3 mars 2021 | International, C4ISR
BAE wins Air Force electronic warfare contract
The company will begin initial production of a system to protect pilots from jamming threats in contested airspace.
16 juillet 2020 | International, Naval
Congress skeptical of Navy’s unmanned vessels plans
The U.S. Navy wants $464 million for unmanned surface vessels, but Congress is not on the same page.
Legislators have so far declined to fully fund the massive investment into research and development for large and medium unmanned surface vessels as they work through the annual defense bill, citing the request as “excessive procurement ahead of satisfactory testing.”
Among other things, that budget request would give the Navy $239 million to purchase two Overlord large unmanned surface vehicle (LUSV) prototypes for testing.
While the Senate Armed Services Committee has declined to authorize any of the $464 million request, the House Armed Services Committee agreed to authorize just $270 million of that request — specifically cutting funding for the two LUSVs. Instead, the House version would provide the Navy $45 million to convert a Spearhead-class expeditionary fast transport ship into a LUSV for further testing.
In a report on the bill issued by the Senate Armed Services Committee, lawmakers argued that the Navy already has the LUSVs that can fill the Strategic Capabilities Office's needs in this area.
But perhaps more importantly, the committee members do not seem convinced that LUSVs are ready for prime time.
“The committee remains concerned that the budget request's concurrent approach to LUSV design, technology development, and integration as well as a limited understanding of the LUSV concept of employment, requirements, and reliability for envisioned missions pose excessive acquisition risk for additional LUSV procurement in fiscal year 2021,” the report reads. “The committee is also concerned by the unclear policy implications of LUSVs, including ill-defined international unmanned surface vessel standards and the legal status of armed or potentially armed LUSVs.”
Furthermore, legislators remain unconvinced that the current unmanned vessels can hold up to the physical environment of extended operations at sea. While the Navy requires its unmanned platforms to be able to operate continuously at sea for 30 days without maintenance or repairs, the committee report notes the Strategic Capabilities Office's prototypes have only demonstrated two to three days of continuous operation.
The Senate version of the bill would require the Navy to formally qualify two main engines and electrical generators — including successfully demonstrating 30 days of continuous operations at sea — before Milestone B approval is granted.
An industry group hit back July 9.
In a letter to leaders of the Senate and House Armed Services Committees, the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International called on legislators to fully fund the Navy's fiscal 2021 request.
“It is imperative that Congress continues to fund the research and development (R&D) efforts included in the Navy's FY21 budget request,” wrote President and CEO Brian Wynne. “Failing to do so will disrupt the significant investment industry has made in unmanned systems over the last several years. The severe reduction in funding being considered in the FY21 NDAA would eliminate jobs, drive many small companies out of business, and cause larger companies to shift their R&D investments to more stable opportunities”
The committee report argues that its requirements do not delay these programs, but in fact will enable the delivery of unmanned surface vehicles faster by ensuring they are “capable, reliable and sustainable.”
In the meantime, the Navy has moved forward with its unmanned surface vehicle efforts.
On July 13, the Navy awarded L3Harris $35 million to develop a medium unmanned surface vehicle prototype, with an option to buy eight more later on. If all options are exercised, the contract could be worth up to $294 million.
“The award of Medium USV is the culmination of a great dialogue with industry to right-size the requirements for a capable, reliable, and affordable unmanned surface vehicle that will employ a variety of modular payloads,” said Capt. Pete Small, program manager of Unmanned Maritime Systems within the Unmanned and Small Combatants Program Executive Office. “Leveraging new rapid prototyping authorities and mature commercial technology will allow us to quickly deliver a capable prototype to the Surface Development Squadron to conduct experimentation and learning in support of the Navy's plans for a future fleet incorporating unmanned vessels.”
The prototype is expected to be delivered in fiscal 2023. However, the Navy press release announcing the award notes that funding for future MUSV prototypes is uncertain. While the Navy has asked for additional fiscal 2021 funding for a second MUSV prototype in fiscal 2023, that acquisition strategy is yet to be determined.
https://www.c4isrnet.com/unmanned/2020/07/15/congress-skeptical-of-navys-unmanned-vessels-plans/
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25 octobre 2018 | International, Aérospatial
Dassault dévoile le remplaçant du Rafale
Le salon Euronaval (Le Bourget, 23 au 26 octobre 2018), est l'occasion pour l'avionneur de Saint-Cloud de lever un coin de voile sur son concept de « New Generation Fighter ». Ce NGF est destiné à occuper une place essentielle dans le projet franco-allemand SCAF (Système de Combat Aérien Futur) développé par Airbus et Dassault, et dont la France (comprendre Dassault) aura la maitrise d'oeuvre. La maquette présentée sur le stand Dassault à Euronaval montre un avion piloté, sans dérive, sans canard, avec des entrées d'air trapézoïdales à la mode du F-22. L'accent est mis sur la furtivité et l'appareil disposerait en bonne logique d'une soute pour emporter son armement. Les équations qui dictent la furtivité aux ondes électromagnétiques étant les mêmes pour tout le monde, il n'est pas étonnant que les avions existant ou en projet reprennent les mêmes solutions. La maquette de Dassault se distingue par l'absence de dérive : l'avionneur français maîtrise le sujet depuis qu'il fait voler le Neuron. Le démonstrateur de drone de combat lui a également mis le pied à l'étrier en matière de furtivité. Le NGF ayant vocation à succéder au Rafale, il devrait logiquement exister en deux versions : terrestre et embarquée. Ce qui explique sa présence au salon Euronaval... Frédéric Lert https://www.aerobuzz.fr/defense/dassault-devoile-le-remplacant-du-rafale/
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27 août 2020 | International, Aérospatial, C4ISR
Yahsat Boosts Thuraya's Next Generation Capabilities With A Commitment Of Over US$500 Million
ABU DHABI, UAE and TOULOUSE, France, Aug. 27, 2020 /CNW/ -- Airbus has been selected by Al Yah Satellite Communications Company (Yahsat), the UAE's leading global satellite operator, to build Thuraya 4-NGS, the next generation mobile telecommunications system that will drive the continued advancement of Thuraya's L-band business. Thuraya 4-NGS will deliver higher capabilities and flexibility while increasing capacity and coverage across Europe, Africa, Central Asia and the Middle East, enabling next generation mobility solutions for all customer segments, including defense, government and enterprise. Thuraya 4-NGS (Next Generation System) Yahsat Logo Airbus Logo This is a major milestone in Yahsat's commitment towards transforming Thuraya and rolling out its next-generation system, which entails a complete overhaul of its space and ground platforms, enabling a new set of services, products and solutions, across a greater coverage area. The new capabilities will drive leadership across many strategic product lines, such as maritime, IoT, and data solutions offering a wide spectrum of throughput capabilities and the highest speeds available in the market, while reinforcing Thuraya's strengths in the MSS voice market. Thuraya's next generation system will provide a world of opportunities to customers, service partners, hardware manufacturers and integrators, enhancing user experience across land, sea and air to support multiple customer segments, including government, consumer and enterprise. Furthermore, an advanced portfolio of solutions to support government and defense users will accelerate Thuraya's leadership in this market, both within the UAE, regionally and globally. Meanwhile, all existing products and services will continue to be supported by Thuraya's space and ground segments, enabling service continuity during and after the transformation programme. This latest commitment from Yahsat takes its total committed investment to date to well over US$500 million, and more is anticipated in the coming years, including an option with Airbus to build Thuraya 5-NGS (an additional satellite identical to Thuraya 4-NGS), strengthening its coverage and capabilities across the Asia Pacific region. Khaled Al Qubaisi, Chairman of Yahsat's Board of Directors and CEO of Mubadala's Aerospace, Renewables & ICT stated, "The half a billion US dollar commitment, underscores our position as a market leader, pioneer and disruptor. We are creating a multipurpose and flexible satellite ecosystem that is attuned for growth and future diversification and Thuraya 4-NGS is a key milestone in our ongoing mission to provide advanced yet affordable satellite solutions with levels of performance, reliability and security at the leading edge of today's technology." Ali Al Hashemi, CEO of Thuraya and General Manager of Yahsat Government Solutions (YGS) continued, "Thuraya 4-NGS represents a significant evolution of our L-band capabilities, enabling a wider range of interoperable FSS/MSS solutions for Thuraya and YGS customers. This will be critical in delivering superior defense solutions, such as battlefield communications, to our government users, while offering a complete MSS portfolio to all of our current and future customers and partners to drive the next phase of innovation and growth." Jean-Marc Nasr, Head of Airbus Space Systems said, "Building on a relationship with Yahsat that dates back more than 10 years, our selection is testament to the innovation and engineering excellence of Airbus' geostationary satellites. Thuraya 4-NGS, as well as being electric, will also benefit from our latest processed payload technology giving increased flexibility and adaptability over the course of its life in orbit. Yahsat's new project reinforces Airbus Defence and Space's position as the world's number one in electric propulsion satellites." Based on the state-of-the-art all-electric Airbus Eurostar Neo Platform, Thuraya 4-NGS will incorporate a large 12-metre L-band antenna and a payload with on-board processing providing advanced routing flexibility of up to 3200 channels with dynamic power allocation over a large number of spot beams. It is scheduled for operation in 2024. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1225048/Thuraya_Telecommunications_Company.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1225075/Thuraya_Logo.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1225047/Yahsat_Logo.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1225046/Airbus_Logo.jpg SOURCE Thuraya Telecommunications Company https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/yahsat-boosts-thuraya-s-next-generation-capabilities-with-a-commitment-of-over-us-500-million-855138288.html