August 7, 2020 | International, Aerospace

Libya is turning into a battle lab for air warfare

ROME — During Libya's proxy war this year, the skies over the North African country have filled with Turkish and Chinese drones, Russian MiG 29s and Sukhoi 24s and Emirati Mirage 2000s — reportedly — with Turkish F-16s and Egyptian Rafales waiting in the wings.

Russian air defense systems have taken down drones while fighters, civilians and air bases have been bombed by jets as C-130s and Turkish A400M aircraft keep up deliveries of new weaponry and fighters into the country.

In short, Libya has been transformed this year into something of an air warfare laboratory, begging the question, what exactly is going on, who is winning and what has this conflict taught generals about modern air combat?

“On one level, Libya yet again simply underscores the value of air power – you do not want to get in a fight without it,” said Douglas Barrie, Senior Fellow for Military Aerospace at the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London.

The conflict in lawless Libya began to escalate in April 2019 as local strongman General Khalifa Haftar launched his campaign to take the capital Tripoli. Backed by Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Russia and France, he felt confident going up against the UN-recognized government in Tripoli backed by Turkey, Italy and Qatar.

In April last year, Chinese Wing Loon II drones operated by the UAE bombed civilian targets in the city, reflecting the recent, and rapid, procurement of Chinese drones around the Middle East.

“The Chinese have been adept at selling drones in the Middle East, including to Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt and Iraq. With the US previously constrained in selling systems, the Chinese saw a gap in the market,” said Barrie.

Turkey has proved the exception. Around May 2019, it introduced its own TB2 drone into the fray, attacking Haftar's forces, knocking out Russian Pantsir air defense systems supporting him and helping end his ambitions to take Tripoli.

“Turkey has majored in UAV design and manufacture and likely used Libya in part as a test and adjust battle lab, and its systems are now ‘combat proven'. Its industry, like Roketsan, has also developed small, precision-guided munitions for UAVs,” Barrie said.

A second analyst said Turkey's use of its TB2 in Libya had been a game changer. “Turkey decided it was okay to lose them from time to time, that they were semi-disposable, and that novel approach caught their enemy off guard,” said Jalel Harchaoui at the Clingendael Institute in Holland.

The reason? Cost. “They used to cost the Turks $1-1.5 million apiece to build, but thanks to economies of scale as production volumes rose, the cost has dropped to below $500,000, excluding the control station,” said Harchaoui.

He added that software and other technical changes had boosted the TB2′s efficiency and reconnaissance capabilities, which allowed them to find the right altitude to avoid the Russian Pantsir systems.

“The performance of the Wing Loon II's in the hands of the UAE has meanwhile been largely static. They didn't evolve, so they have been much less impressive,” he said.

Barrie said Libya was another example of the normalization of drone use in modern warfare.

“UAVs are a capability now pursued by state and non-state actors alike. Obviously states can afford more capable, larger systems, while non-state actors may have to make do with home-built systems akin to being made with Radio Shack-like components, or acquiring systems from state sponsors.”

He added, “In Libya UAVs have suited this kind of ugly, attritional warfare against small, lightly armed units.”

The use of manned fighters in Libya has meanwhile been characterized by major powers sending them in on the quiet, with no announcement.

Last July, a missile strike on a migrant center near Tripoli which killed 53 was likely the work of the UAE, the BBC has reported, quoting a confidential UN investigation.

Analyst Harchaoui alleged that UAE Mirage 2000-9 aircraft flying out of an Egyptian base had been supporting Haftar periodically since June 2019.

“Misrata airbase, which has hosted Turkish TB2 drones, was bombed multiple times last year by Emirati drones and jets until the Turks brought in Korkut and MIM-23 Hawk air defense systems. The raids over Misrata stopped in 2020 – probably because the UAE did not want to see a captured pilot show up tortured on Facebook,” he said.

On July 4, fighter jets attacked Al-Watiya air base, just after Turkey had brought in its MIM-23 Hawk air defense missiles there.

“Sonic booms heard over Sebha, in southwest Libya, suggest the aircraft took off from Egypt then flew to Libya via the Sahara to avoid being spotted by Turkish frigates off the Libyan coast,” said Harchaoui.

“Could it have been Egyptian Rafales? They are good but don't have enough experience for an ultra-precise mission like this. French pilots flying Egyptian Rafales is unlikely in case one was captured, leaving the UAE Mirages as most likely,” he said.

“Of all the Gulf states, the UAE is the most capable of this kind of mission – they have the combat experience and could do this,” added Barrie.

Meanwhile, the U.S. military command in Africa reported in late May that satellite imagery showed Russian aircraft arriving in Libya to support Haftar.

USAFRICOM said, “At least 14 MiG-29s and several Su-24s were flown from Russia to Syria, where their Russian markings were painted over to camouflage their Russian origin.”

The aircraft are reportedly being used to support the Wagner Group, a Russian-sponsored mercenary operation on the ground in Libya which Moscow denies links to.

The American command warned the aircraft might be flown by “inexperienced” mercenaries who “will not adhere to international law.”

According to Harchaoui, eye witnesses in Libya reported a number of misses notched up during bombing raids by the aircraft. “That suggests they were not Russian air force pilots,” he said.

This summer the conflict has slowed, as Haftar's forces retreat from Tripoli and take up position to fight for the coastal city of Sirte, which is key to controlling Libya's oil trade. With Al-Watiya airbase now repaired and back in business after the July air raid, Turkey may be considering basing its F-16s there, finally giving it a beach head for fighters in Libya.

Bringing in American-built aircraft could however rely on the say-so of the U.S.

“Is the U.S. so concerned about Russia's intervention in Libya it would support the deployment of Turkish F-16s to stop it?” said Harchaoui. “Or will it come down on the side of Egypt, which is a US ally? The ball is in its court.”

https://www.defensenews.com/smr/nato-air-power/2020/08/06/libya-is-turning-into-a-battle-lab-for-air-warfare/

On the same subject

December 17, 2019 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security

Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - December 16, 2019
DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY The Boeing Co., St. Louis, Missouri, has been awarded a maximum $835,737,596 modification (P00105) exercising the five-year option period of a five-year base contract (SPRPA1-14-D-002U) with one five-year option period for performance-based support of consumable items for various aviation platforms. This is a fixed-price-incentive firm contract. Location of performance is Missouri, with a Sept. 16, 2024, performance completion date. Using military services are Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2024 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Aviation, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Sysco Hampton Roads, Suffolk, Virginia, has been awarded a maximum $90,716,317 fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment, indefinite-quantity contract for perishable and semi-perishable subsistence supplies. This was a sole-source acquisition in accordance with 10 U.S. Code 2304 (c)(1), as stated in Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1. This is a 363-day bridge contract with no option periods. Location of performance is Virginia, with a Dec. 11, 2020, performance completion date. Using military service is Navy. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 and 2021 defense working capital funds. The contracting agency is Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE300-20-D-3241). (Awarded Dec. 12, 2019) Pomp's Tire Service Inc., New Berlin, Wisconsin, has been awarded a maximum $15,046,656 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for pneumatic tire and wheel assemblies. This was a competitive acquisition with one offer received. This is a three-year contract with no option periods. Location of performance is Wisconsin, with a Dec. 16, 2022, performance completion date. Using military service is Army. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2022 Army working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Land and Maritime, Warren, Michigan (SPRDL1-20-D-0014). Puerto Rico Industries for the Blind Corp.,** Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, has been awarded a maximum $11,036,311 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for flame resistant jackets. This was a competitive acquisition with three responses received. This is a one-year base contract with four one-year option periods. Location of performance is Puerto Rico, with a Dec. 15, 2020, performance completion date. Using military service is Air Force. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2021 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE1C1-20-D-1219). UPDATE: Atlantic Diving Supply Inc., doing business as ADS Inc., Virginia Beach, Virginia (SPE8EC-20-D-0052), has been added as an awardee to the multiple award contract issued against solicitation SPE8EC-17-R-0005 announced April 5, 2017. ARMY Johnson Controls Building Automation Systems LLC, Huntsville, Alabama, was awarded a $400,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for utility monitoring and control systems. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Dec. 19, 2024. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Huntsville, Alabama, is the contracting activity (W912DY-20-D-0041). Lockheed Martin Corp., Orlando, Florida, was awarded a $64,736,518 modification (P00031) to contract W58RGZ-16-C-0008 for the Modernized Target Acquisition Designation Sight Pilot Night Vision Sensor Performance Based Logistics program sustainment, support elements, system components, test equipment and the supply retrograde infrastructure. Work will be performed in Orlando, Florida, with an estimated completion date of Dec. 31, 2020. Fiscal 2020 Army working capital funds in the amount of $64,736,518 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity. Attain LLC,* McLean, Virginia, was awarded a $30,492,418 modification (BA07 27) to contract W91QUZ-11-D-0016 to acquire and retain contractor employees with technical experience. Work will be performed in Picatinny Arsenal, New Jersey, with an estimated completion date of Dec. 31, 2020. Fiscal 2020 cost-plus-fixed-fee funds in the amount of $ 8,174,474 other procurement, Army funds were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Rock Island Arsenal, Illinois, is the contracting activity. MGS Construction Services Inc.,* Sallisaw, Oklahoma (W911SA-20-D-2000); Ryan Herring Construction Inc.,* Lawton, Oklahoma (W911SA-20-D-2001); and A&J Construction Management LLC,* Springdale, Arizona (W911SA-20-D-2002) will compete for each order of the $15,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for parts, labor, tools, equipment, materials, transportation and supervision necessary to perform design-build projects. Bids were solicited via the internet with eight received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Dec. 15, 2024. U.S. Army Mission and Installation Contracting Command, Fort McCoy, Wisconsin, is the contracting activity. NAVY General Dynamics Mission Systems, Pittsfield, Massachusetts, is awarded a $299,886,600 cost-plus-incentive-fee and cost-plus-fixed-fee contract (N00030-20-C-0005) for fiscal 2020 through 2023 U.S. and United Kingdom Trident II (D-5) Fleet Ballistic Missile Submarines Fire Control System, Guided Missile Submarines Attack Weapon Control System, and Support Equipment Rework Facility support. Work will be performed in Pittsfield, Massachusetts (90%); Kings Bay, Georgia (3.0%); Bangor, Washington (2.0%); Dahlgren, Virginia (2.0%); Cape Canaveral, Florida (1.0%); Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, Washington (1.0%); and Norfolk Naval Shipyard, Virginia (1.0%). Work is expected to be completed Dec. 30, 2024. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Navy) funds in the amount of $9,061,163, fiscal 2020 other procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $14,907,880, fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $1,006,230, and United Kingdom funds in the amount of $8,890,232 are being obligated on this award. Of this amount, $10,067,393 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract is being awarded to the contractor on a sole source basis in accordance to 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(1) and (4) and was previously synopsized on the Federal Business Opportunities website. Strategic Systems Programs, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity. Lockheed Martin, Manassas, Virginia, is awarded a $27,681,322 cost-plus-fixed-fee and cost-only modification to previously-awarded contract N00024-19-C-6400 to exercise options for systems engineering and integration on Navy submarines. This option exercise is for engineering and technical services and includes all material travel, subsistence and incidental material in support of those services. Work will be performed in Manassas, Virginia (68%); Groton, Connecticut (10%); Waterford, Connecticut (10%); Middletown, Rhode Island (7%); and Newport, Rhode Island (5%), and is expected to be completed by December 2020. Fiscal 2018 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) and fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation funding in the amount of $7,198,430 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity. Motorola Solutions Inc., Chicago, Illinois, is awarded a $23,803,734 firm-fixed-price contract for lifecycle sustainment of the enterprise land mobile radio system for Naval Facilities Engineering Command anti-terrorism/force protection ashore program systems at various Navy installations worldwide. The work to be performed provides for preventive maintenance of hardware and software; response and resolution of service calls for corrective maintenance to include equipment repair, overhaul, or replacement, asset and configuration management, password management and software upgrade installation. The contract also contains four unexercised options, which if exercised would increase cumulative contract value to $93,614,301. Work will be performed worldwide, and is expected to be completed by December 2020. If all options are exercised, work will continue through June 2023. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance, (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $23,803,734 are obligated on this award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was solicited on a sole-source basis. Statutory authority for the use of other than full and open competition is found at 10 U.S. Code 2304 (c)(1) as implemented by Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1(iii), only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements. The Naval Facilities Engineering and Expeditionary Warfare Center, Port Hueneme, California, is the contracting activity (N39430-20-C-2214). AIR FORCE ViaSat Inc., Carlsbad, California, has been awarded a $93,000,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract to provide AN/PRC-161 Handheld Link 16 radios, ancillaries and associated training to special warfare operators. Work will be performed at Carlsbad, California, and is expected to be completed by Dec. 31, 2023. This contract is awarded on a non-competitive basis. Fiscal 2020 other procurement funds are being used and no funds are being obligated at the time of the award. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Wright Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity (FA8629-20-D-5000). Able Aerospace Services Inc., Mesa, Arizona, has been awarded a $9,405,053 requirements contract for the overhaul of the dynamic components on the TH-1H helicopter. This contract provides for the overhaul of the dynamic components associated with the TH-1H helicopter which is used to train and develop pilot skills. The dynamic components provide power-train and aerodynamic functionality to the flight characteristics of the aircraft. Work will be performed at Mesa, Arizona, and is expected to be completed by Dec 15, 2024. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition and one offer was received. Fiscal 2020 defense working capital funds are being used and no funds are being obligated at the time of the award. The Air Force Sustainment Center, Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, is the contracting activity (FA8524-20-D-0004). Booz Allen Hamilton Inc., McLean, Virginia, has been awarded a not-to-exceed $9,111,111 predominantly firm-fixed-price undefinitized contract to provide technical security team support services in support of the Pakistan F-16 program. Work will be performed in Pakistan and is expected to be complete by June 18, 2020. This contract involves 100% foreign military sales to Pakistan. This award is the result of a sole-source acquisition. Foreign military sales funds of $4,464,444 are being obligated at the time of award. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Air Force Security Assistance and Cooperation Directorate, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity (FA8630-20-C-5020). DEFENSE HEALTH AGENCY Cape Fox Facilities Services LLC, Manassas, Virginia, was awarded a three-year contract (one-year base and two option periods) with an estimated value of $19,500,300. This contract supports the Defense Health Agency, Deputy Assistant Director for Information Operations, Solutions Delivery Division. The contractor shall perform all activities within the scope of this contract under the construct of the Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL), specifically the service operation and service transition domains. This initiative supports all operations and maintenance activities for the applications listed below under the ITIL construct. The seven applications are as follows: MHS Management Analysis and Reporting Tool, Patient Encounter Processing and Reporting, Electronic Surveillance System for the Early Notification of Community-based Epidemics, Protected Health Information Management Tool, Business Objects Common Services, Defense Medical Human Resources System - Internet and the Expense Assignment System. The contract was awarded on a sole source basis as authorized and in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S. Code 637(a)(1)). The location of performance is inside the U.S. The base year is funded with fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance funding in the amount of $8,065,200. The Defense Health Agency, Professional Services Contracting Division, Falls Church, Virginia, is the contracting activity (HT0011-20-C-0001). MISSILE DEFENSE AGENCY The Boeing Co., Huntsville, Alabama, is being issued a $15,800,000 modification (P00024) to a previously awarded contract, HQ0277-18-C-0003. The value of this contract is increased from $62,361,210 to $78,161,210. Under this modification, the contractor will demonstrate a successful transition of fiber combined laser technology from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology–Lincoln Laboratory. The work will be performed in Huntington Beach, California. The period of performance is extended from March 31, 2020, until March 31, 2021. Fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $3,000,000 are being obligated at the time of award. The Missile Defense Agency, Albuquerque, New Mexico, is the contracting activity. *Small Business **Small business in historically underutilized business zones https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/2041268/source/GovDelivery/
April 6, 2021 | International, Aerospace, C4ISR

La DGA teste l’intégration du viseur de casque Scorpion au Rafale F4
La DGA a réalisé, fin janvier 2021, sur le site de Cazaux (Gironde), des essais en vol du viseur de casque Scorpion développé par Thales, afin de vérifier sa compatibilité avec l'évacuation en parachute d'un pilote de Rafale. Cette campagne d'essais s'inscrit dans la démarche d'intégration de cet équipement sur le Rafale au standard F4. Les essais de compatibilité évacuation parachute, menés avant les premiers vols sur Rafale, reproduisent toutes les phases de sauvetage et de survie du pilote, depuis son éjection de l'avion jusqu'à sa survie en milieu aquatique. Ces essais permettent de valider que le nouvel équipement n'entrave pas la sécurité et les opérations de sauvetage du pilote. « Initialement développé pour le combattant terrestre, le viseur de casque Scorpion est parfaitement adapté à l'usage sur Rafale. Son écran couleur est utilisable de jour comme de nuit », précise la DGA. Air & Cosmos du 6 avril
September 5, 2018 | International, Aerospace

BAE Systems draws on motorsport experience to revolutionise cockpit development
Nick Brown, London Key Points Williams has built a transformable cockpit structure to help BAE Systems experiment with training approaches and assess new cockpit technologies The cockpit tool is part of a holistic approach BAE Systems is taking to improve products and training solutions, using team-based lessons from motorsport BAE Systems is completing integration work on a new cockpit simulator, which it plans to use as a “sandpit for innovation”, chief technologist Julia Sutcliffe told Jane's . The cockpit structure was designed and built by Williams Advanced Engineering using skills and methodologies honed by the Williams Formula 1 team. According to Williams' technical director, Paul McNamara, the design was influenced by the modularity of construction and heavily metricated human factors teamwork that is required for fast pit stops. This modularity will enable engineers to reconfigure the physical cockpit layout, controls, and components to replicate legacy aircraft such as the Hawk and Typhoon, swiftly tailor them for a range of pilot builds, and to experiment with innovative layouts and systems that might feed into the new Tempest future fighter programme, using live feedback from aircrew and engineers. Rather than being used in a traditional aircrew training simulator role, Sutcliffe explained that the new cockpit is designed to be an experimental “workhorse” to support BAE Systems' technology development and product roadmaps for a range of technologies and platforms. She added that “we wanted the ability to experiment with layouts that we can quickly reconfigure – front and back – without having to duck underneath [the cockpit installation] and reconnect wires and all sorts of stuff.” Stuart Olden, business development manager at Williams, told Jane's that this was underpinned by motorsport experience, with the company's whole-system design approach “enabling the maintainers and the operators of the simulator to gain access quickly to particular components to swap in, swap out, and change elements around”. https://www.janes.com/article/82764/bae-systems-draws-on-motorsport-experience-to-revolutionise-cockpit-development

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