Above: Analysis of new construction at the nuclear research and production center near Khushab, Pakistan. Satellite Images: Courtesy of Imagesat International
Construction of a new plutonium producing reactor in the Pakistani nuclear research and production center is in pogress, despite the conflict with the Taliban that errupted about 250 kilometers northeast of this location.
The satellite images, obtained by Defense Update from the Israeli Eros B satellite, show significant progress in the construction site of the second plutonium producing reactor built at the Pakistani nuclear facility south of Khushab.
This 50 megawatt heavy water reactor is a central element of Pakistan’s nuclear weapons program, producing plutonium and tritium for use in the production of compact warheads for tactical nuclear weapons. The Khushab facility is not being monitored by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
The construction of the first plutonium producing reactor in Khushab was launched in the mid 1980s with Chinese assistance It was commissioned 1996 and has ‘gone critical’ by early 1998. To fuel the reactor, a heavy water facility was constructed nearby. The site is defended by a belt of anti-aircraft weapons, clearly seen in the aerial images below. This reactor and its adjacent heavy water facility are very similar to the Iranian nuclear facility being built at Arak, which was reviewd by Defense Update in February 2009. A second reactor has been under construction since the early 2000s, and is currently nearing completion.
Images above and below: Digital Globe image, processed from Google Earth
Boeing's Phantom Ray unmanned airborne system sits atop a NASA Shuttle Carrier Aircraft prior to takeoff Dec. 13 at Lambert International Airport in St. Louis. Photo: RON BOOKOUT/BOEING
The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] is reviving the X-45 unmanned aerial system to be used for testing and demonstration of advanced unmanned air system technologies, under a company funded research program code-named ‘Phantom Ray’. First flight of the Phantom Ray is expected in early 2011, following an air transfer abroad the Boieng 747 that normally transfers the space shuttle. The Boeing Phantom Works organization is employing rapid-prototyping techniques that facilitate the speed and agility needed to meet the 2010 flight schedule. Lab testing for the Phantom Ray air vehicle were performed last year, followed by ground testing done as St. Louis. All the Phantom Ray demonstration tests are scheduled to complete before the beginning of carrier suitability tests of a parralel Navy program – the X-47B developed by Northrop Grumman’s. Under the Phantom Ray technology demonstration program the unmanned aircraft will conduct 10 flights over a period of approximately six months, supporting missions that may include intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, suppression of enemy air defenses, electronic attack, hunter/killer, and autonomous aerial refueling.
NASA's Shuttle Carrier Aircraft, a modified Boeing 747, carries Boeing's Phantom Ray during a test flight on Dec. 13 in St. Louis. Photo: NASA
Boeing has unveiled the new, fighter-sized 50 foot span experimental unmanned Phantom Ray – a test bed for advanced Unmanned Combat Aerial System (UCAS) technologies. Phantom Ray is designed to support potential missions that may include intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance; suppression of enemy air defenses; electronic attack; strike; and autonomous aerial refueling. According to Darryl Davis, president of Boeing Phantom Works the Phantom ray is progressing on schedule and the aircraft is expected to begin taxi tests in the summer of 2010 and perform its maiden flight toward the year’s end, about two years after Boeing launched the program. Davis said the first flight in December will be followed by up to nine additional flights over approximately six months.
“Phantom Ray represents a series of significant changes we’re making within Boeing Defense, Space & Security,” said Darryl Davis, president of Phantom Works. “For the first time in a long time, we are spending our own money on designing, building and flying near-operational prototypes. We’re spending that money to leverage the decades of experience we have in unmanned systems that span the gamut from sea to space.”
Boeing's Phantom Ray unmanned airborne system sits atop a NASA Shuttle Carrier Aircraft prior to takeoff Dec. 13 at Lambert International Airport in St. Louis. Photo: RON BOOKOUT/BOEING
Key Phantom Ray suppliers include General Electric-Aviation (propulsion and power distribution), Honeywell (brake system), Woodward-HRT (flight control actuation system), Crane Hydro-Aire (brake controls) and Heroux-Devtek (landing gear). “We’re really excited about this because Phantom Works is back as a rapid prototyping house, operation and organization,” said Craig Brown, Boeing Phantom Ray program manager. “This is the first of what I expect to be many exciting prototypes, and they’re all with exciting technology.”
Phantom Ray General Characteristics:
Length: 36 ft (10.9 m)
Wingspan: 50 ft (15.2 m)
Gross Weight: 36,500 lbs (16,556 kg)
Operating Altitude: 40,000 ft (12,192 m)
Cruise Mach: 0.8 (614 mph-988 km/h)
Engine: F404-GE-102D
“What is particularly exciting about Phantom Ray is that we will incorporate the latest technologies into the superb X-45C airframe design,” said Dave Koopersmith, vice president of Boeing Advanced Military Aircraft, a division of Phantom Works. “As we gradually expand the vehicle’s flight envelope, potential users will have access to a full range of unique capabilities that only this type of autonomous platform can provide.”
The original X-45C Unmanned Combat Aerial System (UCAS) developed by Boeing with funding from DARPA was competing with Northrop Grumman for the Joint UCAS program. Phantom Ray will pick up where the UCAS program left off in 2006 by further demonstrating Boeing’s unmanned systems development capabilities in a fighter-sized, state-of-the-art aerospace system. The Boeing UCAS program began with the X-45A, which successfully flew 64 times from 2002 to 2005. Those flights included a demonstration exercise with two X-45A aircraft that marked the first unmanned, autonomous multi vehicle flight under the control of a single pilot. Boeing also designed a larger UCAS aircraft, the X-45C, which will serve as the basis for the Phantom Ray demonstrator.
Picture above: Mark Witsken, a Boeing X-45A test pilot, simulates a test flight from a station console at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. Witsken was the pilot on the programs graduation combat demonstration flight August 10, 2005.
Below: Boeing developed a larger unmanned combat aircraft designated X-45C, for the DARPA J-UCAS Program. All Photos on this page by Boeing
The introduction of unmanned combat aircraft with air force, and naval service, particularly on board aircraft carriers will open revolutionary new capabilities for military aviation and naval aviation capability in particular. Scott Winship, Northrop Grumman vice president and Navy UCAS-D program manager defines the new capability as ‘sea change in military aviation’. Captain Martin Deppe, the U.S. Navy Unmanned Combat Aircraft System Program Manager explains the Navy’s vision “We look forward to a time when we can introduce a new long range, persistent, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) — strike capability to the carrier decks of tomorrow.”
The first Unmanned Combat Air Systems (UCAS) developed by Northrop Grumman for the U.S. Navy was unveiled December 16, 2008 at the company’s manufacturing plant at Palmdale, California. The new aircraft, designated the X-47B is the first of two aircraft Northrop Grumman will produce for the Navy to demonstrate unmanned combat aircraft operations from the deck of an aircraft carrier. The Navy awarded the demonstration contract to Northrop Grumman in 2007 and aircraft assembly was completed in just over a year.
Following the roll out, the UCAS will undergo subsystem and structural testing through 2009, leading to the first flight scheduled in fall 2009. Carrier suitability tests and demonstration will be carried out during the sea trials planned to begin in late 2011.
The X-47B UCAS is produced by Northrop Grumman and industry teammates including Dell, Eaton Aerospace, GE Aviation, GKN Aerospace, Goodrich, Hamilton Sundstrand, Honeywell, Lockheed Martin, Moog, Parker Aerospace, Pratt & Whitney, Rockwell Collins and Wind River.
The largest military parade in 20 years took place in Moscow May 9, 2009. Over 100 military vehicles, 70 aircraft and 8000 soldiers paraded in Moscow commemorating V Day, the victory over Nazi Germany, May 9, 1945.
The military hardware demonstration begins on the min. 39 of the video below, visible are BTR-80 wheeled APCs, BMP-3, T-90 tanks, 2S25 Sprut-SD (125mm) amphibious tank destroyers and 2S19 Msta-S 152mm self propelled howitzers and 300mm Smerch self propelled multiple rocket launchers.
The air defense segment begins on Min. 41 with SA-17 BUK-M, S-400 mobile anti-aircraft missile carriers. Among the ballistic missiles on parade, SS-26 Iskander-M and SS-24 Topol ICBMs are visible on min. 42:30′. The land systems display was concluded by an aerial flypast of helicopters, including flag carrying Mi-8/17, four Ka-50 Aligator (min. 45) escorting a Mi-26 heavy transport helicopter, Mi-35, and three Mi-28 helicopter gunships, recently added to the military (min. 45).
The air force segment was opened by a five-ship formation of Su-25 (min. 46), Antonov An-124 escorted by four Su-27 (min. 47), an Il-78 AWACS also escorted by Su-27s. The aerial display continued with demonstration of aerial refueling of two Su-24s from an Il-76 (min. 48) followed by a Tu-95 led by an Il-76 tanker, escorted by four MiG-29s. They were followed and Tu-160 bomber, escorted by four MiG-31s and a three aircraft formation of white painted Tu-22 (min. 49). A combined arrowhead formation comprised four six Su-27 and two MiG-29 fighters.
The misguided policy of restraint against the ever growing threat from pirates, roaming the high seas off the Somali coastline is becoming dangerously close to total surrender. There is little doubt left, that Islamic terror leaders will sooner or later exploit this signal of weakness and start substantial maritime terror all over the Globe, eventually bringing strategic shipping lanes to virtual standstill and with it, disaster to western economy.
Somali pirate activity off the Gulf of Aden and east coast of Somalia has soared into over a hundred pirate attacks lately. With it the cost of plying the treacherous route through the Gulf of Aden, which links the Indian Ocean to the Red Sea and the Suez Canal, has risen to impossible proportions. Beyond the potential need to come up with ransom payments, insurance premiums have already increased tenfold and will no doubt continue this trend, if determined action will stop this disastrous activity.
Temptations to take the longer route also have diminished as pirates extend their range. In response to international naval forces patrolling the Gulf of Aden, the pirates are already targeting ships up to 600 miles from shore farther south, intercepting several vessels between Kenya and the Seychelles.
Sofar counter action against the pirates has been, hesitatingly slow and ineffective, to say the least. Although scores of naval surface vessels from several states have been deployed in the area, their contribution to engage the pirates was virtually noncommittal. The pirates seem to ignore their presence and continue to rule the waves in their highly lucrative trade.
Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, claimed recently that 16 countries have deployed naval ships to the region, but they cannot patrol “1.1 million square miles” with complete effectiveness. However independent naval experts believe otherwise. “With all that complicated satellite technology modern navies have these days it should be possible to track pirate mother ships.”
The USNS Lewis and Clark ancors at an East African port.Spotting pirate locations on the coastline is not difficult. This series of satellite images, provided by Imagesat Internationalprocessed with change detection clearly demonstrate extensive growth of coastal villages, with infrastructure typical of Pirate activity.
An example to this sordid state of affairs was clearly demonstrated only last Tuesday, May 5, when a US Navy Military Sealift Command ship, the Norfolk-based USNS Lewis and Clark (T-AKE-1), was approached by a pirate attack off the Somali coast. According to the official US Navy report: “Once shipboard lookouts spotted the two suspected pirate skiffs, the Lewis and Clark conducted evasive maneuvers and increased speed to elude the pirates.” The Navy also reports the ship’s embarked security team used a ‘long range acoustical device (LRAD)’ to issue verbal warnings to the approaching skiffs. The Navy says the suspected pirates then fired small arms weapons from approximately two nautical miles toward the Lewis and Clark, which fell one nautical mile short of the ship’s stern. There was no mention that the Americans returned the fire!
What was most surprising, is the official directive issued by the US Navy: “The actions taken by Lewis and Clark were exactly what the U.S. Navy has been recommending to prevent piracy attacks – for both commercial and military vessels,” said Capt. Steve Kelley, Commander, Task Force 53, to which Lewis and Clark is operationally assigned. “Merchant mariners can and should use Lewis and Clark’s actions as an unequivocal example of how to prevent a successful attack from occurring.” If this is the official directive, than one can expect much more deadly encounters with the pirates, which will cost lives!
However, there are also different views on this sensitive issue. Gen. David Petraeus, chief of U.S. Central Command, said only last month that the maritime shipping industry must do more on its own to stop pirates. “There are a number of actions that need to be taken,” Petraeus said. Among them, it is important the maritime shipping industries get more serious about this problem.” “They are going to have to take a very hard look at not just taking additional defensive preparations in terms of simple things, like concertina wire, Israeli cargo ships use, to make it harder to climb over the side, or again over a railing. But Petraeus is also looking at the employment of armed guards or security forces on merchant ships. We already put them on many of the ships that have our equipment on them, the General said. Well, who is right here, the Navy or the Army?
Dinghies tied to a French sail boat attacked by pirates off the Somali coastA satellite view provided by Imagesat International spotted a pirate mothership off the Somali coast remotely controls hijacked vessels.
And there are indeed others who have already taken decisive action. France is at the forefront of multinational efforts to protect the Gulf of Aden, a strategic shipping zone, and the north of the Indian Ocean, operating there since last December. In April, French Navy commandos stormed a French sailboat held by pirates off the Somali coast in an assault triggered by threats that the passengers would be executed. It was the third time the French have freed hostages from the hands of pirates “Negotiations were leading nowhere, and the boat was approaching the coast, the official report said.” Under clear orders, from President Nicolas Sarkozy, France’s policy is to refuse to allow French citizens to be taken ashore as hostages.
The Germans seem to adopt the French attitude to counter piracy as well. Last April the German-Italian cruise ship “Melody” carrying 1,500 people on board fended off a pirate attack far off the coast of Somalia. The pirates attacked the Melody and opened fire under cover of darkness, but retreated hastily, when an Israeli armed security detail, aboard the cruise ship returned accurate automatic fire and chased them off immediately!
Unfortunately, the piracy-plagued shipping industry is still resisting calls to deploy armed guards on cargo ships, fearing it will not stop pirate attacks and could make shipping lanes off Somalia’s coast even more dangerous. They emphasize the disastrous explosive hazard effect that a fire exchange defending a supertanker could cause. The argument is also raised, that seamen would be unable to actually use weapons proficiently, without special training, for which they are not qualified by their non military trade. That may perhaps currently, be the logical case, but there are sufficient highly trained naval commando forces available in many western navies and if counter piracy will declared a top national priority, their deployment will become imperative to stop this harassing quandary once and for all. Moreover, if seamen will continue to be confronted by the deadly threat from pirates, it is only natural that they will wish to defend themselves adequately.
It takes of course, expert practice, shooting from a rolling, pitching, yawing, surging, swaying, heaving platform to target a small speedboat on the high seas. Indeed, shooting small arms from a ship at sea and score a hit, is more of an accomplished “Art Form” than it is a practiced skill. One has to be “in tune” with the harmonic motion of the vessel, to be able to put small arms slugs accurately inside the target’s body at 100 meters, in daylight or darkness of night. Using modern targeting equipment, like monocular scopes that can vision heat and draw a bead on target will certainly help, but it still requires considerable training and skill. US Navy SEALs, UK Royal Marine Commando and the French, not to mention the Israeli elite Naval Commando are absolutely expert at this sort of warfare and only await the right order to go into action.
Australia has committed to buy eight Boeing P-8A maritime patrol aircraft as part of an investment of $A5 billion. These aircraft will maintain the capability currently provided by the AP-3C Orion aircraft, when that aircraft is retired in 2018 after 30 years of RAAF service.
P-8A Poseidon image: Boeing
Until then, the Australian Defence will cooperate with the U.S. Navy to develop upgrades to the P-8A Poseidon aircraft, which has recently entered the early flight testing. The P-8A is being developed for the U.S. Navy. A special version and recently been acquired by India. To fit Australian specific requirements into the development process, the collaboration will focus on ‘Spiral One’ update of the aircraft. This phase represents the first batch of improvements planned through the life of the aircraft. The cooperation will also gain Australia access and influence into the P-8A improvements and support program. Australia is already cooperating with the U.S. on the AEW version of the Boeing 737 which also provides the platform for the P-8A.
The Australian manned maritime patrol and response aircraft is part of Project AIR7000 Phase 2, to be operated in conjunction with the Multi-mission Unmanned Aerial System, to be acquired under Project AIR 7000 Phase 1. The specific type of such UAV has not been determined yet, after the Australians rejected the proposed RQ-4N Broad Autonomous Maritime Surveillance (BAMS) selected by the U.S. Navy.
The Poseidon will be equipped with advanced surface search radar and optical, infra-red and electronic surveillance systems. With these systems, along with a high transit speed and the ability to conduct air- to- air refuelling, these aircraft will provide a superior capability for rapid area search and identification tasks. They will also provide a highly advanced anti- submarine warfare capability, including the ability to engage submarines using air- launched torpedoes.
Below: The first painted P-8A Poseidon aircraft rolls out of the paint hangar at Boeing?s [NYSE: BA] Renton, Wash., facility, displaying its new U.S. Navy livery. The aircraft, designated T-2, is the third of five test aircraft being assembled and tested as part of the System Development and Demonstration contract that Boeing received in 2004. The first test aircraft, T-1, which successfully completed the program?s first flight on April 25, will be painted in the same gray paint scheme later this summer. T-2 was painted in late April. The Navy plans to purchase 108 P-8A anti-submarine warfare aircraft to replace its fleet of P-3Cs. Initial operational capability is planned for 2013. The P-8A is built by a Boeing-led industry team that includes CFM International, Northrop Grumman, Raytheon, Spirit AeroSystems and GE Aviation. Photo: Boeing
EADS North America is positioning a militarized version of the Eurocopter EC145 to compete for the U.S. Army future armed reconnaissance helicopter, when such program is announced. The yet-to-be-built ‘645 is likely to compete with the Boeing AH-6S ‘Phoenix’ scout which lost the previous ARH competition and the Bell 407 that was selected for the ARH but failed to complete development. Similar models of all three helicopters are already in active service with different Army units. EADS has established an industry team comprised of Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] and American Eurocopter that will offer a new armed scout helicopter to be based on the UH-72A Lakota. The new helicopter will be designated Armed Scout 645. EADS North America unveiled the armed Scout helicopter in a full-scale model at the U.S. Army Aviation Association of America’s 2009 Annual Convention in Nashville, Tenn. The Armed Scout 645 will be produced at American Eurocopter’s Columbus, Miss., facility where UH-72A Lakotas are currently manufactured.
EADS is offering a militarized, armed version of the EC-145 helicopter for the U.S. Army armed scout helicopter. Photo: EADS North America
EADS highlights the Armed Scout 645 attributes considered essential for the new mission, including the powerful twin-engine design providing high performance and additional survivability, particularly in the demanding high/hot operating environments called for by today’s Army requirements. The helicopter utilizes a modular weapons systems architecture to ensure low lifecycle costs, maintainability and maximum operational reliability, resulting in high operational readiness rates to meet changing Army mission requirements over time. Its small footprint allows transportation by C-17 aircraft with minimum reconfiguration upon arrival in the operating area. The helicopter’s large, unobstructed main cabin is easily reconfigurable for maximum mission flexibility.
The helicopter will maintain a high degree of commonality with the UH-72A Lakota currently in service. 128 Lakotas have been ordered by the Army, 67 have already been delivered. The U.S. military services are planning to acquire a total of 345 UH-72As through 2016.
The missions of the utility version of the EADS EC-145 (UH-72A Lakota) are being enhanced, the helicopter was recently tested carrying sky divers from the U.S. Army base at Fort Polk, LA Photo: Chuck Cannon
Syria recently launched an improved version of the SCUD-D missile, designed to extend the missile’s range and make it more difficult to intercept, by introducing a separating warhead. The missile can carry a payload of about 700 kg, comprising of high explosive, chemical or biological warfare cargo. The separation of the warhead section makes in difficult for hit-to-kill weapons, seeking the tip of a missile shaped target, since the interceptor must be equipped to perform more complex computation and sense more subtle changes in the target’s behavior, to positively identify the warhead and ignore the exhausted the missile fuel tank and exhausted engine, which provide a much larger and brighter target.
The most recent intercept test perform by the Improved Arrow-2 demonstrated the capability of the Israeli interceptor to identify, track and kill a separating warhead. A similar test failed in 2004, attempted by an earlier version of the Arrow. The Israelis have designed an enhanced target vehicle, known as ‘Blue Sparrow’, tosimulate the trajectory, maneuverability and seperability of missiles such as the Syrian SCUD-D and Iranian Shahab 3. This target missile was used in the recent, successful intercept performed by the Arrow-2 ASIP system.
Reports on Syrian progress in the development of enhanced version of the SCUD have surfaced since 2001, as Syria received the first shipment of SCUDs from North Korea; these missiles were designed to enhance the missile’s range to about 600 km. The first evidence of the Syrian missile upgrade program was realized in 2005, after a Syrian missile diverted from its course and fell into neighboring Turkey. Inspections of remaining parts discovered components that were not in the original North Korean model. Some Chinese made components used in Syrian missile were supposedly used to improve the guidance system. The missile’s range was further enhanced to reach 700 km. The missile’s warhead was also modified to match the chemical warhead the Syrian developed for their North Korean supplied SCUD C missiles. Most recently Israeli sources indicated that Syria began serial production and modifications of Scud C missiles into SCUD D versions, at a rate of 50 missiles per year.
The ‘official’ SCUD-D was developed in Russia, but apparently shelved in favor of the more modern and capable; solid rocket fuelled SS-21 Scarab and its later derivative, the Iskander-M and E (export version). This original, single-stage, liquid fuel powered SCUD-D is believed to have a launch weight of 6,500 kg, its length was 12.29 m and diameter is 0.88 m. The missile could be designed to carry different payload and fuel combinations, providing for different range/payload performance. According to Jane’s missile systems, the SCUD D was originally developed with a separating warhead that represents missile interceptors with more illusive target. Jane’s assumes the separating warhead measures about 25% of the missile length, with a slightly smaller diameter (65 cm). It reports the warhead is equipped with a tip-mounted TV sensor, scene matching computing algorithms and flight control surfaces, derived from the SS-21, enabling the warhead to perform terminal course corrections, providing for final attack accuracy around 50 meter circular error point (CEP). However, despite the similarities between the two configurations it is assumed that the North Korean/Syrian SCUD-D is different from the Russian design with the same designation.
While deliveries of Russian S-300 air- and missile defense systems to Iran are not likely to happen soon, Iran could be getting a more offensive weapon system from Russian ally and neighbor Belarus. The two countries are discussing the delivery of Russian made Iskander-M tactical missile systems to Iran. This is not the first time Iran indirectly obtaining Russian origin offensive weapons – In 2001, Ukraine transferred twelve X-55 nuclear-capable air-launched cruise missiles to Iran. These missiles, also known as Kh-55 Granat (or AS-15 Kent) are capable of hitting targets from a range beyond 3,000 km are designed to carry nuclear weapons.
Compared to the X-55, the single-stage, surface-launched 9M723K1 missile system, capable of hitting targets at ranges of about 500 km (over 300 miles) does not escalate the threat beyond the region since Iran already has several types of weapons that reach beyond this range; however, while improving Iran’s regional attack capabilities, Iskander-M will also boost Iran’s missile engineering capability to a new level. Since the solid-propelled Iskander offers capabilities much superior to Iran’s entire current missile arsenal, it can be assumed that the resourceful Iranian missile experts will carefully study the Russian missile. Iskander represents the next generation over the Scud, which provided the basis for the ‘Shahab’ missile family developed by the Iranians. Undoubtedly, they will implement the knowledge gain to improve the precision and maneuverability of their own missiles.
A new training facility opened this week at Norfolk, UK will provide realistic, comprehensive and relevant training to British troops deploying on operations to Afghanistan and the Middle East. The improvements and construction at the STANTA training area lasted eight months and cost £14 million. The new facility officially opened April 30, 2009 and preparations for the first units to be trained there, the 11 Brigade are underway. The brigade’s unit will start final training next month prior to deployment to Afghanistan in the autumn.
The location is designed as a typical, rural Middle Eastern village and an urban complex, designed by the Operational Training Advisory Group (OPTAG) to replicate as closely as possible the situations which troops could face on operations in the Middle East.
With the help of Afghan nationals and others who take on the role of non combatant (civilians) and insurgents in these training areas OPTAG will be able to replicate the sights, sounds and smells of the Middle East. From the call to prayer heard across a busy market place, a bustling family home, to a network of claustrophobic alleyways with high walls the areas provide for a complex and realistic way to train troops and test their skills under demanding conditions. The training area is used for both live firing and non firing training for 350 days each year. On average 80,000 troops use the area annually.
The facilities at the new STANTA training ground enable live training, wimulating IED attacks and house clearing. Photos: British MOD, Crown Copyright
Finland is investing about $460 million (3 billion NOK/€345) replacing its Russian medium-range air defense systems, introducing western air defense missiles to replace relatively modern Russian made systems, in an effort to streamline its arsenal with NATO standards. Finlands’ Ministry of Defence selected a team of Norwegian Kongsberg Defense (Ticker: KOG) and U.S. Raytheon (NYSE: RTN) to fulfill Finland’s future Medium Range Air Defense Missile System (MRADMS) requirements. The new system is expected to become operational by 2015.
The jointly-developed NASAMS II system won proposed by the Norwegian-U.S. team won over a competing proposal offering a longer range Aster 30 missile (also known as SAMP/T), submitted by the French-Italian Eurosam group. The range of the surface-launched missiles used by NASAMS is ‘over 15 km’. The Aster-30 could kill targets at twice that range. Since the two systems are not comparable in performance, it could be assumed that the selection NASAMS was selected as it enabled Helsinki to acquire more systems for their budget, compensating the limited range with better networking allowing more efficient area coverage. To achieve effective medium range capabilities, Raytheon considered developing an extended range version capable of intercepting targets at a distance of 40 km.
The new system is intended to replace SA-11 (BUK) systems purchased from Russia over a decade ago. Like Aster-30, the SA-11can also intercept targets at ranges twice as far as the new NASAMS. Finland argues the relatively early withdrawal of the Russian made system is necessary due to the lack of compatibility with NATO systems. Although Finland is maintaining its neutrality, the country has steadily drifted toward the west, establishing closer ties with Europe and NATO. Selected for operation by Norway, Netherlands and Spain, NASAMS has been fully integrated with NATO air defenses since 2006, through the implementation of Link-16s with each of the system’s command posts.
The Finnish SISU 8x8 truck configured to carry a battery of six SL-AMRAAM launchers, as part of the NASAMS.
The Finnish system will be based on the NASAMS system, developed for the Royal Norwegian Air Force during the 1990s and fielded in 2007. The system has since been contracted by the Netherlands and Spain. The NASAMS is also deployed for homeland defense by the U.S. Air National Guard. Developed by the Norwegian company Kongsberg Defense and U.S. based Raytheon, NASAMS comprises the Raytheon MPQ-64F2 multifunctional radar, command, control and communication systems designed and built by Kongsberg and the Surface-Launched AMRAAM (AIM-120). The program will also fund €176 for the modernization of Finnish long range radars to be provided by the Thales-Raytheon Systems Company.
“In a Nordic context, this choice of system opens up exciting opportunities for cooperation, operation, maintenance and even further joint Finish-Norwegian evolution of the system”, comments Kongsberg’s Harald Ånnestad. The contractors of NASAMS II program are obligated to 100% offset procurement in Finland. As part of this obligation, 82 lorries produced by the Finnish vehicle manufacturer Sisu Defense are to be procured for €25 million. Sales Director Joonas Uotila of Sisu Defence trusts the co-operation with Kongsberg enhances possibilities to offer also further SISU military truck products for broader international market.Patria will also be provided an undefined work share.
As part of its share of the program Sisu Defence Oy, will provide the Armed Forces of Finland with 82 heavy-duty SISU 8×8, SISU 6×6 and SISU 4×4 off-road military trucks as part of the Defence Forces’ Air Defence System and Air Surveillance System renewal project. Deliveries are scheduled for 2010-2014. The trucks will be manufactured at Sisu Auto’s Raasepori Plant in Finland. 30 of the vehicles to be supplied are of 3-axle SISU E13TP 6×6 model series. These trucks built for transporting the NASAMS Air Defence launchers will be equipped with hooklift systems by Multilift, and with flat beds for the cargo. For the Air Surveillance System project Sisu Defence supplies 12 heavy-duty 4-axle trucks of SISU E13TP 8×8 model series. These trucks will serve as platforms for the mid-range Air Surveillance Radars. Further 40 vehicles are of SISU A2045 4×4 model series introduced in autumn 2008, and meant for serving as support vehicles for the Air Defence and Air Surveillance systems. The current order adds to an earlier order for 234 SISU 4×4 military trucks, awarded by the Defence Forces.
The Improved Sentinel AN/MPQ-64 radar is associated with the Surface-Launched AMRAAM missile system providing early warning and target acquisition. Photo: Raytheon.
The first batch of eight SMDC-ONE nano-satellites developed and built by Miltec Corp. for the U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command (SMDC) was delivered this week to the Army customer at Huntsville, Alabama. The program’s goal is to demonstrate how a constellation of miniature, low-cost nano-satellites spacecraft, each costs about $400,000 perform six months in space, effectively extending tactical communications over-the-horizon.
These miniature satellites, each weighing about four kilograms, are designed to test the performance of nano satellites performing communications data relay missions. The first satellite will be launched in 2009 to be followed by the remaining group of seven being launched at a later date to form a nano-satellite constellation. The Army plans to insert a number of nano-satellites into low earth orbit together, to evaluate their effectiveness in enhancing tactical communications capability.
While the current satellites are designed to perform simple communications relay missions, future versions are being planned with on-board GPS capability for greater autonomy, an additional S-Band communications link supporting higher data transmission capacity, and an embedded software defined radio (SDR) core providing for greater transceiver frequency flexibility and more flexibility supporting diverse radio standards.
According to the Army, because the unit cost for a nanosat is relatively low (less than $1 million per satellite), large numbers for each specific mission could be built and deployed. What a nanosat may lack in performance and reliability when compared on a per-unit basis to a large traditional military satellite, it makes up by its low cost and potential for persistent presence over given theaters of operations through constellation proliferation. A nanosat constellation populated by inexpensive spacecraft could be useful in humanitarian support, stability and support operations and nation building. If a satellite ceases to function, it could be rapidly reconstituted. nanosats can provide coverage across specific regions, as well as globally. The use of nanosats in such a fashion will enable UAV-like performance for communication from spaceborne assets that can provide data directly into theaters of operation.
Ivy Pinion, senior vice president of Miltec Corporation (at right) shake delivers the first SMDC-ONE Technology Demonstration Nanosatellite to Dr. Steven Messervy, U.S. Space and Missile Defense Command/Army Forces Strategic Command deputy to the commander for Research, Development and Acquisition. Photo: US Army SMDC /ARSTRAT by John Cummings.
Two recent contracts awarded by the U.S. Department of Defense unveil yet unpublished UAV development programs underway at Northrop Grumman and Boeing.
On April 29 the U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM) awarded Boeing’s McDonnell Douglas Corp. subsidiary a one-year contract (with four annual options) to build a Mid Endurance Unmanned Aircraft System (MEUAS). The program was announced last December. SOCOM is expected to award another contract anticipating a competition for the final system by the year 2014. MEUAS will be designed to provide Information gathering, Target surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) Services in support of the U.S. Special Operations. The development is managed under Program Executive Office – Fixed Wing at SOCOM. The fixed price contract could be worth up to $250 million. The current obligation was not detailed.
Last week the U.S. Air Force awarded Northrop Grumman about $50 million for research and evaluation of a Small Unmanned Aerial System. According to the vague language of the award, the program “focus on the translation of promising basis and applied research into technology solutions for well-defined military needs and to affect rapid transition of small unmanned aerial system concepts and component improvements to warfighter applications.”
Both companies have not been involved with such fixed-wing designs before. Boeing has been developing the rotary wing A-160T while Northrop Grumman has been developing and flying unmanned systems larger than the small UAVs they are contracted to study.
Diehl Defence has teamed up with Skysec to develop a drone interceptor. Diehl works with Skysec’s subsidiary, Skysec Defence, to modify the original civilian-oriented net-arresting interceptor into a hard-kill system suitable for military missions....
Welcome to the latest episode of Defense-Update News Summary! In this episode, we dive into this week’s developments in defense technology, military acquisitions, and strategic partnerships worldwide.
Some of this week's highlights include:
Elbit Systems...
The French Ministry of Armed Forces has officially launched the Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle (UCAV) program as part of the Rafale F5 standard development. This event marks the beginning of a new era in...
Army Air Defense Undergoes Significant Modernization to Counter Drone Threats
The U.S. Army's air defense branch has experienced its most substantial modernization and growth in over four decades, primarily driven by the need to counter...
Elbit Systems of America showcases the Sigma Next Generation Howitzer at AUSA 2024, where competing systems from Sweden, South Korea, France, and Germany are likely to be presented, some in models, others in full...
Welcome to the latest episode of Defense-Update News Summary! In this episode, we dive into this week’s developments in defense technology, military acquisitions, and strategic partnerships worldwide.
Some of this week's highlights include:
Elbit Systems...
Elbit Systems has signed a 1.5-billion-shekel (approximately $400 million) contract with Israel's Ministry of Defense to establish an aerial bomb manufacturing bombs for the Israeli Air Force. In the past, the government-owned IMI operated...
