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indian navy is on The Cusp of Transformation
Business ProFiLe a LeaDer in manuFaCTuring oF PreCision-guiDeD sysTems anD aeriaL ComBaT veHiCLes
ALCON is an EDGE Group company and a leader in the end-to-end manufacturing of precision-guided systems and aerial combat vehicles. Established in 2017, the company innovates and develops highperformance and cost-effective products that enable its customers to neutralise specific targets and avoid collateral damage. HALCON relies on an impressive in-house research and development process, supported by one of the region’s most advanced testing facilities delivering high-tolerance, high-precision components and subsystems, finished through the company’s full assembly line services. that its systems are tested and delivered in compliance with leading military standards to ensure safety, performance and compatibility.
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HALCON’s work is complemented by in-house advanced manufacturing capabilities that deliver hightolerance, high-precision components and sub-systems, finished through its full assembly line services. The company also designs, manufactures, assembles and integrates components for precision-guided munitions that can be customised to meet client requirements. Through leveraging emerging technologies, world-class intellectual property assets and its expertise at all points of the manufacturing value chain, HALCON’s systems are known for their reliability. The company is passionate about upskilling staff and UAE nationals, and runs dedicated programmes in this regards.
With 500+ employees, three laboratories and eight manufacturing facilities, HALCON counts the UAE Armed Forces among its key clients. Commencing with detailed research into customer requirements and an in-depth look at market trends, the company’s teams ensure The CoMPany is aT The CUTTinG edGe oF deFenCe innovaTion and Beyond, and ReCenTLy UnveiLed iTs shadoW 25 and shadoW 50 UnManned aeRiaL vehiCLes (Uav); ThUndeR seRies and deseRT sTinG FaMiLy oF PReCision GUided MissiLes; and naseF MissiLe. We aRe aCTiveLy ConTRiBUTinG To RaisinG The Uae’s ManUFaCTURinG CaPaBiLiTies doMesTiCaLLy, WhiLe heLPinG To BUiLd The CoUnTRy’s soveReiGn CaPaBiLiTies haLCon is a FiRM sUPPoRTeR oF CoLLaBoRaTion and CooPeRaTes WiTh nUMeRoUs CoMPanies aRoUnd The WoRLd, WiTh one sUCh exaMPLe BeinG RheinMeTaLL, The GeRMan deFenCe ConTRaCToR WiTh WhiCh haLCon is deveLoPinG an advanCed C-RaM sysTeM, skynex, To WhiCh haLCon is ConTRiBUTinG iTs skykniGhT MissiLe deFenCe sysTeM
The company is at the cutting edge of defence innovation and beyond, and recently unveiled its Shadow 25 and Shadow 50 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV); Thunder series and Desert Sting family of precision guided missiles; and Nasef missile. We are actively contributing to raising the UAE’s manufacturing capabilities domestically, while helping to build the country’s sovereign capabilities.
Through leveraging emerging technologies, world-class intellectual property assets and its expertise at all points of the manufacturing value chain, HALCON’s solution provide reliability.
HALCON also provides advisory, design and procurement services to help customers solve complex challenges. By redefining the art of machining, the company’s Special Manufacturing division serves clients with advanced capabilities to include CNC machining, coating and surface treatment, cable harnesses, and printed circuit boards. Offering turnkey solutions through a comprehensive range of advanced surface coating and painting solutions, HALCON boasts the UAE’s only cathodic electrodeposition (CED) coating facility and is the leading expert in providing military-grade anticorrosion protection that helps assure performance.
EDGE Group has an ambition to be an international exporter of products, services, and expertise from the UAE to vetted customers, and HALCON supports this vision with a product line that is of export quality. HALCON is a firm supporter of collaboration and cooperates with numerous companies around the world, with one such example being Rheinmetall, the German defence contractor with which HALCON is developing an advanced C-RAM system, Skynex, to which HALCON is contributing its SkyKnight missile defence system.
Development of the original SkyKnight system commenced in August 2020 with a full strength team. Key milestones achieved in the first 12 months of development include the first missile tests out of a canister; full system requirement reviews for user needs and system design; subsystem design; and wind tunnel test model design and manufacturing.
EDGE Group had been developing a short-range air defence system, as has Germanybased Rheinmetall AG, which was actively seeking a missile system to form part of its Skynex air defence system. The companies decided to jointly offer a solution, with HALCON providing SkyKnight, the missile system, to the highly regarded Oerlikon Skynex Air Defence System, which sets new standards with its unique open architecture.
SkyKnight was purposely designed to counter the full spectrum of modern threats, providing early warning signals and precise surface-to-air intercept capabilities targeting of rotary-wing aircraft, UAV rockets, artillery, mortar, and other fixed-wing aircraft at a range of up to 10km. While the UAE Defence Force stands as the initial customer for SkyKnight, the system’s integration into Skynex, as well as its standalone capabilities, is likely to see it deployed globally.
israeL Diary israeL oFFers sPaCe TeCHnoLogy For imProveD seCuriTy sysTem
The Israeli air and space force is now operating in one of the most critical areas for the country’s security. In the list of its most versatile space systems, Israel has added a new concept for a communication satellite by introducing the Mini Communication Satellite (MCS), which is highly advanced and cost-effective
ofek 16 Satellite
By arie eGoZi
hen the Israeli air force some years ago changed its name to the ‘air and space force’ many thought that this was just a semantic change that does not describe a real change. They were wrong. The Israeli air and space force is now operating in one of the most critical areas for the security of Israel.
Israel has been active in space mostly for defence for many years. Launchers, satellites and ground stations are developed and manufactured mostly for Israeli needs, but now this advanced technology is offered to other clients that see the importance of space for their security. The most recent addition to the versatile list of space systems, developed in Israel, is the new concept for a communication satellite by introducing the MCS – a Mini Communication Satellite.
According to Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), the country’s main space company, the MCS is an advanced communication satellite weighing roughly 700 kg upon its launch and includes a complete digital communication payload weighing up to 200 kg. A full-size communication satellite has an average weight of 5000 kg. IAI says that due to its lightweight, the satellite can be launched together in rideshare with other satellites, this lowers the launch costs.
The Israeli company says that the new satellite has a life expectancy of no less than 14 years and is specifically designed to provide multi-zone communication services to customers or countries with diverse communication needs. The MCS uses an electrical propulsion system, developed specifically for this lowweight satellite.
The MCS was developed based on 30 years of IAI experience with various satellites and on the capabilities developed initially for Dror 1, designed and built by IAI for Israel’s national communication needs. As the Dror 1 is aimed to serve the Israeli defence requirements most of its planned capabilities were developed in-house by IAI, including an advanced digital communication payload and ‘space smartphone’ capabilities that provide the operators with flexibility throughout the satellite’s mission life. In addition, the command programme and development architecture allow applications loading from a ground station during the satellite’s in-space operation to adjust and modify assignments in accordance with changing communication needs.
IAI says that the MCS is fully digital with a flexible communication payload & applications; has high performance; has multiband capabilities, with up to four steerable antennas; and is cyber protected. The MCS enables scalability, modularity, redundancy, and a short-term response to traffic demand. These qualities are, according to Israeli defence sources, essential to the planned use of this ‘national’ satellite.
According to Shlomi Sudri, general manager of IAI’s space division, the mini-satellite MCS offers a new concept to the communication satellite market, serving as a complementary or a focused regional system. “The MCS allows IAI to offer full satellite capabilities at a competitive price and expand into new satellite markets. IAI is in touch with a number of customers globally,” Sudri said.
Every satellite, is connected to a ground station that turns the raw data into actionable one. After a very focused development effort, IAI has unveiled the Blue Sphere, a cloud-based ground station for satellites. The company says that it significantly increases information received from the satellite and allows the satellite to communicate with Earth at any given moment.
The setup of a virtual ground station in the cloud enhances the availability of the satellite output, reducing the dependence on ‘satellite passing time’ above a specific ground station. Instead, the satellite is able to broadcast the information collected to any available ground station worldwide. From there, the information is transferred immediately to the cloud, allowing the data to be extracted on demand, leaving it for the ground station to transfer or withdraw the information immediately without dependency on reception towers located in different stations worldwide.
In recent months, the Israeli need for space assets brought other Israeli companies to offer their technologies, first to the Israeli ministry of defence but with an eye on the international market. Israel launched and operates a number of very advanced spy satellites. But these low orbit spy satellites from the Ofeq series, visit ‘areas of interest’ in big intervals. Their optical or radar payloads cannot keep a persistent watch over the ‘areas of interest’, and when it comes to the ballistic missiles threat, this is a major problem. The Israeli ministry of defence contracted Rafale to develop ‘special’ Nanosatellites that will operate in swarms to allow Israel to get real-time warnings on evolving threats. The type of these satellites is classified but without any doubt, they will enhance Israel’s capability to counter an attack of a country that has long-range ballistic missiles, namely Iran.
And the Israeli space
iai’s nanoSat- BGuSat
ofek 16
initiatives are growing in number and technology. IAI has recently teamed with a startup company to make special satellites that can service other satellites in space. IAI signed an agreement for technological and financial cooperation with Israeli startup company Effective Space. Effective Space plans to order from IAI a fleet of ‘maintenance satellites’ each weighing not more than 880 pounds.
The average life span of a communication satellite is 15 years. It gets out of service when the Hydrazine gas it carries is fully used and cannot help keeping it in its high orbit. The startup company is developing a method that will enable such a ‘maintenance satellite’ to attach itself to an ‘old’ satellite and serve as an altitude keeper by using the gas it holds in its tanks.
Astroscale US Inc last year announced that it decided to acquire intellectual property and other assets of Effective Space Solutions R&D Ltd (ESS). This is the first acquisition of an Israeli space technology company by a foreign company. Another Israeli company is developing a jellbased propellant that will change the way rockets and satellites are being operated.
According to ‘New Rocket’, conventional rocket engine technology in either solid or liquid form has many risks, including high toxicity, transportation challenges and produces rockets that are difficult to control or extinguish. New Rocket is developing proprietary gel technology enabling a stable and non-toxic engine propellant, without sacrificing performance and control. According to the company, the ‘green propulsion’ technology combines all the advantages of both liquid and solid propellants. According to New Rocket, the new propellant is safe to use and transport. The company said that the propellant will improve rocket performance, offering a powerful thrust that can be controlled and extinguished when needed. “New Rocket’s gel propulsion technology is designed to meet the strictest industry regulations,” a company source said.
The company has successfully completed a proof of concept for the proprietary technology and identified key applications for the aviation, space and power generation markets. The company said that existing satellite propulsion systems are currently too expensive or toxic, and often limit the Nanosatellite’s performance. These restrictions, according to New Rocket, lead to a dramatic reduction in satellite lifespan and make operating large constellations prohibitively difficult, especially in very low earth orbits (VLEO).
–The writer is an Israel-based freelance journalist. The views expressed are personal and do not necessarily reflect the views of Raksha Anirveda
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