14
janes.com/idex
Coyote on the prowl for drones BY DAVID DONALD Recent events at London’s Gatwick airport and in Dubai may have brought the dangers posed by small unmanned air systems (UASs) into public focus, but the threat has been recognised by the military for some time. Among the companies that have been working on counter-UAS (C-UAS) technologies is Raytheon (Stand 03-B07), drawing on its long experience in the air defence arena, The Coyote C-UAS interceptor is fired from a standard pneumatic tube launcher
Stronger Hercules Kellstrom Defense Aerospace (KDA, Stand 02-B01), which specialises in defence aircraft sustainment through OEM strategic distribution, component repair, engineering products and logistics solutions, has been selected by Sabena Technics as a partner for the support of C-130 Hercules aircraft maintenance. Under the agreement, KDA will provide a wide range of aftermarket parts support and component repair and overhaul services. Sabena Technics is a French provider of aircraft maintenance and modifications. Through operations in the US, Australia, Indonesia, the UK and the UAE, KDA provides support to the US military and more than 60 other nations. n
and associated sectors such as air traffic management. The company has not only been working on detection and tracking systems, but also on a range of technologies that can disrupt or destroy small UAVs and drones. In 2015, Raytheon acquired Tucson-based Sensintel, and with it the Coyote UAV. Launched pneumatically from a tube, the tandem-wing Coyote offers a one-hour endurance, and can be configured for reconnaissance missions. It is also used for hurricane-hunting duties by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA), and has been demonstrated in swarm mode as part of the US Navy’s LOCUST (low-cost UAV swarming technology) programme. Through the addition of an RF sensor and a proximity-fuzed warhead, Raytheon has produced a C-UAS version of the Coyote, which has been selected by the US Army and is now being delivered. The Coyote is partnered by Raytheon’s KRFS (Ku-band Radio Frequency System) AESA radar, which detects small UAS threats and provides targeting information for the Coyote. The Coyote system being delivered is in Block 1B standard, but further development is being pursued, leading to a Block 2 Coyote that adds improved sensors
Running smoothly BY CHRISTOPHER F FOSS French company Texelis (Stand 07B56) is showing the TXP 14 (4x4) running platform for the first time in the Middle East. This is fitted with T700 axles for a gross vehicle weight (GVW) of 14 tonnes. Also available is the TXP 18 with T900 axles for a vehicle with a weight of 18 tonnes.
Both of these running chassis are powered by a Cummins diesel developing 375hp coupled to an Allison six-speed automatic transmission and a Powerline transfer case with reduction gear and differential. Standard equipment includes a central tyre inflation system and an anti-lock braking system. Texelis was awarded a contract
and rocket motors to significantly increase manoeuvrability. Another hard-kill option is the Stinger short-range surface-to-air missile.
by Nexter Systems in 2018 to supply the complete running chassis for the French Army’s new Serval (4x4) Lightweight MultiRole Armoured Vehicle. The first 108 will be delivered in 2022, 154 in 2023, 112 in 2024 and 115 in 2025, plus additional vehicles. The Serval running chassis consists of the actual welded steel chassis plus the front-mounted powerpack – consisting of the engine, transmission and cooling system and transfer box – complete driver’s dashboard, powered steering, fuel system, vehicle electronics, suspension and wheels. Texelis will send the running chassis to Nexter Systems’ Roanne production and system integration facility, where the all-welded steel body will be attached and other subsystems integrated. For vehicles with a higher GVW, Texelis has developed the T900 modular drive system, which has been designed for installation of 4x4, 6x6 and 8x8 platforms. n
