Defense Industry Daily

Military Purchasing News for Defense Procurement Managers and Contractors

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Updated: 4 days 7 hours ago

Land Panther: Germany’s Tracked Puma IFV

Fri, 08/06/2018 - 05:54

Drivers wanted…
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Germany has always been known for producing excellent armored vehicles. A combination of features that arguably make it the world’s best tank, and fire sale prices stemming from Germany’s rapid disarmament, have made the Leopard 2 the standard main battle tank in Europe and beyond. The same level of innovation and execution was shown in the late 1960s, when Germany’s Marder became the west’s first Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV). Designs like the American M2/M3 Bradley, Sweden’s CV90 family and new SEP, Singapore’s Bionix-II, and Korea’s new XK-21 have stepped far beyond that legacy, however, and even the Russian region has continued to update their BMP designs. Meanwhile, the nature of military operations has changed to emphasize modularity, out of country missions, advanced electronic communications, and strong protection against threats like land mines.

The Marders need to be replaced, and this became a priority even within Germany’s limited defense budget. In response, German armored vehicle leaders Rheinmetall & KMW formed a 50/50 joint venture to design and produce a solution that would address these issues, and return Germany to a leadership position in the tracked IFV field. Enter the new Puma IFV – which has just received a EUR 3 billion production order from Germany.

Puma IFV: Platform & Features

Modular armor
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The Puma carries a crew of 3, plus 6 fully-equipped troops and its weapons array. PSM’s design goals for the Puma were simple to state, but difficult to execute:

Optimum protection against any type of threat for maximum survivability of the crew. The Puma features two different levels of protection. The basic ‘Class A’ configuration is qualified in accordance with STANAG 4569. It provides protection against RPG-7 rockets and armor-piercing rounds under 25mm in the frontal arc, and artillery shell fragments and 7.62mm weapons all around. PSM won’t discuss mine-protection techniques, but say that the Puma has full mine protection in its Class A configuration per STANAG 4569 against heavy anti tank mines. As a comparison, PSM states that the Puma’s inherent mine protection is much higher than that of KMW’s Dingo 2 mine-resistant vehicles.

The exhaust is cooled before release to minimize infrared signature, and the company claims that the rear ramp can double as a 2-man fighting station when partly closed. Unlike Israel’s Merkava tanks, however, there is no sniper port in the rear door. The usual array of automatic fire extinguishers, NBC (nuclear, biological, chemical) overpressure protection, etc. defends against unconventional threats.

These IFVs can be quickly reconfigured for higher intensity combat by adding separately transported modular armor made of “steel and non-steel elements,” which raises the protection level up to ‘Class C’. The vehicle retains the same anti-mine protection as Class A, but now has strong protection on the sides that will defeat RPG-7 rockets, medium-caliber weapons fire up to 25mm, and Explosively Formed Projectile (EFP) mines. Explosive reactive armor can be added on request, and so can active protection systems (APS) that fire rockets or shockwaves to defeat incoming missiles or tank shells. The EADS/KMW/Buck MUSS APS is already integrated, and others can be added or substituted on request.

Special roof armor elements in Class C can provide protection the crew from air or artillery delivered bomblets, though they will not protect against an explosively formed projectile fired through the top, like Germany’s popular GIWS SMArt shells.

BW on Puma

Optimum armament for escalation and de-escalation in all missions. The Puma has a remote-controlled turret that carries a 30mm MK30-2 ABM stabilized cannon with a 3 km/ 1.8 mil range for fire on the move, elevation from -10 to +45 degrees, and a coaxial 5.56mm MG4 machine gun. The fire control system reaches beyond armored vehicles, and can handle slow-moving aerial targets like helicopters and UAVs.

The remote control turret allows a unified crew compartment, without a turret basket that holds the commander and gunner. The vehicle carries 200 main rounds ready and another 200 in storage, and the dual-feed system allows the gunner to switch seamlessly between APFSDS-T armor piercing rounds and KETF submunition/fragmentation rounds with programmable fuzes. Grenade dispensers are mounted behind the turret for smoke etc.

At present, other commercial remotely-operated small-medium caliber weapon systems have not been integrated with the Puma’s remote-controlled main turret. That’s scheduled to be part of a 2nd stage vehicle upgrade program a few years after acceptance in 2014, along with anti-tank missiles that would bring Puma to parity with American Bradley IFVs, Russia’s BMP… and even the Marder IFVs Puma will replace.

At speed
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Rapid, strategic, global deployability and high tactical mobility. A highly compact 890 series 10-cylinder, 800kW (1,080 hp) diesel engine from Tognum AG subsidiary MTU Friedrichshafen includes a new starter generator developed jointly with the company ESW, and a new transmission from Renk. If the Puma met its weight targets, that engine would offer a specific power-to-weight ratio of 20-25 kW/t, and can drive the Puma at up to 70 km/h/ 42 mph. Reports indicate that the final vehicle is overweight, which would push those performance figures down.

The Puma has 450 mm/ 18 inches of ground clearance despite its mine protection, and aims at an unrefueled range of 600 km/ 360 miles when equipped with full Class C protection. Decoupled running gear with hydro-pneumatic elements offers maneuverability and a smoother ride.

Deployability offers different challenges. The USA has spent billions in a fruitless quest to create survivable vehicles under 20 tons that can fit into a C-130, but Germany set a more realistic goal. The Puma’s Gross Vehicle Weight (max. recommended weight) is 43t/ 47.4 tons.

In its basic Class A configuration, Germany wanted a 31.45t/ 34.667-ton vehicle that can be airlifted in the Airbus A400M; indeed, the ability to carry the Puma is a firm requirement for Germany’s continued participation in the A400M program. If the A400M can meet this specification, the vehicle’s protection will be adequate for any landing strip secure enough to land the aircraft.

Add-on armor modules that improve the Puma’s protection to Class C raise its weight to a target of 41t/ 45.2 tons. A flight of 5 A400Ms could transport 5 Class A vehicles; alternatively, they could carry 4 Class A vehicles, 4 sets of Class C protection modules, and some additional equipment.

Infanterist Der Zukunft
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Network centric warfare capability. The Puma’s benefits from Germany’s world-renowned optronics industry, and uses the Leopard tank’s “hunter-killer” system that lets the gunner and commander acquire targets separately, and then automatically slews the turret to the designated victim upon handover. The hunter killer system is based on fiber glass optical transmission, and PUMA’s electrical architecture uses an “Open-Can-Bus-System” modular design with CPUs and I/O modules designed to be replaceable for future upgrades.

The vehicle will be compatible with Germany’s FuInfoSys battlefield C2 system, and its IdZ future infantryman setup, while IFF(identification, friend or foe) systems assist with combat identification.

A 170kW flywheel generator supplies power for the Puma’s various electrical systems, and the vehicle has enough battery capacity for temporary engine shut down. Long overwatch roles using its advanced sensors and communications will force the crew to run the engine in idle mode, however, in order to maintain power. PSM could not break through that limitation, but they strove to ensure low noise and fuel consumption when this option is used.

On the training side, PSM does offer a simulator and consoles, but embedded training also ensures that the Puma functions as its own simulator when requested. Maintenance functions have their own simulation packages.

Puma: Enter…
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Sustainability under extreme climatic conditions and inadequate infrastructural conditions. Recent operations have emphasized the importance of good air conditioning in vehicles; it’s hard to function when temperatures hit 50C/140F inside. Onboard BITE (Built in Test Equipment) “prognostics” monitor vehicle systems, and can warn of problems before they show up as system failures.

Beyond BITE, interactive electronic technical documentation is available with advice for troubleshooting, maintenance, and repairs. So is a parts catalog that includes options for Mission Support Kits of specific spares and consumables, together with special tool kits. This is the German definition of “sustainability under inadequate infrastructural conditions,” after all, not the Russian one.

Puma IFV: Project and Industrial Organization

Puma: 3/4 view
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The Bundestag set the project in motion in September 2002 when it awarded a development contract for the new IFV. To address this need, German armored vehicle leaders Rheinmetall & KMW formed a 50/50 joint venture called Projekt System & Management GmbH in 2002. Typically, their goal was to produce the world’s best IFV, with a range of features that would give it an unmatched ability to cope with current and future threats.

The initial development contract was followed by a 2004 order for 5 pre-series vehicles and related services, which are currently undergoing intensive trials, and by a November 2007 production order. Both Krauss-Maffei Wegmann and Rheinmetall hailed the production decision as “a crucial step in reequipping the German Army for the future as well as being vitally important to the German defence industry and a whole host of medium-sized subcontractors.”

PSM would not elaborate on the exact list, but said that over 50 subcontractors were involved. The first serially produced PUMA are scheduled to enter service in 2010.

Overall, PSM has certainly produced Germany’s next IFV, creating a top-of-the line vehicle in its class. The translation into market leadership may prove more perilous. In order to find customers beyond their home country, PSM’s Puma must compete with advanced, versatile tracked competitors like BAE’s popular CV90 and its variants, Russia’s BMP-3, and South Korea’s amphibious K-21 NIFV. It must also compete with the lighter wheeled APCs that have become so popular in Europe, despite their terrain limitations. The German order for 350 vehicles will give the Puma a strong base, but European buys of competing vehicles to date, Asian competitors, America’s “not invented here” approach to major weapons, and Germany’s restrictive export policies are likely to make export sales challenging.

Puma IFV: Contracts & Key Events 2013 – 2018

Problems surface, acceptance delayed; Upgrade will add missiles in a few years.

Heat lap trial
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June 8/18: Severe delays The German Bundesrechnungshof, an agency comparable to the US Government Accountability Office is warning that the federal procurement of the new Puma infantry fighting vehicle will take years longer than previously thought. The Puma is jointly developed in a joint venture between Kraus-Maffei Wegmann and Rheinmetall. Rheinmetall is responsible for the development and design of the chassis. The vehicle is operated by a crew of three and carries up to eight equipped troops in the rear troop compartment. The vehicle is of modular construction which allows it to be fully air transportable on an A400M aircraft. The Puma is armed with a remotely controlled weapon station, developed by Kraus-Maffei Wegmann, which is fitted with a dual feed Mauser 30mm MK 30-2 cannon. Rheinmetall is responsible for the integration of the Mauser cannon and the ammunition handling system. At the current rate the integration of all required features into the platform will take until 2029, meaning that German ground forces will have to rely on the predecessor tank, the 40-some-year-old Marder. Preparations for sustaining the Marder beyond its envisioned end of life in 2025 are already underway, including retrofitting the vehicles with the MELLS anti-tank weapon.

2015

July 28/15: The German Army has officially received its Puma Infantry Fighting Vehicles (IFV) from Rheinmetall and Krauss-Maffei Wegmann, following the fleet’s approval [German] in May, along with a delivery of seven vehicles as a training contingent. The German BWB procurement agency placed an order for 405 of the vehicles in July 2009 to replace the Bundeswehr’s fleet of Marder IFVs, subsequently revising the number down to 350 in July 2012. The full force of Puma vehicles is expected to be completed by 2020, with batches currently being received and passed to units for training before returning to home bases.

May 8/15: The German Army has approved [German] the Puma Infantry Fighting Vehicle for service, with seven vehicles forming an initial training contingent. The Puma will replace the current in-service Marder IFV, with the Germans placing an order for 405 Pumas in July 2009.

June 12/14: Heat Trials. Rheinmetall announces that its Puma has successfully completed firing and mobility trials in the UAE, in temperatures that ranged between 35-50C in the shade. The MK30-2/ABM automatic 30mm cannon and the MG4 7.62 machine gun both performed well in stationary and moving firing trials, the air conditioning system held up well and efficiently, and mobility trials went well in sand dunes, steep loose-surface tracks, and a rocky desert streambed.

With the completion of cold and hot-weather trials, the IFV is about ready for acceptance. Sources: Rheinmetall, “Puma stands up to heat and sand”.

Sept 17/13: Testing. German media report that testing at Germany’s Wehrteknik Dienstelle (WTD) testing center in Triel has revealed a number of design problems hampering the Puma IFV. Meanwhile, the program’s total estimated cost has risen to EUR 4.3 billion, which is a 39%/ EUR 1.2 billion jump beyond initial program figures.

Changes to the chassis have reportedly been required, with the number of wheel pairs raised from 5 to 6, and engine improvements have been necessary. Weight is reportedly an issue. Electronics are cited as inadequate to achieve the desired performance standards, and even weapon accuracy is questioned.

Meanwhile, German troops must continue using the Marder, which has limitations when fighting at night, and in counter-insurgency missions like Afghanistan where precise target identification is required. Sources: Volksfreund, “Ein Puma mit vielen Problemen” and “Bundeswehr-Panzer Puma wird 1,2 Milliarden Euro teurer”.

June 25/13: Upgrades. Germany will spend another EUR 500 million to develop the Puma after it finishes current trials, with most of these funds spent after 2017. Enhancements will reportedly include electronics upgrades, a remotely-operated machine gun station up top, and provision for anti-tank missiles.

The weapons upgrade will bring Puma to par with new unmanned IFV turrets, and with tracked IFV competitors like American Bradley and Russian BMP. Even the Marder IFVs Puma will replace can carry MBDA’s Milan anti-tank missiles. Sources: RP Online, “Schützenpanzer Puma soll aufgerüstet werden”.

2010 – 2012

Germany cuts order to 350; US Army evaluates Puma as a comparison.

Puma AIFV
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July 25/12: Reduction. PSM:

“The German Bundeswehr and PSM GmbH formally agreed on the 11th of July 2012 a contract reduction from 405 to 350 AIFV PUMA – as a consequence of the realignment of the German Bundeswehr. Part of the agreement forms an extension of the qualification trial period until 30th of September 2013.

The cold climate trials in sub polar Norway have been successfully completed in April this year.”

The initial framework paper for this reduction had been written in December 2011, but it took a little while to negotiate the change. This is a 9-month extension for qualification tests, and deliveries are expected to begin in 2014. Sources: German BMVG (MoD), “Bundeswehr beschafft weniger Puma” | PSM GmbH, “Qualification Trial Period for AIFV PUMA Extended Until September 2013”

Reduced to 350

Aug 18/11: USA. The U.S. Army Contracting Command in Warren, MI issues awards to 2 of 3 Ground Combat Vehicle bidders. BAE Systems and General Dynamics each win over $400 million in Technology Development Phase contracts, but the SAIC/KMW “Team Full Spectrum” bid, based on Germany’s highly-regarded Puma IFV, does not go forward. US Army.

Jan 21/11: USA. SAIC’s “Team Full Spectrum” for the US Ground Combat Vehicle IFV submits a Puma-derived design, again, in response to the renewed November 2010 solicitation. Boeing, Krauss-Maffei Wegmann and Rheinmetall Defence will be subcontractors. Boeing.

Dec 6/10: Testing. Rheinmetall and KMW hand over the first 2 Puma infantry fighting vehicles, on time, to the German BWB in Kassel for verification tests. This marks the first deliveries under the 405-vehicles contract for the German Armed Forces. Rheinmetall.

May 24/10: USA. Future Combat Systems’ two Lead Systems Integrators, Boeing and SAIC, team with KMW in a bid for the US Army’s next-generation IFV: The Ground Combat Vehicle program. GCV is now separate from Future Combat Systems, with the cancellation of FCS’ ground vehicle array in the FY 2010 budget. Boeing’s release states that:

“The team’s offering draws from the experience gained from the Manned Ground Vehicle and the Puma programs and will be built in the United States with a team of experienced American small and mid-tier supplier businesses.”

2004 – 2009

Development contract; Rollout; Main production contract; Interest from Canada.

Fahrvergnuegen…
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July 5/09: Contract. The full Puma production order is placed via a BWB procurement agency contract to the PSM GmbH joint venture, following successful tests of the initial 5 vehicles ordered in December 2004. These qualification and optimization tests were conducted by several Bundeswehr Technical Test Centres, and included practical trials at the Bundeswehr Armour School in Munster.

The EUR 3.1 billion (about $4.33 billion) contract covers 405 combat vehicles, along with Integrated Logistic Support and training packages. Deliveries are expected to run from 2010-2020. Sources: KMW release.

Base order: 405 vehicles

June 17/09: Formal approval of Puma IFV series production by the Federal Budget Committee of the German Parliament, as part of a larger package. Other elements of the approved defense package include 31 Trache 3a Eurofighters, 311 Spike-LR anti-armor missiles, 10 Wiesel 2 vehicles, and 5 minehnter ships. Sources: defpro.

Nov 17/08: Canada. Canada is reportedly looking to buy an IFV, and Germany’s Puma is reportedly a contender. Nevertheless, the Puma’s delivery schedule, pre-operational status, and lack of an in-place fleet available for immediate interim lease all weigh heavily against the vehicle’s chances.

In the end, no-one wins. Canada ends up canceling the CCV program more than once, and never buys anything.

Dec 10/07: Sub-contractors. Tognum AG subsidiary MTU Friedrichshafen announces that is about to receive the biggest single defense order in its history. With the Puma’s final tests scheduled for August 2008, MTU estimates that that the full order for the delivery of 405 drive systems with 10V 890 diesel engines will be placed by the end of 2008. “The order volume will probably amount to EUR 350 million and delivery will start in 2010.”

Nov 8/07: The German Bundestag’s budget committee clears the way for the procurement of 405 new Puma infantry fighting vehicles from PSM in Kassel, Germany. Rheinmetall AG in Dusseldorf and Krauss-Maffei Wegmann GmbH & Co. KG in Munich will effectively split a combined total of some EUR 3 billion (about $4.2 billion) in gross sales. Klaus Eberhardt, Chairman of the Executive Board of Rheinmetall AG, said that:

“This is the biggest single order in the history of our company, and definitely confirms our status as Europe’s top supplier of army technology.”

See: Rheinmetall release | KMW release.

May 5/06: PSM’s new PUMA infantry fighting vehicle is presented to the public during the Bundeswehr’s 50-year anniversary celebrations in Munster. Rheinmetall release.

Unveiling
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Dec 20/05: Rollout. A prototype of the new AIFV Puma for the German Army was unveiled and presented to the German BWB contracting authority. PSM GmbH has thus met an important contractual milestone with the presentation of the so-called system demonstrator. Rheinmetall release.

Dec 2/04: Development. The Budget Committee of the German Bundestag gives the go-ahead for the new Puma infantry fighting vehicle, with a EUR 350 million contract to to Projekt System und Management (PSM) GmbH of Kassel for design activities and Low-Rate Initial Production of 5 testing vehicles. In total, the German Army is to be equipped with 410 vehicles, costing roughly EUR 3.05 billion. The decision just taken contains an option valid till 2007 for the full scale production of the infantry fighting vehicle (IFV). Rheinmetall release.

System Development contract

Additional Readings & Sources

Projekt System und Management GmbH (PSM) official site.
KMW – Puma Infantry Fighting Vehicles.
Rheinmetall – Armoured Tracked Vehicles. Includes Marder and Puma.
Rheinmetall (February 2005) – The new Infantry Fighting Vehicle Puma: An investment in security.
Defense Update – Multifunction Self Protection System (MUSS).
EADS (Aug 10/07) – EADS Technology Protects German Armed Forces’ Puma Armoured Vehicles.
Rheinmetall – Marder M1A3. 2010 snapshot.

Peer Competitors

Singapore MINDEF – BIONIX II : Capabilities and Technical Specifications. See also ST Kinetics’ Bionix brochure [PDF], and a fine Wikipedia article. Bionix is much lighter, optimized for the conditions and terrain prevailing in SE Asia, and will serve beside Singapore’s new Leopard 2A4 tanks.
Army Technology – Bradley M2 / M3 Tracked Armoured Fighting Vehicles, USA.
DID Spotlight article – “The US Army’s Bradley Remanufacture Program.” Details re: current upgrades.
Army Technology – CV90 Tracked Armoured Combat Vehicles, Sweden (BAE Hagglunds)
KOIS – Next-generation armored vehicles to be deployed by 2008. Covers plans for the new XK-21 amphibious IFV, or KNIFV. Wikipedia also has a good article.

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Hawkeye FMS to Japan is on the horizon | BriteCloud goes BIG! | Air Force looking for programming authority

Thu, 07/06/2018 - 06:00

Americas

Lockheed Martin is being tapped for work in support of the Air Force’s Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM) system. The $9.2 million cost-plus-fixed-fee delivery order provides for the continued conversion of the JASSM Extended Range (ER) missile operational flight program (MOFP) software baseline. The 2,000-pound AGM-158 JASSM is intended to be a stealthy, inexpensive GPS/IIR guided cruise missile. It’s designed to attack well-defended targets without putting its carrier aircraft in the crosshairs of new long-range surface to air missile systems. The JASSM-ER shares about 70% of hardware and 95% of the software with the normal JASSM. The Extended Range version however comes with an increased range of over 500 nautical miles and is certified for use in environments where GPS is heavily jammed, or not available. A preliminary software design review includes both the MOFP and an integrated flight simulation. Under this contract Lockheed will provide support, source data and analysis so that the government can obtain an authority to operate the C++ version of the JASSM-ER weapon system. Work will be performed in Orlando, Florida, and is expected to be complete by August 2019.
The Navy is contracting Boeing for design agent and technical engineering services for the AN/USQ-82(V) family of systems. Boeing will provide advanced and highly specialized technical engineering to assist with system sustainment, cybersecurity and system integration under this $15.8 million contract. The AN/USQ-82(V) family of systems include a data multiplex system, fiber optic data multiplex system, and gigabit ethernet data multiplex system. This family has been developed for use on the Navy’s Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyers. The AN/USQ-82(V) family allows for network transfers inputs and outputs for the Burke-class destroyer’s machinery control systems, damage control system, steering control system, Aegis combat system, navigation displays, and interior communications alarms and indicators. It is designed to transfer data via a reliable, redundant, mission-critical network aboard Navy surface warships. It offers enhanced network communication capabilities by providing an IP-based backbone that supports multimedia services such as video and data. The cumulative value of the contract could rise to $82 million if all included options are exercised. Work will be performed at multiple locations, including Huntington Beach, California; Arlington, Virginia and Pascagoula, Mississippi. The contract is expected to be completed by May 2019.

Middle East & Africa

One of Belgium’s NH-90 transport helicopter has reportedly carried out its first operational mission in Mali. The NH-90 emerged from a requirement that created a NATO helicopter development and procurement agency in 1992. The nearest equivalent would be Sikorsky’s popular Black Hawk family, but the NH-90 includes a set of innovative features that give it some distinguishing selling points. Its combination of corrosion-proofing, lower maintenance, greater troop or load capacity, and the flexibility offered by that rear ramp have made the NH-90 a popular global competitor. The NH-90 TTH base variant for land and air forces can carry between 12-20 troops and can load about 5,500 pounds. The NH-90 Fame MEDEVAC variant adds 2 intensive care bays for treating wounded personnel, on-board equipment, and seats for the medical team. Belgium nation has currently two NH-90s deployed in Mali in support of the United Nations peacekeeping mission. They became operational in March and will be used to transport wounded to specialized emergency stations. Initial deployment is four months, but this can be extended.
The South African defense manufacturer ADG Mobility has successfully tested its 4×4 and 6×6 versions of the Ural Next range of trucks. The Ural Next series of trucks are the latest versions of Ural trucks that have been in service with Soviet-aligned countries since the early 1960s. The Ural Next is the successor of the Russian Ural-4320 heavy high mobility truck, designed for tough off-road conditions. Changes over the previous Ural-4320 include new cab, new engine and a number of other detailed modifications. However, it uses the same chassis and many automotive components are interchangeable between the Ural Next and Ural-4320. So, the Ural Next is rather an upgraded version than an entirely new design. The URAL 6×6 is also the basis for the Ural Taifun mine-resistant, ambush protected (MRAP) vehicle, in use by the Russian military. The main role of Ural Taifun is to carry troops in combat theatres where mines and improvised explosive devices are likely to be encountered. Alternatively, this vehicle can be used as command post or armored ambulance. The South African company imported these vehicles for delivery to the military of South Africa and the armed forces of Southern African Development Community region. The trucks are already in use by the militaries Namibia, Angola and Mozambique.

Europe

The Italian defense contractor Leonardo has launched a more powerful version of its BriteCloud decoy jammer. This new version has been optimized for the protection of medium and large transport aircraft. The BriteCloud 55-T fits in the same 55 mm chaff and flare dispenser as the fighter variant. It can also be fitted into a square format dispenser using an adapter magazine as required. The system emits a stronger decoy radar signature to mimic the size of a transport aircraft. A BriteCloud decoy is released after an incoming missile has been detected by an aircraft’s radar warning receivers and generates a false radar target which draws the weapon away from its intended target. The BriteCloud 55-T can be installed on C-27J Spartan, A400M, KC-390 and C-130 aircraft. Other assets which could benefit from carrying the expendable decoy include air-to-air refueling aircraft and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance platforms, it adds.
The UK Royal Navy is fitting its Type 45 destroyer with the Shaman communications electronic support measures (CESM) system. The HMS Defender is the first vessel to receive the system which is based on the US Navy’s AN/SSQ-130(V) Ship’s Signal Exploitation Equipment (SSEE) Increment F. SSEE essentially is a signals exploitation system that allows the operators to monitor and analyze signals of interest aboard a variety of ship classes. The Royal Navy has described the Shaman as “an essential information, surveillance, targeting, and reconnaissance tool in the delivery of maritime force protection, security and maneuver”.

Asia-Pacific

The government of Japan is set to receive one E-2D Advanced Hawkeye Aircraft as part of A US foreign military sale. The $135 million fixed-price-incentive contract will be exercised by Northrop Grumman. The E-2D Hawkeye is a carrier-capable “mini-AWACS” aircraft, designed to give long-range warning of incoming aerial threats. Secondary roles include strike command and control, land and maritime surveillance, search and rescue, communications relay, and even civil air traffic control during emergencies. The Hawkeye is based on the same airframe as the USA’s C-2 Greyhound cargo aircraft, with the obvious addition of the 24-foot diameter, frisbee-shaped, rotating radome on its back. It carries a crew of 5 – pilot, copilot, and 3 mission system operators. Work will be performed at various locations inside and outside the continental US including St. Augustine, Florida; Syracuse, New York; Melbourne, Florida and Aire-sur-l’Adour, France. Work is expected to be completed in March 2020.

Today’s Video

British Army tests its LandCeptor missile.

Categories: Defence`s Feeds

DDG Type 45: Britain’s Shrinking Air Defense Fleet

Thu, 07/06/2018 - 05:54

Daring Class
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The 5,200t Type 42 Sheffield Class destroyers were designed in the late 1960s to provide fleet area air-defense for Britain’s Royal Navy, after the proposed Type 82 air defense cruisers were canceled by the Labour Government in 1966. Britain built 14 of the Type 42s, but these old ships are reaching the limits of their operational lives and effectiveness.

To replace them, the Royal Navy planned to induct 12 Type 45 Daring Class destroyers. The Daring class would be built to deal with a new age of threats. Saturation attacks with supersonic ship-killing missiles, that fly from the ship’s radar horizon to ship impact in under 45 seconds. The reality of future threats from ballistic missiles, and WMD proliferation. Plus a proliferation of possible threats involving smaller, hard to detect enemies like UAVs. Overall, the Type 45s promise to be one of the world’s most capable air defense ships – but design choices have left the cost-to-value ratio uncertain, and limited the Type 45s in other key roles. A reduced 6-ship program moved forward.

The Type 45 Destroyer Program

HMS Southampton
– a Type 42
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A total of 14 Type 42s were built, but no ship lasts forever. HMS Sheffield and HMS Coventry were sunk in the 1982 Falklands War, and Birmingham, Newscastle, Glasgow, Cardiff, and Southampton are no longer in service. Another 2 have been downgraded by removing their defensive Sea Dart missiles as an ‘economy’ measure, and are in reserve, leaving just 5 operational ships.

The Type 45 destroyer project really began when the 8-nation NFR-90 frigate program fragmented into pieces. The USA and Canada elected not to pursue a modern frigate at all. Spain developed the 6,250t F100 AEGIS frigate, which it has now sold to Australia as the future Hobart Class. Holland and Germany developed the 5,700t F124 Sachsen/ LCF De Zeven Provincient Class air defense frigate. The UK, Italy, and France, meanwhile, embarked on the Horizon Class New Generation Common Frigate. In 1999, about 7 years after the initial requirement was floated, Britain dropped out of the NGCF project, citing a need for a larger ship, with wider air defense capabilities, and a British combat management system. Italy and France went on to order a total of 4 (2 each) 6,600t Horizon Class frigates.

Rather than using a modified variant of America’s multi-role 8,000t DDG-51 Arleigh Burke Class, whose costs and performance were stable, Britain proposed to develop its own air warfare destroyer, with better high-end anti-air capabilities. The new 7,350t base/ 7,800t full displacement ships would share the MBDA PAAMS system, built on its Aster-15 and Aster-30 missiles, instead of the popular Raytheon SM-2/SM-3 missile family. PAAMS would be complemented by a different set of radar systems on the Type 45, but the Horizon Class had different radar fittings for each country anyway.

Horizon/Forbin Class
(click to view full)

Plans originally called for 12 Type 45s. They would restore Britain’s anti-air capability by replacing the 14 Type 42 destroyers, and supplement Britain’s remaining Type 23 frigates given the Duke Class’ limited ability to cope with the newest threats. In July 2000, Britain approved expenditure of GBP 5 billion, with a maximum acceptable cost of GBP 5.47 billion, to buy 6 Type 45 destroyers out of a planned class of 12. The first ship was expected to enter service in November 2007.

Since then, the project has experienced significant cost increases and delays. At the same time, planned ship buys were cut. The 12-ship plan became 8 Type 45s in 2004. And the program experienced a full contract renegotiation in 2007. Even after that re-negotiation, Britain’s 2008 Defence Equipment Report listed the overall program as 36 months behind schedule and GBP 989 million (almost $2 billion) over budget. In June 2008, the British government declined its option on Daring Class ships #7 and 8.

The NAO’s 2012-13 Major Projects Report places the overall cost for the 9-year Assessment Phase, the 6-ship Demonstration & Manufacture Phase, and initial support at GBP 5.802 billion (about $11.49 billion), plus another GBP 747 million (about $1.48 billion) for long-term support.

Ships of class include:

D32 HMS Daring
D33 HMS Dauntless
D34 HMS Diamond
D35 HMS Dragon
D36 HMS Defender
D37 HMS Duncan

Aster-30 test,
Longbow barge
(click to view full)

The first of class HMS Daring successfully completed contractor-led sea trials in September 2008, and Royal Navy sea trials in July 2009. D32 Daring was formally handed over to the Royal Navy in December 2009, over 2 years later than planned. and achieved limited operational capability in February 2010. HMS Daring did not fire her 1st air defense missile, however, until May 2011, which makes for an arguable slippage of 3.5 years. HMS Daring’s 1st mission began in January 2012, but full capability for even this 1st ship of class may have to wait until 2014.

HMS Dauntless completed her 2nd set of contractor-led sea trials in summer 2009, was handed over in December 2009, and was commissioned in June 2010 – at which point, the ship’s primary air defense system wasn’t operational yet. She is now considered to be operational.

HMS Diamond began sea trials in October 2009, was handed over in September 2010, and was commissioned in May 2011. She was deemed ready for operations in December 2011.

HMS Dragon’s contractor-led trials began in summer 2010. She arrived in Portsmouth in September 2011, and was commissioned into the fleet in April 2012.

HMS Defender was launched onto the Clyde in October 2009, and completed initial contractor sea trials in November 2011. She completed 2nd sea trials in April 2012, and was commissioned in March 2013.

The 1st construction block of D37 Duncan was moved to berth in January 2010, and Duncan was formally launched in October 2010. First sea trials have taken place, and she sailed into her home port of Portsmouth in March 2013. Commissioning took place at the the end of December 2013.

The Daring Class

Type 45 concept
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The final Type 45 design is 152.4m long and 21.2m wide, with a standard displacement of 7,350t and full displacement of 7,800t. The ships will cruise at 17 knots using all-electric propulsion, powered by 2 WR-21 advanced cycle modular gas turbine engines, with intercooler and exhaust recuperator (ICR) heat exchangers to reduce fuel consumption. Each turbine will provide 25MW of power, and the propulsion systems will be built by a team that includes Rolls-Royce, Northrop Grumman, and Alsthom Power Conversion Ltd. Expected top speed is 27 knots, but in trials, HMS Daring reportedly bettered 30 knots with both turbines engaged. At 190 sailors, the embarked crew will be smaller than previous ships, with better accommodations and provisions for up to 235. The ship will also be able to carry up to 60 Royal Marines.

Daring Class weapons will include the 4.5-inch Mark 8 Mod 1 gun, and a pair 30 mm guns integrated to an Electro-Optic Gun Control System. The ships were not initially fitted with defensive weapons like Raytheon’s 20mm Mk15 Phalanx or Thales’ 30mm Goalkeeper for last-ditch missile defense and close-in kills, but late 2011 will see installation and trials of the Phalanx Block 1B.

For anti-submarine use, the ships will rely on a multi-function MFS-7000 bow sonar, and Stingray anti-submarine torpedoes that must be launched from its helicopters, since the ship carries no torpedo tubes. The ship will also be equipped with the Surface Ship Torpedo Defence System, designed to protect the ship against the threat of advanced current and future torpedoes.

The embarked helicopters will initially be Lynx HMA Mark 8s, but could eventually be EH101 Merlins or AW159 Lynx Wildcats, with all associated weapons. Since the Type 45s will not initially be fitted with any anti-ship missiles, they will also be forced to depend on their helicopters for this capability.

Quick tour
click for video

The Type 45’s main armament is its PAAMS air defense system, now known as “Sea Viper.” Sea Viper has several components.

The ship’s radars are what will really set it apart from previous vessels. BAE’s SAMPSON is an dual-face, active-array, digital beamforming radar that operates in the E/F bands, and can continuously and simultaneously illuminate a large number of targets for surveillance and fire control. It will be supplemented by the Long Range Radar (LRR), which is an evolution of Thales’ SMART-L active array volume search radar. The Thales/Marconi S1850M operates in the D-band, for wide air and surface search that can include ballistic missile tracking.

A digital Vigile DPX R-ESM system from Thales will help the destroyers monitor the electromagnetic environment around them, picking up on key items like incoming missile radars. Thales’ Vigile is designed to operate in electro-magnetically “crowded” environments, like the near-shore littoral zones.

Once targets are detected, BAE’s combat system will be able to call on the ship’s 48-cell Sylver A50 vertical launcher system (VLS). That means a mix of up to 48 missiles that can include medium range Aster-15s with a 30 km/ 18 mile reach; or the longer range, ballistic missile defense capable Aster-30s with an 80-100 km/ 50-60 mile range. Smaller Sylver A43/A35 launchers can quad-pack 4 short-range Crotale NG/VT-1 missiles per cell, but these weapons are not expected to be part of the Type 45’s armament.

Other roles beyond air defense and anti-submarine duties are possible for the Daring Class. These ships will be able to act as a base platform for a deployable headquarters, and will be able to embark up to 60 troops and their equipment, over and above the ship’s normal complement. A modern medical facility is available with surgical facilities, and the ships can take on up to 700 people in support of a civilian evacuation.

Missing From Action

CEC Concept
(click to enlarge)

Cost growth on the Type 45 destroyers has whittled away many of the ships’ planned capabilities, as features and items were removed. These capabilities could be added later, but until they are, the Type 45s will be missing key features one would expect in a top-of-the-line modern destroyer, or even in a high-end frigate.

Offense. The most obvious gap is anti-ship missiles, and their lack means that the Daring Class will require protection of their own from other ships. Britain’s dwindling frigate strength, and complete lack of maritime patrol aircraft with the retirement of its Nimrods, are going to create limitations in the fleet’s ability to cover all of those bases, and will make its naval groups more brittle in the event of losses.

Torpedoes. Another obvious gap involves torpedoes. Type 45s aren’t fitted with torpedo launchers, and their vertical launch cells won’t hold rocket-launched torpedo systems like the USA’s ASROC-VL. The Type 45 is being sold as an advanced anti-submarine platform, which makes this omission rather puzzling. The ships’ only response will involve readying and launching a torpedo-armed helicopter, which may take more time than a ship has in a difficult situation.

The good news is that these may be the easiest gaps to fix. If Britain wishes to sidestep vertical launch requirements, there is some space abaft the PAAMS silos for mounting fixed missile launchers to house anti-ship and/or anti-submarine missiles. Nevertheless, those spaces will be empty when the ships are built and accepted.

Other gaps are less obvious, but equally consequential.

CEC. The ships were originally slated to receive Co-operative Engagement Capability (CEC). This American system gives fitted ships the ability to see what other CEC-equipped ships, aircraft, or land stations see, and to fire at targets the launching ship’s radars cannot see. It’s vital for wide-area anti-air defense, and for ballistic missile defense. Preliminary contracts were issued, but in 2012 the Ministry of Defence decided not to install this relatively inexpensive capability on its ships. The consequence is that the Type 45s will be less effective in their central role of air defense, when compared to ships with less advanced technologies on board plus CEC.

Short Sylver. For other tasks beyond air defense, this ship’s DCNS Sylver A50 launchers are only 5m long, which means they’re not able to carry Scalp (Storm Shadow) vertically-launched land attack cruise missiles, or other strike-length payloads like the SM-3 naval anti-ballistic missile. The 4.5m long VL-ASROC anti-submarine missile/torpedo would fit the A50, but it is designed to work with the Mk 41 vertical launch system and would have to be integrated and tested.

The ships reportedly do have space in front of the 48 cell Sylver A50 system to accommodate another 12-cell launcher, but they will not initially be fitted with one. DCNS’ Sylver A70 is an obvious option, but there has been talk of retrofits involving a BAE/Lockheed Mk.41 strike-length VLS there instead. Either VLS choice would give the Daring Class the space to host land-strike missiles, though Britain’s current naval doctrine assigns that role exclusively to its nuclear-powered fast attack submarines. Choosing the Mk.41 would also allow the ships to add SM-3 missiles, if additional upgrades were made to the ship’s datalinks and combat system.

Type 45: Comparisons

HNLMS Tromp LCF
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The 7,350t Type 45’s VLS holding capacity is smaller than the equivalent American Arleigh Burke Class destroyer’s 90-96 Mk41 cells; indeed, at just 48 cells, it’s equivalent to Spain’s 6,250t F100 AEGIS frigates.

Daring’s missile array is slightly more capable than, and boasts more range than, the RIM-162 Evolved Seasparrow/ SM-2 combination found on many other western anti-aircraft ships. Unfortunately, that performance improvement comes with a penalty: Aster-15s cannot be quad-packed in Sylver launchers, the way the RIM-162 can be quad-packed in the popular Mk41 VLS. As the table above demonstrates, the resulting math is merciless.

On the other hand, Navantia’s F100 is restricted by the 2 SPG-62 radar illuminators available for final targeting of incoming missiles. Fast switching is less than optimal against supersonic missiles with terminal maneuvering, whereas the Sea Viper radar system has the option of continuous tracking and guidance for up to 10 targets, in order to make better use of the missiles that it has against saturation attacks.

The 5,700t German/Dutch F124/ De Zeven Provincien Class air defense frigates might be a better comparison. Against these ships, the Daring Class comes off poorly. The German & Dutch ships use a similar active array radar approach (Thales APAR/ SMART-L), giving them similar defensive capabilities against saturation attacks, but they field more anti-aircraft missiles, as well as a rounded set of naval capabilities. Like Navantia’s F100s, the De Zeven Provincien Class’ ballistic missile defense capabilities and CEC compatibility are partially proven, as they have participated in BMD exercises with the US Navy.

As of 2013, Britain’s CAMM-M/ Sea Ceptor missile offers the Type 45s a way out of this dilemma. Sea Ceptor missiles have shorter range than the ESSM, but they can be quad-packed in Sylver launchers, and their active radar seekers don’t require continuous illumination from the ship’s radar. With Sea Ceptors on board, a Daring Class ship regains competitiveness with its air-defense peers by hosting a formidable 3-tiered defense of 16 long-range Aster-30s, 20 medium-range Aster-15s, and 48 CAMM missiles.

Many of these design differences with their fellow NF-90 spinoffs trace back to the Type 45 project’s fundamental mandate. Britain’s government decided that it preferred to leverage and extend the investments they had made in the PAAMS air defense system before Britain left the Horizon Class project, while pursuing its own destroyer design instead of buying or modifying an off-the-shelf ship type. The choice of PAAMS forced the Sylver/Aster missile combination instead of the Mk. 41, while cost overruns and the need for cost containment on its custom-designed destroyer cut further into the Type 45’s fielded capabilities.

Contracts and Key Events

Editor’s note: this section is not yet comprehensive, and will be expanded.

Vertical launch system. Sensor support.

D35 Dragon
(click to view full) 2018

June 7/18: Updated CESM capability The UK Royal Navy is fitting its Type 45 destroyer with the Shaman communications electronic support measures (CESM) system. The HMS Defender is the first vessel to receive the system which is based on the US Navy’s AN/SSQ-130(V) Ship’s Signal Exploitation Equipment (SSEE) Increment F. SSEE essentially is a signals exploitation system that allows the operators to monitor and analyze signals of interest aboard a variety of ship classes. The Royal Navy has described the Shaman as “an essential information, surveillance, targeting, and reconnaissance tool in the delivery of maritime force protection, security and maneuver”.

2013

Dec 30/13: D37 commissioned. The UK announces that:

“HMS Duncan, the Royal Navy’s sixth Type 45 Destroyer, has entered into service four months ahead of schedule. The ship was scheduled to enter service in early 2014, but thanks to the hard work of both the ship’s company and industry since her arrival in Portsmouth, HMS Duncan is ready to take up duties now. The 7,500 tonne vessel will now embark on a programme of trials to prepare the ship and her crew for operational deployment.”

Sources: Royal Navy, “Final Type 45 Destroyer enters service early”.

Sept 10/13: Sea Ceptor for Daring. The UK Ministry of Defence announces the 1st CAMM production contract: GBP 250 million (about $393 million) for the Sea Ceptor/ CAMM-M. Final assembly will take place at MBDA’s Lostock facility, with 9 Tier-1 subcontractors distributed across sites in England and Scotland.

The UK’s announcement of the missile’s platforms is equally significant. Sea Ceptor will be retrofitted to Type 23 Duke Class frigates beginning in 2016, serve aboard the forthcoming Type 26 frigate as its primary air defense system – and complement the Aster missiles on the Royal Navy’s Type 45 destroyers. That seemingly simple addition changes how the Daring Class stacks up against other nations’ air defense ships, as shown in this article’s revised comparison chart. Sources: UK MoD, Sept 10/13 release | Royal Navy, Sept 11/13 release | MBDA, Sept 9/13 release.

Sea Ceptor added

Aug 21 – Sept 10/13: Naval FAC. During her deployment in the Persian Gulf, HMS Dragon conducts a number of exercises with British and American planes, acting as a forward air controller to vector them onto targets at sea. Participating aircraft included RAF Tornado GR4s, USMC F/A-18s, USAF F-15 fighters and B-1 bombers, and H-60 Seahawk helicopters. The ship also worked with ScanEagle UAVs, a British Sea King Mk7 for wide-area aerial surveillance, and a USAF E-8C JSTARS for wide-area surface scans. Sources: Royal Navy, Aug 21/13 and Sept 10/13 releases.

Aug 29/13: Costs. In response to a question from a May 20/13 hearing of the Public Accounts Committee, Britain’s Ministry of Defence provides operating costs figures for a Type 45 Destroyer. The annual Type 45 unit running cost at FY12/13 rates is GBP 48.57 million (about $77.75 million): 8.76 million personnel; 6.41 million fuel, inventory and services; and 33.4 million general ship maintenance.

There are useful caveats to this information. One is that the destroyers are new platforms, which means that operating costs tend to be low. Data will improve as deployments become more routine, but costs will be controlled somewhat by the presence of a “Contracting for Availability” support contract. Sources: HC 113 Public Accounts Committee Session 2013-14, “Written evidence from the Ministry of Defence”

Operating costs

Aug 30/13: Training. While in the Persian Gulf, HMS Dragon works to embark all 3 of the Royal Navy’s helicopter types: AW101 Merlin, Lynx, and the Sea King Mk.7 ASaC airborne early warning helicopter. The Royal Navy release notes that for “lilly-pad” operations:

“The flight deck, which remains unmanned throughout takeoff and landing, also has an automation and signalling system – involved in launching and recovering aircraft – that can land helicopters as large as a Chinook on board.”

July 4/13: Criminal case? The Herald reports that a dispute over Type 45 work could end up in criminal court over false testimony by Tom Stark, the managing director of Wilh Wilhelmsen subsidiary Ticon Isulation in Stepps, North Lanarkshire. Deck-Rite of Bishopbriggs, East Dunbartonshire sued Ticon for GBP 750,000 over work they did insulating the decks of Britain’s Type 45 destroyers. In their defense, Ticon submitted an April 14/04 tender letter that their own lawyers now admit was a fabrication.

While lying in court rarely attracts penalties in America, it’s taken seriously in Britain, and results in criminal prosecution. Mr. Stark could face up to 2 years in prison if convicted. Meanwhile, Ticon also owns a GBP 57 million contract to insulate the decks of Britain’s 2 forthcoming Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carriers. The Herald.

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, and the Daring Class falls within its ambit. Read “SSOP: Britain Extends Contracting Innovations into Naval Sensors” for full coverage.

SSOP support contract

May 14/13: Mk-41 + MBDA. MBDA signs an MoU with Lockheed Martin to jointly explore the market for the integration of MBDA naval missile systems into Lockheed Martin’s MK-41 Vertical Launch System, and ExLS VLS/cell insert. They’ll begin with a late 2013 demonstration involving Britain’s new CAMM-M Sea Ceptor missile, which seems to indicate a favored position for the Mk-41 on board Britain’s forthcoming Type 26 frigates.

The implications reach far beyond CAMM. Britain has already been considering adding a set of Mk-41 cells to the Type 45 destroyer, in order to hold SM-3 ballistic missile defense missiles. Adding CAMM to those cells would make the drop-in even more attractive, by giving the Type 45s two things they don’t currently have: snap-launch anti-submarine defenses (VL-ASROC), and a larger array of air defense missiles that offer excellent coverage against saturation attacks (quad-packed CAMM). If the same VLS could fire MBDA’s Aster-15 and Aster-30 missiles, it might even be worth considering a full swap-out of DCNS’ Sylver A50 VLS. Read “CAMM Opener for the Naval Missile Market: MBDA & LMCO’s MoU” for full coverage.

MBDA/ Lockheed Mk-41 MoU

March 22/13: D37. Duncan arrives at her home port of Portsmouth. UK MoD.

March 21/13: D36 Commissioned. HMS Defender is commissioned into the Royal Navy at a ceremony in her home port of Portsmouth. The News.

Jan 10/13: NAO Report. Britain’s National Audit Office releases their 2012 Major Projects Report. With respect to the Type 45 project, figures have become fairly refined. The Demonstration & Manufacture Phase’s expected cost to completion at approval was GBP 4.757 billion, but actual costs will be closer to GBP 5.556 billion, which is a 16.8% increase. The good news is that the final cost estimate dropped about GBP 108 million over the past year. Why so?

“The successful delivery of the above programme milestones has allowed the MoD to retire risk funding and for both Industry and MoD to re-cost remaining activities with greater certainty in the final outturn of the programme.”

Overall cost for the 9-year Assessment Phase, D&M, and initial support comes to GBP 5.802 billion (about $11.49 billion). NAO forecasts another GBP 747 million (about $1.48 billion) for long-term support.

2012

EuroSAM support.

D33 Dauntless
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Aug 31/12: D37. Duncan puts to sea for the first time for trials. UK MoD.

July 25/12: D36. Defender sails into HMNB Portsmouth for sea trials on schedule, before being declared ready for operations in 2013. UK MoD.

July 9-13/12: D35 missile firing. HMS Dragon successfully tests her Sea Viper weapon system against a target drone, at the Outer Hebrides missile range off Scotland. UK MoD.

July 2/12: The Thales/MBDA joint venture EuroSAM signs a 5-year, EUR 360 million Integrated In-Service Support (IISS) contract with the EU’s OCCAR. It’s their 1st joint, multi-system and multinational (Britain, France, Italy) support contract for air defence systems, based on MBDA’s Aster-15/30 missiles and associated combat systems.

The big agreement launching PAAMS/Aster orders was signed in March 2002, but it takes time for development and delivery to make long-term support an issue. It also isn’t easy to get agreement on a support framework that can serve the operational requirements of navy, air force, and army customers, across multiple countries. International customer exchange meetings and an official forum “equal to an “Aster family Users’ Club,” will become part of this arrangement going forward. The combination of a common agreement and common forums is also expected to help ensure some consistency in upgrades and improvements.

MBDA produces the Aster missiles. Thales is responsible for the Fire Control Systems on board France’s Charles de Gaulle nuclear aircraft carrier (SAAM-Fr), France & Italy’s 4 high-end Horizon Class air defense “frigates”, and Britain’s Type 45 destroyers (PAAMS), and 17 French & Italian ground-based SAMP/T air defense systems, which use the Aster-30 missile. They’re also responsible for the Horizon and Type 45’s S1850M wide search radars, derived from Thales’ SMART-L. Note Britain’s complementary Sea Viper support contract, announced on May 17/11. EuroSAM | Thales.

EuroSAM support contract

June 11/12: No CEC. Speaking during question period in the House of Commons, Defence Secretary Philip Hammond said the Royal Navy had identified Co-operative engagement Capability as a “lesser priority” during the Planning Round 12 process, and decided not to spend around GBP 500 million to implement it on their 6 Daring Class destroyers and 12-13 forthcoming Type 26 frigates. Media coverage criticized the decision, and the UK MoD’s blog responded that:

“The MoD’s comprehensive assessment of CEC informed the decision made during PR12 that it was not necessary to commit to purchasing the capability at this stage. As the Defence Secretary made clear last month, the MoD budget has headroom of £8bn over the next 10 years for potential new programmes. The Armed Forces Committee will prioritise which projects to commit to when necessary, and not before.”

The American CEC system gives fitted ships the ability to see what other CEC-equipped ships, aircraft, or land stations see, and to fire at targets the launching ship’s radars cannot see. It is vital for wide-area anti-air defense, and for ballistic missile defense. Daily Telegraph | Defence Management.

No CEC

June 12/12: D34 deploys. HMS Diamond will spend 6 months carrying out maritime security patrols in the Indian Ocean, Gulf of Aden and the Persian Gulf, replacing her sister ship HMS Daring. UK MoD.

June 1/12: Nice timing. HMS Diamond launches the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee weekend with a spectacular ceremonial entry into Portsmouth, celebrating 50 years on the throne for one of Britain’s greatest monarchs. Royal Navy.

May 1/12: D34 missile firing. HMS Diamond [D34] fires its PAAMS/Sea Viper air defense system, destroying a target drone. The successful test leaves her ready for operations. BFBS | UK MoD.

April 23-27/12: D33 exercise. HMS Dauntless [D33] participates in Exercise Saharan Express off the coast of Senegal. The 11 nation exercise includes France, Gambia, Senegal and Morocco, among others. Next stop, the Falklands (vid. Jan 31/12). UK MoD.

April 26/12: D35 commissioned. HMS Dragon [D35] is formally commissioned into the fleet. UK MoD.

April 26/12: Lord West, who was Britain’s First Sea Lord from 2002-2006, is pushing for 2 more Type 45 destroyers from his seat in the House of Lords. That had been the plan while he held his post, until rising costs and other budgetary priorities led Britain to decline its option on ships # 7 & 8 in 2008. The government’s recent admission that there was ‘no provision’ for the loss of any ships in its SDSR plans appears to have been the catalyst. From Portsmouth’s The News:

“Lord Alan West said a fleet of 19 frigates and destroyers is not big enough for Britain and raised his concern about the lack of a contingency plan if the navy lost ships fighting in a war… I think we are in desperate need of more than 19 ships. It’s just not enough and the government needs to come up with some way to increase that fast. We need at least two more Type 45s.”

Absent huge budget increases, there is no way to increase fleet size quickly, unless Britain were to shift toward lower-end small frigates and corvettes as accompaniments to the Type 45s.

April 18/12: Daring a dud? The Portsmouth News reports that HMS Daring went alongside for 3 days of secret repairs at Arab Shipbuilding and Repair Yard in Bahrain in March, after she encountered propulsion problems with a starboard shaft bearing off of Kuwait.

“The News has been told the problems are being caused by a propeller drive shaft which is bent out of alignment. A well-placed source said it’s an issue isolated to Daring and was known about before the high-profile ship was commissioned in July 2009.”

If that’s true, it helps make sense of the 2010 (q.v. Nov 19/10 entry) and 2012 incidents, but it’s very bad news for the ship. A bent shaft means a long future of problems ahead, until a very difficult and expensive fix is made.

April 10/12: After a month at trials of her maneuvering, power, and combat systems trials, D36 Defender has completed her 2nd trial set, and remains on track for a July 2012 induction into the Royal Navy. See also Nov 21/11 entry. UK MoD.

April 4/12: SSST test. A GQM-163 Coyote launched from the Mediterranean island of Levant is used as a supersonic maneuvering target for France’s high-end Forbin air defense ship, which shoots it down using an MBDA Aster-30 missile. Her sister ship, FS Chevalier Paul, tracked the target and the missiles fired.

France’s Horizon Class destroyers use a different radar than the Daring Class, but shares the same air-defense missiles and the PAAMS combat system. DGA [in French] | US NAVAIR

Jan 30/12: Digital ESM. Thales UK touts its new fully digital, radar electronic support measures (RESM) digital antennas on board HMS Daring. The new antennas were installed under the UAT MOD 2 program, and are one of the attractions being shown at the DIMDEX 2012 exhibition in Doha, Qatar.

Thales had to develop the direct radio frequency sampling and wideband digital receiver technology that allows the RESM to manage multiple, truly simultaneous signals, and to perform better in dense electronic environments.

March 13/12: D35 Dragon and D36 Defender begin 2nd stage sea trials. UK MoD.

Jan 31/12: D33 1st mission. HMS Dauntless [D33] gets her own initial deployment, to the Falkland Islands. The move comes amidst growing threats and hostility from Argentina, who invaded the islands and then lost a war with Britain in the 1980s. Naturally, the British government denies that there’s any connection. BBC.

Jan 11/12: D32 1st mission. HMS Daring sets sail for the new ship type’s 1st operational mission, to take place “east of Suez.” There’s wide speculation that this means the Persian Gulf, where Iranian threats to close the Strait of Hormuz are focusing global attention.

2011

Long-term support. Phalanx added.

HMS Daring fires
Sea Viper
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Dec 7/11: D34 ready. The Royal Navy declares HMS Diamond [D34] ready for operations, after its crew passes both BOST(Basic Operational Sea Training) and FOST(Flag Officer Sea Training). The culmination is the “Thursday War,” when the crew must deal with simulated incoming missiles, while the ship’s company works in darkness and smoke to handle simulated fires and flooding, loss of propulsion and steering, and other fun times.

HMS Daring [D32], HMS Dauntless [D33], and HMS Diamond [D34] are all scheduled to deploy in 2012. UK MoD.

Nov 21/11: D36. D36 Defender has successfully completed her 1st set of sea trials, testing speed, manoeuvrability, sensors and weapons. Her next step is to return to the BAE Systems yard in Scotstoun, Glasgow, where she was built. The ship has been linked to Glasgow as its patron city, and the crew has been busy forging links.

Defender will return to sea in March 2012 for a 2nd set of trials, and is on schedule to make her debut in her future home of Portsmouth in mid-July 2012. After more trials and training, she’s expected to join the fleet in early 2013. UK MoD.

Sept 13/11: SM-3s? Raytheon announces successful testing for their prototype dual-band datalink, allowing ships that use either Lockheed Martin SPY-1/ AEGIS or Thales Nederland’s SMART-L and/or APAR radars to employ the full range of Standard Missiles for air and ballistic missile defense, including the SM-3.

The firm cites up to 20 eligible ships, including SPY-1/ AEGIS/ MK41 VLS operators in Norway (Fridtjof Nansen) and Spain (F100); as well as APAR/ SMART-L/ MK41 radar operators in Denmark (Iver Huitfeldt), Germany (F124 Sachsen), the Netherlands (De Zeven Provincien); and closely derived S1850 operators in France (Horizon), Italy (Horizon) and the United Kingdom (Type 45).

For discussion of the issues, and the ships Raytheon left out, read “Raytheon’s Datalink: A New Naval Standard for the Standard?”

Aug 27-31/11: D35. Dragon sets sail from BAE’s Scotsun yard on the Clyde River, manned by a combined BAE Systems and Royal Navy crew, for the journey to her new home port of Portsmouth. Formal handover happens in Portsmouth on Aug 31/11, followed by more trials. BAE Systems | UK MoD.

July 12/11: D34 commissioned. Britain’s 3rd Type 45 air defense destroyer, HMS Diamond, officially joins the Royal Navy. UK MoD.

June 27/11: Sea Viper sub-contract. BAE Systems announces a 6-year, GBP 46 million (about $73.5 million) contract from Sea Viper lead MBDA. BAE will support all Sampson radars over its period of performance, including those that have not yet entered service. BAE will provides technical support, a spares and repairs service, maintenance through the joint MBDA/BAE Systems waterfront team in Portsmouth. The team will also provide ongoing support at the Maritime Integration and Support Centre (MISC) in Portsmouth, and at BAE’s Cowes, Isle of Wight radar testing facility. BAE Systems will remain the design authority and designated help desk support for Sampson.

This new arrangement follows a GBP 6 million, 18-month contract in September 2010, and is intended as a forerunner to a full ‘contract for availability’ arrangement. First, however, all parties need to generate data on the radar’s performance, in order to act as a long-term baseline. BAE Systems.

June 21/11: Phalanx added. Babcock International Group announces the pending qualification and testing of Raytheon’s MK.15 Phalanx 1B 20mm close-in weapon system on HMS Daring. The Type 45s were not delivered with secondary defensive systems for use against UAVs, small boats, and incoming missiles, so the pending qualification will help to patch the gaps in their defenses.

Babcock will supervise the installation of 2 systems in HMS Daring at Portsmouth Naval Base, as a lead-in to Naval Weapon Sea Trials (NWST), including a towed target firing. Most British ships have used Thales larger 30mm Goalkeeper system, but the Phalanx is an easier and cheaper as a “bolt-on” addition. Babcock’s previous Phalanx installations have been upgrades on the Type 42 destroyer HMS York, and the fleet replenishment ship RFA Fort Victoria.

MK15 Phalanx CIWS

June 20/11: SM-3s for Type 45s? Raytheon Missile Systems VP Ed Miyashiro is telling journalists that a number of other platforms are being looked at for NATO/European ballistic missile defense, including Britain’s Type 45s. The ship class’ MBDA Aster-30 missiles have just begun land tests against ballistic missiles, but Raytheon’s SM-3 family has both a longer testing record, and an SM-3 Block II that promises very significant performance improvements. For cash-strapped European governments, it also comes with much cheaper missile defense development costs, thanks to American and Japanese advance work.

The issue would be integration. Spanish F100 frigates are the most straightforward, with the same AN/SPY-1D radars and Mk.41 Vertical Launch System (VLS) as American ships. The same AEGIS BMD upgrade set used in American destroyers would suffice. Dutch and German F124 frigates, and the pending Danish Ivar Huitfeldt Class ships, also carry the MK.41 VLS, but use higher-performance Thales APAR and SMART-L radars. That requires additional integration and modification work, but all 3 classes are using a shared core system. The British, French, and Italian ships would be the most work. While they all share a similar core air defense system, they all use different radars, while sharing key electronics and DCNS’ Sylver VLS. That means both electronics work, and physical changes to the weapons array. In his conversations, Miyashiro mentions that they’re looking into the possibility of fielding SM-3 compatible inserts in DCNS’ Sylver A70 VLS, which is the required size for the 6.6 meter SM-3. Britain’s Type 45 Daring Class has space for adding the larger Sylver A70 launchers up front, but Miyashiro has reportedly said that they’re also looking at the possibility of inserting the Mk.41 VLS there.

A Mk.41 VLS would require some combat system integration, in exchange for very wide flexibility beyond the SM-3s. It would also give the Daring Class the ability to use an array of new weapons, including Tomahawk land attack cruise missiles, which current British doctrine will only fire from submarines. Aviation Week | Defense News.

May 25/11: Engine support. Rolls Royce announces a long term Class Output Management contract with BAE Systems to provide guaranteed availability of the Type 45 destroyers’ WR-21 engines. The initial GBP 20 million ($) contract is for 6 years, but options for extensions would cover the entire 30+ year life of the vessels. BAE’s Head of Supply Chain for UK Ship Support Programmes, Chris Curtis, described the contract as “a highly incentivised and cost effective support provision.”

Each destroyer is powered by 2 WR-21 turbines, derived from the firm’s RB211 and Trent engine families that power modern widebody and jumbo jets. Advanced marine features include compressor inter-cooling and exhaust heat recuperation, which recovers exhaust air for heating incoming combustion air. The effect is to reduce fuel consumption by about 27% over similar single-cycle turbines. The WR-21 has also been made very modular, and the gas generator and power turbine consists of 12 interchangeable pre-balanced modules. Because of their size and low weight, these modules can be removed and new modules can be fitted, in order to reduce maintenance costs and down time.

Beyond the engine, Rolls Royce is also providing propellers, shaftlines and bearings, stabilizing fins and low voltage electrical systems for the class.

Long-term engine support contract

May 17/11: D32 Missile firing. The UK MoD announces that HMS Daring has successfully fired its Sea Viper/ Aster-30 air defense system for the first time, joining HMS Dauntless. Photo metadata show that the firing took place on April 18/11.

At the same time, the Navy announces a 6-year, GBP 165 million (about $267 million) contract has to MBDA UK in Bristol and Stevenage, UK, to provide technical assistance to the fleet’s Sea Viper air defense systems. The Project Availability Support Service – Sea Viper (PASS-SV) contract is the first support contract let under the April 2010 Complex Weapons Through Life Enabling Contract, which will cover a range of British missiles.

MBDA will be working with BAE Systems Maritime Mission Systems to support the Sampson radar, while DM Gosport will be responsible for the out-loading of munitions to the Type 45 Class and for processing them at a new Munition Maintenance Facility (MMF) located in Gosport, UK. The MMF is a four year development that will give Britain a native test and repair facility for MBDA’s Aster missiles, and its construction and operation involves a separate contract. UK MoD | Royal Navy | MBDA | Defence Management.

Long-term Sea Viper support contract

May 6/11: HMS Diamond. The Royal Navy commissions D34 as HMS Diamond. The 4th ship of class, Dragon, is due to arrive in at the type’s Portsmouth base for the first time in September 2011, to begin preparations for its own commissioning. UK MoD.

2010

C4 contract. Missile firing.

D36 Defender Launched
(click to view full)

Nov 19/10: Mechanical difficulties. HMS Daring sails back into Portsmouth Harbour. She was forced to go to Canada for urgent repairs, after losing propulsion in the Atlantic. The incident came just 4 months after one of her drivers packed up out in the Solent, during a visit from sailors’ families.

Martin Carter, whose son Philip serves as a marine engineer on Daring, told Portsmouth’s The News that: “They’ve been having lots of trouble with the drivers on the ship. It’s obviously not good but I’m sure they’ll get it all sorted out soon.”

Oct 11/10: D37 launch. Duncan [D37] is launched down the slipway. She is likely to be the last ship to be “dynamically launched” on the Clyde River in the traditional fashion, the final example of more than 22,000 vessels launched from Clyde shipyards. Future ships are likely to use flooding techniques like building them on a barge, or in a drydock. UK MoD | For Argyll, also explains Adm. Adam Duncan’s legacy | BBC [incl. video] | Caledonian Mercury | The Guardian | Glasgow Evening Times | The Scotsman.

Oct 4/10: Missile firing, finally. The UK MoD announces that a Type 45 destroyer fired a missile for the first time at the end of September 2010. HMS Dauntless fired an Aster-30 missile at a navy range in the Hebrides, hitting a target drone.

/changeNav/6568">Royal Navy | UK MoD.

Aster, fired

Sept 22/10: Diamond [D34] arrives in her home port of Portsmouth for the first time, following sea trials in Scottish waters. She is formally handed over to the Royal Navy on Sept 23rd, and will undergo another set of sea trials before commissioning.

HMS Daring [D32] arrived in Portsmouth in January 2009, and HMS Dauntless [D33] arrived in December 2009.

/changeNav/6568">Royal Navy | UK MoD.

June 28/10: Aster-30 tests. MBDA Systems announces that its Aster-30 missiles have added Britain’s PAAMS-equipped “Longbow” barge to the roster of successful test firings using modified missiles.

“Over the last month… The trials were conducted over a range of scenarios of steadily increasing complexity, culminating in a final trial featuring a salvo firing against a sea skimming target performing a high-g terminal manoeuvre. All the trials [by Italy, France, and the UK] were fully successful.”

Sensing an upgrade on the P-8A | Triton’s Herald undergoes last trials | Will Rwanda be the next to buy S-400?

Wed, 06/06/2018 - 06:00

Americas

The Navy is currently procuring support activities for its P-8A Poseidon maritime surveillance plane. Under this $24.7 million contract Boeing will provide logistics and engineering data for the Advanced Airborne Sensor Peculiar Support Equipment (PSE). The Advanced Airborne Sensor is a multifunction radar installed on the P-8A. It’s a solid-state, active electronically scanned array radar with multiple functions ranging from a Synthetic Aperture Radar, Inverse Synthetic Aperture Radar and Moving Target Indication modes. The externally mounted radar and a follow-on system to the currently deployed Littoral Surveillance Radar System (LSRS). LSRS currently provides a broad range of capabilities against moving and stationary targets at sea and on land. In addition, this contract acquires product support analysis, training information, technical manuals and proof-load documentation, enabling the Navy to organically support the PSE. Work will be performed Richardson, Texas and St. Louis, Missouri. The contract is expected to be completed in March 2022.
Raytheon is being tapped for repair work on the Navy’s H-60 helicopter platform. The $14 million firm-fixed-price delivery order provides for the repair of the turret and sensor-sight in support of the helicopter. This contract follows a multi-year 2013-2017 contract worth around $11.7 billion. The 15-inch Infirno turret is integrated in the nose of the H-60. It contains high-definition, mid-wave infrared and color sensors, a multi-mode tracker, a laser designator and rangefinder and is equipped with geo-location and advanced image processing capabilities. All work will be performed in Jacksonville, Florida, and work is expected to be completed by January 2019.
Jane’s reports that the US Navy has officially commenced operations of its MQ-4C Triton UAV. The Broad Area Maritime System platform is deployed with the Unmanned Patrol Squadron (VUP)-19, the Navy’s first unmanned patrol squadron. The “RQ-4N” system chosen by the US Navy was based on the USAF’s RQ-4B Block 20 Global Hawks, but it incorporated a wide range of changes on the way to its unveiling as the MQ-4C Triton. The Triton has been developed to provide the US Navy with a persistent maritime intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) capability in support of a full range of military operations. Designed for high-altitude, long-endurance ISR tasks, the Triton has a range of about 2,000 n miles and, with an endurance of 24 hours, will be able to cover more than 2.7 million square miles in a single mission. VP-19 now has two Triton UAVs, after training and trials are successfully completed the drones will be stationed in Guam. They are set to operate in concert with the P-8A.
The Canadian government has reaffirmed its intention to proceed with Leonardo Helicopters-led modernization of its AW101 Cormorant search and rescue rotorcraft, and to potentially increase its fleet size from 14 to 21 examples. Canada and Leonardo are currently during the final finalization stages of outlining the requirements for the CH-149 Cormorant Mid-Life Upgrade program, including fleet augmentation, simulation and training. The Cormorant is a medium-lift helicopter used in both military and civil applications. It is based on AugustaWestland’s AW-101. The potential deal provides for new avionics equipment, electro-optical and infrared sensors, as well as the integration of Leonardo’s Osprey active electronically scanned array radar. Canada has operated the AW101 as its primary rotary-wing search and rescue capability since 2002. Canada aims to extending the lifetime of its CH-149 fleet to 2040 and beyond.

Middle East & Africa

The African nation of Rwanda has voiced its interest to acquire air-defense systems from Russia. This year, Russia and Rwanda will mark 55 years of bilateral ties. During a visit to the Rwandan capital Kigali, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said, “the Rwandan security forces, army, and law-enforcement agencies operate our helicopters. There are also Ural vehicles used by the army and the security service, and a whole bunch of small arms. Now the deliveries of air defense systems are being discussed.” Other bilateral cooperation exists in the mining and geological sectors. If the potential deal goes through Rwanda could buy the S-400 Triumf long range surface-to-air missile systems produced by Almaz-Antey. The system can detect stealth aircraft and other targets at all altitudes of their combat employment and at maximum ranges. This air defense missile system can simultaneously engage 36 targets.

Europe

Austria is set receive several new Armored Personnel Carriers (APCs), reconnaissance and all-terrain vehicles two years after the initial contract was signed. The $298 million deal provides for the acquisition of 106 vehicles of three types. Starting in September 2018 the Austrian Army will receive 34 new Pandur Evolution APC, which is developed and produced by the Austrian company Steyr-Daimler-Puch Spezialfahrzeuge, a subsidiary of General Dynamics European Land Systems. The baseline vehicle is armed with a 12.7 mm heavy machine gun. Its modular design allows it to be fitted with a variety of weapon systems, including a 20 mm autocannon and an armored two-man 90 mm gun turret. In addition, the army will soon add the 32 BvS10 Beowolfs to its inventory. The vehicle is designed and developed in Sweden by BAE Systems Hägglunds. The vehicle consists of two parts that are connected by a joint and has been especially developed to be driven in hard to reach places. At last the Austrian Army will receive the Dingo 2 reconnaissance vehicle. The multi-million deal is a substantial investment by the Austrian government that has a yearly defense budget of roughly $3.1 billion.

Asia-Pacific

India has again voiced its interest in acquiring the Israeli made Spike missile as means to boost its anti-tank capability against arch rival Pakistan. The Indian Army wants to buy the Spike missile as a “stop gap” measure before its defense research agency can develop an indigenous anti-tank missile within the next three years. After a long procurement process, India had terminated its plan to buy $500-million worth of Spike missiles in January 2018. The Spike missile family is designed around 2 key principles: low life cycle cost, and simple but reliable operation. Low life cycle cost comes from keeping prices down for all components by using “good enough” solutions that offer high quality without gold plating. The Spike infantry system consists of a missile in its cannister, a tripod, a Command Launch Unit that contains the optics and firing system, and a battery. It can go from “off” to firing in less than 30 seconds, as the operator lays the cross hairs on the aim point using either the 10x day sight, or the clip-on thermal imaging night sight. Considering the bumpy track-record of Indian defense acquisition, it can currently not be guaranteed that the current acquisition proposal will actually go through.

Today’s Video

Turkish F-35 Lightning II flying test.

Categories: Defence`s Feeds

Radar Killer, que j’ai fait | Israel charges Canada’s ISS program | Sweden goes ballistic

Fri, 01/06/2018 - 06:00

Americas

The Navy is tapping Orbital ATK Inc. to upgrade its inventory of guided missiles. The awarded contract modification is valued at $171 million and provides for the procurement of full-rate production for the Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missile (AARGM) in support of the Navy and the government of Australia. Under the contract Orbital ATK will convert 271 provided AGM-88B High Speed Anti-Radiation Missiles into 253 Navy AGM-88E AARGM all-up-rounds (AURs). The AGM-88E AARGM is a medium range, supersonic, air-launched tactical missile compatible with U.S. and allied strike aircraft, including all variants of the F/A-18, Tornado, EA-18G, F-16, EA-6B, and F-35. Its primary job is to attack and kill enemy radars. AARGM’s production phase may total up to $1.4 billion for 2,121 missiles, to equip the US Navy, US Marine Corps and partnering nations. The contract also includes an option to exercise related services necessary for AARGM manufacture and deployment. Work will be performed in Northridge and Ridgecrest, California and is expected to be completed in March 2020.
Lockheed Martin is being awarded a cost-plus-fixed-fee delivery order. Valued at $46.6 million the delivery order provides for non-recurring engineering, the development of design documentation, and the creation of modification instructions. These efforts will support service life extension and enable the developmental test F-35 aircraft to maintain currency with delivered technology. The F-35 Joint Strike fighter can be considered as the largest single global defense program in history. Testing and re-testing is an incremental part of this project. Due to the jets high procurement cost, Lockheed Martin is trying to develop systems that extend the F-35s life while keeping the associated costs to a minimum. This delivery order combines purchases for the Navy $12.37 million; Marine Corps $12,37 million; and non-US DoD participants $7,89 million. Work will be performed in Fort Worth, Texas and is expected to be completed in June 2019.
The Air Force is procuring new parts for its fleet of C-130J aircraft. The $29.5 million contract provides for the R391 propellers and spares currently used on the transport plane. GE Aviation, doing business as Dowty Propellers Inc. will work in conjunction with the commercial Rolls Royce AE 2100D3 engine managed by the Warner Robins, Air Logistics Center. The C-130 Hercules remains one of the longest-running aerospace manufacturing programs of all time. The C-130J looks a lot like its predecessors but has seen some major changes. Its improvements are mostly clustered around 2 key characteristics: performance, and operational costs. It uses lighter Rolls-Royce AE2100D3 engines, coupled with a 6-blade Dowty R-391 propeller system made of composite materials. The overall system generates 29% more thrust, while increasing fuel efficiency by 15% and offering improved reliability and maintenance. Work will be performed in Sterling, Virginia, and is expected to be completed by May 2023.

Middle East & Africa

Jane’s reports that, Epsilor, an Israeli battery and charger manufacturer is set to provide the Canadian Armed Forces with a battery charging solution. The $3 million contract sees for the development and delivery of 400 multi-channel chargers, spares, and services in support of Canada’s Integrated Soldier System (ISS) program. The Canadian ISS program is essentially a suite of military equipment that soldiers wear as part of their combat load. It includes weapon accessories and electronics that allow soldiers to stay connected with their teams after exiting vehicles on the battlefield. It also features a radio, a smartphone-like computer to run battle management software, a GPS, and a communications headset. The ISS combines those devices into an ensemble of system that greatly improves the situational awareness of the individual soldier. All of those systems require battery supplies for lengthy field operations.

Europe

Sweden is set to close a deal with Raytheon in the next few weeks that sees for the procurement of the Patriot air defense missile system. The deal is initially worth around $1.13 billion and is the biggest military purchase since 2013 when Sweden started to upgrade 60 Saab Gripen fighters. The decision comes at time of heightened tensions between Western Europe and Russia. Moscow’s brief war with Georgia in 2008 and its annexation of the Crimea Peninsula six years later has pushed Sweden, not a NATO member but with close ties to the alliance, to rebuild its armed forces after decades of neglect. Sweden’s current air defense system, which is over a decade old, cannot shoot down ballistic missiles. The current US standard for new-build Patriot Missiles is the Patriot Advanced Capability 3. Its enhanced capabilities also allow it to be used for point defense against ballistic missiles, and its Config-3 ground systems also feature a range of improvements to the battery’s radar, communications, electronics, and software. The contract also includes an option to expand the purchase to up to 300 missiles. If the option is used, the final bill will be around $3 billion, Lewin said. If the government makes its final decision by August 10th, delivery of the first units could start in 2021.
The German Army has taken delivery of its first Leopard 2A6MA2 main battle tank. The tank has been delivered to Armor Battalion 414, which is a joint German-Dutch tank company stationed in Lohnheide, Germany. The Leopard 2A6 is a German-made main battle tank designed and manufactured by the Company Krauss-Maffei Wegmann. It’s the successor of the main battle tank Leopard 1. The upgraded tank is a major step in the integration of the unit, with the tank’s Dutch Essential Land based Information Application & Services battlefield management system providing technical interoperability between the two forces. The tanks now also have the Blue Force Tracking System with which they can distinguish their own troops. This considerably reduces the risk of fire on their own troops. The Leopard’s will immediately participate in the German-Dutch contribution to the NATO flash force in 2019, a response to threats to NATO territory. The company will receive 16 tanks in total. Delivery is scheduled by the end of June.

Asia-Pacific

Kazakhstan is acquiring four more combat helicopters to boost its strike capabilities. After all of its Mi-24s have been withdrawn from service, Kazakhstan Air Defense Forces are quickly moving to address the gap in rotary-wing combat capability. To fill this gap the country has signed a deal with Russia that provides for the delivery of four Mil Mi-35M helicopters. The multirole Mi-35M attack helicopter is a comprehensive modernization of the Mi-24V and was developed by the Mil Moscow Helicopter plant and has been series produced at Rostvertol since 2005. The main role of this helicopter is destruction of armored vehicles, enemy troops, UAVs and other helicopters. Its secondary role is delivery of troops and special cargo, evacuation of wounded. It can operate at night and in adverse weather conditions. This attack helicopter can carry different weapons, including podded guns, 8 Ataka-V or Shturm-V ant-tank missiles and Igla-V air-to-air missiles, unguided rockets or bombs. The country already took delivery of the first four Mi-35s late 2016, with another four scheduled for arrival by the end of 2018 as part of a contract signed with Russian Helicopters in 2017.

Today’s Video

Four F-22s touch down in Okinawa

Categories: Defence`s Feeds

DDG-51 shifts gears | M.A.S.H. UAV Take-Off | Belgian-Dutch frigate cooperation under way

Thu, 31/05/2018 - 06:00

Americas

Raytheon Self Protect Systems is being awarded a contract in support of a radar upgrade. The $90 million indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract provides for the fabrication, integration, testing and delivery of the AN/ALR?69A digital radar warning receiver system in use with the Japan Defense Forces. The ALR-69A is the world’s first all-digital radar warning receiver. The design of Raytheon’s system allows cross-platform commonality, improved spectral and spatial coverage and easy integration with other ECM or radar systems. Without any hardware modifications, the ALR-69A(V) can now offer aircrews more options with its single-ship geolocation capability. The system dramatically enhances aircrew survivability, providing “sensors forward” situational awareness at a substantially lower cost than competing systems. It features capabilities such as: suppression of enemy air defenses, easy cross-platform integration, enhanced spectral and spatial coverage for high-sensitivity detection in dense signal environments. The radar is currently tested on F-16 fighter jets. Work will be performed in Goleta, California and Forest, Mississippi. It is expected to be completed by May 2023.
The Navy is contracting Philadelphia Gear Corp. in support of its future DDG-51 class guided missile destroyers. The $70.8 million contract modification enables the company to exercise options for two shipsets of Main Reduction Gears (MRGs). The MRGs is the set of gears that transmit the power from two main propulsion gas turbines to the propulsion shaft. Each DDG-51 class destroyer has two gear sets, one for each propulsion shaft. The destroyers are powered by four GE LM 2500 gas turbines, each rated at 33,600hp with a power turbine speed of 3,600rpm, driving two shafts, with controllable pitch propellers. The MRGs to be purchased under this procurement are for installation in DDG-128 and DDG-129. Work will be performed at various locations, including Santa Fe Springs, California and St. Augustine, Florida, and is scheduled for completion by November 2020.
Raytheon is being tapped for further production of two sets of kits in support of the Tomahawk cruise missile. The $19.2 million contract modification provides for the procurement of nine mid-body range safety subsystem (MRSS) kits and flight test (FT) kits for the Navy and three MRSS and FT kits for the United Kingdom. The MRSS is installed into flight test configured missiles, one of its key components is the PCM Encoder, which Encoder samples the flight test missile guidance and avionics telemetry data stream, encodes and formats the data, and provides the telemetry information to the ground monitoring station. Block IV Tomahawk is the current generation of the Tomahawk family of cruise missiles. It adds innovative technologies that improve combat flexibility, while dramatically reducing the costs to buy, operate, and support these missiles. The Block IV missile is designed to engage targets 1,000 miles away from maritime platforms, a characteristic the manufacturer says can help keep deployed sailors out of harms way on the battlefield. Work will be performed at multiple locations, including Tucson, Arizona; Boulder, Colorado and Lancaster, Pennsylvania, among others. This effort combines purchases for the Navy ($15,6 million); and the government of the United Kingdom ($3,5 million).

Middle East & Africa

The Israeli company Tactical Robotics has recently demonstrated its Cormorant vertical take-off and landing unmanned air vehicle’s capability to carry out medical evacuation duties. The Cormorant is an unmanned air vehicle designed and developed to meet the requirements of the Israeli Defense Forces. The Cormorant was developed during the war in Lebanon in 2006 as a way of transferring troops and medical equipment. Powered by a single Arriel 1D1 turboshaft engine, the UAV can be operated in remote areas, where helicopters and traditional rotorcraft cannot function properly. The drone is intended for cargo transport, medical evacuation and troop supply missions. The payload bays, which are being incorporated in the vehicle, will double the rescue cabin space for wounded soldiers. In the civil market, Cormorant also offers all of the benefits of combined heavy payload and unlimited access. Whereas small civilian drones such as quadcopters can only provide “eye in the sky” photographic surveillance or, at best, deliver light packages Cormorant can deliver up to 1000 pounds of cargo or equipment in both commercial and emergency response scenarios.
Kazakhstan has announced that it will boost its fleet of Sukhoi Su-30SM fighters. 25 fighter jets of this type are either already in use with Kazakh Armed Forces or are currently being constructed. Multipurpose Su-30SM, also known as Flanker-H, is designed to win air supremacy and strike at grounds and water surface targets. It has frontal horizontal tailing and steerable thrusters which make it super maneuverable. Su-30SM carries the multifunctional Bars radar. The set of weapons includes a wide range of armaments, including air-to-air missiles and precision guided air-to-surface missiles. The Su-30SM is based on the Su-30 MKI export version, an aircraft jointly developed by Russia with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited for the Indian Air Force. The Kazakhstan Air Force also operates 12 single-seat Su-27s.

Europe

Jane’s reports that Belgium made the decision to replace its M-frigates with two new multirole frigates. The deal is valued at over $1.2 billion. The new frigates will be designed, developed, and built under a joint program led by the Netherlands. Belgium’s M-frigates, or Karel Doorman Class frigates were built by the De Schelde Group in Flushing and have been operational since 1996. They are equipped for anti-submarine, anti-air and surface warfare roles. Belgium acquired its current M-frigates from the Netherlands in December 2005. The frigates are equipped with a variety of weaponry and defense systems, including Harpoon anti-ship missiles and CIWS, and can carry a Sea-Lynx helicopter for anti-submarine warfare. The Council of Ministers also authorized the signature of memorandum of understanding with the Netherlands on the M-frigate replacement as well as on a joint program led by Belgium to replace the two countries’ mine countermeasures vessels (MCMVs).

Asia-Pacific

According to recent reports Republic of Korea Navy’s second Dokdo-class helicopter carrier will deploy an indigenously developed weapon referred to in the country as Korean Surface-to-Air Anti-Missile. The ROKS Marado has been equipped with a Korean developed vertical launching system that will deploy those new missiles. The K-SAAM is a 3.07 m long ship-based anti-air projectile that employs inertial mid-course guidance and a dual microwave and imaging infrared seeker for terminal guidance. Development of the missile began in 2011 with first initial flight-tests conducted in 2013. The K-SAAM is a medium-range missile designed as a Close-in Weapons System (CIWS). As such, it acts as close protection for the ROKN warships. K-SAAM is set to replace Raytheon’s Rolling Airframe Missile, the current system operated by the South Korean Navy.

Today’s Video

A pair of Su-57s participate in Aviadarts-2018

Categories: Defence`s Feeds

Navy successfully tests “Shipkiller” | Army continues MFOCS II program | Czech-Israeli radar deal may fall through

Wed, 30/05/2018 - 06:00

Americas

The Defense Information Technology Contracting Organization is procuring services in support of the Army’s Mounted Family of Computer Systems (MFOCS) II program. DRS Network & Imaging Systems LLC, a subdivision of Leonardo, will provide a number of hardware in support of the program. The MFOCS is a modular family of computing platforms which integrates networked-battle command information system capabilities onto a common computing platform. MFOCS supports situational awareness, command and control, and maneuver capability using next-generation computing and display hardware at multiple configurable levels. Leonardo DRS will provide dismountable tablets, processor units, keyboard units, removable solid-state disk storage, display units, and cabling designed for various platforms. All are ruggedized for continuous operation in a wide range of military and combat environments. MFOCS II deftly executes the software necessary for a range of applications, ranging from Command and Control to Maneuver, and Logistics and Situational Awareness. In addition, it can run multiple software packages at full speed, simultaneously, and is engineered to accommodate future software demands. The contract ceiling is $841 million. Work will be performed at a DRS’s facility in Melbourne, Florida. The ordering period for the initial five-year base period is from May 2018, through May 2023.
Northrop Grumman Systems is being tapped to exercise a one-year option for production and associated provisioned items of the Navy’s WSN-7 navigation system. The $10.9 million contract see for the procurement of the new AN/WSN-7(V) RLGN system, which is replacing the gyrocompasses installed onboard Navy surface ships and submarines. The AN/WSN-7 is a self-contained, ring laser gyro inertial navigation system that senses ship motions, computes the ship’s precise position, velocity, attitude, heading, and rates in digital and analog formats, and forwards the data to other vital ship systems. The passive shipboard navigation system calculates and indicates the ship’s position, attitude, heading and velocity in relation to the earth’s rotation. It senses motion, gravity, and Earth rotation, and receives externally supplied GPS updates and ship’s speed through the water. Work will be performed in Charlottesville, Virginia, and is expected to be completed by December 2019.
Lockheed Martin has successfully tested its newly developed Long Range Anti-Ship Missiles (LRASM). The test was conducted over the Sea Range of Naval Air Station Point Mugu, California. Two missiles were launched from a B-1B bomber, after making their way through several waypoints the missiles successfully hit a moving vessel. The LRSAM is the Navy’s answer to a growing problem that threatens its freedom of the seas. The missiles are a new generation of anti-ship weapons, offering longer ranges and better odds against improving air defense systems. The LRASM is designed to detect and destroy specific targets within groups of ships using its sensors, encrypted communications and a digital anti-jamming GPS. The missile can be launched from the F/A-18 Super Hornet, the B1-B Lancer, the F-35 Lightning II and from a vertical launch system on a Navy destroyer. It is designed to be used in battle against the surface ships of advanced foes, such as China or Russia.

Middle East & Africa

A deal between the Israeli defense contractor Elta Systems and the Czech Republic may fall through due to missing certifications. The $163.5 million deal between the European nation and the subsidiary of Israel Aerospace Industries sees for the purchase of eight ELM-2084 multi-mission radars. The ELM-2084 is an advanced three-dimensional, S-Band radar, that incorporates modular and scalable architecture. It is designed to simultaneously perform hostile weapon locating, friendly-fire ranging and air surveillance. This radar is able to detect rockets, artillery and mortars at long ranges, and can simultaneously engage a large number of targets, and is used with the SPYDER-MR, Iron Dome, Arrow 3 and David’s Sling air defense systems. The Czech defense minister, Karla Slechtova has ordered the military police to launch an investigation into the pending purchase, after Czech National Cyber and Information Security Agency declined to approve the documentation for the acquisition due to concerns over the system’s interoperability with NATO’s air-defense system.

Europe

Jane’s reports that the French Army is set to launch its 4×4 Vehicule Blinde Multi-Role-Light by 2019. The vehicle is produced by the French defense contractor Nexter Systems. France is currently conducting a major procurement program that intends to rationalize a hodgepodge of aging land vehicles and systems while preserving France’s industrial base. The company is currently developing three variants of the VBMR-L. The Army is set to receive up to 385 units of the 10-ton 4×4 vehicle. Deliveries between 2021 and 2025 should reach 200 vehicles.

Asia-Pacific

The Indian Navy has recently commissioned its fourth ship of the Landing Craft Utility (LCU) Mk-IV class. The LCU MK-IV ship is an amphibious ship with its primary role being transportation and deployment of main battle tanks, armored vehicles, troops and equipment from ship to shore. The vessels can be deployed for multirole activities like beaching operations, search and rescue, disaster relief operations, supply and replenishment and evacuation from distant islands. The ship has been designed and built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers, which is based in Kolkata. The ship has a displacement of 830t and is equipped with an integrated bridge system and integrated platform management system. The ship has a complement of five officers, 41 sailors and is capable of carrying an additional 160 soldiers. Four more vessels of this class are currently constructed and are expected to launch by the end of 2019.

Today’s Video

The Israel Defense Force recently showcased its autonomous Cormorant drone, capable of evacuating wounded and delivering cargo.

Categories: Defence`s Feeds

Raytheon paves the way | Romania gets PATRIOTic support | Indian VSHOD deal may fall through

Tue, 29/05/2018 - 06:00

Americas

The Navy is awarding two firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery and indefinite-quantity contracts in support of its submarine fleet. The contracts are being awarded to EnerSys Energy products and Exide Technologies, and come with a five-year ordering period and an aggregate ceiling of $75 million. The deal provides for the production of submarine valve regulated lead acid battery cells. The submarine valve regulated lead acid batteries provide emergency backup power supply for the nuclear reactor onboard strategic and fast attack nuclear submarines. Nuclear propulsion has seen many technological advances over the last decades. The future of the US Navy’s submarine fleet will consist of Virginia-class fast attack boats and SSBN-X strategic ballistic missile submarines. Propulsion on both vessel types will largely be the same. For example, the SSBN-X propulsion will be all-electric, which decouples the drive train from the turbines, and the pump-jet propulsion will use shrouded technology taken from the Virginia Class. Work will be performed in Warrensburg, Missouri and Forth Smith, Arkansas respectively, and is scheduled for completion by May 2023.
The Marine Corps is tapping Oshkosh Defense LLC in support of its Medium Tactical Vehicle Replacement program. The $43 million contract provides for the procurement of Engineering Change Proposal kits, parts and/or hardware components in support of the program. The 14 variants in the Family of Medium Tactical Vehicles (FMTV) form the core of the USA’s new state-of-the-art medium military transport truck fleet. Which in turn forms the core of the “mature logistics capability” seen in theatres of action worldwide. The Trucks produced under the Engineering Change Proposal will feature a higher capacity chassis to carry enhanced protection, a higher output alternator to simplify the electrical system and feed the growing demand for power, support enhanced vehicle diagnostics, increase engine power and performance, and introduce key safety features like electronic stability control. Work will be performed in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, and is expected to be completed by May 2023.
Raytheon Missile Systems is being tapped to produce more GBU-49 Enhanced Paveway IIs. The $13.4 million contract modification is being awarded by the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center. Paveway II kits convert standard Mk 80 family free-fall bombs into laser-guided weapons. Each guidance kit consists of a computer control group (CCG) guidance system with a semi-active laser seeker and pneumatically-controlled guidance canards for the front-end of the bomb, plus an air foil group (AFG) on the back end that provides lift and stability. The total cumulative face value of the contract is $73,7 million. Work will be performed in Tucson, Arizona, and is expected to be completed by January 2019.

Middle East & Africa

Pakistan is set to receive thirty T-129 attack helicopters from Turkey. Pakistan is known to have evaluated the Turkish-built attack helicopter as part of an ongoing effort to procure a new attack helicopter for the country’s army. The T-129 is based on the AugustaWestland (now Leonardo) produced A-129 Mangusta. Turkish Aerospace Industries is the T-129’s prime contractor. The aircraft is notable for its low frontal profile, and offers a good mix of surveillance, gun and missile capabilities. The T-129A EDH carries the nose-mounted 20mm cannon turret with 500 rounds, and 4 pylons for unguided rockets. The T-129B version will add Roketsan’s MIZRAK missiles and CIRIT 70 mm Laser Guided Rockets, and Raytheon’s FIM-92 Stinger air-to-air missiles. Pakistan currently has US-built Bell AH-1Z Vipers, Bell AH-1 Cobras and four Mi-35s in its inventory. The T129 competed against the Chinese-built Z-10.

Europe

Romania is set to receive new ballistic missile defense units as part of US foreign military sales. A $395 million contract modification enables Raytheon IDS to produce a phased array tracking on radar to intercept option fire unit in support of the PATRIOT system. Phased array radar systems are used to scan, identify and track both enemy planes and incoming ballistic missiles. A PATRIOT firing battery includes several components: an antenna mast group, radar, electric power station, launchers, ECC command center, and maintenance center. They are carried on a mix of heavy and medium trucks. The radar set is either an AN/MPQ-53 radar for PAC-2 systems, or an AN/MPQ-65 for PAC-3 systems and is carried by a 10-ton M983 HEMTT truck pulling a M860 semitrailer. Work will be performed at various locations. Including Andover, Massachusetts and McKinney, Texas. The contract has an estimated completion date of April 30th, 2020.
The French Air Force has recently requested 38 Airbus H-160M helicopters. The aircraft will be procured under the hélicoptère interarmées léger program. The program sees for the acquisition of the country’s new tri-service medium-category rotorcraft fleet. Deliveries are scheduled to begin by 2025, with a total number of 169 units ordered. The H-160M helicopters are capable of performing air-to-air refueling and will be equipped for a broad range of missions, including search and rescue, intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance, close air support and air interception. Those destined for close air support tasks will be equipped with a 20mm cannon and guided rockets. Approximately 420 helicopters will be replaced by the H-160 including the French navy’s Alouette IIIs, SA 365 Dauphin and AS565 Panther, the French Air Force’s AS555 Fennec and SA330 Pumas; and the French army Pumas, SA341/SA342 Gazelles and Fennec.

Asia-Pacific

A deal between the Indian government and the Russian defense contractor Rosoboronexport may be cancelled following a series of complaints from the other competitors. The $1.5 billion contract would provide for the procurement of up to 5.000 very-short range air defense or VSHOD systems. The Russian company made the lowest bid and competed against Saab of Sweden, Rafael of Israel, MBDA and Thales of France, and LIG Nex 1 of South Korea. After technical evaluation and qualification of the proposed systems, only Igla-S by Rosoboronexport, RBS 70 NG by Saab and Mistral by MBDA were selected for trials. VSHOD systems are designed for detecting, tracking and intercepting airborne targets, including a wide variety of low RCS and low-flying targets such as fighter aircraft, ultra-lights and UAVs. VSHOD systems help a country to make its airspace dangerous enough to deny enemies full air dominance. Considering India’s very limited defense budget it seems unlikely that a possible deal will move ahead in the near future.

Today’s Video

Russia starts construction of its first Husky Class Nuclear submarine

Categories: Defence`s Feeds

US Army gets more fire power | Poseidon’s fleet grows |Royal Navy receives 1st Merlin helicopter

Mon, 28/05/2018 - 06:00

Americas

The US Army is currently acquisitioning mortar rounds for its troops. American Ordnance LLC and General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems have been selected to compete for each order as part of a $511 million firm-fixed-price contract. Orders will be made for 60mm, 81mm and 120mm mortar propelling charges. The US Army inventory has a variety of different mortar types. Equipped with different fuses and cartridges each type fulfills certain operational requirements. For example, the M720, M720A1, M768 and M888 High Explosive cartridges come with either a Multi-Option Fuse or a Point-Detonating Fuse and are designed to be effective against personnel, bunker and light material targets. General Dynamics produces a special kind of mortar propellants that are both flash-suppressed and clean burning resulting in minimum residue, flash and blast overpressure. Work is scheduled for completion by May 2023. Work locations will be determined with each order.
The Navy is contracting Lockheed Martin for a number of support activities as part of the F-35 Lightning II program. The company is being awarded a $558 million contract that provides for sustainment support, equipment, training devices, training facilities, Autonomic Logistics Information System hardware and software, and facilities in support of low-rate initial production of Lot 11 F-35 Lightning II aircraft. This contract combines purchases for the Air Force, the Marine Corps and Foreign Military Sales customers. The F-35 II fighter program is considered the most expensive of its kind. The jet comes in different variants making it a versatile piece of equipment. The F-35A or Conventional Take-Off and Landing version is being flown by the Air Force, whereas the F-35B Short Take-Off, Vertical Landing version that is part of the Marine Corps aircraft fleet. Work will be performed at multiple locations, including Orlando, Florida and Redondo Beach California, and is scheduled for completion by February 2023.
Boeing is being tapped to provide the Navy with three additional P-8A planes under a $416 million contract. The Poseidon is a multi-mission maritime aircraft that will completely replace the old P-3 fleet. The P-8 uses the same 737 airframe as the US Navy’s C-40 Clipper naval cargo aircraft. The base model is Boeing’s 737-800 ERX, with “raked” wingtips that improve performance for low-level flight. The P-8A has 11 weapon hard points: 5 in the rotary weapon bay, 4 under the wings, and 2 under the fuselage. Weapon load can exceed 10t/ 22,000 pounds, and all hard points have digital weapon interfaces. The aircraft is designed to work in conjunction with the MQ-4C Triton and essentially provides the Navy with an anti-submarine, anti-ship and anti-smuggling platform that can sweep the area, launch sensors or weapons as needed, and remain aloft for many hours. Work will be performed at a number of locations in- and outside the continental US, including Seattle, Washington and Cambridge, United Kingdom. The contract is expected to be completed in October 2020.

Middle East & Africa

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is set to receive eight CH-47F transport helicopters from Boeing. The contract modification is valued at over $25.7 million. The contract is funded through of the Fiscal 2017 foreign military sales fund. The CH-47F Chinook’s load capacity has made it the world’s most popular heavy-lift helicopter. The USA expects to be operating Chinooks in their heavy-lift role past 2030. The CH-47F looks similar to earlier models but offers a wide range of improvements in almost every aspect of design and performance. The CH-47F Chinook and MH-47G Special Ops version are the latest variants in a family of helicopters that first saw service in 1962 during the Vietnam War. New “F/G” models feature numerous upgrades over the old CH-47Ds, including more powerful engines, reduced vibration, upgraded avionics and self-defense systems, and manufacturing advances designed to improve both mission performance and long-term costs. Work will be performed in Ridley Township, Pennsylvania, with an estimated completion date of July 2021.

Europe

The UK has taken delivery of the first of an eventual 25 AW101 Merlin HC4 helicopters. The delivery is part of the Royal Navy’s effort to modernize its fleet of transport helicopters. The entire effort approaches $3 billion for a final total of 55 refurbished helicopters, and these refurbishments will be carried out as part of the AW101 fleet’s long-term maintenance plan. After being upgraded and marinized under a $517 million contract, the Merlin HC4 heavy-lift transport helicopter will be operated by the RN’s Commando Helicopter Force. The Merlin HC4s replace the fleet of existing Sea King Commando Mk.4 helicopters, their updated configuration includes the same cockpit modernizations and redesigns as for the Mk.2, plus standard naval changes like a folding rotor head, strengthened landing gear, deck lashing points, and a fast roping point for the Royal Marines. The next milestone for the Merlin HC4 will be embarkation aboard the RN’s new aircraft carrier, HMS Queen Elizabeth.
Jane’s reports that the Slovakian defense contractors Incoff Aerospace and Compel Industries recently presented their Predator AX-1 loitering munition. Loitering munitions can hover over the target for a long period of time and then strike it at the precise moment chosen by the operator. In the event that the preconditions for the attack have not been fulfilled, the strike platform may be returned to base, to be launched again on another day. The Predator AX-1 project started in May 2017 in response to a Slovak Ministry of Defense requirement for an expansion of its unmanned systems inventory. The AX-1 is manufactured from carbon fiber composites and features a mid-body wing set unfolded mechanically after launch. Powered by two electric motors with slewed push turbine propulsion, the loitering munition system offers both PG-7VM HEAT-T or TB-7V thermobaric warhead options. The Predator AX-1 is similar to AeroVironment’s Switchblade system.

Asia-Pacific

The Australian Army has announced that it will soon roll out the PD-100 Black Hornet Personal Reconnaissance System. The rollout and sustainment of the micro unmanned aircraft systems $13.6 million project marks a key milestone in the technological advancement of the Australian armed forces. The PD-100 Black Hornet is produced by the American company Flir Systems. The system is a surveillance micro drone that can be easily started from the palm of a soldier’s hand. The drone can fly horizontally and look on a suspected area or hover beside a building and look into a window, giving soldiers on foot patrols an advantage of seeing what’s there from a safe distance. The Black Hornet is a “flyable robotic video camera” that bears a resemblance to a helicopter and is small like a hummingbird. Its small size and electric motor makes it virtually inaudible and invisible beyond short distances. The Australian Army operates several UAS platforms, ranging from the rotary-wing Black Hornet PRS to large, nine-hour endurance surveillance systems such as the RQ-7B Shadow 200.

Today’s Video

Sea Ceptor firing trials from HMS Argyll

Categories: Defence`s Feeds

Britain’s AW101 Merlin Helicopters: Upgrading the Fleet

Mon, 28/05/2018 - 05:54

Merlin & HMS Sutherland
(click to view full)

As part of Britain’s fiscal rebalancing, The Royal Navy is set to inherent the RAF’s Merlin HC3/3A medium-heavy battlefield helicopter fleet, while simultaneously upgrading its existing set of Merlin HM Mk1s. The entire effort approaches $3 billion for a final total of 55 refurbished helicopters, and these refurbishments will be carried out as part of the AW101 fleet’s long-term maintenance plan.

The navy’s existing fleet is being progressively upgraded and returned to service, adding a range of technological improvements to the helicopter’s avionics, control systems, sensors, and radar. The Royal Navy received 44 EH101 Merlin HM1s between 1998-2002 for training, surface attack and anti-submarine warfare duties, and has since lost 2 in accidents. The remaining 42 helicopters are now expected to remain in service until 2029, though only 30-38 will be upgraded. Another 28 EH101 Merlin HC3/ HC3A medium support helicopters currently serve with the UK Royal Air Force, and they will join the Navy to succeed the Sea King Mk.4 Commandos as the Royal Marines’ battlefield helicopters.

The Navy’s Merlins: Support and Upgrades

Team Lockheed’s Role: Merlin Mk.2

Merlin Mk2
(click to view video)

EH101 Merlin HM Mk1 helicopters will undergo GBP 1.15 billion ($2.04 billion at milestone conversion) in upgrades from original manufacturer AgustaWestland and Lockheed Martin UK. Originally built in the 1990s as an anti-submarine and search-and-rescue aircraft, the Merlin has taken on an increasingly wide range of roles. This extensive upgrade program is designed to give the Royal Navy upgrades in current capabilities, far greater operational flexibility, and reduced lifetime maintenance costs.

The Merlin Capability Sustainment Plus (MCSP) program will target 30 helicopters, with an option for a further 8. They will be progressively upgraded to Mk.2 status from 2010 at AgustaWestland’s Yeovil, UK facility, with Full Rate Production slated to begin in 2012. The new AW101 Merlin Mk2 helicopters began delivery in July 2013, with Full Operational Capability scheduled for 2014.

Merlin Mk.2s
(click to view full)

Lockheed Martin UK is the lead integrator for MSCP, and it received a GBP 750 million contract to help implement an open systems electronics architecture in the helicopters; improve the mission systems processing capabilities; add new capabilities for the Merlin’s Blue Kestrel Radar and Sonar system; broaden datalinks; and upgrade the aircrew console and avionics, including large flat panel touch screens. On a tactical level, these improvements will enable 40 times the number of targets to be tracked compared to the Merlin Mk.1, improve submarine detection in shallow water, and enhance night operations.

While improved capabilities will flow from these upgrades, the primary goal is to resolve electronics obsolescence issues in the current Mk1 variant, and reduce through life support and operating costs. The UK already has an IMOS through-life support contract with AgustaWestland, but a different structure for the support contract will not, by itself, solve problems with the underlying technology.

Overall, this Mk.2 Merlin technology upgrade is expected to reduce pilot workload, cost of ownership, maintenance and weight while giving improved survivability, safety, aircraft handling and agility.

Lockheed’s team includes AEI, BAE, CAE, Selex, Smiths, Thales, and QinetiQ. The firm estimates that this order creates or secures around 1,400 jobs across the UK’s defense industry.

AgustaWestland: The Merlin Mk.4 Commando

Sea King Mk.4
(click to view full)

The RAFs 28 Merlin HC3 battlefield helicopters are also due for conversion, in order to replace existing Sea King Commando Mk.4 helicopters used by the Royal Marines. Around 25 AW101s are likely to be updated to the Merlin Mk.4 configuration, which will include the same cockpit modernizations and obsolescence/ minor redesigns for the Mk.2, plus standard naval changes like a folding rotor head, strengthened landing gear, deck lashing points, and a fast roping point for the Royal Marines.

The contract wasn’t issued until early 2014, and the Sea Kings are all expected to retire in 2016. The 1st fully-converted Mk.4s won’t even be available for trials until Sept 2017, and IOC won’t take place until 2018.

To bridge that gap, an initial 7 Army Merlins will receive only the folding rotor head that’s required for shipboard use. These Merlin Mk.3i will serve as an interim bridge before the arrival of the full Mk.4 conversions.

AgustaWestland: The HEAT Is On

AgustaWestland EH101
(click to view full)

An independent but closely related GBP 400 million contract was issued to AgustaWestland, who will design, produce and integrate the new avionics suite. The most visible feature will be the new cockpit primary flight displays, incorporating touch screen technology to deliver increased crew efficiency. An updated communication and navigation system will be a less visible but equally important set of changes.

The changes are an opportunity to incorporate more of an Open Systems Architecture (OSA) into the helicopter, using standard electronics components to make adaption faster and easier, instead of requiring expensive and time-consuming efforts to design proprietary circuits.

Mechanically, the MCSP program will also see AgustaWestland introduce its Helicopter Electro Actuation Technology (HEAT) onto the EH101 Merlin HM Mk1. HEAT introduces a cutting edge 3rd generation fly by wire system that uses electrical actuators to provide the control inputs to the helicopter’s rotor systems, instead of using hydraulic units. Unlike other fly-by-wire systems developed for helicopters, the AgustaWestland HEAT system uses electro-actuation for both the main and tail rotors. The brushless electric motor actuators incorporate quadruplex 4-lane architecture with fail technology, allowing the system to function safely even after failure of 2 of the systems. The electrical actuators are maintenance-free and, unlike mechanical systems, do not require the same rigging checks to be made post maintenance.

In naval operations, these systems will allow flights in poorer weather than was previously possible, while the improved handling gives the helicopter more agility and better handling in nap-of-the-earth flights.

The HEAT system’s components underwent extensive testing in 2005 that covered system performance, durability, vibration, environmental, high-intensity radiated fields and lightning strike protection. Results were positive.

Britain’s Bottom Line(s)

Britain’s government actually has 2 bottom lines here. One is cost. Another is industrial.

The UK MoD expects AgustaWestland and Lockheed Martin’s upgrades to deliver cost reductions of around GBP 575 million by removing obsolete, hard to buy parts, and lower support costs. The project will “enable the cost-effective management of obsolescence on an aircraft which has components and design features that are becoming difficult to support…”

These deals also reflect the objectives of the UK’s Defence Industrial Strategy white paper, which seeks to safeguard national capabilities across strategically important industry sectors – including rotorcraft manufacturing and support.

Merlin IOS and associated programs are part of that drive. AgustaWestland’s managing director of military programmes, Alan Johnston, has noted that:

“The EH101 is the first helicopter in the world to utilise this advanced technology [HEAT] which will bring significant operational and cost benefits to customers. We are pleased that, by adopting the partnering principles being developed between AgustaWestland and the UK MoD, we will be able to introduce this important technology into the EH101 Merlin HM Mk1 fleet”

As Mr. Johnson alluded, The HEAT programme is being funded through an innovative contracting strategy which builds on the partnered principles outlined in the UK’s recent Defence Industrial Strategy (DIS) Draft. AgustaWestland will offset the HEAT system production costs against future cost of ownership savings that in future Merlin support contracts.

EH101 Cockpit
(click to view full)

Just as politics has 2 bottom lines, so does the military. The difference is that instead of overall costs and industrial considerations, the military confronts the twin lines of overall costs and available capability.

Unfortunately, the Merlin has been problematic for the military’s 2nd bottom line. British Merlins have displayed low readiness rates, and this has been consistent over a number of years.

New technologies may help there. On the other hand, the 2006 announcements offered no indication of whether the planned modifications would address the structural issues that have already led to the loss of one British Merlin, or the issues that led Canada to ground its CH-149 Cormorant search and rescue fleet for several months. As DID’s coverage of the USA’s CSAR-X competition noted:

“Canada has grounded its EH101/CH-149 Cormorant search-and-rescue fleet due to persistent cracks in the tail rotor hub (cracks believed to have caused the crash of a British EH101 Merlin as well), and reassigned smaller “twin Huey” Bell 412/ CH-146 Griffon helicopters to that role. The Canadians are also experiencing EH101 maintenance requirements and costs about 200% higher than originally forecast.”

Contracts & Key Events

1st deliveries

Although the AW101 is an AgustaWestland product, Lockheed Martin UK was awarded the original Merlin Mk1 contract for the 44 Navy ASW/ASuW helicopters in 1991, with AgustaWestland acting as sub-prime. That structure has remained consistent for the Merlins, and Lockheed Martin UK is also one of AgustaWestland’s strategic partners providing support and training services under the IMOS through-life maintenance program. In practice, MCSP and IMOS are linked, because through-life maintenance milestones are the Navy’s preferred time to install capability upgrades.

May 28/18: Royal Navy receives HC4 The UK has taken delivery of the first of an eventual 25 AW101 Merlin HC4 helicopters. The delivery is part of the Royal Navy’s effort to modernize its fleet of transport helicopters. The entire effort approaches $3 billion for a final total of 55 refurbished helicopters, and these refurbishments will be carried out as part of the AW101 fleet’s long-term maintenance plan. After being upgraded and marinized under a $517 million contract, the Merlin HC4 heavy-lift transport helicopter will be operated by the RN’s Commando Helicopter Force. The Merlin HC4s replace the fleet of existing Sea King Commando Mk.4 helicopters, their updated configuration includes the same cockpit modernizations and redesigns as for the Mk.2, plus standard naval changes like a folding rotor head, strengthened landing gear, deck lashing points, and a fast roping point for the Royal Marines. The next milestone for the Merlin HC4 will be embarkation aboard the RN’s new aircraft carrier, HMS Queen Elizabeth.

October 20/15: The Royal Navy has received the first of seven AgustaWestland HC3 Merlin helicopters, forming the first tranche of 25 helicopters as part of the Merlin Capability Sustainment Program. With the seven helicopters expected to reach initial operating capability next spring, they will replace Sea King HC4s from March.

September 16/15: The Royal Navy’s fleet of Mk2 Merlin anti-submarine helicopters has achieved Full Operating Capability (FOC), with 24 of 30 helicopters now delivered. A part of the $1.2 billion Merlin Capability Sustainment Programme, the upgrading of the 30 helicopters follows a GBP750 million contract with prime contractor Lockheed Martin, with the first five helicopters delivered back in July 2013 after work began in 2010.

Merlin HC3
(click to view full)

Oct 1/14: All Navy. RAF Benson in Oxfordshire hosts the official ceremony that transfers the British Army’s 2 Support Helicopter Force squadrons to the Naval Commando Helicopter Force.

RAF 78 Squadron is disbanded at the ceremony, and 846 Naval Air Squadron stands up. It will remain at RAF Benson until Spring 2015, when the helicopters will finish their transfer to Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton in Somerset. RAF 28 (Army Cooperation) Squadron will remain in its current role for a little while, in order to ensure that enough helicopters are in place while the Army’s CH-47 Chinooks and AS332 Pumas are upgraded, RAF 28 squadron will formally disband later in 2015, and stand up as 845 Naval Air Squadron before it also moves to Yeovilton. Sources: RAF, “Royal Air Force Hand Over Merlin To Royal Navy”.

Full handover to Navy

July 14/14: Mk2. UK Minister for Defence Equipment, Support and Technology Philip Dunne announces that the Merlin Mk.2 has already entered service with the Royal Navy, 4 months ahead of the original schedule. Sources: UK MoD, “Navy’s sub-hunting helicopters enter service early”.

Jan 28/14: Mk4/4i. The Navy’s long-expected “Mk.4” upgrade (q.v. Jan 18/11) to the Army’s transferred Merlin HC3 helicopters is signed as the GBP 330 million (about $545 million) Merlin Life Sustainment Programme, which is a lot less expensive that the GBP 454 million originally reported by Aviation Week. MLSP will modify the helicopters, but they will remain within the AW101 fleet’s IMOS support framework.

The Navy will take command of the RAF’s Merlin HC3 fleet late in 2014, and both RAF squadrons will formally disband in mid-2015. The Mk4 Phase 1 program to add folding rotors and make basic changes to 7 interim (Mk.4i) helicopters will start immediately, for delivery during 2015-2016. The Sea Kings will retire in 2016, but the full Mk4 Phase 2 helicopters won’t really be ready until 2018. Sources: UK MoD, “Helicopter investment secures 1,000 UK jobs” | AgustaWestland, “AgustaWestland Awarded UK MoD Merlin Life Sustainment Programme and Apache Integrated Operational Support Contracts Valued at £760 Million” | Aviation Week, “U.K. To Spend £454M On Merlin Modernization Program”.

Mk.4/4i conversion contract

July 24/13: Mk2 Handover. The first 5 of 30 planned Merlin Mk.2 helicopters are handed over to the Royal Navy’s 824 Naval Air Squadron based at RNAS Culdrose, in Southwest England. Deployment is expected in summer 2014, and all deliveries are expected to finish in 2015. Royal Navy | AgustaWestland.

April 11/11: Thales announces a renewed contract with Lockheed Martin UK for the next phase of IMOS, from 2011-2016. The undisclosed contract continues the availability-based support package for the Merlin Mk1 and Mk2’s acoustic sub-system: the popular, multi-platform Folding Light Acoustic System for Helicopters (FLASH) Active Dipping Sonar, and the parallel sonics sub-system for sonobuoy processing.

Thales will support the fleet by providing service management, supply support, technical support and equipment performance analysis. The will also replace the sonobuoy-related sonics sub-system with a phased introduction of a new Thales acoustic sub-system, including a new common acoustic processor incorporating the latest processing technology. That work will be done under the Merlin Capability Sustainment Programme.

Merlin IMOS, Phase 2

Jan 18/11: Aviation Week reports that in parallel with the Navy’s Merlin Mk.2 program, the UK MoD is planning for upgrades to the RAF’s 28 HC3 and HC3A variants in 4-6 years. Those “Mk.3” plans seem to involve moving them into the Navy, including the addition of the naval version’s folding rotors and tail, tie-downs, and the Mk.2’s cockpit avionics upgrade. The RAF is still fighting to retain the machines, operating them from land or off of ships as needed.

The article adds that full-rate Mk.2 upgrades are slated to start in 2011, reaching up to 10 rotorcraft at one time, with a 9 month modification cycle for each machine. While full-rate production would begin in early 2012, therefore, the 1st production delivery would come near year end.

Although the main focus is life extension, capability upgrades also are being introduced, including new radar modes (such as inverse aperture radar) and improved acoustic processing.

Oct 25/10: Lockheed Martin UK – Integrated Systems and AgustaWestland announce that MCSP01, the first upgraded Royal Navy Merlin Mk2 helicopter, has performed a successful maiden flight at the AgustaWestland facility in Yeovil, UK. It marks the start of an intensive MCSP flight-test program.

Four trials aircraft will be dedicated to test and evaluation of the new aircraft, avionics and mission systems at AgustaWestland’s Yeovil site through to late 2011. The helicopters will then transfer to QinetiQ at Boscombe Down to perform further mission system performance evaluation, and Release to Service trials. Aircraft conversion will be undertaken at AgustaWestland’s Yeovil facility, with full rate production in early 2012. The Merlin Mk2 is scheduled to enter service in 2013, and achieve Full Operational Capability in 2014. Lockheed Martin UK.

Mk.2 first flight

March 6/06: British Merlin fleet’s IMOS through-life support contract announced. See “AgustaWestland Lands GBP 450M Through-Life Support Contract for UK EH101s” for more.

Merlin IMOS support contract

Jan 12/06: The UK MoD announces the Merlin Capability Sustainment Plus (MCSP) program, with Lockheed Martin as the lead firm. It involves GBP 1.15 billion in upgrades from original manufacturer AgustaWestland and Lockheed Martin UK. The program will target 30 helicopters, with an option for a further 8. They will be progressively upgraded to Mk.2 status from 2010 at AgustaWestland’s Yeovil, UK facility, with Full Rate Production slated to begin in 2012. UK MoD | Defense-Aerospace.com (Jan 13/06) – Lockheed UK & AgustaWestland corporate releases

MSCP upgrade contract

Additional Readings & Sources

Note that the helicopters’ original designation was “EH101”. This was shifted to “AW101” in 2007, but the UK has always used designations of “Merlin xxxx”. Future naval designations will be Merlin Mk2 for the naval version, and Merlin Mk4/4A for the Royal Marine Commando version.

Background: Helicopters

DID – AgustaWestland’s Through-Life Support for UK Merlin Helis. IMOS.
AgustaWestland – AW101.
Royal Air Force – Merlin HC3. The HC3As are 6 former Danish helicopters; Britain did a deal with Denmark to buy the 6, in exchange for 6 later AW101 production slots. In exchange for not having those AW101s for a few years, Denmark gets newer helicopters to replace them, plus money.
Army Technology – AW101 (EH101) Transport Helicopter, Italy / UK.
Royal Navy – Merlin ASW.
Lockheed Martin UK – Merlin HM MK1 (Merlin).
Naval Technology – Merlin ASW / Transport Helicopter, United Kingdom.
Royal Navy – Sea King Mk4.

News & Views

Defense News (Nov 20/13) – AgustaWestland Poised to Win Helo Conversion, Sustainment Work.
Royal Navy (Sept 12/13) – Future commando helicopters join Royal Marines in the field for the first time. Former Army Merlin HC 3s.
Aviation Week (Jan 14/11) – Merlin’s New Look. Discusses the 30 Merlin Mk2s.
AgustaWestland (Dec 1/06) – AgustaWestland launches HEAT programme for EH101.

Categories: Defence`s Feeds

Multi-million FMS program underway | The Reaper operates out of Greece | F-35 used in a combat mission for the first time

Fri, 25/05/2018 - 06:00

Americas

The United States government is continuing to supply some of its key international allies with further Patriot support. Lockheed Martin is being awarded a contract valued at $282 million as part of the US Foreign Military Sales program. The contract sees for the delivery of Patriot PAC-3 support services. The Phased Array Tracking Radar Intercept On Target missile system is a mainstay in many military inventories. At present, 12 nations have chosen it as a key component of their air and missile defense system. Lockheed Martin produces the PAC-3 missile, including the hit-to-kill interceptor, the missile canister 4-packs, a fire solution computer, and an Enhanced Launcher Electronics System. The modification includes a number of not predefined orders to be delivered to the Netherlands, Germany, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Taiwan, the United Arab Emirates and the Republic of South Korea. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order. All work is expected to be completed by May 2019.
The Air Force Sustainment Center is procuring spares and support services for its APX-114 and APX-119 systems. Under this $7.2 million contract, Raytheon will provide for repairs, spares and support services for line repairable units and shop replaceable units to support the aforementioned systems. Raytheon’s AN/APX-114 interrogator represents the most technically advanced, compact and lightweight interrogator available for airborne, long-range and shipboard IFF and is an integral part of the US Air Force’s F-15 modernization plan. It provides the advanced processing capability to rapidly identify friendly targets. The APX-119 is Raytheon’s Identification friend or foe (IFF) system that is currently installed on 50 different platforms of the US and international partners. IFF systems enable forces to recognize friendly aircraft, surface vessels, and submarines to avoid inadvertent firing on friendly forces. They consist of an interrogator, which ask the questions, and transponders, which provide the responses. Work will be performed at Raytheon’s primary locations in California and is expected to be completed by June 2020.
The US Army is currently planning to renew its Aerial Target System. As part of its of Aerial Target Systems 2 program the Army is contracting Griffon Aerospace, Kord Technologies, Kratos Defense and Rocket Support Services and Trideum Corp. for research, development, testing and evaluation of the program. The four companies will be assigned different orders under a $93.4 million contract. Aerial Target Systems are unmanned aircraft that are used for simulation and training. They can also be used for the testing of equipment, particularly missiles. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of May 21, 2023.

Middle East & Africa

Israel is the first nation to ever use the F-35 joint strike fighter in combat mission over the Middle East. On Tuesday the head of the Israel Air Force, Major General Amikam Norkin announced that the aircraft had already participated in two airstrikes. Operating over Syrian airspace, a country equipped with the S-400 Russian air-defense systems, requires careful targeting and maximum survivability, the F-35’s two strongest attributes. Israel is a Security Cooperation Partner in the F-35 II program and is allowed to integrate its own ECM defensive equipment and its own weapons like Rafael’s Python 5 short-range air-to-air missile and Spice GPS/IIR guided smart bomb. The F-35 ‘Adir’ is a key part of their IAF recapitalization plans, however it is yet unclear if the country will decide to expand its F-35 order beyond the 50 jets under contract or to buy more F-15s.

Europe

The Italian defense manufacturer Leonardo Helicopters is currently conducting preliminary discussions with the Italian government regarding the possible acquisition of its AW169 and AW609 models. Rome is in pressing need to find suitable replacements to its ageing fleet of legacy Bell and Agusta-Bell types that are currently operated by the military and other governmental bodies like the Guardia di Finanza. The AW169 is a new generation multi-purpose twin engine light intermediate helicopter providing a multi-role capability and a high mission flexibility. The AW609 TiltRotor features a composite airframe, advanced touch-screen cockpit and full fly-by-wire digital controls. The platform is can be adapted for counter-terrorism, quick reaction force insertion/extraction, hostage rescue, incident management and law enforcement missions. The ability to operate more than 300 nm from the coast adds border and maritime patrol, long-range surveillance and anti-piracy. If Italy selects the AW169 for the army or air force, the country would become the launch customer for the military variant.
The US is temporarily operating its MQ-9 Reaper drones out of Larisa Air Force Base in Greece. Pentagon spokesman Eric Pahon said in an interview with Defense News that the aircraft are being stationed at Larisa while their usual base in Africa undergoes repairs. The drones are being stationed at Larisa under the aegis of an existing joint training order between the two nations. Staff handling the take-off and landing of the Reapers will be stationed at Larisa, with operators in the continental US handling normal flight operations via satellite. The Pentagon did not disclose where the drones are operating, however considering the Air Force Base’s location it seems likely that the UAVs are flown over North Africa and the locations in the Middle East. Stationing drones in Greece is a new move that has the potential to complicate US-Turkish relations. The US has long relied on the Incirlik military base to launch operations in the region, but the relationship between Washington and Ankara has been strained ever since a 2016 coup attempt by members of the Turkish military.

Asia-Pacific

The Russian defense manufacturer Rostec has announced that it will supply China with 10 Su-35 fighter jets this year. The $2.5 billion contract for the delivery of a total of 24 long-range 4+ generation super-maneuverable aircraft was signed between Rostec and the Chinese government in November 2015. Four Su-35s were previously delivered to China in 2016, and 10 more were shipped in 2017. Su-35 is current on the top of Russian air-superiority inventory. It is equipped with a phased array antenna, advanced electronics and a variety of weaponry. The fifth-generation technology of the Sukhoi-35 is very similar to other fighters of the next-generation class. China is currently one of the top buyers of Russian arms.

Today’s Video

Russia’s Borey-class strategic submarine Yuri Dolgoruky conducted a salvo-launch of 4 Bulava SLBMs for the first time.

Categories: Defence`s Feeds

The need for an A/C deep down the sea | AMRDEC awards $2.5 billion contract |Piaggio’s UAV is taking off

Thu, 24/05/2018 - 06:00

Americas

The US Army is contracting Defense Systems and Solutions for technical support of its Aviation and Missile Research, Development, Engineering Center’s Prototype Integration Facility. The Aviation and Missile Research, Development and Engineering Center (AMRDEC) is the Army’s focal point for providing research, development and engineering of technology and services for aviation and missile platforms, across their life cycle. It has the mission to provide innovative research, development and engineering, and to produce capabilities that provide decisive overmatch to the Army against the complexities of the current and future operating environments in support of the joint warfighter. As part of its operations, AMRDEC works on projects like the PATRIOT and THAAD missile defense systems, the UH-60V Systems Integration Lab and the Gray Eagle UAS. The hybrid deal is valued at $2.5 billion and includes a number of different orders which are expected to be completed by May 2027.
Lockheed Martin is being tapped to provide services for the US Army’s PATRIOT system. The contract modification is valued at $46 million and provides for post-deployment build-8.1 Phased Array Tracking to Intercept Of Target Advanced Capability-3 system ground and flight test support. PATRIOT PAC-3 is the current US standard for new-build Patriot Missiles. PAC-3 uses a “hit-to-kill” approach, instead of the PAC-2’s large fragmentation warhead, which allows it to pack more missiles per launcher. Its enhanced capabilities also allow it to be used for point defense against ballistic missiles, and its Config-3 ground systems also feature a range of improvements to the battery’s radar, communications, electronics, and software. Work will be performed in Dallas, Texas, and is expected to be completed by April 30, 2022.
General Dynamic Electric Boat Corp. will develop air conditioning units to be deployed on the Navy’s new attack submarines. The $16.6 million contract modification sees for the procurement of prototype material and manufacturing for air conditioning units to be used on Block V Virginia class boats. The Navy currently has a 5-year, $17 billion program that sees for the production of 10 Virginia Class Block IV fast attack submarines. Block V submarines will be longer than its predecessors, so that they can accommodate four Virginia Payload Module tubes, which will each contain seven Tomahawk Land Attack Missiles. The Navy is counting on the Virginia-class Block V submarines to be incorporated into a larger military missile strategy by increasing the service’s the ability to stealthily strike targets. The Virginia-class Block V submarines are to replace the Ohio-class SSGN submarines as they are decommissioning. Work will be performed in York, Pennsylvania and Groton, Connecticut. It is scheduled for completion by September 2021.
Oshkosh Defense LLC. is being awarded two contract modifications by the US Army. The two deals valued at $182 million and $52 million respectively, provide for recapitalized Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical trucks, palletized load system (PLS) trucks, PLS trailers, and container transfer enhancement upgrade in the family of heavy tactical vehicles. Oshkosh is the main producer of the US Army’s fleet of Heavy Tactical Vehicles. Oshkosh has provided the core of this capability for over 20 yeas now. Its Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Trucks (HEMTT) and their 13-ton payloads are the mainstay of the FHTV fleet, serving in variants that include M977/985 Cargo, M978 Fueler, M982/983 Tractors, and M984 Wrecker/Tow; they also serve as heavy transporters for Patriot and THAAD air defense systems. Work will be performed in Oshkosh, Wisconsin and is expected to be completed in the last quarter of 2019.

Middle East & Africa

President Trump has asked US Congress to review Foreign Military Sales to its Middle-Eastern allies Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. The sales in question would provide for 120.000 precision guided munitions. In September 2017, the US and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia had struck a deal worth about $7 billion. Saudi Arabia is an avid customer of Raytheon’s Paveway II and III kits. Paveways have been integrated with Tornado strike jets, F-15 Strike Eagles, and Eurofighter Typhoon multi-role fighters, all of which are operated by the RSAF. Saudi requests for GPS-guided weapons have been a sensitive political issue in the past. Considering Saudi Arabia’s poor track record of protecting civilians during its prolonged campaign against the Houthi rebels in Yemen, the sensitive nature of a weapons deal is even more exacerbated.

Europe

Lockheed Martin is contracting BAE Systems to support the maintenance and replacement of electronic warfare systems on the F-35 Lightning II fighter aircraft. The $100 million deal is essential for critical aircraft readiness. The five-year contract from Lockheed Martin enables BAE Systems to manage the supply chain and establish infrastructure to ensure critical electronic warfare technology is available for readiness on the next generation fighter aircraft. BAE Systems manufacturers the electronic warfare suite for the Lockheed Martin F-35, called the AN/ASQ-239 Barracuda system. The system’s avionics and sensors provide a 360-degree view of the aircraft’s surroundings, detecting and geo-locating electronic emitters to give pilots the option to evade, engage, counter or jam threats.
Italy’s Piaggio Aerospace has announced that it will deliver its first P.1HH Hammerhead unmanned aircraft system this summer. The first units will be delivered to the United Arab Emirates, the company’s launch customer. The P.1HH Hammerhead is based on Piaggio’s sleek, Ferrari-approved P180 Avanti II business turboprop. Rapid deployment inside larger aircraft is engineered by adding a quickly detachable joint for the outer wings, and the high aspect ratio laminar wings have been stretched to a 50’10” wingspan. The Hammerhead was initially designed as a surveillance only UAV, but there is more than sufficient space for weapons if customers choose this option. The only key limitation to equipping the drone is its 500 kg payload maximum. Piaggio is already looking in to the development of its next UAS, designated P.2HH. The P.2HH will bring about increased capability by way of key design changes, namely a larger fuselage structure for increased internal volume and all-new, wider-spanning composite wings for increased endurance. Deliveries of the new system are scheduled for early-2020.

Asia-Pacific

Jane’s reports that the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) has launched its the third and final Hobart-class Air Warfare Destroyer (AWD). Named Sydney, the 146.7-meter-long vessel entered service on May 19th. The Hobart-class AWDs will replace RAN’s two Adelaide-class frigates. The AWDs are baes on Navantia’s F-100 Alvaro de Bazan-class frigate design, modified to Australia’s specific mission requirements. The Hobart class deploys the Aegis combat system incorporating the AN/SPY 1D(V) phased array radar. The vessels are equipped with the 48-cell MK 41 strike-length vertical launch system, that accommodates SM-2MR Block IIIA and SM-2MR Block IIIB long-range surface-to-air missiles, as well as quad-packed medium-range RIM-162 Evolved SeaSparrow Missiles. The Hobart-class Air Warfare Destroyers provide Australia with the capabilities to face modern naval threats by providing state of the art air defense capabilities.

Today’s Video

This is what a F-22 engine start-up sounds like!

Categories: Defence`s Feeds

One TARS for Afghanistan, please | Israeli missile, EPIK! | Sea Giraffe to aid the Philippine Navy

Wed, 23/05/2018 - 06:00

Americas

The Royal Canadian Air Force is looking to modernize its fleet of search and rescue helicopters. Canada’s Air Force currently has 14 Cormorant helicopters in its inventory and recently started to introduce Cyclone maritime helicopters into its service. The Cormorant, a variant of the EH-101, is built by the Italian defense contractor Leonardo. The Cyclone is the military variant of Sikorsky’s S-92. Canada has had a very rocky procurement history regarding its SAR helicopter fleet. It has been a textbook example of what not to do. While Canada’s 50-year old Sea King fleet aged and deteriorated to potentially dangerous levels, political pettiness and lack of concern turned a straightforward off-the-shelf buy into a 25+ year-long odyssey of cancellations, lawsuits, rebids, and more. The Air Force is now working on a project to modernize its search and rescue fleet, but it has yet to decide whether to buy new aircraft or upgrade the Cormorants. Depending on its decision, the cost of the project would range from $391 million to $1.2 billion.
The US Army is awarding a contract to TCOM Limited Partnership. The $9.9 million deal provides for services in support of aerostat survivability, engineering and technical, logistics, and flight operations. An aerostat is a lighter-than-air craft that relies on a ground tether for movement and sometimes for electrical power as well, as opposed to blimps which are self-powered, free-flying craft. The Tethered Aerostat Radar System, or TARS, is a low-level, airborne ground surveillance system that’s used for active surveillance and early-warning base defense. The US Army is using tethered aerostats with multi-mission sensors to provide long endurance intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance (ISR) and communications in support of coalition forces in Iraq and Afghanistan. Work will be performed in Afghanistan and is scheduled for completion by February 2019.

Middle East & Africa

Jane’s reports that Rafael Advanced Defense Systems has released details of its EPIK technology development. The Electro-Optical Precision Integration Kit (EPIK) produced by the Israeli defense manufacturer is essentially a capability enhancement designed to furnish unguided surface-to-surface rocket system effectors with autonomous stand-off precision guidance and increased range. The kit leverages the electro-optical sensor and scene-matching/signal processing technologies developed for Rafael’s Spice family of air-to-surface munitions. The EPIK add-on architecture includes an uncooled infrared sensor, a laser sensor to enable engagement of moving targets, as well as an onboard inertial navigation system and a global positioning system only used for back-up. EPIK closely resembles the products designed for US’s Advanced Precision-Kill Weapon System program. Both systems are an upgrade to the family of unguided missiles, such as the 70mm Hydra. Laser guided 70mm rockets open up a large market for counterinsurgency weapons.
Armenia is set to receive the Russian made Tor-M2 short-range air defense system. Tor-M2 is a Russia-made fully-automated surface-to-air missile (SAM) system manufactured by Almaz-Antey. The Tor-M2 is characterized by its high maneuverability, mobility, quick response, automation of combat operations and the efficiency of engaging a broad range of targets. The system can simultaneously engage up to 48 processed targets and ten tracked targets. It has the capability to exchange radar data with another vehicle. The system can destroy moving enemy targets within the range of 12 km and at altitudes from 10 to 1,000 m. The deal is valued at close to $200 million and will give the small nation the capability to intercept aircraft, cruise missiles, precision-guided munitions, unmanned aerial vehicles and other ballistic targets.

Europe

The Swiss-Swedish joint venture UMS Skeldar has acquired the German engine manufacturer Hirth. The group is now looking to enter the market of naval, rotary-wing drones. The two companies have previously partnered on the V-200 drone, which runs on a heavy-fuel engine. Heavy fuel is the standard fuel for many military applications. It is considered more reliable and less dangerous to store and handle than gasoline, making it well suited for the use on ships. The V-200 aircraft is designed for operation from ships. Equipped with an automatic take-off and launch feature, its missions include surveillance, target acquisition and electronic warfare. Several countries are currently procuring or planning to procure heavy-fuel UAV’s for long-endurance naval operations. Earlier this year the Royal Australian Navy announced that it will buy several Austrian-made Schiebel S-100 Camcopters’. Naval UAV systems are designed to perform surveillance missions in maritime environments and enhances situational awareness for naval commanders by offering real-time reconnaissance information from a range of over 120 miles.

Asia-Pacific

The Swedish defense contractor Saab announced on its website that it will deliver its Sea Giraffe AMB naval radar system to the Philippines. The system will be provided to the Philippines by the US Navy in a Foreign Military Sales deal. The Sea Giraffe AMB, designated as AN/SPS-77 in the US Navy inventory, is set to be installed on two Philippine Navy frigates. The Sea Giraffe AMB offers 3D, multi-role, medium-range air and surface surveillance. At 650 pounds, the radar is suitable for small patrol boats, giving them the ability to detect unmanned aerial vehicles for the first time. With no forced cooling requirements, and a minimal number of line-replaceable units (LRUs), it requires little power or upkeep. All maintenance, including LRU repair, can be performed by low-level trained engineers.
The South Korean Navy announced that the mission of its new Dokdo-class amphibious assault ship will shift from countering North Korea towards blue-water operations. The 14.500-ton Marado was launched on May 14th and boosts recently developed navigation radar and medium-range surface-to-air missiles. In addition, the 199-meter-long, 31-meter-wide LPH is to be equipped with a fixed-panel 3-D surveillance radar built by Elta Systems, a subsidiary of Israel Aerospace Industries, in place of the Thales SMART 3-D radar. Marado’s flight deck has been adapted to accommodate two V-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft. The well deck has a capacity for two landing craft. Below the deck hanger, 15 helicopters, including two V-22s, can fit while the flight deck can simultaneously accommodate up to five helicopters of all types. The Marado is expected to be fully operational in 2020 after sea trials.

Today’s Video

Haaretz reports that Israel is the first country to use its F-35 in a combat mission.

Categories: Defence`s Feeds

Even Zeus needs a software update | Will India build more Su-30s? | DTRA contract boosts Biological Engagement Program

Thu, 17/05/2018 - 06:00

Americas

Lockheed Martin Aeronautics is being tapped for maintenance work on the C-5M Galaxy system. The awarded indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract valued at $31.3 million provides for software maintenance and updates, as well as Systems Integration Laboratory maintenance and engineering support on the aircraft. When it was introduced, back in 1970, the C-5 Galaxy was the largest plane in the world. It also has the highest operating cost of any US Air Force weapon system. Due to its high cost and reliability problems the US Air Force introduced the Avionic Modernization Program (AMP) as well as the Reliability Enhancement & Re-Engining Program (RERP) which both aim to make the transporter fit for future missions. AMP puts a digital backbone into the aircraft. It replaces a lot of legacy analog dial systems that are no longer supportable and are getting unreliable and puts them into a digital format. AMP also allows the aircraft to interface with the digital controls on the new engines that come in the RERP phase. Work will be performed in Marietta, Georgia, and is expected to be complete by May 13, 2024.
The Missile Defense Agency (MDA) is contracting Lockheed Martin’s Rotary and Mission Systems Division in support of the Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense system. The awarded modification of $12.8 million allows for the procurement of material necessary to support the Aegis 6.0 modelling and simulation. Aegis, named after the legendary protective shield of Zeus, Aegis has become a widely-deployed top-tier air defense system. It is deployed on over 80 serving naval ships around the globe, with many more Aegis-equipped ships planned or under contract. The Aegis combat system software takes input from a number of systems in order to create a unified picture of the threat environment. Aegis equipped ships are key elements in modern carrier and battleship battle groups, providing fleet area defense and communicating an integrated air picture for more effective deployment of naval aircraft. Modeling and simulations are computer representations that simulate the system’s performance to assess the capabilities and limitations of how elements or the BMDS perform under a wider variety of conditions than can be accomplished through the limited number of flight tests conducted. Ground tests enable MDA to repeatedly conduct scenarios that may be too costly or subject to constraints as a flight test. The modification increases the total cumulative contract value to $2.8 billion. Work will be performed in Moorestown, New Jersey and is scheduled for completion by September 2018.
The Naval Air Systems Command is awarding a contract modification to Lockheed Martin. The modification provides for the delivery of the F-35 In-A-Box (FIAB) software model, software license fees, and continued FIAB software model development, integration, and support. It is valued at $24,1 million. The F-35’s core software is written in C++ and runs on commercial off-the-shelf PowerPC architecture processors. The operating system is Green Hill Software’s Integrity DO-178B real-time OS, as used in a number of (mostly American) aircraft, both civil and military. The F-35’s processors are bundled into an “electronic brain” called the Integrated Core Processor (ICP). So far, the F-35 program has been plagued by various software problems seriously delaying the aircrafts declaration of Initial Operating Capability. Work will be performed partially in Fort Worth, Texas and in Marietta, Georgia, it is scheduled for completion by September 2018.
Leidos Inc. is being selected by Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) to exercise Option Period 1 for a time-and-materials contract with a ceiling value of $33.6 million. The modification provides for scientific and technical services in support of various projects under the Cooperative Biological Engagement program (CBEP). The program started during the Cold War when the Soviet Union was on the verge of becoming a biological superpower by weaponizing viruses and bacteria. CBEP involves several US agencies and aims to prevent the proliferation of expertise, materials, equipment and technologies that could contribute to the development of biological weapons. Weaponized biological and chemical weapons have gained international prominence recently, due to images emerging out of the Syrian war showing civilians being exposed to a chemical attack, and the public assassination of a former Russian spy with a nerve agent. Work will be performed at various locations throughout the world. The anticipated completion date is May 2019.

Middle East & Africa

Israel has for the first time participated in RED FLAG-Alaska exercise, which aims to increase interoperability between the US and partner nations. More than 5.000 miles away from home the crew of an Israeli Air Force B-707 managed for the first time to be certified to fuel US Air Force F-15s and F-16s. The Israeli participation in RF-A allowed pilots to train in the Joint Pacific Alaska Range Complex, which is more than seven times the size of Israel. The KC-135 Stratotanker has been in service with Israel’s Air Force for 60 years. The platform provides the core-aerial refueling capability for various nations around the world. Considering the recent geo-political tensions in the Middle-East means that, having qualified aircrews that are able to work together during combat missions becomes of ever increasing importance to the US and Israeli governments.

Europe

The Royal Air Force will receive the first F-35 Joint Strike Fighters within the next month. The warplanes will touch base at RAF Marham. The base has recently been reconstructed to accommodate the multimillion-dollar aircraft. The $336 million investment provided for the construction of new runways, hangars and a command center. Britain is the only Tier 1 partner outside the USA, and they have invested about $2 billion equivalent in the F-35’s development. Britain’s original plan involved buying 138 F-35B STOVL planes for deployment on land and on their new aircraft carriers, but that will now shrink to an undetermined number. The UK MoD has also switched back and forth between the F-35B and the catapult-launched F-35C. The F-35C’s range and weapon capacity give it significant time-over-target advantages in a Falkland Islands kind of scenario. Versions of the jets will eventually fly from the Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers. They are due to fly across the Atlantic from the US, supported by several refueling top-ups

Asia-Pacific

The Indian defense contractor Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. (HAL) has voiced its interest to produce more Sukhoi-30MKI fighter jets. The HAL manufactured Sukhoi makes up the backbone of India’s Air Force. Its fleet would grow to 312, if the company’s proposal to produce 40 more planes is accepted by the Ministry of Defense. India originally received standard Su-30MKs, while its government and industry worked with the Russians to develop the more advanced Su-30MKI, complete with innovations like thrust-vectoring engines and canard fore planes. The Su-30MKI ended up using electronic systems from a variety of countries: a Russian NIIP N-011 radar and long-range IRST sensor, French navigation and heads-up display systems from Thales, Israeli electronic warfare systems and LITENING advanced targeting pods, and Indian computers and ancillary avionics systems. HAL is currently producing the Su-30 at a cost of $62.6 million per unit, making it significantly cheaper than the competing Rafale that costs close to $165 million.

Today’s Video

Pair of Navy Growlers make an unscheduled landing on their way to Misawa.

Categories: Defence`s Feeds

The Gremlins are coming | The Gazelles are jumping again in the UK | The German Navy has simulator problems

Wed, 16/05/2018 - 06:00

Americas

The Defense Advanced Research Agency (DARPA) is tapping the Sierra Nevada Corporation for the final phase of the Agency’s Gremlins program. The DARPA project aims to develop a system that is able to launch and recover reusable drone swarms using manned airborne aircraft. The Gremlins’ will give the US forces the ability to send large numbers of small unmanned air systems with coordinated, distributed capabilities. These provide troops with an improved operational flexibility at much lower cost than is possible with today’s expensive, all-in-one platforms. Produced by Dynetics the Gremlins’ expected lifetime of about 20 uses. DARPA awarded Dynetics a 21-month, $38.6 million contract for the third phase the Gremlin program in April. Sierra Nevada Corp. will provide the Gremlin Air Vehicles with an autonomous docking system, allowing the drones to be recovered by a C-130 aircraft.
The US Army Contracting Command is awarding a contract modification to BAE Systems Land and Armaments in Michigan. The modification provides for cost overrun funding in relation to remanufacture programs for the Bradley Fighting Vehicle and is valued at $8.1 million. Introduced in the 1980s during the Reagan defense build-up, the Bradleys were a departure from the usual mold of lightly armed Armored Personnel Carriers. The Bradleys’ high level of protection against anti-tank rockets has proven to be a significant plus, and operational readiness has reportedly exceeded 94%, during urban and cross-country missions that have covered more than 8 million miles. BAE Systems works through its Public Private Partnership with Red River Army Depot in Texas to remanufacture and upgrade these vehicles. Unlike RESET programs, designed to replace all defective or worn parts and restore/service a vehicle back to pre-combat condition, remanufacture is a complete rebuild designed to return it to full “zero miles” condition, and install upgrades. Work will be performed at the company’s’ location in Sterling Heights, Michigan and is scheduled for completion by September 2018.
The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center will receive tactical reconnaissance pods from UTAS, a division of Goodrich. The $61 million contract modification provides for a ceiling increase in production programs that provide foreign military sales partner nations an ordering vehicle for the DB-110 Tactical Reconnaissance Pod program. This includes the procurement of DB-110 reconnaissance pods, program infrastructure and an airborne data link terminal. The DB-110 reconnaissance pod is a digital, real-time, tactical reconnaissance system. It is a derivative of Goodrich’s Senior Year Electro-Optic Reconnaissance System-2 (SYERS-2) multispectral sensor system. It combines visible and infrared imaging capabilities in a compact, lightweight design. The pod provides day and night, high-resolution, wide-area imaging capabilities for F-16 aircraft, as well as other jet fighters, from up to 80 nautical miles away and can collect more than 10,000 square miles of imagery per hour. The pod provides stand-off and vertical imaging capabilities, along with air-to-ground communication over constrained bandwidth systems. This modification brings the total cumulative face value of the contract to $135,5 million. Work will be performed in Westford, Massachusetts, and is expected to be completed by May 2021.

Middle East & Africa

Algeria has acquired several Russian made TOS-1A multiple rocket launchers. The TOS-1A is mounted on a T-72 or T-90 tank chassis and can fire up to 24 220 mm rockets with thermobaric warheads, which are also known as fuel air explosives. The system has a minimum range of 600 meters and a maximum range of six kilometers. Targets are sighted with an optical sight, laser rangefinder and ballistic computer. Algeria is the fifth known TOS-1A export customer after Armenia, Azerbaijan, Iraq, and Kazakhstan. The Russians describe TOS-1A as a ‘heavy flamethrower’, however its short action radius and limited choice of armament makes the system far less effective compared to other multiple rocket launcher systems, such as the Avibras’ ASTROS or the M142 HIMARS jointly produced by Lockheed Martin and BAE Systems.

Europe

The British government is awarding funds worth $20.3 million to Airbus Helicopters UK. The funds provide for a sustainment program for the UK’s fleet of Aérospatiale Gazelles Helicopters. The original Gazelle helicopter was designed for the French Army as a lightweight observation helicopter, however, early on in the aircraft’s development, the decision was taken to enlarge the helicopter to enable greater versatility and make it more attractive for the export market. Various types of this helicopter have been in service with Royal Armed Forces since 1974. Earlier this year, a senior representative from the UK’s Joint Helicopter Command revealed that early work had begun on identifying a replacement for the 22-strong active fleet which is scheduled to be completed by 2025.
The German Navy is currently facing delays regarding the introduction of the NH-90 Sea Lion helicopter into its service. So far, the Navy was unable to procure a bespoke simulator system, necessary for training pilots. The Sea Lion simulator is being procured through the NATO Support and Procurement Agency. With the requirement comprising infrastructure, a full-mission simulator, and a rear-cabin crew trainer, the bids from industry have all been received and the technical evaluations are in progress but will not be delivered before the first of the 18 ordered helicopters will arrive at its main operating station. The NH-90 Sea Lion can be used as a utility helicopter, or as an anti-submarine helicopter, depending on how they’re built.

Asia-Pacific

Jane’s reports that Bangladesh is set to receive two C-130J transport aircraft. The country will receive the Hercules from a UK surplus and has already awarded a multi-year support contract to the Marshall Aerospace and Defence Group. This multi-year contract will see Marshall Aerospace and Defence Group deliver a total support solution to the Bangladesh Air Force C-130J covering aircraft maintenance, logistics support including the provision of spare parts and ground support equipment for establishing local capabilities, as well as engineering services to ensure the effective operation of the fleet. The aircraft give the Asian nation better airlift and MEDEVAC capabilities, enabling the Bangladeshi Air Force to carry out tasks within the country and overseas in support of UN missions.

Today’s Video

The Republic of South Korea has launched its new Large-Scale Transport Ship.

Categories: Defence`s Feeds

Advanced Radar gives the Navy an extra punch | Jordan unveils its Terminator | UK orders Astute class submarine

Tue, 15/05/2018 - 06:00

Americas

Shipbuilder Huntington Ingalls recently announced that the first steps towards constructing the first Flight III Destroyer have been taken. The destroyer ‘Jack Lucas’ will join the Navy’s fleet in 2024. The vessel is modelled after the 73 Arleigh-Burke class destroyers already in service, but it will be a very different, more capable killer than its predecessors. ‘Jack Lucas’ gets its extra punch by adding Raytheon’s newly developed AN/SPY-6 air and missile defense radar. The Flight III is a major overhaul of the guided-missile destroyer. It required a 45 percent redesign of the hull, most of which was done to accommodate the AN/SPY-6 and its formidable power needs. The Air and Missile Defense Radar (AMDR) has been procured through a competition between Raytheon, Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman. The AMDR-S provides wide-area volume search, tracking, Ballistic Missile Defense discrimination, missile communications and defense against very low observable and very low flyer threats in heavy land, sea, and rain clutter. In addition, the AMDR-X provides horizon search, precision tracing, missile communications, and final illumination guidance to targets. The AN/SPY-6 is 30 times more sensitive than its predecessor, its additional sensitivity supercharges the vessel’s capabilities in anti-air warfare and ballistic missile defense.
Raytheon’s Intelligence, Information & Services is being tapped to provide further sustainment of services for the CENTAUR system. The indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract is valued at $37 million and includes the continued sustainment of the Cross-Domain Enterprise All Source User Repository system architecture that services as a coalition cross domain solution, as well as continued development of the NGA Coalition Data Broker. The system allows US and multi-national forces to operate in a near-real time common environment. It is a suite of products for machine-to-machine, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance information sharing between U.S. security domains and multi-national partners’ security domains. Work will be performed at various locations inside and outside the US, including Richardson, Texas and Darmstadt, Germany. Work is expected to be completed by May 2023.
The Navy recently marked a milestone in the construction of the next Virginia-class attack submarine. Named after the father of the US nuclear propulsion program, the Hymen G. Rickover is the fourth boat in the 10-ship Block IV batch. It is primarily designed to reduce by one the number of major overhauls the ship needs in its lifetime, adding a deployment and reducing the total cost of ownership in the process. The Navy is procuring 10 Virginia Class Block IV submarines in a 5-year, $17 billion deal. They’re derived from the lessons of the SSN-21 Seawolf Class an extremely advanced submarine whose expense per boat ended production at 3. The Virginias achieved excellent flexibility and a reputation for extreme quietness, but changes have continued since the first boat, as the US Navy tried to drive costs down. Virginia Class submarines have a 33-year service life and are designed to perform a wide range of missions. They have several innovations that significantly improve their warfighting capabilities – with an emphasis on littoral (close-to-shore) operations.

Middle East & Africa

The US Ambassador to Cameroon officially handed over two Cessna 208B aircraft to the country. The two planes add important reconnaissance capabilities to the nation’s armed forces. The African country has been engaged in the fight against Boko Haram and the Islamic State since 2014. The Cameroon C208 Cessna Program is valued at approximately $4.3 million. The Ambassador emphasized that “these surveillance aircraft represent a new link in the chain of our excellent cooperation and have the potential to improve the safety and effectiveness of Cameroon’s fighting forces”. Equipped with surveillance turrets, internal displays, and communications systems, they provide real time information, through video and photograph, as well as through radio communications, to both national decision makers and to operational commanders.
Jane’s reports that the Jordanian defense contractor Jadara Equipment and Defense Systems unveiled its new Terminator anti-tank missile. The Terminator missile has a caliber of 107mm and can be fitted with two types of warheads, which can be used to destroy tanks, light armored vehicles, light soft skinned vehicles and field fortifications at a distance from 100 to 2,500 m. The Terminator is a laser beam riding, semi-automatic command-to-line of sight missile. It can be mounted on either a portable launcher or a carrier-based automatic launcher. The system consists of a launch unit which features a 4.3 kg launching unit, a 15.8 pounds guidance unit and a 35.9 pounds tripod. The guidance unit is fitted with an uncooled thermal sensor that gives the system a day and night capability.

Europe

The British government is awarding a contract to BAE Systems in relation to two submarine programs. The company will receive $3.26 billion to continue to the next phase of the Dreadnought program and will deliver the seventh Astute class submarine to the Royal Navy. The SSN Astute Class submarines are the successors to the Navy’s Swiftsure and Trafalger Class submarines. The Astute Class is the only platform used to launch long-range UGM-109 Tomahawk cruise missiles, in order to deliver conventional strikes against land targets. The Dreadnought program comes with a price tag of $41 billion. It is the British replacement project to its fleet of Vanguard class submarines. They will provide the UK’s ‘Continuous at sea deterrence’ capability by carrying the existing Trident missiles, which will not be replaced until the 2040s.

Asia-Pacific

Taiwan’s Minister of National Defense Yen De-fa has recently said in an interview that the country is still negotiating with the US government about the acquisition of F-35 fighter aircraft. He said “that the air force’s operational requirements dictate that the next generation of fighters must possess stealth characteristics, be short take-off capable and be able to fight beyond visual range. The F-35 is a fine fighter and we are seeking it”. Taiwan’s new strategic doctrine is built on strong defense and layered deterrence. The country plans to make arms sales and technological transfers pave the way toward achieving self-sufficiency in national defense. De-fa added, “the aim of defense self-sufficiency is to avoid over-reliance on foreign military aid and to build our own strength. It does not behoove us to expect help from others in a crisis”.

Today’s Video

DARPA unveils its Gremlin Airborne Launch & Recovery System for UAS’s

Categories: Defence`s Feeds

Deal Paveway’s the acquisition of LGTR’s | Germany Navy gets a PUMA | Afghanistan flies its Black Hawks

Fri, 11/05/2018 - 06:00

Americas

Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control is being tapped by the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division to produce more laser training rounds. The contract modification is part of a multi-year deal, it provides for the production of 7,501 BDU-59F/B LGTR and is valued at over $23 million. In October 2017 the Air Force had selected Lockheed Martin for follow-on production of Paveway II Laser-Guided Bomb Kits for the ninth consecutive year. The Paveway II consists of a computer control group guidance system with a semi-active laser seeker and pneumatically-controlled guidance canards for the front-end of the bomb, plus an air foil group on the back end that provides lift and stability. Once a target is designated, laser guidance is more accurate than GPS, but it can be foiled by obscurants like fog and sandstorms. The BDU-59F/B LGTR is used in tactical employment training and is a cost-effective alternative to expending on operational Laser-Guided Bomb assets. LGTR allows aircrews to practice delivery tactics in a real-mission environment and experience actual weapon characteristics within today’s range limitations. Work will be performed at multiple locations in the US and in Vaudreuil-Dorion, Canada. Work is scheduled for completion by December 2020.
The US Army Contracting Command is awarding a contract modification to Raytheon. In this $8.9 million deal the company will provide logistics support for the Tube-launched Optically-tracked Wireless-guided Improved Target Acquisition System (TOW ITAS). The TOW ITAS was originally designed to provide an advanced fire control system for the TOW anti-armor missile, significantly increasing target detection, acquisition, recognition and engagement ranges. It also offers upgraded hardware for a 30-year old system, as electronics have a rapid turnover cycle and some of its parts were no longer in production. Work will be performed in McKinney, Texas, with an estimated completion date of May 4th 2019.
The Navy has recently issued a Request of Information for the development of a concept to protect large cargo and surveillance aircraft, such as the C-130, from incoming missiles using small interceptors launched by the targeted aircraft themselves or by unmanned escort aircraft flying next to them. The system is called Hard Kill Self-Protection Countermeasure System (HKSPCS) and aims to add a new standard of self-protection that moves beyond current systems, which focus on blinding the guidance systems of incoming missiles with laser- and radio frequency-based countermeasures or confusing them by dispensing chaff and flares. The contracting notice comes as the US government is becoming increasingly concerned about the vulnerability of these aircraft in any future high-end conflict, especially as potential opponents, such as Russia and China, continue to develop and field more capable air-to-air and surface-to-air-missiles, as well as associated sensors. The Navy says it wants the HKSPCS concepts that will be able to have enough shots to successfully defeat at least four to 10 incoming missiles. The systems could either be internal to the aircraft or an external pod that will work with any standard BRU-32 bomb rack. The HKSPCS would attempt to shoot down incoming missiles by firing salvos of interceptors at them. Alternatively, a new class of unmanned escort aircraft could fly alongside the manned transports and surveillance aircraft and fire interceptors at incoming missiles.

Middle East & Africa

Turkish media reports that the US will deliver the first F-35 joint strike fighter to Turkey by June. This announcement comes after weeks of tense US-Turkish relations that started with the Turkish intent to acquire the S-400 air defense system from Russia. US Congress attempted to cancel this deal in its draft of National Defense Acquisition Act. Turkey has strongly criticized Congress’ move and vowed to retaliate. The Turkish Armed Forces are part of the DoD’s Joint Strike Fighter program and have been planning to upgrade their fighter fleet with 100 F-35s as replacement to their current F-16s.
Jane’s reports that the Afghan Air Force recently flew its first operational mission with its recently acquired ‘Black Hawk’. Afghanistan is set to receive 159 Black Hawks by 2020 as the United States transitions the country’s armed forces over from its approximately 80 Russian-built Mil Mi-17 ‘Hip’ helicopters that are nearing the end of their service lives. The country will also receive further 30 MD 530F Cayuse Warrior light attack and reconnaissance helicopters and six A-29 Super Tucano light attack turboprops.

Europe

The German Navy will receive several RQ-20B Puma II UAV. Produced by AeroVironment the hand-launched tactical unmanned aircraft system provides the German Navy with a persistent intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition, and reconnaissance capability. Its force protection and over-the-horizon reconnaissance capability comes without the need to modify the host ship from which it is operated. To fulfill all the requirements set by the Bundesamt fur Ausrustung, Informationstechnik und Nutzung der Bundeswehr, AeroVironment partnered with the German company ESG Elektroniksystem- und Logistik GmbH. AeroVironment developed the Puma system to win a 2008 United States Special Operations Command competitive program of record. The mini-UAV market focuses on flying devices that can be carried, launched, and recovered by soldiers. The RQ-20B Puma II AE differs from the baseline RQ-20A-model. It is equipped with longer-life battery power sources (increasing endurance to 3.5 hours and range to 20 km), a transit bay that can accommodate additional payloads.
The French defense contractor Thales announced that it has begun the production of its Sea Fire 500 digital radar. The naval sensor is a four-panel phased array antenna designed to track conventional, asymmetric and emerging air and surface threats, such as supersonic missiles. The radar draws on work on big data and cybersecurity, and future software development will be written into the system to boost performance and reliability over the life of the system. The system is set to be installed on France’s brand-new FTI frigates. The multi-mission FTI frigate will carry a 125-strong crew and displace 4,250 tons. It is equipped with MBDA Aster 30 anti-air and Exocet anti-ship missiles, MU90 torpedo’s, and a 76 mm cannon. The FTI program is valued at $4.5 billion, with the first of the frigates to be delivered in 2023.

Asia-Pacific

The Russian government has unveiled its Kinzhal air-launched hypersonic missile during Moscow’s annual Victory Day parade. During a flyby, two unaccompanied MiG-31 fighter jets showed the modified Iskander-M ballistic missile. Experts believe Kinzhal can in several minutes break through any missile defense and destroy with high precision even reinforced concrete underground objects. The missile is distinguished from the ground Iskander-M by a different tail and smaller fins. The tail has a special cover plug which likely protects the engine nozzles at hypersonic speed. The plug is dropped after the missile is fired by MiG-31. In response to Russian development of hypersonic missiles, the Pentagon announced that it will ramp up research on the technology with a stunning 136 percent ($257 million) increase in the 2019 budget request.

Today’s Video

Lockheed Martin tests its T-50A

Categories: Defence`s Feeds

Five Year Extension on Paveway-II Missile Production

Fri, 11/05/2018 - 05:54

GBU-12 Paveway II

Paveway II kits convert standard Mk 80 family free-fall bombs into laser-guided weapons. Each guidance kit consists of a computer control group (CCG) guidance system with a semi-active laser seeker and pneumatically-controlled guidance canards for the front-end of the bomb, plus an air foil group (AFG) on the back end that provides lift and stability. Once a target is designated, laser guidance is more accurate than GPS, but it can be foiled by obscurants like fog, sandstorms, etc.

At the beginning of August 2011, the US government issued a contract worth up to $475 million…

“Paveway” is actually a US government designation for laser-guided bombs, but the term has been the subject of global legal battles between Raytheon and Lockheed Martin, with Raytheon claiming it as a trademark, and Lockheed Martin claiming it as a generic term. A number of courts have ruled in favor of the generic argument.

Updates

May 11/18: A cheaper bang Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control is being tapped by the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division to produce more laser training rounds. The contract modification is part of a multi-year deal, it provides for the production of 7,501 BDU-59F/B LGTR and is valued at over $23 million. In October 2017 the Air Force had selected Lockheed Martin for follow-on production of Paveway II Laser-Guided Bomb Kits for the ninth consecutive year. The Paveway II consists of a computer control group guidance system with a semi-active laser seeker and pneumatically-controlled guidance canards for the front-end of the bomb, plus an air foil group on the back end that provides lift and stability. Once a target is designated, laser guidance is more accurate than GPS, but it can be foiled by obscurants like fog and sandstorms. The BDU-59F/B LGTR is used in tactical employment training and is a cost-effective alternative to expending on operational Laser-Guided Bomb assets. LGTR allows aircrews to practice delivery tactics in a real-mission environment and experience actual weapon characteristics within today’s range limitations. Work will be performed at multiple locations in the US and in Vaudreuil-Dorion, Canada. Work is scheduled for completion by December 2020.

October 30/17: For the ninth consecutive year, Lockheed Martin has been selected by the US Air Force for follow-on production of Paveway II plus Laser-Guided Bomb Kits. Valued at $131 million, the award also includes all available funding for the service’s foreign military sales and replacement kits. Paveway II Plus includes an enhanced guidance package turns free-fall, or dumb bombs, into laser guided weapons through the addition of a nose-mounted laser seeker and fins for guidance. Production is expected to commence in the first quarter of Fiscal year 2018.

April 23/17: An F-35C loaded with the latest F3 software configuration has successfully hit a moving target with a GBU-12 Paveway II laser-guided bomb in what was the munition’s first developmental release from the fighter variant. The successful test was made capable by the inclusion of Lead Point Compute logic in the software which enhances the effectiveness against moving targets, with the objective of reducing pilot workload. This works by delaying the release point of the weapon to ensure the weapon has the available kinematics to guide to and reach the target at its future location. The GBU-12 has now been tested on every variant of the F-35.

July 29/16: A growth in Paveway guided bomb sales has resulted in Raytheon posting better than expected quarterly revenues for 2016. The sales saw the company’s missile division posting a 6% increase in the second quarter. International sales accounted for a third of all guided munitions with half of exports coming from governments in the Middle East and Africa.

May 11/16: Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control and Raytheon Missile Systems have been awarded a combined not-to-exceed $649.7 million modification contract for Paveway II production. The modification provides a five year extension for Paveway II missile production with work completion expected for July 27, 2023. Foreign Military Sales (FMS) of the munition in 2015 included a $1.29 billion sale of muntions to Saudi Arabia, which included 1,000 GBU-12 Paveway II laser guided bombs.

Aug 1/11: Lockheed Martin Corp. in Archbold, PA (FA8213-11-D-0008), and Raytheon Missile Systems of Tucson, AZ (FA8213-11-D-0007) receive a $475 million contract for Paveway II laser-guided bomb computer control groups (seekers), and GBU-12 air foil groups (tail kits) for 500 pound bombs. Both elements are needed, in order to create a GBU-12 laser-guided bomb. The Ogden Air Logistics Center/GHGKA at Hill Air Force Base, UT manages the contract.

Discussions with Hill AFB confirm that this is a single 5-year firm-fixed-price, multiple-award contract. The 2 firms will compete for purchase orders, as the USAF issues them.

Categories: Defence`s Feeds

Arleigh Burke gets more power | France orders one Barracuda Sub | ‘Doomsday’ plane needs more spares

Thu, 10/05/2018 - 06:00

Americas

The Rotary and Mission Systems branch of Lockheed Martin is being tapped to provide services in support of the DDG-51 New Construction Ship program. The contract is valued at over $11 million and sees for the production of common Machinery Control Systems (MCS). The MCS provides control and monitoring capability of the ship’s auxiliary, damage control, electrical, and propulsion systems. As part of its electrical capability, MCS interfaces with the ship’s power generation and electrical distribution system. The US Navy’s DDG-51 Arleigh Burke Class destroyers are the backbone of America’s present and future fleet. With the DDG-1000 Zumwalt Class order ended at 3 ships, the DDG-51 Arleigh Burke Class ships will become more important to the future Navy. The award brings the total cumulative face value to $194.3 million. Work will be mainly performed in Baltimore, Maryland and expected to be completed by May 2019.
The Air Force is currently conducting flight tests at its Holloman Air Force Base in New Mexico. The second phase of its light attack experiment take a closer look at Textron’s AT-6 and the A-29 Super Tucano manufactured by Sierra Nevada Corp. and Embraer. The flight tests will be conducted over the next three months and will take a closer look at associated logistics and some of the aircraft’s weapons integration capability, such as integrating precision guided weaponry. The pilots also hope to get a better understanding of how the Air Force can operate light attack aircraft in austere and high-paced combat environments. Officials hope that the acquisition of light attack aircraft will provide a cheaper alternative to more advanced fighter jets often tasked with low-end counterterrorism missions. Future steps are taken for establishing a common network architecture that will connect the aircraft to other US assets and with a wide array of US partners.
The Naval Air Systems Command has awarded a $19.3 million contract modification to IAP Worldwide Services. The additional funding provides for spare parts, and spare inventory support of the E-6B Take Charge and Move Out (TACAMO) aircraft program. The US’s E-6B TACAMO, “survivable airborne communication system” airplanes support the Navy’s SSBN ballistic missile submarine force and overall strategic forces. With the advent of the new “Tactical Trident” their unique capabilities become even more useful. The E-6B version also has a secondary role as a “Looking Glass” Airborne National Command Post, and in recent years they have seen use as communications relay stations over the front lines of combat. The US Navy has a total fleet of 16 E-6B aircraft deployed from Tinker AFB in Oklahoma. Work will be performed at Air Force Bases in Oklahoma, Nebraska, California and Maryland, it is expected to be completed by November 2020.

Middle East & Africa

Jane’s reports that the Royal Jordanian Air Force has shown its CH-4B armed UAV for the first time. The CH-4B is manufactured by China Academy of Aerospace Aerodynamics, a subsidiary of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation. The drone belongs to the family of ‘Cai Hong’ designated aircraft. The magazine Foreign Policy has called the drone, the “Kalashnikovs of the drone world”. Their cheap price and the US’s reluctance to sell armed UAV’s to their regional allies has made vehicles very popular with countries like Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Iraq. They are currently deployed to operations in Yemen and in the fight against ISIS in Iraq. The CH-4B broadly resembles General Atomics MQ-1 Predator and can carry a variety of arms, including AR-1 and AR-2 missiles (the Chinese equivalent to the US AGM-114 Hellfire), as well as a range of small precision-guided bombs.

Europe

The French government will buy a fifth Barracuda class nuclear attack submarine. A spokesperson for the Armed Forces Ministry confirmed in a statement that the Defense Minister Florence Parly made the decision on May 2nd. The draft multiyear budget that is set to run from 2019-2025 includes the funding for six Barracuda class submarines, delivery of which is scheduled for 2025. The Barracuda SSN program started in 2006 when France’s Defense Ministry awarded a contract for nuclear-propelled fast attack submarines to state-owned warship builder DCN and nuclear energy group Areva-TA. The Barracuda program will meet the French Navy’s operational mission needs by providing replacements for its 6 current Rubis Amethyste class nuclear attack submarines. The Barracuda’s are roughly the same size as the Royal Navy’s existing SSN Trafalgar Class boats, and twice the size of the current vessels. The program’s total value was initially set at then $11.13 billion but has since risen to over $12.32 billion.
Reports suggest that Switzerland could achieve a breakthrough in the field of passive radar. The still-dormant radar technique has the potential to track stealthy aircraft. The research is part of the Swiss multibillion-dollar “Air 2030” program that seeks to upgrade the countries air defense system. Passive radar technology promises the advantage that it cannot be detected, meaning pilots entering a monitored area may be unaware they are being tracked. That could even be the case for pilots flying stealthy aircraft like the F-35. Swiss experiments with the technology go back to 2010, with field-tested demos held in 2015 and 2016. Many defense companies are believed to have passive radar developments in the works. Leonardo currently markets the AULOS Passive Covert Radar, and the German defense company Hensoldt recently unveiled its TwInvis system.

Asia-Pacific

Turkmenistan recently unveiled its Alenia’s M-346 Master advanced jet trainer and C-27J Spartan tactical airlifter. Alenia’s Aermacchi’s M-346 advanced jet trainer began life in 1993, as a collaboration with Russia. It was also something of a breakthrough for Alenia Aermacchi, confirming that the Finmeccanica subsidiary could design and manufacture advanced aircraft with full authority quadriplex fly-by-wire controls. The C-27J, also named “Baby Herc” due to its profile, engine, and avionics commonality with the C-130J Hercules, is produced in a partnership between Alenia, L-3 Communications and Boeing. Turkmenistan currently has a broad inventory of Soviet-era aircraft, but also boosts some Italian products such as the Selex Falco UAV and the Augusta AW-109 helicopter.

Today’s Video

US Navy orders more than 7.000 APKWS produced by BAE.

Categories: Defence`s Feeds

France’s Future SSNs: The Barracuda Class

Thu, 10/05/2018 - 05:58

SSN Barracuda cutaway

In December 2006, France’s Defense Ministry awarded a contract for nuclear-propelled fast attack submarines to state-owned warship builder DCN and nuclear energy group Areva-TA. The contract’s total value could be as high as EUR 8.6 billion, and it is set up as an initial EUR 1.0-1.4 billion contract (reports vary), followed by 6 options (tranches conditionnelles) to cover development expenses, the production of more submarines, and through-life support during their first years of operational service.

All ships wear out over time, and the repeated squeezing and relaxing experienced by submarine hulls make their replacement times less negotiable. The USA began introducing their new-generation NSSN Virginia Class fast attack boats in 2004, and Britain’s problem-plagued SSN Astute Class followed in 2010. Now, it’s France’s turn to renew its SSN fleet, as DCNS works to supply 6 Barracuda Class submarines between 2016-2027.

The Barracuda SSN Program

The program’s total value was initially set at EUR 7.9 billion (then $11.13 billion), but has since risen to EUR 8.6 billion ($12.32 billion in 2011). The contract was set up as an initial EUR 1.0-1.4 billion contract (reports vary), followed by 6 options (tranches conditionnelles) to cover production of the other boats, development, and support during their first years of operational service. Subsequent orders have not revealed costs per boat, however, just inferences about creeping overall program costs.

The first Barracuda Class submarine is still expected to enter service in 2017, with the other 4 following every two years (2019, 2021, 2023, 2025) and then the 6th and last boat due to be commissioned in 2026-2027.

Within the DCNS/Areva TA consortium, DCNS will act as the submarine prime contractor, including responsibilities as overall architect, platform and propulsion system prime contractor, systems integrator, nuclear safety studies coordinator and through-life support prime contractor. The Barracuda Class will be built at DCNS’ Cherbourg shipyard.

Areva TA will act as prime contractor for the nuclear powerplant, and NucAreva will take around 15% of the contract’s value. The nuclear propulsion unit, derived from that developed for the “Le Terrible” SSBN nuclear missile submarine, will be supplied by Areva TA under the prime contractorship of the French atomic energy commission (CEA). Other contractors include:

Colfax-Imo Pompes (oil pumps & fluid handling)
EADS Astrium (life support)
GE Oil & Gas subsidiary Thermodyn (turbo-generators and propulsion turbines)
Sagem subsidiary Safran (surface detection system – radar & optronic masts)

Per the planned dates above, the team has yet to launch a submarine, let alone deliver one. Submarines under construction or on order include:

Suffren
Duguay-Trouin
Tourville

Other named submarines of class include:

Duquesne
Dupetit-Thouars
De Grasse

Replacing the Rubis: The Barracuda Class SSN

Rubis Class SSN
(click to view full)

The Barracuda program will meet the French Navy’s operational mission needs by providing replacements for its 6 current-generation nuclear attack submarines. Displacing 5,100-5,300 tonnes submerged, at 99m long and 8.8m in diameter, the new Barracuda Class will be about twice as large as the Rubis Amethyste Class boats they will replace. Indeed, they are roughly the same size as the Royal Navy’s existing SSN Trafalgar Class boats. They are designed to remain smaller than the USA’s new 7,300t Virginia Class SSNs, however, or the new and slightly larger British Astute Class SSNs.

Despite their relatively modest size, the Barracudas will have sharp teeth. A set of 4 x 533mm launch tubes will be able to fire its stored armament of up to 20 heavy weapons, in whatever combination of new short range F21/Artemis heavyweight torpedoes, medium-range SM39 Exocet anti-ship missiles, A3SM (Mica) anti-aircraft missiles, and stealthy long range MdCN Scalp Naval cruise missiles is on hand. The class will also be able to accommodate mines or carry 12 commandos, whose equipment can be carried in a mobile pod attached aft of the sail. One key unanswered question will be the type’s ability to launch and retrieve UUV robots, beyond options that can be launched and recovered via torpedo tube.

A3SM MICA

A diving depth of over 350 meters (about 1,150 feet) and a top speed of over 25 knots are both forecast by DCNS. The Barracuda Class’ regular crew level will be 60, and the boats will be designed for operational cruises of up to 70 days, in contrast to the current Rubis Amethyste Class’ 45 days.

As a final advantage, Barracuda’s K15-based nuclear propulsion is designed to offer 2 substantial advantages over existing French boats. The first advantage is that instead of requiring refueling once every 7 years, the new design will extend its time between RCOHs (refuelling and complex overhauls) to 10 years. This translates into higher at-sea availability over the life of each ship. The USA’s Virginia Class, whose reactors aren’t forecast to need refueling over the boat’s expected 30-year life, are significantly ahead in this respect. Nevertheless, the Barracuda’s propulsion will have a second advantage that Virginia Class boats won’t share: it plans to use same nuclear fuel that powers French civilian nuclear power stations. Given France’s significant use of nuclear power, this commonality is expected to drive fuel costs down sharply.

SMX Ocean: A Conventional Export Derivative

SMX Ocean

At EuroNaval 2014, DCNS unveiled their 4,750t SMX Ocean diesel-electric attack submarine concept. It’s much closer to operational reality than past concepts, as it’s based on the basic Barracuda layout, masts, and combat system.

Switching out the nuclear reactor does create a bit more space, even with 2nd generation fuel cell technology added to give the submarine submerged endurance of 3 weeks. A cable-and-collar “saddle” system can be added for deployment and retrieval of UUVs from a mid-body chamber, and a detachable mobile pod aft of the sail can carry a special forces swimmer delivery vehicle. Behind the UUV bay, a 6-shooter for vertically-launched cruise missiles like MBDA’s MdCN/ Scalp Naval is complemented by internal frontal space for 28 weapons in any combination of heavyweight torpedoes, Exocet anti-ship missiles, A3SM anti-aircraft missiles, or mine packages. Items like the Vipere tethered communications and surveillance buoy round out the package.

Sub advances

The submarine is touted as a complement for carrier battle groups, but the truth is that their speed requirements tend to stretch the SMX Ocean’s capabilities, which top out at 20 knots and lose efficiency well before that. It would fare rather better as a companion to slower amphibious assault groups, but its real markets may be more specific.

Australia is looking for a long-range fleet of modern submarines, and their push to negotiate directly with the Japanese for the 4,000t+ Soryu Class may be forced toward competitive bids for political reasons. Meanwhile, India has just approved a “Project 75i” program to add 6 locally-built submarines beyond their forthcoming Scorpene fleet. A relationship extension based around Barracuda hulls would build on already-proven industrial relationships and training, and allow for excellent weapons commonality with the Scorpene fleet. It would also complement both the scope of India’s maritime interests, and local work fielding and refining their own nuclear submarine design.

Contracts & Key Events 2011 – 2018

Order for submarine #3; Cruise missile test; Progress reports; 4,750t conventional derivative.

SSN Barracuda concept
(click to view full)

May 10/18: One more for Paris The French government will buy a fifth Barracuda class nuclear attack submarine. A spokesperson for the Armed Forces Ministry confirmed in a statement that the Defense Minister Florence Parly made the decision on May 2nd. The draft multiyear budget that is set to run from 2019-2025 includes the funding for six Barracuda class submarines, delivery of which is scheduled for 2025. The Barracuda SSN program started in 2006 when France’s Defense Ministry awarded a contract for nuclear-propelled fast attack submarines to state-owned warship builder DCN and nuclear energy group Areva-TA. The Barracuda program will meet the French Navy’s operational mission needs by providing replacements for its 6 current Rubis Amethyste class nuclear attack submarines. The Barracuda’s are roughly the same size as the Royal Navy’s existing SSN Trafalgar Class boats, and twice the size of the current vessels. The program’s total value was initially set at then $11.13 billion but has since risen to over $12.32 billion.

Feb 11/15: Interview with program manager.
Navy Recognition managed to get the Barracuda product manager to answer a few questions in a brief interview. Expected improvements anticipated over the Rubis class: maneuverability, stealth, detection capabilities.

Oct 28/14: SSK Ocean. DCNS unveils its 4,750t SMX Ocean concept design at EuroNaval 2014. This diesel-electric attack submarine design is much closer to reality than past SMX concepts, because it’s based on the basic Barracuda layout, masts, and combat system. Meanwhile, shifts in the global market toward the Pacific and Indian oceans are tilting requirements in favor of larger conventional submarines, with more range and endurance. See above for details. Sources: DCNS, “DCNS unveils SMX-Ocean, a new blue-water SSK with expanded capabilities”.

Nov 6/12: #3: The DCNS Cherbourg centre has completed the 1st pressure hull ring (Ring #7) for the Tourville, France’s 3rd Barracuda Class SSN. The milestone comes almost 1 month ahead of schedule. DCNS.

Dec 19/11: #2. DCNS mates hull sections 12 & 13 for Duguay-Trouin, the 2nd Barracuda Class submarine, using butt-welds along their entire circumference. A new controlled-atmosphere technology cut 15% from weld time, while improving quality, allowing the 30t sections to be welded in less than 2 months.

These hull sections will house the ops room, including the boat’s main command, navigation and operations systems. Of Duguay-Trouin’s 21 hull rings, 2 have been completed and joined, 10 have been completed, and 8 are under construction. Hull ring mating work will continue until early 2013.

June 28/11: #3 ordered. The DGA formally orders the 3rd Barracuda class submarine and its nuclear reactor from DCNS and AREVA. This is the Tourville.

Costs are not described in releases or subsequent reports, though the total program cost now lists at EUR 8.6 billion. Hull assemblies for the Suffren and Duguay-Trouin continue at Cherbourg. French DGA [in French] | DCNS.

3rd SSN ordered

June 8/11: Weapons. The DGA holds a test launch of the SCALP Naval / MdCN (Missile de Croisière Naval) at its Ile du Levant missile test center in the Mediterranean, using an underwater platform simulating the launch conditions on the future Barracuda SSN. The change from water to air, and subsequent launch/flight, is one of the most difficult and important steps for any such missile. When fully operational, the Storm Shadow’s MdCN cousin is expected to offer a stealthy sub-sonic strike missile with long reach: over 1,000 km/ 540 nautical miles.

When combined with a successful 2010 vertical-launch test from an above-water platform, MBDA believes that its SCALP/MdCN program is now synchronized with the planned entry into service of the FREMM frigate (2014) and Barracuda submarine (2017) platforms. French DGA [in French, incl. test video] | MBDA.

March 18/11: #2. DCNS announces that the 1st hull section of the 2nd boat of class has left the prefabrication hall at Cherbourg on schedule. Duguay-Trouin’s aft section #7 is just 1 of about 20 hull sections and 4 “interface points.” The 40t hull section is made of steel alloy, and measures about 9 meters in diameter by 4 meters. It will sit immediately behind the nuclear reactor compartment, and will eventually contain the submarine’s electrical distribution plant.

DCNS adds that construction of the 1st-in-class Suffren in also on schedule in Cherbourg, with the first equipment integration phases set to begin in the next few months.

2007 – 2010

Development & orders for 2 submarines; Sub-contractors picked.

Scalp Naval

Oct 27/09: Colfax Corp. announces that its Colfax-Imo Pompes Business Unit in France will provide oil pumps and other fluid-handling systems for France’s Barracuda class nuclear submarines. They will deliver the first pumping systems to DCNS in late 2010 – early 2011. Colfax will continue to provide service, training, parts and documentation for its systems during the service life of the vessels. Daniel Joslin, managing director of Colfax’s business in Tours, France:

“Submarines need to operate as quietly as possible to avoid detection, and the French Navy accordingly specified its pumps should produce low noise levels and vibrations… Our Colfax Defense Centre of Excellence in Tours [DID: one of 3, located in Tours, Mumbai, and Warren, MA] has the staff and equipment capable of meeting those demanding requirements to ensure the pumps provide years of quiet, reliable service.”

June 26/09: #2 ordered. The French DGA procurement agency orders the 2nd Barracuda class boat Duguay-Trouin from DCNS and Areva-TA. At present, the DGA is forecasting EUR 7.9 billion for the total Barracuda program, and 2028 as the program’s finish date.

The same day saw assembly of the lead boat, Suffren, begin, with the welding of the first 2 aft hull sections. DGA release [in French].

2nd SSN ordered

April 3/08: Sub-contractors. What does the International Space Station have in common with a nuclear submarine? Both are enclosed environments that must provide breathable air, which includes removing carbon dioxide as well as replacing used oxygen. Both also have very tight space limitations, and power limitations as well since the life support systems must be the last system to fail.

EADS Astrium in Friedrichshafen, Germany developed a binding carbon dioxide (CO2) regenerative process for the International Space Station’s European Columbus lab module, which was docked on Feb 10/08. Now DCNS in Cherbourg, France has ended a 4-year competition among established naval firms by awarding the life support contract to… the space firm EADS Astrium. EADS release.

Jan 25/08: Sub-contractors. GE Oil & Gas announces that their Thermodyn subsidiary in Le Creusot has been selected to provide the turbo-generators and propulsion turbines for the French Navy’s 6 new Barracuda Class nuclear fast attack submarines. The DCNS award continues Termodyn’s history if supplying such systems for France’s nuclear submarines, and for the nuclear-powered Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier as well.

The contract covers 2 turbo-generators and 1 propulsion turbine for the first-of-class FNS Suffren, which is scheduled to enter service in 2016, as well as for each of the other 5 boats ordered under optional contracts. GE’s propulsion turbine drives the propeller, and supplies the required mechanical power to the submarine when at top speed. The 2 turbo-generator-rectifiers supply electric power to the propulsion and auxiliary systems, keeping the sub’s electronics powered and allowing quieter slower speed movement. GE’s project partner Jeumont Electric is supplying the generator-rectifier equipment for the turbo-generators, and this first set of turbo-generators and propulsion turbine is scheduled for delivery between October 2010 – February 2011.

As noted above, Areva TA is the prime contractor for the shipboard nuclear power plant, which powers Thermodyn’s systems and thus the submarine. A submarine’s need for stealth means that these Thermodyn condensing-type turbines are highly customized to fit a submarine’s small space, while ensuring very low noise and vibration levels. The Le Creusot facility even operates a special anechoic chamber to test the equipment’s noise levels prior to delivery. GE also will provide assistance in the packaging of its equipment within the propulsion main frame, and in site tests. GE release.

Sept 6/07: Sub-contractors. SAFRAN Group subsidiary Sagem Defense Securite has won a competitively-bid contract from DCNS as prime contractor for the surface detection system (DAS) on France’s future Barracuda class nuclear submarines. The surface detection system for Barracuda class submarines comprises a radar mast and two optronic masts, which integrate a passive electromagnetic detection sensor. The optronic sensors of the system will provide day/night surveillance, detection, tracking and sighting functions.

A value was not announced, but the contract does includes a firm order for the first submarine in the series (FNS Suffren), as well as conditional orders for following vessels. Sagem will deliver the first system to DCNS in 2010. Sagem Defense Securite release.

June 1/07: Named. The ships of the Barracuda Class has been officially named by the French Ministry of Defence. The first-of-class will be the Suffren. It will be followed by the Duguay-Troin, Dupetit-Thouars, Duquesne, Tourville and finally the De Grasse.

Construction will begin in the summer of 2007. French Navy release [en Francais].

Namings

Dec 22/07: Development. DCN announces the contract for the new nuclear-powered attack submarines of the Barracuda Class. The contract’s total value could be as high as EUR 8.6 billion, and it is set up as an initial EUR 1.0-1.4 billion contract (reports vary), followed by 6 options (tranches conditionnelles) to cover development expenses, the production of more submarines, and through-life support during their first years of operational service. Sources: DCN, “Barracuda contract awarded” | Associated Press, “France awards submarine deal to DCN, Areva”.

Core Contract

Additional Readings & Sources

French DGA – Le sous-marin d’attaque futur Barracuda [in French].
French Marine Nationale – Sous-marins nucleaires d’attaque.
Naval Technology – SSN Barracuda Nuclear-Powered Attack Submarine, France.
DCNS – SNA Barracuda. 2011 snapshot. See also their accompanying English language success story feature: “Stealthy, far, fast and for long.” They seem to have left out “full of seamen”.
Naval Technology – SSN Rubis Amethyste Class Attack Submarine, France. The class it’s replacing.

Ancillary Equipment

DCNS – Subtics: Submarine Tactical Integrated Combat System.
DCNS – F21 Torpedo: The French Navy’s new heavyweight torpedo.
MBDA – Exocet SM39.
MissileThreat – SM39 Exocet.
MBDA – Scalp Naval.
DCNS – Contralto S. Torpedo countermeasures.
DCNS – Nuclear propulsion.

News & Views

Foxtrot Alpha (Nov 3/14) – Is This Jumbo Diesel Electric Submarine A True Nuclear Alternative?
Atomic Insights (Feb 24/06) – Ask Atomic: What limits reactor fuel burnup?

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