Nouvelles

By: Mark Pomerleau The new head of the Marine Corps' nascent information directorate is focusing on three priorities: network modernization, putting new information-related units to work and gaining asymmetric advantage. The Marine Corps reorganized its leadership in 2017 to create a new three-star position, the deputy commandant for information, that would oversee all aspects of information war to include cyber, electronic warfare, signals intelligence and information operations. Over the summer, Lt. Gen. Lori Reynolds became the second officer to hold this new position. William Williford, executive director of Marine Corps Systems Command, provided an outline of various efforts to modernize the network during the Charleston Defense Contractors Association Defense Summit on Dec. 5. The initiative includes: broader adoption of Windows 10, creating a cloud cross functional team, starting a network cross functional team, fielding Tampa microwave terminals, protecting spectrum used for the F-35 and running a pilot program to help ensure GPS signals aren't jammed. Kenneth Bible, deputy director of the C4 directorate and deputy chief information officer, said during the same conference that the Marines still have IT solutions that date back to the Navy-Marine Corps Intranet days that have to be modernized The Marine Corps needs to divest of some of its legacy systems and modernize them, he said. He added that Marines are finding there are systems needed to get the network “up to snuff to go support that.” Additionally, he said, systems need to be capable of supporting the automation needed in order to make the network more effective. Regarding the second line of effort, the deputy commandant is focused on using the new Marine Expeditionary Force Information Groups, or MIGs. These teams will work on all information related capabilities, providing commanders a clearinghouse of options including cyber, intelligence, electronic warfare and information operations. Bible said Marine Corps leaders are working hard to figure out how the groups can directly help commanders. Third, Bible said the Marines want to gauge whether they can create an asymmetric advantage. “How do we shape the conflict before we end up in a conflict,” Bible said. “A lot of this is going to merge in the information environment.” Some of the efforts related to providing an asymmetric advantage will involve Navy partners, Bible said. He discussed the need to for Marines to fight to get to the fight. “We're probably not going to have enough organic aviation assets to get all the Marines to all the different places that an advanced expeditionary base operations concept [and] very distributed operations” demands," he said. That will require partnering with the Navy in some regards. https://www.c4isrnet.com/it-networks/2018/12/07/3-priorities-for-the-marines-information-directorate

Le Monde avec AFP La Russie s'est hissée au deuxième rang des pays producteurs d'armes en 2017 derrière les Etats-Unis, une place jusque-là occupée par le Royaume-Uni, selon un rapport de l'Institut de recherche sur la paix internationale de Stockholm (Sipri) publié lundi 10 décembre. « Les entreprises russes connaissent une croissance significative de leurs ventes d'armes depuis 2011 », a expliqué le chercheur Siemon Wezeman, dans un communiqué. Elles représentaient 9,5 % des ventes des cent plus gros producteurs mondiaux en 2017 avec un chiffre d'affaires de 37,7 milliards de dollars (33 milliards d'euros), en progression de 8,5 % par rapport à 2016, selon le rapport. « Ceci est conforme à l'augmentation des dépenses de la Russie en matière d'achat d'armes pour moderniser ses forces armées », a ajouté le chercheur. En septembre, le pays a par ailleurs conduit les plus vastes manœuvres militaires de son histoire en Extrême-Orient, dénoncées par l'Organisation du traité de l'Atlantique nord (OTAN) comme la répétition d'un « conflit de grande ampleur ». Les Etats-Unis largement en tête La deuxième place du classement était occupée, depuis 2002, par le Royaume-Uni, rétrogradé au troisième rang (9 % de la production mondiale). La France conserve la quatrième place (5,3 % de la production) et les Etats-Unis restent largement en tête. A eux seuls, les producteurs américains représentaient 57 % du total des ventes mondiales en 2017, avec quarante-deux entreprises dans le top 100 pour un chiffre d'affaires cumulé de 226,6 milliards de dollars (environ 198 milliards d'euros). « Les entreprises américaines bénéficient directement de la demande constante d'armes du ministère de la défense [des Etats-Unis] », a expliqué Aude Fleurant, directrice du programme de recherche sur l'armement et les dépenses militaires. article complet: https://www.lemonde.fr/international/article/2018/12/10/la-russie-devient-le-deuxieme-producteur-d-armes-au-monde_5394967_3210.html

Par Alexandre Boero La division Airbus Defence and Space a collaboré pour mettre au point Drone-it!, un dispositif de surveillance des drones, de plus en plus présents dans l'espace aérien. Aviation, sécurité, cinéma, télévision, maintenance, surveillance : les domaines dans lesquels on les utilise à tout-va ne manquent pas. Voilà pourquoi Airbus a décidé de se concentrer sur le développement d'un appareil, via sa branche Airbus Defence and Space, qui viendra diminuer le risque de collision de drones dans le ciel. Une technologie qui rend les drones visibles sur un radar Souvent délicats à détecter sur radar dans un espace aérien toujours plus massif, les drones peuvent causer des situations de danger, pour les autres et pour eux-mêmes. La technologie Drone-it! vise à résoudre ce problème et permet un suivi en temps réel des drones. Pour cela, l'appareil Drone-it! est équipé d'un récepteur et d'un émetteur GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System ou Système mondial mondial de navigation par satellite), ainsi que d'un chipset, un jeu de puces qui rend les drones bien visibles sur un radar spécifiquement développé. Le jeu de puces possède la capacité de communiquer directement avec les réseaux au sol ou alors être relayé par satellite à orbite géostationnaire. Des essais menés avec succès Avec 40 vols et six scénarios différents, la technologie a été testée avec succès lors de démonstrations menées au Royaume-Uni en octobre 2018. Sous le nom de code « Class », ce projet a été mené par Airbus Defence and Space en étroite collaboration avec l'École nationale de l'Aviation civile (ENAC), l'Université norvégienne des sciences et technologies (NTU) et Unify, une filiale du géant français Atos, spécialisée dans les communications unifiées. https://www.clubic.com/drone/actualite-848333-airbus-cree-dispositif-surveillance-trafic-aerien-drones.html

Project could lead to a new polar radar system to monitor the Canadian north CALGARY, Alberta, Dec. 4, 2018 /CNW/ -- Raytheon Canada Limited (RCL), a subsidiary of Raytheon Company (NYSE:RTN), will design, build and install two over-the-horizon radar sites in Canada's polar region to determine what effects, if any, the Aurora Borealis has on target detection along the Canadian north. These two contracts, totaling $30 million, resulted from a competitive solicitation posted on BuyandSell.gc.ca by Public Services & Procurement Canada on behalf of the Department of National Defence. These contracts will enable Defence Research and Development Canada to conduct a feasibility study of using sky-wave Over-The-Horizon Radar technology, in the arctic, to determine the effect of the Aurora Borealis on target detection beyond line-of-site. Working with Raytheon Intelligence, Information and Services, RCL will build two test sites to gauge how the Northern Lights may impact operations. Should those tests prove successful, Canada may decide to build additional radar sites to monitor its increasingly accessible arctic waterways. "Raytheon built and operates a similar radar system in the U.S. which has been key to defending America's borders," said David Appel, director for mission systems at Raytheon IIS. "A full over-the-horizon radar will monitor the arctic, as those waters have become more accessible to shipping traffic." Raytheon also will work with local companies to design and build the system. "We will be working with Canadian suppliers to secure the Canadian north," said Terry Manion, RCL vice president and general manager. "We understand the environment and can provide crucial technologies which may lead to significant long term economic growth." About Raytheon Canada Limited Raytheon Canada Limited (RCL) is a subsidiary of Raytheon Company. RCL is a leader in high technology solutions, engineering services, surveillance and navigation systems including air traffic control radars, highway traffic management systems, maritime surveillance radars and systems, and precision optics. About Raytheon Raytheon Company, with 2017 sales of $25 billion and 64,000 employees, is a technology and innovation leader specializing in defense, civil government and cybersecurity solutions. With a history of innovation spanning 96 years, Raytheon provides state-of-the-art electronics, mission systems integration, C5I™ products and services, sensing, effects, and mission support for customers in more than 80 countries. Raytheon is headquartered in Waltham, Mass. Follow us on Twitter. Media Contact Chris Johnson +1-571-250-3418 Chris.Johnson@raytheon.com SOURCE Raytheon Company https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/raytheon-building-canadian-radar-to-test-effects-of-aurora-borealis-701865451.html

David Pugliese, Ottawa Citizen and Tyler Dawson DND officials said there had been consultation about the move with local politicians. 'It's totally not true,' said local MP David Yurdiga The federal government will create a new centre of excellence in Ottawa to support aircraft testing, but it will come at the cost of relocating staff and shutting down existing military facilities in Alberta. The move affects the Canadian military's Aerospace Engineering Test Establishment, or AETE, which has been at Cold Lake, Alta. since 1971. Under the new plan AETE would be relocated to the international airport in Ottawa and partnered with the National Research Council Flight Research Laboratory and Transport Canada Aircraft Services Directorate to create a centre of excellence for flight testing and evaluation. The move would affect almost one-third of the unit, which employs 166 military personnel and 22 public servants. The remaining two-thirds would be reassigned to other air force functions, said Department of National Defence spokesman Dan Le Bouthillier. Moving AETE will save $14 million a year and free up space for the arrival of more fighter jets at Cold Lake. Canada is in the process of purchasing used fighter aircraft from Australia and the federal government has committed to buying 88 new jets to replace the existing fleet of CF-18s. “This partnership will streamline our flight testing and evaluation capability, while ensuring sufficient space is available for the arrival of additional fighter aircraft in Cold Lake,” Le Bouthillier said. The move, however, is not sitting well with local politicians. David Yurdiga, the Conservative MP for the area, said he'd heard about the move on Monday when it was raised at the House Commons Standing Committee on Public Accounts. DND officials briefing the committee said there had been consultation about the move with local politicians. “It's totally not true,” said Yurdiga. Craig Copeland, the mayor of Cold Lake, said the city hasn't yet received a briefing from officials in Ottawa. “It's been sort of verbally mentioned over the years that there would be a re-org,” he explained. “We're hoping to get somebody to brief us.” Details about the exact number of jobs that will be moved from Alberta are still not clear. It is not known how many of the air force personnel who will be reassigned to new jobs would continue to operate from Cold Lake. Yurdiga said the loss of jobs would hit the community hard but he added that defence minister Harjit Sajjan had assured him there would be a “net benefit” to the community. “Cold Lake can't afford to lose even one position,” Yurdiga said. “There are so many unanswered questions and uncertainty is what the community is facing,” he added. Copeland said he had heard an estimate of 50 jobs being lost. That would be a real blow to the area, already suffering from depressed oil prices, and with a home foreclosure rate, he said, of around 10 per cent. “That is concerning to me,” Copeland said. “On the one hand it's tough to see people leave our community but on the other hands, we are hopeful — and expecting — that the Canadian military's going to be investing (locally) for the new fighter jet program.” AETE currently occupies the second-largest and newest hangar at Cold Lake, which will be repurposed for other air force needs, including the new fighter program. The final details of the move are still being worked on, including costs, Le Bouthillier said. DND is in ongoing discussions with the Ottawa International Airport Authority regarding the location of the new centre, he added. The costs for relocating AETE are included in the $470 million the Liberal government has set aside for buying the used Australian F-18 fighter jets, and would not take place before summer 2021. The Cold Lake location was primarily selected for AETE because of the large evaluation range nearby and its favourable climate for flight testing. AETE employs test pilots, flight test engineers, qualified systems evaluators, specialist engineers, and technologists. Postmedia first revealed the proposal to move AETE in April 2016. The plan first started under the Conservative government but the Liberals continued with the relocation initiative. At the time the Canadian Forces said it would still use the bombing ranges associated with the Cold Lake installation but other test work could be moved. At the time, the military told defence industry representatives the remote Cold Lake location made it challenging to attract or retain people and that relocating could save money. https://nationalpost.com/news/so-many-unanswered-questions-feds-to-move-military-aircraft-testing-from-alberta-to-ottawa-but-locals-say-theyre-in-the-dark

DAVID PUGLIESE, OTTAWA CITIZEN The Royal Canadian Air Force will be operating the first nine aircraft from its new fleet of fighter jets starting in 2026, Department of National Defence officials say. But at least one member of parliament questions whether the federal government will be able to meet its timetable to replace the CF-18 fighter fleet with advanced aircraft. MPs on the Standing Committee on Public Accounts received more details on Monday about the Liberal government's plan to buy 88 new fighter jets. Aircraft expected in the competition include Lockheed Martin's F-35, the Eurofighter Typhoon, Saab's Gripen and the Boeing Super Hornet. Pat Finn, assistant deputy minister for materiel at the DND, told MPS that the formal request for proposals will go out in the spring of 2019. Negotiations would be held in 2021 and a contract awarded in 2022. “We have tried to be very judicious and not have too risky a schedule to try to achieve some of that,” Finn explained to MPs. “But from the bids until the signing of the contract is where we've given ourselves two years for the competitive dialogue, the final negotiations and the various approvals we need to get, signing the contract in 2022.” The first aircraft would be delivered in 2025. Finn said this schedule has been shared with all the potential bidders and “they're comfortable with that approach.” Jody Thomas, the DND deputy minister, told MPs that the plan is to “achieve initial operating capability by 2026 with nine advanced fighters ready to fulfill the NORAD mission.” But one committee member, Conservative MP Pat Kelly, was wary of whether the aircraft acquisition would proceed as scheduled. The plan, he told Finn, doesn't leave a lot of margin for error. Everything would have to run like clockwork to meet the timetable and Kelly questioned if that would even be possible given the track record of defence procurement over the years. “We just don't have time in this for the kinds of delays and the kinds of failures of procurement that we have seen in other programs,” Kelly said. “I shudder to think of what many Canadians listening to this hearing might think about. What has the potential to go wrong to get to 2025? I'm going to leave it at that.” https://ottawacitizen.com/news/national/defence-watch/first-nine-new-rcaf-fighter-jets-to-be-operating-in-2026-but-conservative-mp-has-his-doubts

Le 7 décembre 2018 – Greenwood (Nouvelle-Écosse) – Défense nationale/Forces armées canadiennes En vertu de la politique de défense du Canada, Protection, Sécurité, Engagement, le gouvernement du Canada écologise les infrastructures de défense et lutte contre les changements climatiques. Le ministère de la Défense nationale (MDN) élargit le recours aux contrats de rendement énergétique afin d'améliorer l'efficacité énergétique de nos infrastructures militaires et de fournir à notre personnel des installations modernes et écologiques dans lesquelles travailler et s'entraîner. Au nom de Harjit S. Sajjan, ministre de la Défense, Colin Fraser, député de Nova-Ouest, a attribué aujourd'hui un contrat de rendement énergétique relatif à la 14e Escadre Greenwood. Dans le cadre du projet de 20,5 millions de dollars, 102 b'timents seront mis à niveau avec des mesures d'efficacité énergétique allant de nouvel éclairage à DEL à des systèmes de ventilation efficaces. L'installation de chauffage central de l'escadre sera également mise à niveau vers une source de carburant plus propre au gaz naturel. On s'attend à ce que ces mises à niveau réduisent les coûts énergétiques annuels de l'escadre d'environ 900 000 $, soit 13 %, et réduisent les émissions de gaz à effet de serre de près de 7 500 tonnes par année. Le MDN a un certain nombre de contrats de rendement énergétique qui se trouvent à diverses étapes d'élaboration et de mise en œuvre dans des bases partout au Canada. Dans le cadre de ces contrats, une entreprise est engagée pour payer et exécuter un projet de rénovation énergétique dans une base ou une escadre. L'argent économisé en coûts énergétiques est ensuite utilisé pour rembourser l'entreprise sur une période de cinq à quinze ans, ce qui réduit au minimum les coûts initiaux pour le contribuable, et garantit que les mises à niveau produisent des économies. Citations « Ces contrats de rendement énergétique représentent les formidables travaux en cours à l'échelle du Canada afin de rendre notre infrastructure de défense plus durable et éconergétique. Ces travaux profitent à notre personnel en modernisant les endroits où ils travaillent et s'entraînent, tout en diminuant considérablement nos émissions de carbone afin de nous aider à atteindre un avenir plus vert pour tous les Canadiens. » Harjit S. Sajjan, ministre de la Défense « Je suis ravi de voir ce projet d'énergie verte aller de l'avant pour la base Greenwood. Cet investissement de 20,5 millions de dollars créera des possibilités économiques pour la communauté du comté de Kings, tout en démontrant que des opérations gouvernementales plus écologiques et plus durables sont aussi bénéfiques pour l'économie que pour l'environnement. » Colin Fraser, député de Nova-Ouest Faits en bref Le contrat relatif aux mises à niveau et aux rénovations énergétiques à la 14e Escadre Greenwood a été attribué à MCW Custom Energy Solutions Ltd. Des contrats semblables sont en cours d'élaboration pour Bagotville, Shilo, Alert, Comox, Borden, Trenton, Kingston, Gagetown, Halifax, Montréal, Saint-Jean et Goose Bay. En plus de Greenwood, des projets sont en cours à Valcartier, à Esquimalt et à Petawawa. On s'attend à ce que le projet réduise les émissions annuelles de GES de la 14e Escadre de 7 500 tonnes, ce qui équivaut à éliminer 1 600 véhicules de la circulation. Comme il est énoncé dans la politique de défense du Canada, Protection, Sécurité, Engagement, le MDN améliore son infrastructure pour obtenir une réduction de 40 % des émissions de gaz à effet de serre (par rapport aux niveaux de 2005) d'ici 2030. La mise en œuvre de nouveaux contrats de rendement énergétique dans les bases et les escadres dans l'ensemble du Canada appuie l'objectif de faibles émissions de carbone du gouvernement et le nouvel objectif de réduction des émissions de 80 % d'ici 2050. La stratégie générale en matière d'énergie et d'environnement de la Défense renforce la capacité du MDN à écologiser ses opérations et à s'adapter aux répercussions des changements climatiques en intégrant des mesures d'adaptation, y compris des contrats de rendement énergétique, à ses politiques et à ses pratiques. Construction de Défense Canada et Services publics et Approvisionnement Canada sont les partenaires du MDN pour l'acquisition des services auprès de sociétés de services énergétiques afin de moderniser et d'écologiser les infrastructures de défense. https://www.canada.ca/fr/ministere-defense-nationale/nouvelles/2018/12/attribution-dun-contrat-defficacite-energetique-relatif-a-la-14e-escadre-greenwood.html

By: The Associated Press ATHENS, Greece — Greece's defense minister is appealing to his austerity-battered countryfolk for a crowdfunding effort to raise money for new warships, promising to donate part of his own salary. Panos Kammenos says he will open a bank account on Jan. 1 where members of the public can make donations “for new frigates and a flagship.” He addressed his appeal to Greece's wealthy shipowning industry, as well as ordinary Greeks. “I will be the first to deposit my salary in this effort,” he said, speaking to navy personnel on the occasion of Thursday's feast day of St. Nicholas, patron saint of Greek seamen and the navy. Kammenos said 2019 will see a general drive to upgrade the fleet, which faces strong competition from neighboring Turkey, a NATO ally and historic regional rival. https://www.navytimes.com/news/your-navy/2018/12/06/greek-government-plans-crowdfunding-for-new-warships

By: Chirine Mouchantaf CAIRO — France's Naval Group and the Egyptian Navy have finalized an agreement over the In Service Support (ISS) program, providing a five-year maintenance deal for vessels provided by the French shipbuilder. The two parties signed an agreement on Dec. 3 during Egypt's first Defense and Security Exhibition (EDEX 2018). Hervé Guillou, CEO of the French shipbuilder, told Defense News his firm has “agreed on a five years contract for support and maintenance, and signed a memorandum with Admiral Ahmad Khaled, Commander in Chief of Egyptian Navy, to seal our five years cooperation plan based on supporting seven ships we have already contracted.” The maintenance activity will further enhance the industrial cooperation program supporting the construction process of the three locally built Gowind corvettes. It will also be managed through a new Naval Group subsidiary, based in Alexandria, which will focus on developing and training a local work force. According to Naval Group, the subsidiary — called Alexandria Naval for Maintenance and Industry (ANMI) — will enable the Egyptian Navy to obtain an increased level of performance during the whole ship's lifecycle. It will also guarantee the optimal use of the vessels, as well as carrying out upcoming upgrades on the four Gowind corvettes, the two LHD, the FREMM and other potential vessels. The new entity is also expected to generate direct and indirect jobs in the related industrial sectors in Egypt. “We are establishing a company in Alexandria and investing in a new building while preparing for a joint venture that seals in fact our multi-decade relationship for the long term,” Guillou added. “Naval Group is going to hire Egyptian engineers, technicians and workers to really strengthen the capabilities, in order to better serve the navy and further enhance the relationship with Egypt.” In July 2014, the Egyptian Ministry of Defense signed an agreement for the construction of four Gowind corvettes. The first vessel was built in Lorient, and delivered to Egypt on September 2017. The second of the series was built through technology transfer at the Alexandria Shipyard, and was launched in September 2018. Naval Group also delivered the FREMM multi-mission frigate “Tahya Misr” in August 2015. In June 2016, the shipbuilder delivered two Mistral-class Landing Helicopter Dock vessels to the Egyptian Navy. Pressing the need to maintain Egypt's navy, the CEO said his near-term priority is making sure “that the seven ships are sailing and with the highest level of availability. Today, four out of seven ships are operational, and considered unprecedented in terms of high technology.” “The Egyptian navy seems really satisfied,” he added. “The operational and military capabilities of our corvettes and frigates are strictly high as they are equipped with a great combat system, extremely good anti-submarine capabilities, as well as having a homogeneous fleet which is largely in service with the French Navy, in addition to a single logistic and support system and communality in terms of the equipment.” Eying the future, Guillou declared that the French shipbuilder's next step is helping the Egyptian navy get a larger fleet. “We are proposing offers to the Egyptian navy and leadership either for further Gowinds or to participate in the new French Frigate Program ‘Belhara,' which consists of a future digital multi mission ship for the French navy,” he said. The CEO also pushed the message that France represents a long-term strategic partner for Egypt, one who will be there reliably for the future. “It's not only buying goods and products, but building a long-term relationship,” he said. “France is the only European country today which is operating 365 days a year on all seas.” https://www.defensenews.com/global/mideast-africa/2018/12/06/egypt-frances-naval-group-reach-five-year-maintenance-agreement