28 juillet 2020 | International, Aérospatial
Dassault Aviation CEO Eric Trappier hinted at a new Rafale jet export contract in the making while speaking at his company's first half 2020 financial results conference in Paris earlier this week.
“A potential new Rafale export contract is postponed,” he said while referring to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Dassault's performance without naming the country with whom his company was close to signing the contract with.
This is the first official acknowledgement by Dassault Aviation of a new Rafale export order reaching the contract stage- the first since deals were struck with Egypt, Qatar and India starting 2015.
Reports of India being in talks to buy an additional 36 Rafale aircraft have been going on for a while now, but nothing has been revealed officially as yet.
In addition, Dassault Aviation is in talks with UAE and Malaysia. It is in competition to sell jets to Switzerland and Finland pitted against European rivals Eurofighter and Saab.
Of these prospects, India appears as the most likely candidate even as the first five Rafale jets arrive in India Monday.
Earlier this year, comments by the Indian Chief of Defence Staff, Gen Bipin Rawat that a potential order for 114 jets would be “staggered” set off speculation of an additional order for Rafale fighters.
A staggered purchase (of the Rafales) would ease financial burden by paying for the jets as they are manufactured. In addition, buying additional Rafales would ensure that the jets keep getting supplied to India uninterrupted beyond the end of the first contract for 36 jets.
Several Indian media reports said that French aircraft manufacturer Dassault and India's HAL are in talks for possible cooperation in producing Rafale fighter jets in India for additional anticipated orders under a staggered procurement plan. The Economic Times reported in February this year that a few rounds of discussions have taken place between the two companies on possible work share for additional orders of the Rafale.
In this context ‘work share' could mean local assembly of either the aircraft or some major components. It could also mean installation of some Indian components in the jet. Dassault and HAL are already implementing a contract to modernize India's Mirage-2000 jets.
Additional Rafales could be cheaper than the 36 ordered in 2016 for Euro 7.8 billion. Of the total cost, Euro 195 million was spent on India-specific enhancements which will come down as the majority of the cost was for R & D, modification and certification. Besides, India had paid for setting up two bases for just 36 aircraft. These bases can easily accommodate more jets.
9 avril 2024 | International, Aérospatial
Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall said Tuesday he will enter the cockpit of an F-16 that the service has converted for drone flight to see how it performs.
6 mai 2019 | International, Aérospatial, C4ISR
CANNES, France & WESTMINSTER, Colo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Thales Alenia Space, a Joint Venture between Thales (67%) and Leonardo (33%) and Maxar Technologies (NYSE: MAXR) (TSX: MAXR), have completed an important milestone for the Telesat LEO constellation. Our solution leverages both Maxar and Thales Alenia Space's experience in building LEO constellations and also integrates advanced technologies from Maxar's MDA business. The consortium has now significantly advanced their detailed, low-risk designs for the complete LEO system, including system optimization, requirements development, engineering trade-offs and technology prototyping to establish mature and compelling designs for Telesat LEO's space, ground and user terminal segments. As previously announced, Telesat selected the consortium of Thales Alenia Space and Maxar, as one of two contractors for its LEO system design phase to design an end-to-end communications system, including satellites, landing stations, user terminals, operations centers, and ground network. In January, the consortium, led by Thales Alenia Space, announced the success of the System Requirements Review. The Thales Alenia Space / Maxar design for Telesat LEO is based on the combined companies' proven experience, industrial capability and a strong supplier base for fully integrated communications satellite systems, including payload antenna design, on-board processing, optical inter-satellite links and LEO satellite production. This milestone is the result of fruitful and efficient teamwork between the two commercial companies. “Together with Maxar, we bring a strong expertise in integrated systems, high throughput payloads, advanced antennas and processors, as well as production heritage for constellations of high technology satellites. Leveraging the flight proven success of sophisticated constellations deployed by Thales Alenia Space, we are confident to enable Telesat LEO to deliver low-risk, breakthrough performance and affordability dedicated to broadband services around the world,” declared Martin Van Schaik, Senior VP Sales and Marketing Thales Alenia Space. “Achieving this milestone demonstrates the success of Maxar's close collaboration with Thales Alenia Space and highlights the progress we've made in our innovative and low-risk design for Telesat's LEO constellation. Our solution leverages both Maxar and Thales Alenia Space's experience in building LEO constellations and also integrates advanced technologies from Maxar's MDA business,” said Megan Fitzgerald, Maxar's Senior Vice President and General Manager of Space Solutions. “For over 60 years, Maxar has helped to address many of the world's most challenging communications requirements, delivering some of the most complex, powerful and highest capacity satellite systems, and building a better, more connected world.” The operations of DigitalGlobe, SSL and Radiant Solutions were unified under the Maxar brand in February; MDA continues to operate as an independent business unit within the Maxar organization. https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190506005173/en
30 août 2018 | International, C4ISR
BERLIN (Reuters) - Germany announced a new agency on Wednesday to fund research on cyber security and to end its reliance on digital technologies from the United States, China and other countries. Interior Minister Horst Seehofer told reporters that Germany needed new tools to become a top player in cyber security and shore up European security and independence. “It is our joint goal for Germany to take a leading role in cyber security on an international level,” Seehofer told a news conference with Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen. “We have to acknowledge we're lagging behind, and when one is lagging, one needs completely new approaches.” The agency is a joint interior and defense ministry project. Germany, like many other countries, faces a daily barrage of cyber attacks on its government and industry computer networks. Full article: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-germany-cyber/germany-seeking-independence-from-u-s-pushes-cyber-security-research-idUSKCN1LE1FX