Advertisement

Watchkeeper 450
(click to view full)

Britain has given the green light to the Watchkeeper Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Program. The initial August 2005 contract award to Thales UK was worth around GBP 700 million, and the program expected to create or sustain up to 2,100 high-quality manufacturing jobs in the UK. The Watchkeeper platform is based on Elbit Systems’ Hermes 450 UAV platform, and executed via a joint venture.

Watchkeeper will be an important system, working as the likely medium-range mainstay within a complementary suite of manned (vid. ASTOR Sentinel R1) and unmanned (Buster, Desert Hawk, MQ-9 Reaper) aerial Intelligence Surveillance Target Acquisition Reconnaissance (ISTAR) systems. This will make it a core element of the UK Ministry of Defence’s Network-Enabled Capability strategy.

Recent developments include successful trials for autonomous flight, take-off, and landing, as well as details concerning upcoming tests…

• Watchkeeper: Rationale & Concept
• Watchkeeper MK450: The Platform
• Watchkeeper: Team and Program
• Contracts & Key Events [updated]
• Additional Readings & Sources
  
  Continue Reading… »

French Jaguar
(click to view full)

Oman has a long history of close relations with Britain, and this carries over into that country’s defense equipment. The al-Quwwat al-Jawwiya al-Sultanat Oman (RAFO) currently has 3 fighter squadrons. RAFO 10 squadron finished its conversion from Jaguar strike aircraft to F-16C/D Block 50/52+ fighters in 2006, but 8 sq and 20 sq continue to operate the old Jaguars [vid. extreme low-level flight video]. All are formally based at Thumrayt in the southwest, near the border with Yemen and away from the entrance to the Gulf. With that said, they have been known to operate from Seeb air base in the northeast.

In November 2008, Britain’s Financial Times reported that the remaining Jaguars may be next on the replacement block, as BAE Systems is in direct talks with the Omani government to sell them up to 24 Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft. The deal’s rumored value is GBP 1.4 billion (about $2.08 billion), which is slightly low but not wildly out of line with past Eurofighter purchases. That move would complete the RAFO’s fighter recapitalization, offering it an air fleet that could operate within the Gulf Cooperation Council alongside Bahraini and UAE F-16s, and forthcoming Saudi Eurofighters, while remaining relevant and competitive for many years to come. Financial Times | Agence France Presse.

The discussions come against the backdrop of negotiations over the Eurofighter partner nations’ Trache 3 purchases…

Continue Reading… »

Advertisement

(click to view larger)

In “Hydra-70 Rockets: From Cutbacks to the Future of Warfare,” Sen. Leahy’s [D-VT] work to keep the Hydra 70mm rocket family alive through special appropriations was discussed, just in time for the Hydras’ potential on the battlefield to rise again. The key was the addition of low-cost precision guidance, which would expand the number of precision weapons carried by helicopters, aircraft, and even UAVs. “APKWS II… Hydra Rockets Enter SDD Phase,” discussed a laser-guided version from BAE, General Dynamics, and Northrop Grumman that appeared to have the inside track as a precision weapon of choice for helicopters, UAVs, and aircraft. This proved true, and the team won that contract in April 2006.

A lot can change in a year or two. A lot has. This second attempt at APKWS has seen its program status change, before righting the program with Navy funding. Meanwhile, private development efforts from Lockheed Martin, Thales TDA, and a raft of international partnerships between major defense firms and partners in Korea, the UAE, Canada and Norway, and Israel are introducing new competitors into the precision-guided 70mm rocket space. The latest updates include a trio of testing milestones…

• APKWS II: To be, or not to be…
• Lockheed Martin: Is this a DAGR I see before me…?
• LOGIR: ”...the heavenly-harnessed team/ Begins his golden progress in the east…”
• Raytheon and the UAE: “Our remedies oft in ourselves do lie…”
• Other Entries: “Come unto these yellow sands….” [updated]
  
  Continue Reading… »

Beretta 92/M9, firing
(click to view full)

Beretta U.S.A. Corp. in Accokeek, MD recently received a 3-year, $8.2 million firm-fixed-price contract for 20,000 Beretta 92FS 9mm pistols. Work on this contract will be performed in Accokeek, MD, with an estimated completion date of Oct 20/09. One bid was solicited and one bid was received by TACOM Contracting Center at Rock Island Arsenal in Rock Island, IL (W52H09-09-D-0037).

The Beretta 9mm pistols have received extensive criticism since the pistol’s inception in the 1980s. Modern front-line soldiers, who frequently face armed, drug-enhanced opponents in the Middle East and Afghanistan, have re-echoed some of those criticisms. This problem is not exactly unknown in certain American neighborhoods, either. American law enforcement agencies seem to prefer Glock pistols, and many are also moving to heavier rounds; .40 caliber is becoming dominant, and some are even using .45 caliber pistols. Or perhaps the best solution lies in the bullets?

Ka-50 “Black Shark”
(click to view full)

When “Russia Commits to Multi-Year Buy of 67 Mi-28 Attack Helicopters” was published in July 2006, it appeared that the Mil design bureau’s product (NATO code: Havoc) had eclipsed Kamov’s more radical Ka-50 (NATO code: Hokum) as Russia’s future attack helicopter. A critical loss in Turkey’s attack helicopter competition, and conflicting promises concerning the Kamov machine’s future in Russia, left the platform’s very future in doubt. Russia’s 2005 defense budget, for instance, was supposed to include 12 Ka-50 helicopters – until that funding was cut.

At present, a handful of coaxial, single-seat Ka-50’s have been delivered to the Army Aviation Training and Conversion Unit at Torzhok. Some even saw action in Chechnya, where their high cruising speed (300 km/h), protection, and ability to carry either armaments or fuel tanks gained them respect as scout/ attack/ command helicopters. Many countries would consider that an odd combination, but it works quite well with Russian doctrines that emphasize durable combat punch for scouts, and central on-scene direction of aviation elements.

Fortunately for the VVS, growing Russian natural resource revenues, and the accompanying growth in Russian defense budgets, are creating new options…

Continue Reading… »

“Il n’y a pas de liberté, il n’y a pas d’égalité, il n’y a pas de fraternité sans securité.”
—French President Nicolas Sarkozy

In June 2007, “France’s Sarkozy Softening on Defense After Electoral Stumble” covered debate around France’s future armed forces, and apparent backtracks in his campaign position regarding future defense spending. In July 2007, President Sarkozy put together a group that was tasked it with creating a White Paper to define France’s future defense policy. The last time an exercise of this type had been conducted was in 1994.

That group eventually returned with its report, and on June 17/08, President Sarkozy made a speech outlining the key elements of that future direction. The decisions made will change the shape of French defense spending, and will launch an attempt to implement an interlocking set of procurement, infrastructure, and political reforms and changes.

This DID article offers some details from that plan, explains the implications for NATO and the EU, and follows ongoing developments, which include recent cabinet approval of a 6-year spending plan…

• France’s 5 Foci
• Military Programs and Decisions
• Other Elements of Interest
• France, NATO, and the EU
• Updates and Key Events [NEW]
• Additional Readings
  
  Continue Reading… »

F-15E firing flares:
“Splash Two in Singapore!”
(click to view full)

At the dawn of the 21st Century, Singapore decided that it needed a new aircraft to replace its often-upgraded A-4SU Super Skyhawks. This was hardly surprising; John McCain had been flying an older model A-4 Skyhawk when he was shot down during the Vietnam War. The decision to require a twin-engine aircraft eliminated the JAS-39 Gripen and F-16 E/F Block 60 from the competition, and the F/A-18 E/F Super Hornet and Sukhoi Su-30 family were also scratched. That left just three finalists: Boeing’s F-15 Strike Eagle, France’s Rafale, and the Eurofighter Typhoon. Limited air-ground capabilities and a slow upgrade schedule splashed the Eurofighter, leaving just 2 contenders still flying. September 2005 releases tapped Boeing as the winner, and the deal was done in December 2005. The 12-plane, $1+ billion order (est. $1.4-1.8 billion) to replace Singapore’s ancient A-4SU Skyhawks was good news for Boeing: Singapore’s F-15SGs, and South Korea’s 40-60 plane F-15K order, are keeping the assembly line open for this 2-seat, multi-role fighter.

The F-15SG will be an advanced version of the U.S. Air Force’s F-15E Strike Eagle, with minor customization to Singapore’s specifications and the most up-to-date avionics available. The higher-thrust GE F110 engine will be used in place the Pratt & Whitney F100 engines that power some F-16s and most F-15s. AN/APG-63v3 AESA radars will be included, and there are rumors that a number of Israeli electronics and self-defense systems will be part of the F-15SG as well. Sniper XR surveillance & ground targeting pods, and IRST systems built in for air-air engagements, will also be added to Singapore’s standard equipment list.

With all of these features built into its fighters, Singapore has legitimate grounds to argue that it will be flying the world’s most advanced version of the F-15 Strike Eagle. A follow-on order increased the numbers bought, and now the first plane has been built…

Continue Reading… »

VBL
(click to view full)

“Russian Arms Exports Taking Another Jump in 2008” noted the recovery of Russia’s arms industry, which faces significant rebuilding challenges but appears to be on track to surpass the $7.4 billion worth of deals signed in 2007. As “France Trying to Streamline Arms Exports” explained, a cumbersome system was dragging another key exporter down. Aviation Week’s DTI reports that the reforms are having some effect. France’s defense ministry reported that it had signed off on nearly EUR 4 billion in export contracts by the end of Q3 2008, and is on track to meet its 2008 goal of EUR 6 billion. That’s slightly above previous years, and almost double the nadir reached in 2004. Defense Minister Herve Morin says that France’s long-term goal is to regain the share of the export market it enjoyed during the 1990s, and recover to 13% or about EUR 10 billion by 2010.

Key losses in Saudi Arabia and Morocco appear to have stung France’s bureaus into action. Morin credits some of the improved performance to MNA Yves Fromion’s approval reforms, which lengthened general approvals’ duration, discarded them for deals under EUR 150,000, and streamlined the application process. Morin says that wait times have dropped by over 60% to just 30 days on average, with 97% of applications now processed within a month and 20% of contracts given expedited treatment. The reforms also created an inter-ministerial committee to handle major deals, with 67 deals approved by the committee in the last 16 months. Morin is cautiously optimistic that contracts with Libya and Brazil can be signed before year’s end.

These improvements in Russia and France’s export efforts are somewhat complementary, given their defense industry links. Defense industry players in the USA, UK, and Israel can expect tougher competition at the global industry’s medium-high end. DTI, via Military.com | Reuters Africa.

Most people don’t think of the US military when they think of conservation and alternative energy sources. They probably should, because the military has strong financial and operational incentives to invest in these areas. Their future planning also sees energy becoming an even bigger issue in future. DID’s “Fuel & Power” topic archive contains a number of articles covering various aspects of the US military’s relationship with energy, and with new energy sources.

Today, Environmental Leader is running a “Military Efficiency Projects Of Note” compendium that may be of interest to our readers.

SU-30K: Export star
(click to view full)

The collapse of the Soviet Union triggered a twin collapse for Russia’s vast arms industries. On the one hand, revelation of the state’s bankruptcy collapsed domestic arms spending. As a follow-up punch, it also collapsed aid-financed exports to dependent Soviet client states. Russia’s arms industry has been clawing its way back ever since. During the 1990s, China effectively replaced Russia as the industry’s core domestic market, underwriting the R&D base and creating a springboard for further exports.

“Russian Arms Exports Rose to $5.78B in 2004” began to chronicle that comeback. In late 2005, “Russian Defense Industry Exports Stabilizing at $6B/Year, But Structure May Change” looked at some of the adjustments being made to Russia’s export sales arrangements, even as its industry was consolidated. In September 2008, “Russia’s Military Spending Jumping – But Can Its Industry?” looked at the challenges facing a sector that has lost most of its engineers, and now faces strong civilian competition for talent.

India and China remain Russia’s largest defense customers, though India is moving to diversify its defense imports by adding Western manufacturers to its mix. Even so, a major deal with Algeria may offer long-term promise if it holds, Indonesia has stepped up as a buyer, Libya may be next, and Venezuela is positioning itself as Russia’s next big customer. Konstantin Biryulin of the Federal Service for Military and Technical Cooperation of the Russian Federation (FSMTC) recently told RIA Novosti that arms export sales volume to Q3 2008 was 23% higher than the same period in 2007, which finished at $7.4 billion. Pravda.