January 4, 2024 | International, Aerospace
Pakistan to buy Chinese FC-31 fighter jets, says air chief
Pakistan is set to acquire the Chinese FC-31 Gyrfalcon fifth-generation fighter, according to head of the Pakistan Air Force.
May 1, 2019 | International, Aerospace
Beyond Chinook: Army Secretary Challenges Industry To Revolutionize Heavy Lift
A light scout and a mid-size transport remain Army aviation's top two priorities, Secretary Mark Esper said, but industry needs to start thinking about the next heavy-lift aircraft and stop fighting against cuts to the venerable CH-47.
WASHINGTON: “I'm asking industry is to think about heavy future vertical lift,” Army Secretary Mark Esper told reporters today. “Where I need their heads to be is thinking about future heavy vertical lift, not about how do we maintain what we have now and make upgrades here or there.”
Translation: Boeing and Pennsylvania legislators, stop fighting me to restore funding for the latest upgrade to the venerable CH-47 Chinook — built outside Philadelphia — and join me in brainstorming a radically better aircraft for future great-power wars with Russia or China.
“I really want to think aggressively, boldly about what the future may hold, how it can be different,” Esper said.
Is that just your advice to industry, I asked, or is there some kind of preliminary study planned that companies could actually get government money for?
It's premature to talk dollars, Esper replied. “Whether we help fund that at some point, I don't know, I'm not going to talk about that right now,” he said. “My comment was only we need aircraft in the future that can do that heavy vertical lift movement, but can ... survive in a very contested airspace and keep up with the FARAs and FLRAAs.”
That's the Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft — a light scout to fill the gap left by the retired OH-58 Kiowa — and the Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft — a mid-size transport to replace the UH-60 Black Hawk. Both are intended to be high-speed, long-range aircraft.The solution probably will be turboprop/helicopter hybrids, rather than conventional helicopters, that can operate on fast-paced, far-flung future battlefields where precision-guided missiles can kill the forward fuel depots and maintenance bases on which today's shorter-ranged helicopters rely. FARA is the Army's top-priority aircraft program, Esper reiterated here at the Brookings Institution today, and FLRAA is No. 2.
But once the light scout and the mid-size transport programs are further along, Esper said for the first time today, his no. 3 priority will be a new heavy hauler. “We're not there yet, right, obviously we need to get FARA and FLRAA moving,” Esper said.
“No. 3 is I need to eventually think about what's the future of heavy vertical lift,” Esper told the audience at Brookings. “What's the future replacement for the Chinook” with the greater speed, range, payload, and survivability required for future battlefields?
Full article: https://breakingdefense.com/2019/04/beyond-chinook-army-secretary-challenges-industry-to-revolutionize-heavy-lift
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November 2, 2018 | International, C4ISR
US Army awards Raytheon $191 million contract for multi-mission radar
TEWKSBURY, Mass., Nov. 1, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The U.S. Army awarded Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) a $191 million contract for Ku-band radio frequency radars. KuRFS, an advanced electronically scanned array system, fills an immediate U.S. Army operational need for a counter-unmanned aerial vehicle radar. Already deployed, KuRFS delivers precision fire control as well as "sense and warn" capability for multiple missions including detection of rocket, artillery, mortar and swarming UAS threats. "Seeing threats – like swarming drones – as soon as possible on the battlefield is essential to protecting critical assets and saving soldiers' lives," said Andrew Hajek, senior director of tactical radars at Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems. "KuRFS makes this possible by delivering a unique combination 360-degree situational awareness, precision and mobility." KuRFS enables defense against multiple threat types through integration with the Land-Based Phalanx Weapon System, 50-caliber guns and 30 mm cannons. The radar also supports high-energy laser and the Coyote weapon system in both a ground mounted or vehicle mounted configuration. Raytheon' KuRFS is able to quickly address the urgent needs of the Army through a model of rapid-turn development and deployment. This reduces time to fielding, while providing enhanced flexibility to adapt to a quickly-changing threat environment in the drone space. About Raytheon Raytheon Company, with 2017 sales of $25 billion and 64,000 employees, is a technology and innovation leader specializing in defense, civil government and cybersecurity solutions. With a history of innovation spanning 96 years, Raytheon provides state-of-the-art electronics, mission systems integration, C5I™ products and services, sensing, effects, and mission support for customers in more than 80 countries. Raytheon is headquartered in Waltham, Mass. Follow us on Twitter. www.raytheon.com Media Contact Jackie Gutmann + 1.781.879.2789 idspr@raytheon.com SOURCE Raytheon Company http://raytheon.mediaroom.com/2018-11-01-US-Army-awards-Raytheon-191-million-contract-for-multi-mission-radar
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April 24, 2024 | International, Aerospace
First upgraded F-35s won’t be ready for combat until next year
The F-35 upgrades known as Technology Refresh 3 are now a year overdue and have halted deliveries of the newest fighter jets from Lockheed Martin.