30 septembre 2024 | International, Aérospatial
Marines to receive new system for zapping drone swarms out of the sky
The newest Epirus high-powered microwave system is set to be delivered to the Marine Corps Warfighting Lab by the end of 2024.
21 juillet 2020 | International, Aérospatial
British next-generation fighter program taps new suppliers
By: Andrew Chuter
LONDON – A raft of top systems suppliers have been recruited to join the team leading Britain's development of the Tempest next-generation fighter aircraft.
Bombardier in Northern Ireland, GKN, Martin Baker and Qinetiq, alongside the UK arms of Collins Aerospace, GE Aviation and Thales, have signed up to collaborate with the BAE Systems-led team working on the future air combat system, it was announced July 20 on what should have been the opening day of the Farnborough air show before Covid-19 caused the event's cancellation.
At the same time as the announcement, Sweden's Saab revealed it was setting up a UK hub to potentially participate in future combat air systems work between the two nations.
It's been almost two years to the day when the wraps were taken off a plastic mock-up of a Tempest fighter at the Farnborough show.
The British revealed a BAE-led partnership, also involving Leonardo, MBDA, Rolls-Royce, that would begin investigating the technologies required for a future combat air system.
Some $2.5 billion has so far been committed to the program.
Now, just months before an outline business case to develop the program further is due to be delivered to the UK government, Team Tempest, as the industrial team is known, has signed up its first seven systems suppliers.
With the first phase of the new partnerships signed, the companies will seek opportunities to join forces on established projects and developments with the core Team Tempest partners.
More than 60 technology demonstration activities are currently underway on future combat air systems in the UK employing 1800 people – a number expected to grow to 2500 by the end of the year.
In a statement, Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said he was “delighted seven more companies have joined this mission to work in collaboration with the MoD, under the Team Tempest banner. They will bring the ambition, invention and expertise that will deliver the breakthroughs we will depend on for decades to come.”
The rising employment levels and increasing industrial support comes at a crucial time for a program which will pretty much dictate Britain's future position in the defense industrial world, given the air sector's importance to jobs, skills and exports here.
An integrated defense, security and foreign policy review is underway led by Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his advisors, who are said to be skeptical of local industry's ability to deliver major programs on time and on budget and would rather buy defense equipment off the shelf.
With Covid-19 pretty much emptying government coffers, launching a multibillion-dollar program like Tempest is likely to be an issue unless the British can sign up some major international partners to share the cost.
Last year Italy and Sweden both signed up to investigate partnering with the UK on a future combat air system, and those studies are ongoing with neither country yet committing to the program.
Sweden may not have yet committed to a partnership with the British and others, but its biggest defense company, Saab, announced July 20 it was to invest an initial $63 million setting up a new future combat air center with other initiatives in the UK.
Saab leads Sweden's future combat air system industrial participation in cooperation with the defense ministry.
Details of where and when the company will invest in the UK are sparse, but Micael Johansson, the president and CEO of Saab, said the move demonstrated the company's commitment to combat air development and the UK.
“Saab took the decision to create a new future combat air system center so that we can further develop the close working relationship with the other FCAS industrial partners and the UK MoD. This emphasizes the importance of both FCAS and the United Kingdom to Saab's future,” said Johansson.
The British have cast their net beyond Europe in the search for partners, with India and Japan also having held discussions about a potential tie-up on a future combat air system.
Across the English channel France and Germany are together developing a new combat jet to a similar time frame.
Attempts to merge the two European programs have so far failed, but that's not to say that post Covid-19 financial reality may not cause a potential tie-up to be revisited.
Howard Wheeldon, of consultants Wheeldon Strategic Advisory, said that the British government knew was at stake in the development of a future combat air system.
“Team Tempest is a very significant program for the UK. ... A partnership between government, military, industry and international partners all of whom are determined to succeed,” he said.
“Industry, along with the RAF Rapid Capabilities Office, have already achieved a vast amount in a very short period of time. I, for one, am in no doubt that the government fully understands the importance of what ‘Team Tempest' means to the UK, not only to jobs and maintaining necessary skills, but in the potential that the development has in terms of future prosperity,” said Wheeldon.
Sur le même sujet
-
-
28 juillet 2024 | International, Terrestre
Rheinmetall delivers first Lynx IFV to Hungary, and soon, Ukraine - Army Technology
Hungary has received its first indigenously produced KF41 Lynx infantry fighting vehicle from Rheinmetall, and Ukraine will soon follow.
-
15 février 2020 | International, Aérospatial
Demonstrator phase launched: Future Combat Air System takes major step forward
Paris/Munich, February 12, 2020 – The governments of France and Germany have awarded Dassault Aviation, Airbus, together with their partners MTU Aero Engines, Safran, MBDA and Thales, the initial framework contract (Phase 1A), which launches the demonstrator phase for the Future Combat Air System (FCAS). This framework contract covers a first period of 18 months and initiates work on developing the demonstrators and maturing cutting-edge technologies, with the ambition to begin flight tests as soon as 2026. Since early 2019, the industrial partners have been working on the future architecture as part of the programme's so called Joint Concept Study. Now, the FCAS programme enters into another decisive phase with the launch of the demonstrator phase. This phase will, in a first step, focus on the main technological challenges per domains: Next Generation Fighter (NGF), with Dassault Aviation as prime contractor and Airbus as main partner, to be the core element of Future Combat Air System, Unmanned systems Remote Carrier (RC) with Airbus as prime contractor and MBDA as main partner, Combat Cloud (CC) with Airbus as prime contractor and Thales as main partner, Engine with Safran and MTU as main partner. A Simulation Environment will be jointly developed between the involved companies to ensure the consistency between demonstrators. The launch of the Demonstrator Phase underlines the political confidence and determination of the FCAS partner nations and the associated industry to move forward and cooperate in a fair and balanced manner. The increased momentum enables industry to deploy the necessary resources and best capabilities to develop this decisive European defence project. FCAS will be the cornerstone project guaranteeing Europe's future operational, industrial and technological sovereignty. The next important step in the FCAS programme will be the onboarding of Spain and the involvement of additional suppliers from Phase 1B onwards, which will succeed Phase 1A after its successful conclusion. * * * About Airbus Airbus is a global leader in aeronautics, space and related services. In 2018 it generated revenues of € 64 billion and employed a workforce of around 134,000. Airbus offers the most comprehensive range of passenger airliners. Airbus is also a European leader providing tanker, combat, transport and mission aircraft, as well as one of the world's leading space companies. In helicopters, Airbus provides the most efficient civil and military rotorcraft solutions worldwide. Media contacts Martin Agüera martin.aguera@airbus.com +49 175 227 4369 Florian Taitsch florian.taitsch@airbus.com +49 151 168 31052 This and other press releases and high resolution photos are available on: AirbusMedia About Dassault Aviation With over 10,000 military and civil aircraft (including 2,500 Falcons) delivered in more than 90 countries over the last century, Dassault Aviation has built up expertise recognized worldwide in the design, development, sale and support of all types of aircraft, ranging from the Rafale fighter, to the high-end Falcon family of business jets and military drones. In 2018, Dassault Aviation reported revenues of €5.1 billion. The company has 12 750 employees. Media contact Nathalie Bakhos Nathalie-Beatrice.Bakhos@dassault-aviation.com +33 (0)1 47 11 92 75 About MBDA MBDA is the only European group capable of designing and producing missiles and missile systems that correspond to the full range of current and future operational needs of the three armed forces (land, sea and air). With a significant presence in five European countries and within the USA, in 2018 MBDA achieved revenue of 3.2 billion euros with an order book of 17.4 billion euros. With more than 90 armed forces customers in the world, MBDA is a world leader in missiles and missile systems. In total, the group offers a range of 45 missile systems and countermeasures products already in operational service and more than 15 others currently in development. MBDA is jointly owned by Airbus (37.5%), BAE Systems (37.5%) and Leonardo (25%). Media contact Jean Dupont jean.dupont@mbda-systems.com +33 (0) 633 37 64 66 About MTU Aero Engines MTU Aero Engines AG is Germany's leading engine manufacturer. The company is a technological leader in low-pressure turbines, high-pressure compressors, turbine center frames as well as manufacturing processes and repair techniques. In the commercial OEM business, the company plays a key role in the development, manufacturing and marketing of high-tech components together with international partners. Some 30 percent of today's active aircraft in service worldwide have MTU components on board. In the commercial maintenance sector the company ranks among the top 3 service providers for commercial aircraft engines and industrial gas turbines. The activities are combined under the roof of MTU Maintenance. In the military arena, MTU Aero Engines is Germany's industrial lead company for practically all engines operated by the country's military. MTU operates a network of locations around the globe; Munich is home to its corporate headquarters. In fiscal 2018, the company had a workforce of some 10,000 employees and posted consolidated sales of approximately 4.6 billion euros. Media contact Eckhard Zanger eckhard.zanger@mtu.de +49 176 1000 6158 About Thales Thales (Euronext Paris: HO) is a global technology leader shaping the world of tomorrow today. The Group provides solutions, services and products to customers in the aeronautics, space, transport, digital identity and security, and defence markets. With 80,000 employees in 68 countries, Thales generated sales of €19 billion in 2018 (on a pro forma basis including Gemalto). Thales is investing in particular in digital innovations — connectivity, Big Data, artificial intelligence and cybersecurity — technologies that support businesses, organisations and governments in their decisive moments. Media contact Maria Mellouli maria.mellouli@thalesgroup.com +33 (0)1 57 77 84 57 About Safran Safran is an international high-technology group, operating in the aircraft propulsion and equipment, space and defense markets. Safran has a global presence, with more than 95,000 employees and sales of 21 billion euros in 2018. Working alone or in partnership, Safran holds world or European leadership positions in its core markets. Safran undertakes Research & Development programs to meet fast-changing market requirements, with total R&D expenditures of around 1.5 billion euros in 2018. Safran is listed on the Euronext Paris stock exchange and is part of the CAC 40 and Euro Stoxx 50 indices. For more information: www.safran-group.com / Follow @Safran on Twitter Media contacts Catherine MALEK catherine.malek@safrangroup.com +33 (0)6 47 88 03 17 Charles SORET charles.soret@safrangroup.com +33 (0)6 31 60 96 79 Attachment EN-Dassault Aviation-Airbus-Press-Release-FCAS-Demo-contract View source version on GlobeNewswire: http://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2020/02/12/1984219/0/en/Demonstrator-phase-launched-Future-Combat-Air-System-takes-major-step-forward.html