FNC Elections: the Fourth Democratic Experience in the Phase of Empowerment

A Specialised Journal on Military & Strategic Affairs - 48 th Year - Issue No. 573 OCTOBER 2019

FNC Elections: The Fourth Democratic Experience in the Phase of Empowerment

2019 Hazza Al Mansoori Realises Sheikh Zayed’s Dream October

573 Collins Aerospace

Issue No. Tackles Military Comms Challenges

Saab Presents First Gripen E to Brazilian Air Force Raytheon’s Peregrine Missile Packs a Punch CONNECTING THE AEROSPACE INDUSTRY

17-21 NOVEMBER 2019 DWC, DUBAI AIRSHOW SITE

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While this cultural, cognitive and human achievement is a source of pride for every Emirati and Arab, it is also of exceptional importance to the Armed Forces, because Al Mansoori is one of its distinguished members. He graduated from Khalifa bin Zayed Air College and has significant experience in the field of military aviation. He received advanced training courses within the Armed The Sons of Zayed Forces, which has enhanced his expertise and capabilities. He has been chosen for this historic mission on account of his advanced, Make the Dream qualitative qualities and expertise, most of which he gained during his Armed Forces career, which played a major role in his Come True excellence and high physical fitness. He has more than 14 years of experience in military flight and has been a trainer on the military aircraft F-16 and in 2016 he was qualified to be a pilot of single By: aerobatics. Staff Lieutenant Colonel / Al Mansoori is the first Emirati astronaut, and the first Arab Yousef Juma Al Haddad astronaut to visit ISS since its inception in 1998. The UAE has Editor in Chief proved that its dreams to embrace space have come true. These [email protected] dreams began with an idea during the meeting of the founding father Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, may God rest his soul, in the 1970’s, with the NASA team responsible for the Apollo mission The UAE had a glimpse of the future on to the moon. This achievement is part of the UAE civilisational and September 25 when Hazza Al Mansoori, the first human project, which seeks to contribute to the making of the Emirati astronaut, was aboard the Soyuz MS 15 world future. spacecraft on a journey to the International Space His participation in this journey will include many important Station (ISS). Thus, a new page of the UAE history scientific experiments in different fields. It will document not only was written under the title “Eyal Zayed – Make the UAE’s participation in the development of the space industry Zayed’s Dream Come True by Embracing Space.” but will also launch a new phase in which the UAE will put the Arab This historic achievement confirms that Emirati and Islamic world firmly on the map of the global space industry. children, armed with knowledge and a strong will The UAE is consolidating its position as one of the world’s key to challenge the impossible, are the country’s true players in the aerospace industry. Al Mansoori’s visit is part of the wealth. It is also a source of inspiration to the UAE’s country’s ambitious space exploration project, which seeks to send young people, raising the levels of their ambitions the first UAE probe (Hope Probe) to Mars in 2021, which will mark to match this sky-high achievement. the Golden Jubilee of the country’s founding. It also aims to bring about the first human landing on the Red Planet in the coming decades through the project (Mars 2117). This project includes a national programme for the preparation of UAE specialised scientific research cadres in the field of Mars exploration, in order to build the first human settlement on the Red Planet. The ambitious UAE space project puts it on the threshold of a new phase of development and progress and opens up many positive opportunities that will enhance its development process at all levels. Issued By UAE Armed Forces. Established In August 1971.

A Specialised Journal on Military & Strategic Affairs - 47 th Year - Issue No. 573 OCTOBER 2019

FNC Elections: The Fourth Democratic Experience in the Phase of Empowerment

Hazza Al Mansoori Realises Sheikh Zayed’s Dream

Collins Aerospace Tackles Military Comms Challenges

Saab Presents First Gripen E to Brazilian Air Force

Raytheon’s Peregrine Missile Packs a Punch Emirati Expertise 573 at the Forefront at General Supervisor Chairman of the Administrative DSEI Council 06 Staff General\ Salem Saeed Ghafan Al Jaberi Vice Chairman of the Administrative Council Staff Brigadier General\ Ghanem Ali"M"MJ Editor in Chief Staff Lieutenant-Colonel \ 282 Yousef Juma AL Haddad Editorial Manger Major \ Jamil Khamis Al Saadi Editorial Secretary Rabdan Academy: Husain Al Mannaee Layout & Design Agents to Assist Moza Al Ali Ahmed Mahmmoud Advertisement Change Ismael Mohammed Alblooshi Nada Al Badr Sakha Pramod ADVERTISEMENT 55 DIAC 2019 O The views expressed in Nation DUBAI AIRSHOW 2019 IFC 69 GLOBAL AEROSPACE SUMMIT Shield Journal are not necessar- BIDEC ily shared by, nor should they 21 be taken as the views of Nation 53 SOFEX Shield Journal. O The publication of advertise- ments does not in any way im- ply endorsement by the Nation Shield Journal. O All rights reserved. GA-ASI’s New Multi-Mission Aircraft 32 Brings New Capabilities to RPA

JLTV’s FNC Elections: Popularity The Fourth Democratic Continues Experience in the Phase 44 to Rise of Empowerment

National Security 80 86 ARCHER Mobile Howitzer – Powerful Precision, Versatile Mobility 6 ISSUE 573 OCT 2019 Events

Emirati Expertise at the Forefront at DSEI The UAE recently took part in the 20th edition of the Defence and Security Equipment International (DSEI) exhibition at the ExCel Exhibition Centre in London. In fact, the UAE Pavilion got landslide attention from the public, media, VIPs and top military corporations that swarmed into the pavilion to take a look at the latest developments of the well-known Emirati companies on the show floor.

The UAE national dress worn by young perts who demonstrated the UAE’s fence industries”. female Emiratis at the UAE Pavilion success in developing and improving Leading companies such as Al Fat- commanded visitors’ attention, admi- women’s competence in defence in- tan Ship Industry, Aquila Aerospace, ration and appreciation as it reflected dustries and creating a highly qualified Exechon, Safe City, Al Hamra Group, the country’s modern and classical and professional generation. The Emi- Tawazun Industrial Park (TIP), Al Ru- repertoires and highlighted national rati participants expressed their excite- maithy Establishment, Halcon Sys- identity. However, the biggest surprise ment and sense of pride in taking part tems, ADASI, Rabdan Academy, Na- came from knowing that these young in this international event, saying “This tion Shield journal published by UAE participants were career engineers appreciation will drive us to double Armed Forces, International Golden and marketing and maintenance ex- efforts in our careers with various de- Group (IGG) and Tawazun Economic 7

Council’s Economic Development Unit highlighted their services at the event. The pavilion also hosted representatives from Emirates Defense Companies’ Council (EDCC), strategic partners, the UAE’s Ministry of Defense and the GHQ of the UAE Armed Forces. Showcasing Expertise Matar Ali Al Romaithi, Chairman of the EDCC, which organises and man- ages the UAE Pavilion at key industry events, expressed the Council’s interest in hosting Emirati corporations at such renowned military and security exhibitions in order to display their military industry capabilities at one Safe City Group and AVET partnership signing ceremony of the largest platforms showcasing developed and creative projects in the competitiveness with advanced na- is primarily focused on delivering de- field of maintenance, manufacturing, tions in the defence industry. fence and security systems, commu- repair, overhaul, logistic services, com- “On their part, a number of military nications and services to the armed munications, training and technologi- sector commanders and officials of na- forces, law enforcement and civil de- cal development. tional defence and security companies fence forces, customs and Ministry of He added that UAE defence industries took part in DSEI 2019 and affirmed Interior (MoI). have proved themselves in the inter- that the UAE pavilion provided the Mohammed Ibrahim Al Mana’i, HTG’s national arena over the last few years, necessary support for the UAE eco- CEO pointed out that the company and have come to acquire a competi- nomic sector and would bring about represented a large number of their tive edge to enter a more advanced many benefits to boost future devel- client’s U.S. and European companies, stage, either in producing new types opment plans”. and that it was committed to partici- of weapons and equipment, or gain- EDCC is based on a plan set collec- pation at DSEI to showcase systems ing access to fresh markets to show- tively by Tawazun, Ministry of Defense and services in areas of air security, case their high-quality and heavy-du- and the UAE Armed Forces in order to vital facilities protection, harbour and ty products. For this purpose, Tawazun serve as a form for intensive dialogue ports monitor and training. Economic Council has always been with top local and international de- Specialised Entity keen to support these positive devel- fence industry corporations by offer- Another participant at DSEI was Tawa- opments by offering highly creative ing streamlined and open channels to zun Holding Company’s Tawazun In- and innovative visions/strategies to meet with top defence company offi- dustrial Park (TIP), a leading member comply with the next stage require- cials and boost opportunities of part- of the Emirates Defense Companies’ ments and the directives of the wise nership and UAE’s external commer- Council (EDCC), which hosts other leadership to boost UAE’s status in de- cial projects/programmes through the members. TIP is a fully integrated in- fence and security industries, and help UAE pavilion at various international dustrialisation area to provide services maintain a national competitive econ- events. There are currently 63 mem- of managing facilities and infrastruc- omy based on knowledge, creativity bers, including EDIC, Mubadala and ture for local and international de- and future technological applications. other private sector companies. fence and strategic industrialisation Al Romaithi said: “We believe that for a Delivering State-of-the-art Systems corporations. TIP is currently hosting a national defence industry base to de- Al Hamra Trading Group (HTG), which large number of local companies such velop is a joint responsibility requiring was established in Abu Dhabi in 1982, as Burkan Munitions Systems, Caracal all efforts to translate our wise lead- and has branches throughout the re- International, LLC., Nimr Automotive ership’s aspirations in boosting UAE’s gion, was present at the show. HTG Company, EDIC Precision Industries, 8 ISSUE 573 OCT 2019 Events

dition to local support. tablishment in the UAE and displayed Al Rumaithy noted that the Group was the latest products and services at the Tawazun amongst the early companies regis- show. Industrial Park tered by the Civil Aviation Authority He noted that more than 100 pro- as an entity specialised in civilian and duction lines were offered by IGG (TIP), is a leading military spare parts. to the commanders and officials in Mouthpiece of the UAE Armed Forces the defence and security areas. IGG member of the Lieutenant-Colonel Yousef Juma’a Al is planning to become a pioneering Haddad, Editor-in-Chief, Nation Shield manufacturing company for the latest Emirates Defense Journal, said the publication was the technological techniques and defence official mouthpiece of the UAE armed systems. Companies’ forces, with relentless commitment to Latest Tech on Dispaly participate in all renowned interna- On his part, Khalifa Al Tamimi, Project Council tional exhibitions and events. Manager at Halcon Systems, pointed He pointed out that monthly Nation out that this was the first time the Bari Dynamics Company and Caracal Shield Journal is focused on publish- company participated at DSEI within International Company. ing the latest defence and academic the UAE pavilion, and that the com- Mansour Ahmed Al Rumaithy, CEO, materials in both English and Arabic pany was currently involved in utility Al Rumaithy Establishment, part of and having it circulated by certified preparation to develop and produce Al Rumaithy Group, said that follow- agents and proper military channels in the latest technological defense sys- ing UAE’s dynamic development, the addition to public subscription. tems. Last February, Halcon Systems Group, which was established in 1972, Lieutenant-Colonel Al Haddad noted signed an agreement with Tawazun continues to work hard and diligently that Nation Shield Journal, which was Economic Council’s Defence and Se- to provide world-class technical and established in 1971, owed its name to curity Development Fund (DSDF), flight technologies inside the UAE and His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed which is the official body charged outside. Al Nahyan, President of the UAE and with defence industry development He pointed out that the Group strived Supreme Commander of the Armed throughout the UAE. DSDF will offer fi- over the last three decades to trans- Forces (May God protect him). nance to Halcon Systems, which some form itself from a mere bunch of re- Pioneering Manufacturer reports said plans to develop and gional companies into a leading chain Fadel Al Kaaby, CEO, International manufacture smart rockets’ monitor- of unlimited services. The Group’s Golden Group (IGG), said that the ing and guidance panels over the next technical department supplies com- Group is one of the top suppliers of three years. Al Tamimi noted that Abu mercial and military clients with top- the armed forces, Ministry of Interior Dhabi-based Yas Holding Group owns notch systems and equipment in ad- (MoI) and defence and security es- Halcon Systems. 9

of unmanned systems, in particular identifying and integrating alternative UAE defence payloads. Fully-integrated Solutions industries Exechon Enterprises L.L.C. is a Joint Venture between Lockheed Martin, have proved Tecgrant AB (formerly Exechon AB), a Manager of Al Fattan Ship Industry, themselves in Sweden-based technology company said the company, a leading shipbuild- and Abu Dhabi-based Injaz National. er providing numerous solutions in the international The company displayed the “Parallel the military sector, presented their lat- Kinematic Machine” (PKM) technology est boat model at the show. The UAE- arena over the that could transform manufacturing established and based company is processes, cope with work flow and of- located at Al Sadr Port in Al Taweelah last few years fer patents to secure fully-integrated and specialises in shipbuilding and re- solutions that would enable the cus- pair. The technology-driven organisa- tomers to benefit from the advanced tion manned by professionals has over Spotlight on UAS industries and meet their require- 15 years of experience and is active in While Abdul Rahman Al Hammadi, ments in future. The PKM technol- the building of metal ships, offshore Program Manager at Abu Dhabi Au- ogy provides machine rigidity with and onshore services, manufacturing, tonomous Systems Investments (ADA- dynamic five axe- technology of the fabrication, repairs, and maintenance SI), said the company used DSEI to put movable articulate arm-robot for easi- of aluminium marine vessels and fi- on display a large number of services er, speedy and accurate assembly, and berglass boats. Some of its products and autonomous systems solutions, augment total performance of equip- include the 15m fast patrol boat, used starting with joint analysis of end- ment. The XMini robot is the latest by the coast guard for interdiction user needs, through the formalisation equipment developed by the compa- operations, and the 34m-patrol boat of their requirements, to equipment ny with a 30 micron precision, which employed in support of homeland selection and procurement. Based in is a force multiplier for current limited security and search and rescue. Al Fat- the UAE, but capable of acting across rigidity and speed space robots. Un- tan Ship Industry has also developed, the SAMENA region, ADASI’s scope in- like the classical, traditional machines, as a private venture, a 16m-catamaran cludes the acquisition, development, light, carbon-made XMini can be set torpedo boat. Its facility occupies an test, operation, training and full-ser- in any direction, even upside down, to area of more than 300,000sqm and it vice support of autonomous systems get a five axe- machine. reportedly intends to develop a capa- for air, land and sea use. This includes Shipbuilding Solutions bility to handle ships of up to 100m in modification and reconfiguration Moreover, Mesfer Al Korbi, General size. 10 ISSUE 573 OCT 2019 Events

launched in February. In his opening Tawazun, detailed a proactive feature remarks, Al Romaithi welcomed DCC within the programme’s framework, members and partners, emphasising which is aimed at creating more value the importance of the defence and to Tawazun’s industry partners. security industry, which has witnessed The new feature, called Project Bank, tremendous growth in the UAE and matches technology with strate- the region as a whole. gic priorities identifying gaps and He said: "The UAE is at the forefront improvement opportunities in the in terms of competitiveness and effi- process. Through this feature, Tawa- ciency across the region, which has zun identifies and develops a pool of led to the establishment of a promis- project ideas aligned to key strategic ing knowledge and innovation-based UAE government objectives, allowing defence and security sector. It has contractors to select project concepts also resulted in the establishment of from a cart of pre-approved concepts. strong and solid partnerships that will The DCC members applauded the contribute to knowledge transfer and new value-focused programme and technology, further strengthening the Project Bank, which offer greater the UAE’s commitment to economic flexibility to Tawazun’s partners. Tawazun Economic Programme diversification.” Ministry of Defence, UAE Armed Achievements Since the launch of the new Tawazun Forces Discuss Bilateral Relations Achievements of the new framework Economic Programme framework, A delegation from the Ministry of De- of Tawazun Economic Programme seven projects have been executed, fence and the General Command of were highlighted a day before DSEI while 10 other project concepts are the UAE Armed Forces, headed by Ma- commenced. Under the theme "En- currently underway. The new pro- jor General Pilot Mubarak Ali Al Neya- abling Innovation and Partnerships", gramme allows for the development di, Head of the Executive Department key industry leaders alongside DCC of technology-driven solutions that of Policy and Cooperation at the Min- members, including representatives extend beyond the defence and se- istry of Defence, attended the show. from local and international compa- curity industry to include, aerospace; The delegation, accompanied by Man- nies, attended the meeting. infrastructure and transportation; sour Abdullah Khalfan Belhoul, UAE The DCC meeting, organised by the education technology; sustainability; Ambassador to the United Kingdom, UAE defence and security industry environment and climate change; and visited the UAE pavilion. Seventeen enabler Tawazun Economic Coun- food and water security. Emirati defence companies partici- cil, examined the major milestones Abdulla Saif Al Awani, Executive Di- pated in the exhibition, and the UAE reached since the new framework was rector of Economic Partnerships at pavilion was an important platform 11

for the national defence and security industries to showcase their latest de- UAE Companies to Showcase Latest fence and security products and independent systems. Developments at BIDEC Maj. Gen. Al Neyadi and the Emi- rati delegation toured the exhibition, A host of UAE companies will make their presence felt at the upcoming which included the pavilions of sever- Bahrain International Defence Exhibition & Conference (BIDEC) that will al countries and the stands of regional take place from 28-30 October in Manama, Bahrain. Under the patronage and international defence companies. of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, Clarion Events, organisers of Al Neyadi highlighted the exhibition’s DSEI London, will be hosting the second edition of BIDEC. international importance and praised The event is fully supported by the Bahrain Defence Force, and presents the participation of over 1,600 exhibi- a unique opportunity for exhibitors to showcase the latest technology, tors and around 300 official delega- equipment and hardware across land, sea and air. tions from 84 countries, as well as its Emirates Defence Companies Council (EDCC) and Tawazun will be partici- level of organisation. pating at the event, at the dedicated UAE Pavilion, among other Emirati Al Neyadi met separately with Lt. companies. EDCC is the primary communication platform between in- General John Lorimer, Senior De- dustry players both local and international. The council aims to facilitate fence Adviser for the Middle East at networking and partnerships and to promote UAE businesses abroad the British Ministry of Defence, and through the UAE Defence Pavilion. It also seeks to enable dialogue be- Mark Goldsack, Director of the British tween the industry and various stakeholders and productive discussion Defence and Security Organisation on industry topics. of the Ministry of International Trade. While Tawazun Economic Council (Tawazun) is a key enabler for the de- Their meetings, which were attended velopment of defence and security industries in the UAE. It targets new by senior officers from both sides, dis- capability and technology development technologies in the defence and cussed the bilateral relations between security industrial sector. Since its establishment, Tawazun has enabled the UAE and the UK, as well as ways of creation of more than 90 companies across 11 sectors, including defence developing them in various areas and manufacturing. several issues of common interest. Safe City Group and AVET Announce Partnership UAE’s Safe City Group announced a officers whilst conducting interviews. of UAE cadres as the participant com- multi-million-dirham partnership with Safe City Group will also soon launch panies showcased a large number of the UK-based company, AVET Tech- the next generation of digital inter- advanced technologies of modern sys- nologies. The partnership, which was view recorders. Focusing on vulner- tems, which were developed as per in- announced during DSEI, will enhance able members of the community, the ternational standards in order to shed investigation processes, evidence recorders will focus on law enforce- light on the advantages and features gathering techniques and data in- ment, judicial and education sectors of UAE products. terrogation technologies to support within the UAE. The company is a UAE The UAE defence companies partici- international police, security forces, owned and based company that spe- pating highlighted the importance of court and judicial processes. cialises in innovative public safety so- taking part in such specialised exhibi- The signing ceremony took place at the lutions for the Middle East. tions and meeting one-to-one with UAE Pavilion. The technology and in- Boosting Opportunities and top commanders, officials, experts vestment based manufacturing agree- Partnerships and decision-makers at DSEI, which ment entails dedicated purpose-built The UAE companies’ participation re- hosts top defence and security corpo- evidence recording solutions featuring flected their technical capabilities in rations worldwide to display the most innovative storage and data interro- various defence and security systems, advanced defence systems, military gation concepts that will significantly and highlights the outstanding perfor- equipment, troop supplies/accesso- augment the role of law enforcement mance and high-calibre rehabilitation ries and defence equipment. 12 ISSUE 573 OCT 2019 Events DSEI’s 20th Birthday Celebrated in Innovative Style

Celebrating its 20th anniversary, the 2019 DSEI gave its 35,000 plus visitors ever more to see and do when they passed through the doors of Excel, London. Showcasing exciting debuts and demos, September’s DSEI featured 1,700 exhibitors across five zones and six new sector-focused hubs, with the event reflecting the new defence market and its growing number of developing indigenous industries.

In innovating, sharing knowledge, dis- Soveron displayed its R&S M3SR Series class minehunter covering and experiencing the latest 4100 HF radios — innovative, versatile t).4%"4)&3"SDIFS$MBTT11B- capabilities, this year’s DSEI Strategic software-defined radios designed for trol Vessel, UK Conferences featured industry lead- use in permanently connected deploy- t).4536.1&5&3"SDIFS$MBTT1 ers and senior speakers from the UK ment in beyond-line-of-sight commu- Patrol Vessel, UK and overseas militaries addressing nications. Installed in racks within a t#/410--69o$PBTUBM1BUSPM7FTTFM key topics from across the Aerospace, ship’s radio-room or at a shore station, Belgium Land, Maritime, Rotorcraft and Medi- they cover long-haul ship-to-ship or t)/-.4;&&-"/%0DFBOHPJOH1BUSPM cal domains, while debuting the free- ship-to-shore communications and Vessel, Netherlands to-attend Defence and Engineering support frequency-hopping, while t '4 ("30//& o -PJSF $MBTT 0òTIPSF Skills Conference to explore challenges providing interoperability with tactical Support and Assistance Vehicle, France faced by the defence sector. radios in HF-operating modes. Dynamic Waterborne Demonstrations Visiting Naval Vessels The M3SR Series 4400 VHF/UHF radios This year, visiting warships were ac- Of the high-profile visits to Victoria offer military customers line-of-sight companied by popular and visual wa- Dock, the River Class Batch 2 offshore communications with a flexible range terborne demonstrations taking place patrol vessel HMS Medway made its of applications for NATO and propri- daily on the Victoria Dock. Spectators Docklands debut at DSEI 2019. Deliv- etary electronic protection waveforms. witnessed an integrated and coordi- ered to the Royal Navy in March, the They also support the military data nated display between BAE Systems, River Class features a flexible and mod- transmission methods Link 11 and Link Dstl and L3Harris while, in support of ular communications solution devel- 22. NavyX, a demonstration of the Royal oped by Rohde & Schwarz to enable se- Other visiting ships included: Navy’s new Autonomy and Lethality cure voice and data communications in t).4"SHZMM#SJUJTI/BWZ5ZQF'SJHBUF Accelerator and the Maritime Mission the HF and VHF/UHF frequency bands. t).4(SJNTCZ#SJUJTI/BWZ4BOEPXO Systems Enterprise Board highlighted 13

the integrated and coordinated use of Ascent. alongside the manoeuvrability of its unmanned surface vessels to enhance t #BSSBT /FBOEFS4IBSL 4VSWJUFD N Gemini Waverider 780 RIB and effec- Royal Navy operations. RIB, a highly specialist rescue and tiveness of its shock absorbing Shoxs Elsewhere, the BAE Systems Pacific 24 medical boat with specialised diesel seating. RIB had been retrofitted for optional engine. t.BSJOF*OøBUBCMFTEFNPOTUSBUFEIPX unmanned operation for service with t 0QIBSEU.BSJUJNT GBTU BOE IJHIMZ its inflatable seagoing platform carries the UK Royal Navy, integrated with manoeuvrable OPH/1280/R intercep- and delivers large loads close to the L3Harris’ ASView control system and tor patrol RIB. shoreline. BAE Systems’ combat system. Dstl’s t $PY 1PXFSUSBJOT 5PSOBEP N 3*# t7FSTBEPDLQSPWJEFEUIFNPPSJOHTGPS MAST 13 was operated autonomously with smokeless diesel engine and low the boats constructed by TPA Pontoons. from an L3 Harris control station using noise levels, offering wide-ranging en- Key Exhibitor Highlights the ASView and demonstrating how gine speeds with solid handling at the DSEI is unrivalled in connecting gov- the use of autonomous vessels work- highest speed. ernments, national armed forces and ing alongside the command team and t 4USFJU (SPVQT IJHIQFSGPSNBODF JO- industry thought-leaders with the manned assets can identify, contain terceptor, the Triton 850 RIB and its all- global defence and security supply and neutralise a threat. terrain Sand Tiger patrol boat. chain via a range of valuable oppor- Waterborne demonstrations from DSEI t$1)(SPVQTIJHIQFSGPSNBODF/VO- tunities for networking, platforms for 2019 exhibitors included: ya interceptor with specialist targeting business and access to relevant con- t4VSWJUFDSFDPWFSZNJTTJPOTIPXDBTFE and weaponry. tent or live-action demonstrations in its 530GPM military inflatable boat t7PMWPEFNPOTUSBUFEUIFWFSTBUJMJUZPG the Aerospace, Land, Naval, Security and Maritime Infantry Ensemble with its Marell RIB and high-performance and Joint domains. With more exhibi- Atacama military dry-suit, low-profile Penta engines. tors, greater international presence, ex- XTP290 life preserver and the world’s t#FSUIPOTIPXDBTFEFBTFPGNPPSJOH pert-led conferences and new features first floatable load carriage system, the and launching from its Floating Dock, including hubs dedicated to Manufac- 14 ISSUE 573 OCT 2019 Events

turing and Space, DSEI 2019 remains the Air, MBDA is developing concepts fectors in the future. We are utilising the most comprehensive to date. for a Hard Kill Defensive Aid System our unique role in this collaboration Team Tempest Italian Partnership (HK-DAS) capable of tracking, target- to ensure that a future fighter is able Following commitments at govern- ing and intercepting incoming mis- to use existing weapons and planned mental and industrial level, Italy will siles in high threat environments. weapons fully, whilst supporting a full join the UK’s Tempest sixth-generation MBDA is also utilising HJ-DAS in a range of system-design studies assess- fighter development, a co-funded small-form factor, scalable Ground ing the trade space between the fu- technology initiative launched by the Attack Micromissile capability to en- ture fighter platform and the weapons RAF Rapid Capabilities Office. Tem- hance the Tempest system in the Close of the future.” pest will ensure the UK maintains the Air Support (CAS) role for Persistence DSEI 2019 also featured MBDA’s con- technological competence necessary in Attack. Chris Allam, Managing Di- tribution to the PYRAMID Open Mis- to retain military freedom of action, rector of MBDA UK, said: “The part- sion System, exploiting technologies playing a lead role in future combat air nership approach provided by Team developed in the Ground Based Air system development by bringing to- Tempest will deliver a step change Defence (GBAD) command and con- gether the UK's world leading industry improvement in the time, complexity trol (C2) domain to enhance the op- and sovereign capabilities. and cost of weapons system integra- erational proficiency of Tempest in Air- Hard Kill Defensive System tion campaigns. Being involved in the to-Air engagements for Effectiveness MBDA’s weapon range is for land, na- development of novel interfaces, bay in Control of the Air. val and airborne guided weapon sys- designs and integration processes Protector Test-and-Evaluation Contract tem requirements. In the domain of will also be a key enabler to the spiral GA-ASI announced signing a Direct Survivability in Attack and Control of development of complementing ef- Commercial Sale (DCS) contract with the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) to complete the certification activities for the Protector RG Mk1 Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) system for civil airspace. The DCS contract also funds additional Protector programme elements, including X-band SATCOM system verification, training material development and logistics planning. “This completes another important milestone as we work towards the delivery of Protector to the Royal Air 15

Force (RAF),” said Linden Blue, CEO, GA-ASI. “We have completed more than 100 qualification test flights using our two company-owned Sky- Guardian RPA.” Once delivered to the RAF in the early 2020s, MQ-9B SkyGuardian is the baseline RPA for the Protector RG Mk1. RAF operators will continue to support evaluation activity for Protector using the two SkyGuardian test aircraft and the Protector cockpit. The GA-ASI-developed DAA system consists of a Due Regard air-to-air ra- and multiweapon modularity. land-based surveillance and target dar and processor, integrated with Traf- The DSEI TERRAHAWK was fitted with acquisition operations. The Modular fic Alert and Collision Avoidance Sys- M2HB 12.7mm Heavy Machine Gun, Integrated Pod System (MIPS) is a self- tem (TCAS II) and Automatic Depen- suitable for integration into both leg- contained, vehicle-mounted platform dent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B). acy and new build vehicles, with the enabling quick changeover of surveil- The Protector RG Mk1 is being built for modular system designed for ease of lance and target acquisition payloads all-weather performance with light- integration into unmanned platforms including radar, electro-optical track- ning protection, damage tolerance for remote operation. Remote firing ca- ing systems and counter-unmanned and de-icing system. pabilities demonstrate the SEAHAWK’s aerial systems (C-UAS). Remote Weapon Station Launch exceptional accuracy at extended rang- Providing a squadron or company with MSI-Defence Systems Ltd announced es while the MSI-DS SEAHAWK Multi the same capability of three or four sep- the launch of its MSI-DS TERRAHAWK Weapon Station (MWS) has recently arate systems or vehicles, this mission- Remote Weapon Station (RWS), a completed successful firing sea trials on configurable system provides 360˚ sur- new addition to the MSI-DS product the BAE Systems P950 Unmanned Sur- veillance coverage, interoperable with portfolio in the land weapon systems face Vessel (USV) demonstrator. supporting systems. Currently in op- market. The MSI-DS TERRAHAWK RWS Modular Surveillance Solutions erational service with a NATO member combines the proven reputation of Launched nation, operators use the MIPS ‘clip-on, the SEAHAWK family of gun systems The UK-based Chess Dynamics show- clip-off’ system easily when changing for reliability and unmatched accura- cased two new payload-agnostic, payload, limiting the need for specialist cy, with optimisations for vehicle inte- modular solutions for increased mili- equipment training and reduces down- gration, compact flexible fire-control tary flexibility and cost efficiency in time for maintenance. 16 ISSUE 573 OCT 2019 Events

Chess has also developed an ISO con- theon is finalising advanced Coyote Zealand, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, tainer-based surveillance-and-target variants to fly faster and further. France, Latvia and the Netherlands. solution compatible with multiple Warrior Capability Sustainment The success of the product reinforces payloads and radar, electro-optical Programme Leonardo’s position as international tracking or C-UAS capability. The ISO After 20 battlefield mission tests, Lock- leader in the high-energy military laser container is easily transported, en- heed Martin's upgrade to the Warrior market, accounting for over 70 per cent abling rapid payload deployment to IFV will soon enter British Army service, of global sales for airborne platforms provide a protective, habitable and with negotiations underway to update and around 60 per cent of total sales, in- environmentally-controlled space with fleet of Warrior infantry fighting ve- cluding for ground-based applications. an integrated interior control and dis- hicles. In cooperation with the British Joint Terminal Attack Controllers play unit to monitor and track targets Army’s Armoured Trials and Develop- (JTACs), the troops responsible for di- from inside when facing extreme envi- ment Unit, Warrior has tested its CTAI- recting close air support, use the Type ronmental conditions. developed 40mm cannon, driving 163 Ltd with around 550 units deliv- In March, Chess announced its U.S. more than 5,000 kilometres to pass ered to date, including to U.S. Special partner Liteye’s contract with the U.S. battlefield mission assessments. Operations Forces. The Type 163 has Department of Defence (DoD) to meet The Warrior Capability Sustainment been battle-tested during Middle East threats at US borders and airports and Programme (WCSP) will extend the operations where users have benefit- protect critical internal infrastructure. out-of-service date to beyond 2040 ted from immediate and accurate tar- Coyote Nears First Export and include the Warrior Fightability & get identification capabilities. Raytheon and the U.S. government are Lethality Improvement Programme, Leonardo also announced a new re- clearing Raytheon's Coyote unmanned Warrior Enhanced Electronic Architec- search contract to develop counter- aircraft system for international sales. ture and Warrior Modular Protection UAV (C-UAV) technologies for the RAF. The small, expendable, tube-launched System. Four baseline systems will be delivered Coyote is ground, air or ship deployed Lockheed Martin UK has supplied 11 by next March, then tested and devel- then flown individually or netted to- WCSP for Armoured Reliability Growth oped to the RAF’s requirements. gether in swarms, adaptable for sur- trials (RGT) and Development Unit trials: Autonomous Underwater Vehicles veillance, electronic warfare and strike six FV520 Warrior IFV section vehicles, Having participated in the inaugural missions. It operates for maximum one two FV521 Warrior IFV command, one DSEI Space Hub, Teledyne showcased hour and is designed for interchange- FV522 Warrior repair, one FV523 Warrior various defence solutions and capa- able payloads. recovery/repair and one FV524 Warrior bilities at DSEI 2019 covering surveil- Handling relatively large accelerations artillery observation post vehicle. lance, low-light and infrared imaging, during launch, the Coyote improves Leonardo Laser Targetting missile defence and counter-measure surveillance imagery and enhances Leonardo announced sales of over 600 systems, chemical and biological spe- targeting capability, providing near units of Type 163 Laser Target Desig- cies detection for CBRN applications real-time damage assessment and re- nator (LTD) to 16 customers including and undersea mine countermeasures. duced threat to manned aircraft. Ray- Italy, the U.S., Australia, Canada, New Teledyne Marine has an indefinite 17

transform the surface defence world by delivering low-cost, high-capacity surgical strike capability. The latest Fletcher MLHS includes the platform, the laser-guided rockets pod and a mounted or air-based laser des- ignator integrated into a helicopter, an unmanned aerial vehicle or an aircraft. Composite Rubber Track System In the Canadian Pavilion, Soucy De- fence exhibited the Composite Rub- ber Track (CRT) system on a one-off vehicle prototype — the Mortar or Ar- moured Battlegroup Warrior Support Vehicle supplied by Rheinmetall BAE Systems Land (RBSL) and currently in service with the British Army. Soucy’s CRT system consists of a con- delivery/indefinite quantity contract range of autonomous profiling floats, tinuously-cased rubber-band struc- from the U.S. Naval Undersea Warfare variable-buoyancy autonomous glid- ture, reinforced with a range of com- Centre to supply autonomous under- ing vehicles, unmanned surface ve- posite materials and steel cord, weigh- water vehicles and related monitoring hicles and inspection-class remotely ing 50 per cent lighter than steel track. and communications acoustic sys- operating vehicles (ROVs). Upgraded Unmanned Helicopter tems valued at US$5.4 million with a Multiple Launch Hydra System The upgraded UVH EL was showcased maximum US$22.2 million value until Arnold Defence unveiled their new at DSEI 2019. UAVOS has upgraded its December 2024 with all options. Au- high-capacity rocket launcher, the unmanned UVH EL helicopter with an tonomous underwater vehicles (AUV) Multiple Launch Hydra System (MLHS) advanced airframe. can carry out complex survey missions installed on the Mercedes-Benz UNI- As an electric-powered UAV, it is for commercial, scientific and defence MOG LTTV platform on Jankel's Stand equipped with a gimbal for day or applications. at DSEI 2019. night surveillance with increased car- Teledyne AUVs’ modular architecture This new version has 23 launcher rying capacity, flying range and ex- enables sensors to be easily integrated tubes for 2.75in/70mm solid propel- tended temperature range. and battery packs exchanged in the lant laser-guided rockets, such as the Powered by autopilot, take-off, land- field. In addition to powered, self-pro- BAE Systems Advanced Precision Kill ing and missions are all carried out pelled AUVs, Teledyne provides a wide Weapon System (APKWS), and is set to automatically. 18 ISSUE 573 OCT 2019 Events

Al Nahyan, Minister of Tolerance, His ADIHEX 2019 ConcludesExcellency Dr. With Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of Climate Change Resounding Successand Environment, His Excellency Sheikh Sultan bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan, The event welcomed 115,000 visitors and Member of the Executive Council-Abu Dhabi as well as other Sheikhs, ex- recorded sales of over AED70 million cellencies and VIPs from the UAE and countries that represented diplomatic communities. The 17th Edition of the Abu Dhabi under the slogan “Together to Consol- His Excellency Majid Al Mansouri, Sec- International Hunting and Equestrian idate Sustainable Hunting Initiatives.” retary General of the Emirates Falcon- Exhibition (ADIHEX) held under the The exhibition was visited by His High- ers’ Club and Chairman of the Higher patronage of His Highness Sheikh ness Sheikh Humaid bin Rashid Al Nu- Organising Committee of the exhibi- Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Ruler’s aimi, Supreme Council Member and tion said, “This 17th edition had more Representative in Al Dhafra Region Ruler of Ajman, His Highness Sheikh than 650 companies and brands, 400 and Chairman of Emirates Falconers’ Ammar bin Humaid Al Nuaimi, the local and international exhibitors from Club, came to an end on August 31. Crown Prince of Ajman, His Highness 41 countries, and governmental and Held at the Abu Dhabi National Exhi- Sheikh Abdullah bin Rashid Al Mualla, non-governmental entities from in- bition Centre (ADNEC), the exhibition Deputy Ruler of Umm Al Quwain, His side and outside the country, as well took place for five consecutive days Highness Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak as local and international agencies 19

over an area of 45,000 squared metres. vehicles and equipment, hunting tour- enjoyed by all the visitors, along with This exhibition has witnessed several ism and safari, arts and crafts, equestri- many other platforms that showcased media outlets and representatives an, falconry, fishing and marine sports, Japanese products such as antiques, that reached more than 600 individu- hunting and camping equipment and accessories and various traditional als as well as international television the promotion and preservation of arts. and radio channels who covered the cultural heritage. This is in addition to Workshops exhibition’s various activities. The ex- the arena that was dedicated to horse, The first day of the event witnessed a hibition received 115,194 visitors and camel, and dog shows. high-level workshop that tackled is- the sales of the exhibition amounted Action-packed Shows sues surrounding illegal trade in birds to more than AED70 million.” Falconry enthusiasts experienced the of prey that was held on the sidelines He added: “The Hunting Guns sector debut of the Falcons Auction, which of the exhibition. It was held in the saw a significant rise in the number of witnessed the participation of dozens presence of His Excellency Dr. Thani bin pieces that were sold especially with of local and international companies Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of Climate the large participation of major com- specialised in producing the best fal- Change and Environment, His Excel- panies, local authorities and organisa- cons in the world. The auction took lency Majid Ali Al Mansouri, Secretary tions. This is especially the case as dur- place over the five days where there General of the Emirates Falconers’ Club ing the exhibition, UAE nationals who was bidding and a competitive spirit and Chairman of the Higher Organis- are over the age of 21 years, were al- between falconers from the GCC to ing Committee of ADIHEX and Her Ex- lowed to own three pieces of weapons buy the best falcons. This was all with cellency Dr. Sheikha Salem Al Dhaheri, from the exhibition, and others from the aim of encouraging falcon farm- Secretary General of the Environment the rest of the world could also pur- ers to produce the best falcons and to Agency Abu Dhabi, and a number of chase weapons under the condition of empower falconers to own superior local and international officials. providing a license and a No Objection falcons at the best prices. The workshop reviewed the mecha- Certificate (NOC) from their respective The 25th edition of the Arabic Cam- nisms of the process and efforts taken countries.” els Auction was also tremendously by local and international institutions His Excellency expressed his satisfac- successful. It was organised by the in aiding the efforts of the Internation- tion because of the success of the ex- Advanced Scientific Group and was al Association for Falconry and Emir- hibition that has turned into a cultural designed to attract a wide audience of ates Falconers’ Club to promote the heritage environmental international camel lovers and focused specifically elimination of illegal trade of birds of festival that is a multicultural forum on camels that are used in racing. The prey. It also showcased the decisions all under one roof. This success is con- camels did not exceed the age of two taken by the judiciary department that sidered a benchmark for continuity, years and were affiliated to the strains includes encouraging the reproduc- development and renewal in the up- of ancient authentic breeds that have tion of falcon families and using inter- coming editions. the ability to compete in races and as a national scientific controls rather than “We have already started putting the result there was strong participation of depending on wild falcons. There were basic plans and initial cornerstones bidders from all over the world. discussions and workshops with deci- of the 18th edition of the exhibition, Additionally, this edition also provided sion makers, researchers and special- in reference to the testimonials of ex- an opportunity for fans and visitors to ists to find the right solutions to evade hibitors, participants and visitors, who see more than 200 breeds of purebred the illegal hunting of birds of prey. expressed their happiness and praised dogs from more than 15 countries. GCC Participation the exhibition and its initiatives that Peek into Japanese Heritage ADIHEX 2019 welcomed a huge partic- gathered all categories of people of all The visitors at the exhibition were fas- ipation from the GCC, especially from ages,” Al Mansouri added. cinated by the Japanese Pavilion that governmental entities. The Kingdom There were several interesting initia- had a special participation this year of Saudi Arabia had exhibitors from tives within the exhibition that were with over 50 exhibitors and artists who the Ministry of Interior and the Gener- dispersed over 11 sectors, which were: presented performances and dances al Department of Arms and Explosives veterinary products and services, that reflect the art and heritage of the that came to support the exhibition hunting guns, media, outdoor leisure Japanese tradition. The shows were and join the UAE in exchanging expe- 20 ISSUE 573 OCT 2019 Events

riences. From Kuwait, the Ministry of He continued: “ARB Emirates’ associa- multiple displays. Interior participated through the Gen- tion with ADIHEX for the past decade Prizes and Awards eral Department for Weapons Investi- has contributed to our progress and Promoting creativity and camaraderie, gations, in addition to various compa- realisation of our goals. The 2019 edi- ADIHEX hosted several competitions, nies and agencies from heritage sports tion welcomed a record number of which offered prizes equivalent to enthusiasts. This participation has attendees and presents an unrivalled more than one million dirhams. There reflected the depths of brotherly rela- platform to showcase the latest prod- were raffle draws for the visitors of the tions between the GCC countries and ucts to a truly special audience. We exhibition throughout the five days. the UAE. look forward to the future events with The youngest exhibitor at the exhibi- For instance, ARB 4x4 Accessories Emir- huge expectations and optimism.” tion, Sultan Al Muhairbi, 13 years old, ates, part of Al Masaood Group and Range of Activities and the youngest female exhibitor, one of the leading market brands in There were special activities for chil- Gaya Al Ahbabi, were awarded during four-wheel drive accessories and out- dren that included practicing various ADIHEX. This was a step to encourage door gear, took part in the exhibition. games creatively and in a fun atmo- the young generations and youth to ARB Emirates participated at ADIHEX sphere. These focused on heritage and be part of these national and interna- for the 11th consecutive year and cultural activations that were also edu- tional events to celebrate heritage and unveiled their latest products with cational and entertaining for children. promote environmental conservation. the most recent innovative technol- Moreover, it helped in initiating curios- The Abu Dhabi International Hunting ogy and also had a raffle draw on their ity through the dedicated Knowledge and Equestrian Exhibition is organised stand, which gave visitors a chance Corner that specialised in inspiring the by Emirates Falconers’ Club. The Envi- to win ARB products such as portable little ones. ronment Agency of Abu Dhabi, Inter- compressors and digital and analogue The exhibition also included entertain- national Fund for Houbara Conserva- gauges. Furthermore, the company ing activities on falconry and eques- tion and Abu Dhabi National Exhibi- offered a special discount of up to 25 trian where children were encouraged tion Centre were the Official Sponsors per cent to visitors across their prod- to be creative in drawing on glass, face of the event. Nation Shield, the official ucts range. paint, as well as watch a puppet show journal of UAE Armed Forces was a Robert Schwarz, Chief Operating Of- that entertained kids with special per- media partner of the event. While Wa- ficer of Al Masaood Group, said: “ARB formances. They also got the chance hat Al Zaweya was the Sustainability Emirates has consistently met the ex- to ride real ponies that were presented Sponsor and Barary Ain Alfayda De- pectations and demands of outdoor by Dhabian Equestrian Club. velopment and Tiger Properties were enthusiasts throughout the UAE since Another interesting activity was the the Hunting Tourism and Safari Sector 1990. Young Emiratis have emerged Treasure Hunt that composed of edu- Sponsors. Event supporters included as a new generation of off-road afi- cational questions focused on the the Department of Culture and Tour- cionados and, as the leading national concept of tolerance and love of na- ism and Cultural Programmes and Her- brand in the 4x4 cars customisation ture. There was also the Gymkhana itage Festivals Committee market, we provide a wide range of for People of Determination, a plat- Abu Dhabi. high-quality products and embrace form that attracted many visitors from the culture and heritage of the UAE as people of determination we welcome more and more custom- who enjoyed the ers every year.“ ﻣﻌﺮض وﻣﺆﺗﻤﺮ اﻟﺒﺤﺮﻳﻦ اﻟﺪوﻟﻲ ﻟﻠﺪﻓﺎع

Bahrain International Defence Exhibition & Conference 22 ISSUE 573 OCT 2019 Nation

Mohamed bin Zayed, U.S. Secretary of State Deliberate Regional Developments

His Highness Sheikh Mohamed attempts to under- bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince mine the Kingdom’s of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme security and stabil- Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, ity and regards any reaffirmed the UAE’s support for the threat to the King- Kingdom of Saudi Arabia against all dom as a threat to the menacing threats besetting its se- international peace curity and stability. and security,” Sheikh H.H. Sheikh Mohamed made the state- Mohamed added. ments as he received U.S. Secretary of He underscored the State Mike Pompeo at Qasr Al Shati’, UAE’s principled sup- with the two sides deliberating the re- port for preserving peace and stability The two sides doubled on the impor- cent attacks on Saudi oil installations in the Gulf region and the Middle East tance of maintaining channels of bi- and their repercussions on regional in cooperation with other sisterly and lateral coordination and continuing and international security. friendly countries, primarily the Unit- to solidify the pillars of peace and “The UAE categorically rejects any ed States of America. stability in the region. Mohammed Al Bowardi, UAE Joins Interna- U.S. Army Acting Secretary tional Coalition for Discuss Bilateral Cooperation Maritime Security

tetendede by Mattar Salem Al The UAE recently announced it has joined DDhaheri, Under-Secretary at the International Maritime Security Con- ththeh Ministry of Defence, Al struct, an international alliance that aims to BBoBowardi welcomed McCar- protect the safety of maritime navigation ththy,h and both sides discussed and international trade. Salem Mohammed ththeh friendship and coopera- Al Zaabi, Director of the International Secu- titioni between the UAE and the rity Cooperation Department at the Ministry UU.S. and ways of reinforcing of Foreign Affairs and International Coopera- ththem.h They also explored po- tion, said that the UAE’s accession to the alli- ttetential areas of coordination ance comes in support of regional and inter- Mohammed bin Ahmed Al between their countries in the national efforts to deter threats to maritime Bowardi, Minister of State for Defence areas of defence and military navigation and global trade, and in order Affairs, received Ryan McCarthy, Act- affairs and exchanged their to secure the flow of energy supplies to the ing Secretary of the U.S. Army, and his views on many regional and global economy and contribute to the main- delegation currently visiting the UAE, international issues of mutual tenance of international peace and security. at the headquarters of the Ministry of concern. The meeting was at- The alliance protects the interests of its mem- Defence in Abu Dhabi. tended by several senior offi- bers and their merchant ships when passing During the meeting, which was at- cers from the ministry. through maritime corridors. 23 Hazza Al Mansoori Realises Sheikh Zayed’s Dream

On September 25, Hazza Al Man- brother Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Arab world in space exploration. soori, former Emirati F-16 aircraft pilot, and I launched the UAE Astronaut During his eight-day stay aboard the became the first UAE national in space. Programme. Today, we celebrate the ISS, Al Mansoori will study the impact His journey marked an important launch of the first Emirati astronaut on of microgravity in 15 experiments that milestone in the UAE’s burgeoning a historic mission to the International have been selected based on MBRSC’s space industry, led by the Mohammed Space Station... an Emirati achieve- ‘Science in Space’ competition, which Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC). ment that we are proud of and we involves schools in the UAE in the Russian Soyuz MS-15 spacecraft, car- dedicate to the Arab and Islamic na- process of preparing experiments for rying Al Mansoori and two other tions," he added. space. Students will also conduct the astronauts, blasted off to the Inter- "I proudly watched as Hazza Al Man- same experiments on earth to compare national Space Station (ISS) from Bai- soori lifted off into space. This event the results with those done in space. konur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, strengthens our confidence in our Moreover, the reaction of the human to participate in a scientific research youth who will take our nation to new body to space will be studied before space mission. heights and reinforces our ambitions and after the trip, the first time this “The arrival of the UAE’s first astronaut for the future. We pray for Hazza’s suc- kind of research will be done on an Hazza Al Mansoori in space is a mes- cess and his safe return home," His astronaut from the region. This is on sage to all Arab youth that we can Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed top of the existing scientific missions make progress and move forward. We Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi assigned to Al Mansoori whilst on the can catch up with the others. Our next and Deputy Supreme Commander of ISS, using on-board laboratories. stop is Mars via the Hope probe, which the UAE Armed Forces, tweeted. Nation Shield wishes Al Mansoori is designed by our young people with The UAE Astronaut Programme was success on this historic journey! competency,” His Highness Sheikh launched in 2017 to train and pre- Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, pare a team of Emiratis to be Vice-President and Prime Minister of sent to space for various the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, tweeted. scientific missions. The “It has been more Programme is the first in than two years the Arab world aimed ago, since my towards developing skilled and capable Emirati astronauts to embark on future space missions and serve as ambassadors for the UAE and the 24 ISSUE 573 OCT 2019 News

of marketing and sales for BAE Systems’ Germany Selects BAE weapons business in Sweden. “This contract expands the number of European Systems 57mm Guns nations deploying the 57 Mk3 and re- flects the growing interest we’re seeing BAE Systems has been selected to That’s how our 57 millimetre system has in the region, where we look forward provide the German federal police force, earned its reputation as the deck gun of to supporting new opportunities in the Bundespolizei, with three 57mm naval choice for ships operating in coastal en- near future.” guns for its three new 86m Offshore vironments,” said Ulf Einefors, director The 57 Mk3 naval gun is also in use with Patrol Vessels (OPVs), built by Fassmer the allied navies and coast guards of shipyard. eight nations, including Canada, Fin- The gun systems, known as the Bofors land, Mexico, and Sweden, as well as 57 Mk3, will support the maritime the U.S., where it is known as the arm of the Bundespolizei that Mk110 naval gun. monitors the country’s North This contract also includes Sea and Baltic coastlines. The accompanying fire control 57 Mk3 is a flexible gun sys- systems as well as systems tem designed to react quickly integration support. The for close-to-shore operations. work is expected to begin “The Bofors 57 Mk3 is a versa- immediately and will be per- tile naval gun with firepower formed at the BAE Systems fa- and range that exceeds expecta- cility in Karlskoga, Sweden. The tions when compared with similar, first unit is scheduled for delivery medium calibre naval gun systems. in 2020. General Dynamics Bags US$1.6 B Contract to Build More U.S. Navy ESBs

General Dynamics NASSCO, a subsid- cation to a previous contract for the de- The ship’s configuration supports special iary of General Dynamics, was recently sign and construction of the two ships, warfare and Marine Corps task-organised awarded a contract by the U.S. Navy with an option for the third that, if exer- units. Work on the two new ships of the worth up to US$1.6 billion for the con- cised, would bring the total cumulative ESB programme is scheduled to begin in struction of the sixth and seventh ships value to US$1.63 billion. the first quarter of 2020 and continue to of the Expeditionary Sea Base (ESB) pro- Named after famous names or places the second quarter of 2023. gramme, as well as an option for ESB 8. of historical signifi- Kevin Graney, president of General Dy- cance to U.S. Marines, namics NASSCO, said: “ESBs have proven ESBs serve as a flex- to be affordable and flexible, and as the ible platform and are fleet has gained experience with the plat- a key element in the form, we have worked with the Navy and Navy’s airborne mine Marines to develop even more capabili- countermeasures mis- ties and mission sets.” sion, with accommo- The contract, announced by the U.S. De- dations for up to 250 partment of Defense, provides US$1.08 personnel and a large billion as a fixed-price-incentive modifi- helicopter flight deck. 25

Leonardo and CAE USA Sign MoA

Leonardo and CAE USA have virtual training de- joined forces to collaborate in the veloped for specific U.S. to offer integrated solutions for aircraft missions. helicopter training requirements for The integrated the government market. A Memoran- offerings from dum of Agreement (MoA) was signed Leonardo and CAE recently between the companies that could include ad- expands on the long-established re- vanced helicop- lationship between Leonardo and ters, simulators CAE in helicopter training. and training de- The MoA is focused on delivering tai- vices, courseware, lored helicopter-and-training packag- training services, es to U.S. government operators and and training cen- Foreign Military Sales (FMS) customers. tres. Each arrangement will be spe- together, we are able to offer for- The companies will provide low risk cific to the customer and determined ward-looking, cost effective solutions and best value by offering a compre- on a case-by-case basis. that ensure mission success.” hensive and integrated training solu- William Hunt, CEO AgustaWest- “We look forward to collaborating tion that includes aircraft, simulators land Philadelphia Corporation, said: with Leonardo on training opportu- and courseware. Working together “Leonardo has a long history of col- nities in the U.S. military market relat- to create a cohesive flight training laborating with CAE for helicopter ed to Leonardo’s range of helicopter package, Leonardo and CAE will be training. By creating integrated train- platforms,” said Ray Duquette, Presi- at the forefront of integrated, live, and ing systems for the U.S. government dent and General Manager, CAE USA. AAR and WSU Tech Announce Education Partnership

AAR, a leading provider of aviation WSU Tech students who pursue the new mechanics in North America services to commercial airlines and FAA-certified aircraft mechanic’s certif- through 2037, according to a Boeing governments worldwide, and WSU icate are eligible for up to US$15,000 study. But aircraft maintenance tech- Tech recently announced their new in tuition reimbursements from AAR. nicians (AMTs) are already in short aviation maintenance education and The announcement was made at WSU supply. training partnership to further en- Tech’s main campus in the National AAR is introducing the EAGLE Career hance instruction, as well as student Center for Aviation Training, located Pathway at schools near its five U.S. job experiences and career prospects in Wichita, Kansas, U.S. aircraft repair stations. EAGLE dem- at AAR upon graduation. AAR’s partnership with WSU Tech is onstrates how students can earn por- AAR’s EAGLE Career Pathway pro- one of the many ways the company table, stackable skills leading to multi- gramme will expand the curriculum is connecting students with educa- ple career paths at AAR. The stackable of WSU Tech’s aviation maintenance tion and real-world job experience skills will enable interested students technology programme to include to fill the gaps in aviation for middle to pursue the coveted position of job shadowing and mentoring, as well skills that do not require a bachelor’s FAA-certified airframe and power- as academic support and monitoring. degree. There is demand for 189,000 plant (A&P) mechanic. 26 ISSUE 573 OCT 2019 News

MBDA Brings MESKO into Global Missile Supply Chain

MBDA recently partnered with MESKO S.A. to bring the Polish firm into its global missile supply chain. Contracts from MBDA to MESKO S.A. were signed at the recently concluded MSPO 2019 in Kielce, Poland. The scope of work includes components within multiple missiles including the CAMM air defence missile family and the Brim- Mesko S.A., added: “The agreement missiles in February 2017. Since then, stone strike missile. confirms our capabilities in manufac- detailed assessments have been un- Warren Devine, MBDA Head of Indus- turing and delivering advanced missile dertaken between both parties, which trial Co-Operation Poland, said: “These systems. We are now included in the recognise the benefits of co-operation contracts validate our assessment that supply chain of components for one of with each other. CAMM and Brimstone MESKO can provide quality missile com- the largest global manufacturers, and are also offered to Poland for the Narew ponents to MBDA’s exacting standards are working on expanding this partner- and Tank Destroyer programmes. In ad- whilst enhancing our global competi- ship on other ambitious projects.” dition to global supply chain opportu- tiveness. MESKO will become a valu- The contracts between MBDA and MES- nities, MBDA’s co-operation with PGZ able part of MBDAs supply chain and a KO S.A., a PGZ company, follow on from involves unprecedented depth of mis- strong partner for deep cooperation.” the signing of a strategic co-operation sile technology and know-how transfer Gabriel Nowina-Konopka, Vice CEO of agreement between MBDA and PGZ on to Polish industry. U.S. Navy LCS to be equipped with iXblue Navigation System

iXblue Defense Systems has been Navigation Systems, are manufactured chosen by OSI Maritime Systems for at Federal Electronics’ facility in Crans- integration into its warship Integrated ton, Rhode Island,U.S. Based on iXblue Bridge and Navigation System (IBNS), Fiber-Optic Gyroscope (FOG) technolo- a Marine Equipment Directive Type Ap- gy, the Marins Series INS offer high per- proved certified Integrated Navigation formance levels and provide accurate System, to equip Lockheed Martin Free- position, heading, roll, pitch and speed dom-class Littoral Combat Ships (LCS) information with low SWaP, in any envi- 27, 29 and 31. ronment, including GNSS denied. Already equipping over 111 U.S. Coast Major navies and coast guards world- Guard cutters, this installation marks the wide have selected the Marins Series, in- other types of fibre-optic gyroscopes first time that iXblue Defense Systems’ cluding the UK’s Royal Navy for all their and INS’s have been delivered by iXblue navigation technology has been cho- surface ships and submarines. Besides to U.S. customers, including U.S. Special sen to equip a surface warship for the the Marins systems being delivered to Operations Command (SOCOM), NAV- U.S. Navy. The company’s Marins Inertial the LCS programme, more than 390 SEA, U.S. Coast Guard and NAVAIR. 27

Saab Showcases Production Giraffe 1X Radar “We“WWe broughtbrough bg ht an operaoperating titingiGiffg GiraffGiGiraffe ffe1Xe 1X 1X tto DSEI tto showcaseh hthhow the ra radardidar is tthehe new benchmarkbenchmark in so many ways for the small radar segment. In another Saab exhibited a serial production ports and site protection as well as na- first, the Giraffe 1X at DSEI was installed standard Giraffe 1X, at the recently val applications for all types of vessels. on a Supacat Jackal vehicle, reflecting concluded DSEI exhibition for the first The radar also boasts simultaneous how the radar’s small footprint and low time. The radar provided a live demon- air surveillance, Counter Rocket, Artil- mass mean it can quickly be deployed stration of its capabilities by viewing lery and Mortar (C-RAM) and Counter wherever the commander’s need is the airspace from its position at the Unmanned Aerial System (C-UAS) ca- greatest or when rapidity equates to show. Visitors were also able to talk to pability with an Enhanced Low, Slow survivability,” says Torbjörn Wolffram, Saab experts about its unique features and Small capability against low ob- Marketing & Sales, Saab’s business and saw the high-quality situational servable targets as well as UAVs. As an unit Radar Solutions. The Giraffe 1X awareness users can expect. example of this application at DSEI, the can be networked or operated fully The Giraffe 1X is a compact, lightweight air picture generated by the Giraffe self-contained with C3 capabilities. It high-performing 3D radar perfect for 1X was supplied to the nearby stand is designed for flexibility of integration, the ground-based air defence role as of Chess Dynamics in support of their with the option for both mounted and well as for civil applications such as air- counter-UAV system. dismounted applications. Rohde & Schwarz Highlights SOVERON

At DSEI 2019 in London, Rohde & information superiority. that is optimised for vehicle-based Schwarz demonstrated its proficiency The SOVERON family works with the communications and covers the com- as a systems partner and integrator high data rate jam resistant SOVERON plete VHF/UHF frequency range; and who plans, develops and implements WAVE for tactical rugged use on the SOVERON CRYPTO, a state-of-the-art secure communications architectures first mile. All members of the SOVER- security management system for the and networks. ON WAVE offer mobile ad hoc network SOVERON software defined radio Digital sovereignty and technological (MANET) functionality. family for managing security-critical independence are extremely crucial As key components of the SOVERON elements in tactical radio and IP net- for government customers with securi- communications system architecture, works, among others. ty-critical applications. SOVERON gives SOVERON SDRs are available for tac- government customers a secure, high- tical communications scenarios and performance network architecture for deployment on airborne plat- consisting of state-of-the-art, innova- forms. The different types include tive hardware and software, cryptolo- SOVERON HR that covers the “first gy and intelligent routing. It takes into mile” with a secure and trustwor- account their security and national thy handheld SDR suitable for dis- interests and enables them to achieve mounted applications; SOVERON VR 28 ISSUE 573 OCT 2019 Interview Rabdan Academy: Towards a More Resilient Nation

At the recently concluded DSEI 2019 in London, Rabdan Academy was a part of the UAE pavilion. The Academy is an Abu Dhabi- government owned university and training establishment that specialises in safety, security, defence, emergency preparedness and crisis management sectors in a cross-government setup.

By: Sakha Pramod

James Anthony Morse CB, Rear Admiral and Rabdan Academy President On the sidelines of the show, James several programmes such as Bachelor’s matically over the last few years. We Anthony Morse CB, Rear Admiral and degree in homeland security and Master’s are also working with several entities as Rabdan Academy President, told Na- degrees in subjects such as Intelligence an “agent to assist change”, where they tion Shield: “I am here to tell people Analysis and Policing and Security Leader- are looking to refine the way they view at the Exhibition what the Academy ship. Most of the academic programmes training and education, including cer- is doing in Abu Dhabi, because there are conducted in English. tification and national recognition. The isn’t anything quite like our Academy “We offer top-quality courses; for ex- Academy is doing a lot of work with elsewhere in the world. I have a great ample, the competition to get into government entities to assist them in opportunity to tell senior defence and our Master’s of Intelligence Analysis that process. Ultimately, we want to security officials about our vision and is tough, as it is a world-class pro- contribute to a well-educated, fully mission, and why it is important.” gramme,” he added. trained Emirati workforce with nation- Morse explained: “For example, we The Academy also hosts several voca- ally recognised certification, with por- have military personnel training along- tional short courses for government table skills between different areas and side the police and other government entities in the field of safety, security entities including the private sector.” entities. We are trying to assist prepare and defence. Morse said: “That’s an About 25 per cent of the Academy’s all those entities to work together and area of business that has grown dra- faculty is Emirati and it also has an in- face the security and defence challenges of the future as a team. A cross- government response is an essential element of success and the importance of interagency cooperation is a key lesson from previous events.” His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces vision for Rabdan Academy is to lead the security & defence training & education effort in a cross- government setup. The Academy hosts Rabdan campus provides a technology rich environment 29

International Partnerships Rabdan Academy has a number of key partnerships such as with the Virginia Commonwealth University in the U.S. The American university and Rabdan Academy have similar programmess and send exchange students to each other for a semes- ter. “We are looking at partnerships Each student at Rabdan Academy is assigned an advisor who will provide with other academic institutions support and advice to students in all facets of their activities and are trying to build research cooperation,” Morse highlighted.

man sitting next to a military officer and by the time they finish their degree or course they know each other and have a network of colleagues and friends. This assist in building strong relationships between all these organisations. Morse passionately shared that the Academy is looking forward to train- Rabdan Academy has a library and information centre ing and educating young people and containing books, journals, reports and other media preparing them for challenges that are not yet known. “The world is changing ternational spread of instructors who so fast that by the time students fin- bring a global perspective, drawing on ish a programme, the challenges they best practices from around the world The Academy face will have evolved and so must the and tailored for the UAE. graduates’ mind-set. That’s part of the Focus on Teamwork is doing a lot excitement and why we try to identify The UAE government and federal en- the changes and focus on enduring tities or the Abu Dhabi government of work with skills, such as critical thinking, leader- sponsor most of Rabdan Academy’s ship and analysis,” he concluded. students, along with some self-fund- government Rabdan Academy is six-years-old, was ing students. formed by Royal decree and is steadily “For instance, the Armed Forces and entities enlarging in the number of students Abu Dhabi Police are big stakeholders. choosing its academic programmes. We also work with different ministries It is also growing very fast in the vo- such as the Ministry of Defence, Minis- cational space. Its aim is to continue try of Interior, and the Supreme Coun- it is that teamwork that is going to be that path of growth and to offer more cil for National Security, among others. successful,” emphasised Morse. “We academic courses and programmes, It is a wide range of stakeholders and plan to hopefully attract more regional achieve the highest possible stan- for me, that is important, as I want as students and then expand into a more dards and identify training and edu- many of those entities to work to- global approach in the due course.” cation needs of stakeholders in the gether as possible because ultimately At the Academy, you will find a police- future. 30 ISSUE 573 OCT 2019 Reports Collins Aerospace Tackles Military Comms Challenges

By: Sakha Pramod

ronments where SATCOM is expensive, Collins Aerospace Systems, a unit of challenged or denied. It is flexible, user United Technologies Corp., showcased friendly, cost-effective and backward the Universal Radio Group (URG)-IV, a compatible. It delivers a clear ground- new portable ground station for the based communications system in a first time at the recently concluded rack mount or transportable configura- Defence & Security Equipment Inter- tion. Above all, it is powerful. national (DSEI) expo in London. This “Modernised HF is an integral com- URG-IV features the latest 4G wideband High Frequency (HF) component of a communication system’s Automatic Link Establishment munications system delivers reliable, PACE (Primary, Alternate, Contin- technology high-speed data and clear digital voice gency, Emergency) plan and helps beyond-line-of-sight (BLOS) communi- maintain situational awareness on the cations without needing satellites. battlefield.” The URG-IV is a modernised version of The URG-IV line of HF radio commu- network of multiple radio systems dis- the company’s URG-III HF communica- nications equipment offers the right persed geographically under remote tions system, which has provided cus- communications systems for different control by multiple operators, Collins tomers reliable and quality communi- missions. Whether you need a single Aerospace has the answer. cations for decades. radio to integrate into your existing The company’s engineers work with cli- “URG-IV features the latest 4G Auto- system or you want to establish a new ents to customise installations and net- matic Link Establishment (ALE) technology, which automatically determines the optimal bandwidth for transmission and links much faster than legacy HF equipment,” Laurent Soyer, Busi- ness Development Manager, Mission Systems told Nation Shield, explaining the features of the station on the sidelines of the show. “This makes it more reliable and easier to use the HF communications platform. Beyond clear voice communications, the URG-IV’s wideband HF capabilities also enable users to transmit images and use real- time chat functionality. “You have now a proven, BLOS communications option in contested envi- Herve Tilloy and Anthony O’Carroll at the DSEI 2019 Collins Aerospace stand 31

works to meet specific requirements where it’s never gone before, Soyer such as remote control and split-site emphasised. New order for M-Code operability. This easy-to-use, mod- Missile actuation capable GPS receiver ernised HF system provides wideband At DSEI, Collins also presented its full and legacy narrowband interoper- portfolio of actuation systems. “Col- ability for BLOS analogue voice, digi- lins Aerospace Actuation systems is at tal voice and data communications. the forefront in design, development, Modernised wideband HF (WBHF) manufacturing and qualification of provides a powerful alternative to ex- missile control and Thrust Vector Ac- pensive narrowband SATCOM in con- tuation (TVA) systems. Collins Aero- tested battlespaces. space has the latest developments in The heart of the HF communications technology supplying a large portfolio system is the new, software defined of actuation systems for missiles. Our RT-2200A receiver-exciter and PA-2010 missile actuation business dates back Collins Aerospace Systems has 1 kW power amplifier and ancillaries over 40 years and provides solutions begun working with its first un- housed together in a moveable pack- to customers for a range of actuation disclosed customer on a 2020 age. “Combining the radio, power sup- products including missile actuation,” delivery of the company’s latest- plies and amplifiers provides beneficial said Anthony O’Carroll, Chief Electron- generation Miniature PLGR Engine redundancy and protection against ics Engineer Actuation Systems, Me- —M-Code (MPE-M) GPS receiver. failures, adding to the reliability of chanical Systems at Collins Aerospace. The new MPE-M, announced this wideband HF communications,” added Collins Aerospace Actuation Systems summer, is ideal for lightweight, Soyer. has extensive experience in Control ground-based applications such Additionally, a full-colour LCD touch- Actuation Sections (CAS) for precision as radios, blue force trackers, tar- screen provides intuitive local radio con- guided missiles including program- geting devices, vehicle LRUs and trol and status interfacing, along with mers such as GLMRS and Standard small unmanned aircraft. The voice audio and keying connections. Missile. Actuation Systems is able to MPE-M has the same Type-II small Also, the RT-2200A’s wideband chan- provide the Control Actuation System form factor as the MPE-S and is de- nel (3-48 kHz) operation provides sig- (CAS) and TVA for a range of missile signed to be easily integrated into nificant advantages over legacy HF, applications. For example, it has devel- platforms that utilise the MPE-S facilitating better establishment and oped CAS for a wide variety of missile today. link maintenance in poor propaga- applications with packaging concepts According to independent test- tion and operating environments than ranging from discrete actuators to ing, the MPE-M is the lowest Size, legacy narrowband HF can support. It fully integrated missile CAS sections. Weight and Power (SWaP) small supports text chat and low-rate digi- Collins manufacturing processes cover Type II form factor ground receiver tal voice. The RT-2200A is taking HF both low and high production rates – available and incorporates Col- from a few development units to sev- lins Aerospace’s recently certified eral thousand systems per year. Common GPS Module (CGM). “We are a leading supplier to precision weapons with capabilities in fin, wing and thrust vectoring control systems,” offer smart weapon solutions at low O’Carroll said. “As a leading provider of risk and an affordable cost. Collins control actuation plus micro-electro- Aerospace supports stability augmen- mechanical systems (MEMS)-based tation on a wide range of vehicles and spinning-mass inertial sensors, and platforms and provides terrain Collins Aerospace offers precision referenced navigation and predictive guidance solutions to advanced mis- ground collision avoidance systems siles and munitions.” on more than 5,000 aircraft,” O’Caroll Missile actuation system “Its targeting and guidance systems added. 32 ISSUE 573 OCT 2019 Reports MQ-9B SkyGuardian and SeaGuardian GA-ASI’s New Multi-Mission Aircraft Brings New Capabilities to RPA

the ability to blend that surveillance General Atomics Aeronautical Sys- ply an RPA system for Project Air 7003. onboard in support of alerting and tems, Inc’s. (GA-ASI) MQ-9B SkyGuard- Proven Platform manoeuvring guidance to the pilot in ian and the maritime variation, Sea- The MQ-9B is a ground-up redesign the Ground Control Station (GCS). It Guardian, are all set to become one of of earlier variants. The redesign took enables the RPA to detect other plat- the world’s most advanced Remotely place in order to earn certification to fly forms and remain clear in coordination Piloted Aircraft (RPA). This develop- in non-segregated airspace and inte- with air traffic control.” ment will take place when the first grate seamlessly with manned aircraft. In order to comply with STANAG air- variant is delivered to the UK Royal Air GA-ASI expects MQ-9B to achieve cer- worthiness requirements for airframe Force (RAF) as the Protector RG Mk1 in tification in the early 2020s, when the fatigue and integrity, the MQ-9B aircraft the early 2020s. The demand for the aircraft will meet NATO STANAG-4671 are constructed with certified compos- MQ-9B is continuing to rise through- airworthiness standards, and meet U.S. ite materials using riveting and bond- out the world, including in the Middle Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) ing processes that provide a service life East and North Africa (MENA) region. commercial airworthiness certification of 40,000 flight hours, which is double The MQ-9B has flown more than 100 standards. the service life of the MQ-9A aircraft. test flights to demonstrate the RPA’s Jim Thomson, regional vice president Furthermore, in August, GA-ASI gave capabilities. of International Strategic Develop- a flight demonstration to RAF senior Recently, the Government of Belgium ment for GA-ASI, was quoted saying: leadership and RAF Reaper operators, approved Belgian Defense to negoti- “The Detect and Avoid (DAA) system as well as to the U.S. Marine Corps and ate the acquisition of SkyGuardian in that GA-ASI has developed for the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), to order to meet the nation’s RPA require- aircraft is made up of an air-to-air ra- showcase MQ-9B SkyGuardian’s ca- ments. Moreover, the aircraft is also dar, Traffic Collision Avoidance Sys- pabilities. The competences shown being considered by the Australian De- tem (TCAS), Automatic Dependent included the new Certifiable Ground fence Force, who chose GA-ASI to sup- Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B), and Control Station (CGCS), automatic take- 33

off, landing and taxi over SATCOM, Por- total of nine that can accommodate a threats to military commanders in real- table Pre/Post-Flight Equipment (P3E) maximum external payload of 2,155 time from stand-off ranges without and the Mission Intelligence Center. kilograms. It also boasts a maximum harm to the aircrew. Some other achievements for the MQ- airspeed of 210 Knots True Airspeed The platform can further be equipped 9B include the successful lightning (KTAS) and an endurance of more than with a multi-mode maritime search ra- tests, and SATCOM Launch and Re- 40 hours. dar, an Inverse Synthetic Aperture Ra- covery using Expeditionary Command ISR and ASW Capabilities dar (ISAR) capability, and an Automatic and Control (XC2). The SeaGuardian can also provide the Identification System (AIS) detection Greater Endurance MENA region with state-of-the-art sen- capability that offers a true Maritime The SeaGuardian in its basic configura- sors that offer unparalleled ISR (Intel- Wide Area Search (MWAS) and identi- tion is equipped with a high-definition ligence, Surveillance and Reconnais- fication and interdiction of maritime Electro-optical/Infrared (EO/IR) sensor sance) capabilities for a wide range of targets. and a 360-degree multi-mode mari- operational and threat environments. The company has also developed an time radar to support maritime patrol The MQ-9B is capable of operating at Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) capa- and surveillance missions. Beyond Line of Sight (BLOS) ranges at bility. In October 2017, GA-ASI demon- Additionally, the MQ-9B’s wings have altitudes over 40,000 feet and in in- strated remote detection and tracking been extended by four metres to a to- clement weather conditions and can of submerged contacts using an MQ- tal length of 24m to accommodate ad- also provide EO/IR Full Motion Video 9A RPA. The MQ-9A used sonobuoys to ditional fuel capacity, while providing (FMV), Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) gather acoustic data and track under- greater lift and endurance. The wing imagery, and Ground Moving Target water targets. The data was transmit- extension adds two hardpoints for a Indicator (GMTI) data about potential ted to the MQ-9A, processed onboard, and then relayed to the aircraft’s GCS. The demonstration successfully paired sonobuoy receiver and data processing technology onboard the MQ-9A. Some of the future developments that are being planned include adding to SeaGuardian’s ability to carry and dis- pense sonobuoys and to transmit the acoustic data via BLOS SATCOM. This continuous growth process offers a cost-efficient capability to complement manned maritime patrol aircraft in the prosecution of submerged vessels. GA-ASI’s Certifiable Ground Control Station (CGCS) will be used to fly the MQ-9B MQ-9B became the first Medium-altitude, Long-endurance (MALE) RPA system to complete a trans-Atlantic flight when it landed at the Royal Air Force (RAF) Fairford in Gloucestershire, UK in 2018. The flight originated from GA- ASI’s Flight Test and Training Center in Grand Forks, North Dakota, U.S. GA-ASI has delivered over 850 aircraft and more than 300 GCS worldwide. Every second about 70 of GA-ASI RPA are airborne worldwide. To date, the aircraft have accumulated close to six SeaGuardian is the maritime version of the MQ-9B SkyGuardian million flight hours. 34 ISSUE 573 OCT 2019 Reports

Airbus Flexes its Technological Muscle

Recently, Airbus and Telespazio organisations to be offered flexible and NATO standards. Their units deployed (Leonardo/Thales) have set up a part- reactive access to a strategic resource, in the field will be able to exchange nership to market military telecommu- thus strengthening France’s interna- video, voice and data via all-IP (Internet nications services using the future Syr- tional cooperation arrangements in the Protocol) communications at rates of acuse IV satellites. This partnership will field of defence and security. up to several hundred Mbit/s. lead to the creation of one of France’s With this partnership, Airbus and Teles- “Airbus is capitalising on the unique leading private operators of military pazio will be able to sell Syracuse IV experience of satellite services for the satellite telecommunications. It dem- satellite capacity and various value armed forces to enhance its range with onstrates the desire for cooperation by services such as anchor capacity (con- a system equipped with the most ad- European industrial prime contractors nection of satellite communications vanced space and terrestrial telecom- Airbus, Thales and Leonardo, as well to the ground networks of third-party munication technologies,” said Eric as the French State, in marketing Syra- customers), end-to-end services with Souleres, Head of Communications, cuse IV satellite capacity for the benefit capacity and throughput guarantees, Intelligence & Security Engineering at of armed and security forces in Europe as well as engineering and mainte- Airbus Defence and Space. and around the world. nance services. “Building on its expertise in the field, The French Defence Procurement These services will be accessible over a Telespazio is proud to consolidate its Agency (DGA), Airbus, Thales Alenia broad area ranging from French Guiana role as a trusted operator of French Space and Telespazio have put togeth- to the Straits of Malacca and will be de- military telecommunications satellites er an innovative financing initiative, en- ployed for maritime, terrestrial and air and contribute to an innovative op- abling any excess satellite capacity to uses. Allied forces will thus have access eration, which will round out its world- be sold to third-party customers, there- to communication capacity in X-band, class range of government capacity by bringing down the total cost of own- military Ka-band and X/Ka dual-band services,” said Jean-Marc Gardin, CEO of ership of the Syracuse IV system. These mode, offering flexibility while benefit- Telespazio France and Deputy CEO of sales contracts, scheduled for a 10-year ing from the highest levels of protec- the Telespazio Group. period, will enable allied countries or tion and hardening provided for in the Syracuse IV is a telecommunication 35

system consisting of two military satellites, Syracuse 4A and 4B, plus ground The company recently signed an agreement to stations to ensure communications in sell military telecommunications and will also the operational areas and with main- be developing technology for ultra-high-reso- land France. These two 3.5-tonne class, electric-propulsion geostation- lution satellites. ary satellites, are being built by an industrial group consisting of Thales Director of Airbus Defence and Space Alenia Space and Airbus, with launch UK said: “Project Oberon builds on Air- planned for 2022. They will be supple- Syracuse IV is a bus’ expertise in space radar technol- mented in around 2030 by a third satel- ogy developed over 40 years. I look lite in order to meet growing needs, in telecom system forward to seeing this study leading particular the specific needs of air vehi- consisting of two to a new surveillance capability for the cles (aircraft, UAVs). These new-genera- UK MOD, helping to protect our armed tion satellites will be the first to offer a military satellites, forces across the world.” completely flexible reconfiguration of Oberon follows the success of the SAR the X – and Ka-band military payload Syracuse 4A and satellite, NovaSAR, designed and de- as well as the means of protection and veloped by Airbus and SSTL, which was hardening against cyber, jamming, in- 4B, plus ground launched in September 2018. Since No- tercept and EMP-type threats. vaSAR was conceived, Dstl and Airbus Ultra-high-resolution Satellites for stations have made significant leaps in technol- UK MOD ogy, allowing the Oberon system to Airbus recently won a design study achieve high performance from a com- from the UK’s Defence Science and potentially an operational capabil- pact satellite system. Technology Laboratory (Dstl) to de- ity as early as 2025. The innovative Reference Text/Photo: velop technologies for a cluster of ul- techniques and technologies devel- www.airbus.com tra-high-resolution Synthetic Aperture oped within the project will allow the Radar (SAR) satellites for the UK Minis- ground to be seen in outstanding de- try of Defence (MOD). The satellites will tail regardless of darkness, or of cloudy Artist Impression of an Oberon Project also have the ability to collect radio fre- weather conditions. Spacecraft quency (RF) signals. Colin Paynter, Managing Called “Oberon” the project will see Airbus develop the technologies that could lead to an in-orbit demonstration in 2022 and

Airspace Connected Experience-Pioneering Internet of Things in the aircraft cabin 36 ISSUE 573 OCT 2019 Reports Saab Presents First Gripen E to Brazilian Air Force

vedo e Silva, Brazilian Min- Saab has de- ister for Defence. livered the first Gripen E aircraft “The F-39 is a significant technological to the Brazilian Air Force in Sweden. leap in fighter aviation for the Brazil- Designated as F-39 by the air force, the and representing Saab Håkan ian Air Force and a great example of Gripen will move to Brazil next year Buskhe, President and CEO; and Jonas collaborative development based on after initial tests, and the complete air- Hjelm, Senior Vice President and head the transfer of technology. The devel- craft assembly of 15 aircraft will begin of Saab business area Aeronautics. opment of Gripen E is a definitive step under the Brazilian Gripen Programme, “I am proud to be part of building a towards the collaborative promotion which includes a comprehensive trans- long-term strategic partnership with of defence industry. The Brazilian Air fer of technology programme to Brazil. Brazil and the Brazilian Air Force. With Force now has a multi-mission platform The ceremony held on September 10, Gripen Brazil, will have one of the most for the fulfilment of its actions to con- was attended by Fernando Azevedo advanced fighters in the world and trol, defend and integrate the national e Silva, Brazilian Minister for Defence; the technology transfer programme territory. I am very happy to be part of Lieutenant Brigadier Antonio Carlos will allow Brazil to develop, produce this historical moment for fighter avia- Moretti Bermudez, Chief of the Brazil- and maintain supersonic fighters,” said tion in Brazil,” says Lieutenant Brigadier ian Air Force; Nelson Antonio Tabajara Håkan Buskhe, President and CEO of Antonio Carlos Moretti Bermudez, de Oliveira, Ambassador of Brazil to Saab. Chief of the Brazilian Air Force. Sweden; Lieutenant Brigadier Car- “Gripen will increase the operational Saab’s partnership with Brazil for Grip- los Augusto Amaral Oliveira, Chief of capacity of the Brazilian Air Force and en E started in 2014 with an order value Staff of the Brazilian Air Force; Peter boosts a partnership that ensures the of 39.3 BSEK. The Brazilian Gripen Pro- Hultqvist, Swedish Minister for De- transfer of technology to Brazil, fosters gramme included the development fence; Major General Mats Helgesson, research and industrial development and production of 36 E/F for the Brazil- Commander of the Swedish Air Force; in both countries,” says Fernando Aze- ian Air Force, including related systems, 37

support and equipment. With the programme, Saab is driving the development of the local aeronautical industry through its national partners and ToT programmes which will be delivered over approximately 10 years. Gripen E/F Capabilities Built on the success of earlier designs, Gripen E is a modern fighter equipped with all features of a multirole fighter. It is developed to counter and defeat the most advanced threats in a modern battlespace and offers upgradability to counter up with new challenges. Saab believes that the Gripen E/F will rapidly embrace new technology and tactics to Delivery of Gripen E be ahead of the game in the future. One of the key features of the Gripen is the ability to attack or assess oppo- sition at long ranges. It uses all available data in the battle cloud, whether coming from Gripen fighters or other air, land or sea-based units and fuses it locally on every platform but it is also fusing globally between fighters. Re- sulting in Gripens capability to see the unseen, thus reducing the likelihood of being detected on its passive sensors, or through active jamming. This means that weapons can be used either beyond the point at which opposing forces can respond or without them ever F-39 is the Brazilian Air Force designation for Gripen realising Gripen was there. The fighter intelligence capability of Gripen works autonomously on several weaponry updates, with a high degree in Brazil. Development of the two-seat areas simultaneously and provides the of alteration for each customer nation. Gripen F is progressing with extensive pilot with suggestions ranging from According to Saab, Gripen is a smart activities at Gripen Design and Devel- anything between weapon selection fighter designed to be the smart fighter opment Network in Gavião Peixoto, and full manoeuvring of the fighter. It for generations to come, it will not only Brazil. Gripen F deliveries are expected also displays the right tactical informa- allow customers to keep at pace with to start in 2023. tion, at the appropriate moment giving evolution but also allow them to lead it. Five nations currently operate Gripen: an optimised battlespace overview al- The Brazilian Gripen E/F aircraft are Sweden, South Africa, Czech Republic, lowing Gripen pilot to be in control. developed and produced with the par- Hungary and Thailand, and is soon to Equipped with a smart avionics archi- ticipation of Brazilian technicians and be joined by Brazil. The UK Empire Test tecture, old algorithms can be replaced engineers. This integration is part of the Pilots’ School (ETPS) uses Gripen as a by new ones without reducing the transfer of technology and aims to pro- platform for test pilot training. high availability of the aircraft. Gripens vide practical knowledge necessary for Reference Text/Photo: architecture allows rapid hardware and the execution of these same activities www.saabgroup.com 38 ISSUE 573 OCT 2019 Reports Nexter’s VBCI and CAESAR Steal the Show Nexter, a KNDS company was re- overseas operations, in Afghanistan, benefits from increased protection, a cently present at DSEI in London. As Lebanon, Mali and the Central African powerful engine, and additional carry- an architect and system integrator, Republic. It has proven its exceptional ing capacity and exceptional firepower the company displayed its expertise strategic mobility and reliability across thanks to the new T40 CTA turret, firing on the KNDS stand by proposing so- all types of terrain, particularly in the 40mm cased telescoped ammunition. lutions, equipment, and ammunition Serval operation in Mali, where it cov- This gun has already made an impres- that meet the needs of armed and se- ered more than 2,500 km between Da- sion over the French, Belgian (on EBRC- curity forces. kar and Gao with no assistance. JAGUAR) and British (on Warrior and Nexter focused on two of its systems The VBCI has covered more than a mil- Ajax) armies. at the show. The first was a copy of the lion kilometres, showing the merits of The second point of focus was the CAE- 8x8 VBCI armoured vehicle equipped wheels compared with tracks, and has SAR 8x8 self-propelled artillery system, with a 40mm CTA turret. The VBCI is a been projected by air and by sea in six which was displayed on the stand in benchmark in the combat-proven 8×8 countries since 2010. This version of mock-up format. It gave visitors an op- market, combining firepower, protec- the armoured vehicle in service in the portunity to discover a system whose tion, and mobility. It has been engaged French armée de Terre represents the 155mm gun is combat proven in the in several of the French military’s best in wheeled combat vehicles. It French armed forces. Highly modular, the CAESAR 8x8 can carry a wide range of equipment according to operational needs (secondary weapons, electronic countermeasures, smoke, fuel reserves, etc.). It also has an automatic shell reloading system, whose speed can be configured (semi- automatic to automatic). This advanced artillery system recently won

GRIFFON, Multi-Rated Armoured Vehicle 39

over the Danish ground forces, who to it, the SERVAL will be available in ordered 19 CAESAR 8x8 (15 to be de- Long-standing Collaboration three versions: Armoured Patrol Ve- livered in early 2020, 4 more in 2023). The relationship between Nexter hicle (VPB), Tactical Communication SCORPION Programme Vehicles and BAE Systems was in the spot- Node (NCT), and Surveillance, Acquisi- Visitors were also able to discover light at the show and was part of tion, Intelligence, Recognition (SA2R). the SCORPION programme vehicles – the dynamic of Franco-British coop- LECLERC XLR: The LECLERC tank VBMR-GRIFFON, EBRC-JAGUAR, Light- eration in the field of defence. The is a third generation heavy combat weight VBMR-SERVAL and LECLERC two companies are celebrating the tank. Its architecture allows it to be XLR – whose models were displayed 26th anniversary of their CTAI joint revised and upgraded with the latest on the KNDS stand. The SCORPION venture. This collaboration has led systems to adapt to the ever-changing programme goes well beyond the de- to the development and commer- battlefield threats. This renovation will velopment and delivery of the GRIF- cial success of the 40CTA gun and increase the operational capacity of FON, JAGUAR, SERVAL and LECLERC 40mm cased telescoped ammuni- the tank, with the integration of the Vé- tanks. It includes the integration of tion. To further illustrate this fruitful tronique and a secondary armament, drones and robots into the combat cooperation, at DSEI, CTAI was pres- as well as the new systems of com- system, communication with the dis- ent on both the Nexter and BAE Sys- mand and communication of the army. mounted fighter and management of tems stands. Success on Display the multiplication of the sensors. Nexter also presented some of the VBMR-GRIFFON: The GRIFFON, Multi- group's innovative solutions such as Rated Armoured Vehicle (VBMR), is with a threat detection system includ- the FINDMP touch table, the FINDART capable of filling a wide spectrum of ing an acoustic start tracking system, fire support system, and the NERVA ro- missions. Its goal is to allow users to a laser-warning detector and a mis- bots with their payloads, among other achieve their mission in optimal condi- sile departure detector. The on-board equipment. tions. Ten versions of the vehicle have simulation will allow the crew to train Moreover, the company has a strong been developed such as the Transport in regiment without external means. international presence, with numer- Troops, Command Post, Health, and Lightweight VBMR-SERVAL: SERVAL, ous export successes, such as CAESAR Artillery Observation Vehicle, among Light Armoured Multi-Roles Vehicle 8x8 sold to Denmark, the CaMo pro- others. (Light VBMR), meets the need for en- gramme with Belgium and the TITUS EBRC-JAGUAR: The JAGUAR, Ar- gagement of light units in the contact armoured vehicle acquired by the moured Reconnaissance and Com- area, especially in the initial phases Czech Republic. bat Engine (EBRC) will replace the of an operation under various condi- Reference Text/Photo: AMX10RC and ERC90. It is equipped tions. TToo ensure the missionmissionss assigned www.nexter-group.frwww.nexter-group.fr

JAGUAR, Armoured Reconnaissance and Combat Engine 40 ISSUE 573 OCT 2019 Reports Raytheon’s Peregrine doubles the number of mis- Missile Packs a siles current fighter jets can carry, at a significantly lower cost than current Punch weapons. The missile is more manoeuvrable than legacy medium- range, air-to-air missiles and its relatively compact airframe weighs just over 150 pounds, is about 6 feet long, and offers greater flexibility and precision. Peregrine can seek out and engage Advanced Missile targets in spite of bad weather in the Systems vice president. battlespace. Its sophisticated sensor, "With its advanced sensor, guid- guidance and propulsion systems can ance and propulsion systems packed detect and track moving or stationary into a much smaller airframe, this new targets at any time of day and in chal- Raytheon Com- weapon represents a significant leap lenging weather conditions. pany is developing a new medium- forward in air-to-air missile.” The system’s compact airframe dou- range, air-launched weapon called The Peregrine missile benefits from bles the weapons loadout on current the Peregrine missile. It will reported- military off-the-shelf components aircraft, allowing U.S. and allied fight- ly be half the size and cost of today's and readily available materials to of- er pilots to carry more missiles into air-to-air missiles yet deliver greater fer an affordable solution for coun- battle to achieve air dominance. It can range and effect. tering current and emerging airborne be easily integrated on today's fourth- The missile will be developed to threats. and fifth-generation fighter jets and is strengthen the capabilities of the cur- Going the Distance compatible with current launch gear. rent fighter aircraft. The new, smaller In today's threat environment, it's Raytheon’s systems incorporate satel- Peregrine missile will be faster and not good enough to be better; you lite navigation, laser guidance, high- more manoeuvrable than legacy me- have to overmatch adversarial forces definition radars, advanced seekers dium-range, air-to-air missiles, and – with clear and decisive advantages. and other technologies. They allow will double the weapons loadout on Raytheon puts these capabilities in customers to carry out discriminat- a variety of fighter platforms. Its min- the hands of every warfighter, with ing strikes on bona fide targets and iaturised guidance system can detect a portfolio of integrated, precise and defend against incoming attacks with and track targets at any time of day proven solutions. unprecedented effectiveness. heseT and in any weather condition. The Peregrine missile is a small, fast, reliable, overmatch solutions give mili- "Peregrine will allow U.S. and allied lightweight air-to-air weapon for use taries a decisive edge on the battlefield. fighter pilots to carry more missiles against drones, manned aircraft and When near misses aren’t acceptable, into battle to maintain air dominance," cruise missiles. Through the use of Raytheon’s solutions are precisely on said Dr. Thomas Bussing, Raytheon additive manufacturing, it effectively target. 41 Polaris Displays Versatile DAGOR

Polaris Defense and Polaris Britain Ltd., divisions of Polaris Industries Inc.,Inc., exhib-exhibited its newest pproductionroduction vehicle,vehicle,e DAGOR, along with the well-estab-well-estabb- lishedlished MRZR anandd MV850 vvehicleehicle plaplat-t- forms, at DSEI. At the show, the company displayed a full line up of highly mobile, tactical air transportable vehicles. These vehicles are in service worldwide in more than 20 countries,countries, which streamstreamlineslines service ly to the objective with mission-critical DAGOR is and support and provides a high de- equipment. DAGOR is supported with gree of interoperability and common- a COTS supply chain, anywhere in the supported ality among allied forces. world, making it easy to use and main- “Polaris Defense and Polaris Britain Ltd. tain, even when deployed. with a COTS brought game-changing resources in The vehicle curb weight is less than off-road mobility,” said Doug Malikows- 2,041 kg (4,500 lbs) to maximise tacti- supply chain ki, Director, International Business, Po- cal aircraft operational range. The width laris Defense. “At DSEI, DAGOR demon- of DAGOR facilitates rapid loading into strated how well Polaris understands the CH-47 platform, without modifi- road platforms include increased pay- ultra-light mobility needs for armed cation, and the weight allows it to be load, standard winch, electronic power forces around the world.” sling loaded under the UH-60 and NATO steering, aircraft tie-downs, fold down Mission Effective helicopters with similar lift capabilities. rollover protective structures (ROPS), DAGOR was specifically designed for The vehicle has completed certification large cargo boxes, IR light capability light infantry, expeditionary and spe- testing for CH-47 Internal Air Transport and blackout mode. cial operations forces. It is easily trans- (IAT), air drop and UH-60 Sling Load. Polaris provides a wealth of engineer- ported by tactical air, carries enough DAGOR is currently under contract with ing, production and sustainability payload to be mission effective and U.S. and allied Special Forces. resources. The company maintains a carries full payload (1,474 kg) in ex- While the MRZR 2 and MRZR 4 are high- robust global network of dealers, dis- treme off-road terrain. It meets those ly mobile off-road platforms that are in- tributors, and subsidiaries, providing requirements in a robust and modular ternally transportable in a variety of U.S. full life-cycle support for these ve- off-road vehicle platform that can be and allied military aircraft. The vehicles hicles throughout the world. With a configured to carry up to nine soldiers can be configured in a number of ways proven and well-established defence with full kit. By traversing more con- to help expeditionary forces meet mis- team, the company works closely with cealed and unpredictable routes over sion requirements for emerging threats, military customers to gain a thorough terrain usually travelled on foot, the ve- while being forward deployed. Some understanding of their off-road mobil- hicle allows warfighters to move quick- common tactical features of these off- ity needs. 42 ISSUE 573 OCT 2019 Reports

AW149, tactical troop helicopter Dragonfire laser gun Leonardo Captivates DSEI With Latest Solutions

At the recently concluded DSEI signals used to detonate the devices. and its programme to develop a Next 2019, Leonardo unveiled two new Designed and manufactured in the UK, Generation Combat Air System ca- additions to its GUARDIAN range of the products have been battle-proven pable of operating in the 2040-plus Counter-Improvised Explosive Device on operations in combat zones such as environment. The company is develop- (C-IED) products, offering improved Northern Ireland, Iraq, Afghanistan and ing the Sensor and Communications survivability for ground forces. The Syria, saving many lives. Systems technology for Tempest under New GUARDIAN HR and GUARDIAN Leading-edge Tech the Future Combat Air System Technol- HFE have been developed in response The Leonardo stand at DSEI also high- ogy Initiative (FCAS TI). Moreover, with- to the emerging techniques and tech- lighted leading-edge technologies and in the air domain and present at the nologies, which are starting to be products across the land, sea, air, and exhibition was the AW101 Multi-Role employed by insurgent and terrorist cyber domains. These were centred on Helicopter on the Rotary Wing Static groups. The two new variants are at a a full scale AW149, representing the display. high technology readiness level and company’s latest/future generation Aditionally, the company showcased a are available to order now for deliver- tactical troop helicopter and Leonar- wide range of products from its port- ies in 2020. do’s ability to provide a full spectrum folio spanning cyber, electronics and Leonardo’s GUARDIAN family of sys- of capabilities, from sensors to support. manned/unmanned aircraft, highlight- tems protect ground troops from It has an illustrative sensor suite, which ing the company’s innovative techno- the widespread threat of remotely comprises the Osprey radar, SAGE ESM logical solutions, which have been suc- activated Improvised Explosive De- (electronic support measures) and a cessfully exported around the world. vices (IEDs). These low-tech remotely MAIR missile warner. In the electronics domain, the company controlled bombs represent a deadly In the Air Zone alongside its Team showcased its latest products in the threat to ground forces. In response, Tempest industry partners, Leonardo land, maritime and airborne domains, the GUARDIAN family uses advanced is continuing to support and show its aimed at boosting mission performance jamming technologies to block the commitment to the UK Government while ensuring maximum crew and 43

Miysis DIRCM for RAF Shadow platform platform survivability. Highlights included the first appearances of a num- integrated onto the platform by Ray- ber of new land and maritime products Future RAF theon UK. Initial Operating Capability at the show including a new low-main- is targeted for early 2021. tenance thermal imaging camera. The counter-drone Royal Air Force’s Counter-Drone Re- Land Zone hosted Leonardo’s Vehicle capability search Programme Mission System technologies. At the show, Leonardo also announced A range of naval products was also programme will that it has been selected by the UK’s on display including the Sentinel in- Royal Air Force (RAF) to support the tegrated communication system for commence in next stage of their research and devel- naval vessels and now available for opment programme. The study will ex- submarines, and the Kronos Grand Na- early 2020 plore the current threat posed by hostile val AESA radar. On the dock, on-board drones and how this is likely to evolve in the Type 23 HMS Kent Leonardo had its future, as well as evaluating a range of AW159 (Wildcat) maritime helicopter source procurement, to deliver an in- technologies that could form a future and its AWHERO RWUAS stationed. tegrated UK Defensive Aids System RAF counter-drone capability. The pro- Away from the Leonardo stand, anoth- (DAS). The procurement will equip the gramme is expected to last three years er major collaboration in the spotlight RAF’s fleet of eight Shadow R1 intelli- and will commence in early 2020. was the UK Dragonfire, a consortium gence-gathering aircraft, providing an Drone technology is evolving rapidly led by MBDA, with Leonardo, Qinetiq advanced DAS, which will protect the and is creating a challenge for organ- and a number of other companies who aircraft against latest-generation of isations that need to secure them- have come together to develop a naval Infra-Red (heat seeking) missiles. selves against the misuse of such air- Laser Directed Energy Weapon (LDEW) Designed, developed and manufac- craft. The RAF’s research programme capability demonstrator for the UK tured in the UK, the system provides will inform how the Air Force will re- MoD. The Dragonfire model was dis- a sovereign capability, which will be spond to current and future threats played at the Royal Navy area. able to evolve in anticipation of chang- and keep pace with technology over Work in Progress for RAF Shadow ing threats to air platforms. time, examining how operators will be ISTAR fleet A combined MOD/Leonardo/Thales able to detect, track, identify and de- The UK Ministry of Defence announced team, under a Leonardo prime sys- feat rogue drones. at the show that it has contracted tems integration contract, will deliver Reference Text/Photo: LeonardoElectric Demonstrator and Thales, under a single the deal with the equipment being www.leonardocompany.com 44 ISSUE 573 OCT 2019 Reports

JLTV’s Popularity Continues to Rise

Oshkosh Defense LLC, an Oshkosh “Oshkosh is committed to delivering ment Command, Combat Develop- Corporation company, showcased the an extremely affordable, highly con- ment and Integration also recently an- Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) at nected and protected solution to our nounced that the JLTV programme has the recently concluded DSEI in Lon- valued U.S. allies,” Ivy added. “In fact, reached Initial Operational Capability don, where it received growing inter- we’ve successfully executed several of (IOC), nearly a year ahead of schedule. national interest. the most challenging demonstrations To date, the U.S. government has or- “We were pleased to be at DSEI with our and trials just this year.” dered over 11,000 JLTVs and Oshkosh Joint Light Tactical Vehicle,” said Mike The JLTV not only met but exceeded has delivered over 750 to the U.S. Army Ivy, Senior Vice President and General the rigorous demands it faced, in- and Marine Corps. Manager, International Programs at cluding many failure-free miles both Exceptional Capabilities Oshkosh Defense. “We were even more on-road and off-road. “The U.S. Army The JLTV provides U.S. and allied forces pleased to share the international inter- and Marine Corps have plans to pur- with a next generation, lightweight, est in the JLTV platform that continues chase 49,099 and 15,390 respectively, all-terrain vehicle that is protected, mo- to grow.” To date, the United Kingdom, and now our allies know why. There is bile, transportable and connected. Lithuania, and Slovenia have publicly simply nothing quite like the JLTV,” he The JLTV base vehicle right off the pro- expressed interest in procuring the concluded. duction line provides small arms and JLTV. The Marine Corps Combat Develop- ballistics protection. With an add-on B 45

played two JLTVs at the Modern Day “We're incredibly pleased to hear that Marine Expo 2019 in the U.S. A four- based on their own evaluation, the door General Purpose JLTV equipped U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) is now plan- with the Javelin Integration Kit (JIK), ning to field 15,390 JLTVs, replacing LW30 Remote Weapon Station (RWS), all HMMWVs in the Corps’ legacy fleet and, for the first time, a Black Hornet in a one-for-one swap,” he added. “We Vehicle Reconnaissance System (VRS) will continue to work with both the and a 2-door Utility JLTV outfitted for U.S. Army and the USMC to align and the first time with the Uvision Hero-120 deliver against key military modernisa- Tactical System were showcased. tion priorities.” The FLIR Black Hornet Vehicle Recon- Mobilising Forces naissance System (VRS) equips JLTV Oshkosh Defense is a leading provider with an immediate, organic, and self- of tactical wheeled vehicles and life contained surveillance and recon- cycle sustainment services. For de- naissance system. Adapted from the cades the company has been mobilis- Black Hornet Personal Reconnaissance ing military and security forces around System (PRS), the VRS has extended the globe by offering a full portfolio of this game-changing capability of the heavy, medium, light and highly pro- Black Hornet nano-UAV. The launch tected military vehicles to support cus- unit is mounted externally, and fully tomers’ missions. integrated within the vehicle to create It was recently announced that the a real time situational awareness (RSTA) U.S. Army has awarded Oshkosh De- kit, the vehicle achieves MRAP levels of airborne system for crews protected in- fense along with Flyer Defense LLC a protection. Moreover, the JLTV features side the vehicle. Task Assignment award under an ex- the latest in suspension technologies, The new Hero-120 variant features a isting Project Agreement with the Na- using the Oshkosh TAK-4i intelligent modular warhead section that can ac- tional Advanced Mobility Consortium independent suspension system to commodate different warhead solu- (NAMC) to develop the new Infantry deliver extreme off-road mobility and tions, ranging from 1.5 kg to 4.5 kg. Squad Vehicle (ISV). The ISV produc- speeds that are 70 per cent faster than The New Hero-120 also features cor- tion contract award is expected to take today’s gold standard, the M-ATV, while responding deployable cruciform aft place in the Spring of 2020. In total, the maintaining the same ride quality for and mid-body wing assemblies, modi- U.S. Army plans to procure 651 vehicles occupants. fications to the external aerodynamic and associated hardware and services Weighing less than 6,350 kg (14,000 surfaces of the munition, and a re-posi- between fiscal years 2020 and 2024. lbs) at curb weight, the vehicle is highly tioned EO/IR assembly package includ- Additionally, Oshkosh offers advanced transportable while maintaining its ing a laser for the proximity mode of technologies and vehicle components protection and performance. It can be the fuze, and two pitot tubes for safety such as TAK-4 independent suspen- air transported internally by a C-130, “As the military pivots its focus from sion systems, TerraMax unmanned C-5 and C-17, or externally by CH-47 counter-insurgency threats towards ground vehicle solutions, Command and CH-53. near-peer adversaries, so too must Zone integrated control and diag- Furthermore, the JLTV is built with the industry,” said George Mansfield, Vice nostics system, and ProPulse diesel capability to serve as a mobile com- President and General Manager of Joint electric and on-board vehicle power mand centre. The vehicle features a Programmes for Oshkosh Defense. “We solutions, to provide customers with a modular, scalable open architecture designed the JLTV with the unpredict- technical edge as they fulfil missions. system to support rapidly evolving ability of the future in mind, bringing Every Oshkosh vehicle is backed by C4ISR suites. the warfighter unprecedented lethality a team of defence industry experts JLTV Makes an Appearance at Mod- capabilities along with scalable levels and complete range of sustainment ern Day Marine of protection to meet virtually any mis- and training services to optimise fleet Oshkosh Defense also recently dis- sion need.” readiness and performance. 46 ISSUE 573 OCT 2019 Reports

Lockheed Martin’s Hypersonic Sector Expertise Wins New Army Contract

Hypersonic weapons provide a project. in providing a research cornerstone survivable and affordable capability Robust experience in for hypersonic defence systems, to overcome distance in contested high-speed flight Lockheed Martin’s hypersonic strike environments using high speed, alti- has positioned awards exceed over US$2.5 bil- tude and manoeuvrability, while am- Lockheed Martin lion across the corporation. plifying speed, range, flexibility and as an industry As the prime contractor, the Lock- precision as the enduring attributes leader in hyper- heed Martin team will develop and of airpower. sonic technol- integrate a land-based hypersonic In this way, the U.S. Army has just ogy, providing strike prototype in partnership with awarded Lockheed Martin an esti- the most mature the Army Hypersonic Project Office mated US$347 million contract as and cost-effec- and the Army Rapid Capabilities part of a multi-year hypersonic weap- tive solutions for and Critical Technologies Office. The ons programme focused on long- addressing in- team includes Dynetics Technical So- range precision strike missiles. It is creasing threats lutions (DTS), Integration Innovation named the Long-Range Hypersonic in the global secu- Inc. (i3), Verity Integrated Systems, Weapon (LRHW) systems integration rity arena. Hence, Martinez & Turek and Penta Research. 47

Hypersonic weapons are unique compared to other ballistic trajectory Notional Hypersonic Strike Glide Vehicle missiles

"Lockheed Martin is driving rapid tech- tional Defence Strategy," confirmed LTG nical development for these national L. Neil Thurgood, Director of Hyperson- long-range missiles possessing the priority programmes. There are natu- ics, Directed Energy, Space and Rapid ability to launch from ground mobile ral synergies with our industry team- Acquisition. "With a collaborative effort platforms. The LRHW system prototype mates," emphasises Eric Scherff of by our partners in industry and the De- will thus provide residual combat capa- Lockheed Martin Space, Vice-President partment of Defence, we will advance bility to soldiers by 2023. for Hypersonic Strike Programmes. "We this strategic weapon system and fulfil Undoubtably, hypersonic strike weap- believe our relationships offer the Army a critical mission for our nation." ons capable of flying speeds in excess unmatched expertise to deliver this U.S. Army’s DTS Partnership of Mach 5 are a key aspect of moderni- critical capability to the nation. Lock- In March 2019, the U.S. Army’s Secre- sation efforts towards improving long- heed Martin is thus proud to partner tary and Chief of Staff commissioned range precision fire. The U.S. Army is with the Army in integrating the com- the accelerated delivery of a prototype thus seeking to fulfil this remit in the mon hypersonic glide body and the ground-launched hypersonic weapon national security strategy of competing land-based hypersonic strike weapon with residual combat capability, aim- with and outpacing potential threats. system prototype. We are committed ing for Fiscal Year (FY) 2023. The Army The Army RCCTO is responsible for de- to combining the best of what our Rapid Capabilities and Critical Technol- livering the prototype LRHW battery, companies have to offer to deliver on ogies Office (RCCTO) has hence been consisting of four trucks with launch- this national priority programme." able to select two prime contractors to ers, hypersonic missile rounds and a For over 30 years, Lockheed Martin has build and integrate components of the command-and-control system. The played a significant role in the research, LRHW prototype. OTA awards have then supported the development and demonstration of The Army has also awarded a US$352 design, integration and production hypersonic technologies, with the million contract to DTS to produce the work behind a series of flight tests be- corporation making significant invest- first commercially manufactured set of ginning next year and leading to field- ments in hypersonic strike capabilities Common-Hypersonic Glide Body (C- ing in FY2023. and defence systems against emerging HGB) systems. DTS has selected Lock- Army-Navy Joint Cooperation hypersonic threats. Hypersonic weap- heed Martin in order to support inte- In developing the LRHW, the Army is ons are unique compared to other bal- gration and prototyping of this new C- working in close collaboration with the listic trajectory missiles because they HGB, so seeking to provide military ser- other services managed by a Joint Ser- fly at five times the speed of sound and vices which have commonality with air, vice Memorandum of Agreement on operating at varying altitudes. land and sea platform requirements. hypersonic design, development, test- "Delivering hypersonics to a unit of ac- The Army LRHW prototype will lever- ing and production. tion will provide a critical combat capa- age the C-HGB and introduce a new Reference Text/Photo: www.army.mil bility for the Army in support of the Na- class of ultrafast and manoeuvrable www.lockheedmartin.com 48 ISSUE 573 OCT 2019 Reports Otokar Brings Technology Transfer to the Fore

Otokar, a Koç Group company, ex- He said: "In the last 10 years, we have of our users for land systems and devel- hibited its TULPAR armoured tracked allocated 8.5 per cent of our revenues op solutions that meet these require- vehicle and COBRA II wheeled ar- for R&D activities. We continue to intro- ments in the fastest manner thanks moured vehicle at DSEI. The company duce innovative solutions in land sys- to our excellent engineering and R&D also provided information about its tems by taking into account the current capabilities. We are ready to meet the flexible business model, which includes and future requirements of modern different requirements of armed forces, transfer of technology and local manu- armies and security forces. Last May, we not only by supplying products but facturing models. In addition to exhib- unveiled one of the best examples of also through transfer of technology iting its broad product range, Otokar this with our electric armoured vehicle and local production models. At the displayed TULPAR with Mızrak-30 turret Akrep IIe, which provides an excellent exhibition, we shared our experience system. While COBRA II was showcased choice for reconnaissance and surveil- and capabilities in this field with our with the Keskin turret system in the lance missions. customers." Land Zone Static Display Area. “Our combat-proven vehicles are ac- Superior Mobility General Manager Serdar Görgüç em- tively used in different geographies, ex- Görgüç further highlighted that Oto- phasised that Otokar has the capa- treme climatic conditions and conflict kar, as a supplier of NATO and the Unit- bilities and the infrastructure to rapidly zones. We analyse the different needs ed Nations, brings its know-how and design and develop modular products in line with users' current and future needs.

TULPAR is designed as a multi-purpose vehicle with variants ranging from 28 to 45 tonnes 49

experience in modular land systems to armoured personnel carrier; reconnais- adapting effectively to different mis- tracked vehicles with TULPAR. sance vehicle; command and control sions as needed. "TULPAR is designed to meet todays vehicle; air defence; ambulance; repair COBRA II has been subjected to rigor- and future needs of modern armed and recovery vehicle; mortar vehicle ous field tests in different parts of the forces. With its superior mobility and and other vehicle variants. It is a mul- world and has travelled thousands of high level of protection, the vehicle tipurpose platform that boasts of high miles. Moreover, the different variants can operate in a wide range of chal- lethality, modularity and growth po- of COBRA II are today operated in vari- lenging terrains and climate condi- tential that can be tailored to meet op- ous combat operations throughout the tions. TULPAR, which features a mod- erational requirements. Middle East and Africa proving the ve- ular design, can be manufactured High Performance hicle's proficiency in enhancing com- in a number of variants to meet user COBRA II, manufactured by Otokar with bat capability of the user. needs," he emphasised. the mission of designing and manufac- The vehicle offers a wide range of weap- TULPAR is designed as a multi-pur- turing globally competitive land sys- ons integration and mission equipment pose vehicle with variants ranging tems products, stands out with its su- options and has been successfully used from 28 tonnes to 45 tonnes to satisfy perior performance. The vehicle offers in border protection as well as for in- future global requirements. Its future- high level of protection and payload ternal security and peacekeeping mis- oriented perspective of modularity is capacity and large internal volume. sions. The modular structure of COBRA to increase operational flexibility by It also comes with the capacity to ac- II also makes it possible to be used as using common components and a commodate 10 personnel including a personnel carrier, weapons platform, common chassis over wide range of the driver and commander, offering ground surveillance radar, CBRN recon- vehicle variants. high protection against ballistic, mine naissance vehicle, command control The vehicle comes in several variants and IED threats. Delivering high perfor- vehicle and ambulance. It is already that share common subsystems. The mance in the toughest terrain and cli- in service with the Turkish Armed and common platform can accommodate a mate conditions, COBRA II is optionally Security forces and has various export medium tank; infantry fighting vehicle; available with amphibious capability, customers. Combat Proven As one of Turkey’s largest private capi- tal defence industry companies, Otokar provides modern armies with state- of-the-art tactical vehicles in different configurations through its product spectrum that covers the full range of armoured vehicles from four tonnes up to main battle tanks. Otokar military vehicles operate under extreme climate conditions in the world and their combat capabilities are proven in real situations in high risk areas. Apart from being the main land systems supplier for Turkish Armed Forces, Otokar is a well-known brand in global markets. The company has delivered over 28,000 military vehicles to nearly 50 different users in around 30 countries. Today, Otokar’s vehicles are deployed in various operations under UN and NATO flags. Reference Text/Photo: www.otokar.com 50 ISSUE 573 OCT 2019 Reports BAE Systems Unveils

At the recently concluded DSEI, BAE Systems showcased advanced defence technology vehicle up to the standard required across land, sea, air and cyber domain. by potential future users in European In the Land sector, BAE Systems show- markets and demonstrates that the Italy) announced their intent to part- cased a version of the BvS10 all-terrain flexibility of the GVA’s mission systems ner on the Tempest programme by support vehicle for the first time. The allows it to be tailored to meet specific signing a Statement of Intent (SOI). vehicle will significantly streamline in- customer requirements and create ef- This will see the parties work together formation load and increase situational fective integration into the host vehi- to define an innovative concept and awareness for crews. cle. Fitted with several cameras, as well partnership model, which will include The versatile BvS10 is fitted with a Ge- as monitors front and back, this BvS10 knowledge sharing, product definition neric Vehicle Architecture (GVA) equiv- demonstrates extended situational and technology development for the alent system to increase the vehicle’s awareness and increased communica- joint development of future combat air current operational capability and en- tion capacity for the crew while they systems. sure critical upgrades quickly get to the remain under cover in the protected The signing of the SOI follows a com- battlefield. GVA is a NATO standard for armoured vehicle. mitment by the UK and Italian govern- operating systems in military vehicles The vehicle on display at DSEI incorpo- BvS10 all-terrain employed by the UK Ministry of De- rated the convenience of GVA equiva- support vehicle fence and allied forces. lency with the mobility and crew pro- Standardising multiple user interfaces tection of the BvS10. It is a tough ve- to create an integrated system-of- hicle that can operate in the harshest systems in the BvS10 will shorten crew environments and terrains from moun- training times, increase crew agility by tains and rocks to snow and swamps. It making it easier to change duties and can withstand extreme temperatures vehicles, and increase combat efficien- and has an amphibious capability. cy. The GVA’s design architecture sup- Tempest Partnership Announced ports interoperability across vehicle At DSEI, leading UK defence compa- fleets and allows for a rapid and cost- nies (BAE Systems, Leonardo UK, Rolls effective technology refresh, while Royce and MBDA UK), together with greatly reducing system lifecycle cost. key Italian industry players (Leonardo This technology upgrade brings the Italy, Elettronica, Avio Aero and MBDA 51 Advanced Defence Solutions

Royal Navy, Dstl and autonomous systems supplier L3Harris, demonstrated the potential to make naval nado, Typhoon and F-35. missions faster, easier and safer by Integration of USV with Royal Navy carrying out high-speed exercises that ments to work closely together on Warship mimic real world scenarios that include Combat Air capabilities, including on At the show, BAE Systems also dem- force protection, threat intercept and systems such as Typhoon and F-35, as onstrated for the first time how Un- chase missions. well as on Tempest, the UK-initiated manned Surface Vessels (USVs) can be A key part was to ensure a secure connec- next-generation combat air system. fully integrated with operational Royal tion between the combat management Both governments confirmed a com- Navy warships to extend their reach and sensor system on board the warship mon desire to maintain strong industri- beyond the horizon and reduce sailors’ and the off-board systems on the RIB. al bases in order to access key capabili- exposure to danger. The version of the autonomous P24 ties and secure prosperity for both na- An unmanned Pacific 24 Rigid Inflat- RIB on show at DSEI was modified for tions. Italy and the UK have a long and able Boat (P24 RIB) integrated with the optional unmanned operation and successful history working together on combat system of HMS Argyll, a Type fitted with additional sensors and ef- international programmes such as Tor- 23 frigate, showcased a series of wa- fectors including a high-resolution terborne demonstrations in London’s optical and thermal camera and Long Docklands, as part of DSEI. Range Acoustic Device (LRAD) system, At 7.8 metres long, the P24 RIB has a capable of emitting warning messages speed of 38 knots and can operate for at distance. It is equipped with auto- up to 45 hours at patrol speed or 100 mated navigational decision-making nautical miles in pursuit mode, while technologies allowing operators to being controlled remotely or operating focus on mission critical information autonomously. Its integration with an from afar. active warship has potential applica- The demonstrations highlighted the tions across a range of missions, includ- collaborative effort of the industry ing anti-piracy operations, border con- working alongside Dstl partners in sup- trol, intelligence gathering, maritime porting the future of the Royal Navy, security and force protection. and the advancement of technology in At the show, technologists from BAE providing non-lethal and lethal advan- Systems, in collaboration with the tage to the military forces. 52 ISSUE 573 OCT 2019 Reports

Milrem Robotics Introduces New Generation Multi-Purpose UGV Milrem used this year’s DSEI to intro- vehicle’s architecture, safety, air trans- ners like Kongsberg, FN Herstal, MBDA duce the fifth generation THeMIS UGV portability, power offload and other and ST Engineering, while live firing (Unmanned Ground Vehicles), as a new aspects. tests have been conducted with five dif- model designed to complement warf- Väärsi confirmed that, “Our engineers ferent weapon systems, including an ighters and enhance combat effective- have taken into account the feedback anti-tank missile launcher. ness. Milrem Robotics is the leading from different armed forces and carried In addition, Milrem Robotics is work- European manufacturer of unmanned it into the design, creating a robust and ing to enhance the vehicle with au- ground vehicles (UGV) and developer reliable tool to support dismounted tonomous functions, including point- of robotic warfare solutions. troops.” to-point navigation, obstacle detec- Kuldar Väärsi, CEO of Milrem Robot- Multipurpose Security tion and avoidance. Autonomous ics, assured the conference that, “In The THeMIS is a multipurpose tracked function development is focused on 2015 we exhibited the first THeMIS vehicle that can be equipped with mobility alone, not on weapon sys- concept here at DSEI in London. Now, weapon systems, tethered drones, IED tems deployment. four years later, after extensive testing detection devices and other warfight- The Netherlands and Norway have with industry partners and NATO forc- ing technology, carrying a payload of already received their first THeMIS ve- es in very demanding environments, 1,200kg at 25 km/h while pulling other hicles with an option to integrate them we are proud to be back here and equipment with a force of 21,000N. It into additional warfighting equipment. present a mature and robust product can be remotely operated via cameras As logistics platforms are intended to that will greatly enhance warfighting or autonomous functions such as way- carry gear and supplies, the THeMIS capabilities.” point navigation and follow-me, for the UGV has recently passed air transport- The fifth generation THeMIS incorpo- vehicle’s objective is to keep soldiers ability tests to offer another option for rates all the knowledge garnered from safe and increase their capabilities deployment in operation areas. tests held in the U.S., Europe and the while lightening their load. The air transportability tests were con- Middle East, alongside deployment THeMIS has become the industry-stan- ducted according to NATO standard in Mali in the French-led Operation dard UGV for various payload integra- STANAG 3542 and facilitated by the he- Barkhane. This generation’s THeMIS fol- tion projects. A dozen different systems licopter crew of the Estonian Police and lows NATO STANAG standards in the have already been integrated with part- Border Guard.

Two THeMIS UGVs were delivered to the Royal Netherlands Army

54 ISSUE 573 OCT 2019 Reports Yahsat and Thuraya Reveal Futuristic Comms Technology (BFT), Secure Communications on the Move and Military Grade Handheld Communications. Yahsat and Thuraya bring more than 30 years of combined expertise in developing solutions for some of the most complex security requirements. Fol- lowing Yahsat’s acquisition of Thuraya in 2018, Thuraya’s two satellites, which serve over 160 countries, joined Yah- sat’s network to expand the group’s total fleet to five satellites. As a result, Yahsat’s service portfolio is now poised to reach a wider breadth of markets in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, South America, Australia and Asia. Yahsat provides multipurpose satellite solutions for broadband, broadcast and government communications use across the Middle East, Africa, Europe, and Central and South West Asia. The Chief Executive Officer of Thuraya company is headquartered in Abu said: “As the world’s sixth largest Dhabi, and wholly owned by Mubadala Yahsat, one of the UAE’s satellite operator with an enhanced Investment Company. It is the first leading global satellite operators and portfolio including fixed and mobile company in the Middle East and Af- Thuraya, its mobile satellite services communication solutions, Yahsat and rica to offer Ka-band services including subsidiary, showcased their latest mili- Thuraya were excited to be part of YahClick, Yahsat Government Solu- tary and government communication the defence and security dialogue at tions, YahLink and Yahlive via its Al Yah capabilities at the recently concluded DSEI. We welcomed our partners at 1 and Al Yah 2 satellites. DSEI in London. During the event, the event, and explored opportuni- With the launch of Al Yah 3 satellite, Yahsat Government Solutions and ties to enable comprehensive, future- Yahsat’s commercial Ka-band coverage Thuraya introduced a number of end- focused systems for our government has extended to 20 additional markets, to-end solutions for mission critical op- and commercial customers.” reaching 60 per cent of Africa’s popu- erations on land, sea and air platforms. Multipurpose Satellite Solutions lation and over 95 per cent of Brazil’s The combined portfolio, powered by Yahsat Government Solutions is one of population. C, Ka, Ku and L-bands, complemented the UAE government’s preferred part- In September 2018, Yahsat and Hughes the cutting-edge developments show- ners for satellite solutions, providing announced a new joint venture to pro- cased by the Emirati defence and secu- highly secure, diverse and integrated vide satellite broadband services to the rity industry at the adjoining UAE Na- fixed and mobile communication Middle East, Africa and Southwest Asia tional Pavilion. solutions for the UAE Armed Forces, markets, followed by the announce- Ali Al Hashemi, General Manager of enabling Beyond Line of Sight (BLOS) ment of a similar new joint venture Yahsat Government Solutions and- Communications, Blue Force Tracking with Hughes in Brazil dated May 2019. Hosted by

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QinetiQ Uncovers Next-Gen Banshee

QinetiQ recently announced the deliver world-class test and evaluation, augmentation, miss distance indication launch of the next-generation Ban- training and mission rehearsal capabili- and sophisticated electronic warfare shee, “Banshee NG”, the target that ties for governments around the world. capability and being operated using replicates fast flying jets and missiles, Peter Longstaff, Managing Director of the command and control systems cur- enabling test and evaluation and live QinetiQ Target Systems said: “Banshee rently on offer by QinetiQ. fire training exercises. NG is the next-step up in the Banshee Once launched, Banshee NG is operat- Banshee NG was built to enable NATO family, for the live fire, test and evalu- ed with a proprietary QinetiQ guidance and allied militaries to train against ation community looking to buy an af- system and range-certified flight termi- simulated higher speed aerial threats, fordable target that represents even nation system that enables full control preparing for the evolution in those faster and more manoeuvrable aerial at all times. It can be recovered using threats that are beginning to emerge. threats. Adding Banshee NG to Qin- a parachute. Since its inception almost As a fifth member of the Banshee etiQ’s Target Systems’ portfolio enables 30 years ago, the Banshee UAV-T and its family of targets, joining the Banshee us to deliver an even more comprehen- various weapon-specific augmentation Whirlwind, Jet 40, Jet 80 and Jet 80+, sive end-to-end threat representation devices have evolved with the require- customers opting for the Banshee NG offering to customers. As with all our ments of its customers. will own a new generation of transonic targets, we can either provide Banshee QinetiQ Target Systems is the world- aerial target that travels at a faster NG as a product sale or deploy to a cus- leading provider of unmanned air, speed (>250 metres per second), soars tomer’s site as part of a managed ser- land and surface vehicle targets for to a higher altitude (up to 12,000 me- vice for test or training purposes.” live-fire training and weapon system tres), offers increased manoeuvrability An added advantage of the Banshee test and evaluation. It designs and de- (up to 9G, from typically 3G), provides NG is that it is operated using the infra- velops threat-representative targets lower sea skimming capabilities (three structure and accessories that QinetiQ’s and special mission platforms at manu- metres) and is less detectable due to a Target Systems business offers for its facturing facilities in Ashford, UK, and low radar cross section (RCS). other Banshee targets. This includes be- Alberta, Canada, and supports these This further evolution in threat repre- ing launched with ground-based pneu- platforms with a field service capability sentation technology is a key part of matic air-launchers, being equipped honed for decades on military ranges the company’s strategy to lead and with a range of payloads such as radar worldwide. 57 MBDA’S SPEAR-EW to Act as a Force Multiplier

ity that, alongside the existing SPEAR3 Recently, MBDA was awarded a con-con- weapon, marks a fundamental change aircraft and enemy air tract to demonstrate SPEAR-EW, a new in the ability of friendly air forces to defences. Powered by a tur- electronic warfare vversionersion of the SPEAR conduct their missions despite the bojet engine, the SPEAR missile offers weapon system family on order for the presence of enemy air defences. Our over double the range, and a flexible UK’s Royal Air Force (RAF). SPEAR-EW vision for SPEAR is to create a swarm of operating envelope, when compared is being developed by MBDA in part- networked weapons able to saturate to a conventional glide weapon. It uti- nership with Leonardo to complete a and neutralise the most sophisticated lises this long endurance through its range of Suppression of Enemy Air De- air defences. Adding SPEAR-EW to the capacity to be launched at enhanced fence (SEAD) missions, under a Techni- family demonstrates the principle of stand-off ranges and loiter while car- cal Demonstration Programme (TDP) introducing complementary variants rying out its jamming mission. contract awarded by Defence Equip- to the SPEAR family that will add sig- The compact size of the SPEAR fam- ment & Support (DE&S). It will inte- nificant capability and force multipli- ily allows four weapons to be carried grate a cutting-edge miniaturised EW cation without the need to repeat the internally in each of the two internal payload from Leonardo, which will act platform integration.” weapons bay of the F-35, or three per as a stand-in jammer to increase the The core of SPEAR-EW’s payload is station on the Eurofighter Typhoon. survivability of RAF aircraft and sup- Leonardo’s advanced, miniaturised It will keep the same form and fit as press enemy air defences, acting as a Digital Radio Frequency Memory the baseline SPEAR to enable a single significant force multiplier. (DRFM) technology, which offers ad- integration pathway and launcher UK’s Defence Minister Anne-Marie vanced and future-proof electronic solution. Trevelyan said: “These state-of-the-art jamming and deception available on The SPEAR weapons system recently electronic jammers will confuse our the market today. completed a set of ground trials and adversaries and keep our pilots safer The new SPEAR-EW will complement fit-checks of a loaded three-pack than ever in the air. Paired with the the SPEAR network enabled minia- SPEAR launcher onto a Eurofighter power of precision Brimstone and Me- ture cruise missile, which is designed Typhoon fighter aircraft. The work was teor missiles, our world-class F-35 and to precisely engage long range, mo- undertaken by a joint engineering Typhoon jets will continue to rule the bile, fleeting and re-locatable targets team from MBDA, BAE Systems, and skies in the years to come.” in all weathers, day or night, in the the UK Ministry of Defence's Defence Mike Mew, MBDA UK Director of presence of countermeasures, obscu- Equipment and Support (DE&S) and Sales and Business Development, rants and camouflage, while ensuring took place at BAE Systems' flight test said: “SPEAR-EW is a new capabil- a safe stand-off range between the site in Warton, Lancashire. 58 ISSUE 573 OCT 2019 Reports

Supacat’s Range of Vehicles a Big Draw

Supacat,upacatpacat,cat,at,, tththee UK headqheadquartereduarteredrteredrtetet 12,000kg220 000kg from from 10,500kg10,500 10 50 kgg and crew creew seat-seat - they’dthey d previouslypre viouslyil thoughtth ought noto possible,”possible”possible, Special ForcesForces vehiclevehich ldle developer,develop l er, hadhd ing to six fromff four.four. saidid Phil AlApplegarthApplegarth, h, HeadHdf of Supacat.S a very successful participation at DSEI TThehe Extenda is a variant of Supacat’s ThThee chassischassis is now STANAG compliantcompliant withwith its vehicle range attracting atten-atten- successful HMT (High Mobility TransTrans-- for recoveryrecovery purposes and a 6.6.77 litre tiontion fromfrom trade visitors and delegations porter) platform,platform, which is operated by Cummins diesel engine comes as stanstan-- alike.alike The Special Forces vehicle HMT Special Forces around the world. world darddard. TThehe blast and ballistic protection Extenda Mk2, Light Role Vehicle (LRV) Supacat undertook a rigorous and ex- option can now be integrated at the and its technology demonstrator for tensive programme of trials to verify factory build stage. hybrid and optionally manned opera- and validate the performance of the In line with Supacat’s modular design tions were the highlights at the show. system. Besides, the vehicle has suc- philosophy, the latest Extenda pro- HMT Extenda Variant Makes Debut cessfully completed a 12,500km tour of vides for a range of configuration op- Supacat, showed the most advanced Australia in order to confirm reliability tions from the factory in addition to the version of its world leading Special and performance over long distances. flexibility to re-role the base platform Forces vehicle, the HMT Extenda Mk2, “The innovations to the HMT platform throughout the lifetime of the vehicle for the first time at DSEI 2019. This lat- on the latest Extenda deliver increased with a variety of mission modules and est variant offers a step change in ca- capability and superior payload and protection levels to meet changing de- pability and payload capacity with an performance. Our user feedback indi- mands. HMT Extenda has the unique enhanced suspension system enabling cates that the vehicle has exceeded ex- capability of being operated as a 4x4 gross vehicle weight to increase to pectations, allowing them to do things or 6x6 wheel drive vehicle thanks to a 59

removable third axle. via Supacat’s existing globally avail- each customer’s requirements. Our ap- Users Describe Light Role Vehicle as able spares network. It has been devel- proach uses a common electric drive- ‘In a Class of Its Own’ oped with a common user interface to train, each of which can be customised Supacat’s Light Role Vehicle (LRV) of- the Supacat HMT `Jackal` to maximise through different powering options fers unrivalled performance in terrain inter-operability and minimise training. depending on mission, range, payload access, range and operator comfort. Its `Optionally Manned Hybrid` Dem- and operating environment. low weight and packaging offers a onstrator Unveiled The ‘optionally manned’ demonstra- genuine `Fly / Drive` tactical capability Supacat’s technology demonstrator for tor utilises a terrain detection and re- utilising current in-service aviation as- hybrid and optionally manned opera- sponse system for enhanced mobility sets for rapid intervention operations, tions is developed to keep pace with and optimised endurance. The object while maintaining excellent payload battlefield logistical requirements on categorisation and response system capacity. extreme terrain and unpredictable used for obstacle clearance or avoid- The LRV is designed to deliver excep- routes. ance during technical off road driving, tional off road performance lowering The technology demonstrator has can be tailored to the capabilities of user fatigue, reducing cognitive bur- been developed in collaboration with the vehicle, driver or a remote operator. den and enabling the operator to arrive the University of Exeter as part of an The path planning and motion behav- at their objective “fit to fight.” Innovate UK-supported Knowledge iour system uses simultaneous localisa- LRV’s upgraded version has a new en- Transfer Partnership (KTP). tion and mapping (SLAM) for the navi- gine and chassis to provide an opti- “Electric hybrid propulsion and auton- gation of lead and follow on vehicles. mised mix of bespoke and COTS com- omous technologies are two important The technology demonstrator uses the ponents. This delivers an extended innovations that will enhance the ca- All-Terrain Mobility Platform (ATMP), as platform life with ease of supportabil- pabilities of users of our in-service high its base vehicle, as ATMP is a mature ity and standardisation across the LRV mobility platforms. We have focussed battle proven and relatively simple variants. our efforts on designing open system product, enabling the development The Supacat LRV platform is highly architectures, allowing extensive use programme to focus on the new tech- modular and offers a range of con- of commercial off the shelf (COTS) nologies and capabilities and subse- figuration options to suit a variety of components, which we see as key to a quently allowing rapid development. environmental conditions, threat levels successful and sustainable military so- Reference Text/Photo: and crew requirements. All variants use lution in a rapidly evolving technology www. scgroup-global.com a common chassis and driveline with sector,” said Steve Austen, Engineering customers able to specify modular el- Director of Supacat parent, ements of the vehicle such as open or SC Group. “It is in Su- closed cabs, seating layout, load plat- pacat’s DNA to tai- form and weapon systems. lor its platforms LRV has the unique feature of being and solutions to convertible between 6x6 and 4x4, offering users the flexibility to reconfig- ure the vehicle to meet different operational requirements within hours by the addition or removal of a third axle module. “The feedback from our current specialist customer base has been extremely positive and users describe the vehicles as `in a class of its own`,” said Ben Gaffney, Head of New Pro- grammes, Supacat. LRV is ITAR free and can be supported Closed Cab LRV 60 ISSUE 573 OCT 2019 Reports

Patria Demonstrates Latest Tech trolled 120 mm mortar system, is an While ARIS is a remote operable Elec- Patria showcased the Patria 6x6 ve- indirect fire support system, but due tronic Intelligence (ELINT) system used hicle, Patria Nemo mortar system and to its direct fire capability, it can also to intercept, identify, record and anal- several products related to intelligence, be used for self-defence. It can also fire yse radar signals. With ARIS you can surveillance and command and control Multiple Rounds Simultaneous Impact master strategic ELINT in today’s com- systems at DSEI. (MRSI) fire missions where up to five plex signal environment, get spectrum Patria 6X6 is a successor to the Pasi Ar- grenades are hitting the target simulta- awareness and make fast and accurate moured Personnel Carrier and will com- neously. The light and compact turret is updates to ELINT databases. plement the vehicle fleets of customers easily installable on light, tracked chas- ARIS-E is a new Electronic Support of the legendary Patria AMV 8X8. The sis or wheeled armoured vehicles in the Measures (ESM) product building on 6X6 is a multipurpose transport vehicle. 6x6/8x8 class. ARIS. It provides automatic identifica- Its chassis structure is based on the Patria’s CANDL is a compact data link tion, real-time geolocation and tracking same components as the AMV, but with for air-to-air and air-to-ground appli- of radars on the battlefield. ARIS and one less axle. The vehicle is driven by all cations requiring high reliability, low ARIS-E together deliver comprehensive three axles and steered from the front probability of detection and intercep- tools for strategic and tactical ELINT/ two, or all three, depending on its equi- tion, dynamic networking with several ESM for various needs. page. Optional equipage can be added members and long communication The company also highlighted the to bring the 6X6 closer to the AMV. For ranges. CANDL is a useful data link MUSCL passive radar system, which is a example, various ballistic and mine for Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS), covert and easily deployable air surveil- protection levels, weapon systems, self- Manned-Unmanned Teaming (MUMT) lance system, using signals from exist- protection systems and other interior operations, Intra-Flight Data Links ing radio and TV broadcast networks for equipment are available. (IFDL) and Live Virtual Constructive target detection and tracking. Patria Nemo, a turreted, remote-con- training (LVC) systems. Furthermore, it put the spotlight on 61

Patria AMV to be Tested in Japan Patria’s armoured modular vehicle AMVXP has been chosen to a one- year field testing in Japan after a competitive bidding. The Japanese Ministry of Defence will buy two vehicles from Patria for the tests. Two other companies have been selected to deliver their vehicles to the tests. The final selection is to be expected after the trials. “This is good news as it is a sign of the high quality and appreciation of Patria vehicles. In case Patria vehicles will be selected to Japan, we are ready for technology transfer project and to set up an assembly line there,” says Petri Jokinen, VP, Sales and Marketing of Patria’s Land business unit.

TADS, a Tactical Debriefing System that conditions, and the company’s vision intelligent weapon sights, observation, provides instant debriefing of military is to be the leading partner for critical and surveillance systems, and UAVs missions and training exercises from operations. equipped with hyperspectral cameras. single sortie to large joint forces cam- Senop Presents Advanced Situation- For example, the Senop OSCU, a new paigns involving all branches and LVC al Awareness passive outdoor surveillance system, (live, virtual, constructive training) sce- Senop, a part of the Patria Group, dis- can share classified pattern recognition narios. TADS visualise order of battle, played its latest innovations for in- information via images and live video weapon and sensor usage in detail as creased mobility, performance and stream to a command post or other well as electronic warfare activities giv- situational awareness at the show. sensors that are part of the network. ing practical and precise feedback to Senop is a forerunner in situational The information can be autonomically improve the performance of pilots and awareness by providing advanced sen- pre-analysed by the sensor. operators. sor solutions and system platforms. The advanced information and situa- Patria is an international provider of Traditionally OEM’s have manufactured tional awareness sharing are supported defence, security and aviation life cycle standalone-based sensors with limited in all Senop products like NVGs, intelli- support services, pilot training and capability of information sharing. The gent weapon sights, observation, and technology solutions. The company company takes it to the next level by target acquisition systems. The sensor provides its aerospace and military providing a network of different kinds devices can also be connected to dif- customers with equipment availabil- of sensors. The devices and systems ferent C2 systems. ity, continuous performance develop- that are part of the said network can In addition to traditional elements, the ment as well as selected intelligence, share versatile information with each future battlefield will include factors surveillance and management system other by using either wireless or wired that make it multi-dimensional, rapidly products and services. Its mission is network. The network can consist of changing and unpredictable, and as a to give its customers confidence in all different kinds of sensors like NVGs, result of this, more technical. 62 ISSUE 573 OCT 2019 Reports

cludes Heckler & Koch as well as Olin Winchester. Heckler & Koch provides renowned small arms design, research and development, and manufacturing capabilities, while Olin Winchester brings renowned small calibre ammunition production capabilities. “We have assembled a team that understands and can deliver on the rigorous requirements for this U.S. Army programme with mature and capable technology, reliable programme execution and dedicated user support,” says Wayne Prender, Textron Systems’ Senior Vice President, Applied Tech- nologies and Advanced Programmes. Textron Systems has successfully demonstrated its high capability and low- risk 6.8mm CT system that provides significant performance enhance- ments over current Army systems. The design features improved accuracy and greater muzzle velocity for increased performance, as well as weight Textron Systems to Participate savings of both weapon and ammunition over current Army systems. It also in Next-Gen Squad Weapons incorporates advanced suppressor technology to reduce the firing signa- Prototype Programme ture and improve controllability. Under earlier development programmes, Textron Systems successful- ment for the M249 Squad Automatic ly scaled its lightweight CT technology Textron Systems, a business of Tex- Weapon in Brigade Combat Teams. It into numerous calibres and configura- tron Inc., has been chosen by the U.S. will combine the firepower and effec- tions, demonstrating its technical ma- Army’s Project Manager Soldier Weap- tive range of a machine gun with the turity as well as scalability for future ons as one of three organisations to precision and ergonomics of a rifle, growth to support U.S. close combat deliver Next Generation Squad Weap- yielding capability improvements in forces against current and future ad- ons (NGSW) based on the company’s accuracy, range, and lethality. The versaries. The next generation of CT high-performance cased telescoped weapon will be lightweight, fire light- weapons and ammunition systems de- (CT) technology. Under this award, Tex- weight ammunition and have reduced livers improved manoeuvrability and tron Systems will deliver 43 6.8mm CT acoustic and flash signature. Soldiers performance at 40 per cent less weight NGSW-Automatic Rifles and 53 NGSW- will employ the NGSW-AR against than current systems. The next genera- Rifles, as well as 845,000 rounds of CT close-, mid- and extended-range tar- tion CT weapons and ammunition con- ammunition during a 27-month period gets in all terrains and conditions. tinue to provide weight-saving ben- of performance. To support the NGSW prototype pro- efits but substantially increase lethal- NGSW consist of the NGSW-Automatic gramme, Textron Systems leads an ity, providing warfighters improved Rifle (NGSW-AR) and the NGSW-Rifle. excellent team that offers decades of performance without compromising The NGSW-AR is the planned replace- trusted small arms experience and in- manoeuvrability. 63 Vulcano Precision Guided Munition is Ready for Fielding Diehl Defence and Leonardo Vulcano 127mm ammunition is con- with in-service five-inch and 155mm have developed and qualified the ceived to give the 127/54 C and the guns with additional functionality in- precision-guided munition family Vul- 127/64 LW Naval Guns the capabil- cluding programmable initialisation cano 127mm and 155mm, under the ity to meet any present and future re- for fuse and guidance system, mis- umbrella of the Italian and German quirement for Precision Naval Fire Sup- sion planner and technical fire control governments. Vulcano is a family of port and Long Range engagement of for trajectory computations, gun fire unguided (BER) and guided (GLR) am- Surface Targets. Vulcano 127mm BER angles, selection of ammunition type munition for the 76mm, 127mm naval maintains the anti-air role as well. The and firing sequences. guns and 155mm land artillery systems rounds capitalise on new and emerg- Vulcano programming kits enable ar- The STANAG-conforming joint quali- ing technology based upon a fin stabi- tillery platforms to fire the ammunition fication controlled by the Italian and lised airframe with canard control for in an easy way. The kits allow either German authorities has been suc- terminal guidance. fully integrated or standalone opera- cessfully completed. The qualification While the Vulcano 155mm projectile tions. The embedded fire command performed is compatible with all Joint is a sub-calibre, fin stabilised airframe, computation programme, NABK-18+, Ballistic MoU gun systems, such as the compatible with the use of standard has been officially released. land-based platforms PzH 2000 and modular charges, with no need of ad- The latest adaptations of Vulcano FH-70 as well as 127mm/5inch naval ditional propulsion; it is loaded with are compatible with the majority of platforms. Insensitive Explosive and Patented in-service artillery systems including The Vulcano ammunition is designed tungsten rings; the mechanical in- 127/64 LW and 127/54C naval guns, to achieve extended ranges of 70 km terfaces are the same as in standard the Advanced Gun System (AGS) cur- for Vulcano 155 and 80 km for Vulcano 155mm ammunition. rently on board the U.S. Navy’s Zum- 127 in conjunction with unique accu- The multi-role, insensitive high-explo- walt class of destroyers, and the more racy against stationary and moving sive (IHE) warhead with pre-fragment- than 250 Mk 45 naval guns delivered targets. ed tungsten splinters is most effective to fleets worldwide. For land plat- against soft targets, vehicles, semi- forms, Vulcano can be fired from all armoured vehicles, infrastructures variants of M777 and M109 howitzers and all typical infantry command and the majority of weapons for al- posts. lied militaries around the world. The ammunition family reach- Integrating Vulcano into these weap- es the highest target accuracy ons offers a number of possibilities through the unique combination such as the gun system’s maximum of satellite-based navigation with rate of fire does not change with the laser- or infrared-sensors for termi- integration of Vulcano. It provides all- nal homing. This makes the Vulca- weather precision attack capability no family one of the most accurate (<5 m CEP) to fully defeat targets with artillery ammunitions for land and a high lethality pre-fragmented war- naval applications worldwide. head. Vulcano effectively addresses The Vulcano ammunition configu- land and surface attack on land and ration for naval guns can be auto- at sea. It can be equipped with op- matically loaded without any me- tional Semi-Active Laser seeker and chanical modification to the load- perform in-flight retargeting to ad- ing system. It is fully compatible dress moving targets. 64 ISSUE 573 OCT 2019 Reports HiDRON Sets New Records in Canadian Aviation

UAVOS recently conducted a suc- The HiDRON release from the CSA gon- AMON detector recording single pixel cessful record-setting stratospheric dola was another first for the compa- data in a near-moonless night sky. flight, as part of a joint project between nies, as previous launches have been The record setting flight is the culmi- the company and Stratodynamics. The carried out by weather balloons and nation of 12 months of international stratospheric glider named HiDRON added new layers of complexity. Prior collaboration and planning with col- was released from a Canadian Space to the launch, the Stratodynamics and leagues in Canada, Belarus and Slova- Agency (CSA) scientific gondola at an UAVOS teams advanced aspects of the kia and was the second of two flights altitude of 111,434 feet and performed HiDRON including the transponder, commissioned to test AMON Airglow a four-hour controlled flight and land- stratospheric flight controls, data links, detector from Stratodynamics’ client, ed at Iroquois Falls Airport about 80 km and safety protocols. The HiDRON fea- the Institute of Experimental Phys- from the Timmins, Ontario launch site. tures UAVOS’ autopilot AP 10.3 Micro. ics at the Slovak Academy of Science. The flight once again confirmed Hi- The mission plan was to release the Hi- The Slovakian team was searching for DRON's capability to perform high-alti- DRON from the gondola sometime be- a cost-effective method for the AMON tude missions and beyond visual line of tween an altitude of 30 km altitude and detector to have a clear view upwards sight (BVLOS) operations and set a new the target ceiling altitude of 121,000 unencumbered by a weather balloon operational best for the flight in a chal- feet. Once released, the HiDRON would blocking the view. The AMON detector lenging stratospheric environment. follow a pre-set flight plan and land at is planned to participate in EUSO-SPB2 The night flight was also supported by Iroquois Falls Airport. This meant the mission that will fly on a long duration the French Space Agency (CNES) and team was onsite at the Timmins airport NASA balloon in 2022. was part of the 2019 Strato-Science Bal- until the gondola’s lift-off from the CSA Aliaksei Stratsilatau, CEO, UAVOS said: loon campaign. Balloon Base. “HiDRON is a real solution that advances The record setting flight achieved As the gondola rose to its float altitude, the important research around climate many firsts in Canadian Aviation such the HiDRON was released at around change and other atmospheric chem- as it was the highest altitude flight of 12:30 am on September 1 at an altitude istry problems. The HiDRON provides a UAV or Remotely Piloted Aerial Sys- of 111,400 feet. The HiDRON performed solutions for tough problems that affect tems (RPAS). Also, it was the first UAV well in difficult headwinds and -60-de- all of humankind, which is why it is such above 29,000 feet in Class A airspace. gree C stratospheric conditions with its a necessary platform for researchers.” 65 Boeing Starts Assembling Japan’s KC-46A Tanker

in the U.S.-Japanese defence alliance, certified to refuel all U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy and JASDF aircraft safely and ef- The Boeing KC-46 team recently es quality, efficiency and safety,” added ficiently. Built to carry passengers, began assembling Japan’s first next- Bruce Dickinson, Boeing 747/767 vice cargo and patients, it will be easier generation tanker, loading an 82.4- president and general manager. to maintain than previous tankers, foot (25 metres) long wing spar in the Boeing is assembling KC-46A aircraft improving reliability and lowering company’s 767 production facility. for both the U.S. Air Force and Japan life-cycle costs. It is a derivative of the “This is an exciting development for on its 767-production line in Everett, commercial 767-2C, a proven airframe the programme, and we look forward Washington, U.S. Following initial as- in service as an airliner and freighter. to building and delivering these multi- sembly, workers install the tanker’s mili- Boeing has delivered more than 1,150 role tankers to the Japan Air Self- tary unique systems at the site’s Modi- 767s worldwide. Defense Force (JASDF),” said Jamie fication Centre. The jets are then flight KC-46 can detect, avoid, defeat and sur- Burgess, Boeing vice president and tested at Boeing Field prior to delivery. vive threats using multiple layers of pro- KC-46 programme manager. “From The company began developing the tection, which will enable it to operate the enhanced flight deck to the mod- KC-46A for the U.S. Air Force in 2011 safely in medium-threat environments. ernised boom, this tanker will provide and delivered the first tanker in Janu- During extensive flight testing, six KC- unmatched capabilities for Japan.” ary 2019. The first four multi-role KC- 46 completed more than 3,800 flight Boeing was awarded a Foreign Military 46 tankers were delivered in January hours and offloaded more than four Sale contract for one KC-46A aircraft to McConnell Air Force Base in Wichita, million pounds of fuel to A-10, B-52, and logistics services in December Kansas. Boeing is currently on contract C-17, KC-10, KC-135, KC-46, F-15E, F-16 2017. The U.S. Air Force exercised an for 52 of an expected 179 tankers for and F/A-18 aircraft. It has been rigor- option for Japan’s second aircraft in the Air Force. Japan is the programme’s ously tested throughout all aspects December 2018. first international customer. Deliveries of the refuelling envelope and in all “We’re proud to support the JASDF to the JASDF will begin in 2021. conditions, including day, night and with a production line that emphasis- The KC-46 will be a force multiplier covert. 66 ISSUE 573 OCT 2019 Reports

HENSOLDT Launches New SETAS Situational Awareness System

HENSOLDT, a leading sensor so- armoured vehicles, among other London. The company’s solutions lution provider, launched its newly cutting-edge technologies at the at display included a new variant developed SETAS electro-optical recently held Defence & Security of SharpEye naval radar series and situational awareness system for Equipment International (DSEI) in other products. 67

Newly Developed SETAS EOTS II, displayed at the event, offers Missile Protection Suite AMPS for Air- The newly developed SETAS electro- a choice of different day vision zoom craft and the modular Kalaetron radar optical situational awareness system cameras while the driver sight system warning system. Also on display was for armoured vehicles provides one of SPECTUS II features a low light level TV HENSOLDT’s Mode 5-capable IFF port- the best situational awareness be it in camera (LLLTV) with unprecedented folio together with avionics equip- air, sea, or land. The SETAS Integrated image quality. Meanwhile, the vast ca- ment such as crash recorders and tac- Camera Models encompasses two pabilities of active and passive radar tical data links. The new generation very powerful sensors, high-resolu- sensors were shown by the TRML-4D airborne observation system, LEO-III tion visual cameras, and two uncooled air defence radar and the Twinvis pas- HD was also displayed, in addition to thermal imager module (UCM). sive radar. the Sferion advanced pilot assistance The new system has an unrivalled New SharpEye Mk 5 Navigation system, which protects helicopters in visual sensor capability to recognise Radar restricted visibility conditions and pre- pedestrians at a 300-metre distance The new variant of HENSOLDT’s suc- vents the most significant causes of and can be further enhanced by in- cessful SharpEye naval radar series non-hostile losses. tegrating acoustic sniper detection -the Mk 5 radar, is the first open array For missions and surveillance on the sensors, laser warner system and a 80W SharpEye navigation radar es- sea, HENSOLDT presented TRS-4D hemispherical camera to cover the pecially aimed at the smaller military naval radar system, multi-sensor op- area directly above the vehicle. The vessels that require full capability with tronic masts for submarines and the SETAS situational awareness system limited space availability. optoelectronic laser detection system comes with a head-mounted Human According to Russell Gould, Manag- COLDS NG. Its security solutions were Machine Interface (HMI) display that ing Director of Kelvin Hughes, a HEN- focusing on radar and optronic sen- boasts of providing the crew member SOLDT subsidiary, SharpEye provides sors feeding the CxEye command & inside the vehicle a “see-through” ex- the user with the most capable radar control system and the VADR UAV cap- perience, similar to observing when that allows exceptional performance tured drone. “heads up”. against small targets in the clutter HENSOLDT Expands in the UK SETAS intelligent software algorithms with minimal user adjustment. “Kelvin HENSOLDT further established its are programmed to automatically Hughes SharpEye radars have been presence in the UK by rebranding alert the crew if any potentially threat- fitted to more than 30 leading naval its subsidiary Kelvin Hughes Ltd. ening movement is detected 360° and Coast Guard services worldwide, as HENSOLDT UK. Commenting on around the vehicle. The SETAS, accord- and the Mk 5 makes this technology this HENSOLDT CEO, Thomas Müller ing to HENSOLDT, is flexible and can available to a wider range of naval and said, “We are expanding our activi- easily be fitted as a stand-alone sys- Coast Guard vessels,” he said. ties in the UK and will bring together tem. However, for the greater advan- SharpEye is a state-of-the-art coher- our existing portfolio with Kelvin tage, it is ideal to connect it to the ve- ent, Pulse-Doppler X-Band radar for Hughes’ offerings. In this way, we are hicle’s network or Battle Management navigation and situational awareness. creating comprehensive system solu- System, which allows the display of It utilises Gallium Nitride (GaN) power tions which will boost our UK busi- external data to each crew member in- transistor technology for superior de- ness significantly.” dividually. The company also informed tection performance of small targets While Russel underlined the seven- that SETAS will be available from 2020. in heavy clutter, thus improving mis- decade long partnership between the Aside from SETAS, HENSOLDT dis- sion success and survivability of mili- two companies and said, “Bringing to- played a broad range of sensor solu- tary and Coast Guard vessels. gether our products under one brand tions for the Air, Sea, Land and Security Solutions for ISR name will increase our visibility in the domains. For the land domain there HENSOLDT also presented solutions market and will open up additional were several advanced optronic sys- for airborne ISR including ARGOS-II HD business opportunities.” tems such as laser rangefinders and multi-sensor system, the lightweight Kelvin Hughes, with approximately designators, missile protection systems observation camera GOSHAWK-II and 200 employees, designs, produces and for tanks and a number of rifle scopes. the PrecISR multifunction radar. The markets radar sensors mainly for mari- The Electro-Optical Targeting System company presented the Airborne time and security applications. 68 ISSUE 573 OCT 2019 Reports

Embraer Delivers First KC-390 to Brazilian Air Force

Embraer recently delivered the first Certificate by the Brazilian civil avia- agreement, Embraer’s portfolio of so- multi-mission airlift KC-390 to the Bra- tion authority ANAC (Agência Nacio- lutions TechCare will be responsible zilian Air Force (FAB) at a ceremony nal de Aviação Civil) in 2018, when it for logistical and engineering support, held at Anápolis Air Base, in the mid- achieved Initial Operational Capability maintenance control, component re- western state of Goiás. This will start (IOC), which ensures that the necessary pair, support staff for the aircraft en- preparations for the aircraft’s entry conditions have been met for the air- try into service, materials supply and into service by FAB’s First Troop Trans- craft to start operations. an additional package that includes port Group (1st GTT). The company has “The entry into service of the KC-390 by structural analysis, maintenance bulle- been conducting theoretical and prac- FAB represents an important milestone tin development, and aircraft painting, tical training with the Air Force teams for the programme and will increase among other services. to start operations. the growing international interest for The KC-390, which was recently or- The KC-390 was developed as a joint this aircraft, consolidating the path dered by the Portuguese Government, project between the Brazilian Air Force to new sales,” said Jackson Schneider, can carry out various missions includ- and Embraer to set new standards for President and CEO of Embraer Defense ing humanitarian support, medical efficiency and productivity in its class, & Security. “We are confident that the evacuation, search and rescue, forest while presenting the lowest life-cycle KC-390, in addition to successfully ful- fire fighting and cargo and troop trans- cost in the market. The programme filling the missions required by our Air port and launch capabilities, as well as represents a significant advance in Force, will have a positive economic aerial refuelling. terms of technology and innovation for impact on job creation and new invest- Equipped with two International Aero the Brazilian aeronautics industry and ments in Brazil, as well as high value- Engines V2500 turbofan engines, the an operational improvement for FAB's added exports.” latest avionics, a rear ramp, and an ad- transport aviation. In 2014, FAB signed In order to maximise the operational vanced cargo handling system, the KC- a firm order for 28 units of the KC-390 availability of the KC-390 fleet in the 390 is capable of carrying up to 26 met- aircraft and initial logistical support. fulfilment of the respective missions, ric tons of cargo at a maximum speed The aircraft are produced at the Gavião FAB and Embraer Services & Support of 470 knots (870 km/h), with ability to Peixoto factory, in São Paulo state. signed a comprehensive five-year ser- operate in austere environments, in- The KC-390 was granted the Type vices and support contract. Under the cluding unpaved or damaged runways. 'HIHQFH 6XSSRUWLQJ 2UJDQLVHGE\ 0HGLD 70 ISSUE 573 OCT 2019 Reports Mbombe 4x4 Certified One of the Paramount Group, the global tech- independent scientific research body. ing next-generation design, advanced nology and aerospace business, has The blast tests are performed in accor- technologies and highest levels of pro- announced that the Mbombe 4x4, the dance with the highest international tection, the result of decades of real- latest in its advanced Armoured Per- specifications, namely, STANAG 4569, a world battlefield and asymmetrical sonnel Carrier (APC) family of vehicles, NATO standardisation agreement that warfare experience, the Mbombe 4x4 is has received final certification for the institutes benchmarks for occupant ready to serve customers. independently verified blast tests, protections in vehicles such as the Mbo- Though the Mbombe 4 is equipped for which exceeded the criteria for NATO mbe 4x4, in this case including three 10 full mission capability and maximum STANAG 4569 – one of the highest lev- kg TNT explosions under the wheels versatility, it has a singular mission – els of protection that can be achieved and the hull, and one 50kg side blast soldier survivability. Protecting the in its class. test, carried out at a 5 meter distance to lives of combat personnel is the utmost Both the launch of Paramount Group’s imitate an Improvised Explosive Device priority; as also reflected throughout Mbombe 4 and its first customer, the (IED). The applique armour packages the company's entire portfolio. United Arab Emirates, were announced can provide higher levels of ballistic As part of the blast testing pro- at the 2019 International Defence Ex- protection (up to level 4) and mine programme, the integrity of the Mbombe hibition and Conference (IDEX) in Abu tection as required by the customer. 4 was subjected to both intense exper- Dhabi. The Mbombe 4 was designed and de- imentations and post-test evaluations This follows the exceptional perfor- veloped specifically for local manu- that took several months to complete, mance of the Mbombe 4x4, which fea- facturing in customer countries, in re- with final inspections of the Mbombe tures unique flat-floor mine protection sponse to the increasing requirement 4 yielding impressive results. The in- technologies pioneered by Paramount from governments for the develop- spections confirmed no evidence of Group, during a series of explosives ment of their own defence industrial hull ruptures, or injurious internally tests designed and executed by Land- capabilities. formed secondary fragments (e.g. ward Sciences, a programme of the The vehicle has successfully completed secondary shrapnel) nor loose equip- Council for Scientific and Industrial Re- a series of summer trials with several ment in the occupant compartment, search (CSIR), South Africa’s leading and armed forces around the world. Featur- and that anthropomorphic test devic- 71

Best Protected Armoured Vehicles

es (ATDs) and the seats in which they with a comprehensive family of 4x4, 6x6 conventional and asymmetrical warfare were placed remained in position and and 8x8 IFVs, which share over 70 per alike. The vehicle is fully operational in uncompromised. cent of common components to reduce winter conditions of -20 Celsius to des- Each of these tests is intended to vali- through life costs and ensures efficient ert conditions of +55 Celsius. date explosives resistance and occu- training and logistics. This gives the The 16 tonnes Mbombe 4 provides a pant protection capacities for logistics end-user of all three vehicles significant payload of nearly three tonnes, encap- and light-armoured vehicles by push- savings in the areas of maintenance and sulating weapon systems, ammunition, ing unmodified units to their functional logistical support. crew and supplies. The Mbombe 4 has limits, using expertly controlled trials The vehicle is being fully industrialised been designed to accommodate a wide and post-test evaluations. to allow for manufacture in customer range of payloads and turrets. The on- Key features of Mbombe 4 also in- countries using Paramount’s proven board mission computer and interface clude an unique, rear-door ramp de- portable manufacturing model. system is able to integrate with both sign, which has been proven in combat The Mbombe 4 shares a ‘conventional’ Western and Eastern-made weapon on 6x6 and 8x8 IFVs. The ease of access or ‘in-line’ automotive driveline con- systems. The vehicle is further fitted provided by the rear-door ensures the figuration, positioning the powerpack with the latest generation navigational, rapid deployment of the crew while the at the front of the vehicle and along its crew comfort and security systems, vehicle is static or on the move. centre line. This configuration results with examples including a driver-assist Drawing on the exceptional heritage in far greater efficiency in terms of the camera system, winterisation kit, ve- of the Mbombe 8x8, now in produc- transfer of power from the powerpack hicle location and tracking systems, a tion following its launch in 2016, and to the wheels. NATO standard tow-hitch, radios and the Mbombe 6x6, which has entered The Mbombe 4 performs with a burst intercoms systems and a Central Tyre service, the Mbombe 4x4 completes speed of 140km/hr, an 800km operat- Inflation System (CTIS). the highly advanced Mbombe family of ing range and an independent sus- Paramount Group’s Unique Flat-Floor combat vehicles. pension system designed to optimally Design Meets Stringent NATO Stan- The Mbombe family enables Para- meet the increasing demand for out- dards for the Protection of Personnel in mount Group to provide customers standing protection yet adaptability in Armoured Vehicles.

Mbombe 4 blast test 72 ISSUE 573 OCT 2019 Reports

AJAX Transitions into Service

With the Britishistry of Defence Lyneham Army to support highly intuitive training assets, along- advanced training of British Army sol- side vehicle deliveries, will allow the diers for the AJAX Family of Vehicles. British Army to get to grips with this DSEI 2019 has seen General Dy- Meanwhile, eight production and world-leading capability and enable namics Land Systems–UK take the seven prototype vehicles are continu- them to use this fully digital Family of opportunity to demonstrate the capa- ing live fire, cold-weather and Equip- Vehicles. Through its advanced open bilities of the AJAX Family of Vehicles. ment Support-specific trials — such and secure Electronic Architecture, AJAX is a £4.5 billion programme de- as ATLAS successfully recovering a AJAX will remain at the forefront of livering 589 vehicles in six variants to 60-tonne Challenger Main Battle Tank technology and survivability, ensuring the British Army ahead of the planned — with ongoing vehicle reliability tri- it will be the vehicle of choice for Brit- Initial Operating Capability (IOC) in als running more than 10,000 kilome- ish Army soldiers on operations.” 2020, with the first six ARES vehicles tres to date. Introducing the EAGLE 6×6 having been delivered to the British Carew Wilks, vice president and gener- Fitted as a Troop Carrier variant at Army in February of this year. al manager of General Dynamics Land DSEI 2019, GDLS-UK also showcased The British Army has installed desktop Systems–UK confirms that, “The tran- its EAGLE 6×6 at this year´s DSEI — a training equipment and full-motion sition of AJAX into service with the contender for the UK’s Multirole Ve- driver training simulators at the Ar- British Army is a significant milestone hicle–protected (MRV-P) Group 2 pro- mour Centre in Bovington and at Min- for the Programme. The provision of gramme and a highly-adaptable Fox- 73

hound 4×4 vehicle. infantry and specialist troops on inter- Piranha and Stryker Family of Vehicles Developed from the EAGLE / DURO national operations, where it has deliv- and the Cougar Mine Resistant Am- family of vehicles that are currently in- ered high levels of operationally-prov- bush–Protected (MRAP). service with the British, German, Dan- en protection, reliability and adapt- The 400 new Foxhound vehicles are ish and Swiss Armies, the EAGLE fea- ability, alongside extremely significant not the end of the story, for in receiving tures a unique suspension and drive- levels of availability. the Cougar-based Mastiff, Ridgeback line, offering superior tactical mobility Since 2012, the British Army has de- and Wolfhound fleet to meet Urgent and reliability with the highest protec- ployed 400 Foxhound vehicles world- Operational Requirements, the British tion in its class. Proven on operations wide, in Afghanistan and Iraq, offering Army has met its Protected Mobility worldwide, the EAGLE is available in exceptional mobility, ride and blast requirements. Moreover, General Dy- 4×4 and 6×6 configurations for Troop protection, while the latest variant of namics Land Systems–UK is to provide Carrier, Ambulance, Recovery, Com- the British Army Foxhound fleet en- a best-in-class fully-digital AJAX Fam- mand, Reconnaissance and Logistics ables the vehicle to undertake a Public ily of AFVs for the British Army and roles, while providing logistic com- Order role. Designed and built in the has invested significantly in Centres monality across its variants to offer UK, Foxhound integrates highly sur- of Excellence at Oakdale and Merthyr lower maintenance and lifecycle costs. vivable V-shaped hull technology and Tydfil in South Wales, the latter facility Wilks confirms that “The EAGLE 6×6 is a dismountable crew pod designed especially designed for a highly-trained an outstanding tactical wheeled ve- for roles integrating the existing production team assembled to meet hicle ideally suited to troop transport Foxhound Troop Carrier, a Weapons future requirements, including the abil- and the rapid, safe carriage of injured Mount Installation Kit (WMIK)-style ity to handle Main Battle Tanks. personnel. EAGLE is highly-survivable Reconnaissance variant, a flat-bed The Oakdale facility is an engineering with the mobility performance char- Utility load carrier and a Command- hub with more than 300 highly skilled acteristics the British Army needs on and-Control (C2) variant. engineers across the software, elec- operations worldwide. We have a With their specialist knowledge in com- trical and mechanical divisions, thus highly-skilled team at Merthyr Tydfil plex, scalable electronic architectures, well-placed to design, deliver and en- that stands ready to undertake the as- General Dynamics Land Systems and sure the Through-Life Capability of the sembly, integration and test of these General Dynamics European Land Sys- AFVs of today and tomorrow. Oakdale vehicles. The British Army can be as- tems have a long, global history in de- also features a high-tech Systems Inte- sured it is getting the right platform for livering tracked and wheeled military gration Laboratory and a range of test its requirements.” vehicles. Alongside the AJAX family of facilities to support the development Foxhound 4×4 at DSEI vehicles, these innovative companies and sustainability of AFVs. Foxhound is the protected mobility have delivered the Abrams main battle Reference Text/Photo: vehicle of choice for British Army light tank, the LAV (Light Armoured Vehicle), www.gdls.com

EAGLE is available in 4×4 and 6×6 configurations 74 ISSUE 573 OCT 2019 Issue File

FNC Elections: The Fourth Democratic Experience FNC is a Fortress of “Shura” and one of the Constitutional Pillars of UAE since Establishment of the Union

The elections of the Federal National Council (FNC), which will be held in early October 2019, constitute a new stage in the implementation of the empowerment programme, launched by His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE. This election is of exceptional importance this time as it represents a new start for the process of the UAE women’s political participation. In this issue, Nation Shield sheds light on the features of this national electoral occasion, dimensions and political connotations.

On December 2, 2005, in celebration of and sectors. One of these goals per- the changes and reforms taking place the 34th anniversary of the declaration tains to the empowerment of citizens in the region, require more activation of the UAE, His Highness Sheikh Khalifa and enhancement of their political of the role of the FNC, and are empow- bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the participation through the activation of ering it to be a supportive authority UAE, launched the Empowerment Pro- the FNC’s role. that guides and supports the execu- gramme, including many ambitious In his speech, His Highness stressed tive authority. We will endeavour to development goals in various fields that “the next phase of our march, and make the Council more capable and 75

in the Phase of Empowerment

effective, and more committed to the the President of the UAE in his speech sponsibilities in instilling the values of nation’s issues and the concerns of on “consolidating the principles of the work within the society, changing the citizens, through which the values of rule of law, values of accountability, negative view regarding professional genuine participation and the Shura transparency and equal opportunities, and manual work, and emphasising approach are firmly established. We which in turn required the reconstruc- the concept of work as a responsibility, have decided to gradually activate tion, reorganisation and rehabilita- and as a human, cultural and religious the role of FNC through the election tion of existing government systems, value. of half its members from the councils in terms of their structure and func- t &WBMVBUF BOE MFBSO GSPN UIF QBTU of each emirate, and the appointment tions. It also required directing efforts 34-years of experience and re-arrange of the other half, thereby embarking to support, develop and motivate our priorities, so that we can move for- on a journey that culminates in more institutions, structures, activities and ward in the process of progress and participation and interaction from the promising cadres, in order to create prosperity with better awareness, con- people of the country.” conditions conducive to a conscious fidence and empowerment. This ambitious programme aims start towards the horizons of the 21st t 1SPNPUF UIF QSJODJQMF UIBU iNBO JT to achieve several requirements as century." the goal and object of development, follows: t 4VQQPSU UIF QPMJUJDBM SFMJHJPVT DVM- as well as its instrument and means” t3FTQPOEUPUIFSFRVJSFNFOUTPGUIF tural, media, educational and civil so- through empowerment. Hence, the new phase referred to by His Highness ciety organisations to assume their re- objective is to work towards the ad- 76 ISSUE 573 OCT 2019 Issue File

namely: discussing general issues, and providing recommendations on them, as well as the settlement of citizens' complaints against federal government bodies. Historical Development of the Process of "Shura" in UAE The late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Na- hyan, may God rest his soul, inaugurat- ed the first session of the FNC on Feb- ruary 12, 1972, marking the completion of the constitutional pillar of the Union, establishing the fourth authority among the five powers stipulated in the Constitution of the UAE. In addition, the establishment of the Council was an embodiment of the founding leader's ambition to build a modern vancement of our human resources, diciary. The Council has 40 members, state that possesses the elements of development of scientific capabili- distributed according to the Constitu- modernity and development. ties, technical skills and technological tion as follows: 8 seats for the Emirate Despite the recency of parliamen- expertise. This is realised by provid- of Abu Dhabi, 8 seats for the Emirate tary experience in the country at the ing and developing an educational of Dubai, 6 seats for the Emirate of time of its foundation, there are fac- structure that responds to the needs Sharjah, 6 seats for the Emirate of Ras tors that contributed to the success of comprehensive development in its Al Khaimah, and 4 seats for each of the of the Council in the performance of various economic, social and demo- Emirates of Ajman, Fujairah and Umm its tasks and fulfilment of its consti- graphic aspects. Al Quwain. The FNC exercises two ba- tutional competencies. The most im- FNC in Constitution sic functions, namely: legislative func- portant of these factors was the reli- The FNC represents the fourth federal tion, which means the power of the ance on a long historical heritage of authority in the ranking of the five Council to discuss and approve or re- the values and principles of the Shura federal authorities provided for in the ject constitutional amendments and (i.e. consultation). Foreign travellers Constitution, namely: The Federal Su- draft laws, and Supervisory function, who visited Abu Dhabi in the first preme Council, the President and Vice- which means the right of the Council quarter of the 19th century indicated President of the Union, the Cabinet of to control politically the executive au- that the sheikhs of Al Nahyan ad- the UAE, the FNC and the Federal Ju- thority through specific control tools, opted the Shura system and did not 77

The first session of the FNC on February 12, 1972, marked the completion of the constitutional pillar of the Union

conclude an order before consultation with the elderly. This meant that they were proceeding on the way to modernity and progress in the light of the authentic Bedouin values. The Shura approach provided them with a legacy of wisdom. This great foundational school in political participation and consultative approach produced for the UAE society the FNC at the beginning of the foundation phase of the UAE. This was in conjunction with the start of the progress journey of the UAE and the launch of the State of the Union. This correlation explains the strength and continuity of the federal construction of the UAE. National Controls for the Practice of Shura He said, "We will give everything its work in the Empowerment Phase. If these convictions and principles pre- due consideration and do not want The founding leader, may God rest vailed in the founding phase, then the to be in a hurry in order to avoid fail- his soul, always stressed that the talk empowerment phase, under the lead- ure. We must first achieve the requi- about democracy should be in stages, ership of His Highness Sheikh Khalifa sites of parliamentary life, and we from one stage to a higher one and so bin Zayed Al Nahyan, is based on the do not want to jump or take quick on. His strategic vision stemmed from principles, values and approach of steps to attain what we aspire to." his ability to anticipate the future and Sheikh Zayed, who endorsed the prin- Here lie the roots of the principle of awareness of his developments based ciple of the specificity of the UAE expe- political progression, which is one on the experiences of the past, as well rience in the domain of Shura. of the most important dynamics of as a genuine inherited wisdom. 78 ISSUE 573 OCT 2019 Issue File

development in the state. We may call it the second establishment of the FNC, because of the qualitative shifts in the process of parliamentary work, through the launch of the “Empower- ment” Programme in 2005. In his speech on the occasion of the 34th anniversary of the Union, His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, launched a roadmap for all fields and aspects of development, especially the political development and empowerment. In anticipation of the requirements of the future, he said, "One of our most important purposes for the coming stage is to create the necessary conditions for the preparation of a more participatory citizen and a greater contribution. The experience of the FNC should move to a more representative stage and clearer effectiveness in addressing the issues of the country and the concerns of citizens, through which the values participation and Shura approach may be con- solidated. The Council exercises its role as a legislative authority in support of all the transformations witnessed by society through representatives who are loyal to the homeland, committed to its goals and interests, and supportive of its political system.” Women Empowerment in FNC Up to the announcement of the Em- powerment Programme in 2005, women in the UAE had not been granted the right to political participation, and thus had not been members of the FNC since its establishment. Hence, the political empowerment of women was one of the mainstays of the Empowerment Programme that covered various developmental sec- Development of the Shura Process the Council and the consolidation of tors and areas in the UAE. Women in the Empowerment Phase the Shura approach, the empower- were empowered politically by grant- If the establishment phase of the state ment phase represented a turning ing them the right to vote and to stand has witnessed the establishment of point in the process of parliamentary for election to the Council. Women 79

participated in the first elections of FNC in December 2006. This participation was a major qualitative transfor- mation that had a clear impact both in terms of enhancing the role and status of Emirati women and improving the image of the UAE, Gulf and Arab women internationally. The fact that Emirati women gained their political rights only 34 years after the founding of the UAE is a record achievement by virtue of the fact that most countries, including developed countries, have witnessed decades of struggle for women's political rights. Conclusion The process of empowerment, which encompassed various sectors of the country, gave the development process a renewed impetus and provided it with new sources that are in line with the ambitious development goals that were included in the UAE Vision 2021 and the UAE Centennial 2071. The empowerment of the FNC was an important guarantee that the political development of the country will keep pace economic, social, cultural and other development areas. The process of empowering the FNC ensured the maturing and success of the UAE parliamentary experience through a deliberate step-by-step approach that mantle the strong bonds underlying that bears the hallmarks of the UAE represents one of the peculiarities of societies. and its cultural and civilisational char- the UAE model and its sources at the Although the UAE society is charac- acteristics through a gradual approach same time. terised by qualities and characteris- that represents an added value for this Political participation, especially for tics that keep it away from many of achievement. Emirati women, is a powerful catalyst the problems and dilemmas suffered Women form 50 per cent of the Parlia- for the new generations to contribute by other Arab societies due to exter- ment members, which is one of the strongly to work and production and nal interference, the fact that the evil highest representation of women in take responsibility for national action forces are lurking in wait for everyone parliament in the world. These are indi- in various development sectors. It also makes it necessary to fortify all societ- cators of global competitiveness of the ensured that the UAE model was forti- ies against any plans. Thus, the demo- UAE in terms of gender balance indica- fied against sedition and conspirato- cratic festivity witnessed by the UAE tors and the achievement of the goals rial plans that exploit any gaps that through the fourth electoral experi- of the UAE Vision 2021, thus becoming could be implemented to wage the ence is a very important step in the one of the first countries to achieve the fourth-generation wars to destabilise field of empowerment. Perhaps this goals of the 2030 UN Agenda for Sus- security and social stability and dis- step is achieved through a framework tainable Development. 80 ISSUE 573 OCT 2019 Research National Security: Cooperative and Tech Savvy Efforts Across the Middle East

In approaching the end of this de- The capacity to act decisively and it is now predicted to double over four cade, there has been renewed opti- pre-emptively is now essential and years to hit US$25.3 billion in 2022, mism for a safer and more harmonious pursued by every major ME nation, representing a massive 33 per cent future across the Middle East and the with individual countries aiming to CAGR. GCC in particular. Nations are seeking improve the security of their vital in- Key Regional Threats to collaborate on cross-border trans- frastructure and build new technolog- The metastasis of terrorism has put port links, large-scale renewable en- ically-advanced capabilities. In making the world on alarm, trying to map out ergy projects, smart city initiatives and these changes while expanding and future targets and breeding sites for heightened joint-security strategies. improving existing military, police and insurgency cells. From New Zealand Indeed, existing and emerging threats other security-related equipment or to Sri Lanka, recent attacks on public have both shown themselves ready assets, the GCC is forging ahead with spaces are establishing a changed op- to cause disruption and chaos at a new regional and individual national erational environment, but national moment’s notice. From increasingly security programmes, so boosting its security forces are adapting to cope sophisticated cybercrime to older combined defence budget to a record with this threat through deterrence practices of smuggling drugs and US$100 billion by the next decade. and social media monitoring on one weapons, ME nations are now con- Spending across the homeland and hand, and lawful interception and scious that their national security faces commercial security market is also set surveillance on the other; not only for unceasing attacks both from terrorists to rise in the Middle East. Estimated to crime prevention but crisis manage- and organised crime. be over US$12.2 billion in early 2018, ment and negotiations.

Abu Dhabi has developed an AI empowered ‘Safe City’ Centre to enhance and maintain its reputation 81

No less alarming are the rising ten- narcotics, illegal arms and other con- sions in the Arabian Gulf and the traband from one country to another hostilities against commercial assets, Cybercrime is by land, air or sea presents challenges which are driving up defence procure- to regional and international secu- ments and increasing personnel num- one of the most rity in combatting the financing and bers for regional and allied forces sta- equipping of the world’s most danger- tioned close to the field of operations. serious and ous criminal and terrorist organisa- With more than 70 per cent of GCC penetrating tions. Recent estimates suggest that trade carried out by seaborne convey- drugs alone may account for up to ance, it is vital that sea route security threats facing 40% of funding for extremist groups. is reinforced. UAV (Drone) Based Attacks: From Lastly, traditional issues such as drug the Middle East military-grade assault drones to com- trafficking, illegal smuggling, human mercially-available UAVs adapted for trafficking and IEDs call for innovation. today combat, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles are There have been notable improve- becoming a more visible threat across ments in security controls for national widening contexts. entry-and-exit points at airports, sea- As UAV technology floods the Middle ports and border crossings. cripple critical infrastructure, hackers Eastern market, more and more un- Terrorism: Despite a trend of declin- remain a leading threat to national identified drones are causing shut- ing terrorism attacks and fatalities security. downs and security concerns at air- worldwide, many of the world’s dead- One of the largest oil companies, Saudi ports and other critical infrastructure. liest groups still operate throughout Aramco, suffered the worst hack the While the technology develops and the Middle East with continued activ- world had ever seen three years ago. the capabilities of even basic UAV ity from Islamic State and Al-Qaeda. Meanwhile, cyber-attacks against oth- models improve, better countermea- Cybercrime: Cybercrime is one of the er ME countries are increasing, with 12 sures need to be implemented to stop most serious and penetrating threats per cent more attacks reported in the deadly attacks. facing the Middle East today. From first three months of 2019 compared 3D-Printed Firearms: While expen- low-level but high-volume fraud in- to the same period last year. sive and limited in their ammunition cidents to cyber-attacks that could Cross Border Smuggling: Moving capacity, 3D-printed guns present a 82 ISSUE 573 OCT 2019 Research

serious security threat in being created gency response market is predicted Advanced Infrastructure Security without a serial number, rendering to rise almost threefold from US$50.4 The fundamental elements of national them untraceable. They are also plas- billion in 2012 to US$131.6 billion in infrastructure are likely targets for tic, making them easier to transport 2019. Many GCC member states con- criminal and terrorist actors, particu- past traditional security designed to tinue to invest heavily in homeland se- larly points of ingress/egress such as detect metal. curity, surveillance and defence tech- ports and airports. This constant and Technologies Transforming Security nologies and solutions, giving us the pervasive threat is representative of Solutions opportunity here to outline the key se- the rapid growth of the global Criti- With the rising security risks of terror- curity solutions and technologies that cal Infrastructure Protection market, ism and cybercrime, the global emer- are turning the technological tide. expected to reach US$135.48 billion by 2025. Robots are used by troops to defeat IEDs In turn, US$100 billion is currently being invested across the Middle East on airport-related upgrade projects, with the industry seeing a raft of new and emerging security technologies being installed in the most prominent ME airports. Biometrics, drones, AI-enabled security and surveillance measures are making airports and similarly important infrastructure more resistant to attack and therefore more capable of stopping the flow of unauthorised persons and illegal shipments. With over 89 million passengers served annually, Dubai International is one of the world’s busiest airports. It has been steadily upgrading and enhancing its security systems by imple- menting the latest technological advances in biometrics, automation and

A fully integrated, real time data visualisation centre 83

the IoT (Internet of Things). In 2015, Kaspersky reported that 2 Last year, Dubai opened the Airport National Security Middle East million Emirati citizens had been tar- Operations Control Centre (AOCC), The 6th edition of the National Se- geted by hackers, with 20 per cent which provides staff with real-time curity Middle East Summit will be believing that their data had been data feeds from every part of the air- held for the first time in Manama, compromised. Prompted into action, port while tapping into over 90 appli- Bahrain on 15th-16th October in 2016 the UAE Government pledged cations and collating data managed 2019, co-located with the Crisis a doubling of its cybersecurity spend- by 120 staff across 12 video screen Management and Emergency Re- ing to US$10 billion, while drawing up walls and 96 workstations. The AOCC sponse Summit to create a large a national cybersecurity strategy for has been built to be a fully resilient venue where every aspect of the the development of a raft of new and and integrated nerve centre for the national security ecosystem will developing security measures. airport, dramatically improving its re- be discussed by senior officers The UAE is fast becoming a global sponse capabilities in any emergency and regional thought leaders. This leader in digital innovation, safety and and allowing for greater vigilance event is a must for industry lead- security, seeking out global partners across every daily operation. ers who can meet directly with to share and shape international best The security processing of passengers experts from homeland security, practice. There is great need for such and cargo has also been completely police, coastguards, border guards, development as, in July and August overhauled at Dubai International. airports and ports, industrial secu- 2019, Bahrain’s National Security Agen- With smart gates and other biometric- rity and armed forces across the cy and the Ministry of Interior came empowered security features, the air- land, air and sea domains in order under sustained cyber-based assault, port can now capture passengers’ bio- to discuss how to enhance regional alongside parallel attacks launched at metric footprint which they can utilise capabilities and provide a superior several of the country’s critical infra- throughout their journey in a swift, counter to the predominant secu- structure services providers. seamless and unobtrusive manner. rity threats in the region. While the exact nature and origin of Comprehensive Cybersecurity the Bahraini attacks have not been re- Solutions vealed, their sophistication suggests a The UAE has been a prominent target anywhere in the world, requiring pri- state-level or state-sponsored attack- for cybercrime for many years, rou- vate and public sectors to partner in er. Conventional wisdom points to a tinely placing it in the top 5 spots of providing comprehensive cybersecu- demonstration of capability, designed the annual global rankings. Hackers rity setups for all critical infrastructure to send a message not only to Bahrain and cybercriminals can attack from related to national security. but also to its regional allies and the

NATO officers checking for IEDs on the ground 84 ISSUE 573 OCT 2019 Research

U.S., who maintain a strong presence in the country. Advanced Training Techniques standing body language, While technology gives security pro- drug and contraband identifica- fessionals an edge in preparing viable tion and the ever-evolving tactics of long-term strategies, access to tech criminal elements. spot and respond to every needs to be paired with the necessary Artificial Intelligence-based Security threat within their remit; hence, training of personnel who are to use it ef- Even the most well-trained and dili- keeping up with their adversaries re- fectively. The advanced training of bor- gent security officer cannot hope to quires security institutions to join the der patrollers, customs officials, police raw data-processing power and ana- officers and other security professionals lytical abilities of AI with the instincts can also improve their observational and intuition of their human officers. skills and tactical capabilities, maximis- The UAE is This powerful combination of tools is ing their effectiveness in the long-term revolutionising the manner in which fight against malicious actors. investing even Middle East institutions design, plan With an already impressive track re- more heavily in and execute security strategies. cord of providing effective security Abu Dhabi has developed an AI em- without hampering trade flows, the the training and powered ‘Safe City’ Centre to enhance UAE is investing even more heavily in and maintain its reputation as one of the training and equipping of security equipping of the world’s safest cities. Here 14 inter- forces as part of its unified national connected technical systems gather, customs strategy. Between January security forces collate and analyse data gathered from and September last year, Dubai Cus- across the city to provide Abu Dhabi toms reported 922 successfully pre- as part of its Police with a constantly updating pic- vented smuggling attempts, of which ture of traffic flows, incidents, security 38.5 per cent were related to narcot- unified national issues and other vital situational data ics, while customs officers routinely strategy in the event of emergencies. undergo training programmes set to AI is also at the heart of the Oyoon international best practices in under- Project, another key UAE security ini- 85

tiative whose large-scale technology in combatting piracy off the coast of implementation plan involves fitting Somalia and smuggling interdiction thousands of cameras with facial rec- As UAV operations. From December 2018 to ognition software and microphones February 2019, CTF-150 was responsi- to enable police to track and analyse technology ble for seizing more than 22,000 kilos movements of individuals of interest floods the of narcotics within just three months instantly, utilising real-time data on across its 3.2 million square kilometre developing criminal situations. Oyoon Middle Eastern area of operations across the Gulf of is a prime example of the UAE’s deter- Oman, Red Sea and Indian Ocean. mination to leverage technology to market, more Countering Tomorrow’s Threats Today its fullest potential in the fight against Although budgets were cut over crime and national security threats, and more 2014-2015, the Middle East continues aligning with further plans to inte- to increase its spending and procure- grate AI surveillance systems and even unidentified ment for increasingly modern security robotic police officers. and defence-based solutions. Given International Combined Security drones are the variety of severe threats arrayed As no single nation has the reach or causing against the region, this trend is unlike- resources to combat modern cyber ly to slow any time soon. The Middle threats fully and continually, ME gov- shutdowns East has already shown its willing- ernments are having increasing suc- ness to invest heavily and collaborate cess in pooling their resources with and security openly to protect itself comprehen- regional partners and international al- sively from both new and existing lies. By forging strategic partnerships concerns threat types, presenting excellent op- based on shared responsibility and portunities to develop greater secu- intelligence, the surveillance and se- rity capabilities across the region. curity levels of any targeted area can Based in Bahrain, Combined Task Reference Text/Photos: be dramatically boosted. Force 150 is a coalition naval task www.dewa.gov.ae force made up of 25 participating na- www.defenceiq.com tions, which has proven instrumental www.nato.int

Combined Task Force 150 is a coalition naval task force made up of 25 participating nations 86 ISSUE 573 OCT 2019 Technology

ARCHER Mobile Howitzer “Powerful Precision, Versatile Mobility”

BAE Systems unveiled its ARCHER and intense rate of fire makes it a key cal battlefield capabilities. Mobile Howitzer at DSEI 2019, a new tactical asset in fast-moving combat First delivered to the Swedish Armed model highly adaptable to diverse ter- situations. Forces in 2013, the original ARCHER rains and battlefield conditions with ARCHER’s modular design enables in- was mounted on a Volvo A30 6X6 ar- the flexibility to meet a wide range tegration into different truck chassis ticulated hauler. However, the ARCHER of mission requirements. ARCHER’s for existing vehicle fleets. This makes it system displayed at DSEI 2019 was combination of precision, mobility a cost-effective solution offering criti- mounted on a Rheinmetall RMMV HX2 87

8x8 truck, entailing its commonality road-speed of up to 45mph or 70km/h Controlled Weapon Station (RCWS) with systems already in service with with a manoeuvre range of 1,000 km mounted on top of the crew compart- the British Army. per day, the ARCHER system has thus ment, with Optional Advanced Multi- “This new international version of the been developed specifically for mobil- spectral Camouflage System enhanc- ARCHER can be easily integrated onto ity in the most difficult terrain. ing protection. Its firing range is is very different chassis, allowing the custom- Operators control the entire gun precise, in excess of 50 km with a rate er to specify the vehicle best suited to system from the safety of ARCHER’s of fire of up to nine rounds/minute and their needs,” said Ulf Einefors, Director armoured cabin which offers four fully automated magazines carrying of Marketing, and Sales at BAE Weap- workspaces, even though the system 21 shells and modular charges. on Systems in Sweden. “We’re pleased requires only one person for opera- Powerful C3 Integration to demonstrate the versatility that AR- tions. A standard ARCHER team would ARCHER can operate autonomously CHER could add to any allied military consist of the gun commander, gun in tandem with today’s command and force.” operator, and driver, while aircraft control systems, while on-board bal- Next Generation Artillery System such as the C17 and A400M “Atlas” can listics calculation enables autonomous The modern battlefield is character- transport the system in its entirety. operation. With automated ammuni- ised by a multitude of threats and Next-gen Training Simulation tion management capability and au- challenges; hence, combat units must BAE is ensuring that operators can tomated electronic fuse setting (NATO be able to work together effectively improve their skills by using realistic standard), ARCHER also features open to improve survivability. As one of the training simulators as a safe and cost- architecture interfaces for Battlefield world’s most advanced artillery sys- efficient way to teach the crew AR- Management System. tems with high mobility and precision, CHER operating procedures. Fully digitised fire missions then mini- ARCHER represents the next genera- The advanced digital classroom-train- mise the risk of human errors and reduce tion of wheeled artillery systems built ing simulator guarantees that the crew response time. Meanwhile, precision to keep up with fast-moving ground are fully trained in all aspects of opera- navigation is provided by easy integra- forces. tion, including a simulator built into tion of radios for voice and data commu- Based on proven subsystems with an the gun system enabling on-the-job nication and GPS-supported INS. extensive ammunition portfolio, AR- training for different combat scenarios. Fire for Effect CHER combines powerful and flexible Protection ARCHER has an efficient tracking capa- fire support with high levels of auton- The crew cabin is protected against bility and an intensive rate of fire, en- omous operation under protection. nuclear, biological and chemical (NBC) gaging stationary and moving ground It is a fully automated, self-propelled threats, artillery fragmentation, mine or sea targets with high precision. It 155 mm, 52-calibre howitzer devel- attack and blast overpressure, while carries 21 complete rounds, which oped for the fragmented battlefield, also being separated from gun and can all be fired in 2.5 minutes from where loading, laying and firing is ammunition meaning that they never fully automated magazines alongside handled from inside the armoured have to leave the cabin during combat, an autoloader and on-board ballistic cabin, offering full protection for the which further enhances survivability. calculation. crew at all times. The system also features a Remotely The ARCHER artillery system’s ammu- The long-range, self-propelled AR- CHER also offers the safety of an armoured cabin. From the time the operators receive a call for fire, the three-person crew needs less than 20 seconds to stop the vehicle, position for action and fire the first round. Less than 20 seconds after the mission is accomplished, ARCHER is on the move again, making it the ultimate shoot-and-scoot artillery system. With a Excalibur 88 ISSUE 573 OCT 2019 Technology

nition resupply system is supported compatible with every howitzer so .52-caliber artillery to more than 50 km. by an Ammunition Resupply Vehicle far tested for it. The Excalibur is also The Excalibur projectile's exceptional (ARV) designed to provide a complete compatible with the AS90, K9 and G6 level of precision hence enables a reload of the howitzer within minutes. howitzers, while plans are underway dramatic reduction in the time, cost The modified standard ISO container to integrate it with other mobile artil- and logistical burden associated with carries up to 100 rounds and can be lery systems. other artillery munitions. On average, mounted on any container-carrying With more than 1,400 rounds fired in other projectiles have been shown to vehicle, then reloaded in 5 minutes combat to date, the Excalibur artillery take at least 10 conventional muni- with a support vehicle carrying crew projectile is the revolutionary, extend- tions to accomplish what one Excali- supplies. ed-range, precision munition for U.S. bur weapon can do. The magazines handle all types of and international artillery forces. Thus, Coupled with its ability to be integrat- 155 mm artillery ammo, including in reducing the logistical burden for ed on multiple gun systems, the Ex- advanced sensor-fused and precision- artillery forces, the Excalibur projectile calibur projectile’s precision is of great guided munitions. Rounds can be fired is a true precision weapon, impacting benefit to the U.S. and its coalition at distances up to 40km with conven- at a radial miss distance of less than partners. It provides overmatch capa- tional 155mm ammunition and to 60 two metres from the target. bilities against stationary and moving km with precision-guided munitions, Unlike “near precision” guidance sys- land targets in a variety of combat en- including the Excalibur. tems, the Excalibur weapon provides vironments. Sweden, Canada, Austra- M982 Excalibur: Fully qualified accurate first-round effects at all lia and the Netherlands have chosen in multiple systems, including the ranges in all-weather conditions. This the Excalibur precision-guided projec- M777, M109 series, M198, the Archer weapon system also extends the reach tile to address vital security interests and PzH2000, Excalibur munition is of .39-caliber artillery to 40 km and of and several other international partners are finalising procurement plans. Successfully tested in 2018 and now deployed to U.S. forces, Raytheon has developed the Excalibur Shaped Tra- jectory (EST) variant enabling soldiers to eliminate targets in hard-to-reach

ARCHER combines powerful and flexible fire support with high levels of autonomous operation 89

locations by selecting the projec- Technical Specification shell its mission success per round is tile's terminal or final phase attack greater than with traditional ammu- angle. The Excalibur N5 munition has Width: 3.0 m nition. Sweden has used this smart been developed as a laser-guided Height: 3.4 m munition since 2003 which is devel- 5-inch variant of the projectile, which Length: 13.1 m oped and produced in cooperation by incorporates a digital semi-active Weight: 33,000 kg BAE Systems in Sweden and Nexter in seeker to hit moving targets and en- Fuel: Diesel tank 400 litres France, and used by Finland, France, gage targets without accurate loca- Calibre: 155 mm Norway and Sweden. tion information. Named the Excalibur Barrel length: 52 calibre Depending on customer require- S, it also reduces the risk associated Crew members: 3 ments, the ARCHER charge magazine with GPS jamming. Ballistic protection: Fragment, Bullet, can be adapted for either convention- Finally, the Excalibur N5 is a sea-based AT mine al bags or modular systems, with fire projectile expected to more than MRSI: Up to 6 rounds capabilities including direct fire and double the maximum range of con- Direct fire: Day and night capability Multiple Rounds Simultaneous Impact ventional 5-inch munitions with the (MRSI). Precision targeting is achieved same accuracy as the land-based ver- using highly integrated components sion. The Excalibur precision-guided bleed design, increasing its range to a in the gun computer system, such as projectile has been co-developed by maximum of 35 kilometres when fired ballistic calculation, while firing and Raytheon Company and BAE Systems from a NATO L52 gun. When launched operation of the gun computer can Bofors. from any 155-millimeter artillery sys- be handled automatically or manually, 155 mm BONUS: This BAE Systems- tem, the BONUS carrier shell separates providing ultimate flexibility. built Archer artillery guns can success- to deploy two sensor-fused munitions The combination of precision, mobil- fully detect and combat heavily ar- searching for targets within a given ity, and intense rate of fire makes AR- moured vehicles within 35 kilometres. footprint. CHER a key tactical asset – especially in Compatible with the majority of exist- Each of the two expelled munitions fast-moving combat situations ing artillery guns, BONUS is handled seeks and neutralises its own target Reference Text/ Photo just like a conventional shell. independently, and by carrying two www.raytheon.com The munition also features a base- smart munitions within the BONUS www.baesystems.com

ARCHER system is one of the world’s most advanced artillery systems with high mobility and precision