Defence`s Feeds

Turkish FNSS Savunma Sistemleri qualified its Saber-25 turret (Victor M.S. Barreira)

Portuguese Pandur II armoured vehicles are equipped with tactical communications of EID (Victor M.S.

Turkish FNSS Savunma Sistemleri qualified its Saber-25 turret (Victor M.S. Barreira)

The Turkish armoured vehicle market offers one of the most compelling opportunities for foreign firms and indigenous industry to gain significant traction as the government invests in infrastructure to manufacture and develop armoured vehicle technologies. The outl

Russian 2S34 Hosta 120-mm Mortar System

Americas

• The Navy is reportedly considering reducing the number of F-35C fighters it plans to procure, alluding to budgetary concerns. The Navy is also less enthused by the Joint Strike Fighter compared to the Marines and Air Force because of the Service operating more modern aircraft, including new and upgraded Super Hornets

• The Air Force has alluded to future development of a replacement for the A-10 as the Service’s primary Close Air Support platform, according to the Air Combat Strategy 2015 report released earlier this week, citing a requirement to ‘explore opportunities for a future CAS platform’. With the Air Force pushing the line that the A-10 has no place in future combat, as well as making a dubious financial case for the aircraft’s retirement, the report’s call for a new CAS platform appears to run counter to the Air Force’s plan to use the F-35 for tactical CAS operations, despite embarrassing setbacks.

• On Thursday the Navy handed M. C. Dean Inc and Honeywell Technology Solutions two multiple-award contracts totalling $1.66 billion for the installation and certification of C4ISR systems, while Rockwell Collins-ESA Vision Systems was handed a $20.9 million contract for 120 Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System (JHMCS) Night Vision Cueing and Display (NVCD) systems.

• Meanwhile Boeing was awarded a $9.8 million contract by the Missile Defense Agency for the development of the Multi-Object Kill Vehicle, following similar contracts awarded to Raytheon and Lockheed Martin earlier this week totalling $9.8 million and $9.6 million respectively. The MDA is reportedly planning a move to proof-of-concept prototype development by the end of the decade.

Europe

• Belarus is buying four more Yak-130 combat jet trainers, according to local press reports [Russian]. The country ordered the first four aircraft in December 2012, with deliveries beginning this April.

• Portugal is planning to upgrade the targeting and navigation pods equipping its fleet of F-16s. The Northrop Grumman-manufactured Litening Advanced Targeting pods will be upgraded to the G4 standard, with this $22.7 million contract reportedly scheduled for completion by 2022. Denmark ordered this variant in June 2012, with India also a major operator of the G4 variant.

• The Polish Defense Ministry has responded to claims that its selection of the Airbus H225M Caracal helicopter in April broke procurement law. Accusations in the Polish media that the selection of the Airbus bid over AgustaWestland’s AW149 and Sikorsky’s S-70i Black Hawk/S-70B Seahawk saw a legal challenge from AgustaWestland subsidiary PZL Swidnik in June, with negotiations over the final contract between the defense ministry and Airbus ongoing. The Polish opposition Law and Justice Party has also criticized the incumbent Civic Platform administration for selecting a foreign bid over a domestic supplier.

• US and British military trainers in Ukraine are learning lessons from their students, with their experience of the highly kinetic fighting in Eastern Ukraine providing a useful insight into the type of ‘hybrid’ war for which the Pentagon is now practising.

• The Royal Navy’s third Astute-class submarine has begun sea trials. HMS Artful is the third of seven Astute-class boats, with HMS Astute and HMS Ambush, the first two subs in class already in service with the Royal Navy. Artful is slated to join the fleet toward the end of this year.

Asia

• India is planning to dry-dock its INS Vikramaditya carrier next year, with the ship’s maintenance and repair operation set to be the largest of its type to have taken place in India. The vessel reportedly requires dry-docking every eighteen months, recently departing from Karwar in July after being fitted with new ship defense equipment, including the Barak-1 missile system.

• The Indian Defense Ministry is considering excluding private firms undergoing corporate debt restructuring from tendering for defense contracts. The proposal would bar these companies from competing for projects under the “Make in India” procurement category, which sees the Indian government fund the majority of prototype development (80%) and the company filling the remaining 20%, with some of the country’s most expensive projects falling into this category.

• Australia’s Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO) has completed testing of scramjet engines in Norway as part of the joint Hypersonic International Flight Research Experimentation (HIFiRE) program, in collaboration with the US Air Force Research Laboratory, Boeing and the University of Queensland. Dating back to 2009, the project is seeking to develop understanding of hypersonic flight, with the Air Force recently restarting development of a hypersonic test vehicle, with a view to field the new vehicle for testing by 2023.

Today’s Video

• HMS Artful’s first dive in October:

Astute, pre-launch
(click to view full)

Britain retired its nuclear-powered 4,900t SSN Swiftsure Class fast attack boats in 2010, and has begun phasing out its follow-on 5,300t SSN Trafalgar Class, before the effects of the ocean’s constant squeezing and release start making them dangerous to use. The last Trafalgar Class boat is expected to retire by 2022, and replacements were required. Submarines are considered to be a strategic industry in Britain, which remains committed to nuclear-powered submarines for their entire fleet. As such, there was never any question of whether they’d design their own. The new SSN Astute Class were designed to be stealthier than the Trafalgars, despite having 39% more displacement at 7,400t submerged.

Britain’s 6 Swiftsure and 7 Trafalgar Class boats will eventually find themselves replaced by 7 of the new Astute Class. The new submarine class has had its share of delays and difficulties, but the program continues to move forward with GBP 2.75 billion in contracts over the past week.

The New Astute Class SSNs Astute Class concept
(click to view full)

Nuclear weapons are reserved for Britain’s 4 SSBN Vanguard Class boats, but the Royal Navy’s SSNs have a unique role of their own in their fleet. They’re the only platforms used to launch long-range UGM-109 Tomahawk cruise missiles, in order to deliver conventional strikes against land targets. Other navies also use surface ships for this role, but Britain chose not to.

The Astute Class will offer the novel feature of a bunk for each submariner, at the cost of more cramped layouts, and is the 1st British submarine to use an optronic day/night periscope that doesn’t pierce the hull. That periscope may allow the British to move the attack center control room in later boats of class from the top level Deck 1, to a roomier section in Deck 2 and a bit aft. In either case, they’ll be using a common base computing environment for critical systems. The attack center will have more to control, too. Torpedo tubes go from 5 to 6, and a larger weapons room roughly doubles capacity to 36-38 UGM-109 Tomahawk Block IV cruise missiles and Spearfish heavyweight torpedoes. Another weapon will be launched from the large lockout chamber aft of the fin, which allows SBS commandos to exit the sub underwater into a dry deck shelter. A mini-submarine can be mated to the DDS for added mobility.

Astute Class boats have worked to add stealth enhancements via rafted sections throughout, plus new coatings, exterior tiles, and paints. On the listening end, a new 2076 Stage 5 sonar system combines arrays all over the submarine, and it reportedly surprised the US Navy during qualification exercises against a Viginia Class boat. As usual for modern submarines, the Astute Class will also carry advanced electronic eavesdropping gear for quiet above-water snooping. High-bandwidth communications round out key electronics improvements, and allow fast transmission of intercepted signals to Royal Navy vessels or agencies like GCHQ.

A new reactor design won’t require refueling during the submarine’s operating life, which saves hundreds of millions of pounds. It’s mated to a new control system that includes independent diving plane controls handled by a new, complex autopilot system. The control system has been praised by its commanders, but the submarine won’t be able to reach its advertised top speed.

Building the SSNs
click for video

The first 3 Astute Class boats cost about GBP 1.22 billion each (about $2.4 billion in 2008), a price tag that’s very similar to the USA’s new 7,300t Virginia Class.

After HMS Astute has come S120 Ambush, with S121 Artful, S122 Audacious, S123 Anson, S124 Agamemnon, and S125 Ajax in various stages of planning, construction, and testing. All Astute Class submarines will be based at HM Naval Base Clyde, where a GBP 150 million state-of-the-art jetty was built for them.

Contracts & Key Events, 2007 – Present 2015

August 14/15: The Royal Navy’s third Astute-class submarine has begun sea trials. HMS Artful is the third of seven Astute-class boats, with HMS Astute and HMS Ambush, the first two subs in class already in service with the Royal Navy. Artful is slated to join the fleet toward the end of this year.

2014

Control room
(click to view full)

Nov 24/14: Basing. Britain moves a step closer to making HMNB Clyde home to all of its submarines. The Trafalgar Class fast attack boats HMS Torbay and HMS Trenchant will be decommissioned at their current base in Devonport in 2017 and 2019, respectively, since it makes no financial sense to move them now. By 2020, HMS Talent and HMS Triumph will have moved from HMNB Devonport to Scotland, and that will be the end of HMNB Devonport as a submarine base.

This single-base approach offers financial efficiencies, but there’s a real price in terms of strategic vulnerability. Sources: UK MoD, “Ministry of Defence confirms future submarine basing plan”.

Nov 18/14: Sub-contractors. Cohort plc subsidiary SEA Communications receives a GBP 23 million (about $37.5 million) contract from BAE Systems to deliver their “Project Aurora” external communications systems (ECS) for integration into the UK Royal Navy’s submarine fleet, including the Astute Class. It builds on their Coherency for Submarines (CCSM) system, which already serves on upgraded Trafalgar Class SSNs.

ECS’ biggest selling feature is that it works to make the hardware an independent consideration, allowing a simpler and cheaper approach to upgrades. This is Phase 1 of a 2-phase program, and SEA expects another significant order in 2015. Sources: SEA, “Case Study: Submarine External Communication System (ECS) ‘Project Aurora'” [PDF] | SEA, “SEA secures £23m deal to enhance submarine communications”.

Oct 10/14: #2. HMS Ambush returns to HMNB Clyde after a successful maiden mission that lasted about 4 months. The boat left Falsane on July 4/14 to visit Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, before heading for the North Atlantic and the United States. Sources: Royal Navy, “HMS Ambush returns to Clyde after international deployment”.

Oct 7/14: #1: HMS Astute returns to HMNB Clyde after an 8-month deployment. The submarine’s Lady Sponsor, Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Rothesay (The Duchess of Cornwall), joins senior naval officers and over 150 friends and family to welcome her return at a special ceremony at Faslane.

That’s the kind of sponsor you want for your vessel! Sources: Royal Navy, “Happy Homecoming for HMS Astute”.

May 19/14: #3. The 97m long Artful is launched into the water at Barrow-in-Furness. She is scheduled to begin sea trials in 2015. Sources: Royal Navy, “Artful enters the water as latest hunter killer submarine is launched”.

March 26/14: Recognition. Northrop Grumman announces that they’ve received the Customer Focus Award from BAE Systems Maritime-Submarines, in recognition of the role Sperry Marine has played in supplying the Astute Class platform management system (PMS) for the U.K. Ministry of Defence’s (MOD) Astute nuclear-powered submarine program. Sources: NGC, “Northrop Grumman Wins Supplier Award for Role in Royal Navy’s Astute Submarine Programme”.

March 23/14: Mini-sub. British media spot HMS Astute moored off of Gibraltar with a new mini-sub attached to the dry-deck shelter (q.v. Dec 3/12). The mini-sub can reportedly carry 8 Special Boat Service Commandos in full assault gear:

“Before it was mounted to the top of the HMS Astute, the miniature submarine had to be airlifted by helicopter to seas near its destination…. The miniature submarine, codenamed ‘Project Chalfont’, has been tested since it was installed in 2012, but this is the first time it will reach active service…. The miniature submarine’s main duties are for counter intelligence, as it allows for incredibly covert ops from discreet locations, and will now be able to deploy while hidden underwater, rather than having to travel by helicopter, which runs the risk of revealing its position.”

The dry-deck shelter can also be used in simple swim-out mode, without a mini-submarine. Sources: Daily Mail, “Britain’s super-sub: Navy unveils James Bond-style mini submarine carried on board HMS Astute which can launch from under water”.

2013

NAO Report; Failure at Devonport dockyard raises concern over nuclear responsibility; Radiation leak highlights aging submarines issue; Sub-contracts for boats #6-7. HMS Astute &
HMS Dauntless
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Oct 6/13: Not good. The Independent newspaper reports that a 90-minute breakdown of all reactor coolant supply at Devonport dockyard’s Tidal X-Berths in Plymouth, UK nearly led to a major nuclear incident. Based on a heavily redacted report from the Ministry of Defence’s Site Event Report Committee (SERC), both the electrical power for coolant supply to docked nuclear submarines, and the diesel back-up generators, failed at the dockyard on July 29/12. That failure followed a similar failure involving HMS Talent in 2009, and a partial failure involving HMS Trafalgar in 2011.

The newspaper adds that an internal Babcock investigation blamed the incident on the central nuclear switchboard, but added a note of concern about “inability to learn from previous incidents and to implement the recommendations from previous event reports.” This will not help existing uneasiness over the next generation of nuclear submarines, and “Nuclear scare at Navy submarine base after ‘unbelievable’ failures” adds that:

“Its own “stress test” on Devonport safety, launched after the Fukushima disaster, said that in the event of the failure of both power supplies, heat levels in reactors could be controlled by emergency portable water pumps, and added that such a failure had occurred a “number of times” previously.”

Dockyard failure

Sept 20/13: #3 named. The 3rd Astute Class submarine is formally named “Artful” in a ceremony. The ship’s crew also picks a mascot, in keeping with the ship crest chosen in 1945 by the Admiralty Advisor on Heraldry. “Artful” is a ten-month-old baby ring-tailed lemur at South Lakes Wild Animal Park. While it isn’t a monkey, it is a prosimian primate, and lemurs are generally threatened or endangered throughout their homes in Madagascar. No word on whether the ship’s motto will change to the Latin translation of “We like to move it!” Sources: UK MoD release, Sept 20/13 | Royal Navy release, Sept 20/13.

Sept 10/13: Sub-contractors. DCNS signs their latest contract with BAE Systems for high-efficiency heat exchangers. This one covers 4 sets, for Astute Class boats 6 and 7. The last one will be delivered in mid-2016. Sources: DCNS, Sept 10/13 release.

Sept 10/13: Sub-contractors. Northrop Grumman’s Sperry subsidiary has supplied the final batch of Platform Management System hardware for the S123 Anson (#5), and remains under contract for submarines 4, 6, and 7. The systems do pretty much what you’d expect: control and monitor most of the submarine’s machinery and onboard systems. Sources: NGC, Sept 10/13 release.

July 18/13: #6. Keel laid for Agamemnon at BAE’s Barrow-in-Furness facility. Sources: Royal Navy, July 18/13 release.

May 28/13: SSOP. Thales UK signs a 10-year, GBP 600 million Sensor Support Optimisation Project (SSOP) with the Ministry of Defence. It extends the 2003 Contractor Logistics Support deal that covered electronic warfare/ ESM and sonar system support on an array of submarines and surface ships. Coverage on the Astute Class includes all electronic warfare and ESM sensors, the sonar, and the optronic mast. Read “SSOP: Britain Extends Contracting Innovations into Naval Sensors” for full coverage.

May 25/13: Sub-contractors. Applied Integration in Stokesley, North Yorkshire wins a “multi-million pound” deal to design “visual mechanisms allowing Royal Navy operators and sailors to manage conditions” on S124 Agamemnon and S125 Ajax. Sounds like they’re building touch displays that integrate with platform management and other systems.

This is the firm’s 3rd nuclear submarine contract, and the small firm has consistently delivered beyond its contracts while winning business against larger firms. Co-founder Lee Raywood says something we don’t see often enough in releases and reports: “Our senior engineers are truly exceptional and our staff deserve great credit for our success.” That attitude might have something to do with the fact that their teams win. Sources: The Northern Echo, “Applied Integration, in Stokesley, North Yorkshire, wins contract to supply control systems for HMS Agamemnon and HMS Ajax”.

May 20/13: Bernard Gray, the UK MoD’s Chief of Defence Materiel, talks about the Astute program experience during a Public Accounts Committee hearing concerning carrier strike. Excerpts:

“While I appreciate that the defence industry will quite often say that it wishes to be left alone, thank you very much, my experience is that that is not on the whole a good idea. It is fair to say that on most occasions when I have pushed on specific issues, they are not as well covered off as they should be. If I just let a contract and walked away and invited defence contractor A to get on with it and “Do just please drop by and deliver the equipment at the end of it and I’ll write you a cheque”, I am unlikely to get that equipment.

….If I can take you back to the most salient example of this, in the Astute programme we did what you suggested. It was a disaster. From 1996 to 2003 we let them get on with it. We had a contract and that is what we cared about. In 2003, it almost broke BAE Systems. It cost them hundreds of millions of pounds. We then had to step back in, reformulate the programme and effectively recuperate the whole of our submarine-building activity, which is something that is only beginning to come right some 10 years after that disaster…. My point is that the happy-go-lucky world of us writing out a contract and then allowing industry to get on with it is not one that I live in.”

Sources: HC 113 Public Accounts Committee Session 2013-14, “Public Accounts Committee – Minutes of Evidence.”

May 8/13: HMS Ambush. Without mentioning its April breakdown, the Royal Navy describes its “raft up” exercise to moor alongside RFA Diligence at sea, “assisted by a cluster of tugs”. RFA Diligence is the Royal Navy’s sole vessel for submarine support. They’re still talking about “early 2014″ as the submarine’s operational date. Sources: Royal Navy, May 8/13 release.

HMS Ambush sea trials

April 11/13: Schedule. Without ever mentioning HMS Ambush’s breakdown the previous day, the Royal Navy puts out a press release that says HMS Astute will be operational in 2013, after hot weather trials and operational sea training. S119 Astute was commissioned on Aug 27/10.

HMS Ambush [S120] will go through the same trials and training and “be ready to deploy in early 2014.” It remains to be seen what effect yesterday’s breakdown will have on that schedule. Royal Navy.

April 10/13: HMS Ambush. HMS Ambush is towed back to the Faslane naval base after coming to an unexpected halt in the middle of Gare Loch. Crew members are seen by local anti-nuclear protesters standing on top of the vessel, which was venting steam and surrounded by 3 tugs. The exact problem still isn’t clear, as the MoD would say only that:

“Following HMS Ambush’s maintenance period, undertaken at HM’s Naval Base Clyde, an issue with a non-nuclear system was identified. A decision was taken to return it to the base to allow remedial action to take place.”

See: Herald Scotland | The Scotsman.

HMS Ambush breaks down

March 10/13: Aging fleet. Britain’s Daily Express says that Britain’s submarine fleet is now finding it difficult to maintain patrols around the Falkland Islands, even as Argentina becomes more aggressive:

“THE Navy is finding it “increasingly difficult” to deploy a nuclear hunter-killer submarine to patrol British waters around the Falkland Islands. Senior sources made the warning last night, three weeks after the Sunday Express reported exclusively that the forced return of HMS Tireless [due to a reactor leak] means that just one of Britain’s five Trafalgar-class submarines is fully operational and even that is about to undergo a brief period of maintenance after duties in the Middle East…. HMS Torbay is undergoing maintenance, HMS Trenchant will need servicing after its deployment in the Middle East, HMS Talent is awaiting decommissioning and HMS Triumph, which should have been decommissioned last year, is being used for training.

HMS Astute, the first of our new £1.2billion Astute class submarines, is still not fully operational.”

Aging fleet

March 1/13: S120. A formal commissioning ceremony takes place at Naval Base Clyde for the 2nd boat in the class, though its sea trials aren’t finished yet. There ceremony comes fully 2 1/2 years after the commissioning of HMS Astute.

In January 2013, BAE Systems was granted a Certificate of Acceptance for Ambush, formalizing the transfer from the builder to the Ministry. UK MoD

HMS Ambush commissioned

Feb 25/13: Sub-contractors. Thales announces a contract from BAE for the last 2 Sonar 2076 systems in the Astute program, to equip Agammemnon and Ajax as long-lead buys. Those are the last submarines in the program.

A complete sonar system includes both inboard and outboard of the bow, fin, intercept and flank arrays, and the associated inboard processing. The cost of this contract isn’t announced, but based on past contracts, it’s more than GBP 60 million.

Feb 22/13: BAE’s overall results were down in 2012, but the submarine yard in Barrow is one of the bright spots, thanks to work on the Astute SSN program and the Successor Class next-generation SSBN. North-West Evening Mail.

Feb 17/13: Radiation Leak. The Trafalgar Class fast attack boat HMS Tireless experiences a small reactor coolant leak. It’s contained within the sealed reactor compartment, but the submarine will be out of action for 10 months in drydock. The boat was launched in 1984, had experienced a previous radiation leak off of Gibraltar in 2000, and was due for decommissioning in 2013. The only reason this wasn’t the end of her career is the Astute program’s delays, which led to Navy to extend her planned service to 2017.

The incident underscores the issues involved in operating submarines beyond their expected lifetimes. It also underscores issues with British force structure. Right now, the Royal Navy has 7 SSNs, but HMS Tireless is out of action, HMS Astute still isn’t fully operational after running aground in 2010, and a 3rd boat is in maintenance. That leaves just 4 operational submarines, instead of the recommended 7 + 1 spare. Scottish Express.

Feb 13/13: Reactors. The UK MoD signs a 10-year, GBP 800 million (then about $1.2 billion) contract with Rolls Royce, financing the Submarines Enterprise Performance Programme (SEPP) envisioned in the 2010 SDSR. The goal is to consolidate costs under one contract with consistent incentives, and improve operational efficiency in the infrastructure that delivers and supports the UK’s naval nuclear propulsion systems. They’re hoping for a GBP 200 million saving over this 10 years. Time will tell.

SEPP isn’t technically part of any one program. Contracts for products and services to deliver and support the submarine programs themselves will continue in parallel. Royal Navy | Rolls Royce.

Feb 1/13: Sub-contractors. Babcock announces a contract to supply its weapon handling and launch system (WHLS) for the 6th and 7th Astute class submarines, with a total value around GBP 55 million.

The WHLS and its combat system interfaces were developed to handle the complicated task of loading, moving, and readying large weapons like heavy torpedoes, missiles, mines, etc. within the confined space of a submarine. Babcock’s Weapons Handling Equipment (WHE) sub-system uses a semi-automated and modular approach to maximize storage, and a “unique” method of shock mounting that offers adaptable protection according to the number of weapons stored on each stowage tier. Babcock’s programmable firing valve (PFV) technology allows the system to match the launch requirements precisely to a range of variables including weapon type, boat speed and depth, using less air and making less noise.

Babcock WHLS systems are used in Britain’s Astute Class, and a variant will also be featured in Spain’s diesel-electric S-80 boats.

Jan 13/13: NAO Report. Britain’s National Audit Office releases their 2012 Major Projects Report [PDF]. The Astute Class is featured, and the table of planned vs. actual cost, time, and performance for various milestones on pg. 39 is interesting, but most of the program’s major dislocations lie in the past. They do offer a quick update regarding the fleet’s progress.

The Astute Class Training Service (ACTS) has provided training for the ships companies of both HMS Astute and Ambush, and delivered its 1st Submariner Qualification course for the Royal Navy.

S120 Ambush, launched in January 2011, has finished fitting out and is in trials and testing, following her first test dive in the shipyard’s basin in early October 2011.

S121 Arful continues construction in the Devonshire Dock Hall at Barrow, and “is making good progress”. Diesel Generator Trials successfully completed in August 2011.

S122 Audacious has had all hull and casing units moved to the Devonshire Dock Hall.

S123 Anson recently got underway with manufacturing, following her October 2011 keel-laying.

2011 – 2012

Main contract for boat #4 Audacious; Grouped long-lead work for boats #5-7; Common Combat System coming for boats #3-7; Various sub-contracts; #2 Ambush goes to trials; #5 Ansom keel-laying. Ambush, pre-trials
(click to view full)

Dec 10/12: #5-7 lead ins. The UK Ministry of Defence awards BAE a GBP 1.5 billion contract to begin early build work on S123 Anson, and begin long-lead time buys of supplies like nuclear reactors for boats #6 Agamemnon & #7 Ajax. The Ministry of Defence touts these contracts as safeguarding 3,000 skilled jobs at Barrow-in-Furness in Cumbria.

Anson is named after after Admiral of the Fleet George Anson, who died in 1762 at the age of 65. Agamemnon & Ajax are 2 famous Greek heroes of the Trojan War. UK MoD.

Long-lead items and work on S123 – S125

Dec 10/12: #4. The UK Ministry of Defence awards BAE a GBP 1.2 billion contract to finish building S122 Audacious, the 4th of 7 planned Astute Class attack submarines. This brings total announced contracts to GBP 1.4 billion (q.v. May 21/07 entry), which is around $2.25 billion at current conversions. The boat is about half way through its build process, and subsequent NAO reports estimate her commissioning in January 2018. The Guardian is less than impressed, pointing out that:

“HMS Astute cannot reach the top speed the MoD boasted it could, sprang a leak that required it to perform an emergency surfacing, and was fitted with electrical circuit boards that failed the navy’s safety standards. A lead-lined water jacket, which surrounds the submarine’s nuclear reactor, was also constructed with metal of the wrong quality. And the living quarters for the 98-strong crew are also more cramped than those on submarines made more than 50 years ago… However, the navy is adamant the vessel can overcome the difficulties.”

Despite its launch in 2007 and commissioning in 2010, HMS Astute is still undergoing sea trials. These have included deep dive trials, and the successful firing of Tomahawk land attack missiles and Spearfish torpedoes. The 2nd submarine, Ambush, is also in sea trials that have tested diving, propulsion, and torpedoes. The 3rd boat, Artful, is reaching the final stages of her construction at Barrow shipyard. UK MoD | BAE Systems | The Guardian.

S122 Audacious main contract

Dec 6/12: Common Combat System. Britain’s Ministry of Defence issues BAE Systems Maritime – Submarines a GBP 46 million contract to create a common combat & navigation system baseline for use in all of the Royal Navy’s nuclear submarines.

“The Royal Navy operates three classes of submarine, totalling 10 vessels, which are used to safeguard the UK’s interests around the world. Currently, different combat systems are used across the fleet. This new contract will help drive adoption of a common combat system across all current and future Royal Navy submarines, with considerable benefits to training, maintenance and updating costs.”

S122 Audacious will introduce a shared computing environment for the combat, navigation, and sonar systems, mounted in common consoles and cabinets, and using “commercial off the shelf” computing electronics. These changes are due to be implemented on the remaining submarines in the class, and have been back-fitted to S121 Artful. The eventual aim is to back-fit the “Common Combat System” to HMS Astute and Ambush, and progressively to the remaining SSN Trafalgar Class and SSBN Vanguard Class boats. The CCS would also implicitly cover Britain’s SSBN Successor submarines, currently in the initial design stages at BAE. UK MoD | BAE.

Dec 3/12: Mini-Sub. HMS Astute has been fitted with an underwater dry-deck shelter (q.v. Dec 5/11) from which Special Boat Service (SBS) commandos could launch a midget submarine designed and built under Project Chalfont. From Strategic Defence Intelligence, “INSIGHT – Astute submarines fitted with Special Forces mini-sub dock”:

“According to a report in The Sunday Times, HMS Astute has sailed from Faslane naval base on the River Clyde with the dock, known as a Special Forces payload bay, fitted behind the conning tower to carry out trials…. the dock is a portable fixture that can be fitted to whichever of the Astute fleet is heading towards a crisis zone…. The SBS currently launch their midget submarines from surface warships or helicopters, risking discovery.”

Nov 15/12: Submarine problems. The Guardian publishes a report concerning issues with the Astute Class. A number can be described as teething problems, but a couple are potentially serious. The “teething problems” category includes a recent episode of leakage during a dive, computer circuit boards that didn’t meet safety standards, questions about the quality of installation of some equipment, and lack of trust in the boat’s new optronic periscope.

More serious problems include corrosion in a new boat, “…the instruments monitoring the nuclear reactor because the wrong type of lead was used [in the shielding]”, and an apparent mismatch between the nuclear reactor and the steam turbine sets:

“At the moment, the boat, heralded as the most sophisticated submarine ever built for the navy, cannot sprint to emergencies or away from an attack – an essential requirement for a hunter-killer boat. It would also be incapable of keeping pace with the Royal Navy’s new aircraft carriers, which will be able to travel at more than 30 knots and need the submarines to protect them.”

Sources: The Guardian, “Slow, leaky, rusty: Britain’s £10bn submarine beset by design flaws”.

Sept 14/12: #2 trials. The Royal Navy announces that S120 Ambush is ready to depart the shipyard and begin sea trials, 9 years after she was laid down and 18 months since she was launched.

June 18/12: Reactors. Britain’s Ministry of Defense signs a GBP 1.1 billion contract with Rolls Royce for submarine nuclear reactor cores, (GBP 600 million) and industrial investment in the Raynesway plant that manufactures them (GBP 500 million). The contracts will secure 300 jobs at Rolls-Royce.

The nuclear reactor cores will be used to power the 7th and final SSN Astute Class fast attack submarine, and the 1st of the Royal Navy’s next generation of SSBN nuclear deterrent submarines, currently known as the Successor Class.

Rolls Royce is the sole Technical Authority for the UK Nuclear Steam Raising Plant, whose reactors have powered British nuclear-powered submarines for the past 50 years. The GBP 500 million infrastructure contract aims extend the operating life of the Rayneway plant in Derby, UK, by more than 40 years. Rolls-Royce will continue to maintain and operate its existing reactor core manufacturing facility, while undertaking a parallel phased rebuild and modernization of buildings on site. UK MoD | Rolls Royce | The Telegraph.

Feb 6/12: Sub-contractors. Thales UK announces a GBP 30+ million sub-contract from BAE Systems Submarine Solutions, to supply S123 Anson’s full Sonar 2076 Phase 5 system. Deliverables will include arrays both inboard and outboard of the bow, plus fin, intercept and flank arrays, and the associated inboard processing.

Thales UK is a major sub-contractor for the program as a whole. Beyond the sonar system, they also supply each Astute Class submarine with its 2 non-hull penetrating CM010 optronic masts, the mast’s UAP4 electronic support measures (ESM) system for gathering, classifying, and locating communications and radar emissions, the ECB680 communications and SEEPIRB emergency beacon buoys, and the UHF satellite communications antenna. Thales.

Dec 5/11: An interview with HMS Astute’s commander highlights some of its features. Among other things:

[HMS Astute commanding officer Cmdr. Iain] Breckenridge ticked off a list of new features aboard the sub…. features a large lockout chamber aft of the fin, or sail, and can carry a drydeck shelter…. “That was a real design driver for the boat, and that’s why we’ve got a big sail,” he explained. “The shapes and curves [of the hull] help the dry deck shelter sit in the right place”…. The captain was especially proud of the sub’s maneuvering and hovering capabilities…. In my situation, I’ve got a much wider operating envelope because, if the stern plane does fail to dive, it’s probably only going to be one of them, and I can immediately correct it by slowing down and putting the noncasualty plane to rise. It gives us a much broader operating envelope.”

Sources: Defense News, “‘Trail-blazing’ U.K. Attack Sub Proves Itself in U.S.”

Oct 13/11: #5. S123 Anson’s keel is formally laid – vertically. The submarine’s “keel” is actually an 11m long x 7m diameter, 190t hull ring that will house the control center for Anson’s propulsion plants, and the diesel generator module. It’s also one of the most sophisticated and technically-challenging parts of the boat, and it’s laid vertically because that position makes the work easier. Royal Navy.

S123 Anson keel laying

Sept 15/11: #5. Astute submarine #5 will take the name HMS Anson when she is commissioned. The 2012 NAO report suggests that this will be in August 2020. BFBS.

Feb 16/11: #4. BAE Systems delivers S122 Audacious’ final hull segment by public road through the town of Barrow-in-Furness, to the huge the Devonshire Dock Hall (DDH). It’s the 270 tonne forward dome.

The boat is still a long way from done. The process of installing all of the machinery in these framework units, and then beginning to join hull pieces, is quite long and exacting. BAE Systems.

Jan 6/11: #2 launched. S120 Ambush is launched. The submarine will still have a fitting-out period before it can even start contractor trials. Royal Navy.

2007 – 2010

1st of class HMS Astute commissioned; Sonar upgrades for S119 – S121. S119 control room
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Aug 27/10: HMS Astute. The 1st-of-class submarine S119 Astute is commissioned into the Royal Navy, and becomes “Her Majesty’s Ship Astute.” UK MoD.

HMS Astute

Feb 12/10: Sonar 2076 upgrade. Thales UK announces the ‘Stage 5 Inboard Replacement’ (Stage 5 IR) contract from BAE Systems. They’ll upgrade 3 Trafalgar Class boats, and the first 3 Astute Class submarines, to Sonar 2076 Stage 5 system. Once all of the work is completed, 2076 Stage 5 will be fully deployed across the Royal Navy’s (RN’s) nuclear-powered attack (SSN) submarine fleet.

Thales’ Sonar 2076 is said to have 13,000 hydrophones spread between its inboard and outboard bow, flank, fin, and towed arrays. Stage 5 IR adds new hardware, new software functionality and new algorithms, while moving the sonar system to open architecture electronics. The UK MoD’s long term vision involves the evolution of a common sonar and combat system across their entire submarine flotilla, and an open architecture sonar system is an important milestone along that path. Thales | Aviation Week.

May 21/07: #4 lead-in. The UK MoD has announces a GBP 200 million contract (about $395 million) to begin preparing for construction of the 4th boat at the BAE Systems shipyard at Barrow-in-Furness in Cumbria.

This initial contract for S122 runs to March 2008, and covers initial build work only. The MoD aims to contract for the whole boat by late 2008, and detailed terms and conditions will be agreed over the intervening period.

Additional Readings The Astute Class

• Royal Navy – Astute Class

• BAE Systems – Astute Class

• BAE Systems, via WayBack – The Astute Launch

• Naval Technology – SSN Astute Class Nuclear Submarine, United Kingdom

• Royal Navy Info – Astute-class Submarine. Unofficial site.

Ancillaries

• RUSI (October 2008) – Evolutionary Trends In UK Sonar [PDF]

• Royal Navy – Spearfish Torpedo. Range is just 14-30 miles, significantly below peers like Atlas Elektronik’s new Seahakes. British SSNs are a bit unusual in the modern era, in that they don’t carry anti-ship missiles as an option to accompany their torpedoes.

• DID – Tomahawk’s Chops: xGM-109 Block IV Cruise Missiles

• DID – New Nukes: Britain’s Next-Gen Missile Submarines. The SSBN Successor project, which would carry Britain’s future nuclear deterrent.

News & Views

• The Guardian (Nov 15/12) – Slow, leaky, rusty: Britain’s £10bn submarine beset by design flaws.

• Dougie Coull Photography (Sept 29/12) – HMS Astute – Departing Faslane Naval Base. Note the mounted Dry Deck Shelter.

• Defence Management (March 6/12) – US ‘taken aback’ by HMS Astute. At least the Virginia Class boat USS New Mexico [SSN 779] was.

• Defense News (Dec 5/11) – ‘Trail-blazing’ U.K. Attack Sub Proves Itself in U.S. The captain discusses several features of the boat, while pointing out its first-of-class status.

FAP’s F-16AMs
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Portugal currently owns 45 F-16s as the backbone of its air force: 20-25 fly with 201 Sqn as F-16A/B Block 15s, while another 20 were upgraded via the Mid-Life Upgrade program to F-16AM status for 301 Sqn. The F-16AMs add considerable air-ground capabilities via improved radars, and compatibility with modern laser and GPS-guided precision weapons. In order to use any of those weapons, however, targets must still be found and marked.

These days, many countries are buying small surveillance and targeting pods, as a bolt-on addition that gives their fighters full surveillance, designation, and precision strike capabilities. At present, the 2 main competitors in the global market are Lockheed Martin’s Sniper ATP, and Northrop Grumman/RAFAEL’s LITENING.

On July 31/08, the Portuguese Air Force announced a program to buy 12 LITENING AT pods from Northrop Grumman Corporation, as the winning candidate in their F-16 Advanced Targeting Pod upgrade program. Deliveries will begin in 2008, and finish in 2009. Note that the LITENING has been integrated on F-16 Block 15 aircraft, widening the number of Portuguese aircraft that might be given access to its surveillance and strike-enhancing capabilities. NGC release.

Update

August 13/15 Portugal is planning to upgrade the targeting and navigation pods equipping its fleet of F-16s. The Northrop Grumman-manufactured Litening Advanced Targeting pods will be upgraded to the G4 standard, with this $22.7 million contract reportedly scheduled for completion by 2022. Denmark ordered this variant in June 2012, with India also a major operator of the G4 variant.

Yak-130
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Russia’s air force (VVS) aged badly in the wake of the Cold War, and the recapitalization drought soon made itself felt in all areas. One of those areas involved advanced jet trainers, which form the last rung on the ladder before assignment to fighters. Russia’s Czech-made L-29 and L-39 trainers were left with questionable access to spare parts, and a competition that began in the 1990s finally saw Yakolev’s Yak-130 collaboration with Italy’s Finmeccanica beat the MiG-AT in 2002. Unfortunately, Russian budget realities allowed orders for just a dozen early production Yak-130s, even as the VVS’s L-39 fleet dwindled drastically.

The Yak-130’s multi-mission capabilities in training, air policing, and counterinsurgency make it an attractive option for some customers beyond Russia. Initial export successes helped keep Yak-130 production going in those early years, mostly via a confirmed order from Algeria (16). In December 2011, however, Russia finally placed a significant order that got production started in earnest. Russia continues to promote the aircraft abroad, and now that the plane’s future is secure, interest and orders are picking up…

The Yak-130 Yak-130

The Czech L-39 is the world’s most widely sold jet trainer, but many of those Soviet-era aircraft will need replacement soon. With Aero Vodochody barely hanging on in the modern jet trainer market, Russia’s Yak has an opportunity. MiG dropped the MiG-AT project in 2009, but that still leaves competition from Alenia Aermacchi’s M-346 counterpart from the “AEM-130″ program, China’s similar L-15 (developed with help from Yakolev), BAE’s ubiquitous Hawk family of trainers and light attack jets, and Korean Aerospace’s supersonic T-50 family of trainers and lightweight fighters.

Yak-130 customers currently include Russia (67), Algeria (16), Bangladesh (24), Belarus (4), and Syria (36). A deal with Libya (6) was canceled by the regime’s fall, and the planes may have been sold to Kazakhstan. There are unconfirmed rumors of sales to Vietnam (8) and Mongolia (?).

Yak-130, MAKS 2009
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Design: Compared to the Yak-130D developmental prototypes, the Yak-130 production aircraft reportedly features lower weight, a more rounded nose to accommodate a radar, a shorter fuselage length, and a lower wing area. Kevlar armor protection is fitted to the engines, cockpit and avionics compartment. In typical Russian fashion, the Yak-130 is built to operate from unpaved runways and unprepared airfields, as long as they’re 1,000 meters in size or larger.

The plane is designed for flight at high nose-up angles of attack, which is a common feature of many modern fighters, and of Russian designs in particular. The layout of its forward wing extensions and air intakes layout reportedly enables steady controllable flight at up to 40 degrees AoA. The sustained maneuvering limit at 15,000 feet is 5.2g, while its recommended limits are +8g/ -3g for immediate maneuvers. Note that these maneuvering G-force limits may not be true at full weapon loads.

Refueling in the air isn’t an option yet, but the Yakolev bureau is reportedly working to add a refueling probe.

Thrust & Weight: The Yak-130 is powered by a pair of 2,500 kg thrust Progress AI-222-25s, or 2,200 kg thrust Slovakian Povazske Strojarne DV-2SM turbofans. The AI-222s are the standard fit, and generate about a total of about 5,000 kg/ 11,000 pounds thrust.

Normal aircraft takeoff weight is around 5,700 kg, with a maximum of 1,750 kg of fuel in its internal tanks. Weapons etc. can push maximum takeoff weight to 9,000 kg.

Yak-130
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Electronics: The production Yak-130 is the first Russian aircraft with an all-digital avionics suite. The suite is night-vision compatible, uses GLONASS/NAVSTAR positioning for navigation, and includes 3 multifunction 6″ x 8″ LCD color displays. A Hemlet Mounted Display can also be used.

The Yak is a fly-by-wire aircraft, though this aspect gave the project a lot of trouble during development. Avionica’s fly-by-wire flight control system can reportedly be used to adjust the plane’s flying characteristics, in order to simulate different aircraft.

The open architecture avionics suite includes 2 computers and a 3-channel multiplexer, and the plane is reportedly MIL-STD-1553 compatible if a customer wants to integrate Western equipment like AIM-9 air-air missiles, or the AGM-65 Maverick short range strike missile.

Its NIIP Zhukovsky Osa radar offers adequate performance, with an effective range out to about 65 km. Some reports cite an alternative fit using Phazotron’s Kopyo radar, which has been used in some MiG-21 upgrades. Yakolev is reportedly considering a radar modernization that would either switch in a new nose radar to add targeting-grade ground scans, or add an externally-mounted radar targeting pod.

Weapons: Standard integration involves Russian weapons. Wing stores can include unguided bombs and rockets, plus KAB-500Kr TV-guided bombs, and R-73/AA-11 short range air-to-air missiles. Gun options involve a podded GSh-23 twin-barrel 23mm cannon (probably the 30 degree traversable SPPU-22), or a step up to the heavier single-barrel 9A4273 pod with a 30mm GSh-301 cannon. A Yekaterinburg UOMZ Platan electro-optical guidance pod can reportedly be installed under the fuselage to add onboard TV and laser designation.

Weapons mentioned in conjunction with the Yak-130 but not yet confirmed here include 9A4172/ AT-16 Vikhr laser-guided anti-armor missiles, and Kh-25ML/ AS-10 laser-guided strike missiles. More progress may follow on these fronts, once the Platan pod is integrated. If a ground-capable radar is added, options will expand again. Irkut VP Komstantin Popovich has said that the Yak-130 design is stable and powerful enough to carry even a supersonic Kh-31/ AS-17 cruise missile, which would make the Yak-130 a far more dangerous plane.

Contracts & Key Events 2015

August 14/15: Belarus is buying four more Yak-130 combat jet trainers, according to local press reports [Russian]. The country ordered the first four aircraft in December 2012, with deliveries beginning this April.

2014

Official vid [in Russian]

May 5/14: Syria. Russian media report that Russia plans to send an initial batch of 9 Yak-130 jet trainers to Syria by the end of 2014, then finish the order by delivering 12 in 2015 and 15 in 2016. Kommersant reportedly cited “a source close to Russian arms exporter Rosoboronexport,” and says that the decision follows a $100 million advance payment in June 2013, covering the first 6.

The fact that Assad’s regime and Hezbollah are widely seen as winning the civil war probably helps some, and Russia seems a lot less interested in what America or Europe think of them. Sources: RIA Novosti, “Russia to Provide Syria with First Batch of Jet Trainers until End of Year”.

Jan 28/14: Bangladesh. Kommersant reports that Bangladesh ordered 24 Russian Yak-130 light fighter jets in the final quarter of 2013. Rosoboronexport’s director reports that the deal was financed with a Russian loan (q.v. Nov 15/12, March 27/13), but the $800 million purchase price comes from unnamed defense industry sources.

The planes will reportedly be fitted with English-language cockpits. They will replace the existing Chinese FT-6 (MiG-19 trainer) and Czech L-39s, provide a lead-in to the air force’s handful of Chinese J-7 (MiG-21) and Russian MiG-29 aircraft, and offer light attack counterinsurgency capabilities that are better than anything currently in inventory. Sources: RIA Novosti, “Bangladesh Buys Russian Combat Training Jets Worth $800M”.

Bangladesh: 24

2012 – 2013

Syrian contract?; Interest from Bangladesh, Malaysia, Vietnam; Flight at Farnborough; New ordnance loads for the Yak. Yak-130, Farnborough
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Dec 25/13: Russia. Russian Air Force Commander in Chief Lieutenant General Viktor Bondarev praises Irkut for being ahead of schedule in its Yak-130 deliveries, including 2 aircraft from the 2014 orders that are almost ready for shipment. They’d be added to the 18 Yak-130s delivered to the VVS’ Borisoglesk Aviation Training Center in 2013. Bondarev adds that new contracts for Su-30SM (Su-30MKM) fighters and Yak-130 trainers are expected soon, and says that:

“We just came from Domna [Su-30SM base, 14 delivered in 2013]… Observed the assimilation of new aircraft. I want to note: great aircraft – pilots are glad. And it is very pleasing…. After all, for many years we have blamed the industry for late deliveries and poor quality products. On the example of Irkut it is clear that the situation is changing for the better: the industry provides high quality products and what is very important not by the end of the year, but quarterly. Whereby pilots are constantly flying and training. The job of Irkutsk Aviation Plant is a good example for other enterprises”.

Russia ordered 55 Yak-130s on Dec 12/11, out of 65 that had been envisioned in the 2011-2020 armaments plan. Another 10 orders wouldn’t keep production going for even 1 year at current rates, so it’s safe to assume that the next contract will be larger than that. Sources: Irkut, “Russian Air Force Commander In Chief Viktor Bondarev Highly Appreciated Aircraft Of Irkut Corporation” | RIA Novosti, “Russian Military Plans to Order More Yak-130 Combat Trainers”.

Dec 12/13: Marketing. Domestic marketing got a nice boost as of April 2013, and the Aviation Press Club gave the First National Aviation Video Award for Best Full Length InfoVideo to Russia 2 TV, for their “Polygon” show covering the Yak-130. American readers in particular know how these shows go, but the use of advanced CGI plus real-life experience with a weapon is a new thing in Russia, and the show was quite well done. In this case, Yakolev Design Bureau Chief test pilot and Hero of Russia Oleg Kononenko was personally at the controls for the filmed flight, and footage included the Irkutsk Aviation Plant and Zhukovsky Flight Test complex.

Viewer and social media response was very positive. Now, isn’t that better than executing people who try to tell others about your gear? Russia 2 TV’s Polygon Episode [incl. video] | Irkut, “Movie About Yak-130 By The Russia 2 Tv Channel Announced Winner Of The First National Aviation Video Award”.

Aug 26-31/13: Syria. It’s a Rashomon-style global improv performance, as Syrian President Bashar Assad and various Russian sources talk about their arms exports. On Aug 26/13, Assad tells Izvestia that all military contracts with Russia are being implemented “meticulously”, contradicting reports that the Yak-130s are delayed pending a political decision (q.v. Feb 13/13 entry). On Aug 30/13, Rosoboronexport Deputy CEO Viktor Komardin adds to the uncertainty by saying that they’re implementing Syrian contracts “signed prior to 2011,” which would exclude the 2011 deal for advanced S-300 air defense missiles, as well as the 2012 Yak-130 deal.

Finally, toward the end of the week, Russia’s Kommersant newspaper gives failure to pay as the reason for delivery delays involving 12 MiG-29M2 fighters (just 30% paid, now 2016-17 delivery), that “S-300 are out of question until we see real money” (otherwise delivery slips from July 2014 to 2015-16), and that only 6 Yak-130s will be shipped because that’s all Syria has paid for. This is a curious excuse, because it’s common global practice to make just a partial down-payment, with the rest paid only on delivery/ acceptance. Payment in advance would represent very unusual terms. What is clear, amidst all this murk, is that Russia isn’t interested in delivering these weapons any time soon. Sources: RIA Novosti, “All Contracts with Russia ‘on Track’ – Syria’s Assad” | “Kremlin Unaware of Syrian S-300 Missile Contract Payment – Aide” | “Russia Delays Arms Supplies to Syria over Money – Paper”.

April 2013: Russia’s VVS begins to use Yak-130s for preparatory and solo flights of cadet pilots in the Borisoglebvsk training Center, located in central Russia. Deliveries to Borisoglebvsk began in Fall 2012. Source: Yakolev DB, “Russian Air Force starts operation of Yak-130″.

Operational in Russia

Aug 27/13: What’s next. AS Yakolev Design Bureau hails the operational status of their Yak-130s in the Russian VVS (q.v. April 2013), and offers confirmation regarding some past upgrade reports (q.v. July 17/12):

“Dr. Oleg Demchenko, President of IRKUT Corp, believes that the main focus in the further development of the Yak-130 Program will be on increasing of its combat performances….. integrate an opto-electronic system into the plane’s avionics, which provides targets’ detection and their effective homing for guided weaponry at night. A next phase of the Yak’s development is related to installation of on-board radar in a stationary version as well as one of container type [in the nose and as a Leninets pod]…. Besides, it is being considered to use Yak-130 for carrying on its board Kh-31 and Kh-38 air-to-surface missiles…. IRKUT representatives opine that the augmented combat performances of Yak-130 will its market perspectives much better…. Among potential buyers are being mentioned the Philippines, Malaysia, Vietnam as well a few CIS countries. There were in news that the Yak-130’s proposals were formed up for India…. Russia is certain to promote Yak-130 in Brazil…”

Finally, a Russian aerobatic team will be formed using a dedicated Yak-130 variant. Aerobatic modifications tend to strip unneeded items and weight in order to maximize performance, while adding attachments and systems for things like cameras, smoke generators, etc. Sources: Yakolev DB, “Russian Air Force starts operation of Yak-130″.

March 27/13: Bangladesh. Rosoboronexport Deputy Chief Viktor Komardin tells RIA Novosti that:

“Bangladesh has a whole list of arms it wants [under a $1 billion credit agreement with Russia], but so far that is a state secret. I will reveal one little secret: The purchase of Yak-130 warplanes is a very significant subject of negotiations between Russia and Bangladesh.”

Bangladesh currently flies 7 L-39s in the training role. Its fighter inventory of Chinese designs is aging out, but a 2010 stopgap buy of 16 J-7BGIs (improved MiG-21 copies) will be around for a while. A small fleet of 8 Russian MiG-29s are being upgraded, which makes the Yak-130 a better lead-in than China’s J-15. Their interest has reportedly risen to 24 Yak-130s, which could serve as multi-role trainers with secondary attack and air policing capabilities.

Feb 13/13: Syria. Anatoly Isaikin, the director of Rosoboronexport, tells Associated Press that no new Russian combat planes or helicopters have been delivered to Syria, and confirmed that they hadn’t yet shipped any of the Yak-130 jets Syria had ordered.

Syria’s remaining L-39 Albatros fleet of advanced jet trainer/ light strike aircraft have seen considerable use during that country’s civil war, which began in April 2011. Russia has not embargoed Syria, but shipments of weapons have been slow.

Dec 18/12: Belarus. Irkut Corp.:

“In accordance with the Agreement on the development of military-technical cooperation between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus dated December 10, 2009, today in Minsk the contract on 4 Yak-130 combat-trainers delivery in 2015 was signed by the Belarusian Defence Ministry and IRKUT Corporation (a part of United Aircraft Corporation).”

See Irkut | RIA Novosti.

Belarus: 4

Late 2012: Exports. Moscow Defence Brief takes an in-depth look at the Yak-130 program, and says that the sale to Syria hasn’t gone through. Meanwhile, it has this to say about potential international sales:

“It has been reported that Rosoboronexport, the Russian arms exports near-monopoly, and Irkut’s parent company, OAK, are negotiating possible Yak 130 contracts with several new foreign customers, including Poland, Venezuela, Uruguay, the Philippines, Bangladesh and Malaysia. In late 2011 it was reported that a 550m-dollar contract for 36 Yak 130s had been signed with Syria – but according to the latest available information, the contract has not yet entered into force because the Russian government has yet to give the final go-ahead. Finally, it has been reported that Belarus also plans to buy several Yak 130s.”

Russia may have talked to Poland, but they aren’t going to buy a Russian trainer, period. As for the Philippines, their choice became official in August 2012: South Korea’s supersonic TA-50. It’s questionable whether the Yak-130 was ever a serious contender.

Nov 15/12: Bangladesh. Rosoboronexport’s Sergey Kornev is interviewed by Voice of Russia at the Zhuhai Airshow 2012:

“Kornev added that Russia will grant a loan to Bangladesh to buy 12 Yak-130 planes and Su-27 jet fighters. He did not mention the sum of the loan. “As far as I know the loan has been approved. Within its amount Bangladesh can choose the number of planes it will buy and their modifications”, he said.”

The cheaper Yaks make far more sense as a replacement to the BBB’s FT-6 (MiG-19) and L-39 trainers, and a ground attack companion to its Chinese J-7 (MiG-21) and Russian MiG-29 fighters. In contrast, buying just 4-6 SU-27s just creates maintenance headaches. Still, one should never underestimate the role of ego in these decisions.

Nov 14/12: Exports. RIA Novosti quotes “a source in the Russian delegation at the Air China aerospace show”, who says that reports that Malaysia and Vietnam are interested in buying Yak-130s. Vietnam is something of an uncertain case, with some reports that a contract for 8 was signed in April 2010, and others saying there has been no final contract. Beyond Vietnam, Malaysia operates SU-30MKMs, and:

“Malaysia will need new combat trainers in the near future to replace the outdated Italian-made M-339 aircraft,” the source said.”

Malaysia also has a good relationship with the British, however, and their neighbors in Indonesia fly a lot of Hawk aircraft.

July 18/12: Syria. Irkut head Alexei Fedorov tells RIA Novosti that they’re willing to deliver Syria’s contract for 36 planes, “when we get an indication from the government.” The paper continues:

“Last week, on the sidelines of the Farnborough Air Show in Britain, the deputy head of Russia’s military-technicial cooperation commission, Vyacheslav Dzirkaln, said Russia had decided to suspend the Yak-130 contract to Syria while the country was in a state of internal conflict. “Until the situation stabilizes, we will not deliver any new weapons [to Syria],” he said.”

First Libya, then Syria. This is certainly a new behavior for the Russians.

July 17/12: Irkut arming Yak-130s. the Russian military may not be interested in developing a Yak-131 light attack version, but Irkut thinks there’s a market for the existing Yak-130, and is working to give it a full strike fighter’s array. At present, the Yak-130’s 3,000 kg/ 6,600 pounds of payload can includes AA-11/R-73 short range air-to-air missiles for defense, and KAB-500 guided bombs, in addition to unguided bombs, rockets and 23mm gun pods.

Irkut VP Komstantin Popovich told Aviation Week that work on in-flight refueling capability, and efforts to add an optronic surveillance and targeting pod, are expected to be complete in 2013. That would give the Yak-130 the ability to laser-designate its own targets, which is especially useful in counterinsurgency operations. It may also help in designating targets for TV, infrared, and laser guided versions of the Kh-38 family of short-medium range strike missiles, and Kh-29 (AS-14 Kedge) short-range heavy strike missile.

The next step would involve a radar capable of ground scans and targeting. This would let the plane work with radar-guided missiles like the Kh-29MP, or even heavy strike missiles like the supersonic Kh-31 (AS-17 Krypton). The VVS hasn’t requested precision strike missiles, but Popovich says that the aircraft’s inherent stability allows the plane to carry even heavy loads like the Kh-31. A Yak-130 that could fire such missiles would become a much more dangerous threat to defended targets, and greatly expand the plane’s versatility beyond counter-insurgency.

The enabling radar could come from Phazotron-NIIR (“FK-130″) or their competitor Tikhomirov-NIIP, or it could even arrive as a radar pod from St. Petersburg’s Leninetz. Irkut expects to pick a design by the end of 2012, with development continuing into 2014. Aviation Week.

July 4/12: Farnborough. The Yak-130 will fly at Farnborough 2012, as part of the Russian exhibit. It’s the 1st time the trainer has taken part in the #1 international air show. RIA Novosti.

May 21/12: No armed Yak-131. The Yak-130 can be armed, and its combination of visibility, speed, and good handling characteristics could make it an attractive light attack aircraft. There was even said to be some consideration of making it a substitute for the heavily-armored SU-25 close support jet, which may need to start some production lines to keep its upgraded variants in good shape. Unfortunately, Flight International reports that the Russian air force won’t be fielding it in that role:

“The Russian military has abandoned plans to develop a light attack aircraft based on the Yak-130, as Zelin says a prototype dubbed the Yak-131 did not demonstrate a high enough level of protection for its pilot.”

The VVS will continue to use modernized SU-25 SM close air support planes for this role, and eventually plans to order a total of 80 upgrades. They’re also talking about designing and fielding a successor aircraft to the heavily-armored SU-25 fleet, but that’s a project for 2020 at the earliest.

Jan 23/12: Syria. Russian media are reporting that Syria has signed a $550-million contract with Russia’s state-owned Rosoboronexport arms export agency, involving 36 Yak-130 trainer and light attack jets. The deal was reportedly struck in December 2011, with the Yakolev Design Bureau as the type owner, Irkut as the builder, and jets to be supplied once Syria makes a pre-payment.

That could be very useful to the Assad regime, which is receiving open Russian support against strong domestic unrest – if, and only if, the regime survives long enough to take delivery.

Neighboring Turkey has quietly but firmly placed itself on the other side of that bet, partly as a form of payback for Syria’s long support of Kurdish PKK insurgents. Russian analyst Ruslan Pukhov is correct that this situation introduces a strong element of risk for Russia, but he is less correct when he says that counterinsurgency (COIN) support is a job for cheaper planes. In terms of sellers willing to deal with Syria, the Yak-130 is the low-budget, low-risk fixed-wing COIN alternative, which also patches a potentially serious training hole that could deliver a coup de grace to the existing Syrian Air Force. See also: Russia’s RIA Novosti | Saudi Arabia’s Arab News | Israel’s Arutz Sheva | Bloomberg | CNN | Turkey’s Zaman.

Syria: 36

2010 – 2011

Big Russian order; Libya makes deal, then falls; Libyan Yaks to Kazakhstan?; Losses in Indonesia, India; Guided weapon tests; Crash stalls program for a year. Yak-130
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Dec 12/11: Russia. Irkut announces a big order from Russia: 55 aircraft by 2015, out of 65 Yak-130s envisaged in the current 2011-2020 armaments plans. This is a big deal for Irkut, whose customers for the last 2 decades have been export clients.

Other reports suggest that Russia may eventually place orders for as many as 300 of the planes, which can also become heavily-armed counter-insurgency and light attack planes. ITAR-TASS | Irkut Corp..

Russia: 55

Nov 8/11: JSC Irkut announces that Russian Air Force Commander-in-Chief Col. Gen. Alexander Zelin has promised a contract for full production of Yak-130 trainers, during a visit to its Irkutsk aviation plant. The visit was apparently something of an inspection, and Col. Gen. Zelin is quoted as saying that (per Irkut’s translation):

“There is no problem with the fulfillment of state defense order. We understand that there is no other company that could produce Yak-130 with such level of quality. It’s encouraging that the company entered the foreign market with the product. I think IRKUT has good prospects…. Yak-130 contracting is currently being finalized. Price terms were basically approved.”

Irkut has been delivering a very limited number of Yak-130s to the VVS since February 2010, and estimates an overall market for about 250 of the aircraft by 2015. Most of those will be Russian orders, which will apparently include a new aerobatic group to fly alongside the Russian Knights’ Su-27s and the Swifts’ MiG-29s.

Autumn 2011: Russia begins guided weapon tests with the Yak-130. Source.

Sept 1/11: Yak-130. Algerian pilots training at the Irkutsk Aviation Plant’s airfield perform their 1st first solo flights, following 3 months of training and over 100 flights with Irkut crews. Irkut says they’ve also been training Algerian engineers and technicians on the Yak-130 aircraft, as Algeria prepared to induct the planes. JSC Irkut.

Aug 5/11: Kazakhstan? China Daily reports that Russia is looking to redirect Libya’s order for 6 Yak-130 trainer and light attack aircraft:

“Another deal will be for six Yak-130 light attack aircraft originally intended for Libya before the United Nations imposed an arms embargo on Tripoli, cutting Moscow off from $2 billion in signed deals and another $2 billion in potential contracts. The top customer for the light attack aircraft is Kazakhstan which is trying to boost its regional clout, [CAST think-tank director] Pukhov said, citing defense industry sources.”

May 5/11: Indonesia. The Yak-130 is out of the picture, as Indonesia signs a deal with South Korea for 16 T-50i armed trainers. The Yak-130 was actually eliminated on April 12/11, when Indonesia designated the T-50 as its preferred plane.

Read “Indonesia’s New Trainer & Attack Aircraft” for full coverage.

Indonesia loss

2010: Vietnam. Sketchy reports have Vietnam signing a contract for 8 Yak-130s. Source.

Confirmation is weak. Subsequent reports talk about Vietnam considering the aircraft, but don’t make it clear whether or not the initial buy has gone through. Flight International’s World Air Forces 2013 doesn’t list any serving Yak-130s in the VPAF, just 26 L-39Cs in stock. Scramble’s Orbat states that “[8] Yak-130UBS trainers are expected to replace the L-39 in the 2015-2025 timeframe, although no order has been signed yet.”

Vietnam: 8???

Aug 9/10: Indonesia. Air Forces Monthly reports that Indonesia’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration has narrowed its 16 plane advanced jet trainer and light attack aircraft order to the Czech Aero L-159B, South Korea’s T-50 Golden Eagle, and Russia’s Yak-130.

That leaves both Alenia’s M346 Master and China’s JL-9/FTC-2000 out in the cold. Interestingly, the common denominator for the 2 eliminated types is poor secondary ground attack capabilities.

July 28/10: India. BAE Systems announces a new GBP 500 million (about $773 million) order to supply India with another 57 Hawk Advanced Jet Trainer (AJT) aircraft, to be built under licence in India for the Indian Air Force (40) and Indian Navy (17).

It isn’t clear if their international competition really was serious. Read “Hawks Fly Away With India’s Jet Trainer v2 Competition” for more.

India loss

May 29/10: Crash. One of the Yak-130s from Russia’s initial production order for 12 (q.v. Late 2002) crashes near Lipetsk. The crew survive, but fly-by-wire system is reportedly a problem again.

The Yak-130s fleet is grounded for a year, and deliveries are suspended. Source.

Crash grounds fleet, suspends deliveries

Feb 15/10: Libya. Russia’s Yakovlev Design Bureau offers initial specifics concerning the deal with Libya. Note that the language becomes much vaguer once it moves away from Yakovlev’s jets, and an order for tanks, which suggests that the SU-30 family and air defense purchases are still under discussion:

“Tripoli signed a $1.8-billion purchase agreement that includes acquisition of six YAK-130 advanced jet trainers for delivery in 2011-12, in addition to tanks. Libya has also expressed interest in acquiring 12 Su-35s, the latest Sukhoi fighter in production; four Su-30MK2s, as well as the advanced S-300PMU2 air-defense system.”

Yak-130s can serve as advanced trainers, or light attack aircraft. Yakovlev DB via defense aerospace | VITINFO [in Vietnamese].

Jan 30/10: Libya. Reports surface that Russia has signed a $2 billion arms deal with Libya. There is no official release, and details are largely absent, except for a quote from Vladimir Putin, who said the deal was “not only for small arms and light weapons.”

The regime falls before the deal can go through. Moscow Times | CNN.

Libya: 6

1998 – 2009

From requirement to selection; Joint venture with Italy’s Aermacchi; Russia orders 12, finishes testing; Algeria orders 16; Irkut rips production from Sokol; Crash delays program for 2 years. Yak-130, early design
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Dec 25/09: The Yak-130 successfully completes all Russian tests under the development contract. Source.

Development testing complete

Dec 22/09: Algeria. Irkut Corporation announces in passing that “The Irkut Corporation concluded the contract with Algeria on delivery of Yak-130 and carrying out its contractual obligations.”

March 17/09: India. The Press Trust of India reports that supply delays to Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), which is supposed to assemble a number of the Hawks in India, have resulted in an international competition for India’s follow-on order of up to 57 Lead-In Fighter Trainers.

The RFP was reportedly sent to the Czech Republic’s Aero Vodochody (L-159), Italy’s Alenia (M-346), BAE (Hawk, but it would be a more advanced variant), Korea’s KAI (T-50s), and Russia (either the YAK-130 variant of the M346 joint project, or the MiG AT). PTI News | Indian Express | Flight International.

2008: Irkut manages to lobby all Yak-130 production into its facilities. They were originally slated to produce the export versions, while Sokol in Nizhniy Novgorod was supposed to make the Russian planes. The move ends Sokol’s production after just 16 units, including prototypes. Source.

Irkut-only

June 26/06: The 3rd Yak-130 prototype off the line is lost in a crash at the Zhukovskiy airfield, and the causes are traced to the fly-by-wire system’s software. Nobody is killed.

Work to correct the problem reportedly delays the program by almost 2 years. The 4th prototype doesn’t fly until mid-2008. Source.

Crash delays program

March 14/06: Algeria. Russia and Algeria sign a deal that includes 16 Yak-130s, for a total of $200 million. That number of planes is later confirmed by Air International News at Farnborough in July 2006. Moscow Defense Brief added that there’s an option for 14-16 more Yak-130 trainers.

The Yak-130s will complement/ replace Algeria’s older L-39 ZA Albatros aircraft from Czechoslovakia.

Algeria: 16

May 30/04: First Yak-130 production prototype is rolled out at the Sokol plant. Source.

Late 2002: Initial Russian contract for 12 Yak-130s. Source.

Russia: 12

April 10/02: Russia officially picks the Yak-130 over the MiG-AT as its future trainer, following a flyoff. The Yak’s more polished engine design is reportedly a factor in its selection.

Under the contract, the Yak-130 was supposed to reach completed state testing by 2006. It actually takes until Dec 25/09. Source.

Russia picks Yak-130

April 25/96: 1st flight of a Yak-130D prototype. Source.

October 1993: Yakolev signs an agreement with Italy’s Aermacchi to jointly develop the Yak/AEM-130 advanced trainer. The Soviet Union has collapsed by this point, and defense funding is in a deep freeze, so Italian financing becomes critical to the program. Source.

JV with Alenia

1988: The Soviet Air Force announces a competition for a future trainer jet to replace the (Czech) Aero Vodochody L-39 Albatros.

Yakolev’s design faced off against RAC MiG’s MiG-AT, Sukhoi’s S-54, and the Myasishchev bureau’s M-200. The S-54 and M-200 are eliminated in the 1st downselect. Source.

Additional Readings

• A.S. Yakolev Design Bureau – Yak-130

• Airforce Technology – Yak-130 Combat Trainer, Russian Federation

• Moscow Defence Brief (#3, 2012) – Yak-130: New Russia’s Most Successful Aircraft. It adds: “Another “blood relative” of the Yak 130 is the Chinese L-15 trainer developed by Hongdu Aviation Industries Group. The Yakovlev design bureau helped the Chinese with the design; as a result the L-15 is essentially a version of the Yak 130. The aircraft also uses the Ukrainian-made AI 222 25 engines.”

• AIN (Dec 7/12) – L-15, Yak-130 Jet Trainers Compete for Asian Buyers

• News.MN – Report [in Mongolian]. Reportedly involves a limited Yak-130 purchase, but DID cannot translate it.

Key Competitors

• BAE – Hawk Advanced Jet Training System. The world’s leading in-production jet trainer.

• Wikipedia – BAE Systems Hawk. Shows the full breadth of the Hawk family.

• Airforce Technology – JL-9 (JianLian-9 ) Trainer / Light Attack Aircraft, China. Derived at long remove from the JJ-7 MiG-21 trainer.

• Airforce Technology – Hongdu L-15 Supersonic Trainer / Attack Aircraft, China.

• Sinodefence – L-15 Advanced Jet Trainer. N.B. Not certain how a plane with a very similar design to the Yak-130, the same engines, and a slightly heavier takeoff weight is supposed to be so much faster, and hit Mach 1.4.

• DID – Czech L-159s: Cheap to Good Home

• DID FOCUS – Finmeccanica’s M-346 AJT: Who’s the Master Now?

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

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In the 1970s, fighter aircraft began to appear with Head-Up Displays (HUD) that projected key information, targeting crosshairs etc. onto a seemingly clear piece of glass. HUDs allowed pilots to keep their eyes in the sky, instead of looking down at their instruments. In the 1990s, another innovation appeared: helmet-mounted displays (HMDs) put the HUD inside the pilot’s helmet, providing this information even when the pilot wasn’t looking straight ahead. The Israelis were already pioneering a system called DASH (Display And Sight Helmet) when a set of former East German MiG-29s, equipped with Soviet HMDs, slaughtered USAF F-16s in NATO exercises. Suddenly, helmet-mounted displays became must-haves for modern fighters – and a key partnership positioned Elbit to take DASH to the next level.

This DID Spotlight article offers insights into the rocky past, successful present, and competitive future of a program that has experienced its share of snags and controversy – but went on to become the #1 helmet-mounted sight in the world. It also details the game-changing effects of Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing Systems on air combat, its production sets and known customers, and all contracts since full-rate production began.

JHMCS: A Combat Multiplier The HMD Revolution Wir haben euch
ge-pwn-t
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Early infrared-guided air-air missiles had poor kill probabilities because they had to be launched from the rear, where the enemy engine’s heat source provided a clear enough target. Subsequent improvements allowed SRAAMs to be launched head-on, as improved sensors and computer processing allowed the missiles to detect and target the heat created by air friction. The AIM-9L Sidewinder’s new capabilities gave British Harriers a clear combat advantage over the Falklands in 1982, and arguably kept Britain from losing that war.

Computer processing and seekers have continued to improve. A number of the most modern SRAAMs use a form of infrared imaging that sees pictures rather than just heat sources, and can ignore many flares and other countermeasures. At the missile’s other end, improvements to maneuverability and motors enable a missile to make several maneuvers at g-force levels that manned fighters can’t even approach. As a result, close-in combat has become a much deadlier enterprise, where the winner may well be the aircraft that shoots first.

In that environment, improvements designed to make that “shoot first” outcome more likely become very valuable.

One way to improve one’s odds is to fly a plane with excellent pitch and slew capabilities, allowing the pilot to point at enemy aircraft and quickly get off a shot without having to engage in lengthy maneuvering. The forward canard & delta designs of 4+ generation European fighters, and Sukhoi’s advanced SU-30 family aircraft, are no accident. Neither is the F-22A Raptor’s thrust vectoring capability, a trait shared by Russian SU-30MKI/M, SU-35, and MiG-35 fighters.

Another approach is to add a helmet-mounted display (HMD). If the missile seeker has a wide enough cone, the pilot can simply use his head for the point maneuver, confirming lock-on and firing a SRAAM even at angles that would seem to be outside any threat range based on the position of his aircraft. While aircraft with excellent ‘slew and point’ capabilities + HMDs offer the best combination, older aircraft with HMDs and better missiles can also become extremely effective.

Air combat exercises held shortly after the fall of the Soviet Union, in which German MiG-29s with helmet-mounted displays and AA-11 missiles slaughtered American F-16s by the dozens, drove that point home with brutal clarity.

JHMCS High Off-Boresight
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It shouldn’t be surprising that Israel had also been working on helmet-mounted displays for some time, and was already flying a system from Elbit called DASH (Display And Sight Helmet). Vision Systems International, LLC is a joint venture between Elbit Systems Ltd. Subsidiary EFW Inc. and Rockwell Collins; when the USA went looking for a “Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System” of its own, VSI won the contract in 1996.

JHMCS projects visual targeting and aircraft performance information on the back of the helmet’s visor, including aircraft altitude, airspeed, gravitational pull, angle of attack, and weapons sighting, enabling the pilot to monitor this information without interrupting the field of view through the cockpit canopy. The system uses a magnetic transmitter unit fixed to the pilot’s seat and a magnetic field probe mounted on the helmet to define helmet pointing positioning. A Helmet Vehicle Interface (HVI) interacts with the aircraft system bus to provide signal generation for the helmet display. This offers significant improvements to close combat targeting and engagement.

A 1998 Air Power International article explains:

“Unlike the embedded DASH, the JHMCS is a clip-on package, which can be latched into position with one hand in flight, on a modified HGU-55/P, HGU-56/P or HGU-68/P helmet. The JHMCS is a much more advanced design than the DASH, and builds on the collective technology base of Elbit and Kaiser. It employs a newer, much faster digital processing package, but retains the same style of electromagnetic position sensing as the older DASH does. The CRT package is more capable, but remains limited to monochrome presentation of calligraphic symbology. While the manufacturers have declined to comment, it would appear that the JHMCS will provide support for raster scanned imagery to display FLIR/IRS&T pictures for operations in poor visibility or at night. The photograph of the helmet separated from the Display Unit clearly illustrates the high voltage coaxial and discrete/serial connections via the umbilical, which is embedded in the helmet. Unlike the DASH series, the high voltage supply is not embedded in the helmet and feeds up via the umbilical, through a quick disconnect inline high voltage rated connector. An attachment is provided to allow a NVG package to be clipped on during flight. The JHMCS will provide a 20 degree FoV (Field of view) for the right eye, with an 18 mm exit pupil.”

As a nice additional feature, the helmet has a camera that records the JHMCS targeting display on videocassette for post-mission debriefing.

Precision air to ground weapons can’t be fired with JHMCS targeting alone, because the system’s accuracy requirements weren’t set that high. That hasn’t stopped the helmet from becoming extremely useful for ground engagements, however, due to its ability to point the aircraft’s more precise FLIR or targeting systems toward any target the pilot is looking at. This eliminates the long and difficult “soda straw view sync-up” process with the pilot’s view out the window, which can easily take 30 seconds or more, and tends to result in predictably targetable flight patterns. Instead, JHMCS-equipped planes can fly much more freely as they run through a quicker “look, sharpen, shoot” process.

Doing all of this without killing the pilot would be nice, and so the JHMCS helmet system has been ejection-tested using full sled tests. This was one of the system’s most challenging design requirements, but their success ensures that the extra weight on top of the pilot’s head won’t create neck injuries during the violent, rocket-assisted blast-out that characterizes modern ejection seats.

JHMCS helmets have become the de facto global standard for fighter helmet-mounted displays. They currently equip US F-15 Eagle family, F-16, and F/A-18 Hornet Family aircraft, and have become popular export items for countries buying these American “teen series” fighters.

After a long period with limited competition beyond Russia’s Shchel-3UM and Elbit’s own DASH, other modern fighters and manufacturers are beginning to catch up. BAE is offering an HMSS/Striker helmet for Eurofighter Typhoon customers, and its Q-Sight has become part of a backup HMD option for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program if VSI’s own next-gen HMDS system fails. Saab/BAE’s Cobra helmet has begun equipping JAS-39 Gripen customers. The French Rafale still has no serving HMD, which is a real weakness, but Thales’ TopSight is qualified on French Mirage 2000-5s, and on India’s new MiG-29K carrier-borne fighters.

JHMCS Improvements & Upgrades JHMCS-II/h
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No system remains static, and JHMCS has continued to improve since its introduction.

NVCD: The night vision package now offers JHMCS 40-degree night vision cueing and display (NVCD) units, which give pilots JHMCS symbology in their night vision goggles. These 2-tube or 4-tube options offer a lower weight display option that nonetheless depends on a JHMCS helmet to make it work. The US Navy has chosen the 40 x 40 degree field of view 2-tube option at the moment, rather than the 100 x 40 degree QuadEye.

JHMCS-II: In October 2011, VSI unveiled a new JHMCS-II system, based on Elbit Systems’ new Targo helmet. The formal product debut was June 2013, offering a lighter and simpler, night-vision capable, all-digital HMD, which replaces the current bulky connecting wire with a much thinner tether. The daytime display offers a full color LCD that highlights friendly and enemy forces. For night operations, the visor is replaced with a modular, snap-on night vision goggle (NVG) that preserves the full-color symbology.

A Digital JHMCS (D-JHMCS) version still uses the standard JHMCS magnetic helmet tracker, and the same gear hooked into the plane, but adds the thinner tether, color symbology and improved day/night capabilities. D-JHMCS is designed as a drop-in upgrade to fighters that already have the original system.

The full JHMCS II is for new platforms like the F-15SE Silent Eagle, and can also be added to existing qualified platforms as a new installation or full replacement. It uses Targo’s new optical-inertial tracker, moves more processing to the helmet, and replaces the standard JHMCS aircraft integration with a lightweight Aircraft Interface Unit (ACIU) that doesn’t need cooling, a mounting tray or cockpit mapping. That makes for a lighter overall system, and faster initial integration with the pilot’s fighter.

JHMCS: The Program to Date

The total value of all JHMCS production contracts since the beginning of low-rate production is over $550 million – a figure that excludes minor contract modifications and unannounced sales. As of June 2013, JHMCS had 26 customers, but it seems likely that VSI counts the US Air Force, Air National Guard, and Navy as separate customers. Customers that DID has been able to verify include:

F-15s: USAF, US Air National Guard, South Korea (F-15K).
F-16s: USAF, Belgium, Chile, Denmark, Greece, Iraq (F-16IQ block 52), The Netherlands, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Poland, Taiwan, Turkey. UAE (F-16E/F) confirmed via a social media search.
F/A-18 A-D: Australia, Canada, Finland, Switzerland. USMC and USN presumed.
F/A-18 E/F: US Navy; Australia likely.

Foreign Military Sale requests that haven’t yet turned into verified customers include:

F-15s: Singapore (F-15SG, possible but could also use DASH), Saudi Arabia (F-15SA, not delivered yet).
F-16s: Morocco (F-16C/D block 52).
F/A-18s: Kuwait (F/A-18C), Malaysia (F/A-18D, modifications underway).

In addition, note that VSI partner Elbit Systems is an Israeli company. Sales to Israel might not need to be announced by the Pentagon if Israel were to buy JHMCS systems direct from Elbit, to supplement the DASH (Display And Sight Helmet) on Israeli Air Force F-16s and F-15s.

Announced production stages, amounts, and customers include:

Back in 2007, Boeing predicted that the final number of JHMCS units produced will exceed 2,800 for all customers, including those produced during their 4 Low-Rate Initial Production runs. By June 2013, Elbit was touting 6,000 customer units sold.

JHMCS: FRP Contracts & Key Events

Unless otherwise stated, all contracts are issued by the Headquarters Air Force Materiel Command at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, OH, to Boeing in St. Louis, MO. While the system itself is from the Rockwell Collins/Elbit joint venture Vision Systems International, Boeing is the prime contractor for the JHMCS program. VSI then receives sub-contracts from Boeing. Note that this list presently includes only contracts and events since the beginning of Full Rate Production; the Low Rate Initial Production phase had some bumpy moments, which are detailed in Appendix A.

FY 2015

First Generation III HMDS delivered to F-35 Joint Program Office; Rockwell Collins-ESA Vision Systems gets $20.9 contract for 120 units

August 14/15: On Thursday the Navy handed M. C. Dean Inc and Honeywell Technology Solutions two multiple-award contracts totalling $1.66 billion for the installation and certification of C4ISR systems, while Rockwell Collins-ESA Vision Systems was handed a $20.9 million contract for 120 Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System (JHMCS) Night Vision Cueing and Display (NVCD) systems.

August 13/15: Rockwell Collins has delivered the first Generation III helmet-mounted display system to the F-35 Joint Program Office. Use of a Distributed Aperture System (DAS) will allow pilots using the HMDS to see through the aircraft’s airframe, with the helmet system scheduled to enter the F-35 fleet during low rate initial production lot 7, timetabled for next year.

FY 2013

Orders – USA, Finland, Iraq; JHMCS-II/ D-JHMCS product launch; Eurofighter playing HMD catch-up. JHMCS-II display
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June 13/13: JHMCS II. Elbit Systems formally announces the JHMCS II’s product launch availability to purchase, beginning at the 50th Paris Air Show on June 17/13. The helmet comes in 2 versions.

Digital JHMCS (D-JHMCS) still uses the magnetic helmet tracker, and the same gear hooked into the plane, but adds the same color symbology and improved day/night capabilities. D-JHMCS is designed as a drop-in upgrade to JHMCS-equipped fighters.

JHMCS II is for new platforms like the F-15SE Silent Eagle, and can also be added to existing qualified platforms as a new installation or full replacement. It uses the new optical-inertial tracker and replaces the JHMCS aircraft system with a lightweight Aircraft Interface Unit (ACIU) that doesn’t need cooling, a mounting tray or cockpit mapping. Elbit Systems | JHMCS II site.

JHMCS-II/ D-JHMCS launched

May 17/13: Support. Vision Systems International LLC in Fort Worth, TX receives a maximum $31.1 million firm fixed price, sole source contract for various aircraft spare parts, new aircraft installs, and support equipment.

Work will be performed in Texas, Oregon, and Israel, and is scheduled to be complete by Jan 31/15. The contract covers the US Navy, USAF, Belgium (F-16 MLU), Iraq (F-16IQ), Kuwait (F/A-18C/D), Taiwan (F-16+), and Chile (F-16 var). FY 2014 through 2015 Foreign Military Sales funds will be used, alongside USAF and US Navy budgets. The contracting will be managed by the Defense Logistics Agency Aviation at Robins AFB, GA (SPRWA1-11-D-0007-0005).

Dec 19/12: F-18 Retrofits. Boeing in St. Louis, MO receives an $8.9 million firm-fixed-price delivery order against a previously issued Basic Ordering Agreement for 285 Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System (JHMCS) retrofit kits in support of F/A-18C and F/A-18F aircraft.

Work will be performed in St. Louis, MO (56%); Meza, AZ (37%); and El Paso, TX (7%), and is expected to be complete in June 2015. All contract funds are committed immediately, of which $1.35 million will expire at the end of the current fiscal year, on Sept 30/13. US NAVAIR in Patuxent River, MD manages the contract.

May 17/13: Support. Vision Systems International LLC, Fort Worth, TX receives a maximum $31.1 million firm fixed price, sole source contract for various aircraft spare parts, new aircraft installs, and support equipment.

Work will be performed in Texas, Oregon, and Israel, and is scheduled to be complete by Jan 31/15. The contract covers the US Navy, USAF, Belgium (F-16 MLU), Iraq (F-16IQ), Kuwait (F/A-18C/D), Taiwan (F-16+), and Chile (F-16 var). FY 2014 through 2015 Foreign Military Sales funds will be used, alongside USAF and US Navy budgets. The contracting will be managed by the Defense Logistics Agency Aviation at Robins AFB, GA (SPRWA1-11-D-0007-0005).

Nov 1/12: FRP-9 – USN, Finland, Iraq. Vision Systems International LLC in Fort Worth, TX receives a sole source, maximum $111 million, firm fixed price contract for new aircraft installs, spares and support equipment for the US Navy, Iraq, and Finland.

Work will be performed in Texas, Oregon and Israel, and funded via FY 2013 – 2014 US Navy funds and Foreign Military Sales. The contract runs until Dec 31/14, and is managed by the Defense Logistics Agency Aviation at Robins AFB, GA (SPRWA1-11-D-0007-0004).

FRP-9 order

Oct 16/12: Typhoon HMSS. Eurofighter GmbH touts the new “Head Equipment Assembly (HEA), developed by BAE Systems’ Electronic Systems, [which] comprises the aircrew helmet and all the sub-system elements needed to display a real world overlaid picture on the helmet visor.” The accompanying video has a Typhoon pilot explaining why this is so powerful, and expressing his belief that it’s impossible to beat an enemy if they have a system like this and you don’t.

“Once you’ve had this helmet on, you don’t ever want to be without it.”

All well and good. The fact is, American fighters have had these capabilities for almost a decade now, via JHMCS. Something they’ve used to their advantage in international competitions against the Typhoon, and against other fighters like the French Rafale that lack an accompanying HMD.

FY 2012

VSI is split; Orders – USA, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Finland, Pakistan, Switzerland; Requests/Prep – Kuwait, Malaysia; JHMCS-II will equip F-15SE Silent Eagle; How to kill a Raptor. Equipped.
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Summer 2012: Split. The VSI joint venture is restructured to create 2 product centers. Elbit Systems of America leads the group in Fort Worth, TX, responsible for JHMCS and NVCD.

Rockwell Collins leads the group in Cedar Rapids, IA, which is responsible for the F-35’s challenging (and, to date, problematic) HMDS. Source: Elbit Systems of America.

VSI split in 2

July 30/12: F-15SE. Boeing announces that they’ve validated the integration of the next-generation JHMCS II/h on the company’s F-15SE Silent Eagle demonstrator aircraft. The new HMD is designed to be lighter, easier to maintain, and more self-sufficient, making it easier to integrate into new aircraft. Integrating this enhanced system onto the Silent Eagle took less than 3 months between ‘go-ahead’ and first flight.

All this is important to Boeing, because its F-15SE with JHMCS-II is the offer on the table for South Korea’s F-XIII competition, against EADS Eurofighter and Lockheed Martin’s F-35.

June 28/12: Kuwait. The US DSCA announces [PDF] Kuwait’s Foreign Military Sale request for 43 JHMCS Cockpit Units, along with their accompanying Single Seat Electronic Units and Helmet Display Units for the pilots of its F/A-18C Hornet fighters. It complements their February 2012 DSCA request [PDF] for an initial batch of 80 operational AIM-9X-2 short range air-air missiles, whose wide seeker cones make them the perfect complement to JHMCS’ look and launch capabilities.

Kuwait will also be buying related spare and repair parts, support equipment, tool and test equipment, personnel training and training equipment, publications and technical data, and other U.S. Government and contractor support. The latter will include some travel to Kuwait on a temporary basis for program and technical support, and management oversight.

The estimated cost if a contract is negotiated is up to $51 million, and the principal contractor will be the fighter’s manufacturer, Boeing Aerospace in St. Louis, MO. VSI in San Jose, CA will, of course, supply the JHMCS equipment.

March 1/12: FRP-8 A $31.7 million firm-fixed-price contract for JHMCS full rate production: 111 systems for the U.S. Navy and, under the Foreign Military Sales Program, Pakistan, Belgium, Australia, Canada, Switzerland, and Finland. Work will be performed in San Jose, CA until Dec 31/13 (F33657-01-D-0026).

FRP-8 order

Feb 28/12: How to Kill an F-22. USAF Lt. General Herbert “Hawk” Carlisle explains how JHMCS can help a Boeing F-15 Eagle shoot down an F-22, at a breakfast event sponsored by the Air Force Association in Rosslyn, Virginia.

“They always start defensive as you might imagine because anything else is kind of a waste of gas. So the F-22 always start defensive. On rare occasions the F-22 guy — first of all, the Eagle guy, you have to fly a perfect lag fight. You have to have AIM-9X and JHMCS to get an off-boresight IR(infrared) capability. And the F-22 guy has to put up his power a nanosecond too early and not use his countermeasures and you may get a fleeting, one nanosecond AIM-9X shot, and that’s about it.”

Good luck with that, but at least it’s a chance. Or, it’s disinformation designed to get opposing pilots to try a low-odds shot. You decide. Flight International.

How to kill an F-22 Raptor

Feb 14/12: NVCD. A $19.8 million firm-fixed-price contract for NVCD standard field night vision devices for the US Air Force and Navy. Work is expected to be complete by September 2013 (FA8607-11-C-2795, P00002).

Dec 12/11: Iraq. The US DSCA announces Iraq’s request for what amounts to a 2nd operational squadron of F-16IQs, plus weapons. The request for 18 more fighters would bring Iraq’s total to 36, but unlike their initial December 2010 request, the figure given is up to $2.3 billion, instead of $4.2 billion; 1st-time sales are always more expensive.

The most attention-grabbing item in the request, however, is 120 JHMCS helmets. Looks like Iraq is planning on buying a lot more American planes.

Nov 28/11: Malaysia. Boeing in St. Louis, MO receives a $17.3 million firm-fixed-price order for the design, development, and installation of engineering change proposal (ECP 618) retrofit kits for Malaysia’s 8 F/A-18D Hornet fighters, under the Foreign Military Sales Program. This contract action also includes installation of systems that are part of the Malaysian upgrade, and training for ECP 618 and ECP 624. Conversations with Boeing explain that:

“The majority of work to be performed under this contract is within the scope defined in the baseline Foreign Military Sales case and not the May 2011 Defense Security Cooperation Agency announcement for the Advanced Targeting Forward Looking Infrared [targeting pods, see DID coverage] which itself was an amendment to the existing baseline FMS case.”

That scope includes GPS improvements, a colored moving-map cockpit display, changes to IFF, and the addition of the JHMCS helmet-mounted sight. Work will be performed in St. Louis, MO (70%), and Butterworth, Malaysia (30%), and is expected to be complete in April 2015. US Naval Air Systems Command in Patuxent River, MD will manage the sale on behalf of its FMS client. See also Boeing.

Oct 21/11: JHMCS-II. VSI unveils the upgraded JHMCS-II, which would equip the stealth-enhanced F-15SE they’re offering in South Korea’s FX-III fighter competition. JHMCS-II is later revealed to be based on Elbit systems’ new Targo helmet. It offers a lighter and simpler, night-vision capable, all-digital HMD, with color LCD for the daytime display. Flight International | Aviation Week

JHMCS-II

FY 2010 – 2011

Customers – USA, Belgium, and ??? (FRP-7); Requests – Oman, Saudi Arabia. NCVD night vision into production. Helmet & JHMCS
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Aug 25/11: Vision System International, LLC in San Jose, CA receives a maximum $36.1 million, firm-fixed-price contract for various A/24A-56 JHMCS spares and support equipment. Work will be performed in San Jose, CA and in Oregon, on behalf of the US Navy, USAF, and the US Defense Logistics Agency, until Dec 31/15. The Defense Logistics Agency Aviation, Warner Robins at Robbins AFB, GA manages this contract (SPRWA1-11-D-0007).

Aug 25/11: Vision System International, LLC in San Jose, CA in San Jose, CA receives a maximum $10.6 million, firm-fixed-price contract for JHMCS cable assemblies and transmitter subassemblies. Work will be performed in San Jose, CA and in Oregon, on behalf of the USAF, until March 26/13. The Defense Logistics Agency Aviation, Warner Robins at Robbins AFB, GA manages this contract (SPRWA1-11-D-0007, PO 001).

Nov 18/10: FRP-7. A $59.7 million contract, covering JHMCS Full Rate Production Lot 7 buys for the USAF “and foreign military sales.” At this time, the entire amount has been committed (F33657-01-D-0026).

FRP-7 order

Oct 20/10: Saudi Arabia request. Saudi Arabia includes 338 JHMCS and 462 JHMCS Helmets in a DSCA request, as part of a drive to upgrade its 71 F-15S 2-seat Strike Eagles, and buy another 84 even more advanced F-15SA Strike Eagles. Read “A 2010 Saudi Shopping Spree” for full coverage.

Aug 3/10: Oman request. Oman submits a DSCA request for 40 Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing Systems, as part of a drive to upgrade its 12 F-16C/D fighters, and buy 18 more. Read “Oman Looks to Replace Its Jaguar Jets” for full coverage.

April 29/10: NCVD. Vision Systems International, LLC in San Jose, CA received a $22.6 million modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract (N00019-10-C-0007) for 100 JHMCS 40-degree night vision cueing and display (NVCD) unit hardware and associated support equipment for the US Navy (53) and the US Air Force (47); 500 step-in visors for the Navy (359) and the Air Force (141); 25 aviation night vision (ANV-126) night vision goggles test set adapter kits for the Navy; and associated engineering services for the Navy and Air Force. This contract combines purchases for the Navy ($12.3 million; 54%) and the Air Force ($10.3 million; 46%).

Work will be performed in San Jose, CA, and is expected to be complete in January 2012. The Naval Air Systems Command in Patuxent River, MD manages the contract.

March 19/10: FRP-6. A $14.4 million contract which will provide JHMCS full rate production systems for the US Air Force, US Navy and Foreign Military Sales for Belgium. Belgium flies F-16A/B MLU fighters, which were upgraded part-way through their service life. At this time, all funds have been committed (F33657-01-D-0026).

Feb 08/10: A FedBizOpps solicitation pinpoints a JHMCS component supplier:

“This requirement is for the purchase of 7 each cable assemblies applicable to the F-15C/D/E Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System. NSN 6150-01-504-5576FX P/N 178-6384-2. Note 22 applies. The proposed contract action is for supplies or services for which the Government intends to solicit and negotiate with only one source, Teledyne Reynolds (CAGE 99747), under authority of FAR 6.302.”

Dec 16/09: FRP-6. Boeing in St. Louis, MO received a $39.7 million contract which will provide 85 JHMCS systems under Full Rate Production Lot 6 for the USAF’s F-15s and F-16s, the US Navy’s F/A-18 platforms, and Foreign Military Sales countries, later discovered to include Belgium (vid. March 19/10). At this time, the entire amount has been committed (F33657-01-D-0026).

If Lot 6 seems smaller than other lots, that’s no accident. Lot 5 got pumped up via a Lot 5+ supplemental buy, in order to buy in quantity and lower prices. VSI expects more orders to follow, whether in 2010 or later. See also Boeing release.

FRP-6 order

Oct 26/09: NCVD. Vision Systems International, LLC in San Jose, CA received a $6.8 million firm-fixed-price contract for 20 US Navy JHMCS 40-degree night vision cueing and display (NVCD) units, including hardware and associated support equipment. The NVCD units will give pilots JHMCS symbology in their night vision goggles (2 or 4-tube options), offering a lower weight display option that nonetheless depends on a JHMCS helmet to make it work. The US Navy has chosen the 40 x 40 degree field of view 2-tube option at the moment, rather than the 100 x 40 degree QuadEye.

This initial contract is mostly about getting support items in place, and other preparation for a new program. NVCD is a separate contract from JHMCS, and production has just started. If customers like the US Navy, USAF, et. al. want these upgrades, they will place additional contracts, and this order will become the thin edge of a much larger wedge.

Work will be performed in San Jose, CA and is expected to be complete in April 2011. Contract funds in the amount of $4.6 million will expire at the end of the current fiscal year, on Sept 30/10. This contract was not competitively procured by the Naval Air Systems Command in Patuxent River, MD (N00019-10-C-0007).

FY 2008 – 2009

Orders- USA, Australia, Belgium, Turkey; Requests – Finland, Morocco; JHMCS comes to the rear seat; Don’t forget those neck exercises! JHMCS
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Sept 30/09: Vision Systems International of San Jose, CA received a $7 million contract for the repair of A/A24A-56 joint helmet mounted cueing systems, 24 repair contract line items, and one contract line item for data. At this time, no money has been obligated; orders will be issued as needed. The WR-ALC/PKHCB at Robins AFB, GA manages the contract (FA8522-09-D-0012)

July 20/09: Vision Systems International, LLC in San Jose, CA received a $17.3 million indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity contract to provide Fast Characterization Tool (FACT) hardware, integration, and validation and software upgrades for the F/A-18 JHMCS systems used by the U.S. Navy ($11 million, 58%) and the Governments of Australia ($2.8 million, 15%), Canada ($1.2 million, 9%), Finland ($1.2 million, 9%), and Switzerland ($1.2 million, 9%).

Work will be performed in San Jose, CA and is expected to be complete in October 2014. Contract funds in the amount of $8 million will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured by the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division in Lakehurst, NJ (N68335-09-D-0106).

April 29/09: FRP-5. VSI announces “several new contracts with a total value of more than $120 million,” as Boeing awards VSI a contract for more than 550 more JHMCS systems under Production Lot 5. VSI also received direct contracts from the U.S. Navy and U.S. Air Force for spares and Ground Support Equipment (GSE) in support of the JHMCS program.

Under the production contract, VSI will provide JHMCS hardware, including spares, technical support and GSE for the Full Rate Production – Lot 5 (FRP-5) acquisition. This procurement fills U.S. government domestic requirements, and foreign orders from Australia, Belgium, Turkey, and “other countries.” Deliveries under FRP-5 will commence in 2009, and continue through 2010.

FRP-5 order

Sept 9/08: Finland request. The US DSCA announces Finland’s official request for the 3rd phase of the Mid-Life Upgrade Program for its 63 F/A-18C/D Hornet fighters. The request includes 1 Lot of JHMCS Spares, and 70 JHMCS Laser Helmet Shields – presumably a protective addition, as Finland is already a JHMCS customer.

See “Finland Requests 3rd Upgrade Phase for its F-18s” for more.

Aug 2/08: Elbit Systems announces that VSI has received a $17 million contract from Boeing to supply helmets and visors. The Reuters report cites “145 F-15E Strike Eagle fighter jet pilots,” but each F-15E has 2 pilots.

It is possible that the deal is for 145 aircraft per the Globes Israel report, which would be 280 pilots. In any event, the contract definitely includes the new dual-seat capable JHMCS hardware and pilot equipment. Initial deliveries have already commenced and will continue through mid-2009. Reuters UK | Globes Israel.

July 8/08: Neck exercises needed. StrategyPage reports that an investigation concluded that the crash of a U.S. F-16, during a March 2007 air combat training exercise, was due to the pilot blacking out from the high g-forces generated by tight turns.

Since a 4.3 pound JHMCS feels like 30.1 pounds at 7g, vs. about half that weight for a regular helmet, the growing use of helmet mounted sight systems is seen as a contributing factor to these kinds of accidents. In response, the publication reports that the USAF has introduced a new neck muscle exercise machine in some air force gyms.

May 12/08: Small business qualifier Vision Systems International in San Jose, CA received a $6.2 million firm-fixed-price, definitive-contract. They will set up of a JHMCS repair depot at Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) Crane that allows in-house repair of failed Display Units.

Work will be performed in Crane, IN and is expected to be complete by April 2013. This contract was not competitively procured, though a solicitation was posted on Federal Business Opportunities website and the NSWC Crane website. NSWC Crane in Crane, IN received only 1 offer (N00164-08-C-JQ41).

Feb 29/08: FRP-4. Boeing received a contract for $23.9 million for JHMCS Full Rate Production lot four (FRP 4) for USAF F-15E Strike Eagles. At this time $25 million has been committed (F33657-01-D-0026, Delivery Order 006604).

A March 24/08 Boeing release refers to a $49.5 million U.S. Air Force contract to integrate the Joint Helmet-Mounted Cueing System (JHMCS) into 145 F-15E aircraft, including hardware and installation services on the aircraft, as well as initial pilot equipment, such as helmets and visors. Installation in the first F-15E is expected in October 2008, with contract completion in December 2010.

Feb 7/08: Vision Systems International of San Jose, CA received a firm fixed-price contract modification for $9 million for JHMCS equipment. At this time all funds have been obligated. The 752nd CBSSS/GBKAB at Robins Air Force Base, GA issued the contract (FA8522-08-C-0003).

Dec 19/07: Morocco. The US DSCA announces Morocco’s formal request for 24 F-16C/D Block 50/52 aircraft as well as associated equipment and services. 6 JHMCS helmets are included.

Oct 9/07: Rear crew JHMCS. Boeing delivers the first factory-installed, dual-cockpit F/A-18F Super Hornet JHMCS to the U.S. Navy. The 2-seat variant places a JHMCS helmet on both crew members, giving each the capability to aim weapons and sensors, as well as a visual indication of where each crew member is looking. The inclusion of JHMCS in the aft seat of 2-seat aircraft gives the weapons system officer the same weapons management capabilities as the pilot, vastly reducing the amount of required verbal discussion and improving the ability to react rapidly to targets and/or threats. Phil King, Boeing JHMCS program manager, said that: “The extension of the JHMCS capability into the aft cockpits of F/A-18 Hornets and Super Hornets has been eagerly awaited for several years.”

Boeing delivered the enhanced aircraft to the VX-9 Vampires of Naval Air Weapons Station, China Lake, CA, and is scheduled to deliver 77 of the two-seat JHMCS-equipped aircraft to the U.S. Navy over the next 3 years. As of this date, Boeing’s release says that it has contracted for more than 2,500 systems since 2000 from Vision Systems International, based in San Jose, CA.

Rear crew, too

FY 2006 – 2007

Orders – USA, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Greece, Netherlands, Pakistan, Poland, Switzerland; Requests – Australia, Finland, Pakistan, Switzerland, Turkey; R&D for rear crew JHMCS; 1,000th JHMCS shipped. Adjusting
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Sept 12/07: FRP-4. A contract for $16.1 million, covering Full Rate Production 4 (FRP4) F-15E Strike Eagle retrofit kits and Group B Hardware for the F-15E Strike Eagle. At this time, all funds have been obligated (F33657-01-D-0026, Delivery Order 0066).

April 4/07: FRP-4. A $68.8 million indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity, firm-fixed-price contract for Full Rate Production Lot 4 (FRP 4) of 321 JHMCS systems. The systems will be used on USAF F-15s and F-16s, MACH Brooks, the USN’s F/A-18 platforms, and foreign military sales to Poland (F-16s), Belgium (F-16s), Pakistan (F-16s), Greece (F-16s), Royal Australian Air Force (F/A-18s), Switzerland (F/A-18s), and Canada (F/A-18s). At this time, total funds have been obligated. Work will be complete December 2009 (F33657-01-D-0026/Delivery Order 0058).

Boeing release. See also Rockwell Collins Oct 23/07 release, announcing the sub-contract award from Boeing. Drew Brugal, president of VSI, says that: “With the addition of Belgium and other air forces, VSI now has a total of 19 customers for JHMCS.”

FRP-4 order

Feb 3/07: “New helmet gives pilots the edge” describes the JHMCS’ induction at Eiselson AFB, Alaska with the 18th Fighter Squadron (F-16s):

“The upgrade, which runs at around $1,000 per helmet, also holsters a camera and a projector that assist pilots with air operations. The camera is embedded in the helmet and sits over the left eye, allowing American servicemembers on the ground to see exactly what the pilot sees, said Staff Sgt. Jeremy Burton, an 18th FS aircrew life support technician. The projector at the top of the helmet displays information on the inside of the visor over the right eye… Another feature that will soon be implemented in these new helmets is the capability to employ high off-bore sight with air-to-air missiles, said the captain, who has four years experience flying F-16s.”

DID presumes that this means the induction of new AIM-9X Sidewinder missile to the squadron, rather than a new capability for the helmet.

Jan 3/07: Hill AFB’s “Life support section works to keep pilots safe” describes a successful program that helped the USAF improve training for the fitters and technicians who work on gear like JHMCS. As part of the successful effort described, Senior Airman Mark Fredrickson, 4 FS life support technician, spent 2 months developing a guide for the Joint Helmet Mounting Cuing System that is fitted to F-16 CCIP (Common Configuration Implementation Program) jets. “The guide is like a ‘JHMCS for dummies. It is an easy way to teach the technicians how to perform the new duties with the new helmets.”

Airman Fredrickson also explained this program was taken back with the inspectors to be implemented for other Air Force bases in USAF Air Combat Command.

“The reactions of the inspectors were very positive,” said Sergeant Freeman. “They were surprised at the vast improvements in the program over the past six months. Two of the three inspectors have been to the 388 FW in the past year and were very pleased at the improvements in the equipment, morale and the program in general.”

Sept 29/06: Vision Systems International, San Jose, CA receives a $10 million firm-fixed-price contract for replenishment spare parts and organic depot stand-up equipment applicable to the Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System (JHMCS). “Specific components and pricing are set forth by attachment hereto.” At this time, total funds have been obligated. The Headquarters 542nd Combat Sustainment Wing at Robins Air Force Base, GA issued the contract. (FA8522-06-C-0029)

Sept 28/06: Turkey request. Turkey requests 36 JHMCS to go with its proposed $1.8 billion order for 30 new F-16C/D aircraft. See: “Turkey Orders 30 F-16C Block 50s et. al. for $2.9B”

Sept 28/06: Teledyne Wireless Inc., Rancho Cordova, CA is being awarded a $370 million firm-fixed-price, time and materials and cost-reimbursable without fee contract. This action provides for spare (nine items), remanufacture/ modernization/ repairs (57 output items), associated Engineering Services, and Logistics Sustainment/Modification Services and Data which are sole source to Teledyne within the authority of the approved SAF/AQ Class J&A #06-JA-013 (11 July 2006).

The Class J&A covered supplies and services supporting Communications and Electronics items for the ALQ-131, ALQ-161, ALQ-135, ALQ-172 and the Joint Helmet Mounted Cuing Systems. At this time, no funds have been obligated. This work will be complete October 2017. The Headquarters Warner Robins Air Logistics Center at Robins Air Force Base, GA issued the contract (FA8536-06-D-0002).

June 28/06: Pakistan request. Pakistan requests 36 JHMCS as part of a $3 billion, 36-plane order for F-16 C/D aircraft, plus up to 60 more as part of an F-16 mid-life upgrade kit deal for their existing fleet worth another $1.3 billion. See: “$5.1B Proposed in Sales, Upgrades, Weapons for Pakistan’s F-16s”

June 16/06: An $8.2 million cost-plus-fixed-fee and firm-fixed-price contract modification, finalizing the JHMCS’ CPU/IO (Computer Processing Unit, Input/Output) Obsolescence Redesign Alternate Display Implementation, as placed on delivery order modification F33657-01-D-0026-003505. This acquisition benefits the F-15, F-16, and F-18 Platforms.

This contract action also incorporates an additional 14 each, fight test modules. At this time, $600,000 has been obligated. Solicitations began September 2005, and negotiations were complete May 2006 (F33657-01-D-0026/003513)

June 2-7/06: Finland. First flights of the JHMCS system take place in Finnish F/A-18C/D Hornets. Finland operates 63 Hornet fighters. The delivery brings the number of international JHMCS customers to 10, and first flights in Canadian F/A-18s are scheduled for September 2006. Source.

May 30/06: Switzerland. The first flight of a JHMCS system in a Swiss Hornet (F/A-18C) takes place. Switzerland operates 35 F/A-18 C/D Hornet fighters. Source.

May 23/06: Australia. The first fleet aircraft delivery of JHMCS to the Royal Australian Air Force occurs in Williamtown, New South Wales, Australia. Boeing Australia and the Hornet Industry Coalition (a collaborative arrangement between Boeing, BAE Systems and L-3 Communications of Canada) will equip 71 Australian F/A-18s with JHMCS by 2008. Boeing release.

Feb 17/06: FRP-3. A $97 million indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity, firm-fixed-price contract for “more than 400″ JHMCS systems as Full Rate Production Lot 3. They will equip the USAF’s F-15s and F-16s, the US Navy’s F/A-18 platforms, and foreign military sales including the Netherlands (F-16), Poland (F-16), Turkey (F-16C), the Royal Australian Air Force (F/A-18 C-D under HUG), Canada (F/A-18 A-B+), and Switzerland (F/A-18 C-D). Work will be complete by December 2008 (F33657-01-D-0026).

See also Boeing release | VSI’s related May 17/06 release, which gives a value of “over $80 million” and adds that “VSI also received direct contracts from the United States Navy and Air Force for spares and test equipment in support of the JHMCS program.”

FRP-3 order

Jan 18/06: Canada. Boeing announces a C$ 39 million contract from Canada’s Department of National Defence for installation of the 2nd and final phase the CF-18 Modernization Project. The upgrade will add JHMCS, a Link 16 system, new cockpit displays and a new flare-dispensing electronic warfare system to 78 CF-18 Hornet fighter aircraft. Two additional aircraft will be modified for the essential validation and verification of the planned upgrade, bringing the total to 80.

For full details re: the upgrade, its other subcontracts to L-3, et. al., see “Boeing Wins $39M for Phase 2 Upgrade of 80 CF-18 Fighters”

Canada

Nov 03/05: Rear crew, too. Boeing announces that tests have begun at Naval Air Warfare Center China Lake, CA as part of the Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System (JHMCS) integration into the aft cockpits of the U.S. Navy’s F/A-18F Super Hornet. The testing marks the first time both the pilot and weapon systems officer have used the helmet in an F/A-18F during flight. Flight testing of the helmet in the aft cockpit of the 2-seat F/A-18D Hornet began in January 2005 (see Jan 31/05 entry).

This flight test coincides with the Navy awarding Boeing a $4.4 million addition to the current F/A-18E/F Super Hornet multi-year contract to provide aft-cockpit helmets in F/A-18F and EA-18G aircraft, scheduled for delivery beginning in October 2007 (q.v. Oct 9/07 entry, above). F/A-18F aircraft to be used for validation and verification testing will be retrofit with the aft-cockpit capability beginning in late summer 2006.

Nov 2/05: #1,000. Vision Systems International, LLC (VSI) announces that they have delivered the 1,000th Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System (JHMCS), 2 years ahead of schedule.

1,000 delivered

Oct 31/05: FRP-2. Vision Systems International, LLC announces several new contracts with a total value of more than $100 million: a request from Boeing for more than 500 additional JHMCS systems under Full Rate Production Lot 2 (FRP-2, see June 3/05 entry), and direct contracts from the United States Navy and Air Force for spares and test equipment in support of the JHMCS program.

FRP-2 order

Oct 25/05: Greece request. Greece requests 42 more JHMCS helmets for its F-16 C/D fleet, as part of a larger $3.1 billion DSCA request. See: “Greek F-16 & Weapons Sale Taking Off”

FY 2004 – 2005

Orders – Australia, Finland, Greece, Oman, Poland, Switzerland; Requests – Turkey and others; JHMCS into Full Rate Production; R&D into NVCD night vision option; JHMCS for simulators. HAF Maj. Mikos
“Mach”
Machalias

Sept 22/05: Boeing in St. Louis, MO has received a $7.6 million firm fixed price contract modification to redesign the electronic unit central processor unit input/output for use on the Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System (JHMCS) for F-15, F-16, and F/A-18 platforms. This action definitizes Phase 1a and 1b ($3,773,900 not-to-exceed) and incorporates Phase 2.

For this modification, the Central Processing Unit & Input-Output (CPU/IO) Module within the JHMCS Electronics Unit (EU) is being redesigned to eliminate obsolete parts. Boeing will be able to produce the current system’s EU (with current CPU/IO Module) for another 2.5 years. After that, they will need to have a new EU design and qualification for the JHMCS system.

Solicitation began in January 2005, negotiations were complete in September 2005, and work will be complete by December 2006 (F33657-01-D-0026/P003506). Foreign military sales countries will also benefit from this effort.

Sept 7/05: NVCD. The first dual-seat flight of their Night Vision Cueing and Display (NVCD) was completed earlier this month in a demonstration at the Naval Air Warfare Center, China Lake, CA. For this demonstration, an F/A-18F Super Hornet was equipped with JHMCS in both cockpits, and the pilot’s and weapons systems officer’s independent lines of sight were integrated into the aircraft weapons and sensors. VSI’s release adds that:

“The JHMCS with the NVCD modules allowed both pilots an unprecedented wide field of view night visual scene and the ability to cue the Super Hornet’s weapons/sensors via the JHMCS interface… The NVCD capability allows both crew members to independently and simultaneously survey the battlefield, designate ground or airborne targets of opportunity and exchange information during historically high work-load night operations. This is made possible through the automatic transfer of data to the aircraft’s forward-looking infrared (FLIR) pod.”

July 27/05: NVCD. VSI announces that its Night Vision Cueing and Display (NVCD, see May 3/05 entry) has made a successful first flight on board an F/A-18F Super Hornet.

“The mission profile included two sorties of an F/A-18 two-ship formation. As part of the familiarization process, the pilots performed various air-to-ground, air-to-air, low level and formation maneuvers. The system provides added cueing and display capabilities and an expanded 100-degree field of view over the current 40-degree NVGs. Additional flights are scheduled to take place over the next few months.”

June 3/05: FRP-2. An $81.9 million contract modification to provide 401 JHMCS systems under Full Rate Production, Lot 2. These systems will be produced for the USAF F-15 and F-16, the Navy F/A-18 platforms, and Oman (F-16 E/F), Poland (F-16 C/D), Australia (F/A-18 A/B+), Finland (F/A-18 C/D), and Switzerland (F/A-18 C/D).

“The following period of FY 2005, FY06 and FY07, Matrix Prices were negotiated and will be placed on the contract via medication. Total funds have been obligated. This work will be complete December 2007″ (F33657-01-D-0026, 0028). See also Boeing release.

FRP-1 order

May 3/05: NVCD. VSI announces a $3.3 million contract from the U.S. Navy for the development of the Night Vision Cueing and Display system (NVCD). VSI says that ” The history of U.S. Naval Air operations in recent theaters of conflict has demonstrated that a majority of naval air combat missions were, and continue to be, night missions.” The NVCD is based on a proprietary Night Vision system known as QuadEye; it provides the much needed JHMCS capability at night by leveraging existing technology, without modification to the aircraft’s installed JHMCS hardware.

The goal is to provide war fighters with image-intensified night vision, integrated with standard HMD symbology and Line of Sight (LOS). Projected information includes weapons status and aiming, target cueing and aircraft state parameters embedded in the night vision scene. VSI’s NVCD QuadEye is fully a lightweight, well-balanced, modular package that provides a 40- by 40-degree night field-of-view (FOV) in standard configuration, or optionally can be easily expanded to 100- by 40-degree FOV. As JHMCS is a modular “day” system, the current Display Unit can be quickly exchanged with NVCD’s QuadEye Night Vision Display Unit to support round-the-clock missions.

April 26/05: Turkey request. Turkey requests an indeterminate number of JHMCS systems as part of $1.1-billion Letter of Acceptance for the modernization of 117 Turkish Air Force F-16s to a common avionics configuration. See “$1.1B to Upgrade Turkish F-16 fleet.”

March 30/05: Greece. Vision Systems International (VSI) announces that the Hellenic Air Force has added the JHMCS capability to its new fleet of F-16D block 52 aircraft as part of the Peace Xenia 3 order.

The first JHMCS flights on an Hellenic F-16D were performed by Major Machalias “Mach” and Major Tolis. The JHMCS flights are the highlight of a multi-disciplinary fielding effort involving avionics, software, life support and pilot training. During the flights, JHMCS operation and functionality were evaluated both in air-to-air and air-to-ground profiles. JHMCS reportedly performed beyond specification in all areas including display symbology, precise sensor slaving and target cueing.

Jan 31/05: Testing. Boeing starts flight tests at Naval Air Warfare Center China Lake, CA as part of the integration of the Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System (JHMCS) into the aft cockpits of the U.S. Navy’s F/A-18D Hornet.

While the helmet has been used extensively for F-15, F-16, and F/A-18 pilots in the forward cockpit, today’s flight marks the first time both the pilot and weapon systems officer have used the helmet during flight. This flight is a first step in a flight test program that will include integration tests for F/A-18D Hornet and F/A-18F Super Hornet aircraft. Boeing release.

July 20/04: JHMCS for simulators, too. Boeing announces that it has added JHMCS capability to simulators. The F-15C Mission Training Center at Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska, was the first training center to receive this capability and began using it for training operations in late May 2004.

In addition to the F-15C Mission Training Center at Elmendorf AFB, the JHMCS capability will also be added to the Boeing-operated F-15C facility at Eglin AFB, FL. Each mission training center includes 4-ship sets of F-15C full-mission trainers with high-fidelity, 360-degreee visual integrated display systems. They also include a virtual environment of simulated threats as well as friendly and neutral forces. These training centers, as well as the facility at Langley AFB, VA are part of the Air Force Distributed Mission Operations concept, allowing pilots and aircrews in one location to train with others at locations hundreds, even thousands of miles away.

The Air Force and Boeing have applied an innovative acquisition approach to these Mission Training Centers, using a commercial-fee-for-service contracting method that pays for training time received and avoids large up-front investments in simulators. Boeing also is responsible for ensuring that the training devices are concurrent with the latest upgrades being made to the actual aircraft, hence the JHMCS modifications. Using the same DMO technology and acquisition approach, Boeing is establishing additional F-15C facilities are for Kadena AFB in Okinawa, Japan and at RAF Lakenheath. F-15E Strike Eagle mission training centers will be placed at Mountain Home AFB, ID; Seymour-Johnson AFB, NC; Elmendorf AFB, AK; and Royal Air Force Base Lakenheath in the United Kingdom. Boeing release.

June 11/04: FRP-1. Boeing announces an $86 million contract for the 1st full-rate production lot of Joint Helmet-Mounted Cueing Systems (JHMCS). Under this contract, Boeing will produce the JHMCS for U.S. Air Force and Air National Guard F-15 Eagles, USAF F-16 Fighting Falcons, U.S. Navy F/A-18E/F Super Hornets, and Australia (F/A-18), Finland (F/A-18), Poland (F-16), Greece (F-16) and Switzerland (F/A-18).

The program anticipates that the U.S. military and international customers will order a total of more than 2,000 JHMCS, with initial delivery of the 300+ systems on this contract scheduled for March 2005. Boeing release | VSI Aug 10/04 release re: its $75.6 million sub-contract. Under the contract, VSI will provide JHMCS display systems, spares, technical support and support equipment for the Full Rate Production (FRP) lot 1 acquisition. This award is the first Full Rate Production (FRP) of JHMCS following 4 Low Rate Initial Production (LRIP) lot deliveries.

FRP-1 order

Footnotes

fn1.

• = German translation of the L337 slang phrase “we pwned you” [‘L337′ = Leet, or Elite, a hacker/gamer text messaging slang set; ‘pwn’ = lit. to own, alt. dominate or crush, esp. in a competition]. Thanks to DID’s readers for the German translation help.

Appendix A: JHMCS History & Challenges Ready!?!
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The JHMCS program has evolved over the years, and confronted a number of issues. GlobalSecurity.org notes that:

“…several years ago, an operational assessment of the systems for the F/A-18C/D and F-15C found the JHMCS potentially effective, but potentially not suitable due to numerous breaks in the helmet vehicle interface. Initial F-15C flight tests revealed that the legacy computer was slow in providing necessary data to JHMCS. This slow data input to the helmet, coupled with normal aircraft buffet during air combat maneuvering, made it difficult for the pilot to designate the target.”

Those initial tests kicked off several rounds of modifications, but they did not improved reliability to a certifiably acceptable level:

“Based on MOT&E data collected from June 2001 to June 2002, DOT&E and the commanders of AFOTEC and OPTEVFOR determined that JHMCS was operationally effective, but not operationally suitable. Both the Navy and Air Force recommended delaying full-rate production until deficient areas are fixed and verified. DOT&E delayed its assessment to allow the Services time to fix the deficiencies.”

Yet GlobalSecurity.org’s account essentially ends there. In September 2005, the original version of this article was able to fill in some of the missing details, thanks to some additional research and Boeing’s help.

In September 2002, the Pentagon’s chief tester upped the ante with a memo to then Secretary of the Navy (and current acting Deputy Secretary of Defense) Gordon England. Thomas Christie, Director of Operational Test and Evaluation for the Department of Defense, wrote:

“I am concerned about an apparent trend by the Navy to deploy an increasing number of combat systems into harm’s way that have not demonstrated acceptable performance,” he wrote. The JHMCS was not specifically mentioned by name, but the seriousness was clear. Chris Haddox of Boeing noted that:

“…The “Not Operationally Suitable” rating was also partially based on some internal service issues like training and technical publications. The Air Force and Navy aggressively addressed these issues during 2003, and has since eliminated the concerns in these areas that were raised during operational testing.”

With respect to Boeing’s own activities during that period, he adds:

“During 2003, JHMCS embarked on a number of reliability and maintainability improvements to the system, correcting both hardware and software shortfalls. These R&M improvements were identified by performing Highly Accelerated Life Testing (HALT) on the JHMCS EU, forcing many failures to occur through thermal and vibration stress, and then incorporating improvements to eliminate these failures.

The JHMCS program also instituted an enhanced environmental stress screening process to screen units, thereby eliminating many infant mortality problems from reaching the fleet. We also added a system test process to catch EU failures that cannot be detected by the acceptance test procedure alone, further screening units that may be marginal and would have failures in a full-up system. The net result of these R&M and quality improvements has been a significant improvement in JHMCS reliability, and the system today is achieving its operational requirements for reliability, maintainability, and availability.”

When asked directly whether the U.S. government had ever formally certified the JHMCS as “operationally suitable and effective” in an official report following these improvements, however, Mr. Haddox responded:

“You will have to get that answer from the government.”

Additional Readings & Sources

• Boeing – Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System (JHMCS)

• Elbit Systems – JHMCS II site

• Belgian Military – JHMCS – Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System. Good overview.

• GlobalSecurity.org – USAF FY01 Annual Report: Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System (JHMCS). Describes testing problems.

• Flight International (Oct 21/11) – SEOUL AIRSHOW: Is That a New F-15 Helmet? Yes, it’s JHMCS-II.

• DID (Aug 14/08) – Heavier Fighter Helmets Require Improved Ejection Research

• StrategyPage (July 8/08) – Fade to Black. Is the weight of helmet-mounted sights becoming a safety issue? Then again, being without these sights in combat is a different kid of safety issue.

• Crosstalk Journal of Defense Software Engineering (July 2003) – The JHMCS Operational Flight Program Is Usable on Three Tactical Aircraft.

• Boeing All Systems Go Magazine (Vol. 1 #6, 2003) – Boeing Wins Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System Contract

• Military Aerospace Technology (Aug 1/02) – See and Destroy.

• Air Power International, via Air Power Australia site (August 1998) – Helmet Mounted Sights and Displays. A detailed look at the fundamentals of Helmet Mounted Sights and Displays, examining the operational issues and technology base, and looking at likely future directions and representative designs. At the time, Elbit’s DASH was the only game in town, aside from Russian equipment.

• Lockheed Martin Code One Magazine (July 1995) – Schlemming With the Fulcrum. A very good explanation of how HMDs and airframe/avionics limitations interact. Once pilots fly against HMD-equipped enemies, tactics to reduce the effectiveness of enemy HMDs are possible – but they’re specific to the opponent aircraft type.

• Elbit Systems of America – Helmet Mounted Systems Includes DASH and JHMCS.

• Australian Aviation (April 1997) – Fourth Generation AAMs – The Rafael Python 4. Excellent explanation of short-range air-air missile evolution, and the implications of advanced SRAAMs + HMDs on air combat and planning.

Category on Missiles is now Available

Blacktail, Military Expert and Author of Numerous Articles

Andrius Genys, Founder and Editor of Military-Today.com Website

About the Founder of Military-Today.com Website

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