The US Army needs to keep the lights on | UAE upgrades its Apaches | China receives last batch of Flankers

Americas

Raytheon is being tapped to provide the US Navy with logistics services needed to maintain the night-vision systems installed on its rotor and tilt-rotor aircraft. The five-year performance-based logistics contract amounts to $59.7 million and sustains the availability of the Forward Looking Infrared (FLIR) systems installed on the CH-53 and V-22. The US Marine Corps currently has 165 CH-53 Super Stallions in service. The helicopter is equipped with the lightweight, high performance AN/AAQ-29A FLIR on a 12 inch turret. The FLIR pod helps helicopter pilots with low-level navigation to high altitude long-range targeting. The V-22 Osprey has a nose-mounted AN/AAQ-27 FLIR that provides navigation and target recognition capabilities in darkness and low-visibility conditions. Work will be performed at Raytheon’s facilities in McKinney, Texas; El Segundo, California and in Jackson, Florida.

The US Army is spending $491 million on generators. The firm-fixed-price contract awarded to Cummins Power Generation provides for the production of several Advanced Medium Mobile Power Sources (AAMPS). AAMPS has been developed under the Army’s Advanced State of the Art Power Components Program, which was devised to sustain a reliable electrical power availability on the battlefield. The current family of AMMPS consists of five versions: the 5 kW, 10kW, 15kW, 30kW, 60kW generators. In Afghanistan this new generation of generators saves about 300,000 gallons of fuel each month. The Army needs a reliable power network to control its tanks, aircraft and battle formations which heavily relies on electrical powered communication technologies. The contract is set to run until August 2022.

L-3 Communications will produce a number of Electro-Optic/Infrared/Laser Designator payloads for the US Army’s RQ-7Bv2 Shadow UASs. The firm-fixed-price contract is valued at $454 million and is expected to be completed by August, 2023. The Shadow v2 is the latest model of the Shadow series. It is an all-digital system, optimized for new multi-mission, single-sortie profiles and manned/unmanned teaming. The UAS has a wingspan of 20ft, and can provide a 9 hour coverage at altitudes of up to 18.000ft. L-3s payload will provide near-real-time reconnaissance, surveillance and target acquisition, as well as intelligence and battle damage assessment capabilities.

Aviall Services, a subsidiary of Boeing will provide the US and Australian Navies with essential components for the P-8A Poseidon. The $23.7 million firm-fixed-price contract procures six quick engine change & engine build up components. The engine’s used on the P-8 are designed so that the whole assembly can be removed from and replaced in the vehicle as a unit. Under the Quick Engine Change concept, if a unit requires a major engine job, the power plant can be removed and another one quickly installed. The Poseidon is powered by a CFM56-7B27AE engine is produced by CFM International belongs to the family of high-bypass turbofan aircraft engines. Work will be performed at the company’s facilities in Everett, Washington and Dallas, Texas. The US Navy and Australia will pay $15.8 and $7.9 million respectively. The contract expected to be completed in May 2020.

Middle East & Africa

The United Arab Emirates will receive a number of sensors, designators and processors for its AH-64E Apache helicopters as part of a US Foreign Military Sale. Lockheed Martin will produce modernized day sensor assembly (M-DSA) kits, laser range finder designators, and flight code processors at a cost of $44.8 million. The M-DSA, also known as Arrowhead, is an electro-optical and fire control system that the Apache helicopter pilots use for combat targeting of their Hellfire missiles and other weapons, as well as flying in day, night, or bad weather missions. Tin 2010, the UAE bought a total of 60 Apaches in a $5 billion deal. Work will be performed at the contractor’s location in Orlando, Florida and is scheduled for completion by the end of April, 2022.

Reuters reports, that Yemen’s Houthi rebels launched two Zelzal-1 missiles towards Saudi Arabia. The Zelzal-1 is part of Iran’s short-range missile systems. It is a solid-fuel heavy artillery rocket, that carries a 300 lb. warhead to a range of up to 100 miles. Saudi Arabia is leading a western-backed alliance of Sunni Muslim Arab states trying to restore the internationally recognized government of Yemeni President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, ousted from the capital Sanaa by the Iran-aligned Houthis in 2015.

Europe

One Hellenic Air Force pilot was killed when his T-2 Buckeye aircraft crashed during a routine training flight. The T-2 was once the Navy’s primary early flight training and carrier indoctrination aircraft. Every jet-qualified Naval Aviator and virtually every Naval Flight Officer from the late 1950s until 2004 received training in the T-2 Buckeye, a length of service spanning four decades. Greece bought a total of 40 T-2s. A statement by the Greek Air Force said the aircraft crashed due to mechanic failure 2 nautical miles south of the airport in Kalamata. The co-pilot survived by parachuting to safety. In the US, the Buckeye was replaced by the T-45 Goshawk.

Jane’s reports that the French SF 1/67 Pyrénées Helicopter Squadron is currently training with a new 20mm cannon installed on its multi-mission Caracal helicopters. The Caracal is a special variant of Eurocopter’s EC725 Cougar, specifically designed for or Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR) missions. Typically they are equipped with MAG 58 machine guns, which limit the helicopter’s in-air refueling capability. Nexter’s SH-20 retractable door mounting is built around the M621 cannon, and is designed to provide the Caracal with an air-to-ground fire-support capability. The unit expects to reach an operational capability in the coming weeks.

Asia-Pacific

China’s People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) will soon receive the last batch of ten Sukhoi Su-35S from Russia. The Su-35s is Russia’s most advanced fighter aircraft, which can compete with America’s upgraded ‘teen series’, the JAS-39, the Rafale and the Eurofighter. The per-unit cost of the fighter jet, is estimated to be about $85 million. The Diplomat notes, that Russia was initially reluctant to sell the fighter jets to China as it feared Chinese reverse engineering the plane’s powerful thrust-vectoring engine. In 2015, China became the first international customer of the Su-35S when it ordered 24 jets for a total of $2.5 billion.

Today’s Video

Watch: When you should expect the Air Force to announce its next trainer aircraft

Apache Helicopter Pilots Take Aim with Arrowhead

For much of the post-WWII era, US helicopter pilots have been trained to fly “low and fast.” This was based on combat experience in Korea and Vietnam. In the urban environments of Iraq and Afghanistan, however, flying low and fast has made helicopters more vulnerable to a number of threats: terrain, wires/powerlines, rocket propelled grenades, small arms fire, and shoulder-fired missiles.

Enter the Arrowhead system. Arrowhead is an electro-optical and fire control system that AH-64 Apache helicopter pilots use for combat targeting of their Hellfire missiles and other weapons, as well as flying in day, night, or bad weather missions. The system also provides accurate targeting at high altitudes, a practice that also has its drawbacks. This free-to-view Spotlight article covers the Arrowhead’s characteristics, components, contacts, consequences, and contracts.

Russia’s Su-35 Super-Flanker: Mystery Fighter No More

The Russian Su-35 was something of a mystery for many years. Pictures from Russian firms showed different fighter jets carrying that label, even as the aircraft remained a prospective design and research project, rather an active program of record.

Revelations after 2007 began to provide answers. This article explains the sources of the widespread confusion regarding the Su-35’s layout and key characteristics, reviews what is now known about the platform, and tracks its development. Those developments are likely to have broad consequences. The aircraft now has a home customer in the Russian Air Force, and the Su-35 is being positioned to replace most Su-30MK variants as Russia’s fighter export of choice within the coming decade. Will its succession bid succeed?

USS Abraham Lincoln hosts F-35Cs | The Navy’s Knighthawk gets a new gun system | Merlin embarks on HMS Queen Elizabeth

Americas

Phoenix International Holdings is being tapped to provide the US Navy with the continued maintenance and operation of its Submarine Rescue Diving and Recompression System (SRDRS). The awarded cost-plus-fixed-fee modification has a value of $29.9 million and ensures that the rescue systems are maintained in a high state of readiness so that they can be rapidly deployed on a 24/7 basis. The SRDRS is a tethered, remotely-operated vehicle that is placed into the water and attaches to the disabled submarine’s hatch. It can be transported via sea, air and land, and doesn’t need a mother submarine or dedicated surface support ship, making it more more mobile than its predecessor. The system includes an air transportable rapid assessment/underwater work system, a decompression chamber system and a pressurized rescue module. The SRDRS was first delivered to the US Navy in 2008. Work will be performed at the contractor’s location in San Diego, California and will run through August 2019.

Jane’s reports that the US Navy plans to fast-track the integration of a new gun system onto the MH-60S. The MH-60S entered service in 2002 as a replacement for the US Navy’s Boeing CH-46D Sea Knight. Its roles encompass troop transport, search and rescue, and other standard roles. However their weapons package either includes the GAU-17 M134 Minigun or the GAU-21 .50 calibre heavy machine gun limiting the helicopter to either perform SAR or SUW missions. The new externally mounted gun system (EMGS) will bridge this gap, essentially making the MH-60S capable to simultaneously perform defensive air patrols while maintaining its SAR capability. Five n-flight live trials are planned for later this year.

The USS Abraham Lincoln is currently hosting several F-35Cs from the Strike Fighter Squadron 125. The pilots and aircraft are currently conducting their Operational Test-1 (OT-1) phase, which evaluates if the JSF is ready to operate within a carrier air wing. The C-variant of the JSF is the most expensive one and features 30% more wing area, larger tails and control areas and wingtip ailerons. Its structure is strengthened so that it can withstand hundreds of launch and recovery rounds. The F-35C is expected to be the US Navy’s high-end fighter, as well as its high-end strike aircraft. OT-1 helps give the Navy an assessment of how the aircraft would perform on deployment. Rear Adm. Dale Horan, director, Joint Strike Fighter Fleet Integration Office is asking, “Can we maintain it? Can we get the parts? Can we get it airborne? Can we repair it if it has a problem? ” Those are the kinds of things the Navy will have to figure out in the coming days and weeks.

Middle East & Africa

Qatar is currently in the process of building a new airbase. A senior Qatari Amiri Air Force official said that the new Tamim Airbase will host the country’s new Rafale, F-15s and Typhoons. Since 2014 the country’s airforce underwent a major modernization and overhaul process including the introduction of modern technology, upgraded airfields, the first class of female fighter pilots and the acquisition of new jets. Qatar has purchased a total of 35 F-15QAs at a cost of $12 billion, 24 Rafale jets for $7.8 billion and 24 Typhoons for $6.7 billion. In the coming years the Qatar Air Force will grow its fleet to a total of 96 aircraft, which is a significant leap from its current of 12 Mirage-2000s.

Europe

Defense News reports, that the US Air Force may soon deploy some of its MQ-9 Reapers to Romania’s 71st Air Base at Campia Turzii. According to a Air Force document the service is building a new $950 million hangar that will be able to house medium-altitude, long-endurance drones. The UAV in its ISR configuration will likely conduct support intelligence-gathering operations around eastern Europe and the Black Sea. The upcoming deployment of the Reapers will help the US to generate a real-time picture of Russian activities in the Black Sea. The UAVs will assist in monitoring what ships are moving in and out and can provide early warning of hostile activities.

The Czech Republic is set to boost its inventory with 62 Titus armored vehicles. The Titus is the result of a cooperation between Tatra Trucks and Nexter Systems. The Titus looks quite similar to other MRAP models with the engine at the front, the crew compartment in the middle and the troop’s area at the rear. The vehicle is highly adaptable and can be outfitted with any kind of RWS from 7.62mm to 20mm, and 40mm grenade launcher. Its 500hp engine powers it to a maximum speed of 64 mph and to ranges of up to 434 miles. According to a company press release, there is a number of versions of the vehicle available, ranging from a classic IFV through a mobile command post, armoured ambulance to communications, maintenance and evacuation vehicles. For police purposes, there are a number of modules, which can be used to quickly prepare a vehicle to fulfil specific roles, such as the SWAT module, the WCT module (Water Cannon Tank) or the riot control module. The deal has a total value of $303.1 million, with delivers expected for the years 2020-2025.

The UK Royal Marines are currently embarking their new Commando Merlin HC4 helicopters on HMS Queen Elizabeth as part of the carrier’s four-month ‘Westlant 18’ deployment. In the upcoming months the helicopters will be provide a SAR capability in support of F-35B trials. The UK is currently in the process of upgrading a total of 55 helicopters at cost of $3 billion. Of which, 25 AW101s are refurbished to the Merlin HC4 configuration, which includes cockpit modernizations and minor redesigns, plus standard naval changes like a folding rotor head, strengthened landing gear, deck lashing points, and a fast roping point for the Royal Marines.

Asia-Pacific

Russian daily newpaper Kommersant claims, that Algeria has voiced its intent to purchase 14 MiG-29M fighter jets. The new planes are set to replace the country’s Soviet-era MiG-29s. Over the last decade the Algerian Air Force was an avid costumer of Russian equipment. So far it bought 44 Su-30MKAs, 14 Mi-26T2s helicopters, 16 Yak-130 trainers and 42 Mi-28NE combat helicopters. The MiG-29 Fulcrum is a single-seat, highly maneuverable fighter aircraft designed to engage airborne targets such as aircraft, UAVs and cruise missiles and was designed as Soviet counterpart to US F-15s and F/A-18s. The upgraded M-version features a longer range, an in-flight refueling system, state-of-the-art equipment, redundant fly-by-ware system for improved safety and reliability, and higher weapon load. The potential deal has a value of $700-800 million.

Today’s Video

Watch: The Harrier – RAF’s Top Warplanes

Britain’s AW101 Merlin Helicopters: Upgrading the Fleet

As part of Britain’s fiscal rebalancing, The Royal Navy is set to inherent the RAF’s Merlin HC3/3A medium-heavy battlefield helicopter fleet, while simultaneously upgrading its existing set of Merlin HM Mk1s. The entire effort approaches $3 billion for a final total of 55 refurbished helicopters, and these refurbishments will be carried out as part of the AW101 fleet’s long-term maintenance plan.

The navy’s existing fleet is being progressively upgraded and returned to service, adding a range of technological improvements to the helicopter’s avionics, control systems, sensors, and radar. The Royal Navy received 44 EH101 Merlin HM1s between 1998-2002 for training, surface attack and anti-submarine warfare duties, and has since lost 2 in accidents. The remaining 42 helicopters are now expected to remain in service until 2029, though only 30-38 will be upgraded. Another 28 EH101 Merlin HC3/ HC3A medium support helicopters currently serve with the UK Royal Air Force, and they will join the Navy to succeed the Sea King Mk.4 Commandos as the Royal Marines’ battlefield helicopters.

Triton’s Herald gets a new sensor package | Who will protect Romania’s shores? | Australia’s Boxers will carry Spike LR2

Americas

Leidos is set to support the US Army’s Saturn Arch program. The company is being awarded with a $26.8 million contract modification that provides for a Quick Reaction Capability (QRC) Aircraft. Saturn Arch is the Army’s answer to an ever evolving threat posed by IED’s. It essentially is an effort to implement ISR capabilities to a special aircraft fitted with state of the art sensor technology to identify and assist in removing explosives from the battlefield. Aircraft used under Saturn Arch often include Bombardier Dash-8 planes that are outfitted with radar, imagers, and signal intelligence capabilities. Work will be at the company’s facility in Bridgewater, Virginia and is scheduled for completion in September 2019.

Raytheon is being contracted by the US Navy for work on the MQ-4C Triton UAS. The cost-reimbursable job order is valued at $9.3 million and allows for the production and fleet integration of the Triton multi-spectral targeting system (MTS). The MTS is a turreted EO/IR sensor used in maritime and overland ISR missions. According to a DoD notice, the sensor system will augment existing sensors that will enhance navigation as well as CSR, observation and interception missions. The system also provides long-range surveillance, target acquisition, tracking, range finding and laser designation for the Griffin and Paveway missiles and other forms of munitions. The Triton will have a minimum mission radius of 3,000 nautical miles, with a 10 hour time to on-station at 2,000 nmi mission radius, and autonomous flight through moderate icing or turbulence. Work will be performed at Raytheon’s facility in McKinney, Texas, and is expected to be completed by August 2020.

PeopleTec is being awarded with a $33.6 million contract for engineering and support efforts by the Missile Defense Agency. The contract has a two-year base value o $9 million and covers advisory and assistance services for international programs in the Ballistic Missile Defense System. These services also cover BMDS development, test, operations, infrastructure and acquisitions. Work will be carried out at multiple locations including the company’s location in Huntsville, Alabama and in Tel Aviv, Israel. Israel currently fields the Arrow-3 missile defense system that is a collaboration project between Boeing and IAI. The contract is set to run through September 2023.

Middle East & Africa

Israeli newspaper Haaretz reports that the country is moving ahead with the purchase of advanced ground-to-ground missiles that can reach ‘anywhere in the Middle-East’. The project was announced by Defense minister Avigdor Lieberman back in February and included an initial budget of $500 million to set up a new unit within the IDF’s ground forces. The new missile system will fill an operational gap that cannot be bridged by the US-made MLRS. The project could cost up to $2 billion, spread out over a decade, depending on the number of missiles the Israeli military will acquire. The focus on developing new ground-to-ground capabilities stems from an ever increasing threat to Israeli aircraft by advanced air-defense systems deployed in Syria and elsewhere.

It seems that Turkey will be banned from purchasing the F-35s for the foreseeable future. The latest bill was put forward by Maryland Senator Chris Van Hollen and prohibits the transfer of the fighter jets to Turkey as long as it cannot be guaranteed that the country will not be purchasing the S-400 air-defense system from Russia. As Jane’s notes, US defense officials are concerned that Turkey operating the S-400 in the vicinity of the F-35 would compromise the aircraft’s security, including its stealth capabilities, and represent a strategic threat to the United States. Turkey is a Tier 3 partner in the JSF program and initially planned to order about 100 F-35As as replacement for its 240-plane F-16 fleet. The overall program is expected to cost around $16 billion. Currently it is uncertain if the Van Hollen’s amendment will become law.

Europe

The Romanian government is moving ahead with its planned acquisition of anti-ship missiles that are to be deployed to the country’s Black Sea coast. Potential bidders include Boeing, MBDA, Kongsberg and Saab, which are offering the Harpoon, Exocet MM40, the NSM and RBS-15 Mk3 respectively. The sub-sonic, sea-skimming GM-84 Harpoon is the standard anti-shipping missile used by the US Navy, and its variants are in service with 27 navies around the world. The MM40 missile is an upgraded version of the MM38 that began development in 1976, it has an inertial navigation system, an active radar seeker, and is equipped with a high explosive fragmentation warhead. The stealth-enhanced NSM aims to be a germination beyond the Harpoon, an air-launched version is being developed for the F-35. RBS-15 fire-and-forget missiles have a longer reach and heavier punch than counterparts like the Harpoon. The contract has a value of $159 million and is scheduled to be financed in the years 2018-2023.

European NATO members are currently stockpiling air-to-ground precision guided munitions with the help of the US. The project is being run by the NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA) and will reduce dependence on the US in the case of prolonged air-operations. The initial order of $20 million JDAM and Paveway kits are part of a larger US FMS worth about $231 million. During the 2011 intervention in Libya several countries ran out of munitions and found it difficult to use those of other air forces.

Asia-Pacific

The Australian Ministry of Defense is confirming that it will arm its Boxer combat reconnaissance vehicles with the Spike LR2. The country is procuring a total of 211 Rheinmetall Boxers under its Land 400 Phase 2 program. The Spike LR2 is produced by Israeli defense contractor Rafael and is the latest member of the multi-purpose missile family. The missile has the capability to destroy a number of different targets including MBTs with reactive armor and fortified structures. The LR2 is equipped with a passive and uncooled multi-band seeker that integrates both thermal and HD imagery and includes a smart target tracker with AI features, allowing the missile to track and target automatically.

Today’s Video

Watch: PAF JF-17 performs at Radom airshow

A new pod for the F-15 is in development | MALD-X program hits milestone | Lithuania is upgrading its MANPADS

Americas

The US Air Force plans to integrate a new IRST system on its fleet of F-15C aircraft. Boeing will provide the Air Force with engineering, manufacturing, and development efforts of the F-15 Legion Pod. The contract has a value of $208.2 million and will run through November 2020. The Legion Pod is being developed in conjunction with Lockheed Martin. The pod features Lockheed’s IRST21 infrared sensor and advanced data processing capabilities. This multi-function sensor system has been designed to provide long-range detection and tracking of airborne threats in radar-denied environments. The common interface of the Legion pod allows it to be easily integrated onto any aircraft without affecting the aircraft’s operational flight programme. Work will bet performed at Boeing’s facilities on St. Louis, Missouri and Orlando, Florida.

The Navy is stocking up on spares for its Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile. Raytheon is receiving a firm-fixed-price contract that provides for the provision of ESSM Block I life-of-type-buy and assembly-level spares at a cost of $25.1 million. The RIM-162 is used to protect ships from attacking missiles and aircraft, and is designed to counter supersonic maneuvering anti-ship missiles. The ESSM Block I is a semi-active radar homing missile that depends on reflected radiation from the ship’s radar to see its target. Work will be performed at multiple locations inside and outside the US, including Andover, Massachusetts; Hengelo OV, Netherlands and Richmond, Australia. Work is scheduled for completion by June 2021.

The US Army is modernizing its stockpiles of Javelin missiles. Raytheon and Lockheed Martin will conduct a holistic engineering development to modernise the Javelin Weapon System under this $14.3 million contract modification. The FGM-148 Javelin is a man-portable anti-tank missile used to destroy moving vehicles, fixed fortifications, troops in the open and low-flying helicopters. It can be used for direct fire or in a pop-up mode that allows it to hit tanks from above to take advantage of their thinner top armor. Work will be performed in Tucson, Arizona and is expected to be completed by September, 2020.

The US Strategic Capabilities Office (SCO) has achieved a milestone in its Miniature Air-Launched Decoy X (MALD-X) development. MALD-X decoys are mini-cruise missiles, which are used to distract and deceive an enemy air defense system so that a real strike package can succeed and survive. The ‘stealth in reverse’ decoys fly long distances along pre-planned flight patterns, carrying radar reflectors that simulate the radar return of fighter or bomber aircraft. MALD-X enhances the modular nature of the mini cruise missile with the ability to accommodate different electronic warfare payloads that are more advanced than those found on its predecessors. A series of flight demonstrations were recently held at Naval Air Warfare Center Point Mugu, with additional tests to take place next year. Raytheon was awarded $34.8 million by the USAF to develop a new version in 2016.

Jane’s reports, that the Brazilian Navy’s newest ship is dropping anchor in Rio de Janeiro. The PHM Atlantico was bought from the UK Royal Navy earlier this year as part of Brazil’s ‘Obtaining Full Operational Capability’ program. The deal has an estimated value of $108.7 million. While sailing for the UK the ship had the name HMS Ocean. The ship has a 22.500 t displacement and offers pace for a crew of 255, an aircrew of 206, and 480 marines. The vessel’s primary role is as an amphibious support vessel. Secondary ship roles include training, a limited anti-submarine warfare role, humanitarian assistance, and acting as a base for anti-terrorist operations.

Middle East & Africa

Russian media reports that the east African nation of Burundi is considering purchasing the Pantsir-S1 air-defense system. The system is produced by Russia’s KBP and features a fire-control radar and electro-optical sensor, two 30-mm cannons and up to 12 57E6 radio-command guided short-range missiles. It is designed to protect vital small-size and big military areas, industrial targets and land forces units and reinforced the air defense units responsible for the protection of troops and military installations against precision-guided air attack from low and extreme low altitudes. The Burundi National Defense Force has currently a variety of air-defense weapons in its inventory, ranging from SA-7B Grail MANPADS to M-1939 anti-aircraft guns.

Europe

Swedish defense manufacturer Saab confirms that Lithuania is upgrading its RBS-70 MANPADS. The company is being awarded with two contracts providing for the delivery of improved missiles and BORC night-capability sights. The two orders have a value of $10.9 million. The RBS 70 missile can be operated independently in stand-alone mode or can be configured with several firing units linked with a surveillance radar to form an anti-aircraft battery. Unlike competitors such as Raytheon’s FIM-92 Stinger, MBDA’s Mistral, the RBS-70 is an ‘unjammable’ laser beam-riding missile with no seeker head at the front. The BORC clip-on thermal sight allows the laser guidance beam from the day sight to pass without distortion to the missile for a jam proof accurate guidance. According to Saab, 19 nations have procured more than 1,600 RBS 70 systems, including more than 18,000 missiles.

Asia-Pacific

The French Air Force is currently conducting a large-scale humanitarian relief mission in Asia. Operation Pegase, includes a fleet of three Rafale B fighter jets, an A310 transport plane and a C-135 refuelling tanker. Most recently the mission was joined by a A400M that flew 25 tons of aid from Jakarta to Lombok, the Indonesian island devastated by a series of powerful and deadly earthquakes. The airlifted ferried food supplies, two ambulances, building material, and NGO medical staff to the island just east of Bali. Operation Pegase, with its aircraft and about 100 flight crew members will now spend a couple of days in Vietnam.

Today’s Video

Watch: RMAF’s A400Ms take off from Subang

RIM-162 ESSM Missile: Naval Anti-Air in a Quad Pack

The RIM-162 Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile (ESSM) is used to protect ships from attacking missiles and aircraft, and is designed to counter supersonic maneuvering anti-ship missiles. Compared to the RIM-7 Sea Sparrow, ESSM is effectively a new missile with a larger, more powerful rocket motor for increased range, a different aerodynamic layout for improved agility, and the latest missile guidance technology. Testing has even shown the ESSM to be effective against fast surface craft, an option that greatly expands the missile’s utility. As a further bonus, the RIM-162 ESSM has the ability to be “quad-packed” in the Mk 41 vertical launching system, allowing 4 missiles to be carried per launch cell instead of loading one larger SM-2 Standard missile or similar equipment.

This is DID’s FOCUS article for the program, containing details about the RIM-162 Evolved Sea Sparrow missile family, and contracts placed under this program since 1999. The Sea Sparrow was widely used aboard NATO warships, so it isn’t surprising that the ESSM is an international program. The NATO Sea Sparrow Consortium includes Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Greece, The Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Turkey, and the USA – as well as non-NATO Australia. Foreign Military Sales ESSM customers outside this consortium include Japan, Thailand, and the United Arab Emirates.

Just An Ocean Away: Refits for Britain’s LPH

The 22,500t HMS Ocean is similar to some of the smaller LHD designs like the 21,300t French Mistral Class. Built to commercial standards, LPH01/ L12 carries a crew of 255, an aircrew of 206, and 480 Royal Marine Commandos; an additional 320 marines can be accommodated in a short-term emergency. The ship has capacity for 40 vehicles, but its 4 Landing Craft Vehicle Personnel (LCVP) Mk 5s aren’t designed to handle heavy vehicles like tanks. Its main assets are up to 18 helicopters: usually 12 transport (EH101 Merlins or H-3 Sea Kings), and 6 smaller maritime/ scout/ attack helicopters (multi-role Lynx variants, and/or WAH-64D Apache attack helicopters). H-47 Chinooks can be refueled and serviced on deck.

HMS Ocean’s primary role is as an amphibious support vessel. Secondary ship roles include training, a limited anti-submarine warfare role, humanitarian assistance, and acting as a base for anti-terrorist operations. The 2011 campaign over Libya added a strike carrier role of sorts, using the WAH-64D. Those kinds of events have forced the ship to remain at sea near more distant shores, and on longer voyages, than originally anticipated. Hence the priority on crew-related modifications. Not to mention some of the other changes being made under recent refits.

Finnish Army Buys More RBS-70 MANPADS

The domain of man-portable air defense missile systems (MANPADS) has 4 major competitors around the world. Saab’s RBS-70 is used by 18 countries, and Finland continues to raise its order. Sweden’s Nordic next-door neighbor uses the RBS-70 in 2 modes: as a dispersed, soldier-carried system, and as a vehicle-mounted VSHORAD(Very Short Range Air Defense) system.

A 2009 purchase will complement these dispersed, short-range RBS-70 systems with a wider air defense net based on Sentinel radars, and ground-launched AMRAAM missiles. This combination is intended to make Finland’s airspace dangerous enough to deny enemies full air dominance, while its difficult terrain and mobile land forces bleed any future invasion until it quits. If that strategy sounds improbable, recall that Finland forced Stalin’s Russia to settle for a qualified draw in the 1939 Winter War, when Hitler’s ally attacked Finland per the terms of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact.

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