October 1, 2018 | International, Land
By: Shawn Snow
The top Marine has been steadily increasing the Corps' footprint in the arctic region, preparing Marines for a fight in extreme cold-weather environments as the U.S. defense strategy shifts toward near-peer threats.
It's an oft repeated remark by Commandant Gen. Robert B. Neller that the cold weather business is something the Corps hasn't done for some time.
And it certainly shows in some of the equipment the Corps uses in Norway, like the nearly 40-year-old Cold War relic over-the-snow vehicle, the Bv206.
The Corps has been rapidly replacing its cold-weather gear to include skis, pack frames, boots and shelters. And now, a new over-the-snow vehicle could be on the horizon for the Marines.
One potential replacement for the aging Bv206 could be BAE's BvS10, which is already in use by Marines in Norway, who have been training on the British variant of the BvS10 known as the Viking.
The BvS10, while predominantly suited for the Arctic region, is actually an all-terrain vehicle that can also traverse mud, swamp, gravel or even water.
The tracked vehicle, which can carry 11 to 12 troops, has a ground pressure less than the human foot, according to Keith Klemmer, BAE's U.S. BvS10 representative. The low ground pressure spread across the tracks gives the vehicle superior mobility in a multitude of terrains, especially snow.
And for military operations, the BvS10 can mount the Ma Deuce .50 caliber machine or even the Common Remotely Operated Weapon Station, which affords troops the ability to engage targets from the protections and confines of the vehicle.
Speaking of protection, the armor plating on the BvS10 can withstand small-arms fire and the RPG-7, Klemmer said.
The Bv-S10 can operate in temperatures ranging from -50 to 120 degrees Fahrenheit and boasts an impressive range of nearly 200 miles, according to Klemmer.
While the Corps is prepping for its fourth six-month rotation to Norway, it's only been recently that the Corps and the U.S. military has once again focused on the Arctic and European theaters.
For the past twenty years, the desert terrain of the Middle East has garnered the attention of the Corps and as a result, the military's fleet of over-the-snow vehicles have taken a back seat in priority.
But with a renewed spotlight on the Arctic region, and a Marine footprint that is expected to double in Norway in the coming months, the time may be ripe to upgrade the Corps' suite of snow vehicles.
And the U.S. military is showing interest.
In early June, the Army posted a request for information, or RFI, to industry leaders for what it has dubbed the Joint All Weather All Terrain Support Vehicle, or JAASV.
According to the RFI, the Army wants its future tracked snow vehicle to operate in temperatures between -50 and 115 F. And the Army wants a multi variant vehicle that can carry troops, serve as an ambulance, or a command system.
The BvS10 fits much of that description. The main cab can serve as a command node, while the back cab can transport nearly eight troops. The rear cab also has the ability to flip up and serve as an ambulatory vehicle.
“The JAASV shall be a tracked vehicle that has excellent on and off-road mobility in extreme cold temperatures, deep snow, rugged uneven terrain, thick brush or forest, soft wet ground, rivers, streams, and lakes, and mountainous terrain,” the RFI reads.
The Army also wants the JAASV to be air mobile by CH-47, UH-60 and C-130.
And while this RFI was submitted by the Army, the Corps has a tracked record of partnering with the Army on a number of procurement projects.
The Corps hasn't made a decision yet to upgrade its snow vehicles, but the Marines are increasingly becoming focused on the Arctic domain and its forces are already learning how to operate partner forces' BvS10s in the region.
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April 26, 2018 | International, Aerospace
Chris Thatcher Fighter jet manufacturers are well aware that advances in technology can take years, if not decades, to introduce, creating a constant struggle to match the pace of technological change and the evolution of threats. In a panel discussion at the Aerospace Innovation Forum in Montreal last week, executives from Airbus, Boeing, Dassault Aviation and Saab described how a change from closed “black boxes” to more open mission architecture is allowing faster and easier acceptance of technology from wider sources. Wolfgang Gammel, head of combat aircraft for Airbus Defence and Space, acknowledged the need to be much faster to market with new technology. He noted the shift in focus from “kinetic weapons” to “data fusion and the cyber piece” now driving new capabilities, but said the goal has been to “keep flexibility” in the Eurofighter Typhoon to allow customers “to adapt the aircraft as threats change.” He also noted the wealth of data becoming available on all advanced fighters, and the ability to predict maintenance requirements, better manage costs and improve availability, all of which should impact the overall life of the airframe. Pontus de Laval, chief technology officer for Saab, said the life management approach to the Gripen JAS 39 has been continuous change rather than one large midlife upgrade. The version currently operated by the Swedish Air Force is “actually edition 20.” For the Gripen NG now undergoing flight tests for the Brazilian Air Force, the aim has been to make “continuous evolvement of the platform much easier,” he said. That has been achieved in part by separating flight critical and mission critical systems, to allow Saab and the customer to introduce new sensors and other capabilities without significantly affecting “systems that keep the aircraft flying.” By using virtualization of avionics to introduce software and hardware changes, Saab has also been able to minimize the effect of one on the other as upgrades are made. “Software kills you in big programs if you are not careful,” de Laval observed. The company has also recognized the role artificial intelligence and machine learning could play, especially on the future computing capacity of a fighter, and is investing about US$400 million in research to understand to prepare and capitalize. Boeing has long bet on incremental technology upgrades for the Super Hornet, providing a “roadmap forward” for the platform. But the Block 3 will introduce the Distributed Targeting Processor-Networked (DTP-N), an open mission system “to enable these future technologies,” said Troy Rutherford, director of the company's HorizonX program. From autonomy to AI, the user experience in the cockpit will change dramatically. Boeing too has invested heavily, seeking small start-up companies to develop these capabilities. “What plays over the course of time is the ability to adapt to the threat,” he said. Any new technology must reach a certain level of maturity before it can be integrated into an advanced fighter. Bruno Stoufflet, chief technology officer for Dassault Aviation, said the company has leveraged its Falcon family of business jets “to embark some demonstrations” of new capabilities. “There is a strong commitment of the French weapon agency to have a family of demonstrations in the future based on [the] Rafale.” That has opened the door to more research with small- and medium-sized business. Previously, Dassault collaborated more with academic teams or larger players in the aerospace and defence industries. “It has changed completely. We were asked to integrate more SMEs into our research programs...so now we understand what they can bring in research and innovation projects,” said Stoufflet. https://www.skiesmag.com/news/fighter-jet-oems-aim-keep-pace-needed-technology/
November 12, 2020 | International, Aerospace
[ACTUALISÉ] L'Allemagne a validé le 5 novembre un contrat à 5 milliards d'euros pour renouveler sa flotte d'avions de combat Eurofighter Typhoon. Airbus et ses partenaires saluent une décision positive pour l'Europe de la Défense. Bonne nouvelle pour l'Europe de la Défense. La commission budgétaire du Parlement allemand a approuvé jeudi 5 novembre un contrat de 5,4 milliards d'euros pour l'achat de 38 avions de combat Eurofighter Typhoon. Cette grosse commande profitera notamment à Airbus qui détient 46 % du consortium européen derrière l'appareil. Mercredi 11 novembre, le constructeur aéronautique européen a confirmé la signature du contrat. L'accord arrive à point nommé pour Airbus puisque l'entreprise fait face à la paralysie du transport aérien en pleine crise sanitaire. Des livraisons à partir de 2025 Les 38 avions seront livrés entre 2025 et 2030. Ils permettront de renouveler la flotte de la Luftwaffe, l'armée de l'air allemande. Cette dernière souhaite remplacer ses Eurofighter de première génération par des “Eurofighter Tranche 4” qui sont dotés de systèmes de détection plus modernes. Avec ce contrat, l'Allemagne devient aussi le pays qui a passé le plus grand nombre de commandes dans le cadre du programme Eurofighter. L'accord porte plus précisément sur 30 appareils monoplaces et huit biplaces dont la durée de vie utile doit largement dépasser 2060. "Trois des avions seront équipés d'installations d'essai supplémentaires en tant qu'avions d'essai instrumentées pour le développement ultérieur du programme Eurofighter", précise Airbus. Le ministère allemand de la Défense prévoit d'acquérir au total sur le long terme jusqu'à 93 Eurofighter et 45 F-18 auprès de Boeing. Les décisions concernant l'achat des appareils restants devraient être prises après les élections législatives de 2021. 100 000 emplois derrière l'Eurofighter “La décision du Parlement allemand d'acheter 38 Eurofighter, connue sous le nom de projet Quadriga, est un message très fort. Pas seulement pour l'armée de l'air allemande mais aussi pour l'Europe, notamment pour les industriels européens de la défense. Plus de 100 000 emplois repose sur des programmes comme celui-ci”, s'est réjouit Dirk Hoke, patron d'Airbus Defence and Space, sur Twitter. Outre les sites d'Airbus en Allemagne et en Espagne, la construction de l'Eurofighter mobilise l'entreprise britannique BAE Systems et le groupe italien Leonardo. En préférant l'Eurofighter au F-35 américain, l'Allemagne confirme son engagement pour l'Europe de la Défense. Ce choix confortera aussi le bon déroulement du système de combat aérien du futur (SCAF) en développement. La France et l'Allemagne collaborent dans ce projet pour remplacer le Rafale de Dassault Aviation à l'horizon 2040. Les industriels du programme pourraient bientôt décrocher de nouveaux contrats. "Outre une commande d'Eurofighter attendue de l'Espagne pour remplacer les anciens F-18, des décisions d'achat en Suisse et en Finlande sont imminentes en 2021", indique Airbus. Avec Reuters https://www.usinenouvelle.com/article/airbus-remporte-une-commande-de-38-avions-de-combat-eurofighter-par-l-allemagne.N1025109