Commerce d'armement

Rappel du premier message :

De bonne ou de mauvaise qualité, les armes russes semblent quand même bien se vendre

Citation :

Nouveau record des exportations d'armements russes ( selon Vedomosti)
09/ 02/ 2009

MOSCOU, 9 février - RIA Novosti. Le volume des exportations d'armements russes en 2008 a battu un nouveau record grâce aux gros contrats de livraison d'avions, lit-on lundi dans le quotidien Vedomosti.
Le montant des exportations d'armements russes en 2008 s'est chiffré à 8 milliards de dollars, a indiqué une source au sein d'un département du gouvernement chargé de la coopération militaire et technique. Ce montant
a été également confirmé par une source à Rostekhnologuii.
En outre, la part des exportations de Rosoboronexport, monopole des livraisons de systèmes d'armement en Russie, s'est chiffrée à 6,725 milliards de dollars, estime l'interlocuteur du Kommersant. Le reste représente des fournitures de composantes ou des contrats signés avant l'octroi à Rosoboronexport du monopole des exportations de systèmes assemblés en 2007. Il s'agit des livraisons de missiles antichars et de systèmes de DCA du Bureau d'études de construction d'appareils de Toula, des fournitures à l'Inde des missiles BrahMos, conçus par une entreprise mixte comprenant le Groupement de recherche et de production de Reoutov, et d'autres systèmes.
Ce chiffre représente un nouveau record des exportations d'armements russes, fait remarquer Konstantin Makienko, expert du Centre d'analyse des stratégies et des technologies. Selon le Service fédéral de coopération militaire et technique, le volume des livraisons de 2007 a atteint 7,4 milliards de dollars (la part de Rosoboronexport se chiffrant à 6,1 milliards) et celui de 2006 est évalué à 6,46 milliards de dollars (dont 5,3 milliards ont représenté les contrats de Rosoboronexport).
La partie russe parvient à conserver de tels volumes importants tout d'abord grâce à la validité des gros contrats de livraison des chasseurs Su-30. Selon un responsable d'une entreprise aéronautique, on a fourni l'année dernière plus de 40 avions de ce type: de 8 à 10 Su-30 MKA en Algérie, 6 Su-30 MKM en Malaisie, près de 16 Su-30 MKI, compte tenu des équipements destinés à l'assemblage de ces appareils sous licence, en Inde, 8 Su-30 MK2V au Venezuela et 2 Su-30 MK2 en Indonésie.
Avec les armements, le montant de ces livraisons atteint 30% du volume total des exportations, fait remarquer une source au sein de l'industrie aéronautique.
Rosoboronexport et la Chine ont signé à la fin du janvier un nouveau contrat important de livraison de 122 moteurs pour les chasseurs chinois J-10 pour une somme de près de 500 millions de dollars, a annoncé un responsable d'une entreprise aéronautique russe.

le Bresil et l´Inde se sont embourbés dans ces series mexicaines,parfois un gré a gré est mieux qu´une competition quand tu as presque tout ce que tu veux,un bid peut te mettre 2 grandes puissances perdantes a dos si tu les laisse esperer pendant des années,et te barrer donc la route au CS et endommager les relations
je veux pas decider a leur places

Citation :

L'armée française signe un contrat de 100 millions avec la FN Herstal

L'armée française vient de signer un contrat de 100 millions d'euros avec la FN de Herstal pour lui fournir 10.881 mitrailleuses MAG sur 8 ans, rapporte samedi La Meuse. Cette commande procurera du travail à 200 ou 300 ouvriers durant cette période. Trois sociétés avaient été retenues, parmi lesquelles une société française, à savoir HK France.

C'est la première fois que la FN livre sa mitrailleuse MAG à la France, alors qu'elle équipe déjà plus de 80 pays dans le monde, explique le porte-parole de la firme, Robert Sauvage.

Les 500 premiers exemplaires seront fournis cette année encore. Le reste de la commande s'étalera sur les sept années suivantes.

Développée en 1958 dans sa version initiale, la MAG (Mitrailleuse A Gaz) a notamment équipé l'armée américaine en 1976. D'un poids de 12 kilos, elle peut être utilisée sur bipied (1.000 coups à la minute) ou trépied (1.500 coups à la minute). Possédant un calibre de 7,62, elle est alimentée par bandes de munitions et son canon est interchangeable en 6 secondes.

En août dernier, la FN avait déjà décroché un contrat pour fournir 10.000 fusils d'assaut SCAR aux GI's américains stationnés en Afghanista. (belga/7sur7)
15/01/11 15h03

quel version du SCAR a été acqui par les US ?

j'aimerai bien une production sous licence d'armement de chez FNH, au Maroc.

Viper a écrit:

quel version du SCAR a été acqui par les US ?

j'aimerai bien une production sous licence d'armement de chez FNH, au Maroc.

bonne question Viper, mais je ne suis pas un vrais connaisseurs en armes terrestre
je laisse donc les spécialistes te répondre

Citation :

quel version du SCAR a été acqui par les US ?

Mk16 SCAR L pour les Rangers et des Mk17 SCAR H et Mk 20 sniper pour les special forces

thanks

Citation :

EADS – Daimler Out, Government In?

Daimler’s move out may threaten German influence in EADS.

Could a reduction of governmental involvement be an alternative?

06:43 GMT, February 11, 2011 defpro.com | The spokesman for the German Federal Government, Steffen Seibert, announced during the government’s periodical press conference on Wednesday that a meeting will be held in Berlin on 23 February 2011 to discuss the future of the EADS. The background for this announcement is that, according to reports by the Financial Times Deutschland (FTD), Daimler plans to sell its shares of the European aerospace and defence group in 2011. Daimler AG currently holds 15 per cent of EADS shares, as well as 22.5 per cent of the voting rights and, thereby, guarantees the representation of German interests in the European conglomerate.

According to the Handelsblatt newspaper, the German government is now seeking a new major German enterprise that could take over for Daimler within the EADS structure. Talks with France, reportedly, have already been held in this context.

However, another possibility appears to be the purchasing of the shares by the German public sector. As the Süddeutsche Zeitung newspaper reports, in particular the Christian Social Union in Bavaria (CSU) seeks to push the Federal Government to step in as a directly involved shareholder. In Bavaria, the matter is highly sensitive as it is the location of many large EADS sites.

But even the chancellery appears to be considering a partial nationalisation, according to reports by well-informed sources. Among other alternatives being discussed, the government-owned Reconstruction Credit Institute banking group (KfW Bankengruppe) could take over additional shares of EADS.

However, this appears to be a particularly poor solution when taking a closer look. After all, it’s known that the government is always a rather poor entrepreneur. The German Federal State banks are a good example of the failure of state control in the economy. And cases such as that of Lufthansa, Deutsche Telekom, as well as the Deutsche Post, show (at least in parts), first, how much better it can be when the government stays out of running businesses and, second, how many problems resulting from the government’s legacy still remain.

Even without additional governmental meddling, EADS has enough problems of its own and currently does not need a political diktat, while business affairs appear to be better than before.

Naturally, it is clear that EADS is involved in sensitive business areas. Therefore, it will not be easy to find a suitable solution that will also sufficiently represent the Berlin-Paris axis. The fragile balance between French, German and Spanish shareholders must be sustained, while Germany has to take care of its national interests.

Nevertheless, instead of now increasing political involvement, an alternative might be that all involved governments reduce their stake and ensure the protection of their interests by means of a controlling stock group.

defpro

Citation :

DATE:28/02/11
SOURCE:Flightglobal.com
Selex Galileo gets new buyer for PicoSAR sensor
By Craig Hoyle

Selex Galileo is to supply its PicoSAR sensor to an undisclosed new buyer, with the equipment to be integrated with a tactical unmanned air vehicle platform.

The company says it will deliver three lightweight synthetic aperture radar/ground moving target indication payloads to support an evaluation by what it describes as a “non-NATO export customer”. There is also “the potential for a full production run upon successful tests”, it adds.

Selex Galileo says it has already supplied its active electronically scanned array PicoSAR design to four operators, and demonstrated its capabilities on “a number of fixed- and rotary-wing platforms”. The sensor – which weighs around 10kg (22lb) – has previously been flown on the company’s own Falco UAV, along with an electro-optical/infrared payload.

Je sais à quoi tu penses Yak...

Citation :

MBDA Receives a First Export Order for Multi Purpose Combat Vehicles


Four years after launching its self-funded development of MPCV (Multi Purpose Combat Vehicle), MBDA has signed a contract with an export customer, for whom MBDA will be integrating this air defence system’s turrets, missile launchers and firing controls onto the high mobility armoured vehicles chosen by the military user.

The new MPCVs will be integrated within the customer’s existing air defence architecture which is based on already in-service systems deploying MBDA’s Mistral missile. MPCV will add a number of inherent qualities such as its fire power, reactivity, its protection of personnel as well as its operational coverage.

Final qualification of the MPCV system was pronounced in 2010 after a series of test firings. These tests culminated with a firing demonstration against a number of targets representing a saturating air attack. Various overseas delegations witnessed this demonstration which took place at the DGA’s (France's Direction Générale de l’Armement) missile test firing centre at Biscarosse in the Landes region of France. The first series production MPCV vehicle should be delivered as of 2013.

Commenting on this latest export success, Antoine Bouvier, Chief Executive Officer of MBDA said: “The MPCV programme illustrates how MBDA can optimise the investments already made by its customers. Starting from the base of a market standard such as Mistral missile of which some 17,000 have already been produced, we have devised an easy to use and highly automated system which significantly increases the capabilities of the missiles already in service with our customers”.

http://www.defpro.com/news/details/22204/?SID=f22677071b00ed8d0b84a2520b9a90c1

Citation :

L'Inde, plus gros importateur d'armes entre 2006-2010

Belga | 14 Mars 2011 01h09

L'Inde est devenue le plus gros importateur mondial d'armes, qu'elle achète essentiellement à la Russie, selon des données publiées lundi par le Sipri pour la période 2006-2010.
L'Institut de recherche pour la paix de Stockholm (Sipri) relève aussi que la Libye a été ces dernières années "une excellente illustration de la concurrence entre les gros fournisseurs comme la France, l'Italie, la Russie et le Royaume-uni", même si, selon l'institut, ses commandes d'armes conventionnelles ont été limitées. L'Inde, "plus gros importateur d'armes mondial", précise le Sipri, a acquis "9pc du volume international des transferts d'armes" et la Russie a fourni 82% des armes importées par l'Inde. Pour Siemon Wezeman, analyste au Sipri, les importations indiennes sont surtout liées à sa "rivalité avec le Pakistan et la Chine et à des questions de sécurité intérieure". Il ajoute que l'Inde "exige des transferts de technologie pour développer sa propre industrie d'armement". Le Sipri note en outre que les Emirats arabes unis, l'Egypte, l'Algérie et Israël ont procédé à des importations "particulièrement importantes" dans la période 2006-2010. Celles du Maroc et de l'Arabie Saoudite devraient "croître de manière significative" dans les années à venir, ajoute le Sipri qui fonde ses informations sur des commandes existantes et sur des projets d'acquisition. Créé en 1966, le Sipri est un institut international indépendant dont le siège est à Stockholm, financé à 50pc par l'Etat suédois et spécialisé dans les conflits, les armements, le contrôle des armes et le désarmement. (AUM)

Citation :

India world's biggest arms importer 2006-10: think tank

(AFP) – 3 hours ago

STOCKHOLM — India over the last five years was the world's biggest importer of weapons, said a report published Monday, which also showed big arms suppliers had scrambled during the period to sell to Libya.

"India is the world's largest arms importer," the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) said in a statement upon releasing the report.

"India receives nine percent of the volume of international arms transfers during 2006-10, with Russian deliveries accounting for 82 percent of Indian arms imports," it said.

India's arms import delivery volumes jumped 21 percent from the prior five-year-period, with aircraft accounting for 71 percent of its imports.

China and South Korea held a joint second place, each accounting for six percent of global arms imports, followed by Pakistan, which saw the volume of imports soar 128 percent from the 2001-2005 period to account for five percent of worldwide arms imports, the institute said.

Siemon Wezeman , of the SIPRI Arms Transfers Programme, explained that India's imports of conventional weapons were largely driven by "rivalries with Pakistan and China, as well as internal security challenges."

"As an importer, India is demanding offsets and transfers of technology to boost its own arms industry," he said in the statement, adding that competition-pressed suppliers were agreeing to India's demands.

The United States remained the world's largest military equipment exporter, accounting for 30 percent of global arms exports in 2006-10, when 44 percent of the country's weapons sales went to Asia and Oceania, SIPRI said.

There was "intense competition" between the seller companies and countries to land big arms deals around the world, the institute said Monday.

Countries in the Middle East and North Africa, being rocked by popular uprisings, were seen as "potentially lucrative markets" for weapons exporters, largely due to the tensions across the region, which "provide drivers for demand as well as give cause for concern," SIPRI said.

For the five-year period ending in 2010, "arms imports were particularlyy high in the United Arab Emirates, Israel, Egypt and Algeria," while "Saudi Arabian and Moroccan arms imports are expected to rise significantly in the coming years," it added.

There had also been a rush to sell arms to Libya, the institute said.

"Although Libya placed only limited orders for major conventional weapons following the lifting of the UN arms embargo in 2003, in recent years it has served as an excellent illustration of the competition between major suppliers France, Italy, Russia and Britain for orders," Pieter Wezeman, also of the SIPRI Arms Transfers Programme, said in the statement.

While this development was worrying, SIPRI stressed "there are limits to what supplier states are willing to provide," pointing out that the United Nations last month placed a broad embargo on arms sales to Libya.

The think tank, which specialises in research on conflicts, weapons, arms control and disarmament, was created in 1966 and is 50-percent financed by the Swedish state.

Qu’est ce que le Maroc a importait de la hollande

Citation :

Explosive increase in Dutch arms exports


Dutch arms exports have sky-rocketed over the past few years. Per head of the population, the Netherlands is now in the top three of weapon exporting countries.
These conclusions can be drawn from new figures published by the Swedish institute SIPRI, which has been monitoring the international arms trade since 1966. The world’s main arms exporting countries are the United States, Russia, and China, with the Netherlands in sixth place.
Per head of the population, the Netherlands is even in third place, with Israel and Sweden in first and second place. The Netherlands produces and exports a variety of weaponry including naval vessels and advanced military electronics.
Over the last two decades, the Netherlands has sold 730 million euros worth of surplus arms and material to the Arab world. In addition to Egypt and Bahrain, customers have included Morocco, Qatar, Oman, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates.
The merchandise has consisted of armoured personnel carriers (APCs), navy frigates, F-16 fighter jets, anti-tank missiles, radar systems and self-propelled howitzers.
Between 2001 and 2005, Dutch arms exports amounted to about 1.1 billion euros compared to 2.9 billion in the second half of the decade, an increase of 160 percent.
A controversial visit by Queen Beatrix to Oman last Tuesday was reportedly intended to safeguard a major defence contract. At stake was an order worth hundreds of millions of euros for four naval vessels to be built by Dutch shipyard Damen Schelde. It is not known if the contract has since been signed.
See also: Queen must visit Oman because of economic interests

www.rnw.nl/english

MAATAWI a écrit:

Qu’est ce que le Maroc a importait de la hollande

indic

Spoiler:

oups



C vrai les trois sigma en construction chez DAMEN

Citation :

MBDA reste serein sur la vente de missiles à la Libye
Le 03 mars 2011 par Guillaume Lecompte-Boinet

Le missilier européen, filiale d'EADS, BAE Systems et Finmeccanica, est sous le feu des critiques. Son contrat pour la vente de missile Milan à la Libye est revenu sur le devant de la scène.

Ce contrat, d'un montant de 168 millions d'euros, a été signé en 2007. La plupart des vecteurs (1000 missiles, 500 munitions d'appoint et 100 postes de tirs) ont été livrés entre 2008 et 2010.

« On ne peut pas nier l'existence de ce contrat, mais depuis lors, nous respectons l'embargo décrété », explique une source interne.

Il n'est pas certain toutefois que l'armée libyenne soit en mesure d'utiliser ces armements. Le missile Milan est un armement anti-char léger destiné à l'infanterie, qui a une portée entre 300 et 1900 mètres.

Selon certaines sources, les formateurs de MBDA étaient en cours de mission lorsque la révolution a démarré. Ces formateurs ont été immédiatement exfiltrés vers la France.



http://www.usinenouvelle.com/article/mbda-reste-serein-sur-la-vente-de-missiles-a-la-libye.N147645

MILAN 3

Citation :

BAE Systems, Dassault propose MALE unmanned aerial system

EADS’ Talarion was offered for UK’s Scavenger ISTAR UAV tender.

BAE Systems and Dassault sign MoU for UAS proposal to the UK and France

08:52 GMT, March 16, 2011 BAE Systems and Dassault Aviation have signed a memorandum of understanding to jointly design, develop and produce a medium altitude long endurance (MALE) unmanned aircraft system (UAS) for the United Kingdom and France. The memorandum of understanding will enable the two companies to establish a framework under which they may jointly pursue this long term business opportunity, BAE Systems said in a statement.

The agreement follows the United Kingdom and French Governments agreement at the Anglo-French Summit in November 2010 to collaborate on the next generation MALE UAS to meet the requirements of both countries.

BAE Systems and Dassault Aviation have already completed a joint MALE UAS feasibility study for the United Kingdom and French Governments. This study has given both companies the confidence to move to the next stage of developing a joint proposal that will harness the UAS capabilities of both BAE Systems and Dassault Aviation, the statement continued.

Kevin Taylor, Managing Director Military Air & Information at BAE Systems said: “A successful BAE Systems/Dassault Aviation solution will ensure that the UK and France maintain their status as leading providers of aerospace capability. It will also ensure that both countries get the best return on the investment they have made in state-of-the-art technologies and UASs. We have a strong team in place that is ready to develop the future frontline UAS capability required by both the UK and France.”

Eric Trappier, Executive Vice President International at Dassault Aviation also commented: “BAE Systems and Dassault Aviation's joint experience and proven capabilities, together with an efficient co-operation process, allow us to offer a MALE UAS that will provide the UK and France with a cost-effective intelligent autonomous exploitation system to meet both countries’ military requirements to schedule and within the budgetary constraints under which both governments will operate in future. We look forward to a swift development go-ahead decision from the two governments soon.”

BAE Systems has developed several unmanned aerial systems, including the Herti and Mantis. The latter has cost BAE Systems 100 million pounds to develop. Dassault, on the other hand, is working on the nEUROn UAV with several European partners.

Meanwhile, EADS is also working an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that could rival the BAE Systems/Dassault offering. The European company has held talks with France, Spain and Germany on developing the Talarion aircraft.

In mid-January EADS chief executive officer Louis Gallois warned against the existence of two competing MALE UAV programmes in Europe while affirming EADS’s intention to continue development of its self-financed Talarion. He said European nations should ‘make a choice’ about their future MALE UAV capability and described how the co-existence of Talarion and Mantis programmes would be a ‘risk’.

EADS confirmed that it had offered up Talarion in response to an invitation to tender for the UK’s ‘Scavenger’ ISTAR UAV requirement.

http://www.defpro.com/daily/details/774/
defpro

Citation :

JPEO JTRS – Redefining Battlefield Communication of the Future

The JTRS program aims at achieving overall battlefield superiority.

Interview with the Director of Strategic Communications for JPEO JTRS

06:26 GMT, March 9, 2011 defpro.com | The Joint Tactical Radio System (JTRS), headquartered in San Diego, California was initiated in early 1997 to improve and consolidate the Services’ pursuit of separate solutions to replace existing legacy radios in the US Department of Defense (DoD) inventory. As the programme moves ahead, defpro.com asked the Director of Strategic Communications of the Joint Program Executive Office for the Joint Tactical Radio System (JPEO JTRS), James J. Mercer, to provide an insight into the programme’s structure, aims and current status.


defpro.com: Mr Mercer, could you please provide our readers with a brief overview the programme’s key aims and elements?

Mercer: The JTRS program has evolved from separate radio replacement programs to an integrated effort of five major programs to network multiple weapon system platforms and forward combat units where it matters most – the front lines of the battlefield. JTRS will link the power of the Global Information Grid to the warfighter in applying fire effects and achieving overall battlefield superiority.

JTRS is developing an open architecture of cutting edge radio waveform technology that allows multiple radio types (e.g., handheld, aircraft, maritime) to communicate with each other. The goal is to produce a family of interoperable, modular software-defined radios which operate as nodes in a network to ensure secure wireless communication and networking services for mobile and fixed forces. These goals extend to US allies, coalition partners and disaster response personnel. We are rapidly approaching our end state of delivering this incredible capability to the warfighter.


defpro.com: The JTRS programme has gone through more than its fair share of ups and downs ever since it was originally launched. Could you please summarise the current status of JTRS in terms of technology, procurement and deployment?

Mercer: As an enterprise, we are nearing the completion of the developmental phase of JTRS Increment 1 capabilities. Our MIDS JTRS radio is in low-rate production and the majority of our other products are in contractor or government testing. The Airborne Maritime/Fixed Station program and products are currently in development.

In terms of procurement, our enterprise business model (EBM) is paying dividends. We will achieve affordability through competition for key production and life cycle support activities. Each JTRS production contract is required to qualify at least two sources, which provides significant cost savings through continuous competition.


defpro.com: Would you say that JTRS is meeting its original goals, or is the current programme a very different beast than originally envisaged?

Mercer: Currently, JPEO JTRS is meeting its original goals. JTRS has made great strides towards the execution of our vision and mission to deliver world class defense networking capabilities in a dynamic environment to meet warfighter demands. We have experienced challenges since our inception, but we continue to work through those as they arise. Our focus remains on delivery of these important capabilities to the warfighter.


defpro.com: Do you perceive a continued will in the DoD and Congress to keep funding JTRS, or is it on the endangered species list?

Mercer: The JTRS program continues to receive significant interest and support from the DoD and Congress as evidenced in annual Defense Department budget authorizations.


defpro.com: Along the years, there have been a whole series of changes in the specifications for JTRS, these mostly due to a variety of technological, risk-reduction and financial reasons. Are there also changes being rather triggered by operational experience?

Mercer: No changes to JTRS standards were made due to operational experiences.


defpro.com: How do we stand with the finalisation of the definition of the Software Communications Architecture (SCA)? Is the approach, whereby the SCA standards are to be built by a not-for-profit consortium (the Object Management Group, OMG), compatible with the military nature of JTRS?

Mercer: In December 2010, JPEO JTRS released a draft specification of SCA Next. DoD, US commercial and international organizations have been submitting comments and suggestions for the draft. An updated draft version will be released shortly. It corrects minor defects and typographical errors that have been identified in the document. To date, no major defects or problems have been discovered, although many organizations are still in the process of prototyping the specification. Similar to the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) proposal process, the comment and adjudication will remain open until the end of this calendar year. Then a formal vote will determine whether SCA Next is accepted as the new version of the SCA.

SCA Next incorporates technology improvements in secure processing, independent of cryptography and national security. From a military security perspective, the SCA is security-neutral, permitting commercial or military security to be layered upon the basic specification.

To assist in the development of commercial and international radios with security features, the Wireless Innovation Forum (WInnF) is generating an International Radio Security Services (IRSS) application program interface (API). This is independent of the JTRS program and isolates the open-standard SCA from military security concerns.


defpro.com: From the point of view of allied countries that would send their troops to operate alongside US forces in the framework or Coalition operations, a key feature of JTRS is its expected ability to emulate current radios through software reconfiguration. Is this objective being met?

Mercer: Yes, the capability of JTRS radios to emulate current radios through software “waveforms” has been proven. The first increment of JTRS is being delivered with the capability to operate a variety of legacy software waveforms. The challenge of coalition interoperability, however, involves more than just providing legacy communications capabilities.

Development of a common coalition networking waveform, capable of being hosted on US and coalition allies’ software defined radios, would greatly enhance future coalition interoperability. This is the objective of the Coalition Wideband Networking Waveform (COALWNW) project currently being undertaken by the US and 8 other allied nations and described in the press release found at the end of the inquiry.

defpro.com: Which are the next major milestones during the upcoming months that will determine the programmes further progress?

Mercer: Across the Enterprise, the programs are conducting a very important series of tests. Some of the programs will be conducting a Limited User Test (LUT), which are conducted in a field environment with a reduced size operational unit to test overall effectiveness outside of the laboratory. The programs are also scheduled to complete the NSA’s Security Verification Test (SVT), which ultimately determines if the systems are entirely capable of secure data transmission. The GMR and HMS programs, in particular, will be undergoing the aforementioned testing events within this fiscal year. Upon completion of these events, Milestone C and Low-Rate Initial Production (LRIP) decisions will shortly follow.

The following are additonal milestones in the JTRS programme:

Multifunctional Information Distribution System (MIDS) JTRS
• Initial Operational Capability with the Navy’s F/A-18E/F Super Hornet (4Q FY11)
JTRS Ground Mobile Radios (GMR)
• GMR Milestone C (4Q FY11)
• GMR Limited User Test (3Q FY11)

JTRS Handheld, Manpack, & Small Form Fit (HMS)
• Milestone C: AN/PRC-154 (FY11); AN/PRC-155 (FY12); MUOS capable AN/PRC-155 (FY13)

Airborne and Maritime/Fixed Station (AMF) JTRS
• Small Airborne (SA) Engineering Development Model (EDM) First Article Delivery (3Q FY11)\

JTRS Network Enterprise Domain (NED)
• Legacy waveform upgrades planned (VHF/UHF LOS, HQII, Bowman, EPLRS, Link 16)


defpro.com: As our last question, we would like to ask what your personal visions and aims are for the further progress of the programme and its role in the armed forces.

Mercer: The JPEO JTRS Enterprise is delivering gained innovative technology that addresses the emerging needs of the warfighter, and the products we are producing will be leveraged by the Department of Defense to shape long-term networking strategies to promote Cyber Warfare. What JPEO JTRS is accomplishing today will fundamentally redefine the way communication occurs on the battlefields of the future. These products will provide our defenses with the agility and information needed to out-maneuver increasingly sophisticated adversaries and ultimately save lives.


defpro.com: Thank you very much, Mr Mercer.

defpro

Citation :

BAE Systems Punts for South African Hoefyster Project

BAE System’s RG41 is an 8x8 wheeled armour combat vehicle.

BAE Systems claims RG41 selection would benefit local suppliers, economy

07:56 GMT, March 7, 2011 BAE Systems says the government should reconsider its options for Project Hoefyster, the South African Army’s quest for a new-generation infantry fighting vehicle. The company’s Land Systems SA (LSSA) unit, better known as “OMC”, says its RG41 is more modern and cheaper than the locally-customised version of the Patria AMV currently slated for production as the “Badger”.

“Technology has evolved significantly in the years since Project Hoefyster was first launched,” LSSA managing director Johan Steyn says. “It makes sense then to look at newer solutions such as [the] RG41 now available, which largely meet the technical requirements and could provide cost savings and broader economic benefits for the country.”

BACKGROUND

Hoefyster was registered as a project in 1997. Early reports speculated that the MOWAG Piranha IV was a shoo-in for the deal, as OMC had then just been bought out by Vickers Defence Systems – a British concern – that had licensing rights to the Piranha IV. Counter-speculation at the time favoured the Piranha III, currently in use by the US Army as the Stryker basis for the armoured personnel carrier (APC).

News of local developments came at African Aerospace and Defence 2002, when Dr Stefan Nell’s Land Mobility Technologies (LMT) company proposed a family of 6x6 and 8x8 vehicles built to a common design. Nell told the author at the time the 8x8 would be the basis of the new ICV while the 6x6 variant – identical in all respects bar the fourth axle – would serve as armoured personnel carrier for the motorised infantry. As such it could then replace the aging Casspir and Mamba APCs. Both designs, dubbed “Honeyguide” after a local bird, made maximum use of commercial-off-the-shelf technology. An electric drive proposal was also on the drawing board. Nell was adamant that the Army preferred a local solution rather than an import. Talk at the show was that a decision on a preferred “Hoefyster” design to be further engineered and developed would be made in January 2003.

It is not clear if such a decision was made. It appears that at least four domestic companies, including LMT, OMC and the Mechanology Design Bureau (MDB) were given seed money to develop prototypes. In early 2004 it was reported that the LMT design had victored. All were 8x8 designs designed to carry the Denel LCT35 turret specified for the design. Scarcely had the news filtered out when Armscor, the arms acquisition agency, re-opened the competition and called on local and international companies to tender for the deal.

RfP

The Request for Proposals (RfP), reference number MFT/2003/564, asked eight South African companies and four international defence contractors to put forward ideas and quotes by February 25, 2005. Domestic companies asked to tender were state arms manufacturer Denel as well as private companies LMT, Benoni-based OMC, IST Dynamics, Industrial and Automotive Design SA, MDB, Advanced Technologies & Engineering of Midrand, Grintron and Intertechnic. The four overseas contractors approached were GIAT Industries of France, Mowag Motorwagenfabrik AG of Switzerland and the pan-European Aeronautic, Defence and Space Company (EADS). The South African companies in particular were keen to bid and happily showed off their ideas to selected journalists.

But, in February 2005, when the bids were due, only one was received, from a consortium involving Patria of Finland, Patria’s part-owner, EADS, Denel, OMC and Land Mobility Technologies (LMT). The vehicle the group proposed was Patria’s 8x8 Armoured Modular Vehicle (AMV), as redesigned for southern African conditions by LMT. The vehicle hulls were to be built by OMC and the turrets as well as guns would be provided by Denel.

Questioned in 2005 about the paucity of bids, then-Department of Defence’s (DoD) chief of acquisition and procurement, Bruce Ramfolo said the tender process followed on their behalf by Armscor was sound and “neither Armscor nor DoD are able to force any industry to participate.” Ramfolo did not directly answer a question on why a foreign hull was preferred to a local design, saying instead that “no decision regarding the bid has been made and therefore no decision on the design has been made.”

In May 2007 then-Minister of Public Enterprises Alec Erwin announced in his budget vote that the Army had awarded DLS a R8.4 billion contract to acquire 264 locally-engineered Patria AMV in five variants: section carrier, command, mortar, support and anti-tank. A R1.048 billion order to develop a prototype of each was awarded later that same month. One of each is currently undergoing evaluation. Once accepted by the military, 12 pre-production vehicles will be built. The first 37 production vehicles will be built by Patria in Finland.

In December 2010 the Ministry of Public Enterprises said the “Department of Defence will make the decision on whether or not to proceed with the Industrialisation and Production Phase before the end of 2010/11,” a reference to the state financial year ending this month.

Rumours regarding the demise of the programme have circulated for years, driven in part by a lack of news on the project and apparently interminable delays. South African Army director strategy Brigadier General Eddie Drost in November last year told the National Assembly’s Portfolio Committee on Defence and Military Veterans landward renewal – a stated top priority for the DoD – “is not coming to fruition” with most projects “on hold because of cost escalation”. He did not say whether this included Hoefyster.


THE RG41

Showing the RG41 to the media on Thursday, Steyn said the RG41 is a clean-sheet design and “is more cost effective than its global competitors.” The wheeled armoured combat vehicle was unveiled at the Eurosatory exhibition in Paris last June and boasts what BAE Systems says is a unique modular mine protected design that allows field repair to the hull – not just to the suspension and driveline.

The company says the lower hull structure of the RG41 consists of five modular units joined together and bolted under the top structure of the vehicle. Any damaged modules can be removed and replaced individually with prefabricated replacement sections. This task can be completed by second line maintenance in an operational theatre, saving time and money, said Dennis Morris, President of Global Tactical Systems, the BAE Systems business unit Land Systems South Africa and OMC answers to. “The RG41 offers exceptional protection, capability and flexibility,” Morris added. “Current conflicts require maintenance and repairs be done in the field and the RG41’s unique design allows operators to achieve their missions while maximising vehicle operational readiness. RG41 represents the ultimate synthesis of combat power and affordability, ideal for conventional and unconventional units,” he added in a media statement issued in Paris.

The RG41 is 7.78m long, 2.28m wide and 2.3m high with 14.9 cubic metres of usable cabin space. Its mass is 19 000kg and the payload 11 000kg, meaning the new 8x8 can carry a range of light and medium turrets as well as direct and indirect-fire weapons. Steyn says the design is easy to customise and can be configured as a command vehicle, section combat vehicle, ambulance, engineering vehicle, fire support vehicle or according to customer specification. Steyn adds the vehicle can easily take the various turrets developed by DLS for Hoefyster. He added the company’s intent was “to supply the weapon platform only” in support of DLS as the level-5 prime contractor.

NEW DESIGN

The vehicle’s local comment is more than 70% and would benefit around 100 local suppliers if ordered. An estimated 2000 jobs could be created, he added.

The RG41 project started in 2008 at company expense “to meet the ever-increasing demand for mine protected vehicles in the modern combat environment”. The company, in product notes, say the 8x8 is a development of previous LSSA prototypes and “benefits from many years of development experience.” Officials add designers had no specific customer in mind for the company-funded development. “The design uses RG series technology which has been combat proven around the world in numerous different environments.” Steyn says some R25-30 million has been spent prototyping and qualifying the vehicle. The end result is a vehicle 10-20% cheaper than the international constitution. “The price of a vehicle starts on the drawing board, not the factory floor,” Steyn added.

DLS would not immediately comment on the matter, saying it might call a media briefing next week. Ish Moeketsi, Senior Manager: Strategic Relations at DLS said the suggestion that government not order the AMV-derivative was an “over-simplification of a much broader and complex contracting process that obviously began long time ago of which the third party was aware of. In order to give credibility and fairness to these incorrect perceptions, it will be appropriate for Denel to give correct facts so that this could result in a balanced perspective.”

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Missile Defense Plans Rely On A True “System-of-Systems” Approach

The administration’s current plan to deal with the growing threat from ballistic missiles is to develop missile defenses in four phases between now and 2020; each phase will have greater capability than its predecessor and will be deployed, it is hoped, in time to meet an evolving threat. Phase I of the Phased Adaptive Approach (PAA), currently underway, will address the threat posed by short-range ballistic missiles. It will rely on the deployment of ships equipped with the Aegis radar and advanced variants of the Standard Missile. The next phase, beginning in 2015 will provide a capability to deal with the intermediate-range missiles already in Iran and North Korea’s inventory. This phase begins the deployment of the Aegis/Standard Missile system on land. The Phase II defense would be deployed forward, in Europe and possibly elsewhere. Phase III will improve on the sea and land-based Aegis system to intercept longer-range missiles. Finally, Phase IV, scheduled to begin deployment as early as 2018, is intended to engage ICBM-class missiles that could reach the United States from either the Middle East or Northeast Asia.

The PAA plan relies heavily on leveraging the capability embodied in the highly successful Aegis radar/battle management system with variants of the Standard Missile 3, or SM-3. These two systems were originally deployed in the 1970s to defend against hostile aircraft. In each phase of the PAA, advances in interceptors are married to improvements in sensors, battle management and communications. Phase I is deploying the SM-3 Block IA along with a software upgrade to the Aegis radar, creating an Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) capability. Phase II will deploy an enhanced interceptor, the SM-3 Block IB, capable of intercepting longer-range ballistic missiles and a combination of new hardware and software for the Aegis radar and battle manager. Phase III will add sensors and a new interceptor, the SM-3 Block IIA that is larger and can fly faster and farther. Finally, Phase IV will employ a larger and even more powerful interceptor, the SM-3 Block IIB which has yet to be designed, much less tested, as well as a new air and missile defense radar for the sea and land-based Aegis BMD and space-based sensors.

PAA is on a very aggressive schedule, with new phases being introduced every few years. The Missile Defense Agency is pursuing a challenging research and development program not only for variants of the Standard Missile, but improved radar, new airborne sensors and advanced command and control. This program includes developing and deploying a network of space-based sensors, the Precision Tracking and Surveillance Satellites (PTSS) which will provide birth-to-death tracking of missiles and warheads. Such a capability is absolutely necessary in order to have an effective, layered defense against ICBMs.

MDA is likely to find itself challenged to achieve multiple benchmarks for deploying new phases. Improving the performance of the SM-3 alone is no small challenge. Some analysts believe that the speeds required of an interceptor capable of engaging ICBMs will necessitate creating an entirely new missile and kill vehicle rather than being able to extend the Standard Missile system. Such a new missile also should be designed from the start to be both sea and land-based. Successive administrations have struggled for nearly two decades to deploy a viable space tracking system much less do it on the stringent timelines for the PTSS. As my colleague Loren Thompson pointed out in a recent Space News article, MDA is not demonstrating notable energy in developing and deploying sensor satellites.

If the threat appears faster than anticipated, which seems distinctly possible, will MDA be able to respond? Because it must pace the evolving threat, MDA should consider developing hedging options to avoid a situation in which either a new missile or sensor program is delayed. There are opportunities for modifying existing missiles, kill vehicles and sensors further to give them some additional capability. While not the perfect answer, such hedges could prove very useful. That way, MDA can keep moving forward on its system-of-systems approach to advanced missile defenses.

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UAVs: Not So Expendable Anymore

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), also known as Unmanned Aerial Systems (UASs) or drones, are sophisticated pilotless aircraft that serve as the eyes and ears for our troops on the ground. These vehicles routinely embark on risky reconnaissance missions that were previously performed by pilots. UAVs evolved tremendously over the years and are now an essential part of our mission, especially in remote locations where rough terrain makes things difficult.

Early on, survivability of the UAV was not a primary focus. Their main purpose was simply to reduce the need to send soldiers, sailors, airmen or Marines into risky situations. They were intended to be inexpensive and expendable. But over time, these machines have become more complex and play an even greater role in helping our troops accomplish their mission. Today, when a UAV does occasionally go down, a ground unit has been sent to recover it. Due to the rising cost of platforms and sensor packages as well as recent combat losses, the UAV community is considering survivability enhancements. And although there is no loss of life directly associated with the loss of a UAV, the potential loss of life, within units on the ground that depend on the UAV, is substantial. Survivability techniques and technologies developed for manned aircraft can be considered in order to offer cost-effective survivability enhancements for UAVs; but the vast amount of data from numerous sources made the task daunting.

Enter the Survivability/Vulnerability Information Analysis Center (SURVIAC): http://www.bahdayton.com/surviac/. SURVIAC recently teamed with the National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA) Combat Survivability Division (CSD) to conduct two workshops specifically focused on enhancing survivability for UAVs, bringing together experts across the aircraft survivability community to collaborate on leveraging existing technology to apply to unmanned systems. After the initial workshop, participants walked away in strong agreement that survivability should be formally considered in the design of all UAVs.

The second workshop focused on developing a total survivability solution. Participants recommended that the ideal solution include modular components, multi-platform capability, and should leverage existing sensor payloads. They also agreed that establishing self-protection requirements for UAVs is essential to ensuring our troops have the necessary eyes and ears to accomplish their mission. Summary reports on both workshops are available through SURVIAC, which can be reached via the IAC website at http://iac.dtic.mil.

The success and the survival of so many soldiers, sailors, sirmen and Marines is due, in no small part, to the intelligence and support provided by UAVs. Now that we depend on these UAVs, we need to ensure that they can survive as well.

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Technology Built Tough - Aqeri adapts its products to NATO

18:22 GMT, March 18, 2011 Stockholm | Aqeri has received an order from a large Italian defence company to secure some of their products from interception according to a NATO standard known as “Tempest”.

The products in question are: computers, monitors, keyboards and switches. “This is Aqeri’s first order stipulating a Tempest standard” says CEO Jan Israelsson.

“We have previously made secure monitors for FMV (to an order value of approx. 6MSEK) according to the Swedish standard RÖS (Röjande Signaler = Elimination Signals).”

“As the NATO market for products that meet Tempest standards is considerably larger than the Swedish market, we regard the future with great confidence” concludes Israelsson.

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Saab Presents New Wing Design

17:05 GMT, March 18, 2011 Three years after start of the Smart Fixed Wing Aircraft (SFWA) project, a new unique wing demonstrator is presented for the first time. The new wing panel is one of several new features that will contribute substantially to reduce fuel consumption and emissions for aircraft in the future.

Saab plays an essential part in the European Clean Sky project lead by Airbus. Saab has developed the new Smart Fixed Wing Aircraft (SFWA) wing panel demonstrator, which is one step closer to achieve Clean Sky’s vision; to radically minimize adverse environmental impact from aviation by 2020.

“Because of the SFWA design, maintenance of laminar air flow is possible, which decrease the aircrafts total drag by at least 5 %”, says Henrik Åslund, aerodynamicist.

Saab’s contribution to the Clean Sky project is highly advanced technological knowledge. The major challenge is to preserve laminar air flow and avoid turbulent flow. Air flow is extremely sensitive to small steps, gaps and waviness which disturbs the laminar flow and makes it turbulent, thus increasing the friction imposed on the wing. Saab, being an experienced composite design and manufacturer, has new unique techniques which make the wing surfaces smooth enough to maintain laminar flow.

“This new design which also includes an integrated Leading Edge will impact the ways of building the future aircraft wing, reducing the time for assembly and enhance the surface quality allowing the laminar flow to be stable”, says Thomas Hellström, Project Manager Clean Sky.

As a result of this, SFWA helps reduce drag. This, in turn, reduces CO2 and NOx emissions as well as fuel consumption and noise caused by aircraft.

"This is the most complex and highly advanced composite article built by Saab. The panel has shown very good laminate and surface quality , which verifies that the design and tooling concept has proven to work”, according to Jonas Bohlin, Sub-project manager, Clean Sky SFWA, Saab.

A complete wing panel with a length of almost 10 meters will be built by Saab in Linköping 2013, and flight tested by Airbus on an A340 aircraft in France during 2014. The SFWA panel demonstrator was shown for the first time during Clean Sky’s annual meeting on March 17th in Linköping, Sweden.


Short facts about the Clean Sky project

Clean Sky is the largest environmental project in the history of the European Union, involving 86 organizations, authorities and industries from 32 nations. Together they are working to achieve a common goal, reducing the adverse environmental impact caused by Europe’s aviation industries. By 2020, Clean Sky aims to reduce carbon emissions and fuel consumption by 25-30 %. The noise caused by aviation will also be decreased by at least 10 db. The NOx emissions will be reduced by 20 %. In addition to participating in SFWA, Saabs contribution to Clean Sky is ‘Systems for Green Operations’.

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Defense Electronics Headed For Major Consolidation Moves

17:01 GMT, March 18, 2011 Consider the challenge faced by ITT Defense as it prepares to become independent from the conglomerate that currently owns it. Anywhere else in the world, ITT would be a national gem -- the most accomplished player in military electronics and related fields within several time zones. But in the United States, it is just a moderately-sized player, overshadowed by rivals such as BAE Systems, Northrop Grumman and Raytheon. Some observers think $5-6 billion in annual sales isn't big enough for ITT to make a go of it in the coming defense downturn, so they expect it to either be bought or take on debt to buy rivals.

ITT Defense still has a way to go before it is independent, so it's too soon to say what strategy management will embrace. But one thing is already apparent -- the future domestic market probably can't sustain as many large-scale defense electronics players as there are today. Every one of the big military-system integrators has a major electronics business, and all are focused on a single customer (the Pentagon) that currently generates about half of global demand for security-related technologies. If demand from that dominant customer begins to soften, increased overseas sales probably can't make up the difference. After all, the Asians and Europeans have their own electronics houses, and there is a gradual convergence under way between the electronic technologies valued by military forces and the kinds of products the commercial sector produces (China passed the U.S. in overall electronics production in 2006).

Some companies are in better shape than others. For example, Lockheed Martin has positioned its defense electronics business so it seldom gets caught in margin-reducing competitions with many other players. And BAE Systems has fostered a collaborative internal culture stressing cross fertilization that continuously generates innovations customers need. But the bottom line is that the United States simply has too many world-class integrators of military electronic systems for the market conditions that lie ahead, and so some of them will have to disappear in the sector consolidation that accompanies every defense downturn. That's how names like Sanders and Singer and Tracor disappeared from the ranks of Pentagon suppliers after the Cold War.

Defense department acquisition chief Ashton Carter recently disclosed some tentative guidelines for how policymakers should approach mergers among key contractors, stressing that combinations of top-tier integrators were unlikely to be approved. However, those guidelines raised more questions than they answered in the case of defense electronics, because as often as not the big electronics houses are subcontractors rather than prime contractors, and there are many more of them than there are aircraft, warship or vehicle integrators. Look at the Navy's Next Generation Jammer competition -- four highly qualified teams are competing, each of which could do a better job on the project than any other company in the world outside the United States. There probably won't be many more new starts like the jammer in this decade, so the losers will be hard-pressed to preserve their design teams and core competencies. Something has to give, and the usual release valve is sector consolidation -- coming soon to a defense electronics supplier near you.

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GDELS presents the latest models of the PIRANHA vehicle and the SIAC 155/52 towed howitzer at LAAD 2011
16:53 GMT, March 18, 2011 VIENNA | General Dynamics European Land System (GDELS), a business unit of General Dynamics, will present the latest member of the PIRANHA family of armoured wheeled vehicles and its most modern artillery system, the SIAC 155/52 Towed Howitzer, at LAAD Defence & Security 2011 exhibition in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) from 12-15th April 2011. The new light tactical vehicle EAGLE and the latest solutions for highly mobile military bridge systems will also be on display. General Dynamics European Land Systems will be on Stand No. E16, Hall 4.

DISPLAY HIGHLIGHTS

PIRANHA – the state-of-the-art 8x8 Armoured Vehicle

The latest version of the PIRANHA vehicle will raise the benchmark in the areas of survivability, mobility and firepower, marking unprecedented progress in the development of armoured vehicles. The PIRANHA is in successful operation with the Brazilian Marines in missions abroad and for internal security. The PIRANHA provides the highest levels of survivability against conventional and asymmetric threats, while having the capacity to fill all battlefield roles such as Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC), Electronic Warfare, Ambulance, Reconnaissance, Command, Mortar and even Direct Fire with turrets up to 120 mm caliber. As an APC the PIRANHA has an internal capacity for a crew of up to 11 troops. The latest version can be supplied in either high- or low-roof configurations with open architecture, over 15 tons of payload and 120 kW electrical power.


SIAC Towed Howitzer Artillery, in service and tested

The SIAC is a state-of-the-art 155/62 caliber towed howitzer with self-propelled capabilities due to its integrated auxiliary power unit. Its advanced design meets the most demanding requirements of modern field artillery and coastal defense missions, featuring rapid deployability, excellent first round hit probability and a swift “shoot and scoot” capability for higher survivability. General Dynamics European Land Systems’ Automatic Gun Laying System (AGLS), Digital Navigation Aiming and Pointing System (DINAPS) and Fully Automatic Ramming System (FIRS) are integrated in the SIAC for superior performance. The SIAC is capable of firing 10 rounds in the first minute, quick emplacement (entering: 2 min. /leaving: 1.5 min.) and has a firing range of over 40 km with Base Bleed ammunition.


Advanced solutions for mobile military bridge systems

General Dynamics European Land Systems provides a wide range of mobile military bridge systems for modern ground forces. M3 Amphibious Bridge/Rafting System and IRB Improved Ribbon Bridge represent today’s most modern and fastest water crossing systems for heavy forces. REBS Rapidly Emplaced Bridge System and the modular bridge system MTB Medium Trackway Bridge are the systems of choice for medium mechanized and air-transportable troops. Light infantry and airborne units rely on the IAB Infantry Assault Bridge to cross wet and dry gaps. Used by more than 20 countries worldwide, our bridge systems have proven their reliability and performance standards in various operations.


ASCOD - Multiple mission roles with excellent mobility, protection and combat ability

The ASCOD is one of today’s best Infantry/Cavalry fighting vehicles in the world. Designed and produced by General Dynamics European Land Systems-SBS and General Dynamics European Land Systems-Steyr, the ASCOD is in service with the Spanish and Austrian armies and recently has been selected by the UK FRES SV program. The VCI/I ASCOD is a tracked armoured vehicle with a monocoque hull of armour steel plates, capacity for a combat group of seven riflemen and a three-man crew, and features a high power/weight ratio thanks to its combat weight of 28 tones. The power pack and running gear with seven wheels, three supporting rollers and wide steel tracks provide this high mobility vehicle with maximum speeds of 70 km/h forward and 35 km/h in reverse.


EAGLE - The New Survivability Standard

To meet the increasing demand in protection and payload, General Dynamics European Land Systems offers the new EAGLE vehicle. Due to its higher payload capacity, it can either carry more equipment or heavier protection solutions, depending on the customer’s requirements. This highly mobile vehicle, with a crew of 4 - 5 soldiers, offers outstanding protection against ballistic, mine and improvised explosive device (IED) threats. Interchangeable automotive parts and components with DURO armoured or soft-skinned vehicles provide a cost-effective logistics commonality.

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