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July 5, 2021 | International, Naval

Turkey to make its own maritime missile-launching system after sanctions interrupt Lockheed plans

Turkish defense company Roketsan is to develop a vertical launching system for the country’s first locally made frigate, after American sanctions disrupted original procurement plans, said naval platforms acquisition official Alper Kose.

https://www.defensenews.com/industry/techwatch/2021/07/02/turkey-to-make-its-own-maritime-missile-launching-system-after-sanctions-interrupt-lockheed-plans/

On the same subject

  • Trump administration considering new plan to ease drone export rules

    June 15, 2020 | International, Aerospace

    Trump administration considering new plan to ease drone export rules

    By: Valerie Insinna WASHINGTON —The Trump administration reportedly plans to reinterpret a key arms agreement that governs the sale of unmanned aircraft, opening the door for more countries to buy drones from U.S. defense contractors. According to Reuters, the Trump administration plans to loosen its interpretation of the Missile Technology Control Regime, an agreement among the U.S. and 34 other nations that governs the export of missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles. The report does not exactly lay out how the White House's interpretation of the MTCR will change, but it likely involves how the administration construes the phrase “strong presumption of denial.” Currently, the U.S. government's interpretation of that clause leads to a blanket denial of most countries' requests to buy “category-1” systems capable of carrying 500-kilogram payloads for more than 300 kilometers. The White House's National Security Council is set to review the change during a June 16 meeting, according to Reuters. The departments of Commerce, Energy, Justice and Homeland Security signed on to the new interpretation in May, and key industry stakeholders — including General Atomics and Northrop Grumman — have already been notified. The State Department could approve the first UAV sales under the new interpretation as soon this summer, a U.S. official and multiple industry executives told Reuters. The Trump administration has made loosening arms sale restrictions a major priority, but so far the changes to drone export policies have not had the impact desired by defense companies, which argue that they continue to lose sales to China and Israel. During a June 3 event on drone export policy, Keith Webster, president of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's defense and aerospace export council, said the administration has made some positive changes — including the approved sale of General Atomics MQ-9 Sea Guardian drones to India — but “for the policy changes, it has been disappointing.” In April 2018, the White House announced changes in policy allowing companies to sell certain unmanned aircraft through direct commercial sales to international militaries rather than having to go through the more laborious Foreign Military Sales process, where the U.S. government plays a large role in negotiating an agreement. It also struck rules that categorized unarmed drones with laser-designator technology as “strike enabling,” which grouped them with more highly restricted armed drones. The United States also attempted to change the MTCR by proposing language that would assign drones that fly under 800 kilometers per hour to “category-2” status, where sales are subject to approval on a case-by-case basis, said Heather Penney, a senior fellow at the Mitchell Institute of Aerospace Studies. However, that proposal was not approved by all members of the regime and was thus denied. “We have information that the U.S. is potentially looking at an additional airspeed proposal, not from 800 kilometers per hour, but dropping that to 600 kilometers per hour — which is roughly about 320 knots,” she said at a June 3 event hosted by the Mitchell Institute. “This does not solve the problem set. It enables the look of advancement, the look of change, but really it does not move the ball forward.” Webster agreed, calling proposed changes to the MTCR a Band-Aid. “That buys us a year or two, but we're right back to square one because we haven't resolved the issue,” he said. https://www.defensenews.com/air/2020/06/12/trump-administration-considering-new-plan-to-ease-drone-export-rules/

  • Defense innovation hindered by Cold War-era practices, experts say

    January 16, 2024 | International, Aerospace

    Defense innovation hindered by Cold War-era practices, experts say

    A commission established by the Atlantic Council in 2022 issued 10 recommendations for helping DoD overcome innovation inertia in a Jan. 16 report.

  • TERMA to equip U.S Air Force A-10 aircraft with 3D-audio

    November 4, 2019 | International, Aerospace

    TERMA to equip U.S Air Force A-10 aircraft with 3D-audio

    Washington D.C.October 28, 2019 – Terma North America Inc. has been awarded a USD 60.0 million contract to equip A-10 from US Air National Guard (ANG), Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC) and Air Combat Command (ACC) with a Terma 3D-Audio/ANR system. With this program, the legacy Audio Management System will be replaced by the Terma Aircraft Audio Management System (AAMS), which includes our market leading 3D-Audio and noise reduction capabilities. Under this indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract Terma will engineer, integrate, produce, install, and support the 3D-Audio for Fairchild Republic A-10C Thunderbolt II ("Warthog") aircraft. The work under this contract which also covers qualification, full and complete aircraft integration, installation drawing updates, Technical Order (TO) updates, repair support, spares, and support equipment will be performed at facilities in USA and Denmark and is expected to be completed by 2024. “The days of pilots having to use foam earplugs is over. Our 3D-Audio is another example of how Terma delivers NexGen today. 3D-Audio contributes to our enduring mission at Terma to help ensure pilots' success and safe return. 3D-Audio is a major component of Terma's Enterprise solutions, which provide complete self-protection for aircraft and crew. Through innovation and timely performance, Terma is an industry leader that helps protect against ever increasing threats to US and allied aircraft.” says Steve Williams, President and CEO, Terma North America.” The 3D-Audio and Active Noise Reduction system was initially fielded in 2009 on Royal Danish Air Force F-16s and has been combat proven. The system provides enhancement of the pilot's situational awareness, survivability, and reduction of workload by presenting audio warnings/cues and radio messages in a full 360-degree spherical representation. This capability enables the pilot to get the dynamically updated warning tone/cue in the true direction of the threat and spatially separating radio communication for increased speech intelligibility. The system also provides Active Noise Reduction (ANR) and Electrical Noise Reduction (ENR) for reduced pilot stress and fatigue. The contract award was the fourth within a two-years period of time and it further solidifies Terma's advanced AAMS as the preferred audio-based communication and situational awareness solution globally. In December 2017 the Belgian Defence and the Royal Netherlands Air Force signed similar contracts with Terma for Aircraft Audio Management System which also includes the market leading 3D-Audio and noise reduction capabilities. In February 2018 US Air National Guard/Air Force Reserve awarded Terma North America a USDM 44.3 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for a 3D-Audio System for their F-16 aircraft. For further information about the Terma 3D-Audio/Active Noise Reduction solution, click here. Follow us on www.terma.com Instagram Twitter Linkedin Youtube Media contact: Kasper Rasmussen T:+45 2022 6091 E:kar@terma.com View source version on Terma: https://www.terma.com/press/news-2019/terma-to-equip-us-air-force-a-10-aircraft-with-3d-audio/

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