Global Defence News

China-Russia war games 'not linked to India missile'

2012-04-21T08:00:00.002-07:00

China-Russia war games 'not linked to India missile'

China has said that upcoming joint war games between China and Russia are not organised in response to India's successful ballistic missile launch and are instead aimed at upholding regional peace.

According to China's defence ministry, the two neighbours will hold joint naval exercises in the Yellow Sea off the coast of the eastern port city of Qingdao from April 22-27.

India on Thursday successfully test fired a new missile capable of delivering a one-tonne nuclear warhead anywhere in rival China, marking a major advance in its defence capabilities.

India views the rocket, which has a range of 5,000 kilometres, as a key boost to its regional power aspirations and one that narrows -- albeit slightly -- the huge gap with China's technologically advanced missile systems.

"This joint military exercise is a long scheduled one between China and Russia in order to uphold regional peace and stability," foreign ministry spokesman Liu Weimin told reporters on Thursday.

"This is not linked (to the Indian missile test)," he said.

Beijing and Moscow agreed to hold the joint exercises during a visit to Russia last year by Chen Bingde, chief of staff of the People's Liberation Army.

"The joint exercises will strengthen the naval forces' ability to jointly confront new regional threats and demonstrate their confidence to maintain peace and stability in the region and world," Chen said in a statement on the defence ministry website.

The drills will focus on joint maritime defence and protection of navigation and will involve 16 Chinese ships and two submarines and four vessels from Russia's Pacific Fleet, as well as Russian war planes and naval infantry, the statement said.

http://brahmand.com

Agni V production to begin in a year's time

2012-04-21T07:58:00.002-07:00

Agni V production to begin in a year's time

India has emerged as a major missile power with the successful launch of Agni V ballistic missile and the production of the weapon system would start in a year's time, DRDO chief V K Saraswat said Thursday.

"This launch has given a message to the entire world that India has the capability to design, develop, build and manufacture missiles of this class, and we are today a missile power," Saraswat said after the launch of the 5,000 km range surface-to-surface Inter Continental Ballistic Missile (ICBM).

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) chief said that the missile launch was a major milestone in the strategic defence preparedness of the country.

"We are going to conduct two more tests and that will be validation tests..., and then the production of this system will start. It is going to take a year maximum," he said.

Saraswat said that he expected the missile to be inducted into the armed forces in the next two years.

He said the successful launch of Agni V was just the beginning of a new series of missiles.

"We go from here to many other missiles which will have capability for MIRV (Multiple Independently Targetable Re-entry Vehicle), for anti-satellite system, which will also be built using this technology for launching micro, mini and nano satellite to meet the requirement of the armed forces on very, very short notice," he said.

Saraswat said that barring some electronic components, the Agni V was a completely indigenous product.

"More than 80 per cent of the missile is indigenous, except for the electronic components which we import...Everything has been designed, developed and produced in our industry and our laboratory," he said.

The DRDO chief said that his organisation was working on a very tight time schedule when it came to production and deployment of the missile.

"We have a very tight time schedule on that. I expect that after the completion of its mandatory trials, it would be inducted in the services in the next two years to come. We have a very clear roadmap for development of missile system," Saraswat said.

Giving details of Thursday's launch, he said that the missile "lifted off at 0807 hours today. It is a three-stage missile, the first stage burned out, gave the required velocity and after that it separated."

Saraswat said that similarly the missile reached it second and third phases and after that it reached the crucial re-entry phase which is the most difficult phase for any ballistic missile of this range.

"All the re-entry conditions were perfect. The missile travelled through the re-entry, got converted into a fireball and finally (hit the target).....and all the payload parameters which result in the detonation of the warhead took place," Saraswat said.

The DRDO chief said that the launch was monitored by three ships deployed in Indian Ocean, 5,000 kilometers away, and radars were also there tracking the complete trajectory.

He said that that the launch of the missile despite regimes placed by the developed world showed that India was becoming self-reliant in missile technology.

"The missile has been achieved despite the stringent missile control regimes, which developed countries have imposed on us and that shows the self-reliance in the area of this technology is now becoming a reality," he said.

http://brahmand.com

India gearing up for Mars mission in 2013

2012-04-21T07:57:00.000-07:00

India gearing up for Mars mission in 2013

India has completed a significant amount of work on next year's planned Mars mission for which scientific payloads have been short-listed, with formal government approval for the ambitious venture expected soon.

Bangalore-headquartered ISRO is planning to undertake the mission to the Red Planet during November 2013. The project report for Indian Mars orbiter mission has been submitted for approval of the Government.

The mission envisages launching an orbiter around Mars using Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-XL). The orbiter will be placed in an orbit of 500 x 80,000 km around Mars and will have a provision for carrying nearly 25 kg of scientific payloads on-board.

"The tentative scientific objective for the Mars mission will be to focus on life, climate, geology, origin, evolution and sustainability of life on the planet," according to an official ISRO report.

Scientific payloads have been shortlisted by ISRO's Advisory Committee for Space Sciences (ADCOS) review committee. Baseline, solar array and reflector configuration of the satellite have been finalised. Frequency filing for communication subsystem is under progress, the space agency said in its just uploaded 2011-12 annual report.

Meanwhile, ISRO has signed a MoU with Indian Institute of Astrophysics for development and delivery of solar coronagraph payload for its ADITYA-1 project, while mechanical configuration of the satellite is in progress.

This project will be the first Indian space-based solar coronagraph, which will be available for solar coronal observation to all the Indian researchers in the field of Solar Astronomy.

ADITYA-1 is the first space-based Solar Coronagraph intended to study the outermost region of the Sun, called corona.

ADITYA-1 in the visible and near IR bands will study the Coronal Mass Ejection (CME) such as the coronal magnetic field structures and evolution of coronal magnetic field and consequently the crucial physical parameters for space weather.

The major scientific objective of the ADITYA-1 is to achieve a fundamental understanding of the physical processes that heat the solar corona (base to the extended), accelerate the solar wind and produce CMEs.

ISRO said preliminary design of the optical systems of ADITYA-1 has been finalised and design document generated.

"Trade-off studies on the selection of detector system have been completed and the list of subsystem packages along with power and mass budget generated," it said.

ISRO has also planned 'SENSE' - a twin satellite mission to probe the electromagnetic environment of the Earth's near space region. It is proposed to launch two small satellites in a low Earth orbit of around 500 km, for space weather related studies.

SENSE is part of ISRO's 'Small Satellites Programme', recommended by ISRO's ADCOS. SENSE aims to unravel the roles played by major large-scale drivers in determining the state of the Ionosphere-Thermosphere system and the weather of the near space environment at low latitudes.

ISRO said engineering models of the electric and magnetic field probes chosen for the SENSE mission have already been tested and their frequency responses studied.

http://brahmand.com

With eye on China, India tests new long-range missile

2012-04-21T07:51:00.003-07:00

With eye on China, India tests new long-range missile

India on Thursday successfully test fired a new missile capable of delivering a one-tonne nuclear warhead anywhere in rival China, marking a major advance in its defence capabilities.

Watched by hundreds of scientists, the Agni V was launched from a test site off the eastern state of Orissa.

India views the rocket, which has a range of 5,000 kilometres, as a key boost to its regional power aspirations and one that narrows — albeit slightly — the huge gap with China’s technologically advanced missile systems.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Defence Minister A K Antony congratulated the nation’s defence scientists on the “successful” launch, with Antony calling the achievement “a major milestone in India’s missile programme”.

The test leaves India knocking at the door of a select club of nations with inter-continental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), which have a minimum range of 5,500 kilometres.

Currently only the five permanent members of the UN Security Council — Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States — possess a declared ICBM capability.

“I am announcing the successful launch of Agni V making history and making our country proud in the area of missile technology,” V K Saraswat, head of India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) which made the missile, said.

He said India was now a “missile power”. DRDO spokesman Ravi Gupta insisted the Agni V was a “non country specific” deterrent, but analysts noted it extends India’s missile reach over the entire Chinese mainland, including military installations in the far northeast.

Agni, which means “fire” in Sanskrit, is the name given to a series of rockets India developed as part of its ambitious integrated guided missile development project launched in 1983.

While the shorter-range Agnis I and II were mainly developed with Pakistan in mind, later versions with a range of 3,500 kilometres — are perceived as China-centric deterrents.

A team of 800 have worked on the indigenously developed Agni V over the last three years, using new materials and technology to build motors capable of increasing the propulsion and speed of the new missile.

“Firstly you have a phenomenal range so every single significant city — Beijing, Shanghai — will come within its range,” retired Air Force officer Kapil Kak from the Centre for Air Power Studies in India.

“Secondly, it has a very, very high speed compared to previous missiles…But the key issue is that this missile can be pushed to 8,000 kilometres.

“The significance there is that India then demonstrates the capability to make an ICBM,” he added.

There was no official reaction in China, but the state-run Global Times newspaper warned India “should not overestimate its strength” in an editorial published on Thursday.

“India should be clear that China’s nuclear power is stronger and more reliable. For the foreseeable future, India would stand no chance in an overall arms race with China,” it added.

The two Asian giants, each with a population of more than one billion, have prickly relations and a legacy of mistrust that stems from a brief but bloody border war in 1962.

In public, their leaders stress that trade is booming and that the world is big enough to accommodate both of them as they develop economically.

China’s military arsenal is far larger and far more technologically advanced than India’s, which is why the Agni V is so important, according to Monika Chansoria, a senior fellow at the Delhi-based Centre for Land Warfare Studies.

http://dawn.com

Northrop Grumman will roll-out the first US Navy MQ-4C in June

2012-04-19T08:35:00.000-07:00

Northrop Grumman will roll-out the first US Navy MQ-4C in June

Northrop Grumman will roll-out the first US Navy MQ-4C in June, company and USN officials say.

The first USN test aircraft is about to enter ground testing, says Captain Jim Hoke, Naval Air Systems Command's (NAVAIR) programme manager for the Broad Area Maritime Surveillance (BAMS) unmanned maritime surveillance jet. "Our goal is to have the first flight in early fall," he says-his slides say that date is expected in September. But before then, Northrop Grumman is planning on formally rolling-out the aircraft on 14 June.

The BAMS is expected to become operational in December 2015 with a four-aircraft orbit. The USN hopes to have a five orbit fleet, Hoke says. It will take 68 aircraft to sustain that force over the programme's life due to potential attrition and depot maintenance. But no aircraft will be needed for training, he says, since crews can train purely in a simulator.

In the future, the BAMS will be used as communications relay and it will also takeover part of the Lockheed Martin EP-3 Aries intelligence gathering aircraft's mission, Hoke says. While he says he cannot talk about specifics, the BAMS will likely absorb a portion of the signals intelligence part of that mission.

Captain Aaron Rondeau, programme manager for the new Boeing P-8 maritime patrol aircraft says that future Neptune crews could take partial control of the BAMS aircraft during a mission. That capability would be part of an Increment 3 upgrade for the P-8, Rondeau says.

http://www.flightglobal.com

Cassidian's global vision

2012-04-19T08:30:00.000-07:00

Cassidian's global vision

EADS defence arm Cassidian's financial performance was on track in 2011, notwithstanding a major restructuring effort and the austerity measures being introduced in its European home markets France, Germany, Spain and the UK.

Cassidian reported reduced revenues of €5.8 billion ($7.6 billion) and orders worth €4.1 billion for 2011, representing falls of 2% and 3% respectively against 2010. More notable were the 28% decline in earnings before interest and taxes - down to €331 million - and 8% reduction in orders backlog, to €15.5 billion.

RESTRUCTURING EFFORT

"Numbers are numbers, but sometimes they need interpretation," says chief executive Stefan Zoller. "Last year we turned the company upside down, and what we delivered was ahead of plan."

Restructuring the company is a major undertaking. Savings of €161 million were achieved in 2011 and a further €1 billion is targeted in 2014. Measures adopted last year resulted in associated costs of €38 million, while undisclosed programme changes sapped a further €34 million from earnings.

In its annual results document, EADS also identified its defence unit's contribution as having been "burdened by a significant increase in research and development" spending - a factor Zoller says will be critical to its future business success.

Cassidian allocated €275 million to R&D activities in 2011, marking a €24 million rise over 2010 and a 64% upturn since it spent €168 million in 2007.

Zoller notes that the company's home customers now expect industry to self-fund R&D work. "With the Eurofighter, we will develop the [active electronically scanned array] radar and other elements, and the nations will come in later," he says. But with Europe to remain cash-strapped, he believes such work could increasingly be conducted with international partners.

"We have gone from national to European consolidation, but now the austerity plan means that all of Europe together cannot sustain the technology base, even if we share. So either Europe buys from elsewhere, or we have to share the development of new technologies beyond Europe.

"What we lose in the home markets must be compensated on the global market - it's a new equation," Zoller says. "We have to go where the business is."

Asia and the Middle East represent the strongest current opportunities, and Cassidian is now established in 10 nations outside its European homes. "We invest a lot in market proximity and customer intimacy," Zoller says. One such example is India, where it is to provide technical support on domestic projects, while also retaining some hope of securing a Eurofighter Typhoon order.

"Our target over the next five years is to have a 50:50 share in global versus domestic revenues," says chief financial officer Gerlinde Honold. Revenues from the global sector have already risen from 22% of business in 2007 to 31% last year. More must be done, however, as just 7% of the company's workforce is currently based outside of Europe.

For now, Eurofighter remains a key programme, with Cassidian having received an €840 million contract in late March to support aircraft flown by Germany and Spain for the next five years.

The company's figures for 2012 will also benefit from a major contract for MBDA Mica air-to-air missiles signed by India early this year. Zoller says its provision of control stations for NATO's Alliance Ground Surveillance system will be worth "a couple of hundred million" euros through a deal likely to be confirmed in May.

UNMANNED SETBACK

The last financial year brought a personal blow for Zoller, with the halting of development work on the Talarion medium-altitude, long-endurance unmanned air system after a major investment lasting several years.

Talarion attracted interest, but crucially no state funding, from Germany, Italy and Turkey. But Zoller is holding on to his dream of eventually seeing a common European system advance, with an industrial share for all partners - including France and the UK.

"We may see a little bit of a delay," he says. "But overall a one-European solution would be good news, with a bigger scale and bigger numbers." Pointing to his company's lengthy R&D activity on the Talarion, he adds: "We have spent so much money, time and effort in the last 10 years to get where we are. That is why I am quite positive."

http://www.flightglobal.com

Malaysia to receive first A400M in January 2015

2012-04-19T08:24:00.000-07:00

Malaysia to receive first A400M in January 2015

Malaysia plans to receive its first Airbus Military A400M transport aircraft in January 2015, with its remaining three examples to be delivered by 2016.

The type will not replace the Royal Malaysian Air Force's (RMAF's) Lockheed Martin C-130 Hercules, but serve to double the RMAF's airlift capacity, air force commander General Rodzali Daud said in a report by Malaysia national news agency Bernama.

Malaysia operates 14 C-130s, 12 C-130Hs and two C-130T tankers.

Daud made the comments at a ceremony welcoming the A400M "Grizzly 4" airlifter to Kuala Lumpur's Subang air base as part of its debut tour in Asia.

"I have had the pleasure of showing the chief of the RMAF the A400M simulator in France last year and now I look forward to showing him, and his RMAF personnel, the real aircraft flying here in Malaysia," Airbus Military chief test pilot Ed Strongman said in a statement released by the European airframer.

"We have done a lot of work since his last visit to Toulouse and have now completed all the flight test work for the issue of the initial Type Certificate," says Strongman.

After performing demonstration flights for representatives and for regional air forces and other VIPs in Kuala Lumpur, the aircraft will travel to Halim air base in Jakarta, Indonesia, and to the Thai cities of Chiang Mai and Bangkok. It will return to Europe on 20 April.

The A400M's Malaysia debut is timed to coincide with the Defence Services Asia tradeshow in Kuala Lumpur.

http://www.flightglobal.com

Raytheon touts future roles for RAF's at-risk Sentinel R1

2012-04-19T08:23:00.000-07:00

Raytheon touts future roles for RAF's at-risk Sentinel R1

Raytheon UK is eyeing possible applications for the Royal Air Force's Sentinel and Shadow surveillance aircraft, with both types expected to be retired once they are no longer required to support coalition activities in Afghanistan.

Representing combined fleets of 10 aircraft, the manned types provide a key part of the RAF's intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance (ISTAR) capability.

The Sentinel R1 force comprises five Bombardier Global Express business jets modified to carry a Raytheon synthetic aperture radar/ground moving target indication sensor and onboard stations for two image analysts. The aircraft forms part of the UK's Airborne Stand-off Radar (ASTOR) system, along with supporting ground elements.

Assigned to the RAF's 5 Sqn at Waddington, Lincolnshire, Sentinels have been operating over Afghanistan since November 2008, and were also deployed to the Mediterranean region from March 2011 to support the multinational effort to protect Libyan civilians.

The aircraft amassed more than 2,000 operational hours in support of the Libya campaign, with some individual sorties lasting more than 12h, says Sqn Ldr Chris Melville, 5 Sqn chief of staff.

Image analysts provided rapid "first-look" intelligence product while airborne, with additional work performed post-flight using new portable integrated mission-planner stations. Key tasks included collecting so-called pattern-of-life data, performing post-strike damage assessment of targets including airfield infrastructure, determining the forward edge of the battle area and hunting for "Scud" missile launchers, Melville says.

"The Libya operation proved the versatility and utility of the aircraft," says Melville. "We were massively in demand from coalition partners."

The RAF says its Sentinel R1s achieved a "duty carried-out" rate of more than 95% while being flown simultaneously over Libya and Afghanistan, and at twice the contracted rate.

With the ASTOR capability having been deemed surplus to requirements post-Afghanistan during the UK's Strategic Defence and Security Review of late 2010, two possible new roles have been suggested. Raytheon believes the system could deliver the UK's contribution to the NATO Alliance Ground Surveillance system, which will also include an expected five radar-equipped Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk unmanned air vehicles.

Paul Francis, Raytheon UK's head of airborne solutions, says the Sentinel's dual-mode radar could also possibly be given software-based changes to enable it to provide a maritime patrol capability to search for, track and identify surface vessels.

Raytheon is under contract to provide logistics support for the Sentinel fleet until September 2016, and recently completed a build-standardisation programme on the fleet, performed at its Broughton site in north Wales. The RAF re-accepted the last of these in January, and deployed the aircraft - ZJ690 - in support of its Operation "Herrick" mission in Afghanistan less than two weeks later.

The UK's Defence Equipment and Support organisation says the undisclosed enhancements will provide "a much more robust ISTAR capability to support operations".

Meanwhile, a fifth Hawker Beechcraft King Air 350CER-based Shadow R1 was delivered to the RAF's 14 Sqn at Waddington last December. The unit's earlier examples have now all passed through a "return to works" programme at Broughton, with the process having added some undisclosed new capabilities.

Acquired under urgent operational requirement deals to support the Afghanistan campaign, the Shadow R1 carries an L-3 Wescam MX-15 electro-optical/infrared sensor payload, satellite communications equipment and up to three onboard operators. If retained long-term, the type could possibly also provide a maritime patrol capability by being equipped with Raytheon's SeaVue radar, Francis says.

http://www.flightglobal.com

US, Philippines hold war games amid China tensions

2012-04-15T03:08:00.000-07:00

US, Philippines hold war games amid China tensions

Thousands of US soldiers will begin nearly two weeks of war games in the Philippines on Monday as the two nations look to strengthen their military alliance amid concerns over China's rising power.

The Balikatan (shoulder-to-shoulder) exercises are an annual event but this year are expected to attract a greater focus with some of the drills set to be held close to sensitive South China Sea waters claimed by the Chinese.

The Philippines insists the exercises, involving 4,500 US personnel and 2,300 Filipino troops, should not be seen by China as a provocation.

"Our aim is not against any country, our aim is to protect maritime security and to protect the interests of our country," Major Emmanuel Garcia, Philippine military spokesman for Balikatan, told AFP.

Nevertheless, Garcia confirmed US and Philippine ships will stage drills in waters facing the South China Sea, while Filipino leaders have repeatedly said that China is one of the country's main "maritime security" concerns.

China claims all of the South China Sea as a historic right, even waters close to the coasts of the Philippines and other Southeast Asian countries.

The competing claims to the strategically vital waters have long made the area one of Asia's potential flashpoints for military conflict.

The Philippines has complained over the past two years that China has become increasingly aggressive in staking its claim to the waters, accusing the Chinese of acts such as firing warning shots at Filipino fishermen.

Tensions spiked again this month when Philippine and Chinese ships became locked in a standoff at a tiny set of islets called Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea.

http://brahmand.com

Indian Army to acquire new air defence system

2012-04-15T03:00:00.000-07:00

Indian Army to acquire new air defence system

Indian Army has initiated the process of acquiring new gun systems to take on enemy aircraft and missiles.

"The Army is planning to procure air defence guns having a calibre of more than 30mm and is capable of engaging air targets," Army officials said.

The process to acquire these guns has been initiated after Army Chief General V K Singh in his letter to the Prime Minister had contended that 97 per cent of the air defence guns in the Indian Army were facing obsolescence.

The Army officials said the service has issued a global Request for Information in this regard recently listing its requirements.

The Army has specified that the gun should be capable of being transported by broad gauge rakes of the Railways.

The Army Air Defence has initiated several other tenders also for replacing its Russian-origin air defence systems.

For upgrading the capabilities of the Army Air Defence (AAD), the Defence Ministry recently said that it has signed contracts for procuring Akash Missile Systems and steps were being taken for upgrading self-propelled air defence and Schilka air defence systems.

After the Army Chief pointed out these deficiencies to the government, Defence Minister A K Antony had held meetings to review the capital acquisitions of the force.

The Defence Ministry has also taken several steps to do away with the shortage of tank ammunition and has signed contracts with the Russian Rosobornoexport for supplying ammunition for the T-90 tanks.

http://brahmand.com

Turkish PM makes first trip to China in 27 years

2012-04-13T10:23:00.000-07:00

Turkish PM makes first trip to China in 27 years

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan was to arrive in Beijing on Monday on an official visit to boost business and political ties between the rising powers with booming economies, despite differences over Syria and China’s ethnic Uighur region.

The visit is the first to China in 27 years by a Turkish premier and follows a February trip by Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping to Ankara and Istanbul, where the countries signed deals worth billions of dollars.

The official Xinhua News Agency said Erdogan brought a delegation of 300 businessmen, seeking more Chinese investment in Turkey and increase in Turkish exports.

Erdogan said before he left for China that the countries can cooperate in energy, construction, automotive, banking, information and telecommunications, according to Xinhua.

China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Erdogan first stopped in Urumqi, capital of the far west Xinjiang region, on Sunday. Xinjiang is home to China’s Uighurs, who are ethnically related to Turks.

Ethnic tensions have led to violence in the region in recent years, and relations between the countries dipped in 2009 when renewed violence broke out in Xinjiang and Erdogan described China’s use of overwhelming force against anti-government protesters as a type of genocide.

But when Xi was in Turkey the two sides sought to downplay any contentious issues.

Xinhua reported that Turkey plans to set up an industrial zone in Xinjiang.

Erdogan was to meet Premier Wen Jiabao on Monday, and President Hu Jintao on Tuesday. He is also scheduled to travel to Shanghai, China’s financial centre.

http://dawn.com

100 soldiers buried in Siachen avalanche: ISPR

2012-04-08T09:34:00.000-07:00

100 soldiers buried in Siachen avalanche: ISPR

As many as 100 jawans of Pakistan Army including a colonel were buried under avalanche in Skardu’s Siachen Gyari Sector—the army’s highest battalion headquarters, ISPR said on Saturday.

According to army spokesman Athar Abbas, Pakistan Armed Forces kick-started rescue operation to winch the trapped soldiers as soon as possible.

He said in statement that snap dogs and helicopters were also used in rescue operation which was conducted by hundreds of troops. The incident took place in Saturday's wee hours at 6 AM, Spokesman said added that rescue activities were underway in the area. The Siachen Glacier is located in the eastern Karakoram range in the Himalaya , just east of the Line of Control between India-Pakistan. Earlier media reports said an avalanche hit the Siachen base camp of the army trapping over 150 of jawans. An avalanche buried about 150 Pakistani soldiers near the Siachen glacier on the border with India.

http://www.nation.com.pk

Latest F-22 upgrade brings ability to jam enemy radars

2012-04-03T04:39:00.000-07:00

Latest F-22 upgrade brings ability to jam enemy radars

This year, the US Air Force started fielding the Increment 3.1 upgrade to its Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor fleet.

The modifications add a synthetic aperture radar (SAR) capability to the fighter's Northrop Grumman APG-77 radar, plus electronic attack, better geo-location capabilities to find enemy radars and the ability to carry eight 113kg (250lb) small diameter bombs (SDBs), for use in pairs against four ground targets.

Introduction of an SAR mode will assist during the manual targeting process, which is an improvement over the previous Increment 2 configuration's use of two 454kg Joint Direct Attack Munition satellite-corrected, inertially guided bombs against individual targets.

http://www.flightglobal.com

Boeing bulllish on Chinook winning Indian competition

2012-04-03T04:37:00.000-07:00

Boeing bulllish on Chinook winning Indian competition

Boeing is confident that the CH-47F Chinook will win India's competition for 15 heavy lift helicopters.

Flight trials for the CH-47F and the Russian Mil Mi-26 have been completed and offset proposals have been submitted to India's ministry of defence, says Boeing. The comments were made by Boeing executives at India's Defexpo 2012 show in New Delhi.

They say the CH-47F has met all technical requirements and that the next step is likely to be the opening of commercial bids, which could occur in May.

The request for proposal (RFP) suggests that the first aircraft will need to be delivered to the Indian army within three years of the contract signing. Following this, all 15 helicopters will need to be delivered within one year. The RFP placed great emphasis on the lifecycle costs involved in operating the two helicopters.

Boeing says it is currently producing five Chinooks per month at its Philadelphia factory.

The CH-47F and Mi-26 are radically different helicopters. The Chinook uses a tandem rotor layout compared with the Mi-26's conventional helicopter layout with a main and tail rotor.

The Mi-26 is much larger, with a maximum take off weight of 56,000kg (123,000lb) compared with the Chinook's maximum gross weight of 22,668kg.

The Chinook, however, can be transported in the hold of the C-17 Globemaster III, of which India has ordered 10 examples. Boeing says this greatly enhances the CH-47F's ability to be deployed to distant locations.

They note that the CH-47F used in the India flight trials flew into India aboard a C-17 and was able to conduct a flight just hours after arriving.

http://www.flightglobal.com

Safety concerns stalling first flight of HAL's naval Tejas

2012-04-03T04:34:00.000-07:00

Safety concerns stalling first flight of HAL's naval Tejas

Safety concerns have delayed the maiden flight of the naval variant of the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) Tejas light combat aircraft.

"It is very important to make sure the aircraft is safe," says an industry source. "If a disaster were to occur, it would be the end of the road for the programme."

The source says the naval variant could have its first flight "any day now". In June 2011, a programme official told Flightglobal that the navalised Tejas would have its first flight in November 2011, but this never materialised.

The source declined to provide details about the safety concerns involved in the aircraft, or what steps have been taken to rectify them. He spoke to Flightglobal at India's Defexpo 2012 trade show in New Delhi.

After being unveiled in June 2010, the naval variant has yet to conduct its first flight. Nonetheless, in early February, the Indian navy ordered eight additional examples of the variant.

Although the naval variant was to have been powered by the General Electric F414 powerplant, the eight examples the navy ordered will use the less powerful F404.

After initial flight tests from HAL's facilities in Bengaluru, the aircraft will be sent to Hansa naval air station near Goa where it will undergo carrier compatibility tests.

The source added that the F414-powered Tejas Mk II will be rolled out in early 2014, with a first flight by December 2014.

As of 31 March, the Tejas Mk I aircraft had completed 1,816 flight tests. The type received initial operational clearance in January 2011. The source says final operational clearance could be given by the end of 2012.

http://www.flightglobal.com

Eurofighter could still win MMRCA deal, says Cassidian boss

2012-04-03T04:30:00.000-07:00

Eurofighter could still win MMRCA deal, says Cassidian boss

Cassidian has not given up hope of a Eurofighter win in India's medium multi-role combat aircraft (MMRCA) contest, despite the consortium holding "L2" vendor status behind the Dassault Rafale, says company chief executive Stefan Zoller.

"India is a campaign that is still running," Zoller says, pointing to an investigation into the nation's selection process being conducted by the government in New Delhi.

Speaking during a financial briefing at the company's Unterschleissheim headquarters near Munich on 2 April, Zoller said: "We will see to what conclusion the Indian government will come."

A consequence of India having awarded L1 status to Dassault has been what Zoller describes as "more advanced discussions with our Eurofighter customers on how much faster we can integrate the additional capacity of the aircraft". This includes planned enhancements such as an active electronically scanned array radar, additional weapons and new reconnaissance and targeting systems.

"There is now far more willingness from the customers to converge and go ahead on those," he said.

The Eurofighter consortium had an exhibit at the 29 March-1 April Defexpo India show in New Delhi in support of its continued pursuit of the 126-aircraft MMRCA deal.

Zoller also disclosed the value of Cassidian's stake in a new five-year support contract signed by the four Eurofighter partner nations on 30 March.

Its €840 million ($1.1 billion) deal will cover the provision of in-service support to the air forces of Germany and Spain.

Alenia Aermacchi and BAE Systems last week valued their parts of the deal as worth a combined $1.38 billion.

http://www.flightglobal.com

India to issue RFP for maritime patrol requirements

2012-04-03T04:28:00.000-07:00

India to issue RFP for maritime patrol requirements

India is readying requests for proposals (RFP) for two maritime patrol requirements: the navy's Medium Range Maritime Reconnaissance (MRMR) aircraft and the coast guard's Medium Maritime Patrol (MMP) aircraft.

Both requirements are likely to be for six aircraft initially, with options for six more, say industry sources. One source said the initial MMP requirement could be for nine aircraft.

The sources spoke to Flightglobal at Defexpo India 2012, where airframers displayed models of maritime patrol aircraft. RFPs for both requirements are expected in 2012, with one source saying the MMP RFP could be issued in April or May. India issued requests for information (RFIs) for both requirements in 2010.

Unlike the navy's long-range maritime patrol aircraft requirement, which will be filled by the Boeing 737-based P-8I Neptune, the RFI suggests India will not require the MRMR to have anti-submarine warfare (ASW) capabilities, with the aircraft focused on the maritime patrol mission and capable of carrying anti-ship missiles. It will replace India's 12 Britten-Norman Islanders.

In the 2010 RFI, the navy stated that the MRMR aircraft will require a top speed of 300kt (556km/h) or greater and a patrol speed of 200kt. It will require a full self protection suite, including radar and laser warning receivers, an active electronically scanned array (AESA) surface-search radar and a forward looking infrared (FLIR) sensor.

One possible contender for the requirement could include a variant of the P-8I, although Boeing representatives at the show said they want to see the RFP before deciding how to address the MRMR campaign. They pointed out that a P-8I variant would be make sense from a logistical and crew training perspective given that India has already ordered eight P-8Is for long-range patrol.

Other contenders for the MRMR could include the Saab 2000 maritime patrol aircraft (MPA), the Airbus Military C295 MPA, and the Israel Aerospace Industries ELI-3360 (based on the Bombardier Q400). A previously issued RFP for the MRMR was withdrawn in early 2009.

Sources say the MMP requirement is somewhat less well defined. "Based on the RFI, the MMP is a really big beast," says one source from a European airframer.

The RFI called for a diverse range of missions, including search and rescue, anti-surface warfare, environmental monitoring and medical evacuation with three intensive care stations.

"We're not sure if all the capabilities need to be present all the time, or whether they can be changed in or out," says the source.

http://www.flightglobal.com

Australia Moves On Growler

2012-04-03T04:19:00.000-07:00

Australia Moves On Growler

The Australian government is moving forward with plans to upgrade its F/A-18E/F fleet with Growler electronic-attack equipment.

The military already has taken 12 of its 24 aircraft wired for the electronic-attack system and now is laying the groundwork to equip them for the EA-18G role, although the final decision to do so will not come until later this year, says Defense Minister Stephen Smith.

At this point, Australia is committing to A$19 million ($19.7 million) in long-lead items, a move necessary to keep the Northrop Grumman production line open with the U.S. program slowly coming to an end. The initial commitment is for six kits, with options for six more.

As to the long-term procurement, which would come in the form of a foreign military sales contract, Smith notes “we are in the process of doing that exhaustive assessment, both in terms of the capability, the cost and how it matches other competing priorities and those judgments and decisions will be made in the course of this year.”

Australian officials say their interest in the capability was underscored by the U.S. Navy experience with the EA-18G in Libya. “It lowers risk for everybody in the battle space and I’m continuing to move forward with the capability and hope that we can actually fit it within the budget space,” says Royal Australian Air Force Chief Geoff Brown.

The deal would mark the first export of the EA-18G but also more generally of that type of capability. The U.S. never authorized the release of the EA-6B Prowler.

Meanwhile, Smith has faced pressure from the opposition to move forward on buying Global Hawk unmanned aircraft for maritime surveillance, but says he wants to continue to hold off. “The United States is developing a Global Hawk for maritime surveillance but it is currently not yet in existence. So I don’t know that it’s a sensible thing to do to immediately purchase something which has not yet been developed,” he tells reporters.

http://www.aviationweek.com

U.S. Army Charts Path To New Rotorcraft

2012-04-03T04:17:00.000-07:00

U.S. Army Charts Path To New Rotorcraft

After decades waiting in the wings, the rotorcraft R&D community is mobilizing to develop what could become the U.S. Army’s first clean-sheet design since the 1970s.

The Joint Multi Role (JMR) concept evolved from an exhaustive analysis of U.S. vertical-lift needs, which included a painful assessment of the shortfalls of current rotorcraft and gaps in industry capabilities. The conclusion was that another round of upgrades for existing platforms would no longer meet the military’s requirements and that a technology demonstration program was needed to get industry up to speed to deliver a next-generation rotorcraft.

The JMR technology demonstration (TD) is intended to apply to all classes of Army rotorcraft from armed scout to heavy lift, but is focused on the medium utility class because replacing the Black Hawk fleet “offers the biggest bang for the buck,” says Ned Chase. He is JMR technology-demonstration team lead and chief of the platform technology division at the Army’s Aviation Applied Technology Directorate (AATD). The Army wants to field a medium-utility JMR by 2030.

The JMR TD will be divided into two parts—Phase 1 for the air vehicle and Phase 2 for its mission system, which lags by two years in recognition that electronics advance faster than airframes, rotors, engines and drive systems. Both phases are to be completed by the end of fiscal 2019, when the Army plans to be in position to launch the engineering and manufacturing development program for a next-generation rotorcraft.

The JMR TD will be the culmination of a decade-long rotorcraft science and technology (S&T) road map that has been followed without it being clear, until now, exactly how and when it would be applied and whether to upgrading existing helicopters or developing all-new rotorcraft.

“In the 2004 timeframe, we looked at what we needed to address and where to invest,” says Chase. “We looked at the Army’s aviation gap analysis and asked the Defense Department, NASA and the FAA to participate in formulating an investment portfolio that would stand the test of time,” he says. “Our investment strategy has been constant over time. There have been budget changes, but the portfolio has stayed relatively stable.” Chase believes that stability has given industry confidence about where to spend its own R&D money. “Industry has matched almost every dollar we have spent,” he says.

Confidence will be critical, because AATD needs significant cost-sharing from industry to achieve its goal of flying two competing demonstrators. The Army has committed funds for a single air vehicle, with $188 million budgeted in fiscal 2012-16, but AATD hopes funding from other services and cost-sharing by industry will enable it to afford two competing aircraft. “I think we can find a way to do two,” Chase says.

Of the money budgeted, $75 million is so-called BA4 dollars, usually provided by programs to fund prototypes. By establishing this funding line, the Army hopes to bridge the “valley of death” that often prevents technology transitioning from S&T to programs, Chase says.

Whether the funding is sufficient is another issue. “It’s not clear how much technology will be demonstrated,” says Mike Hirschberg, executive director of the American Helicopter Society International. “It’s easy to do a demo with a certain amount of money. It’s easy to demonstrate advanced technology with sufficient money. You can’t demonstrate a lot of next-generation technology with an inadequate amount of funds.”

While the U.S. Navy has expressed interest in joining the JMR TD, it has not put money in yet. As for whether the demonstration plan and Army commitment to JMR are strong enough to attract the industry investment for which AATD is hoping, Hirschberg says: “If it’s 50% cost-share, I think the answer is no.”

http://www.aviationweek.com

U.S. Army Targets Vehicle Industrial Base

2012-04-03T04:13:00.000-07:00

U.S. Army Targets Vehicle Industrial Base

Over the next several years, more than a few big-ticket items in the Army’s annual budget will reach major milestones—transitioning from new-build production to long-term sustainment accounts. Overall, 37 Army systems will make that switch, moving Army dollars away from the production line to the often more complicated—and very expensive—world of spare parts, upgrades and reset contracts.

The list is being led by some assembly-line stalwarts like Bradley, Stryker, Abrams tank and Family of Medium Tactical Vehicles, which all reach the end of their production schedules over the next two years. “We’re going to really have some tough times ahead in U.S. manufacturing related to medium vehicles,” the Army’s Ground Combat Systems chief, Scott Davis, said at the Association of the U.S. Army (AUSA) conference here earlier this year. To try to keep those vehicle production lines warm, the Army and industry are pushing for international sales of the Bradley, Abrams and Stryker, and have received “a fair amount of interest” from a variety of potential clients, Davis added, without identifying them. To expedite those potential sales as much as possible “would really help us address some of the gaps we see in front of us in the manufacturing base.”

One way to shore up the ground vehicle industrial base would be to move forward with the Armored Multipurpose Vehicle (AMPV) program. It would—assuming funding comes though in subsequent budgets—replace the 3,800 aging M113 infantry carriers in Heavy Brigade Combat Teams, and shore up a gap in vehicle manufacturing after the Bradley and Stryker lines go cold in 2013 and 2014. But it will not be cheap. In early assessments, the Army identified a unit cost of $2.4 million, though Davis added that the number would come down by the time the program issued contracts.

The Army reached an initial development decision Feb. 9, and has been busy evaluating existing systems that might fit the bill. Developers started with 115 different vehicles on the list, but have since winnowed it down to about seven. The end result, however, is “probably a system that the Army already owns,” Davis said. Known interested parties are General Dynamics, which wants to pitch its Stryker, and BAE Systems, which is working on a variant of the Bradley. “If [the AMPV] ends up being a capital system —for speculative purposes, a modified Bradley or Stryker—it would certainly help that manufacturing industrial base,” Davis said. “We are pressing as hard as possible to get the analysis of alternatives done ahead of where it’s currently planned so we can move onto the next step.”

Heidi Shyu, the Army’s principal deputy assistant secretary for acquisition, logistics and technology, has said her office is working on identifying the “critical” industrial base, especially second- and third-tier suppliers that provide subsystem components and can ill afford the drop-off in new work. These smaller suppliers are “actually even a bigger concern” for the Pentagon, she said at AUSA, since if they go out of business, rebuilding that supply chain will be difficult. Shyu hit on one of the recurring themes at the conference this year: the idea of the “intellectual industrial base” that Davis considers “probably the most sensitive and one that is critical to maintain” as new builds slow to just a few systems.

“Most of what we need to maintain is the intellectual know-how” to design new vehicles “so when you next time need to buy, it’s still there,” said Kevin Fahey, head of combat support and combat service support for the Army. “We have large fleets and will have large fleets in the future,” Fahey added, “so when you’re not in production one of our main challenges is spare and repair parts that come from second- and third-tier suppliers.” Following Shyu’s lead, Fahey says that his office’s primary focus is identifying critical capabilities that need to be maintained, and figuring out a way to maintain them.

As budgets tighten and the Army continues to invest in new platforms like the Ground Combat Vehicle and Joint Light Tactical Vehicle while also modernizing its communications networks, “we’re trying hard to ensure that there are sufficient sustainment dollars to sustain those big systems,” Davis said. Part of the problem, however, is that some of the newest vehicles such as the A3 Bradley and the Abrams SEP II tank will be among the most expensive to sustain, given their new electronics and sensor content.

http://www.aviationweek.com

USAF long-range radar program proceeding with revised acquisition strategy

2012-04-01T03:40:00.000-07:00

USAF long-range radar program proceeding with revised acquisition strategy

The Air Force program to provide a new ground-based, long-range radar system is moving forward with a revised acquisition strategy. The program office recently held an industry day here to explain the changes and its latest draft request for proposal.

The Three-Dimensional Expeditionary Long-Range Radar (3DELRR) will be the principal U.S. Air Force long-range, ground-based sensor for detecting, identifying,tracking, and reporting aircraft and missiles in support of theater commanders. It will replace the current Air Forceradar, the TPS-75.

"A combination of several factors, including a somewhat atypical acquisition strategy and the U.S. budget crisis, led to the change," said Lt. Col. Brian McDonald, 3DELRR program manager.

A September 2007 memorandum from John Young, then the acting undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics, encouraged competitive prototyping up to Milestone B. Originally, the 3DELRR Program had been planning to award to a single contractor prior to Milestone B.

"We modified the strategy to further leverage competition to look at needed capability, different approaches to delivering that capability and doing so in the most affordable manner," McDonald said.

During the industry day briefing, he also showed how the program budget had been reduced in the Fiscal Year 2013 President's Budget by approximately $80 million over the next five years compared to the 2012 budget.

McDonald cited industry offerings as a third factor.

During his presentation in the base theater, McDonald walked through a graphical depiction of the revised acquisition strategy and the changes that have been made.

Now, up to three contracts may be awarded as an outcome of the upcoming full and open competition to complete the Technology Development Phase, referred to as the Pre-Engineering and Manufacturing Development (Pre-EMD) period. The 3DELRR source selection will use the lowest price technically acceptable approach, which is also a significant change.

"Competitive offerors must be at the same maturity level as the government has attained on this program," said McDonald. "We do not want to turn back the clock. We want to move forward from the government investment to date."

In addition, fixed price contracts, including Firm Fixed-Price and/or Fixed-Price Incentive Firm, are planned for the Pre-EMD, EMD, and low rate initial production phases from what was once a cost plus incentive fee approach.

The revised strategy includes a minimum of three full and open competitions to reach full operational capability. McDonald pointed to the third competition that will award scope beyond Milestone B to a single contractor.

"There will be much activity, in parallel, leading up to Milestone B," explained McDonald. "We will need a strong, crisp effort by industry on these contracts while the program office simultaneously conducts the next source selection and prepares for Milestone B."

One change that McDonald strongly emphasized was the early examination of cost versus capability trade-offs. While there has been no change in the 3DELRR requirements since Technical Requirement Documents Revision D was posted in October 2011, McDonald explained the plan to issue a new revision, during the period of performance, against which successful bidders would produce their preliminary designs.

"We need to look closely at cost versus capability," he said. "The first contractual activity is to complete detailed analyses of top cost drives to see how cost varies as capability is incremented. Are there relatively large cost savings to be gained by relatively small reductions in capability and, if so, what's the risk?"

McDonald discussed how the acquisition community and operational community will then come together to set 3DELRR requirements.

The 3DELRR program has also been selected as a "designated system" to participate in the Defense Exportability Features Pilot Program, to potentially increase sales and lower production costs.

"I'm excited to be a pilot for the Defense Exportability Features Program because it's forward thinking, it's good for the U.S. government and it's good for U.S. industry," McDonald said. Addressing the audience of mostly company representatives, he added, "I hope you're excited too."

The 3DELRR Program Office is planning for a Defense Acquisition Board in late April and, if approved, anticipates release of the final RFP in May. Currently, the program office expects to award the contracts, totaling approximately $108 million dollars, by late August.

"No one is immune from the budget crisis," said McDonald. "This acquisition strategy is our response. Now, we need strong industry performance to offer the most affordable solution that provides this needed capability to our warfighters."

http://www.spacewar.com

IDF Examining a New Hyperspectral System

2012-04-01T01:25:00.000-07:00

IDF Examining a New Hyperspectral System

Elbit Systems has given advanced hyperspectral systems to the IDF for testing. The systems are capable of identifying substances from great distances based on the wavelength of light reflected off the substance.

The new payload is intended to be installed onboard manned vehicles as well as UAVs; the first UAV equipped with it was Elbit’s Hermes-450. The new system, developed by Elbit Systems’ Electro Optical (El-Op) subsidiary, is so advanced that few other exist in the world.

According to the company, the unique payload is capable of discerning between various substances by receiving and analyzing their light reflections at a level of precision that can discern between salt water and fresh water, and between different crops planted in fields. The system can also detect substances that are relevant for military intelligence.

“All natural materials, as well as man-made products, have a spectral signature, and our system can distinguish the various signatures with incredible precision. The precision achieved by the system is between 350 and 2500 nanometers,” said Adi Dar, CEO of El-Op.

Dar explained that the hyperspectral technology presents a new dimension to the world of intelligence collection by allowing the spotting and tracing of targets based on the precise wavelength of the light reflected from the target.

Dar also revealed that the development of this advanced technology puts El-Op way ahead of its competitors.

http://www.israeldefense.com

Additional US Aid for Iron Dome Systems

2012-04-01T01:22:00.000-07:00

Additional US Aid for Iron Dome Systems

On Tuesday, the Pentagon announced that it intends to request that the US Congress approve the transfer of additional funds to Israel, in order to assist with the procurement of additional units of the Iron Dome missile interception system.
An announcement issued by the US Department of Defense stated that the interception batteries have been of crucial significance in recent weeks, and that Israel and the Pentagon have discussed increasing US aid to procure more systems.
The two sides have been in contact for some time in an effort to gain support for the procurement of new batteries. The specific details of the US aid package are expected to be concluded soon.
In recent weeks, contact between the two sides has accelerated as a result of the recent escalation in Israel’s south. Currently, Israel has three operational batteries, with a fourth battery expected to become operational soon.
More than 300 rockets were fired at Israel from Gaza in the last round of fire. The Iron Dome intercepted 80% of the missiles within its range – a much higher percentage than was expected.
http://www.israeldefense.com

Israeli Airbases in Azerbaijan

2012-04-01T01:18:00.000-07:00

Israeli Airbases in Azerbaijan

Is Israel maintaining airbases in Azerbaijan? “Foreign Policy Magazine” is reporting that Israel has obtained permission from the Azerbaijani government to use four abandoned air force bases, located close to Iran’s border.

According to US sources, these are abandoned bases from the soviet era in the country. A former US intelligence senior official told the magazine, “It’s not certain that there’s a signed agreement between Jerusalem and Baku. However, I’m sure that if Israel wants to use those bases as part of an attack on Iran – no one in Azerbaijan would have an issue with it. After all, the countries have had strong ties for two decades.”

“We are following the developments between Israel and Azerbaijan," said another source in the US administration, “and we are not happy over them.” A source in the CIA told the magazine that in his opinion, Israel would not use the airbases in the framework of the initial attack of Iran’s nuclear facility. Rather, they would be used in the event of another attack.

http://www.israeldefense.com

An Israeli Shell in an Indian Tank

2012-04-01T01:14:00.000-07:00

An Israeli Shell in an Indian Tank

India is equipping its Arjun tanks with the LAHAT missile produced by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI). The missile will provide the tank with the ability to hit moving targets from great distances while in motion.

IAI developed and produced the LAHAT – a laser-guided missile that can be launched from a tank's cannon, reaching its target by homing in on a laser spot. The shell-missile weighs approximately 12 kg and has a range of 8 kg, including a lethal 2.5 kg warhead.

Despite the many technical difficulties the Arjun tank project experienced over the years, its serial production and is well underway.

The Indian army recently announced that it intends to order 250 more improved Arjun tanks following the conclusion of the user tests. The newer version has received dozens of improvements compared to the MK-1 variant.

Improvements include its mobility, brigade-power, and the capability to fire missiles through a gun barrel. The tank will also be equipped with advanced reactive shielding.

The Indian Army has committed to continue procuring the tanks if the improvements prove worthy during testing. Four brigades equipped with the Arjun tanks are expected to be operational by 2016.

http://www.israeldefense.com