US Navy memo warns of cyber risks amid global tensions

Sur le même sujet

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  16 juillet 2020 | International, Aérospatial, Naval, Terrestre, C4ISR, Sécurité

  House defense spending bill would give the MQ-9 Reaper drone a second life

  By: Valerie Insinna WASHINGTON —The House Appropriations Committee is aiming to resuscitate the MQ-9 Reaper program, which the Air Force wants to curtail in fiscal 2021. The committee's version of the FY21 spending bill, which its defense subcommittee will deliberate Wednesday in a closed hearing, would allocate $344 million for 16 MQ-9 Reaper drones. The language is a good sign for the aircraft's manufacturer, General Atomics, which stood to lose hundreds of millions of dollars in sales if the Air Force stopped buying the aircraft. The service in FY20 had planned to buy nine MQ-9s in FY21, 17 in FY22, two in FY23 and three in FY24, but zeroed out all plans to buy additional Reaper drones as part of its FY21 budget request. However, the Reaper isn't home free just yet. The Senate Appropriations Committee has yet to unveil its own version of the legislation, leaving it unclear whether the Senate will concur with the House committee's spending bill. The MQ-9 wasn't the only aircraft program to get a boost from House appropriators. The committee added 12 more F-35s to the budget, for a total of 91 jets and $9.3 billion. The lawmakers are also planning to authorize $965 million for 11 C-130J aircraft — an increase of two planes — and they boosted the number of V-22 Ospreys tilt-rotor aircraft from nine to 11. The bill also beefs up the investment for the UH-60 Black Hawk with an additional $141 million, funding a total of 42 helicopters. The legislation funds three P-8A Poseidon submarine-hunting planes for the Navy Reserve force. Those aircraft were not originally included in the budget. The Navy would get an additional E-2D Advanced Hawkeye, for a total of five planes costing $791 million. The committee also approved $1 billion for nine CH-53K helicopters, two more than the request. Additionally, the legislation would allow U.S. Special Operations Command to begin its Armed Overwatch Program, but the bill summary did not state how much funding would be allotted in FY21. The House committee fully funded most other major military aircraft programs, including money for 50 AH-64 Apache attack helicopters, five CH-47 Chinook Block II cargo helicopters and long-lead funding for additional Chinooks for the Army. The Air Force would get 12 F-15EX fighters, 15 KC-46 tankers and 19 HH-60W combat rescue helicopters. Meanwhile, the Navy's request of 24 F/A-18E/F Super Hornets was also fully funded by the committee. https://www.defensenews.com/air/2020/07/08/house-defense-spending-bill-would-give-the-mq-9-reaper-drone-a-second-life

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  31 décembre 2018 | International, Aérospatial

  Air Force looks to use fleet’s largest cargo plane for medical evacuations

  By WYATT OLSON | STARS AND STRIPES The Air Force is moving ahead to certify the cargo hold of its largest plane, the C-5M Super Galaxy, for use in medical evacuations for both casualties of war and victims of natural disasters. Nearly as long as a football field, the Super Galaxy has significantly more capacity than the C-17, the largest aircraft used by the Air Force for aeromedical evacuations in the cargo area. The Super Galaxy is certified for such evacuations using its passenger area, not its cargo hold. This month, the Air Force completed a two-year initiative to prepare, equip and test the Super Galaxy for the broader certification. Its cargo floor can accommodate 89 unstacked litters, twice as many as the C-17, which can fit 48 unstacked litters, according to a statement provided to Stars and Stripes by the Air Mobility Command. A C-130 can move only 15 patients on its cargo floor. A final proof-of-concept test for the Super Galaxy was recently successfully completed at Scott Air Force Base, Ill., and certification to support aeromedical evacuations could come as early as this summer. About 100 personnel were involved in the culminating test, with the C-5M and crew flying in from Travis Air Force Base, Calif. For the purposes of certification, the Super Galaxy was configured with a proprietary litter-stacking system that reduces the maximum number of stretchers its bare cargo area could hold. Under this configuration, the Super Galaxy “can safely move 244 ambulatory patients and has space for 40 litters,” Air Mobility Command said. The aeromedical evacuation squadron brought aboard its standard in-flight kits used for medical care, and a transportable galley and lavatory were also added. The Super Galaxy can carry a payload of nearly 135 tons, with enough cargo space to carry, say, two tanks, 16 Humvees and three Black Hawk helicopters. Without cargo, it has a range of 7,000 miles without the need for refueling. The Super Galaxy is an upgraded version of the legacy C-5, which was introduced in the 1960s. Its more powerful engines provide more thrust, shorter takeoffs and longer range. Full article: https://www.stripes.com/news/us/air-force-looks-to-use-fleet-s-largest-cargo-plane-for-medical-evacuations-1.562170

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  5 février 2020 | International, Aérospatial

  Airbus Helicopters announces 38 orders at Heli-Expo 2020

  Anaheim, January 30 2020 – Airbus Helicopters concluded the 2020 Heli Expo with 38 orders, as well as 20 retrofits for the new five-bladed H145. German air rescue and ambulance provider DRF Luftrettung placed an order for 15 H145s, making them the largest operator of the H145. Show highlights included the increased power of the H125 that will enable operators to lift up to an additional 190 kg (419 lbs), Shell Aircraft confirming their interest in using the H160 for offshore transportation missions, and Metro Aviation ordering an additional 12 new EC145e helicopters. Customs and Border Protection will add 16 new H125 helicopters to their fleet, with deliveries beginning later this year from Airbus' production facility in Columbus, Miss. Another H125 order was signed with Ascent Helicopters in Western Canada. “At Airbus Helicopters, we are constantly focused on finding ways to help our customers better execute their missions,” said Bruno Even, Airbus Helicopters CEO. “We are honoured by the trust that our first-time and returning customers place in our aircraft and support solutions, which has been confirmed once again at this year's Heli-Expo.” Airbus received an order for three new H135s from NASA, marking the first-time partnership between the U.S. space program and Airbus Helicopters. The agency will use the aircraft for a variety of missions, including missile launch security at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, emergency medical services and qualified personnel transport. Reinforcing their commitment to ensuring the highest level of safety available, tourism operator Maverick Helicopters announced it will retrofit its entire fleet of 34 EC130 B4 helicopters with the Airbus Crash Resistant Fuel System. On the support and services side, Airbus secured numerous global support contracts, including Papillon, Heliportugal, and DRF Luftrettung who extended its HCare Smart contract for another eight years. These plans enable customers to increase availability and mission success, optimize their costs, lower the maintenance burden, enhance safety and sustain the value of their assets. Airbus also unveiled its new collaborative AirbusWorld customer portal and an online Marketplace making e-commerce practices from the consumer world available to Airbus customers. Additionally, the company has nearly doubled the number of helicopters now sharing flight and maintenance data with the company in just one year. Also announced at the show, Airbus' global helicopter fleet reached 100 million flight hours. To all the pilots, operators, engineers, technicians, mechanics, ground crew, and passengers who helped make this milestone possible, #thanks100million. @AirbusHeli #HaiExpo20 #thanks100million Your Contact Laurence Petiard Head of External Communications Airbus Helicopters +33 4 42 85 25 45 Erin Callender Head of Communications – United States +1 972 522 5486 +1 972 358 0597 Courtney Woo Media Relations Manager +33 6 85 25 53 12 View source version on Airbus: https://www.airbus.com/newsroom/press-releases/en/2020/01/airbus-helicopters-announces-38-orders-at-heliexpo-2020.html