Robbin Laird, Author at Second Line of Defense

An Update on the Zephyr S High-Altitude Remote Vehicle

Posted on July 26, 2018 | by Robbin Laird | Leave a Comment

07/26/2018

The Zephyr S is an interesting aircraft, which falls, in the area between satellites and high altitude manned aircraft, and opens up interesting potential applications to civil and military related missions.

According to Airbus, the Zephyr S can provide a number of potential applications for users.

The Zephyr S is a solar-powered aircraft, providing a wide scope of applications, ranging for example from maritime surveillance and services, border patrol missions, communications, forest fire detection and monitoring, or navigation.

Operating in the stratosphere at an average altitude of 70,000 feet / 21 kilometers, the ultra-lightweight Zephyr has a wingspan of 25 meters and a weigh of less than 75kg, and flies above weather (clouds, jet streams) and above regular air traffic, covering local or regional footprints. Ideally suited for “local persistence” (ISR/Intelligence, Surveillance & Reconnaissance), the Zephyr has the ability to stay focused on a specific area of interest (which can be hundreds of miles wide) while providing it with satellite-like communications and Earth observation services (with greater imagery granularity) over long periods of time without interruption.

Not quite an aircraft and not quite a satellite, but incorporating aspects of both, the Zephyr has the persistence of a satellite with the flexibility of a UAV.

The only civil aircraft that used to fly at this altitude was Concorde and only the famous military U2 and SR-71 Blackbird could operate at similar levels.

The Zephyr successfully achieved several world records, including the longest flight duration without refueling.

https://www.airbus.com/newsroom/press-releases/en/2018/07/Zephyr-S-set-to-break-aircraft-world-endurance-record.html

Two recent updates on the Zephyr air vehicle have been recently provided by new release from Airbus Defence and Space.

The first dated July 25, 2018, highlighted the air vehicle’s launch to break the aircraft world endurance record.

Zephyr S, Airbus’ High-Altitude-Pseudo-Satellite, has surpassed the current flight endurance record of an aircraft without refueling of 14 days, 22 minutes and 8 seconds and continues to pioneer the stratosphere.

The Zephyr aircraft departed for its maiden flight from Arizona, USA on 11th July 2018.

This first flight of the Zephyr S aims to prove and demonstrate the aircraft capabilities, with the final endurance record to be confirmed on landing.

The second dated July 16, 2018 focused on the establishment of the first serial production facility for the Zephyr, which also highlights the working relationship between the UK with the company as well as the engagement of the US government as well:

The Zephyr S is the first production aircraft of the Zephyr programme, previous Zephyr units being Research and Development prototypes.

Zephyr is the world’s leading, solar–electric, stratospheric Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV). It harnesses the sun’s rays, running exclusively on solar power, above the weather and conventional air traffic; filling a capability gap complimentary to satellites, UAVs and manned aircraft to provide affordable and persistent local satellite-like services.

Named after the late Chris Kelleher, the inventor of Zephyr, the opening of production facilities is part of a significant focus by Airbus on the Zephyr programme. The Kelleher facility represents the first serial HAPS assembly line worldwide.

“Today represents a significant milestone in the Zephyr programme. The facility is home to the world’s leading High-Altitude Pseudo Satellite and will be a showcase location, linking to our operational flight bases around the world.

“The Zephyr S aircraft is demonstrably years ahead of any other comparable system and I am beyond proud of the Airbus team for their unrivalled success. Today we have created a new future for stratospheric flight”, said Dirk Hoke, Chief Executive Officer of Defence and Space.

This programme milestone comes as the Zephyr aircraft is currently flying after having departed for its maiden flight from Arizona, USA a few days ago.

“This flight is being supported by both the UK and US governments and reflects the UK Ministry of Defence’s position as the first customer for this innovative and potentially game changing capability.

This maiden flight of the Zephyr S aims to prove and demonstrate the aircraft capabilities, with a landing date to be confirmed once the engineering objectives have been achieved. Until today, the Zephyr aircraft has logged almost 1,000 solid hours of flying time.

Added Sophie Thomas, Head of the Zephyr programme at Airbus: “Firstly, I would like to thank Defence Equipment & Support, the procurement arm of the UK MOD for their continued support of the Zephyr programme. Zephyr will bring new see, sense and connect capabilities to both military and commercial customers. Zephyr will provide the potential to revolutionise disaster management, including monitoring the spread of wildfires or oil spills. It provides persistent surveillance, tracing the world’s changing environmental landscape and will be able to provide communications to the most unconnected parts of the world.”

In future, Airbus will be flying Zephyr S from their new operating site at the Wyndham airfield in Western Australia. This has been chosen as the first launch and recovery site for the Zephyr UAV due mainly to its largely unrestricted airspace and reliable weather. The site will be operational from September 2018.

An article by Steve Ranger from ZD Net published on July 18, 2018 highlighted the possibilities for the Zephyr S:

The Zephyr has a wingspan of 25 meters and is designed to operate in the stratosphere at an average altitude of 21 kilometers — above clouds, jet streams and ozone layer, as well as regular air traffic (apart perhaps, from the odd spy-plane). Airbus wants the drone to fly for 100 days without landing (its currently record is 14 days without refuelling) and travel up to 1,000 nautical miles per day. It weighs 75kg, but can support a payload up to five times its own weight.

The drone can be used for things like surveillance and reconnaissance — the UK’s Ministry of Defence has already bought several of the unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).

It could also be used to create a communication network either for civilian or military uses — Facebook recently cancelled its own plans to build high-altitude drones to deliver internet access in remote areas, but at the time said it would continue to work with partners like Airbus on such vehicles.

The Zephyr S is the first production model from the Zephyr programme; previous Zephyr aircraft were research and development prototypes; the drones will be built at a production line in Farnborough.

Sophie Thomas, head of the Zephyr programme at Airbus told ZDNet: “The vision was there over ten years ago. What we’ve been waiting for and working on is the technology developments in different areas like battery technology and the the solar array — for that to be ready and available to the standard we need to make this a really viable product. That’s where we are today.”

Thomas said operating in the stratophere gives the drone two advantages over satellites: “The first is that you are much closer to the Earth, so you can get far higher-resolution imaging. Secondly for communications you get reduced latency. The beauty of it is we have an endurance that is really powerful, so we can persist for over 100 days, yet the flexibility of being able to retask.”

The UAV is significantly cheaper than satellites and the modular design can take different technology payloads, added Thomas.

The RAF at 100: Remembering Mary Ellis

Posted on July 26, 2018 | by Robbin Laird | Leave a Comment

by Robbin Laird

Recently, the RAF celebrated its 100th year.

And with the passing of Mary Ellis air pioneer there is another aspect to remembering the RAF.

Mary Ellis, one of the first women to fly Spitfire, heavy bombers and jet aircraft for the RAF has just died at 101.

The obituary published by the BBC on July 26, 2018 highlighted her career and this interesting moment for her during the war.

She was a member of the Air Transport Auxiliary (ATA), which employed civilians to deliver planes from factories to airfields during the Second World War.

However, her contribution to the war effort was not always appreciated.

At one RAF base, the ground crew refused to believe she was the pilot of the Wellington bomber she had just landed.

“They actually went inside the aeroplane and searched it,” she recalled.

“Everybody was flabbergasted that a little girl like me could fly these big aeroplanes all by oneself.”

When she reached the age of 98, the Daily Telegraph talked with her about her past and current flying experience.

Mary Ellis is 98 and bright as a button. When she was at school she was hopeless at hockey and so she opted for another sporting endeavour: she learnt to fly. It was at an air show in Hendon that she was bitten by the bug, after persuading her father to let her take a pleasure flight in an Avro 504.

“From that moment I was hooked,” said Mary. She had been awarded her flying licence by the time she was 16.

That in itself is remarkable, but it was only the beginning of Mary’s story, for in 1941 she heard an appeal on the radio by the civilian Air Transport Auxiliary (ATA) for women pilots. She applied, took a flying test and was accepted into their ranks.

At Hatfield, Mary Wilkins, as she then was, learnt to fly Spitfires, Hurricanes and Harvards with the object of delivering the newly manufactured planes to the bases from which they would be used. After basic training Mary was based at Hamble on the south coast, and during the war she single-handedly delivered 76 types of aircraft, including about 400 Spitfires.

I say single-handedly as Mary was alone in the aircraft, which was equipped only with a compass and a stopwatch. She found her way to her target using a map.

The ATA delivered 308,567 aircraft during the war; Mary’s own total was in the region of 1,000 planes. I asked her if she had been shot at. “Just the once,” she said. During the war, 143 ATA pilots were lost – one in 10 did not survive – including 14 women. “Attagirls”, they were called, and not without cause.

Seated in her first Spitfire prior to delivery, Mary was asked by the mechanic who had helped her into the cockpit, “How many times have you flown one of these?” As she relates the story her face breaks into a smile. “I said never, and he fell off the wing….”

Mary still gets airborne, though she no longer flies solo. The light in her eyes when she talks of her experiences is completely infectious, but she is as interested in other people and their stories as in relating her own. “I’m nothing special,” said Mary at our lunch. “I’m just ordinary.”

Perhaps she will forgive us if we beg to differ.

The featured photo shows Mary Ellis at a March 2017 ceremony at RAF Brize-Norton.

Airbus Defence and Space Works Advanced Networking

Posted on July 25, 2018 | by Robbin Laird | Leave a Comment

07/25/2018

Although most of the press attention to the Future Combat Air System has focused on the possibility of a new European fighter, if the FCAS is looked at as a template rather than a platform program, it is clear that Airbus Defence and Space is forging ahead.

The focus is upon working with the platforms they have developed and supporting but shaping ways to rework how these platforms can operate more effectively together as concepts of operations shift in the period ahead.

As the French Defense Procurement Agency or DGA put it with regard to FCAS:

“[The FCAS] will be a system of systems, with various networked platforms. There will not be one plane, but a mixed wing of piloted planes, reconnaissance drones or strike drones, hypersonic missiles and somewhere an AWACS or the successor of the AWACS.”

A4_Brochure_V5_Final

A recent article by Sandra Erwin of Space News highlighted the Airbus Defence and Space approach as seen in the “Network in the Sky” program.

A cyber-secure network of air, space and ground communications systems that delivers huge amounts of bandwidth anywhere in the world has been a long and frustrating pursuit of the U.S. military.

Defense contractors for years have floated ideas for how to build the elusive “combat cloud” bringing together the latest and greatest communications technology. But the challenge has been tougher than imagined.

Airbus says it is a few steps closer to making it happen.

I sat down last week with David Kingdon Jones of Airbus Defense and Space at the Farnborough International Airshow outside London. He oversees a project called “Network for the Sky” that combines military and commercial technologies to form a single global mesh network. This would allow aircraft and other platforms to be part of a high-speed connected battle space.

TURNING CONCEPT TO REALITY

It’s a complex project, and it’s important to separate aspiration from actuality, Kingdon Jones warned. The idea is to offer the same seamless experience that people have with their cellphone when it switches from one network to another or from 4G to Wi-Fi without realizing it, “but with the reliability and cybersecurity standards of military communications.”

Obviously this will not happen overnight but some of the pieces are starting to come together. An early version of a “combat cloud” that is interoperable between aircraft, satellites, command centers and units on the ground or at sea is being tested in Spain from an Airbus tanker aircraft.

HOW THIS THIS IDEA COME ABOUT

As the prime contractor for the U.K. military’s Skynet communications satellites, Airbus heard from officers in the field about their desire for more capable networks and information systems. “We need aircraft to be able to talk to each other, manage huge amounts of data,” said Kingdon Jones. “We won’t get there in one jump, or it would have been done already.”

The “proof of concept” is running on an A330 multi-role tanker transport. The first full version of the network in the sky will be completed by the end of 2020. “Then you have to keep going for years,” he said.

A network that connects the entire battle space will happen “incrementally.” David Kingdon Jones, program manager, Airbus Defense and Space says:

“The A330 tanker has links to combat aircraft, connectivity to satellite links and the ability to relay information to piloted aircraft, drones and land forces. Airbus wants to work with all commercial satcom operators “whether they’re doing pure bandwidth services or managed services,” he said. “You have to be flexible. And a lot of industrial partnering is needed.”

Will users have to buy new terminals to use this network?

“It remains to be seen, said Kingdon Jones. “We’re trying to reuse legacy equipment as much as possible. And we’re interested in providing an interface into the rest of the network.”

“The system will be offered to all NATO countries. The only user so far is the U.K. Ministry of Defence but there is still no “program of record.”

The future of this network, like everything else in the defense business, depends on militaries making financial commitments for the long haul.

From the Space News Weekly Newsletter dated July 24, 2018.

An additional story by Angus Batey published by Aviation Week also highlighted the approach:

An ambitious secure communications network solution dubbed Network for the Sky has been launched by Airbus Defense & Space. NftS is a modular system-of-systems, incorporating both new and extant equipment with service and support.

The end goal is to enable customers to realize full, secure and seamless data exchange between different nodes in the network, regardless of whether they are on the ground or onboard aircraft, spacecraft or ships.

“There’s demand in the customer world for this vision of the connected battle space, and some increasingly sophisticated requirements,” says David Kingdon Jones, head of NftS at Airbus D&S. “Within Airbus we’ve got the real capabilities of the end-to-end aircraft building and support, and also satellite capabilities and secure military satcom. We put a program together in response to that customer demand, and that is Network for the Sky.”

NftS has been designed both to be built in to new programs from an early stage – Kingdon Jones notes that the project is aligned with the FCAS (future combat air system) collaboration announced earlier this year with Dassault – and to be easily applied to platforms and networks already in service.

“Network for the Sky is a modular, end-to-end communications solution, with elements that customers can buy all of or some of,” he says. “We use our integration skills to [fill] gaps that they’ve got with either services or systems that we bring to them.”

The “four pillars” of NftS are airborne equipment, such as modems and satcom antennae fielded onboard aircraft; airborne communications, such as Ka-band capacity from the Skynet satellite constellation, or the SpaceDataHighway, a future capability that will use laser connectivity to provide high-speed broadband; network services; and support services. The challenge is not just linking everything together coherently, but ensuring it remains an effective and compelling product over time.

This clearly is a foundation element for what Airbus Defence and Space refers to as FCAS.

Airbus Defence and Space described its “network in the sky” approach as follows:

Network for the Sky (NFTS) securely and reliably connects all your airborne assets together with the rest of your operations, giving you the communications superiority to execute the mission more efficiently and effectively. Delivering as one.

It operates over a mix of technologies to form one resilient, high-speed global network that supports the most advanced applications. It allows all mission participants – including joint and coalition forces – to communicate during the entire mission, giving you enhanced situational awareness for faster, better decision-making and rapid response through more synchronised operations.

Network for the Sky is a solution from Airbus. We have unequalled breath of experience in aircraft, airborne communications systems and services – and bringing it all together into highly secure end-to-end solutions trusted by military and government customers.

And the Airbus press release at Farnbourgh dated July 13, 2018 further discussed the approach:

“Network for the Sky aims to offer the same seamless experience that people have with their mobile phone when it switches from one network to another or from 4G to Wi-Fi without realising it, but with the reliability and cybersecurity standards of military communications,” said David Kingdon-Jones, Head of NFTS at Airbus Defence and Space. “The difference is that, in the sky, it is not only the users who are mobile, but also the network, since aircraft themselves constitute the nodes of that network. Given their speed, two aircraft may only have a few seconds to exchange information that is critical for the mission.”

Today, individual aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and helicopters continue to operate on separate networks with limited interoperability between them and often little resilience. Their bandwidth is also usually insufficient for transferring large volumes of data. For example, on combat aircraft, Link 16 and UHF/VHF communication systems offer data rates of only a few kbit/s which is basically suited to voice communications and the exchange of position coordinates.

NFTS will integrate various technologies, such as satellite links with geostationary, medium and low Earth orbit constellations, tactical air-to-ground, ground-to-air and air-to-air links, voice links, 5G mobile communication cells and laser connections, into a single global secure network.

This intelligent network can be reconfigured at any time and prioritises exchanges based on data flows, mission objectives and available bandwidth on the different links.

The management of end-to-end, seamless connectivity will thus be transparent to users.

NFTS will also see the rollout of a new generation of communication terminals and antennas that can be perfectly integrated into the fuselage, capable of managing different frequency bands and remaining connected despite rapid manoeuvres by the aircraft.

Providing connectivity for the entire duration of air missions, the network will enable information superiority and extend the multi-mission capabilities of aircraft. Mission aircraft will be able to share in real-time applications and data stored on board via a combat cloud. It will be possible to re-task in-flight combat aircraft and helicopters from the ground by uploading updated mission plans, for example to strike targets of opportunity. It will also be possible to operate fleets of tactical UAVs in swarms. High-altitude platforms, such as Zephyr, will create permanent communication cells of several hundred kilometres in diameter in order to relay aircraft communications via Airbus’ SpaceDataHighway laser links.

NFTS is offered as a modular, end-to-end solution, with the first phase already available. This involves standardising the use of high-speed satellite connectivity on aircraft from this point onward thanks to a range of antennas which have the capability to switch from one satellite beam to another in-flight. Thus the V/UHF radio links and L16 can be extended via a satellite communication relay from a few hundred kilometres to thousands of kilometres.

Network for the Sky is the foundation for the connected airborne battlespace, with the objective to offer a full operational capability by 2020. The NFTS programme is part of Airbus’ Future Air Power project and is fully aligned with the development of the European Future Combat Air System (FCAS).

Moving Forward with the Automated Tanker Boom: The RAAF and Airbus Defence and Space Take the Next Step

Posted on July 25, 2018 | by Robbin Laird | Leave a Comment

By Robbin Laird

The RAAF was the launch customer for the A330MRTT.

And the Aussies have been from the beginning key drivers of innovation working with Airbus Defence and Space in evolving the capabilities of the global tanker.

Part of Tanker 2.0 is providing new capabilities for the combat fleet to support operations in terms of data, connectivity and enhanced tanking capabilities.

One of those is the automated boom.

During an interview at the Amberley Air Base in the Spring of 2017 with Air Commodore Lennon and the 86th Wing Commander, Group Captain Adam Williams, we discussed the evolution of the KC-30A into Tanker 2.0.

One aspect of that evolution was the coming of the robotic boom.

According to Air Commodore Lennon: “The best way to think about the new boom capability is that it is an automatic boom similar to how autopilot works in the cockpit. The automatic pilot simplifies the pilot load, but the pilot is still there and can override the autopilot in case of need.

“There will always be an operator monitoring what’s going on with the boom, deciding what the boom should do, and when it should do it, but now he can let the boom do all the work of positioning and marrying up with the receiver.”

The KC-30A is a refuellable aircraft so with a fatigue reducing automatic boom, the crew can stay airborne for longer to generate additional operational impact and enhanced sortie generation effects.

“If it can anticipate and react to movements of the receiver aircraft faster than the boom operator can, then you end up with faster contacts.

You also potentially end up with more consistent contacts when the turbulence level increases, in cloud or when night falls.”

During a return visit to RAAF Amberley earlier this year, the new Air Mobility Commander, Air Commodore “K-9” Kourelakos, highlighted the coming of the new capability as follows:

“With a robotic boom, you are increasing your combat capability through enhanced efficiency.

“You can also achieve a reduction in maintenance as you work through ways to efficiently operate the the boom.

“What we are talking about is taking force projection to a new level.

“If you can have our fighters on station-longer and delivering combat effects, because you can tank them more rapidly, that will be a significant gain.”

“We are a small Air Force.

“If you look at the history of small air forces, they win or lose on the first day. You want to be ready for the first day.

And progress has been made since that interview earlier this year.

According to a recent Airbus Defence and Space media release dated July 12, 2108:

Airbus Defence and Space has followed its earlier achievement in demonstrating Automatic Air-to-Air (A3R) refuelling of a fighter with another world-first – the same operation performed with a large receiver aircraft.

In a joint operation with the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), which is collaborating with Airbus in development of this pioneering technology, Airbus’ A310 company development tanker performed seven automatic contacts with a RAAF KC-30A Multi Role Tanker Transport, also made by Airbus.

The system requires no additional equipment on the receiver and is intended to reduce refuelling boom operator workload, improve safety, and optimise the rate of air-to-air refuelling (AAR) in operational conditions to maximise aerial superiority. Airbus has begun work towards introducing the system on the current production A330 Multi Role Tanker Transport (A330 MRTT).

During initial approach of the receiver, boom control is performed by the tanker’s Air Refuelling Operator (ARO) as usual. Innovative passive techniques such as image processing are then used to determine the receiver’s refuelling receptacle position and when the automated system is activated, a fully automated flight control system flies and maintains the boom aligned with the receiver’s receptacle. The telescopic beam inside the boom can be controlled in a range of ways including: manually by the ARO; a relative distance -keeping mode; or full auto-mode to perform the contact.

In the 20 June flight off the southern Spanish coast, the A310 tanker performed the scheduled seven contacts over a two-hour test period.

David Piatti, who again acted as Airbus Test ARO, or “boomer”, on the A310, said: “It was extremely impressive to see how accurately the A3R system tracks the receiver. It can be very useful to be able to refuel another tanker or transport, for example to extend its deployment range or to avoid taking fuel back to base, but it is also a challenging operation and this system has the potential to reduce workload and the risk involved.”

The trial was conducted in conjunction with Test Pilots and Flight Test Engineers from the RAAF’s Aircraft Research and Development Unit (ARDU).

Squadron Leader Lawry Benier, Executive Officer for ARDU, said the RAAF were assisting Airbus Defence & Space on the development of A3R and other technologies to increase the utility of the KC-30A within a battlespace.

“It’s very encouraging to come to Spain and see the progress that’s been made with A3R, and be able to witness it firsthand refuelling our KC-30A,” Squadron Leader Benier said.

“Refuelling large receivers is a role RAAF has conducted extensively on operations and exercises, allowing us to extend the reach and responsiveness of our air mobility fleet, as well as keep surveillance aircraft in the air for longer.”

The photos show the first automatic contact between the A310 MRTT demonstrator and the KC-30A, and an emulation of what the image processing system “sees”.

For our comprehensive look at the A330MRTT, see the following:

https://defense.info/system-type/lift-and-tanking-systems/a330mrtt/

Australian Defence Minister Visits UK Frigate Shipyard

Posted on July 21, 2018 | by Robbin Laird | Leave a Comment

07/21/2018

Recently, the Aussies downselected a UK design for its new frigate class.

This is a key element for the rebuild of the Australian Navy.

Soon we will be visiting Adelaide, Australia and seeing some of the new shipyard construction associated with the new build submarine.

On July 19, 2018, the Australian Defence Minister visited the Scottish shipyard with her counterpart where the new UK warship is currently being built.

The UK Ministry of Defence reported on the visit as follows:

Australia’s decision to choose BAE Systems to build the nine British-designed warships could be worth up to £20 billion, and has been hailed as the biggest Naval ship deal for a decade.

The agreement has massive potential benefits across the entire existing Type 26 supply chain, which the Defence Secretary outlined has now seen investment of more than £1 billion across more than 80 companies.

Speaking during the visit to BAE Systems’ Clyde Shipyard with Minister Payne today, the Defence Secretary revealed the massive investment had already boosted family firms and British businesses across the nation, showing the importance of shipbuilding in every corner of the country, and its potential to support allies across the world.

Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson said:

“This renaissance in British shipbuilding is great news for our major yards, but also for the whole defence industry, with millions being injected into so many businesses, both big and small, supporting and supplying our world-class warships. The Type 26 supply chain has now seen investment worth over £1 billion, and many of the businesses involved are now perfectly placed to benefit from Australia’s £20 billion build.”

Australian Minister of Defence Ms Payne toured the shipyard where Britain’s new warship fleet is being constructed. Her Government’s ‘Global Combat Ship’ agreement, which was announced last month and will see nine of Britain’s cutting-edge ships built in Australia, is also expected to draw on the United Kingdom’s robust supply chain to support the construction of its fleet.

BAE Systems Chief Executive Charles Woodburn said:

“Australia’s selection of the Type 26 Combat Ship for its Future Frigates programme reflects the world-leading anti-submarine warfare capabilities these ships will deliver to the UK and to the Commonwealth.

In the 12 months since cutting steel on the first of the UK ships, we have committed more than £1 billion with supply chain companies, large and small – vital partners in delivering cutting edge capability to the Royal Navy, supporting thousands of jobs and contributing to national prosperity.

“Our recent success on the Australian Future Frigate programme will not only deliver huge benefits for Australia, supporting jobs, local industry and sovereign capability – it will also generate opportunities for companies in our UK supply chain.”

The pair’s visit to the Govan shipyard comes almost exactly a year to the day since the first steel was cut on HMS Glasgow, marking the beginning on the build of Britain’s first Type 26 frigate.

More than 80% of the total equipment spend has now be committed to the supply chain, and more than 80 companies have secured contracts to supply material for the first three ships.

Sixty-four of those companies are based across the United Kingdom, supporting more than 4000 jobs. The regional reach of the Type 26 ship helped secure the Australian deal for BAE Systems, with the success stories across Britain expected to be replicated in Australia.

The naval contract, which is the biggest surface ship deal in the past decade and saw the UK chosen ahead of Italian and Spanish firms, is the first time a British ship design has been exported since the 1970s.

The deal will secure more than 4,000 jobs in Australia and boost Britain’s export economy for generations to come, opening a raft of opportunities for British firms to offer specialist knowledge and capabilities.

The 6,900 tonne multi-mission warships are designed to support anti-submarine warfare and a whole range of other operations anywhere in the world. They will form a key part of the Royal Australian Navy.

The formidable frigates will also allow interoperability between Australian and Royal Navy ships amid a climate of intensifying threats around the world, especially in the Middle East and the Asia-Pacific regions.

The featured photo shows Defence Secretary and Australian Minister touring Scottish site building the new frigates. Crown copyright.

US Secretary of Defense Visits Norway After NATO Summit

Posted on July 21, 2018 | by Robbin Laird | Leave a Comment

The Norwegian Ministry of Defence website recently highlighted the visit of the US Secretary of Defense to Norway after the NATO Summit.

US Secretary of Defense James N. Mattis visited Norway on Saturday July 14th.

The United States is our closest and most important ally, and it is an honor to welcome Secretary Mattis to Oslo, said Minister of Defence Frank Bakke-Jensen in his statement.

During the press meeting Saturday, Minister of Defence Frank Bakke-Jensen thanked the Secretary of Defense James N. Mattis for the opportunity to discuss joint challenges and shared interests.

Minister of Defence Frank Bakke-Jensen’s stated:

Let me start by saying that it is an honor to welcome Defense Secretary Mattis to Oslo.

The United States is our closest and most important ally, and we have a strong and broad defence cooperation.

Our soldiers operate together in conflict areas around the world. And they increasingly work together in Norway and the North Atlantic.

We are very pleased with the rotational exercising of the US Marine Corps in Norway. This strengthens Norway and NATO.

The security environment is more serious. One consequence is that we must strengthen security in the North-Atlantic again. That is important for both European and North American security.

I therefore look forward to working with the U.S. on developing the new command structure in NATO, in particular the new Atlantic command in Norfolk.

Norway is committed to the two percent goal in NATO, and our new long term plan for 2021-24 will have this commitment as a key premise.

Norway has increased our defence spending by 24 % in real terms since 2013. We will continue to increase defence spending substantially in the coming years.

We are investing in strategic capabilities such as the new F-35 combat aircraft, submarines and P-8 maritime patrol aircraft.

Norway is NATO in the North – I believe the work we are doing in the North – on intelligence, surveillance, on deterrence and dialogue is not only important to Norway, it is also important to the US and to NATO.

Today we are exploring how to develop our defence cooperation even further. I look forward to continuing our bilateral talks, and will now pass the word to my colleague and good friend Jim Mattis.

The featured photo shows Minister of Defence Norway Frank Bakke-Jensen, Secretary of Defense James N. Mattis and Minister of Foreign Affairs Ine Eriksen Søreide.

Photo: Asgeir Spange Brekke, MoD

C-130H Hercules Formation Flight over Sydney

Posted on July 21, 2018 | by Robbin Laird | Leave a Comment

Formed on 15 July 1943, at RAAF Base Laverton, Victoria, No. 37 Squadron has provided medium tactical airlift for the Australian Defence Force across the globe.

Since 1966, the Squadron has operated from RAAF Base Richmond, New South Wales, predominantly flying different models of the C-130 Hercules transport aircraft.

No. 37 Squadron is currently tasked with airlift in Australia and overseas, transporting troops and cargo, and conducting medical evacuation, search-and-rescue, and airdrop missions. It is controlled by No. 84 Wing, which is part of Air Mobility Group.

The squadron’s 75th anniversary is in 2018.

July 13, 2018

Australian Department of Defence

A formation of C-130J Hercules fly over Sydney Harbour as part of the 75th Anniversary of No. 37 Squadron. *** Local Caption *** Formed on 15 July 1943, at RAAF Base Laverton, Victoria, No. 37 Squadron has provided medium tactical airlift for the Australian Defence Force across the globe. Since 1966, the Squadron has operated from RAAF Base Richmond, New South Wales, predominantly flying different models of the C-130 Hercules transport aircraft. No. 37 Squadron is currently tasked with airlift in Australia and overseas, transporting troops and cargo, and conducting medical evacuation, search-and-rescue, and airdrop missions. It is controlled by No. 84 Wing, which is part of Air Mobility Group. The squadrons 75th anniversary is in 2018.

A formation of C-130J Hercules fly along the New South Wales coast as part of the 75th Anniversary of the Squadron. *** Local Caption *** Formed on 15 July 1943, at RAAF Base Laverton, Victoria, No. 37 Squadron has provided medium tactical airlift for the Australian Defence Force across the globe. Since 1966, the Squadron has operated from RAAF Base Richmond, New South Wales, predominantly flying different models of the C-130 Hercules transport aircraft. No. 37 Squadron is currently tasked with airlift in Australia and overseas, transporting troops and cargo, and conducting medical evacuation, search-and-rescue, and airdrop missions. It is controlled by No. 84 Wing, which is part of Air Mobility Group. The squadrons 75th anniversary is in 2018.

A formation of C-130J hercules fly over the Sydney region as part of the 75th Anniversary of No. 37 Squadron. *** Local Caption *** Formed on 15 July 1943, at RAAF Base Laverton, Victoria, No. 37 Squadron has provided medium tactical airlift for the Australian Defence Force across the globe. Since 1966, the Squadron has operated from RAAF Base Richmond, New South Wales, predominantly flying different models of the C-130 Hercules transport aircraft. No. 37 Squadron is currently tasked with airlift in Australia and overseas, transporting troops and cargo, and conducting medical evacuation, search-and-rescue, and airdrop missions. It is controlled by No. 84 Wing, which is part of Air Mobility Group. The squadrons 75th anniversary is in 2018.

The New UK Air Combat Strategy: Putting into a Strategic Context

Posted on July 19, 2018 | by Robbin Laird | Leave a Comment

07/19/2018

By Robbin Laird

With the anticipated announcement paralleling efforts in France and Germany, the UK government has announced its intention to build a Typhoon successor.

The initial investment was announced as two billion pounds and was launched as a UK national project.

But how realistic is this project as announced and in what strategic and military context will this project unfold?

We have provided a comprehensive look at the context and an assessment of the challenges in our report on the UK Air Combat Strategy, which can be purchased below:

https://defense.info/strategic-insights/a-uk-air-combat-strategy-context-and-options-for-the-way-ahead/

With Brexit and the current European dynamics, how will the UK air combat strategy interact with European initiatives?

How will the UK leverage Typhoon and shape a post-Typhoon strategy?

How will the UK leverage the launch of its new carrier and the coming of the F-35 to shape a way ahead for a 21stcentury air combat strategy?

Will the new Air Combat Strategy live up to the legacy of Air Marshal Dowding and his focus on the right concepts of operations for the RAF to deal with evolving threats and challenges?

Which global partners might join this project and what manner?

In short, given the strategic context, how realistic is the project as announced?

For articles focusing on the UK strategy, see the following:

https://defense.info/partners-corner/2018/07/three-into-one-wont-go/

https://defense.info/featured-story/2018/07/the-next-hundred-years-of-the-raf-and-the-2018-farnbourgh-air-show/

https://defense.info/air-power-dynamics/2018/07/the-challenge-of-building-an-indigenous-european-fifth-generation-fighter/

The featured photo shows a model of the Tempest jet fighter, unveiled by the defense secretary, Gavin Wiliamson, at the Farnborough airshow.

Photograph: Peter Nicholls/Reuters