Defense`s Feeds

Americas

Lockheed Martin has been awarded a valued $712.5 million order by the US Navy to work on the F-35 Lightning II stealth fighter. The Lightning II is a single-seat, single-engine fighter aircraft designed to perform ground-attack and air-superiority missions. Under the agreement Lockheed Martin will develop the aircraft’s Technology Refresh 3 (TR3) System, which will update the computer systems on board the F-35 Lightning II. The TR3 will be designed with full flightworthy certification, production readiness review and fleet release to support low-rate initial production of the 15th Lot of F-35 jets. Work will be carried out in Fort Worth, Texas and is scheduled to be over by March 2023. The F-35 is Lockheed Martin’s largest program, generating 27% of its total sales in the third quarter of 2018.

In order to improve the landing areas within Marine Corps Base Hawaii properties Kiewit Infrastructure West Co., Honolulu is awarded a $15,419,280 firm-fixed-price contract. The landing areas are used for training maneuvers by the MV-22 Osprey aircraft. Th V-22 Osprey is a multirole, tiltrotor combat aircraft combining the vertical performance of a helicopter with the speed and range of a fixed-wing aircraft. The Osprey uses two engines positioned on fixed wing tips housed in nacelles that rotate to allow the MV-22 to land and take off vertically, but achieve much faster flight than a helicopter by tilting the nacelles forward while in flight in a configuration similar to a fixed-wing aircraft. Work on the landing areas will take place in Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii. Kiewit Infrastructure West Co. provides for the converting of the existing landing helicopter assault pad into a landing helicopter dock pad, the construction of a new landing platform dock pad, and the construction of four new concrete landing pads. Work is expected to be completed by August 2020.

Middle East & Africa

The Royal Jordanian Air Force announced that the second of four Mil Mi-26 ‘Halo’ heavy-lift helicopters has been delivered to Jordan from Russia, with two more set to arrive before the end of 2019. Originally developed to respond to containment work after the nuclear disaster in Chernobyl in 1986, the Mil Mi-26T Halo is the largest helicopter in the world. Its maximum take-off weight is 56 tons and it carries up to 82 troops. Jordan ordered four of the current production-standard Mi-26T helicopters in September 2016.

Israel Aerospace Industries started production of the F-35 stealth fighter components for the outer wings, making the fighter jet invisible to radar. Deliveries of the outer wing sets are expected to start as soon as the beginning of 2019. The sets will be manufactured using a unique composite layer of materials called Automated Fiber Placement. The threads, which are three millimeters thick, are what give the wings the ability to escape detection by radar. The contract between IAI and Lockheed Martin to create this production line was signed in 2013. According to an 2016 statement by the company, the production line is scheduled to build a total of 811 pairs of F-35A wings by 2034.

Europe

French naval fighter squadron Flottile 17F has completed its transition to the Dassault Aviation Rafale M, Jane’s reports. Flottile 17F, nicknamed “La glorieuse“, previously operated the Super Étendard Modernisé (SEM) aircraft until it was withdrawn from service in 2016. Now the Flottile 17 F has officially joined the French Navy’s two other fighter squadrons, 11F and 12F, in operating the Dassault Aviation Rafale M. The Dassault Rafale is a French twin-engine, multirole fighter aircraft. It has been tasked with fleet air defense, close air support, anti-ship strikes, and air-to-air refueling.

Asia-Pacific

South Korean shipbuilder Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering (DSME) has received a contract for the renovation and repair of three KDX-I class destroyers. The Gwanggaeto the Great Class (KDX-I) destroyers, Designed as multimission surface combatants, were built by Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering (DSME) for the Republic of Korea Navy (ROKN). Three destroyers replaced the older ex-US Navy ships of the ROKN. DSME also unveiled a contract for the construction of one LNG carrier for an unnamed Oceania company. The total value of the contracts is about $230 million.

HMAS Hobart, Australia’s first-of-class warfare destroyer demonstrated its ability to conduct co-operative fleet-area air defense operations. The destroyer, which was commissioned in September 2017, was deployed to the coast of San Diego to test its combat and weaponry system, including a series of at-sea trials known as the combat system qualification trials (CSSQT). The trials confirm the Royal Australian Navy’s capacity to cooperate with the US Navy in high-intensity combat operations.

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Americas

Raytheon is being contracted to integrate its Standard Missile-2 onto the Navy’s Zumwalt-class destroyers. The contract modification is priced at $17 million and exercises an option for providing the DDG 1000 ships with design agent support. The Zumwalt-class destroyers are the Navy’s next-generation guided missile destroyers featuring enhanced stealth capabilities and advanced war fighting technology. The program is a topic of contention considering its cost overruns and complications with its stealth features. SM-2 missiles are designed to engage enemy missiles and aircraft to ranges of up to 100 miles. Work will be performed at Raytheon’s factories in Tucson, Arizona; Andover, Massachusetts; Mountain View, California; San Diego, California; Chandler, Arizona; Hudson, New Hampshire and Redmond, Washington. The contract will run through March 2022.

The US Navy is continuing with its Aegis modernisation efforts. Raytheon is being awarded with a $72.5 million contract that sees for the production of the systems’ fire control system. The Mk 99 Fire Control System (FCS) is an essential component of a ship’s Aegis combat system. The FCS gives Aegis its deadly punch by controlling the loading and arming of the used weapon, it launches the weapon and provides terminal guidance for anti-air-warfare missiles. Work will be performed at multiple locations – including, but not limited to – Andover, Massachusetts; San Diego, California and Chesapeake, Virginia. Performance is scheduled for completion by April 2022.

Middle East & Africa

Alliant Techsystems is being awarded with a contract modification in support of Iraq’s Cessna 208 fleet and the 208/172 Trainer fleet. The modification is priced at $36.6 million and exercises Option Year Three for contractor logistics support. The AC-208 Combat Caravan is a light attack combat aircraft manufactured by the US-based aerospace and defense company Alliant Techsystems (ATK). The Cessna variant is a counter insurgency (COIN) aircraft converted from a cargo / ISR plane. It was developed under the Combat Caravan program of the US as part of the government’s effort to rebuild the Iraqi Air Force. Work will be performed at Iraqi Air Force bases and is expected to be completed in December 2019.

Qatar is tapping Boeing to maintain the country’s fleet of AH-64E Apache helicopters. Awarded by the US Army Contracting Command, the $49.2 million Foreign Military Sales contract provides for Maintenance Augmentation Team services for the Qatari Air Force. Qatar ordered 24 Apache Guardians in 2016, and expects to receive the aircraft from 2019 through to mid-2020. The helicopters will be equipped with AGM-114R Hellfire laser-guided missiles, FIM-92H Stinger missiles with air-to-air launchers, and 70 mm Hydra air-to-surface rockets. Work will be performed at Boeing’s factory in Mesa, Arizona, with an estimated completion date of July 31, 2024.

Europe

The Swedish Defense Materiel Administration (FMV) is allocating more funds for Gripen E combat aircraft production. The $48 million contract boost allows Saab to build the Gripen Es from new parts instead with parts from salvaged Gripen Cs. The Swedish Air Force currently has 60 Gripen Es on order and is expected to cost just short of $7 billion in total. The JAS-39 Gripen is an excellent lightweight fighter by all accounts, with attractive flyaway costs and performance. Its canard design allows for quick “slew and point” maneuvers, allowing it to take advantage of the modern trend toward helmet-mounted displays, and air-air missiles with much wider boresight targeting cones.

Asia-Pacific

The Kazakh army is taking delivery of more Su-30SM fighter aircraft from Russia. The Su-30SM fighter was designed in accordance with the requirements of the Russian Air Force. It is being manufactured by IRKUT, a company based in Russia. The multirole Su-30SM can be deployed in counter-air strikes, counter-land and counter-sea missions. It can conduct electronic counter-countermeasures and early warning tasks. The aircraft also acts as a command-and-control platform within a fleet of combat aircraft performing joint missions.

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Americas

Bath Iron Works is being contracted to start production on the US Navy’s fifth DDG 51 Flight III destroyer. The awarded contract modification is priced at $910 million and exercises the FY2019 option for construction of DDG 132. Included in the contract are engineering proposals, design budgeting requirements and some post-delivery availabilities. Work will be performed at BIW’s shipyard in Bath, Maine and at several other locations including Cincinnati, Ohio; Atlanta, Georgia; York, Pennsylvania; Coatesville, Pennsylvania; Falls Church, Virginia; South Portland, Maine; Walpole, Massachusetts; Erie, Pennsylvania and Charlottesville, Virginia. DDG 132 is expected to launch in May 2026.

The US Navy is modifying a support contract with Raytheon. Valued at $38 million, the modification provides for design-agent and in-service support as well as for technical engineering support services which support Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile (ESSM) production. ESSM missiles are designed to protect Navy ships from incoming missiles and aircraft. Work will be performed at Raytheon’s factory in Tucson, Arizona and at facilities in the Netherlands, Germany, Norway and Australia. The contract is paid with FY2019 Navy and Foreign Military Sales funds.

Middle East & Africa

URS Federal Services is being contracted to support the US Army’s Prepositioned Stock Five (APS-5) located in South Korea. The $14.8 million contract modification covers the provision of logistics support services until January 2020. APS-5 is located in Kuwait and Qatar and supports the Middle-Eastern theatre with two armored battalions and one mechanized infantry battalion. The Army maintains a strategic inventory of sustainment supplies as part of Army Pre-positioned Stocks (APS). These stocks sustain forward-deployed and initial follow-on ground forces, and include major end items such as engines, repair parts, medical supplies, packaged petroleum products, barrier/construction materials, operations rations, and clothing required to sustain combat operations. The APS-5 is located at Camp Arifjan in Kuwait and in Doha, Qatar.

Kuwait is buying four F/A-18E trainers from Boeing under the Foreign Military Sales program. Awarded by the Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division, the contract provides for the design, fabrication, installation, test and delivery of two F/A-18E Tactical Operational Flight trainers (TOFT) and two F/A-18E low cost trainers. TOFTs are built on Boeing’s and L-3’s F/A-18 simulator common hardware and software baseline. The simulators are integrated with a 360° display, image generator and training system. The mission computer emulation simulates radar, electronic countermeasures and the Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System. The trainers enable aircrews to prepare for the full range of force multiplier capabilities that the platform can support during rapidly changing battle scenarios. Work will be performed in St. Louis, Missouri; New Orleans, Louisiana and Kuwait City, Kuwait. The contract is valued at $76.5 million and will run through February 2022.

Europe

Czech airrcaft manufacturer Aero Vodochody completes its first test flight of the new L-39NG jet trainer. The flight was conducted on the 22nd of December, just two months after the jet trainer’s rollout ceremony. The company anticipates to achieve type certification by the end of 2019. The L-39NG is based on the aerodynamic concept of the current L-39 but utilizes the latest technologies and equipment. Powered by a Williams International FJ44-4M turbofan engine, the new generation aircraft will be used to train future pilots of 4th and 5th generation aircraft.

Leonardo concludes the first test round of its new TH-119 training helicopter. The TH-119 is manufactured in the USA and could replace the US Navy’s TH-57 training fleet. The initial flight test marks an important milestone, bringing the helicopter one step closer to achieve full FAA IFR certification in early 2019. Leonardo says that its TH-119 will be the only single-engine IFR-certified helicopter in production in decades. The new trainer is built upon the company’s AW119 light single-engine utility helicopter and features a high-resistance airframe with a four-blade main rotor and a two-blade tail rotor. The platform is equipped with four primary flight display (PFD) and multi-function display (MFD) units and a low-profile instrument panel. Powered by a PT6B-37A turboshaft engine, the TH-119 can achieve speeds of 152k and a cruise speed of 138k. The TH-119 is manufactured and supported at Leonardo’s existing FAA Part 21 production facility in Philadelphia.

Asia-Pacific

Media reports suggest that Russia has started underwater trials of its new ‘Poseidon’ drone. The Poseidon is a is a new intercontinental, nuclear armed, nuclear-powered, undersea autonomous torpedo. Formerly know as Kanyon, the drone is capable of carrying both conventional and nuclear warheads. If equipped with a nuclear warhead the drone could be used to attack coastal cities or create tsunamis. The drone is included in Russia’s state armament program for 2018-2027 and the Poseidon is expected to enter service before the program ends, a source told Russian media agency TASS.

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Americas

Northrop Grumman is being contracted to support the US Air Force. The $1.3 billion IDIQ contract covers sustainment, modernization and development efforts of the LITENING advanced targeting pod. Designed to improve both day and night attack capabilities, AN/AAQ-28 pods provide pilots with advanced image processing for target identification and coordinate generation, a forward-looking infrared (FLIR) sensor, charge-coupled device television (CCD-TV) sensors, a laser spot tracker/ range finder, and infrared laser marker/ designators. It is fully operational 24 hours a day and in adverse weather conditions. Work will be performed at Northrop Grumman’s factory in Rolling Meadows, Illinois and is expected to be completed by the end of 2023.

The Space and Missile Systems Center at Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado is awarding an IDIQ contract to Lockheed Martin. The order is priced at $462 million and covers for Global Positioning Systems Control-Segment Sustainment II work. Lockheed will provide the service with depot-level software maintenance; organizational-level hardware and software maintenance; systems engineering; Technical Order Management Agency support; maintenance and sustainment of the consolidated test environment as well as support to and integration of GPS Acquisition Category III programs onto the operational control system platform. The GPS III ground control segment is equipped with ground hardware and software that offers command and control for global satellite operations centres’ networks, ground antennas and monitor stations used to control the massive satellite constellation. DOD’s first most powerful satellite was launched to space with a SpaceX provided rocket on December 23, 2018. Work will be performed at Lockheed’s facility in Colorado Springs, Colorado and is expected to be completed by December 31, 2025.

The US Air Force is ordering support and services for its fleet of MQ-9 Reapers from General Atomics. The cost-plus-fixed-fee and firm-fixed-price contract is valued at $291 million and provides for program management efforts, logistics support, configuration management, technical manual and software maintenance, contractor field service representative support, inventory control point management, flight operations support, depot repair, and depot field maintenance. The MQ-9 can serve in multiple roles like surveillance and support of ground troops as well as emergency search and rescue and other missions. Work will be performed at GA’s Poway, California factory. Performance is expected to be completed by December 31, 2019.

Middle East & Africa

The Nigeria Air Force (NAF) is buying two AW109 helicopters from Leonardo. The helicopters are the first batch ordered from Italy and arrived in Nigeria earlier this month. The NAF expects to officially induct the AW109s into service sometime in March 2019. The AW109 is a light-weight, twin-engine eight seat multi-purpose helicopter powered by two side-by-side Pratt & Whitney PW-206C engines, allowing for a climb rate of 9.8m per second and a maximum speed of 311 km/h. The AW109 Power can be configured for a range of missions, including search and rescue, law enforcement, air ambulance, coast guard, border patrol, surveillance, passenger transport, advanced training, and emergency medical services. The helicopters can be armed with 70mm rocket pods, a twin 7.62mm machine gun pod or a single 12.7mm gun pod. The AW109s will support Nigeria’s fight against Boko Haram in the country’s Northeast.

The Afghan Air Force (AAF) is making good use of its new A-29 Super Tucano light attack aircraft. As reported by Jane’s, the A-29s conducted a number of night sorties over the past two weeks. Just in September this year, Afghanistan bought several A-29s at a cost of $1.8 billion. Designed to operate in high temperatures and in extremely rugged terrain, the A-29 is a highly maneuverable fourth-generation weapons system capable of delivering precision guided munitions. The aircraft is being used by the Afghan Air Force (AAF) for close-air attack, air interdiction, escort and armed reconnaissance. The aircraft’s slow speed and better visibility allow for more precise targeting make it suitable to deploy many kinds of ‘cheap’ non-precision bombs.

Europe

Fligth Global reports that Leonardo’s first production-standard M-345 jet trainer successfully performed it first test flight, bringing it one step closer towards service entry with the Italian Air Force in 2020. The M-345 is a training jet aircraft with costs comparable to those of a turboprop aircraft, however it features superior performances compared to other airframes. The aircraft is powered by one Williams International FJ44-4M turbofan engine accelerating it to speeds of up to 460 mp/h. The trainer is equipped with five hardpoints supporting up to 2.205 lbs of external stores in the form of drop bombs, rocket pods, and gun pods. Rome currently has five M-345s on order and could request another 40 in the future. The new jet trainers will replace Italy’s fleet of Aermacchi MB-339s.

Asia-Pacific

South Korea’s Army is again flying its fleet of KUH-1 Surion helicopters. The Army suspended all flying missions of its Surions after a navy version crashed in July this year, killing five of the six Marines aboard and injuring the other. To ensure the safety of the aircraft the Army conducted a comprehensive inspection of the helicopter’s rotor mast and several test flights. The Army has so far checked about a third of its fleet of 90 Surions.

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Sniper on F-16
(click to view full)

At the end of September 2010, the USAF dropped something of a bombshell. Under their $2.3 billion Advanced Targeting Pod – Sensor Enhancement (ATP-SE) contract, the service that had begun standardizing on one future surveillance and targeting pod type decided to change course, and split its buys.

This decision is a huge breakthrough for Northrop Grumman, whose LITENING pod had lost the USAF’s initial 2001 Advanced Targeting Pod competition. As a result of that competition, the USAF’s buys had shifted from LITENING to Sniper pods, and Lockheed Martin’s Sniper became the pod of choice for integration onto new USAF platforms. Since then, both of these pods have chalked up procurement wins around the world, and both manufacturers kept improving their products. That continued competition would eventually change the landscape once again.

In January 2015, Rafael announced that their upcoming upgrade that they call G-4 Advanced outside the U.S., and “G-5” for the Americans will have air-to-air targeting capabilities.

In addition to more diverse targeting, the pods are said to feature inter-asset communications and sensor sharing capabilities – in essence some of the whiz-bang features touted in the F-35 platform that is supposed to push the F/A-18 into obsolescence.

ATP-SE: Evolution in Action

British Harrier GR9,
over Afghanistan
(click to view full)

In Desert Storm, aircraft using precision weapons typically used just 2 bombs to destroy targets which would have required 9,000 bombs in World War II, and 300 in Vietnam. The targeting pods used in Desert Storm were expensive single purpose systems, however, which required multiple pods to perform various missions. The Laser Infrared Targeting and Navigating (LITENING) pod changed that in 1992, combining multiple sensors for maximum flexibility in a single pod, at comparatively low cost.

That combination made LITENING popular, and a partnership between RAFAEL and Northrop Grumman extended its reach. Between the 2 firms, LITENING was sold to customers around the world, including the US military. Other pods eventually followed in its footsteps: Raytheon’s ATFLIR became the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet’s designated pod within the US Navy, and Lockheed Martin took a big step forward when its Sniper/Pantera pod won the USAF’s 2001 competition. Then all targeting pods took a big step forward after the 9/11 attacks, as they proved their effectiveness so well that troops and air forces alike began clamoring for more. For older fighters, an advanced surveillance and targeting pod became the ultimate accessory. For newer fighter designs, targeting pods’ fast improvements and quick-change modularity have made them a standard fixture.

At the moment, core sensors on modern pods include a day camera, thermal imaging, laser rangefinding, laser designator, laser spot detection, inertial navigation, and GPS geolocation. This integrated array enables a pilot to effectively detect, recognize, identify, track and engage ground targets in day, night and under adverse weather conditions. Modern pods are so good that they’ve been used to watch individual people enter or exit a building.

Ball, LITENING
(click to view full)

While the USAF was progressively standardizing on the AN/AAQ-33 Sniper, the Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard continued to be steady AN/AAQ-28 LITENING AT customers, alongside the US Marines. Northrop Grumman’s approach of steady improvement gave them an opportunity to show those customers the new G4 pod they had been developing. Interest apparently spread to the USAF, as they were brought into flight testing by US Air Force Reserve Command.

With the 2001 ATP contract expiring in 2009, the USAF decided to compete the follow-on order. Work on an RFP that could result in a new competitive landscape for targeting pods began in April 2008. The USAF hasn’t discussed its motives publicly, but new technological developments were given added impetus by the acquisition reforms that surfaced in December 2008. These aimed to institutionalize more competition for ongoing contracts, and the ATP-SE framework fits that mold.

By August 2009 the USAF had issued a draft RFP, with the formal ATP-SE RFP issued in January 2010. The split order was issued in September 2010.

Note that these pods’ modular construction means that existing LITENING AT pods can be upgraded to G4/SE status, and existing Sniper ATPs can be enhanced to the SE configuration. The Air Force’s ATP-SE contract doesn’t include upgrade kits at this point, however, just complete pods. The US military appears to have chosen to buy SE configuration upgrade kits under other contracts (vid Aug 29/09, Nov 7/11 entries) instead, and could modify its ATP-SE umbrella contract if it wished.

ATP-SE: The Competitors

Raytheon’s ATFLIR is only integrated with Boeing’s F/A-18 E/F Super Hornet, and foreign options like the Damocles pod by France’s Thales suffer from the same integration limitations. That left only 2 realistic contenders for the USAF’s ATP-SE.

Lockheed Martin’s Aerial Sniper

CF-18 w. Sniper
(click to view full)

Lockheed Martin’s AN/AAQ-33 Sniper ATP was designed to be a major step-change from the firm’s twin-pod LANTIRN systems, making use of a low radar signature profile and an advanced array of sensors and electronics, in order to offer longer range detection and identification. It also has an important time and money-saving feature: a sort of universal interface, which self-detects the plane type it’s on and automatically load the appropriate Operational Flight Program. It’s a simple change that saves a lot of money on testing and re-certiciation, as shown by the structure of the respective ATP-SE contracts.

Sniper ATP has also won competitions on straight performance. The British, for instance, explicitly cited the pod’s stand off detection and identification ranges as the reason they chose to equip their Harriers with Sniper pods for Afghan missions, rather than buy more of the LITENING-III pods that already equipped their Tornado and Eurofighter jets.

Key changes to the ATP-SE competition’s Sniper pods include new sensors (1k FLIR, HDTV), an evolution of the 2-way Compact Multi-Band Datalink (CMDL) that’s compatible with ROVER 3-5 per USAF requirements, and “automated capabilities” (all they’re allowed to say) to help the pilot perform ISR missions with less workload. Under the USAF’s NET-T Quick Reaction Capability contract, a point-to-multipoint data link architecture can provide an extended range “beyond line-of-sight” capability with the right positioning or infrastructure.

The USAF’s 2001 selection made Sniper a safe choice for international buys, and the LITENING pod’s Israeli origins has opened doors for Lockheed Martin in a number of Islamic countries. Sniper is currently integrated on the A-10A+/C, F-16 Block 25+ aircraft, F-15E/K/S/SG Strike Eagles, F/A-18A-D Hornets, and the B-52H and B-1B bombers. They were integrated with Harrier II GR7/9s, before Britain sold its fleet to the USMC for use as spare parts. Britain didn’t sell its Sniper pods, though, and Lockheed Martin says they’ve done some work on the Tornado GR4 (flight tests, but not operational yet), and on the Eurofighter Typhoon in cooperation with BAE.

As of June 2012, Sniper customers include the USAF (A-10C, F-15E, F-16, B-1B, B-52H), Belgium (F-16 MLU), Britain (Harrier GR7/9, all now sold to the USMC), Canada (“CF-18” F/A-18 AM/BM), Egypt (F-16), Morocco (F-16), Norway (F-16), Oman (F-16), Pakistan (F-16), Poland (F-16), Saudi Arabia (F-15S), South Korea (F-15K, phase 2 buy from earlier LANTIRN pod contract), Singapore (F-15SG, F-16s), and Turkey (F-16).

Northrop Grumman: LITENING in a Pod

LITENING III on GR4
(click to view full)

Northrop Grumman representatives informed DID that their pod will be an enhanced “LITENING SE” variant of their new LITENING G4, which has demonstrated both air-ground and air-air capabilities in testing. LITENING SE changes include an all-digital 1024 x 1024 pixel forward-looking infrared sensor (compared to the AT’s 640 x 512 pixel system); a similar 1K charge-coupled device TV sensor for daytime imaging; a Laser Target Imaging Program imaging system providing improved target recognition across a wide range of conditions; and a “plug and play” data link system that enables them to accept a variety of data links without further modifications to the pod or aircraft. Among other things, PNP-III (Plug N Play 3) is aligned with the ROVER 5 standard for 2-way transmissions with ground forces.

Northrop Grumman has sold its AN/AAQ-28 LITENING pods to a number of customers, for use on a number of different aircraft types. When looking at global coverage and customer bases, however, it’s important to note that Northrop Grumman is only 1 of 2 firms producing LITENING pods. Israel’s RAFAEL invented the LITENING, and has pursued parallel development and sales of their own LITENING I/II/III/EF models within the framework of their formal agreement with Northrop Grumman. At present, however, G4/SE technology is proprietary to Northrop Grumman, who is working on export clearances but hasn’t yet received them.

Overall, platforms known to have integrated at least one LITENING pod variant to at least the tested level include the AV-8B Harrier II, EA-6B Prowler, F-4E/F Phantom, F-5E variants, F-15E Strike Eagle, F-16 Block 15+, F/A-18 Hornet, F/A-18 E/F Super Hornet, JAS-39 A-D Gripen, MiG-21, Sukhoi/HAL SU-30MKI, Tornado, Eurofighter Typhoon, HC-130H Hercules, and B-52H. There are also reports of Jaguar IM, Mirage 2000 (reportedly used during the 1999 Kargil War), and/or MiG-27 integration work in India; and photos of Brazilian A-1/AMX and Colombian Kfir C10 fighters with LITENING pods.

A-10 in Iraq
w. LITENING AT
(click to view full)

In terms of Northrop Grumman’s sales, Israel flies a handful of older LITENING ER models on some of its F-16s. The US military’s pods are all at least LITENING AT standard, even those that began life as LITENING-IIs or LITENING ERs. They’re complemented by a handful of even more advanced LITENING G4s, and Northrop Grumman’s pods serve with the USAF, AFRC, US ANG, and USMC on A-10A/C, AV-8B, EA-6B, F-16 Block 30+, F/A-18 C/D, F-15E, and B-52H aircraft. The A-10Cs, B-52s, F-15Es, and F-16s are all slated to become compatible with the new G4s.

Northrop Grumman LITENING AT pods also serve with the Italian (AV-8B Harrier II), and Spanish (AV-8B) navies. The LITENING AT Block 2 pod, which is somewhere between the AT and G4, serves with Australia (F/A-18 Hornet HUG), Finland (F/A-18 C/D), the Netherlands (F-16 MLU), and Portugal (F-16 A/B Block 15 and F-16AM MLU). In 2012, Denmark added itself to the customer list, buying G4 pods for its F-16 MLUs.

By the time the ATP-SE contract was issued, the US military already had about 10-30 LITENING G4 pods in the field, from about 50 ordered in 2009 by the USMC/ US ANG/ USAF Reserves under existing contract vehicles (see section below). That lot of pods was slated to finish delivery in 2011, and did so.

The Israelis are notoriously tight lipped about their customers, but known sales from RAFAEL have occurred to the IAF (F-16s), as well as exports to Britain (Eurofighter, Tornado GR4), Germany (Eurofighter, Tornado IDS, possibly F-4F); and Greece (“Peace Icarus 2000” F-4E AUPs). There have also been reports of sales to Brazil (F-5BR), Chile (F-16); Colombia (Kfir C10), India (slated for Tejas LCA, on Mirage 2000, SU-30, others), Hungary (JAS-39), Singapore (F-16), South Africa (JAS-39, via Zeiss), Sweden (JAS-39), Romania (MiG-21 Lancer), Turkey (F-16, F-4E 2020), and Venezuela (F-16), among others.

Contracts & Key Events: ATP-SE FY 2013-2018

 

Net-T, pre-flight
(click to view full)

December 26/18: LITENING work Northrop Grumman is being contracted to support the US Air Force. The $1.3 billion IDIQ contract covers sustainment, modernization and development efforts of the LITENING advanced targeting pod. Designed to improve both day and night attack capabilities, AN/AAQ-28 pods provide pilots with advanced image processing for target identification and coordinate generation, a forward-looking infrared (FLIR) sensor, charge-coupled device television (CCD-TV) sensors, a laser spot tracker/ range finder, and infrared laser marker/ designators. It is fully operational 24 hours a day and in adverse weather conditions. Work will be performed at Northrop Grumman’s factory in Rolling Meadows, Illinois and is expected to be completed by the end of 2023.

March 16/17: Denmark has placed an order with Northrop Grumman to provide additional LITENING advanced targeting pods for their F-16s. First delivered in 2013, Denmark was the first international buyer of the LITENING G4 pod, and they are now looking to expand the use of the pod within the Royal Danish Air Force. Technologies found on the fourth generation pod include digital, high definition video, 1K forward-looking infrared and charge-coupled device sensors, laser imaging sensors and advanced data links. These advances deliver more accurate target identification and location at longer ranges than previous targeting pod systems, while also reducing pilot workload. It has been integrated on the A-10, AV-8B, B-52, C-130, F-15, F-16 and F/A-18.

October 9/15: Integration testing is underway to install a LITENING targeting pod onto the B-52H bomber, with ground laser testing recently taking place at Edwards AFB. The testing stems from calls by B-52H aircrews for additional targeting capability, with the LITENING pod using infrared and TV imagery along with three lasers to provide enhanced designation for weapon systems. The testing is due to move into flight testing next year.

September 22/15: Airbus Defence & Space is marketing the Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Litening 5 targeting pod as an option for future Eurofighter Typhoon customers. The pod will be installed on a company aircraft to demonstrate the improved capability. The system is reported to have already been purchased by a European Eurofighter operator. The Litening 5 was unveiled at the Paris Air Show earlier this year and uses two FLIR systems and a CCD HD-TV camera to improve target acquisition at long ranges. The pod is expected to becoming operational by the end of next year.

June 19/15: Lockheed Martin has been contracted to supply ten Sniper Advanced Targeting Pods to the Royal Jordanian Air Force, with the country currently engaged in airstrikes against Daesh in Iraq and Syria. The company was awarded a $485 million contract by the US Air Force in March, with a portion of this allocated for Foreign Military Sales. Jordan become the sixteenth Sniper ATP customer in 2013.

March 30/15:Lockheed Martin was awarded a $485 million IDIQ contract Friday for advanced targeting pods, a portion of which are earmarked for FMS. The Sniper pod is operational on the F-15, F-16, F-18, B-1, B-52 and A-10 platforms. Singapore, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Canada, the UK and Belgium are previous export customers. A separate $8.9 million contract will also see Lockheed provide the Jordanian Air Force with 10 of the targeting pods, through the UK as a third party.

Jan 15/15: In January 2015, Rafael announced that their upcoming upgrade that they call G-4 Advanced outside the U.S., and “G-5” for the Americans will have air-to-air targeting capabilities.

Jan 18/13: Net-T. The USAF is testing a wireless router addition to ATP-SE pods called Net-T, which would work in the background and help troops on the ground communicate with each other. ROVER systems already allow communications with the aircraft, and Net-T works with ROVER 5 to share voice, real-time information videos, images, maps, coordinates, or any other file type, without having to resort to satellite links and their scarce bandwidth. That’s very helpful in urban environments, mountains, dense vegetation, etc., where troops have a clear path to an aircraft, but don’t have line of sight to each other.

This high priority developmental test began in October 2012 with the A-10Cs, F-16s, and F-15Es of the 40th Flight Test Squadron, along with some visiting B-1 bombers. Beyond testing key metrics like effective distances, bandwidth, etc., they wanted to be sure Net-T wouldn’t interfere with the LITENING and Sniper pods’ other functions: day/night surveillance, laser illumination and tracking, automatic target searching and tracking, and automated target reconnaissance. Fortunately, once the frequencies and data rates are configured, it’s just a 1-button push for the pilot to initiate transmit-in-Net-T mode.

The goal is to send the testing report to the USAF’s Precision Attack Systems Program Office at Wright Patterson AFB, OH by February 2013, to be followed by operational testing with the 53rd Wing – and hopefully by fielding on ATP-SEs in February 2014. Eglin AFB.

Jan 16/13: Sniper. Lockheed Martin announces USAF approval to begin full-rate production of the Sniper-SE. At this point, Sniper-SE remains the only ATP-SE pod that’s integrated and operational on the F-15E Strike Eagle, and B-1 and B-52 bombers.

Sniper FRP

Nov 12/12: LITENING. Northrop Grumman Corporation announces a $71.5 million order from the USAF to begin full-rate production of LITENING SE advanced targeting pods and spares, under the ATP-SE program.

LITENING FRP

FY 2010 – 2012

ATP-SE award. Litening G4 for F-16s.

LITENING modularity
(click to view full)

Feb 13/12: LITENING. Northrop Grumman Corporation announces 2 follow-on Low Rate Initial Production delivery orders totaling a combined $66 million, to provide additional LITENING SEs. The orders were made under the Sept 30/10 contract.

Oct 24/11: LITENING. Northrop Grumman announces that the US Air National Guard Air Force Reserve Command Test Center (AATC) has recommended full fielding for LITENING G4 Advanced Targeting Pods on its F-16 C/D Block 25/30/32 aircraft, after a successful operational utility evaluation (OUE).

This is one of the plane sets mentioned in Northrop Grumman’s Sept 30/10 order, which included funds for testing and OUE. The pods, on the other hand, stem from the Oct 1/09 award noted in the “ATP-SE Lead Ins” section.

During the September 2010 – May 2011 OUE, LITENING G4 pods flew 530 sorties and accumulated more than 825 flight hours. According to the fielding recommendation issued by AATC to Air Combat Command:

“LITENING G4 provides a significant improvement in F-16 Block 30 mission area execution over baseline targeting pods. The addition of a short wave infrared sensor provides a unique capability to capture images in shadows where FLIR(Forward Looking InfraRed) or CCD [regular cameras] were ineffective.”

G4 OK for F-16s

Oct 18/10: LITENING. At a special event attended by senior members of Israel’s defense establishment, customers, and representatives of foreign militaries and airforces, Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd. marked the sale of the 1,000th Litening Pod, including all partner sales. The event also included RAFAEL business partners Northrop Grumman from the USA, British firm Ultra Electronics, and Germany’s ZEISS.

According to Northrop Grumman sources, by early October 2010 they had total orders for 611 pods, and had delivered 523.

The RAFAEL release adds that “Litening pods have been procured by 26 countries. Litening pods have compiled, totally, more than a million flight hours.” Note that if all countries listed above as possible LITENING customers are included, it only adds up to 22. DID is certain of Northrop Grumman’s sales, but not of RAFAEL’s.

Sniper production
(click to view full)

Sept 30/10: Lockheed Martin Corp. in Orlando, FL (FA8626-10-D-2133) and Northrop Grumman Systems Corp. in Meadows, IL (FA8626-10-D-2132) will split a $2.3 billion contract to provide new advanced targeting pods and associated support equipment, spares and product support. At this time, $23.7 million has been committed to Northrop, and $23.5 million has been committed to Lockheed Martin, in order to provide test pods for the government. The ASC/WNQK at Wright-Patterson AFB, OH manages this contracts.

Lockheed Martin later announces that the USAF has picked its Sniper ATP as the winner of the 60% share of its Advanced Targeting Pod-Sensor Enhancement (ATP-SE) competition.

Under the terms of this contract, Lockheed Martin says that the Government has options to buy up to 670 pods through 2017, with Lockheed Martin’s share of the program totaling more than $1 billion. Asked which platforms were covered in testing, Lockheed Martin personnel said that no additional per-platform testing was needed, just general performance testing.

LITENING AT: US F-16C
(click to view full)

Northrop Grumman later announces that if the government exercises all of their options, the firm’s LITENING SE would pick up approximately $920 million in orders for up to 670 pods through 2017. The USAF’s initial order encompasses flight testing of the targeting systems on Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve F-16 Blocks 25/30/32, USAF F-16 Blocks 40/50, and A-10C aircraft, and the firm says this represents potential orders for as many as 250 targeting pods plus spares, training and logistics support. If the USAF wants to add additional platforms qualified for LITENING-SE, additional testing contracts will be required.

Northrop Grumman representatives tell DID that they can produce about 8-9 LITENING pods per month at the moment, but production is expected to rise to 12+ per month if budgets and orders under ATP-SE require it. They expect ATP-SE Production Lots 1 & 2 to finish delivery by early 2012.

ATP-SE award

Contracts & Key Events: ATP-SE Lead-Ins FY 2011 – 2012

VANG LITENING G4
(click to view full)

May 14/12: Northrop Grumman announces a $103 million delivery order from US Naval Air Systems Command, to equip the USMC’s aircraft with LITENING G4 pods. They’ll also provide G4 upgrade kits and spares to the US Air National Guard, to bring their earlier-model LITENING pods to the G4 configuration.

Northrop Grumman says that they’ve delivered more than 200 LITENING G4 systems so far, adding that all of its LITENING pods put together have achieved over 1.5 million flight hours.

June 19/15: Lockheed Martin has been contracted to supply ten Sniper Advanced Targeting Pods to the Royal Jordanian Air Force, with the country currently engaged in airstrikes against Daesh in Iraq and Syria. The company was awarded a $485 million contract by the US Air Force in March, with a portion of this allocated for Foreign Military Sales. Jordan become the sixteenth Sniper ATP customer in 2013.

March 13/12: LITENING G4 #100. Northrop Grumman announces the delivery of the 100th LITENING G4 targeting pod to meet a combination of USAF Lot 1/2 and US Marine Corps Lot 2/3/4 LITENING G4 production contracts. USAF Lot 2 will include the first LITENING-SEs.

Feb 6/12: LITENING G4 in combat. Northrop Grumman announces that its LITENING G4 has embarked on its first combat deployment, aboard US Air National Guard A-10Cs, and F-16C/D Block 30 aircraft. The pods will be used in Afghanistan.

Dec 5/11: LITENING. Northrop Grumman Systems Corp. in Rolling Meadows, IL receives a $690.1 million firm-fixed-price, fixed-price-incentive-firm, cost-plus-fixed-fee, cost-plus-incentive-firm, time-and-materials LITENING Targeting Pod System post-production support contract, which will run until Sept 18/18. It will:

“…address supply requirements centered on hardware and software upgrades and associated host platform integration, initial spares, technical manual and technical orders, repair data, studies, spares recapitalization and support for the standup of organic depot repair requirements for the sustainment of the legacy LITENING pod fleet.”

Queries to Northrop Grumman and the USAF established that this contract doesn’t cover support for LITENING-SE pods as the USAF takes delivery. It covers existing LITENING AT/G4 stocks, including integration and certification of the new LITENING G4s with US ANG F-16C/D Block 30-50s, USAF active duty F-16C/D Block 40-50s, F-15E Strike Eagles, the A-10C close-support plane, and the B-52H heavy bomber. The USAF also confirmed that the contract may fund upgrades of existing pods to the LITENING-SE standard. This was a sole-source acquisition by the ASC/WNQK at Wright-Patterson AFB, OH (FA8626-12-D-2137). See also Northrop Grumman’s mid-March 2012 release.

LITENING support & upgrades

Nov 7/11: Sniper. Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control in Orlando, FL receives an $841.5 million firm-fixed-price post-production support contract for Sniper targeting pods. Work will include “sensor enhancement on hardware and software upgrades and associated host platform integration, initial spares, technical manual and technical orders, repair data, studies and spares recapitalization, and support the standup of organic depot repair requirements…” The ASC/WNQK at Wright Patterson AFB, OH manages the contract (FA8626-12-D-2138), and when queried, they had this to say:

“The contract will include a five-year base ordering period [to 2016] and two, one-year options [which could extend it to 2018]. This new effort will provide for hardware, software, and associated updates for 375 Sniper targeting pods delivered to Combat Air Forces (CAF) under a prior contract. Updates may include Sniper pod upgrades to the Sniper advanced targeting pod-sensor enhanced (ATP-SE) standard.”

See also Lockheed Martin’s March 2012 release.

Sniper support & upgrades

Oct 19/11: LITENING G4. Northrop Grumman finishes delivering the 1st Lot of 50 LITENING G4s, under the 2009, $227.8 million US ANG contract. Production Lot 2 will begin production of the USAF’s LITENING-SEs, and the USMC’s ordered G4s. Northrop Grumman.

FY 2004 – 2010

ATFLIR on F/A-18F
(click to view full)

Sept 13/10: Sniper. Lockheed Martin announces a $13 million contract to upgrade the Sniper ATP’s existing data link with an enhanced digital Compact Multi-band Data Link (CMDL), improving secure digital transmission of high definition imagery and metadata at extended ranges. CMDL communicates seamlessly with the fielded ROVER family of ground stations, including ROVER 5.

Lockheed’s final ATP-SE Sniper offering will build on this work, and this CMDL upgrade follows the S3.5 software upgrade of U.S. Air Force and coalition Sniper pods operational on F-16 Block 30/40/50, A-10C, F-15E and B-1 aircraft. The S3.5 added emerging aircraft interfaces to Sniper ATP and provides new capabilities in air-to-air and air-to-surface tracking and designation, selectable ground-stabilized fragmentation circles, unpowered built-in-test data download capability, and video data link metadata and symbology enhancements.

March 10/10: LITENING G4. Northrop Grumman announces that it successfully demonstrated its LITENING pod on the U.S. Navy’s F/A-18E/F Super Hornet at the US Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division, China Lake, CA, during a 1.5 hour flight under operationally representative conditions. DID has confirmed from a reliable source that the pod was a LITENING G4.

To this point, the Super Hornet has only been fielded with Raytheon’s ATFLIR surveillance and targeting pods; even LITENING customer Australia picked ATFLIR for its F-18F Super Hornets.

Super Hornet test

Oct 1/09: LITENING G4. Northrop Grumman announces a $153 million contract from the USAF to provide LITENING G4 targeting and sensor systems and related equipment. Under the terms of the agreement, Northrop Grumman will deliver LITENING G4 targeting and sensor pods to the active U.S. Air Force, as well as kits for the Air Force Reserve Command and Air National Guard to upgrade existing LITENING AT pods to the G4 configuration, and additional data links for the Air National Guard and active U.S. Air Force.

This contract modification under an existing agreement marks the first updates of existing Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC) and Air National Guard (ANG) LITENING pods to the G4 configuration, and the first sale to the USAF.

This order turned out to be a big deal, because it was part of the process of re-introducing competition to the USAF. The LITENING G4 sold here also forms the baseline for the company’s USAF Advanced Targeting Pod – Sensor Enhancement product.

LITENING G4 for US ANG/AFRC

Aug 29/10: Expeditionary/ TopLITE. Northrop Grumman Systems in Rolling Meadows, IL receives a $98.7 million ceiling-priced indefinite-delivery/ indefinite quantity contract for the procurement of Expeditionary Litening Pods (LPODs), upgrades to existing pods, and integration of LPODs into AV-8B Harriers (domestic and allied), F/A-18 Hornets (domestic and FMS), EA-6B Prowlers, C-130 Hercules, and Air Force platforms, including related parts and services. In addition, this contract provides for associated engineering and technical support and technical data.

Work will be performed in Rolling Meadows, IL, and is expected to be complete in June 2011. $16.1 million will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured pursuant to FAR 6.302-1. The Naval Air Systems Command in Patuxent River, MD manages this contract (N00019-09-D-0025).

They’re “Expeditionary” G4s because this is the US Marines and Navy contract, which is separate from USAF orders. With respect to the C-130, LITENING has been integrated on a US Coast Guard C-130 as a demo, but nothing ever came of it. The USMC contract is related to a program called Toplite, a surveillance oriented version of LITENING that’s similar to RAFAEL’s RecceLITE. Northrop Grumman sees this as an opportunity to explore integration on lower-g aircraft by separating the turret out, and moving the backing electronics out of a pod configuration and inside the plane.

LITENING G4 & TopLITE for USMC

Feb 12/04: Sniper Adapter. Lockheed Martin announces a contract to integrate the Sniper XR targeting pod on the A-10 aircraft in support of the A-10 Precision Engagement (PE) Program. The contract award follows a successful demonstration of the Sniper system during the A/OA-10 Precision Engagement upgrade program’s critical design review.

Some existing A-10s do fly with targeting pods, but they’re earlier models of Northrop Grumman’s LITENING pod. The USAF picked Sniper as its future targeting pod in 2001, and the current contract will ensure that Sniper pods work seamlessly with the A-10’s upgraded stores management systems, pilot displays, weapon targeting, etc.

As part of the integration effort, Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control will develop the Pilot Vehicle Interface (PVI), pod Operational Flight Program (OFP) software, and pod interface adapter hardware for the A-10. Upon completion of this effort, the Sniper XR pod will self-detect and automatically load the appropriate Operational Flight Program when installed on either the A-10, F-16 or F-15E airframes. That work would pay dividends for a long time, by ensuring that new versions of the Sniper pod would remain compatible with certified jets. Otherwise, that certification takes months, and costs a lot of money (vid. ATP-SE award).

Additional Readings

• FedBizOpps (began April 2008) – 16–ASC/647 AESS ATP-SE IDIQ Task Order Contract FA8626-10-R-2098. Solicitation PIXS5613.

• Lockheed Martin – Sniper Advanced Targeting Pod. See also Sniper ATP micro-site.

• Northrop Grumman – AN/AAQ-28(V) LITENING Low Risk, Next Generation Targeting Pod

• DID (Nov 27/07) – $18M Prepares Datalinks for Next-Gen LITENING

KHP/Surion rollout
(click to view full)

South Korea currently owns around 700 helicopters, but more than half are considered outdated, and they need to be replaced. December 2005 marked the endgame for a South Korean competition to produce about 245 utility transport helicopters, which would be developed and produced as a semi-indigenous program. The KHP/ Surion is in the 8-tonne class, and is designed to carry 11 troops. Industrial offsets were also important, as the program is designed to boost Korea’s ability to design and build its own rotary-wing aircraft. EADS Eurocopter was chosen as the cooperating partner.

The Korean government gave its final approval of the contract in June 2006, and the project is underway. Note that while company releases place the program’s value at $6-8 billion, the program hasn’t reached that level yet. The initial contract was for KRW 1.3 trillion ($1.3 billion), and is for research and development only. That development finished in April 2013, and the main production contract is next. It will proceed in parallel with additional contracts to develop Surion specialty versions for Korea’s federal police and Marine Corps, and all of these models will be offered for export through a joint venture with Eurocopter.

The KHP (now KUH) Program

In February 2005 the Ministry of National Defense announced that would launch a multi-billion-dollar procurement project to build utility helicopters in December 2005. A total of 5 trillion won ($4.5 billion) was budgeted for this Korean Helicopter Program (KHP), including research and development expenditures.

The project is aimed at producing hundreds of “Korean Utility Helicopters” (KUH) to replace the aging UH-1H Hueys currently in service. Industrial offsets are also important considerations, as the program is designed to boost indigenous industrial manufacturing capability for rotary-wing aircraft.

Making Surion
click for video

This was a cut-down project from the original effort, which aimed to create a core platform that could have utility or attack helicopter sections built onto it, creating a pair of helicopter types with significant commonality. That original effort was not necessarily an overstretch; the US Marine Corps new UH-1Y Hueys and AH-1Z attack helicopters already embody a high-commonality approach.

The KUH/attack approach does add complexity risk, however, and South Korea ended up buying the AH-64E Apache to address their attack helicopter needs. At the lower end, KAI is developing a Light Armed Helicopter, but commonality is limited to “utilizing technology acquired through KUH development.”

Program and Industrial

DAPA: KUH
click for video

The KUH programme was formally launched in 2006. As of October 2007 the KHP project began to take the name “Korean Utility Helicopter,” and its July 2009 rollout saw reports that began to refer to it as the “Surion” (suri = eagle, on = perfection).

Korean Aerospace Industries (KAI) is the prime contractor. As the primary partner, EADS Eurocopter will provide technical assistance, and supply the rotor mast, transmission, and autopilot subassemblies. Eurocopter has a stake of 30% in the development phase, and 20% in the production phase.

The initial contract was worth KRW 1.3 trillion ($1.3 billion at the time), and covered research and development only. By the time development finished in 2013, it had spent just KRW 1.2 billion, despite running a bit more than a year past its deadline.

Contracts for the KRW 4.1 trillion production project will be struck separately. Full scale production was expected to begin in 2012, but development wasn’t finished until April 2013.

Initial market expectations were stated as 250 helicopters, indicating a very limited market beyond South Korea’s order. Eurocopter later revised this to 300 machines, and the business plan changed again when the partnership decided that they would offer a civilian version after 2011. This was a significant move, as the design would compete with existing Eurocopter offerings like the new 7 tonne EC 175. By 2013, expectations had grown again, to 400 civil government and military machines in South Korea alone.

In the military market, South Korea’s Yonhap News agency quoted an anonymous government source in July 2009, who said that:

“Seoul also aims to win 300 overseas orders for the KUH in the next 25 years, a government official said on condition of anonymity. That is roughly 30 percent of the projected global demand for Surion-type choppers, which are larger than the UH-1 Iroquois but smaller than the UH-60 Black Hawks.”

As of April 2013, KAI is still using those figures as its export target, even though the competitive field has become more crowded. That’s a tall order if you’re up against competitors like the AW189, Bell 525, and EC175, plus slightly larger de facto competitors like the EC Puma family, Mi-17, NH90, and Sikorsky H-60 family.

KAI’s Surion

KUH Surion
(click to view full)

Some initial sources indicated that their KHP project bid would be based on the Dauphin-derived EC155/ AS 565 Panther, and the diagram initially provided in local media reports appeared to bear that out. The final design bears some similarities to the EC155 and the Puma family, but many differences.

The KUH Surion is 15m long x 2m wide x 4.5m high, with a maximum takeoff weight of 8.7 tonnes. It’s powered by 2 of GE’s popular T-700 turboshaft engines, and incorporates HUMS prognostics throughout the helicopter to provide constant monitoring and advance warning of mechanical issues. Range is reportedly around 480 km.

The cockpit and frame will be armored to handle 7.62mm strikes, while the fuel tanks will be armored up to resist 12.7mm or 14.5mm rounds. More active warning and protection systems are provided by a partnership between EADS Cassidian and South Korea’s LigNex1, and include the widely used AN/AAR-60 MILDS missile warning system.

Expected personnel capacity is 2 crew plus up to 9 fully-armed soldiers. There are some online sources that give the helicopters 4 hardpoints and weapons up to wire-guided TOW missiles, but KAI’s own materials say nothing about that, and there have been no reports of weapon trials.

Contracts & Key Events 2016 – 2018

 

Surion ATH
(click to view full)

December 26/18: Army resumes Surion flights South Korea’s Army is again flying its fleet of KUH-1 Surion helicopters. The Army suspended all flying missions of its Surions after a navy version crashed in July this year, killing five of the six Marines aboard and injuring the other. To ensure the safety of the aircraft the Army conducted a comprehensive inspection of the helicopter’s rotor mast and several test flights. The Army has so far checked about a third of its fleet of 90 Surions.

April 5/18: De-icing tests The Korean Aerospace Industries (KAI) KUH-1 Surion helicopter has wrapped up several months of de-icing tests in the US, with the helicopter on its way back to South Korea. Testing took place at Sawyer International Airport, Michigan, with staff from both KAI and the South Korean Army joining US Army personnel for the work. This is the second year in a row that Seoul has brought aircraft to Sawyer for testing.

January 12/18: Deliveries South Korea’s Marine Corps has received delivery of its first two MUH-1 multi-role utility helicopters. Based on KAI’s KUH-1 Surion, the new variant has been cleverly/lazily dubbed the Marineon—Marine, Surion, Marineon, get it?—and features an external fuel tank, specialized radio equipment, flotation devices, as well as a folding main rotor that will allow the helicopter to operate from Dokdo-class amphibious assault ships. 32 units have been ordered as part of efforts to create an independent aviation unit for the marines, while an additional eight will go to the South Korea’s navy. Deliveries are expected to continue to until 2023, at least.

July 24/17: Ha Sung-yong, the CEO of Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI), has offered to step down after Korean prosecutors raided his company’s offices to gather evidence as part of the Surion utility helicopter scandal. Allegations levelled at the firm include that charge that the company inflated expenses for the development of the Surion military helicopter and pocketed illicit gains—to the tune of $21 million—in the process. Ha, who last year said he would resign if KAI’s T-50 was not selected for the USAF’s T-X trainer program, offered to resign again during a board of directors meeting, and a successor will be chosen at an extraordinary shareholders’ meeting, to be arranged for as soon as possible.

July 18/17: Prosecutors in South Korea have raided the offices of the nation’s only aircraft manufacturer, Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI), after allegations that the firm inflated the research and development costs of a weapons program. Although the project in question has yet to be officially revealed, South Korean media believe that the wrongdoing occurred during the development of the Surion helicopter, where KAI allegedly defrauded the state-run Defense Acquisition Program Administration out of $41.8 million. This marks the first investigation since reformist prosecutor Yoon Seok-yeol was appointed as head of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors‘ Office. Yoon was a member of an independent counsel team involved in the probe that impeached former President Park Geun-hye and her administration on corruption charges.

January 4/17: Korea Aircraft Industries (KAI) has secured a $523 million contract to provide KUH-1 Surion transport helicopters to South Korea’s marines. The deal covers the production and delivery of 30 helicopters, expected between 2017-2023. Modifications found on the marine variant include foldable blades, emergency floats that can deploy with the press of a button, optional long-range fuel tanks, as well as the ability to carrying nine fully equipped marines in addition to four crew members.

September 26/16: It’s back to the drawing board for KAI’s KUH-1 Surion as the Korean-made utility helicopter failed a number of extreme climate tests in the USA. If successful, the testing would have given the Surion an international standard and boosted export chances. Several parts will now be redesigned to rectify the defects found during the testing, which puts the helicopter through very challenging humid and freezing temperatures.

2012 – 2013

ROK certifications; Development complete; ROK orders maritime version.

Oct 16/13: Sub-contractors. Elbit Systems announces a follow-on contract for full production of improved ANVIS/HUD 24 Helmet Mounted Displays to equip production Surion helicopters. The initial order that made them part of the project (q.v. March 25/09) was for the system development phase, which ended in March 2013. Sources: Elbit Systems: ANVIS/HUD 24T brochure [PDF] | Oct 16/13 release.

April 16/13: Surion ATH. South Korea’s DAPA procurement agency announces a KRW 800 million (about $733 million) project to develop the ROK Marine Corps’ transport and utility helicopter, which will be a Surion variant. KAI is scheduled to complete development by the end of 2015.

The helicopters will serve on the ROKS Dokdo LHD, and the ROKN also possesses LST ships whose helicopter decks may be able to accomodate the 8-ton class machines. DAPA projects that the Surions “will help double the Korean military’s independent landing operation capability,” while offering greater range than their existing UH-1 Hueys.

KAI’s release is optimistic, forecasting a potential Korean demand of up to 400 helicopters over the 20 years for the ROK’s Army, Marine Corps, Police (vid. 2011 entry), a future MEDEVAC variant, and orders/variants for South Korea’s Coast Guard, Fire Department and Korea Forest Service. They’re also holding to their original forecast of 30% share within global segment demand of over 1,000 helicopters, even though several competitors have entered this segment since the Surion began development.

If KAI’s accompanying graphic looks realistic, that’s because they photoshopped a Surion on top of a real 2010 picture, replacing the USN SH-60F Seahawk that was actually flying over ROKS Dokdo. But they didn’t strip the picture’s metadata, which is actually kind of honest. KAI.

Surion naval utility: system development

March 28-29/13: KAI announces that the KUH/ Surion has completed its development, making South Korea the 11th country in the world to develop a helicopter. The firm says that total investments from KAI, DAPA, and the ROK Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy totaled KRW 1.2 billion (around $1.1 billion). The program involved a combination of KAI, Eurocopter, and government research bodies; and included 98 local vendors, 49 foreign partners, and 28 colleges/research institutes. Overall, about 62.5% of the KUH project budget was “localized” in Korea.

The 4 prototypes successfully completed around 2,700 hours of flight tests, and checked about 7,600 test requirements. KAI.

Surion base model development complete

Feb 21/13: Testing. The Surion finishes low-temperature testing in Alaska, USA. South Korea gets plenty of its own cold weather, but you might as well go where you’re guaranteed ultra-frigid conditions. The tests involved about 50 flights. KAI.

June 2012: Certified. South Korea bestows airworthiness and military certifications on Surion. That seems like an odd thing to do before development is complete. Even if it’s necessary to allow deliveries, certification often means that subsequent fixes are the government’s responsibility. Source: KAI.

2008 – 2011

Surion rollout and 1st flight; Police version SDD; Export JV established.

KUH Surion-Police
(click to view full)

2011: Police version. KAI’s English press release is unclear, but they refer to an apparent agreement with the Korea Police Agency to develop a Surion version for them. The KNPA is a national police force under the Ministry of Public Administration and Security, and they have 10 “squadrons” of SWAT teams whose tasks include counter-terrorism and hostage rescue. Source: KAI | Shephard Media.

Police version

July 13/11: Sub-contractors. EADS Cassidian announces a “multi-million euro” contract from Korean Aircraft Industries to supply 24 of its AN/AAR-60 MILDS (Missile Launch Detection System) missile warning systems, with deliveries continuing until 2013. Each system uses about 4 passive sensors, which detect the ultraviolet radiation signature of approaching missiles. Cassidian was working with Korea’s Lig Nex1 to develop the helicopter’s overall electronic countermeasures system, and delivered 36 sensors during the development phase.

MILDS is widely used on a number of helicopter and aircraft models, and EADS’ cooperation in the Surion’s design made it an almost certain choice here.

May 3/11: KAI-EC. Korean Aerospace and Eurocopter establish the KAI-EC joint stock company, based in Seoul to export the Surion helicopter. KAI.

KAI-EC export JV

June 22/10: Official maiden flight. The official maiden test flight is conducted at KAI’s facility in Sacheon, South Chungcheong. Another 3 test helicopters will be built, and test flights will continue through September 2010. This will be followed by “mass production” beginning in March 2012, and “full-scale production” beginning in June 2012. DAPA Commissioner Byun Moo-keun reiterated the program’s core rationale during his speech:

“Despite the fact that our military ranks in seven in the world in operating the number of military helicopter, we have been relying on foreign countries in importing major technologies in developing functions and maintenance… The successful development of Surion has not only led in operating the military tactics efficiently but also formed the basis in improving our own aerospace industry technology.”

See: South Korean MND.

March 10/10: Fly! The Surion has its 30-minute 1st flight at Sacheon, including taxi, hover turns, and a stationary hover at 30 feet. KAI says the flight test program will see the helicopter flying at 140 knots and 2,000 feet by April 2010, and an official ceremony of the first flight will take place in May 2010. Defense News | Shephard Group.

1st flight

ANVIS/HUD
(click to view full)

Nov 2/09: Sub-contractors. Elbit Systems announces that KAI has named them as one of their top 4 Elite Suppliers for the Korean Utility Helicopter (KUH) program, during the firm’s supplier symposium. Elbit supplies the helicopter’s ANVIS/HUD Helmet Mounted Displays, Vehicle Information systems (VIS) and a Data Transfer Systems (DTS). They’re also a subcontractor to KAI for systems engineering and integration of the entire KUH avionics system.

Oct 1/09: KAH delayed. The South Korean government decides to delay its proposed Korean Attack Helicopter program, which was expected to share some 60-70% commonality with the KUH/ Surion. Flight International.

July 31/09: KAI formally unveils the first KUH helicopter, at a ceremony in the southwestern city of Saechon. Attending dignitaries include South Korean President Lee Myung-bak. The new helicopter will be called the “Surion,” and the Yonhap News report says that it sources 60% of its parts from local manufacturers, including the rotor blades and its prognostic health and usage monitoring systems (HUMS). The prototype is due to fly early in 2010, and will eventually be joined by another 3 flight test aircraft. Lee Jae-hong, head of the South Korean Ministry of Knowledge Economy’s machinery, aerospace and defense industry division, adds that:

“Even though it is a military helicopter, the KUH already satisfies 96% or 2,363 of the 2,460 international operational standards for civilian helicopters.”

KAI and Eurocopter also plan to pursue civilian sales beginning in 2011, in order to improve their return on investment. Yonhap | The Korea Herald | The Korea Times | Flight International | Rotorhub.

KUH rollout

March 25/09: Sub-contractors. Flight international reports that Elbit Systems has received a contract from Korea Aerospace Industries to supply “advanced helmet-mounted display systems” for the KUH program. The initial contract covers those development aircraft due to be delivered in 2009-10, but continued cooperation could lead to follow-on orders to equip the entire KUH fleet, and possibly other Korean helicopters as well.

Elbit’s ANVIS/HUD combines day and night vision goggles with key flight symbology, allowing “head up, look-out flying at all times. It has been used by the US military since the mid-1990s, and has equipped more than 5,000 helicopters belonging to 20 countries. Integrated platforms include the H-60 series, CH-53, CH-47, CH-46, V-22, AH-1, UH-1, Super Puma, Cougar, and others. Elbit’s HeliDASH system is a higher end choice.

The KUH HMD fits somewhere in the middle. Elbit personnel describe the Korean order as “…the ANVIS-HUD24 with additional capabilities which I am not at liberty to specify.”

2005 – 2007

Eurocopter wins deal; Contract approved; MoU for joint venture; Innovative fuel bladders; Defensive suite picked.

Later KHP concept
(click to view larger)

Oct 18/07: Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) and Eurocopter sign of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to create a Joint Venture (JV) Company for the worldwide sales and marketing of the Korean Utility Helicopter (KUH). It will be in operation by 2010. With a shareholding structure of 51% for KAI and 49% ownership for Eurocopter. Eurocopter role is to provide technical assistance for the development of the helicopter as well as certain sub-assemblies, the transmission, and the autopilot. About 40 Eurocopter engineers are housed at Sacheon (Korea) with KAI.

The Eurorcopter release sets expected Korean orders at about 250 KUH helicopters, while estimating KUH production at “an order of 300 helicopters.”

Oct 15/07: Sub-contractors. EADS Defence & Security announces that it will equip the KHP helicopter with its MILDS AN/AAR-60 self-protection system. Over 5,000 AN/AAR-60 units have been produced and installed aboard a wide variety of rotary wing and wide body aircraft, often as part of a multi-spectral suite of sensors; a version for fighter aircraft is under development.

This advanced, passive imaging sensor detects and tracks the ultraviolet emissions of approaching missiles. All approaches have advantages and disadvantages. As Aramada Magazine’s “Fighting an Invisible Threat” explains, ultraviolet seekers tend to be more effective at lower and slower targets, and are less vulnerable to false acquisitions such as decoys. The sensors are also smaller, lighter and require less cooling. On the flip side, they are more vulnerable to atmospheric conditions, and tend to have poorer sensitivity and resolution than other options such as infrared.

EADS DS will provide the equipment for the development phase, but from 2008 onward the sensors will be integrated by the Korean company LIGNex1 into the KHP self-protection system.

Oct 15/07: KOIS reports that a real-size model of the KHP/KUH transport helicopter will be on display at the Seoul 2007 air show that opens in Seongnam Oct 16-21/07. This will be the first time the helicopter’s form and interior design will be unveiled publicly. The development program is now code-named “Korean Utility Helicopter (KUH),” and aims to produce a prototype in 2009 and begin mass-production in 2012. KOIS adds:

“Under the 1.3-trillion-won ($1.38 billion) program, Korea aims to produce 245 advanced transport helicopters. The DAPA also expects exports of the envisioned helicopters, each priced at around 15 billion won. The 14.7-meter helicopter can carry two gunners and nine other troops, along with two pilots.”

March 1/07: Sub-contractors. GKN Aerospace announces that they have been selected by Hanwha Corporation to supply fuel bladders for the Korean Helicopter Programme (KHP). This contract, awarded by Hanwha Corporation, has a value approaching $3.5 million and is the culmination of a lengthy collaboration. Phase 1 of the contract involves completing the development activity which will be finalized this year, followed by testing and initial production during 2008. Phase 2 commences in 2009, with preparation and first assembly activities at Hanwha’s facilities in Korea.

The fuel bladders will be manufactured using a GKN developed, MIL spec material, which is far more flexible than current materials. This flexibility eases and speeds installation and greatly reduces the potential for damage to the bladder during the installation process. The material is also lighter than current products and, critically, offers a faster self-sealing capability in the event of damage during helicopter operations. GKN release.

Initial KUH Concept
(click to view full)

Oct 31/06: MEP solicitation. KAI release:

“For the Korean Helicopter Program (KHP) propelled by Republic of Korea Government, notice of solicitation for korean/foreign industries participation is hereby issued in the area of Mission Equipment Package (MEP) whose development efforts will be led by Agency for Defense Development and procurement activities will be led by Korea Aerospace Ind., Ltd. (KAI) or Nex1 Future Co., Ltd.”

Full solicitation [PDF].

June 2/06: Final approval. The Korean government gives its final approval of the KHP/KUH contract.

Approval

April 12/06: DAPA OK. South Korea’s DAPA (Defense Acquisition Program Administration) formalizes the decision to acquire 245 utility helicopters to be developed by Korea Aerospace Industries Limited in partnership with Eurocopter, and produced as from 2011 onwards. EADS release.

Dec 12/05: Korean Aeronautics Industries (KAI) announces that it has wrapped up KHP negotiations with the French-German manufacturer Eurocopter, as opposed to Bell Helicopter of the USA or the Anglo-Italian firm AgustaWestland. The Chosun Ibo reports that “The Defense Ministry will finalize its decision after consulting a committee on the KAI recommendations and investigating the potential for technology transfer.” The next day, EADS Eurocopter’s release confirmed a win on the 245 helicopter contract, adding:

“The 6-year KHP development phase will run from 2006 to 2011; In the following 10-year production phase, 245 helicopters are to be manufactured… The KHP helicopter is in the 8 metric ton class and is capable of carrying 2 pilots and 11 troops with an endurance of well over two hours. The helicopter is equipped with the very latest technological advances.

Eurocopter and KAI have agreed to set up a 50/50 subsidiary to market the export version of the KHP helicopter. Forecasts needs for this utility helicopter on the world market are set at 250 machines over 20 years.”

Development actually takes until April 2013.

Eurocopter wins KHP

Additional Readings & Sources

• KAI – KUH-Surion

• Army Technology – KAI Surion Light Utility Helicopter, South Korea

• GlobalSecurity.org – Korean Helicopter Program

• Wikipedia – General Electric T700

• DID (Dec 14/05) – Korean E-X & Helicopter Competitions Reaching Endgame?

• The Dong-A Iibo (Dec 1/05) – As Ties Wane, So Does Taste for US Arms

Americas

Boeing is being awarded with a seven-year maintenance contract supporting US Special Operations Command aircraft. The IDIQ, firm-fixed-price, cost reimbursable contract is valued at $1.1 billion and allows for life cycle contractor support the MH-6, MH-47, and MH-60 aircraft. Boeing will provide SOCOM with support program management, field service representatives and sustaining engineering. The company will also deliver spare and repair parts. MD’s H-6 Little Bird serves in versatile roles, like quickly moving special forces troops into confined areas, or acting as light helicopter gunships. MH-47s are the special operations variant of the combat proven Chinook and serve as heavy assault helicopters. The majority of work will be performed at Boeing’s factory in Fort Campbell, Kentucky.

The Naval Sea Systems Command is modifying a contract with Lockheed Martin. Priced at $184 million, the modification exercises a contract option that sees for full-rate production a SEWIP subsystem. The Surface Electronic Warfare Improvement Program (SEWIP) is and electronic countermeasure system that uses radar warning receivers, and in some cases active jamming, contributing to a ships’ self-defense system. SEWIP Block 2 is the most recent version of the system, which aims to expand upon the receiver and antenna groups necessary to support threat detection and improved system integration. Work will be performed at multiple locations – including, but not limited to – Liverpool, New York; Brockton, Massachusetts and Lansdale, Pennsylvania. Performance is scheduled to run through June 2021.

The US Army is buying more sniper rifles for its troops. Knights Armaments will deliver an unspecified number of M110 semi-automatic sniper rifles at a cost of $16.5 million. The M110 is a lightweight, semi-automatic, air-cooled, gas-operated, magazine-fed, shoulder-fired weapon that fires NATO-standard ammunition. The M110 Semi-Automatic Sniper System (SASS) has been in service since 2008. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order. Deliveries are expected to end by November 20, 2024.

Middle East & Africa

Saudi Arabia is continuing its shopping spree and buys more Blackhawk kits. The Foreign Military Sales contract is worth $59 million and procures UH-60M kits from Sikorsky. The UH-60M incorporates a number of new features, such as a fly-by-wire flight control system, a glass cockpit with with a Common Avionics Architecture System (CAAS), and a fully authorized digital engine control (FADEC). Work will be performed at Sikorsky’s facility in Stratford, Connecticut; and has an estimated completion date of May 31, 2022. The contract is entirely paid with FY2019 Army operations and maintenance funds.

Lockheed Martin is being contracted to supply US allies Kuwait and Saudi Arabia with Patriot missiles. The Foreign Military Sales contract is priced at $3.4 billion and sees for the delivery of PAC-3 and PAC-3 MSE interceptors. The PAC-3 family provides protection from threats like tactical ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and aircraft. Work will be performed at facilities in Huntsville, Alabama; Camden, Arkansas; Ocala, Florida; Chelmsford, Massachusetts; Grand Prairie, Texas; and Lukin, Texas. The contract is expected to end in December 2024.

Europe

The Hellenic Air Force is upgrading its fleet of F-16 fighter aircraft. Awarded to Lockheed Martin, the contract provides for the upgrade of 84 F-16s to the V-configuration at a cost of $996 million. The Viper is the latest variant of the Fighting Falcon fourth generation, multi-role, fighter aircraft. It integrates advanced capabilities as part of an upgrade package to better interoperate with fifth-generation fighters, including the F-35 and the F-22. The F-16V variant includes an AESA radar, a new mission computer and electronic warfare suite, automated GCAS, and various cockpit improvements. Half of the contract is paid with Foreign Military Sales funds.

Raytheon is being awarded with a contract modification in support of Sweden’s air-defense system acquisition. The modification is valued at $568 million covering the production of a Patriot missile system. Sweden plans to purchase a package of four Patriot Configuration-3+ Modernized Fire Units, that include radar sets, engagement control systems, antenna mast groups and 300 missiles. Work will be performed at Raytheon’s facilities in Andover, Massachusetts; Pelham, New Hampshire; Tewksbury, Massachusetts; Marlborough, Massachusetts; Portsmouth, Rhode Island; Chambersburg, Pennsylvania; Merrimack, New Hampshire; and Dallastown, Pennsylvania. Performance is estimated to be completed by October 30, 2025.

Asia-Pacific

The Philippine Air Force will start the new year by concluding three big defense procurement contracts. Early in 2019 the PAF will receive 16 US-supplied Blackhawks, six T-129 ATAK helicopters from Turkey and three ground based air defense systems from Israel. The helicopter acquisition is estimated to cost $240 million. Conclusion of these three contracts is just a small part of Manila’s 2019 procurement plans. The Philippine Air Force expects to take delivery of 2 Cobra attack helicopters supplied by Jordan, two fixed-wing C2 aircraft, 6 Brazilian Super Tucanos, 2 Israeli-made radar system and 13 Hermes UAVs. In addition the country will receive 2 C-130s and 4 OV-10 attack aircraft from the US. “The year 2019 is particularly sweet, a giant leap in our quest to defend our precious skies, and keep our nation free,” former Air Force chief Lt. Gen. Galileo Gerard Kintanar Jr. said on Friday.

Today’s Video

Watch: History of NORAD Tracks Santa

“Slick 32”
(click to view full)

The US Navy’s AN/SLQ-32 ECM (Electronic Countermeasures) system uses radar warning receivers, and in some cases active jamming, as the part of ships’ self-defense system. The “Slick 32s” provides warning of incoming attacks, and is integrated with the ships’ defenses to trigger Rapid Blooming Offboard Chaff (RBOC) and other decoys, which can fire either semi-automatically or on manual direction from a ship’s ECM operators.

The “Slick 32” variants are based on modular building blocks, and each variant is suited to a different type of ship. Most of these systems were designed in the 1970s, however, and are based on 1960s-era technology. Unfortunately, the SLQ-32 was notable for its failure when the USS Stark was hit by Iraqi Exocet missiles in 1987. The systems have been modernized somewhat, but in an era that features more and more supersonic ship-killing missiles, with better radars and advanced electronics, SLQ-32’s fundamental electronic hardware architecture is inadequate. Hence the Surface Electronic Warfare Improvement Program (SEWIP).

SEWIP Blocks

“Slick 32” screen on
USS Iowa, 1984
(click to view full)

Overall, SEWIP is a $5.297 billion program, with spending ramping up sharply as of FY 2014.

Though SLQ-32 is a Raytheon system, SEWIP began in 2003 with General Dynamics as the lead integrator. Blocks 1A, 1B2, and 1B3 all use the improved control and display (ICAD) console, which is a GD-AIS upgrade based on the commonly used Lockheed Martin AN/ULQ-70 computing and display console.

SEWIP Block 1A adds the improved displays and a modern interface noted above, along with some hardware switchouts that add modern commercial-off-the-shelf hardware to drive the new display, and handle some signal processing (Electronic Surveillance Enhancements, or ESE).

SWEIP Block 1B1 made more changes to replace obsolete SLQ-32 electronics, some of which aren’t even manufactured any more, and improved the system’s ability to locate the source of incoming radar signals. SEWIP Block 1B1 provides a AN/SSX-1 stand-alone specific emitter identification (SEI) subsystem to ships with the active AN/SLQ-32(V) variant. For small ships, the Small Ship Electronic Support Measures System (SSESM) provides Specific Emitter Identification (SEI) capability in a stand-alone configuration.

SEWIP Block 1B2. For those ships which already have 1B1, this adds federated Specific Emitter Identification, and fully integrates SEI with Block 1A’s ICAD/Q-70 console.

SEWIP Block 1B3 adds additional display upgrades, and a High Gain High Sensitivity (HGHS) subsystem, to help ships deal with modern missiles that announce their presence less boldly and offer less warning time. It received its Milestone C/Low-Rate Initial Production (LRIP) go ahead in summer 2012, and is expected to hit Full Rate Production (FRP) in spring 2014.

SEWIP-2 concept
(click to view full)

Those low-cost, low-risk inserts deal with some of the SLQ-32 system’s issues, but not all. Over the longer term, the system’s fundamental receiver/emitter electronics need to be updated to modern technologies. Its software needs improvements that let ships take better advantage of the new hardware’s capabilities, make it easier to share SEWIP information with their own ship’s combat system, and allow sharing with other ships.

SEWIP Block 2 is described as an upgrade, but it’s more like a major home renovation. It replaces the old SLQ-32 receivers and antennas with modern digital technologies, adding new capability, flexibility, and signal processing muscle. Block 2 also modifies the software, creating a single, unified interface to the combat system in place of multiple interfaces to individual components of the combat system. This makes future upgrades simpler, and may also have the effect of improving performance. Lockheed Martin’s ICEWS materials touted under 200ms end-to-end latency, a low false alarm rate, and good high-pulse throughput for cluttered environments.

The Block 2 contract was awarded to a Lockheed Martin/ ITT partnership at the very end of FY 2009. June 2010 was the next key milestone, and a July 2010 contract continues development. The system passed its Critical Design Review in early 2011, and the partnership was scheduled to deliver 2 prototypes in 2012. This ACAT II program achieved Milestone C approval in January 2013, with approval to begin Low Rate Initial Production, and the contract was restructured to begin LRIP in March 2013. Contracts for production and installation are now underway.

SEWIP Block 3 and beyond could look very different. Block 3 looks to add improvements to SEWIP’s Electronic Attack (EA, or jamming) capability. The goal is a common EA capability to all surface combatants (CVN, CG, DDG, LHA) outfitted with the active V3/v4 variants of the AN/SLQ-32, mainly the (V)3 and (V)4, as well as “select new-construction platforms.” It builds on ESM improvements in Blocks 1 and 2, but isn’t expected to hit its Milestone C Low-Rate Initial Production approval until early 2017. Initial Operational Test & Evaluation isn’t scheduled until summer 2018.

A US Navy program called “Integrated Topside” aims to take all of the little bolt-ons and antennas used for communications, basic radar functions, and electronic warfare, and make them all part of 1 unified architecture. That could help improve ships’ anti-radar profiles, increase their communications bandwidth, and resolve electromagnetic interference and compatibility issues between different devices. New-generation AESA radars have already demonstrated communications and electronic jamming potential, and current research is focused on that technology as the way forward.

SEWIP Block 3T will provide “an initial interim capability of a focused application of the Naval Research Laboratory Transportable EW Module (TEWM) to meet an urgent operational needs statement.”

Contracts and Key Events FY 2015 – 2018

LM awarded $153.9M; NG awarded $91.7M

December 24/18: Block 2 advancing The Naval Sea Systems Command is modifying a contract with Lockheed Martin. Priced at $184 million, the modification exercises a contract option that sees for full-rate production a SEWIP subsystem. The Surface Electronic Warfare Improvement Program (SEWIP) is and electronic countermeasure system that uses radar warning receivers, and in some cases active jamming, contributing to a ships’ self-defense system. SEWIP Block 2 is the most recent version of the system, which aims to expand upon the receiver and antenna groups necessary to support threat detection and improved system integration. Work will be performed at multiple locations – including, but not limited to – Liverpool, New York; Brockton, Massachusetts and Lansdale, Pennsylvania. Performance is scheduled to run through June 2021. May 7/18: More upgrades incoming The US Navy has awarded General Dynamics Mission Systems, Fairfax, Virginia a contract for services in support of the Navy’s Surface Electronic Warfare Program (SEWIP) at a cost of $9.7 million. The program is an evolutionary acquisition and incremental development program to upgrade the existing AN/SLQ-32(V) electronic warfare system to Block 1B3. This system provides enhanced shipboard electronic warfare for early detection, analysis, threat warning, and protection from anti-ship missiles. The US Navy’s AN/SLQ-32 system uses radar warning receivers, and in some cases active jamming, as the part of ships’ self-defense system. The ’Slick 32s’ provides warning of incoming attacks and is integrated with the ships’ defenses to trigger Rapid Blooming Offboard Chaff (RBOC) and other decoys, which can fire either semi-automatically or on manual direction from a ship’s ECM operators. The “Slick 32” variants are based on modular building blocks, and each variant is suited to a different type of ship. Work will be performed at various locations, including Pittsfield, Massachusetts; Thousand Oaks, California and Fairfax, Virginia and is scheduled for completion by May 2020.

December 13/17: Report-Wasting of Funds A report released Monday by the Department of Defense (DoD) Inspector General into the US Navy’s Surface Electronic Warfare Improvement Program has found that the service did not effectively develop and manage electronic warfare capabilities for upgrades to the AN/SLQ-32 Electronic Warfare Suite. The mismanagement resulted in the waste of almost $2 million and lengthened the acquisition process by about two years with inadequate results. Managed by the Program Executive Office Integrated Warfare Systems under Naval Sea Systems Command, the Inspector General found that Navy officials waived a step of the development process—details of which were redacted from the report—in order to stay on schedule instead of correcting problems before entering initial operational test and evaluation. This skipping resulted in additional costs of $1.8 million to conduct a second phase of initial operational test and evaluation on Block 2, delaying the acquisition schedule by almost two years. Program Executive Office Integrated Warfare Systems said it will continue to work with the commander for operational test and evaluation force to close the remaining deficiencies, according to the declassified report.

March 20/17: Lockheed Martin has won a $98 million US Navy contract to produce and deliver the service’s Surface Electronic Warfare Improvement Program systems. The modification covers work for the program’s Block 2 subsystems, which aim to expand upon the receiver and antenna groups necessary to support threat detection and improved system integration. Work will be completed by July 2019.

October 7/15: Northrop Grumman has been handed a $91.7 million contract modification for the SEWIP Block 3’s engineering and manufacturing development phase. The Surface Electronic Warfare Improvement Program (SEWIP)’s Block 3 increment is intended to provide a scalable electronic warfare and electronic attack capability, building on out-of-production AN/SLQ-32(V) electronic warfare systems. Block 2 is already in low rate initial production, following a $147.5 million contract to Lockheed Martin in September 2014.

July 13/15: Lockheed Martin has been awarded a $153.9 million contract modification to supply components for the out-of-production AN/SLQ-32(V) ship electronic warfare system as part of the Surface Electronic Warfare Improvement Program (SEWIP) Block 2 acquisition program. This follows a $147.5 million contract in September 2014 for SEWIP Block 2 low rate initial production and fielding, also awarded to Lockheed Martin. SEWIP Block 2 replaces the old SLQ-32 receivers and antennas with modern digital technologies and modifies the software, creating a single, unified interface to the combat system in place of multiple interfaces to individual components of the combat system.

FY 2013 – 2014

SEWIP 2 restructured to fixed-price components; LRIP orders for Block 1B3 and Block 2; EW simulator shortage could affect Block 2 testing.

Sept 11/14: Block 2. Lockheed Martin Mission Systems and Training in Liverpool, NY receives a maximum $147.5 million firm-fixed-price, cost-plus-fixed fee, and cost-type-letter contract for SEWIP Block 2 low rate initial production and fielding of 14 upgrade sets.

This would be the LRIP-2 order, with $76.75 million committed immediately from FY 2013 Navy shipbuilding and FY 2014 Navy RDT&E budgets. Options could increase LRIP-2 to $158.8 million. LRIP-1 involved 10 upgrade sets, and in July 2014, the Navy installed SEWIP Block 2 system on USS Bainbridge [DDG-96] for operational testing.

Work will be performed in Syracuse, NY (69%); Lansdale, PA (19%); and Chelmsford, MA (12%), and is expected to be complete by September 2017. This contract was not competitively procured in accordance with 10 U.S.C. 2304(c)(1) – only one responsible source and no other suppliers or services will satisfy agency requirements. US Navy NAVSEA at Washington Navy Yard, Washington, DC manages the contract (N00024 14-C-5340). See also Lockheed Martin, “Lockheed Martin Receives Additional Electronic Warfare Contract To Protect The Navy’s Fleet”.

Block 2: LRIP-2 order

Aug 18/14: Block 1B3. General Dynamics AIS in Fairfax, VA receives a not-to-exceed $19.5 million firm-fixed-price contract for 15 SEWIP Block 1B3 sets; FY 2014 orders are still Low-Rate Initial Production (LRIP) units, instead of hitting Full Rate Production as expected. $8.1 million is committed immediately, using US Navy FY 2011, 2013, and 2014 budget lines.

Work will be performed in Pittsfield, MA (50%): Fairfax, VA (18%); Thousand Oaks, CA (17%); and San Diego, CA (15%), and is expected to be complete by September 2016. This contract was not competitively procured pursuant to 10 U.S.C. 2304(c)(1) and FAR 6.302-1 by US Naval Sea Systems Command in Washington, DC (N00024-14-C-5341).

Block 1B3, FY 2014

Jan 14/14: Block 2. Lockheed Martin has been doing land based testing of SEWIP Block 2 since the January 2014 Milestone C decision, and they have now completed shore-based tests of full system operation in multiple scenarios.

Work on the SEWIP program is performed at the company’s Syracuse, N.Y. facility, which houses a new electronic warfare system test facility. Low-rate production is underway, and the program’s next steps involve ship installation, via upgrades of existing AN/SLQ-32(V)2 systems. Sources: Lockheed Martin, “Lockheed Martin Completes Critical Milestone To Upgrade The Navy’s Electronic Warfare Defenses”.

May 31/13: Block 1B3. General Dynamics, Advanced Information Systems in Fairfax, VA receives a $15 million contract modification to previously awarded contract for 9 high-gain, high-sensitivity antenna systems in support of SEWIP Block 1B3 low-rate initial production requirements. The new antennas give SEWIP the ability to detect and identify additional enemies.

Work will be performed in Fairfax, VA, and is expected to be complete by March 2015. All funds are committed immediately, using FY 2012 and 2013 funds. The Naval Sea Systems Command is the contracting activity (N00024-09-C-5396).

Block 1B3 into production

May 29/13: Block 2, LRIP-1. Lockheed Martin in Liverpool, NY receives a $39.1 million firm-fixed-price option for SEWIP Block 2 System low-rate initial production units. Lockheed Martin had originally announced it as a $57 million contract (vid. March 26/13), but if this is the same production year, the LRIP Lot 1 total appears to be $70 million instead.

Work will be performed in Syracuse, NY (68%), and in Lansdale, PA (32%), and is expected to be complete by September 2014. All funding is committed immediately by US Naval Sea Systems Command in Washington, DC (N00024-09-C-5300).

April 29/13: Block 1B3. General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems announces a $15 million contract modification to continue SEWIP Block 1B3 development and production.

Since 2003, GD-AIS has partnered with the Navy on the continued evolution of SEWIP through Blocks 1A, 1B1, 1B2 and now 1B3 as the systems integrator. For the 1B3 system, Lockheed Martin MST is supporting GD-AIS as a major subcontractor. Sources: GD-AIS, “General Dynamics Awarded $15 Million to Continue Work on U.S. Navy’s Surface Electronic Warfare Improvement Program”.

April 10/13: FY 2014 Budget. The President releases a proposed budget at last, the latest in modern memory. The Senate and House were already working on budgets in his absence, but the Pentagon’s submission is actually important to proceedings going forward. See ongoing DID coverage.

This budget is an important inflection point for SEWIP, as critical production approvals are now in place. The procurement budget request jumps from $92.3 million in FY 2013 to $203.4 million, and is set to increase further in the coming years, reaching $372.1 million in FY 2018. The overall procurement program is $5.297 billion.

March 26/13: Block 2, LRIP-1. Lockheed Martin Corp. in Liverpool, NY receives a $30.6 million contract modification, exercising firm-fixed-price options for low-rate initial production SEWIP Block 2 units.

Work will be performed in Syracuse, NY (68%), and Lansdale, PA (32%), and is expected to be complete by September 2014. All funding is committed immediately, and will be managed by US Naval Sea Systems Command in Washington, DC (N00024-09-C-5300). See also Lockheed Martin, who values it at $57 million, but subsequent orders (q.v. May 29/13) appear to sum to $70 million instead.

March 22/13: Lockheed Martin Corp. in Liverpool, NY received a $27.4 million modification and restructuring of the SEWIP Block 2 contract. The restructuring converts fixed-price with incentive-options for Block 2’s System long-lead time pre-production material to firm-fixed-price options. All funds are committed immediately.

Work will be performed in Syracuse, NY, and is expected to be complete by March 2014. US Naval Sea Systems Command in Washington, DC manages the contract (N00024-09-C-5300).

Block 2 contract restructured, 1st LRIP order

Jan 17/13: DOT&E Testing Report. The Pentagon releases the FY 2012 Annual Report from its Office of the Director, Operational Test & Evaluation (DOT&E). SEWIP Block 2 is included only in passing:

“At present, there exists only one each of the Kappa, Uniform, and Gamma EW simulators. These simulators are flown on Lear Jets against shipboard EW systems. SEWIP Block 2 is the latest EW system under development. Two of these simulators are needed (one for each Lear Jet) so that threat-realistic stream raid profiles can be used to adequately test the SEWIP Block 2 in FY14. An estimated development/procurement cost is $5 Million.”

FY 2011 – 2012

Block 1B1 and 1B2 production; Block 2 full SDD contract and CDR; Budget documents provide some updates; Vendors thinking about Block 3.

Aug 1/12: Block 3. Lockheed Martin and Raytheon demonstrate their proposed SEWIP 3 solution during the multinational Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) maritime exercise near Hawaii. It went to sea aboard Lockheed Martin’s mobile Integrated Common Electronic Warfare System (ICEWS) test bed. Lockheed Martin.

Feb 13/12: The USA’s FY 2013 budget documents include documents that don’t break SEWIP spending out specifically, but do discuss some past SEWIP activities and future plans, as part of a larger suite of research:

“[2011] Continued the Enhanced Surface Electronic Warfare Improvement Program (SEWIP) Transmitter FNC effort by starting system architecture design and Low Voltage Gallium Arsenide (GaAs) High Power Amplifier (HPA) Monolithic Microwave Integrated Circuit (MMIC) purchases. This effort develops affordable and reliable solid state transmitter technologies to engage anti-ship cruise and ballistic missile RF seekers.

[2013] Complete Enhanced SEWIP Transmitter – Conduct a final test of the enhanced Surface Electronic Warfare Improvement Program (SEWIP) transmit array in the anechoic chamber…. Complete Enhanced Surface Electronic Warfare Improvement Program (SEWIP) Transmitter – Demonstrate full enhanced SEWIP array performance in a relevant field environment.”

Jan 31/12: Block 3. Lockheed Martin (SEWIP Block 2) and Raytheon (original SLQ-32) announce that they’re teaming to compete for SEWIP Block 3, whose details aren’t clear yet. Lockheed Martin | Model of their proposed solution [JPG graphic, 2.3 MB].

July 18/11: Block 1. General Dynamics Advance Information Systems (GD-AIS), Inc.in Fairfax, VA receives cost-plus-fixed fee job orders estimated at $9.9 million to continue systems engineering and system software/firmware support for SEWIP Blocks 1A, 1B1, 1B2, and 1B3.

Work will be performed in Fairfax, VA, and is expected to be complete by January 2015. The basic ordering agreement was not competitively procured because the US Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division in Crane, IN determined there was only one responsible source, and no other suppliers will satisfy the agency requirements (N00164-11-G-PM04).

March 16/11: FY 2011 Block 1. General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems in Fairfax, VA receives a $7 million contract modification, exercising firm-fixed-price options for FY 2011 SEWIP Block 1B1 and 1B2 full-rate production and spares.

Work will be performed in Fairfax, VA, and is expected to be complete by July 2012. US Naval Sea Systems Command in Washington Navy Yard, DC manages the contract (N00024-09-C-5396).

March 15/11: Block 2. Lockheed Martin announces a successful critical design review (CDR) for SEWIP Block 2. Lockheed Martin’s SEWIP program director, Joe Ottaviano, notes that the CDR’s success serves as the contractual go-ahead to produce 2 system prototypes by 2012.

Block 2 CDR

FY 2010 – 2011

Block 1B3 development; Block 2 development contract & PDR.

Aug 11/10: Testing. Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems in Tewksbury, MaA receives a $36.1 million contract modification (N00024-05-C-5346) for mission systems equipment (MSE) that will be used on the US Navy’s Self Defense Test Ship, in support of the Anti-Air Warfare Self Defense Enterprise Test and Evaluation Master Plan. The equipment will support the DDG 1000 and CVN 78 classes of ships, which use the new Dual Band Radar. Raytheon will also conduct follow-on operation test and evaluation efforts for the Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile (RIM-162 ESSM) and Surface Electronic Warfare Improvement Program (SEWIP).

July 28/10: Block 2. Lockheed Martin announces that the U.S. Navy has approved their SEWIP Block 2 upgrade design, in a Preliminary Design Review. This is a significant milestone under the initial design contract (vid. Sept 30/09 entry).

Block 2 PDR

July 8/10: Lockheed Martin Corp. in Liverpool, NY received a $51.1 million modification to a previously awarded contract (N00024-09-C-5300), exercising the cost-plus-incentive-fee option for SEWIP Block 2 system development and demonstration.

Work will be performed in Syracuse, NY (74.5%); Lansdale, PA (13.7%); and Morgan Hill, CA (11.8%). Work is expected to be complete by January 2013. US Naval Sea Systems Command in Washington Navy Yard, DC manages the contract (N00024-09-C-5300).

Block 2 SDD

March 25/10: Block 1. General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems, Inc. in Fairfax, VA received a $12.4 million modification to a previously awarded contract (N00024-09-C-5396), exercising a cost-plus-fixed-fee option for FY 2010 SEWIP Block 1B engineering services. It also exercises firm-fixed-price options for FY 2010 SEWIP Block 1B1 production units and spares, and for Block 1B2 production units, modification kits, and spares.

Work will be performed in Fairfax, VA (65%), and Annapolis Junction, MD (35%), and is expected to be complete by December 2012. The Naval Sea Systems Command in Washington, DC manages this contract.

Sept 30/09: Block 2. Lockheed Martin Corp. in Liverpool, NY receives a $9.9 million cost plus incentive fee contract for the Preliminary Design of the Surface Electronic Warfare Improvement Program (SEWIP) Block 2.

Lockheed Martin’s Nov 2/09 release says that their team will provide a modular solution based on the Integrated Common Electronics Warfare System that was demonstrated at sea in summer 2008, using commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) electronics. The company confirmed that it remains partnered with ITT, and their team will produce a preliminary design by June 2010. If development is successful, there will be no re-compete, and production options could total $166.9 million.

Work will be performed in Liverpool, N.Y. (76%); Lansdale, PA (13%), and Morgan Hill, CA (11%). This contract was competitively procured under full and open competition, and 3 offers were received (Lockheed/ITT, GD/BAE, and Northrop Grumman) by the Naval Sea Systems Command in Washington Navy Yard, D.C. (N00024-09-C-5300). See also Lockheed Martin.

Team Lockheed wins SEWIP Block 2 development

March 31/09: Block 1. General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems, Inc. in Fairfax, VA received a $40 million not-to-exceed contract for Surface Electronic Warfare Improvement Program (SEWIP) Block 1B research and development, and production requirements. This contract includes the continued design and development of SEWIP Block 1B3, with a specialized HGHS (High Gain High Sensitivity) subsystem, to enhance the SLQ-32’s detection capabilities against emerging threats, and full rate production of SEWIP Block 1B2 units.

GD-AIS has been the SEWIP program’s lead integrator since 2003. Work will be performed in Fairfax, VA (60%) and Syracuse, NY (40%), and is expected to be complete by July 2011. This contract was not competitively procured by the Naval Sea Systems Command in Washington, DC (N00024-09-C-5396).

Dec 3/08: Block 2 competition. Defense Daily offers a roundup of the SEWIP Block 2 program competition between GD/BAE, Lockheed/ITT, and Northrop Grumman, who’s thinking about adapting the system it’s developing for the Navy’s DDG-1000 Zumwalt Class destroyers. Read: “Industry Readying For Navy’s Release of SEWIP Block 2 RFP.”

Dec 1/08: Block 1. Lockheed Martin Maritime Systems and Sensors wins a contract from General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems, Inc., to develop and produce SEWIP Block 1B3’s High Gain, High Sensitivity (HGHS) sub-system. The contract includes the topside antenna systems, the below decks signal processor, and the processing algorithms that accompany the processor. It is valued at up to $36 million including options, and was awarded after a competitive bidding process. GD-AIS.

Dec 1/08: Block 2 competition. Lockheed Martin and ITT announce that they’ve teamed up to compete for the SEWIP Block 2 contract. Lockheed Martin.

October 23/08: Block 2 competition. General Dynamics and BAE Systems announce that they’ve teamed up to compete for the SEWIP Block 2 contract. Their solution is called “Sea Lightning.” BAE Systems.

Additional Readings

• DID – InTop: Sorting out Ships’ Topside Mess. Northrop Grumman has explicitly said that these efforts will lay the hardware and controller foundations for SEWIP 3.

• US Navy – Surface Electronic Warfare Improvement Program (SEWIP).

• General Dynamics AIS – Surface Electronic Warfare Improvement Program (SEWIP).

• Lockheed Martin – Electronic Warfare. Naval EW page, includes SEWIP.

• Lockheed Martin – Integrated Common Electronic Warfare System (ICEWS) Brochure [PDF]. ICEWS forms the basis for SEWIP Block 2.

• Raytheon – AN/SLQ-32 (V).

• Global Security – AN/SLQ-32 Electronic Warfare (EW) system.

• Harold Lee Wise – Inside the Danger Zone: The U.S. Military in the Persian Gulf, 1987-1988. Includes what is very probably the best public account of the attack on the USS Stark.

XM110 Rifle, firing:
vid. 2nd one back
(click to view full)

In this war, snipers matter in close-quarters urban fights. So does penetrating power. Accurate ranged lethality is equally important for squads in open areas, where engagement distances can easily make 5.56mm rounds ineffective. Bolt-action sniper rifles solve these problems, but can get your best people killed in close-up automatic firefights. Semi-automatic weapons have traditionally been less reliable and accurate, but offer the only reasonable approach that covers both extremes.

The result has been the emergence of a hybrid approach, on both a people level and a technical level. On the human end, militaries like the Americans and British are adopting “designated marksman” or “sharpshooter” roles in normal infantry squads, who aren’t full snipers but do have additional training and qualification. On the technical side, gun makers are fielding semi-automatic systems that offer nearly bolt-action accuracy out to 800-1000 meters, but can also be used in closer-quarters firefights. The British have hurried the L129A1 to their infantry squad sharpshooters, but the Americans have a longer running program, which is beginning to ramp up production and fielding…

The XM110 SASS

M24 sniper system
(click to view full)

The M110 is intended to replace the M24 Sniper Weapon System used by snipers, spotters, designated marksman, or squad advanced marksmen in the US Army. In 2006, the Army projected total buy of 4,492 systems. M24 orders continued into early 2010, however, and it seems likely that both will serve together for a few years.

The XM110 originally arose as units complained about their low ability to engage light-skinned vehicles, and to shoot through basic urban obstacles. More than a few units turned to captured Soviet-era 7.62x39mm or 7.62x54mm weapons, or old American 7.62x51mm M14s for this purpose, but those were just expedients. Given the twin importance of stopping power and snipers, soldiers asked for an accurate 7.62 mm NATO caliber marksman’s weapon, that could also be used in a close urban fight. The American requirement for a new semi-automatic sniper system was released at the end of 2004, and drew formal responses from 5 candidate systems.

In the end, the SASS contract was awarded in late September 2005 to Knight’s Armament Company of Titusville, FL, who submitted a modified version of the 7.62x51mm Mk11 MOD0 weapon that was descended from their SR-25 and used by Navy SEAL teams.

M110
(click to view full)

Unlike previous sniper rifles such as the M24, which have mostly been bolt-action weapons, the 7.62mm XM110 Semi-Automatic Sniper system (SASS) offers a higher rate of fire thanks to its semi-auto action, and 10 or 15-round magazines. A metal tube that fits covers the rifle’s 20″ barrel and significantly reduces the weapon’s observable signature when fired. It dissipates the tell-tale blast, and eliminates the blatantly obvious cloud of dust that would otherwise rise off the ground in locations like Iraq and Afghanistan.

Changes from the Mk11 MOD0 include the above-mentioned suppressor that changes the dynamics but not point of aim/point of impact; buttstock changes; different mounting rails; different trigger components; an ambidextrous safety selector; different weapon color; “drag bags”; carrying cases; and shipping containers.

The M110 rifle weighs 7 kg/ 16 pounds without its magazine, and the complete system has a new sniper-spotting scope (Mark 4/ XM151) manufactured by Leupold. “We’re also qualifying the XM151 spotting scope that has the same reticle in it that the sniper sees in the Mark 4 scope on the XM110,” said Army product manager Lt. Col. Kevin P. Stoddard back in July 2006. Both scopes are manufactured by Leupold, and the new spotting scope will make the spotter mission easier when the team is operating with other sniper weapons.

Subsequent experience in Afghanistan would add even more weight to these decisions. The range limitations of 5.56mm weapons have made themselves felt, and captured 7.62mm Russian/Chinese designs generally have accuracy issues. The problem is leading to basic infantry shifts like fielding more 7.62mm M240 machine guns in place of 5.56mm M249 Minimis, and doubling the number of 7.62mm NATO caliber M14 EBR rifles per infantry squad to 2. The M110s could also begin to play a role in these tactical developments, if they are supplied in quantity to squad designated marksmen, as well as dedicated sniper teams.

Contracts & Key Events

M110 Sniper Team
(click to view full)

Unless otherwise specified, all contracts are managed by the US Army TACOM contracting Center in Rock Island, IL, and involve Knight’s Armament Co. in Titusville, FL

December 24/18: New batch on order The US Army is buying more sniper rifles for its troops. Knights Armaments will deliver an unspecified number of M110 semi-automatic sniper rifles at a cost of $16.5 million. The M110 is a lightweight, semi-automatic, air-cooled, gas-operated, magazine-fed, shoulder-fired weapon that fires NATO-standard ammunition. The M110 Semi-Automatic Sniper System (SASS) has been in service since 2008. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order. Deliveries are expected to end by November 20, 2024.

June 9/10: A $9 million firm-fixed-price contract for 803 M110 semi-automatics sniper weapon systems. Work is to be performed in Titusville, FL with an estimated completion date of June 30/11. One bid was solicited with one bid received (W52H09-10-C-0061).

June 12/08: The US Army announces the results of its “Greatest Inventions of 2007” contest. The M110 is one of the winners. US Army | DID.

April 23/07: A U.S. Army story says that soldiers from Task Force Fury in Afghanistan are the first soldiers in a combat zone to receive the M110. The trial goes well, and modifications are suggested.

Sept 28/05: the US Army awards KAC (Knight’s Armament Company) a contract to develop the XM110 Semi-Automatic Sniper System. Source.

Additional Readings

• Knight’s Armament – M110 Semi-Automatic Sniper System

• Jane’s – Knight’s Armament SR-25/Mk 11/M110 SASS 7.62 mm rifles (United States), Sniper and special purpose rifles

• US Army (July 7/11) – Team zeroes in new sniper system

• Special Weapons (August 2009) – Knight’s M110 SASS 7.62mm

• The Firearm Blog (Jan 20/09) – iPod Touch mounted on M110 Sniper Rifle. For the ballistics computing application, of course. And the occasional rendition of “I don’t like Mondays…,” when embracing the suck.

• Defense Tech (Oct 30/07) – Aberdeen Outtakes: The M110 Sniper Rifle. Incl. video.

• Soldier of Fortune, via Military.com (Aug 21/07) – The Army’s New Sniper Rifle

• AUSA Army Magazine (July 1/06)- XM110 Semi-Automatic Sniper System

• Winds of Change – Taking Back the Infantry Half-Kilometer. Links to official report and related materials.

• NY Times At War: Notes from the Front Lines – The Weakness of Taliban Marksmanship. And how they make it work for them anyway. Effective, accurate counterfire at range offers an especial advantage against such opponents.

• Gannett’s Army Times (March 23/10) – Marksmen issued better rifles in Afghanistan. American “squad designated marksmen,” that is – and the weapons are modified M14s, so far.

Latest updates: Fleet upgrades to UH-60L; Final helis make Saudi Arabia one of the last UH-60L customers.

UH-60L: Leaving the LZ
(lick to view larger)

On July 20/06, the US DSCA announced Saudi Arabia’s official request to buy 24 UH-60L Black Hawk helicopters, plus spares and support. The UH-60L Black Hawk is currently the USA’s mainstay utility helicopter, serving in various configurations in all operating theaters and theaters of war; the upgraded UH-60M is just ramping up production, and is the subject of a 2010 DSCA request to equip Saudi Arabia’s National Guard.

Saudi Arabia recently issued the final piece of that contract.

Contracts & Key Events

UH-60L Black Hawk
(click to view full) The Saudis also operate a number of other Sikorsky helicopter types. In particular, their Ministry of the Interior operates S-76s and S-92 Superhawks, and was the 1st customer for Sikorsky’s new S-70i Black Hawk.

 

December 24/18: Kits on order! Saudi Arabia is continuing its shopping spree and buys more Blackhawk kits. The Foreign Military Sales contract is worth $59 million and procures UH-60M kits from Sikorsky. The UH-60M incorporates a number of new features, such as a fly-by-wire flight control system, a glass cockpit with with a Common Avionics Architecture System (CAAS), and a fully authorized digital engine control (FADEC). Work will be performed at Sikorsky’s facility in Stratford, Connecticut; and has an estimated completion date of May 31, 2022. The contract is entirely paid with FY2019 Army operations and maintenance funds.

January 16/18: Contracts Saudi Arabia will receive 17 unique UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters following the award of a $193.8 million US Army contract to manufacturer Sikorsky last Thursday. Under the terms of the agreement, eight UH-60Ms will be delivered to the Saudi Arabian National Guard, while the other nine will go to the Royal Saudi Land Forces Airborne Special Security Forces. Work will take place at Stratford, Conn., with a scheduled completion time of December 2022. Fiscal 2018 foreign military sales funds in the amount of $11,163,000 were obligated at the time of the award.

July 5/17: Lockheed Martin subsidiary Sikorsky has landed a $3.8 billion contract for the multi-year production and support for Black Hawk helicopters to the kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The US DoD contract will run until June 30, 2022 and includes the provision of program management, systems engineering, and technical data on the aircraft. In use by over 27 nations, many variants of the Black Hawk have been developed in order to perform a wide variety of missions including troop and cargo transport, air assault, special operations, medical evacuation, search-and-rescue, aerial firefighting and other missions. The variant exported to Saudi Arabia is designated the S-70 Desert Hawk.

Nov 14/11: Sikorsky announces a follow-on contract to upgrade the RSLFAC’s 12 UH-60A helicopters to the UH-60L configuration. Wasn’t this covered by the May 3/10 agreement? DID is investigating.

April 28/11: Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. in Stratford, CT receives a $26.8 million firm-fixed-price contract, and representatives confirm to DI that this is for the last 2 Saudi UH-60L Black Hawk helicopter airframes under this FMS case. They will be identical to the previous 22 aircraft, and are among the very last UH-60L helicopters Sikorsky is manufacturing and delivering to any client.

Work will be performed in Stratford, CT, with estimated completion by Sept 30/12. One bid was solicited with 1 bid received by the U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command in Redstone Arsenal, AL, on behalf of its Saudi GFMS customer (DAAH23-02-C-0006).

May 3/10: Sikorsky Aerospace Services announces a contract with the Royal Saudi Land Forces Aviation Command (RSLFAC) to upgrade its fleet of UH-60A/S-70A Black Hawks to the more modern UH-60L configuration.

Based on the success of the US Army’s own H-60 Helicopter Recapitalization and Upgrade Program, the Saudi A-to-L conversion plan incorporates key improvements: a T700 to T701D engine upgrade for increased power and reliability; upgraded flight controls, avionics and instrument panel modifications; a new Aircraft Flight Control Computer (AFCC); as well as new wiring harness, high speed shaft and seal lead acid battery.

Aug 5/08: Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation in Stratford, CT receives a $286 million firm-fixed-price contract for UH-60L helicopters, to include technical support, technical publication and Ground Station Radios for Royal Saudi Land Forces.

Work will be performed in Stratford, CT and is expected to be complete by Sept 30/11. There was 1 bid solicited on Oct 4/2000, which covered UH-60L sales to countries like the USA as well as Saudi Arabia. The contract will be managed by US Army Aviation and Missile Command in Redstone Arsenal, AL, on behalf of their Foreign Military Sale client (DAAH23-02-C-0006).

July 20/06: The US DSCA announces [PDF] Saudi Arabia’s official request to buy 24 UH-60L Black Hawk utility helicopters, plus spare and repair parts, communications and support equipment, publications and technical data, personnel training and training equipment, contractor engineering and technical support services and other related elements of logistics support.

“Saudi forces have used rotary wing assets in numerous anti-terrorism operations within their borders and view their ability to quickly move troops around the country as a critical capability. The helicopters will allow Saudi Arabia to exercise a more flexible and maintainable operation for the protection of critical infrastructure.”

The cost is expected to be up to $350 million, but that will depend on the details of the contract(s), if any. United Technologies subsidiary Sikorsky and General Electric (engines) will be the principal contractors.

Though Saudi Arabia already operates the S-70-A1L Black Hawk, implementation will require the assignment of one Contract Field Support Representative to Saudi Arabia for up to 2 years, and will require the assignment of several U.S. Government Quality Assurance Teams to Saudi Arabia when the aircraft arrive in country.

Americas

Raytheon is being contracted to support the US Navy with Air and Missile Defense Radar (AMDR) integration and production efforts. Priced at $114 million, the contract provides for continued combat system integration and test services including engineering and training; software and depot maintenance, as well as field engineering services and procurement of spare parts. The AMDR, designated AN/SPY-6(V), will fulfill integrated Air and Missile Defense requirements for multiple ship classes. The AN/SPY-6 is 30 times more sensitive than its predecessor, its additional sensitivity supercharges the vessel’s capabilities in anti-air warfare and ballistic missile defense. Work will be performed at multiple locations throughout the US. They include Marlborough, Massachusetts; Kauai, Hawaii; Portsmouth, Rhode Island; San Diego, California; Fair Lakes, Virginia and Moorestown, New Jersey. The contract includes options which could bring the total value of the order to $357 million and is expected to be completed by December 2019.

Boeing is receiving additional funding to continue research on the MQ-25 Stingray. The contract modification is valued at $90.4 million and is expected to be completed in August 2024. Under the contract, Boeing will perform a number of studies and analysis related to the engineering, manufacturing and development phase of the MQ-25 Stingray. The Stingray will be the Navy’s next ‘Group 5’ aircraft. With its implementation the US Navy seeks to close the gap with between UAS and manned aircraft by adding a system that is designed from the outset to operate within meters or less of large manned aircraft. The UAV will have the capacity to carry 15,000 pounds of fuel and will be used to refuel the F/A-18 Super Hornet, EA-18G Growler, and F-35C fighter jets, extending their range and time in the air significantly. Work will be performed at Boeing’s factory in St. Louis, Missouri.

The US Navy and Army are buying more GQM-163A Coyote target missiles. Orbital Sciences will deliver 14 full-rate production Lot 13 missiles to the Navy and one to the US Army at a cost of $45.5 million. The GQM-163A Coyote supersonic sea skimming target is designed to provide an affordable target to simulate supersonic sea-skimming and other emerging supersonic anti-ship cruise missiles. It also supports research in ship-defense systems and fleet training. The supersonic target drone is designed to help Navy ship crews learn to defend themselves against modern anti-ship missiles like the French Exocet and the Russian-made SS-N-22 Sunburn and SS-NX-26 Oniks. The Coyote target missile design integrates a 4-inlet, solid-fuel ducted-rocket ramjet propulsion system into a compact missile airframe 18 feet long and 14 inches in diameter. The non-recoverable target missile achieves cruise speeds of over Mach 2.5, with a range of approximately 60 nautical miles at altitudes of less than 20 feet above the sea surface. Work will be performed in Chandler, Arizona; Camden, Arkansas; Vergennes, Vermont; Lancaster, Pennsylvania and Hollister, California. Performance of the contract is scheduled for completion by December 2022.

Middle East & Africa

The Burkinabe Army is the latest known user of Otokar’s Cobra APC, as reported by Jane’s. Burkina Faso showed off its new armoured vehicles during the country’s Independence Day parade in Manga on December 11. The Cobra family of vehicles has been in service since 1997. The vehicles have a compact profile and are transportable by aircraft, helicopter, truck and rail. The Cobra has an all-welded steel hull with wide, fully opening side and rear doors, allowing rapid exit of the crew when required. The APCs can be fitted with various typed of weapon stations and turrets that can be armed with 40mm grenade launchers and 7.62mm or 12.7mm machine guns. A V8 turbo diesel engine provides 190hp, allowing for a maximum road speed of 70 mph. The vehicle is manned by two crew and can carry a further nine. A source told Jane’s that an unspecified number of Cobras were purchased, some of which were delivered since September. The first batch of five APCs is supporting counter-insurgency operations in the country’s eastern region. Other operators include Algeria, Bahrain, Nigeria, Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates.

Europe

Hungary becomes the launch customer of Saab’s Deployable Aircraft Maintenance Facility (DAM). According to the company, DAM is a mobile hangar solution that enables enhanced aircraft maintenance capacity combined with superior protection. DAM provides capability equivalent to stationary maintenance infrastructure, but at a fraction of the cost. The facility requires minimum logistical footprint and maintenance. DAM is highly flexible and can be rapidly deployed, making it suitable for remotely located and dispersed forward bases. DAM is comprised of a robust aluminium frame covered by a high-strength PVC fabric. A range of container assemblies give DAM an enhanced workshop capacity. DAM can be deployed within 48 hours, with assembly done with manpower only. Hungary is currently operating 14 Gripen fighter jets and will receive its new Deployable Aircraft Maintenance Facility sometime in 2019.

France launches a new military imaging satellite. CSO-1 is the first of three identical satellites, which are replacing France’s ageing Helios constellation. The next-generation of satellites is expected to achieve IOC by 2021 and will provide European military and civilian intelligence agencies with 800 very high-resolution black and white, color, and infrared images per day. CSO-1 and CSO-3 (scheduled to launch in 2021), will each perform reconnaissance missions at 800 km altitude; CSO-2 will join its sister satellite in 2020 and will conduct identification missions at an altitude of 480 km. The CSO satellites are a joint product of Airbus Defense and Space and Thales Alenia Space. The constellation is a component of Europe’s €1.75 billion MUSIS, or Multinational Space-based Imaging System.

Asia-Pacific

The Japanese government agrees on a multi-billion defense procurement plan. Released on Tuesday afternoon, the defense plan seeks to buy a number of fighter jets shipborne unmanned aircraft and submarines over the next five-years at a cost of $243 billion. The document, known the National Defense Program Guidelines and the Mid-Term Defense Plan, includes the purchase of 105 additional F-35 Lightning II JSFs, a VTOL UAS for its new multipurpose destroyers and 12 more Kawasaki P-1 maritime surveillance planes. The defense-spending plan will also likely boost Japan’s industry, due to several projects being handled by local companies.

Today’s Video

Watch: Lockheed Delivers First LRASM Anti-Ship-Missiles for B-1B Lancer

UCAS-D/ N-UCAS concept
(click to view full)

The idea of UAVs with full stealth and combat capabilities has come a long way, quickly. Air forces around the world are pursuing R&D programs, but in the USA, progress is being led by the US Navy.

Their interest is well-founded. A May 2007 non-partisan report discussed the lengthening reach of ship-killers. Meanwhile, the US Navy’s carrier fleet sees its strike range shrinking to 1950s distances, and prepares for a future with fewer carrier air wings than operational carriers. Could UCAV/UCAS vehicles with longer ranges, and indefinite flight time limits via aerial refueling, solve these problems? Some people in the Navy seem to think that they might. Hence UCAS-D/ N-UCAS, which received a major push in the FY 2010 defense review. Now, Northrop Grumman is improving its X-47 UCAS-D under contract, even as emerging privately-developed options expand the Navy’s future choices as it works on its new RFP.

N-UCAS: Programs & Potential

X-47B concept
(click to view full)

In early 2006 the future of DARPA’s J-UCAS program seemed uncertain. It aimed to create Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicles (UCAV) for the USAF and Navy that could approach the capabilities of an F-117 stealth fighter. Boeing’s X-45C was set to face off against Northrop Grumman’s X-47B Pegasus, the program had demonstrated successful tests that included dropping bombs, and aerial refueling tests were envisioned. J-UCAS was eventually canceled when the services failed to take it up, but the technologies have survived, and the US Navy remained interested.

Like the F-117, a UCAV’s self-defense would involve remaining undetected. While UCAVs can theoretically be built to execute maneuvers no human pilot could handle, the pilot’s awareness of surrounding events would be quite limited. The X-47B isn’t being designed to do what the type inherently does poorly, but to do what the type does inherently well: be stealthier than manned aircraft, and fly reliably on station for days using aerial refueling support.

If Northrop Grumman or emerging competitors can overcome their technical and operational challenges, and if UCAV reliability lets them match the 2-3 day long mission profiles of Northrop Grumman’s RQ-4 Global Hawks, the US Navy would receive the equivalent of a carrier-borne F-117 stealth fighter, with improved stealth and no pilot fatigue limits. That would open up entirely new possibilities for American carriers.

If aerial refueling support is present behind the front lines, an N-UCAS wing could easily sally forth to hit targets thousands miles from their host carrier, while pilots inside the ship fly in shifts. The X-47s would fly a much shorter distance back to aerial tankers as needed, and only return to the steaming carrier several days later, or when their weapons had been used up. As a concrete example, in an emergency a carrier could launch UCAVs as it left Gibraltar at the gate of the Mediterranean, then fly them to the Persian Gulf and keep them on patrol using USAF aerial refueling tankers, all the while steaming to catch up. As the carrier got closer to the Arabian Sea off of Oman, the UCAVs would get more and more loiter time over their target area, and the “chainsaw” would get shorter and shorter.

First Step: UCAS-D / X-47B

Concept no more
(click to view full)

N-UCAS (Naval Unmanned Combat Air System) is the US Navy’s broader umbrella initiative to define/develop/produce a fleet of unmanned, carrier based strike and surveillance aircraft. The UCAS-D demonstration program is a subset of that initiative. If the demonstrations go well, the Navy may progress to an Unmanned Carrier-Launched Airborne Surveillance and Strike (UCLASS) program.

In July 2007, Northrop Grumman’s X-47B Pegasus beat Boeing’s X-45C to win the UCAS-D development contract. Northrop Grumman’s Aug 3/07 release describes their mission as:

“The UCAS-D effort will mature critical technologies, reduce unmanned air system carrier integration risks and provide information necessary to support a potential follow-on acquisition milestone.”

Translation: show us that this can work, and demonstrate carrier-based launches and recoveries of a tailless, autonomous, “LO-relevant” aircraft. “Low Observable relevant” means that its outer shape must reflect stealth requirements, but without any of the operational stealth coatings and other expensive measures. That makes sense, since UCAS-D is only about aerodynamics and control. Eventually, follow on programs like UCLASS will have to test stealth as well, but UCAS-D will be about the basics.

UCAS-D has 2 big technical challenges. One is safe, reliable flight and landings in carrier-controlled airspace, for a stealth aircraft that may not always be visible on radar. Testing appears to be working, and combined manned/ unmanned evolutions have begun. The other big challenge is successful and safe aerial refueling.

Next Step: UCLASS

Phantom Ray

Northrop Grumman’s UCAS-D team hopes that by completing the UCAS-D funded demonstration phase, they’ll be able to offer an inherently conservative service a proven UCAV option, with a more complete set of advanced capabilities than privately-developed or late-moving competitors.

The USA’s Naval Aviation Master Plan currently includes provisions for a Navy UCAS (N-UCAS) around 2025. If UCAS-D work goes very well, and the US Navy follows through on its shift toward an X-47B-class UCAV that can be used for limited missions, pressure will build for much earlier deployment. There are already indications of pressure along those lines, and the UCLASS RFI sets a goal of fielding a limited capability UCAV on board American carriers by 2018 or so.

Barring continued and substantial pressure from above, however, the level of cultural shift required by the naval aviation community is likely to slow down any deployment of advanced UCAVs on board ships. That is already happening to UCLASS, which has seen its strike role shrink while the Navy publicly talks about making surveillance its main mission. That would be less threatening to future manned aircraft programs, but it may not be the best use of UCAV technology, and the Navy is already finding itself at odds with Congress on this score. A priority on surveillance also shrinks the need for stealth, which would give General Atomics’ conventional airframe design a big advantage over its 3 tailless flying wing competitors.

Predator C
click for video

If and when the US Navy proceeds with a full Unmanned Combat Air Vehicle deployment program, the X-47 will have competitors. The 3 additional recipients of initial UCLASS study contracts include:

General Atomics. They were the first competitor out of the gate, expanding their jet-powered Predator C “Avenger” research program to include a carrier-capable “Sea Avenger” as well.

Boeing. Boeing already makes F/A-18 Super Hornet naval fighters, and their privately-developed X-45 Phantom Ray UCAV stems from the same DARPA J-UCAS program that produced the X-47B UCAS-D. Northrop Grumman designed their X-47B for carrier operations from the outset, but Boeing developed their X-45C without those compromises, so carrier operations will require added work.

Lockheed UCLASS
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Lockheed Martin. This concept comes out of their famed Skunk Works facility, which produced planes like the F-117 Nighthawk stealth fighter. Their work also builds on internal efforts like Polecat UAV, and classified programs like the RQ-170 UAV. They also seem to be making a push to leverage their strength in back-end command and control systems as a selling point, while partnering with control system specialist DreamHammer.

UCAS-D: Program & Team

The first X-47B Pegasus UCAS-D (AV-1) was scheduled to fly in December 2009, but that was pushed back to Q1 of CY 2010, and finally ended up taking place in February 2011. It conducted series of detailed flight envelope and land-based carrier integration and qualification events at Edwards AFB, CA, then returned to NAS Patuxent River, MD to begin land-based carrier landing trials.

AV-2, which is equipped with full refueling systems, was expected to make its first flight in November 2010, and begin testing autonomous aerial refueling (AAR). Early 2011 saw the AV-2 airframe pass static and dynamic load tests, but AV-2’s flights were delayed until AV-1 finishes its own tests, in late 2011, and didn’t take off until November 2011. It began carrier-related testing in 2012, and launched for the 1st time in May 2013. Full launch and landing circuits, and aerial refueling tests, are still on the horizon.

Its first landing was initially set for late 2011, but the firm now talks about some time in 2013. Once autonomous aerial refueling demonstrations begin, the Navy intends to achieve both probe & drogue (USN style) and boom/receptacle (USAF style) refuelings.

Northrop Grumman’s facility in Palmdale, CA is the final assembly site for the X-47B, and the industrial team also includes:

UCAS-D: Northrop Grumman’s X-47B

X-47B 3-view
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UCAVs currently have no real situational awareness of the airspace around them, which makes them sitting ducks for any attack that doesn’t use radar guidance, and isn’t picked up by their radar warning receivers. Even an alerted UCAV currently has few options but to try and change course. That may work against ground threats, but mobile aerial opponents will simply follow and kill them. Their best defense is not to be found. Their best option if found is to make it hard to keep a radar track on them, or to vector in enemy aircraft. This may be why high-end strike UCAVs like the Boeing X-45 Phantom Ray, European nEUROn, British Taranis, and Russian MiG SKAT all use the maximum stealth configuration of tailless subsonic blended wing bodies with shielded air intakes, and attenuated exhausts.

The X-47B’s modified flying wing design and top-mounted air intake reflect this orientation. By removing the pilot and opting for sub-sonic speeds, Northrop Grumman is able to field a design that looks like a more advanced version of its B-2 bomber. Instead of a straight flying wing like Boeing’s competing X-45C, however, their engineers opted for a cranked wing that improves landing characteristics on carrier decks, and makes it easy to use carrier-borne aircrafts’ classic “folding wing” design for improved storage in tight spaces.

This UCAV may be a short plane, but it’s not a small one. The X-47B’s 62.1 foot wingspan rivals the Navy’s old F-14s, and is wider than a Navy F/A-18 Hornet or even a larger Super Hornet. Because of its foreshortened length, however, its storage “spot factor” relative to an F/A-18C Hornet (“1.0”) is just 0.87.

Target and strike
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Pratt & Whitney Canada JT15D-5C turbofan engine powered previous X-47 models, but the UCAS-D will adopt Pratt & Whitney’s F100-PW-220U, a modified variant of the engine that powers American F-16 and F-15 fighters. Subsonic requirements and carrier-based employment changed the engine’s imperatives: it will produce less thrust than its F100 counterparts (just 16,000 pounds), in exchange for efficiency improvements and better protection against the corrosive salt-water environment.

Efficiency matters to this platform. Unrefueled X-47B range is expected to be between 1,500 – 2,100 nautical miles, with a maximum payload of 4,500 pounds. The standard payload is expected to be a pair of 2,000 pound JDAMs, but the weapon bay’s ultimate size and shape will determine its ability to carry other options like strike missiles, JSOW glide bombs, a pair of 4-bomb racks for the GPS-guided Small Diameter Bomb, the forthcoming Joint Air-Ground Missile, etc.

Sensors are currently to be determined, as they aren’t really the point of UCAS-D. Any Navy strike platform is expected to have an advanced SAR radar with Ground Moving Target Indicator (SAR/GMTI), conformal electro-optic day/night cameras, and ESM (Electronic Support Measures) equipment that helps it pinpoint and trace back incoming electromagnetic signals. Given the X-47B’s design’s inherent strengths of stealth and long endurance, additional modules or payloads for tasks like signals collection must surely be expected.

Naval UCAVs: Contracts and Key Events

See also “Boeing to Advance UAV Aerial Refueling” for background and updates regarding unmanned aerial refueling test programs in the US military – which now include UCAS-D/ N-UCAS.

Unless otherwise indicated, The Naval Air Systems Command Patuxent River, MD manages these contracts.

FY 2016 – 2018

December 21/18: Stingray development Boeing is receiving additional funding to continue research on the MQ-25 Stingray. The contract modification is valued at $90.4 million and is expected to be completed in August 2024. Under the contract, Boeing will perform a number of studies and analysis related to the engineering, manufacturing and development phase of the MQ-25 Stingray. The Stingray will be the Navy’s next ‘Group 5’ aircraft. With its implementation the US Navy seeks to close the gap with between UAS and manned aircraft by adding a system that is designed from the outset to operate within meters or less of large manned aircraft. The UAV will have the capacity to carry 15,000 pounds of fuel and will be used to refuel the F/A-18 Super Hornet, EA-18G Growler, and F-35C fighter jets, extending their range and time in the air significantly. Work will be performed at Boeing’s factory in St. Louis, Missouri.

April 18/18: GA unveils deck handling controls Images and video posted by General Atomics have shown a demonstration of the aircraft carrier deck-handling controls for its MQ-25 Stingray unmanned tanker bid by using a pair of motion-sensing director wands and an Avenger unmanned aerial vehicle as a stand-in for its yet-to-be-built prototype. According to the firm, the specially designed director wands are the same size, shape and weight as those used on aircraft carrier decks to direct manned aircraft, such as the F/A-18 Super Hornet. According to Flight Global, General Atomics’ wands use proprietary gesture recognition algorithms to identify standard hand movements, as designated by Naval Air Training and Operating Procedures, and then translates and sends those commands to the MQ-25 air vehicle. They allow directors to fully control aircraft taxi operations on deck using the wand, including lowering and raising the launch bar, spreading and folding the wings, and raising the arresting hook. Rival MQ-25 bidders Lockheed Martin and Boeing have yet to reveal their respective deck handling control tech.

April 11/18 Lockheed drops its industry team Lockheed Martin has unveiled its industry team that, if selected by the US Navy, would develop the MQ-25 Stingray unmanned aerial tanker, company execs released Monday. Suppliers of equipment intended to be used include General Electric’s F404 turbofan engine—used on the F/A-18 Super Hornet—United Technologies—who supply the landing gear found on the F-35C—while Triumph Aerostructures will manufacture the internal structure of the drone. While Lockheed seems to be relying on equipment used on legacy airframes, it may have taken the most risk in its design, putting out a tanker drone concept that doesn’t look much like its competitors. When the Navy rejigged its requirements from a drone that could take on the ISR and strike missions to that of just an unmanned mission tanker, Lockheed threw out is previous design while competitors such as General Atomics and Boeing heavily reused theirs. Furthermore, since Northrop’s retirement from the competition last year, Lockheed is also the only competitor offering a flying wing aircraft as both General Atomics and Boeing have notably put forward wing-body-tail aircraft. The Navy plans to pick an MQ-25 vendor this summer, and will award a contract for the four engineering and manufacturing development aircraft, with an option for three more test assets.

March 12/18: Boeing talks to Aviation Week In an exclusive interview with Aviation Week, Boeing Phantom Works’ MQ-25 Stingray team has spilled some beans on the firm’s effort for the US Navy’s unmanned aerial tanker and its plans to win the contract. Dubbed the T-1 by the firm, the aircraft had been rolled out as early as 2014 but had been kept out of view until December 2017’s teaser reveal on Twitter. The mission tanker contract for which Boeing, Lockheed Martin and General Atomics are all competing for is a fixed-priced award for the development and construction of the first four aircraft. The Navy hopes to purchase up to 72 operational models for carrier deployment and achieve initial operational capability, expected by 2026.

February 15/18: GA’s Industry Partners—Navy talks FY2019 funding The US Navy has pushed initial operational capability (IOC) of the MQ-25 Stingray unmanned aerial tanker into 2026, rather than the rapid acquisition initially planned for 2020. Service officials told a Fiscal Year 2019 budget briefing on Monday that they plan to spend $719 million on research and development for the MQ-25A and now anticipates purchasing the first four aircraft in 2023. Meanwhile, Boeing has been listed by General Atomics Aeronautical System (GA-ASI) as part of its industry team of suppliers entering the Stingray program. The announcement comes after Boeing’s Phantom Works unit revealed before Christmas, its own fully assembled MQ-25 ground test vehicle at its St Louis facility, and the firm maintained that acting as both a prime bidder and a member of the General Atomics team “is good for our customer and reflects our focus on doing what’s necessary to compete, win and grow.” Other suppliers listed by GA-ASI include: Pratt & Whitney for its engines; UTC to design and build the landing gear; L3 Technologies for communications; BAE Systems for software capabilities, mission planning, and cybersecurity; Rockwell Collins for advanced navigation technologies, a new generation of the TruNet ARC-210 networked communications airborne radio and a comprehensive simulation framework; and GKN Aerospace’s Fokker for landing gear technologies.

January 9/18: Boeing Prototype—FAA Registration The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has awarded Boeing’s MQ-25 Stingray demonstrator a US aircraft registration, the firm has told Flight Global. The unmanned carrier-based mission tanker prototype, dubbed T1, was unveiled by Boeing on Twitter onDecember 16, and received the registration number, N234MQ, from the FAA on December 26. However, several details usually included, such as the model of the turbofan engine that powers the aircraft, were omitted from the registration. The deadline for bids to the MQ-25 Stingray program were due on January 3, with General Atomics and Lockheed Martin joining Boeing in the competition. While Boeing have been dripping information on their prototype, Lockheed Martin has released only a fragment of its MQ-25 concept aircraft, showing only part of the underside of a wing and a refueling pod.

December 21/17: Prototype Unveiling After a week of teasing its release, Boeing’s Phantom Works unit revealed Tuesday its prototype that will be entered into the US Navy’s MQ-25 Stingray unmanned aerial tanker program. A photograph of the aircraft facing the camera released by the firm shows that Boeing have incorporated a wing-body-tail design, diverting from the original flying wing design it considered putting forward to the precursor of the MQ-25 program—when the Navy prioritized strike and ISR capabilities over mission-tanking for its first carrier-based drone. Engine runs will be conducted before the end of the year, with deck handling demonstrations to follow in the new year. During the demo, prototype operators will taxi the aircraft via remote control and move it within the confines of the deck, as well as validating that the aircraft will engage the launch bar of a catapult. Boeing said first flight will take place when the engineering and manufacturing development contract is awarded.

October 30/17: Northrop Grumman has pulled out of the US Navy’s MQ-25 Stingray unmanned refueler competition. Despite being the company who developed the test platform that proved a UAV could take off and land from an aircraft carrier, CEO Wes Bush cited the Navy’s requirements in the request for proposal issued earlier this month as the reason for the firm’s forfeiture from the race, noting “if you can’t really execute on it and deliver on it to your customer and your shareholders, then you’ve done the wrong thing.” That leaves Boeing, Lockheed Martin and General Atomics still in the race.

October 12/17: US Naval Air Systems Command has released the final request for proposals (RFP) to industry for the unmanned MQ-25 Stingray unmanned aerial tanker. Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Northrop Grumman and General Atomics were all issued the RFP to compete for the air segment of what will be the Navy’s first operational carrier-based unmanned aerial vehicle ahead of an anticipated contract award by September of next year. Basic requirements will have the Stingray deliver about 15,000 pounds of fuel 500 nautical miles from the carrier, with a mission of alleviating the strain on the existing F/A-18E/F Super Hornets that are burning through flight hours while serving as a refueling tanker for other aircraft attempting to land on an aircraft carrier.

September 04/17: The US Navy has said that the inclusion of the MQ-25 Stingray unmanned tanker on its aircraft carriers will extend the range of its carrier-borne fighters by 300 to 400 nautical miles. It is expected to be able to carry 15,000 pounds of fuel at 500 nautical miles from the carrier to the air wing’s strike fighters and capable of refueling between four and six aircraft at range. Navy brass expect the first MQ-25 to be flying mission tanking operations as early at 2019.

July 24/17: A new draft request for proposals released by the US Navy has revealed that the service’s plans for the MQ-25 Stingray will be primarily that of a mission tanker. The draft, published on July 19, made no mention on the unmanned platform’s intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities, instead outlining the two key performance parameters (KPP) required for the aircraft’s airframes as having both carrier suitability and mission tanker capacity. As a result, the four competitors – Northrop Grumman, Lockheed Martin, Boeing and General Atomics – will only have to prove that their aircraft can take-off and land back on a carrier and do mission tanking.

June 15/17: US Navy aircraft carriers, the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) and USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77), will be the first vessels to carry the MQ-25A Stingray, the service’s upcoming unmanned aerial refueling tanker. Both carriers will receive upgrades to include the control stations and data links needed to control the tanker, and while no date for the upgrades have been set, it is believed that Chief of Naval Operations Adm. John Richardson intends to accelerate the deployment of the Stingray and get it on carrier decks as early as 2019. News of the first carriers set for the MQ-25A introduction comes as the Navy decided to reprogram $26.7 million for control systems and data link installation the MQ-25A will need to operate from an aircraft carrier, taking that money from the USS George Washington (CVN-73) during its four-year midlife refueling and complex overhaul (RCOH) in the Fiscal Year 2017 budget.

May 31/17: The US Naval Air Systems (NAVAIR) Command will soon issue a solicitation for engineering, manufacturing and development (EMD) to Boeing, General Atomics, Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman. NAVAIR also intends to release a solicitation to those companies for an accompanying contract for studies and analysis supporting the MQ-25 Stingray EMD program. The concepts coming out of the EMD phase are expected to take a stark departure from the preliminary designs, which industry created to support the navy’s original requirement for a stealthy, carrier-launched surveillance and strike aircraft (UCLASS). Such changes include dropping the initial requirement for strike capabilities but will retain surveillance capabilities with the inclusion of a 19-23in-diameter forward looking infrared sensor turret.

March 23/17: The US Navy’s MQ-25A Stingray unmanned aerial tanker is likely to have a wing-body-tail design after Lockheed Martin’s Skunk Work division found that a flying wing design is not the best aerodynamic shape for the service’s latest requirements. While the Navy had initially intended a surveillance and possible strike capability for the aircraft, the current requirements suggest a strong emphasis on a tanking role and less on ISR. As a result, competing firms Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, General Atomics and Boeing are likely to redesign their bids for the competition.

October 24/16: Four companies have been awarded contracts by the US Navy to conduct risk reduction work on their designs for the MQ-25 Stingray. Boeing, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems and Lockheed Martin received contracts for $43 million each while Northrop Grumman received $35.8 million. The risk reduction work will see the companies alter previous designs of the MQ-25 as an unmanned strike bomber to fit its new role as an aerial tanker under the carrier-based air refueling system (CBARS) program.

September 27/16: Contracts worth $43 million each have been doled out to Lockheed Martin and Boeing in order “to conduct risk reduction activities in support of the MQ-25 unmanned carrier aviation air system.” Both companies are expected to complete their work on the UAV by October 2017. Now known as the Stingray program, the UAV integrates the first operational, carrier-based, catapult-launched drone and will provide long-endurance ISR and organic refueling capabilities for the carrier air wing.

August 22/16: Contractors aiming to secure deals in relation to the Navy’s MQ-25A program have been given vague hints at what the service is expecting. Hopefuls looking to secure a slice of the action have been told they need to get that “sweet spot” between supporting mission tanking and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) missions. Born out of the scrapped Carrier-Based Aerial Refueling System (CBARS) program, the MQ-25 Stingray looks to include higher endurance for ISR capabilities in addition to just refueling. A lot of food for thought for those looking to get involved, but at least the initial “stealth tanker” concept has been shelved, for now.

July 19/16: While speculation over its name has been floated for some time, the US Navy’s first carrier unmanned aerial vehicle has been officially named. Known as the Carrier Based Aerial Refueling System (CBARS) program, the service’s Material Command has now designated the aircraft MQ-25A with the name “Stingray.” Initially conceived as a low observable lethal, and deep penetrating strike platform, the MQ-25A will now focus on refueling with some ISR capabilities and followed up with later weapons installation.

May 4/16: The US Navy is expected to release a risk-reduction request for proposals (RFP) for its MQ-25 Stingray program this summer. This will help set out the timeline in which the service can realistically expect the tanker system to be deployed on-board its carrier fleet. It is expected that this will be followed by an engineering, manufacturing and design RFP in early FY2017. Boeing, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Lockheed Martin, and Northrop Grumman all have designs they were going to pitch for UCLASS, and are expected to modify them for the Stingray’s new role.

March 30/16: The US Government Accountability Office (GAO) has published its annual report on the the Navy’s Unmanned Carrier-Launched Airborne Surveillance and Strike (UCLASS) program, as authorized by the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2014. By analyzing the DOD budget for FY 2017 and speaking to program officials, the GAO found that the U.S. Navy has begun to develop modifications to existing shipboard systems to support the UCLASS’ latest iteration – Carrier Based Aerial Refueling System (CBARS). As with the UCLASS program, CBARS will include an air system segment, an aircraft carrier segment, and a control system and connectivity segment.

March 16/16: The US Navy has announced plans to “descope” the stealth requirement from the development carrier-based aerial system (CBARS). This will allow the tanker to be capable of firing missiles and dropping munitions. Dubbed the MQ-25 Stingray, the descoping marks yet another alteration to the program which had initially started out as the Unmanned Carrier Launched Airborne Surveillance and Strike (UCLASS) program before a drastic U-turn took it away from ISR activities to that of refueling role. However, according to Vice Adm Joseph Mulloy, deputy chief of naval operations for integration of capabilities and resources, the addition of greater weapons capabilities will not see the Stingray spying, with destroying targets and refueling remaining its main mission.

March 7/16: The decision to convert the Unmanned Carrier Launched Airborne Surveillance and Strike (UCLASS) program to an aerial refueling tanker under the Carrier Based Aerial Refueling System (CBARS) may require a new competition. Michael Novak, the Deputy Director of the Unmanned Maritime Systems Office under the office of the Chief of Naval Operations said that higher ups in the Pentagon were considering the change to allow all four companies that participated in the earlier UCLASS competition to be able to refine their proposals and “hit the mark for the CBARS.” The decision rests with the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) on what the next step for the tanker will be.

February 2/16: Initial plans to have the US Navy’s latest unmanned jet weaponized seems less likely, as plans seem to have shifted towards a tanker role. The long deferred Unmanned Carrier-Launched Airborne Surveillance and Strike (UCLASS) program was recently provided enthusiastically with $350 million by Congress. However, this was given on the understanding that the jet would be developed for full integration into carrier air wing operations – including strike operations – and possess the range, payload, and survivability attributes as necessary to complement such integration. No mention had been made about the need for unmanned aerial tanking capability. Instead the jet could be developed under the little known Carrier-Based Aerial-Refueling System (CBARS) aimed at producing an unmanned carrier-based aerial tanker, able to refuel other planes low on gas without risking a pilot. Strike capabilities would feature in a future variant of the aircraft.

October 1/15: Both House and Senate armed forces committees have agreed to fund the development of UCLASS unmanned aircraft in the draft FY2016 NDAA bill, in addition to more Tomahawk cruise missiles, F-35B Joint Strike Fighters for the Marines and F/A-18E/F Super Hornets for the Navy. The draft bill also includes for the provision of a fourth MQ-4C Triton UAV.

FY 2015

 

April 20/15:
The X-47B UCAV currently being developed by Northrop Grumman, has conducted successful aerial refueling from a KC-707, the first time the demonstrator has completed this difficult test set. Additionally, the US Office of Naval Research recently successfully tested the ability of UAVs to “swarm”, sharing information in flight with some autonomy, as part of its LOCUST program.

Feb 4/15: FY 2016 budge shelves UCLASS until 2023.
Even (theoretically) busting through sequestration, the 2016 Administration budget for the Navy opts to push UCLASS off to 2023.

The new schedule has an RFP released in FY 2016, with an award in Q2 2017 and first flight milestone in Q3 2020. Initial capability wouldn’t arrive until 2023. Where UCLASS was to originally get $669 million in FY 2016, the final document allowed it only $135 million.

FY 2014

 

X-47B UCAS-D
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Sept 10/14: UCLASS. The UCLASS team has integrated the latest iteration of Common Control System (CCS) software, which is the 1st to use the latest Navy Interoperability Profile (NIOP). This iteration forms the baseline for all future UCLASS control software, and Cmdr. Wade Harris is the Control System and Connectivity (CS&C) lead. They’re currently testing this software with an air vehicle simulator based on the MQ-4C Triton.

Ron La France is the UCLASS integration lead, and system-level testing of the control station and connectivity segment, carrier segment, and air system segment in the lab is next. That’s hard enough. Meanwhile, the program team is working with 72 programs of record, 22 program offices, 6 program executive offices and 3 systems commands. No wonder this stuff is slow and expensive; in fairness, a carrier deck can’t afford screwups, and there are a lot of moving parts to consider. Sources: US Navy NAVAIR, “Navy integrates ‘common’ software into next-generation unmanned carrier-based system”.

Aug 29/14: UCLASS. So much for that Sept 10/14 DAB meeting. US Navy Cmdr. Thurraya S. Kent now says that:

“Defense officials will be including [Unmanned Carrier Launched Airborne Surveillance and Strike (UCLASS)] in its ISR portfolio review to be conducted in conjunction with the normal budget review process this fall… Determination regarding the release of the UCLASS RFP will be made based on the results of this review.”

It appears that the Navy itself is divided between its initial view of UCLASS as an ISR asset with secondary aerial tanker and low-threat light strike capabilities, vs. a stealthy and refuelable high-threat strike platform that’s designed to radically extend the carrier’s offensive reach. Sources: USNI, “UCLASS RFP Delayed Again Following Pentagon Meeting”.

Aug 27/14: Testing. X-47B testing aboard USS Theodore Roosevelt [CVN 71] draws to a close. The UCAV flew with manned aircraft for the first time (q.v. Aug 17/14), continued flying and landing tests, performed a night time shipboard flight deck handling evaluation to see how the sailors dealt with that, and collected flying quality and recovery wind condition data to evaluate how the aircraft responds to wake turbulence during approach and landing. Sources: US Navy NAVAIR, “X-47B achieves new set of firsts aboard USS Theodore Roosevelt”.

Aug 19/14: UCLASS. USNI reports that US NAVAIR is about to release their UCLASS RFP at long last, with a final signoff expected on Sept 10/14 by the Defense Acquisition Board. The specifications are still secret this time, so it’s hard to have an intelligent public discussion beyond the public data of 14 hours ISR endurance, 1,000 pound payload, or 2,000 mile strike mission with 500 pounds payload.

It is interesting that many American sorties over Iraq these days are surveillance missions, though using Navy fighters for that is a fiscally stupid thing to do. Sources: USNI, “NAVAIR ‘On the Precipice’ of Releasing UCLASS RFP, Pentagon Review Set For Sept. 10” | USNI, “Navy: Most Carrier Sorties Over Iraq Are Surveillance Missions”.

X-47B & F/A-18F

Aug 17/14: UCAS-D & F/A-18F. The Navy continues taking next steps, operating an X-47B alongside manned F/A-18C and F/A-18F fighters from the same carrier at the same time:

“The first series of manned/unmanned operations began this morning when the ship launched an F/A-18 and an X-47B. After an eight-minute flight, the X-47B executed an arrested landing, folded its wings and taxied out of the landing area. The deck-based operator used newly developed deck handling control to manually move the aircraft out of the way of other aircraft, allowing the F/A-18 to touch down close behind the X-47B’s recovery.”

This seems easy, but “de-confliction” is really dangerous. Sources: US Navy, “USS Theodore Roosevelt Conducts Combined Manned, Unmanned Operations” | Foxtrot Alpha, “Video Of X-47B & F/A-18 Carrier Ops Shows The Future Of Naval Aviation” | Washington Times, “Navy’s X-47B drone completes ‘key’ carrier tests alongside F/A-18 Hornet”.

July 31/14: UCLASS. USNI reports that the shift in UCLASS requirements wasn’t budget-driven, it was politically driven based on a program that doesn’t exist yet:

“In particular, the change in UCLASS from a deep strike stealthy penetrator into the current lightly armed intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) focused aircraft was – in large part – to preserve a manned version of the F/A-XX replacement for the Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, several Navy, Pentagon and industry sources confirmed to USNI News.”

It wouldn’t be the first time something like this has happened. The usual outcome is the elimination of a useful capability now, without really protecting the future program. Another trap could snap shut if the Washington Business Journal turns out to be correct, and the Navy decides to keep the specifications poorly defined, in order to give themselves more flexibility. What that usually gives you, is more cost. Sources: USNI, “UCLASS Requirements Shifted To Preserve Navy’s Next Generation Fighter” | The Guardian, “Carrier-based drone offers way forward for US navy – subject to squabbling” | Washington Business Journal, “Could UCLASS end up as the Pentagon’s next runaway program?”.

June 26/14: N-UCAS Phase II. Northrop Grumman Systems Corp. in San Diego, CA receives a $63.1 million to a previously awarded cost-plus-fixed-fee contract modification for Phase II of N-UCAS post-demonstration activities. $45.9 million is committed immediately, using US Navy FY 2013 and 2014 RDT&E budgets.

Phase II activities will include continued flights, test bed and flight test support at both shore-based locations and associated carrier detachments, continued development of Fleet Concepts of Operations, X-47B maintenance support, lab and test bed operational support and continued flight test opportunities.

Work will be performed in San Diego, CA (70%) and Patuxent River, MD (30%), and is expected to be complete in March 2015. US Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, MD, is the contracting activity (N00019-07-C-0055).

N-UCAS Phase II

May 6/14: Politics. House Armed Services Committee (HASC) chair Buck McKeon [R-CA] is proposing to add $450 million to fund 5 EA-18Gs and their equipment in the FY 2015 budget, instead of the 22 on the unfunded priorities list. The committee’s proposed changes would also preserve all F-35 funding, while cutting the Navy’s unmanned UCLASS R&D budget in half to $200 million. Sources: Flightglobal, “House bill promotes EA-18G and U-2S, but hits UCLASS” | Reuters, “Boeing, backers to fight for funding for 22 Boeing jets”.

May 4/14: RFP leak? Shawn Brimley of the center-left Center for a New American Security discusses the recent classified UCLASS RFP. Something must have leaked:

“But last month the Navy instead reportedly issued classified requirements for UCLASS to deliver intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance. Instead of creating a drone that can carry missiles or other strike power into enemy airspace, defense contractors have been told to submit proposals for an aircraft designed to fly around the aircraft carrier for 12 to 14 hours delivering persistent surveillance over uncontested airspace, with a light strike capability to eliminate targets of opportunity.”

Within the known set of contenders, this RFP would give General Atomics a significant advantage, but it would also remove most of the UCAV’s ability to operate in contested environments. Stealth at a level required for contested environments isn’t a bolt-on, it’s a fundamental design choice that affects most other choices. There’s a set of trade-offs between various capabilities and reasonable cost (q.v. Feb 13 – April 2/14), but one can legitimately wonder why the job description Brimley describes requires a new program of any kind. The MQ-4C Triton and RQ-4B Block 40 Global Hawks will already perform that reconnaissance role, and if light strike is also required, the MQ-9 Reaper could just be navalized. Sources: Defense One, “Congress’s Chance to Fix Aircraft Carrier Drones”.

April 30/14: Politics. The House Subcommittee On Seapower And Projection Forces discusses H.R. 4435, the FY 2015 National Defense Authorization Bill. Title II addresses UCLASS directly, and prohibits UCLASS contracts until the Pentagon has produced a review of the report that examines the carrier wing’s capabilities against surveillance-strike complexes by 2025-2035, including both manned and unmanned components. That actually misses one of a UCAV’s biggest benefits, which is the strike range they offer with aerial refueling. The report may not change much, but the committee does say that:

“The committee believes that current UCLASS Air System Segment requirements will not address the emerging anti-access/area-denial (A2/AD) challenges to U.S. power projection that originally motivated creation of the Navy Unmanned Combat Air System (N-UCAS) program during the 2006 Quadrennial Defense Review (QDR), and which were reaffirmed in both the 2010 QDR and 2012 Defense Strategic Guidance. In particular, the disproportionate emphasis in the requirements on unrefueled endurance to enable continuous intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) support to the Carrier Strike Group (CSG), a capability need presumably satisfied by the planned acquisition of 68 MQ-4C Tritons…. appears unsupportive of the 2012 Defense Strategic Guidance for the United States to “maintain its ability to project power in areas in which our access and freedom to operate are challenged.”

….Finally, the committee is concerned with multiple aspects of the proposed UCLASS acquisition strategy, including: insufficient time and funding for contractors to mature their designs in support of a full-scope Preliminary Design Review, due in part to late-developing and still-evolving air system performance requirements; the additional risk to the program associated with the Navy’s decision to abandon the precision landing system developed and successfully tested during the UCAS-D effort; and the potential risk associated with NAVAIR developing the UCLASS Mission Control System internally.”

April 17/14: RFP. Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus signed-off on the draft RFP during an April 16/14 briefing, and the US Navy Navy released a draft UCLASS RFP direct to their existing contractors: Boeing, General Atomics, Lockheed Martin & Northrop Grumman. It’s classified, as expected, and the final RFP is due late this year. Sources: USNI, “Navy Issues Restricted UCLASS Draft Request for Proposal”.

UCLASS RFP

April 10/14: UCAS-D Testing. The X-47B conducts its 1st night flight. Sources: US NAVAIR, “Photo Release: X-47B completes night flights”.

April 10/14: UCLASS GA. General Atomics’ modified Sea Avenger UAV appears to have grown larger since initial designs were released, with an internal bay and 4 wing hardpoints, including an option for buddy refueling tanks. The key question for the company will be the UCLASS stealth requirements. If they’re focused on ISR and strike missions in defended airspace, requiring good stealth scores in the C, X, and Ku bands, the Sea Avenger probably can’t compete. If the requirements focus on missions in relatively unthreatened airspace, inherent efficiencies in the Sea Avenger’s design sharply improve its chances. Sources: USNI, “General Atomics Shows Off Company’s UCLASS Option”.

April 9/14: UCAS-D Recognition. The X-47B program is awarded the aerospace industry’s annual Robert Collier trophy for 2013. Sources: US NAVAIR, “Navy’s X-47B program receives aviation honor”.

April 8/14: UCLASS. Speaking at the Sea, Air and Space 2014 expo, NAVAIR PEO unmanned aviation and strike weapons Adm. Mat Winter says that the US Navy expects to release a classified UCLASS draft RFP before the end of April. Sources: USNI, “Classified UCLASS Draft Request for Proposal Due at End of April”.

Feb 13 – April 2/14: UCLASS. Nailing down the UCLASS requirements has been the Navy’s biggest headache throughout, and even at this late date, competing visions are still problematic enough to delay the RFP. One is reminded of legendary Skunk Works chief Kelly Johnson:

“Starve before doing business with the damned Navy. They don’t know what the hell they want and will drive you up a wall before they break either your heart or a more exposed part of your anatomy.”

The core design issues are straightforward. One, more payload = more size = more cost. Two, different UCAV sizes force a choice of specific marinized jet engines, which will have specific fuel consumptions. If gal/nmi isn’t good enough, that means more fuel, which means more payload, and see #1. Engine choice also affects stealth and size directly, since efficient high-bypass turbofans have large diameters, and you have to design around that. Finally, stealth itself costs money, and creates airframe designs that are difficult to change later.

The Navy’s requirements (q.v. June 26/13) effectively impose a $75 million per UCAV cost cap, but “we want it all” letters from House ASC Seapower subcommittee chair Randy Forbes are likely to force costs to $100+ million if its recommendations are adopted. In-air refueling capability is critical for any UCAV, but adding maximum stealth and payload to the request is what breaks the deal. This may be one of those cases where a limited program with a less expensive platform is what’s really called for, in order to allow the Navy to figure out how they can best use the technology first. Sources: Scribd, Rep. Randy Forbes UCLASS Letter || USNI, “Cost Will Drive UCLASS Designs” | “Requirements Debate Continues to Delay UCLASS RFP”.

April 1/14: UCLASS. The Navy has been discussing the potential use of UCLASS as an aerial tanker platform for some time now. They aren’t talking about forward use during strikes. Rather, they’re focused on orbits around the carrier that can top off planes in the landing circle.

The Navy currently uses F/A-18E/F Super Hornets for that job, configured with buddy refueling tanks. Those missions eat up fully 20% of the fighters’ missions, consuming limited airframe flight hours for an expensive asset. All because the Navy foolishly retired its S-3 Vikings when they still had more remaining airframe life than a new Super Hornet. The coming COD carrier cargo aircraft competition may provide a different solution to this problem, via an upgraded C-3 Viking or the V-22’s roll-on refueling pallet. That’s good, because there probably won’t be enough UCLASS drones to do this job and perform their own missions. Sources: USNI, “UCLASS Could Be Used as Tanker for Carrier Air Wing”.

March 31/14: GAO Report. The US GAO tables its “Assessments of Selected Weapon Programs“. Which is actually a review for 2013, plus time to compile and publish. They peg the UCLASS program at $3.7 billion, and express concern about using a “technology development” program as a procurement program, which would bypass formal systems development requirements and move directly into production in 2020. A development contract is expected in FY 2014, but:

“UCLASS is critically dependent on the development and fielding of the Joint Precision Approach and Landing System (JPALS), a global positioning system that guides aircraft onto an aircraft carrier. Navy officials expect UCLASS to hold a preliminary design review – including the air vehicle, carrier, and control segments – in May 2014 based on JPALS test progress. However, the Navy still considers JPALS one of its top risks for UCLASS.”

March 4-11/14: FY15 Budget. The US military slowly files its budget documents, detailing planned spending from FY 2014 – 2019. The future UCLASS program is slated to consume $2.937 billion through FY 2019, all of which will be R&D money due to the program’s structure.

Feb 13/14: UCLASS Air-to-Air? The Navy is thinking broadly about UCLASS, which is good as long as it doesn’t screw up the specifications. Director of air warfare Rear Adm. Mike Manazir talks about the potential to use the UCLASS’ payload bay as a missile magazine. It wouldn’t have independent targeting capability, but datalinks with fighters like the missile-limited F-35C would allow remote firing, with guidance provided thereafter by manned fighters.

It’s the right kind of thinking, but unlikely to see much use for 3 reasons. One is that the UCLASS will be subsonic, with very limited ability to avoid enemy fighters. That’s a nice way of saying that they’d be expensive sitting ducks if enemy aircraft can get a firing solution on them, even as the number of missiles on board makes them a priority target. Another potential issue is that asking internal launchers to handle a wider variety of weapons (q.v. Nov 21/13) generally drives up costs, and may compromise optimal weapon configurations for the strike role. On a less likely but more catastrophic level, one hopes there’s no software exploit that might allow others to issue those kinds of firing commands. Sources: USNI, “Navy’s UCLASS Could Be Air to Air Fighter”.

Feb 4/14: UCLASS. The FY 2014 defense budget bill added some new demands on the UCLASS program, but they won’t stop the Navy from running it as a technology demonstration project that goes straight into operational production.

Programmatic updates, and annual GAO review of the program, are normal. What will change is the number of UAVs bought during the TD Phase, which is capped at 6 instead of the planned 24. The Navy says that they can handle Milestone B approval with 6, which was never really in doubt. What does change is the ability to field what’s effectively an operational capability straight out of the TD phase. Sources: USNI, “Navy: Congressional Oversight Will Not Slow UCLASS Program”.

Nov 21/13: UCLASS. The UCLASS weapons debate isn’t solved yet, though the Navy seems to be leaning strongly toward a primary surveillance and targeting role, since that would be a new addition to the carrier air wing. UCLASS/UCAS-D requirements officer Cmdr. Pete Yelle says that:

“Weapons requirements will be defined in the final proposals. It is up to the vendors to come back with proposals and leverage what is available”…. The UCLASS will be able to work operations over land and water using EO/IR, or electro-optical/infrared sensors, FMV or full-motion video and eventually a fifth-generation AESA radar, Yelle said.”

Full Motion Video is part of most EO/IR systems these days. As for the AESA radar, that can mean a wide array of solutions, and a significant range of expense. The question is how far one wants to go. Just surface scans? Surface scans plus periscope detection capabilities, to partially replace the retired S-3 Viking’s role? Or a full fighter radar for air and ground surveillance, with specialized capabilities added as software? Each choice leads to different cost ranges, and potential commonalities or divergences with other fleet assets.

On the weapons front, some capability for persistent surveillance and strike seems like an obvious addition. What’s available includes Paveway laser-guidance, JDAM and Small Diameter Bomb GPS, and DAMTC dual-mode laser/GPS bombs. Depending on a given UAV’s internal mechanics, compact anti-ship missiles and even AIM-9X air defense weapons could also become an option, but that tends to add complexity and cost to the system. Sources: Defense Tech, “Navy Plans to Arm UCLASS with JDAMs”.

Nov 10/13: Flying again. The X-47B is back at sea, flying from the decks of the USS Theodore Roosevelt [CVN 71]. US Navy, “X-47B Operates Aboard Theodore Roosevelt”:

“The aircraft performed precise touch and go maneuvers on the ship to generate data that characterizes the environment in close proximity of the carrier flight deck. In addition, the aircraft took part in flight deck handling drills, completed arrested landings and catapult launches. Mission operators monitored the aircraft’s autonomous flight from a portable command and control unit from Theodore Roosevelt’s flight deck during each of its 45-minute flights.”

FY 2013

In-depth carrier ops testing; UCAS-D deck handling, catapult launch, and arrested landing tests; Despite cuts, UCLASS plans are still on.

History made
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Aug 28 – Sept 6/13: AAR. A Calspan Learjet has been modified with a non-functioning aerial refueling probe, and X-47B UCAV hardware and software for navigation, command and control, and vision processing. Its challenge? To fly behind an Omega K-707 tanker, and demonstrate its ability to hold correct positions and operate with the installed systems. Testing went well.

The next step will using the kind of digital messaging and navigation processes that were demonstrated by the UCAV’s recent carrier landings, with Rockwell Collins TTNT datalink, and Precision Relative GPS (PGPS) algorithms. The final goal? A complete autonomous rendezvous, approach, plug, and safe separation. No fuel will be transferred to the Learjet, which isn’t equipped to receive it anyway, but the ability to fly that kind of evolution is enough challenge all by itself. People in the military overuse the phrase “game changer,” but a technology that could allow continuous 72+ hour missions and trans-ocean control from a carrier would indeed justify that description. Sources: US NAVAIR, “Navy autonomous aerial refueling tests underway”.

Aug 14/13: UCLASS. US Naval Air Systems Command in Patuxent River, MD offers each of the UCLASS study participants another $15 million firm-fixed-price contract for their preliminary design review assessment work. Each firm has $4.75 million committed to it immediately, and work is extended until June 2014. Too bad the core requirements are still in flux. The winners include:

• Northrop Grumman Systems Corp. in El Segundo, CA (N00019-13-C-0140).
  
• Lockheed Martin Corp. in Palmdale, CA (N00019-13-C-0141).
  
• Boeing in St. Louis, MO (N00019-13-C-0142).
  
• General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. in Poway, CA (N00019-13-C-0143).

Aug 12/13: UCLASS. Aviation Week reports that the US Navy is having a hard time with the specifications for their UCLASS program RFP, which will be delayed into September 2013.

The biggest question is how much stealth the drone requires. Despite recent manufacturing advances, like the radar-absorbing materials baked right into the F-35’s composite skin, more stealth tends to make planes more expensive to buy and to maintain, while dropping their endurance and payload. On the other hand, current drones would have a very short life expectancy against advanced air defense systems, which creates a gap outside of the military’s unknown “black” programs.

Aviation Week reports that Northrop Grumman and Lockheed Martin are emphasizing stealth, while General Atomics and Boeing are willing to raise the radar cross-section somewhat in exchange for payload and endurance. General Atomics’ Sea Avenger, with its winged body and tail, does seem to fit this description. On the other hand, Boeing’s X-45 Phantom Ray is a tailless flying wing design, just like its NGC and Lockheed competitors. If Boeing is really prioritizing range and payload, it means they’re changing their base platform. Aviation Week: “Uclass: How Much LO is Enough?”

Aug 7/13: UCAS-D: Keep flying. It seems that the X-47Bs aren’t done flying yet. Instead of mothballing them as planned, the US Navy wants to keep them flying into 2015, and deploy to carriers 3 more times. Up to 3 more carriers will be fitted with compatible equipment, and Congress may get its wish to have the aerial refueling tests restored and completed by October 2014. The most important test will involve full integration with a 70-plane carrier air wing for several weeks, which would create a different level of comfort within the Navy for unmanned aircraft.

Despite past weapon drops under the J-UCAS program, The Us Navy doesn’t expect to conduct any of those with the X-47 UCAS-D. NAVAIR’s Capt. Jaime Engdahl repeated that refusal a couple of times a week later, at the AUVSI conference.

Continued flying will also give Northrop Grumman additional opportunities to work on its UCLASS design, and ensure that the Navy gets comfortable with its evolution. David Axe correctly points out that the last situation similar to this one involve Lockheed Martin’s X-35 design, which was chosen to become the F-35. DoD Buzz: “Navy: X-47B Drone Won’t Be a Killer” | USNI News: “NAVAIR: X-47B to Fly Again” | War Is Boring: “Navy’s Big Surprise: Carrier Drone to Make a Comeback”.

July 10/13: X-47B “Salty Dog 502” leaves NAS Pax River, MD and flies to USS George H.W. Bush [CVN 77], off the coast of Virginia. The UCAV successfully lands on the aircraft carrier and traps the #3 wire, marking a huge milestone in naval aviation. It then takes off from the carrier and lands again. On the 3rd approach, the drone reported that one of its 3 navigational computers failed. Rear Adm. Mat Winter decides that they had done enough for 1 day, and orders the drone back to Wallops Island, VA to land. Even with that minor glitch, the Secretary of the Navy had an appropriate quote when he said that:

“It isn’t very often you get a glimpse of the future. Today, those of us aboard USS George H.W. Bush got that chance…”

Actually, glimpses of the future are common. What he meant to say was that glimpses of a future that promises big changes in naval warfare are rare. This event is indeed in that class – closer to Billy Mitchell’s sinking of the Ostfriesland than it is to the 1st carrier jet launch. The Navy still needs to demonstrate UCAS aerial refueling in order to complete an airpower revolution, but this is a very big step forward. US Navy | Northrop Grumman | Wind River | Defense Tech | DoD Live.

Carrier landing at sea!

July 2/13: UCLASS. Lockheed Martin touts a recent UCLASS demonstration at NAVAIR, but their focus is on back-end and Common Control systems, rather than the UCAV itself. Lockheed Martin:

“Using an open architecture framework integrated with DreamHammer’s Ballista [DID: link added] drone control software and Navy compliant software protocols, a single operator managed multiple UAS platforms [including Lockheed Martin’s UCLASS concept] simultaneously. The team also used the new Navy Cloud capability to demonstrate control of the ISR sensors and fully integrate the data into one complete mission picture. The team then used this picture to rapidly re-task and re-route the UAS assets. In addition to using DreamHammer’s Ballista drone control software in this UCLASS demonstration, Lockheed Martin is teamed with DreamHammer Government Solutions in pursuit of the upcoming Navy Common Control System contract.”

June 28/13: JPALS/N-UCAS. Engility Corp. in Mount Laurel, NJ receives a $12.5 million cost-plus-fixed-fee contract, exercising an option for engineering services in support of the Joint Precision Approach and Landing Systems (JPALS) and the Navy Unmanned Combat Aerial Systems programs. JPALS is a ground or ship-based system that adds extra precision to GPS, and is used to help land aircraft. It’s a critical enabler for naval UAVs like UCAS-D, UCLASS, etc.

$4 million in FY 2013 RDT&E funds are committed immediately. Services to be provided include requirements definition and analysis; prototyping; test and evaluation; technical assistance; system analysis; engineering; software development, integration and maintenance; test data acquisition; reduction and analysis; technical logistic support; configuration management; training support; and program and project management.

Work will be performed in St. Inigoes, MD (95%); Providence, RI (3%); and Chicago, IL (2%); and is expected to be complete by in January 2014 (N00421-12-C-0048).

June 26/13: UCLASS. “The Navy has outlined the specifications for the Unmanned Carrier Launched Surveillance and Strike (UCLASS) in a requirements document obtained by USNI News.” the key numbers are:

• Carrier and JALN-M network compatible, with take-off and landing in Sea State 3 (4′ waves) minimum, and SS7 (29′ waves) maximum.
  
• Able to conduct a strike mission at 2,000 nmi.
  
• Able to conduct 2 surveillance orbits at 600 nmi radius around the carrier, or 1 at 1,200 nmi radius.
  
• 3,000 pound payload, including day/night optical surveillance comparable to an MQ-9, plus a surface scanning radar including GMTI moving object tracking.
  
• At least 1,000 pounds of that payload can be existing carrier weapons.
  
• Enough stealth for surveillance missions in lightly contested areas.

Those requirements will be difficult to meet already. Now add a number of added requirement being floated at present, and ongoing disputes about how much stealth etc. is necessary. Sources: USNI, “UCLASS By the Numbers”.

May 17/13: Touch and Go. The X-47B UCAS-D follows its catapult launch with a touch-and-go landing on USS George W. Bush [CVN 77], which tests its ability to fly precision approaches to a moving target.

A touch-and-go doesn’t trap the wire, but throttles the engine to full and takes off again. Carrier-based planes have to be able to do that if they miss the wire and pull a “bolter,” which is a guaranteed way to get harassed by your fellow pilots. Not sure what you do to a UAV. Perhaps the Navy can offer a rotating pool of drone software programmers, available for friendly abuse via secure video conference. US NAVAIR | US Navy.

Carrier launch
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May 14/13: Carrier launch. An X-47B UCAS-D is maneuvered into position on deck, and launched from USS George W. Bush [CVN 77]. The US Navy, Northrop Grumman et. al. hail it as a revolutionary milestone. We’ll grant that launching amidst the busy, complicated, and dangerous goings-on of a carrier deck is unlike any land-based challenge. It’s a difficult task for humans, and a difficult task for computers to do with human help.

Having said that, this isn’t the complete circuit. It’s the next logical step after on-ship deck tests (vid. Nov. 26/12) and land-based catapult launch (vid. Nov 29/12). We’ve said before that they won’t have a revolution on their hands until they can do the complete circuit: maneuver, launch, fly a circuit, and land. The next revolution after that will involve aerial refueling. When they do these things, we’ll join the chorus. US NAVAIR | Northrop Grumman.

May 6/13: Trap. The X-47B UCAS-D demonstrator successfully traps the wire as it lands at NAS Patuxent River, MD’s shore-based catapult and arresting gear complex. Northrop Grumman.

April 12/13: Support. FBO.gov:

“This synopsis provides notice of the Government’s intent to solicit a proposal on a sole source basis from Sierra Nevada Corporation, 444 Salomon Circle, Sparks, NV for work providing support in troubleshooting, problem resolution, and anomaly investigation associated with the Precision Global Positioning System (PGPS) as part of the existing Unmanned Combat Air System-Demonstration (UCAS-D) Program. This request for proposal will be issued in accordance with the terms and conditions of Basic Ordering Agreement (BOA) N00421-10-G-0001.

This acquisition is being pursued on a sole source basis under the statutory authority 10 U.S.C. 2304(c)(1), as implemented by Federal Acquisition Regulation Part 6.302-1, only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements.”

April 7/13: UCLASS. Lockheed Martin finally unveils their Skunk Works’ UCLASS design, which combines elements of their RQ-170 Sentinel stealth reconnaissance UAV with technologies from the F-35C for carrier operations, weapons use, etc. Overall, the design looks quite a bit like Boeing’s X-45C Phantom Ray. LMCO UCLASS Page | YouTube video.

March 26/13: UCLASS. NAVAIR indicates through a presolicitation that it plans to go ahead with follow-on Preliminary Design contracts to all 4 UCLASS study contract vendors (Boeing, General Atomics, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman – vid. June 23/11), and continue the Unmanned Carrier Launched Airborne Surveillance and Strike program.

The contracts are expected by the summer of 2013, supporting up to 2 years of work on the UAVs, datalinks for communications and control, and the carrier operations segment. They’re expected to carry each design to the Preliminary Design Review by Q3 2014, and support post-PDR design maturation and follow-on engineering. The next step after that will be the selection of 1 winner, and UCLASS initial operational capability within 3-6 years. FBO | Defense Update.

Dec 21/12: Aerial Refueling. Northrop Grumman Systems Corp. in San Diego, CA receives a $9.7 million cost-plus-incentive-fee contract modification for Autonomous Aerial Refueling (AAR) demonstration activities in support of the N-UCAS program. Services will include completion of Delta Critical Design Review (DCDR), surrogate testing with manned aircraft, preparation for the X-47B demonstration, travel, and support technical data for the AAR demonstration activities.

Work will be performed in Manhattan Beach, CA (70%) and Patuxent River, MD (30%), and is expected to be complete in December 2013. All contract funds are committed immediately (N00019-07-C-0055).

Nov 29/12: Testing. An X-47B is launched using a land-based naval steam catapult, at NAS Patuxent River, MD. The releases are full of words like “historic,” but DID just doesn’t see it. Lots of UAVs have been launched by non-steam catapults, steam catapult technology isn’t new, and this isn’t a launch from an actual ship. It’s just a test to verify that the X-47B’s landing gear, body structure, and software, which were designed from the outset to handle the rigors of a steam catapult launch, can indeed do so. A milestone, yes, but a minor one.

When an X-47B is launched from an actual ship, and recovered aboard, that will be historic. Ditto for successful aerial refueling. US NAVAIR | Northrop Grumman.

X-47B deck tests
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Nov 26/12: Testing. An X-47B air vehicle arrives by barge from Naval Air Station Patuxent River, MD, and is craned aboard the USS Harry S. Truman [CVN 75] for deck handling tests aboard the ship.

One suspects that civil airspace certification for high-end drones can’t happen soon enough for NAVAIR and the US military. US NAVAIR.

Nov 15/12: Testing. Northrop Grumman announces that its UCAS-D team has successfully completed initial onshore trials of the Control Display Unit (CDU), a new wireless, handheld controller used for carrier-deck maneuvering. Tests were basic: control engine thrust; roll forward, brake and stop; nose wheel steering; and maneuver the aircraft efficiently into a catapult or out of the landing area following a mock carrier landing.

On-ship deck trials are next.

Nov 6/12: NASIF Testing. US NAVAIR discusses testing at the “N-UCAS Aviation/Ship Integration Facility.” If NASIF didn’t exist, the Navy would have to use an aircraft carrier for this sort of testing, and it can’t afford that. Hence the NASIF building, stocked with Primary Flight Control (PriFly), Landing Signals Officer (LSO), Carrier Air Traffic Control Center (CATCC) and Mission Control Element (MCE) equipment.

The UCAS-D program uses the facility for system integration of new equipment, and UAV/manned surrogate demonstration events. Events like final Human Systems Integration (HSI) modeling and simulation testing for sailors from USS Carl Vinson and USS Abraham Lincoln.

Instead of using the current method of controlling multiple aircraft with radar displays and voice radio, the event tested their ability to send and receive digital instructions to and from aircraft, in addition to using voice instructions. This capability is absolutely required for UAV, but it will also help manned fighters, whose 60-second landing spread includes a final 20 seconds of enforced controller silence. If the controllers can communicate with everyone else by text while a pilot lands, that’s a big step forward.

The controller teams showed they could handle it over about 20 test scenarios, which progressed from relaying UAV commands to a UAV mission operator for entry, to direct communication with the simulated UAV and more automated systems.

FY 2012

Aerial refueling expands to include both boom and drogue; How can it be a UFO, if it’s on a truck?

X-47B, Edwards AFB
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Aug 20/12: UCLASS. NAVAIR awards a small $440,315 firm-fixed-price delivery order to Rockwell Collins, for Phase II of the ARC-210 UCLASS feasibility study with JPALS.

ARC-210 radios are used to communicate with UAVs over UHF, and their software may need fine-tuning to work with UCLASS for all of the Navy’s requirements (N00019-08-G-0016-0076). Contract: FBO.gov.

Aug 13/12: UCLASS. Naval Air Systems Command releases a Request for
Information to evaluate the Draft Mission Effectiveness Analysis (MEA) Tool developed by the UCLASS Program Office. In practice this is a spreadsheet fed with warfare analysis models, where the user can input UAV parameters for comparative assessment (N00019-12-P7-ZD235).

The RFP should come in the fall with a down-select to a single design in 2016 aiming for IOC in 2020. The spreadsheet is classified SECRET/NOFORN. FBO.gov | Flight International.

Early July 2012: Testing. Members from the UCAS-D carrier integration team engage in extensive software testing aboard USS Harry S. Truman [CVN 75], talking to fleet air-traffic controllers and air-department personnel about the usability of the new software, and lessons learned. Land-based X-47B tests will continue at Patuxent River, MD, and the goal is a carrier landing in about a year. US NAVAIR.

June 14/12: UFO-G. US NAVAIR indirectly confirms that the wrapped object spotted on a truck in Kansas was UCAS-D AV-2 (vid. June 6/12 entry), being trucked across the country from Edwards AFB, CA to NAS Patuxent River, MD for the next phase of flight tests. Easier than getting the civil flight waivers, I guess.

June 8/12: JPALS. L-3 Service, Inc. in Mount Laurel, NJ receives a $12.5 million cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for engineering services in support of the precision GPS Joint Precision Approach and Landing System, and the Navy’s UCAS-D program. The 2 are highly connected, of course, since UCAVs will need to depend on precision GPS, in order to land on carriers (vid. the July 2/11 test). JPALS will also help manned fighters.

Services to be provided include requirements definition and analysis, prototyping, test and evaluation, technical assistance, system analysis, engineering, software work, test data acquisition, reduction and analysis, technical logistic support, configuration management, training support, and program and project management. Work will be performed in St. Inigoes, MD (95%); Providence, RI (3%); and Chicago, IL (2%). Work is expected to be complete in October 2012. This contract was not competitively procured, pursuant to the FAR 6.302-1, by the US Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division in Patuxent River, MD (N00421-12-C-0048).

June 6/12: UFO-G. From the Augusta (KS) Gazette:

“This morning several Butler County Sheriff officers and KDOT personnel escorted a flatbed trailer entering Augusta from the south on US Highway 77 and headed east out of town on US Highway 54. Traffic was backed up coming in and going out of town. At first glance the strange-shaped cargo cloaked in industrial-strength shrink wrap appeared to be a saucer, but an unidentified KDOT worker advised it was an X-47B Combat Drone coming from Texas and en route to an unknown destination.”

Operating unmanned jets in US civil air space is a bit of a problem, which may help to explain the decision to ship it by road. Kansas is a rather roundabout route from Texas to Patuxent River, MD, but it is more of a straight line from California.

Jan 21/12: Testing. NAVAIR/AFRL’s AAR program completes a series of ground and flight tests that began in November 2011, using a Calspan Learjet surrogate with X-47B hardware and software, and a Omega Air Refueling K-707 aerial tanker. The tests included simulated flight demonstrations of both boom/receptacle (USAF) and probe-and-drogue (Navy & European) aerial refueling techniques, but no fuel was actually transferred, and Calspan’s Learjet wasn’t equipped for that anyway. The tests were all about correct positioning and coordination, beginning at a position 1 nautical mile from the K-707, and allowing autonomous guidance to move the Learjet into the 3 air-air refueling positions: observation, contact, and re-form.

Navy UCAS program manager Capt. Jaime Engdahl says that the next big step will involve using the actual X-47B. The team plans to conduct 2 more surrogate test periods before a planned refueling demonstration with the X-47B in 2014. NAVAIR | Northrop Grumman.

Nov 22/11: AV-2 flies. The fully-equipped UCAS-D demonstrator #AV-2 takes off for the 1st time at Edwards AFB, CA. That’s about a year late, but AV-1’s issues had to be ironed out first.

With 2 flying UCAVs, the program is expected to move AV-2 to NAS Patuxent River, MD by the end of 2011, and begin testing carrier landing technologies in 2012. That will include GPS-guided precision approaches to the carrier, arrested landings and “roll-out” catapult launches at land-based test facilities; and flight testing of new precision navigation computers and guidance/ navigation/ control software recently installed on both aircraft. The new suite of hardware and software is designed to let the X-47B land safely on a moving aircraft carrier deck. AV-1 will continue testing at Edwards AFB, with a focus on finding its flight limits. Northrop Grumman.

Nov 7/11: Aerial refueling. Inside the Navy reports [subscription] that the US Navy will be expanding the X-47B’s planned aerial refueling capability, to autonomously refuel while in flight with both USAF Air Force and USN aerial tankers.

The USAF uses KC-135s and KC-10s, but many of the KC-135s need to place an attachment on the refueling boom, in order to refuel probe-carrying aircraft. The US Navy has KC-130 Hercules aerial tankers, and its F/A-18E/F Super Hornets can become “buddy refuelers” with special wing tanks.

FY 2011

1st UCAS-D flight; 1st carrier landing using a surrogate plane; UCLASS study contracts.

“Look ma, no hands!”
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July 18/11: Northrop Grumman Systems in San Diego, CA receives a $25 million cost-plus-incentive-fee contract modification for UCAS-D autonomous aerial refueling technology maturation and demonstration activities. They’ll provide “air systems, air vehicle segment, and mission management segment requirements definition; integration planning and verification planning; and definition of certification requirements and approach.”

Work will be performed in San Diego, CA, and is expected to be complete in December 2012. US Naval Air Systems Command in Patuxent River, MD manages the contract (N00019-07-C-0055).

July 2/11: Testing. A contractor/government team lands an F/A-18D test aircraft from Navy squadron VX-23 on the USS Eisenhower in the western Atlantic Ocean, using hardware and software developed for the X-47B UCAS-D. This Hornet had a pilot on board as a safety precaution, but the system landed the plane. A King Air 300 twin-prop plane from Air-Tec, Inc. was also used as a surrogate to test mission management, command and control, communications, air traffic control and navigation, without executing an actual landing. Participating organizations included USN PEO Carriers, NAVSEA PMA-268, and the crew of the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower; plus industry partners Northrop Grumman, Rockwell Collins, Honeywell, L-3 Communications, SAIC, ARINC and Sierra Nevada Corporation.

It’s a big step forward for the UCAS-D program, and came after a series of interim steps detailed in the accompanying releases. It could also change the way Navy pilots land manned aircraft. Right now, carrier landings are very manual, and visual. All air traffic control instructions are by voice, and even a good portion of navigation data has to be read out over the air, while visual signals cement the final approach.

Supporting a UAV, and possibly retrofitted manned fighters, in future operations, required some important ship modifications. Eisenhower’s Landing Signal Officer (LSO) equipment was altered to communicate directly with the VX-23 F/A-18D through a digital network, and so were the ship’s primary flight control (“tower”) and Carrier Air Traffic Control Center (CATCC). The UAS operator’s equipment, installed in one of the carrier’s ready rooms, was the other key network node. Precision Global Positioning System (PGPS) capabilities with sub-1 meter accuracy were then added into the ship and the aircraft, to provide constant position awareness. US NAVSEA | Northrop Grumman.

Unmanned carrier landing!

June 23/11: UCLASS US NAVAIR awards a set of UCLASS study contracts to 4 vendors. Boeing publicly touted its own 8-month, $480,000 study contract, which includes developing of a concept of operations, an analysis of alternatives, and an investigation of notional solutions for various components of the Navy’s UCLASS program, which could be fielded for ISR and strike operations by 2018. Boeing’s option would include the X-45C Phantom Ray UCAV, but similar contracts for about $500,000 each were issued to Northrop Grumman (X-47B/ UCAS-D), General Atomics (Sea Avenger, also new EMALS/AAG carrier launch/recovery systems), and Lockheed Martin (unknown, has previously discussed the possibility of an unmanned F-35).

The UCLASS system will consist of an air segment (the UCAV), a connectivity and control segment, a launch and recovery segment, and a systems support segment. FBO.gov announcement | Boeing. See also March 28/11, March 19/10 entries.

UCLASS Studies

May 16/11: Northrop Grumman announces that it has picked up awards from the USAF Flight Test Center at Edwards AFB, CA, including Flight Test Team of the Quarter (above candidates like the F-35) for its X-47B/UCAS-D aircraft.

April 25/11: Sub-contractors. ARINC Engineering Services, LLC in Annapolis, MD receives a $9.7 million cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for technical and engineering services in support of the Joint Precision Approach and Landing Systems (JPALS) and Navy Unmanned Combat Aerial Systems (N-UCAS) programs. The 2 are related, as JPALS precision GPS-driven approach is a natural fit with the landing needs of a carrier-borne UCAV.

Work will be performed in Lexington Park, MD (80%), and St. Inigoes, MD (20%), and is expected to be complete in October 2011. This contract was not competitively procured by the US Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division in Patuxent River, MD (N00421-11-C-0034).

March 28/11: UCLASS. US NAVAIR issues a Broad Agency Announcement regarding UCLASS, in solicitation #N00019-11-R-0031:

“The Naval Air Systems Command seeks proposals which conceptually demonstrate that a UCLASS system can provide a persistent Carrier Vessel-Nuclear (CVN) based Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) and strike capability supporting carrier air wing operations in the 2018 timeframe. In order to identify and explore available trade space… The program anticipates leveraging existing, deployed Department of Defense (DoD) systems to launch, recover, and control the air vehicle, transfer data in support of time critical strike operations, and conduct persistence ISR operations. The ongoing Unmanned Combat Air System-Demonstration program will inform UCLASS development and provide technology risk reduction for Unmanned Aircraft (UA) integration into carrier environments.”

March 14/11: Testing. A US Navy/Northrop Grumman Corporation test team issues a report stating that 5 weeks of dynamic load testing on X-47B air vehicle 2 (AV-2) demonstrated its ability to handle the stresses, strains and dynamic loads associated with carrier catapult launches and arrested landings, and air-to-air refueling. AV-2 is the X-47B airframe that will be equipped for air-to-air refueling tests.

The tests themselves finished on Jan 24/11, a week ahead of schedule. NGC AV-2 manager says they included 8 design conditions, including a 3-G symmetrical pull up, a 2.4G rolling pullout, and turbulence during aerial refueling; and 5 conditions expected to occur on the ground, including takeoff and landing tests involving the nose gear and tail hook. To conduct the tests, engineers bonded pads to 200 points on the airframe surface, and then pushed and pulled on those pads using hydraulic jacks to simulate various static and dynamic load conditions. Northrop Grumman.

March 1-4/11: Testing. The X-47B UCAS-D makes its 2nd and 3rd of 49 planned flights at Edwards AFB, CA. Testers are working to expand the flight test envelope in terms of air speeds, altitudes and operating weights, while testing key systems. Major concerns at this point include its flight control system’s ability to handle unpredictable crosswinds and turbulence at all speeds, the accuracy of its flush-mounted air data testing instruments, and engine performance. NGC.

Feb 15/11: UCLASS. General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. announces success in wind-tunnel tests of its Sea Avenger model, intended to validate its new wing’s low-speed handling characteristics. a key wind tunnel test on a model of its jet-powered Sea Avenger Predator C variant. The new wing is also designed to increase aircraft dash speeds, which is an interesting engineering combination.

GA-ASI President Frank W. Pace touts the 90-hour, 8-day test at the San Diego Air & Space Technology Center, as a classic example of his firm’ push to invest in early development, ahead of customer requirements for a UCLASS type system. The firm’s past history with the MQ-1 Predator and MQ-9 Reaper backs up his boast.

Feb 7/11: Sub-contractors. Lockheed Martin touts their own involvement in the X-47B program, which mostly revolves around low observable (stealth) design and aspects of aerodynamic edges, inlet lip and control surfaces, and an all new arresting hook system. Al Romig is the current VP of Advanced Development Programs for Lockheed Martin Aeronautics, and the firm completed delivery of its UCAS-D hardware in December 2009. Lockheed Martin will continue to support further UCAS-D flight testing, as well as carrier flight operations.

UCAS-D 1st flight
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Feb 4/11: First UCAS-D flight. The flight took off at 14:09 PST (GMT -0800) at Edwards AFB, and lasted 29 minutes, flying between 180 – 240 kt and climbing to 5,000 feet with landing gear down at all times, while executing racetrack patterns. It provided test data to verify and validate system software for guidance and navigation, and aerodynamic control of the tailless design. The flight follows airframe proof load tests, propulsion system accelerated mission tests, software maturity and reliability simulations, full system taxi tests, and numerous other system test activities that happen before any 1st flight.

Eugene Fly had made the first landing on a stationary ship on Jan 18/1911, but a 100th anniversary flight for X-47B #AV-1 wasn’t possible. Some of items that delayed this flight from original expectations in late 2009 included propulsion acoustic and engine-start sequencing issues, an asymmetric braking issue uncovered during taxi tests, and a last-minute maintenance issue with an auxiliary power generation system.

Testing continues. Aircraft AV-1 will remain at Edwards AFB for flight envelope expansion before transitioning to Naval Air Station Patuxent River, MD, later in 2011, where they will validate its readiness to begin testing in the maritime and carrier environment. Meanwhile, the refueling-ready AV-2 has completed its design limit load tests up to 130% with no test anomalies, showing that it’s able to withstand g-loads encountered during aerial refueling. It won’t begin its own tests until AV-1’s initial tests are done, which is currently planned for late 2011. The program is currently preparing the X-47B for carrier trials in 2013. US Navy | NGC release | Bullet points, images & video | Aviation Week.

1st flight

Feb 2/11: USAF opportunity? Defense news quotes Col. James Gear, director of the USAF’s Remotely Piloted Aircraft Task Force, on the future of its UAV fleet. Despite a big commitment to the MQ-1 Predator, the MQ-9 Reaper caused a major mid-stream shift in plans. Col. Gear cites some existing issues with the MQ-9, which could leave it open to a similar shift.

The Reaper does not fare well in icing conditions, and is also not considered survivable against anti-aircraft systems. The issue of jam and snoop-proof data links, and trace-back and verification of signal origins, has also been a live question during the MQ-1 and MQ-9’s tenure. The “MQ-X” that replaces it will have to do better on all 3 counts, and the USAF also wants it to be easily upgradeable via switch-out modules. The Colonel believes the resulting UAV will end up being common with the US Navy’s carrier-based UCLASS requirement, as the 2 services are cooperating closely. That could give Northrop Grumman’s funded X-47B N-UCAS an edge over Boeing’s privately developed X-45 Phantom Ray. It could also offer a boost to General Atomics’ Predator C/ Sea Avenger.

FY 2010

UCAS-D testing; UCLASS RFI and Navy plans; Does GA’s Predator C have a customer?

Manned and…not
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July 19/10: UCLASS. General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. touts its jet-powered Predator C Avenger UAS as “ready for deployment” under programs like the British RAF’s SCAVENGER, or as the MQ-X successor to the USAF’s MQ-9 Reapers. The Avenger family’s avionics are based upon the Predator B/MQ-9 Reaper, and the plane features both radar and optical sensor options, plus a variety of internal weapons loads up to 2,000 pound Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAM).

Ready for deployment” is stretching things a bit. The Predator C series first flew in April 2009, “tail one” is currently averaging 2-3 flights a week, and flight tests were recently transferred from GA-ASI’s Gray Butte Flight Operations Facility in Palmdale, CA, to Naval Air Station (NAS) China Lake, CA. GA-ASI Aircraft Systems Group President Frank Pace does describe some results as “exceeding our expectations,” including excellent agreement between advance engineering and flight tests, and fuel burn rates up to 10% better than predicted models. The UAV reportedly uses a Pratt & Whitney Canada PW545B engine, which also powers the Cessna Citation XLS business jet.

May 3/10: UCLASS. General Atomics announces that it has submitted its “Sea Avenger” as a potential candidate for UCLASS airborne surveillance and strike requirement. Their UCAV is based on their jet-powered, 44-foot long and 66-foot wingspan “Predator C Avenger,” which can fly at 400 knots for up to 20 hours, and operate up to 50,000 feet. Design changes include a highly fuel-efficient engine and inlet design, a Lynx SAR ground-looking radar, retractable electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) sensors and a 3,000 pound capacity internal weapons bay, and folding wings. The structure can accommodate carrier suitable landing gear, tail hook, drag devices, and other provisions for carrier operations.

Developed on company funds for near-term military use, the base Predator C Avenger is continuing through its planned test program, with a 2nd aircraft currently under development and expected to be complete by the end of 2010. General Atomics.

March 19/10: UCLASS RFI. The US Navy issues a Request for Information for a (UCLASS). The RFI indicates that the Navy is looking to move ahead with full unmanned combat aircraft earlier than its original plans.

“The Navy is interested in information on carrier based, low observable (LO) Unmanned Air Systems (UAS) concepts optimized for Irregular and Hybrid Warfare scenarios, capable of integrating with manned platforms as part of the Carrier Air Wing (CVW) by the end of 2018 to support limited operations in contested scenarios. The UAS should enhance situational awareness and shorten the time it takes to find, fix, track, target, engage, and assess time sensitive targets. This RFI is intended to determine the existence of sources that can provide a limited inventory of systems capable of being operated by fleet Sailors and performing the above mentioned Navy UAS mission.”

The UCLASS concept involves 4-6 UAVs that could perform both intelligence/ surveillance/ reconnaissance (ISR) and strike missions in contested airspace, that are able to fly for 11-14 hours without refuelling. Industry reportedly expected the navy to release a UCLASS RFP in early 2011, and interested parties beyond Northrop Grumman include General Atomics (Sea Avenger), and reportedly Boeing (X-45 Phantom Ray) as well. See: FedBizOpps RFI | Flight International | Jane’s.

March 17/10: Leadership. Janis Pamiljans, previously vice president and program manager of Northrop’s KC-30 aerial refueling tanker bid for the USAF, takes over from Scott Winship as vice president of N-UCAS related efforts. Pamiljans also has worked as a program manager on the F/A-18 and F-35 strike fighter programs.

Aviation Week points out that this is just one of several corporate moves, which seem to be aimed at freeing people up to participate in “black” (classified) programs, and develop a next-generation stealth aircraft for reconnaissance and long-range strike. Aviation Week | Defense News.

March 2/10: Leadership. Capt. Jeff Penfield takes over the Navy’s X-47B program office, replacing Capt. Martin Deppe. Source.

Feb 18/10: Predator C. Don Bolling, a Lockheed Martin senior business development manager, hints that General Atomics’ Predator C has a customer, and isn’t just a privately funded effort. He tells a media source that General Atomics Aeronautical Systems is interested in “Global Hawk-like” payloads for high altitude surveillance on its jet-powered Predator-C Avenger UAV, putting efforts to install the F-35 fighter’s Sniper pod-derived electro-optical targeting system (EOTS) on hold.

The shift was reportedly at the request of a customer, which made the report news because the Predator C wasn’t known to have a customer. The USAF already flies Global Hawks, and export approvals for the EOTS and Predator C would be an involved process. The most likely guess as to the customer would be the CIA, which does operate UAVs of its own, or US Special Operations Command. Flight International.

Feb 13/10: Testing. The US Navy announces that N-UCAS team members are underway with USS Abraham Lincoln [CVN 72] to test the integration of existing ship systems with new systems that will support the X-47B in carrier-controlled airspace. The team is testing X-47B software integration by using a King Air turbo prop “surrogate” aircraft taking off and landing from shore, but approaching the carrier and performing the various procedures associated with systems like Prifly, CATCC, LSO, etc. The digital messages from shipboard controllers receive “wilco” (ACK) responses to verify receipt.

Additional developmental testing later this year, will involve testing the software integration using an F/A-18 surrogate aircraft, to more closely emulate the X-47B’s flight.

Feb 4/10: Navy plans. Defense News reports that the N-UCAS program is slated to receive a $2 billion boost over the next 5 years, and seems set to follow the RQ-4 Global Hawk procurement model, rather than remaining a demonstration aircraft.

The RQ-4 Global Hawk was an advanced development program that was moved to the front lines after the 9/11 attacks, and became a fully operational platform. The 2010 Quadrennial Defense Review featured a tilt away from technology demonstrator status, and toward an X-47 UCAV that can perform surveillance and/or strike roles. That would let the Navy field operational UCAVs much sooner, and allow them to field a capability that could be similar but superior to the USAF’s current RQ-170 Sentinel/”Beast of Kandahar” stealth UAV. Those exact capabilities remain a matter for discussion, however, as Navy Undersecretary and UCAV advocate Bob Work points out:

“There is a lively debate over whether or not the N-UCAS demonstrator should result in a penetrating, ISR strike bird, or be more of a strike fighter… That debate has not quite been resolved. Having this extra $2 billion added to the budget is going to help us resolve that debate.”

Jan 26/10: Aerial refueling. Northrop Grumman Integrated Systems Sector in San Diego, CA received an $11 million not-to-exceed modification to a previously awarded cost-plus-incentive-fee contract for autonomous aerial refueling technology maturation and demonstration activities in support of the Navy UCAS-D.

Work will be performed in El Segundo, CA (60%) and Rancho Bernardo, CA (40%), and is expected to be complete in November 2010 (N00019-07-C-0055).

Jan 17/10: Testing. First low-speed taxi test of an X-47 N-UCAS. Source.

Dec 22/10: Delay. Trouble with engine start sequencing and propulsion acoustics will now reportedly delay the X-47B’s December 2009 flight to sometime in the first 3 months of 2010. Gannett’s Navy Times | Defense Update.

Nov 25/09: Aviation Week reports that the X-47 UCAS-D system demonstrator is experiencing “propulsion acoustic and engine-start sequencing” issues, which will require additional testing and push its 1st flight to 2010.

The US Navy reportedly says UCAS-D is still on track for sea trials in 2012, but Northrop Grumman has placed a “moratorium” on press interviews for UCAS-D – never a good sign.

Nov 2/09: Navy plans. The Brookings Institute’s 21st Century Defense Initiative hosts Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Gary Roughead, who discusses the U.S. Navy’s use of new technologies, and its development and integration of unmanned systems. Excerpts:

“I would say that where we can make some significant breakthroughs us just in the organizing principles and in the way that we approach the unmanned systems. The idea of being able to disembark or embark long-range unmanned air systems for example changes the nature in which we can run flight decks, changes the nature of the carrier air wing configurations as we move into the future.

…I would also say that I am often struck that as we talk about unmanned systems we’ve really become enamored with the vehicle itself and there has been very, very little discussion and arguably little work on something that makes it all work together and that’s the network and the architecture of the network, how the information will be moved, what are the redundancies that you would have in place, and what are the common protocols that are going to be required as we move into the future.”

See WIRED Danger Room | Brookings Institute and full transcript [PDF]

Oct 6/09: Sub-contractors. GE Aviation announces that it has delivered the first fully-dressed X-47B UCAS-D landing gear to Northrop Grumman Corporation. “Fully-dressed” landing gear is designed to meet or exceed all U.S. Navy carrier landing requirements for a fully loaded UCAS-D aircraft. GE Aviation says that its combined systems make it the largest non-partner equipment supplier to the X-47B, but the landing gear effort had partners of its own:

“Due to the demanding mission profiles required for this advanced carrier platform, the landing gear system incorporates the latest technology advancements in steering control from Parker Hannifin as well as anti-skid braking systems from Goodrich Corporation.”

FY 2008 – 2009

Aerial refueling will be part of the program; Load testing.

UCAS-D load testing
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Aug 11/09: Updates. AUVSI 2009 event reports indicate progress on several fronts from the UCAS-D program.

Flight International reports that an F/A-18D Hornet test plane with be modified to carry X-47B avionics and software, then used as a test bed to develop a fully integrated aircraft/carrier auto-landing system. The Navy is hoping to perform manned but “hands-off” approaches and landings on an aircraft carrier within 2 years, though that aspect remains to be decided.

Meanwhile, Shephard reports that number of USAF personnel will begin arriving at NAS Patuxent River as observers to PMA-268, the Navy UCAS Program Office. The planned air-air refueling demonstration was apparently the catalyst for USAF interest, and the second test aircraft (AV-2) is being built with full internal refueling systems on board.

July 29/09: Load testing. Northrop Grumman announces a successful series of static and dynamic proof load tests, designed to ensure that the UCAV will be able to stand up to aircraft carrier launches, recoveries, and other associated stresses. For these torture tests, over 200 electro-hydraulic assemblies were attached to the major components of the X-47B, whereupon pressure was applied to simulate desired conditions. The 2-month effort included progressive structural, functional proof and calibration tests to verify the integrity of all flight control surfaces, major structural load paths, main landing gear structure, and the tailhook assembly.

The 2nd aircraft is currently being assembled, and will begin proof load tests later in 2009. UCAS-D aircraft will also undergo parallel engine integration and taxi tests through fall 2009, in preparation for first flight and aircraft carrier trials. Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems VP and UCAS-D program manager, Scott Winship, cited that unforgiving environment, then promised that:

“The X-47B was built for these conditions, and as the results of the rigorous proof test show, the design of the aircraft is structurally sound for all aspects of carrier operations.”

Jan 12/09: Aerial refueling. Jane’s confirms that the X-47 UCAS-D program will begin aerial refueling tests performed in 2010, using surrogate aircraft.

Dec 9/08: Aerial refueling. Aviation Week quotes UCAS program manager Scott Winship, as part of a report that that Northrop Grumman will modify the second X-47B UCAS-D to allow autonomous aerial refueling (AAR) using both U.S. Navy probe-and-drogue and U.S. Air Force boom-and-receptacle methods. The U.S. Navy has announced plans to award the company a sole-source contract to support the demonstration of AAR capability by 2013, under UCAS-D’s parallel technology-maturation phase.

Boeing is currently leading a team including X-47B partners Northrop Grumman and Lockheed Martin for the 4-year second phase of a parallel Air Force Research Laboratory program. Winship says the X-47B could be used to provide a “graduation exercise” for the AAR effort.

Nov 19/08: Aerial Refueling. Boeing in St Louis, MO received a $49 million cost plus fixed fee contract as the automated aerial refueling Phase II integrator. At this point, $1.2 million has been obligated. The Air Force Research Laboratory at Wright-Patterson AFB, OH manages this contract (FA8650-09-C-3902). Read “$49M for Boeing to Advance UAV Aerial Refueling” for an explanation of the importance to the UCAS-D and similar programs.

July 14/08: Sub-contractors. Pratt & Whitney announces a $54 million contract from Northrop Grumman to develop and integrate the X-47 UCAS-D’s engine and exhaust system. The Pratt & Whitney F100-PW-220U engine will power the UCAS-D, providing up to 16,000 pounds of thrust while operating in a maritime environment, including carrier deck operations.

FY 2005 – 2007

UCAS-D award; Carrier simulation exercise.

Just another day
at the office…
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August 1/07: UCAS-D. Northrop Grumman Integrated Systems – Western Region in San Diego, CA received a $635.9 million cost-plus-incentive-fee contract for the Unmanned Combat Air System CV Demonstration Program (UCAS-D). Work will be performed in Rancho Bernardo, CA (38%); El Segundo, CA (29%); Palmdale, CA (13%); East Hartford, CT (7%); Jupiter, FL (2%); Nashville, TN (2%); Hazelwood, MO (1%), and various locations within the United States (8%), and is expected to be complete in September 2013.

The purpose of the UCAS-D is to demonstrate critical CV suitability technologies for a stealthy air vehicle in a relevant environment [DID: i.e naval/ aircraft carriers]. Expected deliverables include trade studies, analyses, software, reports and flight test data. This contract was competitively procured through a request for proposals; 2 firms were solicited [DID: that would be Boeing and NGC] and 2 offers were received (N00019-07-C-0055). See also Northrop Grumman’s Aug 3/07 release.

UCAS-D contract.

Sept 28/05: As part of DARPA’s J-UCAS program, Northrop Grumman Corporation’s X-47B conducted a successful simulated exercise at the Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division in China Lake, CA. It demonstrated the simultaneous control of 4 of its X-47B unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) during U.S. Navy aircraft carrier operations. See Dec 9/05 NGC release.

Using a surrogate aircraft which represented one X-47B, 3 additional simulated X-47B aircraft were successfully controlled during several flights using advanced mission-management software and air traffic control procedures currently used by Navy aircraft carriers. The air traffic controller provided standard commands to a single mission operator, who in turn ensured all four aircraft safely operated within the simulated carrier’s airspace. The controller had to demonstrate the ability to guide all 4 aircraft through approach, wave-off and traffic pattern procedures, while accomplishing proper spacing and air traffic de-confliction. The mission operator had to be able to monitor the entire process to ensure proper command response, and advise the controller on aircraft response or performance limitations.

This was one of many tests undertaken as part of J-UCAS. It is reproduced here for its ongoing relevance to the UCAS-D program.

Additional UCAV Readings UCAS-D/ N-UCAS

• Air Force Technology – X-47 Pegasus Naval Unmanned Combat Air Vehicle (UCAV-N), USA.

• Northrop Grumman – X-47B UCAS.

• Northrop Grumman Review Online (2007) – The United States Navy’s Unmanned Combat Air System Demonstration (UCAS-D) Program.

• Rockwell Collins, via SLDINFO – Tactical Targeting Network Technology and Connectivity [PDF]. TTNT’s very low latency, join on the fly networking is important for UCAV safety-of-flight, especially around carrier decks.

• DID – Game-Changer: USA Developing UAV Aerial Refueling. Automated Aerial Refueling is the key to unlocking the UCAV’s full potential.

• Center for Strategic & Budgetary Assessments (June 18/08) – Range, Persistence, Stealth, and Networking: The Case for a Carrier-Based Unmanned Combat Air System [PDF].

News & Views

• USNI (Aug 21/14) – Essay: The Legal and Moral Problems of Autonomous Strike Aircraft. Technically, the UCLASS is not autonomous, its human operator has to trigger the attack. The question is whether that’s ultimately feasible in an anti-access, high-jamming environment.

• Washington Business Journal (Aug 19/14) – Could UCLASS end up as the Pentagon’s next runaway program?

• Breaking Defense (Aug 5/14) – Crunch Time For UCLASS: USD Kendall, Rep. Forbes, & The Requirements Fight.

• James Hasik (Dec 3/13) – Manning the Unmanned: Cultural Experimentation for the Coming Drone Fleet.

• James Hasik (Aug 15/13) – Range and payload: further thoughts on the US Navy’s approach to the UCLASS program.

• James Hasik (Aug 13/13) – Just how ambitious should be the requirements for the US Navy’s new drone?.

• NDIA National Defense (July 2013) – Fight Begins Over Navy’s Armed Drone Program .

• WIRED Danger Room (April 11/11) – Navy Wants Its Drone to Land on a Carrier With a Mouse Click.

• Military.com (Aug 14/07) – Will Drones Work on Carriers? Describes the process of launching and landing UCAVs on a carrier. You may be surprised to learn how much of this is already automated in America’s manned fighters.

• Center for Strategic & Budgetary Assessments (CSBA) Backgrounder (May 10/07) – The Unmanned Combat Air System Carrier Demonstration Program: A New Dawn For Naval Aviation? [PDF].

• AFA Air Force Magazine (November 2005) – Will We Have an Unmanned Armada.

• AFA Air Force Magazine (June 2005) – Toward an Unmanned Bomber.

UCAV Programs

• DID FOCUS Article – nEUROn UCAV Project Rolling Down the Runway (updated). nEUROn is a 6-nation European project that aims to create a UCAV with capabilities that resemble J-UCAS, but do not currently include carrier operations. It has moved into Phase 2.

• Air Force Technology – Taranis Unmanned Combat Air Vehicle (UCAV) Demonstrator, United Kingdom. Not tackling carrier operations at this point.

• DARPA – J-UCAS program. J-UCAS died shortly after being transferred to the Air Force and Navy.

• Air Force Technology – X-45 J-UCAV Joint Unmanned Combat Air System, USA. The X-47B’s competitor for the UCAS-D follow-on program, and fellow J-UCAS participant.

• DID – Ride on the Ray: Boeing’s X-45 UCAVs. Boeing has restarted it with corporate funding.

• AIN (May 17/13) – China’s ‘Sharp Sword’ UCAV is Spotted Taxiing .

• Northrop Grumman Analysis Center, presentation to the 3rd Joint-Industry Forum (Feb 16/05) – Joint Unmanned Combat Air System and US Military Transformation shows [PDF].

Americas

Lockheed Martin is being contracted to build a next-generation missile defense radar system on Hawaii. Awarded by the Missile Defense Agency, the $585 million fixed-price incentive delivery order provides for design, development and delivery of the Homeland Defense Radar – Hawaii (HDR-H). The HDR-H is able to autonomously acquire, track and discriminate incoming ballistic missiles and will increase the overall capability of MDA’s Ground-Based Midcourse Defense System. The radar system is built upon Lockheed’s Long Range Discrimination Radar (LRDR). LRDR combines proven solid-state radar technologies with proven ballistic missile defense algorithms, all based upon an open architecture platform. The radar provides precision metric data to improve ballistic defense discrimination. The contract is partially funded through FY2018 and FY2019 research development test and evaluation funds, amounting to $51.4 million. Work will be performed at Lockheed’s factory in Moorestown, New Jersey and at the radar site on Oahu, Hawaii. The HDR-H is expected to be completed by December 2023.

BAE Systems is being awarded with a five-year support contract covering the repair of countermeasure systems for various aircraft. The order is priced at $32 million and provides for the repair of 103 items of the ALQ-126B, and two items of the ALE-55 countermeasures systems. The US Navy’s AN/ALQ-126B is designed to secure aircraft communications by generating noise jamming for potential enemy listeners and defeat radar seekers of incoming missiles. The Navy uses the system on some of its aircraft platforms, such as the F/A-18 and E-6B Prowler. The AN/ALE-55 is a towed decoy comprised of an electronic frequency converter (EFC) and a fiber optic towed decoy (FOTD). It can suppress, deceit, and seduce enemy planes, launchers and missiles. Work will be performed in Nashua, New Hampshire; Jacksonville, Florida and Crane, Indiana.

The US Army is buying more Joint-Air-to-Ground missiles. Lockheed Martin is receiving a contract modification valued at $91 million that extends JAGM procurement as part of LRIP 3. The JAGM is an air-to-ground missile that provides advanced line-of-sight and beyond-line-of-sight capabilities and will eventually replace the Army’s inventory of Hellfire missiles. The missile is designed to engage a variety of targets, including heavy vehicles, patrol craft, bunkers and buildings. The Army expects to achieve JAGM’s IOC in early 2019. Work will be performed at Lockheed’s factory in Orlando, Florida and is expected to be completed by February 2022.

Middle East & Africa

Turkey is requesting the purchase of several Patriot batteries. The potential Foreign Military Sale calls for the delivery of 80 Patriot MIM-104E GEM-T missiles and 60 PAC-3 MSE missiles at a cost of $3.5 billion. The multi-billion deal also provides for four AN/MPQ-65 Radar Sets, four Engagement Control Stations, 10 Antenna Mast Groups, 20 M903 Launching Stations and Electrical Power Plant (EPP) III. The package also covers communications equipment, tools and test equipment, range and test programs, and some other services. PAC-2 GEM-T are optimised to target incoming ballistic missiles. PAC-3 MSE is designed to be a longer range missile that is more agile, and able to counter both tactical ballistic missiles and more conventional threats. Turkey is a NATO member and hosts the TPY-2 radar site which is crucial to the European Phased Adaptive Approach that seeks to protect allies and partners against Iranian ballistic missile threats. Main contractors will be Raytheon and Lockheed Martin.

The government of Kuwait is ordering several engines for its F/A-18E/F Super Hornets from General Electric. Awarded by the Naval Air Systems Command, the Foreign Military Sales contract calls for the procurement of 56 F414-GE-400-1A install engines; four F414-GE-400 spare engines; two spare engine containers and 12 spare engine modules at a cost of $257 million. The F414 is one of the newest and most advanced aircraft engines. It features an axial compressor with 3 fan stages and 7 high-pressure compressor stages, and 1 high-pressure and 1 low-pressure turbine stage. In March 2018 Kuwait agreed to purchase 28 Super Hornets at a cost of $1.2 billion. Work will be performed at GE’s factories in Lynn, Massachusetts; Hooksett, New Hampshire; Rutland, Vermont and Madison, Kentucky. Performance is expected to run through December 2020.

Europe

All of NATO’s 14 Boeing E-3 Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft have now been fitted with Global Air Traffic Management (GATM) technology. The majority of work was completed at Boeing’s Manching facility in southern Germany. Efforts covered under the upgrade program focused on a new flight management and flight safety avionics system, and the installation of 50 new ‘black boxes’. GATM allows the E-3A’s to fly in civilian airspace enabling the surveillance planes to operate worldwide. The E-3 is based on Boeing’s 707 family, and its ability to see and direct air operations within hundreds of miles provides vital strategic support. NATO formed its E-3A Component in 1982 and expects to keep the aircraft in service through 2035.

Asia-Pacific

India’s Space Research Organisation launches a new military communication satellite. Gsat-7A was launched from Sriharikota at 4:10pm on Wednesday and will be the Indian Air Force’s exclusive ‘eye in the sky’. The 5000 lbs satellite will link IAF fighter jets, transporters and tankers, AWACS platforms and UAVs and ultimately act as a force multiplier. The IAF expects Gsat-7A to strengthen its net-centric war fighting capability. Gsat-7A is India’s 35th communication satellite. The satellite flies in an eventual geostationary orbit allowing the IAF to expand its communication capabilities and boost some of its network-dependant warfare and drone capabilities.

Today’s Video

Watch: T-38 Talon Flight Over Northern California

Americas

The US Air Force is allocating a large amount of money in maintaining its AH-64E Apache’s LAIRCM countermeasure system. Northrop Grumman is being awarded with a $3.6 billion IDIQ contract supporting the service’s Large Aircraft Infrared Counter Measures (LAIRCM) equipment. This contract covers the delivery of LAIRCM line replaceable units and support equipment, and provides for logistics services; systems and sustaining engineering efforts and other activities. LAIRCM is a is a laser-based countermeasures system that can defend a wide range of aircraft from an infrared missile attack by automatically detecting a missile launch, determining if it is a threat, and activating a high-intensity system of pulsed lasers to track and defeat the threat by confusing its guidance head. The US Army used LAIRCM to protect its Apache gunships while operating against ISIS targets in Northern Iraq and Syria. This contract includes numerous sales to US allies as part of the Foreign Military Sales program. Work will be performed at the company’s facility in Rolling Meadows, Illinois, and is expected to be completed by December 2025.

The US Army is pouring $700 million into its Mobile Protected Firepower acquisition program. BAE Systems and General Dynamics will each deliver 6 prototype vehicles by February 2020. The US Army’s Mobile Protected Firepower (MPF) program will provide the service with a new combat vehicle platform that allows US troops to disrupt, breach and break through enemy lines and defensive fortifications. The platform is required to be effective against hard targets such as bunkers, heavy machine gun nests and armored vehicles. UPI suggest that the MPF prototype offered by General Dynamics will be quite similar to the Ajax, developed for the UK; whereas BAE’s prototype could be a version of its M8 Buford Armored Gun System. The acquisition is part of the US Army’s 2015 combat vehicle modernization strategy, which will eventually see for the delivery of 504 vehicles. BAE is receiving $375 million, with work to be performed at its Sterling Heights, Michigan factory. General Dynamics is receiving $335 million, also working at Sterling Heights. The aggressive acquisition schedule wants the first prototypes tested within the next 16 months and expects the first vehicles to be fielded in 2025

Boeing and Embraer are forming a joint-venture on Embraer’s KC-390 multimission aircraft. The two companies announced that they will jointly “promote and develop new markets” for the KC-390. Embraer will have 51% stake in the joint venture, with Boeing owing the rest. This agreement is extending the companies partnership, with Boeing having gained a 80% stake in the Brazilian company’s commercial business in July 2018. A deal which cost Boeing $4.2 billion. The deal is pending approval by the Brazilian government – which holds a “golden share” – Embraer’s shareholders and regulatory agencies.

Middle East & Africa

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is increasing its stocks of Evolved Sea Sparrow Missiles (ESSMs). Raytheon is being awarded with a cost-only contract that provides for the delivery of ESSMs and spares at a cost of $24.7 million. The ESSM is designed to protect navy ships from incoming missiles and aircraft. The RIM-162 Block 1 features a semi-active radar that is guided by reflected radiation from the ship’s radar. The missile is designed to counter supersonic maneuvering anti-ship missiles. The order includes Foreign Military Sales funds in the amount of $23.8 million. Work will be performed in Raufoss, Norway; Mississauga, Canada; Richmond, Australia. Performance is expected to run through December 2021. The ESSM will equip Saudi Arabia’s new Multi-Mission Surface Combatant (MMSC) ships.

Europe

The UK Royal Navy’s new Sea Venom/ANL missile faces a year-long delay. The missile is being developed under a $630 million contract issued by the UK and French governments. The missile will fulfil the UK’s Future Anti-Surface Guided Weapon (Heavy) requirement and will meet France’s national Anti Navire Léger requirement. The Sea Venom will eventually equip the Royal Navy’s Wildcat HMA2 helicopter and the French Navy’s Hélicoptère Interarmées Léger (HIL—Joint Light Helicopter) respectively. The delay means that the Royal Navy’s Wildcats will have to operate without their main anti-ship armament, ultimately limiting their ability to provide British ships – such as the HMS Queen Elizabeth – with an extended anti-ship capability until late 2021. The Sea Venom is a lightweight, subsonic sea-skimming missile guided by an IIR seeker. The missile is designed to counter a wide range of threats such as fast-moving patrol boats, corvettes and coastal targets.

Asia-Pacific

Taiwan’s Wan Chien stand-off cruise missile still doesn’t meet Republic of Korea Air Force requirements. The RoCAF conducted a number of missile tests with its F-CK-1 Ching Kuo Indigenous Defense Fighters earlier this year. During the tests the Wan Chien successfully completed a low-altitude drop, but repeatedly failed to correctly deploy when dropped at high-altitude. When launched at high-altitude the Wan Chien shows an unstable flight profile. This is caused by either a hardware or software error affecting the correct unfolding of the missile’s pop-out wings, leading to a turbulent air intake, delaying ignition of its engine. The Wan Chien can be compared to the US’s AGM-154 JSOW and is currently operational in small numbers. The RoCAF plans to hold a new series of trials sometime next year, pending a comprehensive examination of the missile’s software and hardware. The missile flies to a 150 mile range and allows Taiwan to strike targets on China’s southern-coast.

It is yet unclear when Indonesia will receive its first Su-35 fighter jets from Russia, due to an outstanding contract. Russia’s IRKUT defense contractor cannot start jet production until Jakarta signs a purchasing contract with Moscow. Russia’s ambassador to Indonesia, Lyudmila Georgievna Vorobieva expects to finalise the contract soon, however considering Indonesia’s recent financial troubles it is yet to be seen how soon. Indonesia’s Su-35 acquisition was finalised in February 2018 and sees for the delivery of 11 fighter jets at a cost of $1.14 billion. The Flanker E aircraft will replace the Asian-nation’s ageing fleet of F-5 Tiger IIs, some of which have been in service for almost four decades. The Su-35 is Russia’s most advanced fighter aircraft, which can compete with America’s upgraded ‘teen series’, the JAS-39, the Rafale and the Eurofighter.

Today’s Video

Watch: First Phalanx of Three is being fitted on the UK Aircraft Carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth

ANL on NH90
(click to view full)

Britain needs to replace the old Sea Skua missiles carried by its Lynx naval helicopters. France could use a lighter missile than the 655 kg AM39 Exocet – one that could be carried by a wider range of helicopters, and offer a different attack profile. The answer to both needs may lie in a notional 110 kg missile under development by MBDA, as part of a broad 2006 “Team Complex Weapons” arrangement with the UK’s Ministry of Defence.

The tough part was getting Britain and France to come together and agree on the development framework for the Sea Venom / Anti-Navire Leger (ANL) / Future Anti-Surface Guided Weapon – Heavy (FASGW-H) missile. Britain needs a strike missile to equip its new AW159 Wildcats, but France can already mount longer-range AM39 Exocets on its Super Puma helicopters, and didn’t feel a huge sense of urgency about its new NH90-NFH medium helicopters or AS565 Panther light naval helicopters. It took until 2013, but development is now underway.

Sea Venom / ANL / FASGW-H: The Missile

MBDA video
click for video

The program’s goal is a 110 kg missile with a 30 kg warhead, one capable of sinking or disabling Fast Attack Craft (FAC) in the 50t – 500t ton range, and damaging corvettes or frigates. The choice of guidance modes should also allow it to be used for precision attack more generally. Boost and sustain rocket motors are both compliant with naval safety requirements, and steps have been taken to ease integration by minimizing changes to shipborne handling equipment, magazines, etc. that currently handle the Sea Skua and AS.15TT missiles.

The Sea Venom / ANL (Anti-Navire Leger) missile will rely on inertial navigation + Imaging Infrared (IIR) guidance, creating a fire-and-forget weapon that won’t alert its targets by broadcasting a radar signal. A radar altimeter looks down, to keep the missile skimming just above the waves and make it harder for defensive radars to pick up. ANL can be fired in either Lock-on Before Launch or Lock-on After Launch modes, and a bi-directional datalink allows updates and retargeting in flight.

As a comparative illustration, the semi-active radar homing AS.15 and Sea Skua aren’t fire and forget, while the Exocet’s active radar guidance will trigger a ship’s ESM defensive electronics.

Range isn’t given, but given its size, the ANL’s range is very likely to be shorter than the Exocet’s 70 km/ 38 nm. It’s said to be longer than the Sea Skua’s 25 km/ 13.5 nm, which represents the rough minimum in order to keep the launching helicopter beyond the reach of short range air defenses expected on FAC, corvette, and light frigate opponents.

Development will be led by European missile giant MBDA, who has branches on both sides of the English Channel and is owned by BAE, EADS, and Finmeccanica. They’re also the manufacturer of larger helicopter-launched anti-ship missiles like the AM39 Exocet and Marte Mk2, and shorter-range missiles like the FASGW-L/ LMM and laser-guided 127mm Zuni rockets.

Britain had been planning to replace its Sea Skua missiles by 2012 – 2014, but that won’t be possible. At best, there will be testing in late 2017 – early 2018. France’s timeline was more leisurely, aiming only to equip its NH90-NFH helicopters by 2020. Those timelines will force Britain to either extend the service life of its Lynx Mk8 helicopters and Sea Skua missiles, or do without a helicopter anti-ship capability until the new Sea Venom missile is ready for use from its new AW159 Wildcats.

Malaysian Sea Skua
click for video

Exports aren’t a major focus yet, but Sea Venom will be the standard strike missile option aboard future AW159 maritime helicopters, and will compete for every NH90-NFH naval helicopter customer. Customers for its predecessor missiles offer another opportunity. Saudi Arabia was the only AS.15TT export customer, but Sea Skua has been exported for helicopter and shipborne use to Brazil, Germany, India, Kuwait, Malaysia, Pakistan, South Korea, and Turkey.

Sea Venom’s competitors include MBDA’s own Marte Mk2/S, which will compete for NH90 orders, and Kongsberg’s popular Penguin missile. China’s TL-6 also sits in this category, but isn’t likely to compete because its integrated helicopters are unlikely to overlap.

Contracts & Key Events 2013 – 2018

Final Development contract; MoU with France and the UK; France puts ANL in their 5-year budget; UK faces a 3-year missile gap.

Panther launch concept
(click to view full)

December 19/18: Delay The UK Royal Navy’s new Sea Venom/ANL missile faces a year-long delay. The missile is being developed under a $630 million contract issued by the UK and French governments. The missile will fulfil the UK’s Future Anti-Surface Guided Weapon (Heavy) requirement and will meet France’s national Anti Navire Léger requirement. The Sea Venom will eventually equip the Royal Navy’s Wildcat HMA2 helicopter and the French Navy’s Hélicoptère Interarmées Léger (HIL—Joint Light Helicopter) respectively. The delay means that the Royal Navy’s Wildcats will have to operate without their main anti-ship armament, ultimately limiting their ability to provide British ships – such as the HMS Queen Elizabeth – with an extended anti-ship capability until late 2021. The Sea Venom is a lightweight, subsonic sea-skimming missile guided by an IIR seeker. The missile is designed to counter a wide range of threats such as fast-moving patrol boats, corvettes and coastal targets.

March 13/18: Land-based Study European missile manufacturer MBDA has told Jane’s that the consortium is considering a land-based variant of its Sea Venom/Anti-Navire Léger (ANL) lightweight medium-range anti-ship missile. Developed for both the British Royal Navy and French Navy to equip the Wildcat HMA2 helicopter and Hélicoptère Interarmées Léger (HIL—Joint Light Helicopter) respectively in the anti-ship role, the new land variant could potentially play a part of a networked multilayered coastal defence solution. An internal feasibility study on whether the missile could fill this added role is now underway.

June 6/17: MBDA has successfully test-fired its Sea Venom/ANL anti-ship missile for the first time. The missile was launched from a Dauphin test bed helicopter owned by the French procurement agency, the Direction Générale de l’Armement (DGA), at the Île du Levant test range in France. Jointly ordered in 2014, the Sea Venom/ANL project has been developed 50/50 between the UK and France for use on their respective AW159 Wildcat and Hélicoptère Interarmées Léger (HIL) helicopters, but has also been designed for use on a wide range of platforms, with air carriage trials having been conducted to demonstrate compatibility of the missile on legacy Lynx helicopters.

April 6/17: Critical Solutions International (CSI) has been contracted $132 million by the US DoD to provide Husky second-generation systems with related equipment and services to Egypt, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia. The US firm has partnered with the South African company DCD Protected Mobility to make the Husky family of mine-detection vehicles a US government program of record. The second-generation Husky 2G can accommodate two operators rather than one, making it more appropriate for long-duration route-clearance missions, and comes with ground-penetrating radar and other sensors in order to detect explosive devices.

November 22/16: Officials from the French and British governments have come to an agreement on further collaborative missile defense development. Franco-British missile manufacturer MBDA has been selected to support the project, which includes the establishment of new development centers in the company’s UK sites Stevenage and Bolton. The missile cooperation agreement comes shortly after officials announced the launch of the next phase of the $145 million joint Franco-British Maritime Mine Counter Measures program, which aims to improve naval defense technology.

November 15/16: The Royal Navy is expected to be left without an anti-ship missile strike capability between 2018-2020. Such a gap is being caused by the planned retirement of the Sea Skua missile in early 2017 and the 2018 retirement of the SWS60 Harpoon. A limited anti-ship capability will only return when the Sea Venom/ANL lightweight anti-ship missile is equipped on the Wildcat HMA.2 helicopter in late 2020. No funded program is in place by the UK for a Harpoon replacement, however.

November 5/15: The United Kingdom and France have signed a technology-sharing agreement to develop a next-generation cruise missile. The two partners are expected to award MBDA a development contract in coming months, with the Intergovernmental Agreement covering several complex weapons programs, including the helicopter-launched anti-submarine missile known as Sea Venom.

Oct 28/14: Sub-contractors. Sagem DS announces a contract with their long-standing partner MBDA to develop and produce the ANL/ Sea Venom’s imaging infrared seeker. Sagem has picked Britain’s Selex ES Ltd. as a subordinate participant.

Sagem’s IIR seeker is based on uncooled detectors, based on work done for the FELIN infantry modernization and MMP anti-tank missile program. The missile will also have the ability to send back images to the helicopter’s cockpit. That will give Sea Venom a man over the loop (MOTL) firing mode that could change the assigned target during the missile’s flight, or choose a precise impact point. Sagem DS, “Sagem seeker chosen for MBDA’s new light antiship missile”.

July 17/14: Weapons. AgustaWestland signs a EUR 113 million (about GBP 89.3M / $153.1M) contract with the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) to integrate, test, and install ANL anti-ship missile and LMM light strike missile system compatibility onto 28 Royal Navy AW159 Wildcat HMA2 helicopters.

Note that the UK MoD has also signed a EUR 60.2 million contract with LMM missile maker Thales regarding broader integration of their missile onto the Wildcat fleet. Sources: Finmeccanica, “Finmeccanica – AgustaWestland signed a contract worth EUR 113 million with the UK Ministry of Defence”.

March 27/14: Development. MBDA receives the missile’s Anglo-French contract, a GBP 500 million / EUR 602 million / $830 million award to finish development. It will be managed by the UK DE&S (Defence Equipment & Support) on behalf of the French and UK ministries, as part of MBDA’s Team Complex Weapons Portfolio in Britain. This is the follow-on to the Sept 10/09 Joint Assessment Phase.

Work will take place at the Joint Project Office in Bristol, at MBDA in Lostock near Manchester, and at Stevenage. This makes 4 joint missile projects between the 2 countries: ANL AshM, Aster SAM, Meteor BVR AAM, and Storm Shadow cruise missile. Sources: UK MoD, “Multi-million-pound investment in Royal Navy missiles” | French DGA, “Le programme franco-britannique de missile anti navire leger (ANL) est lance” | MBDA, “MBDA to Develop FASGW(H)/ANL, Next Generation Anglo-French Anti-Ship Missile”.

Development contract

Feb 13/14: NAO Report. Britain’s National Audit Office releases their 2013 Major Projects Report, as well as their review of Britain’s 2013-2023 Equipment Plan. They place the value of the FASGW-H project’s Demonstration & Manufacture phase at GBP 452 million, and mention that:

“There have also been instances where project teams have relied too heavily on its industry partners, owing to resourcing problems. For example, the Department’s Scrutiny Team assessed in January 2012 that the teams responsible for implementing the heavy variant of the Future Anti-Surface Guided Weapon appeared to have entirely relied on its industry partners to plan the weapon’s integration on to Wildcat and it was not evident they had the necessary skills and staff required to successfully manage the integration. While funding is in place, the team has had difficulty in recruiting and retaining staff. The project team is currently conducting a review of staffing requirements to deliver this project.”

Jan 31/14: MoU. Britain and France were expected to sign a EUR 500 million Memorandum of Understanding to build FASGW-H, among other products of a head-of-state summit. They did sign an MoU confirming joint FASGW-H orders, but unlike other items in the agreement, there was no financial figure associated with it.

Meanwhile, French sources express quiet reservations about the difficulty of securing program cooperation with British political counterparts who are already in campaign mode for 2015, and express reservations regarding British austerity measures and their potential effects on joint programs and endeavors. Sources: The Independent, “Britain to set up controversial drone development partnership with France” | UK MoD, “UK and France agree closer defence co-operation” | Defense Update, “UK, France to Invest £120 million in a Joint UCAV Study” | IHS Jane’s, “France and the UK sign defence co-operation agreements” | Le Monde, “La defense au coeur du sommet franco-britannique”.

British – French MoU

Nov 27/13: France go-ahead. French defense minister Jean-Yves Le Drian announces the end of “The End of History” in France’s Assemblée Nationale, and follows by heralding the launch of FASGW(H) and other defense programs. The 2014 – 2019 budget still needs to be approved, but the minister refers to development beginning by the end of 2013:

“D’ici la fin de 2013, pourront ainsi être engagés le missile moyenne portée MMP, qui prendra la succession des missiles MILAN, essentiel à la fois pour l’armée de terre et notre industrie missilière ; les travaux du nouveau standard du Rafale, améliorant ses capacités, avec entre autres l’intégration du missile Météor et d’un POD de désignation laser de nouvelle génération ; le missile anti navires léger ANL, que nous mènerons en coopération avec nos partenaires britanniques ; les nouveaux radars du programme SCCOA, conduit par Thalès, pour protéger le territoire national ; ou encore les bateaux multi-missions, lesB2M, destinés à l’outre-mer… Autant de contrats qui seront lancés, conformément au calendrier prévu.”

The delays will still present difficulties for Britain, which is very unlikely to get the missile in time to replace Sea Skuas by 2015. If 2018 is a more realistic date, Britain will need to either abandon the capability until ANL is ready, or extend the service life of its Lynx Mk8 fleet and Sea Skua missiles. Sources: Ministère de la Défense: “Allocution devant l’Assemblee nationale a l’occasion de l’examen du projet de loi de programmation militaire” | Naval Recognition, “French Minister of Defense Confirms Launch of ANL FASGW(H) anti-ship missile program”.

April 29/13: France. French Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian offered the 1st official confirmation of France’s intent to develop the ANL missile with Britain, during a speech at the Ecole Militaire staff college. On the other hand, his confirmation isn’t exactly laced with urgency.

He talks about including the anti-ship missile in France’s planning, but Britain needs the program to start very soon, in order to be ready by 2015. Otherwise, Britain’s AW159 Wildcat will find itself handicapped in the global export market. Where it competes against machines from Eurocopter, which is partly owned by the French state. The French Navy already has Super Puma helicopters equipped with Exocets, and are reportedly comfortable with ANL delivery after 2020.

Estimates for the Demonstration & Manufacture phase are around EUR 500 million ($655 million/ GBP 422 million), with another EUR 150 million or so to add it to French NH90-NFH and AS565 Panther naval helicopters and conduct all of the required trials. A bilateral high-level working group is expected to thrash out the details by summer 2013. A 50/50 split is expected for the base funding, but negotiations are underway, and the competing timelines give France added leverage. On the other hand, a failure could damage the broader 2010 Lancaster House cooperation agreement between Britain and France. Defense News.

Jan 10/13: NAO Report. Britain’s National Audit Office releases their 2012 Major Projects Report. With respect to FASGW-H:

“There will now be at least a 19-month gap between the existing [Sea Skua] capability leaving service and the new missile being available. The Department may extend the life of the existing missile to mitigate the gap…. Interim Main Gate 3 was the third of the submissions and concerned approval for the Future Anti-Surface Guided Weapon (Heavy) Demonstration and Manufacture Phase. The Business Case was presented to Equipment Capability Secretariat on 9 January 2012 and was considered by the Investment Approvals Committee on 18 January. On 31 January, Director General Finance approved the case, with a caveat that negotiations should be concluded with France before 31 March 2012. Bi?laterals continued, but by 28 March [2012] when Chief Secretary to the Treasury (CST) wrote to the MoD, discussions had not been concluded and as such Chief Secretary to the Treasury approved the case, subject to receiving French national approval.”

2009 – 2012

Joint Assessment Phase, Initial Team CW set doesn’t include FASGW-H.

Early concept
(click to view full)

Sept 16/10: MBDA offers a progress report for the Joint Assessment Phase. Short version: they’ve got a final system design, and proven the technical maturity of key sub-systems.

Trials have included high speed wind tunnels using a representative scale model, gas gun firings to validate the warhead design, rocket motor firings “in various thermal environments”; and trials of the seeker, radar altimeter, data link terminal, and missile antenna. What they need now, is a contract for the Demonstration & Manufacture phase. MBDA.

March 29/10: Team CW. MBDA and the UK MoD sign a GBP 330 million interim Portfolio Management Agreement (PMA-I) contract, as the 1st step in a “Team Complex Weapons” partnering arrangement that could be worth up to GBP 4 billion over the next 10 years.

FASGW-H is a bit of a sideshow, as they aren’t As part of PMA-I directly. Its Assessment Phase will continue as part of the meta-program, while the PMA-I contract focuses on the Demonstration and Manufacturing phases for the ground-fired Fire Shadow Loitering Munition, and air-launched Selective Precision Effects At Range (SPEAR Capability 2, Block 1). It also funds Assessment Phases for SPEAR Capability 3 to equip the F-35, and the naval CAMM/ Future Local Area Air Defence System (FLAADS). EADS.

Team Complex Weapons PMA-I

Sept 10/09: Assessment phase. MBDA welcomes the announcement by the United Kingdom and France of a Joint Assessment Phase, funding initial development work on “a common solution for the next generation of a European helicopter anti-surface weapon.” They’re referring to FASGW(H) / ANL. MBDA.

Assessment Phase

Additional Readings

• French DGA – Le missile anti-navire leger : un atout de poids pour la marine.

• MBDA – Sea Venom / ANL. Also known as Britain’s FASGW-H program.

Background: Missiles

• MBDA – FASGW(H)/ANL. Slated for Lynx Wildcat, NH90-NFH, and AS565-SB Panther helicopters.

• MBDA – MARTE MK2/S. ANL competitor, uses active radar guidance. Integrated aboard NH90-NFH and AW101 helicopters.

• Designation Systems – Kongsberg AGM-119 Penguin. ANL competitor, uses INS/IIR guidance. Integrated aboard Lynx, H-60 Seahawk, and SH-2G Super Seasprite helicopters.

Background: Helicopters

• Naval Technology – AS 565MB Panther Mulitrole [sic] Naval Helicopter, France

• DID DII – AW159 Wildcat: The Future Lynx Helicopter Program

• DID DII – NH90: Europe’s Medium Helicopter Contender

News & Views

• UK Armed Forces Commentary (Nov 18/13) – The evolving budget situation: helicopters – UPDATE

• Think Defence (April 21/13) – UK Complex Weapons – Part 4 (Sea Skua and FASGW(H)). Includes a good recap of Sea Skua’s combat service.

Americas

Raytheon is being contracted to kick-off development of a new Standard Missile variant. Awarded by the Naval Sea Systems Command, the $149 million contract provides for engineering, manufacturing and development of the SM-2 Block IIIC variant. This new variant will fill the gap between the Navy’s new advanced – but quite expensive – long-range SM-6 missile, and the short-range ESSM. The Block IIIC upgrade substitutes the SM-2’s the legacy semi-active radar homing system for the SM-6 active seeker while leaving intact the other aspects of the SM-2 airframe, making it a medium-range missile. The upgrade allows the Navy to use the SM-2 in offensive strikes against enemy aircraft and surface ships. Work will be performed at Raytheon’s facilities in Tucson, Arizona; Wolverhampton, England; East Aurora, New York; Middletown, Ohio and Englewood, Colorado. The Navy plans to field the new missile from October 2022 onwards.

Raytheon is receiving additional funding for work on the Naval Strike Missile. The firm-fixed-price modification (N00024-18-C-5432) is priced at $32.6 million and provides for manufacture and delivery of the over-the-horizon weapon system. Included in the deal are encanistered missiles (EM) loaded into launching mechanisms (LM); and a single fire control suite (FCS). The stealth-enhanced Naval Strike Missile aims to be a generation beyond the US GM-84 Harpoon. Once the NSM locks on, it strikes ships or land targets with a 265 lb. titanium warhead and programmable fuse. Work will be performed a national and international locations including Kongsberg, Norway; Tucson, Arizona; Schrobenhausen, Germany; Raufoss, Norway; McKinney, Texas and Louisville, Kentucky. The NSMs are expected to be completed by December 2020.

Middle East & Africa

Lockheed Martin is being tapped to service target acquisition and vision sensors aboard Qatar Emiri Air Force AH-64E Apache helicopters. The Foreign Military Sales contract is priced at $10.2 million and includes work on the Modernized Target Acquisition Designation Sight/Pilot Night Vision Sensor, or M-TADS/PNVS Arrowhead system. Arrowhead is an electro-optical and fire control system that the Apache helicopter pilots use for combat targeting of their Hellfire missiles and other weapons, as well as flying in day, night, or bad weather missions. Qatar currently has 24 Apache Guardians in its fleet. Work will be performed at Lockheed’s factory in Orlando, Florida and estimated to be completed by March 31, 2024.

The Israel Defense Force (IDF) is testing a new anti-tank missile system for its APCs. The system fires a medium-range Spike ATGMs and is housed in the turrets of the IDF’s latest generation of armored personnel carriers, the Namer and Eitan. “The turret system is composed of special and innovative control systems that allows the turret to be controlled from the crew compartment in order to prevent exposing the soldiers to external dangers,” the IDF said in a statement. The Namer is a heavy armored APC which recently underwent an upgrade program comprised of a new turret with trophy radars and countermeasure dispensers. The Eitan is a newly developed APC which is expected to enter service in 2021.

Europe

France is ordering three more A330 MRTT tanker aircraft from Airbus. Awarded by the French Defence Procurement Agency (DGA), this is the third and final tranche of the multi-year contract signed in 2014. Paris needs 15 MRTTs to replace its fleet of old C-135FR and KC-135R aircraft, some of which have been in service for over 60 years. The acquisition program is priced at roughly $3.4 billion and sees for the delivery of the aircraft in France’s specific “Phenix” configuration by the end of 2023. The A330-200 MRTT is a derivative of the Airbus A330, about 60 aircraft have been ordered by 12 nations.

Germany will replace its obsolete Bell UH-1D helicopters with Airbus’ H-145M. The Bundeswehr is buying seven H-145Ms and expects delivery by 2020. The deal comes with a support package covering logistics support, repair and maintenance efforts. The total value of the order has not been disclosed at this time. The H-145Ms will be the Bundeswehr’s new search and rescue fleet in the event of aircraft accidents on German territory. With a maximum take-off weight of 3.7 tons, the H145M can be used for a wide range of tasks, including troop transport, utility, surveillance, air rescue, armed reconnaissance and medical evacuation. The German fleet will be equipped with high-performance cameras, searchlights, emergency beacon locator systems, a full suite of medical equipment, rescue winches and load hooks.

Asia-Pacific

Hyundai Heavy Industries is being contracted to build two new frigates for South Korea’s navy. The $563 million order sees for the delivery of two FFX Batch II ships by 2023. The ships will be the seventh and eight units within the Republic of Korean Navy’s coastal frigate program. The 2.800-ton vessels are have a maximum speed of 30 knots and are equipped with naval guns and guided missiles. These Batch II ships will be powered by a single 36-40MW MT30 turbine and all-electric propulsion. This hybrid electric drive propulsion system reduced the ships’ acoustic footprint, making it more effective in anti-submarine operations. The RoKN expects to commission up to eight FFX-II vessels.

Today’s Video

Watch: Meet the New F-16 Fighter Jet (Thanks to F-32 and F-22 DNA)

Americas

The US Navy is pouring more money into US, UK submarine fire control systems research. General Dynamics is receiving a $35 million contract modification that provides for R&D, and sustainment efforts for the US, UK SSBN Fire Control Sub-system (FCS) and the US SSGN Attack Weapon Control System (AWCS). This includes training services and provision of support equipment and a US/UK shipboard data system. The American Ohio- and British Vanguard-class SSBNs are carrying the Trident II D5 nuclear missile and are an integral part to a nuclear triad. From 2027 onwards the types will be replaced with Columbia- and Dreadnought-class submarines. US SSGNs are converted Ohio-class SSBNs. These “Tactical Tridents” carry 154 Tomahawk cruise missiles and are designed to support special operations. Work will be performed at GD’s facilities in Pittsfield, Massachusetts; Kings Bay, Georgia and Dahlgren, Virginia. Performance of the contract is expected to be completed by September 2019.

The US Air Force is extending a support contract with Boeing. The company is being awarded with a cost-plus-fixed-fee modification that exercises a third option-year for AC-130U operations support. Efforts covered under this contract include continued development, modification, sustainment, and maintenance of the ‘Spooky’ gunships. The AC-130U is a highly modified C-130, its primary missions are close air support, air interdiction and armed reconnaissance. Work will be performed at Boeing’s factory in Fort Walton Beach, Florida and US military bases in Afghanistan and Kuwait. This option year end on December 31, 2019.

Sikorsky has to re-schedule the maiden flight of its newly developed SB-1 Defiant due to some issues within the helicopter’s testbed. As reported by Flight Global, the joint Sikorsky-Boeing team discovered some issues on the aircraft’s powertrain system testbed. Company officials have stressed that those ‘minor’ problems will soon be solved. According to Sikorsky the issues at hand could be caused by faulty instrumentation or a software bug. The Defiant is a third-generation X2 aircraft will be the company’s main pitch in the US Government’s Future Vertical Lift program. Powertrain system tests are a key requirement that must be met before the Defiant can lift off. The SB-1’s maiden flight was initially expected sometime last year, but had to be postponed to later this year due to some delays in the composite rotor blade manufacturing process. The Defiant’s first flight will likely be in early 2019.

Middle East & Africa

Boeing is being contracted to support Kuwait’s fleet of F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter aircraft. The Foreign Military Sales contract is priced at $92.3 million and exercises Phase 1 integrated logistics support for 22 F/A-18E and 6 F/A-18F planes. Kuwait purchased these aircraft in a $1.5 billion deal in June this year. The F/A-18E Super Hornet is the single-seat variant and the F/A-18F Super Hornet is the two tandem-seat variant. They are larger and more advanced derivatives of the McDonnell Douglas F/A-18C/D Hornet. Work will be performed at multiple locations including St. Louis, Missouri; Fort Walton Beach, Florida; New Orleans, Louisiana; China Lake, California; Patuxent River, Maryland and Gulf Port, Mississippi. The contract will run through December 2020.

Europe

The Bulgarian Air Force will soon need to replace its Soviet-era MiG-29s and is currently reviewing offers for F-16s, F-18s, new Gripen and second-hand Eurofighter Typhoons. However Boyko Borisov, the country’s Prime Minister seems to favour Lockheed’s F-16. “From what I have heard from the pilots, a new F-16 is a significantly better aircraft than all the rest that are on offer,” Borisov told reporters on the sidelines of an EU summit in Sofia. The planned purchase of 14 aircraft is expected to cost $1 billion. Lockheed is offering the latest Bock 70/72 variant of the fighter jet. The F-16 Viper includes upgraded radars, sensors and an auto GCAS suite. US Deputy Secretary of State John Sullivan added “Lockheed Martin has made what I think is a very attractive proposal [to Bulgaria] for the sale of fighter aircraft that other NATO allies have purchased that would make those aircraft, if purchased here, interoperable with those NATO partners.” Some F-16Vs were recently purchased by Slovakia.

Hungary is ordering 16 H-225M multi-role helicopters from Airbus. This is Budapest’s second purchase of helicopters as part of the country’s Zrinyi 2026 military modernisation program; the first was signed earlier this year and sees for the delivery of 20 H-145M helicopters. The H-225M is a medium-sized, twin-engine helicopter designed for troop transport, combat search and rescue and special operations missions. The helicopters will be equipped with the company’s HForce weapon management system. The HForce features FN Herstal HMP400 guns, Thales FZ231 unguided rockets, Nexter NC621 cannons, Wescam’s MX15 electro-optical targeting system and a helmet-mounted sight display by Thales. With this contract, Hungary becomes the 9th country to have selected the H225M; other operators include France, Brazil, Mexico, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Kuwait and Singapore. No details of the contract value or delivery schedule have been revealed yet.

Poland is adding four M-346 Advanced Jet Trainers to its contract with Leonardo. The contract option is priced at $147 million and extends Poland’s fleet to16 aircraft, making it the 2nd largest M-346 export customer. The M-346 is a 5th generation lead-in fighter jet that offer a high level manoeuvrability and controllability at a very high angle-of-attack using a fly-by-wire control system. This is useful for simulating the capabilities of advanced 4+ generation fighters like the F/A-18 Super Hornet, Eurofighter, and Rafale. Since the jet’s introduction in 2004 Leonardo has sold 76 M-346s to Italy, Poland, Singapore and Israel.

Asia-Pacific

Russian media outlet TASS reports that Vietnam may drop out of a potential arms deal with Israel. Vietnam signed a contract with Israel’s Rafael for the delivery of several SPYDER surface-to-air missile systems in 2015. The 2015 deal included the delivery of five or six batteries and 250 missiles. Over the past year Vietnam conducted several missile tests, all of which failed. One defense ministry source told TASS that the SPYDER performs poorly in tropical conditions and regularly breaks down. The source also said that the SPYDER isn’t the best choice for Vietnam due to some incompatibility issues with earlier supplied Russian surface-to-air missile systems. Neither the Vietnamese nor the Israeli defense ministry commented the report.

Today’s Video

Watch: LCS 19 Christening and Launch

Tornado refuels M346
(click to view full)

Alenia’s Aermacchi’s M-346 advanced jet trainer began life in 1993, as a collaboration with Russia. It was also something of a breakthrough for Alenia Aermacchi, confirming that the Finmeccanica subsidiary could design and manufacture advanced aircraft with full authority quadriplex fly-by-wire controls. Those controls, the aircraft’s design for vortex lift aerodynamics, and a thrust:weight ratio of nearly 1:1, allow it to remain fully controllable even at angles of attack over 35 degrees. This is useful for simulating the capabilities of advanced 4+ generation fighters like the F/A-18 Super Hornet, Eurofighter, and Rafale. Not to mention Sukhoi’s SU-30 family, which has made a name for itself at international air shows with remarkable nose-high maneuvers.

The Russian collaboration did not last. For a while, it looked like the Italian jet might not last, either. It did though, and has become a regular contender for advanced jet trainer trainer contracts around the world. Its biggest potential opportunity is in the USA. For now, however, its biggest customer is Israel.

Italy’s M-346: Fast Plane, Slow Aerospace From Partnership to Solo Flight

Yak-130
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The original Italian and Russian partners partners on this project eventually went their separate ways, and Russia’s Yak-130 went on to limited initial success. It uses Russian equipment, avionics, radar, and weapons, and is powered by a pair of AI-222-25 or Povazske Strojarne DV-2SM (export option) turbofans. By 2006 the aircraft had beaten the MiG-AT and Sukhoi’s S-54 to be selected as Russia’s next advanced jet trainer, bagged an export order from Algeria as a trainer and light attack aircraft, and received interest from several additional customers.

Italy’s M346 didn’t develop the same light attack capabilities as its Russian counterpart, and it flies using Fiat Avio/Honeywell ITEC’s F124-GA-200 turbofans, and uses its own distinct set of avionics, training systems.

Some 3rd party data sheets for the aircraft state various weapons-carrying options, but the company has been silent concerning any weapons trials, while avoiding any mention of armaments in data sheets, and issuing releases that clearly place the light attack variant in the future tense as something that would happen if the UAE signs a contract. That hasn’t happened yet, and Finmeccannica companies have not been able to clarify its status; as such, DID must characterize the M-346 as a training-only aircraft, unlike its Yak-130 counterpart or other lead-in fighter trainer competitors.

Slow Aerospace & M-346 Exports

M-346 in Singapore
by Mark Chen
(click to view full)

Despite serious development work since 2000, and aid from the Italian Ministry for Economic Development, by the end of 2008, Alenia’s M346 had no confirmed customers at all.

The Italian Aeronautica Militare announced the plane’s first confirmed contract in November 2009, and their current trainer fleet of 102 MB-339s offers room for future M-346 sales beyond the initial 15. At present, only 30 of Italy’s existing trainers have been modernized to the MB-339CD variant. Growth beyond that fleet of 45 is likely to mean further M-346 orders.

Other orders followed, giving the M-346 a solid foothold in the international market.

Confirmed and Potential Purchases

Confirmed M-346 contracts include:

• Italy (15)
  
• Israel (30)
  
• Poland (8 + 4 options)
  
• Singapore (12). 1st export order.

Of special note, Israel’s 30-plane order in 2012 reportedly cited future compatibility with the F-35. That can only be good news for future European sales, and the Italian Defence Ministry has been heavily involved in supporting the M346 Master’s bids round the world, even pledging a billion-dollar offset buy of Israeli defense equipment. Selections that haven’t been followed by contracts include:

• UAE. That 48-plane deal is estimated to be worth about EUR 1 billion, but no contract since 2009. The UAE reportedly wants a plane that can perform some air policing and attack missions, plus a UAV development project as an industrial offset. Piaggio’s P.1HH Hammerhead UAV offers a big development opportunity by a company that already has a UAE main shareholder, but at present, the M-346 is just a trainer.

Opportunities and Losses

T-38A Talons
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The M-346 has lost competitions in India (Hawk), Indonesia (T-50 family), the Philippines (T-50 family), and Saudi Arabia (Hawk).

Alenia Aermacchi has stated that their plane is seeking potential orders in Chile, Ecuador, Greece, and Qatar, among others. Alenia’s largest opportunity by far, however, involves the USA’s potential T-X competition. It would replace about 450 Northrop Grumman T-38 Talon supersonic trainers with about 350 new aircraft, and dozens of accompanying simulators.

The USAF is conducting an analysis of alternatives, but any decisions re: the way forward have been delayed to 2016. If a T-X decision aims for new aircraft, the M-346 aims to compete for that role as the “T-100 Training System.” A win there would easily outweigh all other opportunities put together, but the challenge was finding an American partner to compete against Lockheed Martin (T-50 Golden Eagle) and BAE Systems (Hawk 128). General Dynamics became that partner in January 2013. Now, the USA’s parlous fiscal state is the remaining issue. Even the current delayed 2016 decision date presumes that further budget costs, or escalating costs for programs like the F-35 and new bomber, won’t force further postponements.

M-346: Contracts and Key Events 2014 – 2018

 

M-346 simulator
(click to view full)

December 17/18: Poland adds Poland is adding four M-346 Advanced Jet Trainers to its contract with Leonardo. The contract option is priced at $147 million and extends Poland’s fleet to16 aircraft, making it the 2nd largest M-346 export customer. The M-346 is a 5th generation lead-in fighter jet that offer a high level manoeuvrability and controllability at a very high angle-of-attack using a fly-by-wire control system. This is useful for simulating the capabilities of advanced 4+ generation fighters like the F/A-18 Super Hornet, Eurofighter, and Rafale. Since the jet’s introduction in 2004 Leonardo has sold 76 M-346s to Italy, Poland, Singapore and Israel.

March 28/18: Poland orders more trainers Poland plans to order four more M-346 trainers which will boost the size of its advanced jet trainer feet to 12 aircraft. This option signed with Leonardo is worth more than $143 million. The order should be delivered by 2020 and includes a support package. According to Leonardo its total order for this plane type is at 72 units, procured by Israel, Italy, Poland and Singapore. Leonardo is also taking part in the USAF T-X completion via its DRS subsidiary. The M-346 project began in 1993, as a collaboration with Russia. The aircraft’s design for vortex lift aerodynamics, and thrust/weight ratio of nearly 1 : 1, allow it to remain fully controllable even at angles of attack over 35 degrees. This is useful for simulating the capabilities of advanced 4+ generation fighters like the F/A-18 Super Hornet, Eurofighter, and Rafale.

February 2/18: Italian aerospace firm Leonardo announced the delivery of the final M-346 advanced jet trainer ordered by the Italian Air Force with the handover taking place at a ceremony at Leonardo’s plant in Venegono Superiore (Varese). A total of eighteen aircraft are now in operation with the service with Galatina’s 61st Air Wing (Lecce), where Italian fighter pilots are trained together with personnel from other countries including the United States, Spain, France, Austria, the Netherlands, Poland, Singapore, Argentina, Greece and Kuwait. Training on the M-346 is preparatory for pilots before they fly more advanced aircraft such as the Eurofighter Typhoon and F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.

January 18/17: Poland—New Negotiations Poland has invited Italian aerospace giant Leonardo to participate in negotiations for a further delivery of M-346 Master advanced jet trainers, Jane’s has reported. Eight Masters were originally ordered by Warsaw under a 2014 contract, and it is expected the next batch will have a firm order for 4 trainers—to be delivered by 2020—with options for a further four by 2022. Deliveries of the first batch of Masters commenced in November 2016, after a lengthy preparatory phase which saw Polish pilots trained at Lecce-Galatina airbase, where the Italian Air Force’s flight school is based, as well as delays caused by problems with the aircraft’sEmbedded Tactical Training System.

December 19/17: Milestone-Testing Italy’s Leonardo has successfully test-fired a Raytheon AIM-9L Sidewinder air-to-air missile from its M-346 trainer aircraft, as part of continued development work on the platform. Testing took place off the island of Sardinia at Italy’s Salto del Quirra test range, with the firm confirming that the initial analysis of the flight-test data showed that all systems performed as predicted. The missile was released from an underwing pylon at an altitude of 5,000ft and a speed of Mach 0.8, and adds to previous qualification efforts for other weapons–such as guided bombs and a gun pod, on the M-346. Leonardo’s M-346FA (Fighter-Attack) is being marketed as a light attack aircraft that can be deployed in ground support roles, including air-to-ground attack, tactical, close air support (CAS), counter-insurgency (COIN), and interdiction with precision guided munitions. It is also suited for pilot training, air-to-air combat, air policing, airborne tactical reconnaissance, and airspace control missions. Other variants in the M-346 family include the include the M-346 Advanced Jet Trainer (AJT) and multi-role M-346FT (Fighter Trainer).

November 14/17: Debut Leonardo’s M-346FA aircraft—the Fighter Attack variant of the Advanced Jet Trainer—has made its first appearance at the Dubai Airshow. Designed to carry out multi-mission tactical strike and reconnaissance missions, the jet comes equipped with a Grifo fire control radar and has seven hardpoints for external fuel tanks and weapons, including a range of precision-guided bombs, as well as AIM-9L air-to-air missiles and an external gun. Several parties have expressed interest in the new variant. The firm is also looking to offer a new trainer version, the T-100, to the USAF’s ongoing trainer competition, and has promised to build a new facility in Alabama to handle production if selected. This week, a delegation from Alabama will visit Leonardo executives for a tour of its M-346 manufacturing facility in Venegono, near Milan, to help advance preparations already under way in Alabama for the development of the manufacturing facility at Moton Field and its 750-strong workforce.

July 19/17: Israel has increased the scope of its Leonardo Aermacchi M-346 “Lavi” advanced jet trainers after the successful upgrade of the aircraft’s software. Additional external fuel tanks have already been added to the trainers with future enhancements to include the addition of live bombs which will allow for the advanced training of air-to-surface strike missions. The aircraft are also being employed to support advanced training involving “fourth-generation” fighters.

June 19/17: A new fighter attack version of Leonardo’s M-346 has been unveiled at the Paris air show. The updated aircraft—the M-346FA— includes the company’s Grifo multi-mode fire control radar, as well as seven pylons for external weapons loads, enabling it to carry 2,000 pounds of external weapons. Leonardo stated that the new fighter was designed to help different air forces meet their needs rapidly by building on a common base, adding that they have found international interest in the plane “specifically in the Far East and South America.”

May 24/17: M-346 advanced jet trainers operated by the Israeli Air Force are scheduled for a set of upgrades that includes the integration of inert training bombs and external fuel tanks. Tel Aviv possesses 30 M-346 trainers—the last of which arrived in 2016—and the upgrades are expected to enable the air force to further streamline its training process. The air force’s flight test centre is currently collaborating with manufacturer Leonardo and will oversee the modifications, as well as opening the trainer’s full flight envelope, to match the service’s operational requirements.

April 2/17: Leonardo has selected a site in Alabama as the destination for producing the T-100 jet trainer if chosen by the USAF as the winner of the T-X competition. Last Thursday’s announcement said that the company will work on the pending contract at their Alabama facility, adding that the move will help create jobs in the country in addition to providing the Air Force with a next-generation trainer. The trainer was initially intended to be built in partnership at one of Raytheon’s facilities, however that pairing was terminated in January, requiring a new location for final assembly.

March 14/17: Despite losing Raytheon as a US-based partner in the USAF’s T-X trainer competition, Leonardo is still forging ahead with plans to establish final assembly for the M-346 Advanced Jet Trainer derivative — the T-100 — in the US. The location of the final assembly point is expected to be announced soon; however, no shortlists of potential sites for the plant have yet been offered by the firm. Prior to exiting from the project, Raytheon had chosen Meridian, Mississippi, as a final assembly location. Despite a US partner, Leonardo is confident of the off-the-shelf model’s low cost against its competitor’s clean sheet designs, and the track record the M-346 has had in already being used to train Israeli pilots for fifth-generation aircraft.

February 10/17: Despite not having a US-based partner and prime contractor, Leonardo is to go it alone in the USAF T-X trainer competition. Raytheon withdrew from the partnership last month. The Italian firm’s US-subsidary, Leonardo DRS, will now act as prime contractor, although it remains unclear where the T-100 advanced jet trainer will be assembled if the company secures the contract.

January 31/17: In other T-X news, Raytheon’s withdrawal from collaboration with Leonardo boiled down to pricing disagreements. The team was set to offer a variant of the Italian firm’s M-346 trainer, however Raytheon wanted to drop the cost of the trainer by a third. Disagreements within the camp initially surfaced last October in a row over control of the program, but the final straw seems to have come over the ultimate cost of the procurement.

January 27/17: The USAF’s T-X Trainer competition has taken a sudden turn, with Raytheon and Leonardo announcing that they will no longer be collaborating on the program. As a result, Leonardo now has to decide whether to go it alone with the T-100 variant of its Aermacchi M-346 advanced trainer without a US partner, find another US collaborator, or pull out of the $16.3 billion competition altogether. Whatever will happen next?

October 25/16: Following the butting of horns over who runs the show, Raytheon and Leonardo-Finmeccanica’s joint effort as part of the USAF T-X trainer competition is back on track. Both companies came together in February this year to offer the Italian firm’s T-100 jet trainer; however, Raytheon’s role as prime contractor has riled Leonardo since they designed and built the aircraft and had already sold the M-346, on which the T-100 is based, to Italy, Israel, Poland and Singapore. Other bones of contention include work share roles and assembly as well as the possibility by Raytheon to export the aircraft as an “American” plane to governments who prefer doing business through the US Foreign Military Sales program.

October 24/16: Argentinian Air Force pilots have completed their evaluations of the M-346 advanced jet trainer, according to the Italian Defense Ministry. The testing, which took place between October 12 and 13 in Italy, saw the pilots assess the trainer’s air-to-air and air-to-surface capabilities. Argentina is looking to acquire between 10-12 trainers to operate in a combat capacity to replace retired Dassault Mirage III and Mirage 5 fighters and their grounded Douglas A-4R Fightinghawk fleet. Korean Aerospace Industries (KAI) FA-50 Fighting Eagle is also in the mix and was tested in September.

September 15/16: Deliveries of the Leonardo Aermacchi M-346 advanced jet trainer destined for Poland will soon be underway following the successful conclusion of electromagnetic testing in an anechoic chamber. The next phase of experimental and certification flights will see two Polish aircraft have their communications and avionics systems tested, before moving on to trials of their embedded tactical training simulation (ETTS) equipment. The first of eight aircraft will touch down in Poland in November.

August 8/16: Leonardo has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Taiwan’s state-owned Aerospace Industrial Development Corporation to supply 66 M-346s to the Republic of China Air Force. According to the document, Italy will provide the first 4-6 aircraft and the rest will be assembled in Taiwan with 50% components made in Italy alongside any relevant technology transfers. The M-346s will replace existing AT-3 jets due for modernization.

June 8/16: Aermacchi unveiled the first M346 advanced jet trainer for Poland at its plant in Venegono-Superiore. The June 6 event was attended by Polish Deputy Defense Minister, Bartosz Kownacki, the Italian State Under Secretary to the Ministry of Defence, Gioacchino Alfano, and by the Managing Director of Leonardo-Finmeccanica Aircraft, Filippo Bagnato. Warsaw has ordered eight of the aircraft in total at a cost of $383 million.

March 23/15: Nine additional Aermacchi M-346 advanced jet trainers have been ordered by the Italian government, doubling the initial order by the air force. The Honeywell F124-powered aircraft come at a cost of $336 million, with delivery to commence this year and last until 2018. In addition to the trainers, the contract also includes logistics support and a further, unspecified development effort for a wider integrated training system.

February 26/16: Final assembly has begun on the first two of Poland’s ordered M-346 trainers from Finmeccanica. A total of eight have been ordered, with deliveries to begin in 2016 for the contract including logistic support; a training program for pilots and engineers, and a state of the art Ground Based Training Systems. Orders of the M-346 of late amount to 59 with Italy, Israel, and Singapore all awaiting awaiting deliveries.

Sept 3/14: Singapore. The RSAF holds a formal ceremony to inaugurate the M-346 into the RSAF’s 150 Squadron at Cazaux Air Base in France. The squadron actually began receiving then planes in 2012, ans has all 12 already. Sources: Singapore MINDEF, “The RSAF Inaugurates the M-346 into 150 Squadron”.

March 20/14: Israel. Rollout of the 1st Israeli M-346 (q.v. July 19/12) at Venegono Superiore, Italy. Official delivery is scheduled for summer 2014, and the first 2 planes do arrive in early July. The ground-based training center and its networked simulators with added Elbit Systems technology officially open in September 2014. Read “Trainer Jets for Israel: From the Skyhawk, to the M-346 Lavi” for full coverage.

March 4/14: USA T-X. The USAF and USN unveil their preliminary budget request briefings. They aren’t precise, but they do offer planned purchase numbers for key programs between FY 2014 – 2019. T-X is included in the USAF’s plans, with a program start in FY15. It’s listed as a $905 million RDT&E program, which seems odd for a mostly off-the-shelf buy.

The documentation targets early FY17 for the RFP’s release. The USAF is still working on their acquisition strategy, so we’ll have to see how the notional goal of 300 aircraft holds up over time. Sources: USAF, Fiscal Year 2015 Budget Overview.

Feb 27/14: Poland. Alenia Aermacchi announces a EUR 280 million contract from Poland for 8 trainers, logistic support, a training programme for pilots and engineers and a ground-based training system with dedicated classrooms and educational materials.

The contract brings the total number of global M-346 sales to 56. Sources: Finmeccanica, “Alenia Aermacchi signs a EUR 280 million contract with Poland for eight M-346”.

Feb 13/14: Poland. An Italian Air Force M-346 passes all verification tests at 41 Aviation School Base in Deblin by Feb 5/13. That leads Poland’s MON to declare that they will accept Alenia Aermacchi’s contract offer. The formal signing will happen soon. Source: Polish MON, “M-346 Master: oferta na AJT wybrana”.

Contract: 8 jets + support

Feb 12/14: Singapore. As Singapore opens its air exhibition, Alenia discusses the state of their order:

“ST Aerospace and Alenia Aermacchi will deliver the last of the 12 M-346 new generation advanced trainers to the RSAF in March 2014…. a total of 10 aircraft have been delivered along with the delivery of the relevant ground based training system and the associated M-346 initial logistics support…. In February 2013, the RSAF commenced the pilot training in its Advanced Training School at the Cazaux Air Base in France, while in March 2013 the first training flight for a pilot trainee in the M-346 was successfully conducted.”

Sources: Alenia Aermacchi, “ST Aerospace and Alenia Aermacchi set to deliver the last of 12 M-346 aircraft ordered by RSAF”.

2013

Picked in Poland; Deal with GD in the US; Prototype crashes.

“T-100”
(click to view full)

Dec 20/13: Poland. Poland’s MON picks the M-346 as its next jet trainer. The package includes 8 planes + 4 options, along with simulators and other training systems, spares, and technical support.

Even though the M-346 was the only finalist without certified dual-role capability, Alenia (PZL 1.167 billion / $377.1 million) was the only contender to submit an offer within the MON’s PZL 1.2 billion budget. BAE’s Hawk T2 LIFT (PZL 1.754 billion/ $566 million) and KAI/Lockheed’s T-50 (PZL 1.802 billion/ $582 million) could not, and consideration of lifetime costs wasn’t enough to save them from disqualification. Read full coverage at: “Poland’s New Advanced Jet Trainer: M-346 Wins“.

Polish pick

Aug 9/13: Grounded. Alenia and Italy’s M346 fleets are still grounded, while 3 separate investigations (Alenia, ItAF/AM, judicial) look into the May 2013 accident. Test pilot Matteo Maurizio, who lost the ability to control the jet, sustained “serious injuries.”

The fleet grounding has delayed Italy’s final operational test and evaluation. Alenia will certainly want this behind them before deliveries to Israel begin in 2014, and the firm told AIN that they believe the issue will be resolved “very soon.” Singapore’s training squadron in Cazaux, France has already received several jets, but their flight status is unclear. AIN.

May 11/13: Crash. An M346 prototype crashes around 20 minutes after take-off from Turin-Caselle airport, in Val Bormida, Italy. There was only 1 pilot, who ejected safely. The crash was in a location that didn’t harm anyone or destroy anyone’s property. Alenia is not discussing possible causes of the crash.

This is the 2nd prototype to be destroyed in a crash, following the Nov 18/11 incident in Dubai. Details regarding the Dubai crash remain sketchy, but the technical problem was said to be confined to the prototypes. The accident leaves Alenia with just 1 prototype aircraft. ASN report | Alenia | Aviation Week.

Crash

April 11/13: Chile. Defense News reports that Chile is stepping back from plans to replace their 35 T-35 Pillan trainers and 23 A-36 Halcon light attack jets. These are actually local designations for CASA’s C-101 jets, which are no longer in production. The usual contenders were reportedly involved: BAE’s Hawk, KAI/ Lockheed’s supersonic T-50, and the M-346.

Chile is reportedly focusing on its F-16 fleet instead, and a Lockheed Martin representative at LAAD confirmed that they were discussing F-16 upgrades. Chile does fly 33 second-hand F-16A/B MLUs, alongside 10 more modern F-16C/D Block 52 fighters. A common configuration would be a logical step, but if Chile really wants to wait for the USA to sort out their T-X competition, as the article implies, they could be waiting a long time.

March 4/13: Testing. Alenia announces that the M346 passed its Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) Test to certify it for hose-and-drogue air-to-air refueling when configured with external tanks. When an air refueling probe approaches the tanker basket, it can generate a discharge higher than 100,000 volts. Bit of a risk around lots of jet fuel, so they tested the M-346 at Alenia Aermacchi’s Venegono Superiore plant. The British firm Cobham, who makes hose-and-drogue refueling pods, provided support. Alenia.

Jan 17/13: USA. Alenia Aermacchi and General Dynamics sign a Letter of Intent for the T-X trainer competition. General Dynamics C4 Systems will act as the prime contractor for purposes of this competition, offering the “T-100”. As the prime contractor, GDC4S will be responsible for managing Alenia’s delivery of the aircraft, integrating some specific components; and supplying flight simulation devices, multi-media classrooms and logistics support.

Boeing had an agreement with Alenia for sales beyond the USA (vid. May 28/08 entry), and this announcement makes it very unlikely that they’ll work together within the USA. Alenia North America | Alenia | General Dynamics.

Jan 7/13: Israel. Alenia Aermacchi announces a $140 million sub-contract from Elbit Systems, Ltd./ TOR, covering Alenia’s share of logistics support (CLS) services for Israel’s 30 M-346i advanced trainer aircraft.

The CLS services include supply, maintenance and overhaul of spare parts, and will be performed jointly with Elbit Systems, who will have a contract of their own from the Israeli govvernment.

Israel support

2012

Israel win; USA’s T-X delayed to 2016.

M346
(click to view full)

July 19/12: Israel. Italy and Israel sign a set of 2-way defense deals. Israel will get 30 M-346 trainers, for delivery beginning in mid-2014. It’s a $1 billion deal, with Alenia’s share announced at around $600 million. Israel will join Italy and Singapore as M-346 operators.

Going the other way, Israel’s IAI will supply 2 Gulfstream 550 “Eitam” Conformal Airborne Early Early Warning & Control (CAEW) planes, which can monitor airspace and even maritime areas in a wide radius around the aircraft. Italy will join Israel and Singapore as G550 CAEW operators. The last component of the deal is a shared IAI/Finmeccanica project for a high-resolution Italian OPTSAT-3000 surveillance satellite. Read “Italy & Israel: A Billion-Dollar Offer They Didn’t Refuse” for full coverage and details.

Israel: 30

Feb 17/12: US T-X delayed. The USAF confirms that it won’t make a T-X selection until 2016, and doesn’t expect initial operational capability for its new trainers until 2020. Until then, they’ll continue to use 2-seat F-16s to bridge the gap from the T-38 to the F-22A and F-35.

The extra time could be bad news for Alenia, as their international sales partner Boeing is reportedly readying a design of their own. Flight International discusses a notional twin-tail, single-engine trainer, which sounds rather like ATG & IAI’s Javelin design. The magazine also reports that Northrop Grumman is considering its own entry, and a check reveals that their Sept 19/11 announcement of a T-X partnership with BAE no longer displays on BAE’s site or on Northrop Grumman’s. Flight International.

Feb 16/12: Israel. Alenia is picked by the IAF as the preferred bidder to stock IAI & Elbit’s TOR public-private joint training venture. The IAF says that the Master’s readiness to accommodate F-35A pilots played a role in its win. Government approval is still required, and a contract award for 30 planes is expected later in 2012. If the expected billion-dollar contract is signed, deliveries would be expected to begin in the middle of 2014.

In return, Italy is rumored to have pledged to buy an equivalent amount of equipment from Israel: IAI’s CAEW 550 AEW&C jets, and a new jointly-developed reconnaissance satellite. Read “Trainer Jets for Israel: From the Skyhawk, to the Master” for full coverage.

Israeli pick.

2011

Italian military certification & MHD approval; Singapore support contract; Crash in Dubai.

M-346/T-100
(click to view full)

Dec 18-22/11: HMD. Alenia Aermacchi performs flight tests using the Italian Air force’s 3rd series production T-346A plane, which includes night missions, as part of the plane’s certification program. The 7 flight tests took place at Torino Caselle airport, Italy, including night flights using the HMD in Night Configuration.

In the M-346, both student and instructor pilots wear the HMD, which is fully integrated with the avionics suite, in order to support training for Navigation and Attack modes. Color symbology can be projected to the eyepiece, and Alenia Aermacchi touts combination as “the only Advanced Trainer that [currently] comprises the HMD, in both Night and Day configuration.” The tests provide the final go-ahead for production deliveries of the systems to Italian Air Force. Alenia, via Al Defaiya.

Nov 18/11: One of Alenia’s 3 prototypes crashes into the sea near Dubai, UAE. Both pilots ejected safely.

The aircraft was on its way home after participating in the Dubai airshow , as part of Alenia’s efforts to keep the M-346 front and center as the UAE’s next trainer. The UAE picked it in February 2009, but hasn’t signed any contracts. ASN accident report | Defense Update.

Crash

June 24/11: Sub-contractors. Alenia Aermacchi announces that EUR 170 million (about $243 million) in support contracts have been finalized with ST Aerospace, to cover Singapore’s 12 M-346 trainers.

A Supply Chain Management contract will feature joint management of the fleet’s after-sales support by Alenia Aermacchi and ST Aerospace, including spare parts provisioning, repair and overhaul services. The 2 firms will share risks, sales and profits on that contract.

The Operations & Support contract is solely Alenia Aermacchi’s, covering engineering support, program/ contract management, and field support services.

Singapore support deal

June 20/11: The Italian General Directorate for Aeronautical Armaments of the Ministry of Defense issues the M-346 a military type certificate, a critical step in customer acceptance of any new aircraft. The Italian Air Force will now begin the acceptance procedure for its first 2 “T-346A” aircraft, which have already been delivered.

Certifications take longer than most people appreciate. In order to complete the military type certification process, the M-346 program made 180 flights, totaling 200 hours, over the past 5 months, with over 3,300 Test points were completed. defpro.

Military certification

March 31/11: Italy’s T-346A. The first M-346 aircraft produced specifically for the Italian Air Force (ITAF) has a successful first flight. The ITAF has designated the plane as the T-346A. Alenia Aermacchi.

Feb 24/11: UAE. Flight International reports that M346 negotiations between the UAE and Alenia Aermacchi have stopped, with no word on when they might resume. Unfortunately for KAI, this apparently does not indicate an opening for competitors, just a priority shift. Having said that:

“There have also been reports that there was a misunderstanding over the aircraft’s specifications, and that components wanted by the UAE were not included… “Political problems that are outside my domain have resulted in the delays,” says [Alenia’s] Vincenzo Giangrasso… “We have discussed the technical issues with the end user, and the air force is very happy with the aircraft…” …The door appears to remain closed to KAI and the T-50, with officials from the South Korean company agreeing. “Obviously, we would love to get back into the competition and offer the T-50. But we have not had any discussions with the UAE officials about the T-50 since they picked the M-346, and we are not expecting that to change any time soon,” says a KAI official.”

Feb 23/11: UAE. IDEX 2011 is drawing to a close, with AED 11.8 billion ($3.21 billion) in contracts from the UAE alone, but still no M346 contract. Jane’s:

“This week there has been no comment on the Alenia Aermacchi M346 trainer aircraft deal announced here two years ago, but yesterday the Italian company was awarded a contract for four MB339 trainers [which also equip the UAE’s aerobatic team].”

Jan 20/11: Sub-contractors. CAE announces a contract from Boeing Training Systems and Services to design and manufacture 2 M-346 full-mission simulators, as part of the plane’s ground-based training system for “an international customer.” Italy and Singapore would both qualify for that designation.

The simulators will be delivered in 2012, and will feature a cockpit configuration to train the pilot and weapon systems officer (WSO), as well as the capability to network the simulators for joint training. Boeing’s Constant Resolution Visual System (CRVS) will be powered by CAE Medallion-6000 image generators, running databases based on the CAE-developed Common Database (CDB) standard. The contract’s value is cloaked by its presence within a scattershot set of announcements worth a total of “more than $140 million.”

2010

Singapore win; India loss; Opportunities in Poland, UAE, USA, Europe’s AEJPT; HMD development; Rollout in Italy.

M-346’s HMD
(click to view full)

Dec 21/10: Italy unveiling. Alenia Aermacchi unveils the first 2 M-346 advanced trainers from Italy’s first batch of 6 aircraft, in a ceremony at Venegono Superiore.

These 2 planes will eventually be delivered to the Experimental Flying Unit at Pratica di Mare Air Force Base, near Rome, for operational evaluation testing. The Italian Air Force will receive the other 4 aircraft in 2011; they are already under construction at the Venegono Superiore factory. Alenia Aermacchi.

Sept 28/10: Singapore. Rumors of a win in Singapore are confirmed, via a EUR 250 million contract to supply Singapore with 12 M-346 trainers. Delivery of the first aircraft is expected in 2012. Together with Singapore’s ST Aerospace (the deal’s prime contractor), Alenia Aermacchi will make a contribution to ITS (Integrated Training System) activities and to supporting the fleet, but Boeing will have most of the responsibility for the ground based training system. That firm will be able to leverage its existing prime contractor role for the US Navy’s T-45 Goshawk advanced jet trainer and its associated ground systems.

The win comes via its global marketing agreement with Boeing, who already supplies Singapore’s new F-15SG fighters. Its main competition was the T-50 Golden Eagle by Korean Aerospace. That was a partnership with Lockheed Martin, who supplies and support the RSAF’s large F-16 fleet. Singapore MINDEF | Finmeccanica | ST Aerospace | Defense News | Flight International | UPI.

Singapore: 12

Sept 6-8/10: Poland, UAE & Singapore. Poland’s 18th International Defence Industry Exhibition MSPO is held in Kielce. Alenia brings the M-346 to Poland for the 3rd time, and its announcements include some interesting tidbits.

The first is a tacit admission that the M346 is currently only a jet trainer: “The development of the light attack version is already under way to meet specific requirements of individual customer Air Forces.” That’s a reference to a United Arab Emirates requirement, but the UAE isn’t an M346 customer yet.

The second point of interest is their confirmation that “The M-346 has also been selected by the Republic of Singapore for its Fighter Wings Course (FWC) requirement, which aims to replace its current advanced trainers fleet.” There is no contract yet, but its status as Singapore’s preferred bidder is a sharp blow to Korea’s KAI. Alenia Aermacchi. See also “Poland Seeks Advanced Jet Trainers” for full coverage of Poland’s trainer competition.

July 28/10: India loss. The M-346 loses a competition opportunity in India, as that country decides to extend its purchases of BAE Systems Hawk Advanced Jet Trainer (AJT) aircraft. This 2nd batch will be built under licence in India for the Indian Air Force (40) and Indian Navy (17). Read “Hawks Fly Away With India’s Jet Trainer v2 Competition” for full coverage.

India loss

July 1/10: Singapore. Defense News reports that Singapore’s government has selected Alenia Aermacchi’s M-346 as the preferred bidder in its $1.3 billion competition for 48 advanced jet trainers. The report adds that the UAE’s M346 deal remains in limbo over a stalled side deal to jointly develop UAVs, which may give KAI’s T-50 an opening.

May 2010: “T-100” for USA. An online campaign by Alenia North America rebrands the Italian M346 as the “T-100 integrated training system (ITS)”. Alenia NA is actively seeking US partners to front its bid for the emerging T-X contract. The DEW Line.

May 18/10: HMD. Alenia Aermacchi announces initial flight tests of an M-346 equipped with a 1.6 kg Helmet Mounted Display (HMD) system to complement the traditional cockpit Head-Up Display. The HMD is fully integrated with aircraft avionics and with the Embedded Tactical Training Simulation system.

More and more advanced fighters are flying with HMDs, so an acceptable HMD option becomes an important feature for any advanced jet trainer.

April 26/10: AEJPT. Alenia Aermacchi has formally teamed with EADS to offer the M-346 Master for the 9-nation, 100 aircraft Advanced European Jet Pilot Training (AEJPT) program. Under their memorandum of understanding, Alenia Aermacchi would supply the aircraft while EADS would provide the ground-based training systems. Support would be split between the two companies.

The team is 1 of 7 that responded to the European Defence Agency’s AEJPT request for information. A formal RFP is expected by late 2011, with the winner to be under contract by 2014 and initial operational capability planned for 2017. The question is whether any of this will actually happen, given budget pressures in European countries. What this agreement does, is effectively spell the end of EADS’ Mako HEAT supersonic combat trainer concept. Alenia Aermacchi | EADS.

2009

Italy places the 1st orders for planes & support; UAE picks the M-346; 1,000th flight.

M-346 prototypes
(click to view full)

Nov 30/09: Sub-contractors. CAE in Montreal, QB, Canada announces that Alenia Aermacchi (AAEM) has awarded CAE a contract to design and manufacture a M-346 full-mission simulator and a M-346 part-task trainer as part of the M-346 ground-based training system for the Italian Air Force. The award flows from the initial Nov 10/09 ARMAEREO contract for 6 M-346 Master Integrated Training Systems (ITS), which include aircraft and their related flight simulators.

Within this contract, CAE has subcontracted the development and supply of simulation and instructor operator station (IOS) subsystems to Selex Galileo in Ronchi dei Legionari, Italy. The M-346 full-mission simulator and part-task trainer is scheduled for delivery to Galatina Air Force Base near Lecce, Italy during the second half of 2011. CAE.

Nov 12/09: Sub-contractors. Finmeccanica subsidiary SELEX Galileo discusses [PDF] its own participation in the M-346 program. Much of their work revolves around the plane’s Mission Core System (MCS), which includes a Mission Computer (MCSG) hosting the operational flight program, a “glass” (digital) cockpit with 6 AMLCD 5″x5″ smart multi-functional displays, and 2 HUD-100 Head Up Displays. The M-346 Mission Core System manages the databus and some communications links, symbology generation for displays, sensor data collection and Tactical Data Base management; and EICAS “Crew Alerting” control.

SELEX Galileo will do extensive work on the Ground Based Training System alongside CAE. SELEX Galileo will deliver the Instructor Operating Station (IOS) – a high-fidelity replica of the M-346 Cockpit, modeling and simulating the Avionics and most of the Aircraft Systems. Production will be carried out mainly at the Group’s sites in Pomezia (Rome), Nerviano (Milan), and Ronchi dei Legionari (Trieste).

Nov 10/09: Italy. Finmeccanica subsidiary Alenia Aermacchi and the Italian government’s ARMAEREO (Direzione Generale per gli Armamenti Aeronautici) sign a EUR 220 million (about $327 million) contract to provide the Italian Air Force with 6 Integrated Training Systems (ITS). This includes 6 T-346A Master advanced trainer aircraft, related flight simulators, logistics support, training for military personnel to include construction of multimedia training rooms, and a new flight line for the M-346 Master to be built at the Lecce Flying School along, with a hangar and maintenance services.

This contract forms part of a broader agreement to supply a total of 15 aircraft and related support (vid. June 18/09 entry). The first 2 aircraft are scheduled for delivery by the end of 2010, and will be initially assigned for testing and procedures workups to the Flight Testing Department at Pratica di Mare air base. The Italian Air Force will receive 4 more aircraft by the end of 2011, making them the world’s first Air Force to have a training line based on the M-346 Master. Finmecanica.

Italy: ground training

Nov 4/09: 1,000th flight. Alenia Aermacchi announces that its M-346 Master fleet has reached the 1,000-flight milestone, with a flight by LRIP02. The thousand flights performed by the 3 M-346 prototypes cover a broad range of missions, from aircraft testing and development to the displaying to the many interested Air Forces and ferry flights for international demo tours for important aviation events.

Flight #1,000

Sept 21/09: Israel. Flight International reports that Alenia Aermacchi’s M-346 Master and the Korea Aerospace Industries/Lockheed Martin T-50 have emerged as the leading candidates to replace the Israeli Cheyl Ha’avir’s TA-4 Skyhawk advanced jet trainers. See also full DID coverage: “Israel’s Skyhawk Scandal Leads to End of an Era.”

June 18/09: The Italian Job. At the 2009 Le Bourget air show, Alenia Aeronautica announces [PDF] that Italy’s Air Force has signed a long-awaited contract to buy Alenia’s new M346 Master advanced trainer jet. This initial agreement covers 6 jets and an integrated training service, with an option for another 9 aircraft that could take it to 15.

Not so coincidentally, the Italian agreement also includes a series of joint initiatives between Alenia Aermacchi and the Italian Air Force to develop international training support capabilities for the Air Forces of other countries through flight simulators, GBTS (Ground Based Training System) and integrated logistics. Canada’s CAE is currently executing a simulator contract for the M346, and can be expected to be part of that solution.

Italy: 6-15

April 28/09: DOMA cert. Alenia Aermacchi receives D.O.M.A. (Design Organization Military Approval) certification for the M-346 Master, on the basis of the audits carried out by the DGAA for compliance with Regulation AER.P-10. The company release adds that:

“Alenia Aermacchi is the first Italian aeronautical industry which, following its DOMA certification, enjoys the privilege to manage directly and autonomously the homologation process and continuing airworthiness of the M-346 Master advanced trainer. The privileges presently apply to the ECS (Environmental Control System), Windshield & Canopy System, Lighting System and all equipment. This allows internal M-346 design and development processes to be made more efficient and to streamline its interface with the DGAA.”

Feb 25/09: UAE “win”. At IDEX 2009, the UAE announces that negotiations have begun to buy 48 M346s, including a number of aircraft that will be configured in a light attack configuration, plus flight simulators and other ground-based training systems. The aircraft beat BAE Systems’ Hawk Mk.128 and KAI’s T-50 Golden Eagle to gain preferred bidder status, and this order would give the UAE the world’s largest M-346 fleet if a contract goes through.

If a contract is signed, an accompanying venture involving Mubadala Development is expected to establish a local final assembly line for the M346, and may also manufacture composite aerostructures for the civil sector. Flight International reports that the eventual contract could be worth around EUR 1 billion, with deliveries expected to begin in 2012. See also: Finmeccanica release | Arabian Aerospace.

UAE pick

2007 – 2008

M346 “Master”; Supersonic flight; Partnership with Boeing; Shortlisted by UAE; MoU with Portugal; Interest from French DGA.

M-346 Master
(click to view full)

Dec 19/08: Call me Master. The Examination Committee of the competition to name the M-346 trainer picks the name “Master.” The competition was launched on Oct 20/08, and over 4,000 entries were received from every corner of the world. In order to remove any questions of motivation, the Aermacchi release kindly explains what they say they were thinking:

“This international name is the succinct embodiment of what the M-346 represents: the ideal tool to train the future jet pilots of the latest generation and at the same time the maximum level of training that a student can attain.”

Naming

Dec 18/08: Supersonic. Alenia Aermacchi announces that an M-346 advanced trainer test aircraft has flown at supersonic speed, making it the first Italian-designed aircraft to do so in 52 years. The aircraft reached Mach 1.15 in the “supersonic corridor” off the Italian Riviera coast, during a 75 minute flight which began and ended on the company airfield at Venegono Superiore.

The release does not say that the speed was achieved in level flight, but it does add that test activities will continue until the top design speed of Mach 1.2 is reached.

Supersonic

LRIP00 flies
(click to view full)

July 9/08: The first low-rate initial production M-346 trainer makes its maiden flight. Alenia Aermacchi.

May 28/08: Boeing partnership. Alenia Aermacchi and Boeing announce an agreement to jointly pursue the international trainer aircraft market. Aermacchi’s M-311 and M-346 are both covered, for efforts outside of Italy or the USA. For those pursuits, both companies will cooperate on marketing, sales, training and product support. Under the agreement, Boeing Integrated Defense Systems’ Support Systems division will be responsible for several aspects of the program’s spares and support work, and associated ground-based training. Alenia Aermacchi | Boeing.

April 23/08: Sub-contractors. CAE in Montreal, QB, Canada announces that Alenia Aermacchi (AAEM) has picked them as the M-346 program’s preferred full-mission simulator supplier, and awarded CAE a contract to design, develop and validate the simulator’s Initial Training Capability. As part of the overall ground-based training system, CAE will initially design and manufacture a prototype M-346 flight training device (FTD) – a high-fidelity replica of the M-346 cockpit with CAE’s Medallion-6000 image generator, driving a dome display that includes liquid crystal on silicon (LCoS) projectors. CAE will also provide a simulation-based development and validation environment so AAEM engineers and test pilots can perform a range of tests as the M-346 completes its development.

Finmeccanica’s Selex Galileo will partner with CAE for simulator development, delivery, and support, including responsibility for the instructor operating station and cockpit environment. CAE.

April 2/08: Chile. At the FIDAE air show in Santiago, Chile’s state-owned firm Enaer and Alenia Aermacchi announce an agreement to market the M-346 new-generation trainer jet and M-311 basic trainer to Latin American countries. The agreement also opens the possibility of joint manufacture in Chile. The FACh is interested in replacing its C-101 variant trainers at some point, though it isn’t a formal competition yet. Flight International.

June 7/07: Portugal. Alenia Aermacchi announces a Memorandum of Understanding with the Industria Aeronautica de Portugal (OGMA), which “establishes the terms of the OGMA industrial participation in the [M-346] programme” for production and assembly, structural testing work, and support. “The agreement also covers the involvement of a significant number of companies active in high-tech fields as well as in aeronautics, which will join the programme as sub-contractors.”

This is all standard stuff for companies that need to offer industrial offsets in order to win a specific contract, but that isn’t the case in Portugal, which doesn’t have an active competition.

Portugal MoU

May 17/07: France. Aermacchi announces that an Evaluation Team of the French DGA procurement agency’s official CEV flight test centre carries out a flight evaluation of the Alenia Aermacchi M-346 advanced trainer in April 2007. The team evaluated the M-346 in terms of performance, handling, human-machine interface, powerplant system and logistic and maintenance considerations; and examined the engineering and flight data processing capabilities available at the Alenia Aermacchi flight test centre.

This appears to be a case of lending greater expertise to a partner state, in the context of bilateral cooperation agreements. France already flies Alpha Jet trainers, which it intends to keep flying for many years. At some point, however, a replacement will be needed, and early bridge-building never hurts.

May 3/07: Industrial. The first M-346 Low Rate Initial Production fuselage comes out of the jig at Alenia Aermacchi’s Venegono facility. LRIP 00 differs from the prototype and pre-series aircraft in a number of ways, including a new main landing gear optimized wiring, and a weight reduction program that made more use of advanced materials such as unidirectional carbon fiber, thermoplastic and titanium materials, etc. Alenia Aermacchi.

Feb 21/07: UAE. The United Arab Emirates shortlists 2 Alenia Aermacchi aircraft – the M-346 advanced trainer and M-311 basic trainer – among its candidates for a new advanced jet training system. Alenia Aermacchi.

2004 – 2006

1st flight; Greece MoU; Interest from Poland.

Polish TS-11
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Oct 2-4/06: Poland. The M-346 performs 8 evaluation flights at the Polish Airbase of Deblin. Poland is looking for new trainer aircraft, to accompany its new fleet of F-16s. Read “Poland Seeks Advanced Jet Trainers” for full coverage.

May 30/06: Greece. The M-346 performs 9 evaluation flights at the Hellenic Air Force Training Base in Kalamata, including flights by HAF pilots. During the Kalmata missions, continuous monitoring of all flight parameters conducted by a data receiving station set up at the base, and by Alenia Aermacchi at Venegono, through a proprietary satellite telemetry system. Aermacchi.

May 2005: Testing. First flight of the 2nd M-346 prototype.

Dec 15/05: Greece. Aermacchi and Hellenic Aerospace Industry (HAI) sign a Memorandum of Understanding that sets out the terms of their industrial cooperation in the M-346’s development program. HAI will be the Hellenic prime contractor, responsible for a planning, production and assembly of about 10% of the aircraft, including the posterior fuselage. HAI will also manage the contributions of the other Greek companies taking part in the program as sub-contractors. Aermacchi.

January 2005: Greece. The Greek Ministry of Defence signs a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to become a partner in the M-346 program.

They aren’t buying any jets yet. The HAF flies a number of T-6B advanced turboprop trainers, as well as some T-2E Buckeye jets that are well past their sell-by date. The challenge will be finding budgetary funds to buy new trainer jets.

Greece MoU

July 2004: 1st flight. First flight of the M-346 prototype.

1st flight

Additional Readings

DID thanks Mark Chen for authorized use of his Singapore Airshow photo.

• Aermacchi – M-346

• Alenia North America – T-100 Integrated Training System.

• Air Force Technology – M-346 Master Advanced Fighter Trainer, Italy

• Wikipedia – Alenia Aermacchi M-346

• Teal Group’s Richard Aboulafia – October 2009 letter. Discusses Italy’s “slow aerospace” industrial model counterpart to the “slow food” movement.

The USA’s T-X

• Defense News (Sept 8/10) – BAE Sees USAF T-X Contest as Foothold. “BAE is going it alone in its bid, despite its successful partnership with Chicago-based Boeing to supply the U.S. Navy with 223 T-45 Goshawk trainers… BAE would still use some U.S. firms as subcontractors…”

• Training & Simulation Journal (Aug 24/10) – The hunt for a jet trainer

• Flight International (Feb 9/09) – Three designs to contest USAF’s T-X deal, believes BAE. Hawk, M-346, and the T-50.

Competitors & Market

• DID FOCUS – Russia’s Yak-130 Trainer & Light Attack Jets. Its design is closely related to the Aermacchi M346; they were once a joint program, but their evolutions diverged in significant ways.

• Air Force Technology – Hawk Trainer / Light Combat Aircraft, United Kingdom. Hawk is the world’s most popular in-production trainer.

• Air Force Technology – Hawk Mk 127 / Mk 128 LIFT Lead In Fighter Trainer, United Kingdom

• Air Force Technology – L159 ALCA Advanced Light Combat Aircraft, Czech Republic. Now it’s also a 2-seat trainer version. Bought by Czech air force, which is trying to sell some of its fleet due to budget issues, but without much success.

• Air Force Technology – MiG-AT – Advanced Flight and Combat Trainer Aircraft, Russia. No market traction as yet.

• DID FOCUS – Korea’s T-50 Spreads Its Wings

• Forecast International (March 25/09) – Fighter R&M Market Facing Conflicting Priorities.

“In its new analysis entitled “The Market for Fighter/Attack/Trainer Retrofit & Modernization,” Forecast International estimates that nearly $20 billion will be spent on military aircraft upgrades during the 2009-2018 period. The United States alone is expected to earmark $9.5 billion for fighter/attack/trainer retrofit & modernization (R&M) programs, with the rest of the world kicking in another $10.3 billion… Caught between changing needs and tight budgets, militaries will seek upgrades for their air fleets that grant the greatest capability without being prohibitively expensive – literally, the most bang for their buck.”

SPYDER Mobile Firing Unit
(click to view full)

Israel’s SPYDER air defense system follows a recent trend of using advanced air-air missiles designed for fighter jets as ground-launched surface-to-air missiles (SAM). This truck-mounted system mixes radar and optical tracking with any combination of short to medium-range Derby 4 and ultra-agile short-range 5th generation Python 5 air to air missiles, in order to create a versatile system adapted for a wider range of threats. Hence its inclusion in in our AMRAAM FOCUS article’s “international competitors” section.

India has become the system’s inaugural export customer. SPYDER will reportedly replace India’s Russian-made OSA-AKM/SA-8 Gecko and ZRK-BD Strela-10M/ SA-13 Gopher SAM systems, and the purchase has decisively shelved the Indian DRDO’s failed Trishul project.

More success may be on the way. As India’s Air Force gears up, the Army is reportedly about to follow suit with an even bigger contract.

The SPYDER System

SPYDER Systems
(click to view full)

Each SPYDER ADS-SR Mobile Firing Unit can slant-launch up to 4 missiles in either lock on after launch (LOAL) mode, or lock on before launch (LOBL). This short-range version offers 360 degree quick engagement capability and 60-target tracking via IAI’s Elta EL/M 2106 ATAR 3D surveillance radar and TOPLITE optical sensor, a kill range of over 15 km, and openly advertised effectiveness from 20 – 9,000 meters (65 – 30,000 feet).

A new SPYDER ADS-MR 6×6 truck version was unveiled at Eurosatory 2006. It’s restricted to LOAL but offers 8 vertical-launch missiles in any mix, adds a dedicated radar vehicle with a more powerful radar, and puts boosters on all missiles, in order to improve advertised range to 50 km/ 30 miles, and performance to 16 km/ 52,000 feet.

A typical SPYDER squadron consists of 1 Mobile Command and Control Unit, plus 4 Mobile Firing Units with their own built-in power supplies and missile sets of 4-8 missiles.

Contracts and Key Events

SPYDER MR vs. SR
(click to view full)

December 17/18: Will Vietnam drop out? Russian media outlet TASS reports that Vietnam may drop out of a potential arms deal with Israel. Vietnam signed a contract with Israel’s Rafael for the delivery of several SPYDER surface-to-air missile systems in 2015. The 2015 deal included the delivery of five or six batteries and 250 missiles. Over the past year Vietnam conducted several missile tests, all of which failed. One defense ministry source told TASS that the SPYDER performs poorly in tropical conditions and regularly breaks down. The source also said that the SPYDER isn’t the best choice for Vietnam due to some incompatibility issues with earlier supplied Russian surface-to-air missile systems. Neither the Vietnamese nor the Israeli defense ministry commented the report.

June 6/17: India has successfully test-fired its Quick Reaction Surface-to-Air Missile (QR-SAM). Developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Bharat Electronics Limited, testing was conducted from a truck-mounted canister launcher at the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur—the location of last month’s test-firing of the Surface to air Python and Derby (SPYDER) Missile system. The QR-SAM system is equipped for quick reaction engagement of aerial threats in all-weather conditions and is capable of search-on-the-move.

May 15/17: India has also tested the first of its newly acquired Spyder air-defense system. Three rounds of firing were conducted during the May 11 test, where both Surface-to-air Python and Derby (Spyder) missile system were fired against a Banshee unmanned aerial target made by Meggit PLC. New Delhi made moves to acquire a number of Spyder systems in a deal with Rafael and Israeli Aircraft Industries (IAI) after their indigenous system, the Akash, fell out of favor with military officials.

May 26/16: Israel’s Rafael Advanced Systems looks set to win the Indian Army’s short-range surface-to-air missile (SRSAM) contest with its Spyder system. According to the Economic Times, the Spyder seems poised to win after offerings from Sweden’s Saab and Russia’s Rosoboronexport failed to comply with the Army’s requirements during technical trials. The competition has been running for five years.

October 26/15: Vietnam has purchased [Vietnamese] SPYDER air defense systems, manufactured by Israel’s Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd. The surface-to-air missile system is capable of launching the company’s advanced Derby beyond visual range and Python-5 missiles, with it unclear whether the Vietnamese military has purchased the Short Range (SPYDER-SR) or Medium Range (SPYDER-MR) version, with respective ranges of 20km and 50km.

Aug 18/09: Indian Army’s QR-SAM. The Times of India reports that India’s Ministry of Defence has finally given the go-ahead for the army’s INR 40 billion (about $820 million) Quick-Reaction SAM program. These mobile missiles would protect Indian maneuver elements like armored columns and troop concentrations, as well as important areas and installations. The Army seeks to equip 3 regiments with this contract, which is over twice the size of the IAF’s 18 squadron purchase. The Times of India:

“With the indigenous Akash and Trishul air defence projects not meeting its “user-requirements”… The Defence Acquisitions Council, chaired by defence minister A K Antony, discussed the entire matter on Monday. Though there was no official word, sources said the Israeli SpyDer QR-SAM systems had been selected for the project.

…The projects were in a limbo for quite some time now, with one of the main reasons being the naming of Israeli Aerospace Industries (IAI) and Rafael in the Rs 1,160-crore Barak-I deal kickbacks case by the CBI. The government, however, was reluctant to blacklist these Israeli armament firms because it held that it would prove “counter-productive” since there were several “crucial” defence projects underway with them.”

Jan 20/09: SR-SAM – Revenge of DRDO? India Defence reports that neither MBDA nor India’s state-run DRDO have given up on their “SR-SAM” short range air defense proposal. Rumors peg it as a combination of DRDO’s Trishul and MBDA’s VL-MICA system, though Trishul’s failure and VL-MICA’s techologies mean that claims regarding Trishul technology are likely to be about saving face as much as anything else.

The “Maitri” LLQRM proposal’s positioning would be directly competitive with RAFAEL’s SPYDER, and VL-MICA is deployable as a mobile system. That could affect SPYDER’s future expansion within the Indian military, and might even affect its prospects if program problems crop up. MICA’s capabilities mean that SR-SAM/Maitri would also be directly competitive with India’s indigenous Akash, and might even impinge on the proposed medium range MR-SAM deal involving a longer-range Barak missile.

Dec 11/08: The Indian Ministry of Defence confirms that it has signed the Spyder contract – and canceled Trishul. Defence Minister Shri AK Antony, in a written reply to Shri Tarini Kanta Roy in Rajya Sabha:

“Ministry of Defence has signed a contract with M/s Rafael, Israel to procure Spyder Low Level Quick Reaction Missile System (LLQRM) for the Indian Air Force.

The proposal for Trishul system was foreclosed due to its inability to meet certain critical operational requirements. However, it served as a technology demonstrator and the expertise acquired with the technologies developed during design and development phase of Trishul Missile System are being utilized for developing state-of-the-art Short Range Surface to Air Missile System.”

Costs were not disclosed, though some reports place the deal at $260 million; previous reports of R 18,000 crore would be about $362 million at current exchange rates. Nor was the future composition of India’s Spyder force; Spyder systems now come in the 8-pack, booster-enabled SPYDER ADS-MR, and the 4-pack SPYDER ADS-SR. Indian MoD | domain-b.

Oct 13/08: DNA India reports that a new order from the Union government downgraded both IAI and RAFAEL’s position as weapon suppliers to India, and may place the Spyder contract in jeopardy. The issue is not expected to sort itself out until after the 2009 Parliamentary elections. Read “India Downgrades Vendor Status of IAI and RAFAEL” for more.

Sept 1/08: The Spyder contract was delayed for almost 2 years by political accusations, but those have apparently been put to rest. Defense News reports that a $260 million contract has now been signed with Rafael. The Indian Air Force will receive 18 Spyder systems, with deliveries beginning in early 2011 and finishing by August 2012. Unusually, the contract will not include any mandatory industrial offsets.

March 19/07: Reports indicate that MBDA is working on a deal with the DRDO, whose Trishul short range anti-aorcraft missile project continues to flounder. DRDO’s Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL) would team with MBDA to develop a “new-generation low-level, quick-reaction missile (LLQRM) system” known as ‘Maitri’, for the Indian Navy and Air Force. India Defence.

The project is said to be worth $500 million and is to be signed in May between the Hyderabad-based DRDL and MBDA. It is retry to revive the work done under the unsuccessful Trishul LLQRM project,

October 2006: India Defence quoted Air Chief SP Tyagi as saying India is close to wrapping up a deal to purchase quick reaction surface-to-air missiles from Israel as a mobile air defense system. Under the deal, India proposed to buy 18 SPYDER (Surface-to-air PYthon and DERby) missile systems and accompanying missiles in a deal worth more than Rs 1,800 crores (18 billion Indian rupees, or about $395.4 million at the time). RAFAEL would be the prime contractor, and Israel Aircraft Industries the major subcontractor.

Additional Readings

• RAFAEL – SPYDER ADS-MR

• RAFAEL – SPYDER ADS-SR

• RAFAEL – Python 5: Full Sphere IR Air-to-Air Missile

• RAFAEL – Derby: Beyond visual Range Air-to-Air Missile

• Israeli Weapons – SPYDER

• Army Technology – SPYDER Surface-to-Air Python 5 and Derby Air Defence Missile System, Israel

• DID – India’s IGMP Missile Programs. Including the canceled Trishul and the medium range Akash SAM.

• DID – India & Israel Introducing MR-SAM. Based on a longer-range version of the Barak missile.

Americas

The Bell Boeing Joint Project Office is receiving extra funding to support the V-22 family of tilt rotor aircraft. The modification to a previously awarded IDIQ contract (N00019-18-D-0103) is priced at $18 million. It exercises an option for technical analysis, engineering and integration on V-22 aircraft platform. Work under this contract will support the US Navy, Marine Corps and US Air Force; as well as the government of Japan as part of the Foreign Military Sales program. The V-22 has been in service with the Air Force and the Marine Corps for almost a decade; and the Navy plans to adopt its own variant of the aircraft to perform its critical Carrier-Onboard-Delivery mission to deliver forces, supplies and weapons to forward-stationed ships at sea. The Navy plans to buy a total of 44 CMV-22Bs starting in 2018, with first deliveries expected to start in 2020. Japan currently has 19 V-22s on order. Work will be performed in Fort Worth, Texas and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and is expected to be completed in December 2022.

The US DoD’s Aegis Ashore missile defense system achieves another milestone. During a recently held test the system successfully identified and tracked an intermediate-range ballistic test missile and intercepted it with a SM-3 Block IIA missile. The test was conducted somewhere over the Pacific with the interceptor launched from the Missile Defense Agency’s (MDA) Pacific Missile Range Facility at Kauai, Hawaii. “It was of great significance to the future of multi-domain missile defense operations and supports a critical initial production acquisition milestone for the SM-3 Block IIA missile program,” MDA Director Lieutenant General Sam Greaves told Reuters. The MDA has three Aegis Ashore systems in total. One station in Romania which, operational since 2016; and another in Poland, which is expected to be operational in 2020. The SM-3 Block IIA is the co-operative US-Japanese program. It adds the larger diameter, a more maneuverable “high-divert” kill vehicle, plus another sensor / discrimination upgrade to help deal with harder targets, countermeasures, and decoys.

The US Army is ordering engineering services for the Javelin anti-tank missile. Awarded to Raytheon, the $12 million cost contract has an estimated completion date of October 30, 2019. The FGM-148 Javelin is a man-portable anti-tank missile used by the US and many allied countries. The missile has a “fire-and-forget” infrared guidance system and is designed to engage moving vehicles, fixed fortifications, troops in the open and low-flying helicopters. Work will be performed at Raytheon’s factory in Tucson, Arizona.

Middle East & Africa

The 2017 crash of a German army Tiger helicopter in Mali which resulted in the death of two crew members was caused by a mechanic’s error, a German defense ministry report claims. A mistake during a rotor blades configuration led to the autopilot automatically turning itself off when the pilot pointed the Eurocopter Tiger’s nose towards the ground. This caused the disintegration of the main rotor blade, leaving the crew with “no chance to avoid the accident,” according to the report. The Tiger helicopter had been serviced by Airbus team which apparently forgot to set the blades’ airflow angle correctly. As the helicopter was flying roughly 155 mph at an altitude of 1640 ft over the Gao desert, the Tiger’s autopilot switched itself off believing that it had recognized a manual override, leading the helicopter to tilt forwards abruptly. Once the vehicle had started to descend, parts of the aircraft broke off, including the main rotor blades.

Europe

Ireland is ordering several RBS-70 BOLIDE surface-to-air missile systems from Saab. The deal is priced at $66 million with deliveries scheduled for 2019 to 2022. The first RBS-70 system entered service in 1977, the BOLIDE is special variant of the current Mk 2 production model and features a new sustainer rocket motor. The BOLIDE anti-aircraft missile flies at Mach 2 speed and is designed to intercept targets at altitudes of more than 5.000 m to a range of up-to 8.000 m. A single Mk.2 missile is believed to cost about $100.000. In March last year Brazil ordered several RBS-70 missiles in a deal worth $11.7 million. Saab says that it has delivered more than 1.600 launchers and over 17.000 missiles to 19 countries.

Slovakia starts its largest military modernisation program in history with the purchase of 14 F-16 Block 70/72 fighter jets. Slovakian minster of defense Peter Gajdoš inked the contract with Lockheed Martin on Wednesday. Slovakia will acquire the jets through the US Foreign Military Sales program. The $1.8 billion deal also provides for ammunition, logistics support and training services for 22 pilots and 160 technicians. The contract further includes an agreement on industrial cooperation with the aim to give Slovakian businesses a foothold in the aviation industry. The Slovakian air force expects delivery of the first aircraft by the end of 2022, with the remainder to be delivered by the end of 2023.

NATO Agency NAHEMA signs a NH90 Through Life Support (TLS) contract with NHIndustries. TLS is an engineering services package supporting NH90s flown by Australia, Belgium, Germany, Finland, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway and New Zealand. Activities in the package include the provision of continuing airworthiness and configuration management; remote technical assistance and support; as well as Integrated Logistic Support (ILS). The NH90 features a combination of corrosion-proofing, lower maintenance, greater troop or load capacity, and mission flexibility offered by a rear ramp, making it a popular global platform. To date, more than 540 NH90 variants are currently on order, with more than 370 helicopters already delivered to 17 Armed Forces in 13 countries.

Asia-Pacific

Chinese media reports suggest that the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy could soon fly a two-seat variant of its J-15 fighter jet. This new version is reportedly capable of performing electronic jamming missions bringing China’s Liaoning aircraft carrier closer to full operational capability. The J-15 flying shark is based on the Russian-made Su-33 but is equipped with Chinese engines, weapons and radars. The plane made its maiden flight in 2009 and was adopted by the PLA Navy in 2013. The J-15 in its two-seat variant was first shown in 2012 and can carry China’s indigenous PL-12 medium-range air-to-air missiles. The J-15D variant with electronic warfare (EW) pods made its debut in May 2018 and is comparable to the US Navy’s Boeing EA-18G Growler.

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