1 mars 2019 | International, Aérospatial
By: Mike Yeo
MELBOURNE, Australia — Australia's search for a new unmanned aircraft system to operate from its naval vessels has taken a new twist, as the service announced tweaks to its procurement program to streamline the process and put it in a position to take advantage of future technological advances.
Speaking at a media event during an unmanned aircraft conference during the ongoing Avalon Airshow, officers from the Royal Australian Navy, or RAN, confirmed that it was rolling its two-stage procurement program into one.
The program, Project Sea 129 Phase 5 Maritime Tactical Unmanned Aerial Systems, will look for a single prime contractor to offer a system to operate from all of the RAN's major fleet units, primarily its upcoming 12 offshore patrol vessels and nine future frigates.
Sea 129 Phase 5 had previously been split into two stages, with the first seeking a system to operate from the OPVs and the second to equip the frigates.
According to RAN Capt. Adrian Capner, Sea 129 Phase 5 will seek a platform systems integrator, or PSI, to be put in charge of the entire program, with the ability to meet capability requirements taking precedence over platform.
“We will tell you what we want the system to do; you are going to come forward and show us how you expect to achieve that,” Capner told the audience.
These requirements include being able to operate from the flight deck of a German-designed Lurssen OPV 80-class ships selected by Australia, which are the smallest ships slated to use the selected UAS. The aircraft must be able to perform surveillance and maritime domain awareness missions in Antarctic conditions, and participate in humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.
Capner said the RAN is open to using multiple platforms to achieve the program's capability goals, adding that the PSI will also be responsible for constant upgrades to the UAS, as the service needs the system to stay relevant over the next few decades.
The program is currently at the request for information stage, with Capner confirming that a request for tender is expected in the first half of 2020 and an initial operating capability planned for the mid-2020s.
This change in procurement strategy appears to reduce the burden of risk on the RAN and lessen concerns about operating outdated technology by the time the platform enters service. Rather, these burdens shift to the winning PSI, who will be responsible to managing the program and adjusting for technological changes when the system is in service.
The reaction to these changes from potential bidders has been mixed.
James Lawless, business development manager at Saab Australia, called it an “intelligent way to approach [the program],” noting that it mirrors Saab's strategy in partnering with UMS Skeldar and Airflite to offer the UMS Skeldar V-200 UAV.
Meanwhile, Melissa Pina of Northrop Grumman told Defense News that the company will continue looking for its offering based on the latest development. Northrop Grumman previously offered its MQ-8C Fire Scout drone for Sea 129 Phase 5 Stage 2 for the RAN's future frigates. The Fire Scout is slated to be the platform of choice to go onboard U.S. Navy ships, .
The RAN is currently conducting trials on the use of UAS under a “navy minor project,” operating Schiebel's Camcopter S-100, the ScanEagle by Insitu (a subsidiary of Boeing), and other UAS from land bases and onboard its ships.
6 décembre 2022 | International, C4ISR
The capability set initiative launched in fiscal 2021, with upgrades of off-the-shelf and specialized tech expected in 2023, 2025, 2027 and beyond.
29 mai 2020 | International, Aérospatial
Berwyn, Pa., May 26, 2020 /PRNewswire/ - Triumph Group, Inc. [NYSE: TGI] announced that Triumph Systems & Support was recently awarded a six-year contract extension for maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) services on an international CH-47 Chinook fleet. Triumph's Systems, Electronics and Controls operating company will provide product repair and overhaul services for the fleet's EMC-32T hydromechanical fuel control, technical support and product investigations as part of the long-term agreement. The company will deliver the MRO services out of its West Hartford, Connecticut repair station. The site also designs and manufactures the EMC-32T hydromechanical fuel control unit in addition to offering MRO services for the engine component. "We are honored to be awarded another contract that demonstrates our repair and technical expertise on the Chinook engine fuel control," said Tony Ziotas, President of Triumph Systems & Support – Systems, Electronics and Controls. "Our fuel control products and services are designed to lower cost of ownership and increase time on wing for Chinook operators." Triumph has provided MRO services for engine components for the 60 Chinook aircraft in the customer's international fleet since 2014. This long-standing support of the platform reinforces the company's commitment to supporting the warfighter's mission both at home and abroad with best-in-class service. Triumph Systems & Support's Systems, Electronics and Controls (SEC) operating company designs, develops, manufactures and services fuel pumps, fuel metering units and electronic control systems. They maintain a unique capability for systems integration as well as hydromechanical and electronics in-house development. SEC designs, develops and tests a variety of actuators and thermal systems for use in both military and commercial aerospace applications. Triumph Group, Inc., headquartered in Berwyn, Pennsylvania, designs, engineers, manufactures, repairs and overhauls a broad portfolio of aerospace and defense systems, components and structures. The company serves the global aviation industry, including original equipment manufacturers and the full spectrum of military and commercial aircraft operators. More information about Triumph can be found on the company's website at www.triumphgroup.com CisionView original content: http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/triumph-awarded-engine-component-mro-contract-for-international-chinook-fleet-301065649.html View source version on Triumph Group, Inc.: https://ir.triumphgroup.com/news-events/news-details/2020/Triumph-Awarded-Engine-Component-MRO-Contract-For-International-Chinook-Fleet/default.aspx
16 avril 2020 | International, C4ISR
Nathan Strout A new tool developed by NATO will help the alliance prepare for GPS jammers, allowing operational commands to see what impact the devices will have on their GPS receivers, the NATO Communications and Information Agency announced April 6. “NATO's adversaries have the ability to degrade or deny GPS-enabled capabilities," Jean-Philippe Saulay, a NATO navigation and identification officer, said in a statement. “NATO must take appropriate measures to ensure Allied forces can operate in a degraded or denied environment." The Radar Electromagnetic and Communication Coverage Tool, or REACT, is able to estimate how large an area will be affected by specific GPS jammers. By inputting technical information and location data about known jammers, users can see on a map what areas will be affected by the devices and prepare accordingly. The software also works for other global navigation satellite systems used by NATO, such as the European Union's Galileo constellation. According to the agency, REACT is only being used for testing and experimentation at the moment. It was shown to operators during the Trident Jupiter 2019 exercise for feedback. Developers are now working to ensure the software is interoperable with NATO's classified networks and available to operational commands. Sponsored by the NATO Navigation and Identification Programme of Work, REACT is available to NATO members free of charge. Tools like REACT highlight the alliance's dependence on global navigation satellite systems for accurate position, navigation and timing data, as well as the investments that China, Russia and Iran, among others, are making to develop and field jamming devices. And it's more than just a hypothetical issue for NATO: In 2018, Norway officials publicly claimed that Russia had jammed GPS signals during NATO's Trident Jupiter exercise. “NATO must maintain superiority in the electromagnetic environment, including but not limited to, positioning, navigation and timing services," said Enrico Casini, a communications and navigation engineer at the NCI Agency. “The electromagnetic environment has become even more contested in recent years." Meanwhile, the U.S. military has been pursuing efforts to overcome the threat posed by GPS jammers. For instance, the U.S. Space Force is working to enable a more secure military signal with GPS III, and just last year the U.S. Army fielded anti-jamming antennas to the 2nd Cavalry Regiment in Germany. https://www.c4isrnet.com/newsletters/military-space-report/2020/04/15/natos-new-tool-shows-the-impact-of-gps-jammers