Delays Cause Two-Year, $1.5B Extension For F-35 Block 4

On the same subject

• 

  December 7, 2018 | International, Naval

  Les frégates de la classe Nansen souffrent d’un défaut sérieux de conception. Le chantier Navantia mis en cause

  (B2) Un premier rapport du bureau enquêtes accidents norvégien (AIBN) l'affirme sans ambages. La collision entre une frégate de la marine norvégienne KNM Helge Ingstad et un tanker maltais (Sola TS) dans la baie de Hjeltefjorden en Norvège le 8 novembre, révèle un problème grave de conception sur certains navires fabriqués par les chantiers navals espagnols Navantia. Une alerte sécurité vient d'être envoyée Un naufrage à proximité des côtes Rappelons-nous, c'était juste après l'exercice de l'OTAN Trident Juncture, la frégate norvégienne (qui porte le numéro de coque F-313), effectuait des manœuvres à proximité des côtes, près du terminal pétrolier de ce fjord norvégien situé non loin de Bergen, quand il heurte le pétrolier qui naviguait en sens inverse. La collision ne provoque que peu de dég'ts dans le pétrolier, mais pour le navire militaire les conséquences sont autrement plus graves. Une enquête des bureaux d'accidents civil et militaire norvégiens La frégate norvégienne, qui fait alors partie de la force navale permanente de l'OTAN (SNMG1), est atteinte « au-dessus et au-dessous de la ligne de flottaison » et « absorbe énormément d'eau » comme le signale le ministère norvégien de la Défense. Il n'est plus stable et doit être échoué. Ses 137 marins doivent être évacués. Une enquête est alors diligentée associant le bureau d'enquête accidents maritime norvégien (AIBN) et son pendant militaire (DAIBN), auquel est associé l'unité d'enquête maritime maltaise (MSIU), autorité du pavillon du pétrolier. Les compartiments non étanches Trois compartiments étanches à bord du KNM Helge Ingstad sont inondés : « la salle du groupe électrogène arrière, les quartiers de l'équipage du pont Orlop et le magasin » selon le rapport de l'AIBN. La stabilité est jugée « médiocre », mais le navire est encore considéré comme 'sauvable'. Cette première évaluation ne résiste pas. L'eau gagne du terrain. Elle « coule de la salle des génératrices arrière vers la salle des engrenages via les arbres creux de l'hélice, puis de la salle des engrenages, vers les salles des machines avant et arrière via les boîtes de rangement dans les cloisons ». Quand la salle d'engrenage est inondée, l'évacuation des 137 marins est décidée. Le navire est considéré comme « perdu ». Huit marins sont légèrement blessés dans les différentes manœuvres. Le navire échoué coule à pic Les autorités espèrent encore pouvoir récupérer le navire, qui flotte toujours, en le fixant avec des c'bles. Mais dans la nuit du 12 au 13 novembre, ils s'arrachent et le navire coule à pic. Le navire est désormais considéré comme irrécupérable, même si les travaux sont toujours en cours pour être renfloué, comme le précise le ministère norvégien de la Défense. Perte sèche : 4,2 milliards de couronnes (environ 220 millions d'euros). Une enquête nécessaire chez Navantia L'autorité norvégienne préconise une vérification des navires norvégiens de même conception. Oslo dispose encore de quatre navires de la même classe — le KNM Fridtjof Nansen, le KNM Roald Amundsen, le KNM Otto Sverdrup et le KNM Thor Heyerdahl — construits sur les chantiers navals espagnols de Ferrol de Navantia. Elle demande ainsi à Navantia de mener « une enquête sur les problèmes identifiés lors de la première enquête et de déterminer s'il s'agit également d'un problème lié à d'autres navires ». L'industriel espagnol doit aussi envoyer une notification aux chantiers, propriétaires et exploitants concernés, pour leur indiquer « les mesures à prendre pour assurer la sécurité ». (Nicolas Gros-Verheyde) https://club.bruxelles2.eu/2018/12/un-defaut-de-conception-dans-les-fregates-de-type-nansen-le-chantier-navantia-mis-en-cause/

• 

  February 2, 2021 | International, Aerospace

  Opinion: The Innovation That Will Ensure U.S. Security In Space

  Charles Beames During the Cold War, it was not the U.S.' superior weapons or soldiers that ultimately led to the Soviet Union's capitulation. Historians record that the relative economic might of the U.S. ultimately brought the Cold War to a peaceful and conclusive end. Three decades later, the U.S. again finds itself at the dawn of what many have dubbed the “Second Space Race,” for which the U.S. ought to remain mindful of this lesson, lest it be used against us. The West is once again threatened by a hegemonic national security rival. This time, America's archnemesis is characterized by planning for a long contest that will feature fast-forward economics, global diplomacy, military muscle and information manipulation: China, it appears, is preparing to use its economic power to win. While maintaining its deep belief in Marx's communist vision, the Chinese one-party government has fashioned a national economy that learned from the Soviet Union's mistakes. Through friendly engagement with Western economies, China strengthens its own economy and weakens the West's, nudging the world toward the worldview of the Chinese Communist Party. What then, are the best avenues for the U.S. to win this new near-peer space competition? They are the same ones that delivered victory in the last century: free markets, real economic growth and the productivity that often follows. This time, however, we must keep in mind that our rival is a keen student that has learned from our earlier successes—and Soviet failures. The American response must not repeat the Cold War strategy of outspending our rival in government programs. Instead, the U.S. long game must put the commercial industry first: deliberately buy goods and services from our commercial domestic market, only providing government solutions when the commercial market cannot meet requirements. Unlike other military services, there are no real “weapons” in space. Much of what the government is developing for civil and national security space needs also exists as products or services in the commercial market. By encouraging the commercial industry to grow and not competing against it, the U.S. will secure a long-term strategy leading to unrivaled space leadership. The U.S. economy has generated growth and prosperity unmatched in human history, with billions of dollars being invested every year into profitable commercial space companies. To outpace China militarily and economically, the new administration must double down on space privatization projects like NASA's Commercial Crew and Commercial Resupply Programs started under the Obama administration. The Trump administration correctly reprioritized the importance of space for national security, but it directed too much government spending to legacy space projects and fell short in encouraging the next generation of commercial space companies. An American “commercial first” policy for space technologies can solve government needs at the federal and state levels, which account for about half of commercial space company revenue. By prioritizing the highly competitive commercial sector, the government will bolster U.S. competitiveness without illegally subsidizing it. More important, it would reinforce the American values of free markets and open competition. As the new administration settles in, national security political insiders are already hedging their bets on who and what will be the winners and losers of the new political cycle. This is especially true for the space sector, not only because it was an area of significant emphasis during the last administration but also because there continues to be significant private investment and anticipated growth in the area. The unrelenting march of the knowledge economy and remarkable utility of the commercial space industry is limited only to our imaginations. The new U.S. Space Force and other civil space agencies will be better positioned if they leverage the burgeoning industry and do not overshadow it with government alternatives. If, however, the government decides to compete against the private sector with its top-down directed design methods and protocols, our commercial industry will be lost to China, much like the drone market was just a decade ago. Economic dominance in the space industry, not space weapons, will ultimately decide which side defines the 21st-century space domain and the national security implications that come with it. America must strategically rethink policies that will take advantage of, rather than compete against, its blossoming commercial space industry. Getting space policy right—commercial industry first and using government solutions only when necessary—will lead to explosive growth. Getting policy wrong? Well, just ask the Soviets. Charles Beams is executive chairman and chief strategy officer of Colorado-based York Space Systems and chairman of the SmallSat Alliance. https://aviationweek.com/aerospace/commercial-space/opinion-innovation-will-ensure-us-security-space

• 

  August 12, 2020 | International, C4ISR

  Pentagon clears 100 MHz of spectrum for 5G development

  Nathan Strout The Pentagon has cleared 100 megahertz (MHz) of contiguous mid-band spectrum to be used for commercial 5G following a 15-week review, determining that they can share that bandwidth while minimizing impact on military radars. While that 3450-3550 MHz mid-band spectrum is highly desired by commercial 5G developers, it's been historically used by the military for critical radar operations for air defense, missile and gunfire control, counter-mortar, bomb scoring, battlefield weapon locations, air traffic control, and range safety. But now, leaders from the Department of Defense say the Pentagon can continue using the spectrum for those purposes while making it available for commercial development. DoD Chief Information Officer Dana Deasy said the department will move toward sharing most of that spectrum without limits while setting up a Spectrum Relocation Fund Transition Plan to minimize risks. “DoD is proud of the success of the [America's Mid-Band Initiative Teams (AMBIT)] and is committed to working closely with industry after the FCC auction to ensure timely access to the band while protecting national security,” Deasy told reporters Aug. 10. The White House and Department of Defense established AMBIT to free up spectrum for 5G development quickly back in April. Over a 15-week period, the working group was able to bring together 180 subject matter experts, and ultimately were able to identify 100 MHZ of spectrum used by the military that could be safely shared with commercial 5G efforts.The decision expands the amount of connected mid-band spectrum open for 5G development to 530 MHz. The Federal Communications Commission will auction off the spectrum. One government official said action was expected by the end of this fiscal year. https://www.c4isrnet.com/industry/2020/08/10/pentagon-clears-100-mhz-of-spectrum-for-5g-development/