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Archives by category > Training & Exercises (RSS)

The USA’s E-6 Fleet: Take Charge, And Move Out!

Dec 02, 2020 00:06 UTC DII

Latest updates[?]: IAP Worldwide Services won a $11 million contract modification, which increases the contract value and provides additional funding for inventory replenishment, operational and depot spare parts in support of the E-6B Mercury airborne command post take charge and move out aircraft. The Boeing E-6 Mercury is a command post and communications relay aircraft manufactured by Boeing for the US Navy. The aircraft relays communications for ballistic missile submarine forces and provides airborne command and control for strategic forces. Work will take place in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Patuxent River, Maryland; Bellevue, Nebraska; and Fairfield, California. Expected completion will take place in January 2021.

E-6B TACAMO

E-6B TACAMO

The USA’s E-6 Mercury (aka. TACAMO, as in TAke Charge And Move Out) “survivable airborne communication system” airplanes support their Navy’s SSBN ballistic missile submarine force and overall strategic forces. With the advent of the new “Tactical Trident” converted Ohio Class special operations subs, 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.

Delivery of the first production E-6 aircraft took place in August 1989, with delivery of the 16th and final airplane coming in May 1992. This is DID’s FOCUS Article concerning the E-6 system, which includes details concerning the capabilities and associated contracts. The latest contracts involve important fleet upgrades, as the Navy tries to drag the jet’s systems into the 21st century.

Continue Reading… »

LCS: The USA’s Littoral Combat Ships

Nov 24, 2020 00:08 UTC DII

Latest updates[?]: Northrop Grumman Systems won a $10.7 million modification to procure two additional Surface-to-Surface Missile Modules (SSMM) for integration into the Littoral Combat Ship framework. The SSMM fires a Longbow Hellfire missile that will be added to the surface warfare mission module aboard the Littoral Combat Ship. In July 2019 the US Navy successfully completed structural testing of the Longbow Hellfire missile for the Littoral Combat Ship Surface-to-Surface Missile Module. LCS is a modular, reconfigurable ship, with three types of mission packages including surface warfare, mine countermeasures, and anti-submarine warfare. The Program Executive Office Littoral Combat Ships (PEO LCS) is responsible for delivering and sustaining littoral mission capabilities to the fleet. Work will take place in Huntsville, Alabama; Bethpage, New York and Hollywood, Maryland. Estimated completion will be by November 2022.

Littoral Combat Ship (LCS)

Austal Team
Trimaran LCS Design
(click to enlarge)

Exploit simplicity, numbers, the pace of technology development in electronics and robotics, and fast reconfiguration. That was the US Navy’s idea for the low-end backbone of its future surface combatant fleet. Inspired by successful experiments like Denmark’s Standard Flex ships, the US Navy’s $35+ billion “Littoral Combat Ship” program was intended to create a new generation of affordable surface combatants that could operate in dangerous shallow and near-shore environments, while remaining affordable and capable throughout their lifetimes.

It hasn’t worked that way. In practice, the Navy hasn’t been able to reconcile what they wanted with the capabilities needed to perform primary naval missions, or with what could be delivered for the sums available. The LCS program has changed its fundamental acquisition plan 4 times since 2005, and canceled contracts with both competing teams during this period, without escaping any of its fundamental issues. Now, the program looks set to end early. This public-access FOCUS article offer a wealth of research material, alongside looks at the LCS program’s designs, industry teams procurement plans, military controversies, budgets and contracts.

Continue Reading… »

The JAS-39 Gripen: Sweden’s 4+ Generation Wild Card

Oct 27, 2020 04:58 UTC DII

Latest updates[?]: The Swedish Air Force (SwAF) will retain a number of its Saab JAS 39 Gripen C/D fighters beyond their current planned 2026 retirement date, solidifying an earlier announced plan to make up an anticipated shortfall in Gripen E numbers. The plan, announced by the Swedish Defense Ministry in mid-October and confirmed by manufacturer Saab on October 23, is part of a wider increase in national defense spending by more than 40% between 2021 and 2025 that was revealed by Swedish defense minister Peter Hultqvist. Of the current six Gripen C/D squadrons fielded by the SwAF, four are set to transition to the Gripen E over the coming years. As revealed in Hultqvist’s latest announcement, the two outstanding squadrons will remain operational with their existing Gripen C/D aircraft.
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SAAF JAS-39D, c. Gripen International

South African JAS-39D

As a neutral country with a long history of providing for its own defense against all comers, Sweden also has a long tradition of building excellent high-performance fighters with a distinctive look. From the long-serving Saab-35 Draken (“Dragon,” 1955-2005) to the Mach 2, canard-winged Saab-37 Viggen (“Thunderbolt,” 1971-2005), Swedish fighters have stressed short-field launch from dispersed/improvised air fields, world-class performance, and leading-edge design. This record of consistent project success is nothing short of amazing, especially for a country whose population over this period has ranged from 7-9 million people.

This is DID’s FOCUS Article for background, news, and contract awards related to the JAS-39 Gripen (“Griffon”), a canard-winged successor to the Viggen and one of the world’s first 4+ generation fighters. Gripen remains the only lightweight 4+ generation fighter type in service, its performance and operational economics are both world-class, and it has become one of the most recognized fighter aircraft on the planet. Unfortunately for its builders, that recognition has come from its appearance in Saab and Volvo TV commercials, rather than from hoped-for levels of military export success. With its 4+ generation competitors clustered in the $60-120+ million range vs. the Gripen’s claimed $40-60 million, is there a light at the end of the tunnel for Sweden’s lightweight fighter? In 2013 a win in Brazil started to answer that question.

Continue Reading… »

Supporting the USA’s F-5 Aggressor Fighters, 2008 – 2014

Jul 31, 2019 04:56 UTC

Latest updates[?]: PAE Aviation and Technical Services won a $50.4 million contract modification for organizational, selected intermediate, and limited depot maintenance and logistics support for the F-5F and F-5N aircraft. The F-5 is a supersonic light fighter. The F-5N is a single seat, twin-engine, tactical fighter and attack aircraft providing simulated air-to-air combat training. The F-5F is a dual-seat version, twin-engine, tactical fighter commonly used for training and adversary combat tactics. The aircraft serves in an aggressor-training role with simulation capability of current threat aircraft in fighter combat mode. The F-5F Tiger II and F-5N Freedom Fighter are used by the Navy and Marine Corps for adversary training purposes. They serve as proxies for third-generation Soviet-era fighters due to their small size, maneuverability and relatively primitive sensor gear compared to modern aircraft like the F/A-18. PAE will perform work in Nevada, Arizona, and Florida. Estimated completion date is in July next year.

F-5E and F-14

Top Gun, redux

In the 1980s movie Top Gun, the revolutionary “MiG-28s” operated by the enemy air force were actually painted F-5E Tiger IIs, derived from a family of fighters whose design concept dates back to the mid 1950s. The F-5 family of aircraft were produced in large numbers, as they were an extremely popular export item. Many are still operated by countries around the world, and the US Air Force used them for many years as “aggressor” aircraft in Dissimilar Air Combat Training (DACT). They remain excellent for simulating similarly small, low profile adversaries like the MiG-21s and MiG-19s that gave American pilots such trouble over Vietnam. Or the IAF MiG-21s that caused trouble in the 2004 – 2005 COPE India exercises, for that matter.

“F-5Ns” are still routinely flown by American Navy and Marines adversary squadrons in training exercises, where they simulate small, low-cross-section (and hence hard to spot) enemies. Keeping them in service requires maintenance contracts – and some timely help from the Swiss also came in handy. This article covers a multi-year maintenance & support contract from 2008 – 2014, as a representative time period.

Continue Reading… »

ATAC’s Aerial Opponent Training

May 14, 2018 04:54 UTC

Latest updates[?]: The Naval Air Warfare Center is awarding a contract to Airborne Tactical Advantage Co. (ATAC). The modification is valued at $54,5 million and provides for support activities to the Navy’s Contracted Air Services (CAS) program. The CAS Program provides contractor owned and operated Type III high subsonic and Type IV supersonic aircraft to Navy Fleet customers for a wide variety of airborne threat simulation capabilities. The Type III high subsonic and Type IV supersonic aircraft are designed to simulate incoming threats for testing and training defensive capabilities. ATAC jets are certified to carry a wide range of stores. TACTS/ACMI (P4/5) pods or LATR GPS tracking pods, provide air combat tracking. For electronic warfare training, AST-6 and AST-9 threat simulators can be combined with multiple AN/ALQ-167 and AN/ALG-188 pods. Key competitors include Top Aces, Draken International, L-3 Flight International Phoenix Air and Tactical Air Support, Inc. Work will be performed in various locations inside and outside the continental US, including Newport News, Virginia and Point Mugu, California. It is expected to be completed on May 2019.

Kfir C2

Kfir C2 w. ALQ-167

Over the last 13 years ATAC has performed a wide range of flight training operations for the US Navy, US Air Force and Air National Guard, including participation in US Navy fleet training, acting as adversary fighters for the “TOPGUN” program, Red Flag exercises and F-22 Raptor training; participating in JTAC/ FAC-A/ CAS ground controller training; and even serving American research & development programs like the Ship Self Defense System and ALE-50 towed decoy. Under their agreement with US Navy, their services have also been used to train militaries in the UK, Canada, Japan, the Philippines, et. al., and the company is placing a renewed focus on exports.

Unlike many other contractors, who operate Learjets and similar business aircraft, ATAC operates fighters and attack jets…

Continue Reading… »

2011-02: Up to the Gunwales in ELGTRs

Feb 20, 2017 00:56 UTC

Latest updates[?]: Poland has placed another missile order with Lockheed Martin for their F-16 Fighting Falcon fleet. Valued at $1.9 million, the contract will see the company provide Enhanced Laser Guided Training Rounds (ELGTR), providing realistic Paveway II Laser Guided Bomb training for pilots. The deal also covers the provision of technical data, logistics support and introduction to service training to the Polish air force.
Paveway ELGTR

Paveway-II ELGTR

In February 2011, Lockheed Martin in Archbald, PA received a $21.9 million contract modification, exercising an option for 7,665 Paveway-II enhanced laser guided training rounds (ELGTRs) for the US Navy (7,217, for $20.5 million = 94%) and the governments of Pakistan (300 for $866,850 = 4%), Spain (88 for $254,276 = 1.2%), and Malaysia (60 for 173,370 = 0.8%). Those funds also buy 589 associated wooden containers for the U.S. Navy (500) and the governments of Pakistan (74) and Malaysia (15); 23 replacement-in-kind wooden containers for the governments of Pakistan (1) and Spain (22); plus associated data, and requested engineering efforts.

Paveway ELGTRs are lower-cost training rounds that mimic Paveway laser-guided bombs, right down to the carriage and release envelope, flight characteristics, and guidance system. The Enhanced LGTR provides significantly improved accuracy of 3m CEP, and is also smaller and cheaper than using a real Paveway bomb for necessary live fire training. Lockheed Martin has manufactured over 100,000 of them since 1992, for a wide range of customers.

Work will be performed in Archbald, PA, and is expected to be complete in June 2013. US Naval Air Systems Command in Patuxent River, MD manages the contract for its Navy and Foreign Military Sale customers (N00019-10-C-0092).

Update

February 19/17: Poland has placed another missile order with Lockheed Martin for their F-16 Fighting Falcon fleet. Valued at $1.9 million, the contract will see the company provide Enhanced Laser Guided Training Rounds (ELGTR), providing realistic Paveway II Laser Guided Bomb training for pilots. The deal also covers the provision of technical data, logistics support and introduction to service training to the Polish air force.

Trainer Jets for Israel: From the Skyhawk, to the M-346 Lavi

Jul 27, 2016 00:56 UTC

Latest updates[?]: Two years since the commencement of deliveries, Israel has received the last of its M-346 Lavi jets from manufacturer Leonardo-Finmeccanica. The $1 billion deal sees the 30 jet trainers delivered to replace the 1960s-era Douglas TA-4 Skyhawk. Equipped with the Elbit Systems Targo helmet, the Israeli Air Force can provide synthetic on-board training for pilots transitioning onto the full range of the IAF's frontline combat aircraft fleets which will soon include the F-35.
Israeli A-4Ns

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 “Lavi” will be their new trainer.

Continue Reading… »

GQM-163 SSST: A Tricky Coyote to Match Wits With Defenses

Oct 12, 2014 18:15 UTC

Latest updates[?]: Order for USA & Japan.
GQM-163A Coyote Test

Shot across the bow

The rocket-boosted, ramjet-powered GQM-163A was developed to simulate supersonic cruise missiles like the SS-N-22 Sunburn, Kh-31 (aka. AS-17 Krypton, which may have an anti-air AWACS-killer version), the Indo-Russian PJ-10 Brahmos, etc., which are proliferating throughout the world. Their speed and evasive maneuvers compress the amount of time a defense system has to deal with them to under a minute. A training target that can simulate their performance is critical to both proper preparedness and pursuant performance.

Despite this growing need, the Supersonic Sea Skimming Target (SSST) program moved very slowly in the 1990s, with false starts that included a Boeing-Strela Kh-31 Krypton variant before the decision was made to develop a new SSST. Orbital Sciences won the contract in June 2000, but the BQM-163 suffered a number of program delays before its final developmental test flight eventually took place in in April 2005. The program is now moving forward, slowly, and picking up international customers as well…

Continue Reading… »

Tanks for the Lesson: Leopards, too, for Canada

Jun 18, 2014 16:15 UTC DII

Latest updates[?]: Tank upgrades to improve optics; Additional Readings sections updated, upgraded.
Leo 2A6AM-CAN & LAV-III, Afghanistan

Leopard 2A6M CAN

Canadian Forces took some of the lessons re-learned during Operation Medusa in Afghanistan, directly to heart. Canada’s DND:

“The heavily protected direct fire capability of a main battle tank is an invaluable tool in the arsenal of any military. The intensity of recent conflicts in Central Asia and the Middle East has shown western militaries that tanks provide protection that cannot be matched by more lightly armored wheeled vehicles… [Canada’s existing Leopard C2/1A5] tanks have also provided the Canadian Forces (CF) with the capability to travel to locations that would otherwise be inaccessible to wheeled light armoured vehicles, including Taliban defensive positions.”

In October 2003, Canada was set to buy the Styker/LAV-III 105mm Mobile Gun System to replace its Leopard C2 tanks. By 2007, however, the lessons of war took Canada down a very different path – one that led them to renew the very tank fleet they were once intent on scrapping, while backing away from the wheeled vehicles that were once the cornerstone of the Canadian Army’s transformation plan. This updated article includes a full chronology for Canada’s new Leopard 2 tanks, adds information concerning DND’s exact plans and breakdowns for their new fleet, and discusses front-line experiences in Afghanistan.

Continue Reading… »

TOW-ITAS Fire Control Systems: More Than Just Missile Guidance

Jul 16, 2013 11:43 UTC

Latest updates[?]: Testing of 3rd generation upgrade.
TOW ITAS

ITAS on the Firing Range

ITAS (improved target acquisition system) 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. An October 4, 2006 Raytheon release notes that the new 5-year contract continues Army procurement of the systems, and marks the start of U.S. Marine Corps ITAS acquisition.

This DID Spotlight Article provides more information about TOW-ITAS and its uses in battle, which have broadened beyond missile guidance to some roles its designers hadn’t expected. Production resumed in 2005, and the program picked up a 2007 award from the US DoD.

Continue Reading… »
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