Israeli, British firms to deliver unmanned vehicles for UK experimental program

On the same subject

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  November 13, 2019 | International, Aerospace, C4ISR

  BAE to bring advanced radar jamming tech to US Army aircraft

  By: Jen Judson WASHINGTON — BAE Systems plans to demonstrate an interim advanced radar jamming technology next summer for helicopters and unmanned aircraft systems that is lighter and smaller than systems available now. The company issued a statement Nov. 12 announcing the U.S. Army awarded it a research and development contract to bring the technology to bear. The system “aims to improve air survivability and mission effectiveness” for aircraft “by detecting and defeating complex and unknown threats in electronic combat," the statement read. BAE will demonstrate the technology in July 2020. The technology is under development within BAE Systems' FAST Labs and combines adaptive radio frequency jamming and sensing capabilities into one system, a company statement noted. “Whereas today's electronic countermeasure systems are too bulky and heavy for most rotary-wing and UAS platforms, BAE Systems technology will combine multiple, software-programmable antennas into a digital phased array that will enable simultaneous functions, exceeding existing capabilities while reducing the size, weight, and power of current systems,” according to the British company's statement. As the Army looks to modernize its capabilities to fight across multiple domains in highly contested environments, the technology, the company said, will enable the aircraft to fly closer to threats and remain protected. Lighter and smaller systems are also crucial, as existing aircraft continues to be weighed down by additional capabilities for fighting near-peer threats. “With the continuously evolving threat landscape, it's critical to provide the next-generation of digital phased array technology to better defend our armed forces in electronic warfare,” Chris Rappa, product line director for radio frequency, electronic warfare and advanced electronics at FAST Labs, said in the statement. “Our technology will give the Army's rotary-wing aircraft and UAS a new, low SWaP [size, weight and power] system to securely and drastically increase their range of movements in future missions,” he added. BAE is planning flight tests within the next few years, FAST Labs Program Manager Ben McMahon told Defense News. https://www.defensenews.com/land/2019/11/12/bae-is-bringing-advanced-radar-jamming-tech-to-us-army-aircraft/

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  August 3, 2023 | International, Aerospace

  Here’s how Air Force special ops ‘power projection wings’ will work

  The move is part of AFSOC’s attempt to reimagine what its airmen can do after decades at war in U.S. Central Command.

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  July 10, 2020 | International, Aerospace, Naval

  Elbit combines UAV with unmanned naval vessel

  By: Seth J. Frantzman JERUSALEM — In a first for Israel, Elbit Systems is adding unmanned aerial system capabilities to its Seagull unmanned surface vehicle, according to the company. The Seagull USV incorporates the Skylark C, a maritime drone based on the Skylark mini-UAS. The Seagull, which is currently operational and looks like a patrol boat, was designed as a solution for several missions, including anti-submarine warfare and mine countermeasures. Elbit announced on July 8 that it had tested the new unmanned combo as a means to provide new intelligence gathering capabilities and improve situational awareness for naval forces. With a takeoff weight of 15 kilograms, the Skylark C provides a visual feed transmitted to land-based control units. The addition of a UAV also extends the Seagull operator's line of sight. Skylark C was unveiled in 2016 as an intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance asset. As an electrically propelled drone with low visual and acoustic signature, the company advertised it as ideal for covert operations and special naval operations, such as anti-piracy missions. Elbit demonstrated the Seagull — without the UAV capability — to the British Defence Ministry last month. This concept of integrating UAVs with existing technology is part of a trend across Israel. Elbit has incorporated its MAGNI micro-drone onto vehicles and is selling large numbers of small and medium-sized UAVs to countries that want to integrate them throughout ground forces. Israeli company Rafael Advanced Defense Systems acquired local drone-focused firm Aeronautics Limited last year in hopes of combining their capabilities. The move could see UAVs alongside optionally manned vehicles. For its part, the U.S. Navy has experimented with the unmanned vessel Sea Hunter, but reports do not indicate UAVs have been added to it. Drone-enabled fleets are becoming part of the future of naval operations: Small UAVs, such as the Scan Eagle, are deployed from manned ships, and manned submarines have also launched drones. Bryan Clark, a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute, has argued that while the U.S. currently uses USVs to conduct anti-submarine warfare, the Navy “should increase the role of unmanned systems.” https://www.defensenews.com/industry/techwatch/2020/07/09/elbit-combines-uav-with-unmanned-naval-vessel/