13 novembre 2019 | International, Aérospatial
November 12, 2019 - In partnership with Thales, Rheinmetall successfully completed modernization of the flight simulators for the Tiger combat helicopter just a few weeks ago. The contract was awarded to ARGE TATM (consisting of Rheinmetall Electronics GmbH and Thales AVS France SAS) in December 2014 through the Organisation Conjointe de Coopération en Matière d'Armement (OCCAR), an organization that fosters cross-border defence procurement cooperation in Europe. With the completion of this programme, French and German armed forces are now able to train their crews in a state-of-the-art virtual environment that ensures full-mission readiness and strengthens flight safety.
For Rheinmetall Electronics and its partners, the contract to modernize the simulators in Le Luc, Fritzlar and Pau meant modifying them to match current configurations of the original aircraft: the Tiger Hélicoptère d'Appui et Destruction (HAD) Block 2 (France) and Kampfhubschrauber Tiger UHT Step 2 Krypto (Germany). In addition, two new simulators were installed in Phalsbourg, France in a record 10-month timeframe, bridging a training capability gap for the French 1st Helicopter Regiment. Now that the modernization programme is complete, a total of twenty flight simulators are in operation at various locations: eight full-mission simulators (FMS) and twelve cockpit procedure simulators (CPT).
The contract encompassed modernization of the software for the basic management system, the updated ETCM navigation system and the mission equipment systems, together with new cockpit hardware. Other measures included integration of the German Operational Support System (OSS), into the simulator for mission preparation and tactical training, coupled with modernization of the existing simulator technology by means of a new visual system, new visual data bases, new projectors for the display systems, and the replacement of obsolete computer technology.
The upgrade process culminated in a binational joint exercise at the École Franco-Allemande (EFA, binational school for aircrew training) in Le Luc, involving six simulated helicopters in twelve networked simulators.
Tiger simulators number among the world's top-performing full-mission simulators for attack helicopters. The multipurpose Tiger combat helicopter is a highly sophisticated weapon system whose replication in a simulator makes immense demands on both hardware and software. At the school in Le Luc, the focus is on flight and weapons training, while in Fritzlar, Pau and Phalsbourg, the primary emphasis is on tactics.
Cooperation between Rheinmetall Electronics GmbH and Thales AVS France SAS continues with ongoing support of the twenty upgraded Tiger simulators.
“The updated system supplied by Thales and Rheinmetall offers full immersive conditions. It combines a genuine Tiger cockpit, accurate aircraft behaviour and a tactical environment reflecting current operational missions. The completely transformed system architecture points the way to future trends in aircraft development”, declares Bertrand Cornet, Project Manager for Germany and France at OCCAR.
View source version on Rheinmetall : https://rheinmetall-defence.com/en/rheinmetall_defence/public_relations/news/latest_news/index_21952.php
28 mai 2021 | International, Aérospatial
Navistar Defense, which was accused of fraudulent pricing of its mine-resistant, ambush-protected vehicles sold to the U.S. Marines Corps, has reached a settlement agreement with the government.
18 juillet 2023 | International, C4ISR
Newer nuclear arms are expected to enter the stockpile after 2030 — and with it comes the opportunity for more-advanced information technology.
5 mars 2020 | International, Aérospatial, Naval, Terrestre, C4ISR, Sécurité
WASHINGTON: DoD is opening a new manufacturing innovation center dedicated to biotechnology to figure out how to replicate “nature's manufacturing plant” on an industrial scale, Pentagon research and engineering head Mike Griffin says. This is “a key new initiative,” Griffin stressed. The idea, he said at the annual McAleese conference, is “to learn how to do in an industrial way what nature has done for us in so many areas of things that we harvest and mine and use ... now that we are beginning to learn how to manipulate genomes.” Such technology could lead to DoD creating its own fuel using synthetic biology methods, for example. This would be a leap beyond ongoing efforts by DARPA that Sydney has widely reported, designed to protect soldiers against an enemy's biotech weapons. “This is a nascent technical area in the world, and especially in the United States,” Griffin told the audience here. “We want the national security community to be out in front on this.” The new center will be the ninth so-called ManTech center, designed to help overcome the so-called ‘valley of death' between research and commercialization by reducing risks. It will be the second ManTech center with a biotech focus: The first, BioFabUSA in New Hampshire, opened in 2016 to develop next-generation manufacturing techniques for repairing and replacing cells and tissues, which for example could lead to the ability to make new skin for wounded soldiers. Griffin elaborated on several other key areas for his two-year old office. DARPA is investing $459 million in the 2021 budget for AI Next, a “campaign” aimed at automating critical DoD business processes; improving the reliability of Artificial Intelligence systems; and enhancing the security of AI and machine learning tech. Griffin said his office is also “working with the Joint Artificial Intelligence Center (JAIC) under the CIO to bring about what we're calling AI Now: what can we do with AI that can get into the field and bring value to the national security community today, and the next day.” On 5G newtorks, he said that his deputy Lisa Porter is in charge of efforts to “figure out how we can use 5G to press our military advantage” and to protect US military networks. DoD launched that effort in 2019, with a $53 million reprogramming, he said. Congress added $200 million in the 2020 appropriations act, he added, and DoD is asking for $484 million in the 2021 budget. A key to future 5G networks and communications will be spectrum sharing, Griffin stressed. “There is no green field spectrum left,” he said, so DoD will have to figure out how to share spectrum to keep up with both its own demand and deal with pressure from commercial industry for it to give up spectrum. https://breakingdefense.com/2020/03/dod-stands-up-new-biotech-manufacturing-center-griffin