armada april-may 2013

THE TRUSTED SOURCE FOR DEFENCE TECHNOLOGY INFORMATION SINCE 1976

Issue 2/2013 April/MayINTERNATIONAL

Cover Armada1 April13.qxp:Armada 4/1/13 2:21 PM Page 3

Contents_Armada final 7.qxp:Armada 3/29/13 9:44 PM

01INTERNATIONAL 2/2013

04SMALL ARMSSPECIAL FORCESSMALL ARMSI Paolo Valpolini

16ATTACK HELICOPTERSATTACK HELICOPTERSGO MULTIROLEI Roy Braybrook

26NAVAL FIGHTERSFIGHTING FROMA DECKI Roy Braybrook

34C4ISRROBUST NETWORKINGI Wesley Fox &TomWithington

42SUBMARINE TECHNOLOGYMULTIPLE ROLES ANDROBOTICSI Luca Peruzzi

61SHOW REPORTIDEX 2013I Eric H. Biass, Luca Peruzzi &Paolo Valpolini

NEW-TECHMILITARY AIRLIFTERS

I Roy Braybrook, inputs from Eric H. Biass

54TRANSPORT AIRCRAFT

THE TRUSTED SOURCE FOR DEFENCE TECHNOLOGY INFORMATION SINCE 1976

INTERNATIONAL

Contents2/2013

New-generation turbine engineswith substantially improved

thermodynamic and propulsive efficienciesaremaking possible transport aircraftthat combine relatively short airfield

performancewith economical(and comparatively high-speed) cruise.

www.armada.ch | www.armadainternational.com

COMPENDIUM SUPPLEMENTARMOURED VEHICLE PROTECTIONI Paolo Valpolini, inputs from Eric H. Biass

Contents_Armada final 7.qxp:Armada 4/1/13 2:16 PM

Index

02 INTERNATIONAL 2/2013

3MGroup 2288

AAI 12, 13

ABBS 1122,,1133

Airbus Military 55, 56

Alcatel-Lucent 40

Alenia Aermacchi 58

AMI International 43

AmSafe 2200

Antonov 54, 56, 57, 60

ArmaLite 13, 14

Aselfir 20

Aselsan 20, 21

ATK 12

Atlas Elektronik 44, 46, 48, 50

AugustaWestland 17, 18, 20, 21, 23

Aviastar-SP 57

BAe 27, 28, 30

BAE Systems 26, 35, 40, 50, 11,, 22,, 33,, 1177

Barco 40

BEL 40

Bell 17, 23, 24

Beretta 04, 05, 14

Boeing 17, 23, 26, 40, 54, 55, 60,

Carl Zeiss 50

Cassidian 38, 40, 88,,1144

Ceradyne 2266,, 2277,, 2288

Changhe Aircraft Industries Corp 17

CMI 2277

Condat 2200

Cubic 12

Daewoo 43

Dalian Shipbuilding Industry 27

DARPA 55,,1199,,2200

Dassault Rafale 32, 60

Dassault-Breguet 26

DCNS 43, 44, 46, 50, 52, 53

Denel 24, 25

Diehl 52, 44,, 66

Douglas 26

DRDO 44

EDO 50

Elbit Systems 40, 50

Elta 35

Embraer 58,59,60

Eurocopter 17, 18, 21

Eurofighter 30

Falanx 1177,,1188

Fincantieri 43

FN Herstal 06, 08, 14

Fuji 25

Gabler 50

GE Aviation 17, 24, 55

General Dynamics 10, 17, 35, 44, 1100

Gibraltar Arms 14

H&K 12

HAL 25, 28

Harris 35, 39, 40

HDW 43, 44, 46, 52

Hindistan Aeronautics Ltd 60

IAI- ELTA 99

IBD Diesenroth Engineering 2244,, 2255

Ilyushin 57

IMI 36, 2266,, 2277

Indra 50

International Aero Engines 60

Israel Military Industries 1100

Israel Weapon Industries 06, 08, 10

ITL 40

ITT 39

Ivchenko- progress 56, 60

Iveco 2233

Kamov 20, 23

Kawasaki 25, 44

Kelvin & Sperry Marine 50

KMW 88,, 2255

Kongsberg Defence Systems 46, 52

Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) 25

Kotlin-Novator 58

Kuznetsov 57

L-3 Communications 35, 39, 48, 50

Lockheed Martin 23, 26, 40, 48, 50, 2244

M9 Defense Armor Technology 2277

MBDA 32, 52, 53

Meday 50

MiG 28, 30, 31

MiL 17, 21

Motor Sichin 57

MSC Software 12

Mustang Technology Group 55

Navantia 43, 44, 48

Navistar 2266

Nexter 1177

Northrop Grumman 28

Oshkosh 36, 2266

OTO Melara 88,,1133,,1144,,2222

Patria 2277

Phananx Armour 2222

Plasan Sasa 2200,,2211,,2222,, 2266

Polaris Defense 2277,, 2288

Pratt & Whitney 33

Rafael 20, 39, 40, 50

Raytheon 17, 40, 48, 50, 52

Rebel Alliance 22

Remington Defense 14

Renault 2211,, 2222

Rheinmetall Defence 2244,, 2255,, 2266

Roketsan 18, 21

Rolls Royce 33, 54

Rosoberonexport 60

Ruag Defence 12

Rubin Design Bureau 43, 44

Russian Federation Industries 50

Russian Helicopters 23

Saab 46, 50, 22,,1100,,1111

Saes 48, 50

Sagem 44, 50

Saic 53

Sainsel 48

Salyut 57

Samsung 40

Scmidt & Bender 14

Selex 39, 50

Sener Engineering 44

Sevmash Defence Shipyard 28

Shenyang 27

Sig Sauer 12, 13

Snecma 32

SRM Arms 14

SSAB 2222,,2233

Sukhoi 27

Surgeon Rifles 14

Tata Steel 2233

TenCate 1133,,2222

Textron 12, 13, 1199

Thales 20, 32, 35, 37, 44, 46

ThyseenKrupp 43

Tupolev 57

TAI 17, 18, 20, 21

Ultra Electronics 40, 50

United Aircraft 57,60

UTC Power 44

Veritay Technology 12

Volga-Dnepr 57

Wass 50, 52

Wipro 40

ACAMAT - RD 15

AR MODULAR 13

BELL HELICOPTER 19

BERETTA 11

CERADYNE 33

DDC 23

DEFENCE AND SECURITY THAILAND 51

DIMDEX 65

DSEI CC33

EUROSATORY C3

GDLS 1155

ITEC 59

ITT EXELIS 29

ITT EXELIS 45

IVECO CC44

LEMO 25

LEOPOLD 9

MBDA 41

NEXTER 31

NORTHROP GRUMMAN AEROSPACE C2

PHOTONIS 39

RAFAEL C4

REMINGTON 7

RUAG 77

SAAB 1111

SINGAPORE AIRSHOW 49

TEXTRON CC22

UDT 47

ULTRALIFE 33

VIASAT 3

VECTRONIX 37

I INDEX TO ADVERTISERS

I INDEX TO MANUFACTURERS

Companies mentioned in this issue. Where there are multiple references to a company in an article,only the firstoccurence and subsequent photographs are listed below

Entries highlighted withbblluuee nnuummbbeerrss are found in Armoured

Vehicle Protection Compendium 2013

Military air transportation is undergoing a quiet,but significant, revolution with non-Americanand non-Russian manufacturers like MilitaryAirbus and even Embraer now offeringserious alternatives to the market, asexemplified by the KC-390 (featured on ourcover in mock-up form), which is slated tomake its maiden flight next year.

Volume 37, Issue No. 2, April 2013/May 2013

INTERNATIONALis published bi-monthly by Media Transasia Ltd.Copyright 2012 by Media Transasia Ltd.Publishing Office: Media Transasia Ltd,Room No. 1205-1206, Hollywood Centre 233,Hollywood Road, Central, Hong Kong.Tel: (852) 2815 9111, Fax: (852) 2815 1933Editor-in-Chief: Eric H. BiassRegular Contributors: Roy Braybrook,Paolo Valpolini, Thomas Withington

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In the assault rifles/carbine field, the M4saga in the Green Army is still in fullswing while, in the special forcescommunity, M4 derivatives such as the

Heckler & Koch HK416 have becomepopular. The weapon uses a company-proprietary gaspiston system that avoids theintroduction of propellant gases and carbonfouling into theweapon, thus solvingmostofthe stoppage problems that are so typical ofthe basic M4 carbine. While the Socomshifted to the 7.62x51 mm calibre with theadoption of the SCAR Mk17, numerousother companies have developed newcarbines in similar calibre.

It is well known that Beretta is working

on such a weapon. For the time being theItalian company is leveraging the modular-ity of its ARX-160 and the short time need-ed to shift from one calibre to another. Thisallows one to, for example, switch from5.56x45 to 7.62x39 mm depending on themission, a feature that attracted the interestof some special forces units that might optfor the Soviet-origin calibre for concealedoperations. The weapon is available both inthe A1 and A2 models in the 7.62x39 mmversion, equipped with a 16-inch (406 mm)barrel. It maintains all the ARX-160 charac-teristics with the exception of the open boltposition. The weapon can use standard AK-47 steel or polymeric magazines.

Shifting from one calibre to anotherrequires the quick replacement of barrel,magazine, bolt and lower receiver, an


Howmuch the choice of a newIndividual Carbine for the US Armywillinfluence the word market remainsto be seen, but obviously Special Forcesunits tend to be ahead of the Green Armyin terms of small arms choice.

Special ForcesSmall Arms

The Negev NG7 is the 7.62mmversion of the IWImachinegun. It can also fire in semi-automaticmode to allow accurate shooting,something that might be appreciatedby special forces. (IWI)

Small Arms

Paolo Valpolini

Special forces small arms7:Armada 4/1/13 1:28 PM Page 2


The ARX-160 can quickly shiftfrom the 5.56 to the 7.62x39mm calibre. This allows to adaptthe weapon to specific specialforces missions. The sameweapon (below) in 5.56mmcalibre equipped with a silencer.All accessories developed forthat calibre have or are beingdeveloped for the 7.62 x39mmversion as well. (Beretta)

The Beretta ARX-160A2broken down to its main

components. Themagazine betrays the7.62x39mm versionthat is scoring high in

the special forcescommunity as well as in

some of the armiesthat still use the

ammunition of Sovietorigin. (Beretta)


operation carried out without any specifictool. In this configuration the ARX-160 is900 mm long (700 mm with stock folded),weighs 3.5 kg and has a rate of fire of 700 ±70 rounds per minute. This version isattracting the interest of some countriesthat are still using Soviet standard ammobut intend to shift in the medium term toNato calibres. All accessories developed forthe 5.56 mm version have, or are being,developed for the 7.62x39 mm.Back to 5.56mm, FN is still proposing its

Hamr (Heat Adaptive Modular Rifle), orig-inally developed for the US Marine CorpsAutomatic Rifle Program. This rifleremains a one-off in the genre as it is theonly weapon capable to switch from closedto open-bolt mode automatically, based onheat sensors that prevent cock-offs. Theidea is to have an accurate rifle shootingeither auto or semi-auto in closed boltmode, the single-shot mode being definite-ly the most accurate. However, when sup-pressive fire is required, the operator juststarts to fire in auto mode and when a cer-tain temperature is reached the rotating boltswitches to open-bolt mode firing withoutany intervention. When the barrel coolsdown the system switches back to close-boltmode. Based on the SCAR 5.56 mm rifle,the Hamr is available with 16- or 18-inch(406 or 457 mm) barrels. Fitted with a tele-scoped and foldable stock, length beingbetween 940 and 686 mm, it has an emptyweight of 4.63 kg. How much such a solu-tion will find its way in the special forcescommunity remains to be seen, although

true fire support is definitely a machine gunbusiness. FN intended to mount a demon-stration of the Hamr, since the Socom hasalso shown some interest in the weapon.Israel Weapon Industries X95 assault

rifle chambered for the 5.56 and 9x19 mmrounds was developed for the Israeli specialforces units based on what was once knownas the Micro Tavor. Its evolution neverceased and 2012 saw two important evolu-tions for that weapon. The first was theunveiling in June of the new flat-top con-figuration, extended to the whole family ofthe X95 and Tavor, which enables theattachment of all types of day and night

optics and additional accessories. This newconfiguration is IWI’s answer to specificcustomers requests. In October IWIannounced a further development, that ofan X95 conversion kit allowing to trans-form the weapon in a 5.45 mm carbine, theX95 now being available in 5.56, 5.45 and 9mm guises.The Israeli company also introduced the

latest version of its Uzi submachine gun, theUzi Pro, which makes full use of polymers.A 9x19 mm closed-bolt weapon, it featuresa 152 mm long barrel, can be operated insemi-auto and auto modes, and weighs 2.32kg without magazine, saving roughly 0.3 kgcompared to the older models. The Uzi Profeatures an adjustable shoulder stock withadjustable cheek rest.While the world of assault rifles has not

moved much in the recent past, that ofmachine guns seems to be more active asimproving the team support firepower isdefinitely an issue. Weight remains obvi-ously at the top of the agenda, although ter-minal effect and range are becoming majorconsiderations. Better carrying an effectivesystem at some weight cost rather thancarry some weight which does not producethe required effects.This led many special forces units, as

well as some “green army” units, to acquirethe 7.62x51 mm version of the FN Minimi.


The P90 submachine gun developed by FN Herstal in the 5.7x28mm calibre. This and the H&KMP7 in 4.6x30mm calibre are competing against each other, special forces units havingmixed feelings on ammo and weapons. (FN Herstal)

Adopted by the American special forces theFNH SCAR-H or Mk17 in 7.62x51mm calibre isnow in full service in Afghanistan and otheroperational theatres. (FN Herstal)

Small Arms


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Developed in the early 2000s under Socominfluence, which then adopted it as theMk48, the Minimi in 7.62 mm Nato calibreis available in fixed-butt and sliding buttconfigurations and with standard or triple-rail handguard. With a weight of 8.2 or 8.4kg (the higher being that of the sliding buttmodel) it can be fed by a 50- or 100-roundpouch that attaches to the weapon. Roughlyone kilo heavier than the 5.56 mm version,one must add the higher weight of theammo load (slightly more than twice that ofthe smaller calibre) for amuzzle energy that

is also over the double. FN Herstal is notmuch talkative on its customers, although ithas been chosen at least by Britain, Italy,France and the Czech Republic. It is clearthat the 7.62 mm has become a commercialsuccess in itself within the Minimi family.

The trend towards larger calibre squadweapons has shown up also in Israel, whereIsrael Weapons Industry introduced theNegev NG7 (see title photograph), the latestgeneration of 7.62x51 light machine guns.Unveiled in late March 2012, the NG7 isavailable in two versions, standard and SF.

The weapon is very much based on the pre-vious Negev 5.56 mm LMG and operates inopen bolt mode, reloading being carriedout by gas impact on the piston head. Thestandard model features a 20-inch (508mm) barrel while the Special Forces modelis equipped with a shorter 16.5-inch (420

The 7.62x51mm version of theMinimi light machine gun is gaining groundwith specialoperations forces that are looking for greater firepower at team level. (FN Herstal)

Israel Weapons Industries unveiled thelatest version of its Uzi, the Uzi Pro, which

features a slightly shorter barrel thatmaintains the samemuzzle velocity as the

Uzi, with improved ergonomics, andconsiderable weight saving thanks to the

use of polymers. (IWI)

At Eurosatory 2012 IWI introduced the flat-topversion of many of its assault rifles.Among those that of the X95 SF assault rifleand submachine gun can be chamberedboth for 5.56 or 9x19mm rounds. (IWI)

Small Arms


mm) barrel, and both feature a 1:12 twistrifling with four grooves. This has of coursean impact on overall length, respectively1,000 and 912 mm, and on the length withstock folded, 820 and 730 mm, as well as onweight which drops from the 7.6 kg of thestandard weapon to the 7.5 kg of the short-er version. The muzzle velocity also dropsfrom 860 to 810m/s with the shorter barrel.

The Negev NG7 gas regulator can be seton two different positions, one allowingstronger recoil when operating under diffi-cult conditions, rate of fire being of 850-105or 950-1150 depending on the positionselected. The weapon is fed by assaultdrums containing 100 rounds or by beltchains. However, the quite unique feature ofthe Negev NG7, already seen in the smaller

calibre version, is the availability of a semi-automatic mode in the fire selector. Thisallows to use the MG as a precise supportweapon, something probably of evengreater importance in the bigger calibreversion as it allows to put down aimed sup-port fire with good brick penetration capac-ity. Equipped with Picatinny rails to alloweasy accessories installation, it featuresstandard back-up rear sight post and frontiron sight post adjustable for windage andelevation with a 440 mm sight line radius,although an optical sight is the obviouschoice. The Negev NG7 has already beenselected by the Israeli Defence Forces.

Another new entry that might attract

Much lighter than a 12.7 mm MG and with a terminal effect double of that of a 7.62 mmone at comparable weight as far as the weapon is concerned, GDATP LWMMG might wellbecome part of special forces armouries. (GDATP)

The 5.56 mm version of theNegev here equipped with a

Mepro 21 sight. (IWI)

Small Arms


TheLightweight

MediumMachine Gundeveloped by

GeneralDynamics ATP,

here indefensive

position on atripod, is

chambered in.338 Norma

Magnum andprovides a

much heavierfirepower than7.62 mm MGswith the only

penalty ofheavier

ammunition.(GDATP)


interest of SF units is the LWMMG(Lightweight Medium Machine Gun),unveiled by General Dynamics Armamentand Technical Products in May 2012 andthen shown in public at AUSA 2012 inOctober that same year.With the LWMMG,GD-ATP aims at providing the warfighterwith a machine gun having the weight of amedium machine gun, in 7.62 mm calibre,and a firepower as close as possible to thatof a 12.7 mm heavy machine gun. Thiswould allow to employ the same machinegun both for mounted and dismountedoperations. The new squad weapon is builtaround the .338 Norma Magnum ammuni-tion, the terminal energy of which at 1,000metres is four times that of a 7.62x51 mmNato round, according to GD-ATP. The

new ammo can thus perforate a Level 3body armour at over 1,000 metres and neu-tralise a light skinned vehicle at the samedistance. The round was developed in 2008by Norma, a Swedish company which ispart of the Swiss RuagAmmotec group. Theball is a Sierra FMLAP weighing 300 gramsthat leaves the barrel at a speed of 807metres per second and has an effectiverange of 1,700 metres. In terms of completeround weight, that of a .338 NM is nearlythe double of a 7.62 mm Nato, 44 gramsversus 27 grams approximately, and is lessthan half of a 12.7 mm which is around120 grams, the latter ball having a weightwhich is nearly the double of a .338 NM andthus remains “top” in terms of anti-materieloperations.

Though the ammo load will increase by76 per cent, this is not true for the weapon.Thanks to the use of modern design tech-niques and new materials the LWMMGweighs only 10.9 kg, which compares wellwith the 12.5 kg of an M240B and even tothe 10.1 kg of the M240L light version,while it has a weight similar to theH&K 121and saves 2 kg when compared to the ven-erable MG3. Any comparison with a 12.7mm machine gun would be a no contest,the bigger calibre weapon starting from 38kg up. The LWMMG has a 24-inch (609mm) quick change barrel, the whole lengthbeing 1,244 mm. During transport this canbe shortened thanks to the foldable stock,while in defensive position theM192 tripodis available, with a weight of 5.2 kg. TheLWMMG is belt fed and has a cyclic rate offire of 500 rounds per minute, which iscomparable with that of aforementioned7.62 mm MGs, while an effective recoildamping system allows to maintain aimingduring automatic fire. The machine guncan be quickly disassembled in six majorcomponents without the need of any tool.Starting the adoption of a new calibre in

the military world has never been an easytask, thus it seems improbable that a “greenarmy” will fall in love with the LWMMG.However, new and evolutive systems oftenfind their way through specialists who usethem in limited numbers, and SpecialForces might well be the point of entry ofthe LWMMG in the US military if the needfor a much more powerful machine gun isfelt by such units.Looking at the future, according to

information acquired at AUSA, the Socomhas started showing interest in the LSAT(Lightweight Small Arms Technologies)programme. The LSAT development teamis led by Textron AAI Corporation andincludes ATK, Cubic, MSC Software andVeritay Technology. The programmereached TRL7 in September 2011 followingthe trials carried out with eight machineguns that fired 25,000 rounds overall. Testswere not limited to the firing sessions, asbesides day and night firings the 20militarypersonnel involved in the trials also carriedout quick march and obstacle courses usingboth LSAT weapons and M249 light


The new Sig SauerMPX submachine gununveiled at the Shot Show 2013 is amodularweapon and can be converted in threecalibres, 9mmNato, .357SIG or .40S&W.

Small Arms


machine guns. The out-come of those trials seemsto have clearly favoured theLSAT system. TheUSArmyis concentrating on tele-scope-cased ammunition,which would ensure a 40

per cent weight reduction, but only a marginal volume reduction.Caseless ammunition would provide a much higher volume sav-ing and an even greater weight saving, but risks are consideredmuch higher, thus current activity is limited to the research onnew propellants. Over 80,000 telescope-cased ammunition in 5.56mmhave been fired during the whole programme, and the Socomasked for four modified machine guns. These will feature a 12-inch barrel and a folding stock, the weight without ammo beingslightly over 4 kg (similar to the weight of theMGs tested in 2011,but the weight saved from the barrel length is offset by the addedweight of the folding mechanism).To conclude a short list of firsts from the Shot Show 2013, Sig

Sauer introduced its new MPX submachine gun, an AR-15-look-ing weapon that can easily be converted into three calibres, name-ly 9mmNato, .357SIG or .40S&W. The MPX operates with a fullyclosed and locked rotating bolt employing the company’s provencompany gas-operated short stroke pushrod system. The MPX isavailable in four military-only versions, the standard select firewith a 6.5 inch (165mm) barrel, theMPX-SD suppressed version,theMPX-P pistol variant Carbon fibre rail-adaptable hand-guard,and the MPX-K short version with a 4.5 inch (114 mm) barrel.The MPX has an 850 rpm rate of fire, is fitted with a user-config-urable stock system (telescoping, folding or pistol). Non-sup-pressed versions have a weight of between 1.9 and 2.1 kg, the SDweighing 2.9 kg.Among the latest additions to the snipers world ArmaLite

introduced the next generation of its bolt-action rifles, the AR-30A1, available both in .300 Win Mag and .338 Lapua Magnum.Most components, almost all themechanicals one, were subject toupgrades which allowed to considerably improve ergonomics,versatility, reliability and ease of use. They are fed by a five-roundmagazine. The rifles are available with 24-inch and-26 inch bar-rels and have a muzzle thread standard for sound suppressors,

The LSAT team led by AAI Textron isproviding the Special OperationsCommand with speciallydeveloped machine guns using5.56 mm cased telescopedammunition. (Armada/P. Valpolini)

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Special forces small arms7:Armada 4/2/13 10:00 AM Page 11


namely 5/8x24 and 3/4x24. The buttstockcan be easily removed to allow rifle use evenin confined spaces, ArmaLite stating that itsefficient muzzle brake allows to fire it evenin “pistol configuration.” The rifles have amaximum length of 1,222 and 1,273 mm, a51 mm stock adjustment being available,and tip the scales at 6.58 and 6.94 kg.

In Vegas SRM Arms unveiled somemajor improvements to its 1216 shotgunand to the other members of the family.The main one is that the cast metal receiv-er of Generation 1 & 2 weapons has beenreplaced by a solid, machined receiver. Thisprovides increased strength and ensures aperfect alignment between the receiver, thestock and the barrel. The new receiver isimmediately visible as it comes with a newsquared-jaw appearance. Othermechanicalimprovements are the redesigned camtrack that reduces stress on bolt and receiv-er, and the increased thickness of bolt trackwalls inside the stock, which can nowaccommodate high-velocity rounds. Anoptional push-pin removal of the magazineis now available to comply with detachablemagazines specific laws in some US Statessuch as California, as well as with some for-eign countries regulations. In Fall 2013 a

Version 3 will be available with completemagazine selectivity allowing the user tochange from current magazine tube to anyof the other tubes on the fly. On the com-mercial front the full-auto version is now inproduction and available to law enforce-ment and military worldwide, whileGibraltar Arms, currently the sole sourcefor international distribution of SRMArms 1216 shotguns, is developing anetwork of in-country distributors thatwill be handled by the export commercialarm of SRM.

The AR-30A1 is thelatest addition tothe ArmLite snipersrifles catalogueand is available in.300WinchesterMagnumand .338LapuaMagnum.(ArmaLite)

The Precision Sniper Rifle bid for the USSocom might finally lead to a new weaponfor special forces. Launched in 2008,the programme had a series of ups anddowns, but according to latest info it mightfinally materialise. This will bring a newbolt action multi-calibre weapon that willcertainly include the .338 and .300 WMcalibres in the hands of Socom snipers.Competitors are believed to includeAccuracy International’s AX, BerettaDefence Technologies’ Sako M10, FNHerstal’s Ballista PSR, Remington Defense’sModular Sniper Rifle, and Surgeon Rifles’Remedy XL. What is sure is that the scopewill be supplied by Schmidt & Benderwhich, in November 2011, received a$34 million contract for an undisclosednumber of 5-25x56 PMIIs.

I SOCOM PSR GOES AHEADAT LONG LAST?

A 1216 shotgun by SRM; the company hasdeveloped a series of improvements to thatweapon, a full-auto version of which is nowavailable tomilitary units, the SRMweaponbeing promoted on the export market byGibraltar Arms. (Gibraltar Arms)

Small Arms


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First tested in Vietnam, but later developed primarily to counter massed armour thrustsacross Europe, the attack helicopter may now be going back to its roots, as a fastescort for ground convoys and heliborne assaults, and as a fire support gunship.

Attack HelicoptersGo Multirole

Attack Helicopters

Attack Helicopter.qxp:Armada 4/1/13 2:19 PM Page 2

W hile some operators stillexpect each aircraft to kill asquadron of tanks, there is abroader market for less

expensive though well armed and protectedhelicopters for peacekeepingoperations, butwith the flexibility to cover other missions,including anti-piracy andcounter-narcotics.Viewed as a sector of the global defence

equipment market, the attack helicopter isunique in that most recent export orders

have been won by a single product: theBoeingAH-64Apache.True, the AgustaWestland A129

Mangusta (Mongoose) was adopted as thebasis for the Tusas Aerospace Industries(TAI) T129 Atak programme, and theEurocopter Tiger won in Australia andSpain. Likewise, the Changhe AircraftIndustries Corp (CAIC) Z9WE and theMilMi-28NE have been acquired by Kenya.The lightweight Changhe CZ11WA is to belicence-built in Argentina for ArgentineArmy Aviation and the wider LatinAmericanmarket.However, these isolated sales pale in

comparison with the AH-64’s selectionby Egypt, Greece, India, Israel, Japan,Kuwait, the Netherlands, Saudi Arabia,Singapore, Taiwan, the United ArabEmirates and theUK.Nothing comes close to the recent export

record of theApache, if early sales of around2400 (each) by the first-of-breed Bell AH-1Cobra and the Mil Mi-24/35 assaulthelicopter are excluded. It may be notedthat the AH-1Z is being built for the USMarine Corps (189 units), while Rostvertolproduces the Mi-35M for the air forces ofRussia (22) andBrazil (15).

I APACHEThe AH-64’s success was partly due to itinitially having no direct competitor. TheAH-64 first flew in 1975 (ten years after theprototype for theAH-1), and it represented amassive step in size and cost. In essence, the

4310-kg AH-1G, powered by a single 820-kW Lycoming L53, was to be replaced by a10,433-kg AH-64, with two 1400-kWGeneral Electric T700s.Comingwhenmany felt that a helicopter

could not survive over the modernbattlefield, there was no immediate rush tocompete with the AH-64. In the sameweight category, the Mil Mi-28 and single-seat Kamov Ka-50 flew only in 1982, andtheir service entrywas delayed by a bungledcompetition and lack of productionfunding, following dissolution of theSoviet Union.Themuch lighterAgustaWestlandA129

followed in 1983, and the mid-weightEurocopter Tiger in 1991. When the AH-64A entered service in 1984, there was noalternative product ready to compete. Itssales were boosted by outstandingperformance in the Gulf War of 1991.Between 1984 and 1997, a total of 937 AH-64Aswere built.The radar-equipped AH-64D Longbow

Apache first flew in 1992 and enteredservice in 1998 with day/night all-weathercapability. The Mi-28N had flown in 1996,but did not enter service with the RussianArmyuntil 2006.


Roy Braybrook

This French Army Hap Tiger isarmedwith 68-mmSneb rockets

and a 30-mmNexter 30M781cannon in a THL30 turret. Its

callsign F-MBHC indicates that it isassigned to 5-RHC (5e Regimentd’Helicopteres de Combat) at Pau

Pyrenees Airport in southwestFrance. (Eurocopter/Eric Raz)

One of 60 purchased by the Italian Army, thisAgustaWestland AH-129 serial EI-929 isarmed with a 20-mmGeneral DynamicsM197 Gatling gun in an OtoBreda turret, andeight Raytheon BGM-71 Tow anti-armourmissiles. (AgustaWestland)


The Apache (of which over 1800 havealready been delivered) has been a truemarket leader, and it may still be the bestoption for those nations fearing heavyarmoured attacks.However, today there areseveral alternatives, promoted by nationsthat are less averse to customers demandingoffsets and industrial participation.Furthermore, smaller, less expensive attackhelicopters offer adequate capability inmany scenarios.The remainder of this report summarises

the development andmarketing status of theprincipal attack helicopters, according toregion of origin.

I CHINAThePRChas beenparticularly slow to adoptthe tandem-seat, slender fuselageconfiguration of the dedicated attackhelicopter. It first developed an armedversion of the Harbin Z9, a licence-builtEurocopter SA356N1 Dauphin, effectivelyreinventing thePanther.China’s army (PLA)

has large numbers of 4100-kgZ9WAs and atleast one squadronofZ9WZs. The principalattack helicoptermarketed byCATIC is theZ9WE, as used by the Kenyan Army.CATIC also offers the Z9EC ship-basedASWversion.The 4500-kg Changhe Z19 is a recent

development of theZ9,with tandem seatingand a slimmed oval-section fuselage. Likethe Z9, the Z19 has no chin turret.The Changhe Z10 is a much larger

7000-kg (class) design with an X-type tailrotor in place of the Fenestron, a slenderdiamond-section fuselage, a flexibly-

mounted chin gun, and a large wing andhorizontal tail. It first flew in 2003, probablywith P&WCPT6C engines.The single-engined 2250-kg Changhe

CZ11W ‘light attack helicopter’ appears tobe an unlicensed copy of the EurocopterFennec. In 2008 the CZ11WA was selectedbyArgentineArmyAviation for in-countrylicence production by FabricaArgentina deAviones (FAdeA), with sales rightsthroughout Latin America. It is plannedto offer a choice of the ZhuzhouWZ8D, Turbomeca Arriel and LycomingLTS101 engines.


Attack Helicopters

Turkey’s TAI T129 Atak helicopter isdistinguished from the original AW129 by itsmuch larger sensor turret and use of thetube-launched, infrared-guided RoketsanUmtas missile, with a range of 8000 metres.(AgustaWestland)

China’s People’s Liberation Army uses armedversions of the Harbin Z9, a licence-builtEurocopter Dauphin. The main domesticmodel is the Z9WA and the export version isthe Z9WE (shown here). The Chinesecharacters on the rear fuselage translate as‘Harbin Aircraft Industries Group’. (CATIC)


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I WESTERN EUROPEThe 4600-kg AgustaWestland A129 is onlyhalf the weight of most attack helicopters,but may respond better to 21st centuryneeds. The Italian Army’s 58 remainingMangustas have beenupgraded tomultiroleAH-129C (previously A129CBT) standard,with five-blade rotors and some ofthe modifications developed for theexport market. The AH-129D is a furtherdevelopment that will feature the RafaelToplite sighting system and Spike-ERmissiles. Italian Army aircraft have beendeployed to Macedonia, Somalia, Iraq andAfghanistan.

Turkey’s TAI T129 Atak helicopter is ajoint development with AgustaWestland,based on the A129, but with 1014-kWLHTEC CTS800s built by Tusas EngineIndustries. The 2007 contract evidentlycalled for one prototype to be built in Italy(it flew in 2009) and five inTurkey, followedby 45 production aircraft with an option on40 more. In 2010 nine T129s were orderedfromAgustaWestland for delivery in 2012, tomeet an urgent TurkishArmy requirement.

The first 30 TAI-built T129s will becompleted to TUC-1 standard (TurkishArmy designationT129A), with anAselsanmission computer, Aselflir-300T targetingsystem, and a Thales helmet-mounteddisplay. Subsequent aircraft will be built to

Attack Helicopters

Aircraft Mi-28N Ka-52 AH-64E Rooivalk AH-1Z

Engines VK-2500 VK-2500 T700-GE-701D Makila T700-401CMax kW 2x1640 2x1864 2x1490 2x1420 2x1340Max TOW 10,900 11,300 10,433 8750 8390Cruise Speed (km/hr) 270 270 279 278 296Max Speed (km/hr) 300 310 293 n.a n.aRange (km) 1100 1108 1900 1335 685Rotor Dia (m) 17.2 14.63 15.58 14.6Turret Gun Calibre (mm) 30 30 30 20 20

MAINCHARACTERISTICS

Photographed at theMaaks show nearMoscow, the Kamov Ka-52 Alligator reportedly

is moremanoeuvrable and hasmoreadvanced avionics than the rival Mi-28N.

Following the precedent set by the single-seatKa-50, the Ka-52 has ejection seats, whichnaturally require jettison of the rotor blades.

(Armada/Eric H. Biass)


TUC-2 standard (T129B), introducing anAselsan helmet display, and RoketsanUmtas anti-tank missiles and Cirit 70 mmlaser-guided rockets.

AgustaWestland is now promoting theT129 (not the A129) internationally, andTAI is authorised to market the aircraftanywhere except Italy and theUK. Potentialcustomers include Azerbaijan, Jordan,Malaysia, Pakistan, the Philippines and theUnitedArabEmirates. In the long term Italymight buyT129s fromAgustaWestland.

The 6100-kg Eurocopter EC665 Tigerwas launched in 1999 on the basis that 160

would be produced, split equally betweenthe French andGerman armies.Germany is(so far) adhering to its plan to buy 80 anti-tank UHT Tigers, but France is now tobuy 40 Hap (fire support) and 40 Had(multirole) Tigers. The French Army HapTiger has been operated inAfghanistan andover Libya, and theGermanArmyUHTwasdeployed toAfghanistan in late 2012.

The Had Tiger was developed for Spain,which ordered 24, with 18 to be assembledin-country. Australia ordered 22 ARHTigers, based on the Hap variant, with 18assembled locally.

I RUSSIAIn 2005 itwas decided to replace theRussianArmy’s Mi-24/35 with the 10,900-kg MilMi-28N ‘Night Hunter’, which is currentlyassigned to the Russian Federation AirForce (RFAF), but will return to ArmyAviation from2015.

The first production order covered 67Mi-28Ns for delivery by 2013. A furthercontract covers 30 to be completed by 2014.The service currently has Mi-28Ns with atraining unit and three operationalsquadrons. The Mi-28N has taken so longto reach service that the RFAF plans to

Z10 Tiger LCH T129 Z9WE OH-1

WZ9 MTR390 Shakti CTS800 Arriel 2C Mitsubishi TS12x1000 2x1092 2x895 2x1014 2x626 2x6607500 6600 5500 5000 4100 4000270 n.a n.a 269 n.a n.a300 271 265 270 238 305800 1130 700 1000 528 55013 n.a n.a n.a 12.01 11.623 30 (ARH/HAD/HAP) 20 20 (no turret) (no turret)

Shown armed with two 20-tube 80-mm S-8 rocket pods and the 30-mmShipunov 2A42 cannon, the Mil Mi-28N Night Hunter is now in squadronservice with the Russian Air Force. (Russian Helicopters)




Attack Helicopters

“When back at camp, a 21 year-old corporal told me ‘thanksfor saving my life’. I then realised how much my A129attack helicopter was able to solve critical situations that

other assets are not able to handle,” Capt. Paolo Trotta, 5th “Rigel” ArmyAviation Regiment of the ItalianArmy, told Armada.

Awaiting the latest version of the chopper, Italian Mangusta crews areflying in Afghanistan with some situational awareness improvements thatproved to be game-changing items. “The first is the Safe Strike Air appthat we run on an iPad-mini equipped with a leg-strap.” Developed by anItalian start-up called Rebel Alliance, the app was initially developed forhelping JTACs in their job. “We immediately saw a potential,” Capt. Trottasays, ”and asked some adaptation for using it in flight.” The main advan-tage is that the system handles .sid maps and this allows to store the

maps of the whole area of responsibility down to half-meter resolutionmaps, something of key importance when carrying out kinetic operations.Capacity touch-screen Nomex gloves were acquired to cope with thenew system. “Safe Strike Air dramatically helps the mission commanderin interfacing with ground personnel when carrying out close combatattack missions,” Trotta adds.

In Italy the system was tested by integrating the iPad with a ThalesStarMille radio, with the radio providing GPS data. With ground forces soequipped it allowed A129 crews to have a real-time force tracking sys-tem on their iPad at very low cost. “Giving such radios to ground low levelcommanders provides us with both blue and green force tracking, greenbeing the Afghan forces,” Trotta says. This would be limited to line-of-sight, but that is plenty enough for close air support missions. Other sim-ilar radios might provide similar functions. “The system allowed us to dra-matically cut down our reaction time when we are on Quick ReactionAlert both for planning and for operating,” he concludes.

Capt. Trotta also explains that another important tool used inAfghanistan is the Virtual Battlespace 2 (VBS.2) battlefield simulation sys-tem. “It allows us to considerably shorten our planning time for majoroperations, and we were able to implement a scenario using data pro-vided by our sensors such as Predators, helicopter optronics, etc., thatwas used for rehearsing the mission.” The system is also used for after-action report, and it has been used by the Italian Aviation Battalion basedin Herat to operate in conjunction with the US Shindad-based AviationBattalion, Italy being the first nation to deploy VBS.2 in Afghanistan, aswell as Safe Strike Air, the latter having been integrated with the formerin order to export the planning on Safe Strike.

Last but not least Italian attack helicopters have been equipped witha Rover 5 receiver at experimental level. “We have used it in ad-hoc mis-sions and it proved very useful, although as it is not integrated into thehelicopter cockpit we have some space problem on board. Thereforewhen possible we prefer to have it on board a CH-47 where the air mis-sion commander can accommodate it on the chopper’s jump seat,”Capt. Trotta tells Armada. The addition of some C4I systems thus allowedA129 crews to considerably improve their effectiveness on the field.

I SOFTWARE TOOLS IMPROVE A129 EFFECTIVENESS IN AFGHANISTANInterview and photos by Paolo Valpolini

The more dramatic underbelly view of the A129 seen herereveals the standard load carried in Afghanistan to cope with hotand high conditions, namely a 250-round 20 mm gun, two TOWmissiles and one auxiliary tank, which provides the best balancebetween endurance and firepower.


launch a ‘modernised’Mi-28NM in 2015.Exports of the Rostvertol-built Mi-

28N(E) are difficult to confirm.TheKenyanArmy has received at least three of arumoured 16. Iraq’s order for 30 wascancelled, but is said to be reinstated.Venezuela’s plan for ten, and Algeria’sinterest in acquiring 42, have not yetreached the contract stage. TheMi-28UB is atrainer version, due to fly in 2013.

The 11,300-kg Kamov Ka-52 Alligatorprogramme is running behind the Mi-28N,since it was recognised only at a latestage that the former has advantages inmanoeuvrability and avionics. It first flewin 1997. In 2009 the first 12 of an initialbatch of 36 were ordered, and the Ka-52enterednominal servicewith theRFAFat theend of 2010. In 2011 Russian Helicoptersstated that it had signed a contract to delivermore than140Ka-52s to theRFAFby2020.

Themarinised Ka-52Kwill have foldingrotor blades and wings, anti-corrosiontreatment, and emergency flotation gear.Russian Naval Aviation is expected to buyKa-52Ks for its Mistral-class amphibiousassault ships, whichwill each accommodateeight Ka-52Ks and eight Ka-29 assault

Also known as Arrowhead, the LockheedMartin M-Tads (Modernized Target Acquisition andDesignation System) represents an upgrade to the AH-64’s original sensors, in this caseapplied to Britain’s licence-built Apache AHMk1. (AgustaWestland)

helicopters. The first pre-production Ka-52K is due to fly in 2013, andwill be testedonthe Admiral Kuznetsov carrier, pendingavailability of theMistral class. Productionaircraft will roll off theAACProgress line inArseniev in 2014.

I USAThe latest variant of theBoeingApache is theAH-64E (formerly AH-64D Block III),informally known as the Apache Guardian.It was developed to address the weight-growth that resulted in the AH-64D beingunable to fly with full weapons load in theAlbanianmountains. TheUSArmyplans toacquire 690 AH-64Es, consisting of 634remanufactured and56new-build aircraft.The AH-64E improvements include

more powerful GE Aviation T700-701Dengines, an uprated transmission, newcomposite rotor blades and the ability tocontrol drones. Some 51 remanufacturedAH-64Es were ordered in the low-rateinitial production phase, beginning witheight Lot One aircraft in FY2010. Lot Twoconsisted of 16 in FY2011, 19 in FY2012,and eight of the 40 in the FY2013 request(which added the first ten new-buildaircraft). US Army deliveries began inNovember 2011. In October 2012, full-rateproductionwas authorised.

Remanufacturing Apaches to AH-64Estandard is expected to cost the US Armyaround $ 16 million each, compared toabout $ 40million for a new-build aircraft.Taiwanwas the first export customer for

the AH-64E, the first of 20 new-buildaircraft being handed over in May 2012.India is negotiating the purchase of 22 new-build AH-64Es, suggesting far more thanthe ` 3095 crores discussed in the press.Indonesia has requested eight new-buildaircraft, and Qatar 24. The Saudi requestfor 40 is for mostly new aircraft, and theUAE request for 60 is understood to beequally divided between new andremanufacturedAH-64Es.The 8390-kgBellAH-1ZViper (orCobra

Zulu) is in broadly the sameweight categoryas the AH-64. It was developed to meet theneeds of theUSMarineCorps under theH-1 Upgrade Program, aimed at maximumcommonality with the UH-1YVenom. Theplan in 1991was to upgrade 180AH-1Ws toAH-1Zs, and 100 UH-1Ns to UH-1Ys.After several changes, it currently appearsthat theMarineCorpswill receive 123 new-build UH-1Ys and a total of 189 AH-1Zs,including only 37 remanufactured aircraft.The AH-1Z has two GE Aviation T700-

401C engines, four-blade rotors, a ThalesTopOwl helmet-mounted display, a

Lockheed Martin AAQ-30 Target SightSystem (TSS) and a strengthened landinggear. It first flew in 2000, and the firstdelivery took place in 2005. The AH-1Zachieved initial operational capability inSeptember 2010. Full-rate production wasapproved inDecember 2010.At time of writing the little-publicised,

latecoming AH-1Z has won no exportorders, but South Korea is considering theprocurement of 36 (the AH-1Z beingshortlisted alongside theAH-64EandT129).

I REST OF THE WORLDAttempts to market South Africa’s 8750-kgDenel Rooivalk (Red Kestrel) wereterminated after Turkey’s selection of theA129.Rooivalk is completely dependent onFrench suppliers, whonaturally support theTiger in international sales. It is in servicewith one SAAF squadron, and is expectedto be deployed elsewhere in Africa forpeacekeeping duties.In January 2013 Iran announced initial

deliveries of theHesa/PanhaToufan 2 (Storm2), a warmed-over 4540-kg Bell AH-1J, ofwhich the Imperial Iranian Army received202 in the 1970s. Iran has a more originallightweight (1450-kg) single-seat attackhelicopter, the Shahed 285, which wasderived fromtheBell JetRanger and first flew


Attack Helicopters

This Bell AH-1Z serial 167809 is operated bythe US Navy’s Air Test and EvaluationSquadron HX-21 (callsign ‘Blackjack’) atNAWC Patuxent River, Maryland. The unit isresponsible for testing rotary-wing and tilt-rotor aircraft and drones. (US Navy)


in2009.Theground-basedversion,designatedAH-85A, is in small-scale servicewith the IranianRevolutionaryGuardAir Force.One of the most interesting new projects is India’s HAL LCH

(Light Combat Helicopter), derived from the Dhruv (Polaris)utility helicopter, which entered service in 2002. The LCH wasinspiredby thepoorperformanceof theMi-35 in the ‘KargilWar’ of1999, high in the Himalayas. The 5500-kg LCH has two 895-kWShakti (licence-built Turbomeca Ardiden) engines, to give aservice ceiling of over 20,000 ft.The LCHwas designed for a wide range of roles, including air

defence against slow manned aircraft and drones. The firstdevelopment aircraft flew in 2010, and service entry is due shortly.It is planned that the Indian Air Force will have 65 LCHs and theIndianArmy 114.If the tandem-seat LCH is emergingmuch like an armed scout,

the 4500-kg Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) Korean AttackHelicopter (KAH) looks like an armed utility helicopter, since it isrequired also to provide the basis for a six/eight-seat civil product.TheKAH is to enter servicewith theRepublic ofKoreaArmy in

2018, up to 260 complementing 36 heavy attack helicopters, andreplacing 70Bell AH-1Fs and 257MD500s.Japan’s even lighter 4000-kg Kawasaki Aerospace OH-1

conforms to the traditional tandem-seat, slender fuselageconfiguration of an attack helicopter, but (like the LCHandKAH)has no gun turret. As in South Korea’s dual-use approach, some

OH-1 parts will be employed in Kawasaki’s UH-X proposal for aJGSDFUH-1H/J replacement.The first of four prototype OH-1s flew in 1996. Despite initial

plans for 150-200OH-1s, only 34 production aircraftwere orderedfor the JGSDF, the last being built under FY2010 funding.This is not the first time that Japan’s defence equipment

programmes have been cut to unrewarding levels. Fuji (FHI) hascomplained that, after having invested $ 600 million to launchlicence-productionof theAH-64DJP,production for the JGDSFwascut from 60 to 13 units. Japan’s manufacturers are arguing that thegovernment should either refund suchnon-recurring costs, or allowthe export of defence equipment. In hard times, it is not only theproduct that needs tobe flexible.

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The South African Air Force’s Denel Rooivalk (Red Kestrel) is basedon the dynamic components of the Eurocopter Super Puma, andequips No 16 Sqn at AFB Bloemspruit. The Rooivalk is intended forpeace-enforcingmissions in Africa. (Armada/RB)

G iven ten 100,000-tonne Nimitz-class nuclear-powered carriers(CVNs), ofwhich at least four areconstantly at sea (currently in the

East China Sea,NorthArabian Sea, PersianGulf and West Atlantic), the United StatesNavy tends to dominate any discussion ofnaval airpower. Each carrier has an air wing(CVW) that typically includes three Navystrike fighter (VFA) squadrons of BoeingF/A-18E/Fs and F/A-18C/Ds, and oneMarine Corps fighter attack squadron(VMFA) of F/A-18C/Ds.The US Navy also has nine amphibious

assault ships (one Tarawa-class LHA andeight Wasp-class LHDs) that can eachaccommodate a squadron ofMarine CorpsBoeingAV-8BHarrier IIs, andmay one dayserve as platforms for the service’s LockheedMartin F-35B Lightning IIs.

I CARRIERS ELSEWHEREAircraft carriers are highly visible statussymbols and effective means of projectingpower (and of assisting in disaster-reliefoperations) at long range.However, they areexpensive, and their future viability mayhave been placed in doubt by the Chinese-led development of long-range ballisticmissiles with terminal homing.Nonetheless, up to ten non-USnationsmay

be operating fixed-wing aircraft at sea in thenear future.In the 1982 Falklands/Malvinas conflict

with Britain, Argentina had an aircraftcarrier, the 16,000-tonne Veinticinco deMayo (formerly the Netherlands’ KarelDoorman). This was to launch its DouglasA-4Qs against the British task force, butevidently failed to produce sufficient windover deck. Under threat from a Royal Navysubmarine (which had sunk Argentina’s12,000-tonne cruiserGeneral Belgrano), theship returned to port and took no furtherpart in the conflict.In 1983 the shipwasmodified to operate

the Dassault-Breguet Super Etendard,whichhadperformedwell from landbases in

Carrier-based fighters and attack aircraft are a special breed. Their weight is strictlylimited, and they have either a slow stall to facilitate catapult/skijump-launch andarrested-recovery, or jet lift. Both solutions require excellent control at low airspeeds.Such aircraft also have to be rugged and tolerant of salt spray and designed tooccupy only a limited area of deck or hangar floor.

Roy Braybrook

Naval Fighters

FightingFrom aDeck

Having just left the Charles deGaulle, this RafaleM is on its way

to a ground attackmission,armedwith four laser-guided

weapons (Dassault)


Naval Fighters.qxp:Armada 4/1/13 2:11 PM Page 2

the 1982 conflict, sinking the 4800-tonnedestroyer HMS Sheffield with an AM-39Exocet missile. However, increasingmaintenance problems led to the carrierbeing decommissioned in 1997, and towedto India for scrapping in 2000.Argentina’s Super Etendards can now

practice deck operations only during visitsby US Navy carriers and Brazil’s 32,800-tonne Sao Paolo (previously the FrenchNavy’s Foch). In 2009 the Brazilian Navycontracted Embraer to upgrade twelveA-4s (mainly ex-Kuwaiti A-4KUs), withmodernised cockpits, armament andavionics, which include the Elta EL/M-2032radar. They are expected to remain inservice until 2025.Reports indicate that the Brazilian Navy

will assist the Chinese Navy in developingits carrier operations. China revealed itsintention to become amaritimepower as farback as the 1970s, with serious interest inacquiring a development of the BAe SeaHarrier (a sale that fell throughdue to delaysimposed by the Thatcher government).China subsequently imported a series of

retired aircraft carriers, mostly for theirdesign know-how. Australia’s 20,000-tonneHMASMelbournewas purchased as scrap in1985 (but was broken up only in 2002),followed in 1994 by Russia’s 42,000-tonneMinsk (now the Minsk World museum inShenzhen), and in 1996 by theKiev (now theTianjinAircraft CarrierHotel).Finally, in 1998 China purchased from

the Ukraine the 67,500-tonne AdmiralKuznetsov-class Varyag, for a mere $ 20million. The ship was designed toaccommodate 26 fixed-wing aircraft and 24helicopters, butwas only 70% complete andhad been stripped of its engines andarmament. Extensively refurbished by theDalian Shipbuilding Industry Company,equippedwithChinese radars andmissiles,and renamed the CNS Liaoning (hullnumber 16), the vessel was handed over totheChineseNavy on September 25, 2012.Intelligence sources in Taiwan have

asserted that the construction of two non-nuclear Liaoning-class carriers has alreadystarted in Shanghai. There have also beenrumours of two nuclear-powered carriersfollowing, derived from the Soviet Union’s85,000-tonne Project 1143.7 Ulyanovsk,the construction of which was stoppedin 1991. However, all of this may bepure speculation.China’s Shenyang J-15 Flying Shark is a

copy of the RussianNaval Aviation’s Sukhoi

Su-33 (formerly Su-27K). In earlyNovember 2012 two J-15s (side numbers552 and 553) began flight trials from theLiaoning. The production J-15 is expectedto have aChinese phased-array radar, fifth-generation air-air guided weapons, and anew version of the YJ-63 anti-ship missile.The J-15 may eventually be replaced by thestealthy Shenyang J-31, which first flew onOctober 31, 2012.The fear of China building carriers may

encourage its neighbours to consider the useof the F-35B from their helicopterplatforms. For example, Japan (which

plans to buy the F-35A) already has two18,000-tonne Hyuga-class escort ships(16/18DDH) with flat decks for helicopteroperations. Two 24,000-tonne 22/24DDHthrough-deck destroyers are due to followin 2015 and 2017.Likewise, South Korea (which is

considering the F-35A in the context of itsF-X requirement) has the 18,800-tonneDokdo, the lead vessel of a four-ship class ofamphibious landing shipswith flat decks.The French Navy has only one carrier,

the 42,000-tonneCharles deGaulle, and thefuture of the planned second vessel is

If China decides to build carriersbeyond the CNS Liaoning, some Asia-Pacific countriesmay buy F-35Bs to

operate from through-deck ships suchas Japan’s 18,000-tonne Hyuga

(illustrated) and South Korea’s 18,800-tonne Dokdo. (US Navy).

Pictured during Exercise Malabar with theUS Navy, India’s INS Viraat is beingoverflown by a Boeing F/A-18F of VFA-102and an F/A-18E of VFA –27, between twoIndian Navy BAe Sea Harriers (in theforeground) and two Indian Air ForceSepecat Jaguars. (US Navy).



Naval Fighters

currently in doubt. The ship operateswith amix of Dassault Rafale Ms, of which theprocurement of 58 is planned, and SuperEtendardModernisés (SEMs). The last of 27remaining such Super Etendards is due to beretired in 2015.The Indian Navy operates the BAe Sea

Harrier FRS51 stovl fighter (of which25 were purchased) from the 28,700-tonneINS Viraat (formerly HMS Hermes). In2014 it will introduce its first batch oftwelve MiG-29Ks and four MiG-29KUBson the 45,300-tonne INS Vikramaditiya(conversionof theAdmiralGorshkovProject1143.4). A second batch of 29MiG-29s wasordered inMarch 2010.The conversion of the carrier for the

IndianNavywas performedby the SevMashdefence shipyard at Severodinsk (nearArkhangelsk), an entity best known for itsnuclear submarines. In 2011 SevMashundertook the construction of a floatingairfield in the Arctic, half-way betweenMurmansk and the Prirazlomnaya oilfield.Six HAL Tejas LCA-Navy prototypes

have been funded. Trials could lead to the

purchase of 50-60 production aircraft toform two squadrons to operate from theVikramaditiya and the 40,000 tonne INSVikrant. The latter, India’s first IndigenousAircraft Carrier (IAC), is currentlyscheduled to enter service in 2018. It isintended to replace theViraat, but the latterhas had its life extended to 2020 to allow forfurther delays.TheVikrant is to be followed by a second

indigenous carrier, which may revert to aflat deck with steam catapults (in place ofthe skijump) to allow operation of theIndianNavy’s plannedNorthropGrummanE -2DAEW&Caircraft.The Italian Navy has two carriers: the

14,000-tonne Giuseppe Garibaldi and thenew 30,000-tonne Cavour. Each typicallyoperates up to eight of the service’s 14 AV-8Bs. It may be noted that Italy and Spainjointly funded AV-8B clearance to use theAIM-120 medium-range air-air missile,which theUSMarineCorps did not require.Italy plans to buy 22 F-35Bs to replace its

AV-8Bs. The Cavour will be able toaccommodate ten F-35Bs in its hangar andsix more on deck. For the longer term,acquisitionof anF-35B-capableLHDandanLHAwill allow retirement of theGaribaldi.The Russian Navy’s only carrier is the

67,500-tonne Admiral Kuznetsov (Project1143.5), with a typical fixed-wingcomplement of twelve Su-33 fighters andfive Su-25UTG attack aircraft. The Su-33 is

scheduled to remain in service until 2015.Ordering further Su-33s is deemed

uneconomic, so in early 2012, riding on theback of the 2010 Indian Navy order for 29MiG-29K/KUBs, the RussianNavy ordered24 to be delivered by 2015. For the future,Russia appears to be focussed on buildingnew submarines, not carriers.The Spanish Navy operates up to ten of

its 16 EAV-8Bs (local designation VA-2Matador II) from the 17,000-tonnePrincipedeAsturias. In 2012 therewere rumours thatthis carrier might be retired as an economymeasure, its role being taken over by the27,000-tonne Rey Juan Carlos I LHD. It isanticipated that the EAV-8Bs will bereplaced by up to 20 F-35Bs.Australia, which currently plans to buy

only the F-35A (US Air Force version), isbuilding two 25,790-tonne Canberra-classamphibious assault ships based on the JuanCarlos I (complete with skijumps), fordelivery in 2014 and 2016.Nine of Spain’s earlier BAe AV-8S

Matadors were sold to the Royal Thai Navyfor operation from the Spanish-built11,500-tonne HTMS Chakri Naruebet.However, these aircraft were retiredin 2006, and the ship is now used only asa helicopter carrier.The United Kingdom pioneered high-

performance stovl aircraft, but the RoyalNavy’s sole remaining aircraft carrier, the22,000-tonne Invincible-class Illustrious, is


This MiG-29UBK (black 204) is shownperforming a low fly-by of the INSVikramaditya during trials in the Barents Seain the summer of 2012. Note the large-chordtrailing edge flaps and the extension of theleading edge flaps on to the chine. (RAC-MiG).


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Vertical landing capabilityminimises deck spacerequirements. Here two Boeing AV-8BHarrier

II+ attack aircraft are seen landing on the LHD-3Kearsarge, aWasp-class amphibious assault

ship. The aircraft intake ducts are paintedwhiteto reduce head-on visual signature. (USNavy).

now used as an amphibious assault ship,with helicopters as its air element. It is dueto be retired in 2014. The Fleet Air Armbegan withdrawing the BAe Sea Harrier in2004, and the ex-RAF Harrier GR7/9 wasretired at the end of 2010.Two 65,000-tonneQueen Elizabeth-class

aircraft carriers are under construction forthe Royal Navy. The first is expected tobegin sea trials in 2017 and achieveoperational capability with the F-35Baround 2020. The F-35B could also fly fromthe 21,500-tonneHMS OceanLPH, and theRN’s two 18,500-tonne LPDs, HMS Albionand HMS Bulwark.Britain was originally to purchase 138 F-

35Bs for theRoyalAir Force (RAF) andFleetAir Arm. In July 2012 the British defenceminister announced that an initial 48F-35Bswouldbepurchased to equip the carrier fleet,but that a final figure for F-35 procurementwould not be decided until after the 2015Strategic Defence and Security Review.There was later speculation that F-35Aswouldbebought to replaceRAFEurofighterTyphoons, but nomoreF-35Bs.

I MiG-29KOf the principal naval fighters now beingmarketed, themost affordable isRAC-MiG’sMiG-29K.Thebasic configuration is old, thefirst MiG-29 having flown in 1977, and itmight be criticised as a typical Europeandesign of that period (ie, all engines, littlefuel). However, internal fuel capacity

Naval Fighters


Naval trials with theMiG-29UBK (black 941)included carriage of air-air missiles. It is showntaking off with two short-range 105-kg VympelR-73 (AA-11 Archer) IR-guidedweaponsoutboard and twomedium-range 175-kgVympel R-77 (AA-12 Adder) radar-guidedweapons inboard. (RAC-MiG).


has been increased, and effort has goneinto perfecting the aircraft’s handlingcharacteristics at lowairspeeds, possibly duetobad experiencewith theMiG-23/27.Over1,600MiG-29s are in service in 26 countries.Responding to Soviet Navy interest,

the proof-of-concept MiG-29KVP withstrengthened undercarriage and an arresterhook flew in 1982. The first true MiG-29Kwith an enlarged, foldingwing flew in 1988.It performed the first landing on theAdmiral Kuznetsov in 1989, just before theBerlinWall came down.The RussianNavy chose the heavier and

more capable Su-27K (later Su-33) to equiptheAdmiral Kuznetsov. Interest in theMiG-29K then waned until in 2004 the IndianNavy decided to buy the much smallercarrier Admiral Gorshkov, for which theMiGwas the obvious choice.RAC-MiG has redesigned the MiG-

29K/KUB as part of its “4++” generationfamily, with high commonality with theMiG-29M/M2 and MiG-35/35D. It wasgiven 88-kN Klimov RD-33MK Sea Waspengines, the Phazotron Zhuk-ME pulse-Doppler radar, a reduced radar signature,quad-redundant FBW controls, in-flight

refuelling provisions, a structure containing15%compositematerials, increased internalfuel and improved high-lift devices. Thefirst of the new series, a two-seat MiG-29KUB, flew in January 2007.The single-seat MiG-29K is capable of

Mach 2.07 at altitude, and theMiG-29KUBof Mach 2.0. Both have a normal take-offweight of approximately 18,600 kg and amaximumof 24,500 kg.

I SUPER HORNETFollowing 1480 F/A-18A/B/C/D Hornets,the Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet is amuch larger derivative with reduced radarsignature. It entered service in 2001,followed in 2005 by the Block II withimprovements that included the RaytheonAPG-79Aesa radar andAIM-9Xmissile.The firstmulti-year production contract,

MYP1, funded in fiscal years FY2000-2004,

Boeing exhibits at Aero India 2011 at YelahankaAir Force Station, Bengaluru, included thismockup cockpit for an upgraded F/A-18E/F, witha single 28x48 cm multifunction display,offering improved situational awareness andreduced life-cycle cost. (Boeing).

Boeing showed at Aero India 2011 aprojected Super Hornet development, withmockups of conformal fuel tanks and astealthy centreline weapons pod. Proposedimprovements include a modernised cockpitand 20% more powerful GE Aviation F414engines. (Boeing).

purchased 210 aircraft. Thiswas followedbyMYP2 for FY2005-2009, buying 213 F/A-18E/Fs and EA-18Gs Growler electronicattack aircraft. To this was added asupplement of 47, including 24F/A-18Fs forAustralia (an initial six of which are to bemodified to EA-18G standard). TheMYP3covered 124 aircraft (66 F/A-18E/Fs and 58EA-18G) for delivery in 2012-2015.Over 500 Super Hornets and Growlers

had been delivered by the end of 2012. TheSuperHornet equips 19 squadronsof theUSNavy,whichplans to acquire 515F/A-18E/Fsand114EA-18Gs.The F/A-18E/F has two 98-kN GE

Aviation F414 engines, a maximum speedof over Mach 1.8, and a maximumtake-off weight of 29,937 kg. It is anoutstanding strike fighter, but there isconcern over its ability to deal with fifth-generation fighters. In the naval context, itneeds a big carrier with a powerful catapult.Nonetheless, if the US Navy should

decide to skip the F-35C in favour ofsome future F/A-XX, Boeing will be readywith proposals for a stop-gap “Block III”F/A-18E/F, with 20% more powerfulF414s, a stealthy centreline weapons pod,conformal fuel tanks, a new cockpit andother improvements.

I RAFALEThe carrier-capableDassault Rafale-M firstflew in 1999. The French Navy plans toacquire 58, and already has enough to formtwo squadrons (Flotilles 11F and 12F). TheRafale is an advanced multi-role combataircraft, with (initially) two 75-kN SnecmaM88-2 engines. It has a maximum take-offweight of 24,500kg andamaximumspeedofMach 1.8.The latest Rafales have the Thales

RBE2/AAAesa radar andM88-4E engines.Aside from extending service life and timebetween inspections, these engines havepotential for thrust growth to 88 kN, subjectto airframemodifications to provide largerair intakes. Some 200 MBDA Meteorramjet-powered air-air missiles have beenordered for FrenchRafales.The Indian Air Force has recently

selected the Rafale (presumably the RafaleB/Cusedby theFrenchAir Force,which is toacquire 228) and plans to buy 126, with anoption on 63 more. This could well lead tothe Indian Navy buying the Rafale-M. Asimilar situationwould arise if the BrazilianAir Force selects the Rafale B/C for its 36-aircraft F-X2 programme.

Naval Fighters

The only export order to date for the Boeing Super Hornet has been for 24 F/A-18Fs forAustralia. These aircraft now equip No 1 Sqn, based at RAAF Amberley in Queensland. Theunit was declared operational at the end of 2010. (Commonwealth of Australia).

With its multiplicity of fuselage doors open, the second development aircraft (BF-02) for theUSMarine Corps LockheedMartin F-35B performs an sto from the deck of the US Navy’s41,000-tonne LHD-1 USSWasp amphibious assault ship. (LockheedMartin).

Pictured on board the Charles de Gaulle, this Aeronautique Navale Dassault Rafale-M isfitted with two 2000-litre fuel tanks, a Thales Damocles laser targeting pod, one laser-guidedbomb, two IR-guidedMBDAMica air-air missiles, and twoMicas with radarguidance. (Dassault/S Rande).



I LIGHTNING IITheUSAir Force F-35Aversion first flew in2006, followed by the US Marine Corps F-35B (the stovl variant) in 2008 and the USNavy F-35C (the catapulted and arrestedlanding variant) in 2010.However, full-rateproduction (planned as 80 F-35As and 50 F-35B/Cs per year for the US services) hasbeen deferred until FY2019.

The planned acquisition total of 2,443units for the domestic market includes680 F-35B/Cs for the US Navy andMarine Corps. The breakdown of thisnumber has yet to be finalised, but it is

generally expected to take the form ofaround 340 F-35Bs and 80 F-35Cs forthe Marine Corps and 260 F-35Cs forthe Navy. Britain, Italy and Spain all planto buy the F-35B.

All F-35s have a single 191-kNPratt & Whitney F135 engine, the F-35Balso having three Rolls-Royce ‘extras’ forstovl: a three-bearing thrust-vectoringjetpipe, a shaft-driven LiftFan, and wing-mounted ‘roll posts’ fed with bleed air forlateral control.Maximum take-off weight isreported as 27,300 kg for the F-35B,although its vtoweight is probably closer to

17,000 kg. Themaximum launchweight forthe F-35C is reportedly 31,800 kg.

All F-35s have a maximum speed ofapproximatelyMach 1.6. Radius of action isgiven as 835 km for the F-35B and 1100 kmfor the F-35C. However, the US MarineCorps and Navy evidently use differentmission profiles, since the F-35B has onlytwo-thirds the internal fuel of the F-35C.

Although the stealthy F-35 currentlyenjoys a unique position in themarketplace,there are concerns over its cost, delayedavailability and the performance penaltiesincurred indesigninganaircraft tomeet threedifferent requirements (especially stovl).Therearealso suspicionsover the stealthinessof export F-35s. If some competitor couldquickly develop a significantly less expensivesemi-stealth fighter, optimised for the aircombat role, itmightbadlydent internationalsalesof theF-35.

Distinguished by their enlarged wings, thefirst two development aircraft (CF-01 and -02) for the US Navy’s F-35C werephotographed somewhere over the Atlantic.(Lockheed Martin/Andy Wolfe).


C4ISR

C4ISR Story Armada:Armada 4/1/13 2:17 PM Page 2


RobustNetworking:End-to-endConnectivity

T he current trends pursued in mostadvanced military powers addressend-to-end connectivity over IP, andadvanced network management

services to accommodate mobility andprioritisation in exchanging an ever growingamount of data on a “tactical internet”.Asmost countries embark on upgrading

legacy ATM networks to full IP, the USArmy have so far the most ambitiousprogramme with their WarfighterInformation Network-Tactical. WIN-T inshort is to provide voice, data and video

connectivity from brigade to dismountedsoldiers. The programme is led by GDC4Systems, supported by BAE Systems,Harris, L-3Communications andLockheedMartin, and is aiming at delivering tacticalnetwork nodes throughout the Army by2016, following three increments:�WIN-T increment 1, hitherto known asJoint Network Nodes, has begun fieldinghigh-capacity line-of-sight and satellitecommunications to more than 200 active,reserve and National Guard units, where itprovides deployed, at-the-halt interimcapabilities from brigade to battalion. Itreplaces Mobile Subscriber Equipment,adapted from the Thomson-CSF (todayThales Communications France) Ritanetworkon time for the 1991war forKuwait.� The new increment 2 extends brigadecommunications to vehicle-integratedpoints of presence for companycommanders (Tactical CommunicationsNodes), providing connectivity withsoldier network extensions. It is offeringon-the-pause and limited on-the-move

At the heart of network-enabled capabilities, integrationof voice and data intomilitary networking,with its acutesecurity, jam-resistant andmobility requirements,remains troublesome. Sitting above combat net radios,tactical communication networks face particularlytough challenges due to the huge numbers ofsubscribers, high-capacity voice and data requirements,and the intrinsically difficult ground environment.

Wesley Fox &Tom Withington

This avionics-laden AH-64D LongBow attackhelicopter in Israeli service features EltaSystems Ku-band Milsatcom for on-the-moveoperations leveraging ISR feed fromaircraft or UAV (IAF).


connectivity down to company level, and isundergoing low-rate production withinitial deployment to two brigades fromthe 10th Mountain division. Thisdeployment has been following since 2011 aspiralling development process inspired bythe now defunct Future Combat System, tobridge legacy Cincgars and new JTRScombat radio networks. Known asNetwork Integration & Evaluation (NIE),this twice-a-year process consists of fieldtesting and limited deployment. NIE 12.2,completed atWhite SandsMissile Range inOctober 2002, validated mobile and on-the-pause communications for the 2ndbrigade, 1st Armoured division, and

connectivity with 101 Air assault brigadeheadquarters at Ft Campbell. GD C4worked with the Army and the Systems ofSystems Integration directorate to validatethe current WIN-T capabilities in a testinvolving 4,000 soldiers over a 2,000 squaremile exercise range.

� The next phase is Increment 3, which isstill under development and testing. It willinclude anairborne component to satcommson the move capabilities, and enhanceoverall stability, interoperability (throughthe JC4ISR radio) and security. The latteraspect, consistent with the US ArmyLandwarnet networkoperations governance(seeLandwarnet and theGlobal InformationGrid, Armada April-May 2011), alreadyfeatures network planning andmonitoring.Increment 1bhad alreadyupgradedWIN-Twith a “colourless core” encrypted IP layeracting as a security enclave for classified andunclassifieddata, and easing interoperabilitywith Increment 2. The same increment 1b,


This newly tested WIN-T Increment 2company-level point of presence will provideon-the-move connectivity integratedinto a Mine-Resistant, Ambush-Protectedvehicle (here an Oshkosh Mrap), bringingan IP layer over legacy and new combatnet radios (US Army).

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provided by GD C4 over a 396M USDcontract running until 2016, enhancesdynamic networking for beyond line-of-sight communications thanks to a newNetwork Centric Waveform. Overall, WIN-Tis proceeding with increased connectivity,interoperability and has been providing amajor increase in tactical mobility.

Its latest assessment by the Pentagonpraised the NIE process as a consistent way totest and plan for deployment, although overallstability and reliability of a self-forming, self-healing network is not expected before fulloperational capability of Increment 2, andmay be pushed back to increment 3.

A similar capability to WIN-T increment2, though on a lower scale, is being deployedin France through the Rita N4 programme.Designed as an extension of the legacy Rita(Réseau Intégré des Télécommunications del’Avant), the 240M€ contract was placed withThales Communications to provide IPconnectivity and high-data rates to mobilebattlegroups. Extending deployed and on-the-pause voice, data and video exchangesbased on the TRC-4000 LOS and APC-mounted Syracuse satcomm nodes, Rita N4builds tactical internet services (voice, data,

A WIN-T Increment 2 tactical communications node for on-the-halt networking is enteringservice with the US Army, providing high-capacity voice and data exchanges frombrigade to battalion. It sits next to a legacy Mobile Subscriber Equipment inherited fromthe French RITA in 1990. (US Army).


and mail attachements) on an IP backbonedelivered as part of Rita 2G in 2007, and ispaving the way for battlegroup all-IPconnectivity, acting as anetworking layer forupcoming Scorpion digitized battlegroupsand their Contact software-defined radios.OnehundrednewRitaN4networknodes areto be delivered to the French Army between2013 and 2015, with the upgrade of 200legacy nodes to the new higher capacity

communications architecture, providingCombat Net Radio Integration (CNRI),trunk nodes with HCLOS and mobilesatellite uplinks. Vehicle nodes managemulti-link connectivity transparently to theusers, allowing battlegroup commanders tofocus on their mission. The use ofcommercial technology with militaryrequirements allow flexible and modularconnectivity, and military-grade network

management services provide deployabilityand mobility to mobile combined-armsbattalions normally deprived of the former,regiment-attached, signals specialists.Aspartof anurgentoperational requirement,ThalesCommunications has delivered APCsequipped with X-band on-the-movesatcoms, supporting C4I services to legacyCassidian’s SIR battalion C2. These multi-link commandnodes have been successfullydeployed in Afghanistan, where the deepestvalleys often denied VHF connectivity. Atleast one of these vehicles has been sent toMali to support Operation Serval, whereFrance leads a coalition of African nations

PrecedingWIN-T on-the-move beyond line-of-sight capabilities thanks to an urgent operationalfor Afghanistan, this French Venus VAB light APC offersMilsatcom connectivity at rate of a coupleofMbps formobile company commanders and interfaces with the PR4G combat net radio;one is currently deployed inMali to support French battlegroup operations (Armée de Terre).

C4ISR


fighting Islamic insurgents. The Frenchtechnology has already been proposed viaThales abroad; whereas Malaysian MCRStactical networking appears in standby dueto a shift in budget priorities despiteimpressive field tests at the end of 2011showing several tensofmegabytesper secondexchanges at more than 60 km. The UnitedArab Emirates, for their part, have procuredpart of Rita N4 technology, both throughtheir Zagil tactical network and the newly-delivered ground segment of the dual-useYahsat programme, featuring on-the-pauseandon-the-moveKa-band satcoms.

InBritain, the ground-breakingBowmanprogrammewonbyGDUK(withSelex, ITT,Harris, L-3 Communications, GDC4 andothers) over Thales Communications in2002 is proceeding to deliver tacticalnetworkingovernearly 50,000high-capacityvoice anddata radios. TheBowmanCombatInfrastructure Platform (BCIP) is beingimplemented slowly, an initial operationalcapability havingbeen accepted in 2004with27 major reservations, a full operationalcapability having only been reached in 2008(BCIP5)with several important capabilitiesdeleted, such as mobile voice and data

connectivity or full interoperability withallies. This compromise, as well asshortcomings experienced by units in thefield in Afghanistan, led to a severe reportfrom theHouse ofCommonsCommittee onPublic Accounts in 2007, criticizing over-estimated technical challenges, unrealistic

The TacMax broadband tactical network isRafael’s Missiles and NCW division answerto converged military networking overcommercial 4G or WiMax technologies ; thisfamily of base stations, relays and mobilestations is designed to be embedded inArmy platforms (Rafael).

project timescale, and faulty governance ofthe programme.

Governance was strengthened within ajoint systems integration body to facilitateBCIP convergence between Bowman radiosand Battlefield Information SystemsApplications providing C4I services. Thecurrent army C2, artillery, air defence andengineering applications are partially handledby BCIP 5.4 fielded in 2010, and 2013 shouldsee a morerobust BCIP 5.5, leveraging severalurgent operational requirements enhancingBowman connectivity for British forces inAfghanistan and Iraq. These difficultiesdid not prevent GD UK to win the 94M€New Integrated Marines Communications& Information System (Nimcis), deliveringBowman-type C4I capabilities to Dutch RoyalMarines. As in Britain, the system will providevoice and data connectivity between ships andmarines ashore.

Tactical internet ambitions are also partof the Australian procurement plans,through Joint Project 2072 Phase 2B. Thisdigital backbone component of the large

Battlespace Communications (Land) projectis in the tendering phase, valued between0.5 and 1 billion US dollars. The four biddingconsortia are:�Boeing Defense Australia;�GD C4 Systems with RaytheonAustralia;�Elbit Systems with LockheedMartin Australia, and�BAe Systems Australia withThales Australia.

In November 2012, however, the DefenceDepartment announced its decision topostpone its shortlisting by about a year, andeven possibly announce a retendering processinstead. This would stretch any decision-making to FY 2013-2014, with plannedoperational capabilities three years later.

In Korea, the Tactical InformationCommunications Network is to be fielded bySamsung Thales (with LIGNex1 and Huneed)by 2014, and the leading partners are alreadybidding against one another for the currentPeruvian Army C4I tender. In India, themuch-delayed Tactical Communications

System is still in design, development andprototyping phase, with the 3 leadingconsortia BEL, ITL and Wipro offering a mixof local and Western technology, includingthe Rafael TacMax WiMax-based broadbandtactical networking for C2 on-the-moveapplications. Boasting 45Mbps over 12Kmn-los conditions, TacMax leverages 4Gcellular technologies, offering end-to-endconnectivity to dismounted commanders.Its US and European competitors arealso positioned in this niche: LockheedMartin has adapted wireless broadbandtechnologies in its Monax militarized cellularnetwork infrastructure; Ultra Electronicsproposes its UltraMove system, Harris itsKnightHawk “UMTS in a box”, and Cassidian(teaming with Alcatel-Lucent) leverages itsTetra PMR technology adapted for militaryuse under Evercor, earmarked for securityand defence users in the 400MHz band.Launched between 2010 and 2012, allthese solutions advertise connectivitywith militarised smart phones and tabletsleveraging LTE technologies. Thales is tofollow suit in 2013, extending its multi-linknetwork connectivity to an LTE smartterminal using running on Android,procured from Elektrobit.


A Bowman lower tactical user configuration during a brigade command post training in Britain;the programme status ismaximizing vehicle integration constraints under GDUK, while othersuppliers like Barco, contribute with low electromagnetic emissions tactical terminals (Barco).

C4ISR


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Recent operations in the Mediterranean Sea during Libyan crisis as well as antipiracyactivities in the Indian Ocean, highlighted the importance of underwater platformintelligence and special forces support operations in addition to traditional SSK patrol,deterrence, surveillance of, and attack against, illegal operations.

Multiple roles andRobotics, the SilentWorld’s Tech Mutations

Submarine Technology


Submarine Technology.qxp:Armada 4/1/13 1:25 PM Page 2

T he importance of such capabilities iswell known to Asia-Pacific regioncountries. These will acquire moresubmarines and spend more on

them over the next two decades than anyother region in the world except the UnitedStates, according to AMI Internationalanalysts. American, European, Russian andmore recently Asian shipbuilders are alsolooking into new littoral warfare and specialops’ support boat designs to cope withcustomer requirements.

Submarine designers, builders and systemproviders all are developing new platformsor adapting current production vehicles andsystems to meet the new requirements.

I PLATFORM OVERVIEWThe demanding Australian programme, forinstance, that aims at putting 12 new-generation submarines into service from2025 on, with the capability to conduct longendurance missions at considerabledistances from home, equipped with bothlong-range strike weapon systems tosupport special forces and unmannedvehicles, is pushing French DCNS to offer ascaled-up version of the Scorpene equippedwith the Mesma air independent propulsionsystem already in service with Pakistan’sAgosta 90B (also sold to India, Malaysia,Chile and Brazil). The later variantin production features an increaseddisplacement compared to previous models,but maintains a conventional diesel-electricpropulsion system.

ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems’Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft (HDW)company, on the other hand, is proposing thenew Type 216 design with an 89-metreplatform, a submerged displacement of 4,000tonnes and a propulsion system employing amethanol reformer air independent fuel cellsystem allowing a submerged endurance ofup to four weeks. The new design will alsohave a vertical multipurpose lock aft of thesail for cruise missiles, divers or robots inaddition to a new sonar suite.

Navantia proposes a scaled-up version ofits S-80 air-independent propulsion SSKunder construction for Spanish Navy, withenhancements for the specific programme.The Australian DoD is also looking atthe newest Sōryū class SSK in servicewith the Japan Maritime Self DefenceForce (JMSDF).

In Europe, these companies togetherwith Fincantieri and South Korean DaewooShipbuilding & Marine Engineering

(DSME) recently responded to a request forinformation of the Norwegian Ministry ofDefence for a possible replacement of Ula-class submarines (instead of opting for afurther life extension operation).

Russian submarine designers andshipyards are continuing to market theirlatest versions of the Project 636 Kilo classboats, the new Project 677 Lada or Amur1650 for export, with both types introducingenhancements in platform, command,control, sonar and fire control suites andweapon suites including Klub-S familymissiles. According to Russian newspapers,China is also to build Lada/Amur 1650platforms maintaining a double sourceof submarines, in case the indigenousindustry cannot satisfy developments andprocurement requirements.

I CURRENT TRENDSCurrent market trends, however are nowpushing submarine designers towardslittoral and special operation support boats.Various offers are surfacing, including theroughly 900-tonne and 50-metre Andrastafrom DCNS, the 1,150-tonne and 58-metreType 210 from HDW, the 1,100-tonne and56-metre S1000 from Fincantieri & Rubin –all featuring advanced solutions and able toconduct full-size conventional submarinemissions. The same companies and DaewooShipbuilding and Maritime Engineering(DSME) are also working on platformsconcepts for special operations, as


The new Project 677 Lada or Amur 1650 forexport family of submarines developed byRubin design bureau features latest nationalindustries’ platform, command, sonar and firecontrol suite systems, in addition to the Klub-Smissile family. (Armada/Luca Peruzzi)

Luca Peruzzi

The Scorpene is one of the latestfamilies of advanced submarineson themarket. Being sold to theChilean, Malaysian, Brazilianand Indian navies, it is being

marketed as a scalable platformwith conventional or AIP

propulsion system. (DCNS)


exemplified by the DCNS SMX-26 showed atEuronaval 2012, the HDW Type 200 and theSouth Korean KSS 500A. The US SpecialOperations Command allowed foreigncompanies to participate and recentlyawarded General Dynamics Electric Boat acontract to design and build a prototype‘dry’ submersible for evaluation by the USnaval forces community, with theparticipation of Italy’s GSE company,builder of commercial diver lock-outsubmersibles.

HDW in Germany has pioneered thedevelopment of air-independent systemsbased on fuel-cell technology, as used byGerman and Italian Type 212As, SouthKorean and Portuguese Type 214s andlately by the Israeli navy’s Dolphin. In late2012, Sener engineering group and HDWsigned an agreement for the industrialproduction of an air-independentpropulsion system based on a fuel cellmethanol reformer technology. The latterprovides an alternative for producing thehydrogen required by a fuel-cell system,which is more suitable for larger platformswith long endurance. A fully engineeredsubmarine system demonstrator is to beready for end-2013.

Applied to all Swedish navy’s recentsubmarines, Stirling air-independentpropulsion systems also power Singaporenavy’s Archer class boats, as well as thefuture Kockums A26 designed mainly forlittoral operations with ocean-goingcapabilities. Built under licence by JapaneseKawasaki Heavy Industry, it is alsoembarked on the Sōryū class SSK, thenewest boat in service with Japan MaritimeSelf Defence Force. The Australian DoDthrough its SEA 1000 programme has alsoshowed interest for this method.

Pakistan’s Agosta 90B became the firstair-independent propulsion submarine tooperate in the Indian Ocean, soon to bejoined by other boats in 2013 – courtesy ofthe DCNS-supplied Mesma (Moduled’Energie Sous-Marine Autonome). Itconsists of a combustion module fed with

liquid oxygen and fuel, and a steamproduction loop. The Mesma endows aScorpene SSK with a submerged enduranceof more than 21 days. DCNS is proposingthe system for current and future P-75I-classprogrammes and for Australia’s SEA 1000future submarine programme.

Navantia, for its part, has developed the S-80’s air-independent propulsion , which isbased on a bioethanol-processor, fed withbioethanol as fuel, and liquid oxygen,generating high-purity hydrogen. Theoutput feeds a series of fuel cells provided byUTC Power in America.

Developing an indigenous submarinetechnology, India’s Defence Research andDevelopment Organisation (DRDO) isworking on air-independent propulsiontechnology at the Naval Material ResearchLaboratory (NMRL), which is expected tobe available in 2015, and which can beapplied to the new-generation P-75I.

China, however, is reported to have asystem of its own, which powers the newestType 041 Yuan and Type 043 Qing SSK class.Developed by 711th Research Institute ofChina Shipbuilding Heavy Industry, theexact type hasn’t been identified but,according to some sources, it is a Stirlingcycle engine.

Russia was an early proponent of air-independent propulsion design, but in thelast decade Western European nations tookthe lead. In late 2011, however, the Rubindesign bureau unveiled an electrochemicalgenerator plant based on the earlier Kristall-27E solution, which employs fuel cells andthe reforming of diesel fuel for hydrogenproduction by means of an electro-mechanical generator. Reported to beavailable for production in less than three


Already in service with Pakistan navy’s Agosta 90B class boats (the first AIP-equippedplatform in the Indian Ocean), the Mesma system is also being promoted for the Scorpene

here illustrated. DCNS has teamed with Thales Underwater Systems and Sagem on theintegrated combat system, sonar suite, mast and sensors. (DCNS)

In service with both the German and Italiannavies, the Type 212A AIP-equipped platformis being produced in additional batches forboth services. Here depicted is the latestversion for the German navy, with a new flankarray sonar system and an integrated combatsystem, both provided by Atlas Elektronik.(Luca Peruzzi)



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years’ time, it is being offered to India via theAmur 1650 project.

I COMBAT SYSTEMSThe covertness offered by underwaterplatforms and the newgeneration of sensorsand weapon systems provide theconventional submariners with detectionin the range required for wide-area tacticalpicture compilation and long-rangeengagements, but also place additionaldemands on the warfare team in thesubmarine control room.

The latestgenerationofsubmarinecombatsystemsoffer fargreater functional integrationof sensors, tactical datahandlingandweaponsystems. The latest trend is wholesalemigration toward scalable commercial off-the-shelf based open-system architectures, ashift seen to offer multiple advantages. Their

design and development costs can besignificantly reduced by avoiding the use ofproprietaryproducts andeliminatingvendorrestrictions at all system levels.Moreover, theregular upgrading of computer systemsenablesrapidadditionaloperationalcapabilitytobe inserted tomeetemerging threats,whilepotential shared computing environmentsallow for reduced hardware footprint andsupport rationalisation.

One of the largest providers of SSKcombat systems is Atlas Elektronik, withvariants of its Isus (Integrated submarinecombat system) integrated command,weapon control and sonar system, whichforms the core for widely sold HDW Type209 and Type 214 export types. The Isusroadmap showed an increasing reliance oncots technology and the migration towardopen-standard architecture, hardware andsystem application software, includingemphasis on new sonar functionality andsonarmanager functions.

Although the Subtics (SubmarineTactical Integrated Combat System) wasclosely connected to French-builtconventional submarines export sales(Pakistan’sAgosta 90BandScorpeneboats toBrazil, Chile, India and Malaysia), DCNS

was able to expand its customer range toSouth America and southeast Asia forGerman- and Swedish-built submarines.

The Subtics results from DCNS andThales shared experience with French navysubmarine sonar, command and weaponcontrol systems (including the Sycobssystem), adopting open standards, a fullyredundant design and Thales UnderwaterSystemsTSM2233 sonar suite.

Upnorth,KongsbergDefence Systems ofNorway has sold its MSI-90UMk2 combatandweapon system to the navies ofNorway(Ula class), Germany and Italy (Type 212)and more recently Indonesia (Type 209built by South Korea’s DSME) and SouthKoreannavy’s Type 214 andderivatives. TheItalian navy’s latest Type 212 boats willfeature the Link 11/16 functionality,navigation package and Wass Black Sharkheavyweight torpedo integration.

Saab is involved in the continuingupgrading of Swedish navy’s SesuBcommand and fire-control suite on itsType A-17 and -19 submarines, while thelatest SesuB version employing cots-basedopen architecture will equip the newType A-26. The Netherlands navy’sfour Walrus-class submarines are being

In addition to all Swedish navy’s submarineclasses, Stirling AIP system equips theSingapore navy’s Archer and Japan MaritimeSelf-Defence Force’s Soryu class SSKs. TheRoyal Australian Navy also showed interest inthe system. China is reported to havedeveloped and put in service a similar AIP forType 041 Yuan and follow-on SSKs. (Kockums)




upgraded with Ministry of Defence-provided Guardion common core systemalso used by surface vessels.Lockheed Martin’s MS2 and Navantia’s

combat systems house Faba are partners inthe development of the fully integrated CoreCombat System for the Spanish navy’s fournew S-80A class submarine underconstruction. Based on Lockheed MartinSubics (submarine integratedcombat system)openarchitecturemodel, it integratesSpanishhardware and software provided by Spanishcompanies, including Sainsel and Saes. TheAmericancompany is also responsible for theBrazilianType209upgrade.Working in conjunction with America

and Australia, Raytheon supplied theAN/BYG-1(V)8 combat control system aspart of the Royal Australian Navy Collins-class replacement combat systemprogramme. Already installed across theUS Navy’s nuclear submarine fleet and

being periodically updated, the AN/BYG-1 calls on commercial open standards,allowing the rapid insertion of additionalsensors and/or weapons. It is expected tobecome fully operational on all Australiannavy boats by 2016, and is reported tobecome the basis of the SEA 1000 futuresubmarine combat system.

I SONARSpiral upgrading and cots insertion are themain themes in sonar suite developmentand enhancements. Thales is promoting its

S-Cube multi-mission sonar suite with anopen system architecture (variant ofTSM2233) using cots hardware andsoftware and combining Fast adaptivebeam-forming technique, large PVDFplanar flank array and a simple-to-use ‘lookand feel’ human-computer interface.Scalable for all size of submarine fromcoastal to oceanic, the suite has already beenordered for Brazil’s and India’s Scorpenes aswell as Ecuador’sHDWType 209/1300s.Thales Australia has been contracted to

upgradeAustraliannavy’sCollins classTSM2233 sonar suite.L-3 Elac Nautik is involved in providing

subsystems to enhance acoustic packagesalready in service, including theNetherlands’Walrus-class boats.The other non-nuclear sonar providers

are Atlas Elektronik and LockheedMartin.The German company is proposing thelatest versions of its Isus already ordered for


The Type 209/214 family of conventional andAIP equipped submarines built by TKMS’sHDW is themost widespread around theworld. Many customers are upgrading theseboats. The Brazilian navy’s Tupi class Type209s for instance are to receive LockheedMartin’s integrated combat system andRaytheon’s Mk48Mod 6AT torpedo. (US Navy)




Turkey’s six new Type 214 submarines,which introduces new or improved signalprocessing, such as advanced ranging sonartechniques, smarter adaptive beam-formingalgorithms, optimised contact tracking andreduced operator workload. The companyis also looking tonew sonar functionalities aswell as working on sotram (sonar trackmanager) functions to improve trackingmanagement. Lockheed Martin togetherwith Saes in Spain are providingmost of theSpanish navy’s S-80 sonar suite.Non-penetrating masts resulting from

advanced elector-optical sensor techniquesoffer a distinct advantage over direct-viewperiscopes. Most of the specialists inperiscope and related sensors, such asSagem, Carl Zeiss, Thales, Gabler and L-3Communications/Calzoni, are involved inactivities aimed at providing multispectralEO/IR, quick identification and recordingcapabilities. The latest two companies haverespectively developed theTripleMand theUniversalModularMast that are capable ofaccommodating a flying drone.Tomaintain its stealthiness a submarine

relies on low-probability of intercept searchand navigation radars, such as thosesupplied by Thales, Kelvin and Sperry

Marine as well as on both radar andcommunications ESM suites.Thales, Elettronica, Saab, EDO, Medav,

Lockheed Martin and Elbit are all lookingat ways of enhancing the capability of theirelectronic warfare system families in viewof the increasingly challenging littoralwarfare environment. In case of detectionand attack by other submarines or surfacevessels, reliance can then be handed over toWass C303, Ultra Eletronics Scad 101,DCNS Nemesis and Contralto and RafaelTorbuster decoys—to name but a few—todefeat torpedo attacks.The new operational scenarios require

joint and combined operation of sea,land and air forces with communicationscapabilities that extend to submergedpatrol stations. Communications specialist

such as Thales, Indra, Selex ES, LockheedMartin, Saab, L-3 CommunicationsMarinekommunikation have developedcomplete packages including satcomcapabilities (for instance theThalesAquilonwith Divesat satcom terminal) and/orcommunications buoy systems like theCallisto from Gabler, the Gateway from aconsortium led by Atlas Elektronik, not tomention Lockheed Martin and UltraElectronics solutions for the US navy’sCommunications at Speed and Depth(CSD) facility with both tethered and free-floating system.

I HEAVY TORPEDO RESURRECTIONThe threat fromdiesel-electric and later air-independent propulsion submarines in thedemanding littoral warfare arena, enhancedby increased sonar performance, is castingfresh light on the need for new generationheavy-weight torpedoes or upgrade kits forin-service weapons. Required are speeds ofaround 50 knots, ranges superior to 50 kmandsophisticatedacousticguidance. While inrecent years a number of navies have forupgrading solutions (RaytheonMk48,AtlasElektronik Seahake, BAESystemsSpearfish,SaabTp62andRussianFederation industries’

Italy’s Wass Black Shark heavyweight torpedois in service with the Chilean, Malaysian,Portuguese and Singapore (allegedly) navies,and is being integrated on board Italiannavy’s Type 212A AIP-equipped submarines.Optimized for both deep and very shallow(coastal) waters, the 50km+ range and 50kn+Black Shark features advanced acousticguidance capabilities. (Armada/Luca Peruzzi)


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TEST and UGST), some companies haveturned to freshdevelopments.This is the caseof Italy’s Wass and more recently FrenchDCNS and South Korean LIG Nex1 whohave completed or entered the developmentof newunderwaterweapons.InApril 2008, theFrenchDGAcontracted

DCNS as prime contractor and ThalesUnderwater Systems as acoustic guidanceprovider, to develop and produce the F21for the new French Navy’s Barracudanuclear SSN.The F21 will feature an electrical

propulsion system based on the DCNS-supplied MU-90 lightweight torpedoAluminium-Silver-Oxide technologybattery, providing 50+km range and 50+knots speed, according toDCNS. Equippedwith a planar array and fully digital acoustic

head, the F21 is also to comply withdemanding nuclear-powered platformsafety requirements, including insensitivewarhead and safe detonation technology.Italy’sWass is producing theBlack Shark,

which is already in service with Chilean,Malaysian, Portuguese and (allegedly)Singaporean navies. It also is beingintegrated on board Italian navy’s Type212A Todaro class AIP submarines, andmarketed in India. To enhance training andpersonnel proficiencywhile reducing costs,Wass is introducing a rechargeable lithium-polymer type propulsion battery derivedfrom automotive sector. This innovativesolution will allow multiple exerciselaunches before depot maintenance isrequired. Optimized for deep and veryshallow (coastal) water deployment, theBlack Shark features a 50+ knot speed and50km+ range, while the advanced acousticoffers long-range detection andsimultaneousmulti-target capabilities.

I COUNTERING BOLT FROM THE BLUEIn response to customer concerns as to theincreased anti-submarine threat posed by

maritime patrol aircraft and helicopter,DCNS recently unveiled plans for acompact, canister-based submarine air-defence weapon system based on theMBDA Mistral short-range infraredhoming missile, which is to be fired fromperiscope depth in lock-on before launchmode with data provided by thesubmarine’s optronicmast.AGerman consortium, includingHDW,

Diehl BGT Defence and Kongsberg,developed and successfully tested the Idas(Interactive Defence For Air-attackedSubmarine) submarine weapon system.Under advanceddevelopment, the Idas is anoptical fibre-guidedmissile systemwhich iscanister-launched from torpedo tubes anddesigned to engage not only airborne ASWthreats such as helicopters, but also surfaceships and coastal targets. Raytheon hashowever successfully tested a canister-launched version of the AIM-9X short-range IIR guided missile on a ground test-range in 2009, but American and othernavies prefer to embark ASW or strikeweapons, maintaining submarine stealthand low-acoustic signature.

To enhance training and personnelproficiency while reducing costs, Wass isintroducing rechargeable lithium-polymerand cots-based propulsion batteries derivedfrom the automotive sector on the Black Sharkheavy weight torpedo, allowingmultipleexercise launches. (Armada/Luca Peruzzi)




I UNDERWATER ROBOTICSIn addition to special forces operators andvehicles, submarines have beenmodified toact as mothership for so-called unmannedunderwater vehicles (UUV).Although bothUS and European industries and operatorshave beenplayingwith numerous solutions,technology maturation has only recentlyallowed the US navy to launch an LDUUV(Large Displacement UUV) programme.The resultant vehicle is planned to have longendurance (up to 30-45 days), and sufficientoperational speed, autonomy and payloadcapacity to perform “independent” andclandestine operations in forward areas.Designed for launch and recovery from avariety of platforms including SSGN,Virginia SSNvia their large-diameter tubes,but also surface ships, the system, forwhicha request for proposal is expected to be

issued in 2014, is planned for operationalservice around the end of the decade.

But the real revolution in underwateroperations will come from the AmericanDefense Advanced Research Projects

Agency in the formof an uninhabited vesselthat can shadow a manned sub throughoutits patrol. The agency has recently selectedSaic to lead the design and construction ofan operational prototype of an anti-submarine continuous trail unmannedvessel known as the Actuv. The aim is todemonstrate an autonomous vessel that cantrack a quiet diesel-electric submarine forup to 80 days and over a distance of6,200km, avoiding other shipping andwithminimal human input. At-sea testing isplanned for 2015.

The US Defense Advanced ResearchProject Agency recently selected Saic tolead the design and construction of theoperational prototype of the Anti-SubmarineContinuous Trail Unmanned Vessel (Actuv)illustraded here. The aim is to demonstrate,with tests at sea as of 2015, an autonomousvessel that can track a quiet SSK forup to 80 days. (Darpa)

In response to customer concerns about ASWthreat posed by MPAs and helicopters, DCNSunveiled a compact, canister-basedsubmarine air defence weapon system atEuronaval 2012, involvingMBDA’s Mistralshort-range infrared homingmissile firedfrom periscope depth. (DCNS)



New-generation turbine engines with substantially improvedthermodynamic and propulsive efficiencies are making possibletransport aircraft that combine relatively short airfield performancewith economical (and comparatively high-speed) cruise.

New-TechMilitary Airlifters

Transport Aircraft

T he operation to liberate Kuwait in1991, theoccupationsofAfghanistanin 2001 and Iraq in 2003, and theRusso-Georgianconflict of 2008have

all highlighted logistic limitations in themajor air forces involved. The results haveincluded boosts to international sales of theLockheedMartin C-130J and the Boeing C-17, anda fresh start for theAntonovAn-70.

I HERCULESThe C-130 Hercules series has thedistinction of having been in continuousproduction longer than any other militaryaircraft. The first entered US Air Force

service in 1957, and 2154 examples of thatfirst generation were built (231 C-130As,230 Bs, 488 Es and 1205Hs). Around 1200are still in service in 72 countries.In 1999 deliveries began of the 70-tonne

C-130J Super Hercules with four 3424-kWRolls-Royce AE2100Ds turning six-bladepropellers, and a modernised flight deckand avionics. Orders currently stand at 337units, including Australia twelve, Canada17, India twelve, Iraq six, Israel three,Kuwait three, Mexico two, Norway four,Oman three, Qatar four, the UAE twelveandBritain twenty five. In January 2012 the2400thHercules was delivered.

In 2012 Lockheed Martin unveiled aproposal for the reduced-cost C-130XJ,aimed at operators needing only a smallnumber of aircraft for tactical transport andspecialmissionsduties. Representing apricereduction of approximately 15%, the C-130XJ will omit advanced communicationsand defensive systems, and will use gaseousoxygen and a simpler cargo-handlingsystem. It will also have provisions for anose-mountedEO/IR sensor, to facilitate usein ISR and SARmissions.

I GLOBEMASTER IIIIn June 2012 the US Air Force placed anorder for its 224th and last 265-tonneBoeing C-17. The production line is beingkept open until (at least) 2014, largely byorders from other nations: Australia six

Roy Braybrook, inputs from Eric H. Biass

ThToTrAF

Transport Aircraft7:Armada 4/1/13 1:23 PM Page 2

aircraft, Canada four, India ten (with anoption on four more), Kuwait one, Qatarfour, the United Arab Emirates six andBritain eight.In addition, three C-17s (one provided

by the US Air Force) are operated fromHungary by the Heavy Airlift Wing, theoperational unit of the Strategic AirliftProgram, on behalf of tenNato nations andthe two Partnership for Peace nations,Finland and Sweden.A contract for two C-17s for an

undisclosed new buyer was signed in 2012.Potential customers include South Koreaand South Africa. The production rate iscurrently running at ten units per year. The$ 316 million cost of the final British C-17is hopefully a better indication of unit pricethan the $ 693 million charge for Kuwait’sone aircraft.An interesting facility already added to

over 70USAir ForceC-17s allows up to 100aircraft to fly safely in close formation, dayornight, to allow a whole army brigade to beair-dropped over a small zone within 30minutes. It is based on a traffic collision-avoidance system (TCAS), with the leadaircraft serving as a positional reference.

I GALAXYThe logistic demands of Afghanistan haveencouraged theUSAirForce toproceedwithmodernisation of its 381-tonne LockheedMartinC-5 fleet. ByFY2017 thiswill consist

of 52C-5MSuperGalaxieswithGEAviationF138 (CF6- 80C2) engines and only 29 C-5As (46C-5As having been retired).Several European nations (including

Russia) see a need for a transport that is lessexpensive than the C-17, yet canaccommodate outsize loads such as Mrapvehicles and helicopters, and deliver themover intercontinental ranges into shortairstrips. Similar thinkingmay be found inregional leaders such asChile,Malaysia andSouthAfrica.

I ATLASOne aircraft designed to satisfy suchneeds isthe 141-tonne Airbus Military A400M,officially named ‘Atlas’ by the seven launchpartner nations in June 2012. It has fourEuroprop International (EPI) TP400engines turning eight-blade propellers,allowing it to cruise at speeds up to Mach0.72 and altitudes up to 37,000 ft.Maximumdesign load is 37 tonnes.TheA400M is designed to also serve as a

tanker, using a centreline 2250 lit/min hoseor two underwing 1500 lit/min units. Itswide airspeed range allows it to refuelhelicopters at 200 km/hr at 5000 ft, and fastjets at 540 km/hr at 25,000 ft.Its 8200-kW(class)TP400-D6 represents

a massive leap in Western turboprops,


The first production A400M Atlas on itsmaiden flight on 6March will soon join theArmée de l’Air.

This Boeing C-17 (serial 96-0001), making a spectacular take-off from theTonopah runway at Nellis AFB, Nevada, is owned by Air Education andTraining Command, but is assigned to the 97th Air Mobility Wing at AltusAFB, Oklahoma. (US Air Force).

The Airbus Military A400M Atlas will providethe ability to move outsize loads overintercontinental distances into short airstrips.This example, side-number EC-404 is MSN4(the fourth of five ‘Grizzly’ developmentaircraft) is seen taking off at the ILA Air Shownear Berlin last year. (Armada/Eric H. Biass).


producing 140% more power than theAE2100D of the C-130J. Such ambition didnot go without teething problems (whichappear to have now bee ironed out), butallows the Atlas to operate from short andunpaved airstrips and yet cruise at near jet-aircraft speeds, which is totally unique todate.The first productionaircraft took to theair on6March (see title picture) and is slatedfordelivery to theFrenchAir Force shortly.Domestic orders for the A400M now

amount to 170 units (Belgium seven, France50, Germany 53, Luxemburg one, Spain 27,Turkey ten, and UK 22). The only exportorder is currently four aircraft forMalaysia,although SouthAfricamight yet reinstate itsearlier contract for eight (with an option onsix more), which was cancelled due to costincreases. At least 750TP400Mengines areto be produced.In the longer term, the US Air Force

might buy A400Ms, if only for specialoperations. In 2009 Eads North Americasubmitted an unsolicited quotation to AirMobility Command for 118 aircraft.The first of five A400M “Grizzly”

development aircraft (MSN1-4 andMSN6)had itsmaiden flight onDecember 11, 2009.As seen above, the first production aircraft(MSN7) is due to be delivered in the secondquarter of 2013 to the French Air Force,which will receive two more by the end ofthe year. The first for Turkey (MSN9) willalso be handed over in 2013.Deliveries to Germany (starting with

MSN18), Malaysia (MSN22) and Britain(MSN16) are due to begin in 2014, followedby those to Spain (MSN46) in 2017, andBelgium (MSN136) and Luxembourg(MSN133) in 2018.

I AN-70The A400M is in the same size andperformance category as the Ukraine’s 145-tonne Antonov An-70, which first flew in1994,whenprocurementof160wasplanned.The An-70 is powered by four 10,300-

kW Ivchenko-Progress D-27 engines (25%more powerful than the TP400), turning14-blade (eight at front, six at rear) contra-rotating SV-27 propfans. Its cabin issomewhat larger than that of the A400M,and it has a ten-tonne margin in terms ofmaximumpayload (47 tonnes).The An-70 is claimed to have better

payload-rangeperformance than theA400M(carrying35 tonnes for5100km,compared tothe latter’s 30 tonnes for 4540 km). If itachieves the estimated maximum speed of780 km/hr, it will be marginally faster thantheA400M, reachingonly 765km/hr.The first An-70 prototype was lost in a

mid-air collision in 1995, and the secondsuffered a heavy landing in 2001. Russiawithdrew support in 2006, but in late 2009(following the conflict with Georgia of2008, in which the Russian Air Force wasallegedly unable to deliver loads to shortforward airfields) the Russian MoDresumed funding.In September 2012 the second An-70

(UR-NTK) was ferried from Kiev toGostomel to begin a new series of 20 testflights. This followed two years on theground for modifications to the enginesand propfans to reduce noise (theseparation between the discs was increasedby 50%), and improvements to the high-liftdevices, avionics, instruments and auxiliarypower unit. These preliminary tests are tobe followed by joint state flight trials ofaround 75 sorties.Preseries production was launched in

2004, when Antonov received an orderfromUkraine’sMinistry ofDefence for twoAn-70s. These are still being built at the


The Antonov An-70 programme has nowrestarted, and the Russian Air Force plans toacquire 60, mostly built by Kapo. The secondprototype is shown in its recently upgradedformwith chin EO/IR turret, and spacingbetween the propfans increased from 600 to900mm to reduce noise. (Antonov).

The Airbus Military Atlas has the largest cargohold any turboprop transport aircraft cancurrently offer in theWesternWorld.(Armada/Eric H. Biass).

Transport Aircraft


Antonov Serial Plant (formerly Aviant) atSvyatoshin. Russia is negotiating to buythese aircraft.In 2010 Russia’s then president Dmitry

Medvedev formally adopted the 2011-2020Armaments Programme, which includesdeliveries to theRussianAir Force of at least60An-70s by 2020. Thesewillmostly comefrom the Kazan Aircraft ProductionAssociation (Kapo), which is scheduled todeliver the first by end-2015, and reachtwelve units per year by 2019.Antonovwill providewings, tail, nacelles

andpylons toKapo,whichwillmanufacturefuselages and perform the final assemblyand flight testing of production aircraft. Oncurrent plans, Kapo would assemble anyAn-70s required by theUkraine (whichmaybe as few as ten) and the civil An-70Tproposed for Russia’s Volga-Dnepr andPolet Airlines. However, the possibility ofestablishing a final assembly line at theAntonov Serial Plant is not ruled out.Antonovwill remain thedesign authority

for theAn-70, andwill retain prototypeUR-NTKas a testbed for any latermodifications.The An-70’s 10,300-kW D-27 engines

will bemanufactured jointly byMotor Sichin theUkraine and Salyut in Russia. TheD-27 is also being considered as a replacementfor the 11,000-kW Kuznetsov NK-12M inthe Russian Air Force’s 55 Tupolev Tu-95MS bombers.

I RUSLANThere appears to be no interest in returningto service retired US Air Force C-5s, hencethe only likely near-term additions to theglobal heavy lift fleet are 402-tonneAntonovAn-124s.In 2008 the governments of Russia and

the Ukraine agreed in principle to launchAn-124 production at Aviastar-SP, atUlyanovsk in Russia. In 2010Antonov andRussia’s United Aircraft agreed to form ajoint venture to build 60 An-124s. In May2012 a Russian Air Force spokesman saidthat “up to ten” would be built for MilitaryTransport Aviation (VTA). However, thedefinitive agreement has apparently yet tobe signed.The new model is the An-124-200 with

payload increased to 150 tonnes,modernised flight deck and avionics, andan 80% increase in fatigue life. TheAn-124-300 is the proposed commercial version.Aviastar is already refurbishing and

upgrading VTA Ruslans to An-124-100Mstandard. In May 2012 it was announcedthat the first three had been returned to theservice, that work had begun on fourmore,

and that “another ten or so” would besimilarly upgraded by 2020.The VTA’s 244th Flight Detachment

offers seven An-124s for internationalcommercial operations. This organisationwas the subject of a four-year contractawarded by France in 2010, andwill be usedby several coalition forces in thewithdrawalfromAfghanistan. Commercial use ofVTAAn-124s has necessitated extending thelives of 24 of its 225-tonne, four-turbopropAn-22s, which now carry most of theservice’s own outsize loads.On behalf of Isaf (International Security

Assistance Force) inAfghanistan, Nato hasrecently extended to the end of 2014 its Salis(Strategic Airlift Interim Solution) contractwith the Antonov Design Bureau andVolga-Dnepr Airlines. The programmebegan in January 2006, and covers thefull-time use of two An-124s, two onsix-days’ notice and a further two on ninedays’ readiness.

I CANDIDIn terms of gross weight, the stretched 210-tonne Ilyushin Il-76MF, which first flew in1995, comes half-way between the lighterA400M and An-70 and the heavier C-17. Ithas a relatively narrow cabin, and so far haswon only one order (two aircraft for JordanInternationalAirCargo, reportedlypriced at$ 50million each).

Illustrating growing defence cooperationbetween the US and India, this Indian Air ForceIlyushin Il-76MD had just landed at Joint BasePearl Harbor – Hickam (US Air Force).



However, In October 2012 Russia’sDefence Ministry signed a $ 4.5 billioncontract with United Aircraft for 39 Il-76MD-90As (sometimes referred to as Il-476s, for fourth-generation Il-76s) to beconstructed by Aviastar-SP, with deliveriesrunning from2014 to 2020. The first had itsmaiden flight inOctober 2012. These new-build aircraft will have Perm-builtPS-90A-76s, a Kotlin-Novator avionicssuite, a glass cockpit, and a stronger wingand undercarriage.

I MISCELLANYChina’sAvic/XianAircraft is developing theY-20 four-jet transport, grossing slightlyover 200 tonnes. It has been describedas a wide-bodied Il-76, but looks morelike a scaled-down C-17. Wingspan of 47metres is less than that of the Il-76 (50.5metres). Maximumpayload is increased to66 tonnes.Taxi tests began on December 21, 2012,

and the Y-20 first flew on January 26, 2013,using D-30KP-2s, planned for replacementby unspecified Chinese high-bypass

engines. It also features Chinesesupercritical aerofoils, avionics andcomposite materials. The Y-20’s earliestpossible in-service date is given as 2017.Lower down the scale, sales are

dominated by twin-turboprops, notably the32-tonne AleniaAermacchi C-27J andAirbusMilitary’s 23-tonneC-295 and 16.5-tonne CN-235. The Indian Air Force ishaving its 105 remaining 27-tonneAntonovAn-32s upgraded in theUkraine.

I TWIN JETSTactical transports emphasise airfieldperformance over cruise speed, hencemost are twin-turboprops, but recentturbofan developments have producedseveral new jet projects.Although it has not flown yet, one of the

most remarkable examples in this category,with a maximum take-off weight of 81tonnes is the Embraer KC-390. Although itoriginally was offered as a pure transport


The Airbus Military C-295 pictured over CapeTown harbour. The company is marketing theaircraft in South Africa as a replacement forthe veteran Douglas C-47TP Turbo-Dakota inthe transport andmaritime patrol roles.(Airbus Military/Mark Mansfield).

Considerably heavier andmore expensivethan the C-295, the AleniaAermacchiC-27J Spartan provides a larger cabin

cross-section and greater payload capacity(Armada/Eric H. Biass).

Transport Aircraft


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aircraft and therefore initially known as theC-390, it underwent a number of designreviews including the addition of an air-tanker capacity for the Brazilian Air Force,hence its current KCprefix.The programme was formally launched

with a $ 1.5 billion Brazilian Air Forcecontract in 2009, covering two prototypes.The Força Aérea Brasileira requirementspecifies a payload of 19 tonnes, but theKC-390 is estimated to carry 23.6 tonnes for 2600km. In mid-2011 Embraer selected 133-kN

InternationalAeroEngines (IAE)V2500-E5,a ruggedised version of the turbofan used insomecommercialA320s andMD-90s.As we were about to go to press, the

BrazilianAirForce andEmbraer announcedthat they had jest completed the aircraft’scritical design review, which confirmed thedefinitive aerodynamic and structuralconfiguration, clearing the way forcompletionof aircraft prototypes. First flightof theKC-390 is scheduled for late 2014, andservice entry for 2016. The Brazilian Air

Forceplans tobuy28andEmbraerhas lettersof intent for twelve from Colombia, for sixeach from Argentina, Chile and Portugal,and for two fromtheCzechRepublic. Franceis expected to buy twelve KC-390s if theDassaultRafale is adopted asBrazil’s F-2X.Embraer has signed an agreement with

Boeing on possible technical andmarketingcollaboration, and is considering a stretchedKC-390 that could be available by 2018 forthe commercialmarket.Antonov is now developing the An-178

tactical transport andcivil freighter, basedonthe 43.7-tonne An-158 regional transport.TheAn-178will have amaximumpayloadof18 tonnes, a rear loading ramp, and upratedIvchenko-ProgressD436-148 turbofans. It isexpected to fly in 2014.India’s programme todevelopwithRussia

a 65-tonne tactical Multirole TransportAircraft (MTA) hasmoved only slowly. Theunderlying Inter-Governmental Agreementwas signed in2007, and theBangalore-basedjoint venture Multirole Transport AircraftLtd (MTAL) was formed in 2010 by Russia’sUnited Aircraft Corporation – TransportAircraft (UAC-TA), Rosoberonexport andHindustanAeronautics Ltd (HAL).The MTA preliminary design contract

was signed inOctober2012, anda joint Indo-Russian teambeganwork inDecember in theUAC-TA offices in Moscow. The maidenflight is expected to take place in 2017, withseries production following in 2019.The investment required for MTA is

estimated at $ 771million in2012 terms, andwill be shared equally (as will production)between the IndianandRussianpartners. It isplanned that at least 205MTAswill be built:100 for the Russian Air Force, 45 for theIndianAir Force and60 for other countries.Japan’s 141-tonne Kawasaki C-2 is much

larger (in the same weight class astheA400MandAn-70),poweredby two266-kNGEAviationCF6-80C2K1Fs. The first oftwoprototypeswasrolledout in July2007,butstructural weaknesses delayed first flight toJanuary 2010. The FY2012 budget providesfunds (around$410million) for twomore. Itis anticipated that the JASDFwill buy40C-2sto replace itsC-130sandKawasakiC-1s. TheC-2 may also be used to replace the EWversionof theNAMCYS-11.


Transport Aircraft

The “office” of the KC-390 is as modern as one would expect from a new-gen transport,complete with largemultiple-function and head-up displays. (Embraer).

According to latest news from Embraer, theKC-390 here seen as amodel in amontage todisplay its air tanker capabilities, is to take tothe air next year. (Embraer).



Show Report

will not go down the books as anexceptional vintage in terms of large, orsubstantial order announcements – manywere anxiously awaiting the Emiratiauthorities to break the unbearablesuspense floating around their choiceregarding the purchase of a substantialnumber of 8x8s – there surprisingly werea fair number of interesting noveltiesbeing unveiled here and there.

Perhaps the most unexpected pieceof news came from Italy, withPiaggio Aero Industries and Selex

ES revealing, after a two-year joint effort,the existence of their P.180 Avanti IIbusiness aircraft–based drone, which hadalready completed its first low-speed taxitest on 14th February at the SardinianDecimomannu air base. “We plan to flythe P.1HH HammerHead unmannedplatform demonstrator by this summer,with the aim to conduct the maidenflight of the future dual-use medium-

altitude long-endurance fixed-wing UASprototype by year-end, in order tocomplete the systemcertificationby 2014-end”, said AlbertoGalassi, Piaggio’s CEO.The ItalianMoDwill certify the platformto Stanag USAR 4671 for flight in bothrestricted and unrestricted areas.

The P.1HH UAS’s main featuresinclude a rearranged airframe withoutcockpit andmain cabinwith ancillaries, anew aerodynamic configuration based ona reinforced wing with increased surfaceand higher aspect ratio, more powerful

950shp P&W PT6-66B engines and newlow-noise Hartzell 5 curved blades.Piaggio developed a new 15,5-metre spanwing butmaintained the aircraft patented3 lifting configuration. The airframe seesthe adoptionof a large central internal fueltank together with an avionics bay, inaddition to sensors and communicationsgear in nose and underbelly stations, aswell as a dorsal satcoms radome and twolateral mid-fuselage external hard-pointsfor ISR payloads. The platform can fly upto 45,000 feet, with a maximumendurance of 16 hours with a payload of500lbs (at maximum fuel capacity). Byreducing fuel load, a higher payload(mission sensors/equipment) of 2,000 lbscan be accommodated. The outer wing-sections are removable for easy groundtransportation.

Selex ES is developing the missionmanagement system, which is based onthe company’s skyISTAR platform-agnostic solution that, after less than twoyears from its launch, is now securing itsfirst customer. Selex ES also provides thevehicle management and control system.The SeaSpray 7300E radar is part of theoffered package.

The HammerHead meets programmerequirements suchas theCanadianForces’Juastas (Joint Uninhabited SurveillanceandTargetAcquisitionSystem).

I AVANTI-BASED HAMMERHEAD DRONE

VisitedandPhotographedbyArmada’sEricH.Biass, LucaPeruzzi&PaoloValpolini

The 2013 Edition of IDEX

IDEX SHOW UPDATE.qxp:Armada 4/1/13 2:07 PM Page 3

Show Report


Assaid in our introduction, the longawaited down-selection for theUnited Arab Emirates’ 8x8 infantry

fighting vehicle was not announced duringthe exhibition, leaving the biddingcompanies for that contract quitedisappointed. This didnot obviously detractthem from presenting their proposals.Amongst these, Nexter exhibited the desert

version of its Véhicule Blindé de Combatd’Infanterie (VBCI)while anEmirati Leclercequipped with the Azur add-on armouraimed at improving its protection in urbanwarfare scenarios was also on show. Acontract for the upgrade of 13 tanks to suchstandard was signed and also includes anundisclosednumber of other tanks outfittedto accept theAzur kit,which canbe installed

inhalf-day’swork at unit level. This includes17 “boxes” per side to protect it from RPGsand other hollow charges threats, and slatarmour around the rear half of the hull. AC4I upgrade is also ongoing by EmirajeSystemswith the support ofNexter, but thatprogramme is considered classified. TheVBCI in the configuration offered to theUAE could be seen amongst the numerousmodels that were exhibited at the Nexterstand. The Emirati combat versionwould beequipped with the two-man BMP-3 turret,armedwith the2A70gun launcherable to fire100mmroundsaswell asAT-10missiles andwith the 2A72 30 mm cannon. The turretbeingmuchheavier than theone-man25mmDragar turret, the chassis will have to bestrengthened while sensors will have to beintegrated into the VBCI vetronics system.The presence of the turret will reduce thenumber of dismounts to seven, the FrenchArmy IFV carrying nine. The UAE arelooking for a total of some 700 8x8 vehicles.Anumberofothervariantswerealsovisible inmodel form, including a recovery vehicle, anambulance, a 120 mmmortar carrier and acavalry vehicle armed with the new NexterturretunveiledatEurosatoryandarmedwiththe40mmCTAIcannon.

Compact, lightweight andmultirole, these are the threemain characteristics of the

Centurion launcher unveiled by the teamcomposed of Chemring and Raytheon.The two companies put together theirexpertise and products to provide evensmall vessels with a multi-mission andmulti-round defensive system that caneasily be integrated as it is installed over-deck and sensor- and C2-agnostic. TheCenturion comes in the form of acarousel launcher in which 12 rounds of

different types are stored vertically. Each130 mm tube stands at 90° in restingposition and can reach a 0° elevation inone second, azimuth orientation beingensured by carousel rotation. Theminimumelevation allows easymunitionreload or replacement even at sea.Chemring also envisages 150mm launchtubes, with launcher height growing totwo metres and munitions to 1.8 metresmaximum. The system uses Raytheonmunitions such as the Griffin, thewireless guided TOW, and the Talon

laser-guided rocket, while Chemringprovides its array of navalcountermeasures. In perspective theCenturion should acquire new capacities,in the form of drone and surface-to-airmissiles. Integration firing of the system(Chemring has invested some £5millionin its development), is planned for 2013,with missile demonstration andqualification planned for 2014. Withincreasing threats and shrinking budgets,the advent of the low-cost multi-roleCenturion is timely, one system beingconsidered enough for smaller vesselswhile two systems are advised for frigatesand above.Weighing less than one tonnesans munitions, two versions areavailable: one covered, with anRCSof lessthan 0.3 m2 (each munition beingprotected by a petal), and the otheruncovered. Chemring is also working onan initial concept for land warfare thatmight see the Centurion installed on theback of a truck.

I NEXTER UAE-RELATED WARES

I NEW NAVAL WEAPON SYSTEM FROM CHEMRING-RAYTHEON TEAM

I PREDATOR ORDER

GeneralAtomics canpride itselfwith having actually won theonly “significant” contract of

the show, pocketing in the process a722milliondirhamcontract to supplyanunspecifiednumberofPredators tothe United Arab Emirates. The full-scale model of the aircraft wasdisplayed on the Navdex waterfrontpart of the exhibition.


Besides their two main Thales stands (one at IDEX per se andone across the road atNavdex), the firm’s vetronics could also beseen on a number of other armoured vehicle manufacturer

stands, in the formof theVSYS-Net. The systemallows to put togetherintercom, communications, vetronics and BMS in a single network,allowing the commander to “call” the other crewmembers’ screenseither individually or collectively, and to share digitised infowith othervehicles in the team. The VSYS-Net was installed, inter alia, on aGDLS Ocelot exhibited in ISR guise, complete with mast-mounted

optronic sensor, shotdetection system, localsituational awarenesssystem and driver’sthermal imager. TheThales system was alsoinstalled on the RTDCrab (photo) exhibitedon the CMI stand, onthe Greek Leopard 2 attheKMWstand and onFNSS Pars 8x8. Thalesand Renault TrucksDefense announced aco-operation

agreement ondigitised vehicles systems. The agreementwill address arange of operational scenarios, such as Army surveillance andreconnaissance units, security forces, special forces, battlegroupsformedbydifferent types of combat and support vehicles, and securityand law enforcement units, particularly in urban environments.

I THALES VETRONICS STAR

Having its first publicouting in the MiddleEast, Nexter’s Trajan

howitzer extensively draws on itslorry-mounted counterpartCaesarfor what regards the 155mm/52calibre gun system per se,including its fire-control systemand loading system,which enablesit to fire three rounds in 30seconds. A towed howitzer, theTrajanwas clearly developedwith eyes set on the exportmarketto further expand terrain thus far conquered by the Caesar inSaudi Arabia, Thailand and Indonesia. The howitzer’s base,which really is the newpart of the system,was designed to satisfya co-operative and technology transfer agreementwithLarsen&Toubro in India to meet the Indian Army’s towed howitzerrequirement (which includes the possibility of firingammunition of Indian origin). Twounits are to be built for trialsthis summer and then in the Himalayas for winter trials. Atstake are about 1,500 items. Should a choice bemade (the Indiantowed acquisition programmehas been going on for years), thisshould intervene in 2014 followed by contract signature in 2015with deliveries starting a year later.

I TRAJAN


Show Report


The 2013 edition of Navdex’s naval defence and maritime securityexhibition saw the participation of latest ship deliveries to United ArabsEmirates naval forces and the announcement of contracts and

developments related to local ship industries.Abu Dhabi Ship Building (ADSB), the UAE public joint stock company owned

10% by the Abu Dhabi Government, 40% by Mubadala corporation and 50% byprivate shareholders, was heavily present at Navdex, showing the Al Hensen (P172) 915 full load corvette, the second vessel of the Buynunah class, the firstmissile version of the Ghannatha (see picture) fast boat class and fast interceptorsfor Critical Infrastructure and Coastal Protection Authority.

Set up to develop local industry capability, increase self-reliance and meet thenaval requirements of the UAE and other Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) states,ADSB outlined its strategic five-year vision during the show, realigning its businesstowards four key market segments: prime contractor for major shipbuildingprogrammes focusing on value added to the UAE, small boat construction,servicing and combat systems integration activities, the later building on existing AbuDhabi Systems Integration (ADSI) joint-venture with Selex ES.

The Al Hensen Buynunah second-of-class corvette is set to complete trails andworkup well in advance of 2013 year-end, while delivery of all six class vessels isplanned within 2014. The first Ghannatha class missile boat, equipped with a smallADSI-provided and integrated command, control and fire director suite with SelexES sensors, managing MBDA Marte Mk2/N anti-ship missiles, Rheinmetall 27 mmMLG (see picture) and Oto Melara Hitrole-G 12,7 mm Gatling GAU-19/A remotelycontrolled guns, was set for delivery in March 2013, while the troop carrier versionwas also on display. The programme covers the delivery of 12 new missile versionboats and upgrading of the same number already in-service craft (split betweentroop carrier and Finish Patria company mortar-equipped versions).

During the show, ADSB announced its selection to meet the Kuwait Navy’sfuture landing craft requirements, involving the supply of two 64-metre landingcraft, one 42-metre landing craft and five 16-metre composite landing craft, all tobe built in the Emirates, starting in mid-2013. Moreover the same companyreceived from UAE armed forces three contracts for a total of €160 millionincluding Buynunah class corvette upgrading and acquisition and integration of AlYah Satellite Communications satcom suite on the same vessels, in addition to aseparate weapon system acquisition and integration on UAE navy’s vessels.

I UAE NAVAL DEVELOPMENTS

I VARIATIONS ON THE VBCI THEME

At exhibition time, Nexter said that is wascurrently in the process of building the500th VBCI for the French Army,

which has 630 on order, both command postand infantry combat variants included. Nexterthus needs to attract new customers and withthat objective in mind has unveiled a brandnew series of scaled-down models, whichArmada’s editors were given the privilege ofpulling out of their display window tophotograph them. In addition to the UAE-specific version covered elsewhere in thisreport, the other new variants are the VBCI40mm (sporting a CTI gun turret), VBCIAmbulance, VBCI Mortar (here clearlyboasting a 2R2M rifled 120mm) and VBCIDépanneur (recovery vehicle).


THE MENA REGION’S LEADING INTERNATIONALMARITIME DEFENCE EXHIBITION & CONFERENCE

25-27 MARCH 2014

Organised By Venue Media Partners

Show Report


Also unveiled by Selex ES wasthe Miysis Dircm (DirectedInfraRed Countermeasure)

system which as showed at Idex, can beprovided as either federated equipment,or as a role-fit pod solution. Developedon company funds the Miysis (namedafter ancient Egypt’s lion-headed godof war) faced three key technicalchallenges in terms of weight, laserpower and speed of response.

Based on experience garnered in thefield of high performance airborne lasersand electro-optic pointing andstabilisation systems, together with thecontribution to Northrop Grumman’sAAQ-24(V) Nemesis system family, SelexES developed a new Dircm build aroundtheir Eclipse advanced, lightweight, low-cost Ircm point/tracker, and the Type 160IRCM laser. The Selex Eclipse is centredon a 14cm diameter dome sensor head,low inertia, two-axis servo mechanismwith a strap-down inertial sensor andadvanced sightline control algorithms,allowing effective tracking through thenadir and providing superior sightlineperformance. The Type 160 Ircm laser is alightweight, high-performance sub-system, which is directly coupled to theEclipse. These two systems were selectedby the British MoD in March 2010, to bepart of the Common Defensive Aid Suitetechnology demonstrator programmeaimed to define the architecture foradvanced defensive aid systems.

The new-generation Miysis is basedon the Eclipse and Type 160 laserdevelopments, in a hardware andsoftware format that is readily exportable.Elements of the system have been tested inover 90 live firing tests, combiningtracking and real or emulated jammingactivities, with a 100% success rate, saysSelex ES. A typical Miysis installationincludes two Eclipse Sensor HeadAssembly/Ircm (as a single LRU ‘laser

point tracker’) units, a missile warningsystem package with five sensor heads, anelectronic unit, cockpit display andcontrol unit, weighing a total of less than50kg, which makes it suitable for lightaircraft, smaller helicopters and drones,providing the full suite a completedetection and protection system capable,according to Selex, of all-aspect(spherical) defence that would draw lessthan 500 watts of electrical power.

I SELEX ES MIYSIS IR MISSILE DAZZLER

Building on established pedigree in 3Dmultibeam radars, Thales Nederlandunveiled its latest NS100 S-band (Nato

E/F) pulse-Doppler naval surveillance radar.Claimed to be the first company to haveintroduced a 3D dual-axis multi-beam radar byapplying an active array antenna in combination withdigitalization at antenna element level, the NS100 is reported as a‘flexible and scalable platform’ capable to accommodate othersensors and provided with advanced logistics package.

The NS100 combines an electronically stabilised rotatingantenna (operating at 30rpm) with an AESA active array able togenerate multi-beam in both elevation and azimuth simultaneously.The latter capability results in higher time-on-target at the samerotation rate and significantly improves Doppler resolution(therefore small target detection and clutter suppression).

Capable of 3D air surveillance with fast trackinitiation and active tracking, 2D surfacesurveillance and surface gunfire support, togetherwith jammer surveillance and IFF interrogatorsupport, the NS100 has a maximum instrumentedrange of 200km, a 70° max elevation coverage anda combined air and surface tracking of 750 targets.

Thales developed an antenna housing able toaccommodate other sensors. Options include an infrared camera forsituational awareness, a frequency modulated continuous wave lowprobability of intercept radar such as the Sout for close-in surfacesurveillance, AIS (automatic identification system) or ADS-B(Automatic Dependent Surveillance–Broadcast) for respectivelycommercial ship or aircraft tracking and an IFF interrogator andtransponder. The NS100 is positioned between the Thales Variantand Smart-S Mk2 naval surveillance radars. Full-scale developmentof NS100 is now underway at Thales Nederland’s Hengelo plant,with tests planned for 2014.

I ABU DHABI

I THALES NEW NS100

After her delivery by Fincantieri to theUAE navy on 8 January, the 1,650-tonne Abu Dhabi (P 191) ASW

corvette was officially presented at Navdex.Under €3 million contract Al Fattan Ship

Industry is also fitting Oto Melara Hitrole-Gremotely controlled 12,7 mm guns on boardeach Falaj-2 type vessels (first-of-classcomèpleted). In addition a €5,8 millioncontract award to Finmeccanica’s WASS(Whitehead Sistemi Subacquei) was revealedto cover anti-torpedo effectors for the AbuDhabi. According to industrial sources,Fincantieri has also received an undisclosedcontract worth about €30 million to install theRaytheon Mk49 launch system for the RollingAirframe Missile and the Thales UnderwaterSystems Catpas towed array sonar on boardthe same corvette. The UAE Navy has anoption for a second same class vessel, which isin advanced stage of negotiations withFincantieri, together with a second batch oftwo Falaj-2 type stealth patrol vessel, whichaccording to technology transfer agreementcould be built by ESB joint-venture at AlFattan shipyard facilities.



I SCHIEBEL GOES BIG

I DRONE MISCELLANEA

The United Arab Emirates is a bit a second home for Austria’sSchiebel company, that nation having been the first majorcustomer for its S-100 Camcopter, with an order for 80 units.

Not only did the drone perform daily during the exhibition’s staticshow, it also featured on the deck of the Adroit moored nearby (andwhere this photograph was taken). Idex also appeared as a naturalsetting for Schiebel to announce that its S-100 had recently completed a serials offully operational trials involving asomewhat ‘serious’ payload in the form ofthe turretted 30-kilo Thales I-Master, thevery same radar used by the ThalesWatchkeeper drone being developed forBritain. The most impressive results ofthese long-endurance mission test,according to Schiebel, was the consistencyof data transfer stability. This followsearlier tests with yet another syntheticaperture radar with ground moving targetindicator capability, namely the SelexPicosar a couple of years ago. The S-100, sales of which have wellexceeded the 120 unit mark, is poised to grow well beyondexpectations. Not only is it also used by an undisclosed customer,fitted with a lidar, it also is being increasingly looked at as anelectronic warfare platform “EW is definitely becoming a reality”according to a company official.

Asked about the status of the development of the new heavy fuelengine being devised for the S-100 (heavy fuel now being a sine qua

non for the acceptance of any operational drone aboard a ship), HansSchiebel told Armada International’s Editor-in-Chief that it will soon beready for delivery. He also confirmed that by being a ‘dieselised’version of the existing Diamond rotary piston engine and havingsimilar performances, the new powerplant uses the same mountingpoints on the aircraft’s structure and thus constitutes a straight-swap

option for current operators on theoccasion of engine end-of-life replacementoperation. The most impressive news,however, came when Schiebel confirmedcertain rumors about a heavy version of theS-100. Hitherto unnamed, the machinewould be a blown-up version of the S-100,not only in external physical appearance,but also in its monocoque construction,Schiebel having become an internationalauthority in the field of carbon compositestructural elements. Hans Schiebel wasunderstandably shy on details at this stage,but reading his mind revealed that the

helicopter would be looking at the maritime surveillance market,which presupposes the on-board presence of a substantial maritimeradar. If one imagines endurances of between 12 and 24 hours, one cansay that the Northrop Grumman Fire Scout might sooner or later havegood company on the tail segment of that export market. The newdrone would, however, remain fully compatible with the currentground station employed by the S-100. A demonstrator might be able totake to the air by the end of this year of early next year.

As the photos herewith show, a fewother drones kept the GeneralAtomics Predator company on

the harbour’s banks. Not that any of themare new, but they are not often shown asfull size display at other exhibition. Mostnoticeable on its red carpet was the SelexFalco Evo, which is a quasi-maleevolution (hence it suffix in the form ofan apocope) of the Falco. Wing and tailboom extensions enable its payload toincrease from 85 kilos to a notable 120.Most interestingly, cut-outs in this mock-up enabled one to see the emplacement

of a Picosar synthetic aperture radar inthe nose, and of interesting electronicwarfare sensors in the wingtips (notshown here).

Almost facing the Evo were a coupleof rarely seen drones from Pakistan’s Gids,like the 200-kilo Uqab, but one that caughtthe eye was the futuristic-lookingShahpar. Described as a ‘canard’ aircraft,it is more a biplane a la Piaggio Avanti, thesmaller front wings obviously providingsubstantial lift in addition to nose-pitchcontrol. The rest of the aircraft’sconfiguration is also interesting featuring

as it does a combination of delta and sweptwings, plus wing-mounted vertical planeswith directional surfaces while a pusherprop rounds up the basic portrait.According to a company official, the 480-kilo Shampar (which means Hawk, by theway) is an all-composite design that “wasqualified two years ago” and that enteredservice with the Pakistani Army and AirForce in 2012. At the time of theexhibition five had been delivered and fivemore were still to be delivered. Poweredby a 100 hp Rotax, all its avionics weredeveloped in Pakistan.


Show Report


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High tier Ground air defence andABMdefence:While ongoingmissionsdownrange do not include third dimensions threats, with the exception of theC-RAM segment, the risk of air andmissile attacks against contingentsdeployed in certain areas of operationmight well become a reality.

Trainer aircraft: The business of developing and selling fixed-wingmilitarytraining aircraft lacks continuity, and survival is enhanced by being part of alargemulti-product empire. On the bright side, all sections of themarket arereporting orders, and the new-generation jet trainers are finally taking off.

Transport Aircraft self protection and civilian airspace issues: Self-protection devices were until recently the privilege of fighter or attack aircraftwhether fixed- or rotary-winged. Airlifters, however are now also flying intoharm’s way, especially with the proliferation of shoulder-fired heat-seekingmissiles. The problem stems from the fact that they are increasingly asked tooperate with civilians on board into of from civilian airports, wherepyrotechnics are not exactly perceived as “proper” items.

Armament for Attack helicopters: All helicopters are weight-sensitive,hence the emphasis in choosing their weapons is invariably on lightness.However, whereas utility helicopters need armament for all-round self-defence, attack helicopters need forward-firing weapons that can destroyhardened objectives from a safe standoff distance.

Air-launched Laser-guided Rockets: Themilitary need for low-cost semi-active laser-homing guided rocket projectiles has been evident for decades.Suddenly, half a dozenmanufacturers are vying to satisfy that need.

Blos C2: Satellite Communications or ‘SATCOM’ is as essential to warfare asbullets and body armour. Armada has recently chronicled the latestdevelopments in tactical SATCOM for use on the battlefield. This article willdiscuss the long-distance satellite links connecting deployed headquartersback to national command authorities at the strategic level.

CompendiumDrones: Some of the commercially most successful dronemanufacturers, hit by the general defence cutbacks and the ending ofOperation Enduring Freedom, are recognising that hard times lie ahead.

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I TR-50 SCOUT

Hanging up discretely in a recessed corner ofCassidian’s otherwise fairly large indoors standwas arelatively newcomer in the drone world, making

more than one observer ask themselves a fewquestions aboutEads’s strategy regarding the so-called unmanned aircraftdiscipline after contradictory news on the Tanan and thestraight out-of-the-blue announcement of the SpanishCassidianAtlante’smaiden flight shortly after Idex.

At any rate, after talking to Cassidian’s Björn Symank, itappeared that the aircraft is known as the TR50 (butinternally referred to as the Scout) andhadperformed its firstflights last year.Designed toprovide tenhours of endurance ata speed of 180km/h, it can carry a variety of chin-mountedpayloads (infrared andday cameras aswell as a laser pointer)to a maximum weight limit of ten kilos. Powered by a 7kWflat-twin engine, it has amaximumtakeoff (catapult)weight of55kg, has awingspanof fourmetres for anoverall lengthof 2.5metres, land on skids (though a back-up parachute is fitted)and is targeted to being “ready for procurement in 2014”.


armada april-may 2013

Documents

armada final

defence technology information

pm page 3index02 international

israel military industries

kongsberg defence systems

ami international

rheinmetall defence

bae systems