46th Year - Issue No. 551 December. 2017

Proxy Wars: The threat of sectarian militias and their role in Iran’s expansionist strategy

Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed attends graduation ceremony Calidus B-250, The first of National Service recruits multirole military light attack aircraft developed in UAE 2017 December . December

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Patria offers high-tech expertise and competitive solutions mission ready 3

This became evident after the recent crime of targeting the oil pipeline near Manama. Official accusations have been made against a particular State of involvement in the planning and incitement of this crime. The experience of the past few years reveals that Hezbollah has become the most important military arm of that state abroad. A Dangerous It employs Hezbollah in its conflicts in the region. It also utilises the party’s experience in assassinations and bombings to send messages to the international community and to eliminate its Escalation enemies and opponents. The party has proved to be involved in sabotage operations in a number of Gulf countries. That state’s support for the Houthi militia emanates from a purely profiteering, political and strategic logic. It seeks to By: recruit them into the political struggle in Yemen, where the Staff Lieutenant Colonel / Houthi militia is a tool in its hands and an integral part of its Yousef Juma Al Haddad regional and international struggle. It considers Yemen as an Editor in Chief extension of its regional project. Therefore, the key objective of its involvement in the conflict in Yemen, and its support of the [email protected] Houthis, is to replicate another model of the terrorist Hezbollah on the southern border of . The ballistic missile launched by the A quick look at recent developments in the region confirms the Houthi rebels against Saudi Arabia on destructive role played by Hezbollah and Houthi militias. The November 4 as well as the rocket launched Saudi Crown Prince, Mohammad Bin Salman, explicitly indicated on November 30 towards the city of that a certain state is involved in a direct military aggression on Khamis Mushait in the Kingdom, confirms the Kingdom by supplying the Houthis with ballistic missiles that certain countries are persisting with targeting the city of Riyadh. He stressed that this engagement their aggressive policy that destabilises “may amount to an act of war against the Kingdom.” Saudi Foreign the region. They even disregard the UN Minister, Adel al-Jubeir, stated that the launch of the missile is a Security Council resolutions prohibiting military , and that the Lebanese Hezbollah “has launched it the supply of Houthis with such weapons. from Yemen.” Bahraini Foreign Minister, Sheikh Khalid bin Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Khalifa, considered that “the attempt to blow up the Saudi-Bahraini oil pipeline is a serious escalation aimed at terrorising citizens and damaging the world’s oil industry.” This state sponsoring terrorism is allegedly behind the resignation of ’s Prime Minister Saad Hariri. The resignation came days after Hariri met with the advisor of the leader in that country, who said that Lebanon “is part of the axis of resistance that won in the region.” This was understood by Hariri as a message that Lebanon would remain a satellite state in the orbit of that country’s policies. Therefore, his resignation was a rejection of its control of the policies of this country on the one hand, and of Hezbollah’s control of the Lebanese decision on the other hand. The danger of that expansionist state has become explicit and unquestionable, and therefore the international silence about its practices entices its regime to aspire to further expansion and to gain time for the implementation of its schemes and conspiracies. Issued By UAE Armed Forces. Established In August 1971.

46 th Year - Issue No. 551 December. 2017

Proxy Wars: The threat of sectarian militias and their role in Iran’s expansionist strategy Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed attends graduation ceremony Calidus B-250, the first of National Service recruits multirole military light attack aircraft developed in UAE

Patria offers high-tech expertise and competitive solutions 551 Sheikh Mohamed bin

General Supervisor Zayed attends graduation Chairman of the Administrative Council ceremony of National Staff General\ Salem Saeed Ghafan Al Jaberi Vice Chairman of the Administrative Service recruits Council Colonel \ Dr. Abdulla Rashid Al Neyadi Editor in Chief 6 Staff Lieutenant-Colonel \ Yousef Juma AL Hadad Editorial Manger Major \ Jamil Khamis Al Saadi Layout & Design 10 Moza Al Ali Ahmed Mahmmoud Advertisement & Distribution Multi-Billion Record- Capt. Khaleil Al Kaabi Ahmad Abdulla Al Blooshi Breaking Deals at Sakha Pramod Dubai Airshow

 The views expressed in Nation ADVERTISEMENT Shield Journal are not necessar- ily shared by, nor should they IFC CALIDUS 45 SIMTEX 2018 be taken as the views of Nation 9 EDIC Shield Journal. 21 TELEPHONICS  The publication of advertise- ments does not in any way im- ply endorsement by the Nation Shield Journal.  All rights reserved. Boeing Wins Landmark Deals at 34 Dubai Airshow

64 Proxy Wars: Rafale, Falcon, The threat of 48 sectarian militias Neuron the and their role in Future of Iran’s expansionist Military strategy Aviation

C-130J Super 60Hercules 68

Counter IEDs: New Technological Approaches to Asymmetrical Warfare 6 ISSUE 551 DEC 2017 Events

Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed attends graduation ceremony of National Service recruits

)JT)JHIOFTT4IFJLI.PIBNFECJO;BZFE"M Present were H.H. Sheikh Sultan bin Mo- Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy hammed bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Crown Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, Prince and Deputy Ruler of Sharjah, H.H. along with the Crown Princes, recently attended Sheikh Ammar bin Humaid Al Nuaimi, the graduation ceremony of the eighth batch of Crown Prince of Ajman, H.H. Sheikh National Service male recruits and the sixth batch Mohammed bin Hamad bin Moham- PGJUTGFNBMFSFDSVJUT BU;BZFE.JMJUBSZ$JUZ JOUIF med Al Sharqi, Crown Prince of Fujairah, presence of the families of the graduates. H.H. Sheikh Rashid bin Saud bin Rashid 7

Al Mu’alla, Crown Prince of Umm Al Qai- tative, H.H. Sheikh Nahyan bin Zayed Al Board of Trustees of Zayed bin Sultan Al wain, H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Saud Nahyan, Chairman of the Board of Trust- Nahyan Charitable and Humanitarian bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Crown Prince of Ras ees of Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Chari- Foundation, H.H. Sheikh Khalid bin Za- Al Khaimah, H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Za- table and Humanitarian Foundation, yed Al Nahyan Chairman of the Board of yed Al Nahyan, Ruler’s Representative in H.H. Lt. General Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Zayed Higher Organisation for Humani- Al Dhafra, H.H. Sheikh Tahnoun bin Mo- Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and tarian Care & Special Needs (ZHO), Pilot hammed Al Nahyan, Abu Dhabi Ruler’s Minister of the Interior, H.H. Sheikh Man- Staff-Brigadier Sheikh Ahmed bin Tahn- Representative in Al Ain, H.H. Sheikh sour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime oun bin Mohammed Al Nahyan, Chair- Surour bin Mohammed Al Nahyan, H.H. Minister and Minister of Presidential Af- man of the National and Reserve Service Sheikh Hazza bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Dep- fairs, H.H. Sheikh Hamed bin Zayed Al Authority, Mohammed bin Ahmed Al uty Chairman of Abu Dhabi Executive Nahyan, Chief of the Abu Dhabi Crown Bowardi, Minister of State for Defence Council, H.H. Sheikh Saeed bin Zayed Prince’s Court, H.H. Sheikh Omar bin Za- Affairs, Lt. General Hamad Mohammed Al Nahyan, Abu Dhabi Ruler’s Represen- yed Al Nahyan, Deputy Chairman of the Thani Al Rumaithi, Chief of Staff of the 8 ISSUE 551 DEC 2017 Events

Armed Forces, diplomats, military at- will continue with the graduates as they Commander of Solitary Training in the taches and relatives of the graduates. perform their national duty in all areas, Armed Forces, gave a speech welcoming His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Za- because they can fulfil their responsi- H.H. Sheikh Mohamed and his honour- yed expressed his pride of the graduate bilities and are aware of the greatness ing of the graduation ceremony of the recruits of the National Service, who an- of their tasks, and they express, in their eighth batch of National Service recruits swered the call of the nation. daily actions, the truest meanings of and the sixth batch of its female recruits, “Our happiness surges as we see their love and belonging to the nation and after they successfully completed the determination and raised heads, full loyalty to its leadership, which makes us first stage of their 16-week basic train- of resolve, will and resolution, which feel proud and reassured about the na- ing, where they received instructions is exactly the same as the volunteers tion’s future,” he added. on using weapons, shooting, physical of 1990, who stood in front of the late He stressed that the UAE, under the lead- fitness, field and battle skills, fighting in Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. This ership of President His Highness Sheikh urban areas, internal security and infan- place contains immortal symbolism and Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan is working try training. He added that the field host- memories,” he said. to empower and prepare the nation’s ing the ceremony represents high moral “There is no better feeling for the leader, youngsters while teaching them the values, as the site witnessed, in 1990, the father and nation than to see their chil- highest level of skills and making them graduation of the first batch of recruits; dren graduate to the fields of pride and constantly prepared, to continue the na- under the generous patronage of the honour with confident steps while gath- tion’s advancement and preserve its suc- late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. ering around their leadership proud of cesses and accomplishments. He then pointed out that the ceremony their roots, identity and belonging to H.H. Sheikh Mohamed noted that the coincides with two great anniversaries, this great land. UAE Armed Forces is the nation’s impen- Commemoration Day and National Day, “I trust that this national spirit and zeal etrable fort and the pride of every Emi- two national occasions that are closely rati home. linked to the people’s love for the nation. “Through them we will all sacrifice our- The graduates then took their oath and selves for the nation, and it will remain, chanted three times to dedicate their with the help of Allah Almighty, strong lives to President His Highness Sheikh and proud, due to their sacrifices, ac- Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Their col- tions, honourable stances and profes- umn passed in front of the main plat- sional military capabilities,” he further form in the form of a military parade, said. which reflected their newly-acquired The ceremony began with the arrival of field skills. Sheikh Mohamed to the location, where Several military vehicles and armoured he was received by Pilot Staff-Major cars participated in the demonstration General Sheikh Ahmed bin Tahnoun bin column that included the latest model Mohammed Al Nahyan, Chairman of the of multi-purpose military vehicles, National and Reserve Service Author- which is the most advanced equipment ity, Mohammed bin Ahmad Al Bawardi, produced by the UAE defence industries Minister of State for Defence Affairs, Lt. that were launched 10 years ago by the General Hamad Mohammed Thani Al Tawazun Economic Council. Rumaithi, Chief of Staff of the Armed At the end of the ceremony, the audi- Forces, as well as other senior officials ence watched a film that documented from the Armed Forces. the graduation of the first batch of re- After playing the national anthem, H.H. cruits, who answered the nation’s call Sheikh Mohamed inspected the gradu- in 1990, and the words of Sheikh Zayed ates’ column formation, which was fol- that praised the national spirit of the na- lowed by the recital of verses from the tion’s youth during that period of the na- Quran. tion’s journey. Staff Major General Faisal Al Shehhi, Quality Performance Protection

www.edic.ae 10 ISSUE 551 DEC 2017 Events

Multi-Billion Record-Breaking Deals at Dubai Airshow

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Under the patronage of HH Sheikh Mo- other record-breaking Dubai Airshow, craft. The low-cost carrier Air Arabia hammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE exhibitors rushed to close their deals agreed to lease six Airbus A321neo Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler and re-book for the next edition of the aircraft, while AerCap and Egypt Air ne- of Dubai, and HH Sheikh Mohammed biennial event in 2019. gotiated a deal with Airbus to lease 15 bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of By the show’s final day, the order book Airbus A320neo. Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Com- stood at almost US $113.8 billion. Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner mander of the UAE Armed Forces the Airbus-Indigo next-gen partnership Boeing’s twin- and single-aisle com- 15th edition of Dubai Airshow con- The US $49.5 billion deal with Indigo mercial airplane families debuted their cluded on the grounds of Al Maktoum Partners to purchase 430 aircraft in CST-100 Starliner docking and KC-46 International Airport at Dubai Aviation its A320neo family was Airbus’ big- refuelling at this year’s Dubai Airshow. City, Jebel Ali. gest ever airshow announcement. Boeing’s contact with new airline part- Record spending highlights Indigo Partners owns four ultra-low- ners mark a major growth in their Mid- Innovation, knowledge-sharing and cost airlines: Wizz Air, Frontier Airlines, dle East business via their most recent billion-dollar deals characterised the JetSMART and Volaris. business unit, Boeing Global Services. 15th five-day biennial event with close Meanwhile, the exclusive aircraft pro- The US company has also signed a US to 80,000 people entering the purpose- vider of Kuwaiti Wataniya carriers, $27 billion deal with flydubai for 225 built hall. Golden Falcon Aviation, signed a deal aircraft in its 737 MAX family, while The moment the doors closed on an- to lease 25 Airbus A320neo Family air- SCAT Airlines announced an order for 11

six 737 MAX 8s valued at $674 million al Services, to the Middle East market SU-35. Lockheed is also gearing up to with purchase rights for an additional and reiterate the region’s importance compete to supply a new Indian fighter five 737 MAX 8s. to Boeing.” promised in the coming years. Bernard Dunn, President, Boeing Mid- Tawazun Dynamics becomes Barij dle East, North Africa and Turkey, was Lockheed Martin’s F-16 Contract Dynamics very happy with Boeing’s dynamic The Armed and EDIC, the leading integrated defence presence at Dubai Airshow 2017: “This Defense Forces have agreed a deal manufacturing and services platform, has been a very successful show for worth around AED6 billion (US$1.63 announced that it has renamed its joint Boeing. Our regional customers have billion) with Lockheed Martin Corp venture company Tawazun Dynamics maintained their trust in our products (LMT.N) to upgrade F-16 jet fighters. to Barij Dynamics as part of the con- and technology, and our partnerships Lockheed has sold F-16s to Oman, Bah- tinuous process of transforming the in the Middle East region continue to rain, , Jordan, Egypt and United defence industry landscape in the UAE. grow”. Arab Emirates, but remains in discus- Barij Dynamics also showcased its lat- Dunn confirmed that, “We have signed sions with Kuwait, Qatar and Saudi est products at Dubai 2017, including agreements with key airline partners Arabia about other potential opportu- the P3 precision guided munition, a including Emirates, flydubai, Azerbai- nities. low-cost, precision guided kit designed jan Airlines, ALAFCO and Ethiopian Air- Moreover, Lockheed expects a decision to improve the range and accuracy of lines. In addition, Egypt Air became a in the next weeks or months from Indo- the standard Mk-81 and Mk-82 aerial new customer for the 787. The Airshow nesia, where the F-16 is competing for bombs. was a great opportunity to introduce an order of about 15 jets against the Calidus’ Asymmetric Fighter our newest business unit, Boeing Glob- Gripen built by Sweden’s SAAB, Russia’s At this year’s airshow, the Abu Dhabi- 12 ISSUE 551 DEC 2017 Events

based Calidus unveiled its new air- proximately $1.9 billion U.S. As a trusted partner of Gulf Air, Safran craft, the B250, a carbon fibre aircraft Boom’s New Concorde Landing Systems has opted for wheels designed to operate in modern asym- Dubai Airshow demonstrated that the and brakes technology with dispatch metric warfare. The B250 light attack next generation of supersonic com- reliability, simplified maintenance and aircraft is capable of multi-role opera- mercial aircraft could take to the skies weight advantage resulting in lower tions and has already generated sig- in little over five years, according to fuel burn. nificant interest amongst regional and Boom Supersonic. The US-headquar- Commenting on the agreement Gulf international players in the segment. tered company is seeking to develop Air Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Leonardo’s M-346 FA a quiet replacement for Concorde with Captain Waleed Abdulhameed Al Alawi Leonardo presented its aerospace, de- aircraft testing scheduled in 2018 while said: “We have selected Safran Landing fence and security sectors with a range accepting passengers onboard the as- Systems for their high dispatch reli- of solutions on static display and illus- yet-unnamed 55-passenger supersonic ability, simplified maintenance, as well trated with dedicated briefings. For the jet in 2023. as their weight advantage resulting in first time in the region, a full scale cabin Pilatus’s Business Jet lower fuel burn.” mockup of the AW609 TiltRotor, config- The Swiss manufacturer Pilatus shored He added that, “Safran Landing Sys- ured for search and rescue, and the new up its regional business attracting a tems is a reliable partner of Gulf Air fighter attack version of the M-346 jet great deal of interest in the company’s and we are pleased with our choice trainer were displayed. The new M-346 latest aircraft offering, the PC-24, as the towards a wheels and brakes technol- Fighter Attack is equipped with a vari- world’s first business jet used on short, ogy of renowned quality to equip our ant of the Grifo multi-mode fire control unprepared runways. new fleet of Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners radar, designed and manufactured by Safran’s Landing Systems and Airbus A320neo that will enter into Leonardo. In the rotorcraft sector the Gulf Air has signed an agreement to service in 2018.” company exhibited the latest genera- equip long-time partner Safran Land- Telephonics Radar Systems tion AW169 and the AWHERO rotary- ing Systems’ new incoming fleet of 10 Telephonics used the opportunity of winged unmanned systems. Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners and 12 Air- Dubai airshow to launch its MOSAIC CFM’s Engine Contract bus A320neo with Safran wheels and Active Electronically Scanned Array Gulf Air and CFM announced an agree- brakes that will enter into service in (AESA)-based radar system optimised ment for the purchase of 58 LEAP-1A 2018. for maritime, coastal and overland engines to power 17 Airbus A321neo Gulf Air has selected Safran for their surveillance missions and well-suited and 12 A320neo aircraft with an addi- high dispatch reliability, simplified for rotary and fixed-wing applications. tional 7 spare engines in a long-term maintenance, as well as their weight They also displayed their NetCom ve- service agreement order valued at ap- advantage resulting in lower fuel burn. hicle intercommunications and Tru- 13

Link wireless intercommunications displayed a selection of its trusted solu- ments. These aircraft are beautifully de- systems, including the Passive Detec- tions and proven capabilities. With the signed and brilliantly engineered, and tion and Reporting System (PDRS), the re-engineered Patriot radar system as they will continue to elevate the expe- Universal Access Transceiver (UAT) and its showpiece, these products span in- rience that we provide our customers.” Mode 5 Level 2 squitter reporting and tegrated air and missile defense, cyber L3 Training Solutions cueing system. security, land- and sea-based defense L3 WESCAM provided hands-on cus- PAL Middle-East Support systems and air launched weapons. tomer demonstrations of its fully net- The Emirates’ PAL Aerospace LLC and New generation systems now help con- worked mission rehearsal and simula- Team JAS of Jacksonville, U.S. an- trol two-thirds of the world’s airspace, a tion training solutions for air, ground, nounced the signing of a Letter of fact prompting Raytheon to highlight maritime and command stations. This Intent (LOI) to establish a Spare Parts its air traffic management support and highly scalable product line will enable Distribution Centre located in the Abu services, including in the UAE, and the MX Series operators and crewmembers Dhabi Airport Free Zone. global need for greater cyber security to train independently or as part of a Team JAS has been providing support across aviation transportation. virtual joint-force team using the lat- to operators for over 30 years, while In addition, Raytheon introduced a est gaming technology at estimated 70 Abu Dhabi constitutes an ideal loca- new Joint Precision Approach and percent cost savings. tion for the two companies to provide Landing System that uses GPS to guide Bombardier’s CS300 Order spare-parts and in-service support ser- fast jets, helicopters and drones to safe Bombardier Commercial Aircraft an- vices throughout the region. landings. nounced that it has signed a letter of Alsalam Manufacturing Projects Embraer’s New Legacy intent (LOI) for up to 24 CS300 aircraft Alsalam Aerospace Industries, Saudi Embraer Executive Jets announced the with EgyptAir Holding Company. This Arabia’s premier provider of Civil and enhancement of the flight experience firm-order contract is valued at approx- Government aircraft MRO, manufac- aboard its Legacy 450 and Legacy 500 imately $1.1 billion, or nearly $2.2 bil- turing and logistics services and Etihad mid-cabin business jets with cabin al- lion should EgyptAir also exercise the Airways Engineering, has announced titude considered among the lowest 12 purchase rights for CS300 aircraft. their intent to collaborate on several on the market and further reduced to a Emirates-Thales Inflight System manufacturing projects, involving best-in-class 5,800 ft. (1.768 m). Starting in 2020, partner companies thermo-forming, tube and pipe fabri- Michael Amalfitano, President and CEO, Emirates and Thales have signed a new cation, and machining and fabrication Embraer Executive Jets was clear that, agreement to enhance its Boeing 777X of various aircraft components. “With our focus on value, the Legacy fleet with the Inmarsat GX global net- Raytheon’s Airspace Systems 450 and Legacy 500 are setting new work next generation broadband in- At this year’s Dubai Airshow, Raytheon standards for the midsize cabin seg- flight connectivity and entertainment 14 ISSUE 551 DEC 2017 Events

go Zone Pavilion, the Airport Solutions Dubai Conference and the Gulf Avia- tion Training Event. Space Pavilion Explorers Astronaut Col. Worden, one of only 24 people to have flown to the moon and performed a deep space EVA on return aboard Apollo 15, delivered a strong message to future space explorers. Dubai’s first Space Conference pro- moting STEM (science, technology, en- gineering and maths) education, while the Emirates ‘Hope’ Mission is slated to land on Mars in 2021. Airport Solutions Debate With global passenger demand rising rapidly, seamless and enjoyable pas- system. aimed at reducing grounded aircraft senger journeys are key to successful Rockwell Collins Avionics time. airport operations. Dubai’s two-day The UAE company Calidus unveiled CEFA Data Systems conference focused on bringing to- Rockwell Collins’ flexible and modular The pilot training and flight safety com- gether the entire buying chain of the Pro Line Fusion integrated avionics sys- pany also launched its Aviation Mobile airport industry to highlight Dubai Air- tem for Light Attack and Trainer aircraft Services (AMS), a software solution, port’s drive for increasing capacity (118 (LATR). The new Calidus B-250 is a supe- described by CEO Dominique Mineo million passengers by 2023). A new rior light attack and advanced trainer as “a revolution in pilot training” by en- extension phase destined to open next aircraft designed for light combat and abling pilots to review an animation of year and further DXB Plus technologi- asymmetric warfare in counter-insur- their flight immediately on landing. cal features are set to make the airport gency (COIN), Close Air Support (CAS), CEFA’s safety and flight data monitor- “a city in its own right”. or Intelligence, Surveillance & Recon- ing systems are used by more than 80 Cargo Conference Proposals naissance (ISR) missions. airlines globally, increasing pilot safety The inaugural Cargo Zone conference BAE Broadsword Innovation and training by offering high-fidelity celebrated the rise of air freight with The BAE Systems stand was the de- visualisations to analyse unusual con- recognition that the cargo industry is but of the light, flexible single-battery ditions, landing patterns and different moving towards a specialisation revo- Broadsword Spine for armed forces and aircraft controls. lution. Emirates SkyCargo analyses civil defence. A full-equipment man- Atlas Flight Simulator every single vertical sector it serves to worn data and power management As a first-time exhibitor, the 100% Emi- enable a true supply chain solution. system, it is based around a textile rati company proudly displayed its Meanwhile, Glyn Hughes, Global Head engineered by the UK company Intelli- next–generation digital training de- of Cargo, IATA, revealed that air freight gent Textile to weave conductive fibres vice – a universal flight simulator made accounted for $5.9 billion of cargo in into a material without cables or wires. of touchscreens and flight controls 2016 or 35% of global trade. Honeywell Aircraft Support and incorporating the certified two- GATE Middle-East Conference Honeywell has signed a 15-year Com- channel Harris Multi-channel Airborne The Middle East’s aviation industry ponent Service Solutions agreement Networking Radio. needs to address challenges in the with Emirates Airline for their Airbus Conferences recruitment, training and retention A380 and Boeing 777 aircraft. The tech- Committed to making the Airshow a of both pilots and engineers, accord- nology used in this agreement extends centre of global thought leadership, ing to Dubai Airshow’s Gulf Aviation through 2031 and covers comprehen- Dubai hosted the Space Pavilion and Training Event (GATE). The programme sive component support solutions Conference, the UAV Summit, the Car- examined how the Middle East region 15

intends to stay ahead of the industry curve, with education funding a key concern for airlines less likely to pay high fees to train pilots than risk losing to competitors. The conference heard how Mubadala is looking to inspire the next genera- tion of engineers and operational pro- fessionals by expanding its education programme to earlier school years. The Abu Dhabi-based investment firm now runs programmes designed to interest youngsters in the aerospace and engi- neering fields, taking professionals into schools to offer real world examples of the career benefits. UAE Armed Forces Deals at the show The UAE Ministry of Defence and Armed Forces (AF) revealed their pur- chase of 60 Lockheed Martin F-16s and support for radars and aircraft . t.BYJNT"JSUPMFBTFBJSDBSHPTFSWJDF intention to sign a contract with Das- t%VCBJCBTFE"JSCPSOF4ZTUFNTUPQSP- aircraft . sault and Thales to upgrade their Mi- vide spare parts and logistical/techni- t (FSNBO )BXUIPSO -JNJUFE XJMM QSP- rage 2000-9 aircraft . cal support for helicopters. vide technical support and supply AF signed contracts with multiple in- t4PVUI"GSJDBO%FOFM%ZOBNJDTUPQSP- spare parts . ternational and local companies, in- cure Seeker aircraft. t5JNF&MFDUSPBOE$POUSBDUJOH$PNQB- cluding Abu Dhabi Aviation, Thales, t 6"&T %IBCJ %SJMMJOH UP QSPWJEF "' ny to install and provide maintenance Augusta Westland and Global Aero- maintenance and technical support. to a communications tower. space Logistics. The USD 15 billion or- t5DPN 64  UP QSPWJEF SBEBS TZTUFN t #SJUJTI 4FDVSJUZ BOE $PVOUFSJOUFMMJ- der book of UAE Armed Forces includ- technical support. gence Group to provide services and ed the following deals: t 6"&T (MPCBM "FSPTQBDF -PHJTUJD UP rehabilitate drones. t -PDLIFFE .BSUJO $PSQ UP VQHSBEF provide technical support, spare parts t $ "EWBODFE 4PMVUJPOT UP QSPWJEF F-16 jet fighters for AED 6 billion (US and inspection. 2-year communication and informa- 1.63 billion). t 3BZUIFPO UP QSPDVSF 1BUSJPU TQBSF tion technology services and logistic t3BZUIFPOUPCVZ(#6BOE(#6 parts and equipment. support. bomb accessories, materials and de- t6"&T"M5BZG5FDIOJDBM4FSWJDFT$PN- t #FMUFDI &YQPSU UP QSPWJEF NBJOUF- vices (AED 2.5 billion). pany to provide air defence mainte- nance and rehabilitation services . t(MPCBM"FSPTQBDF-PHJTUJDT$PNQBOZ nance services . t5VSLJTI$IFNJDBMBOE.FDIBOJDBM*O- to provide helicopter technical services t "EWBODFE *OUFHSBUFE 4ZTUFNT $PN- dustries Corporation to purchase MK- and logistic support (AED 1.45 billion) pany to provide reconnaissance aircraft 82 and MK-84 bombs. t &UJIBE "JSXBZT UP QSPWJEF USBOTQPSU services, maintenance and logistic sup- t4XJTT3IFJONFUBM"JS%FGFOTFUPCVZ and shipment services port. 35 mm artillery ammunition for air de- t"JSCVT%FGFOTF4QBDF4QBJOUPCVZ t 64 (PPESJDI $PSQPSBUJPO UP QVS- fence . five C-295 MW military transport air- chase and upgrade MS-110 air recon- t*0."9UPQSPWJEFBOESFIBCJMJUBUF"JS craft and technical services naissance containers . Tractor plane maintenance services. t 'SBODFT .#%" UP QSPWJEF UFDIOJDBM t6"&T5BXB[VO%ZOBNJDT$PNQBOZUP t$"&.BSJUJNF.JEEMF&BTU--$UPTFU support . purchase P-3 bomb supplements/ac- up a systems training centre. t6"&T&NJSBUFT"WJBUJPO4VQQMZ$FO- cessories for Mirage 9-2000 and Black ter to provide spare parts and technical Hawk aircraft . 16 ISSUE 551 DEC 2017 Events

BIDEC 2017: The Inaugural Edition Concludes With US$3.8 billion Deal

The first Bahrain International Defense Exhibition & Conference (BIDEC) has concluded TVDDFTTGVMMZXJUIUIFQBSUJDJQBUJPOPGFYIJCJUJOHDPNQBOJFTGSPNDPVOUSJFT

Bahrain’s first Tri-Service Expo - cover- ees at the Bahrain Centre for Strategic, ton operating system, the UAE-based ing Air, Land and Sea was held under International and Energy Studies “De- firearms manufacturer Caracal pre- the patronage of His Majesty King rasat” and Spokesperson and Chair- sented its CAR 816 in service with the Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa and was offi- man of MEMAC Organising Committee Royal Guard of Bahrain armed forces. cially opened by the Royal Guard Com- recognized that the Kingdom of Bah- The CAR 816 is a center-fire, gas oper- mander, His Highness Sheikh Nasser rain is a force for peace contributing to ated and system assault bin Hamad Al-Khalifa who praised stability in the world: with a full-auto fire control group Bahrain’s lead in hosting such unique “We had almost 9120 visitors from at 850 rounds per minute including security and military events. around the world to see the latest fully ambidextrous controls, a selector “The reality has become even more technology and equipment. It was a switch and ambidextrous magazine beautiful after the remarkable success privilege to have Saudi Arabia as our release. of BIDEC, which brought together se- partner and we are very glad to sign iXblue’s full range of navigation so- nior military leaders and spokesper- the $3.8 billion deal for the purchase of lutions sons specializing in strategic and po- Lockheed Martin’s F-16 Block 70s.” iXblue featured prominently in BIDEC litical affairs.” Caracal’s high-tech covering the entire spectrum of naval HE Dr Shaikh Abdullah bin Ahmed Al Chambered in 5.56 x 45mm NATO and land defense applications for navi- Khalifa, Chairman of the Board of Trust- with a short stroke pushrod gas pis- gation, positioning and underwater 17

high-level protection, the URAL meets paramilitary users’ needs for a high- capacity armored vehicle taking into account driving and personnel com- fort. The specially developed suspen- sion allows significant personnel com- fort, easy drive and ergonomic interior alongside five doors and different lay- outs. Providing one-of-a-kind amphibious mobility, protection and modular- ity, the COBRA is actively used in 15 countries and is the choice vehicle for the United Nations peace keeping forces thanks to its superior capabili- ties. In Bahrein, the COBRA is in service Bahrain Crown Prince at BIDEC in both the police force and national guard. Exhibitor highlights Saudi Arabia’s innovative Skyguard The launch edition of the show at UAV Bahrain International Exhibition The Prince Sultan Advanced Tech Re- & Convention Centre had country search Institute (PSATRI) presented pavilions from the UK, USA, Saudi the Skyguard, its latest unmanned Arabia, , Russia, France aerial vehicle (UAV) fully developed and Pakistan. Sixty-one official del- and designed in Saudi Arabia, with egations from 26 countries, includ- customized avionic system units for ing big delegations from Saudi improved flight control power man- Arabia and the UAE graced the agement and electromechanical sys- event. BIDEC 2017 had 38 official tems integration. The Skyguard can defence and security media part- fly at a maximum altitude of 18,000 ners. The event received official feet and a maximum range of 150 km support from the Bahrain Defence with a flight duration of 8 hours, with a Force, Royal Bahrain Air Force, maximum payload of 50 kg including Royal Bahrain Naval Force, Royal infra-red night vision and day camera. Guard, National Guard, Ministry of Oman’s new armored vehicle UAE Chief of Staff at BIDEC Information Affairs and Ministry of Oman’s Engine Engineering Company Foreign Affairs. protection and wide range of weapon has developed a full range of 4x4 ar- integration options. Turkey’s largest mored vehicles based on a KIA Motors imaging. At the core of iXblue’s retro- privately owned defense company jeep chassis design with two large fit programs is the modernization of boasts the widest land defense system windows at the front of the crew com- navigation and pointing systems, such 4x4 to 8x product range and has now partment and one single door on each as replacing obsolete gyrocompass reached an agreement with Tawazun side, including three small bulletproof technologies with more modern Fiber- for the supply of 8x8 amphibious in- windows with individual firing ports Optical Gyroscopes (FOGs). fantry fighting vehicles to UAE Armed on each side. The roof of the NIMR III Otokar showcases its vehicular range Forces. vehicle can be fitted with open top Otokar presented ARMA 6x6, a modu- URAL and COBRA undertaking turret or remote weapon station be lar multi-wheeled vehicle with supe- the most challenging missions armed with a 7.62mm caliber light rior mobility, high mine and ballistic Featuring outstanding mobility and . 18 ISSUE 551 DEC 2017 Events

Armoured vehicles on display

Streit Group’s armored vehicle range machine gun. pable of overpassing water obstacles. The Streit Group’s armored Toyota Black Wolf’s 4x4 tactical vehicle Lacroix’s launcher and Qioptiq’s Land Cruiser vehicles feature full ve- A family-owned Canadian business in- thermal sights hicle armoring with certified steel to volved in the design and manufactur- The growing need for protection at resist external ballistic threats from any ing of armored trucks for more than sea takes place in the age of sophisti- angle, with the OEM suspension and 50 years, Cambli unveiled its multi- cated missile homing devices, where brake system fully upgraded to sup- mission armored intervention vehicle airborne countermeasures must be port full weight of armor without com- used for SWAT, Special Forces, Armored designed to protect combat jets, ro- promising the vehicle’s performance. Personnel Carrier (APC). tary wings or large transport platforms The TLC-79 Land Cruiser retains off- Cambli has focused on keeping the to defeat laser-guided missiles. In re- road capabilities with armor protec- Black Wolf as light as possible, using a sponse, Lacroix has introduced the tion level CEN B6 against firing of small lightweight high-level ballistic steel to SYLENA MK2 decoy launcher to pro- arms 7.62mm NATO caliber and hand armor the vehicle up to level B6 and vide optimal corvette and frigate pro- grenades, while the Ford F350 Special choosing the new Ford F-550 chassis tection to the Bahrein Navy. Duty is a full vehicle armored point for its capacities and its robustness Qioptiq also took the opportunity to vehicle upgraded to support full ar- because its front axle can support a showcase its DRAGON-S (Sniper) Clip- mor weight, with a 360° view glass tur- weight of 3,400 kg (7,500 lbs) while On Thermal Sight and the MERLIN-LR ret armed with a 7.62mm or 12.7mm reducing the maintenance costs of the at BIDEC’s night sniper demonstration. machine gun or automatic grenade vehicle. DRAGON-S (Sniper) Clip-On Thermal launcher. Zavolzhsky’s all-terrain crawlers Sight provides snipers with a 24-hour Theeb’s long-range patrol vehicles The Russian company presented surveillance and target engagement The Special Forces of Bahrain Royal the GAZ-3344-20 consisting of two capability, while he MERLIN-LR repli- Guard unveiled its home-made Theeb tracked vehicle units linked by a steer- cates the same capability with a high- long-range patrol vehicle based on a ing mechanism, running at maximum resolution collimated night sight in Toyota Land Cruiser chassis carrying road speed of 50 km with a maximum front of the existing day sight. a total of five military personnel, with cruising range of 450 km. while also Iguana Pro amphibious mobility a NIMER circular ring fun mounting being fully amphibious with a maxi- BIDEC found the French boats manu- system at the center of the vehicle. mum speed in the water of 3.8 km/h. facturer Iguana entering the military The commander position is equipped Weighing 11 tons with a 3000kg cargo sector with its Iguana Pro, a unique with one swivel station, armed with capacity, the crawler can be operated amphibious boat with retractable a 7.62mm machine gun at the rear of at ambient temperature of +40 to -50 tracks, based on a deep-V carbon fi- the vehicle alongside a 7.62 or 5.56mm C° on all road & climate conditions, ca- ber hull with shock mitigation con- 19

Colt also unveiled its new M5 En- hanced 5.56mm caliber cur- rently available in three-barrel length configurations with a completely re- designed lower receiver and a 6-por- tion receiver extension adaptable to different-sized and bilateral shoot- ers. It has a low-profile gas block in a carbine length gas system and a free float modular rail system, using a con- ventional short-stroke tappet piston and chamber barrel modifications to ventilate gas and provide further air circulation. Cambli’s next-gen armored tactical truck Based on a Kenworth T370 4x4 chas- sis with Cummins ISC 315hp turbo- charged engine and an Allison 3000 RDS five-speed automatic transmis- sion, Cambli’s Thunder 2 offers a high level of mobility and maximum pro- tection against small arms and IEDs blast threats. The hull of the Thunder 2 provides a ballistic protection B7 level, the roof has a small 360° rotation tur- ret, and the bottom part of the chassis is equipped with retractable hydraulic armor plates. The Thunder 2 has been especially designed for extreme cli- matic conditions in the Middle East struction. Taking only 8 seconds to UMIS system can perform full robotic and Africa, with a triple AC (Air Condi- shift the landing gear while enabling missions using an advanced command tioning) system and tried tested in 60° operational safety in strong weather and control system to locate, identify C temperatures. and breaking seas, the boat features and neutralize the underwater threat. Alakran ground-breaking mobile Ullman Patrol Jockey Seats and Semi EIMOS mortar system and Colt en- mortar system Active Progressive Shock Mitigation hanced carbine ’s Everis Aerospace and Defense allowing the human muscular reflex Amongst its for air, land and sea solu- presented the Alakran mobile 120mm system to synergize with the mechani- tions, the EIMOS 81mm mortar system electromechanical aiming system cal suspension, resulting in mitigation is integrated into a URO Vamtac, a high with new Zonal Shooting and Multiple of 76% of the shock force mobility lightweight 4x4 vehicle uti- Rounds Simultaneous Impact to sim- ECA’s all-environment robotic solu- lizing an 81 mm long-range cannon ply operations by increasing the mor- tions facilitating integration with legacy or tar effect over the enemy. Mounted on The ECA Group is recognized for its other command-and-control systems. a Toyota chassis Landcruiser, it is easily competence in the air, land and sea EIMOS also offers complete solutions integrated into other light or pickup robotic field collaborating with un- in ammunition for indirect fire support vehicles with a maximum range of manned or remotely-operated solu- operations from 60-155mm with its 8,250 m and ready to fire in only 30 tions, to carry out the most complex 105mm and 155mm Extended Range seconds in a vehicle carrying a total of mine warfare missions. ECA’s new family ammunition. 40 rounds. 20 ISSUE 551 DEC 2017 Events

automatic transmission, running at a maximum road speed of 110 km and cruising range of 500 km. Leonardo’s modernized tank up- grade Leonardo presented its M60 tank over- haul and upgrade program, offering a complete cost-effective moderniza- tion of crew survivability, mobility and lethality via a modular package inte- grating a new main gun with a new Fire Control System (FCS). Manufac- Next-generation Bridgeway protec- unveiled its new 8x8 armored to re- tured with the latest-generation steel, tion barriers spond to the new needs of Pakistani the 120/45 mm gun now has reduced Bridgeway Pro-Barriers act as a de- army, accommodating a total of 13 weight and low recoil limiting structur- fense wall built in many configurations military personnel including driver, al stress on the hull and eliminates in- to ensure that the entire area of a base commander and gunner. The HAMZA tegration risks with heritage platforms. camp is secure and vital supplies are 6x6 has a combat weight of 20-22 tons The fire control system integrates day protected from attack. They are made and a payload capacity of 7 tons maxi- and night optronics with high-level of galvanized weld mesh lined with mum, fitted with a full range of weap- ballistic protection and modern on- a high UV resistant non-woven geo- on systems including small turret or board equipment, while integrating textile specially manufactured with a remote weapon station with machine a new Hitrole remote control weapon product with long life, tested for dura- gun or automatic cannon up to 30 mm system, enabling 360° panoramic bility, stack ability and blast attack ac- caliber. surveillance. The M60’s up-power ca- cording to international standards. The The vehicle features a V-shaped wall pability guarantees a higher power- barriers come in a range of sizes from monocoque armored hull design, of- to-weight ratio alongside the installa- the Pro-Barrier 1 to the Pro-Barrier 4 fering advanced protection features tion of an Automatic Fire and Explo- and in white, beige and green col- and superior off-road mobility, with sion Sensing and Suppressing system ors and requiring limited manpower ballistic protection against the firing of (AFSS), while the improved on-board to construct using an excavator or small arms 14.5 mm caliber and a mine subsystems enhances the platform’s wheeled loader to fill units with local blast of 10 kg of TNT. It is motorized capabilities and extends its operation- material. with a Cummins ISM 500 6 cylinders al life. Cavalier’s innovative 6x6 MRAP Turbo-Charged and Intercooled diesel Katmerciler’s armored vehicle range At this year’s BIDEC, the Cavalier Group engine coupled to an Allison 6 speed Turkey’s Security and Armed Forces 21

have benefitted from Katmerciler’s wide vehicular defense portfolio, par- ticularly the HIZIR Tactical Wheeled Ar- mored vehicle launched during High Tech Port 2016 by President Erdogan. The NEFER composite-based armoring system is lighter than armor while pro- viding 4x4 off-road features and the same protection level for both coun- tryside and inner-city usage. Ritter & Stark’s high-tech Austria’s Ritter and Stark presented its new sniper rifle SLX .308win caliber as MIL-STD-1913 (20, 30 or gains in barrel life. The adjustable the most flexible precision rifle avail- 40 MOA optional) fixed directly on the stock allows length of pull, cheek piece able on the market, equipped with an barrel allowing the rifle scope to re- height and recoil pad position adjust- adjustable two-stage Remington 700® main zeroed after barrel change. The ment, while the optional Ritter & Stark trigger, an AR-15 style-flat-top grip SLX’s unique proprietary stress-free folding mechanism allows the stock to and a handguard that accommodates process allows the unmatched be folded to the right or left side of the M-LOK® mounting interface. out-of-the-box precision of 1/2 MOA* receiver. Each barrel is supplied with a 12 MOA to be maintained with substantial

NETWORKED COMMS FOR TODAY’S MOBILE ARMY Photo courtesy of Textron NetCom™ Communications Management System Featuring low SWaP, adaptive noise cancellation and an embedded caution and warning generator, NetCom offers clear, reliable communications for enhanced situational awareness and safety. To learn more, visit www.telephonics.com.

© Telephonics I www.telephonics.com 22 ISSUE 551 DEC 2017 Interview UAE–Japan ties: Getting Diverse and Stronger Every Year By: Sakha Pramod Japan displayed the Kawasaki C-2, a mid-size, twin-turbofan engine, long range, high speed military transport aircraft developed and manufactured by Kawasaki Aerospace Company at the Dubai Airshow this year. The C2 flew to Dubai making its international debut at the Airshow underscoring the importance Japan accords to the UAE. Japan is committed to working together with UAE to contain piracy on the high seas which is a major threat to international maritime navigation and also in space, having signed an MoU last May with the UAE Space Agency on space activities for peaceful purposes. Earlier in March, a cooperation arrangement between the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency and UAE Space Agency was agreed. The UAE has ambitious projects newable energy to food. represented by the Emirates Mars The ties can be extended to culture Mission and Mars 2117 Project. Ja- and sports with prospects of cultural pan will make further contributions exchanges in falconry, equestrian through technical cooperation and and judo to connect the hearts and human resource development. Since feelings of peoples of both nations. a Japanese rocket will be used for the Japan and the UAE are also getting launch of the UAE Mars Probe, Japan ready to host global events in 2020 will indeed make its best efforts for a — Tokyo 2020 Olympics and Para- successful launch. At the fifth World lympics Game and Expo 2020 Dubai. Government Summit in Dubai, Japa- In a wide-ranging interview the Jap- nese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe had anese Parliamentary Vice-Minister of praised the UAE for its tolerance. Defense Keitaro OHNO tells Nation With a highly diversified economy Shield how the two way ties have and its status as a business hub cov- grown exponentially over the years. ering Central Asia, Africa and the How do you assess the current Middle East, the UAE has attracted state of Japan-UAE relations? many Japanese companies over the Japan’s ties with the UAE has been past few decades. In January 2016, going from strength to strength there were about 300 Japanese com- considering that the UAE represents Japanese Parliamentary Vice-Minister of panies in the UAE, dealing in every- nearly a third of Japan’s trade with Defense Keitaro OHNO thing from manufacturing and re- countries in the Middle East. “We 23

systems. It is the largest aircraft de- veloped in Japan with twin turbofan engines, high wing and T-tail. The aircraft is superior to others of the same type in performance, load- ing and capability and range. The refuelling receptacle is mounted on top of the fuselage, which enables further long distance and long en- durance flight. The C-2 cockpit is compatible with The C-2 can be used in tactical situations for playing various roles such as night vision goggles. In addition, C-2 international cooperation and emergency aid operations is equipped with Heads-Up-Display (HUD), which assist pilots to accom- have close ties in the energy sector is able to fly from here to Alaska. We plish missions by not only showing since the establishment of diplo- are a peace loving country and this is a flight path with guidance but also matic relations in 1972 and over the mainly a transport aircraft. We are us- indicating threats along the path. years, the ties have grown to include ing the aircraft for non-military pur- It has a large cargo compartment areas like economy, security and de- poses as well. Furthermore, we are with a high ceiling, and it is equipped fence, science and technology, edu- open to export opportunities of co- with the ramp door for drive-on and cation, medicine and space. operation with other governments. drive-off loading and unloading of Japan is a rather new entrant to What are the capabilities of C-2 air- vehicles. The enhanced labour sav- transport aircraft as Japan Air Self- craft? ing loading unloading system en- Defence Force first deployed Ka- The C-2 can be used in tactical situa- ables quick and easy loading and wasaki C-2 only this year. What po- tions for playing various roles such as unloading ground. With the latest tential do you see for this aircraft? international cooperation and emer- technologies, the C-2 flies faster and We are very happy to present our C-2 gency aid operations. It is a domesti- has greater range, heavier loading aircraft here for the first time. This air- cally developed and manufactured capacity, and a larger cargo com- craft has a long-range capability and aircraft adapting various new aircraft partment than the C-1 and other transport aircraft, thereby fulfilling a wide range of missions such as inter- national support operations. The aircraft can transport troops, drop supplies and undertake medi- cal evacuation during the day and night, even in hostile environments. Do you see the Middle East as a major client for this aircraft? We think this aircraft is of significance to this region since it is capable of landing on many types of runways. Heavier transport aircrafts some- times need reinforcing the existing runways. In addition, C-2 is suitable for missions, which do not need big- ger transport aircrafts. This also helps in cutting the cost of operations. Japanese Parliamentary Vice-Minister discussed key topics with Nation Shield 24 ISSUE 551 DEC 2017 Interview

Raytheon Celebrates 30 proud years in the UAE

By: Deepa Narwani

Nation Shield had an exclusive chat with Christopher J. Davis, President, Raytheon International, on the momentous occasion of the company’s 30th anniversary in the UAE.

At the recently concluded Dubai UAE in particular as this year Raythe- Airshow, Raytheon featured its ad- on is celebrating its 30th anniversary vanced capabilities in air and missile in the country. defence, border security, and land “We are really proud of our presence and naval systems among a wide in the UAE. Partnerships have been range of innovative solutions. On the the theme of our time here. Our part- sidelines of the show, Nation Shield nership here started with the Hawk caught up with the affable Christo- missile system 30 years ago and has pher J. Davis, President, Raytheon continued with what we call the In- International, who was previously tegrated Air and Missile Defence Raytheon’s Country Leader and Presi- (IAMD). dent in the UAE, and lived for more “Two of our most enduring relation- than 15 years in the country. ships are here in the Middle East. Last He said, “It is really nice for me to be year we celebrated 50 years in Saudi back here because I lived in the UAE Arabia and this year is our 30th anni- for almost 15 years. I now live and versary in the UAE. The relationships work in Washington DC. I am really that we have with our partners are proud of the work the company has extremely valuable and critical for done in the UAE to establish a really both sides. We provide defence solu- strong and unique relationship with tions and capabilities that our part- our customer.” ners need and we work very closely He highlighted that at the Dubai Air- with them to identify how best Ray- show, Raytheon aimed to reinforce theon can assist them by including its relationships and partnerships them in our experience journey.” Christopher J. Davis, President, Raytheon International that the company has built with the 25

Raytheon, Forcepoint and the U.S. National Cyber Security Alliance commissioned a global cyber talent survey that also included the UAE

Spotlight on cyber capabilities was that there is a huge gap be- “Our oldest partnership is with Abu Raytheon also showcased its cyber tween the amount of cybersecurity Dhabi Ship Building (ADSB). During capabilities at the airshow and are talent available compared to the de- IDEX earlier this year, we celebrated looking at how the company can mands for cybersecurity experts. So the anniversary of our 10-year re- partner with local entities to begin we spent a day discussing that with lationship. We have also partnered cyber activities in the country as well stakeholders from all over the region. with Tawazun to create jointly shared as in the region. The event was so well received that intellectual property and we are very Davis explained, “A lot of people know we are doing the same type of event proud of that,” he added. that the company creates traditional this year in Abu Dhabi, in conjunc- Davis pointed out that Raytheon aerospace and defence capabilities tion with the celebration of our 30th International has relationships and such as radars, missiles, etc. However, anniversary.” customers in over 80 countries and we also provide unmatched cyber Recently, Raytheon, Forcepoint and has offices in 15 countries across the expertise that protects every side the U.S. National Cyber Security Alli- world. of cyber for governments agencies, ance (NCSA) commissioned a global He said, “My current title is the Presi- business and nations. We are cur- cyber talent survey that also includ- dent of Raytheon International, a rently exploring how best our cyber ed the UAE, which found that young global business development or- solutions can add value to our part- adults in the country are consider- ganisation that generates almost 32 ners and enable them to benefit from ably more likely to choose a career in per cent of Raytheon’s annual sales, our full suite of cyber capabilities. cybersecurity than their peers else- which equates to approximately 30 What we see is that with any type of where in the world. The survey also per cent of 25 billion dollars. It is a local presence that we put here with discovered that the UAE has been very significant organisation that has a cyber capability, we would want to successful in engaging most youth to relationships in Europe, Asia, and the work with not only local entities but try activities that would let them test Middle East. Some of the most en- also education institutions. It speaks their interest and aptitude for cyber- during relationships, of course, come of the partnership aspect of how we security careers. from our Middle East partners.” are trying to approach our relation- In addition, the survey found that Message on the occasion of UAE ships here.” young Emiratis hold values that sup- National Day Last year, Raytheon had participants port a strong cybersecurity posture Davis concluded by saying, “I would from Mubadala, Tawazun, and Khal- for their nation, saying they think cy- like to say that everyone at Raytheon ifa University, and they spent a day bersecurity issues are important and would like to wish a very happy 46th discussing how society can better offering to serve in national security birthday to the UAE and the spirit educate young Emirati’s in the realm roles. of the union. We are proud because of cybersecurity. The forum was Forging strong partnerships in the 46 years of the UAE, we have called ‘Bridging the cybersecurity tal- Raytheon has several important part- been here for 30 of those and hope ent gap’. nerships in the UAE, highlighted Da- to be here for 30 more!” “The idea behind hosting the forum vis. 26 ISSUE 551 DEC 2017 Interview Elettronica builds on a long-standing relationship with the UAE Nation Shield sat down with Massimo Antonio de Bari, Head of Elettronica Group - UAE Office and Business Development Gulf, on the sidelines of the Dubai Airshow 2017, to discuss the company’s unique relationship with the UAE, its latest products and future plans.

The renowned electronic warfare (DIRCM) system as well as the provider and manufacturer, Elettron- Escort Jammer Pod and the ica, put the spotlight on a number Anti-Drone Interception Acqui- of their key product offerings at the sition Neutralization (ADRIAN) Dubai Airshow 2017. system. The DIRCM system is Massimo Antonio de Bari, Head of designed to provide a reliable Elettronica Group - UAE Office and and effective protection of Business Development Gulf, said: rotary and fixed wing aircraft “The Middle East market is of para- against current and future In- Massimo Antonio de Bari, Head of Elettronica fra-Red threats (i.e manpads). mount importance to Elettronica. We Group - UAE Office and Business Develop- are proud to be at the Dubai Airshow While the Escort Jammer Pod ment Gulf and have been participating since its is a fully integrated system, in- first edition. The company has a long tercepting and automatically terception Acquisition Neutraliza- history in this country and our first processing radar signals, managing tion) is the company’s state of art contract here was in 1984. The UAE the power transmitters to effectively Counter-UAV solution designed to represents a strategic partnership for jam several radar threats with high Ef- intercept and neutralise LSS (Low- us since then and was the first mar- fective Radiated Power (ERP). Small-Slow) UAV in multiple scenari- ket we worked with in the region. We Massimo de Bari highlighted: “The os and environments. keep working with the UAE Armed main task of the Escort Jammer is to “Traditional sensors and counter- Forces and institutions on several perform a comprehensive advanced measures may be not effective or not projects. The relationship that we warning and countermeasures cycle applicable in urban warfare. There- have with the country is unique be- against any hostile threats, which en- fore ADRIAN is based on multispec- cause it’s more a strategic partner- gage the attacking forces and adja- tral sensors (Radar, EO/IR, acoustic ship rather than a set of commercial cent flight formation and to enhance and radio link interceptor) perform- arrangements.” mission success. ing data fusion for detection and He added, “For short-term future To meet such demanding require- identification. ADRIAN architecture plans, we are hoping to be part of the ments, EDGE is designed to provide is modular and can be tailor-made new naval projects the UAE is plan- both individual and mutual protec- depending on operational, environ- ning to achieve.” tion to combat aircrafts. The support mental and cost/effectiveness re- Power of systems we received from the Italian Air Force quirements.” said Massimo de Bari. Some of the products Elettronica dis- to develop this system was hugely “This is something that can have a played at the show included the Di- important.” lot of applications, from the military rectional Infrared CounterMeasures The ADRIAN system (Anti-Drone In- to the law enforcement perspective. 27

DIRCM System ADRIAN is based on multispectral sensors

So far, the response to it has been Analysis, Data Mining and Fusion, all structured data from documents, very good. We perceived huge inter- integrated within both passive and web pages, social networks, etc.”. est from different kind of entities, also active defensive cyber applications.” “D-SINT is very useful not only for because the company delivers live One of the products Elettronica is intelligence purposes in military and demonstrations of ADRIAN showing promoting in the region is related to law enforcement environments, but how the system is able to take the the intelligence system called D-SINT it can also be provided in a differ- full control of the detected drone. We (Digital and Spectrum Intelligence In- ent version for business intelligence, expect demand for ADRIAN in this tegrated System), an integrated plat- allowing companies to exploit the country and the entire region.” form using a modular, scalable and platform capabilities to achieve their Highlighting cyber solutions open architecture providing all func- informational goals. Many compa- In 2014 Elettronica and Expert System tionalities for analysing and handling nies, also in UAE, are successfully op- created a joint venture company, CY- structured and non-structured multi- erating the D-SINT solution and we 4GATE, to address the fast converg- media, multi-format, multi-sensor in- expect others opting for it,” said Mas- ing market of electronic warfare and formation. simo de Bari. cyber intelligence solutions. The joint Massimo de Bari highlighted: “D-SINT The company also has a different ap- venture is headquartered in Rome. has been designed to manage and proach when it comes to training for “At the core of CY4Gate lies an in- support the intelligence full cycle, cyber products. It has signed a com- tegrated engineering convergence easing the extraction of information prehensive agreement with a private between the electromagnetic spec- from large volumes of data enabling university in Rome (LUISS) that offers trum, wireless, wired networks, and the effective use of human resources dedicated academic classes along operating systems,” said Massimo de and thereby shortening intelligence with lots of hands-on practice. Bari. response time. The presentation and Massimo de Bari said, “People will “Today CY4GATE is able to provide dissemination tool (called AMICO) be put in real critical situations and a range of solutions for intelligence, represents the smartest and fastest provided with the know-how and law enforcement and Electronic way to provide enriched and mean- tools to counteract in order to in- Warfare Departments for superior, ingful information to decision-mak- crease their skills to manage the cri- fast and comprehensive analysis ers. sis. The Cyber Academy is addressed of structured and non-structured “It combines superior text analysis to a large variety of parties, from the data streams from ELINT to Tactical/ and ontology capabilities with the Armed Forces to the police depart- Strategic COMINT and Open Source ability to explore, correlate, merge ment., law enforcement agencies (OSINT), virtual Humint, Meta Data and manage large quantities of un- and private institutions.” 28 ISSUE 551 DEC 2017 News

Russian Helicopters Concludes the First Export $POUSBDUGPSUIF4VQQMZPG.J" Russian Helicopters (part of Due to the digital navigation State Corporation Rostec) system with data indication concluded the first export on displays, the helicopter contract for the supply of me- can be operated by a crew dium multirole helicopter Mi- consisting of only two men. 171A2 with the Indian com- Introduction of equipment pany Vectra Group. for diagnostics and monitor- In accordance with provisions ing of essential systems status of this agreement, Mi-171A2 as a part of airborne avionics will be delivered to the cus- has increased the helicopter tomer in 2018. Moreover, the reliability and made it pos- contract provides for an op- sible to reduce maintenance tion for purchasing of one The multirole helicopter Mi-171A2 is time. The Mi-171A2 has a more helicopter. a result of in-depth modernisation of more effective X-type antitorque rotor “A wide range of potential customers helicopters from the world-famous and a new main rotor with all-composite from all over the world are keeping a Mi-8/M-17 series. There are about 80 blades with the improved airframe con- close eye on the development of this modifications in the Mi-171A2 design figuration. project and I’m sure that certification as compared to the baseline model. The supply of new machines and the and successful operation of Mi-171A2 The helicopter is equipped with the VK- implementation of a joint project on set- in India will allow them to translate their 2500PS-03 engines with the digital con- ting up an assembly line for Ka-226T he- interest into new contracts,” said CEO of trol system. It also has a power unit with licopters in India are subjects intended Russian Helicopters Andrey Boginsky af- the increased capacity and, therefore, to be discussed with the Indian partners. ter signing of the contract. strengthened transmission. Emirates partners with Thales for next genera- tion broadband connectivity

Emirates and Thales have signed a new agreement to equip its Boeing 777X fleet with the next generation broad- band inflight connectivity using Inmar- sat GX global network. The partnership will give Emirates customers best-in- class connectivity on its Boeing 777X aircraft due for delivery starting in 2020. develop and enhance the state-of-the- and today over 800,000 passengers per Emirates and Thales already have an art inflight entertainment and connec- month connect while inflight. Emirates, existing multi-million dollar deal to fit tivity (IFEC) on the 777X fleet. Thales and Inmarsat have invested heav- its Boeing 777X fleet with a next gen- Over the years, Emirates has invested ily in the new-generation Wi-Fi solution eration Thales AVANT inflight entertain- over $200 million dollars to equip its air- and will work together to meet increas- ment system. The new agreement is craft with connectivity. Demand for Wi-Fi ing demand for Wi-Fi on board. part of the Emirates and Thales’ plans to on board has been steadily increasing 29

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Embraer announced the enhancement of the flight experience aboard its Lega- cy 450 and Legacy 500 mid-cabin busi- ness jets. The cabin altitude of these two aircraft is already considered among the lowest on the market, but the maximum cabin altitude has been further reduced to a best-in-class 5,800 ft. (1.768 m). “With our focus on value, the Legacy 450 and Legacy 500 are setting new stan- dards for the midsize cabin segments,” said Michael Amalfitano, President and CEO, Embraer Executive Jets. “These aircraft are beautifully designed and brilliantly engineered, and they will con- der 27,050 ft. (8.245 m). club seats may be berthed into two beds tinue to elevate the experience that we Launched in 2008, the Legacy 500 and for complete rest in a 5,800-foot cabin provide our customers.” Legacy 450 entered the market in 2014 altitude. It is the first business aircraft in The current maximum cabin altitude of and 2015, respectively. Deliveries of its segment with full fly-by-wire technol- the Legacy 450 and Legacy 500 is 6,000 these aircraft with the new cabin altitude ogy, featuring side-stick flight controls ft. (1.828 m) when flying at 45,000 ft. enhancement will commence in the first and state-of-the-art Rockwell Collins Pro (13.716 m). The cabin pressurisation dif- quarter of 2018 when the upgrade also Line Fusion avionics suite with four 15.1- ferential was increased from 9.3 psi to becomes available to the installed fleet. inch high-resolution LCD displays. 9.73 psi to reduce the maximum cabin The Legacy 450 is a mid-light business The Legacy 500 has the best-in-class six- altitude to 5,800 ft. The aircraft’s environ- jet with a best-in-class six-foot-tall flat- foot flat-floor cabin, which is compara- mental control system also preserves a floor cabin. The Embraer DNA Design ble to those of some aircraft in the super sea-level cabin altitude while flying un- of the cabin includes four fully reclining midsize category.

)POFZXFMMTJHOTZFBSNBJOUFOBODFand repaired by Honeywell include avionics and mechanical parts. “One agreement with Emirates Airline of our goals is to increase the lifespan of Honeywell aircraft components and Honeywell has signed a 15-year Com- Honeywell’s strengths in the areas reduce airline operating costs,” said ponent Service Solutions agreement of component exchange and repairs David Shilliday, Vice President, Airlines, with Emirates Airline to maintain af- will help Emirates benefit from a Europe, Middle East, Africa and India, termarket components on the airline’s strong level of support and expertise, Honeywell Aerospace. “With our 24/7 fleet of Airbus A380 and Boeing 777 thereby reducing disruptions to op- aircraft on-the-ground support and aircraft. The technology used in this erations due to component repairs. 24-hour critical shipment of Honey- agreement extends through 2031 and Honeywell’s services are designed to well avionics and mechanical parts, covers comprehensive component reduce maintenance costs, lower cost Emirates can benefit from a significant repairs and support solutions for Emir- of ownership and provide the highest reduction in departure delays and ates’ fleet, thus reducing grounded possible fleet reliability. Aircraft com- cancelations, which will help Emirates’ aircraft time. ponents manufactured, supported commitment to on-time arrivals.” 30 ISSUE 551 DEC 2017 News

Bahrain and Kuwait opt for Lockeed Martin’s ATP For Bahrain’s Defence Force and Ku- wait’s Air Force, Lockheed Martin’s Bombardier signs LOI with Sniper Advanced Targeting Pod (ATP) is the pod of choice. As two of the EgyptAir for up most recent customers to select Snip- er ATP for their F-16 and F/A-18C/D (Hornet) aircraft, they join a growing to 24 CS300 aircraft group in the Middle East who utilise Bombardier Commercial Aircraft an- CS300 would fit perfectly into our busi- the pod’s unmatched targeting and nounced that it has signed a letter of ness plans and growth strategy. non-traditional intelligence, surveil- intent (LOI) for up to 24 CS300 aircraft “We selected the C Series aircraft be- lance and reconnaissance capabilities. with EgyptAir Holding Company, of cause its excellent range will allow us “With more than 400 Sniper ATPs sold Cairo. This includes 12 CS300 aircraft to best serve domestic and regional in the region and additional integra- with purchase rights for an additional destinations, including neighbouring tion opportunities identified, the Mid- 12 aircraft. Arab cities, the Middle East as well as dle East is a critical market,” said Paul Based on the list price of the CS300 several European destinations. This is Lemmo, Vice President of Fire Control/ airliner, a firm-order contract would in addition to the CS300 aircraft’s ex- Special Operations Forces Contractor be valued at approximately $1.1 bil- ceptional economics and outstanding Logistics Support Services at Lock- lion. Should EgyptAir also exercise the cabin. We look forward to expanding heed Martin Missiles and Fire Control. 12 purchase rights for CS300 aircraft, our network with the CS300 and we As an electro-optical targeting sys- the contract value would increase to are happy to see that the partnership tem contained in a single, lightweight nearly $2.2 billion. announced with Airbus will bring pod, Sniper ATP equips pilots with In the presence of His Excellency Min- added support to the C Series pro- high-resolution imagery and weapon- ister of Civil Aviation of Egypt Sherif gramme.” quality coordinates. Compatible with Fathi, a press conference was held at “We’re thrilled that EgyptAir selected the latest precision-guided weapons, the show where Safwat Musallam, the CS300 aircraft to renew its fleet,” Sniper ATP successfully supports the Chairman and CEO of EgyptAir Hold- said Fred Cromer. “Bombardier’s 20- detection, identification and engage- ing Company and Fred Cromer, Presi- year market outlook foresees demand ment of multiple moving and fixed dent, Bombardier Commercial Aircraft for 450 airplanes in the 60 to 150-seat targets in air-to-air and air-to-ground celebrated the signature of the letter category for the region and this LOI missions. of intent, which opens a new chapter confirms the need for right-sized air- With capabilities including long-range in the relationship between the two craft in the Middle East. We are con- detection and identification and con- companies. fident that our small single-aisle C tinuous stabilised surveillance, Sniper Musallam said, “It is our pleasure to Series is ideally-suited to serve the ATP enables aircrews to find and de- have this new partnership with Bom- hot temperature environments of the stroy targets outside of jet noise rang- bardier, which came as a continuation region and will undoubtedly provide es. Additionally, datalinks enable com- of our fleet modernisation strategy. We performance and economics that will munication with forward-deployed undertook a thorough evaluation pro- drive higher profitability.” forces, supporting rapid targeting cess of our fleet and realised that the decisions. 31

Falco EVO surveillance drone touch down in Middle East behalf of customers such as police and ment and Support (DE&S) Technol- emergency responders. ogy Office recently placed a two-year, Leonardo announced the completion In addition to the Falco family, Leon- jointly funded research and develop- of the first delivery of its Falco EVO ardo is a leader in the unmanned ro- ment contract with Leonardo with a Remotely-Piloted Air System (RPAS) torcraft domain, offering the ‘Solo’ and key aim being to identify, develop and to its launch customer in the Middle ‘Hero’ platforms. As part of the sys- exploit the opportunities offered by East. The first of the newly built aircraft tems’ ongoing development, the UK such emerging technologies. was completed in August with the ac- Ministry of Defence’s Defence Equip- ceptance test carried out at Leonardo’s RPAS design and construction facility in Ronchi dei Legionary, Italy. It was L3 WESCAM introduces mis- delivered in September. The Falco EVO, the longest-endurance sion rehearsal and simulation model from Leonardo’s Falco RPAS family, is a surveillance and intelli- gence-gathering platform that can fly training solutions for more than 20 hours while carrying a payload of up to 100 kg. The Falco EVO has already been selected by two customers in the Middle East and Gulf region, echoing the success of the original Falco RPAS, which has been chosen by five international custom- ers. Existing Falco aircraft can be con- verted to the EVO model via the instal- lation of a transformation kit, which adds longer wings and tail booms. More than 50 Falco family RPAS are currently in operation around the L3 WESCAM has introduced its new mission rehearsal and simulation training world, with some customers choosing solutions product line. With hands-on customer demonstrations of a fully net- to operate them independently while worked solution, including air, ground, maritime and command stations, this others, such as the United Nations for highly scalable line of training products will enable MX-Series operators and its humanitarian MONUSCO mission, crewmembers to train independently or as part of a virtual joint-force team us- opt for Leonardo to own and operate ing the latest gaming technology at an estimated 70 per cent cost savings over the Falco aircraft and provide surveil- traditional training courses. lance data as a managed service. This Modular in design, the products are deployable as a single part-task trainer or in latter model is seen as a growth area a full network-centric environment comprising L3’s MX-SIM, MX-SIM Lite, Tactical for Leonardo, which is why the compa- Mission Trainer, and flight and ground stations. Each product utilises integrated ny recently partnered with certified air Virtual Battlespace 3 imaging technology that allows multiple users, despite their operator Heli Protection Europe (HPE) geographical locations, to train within a single virtual world in real time. All bat- with a view to expanding the ‘drones tlefield and virtual entities can be preprogramed to react as they would in actual as a service’ offering into the civilian missions. Predefined weather conditions, terrains, aircraft, vehicles and maritime domain. vessels can also be customised per scenario to replicate the upcoming live mis- Here, Leonardo plans to offer surveil- sions for which crews are training. The mission rehearsal and simulation product lance and reconnaissance services on line is the newest component of L3 WESCAM’s complete training solution. 32 ISSUE 551 DEC 2017 Reports NIMR Announces First International Export

NIMR Automotive, a subsidiary of the testament to the company’s growing ing operationally deployed in a border UAE’s Emirates Defence Industries international footprint. security role. Company (EDIC), recently announced NIMR’s CEO Dr. Fahad Saif Harhara Al Receiving high marks for quality, dura- its first international contract to export Yafei said, “Our contract with Turkmen- bility and mobility against the rough its vehicles outside of the MENA region istan represents an important mile- terrain of Turkmenistan’s border re- through an agreement with the Min- stone for our company as it validates gion, the Ministry of Defense decided istry of Defense and Armed Forces of the quality and competitiveness of to advance its relationship with NIMR Turkmenistan. our vehicles in the global marketplace. to a formal status, requesting an un- The announcement was made ahead Furthermore, it illustrates the close and disclosed number of AJBAN LRSOVs in of the Defense and Security Exhibition enduring relationship between the bespoke configurations. The vehicles 2017, Bangkok, Thailand, where NIMR UAE and Turkmenistan.” are designed for long-range recon- exhibited a range of its leading vehi- The agreement follows the steady naissance missions, and are helicopter cles, developed to address the threat growth of NIMR’s relationship with the transportable, capable of accessing all landscape of Central and Southeast Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces terrains and customisable to accom- Asia. of Turkmenistan. Previously, a number modate a range of specific equipment. The agreement, which covers an initial of NIMR AJBAN 440A vehicles, provid- NIMR delivered the vehicles in October order of NIMR’s leading special forces ed to Turkmenistan through a govern- where they were featured at the Turk- platform, the AJBAN Long-range Spe- ment-to-government arrangement, menistan Independence Day Parade. cial Operations Vehicles (LRSOV), is underwent extensive trials before be- 33

Calidus B-250, the first multirole military light attack aircraft developed in UAE

Mohammed bin Ahmad Al Bowardi, players in the segment. asymmetric warfare situations,” Ham- Minister of State for Defence Affairs, Besides its multi-role operations, the dan Abdulla Al Shkeili, Chief Software visited Emirati company Calidus at the B-250 light attack aircraft is capable of Engineer, Calidus told Nation Shield.” recently concluded Dubai Airshow. delivering a wide range of capabilities “This 100 per cent new aircraft is de- During his inspection tour, he was for the modern challenges of today’s signed as a multirole platform to ad- briefed on the latest multi-role aircraft warfare conditions, and can also be dress successfully current and future produced by the company – the B-250. used as an advanced trainer. Calidus field challenges. The B-250 boasts The Minister of State for Defence Af- brought two such aircraft to the show. many unique features within its cat- fairs also praised the development One participated in the flight demon- egory, which are also firsts, such as its witnessed by the company, thereby strations and the other was on static 100 per cent carbon fibre structure, becoming the focus of the attention of display. which gives it unparalleled perfor- major international companies. Of the several advantages, the fore- mance and durability. Our aircraft is The B-250 is described as a major most is that the B-250 has an outstand- not only the first military light attack breakthrough in its category and the ing performance in its category and aircraft ever developed in the UAE but aircraft is the first military light attack leading-edge avionics and mission is one that will raise the bar through- aircraft to be developed in the UAE. systems. It also features a very low op- out the region through its leading- Fully designed from the ground up to erational cost, which is crucial in asym- edge features,” he added. address modern asymmetric warfare metrical warfare conditions. The first Light Attack Aircraft, devel- requirements in terms of capacity as “The B-250 aircraft is also a very effec- oped by Calidus, underscores the tech- well as operating cost, the aircraft has tive basic and advanced trainer aircraft nological strides the country has made already generated significant inter- capable of giving the required train- in the aerospace sector over the years. est among regional and international ing to pilots engaged in modern and 34 ISSUE 551 DEC 2017 Reports

Boeing Wins Landmark Deals At Dubai Airshow Boeing won sizable commitments and purchase rights for 50 additional planes President & CEO Kevin McAl- across its twin-aisle and single-aisle MAXs. lister. commercial airplane families, debuted “We welcome the continuation of our “This has been a very successful show key capabilities including the CST-100 long partnership with Boeing. Their for Boeing. Our regional customers Starliner docking and KC-46 refueling airplanes have provided a foundation have maintained their trust in our simulators, and announced services for the success of our business model, products and technology, and our agreements at the 2017 Dubai Air- providing us with the operational flex- partnerships in the Middle East re- show. ibility and range to build a network gion continue to grow,” said Bernard Boeing and flydubai signed a landmark of 95 destinations in 44 countries,” Dunn, President, Boeing Middle East, agreement for 225 737 MAX airplanes said flydubai Chairman His Highness North Africa and Turkey. “We signed with a list price value of $27 billion. The Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum. agreements with key airline partners deal represents the largest-ever single- “We are extremely honored that fly- including Emirates, flydubai, Azerbai- aisle jet order – by number of airplanes dubai has selected to be an all-Boeing jan Airlines, ALAFCO and Ethiopian and total value – from a Middle East operator for many years to come. This Airlines. In addition, Egyptair became a carrier. record-breaking agreement builds on new customer for the 787. Finally the Signed at the airshow in flydubai’s our strong partnership with flydubai airshow was a great opportunity to in- hometown, the agreement includes a and the other leading carriers of this troduce our newest business unit, Boe- commitment for 175 MAX airplanes, region,” said Boeing Commercial Air- ing Global Services, to the Middle East 35

market and reiterate the importance of a five-year strategic agreement, which creased availability of airplane parts the region to the Boeing Company.” will see Boeing provide Royal Jorda- for faster repair, repurposed aircraft The continued growth of the Middle nian with a comprehensive training or digital crew scheduling software,” East aviation market was underscored solution, including pilot type-rating added Deal. leading customers in the region who and recurrent training at its London Boeing forecasts that the Middle East announced orders and commitments Gatwick training campus. Addition- will need 3,350 new commercial air- for 296 airplanes, including 50 options, ally, it agreed with Cathay Pacific Air- planes valued at $730 billion over the with a value of about $50 billion at list ways to support its 747-8 freighter next 20 years for fleet renewal and prices. fleet through the Boeing Landing Gear growth, and that the operating tempo Boeing also celebrated the opening Overhaul and Exchange Program. Also, and age of military aircraft in the re- of Emirates Flight Training Academy Boeing through its subsidiary Aviall, gion will warrant a $90 billion invest- (EFTA), where it was selected to pro- announced it has launched its parts ment in services over the next 10 years. vide a customised, and integrated soft- sales and distribution agreement with By advancing technologies and sys- ware system for managing cadet learn- Rolls-Royce in support of their global tems that support this level of growth, ing and training using software. fleet of AE defense engines. Global Services plans to change the Boeing Defense, Space & Security wit- The recent launch of Boeing Global way airplanes and defense systems are nessed great interest in the CST-100 Services is a commitment from Boeing operated, upgraded and maintained Starliner docking simulator spacecraft to invest significantly in aftermarket throughout the products’ lifecycle. which made its debut in Dubai for the service capability innovation. Global Boeing-Aviall and Boeing-Jeppesen first time, highlighting the region’s Services President and Chief Executive facilities located in the UAE provide high interest for space travel and ex- Officer Stan Deal says that Global Ser- local supply chain and digital aviation ploration. Other defense products on vices is optimised to respond to cus- and analytics expertise, respectively. display included the MV-22 Osprey tomers’ evolving service needs quicker In addition, Boeing’s partnership with tiltrotor, AH-64 Apache and the CH-47 than ever before, and to offer increas- Alsalam Aerospace Industries and Chinook helicopters, as well as the F-15 ingly cost-competitive solutions in the Saudi Rotorcraft Support Center multi-role fighter. four main capability focus areas: sup- provides dedicated support for key Bringing faster lifecycle solutions to ply chain; engineering, modifications defense platforms and helps build a Middle East and maintenance; digital aviation and skilled workforce locally. Boeing Global Services group suc- analytics; and training and profession- Global Services also supports the Emir- cessfully wrapped up their inaugural al services. ates Flight Training Academy with Airshow with four service agreements. “Our efforts center on increasing plat- courseware and training systems, and Regionally it will provide custom ser- form utilisation and decreasing op- partners with airlines and in-country vicesceso from tethe Boeingoe g Globaloba Fleet eet eratingg, costs, which may y come in the defense forces to offer intuitive train- CareCare portfolioportfolio toto OmanOman Air,Air, as wwellell as fofformorm ofof tailoredtailored trainingtraining momodules,duless, iin-n- iningg tetechnologieschnologig es fforor ffutureuture pippilots.lots.

#PFJOHBOEøZEVCBJTJHOFEBMBOENBSLBHSFFNFOUGPS ."9BJSQMBOFTXJUIBMJTUQSJDFWBMVFPGCJMMJPO 36 ISSUE 551 DEC 2017 Reports Eurofighter Typhoon Excels in Round-the-Clock Operational Capability

Eurofighter Typhoon has provided a sneak preview of the ground-breaking advancements displayed by their new aircraft model. Selected media were briefed at the Dubai Airshow on the new e-scan ra- dar and various capability enhance- ments, such as P3E. Present at the Dubai event were the Royal Air Force, alongside Air Vice-Marshal Gerry May- hew of the Air Officer Commanding No. 1 Group and Raffael Klaschka, Ty- phoon Pilot and Head of Marketing of Eurofighter Jagdflugzeug GmbH. The Eurofighter Typhoon has clocked up more swing-role combat hours than any other new generation fighter in service today. Throughout 2017, the Eurofighter Typhoon has been on respectively. that Typhoon remains at the cutting round-the-clock operational demand. Raffael Klaschka, Head of Marketing edge of combat capability. The new fighter has now logged more for Eurofighter Jagdflugzeug GmbH, is Fully operational roll-out after Brim- than 10,000 swing-role combat fly- confident that: stone trials ing hours and has been carrying out Whether it is providing Close Air Sup- Brimstone will provide Typhoon with 24/7 NATO air policing duties and QRA port or Air Superiority missions, Euro- a low collateral, pin-point accurate air- activities for Eurofighter national air fighter Typhoon is a trusted and effec- to-surface weapon, further enhancing forces. tive asset against any hostile — on the the aircraft’s already combat-proven The aircraft is now the most advanced ground or in the air. swing-role performance. Planning for swing-role fighter available on the In addition, a series of live firings of the the next stages of Brimstone develop- world market. It has flown more than Brimstone precision strike missile from ment - including evaluation by the RAF 900 combat missions alone for the a Eurofighter Typhoon have recently in mid-2018 - is now underway in ad- Royal Air Force over Syria and Iraq. been completed with much success, vance of its entry into service. Moreover, as part of NATO Air Polic- so adding enhanced capability to the Brimstone is part of the Phase 3 En- ing duties, Eurofighter Typhoon has Typhoon. The trials, conducted from hancement (P3E) package, which also also been deployed from the Baltics to BAE Systems’ Military Air & Information includes mission system and sensor the Black Sea. Other recent Royal Air at Warton, Lancashire, UK, form part of upgrades. P3E is the final part of Proj- Force, Luftwaffe and Italian Air Force a programme of new enhancements ect Centurion as the programme built deployments have included opera- that will be rolled out across the Royal to ensure the smooth transition of Tor- tions in Romania, Estonia and Bulgaria Air Force (RAF). All these tests ensure nado GR4 capabilities to a fully opera- 37

Eurofighter Typhoon is currently the largest and most successful military procurement QSPHSBNNFJO&VSPQFXJUIBJSDSBGUIBWJOHBMSFBEZCFFOPSEFSFE tional Typhoon for the UK’s Royal Air ahead of roll-out to the UK fleet. The The Warton and Hebrides tests were Force. P2E package includes MBDA’s Meteor but the latest successful flight trials A total of nine firings and nine jettison Beyond Visual Range air-to-air missile conducted by the Eurofighter Partner trials began in July and have now been and the Storm Shadow deep strike Companies to add additional capabil- completed. They enjoyed the support stand-off air-to-surface missile. ity to the Eurofighter Typhoon. In en- of the UK Ministry of Defence, MBDA, Successful Meteor Programme Test- suring that the aircraft is ready to meet QinetiQ, Eurofighter GmbH and Euro- ing the threats of the future, Andy Flynn, fighter partner companies Airbus and A Eurofighter Typhoon recently com- Eurofighter Delivery Director for BAE Leonardo. pleted a simultaneous firing of two Systems UK, emphasizes that: The aim of the trials was to provide MBDA Meteor Beyond Visual Range This is another major milestone on weapons integration clearance for air-to-air missiles as part of a major the Meteor programme and the first operational use. They have covered programme to integrate the weapon. successful test of a dual firing. Me- a range of specific release scenarios, The test was conducted using Air- teor brings to Eurofighter Typhoon an involving testing at various heights, bus Defence & Space Instrumented unparalleled air-to-air engagement speeds and levels of G-force and in Production Aircraft (IPA 4) with the capability and this successful trial – various positions on the aircraft wing support of BAE Systems, Eurofighter following on from a series of firings and in the launcher. GmbH, MBDA and the UK’s Ministry of last year – is further evidence of how The nine firings have also been used Defence. the Eurofighter Partner Companies to perform data analysis and model The trial was used to test successful are working together to deliver major weapon performance. Further flight engagement of targets and simul- enhancements to Typhoon’s multi-role trials will take place in early 2018, fol- taneous two-way data link between capabilities. lowed by operational evaluation by the Typhoon and two missiles. The Customer Operational Evaluation and the RAF. data follows a series of six successful Training with Meteor is due to take Operational evaluation of the Phase Meteor firings conducted from Euro- place with the UK Royal Air Force 2 Enhancement (P2E) package is con- fighter Typhoon in 2016. After loading later this year, while eight customers tinuing with the RAF’s 41(R) Squad- activity at BAE Systems’ Military Air & have already ordered the Eurofighter ron – the Test and Evaluation Squad- Information site in Warton, UK, the tri- Typhoon (Germany, the United King- ron – at RAF Coningsby, Lincolnshire, als took place over the UK’s Hebrides dom, Italy, Spain, Austria, Saudi Arabia, UK. These tests will include live firings Range. Oman and Kuwait). 38 ISSUE 551 DEC 2017 Reports

Ka-52: The Pride of Russia’s Military

According to military officials, Russian livered to Russia`s military. The Ka-52 seat cockpit, while the rotorcraft can Armed Forces are ready for the deliv- ‘Alligator’ combat reconnaissance-at- be controlled by each pilot. High flight ery of a new generation of modern tack helicopter is designed to engage performance, in no small measure aircraft, including combat helicopters. both enemy tanks and armored or provided by the coaxial rotor scheme, In an open meeting of the Ministry of soft-skin vehicles. It provides round- provides high maneuverability in con- Defense’s (MoD) Board taking place on the-clock manpower on the frontline fined spaces to bring the aircraft to a November 7th, the Chief of the Gener- and in tactical depth in all weather position of advantage. al Staff of Russia’s Armed Forces, Gen- conditions. The rotary-wing ‘Alligator’ The Ka-52 is powered by two VK- eral of the Army Valery Gerasimov said: can conduct fire support, patrol and 2500-family (VK-2500 or VK-2500P) Since 2013, aviation formations and escort missions, while also reconnoi- gas-turbine engines with a power out- units have been receiving over 200 tering targets and sending target data put of 2,400 hp each, providing a flight modern aerial platforms on a yearly to interacting helicopters and ground altitude of more than 5,000 m. The basis, including the Su-30SM, Su-34, command posts. static ceiling of the ‘Alligator’ reaches Su-35S and MiG-31BM frontline aircraft With the Ka-52 model, the helicop- 4,000 m to ensure take-offs and land- and the Ka-52 and Mi-28N helicopters. ter’s signature has now been reduced. ings in hot climate and mountainous This has resulted in the rearmament of It is fitted with electronic protection terrains. Moreover, the helicopter can twelve aviation regiments, three bri- systems and countermeasure assets be used in cold weather and icing con- gades and six army aviation regiments in a design that meets Russian and ditions. with new hardware. international requirements to combat The new model has received an up-to- The Ka-52 is among the most modern rotary-wing aircraft and their technical date avionics and effective attack ar- pieces of aircraft equipment being de- operation. The Ka-52 features a twin- mament suite that can be reconfigured 39

to accomplish various missions. The will receive folding blades that will usage of the Ataka-1 and the Vikhr-1 ‘Alligator’ features high crew protec- allow the helicopters to be stored in anti-tank guided missiles and the Igla tion and modern automated systems hangars. The payload weight of the guided missiles was provided.” to assist piloting, supplemented by updated Ka-52 will be increased to de- Makushev also pointed out that the easy-handling ground maintenance. velop its tactical capabilities. helicopter’s onboard systems use digi- According to Russian Helicopters According to military officials, Russia’s tal maps and provide the automated Holding, a subsidiary of the Rostec rotary-wing platforms, including the input of mission tasks: state corporation, the Ka-52 reconnais- Ka-52, have proven their combat ef- The signal suite supports secure com- sance-attack helicopter has a practical fectiveness during counter-terrorism munication, including during the in- ceiling of up to 4,000 m, with a hover- operations in Syria. At the Army-2017 teraction with a forward air controller. ing ceiling of up to 4,000 m without international military-technical forum The onboard protection system inte- ground effect. The rotary-wing aircraft held in Moscow in August, the Chair- grated into the Ka-52 and the Mi-28N features a maximum climb rate of 16 man of the Russian Armed Forces’ Mili- ensures radar- and laser-homing warn- m/s and a vertical climb rate of 12 m/s tary-Scientific Committee and Deputy ing and effective countermeasures (both at the sea level). The helicopter`s Chief of the General Staff Lieutenant against man-portable air defense sys- cruise and maximum speeds reach General Igor Makushev confirmed tems fitted with infrared seekers. 260 km/h and 300 km/h, respectively. that: Russia’s military is now receiving the The Ka-52 has a practical flight range The Ka-52 and the Mi-28N modern ‘Alligators’ at an accelerated pace. Ac- of 460 km, being fueled by internal combat helicopters are widely used cording to deputy defense minister fuel tanks and a ferry range of 1,110 during the special operation to en- Yuri Borisov, the Russian MoD will be km. gage enemy`s tanks, armored vehicles in receipt of 14 Ka-52 helicopters this Armament Suite and Design and manpower, to conduct aerial re- year, while 50 rotary-wing aircraft of The helicopter`s armament suite is connaissance and to ensure security this type will have been delivered by comprised of a 2A42-1 30 mm auto- of the take-offs and landings of the 2020. The Ka-52 is also highly sought matic cannon, guided missile launch- fixed-wing aircraft at the Humaymim across the global market. ers (including the Ataka) and S-8 airbase. Ka-52K unguided rockets, with an optional According to Makushev, the helicop- To meet international demand, the Strelets missile system. Its ammuni- ters have been used in pairs by day holding is developing a marinized tion load is composed of up to 12 and by night in visual and harsh me- modification of the rotary-wing air- guided missiles, up to four Igla-S air- teorological conditions utilizing night craft designated the Ka-52K, where K to-air guided missiles, a maximum of vision googles: “The effective combat stands for Shipborne, Korebelny. The 80 S-8 rockets and 460 30 mm rounds. The Ka-52 is also equipped with a K- 37-800M ejection seat system. Moreover, the design of the rotary- wing platform has significant poten- tial for modernization. The further de- velopment of the Ka-52 program en- visages an increase to the helicopter`s firepower. An updated version of the ‘Alligator’ is believed to be in receipt of a new onboard suite intended to provide a drastic reinforcement to the protection of the aircraft against sur- face-to-air and air-to-air missiles. Its auxiliary power unit (APU) will be fitted with an additional generator to increase its reliability. The main rotor ,BJTBMTPIJHIMZTPVHIUBDSPTTUIFHMPCBMNBSLFU 40 ISSUE 551 DEC 2017 Reports

Russia has signed an agreement with &HZQUGPSUIFEFMJWFSZPG,B, ship-based attack helicopters

Ka-52K is a ship-based version of the operations both on the frontline and the requirements of Russia`s MoD. The Ka-52 Alligator reconnaissance and in tactical depth. Compared with the usage of the helicopter not only by combat helicopter, which is under basic Ka-52, the Ka-52K features a the ‘Admiral Kuznetsov’ heavy aircraft- production and destined for Russia’s number of differences. For instance, carrying cruiser, but also by other ships armed forces. Designed for overseas the marinized helicopter has received modified for single and group basing operations, the French-built - shortened folding stub-wings that are of helicopters is being considered. class amphibious assault ships and he- reinforced to carry heavy armaments. Moreover, the military has made a licopter are also being manufactured The ability to be stored in confined decision to base the Ka-52K on the in- by JSC Russian Helicopters. spaces is critical for a naval rotary-wing digenous advanced landing helicopter The helicopter can be deployed in platform. The main rotor of the Ka-52K docks. combat, target acquisition and des- is therefore fitted with folding blades, The serial production of the Ka-52K is ignation, maritime patrol and convoy allowing the helicopter to be stored anticipated for 2020, with four proto- escort missions. The first Ka-52K proto- under the deck of ships as well as in types of the helicopter currently being type made its maiden flight in March hangars. The dimensions of the Ka-52K tested. The helicopter is believed to 2015 and was displayed at Interna- have also been made more compact. be in receipt of new weapons; for in- tional Maritime Defence Show (IMDS- The anti-corrosive coating protects the stance, the Kh-38MEh guided missiles 2015) in July that same year. Russia has helicopter against the harsh climatic and the Kh-35UEh extended range an- now signed an agreement with Egypt conditions of the sea. The Ka-52K has ti-ship missiles (both developed by the for the delivery of 46 Ka-52K ship- received a centralized fueling system, Tactical Missiles Corporation, KTRV). based attack helicopters. an upgraded air cooling unit and a In summary, Russian Helicopters Hold- The Ka-52K is designed to accomplish radio-technical system of short-range ing is set to continue the development a wide range of round-the-clock naval navigation. According to the Director of the Ka-52 program, integrating the missions both day and night, includ- General of the Russian Helicopters, An- latest developments in the areas of ing patrolling, fire support of troops drei Boginsky: This rotary-wing aircraft weapons and electronics into the ‘Al- during landing and counter-sabotage is being developed in accordance with ligator’. 41 EDIC makes key announcements at Dubai Airshow Emirates Defense Industries Compa- ny (EDIC) recently announced at the Dubai Airshow that it has renamed its joint venture company Tawazun Dy- namics to Barij Dynamics as part of the continuous process of transforming the defence industry landscape in the UAE into an integrated group of com- panies to better serve customers. Barij Dynamics, previously known as (R-L) Ammar Al Ozaibi, GAL’s Chief Executive Officer with Rahul Shah, Senior Tawazun Dynamics was established Vice President- Strategic Growth and Business Development, AAR in 2012 between Tawazun Holding and the Dynamics division of Denel, showcased its latest product, the P3 support the UAE Armed Forces. owned by the Government of South precision guided munition. The P3 is a “GAL is extremely pleased to work with Africa and South Africa’s largest de- low cost, precision guided kit designed AAR as a flexible partner with a history fense manufacturer as a joint venture to improve the range and accuracy of of success,” said Ammar Al Ozaibi, GAL’s to build the Middle East region’s first the standard Mk-81 and Mk-82 aerial Chief Executive Officer. “GAL believes facility for the development, manu- bombs. The kit consists of either an very strongly in leveraging the experi- facture, assembly and integration of INS/GNSS guidance option or an INS/ ence of global leaders, such as AAR, to precision-guided systems for conven- GNSS SAL seeker version. It has been build capabilities in the distribution, tional air munitions. integrated on a number of platforms repairs, and support of military opera- Barij Dynamics is the Middle East’s first and serial production has already tors. AAR brings a level of sophistica- facility for the development, manu- commenced in the company’s facility tion and experience to GAL that re- facture, assembly and integration of in Abu Dhabi. duces both risks and costs for the end precision-guided systems for conven- GAL and AAR Corp user. Working together will allow GAL tional air munitions. Furthermore, EDIC’s subsidiary Global to use AAR’s extensive experience and The company manufactures the Al- Aerospace Logistics, LLC (GAL) and as a result, this will shorten GAL’s initial Tariq range, a family of strap-on bomb AAR Corp (AAR), an international avia- start-up time, which will undoubtedly kit systems, used on MK81, and MK82 tion aftermarket service provider, have prove invaluable to GAL, EDIC and the bombs. Al-Tariq provides the user with signed a MoU to develop enhanced Joint Aviation Command. ” all-weather, day or night operational support services for the UAE. Under Al Ozaibi added that the extended re- capabilities, utilising GPS/INS guid- this agreement, AAR will provide work- lationship ensures GAL and AAR will ance. The system allows for increased ing knowledge of PBL programmes meet and exceed operational needs targeting accuracy by using an Imag- to reduce overall risk and to greatly of the UAE Joint Aviation Command, ing Infrared ( IIR) with complete Auto- enhance the ability to increase opera- ensuring efficient and effective fleet matic Target Recognition ( ATR) capa- tions tempo with fully mission capable maintenance of the entire fleet of he- bility, or a semi-active laser seeker. aircraft at an overall cost savings, en- licopters and fixed wing aircraft oper- At the airshow, Barij Dynamics also hancing both companies’ ability to ated in the UAE. 42 ISSUE 551 DEC 2017 Reports

Multirole Mastery with the Aermacchi M-346FA

The FA (Fighter Attack) is an enhanced will now see, it includes the advanced air policing, tactical reconnaissance version of the advanced Aermacchi and pre-operational training capabili- and support for personnel recovery M-346 twin-engine trainer, designed ties of the basic version alongside sev- operations in combat areas. Here, the and manufactured by Leonardo’s Air- eral innovative features. use of low-cost aircraft would be suf- craft Division. It is an evolution of the Realizing operational requirements ficient so long as they are equipped dual role FT (Fighter Trainer), tailored In today’s operational scenarios, partic- with radar, a state-of-the-art designa- to meeting Air Forces’ growing and di- ularly those with a low-medium threat tor pod, modern and technologically versified operational requirements. level, modern and expensive 20 or 30 advanced self-protection systems, a The FA is an extremely effective and ton class fighter aircraft are often used state-of-the-art data link and a critical low-cost tactical solution for the mod- for missions with high operating costs. air-to-air refuelling capability. ern battlefield. It offers air forces the Generally, these are Close Air Support Low-cost tactical solution greatest level of performance and effi- (CAS) missions that should be carried The M-346FA was developed as a low- ciency with all the existing M-346’s AJT out in urban areas and for battlefield cost multirole master taking its lead (Advanced Jet Trainer) features. As we air interdiction, homeland security and from the M-346’s AJT advanced train- 43

M-346’s intrinsic peculiarities make it suitable to be an excellent low-cost multirole aircraft ing version already in service with the to a dedicated Tactical Data Link ac- spoke to Giacomo Iannelli, Project Test Italian, Israeli, Polish and air cording to the NATO Link 16 or other Pilot Trainer of Leonardo’s Aircraft Divi- forces. In comparison with the previ- standards. sion: “First of all, the low altitude speed ous model, the FA version has several Another key onboard attribute will be is very high even with external loads, unique features including upgraded the pulse-doppler multimode radar while other supersonic aircraft have avionics and two additional wing tip GRIFO-346, produced by Leonardo’s a better performance in a clean con- hardpoints (making seven in total) to Airborne & Space Systems Division. figuration, but get considerably worse arm two air-to-air missiles. This radar is specifically optimised for when loads are added. The M-346FA continues to maintain the M-346FA and originates from the The manoeuvrability is excellent the full dual role capability and entire Grifo family. Thus, with over 450 units thanks also to the 4-channel digital extremely advanced Integrated Train- sold worldwide, the GRIFO-346, repre- fly-by-wire flight control system and ing System. It will be equipped with sents a significant commercial success. this allows fast manoeuvring during a DASS (Defensive Aid Sub System) The M-346FA’s cost per flying hour is close air combat. The remarkable spe- self-defence system, which includes now 80% lower than the heavier and cific excess power allows the return a Radar Warning Receiver and a Chaff more expensive fighter used for close to baseeven with full payload, with and Flare dispenser, as well as a Mis- air support missions. one engine inoperative (OEI), at an sile Approach Warning System with six Leonardo Aircraft Specifications adequate altitude to keep out of the sensors offering comprehensive 360° In order to better understand the more common range missile threat, protection against any missile threat. M-346’s intrinsic peculiarities that guaranteeing a notable survivability The aircraft will be able to exchange all make it suitable to be an excellent low- capability. The so-called Carefree Han- tactical data safely in real time, thanks cost multirole aircraft, Nation Shield dling makes sure that the pilots can 44 ISSUE 551 DEC 2017 Reports

focus on the mission, without having trainer’s features, such as the on-board Movers Intercept Utilization for home- to worry about risking to exit the ex- Embedded Tactical Training System land security and air policing mission, pected flight envelope. (ETTS) that simulates in a Live Virtual the M-346FA has the benefit of iden- The twin-engine configuration assures Constructive (LVC) environment all the tifying potential threats of even a ter- a high battlefield survivability and, at systems and stores it will have to oper- rorist nature. As with small aircraft or the same time, the fuel consumption ate. This is a significant advantage for ultralight helicopters, the M-346FA can is kept low thanks to the engine’s ef- the pilots who are able to pass seam- be equipped with short range infrared ficiency, definitely providing a good lessly from training to real missions guided air-to-air missiles and a cen- range, that can be further extended without having to change the aircraft.” treline pod that houses a cannon or, by air refuelling, a capability which is The FA’s new operational capabilities upon customer request, an ECM elec- already operational within Italian Air thus supplement those that the M-346 tronic warfare jamming pod. Force. The Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) is already able to offer. An “Aggressor” Search-and-Rescue Support assures completely autonomous flight and “Companion Trainer” is now avail- Suitably configured with a mix of air- operations. able for Combat Ready pilot training, to-surface and air-to-air stores, the M- Furthermore, the visibility is excellent as the Israeli and Italian air forces have 346FA can carry out support missions as the M-346 was born as a trainer, it been able to demonstrate successfully. for complex Personnel Recovery/Com- is a two-seater aircraft and this is very Multi-mission functionality bat Search and Rescue operations. important during low altitude flight. We can thus list the benefits of mul- These include problem-free recovery The back-seater pilot can also be act as tiple mission types, bearing mind that of personnel, even on hostile ground, a Weapons System Operator or a more the M-346’s transportable external along with search-and-rescue for flight specialised FAC-A (Forward Air Con- stores amounts to over 2 tons in addi- crews shot down in enemy territory. troller – Airborne) role”. tion to the 138 gallons in each auxiliary Reconnaissance missions Here it is important to mention the fuel tank. Finally, in the case of reconnaissance state of the art Human-Machine Inter- Strike missions missions, the M-346FA has been face which includes advanced systems For strike missions, a series of both equipped with a dedicated pod al- to provide data to the pilots, including guided and unguided 500 lb class ready used effectively by various air Multi-Function Display (MFD), Head munitions can be integrated, includ- forces (including Italy’s AF) for tactical Up Display (HUD), Helmet Mounted ing the latest generation of precision reconnaissance missions within com- Display (HMD) and HOTAS (Hands-on munitions capable of keeping the plex operational theatres in Afghani- Throttle and Stick) type commands. collateral damage to a minimum and stan and Iraq. It has also provided This capability means that pilots can increasing the number of targets hit si- prompt and effective support of civil control all the aircraft’s systems with- multaneously. The most modern state- protection in the event of natural di- out having to take their hands off the of-the-art laser designator pods are sasters, such as the earthquake that hit thrust lever or the control bar. now available for target designation. the centre of Italy in August 2016. Giacomo Iannelli concluded that Homeland security missions “ The M-346FA keeps all the advanced While flying at low altitude in Slow

The back-seater pilot can also act as a Weapons System Operator or a more specialised FAC-A

46 ISSUE 551 DEC 2017 Reports

V-22 Osprey One Aircraft, Multiple Missions Recently, Boeing and Bell Helicopter humanitarian relief efforts,” said U.S. wing aircraft. With its nacelles and ro- Textron Inc. company announced that Marine Corps Col. Matthew Kelly, V-22 tors in vertical position, it can take off, the Bell Boeing V-22 fleet of tiltrotor Joint Program manager. land and hover like a helicopter. Once aircraft, including both CV-22 and MV- MV-22B Osprey are operating around airborne, its nacelles can be rotated to 22 variants, has surpassed the 400,000 the globe today, transforming the way transition the aircraft to a turboprop flight hour milestone. the USMC conducts assault support, airplane capable of high-speed, high- The V-22 Osprey has been continu- humanitarian relief operations and the altitude flight. ously deployed since entering service broad spectrum of SPMAGTF missions. Next generation lift capability in 2007 with the United States Marine The Bell Boeing V-22 is continuing to The Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey is a joint- Corps (USMC) and the Air Force Spe- achieve outstanding mission success, service, multirole combat aircraft using cial Operations Command (AFSOC) in performing missions only capable with tiltrotor technology to combine the 2009. The aircraft has seen extensive tiltrotor technology. Since entering vertical performance of a helicopter action in Afghanistan as part of Op- service, the V-22 has been deployed in with the speed and range of a fixed- eration Enduring Freedom, in Iraq as numerous missions around the world, wing aircraft. With its nacelles and ro- part of Operation Iraqi Freedom, and including casualty evacuation, tacti- tors in vertical position, it can take off, as part of a U.S. Central Command cal recovery of aircraft and personnel, land and hover like a helicopter. How- (USCENTCOM) Special Purpose Marine humanitarian assistance/disaster relief, ever, once airborne, its nacelles can Air Ground Task Force (SPMAGTF) sup- resupply, VIP transport, and theater se- be rotated to transition the aircraft to porting a long-range rapid reaction/ curity cooperation. a turboprop airplane capable of high- crisis response force. The Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey is a joint- speed, high-altitude flight. “As the number of flight hours indicate, service, multirole combat aircraft that It combines the vertical lift capability of the V-22 Osprey is a mature platform uses tiltrotor technology to combine a helicopter with the speed, range, en- that projects a versatile mission capa- the vertical performance of a helicop- durance and manoeuvrability of an air- bility for military operations as well as ter with the speed and range of a fixed- plane. It gives warfighters unmatched 47

flexibility and operational reach, while V-22 Asymmetric Advantage nate the logistics “bottleneck” at the enabling greater mission effectiveness The use of a V-22 and rotary-wing as- carrier. The V-22 also enjoys 100 per- and the execution of missions previ- set combination gives logistics plan- cent same-day delivery and more ef- ously thought impossible. ners an expanded CONOP resupply. ficient asset utilization. It therefore The V-22 has been battle-tested in This advantage guarantees a fully in- promises to deliver more to the carrier both combat and contingency op- tegrated medium-to-heavy lift deliv- strike group, with mission cost savings erations throughout the world. Com- ery capability, which is readily adapt- of up to 50 percent and up to 44 per- manders now demand the V-22 when ed to the commander’s daily logistics cent improved cubic foot throughput. they need to carry out the toughest priorities. In short, V-22 revolutionizes The VIP V-22 Osprey missions in the most challenging at-sea resupply by uniting fixed-wing The world’s first production tiltrotor operating environments. The V-22’s range and speed with helicopter-like has the revolutionary capabilities to multi-mission capabilities have there- direct delivery to the point of need. change the way in which battles are fore reshaped what is possible, both Upgraded and upgradable features fought and aid is rendered. Now, the on and off the battlefield. The V-22’s future capabilities include Bell Boeing V-22’s speed, range and Here we can profile the Osprey’s key a plug-and-play Aerial Refueling kit to endurance are available for VIP trans- features: support carrier launch and recovery. port missions. Demonstrated Carrier and Carrier It also features an innovative, internal The V-22 VIP concept is a must for Airwing Compatibility strike-fighter engine carry solution to heads of state who need to reach their V-22 provides fixed-wing performance meet long-range Carrier Air Wing lo- destinations quickly while placing and expanded flight deck delivery op- gistical needs. great emphasis on safety, responsive- tions. It also features a generous wind Superior logistic networks ness, security and luxury. The Osprey envelope and catapult/arresting gear The V-22 uses commercially available can be integrated within a fleet of air- independence. What’s more, a mod- logistics optimization software for its craft and can also transport cargo, staff ern design and on-board monitoring logistics networks. Compared to an and an aerial refueling kit, through systems permit a 30-40 percent re- optimized legacy COD network, this which the range and possibilities are duction on deployed maintainer-to- software can demonstrate increased almost limitless. aircraft compared to the legacy COD. delivery volume and velocity to elimi-

The versatile V-22 Osprey is in demand and indispensable among commanders worldwide 48 ISSUE 551 DEC 2017 Reports

Rafale, Falcon, nEUROn: The Future of Military Aviation

Military aviation is undoubtedly the proach selected by an increasing num- armed forces. most strategic weapon today, both in ber of governments. It fully complies New Delhi’s decision to acquire the terms of combat effectiveness and of with the requirement to carry out the Rafale shows both the loyalty and de- critical technologies implemented. In widest range of roles with the smallest manding requirements of Dassault modern warfare, air dominance from number of aircraft. Aviation’s military customers, and day one is a must, so that air-to-ground The latest to join the exclusive cli- spotlights the qualities of this aircraft, and air-to-sea operations can be con- ent list of Dassault Aviation was India designed to handle all missions previ- ducted safely and efficiently. which had signed a deal to buy Rafale. ously assigned to seven different types The French defence major, Dassault India ordered 36 Rafales in 2016, a of aircraft. The Rafale’s versatility will Group offers options in military avia- contract that led to the creation of a be further bolstered by the continued tion including Rafale, Mirage,Falcon joint venture with Reliance Group to development of the standard F3-R, and nEUROn. manage the offsets provided for by the slated for qualification in mid-2018 Rafale country’s “Make in India” initiative. This and service entry in early 2019. The Rafale, with its “Omnirole” capabilities, company will be a major asset, given modernization of the Rafale F1 carrier- is the right answer to the capability ap- the emerging needs of the Indian borne versions reflects this same ap- 49

Falcon 900 MPA in flight @ Das- sault Aviation

proach. operational costs are well known and ship, and features an active electroni- As of December 31, 2016, 148 Rafales without risks; its design guarantees cally scanned array (AESA) radar. had been delivered in France. They that Belgium will remain at the cutting The Japanese coast guard acquired a have logged over 200,000 flight-hours edge of technology for the next 40/50 third aircraft of this type in 2016. to date, including 30,000 in combat: in years. The French navy has taken delivery of Afghanistan from 2007 to 2013, in Lib- “Already strongly established in Bel- the last of four newly retrofitted Fal- ya in 2011, Mali since 2013, Iraq since gium since the end of the 1960s, Das- con 50 maritime surveillance aircraft. 2014 and Syria since 2015. sault Aviation and its partners offer Converted at the Dassault Aviation Also in September 2017, Dassault to the economic partners in the three facility in Bordeaux-Mérignac, these Aviation announced that the company Belgian regions, a medium-and-long- aircraft are now fitted with a radar, an and its partners are participating in term cooperation strategy that will optronic system, a new cockpit and the comprehensive partnership offer truly structure the future of the Bel- viewing ports. made by the French Authorities to the gian industry and that will enhance nEUROn –Tomorrow’s air combat Belgian Government, by presenting the European defense”, said Eric Trap- management the Rafale for the replacement of the pier. Chairman and CEO of Dassault The success of the European combat F-16s of the Air Component of the Bel- Aviation. drone nEUROn confirms Dassault’s gian Defense. Falcon – Guarding the oceans ability to manage a joint program, Rafale will enable Belgium to con- The Falcon 2000 maritime reconnais- while keeping costs under control tinue to fully play its role as a reliable sance aircraft carries out a wide range and staying on schedule. The French member of the Atlantic Alliance, while of missions, including the fight against defense procurement agency DGA contributing to the security of the Eu- piracy, trafficking and pollution, moni- (Direction générale de l’armement) re- ropean Union. toring fisheries, search&rescue, intelli- quested two new series of demonstra- The Rafale has clearly demonstrated gence, etc. It offers the best combina- tions last year: low-altitude test flights its total NATO interoperability in com- tion of size, payload capacity, speed, near the Charles-de-Gaulle aircraft bat operations. Its procurement and endurance and total cost of owner- carrier, and an analysis of how aging 50 ISSUE 551 DEC 2017 Reports

affects stealth characteristics. reliable partner of the UAE for over 40 Mirage 2000 has nine hardpoints for Towards 2030, the FCAS (Future years, is fully committed to meet the carrying weapon system payloads. Air- Combat Air System), manned or un- operational requirements and to sup- to-air weapons include the MICA mul- manned, will be operating alongside port the strategic challenges of the titarget air-to-air intercept and com- other military aircraft. UAE AF & AD for the coming decades,” bat missiles, and the Magic 2 combat Mirage at Dubai Airshow said Trappier. At the show, Major Gen- missiles. Mirage 2000 is also equipped At the Dubai Airshow in November, eral Ishaq Al Baloushi said the gov- to carry a range of air-to-surface mis- 2017, the UAE Armed Forces an- ernment intends to sign a deal with siles and weapons including laser- nounced their intention to sign a con- French firms Dassault Aviation and guided bombs. tract with Dassault Aviation for the up- Thales to modernise the fleet. MBDA was awarded a contract in Oc- grade of their Mirage 2000-9 fleet. Holding sway from the skies tober 2003 to integrate the ASMPA A company statement said that Das- The Mirage 2000 evolved into a mul- medium-range air-to-ground missile sault Aviation welcomes this decision tirole aircraft with several variants de- on the French Air Force’s new Mirage and is grateful to the UAE authorities veloped. It was later developed into 2000NK3 aircraft. ASMPA has a tacti- for their trust. For more than 40 years, the Mirage 2000N and 2000D strike cal nuclear warhead and replaces the starting with the Mirage 5, Dassault variants, the improved Mirage 2000-5 ASMP missile, which has been in ser- Aviation has been honoured to sup- and several export variants. vice on the Mirage 2000N since 1988. port the UAE Air Force & Air Defence Mirage 2000-5 is available as a single- The aircraft is equipped with a self- (UAE AF & AD) in all their missions to seater or two-seater multirole fighter. protection suite installed internally. ensure the UAE’ sovereignty. The aircraft has hands-on throttle and Mirage 2000-5 carries the ICMS MK2 This historical partnership has led to stick (HOTAS) control. Mirage 2000- automated integrated countermea- the acquisition of the Mirage 2000 and 5 incorporates the Thales VEH 3020 sures system from Thales. F-16s and the commendable Mirage 2000-9 pro- head-up display and five cathode ray Dassault Mirages form the backbone gramme. tube multifunction advanced pilot sys- of the UAE Air Force fighter capabili- “Dassault Aviation, which has been a tems interface (APSI) displays. ties.

nEUROn and Rafale M in flight over the aircraft carrier@Dassault Aviation-Anthony Pecchi 51

Strategic Perspectives “Implementing Strategy: The Seemingly Intractable North Korean Challenge”

On July 4, North Korea conducted a mis- macy seems the best answer, but has sile test into the nearby Sea of Japan. only worked in North Korea’s favor in On August 29, it launched another mis- the past. sile over Japan into the Pacific Ocean. Everyone wants peace. South Korea is a On September 3, the U.S. reported an friend and any crisis in that region will earthquake near North Korea’s nu- affect the UAE economy and pose risks By: Dr. John R.Ballard clear test site, which North Korea later elsewhere. Any conflict would be disas- Former Dean of the National Defense claimed was a hydrogen bomb capable trous, and could bring about a global College of being mounted on a missile. Then, recession, so other viable options are [email protected] on September 15, another missile was required. North Korean regime change fired over Japan, traveling the furthest is impractical without a better succes- to date. In response, on September 18, sor, so new ideas are needed. Creative Implementing strategies for interna- President Trump and Chinese President UN-led dissuasion must occur; the UAE, tional solutions is invariably complex Xi committed to “maximizing pressure India, the EU and/or other concerned – sometimes it even seems impossible. on North Korea through vigorous en- states could cooperate to bring more Even when all national goals are clear, forcement” of UN Security Council reso- positive UN action in Korea, avoiding the ability to coordinate multinational lutions; North Korea said those sanc- war. Charismatic international leader- efforts to gain success at the strategic tions would only accelerate its nuclear ship could be influential through me- level remains a challenging task for program. diation, where both sides should retain leaders. The actions taken in response A Korean War armistice has existed since pride and benefit from stability. Manag- to recent North Korean missile devel- 1953; the North Korean regime controls ing international crises can be challeng- opments can provide useful lessons all domestic information; Seoul’s 9.9 ing but can also increase the influence for strategists, even when facing seem- million inhabitants are extremely close of the UAE when our nation does act in ingly intractable problems. to the potential conflict zone; and, nei- its national interests. Determining what Over the past year North Korea has ther UN sanctions nor Chinese leverage is worthwhile in such crises remains an conducted tests demonstrating its have contained North Korea’s weapons important skill for all strategic leaders, capability to launch ballistic missiles. development to date. The United States but persistence is also required. These actions demonstrated that North has deployed THAAD in South Korea Korea’s systems were developing faster and has 30,000 troops and three aircraft than had been assessed. Such actions, carriers in the area. Economic power coupled with regular U.S.–South Korea has had little effect on the regime and military exercises, threats by the new has hurt the North Korean people, and American President, and the volatile military power only seems to escalate personality of North Korean leader Kim the crisis. Informational influence and Jung-Un, all raised tensions in the re- financial constraints on North Korea gion to unsustainable levels. have also had minimal effect. Diplo- 52 ISSUE 551 DEC 2017 Reports

GRIFFON ©Nexter-Renault Trucks Defense-Thales NERVA©Nexter Robotics Nexter makes a strong presence

Nexter, part of the KNDS Group and both for use as an intervention vehicle protected vision systems via the Vi- the only French land defence system and as a command post vehicle. Cur- per Security System. Nexter is a long- manufacturer and integrator displayed rently undergoing evaluation by the standing investor in the Middle East. a range of its latest products and ser- RAID, the TITUS® has already been de- Decade after decade, Nexter has vices at the 20th government inter- ployed during major events, such as proven its dedication to providing the nal security exhibition and also at the the securing of the COP 21 conference, best of its technology, products and highly regarded Milipol exhibition. and is regularly used in anti-terrorist services to armed forces in the Middle Nexter uses its know-how and its ca- operations and against organized East. Since the Leclerc MBT contract pacity to innovate to propose solutions crime. was signed in 1993, Nexter has opened that meet the specific requirements of FINDMP® 3 offices in the region, and has estab- both French and international security Nexter also presented the FINDMP® lished a relationship of trust with its forces. mission preparation tool, coupled with customers on the ground. With its TITUS® an Immersive Building Reconstruc- strong presence at the 2017 IDEX trade The TITUS®, a multi-purpose 6x6 vehi- tion Tool (ORBI). Its aim is to assist In- event and also Milipol 2017, Nexter is cle, the spearhead of its range in which tervention Forces in placing under reasserting its position as one of the all of the Nexter Group’s expertise in siege a building reconstructed in 3D leading suppliers of defence systems the security domain is concentrated, based on 2D photos or intelligence. in the Middle East. was displayed in its Internal Security Thanks to the immersive visualization Nexter also provides systems and pro- version. Capable of carrying up to 13 software designed by Nexter Training, tection solutions in the field of home- equipped personnel, the TITUS® can Intervention Forces can study how to land security. fulfil a broad spectrum of missions; get through doors, where to position Nexter Mission from counter-terrorism to counter- friendly snipers and how to prepare Nexter mission is to meet the needs of insurgency, including peace-keeping their mission to maximum effect. armies all around the world, through and frontier surveillance thanks, in Nexter Robotics the design, development and pro- particular, to its ballistic and NRBC pro- Nexter Robotics exhibited Nerva®robot duction of high-end defence systems, tection as well as protection against range, NBC-Sys highlighted know-how artillery and armored vehicles to land improvized explosive devices (EEI). in terms of handling major NRBC risks; forces. Its expertise also covers the Nexter works in close collaboration Nexter Electronics presented future supply of systems and ammunition to with the RAID in order to adapt the TI- energy solutions via TEYA and Optsys air forces and navies. TUS® to this elite force’s requirements, demonstrated the effectiveness of its Nexter’s revenue in 2016 was 771€ 53

/FYUFSEFWFMPQTBOEQSPEVDFTBMBSHFSBOHFPGBNNVOJUJPOGSPNNNUPNN TITUS®, is a multi-purpose 6x6 vehicle at homeland security expos

billion, of which 19 percent was rein- offering also covers training, with a optics, mechanics, shelters and NRBC vested in Research & Development. catalogue of multi-modal options de- protection. The Group has 3,320 employees on 10 veloped by the Nexter Training subsid- Nexter has also invested in building sites in France, two sites in Italy (Sim- iary. partnerships, most notably as part of mel Difesa) and one site in Belgium In addition, Nexter offers expertise in a CTA International, a joint venture with (Mecar). full range of key equipment and solu- BAE Systems, which sells the 40 CTAS Projects and Services tions, from land defence systems (T40 cannon. The Group continues to pursue its pol- and ARX® land turret families), naval icy of international expansion, with 60 (NARWHAL®) and aviation (THL30/20) percent of orders coming from export applications through to vetronics and Nexter offers markets in 2016. In France, Nexter is C2 systems (FINDERS). fully engaged in meeting the aims of Ammunition Business Unit, incorporat- expertise in a the SCORPION Program, through the ing Nexter Munitions, Mecar and Sim- renovation of the LECLERC tank and mel Difesa, is the 3rd largest European full range of key the development, as part of a consor- group in its sector. It develops and tium with Renault Trucks Defense and produces a large range of ammuni- equipment and Thales, of the future GRIFFON and JAG- tion from 20mm to 155mm, dedicated UAR vehicles. to land (artillery, infantry, armored solutions, from A land defence systems integrator, vehicles and tanks) naval and air-land land defence Nexter is the manufacturer of a long defence systems. line of vehicles including the Leclerc Lastly, Nexter draws on a number of systems, naval battle tank, the VBCI armored infantry equipment manufacturing subsidiar- fighting vehicle, the multi-use TITUS® ies such as Nexter Robotics, Nexter and aviation 6×6 vehicle and the CAESAR® self- Mechanics, Nexter Electronics, Opt- propelled howitzer. Nexter covers the sys, NBC-Sys and Euro-Shelter. Their applications, entire life-cycle of its products and of- engineering expertise allows them to fers a wide range of support services supply combat-proven sub-systems vetronics and C2 to its customers, from design, through and technologies to other parts of the maintenance in operational condition, Nexter group and to external clients systems to decommissioning. Nexter’s service in areas such as robotics, electronics, 54 ISSUE 551 DEC 2017 Reports

Providing Strong Partnership to Public and Private Security

On November 21-24, Rheinmetall pre- Rheinmetall Defence and Rheinmetall moured vehicle. sented a selection of its extensive array Automotive specializing in the Public Developed in cooperation with special of law enforcement and security prod- Security domain. vehicle maker Achleitner, the Survivor ucts at the MILIPOL international secu- Survivor-R special-ops vehicle R combines tried-and-tested automo- rity show in Paris. There is no better example of Rhe- tive technology from major produc- Rheinmetall AG is a publicly traded, inmetall’s commitment to the twin tion runs with the latest force protec- globally operating high-tech enter- imperatives of security and mobility, tion concepts from Rheinmetall. The prise with headquarters in Düsseldorf innovation and cost efficiency than its Survivor R is fitted with a steel armour and two operational components: new special operations Survivor R ar- cab based on a high-performance 4 x 4 55

Survivor R Armoured Vehicle

add-on protection elements which can now be equipped with remotely oper- be modified individually and discreetly ated weapon stations. to meet evolving threat scenarios. As The Survivor R is also a cost-effective, standard equipment, the Survivor also easy-to-maintain vehicle platform features a ventilation system for filter- with low lifecycle costs and high-level ing out nuclear, biological and chemi- operational readiness. Rheinmetall cal agents. MAN’s global service network for Although the Survivor R is extremely maintenance and repairs ensures that well protected, the external appear- systematic use of off-the-shelf civilian ance of its law enforcement version is parts and serially produced military specifically designed to provide a de- components makes the vehicle a reli- escalating, non-military impression. able, affordable option. Well-lit and ergonomically designed, Special effects technology the interior is spacious enough to seat Rheinmetall offers a comprehensive MAN truck chassis capable of reaching up to eleven personnel with personal array of pyrotechnic products suitable speeds of over 100 km/h. equipment, as well as extensive C4I for SWAT team-type operations. Ex- In Germany, the state-level police and communications equipment. tremely safe to handle, highly precise forces of Berlin and Saxony recognize Versatile weaponry maintenance and very reliable, the Group’s portfo- that the Survivor is exceptionally well- For the first time ever, Rheinmetall has lio of multi-bang grenades and im- suited to police special operations showcased the Survivor R with an in- proved-performance flash-bang gre- and have already opted to equip their tegrated Qimek weapon station. Its nades with bottom-top venting (BTV) SWAT teams with the vehicle. appearance at MILIPOL 2017 demon- technology offers the perfect solution. The armoured monocoque cab has strated how this versatile vehicle can Rheinmetall has developed a wide as- 56 ISSUE 551 DEC 2017 Reports

shock absorption. Overall, the Group’s fire control and aiming devices make Rheinmetall a one-stop shop for 40 mm system technology. Laser light modules Rheinmetall has recently added two more modular components to its “Var- ioRay” family of laser light modules. Despite their extremely small dimen- sions, the VarioRay LowProfile laser module provides the user with even greater tactical flexibility, alongside the separate “Lumenator” weapon LowProfile laser module provides lamp with 500-lumen illumination the user with tactical flexibility power. These new products are key compo- sortment of flares both for signalling The 40 mm munitions family provides nents to amplify the operational effec- and illuminating the area of opera- a highly effective special solutions for tiveness of modern small arms. Visitors tions at night. The handheld Mithras methods of entry, or MOE. Moreover, to the Rheinmetall stand at MILIPOL has ranges of 300, 600 and 1,000 me- as a top maker of military systems and 2017 also learnt about other mem- tres, with versions available for the vis- equipment, Rheinmetall offers a wide bers of the VarioRay family, such as the ible and infrared sector. variety of relevant weapon concepts, Group’s MultiRay MR 500 and MR 800 40mm munitions family including the RS40 grenade launcher, fire control aiming devices. The TAC- Rheinmetall’s extensive portfolio of operating as a build-on or standalone Ray 1500 sniper was also on display, 40mm x 46 products covers multiple system. notable for its build-on module with operational scenarios, ranging from The Survivor R also offers a Magazine- integrated ballistic computer. distraction rounds and marking charg- Fed Grenade Launcher, or MFGL, es to non-lethal impulse ammunition. which features integrated hydraulic

Rheinmetall Flashbang grenades are extremely safe to handle 57

JIM Compact infrared binoculars continue to attract interest

Features t&ZFTBGFMBTFSSBOHFöOEFS LN t%.$ JODMJOPNFUFSTFNCFEEFE(14 t-BTFS1PJOUFS t*NBHFTUBCJMJ[BUJPO t$POUJOVPVTF;PPNYY t.VMUJ.PEF*NBHF'VTJPO Rheinmetall RMMV Survivor R_IMG_9072k

The JIM Compact multifunction infrared binoculars made Safran has integrated new functionalities such as See-Spot by Safran Electronics & Defense were unveiled at the Eu- capability, positive identification in Low Light, photo and rosatory 2016, and have now been chosen by seven NATO video streaming and recording. countries. It has become the binocular of choice thanks to For these reasons, JIM Compact offers the best perfor- its lightweight, multifunctional, long-range system that pro- mance-to-weight ratio of any device in its class - consider- vides operators with top-end situational awareness and ad- ably increasing combat effectiveness in all environments. vanced connectivity in the battlefield. The portable optronics systems developed by Safran and its These latest-generation binoculars are recognised as one of Swiss subsidiary, Vectronix AG, are designed for combat mis- the best solutions for special forces, since they meet the full sions for armed forces, in particular for the infantry and spe- range of ISTAR missions: Intelligence, Surveillance, Target cial forces. They allow both overt and infrared surveillance, Acquisition & Reconnaissance. search, aim, identification, and target designation. Modular JIM Compact features very light weight (less than two kilos, and interoperable, the binoculars with multiple functions including the battery), long range and advanced battlefield (JIM, MOSKITO, etc.), such as weapon sights (SWORD, NITES- connectivity, to meet users’ most demanding requirements, POT, etc.) have built-in high-tech devices (sensors, GPS, etc.). especially size, weight and power (SWaP), as well as run- Designed to be interconnected with telecommunications time. Because of its intuitive ergonomic design, low-light networks, this equipment gives the user the full benefit of sensor, cooled infrared and daytime sensors already used on an easy to use man-machine interface, perfectly adapted for the original JIM LR long-range binoculars, and pointer and use on all field operations. laser designator displays (See-Spot), JIM Compact delivers Safran Electronics & Defense is one of the world’s leaders one of the best performance/weight ratio on the market. in optronics, avionics, electronics and critical software for The binoculars capitalise on the successful JIM family of both civil and defense applications. The company’s prod- multifunction infrared binoculars, nearly 10,000 of which ucts are deployed worldwide on more than 500 ships, 7,000 are already in service or on order in almost 40 countries. armoured vehicles and 10,000 aircraft. 58 ISSUE 551 DEC 2017 Reports

Intersec Celebrates 20 Years Pf 0ngoing Success

Dubai is preparing for the world’s largest security, safety and fire protection trade fair to celebrate two decades of remarkable success in January 2018. Intersec’s 20th anniversary edition will Security Pavilion will put the spotlight resultant surge in demand for the lat- feature more than 1,300 exhibitors on advanced textiles, including head- est safety and security products and from 58 countries, with over 31,000 up displays, body cameras, embed- solutions. visitors from 128 countries seeking ded sensors and exo-skeleton com- By continuing to prioritise the show- the latest solutions across seven show munications. casing of cutting edge new develop- sections: Commercial Security, Fire & The world’s largest security providers ments and the latest technologies, Rescue, Safety & Health, Homeland The three-day event, which takes Intersec hopes to continue to play a Security & Policing, Perimeter & Physi- place from 21-23 January 2018, fea- constructive role in making the region cal Security, Cyber Security and Smart tures 19 of the world’s top 20 security a safer and more secure place.” Home & Building Automation. solutions providers. NAFFCO is one Growth throughout the Middle East Intersec 2018 is being held under the of 12 original exhibitors from the in- Intersec’s impressive global presence patronage of His Highness Sheikh augural Intersec 1999, with the UAE- coincides with the Middle East’s own Mansoor bin Mohammed bin Rashid based company now established as rapid rise as a significant growth mar- Al Maktoum and supported by the one of the world’s leading suppliers of ket for homeland and commercial se- Dubai Police and Dubai Civil Defence, life and fire safety solutions in a global curity and fire protection. the Dubai Police Academy and the network spanning over 100 countries. According to Frost & Sullivan (F&S), the Dubai Municipality. Ahmed Pauwels, CEO of Messe Frank- Middle East homeland security mar- Occupying 60,000 sqm across 13 halls furt Middle East, said, “Societies, gov- ket is estimated to reach US$ 17.05 of the Dubai International Convention ernments and corporates are increas- billion by 2021, growing at a com- and Exhibition Centre with 10 percent ingly pulling out the stops to combat pound annual growth rate (CAGR) of extra space, Intersec 2018 has added various threats and ensure the secu- 15.6 percent from 2015-2021. a new Drones Pavilion and indoor rity of people, infrastructure, property The Middle East’s commercial security Drone Zone. Meanwhile, a Wearable and information which has led to a market has also witnessed an upswing, 59

creating opportunities for suppliers of video surveillance, access control and intrusion detection. Valued at US $1.93 billion in 2015, the market is expected to grow at a CAGR (2016-2021) of 17 per cent, reaching US $4.82 billion by 2021. The Middle East fire safety mar- ket is expected to be worth US $4.4 billion by 2021, growing at a CAGR of 12.4 percent from 2016-2021. Commercial Security With more than 580 exhibitors, Com- mercial Security will be the largest exhibition section at Intersec 2018. More than two-thirds of the world’s top 50 security solutions players are on board, including Hikvision, Bosch, Dahua, Assa Abloy, Tyco, FLIR, Hanwha Techwin, Axis Communications, Avi- gilon, Panasonic, Infinova, IDIS and Milestone Systems. According to Philippe Kubbinga, Re- gional Director for the Middle East and Africa at Axis Communications: “Intersec is a very important event for us to showcase the latest advance- ments across products and solutions, demonstrating our strengths across A comprehensive conference program key verticals and networking with in- Intersec 2018 Highlights Fire & Rescue is the next largest section dustry professionals.” with 400 exhibitors, including NAFFCO, CP PLUS is a global leader in advanced t 1,300+ Exhibitors Fike, Honeywell, Hochiki, Oshkosh and security and surveillance solutions t WJTJUPSTGSPN Siemens. Safety & Health and Home- with big plans for Intersec’s 20th anni- Countries expected land Security & Policing (both with versary edition. As company director t1SPEVDU(SPVQT 100 exhibitors), along with Perimeter & Gaurav Khemka confirms: t4QFDJBMJTFE1BWJMJPOT4BGFUZ Physical Security, Cyber Security, Smart “Our association with Intersec has Design in Buildings, Smart Home & Building Automation (50 ex- been quite a long one, and it goes )PNF 1BWJMJPO  %SPOF 1BWJM- hibitors each), wrap up the dedicated without saying that it is one of the best JPO  8FBSBCMF 4FDVSJUZ 1BWJM- show sections. platforms to showcase our technolo- JPOBOE+PC$BSFFS1BWJMJPO Returning features include the Safety gies and solutions. This time around t  $PVOUSZ 1BWJMJPOT $BO- Design in Buildings Pavilion in the we’ll have quite a few new launches to ada, China, Czech Republic, Fire & Rescue section and an Outdoor showcase such as Analog HD solutions 'SBODF (FSNBOZ )POH,POH  %FNPOTUSBUJPO ;POF PG UIF MBUFTU öSF in 4MP and 5MP; Indigo and Red IP So- *OEJB  *UBMZ  ,PSFB  1BLJTUBO  rescue applications in action. A com- lutions powered by Insta Stream, Time Russia, Singapore, Taiwan, prehensive three-day conference pro- & Attendance solutions equipped with 6, 64" gramme will also cover new develop- Facial Recognition, Wi-Fi, 3G and bat- t%SPOF;POF-JWF%FNPO- ments, innovations, legislation and tery support, PoE Switches and much strations changing paradigms within the Middle more.” East safety and security industry. 60 ISSUE 551 DEC 2017 Reports

offering flexibility to be used for any- thing else you may want.” C-130J FAA testing has commenced and two LM-100Js are now supporting that ef- fort. Additionally, with FAA concur- Super Hercules rence, the first LM-100J was deployed to Puerto Rico in October in support of Hurricane relief efforts. Continues to Reach The LM-100J is an updated version of the legacy L-100 Hercules freighter, which is part of many fleets in the New Heights Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, including UAE, Kuwait and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. First flights, additional variants, new its global debut at the Paris Air Show. Also at the Paris Air Show, Lockheed operators and expanded sustainment “LM-100J is very well suited for fire- Martin introduced the C-130J-SOF options are just some of the most re- fighting at night due to the night vi- production variant. This configuration cent milestones for Lockheed Martin’s sion capability,” Frese said. “Firefight- is designed for international operators C-130J Super Hercules airlifter. ing is indeed an area it is suited for. supporting Special Operations Mis- “We’re at a fantastic point and place Obviously the typical missions you see sions, with the capability to be con- with the C-130J. The Super Herc is a ful- there are medical, oil spill, search and figurable to each operators’ require- ly established program and we know rescue. In addition, we have several ments. exactly how it will perform in terms of customers in oil and gas, and mining, “The C-130J’s design is proven to be operability, versatility and maintain- so it is truly a multi-mission aircraft. exceptional for the tactical mission, ability,” said Tony Frese, vice president “Earlier certain platforms were modi- but it’s also proven to be exceptional of Business Development for Air Mo- fied to be used for firefighting but now in terms of versatility,” Frese said. “The bility & Maritime Missions at Lockheed particularly in forest services there are Super Herc’s airframe is exceedingly Martin. safety concerns when platforms are adaptable. This adaptability allows The first LM-100J – the Super Herc’s changed. This aircraft is a great fire us to seamlessly expand the C-130J’s commercial freighter variant – made fighter. But it is not limited to firefight- capabilities to meet the many require- its maiden flight in May 2017. Two ing because the firefighting equip- ments facing our military and com- weeks later, that same LM-100J made ment that we install can be removed mercial operators.” 61

Multiple Super Hercs have been delivered to the U.S. Air Force, Marine Corps and Coast Guard through the Multiyear II contract Lockheed Lockheed Martin continues to deliver a truly global fleet, one of the most C-130Js to customers as well. The Indi- notable being interoperability with Martin has an Air Force recently received an addi- allies around the world,” Frese said. “In- tional six C-130Js. Multiple Super Hercs teroperability offers expanded training delivered more have been delivered to the U.S. Air opportunities, fosters maintenance Force, Marine Corps and Coast Guard and operational commonalities, and than 2,500 through the Multiyear II contract with transforms national C-130J fleets into the U.S. Government. A total of 85 air- global assets.” C-130s to date craft have been ordered through the As the C-130J is the current production Multiyear II contract, which include variant of the iconic C-130 Hercules, it C130J combat delivery aircraft, KC- is part of wide-reaching global fleet. Aeronautics Capabilities Solutions™ 130J tankers, MC-130J and HC-130J Lockheed Martin has delivered more are post-production enhancements Special Operations and combat rescue than 2,500 C-130s to date, with 68 designed to improve the C-130’s ex- tankers. countries currently operating C-130s. isting operational capabilities, reduce The Super Hercules team is in the final Given its global presence and ongoing operating costs and improve availabil- stages of production on the first C- use, sustainment is a very important ity. 130J for France’s Armée de l’Air. France component of the worldwide C-130 It’s certainly been a busy and dynamic will receive two C-130Js and two KC- fleet. year for the C-130J Super Hercules 130Js to augment its existing C-130H “As the Original Equipment Manufac- program. But, the Lockheed Martin fleet. turer (OEM), we’re driven to provide team isn’t resting on the C-130J’s cur- To date, the C-130J is the airlifter of the best and most comprehensive rent success. Frese said he expects to choice for 17 nations, which includes sustainment option for our operators,” see continued growth for the Super a strong presence in the MENA region. Frese said. “One of the major reasons Hercules portfolio. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Oman, why C-130s are important assets is “Our customers not only tell us how Kuwait, Iraq, Qatar and Tunisia are all because of its reliability, which is tied they need the C-130J to perform for Super Hercules operators. The aircraft directly to maintenance and sustain- current missions, but what they need is certified to support 17 different mis- ment operations.” it to do for future requirements,” Frese sion requirements and the global fleet Lockheed Martin offers an integrated said. “We expect that the C-130J will has soared passed 1.6 million flight portfolio of sustainment options, to continue to meet and exceed these hours. include its most recent offering: Aero- requirements — and it will do so for “There are many benefits to having nautics Capabilities Solutions ™. many more decades to come.” 62 ISSUE 551 DEC 2017 Reports Patria offers high-tech expertise and competitive solutions

Patria is an international defence, se- curity, and aviation group providing customers with competitive solutions based on strong expertise and col- laboration with trusted partners. The company’s strength is based on its excellent products complying with NATO standards. Patria’s most significant export prod- ucts include the armoured modular vehicle, Patria AMV and Patria Nemo mortar system, which have both been selected by international customers, including the UAE Armed Forces. Patria AMV’s structural solutions enable high payload capacity, high level of protec- Insight into Patria AMV and Patria tion and integration of heavy weapon systems Nemo Patria AMV, the market leader among compact system, Patria Nemo can eas- Patria Nemo Container: Introduced 8x8 armoured wheeled vehicles, is its ily be mounted onto various armoured to the public for the first time in Feb- key export product. Seven customer vehicles, both wheeled (6x6, 8x8) as ruary 2017, the Nemo Container was countries, including the Finnish, Pol- well as tracked ones. Due to its low the first container solution to mount a ish, and Swedish Defence Forces, have weight, Patria Nemo is also adaptable large-calibre weapon. While smaller- currently contracted the vehicle and to lightweight, high-speed vessels and calibre, container-mounted weapons it has been fielded in ISAF operations can be effectively used for harbour pa- have been available, no Nemo-like since 2007. AMV products are under trolling and protection, coastal guard- mortar system, capable of both direct continuous development and are fit- ing and infantry landing operations. and indirect fire, has been on the mar- ted with the latest technology. Patria Patria Nemo can also be equipped ket until now. AMV’s structural solutions enable high with the Fire Control System – Com- The development of a new type of payload capacity, high level of protec- mand Post (FCS–CP) solution, which weapon system was possible thanks to tion and integration of heavy weapon is designed to support and coordinate the knowledge and long-term experi- systems. indirect fire for one or several Patria ence of mortar systems at Patria. This Patria also produces advanced mor- Nemo Mortar Units enabling the units container-mounted 120mm Nemo tar systems. The core product is Patria to be operated as a group. Patria Nemo mortar system is also an example of Nemo, a 120 mm remote controlled gunner-commander training simula- how Patria’s product development mortar turret, providing indirect and tor provides a realistic, virtual training meets customer needs. During the direct fire as well as MRSI (Multiple environment for all kinds of fire mis- development process Patria’s experts Rounds Simultaneous Impact) and di- sions that can be performed with Pa- were in touch with the UAE to ensure rect lay capabilities. As a modern and tria Nemo mortar system. that the finished product took maxi- 63

mum account of customer needs. The key benefit of the Patria Nemo Container is its easy mobility, which is unique to mortar systems of this calibre. It is capable of flexible trans- fer from one location to another us- ing suitable equipment. It is delivered with everything that a mortar unit needs: protection for the crew, the weapon and space for ammunition. System integration know-how Today’s defence systems are large entities that are comprised of several subsystems. Patria’s solid system in- tegration know-how ensures that the Patria Nemo Training Simulator entire system functions faultlessly. Areas of special expertise are intel- serves to enhance the importance of ligence, surveillance and command Nemo gunner- information system and network pro- and control systems, as well as their in- tection. Patria has actively strength- tegration, software and life cycle sup- commander ened its expertise and service and port. Patria’s system integration know- product range in these areas. how has been developed for decades training simulator Leading provider of aviation sup- to meet the needs of the increasingly port services complex systems used by customers. provides a realistic, With a firm footing in aviation, Patria Data transfer and its reliability form is one of the leading European provid- an important part of defence systems. virtual training ers of aviation life-cycle support ser- The company has solid expertise in vices. Current operations focus on the secure wireless data transfer solutions. environment for life-cycle support of F-18 Hornet jet The operating environment of mod- fighters, Hawk training jets, and NH90 ern defence systems is no longer lim- all kinds of fire transport helicopters. ited to land, sea and air – cyber threats missions In military pilot training, Patria has must also be taken into account. This achieved excellent results in the el- ementary pilot training under con- tract for the Finnish Air Force (phase I – II training for conscripts, cadets and flight instructors). Patria also operates in the civilian sec- tor specialising in professional pilot Patria Nemo Container training. Patria Pilot Training offers airlines a competence based MPL (Multi-crew Pilot Licence) training pro- gramme teaching pilots comprehen- sive skills to operate Airbus fleet even under the most demanding weather conditions, safely and with the best ef- ficiency. Patria Pilot Training is a lead- ing Flight Training Organisation (FTO) in northern Europe. 64 ISSUE 551 DEC 2017 Issue File

Proxy Wars: The threat of sectarian militias and their role in Iran’s expansionist strategy The phenomenon of Iran-supported armed sectarian militias has risen to the forefront of recent events. They have proved to be one of the most dangerous military tools employed by Tehran to achieve its objectives in the region, both in terms of expansion, and posing a threat to the security and stability of the countries of the region. In this issue, the Nation Shield sheds light on the sectarian and doctrinal arms of Iran that are launching proxy wars to achieve Iran’s expansionist goals and spread chaos and unrest throughout the Arab region.

Sectarian militias and Iran’s expan- military militias and ideological arms, Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) from the sionist strategy to use them as key instruments of Ira- Basij fighters, who participated in the Since the Khomeini revolution of 1979, nian military, strategic and doctrinal Iraq-Iran war and acquired combat Iran has invested a great deal of its policy in the region. This interest be- experience. The Iranian Revolutionary financial resources in planting loyal gan with the formation of the Iranian Guards later became the largest and 65

most powerful Iranian militia that is parallel to the Iranian army and intel- ligence and police forces; they are even better armed than all of them. They control the security, and even economic decision in Iran. Of the IRGC units, the Qods Force, led by Major General Qassem Soleimani, stands out as the most important Iranian arm operating outside the borders. It is re- sponsible for the formation, training and direction of various militias linked to Iran, particularly in Lebanon (Hez- bollah), Iraq (Popular Mobilization Mi- litia), Syria (Shiite factions) and Yemen (Houthi group). It is also responsible for the planning of guerrilla warfare and unconventional military move- Army to clone the experience. The fact litias to fight proxy wars:Iran recog- ments, including the use of cultural, is that Iran has been seeking for years nises that its entry into direct military economic and civilian front organisa- to integrate the Shiite militias in their confrontation with the countries of tions to cover its foreign activities. countries of origin to form the nucleus the region may cost a lot, so it began Iran’s success in establishing the of the Revolutionary Guards in those in recent years to rely on military mili- Lebanese Hezbollah in the 1980s and countries and to establish them as a tias and local arms in the countries of employing it politically and militarily military arm of Iran in the region. the region to achieve its military objec- made it focused on establishing simi- Motives of the Iranian interest in the tives. Through Hezbollah, it is involved lar military militias in many countries formation of sectarian militias in the Syrian conflict and providing of the region to use them as tools Iran’s interest in the formation of support for the regime of Bashar al- to carry out its objectives and plans military sectarian militias and arms Asad. In Yemen, it continues its sup- abroad. Iran has exerted efforts to in many countries of the region ema- port to the Houthis financially and re-produce the experience of Hezbol- nates primarily from several sectarian, militarily, and seeks to convert them lah in the Arab countries, establish political and military considerations: to a similar version of Hezbollah on the military militias in the neighbouring 1 - Political recruitment of these Saudi border. Islamic countries (Pakistan-Afghani- militias: To practice pressure on the 3 - Regional expansion in the region: stan), create the so-called ‘multi-na- governments of the countries in which Iran’s awareness of its strength made tional militia phenomenon’, and form they exist, as in the case of the Leba- it think of strategic intervention and the military militias belonging to it af- nese Hezbollah, or to frustrate any expansion in neighbouring countries, ter the example of the Iranian Revolu- political movements that do not fit in emphasising that it can be replicated tionary Guard. This has been revealed with their interests. Iran instructed the in other countries, as it considers itself by the commander of the Revolution- Houthis to thwart the Gulf initiative the largest state in the Gulf region. ary Guards, Muhammad Ali Jafari, to find a political solution in Yemen. It Iranian intentions to intervene and during his meeting with the Chief of provided them with military support expand in the Arab world manifests Staff of the Pakistani Army, Javid Ba- until they occupied the capital Sana’a itself in the Iranian regime’s document jwa, in October 2017, when he recom- in September 2014. It has recently known as the 20th Iranian Strategy mended the transfer of the experience even incited them to thwart the initia- (2005-2025), or the Twentieth Iranian of the Iranian Basij militia to Pakistan tives led by the UN envoy to Yemen, Plan (Iran: 2025), which is considered via the ‘Zainabion’ brigade fighting in Ismail Ould Sheikh Ahmed, to find a the most important national docu- Syria. He declared that his forces are political solution to the Yemeni crisis. ment that formulates the future vi- ready to cooperate with the Pakistani 2 - Military recruitment of these mi- sions of the Iranian role over twenty 66 ISSUE 551 DEC 2017 Issue File

1 - Lebanese Hezbollah: Iran played a key role in establishing the Leba- nese Hezbollah and helped the party emerge as a Shiite representative in Lebanon. It provided it with financial and military support to form a Shiite force in the region, according to the view of the Arab region on Iran. As a result, the party owes its full ideologi- cal and political allegiance to Iran; it has formed a successful model that tempted Iran to try to replicate it in other Arab countries. Iran has defend- ed the party for years by supporting it with arms and money and training its years. It aims to transform Iran into a the authority of the state and estab- military forces. For years, Iran has been central nucleus of an internal pluralis- lished a state within the state.” supporting the party as part of its strat- tic dominance in Southwest Asia. 5 - Confirmation of hegemony and egy to intervene in the affairs of Arab 4. The imposition of Iranian tute- influence: Iran is present provoca- states. Iran has therefore strongly criti- lage on the countries of the region: tively in various crises and issues of cised the decision of the Arab League, As confirmed by the Iranian President, the region, starting from Iraq, through the GCC and the Organisation for Is- Hassan Rouhani, in October 2017, Syria and Lebanon and Yemen, and lamic Cooperation in 2016 considering when he said in a televised speech that ending in Qatar. It continues its territo- the party a terrorist organisation. “in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, North Africa rial expansion, moving towards Bab al- A report by the British-based Global and the Gulf, no crucial step can be Mandab, being present militarily in Er- Risk Insights Institute (GRI), issued taken without Iran.” That was days after itrea, and maintaining its relations with in November 2017, highlighted the the U.S. President Donald Trump, had many African countries. Therefore, it growing influence of the Lebanese He- announced his strategy for Iran. acts in the logic of a Great Power (the zbollah and Iran’s attempts to replicate Iran’s attempt to impose guardianship Empire), confirming that its security it in the Middle East, especially in Ye- on the countries of the region, espe- extends to the Red Sea and the Medi- men, Iraq and Syria. According to the cially Lebanon, explains the political terranean and that it controls four Arab report, Iraq, Syria and Lebanon have crisis triggered by the resignation of capitals (Damascus, Beirut, Sana’a, and become the front line in this increasing Prime Minister Saad Hariri in November Baghdad). This stresses the fact that it tide of Iranian military and economic 2017. This resignation came in protest has not forgotten that its ancient em- power. The report notes that Iran has against Tehran’s continued attempts to pire collapsed at the hands of the Ar- expanded by cloning the Hezbollah control the Lebanese political decision. abs 1,400 years ago. militia model within the countries of This was highlighted by Hariri in his Hezbollah and the Houthis: Iran’s the region under the pretext of “de- statement of the reasons for the resig- most dangerous doctrinal arms fending its national security and secur- nation: “Wherever Iran settles, it sows Military militias are increasingly impor- ing its external borders. The road from sedition, devastation and destruction, tant in Iran’s strategy towards the re- Tehran to Beirut is not only open for as proven by its interferences in the gion, where Tehran uses its political in- the transfer of arms and supplies, but internal affairs of the Arab countries, fluence in its regional neighbourhood. also for the transfer of Iranian ideology in Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Bahrain and The first model of this strategy was the and influence into the depths of the Yemen, driven by a deep hatred of the establishment of Hezbollah in Leba- Arab territories as well. “ Arab nation and an overwhelming de- non. Iran tried to convert the Houthi 2 - Houthi Militia: Iran’s support for sire to destroy and control it,” consider- movement into a Hezbollah version, the terrorist Houthi militia comes from ing that “it planted discord among the and put pressure on the Gulf countries, a purely profiteering, political and stra- people of one country, encroached on especially Saudi Arabia. tegic logic. It is true that the Houthis 67

profess the Shiite doctrine and have historical ties to the Shiite authority in Qom, but Iran sought to employ them in the political struggle in Yemen. The main aim of Iranian intervention in the conflict in Yemen and support for the Houthis is to replicate another model of the Lebanese Hezbollah on the southern borders of Saudi Arabia. Since Operation Al-Hazem storm, and then Operation Restoring Hope, in Yemen, Iran has been supporting the Houthi terrorist militias, with the aim of prolonging the conflict on the one hand, and thwarting the political solu- tion initiatives on the other. The Irani- an intervention in the Yemeni conflict and supporting the Houthi terrorist organisation is the main reason for the failure of the efforts to find a political solution to the Yemeni crisis. There- fore, the Yemeni government renewed in October 2017 its accusation against Iran of using the Houthis to destabilise the region, and complained about the Iranian interventions in its country. The role of the Houthi terrorist mi- litia in implementing Iran’s expan- sionist strategy The statements made by several Ira- nian officials over the past two years reveal that the Houthi terrorist militia dent Donald Trump blamed the Iranian ity of the countries of the region and is one of the wings used by Iran to regime for the launch of the missile. the world at large. They do not only strengthen its influence not only in Ye- The U.S. officials described the repeat- commit crimes against the defenseless men but also in the region in general, ed missile firing by the Houthis, Hez- civilians, but also destroy the unity and given Yemen’s critical geographical lo- bollah and Iran Revolutionary Guards sovereignty of the countries in which cation, which guarantees Tehran many as a demonstration of Iran’s missile they exist, as they owe full loyalty to advantages. The Iranian presence in arsenal. This means that the terrorist Iran, which employs them to imple- Yemen allows it to easily extend its in- Houthi militia is a tool of Iran to imple- ment its strategy in the region. fluence to other Arab countries, such ment its strategy of interventionism Conclusion as Somalia, Djibouti and Sudan. This and aggression aimed at destabilising Iran’s threat of expansion is indisput- has been confirmed clearly since the security and stability in the region. able. The international silence about launch of the operations of Al-Hazm The threat to regional and interna- Iran’s practices entices its regime to Storm and Restoring Hope in Yemen in tional security and stability expand and gain time to carry out its 2015, where the Houthis fired several Sectarian militias associated with Iran, plots and clone North Korea’s experi- missiles at Saudi territory, the most re- especially the Lebanese Hezbollah and ence of possessing a missile arsenal cent being the ballistic missile that fell the Houthis in Yemen, constitute the that threatens regional and interna- Near Riyadh in November 2017. Presi- main threat to the security and stabil- tional security. 68 ISSUE 551 DEC 2017 Research Counter IEDs: New Technological Approaches to Asymmetrical Warfare

An improvised explosive device (IED) is to a person. They can be detonated sives. an unconventional explosive weapon via cell phones or trip wires, amongst Use of IEDs that can take any form and be activat- other methods, and can be deployed IEDs have already been used for many ed in a variety of ways. IEDs target sol- anywhere, whether in a combat envi- decades in civil wars and conflicts diers and civilians alike, continuing to ronment or in the middle of a busy city. worldwide. Nonetheless, the casualties be the weapon of choice for adversary The design of IEDs and their trigger caused by IEDs have a cumulative ef- networks. This phenomenon is likely systems range from the simple to the fect when deployed in a military cam- to continue for decades, either with technologically developed. In general, paign. Thus, their use is key for modern the IED as the only threat or combined production costs are low using com- terrorist and insurrectionary move- with others within a hybrid complex ponents such as military ammunition ments in their fight against technolog- scenario. (mines or artillery shells) as well as ically-superior conventional forces. An IED can be hidden anywhere: in freely available chemical components The adaptability of IEDs to almost any animals, planted in roads or strapped that can be combined to make explo- situation makes them difficult to de- 69

tion and diagnosing capability GroundEye is modular, which means that its fully-open architecture allows for wider usage when coupled with dif- ferent primary sensors. These sensors include Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR), Non-Linear Junction Detectors (NLJD) or Command Wire (CW) detec- tion systems. The system’s detection capability in- corporates all the existing improvised pressure plates (high, medium, low GroundEye™ is a modular, non-inva- and zero metal content), as well as bat- sive tactical manoeuvre support tery packs and main charges. There- fore, in offering the highest probabil- tect and stop. Consequently, NATO mines and other buried/concealed ity of detection with extremely low members and partners have employed threats. false alarm rates, the baseline system several methods to augment their The GroundEye system enables EO comprises of: counter-IED capabilities. For example, specialist high-threat search and dis- * A GroundEye sensor for imaging the the Emerging Security Challenges posal operators to view the exact po- target (ESC) Division has put in place several sition, orientation, size and shape of * A light source capability which uti- scientific initiatives that focus on de- all individual components of an em- lizes laser imaging technology to illu- veloping sensors to detect explosives placed or suspected EO hazard in real- minate the area of interest before they can claim lives. time – this can include an IED or other * A compact Tactical Acoustic Source Counter-IED initiatives thus bring to- buried threat. * A compact tactical display/processor gether research, testing and training Designed for day/night operation, with intuitive tactical user interface conducted at the NATO Headquarters GroundEye delivers extremely high- * A power system appropriate to the in Brussels, the Supreme Allied Com- definition, easy-to-interpret imagery. user’s requirement mand Transformation (SACT) in the Moreover, it can be operated entirely Northrop Grumman JCREW Systems U.S. as well as various Centres of Excel- from a rugged tactical computer, by The U.S. Navy has awarded Northrop lence (CoEs) and NATO agencies. These automatically placing geo-tags on all Grumman Corporation a $57.7 mil- different commands, agencies and di- EO hazard/IED imagery for easy After- lion contract for full-rate production visions have focused on training and Action Review and intelligence collec- of the Joint Counter Radio-Controlled developing the technology designed tion. Improvised Explosive Device (RCIED) to defeat IEDs. They also share infor- The system can be deployed in three Electronic Warfare (JCREW) Increment mation and bring together non-NATO ways: One Build One Systems. The contract, actors to disrupt the paramilitary net- * As a portable tripod-mounted capa- awarded by the U.S. Naval Sea Systems works in question before IEDs kill or bility for a dismounted EO search-and- Command (NAVSEA), includes options injure troops and civilians. disposal operator bringing the total value to $505 mil- The following presentation covers * With remote stand-off Confirmation lion. some of the latest technology used in and Diagnosing capability installed On September 28 2017, Northrop countering IEDs: upon any small/medium-sized Re- Grumman received an additional GroundEye IED Detection mote-Controlled Vehicle Unmanned $267.6 million for full-rate production Raytheon’s GroundEye is a modular, Ground Vehicle in support of the Navy’s Expedition- non-invasive tactical manoeuvre sup- * In an array-mounted configuration ary Warfare Program Office. Northrop port capability. It enable real-time de- with any type of GPR-array antenna to Grumman will produce the systems in tection, confirmation and diagnosis of enable the host system to access en- San Diego and complete the work by Explosive Ordnance (EO) hazards, IEDs, hanced IED detection via full confirma- August 2022. 70 ISSUE 551 DEC 2017 Research

tion, SMART jammer systems enlarge the protection bubble significantly in comparison to traditional barrage jam- mers. Moreover, they avoid all the risks of purely responsive jammers, entail- ing that SMART jammers not only have the capability to protect the vehicle or person carrying the jammer but can also protect vehicles and persons in front of and behind the jammer sys- tem. The system stays protected by the VPJ while it records the complete ob- served spectrum in parallel for later analysis and RCIED jamming effec- tiveness improvement. In addition, Symphony Block 40 is an open architecture design that incorporates time and location information from an cutting edge technology to address new and emerging threats. internal GPS receiver is recorded, pro- viding the customer with track-based JCREW systems are software-program- design to maximize commonality information about emitter power and mable jammers providing protection across the variants, reducing life-cycle critical hotspots. from device-triggered improvised costs and providing increased protec- Symphony Block 40 explosive devices (IEDs). Northrop tion against worldwide threats. Symphony Block 40 is a technolog- Grumman has developed dismounted, JCREW systems are fully in use today, ically-advanced, open-architecture mounted and fixed-site variants to pro- providing protection from unmanned system developed by Lockheed Martin tect war-fighters on foot, vehicles and airborne systems (UAS) in support of to address new and emerging threats. permanent structures. For instance, the growing counter-UAS mission. This system jams select or multiple the Increment One Build One system Their demonstrated multi-mission ca- electronic signals simultaneously to uses an open architecture-integrated pability thus highlights the program- prevent radio-controlled (RC) IEDs mability and versatility of these ad- from being triggered. vanced electronic warfare systems. The jammer is a small, vehicle-mount- SMART Vehicle Protection ed system with an open architecture Hensoldt’s SMART Jamming Technol- design that provides continuous cov- ogy monitors communication signals erage across the entire threat spec- to prevent triggering RCIEDs in its trum. It has also updated its capabili- frequency range. The monitors of Hen- ties for maximum effectiveness, secu- soldt’s VPJ family emit jamming signals rity and response. to suppress any RCIEDs that might be In an unpredictable future, the United triggered, so preventing a possible as- States and its allies rely on Symphony sassination attempt. to protect war-fighters. Indeed, the The VPJ-R provides a unique combi- Symphony product line is the only nation of conventional (active) and counter-IED systems of its kind ap- responsive (reactive) jamming. Indis- proved by the U.S. government for criminate conventional barrage jam- foreign military sale to allied, coalition ming is performed is most suitable and partner nations with more than against known and very dense threat 4,500 Block 10/20 variant systems cur- bands. rently supporting U.S. and coalition Hensoldt’s VPJ family Nonetheless, in utilizing this combina- forces in Iraq, Afghanistan and other 71

areas of conflict. The CREW system uses an advanced The CREW Duke was originally de- Lockheed Martin provides global elec- software-defined architecture that signed to minimize size, weight and tronic warfare solutions through a supports rapid reconfiguration so power while optimizing performance. unique open architecture product adapting to a constantly evolving Moreover, the system is simple to op- platform and open business model. threat environment. SRC engineers erate and mount into a wide variety On land, in the air and at sea, Lock- have continued to enhance the Duke of military vehicles. The most widely heed Martin pioneers advanced tech- system with programming upgrades fielded and reliable system today has nologies to control the electromag- to provide lifesaving protection thus played a critical role in reducing netic spectrum and develop disrup- against the full range of remote-con- the number of RCIEDs detonated. tive technologies to outpace adver- trolled improvised explosive device Harris EGON Active Reactive coun- sary threats. threats. ter-IED SRC’s CREW System This vehicle-mounted, lightweight The Harris EGON is a counter-impro- The AN/VLQ-12 Counter Remote-Con- system thus utilizes state-of-the-art vised explosive device (IED) system trolled Improvised Explosive Device jamming technology to neutralize addressing all the current and emerg- (RCIED) Electronic Warfare (CREW) RCIED threats. Moreover, the Duke ing radio-controlled IED threats. It is Duke system is a vehicle-mounted, system was selected as one of the U.S. about half the size and weight of prior lightweight system. SRC’s system Army’s Top 10 Greatest Inventions in systems, consuming half their power. neutralises RCIED threats to give U.S. both 2005 and 2009, while CREW en- Moreover, EGON has been operation- troops a tactical advantage across the gineers continue to enhance this mis- ally deployed since mid-2010 and can full spectrum of operations. sion critical system. be tailored to meet individual mission requirements in less than 15 minutes. The EGON counter-IED system offers proven operational capability. The EGON’s small size, weight and module separation enable various installation configurations, while the modular concept is suitable for real-time mis- sion tailoring. Although the EGON operates in silent mode, it also offers a Remote Visual Alert (RVA) for high noise environ- Harris EGON Active Reactive counter-IED ments. Moreover, Harris’ system can be repaired to board level in the field. REDWING Force Protection Under Australia’s Department of De- fense REDWING programme, .JDSFP BOEDefence Science and Technology have developed low-cost, robust and lightweight force protection systems for use in austere operating environ- ments. Military and police units can opt for the lightweight, handheld GREENGUM to equip dismounted forc- es, while the more powerful GREYGUM device is to be fitted to light vehicles. As part of L3’s Sensor Systems busi- CREW Duke system ness segment. Micreo is a world leader in high-quality RF design and produc- 72 ISSUE 551 DEC 2017 Research

tions with low technical risk and with- out having to recycle obsolete tech- nology or ideas. Moreover, the MCMV80 can be deliv- ered with various levels of signature management, from lower MCM sig- natures and less stringent require- ments up to the highest shockproof requirements and stealth capabilities. Thus, the increased use of unmanned vehicles, the rise of anti-submarine warfare and more rigorous mission re- quirements have led to increased de- mand for the addition of sub-systems Eclipse Counter IED system to MCMVs. Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROV) tion. It has also developed photonic shockproof signatures, such as the are now being used as a tethered Pro- products for radar and electronic war- MCMV 47 of the Swedish Landsort and pelled Variable Depth Sonar (PVDS) to fare systems where, from its plant in Koster class, as well as the Singapor- run ahead of the MCMV, complement- Brisbane, Micreo works with custom- ean Bedok class. ing the hull-mounted sonar on board. ers to design leading-edge product for A good track record of a well-inte- The MCMV will soon be compatible extreme environments. grated toolbox in unmanned vehicles with autonomous, non-tethered ve- Micreo has installed its products in indicates that Saab’s MCMV80 can be hicles, such as SAROV, while both the several front-line military aircraft. Their tailored to a wide range of different MCMV 47 Koster class and MCMV 52 systems function with minimal opera- missions. Containerized mission mod- enhanced Koster class can be used in tor training and limited logistical sup- ules enable operations to be conduct- conjunction with ROV systems to help port. Thus, a significant quantity of ed both in the minefield and outside, prepare naval crews for any situation. these counter-improvised explosive adding logistic and reconnaissance ECLIPSE’s next-gen Jammer devices has already been deployed ex- operation capabilities to a helicopter The ECLIPSE counter-IED system de- tensively by the Afghanistan National flight deck or a UAV hangar. veloped by Thales is built around a Defence and Security Forces (ANDSF). Two stern ramps and a launching new-generation jammer preventing Saab’s MCMV 80 crane enable the launch of ASUV, ASV, improvised explosive devices from Today, a wide variety of mine types ROV and Rib’s or interceptors. This flex- being detonated by remote con- are deployed in waters all around the ibility makes the MCMV 80 the perfect trol. The moment an IED is detected, world, many highly advanced. There is platform for a wide range of manned ECLIPSE jams radio signals across a hence growing demand for enhanced and unmanned operations, with a fo- wide range of frequencies without Mine Countermeasures (MCM) Sys- cus on supporting lean operations. In interfering with the radio communica- tems of the sort designed by Saab, a naval operations, the operator room tion systems used by friendly forces. long-time supplier to the Royal Swed- and the bridge are integrated in one The ECLIPSE system recently reached ish Navy. ‘superbridge’ to facilitate communica- a key milestone in the BARAGE pro- With decades of experience in design- tion, enhancing situational awareness gramme, led by the French Defense ing and building world-class Mine and navigation, as well as optional flo- Procurement and Technology Agency Countermeasure Vessels (MCMVs), tilla command. (DGA), with the successful completion Saab supplies the toolbox needed to The MCMV80 follows Saab’s evolution- of qualification testing. BARAGE will clear waters and ensure mission suc- ary design approach, introducing in- provide additional protection from cess. The Swedish company has prov- novative ideas step by step alongside radio-controlled IEDs, one of the ma- en expertise in the design and produc- proven designs. This approach enables jor threats faced by forces deployed in tion of full composite ships with low, Saab to provide next generation solu- conflict zones today. 73

The TRC 6274HJ hybrid active/reac- Jaguar 6x6 armoured vehicles being counter-IED market is projected to tive inhibition system has been com- developed by a consortium formed grow from USD 1.78 billion in 2017 to mercially designated as Eclipse to by Nexter Systems, Renault Trucks De- USD 2.03 billion by 2022. The growth provide full band coverage between fense and Thales. It has formed part of of asymmetric warfare and the increas- 20-250 MHz with options up to 6000 the contract awarded by the DGA in ing incidence of terror attacks across MHz and accepting an input voltage December 2014, alongside the Leclerc the globe are the factors expected to range of 18-36V. It offers scalable and main battle tanks modernized by drive the growth of the counter-IED modular open architecture enabling Nexter Systems to the Leclerc Rénové market. Yet countering IED is not just the expansion of defensive capabilities (XLR) standard. Moreover, it may be about stopping or neutralising it once by adding new functions to the system retained for the planned moderniza- in place, it also about identifying and as threats evolve. These functions in- tion of Nexter Systems VBCI (Véhicule disrupting the networks that create clude four independent transmitters, Blindé de Combat d’Infanterie) 8x8 in- and initiate IEDs. embedded capability with combat net fantry fighting vehicles. Understanding the various threat net- radio system, easy vehicle installation Now fully qualified for use in hostile works on a tactical or strategic level and spectrum sensing capacity. environments, ECLIPSE is a compact is vital to success in current and fu- The BARAGE electronic protection is device ideally suited for integration on ture operations where battle lines are intended to equip vehicles procured board any type of light or armoured no longer linear. Thus, organisations by the DGA as part of the SCORPION vehicle. ECLIPSE jammers are already working to counter IED use not only program. In addition, BARRAGE is ex- in operation within the armed forces of focus on reducing the frequency and pected provide protection to VBMR several other countries and will equip severity of IED attacks, but also target Léger 4x4 (Véhicule Blindé Multi- a number of French Army vehicle the networks that facilitate them. Rôle) multirole light tactical vehicles types, including the future Griffon and Reference Text/Photo: and VBAE (Véhicule Blindé d’Aide à Jaguar vehicles under development www.raytheon.com XXXTSDJODDPN l’Engagement) fire support vehicles to for the SCORPION programme. www.northropgrumman.com be purchased by the DGA. The Counter-IED Market www.harris.com XXXUIBMFTHSPVQDPN The system will fit the Griffon and According to industry think-tanks, the www.saabgroup.com XXXMUDPN

-BUFTU$PVOUFS*&%4ZTUFN 74 ISSUE 551 DEC 2017 Technology

The KC-130J Harvest Hawk: A Big Stick Weapons Kit

Harvest Hawk has become a real part- armed intelligence, surveillance and In serving as an accelerated Marine ner to the Marine air and ground forc- reconnaissance (ISR) variant of the KC- Corps program to meet urgent Marine es. The aircraft is the latest in a series 130J Super Hercules tanker. Harvest ground combat needs, Harvest Hawk is of military aircraft modification efforts Hawk has quickly become a big stick, MIR-tied (Multi-Sensor Imagery Recon- developed under the broad name thanks to its long loiter time, multiple naissance) to close air support (CAS). “Harvest.” In fact, HAWK is an acro- radios and sensor to find and track in- Its permissive air environment is more nym that stands for Hercules Airborne surgents or vehicles. More importantly persistent than any other platform, Weapons Kit, but Harvest Hawk has be- for the Marines on the ground, it has enabling a KC-130J fighter pilot up for come its more popular generic name. an ability to launch a laser-guided Hell- ten or more hours on station before Since its combat debut in Afghanistan fire or Griffin missile and have those having to refuel. in 2010, marine crews have been very weapons hit exactly where and when In addition, the Super Hercules, or ‘Bat- busy flying this specially configured needed. tlehawk’ to the Marines, has sufficient 75

In Harvest Hawk, two additional display monitors are permanently installed on the flight deck primarily to allow the pilot to see the sensor images

HarvestHawk has the ability to launch laser-guided Hellfire or Griffin missiles

other KC-130Js is to be found under- miles away. neath on the left wing of the outboard Internally, both the fire control console station. Instead of a KC-130J hose refu- (FCC) and the mission computer from eling pod, it has an M299 quad-mount the Navy’s SH-60 Seahawk multipur- Hellfire missile launcher taken from pose helicopter are mounted on to a an AH-1 Cobra attack helicopter. The reinforced 463L cargo system pallet in- AGM-114P Hellfire II and its twenty- stalled in the KC-130J’s cargo compart- electrical power and room for the pound high-explosive antitank war- ment. Two additional display monitors Harvest Hawk equipment, enabling head is the primary weapon. VMGR- are permanently installed on the flight innovations like video uplink and Blue 352 and VMGR-252 crews having deck allowing the pilot to see the FCO Force Tracker. Thus, using only exist- already launched more than 100 Hell- sensor images and look at the Falcon- ing components, the Harvest Hawk fires, nearly all recording direct hits. View aeronautical charts, satellite im- kit was developed in eighteen months Meanwhile, the Hawk’s electro-optical, ages and elevation maps, while offer- by a joint Marine Corps, Lockheed infrared and laser Target Sight Sensor ing a consent-to-lase and fire button Martin and Naval Air Systems Com- (TSS) also comes from an AH-1Z Super located near the throttles. mand team. Cobra and is mounted in an empty The Hawk’s AGM-176 Griffin missiles Profiling the Harvest Hawk’s capa- external fuel tank on the left inboard missiles have a smaller warhead but bilities station. The sensor can see individual less powerful rocket motor than Hell- What sets Harvest Hawk apart from targets clearly from more than ten fire and were originally housed in a 76 ISSUE 551 DEC 2017 Technology

cargo ramp-mounted box launcher. To Thus, with four Hellfire and ten Griffin, twenty-five miles out. It could then fire this missile, crews would therefore the Harvest Hawk can carry more preci- correlate the sensors, confirm the at- have to go on oxygen and depressur- sion guided munitions than any other tack plan and clear the airspace to take ize the aircraft prior to lowering the aircraft in the Marine Corps. Moreover, out the target within nine minutes, ramp for launch meaning that Griffins other aircraft can still be refueled if before returning to tracking its origi- were launched against targets only necessary from the aircraft’s right hose nal target after about fifteen minutes about ten percent of the time. to help fighters during poor weather. elapsed time. Harvest Hawk aircraft now have a dual Superlative sandbox maneuvers Harvest Hawk crews generally fly at missile launcher for Griffin located in The VMGR-252 Harvest Hawk is a roll- medium altitudes to maximize time the left paratroop door along a ‘wine on/roll-off kit, enabling crews to aver- on station So far, squadron crews have rack’ that holds ten missile launch age approximately 110 flight hours launched approximately sixty Hellfires tubes. This Derringer Door launcher al- per month, well above the overall in- during their deployment with a near lows the crew to keep the aircraft pres- theater norm. In exercises during poor 100 percent success rate without a surized during launch. A third type of weather, Harvest Hawk was sometimes single civilian casualty. weapon, the GBU-44 Viper Strike glide the only aircraft airborne in the tasking On one mission, the crew observed a bomb, is now being tested on Harvest able to transit to the area needed, re- group of insurgents engaging a ma- Hawk. ceiving a ‘nine-line’ location while still rine ground unit where the insurgents had a central gathering point and were using children as a buffer and forcing them to resupply the snipers with am- munition. Here, the crew watched the battle play out for a few hours before coming up with a plan. They received clearance to make a high-speed pass - slightly below mini- mums - and popped self-defense flares normally used to defeat heat-seeking missiles. The startled insurgents then dispersed enabling the marine ground unit to accomplish its mission. Sophisticated crew coordination By necessity, the seven-member Har- vest Hawk crews have now become an integrated team. The aircraft com- mander serves as the airborne super- visor, deconflicting the airspace and clearing out friendlies prior to a missile launch. He also helps develop the tar- get attack plan with the FCO and gives consent once the aircraft is in position to fire the targeting laser and then launch the missile. The copilot manages the basics: navi- gating and flying the aircraft, using the aircraft’s seven radios to communicate with the air assets, ground command- The AGM-114P Hellfire II, with a twenty-pound high-explosive antitank warhead ers and, as necessary, higher com- mand headquarters. The crewmaster 77

Technical 4pecifications Maximum Takeoff Weight 164,000 lbs. Maximum Fuel 61,364 lbs. (with external tanks) Max Payload 47,903 lbs. (at Maximum Wing Reliev- ing Fuel) Cargo Volume 4,551 cu ft. Crew For Refueling Options Two Pilots, One Advanced Crew Sta- tions (ACS) Operator, Two Loadmas- ters Max Range 4,275 n.mi (with external tanks) Armament : Instead of a KC-130J hose refueling pod on the outboard wing station, Harvest Hawk has an AGM-114P Hellfire II air-to-ground M299 quad-mount Hellfire missile launcher missiles, Raytheon AGM-175 Griffin acts a flying crew chief, changing the account of the Hellfire’s sonic boom. short-range air-to-surface missiles, radio frequencies and looking out the Teaching battlefield innovation MBDA GBU-44/B Viper Strike gliding window as another set of eyes. Heavy tasking in combat theaters en- munitions, and a side-mounted Or- The primary FCO of the aircraft’s car- tails that as many as 140 flight hours bital ATK Mk 44 Bushmaster 30mm go compartment locates, tracks and per month (the maximum allowed) cannon designates the targets, coordinating are required of Harvest Hawk crews surveillance and talking directly with on future deployments. A formal The instructors sit on the flight deck ground troops. The second FCO is the training program has therefore been or behind the student FCOs to simu- backup, sitting next to the primary established in the form of a Harvest late communications from the ground FCO at the FCC. In addition to their Hawk ground school, consisting of 23 forces. In addition, there are growing usual job, the two loadmasters act as classes on close air support and multi- numbers of training flights with the scanners or as different sets of eyes to image reconnaissance, the FCC and actual ground forces with whom the help the FCOs scan the sensor picture. TSS, ground force maneuverers, radio Harvest Hawk crew will be working in They also load the Griffin launch tubes procedures and aircraft basics, such as theater. into the Derringer Door. where the crash axe is located. Students are debriefed in detail after During an attack, the combined job of Moreover, a recently installed desk- a flight, reviewing their attack profiles the flight deck crew and the FCOs is top FCC simulator has prepared the with the instructors and assessing to position the aircraft in the optimal crew members for the five qualifica- how each mission element could have position to shoot. The aircrew adjusts tion flights. The simulator schooling been better performed. The urgency each attack depending on the target. covers the same profiles as the actual of the Harvest Hawk mission is em- Once the target is designated and training flights: day weapons employ- phasized during training, as the con- locked, the aircraft in position and the ment, integrating with ground forces sequences are dramatic of a missile pilot with consent to fire, the FCO lifts on CAS and MIR missions, and urban being on target thirty seconds rather the cover on the Hellfire launch button CAS where shot geometry and zero than three minutes late because the and pushes it. Coming off the launch civilian casualties are important con- aircraft had to go around to avoid a rail, Hellfire missiles quickly reach su- siderations. It also integrates a live fire marine on the ground. personic speeds in a very short flight mission in which each FCO launches a 3FGFSFODF5FYU1IPUP time entailing that the FCO has to take Hellfire and a Griffin. XXXMPDLIFFENBSUJODPN