Raytheon Unveils Tandem Warhead Bunker-Busting Technology

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Mar 16, 2008

Raytheon Company (NYSE:RTN) demonstrated a new conventional warhead technology designed to defeat hardened and deeply buried bunkers. In a recent test the new 1,000 pound class (454 kg) tandem warhead demonstrated penetration of 19 feet, 3 inches (5.86 meters ) of a 20-foot (6 meters), 330-ton, steel rod-reinforced concrete block, delivering 12,600 pounds per square inch (psi) compressive strength (about twice the pressure generated by existing 1,000 pound weapons). The new large shape-charged test was the first against a target built to withstand pressures of more than 10,000 psi. Most conventional weapons in the same weight class as Raytheon’s precursor warhead cannot penetrate targets rated at more than 6,000 psi.

The new tandem warhead consists of a shaped-charge precursor warhead combined with a follow- through penetrator explosive charge. Raytheon engineers believe Tandem Warhead System, which is lighter and more powerful than current conventional systems, is suited for weapons with long standoff range and greater survivability against enemy threats.

“Bunkers are getting harder and deeper, and high-value ones are extremely well protected,” said Harry Schulte, Missile Systems’ vice president, Strike product line. “The warfighter has a need for increased capabilities against this challenging target set, but because conventional warheads in the inventory can’t meet this requirement, Raytheon self-funded the development of this new warhead.”
“Now that we’ve demonstrated it’s possible to create a conventional warhead that weighs approximately 1,000 pounds and provides unmatched capability, we’re looking at scaling the technology,” Schulte said. “We believe we can place a warhead that uses this new technology on any strike weapon system in the inventory in 18 months or less.”

According to Schulte, innovative engineering techniques enabled Raytheon’s engineers to take the warhead from the drawing board to the proving grounds in fewer than nine months.

Context-Aware Computing Rediscovers Information for Intelligence Analysts

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Mar 15, 2008

Analysts review and file hundreds of pieces of data from multiple sources amid the everyday challenges of interagency sharing requirements and compressed timetables to provide mission-critical intelligence. However, mission success may depend on analysts re-finding that same, now critical bit of data weeks or months after they first discovered it. But making rediscovery even more difficult is how analysts organize their data

Analysts traditionally file data in highly personalized ways, meaning that filing methods across the intelligence enterprise can be quite diverse. As a result, personalization may make it more difficult for analysts to share data files and rediscover the original context of the data.

According to Mark Hoffman, Advanced Technology Laboratories (ATL) technology manager at Lockheed Martin, a new application called Contrail, developed at Lockheed Martin captures the analysts’ trails of discovery and reasoning as well as the items they encountered along the way, helping analysts to ‘rediscover’ stored information, find and share new information, and provide an audit trail for items like capturing lessons learned.

Integrated into an intelligence agency’s computing infrastructure, Contrail’s software builds an explicit, machine-understandable representation of analysts’ contexts by monitoring how they handle information. The technology then builds a personalized software model that automatically tags newly found data, enabling analysts to later retrieve that needed intelligence using metadata, content, or context at time of storage.

Analysts can also share data by using context tags – such as people, places, events, or concepts active when they first stored the data. During searches, Contrail automatically suggests stored items that are relevant by matching the current situational context with that on the tags of stored items.

Contrail was developed in 2007 as a context-aware computing framework that gives the intelligence community the tools to capture, retrieve and share contextually relevant information at reduced time and cost. It was developed as part of the Collaboration and Analyst/System Effectiveness program sponsored by the Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity. Through internal research and development, ATL continues to expand Contrail’s functionality.

Dense Inert Metal Explosive (DIME)

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Mar 15, 2008

Research of Dense Inert Metal Explosive (DIME) technology is planned to integrated into SDB I within the next couple of years. DIME was developed to facilitate precise and focused attacks in densely populated areas, causing focused effect with minimal collateral damage. munitions based on DIME technology will benefit the warfighter in missions where standard munitions would inflict unacceptable collateral damage levels.

The research into DIME technology is conducted by the US Air Force Resarch Lab partnered with Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. This technology was demonstrated in a low collateral damage warhead, allowing a “behind-the-wall” threat prosecution with a highly localized lethal footprint. The warhead case consists of a low-density, wrapped carbon-fiber/epoxy matrix integrated with a steel nose and base. The low-density composite case can survive penetration into a one-foot hardened concrete wall.

Upon detonation, the carbon-fiber warhead case disintegrates into small non-lethal fibers with little or no metallic fragments, thus significantly reducing collateral damage to people and structures. The warhead explosive fill is a dense inert metal explosive containing fine tungsten particles to provide a ballasted payload with sufficient penetration mass. The tungsten displaces energetic material so as to reduce the total energetic used. The net results are higher dynamic energy impulse all within a small lethal footprint.

DIME are among the technologies considered for inclusion in the Focused Lethality Munition (FLM) Upgrades for the Small Diameter Bomb (SDB). FLM exploites focused lethality munitions, which would further reduce a small diameter bomb’s collateral damage. In the FLM, the steel casing will be replaced with one made of carbon fibers, thus eliminating fragmentation effect which, in standard bombs can reach up to 2,000 feet. FY2007 increase of $40.2M for Small Diameter Bomb (SDB) Focused Lethality Munition (FLM) supported teh examination of alternate bomb fills and casings into SDB I preparing for technology integration into SDB I.

Could Premature SpinOut take FCS Out of Synch?

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Mar 13, 2008

The U.S. Army’s Future Combat System (FCS) program comprises 14 integrated weapon systems and an advanced information network. The $160 billion program is the centerpiece of the Army’s effort to transition to a lighter, more agile, and more capable combat force. The program led by Lead Integrators Boeing and SAIC, represent a generation leap in technology, procurement and scale for the army, research and development community and defense industry. The scale of the program, the Army’s acquisition strategy and the cost involved, led to establishment of special oversight and review by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), required to report annually on the program’s progress.

Despite the progress made with the program in recent months, GAO assessed “The progress made during the year by the FCS program, in terms of knowledge gained, is commensurate with a program in early development. Yet, the knowledge demonstrated thus far is well short of a program halfway through its development schedule and its budget”. The report indicated that delayed development progress could lead to increased costs and delays, as the program enters the most expensive and problematic phase of full scale development. “FCS’s demonstrated performance, as well as the reasonableness of its remaining resources, which will be paramount, at the 2009 milestone review for the FCS program.,GAO determines. The report warns that requirements definition and preliminary designs are proceeding but are not yet complete in several of the program’s key areas. “Critical technologies are immature; complementary programs are not yet synchronized; and the remaining acquisition strategy is very ambitious.” GAO continued.

GAO warns that the program is entering a critical path in 2008, as the Army decides to commit on early production of several FCS-related systems (called Spinout I), in advance of the low-rate production decision for the FCS core program in 2013. However, the Army’s commitment to the first spin out may be made before testing is complete. This decision was made in order to field some systems wit the current force, rather than the future FCS brigades, as those systems were determined as offering functions and services urgently required by warfighters today. GAO warned that production commitments should be planned after key information on all related systems is available. The Army intends to commit to production of early versions of the Non-Line-of-Sight Cannon this year. This commitment is being made to respond to congressional direction to field the cannon.

GAO warns that the cost of the program, currently set at $160 billion could prove underestimated. Two independent cost assessments made recently are significantly higher than the Army’s estimate. While the Army reduced the content of the program from 18 systems to 14, and plans to further reduce the number of platforms if further cost control measures fail, GAO indicated that if those higher cost estimates prove correct, it seems unlikely that the Army could reduce FCS content enough to stay within the current ceiling while still delivering a capability that meets requirements. The GAO report recommended that clear criteria will be set for the program in time for the 2009 ‘go/no go’ decision; The report also recommends that the viable alternatives to FCS should be considered prior to that decision.

US Outlines its Counter-IED Strategy: Attack the Network, Defeat the Device and Train the Force

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Tamir Eshel

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Mar 13, 2008

The latest information on the improvised explosive devices (IEDs) was the focus of remarks delivered by Joint IED Defeat leadership at a recent Arlington, Va. government-industry summit. The 2008 Counter-IED Summit, sponsored by the Institute for Defense and Government Advancement, is a forum that focused on understanding and reducing the current IED and EFP threats. The recent event was held in Washington in January 2008. Attendees included senior level professionals from military units, government agencies, contractors and technology service providers. The Counter-IED Summit 2008 was sponsored by Defense Update.

The Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization (JIEDDO) kicked off the summit with an overview of the evolving threat. Established by the Department of Defense, JIEDDO’s mission is to support combatant commanders in their efforts to counter IEDs.

In his keynote address, Navy Capt. Jeff Trumbore, JIEDDO Division Chief, Technology and Integrations Requirements Division described JIEDDO’s mission and commented on the recent decline in the number of IED incidents in Iraq. Trumbore is responsible for the technology requirements and technology solutions for countering IEDs.

“IEDs are the weapon systems and there is a variety of weapon systems in subcategories underneath IEDs,” Trumbore told his audience. “We have been effective, the surge has worked; the technology pieces that have been put in place have had an impact. It has shifted the enemy’s tactics and has quieted the enemy down.”

JIEDDO’s strategy focuses counter IED efforts using three lines of operation: Attack the Network, Defeat the Device and Train the Force. “‘Attack the Network’ is one of the biggest areas where JIEDDO has made progress; we enable the services to go after the network,” Trumbore explained. “Attack your enemy before they can take action.”

Fighting The Network

JIEDDO supports units conducting offensive operations through improvements to intelligence collection, information operations, forensic exploitation and surveillance. These initiatives become long-term Service programs of record that provide an enduring Counter-IED (C-IED) capability to the warfighter. One highly successful program targeting IED networks is the Law Enforcement Professional program. After noting similarities between organized crime and IED networks, JIEDDO funded the LEP program to leverage the knowledge and skill of former law enforcement experts to attack the IED network activities. It has enabled the services to disrupt the vast network by expanding operations beyond emplacers and target the finances, explosives, supply line of parts and the brains that build IEDs.

Unmanned airborne systems have also been highly successful in providing surveillance capability for counter-IED efforts. A successful counter-IED initiative that has been transferred to the Army within the last year is Warrior Alpha, an unmanned airborne system with intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilities. “Putting ISR assets over the target is critical to giving the folks in theater air detection capabilities,” Trumbore said. “JIEDDO has sent six initiatives to the Services under the detect air capability.” Trumbore also highlighted the importance of training. ‘Train the force’ is a key element of the JIEDDO strategy. JIEDDO supports initiatives that will provide the latest training, equipment, tactics and information to deploying service members. Between fiscal year 07 and fiscal year 09, JIEDDO funded 26 initiatives to assist the services in conducting training. This training dramatically increases the warfighter’s ability to perform C-IED tactics and saves lives.

C-IED Training for the Warfighters

Through its Joint Center of Excellence, a training arm headquartered at Fort Irwin, JIEDDO supports the Services to provide realistic training in all facets of defeating IEDs including identification of the devices and their components. Service members preparing to deploy train with the latest C-IED tactics and equipment that mirror the systems they will employ in Iraq and Afghanistan. “You can put all the technology out forward, but if you don’t have a solid training program you have not thought through the how to train the soldier to use this technology,” Trumbore said. “A lot of the technology that has been proposed to JIEDDO is something only a PhD can use. The soldier in the field must be able to put the technology to use.”

One example is the Counter Radio-Controlled Electronic Warfare (CREW). JIEDDO funded the purchase of 35,157 CREW systems, a new-generation jammer that has cut in half the number of remote controlled IED attacks in Iraq. “CREW has been extremely effective and has driven the insurgents to other tactics,” Trumbore said. “It is moving to the Services as programs of record, they have proven their worth.”

To train service members on how to use the equipment, units are exposed to six types of CREW devices they will find in theater, namely, the vehicle-mounted Duke and the man-portable Guardian systems. Additionally, the JCOE has trained over 1,400 personnel in Electronic Warfare (EW) training, including three EW courses that prepare CREW operators to employ the systems to best effect. “We enable the services to come up to speed with new counter IED training, not at the speed of the Pentagon but at the speed of the tactical environment,” Trumbore said. “JIEDDO has the ability and funds to make quick changes to influence the training base of the Services prior to sending folks overseas.”

Lastly, Trumbore spoke about initiatives that defeat the IED itself. Defeat the Device works to enhance commanders’ freedom of action for safe operations and to reduce the effects of IED detonation at the point of attack. “‘Defeat the Device’ is tangible,” Trumbore said. “You can see it, put armor on a vehicle, give a detector to someone, and add sensors and new capabilities, as the route clearance package, but the only problem with Defeat the Device is that you already have lost the battle, since the IED is already in place.”

Near and Long Term Solutions

During 2007, JIEDDO continued to fund commercial-off-the-shelf solutions and develop capabilities to ‘defeat the device’ and reduce the effects of IED detonations. These include armor packages for vehicles, route clearance blowers for suspicious roadside litter and the modular mine roller system are examples where JIEDDO’s initiatives are saving people’s lives every day.

The long-term threat posed to U.S. strategic interests by IEDs requires continuing support from industry and government. In the last year, JIEDDO received 1335 technology initiatives from which 89 were funded for Joint Urgent Needs of Warfighters. JIEDDO’s new Broad Area Announcement (BAA) containing guidelines for technology developments was posted on the JIEDDO website Feb. 8, 2008. The BAA contains the latest information targeted for what deployed units need now.

“From a training industry perspective, we need help with surrogates to provide realistic training without violating FAA rules,” Trumbore explained. “We need persistent ISR capability on platforms that already exist. We need “plug and play capability” in theater where you can swap out sensors, adding to mission capability. We are not interested in unique assets without a supply chain.”

JIEDDO will be holding its semi-annual JIEDDO Technology Outreach Conference April 8-10 2008 in Denver, Colorado. For more information, email questions to [email protected]. To submit a proposal, visit the JIEDDO Bids Portal at www.jieddo.dod.mil and click on proposal submission.

Could Premature SpinOut take FCS Out of Synch?

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Mar 13, 2008

The U.S. Army’s Future Combat System (FCS) program comprises 14 integrated weapon systems and an advanced information network. The $160 billion program is the centerpiece of the Army’s effort to transition to a lighter, more agile, and more capable combat force. The program led by Lead Integrators Boeing and SAIC, represent a generation leap in technology, procurement and scale for the army, research and development community and defense industry. The scale of the program, the Army’s acquisition strategy and the cost involved, led to establishment of special oversight and review by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), required to report annually on the program’s progress.

Despite the progress made with the program in recent months, GAO assessed “”The progress made during the year by the FCS program, in terms of knowledge gained, is commensurate with a program in early development. Yet, the knowledge demonstrated thus far is well short of a program halfway through its development schedule and its budget”. The report indicated that delayed development progress could lead to increased costs and delays, as the program enters the most expensive and problematic phase of full scale development. “FCS’s demonstrated performance, as well as the reasonableness of its remaining resources, which will be paramount, at the 2009 milestone review for the FCS program.,GAO determines. The report warns that requirements definition and preliminary designs are proceeding but are not yet complete in several of the program’s key areas. “Critical technologies are immature; complementary programs are not yet synchronized; and the remaining acquisition strategy is very ambitious.” GAO continued.

GAO warns that the program is entering a critical path in 2008, as the Army decides to commit on early production of several FCS-related systems (called Spinout I), in advance of the low-rate production decision for the FCS core program in 2013. However, the Army’s commitment to the first spin out may be made before testing is complete. This decision was made in order to field some systems wit the current force, rather than the future FCS brigades, as those systems were determined as offering functions and services urgently required by warfighters today. GAO warned that production commitments should be planned after key information on all related systems is available. The Army intends to commit to production of early versions of the Non-Line-of-Sight Cannon this year. This commitment is being made to respond to congressional direction to field the cannon.

GAO warns that the cost of the program, currently set at $160 billion could prove underestimated. Two independent cost assessments made recently are significantly higher than the Army’s estimate. While the Army reduced the content of the program from 18 systems to 14, and plans to further reduce the number of platforms if further cost control measures fail, GAO indicated that if those higher cost estimates prove correct, it seems unlikely that the Army could reduce FCS content enough to stay within the current ceiling while still delivering a capability that meets requirements. The GAO report recommended that clear criteria will be set for the program in time for the 2009 ‘go/no go’ decision; The report also recommends that the viable alternatives to FCS should be considered prior to that decision.

Excalibur GPS Artillery Projectile Debut in Afghanistan

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Mar 10, 2008

Soldiers fired the first 155mm GPS-guided Excalibur artillery round in Afghanistan Feb. 25. The Excalibur was fired using the M-777A2 155mm howitzer. The M-777 is designed to be a digitally programmed weapon and is about 9,800 pounds lighter than the more commonly used M-198 Howitzer and is reportedly more accurate. The fuze setting was performed by Enhanced Portable Inductive Artillery Fuse Setter, placed on the tip of the round, sending a digital message containing the coordinate for the round to find. Photo: Staff Sgt. Jamare Cousar and Staff Sgt. Darius Scott (right), both deployed with Charlie Battery, 3rd Battalion, 321st Field Artillery Regiment, inspect the Army's new GPS-guided Excalibur round before firing it Feb. 25 for the first time at Camp Blessing, Afghanistan. Photo: US Army

“The main purpose of the M-777A2 is that it is more able to help the units in the Korengal Valley by providing more timely and accurate fire,” said Army Capt. Ryan Berdiner, 28, commander of C Battery, 3rd Bn., 321st FAR.” By using the Excalibur, we are mitigating a lot of collateral damage that other rounds may cause,” said Scott. “The Excalibur round travels farther and is designed to hit targets that conventional ammo does not always hit,” said Army Staff Sgt. Darius Scott of C Battery, 3rd Battalion, 321st Field Artillery Regiment.

Photo: Staff Sgt. Jamare Cousar and Staff Sgt. Darius Scott (right), both deployed with Charlie Battery, 3rd Battalion, 321st Field Artillery Regiment, inspect the Army’s new GPS-guided Excalibur round before firing it Feb. 25 for the first time at Camp Blessing, Afghanistan.

Text & photo: Sgt. Henry Selzer, U.S. Army 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team.

Europe First? Al Qaeda Targets New Global Terror Strategy

By

David Eshel

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Mar 8, 2008

At the European Security conference in Munich, last February, US Defense Secretary Robert Gates told European nations that they were under direct threat from Islamist extremists and that this phenomenon would not go away. His warning followed Western intelligence services which already established operational links between al-Qaeda in Afghanistan and the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) whose goals include striking at the heart of Europe. (see our analysis: Defeated in Iraq Al Qaeda Migrates to Maghreb – Next Stop: Europe). “I am concerned that many people on this continent may not comprehend the magnitude of the direct threat to European security” the secretary lamented. Gates warned: “The threat posed by violent Islamic extremism is real – and it is not going away. Europeans knew “all too well” about the Madrid bombings that killed 191 people in March 2004 and the attacks in London that left 56 dead in July 2005, but further from the spotlight there had been “multiple smaller attacks” in cities from Glasgow to Istanbul”, Secretary Gates said.

Al-Qaeda has not made any secrets of its eagerness to target Europe. Indeed, Osama bin Laden’s number two, Ayman al-Zawahiri, has repeatedly threatened Europe. In September 2006 he appeared in a video website on the fifth anniversary of the 11 September attacks, urging to punish France as prime target for Islamist militants. Pierre de Bousquet de Florian, then head of the DST (domestic security service), said the threat of terrorist attack in France remained “very high and very international”.

In fact, the Islamic terrorist group continues to be the most serious terrorism threat to Europe, said Gilles de Kerchove, newly appointed coordinator of counter-terrorism efforts among EU member states, speaking to the European Parliament, last November. He mentioned European converts to radical Islam having had a hand in several recent terrorism plots on European soil, including a foiled attack in Germany in 2007. German counter terrorist authorities claimed of up to 50 Islamic militants linked to the three men were suspected planning to assassinate the head of Germany’s federal police, Joerg Ziercke. Two German citizens and one Turkish national were arrested in connection with the plot. They allegedly trained in terrorism camps in Pakistan before founding the domestic cell of an al Qaeda affiliate inside Germany.

Also, last September, based on information provided by US intelligence, German counter terror agents arrested three members of an al-Qaeda cell that planned to bomb Frankfurt airport and the nearby US military air base at Ramstein. This network allegedly had ties to other European countries, since the explosives seized were similar to those used in the London plots. The investigation also showed that the alleged terrorists had connections to both Pakistan and Syria. Another important fact revealed that two of the three were Muslim converts. However, thanks to the outstanding job of counter-terrorism services, fortunately, al-Qaeda’s only major success in Europe in 2007 was the June 30 attack on Glasgow airport that killed one and injured five. That attack had followed two foiled car bombs in the center of London that could have killed hundreds, had it been successful. The scheme was nicknamed the “doctors’ plot,” because it was planned by foreign doctors who resided in Britain.

In Spain, which is also a major target for Islamic terrorism, security services dismantled an al-Qaeda affiliated terror cell almost exclusively manned by Pakistani, except for a single Indian member. It was planning a terror attack in Barcelona. The local newspaper El Pais reported, that interrogations revealed a wave of planned attacks in Germany, France, Britain and Portugal.

Britain’s intelligence Chief Jonathan Evans has also spoken out against domestic radicalism, saying that the number of individuals in Britain with suspected terrorist links has risen to at least 2,000 in 2007, compared with less than 1,600 in 2006. “As I speak, terrorists are methodically and intentionally targeting young people and children in this country,” he said in a speech to the Society of Editors Conference in Manchester. “They are radicalizing, indoctrinating and grooming young, vulnerable people to carry out acts of terrorism.”

Tom Fingar – a former State Department intelligence officer and currently, chairman of the National Intelligence Council (NIC), an office, under the director of national intelligence, that leads the joint National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) drafting process – expressed concern about the possibility of Europe-based terrorists attacking the United States, citing the ease of travel from European countries. His concern is very real: For example, a convicted terrorist known as Dhiren Barot, a Hindu Indian by birth, converted to Islam, worked as an airline ticket and reservations agent in Central London, when he was arrested by British agents in 1994. Now serving a thirty-year sentence in a British prison, Barot had “reconnaissance plans” of buildings in New York and Washington, including Citigroup, the New York Stock Exchange, and International Monetary Fund headquarters.

Another terrorist, Younis Tsouli, a Moroccan born UK resident, who recently pleaded guilty to terrorism charges in Britain, was an administrator of an online jihadist forum. On his laptop, authorities discovered a folder labeled “Washington” containing video clips of the U.S. Capitol grounds and the World Bank’s D.C. headquarters. US counter terrorist agents claim that terrorists from European countries face far fewer obstacles to infiltrating the United States. A majority of them can make the trip legally under the visa waiver program. In addition, many of them speak English and have experience living in Western countries, making it far easier for them to adapt to life in America.

An extremely interesting study on the cultural threat, posed by Islamic terror on Europe was published in “The Washington Quarterly” Summer 2004 edition, by Timothy M. Savage, a former U.S. foreign service officer, titled “Europe and Islam: Crescent Waxing, Cultures Clashing”. According to Savage, the world of Islam may do more to define and shape Europe in the twenty-first century than the United States, Russia, or even the European Union. The Islamic challenge that Europe faces today is twofold: Internally, Europe must integrate a ghettoized, but rapidly growing Muslim minority, that many Europeans view as encroaching upon the collective identity and public values of European society. Externally, Europe needs to devise a viable approach to the primarily Muslim-populated volatile states, stretching from Casablanca to the Caucasus, that are a currently focus of the EU’s recently adopted security strategy. Mr. Savage warns that the European-Islamic nexus is spinning off a variety of new phenomena, including the rise of terrorism; for instance, the emergence of a new kind of anti-Semitism; the shift of established European political parties to the right and the recalibration of European national political calculations.

According to Timothy Savage’s study, Europe’s track record of engagement with Islam over the last 1,350 years is not very encouraging. Although trying to explore some new initiatives, Europeans seem still inclined to pursue a status quo approach, at home and abroad, preferring caution, predictability, control, and established structures over the required boldness, adaptability, engagement, and redefined relationships that the new demographic challenges require. A similar mind-set is evident among Europe’s Muslim population. With more than 23 million Muslims residing currently in Europe, already comprising nearly 5 percent of the population, the danger exists that, if suitable accommodation is not reached in time, current dynamics will likely yield a Europe, that not only faces increased social strife, national retrenchment, and even civil conflict domestically, but also could well succumb to a “Fortress Europe” posture, signaling even its political decline on the international stage.

JIEDDO’s Information Systems are Targeting IED Support Networks

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Mar 7, 2008

The strategy developed by the U.S. DoD Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization (JIEDDO) focuses counter IED efforts using three lines of operation: Attack the Network, Defeat the Device and Train the Force.

’Attack the Network’ is one of the biggest areas where progress has been made. JIEDDO supports units conducting offensive operations through improvements to intelligence collection, information operations, forensic exploitation and surveillance. These initiatives become long-term service programs of record that provide an enduring C-IED capability to the warfighter.

In August 2006 JIEDDO established the Counter-IED Operations Integration Center (COIC) to focus on attacking enemy networks employing and assisting IED supporters, producers, trainers and operators. COIC also provides an avenue for strategic reachback to collaborative, fused, multi-source information and knowledge resources across critical DoD, government, industry, academic organizations and agencies. Through COIC’s fused intelligence products, formerly highly classified intelligence is now available at the secret level, making it accessible to warfighters at the tactical level.

One highly successful program targeting IED networks is the Law Enforcement Professional program. After noting similarities between organized crime and IED networks, JIEDDO funded the LEP program to leverage the knowledge and skill of former law enforcement experts to attack the IED network activities. It has enabled the services to disrupt the vast network by expanding operations beyond emplacers and target the finances, explosives, supply line of parts and the brains that build IEDs.

The insurgents who place IEDs in Iraq and Afghanistan are often supported by organized networks that finance their operations, supply critical elements for the production of IEDs, create the devices and plan and execute attacks. The new system implements powerful analytics to gain critical, data driven insight into the structure, character, interactions and methods associated with those networks. By analyzing data from myriad sources the new system can identify and analyze the linkages between individuals and groups that may indicate a support network.

Text based information resources such as email and articles can be used with text processing applications such as SAS Text Miner (picture here), to uncover information hidden in document collections, by analysing a elements with common intelligence values and predictive models.

Terrorists Tracks Uncovered by Information Data-Mining

Along its effort to combat the networks supporting the IEDs and their producers and operators, JIEDDO has recently launched a new intelligence collection and analysis system aiming to uncover and target the operational, financial and social networks involved in IED deployment. The system was implemented by system integration specialist SAS and Detica, a developer of data analysis tools.

Detica and SAS combined to provide an analytical solution that addresses the challenges of data access, integration, quality and management. Following this ground work, JIEDDO can now integrate existing data from all relevant sources, and with advanced analytics and reporting capabilities, provide exploitable information to field commanders in theater.

The JIEDDO solution uses several tools, including data and text analysis, predictive modeling and optimization. Analysts and other end users receive detailed intelligence developed using data driven investigative techniques and link analysis based on social network theory. While the concepts are leading edge, it is a proven technical solution currently running in both government agencies and commercial businesses in the UK and the US. Analysts are provided with client tools and customizable report creation and delivery capabilities that provide intelligence in the most appropriate format for decision makers and other end users. The solution is also customizable to be implemented at all levels of security classification.

In the modern and developed world, where most of those support networks operate, government agencies and the business sector generate unprecedented volumes of data. Customer profiles, organizational operational performance, and personal behaviour of individuals are monitored by multiple sevice providers.
Some data resides in structured form in databases or exists as real-time streams. Some exists in unstructured form, for example as e-mails, electronic documents or media files. Whatever the form, there exists huge potential to transform these data into relevant intelligence to improve business decision-making.

Before the solution could be deployed, JIEDDO had to address various data challenges. Until recently, much of the data received from multiple sources in theater, from DOD and other US government agencies, was not integrated or coordinated with data developed by other units or agencies, it usually remained unstructured or lacked a common format or vocabulary. Also, data quality was problematic because of the amount that was manually keyed or handwritten, the lack of standard format and templates, and the variety of sources.

SAS is the leading business intelligence and analytical software specialist, providing services to the business and government customers. Specializing in information-intensive areas of security, fraud containment, risk management, regulatory compliance and customer management Detica is also a supplier of information processing systems to the national security market. The companies developed effective tools to handle huge and complex data sources, building systems that aggregate and analyse data to generate useful and relevant intelligence. “SAS and Detica have worked closely with JIEDDO to create a solution that will work toward helping our armed forces fight back against the most effective weapon in the insurgent arsenal,” concluded Tom Mazich, SAS Vice President of Government Operations.

NATO Establishes Core Geographic Services

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Mar 6, 2008

An industry team led by Siemens Enterprise Communications (SEN) and ESRI will develop the Core Geographic Services project that will provide the baseline for the all the alliance’s geospatial systems currently under development. This core will establish a common ground establishing the Geographic Information System (GIS) standards for effective and timely cooperation and collaboration between NATO staff, from the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) to NATO’s deployable headquarters (HQ).

Common standards will enable commanders, analysts, and other NATO network users to fuse geospatial content from Core Geographic Services with other forms of information for command and control, intelligence, and logistics applications. The Core Geographic Services form a key architectural building block in support of NATO’s service-oriented architecture (SOA).

The system will be based on ESRI’s ArcGIS server which provides services to NATO staff through a Web viewer and to other NATO systems through standard Open Geospatial Consortium, Inc. (OGC), interfaces. For geospatial analysis NATO’s staff will use ESRI’s ArcGIS Desktop with Job Tracking for ArcGIS (JTX) workflow manager.

Maveric Micro UAV

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Mar 5, 2008

At AUVSI 2008 Prioria Robotics, Inc. launched a new version of the MAVERIC. A small system, carried and launched by a single-person, Maveric operates as an autonomous UAS, controlled by Peoria’s Merlin operating system which has unique collision avoidance capabilitiesdesigned into its embedded-vision navigation. Another unique feature of the Maveric is its bendable, carbon fiber wings, allowing storage in a six-inch tube and deployment in less than two minutes with no assembly.

The airframe is manufactured from lightweight composite materials. These algorithms improve the vehicle’s performance in obstacle-saturated airspace, as in urban area, or in dense woodland. Other skills available in the maverick include target tracking, target identification and precision collision (guided strike).

The Maveric weighs only two pounds fifty and is designed to carry a payload weight of 200 grams; standard payload includes a forward looking color video camera and another, side looking sensor accommodating either video or IR camera.At AUVSI 08 the company unveiled two redesigend versions of the Maveric, the Maveric 100 equipped with fixed camera and the ‘150, carrying a retractable gimbaled payload and forward looking fixed camera.

The bird shaped Maveric weighs about 2.5 pounds and is powered by an electrical motor which is inaudible beyond 100 meters. It can fly missions of up to 50 minutes at a speed of 35 mph, or maximum airspeed of 60 mph, at altitudes of 50 – 25,000 ft. Maximum range is 27 km. At the end of its mission, Maveric will return to a predetermined point for skid landing.

Porcupine Active Protection System

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Mar 3, 2008

Porcupine RPG countermeasure assembly, under development at Northrop Grumman, integrates a pack of interceptors (4 or 8) mounted on remotely controlled weapon station side by side with an XM307 crew served weapon. These countermeasures utilize modified LAW rockets, which are aimed and programmed to explode near the incoming rocket, thus neutralizing its warhead at a stand-off distance form the protected vehicle.

Defexpo 2008 Review

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Mar 1, 2008

India’s Arms Procurement Programs Discussed at the Defexpo 2008
India’s Bi-Annual Arms Bazzar (updated March 2008)

The Indian Ministry of Defense is planning to double its arms procurement and spend over US$ 20 billion (over Rs 120,000 crore) – more than twice the amount spent in the past 10 years on an annual basis. In the next four years, on the procurement of new weapons and hardware, these opportunities would probably be the highlights of Defexpo 2008 and Air Power India conference, that took place in New Delhi in February 2008. The conference was sponsored by Defense Update. About 450 companies are participating in DefExpo maritime and land warfare exhibition, of which about 300 are international defense industries from 30 countries.

Russia, India’s largest arms supplier has ongoing contracts worth about US$15 billion, representing about 60% of India’s recent arms imports. Russian Prime Minister Viktor Zubkov arrived in India this week (February 12) for the opening ceremony of the Year of Russia in India and promoting military-technical cooperation. In past years Russia provided India almost all the arms it required but in recent years New Delhi has widened its gates for other suppliers, from Europe, Israel and most lately – the USA. As a result, Indo-Russian arms cooperation is under pressure, as international defense manufacturers attracted to the sub-continent’s lucrative arms market.

On the table are major naval acquisition programs, including buying six submarines for abut $2.3 billion and $3 billion worth modernizations of India’s artillery corps. The later could include 140 light howitzers, 400 towed 155mm guns and 180 truck-mounted self propelled guns. India continues to buy Russian Su-30MKI and T-90S tanks and is expected to produce about a thousand supersonic Brahmos-1 missiles, developed and produced under an Indo-Russian cooperation. Development of a future hypersonic version of the missile dubbed Brahmos-2 is already underway. The Navy has three new frigates on order, these are also planned to be equipped with the Brahmos. Refitting of the Russian Navy aircraft carrier Admiral Grushkov for the Indian Navy is also in the planning. The two countries signed a contract worth $1.2 billion for the modernization but since signing the contract, the cost of the program was escalated dramatically, affected by cost raw materials, exchange rate and cost of work. At present Russia demands $1.5 more for the work.

Air defense programs are also shifting away from traditional Russian systems. As India is developing an indigenous air defense system – the Akash, it also selected systems for future replacement of the SA-3 (Pechora), dropping plans to upgrade the aging Russian missiles. Conclusion of the long overdue procurement of Israeli Spyder short-range air defense systems is nearing, while additional deals are underway with IAI, for a joint development and production of a land-based derivative of the Barak-8 advanced naval air and missile defense missile.

By far the largest program is the planned procurement of 126 multi-role combat aircraft (MRCA) for the Indian Air Force, as part of a US$10 billion buy. But other programs are also making attractive prospects for international aerospace and defense manufacturers. New Delhi is currently evaluating the Boeing F/A-18E/F, Dassault Rafale, Eurofighter Typhoon, Lockheed Martin F-16, Saab Gripen, MiG-35 and Sukhoi Su-35. Formal submissions of proposals are expected within a month. (March 2008). Regardless of the winner of the MRCA competition, India is participating in the development of a fifth generation Russian fighter aircraft and is expected to share future production to equip its air force units sometime in the next decade.

Only few weeks after scrapping a 197 helicopter contract, won by EADS’ division Eurocopter, New Delhi is launching a new tender for the supply of 312 light military helicopters, as the Air Force merged its requirement for future light helicopters with the Army and navy. The Indian Air Force also plans to acquire two squadrons of modern attack helicopters and about six heavy lift helicopters. The light helicopters will replace the Chetak and Cheetah helicopters (license built Alouette II and III). Replacement of these 30 year veterans was planned for next year but due to the new procedure, it is expected to begin only in 2011, the earliest.

Under a parallel program, the IAF approved a contract to buy six Lockheed martin C-130J transport aircraft in a deal worth one billion dollars. These aircraft are intended for India’s special forces. The Indian Navy is in final contract negotiations for the procurement of eight Boeing P-8i Posedon Long-range maritime reconnaissance (LRMR) worth about two billion dollars. India also considered an alternative platform based on the Airbus A-319 but finally opted for the U.S. aircraft. Given these two contracts are signed this year, the U.S. could become India’s largest weapon supplier surpassing Russia and Israel which average US$1.5 and US$1 billion sales per year in recent years. The UK is also sharing the prosperity of the Indian shopping spree. BAE Systems is also being rewarded for their patience and dedication in their 18 year the Hawk trainer, In 2004 British Aerospace signed a contract to deliver 66 aircraft worth about US$1.45 billion dollars. India is now planning to order 40 additional Hawks to strengthen its advanced trainer fleet.

New Naval Systems

India is planning the acquisition of acquiring six new hunter-killer submarines and seven new frigates. India is already building six French designed Scorpene class diesel electric powered subs, scheduled to enter service in the next decade. The new submarine is expected to be larger than the current Scorpene, and its armament suite is expected to include a larger land attack missile, considered to be part of the country’s strategic deterrence triad. The new submarine program is expected to draw the same companies only recently competed for the current program, including French naval company DCNS, Spanish Navantia, the German submarine building consortium HDW and Russian submarine builder Rubin. India currently has 16 submarines in service and in production, part of them are Russian Amur class subs.
A different program currently taking shape is the Navy’s Project 17A, in which the Indian Navy plans to introduce seven new frigates. The Indians are expected to evaluate several designs, including U.S, European and Russian designs.

Opening to International Cooperation

As already mentioned here, two of the leading aerospace programs offered by Lockheed Martin are the F-16I multi role fighter and C-130J tactical transport. Other systems offered to India are the Sniper advanced targeting pod and Hellfire II guided missiles. Lockheed Martin believes that India could be the largest defense market in Asia with $20 billion in possible air force, navy and communications contracts over the next decade, an executive said on Tuesday. “For Lockheed Martin, the potential market in India is probably the largest in Asia Pacific,” Richard Kirkland, Lockheed Martin’s President South Asia, told Reuters on the sidelines of the Singapore Airshow. Last month the company announced the planned sale of six C-130J Hercules transport planes to India as part of a $1 billion sale. India has an option to add six more aircraft to its order. Lockheed Martin is also competing on the MRCA program and plans to respond to an upcoming Indian bid for surface vessels, for which it is ready to offer the AEGIS weapon system, and submarine modernization as well as communications programs. Lockheed Martin is also promoting the Patriot PAC-3 to satisfy New-Delhi’s air and missile defense requirements. For naval air defense, Washington is also offering various tactical missiles and precision engagement systems based on the MLRS/GMLRS system.

Northrop Grumman promoted the advanced Hawkeye (E-2D) at DefExpo 2008. This aircraft will be able to provide aerial early warning and control to air and surface elements operated by the Indian Navy, over land and at sea. Another systems promoted by Northrop Grumman in India is the FireScout RQ-8B, vertical Takeoff and Landing UAV. Northrop Grumman is also offering some of its naval vessel designs to India, primarily the LPD 17 San Antonio class amphibious transport ship, and corvette size offshore patrol frigate, based on the coast-guard Cutter being built in the U.S.

France was the second largest participant at Defexpo 2008. Both Indian Air Force and Navy are currently operating French systems. The IAF flies the French Dassault Mirage 2000 with two squadrons, which are to be upgraded in the upcoming year to sustain 25 additional years in service. Six French designed Scorpene class submarines are currently being built for the Indian Navy, at the state-owned Mazgaon Dockyard. France is hoping to receive a follow-on order for six additional subs later this year. The French Thales group is also scheduled to begin the upgrade six of the Indian Navy’s Soviet-era minesweepers. AgustaWestland, member of the Italian Finmeccanica group is interested in competing for the expected tender to supply new helicopters to the Indian Navy.

As India opens its doors for cooperation with multinational and foreign defense contractors it has also enforced tougher offset rules, requiring foreign suppliers to spend 30% of each program with local industries. Therefore, DefExpo 2008 is providing a meeting point where between local industries and foreign companies can where they can locate local partners to fulfill their offset obligations. On the long run, this move is expected to infuse more capabilities and technologies to India’s domestic defense industries.

The government is also changing some rules of the sales process, revamping its Defense Procurement Policy (DDP) by introducing a new mechanism to register arms agents, therefore streamlining their activities both domestically and overseas. This could avoid scandals such as the recent cancellations and delays experienced on multiple contracts.

Joint Ventures Announced

Privately owned companies partly owned by foreign enterprises can now compete for defense contracts if the equity owned by the foreign entity is les than 26%. Furthermore, under the new regulations to enter by April 2008, some private firms will be entitled to the same benefits and tax exempts currently reserved to government owned companies. Large companies such as Tata Power, Larsen & Tourbo, Mahindra & Mahindra and Bharat Electronics are well positioned to benefit from these regulations and have already launched joint ventures with foreign corporations. The Defense Research & Development Organization is going to acquire a new role of a scientific center. It will also be the main distributor of orders to private companies.

The French naval company DCN announced plans to establish an India-based subsidiary called DCNS India, to be based Mumbai. The new company is expected to link up with Indian joint venture partners capable of offering specialized services, design and maintenance contract. DCNS already partners Mumbai’s state-owned Mazagon Dock Ltd. in building six Scorpene submarines for the Indian Navy. The company is scheduled to deliver the first submarine by 2012 and subsequent submarines every year over the next five years. Scorpene submarines, fitted with BrahMos missiles, could be part of the mix of conventional and nuclear undersea firepower that India proposes to acquire over the next decade. Indian Navy is likely to lease a nuclear submarine from Russia next year. DCNS has recently signed agreements with Kirloskar Oil Engines for integrated platform management systems and with Walchandnagar Industries Ltd. propulsion system parts for the next generation ASW (anti-submarine warfare) corvettes being built for the Indian Navy.

A joint venture has already been signed with Italy’s Whitehead Alenia Sistemi Subacquei (WASS), a subsidiary of the Finmeccanica Group and Bharat Electronics, to develop underwater weapon systems. WASS is promoting its Black Shark heavyweight torpedo for the Indian Scorpene submarines. The company has an ongoing cooperation with India’s Bharat Dynamics in the underwater systems sector. A different division of the Indian company – Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd has obtained from Oto Melara a licence to produce 76mm naval cannons. This licence could be extended to cover production of 127mm cannons, which are currently the subject of a tender process for installation on the Indian Navy’s new class of destroyer.

One of India’s leading vehicle manufacturers, Mahindra & Mahindra, is expecting to capture up to 60% of the military vehicle’s requirements estimated at $5 billion over the next decade. The bids are likely to be made through the company’s subsidiary Mahindra Defense Systems by forming joint ventures with global equipment manufacturers.

Indo-Israeli Relations Tightened

Relations between Israel and India have improved in the last decade, particularly after the Kargil war, when Israel rushed special assistance to aid India in time of war. Since then, India invested massively in military buildup, becoming Israel’s largest defense export destination in Asia. Bilateral relations, which were sofar based on government-to-government basis, have recently been expanded to the industrial and business sector, as Israeli defense industries are establishing Joint Ventures (JV)s to promote their interests in the subcontinent, improving their ability to meet New Delhi’s new offset regulation. Some of these JVs were announced at DefExpo 2008 exhibition in February.

Rafael announced preliminary agreement to establish a joint venture company with Bharat Electronics Ltd, India’s largest defense electronics company. The new JV will focus primarily on defense electronics associated with missile systems. Elbit Systems already has a JV with BEL, focusing primarily on electro-optics and thermal imaging systems. Last year Elbit Systems has also launched the HALBIT JV with Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) and and Merlin Hawk Associates Pvt Ltd, focusing on avionics parts and simulation systems for military and commercial applications.

Israel Aerospace Industries has an ongoing cooperation with several Indian companies, among them cooperative development and international marketing associated with helicopters and other aerospace systems; IAI recently also chose an Indian satellite launcher to carry its latest radar equipped spy satellite Tecsar into orbit. This week IAI signed an memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Tata Group, for the establishment of a JV associated with aerospace and defense. The joint company will focus on development, production, and providing customer support for a wide range of products, including missiles, unmanned systems, radars and electronic warfare systems used for military and homeland security applications. Other joint activities are still shrouded by secrecy, under the Indian-Israeli defense cooperation agreement.

Tata Industries announced an agreement for jointly exploring opportunities with Urban Aeronautics, an Israeli designer of innovative vertical take-off and landing aerosystems. Tata has also decided to invest in the Israeli company. Tata is interested in local production and marketing of Urban Aviations’ Fancraft technology for the Indian market. Urban Aviation is exploring several applications of the Fancraft technology, including a twin turbine powered transportier capable of carrying 12 people, a single turbine powered unmanned aircraft for with payload capacity of 250 kg and a small, electrically powered surveillance mini UAV.

The following articles are included in this review:

Singapore Formulates Requirements for New Advanced Training Jets
New Radars, Targeting Pods to Enhance Singapore’s Airpower
Unmanned Aerial vehicles at the Singapore Airshow
Singapore Establishes a Networked Air Defense Capability
Asia-Pacific Air Powers Address Asymmetric Threats & Cooperation
Afghan Missions Are Shaping NATO’s Priorities
Airpower Fighting Terror – the Israeli Style
India’s Arms Procurement Programs Discussed at the Defexpo 2008

Airpower Fighting Terror – the Israeli Style

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Mar 1, 2008

The Commander of the Israel Air Force, Maj. General Elyezer Shkedy discussed the role of the air power in confronting challenges in fighting terror, speaking at the 4th Global Air Power Conference held in Singapore on Feb 18. The Israeli general presented some of the achievements of the Air Force, the results of meticulous preparations that started following the 1991 Gulf War, when Israel was pounded by repeated attacks of Iraqi SCUD missile, which neither Israeli, nor the U.S. led coalition forces could track, locate or destroy.

During the second war in Lebanon, in 2006, the Israeli Air Force managed to destroy within few hours, the entire long and medium range missile force secretly deployed by Hezbollah, hidden in protected, secured locations throughout the country. General Shkedi illustrated the complex and challenging aspects of fighting asymmetric warfare, with the Israeli Air Force engaging enemy targets as they seeked shelter near, or within populated areas, in mosques, schools or hospitals. To address those challenges, Israel developed unique capabilities enabling rapid decision making, with aerial platforms seeking to destroy time critical targets within less than a minute. According to Shkedi, almost every medium range multiple launcher rocket was hit and destroyed within 1-7 minutes from the time it launched the first rocket.
One such example was demonstrated in a video, showing a multiple rocket launcher firing only four rockets before it is hit and destroyed by Israeli precision guided weapons.

Other examples introduced by the commander, demonstrated electro-optically guided weapons, providing a crisp view of targets concealed in foliage, as the missile’s nose mounted camera unveils the hidden target as it closes-in for the kill. Neither the Second Lebanon War or the current ongoing conflict with the Palestinians in Gaza have provided decisive results but General Shkedi argues that the facts prove the viability of airpower in fighting terrorism – “As the Israel Air Force improved its process, gaining more significant role in the fighting over Gaza. This capability eventually led to a decision to withdraw from the Gaza Strip in 2005, in the so called ‘Disengagement’ which, unfortunately did not bring peace and quiet to the area. Since then, the Air Force was the dominant force in the area, culminating in 54% of the terrorist kills in 2007. “In specific operations the Air Force achieved 70% of the kills” said Shkedi.

He also emphasized that in the decision to employ airpower Israel did not compromise on reducing collateral damage and risk to innocent lives. As we improved our methods of operations, collateral damage was reduced from a ratio of 1:1 in 2002 to an average of 98 terrorists killed with a single innocent killed in the second half of 2007. This has happened while air activity over Gaza increased dramatically during this period.

However, Shkedi is cautious about emphasizing the counter-terror role of air power, while neglecting other levels of warfare. Air power has relative advantages in a limited, low intensity conflict. But this is only one facet of modern warfare – we are facing other challenges, including high intensity conflicts with neighboring countries where the Israel Air Force is required to establish air dominance, and more distant threats, from countries with whom we do not share borders, where air power provides the major relevant force.

Defense-UpdateMilitary Technology & Defense News

Defense-UpdateMilitary Technology & Defense News

Terrorists Tracks Uncovered by Information Data-Mining

New Naval Systems

Opening to International Cooperation

Joint Ventures Announced

Indo-Israeli Relations Tightened

The following articles are included in this review:

The following articles are included in this review:

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