Defence`s Feeds

Romania anticipates finalizing a government-to-government agreement with the United States to procure 5th generation F-35 fighter jets by this fall. Romania is poised to sign a government-to-government agreement with the United States to purchase latest-generation [...]

The post Romania Prepares to Modernize Its Fleet with $6.5 Billion F-35 Deal appeared first on The Aviationist.

In early 2023, Turkey announced the modernization of 35 F-16 Block 30 jets with domestically-developed software, avionics and electronics. Turkey is cutting back on its $23 billion contract with the US to modernize its fleet [...]

The post Turkey Seeks to Scale Down $23 Billion F-16 Deal with US, Perform Part of Modernization Locally appeared first on The Aviationist.

An important milestone was reached for the Maritime Surveillance Network III (MARSUR III) on 26 June 2024 as it marked the deployment phase of the network following the approval of the User Acceptance Test (UAT) results by the 16 contributing Member States (BE, BG, CY, DE, EL, ES, FI, FR, IE, IT, MT, NL, PL, PT, RO, SE) at the last Project Arrangement Board hosted by the EDA.

The UAT, hosted by the European Union Satellite Centre (SatCen) on 4 June 2024, is a technology development phase in which the network and its software were tested in the real world by its intended users. The test environment used for the MARSUR UAT consisted of 3 real nodes with synchronised software running on national servers located in SatCen, Italy and Cyprus and connected via the MARSUR network.

The success of the User Acceptance Test was witnessed by the MARSUR Technical Arrangement Board members from the 16 contributing Member States and MARSUR community representatives from 21 European Navies, both in person and remotely via a VTC connection.

All tests outlined in the approved User Acceptance Test Plan & Use Case Scenarios of real maritime track and information exchanges were fully and correctly executed, demonstrating the robustness and resilience of the MARSUR network.

This was an important milestone in a long and successful history that dates back to 2005, when EDA defence ministers asked the agency to create a maritime network using existing naval and maritime information sharing systems in the EU. Following the EDA Cat B projects MARSUR I and II, this latest EDA Cat B project MARSUR III was launched in December 2020 and will run until 2026, successfully fighting the obsolescence and technical problems of its predecessors.

16 contributing Member States now have an effective system for developing European Maritime Situational Awareness based on the MARSUR III network, and the deployment phase will provide confidence that the use of the network will increase, making it the tool of choice in the very short term and a capability to be recommended to any maritime commander.

The whole MARSUR initiative is one of the many excellent examples of what the Agency's framework can bring in terms of capability development for our participating Member States.

Background

One of the longest-running projects undertaken by the European Defence Agency (EDA), the Maritime Surveillance (MARSUR) project is a technical solution that allows dialog between European maritime information systems.

In August 2019 an updated version of the MARSUR Exchange System was agreed and has replaced the previous one. Under the latest EDA project in support of maritime surveillance (MARSUR III) a next-generation technology is being developed, enhancing the capabilities and improving performance. In addition, a “classified layer” is being developed at the level of EU RESTRICTED in a first phase, with a possible future upgrade to EU SECRET, based on the assessment of available budget, operational needs, and limitations.

   

Americas Raytheon won a $14 million deal for the Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM) development lab management and maintenance program. This contract provides for the development branch of the Air Intercept Missile-120 AMRAAM that will manage the design, development, integration, and testing of hardware and software improvements to the AMRAAM. Work will be performed at Tucson, Arizona, and is expected to be completed by February 28, 2026. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, is the contracting activity. Lockheed Martin won a $70 million modification, which?adds scope to provide a redesign of the synchronous dynamic random-access memory for the Technical Refresh Three integrated core processor and panoramic cockpit display in support of the F-35 aircraft diminishing manufacturing sources and material shortages for the Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and non-U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) participants. Work will be performed in Fort Worth, Texas, and is expected to be completed in January 2029.?Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. Middle East & Africa Kenya has taken delivery of the first batch of military helicopters promised by the US during the recent state visit of Kenyan President William Ruto. Two UH-1 Huey military […]

The opening of Britain's new parliamentary session with Charles III's King's Speech on Wednesday will see a significant overhaul of the Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC), with most of the nine members of the body responsible for parliamentary oversight of

Vietnam's powerful ministry of public security, previously led by President Tô Lâm, wants the latest-generation investigations tools and for them

Dassault Aviation is keeping a low profile regarding legal proceedings it has been involved in since late May in London,

By speaking in French at the opening of the France-Cambodia Business Forum in Phnom Penh on 8 July, Cambodian Prime

Washington - FTI files another complaint against a former investigatorOn 12 July, FTI Consulting filed a complaint in the US

Frédéric Monlouis-Félicité took over this month as head of France's Stratinfo corporate intelligence company, according to our sources. He replaced

AIM-120C from F-22A (click for test missile zoom) Raytheon’s AIM-120 Advanced, Medium-Range Air to Air Missile (AMRAAM) has become the world market leader for medium range air-to-air missiles, and is also beginning to make inroads within land-based defense systems. It was designed with the lessons of Vietnam in mind, and of local air combat exercises like ACEVAL and Red Flag. This DID FOCUS article covers successive generations of AMRAAM missiles, international contracts and key events from 2006 onward, and even some of its emerging competitors. One of the key lessons learned from Vietnam was that a fighter would be likely to encounter multiple enemies, and would need to launch and guide several missiles at once in order to ensure its survival. This had not been possible with the AIM-7 Sparrow, a “semi-active radar homing” missile that required a constant radar lock on one target. To make matters worse, enemy fighters were capable of launching missiles of their own. Pilots who weren’t free to maneuver after launch would often be forced to “break lock,” or be killed – sometimes even by a short-range missile fired during the last phases of their enemy’s approach. Since fighters that could carry radar-guided missiles like […]

The RuMoD extensively captured in a video the bomb’s loading, carriage, release, flight and final target engagement in explicit detail. Almost a month after it released footage of the massive 2,993 kg FAB-3000 bomb strapped [...]

The post Russia’s Monster FAB-3000 Glide Bomb Shown Employed By Su-34 Bombers appeared first on The Aviationist.

For $12k Shipped, A 60% Scale Model of Canada’s Legendary Interceptor is Up for Grabs. The legend of the Avro CF-105 Arrow advanced interceptor, its fascinating development and bizarre cancellation, is well known in aviation [...]

The post Check Out This Massive Avro CF-105 Arrow Stage Prop That You Could Own! appeared first on The Aviationist.

Experts say pursuing a Minuteman III life-extension until 2050 would cost significantly less than its replacement. The Pentagon’s continuation of the LGM-35A Sentinel ICBM (Inter-Continental Ballistic Missile) program, after it triggered the Nunn-McCurdy breach, marks [...]

The post Comparing The Options Of Maintaining Minuteman III And Developing The $140 Billion Sentinel ICBM appeared first on The Aviationist.

In two years, the U.S. will begin episodic deployments of the long-range fires capabilities of its MDTF in Germany. By 2026, the U.S. Army will deploy its new, long-range surface-to-surface missiles to Germany as per a [...]

The post U.S. To Deploy Precision Strike, Hypersonic Missiles, SM-6 And Tomahawks In Germany By 2026 appeared first on The Aviationist.

Under the Hub for European Defence Innovation (HEDI), the Agency is organizing the first EU Defence Innovation Operational Experimentation Campaign, which is set to take place in the summer of 2025 in Italy. As part of the Hub’s Uptake of Innovation service, this initiative aims to accelerate and streamline the integration of emerging technologies into military capabilities through immersive operational and technical field testing in a collaborative and agile environment.

The first edition will focus on Autonomous Systems for Cross-domain Logistics. Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) and Unmanned Ground Systems (UGS) have demonstrated their potential as key technologies. Their role in modern military tasks is increasingly integral, particularly for cross-domain operations and logistical support, significantly enhancing efficiency and effectiveness in challenging environments.

This initiative's collaborative engagement with a diverse range of technological service providers - from defence, dual-use, and civilian background – will drive future technological advancements and offers significant benefits to participants. These include extensive operational experimentation in an EU advanced military test site, interactions with key expert from EU Member States, exposure to emerging scenarios and innovative use cases, and an active role shaping potential future collaborations, positioning participants at the forefront of EU Defence Innovation and future opportunities.

The Call for Tenders seeks service providers to offer UAS and UGS solutions for Lots 1-6 and support Operational Experimentation in Lot 7. This open call for tenders is open to economic operators from the Member States and subcontractors from non-EU countries. Single Framework Contracts (FWC) will be awarded as per below:

Lot 1: Low Cost Attritable Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS)

Field testing of innovative UAS Class I MICRO and/or MINI solutions for delivering small payloads (under 10 kg) using low-cost, attritable platforms. The lot envisions using multiple platforms to overcome the limitations of transporting smaller payloads through distributed logistical supply concepts for mass delivery. At least three complete UAS must be submitted (TRL>5).

FWC Max. Estimated Budget: EUR 200,000 Lot 2: Vertical Take Off and Landing (VTOL) Unmanned Aerial Systems)

Field testing of innovative UAS Class I MINI and/or SMALL solutions for transporting payloads up to 50 kg using Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL) platforms with a reduced logistical footprint. At least two complete UAS must be submitted (TRL>5).

FWC Max. Estimated Budget: EUR 300,000 Lot 3: Heavy Lift Vertical Take Off and Landing (VTOL) Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS)

Field testing of innovative UAS Class II and/or Class III solutions for transporting heavy payloads above 50 kg using Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL). This includes, if possible, the ability to perform CASEVAC (Casualty Evacuation) scenarios. At least one complete UAS and a spare / Almost-Ready-To-Fly (ARTF) must be submitted (TRL>5).

FWC Max. Estimated Budget: EUR 500,000 Lot 4: Low cost Attritable Unmanned Ground Systems (UGS) – EUR 100,000

Field testing of innovative UGS SMALL solutions for delivering small payloads (under 100 kg) using low-cost, attritable platforms. The lot envisions using multiple platforms to overcome the limitations of transporting smaller payloads through distributed logistical supply concepts for mass delivery. The locomotion types of the platforms can be either biomimetic, wheeled or tracked. At least three complete UGS must be submitted (TRL>5).

FWC Max. Estimated Budget: EUR 200,000 Lot 5: Medium Wheeled Logistical Unmanned Ground Systems (UGS) – EUR 250,000

Field testing of innovative UGS MEDIUM WHEELED solutions for transporting heavy payloads between 100 and 1000 kg. This includes, if possible, the ability to perform CASEVAC (Casualty Evacuation) scenarios. At least three complete UGS must be submitted (TRL>5).

FWC Max. Estimated Budget: EUR 500,000 Lot 6: Medium Tracked Logistical Unmanned Ground Systems (UGS) – EUR 250,000

Field testing of innovative UGS MEDIUM TRACKED solutions for transporting heavy payloads between 100 and 1000 kg. This includes, if possible, the ability to perform CASEVAC (Casualty Evacuation) scenarios. At least three complete UGS must be submitted (TRL>5).

FWC Max. Estimated Budget: EUR 500,000 Lot 7: OPEX Support Team

This lot focuses on providing support services which include developing a methodology to assess product/prototype capability maturity and creating an experimental design with clear objectives, hypotheses, and methodologies in collaboration with EDA and MS representatives. It includes planning and executing the experimental campaign with EDA, the Host Member State, and Contractors (Lot1-6), analyzing collected data for actionable insights on DOTMLPFI implications, and supporting the organization of a VIP demonstration day to showcase results to high-ranked stakeholders.

FWC Max. Estimated Budget: EUR 700,000

 

The deadline for submission of Tenders is Friday, 20th September 2024, at 17h00 (CET).

For more information, please consult:

Publication in the Official Journal: 427045-2024 - Competition - TED (europa.eu)  

The tender documents are available on the following link: EU Funding & Tenders Portal (europa.eu)

 

After reforming in December 2023, 809 Naval Air Squadron has now flown its first ever independent sortie as the UK’s newest F-35B unit. Joining 617 Squadron of the Royal Air Force, 809 Naval Air Squadron [...]

The post Royal Navy’s 809 Naval Air Squadron Completes First F-35 Flight appeared first on The Aviationist.

Americas GE Aerospace has demonstrated a dual-mode Ramjet (DMRJ) engine that could enable the development of more efficient long-range hypersonic aircraft and missiles. A threefold airflow increase was demonstrated by the engine compared to previous hypersonic demonstrators, according to the company. Testing began at an Evendale, Ohio, testing facility in March just 11 months after the launch of design efforts. Louisiana-based Bollinger Shipyards has joined a trilateral project between the US, Canada, and Finland to create icebreaker vessels that will help secure the Arctic region. Revealed by the White House during the 2024 NATO Summit, the Icebreaker Collaboration Effort or ICE Pact seeks a “best-in-class” fleet that will address the “expanding presence” of potential enemies and competitors in the High North. Middle East & Africa Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday announced the imminent end of his government’s operations against Kurdish PKK fighters in northern Iraq and Syria. Turkey began its Operation Claw-Lock in April 2022, claiming it needed to secure its border with northern Iraq, from where it accused Kurdish separatists of launching attacks on Turkish territory. “We will very soon complete the lockdown of the area of operation in northern Iraq,” Erdogan said, adding that Kurdish forces were now “incapable […]

Joe Biden said himself it was the activity he missed most when he left the vice presidency in 2017. Now, with questions being asked about his health, there is renewed interest in the session during which Biden receives his daily

Intelligence Online understands that the French ministry of the interior has rejected a cyber intelligence solutions offer from Italian specialist