November 8, 2022 | International, Naval
Small shipyards consolidate amid Navy program delays
Though several ship programs more accessible to small yards are in the works, they won't go into production until 2025 or later.
August 17, 2020 | International, Aerospace
Europe’s next-gen fighter club faces a dilemma: Who else can join?
COLOGNE, Germany — With mainland Europe and the United Kingdom pursuing their own sixth-generation fighter programs, differing views have started to emerge about how many nations should partake in the action.
At issue is whether the British Tempest and the German-French-Spanish Future Combat Air System can coexist in the long run without cannibalizing the continent's defense budget.
What's more, while leaders in the U.K. have openly advertised their appetite to pick up partner countries for Tempest, Paris and Berlin are divided about admitting additional members, besides Spain, for fear of slowing down their effort.
German defense officials early this year told Bundestag lawmakers they consider it risky to keep the circle of participants too small because team Tempest could go around snagging up contributors, though that concern has yet to bear out.
To Dirk Hoke, the CEO of Airbus Defence and Space, the issue comes down to the budget. His company is the co-lead for the FCAS program along with France's Dassault Aviation. Notably, the French have the lead for the Next-Generation Fighter, envisioned as the central aircraft for the larger program of supporting drones and command-and-control equipment.
“Europe can't afford two new systems,” Hoke said in a virtual panel discussion organized by a German defense industry lobbying association.
That is especially the case, he argued, because a competition between the U.K. and members of the European Union would reinforce the perception that Britain's divorce from the bloc has weakened the intra-continental defense alliance — a notion that leaders on both sides of the Channel have been trying to dispel.
Finding a way to merge FCAS and Tempest should become a top priority for decision-makers once a Brexit agreement on future trade and defense relations is in the bag, according to Hoke. Until then, he said, “we simply have to be patient.”
In order to be prepared for “an opportunity to negotiate at eye level,” both projects should continue to work through their technology development so that eventual touchpoints for cooperation are already far along, he explained.
In contrast, Dassault Aviation CEO Eric Trappier has urged caution when it comes to broadening the FCAS circle too soon.
“I don't know if there won't be some new partners in the future,” he said during a company earnings call late last month. “We must not exclude them.”
Noting that Spain already was admitted to the program after Germany and France had kicked it off, Trappier said the companies involved were still learning to work together. “We have to get to know each other and share our work together,” he said.
“If we change partners every six months, I can tell you that we will not reach 2040,” he added, referring to the envisioned in-service date for the futuristic weapon.
The next big milestone for the program is fielding a demonstrator aircraft in 2026.
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September 11, 2018 | International, Aerospace
Meggitt expands involvement in KFX programme
Jon Grevatt, Bangkok - IHS Jane's Defence Weekly UK company Meggitt has increased its involvement on the South Korean programme to develop the KFX multirole fighter aircraft through a new supply contract announced on 10 September. In a press release, Meggitt said it will develop an engine vibration monitoring unit (EVMU) for KFX prototypes currently under construction by prime contractor Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI). Chris Allen, president of Meggitt Sensing Systems, said, “This contract builds on the development work we have been undertaking with KAI on innovative technology for the KFX. We look forward to continuing our partnership and developing and delivering state of the art prototypes.” The newly announced contract is one of several that Meggitt has secured on the KFX development programme. https://www.janes.com/article/82887/meggitt-expands-involvement-in-kfx-programme
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November 12, 2018 | International, Land, C4ISR
DARPA: Program Targets Innovative Propulsion Solutions for Ground-Based Weapons Delivery System
Three performers selected to develop and demonstrate a novel ground-launched system to improve precision engagement of time sensitive targets The joint DARPA/U.S. Army Operational Fires (OpFires) program will soon kick off with three performers awarded contracts to begin work: Aerojet Rocketdyne, Exquadrum, and Sierra Nevada Corporation. OpFires aims to develop and demonstrate a novel ground-launched system enabling hypersonic boost glide weapons to penetrate modern enemy air defenses and rapidly and precisely engage critical time sensitive targets. OpFires seeks to develop innovative propulsion solutions that will enable a mobile, ground-launched tactical weapons delivery system capable of carrying a variety of payloads to a variety of ranges. Phase 1 of the program will be a 12-month effort focused on early development and demonstration of booster solutions that provide variable thrust propulsion across robust operational parameters in large tactical missiles. “OpFires represents a critical capability development in support of the Army's investments in long-range precision fires,” says DARPA's OpFires program manager, Maj. Amber Walker (U.S. Army). “These awards are the first step in the process to deliver this capability in support of U.S. overmatch.” The OpFires program will conduct a series of subsystem tests designed to evaluate component design and system compatibility for future tactical operating environments. Phase 2 will mature designs and demonstrate performance with hot/static fire tests targeted for late 2020. Phase 3, which will focus on weapon system integration, will culminate in integrated end-to-end flight tests in 2022. https://www.darpa.mil/news-events/2018-11-09