26 juillet 2019 | International, Aérospatial
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (July 23, 2019) – Collins Aerospace Systems, a unit of United Technologies Corp. (NYSE: UTX), has received its sixth order from the U.S. Army to provide PRC-162 software-defined ground radios for the Handheld, Manpack and Small Form Factor (HMS) program. This sixth order was issued under a multiple award contract that the Army awarded to Rockwell Collins and two other companies in 2016. The contract, which has a $12.7 billion maximum firm-fixed-price with an estimated completion date of March 2026, moves the Army another step closer toward modernizing communications on the battlefield.
The PRC-162 is a two-channel ground radio, both man-portable and vehicle-mountable, that will enable the Army to tap into next-generation communications capabilities such as the Department of Defense's new Mobile User Objective System (MUOS) while maintaining interoperability with legacy waveforms. An open-architecture design also allows for software-upgradeable capabilities in the future.
“Success in today's multi-domain battlespace depends heavily on secure and reliable communications,” said Phil Jasper, president, Mission Systems for Collins Aerospace. “We've applied decades of proven experience in airborne communications to provide the Army with a next-generation ground radio that will give troops a heightened level of situational awareness and a tactical advantage.”
The PRC-162 is a part of Collins Aerospace's TruNet™ networked communications family of products, which includes ground and airborne radios, advanced networking waveforms, applications, and support and services that enable ground and airborne elements to exchange critical data, images, voice and video in real time.
6 avril 2022 | International, Aérospatial
De l’avis des experts, le gouvernement fédéral a fait le bon choix en décidant d’engager des négociations finales avec la multinationale Lockheed Martin en vue de l’achat de 88 avions de chasse F-35. Ces pourparlers devront toutefois générer des retombées économiques conséquentes pour l’industrie aéronautique québécoise, au moins équivalentes à l'importante place qu’elle occupe dans l’écosystème canadien.
20 décembre 2018 | International, Aérospatial, Naval
Minnie Chan Tokyo's plan to develop an aircraft carrier capable of launching fighter jets is driven by Beijing's military rise, but the move could embolden hawkish generals in China to press ahead with their own expansion programmes, observers said. The ruling Liberal Democratic Party and its junior coalition partner Komeito Party this week approved a new defence guideline that will effectively allow the Japanese military to convert naval vessels currently capable of carrying only helicopters into fully operational aircraft carriers able to launch fighter jets like the F-35. The plan is controversial as under its pacifist constitution, Japan has never before owned such advanced naval hardware. Full article: https://amp.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/2178102/china-may-use-japans-aircraft-carrier-plan-push-through-more
12 juillet 2018 | International, Aérospatial
By: Pierre Tran PARIS ― France has completed a range of in-flight tests showing that the Rafale fighter jet could be refueled from underwing fuel pods on the A400M military transport plane, the Armed Forces Ministry said. “After a campaign of flight tests conducted by the Direction Générale de l'Armement with the support from the Air Force, the A400M has just passed a significant milestone in demonstrating its capability to refuel the Rafale from underwing fuel pods,” the ministry said July 9 on its website.. The tests allowed the Direction Générale de l'Armement procurement office to authorize the A400M for refueling the Rafale, while the Air Force is preparing the means to enter the new capability into service. Meanwhile, the A330M will fly in the July 14 Bastille Day parade, marking the first time the multirole tanker transport twin jet will take part in the military showcase. Last year, U.S. Air Force F-16s flew down the Champs Elysées, with U.S. President Donald Trump admiring the parade with his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron. The A400M MRTT will fly in French Air Force colors, with the first official delivery due after the summer. In the flight-test campaign, the Rafales took fuel from the two underwing pods as well as from the fuselage from the hose drum unit, which is used to refuel transport and fighter aircraft, the ministry said. The next major test will be refueling of helicopters. The tests included refueling the Rafale at various altitudes and speed, as well as simulated failure of one of the fighter's engines and flight controls, the ministry said. Tests were conducted in day and night, including using night vision goggles, with the fighter flying in different conditions. The Air Force is preparing flight procedure, technical support and training, the ministry said. “The A400M will then offer the capability of in-flight refueling in the theater,” it added. Further test campaigns are due to be held later this year, including the A400M refueling the Mirage 2000 fighter from the pods and other transport aircraft from the hose drum unit, the ministry said. https://www.defensenews.com/air/2018/07/11/france-proves-midair-refueling-capability-with-rafale-and-a400m/