DoD Taps Sea Machines for Autonomous VTOL Replenishment Vessels

On the same subject

• 

  March 27, 2020 | International, Naval

  Danish radars on French aircraft carrier

  Aarhus, March 25, 2020 - The French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle, which visits Danish waters this week, is equipped with two radar systems provided by Terma. The SCANTER 6000 radar systems are used for surveillance, search and navigation at sea - and in the air to guide helicopters on landing. In recent years, Terma has provided radar systems to a number of vessels in the French Navy through a collaboration with the French defense company Naval Group, which among others has built Charles de Gaulle. The French carrier has a fixed crew of about 2,000 men and weighs about 40,500 tonnes. It is accompanied by several escort ships and will be accompanied by the Danish frigate Niels Juel of the Iver Huitfeldt class during its visit. Through its long-standing partnership with the Danish Navy, Terma has provided radar systems, self-defense systems and command-control systems to all of the Navy's large naval vessels, including the three frigates, which also make use of the same radar type SCANTER 6000 as Charles de Gaulle. Terma's radar systems are used by many countries around the world on many different types of navy and coastguard vessels due to their ability to see small targets such as fast crafts and jet skis at long range and in all kinds of weather. Terma's radars are therefore also used for coastal and traffic surveillance e.g. at VTS Storebælt. About us The Denmark based high-tech Terma Group develops products and systems for defense and non-defense security applications; including command and control systems, radar systems, self-protection systems for aircraft, space technology, and aerostructures for the aircraft industry. Follow us on Instagram Twitter Linkedin Youtube Media contact: Kasper Rasmussen T:+45 2022 6091 E: kar@terma.com View source version on Terma Group : https://www.terma.com/press/news-2020/danish-radars-on-french-aircraft-carrier/

• 

  September 3, 2019 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security

  Here’s what Japan’s Defense Ministry wants to do with $50.5 billion

  By: Mike Yeo MELBOURNE, Australia — Japan's Defense Ministry has requested a budget of $50.5 billion for its next fiscal year, an increase of 1.2 percent over the previous year and the eighth straight year of an increase. The funds will be used to acquire more Lockheed Martin F-35 fighter jets, including Japan's first short-takeoff-and-vertical-landing F-35B, as well as increasing its Boeing KC-46A Pegasus tanker fleet to six aircraft. The bulk of the budget request is for costs associated with U.S. military forces stationed in Japan, with $1.9 billion requested to pay the salaries of Japanese citizens employed by the U.S military, supporting training exercises, and performing maintenance on and improvements to U.S. military facilities. The ministry's request includes $1.08 billion for F-35s, which is made up of $291.3 million for three conventional takeoff and landing F-35As and $795.3m for six F-35Bs. These will be Japan's first F-35Bs, and it's expected the country will eventually order 42 "B" models, of which 18 will be acquired over the next five years, according to Japan's Mid-Term Defense Plan released late last year. It also has plans to eventually operate 105 F-35As. The F-35Bs are to be operated from two Izumo-class helicopter destroyers. Japan announced last year plans to convert both ships, which are currently designed to operate helicopters, to be able to handle F-35Bs. Notably, the budget request asks for $29.1 million for “partial refurbishment” to enable F-35B operations. According to other reports, modifications for the ships include improvements to the heat resistance of their flight decks as well as the installation of additional lighting for aircraft operations. Japanese Defense Minister Takeshi Iwaya added that F-35B deck trials could be conducted with U.S. Marine Corps F-35Bs based in Japan following the modification work. Beyond the jets The budget request also asks for $1.05 billion for four more Boeing KC-46A Pegasus tanker aircraft, and $284.8 million for more Raytheon SM-3 Block IIA ballistic missile interceptors. The request for funding for four KC-46As is a departure from normal procedure, Previously, Japan ordered one tanker each during the 2017 and 2018 fiscal years. According to the ministry, the batch order is a more cost-effective means of acquisition, resulting in $100 million worth of savings. Given that Japan already awarded contracts to Boeing for two of the three KC-46As previously on order, the budget request for four more tankers suggests the ministry wants funding for the last aircraft and and for an additional order of three KC-46s. Defense News has sought clarification from Japan's Defense Ministry over whether this is the case. The budget request also includes a number of acquisitions from Japan's defense industry, with $654.3 million for another Soryu-class diesel-electric attack submarine. And should the budget pass, Kawasaki Heavy Industries will be able to keep its aircraft production lines open, with the ministry seeking funds to acquire three more P-1 anti-submarine aircraft and six C-2 airlifters at $213.4 million and $599 million respectively. The ministry also wants money for more equipment destined for Japan's land forces: 33 Type 16 wheeled maneuver combat vehicles and seven Type 19 wheeled self-propelled howitzers. The Type 19 is a newly developed eight-wheel drive howitzer sporting a 155mm weapon mounted on the German MAN HX military truck chassis, and it's earmarked to replace the towed FH70 howitzer currently in service with the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force. The Defense Ministry also wants to continue funding the development of indigenous electronic warfare capabilities. Japan's next fiscal year begins April 1, 2020. The budget request is not necessarily the actual amount that will be allocated by the Finance Ministry. https://www.defensenews.com/global/asia-pacific/2019/08/30/heres-what-japans-defense-ministry-wants-to-do-with-505-billion

• 

  March 4, 2020 | International, Aerospace

  Nearly All the F-35 Jet Engines Ordered Last Year Arrived Late

  By Anthony Capaccio Nearly all the engines ordered for the next-generation F-35 jet were delivered late last year as the Pratt & Whitney unit of United Technologies Corp. struggled to solve nagging difficulties with parts and suppliers, according to the Pentagon. About 85% of the engines for the stealthy fighter were delivered late in 2019, the Defense Department's F-35 program office reported, adding that Pratt & Whitney did manage to deliver more engines than required. The tardiness figure was in line with data from 2018, but up from 48% and 58% in 2016 and 2017, respectively. “In general, the monthly schedule performance continues to be impacted by issues with parts and suppliers which the program office is monitoring closely,” the program office said in statement Tuesday. Pratt & Whitney “continues to perform reviews” within its expansive production chain and “has made some progress but more progress is needed to meet the monthly schedule,” it added. Engine delivery issues are just one problem that has plagued the jet's manufacturing ahead of a key decision expected in the next year on whether to move ahead into full-rate production on the $428 billion F-35 program. The fighter has also been flagged for breaking down too often, carrying a 25mm gun that doesn't shoot accurately and having shortages in its supply chain for spare parts from tire assemblies to seats. Some of the problems have since been fixed. Nevertheless, the jet is a key part of a broader weapons modernization effort meant to bolster not just the U.S. military but those of key allies from Poland to Japan. As the sole provider of F-35 engines, Pratt & Whitney and its subcontractors are in line to collect as much as $66 billion of the total jet contract. Congress has approved about $27 billion to date for F-35 engines. But the eventual decision on full-rate production means Pratt & Whitney needs to show it can ramp up production effectively. Overall, 128 of 150 engines delivered last year arrived late, eight arrived on time and 14 came in ahead of schedule, according to the F-35 program office. Of 93 engines in the 11th low-rate production contract bloc, 90 arrived an average of 41 days late. In a statement, the company emphasized that it “exceeded its annual F-35 engine delivery commitment” for 2019. “This represents a 60% year-over-year increase in deliveries. We remain laser-focused on working closely” with the program office and “our supply base to achieving on-time delivery in 2020.” Pratt & Whitney remains under a high-level “Corrective Action Request” that the Defense Contract Management Agency issued in December 2018, citing “poor delivery performance.” The agency said it's evaluating the company's corrective actions and may rescind the CAR by month's end. The company has made improvements in four areas, including deploying “focus teams” to subcontractors for ensuring adequate “critical hardware” and qualifying additional suppliers, DCMA said. Asked if the company was ready for accelerated full-rate engine production, the agency said “as the P&W suppliers demonstrate success in meeting their contract delivery rate the probability of P&W meeting their full-rate production level increases. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-03-03/nearly-all-the-f-35-jet-engines-ordered-last-year-arrived-late