Airbus to make Eurofighter fit for electronic combat

On the same subject

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  September 24, 2018 | International, Aerospace

  France wants to buy Airbus tankers sooner

  By: Pierre Tran PARIS — France renewed a pledge to speed up by two years delivery of 12 Airbus A330 multirole transport tanker jets for the French Air Force by 2023. “At the ministerial investment committee, the Direction Générale de l'Armement received the mission to accelerate the delivery of the A330 MRTT Phénix,” the armed forces ministry said in a Sept. 20 statement. A 12-strong fleet of the A330 MRTT by 2023 brings forward delivery of the air tankers by two years, the ministry said. A further three units will be ordered to bring the total fleet to 15 in the following years, the ministry added. No dates were given for a contract for the A330 MRTT or the value of the planned order. No date was set for a further batch of three more units. That boost for inflight refuelling was among the equipment modernization measures included in the 2019-2025 military budget law, formally signed by French president Emmanuel Macron just before an official garden party on July 13. The French Air Force has long lobbied for renewing the aerial capability, as the present aging tanker fleet is a key element in the airborne nuclear deterrent. French air operations in allied operations in the sub-Saharan Sahel region and the Middle East rely heavily on U.S. air tankers. The A330 MRTT will replace a mixed fleet of C-135FR and KC-135R tankers — some of which are close to 60 years old — and A310 and A340 strategic troop and transport aircraft. The A330 MRTT is a military conversion of the Airbus A330 airliner. https://www.defensenews.com/global/europe/2018/09/21/france-wants-to-buy-airbus-tankers-sooner

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  February 9, 2018 | International, Aerospace, C4ISR

  Safran plays major role in OCEAN2020 project, chosen by European Commission for the PADR defense research program

  Boulogne-Billancourt, February 7, 2018 Safran is one of the main participants in the OCEAN2020 consortium, which won a major contract as part of the European Commission's 2017 Preparatory Action on Defence Research (PADR) initiative. This European Commission's OCEAN2020 project, with 35 million euros in funding, aims to develop a technology demonstrator that will validate the concept of deploying a complete array of drone systems (air, surface and submarine) for surveillance in a maritime environment. The Leonardo-led OCEAN2020 consortium won this contract by uniting companies of all sizes, along with academic institutions and government representatives from 15 European Union countries. The winning team will conduct two demonstrations involving the operation of new surveillance systems and integrated information processing systems, deployed in several European naval exercises, first in the Mediterranean in 2019 then in the Baltic Sea in 2020. During these naval operations, Safran will deploy a maritime surveillance version of its Patroller drone. The only fixed-wing, long-endurance drone taking part in these demonstrations, the Patroller will also be outfitted with a new mission system, including a maritime surveillance radar, an automatic identification system (AIS) for ships and Safran's EuroflirTM410 optronic (electro-optical) pod, already used on the army version of the Patroller. The data collected by this multi-sensor suite will be transmitted to the combat systems on several warships, as well as to operations centers. Safran will contribute to the innovative nature of the OCEAN2020 project by developing an autonomous mission function for naval drones. An onboard data processing function will enable the Patroller drone to detect and automatically track suspect ships in its search zone, while also consolidating key data (speed, trajectory, size, registration numbers, other visual proofs, etc.) to facilitate the job of operators. These new functionalities will offer a decisive advantage in ensuring the success of drone surveillance operations by navies and government agencies. Thierry Dupoux, chief innovation officer at Safran Electronics & Defense, said, "We are very proud to be advancing our road map for drone mission systems in maritime surveillance applications. We're very fortunate to be able to apply our skills to help develop this large-scale European defense R&D program." PADR is a three-year program organized by the European Commission to test the EU's defense Research & Technology (R&T) funding mechanisms, via several targeted projects. It heralds the launch of a framework program to support defense research starting in 2021. https://www.safran-electronics-defense.com/media/safran-plays-major-role-ocean2020-project-chosen-european-commission-padr-defense-research-program-20180207

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  March 7, 2022 | International, Naval

  Polish Navy chooses Arrowhead 140 design for new frigates

  The detailed design and systems integration planning process for the Polish frigates is expected to conclude later this year, with construction starting next year and completion of the first ship in 2028.