC uses technologies from its APG-81 AESA radar, so these kinds of conversions are very possible. Raytheon IDS’ President was the father of the APG-79, and that part of the firm is involved in systems like the USA’s Patriot missile system, as well as next-generation naval radars like DBR, and AMDR.

Contracts & Key Events

In many cases, the AN/APG-79 was bought by Boeing for its Super Hornet family planes, rather than being bought separately as Government-Furnished Equipment and given to Boeing. Direct contract exceptions are noted below, and radar retrofits do appear in Navy budget documents. With that said, many radar production contracts will be private and therefore unannounced. Based on Navy budget documents, recent costs per radar appear to be around $2.8 million.

FY 2014 – 2019

 

APG-79 maintenance
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March 29/19: Repair Services The US Navy awarded Raytheon Space Airborne Systems $58 million for repair services for the APG-79 active electronically scanned array radar system used on the F/A-18 Super Hornets. The deal has Raytheon fix 25 weapon repairable assemblies for the AN/APG-79. The APG-79 AESA radar system utilizes active electric beam scanning, which provides nearly instantaneous track updates and multi-target tracking capability. It features an entirely solid-state antenna construction, which improves reliability and lowers the cost compared to a traditional system. The radar allows the Super Hornet crew to fire the AIM-120 AMRAAM, while at the same time guiding several missiles to several targets widely spaced in azimuth, elevation or range. Its X-band radar allows for higher resolution imaging, helping with target identification and discrimination. Raytheon delivered the first low rate production APG-79 radar set to Boeing Integrated Defense Systems in Saint Louis on January 13, 2005. Up to 415 radar sets were expected to follow the first one to outfit US Navy’s Super Hornets beginning in September 2006. On 28 June 2005, Boeing awarded Raytheon a $580 million multi year procurement contract for 190 APG-79 radars to equip the US Navy’s F/A-18E/F and EA-18G aircraft. Raytheon will perform work in Forest, Mississippi and will approximately be finished by March 2022.

May 14/15: Raytheon announced that it has successfully flight-tested the APG-79(V) X AESA radar system, intended to extend the service lives of F/A-18C/D aircraft by 15 to 20 years. This latest test builds on a previous successful test in January, with new features such as Synthetic Aperture Mapping (SAR) announced with the company’s press release.

Sept 5/14: Support. Raytheon Co. in El Segundo, CA receives an $11.4 million firm-fixed-price delivery order, covering potential repairs to 288 radar component units consisting of 18 different weapons repairable assemblies (WRAs) used in support of the F/A-18 family’s AESA. All funds are committed immediately, using FY 2104 US Navy budgets.

Work will be performed in El Segundo, CA and is expected to be complete in March 27/15. This contract was not competitively procured in accordance with 10 U.S.C. 2304 (c)(l) nu US Navy NAVSUP Weapon Systems Support in Philadelphia, PA (N00383-10-G-005H, DO 7040).

June 12/14: Boeing in St. Louis, MO receives $10.2 million for cost-plus-fixed-fee delivery order to conduct an engineering change in the APG-79’s 5th and 6th Receiver Channel Wiring. Boeing is, of course, the F/A-18 Super Hornet family’s manufacturer.

One hopes NAVAIR will also get around to investing in a serious fix for the radar’s long-standing software issues (q.v. Jan 28/14).

All funds are committed immediately, using FY 2014 aircraft budgets. Work will be performed in Andover, MA (40%); Forest, MS (30%); El Segundo, CA (20%); and St. Louis, MO (10%), and is expected to be complete in January 2016. US Naval Air Systems Command in Patuxent River, MD manages the contract (N00019-11-G-0001, DO 0200).

Jan 28/14: DOT&E Testing Report. The Pentagon releases the FY 2013 Annual Report from its Office of the Director, Operational Test & Evaluation (DOT&E). The APG-79 is included, and the verdict isn’t great:

“AESA demonstrated marginal improvements during FOT&E from prior testing and provides improved performance relative to the legacy APG-73 radar. However, operational testing has yet to demonstrate a statistically significant difference in mission accomplishment between F/A-18E/F aircraft equipped with AESA and those equipped with the legacy [APG-73] radar.

….Though aircraft software has demonstrated acceptable suitability, the continued poor reliability of the AESA radar appears to be a result of software instability. The radar’s reliability and poor built-in test (BIT) performance remain deficient. The Navy did not attempt to address long-standing deficiencies in air warfare or AESA radar reliability with SCS H8E [the latest aircraft software build]. Overall, the F/A-18E/F/G is not operationally effective for use in certain threat environments, the details of which are addressed in DOT&E’s classified report issued following SCS H6E, SCS 23X, and AESA FOT&E.”

FY 2011 – FY 2013

300th radar delivered; 3rd & 4th radar retrofit contracts; Combat ID using AESA?

EA-18G: key systems
(click to view full)

Unless otherwise indicated, all contracts are issued by the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) in Patuxent River, MD to Boeing subsidiary McDonnell Douglas Corp. in St. Louis, MO. It’s Raytheon’s radar, but Boeing is the lead contractor for the aircraft, and assumes overall responsibility for buying the radars and integrating them into the aircraft. Workshare in “El Segundo, CA,” for instance, is actually Raytheon’s.

buying the radars and integrating them into the aircraft. Workshare in “El Segundo, CA,” for instance, is actually Raytheon’s.

Sept 26/13: ECP. Raytheon in El Segundo, CA receives a $34.7 million cost-plus-incentive-fee delivery order for AN/APG-79 Engineering Change Proposal 6381 Step 2’s flight test requirements. All funds are committed immediately.

Work will be performed in Andover, MA (50%); Forest, MS (30%); and El Segundo, CA (20%), and is expected to be completed in August 2016. US NAVAIR in Patuxent River, MD manages the contract (N00019-10-G-0006, 0047).

Sept 24/13: ECP. Boeing in St. Louis, MO receives a $6.9 million cost-plus-fixed-fee contract modification for engineering work associated with flight test requirements for AN/APG-79’s general purpose processor 3 upgrade. More computing power is always good, and it’s being conducted under Engineering Change Proposal 6381SOWR2 (see also June 20/12, though other ECPs have involved GPP-3), bringing its announced total to $38.1 million. All funds are committed immediately.

Work will be performed in El Segundo, CA (76%), and St. Louis, MO (24%), and is expected to be complete in February 2014. US Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity (N00019-12-C-2006).

Sept 23/13: +15. Raytheon Co., El Segundo, CA, is being awarded $39 million for 15 AN/APG-79 AESA radar systems, as a firm-fixed-price delivery order. All funds are committed immediately. Note that FY 2013 fighter orders involve 38 radars (23 F/A-18E, 3 F/A-18F, 12 EA-18G), and final FY 2014 orders involve 21 radars (all on EA-18Gs).

Work will be performed in Forest, MS (80%), and El Segundo, CA (20%), and is expected to be complete in November 2015. US Naval Air Systems Command in Patuxent River, MD (N00019-10-G-0006, #0048).

15 radars

June 13/13: ECP. Raytheon in El Segundo, CA receives a $22.4 million order, covering 53 ECP-6279 retrofit kits for F/A-18 E/F and EA-18G aircraft. ECPs involve aircraft or component modifications, and the announcement doesn’t explain which one, but our coverage elsewhere (vid. Oct 07/09) shows that it involves improvements to the APG-79 AESA radar. All funds are committed.

Work will be performed in Forest, MS (80%), and El Segundo, CA (20%), and is expected to be completed in July 2015. US Naval Air Systems Command in Patuxent River, MD manages the contract (N00019-10-G-0006; delivery order 0036).

June 13/13: ECP. Boeing St. Louis, MO receives a $9 million firm-fixed-price delivery order for 30 ECP-6038 R2/R3 retrofit kits for the F/A-18 E/F aircraft, including radomes for the AN/APG-79 active electronically scanned array radar. A fighter’s radome nose cone is very specialized. It needs to allow the right radiation wavelengths to pass in and out easily, while remaining durable enough to handle the shocks and stresses of flight. All funds are committed immediately.

Work will be performed in Marion, VA (57%) and St. Louis, Mo. (43%), and is expected to be completed in January 2016. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, MD manages the contract (N00019-11-G-0001).

June 27/12: Australia. Raytheon in El Segundo, CA receives a $6.7 million cost-plus-fixed-fee delivery order, for upgrades that will let the F/A-18 AN/APG-79 AESA radar commercial depot diagnose and validate repairs of RAAF APG-79s under the Foreign Military Sales Program.

Work will be performed in El Segundo, CA (70%), and Forest, MS (30%), and is expected to be complete in August 2014. US Naval Air Systems Command in Patuxent River, MD manages the contract on behalf of its Australian client (N00019-10-G-0006).

June 20/12: ECP. A $31.2 million cost-plus-fixed-fee, firm-fixed-price contract for APG-79 Engineering Change Proposal 6381SOW, for engineering related to the general purpose Processor 3 upgrade.

Work will be performed in El Segundo, CA (84%), and St. Louis, MO (16%), and is expected to be complete in May 2013. This contract was not competitively procured pursuant to FAR 6.302-1 (N00019-12-C-2006).

April 30/12: ECP. A $12 million firm-fixed-price delivery order for supplies and services associated with Super Hornet family Engineering Change Proposal 6038. Supplies include 42 R2/R3 retrofit kits for the AN/APG-79 radomes. Radomes are the “nose cone” of the aircraft, engineered to protect the radar and take the punishment that comes from their position on the aircraft, while letting radar waves through efficiently.

Work will be performed at the Marion, VA (57%), and St. Louis, MO (43%), and is expected to be complete in August 2015 (N00019-11-G-0001).

Feb 29/12: +16. Raytheon Space and Airborne Systems in El Segundo, CA receives a $45.3 million firm-fixed-price contract modification to fund 16 AN/APG-79 radars, to be retrofitted into F/A-18E/F Block I aircraft that were built with AN/APG-73 radars during production lots 26-29.

Work will be performed in Forest, MS (43%); Dallas, TX (29%); El Segundo, CA (27%); and Andover, MA (1%), and is expected to be complete in December 2014. $8.4 million will expire at the end of the current fiscal year, on Sept 30/12 (N00019-09-C-0003).

This is Raytheon’s 4th refit contract, and brings the order total to 73 of the planned 133 fighter refits in that sub-program. As one might guess, most APG-79s are fitted into new Super Hornet family fighters on the production line.

Refits: 16 radars

Feb 13/12: Combat ID? Pentagon budget documents (US Navy RDT&E BA1-3) show that in 2011-2012 the Initiated Strike Accelerator R&D program aimed to:

“…provide an advanced airborne capability to accurately identify targets using Advanced Target Recognition (ATR). These capabilities are utilizing the F/A-18 E/F, AESA (Active Electronically Scanned Array) Radar and ATFLIR (Advanced Targeting Forward Looking Infrared [pod]) sensors…”

It’s an interesting and logical extension of known AESA capabilities, and using the ATFLIR pod’s long-range cameras and geolocation as an additional input also makes sense. If it works, it would certainly help pilots strike ground targets with greater assurance. The big question is whether the resolution and algorithms would also be fine enough to remove the biggest obstacle to effective combat use of medium-range air-to-air missiles: Rules of Engagement that require close-in visual ID, because electronic IFF (Identification, Friend or Foe) systems aren’t considered reliable enough to avoid all friendly fire.

Nov 22/11: #300. Raytheon announces the delivery of its 300th AN/APG-79 radar to Boeing, for integration on U.S. Navy and RAAF Super Hornet family fighters.

#300

May 13/11: +42. Raytheon announces a contract from Boeing for 42 APG-79 radars, to equip Super Hornet family aircraft bought in the 2nd year of the 2010-2013 Multi-Year III program. Raytheon doesn’t always announce these contracts, but they can be assumed whenever Super Hornet family aircraft are ordered.

They don’t give cost figures. Work will be performed at Raytheon facilities in El Segundo, CA; Andover, MA; Forest, MS; and Dallas, TX.

42 radars – Boeing contract

May 2/11: ECP. A $12.6 million cost-plus-fixed-fee order for one-time engineering work associated with Engineering Change Proposal 6381 re: the AN/APG-79’s General Purpose Processor 3, and for the purchase of 12 engineering development modules.

Work will be performed in El Segundo, CA (65%); Forest, MS (20%); and St. Louis, MO (15%). Work is expected to be complete in January 2012 (N00019-11-G-0001).

Nov 30/10: Support. A $17 million ceiling priced order for AN/APG-79 radar repairs. Work will be performed in Forest, MS, and is expected to be complete by June 2012. This contract was not competitively procured by the US Naval Inventory Control Point in Philadelphia, PA (N00383-10-G-005H, #0001).

Nov 16/10: +19. Raytheon Space and Airborne Systems in El Segundo, CA receives a $52.25 million firm-fixed-price contract modification for 19 AN/APG-79 AESA radars, to be retrofitted into F/A-18E/F aircraft Lots 26-29.

Work will be performed in Forest, MS (43%); Dallas, TX (29%); El Segundo, CA (27%); and Andover, MA (1%). Work is expected to be complete in December 2013. Raytheon’s release adds that: “This third retrofit contract brings orders for the update of block II F/A-18s up to 57.”

Refits: 19 radars

FY 2009 – FY 2010

200th radar delivered; 2nd retrofit radars contract; Processor upgrade.

Raytheon diagram
(click to view full)

July 21/10: #200. Raytheon announces that it has delivered is 200th APG-79 AESA radar to Boeing.

#200

April 8/10: +2. Raytheon Co. Space and Airborne Systems in El Segundo, CA received an $5.8 million delivery order against a previously issued basic ordering agreement for procurement of 2 AN/APG-79 AESA test radars for the F/A-18E/F and EA-18G aircraft.

Work will be performed in Forest, MS (45%), El Segundo, CA (35%), and Andover, MA (15%), and Dallas, TX (5%) and is expected to be complete in November 2011 (N00019-05-G-0008).

2 test radars

April 5/10: ECP. A $13.6 million cost-plus-fixed-fee delivery order against a previously issued Basic Ordering Agreement (N00019-05-G-0026) to complete the AESA waveform generator DDS II die parts obsolescence redesign engineering change proposal for the F/A-18 E/F aircraft.

Work will be performed in El Segundo, CA (87.7%), and St. Louis, MO (12.3%), and is expected to be complete in March 2011.

March 24/10: GPP. From FedBizOpps, solicitation #20047-10 deals with a reality of modern equipment. The equipment lasts long after the underlying electronics are completely obsolete. Imagine if your computer went 15 years without an upgrade. The USAF experiences that as an ongoing reality, for even longer periods. For the APG-79:

“The Naval Air Systems Command has a requirement for an engineering change to the AN/APG-79 Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA)… upgrades the general purpose processor in order to support additional capability requirements. The AESA prime integrator is The Boeing Company, St. Louis, MO. The Navy intends to negotiate the engineering change as a sole source firm fixed price delivery order to the F/A-18 & EA-18G Basic Ordering Agreement with Boeing. Boeing will be responsible for the non-recurring and recurring engineering changes. Award of the delivery order will be made with authority under FAR 6.302-1, only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements. Boeing has the requisite RADAR knowledge, experience, and technical data required to respond to this requirement. This notice of intent is not a request for competitive proposals.”

The result will almost certainly be a sub-contract to the radar’s manufacturer, Raytheon, but as noted above, Boeing owns final engineering responsibility.

Oct 7/09: ECP. Raytheon Space and Airborne Systems in El Segundo, CA received a $5.7 million modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract to perform engineering change proposal 6279. This will enhance the AN/APG-79 active electronically scanned array radar on a number of Lot 33 production aircraft: 14 F/A-18Es, 9 of the 2-seat F/A-18Fs, and 22 EA-18G Growler electronic attack aircraft.

Work will be performed in Forest, MS (42%); El Segundo, CA (36.8%); and St. Louis, MO (21.2%), and is expected to be complete in September 2011 (N00019-04-C-0014).

April 2/09: +19. Raytheon Co., Space and Airborne Systems in El Segundo, CA receives a $54.5 million firm-fixed-price contract for 19 AN/APG-79 active array radars. The radars will be retrofitted into F/A-18E/F Super Hornet aircraft built during Lots 26-29, replacing Raytheon’s mechanically-scanned APG-73 phased array radars.

Work will be performed in Forest, MS (43%); Dallas, TX (29%); El Segundo, CA (27%); and Andover, MA (1%) and is expected to be complete in December 2010. This contract was not competitively procured (N00019-09-C-0003).

As of Raytheon’s May 26/09 release, the firm had delivered 134 APG-79 radars for use in F/A-18 Super Hornet and EA-18G Growler aircraft, most of which have been slated for new aircraft. With this latest contract, orders for the APG-79 retrofits now total 38 of the planned 133 fighters. See also the related Dec 21/07 entry.

Refits: 19 radars

Oct 17/08: Support. An $11.2 million firm-fixed-price, definite-delivery/ definite-quantity modification under a previously awarded delivery order contract. The US Naval Inventory Control Point is buying APG-79 radar system spares.

Work will be performed in St. Louis, MO (40%); and El Segundo, CA (60%), and is expected to be complete by May 2011. This contract was not competitively procured (N00383-06-D-001J-0005).

FY 2007 – FY 2008

1st retrofit contract; Australia orders; R&D to expand capabilities; 100th radar delivered; 1st USN Super Hornet block II squadron declared ready.

F/A-18Es over Afghanistan
(click to view full)

Sept 25/08: Support. An $8 million cost plus fixed fee delivery order under previously awarded contract to repair AN/APG-79 radars. Work will be performed at El Segundo, CA (90%) and St. Louis, MO (10%), and is expected to be complete by September 2009. This contract was not competitively procured by The Naval Inventory Control Point (N00383-06-D-001J, #0004).

July 1/08: #100. The US Navy and its industry partners, Raytheon and Boeing, mark the 100th delivery of the APG-79 Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) Radar at a celebration in Forest, MS. NAVAIR release.

#100

March 31/08: Support. A $38.5 million firm-fixed-price, definite-delivery/ definite-quantity contract modification under a previously awarded basic ordering agreement. The firm will deliver new spares to support the AN/APG-79 AESA radar. Work will be performed in El Segundo, CA (90%) and St. Louis, MO (10%), and is expected to be complete by August 2010. This contract was not awarded competitively by the Naval Inventory Control Point (N00383-06-D-001J, #0004).

Dec 21/07: +19. Raytheon Space and Airborne Systems in El Segundo, CA received a $54.8 million firm-fixed-price contract for the procurement of 19 AN/APG-79 active electronically scanned array radars to be retrofitted into F/A-18E/F aircraft Lots 26-29. The radars will replace the APG-73 radars currently installed in the aircraft.

Deliveries were: LOT-26: 48 aircraft, LOT-27: 45 aircraft, LOT-28: 42 aircraft, and LOT-29: 42 aircraft, for a total of 177 aircraft. A total of 42 Low Rate Initial Production (LRIP) APG-79 radars were delivered for installation in the aircraft production line, and the remaining 135 (now 133) aircraft will be retrofitted. This contract mentioned above is the 1st of 5 projected annual contracts to retrofit those 135 Lot-26 and above F/A-18 E/Fs with the APG-79.

Work will be performed in Forest, MS (43%); Dallas, TX (29%); El Segundo, CA (27%); and Andover, MA (1%) and is expected to be complete in Dec. 2009. This contract was not competitively procured (N00019-08-C-0001).

Refits: 19 radars

Oct 17/07: APG-79B An $11.2 million order against a previously issued basic ordering agreement for the nonrecurring engineering to upgrade 210 AN/APG-79 Active Electronically Scanned Array radar to the APG-79B configuration (includes 114 retrofit and 96 production upgrades). All Raytheon would say is that the B configuration is “an approved engineering change for a hardware modification.”

Work will be performed in El Segundo, CA (95%) and St. Louis, MO (5%), and is expected to be complete in September 2011 (N00019-05-G-0026).

Future RAAF F/A-18F
(click to view full)

July 11/07: Support. A $7.6 million firm-fixed-price, definite-delivery/ definite-quantity delivery order under previously awarded contract on July 10/07, for new spare parts to support the F/A-18 AN/APG-79 (AESA) radar. Work will be performed in El Segundo, CA (9%) and St. Louis, MO (10%), and is expected to be complete by October 2008. This contract was not awarded competitively by the Naval Inventory Control Point (N00383-06-D-001J, #0002).

July 5/07: ECP. Boeing received a $90.2 million modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract (N00019-04-C-0014) for a newly developed, additional capability for the AN/APG-79 Active Electronically Scanned Array radar. Work will be performed in El Segundo, CA (95%) and St. Louis, MO (5%), and is expected to be complete in September 2011

While these exact capabilities were not disclosed, DID’s top bets would be either the “big SAR” wide angle surface scans that will now be part of the production F-35 Lightning, or limited electronic warfare capabilities.

May 16/07: ECP. A $7.4 million modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract for the redesign of 5 monolithic microwave integrated circuits utilized in the AN/APG-79 AESA radar. Work will be performed in El Segundo, CA (95%) and St. Louis, MO (5%), and is expected to be complete in December 2008. Contract funds in the amount of $6 million will expire at the end of the current fiscal year (N00019-04-C-0014).

May 5/07: Australian order. Australia’s DoD announces a contract for 24 F/A-18F Block II Super Hornets and associated support systems. This will mean accompanying export orders for the AN/APG-79. Read “Australia Buying 24 Super Hornets As Interim Gap-Fillers” for full coverage.

Jan 8/07: F/A-18E/F Block II. Boeing announces delivery of the 11th F/A-18E/F Super Hornet Block II to Naval Air Station (NAS) Oceana, VA. Boeing is delivering AESA-equipped Super Hornet Block II aircraft to 2 squadrons at NAS Oceana: the Black Lions of VFA-213 and the Gladiators of VFA-106. In addition, there are two AESA-equipped Block 2 Super Hornets attached to VFA-122, the Flying Eagles Fleet Replacement Squadron (i.e. training squadron), at NAS Lemoore, CA.

Oct 27/06: F/A-18E/F Block II. The “Black Lions” of VFA-213 squadron have transitioned from their F-14D Tomcats, and become the first AESA-equipped F/A-18E/F Super Hornet operational squadron to attain “safe for flight” status, which clears it to independently fly and maintain its state-of-the-art Block II aircraft. Source.

Fully operational

FY 2005 – FY 2006

Sub-contract for 190 radars; LRIP-3 order; Super Hornet Block II rolled out; Tests with AMRAAM, JDAM, and APG-73 equipped Super Hornet cohorts demonstrate increased firing range, real-time targeting, and coordinate passing to non-AESA fighters.

“Black Lions” F-14D:
transitioning out
(click to view full)

Sept 21/06: Support. Raytheon Co. Space and Airborne Systems in El Segundo, CA received an $11 million delivery order against a previously issued basic ordering agreement for system test equipment (STE) for the AN/APG-79 AESA radar for the F/A-18E/F and EA-18G aircraft. The STE will be used to test radar modules returned for repair to determine root cause of failures and to return the radars to the Fleet in a ready for issue status.

Work will be performed in El Segundo, CA and is expected to be complete in September 2009. Contract funds in the amount of $6.4 million will expire at the end of the current fiscal year (N00019-05-G-0008).

April 18/06: Testing. Boeing announces a successful demonstration of the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet Block II’s to provide targeting coordinates to other aircraft using the Raytheon APG-79 Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar system:

“During the test at the Naval Air Weapons Center at China Lake, Calif., an AESA-equipped F/A-18F created a long-range, high resolution synthetic aperture radar map and designated four closely-spaced stationary targets. The aircraft then data-linked two target designations to non-AESA equipped Super Hornets, which successfully delivered four 2,000-lb. Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAM). All four weapons impacted the targets within lethal distance. The targeting Super Hornet then used the AESA to provide highly detailed bomb damage assessments to confirm the hits.”

AN/APG-79 AESA Radar

Dec 5/05: Testing. Raytheon states that its a Super Hornet equipped with its APG-79 radar successfully delivered multiple JDAM GPS-guided smart bombs on target, using real-time targeting coordinates derived from a high resolution SAR (synthetic aperture radar) image taken by the radar. The tests were conducted at the U.S. Navy’s China Lake facility. They add that the release of multiple precision-guided weapons from a single radar SAR map is a first, and note integration with other equipment as well:

“To further demonstrate the synergy of the onboard Raytheon sensors, the JDAM test also employed the ATFLIR (Advanced Targeting Forward-Looking Infrared) system to provide imagery of the targeting area. Interfacing seamlessly with the APG-79, ATFLIR recorded the impact of the weapons against two diverse targets, confirming simultaneous weapon delivery while providing post-impact bomb damage information…

The program has also been highly successful during the recent air-to-air live fire demonstrations last month in which an AMRAAM was successfully deployed. This proved that weapons delivery from an AESA equipped F/A-18 can now be executed at ranges not possible before. “In the past, the weapon’s capability exceeded that of the aircraft. The missile could reach the target, but the radar couldn’t see it. Now, with the APG-79 radar, the aircraft’s capability exceeds that of the weapon, and this gives us an enormous advantage when prosecuting a mission,” said Capt. Aaron “Slime” Bowman, U.S. Navy AESA program manager for the F/A-18.”

Oct 31/05: Testing. Raytheon discusses the results of multiple live firing tests this month using inert AMRAAM and JDAM weapons. Both AMRAAM (Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile) and JDAM (Joint Direct Attack Munition) live fire tests were successful at proving out the radar’s air-to-air and air-to-ground targeting capabilities. How does this work? Raytheon explains:

“The AMRAAM engages long-range targets after launch by incorporating targeting data from the APG-79 AESA. During flight the AMRAAM receives updated tracking/targeting information from the APG-79 AESA radar via data link from the launch aircraft… The JDAM “Smart Weapon” uses the APG-79 AESA radar to provide precise targeting coordinates. The pilot uses a high resolution SAR (synthetic aperture radar) image to identify the intended target. The target is designated from the image; the target coordinates are passed to the JDAM weapon; the weapon is released and flies under GPS navigation to impact, thus completing the kill chain. Prior to the introduction of the APG-79 radar, it has only been possible for pre-mission planned ground targets to be attacked. Now, with the Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) APG-79, real time, time sensitive ground targets can be identified and engaged.”

The APG-79 radar is currently in developmental flight testing and initial operational assessment. The program is expected to transition into OPEVAL (operational evaluation) on schedule in early 2006.

June 28/05: Main sub-contract. Raytheon Co. announces a $580 million, multi-year subcontract to deliver 190 AN/APG-79 AESA net-centric enabled radar systems for the Boeing Co. over the next 5 years, for installation in production F/A-18 E/F Super Hornet fighter planes. This successfully concluded negotiations for 190 radars from low rate initial production (LRIP) lots 3 & 4, through full rate production lots 1-3. These radars will serve as retrofits and also equip new fighters on the production line.

The first low rate initial production APG-79 AESA radar designed for the F/A-18E/F was delivered to Boeing IDS (Integrated Defense Systems) in January 2005. Following successful installation and testing, Boeing plans to deliver the first AESA-equipped F/A-18F to the U.S. Navy in April 2006. Sources: Raytheon release, June 29/05.

Boeing APG-79 production sub-contract: 2005-2010

June 23/05: +22. a $102.4 million modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract, exercising exercise an option for 22 AN/APG-79 low-rate-initial-production III (LRIP III) Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar systems for the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet aircraft. Work will be performed in El Segundo, CA (88%); St. Louis, MO (6%) and Marion, VA (6%), and is expected to be complete in December 2007 (N00010-03-C-0054).

LRIP-3: 22 radars

April 21/05: Rollout. Boeing debuts the F/A-18E/F Block II Super Hornet equipped with the APG-79 AESA radar system at a ceremony at Boeing’s St. Louis, MO facilities. The aircraft will be used as part of the AESA radar flight test program prior to entering Operational Evaluation (OPEVAL) in 2006.

The AESA radar, built by the Raytheon Corporation of El Segundo, CA is part of the F/A-18E/F Block II upgrade, which includes integration of advanced mission computers, high speed data network, cockpit controls and displays, environmental control system upgrade and forward fuselage affordability improvements. It works with several existing elements of the weapon system, such as the stores management system, the gun director, and AIM-120 and AIM-9 missiles, to enhance the lethality, survivability and affordability of the F/A-18E/F. The AESA radar and the Block II upgrades are being delivered under 2 multi-year contracts. Sources: Boeing release, April 21/05.

Super Hornet Block II rollout

FY 2001 – FY 2004

From concept, to 20 LRIP orders.

F/A-18F
(click to view full)

Feb 5/04: +12. A $61.8 million modification to a previously awarded fixed-price-incentive contract (N00019-03-C-0054), exercising an option for 12 AN/APG-79 low-rate initial production II (LRIP II) AESA radar systems for the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet aircraft. Work will be performed in El Segundo, CA (70%); St. Louis, MO (25%); and Marion, VA (5%), and is expected to be complete in September 2006. Boeing’s release adds that:

“Production of the LRIP2 radar is scheduled to begin March 2004, with delivery of the first LRIP2 radar-equipped aircraft scheduled for December 2005. The radars will be installed in selected two-seat “F” model Super Hornets. The radar system currently is undergoing evaluation testing at Naval Air Systems Command, China Lake, Calif.”

LRIP-2: 12 radars

Sept 3/03: +8. A $49.5 million fixed-price-incentive contract for 8 AN/APG-79 low-rate-initial-production AESA radar systems for the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet aircraft (q.v. Jan 15/03). Work will be performed in El Segundo, CA (70%); St. Louis, MO (25%); and Marion, VA (5%), and is expected to be complete in September 2006 (N00019-03-C-0054).

Boeing’s release adds that: “Production of the LRIP1 radar could begin as soon as next month, with delivery of the first LRIP1 radar scheduled for early 2005.”

LRIP-1: 8 radars

June 30/03: Testing. An F/A-18 Super Hornet test aircraft carrying the APG-79 Active Electronically Scanned Array radar system completes several test flights with the radar operating at Naval Air Systems Command China Lake, CA. They are the first test flights with this AESA radar. Boeing release.

Jan 15/03: A $14 million ceiling-priced order against a previously awarded basic ordering agreement (N00019-97-G-0037) to buy Time Critical Parts for 8 low-rate initial production AN/APG-79 AESA radars for the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet. Work will be performed in El Segundo, CA (90%) and St. Louis, MO (10%), and is to be complete in June 2003.

Nov 20/02: Radar Rollout. Boeing and subcontractor Raytheon roll out integrated APG-79 Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar in a ceremony at Raytheon facilities in El Segundo, CA. Boeing release | Raytheon release.

AN/APG-79 rollout

Feb 8/01: A $324.5 million cost-plus-fixed-fee, award-fee contract for the design, development, fabrication, integration, installation and test of 5 full and 2 partial AN/APG-79 Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar engineering development models for the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet aircraft.

Work will be performed in St. Louis, MO (59%) and El Segundo, CA (41%), and is expected to be complete by January 2006. This contract was not competitively procured (N00019-01-C-0074).

APG-79 development contract

Additional Readings

DID would like to thank Raytheon personnel for their insights and interviews. Special thanks are due to Larry Seeley and Kevin Gabriel.

• Raytheon – AN/APG-79 AESA Radar. See also Raytheon AN/APG-79 Product brochure [PDF, 2007 capture]

• Raytheon – Raytheon’s Revolutionary AESA Technology. Includes links to their various AESA radar designs and capabilities, and adds as a list of related press releases at the bottom. Raytheon’s AESA fighter radars fly on the USA’s F/A-18 Super Hornet (APG-79) and F-15 Eagle/ Strike Eagle (APG-63v2-3, APG-82) fleet.

• Northrop Grumman – AESA Radar: Revolutionary Capabilities For Multiple Missions [PDF format]. Details a number of the radar type’s characteristics that make it special, and offers insights into some of the developments within the AESA field. NGC makes AESA fighter radars for the F-16 Block 60 (APG-80), F-22 (APG-77), and F-35 (APG-81) platforms.

• DID (Dec 18/05) – AESA Comlinks. Dr. Carlo Kopp has already done a fair bit of work in the field, beginning with his PhD thesis in Melbourne in 1999.

• Aviation Week & Space Technology (Dec 11/05) – Talking Radars.

• DID (Oct 24/05) – Supersonic SIGINT: Will F-35, F-22 Also Play EW Role?

• Australian Aviation (June 2002) – Active Electronically Steered Arrays: A Maturing Technology.

Related Super Hornet Contracts

• DID FOCUS Article – Super Hornet Fighter Family MYP-III: 2010-2013 Contracts.

• DID Spotlight Article – The USA’s 2005-2009 Multi-Year Hornet Procurement Contract.

• DID FOCUS Article – EA-18G Program: The USA’s Electronic Growler.

• DID Spotlight Article – Australia Buying 24 Super Hornets As Interim Gap-Filler to JSF. They will be 2-seat F/A-18F Block II aircraft, with the APG-79.

Americas

Raytheon won a $9.1 million contract modification for the DDG 1000 ship class. The deal exercises options for integrated logistics support and engineering services. The DDG 1000 or USS Zumwalt is a guided missile destroyer designed to fulfill volume power and precision strike requirements. According to a report updated in October 2018, the Zumwalt ship incorporates a significant number of new technologies, including an integrated electric-drive propulsion system and automation technologies enabling its reduced-sized crew. The DDG 1000 combat systems provide offensive, distributed and precision firepower and long ranges in support of forces ashore, while incorporating signature reduction, active and passive self-defense systems and enhanced survivability features, the Department of Defense stated on Tuesday. Just recently, the USS Zumwalt left for British Columbia, Canada to link with the Royal Canadian Air Force and showcase the US Navy’s newest class of destroyers. However, as Bloomberg reports, the Navy’s $23 billion program to build the DDG 1000 destroyers comes with a 5 year delay. The first ship of the class is scheduled for a September delivery, which is more than five years later than originally scheduled and 10 years after construction began. The ship isn’t expected to have an initial combat capability until September 2021, which is at least three years later than planned. Raytheon’s will perform work under the current modification in Rhode Island and Massachusetts and is expecting to be finished by March 2020.

The US Air Force contracted Sierra Nevada Corp. $317 million for the Precision Strike Package program. The Precision Strike Package is a modular kit developed in order to provide close air support, armed reconnaissance, and armed over-watch capability for Special Operations Forces C-130s. The system consists of precision guided munitions, a medium-caliber gun, electro-optical/infrared sensors, special operations forces-specific communications equipment, and an integrated fire control and mission management system. The deal specifically provides contractor logistics support for the Precision Strike Package in support of the AC-130W and AC-130J. The AC-130 gunship is a heavily armed, long-endurance ground attack variant of the C-130 Hercules transport fixed wing aircraft. The AC-130W Stinger, formerly known as the MC-130W Dragon Spear is a modified C-130H used by the Air Force for close air support, air interdiction and force protection. The AC-130J Ghostrider is a modified version of the MC-130J aircraft and is supposed to replace the legacy AC-130H/U aircraft of the US Air Force. Lockheed Martin will deliver 37 AC-130J Ghostrider aircraft to the Air Force Special Operations Command by 2025. Sierra Nevada will perform work for the Precision Strike Package program at Cannon Air Force Base and Hurlburt Field and expects completion by September 30, 2026.

Raytheon announced on Tuesday, that the company along with the US Army completed a successful preliminary design preview for the DeepStrike surface-to-surface missile. This will move the weapon closer toward its first flight scheduled for later this year. The DeepStrike missile was developed for the Army’s Precision Strike Missile requirement. According to Raytheon, the missile will offer low-cost solution, double the firepower, defeat fixed land targets at 300-499 kilometers, improve lethality and target set over current systems and provide flexibility in the future battlespace. The DeepStrike missile will be compatible with two launch systems of the US Army, the M270 multiple launch rocket system (MLRS) and M142 high-mobility artillery rocket system (HIMARS). Previous program milestones include the successful integration of DeepStrike’s new launch pod missile container into the Army’s M142 HIMARS and M270 MLRS launchers. During the Preliminary Design Review, the Army evaluated every aspect of the new missile’s design, from its advanced propulsion system and innovative lethality package to its guidance system.

Middle East & Africa

The Israeli Ministry of Defense awarded Elbit Systems a contract to provide Automatic SPH Gun Systems to the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF). The deal for the fully automatic self-propelled howitzer gun systems is worth approximately $125 million. According to Elbit Systems the new automatic howitzer is capable of automatic loading and laying, it automatically selects the required projectile, propellant and fuze, loads them and lays the gun to optimally engage targets. The new system is supposed to enhance the effectiveness of the artillery formation of the IDF while reducing the number of soldiers in each platform and significantly reduce life-cycle costs. The Ministry of Defense and Elbit Systems want various US companies including Elbit Systems of America, LLC, to work under an additional contract for the howitzer gun systems program. The current contract also includes the supply of training simulators and will be performed over a 12-year period.

Europe

Raytheon won a deal to offer APY-10 Radar Systems for Poseidon Jets from the Naval Air Systems Command. The contract modification is worth $39.7 million and the company will acquire three APY-10 Radar System production kits for the US Navy as well as four for the UK government and five for the government of Norway. The task is to support the production of Boeing’s P-8A Poseidon aircraft’s Lot 10 with Raytheon’s AN/APY-10 state-of-the-art maritime, littoral and overland surveillance radar. The AN/APY-10 is fully integrated into Boeing’s Mission Control and Display System for control, display and data distribution on the Poseidon. It is also the only system of its type to provide a dedicated short exposure submarine periscope detection mode as well as ultra-high resolution imaging modes for maritime and overland operations, delivering uncompromised performance in every operational environment. The P8-A Poseidon is a long-range, anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare aircraft for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions. In 2015 Raytheon won a multi-year contract worth $153 million from the US Navy to manufacture 53 AN/APY-10 maritime, littoral and overland surveillance radars for its fleet of the Poseidon. Last year, the UK procured eight APY-10 radar systems for their P-8As. Work under the contract modification is scheduled to be completed in September 2022. Foreign Military Sales funds in the amount of $39,718,809 will be obligated at time of award.

The US Air Force Life Cycle Management Center contracted General Atomics Aeronautical Systems $9.2 million for the UK MQ-9 Reaper contractor logistics support effort. The deal provides for ongoing sustainment of the UK MQ-9 fleet. The MQ-9 Reaper is a remotely piloted medium-altitude, long endurance aircraft designed for Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance, and attack missions. The UK purchased two MQ-9A Reapers in 2006 and a third one in 2007. The same year, the drones began operations against the Taliban in Afghanistan. By May 2011, five Reapers were in operation and a further five on order. This week, MAG Aerospace won $11.4 million for ongoing sustainment, management, development and network administration of the UK MQ-9 Reaper Operations Centers. The Netherlands also procured four MQ-9 systems from the US Air Force at the beginning of the week. General Atomics will perform work under the current contract at multiple stateside and international locations, and is expecting to be finished by June 30, 2019. The award involves 100 percent foreign military sales to the government of the United Kingdom.

Asia-Pacific

Thales announced on Tuesday, that Malaysia will launch the second generation of its military VHF radio with Sapura Thales Electronics (STE). STE is a joint venture with Sapura and Thales. The so called TRC 5200 is fully indigenous to Malaysia. According to Thales, the first-generation of handheld radios was a huge commercial success with over 5,000 units sold worldwide to countries in Asia, Middle East, Africa and South America. As reported by local media, the company is eyeing the Middle East and North Africa as potential markets for this latest military tactical VHF radio.

The Australian government wants to purchase the second of a planned fleet of at least six Northrop Grumman Triton MQ-4C Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, Jane’s reports. The second platform will be acquired through a co-operative program with the US Navy and is supposed to compliment the Royal Australian Air Force’s P-8A Poseidon. The Triton is a high-altitude long endurance aircraft that will be used for maritime patrol and other surveillance roles. Supporting missions up to 24 hours, the Triton is equipped with a sensor suite that provides a 360-degree view of its surroundings for over 2000 nautical miles. The first UAV is scheduled to be introduced into service in mid-2023 with all six planned to be delivered by late 2025 and based at RAAF Base Edinburgh in South Australia.

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Watch: US Military Deploys Marines in South China Sea as Tensions Soar (We must show China our)

Americas

The US Navy awarded Austal USA a $261.8 million contract modification for two additional Expeditionary Fast Transport Ships (EPFs). The modification provides for design and construction and will also definitize the long-lead-time material undefinitized contract actions for EPF 13 and 14. Australian Shipbuilder Austal builds EPF ships in support of the EPF program by the Navy. The 14-ship EPF program has been worth over $2 billion. According to the DOD, the EPF class provides high-speed, shallow-draft transportation capability to support the intra-theater maneuver of personnel, supplies and equipment for the US Navy, Marine Corps, and Army. The vessels are to join coalition force operations of the Army and Navy. The Spearhead-Class EPF ships’ main roles include transportation of troops, military vehicles, cargo and equipment for a range of global missions. They will also support military logistics and humanitarian relief operations. The construction of EPF 13 will start in late 2019 and after that the construction of EPF 14 will commence in the middle of 2020, extending the EPF program to 2022.

The Defense Logistics Agency contracted General Dynamics $93 million for the Warfighter Information Network-Tactical (WIN-T) Increment 1 system. The WIN-T Increment 1 was originally known as the JOINT Network Node Network program and is the Army’s high-speed, high-capacity tactical communications network to distribute classified and unclassified information by means of voice, data, and real-time video. Increment 1 is a stationary network for command posts and units. It provides a full range of at-the-halt data, voice, and video communications. Work under the five-year-contract will take place in Massachusetts and is scheduled to be completed by March 24, 2024.

Raytheon announced on March 25, that the company will develop a new version of the Advanced Synthetic Aperture Radar on the U2 Dragon Lady. The US Air Force awarded Raytheon the $320 million undefinitized contract. The ASARS-2B is the radar used on the Dragon Lady reconnaissance aircraft. It contains an active electronically scanned array antenna and is designed to double the surveillance range of the U2. The advanced radar also maintains the mapping and imagery resolution of the existing ASARS-2A system. ASARS-2A is a high-resolution, multimode, long-range, air-to-ground radar that can support all-weather operations during day or night. ASARS-2B provides operators with critical intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance data. The U2 Dragon Lady is a single-jet engine, ultra-high altitude reconnaissance aircraft designed for minimum airframe weight. Built from the profile of a traditional sailplane with a long-tapered wing, the plane was designed in the mid-1950s as reconnaissance on Soviet military Activity.

Middle East & Africa

The US Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division tapped Insitu Inc. with $17.5 million to support ScanEagle Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) sites in Afghanistan. The delivery order provides for technical services, training, site survey and activation teams, and program management to sustain. The Boeing Insitu ScanEagle is a long-endurance, low-altitude UAV used for reconnaissance. The ScanEagle carried a stabilized electro-optical and infrared camera on a lightweight inertial stabilized turret system, and an integrated communications system having a range of over 62 miles. The UAV is launched using a pneumatic launcher known as the „SuperWedge“ launcher. In 2015 Insitu won an award to deliver eight ScanEagle systems to Afghanistan and in 2017 the company was tapped for delivery of five more. In March last year, it was reported that Afghanistan is to receive eight additional UAVs by March 2019. 95 percent of work under the current contract will be performed in Afghanistan and 5 percent in Bingen, Washington. The scheduled completion date is March 2020.

The US Department of State approved a possible sale to Morocco of F-16C/D aircraft. The cost of the deal is estimated at $3.8 billion. Morocco has requested to purchase 25 F-16C/D Block 72 aircraft and other related equipment. According to a press statement, the proposed sale will contribute to the foreign policy and national security of the United States by helping to improve the security of a major Non-NATO ally that continues to be an important force for political stability and economic progress in North Africa. Morocco already operates an F-16 fleet and also requested an upgrade of the 23 aircraft to the F-16V configuration. The prime contractor for the sale and the upgrade is Lockheed Martin. According to the company, the F-16 Block 70/72 is the newest and most advanced F-16 configuration to date, with a structural life more than 50 percent beyond that of previous F-16 aircraft.

Europe

The budget committee of the German parliament approved $28 million in funding to upgrade German Leopard 2 Main Battle Tanks as well as the same amount for procurement of 155 mm ammunition for the Panzerhaubitze (PzH) 2000 self-propelled howitzer. According to a statement from the Ministry of Defense, 101 Main Battle Tank Leopard 2 variants A6M A2 and A6 are to be brought to a similar design level as the latest version Leopard 2 A7V. The aim is to adapt to the Leopard 2 A7V in terms of operation and logistics. The tanks’ systems will be standardized to make them more effective, increase protection, and allow for the exchange of crews. 32,000 DM121 shells for the PzH 2000 are to be delivered in a total of eight procurements.

Asia-Pacific

India inducted four CH47 Chinooks heavy-lift helos into the Indian Air Force. The Chinook choppers will be used for various military purposes including deploying of troops and machinery at high-altitude locations along the India-Pakistan border. With this, India will join a long list of 19 countries including the US, UK, Japan, and South Korea that deploys the twin-engined, heavy-lift helicopters. India bought 15 Chinooks at a prize of $1.5 billion. The whole fleet is expected to be inducted by March next year. The CH-47 Chinooks are multi-mission heavy-lift transport helicopters. They will be used to transport troops, artillery, supplies, equipment on the battlefield, ammunition and even barrier materials. They can also be used as disaster relief, search and recovery operations, medical evacuation, fire-fighting and civil development.

Today’s Video

Watch: RAAF E-7A Wedgetail tour

French Mirage F1s
(click to view full)

Morocco’s combat air force currently flies 2 squadrons of old F-5 fighters, and 2 squadrons of only slightly newer Mirage F1s. T-37 light jets serve as high-end trainers. Their neighbor and rival Algeria flies MiG-23s of similar vintage, but the Force Aérienne Algérienne also flies SU-24 Fencer and SU-25 Frogfoot strike aircraft, plus even more modern and capable MiG-29s, and is receiving multi-role SU-30MKAs as part of a multi-billion dollar weapons deal with Russia.

Morocco can’t beat that array. Instead, they’re looking for replacement aircraft and upgrades that will prevent complete overmatch, and provide a measure of security. Initially, they looked to France, but key reversals have handed most of this modernization work to the United States.

Slips and Shifts

Dassault Rafale-B
(click to view full)

France’s Rafale is part of a set of European 4+ generation fighters that were developed and fielded during the 1990s-early 21st century, with the aim of surpassing existing offerings among America’s “teen series” fighters, as well as Russia’s MiG-29 Fulcrum and SU-27/30 Flanker family. “Dogfight at the Casbah: Rafale vs. F-16” discussed the French sales slip-ups that cost Dassault its first export order for the 4+ generation fighter. That outcome is now official.

In a final twist of the knife, the multi-billion dollar fighter deal involves new-build F-16s, at a price comparable to the rumored figures for the Rafale. Not to mention an accompanying American deal to replace Morocco’s T-37 trainer fleet with T-6Cs, and contracts for air-launched weapons, targeting pods, C-27J short-haul transports, and CH-47D helicopters.

France has retained upgrade work for the Mirage F1 fleet, and their program could end up having applications elsewhere. Other Mirage F1 upgrade opportunities may exist in Gabon, Libya and perhaps Ecuador; while countries like Argentina may become buyers for second-hand but similarly-refurbished French, Jordanian, and/or Spanish aircraft.

Contracts and Key Events 2015 – 2019

 

P5 System March 27/19: American Sale and Upgrade The US Department of State approved a possible sale to Morocco of F-16C/D aircraft. The cost of the deal is estimated at $3.8 billion. Morocco has requested to purchase 25 F-16C/D Block 72 aircraft and other related equipment. According to a press statement, the proposed sale will contribute to the foreign policy and national security of the United States by helping to improve the security of a major Non-NATO ally that continues to be an important force for political stability and economic progress in North Africa. Morocco already operates an F-16 fleet and also requested an upgrade of the 23 aircraft to the F-16V configuration. The prime contractor for the sale and the upgrade is Lockheed Martin. According to the company, the F-16 Block 70/72 is the newest and most advanced F-16 configuration to date, with a structural life more than 50 percent beyond that of previous F-16 aircraft.

January 6/15: Saudi Arabia is to coordinate with Morocco on joint training, military exercises, and exchange of expertise in different areas related to the defense industry. The Agreement on Military & Technical Operations will see Saudi Arabia help finance Moroccan armament acquisition and develop a national “embryonic” military industry. $22 billion will be invested between now and 2019, and several companies such as Bombardier, Airbus, Safran and Thales are to open operations in Morocco in 2016.

November 19/15: The US State Department has approved a sale worth $157 million to the Kingdom of Morocco. The deal includes TOW 2A, Radio Frequency (RF) Missiles (BGM-71E-4B-RF), M220A2 TOW Launchers as well as the associated equipment, parts, training and logistical support with the principal contractor being Raytheon. The sale goes as part of the cooperation between the two countries and aiming to help against security threats in the region.

2012 – 2014

 

RMAF F-16C
(click to view full)

July 31/14: CH-47 engines. Honeywell Aerospace International, Phoenix, Arizona, was awarded a $121.9 million initial foreign military sales contract order, on behalf of Turkey, Australia, the United Arab Emirates and Morocco. Morocco’s request for 3 CH-47Ds (q.v. Oct 26/09) included the uprated T55-GA-714A engines.

It’s the 1st order under a new contract covering up to 440 total engines and 365 engine fielding kits. All funds for this order are committed immediately, but the wider contract will have a total potential value well north of $121 million. Work will be performed until Dec 31/18 in Phoenix, AZ. US Army Contracting Command in Redstone Arsenal, AL (W58RGZ-14-C-0021, PO 0001).

April 11/14: Cubic Corporation announces a $5 million contract from the U.S. Air Force to supply its P5 Combat Training System to the Moroccan Air Force. The system includes both pods carried on aircraft and ground infrastructure, allowing “rangeless” training and reconstruction of air combat for debriefing later. Since the US military also uses the system, it will also allow joint training.

The system will be used with Morocco’s F-16s, and it will make a big difference to the effectiveness of Morocco’s pilots. Sources: Cubic, P5 CTS/TCTS Brochure [PDF] | PR Web, “U.S. Air Force Selects Cubic for Moroccan P5 Air Combat Training System”.

Aug 29/12: F-16s. The last 3 Moroccan F-16s leave Texas and head to Ben Guerir AB, Morocco. That makes 22 F-16s, with 2 more delivered but based at Edwards AFB, CA for integration testing of new weapons, etc. The RMAF owns them, but they won’t arrive in Morocco until 2013. Arabian Aerospace | defenceWeb.

Aug 10/12: F-16s. Arabian Aerospace offers an update on the status of Morocco’s F-16s. All 8 F-16Ds are in service, along with 5 of the F-16Cs. The F-16 Block 52 fighters are now in service with the Escadron de Chasse ‘Falcon’ at Ben Guerir AB, near Marrakech. Two further squadrons, ‘Spark’ and ‘Viper’ will stand up at the same base.

A cadre of 10 pilots have graduated from instructor training in the USA with the Arizona Air National Guard’s 162nd Fighter Wing, and that group will train the other Moroccan pilots. Meanwhile, Morocco’s F-5 fleet may find itself relegated to advanced trainer and reserve duties.

July 8/12: AIM-9X-2. The May 19/11 DSCA request leads to a letter of offer and acceptance (LOA) to buy Raytheon’s AIM-9X Block II short range air-to-air missile for Morocco’s new F-16C/Ds. Numbers and prices are an “undisclosed quantity,” but can be inferred by consulting the DSCA request: 20 + training missiles.

The RMAF will be the 4th country using the Block II version with the added datalink and lock-on after launch capability, after the USA, Saudi Arabia, and South Korea. AIM-9X Block I customers include Australia, Denmark, Finland, Poland, Singapore, Switzerland, and Turkey. Raytheon.

20+ AIM-9X-2 missiles

April 3/12: F-16 #4,500. Lockheed Martin commemorates the 4,500th F-16 Fighting Falcon delivery – “an advanced Block 52 aircraft destined for Morocco.”

Later reports peg it as the last Moroccan F-16, and 1 of 2 that will be retained in the USA for integration tests at Edwards AFB, CA until some time in 2013. LMCO Release | Flickr photo gallery.

2011

 

RMAF F-16s

Dec 5/11: F-16 ECM. Lockheed Martin in Fort Worth, TX receives a not-to-exceed $32.4 million firm-fixed contract, to provide Morocco’s 24 F-16s with Advanced Countermeasures Electronic Systems Electronic Warfare Systems (ACES) modules that have “updated date protection.”

ACES defensive systems are actually a Raytheon product (vid. the Dec 1/08 entry), but they were explicitly included in Lockheed Martin’s base F-16 contract (vid. Dec 22/09 entry). That’s why the work location lists as Fort Worth, TX. The USAF Aeronautical Systems Center at Wright-Patterson AFB acts as Morocco’s managing agent (FA8615-08-C-6050, PO 0026).

Aug 1/11: F-16s. The first 4 of 24 new Block 52 F-16s leave Lockheed Martin’s facility in Fort Worth, TX, on a ferry flight to Morrocco. Lockheed Martin.

F-16 launches AIM-9X
(click for AIM-9X zoom)

May 19/11: AIM-9X missile request. The US DSCA announces Morocco’s official request to buy 20 AIM-9X Block II Sidewinder short range air-to-air missiles, plus 10 CATM-9X-2 Captive Air Training Missile All-Up-Rounds (missiles with seekers and wiring, but no motor, in their case), 8 CATM-9X-2 Missile Guidance Units, 8 AIM-9X-2 Block II Tactical Guidance Units, 2 Dummy Air Training Missiles, plus containers, missile support and test equipment, provisioning, spare and repair parts, personnel training and training equipment, publications and technical data, and other forms of U.S. Government and contractor support. The DSCA adds that the “Royal Moroccan Air Force is modernizing its fighter aircraft to better support its own air defense needs.”

Recall that the July 9/08 DSCA request for F-16s involved AIM-9Ms, which still equip many American aircraft and are inferior to the Vympel R-73/AA-11 Archer missiles flown on Algerian fighters. AIM-9X missiles are significantly more advanced, with greatly improved seekers and maneuverability. The key Block II addition is lock-on after launch, which takes full advantage of the missile’s characteristics, and the advantages of helmet-mounted sights. By telling the missile to fly to a designated location and look for a target, kills have even been scored behind the firing aircraft. This initial number of missiles would give the RMAF’s new F-16s enough missiles to train with, and field a very preliminary operational capability.

The estimated cost is up to $50 million, with exact totals to be negotiated if a contract is signed with prime contractor Raytheon Missile Systems in Tucson, AZ. Implementation of this proposed sale will require travel of U.S. Government or contractor representatives to Morocco on a temporary basis for program technical support and management oversight, but the DSCA has no estimate of how many yet.

AIM-9X-2 missile request

May 18/11: T-6Cs. The Royal Moroccan Air Force (RMAF) has received the first 12 of 24 T-6C trainers from Hawker Beechcraft, to replace its existing fleet of T-34 and T-37 jet trainers. Arabian Aerospace.

2010

 

RMAF C-27J
(click to view full)

Sept 30/10: F-16s. Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control in Orlando, FL wins an $8.1 million contract for Type I special operations and maintenance training for the government of Morocco in support of their F-16 program. At this time, $6.2 million has been committed by the AETC CONS/LGCI at Randolph Air Force Base, TX (FA3002-10-C-0030).

This seems like a minor award. Without awards like this, however, you can throw away everything else spent on the aircraft. Or, you can rely on foreign contractors to keep a fleet ready, and hope they stick around if that fleet ever gets used in a state-to-state shooting war

July 19/10: F-16s. Pratt & Whitney announces a $145 million to provide F100-PW-229 Enhanced Engine Package (EEP) turbofan engines for the RMAF’s new F-16s. The new engines will be delivered in 2010 and 2011.

The Royal Moroccan Air Force became the 22nd international customer to select the F100 engine family, which powers F-16s and F-15s around the world. The F100 was the launch engine for these fighters, but technical problems led to severe readiness issues. Eventually GE’s rival F110 engine entered the market, and wound up powering most of the USAF’s new F-16s. The 2 engine competition never let up, however, and the new F100-PW-229 EEP has given the Pratt & Whitney team a number of important wins in head-to-head competitions around the world. To date, F100-PW-229 powered aircraft have logged more than 2.5 million flight hours in more than 18 years worth of operational service.

July 19/10: T-6Cs. Hawker Beechcraft Corporation rolls out the first of 24 Beechcraft T-6C military trainers ordered by the Royal Moroccan Air Force (RMAF). Hawker Beechcraft [PDF].

July 7/10: C-27Js. Alenia Aeronautica delivers a C-27J to Morocco, the 1st of 4 aircraft ordered in October 2008. Source: Combat Aircraft, Sept 2010 | Flight International | Morocco Aeronautique.

April 28/10: Mirage F1s. Arabian Aerospace reports on progress with Morocco’s MF2000 Mirage F1 upgrade program, which will upgrade 27 Mirage F1s (F1CH, F1EH and F1EH-200) at an estimated cost of $420 million. In the case of the Moroccan upgrade, the first 2 aircraft were upgraded at Charleroi in France, with the 3rd undergoing modifications in-country. The prototype made its maiden flight on Oct 19/09, and flight tests and certification are expected to continue throughout the spring and summer of 2010. The upgrade is handled by the new Association Sagem Thales pour la Renovation d’Avions de Combat (ASTRAC) joint venture between Thales and Sagem’s SAFRAN.

The MF2000 adds the standard “glass cockpit” of digital 2-color displays. A new Head-Up Display and full HOTAS(Hands On Stick And Throttle) controls brings the pilot area into line with modern standards, as does a modern zero-zero ejection seat, and compatibility with a helmet-mounted display system if one is added later. A pair of SAGEM mission computers interfaced with a MIL STD 1553B digital databus, and a hybrid Sigma IN/GPS, back this up, and modern secure radios are used for communications. The older Snecma ATAR 9K50 engines are retained, but with a 4% thrust boost and longer life through a new compressor module, redesigned high-pressure turbine, and corresponding increases in mass flow and engine temperatures.

The old Cyrano IV radar is replaced by Thales RC400 (RDY-3) multi-mode pulse Doppler radar, which is similar to but smaller than the Mirage 2000-5’s. Weapons carried can include a variety of guided and unguided weapons, in addition to the onboard 30mm DEFA cannon. Air-air options include the short-range MBDA Magic 2 or Raytheon AIM-9 Sidewinder, with MICA IR/RF missiles available as longer-range options. Damocles surveillance and targeting pod integration makes a big difference in the plane’s air-ground capabilities, as does its ability to carry French AASM GPS-guided bombs. ARMAT anti-radiation missiles and AM39 Exocet anti-ship missiles can be used for specialty missions. For defense, a new digital radar warning receiver (RWR) and an external PAJ FA ECM pod, plus Corail flare launchers and Phimat chaff dispensers, improve survivability.

Mirage F1 MF2000

April 8/10: F-16 insurance. In FedBizOpps solicitation #FA8615-10-R-6045, the USAF issues a request for information. Seems that Morocco is looking to insure its F-16s between the time the US government accepts them from the manufacturer, and the time they are handed over in Morocco. When you consider the need for checkout flights by Lockheed Martin test pilots, long ferry flights, and ongoing integration flight tests, this makes sense.

One all-risks insurance policy would cover 22 planes for 3-5 months each, and another would either cover 2 planes for up to a year and a half, or just cover those final ferry flights. Coverage would be up to $50 million per plane, with a $250,000 deductible. Coverage would last from initial delivery in Texas until engine turn-off and completion of all published post-flight pilot checklists. The coverage would also include a desired $500 million in liability coverage, with no deductible. Edwards AFB is in California… are they sure $500 million is enough?

The first twenty-two (22) aircraft will be ferried over the period of July 2011 – December 2012. These last 2 aircraft will be held in the US for up to a year, performing integration and characterization flight tests at Edwards AFB, CA, and integration and characterization flight tests at Fort Worth, TX. The last ferry will occur sometime in the year 2013 for the last two aircraft.

2009

 

US CH-47D, Iraq
(click to view full)

Dec 22/09: F-16s. Lockheed Martin Corp. in Fort Worth, TX receives an $841.9 million contract for 24 F-16 Block 52 aircraft with electronic warfare systems (Raytheon’s ACES, see Dec 1/08), along with associated support equipment, alternate mission equipment and support elements for the government of Morocco. At this time, $672.8 million has been committed under management of the 312th AESG/PK at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, OH (FA8615-08-C-6050, PZ0008).

Note also the $233.6 million long-lead buy on May 30/08. As one can see, some expensive but essential components like engines (vid. July 19/10, June 6/08) are covered under separate contracts, so even $1.075 billion (about $45 million per plane) isn’t the full price for an operational fleet of 24.

24 F-16s

Nov 25/09: F-16s. L-3 Communications in Arlington, TX receives a $21.6 million contract to provide the Royal Moroccan Air Force with 2 F-16 Block 52 aircrew training devices and associated support. The 677 AESG/SYK at Wright Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio manages the contract (FA8621-10-C-6251).

Oct 26/09: Chinooks. The US Defense Security Cooperation Agency announces [PDF] Morocco’s official request to buy 3 CH-47D Chinook helicopters with 6 (2 per helicopter) uprated Honeywell T55-GA-714A Turbine engines, 2 spare T-55-GA-714A Turbine engines, 4 AN/ARC-201E Single Channel Ground and Airborne Radio Systems (SINCGARS); plus associated mission, communication, navigation and ground support equipment, as well as spare and repair parts, special tools and test equipment, technical data and publications, site survey, and U.S. government and contractor technical and personnel services. The estimated cost is $134 million, and Boeing in Ridley Park, PA will be the prime contractor.

Morocco’s air force ordered 12 CH-47Cs, from Italy’s Elicotteri Meridionali (now AgustaWestland, see photos), who built them under license by Boeing. They were delivered in 2 batches of 6 each, in 1979 and 1982, and fly with the Escadre Hélicoptère in Rabat. Their current state of repair and serviceability are not known for certain; some orders of battle place their current operational number at 9, in which case these 3 helicopters would return the fleet to full strength.

CH-47D request

Oct 20/09: F-16s. Lockheed Martin CFO Bruce Tanner, discussing Q3 2009 earnings, reveals that Morocco and Iraq will be delaying their planned F-16 purchases “beyond 2011”. Q3 Podcast [MP3] | Q3 Earnings slides [PDF] | Flight International.

Sept 21/09: T-6. Hawker Beechcraft Corp. in Wichita, KS receives a contract for 24 T-6C trainer aircraft, spares, program support, operational flight trainers, ground support, on-site support and technical publications. The Dec 19/07 DSCA listing said that Morocco was requesting 24 T-6B trainers, but Morocco will be the launch customer for the new variant.

At this time, $37.1 million has been obligated. The AESG/SYI at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base manages this foreign military sales contract (FA8617-09-C-6170).

The Royal Moroccan Air Force is the launch customer for the new T-6C model, and Hawker Beechcraft’s Oct 12/09 release adds more details. Like the US Navy’s newly certified T-6B, the T-6C features an integrated digital “glass” cockpit and advanced avionics suite, including a a Head-Up Display (HUD), Up Front Control Panel (UFCP), 3 Multifunction Displays (MFDs) and Hands-On Throttle and Stick (HOTAS) controls. What it adds is wings equipped with hard points, to allow for external fuel tanks, and an open architecture Esterline CMC Cockpit 4000 avionics suite that’s the first in its class to incorporate a fully integrated and FAA-certified dual FMS/GPS navigation suite. See also Dec 19/07 entry.

24 T-6Cs

Sept 9/09: F-16s. The US DSCA announces [PDF] Morocco’s formal request for F-16 C/D Block 50/52 aircraft support equipment and weapons at an estimated value of $187 million.

DSCA said that the proposed sale will allow the Moroccan air force to modernize its aging fighter inventory, thereby enabling Morocco to support both its own air defense needs and coalition operations (emphasis DID’s), adding that “Morocco is a major non-NATO US ally.” The proposed sale includes:

• 40 LAU-129A launchers;
  
• 20 AGM-65D infrared-guided Maverick air-to-surface missiles;
  
• 4 AGM-65D Maverick training missiles;
  
• 4 AGM-65H TV-guided Maverick training missiles;
  
• 60 Enhanced GBU-12 Paveway II kits, which include GPS-aided, laser guidance systems for the 500 lbs GBU-12 bombs;
  
• 28 M61 20mm Vulcan cannons;
  
• 28 AN/ARC-238 Single Channel Ground and Airborne Radios (SINCGARS) with HaveQuick I/II (a frequency-hopping system used to protect military radio traffic) or Saturn I/II;
  
• 1 ground based simulator;
  
• 40 LAU-118A missile rails;
  
• 6 AN/AAQ-33 SNIPER targeting pods with ground station. Previous DSCA requests had included 12 SNIPER ATP or LITENING pods, and the RMAF has begun buying SNIPER;
  
• 16 Air Combat Maneuvering Instrumentation (ACMI) pods that record an aircraft’s in-flight data during dogfighting exercises;
  
• 4 ACMI ground stations:
  
• 8 Joint Mission Planning Systems (JMPS);
  
• 2 Remotely Operated Video Enhanced Receivers (ROVERs);
  
• 30 AN/ALR-93 radar warning receivers;
  
• 30 AN/AVS-9 night vision goggles.

Other items included in the request are containers, bomb components, support equipment, repair and return, spares and repair parts, publications and technical documentation, personnel training and training equipment, US government and contractor technical, engineering, and logistics support services, and other related elements of logistics support.

The principal contractors will be:

• Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company in Fort Worth, TX
  
• Raytheon Missile Systems in Tucson, AZ
  
• L3 Communications in Arlington, TX
  
• Advanced Night Vision System in North Salt Lake, UT
  
• Marvin Industries in Inglewood, CA
  
• Pratt & Whitney in East Hartford, CT
  
• Goodrich ISR Systems in Danbury, CT
  
• BAE Advanced Systems in Greenland, NY
  
• Boeing in Seattle, WA
  
• Boeing Integrated Defense Systems in St Lewis, MO
  
• Boeing IDS in Long Beach, CA
  
• Boeing IDS in San Diego, CA
  
• Raytheon in Lexington, MA
  
• Raytheon in Goleta, CA
  
• Lockheed Martin Missile and Fire Control in Dallas, TX
  
• Northrop-Grumman Electro-Optical Systems in Garland, TX
  
• Northrop-Grumman Electronic Systems in Baltimore, MD

Some contractors on this list may not be featured in final orders, depending on which ancillaries are chosen.

F-16 weapons request

Sniper ATPs
(click to view full)

Aug 03/09: F-16s. Lockheed Martin Missile and Fire Control in Orlando FL receives a $30.3 million contract for the purchase of Sniper Advanced Targeting Pods (ATPs) for Morroco’s F-16s. The Dec 19/07 DSCA request specified either Sniper ATP or the LITENING pod.

The contract includes integration support, product spares. and logistics support. Sniper ATP deliveries will be completed in 2011. The number of pods was not disclosed. Warner-Robins Air Logistics Center/448 SCMG/PKHCB at Robins Air Force Base, GA manages the foreign military sales contract (FA8522-09-C-0013).

Feb 23/09: F-16s. General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products announces a 5-year, $39 contract from Lockheed Martin for F-16 Ammunition Handling Systems (AHS). The initial order is $8.9 million, covering guns that will equip Turkey’s 30 new F-16C/D Block 50s, and Morocco’s 24 new F-16C/D Block 52s. Final assembly will be performed at GDATP’s Saco Operations facility in Saco, Maine, with testing and program management performed at the company’s Burlington Technology Center in Burlington, VT. Deliveries will begin in April 2010.

The General Dynamics F-16 Ammunition Handling System utilizes a closed-loop, linkless feed system, giving it greater ammunition capacity than previous designs and eliminating potential damage from ejected ammunition casings. The system is combined with GDATP’s M61A1 20mm Gatling gun.

2008

 

C-27J Spartan
(click to view full)

Dec 1/08: F-16s. Raytheon announces a contract from Lockheed Martin for its ACES (advanced countermeasures electronic system) for 24 Royal Moroccan Air Force F-16 Block 52 aircraft.

The ACES system is Raytheon’s latest offering for the F-16, and consists of a radar warning receiver, digital jammer and chaff-flare dispensers. The system features a new, all-digital, low cost, high performance radar warning receiver for dense signal environments, and a new digital RF memory-based (DRFM) jammer with enhanced resource management and an upgraded bag of tricks. Raytheon’s contract calls for deliveries to begin in December 2009.

Note that the original DSCA announcement involved 28 of ITT’s AN/ALQ-211 AIDEWS; or BAE Systems’ AN/ALQ-178 SPEWS suites, or or Raytheon’s AN/ALQ-187 ASPIS II suites. ACES would represent an upgrade from ASPIS II.

Oct 23/08: C-27Js. Finmeccanica subsidiary Alenia Aeronautica announces [PDF] that the Moroccan Defence Ministry has placed a EUR 130 million order for 4 C-27J Spartan tactical transport aircraft. Industry and local sources say it also includes a 2-year training and spares package, plus options for a VIP module.

This brings the total number of firm C-27J orders received to 121 (US Army 78, Italy 12, Greece 12 + 3 option, Romania 7, Bulgaria 5 + 3 option, Morocco 4, Lithuania 3), and is the first order from a non-NATO country.

The Alkowat al malakiya al jawiya (RMAF) currently operates a fleet of about 19 C-130H/KC-130H Hercules aircraft as its mainstay transports. This order appears designed to supplement that C-130 feet with smaller short-field cargo aircraft, which don’t have the same number of flight-hours on their airframes. Later reports, however, indicate that the C-27Js will actually replace some C-130s.

4 C-27Js

Aug 28/08: F-16s. Goodrich Corp. Surveillance and Reconnaissance Systems of Chelmsford, MA wins an $87.9 million contract for 4 DB-110 airborne reconnaissance pods, 1 mobile ground station, 1 fixed ground station, 2 mission planners, data links, in-country technical representatives, technical manuals, and test and integration support. At this time $37.8 million has been committed. Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, OH is managing the contract (FA8620-08-C-3013). See the DSCA listing in the Dec 19/07 entry; the DB-110 beat BAE’s TARS alternative.

Goodrich Corporation announced the contract back on July 14/08, to equip the Royal Moroccan Air Force’s new Block 52+ F-16 fighters. Work will be performed by the company’s ISR Systems teams in Chelmsford, MA and Malvern, UK.

Chilean F-16D Block 52
(click to view full)

July 9/08: F-16s. The US Defense Security Cooperation Agency announces [PDF] Morocco’s formal request for weapons to equip its new F-16s. The total value, if all options are exercised, could be as high as $155 million.

The request includes a number of different weapons, along with containers, bomb components, spare/repair parts, publications, documentation, personnel and training, contractor technical and logistics personnel services, and other related support elements.

The principal contractors will be:

• Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company in Fort Worth, TX (F-16)
  
• Lockheed Martin Missile and Fire Control in Dallas, TX (Paveway)
  
• Boeing Integrated Defense Systems in Seattle, WA (JDAM)
  
• Raytheon Missile Systems in Tucson, AZ (AMRAAM, HARM, Maverick, Paveway, Sidewinder)

Weapons requested will include:

• 30 AIM-120-C5 Advanced Medium Range Air-to Air Missiles (AMRAAM). The most recent production version is the C7.
  
• 60 AIM-9M SIDEWINDER Missiles. The most recent production version is the next-generation AIM-9X, but most American aircraft still carry AIM-9Ms.
  
• 20 AGM-88B/C HARM Missiles, used to attack radar sites.
  
• 8 AGM-65D/G MAVERICK Missiles, which use imaging infrared (IIR) guidance. The AGM-65G is especially useful against hardened targets.
  
• 45 AGM-65H MAVERICK Missiles. These use camera-based guidance, which can be more useful in hot desert environments.
  
• 50 Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) tail kits (20 GBU-31 for MK-82 500 lb bombs, and 30 GBU-38s for MK-84 2,000 lb bombs);
  
• 20 GBU-24, PAVEWAY III laser-guidance and fin kits to convert 2,000 pound bombs.
  
• 50 GBU-10, PAVEWAY II laser-guidance kits for 2,000 lb. bombs with penetrating warheads for hardened targets.
  
• 150 GBU-12, PAVEWAY II laser-guidance kits for 500 lb. bombs.
  
• 60 Enhanced GBU-12 PAVEWAY II bombs, with dual-mode GPS/laser guidance.
  
• 300 MK-82 training “bombs”
  
• 60,000 training projectiles for 20mm cannons, which are found in the F-16 and in Morocco’s F-5s
  
• 4,000 self-protection chaff for use in the ALE-47 self-protection system
  
• 4,000 ALE-47 self-protection flares and associated equipment and services.

Morocco can order up to these amounts, if the sale is not blocked by Congress within 30 days.

F-16 weapons request

June 6/08: F-16s. Pratt & Whitney announces that its F100-PW-229 engine has been selected by the Royal Moroccan Air Force to power their new fleet of F-16 Block 52 aircraft, beating GE’s F110-GE-129. The engine program is valued at approximately $170 million, with deliveries to take place in 2010 and 2011.

The F100-PW-229’s Engine Enhancement Package (EEP) aims to increase the time until full depot inspection from 7-10 years, while providing up to 30% life cycle cost reductions and reduce the predicted in-flight shutdown rate by up to 25%. To date, F100-PW-229 powered aircraft have logged more than 963,000 flight hours in more than 16 years of operational service, and the Royal Moroccan Air Force becomes the 22nd international customer to select the F100 engine family for F-16 or F-15 aircraft.

May 30/08: F-16s begin. Lockheed Martin Aeronautical Systems Co. of Fort Worth TX received a firm fixed price contract not to exceed $233.6 million for 24 F-16 Block 52 aircraft, along with associated support equipment, alternate mission equipment and support elements for the Government of Morocco. At this time $124.3 million has been obligated. The 312AESG/PK at Wright-Patterson AFB, OH manages this contract (FA8615-08-C-6050).

As one might guess from the amount, this isn’t the full purchase price, just the cost of key materials and components that have long lead times, and must be ordered now to ensure timely delivery of the finished fighters. Note: this contract was re-announced on June 5/08.

24 F-16s

2007

 

Start here –
T-6A JPATS
(click to view full)

Dec 19/07: F-16s. The US DSCA announces [PDF] Morocco’s formal request for 24 F-16C/D Block 50/52 aircraft as well as associated equipment and services – but not weapons. The total value, if all options are exercised, could be as high as $2.4 billion. The proposed sale includes:

• 24 F-16C/D Block 50/52 aircraft with either the F100-PW-229 or F110-GE-129 Increased Performance Engines (IPE), and APG-68v9 radars;
  
• 24 Conformal Fuel Tanks (pairs);
  
• 5 F100-PW-229 or F110-GE-129 IPE spare engines;
  
• 4 APG-68v9 spare radar sets;
  
• 30 AN/ALE-47 Countermeasures Dispensing Systems (CMDS)
  
• 30 AN/ALR-56M Radar Warning Receivers (RWR)
  
• 60 LAU-129/A Launchers;
  
• 30 LAU-117 Launchers;
  
• 6 Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing Systems;
  
• 12 AN/AAQ-33 Sniper ATP, or AN/AAQ-28 LITENING advanced surveillance and targeting pods. Even the choice is surprising, as Northrop Grumman’s LITENING was jointly developed with RAFAEL of Israel; DID predicts a Sniper ATP purchase.
  
• 5 Tactical Air Reconnaissance Systems (TARS) or DB-110 Reconnaissance Pods (RECCE); Goodrich’s DB-110 is already integrated into Poland’s F-16s, an eventually won here, too.
  
• 4 AN/ARC-238 Single Channel Ground and Airborne Radio System (SINCGARS) radios with HAVE QUICK I/II;
  
• 4 Link-16 Multifunctional Information Distribution System-Low Volume Terminals (MIDS-LVT);
  
• 2 Link-16 Ground Stations;
  
• 4 Global Positioning Systems (GPS) and Embedded GPS/ Inertial Navigation Systems (INS);
  
• 4 AN/APX-113 Advanced Identification Friend or Foe (AIFF) Systems;
  
• 28 AN/ALQ-211 Advanced Integrated Defensive Electronic Warfare Suites (AIDEWS); or 28 AN/ALQ-187 Advanced Self-Protection Integrated Suites (ASPIS II); or 28 AN/ALQ-178 Self Protection Electronic Warfare Suites (SPEWS)
  
• 1 Unit Level Trainer
  
• Associated support equipment, software development/integration, tanker support, ferry services, CAD/PAD, repair and return, modification kits, spares and repair parts, publications and technical documentation, personnel training and training equipment, U.S. Government and contractor technical, engineering, and logistics support services, and other related elements of logistics support.

The principal contractors (and some of their key offerings) will be:

• Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company in Fort Worth, TX (F-16 prime)
  
• Lockheed Martin Missile and Fire Control in Dallas, TX (Sniper ATP)
  
• BAE Advanced Systems Greenlawn, New York (Electronic Warfare, IFF, TARS)
  
• Boeing Corporation Seattle, Washington
  
• Boeing Integrated Defense Systems (three locations) St Louis, MO; Long Beach and San Diego, CA
  
• Raytheon Company (two locations) Lexington, MA; Goleta, CA
  
• Raytheon Missile Systems in Tucson, AZ
  
• Northrop-Grumman Electro-Optical Systems in Garland, TX (LITENING)
  
• Northrop-Grumman Electronic Systems in Baltimore, MD (AN/APG-68v9)
  
• Pratt & Whitney in East Hartford, CT (F100 engine)
  
• General Electric Aircraft Engines in Cincinnati, OH (F110 engine)
  
• Goodrich ISR Systems in Danbury, CT (DB-110)
  
• L3 Communications in Arlington, TX

Implementation of this proposed sale will require multiple trips to Morocco involving U.S. Government and contractor representatives for technical reviews/support, program management, and training over a period of 15 years.

F-16 request

Dec 19/07: T-6. The DSCA release [PDF] notes that:

“The Royal Moroccan Air Force’s (RMAF) fleet of T-37 aircraft was produced in the early 1960s. The T-37s high fuel and maintenance costs, and low mission-capable rates led to the RMAF’s decision to procure new trainer aircraft. The T-6B aircraft will reduce fuel requirements by 66%. The RMAF will use these new aircraft to modernize its air force and to improve operational capability in coalition operations and exercises, and contribute to a modern air defense network for the legitimate defense of Morocco.”

Hence Morocco’s official request for 24 T-6B Texan trainer aircraft with very secondary light attack capability. Associated equipment will include Global Positioning Systems (GPS) with CMA-4124 GNSSA card and Embedded GPS/Inertial Navigation System (INS) spares, ferry maintenance, tanker support, aircraft ferry services, site survey, unit level trainer, spare and repair parts, support and test equipment, publications and technical documentation, personnel training and training equipment, contractor technical and logistics personnel services, and other related elements of logistics support.

The estimated cost is $200 million, and the principal contractors would be:

• Hawker Beechcraft Corporation in Wichita, KS (aircraft)
  
• Pratt & Whitney Corporation near Montreal, Canada and in Bridgeport, WVA (engines)
  
• Martin Baker in Middlesex, United Kingdom (ejection seat)
  
• Hartzel Propeller in Pique, OH (propeller)
  
• CMC, with headquarters in Montreal, Canada and offices in Ottawa, Canada and Sugar Grove, IL (cockpit avionics)
  
• L-3 Vertex in Madison, MS

Implementation of this proposed sale will require multiple trips to Morocco involving U.S. Government and contractor representatives for technical reviews/support, program management, and training over a period of 15 years.

T-6C request

Why The F-16? DID Analysis

Dassault Rafale
(click for cutaway view)

Defence Aerospace claims that France’s Rafale offers were 18 jets for EUR 1.8 billion (currently $2.6 billion), or 24 jets for EUR 2.4 billion (currently $3.45 billion), along with MBDA’s Mica air-air missiles and AASM GPS-guided bombs:

“Contrary to earlier reports, Morocco is buying new F-16s, and not surplus US Air Force aircraft. The price it is paying is broadly comparable to that offered by France for the Rafale, giving the lie to reports that Moroccan authorities were swayed by a cut-rate offer made by the United States.

France made two offers, one for 18 Rafales for 1.8 billion euros ($2.6 billion), and one for 2.2 billion euros ($3.2 billion) for 24 aircraft. The French offers included a full weapons suite (MICA air-to-air missiles and AASM laser-guided bombs) as well as an extensive ground environment, that Morocco will have to buy separately for the F-16s.”

A 2012 Arabian Aerospace report says that the French bid shift came when the US reportedly counter-offered up to 36 second-hand F-16s at a cost of just $1.4 billion. France’s revised offer reportedly offered the choice of 12 Rafales and 12 Mirage 2000 aircraft, or a higher-end buy of 24 Rafales. The US response involved 24 fully up to date F-16C/D Block 52s at $2.4 billion.

There’s little transparency in these sorts of negotiations, so the public may never know why Morocco chose as it did. Few would dispute that the Rafale is a significantly better plane, offering Morocco a level of quality overmatch that the F-16C/Ds cannot promise against neighboring Algeria’s MiG-29s and SU-30s. The F-16s’ potential winning edge thus comes down to some combination of the most likely explanations: price, network effects, strategic leverage… and pride.

When comparing the offers, the first thing any analysis must note is that a reasonably extensive support network is in fact built into the American offer. Equivalent weapons like the AIM-120 AMRAAM and Paveway II/III kits were not included, but they are unlikely to add more than $200 million to the price of 24 aircraft. An American dollar discount of 45% can still make that an attractive offer; indeed Morocco’s “equivalent choice” actually involves a 33% discount of 24 F-16C/Ds for the price of 18 Rafales, assuming a budget of around $2.6 billion for the aircraft and basic weapons.

Depending on relative in-service rates, the difference in aircraft that are actually available for use at any given time could widen further. That’s a significant consideration when the numbers neck down to under 24 aircraft, in order to cover an entire country against a potential opponent who can field over 60 aircraft of comparable or better quality.

TuAF F-16s
(click to view full)

The second factor to consider is “network effects,” in which the value of a military platform increases with the number of associated choices in weapons et. al. F-16s do have the advantage of offering a much wider set of choices in weapons, targeting pods, engines, and other related equipment. This expands Morocco’s weaponry options to handle a variety of strategic scenarios, and avoids the Rafale’s limiting choices of either accepting supplier lock-in, or pursuing expensive local integration projects. The F-16’s network effects could well be more attractive to a country who values flexibility highly, and understands that flyaway aircraft cost, like the cost of a new car from a dealer, is only the beginning of the real expense of ownership.

The 3rd factor to consider is that the F-16 sale may also be set in the context of a wider security relationship with the USA, which would offset Morocco’s aircraft quality differential in a different way. The US DSCA adds that:

“The proposed sale will contribute to the foreign policy and national security objectives of the United States by enhancing Morocco’s capacity to support U.S. efforts in the Global War on Terrorism (GWOT), as well as supporting Morocco’s legitimate need for its own self-defense. Morocco is one of the most stable and pro-Western of the Arab states, and the U.S. remains committed to a long-term relationship with Morocco.”

That relationship undoubtedly had a role to play getting the American F-16 in the door as an alternative. Many people think that countries sell arms to people they wish to befriend; that is only very partially true. It is more true to say that countries tend to buy arms from nations whom they wish to be their friends, when the potential for a strategic relationship is a factor at all. This helps to explain why the F-16 became Morocco’s #1 alternative instead of (for instance) Sweden’s JAS-39 Gripen. Or cheap Russian fighters, which would be fatally compromised by Russia’s near-certain choice of Algeria and its gas reserves over Morocco in the event of a crisis.

While these security relationship dynamics always apply to global weapon purchases, it is very unlikely that they were decisive in winning the deal. If Morocco desires a relationship with the USA that extends to military support in times of crisis, that relationship cannot be dependent on a single minor aircraft sale; given the way America works, it either exists in any event, or it does not exist at all.

The last factor to consider is pride. Past reports have indicated that France’s initial sales efforts quoted one price, while a later call to the DGA concerning France’s price per aircraft gave a much lower figure. Negotiations went very cold after that, and serious discussions began with the Americans that would eventually lead to the F-16 sale. In a part of the world known for holding pride and honor in very high esteem, that kind of gaffe tends to have serious consequences. Not serious enough to break Morocco’s relationship with France entirely, of course; France is valued for strategic reasons. It was serious enough, however, that if the French reports are true and Morocco could find a “good enough” alternative, pride and the satisfaction of honor alone could explain the denouement we have seen:

# Buy American jets to exact redress and serve as a warning to France not to do that again, while improving relations with another powerful ally.
# Couple that with a EUR 500 million order for a French FREMM frigate to shore up another need, and demonstrate to France that relationship still exists, and honor has been satisfied.

Additional Readings

• Wikipedia – Royal Moroccan Air Force

• Scramble – Royal Moroccan Air Force

• F-16.net – Royal Moroccan Air Force F-16s

• Morocco Aeronautique – Premier F-16 Marocain. Shown Sept 21/10.

• ISN (Nov 17/09) – Arming the Maghreb. Discusses recent and prospective North African arms purchases in Libya, Morocco, and Algeria. ISN is a project of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology’s Center for Security Studies (ETH Zurich’s CSS), and is jointly funded by the Swiss Department for Defence, Civil Protection and Sport (DDPS) and ETH Zurich.

• AFNS (Mar 19/09) – Luke Airmen advise Moroccan air force on F-16 operations

• DID (Oct 22/07) – Dogfight at the Casbah: Rafale vs. F-16

• DID (Oct 16/07) – Moroccan VIP Jet Gets LAIRCM

• Air-Scene UK (2006) – Moroccan Air Force at 50

• Armed Forces Press Service (Feb 14/00) – U.S.-Moroccan Training, Cooperation to Expand

Americas

The US Missile Defense Agency awarded Boeing a $4 billion contract modification to Ground-based Midcourse Defense (GMD) and Development and Sustainment Contract (DSC). The modification will extend the DSC period from January 2018 to December 2023. The GMD is designed specifically to counter long-range ballistic missiles threatening the US homeland. It uses a three-stage booster, giving the necessary “legs” to perform intercepts over great distances. This range gives GMD by far the greatest coverage area of any US missile defense system, defending all fifty states and Canada. The modification also includes the delivery of a new missile field with 20 silos and two extra silos in a previously constructed missile field at Fort Greely in Alaska. The Missile Defense Agency is also deferring the production of 20 additional Ground Based Interceptors (GBIs) due to the deal associated with not meeting the entrance criteria for the Redesigned Kill Vehicle (RKV) critical design review. GBIs are silo-launched and intercept ballistic missiles in their midcourse, while they are outside of the atmosphere and at their highest trajectory. The missile consists of a multi-stage rocket booster and a kinetic kill vehicle, which makes interception of ballistic missile warheads possible using hit-to-kill technology. The definitized part of the modification provides for technical capabilities to improve a state-of-the-art missile defense system in order of ensuring that defensive capabilities remain relevant and current. These efforts include Boost Vehicle (BV) development; providing GBI assets for labs and test events; development, integration, testing and deployment of ground systems software builds to address emerging threats; development and fielding of upgraded launch support equipment; expanded systems testing through all ground and flight testing; cyber security support and testing; and, operations and support via performance based logistics approach. Work will take place within the US.

Northrop Grumman won a $245 million contract modification from the Naval Sea Systems Command to support the Expeditionary Warfare Program Office. The modification provides for the Joint Counter-Radio-Controlled Improvised Explosive Device Electronic Warfare (JCREW) Increment 1 Block 1 (I1B1) systems full-rate production. JCREW devices are high-power, modular, programmable, multiband radio frequency jammers designed to deny enemy use of selected portions of the radio frequency spectrum. Northrop Grumman was selected to work on the JCREW 3.3 program, which has been replaced by the JCREW I1B1 development, but the terms can be used synonymously. According to the Department of Defense, the JCREW I1B1 system is the first-generation system that develops a common open architecture across all three capabilities and provides protection for worldwide military operations. This integrated design maximizes commonality across all capabilities, reduces life cycle costs and provides increased protection against worldwide threats. Work will take place in San Diego, California and is scheduled to be finished by January 2021.

The Bolivian Air Force will upgrade its UH-1H „Huey“ helo for counter-narcotics operations. As Jane’s reports the government approved a budgetary increase of $6.8 million on March 19. UH-1H is a multimission, medium-lift helicopter. Actually called Iroquois, the helicopter played an important role in the Vietnam War, in which 7,000 aircraft were deployed. The UH-1 was actually the first turbine-powered helicopter produced for the US Military. Under the upgrade for Bolivia, 11 of the Bolivian Air Force’s 15 helos will be modernized to Huey II standard. Combining a modernized airframe of the basic UH-1H helicopter and Bell 212 components, the Huey II upgrade offers lower direct maintenance costs and greater mission flexibility. It is equipped with new features such as increased horsepower, crashworthy seats, multifunctional interior, new wiring and digital cockpit. The helicopter has a two-blade, semi-rigid main rotor and a two-blade tail rotor. It is also equipped with a new skid type landing gear.

Middle East & Africa

The US Air Force awarded AAR Airlift Group a $34 million task order modification that provides continued support of NATO Air Command-Afghanistan/Combined Security Transition Command. According to the DOD, services include dedicated rotary wing air transportation to move passengers, cargo, and human remains as well as perform casualty evacuation in support of the Afghan Air Force within Afghanistan. The Afghanistan/Combined Security Transition Command advises, and assists within Afghan security institutions to develop resource management capability. The Command helps Afghanistan develop a sustainable, effective and affordable National Defense and Security Forces in support of the Afghan Government. The order is to be performed over the next year.

Europe

The UK will acquire five Boeing 737-based E-7 airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) system aircraft. As reported by Flight Global, the UK Ministry of Defense confirmed the $1.98 billion contract that will lead to the replacement of the Royal Air Force’s current Boeing 707-based E-3D Sentry fleet, on March 22. Designed for the Royal Australian Air Force under “Project Wedgetail” and designated E-7A Wedgetail, the E-7 is based on a standard Boeing 737 NG airliner modified to carry a sophisticated Northrop Grumman active electronically-scanned radar. The L-band electronically scanned AEW and surveillance radar is located on a dorsal fin on top of the fuselage, dubbed the “top hat”, and is designed for minimal aerodynamic effect. Last year the UK wanted to proceed with a non-competitive selection of the E-7 with the Ministry of Defense having been keen to acquire an operationally-proven system to replace its current assets.

The US Air Force awarded General Atomics a not-to-exceed $8.9 million contract action for the France MQ-9 Block 1 Weapons integration effort. The Foreign Military sale comes under an undefinitized contract action for the production and integration of the kits for the remotely piloted aircraft. The Reaper has a range of 1,150 miles up to 50,000 feet in altitude with a takeoff weight of 10,500 pounds. In 2013, the French ordered two MQ-9 Reaper medium-altitude long endurance drones to replace its Harfang drones. Last November, the US Air Force awarded General Atomics Aeronautical Systems a $263.4 million contract for production of the Reaper. Work under the contract action will take place n Poway, California and is expected to be complete by September 30, 2020.

Asia-Pacific

According to reports, Turkish defense company ASELSAN will equip Turkey’s F-16 with a new nose radar. The F-16 AESA Nose Radar Development Project was launched to meet the need for modernization of the radars of the F-16 aircraft in the Air Force Command inventory with new generation radars that have Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) antenna technology. Turkey acquired its first F-16 Fighting Falcons in the 80s. Last month, it was reported that the new electronics warfare system for the Turkish F-16s, the SPEWS-II developed by ASELSAN, had successfully completed tests and entered into use.

Today’s Video

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Harfang UAV, DGA
(click to view full)

France is wondering what to do about its next high-end UAV buy. They bought mini-UAVs off the shelf, but turned to a build-in-partnership approach for their current set of Predator-class Medium Altitude, Long Endurance (MALE) machines. That sacrificed some fielding speed and cost more, in order to build the industrial capabilities of key French firms. Unfortunately, their Harfang/ SIDM IUAV Program to field an IAI Heron derivative hit some snags. Harfangs have been very useful in several conflicts now, but the fleet isn’t keeping up with France’s growing land and naval needs. Which leads to the question: what’s next?

The answers to that question remain unclear, several years after French efforts began. What is becoming clear is that France needs UAVs of this type. By mid-2013 a request for MQ-9s came. Will it be more than a stopgap?

Programs and Choices

Luftwaffe: Heron-1
by M. Bertram
(click to view full)

There are really 3 programs going on in France. There’s a short-term program to field an immediate solution, which bought MQ-9 Reapers after much to-ing and fro-ing. There is a long-term program to develop a “European” UAV, however that term is defined. Then there’s a joint program with Britain, which seems likely to build a UCAV design that draws on the experience of the British Taranis and multinational nEUROn programs.

The Interim Buy. Unmanned Aerial Vehicles have become a must-have item for modern armies, and the pressures of modern campaigns are forcing rapid acquisitions. Mini-UAVs are being bought off the shelf, and leased tactical options like Boeing’s ScanEagles and Aeronautics DS’ Aerostars have carved out their own niche. These days, rent-a-UAS services even include high-end MALE (Medium Altitude Long Endurance) options like IAI’s Heron UAVs.

Instead of renting, however, France decided to buy a fleet of advanced medium UAVs, type unspecified, under a program labeled “DTIA”. Deliveries were eventually pushed back from 2013-2015 to 2020 or later, which brought France back to an interim solution. France initially chose to repeat their Harfang approach, and buy modified IAI Heron TP/ Heron-2 UAVs. After a great deal of controversy over the cost of their choice’s industrial benefits, and France’s growing need for immediate help, a new French government switched to an interim buy of MQ-9 Reaper UAVs from the USA.

With France’s interim option set, the question is what they will do as their long-term option.

FE-MALE/ MALE2020. The EU is nudging this idea along via research programs etc., and potential base platforms like Piaggio’s Hammerhead and BAE’s Mantis have already flown. France’s problem is that developing a qualified high-end UAV from the ground up is very expensive. France and its likely partners are struggling to afford the social programs their aging populations have been promised, while negotiating the fallout from the Eurozone’s overall economic policies.

One cheaper possibility for a future European MALE UAV would involve modifying MQ-9 Reapers to include all-European systems, removing the need for American permission to conduct weapons integration or other add-ons. France, Britain, Italy, and soon the Netherlands will all operate this platform soon. Unfortunately, American politics and diplomacy have injured that option, by creating a lot of uncertainty around American obstructionism. Germany’s decision not to buy any advanced UAVs before 2018 or so has also weakened this case.

France & Britain. On Nov 2/10, the Lancaster House Treaty promised that the 2 countries would “work together on the next generation of Medium Altitude Long Endurance Unmanned Air Surveillance Systems”. BAE and Dassault got a small study contract, but that was all, and their Mantis/Telemos UAV collaboration ended up being displaced by a collaboration agreement between Dassault, EADS, and Alenia.

A GBP 120/ EUR 150 million “future combat air system” follow-on in January 2014 appears to have shifted toward a full UCAV that’s more similar to stealthy, jet-powered options like Britain’s Taranis or the French-led nEUROn. All of the yo-yoing in France’s UAV plans to date, and a questionable ability to finance a full UCAV within France & Britain’s future defense budgets, makes one wonder if the R&D contracts will translate into an operational UAV.

France’s Next MALE UAV: Contenders

MQ-9 at Kandahar
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Initial reports said that France’s next UAVs would be used only for surveillance and targeting. Britain’s experience with its MQ-9 Reapers, and the realities of modern battlefields, suggested from the outset that however France’s DTIA project began, French UAVs would wind up carrying weapons. Experiences in Libya and Mali are driving that truth home, despite American obstruction preventing France from arming its own MQ-9 interim UAVs. France’s future UAVs will either be armed, or will operate in conjunction with armed aircraft that offer low operating costs compared to France’s high-end fighters.

With that in mind, France has a number of options.

MQ-9 Reaper (General Atomics, interim buy). A battle-proven choice, with higher carrying capacity and costs. The Reaper initially lost to IAI’s Heron TP, but persistent rumors came true in May 2013, when France’s defense minister pledged to buy 2 Reapers for delivery before the end of the year. Its biggest advantage is immediate availability, and there is speculation that the UAVs may even come from the USAF’s active fleet. This is still an interim capability, however, not a long-term program.

The biggest question involves France’s ability to make use of the Reaper’s comparatively huge 3,000 pound/ 1,360 kg carrying capacity. The USAF’s progress with very advanced wide-area sensors like Gorgon Stare and ARGUS-IS adds to the Reaper’s attractiveness, if America will export them, and Reapers are qualified to use JDAM and SDB GPS-guided bombs, Paveway laser-guided weapons, and Hellfire anti-armor missiles. On the other hand, the Americans’ reluctance to allow even key NATO allies like Italy to arm their drones is a stumbling block. Early reports suggest that French MQ-9s will be unarmed, and France’s reputation for pervasive industrial espionage, even during combat operations, may get in the way of advanced sensor exports.

General Atomics has floated the idea of a European Reaper, with an open architecture and all-European sensors etc. The UK, France, and Italy have already ordered standard MQ-9s, the Dutch have made a commitment to the platform, and there are rumors that Poland will follow, creating a strong European customer base for modifications and upgrades. American interference would still be a sticking point, and the other unresolved issue involves long-range control. If France wants to operate the Reapers via the preferred satellite link method, they’d need to either spend the time and money to build their own control facility, make arrangements to share Britain’s newly-built RAFB Waddington facility, or co-locate with the USAF at Creech AFB, NV. A European MALE project would make a new joint control facility easier to swallow financially, and provide workshare and economic benefits to distribute within the partnership.

P.1HH: 1st flight
click for video

P.1HH Hammerhead (Piaggio/ Selex ES). Italy has declared their intention to buy 10 of these converted executive turboprops, and Piaggio has good odds of picking up sales in the UAE. The Hammerhead offers a unique 395 KTS cruising speed at up to 45,000 feet, with 16 hours endurance at lower speeds and a payload whose 500 kg limit is treaty-related rather than technical. Testing and flights have begun, and core development is largely covered by existing private investments. Additional development would be required to integration national communications capabilities, modify the ground stations, and arm the UAV, but Hammerhead’s development costs would rival the Reaper’s for cost-effectiveness.

The bad news is that Piaggio isn’t closely associated with the major industrial players like EADS or Dassault, who can call in political favors. EADS has already stated that the UAV partnership with Dassault and Alenia would use one of its platforms as the base, and even the prospect of failure might not be enough motivation to change that. Hammerhead’s comparatively low endurance for a MALE UAV could also become an issue, and so could operating costs. Hammerhead’s operating costs might beat Telemos or Talarion, but probably wouldn’t compare as well with the slower, single-engine, and slim-bodied MQ-9 design. The P.1HH may be one of Europe’s most achievable MALE 2020 options, but at this point, it has to be rated as a long shot. Read “MALE Performance Enhancement: Piaggio’s P.1HH Hammerhead UAV” for full coverage.

Israeli Heron-TP
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Harfang (IAI/ EDAS). systems are one option, at about $25 million each for UAVs and ground stations. The benefit of additional Harfangs is that adaptation and integration have already been handled, costs are known, and deliveries could begin very quickly. On the flip side, EADS would have to show that existing issues with the type have been resolved, and adding weapons would require its own integration effort and costs.

Heron TP (IAI/ Dassault/ Thales). Also known as the Heron 2 or Eitan, this is a larger and more advanced version of the Heron UAV that formed the basis for EADS’ Harfang. The Eitan project began in 2004, initial flights began in October 2007, and the new Israeli squadron was formally unveiled in February 2010 – but was reportedly operational before that. A French version would involve a number of modifications, plus testing time, and it was thought that by 2015-2016, Thales-Dassault’s derivative SDM could be available for under EUR 1 billion investment.

The drone’s history in France helps to explain why France is having a UAV crisis in 2013. Thales & Dassault were one of the 2 teams that put in French UAV bids in 2010, but the competition hit a cul-de-sac as France stepped back from the proposed buy, and began looking at alternatives. France’s need for an interim UAV replacement revived the competition, and in July 2011, and IAI’s proposed knowledge transfer and workshare with Dassault and Thales made the Heron TP France’s choice as their interim UAV, to enter service around 2014. Eventually, rising costs, stalled decision-making and very belated acknowledgement that France couldn’t wait for more drones pushed the Heron TP aside.

It could still become the basis of a European “Super MALE” UAV project, but it will have to compete anew. With Dassault (and hence Thales) linked to EADS and Alenia now, its odds are iffy.

Patroller (Sagem). On the developmental front, Sagem already supplies France’s Sperwer tactical UAVs, and is working on a Buzard/ Patroller UAV based on Stemme AG’s S15 powered glider. Sagem is advancing Patroller’s flight schedule, and hoped to be able to offer delivery by 2012-13 at a price of EUR 20-30 million per system. Patroller participated in a French government operational trial, but wasn’t a top option for the interim buy. It’s even less likely to become the basis for a Europe-wide project, but it could win some border control and maritime security customers on its own, given its characteristics.

BAE’s Mantis
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Telemos/ Mantis (BAE). BAE and Dassault were using Mantis as the basis for their Telemos MALE UAV partnership. Their design offers a number of benefits. Twin engines are attractive to navies because they’re safer for long over-water flights, and the type’s carrying capacity is expected to be comparable to an MQ-9 Reaper. Like the Reaper, Mantis’ design is very suitable for carrying weapons, or large and heavy sensors.

On the flip side, a new UAV design means higher project risk, and estimated full development costs were in the EUR 1 – 1.5 billion range. The 2 firms were tapped for a future MALE UAV study, which will help define their design and industrial partnerships, but won’t get Telemos anywhere near production. Dassault’s shift to an EADS/ Alenia partnership, without BAE, would appear to doom Telemos as a future European UAV. Nor is Britain likely to invest in it alone.

Talarion concept
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EADS’ Talarion. The Talarion Advanced UAV project was rolled out in 2009 as the European MALE (Medium Altitude, Long Endurance) UAV collaboration between France, Spain, and Germany, and was one of the 2 bids submitted to the French in 2010. After that impressive entrance, however, it faded. The reasons boil down to time, cost, and risk.

Unlike the other options here, Talarion is an entirely new design. That increases risk, and ensures that all integration must be done de novo. It’s also the only jet-powered UAV in this set, and seems positioned as a heavy, high-end option somewhere between the MQ-9 Reaper and the USAF’s high altitude, very long endurance RQ-4 Global Hawk. EADS reportedly offered a pre-financed EUR 1.4 billion development deal for Talarion, in return for a purchase commitment beginning around 2017. French parliamentary estimates have placed Talarion’s total program costs at around EUR 2.9 billion, including around 12-15 systems of 3 UAVs each.

France didn’t bite. Turkey said yes in principle, but needed others to step forward. Meanwhile, Spain’s ongoing financial crisis, and Germany’s sharp defense budget cuts, stripped Talarion of its original European support. EADS was investing its own funds to continue development, but they officially suspended that work in February 2012. EADS has another opening, thanks to November 2013 EDA declarations of intent to cooperate on MALE UAV projects, and an announcement that EADS Talarion would be the basis a MALE UAV partnership with France’s Dassault and Italy’s Alenia. The question is still cost, however; EADS’ November 2013 proposal estimated EUR 1 billion for development alone.

WK450 Watchkeeper
(click to view full)

WK450 Watchkeeper UAV (Elbit/ Thales). This collaboration between Thales UK and Elbit is another system that would be available quickly, but not immediately. Britain is paying for development and ensuring its tactical relevance, but the system is behind schedule, and the UK MoD is still renting the popular Hermes 450 base platform for now. Co-developer Thales is a French firm, but the UAV would still require some adaptation to France’s systems and needs. A February 2012 announcement confirmed that France intends to field Watchkeeper as a future UAV, but that hasn’t turned into a purchase commitment beyond 1 system for evaluation.

Watchkeeper is smaller than other contenders, with lower than average payload and endurance. If it does enter French service, it will probably be in the same role it plays for Britain: as a lower tier companion to the Reaper or its replacements. Watchkeeper isn’t being developed as an armed UAV, either, although Israel has reportedly added weapons to its Hermes 450 base platform.

If France wants a more capable solution, Elbit does offer a larger Hermes 900, which has been sold to Israel and to Latin American countries. If France asked, the Hermes 900 could be shared under the same Thales joint venture that runs Watchkeeper.

Contracts & Key Events 2014

UCAV MoU with Britain

Taranis unveiled
(click to view full) 2019

March 26/19: MQ-9 The US Air Force awarded General Atomics a not-to-exceed $8.9 million contract action for the France MQ-9 Block 1 Weapons integration effort. The Foreign Military sale comes under an undefinitized contract action for the production and integration of the kits for the remotely piloted aircraft. The Reaper has a range of 1,150 miles up to 50,000 feet in altitude with a takeoff weight of 10,500 pounds. In 2013, the French ordered two MQ-9 Reaper medium-altitude long endurance drones to replace its Harfang drones. Last November, the US Air Force awarded General Atomics Aeronautical Systems a $263.4 million contract for production of the Reaper. Work under the contract action will take place n Poway, California and is expected to be complete by September 30, 2020.

2014

May 19/14: MALE 2020. Airbus Defence and Space, Dassault Aviation and Alenia Aermacchi deliver a MALE2020 Unmanned Aerial System (q.v. Nov 20/13) proposal to the Ministries of Defence in France, Germany and Italy. The offer proposes a Definition Phase, backed by an industrial agreement on workshare and a cooperative agreement to start the MALE2020 program. Once the Definition Phase is done, European governments would have to make decisions, but the release says that a quick go-ahead could mean “an affordable and certifiable solution ready by 2020.”

Of course, we have been here before… (q.v. May 28/09). Sources: Dassault Aviation, “Airbus, Dassault Aviation and Alenia Aermacchi propose joint approach to Europe’s next generation drone” | Finmeccanica, “A joint approach to the development of Europe’s next generation drone”.

Jan 31/14: UCAV MoU. Britain and France build on the 2010 Lancaster House treaty with various commitments, including “a statement of intent for a future combat air system, which would launch a 2-year, [GBP] 120 million joint feasibility phase that will see British and French industries working together.” The consensus is that this R&D will involve a stealthy, jet-powered Unmanned Combat Air Vehicle like the British Taranis and European nEUROn programs.

The twin catches are funding and commitment beyond the initial 2-year period. Despite efforts of this nature, and continued development of an Anglo-French Combined Joint Expeditionary Force, French sources are expressing quiet reservations. These include the difficulty of securing program cooperation with British political counterparts who are already in campaign mode for 2015, and concerns about British austerity measures and their potential effects on joint programs and endeavors. If the parties conclude that a stealth UCAV isn’t a reasonable fiscal option, many of the component technologies would still be useful within a lesser UAV. Sources: UK MoD, “UK and France agree closer defence co-operation” | Dassault, “Dassault Aviation salutes a major step forward for the Future Combat Air System” | Defense Update, “UK, France to Invest £120 million in a Joint UCAV Study” | IHS Jane’s, “France and the UK sign defence co-operation agreements” | The Independent, “Britain to set up controversial drone development partnership with France” | Le Monde, “La defense au coeur du sommet franco-britannique”.

2013

France needs UAVs now, commits to 2 Reapers and deploys them at year end; Italy frustrated by American obstruction, wants European armed drone project – France agrees; EU EDA takes steps toward a European MALE (FEMALE) UAV program.

Meilleure idee?
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Jan 1/14: MQ-9. Defense World reports that French MQ-9s arrived “in the Sahel Region” on this day, for operations over Mali. Sources: Defense World, “France Receive First MQ-9 Reaper Drone “.

Dec 19/13: MQ-9. The DGA procurement agency receives its 1st Reaper UAV, which is being readied for deployment to Mali along with a 2nd UAV, associated ground systems, etc. The DGA praises the USA’s help in getting personnel trained, helping with communications planning, etc. A record of six months from order to delivery is impressive, and demands nothing less. Sources: DGA.

MQ-9s delivered & deployed

Nov 20/13: FEMALE. Defense Ministers committed to the launch of 4 programs during the EU European Defence Agency’s Steering Board session, 1 of which centered around a 4-part program for UAVs. “Ministers tasked EDA to prepare the launch of a Category B project” to develop a Future European MALE (FEMALE!?!) platform, to be introduced from 2020 – 2025. Other documents, noting the obvious potential for ridicule if Future European MALE = FEMALE, refer to it as “MALE 2020” – a timeline that would be imperative for industrial and competitive reasons. EDA hasn’t launched the project yet. Once it does, can Europe’s traditionally fractious program negotiations and fragmented execution hit a 2020 target date?

In parallel, a coalition of countries also plan to create an operator community of UAV users, so they can share experiences and improve the foundation for future cooperation. Germany, France, Spain, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands and Poland have all joined.

Other areas of cooperation will include streamlining UAV certification in European airspace, now that its costs and uncertainties have already killed Germany’s major Eurohawk UAV program. In a related move, Austria, Belgium, Britain, the Czech Republic, Germany, France and Spain signed a joint investment program around technologies required for UAV use in civil airspace. Sources: EDA, “Defence Ministers Commit to Capability Programmes” | Les Echos, “Drones : des pays europeens s’engagent a collaborer”.

Nov 4/13: Talarion. The EADS-Dassault-Alenia partnership has followed its June 16/13 announcement with a broad overview of their proposed solution. As expected, EADS would resurrect a variant of its shelved Talarion project as the base platform. Dassault would be the overall system integrator, and Finmeccanica would supply key sensors and related equipment. The remaining development cost is estimated at EUR 1 billion, with orders costing more on top of that.

The launch of an actual project will require a number of steps, from harmonization of UAV requirements in a way that fits Talarion, to the reasonable promise of a solution that countries can afford to buy, to the willing commitment of enough development funds by budget-strapped countries. Sources: Les Echos, “Drone : Dassault, EADS et Finmeccanica levent le voile sur leur projet”.

Sept 30/13: Reaper. General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc., Poway, CA receives a not-to-exceed $49.8 million unfinalized cost-plus-fixed-fee contract action for France’s MQ-9 Reaper urgent request program of 2 UAVs. That seems about right.

Work will be performed in Poway, CA, and is expected to be complete by July 15/15. USAF Life Cycle Management Center/WIIK’s Medium Altitude Unmanned Aircraft Systems group, at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, OH, acts as France’s FMS agent (FA8620-10-G-3038, DO 0112).

Just days earlier the first of 3 crews from the French air force had taken its initial training flight at Holloman AFB, NM. They want to be ready when 2 UAVs and 1 GCV are delivered at the end of the year. Sources: Pentagon | French Air Force, “Premier vol d’un equipage francais aux commandes d’un drone Reaper”.

MQ-9 Reaper contract

June 27/13: France wants more? The US DSCA notifies Congress [PDF] of a possible Foreign Military Sale to France for 16 unarmed MQ-9s and the necessary equipment and support, for a potential $1.5B total. Such a commitment would further damage the prospects for a future European UAV, but this is a possible sale at this stage, not a contract yet. This will surely get Dassault and EADS howling.

Le Figaro (a newspaper incidentally owned by Dassault) explains [in French] that the size of the request is just a reflection of the FMS process, but that the maximum quantity France would buy is 12 UAVs – in line with the latest whitepaper – for a maximum of 670 million euros (about $875M). But this gives France the option to meet more than its urgent operational requirement. If not directly off-the-shelf as some amount of “francisation” would be expected, at least from a supplier with an already well-established program.

The package would include 48 Honeywell engines (2 spare engines for each installed one), 8 ground control stations, 40 ground data terminals, 24 satellite earth terminal substations, 40 ARC-210 radio systems, and 48 IFF systems. Again, these quantities are very unlikely to happen.

DSCA request: 15 MQ-9s

June 18-24/13: Hammerhead. Italy indicates that they intend to buy 10 Piaggio P.1HH “Hammerhead” MALE UAVs. The twin-engine unmanned derivative of the civil P180 Avanti II will have a max speed of 395 knots, loiter speed of 135 knots, and endurance of 16 hours, with a ceiling as high as 45,000 ft. Payload will be limited to 500 kg in order to stay under Missile Technology Control Regime limits, but that should be enough to allow a couple of weapon stations, along with a Selex Seaspray 7300E radar in the ventral bay. Italy is looking for an initial operational capability in 2016-17, and says they will proceed with or without additional partners – but partners would be nice. Read “MALE Performance Enhancement: Piaggio’s P.1HH Hammerhead UAV” for full coverage. Aviation Week | AIN re: Hammerhead | Aviation Week follow-on.

June 16/13: EuroMALE. EADS, Alenia, and Dassault call for a European program along the lines Italy has suggested.

The most significant aspect of their announcement is Dassault’s inclusion and BAE’s exclusion, which appears to flip them out of their Telemos UAV focus with BAE. Note, also, Rheinmetall of Germany’s exclusion despite their UAV agreement with EADS (q.v. Sept 12/12):

“EADS Cassidian, Dassault Aviation and Finmeccanica Alenia Aermacchi, having a common view on the current situation in Europe regarding MALE drones, call for the launch of a European MALE program… through pooling of research and development funding. With a new development, critical requirements around the certification of drones, allowing their safe passage and operation in European air space, would inherently be built into the program from the onset.”

May 31/13: MQ-9. French Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian writes an article for Les Echos, stating his commitment to buy 2 MQ-9 Reaper UAVs from the USA, for delivery before the end of 2013. After so much procrastination, with only 2 Harfang drones operational, and with pressing commitments in Mali and elsewhere, he says that France must take the immediately available choice. Defense Aerospace suggests that the French Air Force finally got their way, after stalling other options.

The Americans’ reluctance to allow even key NATO allies like Italy to arm their drones suggests that French MQ-9s will also be unarmed, and Le Drian confirmed this when he said these UAVs would be weaponless. France’s reputation for pervasive industrial espionage, even during combat operations, could also get in the way of advanced sensor exports, leaving their Reapers with 3,000 pounds of ordnance capacity that doesn’t get fully used. The other unresolved issue involves long-range control. If France wants to operate the Reapers via the preferred satellite link method, they’ll need to either spend the time and money to build their own control facility, make arrangements to share Britain’s newly-built RAFB Waddington facility, or co-locate with the USAF at Creech AFB, NV.

Ultimately, Le Drian argues for a European partnership that will share expertise and develop a Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) UAV like the Reaper. The Italians must be happy to hear that, and Le Drian seems to be referring to their discussions when he says “Cette ambition est d’ores et deja en chantier” (loose trans. “we’re already working on it”). At the same time, Dassault wasn’t happy, noting that there would already be a European MALE UAV if the requirement had been set and a project declared.

The question in Europe is always whether talk will lead to action, so we’ll wait until we see a contract. The advanced nEUROn stealth UCAV is a contract, for instance, and Le Draan’s “all means necessary” commitment that “lui consacrerons a cette fin les moyens necessaires” has immediate and positive significance for its long-term prospects. Les Echos [in French] | Tele

| Usine Nouvelle [in French] | Defense-Aerospace.

France will buy 2 MQ-9 Reapers

May 9/13: Italy. Aviation Week interviews Italy’s national armaments director Gen. Claudio Debertolis, who reveals that Italy asked to arm its MQ-1 Predator and MQ-9 Reaper UAVs 2 years ago. The USA has refused to cooperate, halting Italian efforts even though Italy is responsible for wide swathes of territory in Afghanistan, and was the point country for NATO’s campaign against Libya in 2011.

Arming the Aeronautica Militare’s UAVs is a high priority, and Debertolis confirms that Italy is in talks with potential European partners to move forward with a covert “Super MALE” weaponized UAV program. The main question revolves around funding. America may have delayed Italy for so long that it doesn’t have the budget to do anything, even convert its existing UAVs. Aviation Week.

Feb 17/13: Armed UAVs. French experiences in Mali and Libya are pushing them toward armed UAVs. The realities of on-call firepower needs, and the high cost of fighter air cover, are staring them in the face. Unfortunately, there’s no quick fix. There aren’t any armed European UAVs, and EADS/IAI’s formal proposal to extend France’s Heron-derived Harfang rent-a-drone service involves sensor upgrades, but no weapons.

Israeli Herons do carry weapons, and in principle, it would be possible to modify the Harfang UAVs to add RAFAEL’s Spike-LR missiles, or MBDA’s Viper Strike glide bombs. In exchange, the Armee de l’Air would have to become more involved in operations and maintenance, and may even have to take the UAVs in-house.

The MQ-9 Reaper is a more capable option because of its weapon choices and higher payload, and appears to be France’s preference. The bad news is the 2+ year time frame for buying Reapers through the USA’s weapon export bureaucracy, modifying them with European sensors, and then fielding them. A formal letter of request is reportedly being prepared, so it can be ready immediately if and when the French defense minister decides.

Another option would involve manned light planes such as the EMB-314 Super Tucano, which is related to the Armee de l’Air’s EMB-312 Tucano trainers. They would offer less loiter time, and place a pilot at risk. In exchange, they would work alongside UAVs like the Harfangs to provide better situational awareness, more speed, mounted guns, lower loss rates, and faster delivery and fielding. Purchase costs would be similar, and operating costs of $1,000 or less per flight hour could be very competitive if UAV infrastructure and loss costs are factored in. With Brazil pondering its next fighter buy, a conditional Super Tucano purchase might even offer France a negotiating edge. Defense Aerospace | Defense News.

2012

Reaper rising; Winner to fly in NATO’s AGS?; EADS’ JV campaign adds Germany; Franco-German MALE UAV agreement; Tarrying over Telemos; Talarion looks to be toast.

Mantis/Telemos
(click to view full)

Dec 19/12: DGA chief Laurent Collet-Billon confirms to reporters that France is discussing the option of buying MQ-9s through the US Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program, then modifying them to carry European sensors and weapons. Collet-Billon believes that this proposition could interest existing operators in Britain and Italy, as well as potential future operators in Germany and Poland.

IAI’s Heron TP also remains in the running. Aviation Week.

Oct 19/12: La Tribune reports that France’s DGA is having informal discussions with General Atomics about their Predator family UAVs. France’s dilemma is that if they want to field UAVs quickly, the MQ-9 may be their best bet. Drawbacks include limited or no access to source codes, and strong American leverage over the drones’ use. They hope to be able to “Europeanize” the drone’s sensors and control software, and the report says that they’re looking to make a decision about their interim MALE UAV by the end of 2012.

DGA chief Laurent Collet-Billon also confirms that France spent EUR 30 million on the Talarion project, but says that the resulting UAV was too large. France didn’t even pursue sensor development for Talarion. La Tribune [in French].

Sept 12/12: France & Germany. France and Germany sign an agreement to cooperate in the MALE UAV field, to create a “European” solution. Actually, they agreed to a common set of key operational needs, with a MALE UAV as a goal, and possible operational cooperation between their Heron-derived fleets in the meantime.

The French announcement didn’t directly address the fate of Franco-British efforts, except to say that anything they do with Germany will be “coherent avec” the Treaty of Lancaster House. That could certainly become easier, if BAE and EADS decide to merge. In the end, however, they didn’t merge. French DGA [in French] | Aviation Week | Defense News.

French – German agreement

July 25/12: No joy. Following a meeting in London, defense ministers from the UK and France confirm that France will buy 1 WK450B Watchkeeper unmanned system for operational assessments and trials in 2012 and 2013. They also agreed on a joint EUR 13 million (about $15.7 million) UCAV research study by BAE (Taranis) and Dassault (nEUROn lead).

What did not happen, is any kind of collaboration announcement on an Anglo-French medium-altitude, long-endurance (MALE) UAV, like the Dassault/BAE Telemos. Defense News | Thales Group.

July 10/12: No-show. France and Britain cancel a joint press conference at Farnborough 2012, which was scheduled to discuss progress on joint UAV projects. British defense procurement minister Peter Luff, said the announcement of a medium-altitude, long-endurance (MALE) UAV risk-reduction contract and an unmanned air combat vehicle demonstration deal is being delayed as the new French government “is pausing for breath to look at what it can afford.”

Defense News adds that France recently signed a more limited security cooperation deal with Germany, and MALE UAV development is a possible area. Looks like the EADS vs. BAE/Dassault jostling is back on. Defense News.

July 9/12: Mantis Plan B. BAE Systems announces its intention to fly the Mantis UAS Concept Demonstrator again, but this time in UK airspace. BAE touts it as a way to “support the development of future MALE (Medium Altitude Long Endurance) and UCAS (Unmanned Combat Air Systems) operational capabilities… [and] address the associated challenges of airspace integration and safe operation of an airborne system in accordance with UK rules and regulations.”

That might be enough to pick up additional research funding, if Anglo-French cooperation on the derivative Telemos project fails. Their stated goal is as flight in 2013.

June 10-17/12: French elections. France holds legislative elections. The Socialist Party wins again, and its coalition has 331 seats to 229 for its center-right opposition coalition. The Socialist party gains 94 seats, to reach 280 of the total 541 in the National Assembly. As the Feb 17/12 entry notes, this may have consequences for France’s UAV programs.

May 6/12: French elections. France’s Presidential election is a win for the Socialist candidate Hollande, who beats Sarkozy 51.6% to 48.3%.

Elections

Feb 20/12: Talarion tails off. Flight International reports confirmation from EADS Cassidian that it has halted work on Talarion, at least for now:

“Cassidian said several times during the last few months that we will only continue to invest in the Talarion programme if we would get a firm commitment from our potential customers,” the company says, referring to France, Germany and Spain. “Unfortunately, we did not get this commitment so far. Therefore we decided to ramp down the programme.”

Note that “ramp down” is not “cancel,” and the 2012 French elections remain to influence Talarion’s future. Meanwhile, EADS is resuming flights of its jet-powered Barracuda UAV, with a focus on civil airspace integration, testing certain technical advances, and UAV autonomy.

Feb 17/12: A study? Britain & France follow up on their Nov 2/10 cooperation statement with an underwhelming announcement: they’ll commission a study about a next-generation UAV, and France will evaluate Britain’s smaller Watchkeeper MK450B:

“Medium Altitude Longue Endurance (MALE) Drone: The Joint Program Office was launched in 2011. We will shortly place with BAES and Dassault a jointly funded contract to study the technical risks associated with the MALE UAV. We look forward to taking further decisions jointly in the light of the outcomes of this risk reduction phase… Watchkeeper drone: France confirms its interest for the Watchkeeper system recognising the opportunities this would create for cooperation on technical, support, operational and development of doctrine and concepts. An evaluation of the system by France will begin in 2012, in the framework of its national procurement process, and conclude in 2013.”

The BAE/Dassault study is expected to be worth EUR 50 million, which isn’t enough to develop a joint UAV. The main production contract is expected by 2013, with a 2020 fielding goal. Defense-Aerospace correctly points out that this structure leaves BAE and Dassault very exposed to an election loss by Sarkozy, whose socialist opponents are expected to have EADS’ outgoing CEO Gallois as a candidate and potential cabinet minister. The DGA is very unenthusiastic about another EADS drone, however, alluding to problems with EADS’ Harfang:

“Collet-Billon was dismissive of a future role for EADS in French UAV programs. When asked if the company and DGA were still talking on the subject, he noted that EADS had provided French forces with the Harfang UAV, “and we are in constant dialogue at least on this subject.”

While it is very easy for new politicians to terminate a study and pick a different platform, like EADS’ Talarion, France cannot develop Talarion alone. If Gallois ascends to Cabinet and insists, the big question is whether Britain would go along with that, or if enough European partners would sign on.

Meanwhile, the Elbit/Thales WK450B Watchkeeper is smaller and less capable than France’s Harfang Heron derivatives, and much smaller than the Heron TP or Telemos, but it is still a MALE class UAV. Depending on what France chooses to do, Watchkeeper could either complement the Harfang & Heron TP fleet after 2013, or become a Heron substitute. UK Prime Minister | Defense Aerospace | Defense-Aerospace re: political risks.

Feb 5/12: Telemos. The UK’s This is Money offers an unconfirmed, unsourced report that:

“Britain and France are expected to sign a [GBP 1 billion] deal to develop a high-tech unmanned aircraft based on the topsecret Mantis project developed by BAE Systems in Lancashire.”

Time will tell.

Jan 20/12: EADS German JV. Fresh from its UAV pact with Alenia (vid. Dec 14/11), EADS signs an agreement with Rheinmetall for a joint venture in the UAV field. It’s effectively a merger involving the German firm’s UAV operations, in exchange for 49% ownership by Rheinmetall. The German firm makes the KZO tactical UAV, which has been fielded in Afghanistan alongside Germany’s longer-range, Rheinmetall-operated, leased Heron-1 UAVs.

EADS & Rheinmetall JV

Jan 16/12: Heron TPs for AGS? Defense News reports that France is offering the modified Heron TP drones as its contribution to NATO’s Alliance Ground System battlefield surveillance program – which wants cash as promised, in order to buy the program’s 5 larger and more capable RQ-4B Global Hawk Block 40 jet-powered UAVs. NATO statements later confirmed that France could join by contributing flight hours from compatible UAVs, and receive AGS intelligence in return.

Their report adds that the bill for France’s Heron-TPs, with additions like satellite communications and de-icing gear, will be even higher than expected, at about EUR 620 million total. The difference from the EUR 320 million budget is said to be an extra EUR 150 million each for Dassault and Thales. French Defense Minister Gerard Longuet reportedly told French journalists that the Heron TP deal would be finalized and signed by the end of 2012, adding that:

“We could have found a cheaper, more efficient, quicker solution, but at the [unacceptable] price of long-term dependence… No proposition was made by Reaper, which did not want to share, nor to adapt to French standards…”

Sharing MQ-9 technology with French competitors might be an issue with both General Atomics and the US government. On the other hand, the magazine’s industry sources say that the proposition remains untested. General Atomics is said to have sent no offer because there was no letter of request for one.

2011

Heron TP picked amid controversy; EADS’ Italian JV; Telemos & Talarion lobbying.

Dec 14/11: EADS’ Italian MoU. EADS Deutschland GmbH/ Cassidian and Alenia Aeronautica S.p.A. sign a Memorandum of Understanding to investigate cooperation in the field of Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) UAVs and Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicles (UCAV). Talarion is mentioned explicitly in the joint release.

The move is underscored, not-so-quietly, by Senate Intelligence Committee Chair Dianne Feinstein [D-CA], who opposes giving armed UAVs to even key allies. The USA has already done exactly that with Britain’s MQ-9 Reapers. Italy is also a Reaper customer, but does not arm them. It doesn’t really matter if Feinstein succeeds here. The mere fact that she is trying, and that the Obama administration is vacillating on the issue, will cause other countries to step up their own efforts. Alenia | EADS | Wall Street Journal [subscription].

EADS & Alenia MoU

Nov 28/11: Faucheur pour la France? The French Senate adopts its Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee’s recommendation to re-route EUR 109 million in funding from France’s UAV budget line item, dropping it from EUR 318 million to EUR 209 million, and adding a proviso that French industrial policy would (unusually) play no role in UAV selection. Because of the way the French system is structured, the vote is mostly symbolic, unless it can ignite a larger controversy, and either get traction in the Assemblée Nationale, or lever the executive branch or the French DGA into backpedaling on the deal.

The key to understanding the move’s symbolism is to understand the package bids for the Harfang replacement project. Dassault and IAI reportedly bid EUR 320 million for 7 modified Heron TP UAVs, 2 ground stations and 10 years’ maintenance. French sensors, satellite communications gear, and other modifications would be added by Dassault and Thales, bringing total costs to around EUR 370 million. In contrast, General Atomics and EADS proposed – yes, EUR 209 million for 7 MQ-9 Reapers, 2 ground stations, and 10 years maintenance. EADS’ proposed modifications were more expensive, at EUR 88 million, bringing the total to EUR 297 million. That’s still less than Dassault’s bid, but France opted for the Heron TP on the basis of its transfers and workshare for French industries.

Under the Commission des Affaires Etrangères et de la Défense’s proposal, the missing EUR 109 million wouldn’t be cut. EUR 80 million would become R&D funds for France’s long-term drone replacement: Dassault (Telemos/Mantis) and EADS’ (Talarion) are directly mentioned, but this wouldn’t preclude other investments by that program. The other EUR 29 million would pay for Harfang UAV upgrades. That way, the Sénat can argue that it’s actually increasing the net industrial benefits to French industry. Serge Dassault is predictably unhappy with the Senat’s move:

“We proposed the Israeli drone to meet an obvious gap in drones today… while we wait for a French drone. If we buy an American one, well then everything is screwed up and we’ll spend more money, drive up unemployment and reduce exports – if that’s what you want, I don’t understand.”

His math was not clarified, but it’s worth noting that Dassault Group’s head is also a Senator, for President Sarkozy’s UMP party. Article 32, Amt II-104 [in French] | French Sénat release [in French] | Defense News | Reuters.

July 21/11: Heron TP picked. The French Defense Ministry has entered into talks with Dassault Aviation to adapt IAI’s Heron TP for use by the French military, starting in 2014. The idea is to plug the gap in availability before a “new generation” of drones becomes available in 2020. The Jerusalem Post reports that the deal is expected to be worth around $500 million, though it isn’t clear whether that amount refers just to Israeli firms, or also includes contracts to participating French firms like Dassault and Thales.

Options like Sagem’s Patroller and the Elbit/Thales Watchkeeper appear to have missed the shortlist. Reports cite General Atomics’ MQ-9 Reaper drones as the military’s preferred choice, while the other finalist was reportedly another 4 updated Harfang drones from EADS. In the end, however, the high-value workshare for Dassault and Thales SA clinched the Heron TP as the Ministère de la Defense’s interim choice. MdlD [in French] | Dow Jones | Jerusulaem Post.

Heron TP picked as interim UAV

July 12/11: Telemos. Dassault Aviation exhibits a full-size Telemos mock-up at the 2011 Paris Air Show, confirming its strong Mantis derivation. Dassault Aviation.

June 18/11: Talarion. EADS Cassidian CEO Stefan Zoller confirms that they will offer their jet-powered Talarion UAV for Britain and France’s new-generation MALE UAV competition. He says the drone is very close to the design review stage, and could fly as early as 2014.

He also confirms that Turkey has signed a Memorandum of Understanding for Talarion, and continues EADS push to engineer a political outcome in which 1 favored European UAV is picked in advance. Defense News | Defense News Show Scout.

June 8/11: Telemos. At the 2011 Paris Air Show, Dassault and BAE unveil their proposed offering, named “Telemos”. It looks like the Mantis UCAV, with a name change. In Greek mythology, Telemos was the prophetic son of Eurymos, known for having the foresight to warn Polyphemus about an attack by Odysseus. That may not be a great name choice – despite this warning, the cyclops Polyphemus had his lone eye put out by Odysseus/”Noman”, who escaped to continue his Odyssey.

The current plan reportedly calls for BAE Systems to be responsible for aircraft and engine selection, as the Mantis UAV’s originator. They are reportedly considering the possibility of turbofans instead of turboprops for the final design, and talking to both Safran SA and Rolls-Royce. Dassault will reportedly focus on systems integration and testing. With respect to EADS’ repeated calls for a single European medium-high end UAV project, the 2 firms kept to the Greek theme and offered EADS a Spartan answer: the door is open for EADS to become a junior partner in Telemos. BAE Systems | Dassault Aviation | Aviation Week | Defense Aerospace: “BAE Systems-Dassault Aviation Telemos Revives France’s UAV Wars.”

BAE / Dassault’s “Telemos”

March 28/11: Talarion. During a financial presentation, EADS Cassidian CEO Stefan Zoller cuts Talarion’s requested initial development funding by 90%, from a complete EUR 3 billion commitment to to EUR 300 million: 100 million each in initial funding from France, Germany and Spain. That would finance a flying prototype by early 2014, putting Talarion on a level field with other flying designs, and also created an initial commitment trap by tying defense careers and local industries to the project. Meanwhile:

“We still go full speed ahead with the development, pre-financed with our own money… We can’t wait any longer, and we can’t self-finance forever.”

So far, the firm has invested EUR 500-600 million in various UAV projects, but Zoeller would not answer questions about Talarion’s share of that. One bright spot is that Turkey has reportedly earmarked funds to participate in Talarion. The question is whether there will be a project to participate in, and if so, whether Turkey will be a 4th partner, or a replacement for one or more existing partners. Bloomberg | Flight International | EADS Financial Statements & Presentations, 2011.

March 14/11: BAE/Dassault MoU. BAE Systems and Dassault Aviation announce a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaborate exclusively on the Anglo-French Medium Altitude Long Endurance Unmanned Aircraft System (MALE UAS) competition, per the Nov 2/10 Declaration on Defence and Security Co-operation.

BAE Systems and Dassault Aviation have already completed a joint MALE UAS feasibility study for the United Kingdom and French Governments, but their releases do not say anything about which platform they’d bid. BAE’s Mantis is seen as a likely option, and Reuters specifically identifies it as the base platform. BAE Systems | Dassault Aviation [in French] | Reuters.

BAE & Dassault

March 3/11: MQ-9. In the wake of Boeing’s $25 billion KC-X aerial tanker win, following the Pentagon’s cancellation of EADS’ KC-45 contract and subsequent recompete, Flight International reports that there may be follow-on effects:

“Newspaper Les Echos published a small article four days after the contract award noting that the USAF’s decision on tankers will make it “very difficult” for Paris to purchase the General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper unmanned air vehicle, which is competing against the EADS Talarion and a Dassault/Thales/Indra consortium offering the Israel Aerospace Industries Heron TP.”

Jan 17/11: Scavenger vs. bi-MALE? Reports indicate some confusion concerning the bi-national Anglo-French future MALE UAV program (bi-MALE?). A Daily Telegraph report appears to confuse that project with the British Scavenger ISTAR deep reconnaissance UAV program, believed to be worth about GBP 600 million ($952 million). Scavenger bidders are believed to include BAE and Dassault (Mantis UAV), Cobham plc and General Atomics (jet-powered Predator-C), and Northrop Grumman (RQ-4 Global Hawk). EADS is reportedly holding Talarion partnership discussions with Thales and MBDA, and considering a bid of its own.

The contracts may remain independent, as the bilateral MALE UAV program has yet to be defined. On the other hand, bidders are all aware that the outcome of Scavenger could affect the Anglo-French project, by locking in a British buy that pulls the subsequent competition toward a common platform, if that’s possible. A win by the Mantis team, for instance, would place it in a very strong position. Meanwhile, the choice of MBDA as a potential Talarion partner is especially interesting. Arming the Talarion has not been a focus to date, but the joint Franco-British project reportedly wants the UAVs to have some offensive capabilities. Meanwhile, EADS is lobbying hard to make Talarion Europe’s sole bet on the future MALE UAV front – thus far, without success. Daily Telegraph | Shephard Group.

2010

Lots of jockeying for position.

Nov 2/10: Franco-British agreement. The “UK-France Summit 2010 Declaration on Defence and Security Co-operation” includes a proviso regarding MALE UAVs:

“16. Unmanned Air Systems have become essential to our armed forces. We have agreed to work together on the next generation of Medium Altitude Long Endurance Unmanned Air Surveillance Systems. Co-operation will enable the potential sharing of development, support and training costs, and ensure that our forces can work together. We will launch a jointly funded, competitive assessment phase in 2011, with a view to new equipment delivery between 2015 and 2020.”

As far as existing contenders go, this may weaken EADS’ Talarion even further, and probably gives BAE’s Mantis platform a boost, as BAE is reportedly in talks with Dassault. If they can keep that delivery timeframe, France’s Harfang fleet could leave service in 2015 instead of 2014. This might remove the need for a stopgap buy, but such decisions depend on available budgets, the priority that frontline commanders place on other large UAVs, and what France believes it can learn from any UAV technologies it buys.

Franco-British defense cooperation

Oct 5/10: DGA projections. French Defense Minister Hervé Morin speaks to the National Assembly’s defense committee (translated):

“It seems to me preferable to retain an intermediate system with effectively an off-the-shelf purchase, all the while looking in the medium term for a lasting European solution, allowing France and the United Kingdom to position themselves at a higher level…”

Morin reportedly added the DGA’s assessment of various UAV options for France. EADS’ Talarion option is seen as the slowest project and highest risk, at 8-10 years, with very high costs. BAE’s Mantis also gets good sovereignty marks, with delivery in about 7 years for an undetermined price and high risk. Dassault/Thales Heron TP-based UAV gets medium marks in all areas, with delivery in 4-5 years. They rated an off-the-shelf Heron TP option at 4 years delivery, with no sovereignty benefits, while rating the MQ-9 Reaper as available in 3 years, and closer to a fit within the EUR 139 million in available MALE(Medium Altitude Long Endurance) UAV funds from 2010-2014, under the current budget law.

Oddly, Thales’ Watchkeeper Mk450 is not mentioned in the reports, nor is Sagem’s Patroller. Their common denominator seems to be a lack of weapons. The delivery times for both the MQ-9 and Heron TP both seem rather high, but taken together, it seems likely that France will look to field MQ-9 Reaper UAVs as their immediate option (or possibly MQ-1/ MQ-1C Predators if the USA won’t sell MQ-9s), while leaning toward the Mantis UAV as their future surveillance and counterinsurgency platform. AN CNDFA transcript [in French] | Defense News | UPI.

Sept 15/10: Barracuda/ Talarion. EADS has run another set of test-flights of its Barracuda jet-powered UAV at Goose Bay AFB, Canada, in order to test technologies for its proposed Talarion UAV. Foci included Sense & Avoid capabilities, Auto Taxi Systems, a Structure Integrated Antenna, and Automatic Target Detection Systems. The firm has been adamant that Talarion remains its focus, saying they do not wish to develop the Barracuda and its stealth features into a UCAV(Unmanned Combat Air Vehicle). Flight International.

Sept 14/10: Sagem/Elbit MoU. Safran Group subsidiary Sagem Defense Securite signs a Memorandum of Agreement with Israel’s Elbit Systems Ltd., to form a 50/50 Joint Venture company by early 2011. The joint venture company would offer current UAVs, as well as “derivative products” and newly developed products, to France and “designated international markets” as a French corporation, located in Eragny and Montlucon.

Joint ventures seem to be emerging as a preferred strategy for Elbit’s bids in advanced markets, with partnerships in Britain (Thales UK), the USA (General Dynamics), and now France. There are several obvious possibilities for cooperation here, as well as several pitfalls, if the Sagem joint venture is actually established. The most obvious pitfall is the potential to undercut Elbit’s existing UTacS JV with Thales UK, to produce and export the Watchkeeper derivative of its Hermes 450.

Potential cooperation seems promising in several areas. French special forces already use Elbit’s Skylark mini-UAV. Elbit’s Hermes 90 UAVs can be offered as a battalion level option. Sagem’s Patroller UAV could benefit from Elbit’s technologies and development experience, and Elbit’s own Hermes 900 or Hermes 1500 could also form the basis of a bid to replace the Harfang. DID asked Elbit Systems about the potential for conflicts, whether any UAV types had been excluded from the JV, and whether the Patroller was included. Elbit’s response was that the JV company has not been formed yet, and so these details remain unsettled.

Sagem Patroller, pre-test
(click to view full)

Aug 12/10: Patroller. Safran Group subsidiary Sagem Defense Securite will conduct a series of operational trials of its Patroller UAV for the civil security division of the French Ministry of the Interior, from Aug 16-31/10. Their Patroller system will offer complete image surveillance services in the southern Provence-Alps-Cote d’Azur region, and will be fitted with Sagem’s Euroflir gyrostabilized optronics pod. The Patroller ground station will be located at the Canjuers military camp, and connected via radio and satellite links to the French Civil Security Division’s command centers. Units in the field will also be equipped with a Sagem RVT portable remote video terminal.

The test is not a prelude to anything, militarily, but it may accomplish 3 objectives. One is continued funding and encouragement for development. The second is greater familiarity and comfort within the French government for Sagem’s slightly unusual approach. The third benefit could involve positive media coverage, if the Patroller features in wildfire efforts or successful search-and-rescues. Sagem DS | Defense News | Shephard Group | UPI.

June 25/10: No decision yet. A ministerial investment committee meeting [in May 2010] determined that EADS’s [Talarion] and Thales-Dassault Aviation’s [SDM Heron-TP variant] development options for meeting the MALE requirement are too uncertain, and the likely cost would be well beyond the [EUR] 139 million ($171 million) currently budgeted… “How can we develop a MALE UAV while funding the A400M [and other priority programs]?” [French defense minister] Morin asks. Aviation Week:

“French industry officials say they expect the DGA to release a request for information for development of a joint tactical UAV system toward year-end, with a request for proposals to follow in early 2011 and a selection in late 2011 or early 2012. Originally known as SDT and now called DTIA, the system will be designed to meet both army and navy needs, although definition of navy specifications is well behind the curve. The notional requirement is 60 air vehicles for the French army, to be delivered starting in 2015-16, and 15 for the navy, with first deliveries in 2019. According to a new doctrine released in May, the requirement will include target-designation and damage-evaluation capabilities, a multisensor payload and a real-time data link. Autonomy will be 6-8 hr., radius 80-100 km. (50-62 mi.) and fielding time 30 min.”

June 16/10: Talarion. Dow Jones reports that the German government will decide whether it can finance Talarion as it draws up the 2011 budget, which will implement EUR 11.2 billion in austerity measures, including a EUR 1 billion cut in defense spending. Meanwhile, at Eurosatory 2010, EADS DS CEO Stefan Zoller reverses course, and tells the Associated Press that EADS will continue to invest its own funds to develop the Talarion UAV:

“The Talarion is the solution to stay in military airborne systems… You give that up you would lose the industry thereafter. Once you lose airborne military systems, what will be the consequences for sensors, avionics, for ground stations, for data links and so on? That’s why I say we are at a crossroads… The shortage of budgets is a reality, it’s something we have to accept… Therefore I have to envisage for still a while EADS has to pre-finance further.” He said he hopes for a political commitment from the three governments – and possibly Turkey which has expressed an interest – but declined to set a deadline.”

A June 14/10 Aviation Week article made similar points, via an interview with EADS Military Air Systems head Bernhard Gerwert. EADS’ offer involved corporate “pre-financing” of development costs, in return for confirmed orders by 2017:

“While German government officials have indicated support for an initiative to build home-grown UAV capacity… France and Spain have been less enthusiastic… bidders there argue that the governments should focus on system and payload development, not the air vehicle… Workshare also has been a point of discussion; Thales, for example, is unhappy with its role and the level of radar work. But Gerwert argues that… work allocation is now equally split… EADS had hoped to secure a program commitment by now to ramp up staffing to more than 400 engineers, from around 150… development efforts will continue for now without financial backing, but at the lower staffing level – which effectively means the in-service date will start slipping… [EADS] would still want to be paid… not just attempt to recoup the development bill during the production run… too financially risky.”

March 30/10: Next-gen UAV study. The UK’s Labour Party Minister of Defence Quentin Davies says that the U.K., France and Italy have commissioned a set of firms including Dassault Aviation SA to study a multinational project for an armed UAV with surveillance capabilities. The goal is “an improvement on [MQ-9] Reaper, the next generation,” and the report is due in June 2010.

BAE’s Mantis UAV project is one possible basis for an effort of this type, and the UK MoD has confirmed that “Mantis will be one contender in the assessment phase [but] no firm commitments have been made.” Other possibilities might include widening the current French/ German/ Spanish Talarion UAV project, or merging the UK’s stealthy Taranis UCAV project into the similar nEUROn consortium, which already includes France and Italy. A great deal depends on the specifications laid out for the new UAV. BusinessWeek.

Jan 18/10: Talarion. EADS warns that it may freeze the Talarion program, unless it can receive orders. Der Spiegel:

“In an interview with the Financial Times Deutschland newspaper published on Monday, EADS defense chief Stefan Zoller said the Talarion project would have to be frozen by this summer if Germany, France and Spain do not place concrete orders for the drone. Developing the drone will cost the three countries an estimated total of [EUR] 1.5 billion, plus a further [EUR] 1.4 billion to procure 45 models. So far the countries have invested [EUR] 60 million into the project.”

The comments come amidst a funding crisis and negotiations surrounding EADS’ A400M large tactical transport aircraft.

2008 – 2009

Talarion study & mock-up; Interest in the MQ-9 Reaper.

Barracuda
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Oct 10/09: MQ-9. Reports surface in the French media that France is considering an urgent purchase of 2 MQ-9 Reaper systems (4 MQ-9s, 2 ground stations) for use in Afghanistan at a cost of up to $100 million, because 2 of its 3 deployed EADS SIDM/ Harfang UAVs are grounded for repairs, and have had issues with human error and contractor support.

France has advanced UAV programs in development, in collaboration with other European countries, at the medium, heavy, and UCAV levels. A recent test of the jet-powered Barracuda UAV demonstrator in Canada, and ongoing progress on the multinational Talarion and nEUROn UCAV underscores the seriousness of those efforts, but they are not realistic near-term fielding options. Assuming that France does not wish to lease a UAV service as the Australians, British, Canadians, and Dutch have done, the MQ-9 offers commonality with the American, British, and Italian contingents in theater, as well as a UAV with strong weapons options that set it apart from the rest. Reuters || In French: Le Point magazine EXCLUSIF | France-Soir | TF 1.

Sept 9/10: Talarion. EADS DS CEO Stefan Zoller urges Britain to consider joining the Talarion program, in an interview at Britain’s DSEi 2009 trade show. Flight International reports:

“EADS hopes to secure a production commitment by year-end from the three partners on its Talarion unmanned air vehicle project… Zoller says EADS “will target something” by the end of the year to have a commitment from France, Germany and Spain… Zoller says the European capability has already attracted interest from Turkey… he said: “I can hardly see a standalone UK approach: it’s a huge investment. If we were to discuss with the UK, the requirements and the missions would be very much the same.” ADS has already spent more than [EUR] 500 million ($728 million) of its own money on the pursuit of the Talarion system, which it says is capable of performing 20 different mission types.”

July 27/09: Ooooh, Barracuda! EADS Defence & Security announces a successful series of 4 flight tests for its jet-powered Barracuda UAV at Goose Bay AFB, Newfoundland, Canada. During the test campaign, the demonstrator flew completely autonomously along pre-programmed flight profiles. The new system is a further development of the first Barracuda technology test bed, which performed its maiden flight in April 2006. Since that time the software, systems and solutions have been continuously developed under the Agile UAV program.

Barracuda is not currently envisioned as a serving UAV, but is seen as risk reduction for advanced projects like Talarion and nEUROn. EADS.

June 15/09: Talarion. EADS DS offers a full-scale mockup of the tri-national Advanced UAV project at the Paris Air Show. The UAV is now named “Talarion.” The name comes from the winged sandals of Hermes in the Greek mythology. EADS adds that:

“Talarion, with its 27,90 m wing span, is a joint endeavour of DS in France, Germany and Spain… Given a governmental go-ahead for development in 2009, the maiden flight of “Talarion” would be in 2013, and with first series deliveries in 2015. The industry proposal to the three partner nations contains six Talarion systems for France and Germany each, and three for Spain, respectively. One system consists of three Talarion units plus ground segment. In addition to the three partner nations, there is also a growing interest on the advanced UAV programme Talarion in the international markets.”

See: EADS | Flight International.

May 28/09: Euro study done. The concluding review meeting of representatives from France, Germany and Spain marks the end of the “tri-national Advanced UAV” (Talarion’s) risk reduction study, after almost 2 years of work. Thales electronics led the radar partners team, and with EADS Defence Electronics, and Indra in Spain. EADS DS Military Air Systems SVP Nicolas Chamussy:

“The twin-jet propulsion system of the Advanced UAV will not only supply ample on-board energy for the satellite communications, sensors and data links, but also safeguard secure flight conditions in the densely populated skies over Europe… I firmly believe that we fully understood our customers’ requirements, including their tight timeframe…”

May 28/08: Heron TP bid. Dassault Aviation, Thales and Indra submit a joint MALE UAV offer in Franco-Spanish cooperation to the French and Spanish Ministries of Defence. Their bid is based on IAI’s Heron-TP. Dassault.

Additional Readings

• DID – France’s Harfang/SIDM IUAV Program.

• EADS Cassidian – Harfang.

• DID – MQ-9 Reaper: The First Operational UCAV?

Further UAVs are listed in alphabetical order by name.

• Piaggio Aero – P1HH Hammerhead. Italian armed MALE project.

• Air Force Technology – Heron / Machatz 1 Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), Israel.

• Air Force Technology – Mantis Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), United Kingdom.

• Flight International, via WayBack (May 11/10) – Sagem advances Patroller UAV flight tests.

• Air Force Technology – Talarion MALE UAV, France.

• EADS Cassidian – Future European MALE. Note that this acronym = FEMALE, someone has a sense of irony. Was known as Talarion.

• BAE – Telemos. Its Dassault partnership, using the Mantis as the base.

• DID – The UK’s Watchkeeper ISTAR UAV.

• Think Defence (June 19/13) – Telemos, Talarion, Hammerhead and the Mystery of the European MALE

Turkish F-16
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The Turkish and US governments signed a letter of offer and acceptance (LOA) on April 26/05 for the $1.1-billion modernization of 117 Turkish Air Force F-16s to a common avionics configuration. December 2006 saw a $635.1 million contract under that framework issued to Lockeed Martin.

The upgrade will create a common avionics configuration for the service’s fleet of F-16 Block 40 and 50 aircraft. More than 200 F-16 aircraft make up the backbone of Turkey’s current fighter fleet. Systems to be integrated on Turkey’s upgraded F-16s include:

• The AN/APG-69(V)9 radar that is currently being installed on new F-16 Advanced Block 50/52 aircraft
  
• Color cockpit displays
  
• The Modular Mission Computer and new avionics processors
  
• The Joint Helmet-Mounted Cueing System (JHMCS)
  
• The Link 16 datalink
  
• New identification-friend-or-foe (IFF) transponders
  
• AN/AVS-9 night-vision goggles
  
• Upgraded navigation systems; and
  
• BAE Systems’ AN/ALQ-178(V)5+ electronic-warfare (EW) system, mounted internally, with radar-warning and jamming capabilities for aircraft self-protection

The aircraft will also be modified to accept new missile systems of unspecified types; some potential candidates include the AIM-9X Sidewinder, AIM-120 AMRAAM, and MBDA Meteor.

The deal will be conducted under the US Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program, with Lockheed Martin in Ft. Worth, TX serving as principle contractor, although the actual modification of the aircraft will be performed by TUSAS Aerospace Industries in Ankara, Turkey. TUSAS is currently the focus of a Turkish defense industry consolidation plan sponsored by the Turkish government.

Political Background

In all probability, this program’s cost and scope will end Turkish inquiries concerning the Eurofighter Typhoon as a bridge between its current F-16 fleet and the J-35 Joint Strike Fighter scheduled to arrive around 2015. Turkey had also been complaining about levels of local work share and technology transfer in a number of defense deals with the United States; presumably, the work done by TUSAS was enough to address this.

The joint statement also came immediately after Turkey’s Cabinet approved a long-standing U.S. request to allow the American military to fly more supplies into Iraq and Afghanistan from a strategic air base in southern Turkey. Incirlik, located on the outskirts of the southern city of Adana, is currently home to some 10 U.S. refueling aircraft used to support operations in Afghanistan and Iraq. There are about 1,400 U.S. airmen at the base.

The United States was seeking permission to establish an expanded logistics hub at Incirlik to be able to fly large civilian cargo flights to the base and redistribute the cargo to military aircraft bound for Afghanistan and Iraq. Washington was also asking for blanket clearance for all cargo flights. Turkey has insisted in the past that the United States had to get separate permission for each flight.

The Turkish decision on Incirlik was a step toward improving relations with the United States that were strained when Turkey refused to allow the 4th Infantry Division to invade Iraq from Turkish territory in March 2003. Erdogan’s Islamist government has also strained ties in other ways, but a 2011 decision to allow AN/TPY-2 ballistic missile tracking radars in Turkey, as part of NATO’s European Phased Adaptive Approach to missile defense against Iran, appears to have opened more doors.

Contracts & Key Events

Turkey’s Fighter Future?

March 26/19: New Nose Radar According to reports, Turkish defense company ASELSAN will equip Turkey’s F-16 with a new nose radar. The F-16 AESA Nose Radar Development Project was launched to meet the need for modernization of the radars of the F-16 aircraft in the Air Force Command inventory with new generation radars that have Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) antenna technology. Turkey acquired its first F-16 Fighting Falcons in the 80s. Last month, it was reported that the new electronics warfare system for the Turkish F-16s, the SPEWS-II developed by ASELSAN, had successfully completed tests and entered into use.

Oct 30/11: Turkish media report that the Obama administration has agreed in principle to transfer key F-16 software source code information to Turkey. This would let Turkey modify those codes themselves, if they wished to integrate locally-produced avionics and weapons. The deal reportedly involves around 50 pages of technical details defining the transfer, followed by US congressional approval.

Source code access would be more convenient for the Turks, and could be lucrative if some of the F-16 operators who already deal with Turkey for maintenance and modifications choose to purchase locally-designed weapons and modifications. It also acts as a form of partial insurance against any American support cutoff. Recent years have seen greater efforts by Turkey to develop its own equipment, and their SSM procurement agency has a project called Ozgur, which aims to develop:

“…an avionic suit [sic] solution and integrating that suit to a fighter A/C and by execution of integration and certification of a set of defined weapon systems including locally developed weapon systems… The developed solution will be integrated to a fighter and the certification of the whole system including weapon systems will be performed.”

Reports speculate that the source code transfer agreement may be connected to Turkey’s September 2011 agreement to emplace an AN/TPY-2 early warning radar near Diyarbakir in SE Turkey, facing Iran and linked to US Navy systems via Cooperative Engagement Capability. The radar is part of the US-led European Phased Adaptive Approach to missile defense. Today’s Zaman.

Feb 11/11: SavunmaSanayi.net reports that Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) is set to develop new indigenous modernization kits and mission computers. They’d be used as upgrades to all of the TuAF’s F-16s, and as a possible export to other countries. TRDEFENCE:

“Latest reports indicate that the companies have finalized their technical consultations with the MOD and industrial suppliers as of the end of January and the project has been given green light in order to equip Turkey’s vast fleet of F-16s with newly developed indigenous sensors and weapons such as Aselpod navigation and targeting system, various missiles and high-precision munitions produced and/or currently under development in Turkey… Hardware for the avionics upgrade will be exclusively manufactured by Aselsan, while TAI will tackle the development of millions of lines of highly specialized software.”

June 23/08: The USAF is modifying a firm fixed price contract with Lockheed Martin Aeronautics of Fort Worth, TX to update the current Peace Onyx III contract/baseline, which is a comprehensive hardware and software aircraft modernization to the Turkish Block 30 C/D, 40 C/D, and 50 C/D aircraft. This not-to-exceed $18 million effort supports foreign military sales to Turkey. At this time $9 million in FMS Funds has been obligated. The Aeronautical Systems Center, 312 AESG/PKA at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, OH manages the contract (FA8615-05-C-6002, PO 0021).

Sept 26/07: Boeing subsidiary McDonnell Douglas Corp. received a $10 million order against a previously issued Basic Ordering Agreement (N00019-05-G-0026) for the integration and test support for the Turkish Peace Onyx III F-16 Integration and Test Program for the Government of Turkey under the Foreign Military Sales Program. Work will be performed in St. Louis, Mo. and is expected to be completed in December 2010. 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.

Dec 22/06: Lockheed Martin Corp., in Fort Worth, TX receives a $635.1 million firm-price-incentive contract modification for 216 modification kits that cover 76 F-16 Block 50s, 103 F-16 Block 40s, and 37 F-16 Block 30 aircraft for the Turkish Air Force (TuAF). The effort also includes flight testing, training, technical support and sustainment activities.

This contract continues work started under an initial contract signed in July 2005, based on an agreement signed between the governments of Turkey and the United States in April 2005; at this time, total funds have been obligated. Solicitations began May 2005, negotiations were complete November 2006, and work will be complete by February 2016. Work will occur primarily at the Lockheed Martin Aeronautics facility in Fort Worth, TX and at TUSAS Aerospace Industries in Ankara, Turkey. The Headquarters Aeronautical Systems Center, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, OH issued the contract (FA8615-05-C-6002/PZ00002).

Additional Readings

• F-16.NET – Turkey: Turk Hava Kuvvetleri/ Turkish Air Force – TUAF

• Turkish Aerospace Industries – PO III F-16 Modernization

• DID (Oct 2/06) – Turkey Orders 30 F-16C Block 50s etc. for $2.9B. This is a separate deal.

• DID (Oct 27/05) – Greek F-16 & Weapons Sale Clearing for Takeoff. Ah, rivalry…

• DID (Sept 9/05) – Turkey Requesting JSOWs to Go With Its Upgraded F-16s

• Turks.us (April 27/05) – Turkey, US Agree to Upgrade Turkey’s F-16 fleet

Americas

The US Navy awarded Boeing a potential $4 billion contract modification for 78 F/A-18 Super Hornets. The F-18 Super Hornet is a twin-engine, multirole fighter capable of carrying air-to-air and air-to-surface missiles. The deal provides for the full-rate production and delivery of 61 F/A-18E and 17 F/A-18F aircraft for fiscal years 2018 through 2021. The F/A-18E is the single-seat variant and the F/A-18F is the tandem-seat variant of the Super Hornet. According to reports Boeing will start converting Block II Super Hornets to Block III in the next ten years. The Block III update consists of structural and sensor upgrades. It also adds the ability to receive and transfer large amounts of sensor data with other Super Hornets and the Northrop Grumman E-2D Advanced Hawkeye. A second-generation infrared search and track (IRST) radar will allow the aircraft to detect and track enemy aircraft without giving away its own position by using its radar. The Block III update also comes with a Rockwell Collins Tactical Targeting Network Technology (TTNT) radio and an advanced processor, which allows two or more F/A-18E/Fs to share IRST sensor data, giving a single fighter enough information to use for a targeting solution. Work under the contract modification will take place in the US and Canada and is scheduled to be completed in April 2024.

The Naval Air Systems Command contracted Northrop Grumman Systems with a $37.5 million modification in support of the E-6B Mercury aircraft. The deal includes procurement and delivery of seven MR-TCDL B-Kits, one Mission Avionics Systems Trainer B-Kit, and associated A- and B-Kit spares for the MR-TCDL upgrade. The Multi-Role Tactical Common Data Link (MR-TCDL) provides real-time networking connectivity to warfighters and commanders by enabling extremely fast exchange of data via ground, airborne and satellite networks. The E-6B Mercury is a modified version of the E-6A Mercury, which is a command post and communications relay aircraft. The E-6B features battle staff positions and an airborne launch control system equipped with land-based intercontinental ballistic missiles. Last month, an E-6B was damaged while being moved out of a Hangar at Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma. Work for the contract modification will take place in Utah, California, Boston, and Massachusetts and will likely be completed in October 2021.

Middle East & Africa

Boeing handed over the first of 24 AH-64E Apache Guardian helicopters to Qatar last week. Qatar initially requested the helos in 2012, with the contract being signed in 2016. The Apache is a twin-turboshaft attack helicopter that features a nose-mounted sensor suite for target acquisition and night vision systems. The AH-64 was designed to perform in front-line environments, and to operate at night or day and during adverse weather conditions. Systems on the Apache include Target Acquisition and Designation System, Pilot Night Vision System, passive infrared countermeasures, GPS, and the IHADSS. The AH-64E is the latest version of the AH-64 and is also called the Apache Guardian. The gunship comes with new sensors, avionics and has improved night operation capabilities. Furthermore, the AH-64E helicopter can control a couple of UAVs. Weapons requested by Qatar in the original Foreign Military Sales notification included AGM-114R Hellfire laser-guided missiles, FIM-92H Stinger missiles with air-to-air launchers, and 70 mm Hydra air-to-surface rockets. The first Apache was handed over during a delivery ceremony at a Boeing plant in Arizona.

Europe

Two Bombardier Global 6000 business jets arrived in Turkey in order to be fitted with airborne stand-off jammers (Air SOJ). The Air SOJ is also known as the Remote Electronic Support/Electronic Attack Ability and has been initiated by the Turkish Presidency of Defense Industries (SSB) to develop electronic warfare special mission aircraft. It is developed by Turkish defense company Aselsan. The system will be designed to detect, identify, jam, and spoof enemy communication systems and radars so that they cannot be used against friendly platforms. The Global 6000 business jet is part of the Bombardier Global Express family, which are large cabin 11,100 km range jets. It entered service in 2012. Defense Industries Presidency Chairman Ismail Demir and representatives of Turkish Aerospace Industries, Aselsan, Air Forces Command and Bombardier, examined the aircraft at TAI facilities. Under an agreement signed in August 2018, the SSB contracted Aselsan to develop and deliver four Air SOJ systems to the Turkish Air Force Command between 2023 and 2027.

During an event launched by British Minister for Defense Procurement, Stuart Andrew, companies from all over the UK came together in the first opportunity for suppliers to engage with the Government and Team Tempest partners over the future of Combat Air System development in Great Britain. The Tempest is a proposed stealth fighter aircraft to be designed and manufactured in the UK. A consortium named „Team Tempest“, consisting of the UK Ministry of Defense, BAE Systems, Rolls-Royce, Leonardo and MBDA is developing the future fighter. The Tempest program aims to harness and develop UK capabilities that are critical for Next Generation Combat Air capability and to retain the UK’s position as a globally competitive leader through understanding of future concepts, technologies and capabilities. The recent event in Farnborough aimed for its participants to build connections and take part in a series of briefings outlining the capabilities and skills needed to shape the future of Combat Air System delivery in the UK

Asia-Pacific

Japan is planning to extend the range of it ASM-3 air-launched anti-ship missile, Jane’s reports. The country wants to develop long-range air-to-surface cruise missiles to bolster defense capabilities. The ASM-3 is a supersonic anti-ship missile that was jointly developed by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and the Japanese Ministry of Defense to replace Japan’s 93 series of missiles. The missile is expected to be carried by Japan’s F-2 multirole fighters. However, a new advanced mission computer for the F-2 is yet to be made and the missile cannot yet be integrated with the aircraft. The Mitsubishi F-2 is a multirole fighter that entered service in 2008. On October 2018, it was reported, that Japan wants to replace its F-2 fighter with a indigenously made aircraft after rejecting proposals from Lockheed Martin, Boeing and BAE Systems. The domestic cruise missiles are also intended for use on the new fighters that will replace the F-2 after its retirement in 2030.

Today’s Video

Watch: Japanese New Generation Concept, Advanced Stealth Fighter Aircraft

Latest updates: Total rises to 68.

Replacement required
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War takes its toll on equipment, as well as men. In some cases, it wears out. In other cases, enemy fire or accidents destroy equipment. The USA has recognized this fact by funding wartime replacement expenditures as supplemental funding, which is outside the normal budgetary process. The intent is that this money will be spent on replacing equipment that has been worn out, damaged or destroyed, or will be used to provide specialized capabilities like MRAP mine-resistant vehicles that are directly related to front-line demands.

Admittedly, this hasn’t always been true. Politicians are what they are, and so are large organizations like the military. One area where this ethic has undoubtedly been honored, however, has been the AH-64 Apache attack helicopter fleet. This article covers US Army Wartime Replacement Aircraft (WRA) AH-64D Longbow buys, which are the only truly new attack helicopters in the America’s inventory. That will change with the new Block III model, which is more advanced than the WRAs.

• AH-64D Program: Past and Present [updated]
  
• AH-64D WRAs: Program Contracts [updated]
  
• The AH-64’s Future
  
• Additional Readings [NEW]
  

AH-64D Program: Past and Present

AH-64A & AH-64D Longbow
(click to view full)

The current contract brings the number of war-replacement AH-64 aircraft (sometimes called WRAs) under contract to 68. These WRAs supplement the 720 or so AH-64s that survive as of October 2005, out of the 821 AH-64s originally built for the US Army.

Apache helicopters are in very heavy demand as escorts for other helicopters in the war zones, to the point that the AH-64 fleet had logged more than 2 million flight hours by April 2006 – nearly 1/3 of which had been logged after Sept. 11/01. Apaches have also taken losses in combat. Even armor rated to stop 23mm cannon shells may not survive a missile hit, and helicopters are relatively fragile war machines, that can be seriously damaged if they take enough fire in smaller calibers, or endure an unlucky strike in the wrong place.

That’s a problem, because with the collapse of the RAH-66 Comanche program, and re-dedication of its funding into the ARH-70 Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter (ARH, future now uncertain), the UH-145 Light Utility Helicopter (LUH), and other programs, the AH-64 Apache will remain the USA’s primary attack helicopter for several more decades.

While a small percentage of the coming Block III Apaches will be new-build machines, the WRA Apaches will be the only new-build AH-64Ds in the fleet for a little while. Most of the USA’s fleet was remanufactured from AH-64A Apaches to AH-64D Apache Longbow status over a 10-year period, under 2 multi-year contracts that ran for 5 years each. These helicopters received equipment upgrades, and were also rebuilt to “zero flight hours” condition.

• The first multi-year contract was for 232 helicopters, and covered Lots I-V. A total of 284 helicopters, which includes the Lot VI helicopters from the second multi-year contract, were built to the AH-64D Block I standard.

• Another 217 helicopters in Lots VII-X were built to the AH-64D Block II standard, which adds improved electronics and software. All were built during the second multi-year contract period.

• The lateness of the JTRS program, and other issues, have delayed the future Block III model, and so January 2007 saw a contract to convert another 96 American AH-64As to the AH-64D “Extended Block II” standard.

Note that Block II+ or “Extended Block II” Apaches are the same as the current retrofitted standard for the Block II aircraft fleet, except for minor hardware differences associated with advancing electronics and improved sub-systems. The “Extended” or “Block II+” simply denotes a Block II machine that was remanufactured or built outside of the 2 big multi-year contracts noted above. Most of these helicopters will eventually be remanufactured again under current plans, this time to Block III status.

The new-build WRA Block II+ helicopters are assembled on the same line as the remanufactured Apaches, which is located in Mesa, Arizona. That facility holds the distinction of being the first Boeing location to win a Shingo Prize for manufacturing excellence (2005), due to its work in process improvement and lean production. Williams informs DID that AH-64 remanufacturing rates are fairly stable right now at about 3 US Army AH-64Ds per month, plus another 1-2 under the UAE’s program. In contrast, annual WRA contracts are variable, and use spare capacity within the facility.

Boeing is currently delivering new-build AH-64D Block II+ WRAs within 28 months of contract issue, and total orders stand at 68.

AH-64D WRAs: Program Contracts

AH-64D Longbow
(click to view full)

Please note that the full fly-away cost of an AH-64D helicopter cannot be calculated from any of the contracts below. These contracts cover only AH-64D airframes and integration, or involve long lead-time items that must be ordered early. Expensive items like GE’s T700 engines, the Longbow radar mast, Arrowhead sensors, weapons, communications equipment etc. are bought separately as “government furnished equipment.” The contracts below provide for assembly and integration at Boeing, but they do not buy the equipment itself.

Unless otherwise noted, Boeing subsidiary McDonnell Douglas Helicopter Co. in Mesa, AZ is the contractor, and contracts are managed by the US Army Aviation and Missile Command in Redstone Arsenal, AL.

March 22/19: Qatar Boeing handed over the first of 24 AH-64E Apache Guardian helicopters to Qatar last week. Qatar initially requested the helos in 2012, with the contract being signed in 2016. The Apache is a twin-turboshaft attack helicopter that features a nose-mounted sensor suite for target acquisition and night vision systems. The AH-64 was designed to perform in front-line environments, and to operate at night or day and during adverse weather conditions. Systems on the Apache include Target Acquisition and Designation System, Pilot Night Vision System, passive infrared countermeasures, GPS, and the IHADSS. The AH-64E is the latest version of the AH-64 and is also called the Apache Guardian. The gunship comes with new sensors, avionics and has improved night operation capabilities. Furthermore, the AH-64E helicopter can control a couple of UAVs. Weapons requested by Qatar in the original Foreign Military Sales notification included AGM-114R Hellfire laser-guided missiles, FIM-92H Stinger missiles with air-to-air launchers, and 70 mm Hydra air-to-surface rockets. The first Apache was handed over during a delivery ceremony at a Boeing plant in Arizona.

April 25/17: Singapore is to upgrade their fleet of AH-64D Apache helicopters. The Ministry of Defense announced that it the program aims to equip the country’s existing Apache rotorcraft with enhanced Helicopter Integrated Electronic Warfare Systems and updated satellite communication solutions in a drive to enhance their mission capabilities. While the government added that the upgrade program is expected to be complete within the next few years, they did not disclose an official date. Approximately 20 Ah-64D helicopters have been operated by Singapore’s 120 Squadron since 2006.

Nov 1/11: A $29.9 million firm-fixed-price contract modification for 2 AH-64D Apache War Replacement Aircraft. Work will be performed in Mesa, AZ, with an estimated completion date of Oct 31/13. One bid was solicited, with one bid received (W58RGZ-05-C-0274).

This brings the total ordered so far to 68.

Feb 4/11: A $70 million firm-fixed-price contract for 14 new build AH-64D war replacement aircraft. Work will be performed in Mesa, AZ, with an estimated completion date of Dec 31/12. One bid was solicited with one bid received (W58RGZ-05-C-0274).

July 29/08: A $79.8 million firm-fixed-price contract for 5 war replacement AH-64D Apache Longbow Block II+ attack helicopters. Work will be performed in Mesa, AZ and is expected to be complete by April 30/11. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. There was one bid solicited on Dec 20/07 and one bid was received (W58RGZ-05-C-0274).

March 14/07: A $15.5 million modification to a firm-fixed-price contract for war replacement AH-64D Apache Longbow aircraft. Work will be performed in Mesa, AZ and is expected to be complete by May 31/10. This was a sole source contract initiated on April 4/07 (W58RGZ-05-C-0274).

Feb 7/07: Boeing subsidiary McDonnell Douglas Helicopter Co in Mesa, AZ received a $136.9 million modification to a firm-fixed-price contract “for procurement of war replacement AH-64D Apache Longbow aircraft.” Work will be performed in Mesa, AZ and is expected to be complete by April 10/11. This was a sole source contract initiated on Jan 31/07 by the U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command in Redstone Arsenal, AL (W58RGZ-05-C-0274).

Just before this contract was announced, a pair of Apaches were lost in Iraq. The causes were reported as 12.7mm machine gun fire and an SA-7 Strela man-portable missile.

Nov 1/06: A $152 million modification to a firm-fixed-price contract for war replacement AH-64D Apache Longbow Aircraft. Work will be performed in Mesa, AZ and is expected to be complete by Nov 30/09. This was a sole source contract initiated on July 19/06 (W58RGZ-05-C-0274).

May 31/06: A $40.9 million modification to a firm-fixed-price contract for AH-64D Apache Longbow aircraft. Work will be performed in Mesa, AZ and is expected to be complete by Oct 31/08. This was a sole source contract initiated on Oct 31/05 (W58RGZ-05-C-0274).

Sept 26/05: A $5.9 million firm-fixed-price contract for AH-64D Apache Longbow aircraft. Work will be performed in Mesa, AZ and is expected to be complete by Oct 31/07. This was a sole source contract initiated on June 2/05 (W58RGZ-05-C-0274).

The AH-64’s Future

No sunset yet.

With the cancellation of the RAH-66 Comanche next-generation attack/scout helicopter in 2001, the US Army was forced to reconsider its plans for the AH-64 Apache. Instead of the Comanche, it will field the AH-64D Block III Apache, with capabilities that include improved communications, the ability to take feeds from or even control UAV drones in their area, enhanced engines and drive systems, a new composite rotor blade, and extended sensor range.

AH-64D Block III deliveries are currently scheduled to begin in 2011, under yet another remanufacturing program. This program is currently slated to begin by updating the 284 AH-64D Block 1 helicopters via a second remanufacturing process. If all goes well and no further versions are called for, they would remanufacture the Block II fleet to AH-64D Block III standard by 2020.

There are reports that the remaining 100 or so AH-64A attack helicopters in the Army’s fleet will be offered to foreign buyers, most of whom are likely to order AH-64D remanufacturing upgrades of their own.

Additional Readings & Sources

DID thanks Boeing’s AH-64D WRA Program Manager Travis Williams, and others at Boeing, who helped to put these purchases in context.

• DID – Boeing Remanufactures AH-64A Apaches to AH-64D Block II. This will also be the new-build WRA standard.

• DID – Apache Block III Program: The Once and Future Attack Helicopter.

Americas

The US Air Force contracted Goodrich Corp. with $92.9 million to help develop ISR Sensor technology. The deal includes Hyperspectral Imaging, AgilePod®, Standoff High Resolution Imaging Next Era, and Multi-Mode Lidar research and development. The company will help the Air Force Research Laboratory examine and integrate electro-optical, infrared, radio frequency, multispectral and hyperspectral imaging, lidar and related Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) systems. Goodrich Corporation supplies aerospace components, systems, and services for the commercial and general aviation airplane, and defense as well as space markets. The company provides a range of actuators, including primary and secondary flight controls, helicopter main and tail rotor actuation, engine and nacelle actuation, utility actuation, precision weapon actuation, and land vehicle actuation products, landing gear systems, and aircraft wheels and brakes. Work for the contract will take place in Westford, Massachusetts and is scheduled to be completed by September 29, 2025.

The Naval Air Systems Command awarded Boeing a $326.3 million Delivery Order to develop, integrate and test Increment 3 Block capabilities into the P-8A aircraft for the US Navy as well as the government of Australia. The P-8A Poseidon is derived from Boeing’s 737-800 and designed for anti-surface and submarine warfare, broad-area maritime missions, littoral operations, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions. It features the Raytheon APY-10 multi-mission surface search radar. Work under the deal will take place in Washington, New York, Illinois, California, Maryland, Arizona, Missouri as well as Florida and is expected to be finished in March 2024.

Raytheon’s Enterprise Air Surveillance Radar (EASR) will begin live testing at Wallops Island Test Facility, the company announced on Tuesday. The EASR is the newest sensor in the US Navy’s SPY-6 family of radars. It is the Navy’s next generation radar for aircraft carriers and amphibious warfare that provides simultaneous anti-air and anti-surface warfare, electronic protection and air traffic control capabilities. The radar just recently completed subsystem testing at Raytheon’s Near Field Range in Sudbury, Massachusetts. Raytheon is building two variants of EASR: a single-face rotating array designated AN/SPY-6(V)2 for amphibious assault ships and Nimitz class carriers, and a three fixed-face array designated AN/SPY-6(V)3 for Ford class aircraft carriers and the future FFG(X) guided missile frigates. According to Raytheon, the radar will undergo system-level testing, tracking a variety of aircraft through the end of 2019 once it is up and running.

Middle East & Africa

Israel’s Missile Defense Organization and the US Missile Defense Agency successfully completed a series of interception tests with the David’s Sling weapon system. Israeli company Rafael carried out the experiments at a test site in southern Israel. During the trials, advanced capabilities of the David’s Sling missile system were tested in a new version developed for a number of scenarios to simulate future threats the system may face during a confrontation. David’s Sling is a joint Israeli-US project, with Israel’s Rafael Advanced Defense Systems collaborating with US defense contractor Raytheon. The weapon system is also called „Magic Wand“ and became operational in 2017. It is designed to intercept tactical ballistic missiles, medium- to long-range rockets, as well as cruise missiles fired with ranges of 40 to 300 km.

Europe

The US Air Force sent six B-52 long-range bombers to the UK for a series of training activities over Europe. The aircraft along with 450 airmen arrived at Royal Air Force Fairford on Thursday. The United States has deployed strategic bombers in Europe at least once a year since 2014. The current deployment marks the largest deployment of the bombers to Europe since Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003. The Boeing B-52 is a long-range, subsonic, jet-powered strategic bomber that has been utilized by the US Air Force since the 1950s and can carry conventional as well as nuclear weapons. The current training activities will test how the bombers can conduct missions out of Fairford and will familiarize aircrews with operations over Europe, including the Norwegian Sea, Baltic Sea and the Mediterranean.

Asia-Pacific

KT Consulting won an $11.9 million firm-fixed-price task order for F-16 Weapons System support. The contract involves a Foreign Military Sale to Singapore. The F-16 Fighting Falcon is a single-engine, supersonic multirole fighter. Early fighters could be armed with up to six AIM-9 Sidewinder, heat-seeking, short-range air-to-air missiles (AAM), and radar guided AIM-7 Sparrow medium-range AAMs. The recent versions of the aircraft support AIM-120 AMRAAM. The Republic of Singapore Air Force operates 62 F-16 Fighting Falcons, all of which are advanced F-16C/D block 52 aircraft. These aircraft are equipped with state-of the-art armament, including AIM-120 AMRAAM as well as presumably the Israeli Python 4 missile linked to a DASH-3 Helmet Mounted Sight. Work will take place at Luke Air Force Base in Arizona and Holloman Air Force Base in New Mexico and is scheduled to be finished by March 31, 2024. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $4,435,581 and Singapore National Funds in the amount of $34,969 are being obligated at the time of award.

The Naval Air Systems Command awarded Lockheed Martin a $264.7 million modification for additional operation and technical services in support of the government of Korea’s F-35 Lightning II program. The stealth F-35A is supposed to provide the Republic of Korea (ROK) with enhanced capability to protect safety and security. The ROK signed a Letter of Offer and Acceptance between the US and Korea for 40 F-35A Conventional Take Off and Landing variant jets with initial deliveries beginning in 2018. The first Korean F-35A made its debut in March 2018. It is expected that the aircraft will start to deliver to Chongju Air Base in spring 2019. Work under the modification will take place in Fort Worth, Texas and is scheduled to be completed in June 2020. Foreign Military Sales funds in the amount of $264,655,025 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year.

Today’s Video

Watch: Beijing to build another base in the South China Sea despite threats from American

David’s Victory
(click to view larger)

David didn’t need high technology to defeat Goliath, just some stones and a sling. But in the modern world, David is getting some high-tech help from the likes of Raytheon and Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, who are developing a missile defense system called David’s Sling Weapon System (DSWS).

The DSWS is a joint short-range ballistic missile defense program between the US Missile Defense Agency and the Israel Missile Defense Organization. The system is designed to defeat short-range ballistic missiles, large-caliber rockets and cruise missiles in their terminal phase of flight.

Raytheon received 2 contracts from Rafael worth more than $100 million to build DSWS components.

The 1st contract was awarded to codevelop the missile component of the DSWS called the Stunner Interceptor. Stunner is a hit-to-kill interceptor designed for use in the DSWS and allied integrated air and missile defense systems.

The 2nd contract was awarded for the development, production and integrated logistics support of the missile firing unit (MFU), the launcher component of the DSWS. The MFU will provide the DSWS with vertical interceptor launch capability for 360-degree extended air and missile defense.

Other joint US-Israel missile defense efforts include coproduction of the Arrow missile defense system interceptors and an initiative to provide Israel an upper-tier missile defense system. According to Defense Update, the United States and Israel have begun development of an upper-tier component to the Israeli Arrow 3 missile defense architecture. According to Arieh Herzog, director of Israel’s Missile Defense Program, the main element of this upper tier will be an exo-atmospheric interceptor, to be jointly developed by Israel Aerospace Industries and Boeing.

Updates

March 21/19: Interception Tests Israel’s Missile Defense Organization and the US Missile Defense Agency successfully completed a series of interception tests with the David’s Sling weapon system. Israeli company Rafael carried out the experiments at a test site in southern Israel. During the trials, advanced capabilities of the David’s Sling missile system were tested in a new version developed for a number of scenarios to simulate future threats the system may face during a confrontation. David’s Sling is a joint Israeli-US project, with Israel’s Rafael Advanced Defense Systems collaborating with US defense contractor Raytheon. The weapon system is also called „Magic Wand“ and became operational in 2017. It is designed to intercept tactical ballistic missiles, medium- to long-range rockets, as well as cruise missiles fired with ranges of 40 to 300 km.

August 10/17: Production of interceptors jointly-developed by US and Israeli industry for the latter’s multi-tiered missile defense system is being ramped up, as three interceptor programs transition from low-rate initial production (LRIP) to full-rate production. The Boeing-IAI developed Arrow-3, and the Rafael-Raytheon developed Stunner—used in the David’s Sling system—and Tamir—used by the Iron Dome—interceptors are built in a large part by US-based firms, with a network of contractors and sub-contractors stretching out across 30 of its 50 states. This is due to congressional mandates and government-to-government agreements which stipulates that at least 50% of the work is produced in the US. Potential exports are also being taken into account, as the Stunner—marketed abroad as the SkyCeptor—is currently being considered by the Polish government for its Patriot active defense system.

April 3/17: Another Israeli missile defense system, David’s Sling, has had its initial operating capability (IOC) declared by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at a ceremony on April 2. Deliveries of the system’s major components by Israel’s Missile Defense Organization and state-owned Rafael began in early March, followed by integration testing of all system components prior to gaining its IOC. The system was also put through multiple operational simulations as part of the US-Israel Juniper Cobra exercise, a biennial air defense drill aimed at honing interoperability between the two nations.

March 21/17: Israel will declare their multi-tier defense network operational from next month following the deployment of the David’s Sling interceptor system. Developed and manufactured jointly by Rafael and Raytheon, David’s Sling will be responsible for shooting down rockets fired from 100 to 200 kilometers away, such as projectiles fired by the Iranian-backed Lebanese guerrilla group Hezbollah. The network will include the IDF’s short-range Iron Dome and long-range Arrow missiles.

January 31/17: Israel and the US government have granted Israeli manufacturer Rafael permission to discuss the David’s Sling air-defense system with Poland as part of a wider export push for co-developed interceptor systems. The announcement comes as the anti-ballistic system was recently cleared during a fifth round of trials. Tel Aviv has been developing multi-tiered missile defense system with US and local industry for some years now, with their Iron Dome, Arrow and David’s Sling systems all being offered to foreign customers.

January 30/17: Israel and the US have completed a fifth series of tests on the David’s Sling missile defense system. The Israel Missile Defense Organization (IMDO) and US Missile Defense Agency (MDA) collaboration was tested at the Yanat Sea Range in Israel, with the system’s Stunner interceptors successfully engaging its targets. The David’s Sling project is for defense against large-caliber rockets and short-range ballistic missiles.

March 4/16: The Israeli Air Force (IAF) has begun to take possession of the David’s Sling Weapon System (DSWS). The first phase of the gradual delivery of components include multimission radar by Elta Systems; Stunner interceptors by Rafael and its US partner, Raytheon Missile Systems; and the Golden Almond Battle Management Center by Elbit Systems Elisra. Once these are in place, an integration testing of all system components will take place prior to a declaration of initial operational capability by the IAF. The DSWS has been developed to bridge the gap between the lower and upper tiers of Israel’s four-layer active defense network, deployed above Israel’s Iron Dome and below the upper-atmospheric Arrow-2 and exo-atmospheric Arrow-3.

RSAF F-16C/Ds
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In September 2013, Singapore confirmed its much-anticipated intent to upgrade its F-16C/Ds with improved radars and other changes. By January 2014, that was a published DSCA request. There’s no firm timeline just yet, but the proposal is part of wider-ranging military improvements underway in Singapore. It’s also seen as an early example to many other F-16 operators around the world, who respect Singapore’s as a discerning buyer and may wish to do the same thing.

That decision is expected to launch at least 2 fierce competitions. One will be between Lockheed Martin and BAE Systems. The other will be between Raytheon and Northrop Grumman.

RSAF: The Bigger Picture

F-5S on highway
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After the 2004 sale to Thailand of the RSAF’s initial handful of F-16A/B fighters, the RSAF became an all Block 52 force, built with fighters accepted between 1998 – 2004. Their planes aren’t entirely standard set. The long dorsal spine on many F-16Ds holds extra electronic countermeasures, and the planes reportedly carry a number of Israeli systems within, including DASH-III helmet mounted displays.

Singapore has about 14 F-16C/Ds based in the USA for training, and another 48 F-16C/Ds in Singapore at Changi AB and Tengah AB. Current plans indicate an intent to upgrade up to 60 planes at about $40.5 million per plane.

Basing will also change. In the near future, they plan to expand Changi and Tengah and consolidate around both facilities, while closing Paya Lebar AB. Paya Lebar’s F-15SGs, upgraded F-5S interceptors, and C-130 transports will go elsewhere, though the 40 or so F-5s are due for phase out in the near future.

RSAF F-16D-52
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There is some question as to whether the F-5s will be replaced, though a March 2013 announcement that Singapore would buy more F-15SGs seems to indicate at least partial near-term replacement. The rest of that question hinges on Singapore’s timeline for acquiring F-35s. If they’re bought soon, they’ll grow the fleet, effectively replacing the F-5S with some F-16C/Ds. If Singapore postpones their F-35 buy, they will pay less per plane, and the F-35s will become de facto replacements for the F-16+ fleet as they age out. Upgrading the F-16s might suggest to some that Singapore intends to delay the F-35s, especially since they recently elected to expand their F-15SG fleet instead of making an expected announcement about 12 F-35Bs. In his September 2013 statement, Minister for Defence Dr. Ng Eng Hen would say only that Singapore continues to evaluate the F-35’s suitability “in meeting our long-term security needs to further modernise our fighter fleet and replace our older aircraft.”

Other Changes

Aster-30
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Singapore’s consolidation into just 2 main air bases adds operational risk to their future fleet, but protection is also being improved. Beyond Singapore’s confirmed F-16 upgrades and new F-15SGs, new IAI Gulfstream G550 CAEW jets have improved their advance airborne warning.

On the ground, new mobile Spyder air defense systems from RAFAEL offer a more modern, longer-range complement to the legacy Rapier systems from Britain. At the top tier, MBDA’s long-range Aster-30 missiles will soon replace Raytheon’s MIM-23 I-Hawks on land, offering Singapore the ability to intercept short range ballistic missiles as well as aircraft, cruise missiles, etc. Singapore’s Formidable Class frigates already use a combination of Aster-15 and Aster-30 missiles, so the land-based Aster-30 buy will draw on an existing support network.

None of Singapore’s immediate neighbors can match this array, and Singapore’s qualitative advantage is large enough that it’s very unlikely anyone would test it. The city-state is extremely serious about its defense, with a long history of strong spending in this area. That well-known commitment, and the visibility of its strategic position, ensures that Singapore’s defense choices get attention far beyond their immediate neighborhood.

The Competitions

RACR
click for video

Singapore has a number of options with respect to their F-16s.

Contractor. First of all, Lockheed Martin and BAE can be expected to compete hard for the upgrade work. Lockheed Martin is the manufacturer, but Britain has picked up significant F-16 upgrade wins in the USA and around the world.

AESA. Then there’s the radar question. The new radars will use advanced AESA technology, improving range/ discrimination by 2x – 3x, offering entirely new modes of operation, and sharply reducing maintenance costs.

NGC’s SABR
click for video

Lockheed Martin recently announced that Northrop Grumman’s SABR radar would be the cornerstone of its F-16V offering, which was unveiled at the 2012 Singapore air show. The F-16V can be bought as an upgrade, or as new fighters. Modernized American and Taiwanese F-16s will also use SABR.

On the other hand, South Korea picked Raytheon’s RACR radar for their advanced F-16 upgrade, and Singapore already flies with related Raytheon AN/APG-63v3 AESA radars in its 20 new F-15SGs. If Singapore also picks RACR for its F-16s, in order to take advantage of common software and radar mode development, it will give Raytheon a significant and much-needed boost in the global F-16 refit competition.

There’s also the non-US option of using the Israeli ELM-2052 AESA, but the US reportedly took protectionist measures and threatened to cut off F-16 support if Israel introduced that radar to its own F-16s. Export to Singapore seems unlikely.

Contracts & Key Events

RSAF F-16D-52
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March 21/19: Weapons System Support KT Consulting won an $11.9 million firm-fixed-price task order for F-16 Weapons System support. The contract involves a Foreign Military Sale to Singapore. The F-16 Fighting Falcon is a single-engine, supersonic multirole fighter. Early fighters could be armed with up to six AIM-9 Sidewinder, heat-seeking, short-range air-to-air missiles (AAM), and radar guided AIM-7 Sparrow medium-range AAMs. The recent versions of the aircraft support AIM-120 AMRAAM. The Republic of Singapore Air Force operates 62 F-16 Fighting Falcons, all of which are advanced F-16C/D block 52 aircraft. These aircraft are equipped with state-of the-art armament, including AIM-120 AMRAAM as well as presumably the Israeli Python 4 missile linked to a DASH-3 Helmet Mounted Sight. Work will take place at Luke Air Force Base in Arizona and Holloman Air Force Base in New Mexico and is scheduled to be finished by March 31, 2024. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $4,435,581 and Singapore National Funds in the amount of $34,969 are being obligated at the time of award.

December 3/15: The US Department of Defense (DoD) has awarded a $914 million contract to Lockheed Martin to upgrade F-16 aircraft for the government of Singapore. The work is to be carried out at Fort Worth, Texas. The number of aircraft to be upgraded is unknown, but the DoD notified Congress that they had approved the sale of upgrades for 60 fighters in 2014. The Singapore Air Force announced earlier this year that it was planning a major overhaul of its current fleet, with enhancements including laser-designated JDAM munitions, air-to-air weapons, datalink capability and helmet mounted displays, in addition to an Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar system.

July 6/15: Singapore’s Ministry of Defense (MINDEF) has released more information on its plans to upgrade the RSAF’s fleet of F-16C/D fighters. The upgrades will take place in phases from 2016 onward, with various capability enhancements planned. These include laser-designated JDAM munitions, air-to-air weapons, datalink capability and helmet mounted displays, as well as an Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar system, as per a previous DSCA request. The AESA system is thought to be the Northrop Grumman AN/APG-83 Scalable Agile Beam Radar (SABR) system. Singapore announced its intention to upgrade its F-16s in 2013, with Lockheed Martin seemingly tipped to win the upgrade contract.

March 19/15: Lockheed tipped to win. Singapore is reportedly close to signing a contract with Lockheed Martin to upgrade its F-16s, after a cancelled deal with BAE in November. The country initially confirmed its intention to upgrade the fleet in September 2013.

Feb 10/14: Boeing? Boeing DSS VP for business development and strategy Chris Raymond says that Boeing would be interested in bidding, if Singapore were to open their F-16 upgrade program to competition. Boeing is an unlikely competitor, given their thin record servicing and enhancing global F-15 fleets. Raymond cites their experience with the QF-16 conversion, and with other fighter and aircraft upgrades. They could also leverage an existing relationship with the RSAF, supporting their F-15SG fighters and AH-64D Apache helicopters.

Lockheed Martin has indicated that NGC’s SABR radar is their preferred choice for upgrades, and for new-build F-16Vs. BAE is tied to Raytheon’s RACR via their South Korean experience. Boeing doesn’t have an official allegiance, but their in-production fighters both carry Raytheon AESA radars, and there’s a RACR variant for F/A-18A-D upgrades. Sources: Aviation Week, “Boeing Could Bid On Singapore F-16s”.

Jan 14/14: DSCA. The US DSCA details Singapore’s official request to upgrade 60 F-16C/D+ Block 52 fighters to something like the F-16V standard, at a cost of up to $2.43 billion ($40.5 million per plane). That’s about 2/3 the cost of buying similar F-16E/F Block 60 aircraft new off of the production line.

Upgrades would include:

• 70 Active Electronically Scanned Array Radars (AESA). Note that no pick is being made here between Raytheon’s RACR (South Korea) or Northrop Grumman’s SABR (Taiwan, US ANG).
  
• 70 Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing Systems (JHMCS)
  
• 70 LN-260 Embedded Global Positioning System/Inertial Navigation Systems (GPS/INS)
  
• 70 APX-125 Advanced Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) Combined Interrogator Transponders
  
• 1 AIS Interface Test Adapters for software updates
  
• 1 Classified Computer Program Identification Numbers (CPINs)
  
• Site surveys and construction. Note that Singapore is busy consolidating its air bases after removing Paya Lebar.
  
• Also included: flight test of the new configuration; aircraft ferry services with aerial refueling support; a Joint Mission Planning System (JMPS); Modular Mission Computers, a software maintenance facility, cockpit multifunction displays, radios, secure communications, video recorders; maintenance, repair and return, aircraft and ground support equipment, spare and repair parts, tool and test equipment; engine support equipment, publications and technical documentation; personnel training and training equipment, and other forms of US Government and contractor support.

They also want a set of test weapons:

• 3 AIM-9X Block II Captive Air Training Missiles. Singapore already fields AIM-9X on its F-15SGs.
  
• 3 TGM-65G Maverick Missiles for testing and integration. GM-65K is the latest standard.
  
• 4 GBU-50 Guided Bomb Units (GBU) for testing and integration (2,000 pound laser-guided bunker-buster)
  
• 5 GBU-38 Joint Direct Attack Munitions for testing and integration (500 pound GPS)
  
• 3 CBU-105 (D-4)/B Sensor Fused Weapons for testing and integration (GPS anti-armor cluster bomb)
  
• 4 GBU-49 Enhanced Paveways for testing and integration (500 pound GPS/laser)
  
• 2 DSU-38 Laser Seekers for testing and integration
  
• 6 GBU-12 Paveway II, Guidance Control Units (used in 500 pound laser-guided)

Contractors aren’t mentioned specifically, implying that they’re still to be chosen by Singapore. In terms of overall priorities, Minister for Defence Dr. Ng Eng Hen said recently that the F-16 fleet’s condition and prospective upgrades meant that they were in “no particular hurry” to make an F-35 decision, though it’s a “serious consideration.” Sources: DSCA #13-67 | Defense News, “US: Singapore To Buy Upgrade For Its F-16 Fighter Jets”.

DSCA request: F-16 upgrades

Sept 16/13: Singapore’s Minister for Defence Dr. Ng Eng Hen’s Parliamentary reply confirms that Singapore has picked MBDA’s Aster-30 as its upper-tier air defense system on land, and will upgrade their F-16s. The planes will be refitted with new electronics and systems, and the RSAF also plans to extend their service lives. Sources: Singapore MINDEF, “Reply by Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen to Parliamentary Question on Relocation of Paya Lebar Air Base”.

Additional Readings

• YouTube – New Lockheed Martin F-16V Singapore Airshow 2012 HD. By LMCO.

• DID – South Korea Looking to Upgrade its KF-16 Fighters. They picked Raytheon’s RACR AESA radar.

• DID – Import or Die: Taiwan’s (Un?)Stalled Force Modernization. Taiwan’s F-16s will carry Northrop Grumman’s SABR radar, picked for them by the USAF.

• DID – Singapore’s RSAF Decides to Fly Like An Eagle. In April 2013, it became clear that Singapore would grow their F-15SG fleet again, instead of buying 12 F-35Bs.

News & Views

• Fort Worth Star-Telegram (June 11/14) – At Alliance, BAE Systems challenges Lockheed on F-16 upgrades.

• Aviation Week (Feb 3/14) – Fast-Changing Trends In Asia Fighter Market

• DID (Sept 18/13) – Singapore’s Steps: Long-Range Aster-30 Defensive Missiles on Land & Sea.

• Lockheed Martin (Feb 15/12) – Lockheed Martin’s Fighting Falcon Evolves With New F-16V

• Defense News (March 22/10) – [F-5] Retirement or Replacement?

• DTI (Jan-Feb. 2008) – Target Acquisition: MAST Highlights Missile Defense Concepts. Says that the Formidable Class carries both Aster-15s and Aster-30s, along with the Herakles active radar and Sylver A50 launchers.

Americas

The US Navy awarded General Dynamics a $2 billion contract modification to provide additional materials required to build the Virginia Class submarines from fiscal 2019 through fiscal 2023. The deal includes additional Long Lead Time Material and Economic Ordering Quantity items for SSN-802 to SSN-811 underwater vessels. The SSNs 802 -811 Virginia Class submarine hull numbers have not been named yet. The Virginia Class is the Navy’s newest undersea warfare platform. Attack submarines are designed to seek and destroy enemy submarines and surface ships, project power ashore with Tomahawk cruise missiles and Special Operation Forces, carry out Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions, support battle group operations, and engage in mine warfare. The modification falls under a previously awarded sole-source contract. General Dynamics is the lead contractor of the Virginia Class submarine program. In February 2017, General Dynamics won an initial $126.5 million contract by the US Navy for long lead time material for the first two Block V Virginia Class submarines, SSN-802 and SSN-803. The Block V submarines built from 2019 onward will have an additional Virginia Payload Module (VPM) mid-body section, increasing their overall length. Work under the contract modification will take place within the USA.

The Naval Sea Systems Command tapped Raytheon Missile Systems with a $97.8 million modification to obtain materials needed for fiscal 2019 Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile (ESSM) Block 2 low-rate initial requirements. The ESSM is a medium-range, surface-to-air missile that is currently in service with the US Navy and some of the 12 NATO Sea Sparrow consortium nations. Consortium members include Australia, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Greece, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Turkey and the US. The missile is equipped with a tail-control system to obtain high speed and maneuverability. It can operate in all weather conditions and has a length of about 3.64m, diameter of 254mm and a weight of 280kg. The Evolved SEASPARROW Missile program is an international cooperative effort to design, develop, test, and procure ESSM missiles. Work will take place in Canada, Germany, Australia, Spain, Netherlands, Mexico, Greece, Denmark, Turkey, Portugal as well as various sites within the US and is scheduled to be finished by March 2023.

The Naval Air Systems Command awarded Lockheed Martin a $14.6 million contract modification in support of the F-35 Program. The deal provides for 62 low-rate initial production Organic Light Emitting Diode (OLED) Helmet Display Units and spares for the F-35 Joint Strike Aircraft. The contract caters to the US Marine Corps and Navy. The F-35 Lightning is a supersonic, multi-role fighter jet used by the defense forces of the United States and 11 other nations. The F-35 is Lockheed Martin’s largest program that generates more than 25 percent of its total sales. OLED panels are made from organic materials that emit light when electricity is applied through them. Since OLEDs do not require a backlight and filters, they are more efficient, simpler to make, and much thinner and in fact can be made flexible and even rollable. Work related to the deal is scheduled to be over by February 2020 and will be carried out in Fort Worth, Texas.

The US Navy ordered thousands of Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS) kits from BAE Systems, the company stated in a press release. The APKWS guidance kits are the US government’s sole program of record for 2.75-inch laser-guided rockets. They are available in all four military branches as well as to allied nations through Foreign Military Sales. The APKWS kits transform standard 2.75-inch Hydra rockets into guided munitions that provide warfighters with a precision strike capability with limited collateral damage. The APKWS II uses the Distributed Aperture Semi-Active Laser Seeker technology. This system allows a laser seeker to be located in the leading edge of each of the forward control canards, working in unison as if they were a single seeker. The company announced, it will continue to deliver APKWS guidance kits ahead of schedule and accelerate production rate to meet growing demand.

Middle East & Africa

According to reports, Egypt signed a $2 billion contract to buy more than 20 SU-35 multirole fighters from Russia. The delivery of the aircraft, including their weapon systems, will begin as early as 2020-2021. The deal is yet to be confirmed by official sources. The SU-35 is a single-seat, twin-engine, supermaneuverable aircraft. With 12 to 14 weapon hardpoints, the SU-35 is able to use K-77M radar-guided missiles that reportedly have a range of almost 200km. The jet is also armed with a 30mm cannon with 150 rounds for strafing or dogfighting. The SU-35 can reportedly carry up to 8,000kg of air-to-ground munitions. It is Russia’s most advanced operational fighter. Its first foreign customer was China, which ordered 24 aircraft in November 2015. Indonesia also signed a contract for the SU-35 worth $1.1 billion with deliveries possibly beginning at the end of the year. Egypt has one of the biggest Armed Forces in the Middle East. Between 1982 and 2013, the Egyptian Air Force received 240 Lockheed Martin F-16s from the US. Egypt ordered and received in FY 2015-2017, 24 Dassault Rafale fighters from France, followed by the MiG-29Ms, which are currently being delivered.

Europe

The US Naval Sea Systems Command awarded RAM-System, Germany an €81.4 million ($92.4 million) and $1.1 million contract modification for the German Navy’s requirements for Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM) MK49 guided missile launching systems. The RAM is a small, lightweight, infrared homing surface-to-air missile that together with the Mk 49 Guided Missile Launching System (GMLS) and support equipment, make up the RAM Mk 31 Guided Missile Weapon System (GMWS). It is designed to provide anti-ship missile defense for multiple ship platforms. The Federal Republic of Germany will fully fund the contract. The RAM MK 31 guided missile weapon system is an international cooperative development, production and in-service program between the U.S. and German governments. The participating governments operate under a series of memorandums of agreement/memorandums of understanding that establish the business principles for program execution along with contracting and financial agreements. The contract also includes associated shipboard hardware and spares. Work will take place in Germany as well as the US and is scheduled to be completed by December 2023.

Orbit Communication Systems received a $3 million order for Maritime TVRO Satcom Systems from a European Navy. Delivery of the spares for Orbit’s widely-deployed AL-7200 series of maritime TVRO is planned in 2019. Orbit’s maritime TVRO satcom systems provide uninterrupted reception of TV and data services for NATO and international naval vessels operating in extreme conditions. The framework agreement will extend the TVRO satcom system’s service life for multiple years. Orbit secured a well-stocked inventory of spares to allow the Navy to maintain its existing TVRO systems well into the future.

Asia-Pacific

Taiwan requested more than 100 main battle tanks, designated as M1A2X, from the US. The M1A2X is a special configuration of the M1A2C, the latest variant of Abrams tanks in production. The M1 Abrams is a highly mobile main-battle tank for modern armored ground. Three main versions of the M1 Abrams have been deployed, the M1, M1A1, and M1A2, incorporating improved armament, protection, and electronics with each new model. These improvements and other upgrades to in-service tanks have allowed the vehicle to remain in front-line service. Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense plans to acquire US-made Abrams tanks to replace some M60A3 Patton and CM-11 Brave Tiger tanks in service. Washington said it will make a decision on the tanks within 120 days of the application date.

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Americas

The US Air Force contracted Boeing $250 million to integrate the Long Range Stand-Off (LRSO) Cruise Missile on the B-52H bomber platform. This contract provides for aircraft and missile carriage equipment development and modification, engineering, testing, software development, training, facilities, and support necessary to fully integrate the LRSO Cruise Missile on the B-52H bomber. The B-52H Stratofortress is a long-range, large-payload multirole bomber. It is the Air Force’s strategic nuclear and conventional weapons platform and supports the US Navy in anti-surface and submarine warfare missions. The US Air Force awarded a $750 million, ten-year engineering sustainment program contract to Boeing in June 2009 to provide engineering and technical support services for the B-52H and its components, as well as support and test equipment, and system integration laboratory. The LRSO is a nuclear-tipped air-launched cruise missile that is currently being developed to replace the subsonic air-launched cruise missile AGM-86 ALCM. It is being developed to penetrate and survive integrated air defense systems and strike its targets. Work under the contract will take place in Oklahoma City and is schedules to be completed by the end of December 31, 2024.

The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center awarded Raytheon $21.2 million to retrofit the F-15 fleet. The deal provides for retrofitting the F-15 fleets current Identity Friend of Foe Units. Identification Friend or Foe enables military and civilian air traffic control interrogation systems to identify aircraft, vehicles or forces as friendly and to determine their bearing and range from the interrogator. The Units offer Mode 5 capability for the APX-114 and APX-119 on the F-15 models C/D/E via a hardware retrofit and software upgrade. Per the terms of the deal, these units will provide National Security Agency approved cryptography and robust anti-jam interrogation and reply encryption capabilities. The F-15 is a twin-engine, all-weather tactical fighter aircraft designed to permit the Air Force to gain and maintain air supremacy over the battlefield. A multi-mission avionics system sets the F-15 apart from other fighter aircraft. It includes a head-up display, advanced radar, inertial navigation system, flight instruments, ultrahigh frequency communications, tactical navigation system and instrument landing system.

The Navy awarded Pratt & Whitney a $71.4 million task order in support of the F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Aircraft for the Air Force, Navy, non-Department of Defense participants and Foreign Military Sales customers. The United Technologies subsidiary will mature the F-35 propulsion system ahead of service operational use of the fighter aircraft. The company will provide non-recurring services to help address safety and durability challenges, maintain technical performance and advance the engine technology of F-35 jets. The F-35 is a family of single-seat, single-engine, all-weather stealth multirole fighters. The Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) is a development and acquisition program intended to replace a wide range of existing, strike, and ground attack aircraft for the United States, the United Kingdom, Turkey, Italy, Canada, Australia, the Netherlands, and their allies. Work under the order will take place in Connecticut and Indiana and is scheduled to be finished by December 2023.

Middle East & Africa

Sudan’s Military Industry Corporation revealed a new wheeled armored personnel carrier, the upgraded Russian BTR-70 8×8 called the Shareef-3, Jane’s reports. The new carrier replaces BTR-70’s original two ZMZ-4905 engines with a more fuel-efficient KAMAZ-7403 V8 water-cooled diesel developing 260hp at 2,600 rpm. This gives a maximum road speed of 80 km/h. The Shareef-3 has an amphibious water speed of 8- 10 km/h. The vehicle carries six dismounts seated on two bench seats in the middle of the troop compartment. Dismounts can exit via roof hatches or side hatches between the second and third road wheels. Additionally, Shareef-3 retains the launcher rail for the Russian 9M14 Malyutka anti-tank guided weapon.

The Israel Defense Forces Intelligence (IDF) Directorate inaugurated a new Targeting Center as part of the establishment of the General Staff Targeting Directorate at the Glilot base. The Center will serve as a focal point for all the units involved in the acquisition of emergency and routine targets in the IDF. The Directorate will enhance the connection with the operational edge in the various commands and branches. The goal is to enable an effective operational process alongside increasing the rate of target acquisition for all sectors according to their importance. The Military Intelligence Directorate’s technologies will be combined in the fields of data science and machine learning in order to acquire targets. The Targeting Center has been operating for about a month.

Europe

BAE Systems handed over the HMS Medway to the British Royal Navy. The HMS Medway is a Batch 2 River Class offshore patrol vessel. On November 6, 2013, the Royal Navy announced it had signed an Agreement in Principle to build three new offshore patrol vessels, based on the River Class design. The Medway is the second Batch 2 River Class vessel to be commissioned. Meanwhile, the Batch 2 River Class HMS Forth and her crew are in the final stages to resume trials and training. Medway will be a couple of months behind Forth in going to sea for a second time. The River Class is a class of offshore patrol vessels. The Batch 2 ships are fundamentally different in appearance and capabilities from the preceding Batch 1. Notable differences include the 90.5 meters (296 ft 11 in) long hull, a top speed of 24 knots, Merlin-capable flight deck, a displacement of around 2,000 tonnes and greatly expanded capacity for accommodating troops. The Batch 2 ships are the first Royal Navy ships fitted with BAE Systems Shared Infrastructure operating system.

Asia-Pacific

The US State Department approved the sale of air-to-air missiles to Australia. The proposed deal for AIM-120C-7 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAM) and related equipment is estimated at $240.5 million. The Government of Australia has requested to buy up to 108 AIM-120C-7 AMRAAMs, six AIM-120C-7 AMRAAM Air Vehicles Instrumented as well as six spare AIM-120C-7 AMRAAM guidance sections and associated parts, hardware, engineering support and training. This proposed sale is in support of the Australian Defense Force project LAND 19 Phase 7B for acquisition of a ground based air and missile defense capability.

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River Class
(click to view full)

The UK’s forthcoming Ocean Class 90m+ Offshore Patrol Vessels stem from a shipbuilding sector agreement that the UK MoD signed with BAE in November 2013. Britain needed to find an affordable bridge-buy that kept its naval shipyards running in-between completion of existing ships, and delayed construction of the new Type 26 frigates. Rather than paying termination and industrial costs to keep the shipyard idle, the UK government decided to buy 3 OPVs, for delivery by 2017. This would also allow the Royal Navy to retire or gift out the existing River Class OPVs HMS Tyne, HMS Severn and HMS Mersey.

As of August 2014, the contract for these new open-ocean patrol vessels is complete…

Batch 2 OPVs

The new British OPVs will be built at BAE Systems’ facilities in Glasgow, under a GBP 348 million contract announced on Aug 12/14. That brings the total to GBP 368 million, following a GBP 20 million long-lead parts contract announced on March 12/14.

The design based on vessels already sold abroad: Thailand’s HTMS Krabi, and the 3 similar Amazonas Class OPVs that Brazil picked up when Trinidad and Tobago cancelled their deal.

The new ships will be larger and more efficient than Britain’s existing River Class OPVs, with more room for embarked personnel, more storage space, and the addition of a flight deck capable of landing the Royal Navy’s AW101 Merlin medium-heavy helicopters. The Ocean Class are designed for a maximum speed of 24 knots, and a range of 5,500 nautical miles. Sources: UK MoD, “£348 million warship contract delivers Clyde jobs boost” | BAE, “New contract award for Royal Navy Offshore Patrol Vessels” | UK MoD, “£20 million contract for new Royal Navy ships” (March 2014) | UK MoD, “New offshore patrol vessels for Royal Navy” (Nov. 2013).

Update

March 15/19: HMS Medway on her way BAE Systems handed over the HMS Medway to the British Royal Navy. The HMS Medway is a Batch 2 River Class offshore patrol vessel. On November 6, 2013, the Royal Navy announced it had signed an Agreement in Principle to build three new offshore patrol vessels, based on the River Class design. The Medway is the second Batch 2 River Class vessel to be commissioned. Meanwhile, the Batch 2 River Class HMS Forth and her crew are in the final stages to resume trials and training. Medway will be a couple of months behind Forth in going to sea for a second time. The River Class is a class of offshore patrol vessels. The Batch 2 ships are fundamentally different in appearance and capabilities from the preceding Batch 1. Notable differences include the 90.5 meters (296 ft 11 in) long hull, a top speed of 24 knots, Merlin-capable flight deck, a displacement of around 2,000 tonnes and greatly expanded capacity for accommodating troops. The Batch 2 ships are the first Royal Navy ships fitted with BAE Systems Shared Infrastructure operating system.

January 30/18: First Delivery The British Royal Navy has received its first River Class Offshore Patrol Vessel, HMS Forth, from manufacturer BAE Systems. In attendance at the handing over ceremony at the firm’s Clyde shipyard in Scotland was the recently appointed Under-secretary of State for Defence Procurement at the Ministry of Defence (MoD), Guto Bebb MP. HMS Forth will remain at the Scotstoun yard in Glasgow for a short period to complete some additional work requested by the MoD and on departure will be the first complex warship to leave Glasgow since HMS Duncan in 2013. She will be commissioned into service later this year in Portsmouth. During his visit, Bebb also oversaw the progress in the production of the first vessel to be produced under the Type 26/City Class frigate program, the future HMS Glasgow.

December 9/16: BAE Systems has been contracted by the UK government to build two additional River-class Offshore Patrol Vessels for the Royal Navy. The $360 million deal adds two more manufacturing and support projects to the five-ship program, bringing the total contract value to $797 million. Work on the two vessels, named Tamar and Spey, will involve more than 100 companies from Britain. The designs build on existing River-class ships with variants already used by the navies of Brazil and Thailand.

Americas

The US Air Force received a KC-46 Pegasus on March 11 after the aircraft passed a Foreign Object Debris inspection at Boeing’s production facility. The Pegasus is a military aerial refueling aircraft developed by Boeing. The Air Force selected the Pegasus to replace the KC-135 Stratotankers. The first Pegasus was scheduled to be delivered in August 2017 but was delayed until January 2019. Deliveries of the jets were halted last month after foreign object debris was found in one of the aircraft. Boeing had offered to inspect all the aircraft that were accepted by the Air Force. Loose tools and other items were found inside a completed airplane. Subsequent deliveries will occur as Boeing successfully completes each aircraft’s inspections and actions assigned from the review. Boeing plans to deliver 36 of the aircraft this year and about a dozen more are nearing completion.

The US Air Force on Tuesday unveiled a nearly $166 billion budget request for fiscal 2020. The Pentagon plans to buy eight Boeing F-15EX fighters FY 2020 as part of a purchase of 144 total aircraft over an undisclosed number of years. According to the budget request, it will cost $80 million per airframe. However, that cost will rise to approximately $125 million for each of the eight jets to set up the line and account for non-recurring engineering costs in the first year of procurement. The total deal will be priced at more than $1.1 billion and covers production of eight brand-new F-15EX fourth-plus generation fighters. The F-15EX is the latest version of the F-15 Eagle fighter jet. The Eagle is a twin-engine, all-weather tactical fighter aircraft that has an all-metal semimonocoque fuselage with a large-cantilever, shoulder-mounted wing.

The USS Zumwalt arrived in British Columbia, Canada on March 11 after it left its homeport of San Diego for its first deployment that includes a trip up the West Coast. Zumwalt is the lead ship of the next-generation multi-mission destroyers. It has stealth capabilities with a radar cross-section similar to a fishing boat despite the large size of the ship. The Zumwalt Class was primarily designed to support ground forces in land attacks, in addition to the usual destroyer missions of anti-air, anti-surface, and antisubmarine warfare. The ship is equipped with two Advanced Gun Systems, which are designed to fire the Long Range Land Attack projectile. During the scheduled port visit in BC, Zumwalt will host Canadian Forces, Marine Forces Pacific Commander, Rear. Adm. Bob Auchterlonie, and US Consul General in Vancouver Katherine S. Dhanani.

Middle East & Africa

The US Army Corps of Engineers awarded ExpFederal Inc. an $11.3 million firm-fixed-price contract in support of the US Forces-Afghanistan. The deal includes electrical safety assessments, repairs program, materials management and control services. ExpFederal operates as an architectural company that provides engineering design, construction management, interior, landscape, urban design, surveying, and master planning services. Work will take place in Bigram, Afghanistan and is scheduled to be finished by March 11, 2021.

Europe

Germany’s chief defense staff, General Eberhart Zorn, reported improvements in the readiness of the country’s military equipment to German parliament defense committee. According to the report, which unlike the past years will from now on be classified as secret, 70 percent of the most important weapon systems of the Bundeswehr, the Unified Armed Forces of Germany, were operational in the past year. The general added that the low availability of Luftwaffe CH-53 helicopters and Tornado bombers was stabilized at the 2017 level, despite the deployment of the former to Afghanistan and the latter to Jordan. In comparison to previous years, Zorn sees the equipment readiness of 70 percent as a positive development.

German defense contractor Rheinmetall anticipates more sales and operating result growth for 2019, the company stated in a press release. This increase is primarily driven by continued dynamic development in the defense sector. The trend toward stepping up the modernization of Armed Forces linked to the rising budgets is already leaving its marks in Rheinmetall’s order books. The Rheinmetall Group generated sales of $6.9 million in fiscal 2018, an increase of 4.3 percent. The defense sector achieved an operating result of $287.3 million, 46 percent above the previous year’s figure of $196.9 million. Sales growth in the defense sector was due to increased deliveries of trucks for the major project Land 121 in Australia and to the fact that series production was being utilized to full capacity for the Puma infantry fighting vehicle for the German Armed Forces. In addition, the start-up of the major project Future Soldier System – together with the German Armed Forces – contributed to a significant increase in sales in the Electronic Solutions division. However, the Weapon and Ammunition division suffered a year-on-year drop in sales of approximately 10 percent or $134.6 million in 2018, owing to the loss of trading sales.

Asia-Pacific

Indonesia’s Ministry of Defense is leaning towards a variant of the Danish Iver Huitfeldt Class in their plan to acquire two more frigates for the country’s Navy, Jane’s reports. Within the second phase of the Minimum Essential Force (MEF) modernization blueprint, Indonesia acquired two SIGMA 10514 vessels from Damen that now serve as the Martadinata Class. The country requires at least four more hulls in the longer term as part of wider MEF requirements. A piece of unclassified correspondence between the country’s defense minister, Ryamizard Ryacudu, and the cabinet secretary of President Joko Widodo made the case for the Iver Huitfeldt class. The Iver Huitfeldt Class is a three-ship class of frigates. Its main role is air defense. Most anti-air warfare sensors and equipment are similar to the German Sachsen Class frigates as well as the Dutch De Zeven Provincien Class destroyers. The Iver Huitfeldt class frigates have a modular mission payload system.

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