US Military News, Reports, Data, etc.

Pointblank said:

USAF is having trouble with recruitment for UAV pilots:

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One would think that being a UAV operator would be an attractive career field, but it appears volunteers are hard to come by for this duty.

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report said:

In 2012, the Air Force had a goal to train 1,129 “traditional” pilots and 150 drone pilots to operate Predator, Reaper and Global Hawk robotic aircraft.

But the Air Force “was not able to meet its RPA (remotely piloted aircraft) training requirements since there were not enough volunteers,” the report said.

As of last year, the Air Force had 1,300 drone pilots, making up about 8.5 percent of the force’s aviators, compared with 3.3 percent four years earlier.

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Pointblank said:

USAF is having trouble with recruitment for UAV pilots:

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One would think that being a UAV operator would be an attractive career field, but it appears volunteers are hard to come by for this duty.

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bd popeye said:

I looked at all the US DoD news releases and found no mention of the lack of volunteers to be drone pilots.

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August 26, 2013, 9:29 a.m. ET
BAE Systems Completes 2,000 Miles of Hybrid GCV Mobility Testing Ahead of Schedule
SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--August 26, 2013--
BAE Systems' Ground Combat Vehicle (GCV) Hybrid Electric Drive (HED) system successfully completed 2,000 miles of testing on a fully integrated "Hotbuck" mobility platform, a significant milestone for the U.S. Army's GCV program. The Hotbuck is a stationary, state-of-the-art test stand that simulates real-life environments and terrain and puts actual miles on the HED system. Under BAE Systems' own rigorous timeline, the testing was completed four months ahead of schedule.

BAE Systems' Ground Combat Vehicle Hybrid Electric Drive system successfully completed 2,000 miles of testing on a fully integrated "Hotbuck" mobility platform. (Photo: BAE Systems)

"This testing achievement is a significant advancement in the overall GCV program. With actual hardware to show, this puts the BAE Systems team ahead of schedule both now and in the next phase of the program, saving the customer development time and money," said Mark Signorelli, vice president and general manager of Armored Combat Systems at BAE Systems. "Our primary objective was to test our hybrid electric technology over time against realistic environments, and the successful completion of the testing is a testament to the quality and maturity of the technology."

Developing and testing actual hardware was not a program requirement for the Technology Development (TD) phase, but BAE Systems chose to take the initiative to demonstrate the fuel efficiency and performance of a hybrid system for the Army's next infantry fighting vehicle.

The Hotbuck integrates HED components that will be used in BAE Systems' GCV offering including the traction drive system, thermal systems, engines, generators, controllers and software. Conducted at the BAE Systems Santa Clara, California facility, the 2,000-mile advanced testing precisely replicated conditions at two well-known military test tracks. The results of the tests further validated the performance, efficiency and maturity of the HED technology applied in BAE Systems' GCV design, marking a significant milestone for the TD phase of the program.

The HED system in BAE System's GCV offering will contribute to: the availability of high torque at any ground speed resulting in greater agility, greater acceleration and maneuverability than a comparable mechanical system; up to 20 percent less fuel consumption than a conventionally powered GCV, reducing overall costs and the number of fuel convoys; availability of electrical power to incorporate new battlefield technology for the next 30 to 40 years; and 40 percent fewer parts than a comparable mechanical drive system, requiring less maintenance and decreasing vehicle lifetime cost.

BAE Systems was awarded a contract for the TD phase of the GCV program in August 2011. TD phase work is scheduled to be complete by June 2014.

Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available:

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CONTACT: BAE Systems
Stephanie Bissell Serkhoshian, 703-907-8244

Mobile: 703-865-7891

[email protected]

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SOURCE: BAE Systems
Copyright Business Wire 2013

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TerraN_EmpirE said:

the Fact that the US coast guard and a number of US allies use the Mh65 Dolphin helicopter which is nearly identical to the Z9, and vis a via the fact that the PLA has some S70 series choppers would have meant the aircraft handler crews would have known the standard handling procedures for each craft. in the end its the political ramifications that are major.

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World Maritime News said:

The amphibious transport dock Somerset (LPD 25), the ninth San Antonio-class ship built at Huntington Ingalls Industries’ Ingalls Shipbuilding division, returned Friday from successful builder’s sea trials in the Gulf of Mexico.

Ingalls’ test and trials team spent three days operating the ship and going through its normal at-sea checklist, which includes more than 200 test events.

“We put Somerset through rigorous testing last week,” said Mike Duthu, director of Ingalls’ LPD Program. “We are extremely pleased with the fit and finish on the ship and how well she performed. LPD 25 proved her seaworthiness with strong performance in several different tests, including the ship’s propulsion, steering, navigation, communications and weapons. The team did a great job getting LPD 25 to this point. We have already started preparations for Navy acceptance trials, and we have confidence that we’ll be ready.”

Testing during builder’s trials also includes anchor handling, flight operations, ballasting and de-ballasting the well deck, and compartment air balancing.

“The logistics it takes to conduct that many test events in a three-day period requires excellent planning by the test and trials team,” said Richard Schenk, Ingalls’ vice president of test and trials. “The team and the ship performed well. While there is still much work to do in preparation for U.S. Navy acceptance trials, I’m confident the LPD 25 Ingalls/Navy team will have the ship ready. It is incumbent upon us to ensure the safety of every sailor and Marine who will operate this amphibious ship. We do not take that responsibility lightly, and these sea trials prove it.”

The ship will now prepare for acceptance sea trials to demonstrate the same tests and operational success to the U.S. Navy’s Board of Inspection and Survey (INSURV). The ship is scheduled to be delivered to the Navy this year.

LPD 25 is named to honor the courage of the passengers and crew members of United Airlines Flight 93, which crashed on Sept. 11, 2001, near Shanksville in Somerset County, Pa.

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During three weeks of flight testing the Advanced Super Hornet, Boeing and partner Northrop Grumman demonstrated that the fighter can outperform threats for decades to come with improvements that make the jet much harder for radar to detect and give it significantly more combat range.

Through 21 flights in St. Louis and Patuxent River, Md., that began Aug. 5, the team tested conformal fuel tanks (CFT), an enclosed weapons pod (EWP), and signature enhancements, each of which can be affordably retrofitted on an existing Block II Super Hornet aircraft or included on a new jet.

“We continually insert new capabilities into today’s highly capable, already stealthy Super Hornet, and the Advanced Super Hornet is the next phase of this technology evolution,” said Debbie Rub, Boeing Global Strike vice president and general manager. “Boeing and our industry partners are investing in next-generation capabilities so warfighters have what they need when they need it, and so the customer can acquire it in a cost-effective manner.”

Improvements to the aircraft’s radar signature, including the enclosed pod, resulted in a 50 percent reduction compared with the U.S. Navy’s stealth requirement for the current Super Hornet variant. The tests also showed that the CFTs increase the jet’s combat radius by up to 130 nautical miles, for a total combat radius of more than 700 nautical miles.

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