May 9, 2019 | International, Aerospace

Smart drones to command and launch smarter missiles

The future of war is a synergy in euphemisms, launched as a co-branding event. AeroVironment — maker of missile systems, including the one-way guided flying “switchblade” missile — announced May 7 that it is partnering with Kratos, maker of target and combat drones. The desired effect is cheap but smart drones to launch cheaper but smart missiles. It's an attempt at answering a question that has plagued the United States since the dawn of the jet age: As the costs of piloted craft go up, can anything be done to restore a numerical advantage in the sky?

“AeroVironment tube-launched small unmanned aircraft and tactical missile systems to be integrated with Kratos high-speed, low-cost attritable drones to dramatically enhance situational awareness and system effectiveness,” reads the announcement. Switchblade is tube-launched, and it flies like a small unmanned aircraft up until the point where it hits its target and explodes. “Tactical missile system” is the formal term, though it's also known as a kamikaze drone or a suicide drone. Its flight time is too short to lump it in with the larger category of “loitering munitions,” but they're kindred spirits in function. As sensors got cheap and powerful and small, smart missiles with drone-like navigation systems became possible.

The high-speed low-cost attritable drone made by Kratos is the Mako, an adaptation of the company's BQM-167 Aerial Target. Like the roughly $900,000 apiece target it's based upon, the Mako is designed to be cheap enough that it can be fielded in numbers and replaced without straining the Pentagon's budget. (In 2017, the combat-capable Mako was pitched as costing between $1.5 million and $2 million each. Not cheap in most senses, but relative to the going rate for a fifth-generation fighter, it's a bargain.)

Taken together, the Switchblade and the Mako could be “attritable aerial assets,” flying things that are useful, but not so expensive that losing them drastically alters the ability of commanders to direct fights or of pilots to win them. Cheap and flying alone doesn't win much on its own; the craft have to prove that they can actually perform the tasks assigned them.

Here, here is that crucial synergy.

Kratos and AeroVironment are working together to see if the Mako can launch, communicate with and control Switchblades. The larger drone would serve as a node in a network between a human and the airborne munition. The exact location of control, between the drone and the flying munitions and the human directing them, is unclear. Would the Switchblades seek targets based on what the Mako's sensors could spot? Would that information get relayed to the human controller in time to approve of or call off the strike?

These are questions that can be answered in the course of a development. If the combination of drone mothership and munition wingmates works, it could reduce the overall material cost of conducting an airstrike, while likely leaving unchanged the potential human toll.

https://www.c4isrnet.com/unmanned/2019/05/08/smart-drones-to-command-and-launch-smarter-missiles

On the same subject

March 11, 2020 | International, Aerospace

Elbit Systems U.S. Subsidiary Awarded a Contract by the U.S. Air Force to Supply Missile Warning Systems
Haifa, Israel, March 9, 2020 /PRNewswire/ - Elbit Systems Ltd. (NASDAQ: ESLT) (TASE: ESLT) ("Elbit Systems") announced today that the U.S. Air Force (USAF) has awarded its subsidiary, Elbit Systems of America LLC. ("Elbit Systems of America"), a firm-fixed-price contract with a ceiling of approximately $471 million over a 10-year period, to equip F-16 aircraft of the U.S. Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve Command, with pylon-based infrared missile warning systems. The contract includes an initial order valued at approximately $17 million. The work will be performed in Fort Worth, Texas. About Elbit Systems Elbit Systems Ltd. is an international high technology company engaged in a wide range of defense, homeland security and commercial programs throughout the world. The Company, which includes Elbit Systems and its subsidiaries, operates in the areas of aerospace, land, and naval systems, command, control, communications, computers, intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance ("C4ISR"), unmanned aircraft systems, advanced electro-optics, electro-optic space systems, EW suites, signal intelligence systems, data links and communications systems, radios and cyber-based systems and munitions. The Company also focuses on the upgrading of existing platforms, developing new technologies for defense, homeland security and commercial applications and providing a range of support services, including training and simulation systems. For additional information, visit: https://elbitsystems.com/, follow us on Twitter or visit our official Facebook, Youtube and LinkedIn Channels. This press release may contain forward?looking statements (within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and the Israeli Securities Law, 1968) regarding Elbit Systems Ltd. and/or its subsidiaries (collectively the Company), to the extent such statements do not relate to historical or current facts. Forward-looking statements are based on management's current expectations, estimates, projections and assumptions about future events. Forward?looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions about the Company, which are difficult to predict, including projections of the Company's future financial results, its anticipated growth strategies and anticipated trends in its business. Therefore, actual future results, performance and trends may differ materially from these forward?looking statements due to a variety of factors, including, without limitation: scope and length of customer contracts; governmental regulations and approvals; changes in governmental budgeting priorities; general market, political and economic conditions in the countries in which the Company operates or sells, including Israel and the United States among others; differences in anticipated and actual program performance, including the ability to perform under long-term fixed-price contracts; changes in the competitive environment; and the outcome of legal and/or regulatory proceedings. The factors listed above are not all-inclusive, and further information is contained in Elbit Systems Ltd.'s latest annual report on Form 20-F, which is on file with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. All forward?looking statements speak only as of the date of this release. Although the Company believes the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements contained herein are reasonable, it cannot guarantee future results, level of activity, performance or achievements. Moreover, neither the Company nor any other person assumes responsibility for the accuracy and completeness of any of these forward-looking statements. The Company does not undertake to update its forward-looking statements. Elbit Systems Ltd., its logo, brand, product, service and process names appearing in this Press Release are the trademarks or service marks of Elbit Systems Ltd. or its affiliated companies. All other brand, product, service and process names appearing are the trademarks of their respective holders. Reference to or use of a product, service or process other than those of Elbit Systems Ltd. does not imply recommendation, approval, affiliation or sponsorship of that product, service or process by Elbit Systems Ltd. Nothing contained herein shall be construed as conferring by implication, estoppel or otherwise any license or right under any patent, copyright, trademark or other intellectual property right of Elbit Systems Ltd. or any third party, except as expressly granted herein. Contacts: Company Contact: Joseph Gaspar, Executive VP & CFO Tel: +972-4-8316663 j.gaspar@elbitsystems.com Rami Myerson, Director, Investor Relations Tel: +972-77-2948984 rami.myerson@elbitsystems.com David Vaaknin, VP, Head of Corporate Communications Tel: +972-77-2946691 david.vaaknin@elbitsystems.com IR Contact: Ehud Helft Gavriel Frohwein GK Investor Relations Tel: +1-646-688-3559 elbitsystems@gkir.com View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/elbit-systems-us-subsidiary-awarded-a-contract-by-the-us-air-force-to-supply-missile-warning-systems-301019529.html
December 27, 2022 | International, Other Defence

Daniel DePetris: Why does the US defense budget continue to grow? America’s approach needs rethinking.
The U.S. defense budget won’t change if Washington insists on maintaining global primacy.
March 26, 2019 | International, Aerospace, Land

Deux candidats encore en lice pour l'achat de la défense sol-air
Berne (awp/ats) - Deux systèmes de défense sol-air de longue portée sont encore dans la course pour le renouvellement de la défense de l'armée suisse. Le consortium français Eurosam et la société américaine Raytheon ont transmis leurs offres. Israël a renoncé. La soumission de cette première offre marque le début de la phase d'analyse et d'essais, a indiqué armasuisse lundi. Un deuxième appel d'offres aura lieu dans le courant de l'hiver prochain. Des spécialistes du Département fédéral de la défense vont analyser les offres des fabricants en évaluant l'efficacité des différents systèmes et en testant la performance du radar. Aucun essai de tir ne sera effectué. Ces analyses donneront lieu à des rapports individuels. Les candidats ne seront comparés qu'ensuite. Suivra un deuxième appel d'offres. Le Conseil fédéral tranchera. La surface à couvrir par la défense sol-air doit être de 15'000 km2 au moins. Le système doit atteindre une altitude d'engagement de plus de 12'000 m et une portée supérieure à 50 km. Il n'est pas nécessaire de disposer d'une capacité de défense contre des missiles balistiques. Le renouvellement des moyens de défense sol-air de longue portée fait partie du programme d'achat de la nouvelle flotte d'avions de combat de l'armée suisse. La facture totale se monte à 8 milliards de francs suisses. Cinq appareils sont évalués pour remplacer les Tiger et les F/A-18 de l'armée: le Gripen E suédois (Saab), le Rafale français (Dassault), l'européen Eurofighter (Airbus), ainsi que les américains Super Hornet de Boeing et le F-35A de Lockheed-Martin. https://www.zonebourse.com/SAAB-6491624/actualite/Deux-candidats-encore-en-lice-pour-l-achat-de-la-defense-sol-air-28231928/

All news

Smart drones to command and launch smarter missiles

On the same subject

Daniel DePetris: Why does the US defense budget continue to grow? America’s approach needs rethinking. The U.S. defense budget won’t change if Washington insists on maintaining global primacy.

Daniel DePetris: Why does the US defense budget continue to grow? America’s approach needs rethinking.
The U.S. defense budget won’t change if Washington insists on maintaining global primacy.