Governments receive plans for industrial tie-up between Fincantieri, Naval Group

Sur le même sujet

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  9 décembre 2019 | International, Aérospatial

  Aérospatial : l'Onera, une pépite oubliée ?

  L'organisme de recherche sur lequel repose en grande partie la dissuasion nucléaire, la surveillance spatiale ou le renseignement des armées, se débat avec un budget contraint et des injonctions contradictoires. Par Anne Bauer Publié le 9 déc. 2019 à 8h00 L'Office national d'études et de recherches aéronautiques (Onera) est-il négligé ? Après une audition de son président, Bruno Sainjon, le Sénat a appelé le ministère des Armées à doter les finances de ce spécialiste de la recherche aéronautique de moyens à la hauteur des ambitions. Les « appels répétés pour doter enfin l'Onera de moyens au niveau de son excellence scientifique et technologique n'ont toujours pas été entendus par le gouvernement », s'indigne la Commission des affaires étrangères et de la défense. La querelle n'est pas nouvelle mais elle prend un mauvais tour. Dans le monde aéronautique, spatial et de défense, l'Onera (1910 salariés dont 291 doctorants) est jugé comme un outil stratégique. Les pales du nouvel hélicoptère léger des armées (le Guépard d'Airbus) sont issues de sa recherche. La France lui doit aussi son système de surveillance de l'espace (Graves). Quant à la dissuasion nucléaire, elle ne serait pas crédible sans les recherches menées par l'Onera sur les statoréacteurs et désormais les superstatoréacteurs (vitesse supérieure à Mach 6). Dans le renseignement enfin, les armées exploitent les techniques radars de l'Onera pour voir par tous les temps et au-delà de la ligne d'horizon. Budget bloqué Pourtant malgré ce palmarès, la subvention (106 millions d'euros prévus en 2020) versée à l'établissement par le Ministère des Armées, n'a quasiment pas varié depuis 2015. En outre, l'établissement, qui a fêté ses 70 ans, voit ses effectifs et ses salaires plafonner à un niveau inférieur à 2015, ce qui le met en danger pour garder ses chercheurs de haut niveau. Alors que l'enveloppe budgétaire consacrée à la recherche est en nette hausse dans le projet de budget 2020, la mise à l'écart de l'Onera est surprenante. Sa recherche étant duale : militaire et civile, l'Office est mal défendu au sein de la Défense, qui souhaiterait que les industriels (Safran, Thales, Airbus, etc.) mettent davantage au pot. En 2019, l'Onera a décroché 120 millions d'euros de contrats en sus de sa subvention, portant ainsi son budget à 235 millions d'euros. Revoir le contrat d'objectifs « L'Onera est une pépite technologique de niveau mondial mais cela ne pourra durer si nous continuons à le sous-doter alors que nos partenaires et concurrents accélèrent leur effort », avertit Christian Cambon, président de la Commission Affaires étrangères et défense au Sénat. De fait, la multiplication des projets prévus par le ministère des Armées plaide pour une renégociation du contrat d'objectifs de l'Onera, qui remonte à 2016. Avant que le gouvernement ne décide de renforcer sa lutte anti drone , ne crée un commandement militaire de l'espace ou ne décide de réaliser en coopération avec l'Allemagne le système de combat aérien du futur (programme Scaf). C'était aussi avant que l'Agence spatiale européenne ne décide d'aider la réalisation de petits lanceurs, alors que l'Onera a fait voler cet été un démonstrateur de système de lancement aéroporté de petits satellites, le système Ataïr. Le projet est gelé alors qu'il est essentiel pour l'avenir. Enfin, l'Onera attend avec impatience de savoir quel rôle jouer pour le Scaf, sachant que son homologue, le DLR, a déjà contractualisé avec l'armée allemande ses recherches sur le sujet. https://www.lesechos.fr/industrie-services/air-defense/aerospatial-lonera-une-pepite-oubliee-1154727

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  8 avril 2024 | International, Terrestre

  Northrop Grumman’s Integrated Battle Command System Demonstrates Another Successful LTAMDS and Patriot Live-Fire Integration

  IBCS unifies current and future assets in the battlespace, regardless of source, service or domain. IBCS has demonstrated its ability to integrate with a wide range of sensors and shooters,...

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  9 janvier 2020 | International, Aérospatial

  US Air Force demonstrates increasing F-35 capabilities

  A little more than four years after receiving their first combat-coded F-35A Joint Strike Fighter aircraft, Hill Air Force Base's fighter wings have achieved full warfighting capability – shedding light on the future of the RAAF's future air combat capability. The term describes a set of focus areas within the 388th and 419th Fighter Wings: fully trained pilots and maintainers, a full complement of 78 aircraft and the mission and support equipment needed to fly. While the designation of full warfighting capability is an important milestone, the wing has been combat capable since the Air Force declared initial operational capability in August 2016. Since then, the wings have participated in several large combat exercises, deployed twice to Europe and once to the Pacific and supported two Middle East combat deployments, including one short-notice tasking. Colonel Steven Behmer, 388th Fighter Wing commander, explained, "Every training opportunity, exercise and deployment we've completed over the past four years has been a key stepping stone in reaching full warfighting capability. "This is just the beginning of sustained F-35A combat operations and we will remain focused on staying ready to deploy whenever, wherever we're needed." The first F-35As arrived at Hill AFB in September 2015 and the final aircraft arrived in December 2019. In the intervening years, airmen at Hill AFB have been training and developing tactics as the aircraft systems and capabilities have matured. Reaching the right balance of qualified manning can be a challenge when activating a brand-new weapon system. The first squadron to stand up, the 34th Fighter Squadron, started with a core of pilots who had some level of F-35A training and experience in other platforms. As the wing began to grow, that experience level was diluted, and each squadron has been through a period where a majority of pilots could be considered "inexperienced wingmen". When the first jets arrived at Hill AFB, about 50 per cent of the maintainers were fully-trained, seasoned F-35 maintainers from Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, and Luke Air Force Base, Arizona. That number decreased due to PCS, retirements and separations. Since then, there has been an influx of new manning with less experience, and every other maintainer has been “homegrown”. "We really relied on our more experienced personnel, and as we received more aircraft, spread them throughout the group to train and equip the next F-35A aircraft maintenance units the right way. When you have the right mix of leadership, with the right focus, they can empower their people and everyone develops maintenance capability quickly," explained Colonel Michael Miles, 388th Maintenance Group Commander. When the first aircraft arrived in 2015, the goal was to fully equip each squadron with 24 primary assigned aircraft and six backups by the end of 2019. That was realised in December with the delivery of the 78th jet. Over that four-year period, the wings received roughly two jets every month and immediately began putting them to use. In the spring of 2016, the 34th FS deployed six jets to RAF Lakenheath, UK. In some cases, the delivery process became so streamlined that the aircraft were able to fly combat training missions within 24 hours of arriving at Hill AFB. This was more than just convenient. It meant that it was possible to deliver a jet from the factory straight into combat if necessary. Fifth-generation technology on the F-35A requires more specialised equipment than legacy aircraft. Every system on the F-35A has an associated piece of equipment to keep aircraft loaded, fueled and flying. There are more than a dozen critical pieces of heavy equipment, from the standard – power generators and weapons loaders, to the unique – 5.8 ton air conditioners to cool the jet's advanced avionics. There's also other equipment – like the high-tech, personalised helmets that integrate with the jet's mission systems – and computer and network systems to support flying and maintenance. COL Miles explained the importance of the milestone: "At IOC (initial operational capability), we had the equipment to support one squadron that could do some semblance of combat operations. Now, as each squadron has progressed, and we're on track to have all the required assets, we demonstrated that we can rely on the program for the technical support and weapons system parts we need while we deployed all our squadrons last summer." In 2019, the wings proved that they could balance the equipment requirements to support all three squadrons away from home station – the 4th FS was deployed to the Middle East, the 421st FS was in Europe and the 34th FS spent two months at Mountain Home AFB, Idaho. In a seven-day span, the wings had aircraft, equipment and personnel operating out of nine different countries. "Through hard work, providing programmatic feedback, and developing new processes and procedures, we shaped and pushed the program. Each airmen can look back with pride and see their contributions over the last four years standing up this wing, and enabling F-35A combat capability for our country," COL Miles added. https://www.defenceconnect.com.au/strike-air-combat/5388-us-air-force-demonstrates-increasing-f-35-capabilities