Turkey’s Havelsan tests robots, drone swarm for Digital Troop concept

On the same subject

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  October 19, 2020 | International, Aerospace

  General Atomics reveals its analysis of MALE RPAS market

  Justine BOQUET On the occasion of Euronaval event, Air&Cosmos interviewed Linden Blue, CEO of General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. The complete interview can be found in the October 16 issue. What were GA-ASI's commercial successes in 2020? First, we look forward to delivering the last of the MQ-9s ordered by the Spanish Air Force (final delivery expected in November). This year, we finalized the UK Protector production contract with the initial orders of a total planned 16 aircraft buy. In fact, the first Protector-configured MQ-9B completed its first flight on September 25th. We also recently completed the contract for MQ-9B SkyGuardian for Belgium. The French Air Force fielded weapons capability on its MQ-9s in 2020, and the last three of six French Air Force MQ-9 Block 5's will be delivered before year-end. At the end of 2019, the Australian Government announced its selection of the MQ-9B SkyGuardian for the Australian Defence Force (ADF). Also noteworthy, the first U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) crew was qualified on the MQ-9A Reaper in support to its Afghanistan mission. The USMC also announced that they are transitioning from a lease model and are acquiring GA-ASI RPAS to perform multi-domain operations (MDO), including maritime surveillance. These decisions are clear signs that the MQ-9 family is meeting operational requirements for its customers. We look forward to using our Avenger UAS as an early-start surrogate for the U.S. Air Force's Skyborg program vision. We will fly it in November to demonstrate cognitive artificial intelligence and UAS automation. We will bring that into a series of large force exercises next year, when we will validate the air-to-air capability of disaggregated unmanned systems. https://aircosmosinternational.com/article/general-atomics-reveals-its-analysis-of-male-rpas-market-2920

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  August 28, 2018 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR

  Senate passes $675 billion defense budget bill, with hopes of avoiding funding lapse next month

  By: Leo Shane III WASHINGTON — Senators on Thursday advanced an $857 billion appropriations measure that includes full defense funding for fiscal 2019 and raises hopes that Congress may be able to avoid a government shutdown or short-term budget extension for Pentagon programs this fall. The measure, which passed 85-7, includes money for the departments of defense, health and human services, labor and education. The so-called “minibus” of appropriations bills was touted by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., as making America “stronger overseas and right here at home.” Of the total, $675 billion would be set aside for military spending next year, including nearly $68 billion in overseas contingency funds. The levels are in line with the recently adopted defense authorization bill and the budget deal reached by Democrats and Republicans last spring. “The funds meet many of the requirements of our military commanders, equipping and training units to meet and to overcome the most dangerous of emerging global threats,” McConnell said before the vote. “As ever, we are to provide adequate training, weaponry and skills so that Americans always prevail on the battlefield.” Full article: https://www.militarytimes.com/news/pentagon-congress/2018/08/23/senate-passes-675-billion-defense-budget-bill-with-hopes-of-avoiding-funding-lapse-next-month

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  June 18, 2018 | International, Naval

  Naval Group execs head to Poland to extoll virtues of its submarine

  Pierre Tran PARIS — Naval Group has fielded top executives to Poland to pitch the Scorpene submarine in Warsaw's Orka naval program. The senior executives were in Poland June 14 and 15 presenting the Scorpene, which is a frontrunner in the Polish tender, said François Dupont, director of the international trade department. That French Scorpene is competing with the 212CD submarine from ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems and A26 boat from Saab in a closely watched competition reported to be worth 10 billion zloty (U.S. $2.71 billion). A creation of 2,000 local jobs and offer of the MBDA cruise missile are part of Naval Group's “highly significant offer,” he said. Naval Group has long played down the impact of political discord between France and Poland stemming from Warsaw's cancellation in 2016 of talks for an offset deal tied to 50 Caracal military helicopters. The previous Polish government had picked Airbus Helicopter as preferred bidder, but the present administration cancelled that when it took office. Meanwhile, chances of Naval Group of winning a sale of two Scorpene to Italy and displacing the incumbent supplier TKMS seem to be slim. “This is a complex campaign,” Dupont said. Italy is due to add a further two U212A boats to the present four-strong fleet built by Fincantieri under licence from TKMS. Political ties between France and Italy hit a low this week, calling into question whether Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte would go ahead with a June 15 visit to France. But Conte went ahead with the meeting with president Emmanuel Macron, despite the French head of state three days earlier decrying the “cynicism and irresponsibility” of Rome in turning away the Aquarius, a humanitarian rescue ship with 629 migrants aboard. In Canada, Naval Group has explained why concerns over handing over intellectual property rights led to a joint offer with Italian partner Fincantieri being submitted directly to the Canadian government rather than observing a procedure calling for filing a bid to Irving Shipbuilding. “We have explained, we have been heard,” he said. Naval Group hopes the Franco-Italian offer will win over rival bids which include the Type 26 frigate from BAE Systems, which Dupont points out has yet to be built. In India's plan to acquire six more submarines under the P-75I project, Naval Group hopes its supply of the first six Scorpene in the P-75 program with local partner Mazagon Dock Limited will lead to a follow-on deal. Exports are critical to Naval Group, which seeks to make half of annual sales from foreign deals by 2020, compared to around a third presently. Dupont, a graduate of Columbia University, took up his post as head of international trade on April 2. Dupont previously worked for Thales, specializing in export sales of sonar systems. https://www.defensenews.com/global/europe/2018/06/15/naval-group-execs-head-to-poland-to-extoll-virtues-of-its-submarine/