Australia makes another order for Boeing’s Loyal Wingman drones after a successful first flight

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  July 30, 2018 | International, Land

  U.S. ARMY SELECTS LOCKHEED MARTIN AS INTEGRATED SYSTEMS DEVELOPER FOR AUTONOMOUS CONVOY PROGRAM

  DALLAS, July 30, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) was selected by the U.S. Army's Tank Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center (TARDEC) as the Integrated Systems Developer for its Expedient Leader Follower (ExLF) program. In this role, Lockheed Martin will lead a three-year effort to develop, integrate and test unmanned prototype systems for supporting leader/follower convoy activities within an asymmetric threat environment. Soldiers will conduct operational technology demonstrations using the prototypes developed in the ExLF program to establish operating procedures and shape future programs of record. "We are leveraging 15 years of experience in developing autonomous capabilities for our customers," said Gaylia Campbell, vice president of Precision Fires & Combat Maneuver Systems at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control. "Our goal as the Integrated Systems Developer is to help coordinate a number of systems and vendors in achieving mature, reliable autonomous convoys to support our warfighters in complex environments." Soldiers conduct resupply convoys within an asymmetric threat environment compounded by long sustainment missions, adverse weather/environment and night operations. These conditions adversely impact operator safety, degrade driver/operator situational awareness and reduce resupply efficiency. "The Expedient Leader Follower effort will equip a number of existing military ground vehicles with scalable robotic technology through the integration of modular kits, common interfaces and an open architecture to increase operator safety, improve situational awareness and increase resupply efficiency," Campbell said. About Lockheed Martin Headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, Lockheed Martin is a global security and aerospace company that employs approximately 100,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services. This year the company received three Edison Awards for ground-breaking innovations in autonomy, satellite technology and directed energy. https://news.lockheedmartin.com/2018-07-30-U-S-Army-Selects-Lockheed-Martin-as-Integrated-Systems-Developer-for-Autonomous-Convoy-Program

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  July 27, 2020 | International, Aerospace

  Dassault Aviation livrera moins de Falcon que prévu, craintes sur le Rafale

  Les profits de Dassault aviation ont fondu au premier semestre. Le groupe table désormais sur la livraison de 30 Falcon (contre 40 prévus avant le Covid-19). Et la perspective de nouveaux contrats Rafale Export se décale ! Dassault Aviation est à la peine ! Au premier semestre 2020, le constructeur aéronautique a dégagé un résultat net ajusté de 87 millions d'euros, contre 286 millions d'euros lors du premier semestre 2019. De son côté, le résultat opérationnel ajusté ressort à 55 millions d'euros, contre 250 millions un an plus tôt. Il en découle une marge opérationnelle ajustée de 2,1%, contre 8,2% lors du premier semestre 2019. Pour sa part, le chiffre d'affaires consolidé ajusté s'établit à 2,64 milliards d'euros au premier semestre 2020, contre 3,06 milliards d'euros un an plus tôt. " L'épidémie de Covid-19 a déclenché une crise mondiale sans précédent par ses conséquences sanitaires et économiques, son ampleur, son étendue géographique et sa durée ", a commenté Dassault Aviation. " Notre marché Falcon est directement impacté (le décalage des livraisons et des commandes Falcon entraine l'adaptation à la baisse de nos cadences Falcon) et la perspective de nouveaux contrats Rafale Export se décale ", a ajouté le constructeur aéronautique. Dans un contexte incertain de circulation de la Covid-19, le groupe a abaissé ses objectifs annuels. Il table désormais sur la livraison de 30 Falcon (contre 40 prévus avant Covid-19). En parallèle, le groupe a confirmé qu'il souhaitait livrer 13 Rafale et anticipait un chiffre d'affaires en retrait. https://www.capital.fr/entreprises-marches/a-suivre-aujourdhui-dassault-aviation-1376237

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  July 23, 2018 | International, Aerospace

  Boeing Pitches 'F-15X' Fighter Concept to US Air Force: Report

  By Oriana Pawlyk FARNBOROUGH, England -- There may be a new-old fighter jet on the horizon for the U.S. Air Force. DefenseOne reports that Boeing Co. is pitching a new version of the F-15 Eagle as the service defines its inventory mix of fourth- and fifth-generation aircraft. Known as F-15X, the fighter would be equipped with better avionics and radars and would carry more than two dozen air-to-air missiles, DefenseOne said, citing unnamed officials with knowledge of the plans. The strategy would mimic what Boeing did with its Block III F/A-18 Super Hornet: taking an old concept, but boosting the jet fleets to be more potent in current and future missions with a larger variety of weapons, extended range, advanced targeting and sensor systems, and better fuel efficiency, among other enhancements. "We see the marketplace expanding internationally," Gene Cunningham, vice president at Boeing for Global Sales for Defense, Space & Security, told reporters at the Royal International Air Tattoo on Friday. "And it's creating opportunities then to go back and talk to the U.S. Air Force about what might be future upgrades or even potentially future acquisitions of the F-15 aircraft." Related content: Misplaced Depot Paperwork Led to F-15 Grounding, Officials Say As UK Showcases Its Next-Gen Fighter, US Stresses Interoperability Military.com Farnborough Airshow Coverage Boeing on Wednesday did not have further comment beyond Cunningham's remarks. The move comes as officials in recent months have considered retiring the older F-15C/D fleet. Last March, officials told lawmakers they were looking at plans to retire the two models as early as the mid-2020s. The service has 212 F-15C and 24 F-15D models, according to the Air Force Association's 2017 aircraft inventory almanac. Air National Guard Director Lt. Gen. L. Scott Rice at the time said the service as a total force was in "deep discussions" regarding the retirement, with plans to further assess the F-15 inventory this year. But the service is determining what it may procure for its combat-coded fleet going forward. The Air Force is expected to soon debut its aviation road map on just how many fighter aircraft, and potentially other aircraft, it needs to sustain the future fight. Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson in May told Military.com the study may also outline the direction for how it trains and retains pilots for certain platforms. Congress directed the service in the 2018 National Defense Authorization Act to study the number of fighter and combat-coded squadrons it needs to plus-up to in order to remain ready, she said, similar to what the Navyrecently did with its 355-ship plan. "What do we really need for force structure under this National Defense Strategy ... that work is underway now," Wilson said in an interview. "We have a first look that's due in August, and a report due to Congress in March. "We've been directed to prepare for the re-emergence of great power competition," she said. "We have 301 operational squadrons today of all types, but how many do we really need and what types to confront this threat?" https://www.military.com/dodbuzz/2018/07/19/boeing-pitches-f-15x-fighter-concept-us-air-force-report.html