July 17, 2023 | International, Land
Plasan to supply armored cab for AM General’s JLTV
The new deal contributes to solidifying Plasan's footprint in the United States.
June 12, 2019 | International, Aerospace, Security
Sikorsky Gets $542M Navy Contract to Build 6 New Presidential Helicopters
By Gina Harkins
The winner of the next presidential election will be the first to fly in one of six new helicopters built for the commander in chief.
Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin company, will deliver half a dozen VH-92A aircraft starting in 2021 as part of a new $542 million contract, Navy officials announced Monday. The six aircraft will be the first of 23 new presidential helicopters the company will deliver by 2023.
The contract from Naval Air Systems Command includes support equipment, parts replenishment and spares, according to the announcement.
Dave Banquer, Sikorsky's VH-92A program director, said the latest modifications to the aircraft make it capable of transporting the president anywhere around the world at any time. The aircraft has undergone rigorous testing and operational assessments, including on the south lawn of the White House, according to a Sikorsky news release.
"The VH-92A has flown over 520 flight test hours establishing the aircraft's technical maturity and readiness of its mission systems," it states.
The Quantico, Virginia-based Marine Helicopter One Squadron flies the aircraft that transport the president, vice president and foreign heads of state. The squadron includes a fleet of "White Top" VH-3D Sea Kings, VH-60N "White Hawks" and "Green Top" MV-22B Osprey tiltrotor aircraft.
The VH-92A will "increase performance and payload over the current presidential helicopters," which have been flying for more than 40 years, a Navy release states. That includes better communication capabilities and maintainability.
Most of the work on the new helicopters will be done in Connecticut and Pennsylvania, with some also taking place in New York, Maryland and Virginia.
James Geurts, assistant secretary of the Navy for research, development and acquisition, said the government and contract teams were able to move the deal into initial production at more than "$1 billion less than the program's cost baseline."
Marines in Quantico have been learning how to fly the new helos since earlier this year on a new training device. The replica VH-92A cockpit gives pilots "mission-oriented flight training in a simulation-based training device," Sikorsky said in its release.
"The training suite allows maintainers to hone their skills to effectively maintain the aircraft and practice troubleshooting," it states.
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August 30, 2023 | International, Naval
German navy will lead drill to defend the Baltics from the sea
Exercise planners consider the scenario a real-world test of an attack against the NATO alliance.
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April 15, 2021 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security
«Nous nous adaptons de façon encore plus réactive à l’évolution des menaces» : entretien avec Joël Barre
DÉFENSE «Nous nous adaptons de façon encore plus réactive à l'évolution des menaces» : entretien avec Joël Barre Joël Barre, délégué général pour l'armement, accorde un entretien au Figaro. Il aborde les innovations de rupture dans le domaine militaire, qui doivent permettre d'anticiper les menaces et d'y faire face. L'Agence de l'innovation de défense (AID) mène une réflexion prospective ; la DGA « fait maturer des technologies, y compris des technologies de rupture, car ce sont celles qui pourraient connaître une accélération subite et créer la différence », explique Joël Barre. Parmi les nouveaux champs de conflictualité, figure notamment le spatial. « Nous nous dotons d'un programme spécifique, Ares, qui vise à assurer notre maîtrise de l'espace. Il s'agit de renforcer nos moyens de surveillance. Nous allons placer des caméras à bord de nos satellites de télécommunication Syracuse 4 en 2021 et 2022. Elles seront capables de détecter un objet qui s'approche. Nous allons aussi développer des moyens d'action : nous avons un projet de satellite guetteur pour surveiller de manière étroite l'orbite géostationnaire, avec le lancement d'un démonstrateur prévu en 2023 », détaille le délégué général pour l'armement. L'Intelligence Artificielle (IA) représente également une rupture technologique à anticiper. « Dans le domaine de l'IA, nous avons un projet « Man Machine Teaming » confié à Dassault Aviation et Thales pour l'aide au pilotage des avions de combat. Ce programme est quasiment achevé et il faut en tirer des leçons pour prévoir l'installation de l'IA dans les avions de combat du futur, dès les prochains standards du Rafale et dans le SCAF ». Le Figaro du 15 avril