French Navy

September 30, 2022 Dmitry Shulgin

The French Navy has taken delivery of the first of six H160s that will perform search and rescue (SAR) missions. The aircraft is part of the interim fleet that will be delivered by the partnership formed between Airbus Helicopters, Babcock, and Safran Helicopter Engines.

«The delivery of the first H160 to a military customer is a major milestone for the H160 programme», said Bruno Even, CEO of Airbus Helicopters. «This is the first public service version of the H160 to be delivered worldwide. Furthermore, the delivery takes place soon after two H160s entered into service this summer, in Brazil for the private and business aviation segment and in Japan for news gathering missions», he added. «With this H160 we will strengthen our partnership with the French Navy, delivering the right helicopter for its critical search and rescue missions. Together with our partners, we will also ensure that the H160 is ready when needed».

In 2020 the French Armament General Directorate (DGA) signed a contract with Airbus Helicopters, Babcock, and Safran for the delivery of four H160s in a Search And Rescue (SAR) configuration. In 2021, the DGA confirmed an option for two more H160s. The first H160 for the French Navy was delivered to Babcock by Airbus Helicopters in May 2022. It has since then been modified into a light military configuration by Babcock. The modular cabin was also adapted for SAR operations and a Safran Euroflir 410 electro optical system was integrated.

The H160 will gradually start operating from the Lanveoc-Poulmic naval air station (Brittany), Cherbourg airport (Normandy), and the naval air station in Hyères (Provence). The interim fleet of H160s will ensure critical search and rescue missions while awaiting the delivery of the H160M Guépard. In the frame of the French Joint Light Helicopter (Hélicoptère Interarmées Léger: HIL) programme, 169 H160M Guépards are foreseen to replace five types of helicopters in service with the French armed forces. The French Navy’s operational feedback with these H160s will benefit the design of the military version of the aircraft and its associated support system.

Babcock, in partnership with Airbus Helicopters and Safran Helicopters Engines, will ensure the highest level of availability for the French Navy and the continuity of SAR operations on the Atlantic and the Mediterranean coasts. Built by Airbus Helicopters, the H160 is certified for the use of night vision goggles, which are necessary for winching operations at night.

The H160, as a next generation medium twin-engine aircraft, powered by Arrano engines, is modular by design in order to address missions ranging from offshore transportation, private and business aviation, emergency medical services, and public services.

Air, Missiles & Guided Weapons, Rocket

Hypersonic Missile

September 29, 2022 Dmitry Shulgin

Raytheon Missiles & Defense, a Raytheon Technologies business, in partnership with Northrop Grumman, has been selected to develop the Hypersonic Attack Cruise Missile (HACM) for the U.S. Air Force (USAF). HACM is a first-of-its-kind weapon developed in conjunction with the Southern Cross Integrated Flight Research Experiment (SCIFiRE), a U.S. and Australia project arrangement.

Hypersonic Attack Cruise Missile (HACM) — U.S. Air Force selects Raytheon Missiles & Defense, Northrop Grumman to deliver first hypersonic air-breathing missile

Under this contract, the Raytheon Missiles & Defense and Northrop Grumman team will deliver operationally ready missiles to the USAF.

«Raytheon Missiles & Defense continues to be at the forefront of hypersonic weapon and air-breathing technology development», said Wes Kremer, president of Raytheon Missiles & Defense. «With advanced threats emerging around the globe, the Hypersonic Attack Cruise Missile will provide our warfighters a much-needed capability».

The Hypersonic Attack Cruise Missile is an air-breathing, scramjet powered munition. Scramjet engines use high vehicle speed to forcibly compress incoming air before combustion, which enables sustained flight at hypersonic speeds – Mach 5 or greater. By traveling at these speeds, hypersonic weapons, like HACM, are able to reach their targets more quickly than similar traditional missiles, allowing them to potentially evade defensive systems.

«The Hypersonic Attack Cruise Missile creates a new class of strategically important weapons for the U.S. military», said Mary Petryszyn, corporate vice president and president, Northrop Grumman Defense Systems. «Our scramjet propulsion technology is ushering in a new era for faster, more survivable and highly capable weapons».

Raytheon Technologies and Northrop Grumman have been working together since 2019 to develop, produce and integrate Northrop Grumman’s scramjet engines onto Raytheon’s air-breathing hypersonic weapons. Their combined efforts enable both companies to produce air-breathing hypersonic weapons, the next generation of tactical missile systems.

Air, Air Force

Compass Call

September 28, 2022 Dmitry Shulgin

BAE Systems has designed, tested, and delivered key components for the U.S. Air Force’s first EC-37B Compass Call aircraft. The delivery paves the way for developmental and operational flight testing of the Baseline 3 configuration of Compass Call in January 2023. Baseline 3 offers additional electronic warfare capabilities. Interim fielding is expected to follow the completion of testing by mid-2024.

«Since the program’s inception, BAE Systems has consistently delivered advanced capabilities for Compass Call», said Jared Belinsky, director of Electronic Attack Solutions at BAE Systems. «This final hardware delivery for the first EC-37B Compass Call aircraft ensures an upgrade that will continue to outpace our adversaries».

Compass Call is being redesigned from the current EC-130H airframe model to the enhanced flight performance of a commercial business jet airframe known as the EC-37B. It is the Department of Defense’s only long range, full-spectrum stand-off electronic warfare jamming platform.

EC-37B Compass Call disrupts enemy command and control communications, radar, and navigation systems to restrict battlespace coordination. It suppresses air defenses by preventing the transmission of essential information between adversaries, their weapon systems, and control networks.

BAE Systems also recently successfully tested three third-party applications on Compass Call’s Small Adaptive Bank of Electronic Resource (SABER) technology. The hallmark of SABER is its open system architecture that enables the rapid integration of new technology through software updates instead of hardware reconfiguration. This allows for the rapid insertion of new capabilities to keep pace with emerging technologies.

Work on EC-37B Compass Call is being conducted at BAE Systems’ state-of-the-art facilities in Nashua, New Hampshire, Hudson, New Hampshire, and San Diego, California.

Missile Defense, Missiles & Guided Weapons, Rocket

Glide Phase Interceptor

September 27, 2022 Dmitry Shulgin

Raytheon Missiles & Defense, a Raytheon Technologies business, successfully completed the Systems Requirements Review – Prototype (SRR-P) for the Glide Phase Interceptor (GPI). GPI is designed to intercept hypersonic weapons in the glide phase of flight, providing the U.S. and allies with a regional layer of defense against hypersonic missile threats.

Glide Phase Interceptor (GPI) — Raytheon Missiles & Defense reaches key milestone in Glide Phase Interceptor development

«The Raytheon Missiles & Defense GPI concept employs a low-risk solution that uses proven Standard Missile technology already deployed on Aegis ships, while advancing critical technologies needed in the hypersonic environment», said Tay Fitzgerald, president of Strategic Missile Defense at Raytheon Missiles & Defense. «We have a firm understanding of the requirements, and we’re ready to continue GPI development. This is a major step toward delivering this capability to the warfighter».

The SRR-P determination showcases RMD’s experience with ship launched missiles systems and their ability to mature critical hypersonic technologies that ultimately help meet fleet operational requirements against existing and future threats.

With SRR-P complete, Raytheon Missiles & Defense moves on to preliminary design.

Air, Navy

Australian Navy

September 26, 2022 Dmitry Shulgin

The U.S. Navy has awarded Lockheed Martin a firm-fixed price contract to produce an additional 12 Sikorsky MH-60R Seahawk helicopters for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). Procured via the U.S. Government’s Foreign Military Sales agreement, the new aircraft will add a third ‘Romeo’ squadron of unparalleled capability to the RAN’s Fleet Air Arm. Sikorsky is a Lockheed Martin company.

«The ‘Romeo’ Seahawk helicopter instills confidence in navies worldwide for its high operational availability in the harsh maritime environment, and for the fully integrated mission systems and sensors that quickly generate a complete picture of the surface and subsurface domains», said Hamid Salim, vice president, Sikorsky Maritime & Mission Systems. «We thank the RAN for showing confidence in the broad mission flexibility of this proven multi-role helicopter. Ongoing and planned upgrades to the MH-60R Seahawk through partnership with the U.S. Navy, RAN, other international partners and industry will ensure the aircraft’s reliability and mission effectiveness against emerging threats for decades to come».

As part of the Australian Government’s Project SEA 9100 Phase 1 (Improved Embarked Logistics Support Helicopter Capability), the 12 new MH-60R Seahawk aircraft will create a common fleet of maritime helicopters supporting all of the RAN’s air capable platforms.

«Built upon a decade of partnership with the United States Navy and Lockheed Martin, the MH-60R ‘Romeo’ multi-mission helicopter provides the Royal Australian Navy with an unparalleled maritime aviation platform», said Rear Admiral Peter Quinn, Head Navy Capability for the Royal Australian Navy. «The versatility of the MH-60R Seahawk to conduct a wide range of missions combined with the world-class support provided by our partners, was a significant factor in the decision by the RAN to make an additional investment in MH-60R Seahawk under the SEA 9100 Phase 1 program».

Lockheed Martin plans to deliver all 12 MH-60R Seahawk helicopters between mid-2025 and mid-2026. Sikorsky Aircraft Australia Limited in Nowra, New South Wales, currently provides depot level maintenance, supply support and logistics support for Australia’s MH-60R Seahawk helicopter fleet.

«The additional 12 MH-60R Seahawk aircraft is a testament to the Royal Australian Navy’s commitment to providing their service men and women the right aircraft for their mission needs», said Captain Todd Evans, U.S. Navy H-60 multi-mission helicopters program manager. «This effort continues the long-standing partnership between the United States Navy and the Royal Australian Navy».

The RAN was the first international navy to select the MH-60R Seahawk helicopter, acquiring 24 aircraft from 2013 to 2016. The Fleet Air Arm’s 725 and 816 squadrons based at Nowra have accumulated more than 30,000 flight hours embarked on frigates, destroyers and supply ships.

Ground Forces, Missiles & Guided Weapons

Land Precision

September 25, 2022 Dmitry Shulgin

MBDA’s new surface-to-surface fires capabilities for the British Army are being showcased for the first time at Defence Vehicles Dynamics (DVD) 2022.

MBDA’s ‘Land Precision Fires Family’ comprising Surface-Launched Brimstone and Land Precision Strike (LPS) are weapons that provide precision at layered ranges, operating 24/7 with low collateral effects across a wide range of operational scenarios, from peer conflict to a limited sub threshold operation. They will help commanders to win the deep fight and shape the close fight.

Mike Mew, UK Director Sales and Business Development: «The needs of the Army are clear and MBDA’s Future Portfolio, which contains the Land Precision Fires Family, can contribute to enabling CGS’s OP MOBILISE, accelerate Future Soldier, and meet key Land Industrial Strategy objectives. Working with the new Deep Recce Strike Brigade Combat Team is just one example of where MBDA is partnering with the Army to simplify and deliver precision-at-range complex weapons that are packed with the latest technology».

Brimstone’s ‘one missile, multi-platform’ versatility is being showcased at DVD2022, including:

Brimstone on Boxer

The Brimstone on Boxer concept being showcased at DVD has been created by both RBSL and MBDA in response to British Army’s need for a Mounted Close Combat Overwatch (MCCO) capability, as part of its future anti-armour needs known as Battle Group Organic Anti-Armour (BGOAA). Engaging quickly to deliver precision anti-armour effects at long ranges, the Brimstone on Boxer mission module provides the capability for Heavy Combat Teams to repel adversary formations and single targets. Rapidly providing an initial capability with current equipment and then spirally developing with broader battlefield integration is at the heart of this concept.

Brimstone on High Mobility Transporter HMT600 series

The Brimstone on HMT600concept has been created by both Supacat and MBDA to provide the Light Forces tactical commander with a similar and complementary organic Overwatch capability to rapidly deliver precision anti-armour effects at long ranges and in volume. Potentially integrating with in-service equipment such as the Forsberg Fused Target Locator (FTL) and MANTIS Battlefield Management System and also spirally developing over time.

Land Precision Strike

Land Precision Strike (LPS) responds to the emerging artillery need to defeat high-value targets in the deep battle; targets which may be relocatable and fleeting in nature. So, achieving a disproportional operational effect on the adversary.

MBDA is working closely with MOD stakeholders on LPS weapon system concepts that will offer land commanders a step change in capability against armour at range – achieving highly discriminate, highly precise and low collateral effects for both peer and sub-peer conflicts. The plan is to be able to fire the LPS missile from a range of launchers including M270 MLRS, satisfying MOD’s «one platform, many weapons» objective.

Air, Unmanned Systems

Completely Autonomous

September 24, 2022 Dmitry Shulgin

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) used a company-owned Avenger MQ-20A Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) to fly a military aircraft using an Artificially Intelligent (AI) pilot deployed on an operationally relevant, Open Mission Systems (OMS) software stack on September 12, 2022.

MQ-20A Avenger — GA-ASI Flies Completely Autonomous UAS Flight Using Avenger MQ-20A

The Avenger’s completely autonomous flight used an AI pilot for close to 30 minutes as a part of a cooperating live, virtual, and constructive UAS swarm. The flight was performed as part of GA-ASI’s ongoing commitment and investment into the development of advanced autonomy of AI and Machine Learning (ML) for UAS.

The flight made use of GA-ASI’s novel Reinforcement Learning (RL) architecture to develop and validate an RL agent in an operationally relevant environment. RL agents provide a new and innovative tool for next-generation military platforms to make decisions under dynamic and uncertain real-world conditions. The team flew “chase and avoid behavior” where real-time updates were made to the flight path in order to avoid adversaries using live fused tracks. Live tracks were provided to the system using the Infrared Search and Track (IRST) sensor network that was supplied by Lockheed Martin.

«The flight was a tremendous success and demonstrated a number of groundbreaking capabilities in the race to operationalize autonomy for Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA)», said GA-ASI Senior Director of Advanced Programs Michael Atwood. «It’s exciting to see how AI can be used to advance how and where we fly unmanned systems as the complexity of the battlespace increases. Our ‘chase and avoid’ agent’s ability to dynamically update the flight path as threats were identified is the first step towards building an ecosystem of collaborative autonomous combat aircraft».

TacIRST is a new class of multifunction, embeddable sensor system with an open architecture. It was developed by Lockheed Martin to provide a range of capabilities for both crewed and uncrewed aircraft. «We anticipated the need for passive, long-range threat detection by autonomous aircraft and are proud to see this capability integrated successfully on the Avenger», said Terry Hoehn, Director of Lockheed Martin’s Advanced Threat Warning Systems. «We look forward to further collaboration and testing with GA-ASI».

The team used a government-furnished CODE autonomy engine and the government-standard OMS messaging protocol to enable communication between the RL agent and the Tactical IRST. By utilizing government standards, such as CODE and OMS, rapid integration of autonomy for collaborative combat aircraft becomes possible.

General Dynamics Mission Systems also supplied key technologies to the flight. The mission computer used to host the OMS software is part of the Digital Backbone Node (DBN) family of systems from General Dynamics Mission Systems. The DBN architecture enables rapid and secure deployment of evolving capabilities needed for CCA through application of the latest government open architectures, high-performance computing, advanced cooling, and a high-speed backplane with multi-level security to maximize battlefield collaboration between platforms.

This flight was another in an ongoing series of autonomous flights performed by GA-ASI using internal research and development funding to prove out important AI/ML concepts for advanced UAS.

Air, Air Force, Unmanned Systems

HSVTOL aircraft

September 23, 2022 Dmitry Shulgin

Bell Textron Inc., a Textron Inc. company, announced on September 19, 2022 it has entered into a teaming agreement with Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC), a global aerospace and national security company, for Bell’s High-Speed Vertical Takeoff and Landing (HSVTOL) aircraft. As part of the collaboration, SNC will specifically support the design and development of mission systems for HSVTOL variants.

Bell’s HSVTOL vehicles blend the hover capability of a helicopter with the speed, range and survivability features of fighter aircraft, with low downwash hover capability and jet-like speeds of more than 400 kts/460 mph/741 km/h. This family of scalable aircraft concepts is designed to carry out USAF and USSOCOM missions across the full spectrum of conflict and political scenarios, including personnel recovery, contested logistics and Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR)/Strike.

«In an effort to advance technical maturity and deliver HSVTOL capability to warfighters sooner, Bell is assembling a team of industry-leading partners. We’re thrilled to have SNC onboard», said Jason Hurst, vice president, Innovation, Bell. «We’ve made significant progress in Bell’s HSVTOL technology development in 2022, and we look forward to showing this progress in the upcoming year».

«SNC is delighted to join the Bell’s HSVTOL development team, and we are already hard at work to deliver the visionary mission systems that Bell demands for their visionary aircraft», says Derek Hess, vice president, strategic program business development at SNC. «Our nation’s warfighters will benefit from this HSVTOL program’s ground-breaking operational capabilities».

Similar to Bell’s innovation development, SNC continues to leverage its mission systems expertise to explore dynamic new opportunities. SNC also supports Bell with additional mission systems expertise for the development of the Bell 360 Invictus for the U.S. Army’s Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft (FARA) competition.

Bell is currently executing its HSVTOL risk reduction effort and participating in the AFwerX HSVTOL Concept Challenge, a crowdsourcing effort for the United States Air Force (USAF) and United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM). Bell is one of 11 companies from more than 200 challenge entrants selected to receive market research investments aimed at advancing HSVTOL technology.

Ground Forces

Multi-dimensional approach

September 22, 2022 Dmitry Shulgin

The Assured Positioning, Navigation and Timing/Space Cross-Functional Team (APNT/Space CFT) takes a multi-dimensional approach to understanding and preparing for future warfare.

The team, based at Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is dedicated to advancing the Army’s tactical and navigational capabilities and ensuring tomorrow’s Soldiers have the modern situational tools they need to maneuver with utmost accuracy, safety and skill.

The CFT is making significant progress toward this goal by leveraging iterative developments, remaining open to new technologies and committing to continuously evolving PNT equipment and systems to meet changing threats and needs.

«Our Cross-Functional Team will continue to assess and strengthen the future of our operational environments, emerging threats and technologies to ensure our Army is prepared for 2030 and beyond. We will continue to support the requirement development and delivery of trusted solutions to the Soldier», said Michael C. Monteleone III, Director of the APNT/Space CFT, reiterating the team’s focus on nimbly and steadfastly enabling the success of future warfighters.

According to Army planners, the likelihood of future operations spanning diverse domains – air, land, sea, space, cyberspace and the electromagnetic spectrum – means Soldiers will need more flexible and far-ranging resources to inform their movements and operations.

To facilitate this, the APNT/Space CFT conducts rigorous field experimentation and prototype assessment and drafts detailed requirements for state-of-the-art materiel solutions, which the Army can then further develop and employ to improve information gathering and data precision without disrupting or adding extra burden to Soldier operations.

Experimentation for APNT/Space happens on the ground and in the air, including along the electromagnetic spectrum – sometimes referred to as the «invisible battlefield» – and in the low Earth orbit (LEO) of space.

Within these frequently interwoven domains, the APNT/Space CFT investigates alternative Global Positioning System (GPS) capabilities and other navigation resources already in use while also evaluating how to best integrate new anti-jamming functions, electronic support, inertial navigation systems and vision-based navigation platforms.

The CFT coordinates regularly with industry, Joint partners and other government agencies to identify and explore solutions that are modular, scalable and an excellent fit for multiple platforms, as well as the upgrades and adjustments that occur to equipment and systems over time.

Modern PNT tools currently being developed and fielded include mounted, dismounted and alternative navigation systems, situational awareness devices, and next-generation sensors designed to allow for optimum flexibility and performance against threats.

Within the realm of space, the CFT is shaping a strategy to provide survivable, responsive and resilient Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) and communications capabilities in LEO, complete with the ability to share information rapidly and securely with tactical commanders on the ground.

The team’s experts are also focused on understanding and preparing for the future of navigation warfare (NAVWAR), which will require sophisticated offensive and defensive systems to produce tactical advantages and enable overmatch. To encourage synchronization of efforts on this front, the CFT is working closely with Army partners to draft an overarching NAVWAR strategy that aligns with U.S. Department of Defense NAVWAR plans but is also tailored to unique Army needs.

By studying and preparing for Multi-Domain Operations and experimenting with the newest technologies available, the APNT/Space CFT is playing an integral role in helping the Army to equip Soldiers with more mobile, scalable and interoperable navigation devices, in turn strengthening the agility of the future force.

Air, Air Force

Brazilian helicopters

September 21, 2022 Dmitry Shulgin

The Brazilian armed forces, through the Combat Aircraft Programme Coordinating Committee (COPAC), have acquired 27 single engine H125 helicopters to boost the training capacity of the Brazilian Navy and the Air Force.

The H125 will be produced in the H125 final assembly line located in Itajubá, Brazil at Helibras’ factory where the H225Ms for the Brazilian armed forces are also assembled. These new helicopters will replace the ageing AS350 and Bell 206 helicopters currently in service with the Brazilian Air Force and the Brazilian Navy respectively.

«This joint procurement contract represents the realisation of a project that will equip both the Brazilian Air Force and Navy with modern aircraft that will meet the needs of the Forces for the next 30 years», said Commander of the Air Force, Lieutenant Brigadier Carlos de Almeida Baptista Junior.

«Airbus Helicopters is proud to see the H125 supporting the training of the next generation of pilots of the Brazilian armed forces. The H125 is a versatile helicopter used widely in both the civil and military markets as a training platform thanks to its ruggedness, reliability, and easy maintenance. We are honored by the continued confidence of the Brazilian armed forces after more than 40 years of cooperation», said Bruno Even, CEO of Airbus Helicopters.

The new H125 helicopters will have a G500H TXi double glass cockpit and VEMD (Vehicle & Engine Multifunction Display) and will be compatible with the use of Night Vision Goggles (NVG). They will also include different types of mission equipment such as a winch and a hook so that the training of future pilots is as representative of their missions as possible.

The Brazilian armed forces currently operate a total of 156 Airbus helicopters deployed from its eight bases across the country. Its fleet ranges from the light single engine Ecureuil family to the multi-purpose heavy H225M helicopter, 67 and 41 helicopters respectively, to cover a wide array of missions such as tactical transport, search and rescue missions, and civil population support.

The worldwide best-selling H125 has accumulated more than 37 million flight hours with more than 5350 helicopters currently in operation. The model, known for its robustness and versatility, is widely used in high-performance missions.

Infographic H125 — Infographic: Airbus Helicopters and the Brazilian Armed Forces

Modern weapons

Monthly Archives: September 2022