Drones / UAV

Rappel du premier message :

Drone Kamikaze Israélien, d'une portée de 500Km..
Il vole en territoire ennemie, et cherche constamment les émissions radar une fois un signal reçu le compare a sa base de donnée, et s'en occupe selon l'ordre de priorité..en fonçant vers elle à la vertical et explosant juste au dessus pour faire le plus de dégât possible.





http://www.israeli-weapons.com/weapons/aircraft/uav/harpy/HARPY.html

C'est un halazoooon*






*Escargot

halazoun asthmatique en plus,qui fait encore des 90min pour cette categorie
il dira salut et reviendra bredouille

Citation :

Northrop Grumman Unveils U.S. Navy's First MQ-4C BAMS Unmanned Aircraft Triton Unmanned Aircraft to Bring Persistent Surveillance to the Maritime Patrol Force

PALMDALE, Calif., June 14, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) unveiled the first U.S. Navy MQ-4C Triton Broad Area Maritime Surveillance Unmanned Aircraft System (BAMS UAS) in a ceremony today at Northrop Grumman's Palmdale, Calif., manufacturing facility. Photos accompanying this release are available at http://media.globenewswire.com/noc/mediagallery.html?pkgid=13291 "Northrop Grumman is proud to provide our U.S. Navy customer with the MQ-4C Triton unmanned aircraft, a key element of the BAMS UAS program, representing the future of naval aviation and a strategic element of the U.S. Navy," said Duke Dufresne, Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems sector vice president and general manager for unmanned systems. "The BAMS UAS program will revolutionize persistent maritime intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance. We are honored to serve the U.S. Navy and our nation's allies in the quest to build and maintain a strong and cooperative global maritime domain." The Northrop Grumman BAMS UAS is a versatile maritime intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance system to support a variety of missions while operating independently or in direct collaboration with fleet assets. When operational, BAMS will play a key role in providing commanders with a persistent, reliable picture of surface threats, covering vast areas of open ocean and littoral regions as the unmanned segment of the Navy's Maritime Patrol Reconnaissance Force. "Today is a significant day for the BAMS team," said Rear Adm. Bill Shannon, program executive officer, unmanned aviation and strike weapons. "The work they have done and will continue to do is critical to the future of naval aviation. Their efforts will enable the BAMS system to provide the fleet a game-changing persistent maritime and littoral intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capability." Designated the MQ-4C, the U.S. Navy released the aircraft name today as "Triton," keeping with the tradition of naming surveillance aircraft after Greek sea gods. Triton is the Greek messenger of the sea. Currently, BAMS-D (demonstrator), a Block 10 RQ-4 equipped with maritime sensors, is being used by the U.S. Navy's Fifth Fleet. BAMS-D provides a glimpse of the full persistent capabilities that the Triton's 360-degree Multi-Function Active Sensor (MFAS) radar will bring to the fleet. The MFAS radar is produced by Northrop Grumman Electronic Systems.

globenewswire.com

Citation :

UAV Market Poised for Significant Growth Through 2020, Beyond Existing Military Applications


U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Predator B unmanned air system. (Photo: U.S. CBP)

07:28 GMT, June 28, 2012 FARMINGTON, Conn. | New mission capabilities of UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) and new deployment applications have continued to push the market upward. Accurate market data and analysis will be essential to companies seeking to develop, deploy, support, and maintain UAVs on the global stage. With premium market research from the world's leading publishers, Global Information Inc. helps businesses stay on the cutting edge with the best forecasts, research, and analyses.

UAS: MARKET SHARES, STRATEGY, AND FORECASTS, WORLDWIDE, 2012 TO 2018

WinterGreen Research announces that it has published a new study Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS): Market Shares, Strategy, and Forecasts, Worldwide, 2012 to 2018. The 2012 study has 910 pages, 315 tables and figures.

New market data from WinterGreen Research notes that Worldwide Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) markets are poised to achieve significant growth, as UAS provide a way to automate surveillance of wide areas and implement strategic military missions that can strike at terrorists without injuring civilians.

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) are remotely piloted or self-piloted aircraft that can carry cameras, sensors, communications equipment or other payloads. These aircraft are smaller than manned aircraft and are cost-effectively stored and transported, giving them great importance to the fighting capability of operational war forces.

Growth in unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAV) has coincided with an increase in endurance limit and an increase in mission capabilities of UAVs. In general, there has been an increase in awareness and mission capabilities of UAVs creating an equation for growth.

WinterGreen's new Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS): Market Shares, Strategy, and Forecasts, Worldwide, 2012 to 2018 report is the latest in their series of primary market research reports that provide forecasts in communications, telecommunications, the Internet, computer, software, telephone equipment, health equipment, and energy.

An Executive Summary of this analysis and a free sample of the full report are available at http://www.giiresearch.com/report/wg245633-unmanned-aerial-systems-uas-market-shares-strategy.html

UAVS FOR BORDER SECURITY - GLOBAL MARKET & TECHNOLOGIES OUTLOOK - 2013-2021

The deployment of UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) in border security missions has generally been recognized as a success. Combining technical capabilities with other advantages such as cost-effective storage and transportation, UAVs are on the radar of many governments, creating new markets and new business opportunities.

In a new report, "Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) for Border Security - Global Market & Technologies Outlook - 2013-2021" publisher Market Info Group lays out a unique path to profit, by offering an Operating Concept tying the most common border security technologies together into the capabilities border agents demand. The report also offers clear instructions on which nations need UAVs, what relevant foreign aid they receive from the US and how to approach those governments.

An Executive Summary for this report and free sample pages from the full document are available at http://www.giiresearch.com/report/mig103587-uav-border-security.html

defpro

Citation :

Falco EVO Successfully Completes Maiden Flight


(Photo: SELEX Galileo)

08:43 GMT, July 24, 2012 Ronchi dei Legionari | SELEX Galileo, a Finmeccanica company, has successfully performed the maiden flight of its latest member of the market leader Falco Tactical Unmanned Aerial System (TUAS) family, dubbed FALCO EVO. The Falco EVO has a payload capacity of up to 100kg and an extended endurance of up 18 hours. It has flown exceptionally well in its maiden flight and has experienced a smooth touch down after 40 minutes in the sky.

The Falco EVO is an upsize version of the SELEX Galileo’s successful Falco UAS, which is now in service with 4 international customers and has delivered quite effective missions and proven extremely reliable in operation.

After a regular take off from Cheshnegirovo air base in Bulgaria in less than 200 metres of runway, the Falco EVO has levelled up at 1500 ft (990ft agl) and has performed 3 fly-bys of the nearby airport in order to test the UAS’ flap configurations. After performing several landing approaches aimed at verifying the behaviour during landing, the FALCO EVO has touched down smoothly and has returned to the hangar where it will await further trials including testing of its flight and mission envelopes.

“Because the Falco EVO adopts the airframe, avionics and engine configuration from the existing Falco, the new UAS is already showing itself to be a remarkably robust platform,” said Fabrizio Boggiani, SELEX Galileo’s marketing lead for the Falco UAS, adding “We’re looking forward to it being embraced by the market just as the Falco has been so far.”

The Falco EVO can integrate a vast range of payloads that are already in use on other Falco aircraft. It is also fully compatible and interoperable with the current Falco-family ground control segment, further boosting a customer’s ability to perform persistent surveillance.

defpro

Citation :

Elbit Systems Upgrades U.S. Bound Skylark 1LE




Elbit Systems is unveiling the Skylark 1LE Block II today at AUVSI 2012 in Las Vegas. Photo: Elbit Systems

Elbit Systems is introducing the latest version of the Skylark small UAV, evolved from the operational experience gained from extensive use of the Skylark I-LE with coalition forces in Afghanistan and Israel Defense Forces. The new Skylark I-LE Block II extends operational range up to 15 km, maintains approximately 3 hours of endurance. The new vehicle is optimized to perform in harsh environments such as high altitudes and gusting winds.

According to Malcolm Quon, Vice President of UAS Dynamics, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Elbit Systems of America, Block II configuration uses a new engine and power system, as well as the highest performance Day/Night payload in Tier I SUAS class, providing the Skylark Block II more mission flexibility, enabling to fly higher without degradation of imagery.


Offering uniquely low acoustic signature and high resolution stabilized imagery in day and night Skylark has been operated with Special Forces for several years. Quon added the legacy Skylark systems have already accumulated over 25,000 operational flight hours. UAS Dynamics Systems is building Skylark systems destined for U.S. customers in Texas.

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defense-update

Citation :

First Flight of the X-48C Blended Wing Body Experimental Unmanned Plane




X48C Blended Wing-Body experimental unmanned scaled aircraft prepared for the first flight August 7, 2012 at the Dryden flight test center in Edwards AFB, California. Photo: NASA

Boeing conducted the first flight of the remotely piloted X-48C experimental Blended Wing Body (BWB) unmanned aircraft yesterday at the NASA’s Dryden Flight Research Center at Edwards Air Force Base in California. The flight lasted 9 minutes and the aircraft climbed to an altitude of 5,500 feet before landing back on the dray lakebed.

The X-48C is a scale model of a heavy-lift, subsonic vehicle that forgoes the conventional tube-and-wing airplane design in favor of a triangular aircraft that effectively merges the vehicle’s wing and body. Boeing and NASA believe the BWB concept offers the potential over the long-term of significantly greater fuel efficiency and reduced noise. The X-48C is an 8.5 percent scale model of an aircraft with a 240-foot wingspan that possibly could be developed in the next 15 to 20 years for military applications such as aerial refueling and cargo missions.



The X-48C is a modified version of the X-48B aircraft, which flew 92 times at NASA Dryden between 2007 and 2010. The X-48B’s flight test program proved that a BWB aircraft can be controlled as effectively as a conventional tube-and-wing aircraft during takeoffs and landings, as well as in other low-speed segments of the flight regime. Primary changes to the C model from the B model were geared to transforming it to an airframe noise-shielding configuration. ”With the X-48C, we will be evaluating the impact of noise shielding concepts on low-speed flight characteristics,” said Bob Liebeck, a Boeing Senior Technical Fellow and the company’s BWB program manager. The modified test vehicle was designed by Boeing and built by Cranfield Aerospace Ltd., in the United Kingdom, in accordance with Boeing requirements.

The newer version has a 21-foot wingspan and its weight is 500 pounds. It is configured with two 89-pound thrust turbojet engines, instead of three 50-pound thrust engines on the B-model; and wingtip winglets have been relocated inboard, next to the engines on the C-model, effectively turning them into twin tails. The aft deck also was extended about 2 feet at the rear. The vehicle has an estimated top speed of about 140 miles per hour and a maximum altitude of 10,000 feet.

Engineers from Boeing Research & Technology, the company’s central research, technology and innovation organization, will be working closely with NASA engineers during flight tests of the X-48C, which are expected to continue throughout 2012. As handling qualities of the X-48C will be different than those of the X-48B, the project team developed flight control software modifications, including flight control limiters to keep the airplane flying within a safe flight envelope.

The X-48C project team consists of Boeing, NASA, Cranfield Aeropace, and the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory.


An X-48C experimental aircraft is mounted in a full-scale wind tunnel on Aug. 31, 2009 at Langley Air Force Base, Va. The tunnel provided a controlled test environment to measure aerodynamic forces on vehicles. Since this test this facility has been dismantled. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Barry Loo)


X48C undergoing wind-tunnel tests at Langley AFB, VA. Photo: NASA

defense-update.com

Citation :

KAI developing 'suicide combat UAV'



Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) is developing a new long-range guided weapon that can cruise to a location before loitering and attacking when a target is identified.

The system is called "Devil Killer" and has a maximum speed that ranges between 189-216kt (350-400km/h), says KAI. It navigates using GPS and a data link, and the company refers to it as a "suicide combat unmanned air vehicle".

"After [the Devil Killer] moves to the target point along the pre-programmed route, which is designated with navigation points, the operator can identify targets through the forward-looking camera image and then commence either a manual or automatic strike," says KAI.

Korea Aerospace Industries

The system is powered by an electric motor and weighs 25kg (55lb), with a length of 1.5m (4.92ft). Details of its explosive payload, endurance and range are confidential.
If a target is not identified, the system can be retrieved and re-used. At present, the company is focusing on a surface-launched version, but eventually, it hopes to develop an air-launched variant.

The company aims to pitch the system to the South Korean armed forces and foreign buyers.

Korea Aerospace Industries

www.flightglobal.com

Citation :

La DGA et DE&S lancent l'expérimentation "Watchkeeper"



Le 22 octobre 2012, la DGA et son homologue britannique, DE&S, ont lancé l'expérimentation du drone tactique Watchkeeper.

La France et le Royaume-Uni poursuivent la coopération sur les drones tactiques engagée dans le cadre du traité de Lancaster House et confirmée le 12 juillet dernier par les ministres de la Défense.

L'évaluation du système britannique Watchkeeper par l'armée de terre française va permettre à nos forces de définir les conditions d'une coopération opérationnelle étroite. L'expérimentation débutera ce mois-ci avec les premières formations d'opérateurs français. Les campagnes de vol seront réalisées à Istres en 2013.

Le contrat notifié par la DE&S à THALES UK le 22 octobre couvre les prestations de formations des opérateurs et le soutien de l'expérimentation : transport, logistique, maintenance.

Le Watchkeeper est un drone tactique destiné aux forces terrestres que le ministère britannique de la Défense a acheté en 2005.

TB

Citation :

Sukhoi to Build Strike, Recon Unmanned Planes

ZHUHAI, November 13 (RIA Novosti) - Russian aircraft maker Sukhoi is to focus on creating reconnaissance and strike unmanned air vehicles (UAV) in the near future, United Aircraft Corporation President Mikhail Pogosyan said at the Zhuhai Airshow China exhibition on Tuesday.

Sukhoi, which has historically designed fighter and ground attack aircraft but now also builds some civil aircraft, is part of UAC, a holding covering most of Russia's aircraft industry.

"UAVs are a strategic avenue for development for UAC, and Sukhoi is focused on creating reconnaissance and strike UAVs. But our firm plans on this are in the future," he said.

Previous UAVs created for Russia's amed forces have been produced by Tranzas and Sokol, in addition to Sukhoi.

Sukhoi has designs on its website for a series of unmanned aircraft known as Zond, optimised for the carriage of surveillance and synthetic-aperture radars and electro-optical sensors.

In 2011, Sukhoi won a contract to develope a heavy strike UAV with a mass of around 20 tons, Fedutinov said. Another Russian fighter aircraft design bureau, RAC MiG, will also be involved in this program, MiG's CEO Sergei Korotkov told Russian media earlier this year.

MiG showed a demonstrator strike UAV design known as Skat at the MAKS airshow in Moscow in 2007.

St. Petersburg-based Tranzas and Kazan-based Sokol won a tender in October 2011 to create two UAV systems with a mass of one ton and five tons respectively.

RIA Novosti

Citation :

Les drones : « La règle, c’est que le Général qui triomphe est celui qui est le mieux informé » (Sun Tzu)

Prévoir les mouvements de l’ennemi, suivre le déploiement de ses unités et prévenir toute mauvaise surprise ont toujours conditionnés et causés la victoire des uns et la perte des autres. Les moyens et outils de collecte d’informations sur les champs de batailles n’ont cessé d’évoluer et de se perfectionner avec l’avancée de la technologie. Ce rôle primordial jadis remplit par l’élément humain dit « éclaireur » laisse de plus en plus place à des machines dont la mobilité, la discrétion et l’endurance dépassent de loin les capacités physiques de l’Homme. En effet, les armées modernes se basent sur un dispositif de « reconnaissance » très large comprenant plusieurs moyens terrestres, aériens voire spatiaux.

Depuis l’introduction de l’avion dans les champs de batailles depuis la 1ère guerre mondiale, ses fonctions opérationnelles n’ont cessé de s’élargir changeant ainsi le visage de la guerre à tout jamais, de part sa vitesse sa grande autonomie en plus du fait qu’il opère à des altitudes importantes lui conférant un champs de vision énorme, l’avion constitue sans doute l’un des meilleures moyens de reconnaissance sur terrain.

Cependant s’aventurer derrière les lignes de l'ennemi afin de récolter le maximum d’informations vitales n’est pas escompte de danger surtout dans un monde où la couverture radar et les moyens de défense aérienne sont de plus en plus répandus et perfectionnés, de ce fait pour un double objectif d’épargner la vie précieuse des pilotes et d’autre-part de discrétion avancée, les drones se sont imposés comme une véritable alternative à l’avion classique autant qu’outil de reconnaissance.

Connus dans le jargon militaire par l’abréviation UAV (unmanned aerial vehicule), les drones sont des avions à voilure fixe ou à rotor, sans pilote télécommandés depuis le sol et dont le principal rôle est la reconnaissance en milieux hostile. Les drones représentent un avantage opérationnel indéniable d’abord grâce à leur discrétion irréprochable, la signature radar (radar cross section) des UAV est tellement minuscule qu’ils sont souvent confondus avec des oiseaux par la plupart des radars terrestres de même que pour leur signature infrarouge grâce à une motorisation très discrète, d’autre-part les drones sont équipés de caméras infrarouges très performantes et de systèmes de liaison de données permettant d’envoyer des vidéos de façon instantanée aux postes de contrôle auxquels ils peuvent être liés par satellite à des milliers de Km de distance.


La famille des drones comporte une large gamme de types différents chacun dédié à des missions pointues, sans être exhaustif on peut en citer les plus connus :

SUAV : pour Small UAV c’est des mini drones, qui peuvent être emportés par un fantassin, ce genre de mini drones servent principalement pour les forces spéciales et leurs sont d’une aide capitale lors d’un raid ou opération d’infiltration en plein territoire ennemi (exemple : RQ-11 Raven)

TUAV : Tactical UAV c’est les UAV les plus utilisés par les armées de terre, volant à des altitudes moyennes dépassant les 3km et qui peuvent avoir une endurance jusqu’à 48H, ces drones servent principalement de yeux pour l’artillerie, ils transmettent aux régiments d’artillerie les coordonnées de toute concentration ennemi de leur trajectoire et vitesse afin d’orienter leur feu (exemple : Watchkeeper WK450)

UAV MALE : Medium-altitude long endurance unmanned aerial vehicule, sont des drones qui opèrent à des altitudes qui peuvent dépasser 7km et qui ont une grande autonomie de plusieurs centaines de KM, c’est des drones qui peuvent servir pour un large spectre de missions, notamment la surveillance maritime, la surveillance de frontières… (exemple : Anka, Heron)

UCAV : Unmanned Combat air vehicule : c’est généralement des drones MALE armé afin de mener des missions de lutte antiguérilla, lutte anti-trafic de drogues et armes voire mener des assassinats (exemple : MQ-9 Reaper)

HALE UAV : High Altitude Long endurance mission: il s’agit de drones de reconnaissance-stratégique, c’est de véritables mini-satellites qui opèrent à des altitudes vertigineuses au-delà de 15km d’altitude, avec une autonomie de milliers de km et ont la capacité d’aller espionner tout territoire ennemi, notamment les sites nucléaires ou d’armement non-conventionnel (exemple : RQ-4A Global Hawk)

Le Maroc est actuellement sans doute le pays nord africain dont les moyens de reconnaissance sont les plus avancées d’un point de vue technologique, le F16 marocain est doté de la nacelle de reconnaissance DB110 Goodrich dotée de caméra thermique très performante à haute résolution permettant au F16 de mener des missions de reconnaissance de jour comme de nuit et le partage des informations collectionnées de façon instantanée avec les autres unités ou centre de commandement grâce à la liaison de données, de plus le Maroc dispose d’autres moyens de reconnaissance notamment la nacelle de désignation ATP XR sniper du F16, la nacelle de désignation Damocles des Mirages F1 modernisés, la nacelle d’analyse de signaux ASTAC, avions RC-130 dédiés à la reconnaissance… en ce qui concerne les Drones le Maroc peut se prétendre bénéficier de l’armée la mieux équipée en la matière en Afrique du nord, le Maroc dispose de plusieurs systèmes de drones notamment le RQ-11 Raven pour l’infanterie, le Skyeye R4E-50 et le Ignat-ER pour l’artillerie et la surveillance des frontières ainsi que d’autres systèmes américains dédiés pour la surveillance maritime, des frontières et de la lutte antitrafics de drogue et antiterrorisme.

En fidèle adepte de la doctrine Soviétique , l’Algérie a longtemps négligée les drones et s’est toujours basée sur les avions classiques pour mener les missions de reconnaissance notamment sur le MIG25 Foxbat, cependant la guerre entre la Russie et la Géorgie en 2008 a démontrée l’intérêt des drones aux yeux des Russes et des pays comme l’Algérie qui en sont influencés. Suite aux leçons tirées de la Guerre de Géorgie la Russie n’a pas tardé à faire appel aux Israéliens afin de rattraper son retard en la matière et développer ses moyens de reconnaissance opérationnelle. Dans l’absence de drones issues de l’industrie russe capables de rivaliser avec les contreparties occidentales, l’Algérie a fait le choix d’opter en petite quantité pour les drones Sud-africains « Seeker » et « Seeker 2 », drones tactiques de reconnaissance mais qui sont loin de remplir les besoins algériens, vue l’étendue du territoire et les besoins pressants de lutte anti-terrorisme. Face à un embargo non déclaré de la part de l’occident l’Algérie a tenté de trouver des alternatives, à ce sujet des rumeurs circulent autour de l’acquisition de drones de iraniens de type Ababil-5.

L'information tel que cela a été précisé par SunTzu demeure une arme capitale qui ne peut être négligée peu importe la puissance de feu dont on dispose.

FAMAS.

http://www.emarrakech.info/Les-drones-La-regle-c-est-que-le-General-qui-triomphe-est-celui-qui-est-le-mieux-informe-Sun-Tzu_a65084.html

Citation :

Miniature Radar Altimeter Supports Sea-skimming UAV Test

Thursday, 20 December 2012 00:00

Roke Manor Research Ltd (Roke), a Chemring Group company, has supplied its Miniature Radar Altimeter (MRA) in a successful flight test of a sea-skimming UAV designed to mimic the threat of an incoming missile. UAV Navigation, a developer of flight-control avionics for unmanned aircraft, led the test on a range used by the Spanish Navy. Roke's MRA Type 1 was integrated into its LCAP autopilot system, enabling the aircraft to accurately determine its height above the sea. The flight test involved a SCRAB aerial target UAV, flying at cruise speeds only a few meters over the water which followed its flight path without the intervention of a human pilot. Paul Webb, Unmanned Systems Business Sector Manager at Roke, said: "UAV Navigation chose Roke's MRA as it remains the most technologically capable in its class. It has been developed for easy installation into all major UAV platforms, and provides outstanding capability at low-cost. Importantly for this particular test, was that the MRA was developed to meet the IP67 rating, which is essential when recovering the UAV from the surface of the sea." Roke's lightweight MRA maximises payload and provides continuous accurate measurements in the most challenging flying situations such as misty or dusty conditions. This ensures missions can continue regardless of the environmental conditions.

/www.roke.co.uk

Une ptite question pour ceux qui s'y connaissent un peu en technologies uav.
Je regardais les uav des projets de dernieres annees d'etudiants en Inde ou au Canada et j'ai ete assez impressionne.
Je me demande ou se situent la difficulte technologique pour faire evoluer ces TFE en drone pouvant servir dans le civil ou meme lutte contre l'immigration illegale/ surveillance des frontieres type Nasnas ou Jebelassa 650 ?
Est-ce point de vue meca ( autonomie/performance/turboprop) ou telecom (Command and sensor systems) ?

c´est plus le 2eme point,EO et RF,avec la motorisation en 2eme lieu(discretion et fiabilité/conso)
engin volant en soi est a la portée de tout le monde

http://www.opex360.com/2013/01/09/cassidian-negocie-la-prolongation-des-drones-harfang-et-leventuelle-francisation-des-mq-9-reaper/
Reaper en vue pour l'armée Française......

Citation :

Photo Release -- Northrop Grumman, Cassidian Fly First Sensor-Equipped EURO HAWK(R) Unmanned Aircraft

MANCHING, Germany -- Jan. 11, 2013 -- Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) and EADS Deutschland GmbH, operating through Cassidian, together achieved a major milestone today with the first full system test flight of the EURO HAWK® unmanned aircraft system (UAS) equipped with the signals intelligence (SIGINT) advanced sensors for detection of radar and communication emitters. Cassidian is the defence and security division of EADS (EDF, EPA, MSX: EAD). Photos accompanying this release are available at http://media.globenewswire.com/noc/mediagallery.html?pkgid=16588. B-roll video can be downloaded from YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ovYHAEVloRQ. The EURO HAWK® took off at 10:36 a.m. Central European time from Manching Air Base and climbed to a ceiling of 54,000 feet within military controlled airspace, far above and at a safe distance from civilian air traffic. After more than six hours aloft, the aircraft landed safely back at Manching Air Base at 4:38 p.m. Central European time. "This successful flight demonstrates the EURO HAWK® program's systems integration capabilities and cutting-edge technologies. The Cassidian-developed SIGINT sensor suite, conforming to the German Bundeswehr´s requirements, showed excellent performance within the perfect interplay of the overall system," said Bernhard Gerwert, chief executive officer of Cassidian. "We therefore are proud to prove with these test flights the new EURO HAWK's mission capability of strategic SIGINT intelligence for the protection and security of the German armed forces." The EURO HAWK® system previously completed extensive ground testing at Manching Air Base, receiving final approval from the German Airworthiness Authority to flight test the functionalities of the integrated SIGINT payload. "Today's SIGINT sensor flight marks the start of the critical flight test phase of the EURO HAWK® payload for the German Bundeswehr," said Tom Vice, corporate vice president and president of Northrop Grumman's Aerospace Systems sector. "EURO HAWK® represents many significant firsts for Northrop Grumman. Not only is it our first trans-Atlantic cooperation with Germany and Cassidian, but it is also the first international version of the RQ-4 Global Hawk produced by the company and the first high-altitude, long-endurance [HALE] SIGINT UAS in Europe." Based on the RQ-4B Global Hawk HALE UAS, the EURO HAWK® system includes a ground station consisting of a mission control and launch and recovery elements provided by Northrop Grumman. It is equipped with a new SIGINT mission system developed by Cassidian, providing standoff capability to detect electronic and communications emitters. The SIGINT ground station, which receives and analyzes the data from EURO HAWK® as part of an integrated system solution, is also supplied by Cassidian. "The EURO HAWK® success story continues to unfold and will enable Germany to independently conduct round-the-clock surveillance and reconnaissance," said Neset Tükenmez, chief executive officer for the EuroHawk GmbH. "With this first sensor flight, the EURO HAWK® effectively demonstrated its system capability for safe operation within German air space." With a wingspan larger than most commercial airliners, endurance of more than 30 hours and a maximum altitude of approximately 60,000 feet, EURO HAWK® is an interoperable, modular and cost-effective replacement for the fleet of manned Breguet Atlantic aircraft, which was in service since 1972 and retired in 2010.

Spoiler:

www.irconnect.com

Citation :

Armed forces building deadly drone arsenal, also want combat UAVs






NEW DELHI: With an eye on both the western and eastern fronts with Pakistan and China, the Indian armed forces are slowly but steadily building a formidable arsenal of spy, target acquisition and "killer'' drones or UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles).

Even as [color:40ac=#0000FF !important]the Navy sets up spy drone bases along the coastline and [color:40ac=#0000FF !important]IAF inducts "killer'' drones, the Army has inked yet another contract to acquire two more "troops'' (eight drones each) of Israeli `Heron' medium-altitude, long endurance UAVs.

"Under the Rs 1,200 crore contract with Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), the Army will begin inducting these new Heron drones from January 2014,'' said a senior defence official.

The drones, to be inducted into [color:40ac=#0000FF !important]the new SATA (surveillance and target acquisition) regiments being raised, form a part of the overall modernization plan for the 1.13-million force being pushed by Army chief General Bikram Singh.

"The force wants speedy induction of various UAVs, from man-portable micro and mini spy ones to `killer' ones that act like missiles to hit targets. It will bolster capabilities for surveillance, weapon delivery and direction of artillery fire,'' said an officer.

In keeping with the plan to progressively induct drones right down to the battalion-level by the end of this decade, [color:40ac=#0000FF !important]the Army is already establishing new UAV bases from Nagrota and [color:40ac=#0000FF !important]Manasbal in J&K to Kumbhigram and [color:40ac=#0000FF !important]Lilabari in the north-east.

The Navy, in turn, is looking to raise new UAV squadrons after establishing three at Kochi (Kerala), Porbandar (Gujarat) and Uchipuli (Tamil Nadu) to detect threats emanating from the sea.

Similarly, IAF is inducting additional Harop ``killer'' drones equipped with electro-optical sensors to loiter over high-value military targets before exploding into them. The force has also experimented with "add-ons or attachments'' to its existing fleet of Israeli Heron and Searcher-II surveillance drones to add a killer role to them.

The armed forces eventually want full-fledged UCAVs (combat UAVs) - akin to the American Predators and Reapers being used in the Af-Pak region - which return to their bases like fighter jets to replenish their missiles for fresh missions.

They have inducted over 100 UAVs, mainly from Israel, as "major force-multipliers'' since the 1999 Kargil conflict. DRDO, too, has got into the act by stepping up its drone programmes, from the already inducted Nishant to the under-development Rustom-I and II drones.

As earlier reported by TOI, DRDO has also launched the secretive AURA (autonomous unmanned research aircraft) programme to develop stealth UCAVs capable of firing missiles, bombs and precision-guided munitions.

Similarly, another ambitious project on the drawing board focuses on designing solar-powered high-altitude, long endurance UAVs that can cruise in the sky for several days at a time for round-the-clock ISTAR (intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance) missions.

timesofindia.indiatimes.com

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Northrop Grumman Successfully Flight Demonstrates New Mission Management Control System for Unmanned Aircraft Systems

SAN DIEGO, Feb. 7, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) successfully flew a RQ-4 Global Hawk unmanned aircraft for the first time using open architecture-based command and control software and hardware developed by the company, moving the company one step closer to offering its common Mission Management Control System (MMCS) product, which can be implemented across various unmanned aircraft systems (UASs) to improve mission effectiveness and reduce training requirements. The flight demonstration was conducted last December, and was sponsored by the U.S. Air Force's Global Hawk Program Office as part of the Ground Station Technical Refresh contract. The MMCS used for the demonstration was comprised of hardware and software developed by the company's Common Mission Management System (CMMS) product center. The MMCS is based upon an open, nonproprietary, standards-based, scalable, common architecture and service descriptions. "The CMMS product center is a game changer. It is a new way of thinking about unmanned aircraft systems and their mission management and control architectures," said Mike Leahy, director of CMMS for Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems. "The CMMS approach offers multiple benefits, including savings in both acquisition, and operational and maintenance costs. This approach eliminates stove-piped systems and simplifies training requirements." During the flight demonstration, a Global Hawk took off under operator control through the U.S. Air Force Launch and Recovery Element (LRE) at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. Once airborne, aircraft control was successfully transferred to the MMCS located at the Global Hawk Systems Integration Laboratory in San Diego. The aircraft was then flown through a series of maneuvers until control was transferred back to the LRE for landing. The Ground Station Technical Refresh contract is a stepping stone for continued development of common UAS control systems that can be used by a variety of unmanned platforms. Currently, each UAS requires a costly dedicated, custom-built command and control system. By developing a common foundation for command and control with sufficient flexibility to meet a range of standards, CMMS will ultimately be able to support a variety of UAS platforms. The CMMS product line is built upon standard off-the-shelf commercial hardware and core software infrastructure that decreases the time required to develop new unmanned control systems and enhances future technical upgrades because the system architecture is based upon well defined industry standards. Additionally, with the CMMS product line, pilots will be able to operate a variety of dissimilar unmanned platforms using the same informational displays and control features, thereby improving mission effectiveness while reducing training requirements. "This demonstration validates our approach to common, modular, multiplatform mission control systems," said Doug Valenzuela, Northrop Grumman's program manager for the Ground Station Technical Refresh program. "We were able to reuse components from proven programs and integrate them into a common standards-based infrastructure to establish a baseline that will meet the requirements of multiple programs. This is truly a huge step toward meeting the objective of a common UAS mission control solution." Northrop Grumman is a leading global security company providing innovative systems, products and solutions in unmanned systems, cybersecurity, C4ISR, and logistics and modernization to government and commercial customers worldwide. Please visit www.northropgrumman.com for more information.

Altius M ... une maquette d'un drone russe

Citation :

Piaggio Reveals Unmanned Avanti

February 18,
2013

Italian business aircraft manufacturer Piaggio and Selex Electronic Systems
are working together to produce an unmanned variant of the P-180 Avanti
executive turboprop aircraft.

Named P.1HH Hammerhead, the new variant of the Avanti has been extensively
modified for its UAS role. According to Piaggio the new version will be capable
of 16 hours of operation carrying a range of payloads including Sigint and Elint
packages as well as being able to conduct border and maritime surveillance and
electronic warfare. Weapons and other external stores could also be fitted to
pylons attached to the forward fuselage. The aircraft has been developed to
capture part of the medium altitude, long endurance (MALE) market against
aircraft such as the MQ-9 Reaper or BAE Systems Mantis.

The two companies have been quietly working on the self-funded program for
more than two years. They unveiled a model of the aircraft at the IDEX defense
exhibition in Abu Dhabi on Feb. 18 following the rollout and first taxi-tests at
an airbase in Italy on Feb. 14.

“There is a requirement from many countries for a medium altitude, long
endurance UAS in Europe and elsewhere,” said Alberto Galassi, CEO of Piaggio
Aero. “We are providing a platform that is a certified aircraft, this will make
it a more attractive option as restrictions on UAS’ become stricter.”

The Hammerhead will be controlled from mission control stations produced by
Selex, with line of sight and beyond line of sight using satellite
communications. The mission system is a development of Selex’s SkyISTAR system
allowing the fitment of a range of sensors. Selex is also providing the
aircraft’s vehicle management and control system, and air data terminals. Other
changes to the aircraft include a removable external section of the wing which
according to Piaggio will help assist in ground transportation of the aircraft
if required.

“It is important that we look at unmanned capabilities,” said Galassi, “with
low demand for business aircraft, we need to look at other sectors of the
market.”

“With the Hammerhead, we wanted to be sure it was right before we revealed
the program,” he added.

Piaggio hopes to fly the prototype Hammerhead before the end of the year and
plans to begin marketing it to potential customers at the Paris Air Show in
June.

This is the third special mission variant of the Avanti. At the 2012
Farnborough Air Show, Abu Dhabi Autonomous System Investments (ADASI) revealed
plans to develop a maritime patrol variant of the P.180, and Rockwell Collins
has been selected to provide a new avionics suite for the MPA variant. First
flight of that version is expected in 2014. There is also a ‘flight checker’
version of the P.180 for flight inspection duties.

aviationweek

Citation :

Belarus presents unmanned helicopter model in Abu Dhabi

18.02.2013 19:54

MINSK, 18 February (BelTA) – Belarusian defense companies are presenting their latest technologies, systems and equipment at the Middle East’s largest forum – the 11th international expo of armaments and security technologies IDEX 2013. The expo is scheduled to take place in Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates on 17-21 February, BelTA learned from Mr Vladimir Lavrenyuk, a representative of the State Defense Industries Committee for Information and Public Relations. The Belarusian defense industry is represented in a united booth featuring the latest technologies, military and dual-use products from nine Belarusian companies. Those are Belvneshpromservice, Minsk Wheel Tractor Plant, Radioelectronic Armament Repair Plant 2566, OAO Repair Plant No. 140, OAO AGAT - Control Systems – Managing Company of Geoinformation Control Systems Holding, OAO Peleng, the design bureau Display, OOO KB Indela, ZAO TsNIP. The Belarusian booth is organized by ZAO BelTechExport. For the first time in Abu Dhabi visitors will be able to see development types of the dual-band portable defense and assault complex Shershen D, a missile launcher and a remote control console for an anti-tank missile complex Shershen, and a model of the unmanned aerial vehicle with vertical takeoff HUSKY. The HUSKY UAV is designed for a large number of practical applications, including the monitoring of territories and facilities, search operations, aerial photography and reconnaissance. Its key advantage is a compact two-bladed rotating wing, which enables the UAV to take off from and land on small platforms. Another novelty presented at the expo is a command post carrier, which is fitted with arms controls. It has been developed by AGAT - Control Systems – Managing Company of Geoinformation Control Systems Holding. Apart from that, ZAO TsNIP has brought a standalone simulator of the anti-tank portable missile complex Skif to Abu Dhabi. Anyone can use the simulator to try his or her skills in operating the anti-tank portable missile complex. The simulator’s visualization capability and software allow realistic immersion in a combat environment and immediate results of firing solutions. OAO Minsk Wheel Tractor Plant will present a lineup of wheeled chassis fit for various kinds of armaments in the shape of models. The lineup includes the high-sided truck MZKT 6001, which has earned its reputation of a reliable vehicle with the cross-country ability. It was praised by specialists and Russian manufacturers after its outstanding performance at the international expo Defense and Security 2012. Weighing 12.8 tonnes and using a 6x6 wheel arrangement, the vehicle can be used to transport command posts, mine clearance systems, antitank complexes, and other things. The Belarusian booth will widely feature products by the holding company BelOMO such as various sights for small arms, surveillance and target marking equipment, flat-screen monitors for rough operational conditions, a helmet-mounted information system designed by the Design Bureau Display. OAO Radioelectronic Armament Repair Plant 2566 and OAO Repair Plant No. 140 will demonstrate their ability to repair and modernize air defense solutions and armored vehicles. Belarusian defense companies have traditionally exhibited their products at the major armaments expo IDEX in Abu Dhabi since 1999 as well as the aerospace expo Dubai Airshow, and the Middle East conference and expo of security, protection and rescue solutions Intersec. In turn, top-ranking military of the United Arab Emirates visit the international armaments and materiel expo MILEX, which is organized by the State Defense Industries Committee of Belarus. At present the UAE knows Belarusian defense products well, primarily fire control solutions for armored vehicles as well as heavy-duty automobiles for special purposes. BelTA has been told that the participation in the IDEX 2013 expo will create favorable conditions for the promotion of military and technical cooperation between Belarus and the United Arab Emirates. It will encourage the expansion of business contacts with foreign organizations, promotion of represented products on the foreign market. This year’s expo has gathered 1,112 companies from 59 countries. As many as 64 companies are taking part in the expo for the first time. Exhibits are on display in 38 national showrooms with the total area of 124,000 square meters. The net area of exhibition booths is 43,200 square meters. The UAE’s showroom is the largest one. It occupies 12,500 square meters and showcases military products of 147 UAE companies. The navy exposition NAVDEX featuring over 80 exhibitors is another characteristic trait of the expo. This year the water area of the exhibition center welcomes eight foreign combat ships.

news.belta.by

Citation :

PICTURE: Camcopter UAV flies with Thales dual-mode radar
Austrian unmanned air vehicle manufacturer Schiebel and Thales UK have joined forces to demonstrate the Camcopter S-100's ability to operate carrying the latter's I-Master dual-mode surveillance radar.
Performed in Wiener Neustadt on 7 February, Schiebel says: "The flights, each lasting several hours, successfully proved both sensor performance and the stability of data transfer between radar operator and the airborne I-Master."

Schiebel

A 30kg (66lb) payload, developed primarily for the British Army's Watchkeeper tactical UAV programme, the I-Master has ground moving target indication (GMTI) and synthetic aperture radar (SAR) operating modes. It can be used as a single payload or carried in combination with an electro-optical/infrared sensor by platforms such as the Watchkeeper.
"The trial provided excellent GMTI and SAR results," says Eddie Awang, Thales UK vice-president of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance.
Collaboration between the companies has previously included using the S-100 to perform firing trials of the Thales lightweight multirole missile.

.flightglobal.com

Citation :

Two-in-One Unmanned Aircraft












February 25, 2013


By George I. Seffers



U.S. Navy technology may allow in-flight
conversion from helicopter to fixed wing.

Researchers at the U.S. Naval
Research Laboratory are developing unmanned aircraft technology that will
allow the conversion from a vertical take-off and landing system to a fixed-wing
craft during in-flight operation. The conversion capability will provide the
take-off and landing flexibility of a helicopter with the longer range, higher
speeds and lower wear and tear of an airplane.

The technology demonstrator is referred to as the Stop-Rotor Rotary Wing Aircraft. It is capable of cruising at
about 100 knots, weighs less than 100 pounds and can carry a 25-pound
intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) or electronic warfare
payload, such as the Expendable, Mobile Anti-submarine warfare Training Target
(EMATT). “We decided to do a demonstration vehicle that could
carry an EMATT. It’s like a little submarine that can generate sonar signals,
and it’s for training anti-submarine warfare operators,” explains Steven Tayman,
an aerospace engineer at the Naval Research Laboratory. “It’s a neat
payload.”

The unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) includes a removable payload bay that is
about 12 inches wide, 38 inches long and six inches deep with “bomb bay doors”
for dropping payloads, such as sonobuoys. “You could use a UAV to deploy a
sonobuoy field, which would be pretty exciting,” Tayman says. “There’s really no
limit to the payload other than volume.”

He adds that other options include electro-optic systems or electronic
warfare decoys for spoofing missiles. “You could use the speed and range to
deploy from a ship or remote area without a runway and drop sensors on the
ground for monitoring what’s going on. That would be pretty easy,” he
asserts.

With the vertical take-off and landing capability, the system could be
launched from ships or any flat area without the bulky launch or recovery
systems needed for some UAVs, Tayman notes. But converting to fixed wing mode
also offers advantages, including longer range and higher speed. “One advantage
of flying at higher speeds is being able to penetrate winds. Let’s say you run
into a 40 or 50 mile-per-hour wind, which is not that unusual, especially at
altitude—you’re not really going to go anywhere if you have a 60 or 70
mile-per-hour aircraft,” he says.

Tayman adds that some UAVs are designed for lower speeds because it makes
launch and recovery easier, whereas the Stop-Rotor Rotary Wing Aircraft flies at
speeds comparable to general aviation aircraft. “When you’re flying at a general
aviation speed, you can get some place. But if you’re flying at 60 knots, that’s
more like an ultralight aircraft, which is more dependent on wind for your
ability to get from point A to point B,” he adds.

As a technology demonstrator, the system has not yet reached the prototype
stage. Research lab personnel are searching for partners to help fund further
development. If everything falls into place, Tayman says he could see the system
being fielded in three to five years.

The aircraft flew autonomously in November of last year and is undergoing
some modifications, including software improvements and airframe stiffening near
the rotor area. Officials intend to hold another demonstration flight in June,
but are probably not yet ready to demonstrate the in-flight conversion. “The
flight mode conversion will depend on our progress with autopilot development.
That’s obviously a big milestone. The technical risk is quite high, so we want
to make sure we have everything as far along as we can get to improve the
chances that it will work the very first time,” Tayman states. That’s probably
further down the road. Things would have to go super well for us to do that in
June.”

Even further into the future lies the possibility of adding a turbine
propulsion system rather than the current battery electric propulsion. “If you
convert to airplane mode at relatively low altitude and then had a turbine
propulsion system, which performs at high altitude, you could then climb in
airplane mode to high cruising altitude, more like a conventional turboprop
aircraft. And you wouldn’t be limited on your ability to fly at high, subsonic
numbers. Conceivably, that’s in the future,” Tayman explains.

However, using the same technology for larger aircraft—especially manned
aircraft—is likely not in the future because during the in-flight conversion,
the aircraft will essentially be in free fall. For obvious reasons, the timing
and the duration of that free fall need to be precise and short. The unmanned
system is designed to convert in one second, which Tayman says is critical to
avoid falling too far or winding up at a bad flight path angle. “It might be
more suitable to smaller vehicles and to UAVs in particular. The free fall might
not be acceptable to a manned operation,” Tayman offers. “The UAV doesn’t care.
The one-second free fall is nothing, just a bump in the road for a UAV, but for
a manned operation, whether or not that would be acceptable is hard to say.”

www.afcea.org/content/?q=node/10719

Citation :

Falco UAV flies with new radar fit



Selex ES has performed a series of flight trials with a Falco unmanned air vehicle modified to carry its Gabbiano T-20 radar.
Performed in Bulgaria, the test activity demonstrated the lightweight payload's ground and sea surveillance modes, including through the use of synthetic aperture radar (SAR) and inverse SAR imaging. The latter capability would be of use during maritime patrol and search and rescue missions, the company says.
"At up to 160nm [296km] over sea and ground, the Gabbiano was able to provide air-to-surface surveillance modes and high-resolution imaging information," Selex ES says. "The successful combination of our Falco and Gabbiano product families will allow Selex ES to provide a more versatile tactical UAV solution for typical MALE [medium-altitude, long-endurance] multisensor missions."

Selex ES

Integrating the new sensor required only an adaptation to the aircraft's nose bay, according to the manufacturer.
Separately, Selex ES has also unveiled a new directed infrared countermeasures system called Miysis, which it says will be suitable for carriage by UAVs, small helicopters and light aircraft. The self-protection equipment will have a system weight of less than 50kg (110lb), it says.

http://www.flightglobal.com

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