Retour aux nouvelles

29 novembre 2019 | International, Aérospatial

Airbus Defence and Space Works An Incremental Approach to Manned-Unmanned Teaming: International Fighter Conference 2019

By Robbin Laird

At last year's International Fighter Conference, the team working on the Franco-German Future Combat System program provided an overview on the launch of the effort. At this year's conference, the team provided an update on progress over the first year, and underscored key timelines into what was called an incremental approach to building a new fighter by 2040.

And now Spain has joined the program as well.

I provided an update on this year's overview in a separate piece.

But in this piece, I want to look at one key element of the future combat system, one which will need to be introduced into the evolving combat force, and not wait until 2040.

A key element of building the connected force is clearly the question of the nature and capabilities of remote carriers to work with manned systems in the air.

Remote carriers will become part of the evolving combat force in the near to mid-term.

This has become a key dynamic associated with the changes in C2 revolving around enhanced artificial intelligence built into the force, but a clear need to both evolve data linked weapons – which after all are the first round of manned-unmanned teaming already in the sky.

Remote carriers are coming with the various loyal wingman approaches as well within which current fighters work with evolving remote capabilities to deliver a combat effect from the teaming capability.

It is clear that remote carriers will become key force multipliers and shape new concepts of operations going forward as they are added to air combat fleets.

During the conference, I had a chance to continue my conversation began last year on this topic with Bruno Fichefeux, Head of FCAS for Airbus Defence and Space.

From my perspective, Airbus has already delivered two key 21st century air platforms – the MRTT tanker and the A400M airlifter – which should provide useful launch points for the redo of air combat along the lines envisaged by the FCAS.

And doing so makes business interest for Airbus, and not just for those air forces flying Rafale or Eurofighter.

To highlight the opportunities, in an interview I did last year at Amberley Airbase in Australia, the Wing Commander charged with operating the KC-30A or the A330MRTT, a la Australian, focused on how he saw the future of that tanker.

According to Group Captain Steve Pesce, Officer Commanding 86 Wing, comprising the RAAF's C-17, KC-30A, B300, CL604 and B737 fleets, in a conflict against a “near-peer” adversary the RAAF and allied forces may not have the luxury of secure tanking in uncontested airspace.

Air forces will gain transient advantage rather than total control of the air and will support surface assets that will be more dispersed across a larger Area of Operation (AO). Demand for AAR (and air mobility in general) will increase as the survivability of a large tanker is reduced.

Distributed operations in contested airspace will become a norm, and that means in his view the end of the classic larger tanker operations. The manned tanker will operate further away in the battlespace and become the mother ship for tanking remotes operating as refueling nodes to expendable assets deployed forward,

“My view of the future battlespace is that sensors and shooters will be more proliferated, integrated and reach further and with greater precision.

“There will be a natural move towards dispersion to improve survivability and delivery of fuel will be critical.

“The future of a large tanker will be to support more distributed and dispersed operations and we will be looking at small tactical refuelers providing fuel to tactical air combat assets – these tactical assets will likely be cheaper, unmanned and more expendable.

“That is where A3R comes in.

“I see an advantage in the automatic boom because it reduces the workload on the operator who in the future may be managing or controlling formations of UAV during AAR.

“As we learn to use this technology, it will be part of shaping the skill sets to transition to the next phase, of a large tanker replenishing smaller, automated tactical refuelers....”

As Airbus Defence and Space is a global business, it would make sense as the FCAS program generates manned-unmanned teaming capabilities that such capabilities would be made available to its global customers in the tanker program, for which there are many, and for the A400M program which there are fewer but certainly more than the core participants into the FCAS program itself

Bruno Fichefeux confirmed that this proposition is being studied within Airbus Defence and Space.

He argued that there were two ways in which Airbus Defence and Space was addressing the opportunities within and eternal to the FCAS program.

First, for each of its key platforms such as tanker and A400M, they were shaping road maps for the development of the platforms which highlighted ways to enhance their capabilities within an integrated and connected battlespace.

Second, they are shaping technology streams which are designed to deal with the different challenges within manned-unmanned teaming.

Those technology streams can be drawn upon to shape developmental opportunities for the existing or new platforms envisaged in FCAS.

With regard to the first, the focus of what has been called the smart tanker program is precisely designed to shape ways ahead to use the space within the tanker for enhanced contributions to the integrated battlespace.

It must be remembered that the fuel carried by the A330MRTT is carried in the wings, which leaves the large cabin free to do other missions, which now are largely devoted to movement of warfighters and support staff or to carrying cargo.

According to Fichefeux: “Smart MRTT is focused on how to make use of all the internal space and to leverage it for the other platforms in the combat system and to increase their situational awareness and to handle data transfers.”

Another example is the A400M and its potential role as a remote carrier.

According to Fichefeux: “We have initiated a series of design studies looking at how we can operate the A400M as a launcher and recovery platform for remotes, and operating as a mother ship so to speak.

“In this sense, the A400M becomes the wingman for the fighter fleet, but by functioning as a mother ship to launch and recover remotes which can go deeper into the battlespace to provide broad support for the tip of the spear of the air combat force.”

In addition to working to study capabilities of its two core new air combat assets, namely the tanker and the A400M, Airbus Defence and Space has launched a series of “technology streams” examining how to develop a manned-unmanned teaming capability.''

According to Fichefeux: “We have launched generic technology streams, where we are looking to mature technologies around swarming, around level of autonomy, around the teaming intelligence, around how do we display this teaming for future fighter cockpit. How does the fighter pilot and the drones work together?

“We are running these technology streams concurrently with developmental streams and are targeting the introduction of remote carriers on the Eurofighter platforms to extend the range of its capabilities and to fill the combat gaps.”

And to my earlier point that in many ways data linked weapons are the precursor of the manned-unmanned teaming envisaged with regard to UAVS, fighters, lifters and tankers working together, he underscored the working relationship between Airbus and MBDA.

Fichefeux underscored that they were working on the spectrum of unmanned platforms with various size and operational characteristics to think through a technology and development tree to introduce such capabilities into the combat force.

For example, with regard to the smaller remotes, they have teamed with MBDA to leverage MBDA's experience in operating data link weapons.

“In the design of remote vehicles of a smaller size category, Airbus and MBDA are working together which allows us to leverage their experience and gives them access to our thinking and developments with regard to remote carriers which will carry evolving sets of weapons in the future”.

And, of course, the overall technology developments are clearly affecting thinking about new platforms.

In no case is this clearer than the European MALE RPAS program.

When Airbus Defence and Space presented their focus on European MALE RPAS few years ago at the last Airbus Defence and Media day, clearly the European MALE RPAS one saw glimmers of such thoughts.

But with the FCAS launch these glimmers are becoming solidified in a programmatic sense.

In short, Bruno Fichefeux laid out the incremental approach of Airbus Defence and Space in the crucial area of manned-unmanned teaming and the importance of integrating new remote platforms within the concepts of operations of air combat fleets.

While the strategic objective of FCAS is clearly to deliver a new combat fighter, the focus is very much on delivering key building blocks along the way.

And new remote platforms are such a building block.

Airbus Defence and Space are looking to add new remote platforms which can work with existing air combat platforms, including fighters as well as other air combat assets, such as air lifters and airborne tankers.

In short, they are looking to deliver a System-of-Systems, connecting platforms, operating across domains, and being fully interoperable with allied forces instead of “only” targeting a new combat fighter qua a new platform.

https://sldinfo.com/2019/11/airbus-defence-and-space-works-an-incremental-approach-to-manned-unmanned-teaming-international-fighter-conference-2019/

Sur le même sujet

  • BAE execs explain the thinking behind their latest acquisition

    26 mars 2020 | International, C4ISR

    BAE execs explain the thinking behind their latest acquisition

    By: Mark Pomerleau In late January, Arlington, Virginia-based BAE Systems Inc. announced two acquisitions to bolster its electronic systems sector, a move that reflected a combined investment of $2.2 billion. The purchase included $1.9 billion for Collins Aerospace's GPS receivers business and $275 million for Raytheon's tactical airborne radios. Company leaders saw an opportunity. GPS receivers could provide secure and resilient position data that would help precision-guided munitions become more accurate. Airborne tactical radios, typically installed on rotary, fixed-wing aircraft and drones, would create a new business for BAE's electronic systems sector. The properties became available because of a proposed merger between United Technologies and Raytheon, and BAE's two top executives said they see the purchase as a way to more closely hew their businesses toward the Pentagon's long-term needs. Specifically, they point to the 2018 National Defense Strategy. A closing is dependent on the Raytheon-United Technologies merger and is expected in the first half of 2020. C4ISRNET's Mark Pomerleau spoke recently with Jerry DeMuro, BAE's chief executive, and Tom Arseneault, company president and chief operating officer, about the thinking behind the investment. C4ISRNET: How do you see these acquisitions fitting into BAE overall? What opportunities could this create? Jerry DeMuro: As we look at the National Defense Strategy and we look at the service modernization priorities and where we think customers are headed in our core markets, we think that these two businesses are very relevant. We have capabilities in those areas that these properties complement very well. Both of them happen to be very mature, well-established, strong technology-based businesses that are on the cusp of significant growth because of the relevance to the service priorities. [It's a] unique opportunity [that] only came about because of the UTC-Raytheon merger. We were very pleased to see it [and we were] opportunistic in going after them. Tom Arseneault: Precision and autonomy are two key things that run through the Defense Strategy and priorities in the services and the technologies that [Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering] Dr. [Mike] Griffin talks about. With autonomy, you need to know where you are. Position data is important. Secure, resilient position information. Military GPS is a critical underlying technology. With Collins, you've got a company that's been doing this for 40-plus years and a million and a half of these devices are out there going to M-Code [a new military signal used for GPS]. Autonomy, ditto. You need to know where you are ... certainly with precision-guided munitions. You're also relying on secure communications. You need to know where you are, and you need to be able to communicate with the systems around you. C4ISRNET: How do you see these new businesses complementing what you already have and allowing you to pursue contracts that you couldn't before? DeMuro: We've been working for a number of years now — most people don't know — but we have a precision-guided munitions business. We provide the seekers for the THAAD [Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense]; we provide all the smarts in terms of combining EW, precision locating and navigating in the LRASM [Long-Range Anti- Ship] missile. We just won the [Precision Guidance Kit] contract — precision-guided mortar. We are also the provider of the high-velocity projectile and putting these kinds of capabilities in there. It's a great fit for that business, but also in many of the other things that we produce. Combining this kind of capability gives us a whole new market that we can bring their capabilities to. And the same thing applies in the radio world, software-defined radios. We can take some of those waveforms and incorporate them in devices that we have today in our C4ISR portfolio. It's not about cost synergies; it's really about market synergies in those places where we're headed already. C4ISRNET: Obviously, some of those capabilities, such as THAAD, are dependent on a lot of disparate systems. Does this acquisition help BAE become more interoperable with a lot of other systems? DeMuro: Think about a product that we make today, the Link 16 [military tactical data link network]. Arseneault: We own the Link 16 waveform as part of the fundamental portfolio of our current communications business. Now we'll be able to add that family of waveforms, we'll be able to use it on these acquired radios and then vice versa. There's a number of waveforms — software-defined radio waveforms — that come with this portfolio, that we will be able to then market out through our existing communication devices. THAAD was more on the precision side. While THAAD, itself, is a seeker of a type, I think this is more applicable to some of the new next-generation seekers that will want to be multimodal. So it's [electro-optical/infrared], it'll be radio frequency and GPS. [We want to] have as many opportunities to get a really good sense of what's driving precision. With a million-and-a-half devices out there, there is a whole wide set of customers that these will continue to supply. But this will also be a good opportunity for us to incorporate that technology into some of our roadmaps. SECTR [Seeker Cost Transformation] is a DARPA program, a next-generation multimodal seeker. So, GPS will be a piece of that. The idea being where seekers are more modular and so you can use a seeker on multiple weapon types and reduce costs and have greater efficiency. C4ISRNET: Are you thinking of a card you can plug in? Or more software adaptable? DeMuro: Chip sets, right. Combined functionality ... because it's all about size, weight and power and cost as you get out there. But the presence of these two product families, and what has to happen to upgrade them in and of itself, supports the business case. We didn't really include a lot of synergies in the business case, but we see some real opportunity there. C4ISRNET: Can you expand on the autonomy side? I see how the GPS, and linking GPS to radio, can lead to greater precision, but where do you see opportunities on the autonomy side? Arseneault: Autonomous systems need to know where they are. Secure, resilient position information is critical ... DeMuro: Anti-spoofing. Arseneault: These sorts of devices are going to find their way into many if not all of the modern autonomous systems. Likewise, you need to be able to communicate with things around you. As we're headed to swarms, they want to know where they are. They want to know where all of their surrounding platforms are. Manned-unmanned teaming is another version of autonomy where you want to know, and you want to be able to communicate with your wingman as they call it. DeMuro: If you think about anti-access/aerial denial, doing all of this in a contested environment — it's got to be secure. M-Code is absolutely essential to that. These waveforms, low probability of intercept, low probability of detection and also software-defined radios are very agile in moving around to enable that in contested environments. Both of these properties help accomplish that. C4ISRNET: You mentioned the National Defense Strategy; what role do these non-kinetic capabilities play in future conflicts? DeMuro: They're foundational. If you don't have them, you can't operate in the future environment. https://www.c4isrnet.com/industry/2020/03/23/bae-execs-explain-the-thinking-behind-their-latest-acquisition

  • Ukraine says it has no hope of using F-16 fighter jets this year | Reuters

    16 août 2023 | International, Aérospatial

    Ukraine says it has no hope of using F-16 fighter jets this year | Reuters

    Ukraine will not be able to operate U.S.-built F-16 fighter jets this coming autumn and winter, air force spokesperson Yuriy Ihnat told Ukrainian television late on Wednesday.

  • Marines’ Next High-End Fight Could Call for Larger Formations, Tougher Amphibs

    24 janvier 2019 | International, Naval

    Marines’ Next High-End Fight Could Call for Larger Formations, Tougher Amphibs

    By: Megan Eckstein ARLINGTON, Va. – The Marine Corps is preparing for a high-end distributed fight inside island chains in the Pacific, and the service is pushing the Navy to invest in additional weapons and systems for amphibious ships to support this kind of battle in a contested environment. The Marine Corps is further developing concepts like the Expeditionary Advance Base Operations and Littoral Operations in a Contested Environment, but there are some materiel changes the Navy will need to make, such as upgunning amphibious ships and connecting amphibs into the surface combatants' and aircraft carriers' tactical grid, leaders said last week at the Surface Navy Association's annual national symposium. Maj. Gen. David Coffman, director of expeditionary operations (OPNAV N95), set the scene, describing a large-scale formation Navy ships and Marine landing forces beyond what the services typically rehearse today. “That level of integrated naval operations could be needed to take an island somewhere – natural or manmade. But it certainly will be required when a great power competition pits a whale against an elephant, or maybe two elephants – a global maritime power, that's us, against a regional land power hegemon with home-field advantage. In that long war, maritime superiority is necessary but not sufficient for the whale to beat the elephant,” Coffman said, noting the Marines were readying themselves to conduct day-to-day competition, deterrence against malign actions, and, if necessary, major combat operations in this high-end environment. “So what we need to do is reinvigorate naval maneuver warfare, linking sea control and power projection in order to win current and future fights.” Full article: https://news.usni.org/2019/01/23/marines-next-high-end-fight-call-larger-formations-tougher-amphibs

Toutes les nouvelles