Defence`s Feeds

The Armed Forces of Honduras is acquiring a logistics support and cargo vessel named Buque de Apoyo Logístico y Cabotaje (BAL-C) from Colombia to improve the country's maritime security capabilities in La Mosquitia and other remote areas.

Rolls-Royce has secured a new contract to deliver MT30 marine gas turbines for the next three vessels in the Republic of Korea (ROK) Navy's Daegu-class frigate programme.

The Indian Navy and the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) have commenced their 24th Singapore-India Maritime Bilateral Exercises 2017 (SIMBEX-17).

The SENER (Shanghai) Systems Co office has signed an agreement to authorise the use of its FORAN system by the Register of Fishing Vessels of Hebei Province (RFVHB), in China.

At the European Defence Agency’s (EDA) ministerial Steering Board which met this Thursday morning under the chairmanship of HR/VP Federica Mogherini in her capacity as Head of the Agency, Defence ministers endorsed the conclusions & recommendations of EDA’s Long Term Review (LTR), approved the establishment the Cooperative Financial Mechanism (CFM) as an EDA Ad-Hoc Cat A programme and encouraged the Agency to continue, together with the EEAS, its work on the definition of the planned Coordinated Annual Review on Defence (CARD).

The Long Term Review (LTR) conclusions and recommendations endorsed by Ministers will reinforce the Agency to keep it fit for purpose in the light of upcoming, more ambitious tasks and challenges deriving from the EU’s new Global Strategy.

Set to be implemented over the coming months, the agreed measures will strengthen the EDA as the main intergovernmental prioritisation instrument at EU level in support of capability development, with a more output-oriented Capability Development Plan (CDP) and a key role in operating the Coordinated Annual Review on Defence (CARD).

They also will enhance the EDA as the preferred cooperation forum and management support structure at EU level to engage in technology and capability development activities, ranging from R&T to critical enablers, exercise and training as well as support to operations, including the industrial dimension. The Agency is also to be reinforced as an interface between Member States and EU institutions and as a central operator for EU-funded defence-related activities such as, for example, the upcoming Preparatory Action on defence research and the future European Defence Research Programme.

 

Cooperative Financial Mechanism (CFM)

Ministers welcomed the financial and legal package presented by the Agency and approved the setting up of an Cooperative Financial Mechanism as an EDA Ad-Hoc CAT A programme. Negotiations with Member States on a Programme Arrangement will start soon. The EDA was invited to report to the Steering Board on progress made during these negotiations before the signature of the Programme Arrangement.

The objective of the Cooperative Financial Mechanism, to which contributing Member States would participate and contribute on a strictly voluntary basis, is to incentivize defence cooperation by overcoming the lack of budgetary synchronisation between Member States and the problems that this causes for the launch of cooperative defence cooperation projects. Experience has shown that unsynchronized budget availability at the launch phase of a collaborative programme is one of the key challenges.

Through the CFM, Member States can support each other via a system of reimbursable advances and deferred payments. The mechanism can also be used more widely as a hub for managing investments, such as EDA R&T projects, and ring-fencing resources allocated for cooperative purposes. It will facilitate the launch of collaborative projects and have positive repercussions in capability, technological and industrial terms.

 

Coordinated Annual Review on Defence (CARD)

Ministers welcomed the work carried out by the EDA, in close cooperation with EEAS, on the definition of the scope, principles, methodology and detailed modalities of the CARD which will start with a trial run as of this autumn. The Agency was encouraged to pursue this work. Minister agreed to present a report on the trial run to the Steering Board in November 2018.

The CARD aims at facilitating Member States delivering in particular on EU capability development priorities agreed in the framework of the Capability Development Plan (CDP). The CARD will also allow Defence Ministers to regularly take stock of the European capability development landscape, assess progress in cooperative capability development to date and share information on defence spending plans.

 

Engagement with industry, other topics

Ministers endorsed EDA’s revised approach towards establishing a structured dialogue and enhanced engagement with industry based on a set of priority actions focused on the capability development process, exercises, R&T prioritization, innovation, SES/SESAR, Key Strategic Activities and support to industry. These priorities will guide the 2017-2018 activities of EDA in relation to industry. The Steering Board tasked the Agency with presenting an assessment report of these priorities and their implementation in November 2018.

Ministers also welcomed the work already conducted by the EDA on the Preparatory Action on Defence Research, with the Delegation Agreement expected to be signed end of May. Ministers also took stock of the Agency’s main cooperative programmes (such as, for example, Air-to-Air Refuelling, Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems - RPAS, GovSatCom and Cyberdefence) and reviewed the progress made in other projects within the portfolio of more than 50 capability projects currently run by the EDA.

SAES will be participating at the SITDEF International Exhibition in Lima, Peru, from 18-21 May.

On June 8 the new European Tactical Airlift Centre (ETAC) will be officially opened by Head of the EDA, High Representative and Vice-President of the European Commission, Federica Mogherini and Minister of Defence of Spain Dolores de Cospedal. ETAC represents one of the largest transfers of a project, created and developed by the EDA, to one of its Member States on a permanent basis. 

Zaragoza will officially become the home of the European Air Transport Fleet (EAFT) Programme on June 8th in a ceremony marking the transfer of this project from the EDA to Spain. Created in 2011 by EDA, and signed by 20 participating nations, the EATF partnership aims to increase the EU’s airlift capabilities by addressing shortages and increasing interoperability. The establishment of a permanent multinational airlift training centre (ETAC) marks a major step forward in European defence collaboration in the critical capability domain of tactical airlift. 

An EDA first: Joint Deployment of EAATTC 17-3 and 3D Printing Lab 

The third European Advanced Airlift Tactics Training Course for 2017 (EAATTC 17-3), hosted by the Spanish Airforce at Zaragoza airbase will run from 28 May to 9 June 2017. This edition of EAATTC gathers five aircraft from four different countries (Belgium: C130; Germany: C160; Poland C130 and Spain: C295 and C130). This training aims to provide air transport crews with a robust airlift tactics training syllabus in order to enhance interoperability between European air forces. The graduation ceremony for participating aircrew will take place as part of the opening of the ETAC on June 8 2017.

As part of EDA’s approach to explore new avenues for defence cooperation and enabling technologies, its innovative project on 3D printing in defence will be deployed as part of EAATTC 17-3. The project, officially titled “Additive Manufacturing Feasibility Study & Technology Demonstration”, aims to assess the areas where Additive Manufacturing (AM) (3D printing)  can have a positive impact on defence capabilities and to demonstrate its feasibility. 

The second work strand of this project is a technology demonstration of AM in a simulated deployment scenario. Its aim is to demonstrate the feasibility and operational utility of deploying these technologies in support of a military operation. The deployment of the 3D printing lab represents a significant step in bridging the data gap on 3D printer performance in deployed conditions and will demonstrate the operational utility of these technologies. 

First of all the lab will be deployed on a test flight to examine its feasibility to be deployed by air. During the exercise the lab technicians will interact with the officials deployed at EAATTC 17-3, presenting the possibilities offered by the equipment, and identifying in a close dialogue with them what are the main needs in an operation that could be fulfilled with an AM facility. Together, the technicians the officials will select a number of different test parts to be produced on site and on demand, with different grades of complexity. 

The project represents a clear example of how cross-fertilization of ideas from different domains, from R&T to operations, will enhance defence capabilities, especially when supporting deployed missions. The overall study has the objective of raising awareness in the defence community and of promoting a better understanding of the potential held by these technologies, thereby stimulating their implementation in defence specific areas.

Media Day – June 8
Members of the media can avail of a special one day media flight from Brussels to Zaragoza airbase (kindly provided by the Belgian Ministry of Defence) for the opening of ETAC. All details can be found here. 

On June 8 EDA will be live from Zaragoza airbase for special coverage of the opening of ETAC. 

Throughout the day we will be bringing you live updates on twitter of the opening ceremony, graduation of aircrews, interviews and visits to the 3D printing lab. 
Visit our twitter page (@EUDefenceAgency) and get involved using #EUdefence.  
 

More information:

• EDA consultation to identify impact of 3D-printing technologies in defence
• EDA letter - support to Additive Manufacturing feasibility study & technology demonstration
• EDA news on the AM kick-off meeting (December 2016)

   

The need for optimised operational efficiency within the petrochemicals industry leads to a stronger focus on achieving the greatest value when repairing and replacing assets and equipment.

Americas

• The USAF has lifted its two-year ban on lightweight pilots flying the F-35, after concerns that an ejection could cause a severe neck injury. The approval means the Martin-Baker Mk16 ejection seat meets the original service specification for the F-35A, which requires the manufacturer to accommodate all pilots weighing over 46.7kg. To solve the problem, changes were made to the helmet, the ejection seat and the ejection sequence. The Vision Systems International helmet saw a weight reduction, while the ejector seat had a head support installed onto the rear risers of the seat as a cushion as well as a switch that modifies the ejection sequence in the event the pilot needs to exit the cockpit in flight. The modifications will now be retrofitted on 100 F-35As already delivered to the USAF and enter Lockheed’s production system.

• Textron’s Fury precision-guided glide munition has completed flight-testing. The company announced that a total of 13 test flights for the Fury weapon were conducted for a 23.8 flight hours between captive carriage, survey flights and 10 weapon releases from unmanned aircraft systems. On two occasions, the Fury flew with Textron’s Shadow UAS from an altitude of 8,000 feet and a standoff range from the target of nearly a mile. The new system features a common interface that allows for rapid integration on multiple manned and unmanned platforms. It has tri-mode fuzing—impact, height of burst and delay—for engagement of a broad target set.

Middle East & North Africa

• Lockheed Martin has received a delivery order from the USAF for the provision of 14 Sniper targeting pods to Kuwait. The pods will be installed on the Gulf state’s fleet of F/A-18C/D aircraft. Since 2016, the firm have also began efforts to integrate the pods on Kuwait’s Typhoon aircraft. Deliveries of the new pods are expected to commence on 2018 in order to address “urgent operational needs” in the Kuwaiti Air Force. A member of the Saudi-led coalition currently involved in Yemen, Kuwait has contributed aircraft to conduct airstrikes during the intervention.

• A DoD foreign military sales contract awarded to Lockheed Martin will see the firm conduct work for Qatar’s Patriot system. Valued at $25.4 million, the variants scheduled to be worked on by the firm include the Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) and Missile Enhancement Aft Block I redesign. Work will be conducted in Grand Prairie, Texas, and Lufkin, Texas, with the program expected to be completed by May 15, 2020.

• An MQ-9 Reaper UAV operated by the British RAF recently interrupted a public execution by the Islamic State. While flying over the town of Abu Kamal, flight crew had noticed two shackled prisoners being unloaded from a pick up truck in front of a large crowd. Unable to target militants located near the civilians, a Hellfire missile was fired at two IS sentries posted on a nearby roof. The explosion killed one of the militants while remaining fighters and public fled. However, it remains unclear if the prisoners due to be executed escaped or were taken away by their would-be executioners.

Europe

• The British Royal Navy operated HMS Queen Elizabeth will receive its first F-35B aircraft next year, with the new aircraft carrier also receiving Merlin, Apache, Wildcat and Chinook helicopters. Royal Navy sailors have also trained alongside their US Navy counterparts on the flight deck of the amphibious assault ship USS Wasp, with British personnel fully embedded in the USS Wasp trials and will use the data gathered from this event for future trials and operational deployments to support the UK’s flying trials aboard HMS Queen Elizabeth in 2018. British F-35 pilots also recently embarked on the USS America for at-sea developmental testing phase 3 (known as DT), the last trial that paves the way for the US Marine Corps to deploy the jet operationally on amphibious assault ships.

• Full-scale flight testing of the Ka-62 medium helicopter is scheduled to take place later this year. Designed by the Kamov design bureau as the civilian variant of the Ka-60 military helicopter, the Ka-62 has been developed to perform a wide range of operations, including the transportation of passengers, rescue efforts and works in the interests of the oil and gas industry. It can carry up to 15 people or 2.5 tonnes of cargo.

Asia Pacific

• Australia’s DoD has announced plans to invest $965 million in order to develop infrastructure at the country’s naval shipyards. Known as the Naval Shipbuilding Plan, the investment is aimed at ending the boom-and-bust cycle that has afflicted the industry for many years, and preparing its shipyards for the development and manufacture of next-generation vessels. Included in the work will be new cranes and heavy lift transportation capability, the construction of welding stations and modernization of workshops and buildings. Under the government’s 2016 White Paper on Defense, Australia is planning to build about $66.7 billion worth of submarines, frigates and patrol boats over the next 35 years.

Today’s Video

• Textron Fury:

American Kel-Tec RFB Semi-Automatic Rifle

The Indian Navy has successfully conducted the test firing of the medium-range surface-to-air missile (MRSAM) from the Kolkata-class guided-missile destroyer INS Kochi.

ECA Group's unmanned mine countermeasure integrated system (UMIS) installed on-board the Kazakhstan Navy's new 10750E-class mine hunter has successfully completed its sea acceptance trials (SAT).

The German Navy's Sea King MK41 helicopter simulator has re-entered service at the country’s Nordholz Naval Airbase following a major refit.

The second Conference on Test and Evaluation (T&E) was held in Vienna on 24-27 April 2017 with the title “European priorities - challenges and opportunities for a large EU network of T&E Centres“.

Building on the success of the first conference held in Rome in 2014, the Vienna conference was attended by around 100 experts from 17 EDA Member States, the European defence industry, and the European Commission, as well as NATO representatives. The aim was to provide a forum for the T&E community to exchange ideas, information and experiences.

The conference was opened by Lieutenant General Norbert Gehart, Armament Director, Austrian Federal Ministry for National Defence and Sport, and Mr Rini Goos, Deputy Chief Executive, European Defence Agency, and was hosted by the Austrian Armament and Defence Technology Agency. The conference sessions were moderated by the EDA Cooperation Panning and Support Director Mr. Roland Van Reybroeck, together with members of the Defence Test and Evaluation Base (DTEB) Plenary Group.

Current challenges for T&E requirements derived from the Capability Development Plan (CDP) in the wider context of the under the EU Global Strategy provided the basis for more than 20 presentations and interactive discussions among conference participants. European T&E cooperation examples and visits to Austrian test facilities provided practical insights and the opportunity to exchange experiences and lessons learned.

Main results of the conference included the acknowledgment of common challenges facing the T&E community and the need for a large European network of test facilities. Test and evaluation was recognized as a key enabler in support ofEU capability development priorities contributing to the objectives of the EU Global Strategy Implementation Plan on Security and Defence. The conference encouraged participating Member States to enhance cooperation and coordination of T&E initiatives under the EDA umbrella, to improve awareness of existing T&E capabilities, to explore opportunities for civil and military cooperation and to maintain and further develop key skills and competences in the T&E domain to the largest extent possible.

Background

The Test and Evaluation Community Days Conference is an EDA initiative held every three years in cooperation with a participating Member State. It brings together experts from Europe’s government Test Centres, project managers, T&E Directors, and European Defence Technology Industry Base (DTIB) representatives to exchange information, learn from each other and initiate new T&E projects, and create strategic networks to support EU forces.

 

More information:

• EDA prepares inter-laboratory test round to counter electromagnetic effects on operations (News, July 2016)
• Inaugural Test and Evaluation conference delivers results (December 2014)

Americas

• The USAF has invited Textron Aviation to enter both the AT-6 turboprop and Scorpion twin-jet to face off against Embraer’s A-29 Super Tucano in the service’s demonstration of close air support capability. August’s demonstration, now known as the Light Attack Experiment, will include a broad set of counter-land missions typical of an extended military campaign and builds on previous close air support experiments organized by the US Navy and Special Operations Command. The AT-6 Wolverine is adapted from the Beechcraft T-6 Texan II with a higher-thrust engine, data links and weapons stations, while the clean-sheet Scorpion was initially designed in 2012 to offer the Air National Guard a low-cost tactical combat jet for roles such as air sovereignty patrols and mission in low-threat war zones.

• Orbital ATK has been contracted by the US Army to produce and deliver large-caliber training ammunition. The $53 million agreement will cover both 120mm and 105mm rounds. The 120mm training ammunition, used by Abrams tanks, includes the M865 kinetic energy and the M1002 multi-purpose tank training rounds, while 105mm M724A2 rounds will be produced for crew training on the Stryker Mobile Gun System vehicles. So far, the ammunition manufacturer has sold almost 5 million rounds of large caliber munitions to the Army, Marin Corp, and US international allies and partners.

• The Pentagon’s inspector general has opened an investigation as to whether the USAF has imposed unnecessary additional secrecy on its B-21 bomber program. Last year, the Air Force rebuffed requests, including from Armed Services Committee Chairman John McCain, to reveal basic information such as the value of the development contract awarded to lead contractor Northrop Grumman or the amount of the fee set aside to encourage meeting program goals, citing their potential value to adversaries. Now, the DoD’s watchdog office will review and submit a report to Congress within the next six months aiming to ascertain whether there is the right mix of balanced program classification and transparency.

Middle East & North Africa

• BAE Systems has rolled out the lead example of its Eurofighter Typhoons destined for delivery to Oman later this year. Muscat’s Typhoon order, signed in December 2012, is for nine single-seat aircraft and three two-seat examples to support training activities. A ceremony to mark the occasion was hosted at the firm’s final assembly in Lancashire, UK, with the Typhoon joined by Oman’s first new-generation Hawk advanced jet trainer, of which eight Mk 166 examples are on order by the Gulf sultanate.

• Isreal’s Elbit Systems has unveiled the newest variant of its SPEAR MK2 mortar system designed for lightweight combat vehicles. The 120mm mortar system has seen improvements made to its coverage area as well as a new high recoil deduction capability. The system can be rapidly deployed and features both autonomous and manual activation and uses an integrated command and control system enabling full mission autonomy and providing battlefield management and situational awareness capabilities, fire missions’ prioritization and monitoring of personnel assignments.

Europe

• The CEO of French aviation firm Dassault, Eric Trappier, has told French media that the firm expects to sell an additional 18 Rafale fighters next year. In an interview with French regional newspaper Sud-Ouest on Sunday, Trappier hinted that the purchaser may by Malaysia, in a deal that could potentially be worth $2 billion. India has also been earmarked as a potential repeat customer after a high profile deal for 36 Rafales was concluded last year. “India’s needs are enormous,” said Trappier. “Hence, for its navy, 57 aircraft are considered,” he added. Malaysia, however, may be the more likely candidate for a deal to be finalized in the near term as it looks to replace its ageing combat aircraft.

Asia Pacific

• Russia is keen to swap rubber products for fighter jets with Indonesia, according to Oke Nurwan, the Foreign Ministry’s foreign trade director general. While a decision on the offer has yet to be made, Moscow is willing to deliver Sukhoi jet fighters in exchange for Indonesian crumb rubber in a deal valued at $600 million. While response from local rubber producers has been positive, specific legislation still needs to be created by a yet-to-be decided ministry in order to facilitate the necessary groundwork for such an agreement to move forward.

• A recent North Korean ballistic missile test has been detected by the newly-deployed THAAD system in South Korea, marking the first time the controversial air defense system has been put in use. The announcement was made by South Korea’s defense minister, Han Min-koo, who added that that Pyongyang is also at a more mature stage of development than previously thought, adding that the ICBM used in the test was of an “enhanced caliber compared to Musudan missiles that have continually failed” in previous rounds of testing.

Today’s Video

• Elbit’s Spear mortar system:

Italian IVECO Daily Light Utility Vehicle

Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) has successfully completed the deployment of its Advanced Lightweight Phased Array (ALPHA) ELM-2258 radar system on the Israeli Navy's Saar 4.5 missile ship.

Singapore's Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) has signed a new contract with Germany-based ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) for the purchase of two additional Type 218SG submarines.

Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) has redelivered the USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) Nimitz-class nuclear-powered aircraft carrier to the US Navy.

BAP Pisco (AMP-156) is a new multi-purpose landing platform dock (LPD) being built by SIMA-Peru Marine Industrial Services for the Peruvian Navy.