16 septembre 2020 | International, Aérospatial

USAF Inches Closer To KC-46 Vision System Decision

The head of the U.S. Air Force's mobility fleet needs more data from Boeing on the KC-46 Remote Vision System (RVS) upgrade plan to determine if an interim fix is worth taking the maintenance downtime.

Boeing is upgrading the RVS to version 1.5, which is now renamed the enhanced RVS that the company promises will deliver sharper imaging, Air Mobility Command chief Gen. Jacqueline Van Ovost told reporters Sept. 14.

“But the proof is in the pudding when it comes to whether or not it actually would provide additional operational capability or additional safety,” she said.

Van Ovost and the head of the Pentagon's operational test and evaluation office met with Boeing on Sept. 4 for KC-46 briefings. Toward the end of September, Van Ovost expects a briefing on why the Pentagon should implement enhanced RVS at no cost to the Air Force.

Air Force Research Laboratory personnel will participate in the discussion on whether the service should pursue enhanced RVS or wait until 2.0 comes online, she said.

Boeing began flight testing the enhanced RVS in June, which includes numerous software changes and a few hardware updates.

If the government opts not to deploy the upgrade, the fixes identified for RVS 1.5 will flow into the 2.0 version that is slated for fielding in the second half of 2023.

“If the Air Force decides to deploy initial RVS enhancements we could provide aircraft with those during the second half of 2021 (calendar year),” Mike Hafer, KC-46 global sales and marketing at Boeing, said in a Sept. 15 statement. “The full suite of state-of-the-art enhancements, commonly known as RVS 2.0, should be installed in tankers we deliver starting in late 2023 or early in 2024.”

https://aviationweek.com/shows-events/afa-air-space-cyber-conference/usaf-inches-closer-kc-46-vision-system-decision

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26 mars 2019 | International, Aérospatial

Fonds européen de défense : 100 millions d'euros pour l'eurodrone
Par Justine BOQUET La Commission Européenne a annoncé qu'un budget global de 525 millions d'euros avait été débloqué au titre du fonds européen de Défense, dont 100 millions devraient être attribués pour le programme Eurodrone. La Commission Européenne a détaillé le 19 mars la répartition du budget du fonds européen de défense pour la période 2019-2020. Un budget initial de 500 millions d'euros a ainsi été approuvé. A cela s'ajoute « un montant supplémentaire de 25 millions d'euros [qui] a été affecté à l'appui aux projets de recherche collaboratifs dans le domaine de la défense en 2019 », rapporte la Commission Européenne. Deux projets ont d'ores et déjà été sélectionnés, lesquels bénéficieront d'un soutien financier émanant du FED. Parmi eux, figure l'eurodrone. Le drone male européen, développé par Airbus, Dassault et Leonardo, obtient ainsi un financement de 100 millions d'euros. Le programme de communications militaires ESSOR hérite lui d'une enveloppe de 37 millions d'euros. L'institution a par la même détaillé les domaines qui devraient hériter d'un financement, dans le but de soutenir la BITD européenne et pour permettre aux Etats Membres de se doter d'équipements leur permettant d'assurer leur sécurité. « L'accent sera mis sur des domaines tels que la technologie des drones, la communication par satellite, les systèmes d'alerte rapide, l'intelligence artificielle, la cyberdéfense ou la surveillance maritime », précise la Commission. Afin de sélectionner les programmes qui bénéficieront d'un soutien européen, l'Union Européenne réalisera un appel à propositions pour 21 projets sur la période 2019-2020. Parmi les axes technologiques soutenus par la Commission Européenne, on retrouve la prévention des menaces NRBC et le domaine de l'anti-drones, volet qui hérite d'un montant de 80 M€. La cybersécurité, la cyberdéfense, la surveillance de l'espace, les capacités d'alerte rapide et de surveillance maritime bénéficieront d'une enveloppe globale de 182 M€. « 71 millions d'euros soutiendront la mise à niveau ou le développement de la prochaine génération de capacités de frappe de précision au sol, de capacités de combat au sol, de capacités de lutte aérienne et de futurs systèmes navals », ajoute la Commission Européenne. Pour soutenir le domaine de l'intelligence artificielle, de la réalité virtuelle et des cybertechnologies, l'Union Européenne débloquera une enveloppe de 27 millions d'euros, laquelle permettra par ailleurs d'appuyer les PME dans la conduite de leurs projets. http://www.air-cosmos.com/fonds-europeen-de-defense-100-millions-d-euros-pour-l-eurodrone-121705
22 décembre 2020 | International, Aérospatial

Japan releases record-high budget, but not all programs made the cut
By: Mike Yeo MELBOURNE, Australia — Japan's defense budget for the next fiscal year will set a record high for the seventh year running, although the approved figure is still lower than that requested by the Defense Ministry. The country's Finance Ministry approved a budget of $51.5 billion for the Defense Ministry, which is $3.5 billion lower that the Defense Ministry requested in September. Funds expected to upgrade Japan's fleet of fighter jets were removed as part of the reduction. Specifically, the request for $205 million to upgrade the Japan Air Self-Defense Force's F-15J Eagle interceptors was cut in full. The upgrade would have seen the interceptors get new radars and mission computers, and equipped with standoff land-attack missiles. But local media reports said the escalating costs of nonrecurring engineering work prompted a rethink of the program. Japan requested and received the U.S State Department's approval for the upgrade of up to 98 F-15Js for an estimated cost of up to $4.5 billion. The work would have been carried out by F-15 manufacturer Boeing in conjunction with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, which built the Japanese jets under license in the 1980s. Plans to buy two more Kawasaki C-2 airlifters and 25 wheeled Type 16 combat vehicles were also impacted, with the adjusted budget now allocating funds for only one C-2 and 22 Type 16. However, plans for Japan to acquire four more Lockheed Martin F-35A conventional-takeoff-and-landing jets and two F-35B short-takeoff-and-vertical-landing jets over the next fiscal year will go ahead. Japan has an eventual requirement for 105 F-35As and 42 F-35Bs, which makes it potentially the biggest operator of the Joint Strike Fighter outside of the United States. The country announced earlier this week that it selected Lockheed Martin to partner with local industry in the development of a next-generation fighter jet. The approved budget also allocates $323 million to increase the range of the indigenous truck-launched Type 12 anti-ship missile, with Japan seeking to eventually use the missile from aircraft and ships to strike naval targets from standoff distances. Budget documents also confirmed Japan is conducting a feasibility study on building two more destroyers fitted with the Aegis combat system and radars to beef up ballistic missile defense. The move follows the decision to cancel plans to build two Aegis Ashore systems on Japanese soil due to the danger of boosters from the missile interceptors falling onto populated areas. Previous local media reports said the proposed destroyers would use the Lockheed Martin AN/SPY-7(V)1 radar, which was also selected by Japan for the canceled Aegis Ashore systems. The budget is for the forthcoming Japanese fiscal year, which starts April 1, 2021. https://www.defensenews.com/global/asia-pacific/2020/12/21/japan-releases-record-high-budget-but-not-all-programs-made-the-cut/
31 mai 2021 | International, Aérospatial

US Air Force asks to retire 201 older aircraft, plans to invest in R&D and new aircraft
The US Air Force is asking the US Congress to let it retire 201 aircraft in fiscal year 2022, in order to reinvest savings from not operating and maintaining those aircraft into research and development, as well as procurement of next-generation aircraft and weapons.

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