Defence Industry Bulletin - April 2018 (#17)

Insider knowledge for the discerning defence and security professional

Issue #17 April 2018

MORE STING TO FRENCH SCORPION PROGRAMME

POLAND BUYS PATRIOT

JAPAN EXPANDING OCEAN OBSERVATION ASSETS

A PASSING STORM?

AUSTRIA’S TYPHOON DEBACLE NEARING END

INTERVIEW

SAAB’S AIR SURVEILLANCE CHIEF

THALES TESTS ATG ROCKETS

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GREECE TO FUND NEW SHIPBUILDING

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QATAR’S $4BN VESSEL DEAL

Welcome Land Naval

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s defence industry goals worldwide become more ambitious with each passing month, this issue of Defence Industry Bulletin looks at a range of developments and rumours taking place across the land, sea and air domains.

In our main feature, our correspondent Georg Mader uncovers the latest on the Saab’s GlobalEye platform, which is

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Air 18 The Briefing Room 25 More Information 41

looking to break new sales ground with a pitch to replace NATO’s popular E-3As. He also provides clarity on Austria’s ongoing Eurofighter debacle.

Meanwhile, our regular coverage provides insight into recent armoured vehicle deliveries I Europe, patrol ship acquisitions in the Asia-Pacific, and an interesting theory on Greece’s new shipbuilding programme.

We hope you enjoy the read.

Richard de Silva Editor-in-Chief

A British Foxhound, Light Protection Patrol Vehicle in front of the snow-capped mountains of Kabul as it conducts patrol for Advisor Force Protection (AFP). Image: UK MOD

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Land Poland signs historic Patriot IAMD deal Richard de Silva

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fter a long period of deliberation, the government of Poland signed a deal in March to purchase Raytheon’s Patriot Integrated Air and Missile Defense system system from the US Army.

Patriot is the backbone of NATO and Europe’s defense shield against ballistic and cruise missiles, advanced aircraft and drones. Other operators include the US, Germany, Greece, the Netherlands, and Spain.

The agreement, formally referred to as a letter of offer and acceptance (LOA), paves the way for Poland’s Patriot force to rapidly reach Initial Operational Capability, and sets the stage for the U.S. government to begin contract negotiations with Raytheon and its industry partners.

On 29 November, Romania signed an LOA for Patriot, making it the 6th NATO member state to procure Patriot. Additionally, a Congressional notification regarding a potential Patriot sale to Sweden has been completed.

“Poland joins the now 15 nation strong group of countries which trust Patriot to defend their citizens, military and sovereignty,” said Wes Kremer, president of Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems.

“Poland’s procurement of Patriot strengthens Trans-Atlantic partnership and security by enabling a common approach to Integrated Air and Missile Defense, and creating jobs in the US and Poland.”

Prior to signing the LOA, Poland agreed to an industrialparticipation proposal offered

by Raytheon and its industry partners. To facilitate Poland’s selfsufficiency, which is required by Polish law, Raytheon will transfer technology to the extent permitted

by US law and regulations.

This LOA is for Phase I of “WISLA,” Poland’s two-phase mediumrange Integrated Air and Missile Defense procurement. Under Phase II, Poland has stated it intends to acquire additional Patriot fire units, Gallium-Nitride-based 360-degree

Active Electronically Scanning Array Radar, and SkyCeptor, a lowcost interceptor missile.

Raytheon will transfer technology to the extent permitted by US law The purchase has – as predicted – angered Russia at a time when many European nations have moved to expel scores of Russian diplomats in response to the poisoning of a former Russian spy in Britain. Russian President Vladimir Putin has also been vocal about his country’s array of new nuclear weapons and their capability to hit almost any target around the world.

Patriot will take up residence on NATO’s ‘eastern front’. Image: USAFCC

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Land France order protected 4x4S for SCORPION programme Victor M.S. Barreira

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he French armament procurement organisation, the Direction Générale de l’Armement (DGA), announced in February that it has awarded Nexter a contract for development, manufacture and maintenance of a 4x4 lightweight protected vehicle.

The effort locally known as the VBMR Léger (Véhicule Blindé Multi-Rôles Léger) integrates the French Army’s SCORPION (Synergie du COntact Renforcée par la Polyvalence et l’InfovalorisatiON) modernisation programme. Other local firm Texelis will provide the vehicle’s mobility package.

The French 2019-2025 military programming law forecasts acquisition of 2,050 4x4s by 2030, of which 689 are to be delivered by 2025. The purchase of 358 vehicles was originally planned with deliveries from 2021.

The 15-ton vehicle will include diesel engine and automatic transmission as the powerpack; Atos SICS battle management

France is planning deployment of a first SCORPION combined arms battle group in 2021 system; Renault Trucks Defense T1/ T2 remote weapon station; Thales Antares situational awareness system; Thales CONTACT radio; Thales VSYS-Net vetronics; provision for additional protection kit; Metravib Pilar V gunshot sensor; Nexter GALIX smoke grenade launchers; power supply system for Safran FELIN dismounted soldier kit; and communications jammer.

However, each variant will field its own mission module.

Nexter has been awarded a contract by French DGA for next French Army’s 4x4 protected vehicle. Image: DGA

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There will be four main versions comprising patrol, ISTAR (Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition, and Reconnaissance), communications and electronic warfare vehicles. Sub-versions such as ambulance, command post, artillery fire control, and engineering are planned, among others.

First delivery of the patrol version is due in four years.

SCORPION – which is being implemented between 2015 and 2025, and between 2023 and 2035 – includes purchase of 1,722 Griffon 6x6 multipurpose vehicles, 248 Jaguar 6x6 fighting vehicles, the VBMR Léger vehicles, SICS system, combat engineer vehicle, 4x4 scout vehicle, embedded simulation, maintenance services and modernization of Leclerc main battle tank, VBCI 8x8 vehicle and FELIN soldier system.

France is planning deployment of a first SCORPION combined arms battle group (GTIA), mounted on Griffon and AMX 10RCR in 2021.

Other efforts are being made to modernise the army including incorporation of Thales Spy’Ranger and Safran SDT unmanned air systems; MBDA MMP and Saab Dynamics Roquette NG anti-armour weapons; Airbus Helicopters Tigre HAD attack helicopters; NHIndustries NH90 Caïman Terre multi-role helicopters; Renault Trucks Defense VLFS and PLFS 4x4 special operations vehicles; improved VBCI infantry fighting vehicles; ACMAT Defense VLTP NP 4x4 utility vehicles; Thales CONTACT radios; Iveco PPT trucks; and Heckler & Koch HK416F assault rifles. Existing equipment such as LRM rocket launcher, VBL/VB2L 4x4 reconnaissance vehicle and SPRAT and PFM mobile bridging systems are being modernised.

Land Brazilian Army modernises its self-propelled artillery Victor M.S. Barreira

M109A5 in Brazilian Army colors displayed at LAAD Defence & Security 2017 exhibition.

Image: Victor Barreira

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he Brazilian Army self-propelled artillery organisation consists of the 3rd, 5th, 15th, 16th, 22nd and 29th Self-propelled Field Artillery Groups, located in Santa Maria, Curitiba, Lapa, São Leopoldo, Uruguaiana and Cruz Alta, respectively.

They are equipped with 72 M108 and 37 M109A3 tracked howitzers armed with 105mm and 155mm cannon respectively. The Armour School “General Walter Pires” (CIBlid) also fields a small number of M108, M109A3 and M109A5 howitzers for crew training. However, the M108 is being progressively phased out.

Ambitious efforts are being made to provide new capabilities through incorporation of new vehicles and other equipment as part of Army Strategic Programme “Achieving Full Operational Capacity” (PrgEE OCOP) run by Army Projects Office (EPEx) until 2035.

32 of 40 former US Army M109A5s that had been previously granted to Brazil as excess defence articles

(EDAs) are now being overhauled and modernised by BAE Systems.

They are to become M109A5+BR standard units with work being undertaken at its plant of York, Pennsylvania, with deliveries scheduled to take place in first half of 2019. The US foreign military sales (FMS) contract of September 2016 – worth $54mn (following a December 2014 contract between Brazil and the US Government) includes installing inertial navigation system; muzzle velocity radar; commander’s display unit; remote travel lock system; ventilated fan piece system; GPS receiver; new tracks and wheels; improved suspension; new transfer case; upgraded transmission; and 440hp diesel engine. The elevation/ equilibration cylinder and turret traverse clutch were redesigned and the gun barrel is refurbished.

The M109A5+BR artillery system is armed with 155mm 39 caliber M284 cannon mounted to M182A1 mount.

Provisions are made for artillery C2 system and radio and intercom.

They are aimed for 3rd and 5th Selfpropelled Field Artillery Groups with each receiving 16 vehicles. Raytheon AFATDS was initially planned as the artillery C2 system; however the army is now considering IMBELFMCE Gênesis system. The eight un-modernised vehicles were previously shipped to Brazil to serve as trainers and spare parts.

A total of 60 M109A5s were granted by the US as EDAs according to a letter of offer and acceptance (LOA) of 28 June 2017, signed by Brazilian Army Commission in Washington (CEBW). An initial four arrived at Brazilian port of Paranaguá on 8 March 2018 and the remaining 56 vehicles are expected to be delivered in June or July of this year to the 5th Regional Maintenance Park (Pq R Mnt/5) of Curitiba. Joint vision inspection was conducted at Sierra Army Depot of Herlong in California in December 2016. Twelve will be utilized as sources for spare parts

and remaining M109A5s will be refurbished at Pq R Mnt/5 and will receive Harris Falcon III radio and Thales SOTAS IP intercom. They could be later overhauled and upgraded to M109A5+BR standard depending on available budget.

40 US surplus M992A2 ammunition resupply vehicles were granted to Brazil according to Amendment 1 to the LOA for the 60 M109A5s grant (known as FMS case BR-B-IAE), signed on 1 January 2018 by the CEBW. 20 vehicles could be received in June and the remaining 20 in September for the self-propelled field artillery groups. They will be armed with 12.7mm M2 machine guns (yet to be purchased). A joint visual inspection of the vehicles took place on 5-9 June 2017 at the Sierra Army Depot.

The SIMAF (Simulador de Apoio de Fogo) fire support simulators installed by Spanish company Technobit at the Southern Training and Evaluation Center (CAA-Sul) of Santa Maria and at the “Agulhas Negras” Military Academy (AMAN) in Resende also serves to train crews of M108 and M109A3 vehicles and are expected to be extended to M109A5s and M109A5+BR training.

In-house efforts were made to add several improvements to a single M109A3 that could serve for other vehicles if the army decides to upgrade the type. At least one M108 was transformed into an ammunition resupply vehicles, thus leading to a potential modification of further units.

A key feature in modernising Brazilian artillery is the Gênesis fire direction and coordination system.

It can be linked to a 7” Androidbased Palmar II handheld computer and ruggedized notebook through a manpack radio and vehicular radio, respectively.

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Land Kazakhstan 8x8 combat vehicle nearing service entry Oliver Austin

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aramount Group, the Africanbased global defence and aerospace company, and its joint venture in Kazakhstan, Kazakhstan Paramount Engineering (KPE), have announced that the Ministry of Defence of Kazakhstan is in the final stages of the evaluation of the Barys 8x8 combat vehicle ahead of acceptance into service by the country’s armed forces.

The Barys (Snow Leopard in the Kazakh language) which is based on Paramount Group’s Mbombe 8 represents the pinnacle of land system technologies and was developed to meet the increasing demand for multi-role, high mobility and mine hardened platforms.

The winter trials included day and night firing and the Barys 8x8 vehicle was equipped with a

Shipunov 2A42 30 mm automatic cannon and a 7.62mm machine gun jointly manufactured by Kazakhstan’s ‘KAE’, which manufactures electro-optic defence equipment and Turkish defence company, Aselsan.

Winter trials of Barys 8 began in early December 2017 with a series of intensive factory acceptance tests to finally evaluate and optimise the complete weapon system, platform and turret. The trails were conducted at a Military tank test polygon in central Kazakhstan.

Johan Delport, Director of the KPE factory in Astana said: “The most severe winter conditions prevailed during testing, similar to conditions found in Siberia. During this period the temperature dropped to -45 Celsius with a chill factor of minus

Paramount’s Barys 8x8 is built for cold weather. Image: Paramount Group

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60 Celsius, resulting in serious challenges to man and machine while conquering up to 750mm of soft snow.

“During such conditions every smallest detail and subsystem could be evaluated extensively.

Items such as glass heating for de-ice and de-misting, engine heating before starting, batteries, cabin heating, electrical functions, steering, and suspension have been successfully tested. The vehicle performed exceptionally throughout the trials.”

The design of this vehicle allows for the fitment of a very large array of weapon systems. This enables the vehicle to be customised for armed forces all around the world.

The weapon system has been evaluated during both day and

Land night firing sessions, static as well as firing on the move using the stabilisation mode. The 30mm canon which has ranges beyond 2000 meters has been demonstrated successfully under the severe ambient conditions.

The 8x8 combat vehicle and other Paramount armoured vehicles will be produced at the 15,000m2 KPE armoured vehicle factory in Astana - the largest armoured vehicle factory in Central Asia and the first defence manufacturing plant with this scale of capability in Kazakhstan. It has a capacity of more than 200 vehicles per year for the production of the full range of Paramount’s armoured vehicles with bespoke modifications for local conditions.

Ivor Ichikowitz, Founder and Executive Chairman of Paramount

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The design of this vehicle allows for the fitment of a very large array of weapon systems Group said: “Building our combat vehicles through local partnerships in Kazakhstan shows that we can produce highly advanced technologies anywhere in the world. One of the most significant trends in today’s defence industry is the increasing requirement of sovereign nations to develop their own defence equipment.

“Building defence industrial eco systems, inside our customer countries, through strategic alliances have been the cornerstone of our industrial philosophy.

Our partnerships have driven innovation, technology transfer, local manufacturing, skills development and jobs around the world.”

The Barys 8 is the winterised version of Paramount’s Mbombe 8 that employs an innovative new form of construction to give unprecedented levels of protection, while keeping profile to a minimum. The 8x8 also draws on the company’s experience of designing the highly advanced Mbombe family of armoured vehicles.

Land Iveco DV completes the delivery of the Light Modular Vehicle to Norway Eugenio Po

A Norwegian Army LAV (Light Armoured Vehicle). Image Iveco Defence Vehicles

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veco Defence Vehicles (DV) has handed over the last tranche of LAVs (Light Armoured Vehicles) to the Norwegian Army. The official ceremony was held at Iveco DV Headquarters in Bolzano, Italy, attended by Brigadier General Morten Eggen, Head of Norwegian Defence Material Agency (NDMA), Land Systems Division. This delivery completes the fourth and last batch of a programme for the purchase of 62 vehicles.

The LMV and its variants have been sold to 14 different countries The LAV is a variant of the LMV (Light Modular Vehicle) customized for Norwegian Army requirements.

The Norwegian vehicle capitalised the lessons learned form the

field (the Norwegian Army has extensively operated the vehicle in missions abroad), providing more payload, better performances and higher reliability.

Compared to the first gen LMV (the basic configuration is known in the Italian Army as VTLM-1 while the improved variant is designed VTLM-1A) the LAV has got several improvements, including a new driveline and a new air filtration system. The internal layout of the crew cell has been extensively redesigned to improve crew ergonomics and incorporate new seats, a next-generation dashboard and a redesigned hardtop. Thanks to these measures the internal volume has been significantly increased. Some of the new features implemented in the LAV were kept on the new VTLM-2 the “new generation” LMV Iveco DV is currently developing for the Italian Army.

The LMV and its variants have been sold to 14 different countries and is a reference in this class. On the export point of view Iveco DV

is working on the production of 173 military logistic trucks to the Romanian Armed Forces, following a contract signed at the end of 2017.

The contract includes the supply of 6x6 military logistic vehicles from Iveco DV’s high mobility truck family. The delivery of these vehicles, following the introduction of 57 Iveco DV vehicles in 2015, will be completed within the year end. In parallel the Iveco DV plant in Bolzano is working also on the German BwFuhrpark Service GmbH order for the delivery of 280 Eurocargo trucks (fully Euro VI emission compliant) to the German Army by the year end. Over the last decade, Iveco DV has delivered nearly 1,000 trucks to the German Army in different configurations (4x2, 4x4, 6x2, 6x4, 6x6 and 8x8), extensively fielded in operational areas such as Afghanistan and Mali.

The FICV has an expected life span of 32 years. It will replace the Army’s existing fleet of 2,610 Russiandesigned BMP-2 vehicles that have been in operation since 1980.

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Land Portuguese Army boosts its elite warriors Victor M.S Barreira recent years, the Portuguese Over Army has increased the equipment capabilities of its Special Operations Force (Força de Operações Especiais, or FOE).

The FOE integrate the Special Operations Center (Centro de Tropas de Operações Especiais or CTOE) of the Rapid Reaction Brigade (Brigada de Reacção Rápida or BrigRR).

The FOE – based in Lamego – is comprised of Command and HighStaff cells, Command and Support Company and Special Operations Task Units Alpha 1 & 2, Bravo 1 & 2 and Charlie 1 & 2 for a total personnel of around 200. The force is trained to execute irregular warfare missions over different scenarios including urban, jungle, amphibious and mountainous theatres, thus employing a wide range of equipment.

A number of assault rifles were inducted such as Heckler & Koch HK416A5 5.56x45mm in 11“, 14.5“, 16.5“ barrel length configurations and 7.62x51mm Heckler & Koch HK417, as well as 5.56x45mm Heckler & Koch MG4 light machine gun. They complemented 7.62x51mm G3A4 and 5.56x45mm SG543, G36CV and G36KV assault rifles.

New precision rifles such as 7.62x51mm Heckler & Koch G28E, .50 Barret M107A1 and .338 Accuracy International AXMC were acquired to complement and eventually replace existing M82A1, AW and SSG 3000 weapons.

The Portuguese Army’s FOE took delivery of a wide range of equipment including Sportsman MV850 MT all-terrain vehicles and HK416A5 rifles. Image: V. Barreira

12 Cal. SDASS Compact, STF/12 Compact FE and SPAS 15 shotguns; 9x19mm Heckler & Koch MP5SD6 (upgraded with Picatinny handguard and rail, assault grip and retractable butt stock), MP5Ka and UZI submachine guns; 9x19mm P228 semiautomatic pistols; and 66mm M72A3 unguided anti-armor weapons.

The FOE rely on a variety of systems that include the EID PRC-525 and Harris Falcon II RT-1796(P)(C) manpack radios

Tactical mobility is being increased thanks to Seven Sportsman MV850 MT and two MRZR2 MT ultra light all-terrain 4x4 vehicles being received from Polaris according to a February 2017 contract.

For communications, the FOE rely on a variety of systems that include the EID PRC-525 and Harris Falcon II RT-1796(P)(C) manpack radios, Leonardo H4855 personal role radio and L-3 Communications Rover 5i portable transceiver.

Other existing small arms in the inventory include AG36, HK269 and LG6 40mm grenade launchers;

Sighting equipment include SteinerOptik DBAL-PL aiming laser pistol light; Raytheon ELCAN Specter DR

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weapon sight; The O’Gara Group AN/PVS-21 night vision goggles; Vectronix Vector 1500 rangefinder binoculars; Qioptiq Merlin-LR weapon mounted night sight; L-3 Warrior Systems AN/PEQ-16B red laser and illuminator; AN/PVS-14 monocular night vision device; Aimpoint CompM4; Aimpoint T-1 and CompM4 red dot sights; Rheinmetall LLM Vario-Ray Compact laser light modules; Trijicon ACOG riflescopes with Trijicon RMR Type 2 sight adjustable LED; Trijicon MRO reflex sight; Schmidt & Bender PM II 5-25x56, 1.5-8x26 PM II ShortDot, 5-20x50 PM II Ultra Short ECOS-O with red dot sight mounted on top and 3-20x50 PM II/LP/MTC/ LT riflescopes; spotting scopes of Leupold & Stevens and Celeston; and holographic weapon sights of EOTech.

For mobility, the FOE also utilize several 4x4 vehicles including UNIMOG U1300L, L200, 90.17 WMD, 40.E12 WMD, Land Cruiser HZJ 73 and Defender 90 TDi types.

An integrated modular soldier system is under development for the FOE and several 4x4 light tactical protected vehicles being acquired through NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA) will be received. Micro-UAVs, multifunction long-range binoculars, laser acquisition marker and multiband handheld radio.

Naval How the Hellenic Navy could finance its new shipbuilding programme George Tsiboukis

The BELH@RRA is ‘front-line digital frigate’ seeks to renew the heavily-armed 4,000-tonne frigate segment. Image: DCNS

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ince 2010, Greece’s economic crisis has caused serious problems to the long-term military procurement programme of the country’s armed forces.

This policy affected mainly the Hellenic Navy, which has (since 2006) been trying to start an ambitious long-term multibillion Euro shipbuilding programme for the construction of six new frigates. The initial plan of the Hellenic Navy was to replace its six modernized and three old Kortenaer-class frigates with newly built ships that will integrate more fire power with better sensors.

Furthermore, the Hellenic Navy

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intends to locally modernize (Mid Life Upgrade Programme) four MEKO200HN Mod3 frigates and continue the shipbuilding programme of the Type 214HN submarines with the construction of two more submarines and the possible acquisition of two second hand Arleigh Burke-class AAW destroyers from the US Navy.

Unfortunately, the current austerity programme, which will run until 2021, does not allow any major shipbuilding programme, since the Greek Ministry of Defence can spend a maximum of EUR 600m per year on new procurement and for the payment of old armament programmes.

Under these difficult circumstances the Hellenic Navy has had to improvise and find alternative resources to finance its shipbuilding programme.

The answer came from France and looks to be the preferred solution, if not the only one available.

In November 2012, during the peak of the Greek economic crisis, the then Greek government made an agreement with the governments of the Eurozone, to organize a scheme that will help the Greek economy to stabilize. According to the scheme the National Central Banks of the Eurozone countries

Naval and the European Central Bank (ECB) agreed to buy Greek Government Bonds and return the profits from these bonds to Athens.

These programmes were called the Securities Market Programme (SMP) for the National Central Banks of the Eurozone and the Agreement on Net Financial Assets (ANFA) for the ECB. Since late 2012, Greece has received a total of 4.266 billion euros from the profits of the ANFA and SMP. In addition to this, Athens is estimated to receive EUR 3.57.2bn between 2017-2026 from the National Central Banks of the Eurozone (excluding the net profits of the Bank of Greece) and the ECB. Last year the Hellenic Navy and the French company, Naval Group (ex DCNS), started to examine the possibility of making use of a percentage of the ANFA and SMP profits that France holds, for the procurement of new frigates.

According to articles published in the Greek press, this January the Hellenic Navy and Naval Group, started negotiations for the possible procurement of 2+2 (optional) Belh@rra frigates.

The construction of the vessels, as well as the procurement and integration of their electronic, defence and sensors systems will be paid for by the profits of the Greek Government Bonds (SMP profits) that the French National Central Bank holds.

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This solution will allow the Hellenic Navy to start its new shipbuilding programme quite soon, possibly before the end of this decade. According to the Greek press, this summer the EU and Athens will negotiate the scheme for the return of the ANFA+SMP profits to Greece, just before the 3rd Economic Adjustment Programme is completed (20 August 2018).

The current austerity programme, which will run until 2021, does not allow any major shipbuilding programme During these negotiations, Athens will find out how much money the Greek Treasury will get from the ECB and the National Central Banks of the Eurozone.

This procedure (the return of the profits) will start next year, although its implementation will

depend on the recovery of the Greek economy throughout the period 2019-2026.

The Belh@rra frigate was designed

by Naval Group, in order to fulfil the requirements of the French Navy for a new vessel that will be cheaper to buy than the FREMM frigates and equipped with a new AESA high-tech radar system that will enhance its anti-aircraft/antiballistic capabilities. The frigate will be equipped with the new Thales AESA Sea Fire 500, four flat antenna radar, 16 Aster 15/30 antiaircraft/anti-ballistic missiles and 16 MICA VL anti-aircraft missiles.

Naval Group has already started to build the first of five Belh@rra frigates that the French Navy ordered in 2016 for EUR 3.8bn. The first frigate should be delivered in 2023 with its entry into active service in 2025.

If this armament scheme (financing the construction of two Belh@rra frigates from ANFA+SMP profits of Greek Government Bonds), is approved by the French Government and the E.U, it might pave the way for more similar Greek procurement programmes from European countries that also hold Greek Government Bonds.

Naval Myanmar Navy full steam ahead with domestic shipbuilding programme Mrityunjoy Mazumdar

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yanmar’s Navy is continuing to build up its domestic warship design and building capabilities.

Building upon its 108m guided missile frigate programme which currently comprises the singleton UMS King Aung Zeya (F11) and a pair of stealthy follow on hulls – UMS King Kyan Sittha (F12) and King Sin Phyu shin (F14), as well as a host of corvette, offshore patrol vessel (OPV), fast attack craft and landing craft projects, Myanmar’s Navy is now proceeding with the construction of a larger 135m guided missile frigate with stealthy features as well as several other projects at its premier naval shipyard in Thanlyin near Yangon.

According to a December 2017 video released by the Myanmar

Local sources say that work started on the 135m frigate programme in 2015 Defence Ministry, ongoing projects at Naval Dockyard, Thanlyin include the aforementioned 135m guided missile frigate, one 80m OPV, two 60m submarine chasers, one 49m FACM, two 20m riverine patrol boats and a 65m floating dock.

Local sources say that work started on the 135m frigate programme in 2015. Satellite imagery shows several ships under construction.

The Myanmar built frigates and a similar but smaller 77m corvette feature a mix of combat systems from China, India, North Korea, Russia and as well as Oto Melara 76mm guns of Italian provenance that are likely sourced via third parties.

In recent years, naval dockyard Myanmar has built one 49m stealthy FACM , two 108m guided missile frigates in 2014 and 2015, one 77m stealthy corvette in 2016, one 80m OPV in 2017 and significant numbers of 56m LCUs and 29m LCTs.

he frigate Sin Phyushin entered service in 2015, seen here at the recently concluded MILAN 2018 exercise organised by the Indian Navy. Image: Indian Navy

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Naval Japan Coast Guard expands Wave Glider fleet to advance ocean observation Oliver Austin

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he Japan Coast Guard (JCG) (has announced the expansion of their unmanned ocean observation fleet of Wave Gliders to the 9th Regional District, headquartered in Niigata, Japan.

This growth is part of JCG’s multiyear, ocean monitoring programme to provide enhanced, real-time situational awareness of ocean currents, wave activity, and weather along Japan’s coastlines. Prior to this expansion, JCG deployed fleets of Wave Gliders in four regional districts, forming the first, unmanned ocean observation network in Japan’s history.

In addition to extending this service to the 9th Regional District, JCG is publishing the environmental data for free and in real-time to Japan’s commercial fisheries and tourism industries. The availability of both current and historical oceanographic data from more geographic locations provides the commercial and tourism industries

JCG is publishing the environmental data for free and in realtime to Japan’s commercial fisheries and tourism industries with increased insight into weather patterns and ocean conditions that could adversely affect the safety and efficiency of their maritime operations.

“We are honoured to support JCG’s leadership to improve the level of maritime monitoring and safety around Japan through the use of autonomous ocean observation platforms like the Wave Glider,” said Gary Gysin, President and CEO of Liquid Robotics.

“Together with Hydro Systems Development, we are excited to support the next phase of growth and are committed to their continued success.”

Wave Gliders claim to be environmentally safe and a ‘more effective’ way to expand national ocean observation systems when compared to traditional methods, such as ships. By utilising a network of unmanned systems, JCG is expecting to provide access to continuous, real-time meteorological and oceanographic information from seas where monitoring ships often cannot operate and without putting personnel at risk.

A Wave Glider at work. Image: Liquid Robotics

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Naval Babcock developing new base in ROK Oliver Austin

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urther strengthening its its international reach and its presence in South Korea, Babcock International, announced that it is to open a facility in Busan, South Korea’s second largest city after its capital Seoul.

With a long-standing presence in the country through its Weapons Handling and Launch System (WHLS) design and manufacture contract for the Jangbogo III submarine programme, and work in the commercial marine market, Babcock is looking to further invest in the country as it drives forward with its global growth ambitions.

The company will set up a new office facility in the large Port city of Busan; an ideal location to support Jangbogo III, South Korea’s first indigenous submarine programme, and new business within the wider defence industry. Babcock is working closely with the Busan Metropolitan City Government and the British Embassy to establish its South Korean base with the facility due to be opened within the next few months.

A key element of Babcock’s in-country investment is to maximise the pool of local engineering talent to champion Babcock’s marine capability and to grow its Korean portfolio. Speaking at an event in Busan to announce the

new venture, Jeff Lewis, Managing Director, Defence Systems Technology, Babcock, said: “Establishing Babcock Korea in Busan will help to support the Jangbogo III programme and will give us access to local skills to support our supply chain, manufacturing and contract activities.”

Babcock is working to establish its South Korean base within the next few months “The new site will also provide a platform to seek new opportunities in Korea, predominantly in the marine defence industry but also in other areas where Babcock has capability.

“We are delighted to be working closely with Busan City Government which has shown great support and encouragement for us to base ourselves in the city and we look forward to growing our presence in Korea.”

In the latter part of 2017 Babcock further underlined its international defence credentials when it announced that it had successfully secured a seven year contract with Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering (DSME) to continue the manufacture and delivery of WHLS equipment for the South Korean Jangbogo III submarine programme, third boat set. The WHLS features an air turbine pump (ATP) and programmable firing valve (PFV) launch system and is based on the principles used in the WHLS supplied

by Babcock.

With procurement and manufacture already underway, boat one is due to be handed over to the Republic of Korea Navy (ROK) at the end of 2020, and boat two at the end of 2022.

Working from its new Korean base and from its UK facility in Bristol, Babcock is well positioned to deliver its long-term commitments to Jangbogo III by using a global supply chain network that spans from leading South Korean companies – such as Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) – to suppliers in the UK, Spain and Germany. Babcock can also reach back into its wider organisation to call on the skills and experience from a plethora of expertise in engineering, project management, supply chain and contract management.

In recognition of Babcock’s achievements to date on the delivery of the Jangbogo III programme, Babcock’s team received the Association of Project Management’s (APM) Overseas Project of the Year Award 2017.

The judging panel “acknowledged Babcock’s “endeavour of putting the customer first, its ability to overcome complex design challenges, and particularly its ability to deliver highly technical bespoke systems within a challenging programme to ensure continuity of the main build schedule.”

Janbogo KSS-III submarine model. Image: Teukwonjae707

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Naval OCEA emerging as major supplier of patrol vessels to the Nigerian Navy Mrityunjoy Mazumdar

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he Nigerian Navy (NN) is set to receive two new 35m FPB 110 Mk II patrol craft from French shipbuilder OCEA. The two patrol craft - NNS Nguru and NNS Ekulu - are slated for delivery to Nigeria via transport ship in late March 2018, arriving Nigeria in April 2018 according to French media sources.

Based on an earlier FPB 35 design for the Kuwait Coast Guard, the Nigerian patrol boats have a host of improvements. They are powered by two MTU 16V 2000 series diesels driving two propellers for a top speed of 30 knots, a range of 900nm and an endurance of 3-5 days. These vessels, which are fitted with a Safran Vigy Observer electro-optical (EO) system, will be fitted with their weapons - a 20mm cannon and two heavy machine guns - in Nigeria.

OCEA will also deliver the last of three 24m FPB 72 patrol boats sometime in mid-2018

hulls. The new build FPB 72 patrol boats delivered since 2017 are all fitted with what appears to the Vigy Observer EO system.

Aside to these recent deliveries, OCEA delivered three FPB 72 hulls in 2012 and one 32m FPB Mk II patrol boat in 2013 to the Nigerian Navy.

OCEA is also thought to be in the running to replace the Nigerian Navy’s sole hydrographic survey ship NNS Lana which sank at its moorings in 2016.

OCEA will also deliver the last of three 24m FPB 72 patrol boats sometime in mid-2018 to complete a 2017 order which has already seen two deliveries in January/ February 2018. OCEA also delivered two FPB 72 hulls in September 2017 in fulfilment of a 2016 order for 2

Defence Industry Bulletin :: 14

Naval Qatar seals new naval assets Mrityunjoy Mazumdar Training Ships from Turkey’s Anadolu Shipyard within the next 36 months. These ships, which can train 72 cadets each, will be armed with light weapons, a combat management system and be able to operate a helicopter.

The Qatari Navy is also acquiring at least one 52m dive support vessel possibly from Anadolu Shipyard or from Damen Nakilat which signed a 2014 agreement to supply six 50m patrol vessels and a 52m dive support vessel. However, the status of the Damen built patrol vessels is unclear.

Fincantieri unveiled the Qatari Navy Air Defence corvette design at DIMDEX 2018.

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uring the Dimdex 2018 event, Qatar’s Navy formally signed a contract with Fincantieri for the construction and delivery of seven naval vessels comprising a 143m, 8800 ton amphibious warfare landing platform dock (LPD) ship; four 107m, 3250ton corvettes; and two 63m, 670 ton ‘offshore patrol vessels’ that are in fact missile armed fast attack craft plus incountry support for 10-15 years.

The contract is reportedly worth almost EUR 4bn and the ships will be built in Italy over the next six years. According to Fincantieri, steel cutting for the first ships is slated for mid-2018 followed by start of deliveries from 2021 beginning with a corvette and an OPV. The Qatari LPD is a further customization of the Algerian Navy’s Kalaat Beni Abbas class LPD. It will feature a powerful Leonardo supplied L-band long range area search radar with limited ballistic missile detection capabilities. All seven vessels will feature extensive commonality in combat systems whose suppliers include Leonardo, MBDA and Lacroix.

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These ship acquisitions are part of the Qatari Navy’s efforts to complete its ongoing modernization programme by 2022 Qatar also announced an order for 12 NH90 naval helicopters as well as 16 NH90 utility helicopters at Dimdex.

The Qatari Navy will also be receiving two 90m, 1950 ton Cadet

These ship acquisitions are part of the Qatari Navy’s efforts to complete its ongoing modernization programme by 2022.

In addition to the new ships, the Qatari Navy is also fielding a new MBDA supplied coastal missile defence system as well building a new base at Port Hamad.

At DIMDEX, Qatar also signed separate deals with Turkey’s Ares for nine Coastguard vessels and with Yonca-Onuk shipyard for 8 MRTP24/U special operations craft.

All these vessels will be fitted with Turkish built Aselsan weapons.

The Qatari Navy already operates a number of Yonca Onuk built craft like three MRTP 34 and three MRTP 16 and more recently six MRTP 20 that were delivered in 2016-2017.

The Ares deal comprises three 48 m Ares 150 Hercules offshore patrol vessels (OPVs) and six 24 m Ares 80 SAT patrol craft, all to be delivered by end 2020. Ares is currently in the process of delivering the last five of 17 hulls to the Qatari Coast Guard from a 2014 order comprising two Ares 150, ten Ares 110, and five Ares 75 hulls.

Naval Indian Coast Guard welcomes new deliveries Mrityunjoy Mazumdar

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he lead ship of a class of seven 98m Vikram class OPVs for the Indian Coast Guard being built by Larsen and Toubro (L&T) Shipbuilding commenced sea trials for in March 2018. L&T officials expect to deliver the first ship by end March or early April. These ships, which were designed by L&T’s Warship Design Centre at Powai, are being built at L&T’s greenfield shipyard at Kattupali.

The huge shipyard remains underutilized for a lack of orders from the Indian Defence Ministry which, for all intents and purposes, continues to favour state owned shipyards under its control.

Unlike other Indian shipyards building naval vessels, L&T’s OPV programme is running on schedule.

To date, two OPVs have been launched and the yard expects to complete the 7-ship order on or ahead of schedule. L&T has also

essentially completed building a 54 ship order for 28m interceptor boats (IBs) for the Indian Coast Guard (ICG). The completion of the contract is limited by the Indian Coast Guards’ ability to induct new ships in a timely manner.

L&T has also essentially completed building a 54 ship order for 28m interceptor boats (IBs)

Indian MoD owned shipyard Hindustan Shipyard (HSL) is getting set to deliver the last of five 51m Rani Abbakka class patrol boats to the ICG some 7 years after launching the vessel. When delivered, HSL would have the dubious distinction of completing a 5 ship patrol vessel order in 12 years.

The ICG is also receiving new build 28m interceptor boats (IB) from financially troubled Bharati Shipyard which is now known as Bharathi Defence and Infrastructure Limited (BDIL). BDIL has managed to restart production of the once stalled 15-ship IB project which saw the delivey of four vessels from its Goa yard between 2012 and 2016. Since late 2017, BDIL has delivered two hulls in the span of four months from a batch of five hulls being built at its Panambur shipyard in Mangalore.

Rani Rashmoni, the last of five Rani Abbakka class patrol vessels about to cast off for sea trials on 16 March 2018. Image: HSL

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Naval Indian navy special vessels Mrityunjoy Mazumdar

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ndia’s Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) quietly launched a 118m, 11,300 ton Technology Demonstrator Vessel ( TDV) for India’s Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) in February 2018. CSL expects to deliver the vessel to the Indian Navy which will operate it for the

DRDO by end 2018. The vessel, currently known as BY 20, will be used all weapon and systems trials has been designed by Vik Sandvik India.

The marine architecture firm is also the designer of India’s 175m Ocean Surveillance (missile tracking) Ship

named Dhruv that is currently under construction at Hindustan Shipyard in Visakhapatnam. It is unclear if HSL will be able to deliver this ship to the Indian Navy in 2018 as planned on account of build delays.

Sri Lanka receives OPVs Mrityunjoy Mazumdar

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ndia’s warship export efforts hit another milestone when state owned Goa Shipyard handed over the second of two 106m, 2350 ton OPVs to the Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) on 21 March, 2018. The OPV, named SLNS Sindurala P624, departed the port of Mormugao in Goa for Colombo on 24 March, 2018.

Broadly similar to the Indian Navy’s

Saryu class OPVs, they were both delivered without any weapons.

In SLN service, lead ship Sayurala has since been fitted with a small calibre twin cannon in place of the intended 76mm gun mount as well as at least six gun mounts with heavy machine guns and light cannon atop the hangar,

SLNS Sindurala departing for Sri Lanka on 24 March 2018. Image: GSL

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amidships by the twin funnels and on the bridge wings as well as what appears to be an electro optical device. These OPVs with their organic helicopter carrying capability are the largest warships in the SLN. They are also the first two of 20 new ships that the SLN plans to induct by 2025.

Air Hensoldt introduces new airborne surveillance radar Oliver Austin

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ensoldt, one of the world’s leading independent sensor providers, is developing an innovative airborne multi-mission surveillance radar which will offer armed forces and border protection authorities with unprecedented situational awareness and extremely short reaction times.

The software-defined radar named PrecISRTM (derived from ‘precise’, pronunciation: ‘priˈsaiser’) translates latest achievements in active array and digital receiver technology into a scalable highperformance sensor which can be installed aboard helicopters, UAVs and fixed-wing mission aircraft.

Its superior precision and target accuracy make it the sensor of choice for surveillance of large sea and coastal areas against piracy, trafficking or illicit intrusion.

“Hensoldt capitalises on decades of experience in airborne and

space radar,” said Hensoldt CEO Thomas Müller. “Thus we are able to translate our unique radar capabilities into an innovative product which gives defence and security forces more and better

Airborne platform integration of PrecISR is said to have been simplified significantly compared to many other radars.

information to counter threats to their citizens’ safety and wellbeing.”

Due to its software-defined radar modes and electronic beam steering, PrecISR can fulfil different tasks virtually at the same time. It is able to detect, track and classify thousands of objects and thus literally find the ‘needle in a haystack’. Because of its compact design and the fact that all power consuming parts are located outside of the airframe, the airborne platform integration of PrecISR is said to have been simplified significantly compared to many other radars. PrecISR is in the full-scale development phase.

A fully functional flying demonstrator is expected to exist in about one year’s time and a series product in 2020.

PrecISRTM can be installed aboard helicopters, UAVs and fixed-wing mission aircraft. Image: Hensoldt

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Air Talen-X Unveils New Anechoic Chamber System Oliver Austin

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n mid-2017, Talen-X and Skydel engineers began to conceptualise a GNSS simulation system emanating from their BroadSim platform for the purpose of simulating GNSS and Jamming singals in an anechoic chamber.

Over the following six months, the organisations designed, built, tested and delivered the Anechoic Chamber Simulator, capable of simultaneously generating multiGNSS (Global Navigation Satellite Signals), jamming and spoofing signals. BroadSim Anechoic can be used to support a wide variety of operational tests.

“Our new Anechoic Chamber solution will radically change the way in which mission critical platforms and systems are tested because we are enabling our customers to create real-world threats” said Talen-X’s Chief Technology Officer, Tim Erbes. “Not only will BroadSim Anechoic be

able to emulate real-world threat scenarios but it will be easier than ever before to create and simulate these environments.”

Transmit chains include all of the necessary hardware to power 16 dual frequency antennas The BroadSim Controller is at the heart of the system running Skydel’s SDX software suite. Using SDX, users can create advanced scenarios that include both

jamming and spoofing signals. The 16 Software Defined Radios (SDRs) each with dual transmit ports (32 total outputs) can be configured to output GNSS or jamming signals, giving user the flexibility they need to run multiple tests. The transmit chains include all of the necessary hardware to power 16 dual frequency antennas. The included GNSS receivers let users monitor the environment inside the chamber, providing confidence that their tests are running correctly.

Another application in which BroadSim Anechoic aims to excel is in Controlled Radiation Pattern Antenna (CRPA) testing. Many ground, airborne, and water based platforms are transitioning to using CRPA’s because of their added jamming resiliency and significant tracking advantages in degraded environments. Validation and real-world testing is critical in understanding and characterising the mitigation these antennas can add in highly degraded areas.

With this technology, users have the ability to create representative jammers with real-world characteristics (modulations, frequencies, angles, power levels, etc).

Skydel’s Chief Technology Officer, Iurie Ilie, said: “Skydel developed an innovative approach for time offset calibration between multiple transmitting antenna using a COTS Software-Defined Radio (SDR). This approach allows for very precise measurements and adjustments (better than 100ps) to be done automatically before simulation start. At the same time, transmitting signal power is automatically adjusted to keep the power offset at receiving antenna better than 0.1dB.”

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Air Thales successfully tests ATG rocket systems in Hungary and Sweden Oliver Austin

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n ever more urban environments, the priority of armed forces is to reduce the risk of collateral damage, and Thales is doing its part to provide effective products when it comes to the accuracy of close air support.

The Group has been awarded a contract from Airbus Helicopters for the test of its rocket systems to boost the H145M mission capability.

This contract follows the selection of both Thales rocket systems (70mm NATO and 68mm Induction) to provide such capabilities to Airbus Helicopters’ platforms equipped with its new weapon management system, HForce.

Thales announced the recent completion of two successful tests firing campaigns.

In October 2017, Airbus Helicopters completed a ballistic development test of an HForce weapon system equipped on an H145M platform at the Bakony Combat Training Center – BCTC in Hungary. The system test included unguided 70mm /

2.75” rockets (with ‘FZ231’ 12 tube launcher) as well as a helmet mounted sight display Scorpion by Thales.

These successful test firings are to lead to final qualification for both laser guided products for Q4 2019 In December 2017, the test firings of Thales 70mm / 2.75” (‘FZ275’) laser guided rockets were conducted on an H145M platform at the Älvdalen test range of the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration Flight Test Centre, in an “adverse and

challenging environment”. With precision to within one metre, the guided air-to-ground rocket improves target engagement capabilities while reducing platform vulnerability.

These successful test firings with the Thales ‘FZ275’ – and previous results in 2014 with the Tiger Combat Helicopter and the Thales “Aculeus” Induction Laser Guided – are to lead to final qualification for both laser guided products for Q4 2019.

Equipped with a full colour day/ night display, Scorpion is the new monocular helmet-mounted sight display reference for Light Armed Helicopters. Touting a “precise and unique” HybridOptical motion tracking (HObiT), Scorpion intends to dramatically secure Crew Resource Management during the critical phase before firing, saving time and avoiding misunderstandings between Gunner and Pilot.

Airbus Helicopters’ H145M demonstrated the ability to fire Thales-built, laser-guided rockets under the HForce programme.

Image: Thales Group

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Air GlobalEye – taking the drama out of stealth? Georg Mader

Image: Georg Mader

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hat’s the claim being made by innovation-driven SAAB in its description of its increasingly popular Swing-Role-SurveillanceSystem (SRSS) ‘GlobalEye’.

DIB attended the multimedia roll-out event at Linköpping in late February, an event designed for an audience of UAE Air Force personnel rather than the Flygvapnet (Swedish Air Force).

Based on one of today‘s premium business jets, the system provides a new level of quality in the simultaneous monitoring and tracking of air-, sea- and landtargets. In addition, SAAB promises “salvation” for all commanders “terrorised” by too little time when facing stealth-capable opponents.

At first glance, there is no obvious visible difference. The so-called Erieye radar by Ericsson from Gothenburg (with the SAAB Group since 2006) displays transmitter/ receiver modules (TRM) in a contrary format to the rotating antenna of the earlier AWACS aircraft – fixed ‘ski-box’ antenna braced atop the hull – which has been around since the mid-1990s.

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Operators with long and/or delicate external- or sea-borders have been using the system for years. Brazil, Greece, Mexico, Pakistan, SaudiArabia, Sweden, Thailand, the UAE and, of course, the manufacturer have already gained substantial operational experience with the SAAB-340 and -2000 platforms and the Embraer-145. Now a next step follows – this time based on the Canadian Bombardier Global-6000 biz-jet.

For that evolution, the “ever researching explorer and pusher of technological boundaries” (as SAAB’s event narrator describes the organisation) has studied and trialled ways to substantially increase a performance limited by the predetermined antenna body and volume. Before detailing how, one limitation has to be mentioned: owing to the type of construction of the sideway-looking ski-box, only a 300° and not a 360° all-around view is possible. That means that a lobe of 30° to the front and rear is not permanently covered. This however – at least according to SAAB’s radarprogrammes director Lars Tossman – would be more than compensated

in the new 2-4 GHz S-band radar ‘Erieye-ER’ (Extended Range) thanks to its significantly enhanced detection and tracking performance over the previous system.

The Science Bit According to Tossman [see conversation below], that enormous increase in performance was only possible because the core TRM-element of Gallium-Nitrite (GaN) was used against GalliumArsenide (GaA), which did the job for the last 20 years. GaN initiated a fundamental change and restructuring in semiconductortechnology and the industry for HF (high-frequency) applications. GaNbased effector/transistors, with an operating voltage of up to 600V, have been tested in power-switches since 2012, allowing significantly higher switching frequencies.

For powerful HF-amplifiers, the material is particularly well suited since it enables a four to six times higher power density (in W/mm) than in GaAs technology.

In addition, its characteristics include a resistance to heat and

Air radiation, which – in addition to applications in the world of mobile phones – is of strategic importance for defence and space applications.

A major problem in the production of GaN-based devices is the difficulty of manufacturing large GaN-monocrystals to create ‘waffles’. Such is the term referred to in microelectronics and microsystems-technology when describing disks of around 1mm thickness that serve as a baseplate for the microelectronic components in highly integrated circuits. Several of these waffles are assembled directly behind one another within one TRM-module.

But how many of them are in the ski-box and what powerconsumption are they – individually or in total – offering? That was a question for Mr. Tossman to know and for us to merely ponder…

Significantly more time for decisions Since it was ground-tested and elevated while overlooking airand sea-space at SAAB’s facility in Gothenburg in western Sweden, the organisation is convinced that the new TRM-technology and signal-processing capacity will prove beneficial in combat. The new edition of the radar should offer a 70 per cent increase in detection and tracking performance against conventional air targets. Or – and this would be the breakthrough reflected in our headline – the same power as its predecessor (or of similar systems in the market), and against targets with only one tenth of the radar-cross-section (RCS)!

The radar should offer a 70 per cent increase in detection and tracking performance against conventional air targets particularly from frontal aspects.

But the Swedes now claim that GlobalEye will reinstate a “decent” (whatever that means…) timespan for the local battlefield commander to make his in-combat decisions. In confrontation with stealth or low observable aircraft, there will only remain a few minutes for reaction or warning. But that short time between detection and decision will be multiplied. Generally speaking, a 650km range/field of view is given, but since parts of the antenna elements can be focused onto a particular sector, considerably far more power can ultimately be

Of course, SAAB had to calm the sudden swell of excitement in the room by admitting that true fifth-generation stealth fighters (including F-22, F-35, Su-57 and J-20) – all with substantial differences among them – will continue to be harder to detect than a Typhoon, Rafále, Gripen or Su-30, Image: G. Mader

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provided. The question is whether it would be possible for GlobalEye to reduce or eliminate the need for own-side fighters to fly constant CAPs (combat air patrols) or if they can remain on the ground in QRA (quick reaction alert) status until needed for engagement, thus saving vital financial resources during peacetime and material resources in wartime.

While the counter-stealth aspect dominated most of the Q&A session, SAAB did not forget to mention what performance means when it comes to combating UCAVs or sea-skimming supersonic cruisemissiles. Naturally, not all potential users will face such high-intensity scenarios. That said, as a totally different illustration of capability, it was pointed out that the hovering helicopter threat – a long-term problem for airborne radars – would now have been solved thanks to Erieye-ER.

Other roles Since the platform allows for a swing-role capacity of up to 13 hours of airborne surveillance, the underside fuselage supports a Leonardo Seaspray 7500E 360° surface-contact radar on an AESAbasis, with about 400 km of horizon and a retractable STAR Safire

Air 380-HD electro-optical/infrared (EO/ IR) sensor gimbal. As an example of utility for the former, it was claimed that periscopes or ELINT/COMINTmasts of submarines or even jet skis (mentioned in the context of a special forces or terrorist scenario) can be detected beyond 70 km. In the latter, an indicator for moving ground targets (GMTI) has been integrated. Thus the tasks of AWACS (AEW&C), MPAs and JSTARS have been united for the first time.

Of course, such a critical asset would be despised among any potential enemy in a hot scenario.

SAAB knows that such forcemultipliers are a prime-target in all Chinese PLAAF areas of interest across Asia-Pacific waters, for example. Therefore SAAB counted DIB’s question on the state of protection as fully justified – is there not an extensive set of selfprotection equipment available for such a platform, offering various detectors, approach-warnings and countermeasure-launchers? In response, it was explained that

Image: G. Mader

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Users would not be advised to operate such a valuable asset alone, particularly in a crisis situation near to enemy airspace users would not be advised to operate such a valuable asset alone, particularly in a crisis situation near to enemy airspace. Thanks to GlobalEye’s outstanding detection performance, it would nevertheless be able to call for an escort at any time.

An eye in the sky for NATO? Launch-customer UAE – whose military is actively engaged from Yemen to Eastern Libya – reportedly paid over $1bn for the first two platforms ordered in 2015. That includes training, support and a SAAB security-concept for their base. A year later, a third aircraft was contracted for around $230mn.

Since the colourful roll-out, that first aircraft was successfully flown at noon on 14 March for 106 minutes. The UAE-AF markings have since been removed and temporarily given Swedish registration (SE-RMY). The date for delivery to the Gulf was unavailable to the press due to contractual restrictions, but will probably not happen before 2019. SAAB expects the launch for a replacement of NATO’s E-3A to begin close to 2028.

Air In conversation with SAAB radar programme developer, Lars Tossman of the new technology you are presenting here?

TOSSMAN: For our constant system development, there is always the opportunity to explain possible upgrades to current and potential customers. We are actively working with today’s customer base to explore their future needs for replacements or upgrades. And, naturally, it’s possible for existing customers to gain access to parts of these new developments.

DIB: Lars, what can you tell us about the upcoming flight and delivery schedules for GlobalEye? TOSSMAN: Unfortunately, I can’t comment on the delivery schedules, as this is sensitive information and has to remain customer-specific. What I can tell you is that what you see today is the configuration we will use for the upcoming ground- and flighttest phase [now complete]. There will be no changes to the systemunits or sets. This is it.

DIB: Did you test the individual key-systems ahead of installation?

Or will this now be a top-to-bottom testing and verification attempt?

TOSSMAN: Well, I hope it’s not just an attempt – like jumping into cold water! No, we’re pretty sure the components will perform as we anticipate. But of course, despite having a lot of experience, we will only know for sure during the test programme. That’s why it’s so necessary – to sharpen things, to measure the impact of vibrations of different flight-speeds, and so on. But the Erieye-ER radar was,

for example, extensively tested at Gothenburg. So we expect we will proof all the surveillance-systems quite early in the programme.

DIB: But of course there will be a ‘traditional’ flight-test programme in relation to crosswinds, de-icing, and so forth, right?

TOSSMAN: Yes, of course, there has to be. However I can’t give you an exact timespan or exact flighthours for those tests. But you’re right – crosswind testing will be of considerable interest with this type of configuration. We have considerable experience from the earlier types too. In terms of deicing, it’s often preferable to get rid of ice before it creates an airflowor gravity-problem, thus we have anti-ice and de-icing systems on different parts of the aircraft. We’ve also done wind tunnel trials with artificial ice build-up. In all, I see no big problems ahead.

DIB: You said several times today, with your customers you have the largest AEW&C/ISR share of the market. What do you do to keep those operators current and aware

DIB: You chose a high-end biz-jet platform for the GlobalEye. Is this configuration now considerably different when it comes to performance data compared to the basic G6000? And what is different for the user compared to the Saab2000?

TOSSMAN: Well, the Saab-2000 remains a powerful platform and we haven’t discontinued that that because of the GlobalEye...

The G6000 platform is offering much more envelope in speed and more than 11 hours of endurance DIB: …This is what Pakistan and Saudi-Arabia are currently operating with the Erieye?

TOSSMAN: Exactly. And it’s still adaptable. The G6000 platform

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Air is offering much more envelope in speed, in a flight-level up to F400, and more than 11 hours of endurance. It also gives the crew of around 10 – among five or six operators – a more comfortable working environment. It was chosen in conjunction with the UAE after an exploration of different types – which I can’t elaborate on – but it would also have been our selection.

DIB: Does SAAB have an agreement with Bombardier to get preferred production slots if another customer emerges?

TOSSMAN: We have a very good relationship and dialogue with Bombardier, so there’s positive feedback from their end if such a request arises.

DIB: Back to the mission: aside to working with the three basic sensor sets, is there an extra operator, let’s say, for ELINT or SIGINT? TOSSMAN: No, there’s no console for one thing and another for something else, as you might find in a submarine. Every console can do any kind of mission depending on the customer’s desire. It’s as easy as when you use your home PC and switch from Microsoft PowerPoint to Excel. For example, if the individual operator wants to do the maritime mission, he will simply click the sea map. So it’s a completely upgraded C2-system.

DIB: Then why is this shiny new tool not on the Flygvapnet’s agenda?

TOSSMAN: Who says it isn’t? But for any nation, not only ours, it’s a huge investment. The Swedish Air Force is already operating an AEW&C-system, tailored to their needs. They will continue to do so but my hope is they will also buy this new one. Within any defence budget consideration, it is down to them to prioritise. We see the same outlook for their current coastguard Q-300s and our Swordfish MPA proposal.

We are much more costefficient than the Boeing-707 airframes that use TF-33 engines DIB: Why is SAAB now targeting a very distant goal to replace NATO’s E-3As after 2035, which are considerably larger than GlobalEye? TOSSMAN: It does indeed look very distant and we are in very early talks with the alliance. But we all know how many years such large multinational undertakings have to be launched ahead of the preferred in-service date. One can easily spend his whole working life with three or four such large acquisition cycles – on both sides of the fence; industry or MoD. In terms of it being “much larger”…well, yes, but based on what technology? With our latest sensors and 13-hour endurance, we could easily do their job. Yet, we are for sure much more cost-efficient than the Boeing-707 airframes that use TF-33 engines.

Sure, they can be refuelled in-flight, but…well, let’s just wait and see!

Detection vs. Decision… Image: G. Mader

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The Briefing Room

Austria/Eurofighter: Another U-turn?

New defence minister orders review of previous plans to drop the Typhoon To understand today’s legally muddled situation surrounding Austria’s 15-strong Eurofighter fleet, DIB’s Georg Mader explains how this scenario – one that would rarely be possible in any other developed industrial nation – has been unravelling…

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s every enthusiast of European fighter aircraft will know, the Typhoon won an Austrian competition for 24 fighters in spring 2002, making Vienna the first launch-customer outside of the four core-nations.

In mid-2003, following national elections, EADS struck a EUR 2bn ($2.5bn) deal with the cabinet of Chancellor Wolfgang Schuessel for the sale of only 18 Eurofighters with Tranche-2 capabilities to Austria.

That lower figure was said to be due to unexpected factors, such as pressure to spend on public and medical services following severe floods in mid-2002. Deliveries and payments were contracted to also begin by mid-2007. However, the number was then reduced even further and downgraded to 15 Tranche-1 aircraft, partly used by the German Air Force and with only air-to-air capabilities. This order also lacked PIRATE (IR-sensor), DASS

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The deal was considerably altered in a manner that many felt lacked coordination and communication (EW/self defence) and BVR-missiles.

Blame for this setback is assigned to the Social Democratic Party of Austria (SPOE), which took control of Vienna’s MoD in early 2007. Left-wing politicians fought the decision fiercely – and were initially supportive of an alternative Gripen deal – before attempting

to fulfil an election pledge to cancel the acquisition, only to find no legally viable way to do this.

Within a few months, the deal was considerably altered in a manner that many felt lacked coordination and communication with the Chancellery, the Treasury and the Ministry of Economics. The former SPOE defence minister, Norbert Darabos – who was responsible for executing these damaging steps – has since suggested that military considerations were not at the forefront of these decisions but were purely political.

Delivery of the present aircraft was completed in 2009 and they were paid back in 18 half-year instalments until 2014. The Zeltweg airbase was adapted to contain them for over EUR 100m, and all 15 are rotating through daytime QRA (covering events like the WEF at Davos) with no attrition to date.

Integration was a daunting

The Briefing Room and challenging task, but was masterfully delivered.

Would EADS have delivered?

Nevertheless, doubts remain whether EADS would have been able to deliver the originally agreed order by 2009 had Darabos not disrupted the plan. This is because this version was only finalised with the NATO Eurofighter and Tornado Management Agency (NETMA) and industry in late 2004, more than a year after expected.

Nevertheless, some speculate an “over promise” was made in 2002 to ensure selection. Had they faced a challenge to uphold that timeframe, Austria would have been allowed to issue the usual penalties (of around 10 percent after a 60 day delay). Therefore Darabos now finds himself under public prosecutor’s investigation over abuse of office and monetary damage, having axed those possible penalties and instead inviting an increasingly expensive approach to operate and support the T1. It is no secret that spareparts and supports for the earlier tranche are now harder to come by – and will become even harder over time.

Despite the estimated EUR 80m annual cost to run the whole system, the Eurofighter has also remained unpopular within Austria’s military as it cuts deeply into the EUR 2bn (or 0.58 percent) defence budget share of GDP (2018).

But that’s not the fault of the aircraft – many argue that Austria’s size, public economy and GDP could easily allow it to acquire and run around 40 Typhoons.

What damage?

For 10 years, not much happened – at least not on the radar of the public. Then, in February 2017, Darabos’ successor Hans Peter Doskozil (also SPOE) announced a sudden lawsuit against 17 individuals at Airbus, claiming damage worth up to EUR 1.1bn ($1.29bn). Where did this accusation come from? Austria had used the system for a decade! The pending lawsuit claims all operation of the system since 2007 had been undertaken with deliberate deception on the manufacturer’s part, who it said had delayed delivery of the 15 aircraft and charged excessive operating costs while failing to declare EUR 183m in offset costs.

AIRBUS has empathically rejected these claims, with lawyers filing a detailed riposte to the Vienna Public Prosecutor in September 2017. However any decision by the prosecutors on whether that lawsuit will proceed to court or be thrown out is not expected until later this year. Currently the leading prosecutor is looking for legal experts to advise on what is a highly technical case. They have reportedly hired Jürg Weber, the retired director of the Swiss

Austrian Air Chief Bgdr. Gruber has ben left unimpressed by the political wrangling. Image: G. Mader

‘armasuisse’ authority, but he would be tasked with having to assess and validate the individual steps of the Austrian acquisition process that stood 15 years ago, as well as fournation’s former Typhoon production and assembly capabilities.

At a minimum cost of over EUR 2bn, it is little wonder the Austrian public were left gobsmacked In July 2017, Doskozil announced the findings of an internal commission, declaring that the former mutilated Eurofighter fleet would “offer too few critical capabilities for the running costs it creates.” At this point, a grim-faced Lt Gen Karl Gruber, the AAF Air Chief, cited the exact systems the minister’s predecessor, Darabos, had removed – cuts supposedly made at the time because there was “no war going on.” The suggested conclusion was to look for new fighters

Image: Georg Mader

Defence Industry Bulletin :: 27

The Briefing Room after 2020! At a minimum cost of over EUR 2bn, it is little wonder the Austrian public were left gobsmacked.

Are we back to square one?

We’ll soon find out (end of June at the latest). Austria is still recovering from the stalemate of endless grand-coalitions, and from the security and social impact of the recent migrant crisis – where Austria supported the German chancellor’s open-border stance until foreign secretary Sebastian Kurz came to office. Chancellor Kurz has since formed a new centre-right coalition government with right-populist (and militaryfriendly) FPOE influencing defence matters. Their new man in the MoD, former NCO Mario Kunasek, set up a commission to re-review all of the previous government’s 2017 defence decisions and to phase out Austria’s 15 Tranche-1 Eurofighters by 2020.

In February, the new Austrian defence minister presented the new commission chaired by LtGen Norbert Gehart, head of the general staff’s armaments and procurement section. The commission’s four subgroups have until the end of June 2018 to re-assess the future of Typhoon in Austria and of the Alpine nation‘s peacetime air policing and surveillance. This includes if and how to replace the remaining 50-year-old SAAB-105s, which still share air-policing duties with the Typhoon in a fortnight rotation. The decision if one or two jet-types are to be retained is also under review. This could be impacted by new market offerings, such as a plan to lease the Leonardo M346, for example.

Kunasek told DIB: “The new commission will take into account the findings of the task force set up by my predecessor, but I do not feel bound by his decision to end the Eurofighter programme that early.

Meanwhile, new information has

become available*, which calls for a re-assessment. What we report by the end of June is completely open. Minority reports – those not agreed by all four subgroups – of the findings are possible as well.”

* The Eurofighter consortium has offered to return the 15 systems removed in 2007 by Norbert Darabos. The consortium is also offering to keep Austrian Eurofighters up to date and to renegotiate what were considered to be overly high operating costs while offering a ‘flat rate’ for up to 1,500-2,000 flying hours per year.

LtGen Gehart added: “Since last year‘s report, new price information has been received for Swedish and American jets which will also be taken into account, as will offers by core Typhoon nations Italy and the UK to help achieve operational synergies.”

The decision if one or two jettypes are to be retained is also under review On the other hand, Austria’s treasury’s chief lawyer, Wolfgang Peschorn, said on 15 February: “Austria will not consider a new deal with the Eurofighter consortium until it receives compensation for the damage incurred.”

Munich abandoned investigations, against Airbus paying penalty Among other cases against Airbus, the tandem investigation taking place in Munich into the 2003 sale of Eurofighter aircraft to Austria has been abandoned. Launched in 2012,

Defence Minister Mario Kunasek has set up a commission to investigate all of the previous government’s 2017 defence decisions. Image: G. Mader

it has only recently announced that the allegations of corruption had not been confirmed. However, the Munich Public Prosecutor issued an ‘administrative penalty notice’ valued at EUR 81.25m ($99.56m), which Airbus has accepted. The penalty comprises an administrative fine of EUR 250,000 and a disgorgement of EUR 81m.

Funds that were unable to be tracked or addressed in connection with the 200 percent offset Austria had previously demanded were deemed by prosecutors to be a “negligent breach of supervisory duties of non-identified members of Airbus D&S former (EADS) management.” They alleged that the company had at that time the appropriate internal controls in place to prevent employees from making payments without proven documented services. However, the notice recognised the efforts of the company and its management to improve compliance culture and procedure since the investigation began.

In Vienna, prosecutors said that Munich has no relevance to their ongoing investigations. No doubt 2018 has more important military and legal decisions in store…

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