Defense`s Feeds

Americas General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) announced that it successfully conducted flight maneuvers with its MQ-20 Avenger drone using artificial intelligence aided by Low Earth Orbit satellite communication. The company demonstrated its “live, virtual, constructive collaborative combat aircraft ecosystem over a Low Earth Orbit satellite communication (LEO SATCOM) provider’s IP-based Mission Beyond Line of Sight (BLOS) datalink” […]

Americas Brazil is in discussions about the possibility of extending its initial order of Saab Gripen E fighter jets from 36 to 40. The Defense Minister, Jose Mucio, confirmed that the Brazilian Air Force has expressed the need for additional aircraft and they are currently studying the matter. The 2014 agreement between Brazil and Saab, […]

A project managed by the European Defence Agency (EDA), which aims to create a basis for a future European interoperability standard for military unmanned systems, has taken a step forward with the successful conclusion of a table-top exercise. The INTERACT (Interoperability Standards for Armed Forces Unmanned Systems) project demonstration was held over two days at the Swedish defence research centre, Totalförsvarets Forskningsinstitut (FOI). The table-top exercise marked a milestone for the project by linking the operational aspects demonstrated by simulation to the standards to be used in the frame of the NATO Architecture Framework V4.

INTERACT

The interoperability standard that is under development within INTERACT will allow unmanned assets to be deployed in flexible and varied configurations such as singular deployment, manned and unmanned teaming, hand over or autonomous swarm, and independent of organisational or national provenance. An enhanced level of interoperability will greatly increase responsiveness and flexibility and hence the warfighting capability of European armed forces.

Handover in all senses  

During the tabletop demonstration, a small simulation session with live players was used to demonstrate the operational upgrade stemming from key interoperability aspects such as the handover of unmanned systems from one control station to another, even when belonging to another entity or allied nation.

In testing the execution of a handover, the tool used (Enterprise Architect from Sparx-EA) has proven invaluable for each operational phase. This has shown the best standards to use and the missing standards to develop. These results will be highlighted in the roadmap the project is producing to fully develop a European standard for interoperable unmanned systems.

While the full development of a new standard was out of the scope of this study, this roadmap is the first step to validate a complete standard in this area. This demonstration has validated the key elements of this first step, allowing for follow-on studies.

INTERACT background

INTERACT received 1.5 million euros for a two-year study from the PADR (Preparatory Action for Defence Research)  in its  2019 call for projects. PADR is managed by the European Defence Agency, a role delegated by the European Commission.

Sweden’s FOI, the Netherlands’ Organisatie Voor Toegepast Natuurwetenschappelijk Onderzoek and Greece’s Institute of Communication and Computer Systems are the main beneficiaries of this project under the coordination of Germany’s Fraunhofer Institute of Optronics, System Technologies and Image Exploitation. They are aided by the main European manufacturers of unmanned systems in the domains of air, land and sea, along with leading organisations.

Americas The Philippines and the United States launched their largest-ever joint military exercises on Tuesday, as the longstanding allies seek to counter growing Chinese assertiveness in the region. Nearly 18,000 troops are taking part in the annual exercises dubbed Balikatan, or “shoulder to shoulder” in Filipino, which for the first time will include a live-fire […]

Americas Boeing won a $1 billion order, which procures 400 RGM-84L-4 Harpoon Block II Update (HIIU) Grade B canister tactical missiles, four RTM-84L-4 Block II HIIU Grade B canister exercise missiles, 411 containers, four blast test vehicles, two Harpoon Weapon System (HWS) Joint Common Test Sets (JCTS), Harpoon Coastal Defense System (HCDS) spares, weapon station […]

Americas The Charles Stark Draper Laboratory won a $73.2 million modification which exercises options to provide design analysis, testing, procurement, and manufacturing of interferometric fiber optic gyros, accelerometers, and associated Trident II Strategic Weapon System guidance subsystem material. Work will be performed in Cambridge, Massachusetts; Pittsfield, Massachusetts; and Clearwater, Florida, with an expected completion date […]

Americas E-3 Sentry, #75-0560, is the first of the 31 AWACS that will be retired by Tinker Air Force Base. The base hosts veterans who worked on the plane to pay a final visit before it is flown off next week. The US Air Force has retired its last MC-130H Combat Talon II, #89-0280, after […]

Americas The US Army has awarded Lockheed Martin a $439-million contract to produce and deliver the Joint-Air-to-Ground Missile (JAGM) and Hellfire missile. Lockheed will produce the missiles for the army and Australia, the Czech Republic, France, South Korea, and Thailand. The contract offers three additional follow-on awards of up to $4.5 billion over the next four […]

Americas A US Navy warship intercepted a medium-range ballistic missile using software-upgraded SM-6 missiles in a recent trial. The test, conducted in cooperation with the US Missile Defense Agency (MDA), aimed to demonstrate the capability of the USS Daniel Inouye in detecting, tracking, and engaging a medium-range ballistic missile target. The US Air Force’s 71st […]

Americas Marshall Aerospace has launched the ARC-Radar, a modular sensor suite that can transform a tactical transport aircraft for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) roles using the Leonardo Osprey 30 radar. The Marshall ARC-Radar is a role-fit palletised solution that requires no permanent integration or aircraft modifications, and utilises only existing aircraft power outlets. The […]

Americas Hamilton won a $23.6 million deal with a firm-fixed-price pricing arrangement for C-130 repair. The total estimated value of all options is $116,760,189. The maximum ceiling value of the contract is $140,383,922. This contract provides repair in support of the NP2000 eight blade propeller and electronic propeller control system of the C-130 for the […]

Americas Lockheed Martin won a $120 million modification, which exercises an option to provide continued engineering, maintenance, logistics, and material support in support of the development, production, and sustainment of software builds, as well as to execute developmental flight tests in support of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter aircraft for the Air Force, Marine Corps, […]

Americas Lockheed Martin has received a US Army contract to develop a future precision strike missile to strike targets more than 1,000 kilometers (621 miles) away. Called the Long-Range Maneuverable Fires missile, the program will become the Precision Strike Missile (PrSM) increment 4, being fired from existing army launchers to defeat distant threats. According to […]

Americas Boeing won a $30.4 million modification, which exercises an option to procure eight P-8A aircraft mechanisms as ancillary equipment in support of P-8A production aircraft. Work will take place in Washington. Estimated completion will be in January 2026. The US Office of Naval Research (ONR) has contracted Textron to develop a non-towed mine sweeping payload […]

Americas Lockheed Martin won a $80 million modification, which adds scope to procure additional initial spares in support of F-35 Lightning II Lot 17 deliveries for the Air Force, Marine Corps, Navy, Foreign Military Sales customers, and non-US Department of Defense participants. Work will be performed in Fort Worth, Texas, and is expected to be […]

Americas Raytheon won a $33 million spares delivery order under previously awarded basic ordering agreement N00383-19-G-UX01 for the procurement of two Active Electronically Scanned Array radar system APG-79 weapon repairable assemblies (WRAs), for a total quantity of 54 WRAs in support of the F/A-18 aircraft. The delivery order does not include an option period. All […]

The multinational fleet of Airbus A330 tanker and transport aircraft, which was developed with support from the European Defence Agency (EDA), has been cleared for operations worldwide. First proposed at a NATO summit in 2012, the initiative for a Multinational Multi Role Tanker Transport Fleet (MMF) was established by EDA along with the Organisation for Joint Armament Cooperation and the NATO Support and Procurement Agency.

Now with six participating countries, the fleet performs air-to-air refueling of fighter jets, can carry out medical evacuations and also transport cargo and passengers. MMF reached Initial Operational Capability on March 23 in a ceremony attended by EDA Chief Executive Jiří Šedivý and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, as well as the ministers and senior officials of the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Belgium, Norway, Germany, Czechia and the European Commission.

Preparing for take-off: EDA’s role

EDA’s role in getting the project off the ground was crucial, by bringing together contributing Member States, motivating countries to join and negotiating the aircraft acquisition options.

To initiate MMF, EDA set up a project team to work on the harmonisation of requirements towards a future tanker capability. It helped craft the legal framework to establish the programme and smooth the way for the organisational and industrial partners that were to join. 

The Netherlands, where the NATO-owned aircraft are registered, serves as the fleet’s base. Aircraft are also stationed in Cologne, Germany. The Netherlands and Luxembourg launched the programme in July 2016. Germany and Norway joined in 2017. Belgium followed in early 2018 and Czechia joined the MMF programme in October 2019.

Seven aircraft from the fleet are in service. Two more are expected to join in 2024, with the tenth aircraft scheduled for delivery at the end of 2026. 

Flying high

At present, the fleet has already provided six million liters – or about twice the volume of an olympic-size swimming pool - of fuel to NATO allies. MMF aircraft were the first tankers to deploy over Poland in support of NATO air policing following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

In total, the fleet has flown more than 500 missions, as well as supported the evacuation of civilians from Afghanistan and deployed for exercises with NATO partners such as Australia. Later this year, MMF aircraft will fly to the Middle East to support operations against ISIS.

EDA’s wider role 

EDA supports all EU Member States in improving their defence capabilities through European cooperation. Acting as an enabler and facilitator for Ministries of Defence willing to engage in collaborative capability projects, the Agency has become the hub for European defence cooperation with expertise and networks spanning the whole spectrum of defence capabilities.

Member States use EDA as an intergovernmental expert platform where their  collaborative projects are supported, facilitated, and implemented. For more details, please see here 

Bruxelles, den 23. marts 2023. I dag bliver Danmark den 27. medlemsstat i Det Europæiske Forsvarsagentur (EDA). Agenturets leder, Josep Borrell, modtog en officiel meddelelse fra fungerende forsvarsminister Troels Lund Poulsen om, at Danmark vil tilslutte sig EDA, der blev oprettet i 2004 for at støtte det europæiske forsvarssamarbejde. Beslutningen er resultatet af Danmarks historiske folkeafstemning om ophævelse af forsvarsforbeholdet i juni 2022 og følger efter afslutningen af behandlingen i Folketinget. Med Danmarks deltagelse er medlemmerne af EDA nu udvidet til at omfatte alle EU's medlemsstater.

Danmarks deltagelse i EDA er en kraftig styrkelse af det europæiske forsvarssamarbejde og giver Danmark mulighed for at deltage fuldt ud i alle agenturets projekter, aktiviteter og arbejdsgrupper.

"Vi bygger et stærkere, mere modstandsdygtigt europæisk forsvar. Danmarks medlemskab af Det Europæiske Forsvarsagentur er endnu et skridt på vejen mod et tættere forsvarssamarbejde. I juni sidste år sendte det danske folk et stærkt signal om deres engagement i europæisk sikkerhed og forsvar. Fordelene ved denne beslutning er klare. Som chef for agenturet byder jeg Danmark hjerteligt velkommen til EDA, især i en tid, hvor EU åbner nye veje for forsvarssamarbejde med fælles indkøb af ammunition, kapacitetsudvikling og innovation for fremtiden,” siger EU’s Udenrigsrepræsentant og Chef for Forsvarsagenturet Josep Borell.

”Den internationale orden er under opbrud, og demokratiske værdier er under pres. Ukraine har fortsat brug for massiv støtte fra allierede, herunder ammunition, for at kunne modstå de russiske aggressioner. En del af ammunitionen skal skaffes gennem koordination af indkøb og øget produktion i EU. Det er rigtig positivt, at vi kan være med i disse vigtige initiativer fra dansk side,” siger fungerende forsvarsminister Troels Lund Poulsen.

Jiří Šedivý , EDA's administrerende direktør, udtaler: "I dag bliver Det Europæiske Forsvarsagentur en helhed. Det glæder mig at byde Danmark velkommen som medlem af EDA efter folkeafstemningen og folketingsbeslutningen. På et tidspunkt, hvor krigen er vendt tilbage til Europa, er samarbejdet på forsvarsområdet vigtigere end nogensinde. Danmark kan nu drage fordel af EDA's ekspertise og deltage i projekter og programmer for at fremme sine ambitioner på forsvarsområdet."

VELKOMMEN TIL DET EUROPÆISKE FORSVARSAGENTUR

• Samarbejde à la carte – Danmark og alle de andre medlemsstater kan selv hver især beslutte, hvilke af EDA's igangværende 100 projekter og programmer, de ønsker at deltage i.
• Arbejde hos EDA – Danske statsborgere kan søge aktuelle eller fremtidige ledige stillinger hos EDA. Praktikantprogrammet for 2023 åbner for ansøgninger i april og vil også være åbent for nyuddannede med dansk statsborgerskab.
• Danmark i EDA – Det næste forsvarsministermøde i EDA's styringskomité vil finde sted i maj i Bruxelles, og for første gang deltager 27 forsvarsministre. Repræsentanter fra Forsvarsministeriet vil fra nu af deltage i alle EDA's møder og fora.
• Muligheder for industrien – Dansk industri vil have mulighed for at deltage i EDA's forskningsaktiviteter inden for forsvarsområdet, innovationsknudepunktet på forsvarsområdet (HEDI) og de generelle aktiviteter med inddragelse af industrien.

EDA'S ROLLE I BREDERE FORSTAND

EDA hjælper medlemsstaterne med at forbedre deres forsvarskapacitet gennem samarbejde. Forsvarsagenturet fungerer som katalysator og formidler for forsvarsministerier, der er villige til at deltage i samarbejdsbaserede kapacitetsprojekter. Agenturet er dermed blevet knudepunktet for det europæiske forsvarssamarbejde med ekspertise og netværk, der omfatter hele spektret af forsvarskapaciteter.

Medlemsstaterne anvender EDA som en mellemstatslig ekspertplatform, hvor deres samarbejdsprojekter understøttes, faciliteres og gennemføres. Få mere information her

Noter til redaktører

1. EDA-faktablad på dansk, engelsk og andre sprog.
2. Det Europæiske Forsvarsagentur (EDA), knudepunktet for det europæiske forsvarssamarbejde:
   1. EDA blev oprettet i 2004 for at støtte og fremme forsvarssamarbejdet i Europa og er blevet det sted, hvor lande, der ønsker at udvikle deres forsvarskapaciteter, kan gøre det i fællesskab.
   2. EDA's ekspertise og aktiviteter omfatter hele spektret af samarbejde: fra harmonisering af krav til levering af operationel kapacitet, fra forskning, teknologi og innovation til udvikling af teknologidemonstratorer, fra uddannelse og øvelser til støtte af FSFP-operationer.
   3. EDA arbejder også tæt sammen med den europæiske forsvarsindustri for at styrke det europæiske forsvars teknologiske og industrielle grundlag og bidrage til at gøre industrien stærkere og mere konkurrencedygtig.
   4. Agenturets rolle og betydning er vokset konstant, navnlig med gennemførelsen af EU's globale strategi (2016), som også førte til, at medlemsstaterne udvidede agenturets mandat i 2017.
3. Følg #EUdefence på de sociale medier, og besøg vores websted www.eda.europa.eu.

 

Today Denmark becomes the 27th member state of the European Defence Agency (EDA). Head of the Agency, Josep Borrell, received an official notification from acting Minister of Defence, Troels Lund Poulsen, that Denmark will join EDA, which was set up in 2004 to support European defence cooperation. Following the conclusion of a Danish parliamentary process, the decision is the result of Denmark’s historic national referendum to lift its opt-out on European defence in June 2022. Danish participation in EDA broadens membership of the Agency to all EU Member States.

Denmark joining EDA is a strong boost for European defence cooperation and allows full Danish participation in all Agency projects, activities and working groups.

Head of the Agency, HR/VP, Josep Borrell said: “We are building a stronger, more capable European defence. Today, Denmark’s membership of the European Defence Agency is another step on the path to closer defence collaboration. Last June, the Danish people sent a strong message of their commitment to European security and defence. The benefits of that decision are clear. As Head of the Agency, I warmly welcome Denmark to EDA, especially at a time when the EU is opening new avenues for defence cooperation, with the joint procurement of ammunition, capability development and innovation for the future.”

Denmark’s acting Minister of Defence, Troels Lund Poulsen, said: “Europe must take greater responsibility for our own security and Denmark must participate fully in the cooperation. We are now a step closer with our membership of the European Defence Agency. The Defence Agency plays a special role in supporting the member states' cooperation and we look forward to contributing to this. The international order is changing rapidly and democratic values are under pressure. Ukraine continues to need massive support from allies, including ammunition, to resist Russian aggression.”

EDA Chief Executive, Jiří Šedivý said: “Today, the European Defence Agency becomes whole. I am delighted to welcome Denmark as a Member State of EDA following its referendum and parliamentary decision. At a time when war has returned to Europe, defence cooperation matters more than ever. Denmark can now benefit from EDA’s expertise and join projects and programmes to further its defence ambitions.”

WELCOME TO THE EUROPEAN DEFENCE AGENCY

• Cooperation à la carte – Denmark, like each Member State, can decide which of EDA’s ongoing 100 projects and programmes they wish to participate in.
• Work at EDA – Danish nationals can now apply for open and future positions at EDA. The Traineeship 2023 programme which will open for applications in April will also be open to recent graduates of Danish nationality.
• Denmark at EDA – The next EDA Steering Board of Defence Ministers will take place in May in Brussels, which will take place for the first time with 27 Defence Ministers. Representatives from its Ministry of Defence will now participate in all EDA meetings and fora.
• Industry avenues – Danish industry will have the possibility to take part in EDA’s defence research activities, its Hub for Defence Innovation (HEDI) and its overall industry engagement related activities.

EDA’S WIDER ROLE

EDA supports all EU Member States in improving their defence capabilities through European cooperation. Acting as an enabler and facilitator for Ministries of Defence willing to engage in collaborative capability projects, the Agency has become the hub for European defence cooperation with expertise and networks spanning the whole spectrum of defence capabilities.

Member States use EDA as an intergovernmental expert platform where their collaborative projects are supported, facilitated, and implemented. For more details, please see here

Americas The US will accelerate the time it takes to ship Abrams tanks to Ukraine by sending older M1-A1 models of America’s main battle tank instead of the more modern version of the tank, according to two US officials. The switch will allow the tanks to arrive as early as fall of this year, one […]