Northrop eyes low-rate production contract for B-21 this year

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  October 21, 2024 | International, Land

  Airbus- job cuts defense space

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  December 11, 2019 | International, Land

  Lockheed deems first test shot of precision strike missile a success, amid Raytheon delay

  By: Jen Judson WASHINGTON — The first test shot of Lockheed Martin's precision strike missile at White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico, was a success, the company said in a statement. “All test objectives were achieved,” the statement read. The PrSM was fired Dec. 10 from a U.S. Army High Mobility Artillery Rocket System launcher and flew roughly 240 kilometers to the target, the release stated. “Today's success validates all of the hard work our PrSM team has put into the design and development of this missile,” said Gaylia Campbell, the company's vice president of precision fires and combat maneuver systems. “This test flight is the most recent success in a long line of product component and sub-component testing successes conducted as part of our proven development discipline to assure total mission success for our U.S. Army customer.” The test objectives, according to Lockheed, included staying on course and maintaining the trajectory, range and accuracy. The first flight tests for PrSM — meant to replace the Army Tactical Missile System — were delayed until the end of this year due to technical issues, the director in charge of Long-Range Precision Fires modernization, Brig. Gen. John Rafferty, said in July. “There were a couple of technical issues that caused us to delay about 90 days for the flight test," he said. "There was a mishap at a facility that caused some of the delay, followed by Mother Nature ... extreme weather that made repair at that facility near impossible for a period of time.” When pressed for specifics, Rafferty said the mishap was not at a Raytheon or Lockheed facility, but rather a sub-vendor used by both teams. Raytheon and Lockheed Martin have been in a head-to-head competition to deliver a future PrSM missile to the Army. While Lockheed was originally intended to test its missile in flight after Raytheon, the latter defense company experienced technical issues, according to sources, and had to push its flight test from November to early next year. The Army has a goal to initially field a new PrSM in 2023; it is one of the major development efforts within the Army's long-range precision fires portfolio. LRPF is the Army's top modernization priority. The service has accelerated PrSM's fielding timeline by several years and will stick to the baseline requirements for the missile to get there. Each company will have subsequent flight tests after the initial shot to help garner further data for development and refinement, leading the Army to choose a winner. The Army also plans to adjust its maximum range requirement following critical test shots of the two PrSMs. The missile's current maximum range requirement is 499 kilometers, which is the range that was compliant under the now-collapsed Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty between the United States and Russia. The United States withdrew from the treaty in August, and so the Army no longer has to adhere to the range limit for its missiles. Rafferty said the baseline missile could reach a range of 550 kilometers based on data from both companies competing to build the PrSM. But the Army won't consider adjusting its requirements until each company has observed how their respective missile behaves in real flight tests. https://www.defensenews.com/land/2019/12/10/lockheed-deems-first-test-shot-of-the-precision-strike-missile-a-success-raytheons-is-delayed

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  April 17, 2020 | International, Land

  Great Britain procures Rheinmetall Mission Master – Cargo

  April 16, 2020 - Her Majesty's Armed Forces have ordered four Rheinmetall Mission Master robotic vehicles. Configured for transporting cargo, these unmanned ground vehicles will form part of the United Kingdom's Robotic Platoon Vehicle programme. This programme is designed to determine the extent to which unmanned vehicles can boost the combat effectiveness and capabilities of dismounted troops at platoon level. The four Mission Master – Cargo vehicles will be delivered throughout the spring of 2020. In addition, the scope of supply comprises two stretcher systems that can be integrated into the cargo vehicle in just 60 seconds. The order, which was placed at the end of 2019, also includes training and service support, as well as spare parts. The vehicles will be supplied by Rheinmetall Canada, with Rheinmetall BAE Land Systems providing on-location support services in its capacity as cooperation partner. Robotics is already changing the modern battlefield. A modular unmanned ground vehicle (UGV), Rheinmetall's new Mission Master enhances the combat performance of soldiers deployed on the ground in numerous ways. The Mission Master's artificial intelligence and robotic brawn mean that it can execute a multitude of dull, dirty, and dangerous tasks that troops would otherwise have to perform themselves, letting them get on with the most important thing of all: their core mission. The Mission Master – Cargo system reduces the combat load soldiers have to carry, boosting their mobility and efficiency. Its flexible stowage concept and robust design let the Mission Master – -Cargo shoulder a payload of up to half a ton of supplies, tactical kit, or medical equipment Ready for action, the Mission Master can operate in autonomous or semiautonomous mode as a fully-fledged member of the combat team. The Mission Master platform is designed for maximum flexibility, and can be readily adapted for a wide variety of different missions thanks to modular build-ons specially engineered for quick installation. Potential applications include surveillance, protection, evacuation of casualties, firefighting, and CBRN reconnaissance and detection. It can also serve as a mobile radio relay station. Speed, scalable autonomy, and proven high mobility in all types of terrain combine to make the amphibious Mission Master a powerful, highly reliable comrade of dismounted forces operating in small groups. View source version on Rheinmetall : https://rheinmetall-defence.com/en/rheinmetall_defence/public_relations/news/latest_news/index_23616.php