Air&Cosmos International magazine - issue 1

AIR&COSMOS

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AIR&COSMOS

aircosmosinternational.com N° 1 - 23rd February 2018

MRO

FIGHTING FOR A PIECE OF THE

PIE US $19 - 1300 INR - 15 EUR - 120 CNY - 70 AED

Tensions in South China Sea l Maritime surveillance platforms l Next-generation air-to-ground weapons l French suppliers target Asia l Global space launch review

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editorial Hubert de Caslou Publishing director

SPECIAL PREVIEW

AIR&COSMOS

A new focus Air&Cosmos International is a new, 100% digital magazine marking the latest step in the international development of the Paris-based aerospace media group, Air&Cosmos.

The publication, which builds on the editorial resources of the Air&Cosmos team in France and overseas, covers the latest products, markets and operations in Industry, Civil Aviation, Defence and Space.The primary geographical focus is on continental Europe, Southeast Asia and the Middle East.

Five issues a year will be distributed via digital channels. In accordance with long-term media partnerships, a selection of these issues will be printed and distributed at major international trade shows: ILA in Berlin and Helitech in Amsterdam in 2018.

In France and Europe, the Air&Cosmos brand has been synonymous with excellence in aerospace reporting and analysis for over 50 years.Today we are taking advantage of the possibilities oered by digital technology to reach a wider international audience with a new product oering a selection of Air&Cosmos features in English.

Aerospace exports and international partnerships have never been more important for European industry. French aerospace industries association Gifas reported 86% of sales from exports last year. So we have a shared interest in reaching these international markets.

We hope you enjoy reading Air&Cosmos International.

FLY Airbus is a global leader in aeronautics, space and related services with a workforce of around 134,000. Airbus offers the most comprehensive range of passenger airliners from 100 to more than 600 seats. Airbus is also a global leader in providing tanker, combat, transport and mission aircraft, as well as Europe’s number one space enterprise and the world’s second largest space business. In helicopters, Airbus provides the most effi cient civil and military rotorcraft solutions worldwide.

Together. We make it fly.

airbus.com

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CONTENTS

AIR&COSMOS

SPECIAL PREVIEW

MRO: fighting for a piece of the pie ..............................................................................................6 AFI KLM E&M, Sabena technics launch Singapore JV ...............................................10 French suppliers target Asia: Oralia presents next-generation distress beacon ...........................................................15 Jacques Dubois pursues growth ambitions...........................................................................16 Aquarese eyes Southeast Asia ..................................................................................................17 Socomore consolidates Asian operations ...........................................................................18 Cefival on the hunt for new customers .....................................................................................19 Axon’ Cable opens Singapore subsidiary ................................................................................20

Territorial disputes in South China Sea ...................................................................................22 Maritime surveillance: something for everyone..............................................................26 Air-to-ground weapons: next generation in sight..........................................................30 Global space launch market review for 2017 ...................................................................32 All articles translated by Duncan Macrae

AIRBUS

AIR&COSMOS

N° 1

Art and design: Mourad Cherfi Production: Frédéric Bergerat Coordination : Duncan Macrae Editors: Yann Cochennec, Justine Bocquet, Jean-Baptiste Heguy, Emmanuel Huberdeau Copy editor: Duncan Macrae Advertising: Cyril Mikaïloff Business development: Henry de Freycinet Publishing director: Hubert de Caslou

Cover photo: SEPANG Hangar / AIRBUS SOCIÉTÉ DES ÉDITIONS AIR & COSMOS (SAS)

S.A.S. au capital de 1.000.000 € Siret 632 008 702 000 37.

Siège social : 157, boulevard Macdonald 75019 Paris (France) Principaux actionnaires : Discom S.A.S. et Hubert de Caslou

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© AIR COSMOS ISSN 1240-3113 - Dépôt légal à la date de parution Numéro de commission paritaire : 0215 T 86120 Distribué par Presstalis - Impression : Imprimerie Léonce-Deprez Toute reproduction des textes et documents est interdite, ainsi que leur utilisation à des fins publicitaires. Les textes de publicité sont rédigés sous la responsabilité des annonceurs. Ils n’engagent pas « Air & Cosmos ». Pour garantir son indépendance, « Air & Cosmos » se réserve le droit de refuser (même en cours de programme) toute insertion publicitaire sans avoir à justifier sa décision. Copyright 2015.

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CIVIL AVIATION

MRO

FIGHTING FOR A PIECE

OF THE PIE

Sepang Aircraft Engineering is now a fully owned subisidiary of Airbus.

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N° 1 23 RD FEBRUARY 2018

AIR FRANCE INDUSTRIES KLM ENGINEERING & MAINTENANCE / P. DELAPIERRE

TO MEET GROWING DEMAND FROM ASIAN CARRIERS, THE LEADING PLAYERS IN THE MAINTENANCE, REPAIR AND OVERHAUL (MRO) SECTOR, SUCH AS AFI KLM E&M, SABENA TECHNICS AND AIRBUS, ARE CONTINUING TO COVER THE MARKET THROUGH SUBSIDIARIES AND PARTNERSHIPS. REVIMA GROUP HAS CHOSEN TO SET UP A LOCAL FACILITY.

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CIVIL AVIATION

wo figures are enough to underline the importance of the MRO market in Asia — $600bn over the next 20 years and 36% of the world market. “Asia is a key market for sales of new aircraft today and for the next 20 years,” notes Laurent Martinez, Head of Services by Airbus, which includes MRO activities, training of pilots and technicians, and cabin interior refurbishing.

Anne Brachet, executive vice-president of Air France Industries KLM E&M, shares the same vision: “The Asian market is very active, and we are seeing a rapid acceleration in this part of the world.We have 50 customers in the region and we are providing

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MRO services for a fleet of almost 1,000 aircraft.” Low cost carriers are clearly the main contributors to this acceleration.

These companies are growing rapidly and prefer to outsource their MRO activities.

An example is AirAsia, which has awarded AFI KLM E&M the equipment support contract for its fleet of A320neos, which will eventually number more than 300 aircraft.The contract is similar to the one signed with Cebu Pacific Airways, which covers both the existing fleet (over 40 A320ceos) and aircraft yet to be delivered (A321neos).The fleet will double in size by 2021. Another local customer is South Korea's Jeju Air, which relies on AFI KLM E&M for support of its CFM56-7B engines.

PRIORITY.

All airlines share the same overriding priority — ensure maximum availability for their aircraft, which are in service for more than 10 hours a day. Hence the presence of a local stock of parts in AirAsia's facilities in Kuala Lumpur or Cebu Pacific which enjoys local pool access. “It's clearly an industrial issue.We have to be close to the customer to meet availability requirements,” comments Brachet.

Hence the decision to create a joint venture with SabenaTechnics, which already operates a 2,600m2 component repair shop in the Seletar aviation cluster (see page 10).

“We know Sabena Technics well; sometimes they also work for us,” says Brachet.The equally-owned joint venture offers customers a chance to curb costs and reduce turnaround times.

“It's clearly an industrial issue. We have to be close to the customer to meet availability requirements.”

Anne Brachet, executive vice-president of Air France Industries KLM E&M

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CIVIL AVIATION The need to find local industrial partners also led AFI KLM E&M to sign MoUs with GMF AeroAsia of Indonesia.The first agreement, signed at the last Singapore Airshow, covered several areas of cooperation:AFI KLM E&M’s global MRO network would provide engine and component support for the Garuda Indonesia Group’s Boeing and Airbus fleet, for example, while subcontracting maintenance services to GMF for Boeing 747 airframe support in addition to component and engine support.

Under a second MoU,AFI KLM E&M and GMF AeroAsia agreed to intensify their existing cooperation in the field of engine, component and airframe support.

The second MoU accelerated the collaboration between the two companies by opening a dedicated project office and launching an exchange programme between experts.The two companies said they would focus on trade synergies and collaborate more closely on systems integration and data exchange.

Under the most recent agreement, signed in August, the two companies signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) under which their cooperation moved up a stage to become a strategic alliance designed to develop a range of multi-segment MRO products delivering high value-added maintenance solutions for the market. The partners said the products jointly developed by the two companies would be deployed in the Airframe, Components and Engines products sectors and possibly beyond.

Services by Airbus has adopted a similar approach based on local partnerships. “Partnerships are part of our DNA,” declares Martinez.Though the MRO alliance launched by Airbus in June does not yet have a member in Southeast Asia, Services by Airbus has an MRO subsidiary in Malaysia, Sepang Aircraft Engineering, and a joint venture with SIA Engineering Co, announced

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REVIMA

SYNERGIES.

Revima plans to set up an MRO site in Asia.

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CIVIL AVIATION at Singapore Airshow 2016, which has been operational since December 2016.

The entity, called Heavy Maintenance Singapore (HMS) Services, is 35%-owned by Airbus and focuses on providing airframe maintenance, cabin upgrade and modification services for Airbus A380, A350 and A330 aircraft to airlines in the Asia-Pacific region and beyond. HMS Services aims to become the Airbus Centre of Excellence for Heavy Maintenance for the A350 and A380 in the region. Initial contracts included a full range of MRO services for Singapore Airlines' A330 fleet and the upgrade of the airline's A380 passenger cabins. The company is performing similar engineering work for Qantas Airways A380s.

The decision by Airbus to acquire full ownership of Sepang Aircraft Engineering (SAE) is another move to establish a local presence in the fast growing Asian market. In September 2017, SAE celebrated the opening of a second hangar to deal with increasing demand. The MRO now has a combined floor area of some 50,000 square metres.The first hangar can accommodate up to six single-aisle aircraft or two widebody aircraft, while the second hangar can accommodate two A320 aircraft at any time for major maintenance checks. It also features Malaysia’s first eco-friendly closed-door dedicated paint bay, as well as state-of-the-art workshops for the repair and overhaul of a wide range of aircraft components, including hydraulic and pneumatic systems.

REGIONAL INVENTORY.

In addition to its commercial aircraft activities, SAE provides spare parts and technical support services to the Royal Malaysian Air Force’s fleet of A400M military airlifters.The facility also houses a major regional inventory of spare parts for Airbus single-aisle and wide-body aircraft for airlines that have selected the Airbus Flight Hour Services (FHS) total

23 RD FEBRUARY 2018 N° 1

support package for their fleets.

Ultimately, Sepang Aircraft Engineering is destined to become what Martinez calls “an innovation flagship for servicing Airbus commercial aircraft”.

Some of these innovations will be unveiled at Singapore Airshow 2018.They follow the MoU signed in 2016 with Singapore's Economic Development Board to establish a programme to develop technologies to improve the efficiency of aircraft maintenance.The result of the agreement will be a unique demonstration platform and test bed for developing solutions to the chal-

an aircraft when it rolls into the hangar to digitalised inspections and employing 3D printers to make spare parts on site.

MRO LAB.

Meanwhile, AFI KLM E&M has no intention of leaving Services by Airbus the monopoly in MRO innovations. It has launched its MRO Lab Singapore, a "co-innovation" centre launched in partnership with RAMCO Systems (a supplier of software systems for the MRO sector).The MRO Lab Singapore is directing its research efforts towards strategic

Sepang Aircraft Engineering is destined to become “an innovation flagship for servicing Airbus commercial aircraft”.

Laurent Martinez, senior vice-president of Services by Airbus

lenges and trends facing aircraft maintenance, repair and operations (MRO) entities.These challenges include cost pressures, increasing competition and a rapidly changing business environment. Under the “Future Hangar Initiative,”Airbus and its partners are exploring technologies for improving the efficacy and speed of aircraft maintenance and repair – everything from performing a complete scan of

AIR&COSMOS

areas that will help to optimise the Group's aircraft maintenance services in terms of reliability, performance, and costs.

New developments are expected, especially in areas such as wearable technology (to enhance technician mobility), Big Data predictive maintenance, artificial intelligence, maintenance process optimisation, customer experience, and the Internet of Things

While the major players are solidly established in the region through subsidiaries and/or partnerships, Revima Group is currently looking to establish a foothold.The company could take advantage of the show to unveil the site for its future Asian facility.

Three countries in the region have submitted proposals, and the new MRO facility is due to be operational by 2020.

EXPANSION.

The site will allow the group — an independent provider, specialized in landing gear and sheet metal MRO for civil and military aircraft — to develop its singleaisle aircraft activities and expand its activities on Boeing 737 landing gear and associated equipment.

The facilities, which are due to be operational within 18 months, will initially focus on landing gear for the A320 family, followed by the Boeing 737.

Revima Group president Olivier Legrand explains: “This new centre will provide increased proximity for our customers, high-quality service and a substantial reduction in transportation costs.The project has attracted strong interest, with three countries offering incentive packages to host the new maintenance site.”

The new centre is expected to boost the Asian share of group sales from 30 to 40% over the next three or four years. It will subsequently be accompanied by a customer support centre.

The company clearly believes that strength of demand gives it an opportunity to carve out a niche alongside the growing interest of the airframers in the MRO segment.

It does not see the arrival of new data platforms like Skywise (Airbus) and Analytx (Boeing) as a threat. Legrand sees Revima playing a complementary role to Airbus and Boeing on landing gear. He notes that the Big Two do not have their own landing gear repair shops.

■ Yann Cochennec

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CIVIL AVIATION SINGAPORE COMPONENT SOLUTIONS to double the workforce to 200 staff in 2022. A broad array of capabilities will be developed over the next three years, including the installation of a high-tech ATEC avionics test cell, Air Cycle Machine bench, pneumatic and hydraulic valve test fixtures.

The shop will support its mother companies on their different power-by-the-hour (PBH) contracts, and it will also offer Time & Material component repair services on ATR and A320 fleets to third party regional customers. Customers include IndiGo which has signed a component support contract with AFI KLM E&M covering 30 ATR 72-600s including repairs, dedicated pool access, provision of a Main Base Kit (MBK) and logistics support.

The new Singapore facility will play a key role in providing services for IndiGo.

AFI KLM E&M, SABENA TECHNICS INAUGURATE NEW JV THE JOINT VENTURE – CALLED SINGAPORE COMPONENT SOLUTIONS – IS ONE OF THE FIRST MULTI-PRODUCT MULTI-FLEET MROS TO SET UP A COMPONENT AIRCRAFT REPAIR SHOP IN SINGAPORE.

Sabena Technics and AFI KLM E&M have joined forces in Singapore. even months after finalizing their partnership agreement, AFI KLM E&M and Sabena technics have announced the opening of Singapore Component Solutions (SCS) with an official ceremony held during the Singapore Airshow.

The joint venture is headed by

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co-CEOs Jacques Montmayeur and Thibaut Campion.

ATRs, the JV has added the A320 family to its repair offering, covering a broad array of avionics, mechanical, hydraulic and pneumatic components as well structural parts and Cabin & Safety equipment. SCS aims to combine the strengths of both partners to address the needs of

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AFI KLM E&M and Sabena technics customers throughout the region, intending also to work on new contracts with third-party customers.

INCREASED FOOTPRINT.

In 2018, the company plans to increase its footprint by taking over three new buildings at Seletar Aerospace Park. It also aims

AIR FRANCE INDUSTRIES KLM ENGINEERING & MAINTENANCE / P. DELAPIERRE

GLOBAL NEWORK.

Anne Brachet, Executive Vice President AFI KLM E&M, says that the venture marks a new stage in AFI KLM E&M’s development of a global MRO network that combines a strong industrial home base in Europe and a growing local presence for our clients.

She explains that the new entity will operate on a complementary basis with the group’s existing and future service centres throughout the region and with the worldwide component support industrial footprint, comprising Barfield in the United States, Max MRO Services in India, AFI KLM E&M Components China in Shanghai and AMES in Dubai.

Jacques Montmayeur describes Singapore Component Solutions as an unparalleled opportunity for the two groups to rapidly ramp up their capacity while simultaneously remaining flexible and responsive.

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■ Yann Cochennec

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CIVIL AVIATION A350-1000 irbus handed over the world’s first A3501000 to launch customer Qatar Airways at a delivery event in Toulouse, France on 20th February.The aircraft is the first of 37 A350-1000s ordered by the carrier and is the first Airbus aircraft fitted with the innovative QSuite seats, offering the firstever double bed in Business class.

Qatar Airways is the world’s largest A350 XWB family customer, with 76 aircraft on order, and the largest A350-1000 customer.

The A350-1000 will complement Qatar Airways’ existing fleet of 20 A350-900s, with which it shares a high degree of commonality.Airbus says that passengers will enjoy more personal space, optimised cabin altitude, more fresh air, controlled temperature & humidity, integrated connectivity and the latest generation of in-flight entertainment system.

The A350-1000 is Airbus’ largest widebody twin, offering

A

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LED lighting.

QATAR FIRST TO

a range of 8,000nm (14,800 km) at entry into service.With a 7mlonger fuselage, the A350-1000 space for premium cabin products is 40% larger than its smaller sibling, the A350-900. In Qatar Airways configuration the A3501000 offers 44 additional seats.

The A350-1000, which received EASA and FAA certification in November, features a modified wing trailing-edge, new six-wheel main landing gears and more powerful RollsRoyce Trent XWB-97 engines.

■ Staff writer

RECEIVE A350-1000

AIRBUS HAS DELIVERED THE WORLD’S FIRST A350-1000 TO LAUNCH CUSTOMER QATAR AIRWAYS, WHICH HAS ORDERED 37 AIRCRAFT.

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QSuite seating.

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CIVIL AVIATION REGIONAL AIRCRAFT ORDER BOOST IN 2017.

NEW CONTRACTS

FOR ATR

ATR

ATR HAS SIGNED CONTRACTS WITH BANGKOK AIRWAYS AND BERJAYA HOTELS & RESORTS, UNDERLINING THE REGION’S ROLE AS A KEY MARKET FOR THE REGIONAL TURBOPROP BUILDER.

angkok Airways and ATR have signed a contract for the purchase of four additional ATR 72-600s.The signing ceremony took place at the Singapore Airshow,The $100m deal is valued is part of the airline’s ongoing modernisation of its regional fleet around the ATR 72-600s.

Today, Bangkok Airways operates a fleet of 15 ATR aircraft – nine ATR 72-600s and six ATR 72-500s that are being progressively replaced with the introduction of the new ATR -600s. Deliveries of the four additional aircraft; configured

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with 70 seats, will take place between October 2018 and March 2019.

Also in Singapore, ATR announced a deal to sell two preowned ATR 42-500s to Berjaya Hotels & Resorts, which plans to use the aircraft to launch air services to the Malaysian island of Redang where the hotel group has two resorts.

The two aircraft will be reconfigured with a new interior featuring 36 passenger seats, and will be given a special livery featuring a sea turtle. Berjaya Hotels & Resorts will own the aircraft but they will be operated by its sister company Berjaya Air. The Asia-Pacific region is

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ATR’s largest market globally, accounting for over one-third of the global fleet. As of today, around 420 aircraft in the world fleet of almost 1,200 ATRs are in Asia-Pacific.The region ranks first in terms of number of ATRs in operation.

Of the top ten countries in the world, in terms of ATR fleet size, four are in the Asia-Pacific region.The leader is Indonesia with 99 aircraft (ranked first globally), followed by Malaysia with 47 aircraft (fifth), India with 46 aircraft (sixth) and Myanmar with 34 (tenth).

About one half of the ATR order backlog is from operators in Asia-Pacific.

ATR reported a total of 113 firm orders in 2017 — all for ATR 72-600s in passenger and cargo versions, representing a value of around $3bn.The total constitutes a threefold increase from the 36 orders logged in 2016.

The year was dominated by big orders from IndiGo (50 aircraft), FedEx (30) and Iran Air (20), which accounted for all but 13 of the aircraft sold during the year. The year-end order book represents around three years of production.

A total of 80 aircraft were delivered: 70 new-build ATR 72600s, eight new-build ATR 42600s and two pre-owned aircraft.

The delivery total is unchanged from 2016.

The company reported sales of $1.8bn, including $300m from maintenance and training activities. 300 ATR aircraft — out of a total fleet of 1100 — are now covered by the comprehensive total care support Global Maintenance Agreement (GMA).

The primary target markets going forward are India, China and the U.S. The company is hopeful that other Indian carriers could follow the example of IndiGo. ATR sees a demand for around 300 turboprops per year in China. CEO Christian Scherer says that discussions between AESA and the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) on certification of the ATR 72-600 are moving forward and will hopefully be concluded in the coming months.

Ambitions in the U.S. market received a boost with the recent agreement between ATR and lessor Nordic Aviation Capital (NAC) for 15 ATR -600s — 12 ATR 42-600s and three ATR 72-600s. These aircraft, along with five from an earlier order, will be leased to Silver Airways, which will become the first operator of ATR -600 series aircraft in the U.S.

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■ Staff writer

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INDUSTRY

FRENCH

rittany-based Orolia made its first appearance at Singapore Airshow 2018, unveiling its next-generation emergency locator transmitter (ELT). In a region still haunted by the mysterious disappearance of Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, professional visitors are sure to be interested in this system for automatically tracking commercial aircraft in all phases of flight.The company officially kicked off its marketing campaign at the show.

The 2018 edition of the show was not a first for Normandybased Jacques Dubois.This year, the company is aiming to shift into higher gear on the Asian market, which for now only represents 5% of total sales.At the show, the company will be looking to identify local distributors for its products in the Internet of Things (IoT) — connected tools and data sensors — and electromagnetic compatibility sectors.

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and tests Trent engines at its Seletar facility, and with Pratt & Whitney, which is producing fan blades and critical turbine rotating components in Singapore for the PurePower family of geared turbofan engines.

SUPPLIERS

TARGET

ASIA

GROWING DEMAND.

AROUND 20 SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED FRENCH SUPPLIERS EXHIBITED AT THE RECENT SINGAPORE AIRSHOW UNDER THE UMBRELLA OF GIFAS, THE FRENCH AEROSPACE INDUSTRIES ASSOCIATION.

While Cefival is working on the creation of a subsidiary in Asia, Axon' Cable has already done so, less than one year after setting up a technical office in Singapore.

In response to growing demand, the company — a specialist in cabling, interconnect solutions, cable assemblies, connectors and mini systems for high-tech applications — has decided to use Singapore as a hub to serve mar-

SPREADING THE WORD.

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GIFAS pavilion at the Singapore Airshow.

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Aquarese, now part of the Shape Technologies group, is continuing to spread the word in Southeast Asia about its knowhow in water jet cutting and other ultra-high pressure (UHP) manufacturing processes. The show is of particular interest as Singapore and neighbouring countries are carving out an increasing share of the civil engine maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) market.The company already works with Pratt & Whitney, Aeroedge and AIDC (Taiwan) and hopes to add engine-makers Rolls-Royce and General Electric, both of whom operate facilities in the region, to the list.

The MRO sector is clearly a target market for Socomore, a specialist in the preparation, protection, treatment and inspection of metallic and composite materials for aerospace applications.

The company has set itself a target of growing the proportion of sales in Asia to 20%. Some of this will come from Japan but also from China, where the company is a partner in a new facility set to open in mid-2018 that will produce industrial chemicals for the Chinese aerospace market.

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Cefival's objective at the Singapore Airshow was to expand its customer base.The company — a specialist in steel and titanium extruded profiles for aerostructures and aeroengines — already supplies parts for the CFM56, GE90 and GP7000. It was hoping to finalise discussions with Rolls-Royce, which assembles

kets in Malaysia, Indonesia and Australia.

Six suppliers — each with their own expertixse and their own know-how — who are targeting the Asian market with timelines determined according to the company's origins, past experience and current issues.

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■ Yann Cochennec

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INDUSTRY FRENCH SUPPLIERS TARGET ASIA

Alain Bouhet (left), Helios programme leader, and Frédéric Ménard, head of aviation projects, with the Kannad Ultima distress beacon.

OROLIA PRESENTS NEXT-GENERATION

DISTRESS

BEACON he Singapore Airshow was the ideal venue for Orolia to present the latest addition to its product line — not least because airlines in the region are still haunted by the memory of the mysterious disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370.

Orolia, which specialises in resilient positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) solutions, chose the venue to take the wraps off its latest emergency locator transmitter (ELT), the Kannad-Ultima Distress Tracking Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT-DT).

Orolia's McMurdo division is leading the development of next-generation emergency locator beacons under the European Commission's Helios project, in partnership with Airbus, Air France-KLM, French space agency CNES and Cobham.

The project is seeking to develop a new system that can be used to automatically track commercial transport aircraft during all phases of flight.

Christian Belleux,Aviation & Military Product Line Director at Orolia, explains that the company is particularly focused on

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the distress phase.The KannadUltima features a programmable “trigger-in-flight” capability, which detects imminent distress situations by analysing flight events and automatically sends a distress signal including the aircraft position. The Return Link Command Service enables an activation from the ground if there is uncertainty about the aircraft status or if attempts to communicate with the flight crew are unsuccessful — a capability that was demonstrated in laboratory tests in November 2017.The system is designed to take advantage of the capabilities offered by Europe's Galileo global navigation satellite system.

LESS THAN 2KG.

The Kannad-Ultima ELT-DT will be fully compliant with ICAO's Global Aeronautical Distress Safety System (GADSS) concept and the latest FAA requirements for lithium batteries.

Weighing less than 2kg, the unit will be located in the rear section of the aircraft and is designed to transmit a distress signal every five seconds for a period of 24 hours.

Orolia kicked off its marketing

AIR&COSMOS

OROLIA

THE COMPANY UNVEILED ITS NEW EMERGENCY LOCATOR TRANSMITTER (ELT) AT THE SINGAPORE AIRSHOW, WHERE IT ALSO AIMED TO CONSOLIDATE ITS PRESENCE IN THE DEFENCE SECTOR.

campaign for the new system during the show.It is already attracting interest from the airframers, who will be able to offer the system on new-build aircraft as of 1st January 2021. It will also be available for retrofit on existing aircraft as of the end of 2019.

During the show, the company also continued efforts to consolidate its position in the defence sector. It already supplies distress beacons to number of air forces in the region (Singapore, Taiwan, Malaysia …). It recently signed a contract to equip Sea Hawk helicopters operated by the Japan Air SelfDefence Force. Also in the defence sector, following a development contract signed with the U.S. Army, Orolia is developing a new generation of lightweight personal distress beacons for ground troops under different operational scenarios.

Orolia already comprises seven companies in France, the U.S., the UK, the Netherlands and Russia, but is anxious to further extend its worldwide presence.

Following an initial commercial office in Beijing, it recently opened a new office in Singapore.

It has also established a foothold

in Morocco. Taken together, these developments will result in a change of scale — sales are set to jump by a factor of three within five years, to 300M€.

The company plans to push ahead with its external growth strategy. Its most recent acquisition, announced in April 2017, was Netwave, a leader inVoyage Data Recorders (VDRs) for the global maritime market and a specialist in automated vessel monitoring and integrated safety services.

END-TO-END SOLUTIONS.

Three years earlier, the company had acquired Technoscience, marking a major step in its ambitions to develop its activities in the aviation sector. Christian Belleux explains that the acquisition of Technoscience, a specialist in ground stations for the CospasSarsat programme, positioned Orolia as the only company capable of supplying a single-vendor, end-to-end Cospas-Sarsat emergency solution from distress beacons to satellite communications to mission control centres equipped with search and rescue management software.

■ Olivier Constant

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INDUSTRY

JACQUES DUBOIS PURSUES GROWTH

AMBITIONS THE NORMANDY-BASED SME IS LOOKING FOR NEW OPENINGS IN ASIA THROUGH A LOCAL NETWORK OF DISTRIBUTORS. IT IS ALSO READY TO RESPOND TO CLIENTS' CONCERNS REGARDING CRITICAL SIZE.

Voiriot says the company will be counting on the French system of voluntary business placements and on continuing support from the French aerospace industries association, GIFAS. He indicates that sales on the Asian market could be increased by a factor of four over the coming five years. At present, he adds, the region accounts for just 5% of total sales.

The Internet of Things (IoT) is seen as one of the sectors offering the greatest growth potential for the company.Voiriot says the company is aiming to develop IoT applications in the aerospace/defence sector, including connected tools and environmental data sensors (e.g. for

Marketing and technical director Nicolas Roger assembles a connected product prototype.

he French SME Jacques Dubois is banking on its long experience to break into the Asian market.The company was founded in Barentin, near Rouen in 1937. At the time it produced knitted metallic products. It entered the aerospace/defence market in the 1980s.Today this sector accounts for 75% of sales. The company specialises in technical products, including electromagnetic shiel-

T 16

ding and products used for Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) applications. The company is also present in the space sector.

The company made its second appearance at the Singapore Airshow, as part of a proactive approach to the Asian market. It is actively looking for local distributors, with a special focus on Singapore, Malaysia, India, Japan and possibly South Korea, according to company CEO Thierry Voiriot.

www.aircosmosinternational.com

air quality and communication network monitoring).

The company is also looking to satisfy demand for defence equipment operating in everhigher frequency ranges.Accordingly, it is developing new products for electromagnetic compatibility applications and for frequency ranges that are not currently covered (up to 40GHz).

These systems are destined for sensors and countermeasures for aircraft and missiles.

RAMP-UP.

The coming ramp-up in deliveries of the Dassault Rafale combat aircraft, for which Jacques Dubois produces electromagnetic shielding for embedded equipment, will have a beneficial impact on the company's activities over the coming years.

A positive impact can also be expected from the company's participation, as of the end of September 2017, in the GIFAS Ambition PME-ETI programme.This initiative — supported by the state-owned investment bank, Bpifrance — is an accelerator programme providing support for small and medium-sized companies.Voiriot explains:“Jacques Dubois is experiencing growth problems.

The GIFAS programme gives us the opportunity to put ourselves in a position to facilitate our quest for growth and formalise our internal and external development strategy. Potential targets for a second external growth operation, following the acquisition completed a few years ago, will give us the possibility to acquire new competences that we are currently lacking, e.g. in the electronics sector.We are also very interested in the Internet of Things. Depending on the target we identify, we will be able to raise funding to complete the acquisition.”

The PME-ETI programme will also include an external consultant appointed by GIFAS to enable the company to identify its current weak points and help it to define a strategic development plan for the period 2018-2023.

The results of the company's efforts to achieve critical size could be spectacular.Voiriot sees the company potentially increasing its sales volume and workforce by a factor of three or even five by 2023.

In the meantime, the company plans to continue to beef up its R&D efforts, in which it is already investing 15% of sales.This proportion is set to increase to 20% over the next five years.

AIR&COSMOS

■ Olivier Constant

N° 1 23 RD FEBRUARY 2018

J. DUBOIS

FRENCH SUPPLIERS TARGET ASIA

INT001_014_015.qxp_Mise en page 1 22/02/2018 17:00 Page9

INDUSTRY round 10 years after diversifying into the aerospace sector, French SME Aquarese made its second appearance at the Singapore Airshow, this time with its own stand, in an effort to raise its profile in Southeast Asia. The company highlighted its know-how in water jet cutting and other ultrahigh-pressure (UHP) processes.

New perspectives have opened up for Aquarese since it was acquired by Shape Technologies in July 2016. The opportunity to develop its business in Southeast Asia comes thanks to sister company Flow, a world leader in waterjet systems which plans to open commercial offices and a demonstration centre in Singapore in the first quarter of 2018.

2,000m2 building in addition to its existing 2,500m2 facility.

The new building also houses the European demonstration and training centre for Flow, opened in September 2017.

Now the company wants to go a step further, with plans for

A

FRENCH SUPPLIERS TARGET ASIA

AQUARESE EYES

SOUTHEAST

ASIA

6,500 BAR.

23 RD FEBRUARY 2018 N° 1

THE FRENCH SME, NOW A SUBSIDIARY OF U.S. GROUP SHAPE TECHNOLOGIES, EXHIBITED AT THE SINGAPORE AIRSHOW FOR THE SECOND TIME THIS YEAR AS IT SEEKS TO RAMP UP BUSINESS IN THE REGION.

AQUARESE

Aquarese was looking to boost sales of its waterjet stripping (WJS) and waterjet machining (WJM) units, five of which have already been delivered to a Japanese company which supplies parts to Safran for the Leap engine. The “full 3D”WJM units use jets of water at 6,500 bar to produce complex parts, such as titanium blisks and composite vanes — claimed to be a world first.

The decision to exhibit at the Singapore Airshow also reflects the importance of civil engine maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) activities in the region.

Aquarese will be hoping to add new customers to its existing portfolio, which already includes Pratt & Whitney,AIDC (Taiwan) and Aeroedge. Future prospects include GE and Rolls-Royce facilities in the region.

Founded 30 years ago, the company doubled sales in 20152016 and still sees plenty of room for growth. It is targeting €30m in sales by 2020 (a threefold increase from today), including around 75% in the aerospace sector, about the same share as today.

To handle this rapid growth, Aquarese has almost doubled the floor area of its existing facilities, recently leasing a

a new €10m, 8,000m2 building to replace the two existing ones by early 2019, at the latest. Damien Claeyman, who is point man for Aquarese's Asian growth ambitions, explains that the new facility will become a flagship “waterjet factory”. It will house 10-15 waterjet

AIR&COSMOS

cutting, stripping and knock-out machines.The latter will be used to remove shells and cores from investment cast parts.

ENERGY EFFICIENCY.

Claeyman says the company aims to increase the energy efficiency of the machines, as well as focusing on cleanness, noise, safety, waste treatment and connectivity, to ensure that the machines comply with aerospace standards and to make the waterjet process compatible with industrial production requirements.

Alongside the design and production of waterjet machining units,Aquarese also plans to increase its subcontracting activities. The company has held EN 1900 qualification since 2014 and already performs waterjet cutting on blisks and other engine parts, as well as stripping operations for maintenance or for cleaning new parts. Its main customers are Safran, Lisi Aerospace and Ventana Aerospace.

Other companies could follow if the company is successful in getting work on the GE9X engine for the Boeing 777X, for example.

■ Olivier Constant

Waterjet stripping process.

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INDUSTRY

French suppliers target asia

socomore consolidates asian

operations

Lescure explains that this operation fills out the Socomore product line while strengthening the company's worldwide manufacturing foothold. He notes that Sea and Sky not only possesses very effective technology; it also has subsidiaries in Japan and the UK. Socomore has already set itself a target of three or four external growth operations per year. It is currently finalising a new round of funding with its historical partners, including CM-CIC. Meanwhile, Socomore is rein-

ocomore is a familiar face at the Singapore Airshow. A specialist in the preparation, protection, treatment and inspection of metallic and composite materials for aerospace applications (85% of sales), the company exhibited in the French Pavilion at this year's show.

s

FRENCH FAB.

Socomore CEO Frédéric Lescure underlines the importance of showing that French industry is collectively targeting the vast Asian market:“Above all it is an opportunity to present 'French Fab', which is following in the footsteps of 'French Tech'. We can justifiably be proud of that.”

Lescure lists a number of features that are specific to the Asian region, where he identifies

18

O. CONSTANT

Socomore’s Elven facility.

BRITTANY-BASED SOCOMORE HAS BEEN PRESENT IN CHINA FOR AROUND 15 YEARS AND IS BANKING ON STRONG GROWTH IN ASIA TO BOOST ITS EXPORT BUSINESS IN COMING YEARS. IT IS BOLSTERING ITS PRESENCE IN CHINA THROUGH ITS INVOLVEMENT IN A NEW FACILITY THAT IS DUE TO BECOME OPERATIONAL IN MID-2018.

three types of market.The first — and the fastest-growing — is maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO), which he sees offering potential at all levels.Access to this market, he notes, is via distributors, and qualification requirements are stringent.The second market is linked to subcontracting and the presence of top-tier primes like Airbus and Boeing. Finally, he lists a third market generated by the emergence of facilities operated by the Big Two but also by their emerging local rivals (Comac, Mitsubishi, etc) in China, Japan and South Korea. Lescure believes that French suppliers need to support these firms as they grow.

Socomore expects to generate sales of around €10m in Asia in 2018, and this figure is forecasted

www.aircosmosinternational.com

to grow rapidly in coming years.

Within five years, the company is targeting 20% of sales in this region. Part of this growth will come from Japan, where Socomore is reaping the rewards of the aerospace coating agreement concluded with Lord Corporation in 2016.

EXTERNAL GROWTH.

The company recently concluded another external growth operation that will help to reinforce its Japanese activities.The operation, announced in early January, concerns Sea to Sky Innovations, which has become Socomore's 20th subsidiary. Based in Vancouver, Canada, Sea to Sky is a specialist in water-based paint strippers for aviation and infrastructure, with sales of less than $10m.

forcing its presence in China.The next milestone will come in mid2018 with the entry into service of a new facility producing industrial chemicals for the Chinese aerospace market.This 5,000m2 plant has been built in partnership with China's Haas Finechem, which, like Socomore, is a member of the Aerochemicals alliance. Socomore was one of the founding members of this worldwide alliance, created in 2002, which counts 13 SMEs that have agreed to pool their production capacities as required.

In other news, Socomore is pursuing a recruitment drive to reinforce its workforce in France.

The company is also expanding its laboratory facilities and building out its administrative premises in Vannes.

AIR&COSMOS

■ Olivier Constant

N° 1 23 RD FEBRUARY 2018

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INDUSTRY French suppliers target asia

ceFival

on the hunt

customers FOR ITS FIRST APPEARANCE AT THE SINGAPORE AIRSHOW, THE COMPANY — A SPECIALIST IN STEEL AND TITANIUM EXTRUDED PROFILES — WAS LOOKING TO FINALISE DISCUSSIONS WITH ROLLS-ROYCE AND UNITED TECHNOLOGIES, BOTH OF WHICH OPERATE FACILITIES IN SINGAPORE.

efival CEO Pierre Münch faced a busy schedule at Singapore Airshow 2018. For its first appearance at the event, the company — a fully owned subsidiary of Siderval, part of Italy's Calvi Holding — was determined to enlarge its aerospace customer base. Based in Persan, 40km north of Paris, the company is specialised in steel and titanium extruded profiles for aerostructures, aeroengines and aircraft cabin interiors.

The company uses the hot extrusion process; steel and titanium billets are heated and passed through a die at a temperature of 1,200°C to produce the desired shape. The process can be used to obtain very precise profiles.

Cefival supplies passenger seat tracks for the A350 and Boeing 787 as well as engine rings.

Depending on customer requirements, parts are delivered

c

23 RD FEBRUARY 2018 N° 1

either unfinished or machined in the form of rolled, welded rings.

Cefival is equipped with bending and flash welding facilities with multiple presses to improve the forming of each part, along with tempering furnaces. Cefival already supplies parts for the following engines: CFM56 (Boeing 737 and Airbus A320ceo families), GE90 (Boeing 777) and GP7000 (Airbus A380).

AEROSTRUCTURES.

In the aerostructures sector, Cefival produces profiles for various critical aircraft components, such as engine pylons, tail spars, floor reinforcements, doors, etc. The company can produce extruded parts up to 14m in length with a minimum thickness of 3.5mm.

The company hopes that its know-how will attract interest from Spirit AeroSystems, whose Subang site in Malaysia is currently being expanded.A new 4,600m2

AIR&COSMOS

CEFIVAL

For new

Billets are extruded at around 1,200 °C.

building is currently being finished.

It is scheduled to open in mid2018, at which time the workforce is due to expand by 300 people.

Münch has also identified other targets. During the show the company had scheduled meetings with Rolls-Royce and United Technologies, both of which have facilities in Singapore.The British engine-maker assembles and tests Trent engines, while the U.S. group's Pratt & Whitney subsidiary produces fan blades and critical turbine rotating components for the PurePower family of geared turbofan engines.

“The meetings will give us the opportunity to present our know-how,” Münch declared

key Figures facility in 1production persan Annual sales:

16 m€ Workforce:

100

on the eve of the show.“United Technologies is not a customer of ours, so we will give them an overview of all our products.

The Singapore Airshow will also give us a chance to present proposals to Rolls-Royce for structural profiles. Rolls-Royce is now the parent company of Spain's ITP, who is already a customer of ours.”

MODERNISATION.

The drive to diversify the aerospace customer base, particularly in the engine sector, is accompanied by a two-year, €3-4m investment programme to modernise Cefival's production equipment.The extrusion press has been upgraded to reduce the “buy-to-fly ratio” from 6 to 3, which can represent potential raw material savings of almost 50% in some cases.

In addition, this year Cefival plans to fully automate the operations carried out to repair and reload tooling, which is subjected to extreme mechanical and thermal loads, prior to each extrusion operation.The company has also introduced automatic dimensional inspection of its different products.

■ Yann Cochennec

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INDUSTRY FRENCH SUPPLIERS TARGET ASIA

Swiss firm — an expert in cutting, injection and assembling micro and nano-technologies, thanks to its original core business in the design and manufacture of miniature watch parts — was acquired by Axon' Cables in early 2017 after filing for bankruptcy.

Renamed Axon Nanotech, the company already has 20 more employees than it had when it was bought out. It is now focused on the space sector and the pursuit of weight savings in satellite components. Puzo explains that the company is currently looking to create a new line of lightweight connectors for future satellite applications. He says the first prototypes could be ready in three or four years and could offer additional weight savings of 10-30%.

AXON' CABLE

OPENS SINGAPORE

SUBSIDIARY THE GROUP HOPES TO REINFORCE ITS POSITION ON SATELLITES IN ASIA, AND THE SHARE OF SALES FROM THE ASIAN REGION, THANKS TO ITS KNOWHOW IN LIGHTWEIGHT POWER DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS. SPECIAL EFFORTS ARE BEING MADE TO ATTRACT NEW RECRUITS FOR THE GROUP'S EXPANDING WORKFORCE.

A

20

Cable harness production in clean room.

Singapore base, which constitutes a hub for the company's activities, Puzo notes that they will be able to serve countries like Malaysia, Indonesia and Australia.

NETWORK.

Axon Cable — headquartered in Montmirail, 100km east of Paris — is a specialist in cabling, interconnect solutions, cable assemblies, connectors and mini systems for high-tech applications.

It already has three other subsidiaries in the region, located in Japan, China and Hong Kong.

This network could be reinforced with the creation of a marketing and technical office in Australia, as the group seeks to support Tier One customers like Airbus,

www.aircosmosinternational.com

AXON

fter opening a technical office in Singapore in March 2017, the French group Axon’ Cable has already made the decision to strengthen its position in Singapore and in the ASEAN zone with the creation of a subsidiary in January 2018.The company, which had been represented by its agent for 20 years, aims at improving the sales and technical support to customers mainly in aeronautics, defence and space.

Axon' Cable chairman Joseph Puzo explains that the decision came in response to rising demand for the company's services, prompting the move to create a subsidiary earlier than planned and well in advance of the threeyear deadline imposed by Singapore for the maximum duration of a technical office. From the

ORGANIC GROWTH.

Safran,Thales and Dassault.

This series of moves is likely to increase Asia's contribution to the group's activities. In 2017, 20% of the group's total sales (€140m) came from Asia. Puzo would like to boost this share to one-third, in order to achieve a balance with Europe and the Americas.

One of the main paths towards achieving this goal will be to convince an increasing number of Asian customers to equip their telecommunication satellites with the company's reduced-weight bus bars for electrical power distribution. The group hopes to achieve an increased competitive advantage thanks to technology inputs from Isa Suisse.This Franco-

AIR&COSMOS

The company says it has no further external growth plans at this stage. The organic growth target is around 7% per year for the coming years. Investment plans, including extrusion machines and numerical control machines, are set to increase at a similar pace.

The company is already equipped with additive manufacturing capability. This technology is mostly used to produce plastic and metallic prototypes and, to a lesser extent, for connectors produced in small batches.

The group's workforce has broken through the 2,000 mark for the first time following the recruitment of 200 people last year, including 100 outside France.

Hiring is expected to continue at the same pace.The company is looking for around 20 additional engineers in France. The group has introduced specific measures to attract younger recruits, including paid internships and an offer of low-priced accommodation for young recruits. Axon Cable also offers one-week immersion programmes for secondary school students, the most recent of which was organised at the end of January.

■ Olivier Constant

N° 1 23 RD FEBRUARY 2018

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INT001_020_023.qxp_Mise en page 1 22/02/2018 17:06 Page20

DEFENCE

AVIC

Chinese JH-7 fighter bomber.

SOUTH CHINA SEA

TERRITORIAL

DISPUTES STILL SIMMERING ConfliCting territorial Claims in the south China sea have long been a sourCe of tension, partiCularly between China and its neighbours, who view Chinese expansionism as a threat to regional stability. the disputes have turned the area into a breeding ground for piraCy.

or several years now, China and its neighbours have been pursuing competing territorial claims with respect to islands and reefs in the South China Sea. The territories under dispute represent a total of 3,500,000km2.All the countries involved — China andVietnam in particular — are seeking to extend their zones of influence to include new territories. However, Beijing seems to be widely viewed as the primary troublemaker, due to its status as the dominant regional power. In reaction to China's expansionist policies, the states of Southeast Asia complain that Chinese imperialist ambitions are a threat to regional stability.

F 22

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These territorial claims have multiple origins, related primarily to historical and legal issue, as well as geographical considerations.

In addition to expanding their territory, states with borders on the South China Sea (Brunei, China, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Vietnam) are seeking control of natural resources. The region contains rich fishing grounds, as well as oil and gas deposits, offering economic benefits and employment prospects for states that can gain control of the relevant areas.

TENSIONS.

Though these disputes have yet to degenerate beyond minor skirmishes, they nonetheless constitute a significant source of tension — mostly between China and its neighbours.

China is the state with the longest list of territorial claims in the region, most of which are focused on the Spratly Islands and the Paracel Islands.These two archipelagos, comprising a large number of islands, islets and reefs, allow claimants to significantly increase their Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs), which extend for 200nm from the coast, and thus reinforce their influence.

Further north, another focal point is the Senkaku Islands, control of which is contested

by China and Japan.

The repercussions from these disputes can extend far beyond Asia. The United States also denounces Chinese expansionism, with its negative impacts on freedom of navigation

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N° 1 23 RD FEBRUARY 2018

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in the waters of the South China Sea, which contains a large number of international shipping lanes. Furthermore, the establishment of Chinese facilities in this region also raises the issue of access to these territories for military aircraft.

China has already taken its territorial claims one step further with the construction of major infrastructure on some islands.

A number of artificial islands have appeared, along with military capabilities to reinforce Chinese positions and discourage other countries from coming too close.This includes submarines, runways for military aviation, missile batteries and other military hardware.

The first signs of Chinese expansionism came in the 1970s, with claims on the Paracel Islands.

Since then, China has continuously built up its influence in the region. It began to occupy the Spratly Islands in the late 1970s, before taking possession of the Mischief Reef in the 1990s. In 1988, a clash between Beijing and Hanoi over the Spratly Islands claimed a number of Vietnamese victims. Since then, according to a recent report

by Lieutenant Commander Axelle Letouze from the Institut de Relations Internationales et Stratégiques (IRIS), a Paris-based think tank, the buildup of Chinese airport and military infrastructure comprises four military bases on artificial islands in the Spratlys, including two airports; three military bases on artificial islands inside the EEZ claimed by the Philippines, including an airport on Mischief Reef; and four military bases on artificially extended islands, including a military airport with a 3km runway on Woody Island. Between 2014 and 2015 alone, Beijing built military infrastructure on seven islands within the Spratly

23 RD FEBRUARY 2018 N° 1

JASDF

DEFENCE

Japan Air Self-Defence Force E-767 AWACS.

archipelago. According to the IRIS report, China has also reinforced defensive capabilities to protect these installations and deny access to its coasts; it has deployed around 50 diesel submarines and five nuclear-powered attack submarines.

PIRACY.

At the same time, these disputes have encouraged the emergence of piracy in the region.Though the number of attacks has dropped, the problem persists against a backdrop of indirect confrontation between states. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), which brings together 10 countries, including Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam, has adopted the principle of non-intervention.

Accordingly, countries are required to take care of their own defence.As a result, patrols pursuing a group of pirates cannot continue beyond the limit of each nation's EEZ. Nonetheless, some countries have decided to cooperate — Indonesia, Ma-

AIR&COSMOS

laysia and Singapore are now performing joint patrols.

Meanwhile, under the Eyes in the Sky concept, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore and Thailand agreed to enhance cooperation by conducting combined maritime air patrols over the Straits of Malacca and Singapore. Both these initiatives have been supported by the Intelligence Exchange Group, whose purpose is to encourage intelligencesharing between the four countries in order to enhance shared situation awareness and facilitate response co-ordination.

Between January and September 2017, 23 acts of piracy were reported in Indonesia, 17 in the Philippines, six in Malaysia, and one each in Singapore, China andVietnam.Though the figure for Indonesia represents an improvement compared with the 68 attacks reported in 2013, the Philippines reported only two attacks in 2013.The total of 49 attacks over the first nine months of 2017 makes Southeast Asia the region with the highest in-

cidence of piracy in the world.

In an effort to improve the situation, Asian countries are reinforcing their surveillance and maritime defence capabilities through the acquisition of maritime patrol aircraft, surveillance ships, radars and submarines.

However, further international cooperation will be needed to eradicate piracy in the South China Sea. MILITARY BUILD-UP.

Moves by China's neighbours to reinforce their military capabilities are also partly explained by territorial disputes and the desire to counter Chinese influence in the South China Sea. A recent IRIS report noted that most countries in the region are modernizing their naval and air forces to tighten control of their maritime zones.Vietnam, for example, is building up a fleet of submarines acquired from Russia.

Despite the build-up of military capabilities and the ongoing disputes between states,

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DEFENCE TERRITORIAL CLAIMS IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA CHINA

Nanning

TAIWAN

Canton

1 Hanoi

GULF OF TONKIN PARACEL ISLANDS LAOS Da Nang

THAILAND

PHILIPPINES

SOUTH CHINA SEA

VIETNAM CAMBODIA

17 1

Manilla

SPRATLY ISLANDS

SULU SEA

MALAYSIA

BRUNEI

6

Kuala Lumpur SINGAPORE

Sibu

MALAYSIA

23

1

OCCUPIED BY CHINA

INDONESIA

LIMITS OF TERRITORIAL CLAIMS CHINA

OCCUPIED BY VIETNAM VIETNAM OCCUPIED BY PHILIPPINES PHILIPPINES OCCUPIED BY MALAYSIA MALAYSIA IUNOCCUPIED BRUNEI

ACTS OF PIRACY

AGREED MARITIME BOUNDARY DOC A&C

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AIR&COSMOS

N° 1 23 RD FEBRUARY 2018

INT001_020_023.qxp_Mise en page 1 22/02/2018 17:06 Page23

DEFENCE VIEWPOINT Jean-Vincent Brisset Senior research fellow at the Institut de Relations Internationales et Stratégiques (IRIS)

“Chinese expansionism is creating new alliances“ How do you explain the territorial disputes in the South China Sea? What are the origins of these disagreements? Are they a means for China to assert itself? Is there a risk of military confrontation? trivalry between asian countries is not new.

China has long considered itself to be a despoiled nation, particularly since the opium wars. disputes boiled up again in the 1950s, but in any case China claims a form of suzerainty over all countries which at one time were its vassal states.

China has a de facto expansionist strategy on a regional level, but only on a step-by-step basis. today the strategy is justified in terms of domestic policy goals — it helps to united the nation around a leader who is not universally popular.

Chinese expansionism already triggered a confrontation with vietnam in the 1970s over the paracel islands. China resorted to military force to seize the islands, which were under vietnamese control at the time. however, the greatest risk at the present time is a collision at sea. the u.s. is present in the south China sea, which accounts for 40% of world trade. if a collision were to occur with u.s. casualties, there could be violent reactions. in addition, the level of qualification of Chinese crews is highly variable. an accident due to poor seamanship is quite possible. it should also be noted that, following occupation by french naval forces, france officially declared that it was taking possession of the spratly islands on 25th July 1933.

What are the consequences of Chinese expansionism in the region? the first consequence comes in the form of new alliances. Certain countries in the region are moving closer to the u.s., with some even looking for support. Closer ties between hanoi and washington, for example, would have seemed impossible just a few years ago. to counter this trend, China is relying on its usual method: divide and rule. China abhors multilateralism. as soon as it detects the emergence of a multilateral movement against its interests, beijing will try to find the weak link to break the chain of solidarity. right now, China is focusing particularly on the philippines and malaysia. the weaker a state is perceived to be, the more China will seek to tighten ties to that state.

How do you interpret the arms buildup in Asia? Why are surveillance and intelligence aircraft so important in the region? since the year 2000, China has multiplied its defence budget by four. vietnam has doubled defence spending. the increases in most other countries have been more moderate. however, this trend can be explained by the vast distances across asia and the south China sea. the spratly islands are 1,500km from the nearest major Chinese base, hence the need for projection and intelligence-gathering capabilities. that is why the ageing tu-16 (or h-6), for example, is still in service. in fact, China continues to produce the aircraft, as it needs longrange platforms to ensure its maritime presence.

DR

Interview by Justine Boquet

23 RD FEBRUARY 2018 N° 1

C295 operated by the Philippines Air Force .

AIRBUS

the situation is unlikely to trigger military confrontation. For now, states have attempted to resolve problems through international legal channels. In 2013, for example, the Philippines took its dispute with China to the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA), an intergovernmental organization based in The Hague.The PCA found that territorial claims around the Spratly Islands had no legal basis, recalls Jean-Vincent Brisset of IRIS. For China's neighbours, the PCA's findings underlined the limits of their EEZs and thus excluded sove-

AIR&COSMOS

reignty claims of any kind in this archipelago. China rejected the PCA findings and has continued its activities in the archipelago.Vietnam also took its case to the PCA in 2014. However, China's attitude highlights the weakness of the PCA's arbitrations, which are not legally binding.

States in the region are now relying on the U.S. to protect their rights in the South China Sea. It is clearly in Washington's interest to ensure that the zone remains neutral, in view of the volume of U.S. commercial shipping in the area.

■ Justine Boquet

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DEFENCE

MARITIME SURVEILLANCE

N

SOMETHI G FOR

EVERYONE IN SOUTHEAST ASIA, GEOGRAPHICAL CONSTRAINTS AND POLITICAL TENSIONS HAVE COMBINED TO CREATE A GROWING MARKET FOR MARITIME SURVEILLANCE AIRCRAFT. MULTIPLE PLATFORMS ARE BEING PROPOSED TO MEET THIS REQUIREMENT.

everal exhibitors at recent editions of the Singapore Airshow have chosen to highlight their solutions in the maritime surveillance sector.This trend is not surprising, as new developments

S

in the region continue to underline the need for such systems.

The geography of the region alone is enough to justify the requirement.

Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Japan are all composed of groups of is-

lands.Vietnam and China have extended coastlines facing the South China Sea, while Singapore is an island at the heart of one of the world's busiest sea lanes.

All of these nations thus have a need for a maritime surveillance capability to defend their sovereignty and protect their economic interests.

Regional geopolitical tensions and the persistent threat of piracy (see page 22) serve to further amplify the requirement.

Three types of manned platform are on offer: high-wing turboprops like the ATR 72MP, C295MPA and Force Multiplier; modified bizjets from Dassault and Saab; and large, long-range platforms from the U.S. and Japan. Meanwhile, Northrop Grumman is developing the unmanned Triton variant of the Global Hawk for the U.S. Navy, and other drones could come onto the market offering persistent surveillance capabilities (up to 24 hours).

■ Emmanuel Huberdeau

DASSAULT

DASSAULT FALCON 2000 MRA SAAB

The multi-role maritime version of the Falcon 2000 is based on Dassault's experience with the Atlantique and ATL2 and the recognised qualities of the Falcon bizjet family.The Falcon 2000's extended range, along with its manoeuvrability at low speed and low altitude, gives it the requisite attributes for the maritime surveillance mission.The Falcon 2000 MRA features a multimode radar, retractable optronics turret, marker launch system, observation windows and underwing hardpoints. It can carry up to four operators along with the two pilots.

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DEFENCE

SAAB SWORDFISH

SAAB

Saab presented its Global 6000based Swordfish maritime surveillance system at the 2016 edition of the show. The platform offers a range of 5,200nm and a maximum cruise speed of 450kts.

It can be equipped with an AESA multi-mode radar, high-definition electro-optical system, self-protection system, four underwing hardpoints and a magnetic anomaly detector. It can deploy sonobuoys. The crew comprises two pilots and five operators.

NORTHROP GRUMMAN RQ-4 TRITON

AERONOTICA MILITARE

BOEING

Remotely piloted platforms are expected to progressively carve out a niche in the maritime surveillance market, alongside traditional manned platforms.The U.S. Navy has selected the RQ-4 Triton — a version of the Global Hawk adapted for the maritime surveillance role — to complement the P-8 Poseidon. This highaltitude, long-endurance (HALE) platform can remain airborne for 24 hours and offers a range of 8,200nm. It is equipped with a Multi-Function Active Sensor (MFAS) X-band AESA radar, MTS-B multi-spectral EO/IR sensor, AIS system and modular electronic support measures (ESM) suite.

LEONARDO ATR72 MP

23 RD FEBRUARY 2018 N° 1

AIR&COSMOS

NORTHROP GRUMANN

At the end of 2017, the Italian Navy replaced its last Atlantiques with new ATR72s equipped by Leonardo for the maritime surveillance mission.The ATR 72MP is offered with the ATOS mission system integrated into the militarised ATR-600 avionics suite. Onboard sensors include the Star Fire HD electro-optical turret and the Selex ES Seaspray 7300 AESA radar.

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DEFENCE

THALES/PAL AEROSPACE FORCE MULTIPLIER

PAL

Thales and PAL Aerospace presented the Force Multiplier at the last Dubai Airshow — a pre-owned Dash 8 Q300 fitted with a series of systems to perform surveillance and intelligence missions. Sensors include the Thales Searchmaster radar, a Wescam MX-15 HDI electro-optical turret and a Saab R4A AIS sensor. The aircraft is also fitted with the Thales Amascos mission system, including four consoles to operate the sensors and monitor the tactical situation, and a satellite communication system.

AIRBUS C295 MPA

BOEING

The Airbus C295 is available in maritime surveillance and maritime patrol variants and can be weaponised for ASW missions. This low-cost solution has already been ordered by several countries.

BOEING P-8 POSEIDON

AIRBUS

The P-8 is one of the largest maritime patrol aircraft currently available. The Boeing 737-based platform offers high cruise speed (490 knots), long range (1,200nm) and a large sonobuoy payload capacity, combined with a loiter time of four hours.

The P-8 is equipped with a maritime surveillance radar, an electro-optical system and an acoustic system.

JSDF

KAWASAKI P-1

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The four-engine P-1 is in the same class as the Boeing P-8. It offers a range of 1,260nm, with four hours of loiter. It is equipped with an AESA radar, electro-optical system, sonobuoys and magnetic anomaly detector. It can carry torpedoes, mines and depth charges, along with AGM-84 Harpoon,ASM-1C and AGM-65 Maverick missiles.

It is also equipped with countermeasures such as chaff and flares.

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AIR&COSMOS / M. CHERFI

THE INTERNATIONAL WEBSITE OF AIR&COSMOS

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DEFENCE

AIR-TO-GROUND WEAPONS

rench aircraft have carried out around 1,400 strikes during three years of operations in the Levant region.

These strikes followed those carried out during multiple operations involving French forces over the past 10 years in Afghanistan, Libya and the Sahel, in the course of which French aircraft have dropped thousands of bombs and dozens of cruise missiles. Feedback from these missions constitutes the basis for defining requirements for the next generation of air-to-ground weapons for French combat aircraft in general and the Rafale in particular.

F NEXT GENERATION IN

SIGHT

EXTENSIVE OPERATIONAL FEEDBACK IS HELPING THE FRENCH AIR FORCE TO DEFINE ITS REQUIREMENTS CONCERNING UPGRADES TO THE RAFALE'S AIR-TO-GROUND WEAPONS. EUROPEAN INDUSTRY HAS ALREADY COME UP WITH SOME INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS.

The most widely used air-toground weapons used by the French Air Force today are U.S. GBU guided bombs and Safran's AASM (armement air-sol modulaire).

Both comprise guidance kits fitted to 250kg Mk82 bombs.

The guidance kit increases precision, reducing the risk of collateral damage.

During Operation Chammal in the Levant, pairs of Rafales on close air support missions generally carry a mixed weapons load — one with laser-guided GBU-12s, the other with GPS-

AR

MÉ

ED EL ’AIR

The AASM could be upgraded as part of the Rafale F4 standard.

GBU AND AASM.

guided AASMs (one of the three AASM seeker options, along with laser and infrared).This gives the pilots a choice of guidance mode, depending on the situation on French aircraft operating in the Levant can also carry BLU-126 bombs — a version of the Mk82 containing a reduced amount of explosives to reduce the blast radius and lessen the risk of collateral damage.

The French Air Force is satisfied with the weapons currently deployed, which have proven their effectiveness in the field. However, to remain on the cutting edge, further advances are always needed.

The French Air Force has identified three main areas for improvement concerning air-toground weapons: reactivity, flexibility and survivability. Reactivity and flexibility are closely linked. Reactivity refers to the capacity to strike a target rapidly, or at least within a specified timeframe.This implies rapid identification of the target, followed by delivery of the weapon. Flexibility refers to the ability to adapt to the situation on the ground.

Experience from recent operations shows that when an aircraft takes off, the target is not always known in advance, especially in the case of close air support missions.The tactical situation — and,

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DEFENCE

therefore, the target — can change during the mission, particularly in view of the occasionally extended flight times between the aircraft base and the combat zone.The F3R standard of the Rafale will already offer an improvement in this respect; the crew will be able to set the detonation mode in-flight.

Survivability refers to the weapon and the platform. Fighters are more likely to survive if they remain beyond the range of defensive fire; hence the need for longer-range weapons.

Another solution is to perform Suppression of Enemy Air Defence (SEAD) operations, but France does not currently possess an SEAD capability.Anti-radiation missiles like the U.S. HARM are designed to home in on enemy radar emissions, but this solution has its limits. Various methods can be used to counter this type of weapon, e.g. by simply shutting down the radar.

“POP-UP” DEFENCE.

Since the 1990s, there has also been an increasingly widespread use of so called “pop-up” systems.

The enemy does not employ the entire array of air defence systems at the same time to avoid their destruction in the opening days of a conflict. Systems are concealed and progressively employed during the course of the conflict, thus maintaining the threat to the adversary's aviation.

Survivability also involves the weapons, which must be jamresistant, particularly when they are GPS-guided.They must also be designed to reach the target in the presence of enemy interceptors.

Clearly, all of these criteria must be satisfied within acceptable cost limits.

Thus, there seems to be a clear need for a new-generation airto-ground weapon, which could be integrated on the F4 standard of Rafale, due to enter service around 2025.This could take the form of an upgrade to an existing

23 RD FEBRUARY 2018 N° 1

design. The evolution of the AASM is closely linked to that of the Rafale. Fitted with a propulsion kit, this weapon can currently strike targets from a maximum range of around 60km.The guidance mode can be preset before the mission. Development of a Block IV version of the AASM is currently under study, possibly featuring a new, reduced-cost propulsion kit.

The capabilities of the AASM could also be extended by an increase in range, seeker enhancements and diversification of warheads (500kg or 1,000kg).The Rafale can currently use AASMs to simultaneously strike several targets at long range (much further than with GBU guidance kits).

tion), as well as a semi-active laser seeker and inertial-GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) navigation. The combination of technologies is intended to make the guidance system as robust as possible and to bolster jamming resistance, while keeping costs under control. Operation of the system is less dependent on the quality of each individual sensor than on the weapon's ability to synthesise data. MBDA says it relied on its experience with Brimstone

complementary trajectories and disrupt the enemy's defensive system.This feature could be used to perform SEAD missions against short- and medium-range systems.

Cruise missiles will probably be preferred for longer-range systems.

The Franco-British Future Cruise and Anti-ShipWeapon (FCASW) will be designed for this role. In the meantime, the Storm Shadow could also be used.

SmartGlider Light (120kg).

A

MBD

SMARTGLIDER.

MBDA has also been closely following French Air Force requirements. At the last Paris Air Show, the company introduced a new ground-to-air weapon concept, the SmartGlider — a family of all-up-round glider weapons, with folding wings and a range of over 130 km, featuring a seeker system with multiple sensors.

Two variants are offered: a 120kg “Light” version and a 1,200kg “Heavy” version.

According to the manufacturer, SmartGlider represents a genuine breakthrough, e.g. in the use of artificial intelligence.Algorithms will help the crew to identify the target, thus increasing reactivity. After launch, the weapon is designed to dialogue with the launch platform throughout the flight. Rather than relying on a single sensor, MBDA has opted for multi-mode guidance, believing that a combination of low-cost sensors is more effective and more reliable than a single device, however advanced.Thus, each weapon can be fitted with an electro-optical sensor (including automatic target recogni-

AIR&COSMOS

to design this new guidance system.

MBDA is proposing a specific penetrator warhead with “scalable effect”, enabling the crew to control the effect of the missile strike by selecting the explosive force.This solution would offer a munition that is not dependent on U.S. bombs which are in high demand worldwide. SmartGlider Light is suitable for close air support or areas with a high risk of collateral damage, while SmartGlider Heavy is designed for hardened targets.

SATURATION ATTACK.

SmartGlider weapons are specifically designed for use in high volumes in order to saturate air defences.With three hardpoints, each carrying six weapons, Rafale could carry up to 18 SmartGlider Light bombs, several of which could be launched at once.

MBDA is also offering the Hexabomb Smart Launcher (HSL) to manage reactive strikes without affecting the pilot’s workload.

It will be possible to coordinate the bombs in flight to follow

According to MBDA, a fighter carrying 18 bombs with a range of 130km could cover an area twice the size of the Paris Region. It will be possible to fire the weapons at targets behind the aircraft.The idea is to maximise the lethality of the platform in order to achieve maximum military effect with a limited number of fighters.

The SmartGlider family can be viewed as a response to the GBU-39 Small Diameter Bomb (SDB) which is widely used by U.S. forces in operations in the Levant and which give an aircraft like the F-15 a heavyweight strike capability.A similar weapons carriage capability would make the Rafale more attractive on the export market.

MBDA has funded the elaboration of the SmartGlider concept out of its own resources. It now needs to find an initial customer to launch development of this weapon family. Options for the F4 standard of the Rafale remain open.

Discussions to define the main features of this upcoming Rafale upgrade are ongoing between France's DGA defence procurement agency, the armed forces and industry.

■ Emmanuel Huberdeau

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SPACE 2017 IN REVIEW

85 SUCCESSFUL LAUNCHES WORLDWIDE ALONGSIDE THE TECHNICAL ACHIEVEMENTS OF SPACEX AND THE RECORD LAUNCH BY INDIA'S PSLV, 2017 SAW A FURTHER MULTIPLICATION OF SMALL EARTH OBSERVATION MISSIONS IN LOW EARTH ORBIT.

he total number of orbital launches in 2017 was little changed from the previous two years, with 85 successful launches (along with 5 failures), compared with 83 in 2016 and 2015. Four of the world's six major space powers continue to jostle for the top spots in the number of launches performed and the number of payloads delivered to orbit.

The U.S. continues to lead the field, increasing its dominance thanks to the impressive acceleration in the launch tempo of SpaceX — along with headline-grabbing technical innovations — which has boosted the number of U.S. launches from 18 to 29 over the past three years.

Arianespace's U.S. rival performed more launches in 2017, the European firm still captured more than 50% of the open commercial telecomsat market. It also set a new payload record on 2nd June, with 10,685kg total payload, including 9,969kg for the satellites, compared with 6,761kg for the largest satellite orbited by SpaceX. Japan and India again performed a similar number of launches in 2017. Japan set a new record with six flights by its H2A, compared with four each in 2014 and 2015.

Indian launch activity stalled in the wake of the accident affecting its flagship PSLV on 31st August, resulting in a total number of launches reduced by three compared with the previous year. India nonetheless made the head-

JAXA

T

Russia finds itself in second place with a total of 20 launches — far short of the 32 and 34 missions performed in 2013 and 2014, respectively. The Russian position remains fragile, undermined by recurrent quality control issues, typified by the Soyuz 2.1b/Fregat failure on 28th November due to a guidance computer programmed for the wrong cosmodrome!

China, which contested the top spot with the U.S. in 2016, performed 17 launches over a period of nine months. Launch activity ground to a halt from July to September following the loss of the new Long March 5 (which first flew in November 2016) on 2nd July,

shortly after the delivery of ChinaSat 9A to the wrong orbit on 18th June.The latter launch is considered a failure by some observers, but we have classified it as a success, since the satellite was able to reach the correct orbit using its own propulsion systems — reducing its service life from 15 years to four.

Europe again performed nine launches, as in each of the previous two years. We continue to classify Soyuz missions from Guiana on behalf of Arianespace as Russian launches, since the launchers are designed and built in Russia. Europe remains the only space power with a dual-launch capability to geostationary transfer orbit, the ideal destination for telecommunications satellites. Thus, with only five Ariane 5 ECA launches, 10 GTO satellites were delivered to orbit, compared with seven satellites orbited by seven Falcon 9s. Though

Abbreviations LEO: Low Earth Orbit SSO: Sun-Synchronous Orbit MEO: Medium Earth Orbit GSO: Geosynchronous Orbit GTO: Geostationary Transfer Earth Orbit N/A: unavailable.

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SPACE

Successful launches worldwide in 2017 Country United States Russia China Europe Japan India Total

Orbital missions 29 20 17 9 6 4 85

Space station launch and servicing 6 7 1 0 0 0 14

GTO Payloads delivered Geostationary missions to orbit* payloads 11 71 11 8 21 8 4 23 4 5 18 10 3 7 3 2 4 2 33 144 38 * Payload mass more than 100 kg

Japan had a record year in 2017.

Seen here is the sixth H2A launch, on 23rd December.

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SPACE lines in 2017 thanks to its record-breaking launch of 15th February, carrying 104 satellites.

New Zealand failed in its attempt to join the space club in 2017. Its Electron small launch vehicle had to be destroyed on its first test flight on 25th May. We have not classified the failure of Iran's Simorgh light launcher on 2nd July as an orbital launch attempt.

UNITED STATES

429 PAYLOADS.

Altogether, the 85 successful launches carried 429 payloads, including around 60 that were subsequently deployed from the International Space Station (ISS) or from cargo vessels. It is difficult to calculate the exact total mass of all the payloads, due to uncertainties about the precise characteristics of certain military satellites, but the total is estimated at around 380t, about 30t more than the previous year.

One notable feature is the sharp drop in average satellite mass (around 50% over a period of one year), which can be partly explained by the higher number of nanosatellites — more than in the previous two years combined.A total of 295 nanosatellites were deployed in 2017 (including several that had been held in long-term storage on the ISS), the vast majority of which were supplied by Planet (140), Spire (46) and QB50 (36).

The figures show that LEO was the most popular target orbit (49 out of 85 launches) and that Earth observation was the topranked application (56% of payloads). Finally, with a total of 13 missions, the ISS accounted for 26.5% of LEO launches.

29

launches

(100% success)

71 payloads of more than 100kg

11 single-payload GTO missions (including 7 by SpaceX)

6 6

classified missions ISS missions

14 stages recovered (including three after GTO missions)

16 LAUNCHER FAMILIES.

34

5

stages reused (including three after GTO missions)

SPACEX

Launches were performed by 44 different models belonging to 16 families of launchers.

Calculation of averages (1.9 missions per model, 2.6 launcher families per country) underlines the diversity of available launch solutions. Also clear are the efforts being made by certain manufacturers to reduce

2 capsules reused

www.aircosmosinternational.com

On 30th March, SpaceX made history by launching and landing a reused first stage.

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SPACE

United States Launch date 14 January 21 January 19 Februaryr Docked on 23rd 1 March 16 March 19 March 30 March 18 April Docked on 22nd 1 May 15 May 3 June Docked on 5th 23 June 25 June 5 July 14 August Docked on 16th 18 August 24 August 26 August 7 September 24 September 9 October 11 October 15 October 30 October 31 October 12 November Docked on 14th 18 November 15 December Docked on 17th 23 December

Primary payload (mass)

Mission Target orbit

Iridium Next Batch 1 10 × 860 kg SBIRS-GEO 3 (USA 273) ~ 4 500 kg Dragon CRS 10 (SpX10) ~ 6 650 kg Intruder 8A et B (NROL 79 -USA 274) ~ 6 500 kg, per pair EchoStar 23 ~ 5 600 kg WGS 9 (USA 275) 5 987 kg SES 10 5 291,7 kg Cygnus CRS OA-7 7 225 kg NROL 76 (USA 276) 8 000 kg ?

Inmarsat 5 F4 6 086 kg Dragon CRS 11 (ex-CRS 4) 6 908 kg BulgariaSat 1 3 669 kg Iridium Next Batch 2 10 × 860 kg Intelsat 35e 6 761 kg Dragon CRS 12 ~ 6 650 kg TDRS M —>TDRS 13 3 454 kg Formosat 5 475 kg ORS 5 Sensorsat 140 kg X-37B (USA 277) 5 400 kg NROL 42/Trumpet (USA 278) ?

Iridium Next Batch 3 10 × 860 kg EchoStar 105/SES 11 5 200 kg Quasar 21 (USA 279 / NROL 52) NC Koreasat 5A 3 500 kg SkySat C6 à C11 6 × ~ 120 kg Cygnus CRS OA-8E ~ 5 000 kg JPSS 1—> NOAA 20 2 540 kg Dragon CRS 13 (ex-CRS 6) 2 205 kg Iridium Next Batch 4 10 × 860 kg

Communications LEO Communications GSO ISS resupply LEO Reconnaissance LEO Communications GSO Communications GSO Communications GSO ISS resupply LEO Reconnaissance LEO Communications GSO ISS resupply LEO Communications GSO Communications LEO Communications GSO ISS resupply LEO Communications GSO Observation de la Terre SSO Reconnaissance LEO Tech demo LEO SIGINT/Early warning LEO Communications LEO Telecommunications GSO Mil. communications GSO Telecommunications GSO Earth observation LEO ISS resupply LEO Meteorology SSO ISS resupply LEO Communications LEO

Manufacturer(s)

Thales Alenia Space (PC)* Orbital ATK (integration) Lockheed Martin SpaceX

Launcher Reused stage (V2) Stage recovery (R) Falcon 9 v1.2 (Full Thrust/block 3)-(R) Atlas 5 (401)

Launch site

Vandenberg Cape Canaveral AFS Kennedy Space Center

Lockheed Martin

Falcon 9 v1.2 (Full Thrust/block 3)-(R) Atlas 5 (401)

Space Systems Loral (SSL) Boeing Satellite Systems

Falcon 9 v1.2 (Full Thrust/block 3) Delta 4M+ (5,4) (upgrade)

Kennedy Space Center

Airbus Defence and Space

Falcon 9 v1.2 (Full Thrust/block 3)-(R + V2) Atlas 5 (401)

Kennedy Space Center

Kennedy Space Center

Boeing Space Systems

Falcon 9 v1.2 (Full Thrust/block 3)-(R) Falcon 9 v1.2 (Full Thrust/block 3) Falcon 9 v1.2 (Full Thrust/block 3)-(R) Falcon 9 v1.2 (Full Thrust/block 3)-(R + V2) Falcon 9 v1.2 (Full Thrust/block 3)-(R) Falcon 9 v1.2 (Full Thrust/block 3) Falcon 9 v1.2 (Full Thrust/block 4)-(R) Atlas 5 (401)

Taiwan Space Agency (NSPO) MIT Lincoln Laboratory

Falcon 9 v1.2 (Full Thrust/block 3)-(R) Minotaur 4/Orion 38

Vandenberg

Boeing Space Systems

Falcon 9 v1.2 (Full Thrust/block 4)-(R) Atlas 5 (541)

Kennedy Space Center

Falcon 9 v1.2 (Full Thrust/block 4)-(R) Falcon 9 v1.2 (Full Thrust/block 3)-(R + V2) Atlas 5 (421)

Vandenberg

Orbital ATK Thales Alenia Space (PCM) Ball Aerospace ?

Boeing Satellite Systems SpaceX Space Systems Loral (SSL) Thales Alenia Space (PC) Orbital ATK (integration) Boeing Satellite Systems SpaceX

Boeing Space Systems ?

Thales Alenia Space (PC) Orbital ATK (integration) Airbus Defence and Space N/A Thales Alenia Space Space Systems Loral (SSL) Orbital ATK Thales Alenia Space (PCM) Ball Aerospace SpaceX Thales Alenia Space (PC) Orbital ATK (integration)

Vandenberg

Cape Canaveral AFS

Cape Canaveral AFS

Kennedy Space Center Kennedy Space Center Kennedy Space Center Vandenberg Kennedy Space Center Kennedy Space Center Cape Canaveral AFS

Cape Canaveral AFS

Cape Canaveral AFS

Kennedy Space Center Cape Canaveral AFS

Falcon 9 v1.2 (Full Thrust/block 4)-(R) Minotaur C

Kennedy Space Center Vandenberg

Antares 230

Mars Wallops Island

Delta 7920 10C (Delta 2)

Vandenberg

Falcon 9 v1.2 (Full Thrust/block 3)-(R + V2) Falcon 9 v1.2 (Full Thrust/block 3)-(V2)

Kennedy Space Center Vandenberg

* (PC = prime contractor)

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ROSCOSMOS

SPACE the number of versions to a minimum in order to facilitate the industrial process: SpaceX (18 launches using two versions of the Falcon 9), Arianespace (six launches using two versions of Ariane 5), ISRO (a single variant of the PSLV XL) and JAXA (two variants of the H2A).

Two launchers made their return to flight in 2017 — the Proton, one year after an inflight engine shutdown during the launch of Intelsat 31; and the Taurus (redesignated Minotaur C), coming back after a nine-year absence.

The Soyuz U, on the other hand, performed its farewell launch, after 44 years in service.

Last but not least, the past year saw the debut flight by China's Kaituozhe 2 (KT 2) solid-fuel light launcher, which can place 250kg payloads into Sun Synchronous Orbit, and the abortive attempt

by Japan to inaugurate its SS-520 F4, which would have become the smallest and lightest vehicle (2.6t) to send a payload into orbit.

■ Pierre-François Mouriaux

@PFMouriaux

RUSSIA-UKRAINE

20

successful launches (including two from Guiana Space Centre)

21 payloads over 100kg

8single-payload GTO missions (including two from Guiana Space Centre)

MEO mission

1 5

classified or dual missions

7

ISS missions (including four with crew)

1

inflight failure

36

The final Soyuz U launch took place on 22nd February.

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SPACE

Russia-Ukraine Launch date 28 January 22 February 20 April Docked on 20th 18 May 11h 54 25 May 8 June 14 June Docked on 16th 23 June 14 July 14 July 28 July Docked on 28th 16 August 11 September 12 September Docked on 13th 22 September 28 September 13 October 14 October Docked on 16th 28 November 28 November 2 December 17 December Docked on 19th 26 December

Primary payloads (mass) Hispasat 36W 3 221 kg Progress MS 05 7 279 kg Soyuz MS 04 7 200 kg SES 15 2 300 kg EKS 2 (Cosmos 2518) ?

EchoStar 21 6 871 kg Progress MS 06 7 280 kg Cosmos 2519 (Nivelir ZU 1 ?)- ?

Kanopus V IK 1 473 kg Flying Laptop 120 kg Soyuz MS 05 7 200 kg Blagovest 11L (Cosmos 2520) < 3 000 kg ?

Amazonas 5 5 900 kg Soyuz MS 06 7 200 kg Cosmos 2522 (Uragan M46) 1 415 kg AsiaSat 9 6 141 kg Sentinel 5 Precursor 900 kg Progress MS 07 7 280 kg Meteor M2 2-1 2 750 kg Baumanets 2 ~ 100 kg Cosmos 2524 (Lotos S1-2/803) - ?

Soyuz MS 07 7 200 kg AngoSat 1 1 647 kg

23 RD FEBRUARY 2018 N° 1

AIR&COSMOS

Mission Target orbit Communications GSO ISS resupply LEO ISS crew LEO Communications GSO Missile early warning GSO Communications GSO ISS resupply LEO Geodesics? (military mission) SSO Earth observation SSO Technology SSO ISS crew LEO Communications GSO Communications GSO ISS crew LEO Navigation MEO Communications GSO Earth observation LEO ISS resupply LEO Meteorology SSO Technology, education SSO ELINT LEO ISS crew LEO Telecommunications GSO

Manufacturer(s)

Launcher

OHB Systems

Soyuz STB Fregat-MT

Launch site Guiana Space Centre

RKK Energia

Soyuz U

Baikonur

RKK Energia

Soyuz FG

Baikonur

Boeing Satellite Systems

Soyuz STA Fregat-MT

Guiana Space Centre

RKK Energia (platform) TsNII Kometa (payload) Space Systems Loral (SSL) RKK Energia

Soyuz 2.1b Fregat-M

Plessetsk

Proton-M Briz-M (ph. 3)

Baikonur

Soyuz 2.1a

Baikonur

Lavochkin ?

Soyuz 2.1v Volga

Plessetsk

NPO VNIIEM

Soyuz 2.1a Fregat M

Baikonur

Space systems institute IRS (Germany) RKK Energia

Soyuz 2.1a Fregat M

Baikonur

Soyuz FG

Baikonur

ISS Rechetnev

Proton-M Briz-M (ph. 3)

Baikonur

Space Systems Loral (SSL) RKK Energia

Proton-M Briz-M (ph. 3)

Baikonur

Soyuz FG

Baikonur

NPO PM

Soyouz 2.1a Fregat M

Plessetsk

Space Systems Loral (SSL) Airbus Defence and Space

Proton-M Briz-M (ph. 4)

Baikonur

Rokot/Briz KM

Plessetsk

RKK Energia

Soyuz 2.1a

Baikonur

NPP VNIIEM

Soyuz 2.1b Fregat M

Vostochny

Bauman University Montpellier University TsSKB Progress (platform) KB Arsenal (payload) RKK Energia

Soyuz 2.1b Fregat M

Vostochny

Soyuz 2.1b

Plessetsk

Soyuz FG

Baikonur

RKK Energia (prime) Airbus Defence and Space (payload)

Zenit 3F/Fregat SB

Baikonur

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SPACE

CHINA

17

successful launches (including one in wrong orbit)

28

payloads over 50 kg (including one in wrong orbit)

4

single-payload GTO missions

1 3

MEO mission

At least dual missions

1

Tiangong 2 mission

1

inflight failure

CNSA

Long March 7 on the launch pad.

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SPACE

China Launch date 5 January 9 January 2 March 12 April 20 April Docked on 22nd 15 June 15 June 18 June 2 July 29 September 9 October 5 November 14 November 21 November 24 November 3 December 10 December 23 December 25 December

Primary payload (mass) TJS 2 N/A Lingqiao 1-03 95 kg Tiankun 1 (TK 1) ?

Shijian 13 (ChinaSat 16) 4 600 kg Tianzhou 1 12 910 kg HXMT (Huiyan) 2 800 kg Zhuhai 1-01 et 02 2 × 50 kg ChinaSat 9A (ZX 9A) 5 100 kg Shijian 18 (SJ 18) > 7 000 kg Yaogan 30 A à C 3×?

VRSS ~ 1 000 kg BeiDou 24 et 25 2 × 1 014 kg ?

Feng Yun 3D 2 250 kg Jilin 1 04-06 (Lingqiao 1 04-06) 3 × 95 kg ?

Yaogan 30 D-F 3 × ?

LKW 1 (Ludikancha Weixing 1)- ?

Alcomsat 1 5 200 kg LKW 2 (Ludikancha Weixing 2)- ?

Yaogan 30 G-J 3×?

Mission Target orbit Communications ?

GSO Earth observation SSO Technology?

SSO Communications (experimental) GSO Tiangong 2 resupply LEO X-ray astronomy SSO Earth observation SSO Communications SSO (wrong orbit) Communications GSO SIGINT/Early warning LEO Earth observation LEO Navigation MEO Meteorology LEO (polar) Earth observation SSO SIGINT/Early warning LEO Earth observation LEO Communications GSO Earth observation LEO SIGINT/Early warning LEO

Manufacturer(s)

Launcher

Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology (Sast) China National Space Administration (CNSA) China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation (Casic) China Academy of Space Technology (Cast) China Academy of Space Technology (Cast) China Academy of Space Technology (Cast) Zhuhai Orbital Control Engineering China Academy of Space Technology (Cast) China Academy of Space Technology (Cast) Small satellite centre Chinese Academy of Sciences China Great Wall Industry Corp. (CGWIC) China Academy of Space Technology (Cast) Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology (Sast) China National Space Administration (CNSA) Small satellite centre Chinese Academy of Sciences China Academy of Space Technology (Cast) China Academy of Space Technology (Cast) China Academy of Space Technology (Cast) Small satellite centre Chinese Academy of Sciences

Long March 3B/G2

Launch site Xichang

Kuaizhou 1A

Jiuquan

Kaituozhe 2

Jiuquan

Long March 3B/G2

Xichang

Long March 7/Y2

Wenchang

Long March 4B

Jiuquan

Long March 4B

Jiuquan

Long March 3B/G2

Xichang

Long March 5

Wenchang

Long March 2C/Y29

Xichang

Long March 2D

Jiuquan

Long March 3B/YZ 1

Xichang

Long March 4C

Taiyuan

Long March 6

Taiyuan

Long March 2C/Y30

Xichang

Long March 2D

Jiuquan

Long March 3B/G2

Xichang

Long March 2D

Jiuquan

Long March 2C

Xichang

CASIC - YOUTUBE

First flight of Kaituozhe 2 light launcher on 2nd March.

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SPACE

Europe Launch date 14 February 14 February 7 March 4 May 4 May 1 June 1 June 28 June 28 June 2 August 2 August 29 September 29 September 8 November 12 December

Primary payload (mass) Telkom 3S 3 500 kg Intelsat 32e (SkyBrasil 1) 6 300 kg Sentinel 2B 1 130 kg SGDC 1 5 800 kg Koreasat 1 ~ 3 500 kg ViaSat 2 6 418 kg Eutelsat 172B 3 551 kg Hellas Sat 3/Inmarsat S EAN 5 780 kg GSat 17 3 477 kg Opsat 3000 (Shalom) 368 kg Venµs 264 kg Intelsat 37e 6 438 kg BSat 4a 3 520 kg Mohammed 6A 1 100 kg Galileo 19-22 4 × 714 kg

Mission Target orbit Communications GSO Communications GSO Earth observation SSO Communications GSO Communications GSO Communications GSO Communications GSO Communications GSO Communications GSO Reconnaissance SSO Earth observation SSO Communications GSO Communications GSO Earth observation LEO Navigation MEO

Manufacturer(s)

Launcher

Thales Alenia Space

Ariane 5 ECA

Launch site Guiana space centre

Airbus Defence and Space

Ariane 5 ECA

Guiana space centre

Airbus Defence and Space

Vega

Guiana space centre

Thales Alenia Space

Ariane 5 ECA

Guiana space centre

Thales Alenia Space

Ariane 5 ECA

Guiana space centre

Boeing Satellite Systems

Ariane 5 ECA

Guiana space centre

Airbus Defence and Space

Ariane 5 ECA

Guiana space centre

Thales Alenia Space

Ariane 5 ECA

Guiana space centre

Indian space agency (ISRO) Israel Aircraft Industries

Ariane 5 ECA

Guiana space centre

Vega

Guiana space centre

Israel Aircraft Industries/Rafael CNES Boeing Satellite Systems

Vega

Guiana space centre

Ariane 5 ECA

Guiana space centre

Space Systems Loral (SSL) Thales Alenia Space (agent) Airbus Defence and Space (co-prime) - OHB-System SSTL (payload)

Ariane 5 ECA

Guiana space centre

Vega

Guiana space centre

Ariane 5 ES

Guiana space centre

EUROPE

Second Vega mission for Copernicus programme on 7th March.

9

launches (including six with multiple payloads)

18

payloads over 100kg

5

dual-payload GTO missions MEO mission (quadruple payload)

S. CORVAJA - ESA

1 3 40

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dual missions

Does not include Soyuz launches from Guiana Space Centre

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SPACE

India Launch date 15 February 5 May 5 June 23 June 31 August

Primary payload (mass) Cartosat 2D 714 kg GSat 9 2 230 kg GSat 19E 3 136 kg Cartosat 2E 712 kg IRNSS 1H 1 425 kg

INDIA

Manufacturer(s)

Launcher

Indian space agency (ISRO)

PSLV XL

Launch site Sriharikota

Indian space agency (ISRO)

GSLV Mk 2

Sriharikota

Indian space agency (ISRO)

GSLV Mk 3

Sriharikota

Indian space agency (ISRO)

PSLV XL

Sriharikota

Indian space agency (ISRO)

PSLV XL

Sriharikota

JAPAN

New Zealand’s Electron launcher.

6 7

launches payloads over 100kg

2 1

GTO missions

3

ROCKET LAB

4 4

Mission Target orbit Earth observation SSO Communications GSO Communications GSO Earth observation SSO Navigation GSO

launches payloads over 100kg

GTO ou quasizenith missions

1

inflight failure

inflight failure

Japan Launch date 14 January 24 January 17 March 1 June 19 August 9 October 23 December 23 December

Primary payloads (mass) Tricom 1 3 kg DSN (Kirameki) 2 NC IGS Radar 5 ?

QZS 2 (Michibiki 2) 4 000 kg QZS 3 (Michibiki 3) 4 000 kg QZS 4 (Michibiki 4) 4 000 kg Gcom C (Shikisai) 1 950 kg Slats (Tsubame) < 400 kg

Mission Target orbit Technology cubesat LEO Communications GSO Reconnaissance SSO Navigation GSO Navigation Tundra-Quasi-Zenith Navigation Tundra Earth observation SSO Technology LEO

Manufacturer(s)

Lanceur

Site de lancement Kagoshima

Tokyo University

SS-520 F4

NEC (prime) Mitsubishi Electric (platform) Mitsubishi Electric (Melco) Mitsubishi Electric (Melco) Mitsubishi Electric (Melco) Mitsubishi Electric (Melco) Agence spatiale japonaise (Jaxa) Mitsubishi Electric (Melco)

H2A-204

Tanegashima

H2A-202

Tanegashima

H2A-202

Tanegashima

H2A-204

Tanegashima

H2A-202

Tanegashima

H2A-202

Tanegashima

H2A-202

Tanegashima

New Zealand Launch date 25 May

Primary payload (mass) « It’s a Test » 0 kg

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Mission Target orbit Test flight LEO

Manufacturer(s) Rocket Lab

Launcher Electron

Launch site Rocket Lab Launch Complex

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