French AI firm to process drone footage for automatic threat detection

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  February 15, 2020 | International, Aerospace

  Singapore Airshow 2020: IAI takes aim at Singapore's next-gen UAV requirement with Heron MKII

  Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) has taken the opportunity at Singapore Airshow 2020 to showcase its Heron MKII medium altitude long endurance unmanned aerial vehicle (MALE UAV) to the public for the first time, and has declared its intention to pitch the new air vehicle at a Singaporean requirement for next-generation UAVs. Moshe Levy, IAI's executive vice president and general manager of its Military Aircraft Group, told Jane's that the Heron MKII builds on the experience gained from developing the incumbent Heron 1 UAV and will offer improved performance via several airframe design and propulsion updates, although its general physical characteristics remain unchanged with an overall length and wingspan of 8.5 m and 16.6 m, respectively. Newly incorporated enhancements include a widened fuselage pod designed to accommodate a greater number of sensors and/or more powerful mission systems as well as a new propulsion configuration comprising the fully certified Rotax 915 iS 1,352 cc turbocharged four-stroke engine, which has a time before overhaul (TBO) rating of 1,200 hours. It also produces up to 135 hp at maximum continuous power and is coupled to a three-bladed variable-pitch pusher propeller. IAI claims that the new engine will provide the Heron MKII with a 50% improvement on the rate of climb over that of the Heron 1, as well as a 16.6% boost over the current maximum speed of 120 kt to 140 kt, although it retains a comparable loiter speed profile of between 60 and 80 kt. The new air vehicle's maximum take-off weight (MTOW) has also increased to 1,350 kg with a corresponding uptick in payload capacity to 470 kg. In contrast, the Heron 1 has a MTOW of about 1,200 kg and is powered by a 1,211 cc four-stroke Rotax 914 F engine that can develop up to 100 hp at maximum continuous power, which in turn drives a two-bladed pusher propeller. https://www.janes.com/article/94282/singapore-airshow-2020-iai-takes-aim-at-singapore-s-next-gen-uav-requirement-with-heron-mkii?from_rss=1

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  June 12, 2018 | International, Naval

  Lockheed, Austal USA serve up new batch of LCS amid frigate competition

  The littoral combat ship program continues to push ships to the fleet as the program begins to wind down ahead of the Navy's planned transition to a future frigate. In Marinette, Wisconsin, Lockheed and Fincantieri's latest mono-hull LCS, the Sioux City, completed acceptance trials in Lake Michigan, according to May 31 announcement. That ship is preparing to commission in Annapolis, Maryland, in the Fall after some weather and mechanical delays pushed back trials. The Sioux City is the sixth mono-hull LCS. Austal USA in Mobile, Alabama, in May delivered its eighth trimaran LCS, the Tulsa, and the second LCS delivered by the yard this year. The first one, the Manchester, was commissioned May 26. Both yards are still churning on a backlog of LCS. The ships will be coming fast and furious over the next couple of years as Austal, Lockheed and Fincantieri all pursue strategies to secure the contract to build the Navy's future frigate, known as FFG(X). At Marinette, the yard has seven other ships in production as well as one in long-lead procurement. Austal is working on five other LCS and the last three expeditionary fast transport ships of the 12 ordered. Between the two shipyards, there are no fewer than three proposals for the FFG(X). Fincantieri is pushing hard to make FREMM the Navy's next frigate, which would likely be built at Marinette. You can read all about the FREMM below: Lockheed is also likely eyeing Marinette for its proposal for FFG(X), a variant of the Freedom mono-hull LCS, for which it is the prime contractor. Austal is likewise proposing a variant of its trimaran LCS and the stakes for that shipyard are especially high since it is coming to the end of both its programs. Lockheed and Fincantieri are anticipating an order of a Freedom LCS variant multi-mission surface combatant for Saudi Arabia's naval recapitalization. All three of the contractors are among five competing for the FFG(X) contract. Navantia and Huntington Ingalls are the other two. https://www.defensenews.com/naval/2018/06/11/lockheed-austal-usa-serve-up-new-batch-of-lcs-amid-frigate-competition/

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  November 12, 2024 | International, Aerospace, C4ISR

  Musk's Starlink working on Indian security clearance for satellite broadband