Finland’s Patria weighs making combat vehicles in Ukraine

On the same subject

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  February 15, 2021 | International, Naval

  Technological Advancements Make The CSC The Right Choice For The Royal Canadian Navy

  Like many navies around the world, the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) is making use of the most modern technological advancements in the design and planning of its forthcoming 15 Canadian Surface Combatants (CSC) – a single class of multi-role ships that will form the backbone of Canada's combat sea power. Royal Canadian Navy press release Life onboard the new CSC will be exciting for RCN sailors, as these ships will embrace leading edge technology and improved habitability, and are designed to take them well into the latter half of the 21st Century. How do technological advancements impact operations onboard the ship? Well for starters, a sailor will be able to view on one computer terminal or platform various streams of digital content/information originating from different sources – a process called convergence. Convergence will allow any operations room or bridge terminal to show video or data feeds from any sensor, weapon, or software support system. Not only does this mean that leadership teams will have real-time warfare and platform data at their fingertips from various onboard locations, it also means that the physical space and power required to run multiple terminals will be reduced. Until recently, electronic systems onboard a warship such as the weapons and sensor systems, took up space, and lots of it. However, with the application of widespread digitization and use of solid state electronics onboard the CSC, dedicated space requirements have been considerably reduced, while the capability and flexibility of these systems have been increased. By capitalizing on miniaturization and digitization, much of this new-found square footage can be freed up to improve working and habitability conditions, including making accommodations and personal living spaces better for the crew. Multi-function equipment will be incorporated wherever practical onboard the CSC. For example, a single digital beam-forming radar can replace multiple traditional radars, software-defined radios can be setup to support different communications requirements on the fly, and programmable multi-purpose weapons will be able to engage more than one kind of target, while being controlled from a common vertical launcher. Multi-functionality even extends to the CSC's modular mission bay: a reconfigurable space able to accommodate and integrate any container payload imaginable. When taken as a whole, the technology advancements that will be incorporated into the CSC means the single-class, single variant choice, coupled with the inherent and multi-role capabilities that it will bring, will serve Canadian interests for decades into the future. The CSC is the right choice for the RCN and the right choice for Canada. Canada's defence policy, “Strong, Secure, Engaged” (SSE), has committed to investing in 15 Canadian Surface Combatant (CSC) ships. In February 2019, the Government of Canada confirmed that the bid from Lockheed Martin Canada has been selected for the design and design team for the Canadian Surface Combatants. Irving Shipbuilding Inc., the project's prime contractor, awarded a sub-contract to Lockheed Martin Canada for work to finalize the design. The winning bid is based on the BAE Systems Type 26 Global Combat Ship. These ships will be Canada's major surface component of maritime combat power. With its effective warfare capability and versatility, it can be deployed rapidly anywhere in the world, either independently or as part of a Canadian or international coalition. The CSC will be able to deploy for many months with a limited logistic footprint. The CSC will be able to conduct a broad range of tasks, including: Delivering decisive combat power at sea; Supporting the Canadian Armed Forces, and Canada's Allies ashore; Conducting counter-piracy, counter-terrorism, interdiction and embargo operations for medium intensity operations; and Delivering humanitarian aid, search and rescue, law and sovereignty enforcement for regional engagements. The ship's capability suite includes: Four integrated management systems, one each for the combat system, platform systems, bridge and navigation systems and a cyber-defence system; A digital beam forming Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar (the SPY-7 by Lockheed Martin) and solid state illuminator capability; The USN Cooperative Engagement Capability system; A vertically launched missile system supporting long, short and close-in missile defence, long-range precision naval fires support and anti-ship engagements; A 127mm main gun system and dual 30mm gun mounts; A complete electronic warfare and countermeasures suite; A fully integrated underwater warfare system with bow-mounted sonar, towed low frequency active and passive sonar, lightweight torpedoes and decoys; Fully integrated communications, networking and data link capabilities; and A CH-148 Cyclone multi-role helicopter, multi-role boats and facilities for embarking remotely piloted systems. CSC Specifications: Length: 151.4 metres Beam: 20.75 metres Speed: 27 knots Displacement: 7,800 tonnes Navigational Draught: ~8m Range: 7000 nautical miles Class: 15 ships Accommodations: ~204 https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2021/02/technological-advancements-make-the-csc-the-right-choice-for-the-royal-canadian-navy/

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  April 15, 2024 | International, Aerospace

  F-35s to cost $2 trillion as Pentagon plans longer use, says watchdog

  The military now plans to fly the F-35 through 2088, but inflation is taking an even deeper bite on the advanced jet.

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  August 13, 2020 | International, Aerospace, Land

  Army validates design for future helicopter engine, remains on track despite COVID

  By: Jen Judson WASHINGTON — The Army has validated its design for its future helicopter engine, and the program remains on schedule to deliver the first engine for testing in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2021, according to service officials in charge of the effort. The Improved Engine Turbine Program (ITEP) has seen a long — and often delayed — journey as the service wrestled with funding and development strategies for several years. ITEP will replace current engines in both UH-60 Black Hawk utility helicopters and AH-64 Apache attack helicopters Since awarding a contract to General Electric Aviation in February 2019, the program has pushed forward on schedule, despite a protest from a competing team comprised of Honeywell and Pratt & Whitney, which paused work for roughly three months. And, while the Coronavirus pandemic caused some anxiety among Army officials trying to keep the program on track, those in charge were able to complete the critical design review, conducted 100 percent virtually, according to Army spokesman David Hylton. The ITEP Critical Design Review (CDR) was a multi-month process that consisted of three phases, Hylton told Defense News in a written statement. The engine control system component CDR was completed on June 5, followed by the software CDR on July 17 and the engine systems CDR on July 24, he said. The Army and GE are making “tremendous efforts to keep COVID-19 impacts from delaying the program,” Hylton wrote. GE is now working toward a test readiness review ahead of the first engine test. “We are full steam ahead in terms of understanding where we need to go next with respect to the design, Col. Gregory Fortier, who is in charge of the program office for the Army's Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft, said during a media briefing last month. The Army has “no reason to believe we will not fly” in fiscal 2023, he said. According to FY21 Army budget request justification documents, the service plans to fly an aircraft with an ITEP engine installed in the first quarter of FY23 followed by a low-rate initial production decision in the fourth quarter of FY24. A full-rate production decision is expected in FY26. https://www.defensenews.com/land/2020/08/12/army-validates-design-for-future-helicopter-engine-remains-on-track-despite-covid/