Pentagon seeks additive manufacturing to spur hypersonic development

On the same subject

• 

  February 12, 2020 | International, Aerospace, Naval

  Can France Eventually Replace Its Single Aircraft Carrier?

  by Robert Farley Follow drfarls on TwitterL Key Point: Paris has a long history of building aircraft carriers, including their current nuclear-powered Charles de Gaulle. If France wants to remain a relevant great power, it needs to think about what comes next after its carrier reaches retirement. France's first carrier entered service in the interwar period, but for a very long time the French navy trailed behind international counterparts in naval aviation. This changed in the Cold War, however, and today France operates the world's most advanced carrier outside of the U.S. Navy. How did France build its naval aviation force, what does it do today and what direction will France take next? The History of French Carriers Soon after World War I, France joined the international carrier community through the conversion of the battleship hulk Bearn. Although large, Bearn did not carry many aircraft and never actively participated in combat, even during World War II. The construction of two additional large carriers was suspended by World War II, but after the war the French navy gained access to light carriers transferred from Britain and the United States. Four in total, these carriers helped the French navy develop its naval aviation muscles. The next step was big; France constructed a pair of CATOBAR aircraft carriers, Clemenceau and Foch. Commissioned in 1961 and 1963, the ships displaced 30,000 tons and could carry around forty modern aircraft. A third carrier, the much larger Verdun, was cancelled before being laid down. Clemenceau and Foch, operating the F-8 Crusader and later the Super Etendard, would form the backbone of the world's second largest carrier force for the latter half of the Cold War. After nearly forty years of hard service, the two ships were decommissioned in favor of France's next carrier, the nuclear-powered Charles de Gaulle. https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/can-france-eventually-replace-its-single-aircraft-carrier-122231

• 

  January 18, 2019 | International, Aerospace

  UK: £293 million deal for Apache fleet

  The MOD has awarded a five-year, multi-million-pound deal to Leonardo Helicopters (UK) for the support of the existing fleet of 50 Apache attack helicopters. Defence Minister Stuart Andrew announced the £293 million contract with Leonardo Helicopters during a visit to the company's site in Yeovil where some of the vital work on the aircraft will take place. The Apache AH MK1 Integrated Operational Support (IOS) contract will maintain the fleet until it's out of service date in March 2024. The Apache MK1 is being incrementally replaced by the latest Apache AH-64E aircraft that will begin entering service with the British Army in 2022. The new AH-64E model will have improved sensors and avionics as well as greater performance that will enable the Army to sustain its battle-winning capabilities in future operations. Defence Minister Stuart Andrew said: The Apache has provided years of crucial battlefield support to UK and coalition troops in operations in Libya and Afghanistan. This multi-million-pound contract will ensure our Armed Forces continue to benefit from this vital capability as we integrate the latest Apache model into service in 2022. The IOS contract secured by Defence Equipment and Support, the MOD's procurement agency, includes deep maintenance, repair and overhaul of the MK1 aircraft as well as the provision of technical and spares support. The contract has been awarded in three tranches, to maintain value for money, with this latest investment covering the final five years of the fleet in service. Full article: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/293-million-deal-for-apache-fleet

• 

  March 6, 2020 | International, C4ISR, Security

  Leonardo signs contract to upgrade Italian Armed Force’s identification systems to new NATO standard

  Rome, March 5, 2020 - Leonardo has signed a contract with the Italian Defence authorities to supply and install ‘New Generation Identification Friend or Foe' (NGIFF) identification equipment, updated to the latest NATO Mode 5 Baseline 3 standard, for the Italian Armed Forces' land and naval platforms. The contract is worth approximately €75 million and will last for six years. Leonardo will supply several hundred NGIFF interrogators and cryptographic units in order to upgrade dozens of land and naval platforms across 15 different classes and types. The NGIFF systems will allow the Italian Armed Forces to maintain full interoperability with other NATO forces in joint operations as the alliance mandates the use of ‘Mode 5'-capable systems in its Minimum Military Requirements (MMR) for Air-to-Air and Surface-to-Air Identification. The Mode 5 standard confers a number of benefits in terms of identification and security. Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) technology is essential to military operations as it allows allied forces to be distinguished from potential threats. Under this contract, the equipment for Italy's land and naval platforms will provided entirely by Italian industry. Notably, Leonardo's Mode 5 NGIFF equipment uses the company's own cryptographic unit, which is the only alternative to a U.S. cryptographic system available on the market. Future contractual developments are planned which will see Leonardo equip further Italian aircraft and helicopters with the same capability, bringing them in-line with NATO standards. Leonardo is a worldwide leader in Mode 5-capable NGIFF technology. Previously, the company has been chosen by the UK Ministry of Defence to upgrade the IFF systems of over 400 air, land and naval platforms in collaboration with a partner company. View source version on Leonardo : https://www.leonardocompany.com/en/press-release-detail/-/detail/leonardo-signs-contract-to-upgrade-italian-armed-force-s-identification-systems-to-new-nato-standard?f=%2Fhome