14 janvier 2021 | International, Naval
PARIS — France's Andromède mine-hunting ship is now being propelled by a 3D-printed propeller designed and manufactured by Naval Group, the company announced on Wednesday.
Emmanuel Chol, director of Naval Group's Nantes-Indret site where the propeller was made, said, “It is the largest metal 3D-printed thruster ever to have been manufactured and the first propeller resulting from this technology, embarked on board a military ship and manufactured for use beyond just sea trials.”
Weighing 1 metric ton, the propeller is made of five 200 kg (441 pounds) blades which were manufactured using a wire arc additive manufacturing (WAAM) procedure, less well known than other metal 3D printing techniques but better suited for large-scale applications. It works by melting metal wire heated by an electric arc. The process is controlled by a robotic arm.
The French subsidiary of the Japanese group Yaskawa provided the robots and manufacturing tools for this project.
Naval Group worked with Bureau Veritas to guarantee that the testing, inspection and certification requirements (like corrosion, fatigue, shock resistance) were met so that the Fleet Support Services organization and the DGA French procurement agency could authorize the trial of the blades on a military ship.
The propeller was transferred from the manufacturing site to Brest in October 2020 where it was mounted on the propeller shaft of the Andromède. The ship is one of France's 10 Tripartite mine hunters built in the 1980s, eight of which – including the Andromède – will not be retired for another decade.
Sea trials in December were successful, so now the mine-hunter can return to normal operations, equipped with its printed propeller.
Eric Balufin, director of Naval Group's site in Brest says “the assembly of this 3D-printed propeller shows great promise for the future. This new technology will enable us to considerably reduce technical constraints, and therefore allow for new manufacturing solutions for complex geometrical shapes which cannot be produced through conventional processes.”
12 novembre 2021 | International, Aérospatial
From an ornithopter UAS to a $95 billion Boeing commitment, there have been some huge announcements at the Dubai Airshow over the years.Ensure you are across this years developments by keeping up to date with the 2021 show.
13 mai 2022 | International, Aérospatial, Naval, Terrestre, C4ISR, Sécurité
Comme l'a souligné la Cour des comptes dans le rapport qu'elle a publié le 11 mai sur les capacités des forces françaises, la trajectoire financière
10 mars 2020 | International, Aérospatial, Naval, Terrestre, C4ISR, Sécurité
By: Chiara Vercellone WASHINGTON — The United States was the largest exporter of major arms from 2015-2019, delivering 76 percent more materiel than runner-up Russia, according to a new study by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute think tank. The U.S. contributed about 35 percent of all the world's arms exports during that five-year time period, partly supported by the increased demand for American advanced military aircraft in Europe, Australia, Japan and Taiwan, said Pieter Wezeman, a senior researcher at SIPRI. The study found that the U.S. provided major arms — defined by the think tank as air defense systems, armored vehicles, missiles and satellites, among other materiel — to 96 countries in those five years, with half of the weapons going to the Middle East. From 2015-2019, Russia's major arms exports decreased by 18 percent; France's increased by 72 percent, making it the third largest exporter; and Germany's increased by 17 percent, making it the fourth largest exporter. Worldwide arms exports rose nearly 6 percent in 2015-2019 from 2010-2014, and increased 20 percent from since 2005-2009, SIPRI said. Arm exports to countries in conflict in the Middle East increased by 61 percent in 2015-2019 compared to 2010-2014, the study showed. Saudi Arabia, the country to which the U.S. exported the most arms, was the largest importer globally in 2015-2019. The kingdom's imports increased 130 percent compared to the previous five-year period. Armored vehicles, trainer aircraft, missiles and guided bombs were among the leading arms purchased by the kingdom. Despite attempts in Congress to restrict arms exports to Saudi Arabia, the delivery of major arms, including 30 combat aircraft ordered in 2011, continued in 2019 as the U.S. provided 73% of Saudi Arabia's imports. In May, U.S. President Donald Trump issued an emergency declaration to push through an $8 billion arms deal with Saudi Arabia and other Middle Eastern countries for precision-guided bombs and related components. In July, he said blocking the sale of arms to Saudi Arabia would “weaken America's global competitiveness and damage the important relationship [the United States] share with [its] allies and partners.” U.S. arms exports to Europe and Africa increased by 45 percent and 10 percent, respectively, in 2015-2019. U.S. arms exports to Asia and the Oceania region decreased by 20 percent, as a result of fewer arms exports to India, Pakistan, Singapore, South Korea and Taiwan. Since 2018, the U.S. has exported almost 100 major weapons to international organizations like the United Nations, the African Union and NATO, the report said, noting that Russia did not send weapons to these organizations. Among the top 10 arms exporters outside Europe and North America, Israel and South Korea showed the biggest increase in exports. Israeli arms exports increased by 77 percent in 2015-2019 — a record for the country, according to the study. South Korea, which showed a 143 percent increase during that same time period, more than doubled its number of export clients. https://www.defensenews.com/2020/03/09/who-were-the-largest-major-arms-exporters-in-the-last-5-years/