European Military News, Reports, Data, etc.
- Thread starter sandyj
- Start date
but shuuut 
Northrop Grumman unveiled the first of five drones RQ-4B "Global Hawk" in the Alliance Ground Surveillance program NATO, at a ceremony in Palmdale.
The drone RQ-4B "Global Hawk" Block40 will be operated by the US Air Force for NATO's account in Europe since facilities Air Station Sigonella, Italy. The system should be operational by 2017 and achieve full operational capability next year with all the UAV in use
The drone RQ-4B "Global Hawk" Block40 will be operated by the US Air Force for NATO's account in Europe since facilities Air Station Sigonella, Italy. The system should be operational by 2017 and achieve full operational capability next year with all the UAV in use
Miragedriver
Brigadier
Airbus admits 'serious quality control issues' with A400M final assembly
Airbus has 'a serious quality control problem' in the final assembly of the A400M Atlas transport aircraft, a senior company executive admitted on 28 May.
Speaking to the German publication Handelsblatt , the chief strategy and marketing officer of Airbus Group, Marwan Lahoud, said that the initial findings of the investigation into the crash of aircraft MSN023 have shown serious quality control issues in final assembly.
"The [recovered] black boxes attest to [there being no design problems with the A400M]," he reportedly said, adding, "There are no structural defects, but we have a serious quality problem in the final assembly."
With the investigation into the 9 May crash that killed four of the six crew and seriously injured the other two ongoing, Airbus has declined to comment officially on possible causes.
However, following the crash the company issued a notice to A400M operators (currently, France, Turkey, Malaysia, and the United Kingdom) to perform specific checks on the aircraft's EuroProp International TP400-D6 engines "to avoid potential risks in any future flights". These checks relate to the electronic control units (ECUs) on each of the aircraft's engines, which appeared from Airbus' own analysis into the loss of MSN023 to have had flaws in the software.
The A400M final assembly line is located at San Pablo Airport near Seville, and it was nearby that MSN023 crashed on its maiden flight ahead of its planned delivery to Turkey.
Prior to the accident the programme was already struggling with delivery delays that were the result of incomplete sub-assemblies arriving at the plant. Airbus has now said these sub-assembly problems were rectified some weeks ago.
Link:
High cost the poor quality control. Mmmmmmmm I think buy Il 76
Back to bottling my Grenache
Airbus has 'a serious quality control problem' in the final assembly of the A400M Atlas transport aircraft, a senior company executive admitted on 28 May.
Speaking to the German publication Handelsblatt , the chief strategy and marketing officer of Airbus Group, Marwan Lahoud, said that the initial findings of the investigation into the crash of aircraft MSN023 have shown serious quality control issues in final assembly.
"The [recovered] black boxes attest to [there being no design problems with the A400M]," he reportedly said, adding, "There are no structural defects, but we have a serious quality problem in the final assembly."
With the investigation into the 9 May crash that killed four of the six crew and seriously injured the other two ongoing, Airbus has declined to comment officially on possible causes.
However, following the crash the company issued a notice to A400M operators (currently, France, Turkey, Malaysia, and the United Kingdom) to perform specific checks on the aircraft's EuroProp International TP400-D6 engines "to avoid potential risks in any future flights". These checks relate to the electronic control units (ECUs) on each of the aircraft's engines, which appeared from Airbus' own analysis into the loss of MSN023 to have had flaws in the software.
The A400M final assembly line is located at San Pablo Airport near Seville, and it was nearby that MSN023 crashed on its maiden flight ahead of its planned delivery to Turkey.
Prior to the accident the programme was already struggling with delivery delays that were the result of incomplete sub-assemblies arriving at the plant. Airbus has now said these sub-assembly problems were rectified some weeks ago.
Link:
High cost the poor quality control. Mmmmmmmm I think buy Il 76
Back to bottling my Grenache
Miragedriver
Brigadier
MBDA: France, UK To Sign Tech Transfer Deal
PARIS — MBDA expects Britain and France to sign an intergovernmental agreement by the end of the year to allow the legal transfer of technology and production, a key note in cross-border cooperation in a highly sensitive area, said Antoine Bouvier, chairman of the European missile maker.
"The intergovernment agreement allows a necessary convergence," Bouvier told journalists Monday as he announced 2014 financial results and set out the major issues for the company.
Airbus and BAE Systems each hold 37.5 percent of the company and Finmeccanica the remaining 25 percent.
The bilateral agreement reflects four years of detailed, discreet work since the 2010 Lancaster House bilateral treaty, with MBDA taking on the role of "laboratory" for industrial specialization in the defense industry, Bouvier said.
Under the specialization, four centers of excellence will be the base for research and development (R&D) and production of subsystems. For example, the Lostock site, near Manchester, has just produced the actuator fin for the Missile Moyenne Portée (MMP), a medium-range weapon to replace the antitank Milan for the French Army, he said. There is also a British center specializing on datalinks.
The Bourges factory, in central France, has a test bench for Brimstone, a British missile, he said. Another French site will specialize on weapons controller technology. Those are four of 12 centers of excellence that will handle the work share packages agreed on programs.
That specialization concept aims to curb duplication in research and development and production of missiles in Britain and France, which are already close partners in Europe. New programs, notably the Future Anti-Surface Guided Weapon (Heavy), or Anti-Navire Léger, helicopter-borne missile, will be developed and built under that industrial specialization, while current programs will gradually be transferred to that system.
That European duplication, which reflects a national insistence on retaining a defense industrial capability, handicaps MBDA as it competes with Lockheed Martin and Raytheon in world markets, Bouvier said. The US companies did not have the overlap of competences commonly found in Europe.
The specialization accepted the principle of a certain level of "mutual dependence," he said. That goes beyond R&D and production, and includes a handover of export rights to the partner country and development of capability, which is a strategic issue.
That export accord has yet to be fully tested. For instance, would the UK agree if France granted export rights of missiles to Argentina? a defense source asked.
The missiles to arm the Rafale and multimission frigate for Egypt gave MBDA one of its biggest foreign sales in years, said Bouvier, who declined to give any details. The company expects a second large export deal this year.
MBDA seeks the foreign orders to offset the fall in spending in Europe, with 2014 marking a low point in the company's annual sales, he said.
The company posted 2014 sales of €2.4 billion (US $2.5 billion), down from €2.8 billion in the previous year.
Orders edged higher to €4.1 billion, with exports accounting for €2.5 billion. The foreign sales exceeded domestic orders as seen in 2013 and 2012. The company booked orders of €4 billion in 2013. The total of €8.1 billion signaled a recovery in future sales, and boosted the total order book to €12.6 billion from €10.8 billion.
MBDA hit its target of annual profit of about 10 percent of sales, Bouvier said.
Poland and Turkey are two major export prospects with their respective tenders for air defense systems, he said. Italy is expected to sign an agreement this year on the Aster New Technology weapon as the Italian Navy wishes to arm its new multifunction, 4,500-ton frigate. That naval interest compares to the French Army's interest in the Aster, he said.
The Aster NT would extend the reach of the current Aster block 1 weapon to hit ballistic missiles with a range of 1,000 kilometers. That compares to the block 1's ability to intercept missiles with a range of 600 kilometers.
Back to bottling my Grenache
PARIS — MBDA expects Britain and France to sign an intergovernmental agreement by the end of the year to allow the legal transfer of technology and production, a key note in cross-border cooperation in a highly sensitive area, said Antoine Bouvier, chairman of the European missile maker.
"The intergovernment agreement allows a necessary convergence," Bouvier told journalists Monday as he announced 2014 financial results and set out the major issues for the company.
Airbus and BAE Systems each hold 37.5 percent of the company and Finmeccanica the remaining 25 percent.
The bilateral agreement reflects four years of detailed, discreet work since the 2010 Lancaster House bilateral treaty, with MBDA taking on the role of "laboratory" for industrial specialization in the defense industry, Bouvier said.
Under the specialization, four centers of excellence will be the base for research and development (R&D) and production of subsystems. For example, the Lostock site, near Manchester, has just produced the actuator fin for the Missile Moyenne Portée (MMP), a medium-range weapon to replace the antitank Milan for the French Army, he said. There is also a British center specializing on datalinks.
The Bourges factory, in central France, has a test bench for Brimstone, a British missile, he said. Another French site will specialize on weapons controller technology. Those are four of 12 centers of excellence that will handle the work share packages agreed on programs.
That specialization concept aims to curb duplication in research and development and production of missiles in Britain and France, which are already close partners in Europe. New programs, notably the Future Anti-Surface Guided Weapon (Heavy), or Anti-Navire Léger, helicopter-borne missile, will be developed and built under that industrial specialization, while current programs will gradually be transferred to that system.
That European duplication, which reflects a national insistence on retaining a defense industrial capability, handicaps MBDA as it competes with Lockheed Martin and Raytheon in world markets, Bouvier said. The US companies did not have the overlap of competences commonly found in Europe.
The specialization accepted the principle of a certain level of "mutual dependence," he said. That goes beyond R&D and production, and includes a handover of export rights to the partner country and development of capability, which is a strategic issue.
That export accord has yet to be fully tested. For instance, would the UK agree if France granted export rights of missiles to Argentina? a defense source asked.
The missiles to arm the Rafale and multimission frigate for Egypt gave MBDA one of its biggest foreign sales in years, said Bouvier, who declined to give any details. The company expects a second large export deal this year.
MBDA seeks the foreign orders to offset the fall in spending in Europe, with 2014 marking a low point in the company's annual sales, he said.
The company posted 2014 sales of €2.4 billion (US $2.5 billion), down from €2.8 billion in the previous year.
Orders edged higher to €4.1 billion, with exports accounting for €2.5 billion. The foreign sales exceeded domestic orders as seen in 2013 and 2012. The company booked orders of €4 billion in 2013. The total of €8.1 billion signaled a recovery in future sales, and boosted the total order book to €12.6 billion from €10.8 billion.
MBDA hit its target of annual profit of about 10 percent of sales, Bouvier said.
Poland and Turkey are two major export prospects with their respective tenders for air defense systems, he said. Italy is expected to sign an agreement this year on the Aster New Technology weapon as the Italian Navy wishes to arm its new multifunction, 4,500-ton frigate. That naval interest compares to the French Army's interest in the Aster, he said.
The Aster NT would extend the reach of the current Aster block 1 weapon to hit ballistic missiles with a range of 1,000 kilometers. That compares to the block 1's ability to intercept missiles with a range of 600 kilometers.
Back to bottling my Grenache
Italian AF C-27J armed
A new M61 Vulcan rotary cannon weapon system developed by Oto Melara (Finmeccanica group) soon equip the C-27J of the Aeronautica Militare Italiana (AMI) version Gunship.
Mounted on standard NATO puck, the M61 Vulcan module hexatubes weapon (6 guns) high rate of fire, the ammunition chambered for 20 x 102 mm, offers the unique ability that can be installed on the C-27J Spartan in less than 'half an hour. Weighing just over 1.5 tonnes, the complete system is also characterized by being completely invisible until the opening of the drop appliance door used by paratroopers during jumps. So, when it is closed, it is impossible to tell the difference between the freighter version of the Spartan and Gunship variant.
Several components are part of the system, in addition to the M61 Vulcan: the operator seat weapon system, the electro-optical infrared result achieved by Selex ES (cupola modified Janus), power supply devices connected directly to those of the apparatus even if the system has battery packs ensuring its functioning autonomously for 30 minutes.
Developed there about two years on funds from the Italian Ministry of Defence, the new system Oto Melara will initially be produced in six copies to meet the requirements of the MAI, should sign the firm order contract next year for with delivery scheduled for early 2017.
Can be installed easily without requiring any modification of the device on which it is to be flown, the new weapon system Oto Melara has already been certified for the C-27J, after the tests conducted by the MAI with a prototype delivered in October by the Italian industrialist.
During flight tests and firing tests in Sardinia, above the polygon Capo Frasca, the system 550 rounds to shoot at different altitudes between 450 and 1,140 meters against targets within 2 km. By next winter, other live-fire tests are designed to assess the accuracy of the system, according to the manufacturer, should display a CEP (Circular Error Probability) of less than 4 m at a height of 1,500 m and 2 km away; values from 10-12 m at an altitude of 3,000 m on goal 2 km.
A new M61 Vulcan rotary cannon weapon system developed by Oto Melara (Finmeccanica group) soon equip the C-27J of the Aeronautica Militare Italiana (AMI) version Gunship.
Mounted on standard NATO puck, the M61 Vulcan module hexatubes weapon (6 guns) high rate of fire, the ammunition chambered for 20 x 102 mm, offers the unique ability that can be installed on the C-27J Spartan in less than 'half an hour. Weighing just over 1.5 tonnes, the complete system is also characterized by being completely invisible until the opening of the drop appliance door used by paratroopers during jumps. So, when it is closed, it is impossible to tell the difference between the freighter version of the Spartan and Gunship variant.
Several components are part of the system, in addition to the M61 Vulcan: the operator seat weapon system, the electro-optical infrared result achieved by Selex ES (cupola modified Janus), power supply devices connected directly to those of the apparatus even if the system has battery packs ensuring its functioning autonomously for 30 minutes.
Developed there about two years on funds from the Italian Ministry of Defence, the new system Oto Melara will initially be produced in six copies to meet the requirements of the MAI, should sign the firm order contract next year for with delivery scheduled for early 2017.
Can be installed easily without requiring any modification of the device on which it is to be flown, the new weapon system Oto Melara has already been certified for the C-27J, after the tests conducted by the MAI with a prototype delivered in October by the Italian industrialist.
During flight tests and firing tests in Sardinia, above the polygon Capo Frasca, the system 550 rounds to shoot at different altitudes between 450 and 1,140 meters against targets within 2 km. By next winter, other live-fire tests are designed to assess the accuracy of the system, according to the manufacturer, should display a CEP (Circular Error Probability) of less than 4 m at a height of 1,500 m and 2 km away; values from 10-12 m at an altitude of 3,000 m on goal 2 km.
Miragedriver
Brigadier
signed two strategic agreements with Kazakhstan
European helicopter supplier Eurocopter and the Kazakh company Kazakhstan Engineering have signed a framework agreement on establishing a joint venture on a parity basis (50/50) for assembling and configuring helicopters . The agreement provides for the development of local network service and support helicopters over the entire zone of the Customs Union, which includes Kazakhstan, Russia and Belarus, as well as throughout the Central Asian region.
The second agreement was signed in the form of a Memorandum of Understanding, under which the Ministry of Defence of Kazakhstan should confirm its intention to purchase 45 helicopters in the next six years.
is on top of middle-class multi-purpose twin-engine helicopters with modern design cockpit, avionics and rotor system. The machine can fly in all weather conditions, especially at very low temperatures, which are in Kazakhstan (-45 degrees Celsius). Both agreements were approved Oct. 27 during the visit of Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev to France.
The joint venture Eurocopter / Kazakhstan Engineering will carry out the assembly and configuration of helicopters in Astana (Kazakhstan). The company will be formally established in December of this year, the helicopter will receive the designation KN145. All 45 helicopters will be assembled in six years, the first initial batch of six cars will be delivered in 2011.
Back to bottling my Grenache
European helicopter supplier Eurocopter and the Kazakh company Kazakhstan Engineering have signed a framework agreement on establishing a joint venture on a parity basis (50/50) for assembling and configuring helicopters . The agreement provides for the development of local network service and support helicopters over the entire zone of the Customs Union, which includes Kazakhstan, Russia and Belarus, as well as throughout the Central Asian region.
The second agreement was signed in the form of a Memorandum of Understanding, under which the Ministry of Defence of Kazakhstan should confirm its intention to purchase 45 helicopters in the next six years.
is on top of middle-class multi-purpose twin-engine helicopters with modern design cockpit, avionics and rotor system. The machine can fly in all weather conditions, especially at very low temperatures, which are in Kazakhstan (-45 degrees Celsius). Both agreements were approved Oct. 27 during the visit of Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev to France.
The joint venture Eurocopter / Kazakhstan Engineering will carry out the assembly and configuration of helicopters in Astana (Kazakhstan). The company will be formally established in December of this year, the helicopter will receive the designation KN145. All 45 helicopters will be assembled in six years, the first initial batch of six cars will be delivered in 2011.
Back to bottling my Grenache
Broccoli
Senior Member
Finnish preliminary analysis has been released and apparently code name for Hornet replacement is "HX". Summary is in English but I guess if someone has time to waste they can use googles translator.
They also mention J-20 and J-31 as examples of coming fifth generation fighters but neither Chinese or Russians fighters were studied by the group.
They also mention J-20 and J-31 as examples of coming fifth generation fighters but neither Chinese or Russians fighters were studied by the group.
Miragedriver
Brigadier
Airbus Defence and Space in the final phase of the agreement with Air Tanker tanker for conversion to 14 A330
(Defensa.com) The Madrid Getafe plant of Airbus Defence and Space is the final phase of performance of the contract signed in 2008 with the Air Tanker consortium to transform 14 commercial aircraft Airbus A330 MRTT military variant. So, last Monday, June 8 came from Manching (Germany) the penultimate of the A330-200 MRTT (Multi Role Tanker Transport), or Voyager as the designation of its user the RAF (Royal Air Force), after being painted completely livery of British military aircraft, bearing the provisional registration MRTT027.
Are ahead and only the last flight test and acceptance flight before delivery to Brize Norton (UK), RAF Air Tanker headquarters and where all British military air transport is centralized is made. Shortly before, on May 26, also it came from the assembly line of the A330 Toulouse, where these commercial aircraft, which will be the MRTT fourteen closing the contract with Air Tanker, carrying Spanish civil registration are built EC- 331. You pass one of the hangars of the Madrid plant of Airbus DS, where over nearly a year you will make the appropriate transformation apparatus refueling by, among other changes, the installation of two separate pod Cobham under the wings. Similar work currently being carried out in order thirteen apparatus, building number 1601, which arrived at Madrid airport on 17 February.
Thus, in just over a year and a half the British order would be finished, as well as Saudi Arabia, whose sixth and final unit will be delivered to the RSAF (Royal Saudi Air Force). The Air Tanker custom Airbus DS's main purpose is to fulfill the objective of the Ministry of Defense of the United Kingdom to put under the command of the RAF a permanent fleet of nine aircraft, leaving the other five intended for mixed use as reserves for said warplanes or available to third parties by leasing.
The next challenges for those responsible for the program will focus on meeting the announced contract to provide the Air Force of Singapore six MRTT, as made public the company in March 2014. Apparatus, according to sources of the island state, they shall be provided with Rolls Royce Trent 772B engines and configured your cabin to take 266 seats, the first being scheduled to be delivered in 2018. Furthermore, in the custom of the island-state a number of important improvements to the system were applied, in what could be defined as one MRTT-Neo. Also in the immediate future of the company it is the order of the French Ministry of Defence to acquire 12 MRTT, which should be developed subject to official allocations to purchase the aircraft. Similarly, the European company is pending closing programs from countries like Qatar and India, who have selected the aircraft to equip its Air Force with these capable aircraft.
Link:
Back to bottling my Grenache
(Defensa.com) The Madrid Getafe plant of Airbus Defence and Space is the final phase of performance of the contract signed in 2008 with the Air Tanker consortium to transform 14 commercial aircraft Airbus A330 MRTT military variant. So, last Monday, June 8 came from Manching (Germany) the penultimate of the A330-200 MRTT (Multi Role Tanker Transport), or Voyager as the designation of its user the RAF (Royal Air Force), after being painted completely livery of British military aircraft, bearing the provisional registration MRTT027.
Are ahead and only the last flight test and acceptance flight before delivery to Brize Norton (UK), RAF Air Tanker headquarters and where all British military air transport is centralized is made. Shortly before, on May 26, also it came from the assembly line of the A330 Toulouse, where these commercial aircraft, which will be the MRTT fourteen closing the contract with Air Tanker, carrying Spanish civil registration are built EC- 331. You pass one of the hangars of the Madrid plant of Airbus DS, where over nearly a year you will make the appropriate transformation apparatus refueling by, among other changes, the installation of two separate pod Cobham under the wings. Similar work currently being carried out in order thirteen apparatus, building number 1601, which arrived at Madrid airport on 17 February.
Thus, in just over a year and a half the British order would be finished, as well as Saudi Arabia, whose sixth and final unit will be delivered to the RSAF (Royal Saudi Air Force). The Air Tanker custom Airbus DS's main purpose is to fulfill the objective of the Ministry of Defense of the United Kingdom to put under the command of the RAF a permanent fleet of nine aircraft, leaving the other five intended for mixed use as reserves for said warplanes or available to third parties by leasing.
The next challenges for those responsible for the program will focus on meeting the announced contract to provide the Air Force of Singapore six MRTT, as made public the company in March 2014. Apparatus, according to sources of the island state, they shall be provided with Rolls Royce Trent 772B engines and configured your cabin to take 266 seats, the first being scheduled to be delivered in 2018. Furthermore, in the custom of the island-state a number of important improvements to the system were applied, in what could be defined as one MRTT-Neo. Also in the immediate future of the company it is the order of the French Ministry of Defence to acquire 12 MRTT, which should be developed subject to official allocations to purchase the aircraft. Similarly, the European company is pending closing programs from countries like Qatar and India, who have selected the aircraft to equip its Air Force with these capable aircraft.
Link:
Back to bottling my Grenache