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May 6, 2021 | International, Aerospace

Accord franco-germano-espagnol sur le Système de Combat Aérien du Futur (SCAF)

Les trois pays seraient parvenus à un accord général sur les prochaines étapes de développement du futur avion de combat européen, le développement et la conception d'un démonstrateur (prévu pour 2026-2027). Selon l'agence Reuters, ils devraient établir une liste des droits de propriété intellectuelle indiquant les droits ouverts à tous et ceux qui resteront au sein des entreprises concernées comme l'a confirmé la ministre des Armées, Florence Parly, auditionnée par la commission de la Défense nationale et des forces armées de l'Assemblée nationale mardi 4 mai : « aujourd'hui, les discussions se poursuivent essentiellement sur les clauses de protection et de partage de la propriété industrielle. (...) L'objectif, c'est de pouvoir notifier dans le courant de l'année 2021 l'ensemble de ces travaux, en tenant compte du fait qu'il y a une vacance parlementaire en Allemagne du fait des élections fédérales, et que donc si nous voulons être à l'heure en 2026 et en 2040, il nous faut aussi être à l'heure dans les prochaines semaines (...) nous avons évidemment tous l'espoir d'aboutir extrêmement vite, ce sont des clauses qui sont très importantes donc vous comprendrez que nous y passions le temps nécessaires ».

Challenges et la Tribune, 5 mai

On the same subject

  • Following industry trend, Airbus dives into data

    July 18, 2018 | International, C4ISR

    Following industry trend, Airbus dives into data

    By: Andrew C. Jarocki WASHINGTON — Airbus has created a new advanced data analytics system for the defense market, gathering data from vehicles to better plan maintenance and study mission performance. The firm announced the program, SmartForce, at the 2018 Farnborough Airshow. The program is meant to “enable substantially more efficient maintenance by drilling into the wealth of data acquired by new generation helicopters and aircraft,” according to a company news release. The company added it will “more rapidly perform root-cause analysis and faster trouble shooting.” The use of artificial intelligence to make sense of data has become a growing focus for the defense and intelligence community, as has cloud computing for handling the massive volumes of data. “Our digital analytics services support the goal of enhanced mission readiness of our operators' aircraft," said Stephan Miegel, head of military aircraft services at Airbus Defence and Space, “and they provide predictive solutions which all contribute to reduced workload and costs.” https://www.defensenews.com/digital-show-dailies/farnborough/2018/07/17/following-industry-trend-airbus-dives-into-data/

  • China’s stealth fighter goes into mass production after thrust upgrade

    July 13, 2020 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security

    China’s stealth fighter goes into mass production after thrust upgrade

    The J-20B has overcome agility problems to finally be considered a fully fledged fifth-generation fighter, military source says Aircraft still will be fitted with Russian engine but ‘Chinese version could be ready in a year or two' A modified version of China's first stealth fighter jet, the J-20, has formally entered mass production, with upgrades earning it a place as a fifth-generation fighter jet, according to a military source close to the project. The moment was marked at a ceremonial unveiling of the modified J-20B stealth fighter jet on Wednesday attended by many senior military leaders including Central Military Commission (CMC) vice-chairman General Zhang Youxia, the source said. Zhang is the second-ranked vice-chairman of the CMC and is in charge of weapons development for the People's Liberation Army. “Mass production of the J-20B started on Wednesday. It has finally become a complete stealth fighter jet, with its agility meeting the original criteria,” the source said. “The most significant change to the fighter jet is that it is now equipped with thrust vector control.” Thrust vector control (TVC) allows pilots to better control the aircraft by redirecting engine thrust. In 2018, China debuted its J-10C multirole fighter – fitted with a WS-10 Taihang engine – at the China air show in Zhuhai, putting the aircraft through its paces in a performance that indicated that China had succeeded in thrust technology. While the TVC technology had been applied to the stealth fighter, the J-20B would still use Russian Saturn AL-31 engines because more work needed to be done on China's WS-15 engine, the source said. Chinese engineers have been developing high-thrust turbofan WS-15 engines for the J-20, but that work has fallen behind schedule. “The Chinese engine designed for the J-20s still failed to meet requirements, but its development is going quite smoothly, and it may be ready in the next one or two years,” the source said. “The ultimate goal is to equip the J-20B fighter jets with domestic engines.” China was thought to have built about 50 J-20s by the end of 2019, but problems with the jets' engines delayed further production plans. Meanwhile, Lockheed Martin's Fort Worth assembly plant in Texas delivered 134 F-35 stealth fighters in 2019, three more than its target and 47 per cent more than its output in 2018, according to the company. China's first batch of J-20s entered service in 2017 when the US decided to deploy more than 100 F-35s to Japan and South Korea that year. The J-20 was meant to be a fifth-generation fighter jet on a par with Lockheed's F-22 Raptor and F-35 Lightning multirole strike fighters. Fifth-generation fighters are defined by their stealth technology, supersonic cruising speed, super manoeuvrability, and highly integrated avionics. But the earlier version of the J-20 was described by Western media as a “dedicated interceptor aircraft” because of its lack of agility. “The launch of the J-20B means this aircraft now is a formal fifth-generation fighter jet,” the military source said, adding that Chengdu Aerospace Corporation (CAC), which manufactures the J-20s, had received “heavy orders” from the PLA. CAC set up its fourth production line in 2019, each one with a capacity to make about one J-20 a month. https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3092839/chinas-stealth-fighter-goes-mass-production-after-thrust

  • Surface force lays out tech development timeline for industry

    March 7, 2023 | International, Naval

    Surface force lays out tech development timeline for industry

    The surface fleet is clear on what capabilities it will develop in the next three five-year budgeting periods, even as future force plans are under review.

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