3,659 Military Aircraft Contracted For Delivery Over Next Decade

Sur le même sujet

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  11 juin 2018 | International, Aérospatial

  South Korea to reboot training helicopter acquisition

  By: Jeff Jeong SEOUL, South Korea ― The South Korean military's long-sought purchase of training helicopters has been ruptured due to price issues, prompting the arms procurement agency to prepare a rebidding process for the aircraft acquisition project code-named TH-X. Bell (formerly Bell Helicopter) and Leonardo Helicopters were competing for the $155 million project to procure 41 training helicopters both for the South Korean Army and the Navy, according to the Defense Acquisition Program Administration, or DAPA. “The TH-X selection, originally due late last year, has been delayed, and a bidder failed to meet some of the TH-X requirements,” DAPA spokesman Kang Hwan-seok said. “As the TH-X acquisition is a competition basis, we're scheduled to proceed with a rebidding soon.” Multiple industry sources said the TH-X negotiations broke down mainly because of cost concerns. “Bidding price was an issue, but there are some other reasons, too,” Kang said, adding his agency would issue a request for proposals again between June and July. He declined to elaborate further. The South Korean military has sought to introduce new training helicopters to replace the older fleet of MD 500s, which have been operational for more than 30 years. The DAPA issued an RFP for the TH-X in November 2015. Bell offered its new 505 Jet Ranger light helicopter, which successfully completed its first flight in November 2014, while Leonardo suggested its SW-4 light single-engine multirole helicopter produced its Polish subsidiary PZL Swidnik. Both companies are expected to participate in the TH-X retender, according to DAPA officials. https://www.defensenews.com/global/asia-pacific/2018/06/01/south-korea-to-reboot-training-helicopter-acquisition/

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  2 juin 2020 | International, Aérospatial

  Aéronautique et spatial : dans un contexte d’incertitude, le militaire s’en sort mieux

  Par Hélène Lerivrain Alors que la filière aéronautique et spatiale est fortement impactée par la crise, l'activité militaire semble avoir été moins touchée par une annulation ou un report des commandes. En témoignent plusieurs acteurs régionaux. Des commandes ont d'ailleurs été honorées en plein confinement. Un Rafale, assemblé à Mérignac (Gironde), a été livré aux Indiens en avril. Ce qui fait très mal au secteur aéronautique et spatial aujourd'hui, c'est l'érosion du carnet de commandes. Safran Helicopter Engines, dont le siège est situé à Bordes dans les Pyrénées-Atlantiques, a ainsi dû faire face à la baisse brutale de l'activité de ses clients et de ses fournisseurs, avec plus de 10 % d'annulations de commandes sur l'année 2020. Il s'agit d'un exemple parmi d'autres. De très nombreuses entreprises de la filière sont touchées, même si certaines s'en sortent mieux que d'autres. "Arianegroup est dans une situation difficile mais moins que ses actionnaires Airbus et Safran. Il faut qu'Ariane 6 soit livrée, donc le travail continue, mais notre chance, c'est surtout que 40 % du chiffre d'affaires du groupe dépend de la stratégie militaire, précisément du missile M51 dont l'activité a été maintenue. La direction générale de l'armement (DGA) continue à nous solliciter pour qu'il n'y ait pas de retard dans les livraisons", explique Philippe Géry, délégué syndical central CFE- CGC d'ArianeGroup. Même discours du côté de chez Potez Aéronautique, spécialiste de la fabrication d'éléments d'aérostructures dans les Landes : "Si l'activité composites a été touchée par la crise, nous n'avons pas vécu d'érosion sur la partie militaire qui représente entre 40 et 45 % de notre chiffre d'affaires", précise Antoine Potez, directeur général de Potez Aéronautique qui livre notamment les empennages de l'E-2D, un avion de surveillance aérienne et de commandement aéroporté. En revanche, pas de commentaire sur l'activité réalisée pour Dassault Aviation. Le groupe lui-même ne communique pas à ce stade : "Concernant le plan de charge, il est encore trop tôt", précisait fin mai le groupe implanté à Mérignac où travaillent 1.700 personnes. En attendant, quoiqu'il arrive, la production a repris sur le site de la métropole bordelaise en particulier pour pouvoir livrer les trois Rafales commandés par les Indiens et ainsi éviter toute pénalité de retard. Quinze appareils doivent, en tout, être livrés cette année. La production s'est également poursuivie sur les Falcon 2000, 7X et 8X pour donner de la charge au site de Little Rock dans l'Arkansas aux Etats-Unis, spécialisé dans la finition, la peinture et l'intérieur. +20 % de temps de production https://objectifaquitaine.latribune.fr/business/2020-06-02/aeronautique-et-spatial-dans-un-contexte-d-incertitude-le-militaire-s-en-sort-mieux-848990.html

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  10 juillet 2019 | International, Aérospatial

  UK shoots for new laser weapons against drones, missiles

  By: Andrew Chuter LONDON – Britain is planning to invest up to $162 million developing three directed-energy weapon demonstrators, including one aimed at killing drones, the Ministry of Defence has announced. The MoD said it had notified industry this week, in what is called a Prior Information Notice, of its intention to procure two laser-based demonstrators and a radio-frequency weapon to “explore the potential of the technology and accelerate its introduction onto the battlefield.” The British look to start the procurement process later this year and hope to have the new systems ready for trials in 2023. A spokesman for the MoD said it's too early to talk about any other timelines or exactly how the weapons development work will be procured. In a statement the MoD said it was forming a new joint program office and is now recruiting personnel to manage the program. The demonstrators are part of the MoD's ‘Novel Weapons Programme,' which is responsible for the trial and implementation of innovative weapon systems. The new arms are expected to reach the frontline within 10 years. The British already have a laser-based technology development effort underway. A £30 million ($37 million) technology demonstrator program known as Dragonfire was awarded to an industry consortium in 2017. Missile maker MBDA, Qinetiq, BAE Systems, Leonardo and others are involved in the industrial effort. The Defence Science and Technology Laboratory is leading the effort from the MoD side. Initial trials on Dragonfire are scheduled to take place this year. The spokesman said that while Dragonfire is about “assessing the viability of the technology, the new work will be looking at issues like size, functionality and exactly how they integrate on existing platforms.” The new program will include two high-energy laser demonstrators. One onboard a ship for air and surface defense applications and a similar laser mounted on a land vehicle for short-range air defense and counter-surveillance applications. The third program is aimed demonstrating a high-power radio frequency weapon mounted on a land vehicle against aerial drones and to counter enemy movements. The weapon is designed to disrupt and disable an adversary's computers and electronics. The MoD statement said Britain already has over 30 years' experience in radio-frequency and directed- energy weapons “during which time the UK has become a world leader in developing new power generation technologies and a global hub for the performance testing and evaluation of these systems.” “The new systems are expected to be trialed in 2023 on Royal Navy ships and Army vehicles but, once developed, both technologies could be operated by all three services. The armed forces will use these exercises to get a better understanding of DEW, test the systems to their limits, and assess how they could be integrated with existing platforms," said the MoD. The MoD released images of the laser weapons mounted on a Type 26 frigate and a Wildcat naval helicopter. The new program still leaves the British playing catch-up in the deployment of laser weapons. The U.S. Navy trialed a laser weapon on an operational warship several years ago and is now planning to install a high-energy laser and integrated optical dazzler with surveillance system on the destroyer Preble in 2021. On the land side, German defense contractor Rheinmetall has been developing a laser weapon for several years and recently undertook comprehensive trials with a weapon station suitable for mounting on a platform like a Boxer armored vehicle. https://www.defensenews.com/global/europe/2019/07/09/uk-shoots-for-new-laser-weapons-against-drones-missiles/