Nouvelles

By ARL Public Affairs Future soldiers will be better protected in combat by stronger and lighter body armor thanks to innovative work at the U.S. Army Research Laboratory. Materials science engineers are using nature as the inspiration for breakthroughs in additive manufacturing. “My project is to design a system that can 3-D print armor ceramics that will allow production of parts with graded structures similar to an abalone structure in nature that will improve the ceramic armor's toughness and survivability with lower weight,” said Joshua Pelz, a materials science and engineering doctoral candidate at the University of California San Diego. He spent this summer working with Army scientists at ARL's Rodman Materials Science Laboratory at APG to design and build a unique 3-D printer. Two syringes containing distinct, viscous ceramic slurries are connected to a custom-made auger and print head. Pelz took advantage of his computer programming skills to hack into the 3-D printer, tricking it into using its own fan controls to manipulate the ratio of materials being printed. He designed a custom auger and print head and even used the same 3-D printer to create those parts. “Josh found a way to implement our ideas into that machine, take apart machine, take out the polymer FDM heads that are built into it, start to look at how to design the machine to incorporate our ceramic slurries and print those slurries into the head but then he had to do a lot of really basic work looking at how to actually hack the machine,” said Dr. Lionel Vargas-Gonzalez, Ceramics Synthesis and Processing team lead at the laboratory. “We've got people like Josh who were very gifted and talented and can bring all that kind of capability and use a lot to our advantage it's a huge benefit for us.” Current processing techniques used to create ceramic armor are limited by how engineers can combine materials into a stronger composite material. “For ceramics, that's a bit of a challenge because with you can't really do what a one-step additive manufacturing process like you could if a metal or a polymer,” Vargas-Gonzalez said. “We see this as a next avenue for armor because we're going to be able to, in theory, design armor in a way that we can attach multiple materials together into a single armor plate, and be able to provide ways for the armor to perform better than it can be just based on one material alone.” Full article: http://science.dodlive.mil/2018/10/01/army-looks-to-nature-to-improve-body-armor/

A travers l'Europe, un sentiment de gêne se développe quant à la valeur morale et légale de ventes d'armes à l'Arabie saoudite et aux Emirats arabes unis, alors que l'intervention militaire de ces deux Etats au Yémen – lancée en mars 2015 – s'éternise, et que des accusations de crimes de guerre s'étayent contre eux. Les firmes européennes avaient exporté, entre 2001 et 2015, pour 57 milliards d'euros d'armements vers Riyad, deuxième plus gros importateur mondial, selon l'Institut international de recherche sur la paix de Stockholm (Sipri). De fait, près de 60 % de l'armement saoudien provenait alors d'Europe. Depuis, certains Etats ont poursuivi ces ventes, comme le Royaume-Uni, soutien indéfectible de Riyad. D'autres ont adopté une posture de prudence, discrètement pour la France, de façon plus velléitaire pour l'Allemagne et l'Espagne. Quitte à faire marche arrière, pour des raisons économiques. En Allemagne, la coalition prise en défaut L'hebdomadaire Der Spiegel a révélé, le 19 septembre, que le gouvernement allemand avait autorisé l'exportation de systèmes de navigation pour chars à l'Arabie saoudite, et de 48 ogives et 91 missiles destinés à des navires de guerre des Emirats arabes unis (EAU). L'opposition a vivement protesté, particulièrement les Verts et le parti de gauche Die Linke : ils font noter que de telles exportations contreviennent au « contrat de coalition » scellé, en février, entre les conservateurs (CDU-CSU) et les sociaux-démocrates (SPD). « A partir de maintenant, nous n'approuverons plus les exportations [de matériel militaire] vers les pays impliqués dans la guerre au Yémen », indique cet accord. Cet épisode s'intègre dans un rapprochement diplomatique entre Berlin et Riyad. Les relations s'étaient fortement dégradées, fin 2017, après que Sigmar Gabriel (SPD), alors ministre des affaires étrangères, eut mis en cause la politique régionale « aventurière »... Article complet: https://www.lemonde.fr/yemen/article/2018/10/01/ventes-d-armes-a-l-arabie-saoudite-le-timide-embarras-des-pays-europeens_5362768_1667193.html

By: Aaron Mehta and The Associated Press WASHINGTON — A national referendum on changing Macedonia's name won with overwhelming support Sunday, paving the way for the nation to join NATO as the alliance's 30th member. The referendum, pushed by Prime Minister Zoran Zaev, received international attention in recent weeks, with U.S. Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis and German chancellor Angela Merkel among other world leaders travelling to Skopje to show support for the vote. The result: upholding Zaev's agreement with Greece to name the former Yugoslav republic to “North Macedonia.” Greece, arguing its neighbor's name implied territorial ambitions on its own province of the same name, has blocked Macedonia's efforts to join NATO since 1990; Greece has agreed to drop its opposition with the name change. Pentagon spokeswoman Dana White issued a statement following the results, saying the department “strongly” supports the vote and calling it a “historical moment.” Defense officials in Washington have been vocal with their support of Macedonia coming into NATO, with Mattis, during his visit to Skopje, noting it would represent a blow to Russia. In July, NATO formally opened the door for Macedonia to join the alliance if the name referendum passed, with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg warning that the vote represents a “once in a lifetime” chance for the nation to enter the alliance. In a joint statement Monday, Stoltenberg and the President of the European Union Donald Tusk praised the vote, saying “The name agreement between Athens and Skopje has created a historic opportunity for the country to join the transatlantic and European community as an equal member. This would change the life of the people of the country and that of their children for the better.” “It is now in the hands of politicians in Skopje to decide on the way forward,” the two added. “The decisions they take in the next days and weeks will determine the fate of their country and their people for many generations to come. We encourage them to seize this historic opportunity.” Low turnout marred what should have been a major victory for Zaev and his supports. Results from more than 97 percent of polling stations showed 91.3 percent of voters approving the deal. However, turnout stood at just 36.8 percent, a far cry from the massive support the government had hoped for. Opponents to the name change had called for a boycott of the vote and celebrated in the street outside Parliament when turnout figures were announced, chanting slogans and waving flags. "The people made a great choice and said 'yes' to our future. It is time for lawmakers to follow the voice of the people and to provide support," Zaev said. "There will be no better agreement with Greece, nor an alternative for NATO and the EU." The agreement faces more hurdles before it can be finalized. If the constitutional amendments are approved by Macedonia's parliament, Greece will then also need to ratify it. But Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras faces political problems of his own. His governing coalition partner, right-wing Independent Greeks head Panos Kammenos, has vowed to vote against the deal, leaving Tsipras reliant on opposition parties and independent lawmakers to push it through. Should everything go right, Macedonia will begin the long process of joining the alliance. How long remains to be seen, with analysts predicting the process will not be finished by the time world leaders gather for the 2020 NATO Summit. With Elena Becatoros and Konstantin Testorides, Associated Press. AP reporters Ivana Bzganovic and Nicolae Dumitrache in Skopje and Demetri Nellas in Athens, Greece contributed to this report. https://www.defensenews.com/global/europe/2018/10/01/macedonia-just-took-a-big-step-to-becoming-natos-30th-member/

By: Justin Lynch As the new federal fiscal year begins, cybersecurity analysts and industry leaders predict that electronic warfare and managed services will top the U.S. government's priority list to improve cybersecurity during the next fiscal cycle. Lockheed Martin, one of the five major cybersecurity contractors for the federal government, told Fifth Domain that they are focusing on signals intelligence and electronic warfare in the new year, which began Oct. 1. Cybersecurity and electronic warfare “can disrupt, deny, degrade, deceive and destroy adversaries' electronic systems,” Deon Viergutz, vice president of Lockheed Martin's cyber division told Fifth Domain in an email. “The ability to dominate the electromagnetic spectrum allows militaries to not only establish control, but also keep soldiers out of harm's way by providing offensive and defensive techniques from remote locations.” Russia's use of electronic warfare during its 2015 invasion of Ukraine exposed how the Department of Defense needs to boost its own digital combat tools, Brad Curran, an analyst at Front & Sullivan previously told Fifth Domain. The White House's new cybersecurity strategy states that the federal government will boost efforts to lawfully gather evidence of criminal activity and disrupt criminal networks through new legislation. It could translate into a greater need for tools that can manage large amounts of data, such as artificial intelligence. But along with the expected increase in electronic warfare, analysts and firms are predicting a rise in managed and cloud based services. Raytheon, another of the five major cybersecurity U.S. government contractors, said they expected the federal government to need more managed security operations. “Concepts like security operations center-as-a-service, and others are gaining momentum due to the desire for scalability. Federal agencies will continue to look to contracted service providers for expertise and support,” John DeSimone, a vice president for cybersecurity and special missions at Raytheon told Fifth Domain in an email. Curran said he expects the federal government to save money by using more cloud-based services, such as Amazon Web Services and Microsoft's Azure. The Trump administration has seen an increased in shared services, said Suzanne Spaulding, a former undersecretary at the Department of Homeland Security who now works at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. “Which services they will ultimately centralize is hard to see,” Spaulding said. She added the decision-space is “is tricky because at the end of the day, cabinet secretaries also need to be accountable for their own cybersecurity.” Distributed cloud-based communications is a key priority of the Department of Homeland Security, according to the agency's 2017 industry guide. The department also said they were looking to invest in metrics for cybersecurity effectiveness and data capture of networked devices. https://www.fifthdomain.com/industry/2018/10/01/happy-new-fiscal-year-feds-want-more-electronic-warfare-and-cybersecurity-tools

By SYDNEY J. FREEDBERG JR. Chief of Staff Mark Milley declared air and missile defense the Army's No. 5 priority -- one of the Big Six which the service is pushing to accelerate, if necessary at the expense of everything else in their budget. UPDATED with contract details WASHINGTON: The Army just gave Northrop Grumman a $289.3 million vote of confidence in its much-criticized IBCS missile defense network, a major priority for major war. The award was announced — without even naming IBCS — on Friday, the last work day of the 2018 fiscal year. IBCS is meant to link multiple Army air and missile defense (AMD) systems that weren't designed to work together — Patriot, THAAD, Sentinel radar, and the future IFPC anti-aircraft/cruise missile system — into a single network. (It's an awful nested acronym for IAMD Battle Control System, where IAMD in turn stands for Integrated Air & Missile Defense). The goal is to exchange targeting data so quickly and precisely over vast distances that any launcher in range can intercept incoming threats spotted by any radar. It's a capability of significant value against North Korea and vital for a high-tech war against Russia or China, which have massive arsenals of increasingly precise (non-nuclear) ballistic and cruise missiles. Full article: https://breakingdefense.com/2018/10/army-gives-northrop-289m-for-ibcs-missile-defense-network

Christopher F Foss, London - Jane's International Defence Review China's NORINCO and its partners are producing and offering for export a range of bridging systems - including the new HZ21 - that must handle the newer, heavier armoured platforms replacing older Chinese systems. NORINCO markets a range of mobile bridging systems on tracked and wheeled platforms, but the prime contractor for some of these bridging systems is the China Harzone Industry Corporation (CHIC), which is a subsidiary of the China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation (CSIC). CHIC confirmed that it has two major production facilities and one research and development facility, with sales of commercial and military bridging systems to more than 40 countries. The HZ21 military bridging system is deployed by China and referred to by CHIC as a 'fast bridge'. It is transported and launched over the rear of a forward control 8×8 cross-country truck. Prior to launching the two-part bridge, a stabiliser is lowered on either side at the rear of the platform. The lower part of the bridge is then extended over the gap, followed by the upper part - the complete bridge is then lowered into position. When fully extended, the 10.5-tonne (11.6 ton) two-part bridge is 21 m (69 ft) long and has a roadway width of 3.3 m; it can bridge a wet or dry gap of up to 19 m. According to CHIC, it can be deployed in fewer than 10 minutes and retracted in a similar time. The HZ21 can handle tracked vehicles with a gross vehicle weight (GVW) of up to 60 tonnes, or wheeled platforms with a maximum axle load of up to 17 tonnes. In many respects, the HZ21 is similar in concept and operation to the General Dynamics European Land Systems - Germany (GDELS-G) Rapidly Emplaced Bridge System (REBS) deployed by the US Army, which is transported and launched from a Common Bridge Transporter (CBT). https://www.janes.com/article/83472/china-building-bridging-systems-for-heavy-vehicles

Beth Stevenson, London - IHS Jane's Defence Industry The building of a new satellite ground station to support a wideband satellite communications network for the Australian Defence Force (ADF) has begun at Kapooka in New South Wales, Australia. Expected to be completed in 2021, the new site is being supported by Northrop Grumman and Viasat under an AUD24 million (USD17.3 million) investment. The first sod was turned by Michael McCormack, deputy prime minister and member of parliament for Riverina, on 28 September, initiating development of the new Defence Satellite Ground Station under the Wideband Satellite Capability project. “The construction will be a boon for the Wagga Wagga region's economy as this AUD24 million investment means goods and services can be sourced from local businesses throughout the construction phase and ongoing maintenance jobs,” McCormack said. https://www.janes.com/article/83465/australia-begins-work-on-satellite-ground-station-as-airbus-supports-space-aims

Frédéric Lert, Bordeaux - Jane's International Defence Review Turgis et Gaillard Industrie group presented its SEFIAM 1602e, a new electric and optionally manned ammunition loader that could work with the exported Dassault Rafale multirole fighter, at the ADS Show in Bordeaux. Today the French forces largely use the diesel-powered SOVAM ammo loader. However, the SOVAM dates back to the early 1980s and does not fit well with the modern Rafale. When Dassault exports its jet, the SOVAM is not part of the sales package. "There is therefore a real need for modern, simple, and easy-to-use equipment that can be offered to Rafale customers," argued Patrick Gaillard, general manager of Turgis et Gaillard. The SEFIAM 1602e features an electric powertrain and the option of being remote controlled. Two packs of lithium ion batteries develop 36 kW and 10 hours of autonomy. The SEFIAM 1602e can be used in a confined environment, weighs 1,500 kg (3,307 lbs) empty, and can drive up to 20 km/h (12 mph). It can load 1,500 kg and tow a 5-ton trailer. The use of a remote control enables the technician to stay close to the pylon when guiding the loader. "Manoeuvres are faster and safer," Gaillard said. https://www.janes.com/article/83474/a-new-electric-unmanned-ammunition-loader-emerges-for-the-rafale

By: Sam LaGrone ABOARD HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH, OFF THE COAST OF NEW JERSEY – The Royal Navy lays out the intentions of its largest warship to visitors immediately. “HMS Queen Elizabeth: Welcome to Britain's Conventional Deterrent,” reads a giant sign hanging in the carrier's second island, over a ladder well just off the flight deck. The 70,000-ton carrier and its sister ship, Prince of Wales (R09), and their embarked air wings of F-35B Lightning II Joint Strike Fighters are set to be the centerpiece of Britain's nascent carrier strike group construct. The move – after years of starts and stops – is reshaping the Royal Navy from a force that was a key NATO partner focused on anti-submarine and mine warfare in the Cold War to one that will blend closely with the carrier forces of American and French allies. “The U.S. has 11 carriers,” ship commander Capt. Jerry Kyd told USNI News last week. “We'll bring two more for the good guys, as we see it.” The ship was off the East Coast last week conducting the first shipboard F-35 tests with American aircraft, kicking off several years of testing ahead of a planned deployment in 2021. “We used to do this a lot in the U.K., but we've had a bit of a gap getting back into the carrier strike business,” Royal Navy Commodore Andrew Betton, commander of the U.K. carrier strike group, told USNI News last week. “[We're] working alongside our French and U.S. partners to understand the most effective way of fighting and operating a carrier strike group.” Last year, the heads of the U.K., French and U.S. navies signed a formal trilateral cooperation agreement for three navies to work together in the realm of carrier operations and anti-submarine warfare. “[We] share many national security challenges, including the threats posed by violent extremism and the increasing competition from conventional state actors,” the one-page agreement read. “More than ever, these threats manifest in the maritime domain. Given these common values, capabilities, and challenges it makes sense for our navies to strengthen our cooperation.” In particular, the Russian submarine force has been on an aggressive modernization drive and operating attack boats at a rate not seen since the Cold War – which is seen as the prime driver of the recent U.S. focus in the Atlantic. That boost in activity in the Atlantic comes as the U.S. and U.K. are in a period of naval reset after 17 years of operating in support of ground forces in Iraq and Afghanistan. The U.K. is working through a gap in fixed-wing aviation at sea, after London decided to scrap the Royal Navy's light carriers and fleet of GR7 and GR9 Harrier strike aircraft earlier in the decade. To maintain skills, the U.K. has relied on an extensive exchange program with the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps and the French to keep some carrier skills native in the Royal Navy. “We've had lots of individuals, pilots, maintainers, etc., operating onboard your flattops of various descriptions, but also we've had U.K. units join American [aircraft carriers] on deployments around the world and indeed the French carrier,” Betton said. “The mutual support and interoperability – we haven't stepped completely away from that, and what we're trying to rebuild now is the sovereign carrier strike group that we can plug in with allies as and where required.” While the intent of the Ministry of Defence was to field a completely U.K.-generated carrier strike group and air wing, the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force are still years off from that capability. The first operational deployment of the U.K. carrier strike group in 2021 will have an air wing built around U.S. Marine Corps F-35Bs assigned to the “Wake Island Avengers” of Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 211, in addition to the RAF's 617 Lightning F-35B Squadron. As of this summer, the U.K. has received about 16 of the 43 F-35Bs it's ordered, which prompted the planned deployment of the U.S. Marines on Elizabeth. The reliance on Marines for the first deployment was presented as a benefit of the program rather than a liability. “We're international by design, but there will be a sovereign core to the task force. But we very much look forward to working with allies, whether that is at range or as an integral part of the task group,” Royal Air Force Air Vice-Marshal Harv Smyth, the commander of the U.K.'s fast-jet units, told reporters last week on Elizabeth. “There are options there.” While the Royal Navy has operated fixed-wing aviation from ships in the recent past, the level of cooperation proposed between the U.S. and the U.K. for carriers strike group operations will be the largest in decades, Chris Carlson, a retired U.S. Navy captain and naval analyst, told USNI News on Friday. “With the Brits now trying to integrate their carrier with ours, there isn't anything in the recent past that gives them something to base this on,” he said. During the Cold War, the U.K. had a fleet of three 22,000-ton Invincible-class carriers that fielded Harriers that arguably provided little utility in maritime operations and air defense operations, Carlson said. “Harriers had short legs. They didn't have a really good air intercept radar, it was just really hard for us to put them in, so [the Invincibles] were looked at as being the centers of ASW escort groups because they could carry a ton of helicopters and the Brits were really good with ASW.” The new cooperation between the U.S., French and U.K. navies will be key to making the British and French get the most out of their carrier forces. Both the U.K. and French are short on carrier escorts and will have to rely on allies. “It's making a virtue out of a necessity,” Carlson said. “They're going to have to partner with us. They're going to have to partner with the French because neither one – the French or the Brits – can do sustained operations with a decently balanced [carrier strike] group.” The current plan is for the Royal Navy to continue testing the carrier strike group into the next decade, with more F-35B testing off the East Coast of the United States next year and a group sail to certify the strike group in 2020, Elizabeth commander Kyd said. “That'll be another two years before we're ready to go out,” he said. “The first deployment is '21. Who knows where, but we'll be ready.” https://news.usni.org/2018/10/01/video-u-k-carrier-program-brings-two-good-guys-royal-navy-set-partner-u-s-french-navies