EDR Magazine #65 September / October 2022

MAGAZINE

European Defence

The rising of naval directed energy laser weapons?

Solving power generation and power storage issues

Next Generation Combat Helicopters

Guarding ships against the modern torpedo threat

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

4The rising of naval directed energy laser weapons?

By Luca Peruzzi

Solving power generation and power storage issues

By Paolo Valpolini

The Solid State Laser - Technology Maturation (SSL-TM) is the US Navy’s effort for the development of a SSL prototype called the Laser Weapon System Demonstrator (LWSD) that was installed on board the amphibious ship Portland © US Navy

Next Generation Combat Helicopters

By David Oliver

Guarding ships against the modern torpedo threat

By Luca Peruzzi

The rising of naval directed energy laser weapons?

By Luca Peruzzi

With the development of directed energy laser weapons, Naval Forces around the world are looking to find support in countering the plethora of airborne and surface threats, from unmanned air vehicles (UAVs) to anti-ship cruise missiles (ASCMs) and fast attack boats, which are affecting the defending capabilities, due to the reduced number of vertical launching systems and the unfavorable cost comparison between missiles and laser firing. Surface platforms are limited in surface-to-air missiles and inner-layer defence systems that can be installed on board, and directed energy laser effectors are seen as the weapon-of-choice to add firepower. Shipboard solid-state lasers (SSLs) offer a potential for dramatically improving the weapon load and reducing overall procurement costs. SSLs are electrically powered, drawing energy from the ship’s overall electrical supply, and can be fired as long as the ship has fuel to generate electricity. Depending on its beam power, an SSL can be fired for an estimated marginal cost of $1 to less than $10 per shot, in addition to systems development and procurement costs. However, the development of SSLs needed to solve different and complex technical and environmental limitations to reach a level of maturation that only today allows installing them on board. SSLs that are entering into service demonstrated the ability to counter small boats and UAVs, but are not yet able to counter ASCMs and need to be realistically evaluated in operational conditions. Although, therefore, the SSL development and putting into service has still a way ahead, the first SSL iterations are being available and major programmes are being settled, as overlooked in this not comprehensive analysis.

One of the most recent photos of the new HELIOS laser directed energy weapon installed on the US Vavy Arleigh Burke class destroyer USS Preble, with an inset showing a rendering of the system. © US Navy/Lockheed Martin

Today the US Navy is involved in the Optical Dazzler Interdiction Navy (ODIN) programme to provide near-term, directed energy, shipboard Counter-ISR capabilities to dazzle UAVs and other platforms and address urgent operational needs of the Fleet. The AN/SEQ-4 ODIN is installed on at least three ships - here depicted on board the Stockdale Arleigh Burke-class destroyer - and five more systems are following. © US Navy

USA

In recent years, the US Navy leveraged both significant advancements in industrial shipboard SSLs and decades of research and development work on military lasers done by other US Department of Defence entities to make substantial progress toward deploying high-energy laser (HELs) on the service’s surface ships. The latter will use high-energy SSLs initially for jamming and confusing (i.e dazzling) intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) sensors on board UAVs, for countering small boats and UAVs, and potentially in the future for countering enemy ASCMs as well. The Surface Navy Laser Weapon System (SNLWS) programme supports the National Defense Strategy of building a more lethal force by leveraging mature technology to the Fleet, as part of the Navy Laser Family of System (NLFoS) initiative with the objective of providing the fleet with near-term laser weapon capabilities. The Solid State Laser Technology Maturation (SSL-TM) effort for the development of a prototype of a SSL called the Laser Weapon System Demonstrator (LWSD), installed on board the amphibious ship Portland, by an industrial team including

The US Navy Portland amphibious ship (LPD 27) successfully tested the Solid State Laser - Technology Maturation Laser Weapon System Demonstrator (LWSD) Mark 2 MOD 0 in May 2020. The SSL-TM programme builds upon the Office of Naval Research’s previous developments, like the Laser Weapon System (LaWS), which was successfully tested at-sea aboard the Afloat Forward Staging Base (Interim) Ponce in 2014. © US Navy

BAE Systems, Northrop Grumman, Raytheon and Leonardo DRS, among others. In May 2020 it successfully disabled a UAV in an atsea test, which completed the programme activities. Today the US Navy is involved in the Optical Dazzler Interdiction Navy (ODIN) programme to provide near-term, directed energy, shipboard Counter-ISR capabilities to dazzle UAVs and other platforms and address urgent operational needs of the

Fleet. Fiscal Year (FY) 2018 was the first year of funding which supported the design, development, procurement and installation of eight ODIN stand-alone units for deployment on DDG-51 Arleigh Burke-class Flight IIA surface combatants. Currently, the AN/SEQ-4 ODIN has been installed on at least three platforms, including the Dewey, Stockdale and Spruance destroyers, and the FY 2023 budget request documentation provides support for the follow-on systems procurement, assembly and checkout, certification, shipboard installation, training and maintenance. The ODIN is a governmentdesigned, built, tested and installed SSL

from the US Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren (NSWCDD), which leads all the service’s directed energy weapons (DEW) activities. The US Navy released few details about the ODIN that is focused on protecting ships from harassment by unmanned aerial systems, a problem that has increased firmly in the recent years.

In early Q3 2022, the Preble Arleigh Burke Flight IIA class destroyer returned to service after an Aegis modernization activity including the installation of the first HELIOS (High Energy Laser with Integrated Optical dazzler and Surveillance) system. The latter is planned to conduct at sea testing in FY 23, starting from Q4 22. Developed by prime contractor Lockheed Martin, the latter is the Increment 1 of the multi-increment Surface Navy Laser Weapon System (SNLWS) acquisition programme that leverages mature technology to deliver proven laser weapon capability to the US Navy fleet. The ultimate goal of SNLWS is to integrate counter-anti-ship cruise missile (C-ASCM) defence capability, in accordance with the Chief of Naval Operations NAVPLAN. The HELIOS effort was focused on rapid development and rapid fielding of a 60+ kW-class high-energy laser - with growth potential up to 150 kW - to address AntiSurface Warfare and C-ISR with the ability

The AN/SEQ-4 ODIN installed on board the Stockdale Arleigh Burke-class destroyer. The ODIN is a governmentdesigned, built, tested and installed SSL from the US Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren, which leads all the service’s directed energy weapons (DEW) activities. © US Navy

Developed by prime contractor Lockheed Martin, the HELIOS (High Energy Laser with Integrated Optical dazzler and Surveillance) system is the Increment 1 of the multi-increment Surface Navy Laser Weapon System acquisition programme that leverages mature technology to deliver proven laser weapon capability to the US Navy fleet. The system has been installed in early Q3 2022, on board the Preble Arleigh Burke Flight IIA class destroyer returned to service after an Aegis modernization activity. © US Navy

The HELIOS effort was focused on rapid development and rapid fielding of a 60 kW-class high-energy laserwith growth potential up to 150 kW – to address Anti-Surface Warfare and C-ISR with the ability to dazzle and destroy UAVs and defeat Fast Inshore Attack Craft (FIAC) while being integrated into the AEGIS Combat System (ACS) on a Flight IIA destroyer. © US Navy

to dazzle and destroy UAVs and defeat Fast Inshore Attack Craft (FIAC) while being integrated into the AEGIS Combat System (ACS) on a Flight IIA destroyer. According to Lockheed Martin the Mk 5 Mod 0 HELIOS, as the US Navy designates it, was designed for continuous operations using available ship power without the need for an energy magazine. Being fully integrated into the ACS, it provides improved layered defence and response options to prevent escalation while defending ships. During previous testing at ground-based facilities the HELIOS demonstrated, according to Lockheed Martin, that it provides a solid foundation for incremental delivery of SNLWS C-ASCM capability by repeatedly hitting a high-speed target at tactically extended ranges, closing the fire control loop on a track provided by the US Navy Surface Combat System Center’s ACS after achieving coarse and fine optical tracking. The HELIOS demonstrated potential for this additional capability due to the design flexibility in its scalable system architecture. It can scale to 120 kW and higher within existing laser weapon system (LWS) allocations for space, weight and power (SWAP), which presents a viable back-fit opportunity for today’s fleet of combatant platforms as well as for future new construction ship classes such as the FFG-62 and the DDG(X).

Defeating ASCMs with a laser effector presents, according to the US Navy, several technical challenges (e.g. high

atmospheric turbulence, target acquisition and identification, target tracking, aim point maintenance, automatic aim point placement, jitter control). The High Energy Laser Counter ASCM Project (HELCAP) will assess, develop, experiment, and demonstrate the various laser weapon system technologies and methods of implementation (e.g. laser sources, mission analysis, lethality, advanced beam control with atmospheric mitigation, target and tracking sensors, control systems) required to defeat ASCMs in a crossing engagement, says the same service FY 23 budget request documentation. The HELCAP is an initiative that provides a flexible prototype system for government experimentation and demonstration of a high-energy laser system capable of defeating ASCMs. The US NSWCDD leads the integration of all components of the prototype and auxiliary systems, the latter

An aerial target hit by the Layered Laser Defense (LLD), the weapon designed and built by Lockheed Martin to serve as a multi-domain, multi-platform demonstration system, was tested as part of an ONR effort at the US Army’s High Energy Laser Systems Test Facility at White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico. © ONR

developed and provided by both the Center and the industries, and perform counter ASCM detect to defeat experimentation and demonstrations at government test sites starting from the current FY 22. Key elements of the prototype system include the beam control test bed, a 300 kW+ class laser source, prototype control system, and auxiliary prime power and cooling, according to the US Navy documentation. The undisclosed industry provider of the beam control test bed was selected through a competitive process and is being designed to accept technology insertion from other industry providers. The 300+ kW class laser source will be acquired by selecting one of the laser sources being developed under an OSD laser scaling initiative and adapting it for transport and interface with the other elements of the prototype system. The FY 23 budget request supports systems engineering, mission analysis, completion of the integration of major components of a HELCAP prototype system, and performance of beam control tracker and adaptive optics experimentation and demonstrations. Planning and preparations for FY 23 system experimentation and ASCM detect to defeat demonstrations utilizing the prototype system, static and dynamic ground targets, and low-cost unmanned aerial targets will take place. FY 23 activities will culminate with this demonstration and preparation for targeting and tracking limited maritime experimentation, planned for FY 24.

In April 2022 the Office of Naval Research (ONR) announced the completion in February 2022 of the first test where the US Navy used an all-electric, high-energy laser weapon to defeat a target representing a subsonic cruise missile in flight. Known as the Layered Laser Defense (LLD), the weapon was designed and built by Lockheed Martin to serve as a multi-domain, multiplatform demonstration system. According to the ONR, it can counter UAVs and fastattack boats with a high-power laser and also use its high-resolution telescope to track in-bound air threats, support combat identification and conduct targets battle damage assessment. The drone shootdown by the LLD was part of an ONR test at the US Army’s High Energy Laser Systems Test Facility at White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico. The demonstration was a partnership between the ONR, the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense (Research and Engineering) and Lockheed Martin.

EUROPE France

In June 2022, the French General Armaments Directorate (DGA) notified the ‘Laser de Lutte Anti-Drones’ (L2AD) contract (Antidrone laser) to CILAS, the latter majority shares being close to acquisition by MBDA and Safran. With a maximum amount of

The middle power HELMA-P solid laser system developed by CILAS is planned to be tested on board a French Navy platform, with feasibility tests to be conducted in 2022.

© French MoD

€10 million, the L2AD contract covers the acquisition of an operational prototype of a HEL system capable of identifying, tracking and neutralizing mini- and micro-drones. According to the DGA, the L2AD contract aims to deploy this prototype during the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The contract also includes three main feasibility, development and technological maturation studies connected to different applications. One will ensure the parallel rise in maturity of the laser technology and will give way to a demonstrator on a vehicle; another targets the development and experimentation of an operational prototype, from the HELMA-P (High-energy Laser for Multiple Application –Power) demonstrator, successfully evaluated in 2020-2021, and the final study aims at the adaptation of the HELMA-P on a naval platform, with first feasibility tests at sea planned for the current year. Developed by CILAS in cooperation with ArianeGroup, the middle power HELMA-P is the first member of a family of HEL, which is planned to also include the high power HELMA-XP, directed energy laser weapon. Designed to engage and counter Class 1 UAVs, the HELMA-P has been extensively tested in 2021 at the French MoD’s Biscarrosse test center during a five weeks period, in which the laser weapon shot down 40 drones with a 100% hit rate

up to a range of 1 km (limited by test range procedures). More recently, in March 2022, the HELMA-P was deployed at the Italian MoD PISQ test range in Sardinia, to take part in the NATO NNTEX-22C operational exercise, where it was operated by military personnel, once again demonstrating its efficiency under safety conditions. The ‘multi-kW’ laser-equipped 80 kg turret featuring an ArianeGroup LIDAR (Light Detection And Ranging) is expected to be installed on board a French Navy platform this year for testing, opening the way to further potential customized developments. The French industry is also working on the higher power HELMA XP to be available, according to CILAS, in 2027. Its programme is characterized by the development of the laser source for military applications with an innovative coherent beam combination approach to deliver maximum laser power density onto the target, which will allow to employ it for both C-RAM (Counter-Rocket, Artillery and Mortar) and C-UAS operations.

Germany

In January 2021, the Germany’s Federal Office for Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support (BAAINBw) announced to have

In January 2021, the Germany’s Federal Office for Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support announced to have awarded a consortium consisting of MBDA Deutschland GmbH and Rheinmetall Waffe Munition GmbH a contract to fabricate, integrate and support testing of a laser weapon demonstrator in the maritime environment. © MBDA

According to the BAAINBw, the laser weapon demonstrator developed by MBDA and Rheinmetall is planned to be installed on the Sachsen air defence frigate in 2022 and tested at sea.

© Rheinmetall Defence

awarded a consortium consisting of MBDA Deutschland GmbH and Rheinmetall Waffe Munition GmbH a contract to fabricate, integrate and support the testing of a laser weapon demonstrator in the maritime environment. The order value is in the low double-digit million Euro range. According to the two companies’ joint press statement, the demonstrator was to be fabricated, tested and integrated by late 2021. According to the BAAINBw, the system was planned to be installed on the Sachsen frigate in 2022 and tested at sea. The aim of those tests in the North and Baltic Seas was to find out to what extent the current state of the art has proven itself in the harsh maritime environment. The tests therefore focus on the mechanical stability of the optical systems and the precision with which the demonstrator can

The TALOS programme regards the developing and demonstration of some of the most critical laser DEW elements paving the way to the design and build of an EU high-power (over 100 kW) laser effector to be integrated in military applications, including naval platforms. © TALOS programme office

Under the EU Preparation Action on Defence Research (PADR) initiative, a European industrial team coordinated by CILAS and including other 15 entities between companies and research institutes and agencies is working on the TALOS (Tactical Advanced Laser Optical System) programme that was launched in September 2019. © TALOS programme office

track targets on land, on water and in the air. The demonstrator is also to be used to test important aspects such as the interaction and function of the sensor suite, combat management system and effector as well as rules of engagement. Work was shared on a roughly equal basis between the two contracted companies. MBDA Deutschland was responsible for tracking, the operator’s console and linking the laser weapon demonstrator to the command-and-control system. Rheinmetall was in charge of the laser weapon station, the beam guiding system, cooling, and integration of the laser weapon system into the project container of the laser source demonstrator. The Bundeswehr ordered in advance a high-energy laser light source for this demonstrator. Test results will determine, according to the BAAINBw,

whether the Bundeswehr will continue to pursue this technology or whether further research and development work is required.

Europe

Under the EU Preparation Action on Defence Research (PADR) initiative, a European industrial team coordinated by CILAS is working on the TALOS (Tactical Advanced Laser Optical System) programme that was launched in September 2019. The consortium gathers 16 companies and defence research institutions including TNO (Netherlands),

Leonardo (Italy), DLR (Germany), MBDA France, Erdyn Consultants (France), IPE (Czech Republic), CMI Defence (Belgium), Université de Limoges (France), Military University of Technology (Poland), AMS Technologies (Poland), QinetiQ (UK), Airbus Defence and Space (Germany), AERTEC solutions (Spain), ONERA (France) and STELAR (Germany). It is currently working on developing and demonstrate some of the most critical laser DEW elements paving the way to the design and build of an EU highpower (over 100 kW) laser effector to be integrated in military applications, including

The Dragonfire programme was awarded by the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) on January 2017 to a consortium led by MBDA and including QinetiQ, Leonardo, Arke, BAE Systems, Marshall and GKN, for the demonstration of the potential of Laser Direct Energy Weapons (LDEW).

© Leonardo

In September 2021, the UK MoD awarded a domestic industrial team led by Thales UK and including BAE Systems, Chess Dynamics, Vision4CE and IPG, a contract for the development and delivery of a direct laser energy weapon demonstrator for user experimentation on a Royal Navy Type 23 frigate starting in 2023. © Thales

naval platforms, in the next decade. The technologies to be demonstrated include elements of the high-power laser source, atmospheric turbulence compensation and precision target tracking, and laser pointing systems.

UK

In September 2021 the UK MoD awarded a domestic industrial team led by Thales UK and including BAE Systems, Chess Dynamics, Vision4CE and IPG, an undisclosed value contract for the development and delivery of a direct laser energy weapon demonstrator for user experimentation on a Royal Navy Type 23 frigate starting in 2023. Under the UK MoD’s Project Tracey, the industrial team should have gone beyond the experimental phase to take laser capabilities from the laboratory to an operational Royal Navy ship. The project will test the integration and delivery of these types of weapon system and their concept of operation in real-world environments. Experiments will include detecting, tracking, engaging and countering UAVs, as well as other sea targets, according to a Thales statement. The experimentation will focus on operation and maintenance and will provide invaluable knowledge, information and experience to assess whether Laser DEW can be fully embedded on other defence assets in the future.

This follows the previous Dragonfire programme, which was awarded by the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) on January 2017 to an industrial team led by MBDA for the demonstration of the potential of Laser DEWs. The Dragonfire consortium, a joint industry and UK MoD collaboration between MBDA, Leonardo, QinetiQ and Dstl, has brought together the best of the UK industry expertise to deliver the highly challenging and complex LDEW Capability Demonstrator Programme, to mature the key technologies for a high energy defensive laser weapon system in the 50 kW class, and to develop a UK sovereign

capability. Last July, MBDA announced the successful beginning of a series of trials to prove the accuracy and power of the novel laser weapon, having overcome disruptions due to the COVID and technical challenges. Conducted at low power, these trials proved the system can successfully track air and sea targets with exceptionally high accuracy. The system employs a low power QinetiQ laser, Leonardo’s beam director and MBDAs image processing and control technology to facilitate the ultra-precise “fine” pointing and tracking accuracy, which will be required to generate the damage effect when a high-powered laser will be used. Other sub-systems including C2, Effector Management System (EMS) and “coarse” tracking – turning the laser towards the target – were also proved in the trial. This success, according to MBDA, has paved the way for the next phase of the trials that will deliver a first for UK industry when carrying out a static high power laser trial, while maintaining aimpoint accuracy. The next step would then look to combine the outcomes of these two trials, pairing the recently proven tracking accuracy and the high power laser, by engaging targets in operationally representative scenarios. The envisaged UK sovereign capability was designed to provide short-range air defence and close-in protection for naval vessels using a range of different effectors depending on the tactical scenario. These include identifying, tracking and deterring a potential threat by dazzling its targeting sensors, as well as damaging or even destroying the incoming threat.

ISRAEL

In February 2022, the Israeli Defense Force showcased the capability to lock-on and destroy rockets, mortars and a drone with a laser DEW. Rafael Advanced Defense Systems announced that alongside the Israeli’s Ministry of Defense’s Directorate of Defense Research and Development (DDR&D) it has successfully completed a series of ground-breaking tests with a high-

power laser interception system against steep-track threats. These tests were the first phase of a multi-year programme led by the DDR&D and defence industries. Rafael’s Iron Beam, as the high-power laser DEW employed during the tests was named, is a 100 kW class high-energy laser designed to intercept a wide range of threats from a distance of few hundred meters up to several kilometers. It can be integrated on multiple platforms and may be a complementary HEL interceptor to any multilayer defence

In addition to the more capable Iron Beam laser direct energy weapon, Rafael is also developing the Lite Beam, a 7.5kW HEL interceptor for C-mUAVs and ground targets such as IEDs and UXOs, neutralizing them from a distance of a few hundred meters up to 2,000 meters. © Rafael

In April 2022, Rafael Advanced Defense Systems announced that alongside the Israeli’s Ministry of Defense’s Directorate of Defense Research and Development have successfully completed a series of ground-breaking tests with the Iron Beam high-power laser interception system. © Rafael

network. In addition to the more capable Iron Beam, Rafael is also developing the Lite Beam, a 7.5 kW HEL interceptor for C-mUAVs and ground targets such as IEDs and UXOs, neutralizing targets from a distance of a few hundred meters up to 2,000 meters. According to Rafael, the first proven prototype of the Lite Beam is already available. The unveiling of such systems opens to other potential applications, such as naval ones, even if so far no indication has been released about such use.

Solving power generation and power storage issues

By Paolo Valpolini

Depending on their dimensions and the situation military camps deployed in theatre can last for years. The number of antennas shows the need for a reliable power supply to guarantee vital communications. © P. Valpolini

The war in Ukraine shows well how much energy is important for our life. The same applies to the military world, both in country as well as when troops are deployed in operational theatres.

Issues at stake are somewhat different.

Environmental issues are usually at the forefront when considering military facilities in country, the military giving its contribution to the “green” posture by reducing energy consumption and improving the “cleanness” of power generation. However what is doable in a static environment cannot always be transferred when troops are deployed in camps created ad-hoc, which can vary in terms of dimensions and duration, ranging from MOBs (Main Operating Bases), often hosting runways and containerised infrastructures, and remaining in place for the whole duration of an operation that usually lasts years, to FOBs (Forward Operating Bases), smaller and being used for more limited periods of time, to COPs, (Combat Out Posts), team- or platoon-level, which are build for much more limited periods.

Forward Operating Bases can be relatively small, but nonetheless energy availability is key to maintain operational capability as well as a decent living standard.

© P. Valpolini

The issues here can be different from those considered “in house”. While avoiding pollution remains a key issue, other elements acquire a higher priority; as an example reducing consumption is key in reducing the logistic footprint, should it be the amount of fuel needed for power generators, the volume occupied by batteries, that of fuel cells, or that of solar panels. Some solutions can find use in some situations, such as main operating bases that tend to cover considerable surfaces and remain operational for a long time, months but more often years, while forward operating bases are

In Mali the French Army refuelling system was put under stress due to long distances travelled by operational units, which added to the consumption at base camps. © French Army

smaller and might remain operational for shorter times, not to mention combat outposts. Reducing the logistic footprint can have considerable effects also on operational capabilities; thinking about fuel resupply, reducing and optimising energy consumption means reducing the number of convoys which in turn reduces risks and increases the availability of combat forces, that instead of escorting convoys would be able to operate in other roles. Reducing consumption goes beyond the optimisation of energy use in camps; the mission in Mali put under stress the French fuel resupply chain, leading the French MoD to consider fuel consumption reduction issues, one of them being the adoption of hybrid propulsion, which promises to use less fuel compared to current vehicles, with other benefits that we will analyse later.

In the mid-2010s a US study1 demonstrated that using commercial off-theshelf technologies of that time it was possible to obtain considerable energy savings. The system included

1- Smart and Green Energy (SAGE) for Base Camps Final Report, M Engels, PA Boyd, TM Koehler, S Goel, DR Sisk, D Hatley, V Mendon, J Hail – US Department of Energy January 2014.

a smart microgrid with a common control system coupling multiple diesel generators, a batterybased energy storage system, a solar hot water system providing preheated water to fuel-fired water heaters, and two solar electric photovoltaic arrays, while troop housing was fitted with improved insulation. The experiment results demonstrated that adopting all the proposed solutions could bring to a 54% fuel saving, while a reduced solution that included the microgrid and renewable energy systems could bring to a 41% saving. It also highlighted that savings were higher on smaller camps, as bigger ones were already adopting more efficient systems.

NATO is closely considering logistic improvements, and in 2013, 2015 and 2019 three exercises named “Capable Logistician” were played, all focused on smart energy issues. One of the issues identified was the lack of energy monitoring and data collection schemes, and that of interconnectivity between energy components. According to NATO sources the smart grid put into place by US and Italian troops, which connected hybrid power sources and which software allowed powering up

A Canadian civil engineer prepares a micro-grid system to be installed at the wind power station as part of NATO Smart Energy Training and Assessment Camp at Ziemzko Airfield in Poland during “Capable Logistician 2019” exercise. © NATO

diesel generators only when needed, allowed a 90% fuel consumption reduction compared to standard 24/7 diesel generators operations. This was measured using a Canadian universal energy-monitoring tool.

To deal with the energy issue, 10 years ago, in July 2012, the Atlantic Alliance created the NATO Energy Security Centre of Excellence, ENSEC COE in short, which aim is to provide qualified and appropriate expert advice on questions related to operational energy security. Beside looking at immediate or short-term issues, the ENSEC COE is in charge of identifying future needs in NATO transformation activities, with the aim of preventing or mitigating emergent challenges on military operations due to the global scarcity of energy resources and the complexity of the international energy system. In 2021 the ENSEC COE issued a report titled “Energy efficiency and renewable energy solutions in NATO and Partnership for Peace countries’ military operations” 2 that provides a thorough analysis of solutions adopted in Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, Sweden and the United States of America.

The Dutch Army deployed a sustainable power system in Mali, where its troops were part of operation MINUSMA (Mission multidimensionnelle intégrée des Nations Unies pour la Stabilisation au Mali, United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali). Operating in West Africa gives good guarantees in terms of sunshine, the Deployable Power Module by EST-Floattech heavily relied therefore on thin film solar panels provided by Dutch Zonel Energy Systems installed on roofs, which were the main energy source for loading Green Orca 1050 lithium polymer batteries. Twenty-six of those were packed together, with

2- Energy Highlights by Ana Gogoreliani co-aothored by Fabio Indeo and Teimuraz Puluzashvili, July 2021, https://enseccoe. org/data/public/uploads/2021/09/nato-ensec-coe-energy-efficiency-and-renewable-energy-solutions-in-nato-and-pfpcountries-military-operations-study-report-2021.pdf.

French Air Force personnel unfold photovoltaic solar panels connected to a “green to grid” portable trailer at the Smart Energy Training and Assessment Camp in Poland during “Capable Logistician 2019” exercise. © NATO

two strings of 13 batteries connected in a serial setup, the two strings then connected in parallel, a 250kW generator ensuring reloading when solar power was not available. The battery management system (BMS), developed by the same EST-Floattech, ensures that each single cell, each battery (made of 14 Li-Po cells serial connected) and each package of batteries is actively balanced in real time, monitoring the single cell voltage, current, state of charge, state of health and state of discharge. The Deployable Power Module reduced the amount of energy produced by generators compared to conventional setups, allowing the latter to function mostly at

night therefore at lower temperatures ensuring higher yield, and powering on generators in order to allow them to run at 85% of their power in the most effective mode. Among benefits, it reduced fuel consumption, maintenance costs, and ensured a very steady micro grid.

Axsol of Germany is a company specialised in designing, developing and producing partially and completely self-sufficient energy storage systems for mobile as well as semi- and fully stationary use. After having successfully won the first three rounds of the “Pop Up City” contest organised by the Canadian Department

In Mali the Dutch Army used the Deployable Power Module, developed by EST-Floattech with solar panels provided by Zonel Energy Systems. It allowed considerable fuel consumption and maintenance costs reduction. © EST-Floattech

of National Defense the team including Axsol, which is responsible foe energy in cooperation with Pop Up City Inc., is competing in the fourth and final round. Four core technologies are involved beside energy that are dealt with by other team members: shelter, black water, grey water. The full energy system includes battery storage, photovoltaic array and diesel generators for back-up generation, as well as energy recovery from waste treatment. The following table shows fuel savings per year in volume and cost (assuming a cost per litre of diesel fuel at 80 € on site).

The consortium of which Axsol is part ranked first in the Pop Up City contest and is currently building a prototype camp at Canadian Forces Base Gagetown, New Brunswick, which will be completed in October 2022 and will allow demonstrating the savings obtained in simulations.

AXSOL is providing the integrated hybridized energy supply from battery storage (1.5 MWh), photovoltaic system (750 kWp) and diesel generators (2 x 125 kW), an adapted control and life cycle concept.

Axsol ECS (Energy Container Solution) products couple batteries and diesel generators with other power sources, sun- and wind-based. ECS integrates from 70 to 3,000 kWh of battery storage in 10-, 20-, or 40-foot ISO containers, the larger one ensuring two-day autonomy to a 150 men camp relying only on batteries. Another product aimed at semi-or full-stationary camps is the CN20 hybrid, which combines Axsol intelligent power generation and storage system with an innovative, foldable 20-foot container developed by Continest of Hungary providing the customer with a self-contained energyautonomous solution fitted with battery, photo voltaic and back-up generator. The concept was tested during “Brave Warrior” organised by the Hungarian Defence Forces in September 2020

A cutout of an Axsol ECS container. Batteries ensuring adequate energy storage occupy the greatest part of the volume. © Axsol

in the Bakony hills, and following that event Hungarian forces started receiving their first containers.

Until now the company relied on LiFePO4 (lithium iron phosphate) batteries. A spin-off from Axsol, So-Cer AG, based in Würzburg, has partnered with Fraunhofer-Institut für Keramische Technologien und Systeme to develop a SodiumCeramics battery system based on a wholly new chemistry that uses common materials such as water, salt, nickel and alumina, which allows to recycle it very easily. According to the company its characteristics remain optimal even in extreme cold and hot conditions, it lasts thousands of cycles, and it can be switched off for years without any negative effect. It is easy to transport as it doesn’t burn or explode. Superior in all aspects compared to current solutions, the So-Cer battery will have a marginally lower power density, 140-150 Wh/kg, compared to

the 90-160 Wh/kg of current LiFePO4 batteries. An interesting characteristic is that current and voltage depend on the cell height and diameter, which allows developing cells for various uses. Moreover So-Cer batteries allow creating plantbuffering systems up to TWh-level. The new battery type should become available from 2024 onwards and according to So-Cer estimates, when produced at scale its price should be less than 100 €/kWh. According to Axsol one of the first potential uses might be the aforementioned Canadian programme.

Teaming with SFC Energy, a German specialist in fuel cells, Axsol is capable to provide its products where fuel cells replace diesel generators to ensure continuity when photovoltaic panels do not operate in reloading batteries extending hybrid solutions to mobile use, such as COPs. At Milipol 2021 Axsol unveiled its Arvey B2 and SFC EFOY Pro 12000 Duo methanol fuel cell system.

Axsol teamed with Continest of Hungary to develop the CN20 hybrid, an energy autonomous container that includes batteries for energy storage, and photovoltaic and generator energy producing system. © Axsol

Axsol Arvey B2 coupled to SFC EFOY Pro 1200 Duo. This solution was presented at Milipol 2021 in Paris, and in around 100 kg can provide 2,400 W of power supply to a COP. © P. Valpolini

In cooperation with Fraunhofer IFKT Axsol is developing Sodium-Ceramic batteries. Here depicted a 100 Ah cell. These new batteries will be available from 2024 on. © So-Cer

The Arvey B2 mobile power supply power is up to 2,300 W and its battery capacity is 2,250 Wh, stored in LiFePO4 battery. This can be charged by generator, power grid, photovoltaic (up to 900 W) or fuel cells, and retrieved through two 230 V AC sockets. Developed according to military standards the Arvey B2 is IP 54, weighs 49.7 kg and its dimensions are 564 × 534 × 259 mm. At Milipol Axsol and SFC Energy were exhibiting in two adjoining stands and in the middle we could find the combined solution, the EFOY Pro 12000 Duo being capable to provide 500 W in 24/48 V DC; the fuel cell system was shown with two M10 10 litres fuel cartridges, consumption in standard conditions being 0.9 l/ kWh. The fuel cell has a weight of 32 kg, to which we must add that of fuel cartridges, while its dimensions are

Axsol Arvey B2 hosts a 2,400 Wh battery package and can be charged by power grid, diesel generators, solar power or fuel cells, and provide power to electronic devices, communication systems. © Axsol

640 x 441 x 310 mm. SFC has a whole catalogue of solutions ranging from the Jenny series portable fuel cells for dismounted operations up to trailer based solutions including fuel cells and photovoltaic panels.

Besides working with partners, Axsol is looking at innovative solutions in energy generation. Thanks to its cooperation with Fraunhofer application-oriented research organization it gained access to a new groundbreaking Fuel Cell and Electrolysis technology. According to the company this will be the only fuel cell for diesel, the same stack technology allowing producing hydrogen and process it via FischerTropsch 3 to carbon neutral kerosene/diesel or other synthetic fuels. Solid Oxide Electrolysis

3- The Fischer–Tropsch process is a collection of chemical reactions that converts a mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen or water gas into liquid hydrocarbons.

(SOE) in combination with waste heat is claimed to be 30% more effective than any other current technology. Once the batteries in a camp are filled up, surplus renewable is used to generate hydrogen in the camp, which can be used to further process it to fuels of any kind. Axsol is promoting this technology to double energy efficiency on diesel and to produce diesel and kerosene on-site to reach maximum autonomy and higher safety. According to Axsol the diesel Fuel Cell will be available in 2024/25 while the electrolysis for military use will follow in 2028/29. This might lead Axsol to become independent in many aspects on alternative energy production and storage, considering also So-Cer batteries.

Although no hybrid vehicles are yet into operational service, numerous prototypes are already running and a number of hybridisation programmes of existing vehicles have been launched. Diesel-electric hybrid propulsion is being considered for numerous reasons, giving advantages in operational and logistic areas, depending very much on mission profiles. One of the advantages of such vehicles is the high availability of electric power on board, due to the considerable amount of batteries.

In January 2022 Oshkosh Defense unveiled its eJLTV, the hybrid version of the Joint Light tactical vehicle. According to company data the eJLTV has a battery capacity of 30 kWh, with some growth capability. The lithium-ion battery pack can be recharged within 30 minutes keeping the diesel engine running, and beside the reduced fuel consumption (20%) and silent drive capability, the hybrid vehicle has an export power capacity of up to 115 kW. Considering a combat patrol with some vehicles in the hybrid version, this would mean that a COP could be powered by their batteries, eliminating the need for a towed generator. In March 2022 at the World Defense Show in Saudi Arabia John Cockerill Defense of Belgium unveiled its Cockerill i-X, currently powered by an internal combustion engine for trials, but destined to be

Oshkosh Defense developed the hybrid version of the JLTV, the eJLTV, which can export up to 115 kW, making it suitable to power up a COP. © Oshkosh Defense

The Scarabee, developed by Arquus, is one of the few hybrid vehicles already available, its launch on the market dating back to IDEX 2021. As all those vehicles it can provide power to external devices. © Arquus / N. Broquedis

fitted with a hybrid powerpack, this being part of the evolution roadmap. The French MoD is financing a hybrid prototype of the Griffon 6x6, which should be available by 2025. The key player is Arquus, the company having developed the VAB Electer in the past decade and being

actively marketing its Scarabee 4x4, which was designed as a hybrid vehicle since inception. The same company is also developing the Mission Extender, an autonomous trailer that, being a fully electric system, can inherently provide electric power to a camp, should the need arise.

Plasan of Israel has fully developed the “trailer” concept with its ATeMM (All-Terrain electric Mission Module); a one axle electrically powered system, the ATeMM can be added to a conventional vehicle, providing add on mobility and electric power, one up to four modules can be lined together to form unmanned platforms of different dimensions carrying a variety of payloads, the single module having a battery capacity of 35 kWh can be obviously used to power a temporary camp.

While electricity demand is increasing due to the numerous power-hungry systems that are part of military equipment, on the other hand industry is active in finding solutions to reduce the logistic footprint and fuel consumption.

EDF: the INDY project

In late July 2022 the European Defence Fund issued the list of the approved projects that were submitted in 2021. Among those we find the INDY (Energy Independent and Efficient Deployable Military Camps). Related to the PESCO Energy Operational Function (EOF) project, it aims at developing a strategic roadmap towards future energy independent and efficient deployable military camps, based on a paradigm shift for energy production, conversion, storage, transport, distribution and final usage. The project is building on military and civilian EU and national projects. The INDY study project will last 24 months, EDF funding being worth € 14,229,475.59. The project is coordinated by TECES (Teh nološkicenter zaelektri nestroje), the Slovenian

Research and Development Center of Electrical Machines and includes 19 more entitites: AVL List GmbH (Austria); CNV Consulting ad John Cockerill SA (Belgium); CAFA Tech OU (Estonia); Commissariat à l’Energie Atomique et aux En ergies Alternatives, Ineo Defense and Nexeya France SAS (France), Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft and RheinmetallTechnical Publications GmbH (Germany); Intracom Defence S.A. (Greece); Leonardo S.p.A. (Italy); The Netherlands Organisationfor applied scientific research (Netherlands); Institutt for energi teknolo gi (Norway); Univerza v Mariboru, Univerza v Ljubljani and Kolektor sETup d.o.o (Slovenia); Equipos Móviles de Campaña ARPA SAU, Indra Sistemas SA and Instituto Nacional de Tecnica Aeroespacial Esteban Terradas (Spain).

The All-Terrain electric Mission Module developed by Plasan of Israel is a one-axle module that can be coupled to other similar modules; electrically powered, it can be used to provide energy to a temporary base. © Plasan

The Airbus Guépard is designed to replace French Army, Navy and Air Force medium helicopters. © Airbus

Next Generation Combat Helicopters

By David Oliver

France, the UK and the USA are looking ahead to introducing the next generation combat helicopters into their armed forces.

Airbus Helicopters’ H160M Guépard, based on the civilian H160, is set to be delivered from 2026 to 2036 to the French forces. Labelled as a light platform, its technicalities are actually closer to a medium-sized helicopter, with a maximum take-off weight of 6,050 kg, considerably higher than the Fennec, Gazelle, Panther, Alouette III and Dauphin helicopters it is replacing.

During Eurosatory, Vincent Chenot, head of the H160M programme, said that Airbus was already seeing significant interest from the export market. He added that Airbus Helicopters will start assembly of the first prototype after the summer this year, leading to a first flight in the second half of 2024 followed by a second test flight later in the year.

The Guépard is being designed to be part of the Scorpion collaborative combat system, which is at the basis of the French Army’s modernisation efforts. This is also a key objective of the Tiger Mk3 upgrade, launched between France and Spain, but yet without Germany. So far, only the NH90 is suited to incorporate the technological bricks necessary to operate as part of the Scorpion network. Equipping these future helicopters with such innovations will enable military forces to operate more swiftly and safely thanks to the resulting flow of information,

bringing greater awareness of the battlefield. Regarding the Tiger Mk.3, Safran unveiled its new Euroflir 510 optronics system, specifically developed for the programme.

The Ministers of Defence of France, Germany, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands and the UK have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to kickstart the definition of the requirements phase of NATO’s New Generation Rotary Craft (NGRC) capability project which is scheduled for 2025, thanks to a € 26.7 million allocation. The ambition of the project is to reach greater

The Airbus H175M is a contender for the UK MoD’s New Medium Helicopter (NMH) contract. © Airbus

The Leonardo AW149 demonstrator is flying from Yeovil as part of the company’s NMH campaign. © David Oliver

Leonardo has conducted weapons firing trials with the AW149 with laser-guided rockets. © Leonardo

range, speed, and high-altitude performances, while making full use of the electromagnetic spectrum and being able to penetrate A2/AD systems. The NGRC will also be designed to operate alongside UAVs. A key objective is to ensure higher availability rates and ease of maintenance than what is achieved with current generations. To do so, the NGRC will need to be built on a modular architecture, and another major evolution required is a high level of autonomy. Finally, the NGRC, which will also comprise a naval version, will have to be able to operate in higher temperatures, which adversely affect the performances of current military helicopters.

The European equivalent of the NGRC, the European New Generation Rotary Technologies (ENGRT), was discussed at Eurosatory, by executives from Airbus Helicopters, Leonardo, OCCAR, EDA, and French Army officials. The aim would be to develop a replacement for the NH90, with a maximum take-off weight of 8 to 13 tons. It would be designed to be stealthy and to achieve higher levels of endurance. Similarly to the NGRC, the platform would operate alongside drones in a mannedunmanned teaming (MUT-T) capability. In July 2022 the ENGRT was selected as part of the European Defence Fund, 40 million € being assigned to this 42 months programme. In due time it might also become part of PESCO projects. Ultimately, the NGRC and ENGRT will probably end up as a single project. Regarding long-term perspectives, it seems this edition of Eurosatory brought up numerous questions about future helicopter programmes, which have yet to be answered.

In May 2022 the UK MoD launched a £ 1 billion competition for 44 New Medium Helicopters (NMH) to rationalise its existing multiple rotary wing requirements into one platformtype to replace the RAF Puma and Griffon and AAC Bell 212 and Dauphin. NMH will provide a common medium lift multi-role helicopter, fitted for but not with specialist Mission Role Equipment (MRE) and able to operate in all environments in support of defence tasks.

The competitors are expected to include the Airbus Helicopters H175M, the Bell Helicopters 525 Relentless, the Leonardo AW149, and the Sikorsky S-70 Black Hawk which is assembled in Poland by Lockheed Martin’s subsidiary PZL Mielec. Airbus have stated that if the H175M is selected it would be produced at Broughton which it claims would revitalise the UK helicopter industry.

Leonardo has been pitching its AW149 for the NMH that would be built at its UK facility in Yeovil. Earlier this year Leonardo’s Chief Test Pilot Mark Burnand and Test Pilot Lee Evans put the AW149 Common Platform Demonstrator helicopter through its paces during a flight for EDR Magazine to show off the aircraft. In fact the aircraft used for the demonstration was an AW189K registered I-RAIU built in Italy in 2019 powered by two Safran Aneto-1K turboshaft engines.

While the demonstrator AW149 lacked military specific kit such as seat armour, EO/ IR sensors, defensive aids and armament, Leonardo believes the demonstrator gives a broadly accurate view of the type’s

performance, dimensions and baseline avionics fit. The wide cabin is able to fit 19 passengers or 16 fully equipped soldiers in crashworthy seats, or four stretchers and eight seats in a medevac role – with the ability to carry a payload of 3,700 kg. There is also cabin access to a rear bay, which can be used to stow extra cargo, equipment or even an optional fuel tank that increases the range to 500 nm. External cameras allow the pilots to monitor loading and unloading of personnel from the cabin aiding situational awareness when in confined spaces or on the ground, and also acting as another check beyond a rearcrew member that all troops are embarked or disembarked. The AW149 features latest glass cockpit avionics leveraging the latest advances in civil aerospace and the offshore helicopter sector. This includes four large 10x8-inch screens, integrated area navigation system and performance-based navigation precision approaches to allow single pilot IFR, as well as a traffic collision avoidance system (TCAS) for situational awareness. This allows seamless IFR transit through civil airspace, as well as a reduced pilot workload.

Start-up is also extremely fast and automated via the Enhanced Control Display Unit (ECDU), with most time being spent on radios rather than flicking multiple switches across several panels. In the demonstration flown,

the AW149 conducted a precision approach and recover back to Yeovil on autopilot, with the pilot flying hands off and just adjusting the speed of deceleration required with the helicopter coming into a hover automatically. This type of precision approach is not limited to airfields but could be used for landing anywhere in the world, using GPS to provide safe, accurate approaches in all weather, day or night and allowing the crew to focus on the mission itself. While some of the avionic functions are re-used from SAR and the civil world, these themselves have military applications – such as SAR search patterns or letdown in degraded visual conditions. However, it is not clear how the UK NMH conflicts with the UK’s involvement in the NGRC programme.

In February 2022 Leonardo revealed that it had held successful weapon firing trials of unguided and laser-guided rockets with an AW149. The trials assessed safe separation of laser-guided rockets from the hover and forward flight; refinement of the unguided rocket cockpit firing solution symbology to further aid accuracy; and the impact from night ripple firings of unguided rockets on EO sensor and night vision goggle performance. In July 2022 PZL-Świdnik, the Polish company fully owned by Leonardo, was awarded a € 1.76 billion contract by

New AH-64E Apaches are being delivered to the UK Army Air Corps. © Crown Copyright

the Polish MoD for 32 AW149 multirole helicopters. At Farnborough Leonardo announced it has begun to establish a new AW149 production line at its site in Yeovil, therefore the Polish choice should not impact the potential production in Yeovil should the UK select the AW149 as its NMH.

In 2016 the UK MoD announced the procurement of new Apache helicopters reinforcing the ambitions laid out in the Defence Command Paper in the recent Future Soldier announcement to enhance the British Army’s capabilities. Boeing is reconstructing 38 Agusta Westland, now Leonardobuilt WAH-64D Apaches to the AH-64E configuration by 2024 within Lot 7-11 of the US Army production series. Additional 12 new helicopters have been ordered. Service support will be provided by Leonardo Yeovil.

3 Regt AAC was the first unit to receive the AH-64E in November 2020 and deliveries are expected to be complete by the end of 2022. While the UK MoD launched these programmes, the Rotorcraft Concepts and Tactical Aviation Research effort announced in May 2022 it is geared at identifying concepts for future rotorcraft systems for the land and maritime environments. To address the future challenges of operating in complex military

environments, there is a need to continue research and development of aviation concepts and technologies as the MoD looks forward to replacing a number of existing capabilities in the latter part of the 2030s and beyond. The Delivery Partner will support the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) to identify concepts for future rotorcraft systems that will deliver military effect in the land and maritime environments, develop and demonstrate the key novel technologies that enable future rotorcraft concepts to be realised, and underpin the understanding of future concepts and novel technologies through analysis and assessment. It will build on current research to mature and demonstrate technologies required by future tactical aviation to achieve Freedom of Action and Manoeuvre (FoAM) in a continuous descent operations environment. Some additional topics may be identified as the project matures such as in-cockpit assistance, autonomy, and automation of crew tasks that support situational awareness, decisionmaking and threat awareness during all phases of flight and while operating singly or in formations. An Early Engagement event in mid-2022, hosted by Dstl, will provide an opportunity for interested Industry organisations to gain further information of the requirement and Dstl expectations prior to the formal tendering stage.

The Bell V-280 Valor tiltrotor is in the US Army’s FLRAA shortlist.

© Bell

Sikorsky/Boeing SB1 Defiant is a Future Long-Rang Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) contender for the US Armed Forces. © Boeing

The UK MoD Dstl also recently hosted a team from the US Army Aviation and Missile Research, Development and Engineering Center as part of the information exchange agreement covering advanced rotorcraft systems. Since 2017 both sides have briefed each other on current activities and priorities and held two workshops covering operations in degraded visual environments and future helicopter survivability concepts. The workshops are helping to inform a draft project arrangement that will enable the development and exploration of joint concepts to improve the survivability of rotorcraft in the future battlespace by exploiting open systems architectures, networked defensive aids, degraded virtual environmental and teaming.

The US Department of Defense’s Future Vertical Lift (FVL) programme is a research and development effort to discovering, investigating and refining the technologies that will provide the next generation of vertical lift aircraft for the United States Armed Forces. According to the US Army, the goal of the programme is to develop technologies that improve maneuverability, range, speed, payload, survivability and reliability compared with current rotorcraft.

As part of the FLV the US Army is planning to procure both a Future Attack Reconnaissance

Aircraft (FARA) to replace the Boeingmanufactured AH-64 Apache and a Future Long-Rang Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) that will eventually replace the current fleet of Sikorsky-manufactured UH-60 Black Hawks utility helicopters. The service plans to initially field both types in the 2030s.

US Army budget documents say FY 2023 funding for the FARA programme will be used to continue airframe design and mission system development. Documents also show that competitive testing of FARA prototypes is now scheduled for FY2024, which begins in October 2023.

The 5,000th Black Hawk is expected to roll off the assembly line at Sikorsky’s production facility by the end of the year, and the US Army awarded Sikorsky a US$ 2.28 billion contract for 120 UH-60M Black Hawks in June 2022. The work covers from 2022-2026 and includes options for 135 helicopters. In place of the Black Hawk, the US Army intends to field the FLRAA, the programme aiming at providing both the US Army and the US Marine Corps with new utility helicopters, intended to serve until at least 2060.

For the FLRAA category Boeing and Sikorsky have joined forces to develop the SB1 Defiant designed for the US Army’s attack and

The weapons bay of the Bell V-280 FLRAA contender. © David Oliver

A mockup of the Bell V-280’s wide angle head-up display (HUD).

© David Oliver

assault missions as well as the US Marine Corps long-range transportation, infiltration and resupply missions. The Defiant uses a rigid co-axial rotor system with a pusher propulsor at the back. It first flew in March 2019. Bell is offering its V-280 tiltrotor which took off for the first time in 2017.

On March 25, 2020, the US Army narrowed the FARA competition to Sikorsky and Bell for the final design, build and test phase of the programme which is expected to provide

the required data for a contract award in 2024. Sikorsky’s Raider X is a compound helicopter concept with two coaxial rotors and a single pusher propeller, Bell’s 360 Invictus is conventional design based on technology from the Bell 525 Relentless. Both types are expected to fly by the end of this year.

A heavy-lift category of the FVL to replace the CH-47 Chinook may be launched in the future.

Sikorsky’s FARA contenders, the Raider X, is nearing completion and will fly by the end of the year. © Sikorsky

The Raider X rival, the Bell 360 Invictus, is also nearing completion to fly later this year. © Bell

Guarding ships against the modern torpedo threat

By Luca Peruzzi

With an enlarging number of conventional and nuclearpowered submarines, the worldwide naval forces’ surface component is increasingly reliant on effective torpedo defence systems (TDSs). © Ultra Electronics

With the increasing number of new submarines or upgraded platforms being put into service and planned for the future, alongside the development of more advanced weapon systems represented by heavy- and light-weight torpedoes, the worldwide naval forces’ surface component is increasingly reliant on effective torpedo defence systems (TDSs). The requested budget devoted to these defence development and acquisition, often neglected to cover the increasing costs associated with new ships procurement programmes, tends to find more space in latest defence budgets. Initially based on noisemakers and signature emulators towed astern to seduce torpedoes away from the hull, TDSs saw technological developments to cope with torpedoes weapon logic improvements and re-attack capabilities. Modern TDSs have evolved from seduction and avoidance to advanced detection, classification and localisation (DCL) of threats, integrating active and passive countermeasures. The DCL concept embraces complex passive detection and automatic resolution of ambiguity – without ship manoeuvres and the presentation of tactical command recommendations – and includes advices for deployment of appropriate soft or hard-kill countermeasures. This analysis covers latest developments in TDSs and soft-kill countermeasures among the western industries, leaving to a follow-on article hard-kill solutions.

Ultra

Ultra has provided TDSs to the UK and other nations for over 20 years with the first Sea Sentor Surface Ship Torpedo Defence (SSTD) having successfully been delivered to the Royal Navy in October 2004. The Sea Sentor, according to Ultra, is an integrated, sense-to-effect solution that offers a comprehensive capability maximising vessel survivability in torpedo engagements. It employs advanced acoustic processing DCL techniques against torpedo threats at a tactically significant range, with a very low false alarm rate and high probability of correct classification. The high-performance levels achieved stems, according to Ultra, from the dedicated towed sonar designed explicitly for torpedo detection. The SSTD towed assembly line comprises a purposedesigned multioctave torpedo detection array coupled with Vibration Isolation Modules (VIMs) forward and aft, a rope drogue ‘tail’ for stabilization, a spaced apart flexible towed body countermeasure module, and a fibre optic tow cable. The towed array, incorporating the in-line acoustic countermeasure, eliminating the need for a

dedicated deployment and recovery system, requires only two operators to deploy it from the compact single drum winch. The Sea Sentor dedicated torpedo classification software determines the weapon make, model and type, adjusting automatically to salvo attack, with involved countermeasure action and vessel manoeuvres being presented by the tactics sub-system. Continuous tracking of the vessel progress against the recommended manoeuvre, enables the towed acoustic countermeasure to be programmed and initiated as required without operator involvement. In a typical configuration, the Sea Sentor is equipped with two decoy launching systems (DLS), one deployed to port and one to starboard, containing eight expendable acoustic countermeasures (EAD). Supplied in an environmental protective casing, each expandable stationary sonobuoy-packaged off-board countermeasure weighs 7.5 kg and is launched by a dedicated, rechargeable pneumatic system. Ultra also offers a mortar launched EAD variant allowing easy integration into existing launcher equipment, such as Mk 36 SRBOC (Super Rapid Bloom Offboard Chaff), Sea Gnat and others. Both the towed and expandable countermeasures can be programmed by the end user in the

In addition to the towed array, winch, processing cabinet and control unit, a typical configuration of the Sea Sentor includes two decoy launching systems, each containing eight expendable acoustic countermeasures.

© Ultra Electronics

The Sea Sentor Surface Ship Torpedo Defence (SSTD), according to Ultra, is an integrated, sense-to-effect solution that offers a comprehensive capability maximising vessel survivability in torpedo engagements. The Sea Sentor is operated by the UK, New Zealand, Turkey and its derivatives by India and Australia. The system was also selected by Canada. © Ultra Electronics

field with up to ten different settings stored simultaneously. The torpedo detection and countermeasures system is based on a two-console stand-alone full configuration including the dedicated processing cabinet, the two countermeasure decoy launchers and their control unit, and weighs overall around 5,000 kg. Ultra’s Sea Sentor is operated by the UK, New Zealand and Turkey, with derivatives provided to India and Australia. Sixteen systems have been initially delivered to the UK Royal Navy and are being used on both front line and support ships when required. Although no further information was released on the inventory of the Sonar 2170, as the SSTD is known in the Royal Navy, in May 2022 the UK MoD announced to have awarded Ultra a contract for the provision of three additional Sonar 2170 SSTD Fit-to-Receive (FTR) kits to be integrated onto the new Type 31 frigates. The Sea Sentor is also equipping the ANZAC frigate in service with the New Zealand Navy while a related system is deployed from the Hobart-class destroyers of the Australian Navy, which selected the Sea Sentor also for the new Hunter-class frigates under construction. Turkey brought the Sea Sentor under contract with Haselsan as prime in a dedicated version for its Ada-class corvettes. The Indian Navy, which calls it New Torpedo Defence System (NTDS), installed the Sea Sentor with the winch and launcher made by Mahindra Systems on a number of surface platforms. The Ultra TDS was also selected by the Canadian Navy for the new Canadian

Surface Combatant (CSC) programme’s frigate platforms, a supply contract being awaited.

In January 2022 Ultra, in partnership with Mahindra Defence Systems Limited, announced the award of the Integrated AntiSubmarine Warfare Defence Suite (IADS) programme for selected frontline warships of the Indian Navy. The IADS is a new system that combines a powerful multi-sensor ASW capability using an in-line active and passive towed low-frequency variable-depth sonar and a torpedo defence suite with embedded DCL to defeat detected torpedo threats. With a contract worth approximately £ 60 million, deliveries are due to commence in 2024 to be completed by 2030.

Leonardo

Leonardo proposes a new TDS based on the solutions developed for the Italian Navy and sold on the international market. The package, known as Morpheus, includes the Black Snake towed array sonar, a reaction management sub-system (RMS), the current family of C310 effectors or the new Mobile Jammer Target Emulator (MJTE), the dedicated trainable 8 or 12 barrels DLS or the multi-purpose and multi-spectral OTO Decoy Launching System (ODLS) 20, in addition to the new B358 single lightweight launch tube. Specially designed for torpedo detection, the Black Snake towed array sonar operates in “passive” mode and features a patented

The Leonardo Black Snake towed array sonar operates in “passive” mode and features a patented innovative device that allows solving the left/right ambiguity in a very short time without using hydrophones-triplets or asking the towing ship to execute manoeuvres to induce movements on the towed array.

© Leonardo

The Leonardo MJTE (Mobile Jammer Target Emulator) combines in a single body the capabilities of current stationary jammers and mobile target emulators, reducing the number of decoys in a salvo from 5 to 2-3, nearly doubling the number of defensive actions.

© Luca Peruzzi

innovative device that allows solving the left/ right ambiguity in a very short time without using hydrophones-triplets or asking the towing ship to execute manoeuvres to induce movements on the towed array. According to Leonardo, this provides two main advantages: reduced dimensions of the towed body and consequently of the winch system, and reduced time to obtain the torpedo-classification information. The use of a patented, innovative beamforming algorithm within a suitable working frequency bandwidth allows achieving good performance in terms of detection distances and bearing measurement accuracy even against modern very silent torpedoes. According to the company, the Black Snake is the only passive sonar on the market able to achieve a detection range higher than 6 km, despite its compact dimensions, and to be operated up to Sea State 5. It provides a full panoramic acoustic coverage around the ship, ensuring permanent surveillance also during the escape manoeuvre, enabling a second reaction to torpedo re-attack. The passive array sonar has a 55 mm diameter, is 4 meters long, and is towed by means of an electromechanical cable of around 16 mm diameter and up to 600 meters long. It includes the stern stabilizing system, the towed array and the electronic sensor module to convert the acoustic into electronic digital signal to be passed to the ship via fibre optic, a vibration insulation module to prevent vibration to be transmitted to the towed array, and the towing cable. The latter is deployed and recovered through a reduced-footprint winch and sledge with an overall weight of less than 3.8 tonnes. The Black Snake is directly interfaced with the reaction management sub-system to carry out the optimized reaction with a mix of escape manoeuvres and the launch of dedicated decoys. It will equip the new Italian Navy’s Trieste-class LHD and although both Fincantieri and Leonardo haven’t disclosed or commented, the system is reported to equip the new Al Zubarah-class corvettes and the amphibious ship for the Qatar Emiri Naval

Forces (QENF). In addition to the family of current C310 anti-torpedo countermeasures including stationary jammers and mobile target emulators (MTE) and sold worldwide, Leonardo is conducting the at-sea qualification trials of the new generation MJTE (Mobile Jammer Target Emulator), based on Italian Navy requirements and procurement programme. As an evolution of the MTE, the MJTE combines in a single body the capabilities of current stationary jammers and mobile target emulators, reducing the number of decoys in a salvo from 5 to 2-3, nearly doubling the number of defensive actions. The MJTE body is 1.3 meters long and has a 127 mm diameter, weighs 21 kg, and features a transmitter front section, battery, electronics and a rear motor section with a towed receiver. Being capable to be launched at a shorter distance compared to current systems, it also comes in an exercise configuration, the MJTE decoy buoying at the end of the mission allowing recovery. While the MJTE has already conducted initial at-sea trials, due to the pandemic and personnel/ platform availability, the qualification phase is expected to be concluded at the beginning of 2023 when the effective performances will be verified in operational-like scenarios. In addition to the Italian Navy, while Leonardo do not confirm or comment, EDR Magazine understood the MJTE already found success with worldwide customers. The new decoy can be launched from both current dedicated trainable 8 or 12 pneumatic-actuated barrels launch subsystems from Leonardo, as well as from the Euroslat consortium 12-barrel antitorpedo launch system, two such modules being installed on board French and Italian FREMM frigates and Horizon destroyers, alongside the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier. The MJTE can also be used in any type of anti-air warfare decoy launcher by using a pyrotechnical canister, including the new ODLS 20 launcher from Leonardo. EDR Magazine understood that the company has already sold internationally its lightweight B358 single launch tube for the MJTE and current C310 decoys, which can be grouped

in two separate three-barrel groups to offer the best protection on smaller naval platforms.

Aselsan

Indigenously developed by Aselsan for surface combatants, the Hizir TDS is a soft-kill countermeasure system that localizes torpedos and advises the appropriate countermeasure tactics utilizing state-of-the-art technologies. The Hizir configuration features the torpedo detection array that, together with the acoustic decoy module, are accommodated and part of a single towed array, lowered and recovered by a single towing winch. It is characterized by a triple array to resolve left/ right ambiguity. The Hizir also includes an electronic cabinet hosting the signal processing unit and electronics, and two DLS, each hosting eight expandable decoys with a launcher remote control unit and a user control panel. Zoka programmable expandable decoys and jammers, also provided by Aselsan, create respectively deception and confusion (the former) and a noise

barrier against torpedoes (the latter), working alongside the programmable towed acoustic decoy to provide critical time to perform tactical evasive manoeuvres. In addition to long range threat detection with precise detection and classification by the support of a threat database, the system has defence capabilities against simultaneous multi-torpedo attacks, and is able to track at least six different targets. In addition to a fully automatic mode, it detects and chooses the optimum countermeasure tactic from its database and waits for approval to initiate the operation. During sea trials carried out in the first half of 2018 with the manufacturer, the HIZIR TDS successfully detected and classified the DM2A4 heavy weight exercise torpedo approximately 1012 km away and managed to deceive/jam it. In addition to being deployed from the third Ada-class corvette and newest Turkish Navy’s surface combatants, in the latter case as part in the future of an anti-submarine suite, the Hizir is also set to equip both the Pakistan Milgem/ Babur class and Ukrainian corvettes platforms still in construction.

Naval Group’s Canto countermeasures is an all-inone broadband active acoustic emitter acting both as a jammer, for dilution effect, and as false target generator, for confusion effect. © Naval Group

Naval Group

In March 2022, Naval Group announced the contract award by the Greek MoD for the three defence and intervention frigates for the Hellenic Navy. The anti-torpedo defence of these ships will be provided by Canto decoys supplied by the same shipbuilding company. According to the latter, unlike the sedution-based decoys, Canto acts completely independently from attacking torpedoes, being based on the dilution/ confusion concept. The decoy is capable of defeating previous and new generations torpedoes combining complex signal processing and high endurance, against which the seduction-based decoys are no longer efficient, the company says. Canto is an all-in-one broadband active acoustic emitter acting both as a jammer, for dilution effect, and as false target generator, for confusion effect. It generates hundreds of false targets, permanently and randomly renewed on a 360° coverage area, aiming at saturating the torpedo sonar and data processing. The decoy constrains the torpedo to repeat computations to elaborate a coherent tactical picture, forcing it to reiterate search patterns. The extremely confused tactical picture forces the attacking torpedoe to waste time finding the real target, thereby exhausting its energy. Thanks to these

capabilities, the number of Canto decoys to be launched by salvo is drastically limited to two munitions, says Naval Group. Canto is associated with the Contralto software reaction module that computes the most efficient evasion manoeuvre and deployment sequence. The Contralto software reaction module is customized to each platform, and is embedded into the control unit of the decoy launching system and can be displayed on the CMS operator console. With a 123.8 or 130 mm diameter, a length of less than 1,150 mm and a weight under 20 kg, with a shelf life of 20 years, Canto employed by surface vessel is compatible with any decoy launcher at 123.8 mm (pneumatic) and 130 mm (mortar) standards. Canto has been integrated with Terma’s C-Guard DLS thanks to the Chemring Countermeasures launch module, alongside the Lacroix Defense Sylena Mk2 DLS thanks to SEALAT pyrotechnic mortar allowing to fire any anti-torpedo solution, and is being proposed as part of the Rheinmetall Defence MASS (Multi Ammunition Softkill System) DLS. In addition to France for both surface and submarine applications, Canto has been supplied or ordered by a total of 10 customers without specifying between surface and submarine or both applications. The system is known to have been supplied or ordered for surface applications by Egypt and the Philippines, in addition to Greece.

The AN/SLQ-25 Nixie is the US Navy’s primary Surface Ship Torpedo Defense (SSTD) system and is the most widespread among NATO and allied navies with at least over 20 customers over the years. It is a modular, digitally controlled electro-acoustic soft-kill countermeasure towed decoy. © US Navy

In December 2020, Ultra Naval Systems and Sensors was awarded a $ 186.4 million contract by the US Navy’s Naval Systems Command for the supply of the latest version of AN/SLQ-25 Nixie TDS. The US Navy is also funding AN/SLQ-25 engineering changes providing for hardware and software configuration modifications to in-service decoy baselines. © US Navy

US

The AN/SLQ-25 Nixie is the US Navy’s primary Surface Ship Torpedo Defense (SSTD) system, providing towed persistent torpedo countermeasure capability to protect over 180 in-service surface ships and new platforms under construction, including aircraft carriers, cruisers, destroyers, amphibious ships and support ships, and is the most widespread among NATO and allied navies with at least over 20 customers over the years. Having been produced since the mid-70’s by different companies, and enhanced through different iterations, the AN/SLQ-25 is a modular, digitally controlled electro-acoustic soft-kill countermeasure decoy system that employs an underwater towed body acoustic projector deployed by a fibre optic tow cable from the sterns of surface warships. It consists primarily of the TB-14 towed decoy device in a single or twin towed configuration and the shipboard signal generator, and defends ships against wake homing, acoustic homing and wireguided torpedoes. As a result of hardware obsolescence issues with the previous AN/ SLQ-25A/C baselines that precluded the continued production of these variants, in FY 2018 the US Navy began a technical insertion effort as the AN/SLQ-25E. The latter is a

government-designed, contractor-fabricated system, characterized by hardware and software architecture to a Commercial-OffThe-Shelf (COTS-based), open, and modular configuration, while keeping the systems Form, Fit, and Function. In FY 22 the latest version of the Nixie is planned to continue to progress through design acceptance criteria, finalizing analysis on the environmental qualification testing, and initiating any engineering changes with the OEM contractor on the new version. Integration and testing of tactical software for the AN/ SLQ-25E using design qualification units previously procured should be ongoing and is planned to include the system’s first atsea test. In addition, proof of manufacturing will begin for the new system’s version. Procurement of AN/SLQ-25E upgrade kits have begun in FY 22 to address AN/ SLQ25C obsolescence with the first three kits being procured from the OEM and prepared for installation in FY 23. In December 2020, Ultra Naval Systems and Sensors was awarded a $ 186.4 million contract for the supply of the AN/SLQ-25E system version. This contract has options that could increase its value to $268.5 million. In parallel, the US Navy is funding AN/SLQ-25 engineering modification providing for hardware and software configuration changes to current

production baselines to resolve emergent hardware obsolescence issues and software updates, these efforts being critical to the system service life extension until upgrade to AN/SLQ-25E is complete.

Israel

Rafael Advanced Defence Systems developed substantial experience in torpedo defence with the Scutter submarinelaunched countermeasure and the surface version called Launched Expendable Scutter (Lescut), alongside the more recent Shade defence suite and Torbuster decoy for submarine applications. Lescut is an intelligent, third generation reactive countermeasure, designed to identify the incoming threat and provide a customized response. Lescut is based on the Ultra Naval Systems and Sensors hardware and Rafael’s proven reactive acoustic module electronics and software. It requires noprelaunch input or tests, shortening the response time and eliminating errors due to incorrect settings or operator mistakes. Designed to respond simultaneously to multiple torpedoes of various types – active, passive and combined modes capable - it is programmed to defeat all types of modern torpedo logic, including range gates, Doppler shift and pulse discrimination. After being launched by the DLS and entered into the water, countermeasure operations start

with the decoy suspended to its operating depth. Lescut analyses the environment and the attacking torpedo and then selects from its threat library the appropriate deception signal for emission. As a result, acoustic torpedoes home in on Lescut as the legitimate target, attacking it repeatedly, enabling the ship to evade the attack. It operates for 10 minutes, then self-destructs and sinks. It can be deployed at short range from pneumatic launchers, at medium range using mortar launch (such as the Mk 36 DLS) or to longer ranges (over 2,000 meters) using a rocket. Rafael also developed a towed torpedo countermeasure system known as ATC2 and a mini-line torpedo detection towed array (TDTA). The ATC-2 is a multifrequency active/passive seduction decoy offering two modes of operation to counter the threat, either when the target parameters are known or when there is no specific knowledge and generic parameters are generated. The TDTA uses a triplet array optimised for torpedo DCL, and the short acoustic aperture is claimed to minimise array instability, enabling continuous effective tracking. The receiver array also includes an intercept receiver/processor.

The Rafael Advanced Defence Systems’ Lescut is an intelligent, third generation reactive anti-torpedoes countermeasure, designed to identify the incoming threat and provide a customized response. © Rafael

Designed to respond simultaneously to multiple torpedoes of various types – active, passive and combined modes capable – the Lescut decoy can be programmed to defeat all types of modern torpedo logic. © Rafael

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