U(C)AV ontwikkelingen

[jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter)]

Drones to eclipse crewed aircraft

by: MICHAEL EVANS, WASHINGTON
From: The Times
August 03, 2012

MORE US Air Force crews are being trained to kill with drones remotely from the "office" in America than from the cockpit of conventional aircraft.

The growth of a rapidly expanding drone force that has qualified pilots operating unmanned aircraft thousands of kilometres away has underlined the dramatic change in the way wars of the future will be fought.

General Norton Schwartz, chief of staff of the US Air Force until his retirement last week, disclosed the shift from using top gun fighter pilots to deploying drones. "It is conceivable that the majority of aviators in our air force will be remotely piloted aircraft operators. We're (already) training more (drone) aviators than we are bomber and fighter pilots," he said.

The US Air Force has about 1300 drone pilots, all of them officers, and most of them operating Predators, Reapers and the longer-range Global Hawks over Afghanistan. The drones take off and land from bases in Afghanistan but their operators sit in comfort 11,000km away with a joystick, a laptop and flat-screen monitors that show the altitude and speed of the drones, maps and potential targets.

Last year 350 drone pilots were recruited compared with a total of 250 fighter and bomber pilots. Many of them are former pilots of F16s, joining what some flyers call the "PlayStation" force. As more manned fighter aircraft are retired - 123 next year - the fleet of Predator, Reaper and Global Hawk drones has risen to nearly 300.

The US Air Force hopes to have 2500 drone pilots and support crew personnel by May 2014, enabling the US to have in the air 24 hours of the day, anywhere in the world, a total of 65 Predator, Reaper and Global Hawk drones, the first two of which are armed with Hellfire missiles and precision-guided bombs.

To meet this target, the network of drone operational and training bases in the US has proliferated. There are 16 sites with one under development at Eglin Air Force base in Florida. They spread from Creech in Nevada - which opened in 2008 and has the largest number of aircraft - to California, New Mexico, New York state, Arizona, North Dakota and Ohio.

"I miss getting in an aeroplane, but I can tell you when things get busy my adrenalin gets going just as much as it did sitting in the cockpit of an F16. My heart gets pounding just as much," Colonel Greg Semmel, 48, now flying Reapers from Hancock Field drone base, near Syracuse in New York state, told The Los Angeles Times. The airbase used to be home to the F16s of the Air National Guard but they have all been replaced by Reapers.

Attacking targets with armed remotely piloted aircraft that cost a fraction of the price of a fully equipped fighter jet will also help to reduce the pressure on the Pentagon budget. The price of a Reaper is about $US40 million. The Joint Strike Fighter F35, the fifth-generation stealth aircraft still under development, will cost about $US200m.

The traditional role of the US Air Force nonetheless remains crucial to the military, with just more than 4000 US fighter and bomber pilots still in service. According to General Schwartz, they will have a role for another three decades because they are essential for defending the territory of the US or its allies.

"Manned aircraft will be a part of the chemistry here because, at least for the near term, the remotely piloted aircraft capability is not for contested airspace. It is a benign airspace capability," General Schwartz said.

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/world/drones-to-eclipse-crewed-aircraft/story-fnb64oi6-1226441755165

[jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter)]

Anglo-French Unmanned Air Systems Programme Contract Awarded

(Source: BAE Systems; issued July 30, 2012)
 
BAE Systems and Dassault Aviation welcome today's award by the UK and French Governments for a Future Combat Air System Demonstration Programme Preparation Phase (FCAS DPPP) contract.

The FCAS DPPP contract will propose a joint plan to mature and demonstrate critical technology and operational aspects of a future combat air system. It is expected that this will lead to a joint Unmanned Combat Air System demonstration and operational evaluation programme in the future.

The two companies fully support their governments in their stated desire for closer bi-lateral defence relationships. Since 2010, they have started and continue to work closely together to mature and develop further their common understanding of technology, capability and business opportunities in the Unmanned Air System (UAS) arena. They support the two governments' stated intention to investigate the potential for common UAS development programmes in the future.

Chris Boardman, Managing Director, Military Air & Information, BAE Systems said: "BAE Systems and Dassault Aviation have been working together closely to ensure we maintain our status as leading providers of aerospace capability. The signing of this contract will ensure that both countries get the best return on their investment and positions the two companies well to meet any future Anglo-French requirements."

This contract is the first UAS contract to come out of the Defence Accord signed at the Anglo-French Summit in November 2010.

BAE Systems, Dassault Aviation and Rolls Royce/Snecma have also signed an industrial agreement to work together in support of this contract.

http://www.defense-aerospace.com/article-view/release/137354/bae%2C-dassault-wins-contracts-for-anglo_french-ucav-study.html

[Lex]

[jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter)]

Navy Conducts Pax River's First Flight of X-47B Unmanned Aircraft

Date: 7/29/2012
From Naval Air Systems Command Public Affairs

PATUXENT RIVER, Md. (NNS) -- The Navy made Pax River history July 29 after it conducted the naval air station's historic first flight of the X-47B Unmanned Combat Air System (UCAS) demonstrator.

At 11 a.m., the tailless, unmanned aircraft launched from Pax River and flew for a planned 35 minutes. The aircraft reached an altitude of 7,500 feet and an air speed of 180 knots during its flight over the Chesapeake Bay before successfully landing back at Pax River.

"This milestone event is the first of many flights at Pax River to demonstrate X-47B's compatibility with aircraft carrier flight procedures and launch/recovery equipment," said Matt Funk, UCAS lead test engineer. "The unique airspace and ship equipment at Pax River allow us to conduct the testing here before we land aboard the aircraft carrier next year."

The X-47B traveled from Edwards Air Force base, Calif., to Pax River in June to enter its next phase of testing. UCAS-D team members will utilize the specialized testing capabilities and facilities available at Pax River in the coming months to validate the X-47B's ability to perform in an aircraft carrier environment.

One of the testing facilities at Pax River is a simulated aircraft carrier environment, which will allow team members to ensure the aircraft is ready to operate in testing at sea. Land-based testing will establish X-47B has the ability to conduct precision approaches and to perform arrested landings and catapult launches prior to actual aircraft carrier operations.

"The X-47B's flight today is another important step closer to the Navy's vision of operating tailless, autonomous, unmanned systems from aircraft carriers," said Capt. Jaime Engdahl, Navy UCAS program manager.

http://www.navy.mil/submit/display.asp?story_id=68677

[jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter)]

CASSIDIAN successfully accomplishes new test flights with Barracuda unmanned technology test bed

23 July 2012 

Advanced, autonomously flying unmanned technology demonstrator system with extended capabilities and a network-capable data link
First coordinated flight of two unmanned jet aircraft (Barracuda/Learjet – simulates Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) with different roles to moving targets
Extensive changes to flight path and mission during flight

Cassidian has successfully carried out a series of test flights with its Barracuda UAS (Unmanned Aerial System) technology demonstrator at Goose Bay military airfield in Canada. This year, the unmanned aerial test bed completed five test flights in June and July 2012 in the context of the research and development programme "Agile UAV in a Network Centric Environment" (Agile UAV-NCE). These involved the Barracuda technology demonstrator flying in combination with another unmanned aerial vehicle, which was simulated by a converted Learjet. The two aircraft flew missions where they each had different role profiles that were autonomously coordinated and synchronised with one another.

"With these latest successful flights by our UAS technology demonstrator, we have made another great leap forward in our developments for the world's most promising future markets in our industry," said Cassidian CEO Stefan Zoller after the flying test bed had landed safely at Goose Bay Canadian air force base.

Carried out by Cassidian's Barracuda project team, the test flights delivered vital information regarding flight with several networked UAS and the autonomous distribution of roles between unmanned aerial vehicles in complex mission scenarios. The role distribution was predefined in each case. Coordination between the two UAS was largely automated. However, the missions could be adapted by uploading new mission data while the aircraft were in the mission zone. This was accomplished via the new network-centric data link. The flight test engineers transmitted not only individual new waypoints, but also entire mission segments from the ground station to the UAS in flight, which immediately responded to its new instructions.

During the 2012 test campaign over the Goose Bay region of the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador, the jet-propelled unmanned demonstrator Barracuda again flew completely autonomously along pre-programmed flight profiles including auto-taxiing processes. The Barracuda and the Learjet simulating the second UAS were monitored from the ground station with respect to flight safety only.

The Barracuda demonstrator is designed as a technology test bed with a modular structure and a flexible configuration, enabling a wide variety of systems and flight profiles to be tested and a wide range of mission requirements to be demonstrated. The avionics system was developed as an open and modular structure that allows a large number of sensors and data link solutions to be integrated with the demonstrator. Electro-optical and infrared sensors, laser target designators, an Emitter Locator System (ELS) consisting of detectors for picking up radio-magnetic signals, and advanced Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) systems that operate on the multisensor principle can all be accommodated in the Barracuda's payload bay.

About CASSIDIAN (www.cassidian.com)
Cassidian, an EADS company, is a worldwide leader in global security solutions and systems, providing Lead Systems Integration and value-added products and services to civil and military customers around the globe: air systems (aircraft and unmanned aerial systems), land, naval and joint systems, intelligence and surveillance, cyber security, secure communications, test systems, missiles, services and support solutions. In 2011, Cassidian – with around 28,000 employees – achieved revenues of € 5.8 billion. EADS is a global leader in aerospace, defence and related services. In 2011, the Group – comprising Airbus, Astrium, Cassidian and Eurocopter – generated revenues of € 49.1 billion and employed a workforce of more than 133,000.

CASSIDIAN - Defending World Security

Contact
Christian Albert
Tel.: +49 (0) 8459 – 81 80 484
christian.albert@cassidian.com

Zie link voor de foto.

http://www.cassidian.com/en_US/web/guest/CASSIDIAN%20successfully%20accomplishes%20test%20flights%20with%20Barracuda

[jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter)]

New Imagery Details Indian Aura UCAV

By Asia-Pacific Staff

Source: Aviation Week & Space Technology

July 16, 2012

Asia-Pacific Staff New Delhi

India's stealthy unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) program is taking shape, with the first images surfacing from the design optimization and concept definition phase.

The flying-wing concept, designated the Indian Unmanned Strike Air Vehicle (IUSAV), is a derivative of existing flying-wing UAVs such as the European Neuron and Boeing Phantom Ray. But in fresh indications coming from the Bengaluru-based team developing the platform, the IUSAV, code-named Aura, could see a first prototype flight by 2015-16, with deliveries by the end of the decade. Such timelines are ambitious—especially for a program involving technologies that India has never before attempted—but the Indian air force (IAF) and government decided to accord special funding and other support to keep the IUSAV on schedule. The director of the Indian Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO), V.K. Saraswat, recently visited Sweden, where he is believed to have had discussions with Saab on India's unmanned efforts, including the IUSAV. Saraswat's presentation at the Aerospace Forum there—where he described the IUSAV as an "unmanned bomber"—also revealed that IUSAV program laboratories were pursuing development of radar-absorbent paint and materials, cool exhaust signatures for infrared suppression, conformal sensors and antennas, data links and flying-wing aerodynamics. His presentation also illustrated elaborate threat scenarios involving future combat air systems, which included not just the IUSAV but also an indigenous fifth-generation stealth fighter, the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft, and the Indo-Russian fifth-generation fighter aircraft, or PAK FA.

Representatives from Dassault, Saab and BAE Systems say that all three companies are in discussions with the DRDO for possible technology partnerships in the IUSAV project. DRDO sources indicate that teams from the organization have been invited to visit facilities in France and the U.K., respectively, where the Neuron and BAE Taranis are being developed.

With the platform's shape near definite, a cluster of Indian aeronautical agencies has already begun designing and conceptualizing the IUSAV's major components, notably a flight-control system for the autopilot, control laws for autonomous flight, a serpentine air intake for its single turbofan engine—a modified variant of the Indian Kaveri—mechanical and fluidic thrust-vector control and large-eddy simulation of flying-wing configurations with elevons or dragerons. The design images also reveal that the IUSAV is being developed with twin internal weapon bays capable of carrying one Paveway-type precision-guided munition each.

A scientist with the Bengaluru-based Aeronautical Development Agency claims the program has built-in mechanisms to check costs and delays. "We are aware of the complexities and expectations. We hope to make this program a clean break from the others," he says.

Air Marshal T.M. Asthana, a retired IAF fighter pilot who was the first chief of India's Strategic Forces Command, says: "I'm not sure manned flight in the Indian context will shift as a paradigm any time soon. However, it is important that India invests in UCAV technologies."

In fact, the IAF—despite its proclivity for manned aircraft—called for information from the global market two years ago to support the potential purchase of UCAVs; but it received little or no response, prompting it to throw its weight behind the IUSAV project, now deemed classified by the Indian government.

"There is a recognition from the start that this is a major and difficult project," says an IAF officer with the Air Headquarters plans division. "But it cannot go the way the LCA Tejas program has gone. Lessons learned have to be part of the IUSAV. That's the plan. The IAF and DRDO are working more closely than ever before."

India's Predator-type hunter-killer UAV, the twin-turboprop-powered Rustom-2, is likely to begin flight testing by late 2013. The IUSAV is expected to draw several evolutionary technologies from the Rustom-2.

http://www.aviationweek.com/Article.aspx?id=/article-xml/AW_07_16_2012_p45-471464.xml&p=2

[IPA NG]

Nu nog in een schotelvorm en ik zal die aluhoedjes eens de stuipen op het lijf jagen.

[Elzenga]

Vond dit een interessant ontwerp.