Upgraded F-35s fly with partial software as DOD hunts for delivery fix

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  November 7, 2019 | International, Aerospace

  Leonardo sees market opportunity for M-346 attack variant in Middle East

  By: Agnes Helou Correction: Leonardo has corrected statements made about M-346 customers during a tour of one of its facilities by Defense News, and this story has been updated to reflect that. BEIRUT — After the first order of its fighter attack variant of the M-346, Italian firm Leonardo is marketing the fighter jet in the Middle East, industry officials told Defense News, while noting that the training version was tested in the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Qatar. “M-346 has been tested in Kuwait under hot conditions, passing all the tests successfully, and then it was also tested with the Italian Air Force in November 2018 in Qatar,” a Leonardo official said. Defense News spoke to the official during a tour of the company's facilities in Venegono Superiore, Italy. Leonardo would not identify the M-346FA customer or the contract value, despite inquiries by Defense News during and after the tour. The deal comes in the wake of increased interest for trainer jets — both those solely used for training and those able to perform close-air support missions — from Mideast countries seeking to expand their respective fighter fleets. “There is an increasing need for trainer jets in the MENA [Middle East and North Africa] region as countries there work to expand their fighter fleets. The MENA nations have requirements for trainers also able to perform close‐air support missions," said Marco Buratti, Leonardo's senior vice president of international marketing and strategic campaigns. “Among the most notable examples that have chosen Leonardo's training approach is the UAE's national aerobatic team, Al Fursan — widely recognized as one of the best in the world and considered as a UAE national pride — which uses the Aermacchi MB‐339 aircraft,” he added. “The Emirati pilots were trained in Italy and the UAE under the supervision of the Frecce Tricolori pilots using Italian aircraft and training systems.” Leonardo offers its trainer customers the opportunity to send personnel to its International Flight Training School, where it trains pilots in four phases: primary training/screening; basic-advanced training; lead-in to fighter training; and an operational conversion unit. Leonardo is a member of the Eurofighter consortium, which builds the Typhoon fighter jet. Oman, Qatar, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia are among those in the Gulf region who have ordered the aircraft. Meanwhile, in Europe, Italy has joined the United Kingdom's Tempest program for a next-generation fighter. Will the M-346 be the chosen trainer for that effort? “M-346 demonstrated its capability as [a] trainer for Eurofighter and F-35. It is early to speak about Tempest program because we don't know yet how it will be inserted in the combat environment," a Leonardo official told Defense News. "First, we need to understand [the] Tempest combat environment, and then we evaluate the M-346 as a trainer for the Tempest, or if in 10-15 years from now Leonardo will have to evolve the training system towards a new combat environment that require[s] new training skills.” https://www.defensenews.com/digital-show-dailies/dubai-air-show/2019/11/06/mideast-customer-orders-attack-variant-of-leonardos-m-346-trainer-jet/

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  June 20, 2019 | International, Aerospace

  Raytheon and AirMap collaborate on safe drone integration into the national airspace system

  Raytheon Company PARIS, June 19, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) has signed a strategic agreement with AirMap, the leading global airspace intelligence platform for drones, to collaborate on future projects to safely integrate unmanned aerial systems, commonly referred to as drones, into the national airspace system and unlock the positive economic and social benefits of expanded commercial drone operations. "AirMap is ushering in a new era in drone aviation," said Matt Gilligan, vice president of Raytheon's Intelligence, Information and Services business. "Drones must safely operate in an already complex ecosystem, which is where our experience matters." The agreement combines the two companies' expertise: Raytheon's Standard Terminal Automation Replacement System, or STARS, is used by air traffic controllers across the U.S. to provide safe and efficient aircraft spacing and sequencing guidance for more than 40,000 departing and arriving aircraft daily at both civilian and military airports. AirMap is the leading global provider of airspace intelligence for UAS operations, with over 250,000 registered users. In 2018, the majority of U.S. registered commercial drone pilots used AirMap to request over 45,000 automated authorizations to fly in controlled airspace. "Raytheon technology has helped safely and effectively manage airspace in the most complex, dense controlled airspace in the world for decades," said Ben Marcus, AirMap Co-founder and Chairman. "They are an ideal partner to join AirMap on the path toward enabling safe, efficient, and scalable drone operations in U.S. low-altitude airspace between 0 and 400 feet." The two companies are working toward an integrated demonstration that will showcase how AirMap's unmanned aircraft traffic management platform can increase air traffic controllers' awareness of potential conflict between drones and manned aircraft near airports to ensure overall safety of the airspace. About AirMap AirMap is the world's leading airspace intelligence platform for the drone economy. Industry developers, drone operators, and airspace managers rely on AirMap's airspace intelligence and services to fly safely and communicate in low-altitude airspace. AirMap unlocks safe, efficient, and scalable operations by connecting the world's drones to airspace authorities through an open platform of APIs and SDKs, with integrations by top drone manufacturers and solution providers including 3DR, DJI, DroneDeploy, Intel, Matternet, and senseFly. Deployed in the Czech Republic, Japan, Switzerland, the United States, and available in over 25 countries, AirMap leads the industry in delivering technology solutions for UAS Traffic Management (UTM) and U-space to enable safe and responsible drone operations at scale. AirMap supports several drone enablement and research projects globally, including NASA UTM, the European Network of U-space Demonstrators and the U.S. UAS Integration Pilot Programs. For more details visit https://airmap.com. About Raytheon Raytheon Company, with 2018 sales of $27 billion and 67,000 employees, is a technology and innovation leader specializing in defense, civil government and cybersecurity solutions. With a history of innovation spanning 97 years, Raytheon provides state-of-the-art electronics, mission systems integration, C5I™ products and services, sensing, effects and mission support for customers in more than 80 countries. Raytheon is headquartered in Waltham, Massachusetts. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/raytheon-and-airmap-collaborate-on-safe-drone-integration-into-the-national-airspace-system-300870910.html

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  July 16, 2024 | International, Land

  Spain reveals delivery route for Ukraine-bound Leopard 2A4 tanks - Army Technology

  Depending on which port is used, the Leopard tanks will arrive in Poland between the afternoon of 17 July and the early hours of 19 July.