Thailand’s relatively low wages make it a logical choice for MRO.
In an attempt to duplicate the success of its automotive industry—the 12th largest in the world—Thailand is ramping up its push to become a full-service aerospace hub, and a major player in the region’s multi-billion-dollar aircraft maintenance and manufacturing industries. The country’s presence here at the Farnborough International Airshow falls under the remit of its Board of Investment (Hall 4 Stand A110).
Thailand may seem overly ambitious to some, but Peter Gille, director of operations and engineering at Triumph Aviation Services—Asia (TASA) remains bullish on the country’s growth prospects. TASA’s capabilities include repairing and overhauling auxiliary power units (APU), thrust reversers, composite structures, and engine and airframe accessories.
“I am personally convinced that Thailand can become a full-service aerospace hub,” Gille told AIN. “This is, in fact, what I am personally trying to contribute to.”
Dozens of industry leaders agree. Over the past two decades, Thailand has attracted significant investment from several U.S. companies such as Triumph, Honeywell, General Electric and Chromalloy, along with French tire manufacturer Michelin and German manufacturer Leistritz. According to Thailand’s Board of Investment (BOI), 24 companies are actively involved in aircraft part manufacturing while 12 companies perform maintenance and repair on aircraft and parts.
Thailand’s not-so-secret weapon lies in its strategic location, low labor costs, expanding network of free trade agreements and generous incentive packages. Situated in the heart of Southeast Asia, the country offers convenient trade with China, India and so-called Asean countries (Those in the Association of South East Asian Nations). Moreover, Thailand’s two international deep-sea ports on the eastern seaboard enable suppliers to tap into global markets.
“Thailand is centrally located and very pro-business,” said Ronald Vuz, president of Triumph Structures Thailand—a manufacturer of aerospace composite structures. “We are in a free trade zone. This is a big part of the reason why we bought this facility. The country also has strong regulations and policies along with great logistics. It is very easy to get product in and out.”
Speaking to AINlast month, Segsarn Trai-Ukos, country director for Michelin, said the country’s geographical advantage prompted the company to switch its base of operations. “We recently moved our headquarters from Singapore to Thailand. We wanted to be closer to our customers and closer to our factories,” he said. “For us, this was a strategic decision.”
Despite uncertainties over Thai politics, the World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business 2016 report places Thailand as the second-ranked emerging economy in Southeast Asia in which to do business and the 49th in the world. Aerospace companies say they have no complaints when it comes to serving overseas customers.
Gerton van den Oetelaar, engineering director of Chromalloy Thailand, said, “95 percent of our work is engine component maintenance. On average, we have 82 to 100 customers worldwide. Having agreements with BOImakes us very competitive.”
The agreements that van den Oetelaar allude to are laid out in well-defined investment policies that include a string of fiscal and non-fiscal incentives that range from corporate tax exemptions to assistance with customs, work permits and product sourcing. Available incentives include an exemption of import duties on machinery, no export requirements, an eight-year corporate income tax exemption and permission to own land.
“Airlines often want their parts in a very short time,” van den Oetelaar told AIN. “We ship anywhere in the world in two, three days, max. This is because we have priority clearance from BOI to import and export.”
Thailand’s generous investment packages do not end there. Recognizing the importance of infrastructure and the need for greater integration between core industries, Ajarin Pattanapanchai, deputy security general of BOI, told AIN that a policy launched early last year aims to ramp up further investment in aerospace activities.
Super Cluster
Dubbed the Super-Cluster initiative, the program allows future companies to be eligible for eight-year corporate tax exemptions and an additional five-year reduction of 50 percent, provided they are in the designated cluster areas.
For industries with significant importance, Pattanapanchai said that the Ministry of Finance will consider granting 10 to 15 years’ corporate income tax exemption, personal income tax exemption for renowned specialists and matching grants to support investors in high-value-added activities such as training and research and development (R&D).
In order to be eligible, companies must collaborate with academic or research institutes to improve the level of human resources and technology. “In order to accelerate investment, projects need to apply this year and generate revenue in 2017. But for big projects, the BOI may consider a time frame on a case by case basis,” Pattanapanchai said.
Having a broad-based game plan that includes cooperation between institutions, the government and the private sector have long been a part of Thailand’s DNA in building up competitive manufacturing industries. Today, aerospace companies benefit from the country’s advanced auto manufacturing and electronics industries.
“Many of our Thai employees came from the automotive industry,” said Vuz. “While we provide training, the automotive industry has paved the way for people to enter aerospace.”
Arnd Balzereit-Kelter, managing director of Leistritz, agrees. “Thailand has experienced a slowdown in the automotive industry. So we are leveraging off this and hiring people from the sector.” Leistritz’s Thai division is a global supplier of components for the forging of compressor blades for aero engines such as the International Aero Engines V2500, Pratt & Whitney PW1000G (with P&W partner MTU), and Rolls-Royce Trent 700, 900 and 1000.
Compared to neighboring countries like Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos, Thailand has more skilled labor that companies can tap into. According to Gille, the country has civil engineering schools and two main universities that offer aerospace programs
“I am very impressed with the level of education,” Gille told AIN, “Fifty percent of our staff have bachelor or master degrees, and two employees have PhDs. They know what they are doing.”
Saying this, TASA and other aerospace companies recognize the need to invest in new capabilities, as manufacturers deliver next generation aircraft and engines with new technology. To remain competitive, companies across the sector offer employees in-house and overseas training.
“We have Thai people training Thais, and English-speakers training Thais to train other Thai people,” Vuz said. “Thais can do the work. They just need more experience and a chance to broaden their capabilities.”
Making sure there is a sufficient knowledge-based workforce to accommodate MRO growth, van den Oetelaar said Chromalloy offers roughly 200 training courses per year in areas such as machining and welding. The company currently employs more than 500 people and serves all the major airlines in the world.
“Quality is not an argument, it’s a standard,” he said. “You have to comply with regulatory requirements in this field.”
Aerospace companies are not only leveraging Thailand’s burgeoning talent base, they are also taking advantage of low labor costs. With aerospace work becoming more intensive and more costly, van den Oetelaar said it makes sense to be based in a country with relatively low wages.
“Asia is a growth region. There is going to be more maintenance required,” he said. “We focus on doing everything in house, which makes us very efficient and low-cost.”
While Thai employees may earn a lower salary compared to their Western peers, the cost of living and doing business in Thailand is substantially less.
“People go to India because the market is growing but it’s expensive with poor infrastructure. The cost of borrowing capital is very high compared to Thailand,” said Ketan Pole, chief executive officer of C.C.S. Advance Tech—a manufacturer of piece parts for Tier 1 and Tier 2 customers of Boeing, Airbus, Rolls-Royce and UTAS.
Pole told AIN that another benefit to Thailand is a competitive corporate income tax rate at 20 percent.
“In Southeast Asia, Thailand has advantages, “he said. “It makes sense to be here.”
India is finally taking forward the negotiations with Russia on stalled projects to jointly develop a futuristic fifth-generation fighter aircraft (FGFA) as well as upgrade its existing Su-30MKI jets
Clever aren’t they the project is finish everything is done!
Excerpt
“Though India and France are now close to inking the estimated €7.8 billion deal for 36 Rafale jets, the Defense Ministry acknowledges that just 36 fighters will not be enough to stem the country’s hemorrhaging air combat power. The IAF is down to just 33 fighter squadrons – including 11 obsolete MiG-21 and MiG-27 squadrons slated for retirement – when at least 42 are required to keep the “collusive China-Pakistan threat” at bay.
The “multi-pronged strategy” to progressively crank up airpower ranges from inducting the indigenous Tejas light combat aircraft to exploring a second line of fighter production in the country, with the American FA-18 and F-16 as well as Swedish Gripen-E already in contention for this proposed ‘Make in India’ project, The Times of India writes.”
July 11, 2016, 05:11:00 AM EDT By Dow Jones Business News
By Robert Wall
FARNBOROUGH, England–The British Defense Ministry will buy nine military surveillance jets and 50 attack helicopters from Boeing Co. in deals valued at more than $6 billion.
Britain pledged to buy the nine P-8A jets for maritime patrols and hunting submarines in a major defense review last year. The planes fill a gap created after the grounding of an older jet fleet in 2010 and the cancellation of a program to replace them with British-made aircraft.
The U.K. has had to call on sea-monitoring planes from its allies in recent years to help patrol its coast and hunt submarines after sighting suspicious foreign vessels.
Boeing has bet heavily on selling modified jetliners for military applications amid dwindling demand for its combat jets. The U.K. becomes the third overseas customer alongside India and Australia for the P-8A, a heavily modified version of Boeing’s best-selling 737 passenger jet.
Boeing has committed to involve U.K. companies in its programs and work with the British government to build a P-8A operational support and training base at RAF Lossiemouth.
British Prime Minister David Cameron said the deal indicated the U.K. remained a place to invest even after Britons voted last month to leave the European Union.
“Whatever uncertainties our country faces, I want the message to go out loud and clear: the U.K. will continue to lead the world in both civil and defense aerospace,” said Mr. Cameron, who is stepping down as Prime Minister.
Boeing has estimated an export market of more than 100 of the planes over the next decade. The aircraft include a host of sensors and the ability to deploy weapons such as torpedoes.
The U.S. State Department earlier this year cleared the government-to-government sale. Other suppliers involved include ViaSat Inc., Rockwell Collins Inc. Spirit AeroSystems Holdings Inc. and Raytheon Co.
Separately, the British government said it would buy 50 AH-64E Apache attack helicopters from Boeing. The deal is valued at $2.3 billion, the Defense Ministry said.
British Chief of the General Staff General Nick Carter said “the new Apache fleet will provide the British Army with a highly potent fighting element of its Future Force 2025.
The deal, via the U.S. foreign military-sales program, has been controversial for potentially not providing enough work to British industry. U.K. Defense Secretary Michael Fallon said “in the longer term, I want these new Apaches to be maintained in the U.K., and for U.K. companies to do most of the work.” Leonardo-Finmeccanica SpA, the Italian aerospace company with a large helicopter operation in the U.K., should be involved, he said.
The single-engine AH-6I light attack helicopter can be fitted with multiple weapons, including a machine gun, mini-gun, rockets and semi-active laser Hellfire missiles.
By the end of this month Boeing will—if everything goes to plan—have delivered the first AH-6i Little Bird light attack/reconnaissance helicopter to inaugural customer Saudi Arabia, which is the recipient of a new wave of U.S. weaponry. The manufacturer has also established a contract outline with the U.S. Army to quickly supply up to 72 Little Birds to unspecified foreign buyers.
During a press trip Boeing (Chalet B6, Outdoor Exhibit G4) hosted at its helicopter assembly facility in Mesa, Arizona, on June 7, reporters viewed the first AH-6i planned for delivery to the Saudi Arabia National Guard (SANG). The helicopter—numbered 61001—was undergoing the final week of the build process, prior to being flight tested and delivered. The expression “God Bless You” was painted on its fuselage, which is typical for Saudi aircraft.
Seven of 24 AH-6is specified in a 2014 foreign military sale (FMS) were cycling through assembly. Fuselages for the first AH-6is manufactured for Saudi Arabia are being provided by Mesa-based MD Helicopters, with sub-assembly taking place in Monterrey,Mexico.
The Defense Contract Management Agency, a component agency of the U.S. Department of Defense, will perform acceptance flight testing of the helicopters before turning them over to the Saudi government. It is expected that several Saudi pilots will train in Mesa, as well as pilots who will then serve as instructors in SaudiArabia.
Single-engine AH-6is can be fitted with a combination of: semi-active laser Hellfire missiles; 70 mm rockets; M-134 mini gun; and .50 caliber GAU-19B machine gun. The aircraft’s integrated digital cockpit and mission computer were derived from those in the AH-64 Apache, and it carries an L-3 Wescam MX-15Di sensor turret with laser rangefinder/designator and laser pointer.
In April, the U.S. Army issued a “sources sought notice” requesting information on industry’s capability to produce 72 AH-6is over a three-year period. The first 12 production aircraft, spares and equipment would likely be directed to Boeing “through a binding FMS letter of offer and acceptance (LOA) executed bilaterally between theU.S. government and the foreign country customer who is funding the effort,” according to the notice. The remaining 60 aircraft would be subject to “foreign country customers” executing LOAs for their production and delivery.
Mark Ballew, Boeing director global sales and marketing for attack helicopters, said the notice sets out to establish a contract vehicle to expedite FMS sales of the helicopters. He acknowledged that Jordan has previously expressed an interest in acquiring Little Birds, but he declined to identify other potential customers.
The first AH-6i deliveries originated in a series of U.S. arms sales to Saudi Arabia announced in October 2010. The largest component of the package—valued at $29.4 billion—called for the supply of 84 Boeing F-15SA fighters and the upgrade of 70 existing F-15S strike fighters to the SA standard. Boeing rolled out the first F-15SA from its St. Louis facility in April 2013, and U.S. Air Force plans called for delivering the fighters to Saudi Arabia between 2015 and 2019.
Simultaneous with the F-15 announcement, the Pentagon’s Defense Security Cooperation Agency notified Congress of an estimated $25.6 billion sale to Saudi Arabia of 36 AH-64E Apaches, 36 AH-6is, 72 Sikorsky UH-60M Blackhawks and 12 MD Helicopters MD-530Fs for operation by the SANG. Separate sales for $3.3 billion and $2.2 billion called for supplying 24 AH-64Es to the Royal Saudi Land Forces, which has operated Apaches since the 1990s, and 10 to the Royal Guard.
Boeing started delivering AH-64Es—the latest model Apache—to Saudi Arabia in early 2014. The Army awarded the manufacturer a $234 million FMS contract in August 2014 to supply 24 AH-6is to the SANG, the first customer of the light attack helicopter variant. Boeing started final assembly of the Little Birds in December 2015.
The Rooivalk is a latest-generation attack helicopter from Denel Aviation of South Africa. The South African Air Force ordered 12 Rooivalk AH-2As, the first of which entered service in July 1999. The helicopters form part of No. 16 Squadron at Bloemspruit Air Force Base (near Bloemfontein).
The helicopters have been delivered and were to be fitted with the Mokopa ZT-6 anti-tank missile. A production order for the Mokopa was placed in March 2004. Delays with the development of the missile meant significant delays in integrating with the Rooivalk.
Image @bemil.chosun.com
In May 2007 Denel Group announced they would cease development for the Rooivalk, however in November 2007 the South African government announced they would invest R962m ($137m) in the Rooivalk to bring it up to operational status by 2011.
In April 2011 the South African Air Force received five Block 1F upgraded Rooivalks which enabled the Mokopa integration.
Airbus Helicopters has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Denel Aviation to cooperate on modernising the current fleet of 11 Rooivalk Mk1 attack helicopter in service with the South African Air Force.
Announced on September 15 at the Africa Aerospace and Defence (AAD) exhibition being held at Air Force Base Waterkloof, South Africa, the Rooivalk Mk1.1 modernisation program will focus on improving reliability and updating ageing sighting and weapon systems, improving payload and survivability.
Rooivalk attack helicopter cockpit
Image @airliners.net
The cockpits are in stepped tandem configuration. The weapon systems officer (WSO) is seated in the front cockpit and the pilot is seated in the cockpit above and behind the WSO. The cockpits, which are fitted with crashworthy seats and are armour-protected, are equipped with hands-on collective And stick (HOCAS) controls.
Rear seat
Front seat
A Thales Avionics TopOwl helmet-mounted sight display (HMSD) provides the crew with a head-up display of information for nap-of-the-earth flight (NOE). TopOwl incorporates an integrated measurement system for directing an articulated weapon such as the cannon, or air-to-air missile seeker heads. It has an integrated Gen IV image intensifier and FLIR capability and provides transition from day to night use at the push of a button.
The Rooivalk has a crash-resistant structure and is designed for stealth with low radar, visual, infrared and acoustic signatures.
Weapons
The Rooivalk carries a comprehensive range of weaponry selected for the mission requirement, ranging from anti-armour and anti-helicopter missions to ground suppression and ferry missions. The aircraft can engage multiple targets at short and long range, utilising the nose-mounted cannon and a range of underwing-mounted munitions.
The 20mm, F2 dual-feed, gas-operated cannon fires high-speed (1,100m/s) ammunition at a firing rate of 740 rounds a minute. Two ammunition bins hold up to 700 rounds of ready-to-fire ammunition. The slew rate of the cannon is 90° a second. The cannon is chin-mounted on the helicopter.
Giat Industries 20 mm M693 (F2)
The Giat Industries 20 mm M693 (F2) is a dual feed cannon which fires standard 20 x 139 mm ammunition.
It is gas operated and the firing mode can be selected for single shots, bursts or safe. The gas system operates via two vents, one on each side of the barrel, through which the propellant gases can push against two pistons. The gun is locked by two swinging locking devices which act as struts between the gun body and the gun block. On firing, the two gas pistons are driven to the rear, moving the struts backwards and so allowing the breech block to move to the rear. In this way all the firing forces are developed along the barrel centreline to keep accuracy constant.
Image @denellandsystems.co.za
The M693 has three main assemblies: the basic gun or recoil mass; the cradle; and the fire-control unit. The basic gun includes a 7° rifled barrel made of a special nitrided steel and fitted with a muzzle brake. The feed operates on a ratchet and pawl mechanism rotating two side sprockets which can feed ammunition into the gun from both sides, ejecting the spent cases from the same side as the feed in use. This system allows two types of ammunition to be fed into the gun. A further control switch can select the ammunition feed to be used. The linked rounds are fed into the gun from flexible chutes.
The M693 can be fitted with an electric recocking device including a system to indicate the end of its operation, or a hydraulic recocking device.
The Rooivalk was to be armed with the Mokopa long-range anti-armour missile developed by the Kentron Division of Denel. Mokopa has a semi-active laser seeker head and is equipped with a tandem warhead. Range is over 8.5km. Rooivalk can also fire Hellfire or HOT 3 missiles.
Mokopa anti-armour missile
Image @denel.co.za
Mokopa is a state-of-the-art, long-range, precision-guided, anti-armour missile. It may, however, be used effectively against other high-value ground, air or naval targets from a variety of launch platforms such as land vehicles, shore battery installations, naval vessels and fixed-wing aircraft.
Image @wieng.kr
The modular design of the missile allows for different warheads (e.g. penetration, fragmentation or anti-armour), optimized for the type of target. Furthermore, the modularity of the missile system facilitates pre-planned upgrades, such as mmW and IIRseekers, ensuring a continued presence in the market.
System Operation (SAL Version)
Prior to launch, target information must be supplied via the on-board sighting system or from an external source. After launch, the missile flies towards the target area, using the selected trajectory and fly-out method. During the terminal phase, the target must be illuminated by the on-board sighting system or a remote designator.
System Description
The Mokopa system consists of the following major components:
178 mm missile Launcher (two or four missiles) Support equipment
Rooivalk can carry four air-to-air missiles such as the Denel Aerospace Systems V3C Darter or MBDA (formerly Matra BAe Dynamics) Mistral.
V3C Darter AAM
A greatly improved version of the short-range V3B AAM, it was cleared for use with the Mirage III, Mirage F1 and Cheetah aircraft. The missile is linked to the helmet-mounted acquisition system which allows the pilot to lock the missiles seeker head onto the target well outside his aircraft’s axis. It is comparable to the AIM-9L Sidewinder. Using both contact and laser proximity fuses, launch velocity is the aircraft’s speed plus 600m/s. It can be fired against targets within 15 degrees of the sun, and in look-down mode.
Produced from 1986, the Darter has a larger-diameter fuselage when compared to the V3B, gimble limits were increased to 55 degrees and incorporated shorter reaction times and a laser fuse. Lead bias was optimised from 20 to 160 degrees by using a colour guidance system to distinguish between aircraft and decoy flares. The Bush War ended before it entered service in 1990, but was still used by the Impala Mk II. Further development of the Kenron V3C ceased in favour of the larger U-Darter.
Weapon Stats:
Speed: Mach 2
Range: 0.3-10 km, 0.2-6.2 miles
Length: 2.75 m, 9.02 ft
Diameter: 15.7 cm, 6.18 ft
Weight: 89 kg, 196 lb
Explosives: 16 kg (35.3 lb) Torpex 2A Fragmentation (Tungsten cube)
The MBDA Mistral is a very short-range air defence missile system capable of intercepting close to the ground-flying helicopters and fighter aircraft.
The Atam system is comprised of two launching ramps with two missiles each, i.e. four ready-to-fire missiles. It is capable of intercepting helicopters as well as fighter aircraft and can be fired from altitudes of up to 15,000 ft and at speeds of up to 200 knots.
Image @saairforce.co.za
Very simple to use (Fire and Forget missile) and easy to maintain, the system can be operated in the whole flight envelope of the carrier helicopter.
The warheads are equipped with a contact fuse, a laser proximity fuse and a time delay self destruct device. Guidance is by passive infra-red homing using an indium arsenide detector array operating in the 3 to 5 micron waveband. The guidance system is capable of trajectory-shaping and has a self-spinning airframe for improved accuracy. The warhead can be detonated either by impact or by an active laser proximity fuse.
The US-made AGM-114 Hellfire Anti-Tank Guided Missile (ATGM) is one of the most common and important heliborne weapons of the Western Bloc. Designed to serve as an equalizer against superior numbers of Warsaw Pact tanks at the height of the Cold War, this missile continues to find a place in new missions and battles that were largely discounted in its infancy.
Development of this weapon began in 1974, as a US Army program. In its conceptual phase, the AGM-114 was known as the “HELFIRE”, a portmanteau of “HELicopter launched FIRE and forget”. The HELFIRE by 1978 had become a joint program US Marine Corp as well; the Marines had a requirement for essentially the same type of weapon, and Congress directed that they co-develop the HELFIRE. Test firings began later that same year, with operational testing was reportedly completed in 1981, and the AGM-114 achieved initial operational capability with the US Army in 1985.
At some point before it was approved for production in 1982 the AGM-114 HELFIRE was inevitably renamed the “Hellfire”, and like most modern US weapons, its origins are a tangled web of ties between legions of contractors and subcontractors. It was initially a proprietary Rockwell product, but a Martin Marietta seeker head was integrated into the design by the time its live-fire testing began. The motors were all manufactured by Thikliol, but are now ATK products. The primary contractor today for all models except the AGM-114L is Hellfire Systems LLC, a joint venture of Lockheed Martin and Boeing. The AGM-114L is currently produced by Longbow LLC, a joint venture of Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman. Thus, for all intents and purposes, the Hellfire is essentially a Lockheed product.
All variants to date, with the exception of the AGM-114L, employ semi-active laser guidance. The missile homes-in on a laser spot produced by a laser designator. The aircraft employing the Hellfire usually have their own laser designator, but the target can be “lased” by another aircraft, a fighting vehicle, personnel with a man-portable designator, and so on.
The Hellfire is most famously associated with the AH-64 Apache attack helicopter, but since its introduction has been integrated into a multitude of different launch platforms, including fixed-wing aircraft. It has also been successfully integrated into ground-based and naval launch platforms, though to date none of these have entered production. The problem with the Hellfire in a ground-based application is likely its significant mass and unit cost; a BGM-71C TOW IIA, for example, is half the weight and cost of the AGM-114L Hellfire. A new generation of more compact ATGMs, such as the 9M133 Kornet and FGM-148 Javelin, have further eroded the viability of ground-launched Hellfires. The limitations of the Hellfire for marine use are much simpler, in that it is extremely lacking in range and power compared to missiles such as the AGM-119 Penguin or RGM-84 Harpoon.
It is also possible for the Hellfire to engage helicopters and slow fixed-wing aircraft, though its guidance, warhead, and flight profile obviously make it less than ideal for this purpose (hence, why combat helicopters are often seen carrying missiles like the AIM-92 Stinger and AIM-9 Sidewinder). The only documented case of the Hellfire shooting-down an aircraft was on May 24th 2001, when an IDF AH-64 Apache shot-down a civilian Cessna 152 intruding into restricted airspace (which unfortunately stemmed from the inexperience of the civilian pilot, rather than hostile intent).
The HOT is an anti-tank missile of French/German origin. It was developed in the early and mid 1970s to replace the SS.11 missile. The name HOT stands for Haut subsonique, Optiquement téléguidé, Tiré d’un tube, this translates to high subsonic, optically guided, tube launched. The performance is comparable to the American TOW missile and Soviet Konkurs (AT-5) missile
The HOT is a powerful anti-tank missile with good penetration characteristics. The HOT-1 HEAT warhead penetrates 800 mm RHA, the HOT-2 does 900 mm and the tandem HEAT warhead on the HOT-3 penetrates 1.250 mm behind ERA. It is also effective against bunkers and light vehicles, but of limited use against infantry in the open. The maximum range is 4 km and the flight speed is about 850 km/h. The SACLOS guidance results in good accuracy, even against moving targets.
HOT-1: Original HOT missile produced since 1978. Fitted with 136mm diameter shaped charge HEAT warhead. HOT-2: Improved HOT-1 introduced in 1985. Has a 150mm diameter warhead for increased penetration. The missile body is lighter to compensate for the increased weight. HOT-2MP: Multi Purpose version of HOT-2 introduced in 1986. Fitted with penetrating blast fragmentation warhead for use against buildings, fortified positions and all vehicles except tanks. HOT-3: Final version introduced in 1993 and previously called HOT-2T. Has a tandem shaped charge HEAT warhead for much increased penetration and longer guidance wire. Data weaponsystems.net
The V3C Darter has an infrared seeker and a helmet-mounted sight for target designation. The Mistral, which has been selected by the South African Air Force, has an infrared seeker and range of up to 6km.
Rooivalk is equipped to fire 70mm folding-fin aerial rockets (FFAR), from the company Forges de Zeebrugge of Belgium, with a range of warheads, selectable according to the type of targets being engaged.
FZ 90 70mm FFAR
Developed by Forges de Zeebrugge of Belgium from a licence-built US-designed Folding Fin Aircraft Rocket (FFAR). In mid-1990s announced development of Wraparound Fin Air Rocket (WAFAR) FZ 90, designed primarily for helicopters. Denel says these were found superior to the old 68mm SNEB’s.
In 1997, TDA announced that the TDA/FZ 70 mm rocket system consisting of the FZ 90 rocket motor, warheads and M159 rocket launcher had been selected for integration on the South African Rooivalk helicopter.
M159 rocket launcher
Metallic rocket launcher
M159 is an aluminum high-drag, straight cylindrical 19-tube reusable launcher designed for helicopter use. The rocket launcher M159 is equipped with removable universal dual purpose FZ125 detent mechanisms enabling to fire FFAR and WA rockets. Source fz.be
Warheads are selectable according to the type of targets being engaged.
Explosive types:
HEAT; HE general purpose; MPSM/HE anti-armour/anti-personnel submunition; AMV multidart; target marking; smoke; chaff; illumination
The Rooivalk’s electronic warfare suite is the fully integrated helicopter electronic warfare self-protection suite (HEWSPS), incorporating radar warning, laser warning and countermeasures dispensing system. The system is flight-line programmable and in-flight adaptable to match the threat library with the mission’s area of operation.
The radar warner features low-effective radiated power (ERP) / pulse Doppler radar detection beyond radar detection range, ultra broadband frequency coverage, high pulse density handling and internal instantaneous frequency measurement.
The laser warner provides broadband laser frequency coverage to detect and display rangefinding, designating and missile guidance laser threats.
The countermeasures dispensing system, which is operated in manual, semi-automatic or fully automatic mode, is charged with chaff and flare cartridges.
Fire control and observation
Target detection, acquisition and tracking are carried out using the nose-mounted stabilised sight, TDATS. The TDATS sight is equipped with a low-level television sensor, Forward-looking infrared (FLIR), autotracker, laser rangefinder and laser designator.
Navigation and communications
The Rooivalk is equipped with an advanced navigation suite including Doppler radar velocity sensor, Thales Avionics eight-channel global positioning system, heading sensor unit and an air data unit.
The communications suite consists of two VHF/UHF transceivers with FM, AM and digital speech processing, one HF radio with frequency hopping and secure voice and data channels, and an IFF transponder
Textron has rebranded Airborne Tactical Advantage Company (ATAC) as Textron Airborne Solutions . The new company will use its private fleet of older fighter jets and experienced former military pilots to provide combat training for US military forces. Russ Bartlett, president and chief executive officer of the new unit said that “Textron would help ATAC expand the existing market and look for new opportunities in areas such as basic pilot training, and training for ground-based troops that call in air strikes.”
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Textron sees growing demand for air combat training services
U.S. group Textron Inc is launching a new company on Friday that will use its private fleet of older fighter jets and experienced former military pilots to provide combat training for U.S. military forces, the head of the new unit told Reuters.
Textron Airborne Solutions was created after Textron earlier this year acquired Airborne Tactical Advantage Company (ATAC), the world’s largest firm providing adversarial role playing and other live tactical training services for air forces
“The air services business is exploding. It could grow to billions of dollars over time,” Russ Bartlett, president and chief executive officer of the new unit, told Reuters in an interview. Bartlett previously headed Textron’s Beechcraft Defense unit, maker of the T-6 turboprop air force training aircraft.
Bartlett, a former commander of the U.S. Navy’s elite Blue Angels performance squadron, said outsourcing live air training to the private sector saved the U.S. military money and helped preserve U.S. military jets and pilots for actual missions.
ATAC, which operates a fleet of 27 former foreign fighter jets, is the only civilian group approved to train with the U.S Navy’s elite Top Gun fighter weapons school and the U.S. Air Force’s F-22 Raptors. It has a staff of 35 former fighter pilots, with aircraft on both U.S. coasts and in Hawaii and Japan.
Before a U.S. carrier strike group deploys, ATAC pilots fly their own jets equipped with jamming pods to simulate opposition forces and help prepare the ship and pilots for possible air-to-air or air-to-ship threats.
ATAC pioneered the idea of using private firms for live air training in 1996, but the concept has gained acceptance around the world as military forces seek to save on flight hours on ageing aircraft for actual missions instead of using them for training.
Bartlett said Textron would help ATAC expand the existing market and look for new opportunities in areas such as basic pilot training, and training for ground-based troops that call in air strikes.
Outsourcing frees up military jets and pilots for actual missions, he said, noting that in 2015 the U.S. Navy flew 6,000 hours of missions simulating opposition forces — the current life span of a Boeing Co F/A-18E/F Super Hornet.
“Every time you use one of the (U.S. Department of Defense’s) own airplanes to provide those essential training services, it’s just consuming the life of that precious resource that could be very comfortably and affordably outsourced,” he said,
The U.S. Navy is currently ATAC’s biggest customer, but it also works for the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Marine Corps, Bartlett said.
Raytheon has delivered its AN/SPY-6(V) Air and Missile Defense Radar array to the US Navy’s Pacific Missile Range Facility in Hawaii ahead of the first radar light-off in early July . According to Tad Dickenson, AMDR program director, the array was the last component to ship and all other components, including the back-end processing equipment, were delivered earlier and already integrated at the range.
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US Navy all set for AN/SPY-6(V) radar array tests
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Posted on July 7, 2016
American defense contractor Raytheon informed that it has delivered the first AN/SPY-6(V) air and missile defense radar array to the U.S. Navy’s Pacific Missile Range Facility in Hawaii ahead of schedule.
The company said the array was installed according to plan, in preparation for first radar light-off in early July. SPY-6(V) is the next-generation integrated air and ballistic missile defense radar for the U.S. Navy, filling a capability gap for the surface fleet.
The delivery and installation of the AN/SPY-6 radar at the Advanced Radar Development Evaluation Laboratory (ARDEL) followed the successful completion of Near Field Range testing in Sudbury, Massachusetts in late May, and marks the beginning of the Air and Missile Defense Radar (AMDR) program’s next phase of execution that includes live test campaigns at PMRF — involving air and surface targets as well as integrated air and missile defense (IAMD) flight tests.
In less than 30 months, the SPY-6(V) array completed design, fabrication and initial testing. Soon to transition to low rate initial production, SPY-6(V) remains on track for delivery in 2019 for the first DDG 51 Flight III destroyer.
“Several months of testing at our near-field range facility, where the array completed characterization and calibration, have proven the system ready for live target tracking,” said Raytheon’s Tad Dickenson, AMDR program director. “The array was the last component to ship. With all other components, including the back-end processing equipment, delivered earlier and already integrated at the range, AMDR will be up and running in short order.”
“The extensive testing to date has demonstrated good compliance to the radar’s key technical performance parameters,” said U.S. Navy Captain Seiko Okano, major program manager, Above Water Sensors (IWS 2.0). “The technologies are proven mature and ready for testing in the far-field range, against live targets, to verify and validate the radar’s exceptional capabilities.”
As Raytheon eplains, the SPY-6(V) is the first scalable radar, built with RMAs – radar building blocks. Each RMA, roughly 2′ x 2′ x 2′ in size, is a standalone radar that can be grouped to build any size radar aperture, from a single RMA to configurations larger than currently fielded radars.
All cooling, power, command logic and software are scalable, allowing for new instantiations without significant radar development costs.
Providing greater capability – in range, sensitivity and discrimination accuracy – than currently deployed radars, SPY-6(V) increases battlespace, situational awareness and reaction time to effectively counter current and future threats.
The inherent scalability could allow for new instantiations, such as back-fit on existing DDG 51 destroyers and installation on aircraft carriers, amphibious warfare ships, frigates, Littoral Combat Ship and DDG 1000 classes, without significant new radar development costs, Raytheon said.
When it comes to the DDG 51 Flight III destroyer, however, the SPY-6(V) AMDR will feature 37 RMAs – which is equivalent to SPY-1D(V) +15 dB meaning SPY-6 can see a target of half the size at twice the distance of today’s radar while 4 array faces will provide full-time, 360° situational awareness.
The video below illustrates the radar’s scalability and provides a visual of how it all should work.
The Air and Missile Defense Radar – AN/SPY-6(V) – is the Navy’s next generation integrated air and missile defense radar. It is advancing through development and on track for the DDG-51 Flight III destroyer.
The radar significantly enhances the ships’ ability to detect air and surface targets as well as the ever-proliferating ballistic missile threats.
AMDR provides greater detection ranges, increased discrimination accuracy, higher reliability and sustainability, and lower total ownership cost as well as a host of other advantages when compared to the current AN/SPY-1D(V) radar onboard today’s destroyers.
The system is built with individual ‘building blocks’ called Radar Modular Assemblies. Each RMA is a self-contained radar in a 2’x2’x2’ box. These individual radar RMAs can stack together to form any size array to fit the mission requirements of any ship, making AMDR the Navy’s first truly scalable radar.
The inherent scalability could allow for new instantiations, such as back-fit on existing DDG 51 destroyers and installation on aircraft carriers, amphibious warfare ships, frigates, Littoral Combat Ship and DDG 1000 classes, without significant new radar development costs.
For the DDG 51 Flight III destroyer, the SPY-6(V) AMDR will feature:
37 RMAs – which is equivalent to SPY-1D(V) +15 dB Meaning, SPY-6 can see a target of half the size at twice the distance of today’s radar
4 array faces to provide full-time, 360° situational awareness Each face is 14’ x 14’ – which is roughly the same dimension as today’s SPY-1D(V) radar
AMDR Advantages
Scalable to suit any size aperture or mission requirement
Over 30 times more sensitive than AN/SPY-1D(V) in the Flight III configuration
Designed to counter large and complex raids
Adaptive digital beamforming and radar signal/data processing functionality provides exceptional capability in adverse conditions, such as high-clutter and jamming environments. It is also reprogrammable to adapt to new missions or emerging threats.
All cooling, power, command logic and software are scalable
RELIABILITY AND AFFORDABILITY
Designed for high availability and reliability, AMDR provides exceptional capability and performance compared to SPY-1 – and at a comparable price and significantly lower total ownership cost.
AMDR’s performance and reliability are a direct result of more than 10 years of investment in core technologies, leveraging development, testing and production of high-powered Gallium Nitride (GaN) semiconductors, distributed receiver exciters, and adaptive digital beamforming. AMDR’s GaN components cost 34% less than Gallium Arsenide alternatives, deliver higher power density and efficiency, and have demonstrated meantime between failures at an impressive 100 million hours.
AMDR has a fully programmable, back-end radar controller built out of commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) x86 processors. This programmability allows the system to adapt to emerging threats. The commercial nature of the x86 processors simplifies obsolescence replacement – as opposed to costly technical refresh/upgrades and associated downtime – savings that lower radar sustainment costs over each ship’s service life.
AMDR has an extremely high predicted operational availability due to the reliable GaN transmit/receive modules, the low mean-time-to-repair rate, and a very low number of Line Replaceable Units. Designed for maintainability, standard LRU replacement in the RMA can be accomplished in under six minutes – requiring only two tools.
This new S-band radar will be coupled with:
X-band radar – a horizon-search radar based on existing technology
The Radar Suite Controller (RSC) – a new component to manage radar resources and integrate with the ship’s combat management system
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