Navy

Al-Diriyah

November 20, 2020 Dmitry Shulgin

Navantia has launched on November 14, 2020 the second of the five corvettes built for the Royal Saudi Naval Forces (RSNF), named Al-Diriyah, in homage to the city where the Saudi royal family has its origins, and which today is linked with San Fernando. The event, which has included telematic interventions, has been presided over by the Commander of the Royal Saudi Naval Forces, Vice-Admiral Fahad Bin Abdullah Al-Ghofaily; by the Chairwoman of Navantia, Belén Gualda; by the CEO of SAMI, Walid Abukhaled and by the Admiral Chief of Staff of Spanish Army, Teodoro López Calderón. In addition, the Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs, Arancha González Laya has been especially involved in the event with a final intervention in which she has highlighted the commitment of the Spanish Government to this naval program and the desire for future collaboration between both countries.

The ceremony has begun with a welcome from the director of shipyard, Javier Herrador, followed by a reading from the Holy Koran by the Commander of the Royal Saudi Naval Forces, continuing with a video about the city Al-Diriyah (which gives its name to the ship), followed by a video from Navantia about the preparations for the launching of the ship has been shown. After that, the hymns of Saudi Arabia and Spain has commenced the speeches.

Commander of the Royal Saudi Naval Forces has highlighted the work of Navantia and the Spanish Navy, «giving the highest to achieve the training of the first crew in Spain, qualified personnel capable of operating and maintaining these ships». In this sense, the Admiral Chief of Staff of Spanish Army has also highlighted the total commitment of the Spanish Navy in this pioneering program, which involves a high-quality training beyond the construction.

CEO of SAMI has expressed his appreciation for the support of the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in making it possible for the corvette Al-Diriyah and all other corvettes of the Royal Saudi Naval Forces to be equipped with the first Saudi Combat Management System.

The Chairwoman of Navantia has had some words of thanks to the whole team working on this program, both in Spain and in Saudi Arabia has shown her commitment to the Royal Saudi Naval Forces and she has expressed the purpose of Navantia to collaborate with the Royal Saudi Naval Forces throughout other future programs.

Next, Commander of the Royal Saudi Naval Forces, Fahad Bin Abdullah Al-Ghofaily, has proceeded to cut the ribbon from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the corvette Al-Diriyah has begun to slide down the steps until she has touched water for the first time.

Corvette Al-Diriyah has a length of 104 meters/341 feet, a beam of 14 meters/46 feet and she will be able to transport a total of 102 people including crew and passengers. It will reach a maximum speed of 27 knots/31 mph/50 km/h and, among other things, she has the capacity to carry provisions on board for 21 days.

The design of the corvettes is of the latest generation, maximizing the participation of Navantia by incorporating its own products, such as the CATIZ Combat System, the HERMESYS Integrated Communications System, the DORNA Firing Direction, the Integrated Platform Control System and the MINERVA Integrated Bridge, together with other equipment developed by Navantia under license, such as the MTU Engines or the RENK Reduction Gearboxes.

This contract, which came into force in November 2018, strengthens the immediate future of Navantia and benefits all the shipyards of the company and its auxiliary industry, especially the whole Bay of Cadiz.

Specifically, it will mean a global workload of around seven million hours which, translated into employment, will reach the figure of 6,000 annually during the next five years. Of these, more than 1,100 will be Navantia employees; more than 1,800, employees from Auxiliary Industry of Navantia and more than 3,000, indirect employees generated by other suppliers. There will be more than 100 auxiliary companies that will collaborate in this project.

This program, whose last vessel must be delivered in 2024, includes, in addition to construction, Life Cycle Support for five years, from the delivery of the first vessel, with an option for another five years.

On the other hand, the contract also includes the supply of several services such as, Integrated Logistic Support, Operational and Maintenance Training, Supply of Training and Education Centers for the Combat System and Platform Control System of the ships, the Life Cycle Support previously mentioned, and the systems for the maintenance of the ships in the Jeddah Naval Base.

Navy

FREMM Lorraine

November 19, 2020 Dmitry Shulgin

Naval Group has launched the FREMM Lorraine (D657) in Lorient on Friday 13th November. This ship was ordered by the French General Directorate of Armament (DGA) on behalf of the French Navy. The program management is entrusted to the Organization for Joint Armament Cooperation (OCCAR). The FREMM Lorraine (D657) is the tenth unit of the FREMM series produced by Naval Group, and the eighth and last one added to the French Navy’s fleet.

It is also the second FREMM frigate of the FREMM DA type, presenting an enhanced air defence capability.

The French Minister of Armed Forces (Minister of Defence) Florence Parly, Admiral Pierre Vandier, Chief of Staff of the French Navy, and General Engineer Emmanuelle Thivillier, in charge of naval programs at the French General Directorate of Armament (DGA) as well as the Chairman and CEO of Naval Group, Pierre Eric Pommellet, alongside employees from the Lorient site participated to the launching ceremony.

The launch of the eighth French Navy’s FREMM

Fifty-four months after the start of the production, the FREMM DA Lorraine (D657) left the construction form of Naval Group site in Lorient. This operation took place on Friday 13th November 2020, fully complying with the schedule set by the Military Planning Law, while respecting the safety and health rules currently enforced.

Technical adaptations have been made on both FREMM DA such as a more powerful multifunction radar supplied by Thales, enhanced communications, three additional consoles of the Setis Combat Management System in the «central operations center» with an enhanced air defence capability through the use of Aster 15 and Aster 30 missiles. The FREMM DA also benefits from a new mast, optimized to increase detection performance. In addition to performing the same anti-submarine warfare missions as the previous FREMMs, the FREMM DAs will be responsible for the air defence of major units: Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier, or amphibious helicopter carriers (PHA) as part of the naval or amphibious air group.

More generally, the FREMM frigates integrate the evolution of systems over time to ensure the latest units of the series benefit from the latest technologies such as: additional cyber capabilities, deployment of Liaison 22 (liaison between NATO military units), integration of a tactical digital table, etc.

Meeting the operational requirements of the French Armament Procurement Agency (DGA)

«Throughout this demanding program, we have maintained close ties with our customer, in order to best respond to the expectations and the technological challenges regarding the onboard innovations. This feedback led us to change our industrial organization. Modular construction, supply chain optimization and block pre-fabrication have reduced construction lead times and, ultimately, production costs. As a result, we have gained in efficiency and performance, while at the same time improving the working conditions of our employees, which has led to a considerable reduction in accidents at work. We are proud to launch today the latest French FREMM»! declared Laurent Espinasse, Executive Vice-President for Industry at Naval Group.

Naval Group’s site in Lorient offers industrial infrastructures that enable us to meet the technical and technological challenges of the latest generations of military ships, including a 15,000 m² covered construction form.

The design tools and methods have evolved considerably during the FREMM program thanks to virtual reality. All of the ship’s data, including equipment operating data, is integrated into a digital mock-up. The infrastructures have also been modernized, including the extension and renovation of the construction nave, the installation of three covered paint booths and the extension of the quay.

Ensuring the preservation of key competencies

To deliver frigates with the required military performance, Naval Group has mobilized no less than 250 skills throughout the program. Some of them are very specific and rare and are often the result of a long or even very long acquisition: sheet metal carpenter, formator-straightener, hull welder, pipe fitter…

Naval Group promotes the recruitment of young talents and has recruited 400 work-study students since the beginning of the year and even during the sanitary crisis. This is 50 more than in 2019 and Naval Group site in Lorient is home to 58 of them.

Naval Group is also implementing specific training programs to develop these rare and unique skills, through the introduction of the certificate of joint qualification of metallurgy (CQPM). This certification training, takes place alternatively in a training organization and in industrial workshops over twelve months. A CQPM carpenter-sheet metal worker was opened in September 2019, in collaboration with the IUMM of Lorient, at a Naval Group site in Lorient.

Technical characteristics of FREMM DA

The FREMM program has been running on a stable schedule since the last Military Planning Law. Eight units of the FREMM series have been delivered between 2012 and 2019. Aquitaine (D650) in 2012, Provence (D652) in 2015, Languedoc (D653) in 2016, Auvergne (D654) in April 2017, Bretagne (D655) in July 2018 and Normandie (D651) in July 2019. Alsace (D656) was launched on April 18, 2019 and will be delivered in 2021. Internationally, the Mohammed VI (701) was delivered to Morocco in 2014 and the Tahya Misr (FFG-1001) was delivered in Egypt in 2015.

FREMM DA Alsace (D656) is heavily armed and uses the most powerful weapons systems and equipment such as the Herakles multifunction radar, the Aster 15 and 30 and Exocet MM 40 missiles and the MU 90 torpedoes. The performance of her combat system is enhanced with increased radar and communication capabilities, new radar and electro-optical fire control and a SETIS Combat Management System with specific air defence functions.

Characteristics

Total length	466 feet/142 m
Width	65.6 feet/20 m
Displacement	6,000 tonnes
Maximum speed	27 knots/31 mph/50 km/h
Operation	123 persons (+ 14 people for the helicopter detachment)
Accommodation capacity	165 men and women
Cruising range at 15 knots/17 mph/28 km/h	6,000 nautical miles/6,905 miles/11,112 km

Air, Unmanned Systems

NATO Phoenix

November 18, 2020 Dmitry Shulgin

Northrop Grumman Corporation successfully ferried the fifth NATO Alliance Ground Surveillance (AGS) aircraft, via a non-stop transatlantic flight. The aircraft departed on Wednesday, November 11 from Palmdale, California and landed nearly 20 hours later on November 12 at Sigonella Air Base, Sigonella, Italy.

Northrop Grumman Enhances Alliance Security with Delivery of Fifth NATO RQ-4D Phoenix

The air vehicle is the last of five NATO RQ-4D aircraft, thus completing deliveries to the Main Operating Base (MOB) of the NATO AGS system of systems comprised of aircraft, ground and support segments. Work remains to complete Handover of the AGS System to the NATO AGS Force (NAGSF).

«Once the NATO AGS system achieves Handover, NATO Commanders will have greater flexibility and redundancy to support the mission of protecting ground troops, civilian populations and international borders in peacetime and times of conflict as well as humanitarian missions during natural disasters», said Jane Bishop, vice president and general manager, autonomous systems, Northrop Grumman.

The NATO AGS RQ-4D is based on the U.S. Air Force wide area surveillance Global Hawk. The high-altitude, long-endurance unmanned NATO AGS system, which includes the multi-platform radar technology insertion program radar, provides leading-edge intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capability that is able to deliver near real-time situational awareness 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Led by Northrop Grumman, the NATO industry team is comprised of companies from across NATO’s member nations, including Leonardo, Airbus, and Kongsberg and other defence companies from all AGS Procuring Nations.

Northrop Grumman solves the toughest problems in space, aeronautics, defense and cyberspace to meet the ever evolving needs of our customers worldwide. Our 90,000 employees define possible every day using science, technology and engineering to create and deliver advanced systems, products and services.

Air, Air Force, Fighters

German Quadriga

November 17, 2020 Dmitry Shulgin

Airbus has signed a contract to deliver 38 new Eurofighter aircraft to the German Air Force. This makes Germany the largest ordering nation in Europe’s biggest defence programme. The order, also known by its project name Quadriga, covers the delivery of 30 single-seater and 8 twin-seater Eurofighters. Three of the aircraft will be equipped with additional test installations as Instrumented Test Aircraft for the further development of the Eurofighter programme.

Dirk Hoke, CEO Airbus Defence and Space, said: «The new Tranche 4 Eurofighter is currently the most modern European-built combat aircraft with a service life well beyond 2060. Its technical capabilities will allow full integration into the European Future Combat Air System (FCAS)».

The renewed order from Germany secures production until 2030 and comes at a strategically important time for the programme. In addition to an expected Eurofighter order from Spain to replace its legacy F-18s, procurement decisions in Switzerland and Finland are imminent in 2021.

The variant offered in Switzerland corresponds to the configuration of the German Quadriga order. The equipment includes the world’s latest electronic radar, future-proof hardware and software and unlimited multi-role capability for engaging air and ground targets.

Eurofighter is Europe’s largest defence programme, in which the United Kingdom, Spain and Italy are involved alongside Germany. In addition to technological capabilities, it secures more than 100,000 jobs in Europe.

Navy

Launching of the Vagir

November 16, 2020 Dmitry Shulgin

On November 12th 2020, INS Vagir (S25) was launched by Smt Vijaya Shripad Naik, wife of Shri Shripad Naik, Hon’ble Raksha Rajya Mantri. INS Vagir (S25) is the fifth P75 Scorpene submarine entirely built by the Indian shipyard Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) based on years of technology transfer and partnership with Naval Group.

After recent commissioning of INS Khanderi (S22) in September 2019 and the launch of the INS Vela (S24) in May 2019, the INS Vagir (S25), the fifth of the series of six Kalvari-class submarines ordered by India in 2005, to be launched.

This event highlights the success of the indigenous submarines construction program of the Government of India. These submarines have been completely built by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) through a transfer of technology from Naval Group, in line with Indian Government’s «Make in India» policy. This series of six submarines are fitted with a number of equipment, built in India by qualified and highly trained industrial Micro, Small and Medium enterprises (MSMEs) which form the sound base of the Indian submarine building ecosystem.

«Naval Group is proud to be part of first of its kind P75 Kalvari program to deliver entirely «Made in India» submarines to the Indian Navy. The P75 program is a major element of the strategic Indo-French partnership developed over the last decades. This launch, amidst Covid-19 challenges, represents a new milestone for this unique industrial program and illustrates the Aatmanirbharta (self-reliance) of Indian Navy and industry», mentioned Alain Guillou, Senior EVP – International Development at Naval Group.

The Scorpene is a conventional-propulsion submarine designed and developed by Naval Group for all types of mission, such as surface warfare, anti-submarine warfare, long-range strikes, special operations or intelligence gathering. Extremely stealthy and fast, its level of operating automation allows for a limited crew which reduces its operating costs significantly. Its combat edge is highlighted by the fact that it has 6 weapon launching tubes and 18 weapons (torpedoes, missiles, mines).

With 14 submarines sold internationally by Naval Group, the Scorpene is an essential reference product in the area of conventional attack submarines (SSK) for Navies across the world. The Scorpene can be adapted to meet special needs of international navies.

Naval Group is present in India through its 100% subsidiary Naval Group India. Established in September 2008, Naval Group India’s mission has been to support the indigenisation of equipment for Scorpene submarine, to develop the Indian defence eco-system, as well as to develop design services in India with talented Indian engineers.

Naval Group India endeavours to be a visionary and to further its involvement in empowering more industries by creating a robust eco-system that can cater to the varied defence needs of the country.

Air, Air Force, Cargo

C-27J Next Generation

November 15, 2020 Dmitry Shulgin

Leonardo has begun the final testing of the C-27J Next Generation which features new equipment, a new avionics system and advanced aerodynamic devices, these will enhance the existing high performance of the aircraft. The first C-27J Spartan in the new configuration will be delivered to an undisclosed customer in 2021.

The performance and reliability of the C-27J Spartan continues to evolve as the best response to its customers’ needs. Pushing on the aircraft’s versatility and mission flexibility, the C-27J Spartan offers an ever-increasing range of mission solutions, which adapt in response to new challenges faced by operators. A true force enabler, its unrivalled multi-mission capabilities are key in presenting the latest evolution of the Spartan as a cost-effective solution and an intelligent investment for nations, which are selecting it for their military, as well as civil protection requirements.

Marco Zoff, Leonardo Aircraft Division’s Managing Director, said: «The enhanced C-27J brings the unrivalled quality and capabilities of the Spartan to the next, higher level. Its operators will benefit from modern avionics, increased performance and efficiency. The Spartan embodies the essence of national security, proving to be the best asset for armed forces’ defence operations and for their fundamental contribution to population support and disaster relief». In a world hit this year by the COVID-19 pandemic and other emergencies international media have extensively reported on the C-27J’s relentless and effective support to communities in need. Mr. Zoff also added: «Our customers have discovered in this aircraft an element of social inclusion, because it is the only aircraft capable to reach people in the most remote rural areas of their nations».

Leonardo is committed to serving and protecting communities around the world, contributing to their sustainable growth by leading in next generation technologies. Partnering with Governments, private organizations and industries for the best security and safety capabilities is a cornerstone of Leonardo’s BeTomorrow2030 Strategic Plan.

Already acknowledged as the most effective multi-mission military transport aircraft in its class, the C-27J Next Generation today features comprehensive new avionics and aerodynamic developments with new winglets, for improved operational efficiency and even better performance. Mission-proven across all continents with a number of prime air forces, the Spartan is operated in the world’s most demanding operational environments – from the Andes to Afghanistan – for military transport, cargo and paratroopers air drop, last tactical mile troop support, special operations, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.

The brand-new avionics system of the C-27J Next Generation is designed to comply with Next Generation Air Traffic Control requirements, including Future Air Navigation System (FANS) 1/A+ datalink; Traffic Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) 7.1; Instrument Landing System (ILS) Cat.II; enhanced video Terrain Awareness Warning System (TAWS). New cockpit displays; new weather radar; new radio navigation; enhanced satellite communications and radio communication capabilities; new intercommunication system; new cockpit and cargo panels; Mode 5 Friend or Foe/ Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (IFF/ADS-B) out and tactical Vertical Navigation (VNAV) and Search and Rescue; lighting system with Light-Emitting Diodes (LED) technology have also been included. Moreover, former avionics and general systems interface boxes have been replaced with new equipment by Leonardo’s Electronics. The new baseline configuration is also offered as a retrofit to current operators wanting to upgrade their C-27J Spartan fleet capabilities.

Thanks to its exceptional structural strength and systems redundancy, the C-27J Spartan offers unique qualities of ruggedness, reliability, outstanding survivability and manoeuvrability. Its capability to operate from the most rudimentary airstrips, performing Short Take-Offs and Landings (STOL) in extreme environmental conditions is enhanced by the winglets, while Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) provides an independent power source, which can restart engines in flight, or make the aircraft autonomous and self-reliable during deployment missions at improvised airfields.

The aircraft can be equipped with a Defensive Aids Sub-Systems suite, secure communications and ballistic protection in order to operate in high threat environments.

Thanks to its multiple roll-on/roll-off mission kits and systems, the C-27J Spartan can be quickly configured and reconfigured to carry out a wide range of tasks, including a tactical transport, maritime patrol, even incorporating Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) or Command, Control, Communications, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (C3ISR) tasks. As a tactical transport aircraft, its capabilities include transport of troops, cargo, paratroops and cargo airdrop, Medical Evacuation/Casualty Evacuation (Medevac/Casevac), VIP, but can also carry out operations of humanitarian assistance, disaster relief and fire-fighting, thanks to its fast operational reconfiguration.

Navy

Security Cutter Stone

November 14, 2020 Dmitry Shulgin

Huntington Ingalls Industries’ (HII) Ingalls Shipbuilding division has delivered National Security Cutter (NSC) USCGC Stone (WMSL-758) to the U.S. Coast Guard.

Documents signed Monday mark the official transfer of custody of the ship from HII to the Coast Guard. Stone is scheduled to sail away from the shipyard at the end of this year to its homeport in Charleston, South Carolina.

«We could not be prouder to deliver our ninth national security cutter to the Coast Guard», Ingalls Shipbuilding President Brian Cuccias said. «Ending the year with this significant achievement is a true testament to the perseverance of our shipbuilders. Stone is a powerful ship that will have great opportunities to demonstrate the value of its multi-mission capabilities for many years to come».

NSC-9 is named to honor Coast Guard Commander Elmer «Archie» Fowler Stone, Coast Guard aviator number one, who made history in 1919 for being one of two Coast Guard pilots in the four man air crew who completed the first trans-Atlantic flight in a Navy seaplane.

The Legend-class NSC is the most technologically advanced ship in the Coast Guard’s fleet, which enables it to meet the high demands required for maritime and homeland security, law enforcement, marine safety, environmental protection and national defense missions. NSCs are 418 feet/127 m long with a top speed of 28 knots/32 mph/52 km/h, a range of 12,000 NM/13,809 miles/22,224 km, an endurance of 60 days and a crew of 120.

Facts

Displacement	4,500 long tons
Length	418 feet/127 m
Beam	54 feet/16 m
Speed	28 knots/32 mph/52 km/h
Range	12,000 NM/13,809 miles/22,224 km
Endurance	60 days
Crew	120
Equipped with	Mk-110 57-mm turret mounted gun
	6 × 12.7-mm/.50 caliber machine guns
	3D air search radar
	2 level 1, class 1 aircraft hangers
	A stern launch ramp for mission boats
Aviation carried	(2) MCH, or (4) Vertical-Launch Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (VUAV) or (1) MCH and (2) VUAV
Stern launch	Two cutter boats (Long Range Interceptor and/or Short Range Prosecutor)
Electronic Warfare and Decoys	AN/SLQ-32 Electronic Warfare System, Two Super Rapid Bloom Offboard Countermeasures (SRBOC)/2 NULKA countermeasures chaff rapid decoy launcher
Communications	HF, VHF & UHF
Sensors and Processing Systems	X and S band radar, 3D air search radar, AN/SPQ-9 radar, Identification, Friend or Foe (IFF)

Ship list

Ship	Hull Number	Laid down	Launched	Commissioned
Bertholf	WMSL-750	03-29-2005	09-29-2006	08-04-2008
Waesche	WMSL-751	09-11-2006	07-12-2008	05-07-2010
Stratton	WMSL-752	07-20-2009	07-23-2010	03-31-2012
Hamilton	WMSL-753	09-05-2012	08-10-2013	12-06-2014
James	WMSL-754	05-17-2013	05-03-2014	08-08-2015
Munro	WMSL-755	10-07-2013	09-12-2015	04-01-2017
Kimball	WMSL-756	03-04-2016	12-17-2016	08-24-2019
Midgett	WMSL-757	01-27-2017	11-22-2017	08-24-2019
Stone	WMSL-758	09-14-2018	10-04-2019
Calhoun	WMSL-759
Friedman	WMSL-760

Air

Open Mission Systems

November 13, 2020 Dmitry Shulgin

Northrop Grumman Corporation has successfully demonstrated an Open Mission Systems (OMS) compliant Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) sensor in recent ground and multiple flight demonstrations.

Northrop Grumman demonstrating an OMS-compliant advanced sensor during a live ground demonstration (Northrop Grumman Photo/Released)

For the demonstrations, an advanced Northrop Grumman wideband AESA sensor was connected to an OMS-compliant mission computing system provided by Boeing. After integrating with the Boeing mission computing environment, the AESA sensor was instructed to focus on specific targets, capture and manage data, and communicate the information back to the mission computing system, which was displayed in real-time on an operator’s workstation.

«These demonstrations continue to act as pathfinders to enable further OMS opportunities», said Paul Kalafos, vice president, surveillance and electromagnetic maneuver warfare, Northrop Grumman. «Using an agile framework, we can quickly develop and adapt complex, multi-function systems to enable multi-mission nodes at the tactical edge of the battlespace, be it Joint All-Domain Command and Control (JADC2), electronic warfare, or intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance».

OMS is an approach based on open architecture design allowing customers to rapidly add new or improved capabilities, regardless of supplier, at a reduced cost. This Northrop Grumman and Boeing joint live flight test demonstrated a key step in continuing the validation and integration of OMS-compliant systems and the ability to successfully transfer relevant active-passive kill chain data.

«Northrop Grumman is a pioneer in developing multi-function sensors», said Greg Simer, vice president, air dominance and strike, Northrop Grumman. «Through our iterative development and flight demonstrations, we are focused on agile development with OMS-compliant sensors and commercial practices to prove the rapid integration of capabilities across mission sets. The result is faster and more affordable advances in sensor capabilities for U.S. forces and their allies».

Northrop Grumman plans to integrate a combination of OMS/Open Communication Systems sensors and software-defined radios across multiple platforms, networks and nodes to address driving mission needs and ensure multi-domain interoperability. To learn more about Northrop Grumman’s role in connecting the joint force, visit the company’s website.

Northrop Grumman flew the OMS-compliant advanced sensor on its Baltimore-based CRJ testbed aircraft (Northrop Grumman Photo/Released)

Air, Air Force

Rescue Group

November 12, 2020 Dmitry Shulgin

The 23rd Wing and 347th Rescue Group leadership received the Air Force’s first two HH-60W Jolly Green II helicopters at Moody Air Force Base (AFB), Georgia, November 5.

Aircrew from the 41st Rescue Squadron out of Moody AFB and the 413th Flight Test Squadron and 88th Test and Evaluation Squadron, both at Duke Field, Florida, flew the aircraft from Lockheed Martin’s Sikorsky Training Academy.

The HH-60W Jolly Green II comes equipped with a wide range of capabilities that will ensure its crews continue carrying out their critical combat search and rescue and personnel recovery operations for all U.S. military services and allies in contested and diverse environments. The HH-60W Jolly Green II features advanced and improved defensive systems, vulnerability reduction, hover performance, electrical capacity, avionics, cooling, weapons, cyber-security, environmental and net-centric requirements.

The primary mission of the HH-60W Jolly Green II helicopter will be conducting day or night operations into hostile environments to recover isolated personnel during war. The platform will also be tasked to perform military operations other than war, including civil search and rescue, medical evacuation, disaster response, humanitarian assistance, security cooperation/aviation advisory, NASA space-flight support, and rescue command and control.

The delivery of the new model is significant to the personnel recovery mission as it begins the transition from the predecessor, the HH-60G Pave Hawk model, which has been flown for more than 26 years. The Air Force will continue to utilize the HH-60G Pave Hawk model until the transition is complete.

Space

GPS III Satellite

November 11, 2020 Dmitry Shulgin

The fourth Lockheed Martin-built Global Positioning System III (GPS III) satellite is now headed to orbit under its own propulsion. Following a successful launch earlier this evening, GPS III Space Vehicle 04 (GPS III SV04) separated from its rocket and is now using onboard power to climb to its operational orbit, approximately 12,550 miles above the Earth.

About 89 minutes after a 6:24 p.m. EST liftoff from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida, U.S. Space Force and Lockheed Martin engineers at the company’s Denver Launch & Checkout Operations Center declared GPS III SV04 «separated» from its SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and «flying» under their control.

In the coming days, GPS III SV04’s onboard liquid apogee engine will continue to propel the satellite towards its operational orbit. Once it arrives, the engineers will send the satellite commands to deploy its solar arrays and antennas, and prepare GPS III SV04 for handover to Space Operations Command.

GPS III SV04 is the latest next-generation GPS III satellite Lockheed Martin designed and built to help the U.S. Space Force modernize today’s GPS satellite constellation with new technology and capabilities. GPS III satellites will provide significant capability improvements over previous GPS satellites, including:

Three times better accuracy;
Up to eight times improved anti-jamming capabilities; and
A new L1C civil signal, which is compatible with international global navigation satellite systems, like Europe’s Galileo, to improve civilian user connectivity.

GPS III SV04 will also be the 23rd Military Code (M-Code) signal-enabled GPS space vehicle on orbit, continuing the Space Force’s plan to fully field the more-secure, harder-to-jam and spoof GPS signal for military forces.

«With GPS III we are focused on rapidly fielding the best capabilities to the Space Force’s Positioning, Navigation and Timing (PNT) Mission», said Tonya Ladwig, Lockheed Martin’s Acting Vice President for Navigation Systems. «We are proud of our industry-government team on the launch of GPS III SV04. GPS III SV05 is already ‘available for launch’ and just waiting to be called up».

In early July, the Space Force also declared that the GPS III Follow On (GPS IIIF) program had fulfilled Milestone C, allowing the program to enter its production phase. GPS IIIF satellites will add even more capabilities, including:

A Regional Military Protection Capability, which will increase anti-jam support in theater to ensure U.S. and allied forces cannot be denied access to GPS in hostile environments;
An accuracy-enhancing laser retroreflector array;
A fully digital navigation payload; and
A new search and rescue payload.

«So many people rely on GPS every day. Continuing to invest in GPS by adding new capabilities like those coming with GPS III/IIIF will ensure GPS remains the world’s ‘gold standard’ for PNT and just makes sense», Ladwig added.

GPS is part of the U.S.’s critical national infrastructure, driving an estimated $300 billion in annual economic benefits and responsible for $1.4 trillion since its inception. Globally, more than four billion military, civil and commercial users depend on GPS’ positioning, navigation and timing signals.

Lockheed Martin is proud to be a part of the GPS III team led by the Space Production Corps Medium Earth Orbit Division, at the U.S. Space Force’s Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles Air Force Base. The GPS Operational Control Segment sustainment is managed by the Enterprise Corps, GPS Sustainment Division at Peterson Air Force Base. The 2nd Space Operations Squadron, at Schriever Air Force Base, manages and operates the GPS constellation for both civil and military users.

Modern weapons

Monthly Archives: November 2020

Al-Diriyah

FREMM Lorraine

Characteristics

NATO Phoenix

German Quadriga

Launching of the Vagir

C-27J Next Generation

Security Cutter Stone

Facts

Ship list

Open Mission Systems

Rescue Group

GPS III Satellite

News and articles