Puma AE: An “All Environment” Mini-UAV

Puma AE team

The mini-UAV market may lack the high individual price tags of vehicles like the RQ-4 Global Hawk, or the battlefield strike impact of an MQ-9 Reaper, but it does have 2 advantages. One is less concern about “deconfliction” with manned aircraft, as described in “Field Report on Raven, Shadow UAVs From the 101st.” Mini-UAVs usually fly below 1,000 feet, and a styrofoam-like body with a 5 foot wingspan is much less of a collision threat than larger and more solidly-built platforms like the man-sized RQ-7 Shadow, or the Cessna-sized MQ-1 Predator.

The other advantage is mini-UAVs’ suitability for special operations troops, who are being employed in numbers on the front lines around the world. “Raven UAVs Winning Gold in Afghanistan’s ‘Commando Olympics’” details the global scale of this interest – and in July 2008, a $200 million US SOCOM contract for a breakthrough mini-UAV underscored it again. Now AeroVironment’s S2AS/ RQ-20A Puma AE is moving beyond Special Operations, and into the regular force.

Egypt Buys C-295M Air Transports

EAF C-295M concept

In addition to its larger AN-74 and C-130 military transports, Egypt also operates a small fleet of very old DHC-5 Buffalo aircraft, which need replacing. Canada’s Viking Air has a notional design for an modern DHC-5NG re-launch, but it has no customers and no prototype yet. The EAF wanted a more standard product, which left it with 4 plausible options: Airbus Military’s C295, Alenia’s C-27J Spartan, Antonov’s AN-32, or Xian’s Y-7H.

Egypt chose to become a new Airbus Military customer, and they’ve been adding to their fleet ever since.

MH-60R/S: The USA’s New Naval Workhorse Helicopters

USN Heli Plan

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.

Trainer Jets for Israel: From the Skyhawk, to the Master

Israeli A-4Ns

After more than 40 years operating the A-4 Skyhawk, a maintenance scandal led Israel to conclude that its remaining Skyhawk’s needed to be replaced as advanced trainers. That triggered a $1 billion advanced trainer competition, and a major geo-political decision.

In 2012, Israel made up its mind. The Italian M-346 Master will be their new trainer.

From Solution to Scrapheap: The Afghan AF’s C-27A Transports

G.222/ C-27A

The ultimate goal for Afghanistan’s air force is the ability to support the Afghan National Army against al-Qaeda/ Taliban elements that launch raids within the country, or from across the border with Pakistan. Given Afghanistan’s rugged terrain and sparse infrastructure, however, a decision has been made to make tactical transportation of troops and supplies the Afghanistan National Army Air Corps’ top priority.

That explains US NAVAIR’s efforts to buy more Ukrainian AN-32s, which offered familiar technology, even though the spares situation is less than ideal. On top of that, a 3-way deal was made with Italy to send 20 of its Alenia G.222 (C-27A) light transports to Afghanistan, under a refurbishment program conducted by Alenia North America.

Finland Updating Its Air Defense Systems

Finnish Buk M1

Control of the air isn’t a cornerstone of Finland’s defense, as it is for a country like Australia. Instead, Finland needs to make its airspace dangerous enough to deny enemies full air dominance, while its difficult terrain and mobile land forces bleed any Russian invasion until it quits.

That thinking fed into Finland’s recent decision to upgrade its medium and long-range air defenses, Russian 9K37-M1 Buk (SA-11 ‘Gadfly’) intermediate range anti-aircraft missiles, and radars with NATO-compliant solutions. The move was Finland’s largest single defense purchase since it bought its current fighter fleet of over 60 F/A-18C/D Hornets. The next step is to replace some of its man-portable, short range missile systems.

Rapid Fire Jan. 16, 2013: Middle East/Africa Aircraft

• Egypt is doubling the number of C295 transport aircraft it will own, to a total of 12, after an initial order in October 2010.

• Rolls-Royce won a 4-year contract to support the RB199 engines of Saudi Arabia’s fleet of Tornado aircraft. The firm’s press release mentions a “schedule of fixed price maintenance.” Meanwhile ST Aerospace will maintain and modernize [PDF] 3 C130s operated by Oman’s air force.