Military UAVs – Page 302
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MEADS money unleashed for risk-reduction programme
Lockheed Martin and its team members on the Medium Extended Air Defence System (MEADS) programme, Alenia Marconi Systems and DaimlerChrysler Aerospace, have received $10 million to fund six months of work as a prelude to a three-year risk reduction programme. The money was delayed as Congress debated the need ...
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Future Rafale studies are unveiled
Peter La Franchi/CANBERRADassault Aviation is exploring enhancements to the low observable features of the Rafale fighter, and a possible future role for the aircraft as an in-flight controller for unmanned aerial combat vehicles. According to Dassault military adviser Paul Marty, studies are also to be carried out to assess a ...
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Northrop Grumman/Schweizer team reveals vertical take-off navy UAV
The US Navy's vertical take-off and landing unmanned air vehicle (VTOL UAV) competition includes a bid from a Northrop Grumman Ryan Aeronautical Centre-led team which utilises a modified Schweizer Aircraft Model 330turbine-powered light helicopter. The modified rotorcraft, which has successfully completed a 41-mission, 38h manned flight test programme at ...
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USN tests anti-missile laser
Graham Warwick/WASHINGTON The US Navy has conducted the first live-fire test of laser missile jamming systems suitable for installation on fast-jet combat aircraft. The UK observed the trials, conducted under the Navy's Tactical Aircraft Directed Infrared Countermeasures (TADIRCM) advanced technology demonstrator programme. Prototype systems developed by Lockheed Martin Sanders ...
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Sikorsky Cypher in VTOL UAV hunt
Sikorsky has emerged as a late entrant in the US Navy's vertical take-off and landing unmanned air vehicle competition. The helicopter manufacturer is offering a development of the Cypher II being tested by the US Marine Corps. Cypher III will be a scaled up, turbine-powered design based on the ...
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AGS radar system offer to Middle East clients
Tim Ripley/DUBAI Northrop Grumman is offering Middle East customers a business jet-mounted version of its Joint STARS airborne ground surveillance (AGS) radar system. The US defence electronics giant says the system can be available by the middle of the next decade at a "competitive" price. The company ...
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Bids are in for VTOL competition
The US Navy's multi-million dollar contest to acquire a vertical take-off and landing unmanned air vehicle (VTOL UAV) generated up to three bids. Bidding for the programme, which includes 12 systems for the US Navy and 11 for the US Marine Corps, closed on 1 November. The USN ...
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Star target
NATO is well on the way to having its own version of the USA's Joint STARS Paul Lewis/MELBOURNE, FLORIDA After years of deliberation, NATO has embarked on a programme that could see the alliance field its own version of the US Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System (Joint STARS) by ...
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Hard to digest
Whether it is clever politics, a knee-jerk reaction or just well-meant advice, the "closed" sign has gone up in the window of the transatlantic merger diner at which Europe has been trying to book a table since merger-mania gripped the industry earlier this year. Clever politics, perhaps, because Washington ...
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USAF gets funding to begin work on Galaxy re-engining
Paul Lewis/WASHINGTON DC The US Air Force has secured $18 million in long lead funding to begin work on re-engining the Lockheed Martin C-5A/B Galaxy, as the Air Mobility Command (AMC) prepares to conclude a critical study of its future heavylift transport options. Congress has approved initial funding in ...
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Kosovo air campaign shows up US and NATO disparities
Ramon Lopez/WASHINGTON DC US secretary of State for Defense William Cohen says the Kosovo air campaign highlighted disparities between US military forces and those of NATO allies, including precision strike capabilities. Cohen's assessment is contained in an initial Kosovo after-action report from the Department of Defense containing early lessons from ...
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TUAV shoot-out marred by crash
The US Army's fly-off involving four tactical unmanned air vehicles (TUAV) suffered its first casualty when an AAI Shadow 200 was destroyed in a crash on 11October near Fort Huachuca, Arizona. The Shadow 200 began its system capability demonstration (SCD) on 4 October and had completed two check flights ...
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Running with it
If Europe has found a way of sorting out its fragmented space, guided weapons, commercial aircraft and even helicopter industries with a path being trodden for avionics, radar and other defence systems, the fighter road is far from clear. It is a worrying sign, given that air power will ...
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Out on a wing
NASA is set to turn an experimental project into full-scale scientific and commercial work Guy Norris/LOS ANGELESAs shopping expeditions go, visiting NASA's display of Environmental Research Aircraft and Sensor Technology (ERAST) project aircraft on 13 October has to rank as one of the strangest. On show, under the appropriate banner ...
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Comanche tests to speed up
Paul Lewis/WASHINGTON DCBoeing and Sikorsky plan to accelerate RAH-66 Comanche helicopter flight and system testing in a move to reduce development risk. This coincides with the US Congress signalling its intent to pay much closer scrutiny to the helicopter programme. Key members of the House Appropriations Committee defence panel warn ...
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UK sends out for UAV assessment bids
Stewart Penney/LONDON The UK Ministry of Defence is inviting a dozen companies to bid for the assessment phase of its Sender unmanned air vehicle (UAV) requirement. At the same time, the MoD and US Army have agreed a letter of intent (LoI) to explore opportunities for Tactical UAV (TUAV) co-operation. ...
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Four tactical UAVs in US Army shoot-out
The US Army has initiated a fly-off at Fort Huachuca, Arizona, to decide which of four tactical unmanned air vehicle (TUAV) candidates will be bought. The $325 million TUAV competition includes the AAI Shadow 200, Alliant Techsystems Outrider, General Atomics Prowler II and S-TEC STM-5B Sentry. The Shadow 200 ...
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IAI/TAI agree deal
Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI) and Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) will submit joint bids for contracts in Turkey and in countries where an Israeli company cannot be a prime contractor. The deal stems from good relations between the companies and close defence links between Israel and Turkey. Co-operation is likely ...
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Global Hawk downed by rogue abort signal
Guy Norris/LOS ANGELESNorthrop Grumman says the crash on 29 March of a Ryan Aeronautical RQ-4A Global Hawk unmanned air vehicle (UAV) was caused by an abort signal from another remotely operated vehicle which was being tested more than 250km (140nm) away. The signal accidentally triggered the Ryan UAV's flight termination ...
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NATO makes a noise over Sentry re-engining deliveries
The NATO airborne early warning force (NAEWF) is expected finally to release a request for proposals (RFP) in October to re-engine its Boeing E-3A Sentrys ahead of the introduction of Stage 3 noise restrictions in Europe. The NAEWF operates 18 E-3As powered by Pratt & Whitney TF33-100 turbofans. The RFP ...