Sikorsky’s new president readies for next-gen vertical lift competition

Sur le même sujet

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  29 novembre 2019 | International, Aérospatial

  Australia chooses General Atomics MQ-9B Sky Guardian RPAS

  The Australian Department of Defence (DoD) has down-selected General Atomics' MQ-9B Sky Guardian for the programme to acquire an armed Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) remotely piloted aircraft system (RPAS). Australia is looking to purchase the MQ-9B unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) for its armed MALE RPAS requirement under Project Air 7003. The DoD has selected the MQ-9B over the MQ-9A unmanned aircraft for the A$1.3bn ($884m) programme. It will now work on preparing an acquisition proposal for government consideration, which is expected to take place in 2021-22. Australia Defence Minister Linda Reynolds said: “Cutting-edge technology of this kind, with advanced sensors and systems, would complement advanced aircraft such as the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter and ensure that Australian Defence Force maintains state-of-the-art capability.” The team assembled by General Atomics to deliver the RPAS for the Australian Defence Force (ADF) is known as Team Reaper Australia. It includes Cobham Aviation Services Australia, Flight Data Systems, Collins Aerospace, Raytheon Australia, Airspeed, CAE Australia, Sentient Vision Systems, Ultra Electronics Australia, Quickstep Technologies and TAE Aerospace. Australia Defence Industry Minister Melissa Price said: “Local companies that provide a range of innovative sensor, communication, manufacturing and lifecycle support capabilities will have the opportunity to showcase their capabilities throughout this development process. “Australian defence industries are world-class and are extremely well-placed to be involved in projects like this.” The DoD select General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc (GA-ASI) to provide an armed RPAS solution in November last year. To be operated by the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), the MQ-9B drone is part of the MQ-9 series of unmanned systems. Belgium and the UK also selected the MQ-9B Sky Guardian to meet their defence requirements. https://www.airforce-technology.com/news/australia-general-atomics-mq-9b-sky-guardian/

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  17 juillet 2020 | International, Aérospatial

  Lockheed’s IRST Stealth Detection Pod Passes AF Milestones

  "The Legion Pod uses an advanced IRST technology that gives 4th generation fighters the ability to 'see' stealth aircraft that traditional radar cannot," says an Air Combat Command spokesperson. By THERESA HITCHENSon July 16, 2020 at 3:37 PM WASHINGTON: The Air Force is a step closer to fielding the Legion Pod infra-red search and track (IRST) system on its F-15 and F-16 fleets — a passive sensor that gives pilots a long-range ability to track stealthy aircraft without giving away their own presence. The Lockheed Martin-built IRST system just passed two major testing milestones: the first shot of an AIM-9X air-to-air missile from an F-15C Eagle using the Legion Pod for targeting; and the first flight of an operational F-16 Fighting Falcon with the Legion Pod, Air Combat Command announced Tuesday in a press release. “This is exceptionally important, as the Legion Pod uses an advanced IRST technology that gives 4th generation fighters the ability to ‘see' stealth aircraft that traditional radar cannot,” an Air Combat Command spokesperson says in an email. Because it uses infrared to track an airplane's heat signature, the system isn't affected by radar jamming. Further, IRST systems are passive, meaning the Legion Pod can act without emitting any radiation of its own that might allow an enemy to recognize they are being targeted. The Air Force is driving toward initial operational capability (IOC) for the Legion Pod by the end of the year, under a rapid testing program managed by the Operational Flight Program Combined Test Force (OFP CTF). The unit is unique in that it reports both to Air Combat Command and Air Materiel Command, and is empowered to do developmental and operational testing at the same time — unlike traditional sequential testing programs. “The OFP CTF's work on the Legion Pod is done differently than the traditional acquisitions method,” Lt. Col. Thomas Moser, the unit's commander, says in the press release. “We actually started testing the pod in a Pre-Developmental Test (DT) phase in early 2019 and got it to an eighty percent solution before it ever entered the official developmental phase. This ultimately allowed us to go through the developmental and operational testing quicker. What would normally take several years has been reduced to eighteen months from the start of DT to expected fielding.” The Air Force selected the Legion Pod to equip the F-15C fleet in 2017; and Lockheed Martin received a contract for the system from prime contractor Boeing in 2018 for development and low-rate initial production of 19 pods. “Currently, we are under contract for 38 LRIP systems,” Lockheed Martin spokesperson Dana Edwards Szigeti tells Breaking D in an email. “The next generation Block II systems are also under development with the U.S. Navy and we look to transition that to Legion Pod for the U.S. AF and Air National Guard over the next few years. Block II significantly increases system performance.” The new F-15EX jets also will be compatible with the pod, according to Boeing's program manager Prat Kumar — although there isn't a formal contract yet. The system is based on Lockheed Martin's IRST21 sensor, also being used by the Navy in its Block III F/A-18E/F Super Hornet fleet. In addition, Lockheed in May received an indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity (ID/IQ) contract, worth up to $485 million, that will allow the US military services and allies to buy the IRT21 sensor, as well as other sensor products such as the Sniper Advanced Targeting Pod and the LANTIRN Extended Range pod, for five years at pre-set price points. That contract vehicle will allow the Air Force to equip the F-16 fleet with the Legion Pod, Edwards Szigeti said. https://breakingdefense.com/2020/07/lockheeds-irst-stealth-detection-pod-passes-af-milestones/

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  29 janvier 2024 | International, Naval

  HII is awarded advanced planning contract fot USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) RCOH

   The contract, which has the total potential value of $913 million, includes engineering, design, material procurement and fabrication, documentation, resource forecasting and pre-overhaul inspections.