RAFO F-16Cs w. CFTs

Oman is location on the eastern Arabian peninsula next to the UAE and Saudi Arabia, and across from Persia. It remains a very strategic country, controlling the Strait of Hormuz’s western bank, and providing an overwatch position for both the entrance to the Persian Gulf and the Indian Ocean near Africa. The Royal Air Force of Oman (al-Quwwat al-Jawwiya al-Sultanat Oman) currently flies 12 F-16 Block 50 fighters: 8 F-16Cs and 4 F-16Ds, whose delivery began in 2005. They complement the RAFO’s 18 Jaguar strike aircraft, and 11 single-seat subsonic Hawk 203 light fighters. Sultan Qaboos’ air force is looking to replace its aging Jaguars, and has made inquiries about buying 4+ generation fighters like Eurofighters or even JAS-39 Gripens for this purpose.

A formal DSCA request for 18 more F-16s raised the possibility of a different approach, and that has now become a firm contract. But BAE just received an RFP for its Eurofighter…

• The Sultanate of Oman’s History, and its Fighter Fleet
• Contracts & Key Events [updated]
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YRH-70 test, 2005

AAS budget realities; Article updates. (Jan 30/12)

The US Army’s ARH (Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter) program aimed to replace around 375 Bell Textron OH-58D Kiowa Warrior helicopters, after the $14.6 billion RAH-66 Comanche program, was canceled in 2004. Instead, the Army would buy a larger number of less expensive platforms, with reduced capabilities. Bell Helicopter Textron initially won the ARH competition with a militarized version of its highly successful 407 single-engine commercial helicopter, but despite significant private investment after Army funding stopped in March 2007, spiraling costs killed the ARH-70 in October 2008.

What hasn’t changed is the battlefield need for on-call, front-line aerial surveillance and fire support. With its existing OH-58D stock wither wearing down, or shot down, the Army needs to do something. But what? This will serve as DID’s FOCUS Article for the ARH program, and its potential successor the Armed Aerial Scout. It includes updated background, coverage of contracts and key events, and additional research materials:

• The ARH Program: What Happened? [updated]
• ARH: Now What? [updated]
• The ARH Program: Contracts & Events [updated]
• Appendix A: Weary Warriors – The Army’s OH-58D Kiowa Warrior Fleet [updated]
• Appendix B: Initial Winner – Bell’s ARH-70
• Appendix C: Additional Readings & Sources
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CH-148 Cyclone

Lateness snowballing – damages, too. (Jan 28/12)

Canada’s Maritime Helicopter Replacement Program has been a textbook military procurement program over its long history. Unfortunately, it has been a textbook example of what not to do. While Canada’s Sea King helicopter 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. Eventually, the Canadian military settled on Sikorsky’s H-92 Superhawk as the basis of its new CH-148 Cyclone Maritime Helicopter, which will serve from the decks of Canada’s naval ships and bases.

The civilian S-92 has gone on to some commercial success. To date, however, Canada has been the H-92’s only military customer – with all of the associated systems integration and naval conversion burdens. There are also deeper questions being raised concerning both the machines’ fitness, and DND’s conduct of the program as a whole. This article covers the rationale for, history of, and developments within Canada’s Maritime Helicopter Program:

• CH-148 MHP: Systems & Program
  • The MH-92/ CH-148 Naval Helicopter [updated]
  • The CH-148 Program & Timeline [updated]
  • CH-148 Industrial Partnerships
• CH-148 MHP: Contracts & Key Events [updated]
• Additional Readings
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• J. Michael Gilmor, the Director of Operational Test & Evaluation (DOT&E) within the US DoD released his FY2011 report. Among other changes made in recent months, he notes that his organization now has input at the Joint Capabilities Integration Development System (JCIDS) level to help make sure requirements for new programs are measurable and testable. For reference: FY2010 report.

• The latest think tank memos [all PDFs]: CSBA delivers two trendy topics in one swoop on defeating Iran’s anti-access/area-denial threats; CSIS offers a new security architecture for the Arctic; and the Lexington Institute predictably asks the military to limit its industrial roles.

• US defense acquisition regulation is updated with a waiver allowing procurement from the UK of certain items that normally have to be sourced from the national [i.e. American] technology and industrial base. This waiver is effective for a year beginning on February 1st and covers air circuit breakers, small welded shipboard anchors and mooring chains, gyrocompasses, electronic navigation chart systems, steering controls, pumps, propulsion and machinery control systems, and totally enclosed lifeboats.

• DefenceWeb: The USAF says that it knows what went wrong with the RQ-170 Sentinel stealth UAV that Iran captured, and continues to use the type.

• Speaking of long-range drones, Israel has just blocked a sale of Aeronautics DS’ Dominator XP UAV to… Abu Dhabi. An unspecified export contract was reported in July, but most of us didn’t think of the United Arab Emirates. Perhaps this will open an opportunity for the Predator XP?

• Lockheed Martin acquired Procerus Technologies, a designer of UAV avionics created in 2004 and based in Utah.

• Britain is beginning work on a National Space Security Policy, which will seek to cover both military and civil use of space.

• Raytheon delivers its 30th SSDS ship combat system, and keeps its record of always delivering early.

• The ARGUS wide-area surveillance system, deploying to Afghanistan soon aboard Boeing’s A160T Hummingbird ultra-long endurance helicopter UAVs, collects 6 trillion bytes of information a day. Which is why technologies to manage that information firehose are so important.

• Can games-maker Electronic Arts use the likeness of aircraft like the MV-22 and AH-1Z in its games, or does it needs the manufacturer’s permission? That’s the subject of a recent lawsuit.

• House Armed Services Committee (HASC) member Todd Platts (R-PA-19) announced he won’t seek reelection.

• Video of yesterday’s HASC panel on business challenges within the defense industry embedded below, with John Shoraka of the Small Business Administration (SBA), Linda Hillmer who chairs the Small Business Division at the National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA), and Lynn M. Schubert, President of the Surety & Fidelity Association of America. Hillmer complained about bundling squeezing small businesses in sub-contracting positions:
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Javelin, firing

Retrofit and support contracts to USA, UAE, Australia. (Jan 17/12)

The Javelin missile system aimed to solve 2 key problems experienced by American forces. One was a series of disastrous experiences in Vietnam, trying to use 66mm M72 LAW rockets against old Soviet tanks. A number of replacement options like the Mk 153 SMAW and the AT4/M136 spun out of that effort in the 1980s, but it wasn’t until electronics had miniaturized for several more cycles that it became possible to solve the next big problem: the need for soldiers to remain exposed to enemy fire while guiding anti-tank missiles to their targets.

Javelin solves both of those problems at once, offering a heavy fire-and-forget missile that will reliably destroy any enemy armored vehicle, and many fortifications as well. While armored threats are less pressing these days, the need to destroy fortified outposts and rooms in buildings remains. Indeed, one of the lessons from both sides of the 2006 war in Lebanon has been the infantry’s use of guided missiles as a form of precision artillery fire. Javelin isn’t an ideal candidate for that latter role, due to its high cost-per-unit; nevertheless, it has often been used this way. Its performance in Iraq has revealed a clear niche on both low and high intensity battlefields, and led to rising popularity with American and international clients…

• The Javelin Anti-Tank Guided Missile System
• Javelin ATGM: The Program
• Javelin ATGM: Reports from the Front
• Javelin: Contracts & Key Events, 2004 – Present [updated]
• Additional Readings
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LAV-25 in combat

Arrowhead turrets for AH-64D attack helis. (Jan 5/11)

The Saudi National Guard is seeing a lot of investment lately. In July 2006, the Saudis formally tabled a multi-billion dollar request to buy LAV wheeled APCs and related equipment for its National Guard. When we talked to GDLS in October 2007, they expected to complete a deal some time in 2008, but it took until November 2009 before a contract emerged. A separate December 2009 purchase request would add substantial firepower punch for use against enemy armored vehicles – or urban warfare strongpoints. Additional investments can be expected to follow, and have, in areas as diverse as laser training equipment and helicopters.

Who is the SANG, and why are they a globally significant institution? A must-read article in the Tribune-Libanaise explains:

USN Heli Plan

Cockpit components for Australia & USA; AVET trainer for MH-60S. (Dec 29/11)

The US Army’s UH-60 Black Hawks have always had a naval counterpart. SH-60B/F Seahawk/ LAMPS helicopters were outfitted with maritime radar, sonobuoys, and other specialized equipment that let them perform a wide variety of roles, from supply and transport, to anti-submarine warfare, search and rescue, medical evacuation, and even surface attack with torpedoes or Kongsberg’s AGM-119 Penguin missiles. Like their land-based counterparts, however, the Seahawks are getting older. The Reagan defense build-up is receding into history, and its products are wearing out.

European countries chose to build new designs like the medium-heavy EH101 and the NH90 medium helicopter. They’re larger than the H-60s, make heavy use of corrosion-proof composites, and add new features like rear ramps. The USA, in contrast, decided to upgrade existing H-60 designs for the Army and Navy. Hence the MH-60R Multi-Mission Helicopter (aka. “Romeo”) and MH-60S (aka. “Sierra”) Seahawks. MH-60Rs and MH-60Ss will eventually replace all SH-60B/F & HH-60H Seahawks, HH-1N Hueys, UH-3H Sea Kings, and CH-46D Sea Knight helicopters currently in the US Navy’s inventory. Both programs are underway, and will be covered in this DID FOCUS Article.

• Romeo, Armed: The MH-60R Multi-Mission Helicopter [updated]
• Blue Collar Sierra: The MH-60S
• The MH-60R/S Program
• MH-60R/S Contracts and Key Events, 2005-Present [updated]
• Additional Readings and Sources
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A160T carries
1,000 pounds

Flying again; A160 loses Army cargo UAV, sees odds reduced for Navy VTUAV; A glimmer of light with the US Army. (Dec 22/11)

Recent years have seen a variety of unmanned helicopter options introduced into the market. Boeing’s entry lays a breathtaking challenge before the field: what could the military do with a helicopter-like, autonomously-flown UAV with a range of 2,500 nautical miles and endurance of 16-24 hours, carrying a payload of 1,000-2,500 pounds, and doing it all more quietly than conventional helicopters? For that matter, imagine what disaster relief officials could do with something that had all the positive search characteristics of a helicopter, but much longer endurance.

Enter the A160 Hummingbird Warrior (YMQ-18), which was snapped up in one of Boeing’s corporate acquisition deals. It uses a very unconventional rotor technology, and Boeing’s Phantom Works division continues to develop it as a revolutionary technology demonstrator and future UAV platform. With the Navy’s VTUAV locked up by the Northrop Grumman MQ-8B Fire Scout, Boeing’s sales options may seem thin. Their platform’s capabilities may interest US Special Operations Command and the Department of Homeland Security, and exceptional performance gains will always create market opportunities in the civil and military space. At least, Boeing hopes so…

• The A160T Hummingbird
• Contracts & Key Events [updated]
• Additional Readings & Sources [updated]
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IAI Heron

UAVs in service again, but relations go from bad to worse; Herons for the police; TAI Anka’s crashes; Looking for Plan B. (Dec 22/11)

In April 2005, Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI) and Elbit Systems won an contract to supply medium endurance unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to the Turkish military. Turkey’s local industry would provide sub-systems and services amounting to 30% of the contract.

The contract’s terms have been the subject of shifting reports, and the type of UAV was not specified in the official releases. Over time, however, clarity has emerged on several fronts. One front is the UAV type: the same Heron UAVs that serve with Israel, India, Canada, and other customers. Another front has involved problems with the contract, related to the weight of made-in-Turkey equipment. As clarity has emerged on those fronts, however, a 3rd front – the political front – is introducing complications…

• Contract Arrangements and Participants
• The UAVs – and the Issues [updated]
• Contracts & Key Events [updated]
• Additional Readings and Sources [updated]
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CEC Concept
(click to enlarge)

Improved chips & crypto for CEC. (Dec 20/11)

Cooperative Engagement Capability (CEC) may well be the most revolutionary capability available to the modern US Navy. It’s far more than a mere data-sharing program, or even a sensor fusion effort. This DID FOCUS Article explains those mechanics and implications. It will also track ongoing research, updates, and contracts related to CEC capabilities from 2000 forward.

The concept behind CEC is a sensor netting system that allows many ships to pool their radar and sensor information together, creating a very powerful and detailed picture that’s much finer, more wide-ranging, and more consistent than any one ship could generate on its own. The data is then shared among all ships and participating systems in the air and on the ground, using secure frequencies. It’s a simple premise, but a difficult technical feat. With huge implications…

• Co-operative Engagement Capability: How It Works [updated]
• CEC: Contracts and Key Events, 2000 – Present [updated]
• Additional Readings
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