Armada dec 2013 jan 2014 main magazine

THE TRUSTED SOURCE FOR DEFENCE TECHNOLOGY INFORMATION SINCE 1976

Issue 6/2013

INTERNATIONAL

December/January

THE TRUSTED SOURCE FOR DEFENCE TECHNOLOGY INFORMATION SINCE 1976

Contents 6/2013 INTERNATIONAL

www.armada.ch | www.armadainternational.com

10 AIRCRAFT SELF-PROTECTION

AIRCRAFT SELF-PROTECTION AGAINST SOPHISTICATION I Luca Peruzzi The latest air operation during the Libyan crisis has renewed attention towards electronic warfare protection suites, also known as defensive aids sub system, or Dass. The threat posed by advanced integrated air defence system equipped with Russian S-300 and S-400 or Chinese developed air defence systems, which are much more capable and lethal than their Cold War-era predecessors, has never been encountered before by Nato in military operations.

16

24

34

44

CSAR RADIOS

DRONE ARMAMENT

LASER-GUIDED MISSILES

FIGHTER AIRCRAFT MARKET

RADIO LINK TO HOPE

WEAPONS FOR THE KILLER DRONE

WHEN THE DEATH-DOT GETS YOU, IT’S GOT YOU!

CHANGING PERCEPTIONS IN THE FIGHTER MARKET

I Peter Donaldson

I Roy Braybrook, Eric H. Biass

I Roy Braybrook, Eric H. Biass

I Roy Braybrook

52

60

FOB PROTECTION

DSEI SHOW REPORT

COMPENDIUM SUPPLEMENT

COMPENDIUM SUPPLEMENT

HIGHER AND LOWER TECH TO KEEP FOBS SAFE

OTHER NEW WARES SEEN

BY THE ARMADA TEAM

MOBILITY: AIR SEA LAND

TURRETS: LIGHT, MEDIUM, HEAVY

I Paolo Valpolini

I Eric H. Biass, Paolo Valpolini and Peter Donaldson

I Roy Braybrook, Luca Peruzzi and Paolo Valpolini

I Paolo Valpolini

INTERNATIONAL

6/2013

03

Index

DEFENCE TECHNOLOG SOURCE FOR THE TRUSTED

Issue 6/2013

Y INFORMATIO

N SINCE 1976

L INTERNATIONA

December/January

I INDEX TO ADVERTISERS AFRICAN AIRSHOW

C3

AR MODULAR

7

FLIR

C4

SAAB SECURITY AND DEFENCE

C4

IDEAS 2014

41

SINGAPORE AIRSHOW

C3

ARMADA SUBSCRIPTION

35

INDO DEFENCE

49

SOFEX

29

ARMADA WEBSITE

C2

LEUPOLD

37

TRIJICON

21

ASELSAN

41

MTU

C4

VIASAT

27

BALTIC

55

ODU USA

DIMDEX

39

OTO MELARA

11

DSA MALAYSIA

57

ROSOBORONEXPORT

C2

EURONAVAL

C3

RUAG

EUROSATORY

C2

SAAB DYNAMICS

9 13

5

Entries highlighted with Red numbers are found in Turrets Compendium 2013 and Entries highlighted with Blue numbers are found in Mobility Compendium 2013

This Sukhoi T50 is one of (literally) on handful of prototypes built so far, but like America with its F-22, even Russia realises that extreme stealth come with a heavy price tag. How many will be produced in the end currently is anybody’s guess.

More than 187? The Su-35S probably still has a bright future ahead of itself. (Sukhoi)

Volume 37, Issue No. 6, December 2013-January 2014 INTERNATIONAL

I INDEX TO MANUFACTURERS Companies mentioned in this issue. Where there are multiple references to a company in an article, only the first occurence and subsequent photographs are listed below: Airbus Military

6,7,9,10, 7

Alcoa

25

Aleina Aermacchi

8

Evergreen Helicopters

4

NHI Industries

16

Falck Schmidt Defence System

65

Nimr

29

26

Northrop Grumman

45

Feodosia Shipbuilding Co

Antey

45

Finacanteiri

7,8,11, 18

Aselsan

18

ATK

30, 32, 36, 40, 27

Augusta Westland

6,15, 15

Aviakor

60, 30, 32, 33

40

Almaz Antonov

Nexter

EVPU

14, 19

FN Herstal

7, 8

FNSS

29

GE

46, 50, 5,9,13

General Atomics

24

25, 36,47, 21, 7

Oshkosh

60, 29

Oto Malera

43, 54, 19, 22, 3,17, 32

Otokar

16,17, 30

OTT Technologies

30

Pakistan Aeronautical Complex

45

7

General Dynamics

18, 36

Panhard Sagem

16

Aviation Industry corporation of China 26

Griffon Hoverwork

26

Paramount

31

46, 48, 9

Pro Optica

19

QinetiQ

26

11,12,13

Avistar AVX Aircraft

10

HAL Hanjin Heavy Indystries

21

BAE Systems 24, 47, 62, 22, 26, 10, 28

Havelsan

19

Beech

Hesa

7

Hesco

59

Renault Truck Defence

HII

14

Reutech

4

Bell

36, 10

Berry Aviation

4

Boeing

34, 48, 4,10,13,15

Bofors

29, 32

Carl Zeiss

12

Cassadian

11, 12

Cilas

58

CMI DEFENCE

42, 43, 32

Honeywell

5

Rafael

21

Rocketsan

41

Rockwell

52

Rockwell Collins

36

32, 41

Rosobornexport

5, 9,12

IAI Elta IAI Lahat IAI Lavi

47

IMI

International Aero Engines

CSOC

19

ITT Exelis

Cubic

22

Kaman Aerospace

32

Saab

44, 4,12,13,14 8 15, 18

Sagem

12

Seles Ex

10

Selex Galileo

Karem Aircraft

16

Kawasaki

58

Kharziv Morozov Design Bureau

Defencell Denel

37, 41, 44, 60, 31, 11,12

9 38

62

RWM Italia

20

66

3

Ruukki

Kannad Aviation

DCNS

63

Russian Helicopters

KAPO

Datron

38 27, 40

Ruag

25

22

10, 37 54, 60, 28, 32, 36

IAI

22

45, 48, 10, 15

28, 31, 16

Huntington Ingalls Industries

Cobham

Dassault Rafale

36, 62, 21, 27

Rheinmetall

Cnim

Daesun Shipbuilding & Eng Co

55, 12,13,15

Raytheon

60 12, 27, 8, 46, 27 42, 16 33, 53, 19, 15 46

Sikorsky

5,10,11,15

ST Marine

19, 26

Klimov

5

Streit Group

38

STX France

16 51

32

Diehl BGT Defence

42

KMDB

DND

26

KMW

35, 36, 8, 9, 34

Sukhoi

Kongsberg

39, 55, 4, 5, 20

Systima Technologies

26, 32

Tawazun

37, 29

DRS

27

Dynamit Nobel Defence Elbit Systems Electro Optic Systems Electtronica Embraer

9, 20

21, 30, 34, 14,15 7 11, 19 8

Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) L-3 Lockheed martin

46

33, 8, 25 47, 60, 8, 9,11

Teledyne Ryan Aeronautical

24

Textron Defence Systems

27 25

Maccaferri

59

Textron Marine & Land Systems

Machem Vehicles

30

Thales

38, 54, 60, 16, 22, 17, 12

Emirates Advanced Invest Group 30, 37

MBDA

EOS

26

MSI

15

Ukrspecexport

EuroDass

11

MTU

23

UTA

Navair

36

Yugoimport

18, 38

Navantia

17

Yuksel Savunna Sistemleri

56, 18

Eurofighter Europrop International

04

12, 48 9

INTERNATIONAL

6/2013

26, 31, 40, 15, 19, 34

ThyssenKrupp marine Systems

21 38 4, 9

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Tel: (852) 2815 9111, Fax: (852) 2815 1933 Editor-in-Chief: Eric H. Biass Regular Contributors: Roy Braybrook, Paolo Valpolini, Thomas Withington Chairman: J.S. Uberoi President: Xavier Collaco Sr. Manager International Marketing: Vishal Mehta Manager International Marketing: Yusuf Azim Manager Marketing: Jakhongir Djalmetov Deputy Manager Marketing: Tarun Malviya Sales & Marketing Coordinator: Atul Bali Creative Director: Bipin Kumar Deputy Art Director: Sachin Jain Asstt. Art Directors : Mukesh Kumar, Ajay Kumar Visualiser: Sujit Singh Production Manager: Kanda Thanakornwongskul Group Circulation Manager: Porames Chinwongs Chief Financial Officer: Gaurav Kumar Advertising Sales Offices AUSTRIA, BENELUX, SWITZERLAND Cornelius W. Bontje Ph: +41 55 216 17 81, cornelius.bontje@armada.ch FRANCE Promotion et Motivation, Odile Orbec Ph: +33 1 41 43 83 00, o.orbec@pema-group.com GERMANY Sam Baird Ph: +44 1883 715 697, sam@whitehillmedia.com ITALY, NORDIC COUNTRIES Emanuela Castagnetti-Gillberg Ph: +46 31 799 9028, egillberg@glocalnet.net

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What’s Up?

The three-10KW module cradled in a Mantis turret (Armada/Eric H. Biass)

Gone to Hel Five 81mm mortar rounds were tossed in our direction from behind the ridge crossing the bottom of our narrow and encased valley, but four blew up in mid-air. The “attack” against us continued, this time with three fast jet-powered drones, also flying in from the bottom of this valley, but they too blossomed in a cloud of smoke one after the other – their carcasses then taking a sickening terminal dive to the ground. Yet not a single anti-aircraft gun report or missile trail had been heard or seen — as if they had properly been “zapped” out of the sky.

Eric H. Biass

A

lthough “zap” may sound out of place in a defence magazine of international repute like Armada International, it is the right word – a word made popular by sci-fi cartoons decades ago used to replace “bang” where lasers replaced guns.

And this is where fiction meets reality.

The above is a real-life description of a scene witnessed by yours truly in

06

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Rheinmetall Air Defence’s Ochsenboden firing range in the deep alpine mountain pleats of central Switzerland. Switzerland is of course still at peace with the rest of the world, and while the above scene could be that of a real-life battle, it was just an impressive demonstration staged by Rheinmetall to illustrate the level reached by the firm in the development of laserbased weapons. High Energy Lasers, to be more precise, also known as Hel. Rheinmetall has been investigating the use of lasers, particularly in the area of air

defence, for quite a while now, and envisaged and tested many alternatives, including seed laser feeding a cascade of amplifiers (or Mopa, for master oscillator power amplifier), modular resonator concepts (the upside of which is its commercial availability, while its downside is complex dielectric reflection grating spectral coupling system and so forth). To cut a (very) long story short, Rheinmetall came to the conclusion that, given the current status of development of practical lasers so far worldwide, the best solution was to use “beam superimposing“

Beam forming unit in theory (left) and in practice (right), here representing a 10 kW unit ready for connection to a laser source and mounting into a turret. (Rheinmetall)

techniques, in other words using several lasers, but with manageable outputs, and accurately steer them on the same spot, the required number depending on range and/or nature of the matter to be defeated.

For this purpose, Rheinmetall eventually turned onto ytterbium (Yb) fibre lasers from IPG Photonics in Germany to build its “beam forming unit”-based weapons.

As said above, Rheinmetall’s choice to superimpose laser beams onto a same spot offers a good measure of flexibility, but also of economy. Not only one can one build a double 10kW unit or a triple 10kW units like those photographed in this article, but one can also get the latter two for example, to work in unison to splash down 50 kilowatts of searing power where needed. For a true longer range C-ram application able to cope with artillery shells though, a total of 100 kilowatts is deemed necessary. The only drawback for the time being lies on the poor input-output power ratios achieved by current lasers, which is the reason why they will not be seen used as attack weapons on male drones in any near future (caution: laser target designation is an entirely different matter and so are Dircm systems).

By integrating its beam-forming units into the Mantis turret, Rheinmetall de facto

I NOTICE

This demonstration took place days after our article on C-rams was published. This article, which appeared in Armada International issue 5/2013 starting on page 38, also involved a number of laser-based air defence systems, including Rheinmetall’s.

launched the basis of a multiple-layer air defence system since conventionally revolverarmed, Ahead-belching Mantis turrets can still be used within the same defence layout, around a forward operating base, for example.

The above-described demonstration did not in fact involve any real mortar round, but something that perfectly replicated the physical and ballistic aspect of the weapon in the form of 82mm steel balls launched by a compressed air tube and filled with an explosive to give them the necessary visibility from a long range. Similarly and for the same reasons, the jet-powered drones (in fact Chinese-made jet-powered radio-controlled models of Hawk ground attack aircraft) were fitted with a small charge in their nose.

I THE ACTUAL GEAR

Being practical and using proven equipment, Rheinmetall actually poured new wine in old bottles by cradling its new triple 10-kilowatt output laser in a Mantis turret in lieu of the revolver gun, and slaving it to its Skyshield radar system. As a result, the system was able to detect and track the mortar round substitutes

Stills from the tracking camera showing one of the steel balls dropping over the ridge and down on a tree backdrop (left), and vanishing in a puff of smoke after being caught by the beam. (Rheinmetall)

INTERNATIONAL

6/2013

07

What’s Up?

While it was on the move, this pick-up mounted heavy machine gun had one of its round (red circle) severely redesigned by one of the lasers during the Ochsenboden demonstrations last October. (Armada/Eric H. Biass)

as soon as they appeared and descended over the ridge and engage them with the triple laser beam at a rate of about one every two seconds (the above-mentioned miss was accounted for the fact that regulations prohibit the use of lasers on a bare sky background; engagements thus had to occur late in the descent phase of the round, with the mountainous background, which reduced engagement time to a bare minimum).

Another air attack demonstration, and possibly a most significant one if not as spectacular, was the one staged against an electric-powered octocopter drone with the simple purpose of burning its guidance kit.

In terms of accuracy, this didn’t seem to be much of a challenge for the Skyguard-cuminfrared tracker, if one considers that it had earlier caught the 82 mm “mortar bombs” from a range of around 750 metres.

Once blinded, a drone is totally disabled and useless, but the same applies to any system that relies solely on electro-optics or even radars to operate. Beam a laser onto a tank’s sights to fry them and whatever its armour, the tank will pretty much resemble a sitting duck from then on. And this is pretty much what the previous demonstrations of the day consisted of, with laser effectors of varying power outputs.

In ascending output order, Rheinmetall was able to demonstrate a compact one 20 kilowatts worth of Hel are mounted on the roof of this Tatra 8x8, which offers both room and power for the ytterbium laser generator, which is no mean device. (Armada/Eric H. Biass)

08

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kilowatt laser turret mounted on an M113, sufficient to deal with unexploded ordnance.

Then a 5/10kW systems mounted on a Boxer, an output that is more than sufficient enough to wreck havoc in enemy vehicle fuel tanks of jerrycans from a distance. Still not the single sound of a gun. That also means that the laser de facto renders any battlefield shot detection system perfectly useless. A twin 10kW turret mounted on a Tatra 8x8 lorry cut up the post carrying a radar, and before moving on to the air defence demos that culminated with the downing of the three drones described at the beginning of this article, but just as importantly, the vehicle also disabled the heavy machine gun of a “Toyota Gang” pick-up vehicle on the move by very subtly cooking one round in the ammo feed that was about to be fed to into the breech.

Aircraft Self-Protection

A Rafale combat aircraft delivering flares.

According to recent research and development programme reports, a new RF expandable decoy is being studied to equip the aircraft at later stages. (MBDA)

Aircraft Self-protection Against Sophistication The latest air operation during the Libyan crisis has renewed attention towards electronic warfare protection suites, also known as defensive aids sub system, or Dass. The threat posed by advanced integrated air defence system equipped with Russian S-300 and S-400 or Chinese developed air defence systems, which are much more capable and lethal than their Cold War-era predecessors, has never been encountered before by Nato in military operations.

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Luca Peruzzi

T

he only electromagnetic signal incorrectly showing during the Libyan crisis operations the presence of ‘double digit’ Russian air defence missile system, had temporarily suspended air operations. Western air forces have developed a combination of survivability technologies, such as RF jammers, stealth, stand-off targeting and precision munitions to cope with these threats. However against modern radar guided missiles, which can switch to home-on-jam mode to find a target, the solution calls for active off-board decoys.

Electronic warfare companies and government agencies have more recently unveiled the development of active deployable RF decoys, marking a return to a concept which was launched towards the end of the Cold War, but introducing fiber-optic towed decoys (FOTDs) as exemplified by the American BAE Systems ALE-55 and the Rafale X-Guard, the Selex ES Ariel, the Cassidian Sky Buzzer and more recently the BAE Systems ALE-70 FTOD. But as it will be explained, the best self-protection capability will come from a mix of systems, capable of coping with RF, IR and laser threats.

The air operations over Libya have put the Eurofighter Typhoon’s Praetorian EW aircraft suite through its paces, manufactured as it is by the four EuroDASS consortium companies, namely Selex ES, Elettronica, Indra and Cassidian, with the first two sharing the suite design authority. The Praetorian boasts a fully integrated 360°coverage ESM/ECM suite with high sensitivity ESM/RWR with superheterodynebased wideband receivers, coupled to a pulse-

EuroDASS consortium, including Selex ES and Elettronica as suite design authority, together with Indra and Cassidian companies provides the aircraft advanced EW suite. (Eurofighter)

Image taken by the new MBDA DDM-NG missile warning system which is part of the EW suite installed on board the latest 4th tranche Rafale combat aircraft for both French air force and naval aviation. (MBDA)

Doppler active missile warner, and an ECM subsystem employing Digital RF Memory (DRFM) technology and providing a full range of coherent and non-coherent ECM techniques, with on- and off-board transmission, the latter provided by two active Selex ES fibre-optic towed decoys (FOTDs). Together with the Defensive Aids Computer (DAC), the countermeasures dispenser system (CMDS) based on Saab BOL chaff and flares dispenser, and a Selex ES laser warning system (British and Saudi Arabia aircraft only), it forms the Eurofighter Typhoon Defensive Aids Sub System, which provides the pilot with situational awareness and active countermeasures against RF guided threats.

Tranche 3 aircraft ESM/ECM enhancements have been focused on improving radiating jamming power with antenna modifications, while EuroDASS is reported to offer a range of new capabilities for export campaigns, including the addition of a digital receiver, extending band coverage to low frequencies and introducing an

interferometric receiver with geolocation functionalities. On the jamming side, EuroDASS is looking to low-band jamming, more capable antennae, new ECM techniques, while protection against missile, is to be enhanced through a new passive MWS in addition to the active devices already on board the aircraft.

The latest support to self-protection will however originate from the new aesa radar which is to replace the Captor system, providing in a spiralled programme with passive, active and cyberwarfare RF capabilities.

The other platform that was successfully involved in the Libyan crisis was the Dassault Rafale combat aircraft. Last September, the French procurement agency took delivery of the first fourth-production tranche Rafale now equipped with the Thales aesa RBE 2 radar and an improved version of the Spectra electronic warfare suite developed by Thales Airborne Systems and MBDA France. It incorporates a newgeneration MBDA passive missile firing

INTERNATIONAL

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11

Aircraft Self-Protection

The Eurofighter Typhoon is one of the few combat aircraft to be equipped with fibre optic towed decoy since its development phase.

The aircraft is also a candidate for BriteCloud expandable RF decoy. (Eurofighter)

sensor called DDM NG, with greatly improved field of view, detection ranges and lower false alarm rate compared to early version. The Rafale’s Spectra is a complete and totally integrated suite, which ensures electromagnetic detection, laser warning, MBDA-provided missile approach warning using passive infrared detection technology, multi-threat and beam electronically steered jamming and MBDA chaff/flare dispensing, even in the most demanding multi-threat environment.

A few months earlier (last February), riskreduction activities were announced for the F3R version of Rafale to be available from 2018 which, in addition to the Thales PDL-NG targeting pod and the long-range MBDA Meteor air-to-air missile, will also introduce new enhancements to the Spectra. This is part of the spiral upgrade programme, which in the latest research and development stage is also known as Incas (INtegration de nouvelles CApacités a Spectra), provides

improved detection and jamming and introduces the latest version of transmitter modules - not only on the RBE2 radar but also in the Spectra suite. In addition to shared computer resources, the aesa radar could in the longer term be used as part of the selfprotection capabilities.

The proliferation of ‘double digit’ Russian and Chinese active and semi-active surfaceto-air and radar-guided air-to-air missiles have pushed electronic warfare specialists to develop new-generation expandable RF countermeasures.

Selex ES has developed a self-contained expendable Digital Radio Frequency Memory (DRFM) jammer for fast jet aircraft known as the BriteCloud, which is expected to be available on the market by mid-2014. It will provide an off-board capability to decoy RF guided missile seekers and fire control radars, producing large miss distance and angle break lock, thanks to self-contained coherent technique generation processing and high-power batteries that allow at least ten seconds of life after firing activation, in addition to rapid response capabilities.

Dispensed in the initial format from standard 55 mm flare cartridge to equip at least three main platforms (Eurofighter Typhoon, Saab Gripen and Panavia Tornado) according to Selex ES, the BriteCloud will allow a wide range of legacy and newgeneration platforms to be equipped with the latest RF jammer technology at significantly lower costs compared to TRDs, requiring little or no platform integration activities and featuring single unit highly competitive costs compared to TRD technology. At least twice as effective, according to Selex, compared to older-generation off-board products like simple repeater-based active decoys that are only able to defeat legacy continuous-wave emitters, the BriteCloud is 200-375 mm long

Selex ES is finalising the development of the expandable DRFM (Digital Radio Frequency Memory) decoy which is to be available on the market around mid-2014. The Brite Cloud will allow a wider range of legacy and new-generation aircraft to be equipped with the latest technology at significantly lower costs compared to towed RF decoys. (Selex ES)

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As part of all F-35’s version integrated avionics suite, BAE Systems’ AN/ASQ-239 Barracuda system derived from the F-22 Raptor’s AN/ALR-94 EW suite and provides Electronic Support Measures (ESM) and high sensitivity electronic surveillance capabilities, in addition to full-spectrum situational awareness and multi-spectral missile countermeasures. (US Air Force)

to suit integration aboard different platforms and range within the standard 0.7-0.85 kg flare weight mass, offering a shelf life of around five years.

As part of the above-mentioned Incas enhancement spiral approach for the Rafale suite, the French procurement agency has also launched a research and development programme for an expandable RF decoy, which was presented for the first time during the 2013 Paris air show. Known as the LEA (leurre électromagnétique actif), the new expandable RF decoy is being developed by MBDA. The ‘air vehicle’ is currently under testing, while Thales is expected to be involved for the RF payload, although no official confirmation has been provided.

To cope with future EW requirements and overcome obsolescence issues, the US Naval Air Systems Command has recently awarded Lockheed Martin a contract covering the “redesign and qualification of replacement F35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter EW system components”.

BAE Systems’ AN/ASQ-239 Barracuda system is derived from the F-22 Raptor’s AN/ALR-94 EW suite and provides Electronic Support Measures (ESM) and high sensitivity electronic surveillance capabilities, full-spectrum situational awareness and multi-spectral missile countermeasures. According to certain sources, the Barracuda offers precise geolocation and targeting of potential hostile

emitters, without the need for triangulation and thus other networked aircraft. The Barracuda is also integrated with Northrop Grumman’s Communications, Navigation and Intelligence (CNI) suite data links for real-time data sharing as well as the APG-81 AESA radar, which is reported to have RF surveillance and jamming, in addition to cyberwarfare capabilities.

The technology refresh program is reported to be connected to the hardware modules only and will not affect the countermeasures systems and antenna

Diagram with all the sensors embarked on board the F-35 Lightning II stealth aircraft.

According to US budget documents, the F-35 is reported to be equipped with towed RF decoys. (Lockheed Martin)

Aircraft Self-Protection

arrays. The enhancements are reported to be introduced with aircraft belonging to Low Rate Initial Production 7, based on Block 3 baseline software and capabilities. To be applied to all F-35 versions belonging to American and international customers, work is expected to be completed by March 2018.

The Fiscal Year (FY) 2014 Presidential budget request, however, provides a deeper knowledge of F-35 EW suite, specifically the expandable countermeasures equipping the stealth aircraft. The description for air expandable countermeasures request by US Navy groups together “all unique countermeasures that provide self-protection for the JSF, specifically ALE-70, MJU-68, MJU-69 and CCU-168”. While contracts for specifically tailored MJU-68/69 flares and CCU-168 impulse cartridge have already been assigned to BAE Systems for the F-35, the Department of Defence for the first time unveils the existence of the ALE-70 expandable countermeasure. According to collected data on the same system, the ALE-70 is reported to be an RF towed decoy. In the latter case, the FOTD is to be driven by a technique generator on board the F-35, which could imply the use of an RF jammer.

More recently, Northrop Grumman unveiled the development activities on a directional infrared countermeasures system (dircm) for fast jets, the first application of

which is expected to be the F-35. According to Northrop Grumman the requirement for such equipment is to be issued soon. Based on experience garnered with earlier systems, including the US Army’s Common infrared Countermeasures (circm) programme, Northrop Grumman presented last September a company-funded prototype of the Threat Nullification Defensive Resource (ThNDR) system, which is to begin testing in its integration laboratories by year-end.

Although no requirement has been issued, the company is working in advance to be ready for an eventual request for F-35’s Block 5 software update, which is scheduled for the early 2020s. Characterized by a reduced-size low-observable pointer/tracker and laser into a single, compact designed unit, the ThNDR is to have a smaller, more-powerful laser, requiring liquid cooling. To equip the F-35 with two jam heads to provide airframe spherical coverage, the ThNDR will be cued by the same company’s AN/AAQ-37 Distributed Aperture System, which has six infrared sensors for a 360° coverage around the aircraft, providing missile warning and fine-cueing functionalities in support of the dircm jamming heads. Moreover, in addition to surface-to-air missiles, the ThNDR is to manage air-to-air IR-guided threats, according to Northrop Grumman, which envisages offering the system in both internal

and podded versions for other platforms like as the F-22, F-15 and F-16.

Within the agreement signed last February between the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) and Saab, the latter is developing the Gripen E version, to which 60 Gripen C aircraft will be upgraded. The newest model, which is also expected to be procured by Switzerland, will have an advanced EW suite which has been conceived to cope with the 2020s threat environment, providing effective detection, identification and suppression of known and future threats, while contributing to sensor fusion for enhanced pilot awareness.

The Gripen E will feature an integrated EW suite including an RWR/ESM with wide frequency coverage, interferometric DF and wideband digital receivers, and ECM subsystems based on wide frequency coverage, multiple DFRMs and aesa transmitters. The CMDS will be based on 4 (plus 2 options) Bop pyrotechnical and 4 (plus two options) Bol electromechanical dispensers. According to programme schedule, development activities will run until 2019, with deliveries by end-2017.

Initial operational capability is planned from second part of 2018, while full operational capable aircraft is to be reached in mid-2023.

I ELISRA AND DRONES

Reduced available size and power availability have pushed Elisra, a company of Elbit Systems group, to pioneer the repacking of its most advanced multi-spectral DAS and ESMs into a single line-replaceable unit. Elisra has pioneered the “all in one” concept, and adaptation to the designated platform, thereby simplifying and reducing installation footprint and maintenance costs. The Spectrolite SPS65V-5 integrates four subsystems including the SPS-20 wideband digital receivers which detect pulse and continuous wave radars from low-band to 18 GHz, the NBDR-25 narrowband digital receiver to detect CW, high PRF and low ERP radars, the LWS-20 laser warning system and a controller that orchestrates the systems’ elements with the appropriate countermeasures. It is worthy to notice here that one of the ad-hoc configurations mentioned above includes one specifically configured for drones – typically the Hermes 900. This is also believed to be a “first”.

I ELETTRONICA Based on the heritage and know-how developed with Dircm for fixed and rotary-wing platforms, Northrop Grumman has recently unveiled a low-observable Dircm for fast jet, which first application is to be the F-35. (Northrop Grumman)

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Italy’s Elettronica has further developed the “all in one” concept, creating a fully integrated EW system in which digital and

Eurofighter Typhoon has an ESM/ECM suite including both internal ECM and fibre-optic towed decoys. (Elettronica)

Italy’ Elettronica has developed an EW all-in-one concept, creating a fully integrated EW system in which resources are shared by different core functionalities. (Elettronica)

RF resources are shared by different core functionalities, and allocated according to smart priority criteria. Resulting from a selffunded R&D effort, according to Elettronica, the Virgilius is a fully digital, network capable, modular and integrated ES-EA, characterized by innovative features, including the so called Multi-Domain DOA Estimation technique to achieve and grant required accuracy in the existing mass/volume, and an installed sensitivity adequate for LPI (Low Probability of Intercept) emitters, irrespective of their signal characteristics. Boasting innovative architecture and components which Elettronica claims to significantly reduce unit price, and easily installable internally or in pod applications thanks to all-in-one box design, the Virgilius presents an EW suite manager where the three main functions (threat awareness, surveillance and jamming) are executed by resources shared among the functions, allowing for a software defined, lighter and less power-hungry system. Capable to accept the complete range of current and foreseen non-RF sensors and effectors, the Virgilius incorporates Elettronica solid state DRFM jammers technology. So far, its only

application is the Italian air force’s AgustaWestland CSAR AW101.

In the United States, EW industries and Government agencies are further pushing the technology to its edge, with programmes such as the adaptive radar countermeasures (ARC). Funded by the Darpa and assigned to BAE Systems, the ARC programme will aim at developing the technology for a nextgeneration EW algorithm suite that will enable airborne systems to automatically generate effective countermeasures against new, unknown and adaptive radars in realtime in the field. In parallel, American EW companies are working on new solutions for both latest generations and in-service aircraft.

BAE Systems’ Dews digital electronic warfare system has been installed on a Boeing F-15SA Strike Eagle for Saudi Arabia, replacing the Northrop Grumman ALQ-135. The dews is an all-digital system using digital radiofrequency memory (DRFM) technology.

Targets detected by the Dews are fused with radar and infrared search and track data and shown on the F-15SA’s large-format cockpit displays. The US Air Force hasn’t yet decided whether to launch an ALQ-135 replacement programme for its fleet of F-15s.

Exelis has successfully completed in mid-

September the final delivery of AN/ALQ214(V)3 integrated defensive electronic countermeasures systems to Navair.

Installed on US Navy F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, the AN/ALQ-214(V)3 RF Countermeasures System (RFCM) is a major subsystem within the overall IDECM suite also including Raytheon ALR-67(V)3 RWR, Raytheon AN/ALE-50 or BAE Systems AN/ALE-55 FOTDs in addition to ALE-47 countermeasures dispenser. Exelis is now focusing on supplying the ALQ214(V)4/5, which will extend the protection to carrier-based F/A-18C/D Hornets, replacing ALQ-126B under a contract awarded in 2012, as well as of F/A-18E/F. US Air Force is looking to upgrade latest fleet of F-16 Flight Falcon Block 40-52 to be keep relevant in a contested environment until replaced by the F-35 JSF. In the meantime, Exelis is providing Advanced Integrated Defensive Electronic Warfare System (AIDEWS) to foreign customers for the F16 Fleet, in competition with Raytheon’s Advanced Countermeasures Electronic ACE) System fully integrated electronic warfare (EW) suite, based on Advanced Self-Protection Integrated Suite (ASPIS and ASPIS II) previous experiences.

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CSAR Radios

Radio Link To Hope Its origins can be traced to the Battle of Britain, when fast launches plucked pilots from the English Channel, but modern Combat Search and Rescue arose from the United States Air Force's need to rescue its own from hostile territory in Vietnam. Honed to a fine pitch in Southeast Asia, the service’s capabilities withered so much in the 1980s, however, that in the 1991 Gulf War and the Balkan wars the task fell to special operations aviation units. Despite their skill and dedication the success rate was low and the risks high, exacerbated by survival radios that could only communicate with rescuers within line of sight and offered no resistance to hostile jamming or interception.

Peter Donaldson

I

n the post-9/11 conflicts, Combat Search and Rescue has worked as advertised, with new technologies for long range communication and precise positioning enablingrescueforcestopickupthesurvivoron the first pass. Now, however, new operational realities and technological developments are harbingers of further change.

I A BROADER REMIT

Today, the term CSAR has been subsumed

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into the broader concept of Personnel Recovery (PR) as the number of aircraft lost over hostile territory has – with the exception of helicopters – shrunk dramatically. With the rise of irregular warfare, however, the category of people at risk of isolation or capture in hostile areas has broadened to include military personnel and contractors deployed to conflict zones. This development is explicitly recognised in the US military's Joint Publication 3-50 Joint Doctrine for Personnel Recovery. Depending on the circumstances and the politics, PR could also be extended to other civilians, such as those

working for aid agencies, charities and other non-governmental organisations. “people at risk of isolation or capture in hostile areas has broadened to include military personnel and contractors deployed to conflict zones” These changes in the prevailing types of conflict and their consequences for CSAR/PR requirements have, of course, coincided with several overlapping revolutions in communications: the dawn of the internet and smart phone ages, the rise of

software defined radio and very capable lowcost satcom. Positioning and navigation has undergone a parallel revolution thanks to the ubiquity of GPS receivers – which can now be found in vast numbers of communication devices – spurring the evolution of alternative Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) and the development of alternatives that will work in where satellite navigation signals are blocked, spoofed or jammed.

I CSEL REVOLUTION

With complex systems it is rare to be able to point to a single development that has been truly transformational, but the key to fixing CSAR communications lay in the integration of GPS receivers and secure satcom into survival radios.

The first system designed from scratch to do this was the Combat Survivor Evader Locator (CSEL) developed by Boeing for the Department of Defense with the US Air Force as the lead agency for a joint capability. Boeing describes CSEL as the first military search and rescue system to provide multi-satellite, overthe-horizon communications and a military grade GPS in a small, light and rugged handheld radio. In service since 2005, when the United States Central Command authorised its use in theatre, CSEL is the Department of Defense’s programme of record for joint search and rescue.

The CSEL component closest to the survivor's heart is the AN/PRQ-7 hand-held radio, which is part of an integrated system with global reach. When activated, it automatically and securely transmits the

A U.S. Air Force HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopter assigned to the 83rd Expeditionary Rescue Squadron approaches Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, for a landing Feb. 29, 2012.

(U.S. Air Force/Matt Hecht)

survivor’s identification and GPS location to joint rescue centres via CSEL UHF satcom base stations. The survivor and the rescue centres can exchange messages on the survivor's physical condition, enemy locations, rescue plans, and more via a robust, rescue C4I system integrated into the Department of Defense's Global Command and Control System.

Software programmable and upgradeable,

the AN/PRQ-7 radio features a Selective Availability Anti-Spoofing Module (SAASM) GPS receiver that can handle up to 100 waypoints (while the selective availability function that deliberately degraded the accuracy of civilian GPS signals was switched off in 2000 by presidential decree and the decision made permanent in 2007, the antispoofing functions are still relevant).

The UHF base stations acknowledge all transmissions that they receive from the AN/PRQ-7, a confidence boosting measure for the survivor. Whether exchanged from over the horizon or within line of sight, all messages are protected by NSA certified encryption.

Even without communications security and GPS keys, the hand-held radio provides a default set of SAR functions including a COSPAS/SARSAT beacon, a swept-tone AM beacon, and four VHF/UHF guard channels.

U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Louis C. Waddell, (also seen in the title picture) an instructor with the II Marine Expeditionary Force Special Operations Training Group, plays the role of a downed pilot in a recovery exercise on 27 February 2012 at Piney Island as part of Bold Alligator 2012, a joint and multinational amphibious assault exercise involving several foreign militaries. (U.S. Navy/Joshua Davies)

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CSAR Radios

An Australian aircrew member uses a combat survivor evader locator to send a message to the Joint Search and Rescue Center after he and his backseater were shot down somewhere near Naval Air Station Fallon, Nevada, during an exercise. (U.S. Air Force /Stephen Faulisi)

Field practicality features include a nightvision-goggle-compatible display, a keypad that users can work while wearing coldclimate gloves. Weighing 1.08 kg with its rechargeable battery, the radio has been tested for its ability to survive 26 drops onto concrete from four feet up, immersion in 10 metres of water and operating temperatures from -20 to +55 degrees C. The system also includes radio and ground equipment interfaces needed to work with other American and allied CSAR systems and is flexible enough, says Boeing, to support migration to secured commercial satcom.

More than than 54,000 CSEL radios have been delivered to the American military.

With the Air Force as the joint programme lead agency, Boeing is reportedly discussing export opportunities with potential

This UHF satcom base station provides secure over-the-horizon connectivity deployed and on the move with AN/PRC-112G radios.

(General Dynamics)

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customers said to include Australia, Britain, Brazil and Canada.

I UPGRADE AND ARMY OPPORTUNITY

In January 2013, Boeing began work under a US $13.6 million DoD contract to modernise CSEL hand held radios and UHF satcom base stations. The upgrades to the base stations are intended to bring the network's security up to the latest information assurance standards, says the company. Boeing also plans a software upgrade that will make the AN/PRQ-7 compatible with Terminal Area Communication (TAC) capabilities.

CSEL could also compete to provide a new capability for the US Army. Under the auspices of its Air Warrior programme, the service is looking for around 86,000 personal locator beacons and related satellite receivers, releasing a request for information on 20 June. The service refers to this beacon as the Personal Recovery Device (PRD) element of the Personnel Recovery Support System (PRSS). The beacons must be able to transmit both open and secure waveforms, while the satellite receivers are to form an operation transport layer to be integrated

The Quickdraw2 interrogator plugs into an aircraft's intercom, turning it into a CSAR asset able to communicate with survivor radios. (General Dynamics)

into the DoD's PR network. Publication of a request for proposals is expected in the first quarter of the 2014 financial year.

Along with industry-wide recognition of the operational need, CSEL spurred the development of the same or similar capabilities in upgrades of established American CSAR radios such as General Dynamics C4 Systems' AN/PRC-112, the Elbit Systems Tadiran PRC-434 and the British Sarbe product line.

I HOOK2 PLAYS TAC/TAG

General Dynamics C4 Systems offers the Hook 2 GPS CSAR system, a key element of which is the AN/PRC-112G radio. Like the CSEL hand set, it offers GPS positioning and encrypted burst transmissions, along with non-combat oriented COSPAS/SARSAT and two-way satcom modes as software options.

However, it already features TAC, which

Airmen from the 83rd Expeditionary Rescue Squadron completed a high-risk rescue of two wounded Afghan National Army personnel during a mission 11 September 2011. Two HH-60G Pave Hawks had to fly over 12,000-foot mountains and perform an aerial refuelling like the one shown here. (Veronica Pierce)

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CSAR Radios

An aeromedical safety corpsman turns on an AN/PRC-112 B.1 survival Radio, an earlier model in the range now superseded by the GPS-capable -112G. (US Navy)

involves direct, line-of-sight voice and encrypted two-way data communications between the survivor and rescue forces. It couples this with Terminal Area Guidance (TAG), a capability provided by a Distance Measuring Equipment (DME) transponder and beacon.

As well as integrated TAC/TAG, GD C4S emphasises another difference between CSEL and AN/PRC-112G in that the latter uses a civilian GPS, a 12-channel CA code receiver, the claimed benefits being that it maximises battery life and, naturally, needs no key management. The GPS generates automatic position updates once a second and also detects interference with the GPS signal, providing visual notification of the presence and relative strength of the offending transmissions, says the company.

The Hook2 CSAR system also includes

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the Quickdraw2 hand-held interrogator and satcom base station. The Quickdraw2 is designed to plug into the intercom of any aircraft with a suitable line-of-sight UHF radio to turn it into a CSAR asset with TAC capability. According to GD C4S, the device can be used aboard high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft and drones to relay the reply from an interrogated survivor radio to another Quickdraw2 on the ground or a rescue aircraft.

The satcom base station is a portable stand-alone device that can be operated on the move in theatre. It packs a satcom radio, laptop computer and cabling into a rugged carrying case and can run on battery or mains power. Like the Quickdraw2, it can securely interrogate Hook2 radios and provide direct two-way communication with the survivor, in this case using military UHF satellites.

The base station runs in 'always-on' mode and provides automatic acknowledgement of survivor radio transmissions. Operators can send messages immediately or store them and send them when the survivor's radio is ready to receive.

A recent addition to the system is a crossband communications repeater compact and light enough to fit into a small drone, turning it into an airborne multi-band relay. Much of its value in CSAR operations lies in its ability to retransmit Hook2 radio signals in mountainous terrain and urban areas in which line-of-sight systems are often blocked.

I SARBE G2R

Kannad Aviation's Sarbe G2R is the latest in a trusted line of beacons with a 50-year history. A software-defined hand-held radio designed for use in peacetime and wartime rescue missions, it can be activated manually by pulling on a lanyard to remove a pin or automatically upon ejection, on contact with

sea water or optionally by a G-switch. The G2R offers various antenna positions to allow the user to wear the beacon anywhere on the body without compromising transmission range or GPS signal reception.

In peacetime mode, the Sarbe G2R would transmit the beacon's unique identity and GPS position with an accuracy of 120 metres on 406 MHz to the COSPAS/SARSAT network, which provides 'virtually instant' alerting anywhere between 70 degrees North and 70 degrees South and a response time of less than an hour in polar regions.

Despite COSPAS/SARSAT having discontinued its 121.5 and 243 MHz services in 2009, the G2R retains these frequencies for SAR aircraft to home in on and to enable the survivor to talk to the rescue aircraft during the pick up phase. They also provide local communication with civilian aircraft and shipping.

In CSAR mode, the G2R can use any of 3,000 programmable channels between 225 and 300 MHz, sending encrypted GPS position data in burst transmissions to enable covert rescue missions. Randomised transmission of 300 millisecond bursts reduces the probability of detection and interception,

while the standard 256-bit encryption protects the position and identification data should the signal be intercepted.

These extra private channels provide local communication with military aircraft and shipping fitted with a Sarfind decoder, which can locate the beacon to within 10 metres.

Data and voice communication ranges are greater than 50 and 30 nm respectively to an aircraft at 10,000 ft, falling to 16 and 10 nm at 1,000 ft.

A voice channel is particularly important in CSAR missions for authentication before the pick up and is a confidence booster for the survivor. The beacon's transmissions can be silenced with one touch and if the survivor is in imminent danger of capture there is a mission abort feature to prevent unauthorised use. The extra frequencies also allow forces to train and operate covertly on non-emergency channels.

Sarfind is Sarbe’s GPS decoder. It can be programmed for either standard SAR or combat mode transmissions and can handle up to 64 beacons at once. A carry-on unit that plugs into the aircraft's comms system via an integral headset lead, it can operate for up to 18 hours on its rechargeable battery

independently of the aircraft's electrical power system.

I PRC-434 FAMILY

Israel's Tadiran, now part of Elbit Systems Land and C4I, developed the Airborne Search And Rescue System (Aasars), which consists of the ARS-700G Airborne Interrogation and Guidance Suite (AIGS) and the PRC-434 family of software-defined personal survival radios. With the integration of GPS, Asars became Asars-G. Weighing less than 850 g, the PRC434G/SV offers 3,000 channels in 25 kHz steps in the UHF band plus a 121.5 MHz guard channel. Its GPS receiver is a C/A code device offering 25 metre accuracy and up to 40 programmable waypoints. It responds to interrogation from the ARS700G or other compatible CSAR avionics and other PRC-434s, carried by rescuers on the ground for example.

The other survival radio in this family is the PRC-434G/CS, which includes a 406 MHz COSPAS/SARSAT capability in addition to the frequencies used by the SV model. Both can be operated remotely to activate the beacon, navigation and data

CSAR Radios

transfer modes and interrogate them to extract GPS position and range and bearing information.

Another addition to the Asars-G suite is an airborne relay capability provided by a Data Distribution Unit (DDU) that can be installed in many types of aircraft and drones enabling them to take an effective part in CSAR operations by interrogating survival radios. Measuring 100 x 127 x 130 mm, the DDU weighs less than two kilos, says the company. These elements can be regarded as optional building blocks that link to form what the company describes as its 'Integrated NetSAR' solution.

I MBITR2 DÉBUT

Special forces are often called upon to assist in CSAR missions, and one of the most widely used special ops radios, the Thales Defense & Security multiband inter/intra Team Radio gained a new family member in June with the launch of the 'next-generation' MBITR2. The new tactical, hand-held set incorporates narrowband and wideband technologies from the AN/PRC-148 and the AN/PRC-154 respectively, comfortably encompassing the UHF bad used by survivor radios. The wideband element enables the radio to integrate into the tactical IP and voice network via the Soldier Radio Waveform (SRW). MBITR2 retains the ability to communicate with older radios via its narrowband channel. Capable of simultaneous operation on two-channels (one narrowband and one wideband), it combined JEM Type-1 capabilities and adds networking, data and video capabilities and features an embedded GPS receiver.

taken simultaneously on all six. The system also decodes COSPAS/SARSAT messages.

Cubic's AN/ARS-6 (V12) is the latest version of the SAR/CSAR capable personnel location system that has long served American and Nato forces. Mainly installed aboard helicopters, it can now fit some fixedwing aircraft and drones. Cubic emphasises its compatibility with widely deployed survival radios including AN/PRC-112s, PRC-434s and AN/PRQ-7 CSEL sets.

Enhancements over earlier versions include extended two-way voice comms now covering frequencies from 225 to 400 MHz and an optional 360-degree wideband DF antenna and the ability to decode GPS position data in 406 COSPAS/SARSAT signals. The V12 also works with all standard civil distress beacons and Cubic's own tactical

I SAR AVIONICS

Cobham and Cubic also offer dedicated CSAR avionic systems for rescue helicopters and supporting aircraft. Combined with Cubic's V12 interrogator, and dedicated or remote control and display units the Cobham 935 direction finding system provides full CSAR capability, says the company, emphasising its compatibility with the AN/PRC-112 and PRC-434 families and with Cubic's URX 3000 radio.

The 935 series tactical DF equipment can be configured into stand-alone or buscontrolled systems, according to the level of integration with the aircraft that the customer needs. An integral synthesised receiver covers a range of 30 to 470 MHz, working with five guard receivers that monitor distress frequencies. Bearings can be

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emergency locator transmitter and optionally includes an embedded ISR video and data transceiver.

I FUTURE CONVERGENCE

General Dynamics C4 Systems' AN/PRC-112G is the hand-held survival radio that comes with the company’s Hook2 CSAR/PR communications system. (General Dynamics)

The future for CSAR radio looks as though it will hold much technological convergence, reflecting the broadening of the CSAR/PR operational remit.

General issue military radios have become vastly more capable and the numbers deployed have exploded in the last decade or so, particularly as the value of providing every soldier with a Personal Role Radio (PRR) has become abundantly clear. A

Airmen with the 76th Expeditionary Rescue Squadron offload a patient by litter from an HC-130 King transport aircraft to an ambulance for a medical evacuation at Camp Bastion in Afghanistan om 28 January 2012. They served in an air ambulance capacity for Operation Enduring Freedom. The squadron's mission was to provide medical or casualty evacuation and personnel recovery for American and coalition forces, Afghan National Security Forces and Afghan residents. (U.S. Air Force/Tyler Placie)

state-of-the art software-defined radio is a small, powerful computer with an RF communications capability attached, so there is no reason that SAR and CSAR/PR functionality cannot be programmed in.

What’s more, on-going efforts to link disparate military communications networks

together via gateways, particularly those installed in aircraft and drones, means that there will be a far greater chance than ever before of the signal from an isolated individual’s communication device being picked up by friendly ears. Add the military’s enthusiasm for integrating smart phones into

soldier communication networks and those tasked with working out how to communicate with isolated personnel potentially face an embarrassment of riches.

The dangers of such devices falling into the wrong hands will make authentication as crucial as ever. While the need to deal with diverse communication devices obviously complicates the situation, robust authentication procedures never rely entirely on the technology.

Technological revolutions notwithstanding, CSAR's original purpose will remain valid as long as nations send manned aircraft over hostile territory.

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23

Drone Armament

Lightweight laser-homing missiles are produced most economically by adding guidance and control kits to Hydra 70s. The APKWS is also to be used on the US Navy’s MQ-8 Fire Scout.

(BAE Systems)

Weapons for the Killer Drone Zapping baddies from the comfort of home was until recently considered by Washington to be the sole prerogative of the United States. Then the Israelis did their own thing, the Brits claimed a special relationship, the Italians protested, and the Turks made an offer difficult to refuse. You don’t need to be Hercule Poirot to deduce where this is going. Everybody wants killer-drones!

Roy Braybrook, inputs from Eric H. Biass

T

he Vietnam era saw use of the shipbased, torpedo-armed Gyrodyne QH50 helicopter, and armament trials with the Teledyne Ryan Aeronautical BQM-34 Firebee, but by 1980 drones were back to being sensor platforms. Armed drones resurfaced only in late 2001, with US Air Force use in Afghanistan of the General Atomics MQ-1 Predator, armed with Lockheed Martin AGM-114C Hellfire

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supersonic anti-armour missiles.

Interest in arming Predator arose from experience in Kosovo in 1999, when targets detected by unarmed RQ-1s frequently disappeared before supporting ground attack aircraft arrived. In February 2001 trials began at Nellis AFB, Nevada with a modified Predator, fitted with a laser designator, strengthened wings, and two pylon-mounted Hellfires.

Only five days after the “9/11” terrorist attacks, weapons-capable RQ-1s arrived in Afghanistan (which had been surveyed in 2010

by RQ-1s from a base in Uzbekistan). The first armed sortie was flown on October 1st, 2001.

The MQ-1 (the multi-role designation introduced in 2002) proved effective in close support. For example, in March 2002 a Hellfire launched from an MQ-1 destroyed a mountain-top Taliban machine gun emplacement that was pinning down a US Army Rangers team, a target that had defied both F-15s and F-16s.

This MQ-9 Reaper is armed with four dual-mode Raytheon GBU-49 Enhanced Paveway II bombs, combining GPS guidance with laser homing to ensure all-weather operation and precision delivery. (US Air Force)

The Predator was subsequently used in CIA-managed “extrajudicial executions” in other countries. The first took place in the Yemen in November 2002, when an MQ-1L destroyed a vehicle carrying al-Qaeda principal al-Harethi, fingered for the October 2000 suicide attack on the USS Cole (DDG67) in Aden harbour. Drone attacks in the Yemen have continued to the present day.

In May 2003 MQ-1B strikes began on al-

Qaeda and Taliban targets in north-west Pakistan, and grew to a peak of 122 in 2010.

Predators may also have been involved in counter-terrorist actions in the Philippines in 2006. The MQ-1B took part in operations over Libya in April 2011, and two months later attacked an al-Shabaab training camp in Somalia. Another drone strike took place in Somalia in February 2012.

The 1040-kg MQ-1B is capable of carrying two Hellfires, or four Raytheon AIM-92 Stinger air-air missiles, or (reportedly) six Raytheon AGM-176B Griffin lightweight air-ground missiles. It has so far been exported only to Morocco (four aircraft) and Turkey (six), but it is also cleared for sale to Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. The United Arab Emirates have recently ordered the unarmed Predator-XP. Italyhas purchased six unarmed Predators, which it refers to as the Predator-A+ or (confusingly) MQ-1C. The US Army’s 1633-kg General Atomics

This historic photograph from the 1970s shows the Teledyne Ryan BQM-34A/B strike drone, with the dual-role BQM-34C strike/ reconnaissance version at the rear.

On the left is an EO-guided Hobos, and on the right the Spasm rocket-powered LGB. (Northrop Grumman)

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Drone Armament

In the mid-1970s, Ryan Aerospace (now Northrop Grumman) had already brought about the concept of a modular drone able to perform different missions, and one of the weapons retained clearly was the Maverick missile. Five prototypes were built and tested, but the programme was later terminated.

(Armada archives)

MQ-1C Grey Eagle (named after a Cherokee chief, who evidently used early AmericanEnglish spelling) has two extra pylons. These allow the carriage of four Hellfires, or eight Stingers or four MBDA GBU-44 Viper Strike laser-homing glide munitions. Pre-series (Warrior) aircraft were first deployed to Iraq in June 2010.

The MQ-1C is replacing the 885-kg Northrop Grumman MQ-5A/B Hunter, which was the US Army’s first armed drone.

Viper Strike tests in 2003 and 2007 (the latter presumably for the GBU-44/B version with GPS added) cleared the carriage of two such munitions, which are ejected forwards from Systima Technologies weapons carriage containers.

Armed Hunters may have seen little operational use, perhaps because they represent only a stop-gap measure. It is known only that in September 2007 in Iraq an MQ-5A released a Viper Strike that destroyed a vehicle carrying two insurgents who had just buried a bomb.

The 4760-kg MQ-9 Reaper (which General Atomics still refers to as Predator-B) is a much more capable turboprop aircraft, with six underwing pylons. It can carry 16 Hellfires, but more typically carries four in combination with two 230 kg GBU-12

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Originally developed by Denel as an anti-armour missile for use from the Rooivalk attack helicopter, the 10km range Mokopa was presented as a possible armament for the Denel Seeker 400 seen here. (Denel)

Paveway II laser guided bombs or (in future) GBU-38 Jdams.

Other weapons planned include Stinger. The US Air Force MQ-9 was introduced in Iraq in mid-2007, and in Afghanistan (joined by British Reapers) later that year. The MQ-9 has been exported to Britain (ten), Italy (six) and most recently France (18).

The 170-kg AAI RQ-7 Shadow 200 is used by the US Army and Marine Corps, and the armies of Australia, Italy, Pakistan, Turkey and Sweden. In 2010 the US Army invited proposals for munitions suitable for the RQ-7 (presumably weapons light enough for multiple carriage), but passed the programme to the Marine Corps, who looked for a missile already cleared for airborne use. The decision is (strangely) classified, but may have gone to the 29-kg Textron Defense Systems BLU-108/B, which dispenses four 3.4-kg Skeet submunitions, and was successfully tested from a 147-kg DRS Sentry HP in 2004.

I HOW IT BEGAN

In the 1960s the US Air Force and Navy flew strike and reconnaissance missions over North Vietnam, and were losing aircraft to Soviet-origin AAA and SA-2 missiles. One means adopted to cut aircrew losses was to fly the most dangerous reconnaissance sorties with a camera-equipped version of the Teledyne Ryan Aeronautical (now Northrop Grumman) BQM-34 Firebee target drone. This was launched from a DC-130 over the Gulf of Tonkin, to be recovered by parachute (when possible, to be hooked in flight by an HH-3 ‘Jolly Green Giant’ helicopter).

The camera-equipped Ryan Model 147A, code-named Fire Fly, later Lightning Bug, had first been used from Kadena AB, Okinawa

Drone Armament

However, the armed Firebee trials squadron was disbanded in 1979, some say because fighter pilots feared for their jobs. On the other hand, pre-GPS navigation was inaccurate, hence drones were undependable as strike assets, and they lacked the operational flexibility of manned aircraft, In 2003 Northrop Grumman exhibited a Firebee with two Hellfires and a pod for dispensing battlefield sensors, but there were evidently no takers.

I LASER HOMING

The turboprop-powered General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper, illustrated here by serial 03-4008, brought a major improvement in warload. It typically carried two GBU-12 Paveway II LGBs inboard and four Hellfire missiles outboard. (General Atomics)

on August 20, 1964 in a US Air Force reconnaissance sortie over China. As conflict erupted in south-east Asia, the unit was relocated to Bien Hoa AB in South Vietnam. It flew the first photo-reconnaissance and “Sam-sniffer” missions (to record the radio signals used by SA-2 guidance and fuzing) over the North on October 11, 1964.

Although Lightning Bug losses were high, they were judged useful (570 were flown in 1972 alone), and inspired the idea that Firebees should also be used in the Sead (Suppression of Enemy Air Defences) role.

The resulting US Air Force Have Lemon programme was launched in 1971 with the BQM-34A, equipped with a forward-looking

TV camera, a data link and two pylons for EO-guided weapons: the 210-kg Raytheon AGM-65 Maverick missile or the 900-kg Rockwell GBU-8 Hobos (HOming BOmb System) glide weapon.

This led to the BGM-34B with an imaging-IR sensor in the nose for day/night capability, and a laser designator for LGBs. It was tested in 1974 with the Mk81 Self-Propelled Air-to-Surface Munition (Spasm), a 113-kg (class) laser-guided bomb with a tandem-mounted rocket motor with large tail fins.

The final Have Lemon variant was the dual-role BQM-34C, which could perform both reconnaissance and strike missions.

In developing guided munitions for drones, minimising weight maximises potential platform numbers, but implies a small warhead, in turn demanding precise delivery.

Four decades of experience have proved that miss distances of less than five metres can be achieved by having the munition home on to a spot of laser illumination. Adding midcourse satellite navigation facilitates trajectory shaping, limits the time that target illumination isneeded,andprovidessemi-precisedeliveryin the event that terminal homing is lost.

The simplest form of powered laserhoming missile is the laser-guided rocket (LGR), which is now appearing in multiple forms, mostly produced by adding guidance and control kits to off-the-shelf rocket projectiles.

The leading example is the BAE Systems APKWS, based on the widely-used General Dynamics Hydra 70. The APKWS is in fullrate production under US Navy funding for Marine Corps use on manned helicopters. It has a launch weight of 14.8 kg, is 1.942 metres long, and has an effective range of 1,100-

The Northrop Grumman MQ-5A/B Hunter was the US Army’s first armed drone. Two GBU-44 Viper Strike glide munitions could be ejected forwards from containers developed by Systima Technologies. (Northrop Grumman/MBDA)

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Drone Armament

The diminutive Raytheon AGM-176B Griffin-B is shown here (transversely mounted) between a seven-rocket Talon LGR launcher and a Jagm four-round rack. The Griffin-B is 109 cm long and has a diameter of 140 mm. (Raytheon)

Alliant Techsystems (ATK) is working with Elbit Systems on development of the Gatr (Guided Advanced Tactical Rocket), which retains the MK66 motor of the Hydra 70, but has a new warhead and tail, and an Elbit seeker. The Roketsan Cirit LGR has been developed from scratch, primarily for Turkish Army helicopters, but has also been tested on the TAI Mosquito drone helicopter.

I HELLFIRE

5,000 metres.

In September 2012 BAE Systems was awarded a US Navy contract to integrate the APKWS on the 1430-kg Northrop Grumman MQ-8B Fire Scout unmanned helicopter, evidently using two three-round launchers.

Use of APKWS on the production 2722-kg MQ-8C should follow from around 2016.

Another LGR based on the Hydra 70 is the Lockheed Martin Dagr (Direct Attack Guided Rocket), believed to be in limited

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The IAI Lahat was presented as a possible armament for the Eitan, and acoording to certain sources the tandem may have already been used in anger. (Armada/Eric H. Biass)

production under US funding for Iraq’s Mi17s, Mi-171s and ATK AC-208Bs. The Raytheon Talon LGR is under joint development with the Abu Dhabi-based Emirates Advanced Investment Group.

To date, most drone-delivered weapons have been 50-kg (class) Hellfires and 230-kg GBU12s. Costing around $ 80,000, Hellfire is broadly four times as expensive as the $19,000 GBU-12, but its supersonic flight gives less time for the target to move behind cover. The Hellfire also has a smaller warhead, producing less collateral effects, but it is an expensive way to attack personnel and unarmoured vehicles.

The AGM-114P Hellfire was developed for medium-altitude drones, notably the MQ-1 and MQ-9. Such operations involve soaking at low temperatures (-35 deg C), and require seeker gimbal modification for increased look angle (sources claiming 90 degrees off-boresight). The current version appears to be the AGM-114P-4A. The AGM-114P is now being replaced in

The MBDA Saber offers an unusually large guidance footprint, due to the company’s Diamond Back wing-kit. The Saber is marketed in two forms: a 5.9 kg glide weapon, and a 13.6 kg rocket-powered missile. (MBDA)

The length of the Raytheon STM Phase II or Pyros was reduced to 55 cm, thanks to a short warhead developed by Nammo-Talley. The missile is shown mounted on the centreline pylon of a Raytheon Cobra drone. (Raytheon)

The light weight (6.0 kg) of the Raytheon Pyros eliminates the need for special loading equipment, other than a stand to raise the drone (a Raytheon Cobra) off the ground. (Raytheon)

The 5.0-kg Lockheed Martin Shadow Hawk was successfully tested from a US Army AAI RQ-7 Shadow 200 at the Dugway Proving Ground in April 2002. (Lockheed Martin)

The small size of the Raytheon Small Tactical Munition (STM) is apparent in this exhibit, showing it with the Tow missile and the 120GM Dagger laser-homing 120 mm mortar round.

This STM Phase I was 60 cm long. (Raytheon)

US service (as are all laser-homing Hellfire II models) by the AGM-114R, with a multipurpose warhead to suit a variety of targets. It also has a new IMU (inertial measurement unit), allowing targets to be engaged to the side and behind the launch platform. An improved seeker gives better performance in the presence of obscurants such as smoke. The AGM-1114R also provides trajectory shaping to optimise

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Drone Armament

I MOKOPA

Another laser-homer in the Hellfire category is the 49.8-kg Denel Dynamics Mokopa, which offers a range of 10,000 metres and has been exhibited as potential armament for the same company’s Seeker 400 male drone.

China’s equivalent of Hellfire is the CASCT AR-1, which has appeared on models of the CH-3 drone.

I VIPER (STRIKE) The 81 mm Air-Dropped Mortar (ADM) developed by General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems is shown being released from a TigerShark drone during US Army Precision Air-Dropped Guided Munition trials. (GD-OTS)

lethality against different targets, and automatic target reacquisition after loss of track in low cloud.

The AGM-114R has a launch weight of 49.4 kg with a 9.0 kg tandem warhead. It is 163 cm long and has a body diameter of 178 mm. Using a high trajectory and lock-on after launch (Loal), it can achieve its maximum range of 8000 metres.

I BRIMSTONE

The MBDA Dual Mode Brimstone (DMB) is structurally a Hellfire derivative, but has a new motor, warhead and seeker system. It uses semi-active laser (SAL) homing until the terminal phase, when it can switch to active mm-wave radar guidance to deal with fast, manoeuvring targets. It has a launch weight of 50 kg, an overall length of 180 cm, and a body diameter of 180 mm. The DMBmay be cleared for use with a three-round launcher on British MQ-9s, providing true all-weather capability.

The much lighter GBU-44/B Viper Strike is an air-launched derivative of Northrop Grumman’s Bat anti-armour submunition.

The Bat employs a combination of acoustic and infrared homing, and was designed to be dispensed from the Atacms surface-tosurface missile.

The tube-launched Viper Strike glide bomb employs laser terminal homing and entered US Army service on the MQ-5 in 2007. In 2011 Northrop Grumman sold the programme to MBDA, who renamed it Viper.

It is in service on US Army, Marine Corps and Socom aircraft, and clearance is planned for use on the MQ-1B, MQ-1C and MQ-8.

MBDA now produces the GBU-44/E Viper-E, apparently developed to deal with targets that require steep or shallow attacks.

Its “fast attack mode” is effective against highspeed land/sea targets, and its “top attack mode” allows the engagement of targets directly below the launch aircraft.

The Viper has tandem warheads. It weighs 19 kg, and has a length of 89 cm, a wingspan of 91.5 cm, and a body diameter of 140 mm. It employs GPS/INS mid-course guidance, with SAL homing. Its long-span cruciform wings produce a glide ratio that allows release from altitude at a safe standoff

The ATK Hatchet has wrap-around wings and a aft-folding tail surfaces to suit tube launching, in this example from a two-round pylon/launcher developed by Systima Technologies. (ATK)

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distance. The Viper-E II is a development with only GPS/INS guidance, but a data link for target updates.

I GRIFFIN

Compared to the Viper, the Raytheon AGM176 Griffin is a more conventional-looking missile. The unpowered AGM-176A GriffinA is ejected aft from a ten-round pack on the rear ramp of the US Marine Corps Harvest Hawk KC-130J. The rocket-powered AGM176B Griffin-B is fired from manned and unmanned aircraft. An extended-range version is being developed for the US Navy’s Littoral Combat Ship (to compete with the MBDA Sea Spear derivative of Brimstone).

The Griffin-B weighs 15 kg with a 5.9 kg warhead, is 109 cm long, and has a body diameter of 140 mm. It uses GPS/INS navigation, with laser terminal homing. The fuze allows selection of height of burst, impact or delayed detonation. Griffin production has been running at around 600 rounds/year.

I LAHAT AND LMM

In the same size category, the Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) Lahat weighs 13 kg and has a range of 13 km. It has been exhibited on a four-round launcher next to the company’s Heron TP drone. The 13-kg Thales LMM (Lightweight Multi-role Missile) is currently in production in laser beam-riding form for the Royal Navy Wildcat helicopter. It is 130 cm long, and has a diameter of 76 mm and a range of 8,000 metres.

I ULTRALIGHTS

The US Army’s interest in very light weapons for the RQ-7 led to the emergence of several unpowered munitions weighing six kilograms or less. Except for the mortar bombs, all employ GPS/INS navigation with laser terminal homing.

One example is the 5.9-kg MBDA Saber (Small Air Bomb, Extended Range), which uses the company’s Diamond Back wing-kit.

A powered derivative weighing 13.6 kg is planned. An alternative EO/IR seeker and data link are under development.

Raytheon offers the Small Tactical Missile (STM), originally 60 cm long. This was further refined as the 6.0-kg STM Phase II or Pyros, with a length of only 55.8 cm, due to a shorter warhead from Nammo-Talley. The safety and arming device by Kaman Aerospace allows for air burst, or detonation on impact or with delay. Pyros has small foldout wings and fins. Two rounds can be accommodated in tandem in the Systima

One of the least publicised mini-munitions is the 2.3-kg Spike developed by the Naval Air Warfare Center as a joint venture with DRS Technologies. Spike is shown here being flight tested on the 9.1-kg Lew Aerospace Inventus-E drone. Developed as a cheap substitute for Javelin, the NAWC Spike was designed to engage a battlefield target moving at up to 50 km/hr, using either laser homing or EO contrast-lock. (Lew Aerospace)

Technologies Common Launch Tube. The first guided test from a Raytheon Cobra drone was performed in August 2012.

The Lockheed Martin Shadow Hawk has fixed control surfaces, weighs 5.0 kg, is 69 cm long and has a 70 mm body diameter (suggesting some commonality with the company’s Dagr rocket). The Shadow Hawk was successfully tested from a Shadow 200 at the US Army’s Dugway Proving Ground, Utah, in April 2012.

I MORTAR BOMBS

Consideration has also been given to airdropped guided mortar rounds, although such weapons have a smaller guidance footprint than winged missiles. This may force the drone to make a more precise ‘canned’ attack, flying directly toward the target, with munition release at a precomputed point,

according to height-difference.

Several guided mortar bombs have already been developed. In 2011 the Alliant Techsystems’ Mortar Guidance Kit (MGK) for the 120 mm mortar entered service in Afghanistan. It employs GPS (which the US Army considers more suitable than laser homing in mountainous terrain) to give a CEP of less than ten metres. However, a 120 mm mortar bomb weighs around 15 kg, which is too heavy for multiple use on the RQ-7.

An81mmmortarbombweighsonly4.1kg, and General Dynamics has developed in partnershipwithBAESystemstheGPS-guided Roll-Controlled Guided Mortar (RCGM) for ground use. Derived from this, GD’s Air DroppedMortar(ADM)hasbeentestedunder the US Army Research Development and EngineeringCommand(RDECOM)Precision

Air-Dropped Guided Munition (PADGM) programme. It was first released from a C-123 and later from an L-3 TigerShark drone.

I WAITING TO TAKE OFF

One lightweight munition that the US Army appears to have ignored is the Spike developed by the Naval Air Warfare Center (NAWC) at China Lake, California, in collaboration with DRS Technologies. The Spike was designed to use either electrooptical contrast-lock or laser homing. It was primarily intended as a tube-launched lowcost ($ 5,000) ground-ground missile for the Marine Corps, although drone use was also envisaged. It weighs around 2.3 kg, and has a range of over 3.0 km from ground launch.

Another laser homing weapon in the twokilo category is the ATK Hatchet, a 60 mm munition that is 32 cm long. Evidently designed for launch from three-round tubes on the ScanEagle, it has four wrap-around wings and four tail surfaces that fold aft. It is also envisaged that Hatchet could be dispensed from a rotary launcher, allowing an MQ-9 to carry over 100.

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Laser-Guided Missiles

The latest member of the Sagem Aasm family, the laserguided Aasm L (or SBU-54) here seen mounted on a Dassault Rafale, was actually used in Mali before it was declared fully operational.

(Armada/Eric H.Biass)

When the Death-Dot Gets You, It’s Got You! Military technology took a major advance in the 1960s, when America’s industry and armed services learned to designate a ground target with a laser illuminator, and develop a guidance and control kit that would allow a munition to home on to the reflected energy. However, semi-active homing was only the first guidance application for lasers. Later came missiles that ride laser beams.

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Roy Braybrook, inputs from Eric H. Biass

T

his review is focussed on powered missiles, but such weapons derive from laser-guided bombs, which not only laid the technological foundations, but also demonstrated the advantages and shortcomings of laser guidance.

Laboratory research into laser guidance was launched by the US Army in 1962 and by the US Air Force in 1964, at which stage the development of tactical guided weapons was still in its infancy.

The motivation for using laser guidance has changed over the years. In the Vietnam War (officially 1961-75) the aim was to cut losses in the multiple missions required to destroy hard targets such as the French-built bridges that were crucial to North Vietnam’s logistics in invading the South. Today the aims of most such developments are to reduce the cost and collateral effects of attacking small, soft targets such as groups of insurgents.

Laser guidance provides an attractive combination of precision and affordability.

Around 1970, computer-released ‘dumb’ bombs were producing a CEP of approximately 135 metres, whereas laser spot homing could achieve seven metres, giving a

much higher hit probability. Aside from dramatically reducing the number of sorties required for target destruction, laser guided bombs (LGBs) also allowed munition-release at significantly greater slant range, thus reducing exposure to ground fire.

America’s Paveway LGBs were introduced in Vietnam in 1972, and have been used increasingly in subsequent conflicts. They have also inspired other LGBs, such as the Elbit Systems Lizard and Russia’s KAB-500L and -1500L. One important lesson came from operations over Kosovo in 1999, periods of cloud cover highlighting the need to be able to continue an attack if visual contact with the target is lost.

Whereas in Vietnam that problem was addressed by flying missions with some aircraft carrying LGBs and others EOGBs (electro-optical guided bombs), modern technology allows one weapon to have two or more forms of guidance. Thus, precise clear The mother of all laser-guided weapons, this 340-kg Texas Instruments Bolt-117 (Bomb, Laser Terminal M117), later GBU-1/B, was evaluated in Vietnam in 1968, but was superseded by the Paveway series with canard controls. (US Air Force).

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35

Laser-Guided Missiles

weather laser homing may be combined with semi-precise all-weather GPS/INS guidance.

Examples of such weapons include the GBU-54 Boeing Laser Jdam (Ljdam), which adds a laser seeker to the GPS/INS-guided baseline Jdam, to allow engagement of moving targets, maritime threats and other relocatable targets of opportunity. Ljdam was identified as an urgent operational need in early 2007, and Boeing delivered the first kits to the US Air Force and Navy in 2008.

Raytheon’s 115 kg (class) GBU-53/B SDB-II is a further development of the GPS/INS-guided Small Diameter Bomb, with that company’s trimode seeker, a GD multi-effect warhead, and MBDA Diamond Back wing kit. (Raytheon).

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The Boeing GBU-54 Laser Jdam is shown mounted below the wing of Lockheed Martin F-16C Block 40C serial 88-0469 of the US Air Force 46th Test Wing at Eglin AFB, Florida.

(US Air Force).

In 2011 Navair placed the first low-rate initial production order for LJDAM kits under the US Navy’s Direct Attack Moving Target Capability (DAMTC) requirement.

Full-rate production for DAMTC was ordered in September 2012.

In June 2013 it was reported that the US Air Force intends to award Boeing a contract to develop a laser-guided version of its GPS/INS-guided Small Diameter Bomb (SDB), adding the Ljdam seeker, a joint development by Boeing and Elbit Systems.

Afsoc has sponsored a test of this LSDB on the AC-130W, and a small production run is expected to follow.

The LSDB is under consideration as a more economical alternative to the GBU53/B Raytheon SDB-II, which adds to SDB a tri-mode seeker combining millimetrewave, infrared and semi-active laser guidance. Millimetre-wave radar is the only form of miniature seeker that will

function in zero visibility. The SDB-II is aimed at swarming boats, mobile air defence systems and armoured targets. It has a multi-effects warhead by General Dynamics and a Rockwell Collins dualband two-way data link, allowing the impact point to be updated and missile status to be checked. SDB-II is due to enter low-rate production in January 2014.

I ROCKET PROJECTILES

Laser-guided rockets were discussed in some detail in Armada 3/2013. In essence, BAE Systems has established a useful lead with the US Navy’s APKWS (Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System), which adds a guidance and control kit to the GD Hydra 70 rocket. It was first used operationally on US Marine Corps Bell AH-1W SuperCobras and UH-1Y Venoms in Afghanistan in March 2012. The APKWS has a maximum range of 5000 metres, and is unique in having four laser sensors on retractable ‘wings’. APKWS is expected to be integrated shortly on the Sikorsky MH-60S and Northrop Grumman MQ-8 Fire Scout.

A Fixed Wing APKWS with explosivelydeployed wings to suit high-speed launch is being developed for US Air Force Republic

A-10 and US Marine Corps Boeing AV-8B. It remains to be seen, whether the US Army will adopt the APKWS as its Ampm (Aviation Multi-Platform Munition), initially to arm the Bell OH-58D. The Lockheed Martin Dagr (Direct Attack Guided Rocket) is believed to be in limited production under US funding for Iraqi Mi-17s, Mi-171s and ATK AC-208Bs. The Dagr/Hellfire Strike Kit (DHSK) is under consideration for various C-130 applications, notably the US Marine Corps KC-130J Harvest Hawk Capability II and the Afsoc AC-130W and AC-130J. Raytheon has used its laser experience to develop with the Emirates Advanced Investments Group the Talon LGR, which is controlled by three fold-out canards. It is initially aimed at arming the United Arab Emirate’s Boeing AH-64Ds. While the development programme had appeared to be in full swing until about two years ago, including firing tests from helicopters, it all went very quiet until the 2013 Dubai Air Show, when it was announced that the general headquarters of the United Arab Emirates Armed Forces had awarded local holding company Tawazun a contract for,

While the Raytheon Talon, which has just been ordered into production by the United Arab Emirates armed forces, is described as a legacy Hydra-70 rocket fitted with a new front laser guidance section (including three flip-out control surfaces), it is interesting to note that the tail fins too have been substantially modified. (Armada/Eric H. Biass)

verbatim, “Raytheon’s Talon laser guided rocket”. The contract covers procurement, delivery and full integration of the Talon into the service’s existing rocket system, as well as training.

Some enterprises feel that there is a substantial market for completely new laserguided rockets, rather than adding kits to

legacy projectiles. One such project is the Gatr (Guided Advanced Tactical Rocket) being developed by Alliant Techsystems (ATK) and Elbit Systems, using the seeker from the latter’s Lizard LGB and Star (Smart Tactical Airborne Rocket). The team has been awarded a contract by US Special Operations Command to validate Gatr on

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Laser-Guided Missiles

This 70-mm Lockheed Martin Dagr (Direct Attack Guided Rocket) is being fired from an early prototype of the same company’s JLTV (Joint Light Tactical Vehicle), which is aimed at replacing the US Army/Marine Corps Humvee. (Lockheed Martin).

various platforms, including the MH-60L. Also worthy of note is the 70 mm Roketsan Cirit, designed to fulfil a Turkish Army requirement to arm the new TAI T129 Atak helicopter and Bell AH-1W. Cirit has a launch weight of 15 kg and a range of 8000 metres.

The latest project in this context Is the Roquette a Precision Métrique (RPM), which is largely being private-ventured by the Thales Group’s TDA Armements, although the French Defence Ministry’s DGA procurement agency is funding the new warhead and fuze, and providing the Eurocopter Tiger HAP platform and trials facilities at BA120 Cazaux. The DGA views First unveiled by Thales at the Cazeau French Air force base last May, the 8.8-kilo RPM is now expected to see its first launch from a Tiger helicopter take place in January 2014.

The seeker could be later used for other applications like 155mm howitzer, 120mm tank and 120mm mortar ammunition.

(Armada/Eric H. Biass)

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the MPR (also known as MPR for Metric Precision Rocket in English) as part of its wider Munition à Precision Métrique (MPM) effort to provide common, low-cost components for guided artillery and tank shells, and mortar bombs.

The RPM is based on TDA’s wellestablished 68 mm SNEB rocket projectile.

It has a launch weight of 8.8 kg, and is designed to engage a target moving at 55 km/hr at a range of 6100 metres, with a CEP of one metre, and no blast effects beyond 20 metres. One unique feature of RPM is that it uses induction technology to communicatewith the launch platform, eliminating cable connectors and thus benefiting reliability, while reducing maintenance and reload times.

Ground tests of the RPM by DGA’s Centre d’Essais de Lancement de Missiles (CELM) began in 2012, followed by the first Tiger HAP launch in January 2014. The warhead and fuze will be tested in 2015. The basic objective is to arm the French Army’s Tigre HAP/HAD, but also to suit operation from a

Laser-Guided Missiles

Weighing less than 50 kg, the Lockheed Martin AGM-114 Hellfire is easily loaded by hand, in this case on to a US Navy Sikorsky SH-60B Seahawk of HSL-46 ‘Grandmasters’ aboard cruiser CG-69, USS Vicksburg. (US Navy)

105/122 mm gun. Helicopter launch can initial operational capability by 2018.

Although little publicised, there are laserguided rockets in heavier calibres. Russia has developed the 122-mm S-13L and the 340mm S-25L. MBDA has tested the 127-mm laser-guided Zuni, developed under a CRDA (Cooperative R&D Agreement) with the Naval Air Warfare Center at China Lake, California. The missile weighs 68 kg and carries an 18 kg warhead up to 16 km.

I HELLFIRE

In 1974 the US Army began development work on a helicopter-launched anti-armour guided missile. The broad requirements were for multiple target engagements in a single Interest in helicopter weapons with reduced collateral effects has emphasised lightweight laser-guided 70 mm rockets, but much heavier projectiles are being developed. This 127 mm laser-guided Zuni weighed 68 kg at launch. (MBDA).

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sortie, plus the ability to attack targets that were exposed only briefly, by day or night.

Also required were extended range, and indirect fire capability (for example, from behind a hill, with lock-on after launch), the target in such cases being designated by another airborne platform or ground assets.

The resulting laser-homing Rockwell AGM-114A Hellfire (Helicopter-launched Fire-and-forget) missile entered production in 1982. It weighed 45 kg, which was twice the weight of the wire-guided Hughes BGM71 Tow and Euromissile Hot, due to Hellfire’s 8000 metre range, 9.0 kg warhead and supersonic cruise (peaking at Mach 1.4).

In 1996 Rockwell sold its defence and aerospace business to Boeing, which formed the joint venture Hellfire Systems with Lockheed Martin. For practical purposes, today Hellfire is a Lockheed Martin product, and the most important laser-guided missile so far developed.

The second-generation Hellfire II series began development in the early 1990s, starting with the AGM-114K, which has electro-optical countermeasures hardening and autopilot improvements that allow target reacquisition after loss of laser-lock. It has a tandem shaped-charge warhead to destroy armoured targets.

The AGM-114M has a blast-frag/ incendiary warhead for light vehicles, urban targets, caves and bunkers. The AGM-114N has a thermobaric or ‘metal augmented charge’ warhead for enclosures, urban

targets, air defence units and ships. The AGM-114P is a development of the antiarmour AGM-114K, with an increased lookangle, specifically for use on mediumaltitude drones such as Predator and Reaper.

The latest major Hellfire development is the 50-kg AGM-114R (‘Romeo’), which is replacing the AGM-114K/M/N/P in US service. It has a new multi-purpose warhead with effects selectable for hard, soft or enclosed targets. It has a new inertial measuring unit that allows suitably equipped platforms to engage targets to the side and rear, without manoeuvring. Its enhanced guidance system allows firings from higher altitudes, improving impact angle and lethality.

Hellfire was first employed operationally in the US invasion of Panama in 1989, followed by Operation Desert Storm in 1991, when it achieved a 79% hit rate. It has been used in every US action since, including the targeted killings of terrorist leaders, using drone platforms. There has been one recorded air-air engagement, in which an IDF AH-64A in 2001 shot down a Cessna training aircraft entering Israeli airspace from the Lebanon. The Hellfire is used by a total of 25 nations.

I OTHER HOMERS

The precision, affordability and operational flexibility of laser spot homing encouraged its use in other missiles, one example being The Israel Aerospace Industries Nimrod is an anti-tank and anti-personnel missile with the remarkable range of 26 km, launched from a ground vehicle or helicopter. It has typically been used from the CH-53 in supporting IDF special operations. (IAI)

The Israel Aerospace Industries Lahat(LAserHoming ATack) missile can be fired from a 105/120 mm tank gun, or launched from a canister on a light vehicle or helicopter. (IAI)

Denel Dynamics has now completed development of the laser-homing Mokopa anti-armour missile, which provides the unusually long range of 10,000 metres when fired from a helicopter. (Armada/RB)

the Lockheed Martin AGM-65 Maverick, which had begun life in 1972 with EO guidance. The 300 kg laser homing AGM65E with 136 kg penetration blastfragmentation warhead has a range of around 22 km. It was developed specifically for close support, and is used primarily by the US Marine Corps. The AGM-65E was last manufactured in the mid-1980s.

In Iraq an urgent need arose for a missile to strike fast, manoeuvring targets, typically as insurgents fled after planting roadside bombs. Under US Air Force funding, Raytheon developed a modernised version of the AGM-65E with a more advanced laser seeker and upgraded guidance. The US Air Force refers to this as the AGM-65L, and the Navy and Marine Corps as the AGM-65E2.

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Laser-Guided Missiles

increase range up to 13,000 metres.

The IAI Nimrod-2 is a 100 kg missile with a 14 kg warhead and a range of up to 36 km from fixed-wing launch, although in IDF use it is typically fired from a CH-53. There are reports of a Nimrod-3 with 50 km range.

Russia’s Zvezda-Strela, now Tactical Missiles Corp, developed two laser homing air-ground missiles: the Kh-25ML and Kh29L. The 310-kg Kh-25ML (AS-10) has an 86 kg warhead, and the 660 kg Kh-29L (AS14) has a 320 kg warhead. Both have a range of ten kilometres.

South Africa’s Denel Dynamics has completed development of the 49.8-kg Mokopa (Black Mamba) laser homing missile, which has the remarkable maximum range of 10,000 metres. It is now being integrated on the Rooivalk (Red Kestrel) helicopter.

Diehl BGT Defence is developing a laserguided Sidewinder (Lags), replacing the infrared seeker of the AIM-9L (which Diehl has produced under licence) with a semiactive laser unit, to produce a lightweight (87 kg) close support weapon for soft targets.

Lags is aimed at making use of legacy Sidewinders that are being replaced Most laser beam-riding anti-armour missiles come from Russia, but there are exceptions, such as South Africa’s Denel Dynamics Ingwe, which is available with tandem shaped charges or a multi-purpose penetrator warhead. (Armada/Eric H. Biass).

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bymissiles such as the Iris-T. Development is due to be completed by 2015.

One new missile rushed into service for use in Mali is the Sagem SBU-54 Hammer, which adds a laser seeker to the baseline GPS/INS-guided Aasm (SBU-38). France’s DGA ordered 380 SBU-54s, and qualified it in April 2012. This allowed the French Air Force to declare a limited initial operational capability in May 2013, with target designation by the Thales Damocles pod. It is currently cleared for targets moving at up to 50 km/hr, but this is later to be increased to 80 km/hr. The SBU-54 has a range of 20 km from low level, or 60 km from altitude. The current missile (Aasm-250) is based on a 250 kg warhead, but versions with 125 and 500 kg warheads are available, and a 1000 kg variant is under development, with larger wings and

The KBP-designed laser beam-riding 9K133 Kornet was reportedly used to destroy US Abrams tanks in the 2003 invasion of Iraq, and was used by Hezbollah to destroy Israeli Merkava tanks in the 2006 Lebanon war.

(Armada/Eric H. Biass).

more powerful rocket motor. The SBU-64 version employs imaging-infrared guidance.

Russia has been a leader in developing barrel-launched laser homing munitions, notably the KBP-designed Gran 120 mm mortar bomb, and the 122-mm Kitilov-2M and 152/155-mm Krasnopol artillery rounds.

I BEAM RIDERSS

Whereas Denel’s ultra-long range Mokopa is designed for a target that may be laserdesignated by an external source, being out of sight of the launch platform, the company’s 28.5 kg, 5000 metre range Ingwe (Leopard) employs laser beam riding. In preproduction ZT3 form it was used by South African forces in Angola in 1987 to destroy a number of T55 tanks.

Ingwe is available in tandem warhead or Multi-Purpose Penetrator (MPP) form. At IDEX-2013 Denel unveiled the Ingwe Portable Launch System (IPLS), for firings from a tripod or a light vehicle.

Laser beam riding has been adopted for several Russian anti-armour missiles. These include the KBP-designed ground-based 9K116 Bastion (AT-10), 9K119 Refleks (AT11) and 9K133 Kornet (AT-14), and helicopter-launched missiles, notably the KBM-designed 9K121 Vikhr (AT-16).

Arming the latest Russian attack helicopters, the Vikhr weighs 45 kg (59 kg in its launch tube) and has a range of 10,000 metres. KBP has also developed a family of laser beam

The most widely used laser beam-riding air defence system is the Saab Bofors Dynamics RBS70, which has full day/night capability and a warhead that is effective against both aircraft and lightly armoured ground vehicles. (Saab).

riding rounds for 100/115/125 mm tank guns.

Kornet entered service in 1994 and is used by 15 nations. The latest variant is the Kornet-EM, which fires various rounds, including the 33-kg 9M133FM-3, which carries a thermobaric warhead to a range of 10,000 metres.

One significant development is the KBMdesigned Khrizantema-S tank-destroyer system. This combines the 9M123 (AT-15) missile with the BMP-3 chassis, which accommodates 15 rounds internally. The weapon is available in the 9M123 tandem

shaped charge or 9M123F thermobaric warhead form, and can be fired using laser beam riding or mm-wave radar command guidance. Two targets can be engaged simultaneously, using different guidance systems. The 46-kg 9M123 has an 8.0 kg warhead and a range of 6000 metres.

I AIR DEFENCE

Laser beam riding offers unjammable guidance, but miss distance is proportional to firing range, hence this system is suitable only for short ranges.

Fired from its lightweight multiple launcher (LML), the Thales Starstreak has been ejected from its canister by the first stage rocket, and will next accelerate to around Mach 3.5 to release its three laser beamriding explosive ‘darts’. (Thales)

One highly successful air defence example of such systems is the Saab Bofors Dynamics RBS 70 family, which uses a thermal imager for night capability. Its warhead combines a shaped charge with 3000 tungsten balls, so that it can effectively engage both lightly armoured ground vehicles and aircraft (using a proximity fuze). The RBS 70 entered service with the Swedish Army in 1977.

Around 1600 systems with 17,000 missiles have now been sold to 18 countries. The current RBS 70 NG uses the Mk2 or Bolide round, with a slant range of 8000 metres and a ceiling of 5000 metres.

The Thales Air Defence (TADL) Starstreak is a somewhat lighter system, and is available in shoulder-launched form, although it is also used from a ground-mounted lightweight multiple launcher or from a vehicle. The design emphasis was on minimising time of flight, in engaging attack helicopters exposed for only a few seconds. It launches at Mach 3.5 three hit-to-kill laser beam-riding explosive ‘darts’, each weighing 0.9 kg.

Like the RBS 70, Starstreak employs Saclos guidance, the gunner holding his sight (and thus the laser beam) on the target throughout missile flight. It entered service with the British Army in 1997, and was subsequently exported to South Africa and Thailand. The Starstreak II, unveiled in 2007, increases range to over 7000 metres.

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Fighter Aircraft Market

Changing Perceptions In The Fighter Marketplace Widespread funding cutbacks, the general improbability of a major conventional conflict, and the growing realisation of the true cost and uncertain value of stealth, are some of the factors encouraging nations to delay combat aircraft procurements, reduce their fleets, and upgrade and retain existing equipment. Nonetheless, some countries are proceeding with new purchases.

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Photographed during Operation Harmattan over Libya in 2011, this French Air Force Dassault Rafale B is armed with four Sagem Hammer AASM. Its code 113-HI indicates that it is based at BA113, St Dizier - Robinson.

(French Air Force).

Roy Braybrook

V

irtually all operators still demand genuine dual-role (air-air and airground) performance, but there is a growing acceptance that air combats will continue to be rare. Strike capability may thus be replacing the control of airspace as the principal justification for fighter aircraft.

Just as precision-guided munitions (PGMs) and support aircraft with

GMTI/SAR radars have changed the nature of tactical ground attack, and AEW&C aircraft have transformed fighter use in air defence, the proliferation of Russian long-range surface-to-air missiles (Almaz S-300P/S-400 and Antey S-300V) is expected to make access to target airspace increasingly hazardous, and force the attacker to strike with cruise missiles.

Likewise, China’s development of an anti-carrier ballistic missile, the 3000km DF-21D, is pushing the US Navy toward ultra-long range manned/unmanned

strike fighters with cruise missiles.

Against the background of these major changes, the following review discusses current fighters in roughly ascending order of gross weight.

I JF-17 THUNDER

The latest descendant of the MiG-21 is the Chengdu/Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) JF-17 Thunder, which first flew in China in 2003. Following tests with twelve development aircraft, PAC assembled 42 Block One JF-17s for the Pakistan Air Force

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Fighter Aircraft Market

A joint Sino-Pakistani development effort, the JF-17 Thunder is a single-engine 6.5-tonne aircraft, about 45 units of which have so far been built by Pakistan Aeronautical Complex.

It is known as the FC-1 Fierce Dragon in China.

(Armada/Eric H. Biass)

(PAF). Some 150 JF-17s are under contract for Pakistan, and in 2007 Russia approved the transfer of 150 RD-93 engines from China to Pakistan.

The JF-17 Block Two is to have Western avionics and missiles, in-flight refuelling and reduced radar signature. Given an assured supply of suitable engines, this could be the modern equivalent of the Northrop F-5E. However, the programme currently appears to be stalled, perhaps because Russia sees it as a threat to the MiG-29, and China is having difficulty developing the Guizhou WS-13..

I TEJAS

To reduce India’s dependence on foreign aircraft, its Aeronautical Development Agency is developing the Tejas (Radiance) LCA (Light Combat Aircraft), built by Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL). The first of two technology demonstrators (TD-1) flew in 2001, and has been followed by five

prototype vehicles, one naval prototype (NP1) and eight limited-series production aircraft.

The Indian Air Force ordered 20 Tejas Mk1s in 2006 and 20 more in 2010. A further 40 are expected to be ordered. Initial operational capability was announced in 2011. It is hoped to achieve full operational capability by the end of 2014, and have two squadrons in service by 2017.

The Tejas Mk2 with 98-kN General Electric F414-INS6 replacing the 85-kN F404-IN20 of the Mk1 (plus various equipment improvements) is due to fly in 2015. Five Mk2 squadrons are planned for service from 2022. The DRDO Kaveri engine, which was to have powered Tejas, will now be produced only in non-afterburning form, for the India Unmanned Strike Air Vehicle (IUSAV).

Fitted with a drooped front fuselage, improved leading edge devices and the usual carrier modifications, the Naval Tejas is intended to serve alongside the Indian Navy’s MiG-29K, using ski-jump take-offs and arrested landings. The two-seat NP-1 had its maiden flight in April 2012, paving the way for the single-seat NP-2 and a six-aircraft development batch.

It seems likely that a twin-wheel, noselegtow arrangement will be developed to allow catapult-launch of the Naval Tejas from India’s second indigenous carrier (INS Vishal). The project might then interest the Brazilian and other navies.

I FA-50

Another lightweight fighter based on a single F404 engine is the Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) FA-50, developed from its

T-50 supersonic trainer, in turn derived from the F-16. The Republic of Korea Air Force (Rokaf) has 60 T-50/50Bs and 22 TA50s in service, the latter having ground attack capability. Four Rokaf T-50s have been converted to FA-50 standard, adding air-air capability. Indonesia has twelve T50s and four TA-50s. Iraq is negotiating to buy 24 T-50s.

In January 2012 Rokaf placed a $ 600 million order for 20 FA-50s to begin replacing its F-5Es, and in May 2013 signed a billion-dollar contract for an unspecified number, probably around 40.

The Philippines is negotiating to buy twelve FA50s, costing approximately $ 465 million.

KAI is clearly hoping to keep the T-50/FA50 production line active, in order to improve its chances in the ever-receding US Air Force T-X programme to replace the Northrop T-38 advanced trainer.

I GRIPEN

The Saab JAS39 Gripen is Western Europe’s only new-generation lightweight fighter. The Swedish Air Force received 120 Jas39A/Bs and 84 Jas 39C/Ds, but is consolidating its fleet as 100 upgraded Jas39C/Ds. South Africa and Thailand have respectively purchased 26 and twelve Gripen C/Ds, while Hungary is buying 14 ex-SwAF C/Ds under a lease-purchase deal (now stretched to 2026).

The Czech Ministry of Defence is negotiating with the Swedish Defence and Security Export Agency (FXM) to extend its lease of a similar batch for a further 14 years.

In 2011 Switzerland selected as its replacement for the F-5E the Gripen NG with 98-kN General Electric F414 (in place of the 80.5-kN F404-based Volvo Aero RM12), Selex Galileo Raven ES-05 Aesa radar and other improvements. Possibly subject to a referendum, Switzerland will buy 22 newbuild Gripen Es, and as an interim measure will lease eleven Jas39C/Ds. Further possibilities for the Gripen exist in Brazil, Denmark and the Netherlands.

In February 2013 an initial development contract on the Gripen NG was signed between Saab and the Swedish Defence Materiel administration (FMV). Sweden

The first carrier-capable Tejas LCA prototype (NP1) had its maiden flight on 27 April 2012.

The Naval Tejas will serve alongside the MiG-29K on Indian Navy carriers, using ski-jump take-offs and arrested landings.

(Aeronautical Development Agency).

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equip the proposed new-build F-16V. As other US and European F-16s are retired, a market is growing for pre-used aircraft, especially in Latin America and Eastern Europe. For instance, Romania is to buy twelve from Portugal in a $ 830 million deal that includes upgrading.

I MIG-29

At least 210 US Air Force Lockheed Martin F-16s will be converted at Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona into target drones. This “optionally-piloted” example was originally delivered as F-16C serial 851569 in May 1987, and redelivered as QF-16 serial DF-005 in November 2012. (US Air Force)

plans to have 60 Gripen Cs converted to Es, with deliveries beginning in 2018. The Gripen Demo, a converted Jas39D, began flight trials in 2008. The first of three Jas39E development aircraft is to fly in early 2015.

Saab is looking for a partner to develop the carrier-based Sea Gripen, which is seen as a 36-month, $ 250 million programme.

I J-10

The IAI Lavi-inspired Chengdu J-10 is powered by a 125-kN Saturn/Salyut AL31FN. The J-10A flew in 1998, and entered service with the Plaaf in 2005. A contract was signed in 2005 for 100 J-10s, with options on 150 more. The J-10B, distinguished by a diverterless intake, flew in 2008. It is believed that the Plaaf currently has over 200 J10A/Bs, and the PLA Navy (reportedly) about 20, although these have not yet appeared on the CNS Liaoning carrier.

Pakistan’s government approved the PAF purchase of 36 (of an eventual 150) J-10s in 2006. However, this plan currently appears to be inactive, perhaps due to financial problems, or because the J-10 fails to match India’s fighter plans, or because the supply of AL-31FNs is unsure. China is attempting to develop a substitute engine, the Liming WS10, to equip both the J-10 and twin-engined Shenyang J-11B.

(buying 18 for $ 830 million) and Oman.

Existing contracts will keep the line running until at least 2017.

There remains much work to be done in refurbishing and upgrading existing F-16s.

For example, in 2012 BAE Systems won the contract to upgrade the avionics of South Korean F-16s, which will include integrating the Raytheon Advanced Combat Radar (ACR). The US Air Force plans to extend the lives of at least 300 Block 40 and 50/52 F-16s from 8000 to 12,000 flight hours, and introduce the Combat Avionics Programmed Extension Suite (Capes) with the Northrop Grumman Scalable Agile Beam Radar (Sabr). Some 146 Taiwanese F16A/Bs are to receive the Sabr, which will also

Encouraged by the example of the Indian Navy, which has ordered a total of 45 MiG29K/KUBs, the Russian Navy finally signed a contract for 24 in February 2012, to supersede the Su-33 on the carrier Admiral Kuznetsov. (RAC-MiG).

More than 1600 MiG-29s have been built, but production of the ‘classic’ MiG-29 ended with a batch of 20 MiG-29SE/UBs for Myanmar, ordered in 2009. There is a substantial need for refurbishing and upgrading of early models, of which around 800 remain in service in 24 countries. Some 28 of the 34 MiG-29SMT/UBTs originally produced for Algeria have been modified to meet the requirements of the Russian Air Force, which plans to order 16 additional aircraft. All 66 Indian Air Force aircraft are being brought to MiG-29UPG standard (mostly by HAL).

Bulgaria, Peru, Poland, Serbia and Slovakia are also having their MiG-29s upgraded.

India has been crucial to RAC-MiG’s recovery, ordering 45 carrier-capable MiG29K/KUBs for the Indian Navy, which triggered an order for 24 for the Russian Navy. The MiG-29K is a major advance, with an enlarged wing, fly-by-wire controls, a reduced radar signature and 88.3-kN RD33MK engines.

“India has been crucial to RAC-MiG’s recovery, ordering 45 carrier-capable MiG-29K/KUBs for the Indian Navy” The MiG-29K also represents the start of the company’s “4++ generation”, providing the basis for the MiG-29M/M2 (of which Syria is negotiating the purchase of 24, and Serbia is considering buying six). This in turn spawned the MiG-35/35D, with

I F-16

The Lockheed Martin F-16A/B entered service in 1978 with the US Air Force, which still has 1018 F-16C/Ds and plans to go on flying the series until at least 2025. Over 4500 have been delivered to 26 nations, and the F16 is still in production for Egypt, Iraq

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Fighter Aircraft Market

RAFALE ENGINE SWAP

During a visit to the Mont-de-Marsan French Air Force’s base in south west France in May 2013, Armada’s Editor was able to photograph every stage of a Rafale engine being changed as part of a routine maintenance operation.

The two French Air Force mechanics did the job in less than one hour, full preflight check included. (photos: Armada/ Eric H. Biass) optional thrust-vectoring. To save near-term funds, the Russian MoD has delayed until 2016 its order for 37 two-seat MiG-35Ds, and is to buy 16 less expensive MiG29SMT/UBTs (see above) as a stop-gap.

RAC-MiG continues to support the much heavier, Mach 2.83 MiG-31, still the fastest production aircraft in service. The Russian Air Force currently plans to scrap 23, leaving an active fleet of 99. An initial 60 are being upgraded to MiG-31BM standard, and the rest are expected to follow.

The MiG-31BM can detect aircraft and cruise missile targets at 320 km, and can engage with the new RVV-BD missile targets such as Awacs at over 200 km.

The MiG-31BM airframe is good until at least 2028. Restarting production with a modernised version has been considered, but it is hoped to introduce a new interceptor (presumably a variant of Sukhoi PAKFA) from 2020.

I RAFALE

The Dassault Rafale has operational experience in Afghanistan, Libya and Mali.

In 2012 it was selected as the preferred bidder Rafael’s Samson Mk II has become a "true turret" (in the traditional understanding of the term) with 30 mm cannon that is now fully enclosed and which can be reloaded from under cover. (Rafael)

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in India’s $ 15 billion MRCA contest, which is expected to lead to the first 18 aircraft being supplied by Dassault, and 108 being built under licence by HAL. There are prospects of a further 64 being required by the Indian Air Force, which is to clear the Rafale to use the Brahmos supersonic cruise missile, and possibly Russian anti-radiation missiles. The Rafale-M may also be acquired by the Indian Navy. Other possibilities exist in Brazil, Canada, Kuwait, Qatar, Malaysia, the Netherlands and the United Arab Emirates.

However, economic problems have forced France to cut back on Rafale procurement, with only 26 to be purchased under the 20142019 plan. The total domestic buy has been reduced from 294 to 225 (of which 180, including 48 Rafale-Ms, are already on order). The current delivery batch (60 Rafale F3-04Ts) have Thales RBE2 Aesa radars and Snecma M88-4E engines, which emphasise reduced cost of ownership, but could (if given larger intakes) be developed from 75 to 88 kN. I TYPHOON

Benefiting from a four-nation ‘domestic’ market, orders for the Eurofighter Typhoon have now reached 571 units, following Oman’s decision in late 2012 to buy twelve Tranche IIIA aircraft, which will be retrofitted with Aesa radars. The final Tranche IIIB of 124 aircraft may have to wait for signature of a follow-on order for Saudi Arabia, which is already committed to 72 (all to be assembled in the UK). The only other export customer to date is Austria (15 aircraft), but there are possibilities in Canada, Denmark, Malaysia, and the United Arab Emirates. Spain is to cancel 14 of its 87 Typhoons on order, and

These Eurofighter Typhoons from Royal Air Force No 6 Sqn were pictured over Malaysia during the five-nation Exercise Bersama Lima 2011, which involved 68 aircraft, 19 ships and two submarines. (Eurofighter/Geoffrey Lee)

has offered 20 pre-used examples to Peru for Euros 45 million each.

Eurofighter has been slow to introduce an Aesa radar (Euroradar Captor-E), but the Typhoon will eventually have conformal tanks and be cleared for a wide range of armaments, including the Raytheon Paveway IV and the MBDA Meteor and Storm Shadow.

I LIGHTNING II

As the only stealthy fighter currently on the market, the Lockheed Martin F-35 enjoys unique momentum, despite serious concerns over cost escalation, programme delays and dogfight capability. Over 3100 F-35s are still expected to be built, including 2443 for the US services.

Congress has ordered the US services to state when they expect to achieve initial operational capability. The US Marine Corps currently plans this to occur by December 2015 (F-35B), the Air Force by December

Fighter Aircraft Market

of the F-35A is expected to fall to â‚Ź65 million by 2019, and that of the F-35B to â‚Ź83 million by 2021. For comparison, Israel is paying $138 million for each of its initial batch of 19 F-35Is, this price including initial spares and a training package. In the context of South Korea, a Lockheed Martin spokesman quoted an F-35A unit price of $125 million in FY2013 terms.

I F/A-18E/F

Company-funded tests in August 2013 with a trials installation Boeing F/A-18F fitted with conformal fuel tanks and an enclosed weapons pod have shown a 50% reduction in radar signature and a 240 km increase in combat radius. (Boeing)

2016 (F-35A), and the Navy by February 2019 (F-35C). Israel will lead foreign operators, attaining initial operational capability in 2018 (F-35I).

The US services are so far adhering to their stated procurement numbers, although any purchases will have to be approved by Congress. In view of funding constraints, the Pentagon has deferred the purchase of 179 F35s, while several of the twelve foreign buyers are reducing numbers and delaying contract signature. Denmark has cut its plan from 85 to 55 F-35As, and reopened the competition, The first Lockheed Martin F-35B carrier variant development aircraft for the US Navy, designated CF-01, is refuelled by a US Air Force Boeing KC-135 somewhere over the Atlantic. (Lockheed Martin)

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delaying final decision until 2015. In Canada there is considerable pressure to recompete the CF-18 replacement. Australia remains committed to buying 72 F-35As to form three squadrons around 2020, but will only later make the decision on a further 28 to replace its F/A-18Fs, which are due to serve until 2030.

Sources in Italy (buying 60 F-35As and 30 F-35Bs) have disclosed that the unit cost

Although it has so far enjoyed only limited success in the export market, the Boeing F/A18E/F Super Hornet has been strongly supported by the US Navy, which plans a total of 565 F/A-18E/Fs and 114 EA-18G Growlers. The figure includes 24 F/A-18Fs for Australia, which also plans to buy twelve EA-18Gs. Export prospects include Brazil, Denmark and Malaysia.

Boeing and Northrop Grumman (the principal subcontractor) are self-funding a prototype for the Advanced Super Hornet, which will have a reduced radar cross section, conformal fuel tanks (CFTs), enclosed weapons pod (EWP), an internal IRST, and a next-generation cockpit. In August 2013 flight trials began with an F/A18F equipped with CFTs and an EWP, demonstrating a 50% reduction in radar signature and a 240 km increase in combat radius, giving a maximum of 1300 km.

Probably still the finest strike fighter extant, this Boeing F-15E Strike Eagle is pictured over Afghanistan, with an external armament of one laser-guided bomb, one Jdam, one AIM-9 and one AIM-120. (US Air Force)

General Electric is proposing a further development of the F414 engine, to provide extended life or 20% more thrust.

It is hoped to see US Navy support for development of some features of the Advanced Super Hornet, beginning in FY2016.

I STRIKE EAGLE

The best pre-stealth strike fighter was the Boeing F-15E, of which the US Air Force plans to keep at least 217 in service until 2035. The F-15E has deservedly exported well, with buyers that include Israel (25 F15I), Singapore (24 F-15SG), South Korea (61 F-15K), and Saudi Arabia (72 F-15S, and recently 84 improved F-15SA with flyby-wire controls).

The 60-aircraft South Korean F-X III contest was initially thought to have been won by the Boeing F-15SE Silent Eagle, with reduced radar signature (including outboardcanted fins) and conformal weapon bays. It has since been decided that the F-15SE is not suitable as it lacks stealth features, and that the procurement programme must be restarted.

The potential market for the F-15SE fell when Saudi Arabia chose the F-15SA, although this order funded some of the avionics and cockpit upgrades planned for the F-15SE. Israel is reportedly interested in the F-15SE, but the US Air Force plans to replace its F-15E with the LRS-B (LongRange Strike - Bomber).

Russia’s growing realisation of the cost of buying large numbers of the stealthy PAKFA is expected to boost (beyond the current 48) domestic procurement of the Sukhoi Su-35S, which was originally seen as only a stop-gap measure. (Sukhoi)

I SU-27/30/35

The thrust-vectoring single-seat Su-35S, the latest derivative of the Sukhoi Su-27 family, is the most advanced Russian heavyweight multirole fighter available for export.

Launched with a domestic order for 48 aircraft for delivery in 2011-15, the Su-35S fleet is expected to build (starting with signature by 2015 of a contract for a further 48) to equip eight Russian Air Force squadrons by 2020. Pilots convert to the Su-35S on the two-seat Su-30M2.

A Chinese order for the Su-35 has been delayed for years by Russia’s fears over unlicensed copying. However, an intergovernment agreement on the sale of 24 Su35s to China was signed in January 2013.

In 2012 Russia ordered a total of 60 twoseat Su-30SMs. India, which already has 230

Although not marketed in the normal sense, the Sukhoi PAK-FA (represented here by a T50 prototype) forms the basis of the Russo-Indian Fifth-Generation Fighter Aircraft, which will be exported. A pure interceptor version of the PAK-FA will probably be developed to replace the MiG-31. (Sukhoi)

Su-30MKIs (including 180 license-built by HAL), recently confirmed an order for 42 more, with improvements that include provisions for the 290-km Brahmos supersonic cruise missile. Later upgrades will include the Phazotron Zhuk-AE Aesa radar, the 200-km Novator K-100 air-air missile, and the 750-km nuclear-capable DRDO Nirbhay (Fearless) subsonic cruise missile.

Sukhoi is offering 18 refurbished ex-Indian early-model Su-30s to African countries.

Export orders of the Su-30 series have included: Algeria (44 Su-30MKA), Indonesia (nine Su-30MK2), Malaysia (18 Su-30MKM), Uganda (six Su-30MK2), Venezuela (24 Su30MKV) and Vietnam (43 Su-30MK2V).

China bought 76 Su-27SK/UBKs and 100 Su-30MKK/MK2s. Shenyang then licencebuilt 100 Su-27SKs as J-11As, and more than 100 unlicensed J-11Bs with Chinese avionics and armament. The Russian Navy’s Su-33 strike fighter provided the basis for the Chinese Navy’s carrier-based Shenyang J-15 Flying Shark.

I T-50

From 2016 the Su-27/30 series will begin to be replaced by the fifth-generation Sukhoi PAK-FA (Prospective Airborne Complex for Frontline Aviation), which will combine all-round stealth with internal weapon bays, thrust-vectoring, supercruise capability, an Aesa radar, and the large-scale use of composites.

The first of five T-50 prototypes flew in January 2010. This batch is expected to be followed by ten evaluation aircraft, and an initial 60 production PAK-FAs, ordered after 2016. The PAK-FA is to form the basis for the FGFA (Fifth-Generation Fighter Aircraft), to be developed jointly with India, which plans to procure 144 (now all single-seaters) for service from 2020. The PAK-FA has also been proposed as the basis for a further development with Brazil.

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FOB Protection

Higher and lower tech to keep FOBs safe “Unsafe FOB cost two soldiers’ lives� was one of the headings in British Forces News last 29 January 2013, referring to the joint inquest into the deaths of two British soldiers killed on 4 May 2012 by enemy mortar fire inside FOB Ouellette, in the northern part of Nahr-e Saraj district in Helmand province. Base protection remains a key issue, and recent missions triggered a considerable evolution.

Paolo Valpolini

O

nce mostly based on passive systems, aiming at reducing the effects of possible attacks, base protection has become more and more a matter of integrating sensors and effectors into a base protection system that obviously also includes the usual passive protections. Moreover, in order to reduce manpower employed in base protection duties and to lower the risk for soldiers on

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stag, remotely controlled effectors are entering the scene.

The US Army deployed its first Kraken, officially described as the Combat Outpost Surveillance and Force Protection, in early 2013 at FOB Pashmul South, in the Zhari district. A containerised system, all components find their room into an ISU90 container weighing less than tonnes tonnes, which can be easily transported under sling by a helicopter.

The Kraken includes a command post that integrates all the sensors used to ensure

all-round surveillance.

Long-range surveillance is provided by an IAI Elta Ground Master X-band radar, a Flir STS1400 working in Ka-band ensuring surveillance at closer ranges as it can detect personnel at 1 km and a crawler at 200 metres. Various systems are used to locate incoming fire sources, including the L-3 Communications AN/PRS-9A Battlefield Anti-Intrusion System, made of seismic and magnetic unattended sensors, and an acoustic location system with five sensors.

Optical surveillance is provided by a suite

The US Army Kraken includes numerous sensors and effectors, all integrated in a single overarching command system. (US Army)

Integrating all the inputs from the various sensors has become a must for ensuring maximum protection to a forward base.

A solution is here exemplified by Flir for the US Army Kraken system. (Armada/P. Valpolini)

and one for the other sensors. The software is based on Flirs’s CommandSpace Adaptive C2 architecture, the rights having been acquired by the DoD that has named it Joint Force Protection Advanced Security System (JFPASS).

I ANOTHER EXAMPLE: ITALY

of optronic sensors; two TacFlir 380HD full digital stabilised systems are installed on nine metre heavy duty masts and are equipped with medium and short wave thermal cameras with two fields of view, colour HD camera and a laser rangefinder.

The suite is thus able to provide target grids to the command post, though nine more thermal cameras can be installed along the base perimeter.

Precision Remotes provided two Trap 250 remotely controlled weapon stations armed with M240B 7.62 machine guns for

the initial deployment. However, on Spiral 2 the Army switched to the more capable Trap 360 that provides full 360° continuous rotation, higher elevation range and higher speed. Power is supplied by a 5kW generator with integrated power management, which allows to integrate other power sources, solar or wind , although a battery is available as backup. The whole system can be rigged in less than 20 minutes by four soldiers, and can be run by a single operator, although the Kraken command post features two working positions, one for the video feeds

Another example of integrated solution is the one adopted by the Italian Army and deployed to Afghanistan in early 2013. The Sistema Integrato di Force Protection (SIFP), for integrated force protection system, was developed under Selex ES prime contractorship and is currently installed in the Bala Baluk FOB, along Road 517, in Western Afghanistan, where it provided optimal results against direct fire threats. The core of the system is the control shelter, where a supervisor and four operators monitor the situation around the base thanks to the data and images provided by the system’s sensors suite that includes both radars and electrooptical assets. All pictures and maps are georeferenced, thanks to the Selex ES software that also allows prioritising threats.

The main screen allows following in real time the overall situation while each of the operators handles his specific portion of the information, monitors the data recording and ensure the logistic handling of the system. A second shelter hosts the single sensors command systems, when those need an intermediate operator.

SIFP long-range surveillance is provided by a Selex ES Lyra 10; operating in X-band it ensures a detection range of 10 km for a human figure and 16 km for a wheeled

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The most recent version of Metravib Pilar has been integrated into the Italian Army SIPF and is currently in use in Afghanistan.

(Armada/P. Valpolini)

Skystar 300, is a 7.7 metres diameter, 100 m3 volume, with a 72 hours endurance and a maximum payload of 35 kg. This blimp is already in use in Afghanistan by Canada, the US Army deploying the smaller Skystar 180 from a vehicle for COP protection. In Fall 2013 Italian soldiers were training in Italy prior system delivery. A SIFP with representative items is installed at the Engineer Command in Rome for training purposes, while a second SIFP is being installed at Herat to protect the RC-West HQ, which hosts the higher number of Italian soldiers in Afghanistan.

I EUROPEAN DEFENCE AGENCY

Those mentioned are only two of the integrated FOB protection programmes currently underway. Considering the proliferation of such initiatives, in 2009 the European Defence Agency launched the Future Interoperability of Camp Protection Systems (FICAPS), which aimed at ensuring the capacity to exchange real-time information between camp protection systems of different nations, using interoperable equipment to allow plug-andplay replacement, and favouring multinational use of national systems thanks to multilingual man-machine interfaces.

Launched and financed by Germany and France the project was contracted to Rheinmetall Defence and Thales that carried out field demonstrations including remote control of a camp protection system by another camp protection system as well as remote sensors and effectors control. In January 2013 Germany and France agreed on common interoperability guidelines that will lead the development of future systems, the way ahead being that of involving other nations and of establishing an international standard for the wider Force Protection field. vehicle. The main optronic detection system is the company’s Janus stabilised multiple sensor that features a cooled thermal imager with two fields of view, a CCD camera with continuous optical and digital zooms and a laser rangefinder with a 20 km range, sufficient for the nearly 12 km detection range of the systems. The command post laptop can be linked to up to eight electronic boxes each of which is linked to up to three acoustic sensors and one meteorological sensor. The shotgun sensor is the PilarW, developed by French Metravib, which can identify the source of direct fire with calibres from 5.45 to 30 mm.

This is the latest version specifically aimed at

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FOB protection, its command post being able to be linked to up to 20 sensors. The software allows threat prioritisation, accuracy being of ±2° in azimuth, ±5° in elevation and 10%in distance.

To reduce manpower and risks, the SIFP adopts as effectors Oto Melara Hitrole Light turrets, eight of which have been acquired.

Some adds-on are to be deployed soon to increase the SIFP effectiveness. Among them two TRP-2 robotic vehicles developed

by Oto Melara and armed with a Beretta ARX-160 assault rifle and a 40 mm single shot grenade launcher, that will be used for base perimeter patrolling, and a blimp by RT LTA Systems of Israel. The latter, a

I REMOTE CONTROL WEAPON STATIONS

As seen remotely controlled weapon stations are becoming common use in forward base protection. Two other

I COMPENDIUM A number of remote controlled weapon systems referred to in this article are described in high detail in this month’s Armada International Compendium on “Medium and Light Turrets, and Remote-Controlled Weapon Stations” distributed with this issue. (Ed.)

The control centre of the Italian Army SIPF system developed by Selex ES, which integrates radar, optronic and acoustic sensors and is currently protecting the Bala Balouk FOB. (Armada/P. Valpolini)

examples emanate from Kongsberg and Rafael, for different applications. The Norwegian company is proposing its Containerised Weapon Station, an all-inone solution hosted into a Tricon Type 1 container that includes a 110V/15A multifuel generator with battery backup pack and power management system, an electromechanical lift, and a Kongsberg Crows weapon station. When in use the top cover opens up and the rigid-chain lift raises the Crows at 4.6 metres providing an optimal field of view. A Javelin missile can also be integrated in the station for long range shooting. The CWS can be controlled by an operator from a range of one kilometre and slewed to other sensors, such as a surveillance radar.

Rafael of Israel developed the Sentry Tech, a system made of a series of Samson Mini weapon stations installed on fixed or mobile towers and integrated with detection

sensors. The pillboxes can be installed along a line, for border protection, or along a perimeter, for base protection. A retractable armoured cover ensures protection from weather, though safe access for maintenance and reloading is provided. All are remotely managed from a command and control centre, the operator being able to ensure

positive target identification through the RCWS optronic system before engaging it.

This includes a zoom-equipped day CCD camera with 33.4° to 2.9° field of view providing a recognition range of 2.5 km, and an uncooled thermal sensor with a 6.3° field of view and a one kilometre recognition range. The Samson Mini can be armed with

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FOB Protection

RT Skystar blimps, here the 300, are in service with numerous armies in Afghanistan such as Canada, the US, and soon Italy.

(RT LTA)

The Beam 100 family of laser pulse systems developed by Torrey Pines Logic allows to identify optical systems of any kind aimed towards a potential target. (Torrey Pines Logic)

assault rifle. The sensors suite includes a daylight TV camera with a x12 zoom lens and a thermal imager, images being processed and displayed simultaneously.

The system is fitted with motion detection and target tracking. Standard control is carried out via cable although a wireless solution is available as option. The package weighs 85 kg without ammo and weapons. a 7.62 or a 12.7 mm machine gun, is equipped with a remote cocking device, and has a maximum depression angle of 20°. The Sentry Tech is operational with different customers, some of whom have it in service for about five years.

Yüksel Savunma Sistemleri of Turkey developed the Nöbetçi or Sentry, a stationary weapon station also known as RoboGuard, the aim being that of replacing soldiers on sangars, thus reducing risks and freeing manpower from guard duties, increasing consequently the percentage of forces available for operations. Being stationary the pan is limited to 350° with a +55° elevation and –20° depression. The Roboguard is armed with two weapons, both in 7.62 mm calibre; one is a PKMS machine gun while the second is an AK-47

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I LASER CAT’S EYE HUNTERS

Leveraging experience in RCWS Rafael developed the Sentry Tech, an integrated border or base protection system. (Rafael)

Numerous CCDs, thermal imagers, radars, etc., are used for forward base protection.

Another category of sensors that is being fielded is that of laser-pulse systems that allow identifying with considerable accuracy any optical item used to carry out surveillance from outside the base. One of the most active companies in that field is California-based Torrey Pines Logic, that started in 2008 with systems for vehicles or permanent installations, but which has now developed a series of portable binoculartype items, promising for 2014 a further reduction in weight, dimensions, battery consumption and price.

Its Beam100 family includes three systems, Beam 100, 110 and 120, with respective weights of 8.4 kg, 12.2 kg and

FOB Protection

Hesco Bastion has become a sort of a hallmark when speaking of base passive protection. The company is constantly refining its products, especially to improve deployment. (Armada/P. Valpolini)

14kg. They are based on the retroreflection principle in which the system can perfectly identify the reflection of its short eye-safe laser pulses caused by an optic within its scanning sector.

All three systems ensure continuous scanning 360° in azimuth and -30°/+90° in elevation and provide GPS coordinates of all targets identified within the 1,000-metre range, which are shown on digital map,

typical MMIs being notebooks or androids, and stored in the system. Beam 110 and 120 provide full video coverage, which is not available in the Beam 100. Typically tripod mounted, they can be equipped with optional sensors such as thermal imaging cameras, while their LAN and WAN connectivity allows to integrate them into a command and control system.

A similar system is also proposed by Cilas

of France. Its SLD 500 Sight Laser Detector is also tripod-mounted and has a maximum range of 2,000 metres and can be split into five major sub-assemblies: the optronic sensor, the pan-tilt head, the main control equipment, the power unit and a battery unit.

The sensor head and the powered head, which provides a ±180° azimuth pan and –30°/+45° tilt, have a combined weight of 29 kg, the overall system weighing 120 kg with tripod and power source.

I PASSIVE PROTECTION

Passive protection remains a key element of base protection. Various companies are producing gabions that represent an easy way to build perimeter defences as well as protective shelters in case of mortar or rocket attack. In the latter case the easiest way is to use an existing structure, a container for example, and protect it on the flanks and on the top with earth-filled gabions.

At DSEI 2013 Defencell exhibited for the first time its Mac, a full range of welded mesh Defencell has manufactured for years a geotextile-only system much lighter than others. Now the company developed a gabion-type system known as Mac. (Armada/P. Valpolini)

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metal gabions lined with the company’s well known geotextile. Defencell was known for its geotextile-only systems that ensured low weight solutions; however, the company estimated there was room for both fabriconly as well as for gabions, and thus teamed with Maccaferri of Italy to develop the new product, which features an improved UV textile which also has higher strength characteristics. The Mac is available in 10 different sizes, the smallest being the Mac 2, (61 x 61 x 122 cm), and the larger the MAC 7 (221 x 213 x 277.4 cm). Defencell is looking for a launch customer for its new product.

Hesco, whose Bastion has become a sort of trade-mark in the gabion field, introduced in 2012 a new design which features a pin in the corner coils that allows to open the individual cell and to recover the gabion. In order to improve deployment time, Hesco developed two systems, each tailored to the gabion dimension. For smaller gabions, up to one metre tall, the system is known as the Cart and consists of a metal skid which is dragged behind a 4x4 vehicle, dispensing a Hesco pre-connected unit which is one metre high, 1.08 metres wide and 88 metres long. The gabions remain in the upright position, ready to be filled. This system was launched in early 2013 adding flexibility to Hesco systems and joining the Raid (Rapid In-theatre Deployment), a rapid deployment system for two-metre high gabions that has been around for over six years. Here the gabions are released from an ISO container towed by a logistic truck; dimensions available are Raid 7, RaidD 10 and Raid 12,

The Dutch defence research laboratory TNO developed a net capable to stop RPGs that may be used not only to protect vehicles but also to avoid grenades to fall into FOBs and COPs. (TNO)

An armoured watchtower is ballistically protected; however, to deal with RPGs, nets used on vehicles, such as the Ruag/Geobrugg, can be mounted to offer further protection.

(Armada/P. Valpolini)

with heights of 2.21 metres or 2.14 metres, widths of between 1.06 and 2.13 metres, and lengths of between 224 and 333 metres, although by removing two zip pins the units break into five cell lengths.

On the market since early 2012, the Highly Redeployable Security Fence (HRSF) is designed to ensure perimeter protection even without filling; the front side is made of an anti-climb mesh, while stability is provided by bulk bags that can be filled with available materiel which are inserted from the back side, where the mesh is much less high. The HRSF is provide in three dimensions, with identical width and length, respectively 1.3 metres and 3.9 metres, and height of 2.4, 3.1 and 3.6 metres, the back side being much lower to allow easy insertion of bulk bags. With a one-tonne mass an HRSF is capable of stopping a 7.5 tonnes vehicle launched at nearly 50 km/h.

Passive protection is not only against ground level threats; to reduce the risks of RPG launched with ballistic trajectories or other types of incoming threats that might be launched at relatively low angles the Dutch TNO laboratory has proposed the use of a net system originally developed to protect vehicles against RPGs. This is rigged onto high vertical poles and protects the infrastructure while maintaining full visibility outside the base. The net is made of high performance fibres and is low weight and low cost. Anti-RPG mesh systems are also being proposed for protecting guard towers from the RPG threat; Geobrugg showed such a solution to improve armoured towers protection, other metallic mesh systems used on vehicles being also apt to be used in such a way, when human presence is considered of importance for a direct view on the base surroundings.

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Other New Wares Seen by the Armada Team at DSEi Most of the noteworthy novelties exhibited at DSEi have been presented as part of ad-hoc articles in the past two issues of Armada, like the new Nexter Titus vehicle that was officially launched together with Armada at the East London Excel hall, many more smaller, but not necessarily less important items were to be discovered by the keen eye. Eric H. Biass, Paolo Valpolini and Peter Donaldson report.

I OSHKOSH DEFENCE’S THRUST ON EXPORT

“We are not focusing on the international market because of the US market decline,” John Urias, President of Oshkosh Defence tells Armada International, “but because there is a true need.” Many fleets around the world are ageing, some of them in nations where the threat exists and money is available, according to Oshkosh Defence top manager, and this is leading to the international growth of the company. “We

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have recently secured contracts in the United Arab Emirates and in other Middle East countries, and we are filing a brand new offer in Abu Dhabi,” he confirms. Offers do not only look at pure sales, but also at the full life cycle, and thus include both procurement and MRO. “Saudi Arabia on its own has over 3,000 vehicles that need Recap, and these are good opportunities for selling logistic support and training and for partnering for integration,” John Urias underlines.

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Council area as well as northern Africa are considered high growth areas both by John Urias and by Serge Buchakjian, the company Senior Vice President and General Manager International: “we are also expanding our presence in Canada, where several programmes are underway, and we are targeting some areas in Europe our efforts being driven by budget availability and threats,” they explain.

Oshkosh Defence is also carrying out selective engagements in different other

regions, carefully selecting targeted countries in order to maximise resources, those efforts being either FMS or direct commercial contracts.

While 2013 has been a tremendous year both in the defence and commercial sectors, Oshkosh managed to weather the storm; “the decline in US spending did not came as a surprise for us in Oshkosh Defence,” Urias concludes, “thus we planned for it and tried to be very aggressive in expanding our international offer.”

I STINGER EVOLUTION

The current Block 1 is definitely a deeply evolved system compared to the first Stinger missile that entered operational service in the early ‘80s; this allowed Raytheon to maintain it a best-selling item even over 30 years after its entry in service

with the US Army. “The Stinger is still in service and will remain for some time,” Mark Nicol, director of Raytheon Missile Systems’ Stinger programme tells Armada International, noting that this widely used missile is still the benchmark in the field of shorad systems with its

nearly 300 combat kills and a success rate of over 92 percent in more than 1,500 live fire tests by US and allied forces.

“Currently we are not producing any Stingers for the US market, and all our production goes to the international market through FMS contracts,” Mark Nicol underlines.

Among the latest successes of the Stinger he mentions that with Qatar, which installed the missile in the air-to-air version on its Apache attack helicopters, and the downselection by Finland.

The Scandinavian country carried out field trials in March 2013 where six Finnish gunners were trained on three missile system tracking trainers. Each of them successfully simulated tracking and engaging flying targets including an F/A-18, NH-90 helicopter and

Banshee drone. “Next month US will start discussions and this should lead to a contract in early 2014,” Nicol said.

Another potential customer is Korea, which signed a Letter of Agreement with the aim of installing the Stinger on its Apache helicopters. “We are definitely looking at a next generation Stinger” confirms Nicol, “however we did not launch yet an R&D effort.”

Numerous opportunities might arise from naval applications, from the Avenger system that is part of the FMS portfolio, as well as from shorad systems integrated with light sensors and fire control systems.

“We at Raytheon Missiles Systems look positively into the future, as the five-years plan ahead of us shows an increase rather than a decrease in the Stinger production.”

I MEADS PERSPECTIVES

“The Meads programme is definitely our major transatlantic programme,” Richard H. Edwards, Executive Vice President at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control tells Armada International. “We are looking forward to the upcoming flight test that will take place next November and will see two flying targets attacking simultaneously from two different directions.” The programme, carried out in cooperation with Germany and Italy, has been at risk, but the US finally decide to reach the end of the current phase.

While previous flight were conducted using the Italian launcher, the November flight will see both the Italian and German launchers deployed, the latter having arrived in the US in early September. “The November launch will validate

the Meads capability to protect a site from 360° threats, which is exactly what is needed today, multiple direction threat having a very high probability to occur,” Edwards adds. He has just come to London from Poland, where at MSPO he had “a lot of good meetings with the local industry,” Lockheed Martin being eager to bring Poland within the Meads team. “What today is known as Meads might well acquire a

different name but what is sure is that the Meads technology will find its place in a future ABM system.” The US Senate indicated that the technologies developed within the programme will be definitely used to upgrade the US missile defence capability.

Funding remains an issue, however Edwards underlines that conversations are underway with two Middle East nations, that might be involved in future

developments or in the production of the current configuration. He also underlined how much his branch is looking at export, which currently represents 40% of the turnover at MFC; “GMLRS and Javelin acquisitions in the US are declining, thus we must look more and more at export through FMS to keep production stable ad prices under control.”

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I BAE COLOUR SEE-THROUGH HUD

A specialist in head-up displays (the first was installed on a Buccaneer in 1958), BAE systems introduced the first waveguide variation in 2012.

This new technology allows to manipulate and control the light between two sheets of glass

I RAMOR TOUGHER, BUT BENDS

While vehicles producers look constantly at better ballistic protection, companies dealing with what is still the most used raw materiel for armour, steel, are under pressure to further improve performances in order

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that act as a waveguide. This provides numerous advantages, the first one being the compactness of that solution that allows to eliminate the complex lens configurations typical of current head-up displays, which has a reduced mass, volume and cost. As the image is injected and not projected it eliminates the need of a bulky projector. Finally the waveguide head-up display has a much greater eye motion box compared to traditional systems, allowing the user to see the correct image even if not perfectly aligned. The first two products developed by BAE Systems using that technology

to maintain the armour weight under control. Currently the mostly used steels for blast protection have a Brinell hardness of 400, while that used for the highest ballistic protection levels has an HB of 500. Recently some 600 HB steels appeared for the first time,

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have been the LiteHUD, a full digital compact, lightweight, low power version for aviation applications, and the Q-Sight, a modular, monocular, clip-on system capable of improving situational awareness of vehicles commanders, drivers and gunners.

At DSEI the last of breed was unveiled, the Q-Warrior seethrough display for the dismounted soldier. The new display is able to show colour images in full saturation, is equipped with a free-space tracking that allows to georeference symbology and imagery, and has a 40°x30° field of view. The Q-Warrior is

however these give numerous problems in terms of workability, as they are particularly difficult to weld, to form and to cut. Finnish steel producer Ruukki has unveiled a new product, the Ramor 550, the number obviously referring to its Brinell hardness, developed

compatible with NVGs and thus provides seamless daynight transition. In the current configuration, the system is at TRL6 and is mounted on a rail on the left side of the soldier’s helmet in order to leave the right eye free for the weapon sight. How much the packaging might be fine-tuned in order to provide a more balanced solution remains to be seen, the system having still some way to go before becoming a selling item. The new technology looks however very promising in terms of performances versus weight and price, BAE Systems targeting the 15,000 US$ area for such a system.

for ballistic protection applications. This advanced direct quenched ultra high hardness steel is particularly suited for weight critical applications, as it allows weight savings of between 10 and 20%, the higher saving being for higher protection classes.

Considering a 40 m2 surface, the weight saving for a STANAG 1 protection level reaches 360 kg or 14.2%, while for STANAG 2 these figures increase respectively to 568 kg and 17.4%.

To stop a 5.56 x 45mm M193 round a thickness of 8.05 mm of Ramor 550 is required versus 9.20 mm of Ramor 500, while 10.7 mm stop an AK-47 7.62 x 39mm API round, 12.20 mm of Ramor 500 being required to obtain the same protection. This would not mean much if workability was not considered, as here comes the most interesting characteristic: the Ramor 550 has a bending ratio which is about three times its thickness, meaning that a 5.9 mm plate, capable of stopping a 7.62 x 51mm Nato Ball round, has a bending radius of 18 mm. Moreover the Ramor 550 can be welded without pre-heating.

I THALES SOPHIE LIGHT

I RUAG SIDEPRO-LASSO IMPROVED

Ruag Defense SidePro-Lasso is one among the leading RPG statistical protection systems] and is in service at least with three customers, Denmark, Slovenia and Estonia. Customers that used the system downrange came up with feedbacks that allowed the Swiss company to further refine its product in order to improve the protected surface while sparing on weight.

Integration is the key word for that operation, as the mesh remains the same as in the past versions, still made of high tensile strength wire with a 4 mm diameter installed 25 cm from the vehicle surface. What has evolved is the system used to secure the SidePro-Lasso to the vehicle, both in terms of material and method. The two steel brackets used in the past have now been replaced

by a single bracket made in aluminium, the installed weight of the system being reduced of about 30%. In its latest version the weight of the SidePro-Lasso varies between 6 – 15 kg/m2 fully integrated on the vehicle, considering all brackets and screws.

The lighter weight is applicable for 4x4 vehicles such as Eagle while the 15/kg/m2 figure applies to tracked vehicles such as the M113, the difference being due to the higher shock and vibrations generated by tracked vehicles which require tougher brackets.

Another key point was the rigidity of the system in areas that were difficult to see from the driving seat.

This often led to damages when the vehicle was bumping into an obstacle, which in turn meant an increased logistic footprint, something definitely not appreciated in theatre. Ruag Defence thus designed a new elastic securing system made of a steel cable securing the lower part of the mesh in front of the bumpers, for example. This allows the mesh to come back to the stand-off distance even when that part of the armour hits an obstacle, thus avoiding time-consuming repair operations. Rigid and elastic mounting can be used on the same vehicle. A Leopard 2, for instance, might be equipped with rigid brackets on the top for better stability while using the flexible solution in the lower part. The new SidePro-Lasso configuration is already in production, and it has already been installed on a first model of vehicle from an undisclosed customer.

Reducing size and weight always remains a priority with soldier equipment. Thus Thales put its Sophie on a diet and came up with Sophie Lite, which includes all what a soldier could ask in terms of target designation. With over 12,000 Sophie delivered in 55 countries, the two best-sellers being the Sophie LR (long range) and the very first version of the Sophie, Thales followed the market, which requires such systems not only for military purposes but also for homeland security use. Thales thus produced the new Sophie Lite which has a weight of less than 1.6 kg. The new multifunction tool includes a 640x480 uncooled 8-12 µm thermal imager, with a field of view of 7° and a x3 e-zoom, this sensor allowing a man target detection range of 2.5 km and a recognition range of one, figures for vehicles being respectively 5 and 2 km.

The TV/Near IR sensor for

daylight has two FoVs, 6° and 3°, and features image stabilisation, autofocus and ezoom, providing detection and recognition on man-size targets at 6 and 3 km, and against vehicles at 10 and 6 km.

The Class 1 laser rangefinder has a range of 4 km with an accuracy of less than 5 metres.

The internal GPS is a C/A code, with a P(Y) code as option, the Sophie Lite supporting an external DAGR/PLGR. The digital magnetic compass ensures a 0.5° accuracy while the gravity sensor inclinometer provides a 0.1° accuracy. In TV mode the AA batteries ensure 6 hours of operation, reduced to 4 hours in TI mode. The image and data are visible on a 800x600 OLED display, internal memory allowing to save 100 stills or one hour video. PWR, RS232/422, Ethernet and USN external interfaces are available. The Sophie Lite is now a fully developed item and is available for production.

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velocity is of 937 m/s unassisted and 953 m/s assisted, with corresponding rages of 30 and 40 km, while with a 39 calibre ordnance these figures become 811 and 829 m/s and 24.7 and 30.8 km.

As for accuracy, 50% zone range consistency is of 0.7%while deflection is under 2.0 mils. The M0256 Assegai 155 mm PFF V-LAP is the enhanced range version of the previous ammunition. It features both rocket assistance and base bleed, the explosive charge being reduced at 3.5 kg to maintain the same unfused mass of 42.6 kg. Muzzle velocities with 52 and 39 calibre ordnances are respectively 950 and 830 m/s, which gives in terms of range 60 and 45 km. While deflection accuracy remains constant, the 50% zone is slightly increased at 0.9% of the range.

I ASSEGAI EXPANDS OPTIONS

Rheinmetall Denel Munition of South Africa exhibited the latest versions of its Assegai 155 mm artillery projectiles that had just been qualified in the Insensitive High Explosive (IHE) configuration. The M0603 is a pre-formed fragmentation ammunition designed according to the Joint Ballistic MoU requirements and is thus compatible with Nato standard fuses, modular charge systems and weapon systems.

The warhead contains 8.8 kg of PBX while the body generates fragments that are effective against semi-hard targets as well as against soft targets. The M0603 is available with interchangeable boat tail or base bleed rear elements, the base bleed version allowing a greater range. With a 52 calibre gun the muzzle

I RWM ITALIA’S NEW SEA MINES

RWM Italia, a Rhheinmetall Defence company, is specialised in underwater warfare, and at DSEI three major products were exhibited. The Murena (moray)

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is a bottom influence mine that can be laid at up to 300 meters depth, although its operational depth is between 100 and 150 meters. The Murena is modular, with batteries at one end, that allow one year

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operational life, the charge in the middle, which can vary from 200 to 800 kg, and the target detection device at the other end. The latter is sensible to acoustic, magnetic and pressure influence, although it also features optical, underwater electric potential and seismic sensors to counter mineclearing operations by divers or UUVs. While the Murena targets submarines as well as surface ship, the Piovra (octopus) is a limpet mine aimed at surface naval targets.

With a 6 kg C4 or PBXN-109 insensitive explosive charge, the Piovra can be attached by a diver to the ship hull using magnets, suction plugs or silent nail shooters. Up to six Piovras can be linked in an explosive chain. A mechanical arming delay ensures a safe exfiltration time of over 30 minutes, while an electronic timer can set the explosion time within 48 hours.

The Piovra can be programmed underwater, and while its buoyancy in the water is neutral it can be adjusted by the operator prior the mission.

RWM Italia also exhibited its DC103 diver scare charge and marine sound signal.

The former version is available with two different charges, a 250 or 450 grams with either RDW/Wax or DPX-1 insensitive explosive; standard explosion depth is 5 metres, although a different depth can be pre-set at customer’s requirement, the damage area being of over 30 metres. The marine sound signal version, used to communicate with submarines, has a much smaller charge, only 30 grams, explodes at 10.7 metres, and exploits the same fuse and firing mechanism of the diver scare charge. All those systems are in service, although customers remain undisclosed.

I RAYTHEON AND FALCK SCHMIDT POST IT

The longer the range of a reconnaissance system, the greater the need to put the sensor in an elevated position to fully exploit its range. This need led Raytheon and Falck Schmidt Defence Systems to team together to propose a mast-mounted infrared system that can be used on board medium armoured vehicles to improve their situational awareness and reconnaissance capabilities.

The mast chosen is one of the High Mobility Mast, allowing to raise a 90 kg payload up to 11 metres not only when the vehicle is static but also on the move, up to 50 km/h. The mast nested height is 1.8 meters and it takes 32 seconds to raise it to maximum height.

The Raytheon sensor installed onto the Falk-Schmidt mast is the Long-Range Advanced Scout Surveillance System (LRAS3), capable to detect, recognize, identify and geo-locate distant targets. The system features a second generation HTI (Horizontal Technology Integration) sensor with dual field of view, 8°x4.5° and 2.6°x1.5°, a day TV camera also with dual FoV, 6°x4.5° and 2°x1.5°, an eye-safe laser rangefinder with a 10 km range, and a built-in Global Positioning System Interferometer Subsystem (GPSIS). This enables the LRAS3 to locate a target at 10 km range with a CEP of less than 60 metres in less than half a second after lasing.

This new solution was unveiled at DSEI at the Danish company’s stand, and will not only allow to raise the sensor at a greater altitude but also to carry out reconnaissance and surveillance from under armour on the Humvee.

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Show report

I DATRON LAUNCHES NEW VHF AND ENHANCES STRATEGICHF RADIOS

Known for its rugged and user friendly radios designed for emerging markets, Datron World Communications chose DSEI to launch the HH2100V handheld VHF radio as an addition to its Spectre V family and to announce new interference rejection and power boosting features for its 7700-Series strategic HF communications system.

“The Afghan National Army has become our biggest customer”, says Datron president Kevin Kane. “We provide most of the tactical communications to them.”Datron emphasises simplicity of operation with its rugged HH2100V, which is designed to extend secure and flexible network communications in the 30-88 MHz band to dismounted soldiers. Featuring embedded counter-countermeasures and communications security along with a GPS receiver, the

unit also meets Mil Std 810 standard that measures resistance to environmental insults such as temperature extremes, water and dust ingress, vibration and impact. The GPS receiver provides both time and three-demensional position information, while full- or

NEXT ISSUE FEBRUARY-MARCH 2014: 3 FEBRUARY, ADVERTISING: 17 JANUARY Harbour Protection: With reasonably

sophisticated recreational devices like closed-circuit breathing systems and underwater vehicles becoming more easily affordable and even accessible to all, harbours have gradually become increasingly vulnerable to stealthy attacks, warranting the implementation of equally sophisticated detection systems, but tweaked enough not to continually set off false alarms. Not so easy.

Naval Drones: Always needed by ships to enable them to see what lies beyond the horizon, airborne observation systems have never been really practical and have left more sour than sweet records in their wake… After a long period of “not serious devices” attitude towards them, drones, particularly the whirly types, are now mature enough to start seducing a growing number of sailors.

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partial-band frequency hopping and digital encryption offer high resistance to jamming and good security.

The radio also contains a set of pre-programmed “canned” text messages to minimise button pushing in stressful conditions.

The new handheld is also

Small Cal Munitions: It is not because they are small that they are simple. In fact, the parameters that enter into the recipe of good, fine-tuned, small calibre rounds to enable them to fulfil their vast variety of roles is surprisingly complicated compared with the 155 millimetres of artillery. In a “small cal” round, there is not space for electronics. It’s all got to be in the shape and the materials.

Transparent Armour: It would have been laughable at Cold War time, but the transparent armour is now here to show the men inside a vehicle that an external world still exists for them.

If one want to be sarcastic this may or may not be a relief to them, but above all and at long last, large armoured windows show them what to expect next.

Special Mission Aircrafts: Special mission aircraft do not necessarily mean “special ops” aircraft, although there might be an overlap depending on the mission to be accomplished. In

“fully interoperable” with Datron's PRC2100V manpack radio, which has base station, vehicle mount and retransmission capabilities, providing several ways of connecting headquarters with dismounted soldiers in the field. The first enhancement to the 7700 series HF system is the PPS7700 pre/post selector, the advertised benefits of which are 70 dB rejection of interfering signals, flat response between 2 and 30 MHz and a four-second tuning time. The LPF7700 low pass filter also supports up to 16 kW of signal power, and features low in-band insertion loss, excellent out-of-band isolation, and minimal passive intermodulation, says the company.

Datron also emphasises the 7700 family's “proven interoperability” with other certified automatic link establishing radios its compatibility with Link 11 datalink systems. It can also be allocated an IP address for either local or remote operation via the company's PC-based virtual remote control unit application.

“special mission aircraft”, special more qualifies the mission that the aircraft, and more often than not entails reconnaissance and observation rather than aggressiveness, although the latter could be used in self-defence.

Show Report: This issue’s Show Report covers our reporter’s treasure hunt while exploring the meanders of the AUSA exhibition held in Washington last October.

COMPENDIUM—Light Armoured Vehicles: We revisit the hot subject of Light Armoured Vehicle in next month’s Armada Compendium.

The role of light armoured vehicles is gaining importance in the field with the increasing spread of scattered conflicts, commanding the use of easily deployed vehicles that are in turn able to very quickly reconnoitre or emplace ad hoc personnel at the right location, something that huge improvements in armouring enable that new-generation of small vehicles to do reasonably safely for the souls they carry.