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Le fleuron de l'armement français et ses équipements intègrent des composants américains dont Washington pourrait interdire l'exportation. Révélations. Par Ariane Lavrilleux et Guerric Poncet Ala veille de sa rencontre avec Vladimir Poutine à Helsinki mi-juillet, Donald Trump s'est fendu d'une phrase que les industriels français n'ont pas oubliée : « L'Union européenne est un ennemi (...) et profite vraiment des Etats-Unis. » Les mots du président de la première puissance mondiale ne sont pas que provocateurs : une véritable épée de Damoclès est suspendue au-dessus du secteur de la défense, et elle se nomme Itar. Derrière ce sigle se cache la régulation internationale sur le commerce des armes (International Traffic in Arms Regulations). Article complet: http://www.lepoint.fr/economie/pourquoi-trump-veut-briser-le-rafale-09-08-2018-2242513_28.php

Longview Aviation Capital of Victoria, B.C., in cooperation with Viking Air Limited, has signed a contract with Cascade Aerospace of Abbotsford, B.C., to provide training and resources in support of the Viking CL-415EAF (Enhanced Aerial Firefighter) Conversion Program. Longview Aviation Capital selected Cascade to provide assistance with the Viking CL-415EAF conversion program in order to leverage Cascade's previous experience converting nine Canadair CL-215 firefighting aircraft to CL-215T turbine configuration for the Provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan. The initial Viking CL-415EAF turbine conversion will be conducted at Cascade's facilities at the Abbotsford International Airport, and is scheduled to commence in September 2018. Cascade will provide training to Longview observers during the initial conversion at their Abbotsford facilities, and will send support staff to provide on-site training at Longview's facilities in Calgary, Alta., for the second and subsequent CL-415EAF conversions. “Cascade is both well-respected and well-established in the aerial firefighting community. We're confident their proven track record as a 214/415 Centre of Excellence converting Canadair CL-215 aircraft to turbine configuration will contribute to the on-time delivery of the initial CL-415EAF Enhanced Aerial Firefighter,” said David Curtis, chairman of Longview Aviation Capital. “This is a complex modification, and their expertise will lend itself to the development of the broader conversion program as a whole.” Kevin Lemke, executive vice-president and COO of Cascade Aerospace, voiced his support for this program “I'm enthusiastic that Cascade can offer Longview and Viking, two Western-Canadian companies, the advantages we've developed over hundreds of thousands of hours of experience working on CL-215 aircraft,” he said. “We've enjoyed many years of successful collaboration with Viking over the years on other programs and look forward to many more on this specialized Canadian platform. I'm confident that Cascade's honed expertise in the conversion process will substantively contribute to the success of the new Viking CL-415EAF program.” The CL-415EAF turbine conversion program is based on the Canadair CL-215T configuration, and encompasses installation of two Pratt & Whitney Canada PW 123AF turboprop engines, integration of a new digital avionics suite, installation of six new aircraft structures including winglets and finlets, upgraded power-assist flight controls, installation of a new power distribution system along with complete rewiring of the aircraft, and incorporation of 75 service bulletins associated with the CL-215T conversion kit. To initiate the conversion program, Longview is hiring up to 150 technical and support staff members at its Calgary facilities, where 11 specially selected CL-215 aircraft will undergo modification to CL-415EAF configuration utilizing Viking-supplied conversion kits. The turbine conversion kits will be developed and produced at Viking's facilities at the Victoria International Airport, where Viking has already hired 50 employees in support of the program. The Viking CL-415EAF Conversion Program forms part of a staged approach to utilize the advancements made with the Longview converted aircraft as the basis for the proposed Viking CL-515 new-production amphibious aerial firefighting aircraft. https://www.skiesmag.com/press-releases/longview-contracts-cascade-for-viking-cl-415eaf-conversion-program

CAE today announced it has been awarded a contract from the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) to provide the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) with a CAE 700MR Series NH90 flight training device (FTD). The contract also includes the provision of long-term maintenance and support services upon delivery of the simulator to RNZAF Base Ohakea in 2020. The contract for the CAE 700MR Series NH90 FTD and through-life support services, including options, is valued at more than C$50 million. CAE recently launched the new CAE 700 Mission Reality (MR) Series FTD at the Farnborough Airshow. The CAE 700MR is designed specifically for military helicopter flight and mission training. “Increased use of New Zealand-based simulators is the best way to train and sustain the number of pilots in the fleet,” says New Zealand Minister for Defence Ron Mark. “The availability of in-country simulator-based flight training will reduce the need to use NH90s for training flights, ensuring the helicopters are available for more operational tasking.” The CAE 700MR Series FTD offers an immersive and realistic training environment in a fixed-based platform that includes a dynamic seat for vibration and motion cueing. The RNZAF NH90 simulator will feature the CAE Medallion-6000XR image generator and an extreme field-of-view visual display system (240 degrees horizontal by 88 degrees vertical) ideal for practicing and rehearsing high-risk maneuvers such as ship deck and confined area landings. “We are pleased the New Zealand Defence Force has once again placed its trust and confidence in CAE to deliver a high-fidelity training system and comprehensive training support services that will contribute to the mission readiness of the Royal New Zealand Air Force's NH90 helicopter aircrews,” said Ian Bell, CAE's Vice President and General Manager, Asia-Pacific/Middle East. CAE currently provides the NZDF with training support services on a range of platforms, including the T-6C ground-based training systems at RNZAF Base Ohakea and the SH-2G(I) helicopter training systems located at RNZAF Base Auckland. https://www.cae.com/news-events/press-releases/royal-new-zealand-air-force-rnzaf-signs-contract-for-cae-700mr-series-nh90-ftd/

By: Aaron Mehta WASHINGTON — In the early days of the Pentagon's Defense Innovation Unit Experimental, then-Defense Secretary Ash Carter stressed that the “experimental” part of the unit was vital, a sign that the Silicon Valley outreach hub could remain flexible. “DIUx is, after all, an experiment, as well as a pathfinder,” Carter said in 2016, following a relaunch of the group after a frustrating first year. “We created it so we could try new approaches, learn what works and what doesn't, and iterate until we get it right. And we'll keep iterating together and learning from each other as we go forward.” Now, three years after its founding, it appears the experiment is over. Deputy Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan on Thursday announced that the office will now be known only as the Defense Innovation Unit, formally dropping the “experimental” part of the title. In a memo, Shanahan called the group a “proven, valuable asset” for the department and said the name change is a testament to my commitment to the importance of its mission.” “Removing ‘experimental' reflects DIU's permanence within the DoD. Though DIU will continue to experiment with new ways of delivering capability to the warfighter, the organization itself is no longer an experiment,” Shanahan wrote. “DIU remains vital to fostering innovation across the Department and transforming the way DoD builds a more lethal force.” It's a vote of confidence that will be welcomed by the now-DIU team and its supporters, after a year where many wondered about the future of the office. Since its creation, DIUx reported directly to the defense secretary — until February of this year, when it was rolled under the undersecretary of defense for research and engineering. Raj Shah, who led the group for the last two years, stepped down earlier this year as the office's leader; a search for his full-time replacement is ongoing. And three years after the office was formed, some have questioned what exactly the group has accomplished. Full article: https://www.defensenews.com/pentagon/2018/08/09/experiment-over-pentagons-tech-hub-gets-a-vote-of-confidence/

Proposal to create new military service requires approval from Congress Faced with growing competition and threats from Russia and China, the White House on Thursday said it will create the U.S. Space Force as a sixth, separate military service by 2020. Vice-President Mike Pence told a Pentagon audience that the plan fulfils President Donald Trump's vow to ensure America's dominance in space — a domain that was once peaceful and uncontested that has now become crowded and adversarial. "Now the time has come to write the next great chapter in the history of our armed forces, to prepare for the next battlefield where America's best and bravest will be called to deter and defeat a new generation of threats to our people, to our nation," said Pence. "The time has come to establish the United States Space Force." Trump marked Pence's announcement with a tweet. Trump has called for a "separate but equal" space force, a complicated and expensive move that requires congressional approval. On Thursday, Pence said the administration will work with Congress on the plan and outline a budget next year. Defence Secretary Jim Mattis has endorsed steps to reorganize the military's space war-fighting forces and create a new command, but has previously opposed launching an expensive, new service. A new branch of the military would require layers of bureaucracy, military and civilian leaders, uniforms, equipment and an expansive support structure. Full article: https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/pence-trump-us-space-force-plan-1.4779217

WASHINGTON -- Five university-industry teams have been selected for the Defense Enterprise Science Initiative, known as DESI, Defense Department officials announced today. DESI is a pilot program supporting university-industry research collaboration focused on accelerating the impact of basic research on defense capabilities. DESI's goals are twofold, officials said. First, it seeks to foster sustainable university-industry partnerships to identify and apply new discoveries and knowledge on existing capabilities and address technological gaps. DESI also aims to charter a new pathway to accelerate the transfer of basic research to innovative technologies and complement the department's other basic research programs such as the Vannevar Bush Faculty Fellowship, the Multidisciplinary University Research Initiative and the Defense University Research Instrumentation Program. “Programs like DESI are vital to foster collaboration in the research ecosystem and accelerate the transition of ground-breaking basic science to transformative capabilities,” said Dr. Bindu Nair, deputy director for basic research. “I look forward to seeing how these teams can help us address our unique and challenging defense problem sets.” Each team will receive up to $1.5 million over two years to further fundamental knowledge and understanding in the context of end-use applications. Full Article: https://www.defense.gov/News/Article/Article/1595382/dod-announces-desi-awards-for-university-industry-collaborations/

Lindsay Bjerregaard Oerlikon is partnering with Boeing and Lufthansa Technik to research standardization and qualification of additive manufacturing processes. Oerlikon is pairing up with major aerospace players to make additive manufacturing (AM) a more feasible option for industrialization. The Swiss technology and engineering group has signed agreements this year with Lufthansa Technik (LHT) and Boeing to collaborate on research into ways AM for aerospace can be more easily standardized and qualified. The most recent of these agreements is the memorandum of understanding (MoU) with LHT, which aims to establish “robust and repeatable processes for AM in the aircraft MRO industry.” According to a spokesperson for Oerlikon, the collaboration's research seeks to understand what process variability exists when the same component geometries are built on the same machine using the same powder batch, heat treatment, testing conditions and build parameters in different global locations. Oerlikon and LHT will print these components using an Oerlikon-produced IN718 powder alloy on identical printers at LHT Hamburg and Oerlikon's locations in Charlotte, North Carolina and Barleben, Germany. Once the variables are identified, the study's objective is to understand how they can be controlled to achieve repeatable processes—which will ensure that all parts meet quality requirements and reduce the cost of recurring quality validation, according to Oerlikon. The company says this repeatability could also provide potential savings in procurement, warehousing and supply chain management. For now, the partnership is set for a one-year period, but the companies say the scope and timeframe is likely to increase. Meeting the challenges of qualifying AM materials and processes for aerospace is also at the heart of Oerlikon's collaboration agreement with Boeing. The five-year agreement, which was signed in February, seeks to develop standard materials and processes for metal-based AM. The collaboration's research will initially focus on industrializing titanium powder bed fusion AM. The companies say that in addition to meeting qualification challenges, it will enable them to “provide a route for the adoption of AM with a qualified supply chain that achieves quality and cost targets.” Full Article: https://www.mro-network.com/emerging-technology/studies-seek-industrialize-additive-manufacturing-aerospace

By: Jen Judson HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — Missile defense leaders within the Pentagon as well as Congress are pushing for more missile defense capability in space and the Missile Defense Agency Director Gen. Samuel Greaves laid out a rough idea of what a space-based missile defense sensor layercould look like. The missile defense community has been talking “seriously” about a sensor layer in space “actively over the last year,” Greaves said in an August 8 speech at the Space and Missile Defense Symposium. While many decisions still have to be made regarding requirements definitions, development paths and the acquisition process, “the key thing,” Greaves said, “is that there is serious consideration and support being given to the need to deploy these space sensors because we must do so.” Greaves laid out a very rough sketch of what the agency is looking for to build a robust sensor layer. First, the MDA might use something like a current system from the U.S. Air Force — the Overhead Persistent Infrared OPIR Global Scanning system — to alert and characterize activity in space, essentially “to be the bell ringer if something is going on,” Greaves said. Full Article: https://www.defensenews.com/digital-show-dailies/smd/2018/08/08/mda-director-provides-rough-sketch-of-possible-space-based-missile-defense-sensor-layer/

By: Andrew Chuter LONDON — Britain's defense exports recorded a massive 53 percent uptick in 2017, figures released by the government show. The Defence Security Organisation posted the figures, without any fanfare, on their website at the end of last month, showing British defense companies secured exports valued at £9 billion ($11.59 billion) last year; it's the second largest annual export success in the last decade. The defense sales figures bounced back from a poor performance in 2016 when associated exports totalled £5.9 billion. “The U.K.'s strong performance equates to a third-placed ranking globally, up from fourth in 2016, and is a considerable achievement,” said the DSO. The British success came against a background of a surge in defense exports globally. The DSO said total overseas sales by countries around the world reached a 10-year high at around $98 billion in 2017. Full Article: https://www.defensenews.com/global/europe/2018/08/08/uk-reports-massive-uptick-in-defense-exports/