Airbus looks to keep portfolio flying in Europe through 2060 '€” with wider ambitions abroad

On the same subject

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  December 26, 2024 | International, Land

  Norway-bound K9 155mm artillery begins delivery journey - Army Technology

  The K9 155mm artillery platform is produced by South Korea's Hanwha Aersopace and has achieved significant success in European sales.

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  September 4, 2018 | International, Aerospace

  Inde: conclu il y a deux ans, l'achat de «Rafale» à la France fait polémique

  L'accord sur la vente de 36 avions de chasse français « Rafale » à l'Inde fait polémique dans le pays, deux ans après sa conclusion. Le principal parti d'opposition accuse le gouvernement Modi d'avoir payé trop cher pour l'achat des « Rafale » et d'avoir favorisé un industriel réputé proche du Premier ministre. Le gouvernement accuse à son tour l'opposition de compromettre la sécurité nationale en cherchant à rendre public des détails précis sur l'accord. Avec notre correspondant à New Delhi, Antoine Guinard « Une corruption mondialisée ». C'est en ces termes que Rahul Gandhi, président du Congrès, le principal parti d'opposition, a décrit vendredi l'accord sur les Rafale. Une députée appartenant elle aussi au parti du Congrès a également fustigé les termes de l'accord dans la presse, accusant le gouvernement de Narendra Modi de « copinage », aux dépens du secteur public. Le Congrès affirme en effet que l'Inde a conclu l'achat des 36 Rafale à la France à un prix par avion trois fois supérieur au prix négocié en 2012, lorsque le parti de Rahul Gandhi était encore au pouvoir. La raison de cette différence, selon ce dernier : le gouvernement Modi a choisi le conglomérat Reliance, dont le PDG est réputé proche du Premier ministre, comme partenaire indien avec l'avionneur français Dassault dans l'accord. A la place du groupe aéronautique public indien HAL prévu au départ. Selon la presse indienne, le groupe Reliance aurait également signé en janvier 2016 accord pour co-produire le film Tout là-haut avec l'actrice et productrice Julie Gayet, compagne de Francois Hollande à l'époque. Deux jours plus tard, le président Français signait à New Delhi un protocole d'accord sur la vente des 36 Rafale à l'Inde. http://www.rfi.fr/asie-pacifique/20180831-inde-polemique-accord-vente-rafale-france

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  August 21, 2019 | International, C4ISR

  4 big problems the intelligence community faces moving to a new data system

  By: Nathan Strout The Defense Intelligence Agency wants to move quickly in developing the Machine-assisted Analytic Rapid-repository System, but the massive project, which will transform how the intelligence community uses data, faces some hard problems. The Defense Intelligence Agency is responsible for informing war fighters and policy makers on the military capabilities of foreign nations. Currently, the agency relies on the Modernized Integrated Database to house foundational military intelligence, but the 20-year old database wasn't built for the 21st century data landscape. The DIA wants to replace MIDB with MARS, a comprehensive, adaptable, scalable and rigorous data environment. With more data that is better labeled and organized, MARS will allow analysts to use applications to sort and process that data to make connections they couldn't otherwise. Last year, the DIA issued a broad agency announcement to solicit industry feedback from MARS. They've spent the year going over that information and are now preparing to actually build it. “2019 was about learning,” said Terry Busch, chief of DIA's integrated analysis and methodologies division. “This was the year of prepping to get started. In 2020 we get started ... We're going to move from designing to building very very quickly." Irving Townsend, also of the DIA, added that the agency was working to make some components of MARS available to the United States' closest allies in 2020 so leaders in those countries can begin looking at how they can use that data. In summer 2020, the MARS application programming interface will be released to the public, Busch said. But even as the DIA gears up to begin building MARS, the agency has four big problems left to solve. Resolving data inconsistency Perhaps the most pressing problem with creating a unified resource such as MARS is ensuring that the data fed into the system has been labeled and handled in a uniform way. That's easier said than done. According to Busch, there are 1,300 different data standards in the Department of Defense. “I work a lot with (the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency) and DIA because we have a very similar path for our data,” said Busch. “The NGA has done some wonderful work with some of their data standardization and modeling (...) because NGA's been in the data making business for a long time.” Making the data collected by the various agencies and services interoperable is essential for the MARS enterprise. Data storage The amount of data collected by the intelligence community that MARS needs to encompass is staggering. Hosting images and videos, like those collected by the National Reconnaissance Office, for instance, takes up a lot of space. Because of this, MARS will not actually host all of the data itself. Instead, MARS will refer to intelligence hosted by other agencies. Instead, MARS needs to be able to index that intelligence. Theoretically, users will be able to click a link to access that data hosted on other servers. The DIA will have to figure out how this solution for MARS to operate effectively. The black box problem In developing a massive dataset of intelligence, the DIA wants all intelligence to be explainable, meaning that analysts need to be able to see how the intelligence was arrived at. In other words, can analysts and systems show their work? “It's really, really important to understand that we're not going to accept a black box,” said Townsend. “Our analysts are not going to accept that.” This is a problem for intelligence agencies and contractors who don't want to reveal their methods or proprietary information. Townsend noted that companies are going to have to figure out how to explain their intelligence without giving away that information. Legacy systems Another problem with moving to MARS? Many legacy systems will not be able to move to the MARS framework. While MARS will incorporate all of the MIDB data, some legacy systems will not be able to use the new system and will instead remain reliant on MIDB. “The transition is difficult. Many of our war fighters are impinged by legacy technology,” said Busch. “There is not turning MIDB off. Not for the foreseeable future.” Busch noted that while Congress may not like funding both programs simultaneously, it is necessary until those legacy systems can be replaced or upgraded. The DIA will discuss these problems at a MARS industry day Sept. 10, where they are expected to explain what the agency wants from industry. https://www.c4isrnet.com/intel-geoint/2019/08/19/4-big-problems-the-intelligence-community-faces-moving-to-a-new-data-system/