14 avril 2022 | International, Aérospatial, Naval, Terrestre, C4ISR, Sécurité

Europe's defense firms feel the squeeze of shortages, sanctions

The aftermath of a yearslong pandemic and a protracted land war in Europe is causing defense contractors to take a serious look at how to sustain their supply chains.

https://www.defensenews.com/industry/2022/04/11/europes-defense-firms-feel-the-squeeze-of-shortages-sanctions/

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  • Trump admin officially makes it easier to export military drones

    27 juillet 2020 | International, Aérospatial

    Trump admin officially makes it easier to export military drones

    By: Aaron Mehta and Valerie Insinna   This is a developing story. Stay tuned for updates. WASHINGTON — The U.S. State Department has officially loosened restrictions on exporting military-grade unmanned aerial vehicles to foreign nations, a move long sought by the defense industry. Under a new policy announced Friday, unmanned aerial systems that fly at speeds below 800 kph will no longer be subject to the “presumption of denial” that, in effect, blocked most international sales of drones such as the MQ-9 Reaper and the RQ-4 Global Hawk. R. Clarke Cooper, the assistant secretary bureau of political-military affairs, announced a change to how the United States interprets the Missile Technology Control Regime, or MTCR, Friday. News that the change was imminent, and that it would focus on reinterpreting the regulations with a focus on speed, was first reported Thursday by Defense News. The U.S. government's interpretation of the export controls had led to a blanket denial of most countries' requests to buy “category-1” systems capable of carrying 500-kilogram payloads for more than 300 kilometers. Instead of having a “presumption of denial” for those drones, where export officials needed special circumstances to allow the sale of the drones, the new guidance would mean those officials would now consider proposed sales using the same criteria as they do for other military exports. Cooper stressed that the UAVs covere includes “no risk for weapons of mass destruction delivery. Higher-speed systems such as cruise missiles, hypersonic aerial vehicles, and advanced unmanned combat aerial vehicles are not affected by this revision.” The regulations were primarily introduced to regulate the sale of cruise missiles abroad, but the interpretation also covers certain unmanned vehicles. The United States has been exploring a change in how to interpret the MTCR for some time, with discussions centered around the “presumption of denial” clause for category-1 UAVs. Speaking at the Hudson Institute shortly after Cooper's remarks, Assistant Secretary for International Security and Nonproliferation Chris Ford stressed said the administration plans to keep pushing other nations in the agreement to come to a similar stance, but that “the United States is not willing to let U.S. interests be forever held hostage” by international decision makers. Ford also said that there is a specific member of the MTCR “seems to have prioritized reflexive opposition to anything the United States proposes,” and would block any potential changes. Although not listed by name, Ford later indicated he was talking about Russia. In a statement, Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., the ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, called the move a “reckless decision” that makes it “more likely that we will export some of our deadliest weaponry to human rights abusers across the world.” Menendez has been central in trying to block arms sales to Saudi Arabia over human rights concerns. Industry impact The decision primarily opens up sales opportunities for General Atomics and Northrop Grumman, which manufacture multiple slow-moving UAS impacted by the presumption of denial clause. Most medium-altitude, long-endurance systems like General Atomics' MQ-1 Predator and MQ-9 Reaper fly at slow speeds, with the Reaper clocking in with a cruise speed of 230 mph, or 370 kph, according to an Air Force fact sheet. Northrop Grumman's RQ-4 Global Hawk, a high-altitude drone used for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, flies at a cruise speed of about 357 mph, or 575 kph. Immediately after the announcement, both companies issued statement heralding the change. “It is critical for our national security that our export policies continue to keep pace with the rapid evolution of technology and support collaboration with our allies,” said Northrop Grumman spokesman Tim Paynter. He pointed to the company's MQ-8 Fire Scout as another UAS that could be more widely exported as a result of the new interpretation. In addition, Niki Johnson, General Atomic's vice president for government affairs and strategic communications, said “We welcome the changes announced today that will alter the treatment of General Atomics' UAS under U.S. export policy. We look forward to this announcement leading to approvals for sales to a larger portion of the international market.” Ford declined to speculate about how much money may trade hands as a result of the change, aside from broadly saying he expects it will have a “ripple effect” for countries who may be on the market for unmanned systems. While broadly seen by the defense industry as a positive step forward, one industry source expressed concerns that the changes announced Friday could ultimately be toothless. In April 2018, the Trump administration announced a number of policy reforms aimed at speeding up the sales process, such as allowing certain UAS to be exported via the Direct Commercial Sales process as opposed to the more laborious Foreign Military Sales process. But those changes did not have the intended consequences, the industry official said. “Implementation of the 2018 policy was very slow. It did not actually lead to that many new approvals in terms of countries that we can export to. So while we think this change will help us overcome the MTCR question during the policy review process, we still think that there is a higher hurdle for UAS within the conventional arms transfer policy ordeal,” the source said. Companies could still hit “brick walls” within the normal State Department arms sale process if, for instance, the department finds that drone sales negatively alter the military balance among countries in a given region. “The question for us is: Does this lead to policy approvals that allow us to go sell?” the source said. This person added that if sales do not immediately begin to move forward, it's possible that — should former Vice President Joe Biden win the presidential election in November — the incoming Democratic administration could roll back the MTCR interpretation changes. During a phone call with reporters, Cooper stressed that the change in policy will not result in a blanket approval for all UAS sales. “It is case by case,” he said. “It's not just a matter of addressing the [MTCR] requirement, because while UAS systems vary widely in their sophistication and application, it's incumbent upon the United States that we ensure that the systems we sell are used responsibly and will not threaten our interest or those of our allies.” Rachel Stohl, vice president for defense issues at the Stimson Center, called the unilateral decision by the White House “yet another affront to international agreements and global arms controls.” “Let me be clear: A presumption of denial is not a ‘no,' ” Stohl said. “It just means you have to work a little harder to get to ‘yes' and ensure that a lethal system that can change the nature of conflict, has raised serious questions and concerns about the legitimacy, legality, and strategic efficacy of their use, and has demonstrably impacted civilian lives is in the best interest of the United States. “Once again, the Trump administration is focused on short-term economic gain rather than medium- to long-term security and foreign policy interests.” But Michael Horowitz, a professor and director of the Perry World House at the University of Pennsylvania, argues that the change is long overdue. “Treating uninhabited aircraft as missiles for export policy purposes doesn't work,” Horowitz said. “It has allowed China to capture a significant chunk of the drone export market, including with U.S. allies and partners.” However, Horowitz added that the decision to focus on speed may miss the big picture. “Rather than simply treating uninhabited aircraft as aircraft for export purposes, the new policy creates a speed test that addresses issues for current platforms,” he said. “Depending on implementation, this could be a policy improvement, but it could also lead to issues down the road as the uninhabited aircraft category evolves.” https://www.defensenews.com/industry/2020/07/24/us-state-department-officially-makes-it-easier-to-export-military-drones/

  • British next-generation fighter program taps new suppliers

    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. https://www.defensenews.com/global/europe/2020/07/20/british-next-generation-fighter-program-taps-new-suppliers

  • US Army Deploys New Battlefield Counter-UAS Capability

    25 juin 2019 | International, Aérospatial

    US Army Deploys New Battlefield Counter-UAS Capability

    Author: Mike Rees The U.S. Army has announced that its Howler counter unmanned aerial system (UAS) capability has achieved Initial Operational Capability, putting critical protection against drones in the hands of soldiers. Howler, a name coined by the U.S. Army, combines the capabilities of Raytheon's Ku band radio frequency system multi-mission simultaneous radar and Coyote unmanned aircraft system. The KuRFS advanced electronically scanned array acquires and tracks all size UAS threats. Coyote works with KuRFS using its advanced seeker and warhead to identify and eliminate UAS threats. “We developed and fielded this system in just 17 months,” said Bryan Rosselli, vice president of Mission Systems and Sensors. “Detecting the drone threat is the first critical step in the counter-UAS kill chain. The combination of precise tracking and engagement of these two proven systems gives the U.S. Army a vital capability to defeat this constantly evolving threat.” In addition to providing advanced situational awareness, precise discrimination and mobility to successfully counter UAS threats, Howler gives the Army singular flexibility to adapt to the quickly changing, multidimensional threat environment. “Test after test proves that our Coyote is an integral solution for defeating the growing number of enemy drones in the skies above the battlefield,” said Sam Deneke, Raytheon Land Warfare Systems vice president. “Protecting soldiers on the ground is a top priority, and this new system truly delivers.” Raytheon's portfolio of sensors, and kinetic and non-kinetic effectors networked into a command and control system covers the full counter-UAS kill chain. https://www.unmannedsystemstechnology.com/2019/06/us-army-deploys-new-battlefield-counter-uas-capability/

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