#55 January - February 2021 by EDR Magazine

N° 55 • January/ February 2021

MAGAZINE European Defence Review Countering naval mines: European, US and Israeli solutions

Armoured vehicles hybrid propulsion; the French and Italian cases

India’s Challenging Military Aircraft Programmes

The need to control the electromagnetic spectrum at sea

I S S U E N°

2021

Publisher: Joseph Roukoz Editor-in-chief: Paolo Valpolini Aviation & Space Editor: David Oliver Naval Editor: Luca Peruzzi European Defence Review (EDR) is published by European Defence Publishing SAS www.edrmagazine.eu

Naval & Robotics of Belgium, the consortium formed by Naval Group and ECA Group, will deliver to Belgium and Dutch MoDs the next generation standoff MCM capability centred on a ‘toolbox’ of off-board MCM systems. © ECA Group

Countering naval mines: European, US and Israeli solutions By Luca Peruzzi

Armoured vehicles hybrid propulsion; the French and Italian cases

India’s Challenging Military Aircraft Programmes

The need to control the electromagnetic spectrum at sea

By Paolo Valpolini

By David Oliver

By Luca Peruzzi

EDR | January/February 2021

Countering naval mines: European, US and Israeli solutions By Luca Peruzzi

Last November the OCCAR agency awarded Thales Defense Mission Systems a contract for the delivery to UK and French MoDs of full-cycle MCM ‘primary systems’ under the Maritime Mine Counter Measures (MMCM) programme. © Thales

With the future mine countermeasures capabilities becoming offered by unmanned and increasingly autonomous systems operating from less complex or multi-role motherships standing off from the minefield, craft of opportunity, or shore sites, instead of dedicated Mine Counter-Measures Vessels (MCMVs) capable to operate inside the mine-threat area, the European, US and main worldwide navies and industries are working on modular “toolbox” approaches. The latter include Unmanned Surface Vehicles (USVs) capable to autonomously launch and recover search and identification Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs), towed side-scan sonars and mine neutralizer vehicles in addition to aerial systems from the mothership, all connected and managed through a common command and control system. These unmanned and autonomous concepts require however to overcome both technological and operational challenges, including autonomous processing and target recognition, over-the-horizon data transmission and unmanned platforms power management. Based in La Spezia, Italy, the NATO’s Centre for Maritime Research and Experimentation is key in supporting the Alliance R&D in the underwater domain, with developments such as the Janus standardized underwater communication protocol, allowing all compliant assets and networks to interface without barriers.

EDR | January/February 2021

Royal Navy’s Maritime Autonomous Systems Trials and Training unit (MASTT) personnel operating the Thales Practis software system to display and manage data collected by TSAM sonar as part of MMCM programme. © Royal Navy/MASTT

France and UK together with the MMCM programme Among multinational and national programmes being carried out in Europe, last November, on behalf of French and UK MoDs, the OCCAR agency awarded Thales Defense Mission Systems a contract for the delivery of Maritime Mine Counter Measures (MMCM) ‘primary systems’ under the Phase 2 of the same so-called MMCM. The latter is aimed to provide a common fully integrated unmanned MCM ‘system of systems’, based on a remote C2 centre monitoring at distance a suite of unmanned surface and underwater systems, performing their tasks autonomously to limit the human exposure to mines and UnderWater Improvised Explosive Devices (UWIEDs), and providing a quicker and more efficient way to conduct MCM operations with a reduced footprint from both ashore and hoist ships. Following the Phase 1 in which two system demonstrators have successfully proven their capabilities at sea, under the national SLAM-F (Système de Lutte Anti-Mines Futur) wider programme, France will receive three primary systems, including the prototype upgraded to a production standard, in addition to a shore operating and training centre while the UK will receive three primary systems. France will procure a fourth system in 2021 while the UK-provided

As part of the MMCM, the Saab Multi-Shot Mine Neutralisation System (MuMNS) remotely operated vehicle (ROV) is used to re-locate and neutralize the threat once it has been located, identified and classified by towed or AUV-embarked Thales SAMDIS sonar. © Saab

pre-production MMCM demonstrator is planned to be upgraded for service. Led by Thales Defense Mission Systems (FR) and including Thales UK, L3 ASV (UK), ECA (FR) and Saab (Sweden) main subcontractors, the industrial team will deliver the systems from 2022 on, with France having plans for eight systems to be acquired and put into service by 2030, of which four by 2024. The MMCM system production baseline includes a portable and containerized operational centre (POC) by Thales, a 12 meters USV provided by L3 ASV and Thales and equipped with a retractable sonar, capable to deploy and operate alternatively Thales T-SAM (Towed Synthetic Aperture Multiview) towed vehicle with SAMDIS high-resolution and single path multi-view sonar to search, identify and classify threats, and Saab Multi-Shot Mine Neutralisation System (MuMNS) remotely operated vehicle (ROV), able to re-locate and neutralize the threat. The MuMNS is equipped with three reloadable munitions to accomplish multiple missions. The MMCM system can also operate AUVs according to OCCAR contract award statement. The Phase 1 demonstrator systems package features the ECA Group A-27M AUV equipped with Thales SAMDIS sonar to autonomously perform surveillance, localization and identification. For the production suite, the UK EDR | January/February 2021

MoD decided to launch a survey for new AUV/UUVs procurement, while the French DGA will evaluate and decide between large and medium AUV/ UUVs. The entire package is rapidly deployable by land, ship and aircraft. Each primary system for France will include, two USVs with Thales towed sonar, MuMNS and AUV/UUVs in addition to a common shore operating centre, while the UK system will feature the POC, one USV with Thales towed sonar, MuMNS and an undisclosed number of AUV/UUVs.

UK MHC Programme The Royal Navy’s Mine countermeasures and Hydrographic Capability (MHC) programme is bringing maritime autonomous systems on the front line through two initiatives. Under ‘Project Wilton’ the service established a UK peacetime route survey capability putting together two Atlas Elektronik UK (AEUK) autonomous 11 meters ARCIMS (Atlas Remote Capability Integrated Mission Suite) USVs which will be sided in 2021

Under ‘Project Wilton’ the Royal Navy established a UK peacetime route survey capability, centred on Atlas Elektronik UK (AEUK) autonomous 11 meters long ARCIMS (Atlas Remote Capability Integrated Mission Suite) systems. © Royal Navy/MASTT

BAE Systems has incorporated into its new family of Riptide’s UUVs family the latest underwater technologies, and enlarged the family with the UUV-12 medium vehicle. © BAE Systems

EDR | January/February 2021

by a 15 meters SEA Class platform also provided by AEUK and fitted with an advanced autonomy controller to launch and recovery mission systems or alternatively control and coordinate ARCIMSs. ‘Project Wilson’ will manage a fleet of AUVs including Hydroid REMUS 600 and 100, L3 upgraded Iver3 platforms as well as M500 ROVs together with hydrographic and COTS mine hunting sonars. The follow-on step will see the UK MMCM system addition. The other initiative called ‘MCM in a Box’ regards the development of a portable and modular mine-hunting and disposal capability to be forward deployed to the Gulf. All initiatives are aimed to replace legacy Hunt-class and Sandownclass MCMVs as well as hydrographic vessels with unmanned vehicles suites controlled from ashore or at-sea not-dedicated platforms.

Belgian/Netherlands future off-board MCM programme On May 2019 Naval & Robotics of Belgium, the consortium formed by Naval Group and ECA Group, was contracted by the Belgian Defence, also on behalf of the Netherlands MoD, for the delivery of the next generation BE/NL stand-off MCM capability based on mother ships employing a ‘toolbox’ of off-board MCM systems. The 10year contract, valued at almost €2 billion, covers the supply of 12 2,700-tonnes displacement motherships, six for each navy, plus a pool of around 100 MCM drones called toolbox, shared by the two navies and supplied by ECA Group. Last May, in the midst of the pandemic crisis, the consortium reached the systems functional review, which validated the functional and architectural studies of all ship-borne systems and drones, provided respectively by Naval Group and ECA Group. In charge of the ship preliminary design, Naval Group works in close collaboration with Kership of France who will carry out the detailed design of the ships and their construction. Kership’s activities will start after crossing the preliminary design review milestone, which was scheduled for last December. ECA Robotics awarded last September its Belgian subsidiary ECA Robotics Belgium the contract valued at several hundred million euros for the manufacturing and delivery of all unmanned platforms and mine destruction systems carried

The ‘toolbox’ of offboard MCM systems provided by ECA Robotics includes the A18-M AUV equipped with the UMISAS synthetic aperture sonar. © ECA Group

by the 12 mother ships. Each of these platforms is equipped with two lateral stations each capable to launch and recover an Inspector 125 USV, which can be equipped with two different sonar models. The 125-M will deploy the A18-M AUVs equipped with the UMISAS synthetic aperture sonar, the towed vehicle with the T18-M towed sonar and the mine identification and disposal system (MIDS) comprising the Seascan Mk2 and the K-ster C ROVs, all provided by ECA Robotics. The 125-S will conduct minesweeping operations, towing magnetic/ acoustic influence systems to be provided by the Polish Ośrodek Badawczo-Rozwojowy Centrum Techniki Morskiej CTM centre. The scope of the contract also covers the transfer and integration of the ECA Robotics UMISOFT software with Naval Group’s Multi-Drone Mission System (SMMD, Système de Mission Multi-Drones) for unmanned mission planning, execution and data analysis, as well as the integration with Naval Group’s Polaris

Command Management System (CMS) and the supply of UMS Skeldar V-200 unmanned aerial vehicles, equipped with surface mine search/ identification and communication relay. To perform these activities and provide local maintenance, support, training and configuration management, a new manufacturing facility is to be built in Ostend, its construction starting early this year for launching production activities in 2022. Spanning over a 10-year period, after a design period of three years, Belgium Naval & Robotics will move into the production phase of these drones, while Kership will start construction of the first-of-class mother ship, which together with its mission and drones suite will be delivered to the Belgian Navy in 2024.

US multiple programmes A mix of unmanned and manned systems deployed from the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS)

The mine identification and disposal system (MIDS) suite provided by ECA Robotics for the Belgium/ Dutch stand-off MCM capability includes the Seascan Mk2 and the K-ster C ROVs, the latter depicted here. © ECA Robotics

EDR | January/February 2021

The 12.7 meters long Common Unmanned Surface Vessel (CUSV) supplied by Textron Systems is at the center of the US Navy’s Unmanned Mine-Sweeping (UMS) and Remote Mine-Hunting (RMH) modules of the LCS MCM mission package. © Textron Systems

classes of ships and vessels of opportunity (VOO), is intended to fulfill US Navy’s future MCM warfare requirements, today provided by Sikorsky MH-53E Sea Dragon helicopters that will operate until at least 2025, and by Avenger class MCMVs, of which four of the remaining eight ships are planned to be decommissioned in Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24). In the meantime Mine Hunting USV (MHU) systems, consisting of 11 meters RHIB USVs towing an updated Northrop Grumman AN/AQS-24B synthetic aperture sonar with laser linescan sensor, continue to operate in the Arabian/Persic Gulf. The new MCM Mission Package (MP) module for LCSs includes a mix of underwater, surface and airborne capabilities, and is being considered for VOO deployment, as demonstrated since 2019, and was developed to counter deep, shallow, and tethered mines in littoral waters without putting personnel in the minefield. Capable to conduct detect-toengage operations, the MCM MP includes six modules; Northrop Grumman’s Airborne Laser Mine Detection System (ALMDS); the Airborne Mine Neutralization System (AMNS) based on Raytheon’s launching and handling system (LHS) and BAE Systems Archerfish neutralizer vehicles integrated on the MH-60S Seahawk helicopter; the COBRA (Coastal Battlefield Reconnaissance and Analysis) Block I system integrated on Northrop Grumman’s MQ-8B Fire Scout Vertical Takeoff and Landing UAV; the Buried Mine-Hunting 8

EDR | January/February 2021

(BMH) capability centered on General Dynamics Mission Systems’ Knifefish UUV; the Unmanned Mine-Sweeping (UMS) module; and the Remote Mine-Hunting (RMH) module. Both latter systems are based on the 12.7 meters long Common Unmanned Surface Vessel (CUSV) supplied by Textron Systems, towing the UISS (Unmanned Influence Sweep System) or the remote minehunting mission module. The latter includes the towed Raytheon AN/AQS-20C (or the AN/AQS24B) mine-hunting sonar in addition to the future Barracuda mine neutralization system. Compliant with international COLREGs collisions preventing at sea regulations, the NATO 4586 STANAG, the Joint Architecture for Unmanned Systems protocol, and the LCS communications architecture, the CUSV platform integrates the Textron Systems UISS towed module, represented by a magnetic/ acoustic sweep system which low-rate production was launched in Q2 2020 and was planned to reach the initial operational capability in Q1 FY21. The AN/AQS-20C sonar model offers, according to Raytheon, single-pass detection, classification and identification of volume and bottom coverage mine-like objects thanks to a sensors suite including wide-band multi-beam forward-looking and synthetic aperture side-looking sonars and a high-resolution electro-optic sensor. With an IOC planned for Q4 FY21 and a Pre-Planned Product Improvement (P3I) programme including automated

The LCS MCM remote mine-hunting mission module includes the new Raytheon AN/AQS-20C towed sonar offering singlepass detection, classification and identification of volume and bottom mines. © US Navy

The Raytheon Barracuda is an expendable, modular, mine neutralizer with an A-size sonobuoy diameter intended for employment from surface or, in the future, from air platforms, to autonomously reacquire and neutralize previously detected near-surface mines. © Raytheon

target recognition through FY24, the AN/AQS-20C together with the Barracuda mine neutralization system, will provide the US Navy a full-cycle semiautonomous mine countermeasures capability. The latter is an expendable, modular, mine neutralizer with an A-size sonobuoy diameter intended for employment from surface platforms (initially the CUSV together with the towed sonar) to autonomously reacquire and neutralize previously detected near-surface mines. Upon entering the water, the vehicle will conduct a search, capture an image and use a communications buoy to send the image to the operator in the MCM MP to evaluate the picture and order the weapon to fire, abort, or continue searching. With a detailed design and development contract awarded to Raytheon in April 2018, the Barracuda development is to be concluded in late FY24 with production approval milestone and low-rate authorization in FY25. In addition to the Knifefish medium class UUV capability to support clandestine mine detection

against volume, bottom, and buried mines, which will see the insertion of incremental capabilities through Block upgrades, as part of the US Navy’s Next Generation Small-Class UUV (SUUV) Maritime Expeditionary MCM programme testing and evaluation phase, the service has acquired the new generation Hydroid REMUS 300 and L3Harris Iver4 900 UUVs together with advanced modular payloads.

Under the US Navy’s Next Generation Small-Class UUV (SUUV) Maritime Expeditionary MCM programme testing and evaluation phase, the service has acquired the new generation Hydroid REMUS 300 UUV. © Hydroid

Germany, Sweden and Italy . . . The German industry has a long history in mine hunting equipment with Atlas Elektronik providing a complete package including the Integrated Mine Countermeasures System (IMCMS) covering the complete end-to-end mine warfare command and control and HMS-12M hull-mounted sonar, the SeaFox mine disposal family of systems in service and sold to a dozen NATO, friends and third navies worldwide. Moreover the Atlas

L3Harris is providing to the US Navy the latest Iver4 900 UUV as part of the SUUV MEMCM programme testing and evaluation phase. © L3Harris

EDR | January/February 2021

Elektronik UK ARCIMS (Atlas Remote Capability Integrated Mission Suite) multi-role autonomous/ optionally piloted USV, initially used primarily for minesweeping, is proving itself as a fullcycle semi-autonomous/autonomous minehunter with an unmanned systems package. While the German MoD is looking for a capability platform for combined MCM missions, able to control and deploy unmanned systems to follow the current Type 332 Frankenthal-class MCMVs, an evolved design of the latter non-magnetic steel platform has been selected and construction recently began by Abeking & Rasmussen shipyard for two platforms destined to the Indonesian Navy to be delivered by mid-2023. No further information has been released, but the new platforms are likely to be equipped with a mission suite including MCM drones belonging to the SeaFox family. The same shipyard is also proposing the new generation of Apex Protector MCMVs. In addition to an enhanced 52 meters long version of Koster-class MCMVs in service with the Swedish Navy, the Saab group has been working on a MCM concept based on a new mothership and its family of unmanned autonomous and remotely operated mine hunting and neutralizing systems to stay out of the minefield. This suite is based on the proven and in-service Double Eagle hybrid family with remotely operated, propelled variable-depth sonar and autonomous (Sarov) vehicles sold and in service with eight navies, sided by the Multi-Shot Mine Neutralisation System (MuMNS) recently contracted for the UK/FR MMCM programme, the SAM 3 minesweeping influence and the AUV-

Atlas Elektronik SeaFox mine disposal family of systems is in service or sold to a dozen NATO, friendly and third navies worldwide. © UK MoD crowncopyright

62MR long-range AUV for both surveillance and ASW training applications. With the latest Defence Planning Document 20202022, the Italian MoD unveiled activities on the soon-to-be-launched studies for a new generation of MCMVs, including both ocean-going and coastal platforms. Designed to be built in fiberglass and capable to operate in both stand-off as well as accessing the minefield area, both platforms are suitable to embark and integrate a comprehensive MCM Toolbox including ROVs, AUVs, USVs and UAVs. The Italian Navy currently operates the Gaymarine Pluto family of MCM systems, in service also with other navies. The Italian industrial team, which includes the L3’s Calzoni subsidiary together with Graal Tech underwater robotics, is working with the Italian MoD to develop a fullcycle minehunting system under the research and development Hunterwater programme, including an USV capable to launch and recover both a detection and identification remotely operated vehicle with side-looking sonar and a mine neutralizer vehicle. The 35-month programme includes the design, development and testing at sea under operational conditions.

...Norway, Denmark and Poland developments Saab offers a complete MCM suite including the proven Double Eagle hybrid family of remotely operated, propelled variable-depth sonar and autonomous (Sarov) vehicles sold to eight navies. © Saab 10

EDR | January/February 2021

The Norwegian Navy is looking to develop and field a new Naval MCM (NMCM) system with capabilities meeting key future operational requirements and expected to be based on and utilize unmanned

and autonomous systems, the programme starting in 2022. The Kongsberg group is expected to play a key role based on the know-how and solutions developed in the underwater and unmanned sectors. The Danish Navy is to upgrade its fleet of MSF-class manned and unmanned remotecontrolled platforms with Kraken Robotic Systems’ Katfish 180 towed high-resolution side-scan sonar with deliveries expected in 2022-2023. The same system, together with Teledyne Marine Gavia AUVs and Saab Deutschland Double Eagle Sarov hybrid ROV/AUV systems will equip the newest Kormoran II class MCMVs for the Polish Navy, of which the third and latest ship was launched last December.

Israel’s developments Drawing on decades of unmanned systems experience, in January 2021 Elbit Systems announced the contract award for the supplying of an undisclosed number of Seagull USVs to the navy of an Asia-Pacific country. Elbit Systems will provide the Seagull USV with a payload suite specifically configured to perform MCM missions. These USVs will integrate side-scan and forwardlooking sonars, mine identification and destruction ROVs. The Seagulls will also be equipped with the company’s autonomous suite, combat management system and satellite communication capability. The mission payloads and control systems will enable the customer’s navy to execute end-to-end MCM operations, handling bottom, moored and drifting sea mines. The deliveries and associated services will be performed over a 17-month period and will include the option to add technology

The Danish Navy is to upgrade its fleet of MSF-class optionally-manned platforms with Kraken Robotic Systems’ Katfish 180 towed high-resolution side-scan sonar. © Kraken Robotic Systems

modules for anti-submarine warfare operations. The Elbit Systems’ Seagull USV offers endurance of four days, sea-keeping missions of up to seastate 5 and the flexibility to control several vessels from the same mission control system. Capable to be operated in both manned and unmanned modes using line-of-sight and SATCOM links, Elbit Systems has already demonstrated remotely operated end-to-end mine hunting operations with Kraken Robotic Systems’ Katfish 180 towed highresolution side-scan sonar, the platform being also capable to work with ROVs and expandable mine disposal vehicles. The Seagull USV was deployed in several demonstrations and exercises with NATO maritime forces, including MCM trials in Belgium with the K5900 side-scan sonar and R2Sonic forward looking sonar, and in the UK with the Royal Navy, in addition to ASW operations with different dipping and towed sonars.

Elbit Systems announced last January the contract award for the supplying of an undisclosed number of Seagull USVs to an Asian-Pacific country equipped to perform MCM missions. © Elbit Systems

EDR | January/February 2021

Arquus Scarabée which is being shown for the first time out of France at IDEX 2021, is probably the first modern armoured vehicle with hybrid propulsion to be proposed on the military market. © Arquus

Armoured vehicles hybrid propulsion; the French and Italian cases By Paolo Valpolini There are at least two main reasons for which military forces as well as military vehicles manufacturers are looking with interest to hybrid propulsion, these being the capability to reduce acoustic and thermal signature, a key issue especially for reconnaissance and scout vehicles, and the increased silent or semi-silent watch autonomy. But these are only a few of the pros of a hybrid system, that couples an Internal Combustion Engine (ICE), a diesel in military vehicles, and one or more electric motors, depending on configuration. Parallel-hybrid systems are fitted with an internal combustion engine and an electrical machine, that can both individually drive the car, but can also be coupled up jointly giving drive. This is the solution usually adopted in armoured vehicles, the serial one being also a possibility in the next future, depending on Army wishes. The latter sees an all-electric drive, mechanical drive between the internal combustion engine and the axles being removed, the sole role of the ICE being to reload batteries that power electric motor drives. This solution is often used to increase autonomy of all-electric vehicles, mostly in the unmanned ground vehicles field. It also allows a greater freedom to the designer, as mechanical transmission can be replaced by electric cables if each wheel is driven by its own electric motor. Recently other configuration have been proposed, with multi-axle vehicles featuring some of their axles mechanically driven and some of them electrically driven, which can give birth to a sort of “hybrid-of-hybrid” configuration, playing with drives and clutches. EDR | January/February 2021

The French Ministry of the Armed Forces, Mrs. Florence Parly, pictured during last 25 September ceremony during which she announced the launch of the hybrid propulsion programme for the Griffon. On the right the front of the VAB ELECTER. © French MoD

e mentioned the two obvious pros of a hybrid solution. Let’s go a bit more in depth in the SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) analysis. Electric motors have a higher torque, ensuring higher acceleration at equal power, something important on combat vehicles. Hybrid solutions inherently generate more electric power, hence when the vehicle is stationary it can export a great quantity of that energy, i.e. replacing gensets when establishing a temporary

combat outpost. When patrols or convoys operate at distance from base camp fuel consumption might become an issue, imposing a heavy logistic footprint; tests and studies show that hybrid vehicles might reduce consumption around 20%, some estimates being even more optimistic, this depending very much on mission profile. Among problems to be solved, currently seen as weaknesses, we find energy storage, although Li-Ion batteries are still evolving, further increasing their power density, partly solving the weight problem that causes a payload reduction. As for fuel cells, most of them being hydrogen-based, the issue remains the danger generated by H2 when confronted with a fighting scenario. Range is also an issue, a compromise between payload, fuel and battery weight being inevitable. Water and electricity are good enemies: how much it will be possible to adopt hybrid propulsion systems on amphibious vehicles remains to be seen, even simple fording being an issue that needs special attention. Electromagnetic compat-

A Griffon 6x6 armoured vehicle; most of those vehicle will maintain the conventional powerpack, as only those fitted with power-hungry systems will be considered for hybridation. © Nexter

EDR | January/February 2021

In the early 2010s Arquus, then Renault Trucks Défence, developed a technology demonstrator of a hybrid propulsion armoured vehicle based on the VAB (Véhicule de l’Avant Blindé). © P. Valpolini

ibility with embarked systems is another element that has to be addressed. Coming to technology, the military can exploit R&D efforts made in the commercial vehicles field, both on cars and trucks, militarisation remaining the last effort to be made. What do the military want from hybrid propulsion? How much Europe is looking at innovative and standardised solutions? Which targets the single nations are setting for their R&D structures? We aimed at a comprehensive overview, but the COVID-related lack of exhibitions and the reluctance to share information on that subject from many players led to an analysis of what France and Italy are doing in the military hybrid propulsion field. That said EDR Magazine will be back on that subject as soon as more nations will be willing to discuss their programmes. For the time being let’s see what France and Italy are planning in terms of R&T and potential hybridation plans in the next future.

France: from the VAB Electer to the hybrid Griffon On 25 September 2020, speaking at the Support and Logistic Centre of the French Joint Military Fuel Service at Varennes-sur-Seine, 60 km southeast of Paris, the French Ministry of the Armed Forces Florence Parly announced her Ministry energetic policy for the years to come. The opportunity was the presentation of the conclusions of a working group

The first Griffon Command Post vehicle delivered to the French Army; due to the high power consumption of on-board systems when the vehicle is static, this is definitely one of the versions considered for the adoption of a hybrid propulsion system. © Nexter

on energy, which started its work one year earlier, the aim being to solve the trilemma autonomyefficiency-resilience, the three issues being to consume safe, to consume less and to consume better. While the document takes in count the overall energetic problem, some elements are linked to the subject of this article, and in her speech Mrs. Parly stated, “I announce here that we will build a hybrid Griffon demonstrator for the French Army within 2025.” Reading the document we find the following bullet: “An armoured vehicle hybrid demonstrator will be developed in 2022. It will provide criteria for the motorisation of Griffons and VBCIs that will be delivered in 2028-30.” On December 18, 2020, the French MoD ordered the Délégation Générale de l’Armement (DGA, the French government defence procurement agency) to launch that development plan, a contract being expected in 2021. Coming to the industry, Arquus is definitely the “hybridisation champion” in France, having led the team that developed the VAB ELECTER, a hybrid technology demonstrator programme that was launched a decade ago. EDR Magazine spoke to François Deloumeau, Arquus Innovation Advisor, on what the company is doing in the hybridisation field. “We will very much leverage the work done on the ELECTER, although a new electric machine will be used, as technology has moved on in the last 10 years,” he explains. The architecture will be the same, adopting a parallel hybrid solution, the EDR | January/February 2021

key elements being energy production and energy storage, Lithium-Ion high capacity batteries being considered. The leading issue that will lead to the Griffon hybrid version is on-board electric power availability. “Within the Griffon fleet around 400 vehicles will be produced in versions that will have on board power-hungry equipment, I am talking of the artillery observers (VOA) version, the command post (PC) version and the CBRN reconnaissance (Reco NBC) version, the aim being to provide them with sufficient power without adopting an Auxiliary Power Unit (APU), which would be a problem in terms of integration, consumption and signature, both thermal and acoustic,” Mr. Deloumeau says. The system will be developed in order to minimise the impact on the logistic footprint, the major work being adding the electric machine between the diesel engine and the gearbox, the latter being also changed, a semi-automatic one replacing the automatic gearbox of standard issue. It thus becomes an optional package, although the hybrid solution adds some cost hence Mr. Deloumeau does not see its use to be extended to the other versions of the Griffon, at least in the short term. The work on the Griffon will be carried out in team with Nexter and Thales, the other companies of the Armée de Terre Scorpion programme.

As for the VBCI, here the aim is to first solve obsolescence in order to ensure the vehicle operational effectiveness beyond 2025. The powerpack needs to be replaced, various solutions being considered. “We push for a hybrid solution considering the equipment the Army intends to add to that vehicle, which will require in the mid-term a much higher on-board power, hence it would not be wise to simply adopt a new conventional powerpack to discover a few years later that we lack the needed power,” the Arquus Innovation Advisor states. Here too the work is done together with Nexter, the neighbouring company, both are based in Versailles a few hundreds meters away one from the other, having also involved Arquus in a possible hybrid mobility solution for the MGCS, the Main Ground Combat System being currently developed by the French company together with KMW and Rheinmetall of Germany. “We again start from dual technologies, and we consider a parallel solution as it inherently provides system resilience, the electric element ensuring emergency mobility should the diesel fail and vice versa,” he explains. The solution should also be proposed for the French Leclerc main battle tank, which powerpack dates back to the mid 1970s and will have soon or late to be replaced. A hybrid solution would provide tactical advantages, silent run on batteries, high-

A hybrid solution is one of the proposals for the VBCI Mid-Life Update programme, which is currently in the early design stage. © Nexter

EDR | January/February 2021

When the Leclerc MBT which equips the French Army tank battalions will need an upgrade of its powerpack, Arquus is ready to propose a hybrid solution, which might bring consistent fuel savings. © Y. Debay

er acceleration coupling diesel and electric power, especially considering the higher and immediate torque provided by the electric machine, but considering the average mission profile increasing mission endurance might be the bigger benefit. “We found out that an MBT spends most of its time stopped with its engine idling, one of the worst situations from the consumption profile when considering current powerpacks.” The Leclerc engine running at low RPMs consumes around 40 litres per hour, while according to Mr. Deloumeau a hybrid solution would consume one fourth, which in the end would double the tank endurance, giving a three-day mission capability with one fuel tank rather than two, a considerable tactical and logistic plus. “Surprisingly we found that a similar profile is also considered for the VBCI and the Jaguar 6x6 reconnaissance vehicle, albeit the consumption of their diesels is much lesser than that of the Leclerc, hence the consumption reduction is also smaller.” Apparently a hybrid solution for the Jaguar is not being considered, however Arquus is thinking of a possible hybrid solution for its trucks, the company recently launched the new Armis family, especially for those that will carry power-hungry systems such as radars, allowing them to avoid the need of a genset. As anticipated energy storage remains the main critical issue, the average need being around 14 kWh for wheeled infantry fighting vehicles with a combat mass of 25 tonnes, increasing to some 100 kWh for MBTs weighing 60 tonnes and more.

Arquus should celebrate the commercial launch of its Scarabée 4x4 scout vehicle at IDEX in February 2021, a hybrid-born vehicle fitted with an ISAM (Internal Stator Alterno-Motor) machine and an automatic gearbox, which also leverages most of the lessons learned by the company during the VAB ELECTER development. It will be the first Arquus hybrid vehicle to be available on the market; the Scarabée has been shown for the first time in all-electric propulsion mode during the Arquus Day in October 2020, where it travelled silently behind bushes demonstrating its inherent stealthness.

The work on the Main Ground Combat System is underway although no firm solutions have yet been identified. The team is investigating among other also hybrid propulsion solutions.

EDR | January/February 2021

The French Army will soon receive its first Jaguar reconnaissance vehicles. This might benefit of considerable improvements in terms of acoustic and thermal signature, but apparently it is not considered for hybridation, at least for the time being. © P. Valpolini

Looking ahead the aim is to completely abandon fossil fuels, hydrogen being among solutions, but this will be a good topic for a further article as it definitely goes beyond the borders of the current one.

Italy: Defence and Industry looking ahead To understand the view of the Italian MoD EDR Magazine talked to representatives of the Secretariat General of Defence / National Armaments Directorate (SGD/DNA the Italian acronym), the organisation in charge of fostering and coordinating the technological research also related to armament materiel. This is done mainly through its 5th Departement “Technological Innovation”, which is responsible for implementing the National Military Research Plan, PNRM its Italian acronym. Its aim is to identify technological research programmes, on the national and international scene, and to select those that feature the best technological contents and potentially increase military capabilities. “These programmes are then co-financed, usually 50-50, between the MoD and the proponent, either industry, Academia or Research Centre, and are split into phases, usually three, with conditional financing tranches,” Maj. Emiliano Cappello, an Army Technical Corps officer, head of the PNRM Section of the 2nd Office tells EDR Magazine. He also makes clear that these programmes do not 18

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aim at developing a product, the output being usually a technology demonstrator at TRL 5-6, or a prototype at TRL 7. “Among the various technologies we are considering military vehicular hybrid propulsion as a first step towards electric propulsion, which is not yet feasible due to the unavailability of appropriate energy storage systems,” Maj. Cappello explains. “In the last couple of years SGD/DNA (through its Land Armament Directorate) started four programmes related to hybrid propulsion in the land domain, one at European level, known as Hybrid DT and promoted by the European Defence Agency, and three PNRMs which are being developed with Italian companies,” he says.

During the 2020 Arquus Day, the Scarabée was demonstrated in electric mode, showing its inherent acoustic stealthiness. © Arquus

Maj Manuel Tentarelli, also an Army Technical Corps officer, is the one who closely monitors the three PNRMs related to the subject of this article. “The aim of the Hybrid DT project is to establish which types of military vehicles are best suitable for hybridisation, and to identify the best technologies that would fit into military vehicles in terms of propulsion, energetic conversion and energy storage,” he explains, The programme is part of EDA Cat.B projects and involves seven other European countries, Austria, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Slovenia and Sweden. The first PNRM is known as ‘6VH-Power – Hybridable Internal Combustion Engine’, is worth a maximum of about 7 million Euro, and is being developed by Iveco Defence vehicles, in cooperation with Oral Engineering. The latter is an SME based close to Modena, established by three engineers involved in the automotive sector, one of them, Mauro Forghieri having been the technical Director of the Ferrari Formula One and sports section, and has established itself as a design, research and development centre for propulsion systems. “The aim of this project is to evolve the current powerpack of the 30+ tonnes VBM Freccia 8x8 IFV in service with the Italian Army in order to make it suitable for becoming part of a hybrid solution,” Maj. Tentarelli says. He explains that the objective is to increase the output of the current powerpack in order to improve the power-to-weight ratio, through the addition of an electric motor. “Together with other research projects, this might lead to a hybrid powerpack in 6-7 years time,” the design of the whole propulsion system architecture being expected at a further stage. Beside the power increase, this will provide also benefits in terms of acoustic and thermal signatures reduction, and an increased flexibility when considering new subsystems to be installed, thanks to the considerable on-board electric power available. The second PNRM is known as ‘112005-2CHDP – Design and development of an innovative 2-cylinder diesel hybrid propulsion unit’ and has been proposed by the aforementioned Oral Engineering, the MoD financial involvement being close to 2.5 million Euro, should all three phases being completed. “This power unit is aimed at light and me-

dium vehicles,” Maj. Tentarelli tells EDR Magazine, adding that the combined output of the diesel and electric units will be of 350-400 hp. “The innovation will be mostly in the diesel unit, which will have a double injection and a series of peculiar characteristics, also in the production process. Moreover, the electronic control unit will be produced entirely in Italy, a key element in terms of national autonomy.” Both the aforementioned PNRMs were financed in 2019, at least for the first phase. A further PNRM which involves a hybrid vehicle was launched in 2020. Known as ‘VTLM Esteering’, where ‘E’ stands for electrical, it aims to update the current LMV/ Lince-hybrid prototype, developed with a 2008 PNRM, in order to prepare the platform for a possible future integration with an Artificial Intelligence and / or remote control system that allows it to be used as an autonomous vehicle. Among the various changes to be implemented is the study of a new electric steering system to be used instead of the hydraulic one.. This would pave the way to the adoption of an ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance System), the electric steering being definitely much easier to interface than the current hydraulic steering. “It is not easy task, as the load on the steering axle is pretty high, the limit on that load being derived from the current hydraulic steering performances,” he explains. The maximum overall investment in this programme will be about 7 million Euro, half of which provided by the MoD.

An Italian Army Freccia in action in Afghanistan. Iveco DV and Oral Engineering are working on an R&D programme to develop a hybrid powerpack for this infantry fighting vehicle. © P. Valpolini

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CAD views of the purposely designed diesel engine under development by Oral Engineering; this engine is optimised for hybrid propulsion. © Oral Engineering

In general terms the two SGD/DNA representatives consider that fuel consumption reduction issues must be further elaborated, “The fact that hybrids consume less is a bit of a commonplace,” they say, “as this depends very much on the working conditions,” so in the end this will be dictated by the mission profile. “Looking at the use of motor-wheels, this would provide a mobility edge, as it would be possible to control the torque of each wheel, optimising it, while at architecture level we would get rid of the transmission and differentials,” keeping also in count that electric motors have a much higher torque at lower RPMs, and that the torque is reached in a much shorter time. “Of course Defence keeps a close eye on civilian developments, however military vehicles have one key requirement which

is robustness. And while electric components are more reliable than mechanical ones, they are much less robust, especially when considering fording capabilities and operations in extreme weather conditions,” Maj. Cappello concludes, underlining that many of the research programmes underway and in project aim at understanding which technologies can be applied to the military word. Coming to the industry, the major Italian player in the military wheeled vehicles, both armoured and logistic, is definitely Iveco, through Iveco DV and Iveco Astra, the company being also involved in the powerpack of all CIO (Iveco-Oto Melara Consortium) armoured vehicles, tracked and wheeled, as engine provider.

The right view shows the maximum dimensions of the Oral Engineering diesel engine designed as the base for a 350-400 hp combined hybrid powerpack. © Oral Engineering

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In 2008 the Italian LMV Lince was the subject of an R&D programme that led to a hybrid prototype; the louvers visible on the rear compartment ensure the cooling of the battery and electronic package. © Italian MoD - SGD/DNA

In 2008 Iveco DV developed a hybrid version of its LMV/Lince 4x4 light armoured vehicle, under a PNRM launched and financed by the Italian General Secretariat of Defence. The vehicle was tested on the road, on different mission profiles including mountain roads, and beside the obvious stealthness when used in electric-mode only, it provided over 20% fuel saving thanks to power regeneration braking that allowed to recover more than 70% of the energy when travelling downhill. “The Italian MoD recently decided to restart that development on the existing prototype, which legally belongs to the MoD, leveraging the work done and replacing legacy technology with state-of-the-art one in order to carry out further testing,” an Iveco DV representative tells EDR Magazine. The new PNRM will see the adoption of motors with increased working voltage, which will also feature a higher power/density ratio, as well as new technologies for inverters, and new battery packs with higher peak power density. The current prototype employs a 533 V electric machine providing 90 kW (120 kW peak) while today equivalents work at 750-800 V providing 125 kW (160 kW peak); moreover battery power density has increased in the last 12 years, which will allow to free the space in the trunk as batteries will be relocated. Part of the CNH Industrial group, Astra, the military truck manufacturer, is leveraging the R&D work done in the civil domain to adapt it to military needs, the

issue being reducing non-recurrent costs in order to provide products with an attractive performancecost ratio to the customer. The commercial sector is not looking only at hybrid propulsion but also at allelectric, however this seems a no-go in the military world (in the 2020s), but it can provide some interesting fall-out in terms i.e. of electric motors. Currently an experimental fleet of Iveco Daily, around several hundreds of vehicles, is travelling in European towns powered by an electrical machine providing a continuous power output of 90 kW each with a peak power of 140 kW, at a cost of a few thousands Euros. This R&D work is being extended to trucks, however those aiming at fullelectric propulsion have a battery pack that weighs around 3.5 tonnes, comparable to the weight of a manned medium calibre turret, definitely too much for an armoured vehicle where weight is always an issue. Hybrid solutions are thus the only option, the battery weight being reduced at around a tonne. These are also being considered for trucks designed for long journeys, the estimated fuel consumption saving being at least 15-17% till 40-45% when idling, according to the company. Leveraging commercial developments means a considerable cost reduction as well as an increase of reliability, due to the bigger numbers involved in the civil market. Parallel/serial hybrid developments are being carried out for trucks up to 42 tonnes GVW, a mass that fits perfectly with most 8x8 armoured vehicles and tracked infantry fighting vehicles, as well as with light tanks. The Italian Army aims at developing a new IFV, and this EDR | January/February 2021

will definitely feature a hybrid propulsion. Iveco DV also informally proposed a similar system for the Ariete MBT upgrade, but the military preferred to be conservative, adopting a more powerful diesel engine. According to information available, Iveco DV and Iveco Astra will develop a hybrid multiaxles chassis that will be one of the two options, the other being provided by Tatra, for the recently announced selfpropelled howitzer being1 developed by Spain, France and Italy and other countries in Europe; this will be armed with a 155 mm ordnance which should reach a range of around 100 km, hence a longer barrel than 155/52 mm ones, and with missiles with a range of over 300 km, a European version of the Long Fires initiative, aiming at contrasting A2/AD developments and deployments carried out by potential peer opponents. Both chassis, the Iveco and the Tatra, will be hybrid and will have common building blocks, such as electric motors and batteries.

A similar layout at reduced scale has also been proposed for the LMV/Lince, with an electricpowered forward axle and a mechanicallypowered rear axle, but has not been considered (this topology permits an extreme reliability in case of failure being the traction units independent and separate). Iveco DV also started the studies for a hybrid H-drive, this architecture being currently in use on the Centauro, Centauro 2 and Freccia 8x8 and other vehicles. The Italian MoD apparently showed interest in that very advanced, innovative and promising project, that should be aimed at vehicles with a GVW between 30 and 50 tonnes, hence also the potential replacement of the Dardo IFV in a future Dardo 2.0 powerline from traditional to hybrid with look in the full electric future when batteries, fuel cells, etc. will be available also for the military market. 1- Topic EDIDP-NGPSC-LRIF-2020 - A Platform for long range indirect fire support capabilities, European Defence Industrial Development Programme (EDIDP) 2020 calls for proposals.

The rear compartment of the hybrid propulsion LMV is fully occupied by batteries and electronics. A new programme aims at upgrading the vehicle, new technologies allowing a SWAP operation on electric elements, as well as the development of an electric drive. © Italian MoD - SGD/DNA

Astra and Iveco DV are leveraging the work done by Iveco on commercial trucks in the field of hybrid and electric propulsion. ©Iveco DV

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India’s Challenging Military Aircraft Programmes By David Oliver

Full operational capability (FOC) for the IAF Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas started 20 years after its first flight. © David Oliver

In the past two years, India has faced a number of threats to its stability including air battles between the Indian and Pakistan fighters over Kashmir, a confrontation with Chinese troops at Ladakh, and the economically draining COVID-19 pandemic. On 1 January 2021 India’s Ministry of Defence released its Year End Review for 2020. Compared to the previous review, there was an understandable emphasis on the Indian Air Force’s numerous outstanding aircraft procurement programmes.

ne of these is the troubled Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) which is a product of indigenous effort towards building a potent multirole fighter aircraft with contemporary capabilities. Named Tejas, the LCA is the first advanced fly-by-wire fighter aircraft designed and manufactured in India by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). Developed as a MiG-21 replacement, the first prototype flew in January 2001 since when the programme has been subject to frequent

technical and funding delays. The first LCA Squadron was formed on 1 July 2016 and to date, only 16 aircraft have been delivered to the IAF in initial operational capability (IOC) configuration although delivery of full operational capability (FOC) aircraft has also commenced. On 14 January 2021 the Indian Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) approved the procurement of 73 Tejas Mk-1A fighter aircraft and 10 Tejas Mk-1 trainer aircraft at the cost of approximately US$68 million. EDR | January/February 2021

Six of 36 Dassault Rafale D/E multirole fighters were delivered to the IAF in 2020. © Indian MOD

The review stated that HAL, the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) and the IAF have worked together to overcome the LCA’s teething problems which are present in any new induction. The FOC configuration has begun to roll out with improved weapons capability, enhanced flight envelope, inflight refuelling capability and advanced features for low speed handling. The procurement of 56 Airbus C-295 transport aircraft to replace the HS 748 with participation of an Indian Production Agency for the manufacture of 40 aircraft in India is also at CFA approval stage and contract is likely to be signed in the near future after a four year delay although the review had not mentioned any date or year for the US$3 billion

The IAF has ordered 12 more Su-30MKIs from HAL to bolster its diminishing fighter inventory. © David Oliver

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contract to be signed. The review claimed that the programme is the first of its kind which envisages participation of private Indian companies and would prove to be a boost for its defence industry. Also announced was the procurement of six Airborne Early Warning & Control (AEW&C) Mk-2 aircraft with associated equipment, which was granted by the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) on 17 December 2020 under the ‘Buy Indian’ category. The platform for the system is likely to be pre-owned Airbus A-319/321 aircraft acquired from Air India. The mission system design and development as well as maintenance of the system will be carried out indigenously thus providing a fillip of Indian defence industries.

The IAF has deployed its recently acquired fleet of 22 AH-64Ei Apache helicopters for night missions at Ladakh. © Boeing

A new fleet of Boeing CH-47Fi helicopters are adding the IAF’s heavy-lift capability. © Boeing

However, the MOD’s Year End Review for 2020 did little to address the IAF’s shortfall of new generation fighter aircraft as it retires its obsolete MiG-21 and MiG-27s. Against a governmentapproved strength of 42 fighter squadrons, the IAF currently operates only 31. By 2024, the force will shed the last of its MiG-21 squadrons and add only two or three replacement squadrons over the same period, taking its strength down to 30 as it approaches the quarter mark of this century. Yet India’s restive borders have not changed, nor has the scale of the military challenge posed by Pakistan and China.

of power in the region. The IAF recently ordered 12 more Su-30MKIs from HAL in addition to the 248 in service and 21 MiG-29UPGs to bolster its fighter inventory.

Six of 36 Dassault Rafale D/E multirole fighters ordered in January 2012 arrived at Jamnagar Air Base in Gujarat in 2020 and the IAF is set to receive 16 more by the end of April 2021. However, no matter how advanced the Rafale is or how effective its long-range weaponry, the addition of 36 jets will not dramatically alter the balance

Unfortunately the IAF’s attempt to acquire 144 new multirole fighter aircraft is likely to stall despite a government pledge to allocate US$17 billion for the programme. After changing its requirement for the selected aircraft to be singleengine, it was modified to include twin-engine fighters in February 2018. The manufacturers

The Indian Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal R.K.S. Bhadauria said at the end of 2020, “The IAF is fully prepared for any type of conventional conflict or any other conflict, including twofront war. We always focus on building up and preparing the IAF’s operational capability against the current threat scenario, and we are completely ready for a two-front war as well”.

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The first HAL Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) flew a decade ago but has been delayed by overweight and under performance issues. © David Oliver

The HAL LCH, here seen being flown by the Air Chief Marshal Bhadauria in 2020, still awaits IAF and Indian Army contracts. © HAL

now pitching for selection include Boeing with the F-15EX Strike Eagle and F/A-18E Super Hornet, Eurofighter with the Typhoon, Dassault with the Rafale, Lockheed Martin with the F-21 variant of the F-16, Saab with the JAS 39E Gripen and Russia’s UAC with the MiG-35 and Su-35.

Indian Army for 114 aircraft and the IAF for 65 aircraft. The MOD’s annual review stated that the government would finalise the plans for the LCH although HAL is awaiting a formal order of 15 aircraft, ten for the IAF and five for the Indian Army. The review also stated, “The LCH holds a lot of promise but is not really capable of carrying out missions in its current configuration. It lacks anti-armour and air-to-air weapons. That is work in progress.”

Dassault has proposed that if its Rafale, already being delivered to the IAF, were to be selected, they would be manufactured in India. However, due to the current economic downturn, a decision is unlikely to be made this year. Meanwhile, in January 2017 the Indian Navy released an international request for information (RfI) for 57 Multi-Role Carrier Borne Fighter (MRCBF) aircraft, possibly in co-ordination with the IAF, putting the Boeing F/A-18 E/F and Dassault Rafale in contention. The Indian Army, Navy and Air Force all have requirements for fleet of modern helicopters. The IAF has deployed its recently acquired AH-64Ei Apache helicopters for night missions and CH-47Fi Chinook heavy lift transport helicopters along the Line of Actual Control as the Indian and Chinese armies face down a bitter winter in the high Himalayas this year. A total of 22 Apaches and 15 Chinooks have been delivered to the IAF but the development of an indigenous attack helicopter is another victim of configuration changes, technical problems and bureaucratic delays. The first prototype of the Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) which flew a decade ago, is being developed by HAL to meet requirements for the 26

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The capabilities of both the AH-64Ei and CH-47Fi were further augmented by the recent Communications, Compatibility and Security Agreement (COMCASA), which formalised the integration of secure, bilateral communication networks between the United States and India in 2018. The helicopters were the first post-COMCASA hardware available to the Indian military. At the same time the US approved the US$2.6 billion sale of 24 Sikorsky MH-60R Seahawk helicopters for the Indian Navy to replace its Sea King ASW fleet. In August 2017, the Indian Navy floated RfI for 123 naval multi-role helicopters (NMRH) and 111 naval utility helicopters (NUHs). The roles of the NMRH would include ASW, ASuW and ELINT operations as well as performing support roles such as Combat Search And Rescue (CSAR). Options include the Seahawk, NH90 NFH and H225M. Airbus Helicopters has also offered the H145M lighttwin or medium-class AS565 MBe Panther for the NUH requirement. In India’s current economic situation, the numbers of helicopter

for these two programmes must be in doubt. On 5 January 2020, the Indian government cleared a proposal to buy 10 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) for the Indian Navy, reported Asian News International. The Indian Navy had issued an emergency proposal, worth approximately US$177.5 million in August 2020. The UAVs will be deployed on large warships in the Indian Ocean to boost surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities. Another delayed programme has been that for a single-engine light utility helicopter (LUH) that received the go-ahead in February 2009 reviving previously abandoned plans for an indigenous design. It was intended as a replacement for the IAF and Indian Army licence-built SA 315B Lama Cheetahs, and licence-built SA 316B Alouette III Chetaks. Designed for operating at high altitudes for missions including reconnaissance, scouting, transport of troops and equipment, and casualty evacuation, the LUH first flew in September 2016 after repeated delays. Of the 187 LUH planned to be ordered, 126 are required for the Indian Army with the remaining 61 for the IAF. In November 2020 it was reported that the LUH will initially be produced in limited numbers before a larger order is placed for both services. The IAF has been considering buying six used Airbus 330 multi-role transport tanker (MRTT) aircraft capable of performing mid-air refuelling to supplement its fleet of six Il-78s while in October 2020 Air Chief Marshal Bhadauria said

it could acquire midair refuellers on lease under the Indian government’s new leasing policy. He, however, clarified that “leasing” had got nothing to do with budgetary constraints, but is an evolution of the defence acquisition processes and procedures. “It will give the service some flexibility. The IAF has been trying to acquire its critical need of mid-air refuellers for long time,” he added. While unveiling the Draft Defence Procurement Procedure 2020, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had introduced the lease category to give flexibility to military to procure equipment on rent instead of buying it from the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM). Deputy Chief of IAF, Air Marshal Sandeep Singh, also confirmed that the IAF is in the process of sending out an RfI for leasing trainer aircraft for a relatively short period. The HAL HTT- 40 turboprop basic trainer being developed by the HAL to replace more than 100 obsolete Kiran basic jet trainers operated by both the IAF and the Indian Navy, has had a protracted development. It made its maiden flight in May 2016 but the IAF’s acquisition of 75 Pilatus PC-7 Mk II in 2012 put the HTT-40’s future in doubt, however in August 2020 the DAC approved procuring 106 HTT-40s. Air Marshal Singh added that leased trainers could be procured for four-five years until HAL completes its final HTT-40 trials. The Indian Navy has also opted to lease helicopters following the MOD’s failure to finalise the

The HAL Light Utility Helicopter (LUH), seen during high altitude trials, will initially be produced in limited numbers for the IAF and the Indian Army. © HAL

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US$2.94 million programme to procure 111 indigenous twin-engined LUHs to replace the HAL Chetak that first entered service 50 years ago. The Indian Navy urgently needs to lease 12-15 LUHs that will be operated by Navy aircrew to transport supplies and personnel to ships at sea. Also included in the MOD’s Year End Review for 2020 the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) will be receiving two out of 16 HAL Dhruv Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) Mk.III helicopters in January, and by September 2021 all the 16 helicopters, which were ordered in March 2017, are expected to be inducted in the ICG. They will be equipped with Automatic Identification System (AIS), High-Intensity Search Light (HISL), Integrated Architecture Display System (IADS), Surveillance Radar, Electro-Optic Infra-Red (EOIR) system, and a 12.7 mm Cabin Mounted Gun. The 2.5 tonne twin-engine Dhruv was designed to meet requirements of the Indian Armed Forces and more than 250 have been in service since 2002. The first delivery of the ALH Mk.I was made to the ICG but due to ship-based operations failing to meet expectations the type was withdrawn. The Mk.III is fitted with upgraded Shakti turboshafts, licence-built Safran Ardiden. The annual review also said that the ICG is planning to procure 14 twin-engine heavy helicopters (TEHH), the contract for which is expected to be issued by March 2022 with the helicopters to be 28

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delivered by 2025-26. They will be deployed from shore-based stations and also have the capability of undertaking stage through operations from ICG ships. For the procurement of these helicopters, an Acceptance of Necessity was given by the DAC in January 2020 and the RfP was issued to four global vendors last summer which included Airbus Helicopters, NHIndustries and Sikorsky. These helicopters will undertake maritime surveillance, SAR, medical evacuation and pollution response missions up to 200 nm from the coastline. One subject that was not addressed in the 2020 review was the IAF’s requirement for a fifth-generation Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) which is to be developed indigenously by ADA and HAL to reduce dependency on foreign allies and support India’s Self-Reliant India campaign. The programme was first announced when an Indian Air Force Staff Requirement was issued in April 2010 with a maiden flight forecast for 2017, which has now been put back by almost a decade.

Sixteen HAL Dhruv Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) Mk.III helicopters will be delivered to the Indian Coast Guard this year. © Indian MoD

The Vigile D RESM is baed on the latest wideband digital receiver technology developed by Thales UK for the UK Royal Navy, starting with the Daring-class guided missile destroyers. © UK MoD image Crowncopyright

The need to control the electromagnetic spectrum at sea By Luca Peruzzi The increasing congested electromagnetic environment in the littoral warfare and the latest generation anti-ship missiles, electronic attack and asymmetric threats mixed with expanding civil signals require high situational awareness and electronic intelligence (ELINT) capabilities in both open and littoral waters. To respond to worldwide navies needs, the European, Israeli and US electronic warfare systems providers are reinforcing their capabilities towards a wider digitalization and software defined application of radar and communication electronic support measures (RESM and CESM) and countermeasures (RECM and CECM) equipment, looking to a multi-domain EW and networking capability in the fleet, in addition to a widespread use of cyber defence and off-board RESM/RECM for extended self-protection and electronic attack (EA).

UK and France The Thales group’s families of Vigile RESM and Altesse CESM/COMINT (communication intelligence) systems are expanding their portfolio of customers as the company is working on new developments. Based on the latest wideband 30

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digital receiver technology developed by Thales UK for the Royal Navy, the all-digital Vigile D uses a patented wideband software-defined digital receiver technology that overcomes previous generation analogue receiver limitations and allows monitoring multiple-overlapping signals maintaining 100% probability of intercept (POI)

The Vigile D has been ordered in 2019 also by the Dutch MoD for the navies of the Netherlands and Portugal. Here depicted one of the two frigates that will receive the system during an upgrading programme. © Portuguese Navy

against all signals regardless the type of power, that includes BAE Systems and CGI, the Lockheed in addition to electronic intelligence capabilities. Martin UK teaming with Elbit Systems UK, as well as Covering the standard 2-18 GHz (extended 0.5the Electronic Warfare Countermeasures (EWCM) 40 GHz) frequency band with a -65 dBmi system project covering soft-kill countermeasures. The (higher on request) sensitivity, the high-end Vigile EWCM Increment 1a phase will see the launch of a D has been ordered in 2019 also by the Dutch competitive tendering process for a new trainable MoD for the navies of the Netherlands (four ships decoy launcher by May 2021 according to UK installation) and Portugal (two frigates retrofit) MoD, with subsequent effort centered on potential while other NATO navies are actively exploring its maritime off-board active decoy technologies and procurement, according to Thales. The company electronic payloads. In the meantime, the Royal also confirmed the Vigile D comes with a new Navy is regaining a surface CESM capability, compact antenna reducing size, weight and power equipping the Type 45 destroyer with the Shaman requirements, while a new generation is under CESM suite based on the US Navy’s AN/SSQdevelopment to further reduce the overall ESM 130(V) Ship Signal Exploitation Equipment (SSEE) solution footprint. At the low-cost end of the RESM Increment F suite provided by Boeing-owned family, purposely designed for passive networked systems and sensors house ArgonST. maritime and coastal waters surveillance, the current Vigile LightWeight covers the 2-18 GHz Exploiting all-digital and software defined Vigile frequency range in a compact suite with a reduced D technologies, Thales is also under contract to weight antenna solution while processing is develop the next-generation Sentinel RESM suite conducted on commercial PC hardware and data for the French MoD to be installed initially on provided on laptop/multifunction console. To board the Frégates de Défense et d’Intervention cope with present and future threats, according (FDI), to be delivered from 2023. The Sentinel to official sources, the UK MoD has recapitalized RESM is described as an advanced all-digital the Royal Navy’s surface ship EW programmes in the single Maritime Thales is under contract to develop the Electronic Warfare Programme next-generation Sentinel RESM suite to be installed on board French Navy’s (MEWP). The latter includes the Frégates de Défense et d’Intervention Maritime Electronic Warfare System (FDI), to be delivered from 2023. Integrated Capability (MEWSIC) © Naval Group intended to deliver electronic surveillance enhancements such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), an EW command and control (C2) and operational support capability which has so far attracted the interest of the Thales UK-led team EDR | January/February 2021

the consortium-provided suite for Horizon-type destroyers.

Italy To satisfy the Italian Navy’s demanding electronic warfare requirements for the new generation combatant platforms including the Thaon di Revel-class Pattugliatori Polivalenti d’Altura In fall 2019 the French Defense Innovation Agency (AID) launched a call for the study and development of a new generation of off-board active decoys, to which (PPA) and the Trieste-class LHD, Lacroix Defense responded with VESTA (Versatile EW Self-protection Tactic the Elettronica Group developed onboard unmanned Aircraft). © Lacroix Defense a modular integrated EW suite, system built around a modular architecture which characterized by scalable architecture and guarantees electromagnetic compatibility with lightweight, capable to support the full spectrum modern shipboard systems and is capable of of military/crisis management/homeland security precisely identifying fast maneuvering threats in operations. Managed by the company’s ELT/950 complex RF environments encountered in littoral EW command and control application, the new waters. The new generation EW suite for the next generation integrated EW suite provides RESM generation platform is also reported to include (in C-K band), RECM (E-J band) and CESM the latest family derivative of Thales Altesse functions as a baseline, with an open architecture CESM and fitted-for decoy launchers, RECM to integrate decoy launchers with passive and offand off-board active decoy systems. Already board active decoys, directional countermeasures widely deployed on French, foreign, FREMM- and against electro-optical/infrared threats and offHorizon destroyers-operating navies in previous board R/CESM-equipped unmanned platforms, versions, the Altesse H is the new high-end to enhance the over-the-horizon surveillance. CESM and COMINT solution for alert, situation Centered on Elettronica’s Virgilius ‘all-in-one’ awareness and strategic missions in high density break-through fully integrated ESM-ECM environments to cover the V/UHF (30-3000 MHz) system architecture, with reprogrammable digital and HF (down to 1-30 MHz as option) bands with processing and optimal resource allocation based wideband instantaneous bandwidth and intuitive on artificial intelligence, the second-generation machine interface for tactical and strategic derivative Zeus integrated suite is capable to intelligence. The French Defense Innovation perform alarm, surveillance and countermeasure Agency (AID) launched in fall 2019 a call for the study and development of a new generation of off-board active decoys by the French industry. Among the few companies responding was Lacroix Defense with the VESTA or Versatile EW Self-protection Tactic onboard unmanned Aircraft, mixing a pyrotechnic launcher with a maneuvering unmanned air vehicle, which can conduct a specific mission with an active jammer payload to better respond to latest generation and deadly missile threats. Under the SIGEN consortium with Elettronica, Thales is providing the RESM To satisfy the Italian Navy’s demanding electronic warfare requirements for the new generation combatant platforms element of the integrated RESM/RECM suite (in including the Thaon di Revel-class Pattugliatori Polivalenti addition to Thales Altesse CESM) for FREMM d’Altura (PPA), Elettronica Group developed a new generation modular and integrated EW suite. © Luca Peruzzi frigates, reportedly looking to enhancements to 32

EDR | January/February 2021

Under the SIGEN consortium with Thales, Elettronica is providing the RECM element of the integrated RESM/ RECM suite for FREMM frigates, reportedly looking to enhancements to the consortium-provided suite for Horizon-type destroyers. © Giorgio Arra

transmissions (burst and frequency hopping) in vertical polarization in the frequency range from 30 MHz up to 3 GHz (option to 6 GHz). To cope with the present and future cyber operational environment, the suite is designed to be integrated with an advanced internal monitoring module, the Real Time Analytics solution provided by Cy4Gate, the joint-venture with Expert System within the ELT Group, which controls and identifies possible anomalies, prompting specific countermeasures. The first platform to enter in service with the new integrated suite will be the first-of-class PPA later this year while the same family of EW suite equips the new multirole corvettes, offshore patrol vessels and landing platform ship under delivery from 2021 to the Qatar Emiri Naval Forces. Elettronica also conducted trials for the integration of the airborne ELT/600 DIRCM multiple-bands laser solution to cope with EO/IR threats in the naval environment, and is offering the integration of its ready-to-fly ELT/1000 RESM and ELT/1001 CESM payloads for tactical UAVs. Both miniaturized systems offer reduced size, weight and power consumption and use third parties’ platform datalink to provide data to the mother-ship platform.

functionalities in the RF domain. Its architecture includes interference-resilient wide-open multiple digital receiver with high sensitivity covering C-J and Ka bands, real-time multiple superheterodyne digital receiver tuning permitting detection under strong interference, receiving and transmitting AESA and full-band (C-J) countermeasures generation RECM based on solid-state phased array technology and reprogrammable digital radiofrequency memory (DRFM). The latest generation Germany, Sweden and Turkey RECM antennas offer reduced size, weight and The Rohde & Schwarz group, through its more advanced jamming capabilities compared to Marinesysteme company, is currently providing an the ELT/4100 Nettuno family jammer used by the integrated RESM/CESM suite known as Kora 18, SIGEN EW suite. Elettronica is however working initially to equip German Navy’s F125-class ships; to provide Electronic Attack (EA) capabilities as according to the latest renderings, provided with well as introducing off-board active expandable the contract award last June, the same equipment decoys and further pursuing the artificial intelligent should also equip the new MKS180/F-126 application to its products to create cognitive frigates. Centered on Rohde & Schwarz CESM EW capabilities, enabling new functionalities and boosting and/or improving existing ones. The Rohde & Schwarz group through its The ELT/332 CESM is part of a new generation of software/ firmware defined sensors designed for fast real-time interception, direction finding and automatic classification of complex broadband communication signals, including frequency-agile and elusive

Marinesysteme company is providing an integrated RESM/CESM suite known as Kora 18, to initially equip German Navy’s F125-class frigates. © German Navy

EDR | January/February 2021

The Rohde & Schwarz group through its Marinesysteme company is providing an integrated RESM/CESM suite known as Kora 18, to initially equip German Navy’s F125-class frigates. © German Navy

and Rockwell Collins CS-3600 RESM solutions, the suite features the Rohde & Schwarz ACD001 highly integrated R/CESM antenna system, which covers the 1 MHz - 18 GHz (expandable to 40 GHz) and can practically accept a RESM-module provided by any manufacturer. Turkish’ Aselsan group is offering the indigenous ARES-2 integrated suite for both new-built and retrofit vessel programmes. The family includes both the Aselsan ARES-2NC RESM operating in the 2-18 GHz frequency range and employing wide-band digital receiver architecture, and the AREAS-2NC RECM featuring DRFM and 7.5-18 GHz compact ECM antennas. Swedish Saab group is promoting its family of U/SME RESM and ELINT suites families for respectively submarine and surface vessels. The most sophisticated application is the U/SME-250 characterized by a digital analysis receiver (DRx),

which enriches the U/SME-150 capabilities providing multiband coverage (0.5-18 GHZ and 32-40 GHz), ELINT and situational awareness in parallel, digital receiver analysis capability, higher resolution ELINT analysis and LPI detection analysis. Saab Sensor Systems Germany offers a range of applied technologies and solutions in the CESM, COMINT domain for both surface vessels and submarines.

Spain The Spanish Navy and the national industry, led by Navantia and Indra, are in the verge of launching the construction activities on the first of the five F-110 Bonifaz-class multi-purpose frigates. It will be equipped with a new generation integrated EW system that is based on new and current developments. Widespread on latest fleet ships of the Armada Española including the Alvaro de Bazãn-class frigates and the Juan

The Spanish Navy and the national industry led by Navantia and Indra are in the verge of launching the construction of the first of the five F-110 Bonifaz-class multi-purpose frigates. These will be equipped with a new generation integrated EW system called ‘REW CEW’. © Navantia

EDR | January/February 2021

Carlos I LHD, as well as foreign navy ships, such as K-130 German Navy’s corvettes, the Mexican Navy’s new Damen-built long-range Offshore Patrol Vessel (POLA) and the under construction Navantia-designed corvettes for Saudi Arabia, the RESM system of Rigel integrated suite is based on Indra’s in-house digital reception technology. This provides very high sensitivity and high accurate DF measurement within wide-band instantaneous coverage (2-18 GHz) and frequency range extension against latest RF threats. The RECM system provides self-protection against single and multiple threats (6-18 GHz) in configurations with both mechanical or electronically pointing transmitter antennas. Indra also offers the Regulus CESM/CECM suite already in service. In June last year Navantia as prime contractor has assigned to Indra a comprehensive contract for equipping the new generation F-110 frigates with radars and EW equipment to find accommodation into the integrated mast and superstructures. Indra is developing a new generation RESM/RECM/CESM/CECM integrated suite dubbed ‘REW CEW’. Thanks to the development of new algorithms for massive data collection, artificial intelligence and a modular ECM antenna, the new Rigel i100 RESM/RECM suite will allow the detection of complex radar signals and will provide countermeasures to deal with these detected threats simultaneously. The new modular and scalable Regulus i100 CESM, will feature enhanced performances, increasing the frequency band, scanning speed, dynamic

range and instantaneous bandwidth for detection, location and classification of emitters in the communications band.

Israel Early last December, the first of the four new Sa’ar 6-class multirole corvettes for the Israeli Navy has arrived in country after being delivered to the service in Germany at the thyssenkrupp Marine Systems shipbuilder facilities. The new corvettes will represents a shift in naval doctrine for the Israeli Navy, which will use these platforms to protect the exclusive economic zone and its oil and gas rigs. To cope with the new mission, the combat system will include an Elbit Systems EW suite based on combat proven and new technologies, developed in close cooperation with Israeli MoD and Navy, which were declared operational after completing intensive sea trials. EDR Magazine understood the new EW solution leverages on systems and technologies derived from the company’s operationally proven Aqua Marine integrated RESM, CESM, ECM and LWS suite, also sold to foreign customers. Characterized by an open and modular architecture, Elbit Systems’ EW solutions utilize the latest digital and signal processing technologies, with fifth generation digital receivers, covering ultrawide frequency range up to 40 GHz and advanced Real Time (RT) and modern software, the systems being optimized to provide situational awareness and ELINT signal analysis. Capable to ensure

The combat system of the new Sa’ar 6 multirol corvettes for the Israeli Navy will include a new generation Elbit Systems EW suite based on combat proven and new technologies, developed in close cooperation with Israeli MoD and the service. © Israeli MoD

EDR | January/February 2021

Under the Advanced Offboard EW (AOEW) programme, Lockheed Martin is developing the new AN/ALQ-248 Active Mission Payload (AMP) for integration with US Navy’s MH-60R/S multi-mission helicopters to fill identified classified EW gaps against existing threat (without current countermeasure) and enhance overall surveillance and countermeasure capabilities against anti-ship missile threat. © Lockheed Martin

effective self-protection and Electronic Attack (EA) capabilities as well as force protection, the ESM subsystem is highly integrated with the ECM subsystem utilizing DRFM technologies and high power AESA (active electronically scanned array) solid state transmitters (SSA), enabling effective response against simultaneous and multi-type threats. The new corvettes are to be equipped also with Rafael Advanced Defense Systems C-GEM rocket-powered off-board expandable active decoy (OBAD) with wideband frequency range, extended spatial coverage, solid-state active array and electronic beam steering techniques, in addition to fire-andforget and very-fast response. Rafael has been successful on supplying naval EW systems in various configurations to the Israeli Navy and other worldwide navies, including the complete SEWS-DV (Shipborne Electronic Warfare Suite-Digital View) integrated EW suite, combining the C-Pearl-DV ESM and Digital Shark RECM subsystems. SEWS-DV is based on 36

EDR | January/February 2021

digital receivers and digital technique generators, optimized to handle very dense electromagnetic environments. Characterized by a 0.5-40 GHz frequency coverage and a better than -65dBmi sensitivity, the C-Pearl ESM utilizes a lightweight single antenna design, which combines the functions usually associated with separate omni and DF arrays. Capable of threat identification and simultaneous jamming and depiction of multiple threats, the Digital Shark RECM consists of a digital receiver and a DRFM-based technique generator integrated with multi-beam array transmitters (MBATs), capable of simultaneous jamming several threats.

United States The Surface Electronic Warfare Improvement Programme (SEWIP) is revamping and revolutionizing the US Navy’s Electromagnetic control and exploitation approach. Through a series of spiral developments and incremental upgrades to open the architecture, mitigate obsolescence, im-

prove sustainability, and progressively introduce advanced electronic support (ES) and electronic attack into the legacy AN/SLQ-32 electronic warfare (EW) system, the SEWIP is segmented into Block 1B, 2 and 3 upgrades, Soft Kill Coordination System (SKCS) and a planned Block 4 providing EO/IR surveillance/countermeasures. According to US Navy documentation, the Block 1B addressed obsolescence, improved the console display and introduced special signal intercept capabilities including the high gain high sensitivity (HGHS) sensor. The SEWIP Block 2 provides improved Anti-Ship Missile Defence (ASMD) and situational awareness through an enhanced Electronic Support (ES) receiver, antenna and open combat system interface, forming with previous enhancements the AN/SLQ-32(V)6. Developed and produced by Lockheed Martin, the latter is equipping DDG-51s and soon large deck amphibious ships and DDG 1000s. Lockheed Martin also developed and tested at sea on a littoral combat ship (LCS) a compact SEWIP Block 2 system, dubbed SEWIP Lite, offering same capabilities of the larger package but for smaller platforms, and was selected for the LCS, US Coast Guard OPC (Offshore Patrol Cutter) and other programmes. The SEWIP Block 3 will provide an integrated Electronic Attack (EA) capability through a transmitter, array, and associated EA techniques. Under development and testing by Northrop Grumman, the Block 3

or AN/SLQ-32(V)7 variant, is planned to conduct initial operational testing and evaluation in Q4 FY22. Thanks to a soft kill coordination system (SKCS) software and Link 16 connection, the new variant will also manage both on- and offboard RF countermeasures. Under the Advanced Offboard EW (AOEW) programme, awarded to Lockheed Martin in January 2017, the company is developing the new AN/ALQ-248 Active Mission Payload (AMP) to be integrated on US Navy’s MH-60R/S multi-mission helicopters to fill identified classified EW gaps against existing threats (without current countermeasures) and enhance overall surveillance and countermeasure capabilities against anti-ship missile threats. Designed to be operated independently or in coordination (using Link 16 messages) with the ship EW suite, the self-contained EW pod hosts high-sensitivity receiver and electronic attack (EA) subsystems. Developmental and operational testing are scheduled to be respectively completed in FY22 and FY23 to support full rate production in the same fiscal year. Cobham Integrated Electronic Solutions is Lockheed Martin’s partner and major subcontractor for the AN/ALQ-248. Under the Advanced Decoy Architecture Program (ADAP), Harris is developing a new electronic seduction payload for the Australian/US Nulka active offboard decoy system produced by BAE Systems Australia.

The SEWIP Block 2 providing improved AntiShip Missile Defence (ASMD) and situational awareness through an enhanced Electronic Support (ES) receiver and the SEWIP Block 3 adding Electronic Attack capabilities, is equipping present and future DDG-51 destroyers. © HII

EDR | January/February 2021

MAGAZINE European Defence Review European Defence Review (EDR) is the first magazine in English focusing on defence issues with a European perspective and one which is fully managed by well-known journalists specialised in defence and security. EDR addresses every topic of the defence sector: equipment and industrial issues, armed forces and operations, but also strategic and political news concerning defence and security issues. Although the articles will be mainly focused on European topics, the review also discusses the main countrie’s partners of Europe and emerging markets: Russia, the Middle East, Brazil, India… EDR distributes during the major international defence trade fairs. The readers include military decision-makers, both political and industrial, from European countries as well as traditional or potential partners of the European defence community. Finally, EDR covers all of the major defence exhibitions worldwide; privileged accasions where policy makers, military and trade-related, are attending. N° 53 • September/October 2020

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