L'inflation fait gonfler le coût des nouveaux avions de combat F-35

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  5 mars 2019 | International, Aérospatial

  La Suisse organise les essais d'évaluation pour son futur chasseur

  Helen Chachaty Le processus de remplacement des F-5 Tiger et des F/A-18 Hornet de l'aviation de chasse helvète bat son plein. Suite au lancement de l'appel d'offres en juillet 2018, l'agence d'acquisition d'armement armasuisse a réceptionné le 25 janvier dernier les offres de cinq industriels : Airbus, Boeing, Dassault Aviation, Lockheed Martin et Saab. Le contrat est estimé à 6,5 milliards d'euros et prévoit la livraison de 30 à 40 appareils entre 2025 et 2030. Prochaine étape : l'évaluation des aéronefs proposés, sur simulateur, au sol et en vol. Si l'évaluation sur simulateur se tiendra « chez les candidats », les essais au sol et en vol seront effectués directement en Suisse, sur la base aérienne de Payerne, au sud-ouest de Berne, entre le mois d'avril et le mois de juin prochain. Ils comprendront un total de huit missions « avec un ou deux avions », « sur quatre journées de vol », ainsi qu'un vol de nuit. «Ces essais permettront de vérifier les capacités de avions et les données fournies dans les offres soumises », précise le Département fédéral de la défense, de la protection de la population et des sports(DDPS). Le calendrier des évaluations a également été publié par le DDPS. C'est l'Eurofighter d'Airbus qui ouvrira le bal en avril, suivi du F/A-18 Super Hornet de Boeing fin avril-début mai. Dassault Aviation présentera le Rafale entre la mi-mai et la fin du mois. Le F-35A de Lockheed Martin volera les deux premières semaines de juin, suivi immédiatement après du Gripen E de Saab. Une synthèse des données collectées sera ensuite réalisée, un second appel d'offres est prévu en 2020, le choix final devrait être fait en 2022. https://www.journal-aviation.com/actualites/41963-la-suisse-organise-les-essais-d-evaluation-pour-son-futur-chasseur

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  22 mai 2020 | International, Aérospatial, Naval, Terrestre, C4ISR, Sécurité

  French defense industry plays catch-up as lockdown partially lifts

  By: Christina Mackenzie PARIS — As France slowly emerges from an almost complete industry shutdown imposed March 16 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, defense company executives are considering their next steps. Stephane Mayer, Eric Trappier and Herve Guillou — respectively presidents of the groups of French industries for land and air-land (GICAT), air and space (GIFAS), and naval (GICAN) systems — were witnesses at an April 23 hearing by the National Assembly's Defence Committee. They said that despite the partial return of employees to work, the supply chain is still experiencing problems. The three industry leaders explained that following discussions with unions and the implementation of modifications in the workplace that enable employees to work while maintaining a distance of at least 1 meter between each other, about 30 percent of the workforce on production sites was back by April 23. Those able to work from home are doing so, they added. More employees returned to work on May 11 when the lockdown was eased, but personnel who can continue to work from home are being urged to do, they said. Meanwhile, shifts are being modified to ensure workers don't arrive and leave at the same time, they added. However, all three agreed that the supply chain had been interrupted, most notably in the aeronautical sector because of its dual military-civilian role and the near-total halt in air traffic, which negatively affected imports. They explained that during the lockdown, defense industry leaders and the French procurement office DGA jointly set out priorities for programs and established what activities must be maintained to ensure the military continues its missions within France and in foreign theaters. How are exports performing? All three were also unanimous in their analysis that the French defense sector could take a hit in the export market, noting that German companies never completely stopped their activities; China was quick to reconnect with potential export clients; and the American defense sector benefits both from the continuation of much of its production capacity and massive support from the federal government. This was later repeated by Guillou at a video conference organized this week by the Foundation for Strategic Research think tank. “None of us can survive unless we have 50 percent of our order intake from the export market," Guillou said. "Even if the French market returns to normal, we still have that 50 percent export segment to worry about. If we want to remain competitive on the world export market, keeping in mind that the Chinese ramped up before we did, that the Russians, Germans and Dutch never stopped, we will have to restore our competitivity extremely quickly ... to stay in the race and not lose a part of this market forever.” He also stressed that the need to catch up is a major concern of the French defense industry. What about the supply chain? The supply chain in France is largely made up of small and medium-sized enterprises. Eric Beranger, CEO of European missile-maker MBDA, told French Armed Forces Minister Florence Parly on May 6 that some of the 1,200 French suppliers that work for the company are now very fragile due to the developing economic crisis. Guillou remarked during the video conference that the “terrific solidarity” among the supply chain and subcontractors, as well the prime contractors in the naval sector, is something he'd never come across in his 40-year career. But he added that the small and medium-sized enterprises serving the aeronautical sector are suffering more. The Armed Forces Ministry began slowly ramping up on May 7 based on two principles: preserving the health of staff and their families (all personnel, civilian or military, have been given masks, which must be worn by those who work in confined spaces such as workshops, restaurants or vehicles); and continuing with the ministry's essential mission. This includes programs meant to keep fielded weapons and equipment in operational condition, but it also concerns the delivery of new materials. “The reversibility of the procedures means that were the epidemic to break-out again within the ministry we would be able to handle it,” a May 7 ministry statement said. https://www.defensenews.com/industry/2020/05/21/french-defense-industry-plays-catch-up-as-lockdown-partially-lifts/

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  20 février 2018 | International, Aérospatial, Naval, Terrestre, C4ISR, Sécurité

  AI makes Mattis question ‘fundamental’ beliefs about war

  By: Aaron Mehta WASHINGTON – Over the years, Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis has cultivated a reputation for deep thinking about the nature of warfare. And during that time, he has come to a few conclusions about what he calls the “fundamental” nature of combat. “It's equipment, technology, courage, competence, integration of capabilities, fear, cowardice — all these things mixed together into a very fundamentally unpredictable fundamental nature of war,” Mattis explained Feb. 17. “The fundamental nature of war is almost like H20, ok? You know what it is.” Except, that might not be true anymore. During a return flight from Europe, Mattis was asked about artificial intelligence — a national priority for industry and defense departments across the globe, and one driving major investments within the Pentagon — and what the long-term impact of intelligent machines on the nature of war might be. “I'm certainly questioning my original premise that the fundamental nature of war will not change. You've got to question that now. I just don't have the answers yet,” he said. It's both a big-picture, heady question, and one that the department needs to get its head around in the coming years as it looks to offload more and more requirements onto AI. And it's a different question than the undeniable changes that will be coming to what Mattis differentiated as the character, not nature, of war. “The character of war changes all the time. An old dead German [Carl von Clausewitz] called it a ‘chameleon.' He said it changes to adapt to its time, to the technology, to the terrain, all these things,” Mattis said. He also noted that the Defense Innovation Board, a group of Silicon Valley experts who were formed by previous defense secretary Ash Carter, has been advising him specifically on AI issues. For now, the Pentagon is focused on man-machine teaming, emphasizing how AI can help pilots and operators make better decisions. But should the technology develop the way it is expected to, removing a man from the loop could allow machine warfare to be fully unleashed. Mattis and his successors will have to grapple with the question of whether AI so radically changes everything, that war itself may not resemble what it has been for the entirety of human history. Or as Mattis put it, “If we ever get to the point where it's completely on automatic pilot and we're all spectators, then it's no longer serving a political purpose. And conflict is a social problem that needs social solutions.” https://www.defensenews.com/intel-geoint/2018/02/17/ai-makes-mattis-question-fundamental-beliefs-about-war/