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Overigen => Nieuwe ontwikkelingen op Defensiegebied => Topic gestart door: Elzenga op 29/10/2011 | 19:50 uur

Titel: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Elzenga op 29/10/2011 | 19:50 uur
Vond dit een interessant ontwerp.



Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: IPA NG op 29/10/2011 | 20:24 uur
Nu nog in een schotelvorm en ik zal die aluhoedjes eens de stuipen op het lijf jagen.
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter) op 14/07/2012 | 12:13 uur
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
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter) op 24/07/2012 | 15:08 uur
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
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter) op 30/07/2012 | 10:28 uur
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
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Lex op 01/08/2012 | 12:40 uur
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter) op 01/08/2012 | 13:30 uur
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
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter) op 03/08/2012 | 08:11 uur
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
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter) op 04/08/2012 | 08:37 uur
Duits leger denkt aan drones

4 juli 2012

Het Duitse leger overweegt de aanschaf van bewapende onbemande vliegtuigen. Defensieminister De Maizière (CDU) zegt in een interview in de krant Die Welt dat hij geen bezwaren heeft tegen de inzet van drones.

"Een drone is een vliegtuig zonder piloot. Vliegtuigen kunnen bewapend worden, dus waarom zou dat met onbemande vliegtuigen niet kunnen?", zegt hij in het stuk.

Gevoelig

De aanschaf van wapens is over het algemeen een gevoelig onderwerp in Duitsland, maar het parlement is in meerderheid voorzichtig positief over het idee. Alleen de meest linkse partij in de Bondsdag, Die Linke, is fel tegen het kopen van drones.

Oefenen

Het Duitse leger heeft in Afghanistan al kunnen oefenen met onbewapende drones die het van Israël had geleend. De onbemande vliegtuigen worden vooral door Amerikaanse en Israëlische firma's gemaakt. De Amerikanen gebruiken de laatste jaren veel drones in landen als Afghanistan en Pakistan.

Bron: NOS
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter) op 06/08/2012 | 15:20 uur
Elbit Systems to Supply A Latin American Customer with Hermes 900 and Hermes 450 UAS for Tens of Millions of Dollars

(Source: Elbit Systems Ltd; issued August 5, 2012)
 
HAIFA, Israel --- Elbit Systems Ltd., announced today that it was awarded a contract valued at many tens of millions of dollars, to supply a Latin American customer with a mixed fleet of Hermes 900 and Hermes 450 Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS). The contract will be performed over the next two years.

The contract includes Universal Ground Control Stations (UGCS) and a variety of payloads and capabilities including: the Electro-Optics Elop Division's advanced payloads systems, the Elisra Division's intelligence COMINT systems, SAR/MPR multimode radar and additional sensors.

-Elad Aharonson, Elbit Systems UAS Division General Manager commented: "We are proud of the customer's decision to acquire a combined array of Hermes 450 and Hermes 900, joining several other Hermes 900 customers, including the Israeli Defense Forces.".

Aharonson added: "Hermes 900 is well positioned as a world-leading UAS, suitable for a wide variety of missions, from intelligence gathering, to perimeter and security missions. The unique capability of joint operation with the Hermes 450 offers seamless integration for existing users, further enhancing operational flexibility and cost effectiveness and eliminating the need for additional infrastructure or special training programs".


Elbit Systems Ltd. is an international defense electronics company engaged in a wide range of programs throughout the world. The Company, which includes Elbit Systems and its subsidiaries, operates in the areas of aerospace, land and naval systems, command, control, communications, computers, intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance ("C4ISR"), unmanned aircraft systems ("UAS"), advanced electro-optics, electro-optic space systems, EW suites, airborne warning systems, ELINT systems, data links and military communications systems and radios.

http://www.defense-aerospace.com/article-view/release/137498/elbit-sells-hermes-uavs-to-latin-american-country.html
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter) op 07/08/2012 | 07:54 uur
A Twist of the Wrist -- How to Drive an X-47B

Posted byGraham on Aug 06, 2012

Standing off to one side at last week's press unveiling of the US Navy's X-47B unmanned combat aircraft system demonstrator at NAS Patuxent River was a guy with what looked like a Borg cybernetic implant on his arm.

In fact, it was the wireless hand controller for maneuvering the X-47B on the aircraft-carrier deck.

The battery-powered device uses an RF data link to control nosewheel steering, engine thrust, mainwheel brakes and tailhook, and provides a display, keys and lights to communicate aircraft status to the operator maneuvering the unmanned X-47B on the flight deck.

Initial deck handling trials are planned for this week on the ramp at Pax using air vehicle 2. The operator will stand directly behind the "yellow shirt" flight-deck director, both of them looking at the aircraft, and follow the director's hand signals to maneuver the X-47B.

Using the hand controller, the deck operator will maneuver the X-47B on to the catapult, run up the engine to tension the cat, initiate a control "wipe out" to check the flight-control surfaces are clear and indicate the aircraft is ready to launch, then hand over control to the mission operator below decks.

On landing, once the aircraft has caught the wire, sensed the deceleration and reduced the engine to idle, the deck controller with take command of the X-47B from the mission operator, raise the hook and maneuver the aircraft off the wire and out of the way of the next to land.

AV-2 conducted the 35 min. first flight from Pax on July 29, beginning the East Coast work-up to the first unmanned-aircraft carrier operations in 2013. AV-1 is getting a new software load and will begin carrier-suitability testing with shore-based catapult launches and arrested landings at Pax late this fall.

Zie link voor de foto's

http://www.aviationweek.com/Blogs.aspx?plckBlogId=Blog:27ec4a53-dcc8-42d0-bd3a-01329aef79a7&plckPostId=Blog%3A27ec4a53-dcc8-42d0-bd3a-01329aef79a7Post%3A3f3c892e-bc9a-47a8-99b9-1ecffdfd7acd
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter) op 08/08/2012 | 06:50 uur
Russian Drones Lag U.S. Models by 20 Years

By David Axe

August 6, 2012

The Russian military will acquire long-range, presumably jet-powered strike drones to help replace its arsenal of decrepit Cold War-era Tupolev heavy bombers, according to Moscow's long-range aviation commander, Lt. Gen. Anatoly Zhikharev.

Just one problem: The new drones won't be ready for combat until 2040 at the earliest, Zhikharev told Russian news agency RIA Novosti. That's a full two decades after the U.S. plans to deploy its own jet-propelled, armed unmanned aerial vehicles.

Remember when U.S. presidential candidate Mitt Romney called Russia America's "number-one geopolitical foe?" Romney subsequently dialed back that rhetoric. But the two-decade gap between U.S. and Russian drone technology is still a useful reminder that Moscow does not pose a major military threat to any country that isn't its immediate neighbor.

Zhikharev's admission of the drone gap comes at a desperate time for the once-mighty Russian aerospace industry. Political pressure is building for the Kremlin to acquire modern weaponry on par with that of the U.S., European and the most advanced Asian militaries. This summer, newly reelected Russian president Vladimir Putin vowed to equip the air force with a new manned bomber, a new early-warning radar plane and several types of drones. "This is a most important area of development in aviation," Putin said of UAVs.

But while Russian industry has reliably churned out upgraded versions of Cold War jet fighters while also slowly developing the T-50, Moscow's first stealth fighter prototype, aerospace companies have struggled to design working UAVs. Drones demand lightweight materials and systems, but Russian flight hardware "tends to be overbuilt," according to U.S. trade publication Defense Industry Daily.

Lack of technological foresight is another problem. Putin's recent cheerleading for drones belies decades during which the Russian military willfully neglected robotic aircraft.

In 2007, Moscow's state-owned gas and oil producer Gazprom teamed up with aerospace firm Irkut to develop two models of camera-equipped medium drone for patrolling Gazprom's thousands of miles of pipelines. In size and endurance, Gazprom's civil UAVs were roughly equivalent to American and European military models, including the U.S. Predator. Even so, the Kremlin was "not overly impressed" and "largely ignored" the drones, U.S. Navy Lt. Cmdr. Cindy Hurst wrote.

A year later Russia went to war with its neighbor Georgia, a country of only 4.5 million people that nevertheless had been able to equip its armed forces with Israeli-made Hermes drones, totally outclassing Russia's surveillance forces. After the war Russia spent $53 million on its own fleet of probably a dozen or so Israeli UAVs, including Searcher and I-View models.

These remain Moscow's only modern drones. Belated efforts to design indigenous flying robots have all fallen flat. In January 2010 a prototype of the Vega Company's Stork UAV crashed and burned on takeoff, as seen in the video above. The crash apparently ended that particular program.

In essence, Russia is starting from scratch on homemade robot warplanes, some 20 years after other advanced nations began getting serious about UAVs. Russian officials are promising a first flight for an indigenous, Predator-class drone in 2014, but in light of past failures the plan lacks credibility. It's not hard to see why a jet-powered drone bomber could require a full 30 years to develop, starting today.

The U.S. military, by contrast, already operates hundreds of medium drones, including armed Predators and Reapers — to say nothing of thousands of small drones and dozens of airliner-size Global Hawks.

Meanwhile, American firms have produced four different jet-propelled, drone bomber demonstrators in anticipation of a Navy contest to put armed UAVs on carrier decks by 2018. And the Air Force is planning to make its newest bomber, due to enter service in the 2020s, "optionally manned." That means it can switch from a piloted warplane to a drone with the flip of a few switches.

Against these robots, Russia's 2040 drone bomber could seem hopelessly late — if it enters service at all.

http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2012/08/russian-drones/
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter) op 12/08/2012 | 10:40 uur
Drone swarms, the new aerial war system

By Paul Wallis
Aug 12, 2012

Sydney- Snoopy might have had more luck with the Red Baron if he'd been a ground controller. Despite the songs, in the comics he often had a few problems with von Richtofen. That may also be the case with fighter pilots and the new drone swarm technology.

The drone swarms are groups of unmanned planes and drones working together. The huge diversification of drones, robots and other unmanned aerial platforms is creating a very new tactical paradigm.

Boeing's drone swarms are opening up the field for a new type of aerial warfare and other aerial capabilities in many ways. Even ground control stations are becoming obsolete as new laptop-scale options come onstream.
Space War describes the latest tests of drone swarm systems:

Despite limited flight training, the operator was able to connect with autonomous UAVs, task them and obtain information without using a ground control station.

Boeing and JHU/APL (Johns Hopkins University and Applied Physics Laboratory) conducted two tests last year in which dissimilar unmanned platforms across air, land and sea domains collaborated to autonomously conduct searches and communicate information.
Not quite video game standard, but getting there in a hurry. Drones do have a lot of non-military uses as well. I'm focusing on the military in this article, but other uses include:

• Police work
• Firefighting
• Search and rescue
• Safety monitoring
• Disaster relief
• Supply drops (larger drones)
• Traffic control
• Customs
• Border patrols
• Surveillance
• Security
• Any role where being airborne is an advantage

Drone swarms in these roles can do a lot of valuable work, very efficiently and at low risk.
Combat economics- Cheap Kill goes mobile

The military side of drone swarms is fascinating, in the same sense Pearl Harbor was interesting.
The understated story here is that the drones are now clearly seen as working alternatives to many military systems formerly done by high cost systems. The huge costs of modern combat systems are killing military capabilities. The Eternal Free Lunch for Contractors of incredible costs for battlefield systems is pricing itself into a corner, particularly in aerospace technology. "Fly by wire" fighters like Raptor and Lightning II are very expensive, very complex, and training is equally costly.

The contractors themselves also have a long supply and R&D chain to manage. They also have, to find a nice word for it, an "icky" range of design issues and neuroses from those with inputs into design. Nobody really wins the dollar equations but freeloaders and position-players. Getting the shortest end of a long stick are the military operators and planners.

Then there's the shelf life issue. Fighters are generally considered to have a roughly 15-20 year working life. Over that time the cost of a lot of maintenance is also created. This cost base tends to escalate, often dramatically. Initial costs are those of new systems, and end cycle costs are those based on keeping old systems running while trying to replace them with new ones.
Modern fighters are designed to deliver air superiority. This is fundamental to any military operation on any scale. At their operational peak, they do that, very effectively. However, in their declining phase they can be serious liabilities, unable to deliver. They're very vulnerable, and not just to more modern planes, but to newer ground and sea anti-aircraft systems.

Cheap kill means a missile costing a few thousand bucks can knock out fighters which cost large numbers of millions of dollars, and pilots who cost a lot to train. Kill either the plane or the pilot, and you significantly reduce operational capabilities, as well as sending the enemy's money down the drain.
Cost, however, is a serious constraint. If you have a look at the flying museums operated by many of the world's air forces, you can see the problem clearly. Some air forces would have to completely re-equip, re-tool and retrain just to get on an equal footing with possible opponents.

Enter the swarms

This is where the swarms come into play. The new unmanned platforms are a lot cheaper. Their controls have been very much simplified from the early days. Their capabilities have expanded dramatically. They're not in the F22 or F35 league yet, but you can see where the demand for similar capabilities is likely to come from.
Most importantly they can take over many of the "laundry duty" jobs from the high value fighters. It doesn't make a lot of sense to send a very valuable plane to drop a couple of smart bombs when you can send a much cheaper drone, or in the case of swarms, drones, to do that. Multiple different drones, in fact, could deliver a lot more support, without wasting the valuable fighter or putting it at risk.

One of the reasons the US now uses cruise missiles as a default strike force is simply because it's better combat economics. One missile can take out a target which could be a high risk proposition for planes or a dilution of resources. Save time and keep your planes together, where they can enforce air superiority. Common sense, and good in practice.
Drones can also take some of the weight off the choppers. The logic is a bit different, but choppers are also very high value combat systems. They're the default backup for ground forces, and the demands on them are therefore high. Does a mission justify sending your choppers away from their core roles? If not, send drones. A swarm could do much the same job as a chopper, or more, with the right capabilities.

Drone swarms of the future

Anyone who remembers the old sci-fi cartoon stories of endless robot armies will appreciate the fact that drone swarms can even look like those old stories. The Boeing picture of five UAV drones in a swarm on Space Wars, all with their good fighter-like profiles, look just like that. The other side to the imagery is that they can be just that, too. Cheap kill, whether it's arrows at Agincourt or RPGs at ten paces, produces highly efficient and very effective cheap weapons. Many of these weapons, historically, have had multiple functions in combat. They could be adapted to different types of roles and different combat environments.

The likely devolution of military drone swarms will have to be based on production design. Why make multiple different models, if you can create one basic cheap platform and make it capable of doing multiple things?
Bearing in mind these drones will be in combat in new types of battlefield environments, "cheap" has to also translate into providing:

1. Combat numbers
2. Operational ranges
3. Multirole capabilities
4. Specialist roles
5. Systems mounting
6. ECM and ECCM capable
7. Signals systems capabilities
8. Weapons systems capabilities
9. Optical and instrument capabilities
10. Power to weight capacity
11. Hard points capacity
12. Survivability

These are just the basics. Specific mountings on drones will vary enormously, but you can already see the obvious equations between fighter, chopper and drone capabilities.

This might seem complex, but with efficient production, you could produce drones like iPhones, and in the same gigantic numbers. A good basic production design, properly costed, could make a combat drone as cheap as an infantry weapon. Drones aren't yet particularly hard targets to knock down by the standards of modern military forces, but if operating in numbers, they don't need to be. Knocking out 99 drones doesn't mean a thing if Drone #100 gets through and wipes out your installation or city.

There's another easily foreseeable issue- Stealthy, agile drones. Drones are extremely agile. They're not great radar targets when in ground clutter. A wooden drone, in fact, would be a terrible target to try to acquire. They'd be hell for conventional air defences.
A really big drone swarm, say a thousand or so, could be impossible to stop. Some drones would get through and with the right weapons they could do colossal damage. A saturation level attack would be cheaper than a few fighters, and guaranteed to work.

The answer, of course, is a counterstrike by large numbers of hunter/killer drones, designed to hunt other drones. A natural evolution, creating a predator drone species. You could, in fact, have a Battle of Britain drone air war happening almost automatically.
Drone swarms could also knock out expensive fighters, in theory. A standard air to air missile can be scaled down easily enough, or a Stinger-like system could be fitted. The cheap drones could become the default option for nations which can't afford the ultra-expensive fighters. For those with the fighters, sending them to fight drones isn't a great option, either. The fighters may not even be able to fire at them, let alone hit them. Drones could become the snipers of the air war, able to do enormous damage with minimal risk.

Any way you look at it, the arrival of cheap new controls and multiple-drone swarm capacity is the start of a rethink of air support and air strategy. If you're into aerospace, this will be a golden era of innovation and design discoveries.
It could also be a great time to move to another planet. Theoretically, a drone could deliver any kind of weapon, on target. Future warfare with drones could essentially revive the ability to deliver the world's nastiest weapons. I'd go as far as to say that this is a weapons system where the counters have to be in place before production so you can manage copycat counterattacks.

Read more: http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/330631#ixzz23JpbgvEU
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: KapiteinRob op 12/08/2012 | 10:54 uur
De ontwikkeling van drones lijkt me zo snel te gaan, dat je je serieus moet gaan afvragen of je nog wel miljarden wil steken in gevechtsvliegtuigen die pas over een kleine 10 jaar instromen en dan ruim 30 jaar mee moeten gaan.....
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter) op 12/08/2012 | 11:05 uur
Citaat van: Kapitein Rob op 12/08/2012 | 10:54 uur
De ontwikkeling van drones lijkt me zo snel te gaan, dat je je serieus moet gaan afvragen of je nog wel miljarden wil steken in gevechtsvliegtuigen die pas over een kleine 10 jaar instromen en dan ruim 30 jaar mee moeten gaan.....

Misschien is een beperkt aantal air superiority fighters (2 sqn) aangevuld met diverse drone types wel een beter alternatief.

Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter) op 13/08/2012 | 10:36 uur
'Let u op? Nog even, en er zweven drones boven Amsterdam'

OPINIE - Lars Anderson − 13/08/12,

vk opinie In het nieuws vorige week: de eerste 'drone', door Nederland ingezet. Voordat we verdergaan met het inzetten van onbemande gevechts- en verkenningsvliegtuigen, is een stevige discussie nodig, schrijft columnist Lars Anderson. .

Net zoals een drone onder de radar kan vliegen, heeft de Nederlandse overheid buiten het zichtveld van het publiek vier drones aangeschaft. Afgelopen woensdag maakte het leger in de buurt van Somalië voor het eerst een vlucht met een eigen ScanEagle. Deze drone, die inclusief lanceerbasis 3.2 miljoen dollar kost, kan twintig uur zweven op een maximale hoogte van vijf kilometer. Ideaal om piraten in de Golf van Aden op te sporen.

Nederland behoort zo weer tot de grote jongens. Drones zijn gewilde hebbedingetjes in de wereld van het leger, omdat een op-afstand-bestuurbare-oorlog slachtoffers onder de eigen troepen voorkomt.

Amerika bijvoorbeeld oefent al meer dan tien jaar met 'Predators' en 'Reapers', die Hellfire-raketten met grote precisie tot op de schoenen van vijandelijke strijders kunnen schieten. Groot-Brittannië en Italië hebben bewapende drones, Duitsland wil ze hebben, en Rusland, Iran, India hebben allemaal vergevorderde projecten om drones van raketten te voorzien. Zelfs Hezbollah doet volgens geruchten dankzij Iran mee in de rat-race.

Zo ver is Nederland nog niet. De ScanEagle is 'slechts' een surveillancevliegtuig met een spanwijdte van drie meter. Te klein om een raket onder te hangen.

Big Brother 3.0
Toch moet de Nederlandse aanschaf van deze op het oog onschuldige drone met argusogen worden bekeken. Worden de drones nu nog gebruikt om piraten in roeibootjes op te sporen, binnenkort kunnen ze zomaar boven de Amsterdamse binnenstad cirkelen om met hun camera's bezoekers van grote evenementen in de gaten te houden. Big Brother 3.0. Dat scheelt een hoop benzine en lawaai van helikopters die dat werk nu doen. Overdreven? In Amerika worden drones al ingezet door verschillende politie-eenheden en cirkelen ze boven grenssteden met Mexico om de grenzen daar in de gaten te houden.

Verder is het door de komst van de eerste drone nog maar een kleine stap voor Nederland om uit te breiden en een bewapende variant te kopen. Nederland speelt graag een voortrekkersrol in internationale vredesmissies, en over niet al te lange tijd ben je daarbij wegens moordende competitie alleen nog een toevoeging als je ook bommen onder je materieel kunt hangen. Alleen: er is nog geen enkele maatschappelijke discussie geweest, ook niet in de Tweede Kamer, over of wij deze metalen bromvliegen wel in ons arsenaal willen hebben.

De Amerikanen, die in het diepste geheim een vloot van 7000 drones hebben gebouwd, beginnen langzaam te worstelen met dezelfde vraag. Begin juni lekte uit dat president Barack Obama een eigen 'kill list' heeft en hoogstpersoonlijk zijn veto geeft voor welke terrorist in Pakistan of Yemen met een raket wordt vermoord. Wie op die lijst staan weet verder niemand; het valt onder geheime operaties van de CIA. Er is met geen mogelijkheid een zinnige discussie over de morele afwegingen van deze moordmachines.

Schimmigheid troef
Schimmigheid is troef rondom de drone. Vraag het onafhankelijke reporters die vorige week een kijkje wilden nemen op een grote drone-conventie in Las Vegas. Wie een kritische noot durfde te kraken werd hardhandig afgevoerd. Voor de drone-fabrikanten staan er miljarden op het spel; hun industrie groeit als kool, met 'nieuwe landen' als Nederland als potentiële grote afnemers.

Militaire apparaten, beveiligingsbedrijven, politiediensten; iedereen lonkt naar de diensten van de drone. Hun opmars lijkt onstuitbaar, maar voordat we in Nederland het point-of-no-return zijn gepasseerd, moet er een breed maatschappelijk debat worden gevoerd of ze werkelijk zo wenselijk zijn. Geef openheid van zaken, ontdoe de drones van hun schimmigheid en kap met ultravage antwoorden, zoals majoor Chris Sievers, commandant van het Joint Istar Commando, aan de NOS gaf.

NOS: 'Dit is toch wat wij een drone noemen?'
Sievers: 'Nou, wij noemen het een UAV, een unmanned aerial vehikel.'
NOS: 'Maar is het te vergelijken met een drone zoals de Amerikanen hem in Pakistan gebruiken?'
Sievers: 'Niet helemaal. [...] Ons vliegtuig maakt integraal deel uit van een compleet systeem, dus het vliegtuig is onderdeel van een heel systeem dat wij inzetten om beelden genereren in ons operatiegebied waarin wij opereren.'

Hm. Jaja, interessant.

http://www.volkskrant.nl/vk/nl/9524/Lars-Anderson/article/detail/3300435/2012/08/13/Let-u-op-Nog-even-en-er-zweven-drones-boven-Amsterdam.dhtml
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Flyguy op 13/08/2012 | 10:52 uur
Misschien weet de beste man niet dat deze UAV's al oudere sperwer's vervangen.  ;D

Citaat van: Lars Anderson op 13/08/2012 | 10:36 uur
"Nederland behoort zo weer tot de grote jongens. Drones zijn gewilde hebbedingetjes in de wereld van het leger, omdat een op-afstand-bestuurbare-oorlog slachtoffers onder de eigen troepen voorkomt."

Het ideale middel voor een krijgsmacht onder budgets druk.

Citaat van: Lars Anderson op 13/08/2012 | 10:36 uur
"Dat scheelt een hoop benzine en lawaai van helikopters die dat werk nu doen."

Het scheelt benzine, prima!
Hij geeft zelf aan dat het eerder met heli's gedaan werd, ze werden toch al in de gaten gehouden.


Ik vind het goed als we geen bewapende drones aanschaffen (wel meer onbewapende), maar dan moeten we wel een gevechtsvloot behouden die veel duurder is  :devil:
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Elzenga op 22/08/2012 | 18:59 uur
Report: Military Drones Only 'Slightly' Cheaper Than Piloted Jets
By John T. Bennett

August 21, 2012 RSS Feed Print 
A Predator B unmanned aircraft lands after a mission at the Naval Air Station in Corpus Christi, Texas.
Military drones are only slightly cheaper than manned warplanes, and data indicates the remotely piloted aircraft also are more prone to mishaps, a new report says.

The Pentagon has since the onset of the post-9/11 Iraq and Afghanistan wars substantially ramped up its use of drone aircraft. Recently, Obama administration officials have acknowledged a U.S. drone mission in Yemen, the newest major front in the struggle against al Qaeda.

The unmanned combat planes offer in-conflict advantages like the ability to loiter over or monitor a target for longer periods of time than a manned plane can. They also are cheaper to buy and operate, a fact often lauded by defense officials and industry executives.

[Photo Gallery: NASA's Curiosity Lands on Mars]

But a new report released this week by the American Security Project, or ASP, concludes that most military drones are only "generally slightly cheaper to both acquire and operate than conventional fighter jets."

Despite claims to the contrary, unmanned planes require a large crew: There is one remote pilot, another remote crew member to operate the valuable cameras mounted on many, and "because a drone is not operated individually, but as part ofa system consisting ofseveral aircraft, sensors, ground control, and satellite linkages, the number of personnel needed to operate a Predator Combat Air Patrol (CAP) is estimated to exceed 80 people," states the report. It refers to the Predator unmanned plane that has been used in Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan, and allegedly in Yemen. The number of crew members needed to operate other drone fleets composed of four aircraft can approach 130, ASP concludes.

In a blow to drone proponents, the report concludes they have a "greater tendency toward mishaps" than piloted warplanes.

Citing Congressional Budget Office data, the think tank concludes the Predator drones' mishap rate is 7.6 incidents per 100,000 flight hours. That compares to 2.36 mishaps per 100,000 flight hours for the Air Force's venerable F-15 fighter.

John T. Bennett covers national security and foreign policy for U.S. News & World Report. You can contact him at jbennett@usnews.com or follow him on Twitter.
http://www.usnews.com/news/blogs/dotmil
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter) op 24/08/2012 | 15:21 uur
It's Time for the Air Force to Stop Buying Reapers

(Source: Lexington Institute; issued August 23, 2012)
 
We can all agree that Unmanned Aerial Systems (UASs) have proven themselves one of, if not the single most, useful capabilities the U.S. military has deployed in the last decade. From the hand-held Raven to the larger, rail-launched Scan Eagle up to the Predator (and its bigger and badder fraternal twin, the Reaper) and the high-altitude, long-endurance Global Hawk, UASs have transformed intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) at the tactical and operational levels of conflict.

Until their withdrawal last year from Iraq and to this day in Afghanistan, U.S. forces rarely left their bases without access to an overhead UAS video feed. Hellfire-armed Predators, operated by the CIA, have become the single most important tool for prosecuting the global campaign against violent extremists. All told, the Department of Defense has spent billions of dollars deploying thousands of UASs along with ground stations, controllers and supporting infrastructures.

The Pentagon intends to spend billions more on UASs in the near future. Some of this money will go to deploy advanced systems such as the Air Force's Block 40 Global Hawk and its cousin, the Navy's broad area maritime surveillance system (BAMS), as well as the Army's Shadow and Grey Eagle UASs. Additional resources will be devoted to development of new platforms such as the Navy's Integrator, a small tactical unmanned aircraft system (STUAS) and Unmanned Carrier-Launched Airborne Surveillance and Strike (UCLASS) system.

But the overwhelming bulk of the money being spent on UASs will go to buy additional Air Force Reapers. Since they were first introduced in 2002, the Air Force has purchased some 350-400 of these platforms. While procurement of the Predator ended in 2011, the Air Force has bought around 100 Reapers and plans to go on doing so as far as the eye can see.

According to DoD's 2013-2042 Aircraft Procurement Plan, the number of platforms in the large UAS category which includes both the Global Hawks and Reapers will grow from approximately 445 in FY 2013 to approximately 645 in FY 2022. Since the total planned procurement of Global Hawks is around 50, most of these will be Reapers. For FY 2013, more than half the total number of aircraft the Air Force plans to buy will be Reapers.

The size of the Predator/Reaper fleet is driven by the requirement to establish 65 reliable orbits. What's the basis of this requirement? It sprang fully formed from the head of former Secretary of Defense Robert Gates at the height of the Iraq conflict. There was no data to support that number. Nor am I aware of any data that demonstrates the value of increasing the number of orbits from the current level of around 50 to 65. With the U.S. already reducing its force levels in Afghanistan and planning a complete withdrawal by the end of 2014, the 65 orbit requirement makes no sense.

In fact, there are several additional reasons to question the utility of the 65 orbit goal. The Army is planning to acquire nearly 200 Grey Eagles, a Predator variant, to do much the same mission. It also conducted the first flight of its Long Endurance Multiple Intelligence Vehicle, a large airship that can stay airborne for days and maintain persistent surveillance of very large areas.

Also, advanced sensors, such as Gorgon Stare, will allow each Predator/Reaper to track multiple targets at the same time, reducing the overall demand for orbits. Finally, even as it was ramping up Predator orbits, DoD also was investing in a fleet of manned surveillance aircraft to provide additional ISR. The military is being crushed under the weight of ISR information that it has not the means to exploit today. What possible utility is there from the last 15 or so orbits?

It is time for DoD to revisit the 65 orbit goal and for the Air Force to call a halt to its frenzied acquisition of Reapers. The new Strategic Defense Guidance explicitly says that the military should no longer plan for large-scale, protracted stability operations, the kind of situations that would have called for filling the skies with Predator/Reaper orbits. Yes, the world is an uncertain place and we must be prepared to track terrorists, deal with humanitarian disasters and respond to crises anywhere in the world. But do these missions translate into a requirement for 65 Predator/Reaper orbits, particularly given all the other ISR investments DoD is supporting? The answer is no. It is entirely possible that half the current goal, 30 orbits, would be sufficient to cover all the other missions identified in the Strategic Defense Guidance.

The Air Force needs to halt the rush to 65 orbits, cut back its acquisition goals for the Reaper and take a deep breath. It is time to stop and consider what the Air Force wants in the next generation of UASs. All our strategy documents and intelligence assessments warn of a future in which our adversaries will acquire modern air defense systems. Neither the Predator nor the Reaper could survive in such an environment.

So, why is the Air Force locking itself into a UAS fleet that could not deal with the future threat?

The Air Force should put together a research and technology development plan that will lead to the next generation of UASs, ones that can survive in hostile air environments, operate safely in crowded air space and perform their mission even in the face of communications failures and electronic attack.

http://www.defense-aerospace.com/article-view/release/137862/should-usaf-stop-buying-reaper-uavs%3F.html
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter) op 31/08/2012 | 10:02 uur
German air force calls on Berlin to buy missile-armed drones for future conflicts

The country's post-war pacifist movement opposes such acquisitions; Germany is currently operating three Israeli-made Heron 1 drones in Afghanistan for reconnaissance missions.

By DPA | Aug.30, 2012

The head of Germany's air force called Thursday for Berlin to buy controversial missile-armed Predator drones for future conflicts.

Germany lags behind such nations as the U.S. and Israel in adopting the new technology. The country's influential post-war pacifist movement has opposed any acquisition of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), fearing they might kill civilians.

Lieutenant-General Karl Muellner said strict rules of engagement would meet those objections.

"There is not a single case where we haven't stuck to the rules," he said.

Germany's armed-forces contingent in Afghanistan, which is set to withdraw by late 2014, is currently operating three Heron 1 drones leased from Israel, but they are only usable for reconnaissance missions and are not armed.

The U.S.-made Predator, introduce in 1995, is fitted with Hellfire air-to-ground missiles and has been used extensively by the U.S. in eastern Afghanistan and adjoining areas of Pakistan.

Muellner criticized ground deployments of German forces abroad, saying the cost was out of proportion to the returns, and praised air interventions, saying, "Given the option, it's to be preferred."

No immediate comment was available from the opposition Left Party, which opposes military expansion.

The Green Party referred to a July statement by its disarmament spokeswoman, Agnieszka Brugger, who called purchase of drones without a review of their legality and public debate "irresponsible."

"There's no reason for haste about this," said Rainer Arnold, a Social Democratic defense spokesman, calling for the issue to wait until after next year's general election.

http://www.haaretz.com/news/world/german-air-force-calls-on-berlin-to-buy-missile-armed-drones-for-future-conflicts-1.461816
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Elzenga op 31/08/2012 | 21:09 uur
Ik zie de Duitsers (en andere Europese landen) liever kiezen voor een Europese UCAV. Die nu o.a. door de Britten en Fransen wordt ontwikkeld. Technologische afhankelijkheid op dit vlak van de VS lijkt me niet zo verstandig.
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter) op 31/08/2012 | 21:11 uur
Citaat van: Elzenga op 31/08/2012 | 21:09 uur
Ik zie de Duitsers (en andere Europese landen) liever kiezen voor een Europese UCAV. Die nu o.a. door de Britten en Fransen wordt ontwikkeld. Technologische afhankelijkheid op dit vlak van de VS lijkt me niet zo verstandig.

Je hebt een punt als je tot 20?? wil wachten. Je kan ook nu beperkt van de plank kopen om daarna uit te breiden met een eigen product (als het de verwachtingen waar kan maken).
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter) op 04/09/2012 | 08:25 uur
Drohnen sind gefragt, Eurofighter wird Ladenhüter

Het Duitstalige artikel vindt je via de link.

http://www.welt.de/wirtschaft/article108952822/Drohnen-sind-gefragt-Eurofighter-wird-Ladenhueter.html
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter) op 13/09/2012 | 16:37 uur
France, Germany Sign MALE Cooperate Deal

Sep. 13, 2012 - 10:09AM

By PIERRE TRAN   PARIS — France and Germany signed up Sept. 12 to work together on a medium-altitude, long-endurance (MALE) unmanned aerial system (UAS), while respecting commitments for Anglo-French cooperation on a future MALE drone, the French Defense Ministry said in a statement.

"In the MALE – UAS domain, France and Germany have agreed on a common set of key operational requirements for a possible European solution," the ministry said.

"Through this agreement France and Germany are in the position to foster a cooperation for the realization of a MALE UAS. In addition, the possibility of an operational cooperation as a bridging phase will be assessed," the ministry said.

The work with Germany would be "fully consistent" with French undertakings in the 2010 Lancaster House defense treaty with Britain, which includes cooperation on a new generation MALE UAV, the statement said.

"France and Germany have the objective to deepen the possibilities of European cooperation," the statement said.

The French procurement head, German defense state secretary, and the respective chiefs of defense staff signed the agreement, the ministry said.

http://www.defensenews.com/article/20120913/DEFREG01/309130002?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter) op 28/09/2012 | 10:58 uur
The Next Wave in U.S. Robotic War: Drones on their Own

by Naharnet Newsdesk

The U.S. military's current fleet of drones will soon be overtaken by a new wave of robots that will be faster, stealthier and smarter -- operating virtually without human intervention, experts say.

The Pentagon is investing heavily in "autonomy" for robotic weapons, with researchers anticipating squadrons of drones in the air, land or sea that would work in tandem with manned machines -- often with a minimum of supervision.

"Before they were blind, deaf and dumb. Now we're beginning to make them to see, hear and sense," Mark Maybury, chief scientist for the U.S. Air Force, told Agence France Presse.

Unmanned aircraft are now overseen by "pilots" on the ground but as the drones become more sophisticated, the role of remote operators will be more hands-off.

Instead of being "in the loop," humans will be "on the loop," said Maybury, explaining that operators will be able to "dial in" when needed to give a drone direction for a specific task.

"We're moving into more and more autonomous systems. That's an evolutionary arc," said Peter Singer, an expert on robotic weapons and author of "Wired for War."

"So the role moves from being sort of the operator from afar, to more like the supervisor or manager, and a manager giving more and more of a leash, more and more independence," he said.

Despite the dramatic advances in technology, the American military insists humans will remain in control when it comes to using lethal force.

But the next generation of increasingly capable drones will stretch man's capacity to control robots in battle, generating unprecedented moral and legal quandaries.

"These (technological) responses that are driven by science, politics and battlefield necessity get you into areas where the lawyers just aren't ready for it yet," Singer told AFP.

Over the next decade, changes in computing power will enable teams of hi-tech drones to operate virtually on their own, or as "robotic wingmen" to piloted aircraft, said Werner Dahm, the Air Force's former top scientist.

At a testing range in the Arizona desert, Apache helicopters are flying together with unmanned choppers in experiments the Pentagon believes will serve as an eventual model for future warfare.

"We're not far away from having a single piloted Apache or other helicopter system and a larger number of unmanned systems that fly with that," said Dahm, a professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering at Arizona State University.

"These require very high levels of machine reasoning. We're much closer to that than most people realize," Dahm told AFP.

The new technology has turned the U.S. Air Force's doctrine upside down. For decades, the military trained pilots to face an enemy "alone and unafraid," flying deep into hostile territory to strike at a target and then return home.

Now the Air Force is planning for scenarios in which different tasks would be divided up among manned and unmanned "systems," with drones jamming enemy air defenses, tracking targets and assessing bomb damage, while piloted warplanes oversee the launching of bombs and missiles.

Instead of the slow-flying turbo-prop Predator, future drones likely will more closely resemble their manned counterparts, with a longer range, more powerful jet engines and radar-evading stealth design, which the bat-winged Sentinel drone already has pioneered.

But the biggest technical hurdle for Pentagon-funded scientists is delivering an iron-clad guarantee that the more autonomous vehicles will not make a grievous mistake with potentially catastrophic consequences.

"You have to be able to show that the system is not going to go awry -- you have to disprove a negative," Dahm said. "It's very difficult to prove that something won't go wrong."

One veteran robotics scientist, Ronald Arkin, a professor at the Georgia Institute of Technology, believes that countries will inevitably deploy independent robots capable of killing an enemy without a human pushing a button.

Arkin, who has worked on U.S. defense programs for years, argues that robotic weapons can and should be designed as "ethical" warriors, with the ability to distinguish combatants from innocent civilians.

Without emotions to cloud their judgment and anger driving their actions, the robots could wage war in a more restrained, "humane" way, in accordance with the laws of war, Arkin said.

"It is not my belief that an unmanned system will be able to be perfectly ethical in the battlefield, but I am convinced that they can perform more ethically than human soldiers are capable of," he wrote.

SourceAgence France Presse.

TechnologyUnited States of America.

http://www.naharnet.com/stories/en/55094-the-next-wave-in-u-s-robotic-war-drones-on-their-own
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter) op 30/09/2012 | 11:39 uur
Shelling Out: New Reports Shows UK Has Spent £2bn on Drones

(Source: Drone Wars UK; issued Sept. 27, 2012)

Drone Wars UK is today publishing a report that shows the UK Government has already spent over £2 billion purchasing, developing and researching drones and unmanned systems since 2007.

The report, "Shelling Out: UK Government Spending on Unmanned Drones", finds that the UK has spent £872m on five different drones that are currently in service with British forces, including £506m on the armed MQ-9 Reaper drone. The UK has committed a further £1,031m to developing new drones such as the Watchkeeper UAV and BAE Systems Taranis drone. Finally the UK has funded £120m of research within UK universities and British defence companies looking at unmanned systems. This included £30m funding for the ASTRAEA programme to open up UK civil airspace to autonomous drones.

In addition to the £2bn already spent, in 2013 the UK is likely to begin committing funds to the Scavenger programme to develop a new armed medium altitude, long endurance (MALE) drone. The UK MoD estimates the Scavenger programme will cost £2bn over its lifetime.

Click here for the full report (12 PDF pages) on the Drones War UK website.

http://dronewarsuk.files.wordpress.com/2012/09/shelling-out-uk-spending-on-drones.pdf

http://www.defense-aerospace.com/article-view/release/138854/uk-spent-%C2%A32bn-on-uavs%2C-plans-%C2%A32bn-more.html
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter) op 12/10/2012 | 21:11 uur
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles to Become Lighter, Faster 

November 2012 

By Yasmin Tadjdeh

In the future, the military can expect to have unmanned aerial vehicles that are faster, stealthier and lighter, with longer endurance and can hold heavier payloads.

"[There will be] more focus on making systems that are stealthier, so they can't be detected as easily by the enemies, [and] more autonomous so they can operate more on their own. So, if they lose [a] communication link with the headquarters, they can continue to do their mission," said Phil Finnegan, director of corporate analysis at The Teal Group.

Future unmanned aircraft will also be more fuel efficient, Finnegan said.

While there is a desire to make a more advanced generation of UAVs, the Defense Department also faces budgetary concerns. Even if the Pentagon could find the perfect UAV, would it financially be within the department's reach? Finnegan noted that the Navy has let its Unmanned Carrier-Launched Surveillance and Strike (UCLASS) program — an initiative to deploy new unmanned aircraft aboard carriers over the next decade — slip by two years. In February, the Navy also canceled its medium-range unmanned aerial system program.

One problem for the UCLASS system is fitting the aircraft on a ship, said Larry Dickerson, an analyst at Forecast International. The Navy has long faced the issue of limited ship deck space, making difficult decisions and picking and choosing which equipment and weapons to bring along. Besides that, other logistical questions have come up, such as whether to bring on specialized maintenance crews, or train existing crews to fix them.

"You can't just put it on an aircraft carrier and say 'go,'" Dickerson said.

As for when the Navy will actually start acquiring the UCLASS, Dickerson said the best-case scenario is in the next 20 to 30 years.

For now, customers are looking to get the most bang for their buck, Dickerson said.

The "Holy Grail" for those buying the systems would be finding one that has the capabilities of a medium-altitude, long endurance (MALE) UAV, but for the price of a tactical system, Dickerson said.

"They are getting more and more expensive," said Dickerson.

With MALE-UAVs "there is more wiggle room" to add features such as various payloads, but Dickerson noted that they require long runways, which can sometimes make them less ideal to use depending on the situation.

Reducing costs is now more important than ever for customers, Dickerson said. Over the last 10 years, UAVs have seen a huge increase in sales, but at the same time, when they first arrived the military saw them as expendable, Dickerson said. Now, as the aircraft becomes standard inventory, the services want them to be sturdier, stronger, faster and stealthier. But those features come with a high price tag.

One way to improve their capabilities — and control cost — would be the meshing together of large and small UAVs.

"With UAVs, as technology improves and performance improves, you can see a merging between tactical and MALE, moving towards each other," Dickerson said.

Customers will want more for their money, and in the future will likely expect an aircraft that is configurable depending on the mission.

As for the Defense Department, it will be looking for UAVs that can survive in contested airspace, Dickerson said. There have only been a few isolated incidents of them being struck down by anti-aircraft guns in Afghanistan. However, in a future war operating over a high-threat air-defense environment, drone fleets would likely take losses, Dickerson said. Even if an adversary doesn't have anti-aircraft guns, the lower in altitude a UAV flies, the more obstacles it can collide with, whether that is other aircraft or general artillery. Future remotely piloted aircraft need to be faster and stealthier if they want to survive below 15,000 feet, Dickerson said. Supersonic UAVs may be one way to resolve the issue, though technologically, industry isn't there yet.

Industry would also be wise to design drones that can transport more cargo, Dickerson said.

"It's always a trade-off between range and payload, and especially now that they are arming things," Dickerson said. A UAV that could go farther, while carrying more, would be a hot-ticket item.

One benefit with unmanned aircraft is that contractors can take advantage of gaps in the market and develop out-of-the-box concepts, Dickerson said.

"We're not stuck with any certain requirements because the requirements are so fluid," said Dickerson. This allows for innovation. Currently, developers are using the "spaghetti method" to find the next big thing, Dickerson said. They are throwing a piece of pasta at a wall and seeing what sticks.

The Boeing Co. is looking at a wide range of concepts for the technology.

"There are some niches out there that need to be filled, and probably right now that is high-altitude and endurance," said Warren Henderson, director of Advanced Boeing Military Aircraft Business Development for Phantom Works.

One of the more promising concepts is the Phantom Eye, a high-altitude, long endurance (HALE) UAV. The lightweight aircraft — its gross weight is 9,800 pounds — uses a hydrogen propellant, can carry a 450-pound payload and fly for four days at 65,000 feet.

The hydrogen propellant is no more expensive than gasoline and is readily available, Henderson said. Environmentally, hydrogen fuel is also ideal because its byproduct is water. The hydrogen fuel concept is one that Boeing is looking to implement across some of its other products.

The Phantom Eye unmanned airborne system completed its first autonomous flight June 1 at NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center in Edwards, Calif., during which it reached an altitude of 4,080 feet cruising at 62 knots. With proper equipment, the aircraft can communicate with surface ships up to 800 nautical miles away.

Boeing is also working on making a HALE-UAV that can fly for 10 days and carry a payload of 2,000 pounds. At the same time, the company is developing aircraft that will be more autonomous and better suited to fly in contested airspace. While Boeing is pushing for more autonomous capabilities, a company spokeswoman noted that manned vehicles are not going away; it plans to work on concepts to help unmanned and manned aircraft teams, something the Defense Department is demanding.

The 2011 Unmanned Systems Integrated Roadmap, put out by the office of the secretary of defense, said unmanned and manned forces must collaborate in order for their performance to be fully maximized.

"Today's force includes a diverse mix of manned and unmanned systems. To achieve the full potential of unmanned systems, DoD must continue to implement technologies and evolve tactics, techniques and procedures that improve the teaming of unmanned systems with the manned force," the report said.

Dickerson also stressed a need for greater collaboration between humans and UAVs. A remotely piloted aircraft can't tell the difference between an insurgent and a civilian, and analysts on the ground are needed to back up the intelligence, Dickerson said.

However, the report also said in the future, the Defense Department will look toward more affordable autonomous unmanned aircraft in order to reduce manpower.

"Today's iteration of unmanned systems involves a high degree of human interaction. DoD must continue to pursue technologies and policies that introduce a higher degree of autonomy to reduce the manpower burden and reliance on full time high-speed communications links while also reducing decision loop cycle time," the report said.

For now, all signs point to increased investments in unmanned aerial technology, and Henderson foresees the technology being around for a long time.

"UAVs have proven their utility and their usefulness not only by being able to do the mission cheaper, [but] also by being able to do the mission ... [in] areas where it could be risky to human life," said Henderson.

http://www.nationaldefensemagazine.org/archive/2012/November/Pages/UnmannedAerialVehiclestoBecomeLighter,Faster.aspx

Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter) op 19/10/2012 | 12:21 uur
Switzerland completes Israeli UAV evaluations

By:   Arie Egozi Tel Aviv

Switzerland has completed in-country flight evaluations of two Israeli unmanned air systems, with a decision on its medium-altitude, long-endurance surveillance requirement expected to be made during 2014.

Israel Aerospace Industries' Heron 1 (above) was tested by the Armasuisse procurement agency in September, with the activity having been followed by flights with Elbit Systems' Hermes 900 (below) this month. Both air vehicles were demonstrated in a variety of flight envelopes.

The competition in Switzerland is the latest in a long list in which the rival manufacturers have gone head-to-head.

In May, Elbit won a contract to supply a mixed fleet of Hermes 900 and smaller Hermes 450 UAS to Colombia.

Sources in the Israeli defence establishment say the deal was placed under a government-to-government arrangement after a previous purchase was cancelled amid a "power struggle" between Elbit and IAI.

Zie link voor de plaatjes.

http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/switzerland-completes-israeli-uav-evaluations-377780/
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter) op 19/10/2012 | 16:43 uur
'CIA wil meer drones aankopen'

AFP Toegevoegd: vrijdag 19 okt 2012

De CIA wil haar vloot van onbemande bewapende drones fors uitbreiden, meldt de Washington Post. CIA-directeur Petraeus zou druk uitoefenen op het Witte Huis om hiermee akkoord te gaan.

Als Petraeus zijn zin krijgt, zou de CIA 10 drones kunnen toevoegen aan de huidige vloot van zo'n 30 tot 35 onbemande vliegtuigjes.

Doelen

Voor de inzet van drones op al-Qaidadoelen in Jemen gebruikt de spionagedienst nu vaak toestellen van de Amerikaanse luchtmacht. Die beschikt over een veel uitgebreider arsenaal. CIA, Pentagon en het Witte Huis beslissen samen over de doelen die onder vuur worden genomen.

Er is kritiek op de nauwe samenwerking tussen de CIA en Defensie, omdat hun traditioneel verschillende rollen steeds verder vermengd raken. De CIA gaat in Pakistan en Jemen steeds vaker zelf in de aanval, terwijl Defensie meer en meer spionagetaken op zich neemt.

Mali en Libië

De CIA wil ook graag drones inzetten boven Mali en Libië, twee landen waar moslimextremisten en al-Qaida hun macht steeds verder uitbouwen.

Het CIA-voorstel om de dronesvloot uit te breiden moet worden getoetst door het Witte Huis, het Pentagon, Buitenlandse Zaken en enkele andere betrokken organisaties.

In de regio's waar drones worden ingezet, is veel kritiek op het gebruik van de toestellen. Ze zouden veel burgerslachtoffers maken en daardoor mensen in de armen van extremisten drijven.

Bron: NOS
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter) op 23/10/2012 | 16:26 uur
Taranis passes the test

Taranis, the UK's unmanned combat air system technology demonstrator, has successfully completed a series of key tests on the way to commencing flight trials in 2013.

The low observable (LO) platform recently completed radar cross section tests at BAE Systems' Warton site and the initial analysis has indicated that the programme has met and potentially exceeded the extremely challenging targets jointly aspired to by the UK's Ministry of Defence (MOD) and Industry. In addition, the testing of the propulsion system has been completed. Undertaken at Rolls-Royce, the testing included measurement of Taranis's infra-red signature and the results have demonstrated BAE Systems and Rolls-Royce's credentials in designing and manufacturing an LO propulsion system.

As a result of these positive initial test results, the MOD requested an extension to the testing. The output of these additional tests is currently being analysed and due to this extension, the flight trials are planned to take place in 2013.

Tom Fillingham, Future Combat Air Systems Director said: "When considered together, the results of these two key test programmes demonstrate the UK's ability to design low observable solutions for our future unmanned combat systems.

"The progress being made on the programme, and the learning we are taking from it, is very positive and the drive now to getting Taranis in the air clearly shows the confidence Industry and the UK's MOD has in the UK's ability to develop world-leading unmanned combat aircraft technologies and capabilities."

http://www.baesystems.com/article/BAES_057647/taranis-passes-the-test?_afrLoop=176007767646000
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter) op 23/10/2012 | 16:28 uur
Mantis concept demonstrator targeted to fly in the UK

BAE Systems has announced its intention to re-fly the Mantis UAS Concept Demonstrator – this time in UK airspace. This will be the first flight of a UAS (Unmanned Air System) of this class in UK airspace

Flying Mantis will enable the Company to continue to mature a number of UAS capabilities and technologies, underpinning BAE Systems' strategy to become a world-class provider of unmanned air systems. The flight activity will support the development of future MALE (Medium Altitude Long Endurance) and UCAS (Unmanned Combat Air Systems) operational capabilities, including the programmes announced at the Anglo-French Summit in February this year. By looking to fly Mantis in the UK, BAE Systems is directly aiming to address the associated challenges of airspace integration and safe operation of an airborne system in accordance with UK rules and regulations.

Over the coming months the Company will be working with the appropriate regulators to fully understand the safety, airworthiness and regulatory frameworks which will enable such a flight to take place in 2013.

The Company is currently looking at a number of potential locations in the UK which meet the trials objectives and will work with a number of agencies on the feasibility, timing and location of the flights.  These locations will be selected in full consultation with the relevant authorities.

Tom Fillingham, Future Combat Air Systems Director, BAE Systems said: "We will undertake a further phase of flight trials for the Mantis but this time rather than going overseas we have given ourselves the challenge to conduct the trials in the UK. To secure our position as a provider of key capabilities in the unmanned market it is necessary that we continue to develop key skills and capabilities. Learning from the re-flight of Mantis will be used in future UAS programmes, including our partnership with Dassault Aviation."

http://www.baesystems.com/article/BAES_057649/mantis-concept-demonstrator-targeted-to-fly-in-the-uk?_afrLoop=176188170598000
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: dudge op 23/10/2012 | 21:08 uur
Hopen dat die demonstraters ook een mooi modelletje op gaan leveren. De concepten lijken wel mooie ontwerpen te zijn in ieder geval.
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: IPA NG op 23/10/2012 | 23:34 uur
Wat gaan wij nu eigenlijk aanschaffen? Ik begreep dat het Predators gaan worden, dan zou heel jammer zijn want ik zie liever Reapers. Maar de Reaper is ook weer een Predator versie dus misschien...
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter) op 04/11/2012 | 11:12 uur
Japan wil drone tegen raketaanval Noord-Korea

zondag 04 november 2012

TOKIO - Japan wil militair beter voorbereid zijn op raketaanvallen en bijvoorbeeld laag vliegende projectielen uit Noord-Korea tijdig ontdekken.

Het Japanse ministerie van Defensie wil circa 3 miljard yen (circa 290 miljoen euro) uittrekken voor de ontwikkeling van een onbemand vliegtuigje met infraroodsensor, meldde krant Yomiuri Shimbun zondag.

Het lukte Japan in april niet om de lancering van een Noord-Koreaanse raket te signaleren. Japan was daarvoor afhankelijk van informatie die door de VS werd aangeleverd. Het Japanse detectiesysteem liet het vermoedelijk afweten omdat het Noord-Koreaanse projectiel er te laag voor vloog. Die raket bleef overigens maar enkele minuten in de lucht.

Volgens het Japanse ministerie van Defensie moet een speciaal ontwikkelde drone in de toekomst uitkomst bieden. Het onbemande toestel moet in 2020 in gebruik worden genomen.

http://www.ed.nl/nieuws/algemeen/buitenland/11980909/Japan-wil-drone-tegen-raketaanval-Noord-Korea.ece
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter) op 11/11/2012 | 10:54 uur
U.S. Navy Continues Testing of Unmanned Combat Air Vehicles For Aircraft Carriers

10 november 2012

PATUXENT RIVER, Md. — Navy representatives recently participated in tests for the Unmanned Combat Air System Demonstration (UCAS-D) that will drive recommendations for digital messaging implementation and unmanned aircraft integration into the carrier environment.

Air traffic controllers from USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) and USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) supported the final Human Systems Integration (HSI) modeling and simulation testing at the N-UCAS Aviation/Ship Integration Facility (NASIF) here. The HSI evaluations included analyses and tests of the displays, controls, environments, system communications, overall task allocations and operator situations.

The NASIF building contains Primary Flight Control (PriFly), Landing Signals Officer (LSO), Carrier Air Traffic Control Center (CATCC) and Mission Control Element (MCE) equipment required to direct manned and unmanned aircraft on and around a carrier. The UCAS-D program uses the facility for system integration, unmanned air vehicle and manned surrogate demonstration events.

"It was very exciting to see fleet CATCC controllers successfully demonstrate the technology our team has been developing for years," said Capt. Jaime Engdahl, UCAS-D program manager, who observed USS Vinson controllers during tests in early October. "There was such a high level of energy in the room during their test periods. You really felt like you were observing a CATCC team actually conducting operations at sea."

NASIF team members matured technologies for carrier suitable unmanned air systems by updating the current aircraft carrier systems' software functionality and integrating them into a common digital network. Next year, this integrated carrier environment will be demonstrated using the Northrop Grumman-built X-47B, the first tailless unmanned aircraft designed to operate aboard an aircraft carrier.

"Due to the extremely limited availability of aircraft carriers for installation and testing of new aviation systems, shore-based emulation of shipboard systems and procedures is paramount to ensure cost-effective and timely integration," Engdahl said. "We support the fleet users. That's why having them come down and test this technology early is so important."

During recent tests using the program's CATCC simulator, the NASIF team challenged controllers to conduct operations in a future digitized environment, far advanced from what they are used to in the fleet today. Presently, they control multiple aircraft using radar displays and issue flight instructions to pilots using voice radio communications. Inside the NASIF, they had the ability to send and receive digital instructions to aircraft, in addition to using voice instructions.

The Sailors utilized actual shipboard CATCC radar consoles with software modified to send air traffic controllers' digital instructions and receive digital responses from the air vehicle. The program's ship interface systems team lead Kevin Kjose noted that the air traffic controllers did not have to learn a new skill set, just a different way to deliver commands to aircraft.

"After the learning curve the first day, we realized it was not too much for our controllers to handle," said Lt. John Woods, CVN 72 CATCC Officer. "We do see that there is a clear advantage to using this technology in the future."

Each nine-person air traffic control team completed approximately 20 simulated test scenarios. Controller workload was captured during these scenarios by testing a combination of digital and voice messaging test conditions with a mixture of manned and unmanned aircraft. During early scenarios, the controllers relayed verbal commands to a UAV mission operator elsewhere on the "ship" who entered digital commands to control the vehicle. Later in the week they graduated to testing advanced scenarios, using integrated digital messaging capability and higher levels of system automation.

"A major objective for our program is to demonstrate a completely digital carrier control environment where any aircraft could utilize this technology in the future, but we need to introduce that technology incrementally to allow controllers to embrace change," Kjose said. "As we bring the X-47B demonstrators to the carrier for sea trials, controllers will continue to use voice control for manned aircraft operations, but in the not too distant future, users will become more proficient with digital technology and will look for the ability to fully integrate air wing operations with manned and unmanned aircraft."

The tests demonstrated the controllers' effectiveness to manage operations in the carrier control area. Engineers measured the time it took operators to send and transmit messages, calculated from button actions, message times and voice recordings. They also looked at the impact on the controllers' visual senses by using a tracking camera to record eye movement. Overloading visual senses can lead to reduced performance, which is why human factors engineers seek to organize the on-screen displays and controls in the most efficient manner possible.

"We wanted to find out if the system was easy to use; did the display promote effective mission task completion; and if users felt comfortable with autonomous operations," said John Winters, a human factors engineer who helped design the software.

The concept provides functionality improvements with a goal of decreasing controller work load, which will help improve safety, Kjose said. For example, controllers will not need to ask pilots for fuel state updates every 10 minutes like they do today. Instead, updates will be automatically populated and displayed on the carrier's Integrated Ships Information System (ISIS).

Another improvement is controllers can send digital messages to specific aircraft at any time during flight. Aircraft routinely land aboard carriers at 60 second intervals and controllers are restricted from speaking on the radios during the last 20 seconds prior to landing. For controllers, it's a huge advantage to communicate directly with other aircraft while one is on final approach, he added.

"The digital data link definitely adds flexibility that is not there today," said Chief Air Traffic Controller (SW/AW) Robert Rygg.

The extensive modeling and simulation of launch and recovery operations conducted in the NASIF by fleet users allowed the UCAS-D team to evaluate integration of manned and unmanned aircraft flight operations and the effects on human operators utilizing new digital messaging technology.

"The information the CVN 70 and CVN 72 teams gave this program is going to help revolutionize carrier operations, Kjose said. "We are laying the groundwork for future carrier-based operations."

http://blogs.ottawacitizen.com/2012/11/10/u-s-navy-continues-testing-of-unmanned-combat-air-vehicles-for-aircraft-carriers/
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter) op 13/11/2012 | 10:50 uur
Sukhoi to Build Strike, Recon Unmanned Planes

ZHUHAI, November 13 (RIA Novosti) - Russian aircraft maker Sukhoi is to focus on creating reconnaissance and strike unmanned air vehicles (UAV) in the near future, United Aircraft Corporation President Mikhail Pogosyan said at the Zhuhai Airshow China exhibition on Tuesday.

Sukhoi, which has historically designed fighter and ground attack aircraft but now also builds some civil aircraft, is part of UAC, a holding covering most of Russia's aircraft industry.

"UAVs are a strategic avenue for development for UAC, and Sukhoi is focused on creating reconnaissance and strike UAVs. But our firm plans on this are in the future," he said.

Previous UAVs created for Russia's amed forces have been produced by Tranzas and Sokol, in addition to Sukhoi.

Sukhoi has designs on its website for a series of unmanned aircraft known as Zond, optimised for the carriage of surveillance and synthetic-aperture radars and electro-optical sensors.

In 2011, Sukhoi won a contract to develope a heavy strike UAV with a mass of around 20 tons, Fedutinov said. Another Russian fighter aircraft design bureau, RAC MiG, will also be involved in this program, MiG's CEO Sergei Korotkov told Russian media earlier this year.

MiG showed a demonstrator strike UAV design known as Skat at the MAKS airshow in Moscow in 2007.

St. Petersburg-based Tranzas and Kazan-based Sokol won a tender in October 2011 to create two UAV systems with a mass of one ton and five tons respectively.

Zie link voor een foto.

http://en.ria.ru/mlitary_news/20121113/177420795.html
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter) op 14/11/2012 | 20:22 uur
China Unveils Yi Long UAV

Published: Wed November 14th, 2012 via: RIA Novosti

BEIJING, November 14 (RIA Novosti) - China has unveiled for the first time its Yi Long unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) local media reported on Wednesday, which its makers claim is far cheaper than its Israeli and American analogs at less than $1 million.

The UAV, which was unveiled at the Air China aerospace show in Zhuhai on Tuesday, has been under development by the Chengdu aircraft-building institute since 2005, and made a first test-flight in 2008, and has only been previously shown in model form.

Yi Long can be used for military or civil tasks, the makers say, including geophysical or post-disaster survey work. The aircraft has a length of 9.34 meters, a wingspan of 14 meters and a mass of just over a ton. It has a ceiling of 5,300 meters and a range of 4,000 kilometers, with an endurance of up to 20 hours.

Pictures shown on Sky News show it has having a similar configuration to the US-made MQ-9 Reaper, with a pusher engine, V-tail, long-span straight wing, and fuselage shape configured for low radar cross-section. It was also shown armed with under-wing missiles, and an electro-optical sensor turret under the forward fuselage.

The Chinese say the UAV has "already successfully entered the international market," but provided no further details.

http://air-attack.com/news/article/4908/2012-11-14-China-Unveils-Yi-Long-UAV.html
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter) op 15/11/2012 | 09:54 uur
Navy to Launch Competition for Carrier-Based Unmanned Aircraft in 2013

By Valerie Insinna

Defense contractors will be asked to submit proposals next year for a next-generation unmanned aerial system that will be deployed from aircraft carriers, said the Navy's deputy program executive officer for UAS.

After a two-year delay, the Navy expects to issue a request for proposals in 2013 for its Unmanned Carrier-Launched Surveillance and Strike (UCLASS). The goal is to have the aircraft in the fleet by 2020, said Patrick Buckley at a Nov. 9 conference on unmanned aerial systems in Springfield, Va.

The road to establishing requirements for UCLASS has been fraught with debate, with officials in a tug-of-war on how advanced UCLASS should be, given fiscal and technological constraints.

"It has never been quite clear exactly what the requirements would be for the system," said Phil Finnegan, director of corporate analysis for the Teal Group, a market research firm. "Obviously it's a struggle between the latest and most capable and affordability."

The Navy is in the final stages of nailing down those requirements, said Buckley, who offered a few hints of what the service would be looking for.

UCLASS will harness "mature" technology that has been demonstrated in relevant operational environments, as opposed to technology in very early stages of development, Buckley said. Bidders can propose commercial off-the-shelf or modified off-the-shelf components within their design, as well as new components that contain mature technology, he continued.

The project includes three segments: upgrades to carriers to support unmanned operations, the UCLASS aircraft and mission systems, and the command-and-control system. The Navy will be the lead systems integrator for the components, providing data and interface specifications to allow the contractor to deliver the air vehicle and mission systems, Buckley said.

Finnegan predicts contractors will offer systems based on existing platforms. For instance, Northrop Grumman will likely leverage technology from the Unmanned Combat Air System Demonstration (UCAS-D), which is being used by the Navy to understand how to best integrate unmanned systems onto an aircraft carrier. The Boeing Co., General Atomics and Lockheed Martin will draw from their experiences with the Phantom Ray, Avenger and RQ-170 Sentinel, respectively, Finnegan said.

"I would expect that the Navy is going to be careful about development costs," he said. "It's not going to want to push this technology too hard."

The Navy will seek to avoid the pitfalls the Air Force fell into during the abandoned MQ-X program, which was cancelled after the service could not strike a balance between the desired requirements for the aircraft and a constrained budget.

Finnegan said it's hard to say if a similar fate awaits the UCLASS program. In the current budget environment, he said, all new starts could be vulnerable. 

At the very least, the program could see another delay as a result of fiscal pressures and possible technical issues, he said. "If you look at what happened in the 2013 defense budget request, even high priority UAV programs got cut, and the UCLASS got pushed out two years."

He expects all UCLASS competitors will be U.S. firms. Because of the classified nature of the project, there will be limitations placed upon the involvement of foreign defense contractors, said Buckley. "I don't know to what degree those limitations will be, but there will be some."

http://www.nationaldefensemagazine.org/blog/Lists/Posts/Post.aspx?ID=968
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Elzenga op 19/11/2012 | 08:07 uur
Futuristic concepts for armed unmanned vehicles from China http://blogs.defensenews.com/intercepts/2012/11/zhuhai-uav-concepts-look-futuristic/ ...
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Poleme op 19/11/2012 | 13:00 uur
Citaat van: IPA NG op 23/10/2012 | 23:34 uur
Wat gaan wij nu eigenlijk aanschaffen? Ik begreep dat het Predators gaan worden, dan zou heel jammer zijn want ik zie liever Reapers. Maar de Reaper is ook weer een Predator versie dus misschien...
De Reaper wordt soms ook wel Predator B genoemd.  Dit is een misleidende naam, want het vliegtuig van het Predator B / Reaper systeem is een compleet ander luchtvaartuig. NL MinDef is niet geinteresseerd in de Predator, maar in de Reaper, want dit UAV systeem voldoet beter aan de gestelde eisen.  Men gaat pas over tot aanschaf, als er voldoende pecunia is vrijgespeeld uit de verkoop van afgestoten materieel.
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: dudge op 19/11/2012 | 14:16 uur
Citaat van: Poleme op 19/11/2012 | 13:00 uur
De Reaper wordt soms ook wel Predator B genoemd.  Dit is een misleidende naam, want het vliegtuig van het Predator B / Reaper systeem is een compleet ander luchtvaartuig. NL MinDef is niet geinteresseerd in de Predator, maar in de Reaper, want dit UAV systeem voldoet beter aan de gestelde eisen.  Men gaat pas over tot aanschaf, als er voldoende pecunia is vrijgespeeld uit de verkoop van afgestoten materieel.

Of toch maar 1 F35 minder bestellen. Dat schiet al aardig op. In 2008 had je voor 205 miljoen dollar 5 Reapers (http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/germany-italy-make-initial-requests-for-mq-9-reaper-310481/) met 4 grondsystemen.
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Elzenga op 19/11/2012 | 17:47 uur
Of toch maar even wachten tot er een EUropese equivalent beschikbaar komt?!  :big-smile:
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter) op 19/11/2012 | 17:48 uur
Citaat van: Elzenga op 19/11/2012 | 17:47 uur
Of toch maar even wachten tot er een EUropese equivalent beschikbaar komt?!  :big-smile:

2086  :cute-smile:
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Elzenga op 19/11/2012 | 17:54 uur
Citaat van: jurrien visser op 19/11/2012 | 17:48 uur
2086  :cute-smile:
;)...ik heb zo'n licht vermoeden dat dit wel eens veel eerder kan zijn. Er wordt nu hard gewerkt aan een EUropese equivalent. Er is immers een grote markt voor. Zie samenwerking Franse en Britse industrie.
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter) op 19/11/2012 | 20:03 uur
Saudi Interior Ministry, Predator and UAV programme (25 credits)

Posted on: Mon, Nov 19, 2012

The Saudi Interior Ministry is said to be holding contacts with the Americans to acquire unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) that can fire air-to-ground missiles.

http://www.tacticalreport.com/view_news/Saudi_Interior_Ministry_Predator_and_UAV_programme/3015
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: dudge op 19/11/2012 | 20:37 uur
Citaat van: jurrien visser op 19/11/2012 | 17:48 uur
Citaat van: Elzenga op 19/11/2012 | 17:47 uur
Of toch maar even wachten tot er een EUropese equivalent beschikbaar komt?!  :big-smile:
2086  :cute-smile:

In veel Europese landen lopen projecten om demonstrators te ontwikkelen. En vooral het nEUROn project is breed gedragen en loopt voor zover ik weet best voorspoedig. Als daaruit straks een echte UCAV gaat volgen, planning is in de jaren '20, zit je best netjes. De EADS Talarion zou voor 2020 operationeel moeten komen.
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter) op 20/11/2012 | 10:33 uur
Northrop Grumman unveils the U.S. Navy's MQ-4C Triton

Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Ace1 op 20/11/2012 | 19:29 uur
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter) op 21/11/2012 | 10:02 uur
Turkey begins UAV production

Published: Nov. 20, 2012

ANKARA, Turkey, Nov. 20 (UPI) -- Turkey will begin producing indigenous Anka unmanned aerial vehicles next year.

Turkish Defense Industry Ministry spokesman Murad Bayar announced the incipient production, stating that the Turkish army will begin receiving the Anka UAVs in late 2013.

The Anka UAVs are produced by Turkish Aerospace Industries, Inc., a Turkish state-owned aviation and aerospace industry company.

Besides the Anka UAVs, TAI also produces F-16 Fighting Falcon jets under license, CN-235 light transport/maritime patrol/surveillance aircraft, SF-260 trainers, Cougar AS-532 search and rescue, combat search and rescue and utility helicopters, Anadolu Ajansi news agency reported.

Since 2004 Turkey has been developing a reconnaissance UAV, with about 180 TAI engineers involved in the project.

Another Turkish UAV project is the Simsek -- "Lightning."

Earlier this month, the Turkish military decided to return three tactical Aerostar UAVs, built by the Israeli company Aeronautics Defense Systems, to Israel alleging substandard performance in the military's campaign against Kurdistan Workers Party insurgents.

© 2012 United Press International, Inc.
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: dudge op 21/11/2012 | 10:58 uur
Als je die dingen zo ziet gaan, die phantom ray, X47, nEUROn, Barracuda, skat, dan vraag je je af wat er over 10 jaar in de pijplijn zit.
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: techneut op 21/11/2012 | 12:47 uur
Best wel hele enge dingen, carriers voor drones en wat dacht je van onderzeeboten met drones....?
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter) op 26/11/2012 | 20:33 uur
EU To Complete UAV Air Traffic Roadmap Soon

Nov. 26, 2012   
By JULIAN HALE

BRUSSELS — A European Union roadmap setting out what needs to be done to enable remotely piloted aircraft systems to fly in the same airspace as general air traffic by 2016 is due out by the end of this year.

http://www.defensenews.com/article/20121126/DEFREG01/311260010?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter) op 29/11/2012 | 08:31 uur
Israel working on low-observable UAV

By:   Zach Rosenberg Washington DC

The Israeli military is developing a large, classified unmanned air vehicle (UAV) with features consistent with stealthy aircraft designs, according to a knowledgable source.

The secret project involves a "fairly large" UAV in development by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), the maker of the non-stealthy Heron and Eitan (which is called the Heron TP for export) UAVs, the source says.

Israel has been openly involved with stealth and minimal-detection programmes. Experts familiar with Israeli industry profess little surprise in a low-observable aircraft capability.

"There have been rumours about it, and you see Israeli companies have rolled out an array of products across the spectrum," says a former US government official. "You would expect that stealth is something they'd be interested in, particularly in light of the threats they face."

Israel, a small nation surrounded by largely hostile neighbors, has long placed an emphasis on operating in denied areas with various means. Recent airstrikes thought to involve Israel include a 2007 strike that destroyed a nuclear plant in Syria, and two more recent strikes on targets deep in Sudanese territory. Operations over denied airspace, particularly airspace protected by sophisticated surface-to-air networks, require both stealth and endurance.

"I know that they were working on small and medium-size variants [of stealth aircraft] for some years now," says one industry analyst, who declined to comment on the record. According to the analyst, IAI has been working on stealth technologies since the mid-1990s or earlier.

"You would think from a national security perspective, that they would be willing to put a lot of money on that project," says one current aerospace executive. "They've been pretty evolutionary with the Heron series of UAVs, I could easily see them trying to trick one out, put some [stealthy] materials on."

Israel, long known as a leader in UAV technology, is conspicuously quiet on the subject of stealth. An Israeli stealth UAV would join a long list of unmanned projects designed to evade radar detection. The US has launched several projects including the Northrop Grumman X-47 and the Lockheed Martin RQ-170 Sentinel. Meanwhile, acknowledged European projects include the BAE Systems Taranis and Dassault Neuron. Similar projects have also surfaced in Russia and India.

"It would be a logical next step for either an IAI or an Elbit," says an industry analyst. "If you look at the evolution of the species, you've got [BAE] Tyrannis, you've got [Boeing] Phantom Ray, [Northrop Grumman] X-47, you even have the [MiG] Scat system. I would not dismiss it out of hand."

IAI did not immediately respond to questions.

http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/israel-working-on-low-observable-uav-379564/
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter) op 29/11/2012 | 23:45 uur
Northrop Grumman, U.S. Navy Conduct First Catapult Launch of X-47B Unmanned Aircraft

Press Release: Northrop Grumman Corp. – 12 minutes ago

PATUXENT RIVER, Md., Nov. 29, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Northrop Grumman Corporation (NOC) and the U.S. Navy have conducted the Navy's first catapult launch of an unmanned system using the X-47B Unmanned Combat Air System (UCAS) demonstrator.

Photos accompanying this release are available at http://media.globenewswire.com/noc/mediagallery.html?pkgid=16009

The test was conducted today at a shore-based catapult facility at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md. It marks the first of several shore-based catapult-to-flight tests that will be performed before the Navy's UCAS Carrier Demonstration (UCAS-D) program catapult launches the X-47B from a ship.

Northrop Grumman is the Navy's prime contractor for the UCAS-D program.

"Today's successful launch is another critical milestone in the carrier-suitability testing phase of the UCAS-D program," said Mike Mackey, Northrop Grumman's UCAS-D program director. "It also provides another confidence-building step toward our rendezvous with history next year."

Following the catapult launch, the X-47B conducted a test flight over Chesapeake Bay near Patuxent River. The flight included several maneuvers designed to simulate tasks that the aircraft will have to perform when it lands on a ship, including flying in a typical ship holding pattern, and executing a carrier approach flight profile. The flight also allowed the test team to gather precision navigation data associated with each of those maneuvers.

According to Daryl Martis, Northrop Grumman's UCAS-D flight test director, the catapult event was significant for another reason: "Today's launch provided our team with another opportunity to demonstrate the precision operation of the Northrop Grumman-developed Control Display Unit [CDU], one of the key enablers of future flight deck operations for the X-47B," he said.

The CDU is a wireless, arm-mounted controller that will allow a flight deck operator to control and maneuver the X-47B on the flight deck, including moving it into the catapult, disengaging it from the carrier's arresting wires and moving it quickly out of the landing area.

Over the next few weeks, the UCAS-D program expects to conduct several shore-based catapults at Patuxent River. On Nov. 26, an X-47B was hoisted aboard the USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75) at Naval Air Station, Norfolk, Va. to begin a series of deck handling trials. The trials, expected to run through mid December, will be used to evaluate the performance of the CDU in an actual carrier environment.

In 2013, the program plans to demonstrate the ability of an X-47B to operate from a Navy aircraft carrier, including launch, recovery and air traffic control operations. The program will also mature technologies required for potential future Navy unmanned air system programs. For the latest X-47B news and information, please visit www.as.northropgrumman.com/products/nucasx47b/.

Northrop Grumman's UCAS-D industry team includes Pratt & Whitney, Lockheed Martin, GKN Aerospace, Eaton, General Electric, UTC Aerospace Systems, Dell, Honeywell, Moog, Wind River, Parker Aerospace and Rockwell Collins.

Northrop Grumman is a leading global security company providing innovative systems, products and solutions in unmanned systems, cybersecurity, C4ISR, and logistics and modernization to government and commercial customers worldwide. Please visit www.northropgrumman.com for more information.

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/northrop-grumman-u-navy-conduct-223000767.html
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter) op 01/12/2012 | 10:41 uur
Via Twitter (1/12/12)

Gripen News‏@GripenNews

Congrats to nEUROn team RT @Steven__Strong Historical day. Successful first flight for the European UCAV nEURONn today
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Lex op 01/12/2012 | 13:55 uur
Eerste vlucht nieuwe Europese gevechtsdrone

Een prototype van het Europese onbemande gevechtsvliegtuig Neuron heeft zaterdag zijn eerste vlucht gemaakt in Frankrijk. Dat heeft de Franse vliegtuigbouwer en projectleider Dassault Aviation bekendgemaakt.

Het toestel bleef 25 minuten in de lucht. De Neuron is een type dat is bedoeld om technologie te ontwikkelen en testen. Die technieken kunnen rond 2030 in een onbemand gevechtsvliegtuig voor Europese luchtmachten gebruikt worden. Het Neuron-programma kost meer dan 400 miljoen euro.

ANP
1-12-12 - 13:27 
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Elzenga op 01/12/2012 | 18:11 uur
Goede zaak. Jammer dat Nederland wederom ontbreekt in het rijtje landen dat hier aan werkt.
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Lex op 02/12/2012 | 16:40 uur
Een video over de eerste vlucht van nEUROn, vanaf BA-125. (Istres)

Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Elzenga op 02/12/2012 | 18:12 uur
Benieuwd of men het toestel ook zal inzetten vanaf een vliegdekschip. Heeft behoorlijk zwaar onderstel.
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: dudge op 02/12/2012 | 18:24 uur
Citaat van: Elzenga op 02/12/2012 | 18:12 uur
Benieuwd of men het toestel ook zal inzetten vanaf een vliegdekschip. Heeft behoorlijk zwaar onderstel.

Benieuwd of dit toestel überhaupt ingezet gaat worden of dat het alleen een technologisch experimenteer platform blijft. zelfs in dit korte ANP bericht wordt gehint op een toestel dat in 2030 in dienst moet komen. Dat zal dan ongeveer gelijk aan de F35 instromen  :lol:
Eerdere technologie demonstratie programma's zijn al wel eens uitgelopen op een project voor een inzetbare eenheid.

In ieder geval vindt ik het eeuwig zonder dat Nederland hier niet bij is aangesloten. Het hele project kost tot nu toe minder dan de helft van wat we in de JSF hebben gestoken, en dit programma levert mooie resultaten. Wat mij betreft proberen we alsnog in te stappen. Dan gaan we hier wel wat kabeltjes voor maken.
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Elzenga op 02/12/2012 | 18:46 uur
Citaat van: Thomasen op 02/12/2012 | 18:24 uurIn ieder geval vindt ik het eeuwig zonder dat Nederland hier niet bij is aangesloten. Het hele project kost tot nu toe minder dan de helft van wat we in de JSF hebben gestoken, en dit programma levert mooie resultaten. Wat mij betreft proberen we alsnog in te stappen. Dan gaan we hier wel wat kabeltjes voor maken.
Mooi punt/eis bij de onderhandelingen met Zweden over de aanschaf van de Gripen NG.
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter) op 02/12/2012 | 18:58 uur
Citaat van: Elzenga op 02/12/2012 | 18:46 uur
Mooi punt/eis bij de onderhandelingen met Zweden over de aanschaf van de Gripen NG.

Aangezien we bij geen partij meedoen zou ik persoonlijk graag ook de resultaten zien van de BAE Taranis voordat we ons eventueel zouden committeren.
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter) op 03/12/2012 | 17:24 uur
Onderzoek juridische kaders voor gebruik drones

D66-Kamerlid Wassila Hachchi wil dat er een onafhankelijk juridisch onderzoek plaatsvindt naar de inzet van onbemande militaire vliegtuigen (drones). De Nederlandse krijgsmacht zal op korte termijn over drones beschikken, maar de juridische kaders van het gebruik van onbemande vliegtuigen zijn onduidelijk. Hachchi roept het kabinet op om eerst te onderzoeken hoe de inzet van deze systemen verschilt van de conventionele wapens en welke keuzes er gemaakt kunnen worden in de verantwoording van de inzet. "Het is juridisch heel wat anders als een spion vanaf een basis in Texas de rode knop indrukt dan als een soldaat of een piloot in Afghanistan zelf in actie komt. De juridische mogelijkheden en de verantwoordelijkheden moeten helder zijn," aldus de D66'er.

Kaders voor oorlogsvoering

Ook de VN oppert dat de inzet van deze toestellen bij VN missies in Afrika mogelijk moet zijn. Hachchi: "Nu de daadwerkelijke inzet van deze nieuwe wapensystemen door bondgenoten tijdens missies waar onze krijgsmacht aan meedoet een feit is en de beschikking erover door Nederlandse krijgsmacht aan de orde komt, werpt de vraag zich op hoe deze past binnen de juridische kaders voor de oorlogsvoering."

Nederland kan en moet meer internationaal denken en handelen. Of het nu gaat om meer defensiesamenwerking met andere Europese lidstaten, het altijd en overal opkomen voor mensenrechten of beter maatschappelijk verantwoord ondernemen om ontwikkelingslanden een eerlijke kans te geven op ontwikkeling.

https://www.d66.nl/actueel/d66-onderzoek-juridische-kaders-voor-gebruik-drones/
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Poleme op 03/12/2012 | 19:19 uur
A Missile? Yes, I Am?
Onderzoek?  Wassila, Unmanned (Combat) Air Vehicles vallen al sinds vele jaren onder het Missile (*) Technology Control Regime.
De deelnemende lidstaten zorgen daarbij voor een maximale terughoudendheid in de verspreiding van de technologie en techniek van onbemande luchtvaartuigen.
Ondiplomatiek, maar juridisch juist zouden deze zowel onbewapende als bewapende U(C)AV's kunnen worden omschreven als kruisvluchtwapens voor meermalig gebruik.  Dus of je nu vijandige 'aangeklede apen' aan de andere kant van de wereld om zeep helpt met een Intercontinentale Ballistische raket, een Tomahawk 'kruisraket' / kruisvluchtwapen of een propeller vliegtuigje met circa 1.000 pk en een paar 500 ponders.  Juridisch gezien zijn al deze kinetische methoden hetzelfde en is er dus niets nieuws onder de zon.

Wassila; ik raad je aan om "Onbemand maakt Onbemind" van IKV / Pax Christi op te zoeken en dit evenwichtige document kan gratis worden gedownload.  ;)
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Elzenga op 03/12/2012 | 19:44 uur
Citaat van: Poleme op 03/12/2012 | 19:19 uur
A Missile? Yes, I Am?
Onderzoek?  Wassila, Unmanned (Combat) Air Vehicles vallen al sinds vele jaren onder het Missile (*) Technology Control Regime.
De deelnemende lidstaten zorgen daarbij voor een maximale terughoudendheid in de verspreiding van de technologie en techniek van onbemande luchtvaartuigen.
Ondiplomatiek, maar juridisch juist zouden deze zowel onbewapende als bewapende U(C)AV's kunnen worden omschreven als kruisvluchtwapens voor meermalig gebruik.  Dus of je nu vijandige 'aangeklede apen' aan de andere kant van de wereld om zeep helpt met een Intercontinentale Ballistische raket, een Tomahawk 'kruisraket' / kruisvluchtwapen of een propeller vliegtuigje met circa 1.000 pk en een paar 500 ponders.  Juridisch gezien zijn al deze kinetische methoden hetzelfde en is er dus niets nieuws onder de zon.

Wassila; ik raad je aan om "Onbemand maakt Onbemind" van IKV / Pax Christi op te zoeken en dit evenwichtige document kan gratis worden gedownload.  ;)
mogelijk overbodig...maar mocht ze dit niet lezen...ik heb het even doorgetwitterd.... ;)
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter) op 03/12/2012 | 23:30 uur
Timmermans is Hennis 'te snel af' over drones

03-12-12  - Bron: anp.nl

Minister Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert van Defensie liet maandag in een Kamerdebat weten op internationaal niveau de discussie te willen aangaan over de kaders van de inzet van onbemande vliegtuigjes. Maar nog in het debat moest ze op haar woorden terugkomen.

'Timmermans is ons te snel af', verklaarde Hennis. Ze was door haar collega van Buitenlandse Zaken op de hoogte gesteld dat internationaal al druk gediscussieerd wordt over de inzet van de onbemande vliegtuigjes, zogeheten drones.

Wapens
Het onderwerp kwam aan de orde in een debat over defensiematerieel. Daarbij kwam de aanschaf van drones door de krijgsmacht ter sprake. Het gaat om ongewapende toestellen die nog wel omgebouwd kunnen worden zodat ze wapens kunnen meenemen. Als Defensie hiertoe ooit zou besluiten, gebeurt dat in overleg met de Kamer, aldus de minister.

De inzet van drones is niet onomstreden onder meer omdat de Amerikanen de vliegtuigjes in Pakistan en Jemen inzetten om tegenstanders te doden. Een plan van D66 om een onafhankelijk juridisch onderzoek te beginnen naar de inzet van drones, vond geen gehoor bij de minister.

http://www.parool.nl/parool/nl/224/BINNENLAND/article/detail/3357636/2012/12/03/Timmermans-is-Hennis-te-snel-af-over-drones.dhtml
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter) op 06/12/2012 | 10:41 uur
Unmanned drones likely to take over Nimrod spy duties

Using UAVs for coastal patrols and Nato operations cheaper and less risky then developing replacement, says defence secretary

Nick Hopkins

guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 5 December 2012

The military is likely to use unmanned drones to undertake reconnaissance patrols around the coast of the UK and for Nato operations rather than replacing the RAF's iconic Nimrod spy planes.

Philip Hammond, the defence secretary, said today (WEDS) using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) would be cheaper and less risky than developing an expensive new version of Nimrod, which was scrapped as part of the cuts set out in the 2010 Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR).

He also told MPs the Libya campaign had shown Nato's over reliance on the US, and how it had "cruelly exposed" the limitations of the capabilities of some European countries. He called on Germany to take on more responsibilities within the alliance to boost its capability.

Hammond explained the logic of the likely move to more drone use to members of the joint committee on the national security strategy, saying: "It may well be the case that the development of unmanned aerial vehicle technology means that there will not be another generation, for us at least, of manned maritime patrol aircraft.

"It may be that we will move straight to unmanned reconnaissance vehicles that can do the task at lower cost and much less risk to the crew."

The Nimrod spy planes were the mainstays of the RAF's reconnaissance capability from the late 1960s until last year. An upgraded Nimrod fleet was due to come into service this year, but the £4bn programme was scrapped with ministers saying the project was too complicated, too costly, and had been delayed too often.

The announcement caused uproar among retired military chiefs, MPs, and senior civil servants within the Ministry of Defence who all warned the armed forces were losing a key maritime surveillance capability that the military relied upon.

In September, James Arbuthnot, the Tory chair of the defence select committee, raised further concerns about the loss of Nimrod, which was used to protect UK submarines and for detecting foreign submarines. It also had extensive eavesdropping equipment.

"We are unconvinced that the MoD has the capacity to respond to any escalation in the risks that may appear beyond the UK's shores," he said.

Giving evidence to MPs and peers, Hammond said the MoD was managing to cover the loss of the nine new Nimrods, sometimes with help from overseas armed forces.

"Clearly, maritime patrol aircraft was one of the capabilities we made a conscious decision to sacrifice in balancing the defence budget," he said. "We are managing at the moment using a combination of other assets, occasionally using assets owned by allies to perform specific Nato tasks. It is clear in the medium term we will have to address that gap."

Hammond also issued a blunt warning about Nato's ability to cope with the US making Asia, rather than Europe, its strategic military priority, saying: "From a defence point of view we have to learn the lessons from Libya. On one level, it was successful and achieved its objectives. It also quite cruelly exposed some of the weaknesses of European Nato in a relatively limited scale of conflict. It stretched our collective resources to the very limit.

"There are some very clear things that we have to address if we want to ... credibly intervene as a coherent force without large scale US support [for] minor interventions or stabilisation operations in North Africa or the Middle East. That is a reasonable aspiration for the US to have of their European partners."

Hammond added that "an easy win" for Nato would be for Germany to play a more significant military role: "[We need] to persuade the Germans to engage more effectively with us and France ... to reinforce the genuine deployable capabilities to Nato. The current German defence minister has that agenda in mind."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2012/dec/05/unmanned-drone-nimrod-spy-plane
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Elzenga op 06/12/2012 | 18:33 uur
U(C)AVs zijn nog niet in staat de taken van een bemand MPA toestel te vervangen. Ze zijn hoogstens een aanvulling. De Britten bezuinigen ook niet al te wijs vind ik.
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Elzenga op 31/12/2012 | 14:08 uur
Eens een UCAV van de achterzijde...met een beetje verbeelding lijkt het op een WO2 fighter zo ;-)

(https://www.defensieforum.nl/Forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wired.com%2Fimages_blogs%2Fdangerroom%2F2012%2F12%2F080619-F-7251M-959.jpg&hash=16141180462f0e5e518d94790f392b99ed20c8be)
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: dudge op 31/12/2012 | 14:55 uur
Citaat van: Elzenga op 31/12/2012 | 14:08 uur
Eens een UCAV van de achterzijde...met een beetje verbeelding lijkt het op een WO2 fighter zo ;-)

(https://www.defensieforum.nl/Forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wired.com%2Fimages_blogs%2Fdangerroom%2F2012%2F12%2F080619-F-7251M-959.jpg&hash=16141180462f0e5e518d94790f392b99ed20c8be)

Heb je wel wat verbeelding nodig ja. Al moet ik zeggen regelmatig de link naar ww2 te leggen bij het zien van een (turbo)prop. Helaas zie je ze in de lijndiensten in Europa steeds minder.
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter) op 09/01/2013 | 23:36 uur
US Navy Continues to Wrangle With UCLASS Needs

Posted by Amy Butler on Jan 09, 2013

After years of discussion, the U.S. Navy has still not finalized its requirements for its much-desired Unmanned Carrier-Launched Airborne Surveillance and Strike (Uclass) platform.

Navy officials have not yet fully hammered out the requirements for the system. There has been an ongoing debate in the Pentagon about which attributes – such as survivability and endurance –to emphasize in the RFP. Some senior officials favor balancing the two, while others are eyeing more endurance. This decision will drive the attributes of the air vehicle. A vehicle designed for endurance may carry less payload and be less maneuverable or stealthy. One optimized for survivability would have a reduced radar cross section and might be more agile or carry more self defenses.

UCLASS follows on the heels of the Northrop Grumman-led X-47B Unmanned Combat Air system demonstration program. Under that effort, Navy officials are validating the ability to operate stealthy, tailless UAS on and around an aircraft carrier.
Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Northrop Grumman and General Atomics are all expected to compete for the UCLASS work.

http://www.aviationweek.com/Blogs.aspx?plckBlogId=Blog:27ec4a53-dcc8-42d0-bd3a-01329aef79a7&plckPostId=Blog:27ec4a53-dcc8-42d0-bd3a-01329aef79a7Post:b976802c-b987-4b9e-a0ba-4c4487faf408
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter) op 13/01/2013 | 09:30 uur
British stealth drone to undergo first test flight

An unmanned combat aircraft has been built for the British military is to undergo its first ever test flight later this year.

By Richard Gray, Science Correspondent
13 Jan 2013

It can fly faster than the speed of sound, cannot be detected by radar and has no pilot. This is the new robotic plane that will become the next generation of front line bombers for the British military.

The drone, which is named Taranis after the Celtic god of thunder, has been designed to fly intercontinental missions to attack targets and can automatically dodge incoming missiles.

The aircraft, which has cost £125 million to build, is intended to be the first of a new generation of aeroplanes that will reduce the need to risk human lives on long, dangerous missions.

It is to be flown for the first time in a series of tests over the Australian outback in the spring in an attempt to demonstrate the technology to military chiefs.

Currently the Royal Air Force uses Tornado GR4 bombers as its front line strike aircraft, although the Typhoon Eurofighter is expected to replace it in the coming years.

Remote controlled drones such as Reaper are also used by the Ministry of Defence and US military to attack targets.

But the Taranis is expected to provide a prototype of a new kind of bomber that will replace piloted planes and the current drones.

With a shape more similar to the US B-2 Stealth bomber, it intended to fly automatically using an on-board computer system to perform manoeuvres, avoid threats and identify targets. Only when it needs to attack a target will it seek authorisation from a human controller.

Nigel Whitehead, group managing director of programmes at BAE Systems, which has been developing Taranis, said the new drone could change the way aircraft are used by the MoD in the future, which currently uses manned planes for combat missions.

He said: "I think that the Taranis programme will be used to inform the UK MoD thinking, regarding the make up for the future force mix. I anticipate that the UK will chose to have a mix of manned and unmanned front-line aircraft.

"This decision will have a major impact on the future of the UK military."

The Taranis uses stealth technology, including a highly secretive coating that helps it slip through radar undetected. It will be able to carry a series of weapons on board including missiles and laser guided bombs.

The use of drones, however, has come under intense criticism from human rights groups, who claim their use as weapons contravenes international laws as often innocent targets can be killed.

The Reaper and Predator drones currently used by the British and US military are operated by remote control using pilots based at a command centre.

Although they fly relatively slowly, with a maximum speed of 287 miles per hour, less than half the speed of sound, their ability to perform "hunter-killer" missions or support ground troops in Afghanistan without risking human pilots has seen them increasingly used.

Unmanned aircraft are now being seen as a way of producing planes that can fly further, faster and higher than is currently possible with human pilots, who can grow tired or blackout in manoeuvres that produce high g-forces.

There are concerns, however, that as drones are made more autonomous, they will pose more of a risk if they go out of control and leaving computers to make life or death decisions is highly controversial.

Taranis, however, will still rely on instructions from a central command centre before attacking targets.

The tests on Taranis, which is powered by a Rolls-Royce Adour 951 engine used on Hawk training jets, will see it flying a simulated mission where it must automatically avoid unexpected threats such as ground to air missiles and seek out potential targets.

Once identified, the operators will send instructions to Taranis to attack the targets before performing a flying past to confirm the damage and then landing safely.

Mr Whitehead added: "There is one demonstrator aircraft. The mission plan will be loaded onto the vehicle. The aircraft will then fly the mission. Taranis will fly to the search area and sweep the area to identify targets.

"The air vehicle will be presented with unexpected "pop up" threats and its evasive response will be monitored.

"Target information will be relayed to mission command and the aircraft will hold off until given the next instruction to prosecute, send more data or ignore the identified target.

"In the event of a command to attack, this will be carried out followed by a battle damage inspection and then further interaction with command to confirm the instruction to attack again, prosecute other targets or to come home, avoiding further pop-up threats."

A spokesman for the MoD added: "Taranis is the first of its kind in the UK. Unmanned Air Vehicles play an important role on operations, helping to reduce the risks faced by military personnel on the front line.

"Forthcoming Taranis flight trials will provide MoD and industry with further information about the potential capabilities of Unmanned Combat Air Systems."

Tornado GR4

Thrust: 32,000lbs

Max speed: Mach 1.3

Length: 56ft

Wingspan: 28ft

Max Altitude: 50,000ft

Taranis:

Thrust: 6,500lbs

Max speed: Classified but supersonic

Length: 37ft

Wingspan: 32ft

Max Altitude: Classified

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/defence/9797738/British-stealth-drone-to-undergo-first-test-flight.html
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: IPA NG op 13/01/2013 | 13:25 uur
Citaatcannot be detected by radar

Wedden van wel?
8)
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: dudge op 13/01/2013 | 14:07 uur
Citaat van: IPA NG op 13/01/2013 | 13:25 uur
Wedden van wel?
8)

Dat dan weer wel ja. Maar desondanks een mooi apparaat. Geeft ons een klein kijkje in de toekomst.
Als we dan bedenken dat (wet van Moore) computerkracht ongeveer elke twee jaar kan verdubbelen, geeft dat wel een aardig vermoeden wat de boordcomputers van een drone in 2020 kunnen uitspoken.
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter) op 16/01/2013 | 08:30 uur
Britse UAV klaar voor eerste vlucht

Geschreven op 15 januari 2013 door AK

Bij onbemande vliegtuigen denk je aan de Amerikanen. Maar de nieuwste UAV komt uit Groot-Brittannië.

Hij heet Taranis, naar de Keltische god van de donder, en hij werd in 2010 voor het eerst aan het grote publiek getoond. Sindsdien zijn er allerlei tests uitgevoerd om onder meer de motoren en de stealth-eigenschappen van het toestel te checken. En nu is het prototype van het onbemande toestel, een Unmanned Combat Air System of UCAS, klaar voor de eerste proefvlucht.

Zie voor het hele artikel: http://www.kijkmagazine.nl/nieuws/britse-uav-klaar-voor-eerste-vlucht/
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Lex op 21/01/2013 | 15:15 uur
Kamerbrief over onderzoek CAVV naar inzet drones

PDF document | 2 pagina's | 66 KB

Kamerstuk : Kamerbrief | 21-01-2013 | BZ, Defensie

Brief  (http://www.rijksoverheid.nl/bestanden/documenten-en-publicaties/kamerstukken/2013/01/21/kamerbrief-over-onderzoek-cavv-naar-inzet-drones/kamerbrief-over-onderzoek-cavv-naar-inzet-drones.pdf)van minister Timmermans (BZ) aan de Tweede Kamer over de adviesaanvraag aan de Commissie van Advies inzake Volkenrechtelijke Vraagstukken (CAVV) inzake de inzet van drones.
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter) op 29/01/2013 | 06:42 uur
Filmpje toont impressionante mogelijkheden van spionagedrones

Door: Stig Geukens
28/01/13 - Bron: Gizmodo

Darpa, een onderzoeksinstituut voor het Amerikaanse ministerie van Defensie, heeft in een filmpje getoond wat de mogelijkheden van de huidige spionagedrones zijn. De drones hebben een 1,8 gigapixelcamera waarmee zowel foto's als livebeelden kunnen worden doorgestuurd.

De spionagedrones van het type Argus-IS beschikken momenteel over een camera die plaatjes van 1,8 gigapixels kan schieten. Die kan zowel foto's als livebeelden doorsturen.

Het spionagesysteem kan op een hoogte van 5,3 kilometer de meeste bewegende objecten volgen. Ze kunnen zelfs verschillende auto's en voetgangers van elkaar onderscheiden. Ook vogels zijn op de beelden te herkennen.

Intussen wordt er gewerkt aan een nieuwe versie met een camera van 2,3 gigapixels.

http://www.hln.be/hln/nl/4124/Multimedia/article/detail/1569823/2013/01/28/Amerikaanse-Defensie-toont-mogelijkheden-van-spionagedrones.dhtml

Voor het must see filmpje:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGxNyaXfJsA&feature=player_embedded
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Elzenga op 29/01/2013 | 17:29 uur
Big brother is watching you......
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter) op 04/02/2013 | 17:44 uur
Elbit Systems Introduces its Hermes® 900 UAS in a New Configuration for the Maritime Mission

Maritime surveillance requirements are demanding specific capabilities and performance such as mission endurance, flight profiles, mission equipment and human factors. Until recently, such missions were performed exclusively by aircraft – some dedicated for the maritime surveillance mission, with others using off-the-shelf transport planes modified for the mission. These missions typically demand coverage of very wide areas, monitoring extensive maritime traffic, as well as deployment in unexpected conditions, in response to emergencies or on search and rescue missions. Therefore, the need for efficient development of a maritime situational picture is critical, enabling the deployment of the few available aerial assets to cover only those areas or targets of significance.

The introduction of unmanned aircraft platforms is changing this paradigm, removing the limitations that have restricted manned missions, while introducing new capabilities that significantly enhance operational flexibility and efficiency of maritime control. This capability is specifically important in recent years, as countries are required to cover growing maritime areas claimed by the Economical Exclusion Zones (EEZ) that span up to 200 nautical miles from their coastline or farthest island. In the case of India, for example, such area covers a huge expanse of the Indian Ocean, bordering Indonesia in the east to Somalia in the west. A country cannot cover such vast space from its coastal radar stations, nor can it commit manned patrol flights to cover the entire area.

At Aero-India 2013 Elbit Systems is introducing its newest and largest unmanned aircraft system (UAS) - Hermes® 900 in a new configuration adapted for maritime mission. This UAS can carry payloads of up to 350 kg. In the maritime configuration the payload suite includes maritime surveillance radar, AIS, an electro-optical multi-sensor payload and electronic surveillance systems. It has the endurance to cover vast ocean areas, redundant line-of-sight and satellite communications links and radio relay, enabling the operator to 'talk through' to vessels at sea. The aerodynamic efficiency of the Hermes® 900 enables frequent changes in flight profiles, enabling visual identification of vessels at sea in addition to the ISAR capability provided by the radar. Satellite communication enables it to fly to mission areas at extended ranges as far as 1000 nautical miles from shore.

A unique capability supported by Elbit Systems command and control systems is the ability to control two UAS simultaneously from a single ground control station, using the two redundant data-links. This has a significant effect on the assets, manpower and operating cost, as well as in improving the efficient utilization of UAS that can now cover more area or run a denser surveillance over a given area. The maritime command and control system employed at the ground control is optimized for the maritime mission, supporting specific mission planning applications such as maritime search, Search and Rescue, etc. The entire command and control is located in a single shelter, which can be operated on shore in a mobile shelter base or indoor configurations at sea or co-located in several locations.

Recognizing the extraordinary challenge of monitoring the Indian EEZ and vast shoreline, Elbit Systems has teamed with Windward Ltd. – in order to tackle this challenge from a different point of view and offer a unique solution to the Indian Authorities.

MarInt, Windward's proprietary satellite-based maritime analytics system is capable of covering any area of interest, delivering insightful maritime domain awareness with diverse applications such as EEZ monitoring, illegal fishery monitoring, regional traffic analysis and port traffic management.

By leveraging multiple earth observation satellites and other readily available data sources, MarInt overcomes data overload and conducts multi-source data integration, applying contextual and geo-specific behavior and discrepancy analysis to generate actionable insights.

MarInt performs deep behavior analysis on each ship searching for irregularities and discrepancies, under the assumption that active ship transmissions may be intentionally misleading. Vessel behavior is analyzed to detect anomalous and suspicious behavior, which differs from routine maritime patterns, and could indicate to illicit activities. Bottom line, MarInt is able to tell you where is the perpetrator you didn't even know was there.

A unique solution presented at Aero India for the first time globally, is the combination of our UAS with MarInt - a maritime analytics system - as the search light for UAS operations. The use of unmanned assets with MarInt can empower Navy, coast guard, customs, environmental monitoring and other authorities in better enforcing laws and regulations in their territorial waters and EEZ, providing them with powerful means to take legal action and recover lost assets, thus deterring offenders from repeating such violations. Operating 24/7, MarInt reveals areas of suspicious activities and pinpoints anomalous vessels. This enables tasking of unmanned assets such as UAS to patrol the designated areas, identify and track the suspicious vessels, significantly optimizing aerial patrol and increasing mission effectiveness while reducing cost.

Zie oor de plaatjes de link:

http://www.navyrecognition.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=870
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Zeewier op 08/02/2013 | 09:01 uur
Ik ben er ook wel boos over hoe Amerika het met haar mores zover heeft kunnen laten komen dat drones zo vaak missies vliegen daar waar ze officieel geen oorlog voeren. Draai het eens om: Rusland bouwt een stealth drone en vliegt er mee richting Nederland. Maakt hier een politiek vluchteling onschadelijk en noemt hem een "terrorist". Op die manier kan een land nooit bescherming bieden. Rusland zegt dan 'sorry voor de troep. Hier heb je een vergoeding'. Dan kan je ze wel voor het internationaal gerechtshof dagen maar Rusland zal dan zeggen 'Amerika doet het ook al jaren en daar hebben jullie ook nooit protest tegen aangetekend'. Dan hebben ze ons als Europees land in de NAVO en VN mooi bij de ballen.

Ook door de slechte naam bestaat nu de kans dat aanschaf van drones door Nederland in de nabije toekomst een stuk kleiner is geworden. Een soort kruisraketten-discussie waarin de emoties het wonnen van wat rationeel een bruikbaar concept had geweest.



Drone 'vies woord' bij Verenigde Naties
Redactie − 07/02/13, 21:01  − bron: IPS

© afp. De amerikaanse MQ-1C Gray Eagle
'Drone' is een vies woord in het lexicon van de Verenigde Naties. Het doet denken aan de dodelijke onbemande vliegtuigen van de VS die erg controversiële aanvallen uitvoeren in de strijd tegen het terrorisme.

Toen de ondersecretaris-generaal voor Vredesmissies Herve Ladsous werd gevraagd naar de plannen van de Verenigde Naties om drones in te zetten in de Democratische Republiek Congo (DRC), protesteerde hij tegen het gebruik van het woord 'drone' vanwege de militaire connotatie.

"Ik zou het woord drones niet gebruiken", zei hij gisteren tegen journalisten. Hij gaf de voorkeur aan "onbemande vliegtuigjes", of UAV's (unmanned aerial vehicles). Ladsous zei dat de VN van plan waren onbewapende UAV's in te zetten, alleen voor surveillance en met uitdrukkelijke toestemming van de regeringen van DRC en buurlanden.

"We zullen zien hoe dit experiment uitpakt", zei hij. Hij voegde eraan toe dat de Verenigde Naties ervoor open staan om alle verzamelde informatie te delen met regionale organen in Afrika, dus niet alleen met VN-commandanten.

De VN-Veiligheidsraad stemde vorig jaar november in met de inzet van onbewapende drones in de Democratische Republiek Congo. Het is de bedoeling dat de onbemande vliegtuigjes de bewegingen van gewapende groepen registreren ter ondersteuning van de 17.500 man tellende Stabilisatiemissie van de VN (Monusco) in DRC. Maar sommige VN-diplomaten vrezen dat de drones uiteindelijk bewapend zullen worden, als het conflict in Congo verergert.

Burgerslachtoffers
De drones die de Verenigde Staten gebruiken zijn volledig bewapend en het gebruik ervan resulteerde in de dood van zowel verdachte terroristen als burgers in landen zoals Afghanistan, Pakistan, Somalië en Jemen. Volgens gepubliceerde rapporten gebruiken of produceren meer dan veertig landen drones.

Larry Dickerson, deskundige op het gebied van defensiesystemen bij Forecast International,een marktonderzoeksbureau, zegt dat naast de Verenigde Staten een groot aantal landen drones produceert. Het gaat onder meer om Groot-Brittannië, Israël, Frankrijk, Duitsland, Polen, Tsjechië, Canada, Griekenland, Bulgarije, Spanje, Italië, Rusland, China, Zuid-Korea, Oostenrijk, India, Zuid-Afrika, Japan en Singapore.

Ben Emmerson, een Britse advocaat en speciale VN-rapporteur voor mensenrechten en antiterrorisme, is bezig met een onderzoek naar de inzet van drones. Hij concentreert zich daarbij op 25 aanvallen met drones in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Jemen, Somalië en de Palestijnse gebieden (door Israëlische drones), en waarbij sprake was van burgerslachtoffers.

Het rapport zal naar verwachting in oktober of november gepresenteerd worden aan de Algemene Vergadering van de VN. Secretaris-generaal Ban Ki-moon van de VN zegt zich zorgen te maken over het gebruik van bewapende drones voor doelgerichte moorden. De acties zouden vragen doen rijzen over het fundamentele principe waarbij onderscheid wordt gemaakt tussen strijders en niet-strijders.

Volgens Amnesty International zijn er alleen in Pakistan in de afgelopen paar jaar zo'n driehonderd aanvallen met drones geteld. Daarbij kwamen zowel burgers als verdachte militanten om.
http://www.trouw.nl/tr/nl/4496/Buitenland/article/detail/3390253/2013/02/07/Drone-vies-woord-bij-Verenigde-Naties.dhtml
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter) op 08/02/2013 | 18:09 uur
Neuron partners show off future-fighter know-how

8/2/2013

By:   Dominic Perry London

"Our Istres flight test centre," boasts Charles Edelstenne, outgoing chief executive of Dassault Aviation, "has seen the first flights of more than 100 prototypes over the last 60 years. It is part of the history of French aviation."

Most recently, on 1 December 2012, Istres was the location for the maiden sortie of Dassault's most ambitious project yet, the Neuron, an unmanned combat air vehicle (UCAV).

Conceived in 2003, the Neuron is a technology demonstrator programme to inform thinking for the combat aircraft of the 2030s. It has been designed and produced by the aerospace champions of six European nations - France, Italy, Greece, Sweden, Spain and Switzerland - on a total budget of €405 million ($543 million).

Dassault has been the prime contractor for the project - "the industrial leader" - and France's defence procurement agency, the DGA, has represented its counterparts across the continent.

The UCAV features a low-observable radar signature and can fly and acquire targets autonomously. During its 25min maiden sortie, it was not remotely piloted. Instead, the details of the flight had already been uploaded to its flight computer, which analyses around 200,000 individual parameters each second, says Dassault. It represents a number of firsts, says Edelstenne, including being the first European-developed stealthy fighter.

Neuron made its second flight on 19 December in front of journalists and representatives from Europe's governments and armed forces. While not whisper-quiet, noise attenuation means that it lacks the chest-rattling punch of the manned Dassault Rafale chase aircraft that takes off shortly beforehand.

Aside from influencing future projects, the Neuron programme has allowed industry to "master the new technologies" vital for a future fighter, "whether manned or unmanned", he says. It also provides engineers with a fresh challenge beyond the current generation of European aircraft which have reached production maturity. This will ensure valuable engineering skills are not allowed to fade away.

"It's always good to be involved in projects like this," says Nikos Vassilopoulos, general manager for commercial of Greece's Hellenic Aerospace Industry. "I wouldn't say we would be left behind if we were not involved, but it's a new programme featuring state-of-the-art technology... It's important for both the company and for Greece to be part of it - we don't want to miss the opportunity."

Hellenic's contribution to the 5t-class Neuron has been the design and manufacture of the UCAV's exhaust assembly, rear fuselage and avionics rig. So, argues Vassilopoulos, for a subcontractor like Hellenic, this represents a great way to promote its capabilities to the wider world, including potential future clients outside of Europe.

Other partners have slightly different motivations. Saab - which designed the Neuron's main fuselage, landing gear doors, avionics and fuel system - has a successful manned fighter programme in the Gripen, which has a backlog stretching out until at least the end of the decade. Nonetheless, the Swedish airframer recognises that this cannot last forever. "We see unmanned as the future for aviation as a whole," says Carl-Henrik Arvidsson, director and head of new business marketing and future products within Saab's aeronautics division.

Although he says some programmes, such as medium-altitude long-endurance UAVs, already appear to have momentum and there has been a willingness shown by governments to invest in them, he acknowledges that this is not the same for a UCAV: "The requirement will be driven from the government side seeing a need for a UCAV and that will be influenced by armed forces deciding what is required for the future."

For Alenia Aermacchi, Italy's representative on the programme, the rationale is simple: a fear of losing out to rivals from the USA and elsewhere. "Europe cannot keep buying off-the-shelf products from countries outside its borders. It is not only about having a European capability, but to sustain European industry," says chief executive Giuseppe Giordo. "We will need to invest in this area and to combine Europe's aerospace capability to develop programmes that can also be of interest to other markets."

Alenia's contribution to the Neuron is the design of its internal weapons bay, including an internal electro-optical/infrared sensor, the bay doors and their operating mechanisms, the electrical power and distribution system, and the air data system.

The two remaining partners are EADS' Spanish business, which produced the wings, ground station and data link integration, and Switzerland's Ruag, which has performed low-speed wind tunnel testing on the type and the interfaces between the aircraft and its weaponry.

What the multi-company effort has proved, argues Edelstenne, is that Europe's aerospace champions can work together successfully, provided they have the correct framework in place to avoid the "limitations" of existing models of collaboration. Aside from the concept of industrial and governmental leaders - the roles taken by Dassault and the DGA on the Neuron - a key stipulation of the programme was that the "contribution of the partners should be based on their existing competencies, not the ones they would like to acquire at a cost to the European taxpayer", says Edelstenne.

The Rolls-Royce Turbomeca Adour-powered Neuron will now embark on a two-year test campaign at Istres, before being transferred to the Visdel range in Sweden to undergo operational trials. It will later be moved to the Perdasdefogu range in Sardinia, Italy, for weapon-release tests. And after the test campaign... well, that's the key question. No-one is sure what will happen beyond 2014. There is no programme in place to leverage the Neuron's technology and Europe's financial crisis has ensured tight defence budgets for the foreseeable future.

Meanwhile, however, the UK's BAE Systems is continuing to develop its Taranis UCAV demonstrator, with a maiden flight pencilled in for this year. BAE and Dassault, of course, have signed a memorandum of understanding as part of the broader Franco-British Lancaster House treaty of 2010 to work together on a Future Combat Air System (FCAS) demonstrator. While Edelstenne is adamant that BAE will not be allowed to join the Neuron team, and points out that technology championed by both companies will instead "inform" the design of the FCAS.

"The Neuron has a certain number of partners and we have to go to the end of it. It is out of the question to bring in another partner," says Edelstenne. However, he does not rule out other parties adding their weight to the FCAS programme. Alenia boss Giordo has already indicated a willingness to participate, providing the Italian manufacturer is not handed a subordinate role by the current partners. "Clearly we will not enter with a secondary role," he says.

After the Neuron's 10min pre-programmed flight on 19 December, it landed with gentle applause from the assembled dignitaries, before being towed past hangared Mirages and Rafales to Dassault's facility on the other side of the airbase. It reappeared later as a backdrop to the press conference, looking uncannily like a museum exhibit.

Edelstenne is confident that the development process will not have been undertaken for nought. "In two years from now, the Neuron country team will have gathered a whole gamut of knowledge," he says. "It will be key for the development of the next generation of fighter aircraft, whether manned or unmanned."

And Eric Trappier, his successor as Dassault chief executive, adds: "We are convinced that future combat aircraft will be built in this way, with collaboration between European states.

"We are delighted to have been part of the adventure."

http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/neuron-partners-show-off-future-fighter-know-how-382100/?cmpid=SOC%7CFGFG%7Ctwitterfeed%7CFlightglobal
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: dudge op 08/02/2013 | 21:50 uur
CitaatAnd Eric Trappier, his successor as Dassault chief executive, adds: "We are convinced that future combat aircraft will be built in this way, with collaboration between European states.

Kom maar op met de plannen!
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter) op 08/02/2013 | 22:07 uur
Citaat van: Thomasen op 08/02/2013 | 21:50 uur
Kom maar op met de plannen!

Precies, ik laat me graag positief verrassen!  ;D
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: IPA NG op 09/02/2013 | 18:18 uur
Het uitschakelen van concurrentie drijft de prijs alleen maar op.

Kijk maar naar het JSF programma.
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter) op 18/02/2013 | 10:19 uur
UAE-made UAV appeals

Silvia Radan / 18 February 2013

ABU DHABI - Meet Yabhon United 40 - Block 5; with its futuristic aero-dynamics, this unmanned aerial vehicle, or UAV, was a major show attraction at Idex 2013.

Developed by Abu Dhabi's Adcom Systems, largely a UAV manufacturer with worldwide branches, United 40 is being seen for the second time in the UAE, after being recently launched in Dubai.

"It can carry 10 missiles on board, each one having a 60km range and 1,000kph speed," said Ali Al Dhaheri, general designer and CEO of Adcom Systems. "It can fly over 100 hours without refuelling at a 30,000ft altitude. It is very reliable, has twin engines, six fly control units and over 400 channels of communications." Designed for strategic missions such as border surveillance, battle damage assessment, intelligence preparation of battlefield, combat assessment and humanitarian aid, United 40 can take off with 2,000kg on board.  If desired, it can also have up to 15 people on board.

It is now in serial production, licenced in several countries around the world and used by armies all over the Arabian Gulf, the UAE included.

Another Adcom star at Idex this year is the brand-new Yabhon NSR.

"It actually hunts the Yabhon United 40," said Al Dhaheri.

"It is the first one in the world to hunt UAVs. It has an advanced auto-tracking system, being capable of image tracking and downloading video to the user, and also capable of automatic engage and destroy operation."

http://www.khaleejtimes.com/kt-article-display-1.asp?xfile=data/uaebusiness/2013/February/uaebusiness_February287.xml&section=uaebusiness
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter) op 22/02/2013 | 07:45 uur
$2bn Triton drone plan to track asylum boats off Australia

IAN McPHEDRAN - DEFENCE WRITER
February 22, 2013

AUSTRALIA is set to sign up for $2 billion worth of unmanned spy planes able to detect small, wooden people-smuggling boats.

The Federal Government will send a letter of request for possible access to the United States Navy's development program for a high-flying, long-range pilotless aircraft called the Triton.

Once it detects a timber vessel it will be able to photograph the intruder or pass the information through secure military links to other aircraft or ships in the area.

Australia has a serious gap in its defence against timber refugee boats because over-the-horizon radar can't pick them up and current ship and aircraft radars have limited range.

It is understood that the Triton can detect every type of suspected illegal entry vessel that has made it to Australia so far.

The letter requesting a possible foreign military sale will be signed at the Australian International Air show at Avalon next week by Defence Minister Stephen Smith.

The USN is about to test its first Triton and it has 68 on order, the first due in service in 2015.

Australia will spend between $2 billion and $3 billion on the unmanned planes, which carry a powerful 360-degree radar and numerous other sensors, including infra-red and optical cameras and advanced target tracking systems.

Each jet-powered aircraft costs about $100 million, weighs 14.6 tonnes, has a 40m wingspan and can cruise up to 20,000m high for 28 hours or more.

The Australian version would compliment the new Boeing P-8 (737) manned maritime patrol jets that will replace the RAAF's ageing P-3 Orion aircraft.

Australian design elements are already included in the plane, including bigger and stronger wings, a more robust airframe and de-icing equipment so it can operate at lower altitudes in cloud.

Northrop's business development manager for the Triton program, Walt Kreitler, told News Limited that advanced communications technologies would also be fitted so that the Triton could "talk" to manned P-8 aircraft.

The Triton will be operated by a four-person ground crew and will be fully integrated with overall forces.

Mr Kreitler would not discuss potential targets, but he said he was confident it would cover the RAAF's "spectrum of targets".

The government is also expected to soon announce that it will spend at least $4 billion on another 24 Boeing Super Hornet jet fighters from the US Navy to prevent any air power capability gaps.

http://www.news.com.au/national/bn-triton-drone-plan-to-track-asylum-boats-off-australia/story-fncynjr2-1226583044954
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Zeewier op 22/02/2013 | 08:46 uur
'Australia will spend between $2 billion and $3 billion'
De Aussies vonden de Global Hawk nog niet goed genoeg voor kustwacht taken?  :crazy:
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter) op 22/02/2013 | 09:07 uur
Citaat van: Zeewier op 22/02/2013 | 08:46 uur
'Australia will spend between $2 billion and $3 billion'
De Aussies vonden de Global Hawk nog niet goed genoeg voor kustwacht taken?  :crazy:

Je hebt landen die wél belang hechten aan een geavanceerde en toekomstbestendige defensie en niet alleen met het boehoudersoog in de IKEA pret winkel trachten te shoppen...
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: dudge op 22/02/2013 | 10:09 uur
Citaat van: Zeewier op 22/02/2013 | 08:46 uur
'Australia will spend between $2 billion and $3 billion'
De Aussies vonden de Global Hawk nog niet goed genoeg voor kustwacht taken?  :crazy:

Ze hebben toch helemaal geen Global Hawks?
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: dudge op 22/02/2013 | 10:10 uur
Citaat van: jurrien visser op 22/02/2013 | 09:07 uur
Je hebt landen die wél belang hechten aan een geavanceerde en toekomstbestendige defensie en niet alleen met het boehoudersoog in de IKEA pret winkel trachten te shoppen...

Ik denk dat je je daarin vergist. Ook Australië zet in op lokale productie en assemblage, waar mogelijk.
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter) op 22/02/2013 | 10:15 uur
Citaat van: Thomasen op 22/02/2013 | 10:10 uur
Ik denk dat je je daarin vergist. Ook Australië zet in op lokale productie en assemblage, waar mogelijk.

Dat staat er los van, naturlijk wil je zoveel mogelijk ROI.
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: dudge op 22/02/2013 | 10:38 uur
Citaat van: jurrien visser op 22/02/2013 | 10:15 uur
Dat staat er los van, naturlijk wil je zoveel mogelijk ROI.

Jij begon over Ikea(=zelf assemblage)
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter) op 22/02/2013 | 10:48 uur
Citaat van: Thomasen op 22/02/2013 | 10:38 uur
Jij begon over Ikea(=zelf assemblage)

Ik doelde meer op het moet goedkoop zijn en bij voorkeur van Zweede makelij.
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: dudge op 22/02/2013 | 10:49 uur
Citaat van: jurrien visser op 22/02/2013 | 10:48 uur
Ik doelde meer op het moet goedkoop zijn en bij voorkeur van Zweede makelij.

Daar is toch niks mis mee? Zweden maakt goede producten, en waarom veel betalen (of minder krijgen) als je ook met hetzelfde geld meer kunt kopen/bereiken?
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Elzenga op 22/02/2013 | 10:54 uur
Citaat van: jurrien visser op 22/02/2013 | 10:48 uur
Ik doelde meer op het moet goedkoop zijn en bij voorkeur van Zweede makelij.
Misschien moet je eens vertellen wie dat hier prediken dan? Want nu blijft het zo "hangen"...en dat komt de discussie niet ten goede...
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter) op 22/02/2013 | 11:33 uur
Citaat van: Elzenga op 22/02/2013 | 10:54 uur
Misschien moet je eens vertellen wie dat hier prediken dan? Want nu blijft het zo "hangen"...en dat komt de discussie niet ten goede...

Voor een aantal in diverse topics moet het zo Europees en zo goedkoop mogelijk warbij vaak het Calimero petje wordt opgezet, waarbij ik me realiseer dat het economisch tij en de politiek niet mee zitten en dat we zullen moeten roeien met de riemen die we nu hebben.

Ik wil altijd in, veler ogen te veel, maar het is gemakkelijker down sizen dan van klein nog kleiner of minder maken.

De volgende discussie gaat n.l. over hoe we alles kunnen financieren met 6 miljard per jaar i.p.v. hoe bewegen we beslissers en beinvloeders naar een meer passende krijgsmacht in het ligt van de mondiale ontwikkelingen.

Maar we gaan wel heel erg of topic.
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Elzenga op 22/02/2013 | 11:47 uur
Citaat van: jurrien visser op 22/02/2013 | 11:33 uurVoor een aantal in diverse topics moet het zo Europees en zo goedkoop mogelijk warbij vaak het Calimero petje wordt opgezet, waarbij ik me realiseer dat het economisch tij en de politiek niet mee zitten en dat we zullen moeten roeien met de riemen die we nu hebben.

Ik wil altijd in, veler ogen te veel, maar het is gemakkelijker down sizen dan van klein nog kleiner of minder maken.

De volgende discussie gaat n.l. over hoe we alles kunnen financieren met 6 miljard per jaar i.p.v. hoe bewegen we beslissers en beinvloeders naar een meer passende krijgsmacht in het ligt van de mondiale ontwikkelingen.

Maar we gaan wel heel erg of topic.
Duidelijk...maar verward strategische afwegingen en die tussen kwaliteit versus kwantiteit niet met een eenzijdige focus op Europees of goedkoop. Ik onderschrijf je pleidooi om niet teveel mee te gaan in de bezuinigingen...zoals Clingendael in haar rapport helaas wel doet...maar juist te blijven pleiten voor een groter defensiebudget. Zij het weer niet onrealistisch groot...dan verliest het zijn geloofwaardigheid.

Ontopic maar weer. 
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Zeewier op 22/02/2013 | 14:18 uur
Citaat van: Thomasen op 22/02/2013 | 10:09 uur
Citaat van: Zeewier op 22/02/2013 | 08:46 uur
'Australia will spend between $2 billion and $3 billion'
De Aussies vonden de Global Hawk nog niet goed genoeg voor kustwacht taken?  :crazy:

Ze hebben toch helemaal geen Global Hawks?
Nee, maar ze hebben wel uitvoerig getest met de Global Hawk. Waarvan er een gecrasht was in het Australische Maryland. Deze Triton is de maritieme versie. Zal dat veel uitmaken voor patrouille hoog boven de kuststrook?

De RQ-4A Global Hawk kost 1,2 miljard per 4 stuks. MQ-4C Triton zal niet goedkoper zijn.
Duitsland heeft de RQ-4B en opgewerkt met eigen apparatuur naar Euro Hawk.
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter) op 03/03/2013 | 18:26 uur
U.S. Air Force Plans for Extended-Range Reaper

Mar. 3, 2013 - By AARON MEHTA

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Air Force wants to purchase an extended-range (ER) version of the MQ-9 Reaper, allowing the service to strike deeper into enemy territory using fewer vehicles in a post-Afghanistan environment.

http://www.defensenews.com/article/20130303/DEFREG02/303030005/U-S-Air-Force-Plans-Extended-Range-Reaper?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|FRONTPAGE
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter) op 09/04/2013 | 09:49 uur
Here's Lockheed's new stealthy attack drone design

Posted By John Reed   Monday, April 8, 2013

It's not every day that you get to see a new stealth jet unveiled, but today Lockheed Martin's famed Skunk Works division posted these artist's renderings of its bid for the Navy's next attack jet at its booth at the Navy League's annual Sea Air Space conference just outside of Washington.

Remember, the Navy is trying to field a fleet of stealthy, unmanned fighter-sized jets that can launch from an aircraft carrier, fly through enemy air defenses and do everything from bomb targets to spy on them under a program called Unmanned Carrier Launched Surveillance and Strike or UCLASS.

Last summer, Lockheed showed us a very unrevealing drawing of what it said would be its UCLASS bid, nicknamed the Sea Ghost. These pictures offer a far better look at the jet.

The plane above looks remarkably similar to Lockheed's super-secret RQ-170 Sentinel spy plane, nicknamed the Beast of Kandahar by reporters after grainy photos of it operating in Afghanistan emerged in 2008. (A Sentinel was famously captured by Iran in late 2010, giving the world its first close-up view of the jet.)  When yours truly pointed out the similarities between Lockheed's UCLASS bid and the Sentinel to a company spokeswoman, she just smiled and said she had no idea what I was talking about. It makes sense for Lockheed to base the airplane on an existing stealth drone since the Navy wants UCLASS operating from carriers by the end of this decade.

While the spokeswoman couldn't say anything about the plane beyond that it will be flying sometime around 2018 to 2020, she did provide Killer Apps with a quick fact sheet.

Lockheed says the jet will be based on its existing manned and unmanned planes and will feature a "maximum reuse of hardware and software," according to the factsheet posted below. (This means the plane will incorporate technology developed for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter as well as the RQ-170.) Still, the jet will need to have a tail hook added, wings that fold (to fit on a carrier's crowded deck), and have its airframe strengthened to withstand the pressures of catapult launches and arrested landings, as well as the corrosive sea air,

As you can see from these pictures, the plane doesn't feature the RQ-170's four large humps, which contain sensors and communications gear, on the top and bottom of its fuselage. This is likely because the Sentinel was designed a decade or more ago and sensor technology has shrunk in size dramatically since then.

Like all modern stealth jets, Lockheed's UCLASS bid features "signature control," meaning it doesn't just rely on a stealthy shape to remain undetected. It will feature a combination of radar absorbing coatings, heat-masking technology, and various ways of protecting its electronic emissions (radar, satellite communications, etc.) from detection by an enemy, according to the factsheet.

Finally, one operator aboard an aircraft carrier or ashore will be able to control multiple jets as they carry out missions. This last attribute is a key tenet of the UCLASS program, which seeks to field a fleet of semi-autonomous drones that can do everything from land themselves on aircraft carriers to refuel in midair with a pilot simply supervising the mission.

Zie link voor de plaatjes

http://killerapps.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2013/04/08/heres_lockheeds_brand_new_stealth_drone_design
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: dudge op 09/04/2013 | 10:14 uur
CitaatIt makes sense for Lockheed to base the airplane on an existing stealth drone since the Navy wants UCLASS operating from carriers by the end of this decade.

Met andere woorden, dat ding is eerder operationeel dan de F35....
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Harald op 09/04/2013 | 10:27 uur
Citaat van: jurrien visser op 09/04/2013 | 09:49 uur
Here's Lockheed's new stealthy attack drone design

http://killerapps.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2013/04/08/heres_lockheeds_brand_new_stealth_drone_design

Hieronder de 2 plaatjes van de drone :

http://killerapps.foreignpolicy.com/files/seaghost2.jpg

http://www.foreignpolicy.com/files/fp_uploaded_images/130408_UCLASS_DeckEvening.jpg


Al moet ik zeggen dat ik het VARIOS programma van LM  ook erg interessant eruit ziet

http://www.lockheedmartin.com/us/products/various.html
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Harald op 09/04/2013 | 14:56 uur
Flimpje : Lockheed's new stealthy attack drone design



Wel interessant 3-luik op 1:56 tot 2:02
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: StrataNL op 09/04/2013 | 18:05 uur
Doe maar 10 op een DSNS LHD!
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter) op 09/04/2013 | 18:10 uur
Citaat van: Strata op 09/04/2013 | 18:05 uur
Doe maar 10 op een DSNS LHD!

;D

(het wachten is op: te duur, niet Europees en niet te vergeten, het kan nooit een goed product zijn want het is geen Saab maar een LM en dat zijn toch van die niet strategische Amerikanen)

En dat geldt dan alleen nog maar voor de UCAV.... de LHD krijgt een separate bespreking... maar dat begint met: te groot, te duur etc
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: StrataNL op 09/04/2013 | 18:20 uur
Citaat van: jurrien visser op 09/04/2013 | 18:10 uur
;D

(het wachten is op: te duur, niet Europees en niet te vergeten, het kan nooit een goed product zijn want het is geen Saab maar een LM en dat zijn toch van die niet strategische Amerikanen)

En dat geldt dan alleen nog maar voor de UCAV.... de LHD krijgt een separate bespreking...

Tja, feit is dat de VS lekker doorontwikkelen en verkoopt met UCAV'jes terwijl we in EU geen enkele operationele home-made UCAV hebben. Zegt genoeg denk ik.
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter) op 09/04/2013 | 18:25 uur
Citaat van: Strata op 09/04/2013 | 18:20 uur
Tja, feit is dat de VS lekker doorontwikkelen en verkoopt met UCAV'jes terwijl we in EU geen enkele operationele home-made UCAV hebben. Zegt genoeg denk ik.

Exact!
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Ace1 op 09/04/2013 | 21:41 uur
Citaat van: Strata op 09/04/2013 | 18:20 uur
Tja, feit is dat de VS lekker doorontwikkelen en verkoopt met UCAV'jes terwijl we in EU geen enkele operationele home-made UCAV hebben. Zegt genoeg denk ik.

Wie zegt dat er geen enkele operationele home-made UCAV aktief is in de EU?

http://www.schiebel.net/File.aspx?Id=1979&Path=~%2fDownload%2fBrochures&Name=pdfDownload

http://www.saabgroup.com/en/Air/Airborne-Solutions/Unmanned_Aerial_Systems/Skeldar_V-200_Civil_Security/

http://www.sagem-ds.com/IMG/pdf/D1337E-SPERWER_MKII.pdf
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter) op 09/04/2013 | 21:50 uur
Citaat van: Ace1 op 09/04/2013 | 21:41 uur
Wie zegt dat er geen enkele operationele home-made UCAV aktief is in de EU?

http://www.schiebel.net/File.aspx?Id=1979&Path=~%2fDownload%2fBrochures&Name=pdfDownload

http://www.saabgroup.com/en/Air/Airborne-Solutions/Unmanned_Aerial_Systems/Skeldar_V-200_Civil_Security/

Een UAV kan ik nauwelijks een UCAV noemen.
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: dudge op 09/04/2013 | 22:08 uur
Citaat van: jurrien visser op 09/04/2013 | 21:50 uur
Een UAV kan ik nauwelijks een UCAV noemen.

Inderdaad. Het is tijd dat we met een echte UCAV gaan komen. Daar wordt aan gewerkt.....zij het zonder Nederland  >:(
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: StrataNL op 09/04/2013 | 22:16 uur
Citaat van: Ace1 op 09/04/2013 | 21:41 uur
Wie zegt dat er geen enkele operationele home-made UCAV aktief is in de EU?

http://www.schiebel.net/File.aspx?Id=1979&Path=~%2fDownload%2fBrochures&Name=pdfDownload

http://www.saabgroup.com/en/Air/Airborne-Solutions/Unmanned_Aerial_Systems/Skeldar_V-200_Civil_Security/

http://www.sagem-ds.com/IMG/pdf/D1337E-SPERWER_MKII.pdf

Dat zeg ik ;) De bovenstaande links zijn surveillance UAV's, geen Combat UAV's.
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Ace1 op 09/04/2013 | 22:24 uur
Citaat van: Strata op 09/04/2013 | 22:16 uur
Dat zeg ik ;) De bovenstaande links zijn surveillance UAV's, geen Combat UAV's.

En wat is dit dan?

http://www.thalesgroup.com/Countries/United_Kingdom/FIA_2012/Documents/LMM_Family/


http://www.schiebel.net/File.aspx?Id=1979&Path=~%2fDownload%2fBrochures&Name=pdfDownload

http://www.defensereview.com/fury-and-camcopter-s-100-uasuavs-armed-with-lightweight-multirole-missile-lmm/

(https://www.defensieforum.nl/Forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fhtka.hu%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2011%2F04%2FDSC8161.jpg&hash=84b51dd320d0145497406a3a2e59aa653d9ec841)
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter) op 09/04/2013 | 22:26 uur
Citaat van: Strata op 09/04/2013 | 22:16 uur
Dat zeg ik ;) De bovenstaande links zijn surveillance UAV's, geen Combat UAV's.

Een paar echte Europese UCAV demonstrators zijn onderweg, de Neuron en Taranis (best hoopgevend)
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Elzenga op 09/04/2013 | 22:30 uur
Citaat van: jurrien visser op 09/04/2013 | 22:26 uur
Een paar echte Europese UCAV demonstrators zijn onderweg, de Neuron en Taranis (best hoopgevend)
En dat zijn de vergelijkbare Amerikaanse modellen ook nog voorlopig. Al pakt men het daar voortvarend aan. Aan ene kant begrijpelijk...m.i. ook begrijpelijk dat meeste Europese landen even de kat uit de boom kijken...zo breed en nieuw en snel zijn de ontwikkelingen op dit gebied immers. En beperkt de budgetten.
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter) op 09/04/2013 | 22:50 uur
Citaat van: Elzenga op 09/04/2013 | 22:30 uur
En dat zijn de vergelijkbare Amerikaanse modellen ook nog voorlopig. Al pakt men het daar voortvarend aan. Aan ene kant begrijpelijk...m.i. ook begrijpelijk dat meeste Europese landen even de kat uit de boom kijken...zo breed en nieuw en snel zijn de ontwikkelingen op dit gebied immers. En beperkt de budgetten.

Mee eens dat het modellen zijn die vergelijkbaar zijn met die van de Amerikanen, de Taranis is wat mij betreft het meest veel belovend al loopt deze achter op de Neuron.

Jammer is de beperkte financiering en de gebruikelijke Europese onenigheid (ook weer begrijpelijk want de programma's zijn belangrijk voor het voortbestaan van de Europese UCAV en fighter industrie, kortom de belangen zijn groot net als de verdeeldheid.
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Ace1 op 09/04/2013 | 22:58 uur
Over Europese  UCAV´s

http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/bae-systems-unveils-its-armed-uav-fury-224616/

http://www.defensereview.com/fury-and-camcopter-s-100-uasuavs-armed-with-lightweight-multirole-missile-lmm/
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: StrataNL op 09/04/2013 | 23:28 uur
Citaat van: Ace1 op 09/04/2013 | 22:58 uur
Over Europese  UCAV´s

http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/bae-systems-unveils-its-armed-uav-fury-224616/

http://www.defensereview.com/fury-and-camcopter-s-100-uasuavs-armed-with-lightweight-multirole-missile-lmm/

Dat zijn naar mijn mening toch echt geen ucav's Ace.
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Ace1 op 09/04/2013 | 23:31 uur
Citaat van: Strata op 09/04/2013 | 23:28 uur
Dat zijn naar mijn mening toch echt geen ucav's Ace.

zonder Thales LMM heb je gelijk maar met een Thales LMM niet
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: StrataNL op 09/04/2013 | 23:38 uur
Citaat van: Ace1 op 09/04/2013 | 23:31 uur
zonder Thales LMM heb je gelijk maar met een Thales LMM niet

Dan nog niet. Waar leg je de grens, die leg ik eerder bij 2x 500ponders en 4x hellfire o.i.d. Is iets gemaakt voor combat, aanvalsmissies, CAS of niet.

Zo'n camcopter met LMM lijkt me ideaal voor verkenningstaken etc (OPV's?), maar niet voor gevechtsmissies.
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter) op 09/04/2013 | 23:42 uur
Citaat van: Strata op 09/04/2013 | 23:28 uur
Dat zijn naar mijn mening toch echt geen ucav's Ace.

Mee eens, nogmaals de enige serieus (bekende) Europese UCAV ontwikkelingen zijn de Neuron en Taranis, de rest zijn UAV's waarbij sommigen misschien wat C mogelijkheden hebben maar daar blijft het dan ook vooralsnog bij.
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter) op 09/04/2013 | 23:45 uur
Citaat van: Strata op 09/04/2013 | 23:38 uur
Dan nog niet. Waar leg je de grens, die leg ik eerder bij 2x 500ponders en 4x hellfire o.i.d. Is iets gemaakt voor combat, aanvalsmissies, CAS of niet.

Zo'n camcopter met LMM lijkt me ideaal voor verkenningstaken etc (OPV's?), maar niet voor gevechtsmissies.

Exact, zelfs een Predator wordt nog een UAV genoemd.
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter) op 14/04/2013 | 13:56 uur
BAE's superdrone Taranis to be tested at Woomera

April 14, 2013

THE most secretive piece of airspace in Australia - the RAAF-run Woomera flight test range in South Australia - will make history later this year when the world's first unmanned supersonic stealth combat aircraft makes its maiden test flight above the desert. 

http://www.news.com.au/technology/sci-tech/baes-superdrone-taranis-to-be-tested-at-woomera/story-fn5fsgyc-1226619892302
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter) op 24/04/2013 | 07:00 uur
Shhh... It's Vewwy Secret

Posted by Bill Sweetman  on Apr 23, 2013 

How long will it take for the Pentagon to release something official on the ultra-stealthy long-range unmanned air vehicle that (according to intel, and reasonable analysis of the open-source tea-leaves) Northrop Grumman is building and preparing for flight test at Groom Lake (AW&ST December 3, 2012)?

Lt Gen Charles Davis, military deputy in the USAF acquisition office, came close to mentioning the unmentionable in a House Armed Services Committee hearing last Wednesday. Davis was responding to a question from Rep. John Garamendi – a Democrat whose district includes Beale AFB, intended home of the Global Hawk – about the direction of the USAF's intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance program and the decision to cut back on Global Hawk acquisition.

"We did not do that without carefully looking at how we cover that with the U-2 and other classified platforms," Davis said, adding that "you'd probably need to go into detail with in another forum", a form of words indicating a classified session.

In a possible indicator as to the timing of procurement of the secret UAV, Davis said that the USAF has no requirement for more Block 30 Global Hawks beyond 2014 and wants to "use that money for much higher priorities".

"We have pretty much heavily funded ISR for a very permissive environment for a couple of decades," Davis continued. "We are in the process of trying to look at all the assets, with our operational requirements and intelligence requirements, to rationalize a program that has operated almost totally uncontested and prepare it for a scenario where it is not going to have that freedom."

The classified UAV is believed to be about the size of a Global Hawk but with Northrop Grumman's trademark "cranked-kite" shape, It has been described as incorporating both a high degree of stealth and a very efficient aerodynamic design.

This was not the only hint about classified programs in the April 17 hearing. RAdm Bill Moran, director of the Navy's air warfare division, noted that as well as funding APG-78 active electronically scanned array radar retrofits to all early Block 2 Super Hornets, "there are several other programs that I'd be happy to come back and talk about in a classified setting. They are very signficant, fully funded in 2014 and will keep the Super Hornet credible through the late 2020s and early 2030s."

http://www.aviationweek.com/Blogs.aspx?plckBlogId=Blog:27ec4a53-dcc8-42d0-bd3a-01329aef79a7&plckPostId=Blog%3A27ec4a53-dcc8-42d0-bd3a-01329aef79a7Post%3A04cb672c-f231-439d-812a-33d9c0ce5ea5
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Ace1 op 27/04/2013 | 15:16 uur
Armed drones operated from RAF base in UK, says MoD

Armed drone aircraft have been operated remotely from Britain for the first time, the Ministry of Defence has said.

It said Reaper drones had flown missions controlled from RAF Waddington, Lincolnshire, where campaign groups are holding a protest rally against the practice.

The MoD said it respected people's rights to protest peacefully.

The drones are mainly used for surveillance, but could use weapons if commanded to by their pilots in the UK.

Campaigners say the switching of control of flights to the UK marks a "critical expansion in the nation's drones programme".

They are calling on the government to abandon the use of drones, claiming they make it easier for politicians to launch military interventions, and have increased civilian casualties.

The MoD has defended their use in Afghanistan, saying it has saved the lives of countless military personnel and civilians.

The 10 Reaper aircraft are all based in Afghanistan to support UK and coalition forces and can carry 500lb bombs and Hellfire missiles for strikes on insurgents.

They are piloted remotely, but launched and landed with human help at Kandahar airbase.

BBC defence correspondent Caroline Wyatt says the "overwhelming majority" of missions the British drones are used for involve surveillance.

She says the MoD told her British drones are not being used for targeted assassinations, unlike the Predator drones used by the US in places such as Pakistan.

Estimates suggest CIA drone attacks in Pakistan killed up to 3,533 people between 2004 and 2013.

About 890 of them were civilians and the vast majority of strikes were carried out under President Barack Obama's administration, according to research by the Bureau of Investigative Journalism.

Earlier this year the UN launched an inquiry into the impact on civilians of drone strikes and other targeted killings, saying a proper legal framework was required to provide accountability.

The MoD says that when weapons are used, the same rules of engagement are followed that govern the use of weapons on manned aircraft.

Previously, RAF personnel would control the drones from Creech Air Force Base, in Nevada, US.

In October last year, the RAF created 13 Squadron based at RAF Waddington south of Lincoln, where about 100 personnel include pilots, systems operators and engineers that control missions over Afghanistan.

In a statement issued on Thursday, the RAF said it had commenced supporting the International Security Assistance Force and Afghan ground troops with "armed intelligence and surveillance missions" remotely piloted from RAF Waddington.

Air Vice Marshall Sir John Walker, a former chief of defence intelligence, said "having a capability like the drones on the order of battle can only be a good thing" because they could help troops on the ground who are in trouble, if necessary.

Speaking on Radio 4's Today programme, he likened drones to Polaris submarines which, he said, provided an effective nuclear deterrent without being used.

He said terrorists in parts of Afghanistan operate in "a condition of sanctuary", prompting him to ask: "How are you going to get them without something like a drone approach?"

Meanwhile, Kat Craig, legal director of human rights charity Reprieve, said the use of drones was a blight on the communities the drones monitor.

"The nature of drones means they hover above communities 24 hours a day, seven days a week," she said.

She went on: "They present an aerial occupation, almost a form of collective punishment, that causes huge concern and distress to people living in those communities.

"In addition to the terrorising of populations that we see living under drones, there is real concern about the accuracy of the targeting."

Several anti-war groups including CND, War on Want, the Drone Campaign Network, and the Stop the War coalition are holding a march and rally outside RAF Waddington on Saturday.

About 200 people are thought to have attended the demonstration, according to BBC reporters at the scene.



Chris Nineham, vice-chairman of the Stop the War Coalition, said: "I think people feel that there is something sinister and disturbing about the idea that someone can attack a foreign country thousands of miles away with, simply, the push of a button and this technology that is being introduced is giving carte blanche to governments to fight wars behind the backs of people with no public scrutiny or accountability.

"That's the fundamental problem."

The route of the march, from South Common along the A15 to the peace camp site opposite RAF Waddington, involves road closures in phases to limit inconvenience to motorists.

An MoD spokesman said: "We fully respect people's right to protest peacefully and within the law and would do nothing to prevent members of the public exercising their right to peaceful protest.

"Nevertheless, we have a duty to protect public property, and to ensure that we meet our operational needs.

"The MoD has a duty to maintain security at all defence installations and uses all lawful means to do so, including the right to seek injunctions against any person who persists in trespassing on MoD property."

Analysis

Caroline Wyatt
Defence correspondent, BBC News

The RAF is not keen on the term "drone". It prefers the use of "Remotely Piloted Air Systems", RPAS, to make clear that these are not autonomous systems: they still need a human being to fly and command the mission - and crucially, decide whether or not to use weapons, and whether a strike can take place under the UK's rules of engagement.

But drones are playing an increasingly important role in air warfare and air support, with many saying the Joint Strike Fighter - currently being developed in the US - is likely to be the last manned fighter aircraft bought by the UK.

After that, there will be no more "magnificent men in their flying machines".

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lincolnshire-22320275
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Harald op 15/05/2013 | 22:09 uur
X-47B Catapult Launch A Pivotal Milestone In Naval Aviation

USS George H.W. Bush (AT SEA) --- The X-47B Unmanned Combat Air System demonstrator (UCAS-D) completed its first ever carrier-based catapult launch from USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77) off the coast of Virginia today.

"Today we saw a small, but significant pixel in the future picture of our Navy as we begin integration of unmanned systems into arguably the most complex warfighting environment that exists today: the flight deck of a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier," said Vice Adm. David Buss, commander, Naval Air Forces, the Navy's "Air Boss".

The unmanned aircraft launched from the deck of George H.W. Bush at 11:18 a.m. It executed several planned low approaches to the carrier and safely transited across the Chesapeake Bay to land at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md., after an approximately 65-minute flight.

Buss called the launch a "watershed event" in naval aviation and said he expects that decades from now, a future "Air Boss" will have a picture of the X-47B launching from Bush behind his or her desk just as he has a picture of aviation pioneer Eugene Ely's first-ever landing on the deck of a ship in 1911 behind his desk today.

An X-47B Unmanned Combat Air System (UCAS) demonstrator catapulted from the aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77) in the Atlantic off the coast of Vorginia. (NGC photo)USS George H.W. Bush (AT SEA) --- The X-47B Unmanned Combat Air System demonstrator (UCAS-D) completed its first ever carrier-based catapult launch from USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77) off the coast of Virginia today.

"Today we saw a small, but significant pixel in the future picture of our Navy as we begin integration of unmanned systems into arguably the most complex warfighting environment that exists today: the flight deck of a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier," said Vice Adm. David Buss, commander, Naval Air Forces, the Navy's "Air Boss".

The unmanned aircraft launched from the deck of George H.W. Bush at 11:18 a.m. It executed several planned low approaches to the carrier and safely transited across the Chesapeake Bay to land at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md., after an approximately 65-minute flight.

Buss called the launch a "watershed event" in naval aviation and said he expects that decades from now, a future "Air Boss" will have a picture of the X-47B launching from Bush behind his or her desk just as he has a picture of aviation pioneer Eugene Ely's first-ever landing on the deck of a ship in 1911 behind his desk today.

Completing another important first for the UCAS-D program, the team demonstrated the ability to precisely navigate the X-47B within the controlled airspace around an aircraft carrier at sea and seamlessly pass control of the air vehicle from a "mission operator" aboard the carrier to one located in the Mission Test Control Center at NAS Patuxent River for landing.

"The flight today demonstrated that the X-47B is capable of operation from a carrier, hand-off from one mission control station to another, flight through the national airspace, and recovery at another location without degradation in safety or precision," said Matt Funk, lead test engineer for the Navy UCAS program.

Prior to the catapult launch on Tuesday, the UCAS test team also conducted deck-handling and ship-integration testing to demonstrate the capability to safely operate the X-47B in the dynamic, unforgiving environment of an aircraft carrier flight deck.

"This event is a testament to the teamwork, professionalism and expertise of everyone involved with X-47B program," said Rear Adm. Mat Winter, program executive officer for Unmanned Aviation and Strike Weapons. "Their work will positively impact future unmanned aviation development for years to come."

Over the next few weeks, the X-47B aircraft will fly approaches to the ship multiple times and eventually land on the pitching flight deck, said Navy UCAS Program Manager Capt. Jaime Engdahl.

The UCAS team will conduct additional shore-based testing with the X-47B at NAS Patuxent River in the coming months before its final carrier-based arrested landing demonstration later this summer.

"This event is a testament to the teamwork, professionalism and expertise of everyone involved with X-47B program," said Rear Adm. Mat Winter, program executive officer for Unmanned Aviation and Strike Weapons. "Their work will positively impact future unmanned aviation development for years to come."

Over the next few weeks, the X-47B aircraft will fly approaches to the ship multiple times and eventually land on the pitching flight deck, said Navy UCAS Program Manager Capt. Jaime Engdahl.

The UCAS team will conduct additional shore-based testing with the X-47B at NAS Patuxent River in the coming months before its final carrier-based arrested landing demonstration later this summer.

catapult-start :


landing :


http://www.defense-aerospace.com/article-view/release/145026/x_47b-catapulted-from-us-navy-carrier.html
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter) op 21/05/2013 | 07:26 uur
Europese drone-industrie krijgt harde klap

20 Mei 2013

Frankrijk gaat twee Reapers kopen, Amerikaanse drones (onbemande verkenningsvliegtuigjes) die vóór het einde van het jaar zullen worden ingezet in de oorlog in Mali, bericht Libération. Het dagblad kopt "Drône de guerre", een knipoog naar de uitdrukking 'drôle de guerre' die verwijst naar de schemeroorlog waarmee de Tweede Wereldoorlog begon.

Het dagblad schrijft dat Frankrijk van plan is de komende jaren twaalf drones te kopen en legt uit dat het land:

na de aankoop van de twee Reapers op de middellange termijn ook nog andere toestellen zal moeten aanschaffen. [...] Frankrijk hoopt vooral, tegen het jaar 2035, de drone van de toekomst van de band te kunnen laten rollen, een soort bewapende 'Rafale' zonder piloot. "Met de Britten hebben wij ieder 20 miljoen euro geïnvesteerd om dat programma op gang te brengen", benadrukt men op het ministerie van Defensie. Dit is ongetwijfeld een van de laatste kansen om straks niet definitief afhankelijk te zijn van de Amerikaanse bondgenoot.

"Libération" merkt op dat de Franse minister van Defensie, Jean-Yves Le Drian, bovendien "een eventuele Europese samenwerking" heeft geopperd en "de Britten en de Duitsers, die 'dezelfde behoeften hebben', bij het project wil betrekken". Maar "op dit moment lijkt het proces te haperen", na een aankondiging van zijn Duitse ambtgenoot.

De Duitse minister van Defensie, Thomas de Maizière, heeft namelijk net de aankoop geannuleerd van vier drones van het type Euro Hawk, gebouwd door het Europese defensiebedrijf EADS en het Amerikaanse concern Northrop Grumman. Dit besluit werd wereldkundig gemaakt vlak na onthullingen van de Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung dat "het ministerie van Defensie de aanschaf van de Euro Hawk, waarvan de kosten verscheidene miljarden euro's bedragen, had doorgezet terwijl al jaren bekend is dat [er] geen vergunning zal worden verstrekt voor het gebruik ervan in het Duitse en Europese luchtruim". Er zouden namelijk geen waterdichte garanties zijn dat er geen botsingen zouden plaatsvinden in het luchtruim.

"De waarheid is gênant en betreft niet alleen de huidige minister van Defensie", meent de FAZ, maar ook zijn voorgangers Guttenberg (CSU), Jung (CDU) en Struck (SPD). Zij hebben allemaal verzuimd zich de beslissende vraag te stellen: hoe kan een drone worden toegestaan gebruik te maken van het burgerluchtruim als hij niet beschikt over een betrouwbare voorziening tegen botsingen?

http://www.presseurop.eu/nl/content/news-brief/3791541-europese-drone-industrie-krijgt-harde-klap
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: dudge op 21/05/2013 | 18:13 uur
http://www.aviationweek.com/Article.aspx?id=/article-xml/AW_05_20_2013_p26-578980.xml&p=1 (http://www.aviationweek.com/Article.aspx?id=/article-xml/AW_05_20_2013_p26-578980.xml&p=1)

Italy Looking To Develop Black MALE UAV
By Amy Butler
Source: Aviation Week & Space Technology

Italy is determined to proceed aggressively, with or without its traditional British and French partners, to develop a new armed, medium-altitude, long-endurance (MALE) unmanned aircraft, an effort that began in the black world.

The project is proceeding apace in part as a result of U.S. ambivalence about Rome's request to arm its small Predator fleet and also in order to invigorate the domestic industry here. Italy requested permission to weaponize Reaper nearly two years ago, and Washington's silence is "a case that is not very acceptable," Air Force Lt. Gen. Claudio Debertolis, Italy's secretary general of defense and national armaments director, tells Aviation Week. Debertolis says Rome is in talks with potential partners on a "black" MALE project that would field systems in 2017-18.

Built by San Diego-based General Atomics, Italy's Predators are slated to finish service by the end of the decade, and the military wants to get a jump on designing a more advanced replacement, according to senior defense and industry officials here. Six of the UAS were bought without an Italian industrial participation agreement not only because General Atomics was not amenable, but also because they were urgently needed in Afghanistan. Italy lacked the time to build its own system.

Officials at the U.S. State Department say that as a matter of policy they will not comment on Italy's specific request. However, they do note that "the transfer of U.S. defense articles and services to allies like Italy enables us to work together more effectively to meet shared security challenges. . . . Italy is a strong partner and NATO ally that significantly contributes to U.S. and NATO-led coalition operations."

Still, the Predator procurement puts Italy at the whim of the U.S. government in terms of upgrades, a situation the defense establishment here is loath to repeat. Pursuing a weaponized UAV is a "high priority" for Italian forces, says Brig. Gen. Alberto Rosso, logistics branch chief for the Italian air force. "The U.S. is not the only country [that can] provide those capabilities," he says. "If we are unable to meet those requirements, we are already looking for alternatives."

Debertolis notes that even if the U.S. permits the Reaper weaponization now, funding that Italy could have dedicated to project when the request was made has now gone with the economic downturn.

This situation is further soured for Italy because the U.K. has been granted the authority to begin integration of the MBDA Brimstone missile onto the Reaper, using U.S. Air Force assets for the project so as not to interrupt the service of U.K. Reapers for British soldiers in Afghanistan (see page 28). Brimstone is akin to a Hellfire modified with a tandem-charge warhead optimized against armored targets and a millimeter-wave radar. Furthermore, the U.K.'s Reapers already employ the Hellfire and 500-lb. GBU-12 Paveway II laser-guided bomb.

Thus, Italy is working with its local industry and soliciting possible foreign partners on the project. It had been in talks with London and Paris on the endeavor, but the Franco-British strategic defense cooperation agreement signed in 2012 has not produced a clear path forward on the MALE UAV. "As far as we know, this [strategic agreement] is not proceeding very well," says Alenia Aermacchi CEO Guiseppe Giordo. "So we won't wait for France and the U.K. We are working with other countries."

As chief of Alenia's top aircraft maker headquartered in Turin, Giordo will be integral to the project. "We have a specification. We are working on the preliminary requirements," he tells Aviation Week. "We want to be engaged on a new generation of MALE applying our technologies and capability that we have developed." Specifically, Alenia will draw on work it has done with the Sky-X and Sky-Y demonstrators as well as the six-nation, stealthy Neuron combat UAV demonstrator.

Italian officials are mum about which partners are being considered, though Giordo says, "we can have partners not only in Europe but outside Europe."

A partnership with Israel, which has extensive experience in UAV work, may be under consideration. Israel agreed to purchase 30 M-346 advanced trainers last year, strengthening the relationship between the two Mediterranean countries. Alenia also has strong ties with Turkey, a possible contender, on various projects, including the U.S.-led F-35.

"We will have a new generation of MALE and we will not stay with the Predator UAV fleet. . . . I am referring to a very coordinated action between the industry and the government," Giordo says. The new MALE "should be more capable than the Predator, [and] we need to have something [so] that we can be independent from American production."

Debertolis refers to the project as a "Super MALE," noting that armed surveillance is a key requirement.

Beyond the MALE project, Giordo agrees with other European executives that there should be a cooperative project in Europe to develop a stealthy unmanned combat air vehicle (UCAV) capable of surveillance and strike. Unlike the MALE project, he says, this combat system should be European in nature. "In the case of the UCAV program, European aeronautical industry should [proceed]. Otherwise there is a danger that . . . we will remain completely in the hands of U.S. companies in terms of new-generation systems." Such a system would likely be fielded around 2022 at the earliest.

A stealthy UCAV effort is also underway in China. The most advanced program is proceeding in the U.S., where the U.S. Navy's X-47B, made by Northrop Grumman, achieved the first catapult-launch of a low-observable, tailless UAV from an aircraft carrier last week (see page 16).

http://www.aviationweek.com/Article.aspx?id=/article-xml/AW_05_20_2013_p26-578980.xml&p=1 (http://www.aviationweek.com/Article.aspx?id=/article-xml/AW_05_20_2013_p26-578980.xml&p=1)

Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Elzenga op 21/05/2013 | 21:53 uur
"Positieve" ontwikkeling en niet geheel onverwachts....
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Zeewier op 22/05/2013 | 00:30 uur
Citaat van: jurrien visser op 21/05/2013 | 07:26 uur
Europese drone-industrie krijgt harde klap
Is niet helemaal vers nieuws.

http://www.france24.com/en/20130407-france-usa-drones-military-defence-mali
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: DvdW op 30/05/2013 | 17:57 uur
Germany Plans To Buy 16 Armed Drones


BERLIN — Germany is sticking with a plan to buy 16 combat drones, an official said Wednesday, despite a controversy embroiling its defense minister over a scrapped surveillance drone project.

Lees hier verder (http://www.defensenews.com/article/20130529/DEFREG01/305290018/Germany-Plans-Buy-16-Armed-Drones)
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: dudge op 30/05/2013 | 18:58 uur
Zou dan toch de Talarion een kans krijgen?
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Poleme op 30/05/2013 | 19:41 uur
Citaat van: Thomasen op 30/05/2013 | 18:58 uur
Zou dan toch de Talarion een kans krijgen?
Die geef ik zeer weing kans gezien de (te) geringe interesse van de diverse betrokken landen.  Meeste kans maakt toch de MQ-9 Reaper en op een tweede plaats de Heron TP.
De Italianen bekijken deze Heron TP overigens om eventueel te dienen als basis voor een interim Europese MALE UCAV.  Op langere termijn zou er dan een nieuw en volledig Europees MALE U(C)AV ontwerp moeten komen.
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: DvdW op 30/05/2013 | 19:43 uur
Citaat van: Poleme op 30/05/2013 | 19:41 uur
De Italianen bekijken deze Heron TP overigens om eventueel te dienen als basis voor een interim Europese MALE UCAV.  Op langere termijn zou er dan een nieuw en volledig Europees MALE U(C)AV ontwerp moeten komen.
We kunnen het ook gewoon op de Chineese manier doen... Heron TP en/of MQ-9 lenen, kopieren, plakken, klaar  :devil:
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Elzenga op 30/05/2013 | 20:03 uur
Citaat van: Thomasen op 30/05/2013 | 18:58 uur
Zou dan toch de Talarion een kans krijgen?
ik verwacht eerder een variant van de Mantis...http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BAE_Systems_Mantis
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: dudge op 30/05/2013 | 23:11 uur
Citaat van: Poleme op 30/05/2013 | 19:41 uur
Die geef ik zeer weing kans gezien de (te) geringe interesse van de diverse betrokken landen.  Meeste kans maakt toch de MQ-9 Reaper en op een tweede plaats de Heron TP.
De Italianen bekijken deze Heron TP overigens om eventueel te dienen als basis voor een interim Europese MALE UCAV.  Op langere termijn zou er dan een nieuw en volledig Europees MALE U(C)AV ontwerp moeten komen.

Dat klopt op zich wel, maar zou het niet zijn dat die interesse nu kan groeien. Duitsland wil dus nog 16 MALE drones kopen, en dan vraag ik me af of dat werkelijk 16 drones zijn, of dat het 16 systemen zijn, en Nederland wil er ook nog een aantal. Met de 'anschluss' zoals MinDef deze voor ogen heeft, zou een gezamenlijke koop niet heel gek zijn. Zowel de Duitsers als de Nederlanders hebben nog even de tijd. Maargoed, de MQ9 en Heron zijn natuurlijk wel producten met een stevige CV en goede track record.
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: dudge op 30/05/2013 | 23:30 uur
Citaat van: Elzenga op 30/05/2013 | 20:03 uur
ik verwacht eerder een variant van de Mantis...http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BAE_Systems_Mantis

Lijkt me een mooi ding, maar ik verwacht niet dat de Duitsers er voor gaan.
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Elzenga op 31/05/2013 | 09:12 uur
Citaat van: Thomasen op 30/05/2013 | 23:30 uur
Lijkt me een mooi ding, maar ik verwacht niet dat de Duitsers er voor gaan.
Hoewel ik iets las over "onenigheid" zou dit het toestel moeten zijn waarop de Britten en Fransen hun UCAV gaan ontwikkelen...Telemos. Daar zou Duitsland zich bij aan kunnen sluiten (Nederland trouwens ook!!). De Talarion is weer een stap verder..gezien straalaandrijving.
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Ace1 op 31/05/2013 | 16:44 uur
Citaat van: Elzenga op 31/05/2013 | 09:12 uur
Hoewel ik iets las over "onenigheid" zou dit het toestel moeten zijn waarop de Britten en Fransen hun UCAV gaan ontwikkelen. Daar zou Duitsland zich bij aan kunnen sluiten (Nederland trouwens ook!!). De Talarion is weer een stap verder..gezien straalaandrijving.

Mijn voorkeur gaat nu even uit om iets van de plank te kopen gezien de  vertragingen en de kostenoverschrijdingen met de JSF en NH90 en in het buitenland met de A400M.
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Poleme op 31/05/2013 | 18:28 uur
Citaat van: Elzenga op 30/05/2013 | 20:03 uur
ik verwacht eerder een variant van de Mantis...http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BAE_Systems_Mantis
De totale ontwikkelings kosten voor de Mantis worden geschat op EUR 1 - 1,5 miljard.  Als de politiek en de economie niet in de weg zitten, dan kan de Mantis in 2020 worden ingevoerd.  Duitsland wil echter al in 2016 beschikken over de eerste UCAV's.
De MQ-9 Reaper met zijn bewezen vaardigheden en prijzen kan al in 2015 worden ingevoerd.  Een aangepaste Heron TP, die dus wat meer (ontwikkeling) risico heeft, kan in 2015 - 2016 worden ingevoerd.
Ook Nederland zou graag voor 2020 al een MALE UAV willen invoeren en daarmee komt de Mantis te laat voor NL en Duitsland.
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Elzenga op 31/05/2013 | 18:33 uur
Citaat van: Poleme op 31/05/2013 | 18:28 uur
De totale ontwikkelings kosten voor de Mantis worden geschat op EUR 1 - 1,5 miljard.  Als de politiek en de economie niet in de weg zitten, dan kan de Mantis in 2020 worden ingevoerd.  Duitsland wil echter al in 2016 beschikken over de eerste UCAV's.
De MQ-9 Reaper met zijn bewezen vaardigheden en prijzen kan al in 2015 worden ingevoerd.  Een aangepaste Heron TP, die dus wat meer (ontwikkeling) risico heeft, kan in 2015 - 2016 worden ingevoerd.
Ook Nederland zou graag voor 2020 al een MALE UAV willen invoeren en daarmee komt de Mantis te laat voor NL en Duitsland.
of ze wel gewoon later te willen...en te kiezen voor een strategische keuze die op termijn voordelen oplevert....
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter) op 31/05/2013 | 18:40 uur
Citaat van: Elzenga op 31/05/2013 | 18:33 uur
of ze wel gewoon later te willen...en te kiezen voor een strategische keuze die op termijn voordelen oplevert....

IF ever!
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Ace1 op 31/05/2013 | 19:38 uur
Northrop Grumman Gets Go-Ahead for Larger Fire Scout

Northrop Grumman received a contract from the U.S. Naval Air Systems Command (Navair) to build the MQ-8C Fire Scout unmanned helicopter based on the Bell 407 airframe. The contract, announced April 23, has a not-to-exceed cost ceiling of $262 million for two demonstration and six production MQ-8Cs. Overall, 28 aircraft are sought to meet an urgent requirement of the Special Operations Command by 2014.

(https://www.defensieforum.nl/Forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fainonline.com%2Fsites%2Fdefault%2Ffiles%2Fuploads%2F5-2012-1-mq-8c-fire-scout.jpg&hash=a5e2822c8ea60a31403553eb7618c94d80405e34)
Northrop Grumman received a contract from the U.S. Naval Air Systems Command (Navair) to build the MQ-8C Fire Scout unmanned helicopter based on the Bell 407 airframe.

The MQ-8C will be larger and have greater range, endurance and payload capacity than the current Northrop Grumman MQ-8B, based on the Sikorsky-Schweizer 333 helicopter. Northrop Grumman and Bell Helicopter started developing the larger variant, then called Fire-X, in early 2010. It was initially aimed at the Navy's medium-range maritime unmanned air system (MRUAS) which has now been cancelled. The aircraft achieved its first fully autonomous flight in December 2010 at Yuma Proving Ground, Ariz. At the time, Northrop Grumman said the Fire-X was capable of carrying a useful load of 3,200 pounds with mission endurance up to 16 hours. The Navy's specifications for the MQ-8B list a payload capacity of 600 pounds and range of 110 nm with five hours on station.

Final assembly of the MQ-8C will be completed at Northrop Grumman's Unmanned Systems Center in Moss Point, Miss. "Through our company-funded Fire-X demonstration effort we proved that using the mature unmanned systems architecture developed for the MQ-8B Fire Scout paired with the Bell 407 helicopter would provide greater capability efficiently and affordably," said Duke Dufresne, Northrop Grumman general manager for unmanned systems. "By using systems that have many years of development already invested in them we can meet the Navy's needs quickly."

Navair awarded the contract as it continued to investigate the April 6 crash of an MQ-8B Fire Scout in Afghanistan and a March 30 ditching at sea. The incidents led the Navy to suspend Fire Scout operations. "We're working closely with the Navy in their investigations [of] those incidents to really make sure we've got down the root cause," Northrop Grumman CEO Wes Bush said April 25 during the company's first-quarter conference call. "The Navy recently stated that it does not believe there are any systemic issues," he continued.

http://ainonline.com/aviation-news/ain-defense-perspective/2012-05-04/northrop-grumman-gets-go-ahead-larger-fire-scout
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Poleme op 31/05/2013 | 19:50 uur
Citaat van: Elzenga op 31/05/2013 | 18:33 uur
of ze wel gewoon later te willen...en te kiezen voor een strategische keuze die op termijn voordelen oplevert....
Pfff, later te willen?  Uitstel kan hier wel eens gaan leiden tot afstel.  Aangezien de kans zeer groot is dat de Nederlandse defensie begroting in 2013 - 2020 structureel nog verder daalt.  Een keuze voor een (semi) Europese MALE UAV betekend ook Niet van de plank kopen, met alle risico's van dien.
Off-topic: Een strategische keuze die op termijn voordelen oplevert?  Tussen jouw oren ja.  Vele bedrijven in Nederland en Europa zien de Euro munt & overstretched EU Empire toch echt als iets onhoudbaars.  En richten hun strategie dus ook op andere continenten, voor het geval het hier (gruwelijk) fout gaat.
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Elzenga op 31/05/2013 | 19:53 uur
Citaat van: Poleme op 31/05/2013 | 19:50 uur
Pfff, later te willen?  Uitstel kan hier wel eens gaan leiden tot afstel.  Aangezien de kans zeer groot is dat de Nederlandse defensie begroting in 2013 - 2020 structureel nog verder daalt.  Een keuze voor een (semi) Europese MALE UAV betekend ook Niet van de plank kopen, met alle risico's van dien.
Een tussentijdse oplossing lijkt me niet verkeerd (gezien door jou aangegeven crashrate).
Citaat van: Poleme op 31/05/2013 | 19:50 uur
Off-topic: Een strategische keuze die op termijn voordelen oplevert?  Tussen jouw oren ja.  Vele bedrijven in Nederland en Europa zien de Euro munt & overstretched EU Empire toch echt als iets onhoudbaars.  En richten hun strategie dus ook op andere continenten, voor het geval het hier (gruwelijk) fout gaat.
heb toch een vrij sterk vermoeden dat deze Euroscepsis "tussen jouw oren" zit... ;)
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: IPA NG op 31/05/2013 | 19:53 uur
Laten we prioriteiten stellen, bemande vliegtuigen zijn voor onze doeleinden een veel betere keus.
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Poleme op 31/05/2013 | 21:18 uur
Citaat van: Elzenga op 31/05/2013 | 19:53 uur
Een tussentijdse oplossing lijkt me niet verkeerd (gezien door jou aangegeven crashrate).heb toch een vrij sterk vermoeden dat deze Euroscepsis "tussen jouw oren" zit... ;)
Een tussen oplossing zou bijvoorbeeld de Grob G520 Egrett kunnen zijn.  Kan met een nuttige lading van 1.000 kg op maximaal 50.000 voet / 15.250 meter kruisen.  De Egrett 'poor man's U-2' kan ingezet worden als bemand Optional Piloted Vehicle met een vliegduur van 11 uur.  Of als UAV, maar dan met een vliegduur van 32+ uur op een kruis hoogte van 45.000 voet / 13.725 meter.
zie: http://www.grob-aircraft.com/index.php/basic-information-22.html

(PS, economen zijn het bijna unaniem oneens met jouw dromen.  Plus de huidige situatie op jouw continent heeft verdomd veel overeenkomsten met de periode net voor WO.1  :devil: )
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Elzenga op 31/05/2013 | 21:36 uur
Citaat van: Poleme op 31/05/2013 | 21:18 uur
Een tussen oplossing zou bijvoorbeeld de Grob G520 Egrett kunnen zijn.  Kan met een nuttige lading van 1.000 kg op maximaal 50.000 voet / 15.250 meter kruisen.  De Egrett 'poor man's U-2' kan ingezet worden als bemand Optional Piloted Vehicle met een vliegduur van 11 uur.  Of als UAV, maar dan met een vliegduur van 32+ uur op een kruis hoogte van 45.000 voet / 13.725 meter.
zie: http://www.grob-aircraft.com/index.php/basic-information-22.html
een optie inderdaad..ik ben wel voor een optional piloted vehicle. Kunnen we meteen ervaring opdoen voor als dat concept ook in de nieuwe generatie gevechtsvliegtuigen zijn intrede maakt...
Citaat van: Poleme op 31/05/2013 | 21:18 uur
(PS, economen zijn het bijna unaniem oneens met jouw dromen.  Plus de huidige situatie op jouw continent heeft verdomd veel overeenkomsten met de periode net voor WO.1  :devil: )
periode voor WO1 en nu...wereld van verschil!!...en veel economen snappen weinig van de realiteit...gefixeerd als ze zijn op getalletjes en vooral economische modellen...die vaak te simplistisch zijn...;)).
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Ace1 op 31/05/2013 | 21:54 uur
Citaat van: Poleme op 31/05/2013 | 21:18 uur
Een tussen oplossing zou bijvoorbeeld de Grob G520 Egrett kunnen zijn.  Kan met een nuttige lading van 1.000 kg op maximaal 50.000 voet / 15.250 meter kruisen.  De Egrett 'poor man's U-2' kan ingezet worden als bemand Optional Piloted Vehicle met een vliegduur van 11 uur.  Of als UAV, maar dan met een vliegduur van 32+ uur op een kruis hoogte van 45.000 voet / 13.725 meter.
zie: http://www.grob-aircraft.com/index.php/basic-information-22.html

Interessant

Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: dudge op 31/05/2013 | 23:42 uur
Citaat van: Elzenga op 31/05/2013 | 18:33 uur
of ze wel gewoon later te willen...en te kiezen voor een strategische keuze die op termijn voordelen oplevert....

Je kunt niet om die reden alles uit blijven stellen. Belangrijk is wel om onder meer in de planning daar rekening mee te houden. Bijvoorbeeld door een kleiner aantal aan te schaffen, te leasen oid. Maar dat kan alleen als er een gedegen en onderbouwde roadmap ligt. En die roadmap is belangrijk. Maar 5 jaar vertraging kan toch best vervelend uitpakken.

Mooie projecten hebben we in Europa zeker, maar er is meer politieke backing nodig! En ja, daarin kan NL m.i. een voortrekkersrol spelen.

Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter) op 31/05/2013 | 23:48 uur
Citaat van: Thomasen op 31/05/2013 | 23:42 uur
En ja, daarin kan NL m.i. een voortrekkersrol spelen.


Kunnen is één... willen is twee.

Sinds  het Zeeuwse meisje tot kunst is verheven kan je dit simpel weg op je buik schrijven. Laten we bij de volgende verkiezing a.u.b. een beetje beter nadenken!
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: dudge op 31/05/2013 | 23:50 uur
Citaat van: jurrien visser op 31/05/2013 | 23:48 uur
Kunnen is één... willen is twee.

Sinds  het Zeeuwse meisje tot kunst is verheven kan je dit simpel weg op je buik schrijven. Laten we bij de volgende verkiezing a.u.b. een beetje beter nadenken!

Ik dacht bij de afgelopen verkiezingen al goed na, maar moet zeggen, heb het destijds behoorlijk moeilijk gehad, erg lastig om een partij te vinden waar je een beetje mee door 1 deur kan. off-topic dus.


Ja, Nederland kan het, en ik hoop dat we ons realiseren dat we het ook moeten willen! Juist deze projecten zijn een belangrijke stap.
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter) op 31/05/2013 | 23:53 uur
Citaat van: Thomasen op 31/05/2013 | 23:50 uur
Ik dacht bij de afgelopen verkiezingen al goed na, maar moet zeggen, heb het destijds behoorlijk moeilijk gehad, erg lastig om een partij te vinden waar je een beetje mee door 1 deur kan.

Ik heb het zelfde probleem, maar als het zo doorgaat dan wijk ik bij een volgende verkiezing toch echt af van de liberale weg, ook als ondernemer!
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: dudge op 01/06/2013 | 00:24 uur
Wat loopt er nu dan aan projecten binnen west Europa aan grote UAV/UCAV/UAS?

BAE Taranis
Dassault nEuron
EADS Baracuda
Dassault-BAE Telemos / BAE Mantis
EADS Talarion
...?
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: IPA NG op 01/06/2013 | 02:16 uur
Zitten nogal wat verschillen in. De Mantis is een MQ-9 achtig ding, de Talarion meer een soort Globalhawk. De Taranis is weer wat anders.
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Elzenga op 01/06/2013 | 09:38 uur
Citaat van: Thomasen op 31/05/2013 | 23:42 uur
Je kunt niet om die reden alles uit blijven stellen. Belangrijk is wel om onder meer in de planning daar rekening mee te houden. Bijvoorbeeld door een kleiner aantal aan te schaffen, te leasen oid. Maar dat kan alleen als er een gedegen en onderbouwde roadmap ligt. En die roadmap is belangrijk. Maar 5 jaar vertraging kan toch best vervelend uitpakken.

Mooie projecten hebben we in Europa zeker, maar er is meer politieke backing nodig! En ja, daarin kan NL m.i. een voortrekkersrol spelen.
Daar kan Nederland zeker een voortrekkersrol in spelen...maar ik zie dat men vooral kijkt naar de Amerikanen...en blijkbaar de Italiaanse en Duitse ervaring nog nauwelijks heeft laten doordringen. Ik hoop dat ik het mis heb in deze.
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Ace1 op 01/06/2013 | 09:44 uur
doe maar 4 G 520 EGRETT, de kwaliteit is goed en het is made in Germany.


http://www.grob-aircraft.com/tl_files/pdf/NEW%20BROCHURES/G_520_egrett.pdf

(https://www.defensieforum.nl/Forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.grob-aircraft.com%2Fsystem%2Fhtml%2Fegrett_records-124cd09b.jpg&hash=478d1bcf4a68a25545c9fa7d05e80fd62bca884b)
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: IPA NG op 01/06/2013 | 13:46 uur
Is het niet veiliger om te gaan voor iets simpels als een King Air?
En dan doe maar niet de Liberty maar die versie die de Britten hebben, die heeft ook een SAR radar naar mijn weten.

SAR erin, EO/IR sensor erop en je kunt denk ik prima voor de dag komen.
(Ook meer ruimte voor bemanning.)
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Ace1 op 01/06/2013 | 21:13 uur
France Opts for U.S. Reapers

France has decided to buy two MQ-9 Reaper medium-altitude long endurance (MALE) drones from the USA, to extend the strategic reconnaissance capability of the French Air Force after the current Harfang drones end their planned mission in 2014. The two General Atomics (GA-ASI) MQ-9 Reapers that will be delivered by 2013 year-end. The two drones are not likely to be used in armed recce missions as they do  with the US Air Force. Defense-Update reports.

Meer info op onderstaande link

http://defense-update.com/20130531_france_opts_for_the_reaper.html
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: dudge op 02/06/2013 | 11:20 uur
Citaat van: IPA NG op 01/06/2013 | 02:16 uur
Zitten nogal wat verschillen in. De Mantis is een MQ-9 achtig ding, de Talarion meer een soort Globalhawk. De Taranis is weer wat anders.

Klopt, ik doelde ook meer op, welke projecten voor 'grote UAV's' lopen nu in Europa?
En ja, dan zijn sommige stealth/non-stealth, jet of prop, HALE/MALE, concept/product en bewapend of niet/nauwelijks bewapend.

UAV's van het formaat Aladin en Raven B heb ik er maar buiten gelaten, anders wordt het waarschijnlijk een erg lange lijst. Maar dan vraag ik me nog af of ik de ontwikkelingen heb. 
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter) op 19/06/2013 | 10:48 uur
Piaggio Aero Unveils Hammerhead P-11HH Unmanned MALE Aircraft

Posted by Tamir Eshel / June 18, 2013

Piaggio Aero Industries unveiled at the 2013 Paris Air Show today, the Piaggio Aero P.1HH "HammerHead"- Unmanned Aerial System (UAS). The P.1HH HammerHead technological demonstrator was designed and built in less than one year and it has already successfully completed low speed taxi tests. Defense-Update reports.

paris13-125x125Piaggio Aero claims its new drone will offer an unmatched combination of range, wide operative speeds, fast climb gradient, high operational ceiling and the capability to carry a variety of payloads, providing end users with a powerful yet flexible defense system that outperforms other MALE Systems.

The unmanned variant is longer tan the Avanti II and is using a modified airframe, longer wings with high aspect ratio, and various installations of mission payloads, satellite links and line-of-site payloads. The Hammerhead is bound to become the largest UAS in Europe.

The design of the P.1HH HammerHead aims to be a unique ISR platform, able to climb up to 45.000 feet, loitering quietly at low speed (135 KTAS) with an endurance of up to 16 flight hours and capable of deploying at very high speed – up to 395 KTAS – to targets. Its capabilities include being able to host several payload combinations and to perform multiple missions: aerial, land, coastal, maritime and offshore security, COMINT/ELINT, electronic warfare as well as other roles.

A larger version is available to members

Selex ES was assigned the responsibility for the P.1HH's Mission System, delivering effective and flexible scenario planning, simulation and concepts of operations (CONOPS). Selex ES also provides the datalink and ground control system.

The drone will support 16 hours mission on station, with a payload weight of 500 lbs. with less fuel, the aircraft will be able to carry 200 pound payloads and fly up to a ceiling of 45,000 ft. The aircraft is developed in partnership between Avatnti and Selex ES was first announced during the IDEX 2013 show in Au Dhabi this year. Since then the first aircraft has performed taxi tests, in preparation for flight testing.

Zie link voor de plaatjes

http://defense-update.com/20130618_hammerhead-performs-taxi-tests-prior-to-first-flight.html
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Elzenga op 19/06/2013 | 11:01 uur
http://www.thinkdefence.co.uk/2013/06/telemostalarionhammerhead-and-the-mystery-of-the-european-male/
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Chrisis op 19/06/2013 | 13:38 uur
Ik wist niet helemaal of ik de info hier kwijt zou moeten/willen of in de lijn "internationale fighter ontwikkelingen".


GRIPEN
THE CROWN OF SWEDISH
AVIATION INDUSTRY

Lennart SindahlSenior Executive Vice President
Head of Aeronautics
Paris Air Show, June 19th 2013

Met name slide: 21 -24 zijn relevant voor dit onderwerp: UCAV

GRIPEN OPTIONALLY MANNED
Artificial pilot build-up

Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter) op 01/07/2013 | 08:45 uur

Navy Docs Reveal UCLASS Minimum Ranges and Maximum Costs

By: USNI News Editor
Wednesday, June 26, 2013

The Navy aims to build a system of stealthy pilotless aircraft to patrol at a minimum range of 600 nautical miles around an aircraft carrier at a maximum cost of $150 million per orbit, according to May Navy requirements documents obtained by USNI News.

The Unmanned Carrier Launched Airborne Surveillance and Strike (UCLASS) so-called key performance perimeters (KPPs) outline an aircraft that will primarily fill information, reconnaissance, surveillance and targeting (ISRT) roles for the service's carrier strike group with a limited ability to strike targets at a range of 2,000 nautical miles from the strike group in lightly contested environments, according to the documents.

The KPPs are the first concrete examples of the requirements for UCLASS — a program that the Navy wants to field by 2020. The document outlines the minimum requirements for the program ahead of a 2014 competition to field the autonomous aircraft onboard the carrier fleet.

The Navy would not comment on the KPPs specifically when contacted by USNI News but did provide broad outlines on the program with members of the Navy's Office of the Chief of Naval Operations responsible for unmanned systems requirements.

"Our primary use for this asset is organic persistent ISR which the strike group doesn't possess right now — especially at the range and speed that this thing will be able to execute," Cmdr. Pete Yelle with OPNAV told USNI News on Monday.

The KPPs call for an aircraft that can field a 3,000 pounds worth of payload, including a 1,000 pounds of air-to-surface weapons — including the 500 pound Joint Direct Attack Munitions and Small Diameter Bomb II.

To compare, the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet — the current manned carrier strike fighter — can carry almost 18,000 pounds of ordinance and external fuel.

"It certainly is not a B-52 sized bomb load. You're only going to have a couple of weapons," Capt. Chris Corgnati, branch head for the unmanned aerial systems requirements and resources in OPNAV.

In the surveillance role, the Navy wants an aircraft system that can fly, "two unrefueled orbits at 600 nautical miles or one unrefueled orbit at 1200 nautical miles," according to requirements documents.

The unit cost for the aircrafts, less research and development and operations and maintenance cost (known as recurring flyaway cost), "required to conduct a 600 nautical mile persistent orbit shall not exceed $150 million," read the UCLASS KPP.

Put into perspective, a single F/A-18E/F Super Hornet has a recurring flyaway cost of $66.9 million an aircraft, according to 2012 Navy budget documents.

Yelle and Corgnati both said the planned UCLASS would double the amount of time the carrier can have assets airborne.

"You normally have a 12 hour fly day with a 12 hour gap in airborne surveillance in the strike group," Corgnati said.
"You can launch UCLASS at the end of your fly day and it can span that gap while your flight deck is shut down."

Though the broad outlines of UCLASS have been set, the Navy is still working on a concept of operations (CONOPS) on which warfare communities will be responsible for flying the aircraft and who will process and analyze the information collected.

While the Navy develops the requirements for UCLASS, it has been testing the fundamentals of landing a carrier-based unmanned vehicle as part of the Unmanned Combat Air System Aircraft Carrier Demonstration (UCAS-D) program.

In May, the UCAS-D successfully launched off of USS George H.W. Bush (CVN-77) and is scheduled to make its first landing in July or August, Navy officials told USNI News at the time.

As for UCLASS, four companies have come forward with tentative proposals for the aircraft.

Lockheed Martin, Boeing, General Atomics and Northrop Grumman — have all previewed concepts of UCLASS and will compete to develop the airframe that will bring unmanned capability to carrier decks. The Navy plans to issue a open competition for UCLASS sometime in 2014.

This post has been updated to clarify the $150 million maximum cost per orbit for UCLASS does not mean each aircraft will cost a maximum of $150 million. The flyaway costs will pay for the capability for the system (one or multiple aircraft) to patrol 600 nautical miles from a carrier in a 24 hour period.

http://news.usni.org/2013/06/26/navy-docs-reveal-uclass-minimum-ranges-and-maximum-costs
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Ace1 op 10/07/2013 | 19:47 uur
Lukt het deze enorme drone om op een vliegdekschip te landen?

(https://www.defensieforum.nl/Forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fstatic0.ad.nl%2Fstatic%2Fphoto%2F2013%2F18%2F3%2F13%2F20130710164248%2Fmedia_xll_1748113.jpg&hash=ca97276e3414168363d4a7168fa9e989db0fd044)
Een X-47B drone van de Amerikaanse marine tijdens een test op vliegdekschip USS George H. W. Bush in mei

De Amerikaanse marine probeert vandaag voor het eerst een drone ter grootte van een gevechtsvliegtuig te laten landen op een vliegdekschip. Zo'n landing wordt beschouwd als één van de moeilijkste handelingen die er zijn voor een menselijke piloot.

Dat schrijft persbureau Reuters. Als alles volgens plan verloopt, is de Amerikaanse marine klaar voor de volgende stap: het produceren van onbemande gevechtsvliegtuigen die zich aansluiten bij de vloot van bemande toestellen, om zo gezamenlijk 24 uur per dag het luchtruim te bewaken en tegelijkertijd voldoende aanvalskracht te hebben. Dit maakt onder andere de weg vrij voor de Verenigde Staten om luchtmachtbases van andere landen te gebruiken zonder eerst om toestemming te vragen.

Staarthaak
De drone, genaamd X-47B, zal opstijgen vanaf Patuxent River, een luchtmachtbasis van de marine in de staat Maryland. Van daaruit vliegt het experimentele toestel naar het vliegdekschip de USS George H.W. Bush, die voor de kust van Virginia ligt. Als het daar aankomt zal de drone een soort staarthaak uitwerpen die moet blijven haken aan een vangkabel op het vliegdekschip, zodat de drone vrijwel abrupt tot stilstand komt. Deze vorm van landen is gebruikelijk bij gevechtsvliegtuigen, maar nog niet eerder toegepast bij drones.

Het landen op een schip dat constant beweegt terwijl het vliegtuig zich door de turbulente lucht achter het vliegdekschip begeeft, wordt gezien als zeer moeilijk. Mocht de landing om wat voor reden dan ook op het laatste moment moeten worden afgebroken, dan kan de drone een zogenoemde 'touch-and-go-landing' uitvoeren: landen op de landingsbaan en vervolgens meteen weer opstijgen zonder tot stilstand te komen. Ook die manoeuvre wordt al toegepast bij bemande gevechtsvliegtuigen. De X-47B is daartoe in staat, zo is al bekend, want het toestel heeft die manoeuvre in mei al uitgebreid getest. Toen steeg de drone met succes op van het vliegdekschip.

(https://www.defensieforum.nl/Forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fstatic0.ad.nl%2Fstatic%2Fphoto%2F2013%2F12%2F1%2F0%2F20130710164819%2Fmedia_l_1748145.jpg&hash=370651e51d5de9649820567c5e984c369a9198d4)
Een X-47B voert een 'touch-and-go' uit

De X-47B is een testmodel dat nooit in de praktijk zal worden ingezet. De Amerikaanse marine hoopt rond 2020 vergelijkbare drones operatief te hebben die kunnen deelnemen aan missies. Er zijn momenteel vier bedrijven in de race voor een contract om de nieuwe onbemande toestellen te ontwikkelen. De toestellen die alleen gebruikt worden voor tests, zullen uiteindelijk in musea belanden.

Predator
Volgens de marine heeft de X-47B vele voordelen ten opzichte van de Predator-drones die nu worden gebruikt. Zo heeft de X-47B een drie maal zo groot bereik en kan het toestel zo geprogrammeerd worden dat het op eigen houtje missies uitvoert, zonder dat daarbij mensen rechtstreeks betrokken zijn. De X-47B werkt niet, zoals de Predator, met een afstandsbediening, maar wordt volledig bestuurd door computerprogramma's. Het gevaarte maakt onder meer gebruik van gps-navigatie en zeer geavanceerde software.

(https://www.defensieforum.nl/Forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fstatic2.ad.nl%2Fstatic%2Fphoto%2F2013%2F5%2F7%2F0%2F20130710164545%2Fmedia_l_1748100.jpg&hash=72b72011f97daad78cced4a47c686fc384b93f90)
Een MQ-1 Predator drone

Tegenstanders van het gebruik van drones wijzen erop dat drones momenteel al vele burgerdoden hebben veroorzaakt. Bovendien zou er onvoldoende toezicht zijn op de geautomatiseerde toestellen.

http://www.ad.nl/ad/nl/1013/Buitenland/article/detail/3473587/2013/07/10/Lukt-het-deze-enorme-drone-om-op-een-vliegdekschip-te-landen.dhtml

Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Elzenga op 11/07/2013 | 14:07 uur
En gelukt is het.... ;D
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: KapiteinRob op 11/07/2013 | 14:42 uur
Citaat van: Elzenga op 11/07/2013 | 14:07 uur
En gelukt is het.... ;D

En dan moet ik geloven dat we de komende 40 jaar bemande, dure JSF's nodig hebben.... Ontwikkelingen onbemande toestellen lijken me zo hard te gaan dat het me verstandig lijkt dit mee te nemen in "de visie op de toekomstige samenstelling KLu".
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter) op 11/07/2013 | 14:59 uur
Citaat van: Kapitein Rob op 11/07/2013 | 14:42 uur
En dan moet ik geloven dat we de komende 40 jaar bemande, dure JSF's nodig hebben.... Ontwikkelingen onbemande toestellen lijken me zo hard te gaan dat het me verstandig lijkt dit mee te nemen in "de visie op de toekomstige samenstelling KLu".

Ik denk dat men (niet specifiek KLu) aan gaat sturen op een mix van bemand en onbemand om te komen tot een goede mix aan kwaliteit en kwantiteit.

Luchtoverwicht jagers zullen vermoedelijk nog lang bemande vliegtuigen zijn, de aanvalstoestellen meer onbemand en alleen of in groepen opereren al dan niet in gezelschap van één of meerdere bemande aanvalsvliegtuigen.

Misschien bestaat een operationeel Klu squadron in 2040 wel uit 6 F35's aangevuld met 12 UCAV's

In het kader van puur luchtoverwicht is de F35A dan wellicht een mindere keuze (al kan ik me voorstellen dat na 2025 wordt begonnen met een F35 redesign in de vorm van een luchtoverwicht jager, noem het de F35F)
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter) op 11/07/2013 | 17:46 uur
Navy, Northrop Score Historic First With (Mostly) Successful X-47B Drone Carrier Landings

By Sydney J. Freedberg Jr. and Colin Clark on July 10, 2013

UPDATED 8:00 pm with news that third landing attempt was aborted] Two out of three ain't bad, if you're trying something no one's ever done before.

Landing on the narrow, pitching deck of a Navy aircraft carrier is one of the hardest things a human being can do. Today, for the first time in history, a robot did it — twice.

http://breakingdefense.com/2013/07/10/navy-northrop-score-historic-first-with-successful-x-47b-drone-carrier-landing/
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Ace1 op 11/07/2013 | 18:31 uur
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Poleme op 11/07/2013 | 20:05 uur
Citaat van: Kapitein Rob op 11/07/2013 | 14:42 uur
En dan moet ik geloven dat we de komende 40 jaar bemande, dure JSF's nodig hebben.... Ontwikkelingen onbemande toestellen lijken me zo hard te gaan dat het me verstandig lijkt dit mee te nemen in "de visie op de toekomstige samenstelling KLu".
In de jaren 90 werd er volop gedroomd dat onbemande gevechtsvliegtuigen veel goedkoper zouden zijn dan bemande kisten.
Er werd zelfs vanuit gegaan van besparingen tot 40 - 50 %. 
In de jaren 80 werd al geexperimenteerd met autonome wapensystemen, die kunstmatige intelligentie gebruikten.  Vuurleiding software werkt met algorithmen (wiskundige berekeningen).  Dus kan de mens altijd controleren hoe een geautomatiseerd wapensysteem zoals bijvoord de Goalkeeper tot zijn beslissingen komt.
Kunstmatige intelligentie werkt ongeveer net als die 1,5 kg zware grijze massa tussen je oren.  Oeps, hoe komt een autonoom KI wapensysteem tot zijn beslissingen?  Who is Johnny? They say he is a run-away.  Is het verhaal van een KI wapensysteem, dat op een positieve manier van het padje geraakt.  zie: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Short_Circuit
HAL 9000 in de film "A Space Odyssey is een (fictief) voorbeeld hoe KI van de rails kan gaan.  En zitten we te wachten op een echt Skynet en Terminator?  Nee.
Dus blijven UAV's een 'man in the loop' houden in combinatie met starre software regels.  Dus blijft dit soort luchtvaartuigen altijd minder flexibel dan bemande kisten.
Op afstand bestuurbare vliegtuigen hebben echter ook dure en schaarse militaire Satcom nodig.  En de kleinere flexibiliteit en beperkt omstandigheden overzicht zorgt voor een 10x hogere kans om neer te storten.
Dus zijn onbemande / op afstand bestuurbare luchtvaarttuigen relatief gezien duurder dan hun bemande tegenhangers.
Onbemande vliegtuigen hebben 1 duidelijk voordeel op bemande vliegtuigen: de grote vliegduur.
Ideaal voor Intel Surveillance Recon en voor lange afstand interdictie missies.  Maar ook niet meer dan dat.
Overigens, wordt de aanschaf van een MALE UAV systeem voor de KLu in Nederland gezien als klein onderdeel van de F-16 vervanging.
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: KapiteinRob op 11/07/2013 | 20:33 uur
Duidelijk verhaal, maar er kan veel veranderen in 10-20 jaar, toch?
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Ace1 op 11/07/2013 | 21:07 uur
Citaat van: Kapitein Rob op 11/07/2013 | 20:33 uur
Duidelijk verhaal, maar er kan veel veranderen in 10-20 jaar, toch?

Daar heeft Rob een punt mee, zelf ben ik daar iets voorzichtiger in houdt het op 15-25 jaar en verwacht tegen die tijd voldoende  UCAV's de bommenwerpers  en de  Wild Weasels gaan vervangen.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wild_Weasel





Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Elzenga op 11/07/2013 | 21:15 uur
Citaat van: Kapitein Rob op 11/07/2013 | 20:33 uur
Duidelijk verhaal, maar er kan veel veranderen in 10-20 jaar, toch?
er blijven beperkingen die alleen een menselijke piloot kan oplossen...

Ik voorzie...zie ook een ontwikkeling in die richting...dat naast voor "Intel Surveillance Recon en lange afstand interdictie missies"..men eerst meer gaat richting een bemand toestel in mix met aantal onbemande drones. Bijv.. het bemande toestel handhaaft luchtoverwicht terwijl de onbemande drones de bombardementen uitvoeren. Al moeten we hier ook niet de rol van kruisvluchtwapens vergeten. Die veel van die aanvalstaken..op afstand..voor hun rekening kunnen nemen...en dat voor minder geld dan drones. 
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter) op 12/07/2013 | 11:01 uur
Saab has signed a contract to deploy the Skeldar Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) for maritime operations.

11 July 2013, in Press Release

Defence and security company Saab has signed a contract to deploy the Skeldar Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) for maritime operations. Skeldar UAS will be operationally deployed with the customer before the end of this year and will be used in naval operations where the benefits of a Vertical Take Off and Landing UAS are most prominent.

Skeldar is a flexible multi-mission system set to successfully meet mission objectives on land or at sea. It is based on the same smart design and innovative technological solutions that have become the trade mark for Saab's aeronautical products and systems.

"Skeldar UAS is an excellent choice for maritime operations thanks to its high flight performance, heavy fuel engine and easy-to-maintenance design. We continuously improve the system with the integration of new sensors and different payload according to customer needs," says Lennart Sindahl, Head of Saab's business area Aeronautics.

The industry's nature is such that depending on circumstances concerning the product and customer, information regarding the customer will not be announced.

Saab serves the global market with world-leading products, services and solutions ranging from military defence to civil security. Saab has operations and employees on all continents and constantly develops adopts and improves new technology to meet customers' changing needs.

For further information, please contact:

Saab Press Centre, +46 (0)734 180 018, pressc...@saabgroup.com

http://www.saabgroup.com/en/About-Saab/Newsroom/Press-releases--News/2013---7/Saab-signs-contract-for-Skeldar-UAS-for-maritime-operations/
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Elzenga op 12/07/2013 | 11:56 uur
Interessant systeem...alleen jammer dat men binnen de EU niet tot standaardisatie kan komen op ook dit vlak..
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Ace1 op 14/07/2013 | 22:59 uur
Nog 2x keer X-47B



Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Elzenga op 19/07/2013 | 12:08 uur
Voor de discussie toegevoegd.....(dus reflecteert niet mijn eigen mening)

Drones zijn het antwoord op de verkeerde vraag
< Overzicht

19-07-2013 Dragen drones bij aan de bescherming van burgers in conflictgebieden? Deze fundamentele vraag komt niet aan de orde in het advies van de Commissie van Advies inzake Volkenrechtelijke Vraagstukken (CAVV) dat deze week werd gepresenteerd.

En dat wringt, betoogt Wim Zwijnenburg van IKV Pax Christi vandaag, vrijdag 19 juli, in een opiniestuk in dagblad Trouw. Doordat de commissie alleen heeft gekeken naar de rechtmatigheid van het gebruik van drones, wordt wederom niet gekeken naar de veel grotere vraag: welk probleem lossen drones eigenlijk op?

Lees hier het artikel zoals vandaag gepubliceerd in dagblad Trouw.
http://www.ikvpaxchristi.nl/media/files/20131907-drones-zijn-het-antwoord-op-de-verkeerde-vraag.pdf
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Ace1 op 19/07/2013 | 20:49 uur
Citaat van: Elzenga op 19/07/2013 | 12:08 uur
Voor de discussie toegevoegd.....(dus reflecteert niet mijn eigen mening)

Drones zijn het antwoord op de verkeerde vraag
< Overzicht

19-07-2013 Dragen drones bij aan de bescherming van burgers in conflictgebieden? Deze fundamentele vraag komt niet aan de orde in het advies van de Commissie van Advies inzake Volkenrechtelijke Vraagstukken (CAVV) dat deze week werd gepresenteerd.

En dat wringt, betoogt Wim Zwijnenburg van IKV Pax Christi vandaag, vrijdag 19 juli, in een opiniestuk in dagblad Trouw. Doordat de commissie alleen heeft gekeken naar de rechtmatigheid van het gebruik van drones, wordt wederom niet gekeken naar de veel grotere vraag: welk probleem lossen drones eigenlijk op?

Lees hier het artikel zoals vandaag gepubliceerd in dagblad Trouw.
http://www.ikvpaxchristi.nl/media/files/20131907-drones-zijn-het-antwoord-op-de-verkeerde-vraag.pdf

Daar hebben we weer die gietenwollen sokken figuren van Mient Jan Faber
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: DvdW op 20/07/2013 | 09:35 uur
Israël kiest voor een mix tussen manned en unmanned recon

IAF's Flying Camel squadron: Drones not always best

SDE DOV AIR FORCE BASE, TEL AVIV – While more and more armies around the world are using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), or drones, for intelligence gathering, Israel, itself a leader in drone technology and a leading source of UAVs to other countries, continues to use manned aircraft for many of its missions.

"Drones are susceptible to wind, rain and clouds but manned flights can operate in all weather," Captain Omri, 27, the "Flying Camel Squadron" operations officer told The Media Line. "Manned vehicles can fly four times as fast as drones, and people can provide the best visual intelligence." According to army security regulations, his last name cannot be used.

Flying Camel, the squadron responsible for intelligence operations, is the nation's oldest, formed in 1947, even before the creation of the state of Israel.
At a briefing at the Sde Dov Air Force base in Tel Aviv, Omri, with his sunglasses pushed up on his head, showed video demonstrating the squadron's successful intelligence gathering. In one film taken one year ago, Israeli fighter jets drop small bombs on homes in the Gaza Strip to encourage civilians to leave the area. Small black figures are seen running out of the buildings. Only then does the bomber attack the target, believed to be a Palestinian arms factory.

Another video shows Israel's assassination of Hamas military leader Ahmed Jabari last November. Israel says Jabari was behind the 2006 abduction of Israeli soldier Gilad Schalit who was freed in a prisoner exchange deal with Hamas more than five years after being taken captive.

The video shows Jabari's car driving down a main street in Gaza with pedestrians and other traffic. Only once the car turns off onto a side street does the attack that kills Jabari and his son occur.

"We tracked Jabari for eight years," Omri says. "And an hour before we struck we were about to carry out the attack, but then we saw a lot of civilians in the area and we aborted. We are doing everything possible to minimize civilian casualties."

Avoiding what is euphemistically called "collateral damage" is especially difficult in the densely populated Gaza Strip, where 1.5 million Palestinians live in an area of 139 square miles. Israeli officials say that the Hamas and Islamic Jihad terrorist organizations have purposely planted rocket launchers in the midst of civilian areas in order to maximize civilian casualties when Israeli preventative strikes or reprisals take place.

Omri says the manned reconnaissance flights have contributed significantly to the lessening of civilian casualties. In Operation Cast Lead that began in December 2008, according to the Israeli human rights organization B'tselem, Israeli security forces killed 1,387 Palestinians during the course of the three-week operation. Of these, 773 were not involved in the fighting, including 320 minors and 109 women over the age of 18. Palestinians killed 9 Israelis during the operation.

In contrast, during Operation Pillar of Defense in 2012, 167 Palestinians, including 87 civilians were killed. According to B'tselem, 69 were defined as "combatants" and 11 could not be identified as combatant or civilian. Omri says that out of the 1,500 targets in Gaza that Israel attacked during the fighting, 700 were cleared by his squadron after ensuring that there were no civilians in the area.

The intelligence-gathering aircraft itself, nicknamed "Hummingbird" by the squadron, is a Beechcraft 11-seater plane manufactured in Wichita, Kansas. Once the planes arrive in Israel they are equipped with an advanced multi-sensor payload system and state-of-the-art electro-optic systems. Inside the aircraft, the mission commander sits in the back. In front of him are two "scouts" responsible for gathering the intelligence. Their computer screens show the feed from the cameras – one a close-up view and one a wider view.
"Some of the aerial scouts are from the air force and others are from the intelligence corps," Omri said. "They are in charge of analyzing and understanding what we are looking at."

The planes are used to monitor both Gaza and southern Lebanon. Although they do not cross into Lebanese airspace, Omri says they can monitor several miles across the border.

Since the Pillar of Defense Operation last year, the number of rockets fired into Israel from the Gaza Strip has been drastically reduced.

"Hamas has an interest in keeping the border with Israel calm and they are doing their utmost to curb the radical Salafis," Guy Bechor, the director of the Middle East program at IDC, the Interdisciplinary Center in Herzliya, told The Media Line. "Hamas has a so-called country with a civilian population to take care of. They need to continue to receive food aid from Israel and want the situation to remain stable."

Along with its manned aerial flights, Israel operates a network of unmanned drones, which are cheaper to operate and can remain airborne for up to 36-hours. Israel's army is currently undertaking budget cuts and it is likely that the percentage of drone flights, today about 50 percent, will increase.
"I can confirm that a reduced budget is one of the primary factors taken into account when we contemplate force building. For this reason, as well as others, over the years there has been a constant increase in the amount of unmanned flight hours," Israeli army spokesman Captain Eytan Buchman told The Media Line. "It is also important to bear in mind that in many instances, these flights do not necessarily replace manned flights. As more tools and technologies are implemented in the military, the scope and depth of missions the aircraft are capable of performing increases as well."

Yet, Omri says drones will never be able to completely replace manned intelligence reconnaissance.

"The bigger the plane, the heavier the equipment, and the better the resolution details so our optic systems are better than the drones," Omri said. "In addition, when you send a plane, it's autonomous. I don't need radio communication, or any communication with the crew on the ground."

BRON (http://www.jpost.com/Defense/IAFs-Flying-Camel-squadron-Drones-not-always-best-320372)
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter) op 27/07/2013 | 11:10 uur
EU wil eigen luchtmacht met drones.

27 juli 2013

De Europese Unie zou spionagedrones willen bezitten en aansturen om te gebruiken voor 'interne veiligheids- en defensiedoeleinden'.

De plannen zouden een reactie zijn op het recente PRISM-aftapprogramma, schrijft The Daily Telegraph. De EU zou nog te afhankelijk zijn van de VS voor informatie over veiligheids- en defensiedoeleinden. Het bezitten van eigen spionagedrones zou dat moeten veranderen.

De drones zouden onderdeel zijn van een Europese veiligheidsdienst. Volgens huidige voorstellen zou de EU van plan zijn in de herfst van dit jaar concrete plannen voor de aankoop van drones gereed hebben.

"Het schandaal met Edward Snowden toont aan dat Europa eigen, autonome veiligheidsmogelijkheden nodig heeft", aldus een hooggeplaatste EU-medewerker tegenover de Britse krant. "Dit voorstel brengt ons een stap dichter bij integratie van Europese defensie."

Stemming

Voor de plannen zou de EU samenwerken met EEAS, de Europese dienst voor extern optreden. De spionagedrones zouden gelinkt worden aan het project 'Copernicus', een Europese spionagesatteliet.

Mocht het voorstel doorgaan, zou de Europese veiligheidsdienst onder leiding komen te staan van Catherine Ashton, de hoge vertegenwoordiger voor buitenlandse zaken en veiligheidsbeleid van de Europese Unie. De plannen worden al gesteund door Frankrijk, Duitsland, Italië, Spanje en Polen. In december wordt er over de plannen gestemd.

In juni pleitten fabrikanten al voor een Europese drone. Fabrikanten Dassault Aviation en het Italiaanse Finmeccanica Alenia Aermacchi en EADS, het moederconcern van onder meer Airbus riepen toen op tot een samenwerkingsverband met de EU. Ook daar was minder afhankelijkheid van Amerikaanse en Israëlische technologie de redenering.

Bekijk de vijf meest indrukwekkende drones
Door: NU.nl/Floris Poort   

http://nutech.nl/gadgets/3536288/eu-wil-eigen-luchtmacht-met-drones.html
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Lex op 27/07/2013 | 11:17 uur
Het artikel uit The Daily Telegraph (http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/bruno-in-brussels-eu-unplugged/brusselsbruno/367/eu-planning-to-own-and-operate-spy-drones-and-an-air-force/).
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Elzenga op 27/07/2013 | 11:17 uur
In lijn met eigen satellieten, AEW, tanktoestellen...zou dit mijn inziens wel passen. Maar dan wel weer in dezelfde opzet als nu bij de AWACS en C-17 transportvliegtuigen. Dus multinationaal.
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Flyguy op 27/07/2013 | 11:34 uur
Zet ze maar hier in Nederland neer!
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter) op 27/07/2013 | 11:38 uur
Citaat van: Flyguy op 27/07/2013 | 11:34 uur
Zet ze maar hier in Nederland neer!

Misschien moeten we ook een Europees stealth (F35) pooltje creëren, dat zou ruimte laten voor interessante keuzes en plaats ze idd maar in Nederland.
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: dudge op 27/07/2013 | 11:52 uur
Citaat van: Elzenga op 27/07/2013 | 11:17 uur
In lijn met eigen satellieten, AEW, tanktoestellen...zou dit mijn inziens wel passen. Maar dan wel weer in dezelfde opzet als nu bij de AWACS en C-17 transportvliegtuigen. Dus multinationaal.

Het voordeel van de de 'E3' aanpak is dat je ten eerste iedereen meepakt, en ten tweede misschien wat flexibeler bent in opzet. Omdat je het hiermee boven nationale belangen uit tilt. Trouwens, luchtmacht? De EU wil een aantal drones, that's all! Want zoals iedereen weet, een paar drones maken nog geen luchtmacht :glare:
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Flyguy op 27/07/2013 | 12:18 uur
Citaat van: Thomasen op 27/07/2013 | 11:52 uur
Het voordeel van de de 'E3' aanpak is dat je ten eerste iedereen meepakt, en ten tweede misschien wat flexibeler bent in opzet. Omdat je het hiermee boven nationale belangen uit tilt. Trouwens, luchtmacht? De EU wil een aantal drones, that's all! Want zoals iedereen weet, een paar drones maken nog geen luchtmacht :glare:
Wie weet werkt men stiekem aan een totale EU defensie. Het moet klein beginnen. Nou moet ik zeggen dat ik niet vóór ben.
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter) op 27/07/2013 | 12:25 uur
Citaat van: Flyguy op 27/07/2013 | 12:18 uur
Wie weet werkt men stiekem aan een totale EU defensie. Het moet klein beginnen. Nou moet ik zeggen dat ik niet vóór ben.

Stapje voor stapje...(en ik ben ook niet voor)

en opeens hebben we een gezamenlijk vloot van luchttransport, tankers, AEW, U(C)AV's en fighters, etc....

Maar eerst zullen nog wat neusjes in de zelfde richting moeten staan en dat zie ik voorlopig (nog) niet gebeuren.
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: dudge op 27/07/2013 | 12:48 uur
Citaat van: Flyguy op 27/07/2013 | 12:18 uur
Wie weet werkt men stiekem aan een totale EU defensie. Het moet klein beginnen. Nou moet ik zeggen dat ik niet vóór ben.

Ach, elk nadeel heeft z'n voordeel. Een EU project zal niet snel te kampen hebben met geld gebrek, en personeelszorg is, aldus de huidige track record, goed te noemen. Als de kans zich voordoet ben ik de eerste om te solliciteren  ;D
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Ace1 op 27/07/2013 | 12:54 uur
het lijk me zinvol als kleine U(C)AV  fabrikanten Als Saab en Schiebel dan ook meedoen zodat men de markt vergroot.

http://www.saabgroup.com/en/Air/Airborne-Solutions/Unmanned_Aerial_Systems/Skeldar_V-200_Civil_Security/

http://www.saabgroup.com/en/Naval/Situational-Awareness/Unmanned-Aerial-Systems/Skeldar_V-200_Maritime/

http://www.schiebel.net/File.aspx?Id=1979&Path=~%2fDownload%2fBrochures&Name=pdfDownload
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Ace1 op 27/07/2013 | 14:22 uur
Drones in VS beschikbaar voor commercieel gebruik

De Verenigde Staten hebben hun fiat gegeven aan twee nieuwe types onbemande vliegtuigen, zogeheten drones, voor commercieel gebruik. Dat is niet eerder gebeurd. Naar verwachting zullen zij later dit jaar voor commerciële doeleinden worden ingezet.

Volgens de Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) gaat het om de Insitu's ScanEagle X200 en de AeroVironment's PUMA. Beide wegen minder dan 24 kilo en zijn kleiner dan 1,5 meter.

Een groot energiebedrijf is van plan de ScanEagle, die onlangs ook door defensie in Nederland is aangeschaft, in augustus van dit jaar al te gebruiken langs de kust van Alaska om de schuivende ijsschotsen en de migrerende walvissen te observeren.

De PUMA zal naar verwachting kunnen assisteren bij rampenbestrijding, bij grote olierampen en de observatie van wilde dieren.

Het niet-militaire gebruik van drones in de Verenigde Staten was tot dusver voorbehouden aan politie en overheidsinstanties.

http://www.volkskrant.nl/vk/nl/2668/Buitenland/article/detail/3482736/2013/07/27/Drones-in-VS-beschikbaar-voor-commercieel-gebruik.dhtml
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Poleme op 27/07/2013 | 18:20 uur
Citaat van: jurrien visser op 27/07/2013 | 11:10 uur
EU wil eigen luchtmacht met drones.    27 juli 2013

De Europese Unie zou spionagedrones willen bezitten en aansturen om te gebruiken voor 'interne veiligheids- en defensiedoeleinden'.

De plannen zouden een reactie zijn op het recente PRISM-aftapprogramma, schrijft The Daily Telegraph. De EU zou nog te afhankelijk zijn van de VS voor informatie over veiligheids- en defensiedoeleinden. Het bezitten van eigen spionagedrones zou dat moeten veranderen.

De drones zouden onderdeel zijn van een Europese veiligheidsdienst. Volgens huidige voorstellen zou de EU van plan zijn in de herfst van dit jaar concrete plannen voor de aankoop van drones gereed hebben.

"Het schandaal met Edward Snowden toont aan dat Europa eigen, autonome veiligheidsmogelijkheden nodig heeft", aldus een hooggeplaatste EU-medewerker tegenover de Britse krant. "Dit voorstel brengt ons een stap dichter bij integratie van Europese defensie."

Stemming
Voor de plannen zou de EU samenwerken met EEAS, de Europese dienst voor extern optreden. De spionagedrones zouden gelinkt worden aan het project 'Copernicus', een Europese spionagesatteliet.

Mocht het voorstel doorgaan, zou de Europese veiligheidsdienst onder leiding komen te staan van Catherine Ashton, de hoge vertegenwoordiger voor buitenlandse zaken en veiligheidsbeleid van de Europese Unie. De plannen worden al gesteund door Frankrijk, Duitsland, Italië, Spanje en Polen. In december wordt er over de plannen gestemd.
In juni pleitten fabrikanten al voor een Europese drone. Fabrikanten Dassault Aviation en het Italiaanse Finmeccanica Alenia Aermacchi en EADS, het moederconcern van onder meer Airbus riepen toen op tot een samenwerkingsverband met de EU. Ook daar was minder afhankelijkheid van Amerikaanse en Israëlische technologie de redenering.
Bekijk de vijf meest indrukwekkende drones. Door: NU.nl/Floris Poort   http://nutech.nl/gadgets/3536288/eu-wil-eigen-luchtmacht-met-drones.html
Men zegt in dit artikel dat het plan voor een Euro UAV Air Force ontstaan is als reactie op het PRISM telecom data mining systeem.
PRISM graaft ca. 98% van haar data op door samenwerking met Yahoo!, Google, Microsoft, AOL, Youtube, Facebook, Skype en Apple.
PRISM maakt handig gebruik van het feit dat veel van de globale elektronische communicatie niet via de fysiek gezien kortste telecom lijnen, maar via de goedkoopste telecom lijnen gaat.  En laten die goedkoopste lijnen nou net via de VS lopen.
Overigens, de Amerikanen zijn met hun PRISM niet uniek.  Bijvoorbeeld de Britten, China, Israel, Iran en ... onze Oosterburen hebben soortgelijke systemen.
Ik denk eerder dat het plan voor een EU UAV macht eerder is ingegeven door het EuroHawk debacle.  Deze werd geannuleerd, omdat de EuroHawk niet gecertificeerd is voor gebruik in civiel luchtruim.  Certificering gaat echter een extra EUR 500 - 600 miljoen kosten en dat bleek teveel van het goeie.
Het EuroHawk programma met 5 kisten is de nationale ISR dependance naast een groter in 1995 gestarte NAVO Alliance Ground Surveillance programma.
Het AGS zou bestaan uit een NAVO vloot met bemande Airbus A321's voorzien van lucht-grond surveillance radar. Vergelijkbaar met het Amerikaanse E-8 Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System, het Britse Sentinel R.1 systeem of de Embraer R-99B.
zie http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E-8_Joint_STARS    J-
En het AGS had ook een onbemande component. oorspronkelijk bestaande uit 7 Global Hawks. Die zouden voornamelijk IMage INTel, ELektronische INTel (radar uitzendingen opvangen en analyseren) en SIGnaal INtel en COMmuncation INTel (telecom uitzendingen) gaan doen.
De volgende landen doen aan AGS mee: VS, Canada, Bulgarije, de Baltische staten, Bulgarije, Denemarken, Duitsland, Italia, Luxemburg, Noorwegen, Polen, Slowakije, Slovenia, Tjechie en Roemenia.  Nederland deed eerst ook mee, maar ja bezuinigingen he.  De Britten doen niet aan AGS mee, zij vertrouwen op hun eigen 5 Sentinels.  Deze hebben boven Afghanistan en Libya hun waarde ruimschoots bewezen.
In het moeizaam en langzaam verlopende AGS project werden ook de Airbus A321 'J-STARS' al geannuleerd, want te duur.  En het aantal AGS GlobalHawks nam af van 7 naar 5.   Duitsland bood aan, dat een deel van haar EuroHawk vlieguren ook beschikbaar waren voor AGS. Maar hun lot schikte echter anders.
Frankrijk heeft April jongstleden laten weten, dat men bereid is toe te treden tot het AGS programma.  Global Hawks vliegen in Europa nu alleen vanaf het aan de Siciliaanse Oostkust gelegen Naval Air Station Sigonella zonder Automatic Collision Avoidance System.  Deze kisten hebben ontheffing om te starten en te landen op het ca. 15 - 18 km landinwaarts gelegen veld.  Maar opereren in principe altijd boven zee.

Wil men aan een EU UAV macht beginnen, dan zal men eerst in samenwerking met luchtvaart industrie, de International Civil Aviation Organization en European Aviation Safety Agency sense & avoidance technologie rijp maken en in Europees verband certificeren om UAV missies en oefeningen mogelijk te maken in zowel militair als civiel luchtruim.
Het Alliance Ground Surveillance programma heeft een looptijd van 20 jaar.  Hoe lang gaat de vorming van een EU UAV Force duren ?


   
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter) op 27/10/2013 | 08:47 uur
Taranis makes maiden flight

Nicholas de Larrinaga, London - IHS Jane's Defence Weekly

24 October 2013

The BAE Systems Taranis unmanned combat air vehicle (UCAV) demonstrator has made its maiden flight and is currently conducting initial flight trials, the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) confirmed to IHS Jane's on 25 October.

"Flight trials [on Taranis] are currently ongoing," an MoD spokesperson told IHS Jane's .

Neither the MoD nor BAE Systems was able to confirm the date of the maiden flight at this stage. However, a full statement by the MoD will be issued when the Taranis flight trial programme has been completed, the spokesperson said.

Flights are understood to be ongoing at the Royal Australian Air Force's Woomera Testing Range in South Australia. The United Kingdom has used the site extensively in the past to test new military equipment, including the Mantis unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) in 2009.

Meanwhile, in evidence to the UK Parliament's Defence Select Committee, the MoD separately confirmed on 25 October that "Taranis ground tests commenced in 2010 and flight trials took place in 2013".

The spokesperson said this was partially incorrect as it implied flight trials had been completed rather than currently in progress, as is the case.

A BAE Systems spokesperson told IHS Jane's that they were unable to add anything at this point beyond the MoD's confirmation. The United Kingdom is highly secretive about the Taranis UCAV, which is known to have been seen in public on only two occasions.

BAE Systems has previously commented to IHS Jane's , "We expect the first flight trials to take place in 2013. Testing on this system requires a very different approach and testing regime from traditional manned platforms. The system will be comprehensively and extensively 'flown' on the ground for many hours. This thorough and robust testing activity is the major stepping stone needed to ensure that the system progresses into its flight testing phase in a safe and low-risk manner."

The first flight of Taranis follows on from the maiden flight of the pan-European Neuron UCAV technology demonstrator on 1 December 2012 and extensive carrier-based testing of the Northrop Grumman X-47B in 2013.

Taranis is not intended to enter production, but is instead a technology demonstrator vehicle (TDV). According to the MoD evidence to Parliament, "It will provide the MoD with experimental evidence on the potential capabilities, helping to inform decisions on the future mix of manned and remotely piloted systems."

The total cost of the Taranis project is GBP180 million (USD291.3 million).

"The TDV will demonstrate the successful integration of off-the-shelf technologies, including automation, command and control, sensor integration, and payload integration," according to the MoD evidence. "The TDV is not designed to drop weapons, but will include simulated weapon release as part of a mission-representative scenario."

The United Kingdom is considering a UCAV as part of the basis for the UK Royal Air Force's deep strike capabilities. The United Kingdom "has long held a requirement for capabilities that allow the timely engagement of targets deep behind enemy lines. While this has historically been fulfilled by manned aircraft, it is recognised that an UCAS [unmanned combat air system] could offer a cost-effective solution in the future", the MoD stated in its evidence to Parliament.

In July 2012 the United Kingdom and France agreed to share technical expertise gained from the Taranis and Neuron programmes over an 18-month period to determine whether a potential joint Ango-French UCAV development/procurement programme, known as Future Combat Air System (FCAS), is viable.

http://www.janes.com/article/28899/taranis-makes-maiden-flight
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: dudge op 27/10/2013 | 15:00 uur
CitaatThe total cost of the Taranis project is GBP180 million (USD291.3 million).

Voor dat bedrag hadden wij het ook wel gekund.
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter) op 27/10/2013 | 15:07 uur
Citaat van: Thomasen op 27/10/2013 | 15:00 uur
Voor dat bedrag hadden wij het ook wel gekund.

Met gemak, ik ben benieuwd wat uit dit project geboren gaat worden...
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter) op 12/11/2013 | 17:05 uur
Newest drone to fly, swim and drive during missions

November 11, 2013

Move over, lightweight flying robots! The drone of the future is currently being developed at a government lab, and if all goes as planned it will do much more than just soar through the sky on its own.

While the United States continues to consider the merits behind its overseas weaponized drone program and efforts to allow surveillance unmanned aerial vehicles sail through domestic airspace, Sandia National Laboratories has released a video showing off a conceptual design meant to make the traditional UAV look like a thing of the past.

Sandia's "Multi-Modal Vehicle Concept" is still being ironed out, but ideally scientists hope that they'll be able to soon deploy an unmanned craft capable of flying, swimming, driving and even hopping like a frog across any type of terrain or obstacle it may encounter.

Independently, a number of autonomous and semi-autonomous vehicles are already capable of seemingly everything under the sun. If this latest endeavor works out accordingly, however, Sandia will have its hands on a small vessel capable of traversing air, land and water. That means a single drone could be launched from a random station, soar through the sky on its own only to land in a river, navigate to another location and then pick itself up out of the water and walk to a site where it could collect intelligence. After all, the types of drones currently included in the American military's arsenal involve unmanned craft that can kill a target for thousands of feet away, snoop on suspects using infrared cameras or sniff chemicals using state-of-the-art sensors.


The laboratory says its Intelligent Systems, Robotics, & Cybernetics (ISRC) office has been slaving over a way to combine the different types of drones currently available in order to perfect this Multi-Modal Vehicle Concept, and they've already built and conducted testing on conceptual designed to try and hammer out the kinks needed to produce a fully functioning craft capable of doing more on its own than the average human.

"Imagine a mission where you have to covertly fly into an area, traverse through water, across land and overcome obstacles along the way," Sandia says on its website. "ISRC has built and conducted limited testing on conceptual hardware, and while the concept may appear to be off in the distant future, our testing has shown that this concept could soon be a reality."

"The real value added [of the Multi-Modal Vehicle] is that it allows maximum flexibility in highly complex missions without the concern over whether or not all of the vehicles are positioned just right," Jon Salton, a Sandia engineer working on the project, told Wired.

Zie link voor promo-video

http://rt.com/usa/drone-sandia-multi-modal-558/
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter) op 18/11/2013 | 11:58 uur
Germany to Fly Sagitta – an Unmanned Flying Wing by 2015

November 17, 2013

Following development and testing of core elements, "Sagitta", Cassidian's future Unmanned Aerial Systems' (UAS) research program is entering a two year integration and testing phase, culminating in a first test flight in 2015. The integration of the aircraft is taking place at Cassidian's Military Air Systems Center Manching, close to Munich. The reference configuration for the research work is a tailless flying wing with a wingspan of 12 metres. The demonstrator will initially be built on a scale of 1:4. The first wind tunnel tests have already been successfully completed.

After 2 years of intense design work, the first parts of the extremely light-weight carbon fibre structure are now in production, and a dedicated system integration rig has been setup to start assembly of the individual avionic components and to perform the required hardware-in-the-loop simulations. The integration will span one year, and complete by the end of 2014.

"Sagitta is a perfect example of a successful cooperation between industry, research institutes and universities in the field of high technology and future-oriented research," says Aimo Buelte, Head of Research & Technology at Cassidian. "Our goal with Sagitta is to raise our knowledge of Unmanned Aerial Systems to the next level, because UAS are the future of aviation."

In the project "Sagitta" Cassidian is conducting basic research into future Unmanned Aerial Systems Technologies together with universities and research institutes. The Open Innovation Programme Sagitta consists of a total of seven research areas of UAS development: preliminary aircraft design, aerodynamics, flight control systems, communications and data processing, vision-based flight control and air-to-air refuelling, materials and structure, autonomous flight and mission control, simulation and systems integration. The development includes the construction of a flight demonstrator, the purpose of which is to verify the validity and feasibility of the theoretical research results.

Zie link voor het plaatje

http://defense-update.com/20131117_sagitta.html
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter) op 20/11/2013 | 07:33 uur
Nederland lid van Europees drone-clubje

19-11-13

Onder leiding van grootmachten als Frankrijk en Duitsland is vanmiddag besloten tot de oprichting van een zogeheten "Europese drone gebruikers club" die informatie over het gebruik van de onbemande vliegtuigjes moet verzamelen en bovendien een concurrerend toestel tegen de Amerikaanse en Israëlische drones moet bouwen. Dat meldt ABC News.

Ook Nederland is van de partij in het nieuwe verbond. De Franse minister van Defensie Jean-Yves Le Drian laat weten dat de European Defense Agency de opdracht is gegeven om in kaart te brengen wat er nodig is om binnen tien jaar een Europese drone af te hebben.

De Drone-club is toegankelijk voor alle lidstaten van de EU. Naast Frankrijk, Duitsland en Nederland hebben ook Griekenland, Italië, Polen en Spanje zich aangesloten.

http://www.spitsnieuws.nl/archives/binnenland/2013/11/nederland-lid-van-europees-drone-clubje
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter) op 06/12/2013 | 14:49 uur
Unmasking the RQ-180

Posted by Jen DiMascio on Dec 06

The Air Force has long debated how to conduct penetrating intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions since the venerable, high-speed SR-71 retired in 1998. But despite the need and a lingering requirement, no visible progress toward that goal was made. That's because the highly classified aircraft – the RQ-180 – has been developed by Northrop Grumman in secret.

Zie voor plaatjes en de rest van de tekst: http://www.aviationweek.com/Blogs.aspx?plckBlogId=Blog:27ec4a53-dcc8-42d0-bd3a-01329aef79a7&plckPostId=Blog%3A27ec4a53-dcc8-42d0-bd3a-01329aef79a7Post%3A764f0843-3aa6-4b63-a879-13326ce408a2
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter) op 23/12/2013 | 10:22 uur
Navy: UCLASS Will be Stealthy and 'Tomcat Size'

By: Dave Majumdar and Sam LaGrone
Monday, December 23, 2013

The U.S Navy's unmanned carrier launched airborne surveillance and strike (UCLASS) program has evolved to call for a jet that is much larger and much more capable than what was envisioned just six months ago, Navy officials told USNI News.

"We're talking about a 70,000- to 80,000-pound airplane," Rear Adm. Mike Manazir, the Navy's director of air warfare said in a 20 December interview. "We're talking [Grumman F-14] Tomcat size."

The shift in the character of UCLASS comes as the service prepares to release a set of months-delayed draft requirements to industry, and follows a struggle inside the Pentagon over the character of the aircraft.

"The concepts have moved around. They've been: You want unmanned off the carrier to do some off-cycle ISR [intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance]—we're more than that now," Manazir said. "We have heavy-end ISR and strike capability with some growth in the ability to carry weapons and some growth in the sensor package."

Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Northrop Grumman and General Atomics are all hoping to secure what looks to one of the Defense Departments few new start development programs for the foreseeable future.

The Navy's current thinking about the UCLASS concept calls for an aircraft much larger than even the 44,000-lb. Northrop Grumman X-47B unmanned combat air system-demonstrator (UCAS-D).

In fact, the UCLASS could be considerably larger than even the Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, with some of the proposed UCLASS designs being 68 ft. long—eight feet longer than a Super Hornet, Manazir said.

The UCLASS size and weight numbers suggest that engineers might have to adopt either a twin-engine design or potentially an unaugmented version of the Pratt & Whitney F135 engine, which delivers about 28,000 lbs. of dry thrust, to meet the Navy's requirements.

"They're big airplanes, they're not [General Atomics MQ-1] Predators," Manazir said. "They're big, heavy, capable airplanes that will fly for 14 hours, that can give away gas."

The Navy hopes to use the UCLASS as an aerial refueling tanker to extend the range of the tactical fighter fleet—particularly the Lockheed Martin F-35C Joint Strike Fighter. "We're going to put a refueling capability into them and they'll have an endurance package in them," Manazir said. "They'll be able to give away something like 20,000 lbs. of gas and still stay up for seven-and-a-half hours."

The Navy is still looking at what the UCLASS might be able to do for a combat identification role inside contested airspace—which is the mission the Navy currently envisions for it future F-35C fleet.

"If you take that UCLASS and you send it downrange, is it the sensor that gets the combat ID?" Manazir said. "I think with the designs that we're moving toward to have initial operational capability in the 2018 to 2020 timeframe, you're going to have an unmanned airframe that can operate in a non-permissive environment."

But Manazir cautioned that the UCLASS will not be nearly as stealthy as the F-35C.

"We're not going have JSF-like stealth," Manazir said. "You're not going to have somebody that can go right over the top—you know—of the threat capital city, but you're going to have something that can stand in somewhat."

Alternatively, the UCLASS might be useful as a flying missile magazine to supplement the firepower of the F/A-18 and F-35C in air-to-air combat as a robotic wingman of sorts.

"Maybe we put a whole bunch of AMRAAMs (Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile) on it and that thing is the truck," Manazir said. "So this unmanned truck goes downtown with—as far as it can go—with a decision-maker."

In those situations, Manazir said, a Northrop Grumman E-2D Hawkeye or a F-35C flight leader might command the UCLASS.

But the concepts for what missions the Navy might offload from manned aircraft to the UCLASS are still evolving.

Manazir said that by 2030, once the Navy has some operational experience with the UCLASS, it will have a better institutional understanding of what unmanned aircraft bring to the carrier air wing.

The change in the focus in the UCLASS program described by Manazir is a marked shift from stances the Office of Secretary of Defense (OSD) took on the program earlier this year.

The nature of the program shifted from a high-end system based on a 2006 concept to a lower end system designed to be inexpensive and allow the U.S. to have a system to conduct counter terrorism missions from aircraft carriers.

http://news.usni.org/2013/12/23/navy-uclass-will-stealthy-tomcat-size
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Lex op 31/03/2014 | 18:54 uur
Scan Eagle drones krijgen mogelijk gezichtsherkenning

Nederland gaat onbemande vliegtuigjes in de toekomst mogelijk uitrusten met camera's die geschikt zijn voor gezichtsherkenning. De eventuele inbreuk op de privacy is daarbij geen reden af te zien van de ontwikkeling van deze systemen.

Dat blijkt maandag uit antwoorden van minister van Veiligheid en Justitie Ivo Opstelten (VVD) op vragen van D66 over gezichtsherkenning door de Scan Eagle. Deze drone is vorig jaar door defensie gekocht, maar wordt ook gebruikt door justitie.

Zo kunnen de vliegtuigjes dankzij de infraroodcamera ingezet worden voor de opsporing van wietplantages. Uit specificaties van het apparaat die onlangs op internet opdoken zou echter blijken dat het apparaat ook geschikt is voor gezichtsherkenning.

Volgens Opstelten is dat niet het geval. De specificaties zouden alleen betrekking hebben op camera's die op het vliegtuig gemonteerd kunnen worden. Opstelten wil echter niet bij voorbaat uitsluiten dat de drones van defensie in de toekomst worden voorzien van camera's waarmee gezichtsherkenning mogelijk is.

Privacy ondergeschikt
"Eventuele inbreuken op de privacy die daarbij kunnen ontstaan zijn op zichzelf ook geen reden om dit bij voorbaat uit te sluiten", schrijft Opstelten.

Omdat het gebruik van drones voor gezichtsherkenning politiek gevoelig ligt, heeft het kabinet het Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek- en Documentatiecentrum (WODC) op aandringen van de Kamer onlangs opdracht gegeven onderzoek te doen naar de mogelijke negatieve effecten van het gebruik van drones.

Novum, 31 mrt 2014 17:08
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter) op 21/05/2014 | 11:41 uur
A joint approach to the development of Europe's next generation drone

Rome 19/05/2014

Alenia Aermacchi, Dassault Aviation and Airbus Defence and Space deliver plan to France, Germany and Italy

A joint approach to the development of Europe's next generation drone
Europe's Industry is ready to develop a next generation advanced European Unmanned Aerial System (UAS). After their call for the development of a European drone at last year's Paris Airshow, the three most relevant European aeronautical companies have now agreed on further details for a joint approach.

Airbus Defence and Space, Dassault Aviation and Alenia Aermacchi delivered a proposal for further defining a European UAS to the Ministry of Defence of France, Germany and Italy. The offer proposes a Definition Phase which has been prepared by joint development teams of Airbus Defence and Space, Dassault Aviation and  Alenia Aermacchi and which is backed by an industrial agreement on workshare and a cooperative agreement to start the MALE2020 program.

The definition phase foresees that the three nations define and adjust their requirements for a European UAS development together with their armed forces and the European industry. The definition phase also serves to avoid costly additional developments during production and to reduce financial and development risks to a minimum. A commitment by the nations on the further development of the European UAS has then to be made after finalizing this definition phase: the plan of the Industries leads to an affordable and certifiable solution ready by 2020.

Several European nations announced their requirement for unmanned aerial systems. Also the results of the EU Defence Summit in December 2013 allude to an urgent need. The Conclusions of the European Council recognize the development of a MALE UAS as a key capability for European defence.

About MALE 2020

The MALE 2020 project foresees the development of an European Unmanned Aerial System for long-range missions at medium flight altitudes (MALE). Besides being an answer to the European armed forces' requirements, it will take into account the need to optimize the difficult budgetary situation through pooling of research and development funding. With a souvereign European development, critical requirements around the certification of drones are inherently built into the programme from the onset. MALE 2020 is orientated to foster the development of high technologies and contribute to sustaining key competencies and jobs within Europe.

http://www.finmeccanica.com/en/-/male-drone
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter) op 11/07/2014 | 07:53 uur
France, UK To Sign Memo Kicking Off Combat Drone Study

Jul. 10, 2014 - 09:49PM   |   By PIERRE TRAN and ANDREW CHUTER   

PARIS AND LONDON — Britain and France plan to sign a memorandum of understanding for the study of a combat drone, bringing their air forces closer to an advanced fighter program worth billions, defense ministry spokespersons of the two countries said.

On July 15, during the Farnborough International Airshow, Defense Ministers Philip Hammond and Jean-Yves Le Drian are due to sign the agreement to launch a two-year feasibility study for the high tech combat drone, the French spokesperson said.

The unmanned combat aerial system (UCAS) study is seen as a step toward preparing a successor to the Rafale and Typhoon fourth-generation fighters starting around 2035.

Voor de rest van de tekst, zie link

http://www.defensenews.com/article/20140710/DEFREG01/307100027/France-UK-Sign-Memo-Kicking-Off-Combat-Drone-Study
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Elzenga op 11/07/2014 | 10:53 uur
Ok..kunnen we die discussie hierbij ook als afgesloten zien...
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter) op 11/07/2014 | 11:16 uur
Citaat van: Elzenga op 11/07/2014 | 10:53 uur
Ok..kunnen we die discussie hierbij ook als afgesloten zien...

Ja en nee... er lijkt voorzichtig beweging in te zitten en nee.... om te  komen tot een echte EU fighter zullen nog de nodige beren van de weg gehaald moeten worden, wellicht is het de moeite waard om hier een nieuw topic over te openen.
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Elzenga op 17/08/2014 | 21:35 uur
Zoiets als de AeroVironment Switchblade al in beeld bij de Nederlandse krijgsmacht? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aerovironment_Switchblade

Kan wel eens een heel nuttig wapen zijn tegen bijvoorbeeld strijders van de IS.
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Poleme op 17/08/2014 | 22:58 uur
In Afghanistan heeft de Switchblade zich al bewezen als een succesvol wapen.  Het hele apparaat weegt 2,5 kg, heeft een explosieve lading ruwweg vergelijkbaar van een 40mm granaat zoals gebruikt worden in granaatwerpers.  Deze kamikaze UAV heeft een effectief bereik van 10 kilometer en een vliegduur van 10 - 15 minuten bij een snelheid van 102 - 158 km/u.  De US Army zou graag willen dat de vliegduur verdubbeld wordt.
Het is echter geen plug in & play systeem, een doeltreffende bediening vereist veel oefenen.  De Switchblade gebruikt overigens hetzelfde grondstationnetje  als dat van de Raven UAV.
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Harald op 18/08/2014 | 11:01 uur
X-47B Drone & Manned F-18 Takeoff & Land Together In Historic Test

Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter) op 21/08/2014 | 17:17 uur
Northrop Grumman sees European interest in Hawk surveillance drone

By Sarah Young

LONDON  Wed Aug 20, 2014

(Reuters) - U.S. defense company Northrop Grumman Corp is in talks about selling its high-altitude surveillance drones in Europe, with Britain, Germany and Norway seen as the likeliest customers, a top executive said on Wednesday.

Northrop developed the original Global Hawk unmanned aircraft for the U.S. Air Force and it has been used extensively over Afghanistan, Iraq and Libya. The company has subsequently sought to sell versions of the Hawk to other countries.

"At the moment I would say that the hottest three (potential European buyers) are Germany, UK and Norway, in the sense that we've got active dialogue going on with those countries," Northrop's UK and European chief executive Andrew Tyler told reporters on Wednesday.

The aircraft, which is not armed, is designed to travel at 60,000 feet, high above the airspace used by commercial planes, and can fly non-stop for about 32 hours, gathering images and related information about conflict zones or natural disasters.

A $1.7 billion contract the company signed with NATO for a five-drone surveillance and intelligence system in 2012 will help boost European sales, believes Tyler, as potential new customers will get a taste of the aircraft's capabilities.

Germany is already familiar with it. Northrop remains in long-running talks with the country about a stalled 1.2 billion euro ($1.6 billion) purchase of four Euro Hawks, which Northrop developed with Europe's Airbus based on the Global Hawk design.

"Our discussions with them (the Germans) continue ... we definitely remain hopeful," Tyler said.

Northrop also threw its hat into the ring as a contender to help fulfill Britain's need for new maritime patrol capability by providing the country with its un-manned aircraft.

Since scrapping its former program - the delayed and over-budget BAE Systems Nimrod MRA4 - as part of its defense review in 2010, experts say Britain has struggled, for example, to carry out aerial hunts for submarines and they expect the country to fire the starting gun on a maritime patrol aircraft competition in the coming years.

Tyler said that the Triton maritime aircraft, also a part of the Global Hawk family, could work alongside an order for manned aircraft to patrol British seas, adding that due to the drone's lower fuel costs, a mixed fleet would be cheaper than going for a manned-only solution.

Australia earlier this year opted to protect its maritime interests that way, supplementing its purchase of eight Boeing P-8A Poseidon planes with a number of MQ-4C Tritons.($1 = 0.7529 euros)

http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/08/20/us-northropgrumman-drones-europe-idUSKBN0GK1T420140820
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: IPA NG op 04/09/2014 | 17:55 uur
Tsja als wat Poleme zegt waar is, en de Klu genoegen zou nemen met 15 F-35A's alleen voor QRA omdat ze dat toch nog in ieder geval de sensors kunnen gebruiken voor "nationale veiligheid", dan zouden ze eens naar een wat grotere UAV moeten kijken. Zo'n Global Hawk is wel prijzig maar als ze zo graag sensorcapaciteiten willen moeten ze er daar een stuk of 4 van kopen... Kunnen we de rest van het geld besteden aan F-16V's, hebben we meer aan.
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Nikehercules op 04/09/2014 | 18:20 uur
Citaat van: IPA NG op 04/09/2014 | 17:55 uur
Zo'n Global Hawk is wel prijzig maar als ze zo graag sensorcapaciteiten willen moeten ze er daar een stuk of 4 van kopen...

''Ze'' willen helemaal niet zo graag dergelijke sensorcapaciteiten. De Global Hawk gaat de U2 vervangen, ik zie totaal geen reden om te investeren in een high-altitude reconnaissance platform.
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: IPA NG op 04/09/2014 | 18:47 uur
Citaat van: Nikehercules op 04/09/2014 | 18:20 uur
''Ze'' willen helemaal niet zo graag dergelijke sensorcapaciteiten. De Global Hawk gaat de U2 vervangen, ik zie totaal geen reden om te investeren in een high-altitude reconnaissance platform.

Poleme zei dat en raadde de MC-12W aan. Maar dat is niet sexy genoeg voor de heren van de Klu.
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Nikehercules op 04/09/2014 | 18:59 uur
Citaat van: IPA NG op 04/09/2014 | 18:47 uur
Poleme zei dat en raadde de MC-12W aan.

Dat ding heeft niets met de Global Hawk te maken, totaal ander platform.

Citaat van: IPA NG op 04/09/2014 | 18:47 uur
Maar dat is niet sexy genoeg voor de heren van de Klu.

Jij besluit op basis van 3 internetpagina's dat een platform geschikt is voor de KLu en beticht vervolgens de ''heren van de KLu'' er van dat zij het systeem niet sexy genoeg vinden.... 

Dat blijf ik bijzonder vinden.
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: IPA NG op 05/09/2014 | 12:31 uur
Citaat van: Nikehercules op 04/09/2014 | 18:59 uur
Dat ding heeft niets met de Global Hawk te maken, totaal ander platform.

Jij besluit op basis van 3 internetpagina's dat een platform geschikt is voor de KLu en beticht vervolgens de ''heren van de KLu'' er van dat zij het systeem niet sexy genoeg vinden.... 

Dat blijf ik bijzonder vinden.

De MC-12W is te minderwaardig voor de heren van de Klu. Het mag dan wel Amerikaans zijn, propellers zijn natuurlijk niet sexy.
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: DvdW op 05/09/2014 | 12:57 uur
Citaat van: IPA NG op 05/09/2014 | 12:31 uur
De MC-12W is te minderwaardig voor de heren van de Klu. Het mag dan wel Amerikaans zijn, propellers zijn natuurlijk niet sexy.
gozer, lees je überhaupt wel voordat je reageert?
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Mourning op 05/09/2014 | 13:05 uur
Citaat van: DvdW op 05/09/2014 | 12:57 uur
gozer, lees je überhaupt wel voordat je reageert?

:lol: :lol: :lol:
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: IPA NG op 05/09/2014 | 14:11 uur
De mensen bij de Klu redeneren nu eenmaal zo. Als het niet Amerikaans, duur en flashy is, dan is het minderwaardig en ongeschikt.
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter) op 05/09/2014 | 14:19 uur
Citaat van: IPA NG op 05/09/2014 | 14:11 uur
De mensen bij de Klu redeneren nu eenmaal zo. Als het niet Amerikaans, duur en flashy is, dan is het minderwaardig en ongeschikt.

;D niet iedereen wil een IKEA inrichting en een saaie Volvo.

Maar ik begrijp dat je KLu expert bent... ooit bedacht dat zij in de apparaten het theater in mogen/moeten en dat jij het bekritiseerd vanuit de leunstoel?
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: IPA NG op 05/09/2014 | 14:34 uur
Citaat van: jurrien visser op 05/09/2014 | 14:19 uur
;D niet iedereen wil een IKEA inrichting en een saaie Volvo.

Maar ik begrijp dat je KLu expert bent... ooit bedacht dat zij in de apparaten het theater in mogen/moeten en dat jij het bekritiseerd vanuit de leunstoel?

Ook jij begrijpt dat de aanschaf van vliegtuigen ingegeven is door politieke redenen en niet door militaire zaken.

Als ik kan begrijpen dat 37 toestellen zal leiden tot 6-7 inzetbare kisten dan begrijp je dat dit niet de juiste weg is voor de krijgsmacht. Net zoals ik begrijp dat het afschaffen van tanks, AAA, geschut en het omvormen van het grootste deel van de grondeenheden tot lichte infanterie dom is. Net zoals het aanschaffen van de NH-90 een politiek ingegeven fout is geweest.

Wat dat betreft heb ik dus wel degelijk het idee dat ik weldenkender ben dan de mensen die Defensie bestieren. Niet omdat ik arrogant ben maar omdat de bewijzen overweldigend zijn dat de mensen op het Ministerie van Defensie er geen drol van begrepen hebben.
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter) op 05/09/2014 | 14:52 uur
Citaat van: IPA NG op 05/09/2014 | 14:34 uur

Niet omdat ik arrogant ben maar omdat de bewijzen overweldigend zijn dat de mensen op het Ministerie van Defensie er geen drol van begrepen hebben.

Ik denk dat mensen op Mindef alsmede de mensen binnen de krijgsmacht het wel degelijk goed begrijpen..... alleen als je elke paar jaar een stelletje "nitwits" in het pluche krijgt die het voor jou onmogelijk maken en alleen maar uit zijn op jouw budget, tja.... dan is het best lastig.
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Nikehercules op 05/09/2014 | 15:05 uur
Citaat van: IPA NG op 05/09/2014 | 14:34 uur
Wat dat betreft heb ik dus wel degelijk het idee dat ik weldenkender ben dan de mensen die Defensie bestieren.

Dit hele idee wordt ingegeven door onwetendheid. In jou ''aanschaf beleid'' hoef je geen rekening te houden met belangrijke zaken waar je helemaal geen weet van hebt. Gewoon lekker rondshoppen op internet: een vliegtuigje hier, een vliegtuigje daar. Wordt jou idee niet aangeschaft dan zijn het de heren bij de KLu die het niet ''sexy'' genoeg vinden.

Tenslotte stel je ook nog te weten hoe er bij de Luchtmacht gedacht wordt, ik heb nieuws voor je: Je hebt geen idee.
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: IPA NG op 05/09/2014 | 15:48 uur
Citaat van: Nikehercules op 05/09/2014 | 15:05 uur
Dit hele idee wordt ingegeven door onwetendheid. In jou ''aanschaf beleid'' hoef je geen rekening te houden met belangrijke zaken waar je helemaal geen weet van hebt. Gewoon lekker rondshoppen op internet: een vliegtuigje hier, een vliegtuigje daar. Wordt jou idee niet aangeschaft dan zijn het de heren bij de KLu die het niet ''sexy'' genoeg vinden.

Tenslotte stel je ook nog te weten hoe er bij de Luchtmacht gedacht wordt, ik heb nieuws voor je: Je hebt geen idee.


Ik weet dat de luchtmacht de F-35A wil, tegen elke prijs.
Dit ontkennen is zinloos.

Als je mij wil wijsmaken dat de mensen die in de Defensietop rondlopen wel verstand van zaken hebben, dat er helemaal niks aan de hand is en dat het allemaal wel goed komt moet je van goede huize komen.
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter) op 26/10/2014 | 11:22 uur
Made in EU: de War Drone

26 oktober 2014 / door Peter Blasic   

Zeven EU-landen – waaronder Nederland – gaan vanaf 2020 militaire drones produceren. De defensieministers van deze landen ondertekenden hiertoe een 'letter of intent'. De zeven landen willen met de ontwikkeling en productie van Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) vliegobjecten hun afhankelijkheid van buitenlandse drones verminderen en hopen zo de Amerikaanse dominantie in de onbemande luchtvaart te doorbreken.

De Europese samenwerking treedt daarmee in de voetsporen van de Verenigde Staten, die hun drones onder meer inzetten om verdachte militanten te doden in landen als Jemen, Afghanistan en Pakistan. De controverse rondom inbreuk op nationale soevereiniteit en burgerslachtoffers hebben drones evenwel in een slecht daglicht doen staan. Toch zet ook Europa in op de productie van gevechtsdrones. En naast de vermelde samenwerking zijn er nog diverse andere Europese drone-initiatieven.

Drie Europese wapenproducenten – het Franse Dassault Aviation, de Frans-Duitse firma EADS Cassidian en het Italiaanse Finmeccanica Alenia Aermacchi – zijn al overeengekomen dat zij een gezamenlijk eigen Europees droneprogramma zullen starten. Frankrijk, Griekenland, Italië, Spanje, Zweden en Zwitserland werken daarnaast aan wat zij een 'euro-Ucav' noemen, een unmanned combat air vehicle. Het toestel kreeg de naam nEUROn en het heeft in december 2012 al met succes zijn eerste testvlucht afgerond. Ook werkt Frankrijk samen met het Verenigd Koninkrijk aan een 'stealth'drone, die de projectnaam Telemos meekreeg. Telemos moet in 2018 operationeel zijn.

Ondertussen is het nieuwe MALE-programma van de EU ontworpen om te concurreren met de Israëlische en Amerikaanse wapenproducenten. Israël en de VS fabriceren de overgrote meerderheid van de militaire drones in de wereld en verkopen deze aan bondgenoten. En juist omdat de VS en Israël leiders in deze dronemarkt zijn, voelen enkele Europese regeringen de angst om achter te blijven. Militaire operaties in Libië en Mali hebben al een tekort laten zien in de Europese verkenningsmogelijkheden, waardoor landen als Groot-Brittannië en Frankrijk zich gedwongen zagen over te gaan tot het aankopen van de door het Amerikaanse General Atomics gebouwde Reaper drones.

Volgens één van de grootste voorstanders van het MALE-programma, de Franse minister van Defensie Jean-Yves Le Drian, moeten "Europese landen hun capaciteiten en acties op een pragmatische manier bundelen, willen ze hun strategische mogelijkheden behouden". Net als Le Drian is ook EDA directeur Claude-France Arnould gelukkig met de Europese samenwerking, maar zij merkt op dat "de hedendaagse situatie zich kenmerkt door financiële beperkingen, waardoor deze defensie-inspanning volledig efficiënt moet zijn, wat samenwerking en het zoeken naar synergie behelst".

Niet iedereen is gelukkig met de Europese droneplannen. Kleinere EU-lidstaten hadden gehoopt een graantje van de ontwikkeling mee te pikken komen. Dit werd echter tegengewerkt door de regeringen van enkele EU-lidstaten die zelf een grote defensie-industrie huisvesten en er niets voor voelen om werk af te staan aan de kleinere lidstaten.

Ook de Verenigde Naties zijn sceptisch. In een rapport waarschuwen zij voor het gebruik van bewapende drones. Die zouden een bedreiging zijn voor de mondiale veiligheid en landen aansporen om onbemande wapens te verwerven. Het VN-rapport merkt op dat "drones uit de lucht komen, maar de zware voetafdruk van de oorlog achterlaten op de gemeenschap die ze aanvallen".

http://www.hpdetijd.nl/2014-10-26/made-eu-de-war-drone/
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter) op 26/10/2014 | 11:45 uur
Citaat van:  www.hpdetijd.nl Vandaag om 11:22

Zeven EU-landen – waaronder Nederland – gaan vanaf 2020 militaire drones produceren. De defensieministers van deze landen ondertekenden hiertoe een 'letter of intent'. De zeven landen willen met de ontwikkeling en productie van Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) vliegobjecten hun afhankelijkheid van buitenlandse drones verminderen en hopen zo de Amerikaanse dominantie in de onbemande luchtvaart te doorbreken.


Goede zaak, nu maar hopen op voortvarendheid en geen oeverloze compromissen.
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Enforcer op 26/10/2014 | 11:45 uur
Citaat van: HPdeTijd op 26/10/2014 | 11:22 uur
Made in EU: de War Drone

26 oktober 2014 / door Peter Blasic   

Zeven EU-landen – waaronder Nederland – gaan vanaf 2020 militaire drones produceren. De defensieministers van deze landen ondertekenden hiertoe een 'letter of intent'. De zeven landen willen met de ontwikkeling en productie van Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) vliegobjecten hun afhankelijkheid van buitenlandse drones verminderen.....

Laat ze maar eens zien dat dit echt (snel) succesvol kan zijn, en niet dat dit weer zo'n EU poldermodelproject wordt, waarin iedereen wat gedaan heeft en het resultaat mediocre is a la NH-90.
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter) op 20/06/2015 | 09:07 uur
Meet the Drone That Carries Out the Airstrikes Before the Airstrikes

By Pierre Longeray

June 19, 2015 | 10:15 pm

At the French Ministry of Defense's booth in the Paris Air Show this week, the French Defense Procurement Agency (DGA) proudly displayed what will soon be the crown jewel of the French air force's aircraft fleet: an armed drone designed in collaboration with the UK that is expected to assist its fighter jets by 2030.

This drone or UCAV (Unmanned Combat Air Vehicle) is called the "Future Combat Air System" or FCAS. Inspired by its French and British precursors — the nEUROn, developed by Dassault Aviation, which first took flight in December 2012, and the Taranis, developed by BAE Systems and first launched in August 2013 — this new project likely will catch up with the Americans, who have made significant advances in combat drone technology with their X47B.

Voor het gehele artikel, zie link

https://news.vice.com/article/meet-the-drone-that-carries-out-the-airstrikes-before-the-airstrikes
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Elzenga op 20/06/2015 | 12:59 uur
Verstandig als Nederland dit nauwgezet volgt en waar mogelijk of wenselijk in het project stapt. Opvolger van de Reapers die nu aangeschaft worden.
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter) op 20/06/2015 | 13:05 uur
Citaat van: Elzenga op 20/06/2015 | 12:59 uur
Verstandig als Nederland dit nauwgezet volgt en waar mogelijk of wenselijk in het project stapt. Opvolger van de Reapers die nu aangeschaft worden.

Aanvullend op de F35A lijkt me meer zinvol vanaf de jaren dertig.
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Elzenga op 20/06/2015 | 13:10 uur
Citaat van: jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter) op 20/06/2015 | 13:05 uur
Aanvullend op de F35A lijkt me meer zinvol vanaf de jaren dertig.
als inderdaad aanvulling op de F35s...en Reapers(?!)...(ik weet niet hoe lang UCAVs mee gaan?)
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Ace1 op 02/10/2015 | 23:40 uur
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Ace1 op 03/10/2015 | 09:21 uur
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Sparkplug op 13/11/2015 | 21:31 uur
Software regulation challenges UCAV proliferation control

By Beth Stevenson, Brussels | 13 November 2015

The introduction of international laws for a future generation of unmanned combat air vehicles (UCAVs) hinges on the regulation of software, which can effectively be used to turn a regular aerial system into an autonomous weapon.

Autonomous weapon systems – those that once deployed would select and counter targets without any further human interaction – are a hot topic within organisations such as the UN. And while they arguably do not yet exist, a number of nations are only small steps away from developing them.

The regulation of the software used to give systems this control is incredibly difficult, and accountability of who is responsible for these weapons' deployment is a challenge, Nicholas Marsh, research fellow at the Peace Research Institute of Oslo, told the EU Non-Proliferation Consortium conference in Brussels.

"Prohibiting or regulating weapons is easier – they are usually a physical object that can be identified and monitored," he said. "When we're looking at the difference between autonomous weapons or an earlier generation of weapons, the difference between them is in software."

(https://www.flightglobal.com/assets/getasset.aspx?itemid=54755)
The Harop loitering munition
Israel Aerospace Systems

Israel manufactures, uses and exports loitering munitions, while the US Navy and Northrop Grumman are developing the X-47B UCAV demonstrator, and the UK Ministry of Defence and BAE Systems the Taranis UCAV.

While none of these are promoted as being fully autonomous capabilities, a software change is all that would be required to make them so. This means that systems could be exported legally, but then modified to change them when in-country, leading to their proliferation.

"You can update software instantly, and it is difficult, if not impossible, to share code that is driving the machine without revealing that technical specifications of that weapon," Marsh said. "So if you are looking at people trying to inspect the software inside a potential lethal autonomous weapon, that is going to pose a very difficult problem for states because they'll want to keep the technical specifications secret."

Marsh added that while enforcing regulation is going to be difficult, it is not impossible. However, it will be problematic to move from a campaign for such laws to looking at what regulation will look like.

https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/software-regulation-challenges-ucav-proliferation-co-419071/
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: dudge op 14/12/2015 | 16:06 uur
Third Series of Test Flights Completed by All-British UCAV
by Chris Pocock
- December 10, 2015, 7:29 AM

The Taranis UCAV demonstrator that has been produced by a UK industry-government partnership completed a third and final flight-test campaign last month. AIN understands that a key objective was to prove a low radar cross-section measurement but—as usual—program officials remain tight-lipped. Meanwhile, the Anglo-French study of a Future Combat Air System (FCAS) that could lead to an operational UCAV is entering its second and final year. But a senior participant noted that national caveats on the sharing of sensitive technology apply, evidently limiting the scope of the study.

Nigel Whitehead, group managing director of programs and support, BAE Systems, said that the Taranis program had "met all its test objectives. It's been a real triumph, and we've learned a lot on the way." Speaking to an audience of senior aerospace and defense officials at the Royal Aeronautical Society in London, Whitehead said that the anticipated mission profile for a UCAV had been fully demonstrated. Program officials described that profile in a mid-2014 briefing. Whitehead listed the main achievements of the program as the development of a fly-by-wire system for a highly unstable configuration; the many embedded sensors that that replace data probes and pitot tubes to measure static pressure distribution; the integration of mission sensors, powerplant and communications in a stealthy platform; and the high-integrity safety-critical systems.

Similar achievements are being demonstrated in the pan-European Neuron program, which is being led by France. Whitehead said that the French probably had a similar operational requirement for a UCAS, making them "a sensible potential partner." But when asked whether "firewalls" are inhibiting the FCAS study, he said the two sides were "not yet at the point of giving away any crown jewels. Ultimately, we've got to pool. At the moment, we're gaining confidence [in each other]. We're at mid-dance."
Copyright ©2015 The Convention News Company, Inc.
https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/defense/2015-12-10/third-series-test-flights-completed-all-british-ucav (https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/defense/2015-12-10/third-series-test-flights-completed-all-british-ucav)
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Sparkplug op 23/12/2015 | 09:20 uur
USA won't fly troops into battle aboard pilotless helicopters

By James Drew, Washington DC | 22 December 2015

The US Army has no plans to ferry troops into war zones aboard unmanned helicopters, but will push autonomous and remote-controlled flight technology for cargo delivery, although it's not a near-term priority, service officials say.

Just as the US Air Force and Navy are grappling with the idea of sending unmanned fighter jets into battle, the army faces similar ingrained preconceptions about the role of pilots in combat.

"The questions about unmanned helicopters with crews in the back; there's a level of trust there we won't break," the army's capability manager for unmanned aircraft systems Col Paul Cravey tells Flightglobal in an interview. "We're not putting soldiers in the back of helicopters without our aviators flying in the front."

Unmanned helicopters are often touted as the ideal solution for breaking into hostile territory without risking the lives of aircrews, but these concepts do not extend to rescuing or transporting soldiers, the army claims.

(https://www.flightglobal.com/assets/getasset.aspx?itemid=65208)
Sikorsky's UH-60A "Autonomous Hawk" was introduced in 2013.
Lockheed Martin Sikorsky

Several companies including Boeing and Sikorsky have at one time or another demonstrated unmanned helicopter technologies, with Boeing producing the H-6U "Unmanned Little Bird" and Sikorsky creating an optionally-piloted UH-60A "Black Hawk" based on its Matrix and Mural autonomy programmes.

The Marine Corps and Navy are developing similar software and hardware through their Lockheed/Kaman K-MAX and Northrop Grumman MQ-8B/C Fire Scout programmes, with the latter based on the Schweizer 333 and Bell 407 platforms.

Cravey says with limited resources, opportunities to bring unmanned helicopters online for cargo resupply and incorporate them into future strategies and operating concepts are limited. In its 2010-2035 roadmap for UAS, the army imagined UAVs providing about 25% of aerial logistical resupply in the "mid-term".

One limiting technology is autonomous landing, which the Office of Naval Research is trying to overcome through its Autonomous Aerial Cargo Utility System (AACUS), demonstrated on the Little Bird and K-MAX.

"It has not raised to the level of priority where we're looking at that," Cravey says. The focus right now is on rolling out the current strategy, he says, which prioritises manned-unmanned teaming with the Boeing AH-64 Apache for armed aerial scout missions, plus upgrading and adding new weapons to already-fielded fixed-wing UAVs.

The army's new chief of staff Gen Mark Milley last week expressed strong interest in convoys of autonomous ground vehicle for cargo resupply, delivering "water, beans and bullets" to troops.

He says pilotless helicopters are less technologically challenging because of the complex terrain those ground vehicles must navigate, but the bigger challenge for rotorcraft is perhaps institutional.

"We might wait for the air force to go first; see how their pilots fare with it," he quipped.

In terms of swarms of small UAVs for resupply of smaller ammunition and medical packs, Cravey isn't sold on that technology. "We haven't been handed that just yet," he says, pointing instead to advances in nanotechnology for peeking around corners to spot indoor threats, as well as new sensors for the AeroVironment Raven and Puma.

https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/usa-wont-fly-troops-into-battle-aboard-pilotless-he-420306/
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Sparkplug op 28/12/2015 | 22:02 uur
Northrop Grumman wins DARPA TERN programme

By Stephen Trimble, Washington DC | 28 December 2015

Northrop Grumman will demonstrate that an MQ-9 Reaper-sized unmanned air vehicle (UAV) can operate at sea from ships smaller than an aircraft carrier under a $93 million contract awarded on 24 December.

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) eliminated AeroVironment last September as Northrop's only remaining competitor for the Tactically Exploited Reconnaissance Node (TERN) programme. But Northrop's role in designing, developing and demonstrating the medium-altitude, long-endurance UAV was not confirmed until DARPA announced the contract award.

The terms of the contract require Northrop to contribute $39 million, raising the overall cost of the demonstration programme to $132 million.

(https://www.flightglobal.com/assets/getasset.aspx?itemid=58047)
DARPA

On 11 December, Northrop revealed a model of the company's secretive design to a handful of journalists touring the company's El Segundo, California, research and manufacturing facilities. The model showed Northrop had selected a flying-wing tailsitter design with a nose-mounted counter-rotating propeller system.

The 12.2m (40ft)-span vehicle appeared reminiscent of the tail-sitting Lockheed XFV-1 and Convair XFY-1 Pogo fighters research projects of the 1950s. But Northrop's TERN differed in design with the absence of a fuselage and a much larger set of counter-rotating propellers that measured as much as one-third of the wingspan.

The model also showed that Northrop envisioned mounting weapons and other stores externally on hard points under the wing.

DARPA launched the TERN programme to solve a capability problem for the US Navy. The service regularly operates small, tactical unmanned air systems, such as the Boeing/Insitu Integrator from frigate-class ships, using a catapult to launch the aircraft and a crane to recover it. But carrying payloads larger than about 30kg required using an unmanned helicopter, such as the Northrop MQ-8C Fire Scout, which can carry heavier loads but lacks the range and endurance of a General Atomics Aeronautics Systems MQ-9.

The TERN attempts to bridge that gap with a vehicle that can carry a 272kg payload on missions up to 900nm (1,670km).

The Phase III contract awarded to Northrop on 24 December requires the company to build a demonstrator, perform ground testing and demonstrate the aircraft at sea.

https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/northrop-grumman-wins-darpa-tern-programme-420385/
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Jooop op 28/12/2015 | 23:58 uur
Turks UCAV

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AqRj59K9zPk
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Sparkplug op 11/01/2016 | 14:43 uur
Boeing's Unmanned Little Bird nears completion of flight trials

Gareth Jennings, London - IHS Jane's Defence Weekly | 10 January 2016

(https://www.defensieforum.nl/Forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.janes.com%2Fimages%2Fassets%2F095%2F57095%2F1431077_-_main.jpg&hash=f2d76ac243e53007412fa4f30f8cea4edcb34dd8)
Boeing is conducting final flight trials of its MD 500-based H-6U Unmanned Little Bird that it expects to conclude in mid-2016. Source: Boeing

Boeing expects to conclude flight trials of its optionally piloted H-6U Unmanned Little Bird (ULB) later this year, a company spokesperson told IHS Jane's on 11 January.

The H-6U, which is an MD 500 Little Bird observation and scout platform fitted with Boeing's Optionally Piloted Vehicle kit, is currently conducting its final flight trials, the company said in a statement. No further details as to the nature of the trials or the company's plans for the platform once the trials are concluded in mid-2016 were disclosed.

"The MD 500 helicopter, with the Optionally Piloted Vehicle kit installed on it, is currently undergoing flight testing. We expect flight tests to be completed in mid-2016," IHS Jane's was told in response to a question on the status of the programme.

Boeing has two ULB helicopters at its Mesa facility in Arizona that it is using on multiple US and international customer technology demonstration programmes, such as automated shipboard launch/recovery, autonomous cargo delivery system, cyber attack resistance, and development of advanced flight control system prototyping. They are also being tested for unmanned kits to potentially convert a variety of helicopters to optionally piloted platforms.

Of all the potential international requirements for unmanned/optionally piloted MD 500 technology, arguably none are as defined or advanced as those of South Korea. Boeing was due to undertake demonstration flights of the ULB for South Korea in late 2015, but it has not said if this has yet happened (these latest unmanned flight trials were originally scheduled to have taken place before the end of 2014 but were understood to have been delayed by certification and clearance issues).

Boeing has previously conducted a demonstration flight of the ULB helicopter for the Republic of Korea Army (RoKA) in the United States in 2012, and in 2013 a memorandum of understanding was signed with Korea Air Aerospace Division (KAL-ASD) to convert an undisclosed number of the RoKA's MD 500 helicopters into unmanned platforms.

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(346 of 812 words)

http://www.janes.com/article/57095/boeing-s-unmanned-little-bird-nears-completion-of-flight-trials
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Sparkplug op 22/01/2016 | 12:08 uur
DOD official: World faces 'Terminator conundrum' on AI weapons

By James Drew, Washington DC | 22 January 2016

The US military faces a "Terminator conundrum" when it comes to artificially intelligent killing machines, including armed UAVs and loitering munitions.

The Department of Defense (DOD) does not field such weapons today, says one senior military official – but the technology is nevertheless close at hand, and other nations might press forward.

Speaking at the Brookings Institution in Washington DC today, vice chairman of the joint chiefs of staff Gen Paul Selva says there should be a national and global debate on "AI" weapons for air, land, sea and undersea combat.

"We have proven that we can build and field unmanned underwater vehicles, unmanned surface vessels, unmanned wheeled vehicles, and remotely piloted air vehicles," he says. "We can actually build 'autonomous' vehicles in every one of those categories.

"That gets us to the cusp of a question about whether or not we are willing to have unmanned autonomous systems that can launch on an enemy. What happens when that thing can inflict mortal harm and is empowered by artificial intelligence?"

(https://www.flightglobal.com/assets/getasset.aspx?itemid=55233)
Northrop Grumman X-47B is a proposed carrier-based UAV that would be armed and largely autonomous, but the human operator would make any decision to employ weapons.
US Navy

Selva says the technology is already here, with rudimentary AI systems monitoring day-to-day bank transactions and mining large volumes of data. But there are ethical, political and laws-of-war questions that must be answered before these types of weapons enter combat, he says.

"I call it 'the Terminator conundrum'," he says. "That's a debate we need to have, I would argue nationally and internationally, to answer if we as humans want to cross that line."

The US government has initiated and then cancelled several UAV and missile programmes that would have autonomously identified and destroyed targets based on "hard-coded" decision metrics.

"They are robotic, but not intelligent. There is a significant difference," Selva says, adding that true AI machines could study targets and track them, but the final decision to launch weapons should remain with humans. "That's about as far as I'm willing to go at this point," he says.

High-profile technologists such as Elon Musk and Stephen Hawking have come out against AI weapons, saying they could spell disaster for humanity.

Concerns about armed robots entered popular culture with The Terminator movie in 1984, but became a more pressing worry when the General Atomics Aeronautical Systems MQ-1 Predator UAV was armed with the AGM-114 Hellfire missile in 2002.

https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/dod-official-world-faces-terminator-conundrum-on-421094/
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Sparkplug op 12/02/2016 | 09:28 uur
UCLASS reborn as US Navy spy-tanker

By James Drew, Washington DC | 11 February 2016

The US Navy's long-running attempt to field a carrier-based unmanned combat aircraft has taken another turn, morphing from a surveillance and strike aircraft into a reconnaissance and aerial refuelling drone with "limited strike capability".

The about-turn follows a top-level review and restructuring of the now-defunct unmanned carrier-launched airborne surveillance and strike (UCLASS) project, with the service's latest budget instead funding the RAQ-25 CBARS, or carrier-based aerial refuelling system.

According to budget documents, $1.1 billion has been committed to UCLASS through fiscal 2016, supporting carrier-based demonstrations of the Northrop Grumman X-47B and other activities. About $435 million was enacted by Congress for 2016, but CBARS takes form with just $89 million in the fiscal 2017 budget submission.

Total funding for CBARS is $2.2 billion through 2021 and a competition and downselect of an air vehicle provide has been delayed by approximately one year to 2017 compared to the discarded UCLASS plan. Northrop, Lockheed Martin, Boeing and General Atomics Aeronautical Systems are vying to build the flying gas station, which is expected to reduce dependence on Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornets for aerial refuelling.

"The real value of this restructure is that it incrementally gets at the manned-unmanned interface and operation on the carrier deck and in the air wing by the mid-2020s," says Rear Adm William Lescher, navy deputy assistant secretary for budget. "The mission of tanking is going to be critical to making the air wing more effective and projecting power forward, but the long-endurance [surveillance and targeting] is going to be critical as well. The limited strike function adds value."

(https://www.flightglobal.com/assets/getasset.aspx?itemid=65809)
Flightglobal

https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/uclass-reborn-as-us-navy-spy-tanker-421844/
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Ace1 op 16/02/2016 | 10:46 uur
SINGAPORE: New UAV partnership ups Skeldar appeal

Recently established unmanned air vehicle joint venture UMS Skeldar believes it will be able to boost the competitiveness of the Saab Skeldar unmanned helicopter over rival systems.

In December it was announced that UMS and Saab's UAV division would jointly promote Skeldar through the new business, alongside the former's range of rotary- and fixed-wing platforms, which head of business development David Willems says will enhance the appeal of the family of aircraft.

Willems says that the pricing structure will be modified for Skeldar, which will "put us in a very competitive bracket". Systems with a similar capability to Skeldar include the Schiebel Camcopter and CybAero Apid UAVs.

UMS Skeldar offers the 3h-endurance R350 rotary-wing UAV in addition to Skeldar and the F330 and F720 fixed-wing designs.

The R350 has seen success in Europe, while the fixed-wing models have been used in the Middle East, Willems says.

It will also look to provide UAVs on a service basis and for training, as "budgets are shrinking everywhere, and services contracts are a good way to target the market", Willems adds.

The company announced during the show that it will begin to provide training in Indonesia, and previous successes include offering data services to Singapore's police force.

In addition, the joint venture will pursue military opportunities, says Willems. "There are some big navy tenders in Asia and Europe and we are involved in the tenders right now," he says.

The R350 is also being pitched to a government agency in China, a market that the Apid UAV has seen success in.

Work is underway to integrate Skeldar into the common ground control station used by the other three systems, Willems says.

https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/singapore-new-uav-partnership-ups-skeldar-appeal-421963/
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Sparkplug op 16/02/2016 | 10:52 uur
Singapore Airshow 2016: USN set to debut enhanced MQ-8B Fire Scout UAS aboard Littoral Combat Ship

Kelvin Wong, Singapore - IHS Jane's International Defence Review | 15 February 2016

(https://www.defensieforum.nl/Forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.janes.com%2Fimages%2Fassets%2F024%2F58024%2F1522228_-_main.jpg&hash=30b7a0ad12722de9dc2db10104deccc0c03058a0)
The US Navy's MQ-8B Fire Scout made its maiden flight with the AN/ZPY-4(V)1 surveillance radar at NAS Patuxent River's Webster Field Annex, Maryland, on 16 June 2014. Source: Northrop Grumman

Key Points
• The US Navy is set to field an improved MQ-8B Fire Scout unmanned aerial system aboard the Littoral Combat Ship USS Coronado in June 2016.
• The MQ-8B UAS is equipped with the newly installed Telephonics X-band RDR-1700B+ maritime surveillance radar.

The US Navy (USN) is nearly ready to commence deployment of a radar-equipped Northrop Grumman MQ-8B Fire Scout vertical take-off and landing unmanned aerial system (UAS) aboard the Littoral Combat Ship USS Coronado (LCS 4) from June 2016, an official from Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) told IHS Jane's .

According to Captain Jeffrey Dodge, Multi-Mission Tactical UAS programme manager at NAVAIR, the MQ-8B has been fitted with the Telephonics X-band RDR-1700B+ multimode maritime surveillance radar which is known in USN service as the AN/ZPY-4(V)1.

The crew of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC)-23 "Wildcards" will be the first USN composite helicopter squadron to operate the enhanced MQ-8B UAS from Coronado in combination with an embarked MH-60S naval helicopter. Pre-deployment training with an under way period for the detachment is expected to commence in March 2016.

"One of the things that we want to use the Fire Scout for is to enhance maritime situational awareness in the sea and airspace around the ship, and persistence is important because you want to keep track of how things change," Capt Dodge said. "Previous to this we were working with an [electro-optical infrared] EO/IR package, and even though we added some algorithms that helped with the detection of targets on the video feed there is still a limit on the field of view that you can get out of it, so we were looking at only a little bit of that sea or airspace at any given time."

"With the radar we are going to open up a 180° aperture and be able to look out at pretty [long] ranges and see it all at once, and that in co-ordination with [built-in] automatic identification system (AIS) to identify merchant shipping will give us a much better ability to be aware of what's going on [before employing] the EO/IR package to visually identify what we are picking up with the radar," he added.

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http://www.janes.com/article/58024/singapore-airshow-2016-usn-set-to-debut-enhanced-mq-8b-fire-scout-uas-aboard-littoral-combat-ship
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Sparkplug op 26/02/2016 | 15:58 uur
Northrop preparing German Euro Hawk to fly again

By James Drew, Washington DC | 26 February 2016

The Northrop Grumman-built Euro Hawk unmanned air vehicle will fly again after the German air force decided to resume testing of the aircraft and its Airbus Defence & Space signals intelligence (SIGINT) payload.

Since the cancellation of Euro Hawk in May 2013, Germany's one RQ-4 Global Hawk-derived full-scale demonstrator has been in storage at Manching Air Base. Plans hatched last year will see testing resume as Germany looks to field the SIGINT payload, perhaps on an alternative platform.

"Working with our German partners, we are returning our full-scale demonstrator to flight status and we continue to negotiate with the German Air Force to prove out that [Airbus] payload that we're currently under contract with," says Northrop Global Hawk chief Mick Jaggers. "I have a crew in Manching right now putting that aircraft back into flight status."

(https://www.flightglobal.com/assets/getasset.aspx?itemid=55670)
Northrop Grumman

Euro Hawk development began in 2000, but the programme was shuttered because of concerns about airworthiness and unmanned aircraft integration in European airspace.

Early-model Global Hawks do not have a weather radar or anti-icing systems, and cannot automatically detect and avoid other aircraft when transiting to their operating altitudes of 60,000ft.

Germany is considering several options for hosting the Airbus-developed electronic and communications intelligence sensor, which began flight testing in January 2013 before being truncated.

One option is the Global Hawk-derived MQ-4C Triton – being built for the US Navy and Australia – or perhaps the same Global Hawk type being delivered to NATO for its Alliance Ground Surveillance (AGS) programme. Another option is to host the payload on a manned business jet aircraft.

Jaggers says airspace integration is not as problematic as it once was for the Global Hawk type.

"We've been in a couple of demos in the European theatre, including Unified Vision in 2014 and Trident Juncture in 2015," he says. "When you look at the airspace that was opened for us, we've been through the entire European airspace right now."

Three "Q-4" types will eventually be hosted in Europe at Sigonella Air Base in Italy: the US Air Force and NATO Global Hawks and MQ-4C Triton. The US military has already begun developing sense-and-avoid technologies and adverse weather modifications for its RQ-4s.

https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/northrop-preparing-german-euro-hawk-to-fly-again-422449/
Titel: Re:U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Sparkplug op 26/02/2016 | 16:00 uur
Enhanced MQ-9 carries out maiden flight

By Beth Stevenson, London | 26 February 2016

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems has carried out the maiden flight of an enhanced endurance variant of its MQ-9 Reaper unmanned air vehicle at its Palmdale, California facility.

Conducted on 18 February, the test flight of the extended range (ER) "Long Wing" MQ-9 saw the UAV fly at 7,500ft and carry out a series of airworthiness manoeuvres. The company says a full test programme will take place to declare the type operationally capable.

The test vehicle was retrofitted with a 4m (13ft) longer wing than the MQ-9 version, at 24m, with an increased internal fuel capacity and additional hardpoints. The wings also have provisions for de-icing and integrated low- and high-band radio-frequency antennas.

The new version of the medium-altitude, long-endurance UAV will be able to fly for 40h, up from the 27h endurance of the previous system.

The US Air Force has fielded an interim retrofitted Block 5 model with an extended range capability that includes auxiliary external fuel tanks and new wings, but General Atomics is looking towards a production variant featuring the longer wings and increased internal fuel capability as a standard that could be certified to fly in national airspace.

The wing has been designed to conform with NATO's airworthiness standard for UAVs and includes lightning and bird strike protection, non-destructive testing, and advanced composite and adhesive materials for extreme environments, General Atomics co-owner Linden Blue says.

The longer wings are the first elements for the certifiable development project, and the first production example is expected in early 2018.

(https://www.flightglobal.com/assets/getasset.aspx?itemid=65430)
US Air Force

Further hardware and software upgrades planned for the certifiable MQ-9 will include sense-and-avoid capability, improved structural fatigue and damage tolerance, more robust flight control software, and enhancements allowing operations in adverse weather, the company says. Other improvements include short-field take-off and landing capability and spoilers on the wings which enable precision automatic landings.

Under its Protector programme, the UK will acquire 20 new UAVs to replace its 10 Block 1 Reapers. It is expected to choose either the Block 5 currently in production or wait for the ER version.

Another recent success for the MQ-9 programme was a contract award from Spain for the delivery of four Block 5 Reapers, plus two ground control stations.

https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/enhanced-mq-9-carries-out-maiden-flight-422452/
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Sparkplug op 08/03/2016 | 19:32 uur
New $2.2 billion Anglo-French FCAS phase announced

By Beth Stevenson, London | 08 March 2016

France and the UK are set to launch a new project under their Future Combat Air System (FCAS) effort that will see unmanned air vehicle prototypes developed under a newly announced £1.54 billion ($2.19 billion) agreement.

UK Prime Minister David Cameron and French President Francois Hollande met in Amiens, France on 3 March, during which they committed funding to build on the programme's two-year £120 million ($170 million) feasibility study phase, that kicked off in November 2014.

The study is expected to conclude in late 2016, and the development of full-scale prototypes is expected to start the following year.

"We are now looking to transition to the next phase in 2017, which will prepare for the full-scale development of unmanned combat air system (UCAS) operational demonstrators by 2025," the governments say.

"This demonstration programme, the most advanced of its kind in Europe, will be centred on a versatile UCAS platform that could serve as the basis for a future operational capability beyond 2030."

The governments intend to invest $2.2 billion in the next stage of the effort and a technical review will be carried out some time around 2020.

"In addition, we will strengthen our collaboration by working together to analyse the future combat air environment, including how manned and unmanned systems might operate together," they add.

The parties involved in the development are split between British and French industry, and include: BAE Systems, Dassault, Finmeccanica Airborne and Space Systems, Rolls-Royce, Snecma/Safran and Thales.

(https://www.flightglobal.com/assets/getasset.aspx?itemid=58369)
BAE Systems

The two leaders also signed an agreement for France to explore the purchase of the MBDA Dual-Mode Brimstone 2 missile for its Airbus Helicopters Tiger attack rotorcraft.

Brimstone is used by UK forces in Iraq and Syria, and "would offer a valuable upgrade to the French arsenal", according to the UK Ministry of Defence.

The March meeting resulted in Cameron and Hollande signing an agreement to begin a joint concept phase for the Future Cruise/Anti-Ship Weapon programme to develop replacements for the MBDA Scalp/Storm Shadow missiles that both countries operate, plus the Harpoon for the UK and Exocet for France.

This concept phase would lead to a decision on replacements by 2020, and it is planned for an arrangement for this to be agreed on by the end of 2016, and for contracts to possibly be signed by March 2017.

UK defence secretary Michael Fallon also agreed one strategic airlift flight per month, to be provided to support French troops involved in counter-terrorism operations in Africa. The Royal Air Force operates eight Boeing C-17 transports that would fit the role, Flightglobal's Fleets Analyzer database shows.

The UK is also considering involvement in Operation Barkhane, Paris' ongoing anti-insurgency mission in the Sahel, Africa, "the modalities of which are still being discussed", the governments say.

"France is grateful for this commitment and supports all its operational aspects," the joint statement adds.

https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/new-22-billion-anglo-french-fcas-phase-announced-422866/
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Sparkplug op 09/03/2016 | 17:59 uur
UAE announced as first export customer for Hammerhead UAV

By Beth Stevenson, London | 09 March 2016

Piaggio Aero has secured the first export order for its P.1HH Hammerhead unmanned air vehicle, following the United Arab Emirates' decision to acquire eight of the type.

The P180 Avanti II twin-pusher-derived UAV will be provided to the nation under a €316 million ($347 million) deal signed between Abu Dhabi Autonomous Systems Investments and the UAE government, Piaggio said on 8 March.

Hammerhead is nearing the end of its development phase, with Piaggio collaborating with fellow Italian company Finmeccanica Airborne and Space Systems, which is providing the mission control system, sensors, data link and ground control station (GCS).

The UAE order will include an electro-optical/infrared payload, radar and "advanced communications", plus logistic support and training, Piaggio says.

(https://www.flightglobal.com/assets/getasset.aspx?itemid=66196)
Piaggio Aero

A domestic order for the medium-altitude, long-endurance (MALE) UAV came in February 2015 when the Italian air force announced plans to acquire six P.1HH air vehicles and three GCSs, deliveries of which are planned for 2016.

Hammerhead competes with platforms such as the General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Predator family of MALE UAVs, and the Israel Aerospace Industries Heron and Elbit Systems Hermes 900 aircraft.

The UAE has also ordered the Predator XP UAV, an export variant of the ubiquitous MQ-1 Predator used by the US armed forces and a number of other militaries, including Italy.

The XP variant is designed to be a surveillance-only system, and does not have the capacity to carry weaponry. While Piaggio has not referred to arming the Hammerhead, the decision of the UAE to acquire two similar types might raise that possibility.

Piaggio is owned by Mubadala Development Company, an Abu Dhabi-based investment firm.

https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/uae-announced-as-first-export-customer-for-hammerhea-422929/
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Elzenga op 09/03/2016 | 20:16 uur
UAE announced as first export customer for Hammerhead UAV.

Niet zo'n verrassende aankoop aangezien bouwer Piaggio goeddeels eigendom is van 1 vd Emiraten. Mede voor mij de reden deze an sich interessante UAV (ook gezien snelheid en stabiliteit) weer te schrappen en niet langer te bepleiten voor Nederland. Had ook niet de indruk dat het toestel verder wordt aangekocht binnen Europa. De Britten, Duitsers en Fransen gaan zelf wat ontwikkelen en kiezen als interim voor variant van de Reaper. Dat is ook de Nederlandse keuze.
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Sparkplug op 28/04/2016 | 10:44 uur
UK selects Certifiable Predator B as Reaper replacement

By Beth Stevenson, London | 27 April 2016

The UK Ministry of Defence has decided to procure the in-development General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Certifiable Predator B unmanned air vehicle under its Protector programme. The UAV will be acquired through a foreign military sales contract with the US Department of Defense.

It was announced in October that the UK would replace its 10-strong MQ-9 Reaper Block 1 fleet with a derivative of the type under Protector, but it was unknown at that time if it would select the certifiable variant or the Block 5 that is currently coming off the production line.

In a 26 April justification document published on the EU's website, the MoD has now revealed that a need for the new system to be flown in UK airspace has led to the decision that the certifiable Predator is the only viable selection for the requirement. Some £415 million ($606 million) will be allocated for the purchase.

"The MoD has conducted a thorough assessment phase, which has concluded that the Certifiable Predator B [CPB] is the only system capable of achieving UK military type certification and delivering the Protector requirement within the required time-scales," the document says. "The only means of acquiring the CPB is through a contract with the US DoD."

Protector will see "more than 20" UAVs acquired to replace the Royal Air Force's in-service Reapers for operations between 2018 and 2030. Speaking last October, Air Cdre Peter Grinstead, head of UK unmanned air systems at the MoD, revealed to a Royal Aeronautical Society conference in London that a new Reaper derivative would be selected for the replacement.

At that time it was unknown which configuration the MoD would select, with Grinstead saying that he could not provide details on the exact configuration until a so-called Main Gate procurement decision was made in March 2016.

(https://www.flightglobal.com/assets/getasset.aspx?itemid=63976)
The extended-range variant
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems

In February, General Atomics announced that a long-endurance Predator B, which will eventually increase the flight time of the Reaper from 27h to 40h, had carried out its first flight.

A test vehicle was retrofitted with a 24m (78.7ft)-long wing – a 4m increase – and the new variant also has an increased internal fuel capacity and additional hardpoints. The wing also has provisions for de-icing and integrated low- and high-band radio-frequency antennas.

The US Air Force has fielded an interim retrofitted Block 5 model with an extended-range capability that includes auxiliary external fuel tanks and a new wing, but General Atomics is looking towards a production variant featuring the longer wing and increased internal fuel capability as a standard that could be certified to fly in national airspace.

The longer wing is the first element for the certifiable development project, and the lead production example is expected to emerge in early 2018.

Further hardware and software upgrades planned for the certifiable MQ-9 include a sense-and-avoid capability, improved structural fatigue and damage tolerance, more robust flight control software and enhancements allowing operations in adverse weather, General Atomics says. Other improvements include short-field take-off and landing capability and spoilers on the wing to enable precision automatic landings.

https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/uk-selects-certifiable-predator-b-as-reaper-replacem-424667/
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Ace1 op 06/05/2016 | 10:20 uur
UCLASS

Our approach leverages the experience of the Skunk Works® and our cross-corporation team to meet the Navy's requirements for a versatile and supportable carrier-based unmanned aircraft. UCLASS will balance endurance, early operational capability, and inherent growth that will enable operations in any environment or threat scenario.

CAPABILITIES

UCLASS is envisioned to be a versatile, carrier-based unmanned aircraft system that will provide persistent ISR collection combined with a light strike capability. Lockheed Martin's innovative approach supports the Navy's efforts to develop an operational UCLASS capability within the current schedule and budget.

http://www.lockheedmartin.com/us/products/uclass.html

Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Poleme op 06/05/2016 | 23:05 uur
Citaat van: Elzenga op 09/03/2016 | 20:16 uur
UAE announced as first export customer for Hammerhead UAV.

Niet zo'n verrassende aankoop aangezien bouwer Piaggio goeddeels eigendom is van 1 vd Emiraten. Mede voor mij de reden deze an sich interessante UAV (ook gezien snelheid en stabiliteit) weer te schrappen en niet langer te bepleiten voor Nederland. Had ook niet de indruk dat het toestel verder wordt aangekocht binnen Europa. De Britten, Duitsers en Fransen gaan zelf wat ontwikkelen en kiezen als interim voor variant van de Reaper. Dat is ook de Nederlandse keuze.
Een Frans defensie materiaal bedrijf kocht ooit eens een Amerikaans defensie bedrijf op.  In het congres waren ze bang dat dat door een buitenlandse onderneming overgenomen bedrijf onbetrouwbaar zou worden voor het Pentagon.  Echter, (pro)actieve congresleden hebben er voor gezorgd dat dat niet gebeurde door allerlei voorwaarden te eisen bij de overname.  En het bleek te werken.

Het is begrijpelijk dat Europese landen voor de bewezen Reaper gaan.   Maar laten we vooral niet vergeten waarom het Frans-Nederlandse Eagle-1 MALE project mislukte.
Een apart en stug land wilde weer dat haar industrie het grootste deel van het werk mocht uitvoeren.  Niet bepaald een EUropese mentaliteit, maar dom protectionisme.

In Nederland vindt men Unmanned Air Vehicles, juist omschreven als Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA), ten onrechte eng.
Ze zijn wel degelijk bemand, alleen zit die in een container op de grond en bestuurd de kist m.b.v. electro-magnetische signalen via een radio of satelliet verbinding.
In die RPA gaat het er nog ouderwets aan toe met stuur kabels of stangen.
Een F-16 en F-35A vlieger bestuurd zijn kist echter niet meer direct via kabels of stangen.  Zijn stuur commando's gaan eerst naar een computer, die die commando's beoordeeld op uitvoerbaarheid en daarna gaan de stuur opdrachten via electro-magnetische signalen door een electra kabel naar de roeren.  Zonder computer kan de vlieger een F-16 niet eens in de lucht houden.  En in de Euro canards, F-22A Raptor en F-35A wordt dit concept nog veel verder doorgevoerd.  Zodat je als vlieger nog minder te zeggen hebt in je 'kantoor'.  Het verschil tussen Remotely Piloted en Onboard Piloted vliegtuigen is dus aan het vervagen.
Inmiddels worden ook helikopters zoals de NH-90 en verkeersvliegtuigen zoals de Airbus A320, A330 etcetera ook op dieze manier gevlogen.

Een simpel kruisvluchtwapen zoals de Harpoon dat maar een keer gebruikt kan worden.  Wordt in de toekomst vervangen door een mini-vliegtuigje, lees bijvoorbeeld Noorse NSM / JSM of Amerikaanse Long Range Anti Ship Missile, die zelfstandig doelen kan opsporen, identificeren, zelf allerlei ontwijkende manoeuvres uitvoert, zelfstandig de zwakste plek aanvalt en kan communiceren via radio of satcom met andere gelijksoortige wapens, vliegtuigen en schepen.  Dit is dus echt een vliegende robot !!

Rent-A-UAV / UAV's leasen? 
Tussen 21-06-09 en 31-07-10 werden totaal 2.098 uur gevlogen (gemiddeld 5 uur 21 minuten) tijdens 392 missies  door gehuurde Aeronautics UAV's.  De inhuur van deze UAV's koste ca. EUR 39 miljoen exclusief mobilisatie / demob.; aanleg van een 700 x 20 meter verharde startbaan en 8 gedetacheerde Nederlandse militairen.  Duur!, daarom doen andere landen ook zo geheimzinnig over de kosten van ingehuurde UAV's.
Conventioneel bemande MC-12W Liberty, een variant van de King Air 350, deed toen USD 18 miljoen per stuk en heeft geen verharde startbaan nodig en doet missies van 6 uur.  De verbeterde King Air 350i haalt zelfs een vliegduur van 7,5 uur en kruist veel sneller en hoger dan een Aeronautics RPA.

We hadden ook voor een Europees alternatief kunnen gaan.
We nemen een Piaggio Avanti of de indrukwekkende en records brekende Grob G520 (NG) en rusten die uit met een Wescam MX-15HDi zoals onder de CH-47F Chinook zit. Als radar nemen we de AESA Seaspray 5000E, die ook in de nieuwste Super Lynx zit.
Zie:  http://www.grob-aircraft.com/index.php/technical-specification-23.html
In de eerste fase opereren we gewoon als Conventionally Piloted Aircraft (CPA) met een of twee 2-voeters in de stuurhut en 1 a 2 sensor operators (senso).
Tegelijkertijd beginnen we met het ontwerpen van een Ground Control Station (GCS).
In de tweede fase gaan we dit GCS bevolken met een schaduw bemanning, bestaande uit een vlieger en een senso die deze Optionally Piloted Vehicle primair bedient. 
In deze OPV komen nog wel 1 a 2 vliegers die overnemen in geval van calamiteit.  Gezien het feit dat op afstand bestuurbare vliegtuigen 10 x vaker neerstorten.
Die hogere crash rate gaan we natuurlijk proberen te verlagen door verbeteringen in software en het integreren van sensoren zodat men in het GCS als het ware rondom en in het vliegtuig kan waarnemen en met een tactiel vest zelfs kan voelen wat er in het OPV gebeurd.
Zie:  www.kennislink.nl/publicaties/tactiel-vest-houdt-piloot-in-positie
In Nederland zijn we erg goed in het ontwikkelen van geavanceerde software, integratie van diverse componenten en ontwikkeling van wereld klasse radar sensoren

Is de software stabiel, werkt alle hardware in kist en GCS naar behoren, is de verbinding betrouwbaar. Hebben de Europese luchtvaart autoriteiten geconcludeerd dat onze kist ook als Remotely Piloted Aircraft door civiel luchtruim kan vliegen.  En zijn onze politici gerust gesteld.  Dan veranderen we in fase 3 de OPV in een volwassen RPA die ook als basis kan dienen voor verdere RPA's en autonome robot vliegtuigen.
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: StrataNL op 07/05/2016 | 03:08 uur
Ben toch wel heel benieuwd hoe de AHRLAC presteert in vergelijking met bovenstaande typen.
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Poleme op 07/05/2016 | 11:12 uur
Computer verslaat de mens op intuitie, niet op rekenkracht.

Google-computer verslaat wereldkampioen "go".

Overwinning Google-computer is 'doorbraak in kunstmatige intelligentie'.

Google heeft de mensheid in het algemeen en de liefhebbers van het bordspel go in het bijzonder van een illusie beroofd.  In de lopende tweekamp tussen de beste go-speler ter wereld en het Google-computerprogramma AlphaGo in Seoel heeft de machine de mens verslagen.  'Ik had niet verwacht dat AlphaGo zo'n perfecte partij zou spelen', zei regerend wereldkampioen Lee Se-dol na afloop.

Hoewel er nog 4 ronden te spelen zijn, vieren computerwetenschappers deze zege van AlphaGo nu al als een doorbraak in kunstmatige intelligentie.
Go beschouwden ze tot nu toe als de heilige graal in hun vak.   Het klassieke Chinese bordspel met zijn biljoenen mogelijke zetten is veel complexer dan schaken.
Met dat bordspel liet de machine - IBM's Deep Blue - bijna 20 jaar terug de mens - schaakmeester Gary Kasparov - al in het stof bijten.   

Hoogleraar Max Welling van de Universiteit van Amsterdam is onder de indruk van AlphaGo's zege.  'Dat een computer het kan, was me wel duidelijk.
Dat AlphaGo nu heeft gewonnen is wel een prestatie.'   Experts hadden de kansen van de machine vooraf ingeschat op fifty-fifty.

Dat computers steeds krachtiger zijn geworden heeft zeker bijgedragen, denkt Welling, maar van grotere invloed is het zelflerende karakter van AlphaGo. Het team van Google heeft de computer met een aantal systemen laten trainen en daarvan laten leren. Zo hebben ze de machine een professionele go-speler laten nadoen en partijen laten spelen tegen een oudere versie van zichzelf. Welling noemt dat 'behoorlijk inventief. De schaal waarop hier machine learning is toegepast is nog niet eerder vertoond.'   

Zelf lerend.

Helemaal onverwacht komt de zege van AlphaGo niet.   Die versloeg eerder met ruime voorsprong de Europees kampioen go, Fan Hui: de computer won alle 5 partijen van de 34-jarige in China geboren Fransman. Vooraf had wereldkampioen Se-dol laten weten dat hij zijn kansen hoog inschat. 'Ik heb er alle vertrouwen in dat ik in elk geval dit keer zal winnen.'

Beter.

Nu go bijna kan worden bijgeschreven als triomf van de technologie groeit de lijst met spellen waarin de computer beter is. De sterkere opvolger van Deep Blue uit 1997, IBM's Watson, bracht in 2011 een nederlaag toe aan twee tegenstanders van vlees en bloed in de televisiequiz Jeopardy. In 2007 won de computer bij het woordspel Scrabble. In 1979 versloeg een computer de wereldkampioen backgammon.   

In 1994 dreigde een oud-wereldkampioen checkers (een variant van  dammen) het onderspit te delven tegen zijn digitale tegenstander Chinook. De tweekamp eindigde onbeslist omdat Marion Tinsley wegens gezondheidsproblemen afhaakte. Hij overleed een jaar later, na een carrière van 45 jaar waarin hij maar zeven partijen verloor (waarvan twee tegen de computer). Chinook zou later grootmeesters als Don Lafferty verslaan.

Computers zijn inmiddels ook al een kei in het bedenken van spellen. Vorig jaar onthulden Amerikaanse wetenschappers een programma dat zelfstandig nieuwe levels (hoofdstukken) kan ontwikkelen voor Super Mario. Hoe? Door veel naar filmpjes te kijken waarin mensen dit computerspel spelen.   (bron:Volkskrant 9 maart 2016)

In het weekend van 19 en 20 maart '16 wist AlphaGo van de 5 partijen er vier te winnen van Lee Sedol.

Computer programma's gebaseerd op wiskundige algoritmen werken heel goed in voorspelbare situaties.
Nou is er niets zo onvoorspelbaar als oorlog.  De meeste uitgevoerde acties zijn irrationeel. 
Stel je eens voor dat een Kunstmatig Intellectueel systeem jou kan helpen.  Door de (enorme) stress en geestelijke vermoeidheid op het slagveld zijn je cognitieve vaardigheden flink aangetast.  Hiermee wordt het vermogen om kennis op te nemen en verwerken bedoeld, maar ook zaken als waarnemen, denken, taal, bewustzijn, geheugen, aandacht en concentratie.
Je bent niet de eerste die gedood of verwond wordt omdat deze vaardigheden (zwaar) verminderd zijn door bovengenoemde omstandigheden.
En Edwin Rommel zei ooit eens: degene die de minste fouten op het slagveld maakt wint.
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Poleme op 07/05/2016 | 12:06 uur
Back To The Future.  Kunstmatige Intelligentie in Wapensystemen.

1988, de Intel 80386 processor met een klok snelheid 16 - 40 MHz (Mega Hertz) is dan al 3 jaar op de markt.

In een laboratorium van LockheedMartin wordt een demonstratie gegeven van de Pilot's Associate (PA).
PA was een gezamenlijk project van DARPA, de US Air Force, LockheedMartin en McDonnell Douglas van 1986 tot en met 1992.
De Pilot's Associate was Kunstmatige Intelligentie bedoeld om de vlieger te helpen bij het maken van cruciale beslissingen, het onderhouden van het omstandigheden overzicht en het beperken van de werklast.  Zeg maar een robot co-piloot.

Het Pilot's Associate project bleek een succes, maar werd nooit toegepast in de F-22A Raptor. 

Following successful demonstration of this technology, one might well ask where it is today. First, we should record the fact that the team did enjoy the unqualified support of DARPA and the Air Force for 6 years, and $42 million – a long time for DARPA funding to last. To some extent, the Lockheed PA team was a victim of its own early success. Demo 2 in the middle of Phase 1 was such an eye-popping success that the original development strategy was accelerated. The original plan was to demonstrate capability on Phase 1, grow to a full operational knowledge base in Phase 2, and achieve real-time performance on a stable knowledge base in Phase 3. With the success of Phase 1, it was decided to combine the original Phases 2 and 3, simultaneously enhancing the knowledge bases and recoding for real-time operation. There were significant issues associated with achieving real-time, notably getting C++ to behave properly across multiple processors with shared memory. Consequently, at the time when we needed aggressive marketing to promote the next phase of development, it appeared that we were not going to achieve the revised goals of Phase 2. The marketing effort faded, and in spite of the eventual success of Demo 4, there was no follow-on activity in place.

The situation was not helped by the state of the F-22 program at that time. While DARPA and the Air Force were looking to the F-22 as the application vehicle for this technology, neither the contractor team (Lockheed Martin and Boeing) nor the Air Force Program office could be convinced of the applicability of the technology. At that period of time, there were no aircraft flying, and the program was more concerned with the airframe and its cost than with the potential that more technology in the cockpit might help the pilot to be more effective.

So the the applicability of this concept was demonstrated in a realistic simulation environment, but it was left to the PA contractors to take the technology to the marketplace. The following is a partial list of the subsequent applications:

The Rotorcraft Pilot's Associate is the Army's application of PA technology. The Lockheed team combined with Sikorsky helicopters to compete against a team that has subsequently by way of acquisitions become Boeing helicopters. The Boeing team, using the technology from the McDonnell Douglas Pilot's Associate program, was awarded the contract, and is close to flight test of the system. Some of the Lockheed team subcontractors were involved in the PVI implementation, attempting to integrate the PGG approach with the Task Network used by Boeing. I'm not sure that integration ever succeeded very well.
It seemed that Air Traffic Management (ATM) offered a significant opportunity for PA technology to improve the safety and efficiency of airline operations, and the integration of military air traffic into the civilian networks. NASA sponsored a significant amount of studies. The results were enough to show that PA technology could enable free flight throughout the continental and trans-oceanic air space, with enormous savings in operational costs for the airlines and the Air Traffic Control infrastructure, while also offering an extra level of safety. However, the handoff to the FAA was never achieved, some opportunities to demonstrate capability came and went, and the effort has languished.
(bron: http://www.dms489.com/pilots-associate/back-to-the-future/   David M. Smith, welke aan de Pilot's Associate werkte)

In de B-2A Spirit worden niet eens 386 processors gebruikt, daar moet men het nog doen met de vorige 286 processors.
Naast de Pilot's Associate had DARPA samen met de US Navy het Battle Management System, een "expert systeem" (K.I.)  aan boord van een vliegdekschip dat de bevelvoerder moest adviseren.  En DARPA had samen met de US Army een zelfde soort project met het testen van een autonoom land voertuig.
De US Navy zag af van het BMS, omdat men liever met conventionele computers werkte op basis van wiskundige algoritmes.  Stel je eens voor dat zo een BMS jou tegenspreekt of uiteindelijk slimmer blijkt te zijn dan jij, denk aan AlphaGo.
Het US Army autonoom voertuig 'beet in het zand'.  Want computer processors van die tijd konden nog niet meerdere instructies tegelijk uitvoeren, waren simpelweg nog niet snel genoeg en hadden veel te weinig RAM geheugen voor het meevoeren van databases.

In 1993 werd de "Pentium 1" ingevoerd, welke wel superscalair was, dus meerdere instructies tegelijk kon uitvoeren.  En bij de Pentium 1 processor lag het accent op rekenkracht.  De kloksnelheid ging naar 60 - 300 MHz.   Had mijn PC in 1990 nog een geheugen ruimte van 20 MB, in 1994 kocht ik een 486 met een kloksnelheid van 66  MHz en 350 MB geheugen.
Sinds 2008 kunnen we gebruik maken van processors zoals de Intel Core i7 met een kloksnelheid van 2,66 - 4,40 GHz en harde schijven met 500 GB tot 1 TerraByte.
Dus willen we veel rekenkracht en geheugen kwijt in de zeer beperkte ruimte van een vliegtuig, helikopter of raket, dan is dat in ieder geval geen probleem meer.

Is de hardware architectuur van de F-35A in de TR1 versie nog afkomstig uit de tweede helft van de nineties.
In de F-35A block 3 zit de TR2 hardware en die electronica en haar architectuur stamt uit de tweede helft van het vorige decennium.
De werkdruk in de F-35A is net als in de F-22A veel lager dan in de F-16.  Bij wijze van spreken: je rijdt vandaag in het lekkere zonnetje met je Porsche door de straat.
Je moet even met je rechterhand door het bijrijders vakje / kastje tasten om je zonnebril te vinden.  Tegelijkertijd kijk je verlekkert naar die blondine of brunette met haar korte rokje en hoge hakken op de stoep.  De boord computer van je auto zorgt er echter voor dat je niet van je rijstrook afgeraakt.
Terug naar de F-35A; je hoeft je dus minder bezig te houden met het vliegen van je kist.  Maar je kunt je nu veel meer concentreren op het vechten met je vliegend wapensysteem.

Onze krijgsmacht heeft steeds meer moeite om geschikte kandidaten te vinden.
De KLu denkt 4 MQ-9 Reapers in te kunnen zetten met 96 personeelsleden.
De MQ-9 is nog steeds "man in the loop", zowel qua vliegen als qua waarnemen en vechten.
Volgende stap is "man ON the loop".   Dat betekend niet meer 1 vlieger en 1 sensor operator per Reaper.   Maar 1 bemanning die meerdere Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) aan gaat sturen.   Maar dan moeten die RPA's wel slimmer van zich zelf worden.
Dat zelfde geldt voor de enorme vloed aan gegevens (data) die verwerkt moet worden tot informatie en vervolgens voorzien van een context om het te veranderen in het eindproduct: inlichtingen.
Dit hele proces is monniken werk.  Stel je eens voor, als KI dit op zijn minst voor een deel kan overnemen.
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Poleme op 07/05/2016 | 12:34 uur
Zelfrijdende auto moet nog veel leren.

De zelfrijdende auto komt eraan. Vijftig exemplaren rijden woensdag 16 maart '16 tijdens een proefrit over rijksweg A2. Technisch kan het, maar hoe bepaal je wat zo'n auto doet in een noodsituatie? En ook: wíe bepaalt dat? Een fatale fout ligt op de loer.

Valentijnsdag in Mountain View, Californië. Een auto sorteert rechts voor. Omdat er zandzakken op de rijbaan liggen, wil hij weer terug naar de linkerrijbaan. Er valt een gaatje en de auto trekt op om in te voegen. Maar een bus die eraan komt, mindert geen vaart. Een kras op de bus en een deuk in de auto zijn het resultaat.

Dit ongelukje van niks, dat iedereen had kunnen overkomen, werd vorige maand wereldnieuws, want de auto was een zelfrijdende auto van Google. De machine, die al miljoenen schadevrije kilometers had afgelegd, maakte een inschattingsfout met een ongeluk als gevolg. De vraag is nu: willen we accepteren dat zelfrijdende auto's, geprogrammeerd door fabrikanten, fatale fouten kunnen maken?

Is het filosofie?
Universitair hoofddocent Jan Broersen doet aan de Universiteit Utrecht onderzoek naar de ethiek van kunstmatige intelligentie, onder andere bij zelfrijdende auto's. Broersen is informaticus én filosoof. ,,De verantwoordelijkheid van kunstmatige intelligentie is uiteindelijk een filosofisch onderwerp. Informatici hebben hun focus op de vraag hoe je de machines maakt, niet op de vragen die ze oproepen. Maar hoe zit het als er iets fout gaat? Ethici en filosofen denken daarover na.''

Want wat doet de auto als een jongetje plots de weg op rent en de enige manier om het kind te ontwijken, leidt tot een frontale botsing met een tegenligger? Misschien redt de zelfrijdende auto door uit te wijken het leven van het kind en behoedt de airbag de bestuurder voor een akelige dood. Maar wat doet de auto als-ie weet dat je zelf drie kinderen in de auto hebt en de tegenligger een vrachtauto is?

Goed en fout.
,De vraag is hoe we dat in een auto moeten programmeren, zodanig dat het door ons allemaal wordt geaccepteerd,'' zegt Broersen. ,,Je kunt systemen maken die redeneren met morele regels en wetten. En met andere technieken kun je een auto ook een soort normbesef geven. De afwegingen worden dan gemaakt door hem heel veel voorbeelden te geven van wat goed en fout is. Wat een auto met dat overstekende kind moet doen? Wat vind je dat een mens zou moeten doen? Als je daar uit bent, kun je het in de auto programmeren. Maar het soort afwegingen dat een mens maakt, zullen we zelfrijdende auto's nooit gunnen. Als een auto zelfstandig een beslissing neemt waarbij iemand om het leven komt - waarvan wij later zeggen: dat was echt fout - dan heeft de maker van die auto een probleem.''

Momenteel voeren de voordelen van een zelfrijdende auto nog ruimschoots de boventoon. Wereldwijd komen jaarlijks 1,2 miljoen mensen om in het verkeer. De zelfrijdende auto gaat dat aantal verkeersslachtoffers enorm reduceren. ,,Een zelfrijdende auto is nooit moe, heeft geen slechte ogen, heeft geen ruzie met zijn partner. Het gebrek aan kunstmatige intelligentie wordt gecompenseerd door een betere rijvaardigheid.''

Maar er is nu nog niets geregeld als het gaat over welke normen en waarden we een zelfrijdende auto moeten meegeven. Krijgt een Audi andere normen dan een Google Car? Maakt een Apple andere ethische afwegingen dan een BMW? Broersen: ,,Misschien krijgen we wel verschillende soorten zelfrijdende auto's. Nu kiezen we op snelheid en comfort. Misschien komt er een auto die remt voor dieren en baseren mensen hun aankoop op het ethisch handelen van de auto. De politiek zal de leemte in de wetgeving moeten aanpassen. Die discussie barst pas los op het moment dat er mensen komen te overlijden door zelfrijdende auto's.''

Aansprakelijk.
Bij de testrit van morgen op de A2 wil verzekeringsmakelaar Aon inzicht krijgen in wie straks aansprakelijk is bij een ongeluk: de 'bestuurder' of de fabrikant. De auto's van BMW, Hyundai, Mercedes, Tesla, Toyota en Volvo mogen overigens nog niet zelf sturen, ze bepalen alleen de snelheid en de onderlinge afstand.

De Conventie van Geneve, Rules of Engagement.
Ook een gerobotiseerd wapensysteem kan normen en waarden worden aangeleerd.
Zowel in vredestijd als in oorlog willen we natuurlijk eerst onze voorhoofd kwab van de hersenen gebruiken.  Daar gebeurd: Planning, Organiseren, Geheugen, Impulscontrole,
Het oplossen van problemen,  Selectieve aandacht, Besluitvorming, Het beheersen van het gedrag en de emoties.

Naar den Oorlog.
Maar dan kom je in een conflict situatie, tijd om fatsoenlijk na te denken is er niet.  Tijd om de instincten aan te spreken in de hersenstam. 
De hersenstam speelt een vitale rol in aandacht, opwinding, en bewustzijn.  De hormonen gieren 'door de keel', agressie, angsten.  En daar wordt ook de beslissing genomen: vecht ik of ga ik vluchten?
Hoe gaat een gerobotiseerd wapensysteem zonder al die hormonen dit oppakken ?
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Elzenga op 07/05/2016 | 15:08 uur
Citaat van: Poleme op 06/05/2016 | 23:05 uur
.......

We hadden ook voor een Europees alternatief kunnen gaan.
We nemen een Piaggio Avanti of de indrukwekkende en records brekende Grob G520 (NG) en rusten die uit met een Wescam MX-15HDi zoals onder de CH-47F Chinook zit. Als radar nemen we de AESA Seaspray 5000E, die ook in de nieuwste Super Lynx zit.
Zie:  http://www.grob-aircraft.com/index.php/technical-specification-23.html
In de eerste fase opereren we gewoon als Conventionally Piloted Aircraft (CPA) met een of twee 2-voeters in de stuurhut en 1 a 2 sensor operators (senso).
Tegelijkertijd beginnen we met het ontwerpen van een Ground Control Station (GCS).
In de tweede fase gaan we dit GCS bevolken met een schaduw bemanning, bestaande uit een vlieger en een senso die deze Optionally Piloted Vehicle primair bedient. 
In deze OPV komen nog wel 1 a 2 vliegers die overnemen in geval van calamiteit.  Gezien het feit dat op afstand bestuurbare vliegtuigen 10 x vaker neerstorten.
Die hogere crash rate gaan we natuurlijk proberen te verlagen door verbeteringen in software en het integreren van sensoren zodat men in het GCS als het ware rondom en in het vliegtuig kan waarnemen en met een tactiel vest zelfs kan voelen wat er in het OPV gebeurd.
Zie:  www.kennislink.nl/publicaties/tactiel-vest-houdt-piloot-in-positie
In Nederland zijn we erg goed in het ontwikkelen van geavanceerde software, integratie van diverse componenten en ontwikkeling van wereld klasse radar sensoren

Is de software stabiel, werkt alle hardware in kist en GCS naar behoren, is de verbinding betrouwbaar. Hebben de Europese luchtvaart autoriteiten geconcludeerd dat onze kist ook als Remotely Piloted Aircraft door civiel luchtruim kan vliegen.  En zijn onze politici gerust gesteld.  Dan veranderen we in fase 3 de OPV in een volwassen RPA die ook als basis kan dienen voor verdere RPA's en autonome robot vliegtuigen.
Er zijn inderdaad een aantal interessante Europese alternatieven beschikbaar. Een aantal EUropese landen zijn nu bezig met de ontwikkeling van een MALE UCAV. Ik ben benieuwd wat dat wordt. Tot die tijd is denk ik de Reaper voor Nederland de beste keuze...ook gezien de invoering bij meerdere EU/NAVO lidstaten. Er zijn interessantere alternatieven denkbaar...ik ging eerst nog voor de Piaggio Hamerhead...maar dat wordt toch te beperkt opgepakt. En ik vind eigendom van een Golfstaat toch net even minder wenselijk dan van een bedrijf binnen de eigen EU of NAVO lidstaat.
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Ronald Elzenga op 31/01/2017 | 14:54 uur
AFP news agency
‏@AFP
First-person view drone racing takes off: 'It's like you're a bird,' says Britain's 16-year-old champion @AFPfeature http://u.afp.com/4c65
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/C3f1nTiWIAETVyE.jpg)

De drone-hunters van morgen en de nabije toekomst?!

(https://cdn0.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/7080203/pd6b-aw-arm_01-1024x683.jpg)
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Ronald Elzenga op 06/03/2017 | 13:20 uur
Was A New Type Of Drone-Launched Weapon Used To Kill Al Qaeda's #2 Man?
The images from the scene suggest an unfamiliar drone-launched weapon attacked Abu Khayr al-Masri's sedan with extreme precision and little collateral damage.
By Tyler RogowayFebruary 27, 2017

http://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/7914/was-a-new-type-of-drone-launched-weapon-used-to-kill-al-qaedas-2-man?xid=twittershare
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Ronald Elzenga op 14/03/2017 | 14:37 uur
Russian armored vehicles based on Armata chassis to be equiped with UAV
          
Future Russian armor on the Armata commonized heavy tracked chassis will be equipped with Pterodactyl unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), according to the Izvestia daily newspaper.
T-14 Armata
          
The combat vehicles of the Armata family will be furnished with reconnaissance drones designed to reconnoiter the battlefield tens of kilometers around the operators to develop the situation and cue artillery fires and guided missiles onto targets. The UAV from the Moscow Aviation Institute (MAI) has unlimited loitering time because it has no onboard batteries and its power supply is via a flexible cable from a combat vehicle.

The Pterodactyl is a lightweight drone with composite skin, which will be tethered to combat vehicles with a flexible cable. The UAV will loiter with a radius of 50-100 m around its vehicle at an altitude of tens of meters. It will carry a radar and a thermal imager.

Compared with radio-controlled UAVs, the Pterodactyl will remain airborne for much longer time and carry heavier payloads, because it will not have to haul batteries. Another plus of the tethered drone is complete security against enemy electronic intelligence (ELINT) efforts.

Another of the Pterodactyl's features is its tilt-wing design affording the aircraft the strengths of the airplane and the helicopter. The solution enables the UAV to fly fast enough to move along its tank at full speed. To cap it all, the drone can take off from small airstrips, including doing so right off the tank's hull.
The concept of a tethered recon drone controlled via a flexible cable has been around for a while. It was pioneered by the West German-made Dornier Do-32K experimental unmanned helicopter controlled and fed the juice via a cable," expert Oleg Zheltonozhko tells Izvestia. "At present, the cable interface is used by the Israeli-made Hovermast copter but it is not used as part of a combat vehicle."

According to Zheltonozhko, there are no systems yet, in which a recon drone is organic to a combat vehicle. "Using a light UAV fitted with a thermal imager and a radar system as an external means of observation seems to be a logical solution for future armor, which guns outrange its onboard target acquisition instruments," the expert says. "For instance, the main armament of the Armata [tank] has a range of 8 km, while its onboard observation devices can spot an enemy tank at a range of 5 km.

In addition, the tank using the Pterodactyl will develop the situation while remaining in a shelter or behind buildings or accidents of the ground." In Zheltonozhko's opinion, equipping armored vehicles with external surveillance systems with a coverage of at least 10 km will afford the Armata an undeniable edge over any current opponent, according to the Izvestia daily.
http://www.armyrecognition.com/weapons_defence_industry_military_technology_uk/russian_armored_vehicles_based_on_armata_chassis_to_be_equiped_with_uav_tass_81403174.html
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Ace1 op 30/03/2017 | 20:45 uur


Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Ronald Elzenga op 12/04/2017 | 11:17 uur

US Navy MQ-8C Fire Scout completes initial littoral combat ship testing


(https://www.defensieforum.nl/Forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fnavaltoday.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2017%2F04%2Fus-navy-mq-8c-fire-scout-completes-initial-littoral-combat-ship-testing-320x180.jpg&hash=131cb4bc461b7db451133e8702724b1efd7ab59f)
An MQ-8C Fire Scout unmanned helicopter conducts first test flight from USS Montgomery (LCS-8) April 5 off the coast of California. Photo: US Navy

The U.S. Navy's MQ-8C Fire Scout unmanned helicopter completed the initial testing phase aboard a littoral combat ship returning from USS Montgomery (LCS-8) on April 11.

The Fire Scout test team along with USS Montgomery sailors conducted dynamic interface testing to verify the MQ-8C launch and recovery procedures and test interoperability between the unmanned helicopter and the ship.

"This testing is critical as it provides the flight envelope to safely execute MQ-8C flights from this class of ship," said Richard Gorman, Fire Scout lead assistant program manager for test and evaluation. "This test puts the MQ-8C one step closer to successfully deploying aboard the Navy's fleet of littoral combat ships."

The team conducted more than 37 recovery evolutions over seven days to verify Fire Scout's capability to operate without degradation from electromagnetic interference, as well as provide pitch, roll and wind limits.

"This test established the MQ-8C Fire Scout as a maritime platform, bringing superior endurance and payload flexibility to the Fleet, bringing capability that the U.S. Navy will continue to use for many years to come," said Capt. Jeff Dodge, Fire Scout program manager.

The MQ-8C is a larger variant than the MQ-8B and provides longer endurance (8 hours on station), range (150 NM) and greater payload capability (700 pounds). The Navy approved the "C" variant for Milestone C in early April and will begin initial operational test and evaluation in fall 2017.

Fire Scout complements the manned MH-60 helicopter by extending the range and endurance of ship-based operations. It provides situational awareness and precision target support for the Navy with its ability to detect, identify, track, and potentially engage threats at extended ranges while supporting maritime requirements across the range of military operations.

http://navaltoday.com/2017/04/12/us-navy-mq-8c-fire-scout-completes-initial-littoral-combat-ship-testing/


Waar blijft de Europese equivalent?!?!
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Ronald Elzenga op 28/04/2017 | 15:22 uur
Military Drones Can Now Deal With Threats on Their Own

An exercise called Have Raider II sent a drone F-16 into (simulated) harm's way.

Read more: http://www.airspacemag.com/daily-planet/no-pilot-no-problem-180963050/#OQRTJgUVRJzEGYmx.99
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Poleme op 02/05/2017 | 21:44 uur
(Helaas, was dit gepost in topic "Rijksbegroting en Politieke toekomst)
Landmacht oefent met 'oude zooi'

http://www.telegraaf.nl/reportage/28077580/__Landmacht_oefentmet__oude_zooi___.html

Citaat uit Telegraaf: Wat de Nederlanders ook ervoeren was de onmisbaarheid van drones. Die permanent boven het gebied cirkelende onbemande vliegtuigen leveren informatie over waar de vijand zich ophoudt en wat hij doet. Ze zijn een onmisbare schakel bij de inzet van artillerie of het kunnen ontkomen aan een vijandelijke beschieting. Helemaal in het geval van de Russen die het werken met de onbemande toestellen goed in de vingers hebben.

,,Nederland beschikt niet over zulke drones. Dat is een serieuze handicap", aldus brigade-generaal b.d. Ruud Vermeulen.

Reactie van lid Harald in # reactie 13950 Rijksbegroting & politieke toekomst:  "ahhhhhhhhhhaaaaa, daarom nu ook het doorzetten met de aankoop van de Reapers ? !, maar als deze alleen voor INTELL gebruikt gaan worden, dan zijn er ook andere systemen.
En hoe zit het met de allang verwachte aankoop van RQ-21A Blackjack/Integrator's  ???  ... prima UAV's voor INTELL"

Reactie # 13951 van lid StrataNL in dat topic: "Zouden in 2014 al komen...nooit gezien. Destijds nog Boeing Insitu Integrator.
In plaats daarvan is (een deel van?) de ScanEagle vloot omgebouwd naar de digitale versie."

Beste brigade-generaal b.d. Van Oktober 2006 tot April 2007 gingen 8 van de in totaal 34 Sperwer RPA's 'op safari' naar Uruzgan.
De eerste sortie vond plaats op 31-12-2006 en er werden slechts 80 missies gevlogen en 2 Sperwers werden beschadigd na een crash!
Op 4 September 2008 vloog de Sperwer weer haar eerste operationele vlucht voor de tweede 6 maanden lange uitzending tot 1 Maart 2009.  Daarna waren de Sperwers niet meer beschikbaar voor uitzending vanwege personeelsgebrek. Officieel heet het dat dat komt door bezuinigingen in 2007 op de exploitatie van de Sperwer's.
Officieus heeft men in de Sperwer eenheid veel personeel (25 - 30 % van de sterkte) oneervol moeten ontslaan, wegens drugsgebruik.
Dus besloot men om de resterende 15 maanden tot 1 Augustus 2010 onbemande vliegtuigjes in te huren, die maandelijks totaal 270 uur zouden moeten vliegen.

Even een citaat van Harald in het topic "UAV, einde van de Sperwer, begin van de ScanEagle en wat erna ... :
Defensie koopt Scaneagle als tussenoplossing voor de UAV.   
zie: http://www.defensieforum.nl/Forum/index.php/topic,21578.msg241835.html#msg241835

"Maar de reactie (van Locum) die onder het artikel (zie ook hieronder) is interessant. Volgens mij heeft Poleme ook als eens zo'n opmerking geplaatst over gebruik van UAV ten opzichte van vliegtuigen ala King Air MC-12.
Locum wrote:
Added Value and a rollercoaster learning curve.
We bought 34 Sperwers for in total approx NLG 180 million /  EUR 81,68 million / ± USD 115 million = EUR 70.965 / USD 99.351 per flight hour for procurement costs only! The 8 or so Sperwers left Afghanistan in the beginning of 2009.  So we rented AeroStar UAV's from 21 June '09 till 31 July '10. The on average 5 Aerostars made 392 sorties and 2.098 flight hours over Afghanistan = on average 5 hours and 21 minutes per sortie.
The total lease price for the Aerostars was EUR 39 / USD 54.6 million (200 million Shekelim).  Excluding the construction of a concrete 20 x 700 meter runway built by flown in Dutch engineers and a Dutch MinDef UAV detachement of 8 pax.   EUR 39 million / 2.098 hours = 18.589,13 Euro Cost Per Flight Hour !!!

For USD 54.6 million they could have bought 3 MC-12W King Air's. The MC-12W does not need a concrete runway, a dirt strip is enough. It carries a much larger payload with far better performance and the same maximum endurance as an Aerostar over Uruzgan (8 hours).

Besides 2 Dutch crashed Sperwers, as well as 2 Aerostars had to make an emergency landing.  In which 1 Aerostar was damaged substantially and had to be sent back to Israel for repair.
UAV's have a 10 times higher crash rate than manned aircraft.  They have problems with bandwith.
UAV's need relatively more personnel than manned ISR aircraft.  Manned ISR planes do not have problems in constricted airspace.

So if you are very tight on the money, like the Dutch armed forces.
It is better to look for a conventionally manned ISR solution. Or alternatively go for a small fleet of Optionally Piloted ISR Vehicles. OPV's are approx 25 - 30% cheaper in exploitation than UAV's."
( ;D  Locum is overigens inderdaad een 'tweeling broertje' van Poleme)

In 2012 heeft Nederland met HGIS gelden 1 analoog ScanEagle systeem aangeschaft, met 6 vliegtuigen, in beheer gegeven aan DMO en in bruikleen gegeven aan 107 ASBt
(Aerial Systems Battery) van het CLAS.
Dit analoge systeem mag in Nederland niet vliegen, omdat de gebruikte frequenties mogelijk storen op civiele communicatiemiddelen.  De 2 digitale ScanEagle systemen met elk 3 vliegtuigjes, die in juni 2013 in gebruik zijn genomen, hebben dit probleem niet. 

De verschillen tussen beide systemen zijn vooral het verzenden van informatie (analoog, digitaal) en de motor (carburateur, elektronische inspuiting).

Inzet Ocean Shield
In augustus 2012 maakte het analoge ScanEagle systeem voor het eerst vanaf Hr. Ms. Rotterdam een operationele vlucht om onbekende schepen te detecteren en mogelijke piraterijactiviteiten te onderzoeken.  Dit gebeurde tijdens de NAVO-antipiraterijmissie Ocean Shield boven de Golf van Aden.   De RDAM scheepte toen in totaal 5 ScanEagle vliegtuigjes  en 19 pax 'grond' personeel van de KL in.
In 2013 ging het analoge verkenning systeem opnieuw mee voor antipiraterijmissie in Somalië, dit keer met Zr. Ms. Johan de Witt.
De Z-0699 crashte echter op 26 september 2013, zeer waarschijnlijk door corrosie op een avionics board, ontstaan door een niet adequaat aangebrachte anti-corrosie film door de de fabrikant.  Hierdoor ontstond een elektrische storing, waardoor de snelheid foutief werd weer gegeven.

Gedurende de periode mei 2012 tot en met november 2013 zijn er in totaal 132 vluchten met het analoge ScanEagle systeem uitgevoerd met een totale vliegduur van *** uur.
(* = gerubriceerd)
Tja brigade-generaal b.d. de inzetbaarheid van de ScanEagles is gerubriceerd, want om te huilen.

Dan kunt u wel vragen of MinDef UAV's / RPA's wil aanschaffen.

Laten we eerst maar eens de productiviteit / inzetbaarheid van de nu aanwezige RPA's eens in orde maken.








Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Sparkplug op 08/05/2017 | 14:48 uur
USAF adds JDAM to MQ-9 Reaper inventory (http://www.janes.com/article/70153/usaf-adds-jdam-to-mq-9-reaper-inventory)

Janes
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter) op 08/05/2017 | 19:46 uur
More Details Emerge On Kratos' Optionally Expendable Air Combat Drones

http://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/7449/more-details-on-kratos-optionally-expendable-air-combat-drones-emerge

Kratos Names Combat UAVs 'Mako,' 'Valkyrie'

http://aviationweek.com/awindefense/kratos-names-combat-uavs-mako-valkyrie via @aviationweek
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Ace1 op 21/08/2017 | 11:59 uur
Techbedrijven vragen VN om verbod op 'killer robots'

Oprichters van 116 bedrijven in de robotica en de kunstmatige intelligentie willen dat de Verenigde Naties dodelijke autonome wapens, zoals zichzelf besturende tanks en drones, verbieden. Ze vrezen een oncontroleerbare wapenwedloop waarbij wereldwijd veel slachtoffers kunnen vallen. Dat schrijven ze in een open brief die maandag in Melbourne wordt gepresenteerd, op de eerste dag van 's werelds grootste conferentie over kunstmatige intelligentie IJCAJ.

'Je wilt de beslissing over leven en dood niet aan machines overlaten', zegt Toby Walsh, hoogleraar kunstmatige intelligentie aan de universiteit van New South Wales en initiatiefnemer van de open brief.

Het is de eerste keer dat roboticabedrijven gezamenlijk een verklaring afgeven over de gevaren van het gebruik van robottechniek en kunstmatige intelligentie. De ondertekenaars komen uit 26 verschillende landen. Een van hen is Tesla-oprichter Elon Musk, bekend om zijn kritiek op autonome wapens.

Geen druk op de knop
De technische ontwikkelingen brengen autonome drones, tanks en onderzeeboten steeds dichterbij. 'In principe kunnen we ze nu al maken', zegt Koen Hindriks, universitair hoofddocent aan de TU Delft en ceo van roboticabedrijf Interactive Robotics, die de open brief ook heeft ondertekend. Deze wapens kunnen volgens Hindriks nog niet goed onderscheiden op welke doelen ze schieten. 'Maar je hebt altijd mensen die ze toch gaan bouwen', zegt hij.

Autonome wapens kunnen het machtsevenwicht in de wereld verstoren, meent Walsh. 'Vroeger had je een heel leger nodig om een oorlog te beginnen, en nu alleen een paar programmeurs', zegt Walsh. Hij is bovendien bang dat hackers met autonome wapens aan de haal kunnen gaan.

Anders dan de bestaande onbemande drones worden autonome wapens niet op afstand bestuurd en bepalen ze zelf wanneer ze een doel beschieten. Het is lang niet zeker dat ze ook in onoverzichtelijke situaties de juiste beslissing nemen. 'Robots werken goed in gecontroleerde omgevingen als fabrieken', zegt Walsh. 'Oorlogen zijn zo chaotisch, het is de laatste plek waar je een robot wilt inzetten.'

Mens 'in the loop'
In verschillende landen denkt de overheid al na over de regulering van autonome wapens. De Verenigde Staten waren in 2012 het eerste land dat bepaalde dat er bij autonome wapens altijd een mens 'in the loop' moet zitten. Dat betekent dat mensen de uiteindelijke beslissing mogen nemen om te schieten. De Nederlandse ministers van Defensie en Buitenlandse Zaken schreven in een brief aan de Tweede Kamer dat menselijke controle wat hen betreft alleen noodzakelijk is bij het programmeren van de wapens, de zogenoemde 'wider loop'.

Dat gaat niet ver genoeg, stelt Miriam Struyk, programmaleider 'killer robots' bij vredesorganisatie Pax, die samen met andere non-gouvernementele organisaties een internationale campagne tegen autonome wapens opzette. 'De ethische afweging om aan te vallen zal een mens moeten maken', zegt ze. Ook is bij een machine onduidelijk wie juridisch verantwoordelijk is voor een aanval.

Chemische wapens
Is een VN-verbod op autonome wapens effectief? Walsh denkt van wel. Hij vergelijkt het met het verbod op chemische wapens, die ook vrij makkelijk te maken zijn. 'Die worden relatief weinig ingezet, omdat ze universeel zijn veroordeeld', zegt hij. Walsh hoopt dat autonome wapens eenzelfde status krijgen.

Twee jaar geleden ondertekenden duizenden wetenschappers al een brandbrief waarin ze opriepen tot een verbod op autonome wapens. In december 2016 stemden 123 VN-lidstaten voor de oprichting van een zogenoemde Group of Governmental Experts (GGE) voor autonome wapens. Eigenlijk zou tijdens de conferentie in Melbourne de eerste vergadering van de groep van regeringsdeskundigen plaatsvinden. Om administratieve redenen is de bijeenkomst uitgesteld tot november.

https://fd.nl/economie-politiek/1214898/techbedrijven-vragen-vn-om-verbod-op-killer-robots?utm_source=nieuwsbrief&utm_campaign=fd-ochtendnieuwsbrief&utm_medium=email&utm_content=20170820&s_cid=671
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: vlincent op 12/09/2017 | 21:18 uur
DARPA Launches Concept for Armed Drones on Fighter Jet Missile Rails

In a video posted last week on YouTube, Air Force Lt. Col. Jimmy Jones, a program manager with the Strategic Technology Office, challenged industry with the Flying Missile Rail (FMR) concept. DARPA's vision is an armed drone that would be carried on the missile rails of Air Force F-16s and Navy and Marine Corps F/A-18. The Flying Missile Rail would fly at 0.9 Mach (690 miles an hour) for up to 20 minutes.
This will be an air combat drone. According to Jones, it would carry at least one and preferably two AIM-120 AMRAAM air-to-air missiles that can strike beyond visual range. FMR would be able to launch its AMRAAMs while on a fighter's wing or in flight by itself.

A key requirement for the program is what Jones calls a "factory in a can." The idea is that the entire manufacturing process—plus materials, electronics, and everything else necessary—must be able to fit in several shipping containers. Any manufacturing process is allowed, but DARPA suggests highly automated advanced manufacturing processes such as computer numerical control (CNC) machining or 3D printing.
The point is that DARPA wants a single factory that can churn out 500 FMRs a month. That may be a lot of drones, but think of the number as part of the challenge. DARPA wants manufacturers to really think big.
Another advantage to the "factory in a can" strategy is that the services could take ownership of the factory and can choose how many drones to build. For example, the Air Force would not need two years and hours of negotiations to purchase an extra 50 drones; a "factory in a can" can produce that many in four days. It would also not have to pay to keep and maintain fleets of hundreds of drones on hand. Every year the services would fire up the factories and crank out a handful of drones to make sure everything still works, then shut down the machinery and walk away.

FMR's ability to fly for 20 minutes at 690 miles an hour will effectively give U.S. fourth-generation fighters such as the F-16 and F/A-18 a buffer area where they can launch their missiles but the enemy cannot. This is particularly important as the AIM-120 AMRAAM air-to-air missile is now 30 years old and increasingly being overtaken in capabilities, particularly range, by the air-to-air missiles of potential adversaries.

In a combat situation with U.S. and enemy fighters flying towards one another, FMR gives the U.S. pilots a choice. If the enemy is flying better planes with better missiles, the U.S. fighter can launch a FMR and turn tail, staying out of the enemy's engagement envelope and letting the drone do the fighting. If the enemy is flying inferior fighters, the U.S. fighter can launch the AMRAAMs hanging off FMR's rails and save the drone for a more dangerous engagement.

Bron: http://www.uasvision.com/2017/09/11/darpa-launches-concept-for-armed-drones-on-fighter-jet-missile-rails/

Interessant idee. Het verreiken van je anti air capabiliteit.
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Sparkplug op 08/03/2018 | 21:16 uur
USAF launches effort to equip Reaper UAS with air-to-air missile (http://www.janes.com/article/78444/usaf-launches-effort-to-equip-reaper-uas-with-air-to-air-mssile)

Janes
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Zander op 08/03/2018 | 21:57 uur
https://www.defensenews.com/industry/techwatch/2018/03/08/brexit-project-delays-jeopardize-combat-drone-project-dassault-ceo-warns/

Defensenews
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Huzaar1 op 09/03/2018 | 10:33 uur
Citaat van: Ace1 op 21/08/2017 | 11:59 uur
Techbedrijven vragen VN om verbod op 'killer robots'

Oprichters van 116 bedrijven in de robotica en de kunstmatige intelligentie willen dat de Verenigde Naties dodelijke autonome wapens, zoals zichzelf besturende tanks en drones, verbieden. Ze vrezen een oncontroleerbare wapenwedloop waarbij wereldwijd veel slachtoffers kunnen vallen. Dat schrijven ze in een open brief die maandag in Melbourne wordt gepresenteerd, op de eerste dag van 's werelds grootste conferentie over kunstmatige intelligentie IJCAJ.

'Je wilt de beslissing over leven en dood niet aan machines overlaten', zegt Toby Walsh, hoogleraar kunstmatige intelligentie aan de universiteit van New South Wales en initiatiefnemer van de open brief.

Het is de eerste keer dat roboticabedrijven gezamenlijk een verklaring afgeven over de gevaren van het gebruik van robottechniek en kunstmatige intelligentie. De ondertekenaars komen uit 26 verschillende landen. Een van hen is Tesla-oprichter Elon Musk, bekend om zijn kritiek op autonome wapens.

Geen druk op de knop
De technische ontwikkelingen brengen autonome drones, tanks en onderzeeboten steeds dichterbij. 'In principe kunnen we ze nu al maken', zegt Koen Hindriks, universitair hoofddocent aan de TU Delft en ceo van roboticabedrijf Interactive Robotics, die de open brief ook heeft ondertekend. Deze wapens kunnen volgens Hindriks nog niet goed onderscheiden op welke doelen ze schieten. 'Maar je hebt altijd mensen die ze toch gaan bouwen', zegt hij.

Autonome wapens kunnen het machtsevenwicht in de wereld verstoren, meent Walsh. 'Vroeger had je een heel leger nodig om een oorlog te beginnen, en nu alleen een paar programmeurs', zegt Walsh. Hij is bovendien bang dat hackers met autonome wapens aan de haal kunnen gaan.

Anders dan de bestaande onbemande drones worden autonome wapens niet op afstand bestuurd en bepalen ze zelf wanneer ze een doel beschieten. Het is lang niet zeker dat ze ook in onoverzichtelijke situaties de juiste beslissing nemen. 'Robots werken goed in gecontroleerde omgevingen als fabrieken', zegt Walsh. 'Oorlogen zijn zo chaotisch, het is de laatste plek waar je een robot wilt inzetten.'

Mens 'in the loop'
In verschillende landen denkt de overheid al na over de regulering van autonome wapens. De Verenigde Staten waren in 2012 het eerste land dat bepaalde dat er bij autonome wapens altijd een mens 'in the loop' moet zitten. Dat betekent dat mensen de uiteindelijke beslissing mogen nemen om te schieten. De Nederlandse ministers van Defensie en Buitenlandse Zaken schreven in een brief aan de Tweede Kamer dat menselijke controle wat hen betreft alleen noodzakelijk is bij het programmeren van de wapens, de zogenoemde 'wider loop'.

Dat gaat niet ver genoeg, stelt Miriam Struyk, programmaleider 'killer robots' bij vredesorganisatie Pax, die samen met andere non-gouvernementele organisaties een internationale campagne tegen autonome wapens opzette. 'De ethische afweging om aan te vallen zal een mens moeten maken', zegt ze. Ook is bij een machine onduidelijk wie juridisch verantwoordelijk is voor een aanval.

Chemische wapens
Is een VN-verbod op autonome wapens effectief? Walsh denkt van wel. Hij vergelijkt het met het verbod op chemische wapens, die ook vrij makkelijk te maken zijn. 'Die worden relatief weinig ingezet, omdat ze universeel zijn veroordeeld', zegt hij. Walsh hoopt dat autonome wapens eenzelfde status krijgen.

Twee jaar geleden ondertekenden duizenden wetenschappers al een brandbrief waarin ze opriepen tot een verbod op autonome wapens. In december 2016 stemden 123 VN-lidstaten voor de oprichting van een zogenoemde Group of Governmental Experts (GGE) voor autonome wapens. Eigenlijk zou tijdens de conferentie in Melbourne de eerste vergadering van de groep van regeringsdeskundigen plaatsvinden. Om administratieve redenen is de bijeenkomst uitgesteld tot november.

https://fd.nl/economie-politiek/1214898/techbedrijven-vragen-vn-om-verbod-op-killer-robots?utm_source=nieuwsbrief&utm_campaign=fd-ochtendnieuwsbrief&utm_medium=email&utm_content=20170820&s_cid=671

Lol. wat een kansloze gedachte.
Alles wat je kan helpen om je defensie te versterken wordt altijd aangegrepen.
Anders hadden we net zo goed nucleaire wapens kunnen verbieden inmiddels, dat is ook niet gebeurt.

Daarnaast wat maakt het uit als het slagveld straks robots tegen robots zou betekenen. Dan bestaan de verliezen uit metal en lood.
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Sparkplug op 09/03/2018 | 10:42 uur
Citaat van: Huzaar1 op 09/03/2018 | 10:33 uur
Lol. wat een kansloze gedachte.
Alles wat je kan helpen om je defensie te versterken wordt altijd aangegrepen.
Anders hadden we net zo goed nucleaire wapens kunnen verbieden inmiddels, dat is ook niet gebeurt.

Daarnaast wat maakt het uit als het slagveld straks robots tegen robots zou betekenen. Dan bestaan de verliezen uit metal en lood.

Als je het maar onder controle houdt. Zodra kunstmatige intelligentie zich tegen de mensheid keert, ben je verder van huis.
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Huzaar1 op 09/03/2018 | 13:05 uur
Citaat van: Sparkplug op 09/03/2018 | 10:42 uur
Als je het maar onder controle houdt. Zodra kunstmatige intelligentie zich tegen de mensheid keert, ben je verder van huis.

En hoe moet ik dit zien? Een kunstmatige intelligentie die zich tegen de mensheid keert?

AI die in het geheim een ondergrondse fabriek bouwt ( hoe ? ) die duizenden terminators eruit poept en met een verassingsaanval gebruikmakend van onze Eigen wapens na een nucleaire showdown de wereld overneemt?

Of een AI die als een virus zich in de internationale computer systemen nesteld en ons dwars zit?

Of een drone die een steekje los heeft en niet meer wil luisteren naar z'n opdrachtgever?

Of hoe?

Dit is wel zo'n overdreven gehype.

Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Sparkplug op 09/03/2018 | 13:21 uur
Citaat van: Huzaar1 op 09/03/2018 | 13:05 uur
En hoe moet ik dit zien? Een kunstmatige intelligentie die zich tegen de mensheid keert?

AI die in het geheim een ondergrondse fabriek bouwt ( hoe ? ) die duizenden terminators eruit poept en met een verassingsaanval gebruikmakend van onze Eigen wapens na een nucleaire showdown de wereld overneemt?

Of een AI die als een virus zich in de internationale computer systemen nesteld en ons dwars zit?

Of een drone die een steekje los heeft en niet meer wil luisteren naar z'n opdrachtgever?

Of hoe?

Dit is wel zo'n overdreven gehype.

Het is maar net hoe ver ze kunstmatige intelligentie willen laten gaan. Wil je het in de hand houden of de kans laten bestaan dat je wordt overtroefd?

Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Huzaar1 op 09/03/2018 | 13:37 uur
Citaat van: Sparkplug op 09/03/2018 | 13:21 uur
Het is maar net hoe ver ze kunstmatige intelligentie willen laten gaan. Wil je het in de hand houden of de kans laten bestaan dat je wordt overtroefd?

Dat laatste wil niemand maar dat is echt absurd om te denken dat dat nu kan gebeuren. Stupide zijn dergelijke initiatieven.
Het aller allergevaarlijkste is een AI welke bewust wordt en ' verdwijnt' in het WWW en zichzelf in stand wil houden en beschermen.

Maar waarom zou zo'n programma ineens wensen en behoeften krijgen? Omdat daar een paar nono's bang voor zijn of omdat dat schijnbaar een niet te onderdrukken wens is als een AI bewust zou worden ofzo? Dit is in ieder geval een heel waarschijnlijker scenario dan dat wat deze nono's denken te zien met bewapende drones. Dat is echt peanuts indien die rogue gaan, heb je zo geneutraliseerd. 

Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Sparkplug op 29/03/2018 | 10:56 uur
UK's Protector UAS faces further delay (http://www.janes.com/article/78928/uk-s-protector-uas-faces-further-delay)

Janes
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Sparkplug op 14/04/2018 | 17:01 uur
MQ-25 Contenders on Display at U.S. Navy Show

https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/defense/2018-04-12/mq-25-contenders-display-us-navy-show
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Parera op 24/04/2018 | 13:32 uur
Een mock-up van de EUROMALE te zien bij ILA berlijn. Inschatting is 1/3 groter dan de MQ-9.
De eerste vlucht is gepland voor 2023, een mooie aanvulling op de reapers die we gaan ontvangen zodra het toestel klaar is.

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Dbiv9zlX0AAtG9r.jpg)

via https://twitter.com/Rotorfocus
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Jooop op 02/06/2018 | 02:45 uur
Het lijkt erop dat de Turken de Euromale voor willen zijn, en nog bewapend ook. De eerste beeld van twitter geplukt.

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DeoxompXkAAdodv.jpg)

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Deo0Lj7XcAUHXsL.jpg)

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Dfo1n-RXcAA0NEe.jpg)

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Dfo5XsgXUAE_hV7.jpg)
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Parera op 26/06/2018 | 10:37 uur
Insitu heeft de ScanEagle 3 gelanceerd, een verbeterde versie van de vorige ScanEagle. Nu voornamelijk op de commerciele markt gericht maar natuurlijk ook inzetbaar voor (semi)militair gebruik.



De andere (al oudere ) ontwikkeling is de drone voor het lanceren / opvangen van een UAV ''FLARES - Flying Launch and Recovery System''

Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Sparkplug op 26/06/2018 | 14:29 uur
Protector to make transatlantic debut

http://www.janes.com/article/81331/protector-to-make-transatlantic-debut
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Harald op 31/08/2018 | 08:43 uur
US Navy awards Boeing $805 million MQ-25A Stingray contract

The US Navy has awarded Boeing Defense an $805.3 million contract to develop four MQ-25A Stingray carrier-based unmanned refueling aircraft.

The fixed-price, incentive-firm target contract provides for the design, development, fabrication, test, delivery and support of the MQ-25A unmanned air vehicles, including integration into the carrier air wing for an initial operational capability by 2024.

By winning the UAV tanker contract, Boeing beat out proposals from Lockheed Martin and General Atomics Aeronautical Systems. Both of those companies chose to not build a prototype before the award was announced, while Boeing manufactured a full-scale and functional aircraft, which demonstrated carrier deck taxiing but has not yet make its initial flight test.

A carrier-based UAV tanker would allow the USN to extend the range of its manned aircraft, including the F-35 Lightning II, F/A-18 Super Hornet and EA-18G Growler. The service has become anxious about the range of its fighters because adversaries such as China and Russia have developed anti-ship cruise and ballistic missiles which could force carriers to keep their distance from the battlespace.

Boeing plans to perform the MQ-25 work in St. Louis, where it manufactures the F/A-18, EA-18G, and F-15.

The MQ-25 is an accelerated acquisition programme intended to speed along decisions with less overhead, says the USN. Ultimately, by focusing key aircraft performance parameters to mission tanking and carrier suitability the service believes it will reduce development time from contract award to initial operational capability by five to six years.

https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/us-navy-awards-boeing-805-million-mq-25a-stingray-c-451553/
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Harald op 05/09/2018 | 08:55 uur
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Sparkplug op 19/09/2018 | 12:19 uur
USAF auto-lands MQ-9 Block 5 Reaper for first time

https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/usaf-auto-lands-mq-9-block-5-reaper-for-first-time-452008/
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Parera op 19/09/2018 | 14:33 uur
Citaat van: Sparkplug op 19/09/2018 | 12:19 uur
USAF auto-lands MQ-9 Block 5 Reaper for first time

https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/usaf-auto-lands-mq-9-block-5-reaper-for-first-time-452008/

Mooi, de KLU krijgt ook block 5's.
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Sparkplug op 19/09/2018 | 15:41 uur
MBDA unveils Spectre combat UAV concept

https://www.janes.com/article/83133/mbda-unveils-spectre-combat-uav-concept
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Sparkplug op 20/09/2018 | 12:14 uur
Reaper UAV scores first air-to-air kill during USAF trial

https://www.janes.com/article/83187/reaper-uav-scores-first-air-to-air-kill-during-usaf-trial
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Sparkplug op 28/09/2018 | 16:34 uur
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Parera op 25/10/2018 | 02:40 uur
Via twitter.com @GarethJennings3

Citaat
Luftwaffe speaker at @SMi_Group #AirborneISR conference in London referring to @northropgrumman MQ-4C #Triton UAS as the #Pegasus. Stands for PErsistent German Airborne SUrveillance System. I've not heard that name before, but standing by to be told it's old news...

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DqRQG7LU4AEbX72.jpg)

Kan de KM / KLU hier nog bij aansluiten aub? ;D Alvast als opstart naar een nieuwe generatie MPA's voor Nederland  :silent:
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Parera op 02/11/2018 | 00:21 uur
Airbus and New Zealand to Develop UAV

New Airbus agreement to develop capability in Unmanned Aircraft & space data tech

Research, Science and Innovation Minister Megan Woods has welcomed a new agreement with Europe's largest aeronautics and space company, Airbus, committing to work together to develop capability in New Zealand's emerging Unmanned Aircraft (UA) and space data technology sectors.

The Letter of Intent, between Airbus and the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE), sets out a commitment to seek opportunities for Airbus to test and trial its UA technologies in New Zealand, and to work together to support the development and adoption of new and innovative space data technologies and applications.

"Airbus has committed to collaborate on innovation challenges that combine UA and space data technologies. These challenges will generate solutions for real problems, catalyse innovation and increase our R&D capabilities in UAs and space data technologies and applications," says Minister Megan Woods.

"Airbus is an international leader in innovation, with deep knowledge and great access to data and specific technical tools – all things that we can leverage to build our own R&D capabilities.

"Airbus is already building strong connections within our innovation and space ecosystems, including a recent agreement that establishes the Centre of Space Science Technology in Alexandra as the primary provider of Airbus satellite data and products in New Zealand.

"Attracting R&D investment and activity in areas like new space and advanced aviation technologies are key priorities for Innovative Partnerships as there is huge potential for New Zealand to be at the forefront of these rapidly developing sectors," says Woods.

The Letter of Intent is another success for Innovative Partnerships. Earlier this year, both Zephyr Airworks and LeoLabs credited the programme as part of the reason they are undertaking R&D in New Zealand.

[Source https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/new-airbus-agreement-develop-capability-unmanned-aircraft-space-data-tech ]
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Jooop op 02/11/2018 | 02:37 uur
Turkey, Indonesia support UAV collaboration
Jon Grevatt, Bangkok - IHS Jane's Defence Industry
15 August 2018

Turkish Aircraft Industries (TAI) has expanded its engagement with Indonesian aerospace and defence companies in a bid to support collaboration on programmes including a medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) project.

TAI said in a statement that it held a workshop in Jakarta on 14 August with local aerospace and defence companies "regarding possible co-operation on several upcoming bilateral opportunities such as a UAV tender for the Indonesian Ministry of Defence".

TAI confirmed that in bidding for the UAV programme it is offering its MALE Anka UAV. TAI added that it is "ready to fine-tune" the Anka system "to satisfy the requirements of the Indonesian end-user through integrating ... Indonesian suppliers into its supply chain".

However, TAI also said that collaboration opportunities will not be limited to the Anka. "It will be a sustainable, long-term, win-win relationship," it said, "in which all parties will find opportunities to advance their business goals in local and global markets in the medium [term]."

Earlier this year, Arie Wibowo, director of production at state-owned Indonesian aerospace company, PT Dirgantara (PTDI), told Jane's that PTDI and TAI were close to formalising an agreement to collaborate on developing the Anka UAV to meet the requirements of the Indonesian Air Force (Tentara Nasional Indonesia – Angkatan Udara: TNI-AU).

Wibowo said the project would facilitate technology transfers from Turkey to Indonesia to support joint development and localised manufacturing. He added that once the terms of the collaborative partnership had been established PTDI and TAI would build fully operational prototypes within 12 months.

Wibowo added that when the programme enters mass production other Indonesian aerospace companies would enter the supply chain, although the scope of such engagement would depend on the how many Anka systems the TNI-AU required.

https://www.janes.com/article/82381/turkey-indonesia-support-uav-collaboration

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DqNp7DRWoAEZb7S.jpg)
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DqNp7o7XQAAdohN.jpg)
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DqNu_k6XQAACifJ.png)
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Parera op 08/11/2018 | 08:15 uur
Spain sets out European MALE RPAS procurement plan

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DraDQ6fU0AEreQy.jpg)

The Spanish Air Force (Ejército del Aire Español: EdAE) has said it is to acquire 15 of the new European medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) remotely piloted air systems (RPASs) being developed by a pan-European consortium.

Planned for entry into service in the mid-2020s, the MALE RPAS is a joint project between Germany (Airbus), France (Dassault), Italy (Leonardo), and Spain (Airbus).

An EdAE spokesperson confirmed the Spanish proposals on 7 November. While no timetable has yet been drawn up, the first aircraft are expected to arrive in Spain from 2026 onwards.

To avoid a capability gap while it waits for the new European MALE RPAS, the air force is to be equipped with the General Atomics Reaper MQ-9 Predator B. The first two are due to arrive in February 2019 with a second pair set for delivery in October 2019.

[Source: Janes.com ]
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Parera op 08/11/2018 | 08:17 uur
Spanje dus 15 stuks, de Duitsers hebben eerder aangegeven er zelf 21 aan te kopen daarmee lopen de aantallen goed omhoog. Het is afwachten wat Frankrijk en Italië gaan doen qua aantallen maar ik zeg; KLU inzetten op 8 stuks van de plank kopen.
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Jooop op 08/11/2018 | 08:52 uur
Waarom was the Talarion project gecancelled?

Hoop dat het de RPAS maar beter gaat
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Parera op 16/11/2018 | 00:37 uur
Naval Group and Dutch Company Atmos UAV sign LoI for VTOL UAV

The Dutch company Atmos UAV has been selected by Naval Group for the testing of its innovative fixed-wing VTOL (Vertical Take Off and Landing) UAV solution for evaluation purposes. With this agreement, Naval Group deepens its existing commitments to the Dutch innovative industry building and expanding existing relationships with more than 70 companies and knowledge centers.

(https://www.navyrecognition.com/images/stories/news/2018/November/Naval_Group_and_Dutch_Company_Atmos_UAV_sign_LoI_for_VTOL_UAV.jpg)

On the occasion of the 30th edition of NIDV, the Netherlands Industries for Defence & Security exhibition held in Rotterdam, both companies have signed an agreement to explore a preliminary phase of the technology in the frame of a comprehensive UAV testing and integration program.

As a reputed surface and submarine vessels and combat systems integrator, Naval Group is very proud to announce this partnership with Atmos UAV. Atmos UAV is specialised in innovative UAV solutions, and their fixed-wing vertical take-off and landing solution presents key operational opportunities for navies.

"We are grateful leveraging the best innovative capabilities in The Netherlands, relying on a rich network of partners. New capabilities such as UAVs will play a key role in future operational requirements, and we believe that by testing them at a very early stage, Naval Group will be able to offer cutting-edge solutions to its international customers", Mark van Rooij, Naval Group Netherlands CEO said.

"The design philosophy behind our technology is to create a platform that can be deployed from practically any location without compromising the high performance of a fixed wing", says Sander Hulsman, Atmos UAV CEO. "As this capability has key benefits for deployment in marine environments we are looking forward to a fruitful collaboration with Naval Group. The environmental commitments of the group towards 2018-2020, make this partnership even more meaningful to us."

As a first step of this partnership, the two partners will closely work together to further detail and finalize the development plan of integrating Atmos UAVs capabilities in the operational environment of Naval Group's systems.

[source: Navy Recognition ]

https://www.atmosuav.com
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Sparkplug op 16/11/2018 | 10:09 uur
Australia selects Reaper for armed UAV requirement

https://www.janes.com/article/84635/australia-selects-reaper-for-armed-uav-requirement

Australia selects Reaper for Project Air 7003 requirement

https://www.janes.com/article/84640/australia-selects-reaper-for-project-air-7003-requirement
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Parera op 13/12/2018 | 13:08 uur
European MALE RPAS completes design definition phase

Airbus and its partners have completed the design definition phase of the European medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) remotely piloted air system (RPAS), with the announcement of the successful conclusion of the preliminary design review (PDR) on 13 December.

The PDR, which was passed on 22 November, ends the definition study contract signed on 26 August 2016 and clears the way for the launch of the development phase in early 2019. A prototype first flight is expected in early 2023, with delivery of the first system in about 2025.

Managed by the Organisation for Joint Armament Cooperation (OCCAR), the European MALE RPAS, also known as the EuroMALE, is being developed by Germany (Airbus), France (Dassault), Italy (Leonardo), and Spain (Airbus). It was recently disclosed that the Czech Republic (Aero Vodochody) will also partner on the project.

A full-sized mock-up revealed at the ILA Berlin Airshow earlier this year showed the unmanned aircraft to be slightly larger in size than the General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc (GA-ASI) MQ-9 Reaper, with a twin pusher-propeller configuration. The model on display was shown with a single electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) sensor. Although intended primarily as an intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) vehicle, there will be an option for it to be armed.

[Source: Janes.com ]
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter) op 26/02/2019 | 22:17 uur
Boeing Will Unveil This 'Loyal Wingman' Combat Drone For Australia's Air Force Tomorrow

Boeing reportedly developed the all-new stealthy drone specifically for the Australians as part of a classified program.

http://thedrive.com/the-war-zone/26656/boeing-will-unveil-this-loyal-wingman-combat-drone-for-australias-air-force-tomorrow
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter) op 26/02/2019 | 22:19 uur
Citaat van: jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter) op 26/02/2019 | 22:17 uur
Boeing Will Unveil This 'Loyal Wingman' Combat Drone For Australia's Air Force Tomorrow

Boeing reportedly developed the all-new stealthy drone specifically for the Australians as part of a classified program.


Iets voor de KLu... Het aantal F35 in de toekomst beperken tot 52 en elke verdere uitbreiding met zoiets als de 'Loyal Wingman'?
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Huzaar1 op 26/02/2019 | 22:24 uur
Goed idee, maar dat gaat hier direct over wapens erop.
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter) op 26/02/2019 | 22:37 uur
Citaat van: Huzaar1 op 26/02/2019 | 22:24 uur
Goed idee, maar dat gaat hier direct over wapens erop.

De apparaten zijn dan ook bedoeld als onbemand gevechtsvliegtuig, je zou het bijna plaatsen in het daartoe geschikte topic.
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter) op 27/02/2019 | 07:51 uur
Boeing Will Unveil This 'Loyal Wingman' Combat Drone For Australia's Air Force Tomorrow (Updated)

http://thedrive.com/the-war-zone/26656/boeing-will-unveil-this-loyal-wingman-combat-drone-for-australias-air-force-tomorrow
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Harald op 27/02/2019 | 09:35 uur
Interessant !

KLU blijft op 37 + 15 stuks F-35A
maar aankoop van 8 stuks Boeing ATS, gestationeerd op Leeuwaarden...  ;)
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Parera op 27/02/2019 | 10:42 uur
Citaat van: Harald op 27/02/2019 | 09:35 uur
Interessant !

KLU blijft op 37 + 15 stuks F-35A
maar aankoop van 8 stuks Boeing ATS, gestationeerd op Leeuwaarden...  ;)

Dit soort systemen bedoelde ik als aanvulling op de F-35, ik vraag me nog wel af wat dit specifieke model precies doet.

Citaat
Some basic facts about the Air Airpower Teaming System:

- It is built in Australia and intended for export around the globe. Exports will be easier without having to go through U.S. FMS process.
- A prototype is being built now.
- Can fly with or without a manned partner.
- Has a range of roughly 2,000 miles.
- Is 38 feet long and uses a bizjet class engine.
- Will team with E-7, EA-18G, F/A-18E/F, and P-8 Poseidon.
- Modular design for 'snap-in' payloads and rapid reconfiguration capability.
- Initial configuration will be sensor/intelligence and electronic warfare focused.
- Controlled via ground station, other aircraft, and has some level of autonomy that can scale for the mission.
- Design was based mainly on what would be attractive to a global market full of cash-strapped air arms.
- Will be tested over Australia's vast deserts where there is tons of room for experimentation. (Probably based out of Woomera)
- The technology and development will be sourced locally in Australia.
- Boeing will be able to adapt the technology for foreign customers far easier than developing and building in the United States.

Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Sparkplug op 27/02/2019 | 12:06 uur
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Parera op 27/02/2019 | 12:12 uur
De video zegt nog niets, ja het kan vliegen naast een F-18 en een E-7  :hrmph: Dan denk ik aan electronic warfare UCAV of jammer.
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Sparkplug op 27/02/2019 | 12:59 uur
Citaat van: Parera op 27/02/2019 | 12:12 uur
De video zegt nog niets, ja het kan vliegen naast een F-18 en een E-7  :hrmph: Dan denk ik aan electronic warfare UCAV of jammer.

Australië heeft helaas 1 Growler moeten afschrijven. De Growler en F-35A i.c.m. de Boeing ATS voor EW lijkt mij een goede keuze.
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Parera op 27/02/2019 | 13:24 uur
Citaat van: Sparkplug op 27/02/2019 | 12:59 uur
Australië heeft helaas 1 Growler moeten afschrijven. De Growler en F-35A i.c.m. de Boeing ATS voor EW lijkt mij een goede keuze.

Dit kan voor ons ook een mooie toevoeging zijn, de plannen voor F-35 Growlers staan volgens mij weer in de vriezer maar als je onbemand extra EW capaciteit kan toevoegen aan de standaard F-35's is een optie. En deze kan je inzetten als het nodig is, zo niet kan je ze misschien gebruiken met andere sensoren voor andere taken door de ''snap-in'' payload modules.
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Sparkplug op 27/02/2019 | 13:43 uur
Citaat van: Parera op 27/02/2019 | 13:24 uur
Dit kan voor ons ook een mooie toevoeging zijn, de plannen voor F-35 Growlers staan volgens mij weer in de vriezer maar als je onbemand extra EW capaciteit kan toevoegen aan de standaard F-35's is een optie. En deze kan je inzetten als het nodig is, zo niet kan je ze misschien gebruiken met andere sensoren voor andere taken door de ''snap-in'' payload modules.

De F-35 krijgt met Block 4 een behoorlijke hoeveelheid EW updates. Zie artikel in het internationale fighter ontwikkelingen topic.
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Parera op 27/02/2019 | 13:56 uur
Citaat van: Sparkplug op 27/02/2019 | 13:43 uur
De F-35 krijgt met Block 4 een behoorlijke hoeveelheid EW updates. Zie artikel in het internationale fighter ontwikkelingen topic.

Komt het daarmee in de buurt van de EA-18G Growler? Zo niet dan is aanvullend een onbemand toestel misschien genoeg om die capaciteit wel te geven aan een F-35.
Dan hoef je dus geen complete kist om te bouwen maar slechts een UAV toe te voegen aan de jet's om wel die capaciteit te hebben tijdens een operatie.
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Sparkplug op 27/02/2019 | 14:07 uur
Citaat van: Parera op 27/02/2019 | 13:56 uur
Komt het daarmee in de buurt van de EA-18G Growler? Zo niet dan is aanvullend een onbemand toestel misschien genoeg om die capaciteit wel te geven aan een F-35.
Dan hoef je dus geen complete kist om te bouwen maar slechts een UAV toe te voegen aan de jet's om wel die capaciteit te hebben tijdens een operatie.

Dat weet ik niet. In april beginnen ze met Block 4 en dat loopt tot in 2024. Ze komen er vanzelf achter hoe groot of klein het verschil in EW capaciteit is.
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Harald op 28/02/2019 | 15:50 uur
Dassault confirms end of Anglo-French UCAV work  ( .. EU project..  :dead: )

An Anglo-French project to develop and fly an unmanned combat air vehicle (UCAV) demonstrator has officially ended, with the aircraft having failed to get off the drawing board.

.../...

https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/dassault-confirms-end-of-anglo-french-ucav-work-456199/

Maar ......

Meanwhile, Dassault is this year continuing flight tests of the Neuron UCAV demonstrator. Conducted in collaboration with France's DGA defence procurement agency and the country's air force and navy, the latest round of trials is designed to evaluate the aircraft's stealth characteristics.

De Fransen gaan door met hun EIGEN project, geleid door Dassault.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dassault_nEUROn
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Poleme op 28/02/2019 | 19:53 uur
Citaat van: Parera op 27/02/2019 | 12:12 uur
De video zegt nog niets, ja het kan vliegen naast een F-18 en een E-7  :hrmph: Dan denk ik aan electronic warfare UCAV of jammer.

Het fundamentele probleem met types zoals de F-22A Raptor en de F-35 familie is dat ze zo duur zijn, dat men er simpelweg niet voldoende van kan aanschaffen.
Tenzij je het geen probleem vindt om de schatkist 'kapot te slaan' en eens flink te plunderen.
Daarnaast hebben Low Observable (LO) / stealth kisten ook nog eens een kleinere nuttige lading en / of bereik dan conventionele niet-LO / steelse kisten.

Dus zijn er nu verschillende luchtstrijdkrachten die studeren op alternatieven.  Want "range" (bereik), "numbers / mass" en "payload" (nuttige lading) zijn en blijven cruciaal in een gevechtsvliegtuig vloot.
Een optie is om met een gemengde vloot te gaan opereren, die naast F-35's ook bestaat uit F-15X's, Advanced F-16's ('F-21') of de meest moderne F-18E/F Super Hornet varianten.
Of, je gaat je vloot F-35's bemande jachtvliegtuigen combineren met (diverse) UAV's en UCAV's / RPA's (Remotely Piloted Aircraft).   De Israelische luchtmacht doet dit al jaren, waarbij de RPA's niet alleen ISR (Intel Surveillance Reconnaissance) rollen vervullen.  Maar ook Counter-Insurgery (COIN, anti-guerilla); Contra-Terreur; Close Air Support; Air Interdiction, Surpression Enemy's Air Defense (SEAD); Destruction EAD en Elektronische Oorlog Voering (EOV) taken uit voeren.

zie: https://www.defensieforum.nl/Forum/index.php?topic=27836.msg420949#msg420949



U.S. Navy future fighter fleet mix proposals.

Jaartal en schip                         gemiddeld bereik              aantal vliegtuigen                   gemiddelde nuttige lading   
1956, USS Forrestal                2.241 km    (133)                          46    ( 54)                                  2.051 kg    ( 35)

1986, USS Nimitz                   1.682 km    (100)                           85    (100)                                 5.797 kg    (100)

2006, USS Nimitz                     919 km     ( 55)                           62     ( 73)                                 5.461 kg    ( 94)

De US Navy leerde tijdens realistische oefeningen in de jaren 30 en met veel zweet, pijn en in bloed gedrenkte ervaringen in WO 2,
dat een gemaximaliseerde "mass" (aantallen); payload (nuttige lading) en vliegbereik cruciaal waren voor de effectiviteit, doelmatigheid en overlevingskansen van vliegdekschepen.
In de jaren 90 ging deze "reach" dramatisch achteruit door uitfasering van de A-6 Intruder.  En in het eerste decennium van deze eeuw liep deze nog verder terug door pensionering van de F-14 Tomcat en S-3 Viking.
Echter, aan de andere kant van de Pacific 'plas' ging men over tot invoering van de Dong Feng-21 ballistische raket met een bereik van 1.850 km.
Daarnaast zijn de Chinezen bezig met invoering van het J-20.  Daar is weinig over bekend, maar het zal vast geen gevechtsvliegtuig met een relatief kort bereik zijn.
Dus de US Navy heeft een uitdaging om deze dreigingen te neutraliseren.


                                                   Optie 1                             Optie 2                             Optie 3

gemiddeld bereik                      1.343 km  ( 80)                 1.461 km  ( 87)                 1.671 km  ( 99)

gemiddelde nuttige lading          3.830 kg   ( 66)                 7.221 kg   (125)                5.373 kg   ( 93)

aantal jaren om dit te bereiken       nooit                              15 jaar                             5 jaar

Luchtvloot samenstellingen op vliegdekschepen:

Optie 1:  6x EA-18G Growlers,   24x F-18E/F Super Hornets,   6x UCAV's,      20x F-35C's,          5x E-2D Hawkeye's = 61 kisten  (72 = index t.o.v. USS Nimitz, 1986)

Optie 2:  6x EA-18G Growlers,   36x F-18E/F Super Hornets,   6x UCAV's,      10x F-35C's,          5x E-2D Hawkeye's = 63 kisten.  (74)
                                                                                                                 
Optie 3:  6x EA-18G Growlers,   44x F-18E/F Super Hornets,   12x UCAV's,   4x K-UCAV's* ,        5x E-2D Hawkeye's = 71 kisten.   (84)
             
Dus in optie 3, nul 4,8 generatie F-35C's !  Dus de US Navy is dan van dat ongewilde weeskind af.
De bespaarde muntjes worden gestoken in verder ontwikkeling van de X-47B UCAV en het (*) K-UCAV, een onbemand tankvliegtuig.
Zodat de F-18E/F's geen tanker sorties hoeven te vliegen, want in 33 - 40 % van alle F-18E/F sorties wordt er alleen maar peut (af)getapt.
Bovenstaande optie 1 en 2 vallen binnen de US Navy begroting, bij optie 3 moet men deze iets verhogen.
Maar optie 3 werkt het snelst en meest doeltreffend en biedt een high / low mix tussen respectievelijk (K)-UCAV's en Super Hornets.

Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Parera op 28/02/2019 | 20:07 uur
Citaat van: Poleme op 28/02/2019 | 19:53 uur
Het fundamentele probleem met types zoals de F-22A Raptor en de F-35 familie is dat ze zo duur zijn, dat men er simpelweg niet voldoende van kan aanschaffen.
Tenzij je het geen probleem vindt om de schatkist 'kapot te slaan' en eens flink te plunderen.
Daarnaast hebben Low Observable (LO) / stealth kisten ook nog eens een kleinere nuttige lading en / of bereik dan conventionele niet-LO / steelse kisten.

.....................

Dus in optie 3, nul 4,8 generatie F-35C's !  Dus de US Navy is dan van dat ongewilde weeskind af.
De bespaarde muntjes worden gestoken in verder ontwikkeling van de X-47B UCAV en het (*) K-UCAV, een onbemand tankvliegtuig.
Zodat de F-18E/F's geen tanker sorties hoeven te vliegen, want in 33 - 40 % van alle F-18E/F sorties wordt er alleen maar peut (af)getapt.
Bovenstaande optie 1 en 2 vallen binnen de US Navy begroting, bij optie 3 moet men deze iets verhogen.
Maar optie 3 werkt het snelst en meest doeltreffend en biedt een high / low mix tussen respectievelijk (K)-UCAV's en Super Hornets.

Het is weer bijna een boek Poleme  ;D Weer een mooi verhaal om te lezen, de (K)-UCAV heeft ondertussen een naam ''MQ-25 Stingray'' van Boeing. Ze mogen er 4 bouwen van de USN voor oplevering rond 2024 en een mogelijke verdere order van totaal 72 stuks. Daarnaast steken ze een deel van het geld ook in het F/A-XX programma voor de vervanging van de F-18's eind jaren '20 wat alweer een 6th gen fighter word en daarmee de 5th gen fighters slechts een kleine familie word.
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Parera op 09/03/2019 | 10:10 uur
A Mini F-35?: Don't Go Crazy Over the Air Force's Stealth XQ-58A Valkyrie

(https://nationalinterest.org/sites/default/files/styles/desktop__1486_x_614/public/main_images/XQ-58A_Valkyrie_demonstrator_first_flight.jpg)

Een nieuwe UCAV die aangestuurd kan worden door fighters, topsnelheid mach 0.9 (1111 km/h), 1500 miles (2400 km) combat range en 500 lbs payload (2x GBU-39 SDB).
De UCAV moet runway independent kunnen opereren, vanaf Forward Operating Bases of zelfs vanaf onverharde runways.

De richtprijs is 2 miljoen dollar per stuk bij massa productie. Het Unmanned wing men concept word verder uitgewerkt.  ;D

https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/mini-f-35-dont-go-crazy-over-air-forces-stealth-xq-58a-valkyrie-46527
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Nikehercules op 09/03/2019 | 20:44 uur
Het ding heedt veel weg van de EADS Barracuda van een aantal jaar geleden.
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Parera op 10/03/2019 | 00:14 uur
Citaat van: Nikehercules op 09/03/2019 | 20:44 uur
Het ding heedt veel weg van de EADS Barracuda van een aantal jaar geleden.

Inderdaad Barracuda 2.0 maar net iets anders  :angel:

(https://i.ytimg.com/vi/nEWHIPGf0I8/hqdefault.jpg)
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Parera op 09/04/2019 | 11:01 uur
Italy to cancel order for P.1HH
The Italian government has decided to cancel its order for the P.1HH unmanned aerial vehicle and might intervene to save aircraft manufacturer Piaggio by ordering more P.180s.

[Source:Alert5 ]

(https://www.defensieforum.nl/Forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.p1hh.piaggioaerospace.it%2Fimg%2Fp1hh-circle1.jpg&hash=8b01e5a666219bd1acd2ef36bf337c7e43b776f5)
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Parera op 09/04/2019 | 12:00 uur
Spain orders two more MQ-9 Reaper drones

After the United States approved the sale of four Reaper drone systems for Spain in 2015, General Atomics received an order for two MQ-9s.

The US Defense Department notified General Atomics on March 29 of an order for two MQ-9 Reaper drones bound for Spain. This announcement follows an FMS (Foreign Military Sale) passed between the two states in 2015. A first order of MQ-9 Reaper was announced by the USA  in 2017 and already seemed to be focused on two drones.

According to the DoD announcement, the delivery of these two systems should be completed in March 2020. For its part, the Spanish Ejercito del Aire seemed to announce that three drone systems would be received in the course of 2019.

Thus, already last January, Spain announced to prepare the arrival of the first Predator, to be delivered during the second semester. These drones will be used to conduct ISR (Intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance) missions and will not carry weapons.

In addition to the MQ-9 Reaper, Spain is also involved in the European program  to develop a male drone in cooperation. The entry into service of the latter is expected by 2025. It will also be dedicated to observation and surveillance missions and will be able to carry weapons.

[Source: Air Recognition ]
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Sparkplug op 30/04/2019 | 11:37 uur
Boeing's MQ-25 Prototype Will Save the Navy 18 Months of Development

https://seapowermagazine.org/boeings-mq-25-will-save-the-navy/
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Sparkplug op 07/05/2019 | 10:57 uur
Navy: First MQ-25A Stingray Flight Planned for Later This Year

https://news.usni.org/2019/05/06/navy-first-mq-25a-stingray-flight-planned-for-later-this-year
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Parera op 08/05/2019 | 13:21 uur
Via @MarcusReports

CitaatA @BellFlight V-247 Vigilant drone that the company is pitching to the @USMC. #SAS2019

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/D5-8RVPWsAA5NBr.jpg)

Mooi speelgoed voor op een eventuele Nederlandse LHD in de toekomst. :angel:
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Huzaar1 op 08/05/2019 | 15:26 uur
Daar ligt wel de toekomst... dat zie je ook meteen. De enige reden dat er nog bemande toestellen en voertuigen zijn is de tech. beperkende factor. Iedereen kan zich al lang voorstellen waar we naar toe gaan.

Electromotor, accu, AI en composiet materialen.
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Sparkplug op 22/05/2019 | 20:09 uur
Navy Has No Plans Develop Lethal Carrier UAV Before MQ-25A Hits Flight Decks

https://news.usni.org/2019/05/22/navy-has-no-plans-develop-lethal-carrier-uav-before-mq-25a-hits-flight-decks
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Sparkplug op 23/05/2019 | 10:22 uur
Under Skyborg program, F-35 and F-15EX jets could control drone sidekicks

https://www.defensenews.com/air/2019/05/22/under-skyborg-program-f-35-and-f-15ex-jets-could-control-drone-sidekicks/
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Sparkplug op 04/06/2019 | 10:46 uur
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Parera op 11/06/2019 | 01:20 uur
Leonardo launches a new UAV

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DaVXPkUXcAAzEXx.jpg)

At the Bourget show, a new light MALE UAV will officially debut in the form of a mockup, in the PREDATOR-A category to be clear, derived from the FALCO family. The aircraft, of which RID had talked about it in advance and which internally in Leonardo was known as FALCO-48, is actually a completely new machine weighing between 1.2 and 1.5 t and with a payload of 300-350 kg , and with an equally new aerodynamic formula. The machine will start the flight tests immediately after the salon closes with a first prototype already completed at the Ronchi di Legionari plant. Further details on RID.

[Source: www.portaledifesa.it ]
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Parera op 11/06/2019 | 02:55 uur
Jordan puts Chinese UAVs on sale

The Royal Jordanian Air Force (RJAF) has put its Chinese-made armed unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) up for sale, indicating its disappointment with their performance.

In a notice posted on its website on 3 June, the RJAF said it was looking to sell six CH-4B UAVs, a type made by the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC). The RJAF acquired the type in 2016 along with AR-1 laser-guided missiles and FT-9 guided bombs. The Jordanian aircraft are capable of operating beyond line of sight as they are fitted with satellite communications equipment.

[Source: Janes.com ]
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Sparkplug op 18/06/2019 | 10:27 uur
BAE Systems joins MQ-25 Stingray unmanned tanker team

https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2019/06/bae-systems-joins-mq-25-stingray-unmanned-tanker-team/
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Sparkplug op 18/06/2019 | 21:26 uur
PARIS: Kratos now has 10 jet-powered tactical UAVs in development

https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/paris-kratos-now-has-10-jet-powered-tactical-uavs-i-459107/
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Sparkplug op 29/06/2019 | 19:07 uur
Five Sobering Lessons From Iran's Downing Of America's Most Capable Drone

https://www.forbes.com/sites/lorenthompson/2019/06/25/five-sobering-lessons-from-irans-shoot-down-of-americas-most-capable-drone/#2f59dec86b7d
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Poleme op 30/06/2019 | 01:40 uur
Citaat van: Sparkplug op 29/06/2019 | 19:07 uur
Five Sobering Lessons From Iran's Downing Of America's Most Capable Drone

https://www.forbes.com/sites/lorenthompson/2019/06/25/five-sobering-lessons-from-irans-shoot-down-of-americas-most-capable-drone/#2f59dec86b7d
Tja, een Forbes publicatie, geschreven door de Lobbyist Loren Thompson, in andere woorden: propaganda meuk.

You want real Sobering Lessons about drones ?  Kacha nah-knick (Hebreeuws voor: pak aan domoor)

Wooop, woop woop woop, een CH-53 Stallion land op een Amerikaans vliegdek schip in het begin van de jaren 80.
Een officier van een klein landje komt een admiraal uitleg geven hoe zij in een gebied zo groot als Luxemburg een succesvolle luchtoorlog uitvochten.
Dit gebied was door de tegenstander voorzien van de grootste concentratie SAM systemen op Aarde en een verdedigende luchtmacht van ca. 185 jachtviegtuigen.
Deze admiraal had ook 1 aanvalsmissie uitgevoerd vlakbij dit gebied met in totaal 10  A-6 Intruders en A-7 Corsairs, maar hij had 1 A-6 en 1 A-7 verloren.
Die admiraal vroeg zich af, waarom hebben zij wel en ik geen succes ?

Enfin, aan boord werd een video film gestart en begon met een heldere zwart wit film van de Admiraal zijn eigen vliegdekschip !
Huh ???? Hoe kan dat ?  Onze moderne scheepsradars, onze E-2C Hawkeye radarvliegtuigen hebben niets opgespoord !
Ja, zegt de bezoeker, wij hebben kleine vliegtuigjes die moeilijk met de oogballen, radar of warmtebeeld camera  op te sporen zijn of juist heel gemakkelijk.  De meeste houden zich bezig met intel surveillance reconnaissance (ISR).  Maar sommige houden zich juist bezig met afleiding / misleiding van het vijandelijke Integrated Air Defense System.  Die Remotely Piloted ISR Aircraft, een flink slag kleiner dan een sportvliegtuigje, zorgden ervoor dat de Israeliers een duidelijk algeheel beeld kregen van de vijandelijke slagorde.  De misleiders en afleiders zorgden ervoor dat de tegenvoeters hun radars en radio's activeerden.  Dat zorgde er weer voor dat andere ISR middelen deze doelen konden opsporen, nauwkeurig lokaliseren en identificeren.  Andere middelen, zoals artillerie en jachtbommenwerpers konden deze vervolgens kinetisch of elektronisch (EOV) aangrijpen.    En uiteindelijk zagen wij de vijandelijke Syrische jagers in verwarring rondjes vliegen. ;D
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Sparkplug op 23/07/2019 | 12:03 uur
Dstl to develop conceptual unmanned aircraft for RAF

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/dstl-to-develop-conceptual-unmanned-aircraft-for-raf
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Sparkplug op 30/07/2019 | 19:24 uur
UK details Reaper transition plan as Protector advances

https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/uk-details-reaper-transition-plan-as-protector-advan-459992/
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Parera op 04/08/2019 | 19:34 uur
Russian heavy strike drone Okhotnik makes first flight
The first flight lasted for over 20 minutes

https://tass.com/defense/1071784

via @JohnAndris, de foto is van Februari
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DyZeEajWoAA8tTB.jpg)
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Sparkplug op 22/08/2019 | 08:51 uur
Protector visits RAF Reaper Force at Creech Air Force Base

https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/protector-visits-raf-reaper-force-at-creech-air-force-base/
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Sparkplug op 23/08/2019 | 09:03 uur
Northrop Grumman to boost RQ-4 production capacity

https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/northrop-grumman-to-boost-rq-4-production-capacity-460410/
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Harald op 27/08/2019 | 08:25 uur
Russia's Sukhoi S-70 flying wing UAV makes first flight

Russia's Sukhoi S-70 Okhotnik flying wing unmanned air vehicle (UAV) has made its first test flight.

The flight took place on 3 August, according to state-owned news agency TASS. The location of the initial liftoff was not disclosed by the Russian ministry of defence, who on 7 August published video online of the event.

The first flight of the Okhotnik, or "Hunter", UAV lasted more than 20min. The aircraft made several flights over an airfield at an altitude of about 2000ft, after which it successfully landed, says the ministry. The video released online shows a grey camouflage aircraft taxing on a tarmac, taking off, making several banked turns with its landing gear extended, before touching down on the runway again.

The S-70 UAV uses "special materials and coatings that make it practically invisible to radar detection equipment," says the Russian foreign ministry.

The aircraft looks similar in shape to flying wing UAVs developed by Western militaries, including the Dassault Neuron, BAE Systems Taranis and Northrop Grumman X-47B. That flying wing shape should give it less radar cross section, though its aft exposed jet engine exhaust nozzle would likely negate some stealthy characteristics.

The aircraft is equipped with targeting equipment, optoelectronic sensors, radio hardware and other types of reconnaissance equipment, says the ministry. The S-70 is capable of a maximum speed of 540kt (1,000 km/h), according to TASS.

https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/video-russias-sukhoi-s-70-flying-wing-uav-makes-fi-460185/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=boUaHTI6JxE
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Sparkplug op 13/09/2019 | 08:51 uur
Yates to start full-rate production of 900kg cargo glider UAV

https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/yates-to-start-full-rate-production-of-900kg-cargo-g-460839/
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Sparkplug op 13/09/2019 | 08:53 uur
UK signs £100m Protector test and evaluation deal

https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/uk-signs-100m-protector-test-and-evaluation-deal-460825/
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Jooop op 16/09/2019 | 14:32 uur
Toekomst van bemande dronen / MAV (manned aerial vehicle?)

Moet eigenlijk ook eens onder de loep worden genomen, ontwikkelingen gaan daar in trein vaart.

(https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Mr1V-r2YxME/maxresdefault.jpg)
(https://thumbor.forbes.com/thumbor/960x0/https%3A%2F%2Fblogs-images.forbes.com%2Fbradtempleton%2Ffiles%2F2019%2F09%2Fehang-dr-1200x625.jpg)
(https://cdn.technologyreview.com/i/images/nec-flying-car.jpg?sw=768&cx=0&cy=0&cw=1929&ch=1085)
(https://i.ytimg.com/vi/ZaKD6LYj5eE/maxresdefault.jpg)
(https://iasbh.tmgrup.com.tr/35c14f/0/0/0/0/0/0?u=https://isbh.tmgrup.com.tr/sb/album/2019/09/15/yerli-ve-milli-teknolojide-havalandik-1568528006535.jpg&l=1)
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Huzaar1 op 16/09/2019 | 14:49 uur
Gaat idd wel zo'n tempo. Veel technoligieen vinden hun nut ook in drones. Ik denk dat de helikopter niet lang meer bestaat.
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Mourning op 16/09/2019 | 17:46 uur
@Joop: eens. Voorts zou ik van die bovenste variant bij "pech" behoorlijk nerveus worden als ik er snel uit zou moeten springen... lol
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Sparkplug op 19/09/2019 | 09:05 uur
Payload tests for XQ-58A set for early 2020

https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/payload-tests-for-xq-58a-set-for-early-2020-460947/
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Sparkplug op 20/09/2019 | 08:43 uur
Video: MQ-25A Stingray Makes First Test Flight

https://news.usni.org/2019/09/19/video-mq-25a-stingray-makes-first-test-flight



Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Sparkplug op 09/10/2019 | 09:15 uur
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Sparkplug op 16/10/2019 | 09:51 uur
Gray Eagle ER to carry glide munitions and air launched effects

https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/gray-eagle-er-to-carry-glide-munitions-and-air-launc-461479/

(https://newsassets.cirium.com/assets/getasset.aspx?itemid=79051)
MQ-1C Gray Eagle ER with loitering munitions General Atomics Aeronautical Systems
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Jooop op 22/10/2019 | 10:17 uur


(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EHZeOZhXkAAH5z2?format=jpg&name=4096x4096)
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Harald op 22/10/2019 | 10:31 uur
Dat is dus de nieuwe Turkse UCAV :  Akinci (Raider)     ( @Jooop ... het een raadplaatje ...  ;).. is bekend..)

Turkey details Akinci armed UAV programme
https://www.janes.com/article/86850/turkey-details-akinci-armed-uav-programme
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Sparkplug op 30/10/2019 | 13:11 uur
France begins process of arming Block 5 Reapers

https://www.janes.com/article/92204/france-begins-process-of-arming-block-5-reapers

(https://www.janes.com/images/assets/204/92204/p1634449.jpg)
France has begun the process of arming its Block 1 Reapers (pictured), and a contract has now been placed to do the same for the Block 5 vehicles to be delivered from 2020. (French Air Force)
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter) op 05/11/2019 | 21:47 uur
Airbus's Secret Stealth Unmanned Combat Air Vehicle Research Program Breaks Cover (Updated)

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/30845/airbuss-secret-stealth-unmanned-combat-air-vehicle-research-program-breaks-cover
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Sparkplug op 07/11/2019 | 09:20 uur
​DoD warns China exporting killer autonomous drones to Middle East

https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/dod-warns-china-exporting-killer-autonomous-drones-462041/
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Sparkplug op 12/11/2019 | 09:47 uur
​General Atomics to demonstrate MQ-9 maritime patrols for Europe

https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/general-atomics-to-demonstrate-mq-9-maritime-patrol-462144/

(https://newsassets.cirium.com/assets/getasset.aspx?itemid=79376)
MQ-9 maritime patrol variant  General Atomics
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Umbert op 12/11/2019 | 10:04 uur
Citaat van: Sparkplug op 12/11/2019 | 09:47 uur
​General Atomics to demonstrate MQ-9 maritime patrols for Europe

https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/general-atomics-to-demonstrate-mq-9-maritime-patrol-462144/

(https://newsassets.cirium.com/assets/getasset.aspx?itemid=79376)
MQ-9 maritime patrol variant  General Atomics

Mooi 4 + 2 stuks voor NL 4 in Nederland en 2 in de west alles ook onder hoede 306
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Sparkplug op 12/11/2019 | 10:14 uur
Datasheets van de SkyGuardian en de SeaGuardian varianten.

http://www.ga-asi.com/Websites/gaasi/images/products/aircraft_systems/pdf/SkyGuardian_DataSheet.pdf

http://www.ga-asi.com/Websites/gaasi/images/products/aircraft_systems/pdf/SeaGuardian_DataSheet_111418.pdf

http://www.ga-asi.com/mq-9b
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Sparkplug op 22/11/2019 | 10:48 uur
First NATO AGS remotely piloted aircraft ferries to Main Operating Base in Italy

https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/news_171171.htm

(https://www.nato.int/nato_static_fl2014/assets/pictures/2019_11_191121c-global-hawk/20191121_191121c-013_rdax_775x440.jpg)
First NATO Alliance Ground Surveillance (AGS) aircraft lands in Sigonella, Italy on Thursday (21 November 2019)
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Sparkplug op 27/11/2019 | 15:13 uur
NATO Alliance Ground Surveillance Force Commander on arrival of first RQ-4D aircraft

https://ac.nato.int/archive/2019/page87502843.aspx

Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Sparkplug op 28/11/2019 | 10:55 uur
Defence announces down-selection of AIR 7003 platform (MQ-9B)

https://www.defenceconnect.com.au/air-sea-lift/5215-defence-announces-down-selection-of-air-7003-platform

Boosting ADF capabilities – A closer look at 'Sky Guardian' (tussen de 12 en 16 stuks)

https://www.defenceconnect.com.au/air-sea-lift/5216-a-closer-look-at-sky-guardian-australia-s-billion-dollar-acquisition
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Jooop op 07/12/2019 | 00:56 uur
First flight of Turkish Akinci UAV

Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Sparkplug op 09/12/2019 | 10:48 uur
​US Navy to prototype Northrop Grumman MQ-8C with weapons

https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/us-navy-to-prototype-northrop-grumman-mq-8c-with-we-462741/

(https://newsassets.cirium.com/assets/getasset.aspx?itemid=78154)
MQ-8C Fire Scout, USN
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Sparkplug op 23/12/2019 | 09:44 uur
@Rotorfocus (Tony Osborne)

CitaatFrance's @Armee_de_lair has become the third MQ-9 #Reaper operating nation to arm the aircraft, equipping the Block 1 aircraft operating in the Sahel region with GBU-12 bomb. Block 5 Reapers will get Hellfire and GBU-49 later. #Barkhane

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EMLXTg_WsAIK4at?format=jpg&name=small)

https://twitter.com/Rotorfocus/status/1207764393599143937
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Harald op 17/01/2020 | 11:30 uur
Sierra Technical unveils 'faster' and 'more manoeuvrable' stealth UAV

(https://www.defensieforum.nl/Forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.cloud.opensystemsmedia.com%2Fi__srcc45fcdba97bc05d55bcdeaf440c89a3a_par5048b51a68336b802090b7d2d9ec401b.png&hash=49f3fb139713ff66cf398dca8c0363cab43af690)

(https://d3lcr32v2pp4l1.cloudfront.net/Pictures/2000x2000fit/5/8/9/66589_5gatjanuary2020_413659.jpg)

(https://d3lcr32v2pp4l1.cloudfront.net/Pictures/2000x2000fit/5/8/8/66588_5gatrightrearlkgfwdisoview_912316.jpg)

Sierra Technical Services recently completed several ground tests, including an engine test run, on its Fifth Generation Aerial Target (5GAT) aircraft.

The aircraft, which is powered by two General Electric J85 engines salvaged from retired Northrop T-38 Talon trainer jets, is intended to be used as a stealth target drone for the US Air Force (USAF) to shoot down.

"We ran both engines all the way to [military] power at the same time," says Roger Hayes, president and co-owner of Sierra Technical. "We tested out our flight controls – elevons and rudders – and everything worked well."

The unmanned air vehicle (UAV) should be ready for its first test flight during the first quarter of 2020, says Hayes.

However, because the 5GAT is inherently low-cost – estimated by Sierra Technical to be less than $10 million per production copy – and has a low-observable shape the company is also openly pitching it as an "attritable" Loyal Wingman stealth aircraft.

Attritable aircraft are a new concept in aerial warfare:  UAVs so cheap that combat losses won't break the bank. For example, the USAF's Loyal Wingman programme is aimed at developing buddy attritable aircraft for its fleet of manned fighters, such as the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II. It could be asked to take on dangerous tasks or might operate as a robotic scout.

Sierra Technical believes its 5GAT has abilities that would give it advantages over Kratos Defense's XQ-58A Valkerie, a pioneering attritable UAV built in collaboration with the US Air Force Research Laboratory.

"It will be able to fly faster than an XQ-58 Valkyrie. It will be able to be more manoeuvrable than an XQ-58 Valkyrie as well," says Hayes. "We believe that it has a high potential of solving some of the Loyal Wingman requirements, once they're defined [by the US Air Force]."

In particular, the 5GAT's two J85 engines give it the ability to fly high-subsonic speeds.

"We're going to limit it to high-subsonic," says Hayes. "It would probably go supersonic without much trouble, but none of the structure was analysed or designed for supersonic [flight], nor were the inlet lips."

The 5GAT was commissioned as a stealth target aircraft by the Pentagon's Director of Operational Test and Evaluation (DOT&E), and supersonic flight was not part of its mission requirements, explains Hayes. It is designed to be a disposable stealth aircraft for mock air combat, and a sparring partner that helps combat pilots learn how to shoot down stealth aircraft, such as Russia's Sukhoi Su-57 or China's Chengdu J-20.

DOT&E paid for the aircraft to be designed, built and flown after the USAF and US Navy initially declined to build stealth targets of their own. However, the USAF last year released a request for information for its own Next-Generation Aerial Target, a stealth target programme which might replace the DOT&E's effort.

In addition to being stealthy, Hayes says the aircraft can manoeuvre at +7.5g and -2g for short periods.

"However, it cannot sustain +7.5g or -2g. The aircraft will bleed off energy very quickly due to limitation of the thrust from these engines," says Hayes. "We can make 7.5g turns, but not sustain them for very long – that is basically a typical operational scenario."

The 5GAT can carry weapons on external pylons, though it doesn't have provisions for an internal weapons bay, a capability that would require a substantial redesign.

"But, we can carry all kinds of electronics, artificial intelligence gear, [intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance] equipment," says Hayes.

Hayes declines to make a detailed comparison of the XQ-58 and the 5GAT. That's because Sierra Technical helped design the XQ-58A and he says it would be a conflict of interest to disclose that information.

Hayes notes that competing with a business partner on a separate product line happens frequently in the US defence industry. "You know, it's strange bedfellows, but it's common in the industry," he says.

Because of the wide variety of Loyal Wingman applications, from air combat to intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance roles, Hayes says he believes there is room for both aircraft.

"For the Loyal Wingman there are certain aspects that we believe that the 5GAT or a derivative of the 5GAT would be very suitable, even more suitable in some cases then the Valkyrie," he says "And then, there are many cases where the Valkyrie would be more suitable than the 5GAT derivative."

https://www.flightglobal.com/fixed-wing/sierra-technical-unveils-faster-and-more-manoeuvrable-stealth-uav/136192.article
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Harald op 23/01/2020 | 08:52 uur
Gray Eagle ER begins new flight demo campaign

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) has begun a series of internally-funded multi-domain operations (MDO) demonstrations of the Gray Eagle Extended Range (GE-ER) UAS.

The flight series are being carried out throughout 2020 to demonstrate that a GE-ER equipped with long-range sensors and air launched effects (ALE) is able to detect, identify, locate and report targetable data to support long range precision fires systems (LRPF).

During the first flight, Gray Eagle was equipped with the Lynx Block 30A Long Range Synthetic Aperture Radar/Ground Moving Target Indicator (SAR/GMTI). The UAS was able to detect military targets out to a range of 75km. The Lynx SAR imagery produces precise coordinates with every image, cueing to aviation assets or enabling direct engagement with LRPF. With modes for GMTI, dismount detection on the dismount moving target indicator, maritime detection and maritime identification with inverse SAR, the Lynx payload supports operations over land or sea in the Pacific and European theatres.

Demonstrations planned in 2020 include integration of additional long range and MDO relevant sensors, communications packages, and launching ALE from the aircraft. Serving as an ALE mothership, the GE-ER will carry multiple ALEs with a variety of capabilities. The launch and control of ALEs from GE-ER could potentially increase the survivability and effectiveness of current and future manned aviation systems with intelligence, targeting, communications, jammers, decoys and kinetic effects.

https://www.shephardmedia.com/news/uv-online/gray-eagle-er-begins-new-flight-demo-campaign/
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Sparkplug op 28/01/2020 | 10:20 uur
Germany walks away from $2.5 billion purchase of US Navy's Triton spy drones

https://www.defensenews.com/breaking-news/2020/01/28/germany-walks-away-from-25-billion-purchase-of-us-navys-triton-spy-drones/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=Socialflow+DFN
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Sparkplug op 27/02/2020 | 09:50 uur
Abrupt End to MQ-9 Production Surprises General Atomics

https://www.airforcemag.com/abrupt-end-to-mq-9-production-surprises-general-atomics/
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Sparkplug op 02/04/2020 | 13:37 uur
GA-ASI Completes First Production-Representative MQ-9B SkyGuardian

SAN DIEGO – 31 March 2020 – General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) has completed the first production-representative MQ-9B SkyGuardian® Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA). First flight of this aircraft took place on March 30, 2020 at GA-ASI's Flight Operations Facility in El Mirage, California.

"With first flight of the production-representative aircraft, we remain on schedule for delivering MQ-9B Protector to the RAF," said Linden Blue, CEO, GA-ASI. Protector RG Mk1 is being procured for the UK Royal Air Force's configuration of SkyGuardian. "Protector revolutionizes the long-endurance RPA market by providing true all-weather capability, and NATO-standard Type-Certification to enable flexible operations in civil airspace," said Blue.

The new SkyGuardian, known within GA-ASI as BC03, is a company aircraft that is being utilized for ground and flight testing to collect airworthiness certification data starting with flight loads and aircraft performance testing. The results from the tests will form the Type Certification Exposition needed to achieve the Military Type Certificate for the Protector platform.

"As the lead customer, we are tracking all of the important developments of this ground-breaking, remotely-piloted aircraft," said RAF Group Captain Shaun Gee, Protector RG Mk1 Programme Director. "The Military Type Certificate is a particularly important milestone because it's a foundational step towards the Protector RPA being approved to fly in unsegregated airspace."

The multi-mission MQ-9B is built for all-weather performance with lightning protection, damage tolerance, and a de-icing system. SkyGuardian, as well as the maritime SeaGuardian®, features a GA-ASI-developed Detect and Avoid System (DAAS).

According to GA-ASI President David R. Alexander, BC03 will be followed by BC04 (also known as UK1), which will be the first Protector aircraft to be delivered to the RAF. "Production has already begun on BC04 and prior to delivery, it will be used for Combined System Test and weapons testing," said Alexander.

In addition to the RAF, MQ-9B has been selected by the Australian Government for the Australian Defence Force (ADF) under Project Air 7003. The Government of Belgium has also approved Belgian Defense to negotiate the acquisition of GA-ASI's MQ-9B.

http://www.ga-asi.com/ga-asi-completes-first-production-representative-mq-9b-skyguardian
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Sparkplug op 10/04/2020 | 13:07 uur
Boeing's Loyal Wingman Program Achieves 'Weight on Wheels' Milestone

Australia, April 9, 2020 – Boeing [NYSE: BA] Australia recently achieved two more milestones on the Royal Australian Air Force's Loyal Wingman – Advanced Development Program: weight on wheels and aircraft power on.

The development milestones for the unmanned aircraft come just weeks after completion of the first fuselage, allowing for rapid progress on systems installation and functional and integration testing from the aircraft's own landing gear.

"We're continuing at pace toward our goal of flying later this year, so that we can show our customer and the world what unmanned capability like this can do," said Dr. Shane Arnott, program director of the Boeing Airpower Teaming System. "The strong contributions from our industry team are powering our progress."

(https://boeing.mediaroom.com/image/Loyal_Wingman_WoW_Final_040820-+med-res.jpg)
Apr 8, 2020
Boeing Australia recently achieved two more milestones on the Royal Australian Air Force's Loyal Wingman – Advanced Development Program: weight on wheels and aircraft power on. (Boeing photo)

https://boeing.mediaroom.com/2020-04-08-Boeings-Loyal-Wingman-program-achieves-Weight-on-Wheels-milestone#assets_20295_130659-117
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Sparkplug op 06/05/2020 | 08:21 uur
Boeing Rolls Out First Loyal Wingman Unmanned Aircraft

Prototype will advance Boeing's global Airpower Teaming System

SYDNEY, May 5, 2020 — A Boeing [NYSE:BA]-led Australian industry team has presented the first unmanned Loyal Wingman aircraft to the Royal Australian Air Force, a historic milestone for the company and the Commonwealth.

The aircraft, which uses artificial intelligence to extend the capabilities of manned and unmanned platforms, is the first to be designed, engineered and manufactured in Australia in more than 50 years. It is Boeing's largest investment in an unmanned aircraft outside of the United States.

As the first of three prototypes for Australia's Loyal Wingman Advanced Development Program, the aircraft also serves as the foundation for the Boeing Airpower Teaming System (ATS) being developed for the global defense market.

"This is a truly historic moment for our country and for Australian defence innovation," said the Hon. Scott Morrison MP, Prime Minister of Australia. "The Loyal Wingman will be pivotal to exploring the critical capabilities our Air Force needs to protect our nation and its allies into the future."

Air Marshal Mel Hupfeld, Chief of the Royal Australian Air Force, said the rollout of the first aircraft was a significant milestone in the Boeing Loyal Wingman project.

"This project is an excellent example of innovation through collaboration and what can be achieved working together with defence industry," said Air Marshal Hupfeld. "This demonstrates the importance of the relationship Air Force has with Boeing Australia and defence industry more broadly. I look forward to exploring the capabilities this aircraft may bring to our existing fleet in the future."

More than 35 members of Australian industry are supporting prototype work across four Australian states. With a global market demand for highly capable but extremely affordable unmanned aircraft, Boeing applied company-wide innovation to achieve those goals. The aircraft was engineered using a digital twin to model its structures, systems, capabilities and full life-cycle requirements; manufactured with Boeing's largest-ever resin-infused single composite piece; and assembled using proven advanced manufacturing processes.

"We are proud to take this significant step forward with the Royal Australian Air Force and show the potential for smart unmanned teaming to serve as a force multiplier," said Kristin Robertson, vice president and general manager of Autonomous Systems for Boeing Defense, Space & Security. "We look forward to getting the aircraft into flight testing and proving out the unmanned teaming concept. We see global allies with those same mission needs, which is why this program is so important to advancing the development of the Boeing Airpower Teaming System."

The Loyal Wingman prototype now moves into ground testing, followed by taxi and first flight later this year.

For more information about the Boeing Airpower Teaming System, visit https://www.boeing.com/defense/airpower-teaming-system/.

For more information on Defense, Space & Security, visit www.boeing.com. Follow us on Twitter: @BoeingDefense and @BoeingSpace.

(https://boeing.mediaroom.com/image/1_ATS-Loyal-Wingman-med-res.jpg)
May 4, 2020
Boeing Australia has built the first of three Loyal Wingman aircraft, which will serve as the foundation for the Boeing Airpower Teaming System being developed for the global defense market. The aircraft are designed to fly alongside existing platforms and use artificial intelligence to conduct teaming missions. (Boeing photo)

https://boeing.mediaroom.com/2020-05-05-Boeing-rolls-out-first-Loyal-Wingman-unmanned-aircraft#assets_20295_130677-117
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Sparkplug op 06/05/2020 | 09:02 uur
@BoeingAustralia

CitaatWe've unveiled the first of three unmanned #LoyalWingman prototype aircraft with @AusAirForce. This game-changing sovereign capability is made by Australians for global customers. #AirpowerTeaming

Filmpje via de weblink laat de flexible mission payload zien.

https://twitter.com/BoeingAustralia/status/1257491777600225286
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Sparkplug op 06/06/2020 | 15:10 uur
Air Force Seeks MQ-9 Replacement By 2031

https://www.airforcemag.com/air-force-seeks-son-of-mq-x-by-2031/
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Sparkplug op 17/06/2020 | 16:09 uur
UK's unmanned Protector gains Brimstones, Paveway IV for ground test

https://www.flightglobal.com/military-uavs/uks-unmanned-protector-gains-brimstones-paveway-iv-for-ground-test/138854.article

(https://d3lcr32v2pp4l1.cloudfront.net/Pictures/780xany/7/6/9/70769_earkyukxkaq2wsl_747776.jpg)
Source: Crown Copyright
Ground vibration testing includes inert Brimstone and Paveway IV weapons
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Huzaar1 op 17/06/2020 | 22:23 uur
Gaat niet lang meer duren of de drones gaan de bemande toestellen overnemen. Gaat in een sneltreinvlucht.
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: pz op 18/06/2020 | 08:01 uur
Citaat van: Huzaar1 op 17/06/2020 | 22:23 uur
Gaat niet lang meer duren of de drones gaan de bemande toestellen overnemen. Gaat in een sneltreinvlucht.
Wat mij heeft verbaast de afgelopen periode is hoe de Turken hebben huisgehouden met gewapende drones in noorden van Syrie.Hoe effectief ze waren. En dat die dingen niet zijn aangevallen door de  Russen/Syriers. Hadden de Russen daar geen radar/luchtdoelraketten?

Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Jooop op 18/06/2020 | 09:48 uur
Citaat van: pz op 18/06/2020 | 08:01 uur
Wat mij heeft verbaast de afgelopen periode is hoe de Turken hebben huisgehouden met gewapende drones in noorden van Syrie.Hoe effectief ze waren. En dat die dingen niet zijn aangevallen door de  Russen/Syriers. Hadden de Russen daar geen radar/luchtdoelraketten?

En Libië!

Meerdere Pantsir luchtdoel systemen hebben het niet overleefd.
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Huzaar1 op 18/06/2020 | 11:03 uur
Citaat van: Jooop op 18/06/2020 | 09:48 uur
En Libië!

Meerdere Pantsir luchtdoel systemen hebben het niet overleefd.

Only 2 Syrian Pantsir Systems Damaged, None Destroyed in Turkish Attacks: Russian MoD

https://www.defenseworld.net/news/26495/Only_2_Syrian_Pantsir_Systems_Damaged__None_Destroyed_in_Turkish_Attacks__Russian_MoD#.XustvFNcIwA
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Harald op 18/06/2020 | 13:12 uur
UAS Platforms: A Solution for Present and Future Maritime Security Challenges

https://www.defensenews.com/native/general-atomics/2020/06/12/uas-platforms-can-help-solve-todays-and-tomorrows-strategic-maritime-security-challenges/

Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: RTB op 18/06/2020 | 14:17 uur
Citaat van: pz op 18/06/2020 | 08:01 uur
Wat mij heeft verbaast de afgelopen periode is hoe de Turken hebben huisgehouden met gewapende drones in noorden van Syrie.Hoe effectief ze waren. En dat die dingen niet zijn aangevallen door de  Russen/Syriers. Hadden de Russen daar geen radar/luchtdoelraketten?
Zijn meerdere Anka's en Bayraktar's neergeschoten hoor. Maar liever een UCAV dan een F-16 natuurlijk.
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: pz op 18/06/2020 | 14:36 uur
Bedankt voor deze info.
Is er een analyse gemaakt hoeveel Turkse ucav's zijn ingezet en percentage wat is neergehaald? Tegenover wat er is vernietigd aan rollend materiaal op de grond?
Maakt de NAVO of NL dit soort analyses vanuit Intel?


Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Jooop op 18/06/2020 | 15:52 uur
Citaat van: Huzaar1 op 18/06/2020 | 11:03 uur
Only 2 Syrian Pantsir Systems Damaged, None Destroyed in Turkish Attacks: Russian MoD

https://www.defenseworld.net/news/26495/Only_2_Syrian_Pantsir_Systems_Damaged__None_Destroyed_in_Turkish_Attacks__Russian_MoD#.XustvFNcIwA


https://t-intell.com/2020/05/22/lethal-stalkers-how-turkish-drones-are-neutralizing-haftars-pantsirs-in-libya-bda/
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Oorlogsvis op 18/06/2020 | 15:57 uur
Volgens mij kost een Turkse drone 5 mio dollar ....Ook in Libie heeft Haftar behoorlijke klappen gekregen van aanvallen
met Turkse drones, de Pantsir haalt wel drones neer ...maar dan komen er weer nieuwe aan en hup ..weg Pantsir.

Nederland moet ook vol inzetten op drones in grote aantallen de techniek is er dus waarom hebben wij er maar 4 en nog
ongewapend ook wij lopen weer achter de feiten aan.

De Chinezen hebben hun drones zo gemaakt dat bijna iedere puber met een joystick het ding kan besturen na een
kleine training, en die Chinese drones zijn goedkoop ..ze kosten ongeveer de helft van een Reaper ....maar kunnen minder
hoog vliegen omdat ze nog achter zijn met de motoren van die dingen daar hebben de Amerikanen nog een voorsprong.

Maar Nederland moet vol inzetten op drones ...anders worden we er zo uitgetikt
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Parera op 18/06/2020 | 15:57 uur
Citaat van: pz op 18/06/2020 | 14:36 uur
Bedankt voor deze info.
Is er een analyse gemaakt hoeveel Turkse ucav's zijn ingezet en percentage wat is neergehaald? Tegenover wat er is vernietigd aan rollend materiaal op de grond?
Maakt de NAVO of NL dit soort analyses vanuit Intel?

Ik kan zo snel geen info vinden over de Turkse inzet van UCAV's in Syrië / Libië maar het is wel bekend dat ze met grote regelmaat ingezet worden. Opvallend is wel dat de Turkse regering vandaag bekend heeft gemaakt om F-16's en gevechtshelikopters in te zetten in Libië.

Ergens in de afgelopen dagen heb ik ook een Turks plan gezien om 2 basissen op te zetten in Libië ; 1 luchtmacht basis en 1 marine basis dus we gaan de komende tijd waarschijnlijk genoeg zien van de Turkse UCAV's in Libië en blijvend in Syrië. Als er een andere grote partij tegenstand gaat bieden (Rusland en/of Egypte) kunnen we pas zien hoe effectief de UAV /UCAV's van de Turken daadwerkelijk zijn. Tegen een tegenstander die nauwelijks luchtdoel capaciteit heeft win je het 95% van de tijd wel.
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Jooop op 18/06/2020 | 16:08 uur
Het Turks parade paardje word een MALE drone dat nu nog in ontwikkeling is en de eerste vluchten heeft gehad.
De Turken zijn van plan om het van een AESA radar te voorzien zodat het ook AA raketten kan afvuren

(https://i.ytimg.com/vi/lPFUYglYgj4/maxresdefault.jpg)

(https://idsb.tmgrup.com.tr/ly/uploads/images/2020/05/25/thumbs/1200x600/37411.jpg)
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Oorlogsvis op 18/06/2020 | 16:35 uur
Citaat van: Parera op 18/06/2020 | 15:57 uur
Ik kan zo snel geen info vinden over de Turkse inzet van UCAV's in Syrië / Libië maar het is wel bekend dat ze met grote regelmaat ingezet worden. Opvallend is wel dat de Turkse regering vandaag bekend heeft gemaakt om F-16's en gevechtshelikopters in te zetten in Libië.

Ergens in de afgelopen dagen heb ik ook een Turks plan gezien om 2 basissen op te zetten in Libië ; 1 luchtmacht basis en 1 marine basis dus we gaan de komende tijd waarschijnlijk genoeg zien van de Turkse UCAV's in Libië en blijvend in Syrië. Als er een andere grote partij tegenstand gaat bieden (Rusland en/of Egypte) kunnen we pas zien hoe effectief de UAV /UCAV's van de Turken daadwerkelijk zijn. Tegen een tegenstander die nauwelijks luchtdoel capaciteit heeft win je het 95% van de tijd wel.
In Syrie ...sloegen ze wel toe hoor ..volgens mij waren de Syriers binnen een paar uur 60 tanks kwijt ...

Als Turkije er zo vol ingaat in Libie ...met F-16's ...Gevechtshelikopters e.d.....dan gaat Egypte en misschien ook Frankrijk zich ermee
bemoeien , er was al een kleine confrontatie toen Franse SF een Turks schip wilden gaan doorzoeken dat wapens bracht
naar Libie.
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Sparkplug op 18/06/2020 | 18:34 uur
Citaat van: Jooop op 18/06/2020 | 16:08 uur
De Turken zijn van plan om het van een AESA radar te voorzien zodat het ook AA raketten kan afvuren

Handig om andere MALE UCAVs mee neer te halen, maar het geeft ook meteen aan dat het om radargeleide missiles gaat. Voor hittezoekende missiles heb je geen radar nodig.
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Jooop op 18/06/2020 | 18:39 uur
Citaat van: Sparkplug op 18/06/2020 | 18:34 uur
Handig om andere MALE UCAVs mee neer te halen, maar het geeft ook meteen aan dat het om radargeleide missiles gaat. Voor hittezoekende missiles heb je geen radar nodig.

Wel als je de target wil detecteren

De Turken willen deze missiles gebruiken (AMRAAM clone en AIM-9x clone)

(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3f/G%C3%B6ktu%C4%9F.jpg)
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Sparkplug op 28/07/2020 | 15:20 uur
First sight of buddy store on MQ-25A unmanned refueller

27 JULY 2020

by Richard Scott

First images have emerged of the underwing pod installation on Boeing's MQ-25A Stingray carrier-borne unmanned aerial refuelling system ahead of the start of flight testing.

The MQ-25A is intended to provide US Navy (USN) carrier air wings with a robust organic refueling capability to improve the combat of embarked strike fighters and extend the reach of the carrier air wing on the aircraft carriers.

Boeing was in August 2018 awarded a USD805.3 million engineering, manufacturing and development (EMD) contract by the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) for the design, development, fabrication, test, delivery, and support of four MQ-25A unmanned air vehicles, including integration into the carrier air wing for an initial operational capability in August 2024.

Boeing has built a company-owned flight test article, T1 (N234MQ), to support the development programme. T1 began flight test activities in September 2019, accumulating approximately 30 flight hours up to February 2020.

The MQ-25A is expected to deliver up to 15,000 lb of fuel at 500 n miles. Aerial refuelling operations will be undertaken using two standard buddy pods, one under each wing, paying out a refuelling hose and basket. These buddy stores, already in service on USN F/A-18E/F Super Hornets, are built by Cobham.

Images showing T1 fitted with the Cobham buddy store under its port wing were earlier released on 20 July by Democrat Senator Tammy Duckworth after she had visited the Boeing facility at MidAmerica regional airport in Mascoutah, Illinois, the previous week. Boeing later released a short video on social media showing the pod installation process being undertaken inside its hangar at MidAmerica airport.

Already a Janes subscriber? Read the full article via the Client Login

(https://www.janes.com/images/default-source/news-images/fg_3269722-idr-7158.jpg?sfvrsn=dbe827ed_2)
Screen capture of the underwing refuelling pod being mounted on T1. (Boeing)

https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news-detail/first-sight-of-buddy-store-on-mq-25a-unmanned-refueller
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Huzaar1 op 28/07/2020 | 23:19 uur
Dit gaat snel.
Ik verwacht dat de reguliere gevechtsvliegtuigen lang naast de drones zullen blijven bestaan, maar uiteindelijk zal een strijdkracht veel vaker over een drone kunnen beschikken dan een jager. Dit zal meer investering in drones tot gevolg hebben waardoor deze hierdoor ook de bemande reguliere toestellen eruit zullen drukken. Interessant om te zien.
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Sparkplug op 14/09/2020 | 11:02 uur
MQ-9 Reaper Drone Fires Live AIM-9X Block II AAM At BQM-167 Target Drone Simulating a Cruise Missile

This is the second successful MQ-9 AIM-9X employment since the first air-to-air shot in November of 2017 against a target drone.

.../...

https://theaviationist.com/2020/09/11/mq-9-reaper-drone-fires-live-aim-9x-block-ii-aam-at-bqm-167-target-drone-simulating-a-cruise-missile/

(https://i2.wp.com/theaviationist.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/MQ-9-AIM-9X.jpg?resize=678%2C381&ssl=1)
A U.S. Air Force MQ-9 Reaper assigned to the 556th Test and Evaluation Squadron armed with an AIM-9X missile sits on the ramp on September 3, 2020 ahead of the ABMS Onramp #2. In the test, the MQ-9 successfully employed a live air-to-air AIM-9X Block 2 missile against a target BQM-167 drone simulating a cruise missile. (U.S. Air Force photo by SrA Haley Stevens)

https://www.53rdwing.af.mil/News/Article/2343470/ambs-onramp-2-sees-second-mq-9-aim-9x-shot-and-other-cmd-tactics-development/
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Jooop op 17/09/2020 | 15:37 uur
Turkse UCAV

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EiHjJkrXkAAFL5l?format=jpg&name=medium)

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EiHjK3xXkAEC3Qr?format=jpg&name=900x900)
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Ace1 op 17/09/2020 | 16:12 uur
Citaat van: Jooop op 17/09/2020 | 15:37 uur
Turkse UCAV

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EiHjJkrXkAAFL5l?format=jpg&name=medium)

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EiHjK3xXkAEC3Qr?format=jpg&name=900x900)


Kopieren zijn de Turken goed in hier het origineel.

(https://www.airteamimages.com/pics/194/194290_big.jpg)
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Jooop op 17/09/2020 | 16:21 uur
Ja het lijkt er veel op, maar toch zijn er wezenlijke verschillen.

De Heron gebruikt een single turboprop, terwijl de Turkse UAV twee diesel piston motoren gebruikt waardoor ze het waarschijnlijk veel goedkoper kunnen produceren
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Ace1 op 17/09/2020 | 16:37 uur
Citaat van: Jooop op 17/09/2020 | 16:21 uur
Ja het lijkt er veel op, maar toch zijn er wezenlijke verschillen.

De Heron gebruikt een single turboprop, terwijl de Turkse UAV twee diesel piston motoren gebruikt waardoor ze het waarschijnlijk veel goedkoper kunnen produceren

De techniek komt niet van de Turken vandaan.

https://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/israeli-manufacturers-win-150m-turkish-uav-contract-updated-0389/
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Jooop op 17/09/2020 | 22:22 uur
Citaat van: Ace1 op 17/09/2020 | 16:37 uur
De techniek komt niet van de Turken vandaan.

https://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/israeli-manufacturers-win-150m-turkish-uav-contract-updated-0389/

Appels en peren! De herons dat de Turken in 2005 van IAI hebben gekocht hebben niets met de huidige Turkse UAV's te maken.

Turkse Heron 2011:
(https://cdn.jetphotos.com/full/3/61941_1310750053.jpg)
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Huzaar1 op 18/09/2020 | 00:18 uur
Citaat van: Jooop op 17/09/2020 | 16:21 uur
Ja het lijkt er veel op, maar toch zijn er wezenlijke verschillen.

De Heron gebruikt een single turboprop, terwijl de Turkse UAV twee diesel piston motoren gebruikt waardoor ze het waarschijnlijk veel goedkoper kunnen produceren

Haha ja. Ik zet een kratje bier op de technologische uitdagingen die turboprop motoren geven en de turken omheen hebben gewerkt.
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Jooop op 18/09/2020 | 00:26 uur
Citaat van: Huzaar1 op 18/09/2020 | 00:18 uur
Haha ja. Ik zet een kratje bier op de technologische uitdagingen die turboprop motoren geven en de turken omheen hebben gewerkt.

Nou de kratje bier heb ik dan snel verdient, ze hebben ook dronen met twee turboprops

(https://idsb.tmgrup.com.tr/ly/uploads/images/2020/05/25/37411.jpg)

(https://iadsb.tmgrup.com.tr/26436b/1200/627/0/33/800/452?u=https://idsb.tmgrup.com.tr/2019/09/17/turkeys-newest-armed-drone-akinci-debuts-ahead-of-teknofest-1568719539558.jpg)


Je zou het niet verwachten maar de Turken boeren goed met de dronen

(https://mato48.files.wordpress.com/2020/03/turkish-drones.jpg)
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Huzaar1 op 18/09/2020 | 09:20 uur
Citaat van: Jooop op 18/09/2020 | 00:26 uur
Nou de kratje bier heb ik dan snel verdient, ze hebben ook dronen met twee turboprops

(https://idsb.tmgrup.com.tr/ly/uploads/images/2020/05/25/37411.jpg)

(https://iadsb.tmgrup.com.tr/26436b/1200/627/0/33/800/452?u=https://idsb.tmgrup.com.tr/2019/09/17/turkeys-newest-armed-drone-akinci-debuts-ahead-of-teknofest-1568719539558.jpg)


Je zou het niet verwachten maar de Turken boeren goed met de dronen

(https://mato48.files.wordpress.com/2020/03/turkish-drones.jpg)

Dat ze turboprops hebben in vliegend materiaal betekent niet direct dat ze nieuwe toepassingen kunnen bedenken of ze zelf kunnen produceren in elke configuratie. Met jou discussieren is hopeloos. Je bent niet reëel.
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Jooop op 18/09/2020 | 10:30 uur
Citaat van: Huzaar1 op 18/09/2020 | 09:20 uur
Dat ze turboprops hebben in vliegend materiaal betekent niet direct dat ze nieuwe toepassingen kunnen bedenken of ze zelf kunnen produceren in elke configuratie. Met jou discussieren is hopeloos. Je bent niet reëel.

Wat bazel je nou? Je ziet toch dat ze het al hebben toegepast, daar valt niets aan te discussiëren daar het een feit is.

En volgende keer niet zo gauw met kratjes bier rondstrooien.
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Huzaar1 op 18/09/2020 | 10:58 uur
Citaat van: Jooop op 18/09/2020 | 10:30 uur
Wat bazel je nou? Je ziet toch dat ze het al hebben toegepast, daar valt niets aan te discussiëren daar het een feit is.

En volgende keer niet zo gauw met kratjes bier rondstrooien.

Een turbo prop is toch geen turbo prop man. Dat hoef ik jou toch niet te vertellen met al je 'inside' kennis. Als je maar iets weet van de complexiteit van luchtvaart engineering weet je hoe i gewikkeld het is met certificeringen, testen en de gevolgen van een aanpassing in het ontwerp.

Ik weet het, de Turken..levende goden. Hands down. Maar ook zij hebben te maken met natuurwetten. Het gebruik van een type motor in een ontwerp of eenheid is geen garantie dat ze de hele tak van sport beheersen. Kratje bier staat nog steeds, of mag je dat niet meer aanraken van ze?
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Jooop op 18/09/2020 | 11:05 uur
Citaat van: Huzaar1 op 18/09/2020 | 10:58 uur
Een turbo prop is toch geen turbo prop man. Dat hoef ik jou toch niet te vertellen met al je 'inside' kennis. Als je maar iets weet van de complexiteit van luchtvaart engineering weet je hoe i gewikkeld het is met certificeringen, testen en de gevolgen van een aanpassing in het ontwerp.

Ik weet het, de Turken..levende goden. Hands down. Maar ook zij hebben te maken met natuurwetten. Het gebruik van een type motor in een ontwerp of eenheid is geen garantie dat ze de hele tak van sport beheersen. Kratje bier staat nog steeds, of mag je dat niet meer aanraken van ze?

Kratje bier is altijd welkom, niet van dat pis bier maar Grolsch of zo.

Ik snap jouw standpunt niet, eerst zeg dat de Turken om een turboprop heen werken omdat het te complex zou zijn. Geef ik je een voorbeeld dat ze al een MALE UAV hebben met turboprops sleep je allerlei onzin aan.

Whatever!
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Ace1 op 18/09/2020 | 11:20 uur
Citaat van: Jooop op 18/09/2020 | 11:05 uur
Kratje bier is altijd welkom, niet van dat pis bier maar Grolsch of zo.

Ik snap jouw standpunt niet, eerst zeg dat de Turken om een turboprop heen werken omdat het te complex zou zijn. Geef ik je een voorbeeld dat ze al een MALE UAV hebben met turboprops sleep je allerlei onzin aan.

Whatever!

Een turboprop motor zullen de Turken wel van de plank kopen als je ziet hoeveel moeite het de Chinezen kost om zelfstandig een jet motor te ontwikkelen en deze gewoon kopieren van de Russen


Over bier gesproken op 22-10-2020 komt Huzaar1 bij mij thuis een kratje Hertog Jan afleveren. Als Brabander heb ik natuurlijk wel een smaak betreft bier. :angel:
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Ace1 op 18/09/2020 | 11:53 uur
Citaat van: Jooop op 17/09/2020 | 22:22 uur
Appels en peren! De herons dat de Turken in 2005 van IAI hebben gekocht hebben niets met de huidige Turkse UAV's te maken.

Turkse Heron 2011:
(https://cdn.jetphotos.com/full/3/61941_1310750053.jpg)

Niet helelmaal je strip een heron en dan kopier je alles zo zijn de Iraniërs ook te werk gegaan met Amerikaanse U(C)AV 's die zijn neergestort of neergeschoten zijn in Iran.
En de Chinezen doen dit al jaren zo en op deze manier haal je de kennis in huis.
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Jooop op 18/09/2020 | 12:11 uur
Citaat van: Ace1 op 18/09/2020 | 11:53 uur
Niet helelmaal je strip een heron en dan kopier je alles zo zijn de Iraniërs ook te werk gegaan met Amerikaanse U(C)AV 's die zijn neergestort of neergeschoten zijn in Iran.
En de Chinezen doen dit al jaren zo en op deze manier haal je de kennis in huis.

Heron I = 280kg
Turkse UAV =  1800kg

volgens open bronnen, lijkt me niet een 1:1 kopie

Maar goed al kopiëren ze, is dat zo erg? Ik vind het vervelender dat Turkije (eigen) UCAV's hebben terwijl wij op Reapers moeten wachten, en nog onbewapend ook.
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Ace1 op 18/09/2020 | 12:23 uur
Citaat van: Jooop op 18/09/2020 | 12:11 uur
Heron I = 280kg
Turkse UAV =  1800kg

volgens open bronnen, lijkt me niet een 1:1 kopie

Maar goed al kopiëren ze, is dat zo erg? Ik vind het vervelender dat Turkije (eigen) UCAV's hebben terwijl wij op Reapers moeten wachten, en nog onbewapend ook.

Gaat om de subsystemen die ze kopieren, flir, kabelboom, control station. ophanging enz.
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Huzaar1 op 18/09/2020 | 12:39 uur
Citaat van: Jooop op 18/09/2020 | 12:11 uur
Heron I = 280kg
Turkse UAV =  1800kg

volgens open bronnen, lijkt me niet een 1:1 kopie

Maar goed al kopiëren ze, is dat zo erg? Ik vind het vervelender dat Turkije (eigen) UCAV's hebben terwijl wij op Reapers moeten wachten, en nog onbewapend ook.

Als je je normaal gedraagd in een vriendengroep, kun je op vrienden bouwen. Daarom is het niet al te belangrijk wat NL heeft.
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Jooop op 18/09/2020 | 12:57 uur
Citaat van: Huzaar1 op 18/09/2020 | 12:39 uur
Als je je normaal gedraagd in een vriendengroep, kun je op vrienden bouwen. Daarom is het niet al te belangrijk wat NL heeft.

Vraag je opa maar eens na (WO2)
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Huzaar1 op 18/09/2020 | 13:16 uur
Citaat van: Jooop op 18/09/2020 | 12:57 uur
Vraag je opa maar eens na (WO2)

Ik snap niet wat je bedoelt, ik ben 35. Mijn opa is al even dood.. het is nu 2020 en we hebben de NAVO. En ik doel op het gedrag van turkije. Wat wel profiteert maar niks teruggeeft. Integendeel.. de alliantie ontwricht .
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Jooop op 18/09/2020 | 13:40 uur
Wat kan mij de alliantie en de gedrag van Turkije schelen. Als het erop aankomt is het iedereen voor zich, we vergeten wel al te gauw wat er in WO2 is gebeurt, geschiedenis kan zich herhalen.
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Huzaar1 op 18/09/2020 | 13:45 uur
Citaat van: Jooop op 18/09/2020 | 13:40 uur
Wat kan mij de alliantie en de gedrag van Turkije schelen. Als het erop aankomt is het iedereen voor zich, we vergeten wel al te gauw wat er in WO2 is gebeurt, geschiedenis kan zich herhalen.

Aha, dit dus. Duidelijk.
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: bergd op 18/09/2020 | 15:20 uur
Citaat van: Jooop op 18/09/2020 | 13:40 uur
Wat kan mij de alliantie en de gedrag van Turkije schelen. Als het erop aankomt is het iedereen voor zich, we vergeten wel al te gauw wat er in WO2 is gebeurt, geschiedenis kan zich herhalen.

🤦volgens mij laat wo2 net zien dat alliantie zo belangrijk is
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Mourning op 18/09/2020 | 15:28 uur
Citaat van: Huzaar1 op 18/09/2020 | 13:45 uur
Aha, dit dus. Duidelijk.

Ja, dat zegt alles. Toch? Geeft precies weer wat een van de grote problemen met Turkije op dit moment is. Als het nou een wereldspeler zou zijn dan kun je je daar nog iets bij voorstellen, maar dat is Turkije absoluut niet.
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: pz op 18/09/2020 | 15:57 uur
Geschiedenis en status van de ontwikkeling van Russische drones tot heden.

Het artikel is in het Duits en relatief lang, maar geeft een goed beeld van de aanpak en ontwikkeling door de Russen.

https://www.offiziere.ch/?p=38210
 

Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Huzaar1 op 18/09/2020 | 17:02 uur
Citaat van: Mourning op 18/09/2020 | 15:28 uur
Ja, dat zegt alles. Toch? Geeft precies weer wat een van de grote problemen met Turkije op dit moment is. Als het nou een wereldspeler zou zijn dan kun je je daar nog iets bij voorstellen, maar dat is Turkije absoluut niet.

Daarom mijn uhu ;). Malloot en daarnaast de verkeerde conclusie uit wo2. Tegelijk legt hij ware aard en intentie bloot van turkije, die hij aardig goed weet te vertalen.
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Sparkplug op 25/09/2020 | 09:41 uur
US Navy's HSC-22 receives first MQ-8C Fire Scout

24 SEPTEMBER 2020

by Pat Host

The US Navy's (USN) Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 22 on 15 September received its first Northrop Grumman MQ-8C Fire Scout rotary-wing medium-altitude unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) aboard Naval Station Norfolk, according to a service statement.

The arrival of the MQ-8C makes HSC-22 the first East Coast squadron to operate all three of these systems: the Sikorsky MH-60S Knighthawk helicopter, the MQ-8B Fire Scout, and the MQ-8C, the USN said on 18 September. The MQ-8C combines the capability of the MQ-8B with the MH-60S to improve the USN's ability to investigate and target hostile surface contacts.

USN spokesperson Commander Jennifer Cragg said on 23 September that HSC-22 will eventually take delivery of five MQ-8C aircraft during the next 18 months. The navy, she said, will retain the MQ-8Bs and MQ-8Cs at assigned Helicopter Sea Combat Squadrons. Cmdr Cragg said the MQ-8Bs will be modified to perform an airborne mine countermeasures mission.

Commander Matthew Wright, HSC-22 commanding officer, was quoted by the USN as saying that the MQ-8C 'Charlie' is larger, faster, can carry more mission equipment, and can remain airborne more than twice as long as the MQ-8B. Cmdr Cragg said that the MQ-8C provides a 30% increase in top airspeed over the MQ-8B. Additionally, she said, the MQ-8C provides three-times the payload capacity of the B-model.

Already a Janes subscriber? Read the full article via the Client Login

(https://www.janes.com/images/default-source/news-images/fg_3729265-jni-8135.jpg?sfvrsn=64004255_2)
The MQ-8C Fire Scout seen on the flight deck of the Independence variant littoral combat ship USS Coronado (LCS 4) on 21 June 2018. The MQ-8C features a 30% increase in top airspeed over the MQ-8B. (US Navy)

https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news-detail/us-navys-hsc-22-receives-first-mq-8c-fire-scout
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Jooop op 25/09/2020 | 12:05 uur
30 General Atomics MQ-9A Reaper drones in a deal valued at approximately $3 billion for India

https://www.indiatoday.in/amp/india-today-insight/story/eye-on-china-a-3-billion-us-drone-acquisition-heads-for-mod-approval-1724393-2020-09-23?__twitter_impression=true


MQ-9A Reaper =  $100mln?  :omg:
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Sparkplug op 28/09/2020 | 09:57 uur
GA-ASI Conducts Sparrowhawk sUAS Flight Tests

SAN DIEGO – 25 SEPTEMBER 2020 – General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) conducted captive carry Sparrowhawk Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (sUAS) flight demonstrations on September 16-17, 2020. The Sparrowhawk aircraft is designed as an airborne launch and recovery demonstrator aircraft tailored to fit GA-ASI platforms, and is focused on Advanced Battle Management System's attritableONE technologies. Sparrowhawk iterates on the DARPA Gremlins Program to further airborne recovery of sUAS, reducing the cost of operation and enabling new mission capabilities to GA-ASI's MQ-9 Remotely Piloted Aircraft.

"Sparrowhawk extends and multiplies MQ-9-based sensors, reduces manpower and increases ISR coverage," said GA-ASI President David R. Alexander. "With attritableONE technology that is survivable and precise, Sparrowhawk is a true game changer."   

The Sparrowhawk sUAS was carried on a MQ-9A and controlled exclusively using GA-ASI's Metis Software Defined Control Station hosted on a laptop computer, which drastically reduced the system's logistical footprint and supports the vision for interfaces to the aircraft from across the battlefield — without the need for a Ground Control Station shelter or vehicle. Communications were achieved using a fielded meshONE datalink, enabling collaborative autonomy capabilities among the platforms. The Cooperation in Denied Environments (CODE) autonomy engine was implemented to further understand cognitive Artificial Intelligence (AI) processing for unmanned systems.

The test flights build on the capabilities demonstrated when Gray Eagle carried two Area-I Altius-600 Air Launched Effects (ALEs) during Multi-Domain Operations (MDO) demonstrations, underscoring GA-ASI's commitment to expanding the capabilities of its aircraft. Sparrowhawk and airborne recovery also enable these benefits:
(https://www.ga-asi.com/images/BlogFeaturedImages/ga-asi-sparrowhawk-1024x600.jpg)

https://www.ga-asi.com/ga-asi-conducts-sparrowhawk-suas-flight-tests
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Sparkplug op 02/10/2020 | 10:07 uur
MQ-9 Reaper takes flight with 8 Hellfire missiles

By 1st Lt Savanah Bray, 53rd Wing / Published October 01, 2020

(https://media.defense.gov/2020/Sep/29/2002509128/780/780/0/200910-F-UA265-1124.JPG)
A 556th Test and Evaluation Squadron MQ-9A Reaper carrying eight Hellfire missiles sits on the ramp at Creech Air Force Base, Nev., Sept. 10, 2020. This was the first flight test of the MQ-9 carrying munition. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Haley Stevens)

CREECH AIR FORCE BASE, Nev. (AFNS) --
The 556th Test and Evaluation Squadron conducted the first flight of the MQ-9A Reaper carrying eight live AGM-114 Hellfire missiles, Sept. 10, reinforcing the platform's "persistent attack" role.

This new capability is part of the MQ-9 Operational Flight Program 2409, a software upgrade set to field by the end of calendar year 2020. Previous to this software, the MQ-9 was limited to four AGM-114s across two stations. The new software allows flexibility to load the Hellfire on stations that previously were reserved for 500-pound class bombs or fuel tanks.

"The hardware/launcher is the same that we use on the outboard stations," said Master Sgt. Melvin French, test system configuration manager. "Aside from the extra hardware required to be on hand, no other changes are required to support this new capability and added lethality. The Reaper retains its flexibility to fly 500-pound bombs on any of these stations, instead of the AGM‑114s, when mission requirements dictate."

The new capability stems from a combined requirements process between Air Combat Command and Air Force Special Operations Command that sets the scope for each MQ-9 OFP update.

"History has proven the MQ-9's ability to provide aerial continuity and attack support for air and ground forces during counter-insurgency and close air support," said Lt. Col. Michael Chmielewski, 556th Test and Evaluation Squadron commander. "Doubling the firepower of this high-endurance aircraft with Hellfires improves the lethality and agility of the MQ-9 over many combat roles, with an arsenal of highly versatile, accurate, and collateral-friendly weapons for all combatant commanders."

In future conflicts, MQ-9 aircrew will be required to dynamically target priority targets and defend isolated personnel, explained Chmielewski. These missions require accelerated kill chains to engage priority targets, some with fleeting engagement opportunities, and to neutralize hostile threats immediately. Added firepower increases the persistent attack ability of the MQ-9 to respond immediately across its long mission times, where it previously may have exhausted its weapons inventory and had to slow the kill chain to coordinate for additional kinetic support to engage a priority target.

"The 556th Test and Evaluation Squadron continues to break barriers to maximize MQ-9 relevance across the spectrum of conflict to develop capabilities for today and tomorrow's warfighter," said Chmielewski. "This team never fails to impress me. OFP tests are very rigorous and require a squadron‑wide effort. Pair that effort with the fast-paced aspect of this OFP cycle, the Advanced Battle Management System demonstration, restrictions from COVID-19, and the unique approaches to overcome these challenges to deliver the tactical advantage to the warfighter without delay are proven impressive."

"Doubling the Hellfire capacity increases the MQ-9 flexibility, responsiveness, and lethality," said Capt. Arthur James, lead MQ-9 OT&E project manager for this test. "While this capability is just one of the various upgrades to OFP 2409, it is one that benefits the MQ-9 across current and future AORs in which we are expected to fight."

https://www.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/2367554/mq-9-reaper-takes-flight-with-8-hellfire-missiles/
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Robert2 op 02/10/2020 | 15:10 uur
Ik vraag mij af wat er nog van het bereik overblijft als je acht van die knuppels eronder hebt hangen. Het zorgt voor best wel wat extra weerstand tijdens het vliegen.
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Sparkplug op 02/10/2020 | 15:35 uur
Citaat van: Robert2 op 02/10/2020 | 15:10 uur
Ik vraag mij af wat er nog van het bereik overblijft als je acht van die knuppels eronder hebt hangen. Het zorgt voor best wel wat extra weerstand tijdens het vliegen.

Dit tast inderdaad het bereik aan. Daarom worden ook twin-launchers (M310) gebruikt en niet de bekende quad-launchers (M299) die nog meer luchtweerstand geven. Het zal best dat voor sommige missies 8 x AGM-114 wel bruikbaar zijn.
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Huzaar1 op 02/10/2020 | 15:47 uur
Citaat van: Sparkplug op 02/10/2020 | 15:35 uur
Dit tast inderdaad het bereik aan. Daarom worden ook twin-launchers (M310) gebruikt en niet de bekende quad-launchers (M299) die nog meer luchtweerstand geven. Het zal best dat voor sommige missies 8 x AGM-114 wel bruikbaar zijn.

Loitering ammo concept wordt alleen maar groter.
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Harald op 15/10/2020 | 08:13 uur
Japan Coast Guard to evaluate Sea Guardian  ( Sky Guardian is favoriet ... )

The Japan Coast Guard is to evaluate the Sea Guardian unmanned air vehicle starting from today.

Testing of the General Atomics aircraft will take place in Sanriku and Sea of Japan. It will operate out of JMSDF Hachinohe Air Base. The evaluation will complete on Nov. 10.

During this period, the drone will fly for 13 missions with 150 hours airborne

http://alert5.com/2020/10/15/japan-coast-guard-to-evaluate-sea-guardian/#more-85096

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jx_dV5oGMls&feature=emb_logo
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Sparkplug op 23/10/2020 | 10:04 uur
Boeing's Australian Unmanned Aircraft Completes First Taxi

AUSTRALIA, October 22, 2020 – The Boeing Loyal Wingman aircraft being developed with the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) recently moved under its own power for the first time, a key milestone for the aircraft that's expected to make its first flight this year.

"Air Force partners with industry to ensure we can find innovative solutions to meet our future priorities," said Air Vice-Marshal Cath Roberts, RAAF Head of Air Force Capability. "Boeing's Loyal Wingman project is a perfect example of what this collaborative approach can achieve."

"Seeing the prototype take to the runway for this low-speed taxi test is an exciting moment – another significant development milestone ahead of its first flight."

Reaching a maximum speed of 14 knots (approximately 16 mph, or 26 kilometers per hour), on the ground, the aircraft demonstrated several activities while maneuvering and stopping on command.

"The low-speed taxi enabled us to verify the function and integration of the aircraft systems, including steering, braking and engine controls, with the aircraft in motion," said Paul Ryder, Boeing Australia Flight Test manager.

Three Loyal Wingman prototypes will be the foundation for the Airpower Teaming System that Boeing will offer customers worldwide.

The aircraft will fly alongside other platforms, using artificial intelligence for such teaming missions. It has advanced design and flight characteristics, including a modular nose section that's customizable for specific needs and a conventional takeoff and landing approach suitable for many missions and runway types.

"Runway independence ensures the aircraft will be a highly flexible and adaptable system for our global customers," said Dr. Shane Arnott, program director, Boeing Airpower Teaming System. "This latest test marks the first full unmanned movement of the Loyal Wingman with our Australian partners and takes us a step closer to first flight."

For more information about the Boeing Airpower Teaming System, visit https://www.boeing.com/defense/airpower-teaming-system/.

For more information on Boeing Defense, Space & Security, visit www.boeing.com. Follow us on Twitter: @BoeingDefense and @BoeingSpace.

(https://boeing.mediaroom.com/image/Medium-res_ATS-taxi-9668-2.jpg)
Oct 21, 2020
Boeing Australia has completed the low-speed taxi test on its first Loyal Wingman unmanned aircraft as part of ground testing and preparations for first flight. (Boeing photo)

https://boeing.mediaroom.com/news-releases-statements?item=130759#assets_20295_130759-117

Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: pz op 26/10/2020 | 19:59 uur
Swarms of armed helicopter drones in attack mode. 'Parus S1' type works as a suicide UAV.

Bedrijf: Zhuhai Ziyan UAV

https://twitter.com/i/status/1318864594291597312
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Sparkplug op 09/11/2020 | 09:45 uur
GA-ASI Moves Sustainment Operations to Europe

Jack Richardson

7. November 2020

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) opened a new customer service centre in Dresden, Germany on 5 October 2020. The centre provides sustainment capabilities for MQ-9 fleets in and near Europe, providing customer convenience and expanding opportunities for European aerospace suppliers.

The service centre is a key part of General Atomics' European Regional Sustainment Network (ERSN). The ERSN leverages the European supply base and creates new repair capabilities that will reduce repair "turn-around-time" and the cost of MQ-9 support.

As of 16 October, GA-ASI customers will have batteries repaired regionally by MADES, located in Malaga, Spain while Belgium's SABCA was selected to provide depot maintenance services for electromechanical actuators used on MQ-9.

ERSN embodies GA's goal of pursuing industry partnerships with European companies, which has continued for more than a decade. GA-ASI engages with industry across Europe on projects for manufacturing, operations and maintenance, research and development, engineering services, and payload development. The new MQ-9B SkyGuardian® Remotely Piloted Air System incorporates components and technologies from partners across Europe. Major subsystems produced in Europe include:
https://euro-sd.com/2020/11/news/19718/ga-asi-europe/

https://www.ga-asi.com/ga-asi-moves-sustainment-operations-to-europe
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Harald op 11/11/2020 | 13:35 uur
United States Approves Possible FMS Of Submarine Hunting UAVs To the UAE

(https://www.navalnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/MQ-9B-SeaGuardian-missions.jpg)

The United States' State Department approved a possible Foreign Military Sale (FMS) to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) of up to 19 MQ-9B Remotely Piloted Aircraft and related equipment for an estimated cost of $2.97 billion. The package includes "ASW mission kits" meaning at least some of the aircraft will be the SeaGuardian variant of General Atomics' MQ-9B.

According to the notice published by the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA), The Government of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has requested to buy up to eighteen (18) Weapons-Ready MQ-9B, Remotely Piloted Aircraft; twenty-five (25) Raytheon Multi-Spectral Targeting Systems-D (MTS-D) EO/IR Sensors; nineteen (19) Lynx AN/APY-8 Synthetic Aperture Radars (SAR) with Ground Moving Target Indicator (GTMI); eighteen (18) RIOTM Communication Intelligence Systems; sixty-six (66) Embedded Global Positioning System/Inertial Navigations Systems (EGI) with Selective Availability Anti-Spoofing Modules (SAASMs); five hundred fifteen (515) AGM-114R Hellfire Missiles...

Click for the entire list of equipment
https://www.dsca.mil/press-media/major-arms-sales/united-arab-emirates-mq-9b-remotely-piloted-aircraft

What stands out, in our opinion, is the mention of the following equipment:
•SeaSpray 7500 maritime radars;
•SAGE 750 Electronic Surveillance Measures System;
•Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) mission kits, receivers, and acoustic processors;
•AN/SSQ-36B thermometric sonobuoys;
•AN/SSQ-53G passive sonobuoys;
•AN-SSQ-62F active sonobuoys;
•ASW acoustic operator workstations;

Thanks to the above systems, the MQ-9Bs will be able to conduct maritime surveillance and anti-submarine warfare (ASW) missions. The UAV will at least be able to detect and track submarines and share their locations with assets equipped with torpedoes, such as the single Abu Dhabi-class ASW corvette or the future Gowind type corvettes of the UAE Navy.

For the record, the United States approved another possible FMS of MQ-9B SeaGuardian to Taiwan. These would conduct maritime missions for the most part. They would come equipped with SeaVue Maritime Multi-Role Patrol Radar and would provide Taiwan with "timely Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR), target acquisition, and counter-land, counter-sea, and anti-submarine strike capabilitie".

https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2020/11/united-states-approves-possible-fms-of-submarine-hunting-uavs-to-the-uae/

(https://i0.wp.com/defpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Royal-Air-Force-Protector-RG-Mk.1.jpg?resize=800%2C445&ssl=1)
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Reinier op 11/11/2020 | 15:41 uur
CitaatUnited States Approves Possible FMS Of Submarine Hunting UAVs To the UAE
Ik ben altijd verbaasd de aantallen dat deze landen spullen kopen; 18 MQ-9B. Dat zijn er nog al wat voor een land zo groot als de Benelux.
Daarnaast ben ik ook verbaasd, dat wij niet soort UAV's hebben voor patrouille boven de Noordzee/ Noord Atlantisch Oceaan en Caraïbisch gebied.
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Jooop op 11/11/2020 | 16:03 uur
Citaat van: Reinier op 11/11/2020 | 15:41 uur
Ik ben altijd verbaasd de aantallen dat deze landen spullen kopen; 18 MQ-9B. Dat zijn er nog al wat voor een land zo groot als de Benelux.
Daarnaast ben ik ook verbaasd, dat wij niet soort UAV's hebben voor patrouille boven de Noordzee/ Noord Atlantisch Oceaan en Caraïbisch gebied.

Het verbaast mij meer waarom een Europees samenwerking niet eens een Talarion project heeft kunnen realiseren
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: ARM-WAP op 12/11/2020 | 11:46 uur
Citaat van: Reinier op 11/11/2020 | 15:41 uur
Ik ben altijd verbaasd de aantallen dat deze landen spullen kopen; 18 MQ-9B. Dat zijn er nog al wat voor een land zo groot als de Benelux.
Daarnaast ben ik ook verbaasd, dat wij niet soort UAV's hebben voor patrouille boven de Noordzee/ Noord Atlantisch Oceaan en Caraïbisch gebied.
De Belgische LuM gebruikte daarvoor ook de B-Hunter die regelmatig vervuilers opspoorde (tanks spoelen op zee enz...)
Vroeger werd zoiets gedaan met de Britten Norman Islander:
https://odnature.naturalsciences.be/mumm/nl/aerial-surveillance/missions

B-Hunter is gedecommissionneerd eind augustus 2020:
https://www.defenseworld.net/news/27769/Belgian_Air_Force_Decommissions_B_Hunter_Drones#.X60SS8j7SUk
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Parera op 12/11/2020 | 12:10 uur
Die ontwikkelen gaan we vanzelf volgen, het duurt wel wat langer en ideaal gezien combineer je dit met een bemande MPA en/ of oppervlakte schepen.
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Parera op 26/11/2020 | 07:29 uur
EUROMALE, start to development

After almost 2 years of negotiations, and 2-3 offers from the industry returned to the sender, OCCAR (the European Armaments Organization) has finally announced the conclusion of the negotiations and the formal green light for the development of the European UAV EUROMALE . The contract will therefore be signed in the coming weeks which, according to what OCCAR has specified, will include the development and production of 20 systems and a five-year support package. The first flight is expected in 2025.

As is known, Germany, Spain, Italy and France participate in the EUROMALE project. The project is German-led (Airbus), while the other participating companies are Leonardo and Elettronica for Italy, Dassault and Thales for France and Indra and for Spain. Italy should have an industrial shareholding of around 25%.

The EUORMAL is a super-MALE twin-turboprop in the 11 t category - unless there have been revisions in recent months of which we have no knowledge - with a wingspan of 26 m, a length of 16 m, a payload of 2.3 t and a maximum operating altitude of 13,700 m. The aircraft will also be equipped with 4 attachment points for the use of pods - in particular for electronic warfare and - and armaments. Given the size of the aircraft, it cannot be excluded that it can also operate with standoff missiles, considering a rather traditional and very "relaxed" aerodynamic configuration that would require its use outside the enemy defense bubbles. a length of 16 m, a payload of 2.3 t and a maximum operating altitude of 13,700 m. The aircraft will also be equipped with 4 attachment points for the use of pods - in particular for electronic warfare and - and armaments.

Given the size of the aircraft, it cannot be excluded that it can also operate with standoff missiles, considering a rather traditional and very "relaxed" aerodynamic configuration that would require its use outside the enemy defense bubbles. a length of 16 m, a payload of 2.3 t and a maximum operating altitude of 13,700 m. The aircraft will also be equipped with 4 attachment points for the use of pods - in particular for electronic warfare and - and armaments. Given the size of the aircraft, it cannot be excluded that it can also operate with standoff missiles, considering a rather traditional and very "relaxed" aerodynamic configuration that would require its use outside the enemy defense bubbles.

Source:  Portale Difensa (https://www.portaledifesa.it/index~phppag,3_id,3892.html)
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Parera op 26/11/2020 | 07:35 uur
Dat worden stevige U(C)AV's, een slag groter dan de MQ-9's maar wel ruim het dubbele (maximale) gewicht. Ook het draag vermogen van 2300 kg is ruim het dubbele van de MQ-9.
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Sparkplug op 26/11/2020 | 09:55 uur
Citaat van: Parera op 26/11/2020 | 07:35 uur
Dat worden stevige U(C)AV's, een slag groter dan de MQ-9's maar wel ruim het dubbele (maximale) gewicht. Ook het draag vermogen van 2300 kg is ruim het dubbele van de MQ-9.

Ongeveer het dubbele van de MQ-9 Reaper. De MQ-9B SkyGuardian heeft een payload (intern + extern) van 4800 lb (2177 kg).
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Stoonbrace op 26/11/2020 | 11:11 uur
Citaat van: Parera op 26/11/2020 | 07:35 uur
Dat worden stevige U(C)AV's, een slag groter dan de MQ-9's maar wel ruim het dubbele (maximale) gewicht. Ook het draag vermogen van 2300 kg is ruim het dubbele van de MQ-9.
11t MTOW - 5,5t zero fuel weight= 5,5t "payload". Max fuel is 5,3t dus je ziet de bui al hangen. Als je veel fuel wil voor endurance, kan je weinig meenemen.
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Stoonbrace op 26/11/2020 | 14:42 uur
Hoe meer ik de cijfers vergelijk hoe minder indrukwekkend de Eurodrone oogt.
Met max fuel, dus in beide gevallen enkel fuel als payload, vliegt een MQ-9B 40u+ en Eurodrone 26u.
Baseline van Eurodrone is 18u opereren op 500NM met ~500kg payload, wat ongeveer het gewicht is van de ISR uitrusting. In ISR configuratie heeft de MQ-9B 30-35u op 200NM.

Ik zie het voordeel niet.
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Huzaar1 op 26/11/2020 | 15:17 uur
Citaat van: Stoonbrace op 26/11/2020 | 14:42 uur
Hoe meer ik de cijfers vergelijk hoe minder indrukwekkend de Eurodrone oogt.
Met max fuel, dus in beide gevallen enkel fuel als payload, vliegt een MQ-9B 40u+ en Eurodrone 26u.
Baseline van Eurodrone is 18u opereren op 500NM met ~500kg payload, wat ongeveer het gewicht is van de ISR uitrusting. In ISR configuratie heeft de MQ-9B 30-35u op 200NM.

Ik zie het voordeel niet.

Ik vrees dat Europese opvattingen over Drones en ethiek de ontwikkelingen  van Eu drones t.o.v. de Turkse, Russische, Amerikaanse drones in de weg zit. Er moet nog iets gebeuren voordat we Europese bedrijven en consortia daarin een even 'vrije hand' geven als in eerder genoemde landen.

Drones en A.I loopt in een steeds sneller tempo in elkaar verweven. En op het punt autonomie en vuurkracht.. tja.
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Sparkplug op 11/12/2020 | 10:01 uur
Boeing's Autonomous MQ-25 Completes First Test Flight with Aerial Refueling Store

- Ongoing flights allow for development of software components and testing of the aerial refueling hardware MQ-25 will use operationally

ST. LOUIS, Dec. 9, 2020 – Boeing [NYSE: BA] and the U.S. Navy have for the first time flown the MQ-25 T1 test asset with an aerial refueling store (ARS), a significant milestone informing development of the unmanned aerial refueler.

The successful 2.5-hour flight with the Cobham ARS – the same ARS currently used by F/A-18s for air-to-air refueling – was designed to test the aircraft's aerodynamics with the ARS mounted under the wing. The flight was conducted by Boeing test pilots operating from a ground control station at MidAmerica St. Louis Airport in Mascoutah, Ill.

"Having a test asset flying with an ARS gets us one big step closer in our evaluation of how MQ-25 will fulfill its primary mission in the fleet – aerial refueling," said Capt. Chad Reed, the U.S. Navy's Unmanned Carrier Aviation program manager. "T1 will continue to yield valuable early insights as we begin flying with F/A-18s and conduct deck handling testing aboard a carrier."

Future flights will continue to test the aerodynamics of the aircraft and the ARS at various points of the flight envelope, eventually progressing to extension and retraction of the hose and drogue used for refueling.

"To see T1 fly with the hardware and software that makes MQ-25 an aerial refueler this early in the program is a visible reminder of the capability we're bringing to the carrier deck," said Dave Bujold, Boeing's MQ-25 program director. "We're ensuring the ARS and the software operating it will be ready to help MQ-25 extend the range of the carrier air wing."

The Boeing-owned T1 test asset is a predecessor to the engineering development model aircraft being produced under a 2018 contract award. T1 is being used for early learning and discovery, laying the foundation for moving rapidly into development and test of the MQ-25. Following its first flight last year, T1 accumulated approximately 30 hours in the air before the planned modification to install the ARS.

Earlier this year the Navy exercised an option for three additional MQ-25 air vehicles, bringing the total aircraft Boeing is initially producing to seven. The Navy intends to procure more than 70 aircraft, which will assume the tanking role currently performed by F/A-18s, allowing for better use of the combat strike fighters.

For more information on Boeing Defense, Space & Security, visit www.boeing.com. Follow us on Twitter: @BoeingDefense and @BoeingSpace.

https://boeing.mediaroom.com/news-releases-statements?item=130780#Closed

Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Harald op 16/12/2020 | 08:36 uur
No Armed Drones for the German Army — for Now

The Bundeswehr has called for approval for armed combat drones for military use. But the controversial technology has been blocked in the German parliament. What does that mean for German defense?

..../...

https://www.defense-aerospace.com/articles-view/release/3/214858/german-parliament-vetoes-armed-drones-%E2%80%93-for-now.html
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Sparkplug op 21/12/2020 | 10:35 uur
Boeing Uncrewed Loyal Wingman Conducts First High-Speed Taxi Test

AUSTRALIA, Dec. 21, 2020 – Boeing [NYSE:BA] Australia and the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) have completed the first high-speed taxi test of the Loyal Wingman in preparation for first flight.

Boeing test personnel monitored the aircraft's performance and instrumentation from a ground control station to verify the functionality while the vehicle reached accelerated speeds. The uncrewed aircraft has been undergoing low-, medium-, and high-speed taxi testing at a remote test location in Australia.

"Our test program is progressing well, and we are happy with the ground test data we have collected to date," said Paul Ryder, Boeing Flight Test manager. "We are working with the Air Warfare Centre to complete final test verifications to prepare for flight testing in the new year."

Boeing and the Royal Australian Air Force will resume final taxi tests and preparations for flight in early 2021 when the range reopens.

RAAF Head of Air Force Capability Air Vice-Marshal Cath Roberts said seeing the aircraft in person during the December trials had been extraordinary.

"There is something very special about testing an aircraft that takes technology to the next level. It is iconic in its own way," said Roberts. "Experiencing the enthusiasm of the Boeing and Air Force team reminded me of my early career testing aircraft."

"This is what innovation is all about – working together to achieve many firsts," she said.

More than 35 Australian suppliers on the Australian industry team have contributed to the aircraft development, including investment partner BAE Systems Australia, which has been embedded with the Boeing test team on-site.

"In the past year alone, we have made amazing strides on this aircraft, taking it from a fuselage to a finished aircraft that has undergone rigorous testing," said Dr. Shane Arnott, program director of the Boeing Airpower Teaming System. "Our focus now is on conducting a safe and secure flight-test regimen for the Loyal Wingman program."

For more information about the Boeing Airpower Teaming System, visit https://www.boeing.com/defense/airpower-teaming-system/.

https://boeing.mediaroom.com/news-releases-statements?item=130788#Closed

Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: pz op 13/01/2021 | 18:04 uur
Russia's Hunter-B killer drone has dropped a bomb in a first-ever test for the type. The test-bombing underscores the Hunter-B's rapid development.

In trials over the Ashuluk range in southern Russia, the Sukhoi-made Hunter-B—a 46-foot-long, jet-powered flying wing—dropped an unguided 1,100-pound bomb from its internal bay, according to state-run news organization TASS.

"The newest sighting and navigation system installed on the Hunter makes it possible to use free-falling munitions with an accuracy approaching that of a high-precision guided weapon," a source told TASS.

It's unclear how testers controlled the drone during its bombing-run. It's possible the Hunter-B was under remote-control via radio.

The drone eventually will feature artificial intelligence affording it a high degree of autonomy, according to Samuel Bendett, a researcher with CNA in Virginia. The Hunter-B "should be capable of autonomously hitting stationary and mobile ground targets with previously known coordinates, including when receiving external target designation in the air

While the bomb in the recent test was unguided, the Hunter-B ultimately should be compatible with guided munitions. In an earlier test, the drone carried—but did not fire—air-to-air missiles.

The Kremlin plans to deploy the Hunter-B as a "loyal wingman" for Su-57 manned stealth fighters. The U.S. Air Force is developing a similar wingman drone under the high-priority Skyborg program.

The Hunter-B, which first flew in August 2019, quickly is moving through development. The brief but bloody war between Armenia and Azerbaijan last fall, during which Azeri drones made quick work of Armenian tanks, motivated the Kremlin to accelerate the Hunter-B and other drone programs.

The Hunter-B "is under close scrutiny to deliver results on, and even ahead of, schedule," Bendett said.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fquWMUBO6Ag&feature=emb_logo&ab_channel=%D0%9C%D0%B8%D0%BD%D0%BE%D0%B1%D0%BE%D1%80%D0%BE%D0%BD%D1%8B%D0%A0%D0%BE%D1%81%D1%81%D0%B8%D0%B8

https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidaxe/2021/01/13/bombs-away-russias-killer-drone-lobs-thousand-pound-munition-in-critical-test/?sh=1740b15361dd
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Harald op 19/01/2021 | 09:01 uur
Seaspray AESA Maritime Radar to be Integrated on MQ-9B SeaGuardian

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) is working with Leonardo to integrate the Leonardo Seaspray 7500E V2 radar into the centerline radar pod of its MQ-9B SeaGuardian remotely-piloted aircraft system (RPAS).

(https://i1.wp.com/defpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/MQ-9B-SeaGuardian.jpg?fit=1280%2C720&ssl=1)

Leonardo press release

The integration of this market-leading radar onto the SeaGuardian will enable persistent maritime ISR and is available to our international customer base.

GA-ASI's MQ-9B is revolutionizing the long-endurance RPAS market by providing all-weather capability and compliance with STANAG-4671 (NATO airworthiness standard for Unmanned Aircraft Systems). These features, along with an operationally proven collision-avoidance radar, enables flexible operations in civil airspace. SeaGuardian has a multi-mode maritime surface-search radar with Inverse Synthetic Aperture Radar (ISAR) imaging mode, an Automatic Identification System (AIS) receiver, and a High-Definition – Full-Motion Video sensor equipped with optical and infrared cameras. This sensor suite, augmented by automatic track correlation and anomaly-detection algorithms, enables real-time detection and identification of surface vessels over thousands of square nautical miles.

The Seaspray 7500E V2 radar is well-suited to the SeaGuardian mission set, using Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) technology to detect, track and classify hundreds of maritime contacts. The integration will also include an Open Mission Systems (OMS) approach, which enables the SeaGuardian and its sensor suite to offer operational and sustainment flexibility to end users.

Numerous countries use Leonardo Seaspray E-scan radars and the company has utilized operational feedback from these customers to expand and optimize the radar's suite of advanced modes. These include Leonardo's patented small target detection capability, allowing it to spot extremely difficult targets such as submarine periscopes and shipwrecked individuals at long range, even in very stormy seas. A key discriminator of Leonardo's E-scan radars is their high reliability and fault tolerance that allows effective operation throughout a mission even if a number of individual radar modules fail.

The Seaspray greatly enhances the capabilities of the MQ-9B and builds on the already close working partnership between GA-ASI and Leonardo. Earlier this year GA-ASI announced the completion of initial integration work of Leonardo's SAGE electronic surveillance unit onto the SeaGuardian, equipping the aircraft with the ability to gather intelligence information on maritime and land-based radar emitters over a wide area.

Customers will be able to choose from a wide assortment of sensors and payloads on the SeaGuardian platform, with both Seaspray and SAGE as off-the-shelf sensor options.

(https://i2.wp.com/navalnews.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/SeaGuardian-with-SeaSpray-7500-V2.png?fit=1148%2C700&ssl=1)

https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2021/01/seaspray-aesa-maritime-radar-to-be-integrated-on-mq-9b-seaguardian/
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Harald op 20/01/2021 | 09:21 uur
General Atomics demos MQ-9's anti-submarine tracking capability   ( das best interessantte ontwikkeling )

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems successfully tracked a small submersible target for 3h using 10 sonobuoys dropped from a MQ-9 unmanned air vehicle (UAV).

The demonstration is intended to show that the US Navy (USN) can conduct anti-submarine warfare using the company's MQ-9B SeaGuardian UAV.

A General Atomics-owned MQ-9A Block 5 Reaper carried and released 10 A-size sonobuoys into the water during the demonstration, which took place at an undisclosed Pacific Ocean test range on 24 November. The MQ-9A was a stand-in UAV for the company's MQ-9B SeaGuardian.

The sonobuoys deployed were a mix of bathythermograph and acoustic types. bathythermograph sonobuoys are used to measure water temperature at different depths. That's important because sound waves – coming from submarines or being bounced off submarines using sonar – behave differently as water temperature changes. The changes result from differing water density. Knowing water temperature helps acoustic sonobuoys, essentially highly sensitive microphones, locate submarines.

The MQ-9A Block 5 used sonobuoys to track a Lockheed Martin MK-39 Expendable Mobile ASW Training Target, essentially a torpedo that can mimic the sounds and movements of a submarine. A target track was generated using General Dynamics Mission Systems-Canada's UYS-505 Sonobuoy Processing System.

General Atomics says the anti-submarine capability of the MQ-9B SeaGuardian is part of a cooperative research and development agreement with Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River in Maryland.

"This demonstration is a first for airborne [anti-submarine warfare]," says David Alexander, president of General Atomics. "The successful completion of this testing paves the way for future development of more anti-submarine warfare capabilities from our MQ-9s."

The MQ-9B SeaGuardian has four wing stations that can carry up to four sonobuoy dispenser system pods, which can carry and dispense up to 40 A-size or 80-G size sonobuoys. General Atomics says the MQ-9B SeaGuardian's endurance exceeds 18h. That means it has a mission radius of 1200nm (2,222km) with eight hours of on-station time for submarine hunting, the company says.

General Atomics claims the MQ-9B would be "a low-cost complement to manned aircraft for manned-unmanned teaming operation". For the USN, that would mean teaming with the Boeing P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft.

https://www.flightglobal.com/military-uavs/general-atomics-demos-mq-9s-anti-submarine-tracking-capability/142032.article
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Parera op 20/01/2021 | 09:48 uur
Citaat van: Harald op 20/01/2021 | 09:21 uur
das best interessantte ontwikkeling

General Atomics claims the MQ-9B would be "a low-cost complement to manned aircraft for manned-unmanned teaming operation". For the USN, that would mean teaming with the Boeing P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft.

https://www.flightglobal.com/military-uavs/general-atomics-demos-mq-9s-anti-submarine-tracking-capability/142032.article

Dat is een hele interessante ontwikkeling! Dat betekend dat je met een relatief klein aantal bemande MPA's en een aantal onbemande ASW MQ-9's een zeer capabele ASW capaciteit kan opzetten.

Voor Nederland kijk ik dan naar een Noors model waarbij we een klein aantal P-8's aankopen of leasen die we dan aanvullen met een aantal ASW MQ-9's. Bijvoorbeeld 5 P-8's gekoppeld aan 6 MQ-9's.
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Harald op 20/01/2021 | 10:38 uur
extra info :

General Atomics UAV Conducts ASW Demonstration with Sonobuoys

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) recently completed development and test of the world's first self-contained Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) capability for an Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS).

General Atomics press release

On November 24, GA-ASI successfully demonstrated an 'A' size sonobuoy­­ carriage, release, process and control from a company-owned MQ-9A Block 5 on a U.S. Navy Pacific test range. Using a SATCOM link, GA-ASI remotely processed bathythermal and acoustic data from deployed 'A' size Directional Frequency Analysis and Recording (DIFAR-AN/SSQ-53G), Directional Command Activated Sonobuoy System (DICASS-AN/SSQ-62F) and Bathythermograph (BT-AN/SSQ-36B) sonobuoys and accurately generated a target track in real time from the Laguna Flight Operations Facility located at Yuma Proving Grounds.

The MQ-9A Block 5 successfully deployed one BT, seven DIFAR, and two DICASS buoys to initiate prosecution and continuously track a MK-39 EMATT (Expendable Mobile ASW Training Target) over a three-hour period. Target track was generated using General Dynamics Mission Systems-Canada's industry-leading UYS-505 Sonobuoy Processing Systems. GA-ASI is developing this first-of-its-kind capability for its new MQ-9B SeaGuardian UAS in partnership with the U.S. Navy under a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement with Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md.

"This demonstration is a first for airborne ASW. The successful completion of this testing paves the way for future development of more Anti-Submarine Warfare capabilities from our MQ-9s. We look forward to continuing collaboration with the U.S. Navy as they explore innovative options for distributed maritime operations in the undersea domain."

GA-ASI President David R. Alexander


GA-ASI first demonstrated a sonobuoy remote processing capability in 2017 from an MQ-9A. Since then, GA-ASI has added a Sonobuoy Management & Control System (SMCS) to monitor and control deployed sonobuoys, and developed a pneumatic sonobuoy dispenser system (SDS) capable of safely carrying and deploying 10 U.S. Navy compliant 'A' size or 20 'G' size sonobuoys per pod. The MQ-9B SeaGuardian has four wing stations available to carry up to four (4) SDS pods, allowing it to carry and dispense up to 40 'A' size or 80 'G' size sonobuoys, and remotely perform ASW anywhere in the world.

In a standard Maritime ISR and ASW configuration, SeaGuardian's endurance exceeds 18 hours, encompassing a mission radius of 1200 nautical miles with eight hours of on-station time for submarine prosecution, providing a low-cost complement to manned aircraft for manned-unmanned teaming (MUM-T) operations. GA-ASI has already received orders for this MQ-9B SeaGuardian ASW capability from two separate foreign customers, and anticipates demand to be extremely strong for the MQ-9B SeaGuardian with its high-end maritime capabilities and low cost relative to legacy manned Maritime platforms.

https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2021/01/general-atomics-uav-conducts-asw-demonstration-with-sonobuoys/
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Harald op 20/01/2021 | 10:40 uur
eventuele klanten :

In November 2020, the United States' State Department approved possible foreign military sales of MQ-9Bs with anti-submarine warfare mission kits to the United Arab Emirates and Taiwan. Japan is also looking at this capability.

https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2021/01/general-atomics-uav-conducts-asw-demonstration-with-sonobuoys/
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Sparkplug op 22/01/2021 | 22:12 uur
Upgrades in sight for French MQ-9 Reaper UAVs

22 JANUARY 2021

by Emmanuel Huberdeau

France is currently negotiating with the United States and General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) for future upgrades of its 12 MQ-9 Reapers medium-altitude, long-endurance (MALE) unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).

Christophe Fontaine, regional director for GA-ASI in Europe, told the French association of defence journalists on 21 January that the French Air and Space Force-operated Reapers will be upgraded to extend their endurance. The aircraft will be able to fly up to 30 hours – up from 24 hours – for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) missions, while endurance in the armed configuration will increase to 24 hours from 17 hours.

Negotiations are also being conducted by the French procurement agency Direction générale de l'armement (DGA) with the US Air Force (USAF) to equip the air vehicles with a signal intelligence (SIGINT) pod. France has opted for an off-the-shelf US-made pod and is also considering development of an indigenous system.

France is also set to receive a new full mission simulator developed by Canadian company CAE that will be based in Cognac to train UAV crews. Fontaine explained that, while France is set on receiving these different upgrades, negotiations are still ongoing regarding the price and the schedule for the deliveries of the new capabilities.

GA-ASI has made a separate offer to France for a self-defence pod for the air vehicles. This is equipped with a jamming system and flare launchers designed to increase the MQ-9's survivability in contested environments.

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(https://www.janes.com/images/default-source/news-images/fg_3873995-idr-10141.jpg?sfvrsn=d2d6448d_2)
A French Air and Space Force MQ-9 Block 1 Reaper UAV seen in Niamey, Niger. (Janes/Emmanuel Huberdeau)

https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news-detail/upgrades-in-sight-for-french-mq-9-reaper-uavs
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Sparkplug op 24/01/2021 | 23:01 uur
GA-ASI Successfully Completes Self-Protection System Demo on MQ-9

SAN DIEGO – 22 January 2021 – General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) has successfully completed flight testing of a newly developed Self-Protection Pod (SPP) on an MQ-9 Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA).

The project was executed as part of a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM), and with the support of the Air National Guard (ANG), the U.S. Navy (USN), and industry partners Raytheon Intelligence & Space, BAE Systems, Leonardo, Leonardo DRS, and Terma North America. The demo was held Oct. 28, 2020 at the Yuma Proving Grounds (YPG).

During the testing, the MQ-9 was able to successfully track Radio Frequency (RF) and Infrared (IR) missile threats, deploy countermeasures, and provide real-time threat awareness and protection in a simulated contested environment.

"Threat awareness and survivability are critical capabilities needed to enable the MQ-9 to operate in a contested environment," said GA-ASI President, David R. Alexander. "GA-ASI is committed to expanding the mission envelope of the MQ-9 to enable not only the warfighters' needs of today, but also to ensure the platform remains a survivable, capable, and highly adaptable platform for the future fight."

SPP leverages mature (TRL9), state-of-the-art Aircraft Survivability Equipment (ASE) to provide full-spectrum awareness and countermeasures. The system is built upon an earlier joint demonstration of a podded AN/ALR-69A(V) Radar Warning Receiver (RWR) in 2017, which demonstrated the utility of an RWR to enhance aircrew situational awareness. In addition to the RI&S AN/ALR-69A(V), the pod features the Leonardo DRS AN/AAQ-45 Distributed Aperture Infrared Countermeasure (DAIRCM) System that utilizes a single sensor for both 2-color IR missile warning and wide field-of-view gimbal for threat countermeasures. The BAE Systems ALE-47 Countermeasures Dispenser System is used for dispensing airborne flares, chaff, and other airborne decoys. The RF countermeasure of choice demonstrated successfully during testing was Leonardo's BriteCloud Expendable Active Decoy (EAD), which is a small, self-contained Digital Radio Frequency Memory (DRFM)-based expendable decoy.

At the heart of the Self-Protection Pod is the Terma AN/ALQ-213 Electronic Warfare Management System, which provides the interface, health, status, and command and control for the various systems installed in the pod. The AN/ALQ-213 functions as the Aircraft Survivability Equipment (ASE) manager that coordinates between the various threat warning and dispensing systems to automatically dispense the appropriate sequencing pattern and expendables to protect the MQ-9.

(https://www.ga-asi.com/images/BlogFeaturedImages/self-protection-pod-1070x590.jpg)

https://www.ga-asi.com/ga-asi-successfully-completes-self-protection-system-demo-on-mq-9
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Parera op 25/01/2021 | 10:36 uur
Via twitter @RoyalAirForce

CitaatUK's first fleet of uncrewed fighter aircraft a step closer with £30 million contract awarded to @SpiritAero  to design and manufacture a prototype capable of providing a battle-winning advantage to the RAF #NextGenRAF #BuildBackBetter

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EskAmAjXIAAaXdH?format=jpg&name=medium)

Een interessant project ook voor de KLU om te volgen maar net zo interessant (en verder gevorderd) is het Australische loyal wingmen project.
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Parera op 25/01/2021 | 10:39 uur
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter) op 25/01/2021 | 13:11 uur
Citaat van: Parera op 25/01/2021 | 10:36 uur

Een interessant project ook voor de KLU om te volgen maar net zo interessant (en verder gevorderd) is het Australische loyal wingmen project.

Het ligt in de lijn der verwachtingen dat ook de KLu voor een dergelijk  complementair systeem gaat. De KLu wens van 67 F35A's zou maar zo kunnen blijven steken op 46 of de veronderstelde 52 exemplaren aangevuld met dergelijke systemen.
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Sparkplug op 25/01/2021 | 13:33 uur
Citaat van: jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter) op 25/01/2021 | 13:11 uur
Het ligt in de lijn der verwachtingen dat ook de KLu voor een dergelijk  complementair systeem gaat. De KLu wens van 67 F35A's zou maar zo kunnen blijven steken op 46 of de veronderstelde 52 exemplaren aangevuld met dergelijke systemen.

En dan nog moet je het als een aanvulling zien. Perfect voor ISR en een bepaalde vorm van AEW. In ieder geval is de Australische Loyal Wingman niet groot genoeg voor het dragen van kinetische wapens.
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Sparkplug op 04/02/2021 | 10:43 uur
New Protector aircraft example to operate from RAF Waddington this summer

RAF NEWS 03 Feb 2021

(https://www.raf.mod.uk/sites/raf-beta/assets/Image/RAF%20Waddington/1907_GA-ASI_UK_Protector_P03526.jpg)
The new Protector Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS) will operate from the Lincolnshire station, RAF Waddington.

This summer personnel at RAF Waddington will receive a glimpse of the future when a SkyGuardian aircraft, a pre-production example of the new Protector Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS), will operate from the Lincolnshire station.

The UK has ordered the first three Protector RG Mk 1 systems (three aircraft, three ground control stations and supporting equipment) as the first phase of the acquisition, with the additional 13 aircraft, four ground control stations and support equipment expected this year.

Operating in the UK will assist in the development of the revolutionary Detect and Avoid technology which will permit Protector to fly in all UK airspace safely. It will also allow the RAF to refine the requirements needed to fully integrate Protector operations into Waddington where the RPAS will operate alongside the based fixed wing aircraft.

"The return of SkyGuardian, which will be known as Protector in RAF service in 2023, to the UK this summer offers an exciting glimpse of the future. Protector will be able to fly for up to 40 hours in civil airspace, meaning it will be able to deliver an array of military or civil support missions"

Air Commodore Richard Barrow
ACOS Capability C2ISR

The aircraft at Waddington this summer will be operated by the manufacturer, General Atomics-Aeronautical Systems. Known as SkyGuardian, it will participate in Joint Warrior, a multi-national large-scale military exercise in addition to undertaking a series of capability demonstrations to partners and allies.

Protector is an advanced, medium altitude long endurance (MALE) RPAS procured to replace the RAF's Reaper. It will bring enhanced armed Intelligence, Surveillance, Targeting and Reconnaissance (ISTAR) capability, including extended range, increased payload and planned integration of UK weapons.

It will be the first RPAS to be designed, built and Certified against stringent NATO and UK Safety Certification standards equivalent to manned aircraft.

SkyGuardian will arrive at RAF Waddington in July.

https://www.raf.mod.uk/news/articles/new-protector-aircraft-example-to-operate-from-raf-waddington-this-summer/
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Sparkplug op 10/02/2021 | 10:29 uur
SkyGuardian Maritime Demonstration

Jack Richardson

9. February 2021

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA‑ASI) will take a company-owned SkyGuardian Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) to the UK later this year to undertake a series of operational capability demonstrations for NATO allies, including the Netherlands. The UK's PROTECTOR programme is a derivative of SkyGuardian with a range of UK modifications.

For this visit, which the RAF is supporting, the aircraft will be configured with maritime capability, including:
This will build on previous GA-ASI demonstrations showcasing the unmanned advantage, which include the transatlantic flight of SkyGuardian in 2018, maritime demonstrations in Greece in 2019 and last year's validation flights in Japan.

GA-ASI Offering

The series of civilian and military capability events is expected to kick off in July at RAF's Waddington and will culminate with the MQ-9B's participation in the UK-led Joint Warrior exercise that will showcase how maritime capabilities can be integrated with other air, surface and land platforms. SkyGuardian flights will further develop GA-ASI's revolutionary Detect and Avoid capability, which will enable PROTECTOR to fly in unsegregated UK airspace. It will also assist RAF Waddington, the future home of the RAF PROTECTOR fleet, to best prepare to integrate the new aircraft into its daily operations.

Previously, the MQ-9B has demonstrated airborne endurance of more than 40 hours, automatic takeoffs and landings under SATCOM-only control and the Detect and Avoid system. Its development is the result of a company-funded effort to deliver an RPA that can meet the stringent airworthiness certification requirements of various military and civil authorities.

The MQ-9B has garnered significant interest from customers throughout the world. In addition to the UK, which signed the production contract for deliveries to the RAF in 2020, SkyGuardian has been selected by the Australia and Belgium.

Jack Richardson

https://euro-sd.com/2021/02/news/sea/21031/skyguardian-maritime-demonstration/
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Sparkplug op 10/02/2021 | 22:45 uur
DARPA Initiates Design of LongShot Unmanned Air Vehicle

Program seeks to significantly increase engagement range and effectiveness of air-to-air weapons

OUTREACH@DARPA.MIL
2/8/2021

(https://ukdj.imgix.net/2021/02/32a48871f223508d7f890eadc7216729.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=top&fit=crop&h=580&ixlib=php-3.3.0&w=1021&wpsize=td_1021x580&s=134ff0de93a3393f80a8a660983befae)

DARPA's LongShot program, which is developing an air-launched unmanned air vehicle (UAV) with the ability to employ multiple air-to-air weapons, has awarded contracts to General Atomics, Lockheed Martin, and Northrop Grumman for preliminary Phase I design work. The objective is to develop a novel UAV that can significantly extend engagement ranges, increase mission effectiveness, and reduce the risk to manned aircraft.

Current air superiority concepts rely on advanced manned fighter aircraft to provide a penetrating counter air capability to effectively deliver weapons. It is envisioned that LongShot will increase the survivability of manned platforms by allowing them to be at standoff ranges far away from enemy threats, while an air-launched LongShot UAV efficiently closes the gap to take more effective missile shots.

"The LongShot program changes the paradigm of air combat operations by demonstrating an unmanned, air-launched vehicle capable of employing current and advanced air-to-air weapons," said DARPA program manager Lt. Col. Paul Calhoun. "LongShot will disrupt traditional incremental weapon improvements by providing an alternative means of generating combat capability."

In later phases of the program, LongShot will construct and fly a full-scale air-launched demonstration system capable of controlled flight, before, during, and after weapon ejection under operational conditions.

Image Caption: Artist's concept of LongShot UAV

https://www.darpa.mil/news-events/2021-02-08

Design Gets Underway on DARPA's 'LongShot' Drone

https://www.airforcemag.com/design-gets-underway-on-darpas-longshot-drone/
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Sparkplug op 02/03/2021 | 11:00 uur
Boeing Loyal Wingman Uncrewed Aircraft Completes First Flight

Successful test progresses Royal Australian Air Force's teaming aircraft program

AUSTRALIA, March 1, 2021 – Boeing [NYSE:BA] Australia and the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) have successfully completed the first test flight of the Loyal Wingman uncrewed aircraft.

The flight of the first military aircraft to be designed and manufactured in Australia in more than 50 years flew under the supervision of a Boeing test pilot monitoring the aircraft from a ground control station at the Woomera Range Complex.

"The Loyal Wingman's first flight is a major step in this long-term, significant project for the Air Force and Boeing Australia, and we're thrilled to be a part of the successful test," said Air Vice-Marshal Cath Roberts, RAAF Head of Air Force Capability. "The Loyal Wingman project is a pathfinder for the integration of autonomous systems and artificial intelligence to create smart human-machine teams.

"Through this project we are learning how to integrate these new capabilities to complement and extend air combat and other missions," she said.

Following a series of taxi tests validating ground handling, navigation and control, and pilot interface, the aircraft completed a successful takeoff under its own power before flying a pre-determined route at different speeds and altitudes to verify flight functionality and demonstrate the performance of the Airpower Teaming System design.

"Boeing and Australia are pioneering fully integrated combat operations by crewed and uncrewed aircraft," said Boeing Defense, Space & Security President and CEO Leanne Caret. "We're honored to be opening this part of aviation's future with the Royal Australian Air Force, and we look forward to showing others how they also could benefit from our loyal wingman capabilities."

With support from more than 35 Australian industry teams and leveraging Boeing's innovative processes, including model-based engineering techniques, such as a digital twin to digitally flight-test missions, the team was able to manufacture the aircraft from design to flight in three years.

This first Loyal Wingman aircraft is serving as the foundation for the Boeing Airpower Teaming System being developed for various global defense customers. The aircraft will fly alongside other platforms, using artificial intelligence to team with existing crewed and uncrewed assets to complement mission capabilities.

Additional Loyal Wingman aircraft are currently under development, with plans for teaming flights scheduled for later this year.

For more information about the Boeing Airpower Teaming System, visit https://www.boeing.com/defense/airpower-teaming-system/.

For more information on Defense, Space & Security, visit www.boeing.com. Follow us on Twitter: @BoeingDefense and @BoeingSpace.

https://boeing.mediaroom.com/news-releases-statements?item=130834#Closed

Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Harald op 03/03/2021 | 13:24 uur
FTUAS: Army Blown Away By New Drones (In Rain)

"Shadow could never fly in this type of moisture, couldn't even come close," Brig. Gen. Walter Rugen said, but all four FTUAS candidates made it through the rain. The formal Army Requirements Oversight Council process begins in weeks.

All four drones at a Future Tactical UAS rodeo made a powerful impression on attending Army officers and troops, even when rain swept in that would've grounded the current RQ-7 Shadow drone.

"Hello from cold, wet, and dreary Fort Benning", said Brig. Gen. Walter Rugen, director of Future Vertical Lift at Army Futures Command. "Shadow could never fly in this type of moisture, couldn't even come close," he told reporters. But all four vendors – the Martin V-BAT, Arcturus Jump 20, L3 Harris FVR-90, and Textron/AAI Aerosonde HQ – successfully made vertical launches (Shadow needs a runway), then switched to horizontal flight for their missions, and returned to base safely.

More important, arguably, than the generals' impressions: "We saw the soldiers uniformly fall in love with this capability and want to keep it," Rugen said.

Those soldiers had plenty of time to fall in love. Today's VIP demonstration was the "culmination" of nearly a year of hands-on experience with all four types of drones across five operational brigades, emphasized Maj. Gen. David Francis, head of the Army's Aviation Center at Fort Rucker. The goal: test off-the-shelf technology to educate the Army on potential replacements for its aging, noisy and runway-bound Shadow drones.

"The Shadow is a 30-year-old system and the technology has transformed incredibly," Francis said. He and his fellow Army aviators outlined some of the new drones' advantages:

◾Vertical take off and landing makes the drone much more flexible and eliminates the manpower and equipment required to set up and maintain a landing strip. A team of two or three soldiers can get one of these new drones in the air in a matter of minutes, officers said. One operator, Specialist Anthony Karl, even told reporters that his team was able to pack up their drones and their kit every night and set it up anew the next morning, a major tactical advantage, something Shadow couldn't match.
◾All four drones were also able to conduct that vertical take off and the switch to level flight using autonomous software, without a human having to manage the process by remote control. However, the soldiers using the V-BAT – a unique "tail-sitter" design – did end up physically grabbing it to stabilize it during takeoff and landing.
◾All four drones were, in fact, autonomous enough that they could be operated from inside a moving vehicle – typically a Humvee or FMTV truck – which isn't possible with older drones that require human hands constantly on the remote controls. Instead, the human operators just set waypoints for the drones to fly to, with considerable capability to customize and vary routes – a major aid in avoiding enemy anti-aircraft defenses.
◾All four were also compact enough that they could be packed up, with support crew and equipment, for transport aboard the Army's standard heavy-lift helicopter, the CH-47 Chinook; there are reports one could even fit inside the much smaller UH-60 Black Hawk.
◾All four drones were weatherized against humidity and rain; Shadow is not, Spec. Karl said. That said, he cautioned, bad weather still limited what their sensors could see, so the drones' operations were limited even when they could physically fly.
◾In terms of sensor options, all four drones can use much more modern, compact, and powerful payload packages than what's available for Shadow – a real "leap ahead," said Rugen.
◾All four are technically simpler to operate and maintain. The pre-flight checklist, for instance, drops from more than 150 items to under 70, said Command Sgt. Maj. Michael Crosby, a senior Army Futures Command advisor.
◾All four drones are also much quieter than Shadow. That's more convenient for the crew, who no longer have to shout checklist items over the roaring engine. And it's much stealthier. While the drones are easy to hear during take-off and landing, Spec. Karl said, they become inaudible from the ground once they reach altitude. (This is a characteristic they share with the V-22, a famously loud aircraft as it takes off that is almost whisper quiet when it flies and swoops in for a landing.)

What's the Army's next step? It will analyze the data and soldiers' recommendations, submit them to the Army Requirements Oversight Council, and have the AROC finalize a formal requirement for the Shadow replacement. That should happen within "weeks," Rugen said.

The Army's plan to buy the Shadow replacement is still in flux, said Brig. Gen. Robert Barrie, Program Executive Officer for Aviation. But the Army will hold a competition open to all comers, he emphasized; the four drones field-tested over the past year won't get any special consideration, he said, although they've certainly benefited from such close feedback from the Army.

The service sees the Future Tactical Unmanned Aerial System not only as a replacement for the Shadow, but as an agile eye-in-the-sky connected to a whole digital "ecosystem" of data-sharing, deep-striking Future Vertical Lift aircraft. Having its own low-altitude air force, uniquely able to fly under radar and take cover behind hills, is a big part of what the Army envisions as its contribution to future All-Domain Operations.

https://breakingdefense.com/2021/03/ftuas-army-blown-away-by-new-drones-in-rain/

(https://sites.breakingmedia.com/uploads/sites/3/2021/03/50993483366_1fdc5318b5_k-1024x820.jpg)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N9HQfu6Au-o
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Parera op 08/03/2021 | 17:59 uur
General Atomics, here is the successor of the REAPER

(https://www.portaledifesa.it/repository/imgMail/ga.jpg)

https://www.portaledifesa.it/index~phppag,3_id,4048.html
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: pz op 31/03/2021 | 13:20 uur
The U.S. Army Goes to School on Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict

Off-the-shelf air power changes the battlefield of the future.

(https://foreignpolicy.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/GettyImages-1189007244.jpg?quality=90)

When Azerbaijan took over the skies in its fight with Armenia over the disputed enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh last fall, winning the air war with commercial Turkish and kamikaze drones, one thing started to become clear to U.S. Army strategists: It's becoming easier to hunt and kill troops than ever before—and to do so on the cheap.

With inexpensive, combat-ready drones proliferating on battlefields all over the world, in the not-too-distant future unsuspecting soldiers might get killed just by getting out of their positions for a moment to go to the bathroom.

"You can see video of tanks being hit by an unmanned aerial system, artillery positions being hit by an unmanned aerial system, troops being hit by an unmanned aerial system," said Col. Scott Shaw, the outgoing head of the Army's Asymmetric Warfare Group.

What has become apparent after Azerbaijan routed Armenia last fall, he said, is that not only will the U.S. military no longer enjoy uncontested air superiority against peer rivals like China—something Defense Department officials have long resigned themselves to—but that poorer nations can buy themselves a respectable air force mostly off the shelf.

"What's clear in that conflict is that a less funded nation can do combined arms warfare," Shaw said. "You don't have to be the United States or Russia. The price point to entry into combined arms warfare is lower than initially thought. You don't need something like the United States Air Force, a superbly trained, spectacular capability, in order to conduct potentially a local air-to-ground or air-to-air activity."


During the six-week conflict, Azerbaijan deployed Turkish Bayraktar TB2 drones and loitering munitions, many of them Israeli-made, to shrink the battlefield and chip away at Armenia's armored forces as well as the logistical tail that hadn't even reached the front lines.

As Azerbaijan rolled up more territory in the disputed region, propaganda videos showing the destruction of Armenian convoys and ammunition depots became a calling card of the new military approach. In the waning days of the conflict, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev even touted a laundry list of Armenian equipment purportedly destroyed or captured, including nearly 250 tanks, 50 infantry fighting vehicles, and four Russian-made S-300 missile defense systems, as well as 198 trucks and 17 self-propelled artillery units. In mid-October, Aliyev credited Turkish drones with helping his military to destroy more than $1 billion worth of Armenian equipment.

But it's not clear how those numbers translate into truth. Shaw said the tremendous amount of disinformation flying around on open-source networks made it difficult to figure out everything that happened in real time.

It's also still not clear to experts that drones definitively tilt the balance toward attackers or defenders. Some think that the war in Nagorno-Karabakh is another sign that the days of the U.S. military relying on overwhelming "shock and awe" bombing campaigns, like those that marked the start of both Iraq wars, are over. Instead, the United States should prepare for a knock-down, drag-out fight, similar to attrition wars of the past.

"Basically they're telling themselves a story through convergence and military shock and awe that they're going to be able to create effects on an opponent that we know through history simply does not happen," said Michael Kofman, a senior research scientist at CNA and a fellow at the Wilson Center's Kennan Institute, referring to the U.S. Army's current operating concept for future wars.

https://foreignpolicy.com/2021/03/30/army-pentagon-nagorno-karabakh-drones/
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Sparkplug op 22/04/2021 | 10:52 uur
Reaper mods targeted to provide capability for near-peer threats

By Air Force Life Cycle Management Center / Published April 21, 2021

(https://media.defense.gov/2021/Apr/20/2002625145/780/780/0/210420-F-F3456-1001.JPG)
The MQ-9 Reaper is an armed, multi-mission, medium-altitude, long-endurance remotely piloted aircraft. It is now set to receive a suite of upgrades to allow the platform to offer a host of new capabilities for combatant commanders and warfighters around the world. (U.S. Air Force photo)

WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio (AFNS) --
The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center's MQ-9 Program Office is moving forward with several fleet enhancement capabilities aimed at increasing the MQ-9 Reaper's effectiveness against near-peer adversary threats.

The MQ-9 is an unmanned aircraft with intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, and strike capability, traditionally used for Counter-Violent Extremist Organization combat operations. That mission is now shifting.

The MQ-9 is demonstrating it is still a relevant platform as it supports new missions in United States European Command and is now set to receive a suite of upgrades to allow the platform to offer a host of new capabilities for combatant commanders and warfighters around the world.

The Air Force will award the first delivery order of planned MQ-9 Multi-Domain Operation aircraft – which will include several new upgrades from previous production builds – to General Atomics Aeronautical Systems in April 2021. The Air Force is also retrofitting a portion of the already fielded MQ-9 fleet to the same M2DO configuration, allowing the Air Force to leverage current fleet numbers to meet future warfighter requirements through the service life of the aircraft.

"Working with Air Combat Command and other stakeholders, the MQ-9 enterprise will add new capabilities to the platform to help ensure the MQ-9 is able to support these missions in the threat environment we envision," said Lt. Col. Nick Jordan, MQ-9 production and retrofit materiel leader. "The user has directed us to add technology into the platform which signals that the MQ-9 can offer more capability than just C-VEO operations over the next 10 to 15 years. It can remain relevant with these added and upgraded technologies."

The MQ-9 Program Office is already completing initial fleet retrofits that will mitigate potential jamming to the platform. This is the first retrofit of many, as MQ-9 M2DO configured aircraft will receive additional closely-held capabilities that will enable command and control mission assurance and resiliency while the aircraft is airborne.

Additionally, the MQ-9 team will increase the electronic power for the platform. This increase, coupled with concurrent development efforts to create an open architecture design for the platform, will allow the Air Force to rapidly integrate new capabilities in response to emerging threats identified by combatant commanders.

Additional M2DO enhancements also include upgrades to the electro-optical/infra-red sensor and will expand the types of weapons the platform will be able to carry.

The Air Force projects with these smart investments the MQ-9 will remain operationally viable for worldwide operations through the end of the platform's projected service life of 2035. In conjunction, the Air Force will continue to evaluate options to find a more viable solution in the future.

https://www.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/2580364/reaper-mods-targeted-to-provide-capability-for-near-peer-threats/
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Sparkplug op 07/06/2021 | 22:24 uur
Navy, Boeing Make Aviation History with MQ-25 Becoming the First Unmanned Aircraft to Refuel Another Aircraft

ST. LOUIS, June 7, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- For the first time in history, the U.S. Navy and Boeing [NYSE: BA] have demonstrated air-to-air refueling using an unmanned aircraft – the Boeing-owned MQ-25™ T1 test asset – to refuel another aircraft.

During a test flight June 4, MQ-25 T1 successfully extended the hose and drogue from its U.S. Navy-issued aerial refueling store (ARS) and safely transferred jet fuel to a U.S. Navy F/A-18 Super Hornet, demonstrating the MQ-25 Stingray's ability to carry out its primary aerial refueling mission.

"This team of professionals was integral in the successful flight," said Rear Adm. Brian Corey, who oversees the Program Executive Office for Unmanned Aviation and Strike Weapons.  "Over the next few years, we will work side-by-side with Boeing to deliver this capability that will greatly enhance the future carrier air wing."

"This history-making event is a credit to our joint Boeing and Navy team that is all-in on delivering MQ-25's critical aerial refueling capability to the fleet as soon as possible," said Leanne Caret, president and CEO of Boeing Defense, Space & Security. "Their work is the driving force behind the safe and secure integration of unmanned systems in the immediate future of defense operations."

During the initial part of the flight, the F/A-18 test pilot flew in close formation behind MQ-25 to ensure performance and stability prior to refueling – a maneuver that required as little as 20 feet of separation between the MQ-25 T1 air vehicle and the F/A-18 refueling probe. Both aircraft were flying at operationally relevant speeds and altitudes. With the evaluation safely completed, the MQ-25 drogue was extended, and the F/A-18 pilot moved in to "plug" with the unmanned aircraft and receive the scheduled fuel offload.

The milestone comes after 25 T1 flights, testing both aircraft and ARS aerodynamics across the flight envelope, as well as extensive simulations of aerial refueling using MQ-25 digital models. MQ-25 T1 will continue flight testing prior to being shipped to Norfolk, Virginia, for deck handling trials aboard a U.S. Navy carrier later this year.

The Boeing-owned T1 test asset is a predecessor to the seven test aircraft Boeing is manufacturing under a 2018 contract award. The MQ-25 will assume the tanking role currently performed by F/A-18s, allowing for better use of the combat strike fighters and helping extend the range of the carrier air wing.

.../...

https://boeing.mediaroom.com/2021-06-07-Navy,-Boeing-Make-Aviation-History-with-MQ-25-Becoming-the-First-Unmanned-Aircraft-to-Refuel-Another-Aircraft#Closed

Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Sparkplug op 02/07/2021 | 22:57 uur
France signs for additional Reaper Block 5 UAV

02 JULY 2021

by Gareth Jennings

France has signed for a second additional General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc (GA-ASI) MQ-9 Reaper Block 5 unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) in as many days, with the US Department of Defense (DoD) announcing a Foreign Military Sales (FMS) award on 1 July.

(https://www.janes.com/images/default-source/news-images/bsp_1324-jdw-12901.jpg?sfvrsn=2b825816_2)
France is building up its MQ-9 Reaper Block 5 inventory to 12 air vehicles, with six now in service and a further two on order. (French Air and Space Force)

Valued at USD79.42 million, the contract in support of the French MQ-9 Block 5 aircraft procurement programme comes just two days after an FMS order for a French MQ-9 Block 5 to same value was placed on 28 June. Both contracts will run through to 29 March 2024.

France has six Reaper Block 1 and six Reaper Block 5 UAVs, and is in the process of acquiring a further six Block 5 vehicles for a total fleet of 12. These Block 5 aircraft will be armed with GBU-12 Paveway precision-guided bombs and AGM-114 Hellfire air-to-surface missiles, and will also be equipped with an FMS pod for electronic intelligence gathering.

The contracts for additional French Reaper Block 5 UAVs came about nine months after the DoD awarded GA-ASI USD7.4 billion to cover future domestic and international production of the MQ-9 Reaper. The award, announced by the US Air Force Life Cycle Management Center (AFLCMC) in September 2020, was granted under the Agile Reaper Enterprise Solution (ARES) scheme "in an effort to field MQ-9 Reapers faster and meet an increasing operational demand for the aircraft".

According to Janes World Air Forces, the US Air Force (USAF) fields 275 MQ-9 Reapers, and the type is flown internationally by France, the Netherlands, Spain, and the United Kingdom.

Already a Janes subscriber? Read the full article via the Client Login

https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news-detail/france-signs-for-additional-reaper-block-5-uav_18724
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Jooop op 04/07/2021 | 10:35 uur
Arsenal of the Future: The Akıncı And Its Loadout

(https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_avkQZE8z6M/YNRaBHEgVkI/AAAAAAAAUSM/Jf7-FktFuV8S7BncZdMxlPXeO2YyfEs4wCLcBGAsYHQ/s16000/E4lXG9eXwAMKfT1444444.jpg)

By Stijn Mitzer and Joost Oliemans

The Bayraktar Akıncı is set to introduce a number of novel capabilities to the field of unmanned aerial warfare when it enters service with the Turkish Air Force later this year. These include several features not seen on any other type of UAV in the world before, most notably the ability to launch 250+km-ranged high-precision cruise missiles and beyond-visual-range air-to-air missiles (BVRAAMs) at targets as far as 100 kilometres away. These capabilities in practice turn the Akıncı into the first production multi-role unmanned combat aircraft in the world, and set the stage for increasingly effective replication of legacy aerial assets by unmanned counterparts.

Apart from debuting this unique set of abilities, the Akıncı also significantly expands on Turkey's existing unmanned warfare capabilities through a massive increase in payload capacity compared to systems such as the Bayraktar TB2 and TAI Anka. In addition to enabling the carriage of guided bombs that were too heavy to be carried by these UAVs, the Akıncı's increased payload capacity also allows for a far greater number of smaller munitions such as the MAM-L to be carried. Indeed, up to 24 MAM-Ls can be brought to bear by the Akıncı compared to four on the TB2, positioning the Akıncı as the perfect system to annihilate entire armoured columns in just one sortie or to support friendly offensives by picking off enemy targets in support of advancing ground forces. In the latter role its 24(+)-hour endurance make it a particularly patient lurking threat.

As Baykar continues weapons systems integration on the Akıncı prior to its operational debut, several types of guided munitions are currently being tested to verify their use from the new platform. This already included a new member of the MAM family of smart munitions that was first tested in April 2021: The MAM-T with a range of just under 40km (compared to upwards of 14km on the MAM-L). The MAM-T will serve alongside the Teber, LGK, KGK and (L)HGK family of precision-guided munitions also destined for use on the Akıncı. These munitions consist of indigenously designed guidance kits mated to locally produced Mark-82, Mark-83 and Mark-84 iron bombs. As is evidenced by this rapidly growing family of ordnance, Turkish precision-guided munitions are being introduced as swiftly as the drones destined to carry them.

Especially the 900kg weighing Mark-84 is a daunting piece of armament, and also the heaviest bomb ever to be integrated on a drone. When fitted with a GPS/INS guidance kit, the bomb is known as the HGK-84. The HGK-84 can attain ranges of up to 28km (or 22km when launched from lower altitude), while a different variant known as the LHGK-84 is fitted with a laser-guidance kit for increased accuracy. [1] Yet another variant, the NEB-84, is a (guided) penetrator bomb designed for use against hardened surface and underground targets such as bridges and bunkers. The only other operational drone in the world capable of carrying the Mark-84 (through its U.S. guided variant the GBU-31) is the jet-powered General Atomics Avenger, a number of which operate on behalf of the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).

To accommodate the seemingly endless variety of munitions, the Akıncı features up to eight underwing hardpoints and another one under its fuselage for a total of nine hardpoints. The latter is set to carry the heaviest ordnance cleared for carriage on the Akıncı, comprising the HGK-84 and the SOM-series of cruise missiles. A typical loadout could consist of two KGK-82 glide bombs with wing kits on the inboard pylons, two Teber-82 precision-guided bombs and eight MAM-Ls, as shown in the rendering below. This allows the Akıncı to set out to engage some high-value hardened target at long range, come across a convoy of enemy vehicles along the way and promptly destroy it, and then continue on to complete its mission.

Although already an unusually diverse platform, the Akıncı's huge payload capacity of 1.350kg, the variety of its weapon loadouts and its 24+-hour endurance mean that it is also well suited to take over many of the ground attack missions currently assigned to Turkey's 240-strong F-16 fleet. Replacing the F-16 in at least some of these roles frees up precious airframes which can then be used for air-to-air combat roles, at least partiallly decreasing the gap left now that Turkey has been excluded from the F-35 project as a result of its decision to purchase the Russian S-400 surface-to-air missile (SAM) system.

(https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QHl5C9xPMxc/YNTRawA5sYI/AAAAAAAAUSs/1rMS-hA4blAn6K4LHk4Psz09SbLS5vrNwCLcBGAsYHQ/s16000/akinci_render.png)

Arguably the most innovative aspect of the Akıncı is its capability to use air-to-air missiles (AAMs), consisting of the indigenous Bozdoğan IR-guided AAM and the (fire-and-forget) Gökdoğan BVRAAM, which uses an active solid-state radar to guide itself towards its target. The Akıncı's AESA radar should enable it to autonomously pick out its targets at great range, and then engage them with either to hunt enemy slow-flying aircraft, drones and helicopters and to guard other drones. Though BVRAAM-armed Akıncıs would present a greater challenge than most air forces could hope to face, medium-range AAMs like the Bozdoğan could present a threat even to opposing fighter aircraft, being fast, very manoeuvrable (having off-boresight capabilities) as well as highly resistant to electronic countermeasures. Both of these missiles are currently still in development, and will likely take several years before complete integration on the Akıncı platform.

Another feature is the ability to carry several variants of the SOM family of cruise missiles designed to be used against enemy command posts, SAM sites, ships or any other target that requires a precision hit with a 230kg heavy explosive warhead. Though two variants of this family were designed specifically to be used against naval vessels, the range of the much smaller MAM-T already exceeds the air defence systems on all but four of the Greek navy's ships. Though those are unlikely to be used in that role, this fact shows how swiftly the capabilities UCAVs and the precision-guided munitions they can carry have grown in the past decades.

(https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4voW5nO7iGA/YNRv2XBCjfI/AAAAAAAAUSk/aObxTJJ3vKETPzHgDN5S9Q9xUD10PeMLQCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h426/100478329_3859337767441893_6003152660943863808_n.jpg)

Once in active service, the Bayraktar Akıncı will herald a new chapter in unmanned warfare – whether by firing cruise missiles at enemy targets from well within friendly airspace, destroying underground bunkers with NEB-84 penetrator bombs, bringing armoured columns to a grinding halt with up to 24 MAM-L munitions, targeting enemy air defence systems well outside of their range or by shooting down enemy aircraft, UAVs and helicopters. The variety in weapon loadouts means the Akıncı can easily be repurposed to carry out other tasks during the same (day-long) mission, allowing greater flexibility in operations than any drone of the past.

For countries interested in buying the Akıncı the fact that all the munitions (and their guidance kits) used for these tasks can be sourced directly from Turkey will surely be appreciated as well. Furthermore, the fact that the new UCAV adheres to the NATO standards for munitions means that NATO countries can integrate other or local manufactured munitions on the Akıncı. This does not extend to NATO countries only, and countries that are currently developing their own precision-guided munitions such as Azerbaijan and Pakistan can expect relatively simple integration (or even Turkish support with doing so) with the Akıncı. Its attractiveness to foreign customers might be precisely what ensures the Akıncı's success, escaping the fate of a number of promising UCAV designs the world over that were ultimately only produced in scarce numbers. As such, it may well soon secure its role as one of the most significant upheavals in the annals of unmanned warfare.

https://www.oryxspioenkop.com/2021/06/arsenal-of-future-aknc-and-its-loadout.html?m=1



Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: pz op 12/07/2021 | 18:19 uur
France signs for additional Reaper Block 5 UAV

https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news-detail/france-signs-for-additional-reaper-block-5-uav_18724

France has signed for a second additional General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc (GA-ASI) MQ-9 Reaper Block 5 unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) in as many days, with the US Department of Defense (DoD) announcing a Foreign Military Sales (FMS) award on 1 July.
Valued at USD79.42 million, the contract in support of the French MQ-9 Block 5 aircraft procurement programme comes just two days after an FMS order for a French MQ-9 Block 5 to same value was placed on 28 June. Both contracts will run through to 29 March 2024.

France has six Reaper Block 1 and six Reaper Block 5 UAVs, and is in the process of acquiring a further six Block 5 vehicles for a total fleet of 12. These Block 5 aircraft will be armed with GBU-12 Paveway precision-guided bombs and AGM-114 Hellfire air-to-surface missiles, and will also be equipped with an FMS pod for electronic intelligence gathering.

The contracts for additional French Reaper Block 5 UAVs came about nine months after the DoD awarded GA-ASI USD7.4 billion to cover future domestic and international production of the MQ-9 Reaper. The award, announced by the US Air Force Life Cycle Management Center (AFLCMC) in September 2020, was granted under the Agile Reaper Enterprise Solution (ARES) scheme "in an effort to field MQ-9 Reapers faster and meet an increasing operational demand for the aircraft".

According to Janes World Air Forces, the US Air Force (USAF) fields 275 MQ-9 Reapers, and the type is flown internationally by France, the Netherlands, Spain, and the United Kingdom.

Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Jooop op 20/07/2021 | 20:44 uur
Turkey's future unmanned aircraft MIUS to operate on LHD Anadolu
By Dorian Archus -July 20, 2021

(https://navalpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/E6uKkDTXMBcc5mh-696x392.jpg)

Turkish drone-maker, BAYKAR Defence, introduced the unmanned aircraft MIUS (means Muharip Insansiz Ucak Sistemi-Combat Unmanned Aircraft System) on 20th July on Twitter. They made the announcement on the first day of Eid, and declared it as a gift.
According to the rendering Baykar shared, MIUS will take off from LHD Anadolu, which is planned to be converted into a drone-carrier ship after Turkey was removed from the F-35 project with CAATSA sanctions.

Baykar had announced that they have been working on a brand-new drone model, TB-3 Bayraktar, and the head of Turkish Defence Industries told the press that LHD Anadolu is planned to carry 30-50 drones and will be able to control 10 drones in the air.

(https://navalpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/E6uKjb8XMAwAme0-1024x575.jpg)
Turkey's Future Unmanned Aircraft Mius To Operate On Lhd Anadolu 3

After Baykar's announcement Selcuk Bayraktar, Chief Technology Officer of Baykar, stated on a video he released on Twitter that MIUS will be able to fly around 1 mach speed.

"The payload capacity will be around 1500-2000 kilograms and able to launch various missiles including air-to-air, air-to-surface and cruise missiles," Selcuk Bayraktar said.

"MIUS will be the first step of the unmanned fighter aircraft of the future. It will feature sophisticated artificial intelligence algorithms" Bayraktar added.

(https://navalpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/E6uKi3xXMBMWk0o-1024x724.jpg)
Mius

https://navalpost.com/turkeys-mius-to-operate-on-lhd-anadolu/
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Parera op 20/07/2021 | 21:20 uur
Prachtig Joop, alleen duidelijk te zien dat de tekenaar van deze impressies 0,0 verstand heeft van marine schepen. Ze hebben het schip een meter of 6 te diep in het water getekend, in deze tekeningen staat het gehele dok onder water (lees gezonken):silent: 1 ding is zeker, er hoeft zoals het hier getekend is slechts een hele kleine hekgolf over het dek te gaan en de LHD doet blub blub.

Dit zegt wel iets over het denk niveau van deze UAV fabrikant, ze kunnen blijkbaar vliegtuigjes produceren maar logisch nadenken niet.

Alles onder de rode lijn is onder water getekend  ;D
(https://i.imgur.com/ZEEWmSP.png)
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Sparkplug op 03/08/2021 | 10:05 uur
Navy to Stand-Up 2 Fleet MQ-25 Squadrons to Deploy Detachments

https://seapowermagazine.org/navy-to-stand-up-2-fleet-mq-25-squadrons-to-deploy-detachments/
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Huzaar1 op 03/08/2021 | 10:08 uur
Citaat van: Parera op 20/07/2021 | 21:20 uur
Prachtig Joop, alleen duidelijk te zien dat de tekenaar van deze impressies 0,0 verstand heeft van marine schepen. Ze hebben het schip een meter of 6 te diep in het water getekend, in deze tekeningen staat het gehele dok onder water (lees gezonken):silent: 1 ding is zeker, er hoeft zoals het hier getekend is slechts een hele kleine hekgolf over het dek te gaan en de LHD doet blub blub.

Dit zegt wel iets over het denk niveau van deze UAV fabrikant, ze kunnen blijkbaar vliegtuigjes produceren maar logisch nadenken niet.

Alles onder de rode lijn is onder water getekend  ;D
(https://i.imgur.com/ZEEWmSP.png)

90 % van turkije haar ambities bestaan vooral uit toffe CGI's die vooral voor het binnenland zelf zijn bedoelt. Het gaat wel zo enorm slecht met dat land dat het niet lang duurt voordat het implodeert.
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Stoonbrace op 03/08/2021 | 10:14 uur
Als de drone fabrikant drones kan bouwen (dat kunnen ze) en de scheepswerf schepen (dat kunnen ze ook) dan maakt het weinig uit dat de drone fabrikant de render van een schip fout heeft.

De Turken staan qua RPAS technologie voor op heel Europa. Hun toestellen zijn battle proven en gewild. Intussen proberen wij een paar onbewapende Reapers/MQ-9B operationeel te krijgen.
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Sparkplug op 03/08/2021 | 10:19 uur
Citaat van: Stoonbrace op 03/08/2021 | 10:14 uur
Als de drone fabrikant drones kan bouwen (dat kunnen ze) en de scheepswerf schepen (dat kunnen ze ook) dan maakt het weinig uit dat de drone fabrikant de render van een schip fout heeft.

Het scheelt wel als je ze kunt laten landen. Ze zijn niet van het type STOVL.
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Stoonbrace op 03/08/2021 | 10:28 uur
Citaat van: Sparkplug op 03/08/2021 | 10:19 uur
Het scheelt wel als je ze kunt laten landen. Ze zijn niet van het type STOVL.

Alsof dat zo'n technisch huzarenstuk is voor een toestel met een kruissnelheid van 130km/u op een vliegdek van +200m.

(https://www.aselsan.com.tr/a3a8d5be-03ad-495b-b64f-248add218166.png)
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Sparkplug op 03/08/2021 | 10:40 uur
Citaat van: Stoonbrace op 03/08/2021 | 10:28 uur
Alsof dat zo'n technisch huzarenstuk is voor een toestel met een kruissnelheid van 130km/u op een vliegdek van +200m.

Het gebruik van vangkabels in combinatie met een recht dek is qua operaties wel nadelig. De complete lengte is dan nodig en er is nauwelijks parkeerruimte. Voor CATOBAR/STOBAR is een hoekdek beter. Helaas gaat een LHD en een hoekdek qua constructie nogal slecht samen.
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Stoonbrace op 03/08/2021 | 10:46 uur
Citaat van: Sparkplug op 03/08/2021 | 10:40 uur
Het gebruik van vangkabels in combinatie met een recht dek is qua operaties wel nadelig. De complete lengte is dan nodig en er is nauwelijks parkeerruimte. Voor CATOBAR/STOBAR is een hoekdek beter. Helaas gaat een LHD en een hoekdek qua constructie nogal slecht samen.

Vangkabels zijn nog nergens vermeld als ik het goed heb.
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Sparkplug op 03/08/2021 | 10:50 uur
Citaat van: Stoonbrace op 03/08/2021 | 10:46 uur
Vangkabels zijn nog nergens vermeld als ik het goed heb.

Kudos als ze de MIUS onder alle weersomstandigheden zonder vanghaak en kabels conventioneel kunnen laten landen.
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Huzaar1 op 03/08/2021 | 10:56 uur
Citaat van: Stoonbrace op 03/08/2021 | 10:14 uur
Als de drone fabrikant drones kan bouwen (dat kunnen ze) en de scheepswerf schepen (dat kunnen ze ook) dan maakt het weinig uit dat de drone fabrikant de render van een schip fout heeft.

De Turken staan qua RPAS technologie voor op heel Europa. Hun toestellen zijn battle proven en gewild. Intussen proberen wij een paar onbewapende Reapers/MQ-9B operationeel te krijgen.

Hun drones bestaan voor een groot gedeelte uit componenten van derden en zijn gebaseerd op geimporteerde types.

Het is niet zo heel lastig dat zelf te bedenken als je je realiseert dat de drone markt een beschermde markt is. Uit etische en morele overwegingen.

Het is dan is niet gek als een moreel verwerpelijk land als Turkije die al die regels en opvattingen buiten boort flikkert en iedereen een apparaat laat kopen die er geld voor geeft totaal booming is. Natuurlijk zijn ze gewild. Ze zijn gemaakt voor 1 derde van de kosten en het verkopende land stelt geen vervelende vragen en je hoeft aan geen enkel moreel danwel operationeel moeilijk etisch plaatje te voldoen.

Dat 'wij' in deze fase met onbewapende drones zitten heeft nul komma nul te maken met technoligische capaciteiten of  uitdagingen in toegang tot markt & kapitaal.

Daarnaast zegt die render wel heel veel. Dat zou in het westen niet kunnen. Met name omdat het heel veel zegt over een project. Go figure.
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Stoonbrace op 03/08/2021 | 11:17 uur
Citaat van: Huzaar1 op 03/08/2021 | 10:56 uur
Hun drones bestaan voor een groot gedeelte uit componenten van derden en zijn gebaseerd op geimporteerde types.

Het is niet zo heel lastig dat zelf te bedenken als je je realiseert dat de drone markt een beschermende markt is. Uit etische en morele overwegingen.

Het is dan is niet gek als een moreel verwerpelijk land als Turkije die al die regels en opvattingen buiten boort flikkert en iedereen een apparaat laat kopen die er geld voor geeft totaal booming is. Natuurlijk zijn ze gewild. Ze zijn gemaakt voor 1 derde van de kosten en het verkopende land stelt geen vervelende vragen en je hoeft aan geen enkel moreel danwel operationeel moeilijk etisch plaatje te voldoen.

Dat 'wij' in deze fase met onbewapende drones zitten heeft nul komma nul te maken met technoligische capaciteiten of  uitdagingen in toegang tot markt & kapitaal.

Daarnaast zegt die render wel heel veel. Dat zou in het westen niet kunnen. Met name omdat het heel veel zegt over een project. Go figure.

What I figure is dat zij op korte termijn (5 jaar) capaciteiten gaan hebben die gewoon heel erg operationeel nuttig kunnen zijn. Ze zitten op een hoop ervaring en ze doen er wat mee. Los van alle ethische overwegingen. Dat ze goedkoop zijn helpt daar heel erg bij. Aan 5 miljoen per stuk maakt het helemaal niets uit dat ze er een paar verliezen.
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Stoonbrace op 03/08/2021 | 11:21 uur
Citaat van: Sparkplug op 03/08/2021 | 10:50 uur
Kudos als ze de MIUS onder alle weersomstandigheden zonder vanghaak en kabels conventioneel kunnen laten landen.

Al was het maar dat het ze alleen lukt met een doorontwikkelde Bayraktar TB2.
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Huzaar1 op 03/08/2021 | 11:47 uur
Citaat van: Thomasen op 03/08/2021 | 11:28 uur
Hebben we wel vaker gedacht. Een autocratie is beter in staat om als politiek systeem dergelijke malaise op te vangen.
De TRL is in zo'n 5 jaar 60% van z'n waarde tov de EURO kwijt geraakt. Dat land had al lang in moeten storten.

Dat klopt, maar werkeloosheid stijgt naar nieuwe hoogtes, het BNP daalt al even. Afgeleiden naar een moslim staat bevalt een steeds grotere groep Turken niet. Klimaatveranderingen daar hebben nog wel wat rampen in petto. Afwachten. Helaas is het leger vleugellam.
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Sparkplug op 05/08/2021 | 09:56 uur
USAF Not Looking at 'MQ-Next' as a Direct MQ-9 Replacement, Outlines Reaper Upgrades

https://www.airforcemag.com/usaf-not-looking-at-mq-next-as-a-direct-mq-9-replacement-outlines-reaper-upgrades/

Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Sparkplug op 19/08/2021 | 22:59 uur
MQ-25 achieves another first, conducts air-to-air refueling with E-2D

Published: Aug 19, 2021

(https://www.navair.navy.mil/sites/g/files/jejdrs536/files/styles/crop_16_9/public/20210818_MQ-25_refueling_E-2D_1-f.jpg?itok=5-ohJbfQ)
The MQ-25 Stingray test asset refuels an E-2D aircraft Aug.18 at MidAmerica Airport in Illinois.  (Photo courtesy of Boeing)

Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md. -- The Navy's Unmanned Carrier Aviation program completed its first aerial refueling flight with an E-2D aircraft Aug.18 at MidAmerica Airport in Mascoutah, Illinois.


The Boeing-owned MQ-25 test asset, known as T1, transferred fuel to an E-2D Advanced Hawkeye, the newest variant of the E-2 platform which was upgraded with an aerial refueling capability in 2019.

"Once operational, the MQ-25 will refuel every receiver-capable platform including E-2," said Capt. Chad Reed, the Navy's Unmanned Carrier Aviation (PMA-268) program manager. "This flight keeps us on a fast track to getting the Stingray out to the fleet where its refueling capability will greatly increase the range and operational flexibility of the carrier air wing and strike group."

This test marks the second refueling flight for the MQ-25 program. In June, the government/industry team completed the historic first unmanned tanking flight with an F/A-18 Super Hornet.

During the six-hour flight, Navy E-2D pilots from Air Test and Evaluation Squadron Two Zero (VX) 20 approached T1, performed formation evaluations, wake surveys, drogue tracking and plugs with the MQ-25 test asset at 220 knots calibrated airspeed (KCAS) and 10,000 feet. This test allows the program to analyze the aerodynamic interaction of the two aircraft. The team can then determine if any adjustments to guidance and control are required and make those software updates early, with no impact to the developmental test schedule.

T1 testing will continue over the next several months to include flight envelope expansion, engine testing, and deck handling demonstrations aboard an aircraft carrier before the MQ-25 engineering, manufacturing and development aircraft are delivered next year.

"MQ-25 is leading the way as naval aviation transforms to include cutting-edge unmanned platforms," said Capt. Michael France, the Navy's Airborne Command & Control and Logistics Wing (ACCLW) commodore. "Our fleet integration team (FIT) is actively preparing for the Stingray's arrival and we're excited for the innovative capabilities of the MQ-25 that will transform our mobility and power projection. For the first time, the eyes and ears of the fleet will now be able to provide up-to-the-minute information from deep within theater to facilitate rapid-decision making by carrier strike group leadership."

The ACCLW will integrate the MQ-25A Stingray into the carrier air wing alongside the E-2 and C-2 squadrons. The Stingray's persistent mission tanking coupled with the E-2D's aerial refueling capability will transform the Hawkeye from an over-the-horizon airborne early warning platform limited to shorter missions in the carrier environment, to an asset capable of providing comprehensive battle management for extended periods from anywhere within the battlespace.

The MQ-25A FIT is working with PMA-268 and Boeing to ensure the end user (MQ-25 operators) have early input as the aircraft moves quickly from development through test. The Navy will begin standing up the fleet replacement squadron, Unmanned Carrier-Launched Multi Role Squadron (VUQ) 10, later this year followed by two MQ-25A squadrons, VUQ-11 and 12. These squadrons will deploy detachments to the U.S. Navy's aircraft carriers.

MQ-25 will be the world's first operational carrier-based unmanned aircraft and provide critical aerial refueling and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities that will greatly expand the global reach, operational flexibility and lethality of the Carrier Air Wing and Carrier Strike Group. The Stingray is a foundational step toward the Navy's strategic vision of a future fleet augmented by unmanned systems to pace the evolving challenges of the 21st century.

MQ-25 and Stingray are trademarks of the Department of the Navy.
Public Affairs Officer Contact:
240-925-5305

https://www.navair.navy.mil/news/MQ-25-achieves-another-first-conducts-air-air-refueling-E-2D/Wed-08182021-1236
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Jooop op 29/08/2021 | 21:32 uur
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E9-HyW2XsAECwc1?format=jpg&name=large)

En hops, de Turken hebben zomaar 4 MALE UCAV's in ontvangst genomen. Ach ja, het zijn maar een verzameling van componenten van derden en CGI.

Slaap lekker verder!
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Jooop op 30/08/2021 | 10:48 uur
A New Chapter In Unmanned Warfare: The Bayraktar Akıncı Enters Active Service

(https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VrZdyA_-abU/YSvEJjZu8JI/AAAAAAAAVWk/Ub2iNkdvOcAJwKJl4C0bJ4WPn2gWSqmlwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/ak1.jpg)
By Stijn Mitzer and Joost Oliemans 


İstikbal göklerdedir. Göklerini koruyamayan uluslar, yarınlarından asla emin olamazlar  - The future is in the skies. Because nations that cannot protect their skies, can never be sure of their future. (By Mustafa Kemal Atatürk)



The Bayraktar Akıncı unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) introduces a number of novel capabilities to the field of unmanned aerial warfare. These include several features not seen on any other type of UAV in the world before, most notably the ability to launch 250+km-ranged high-precision cruise missiles and beyond-visual-range air-to-air missiles (BVRAAMs) at targets as far as 100 kilometres away. These capabilities in practice turn the Akıncı into the first production multi-role unmanned combat aircraft in the world.

In a ceremony attended by Turkish President Erdoğan on the 29th of August 2021, the first four Bayraktar Akıncı UCAVs were officially handed over to the Turkish Armed Forces by Baykar Savunma. Of the first four production Akıncıs, two are destined for the Land Forces Command, 2nd Army UAV Battalion Command while the other two will enter service the 341st Shadow (Gölge) Squadron of the Air Force Command. [1]

(https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qdCNJjQ3rmE/YSvhrhHT-WI/AAAAAAAAVXs/DSzZfPEWRlc8VVhpRLv_EhK9M9inTM6mgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/551.jpg)

Although already an unusually diverse platform, the Akıncı's huge payload capacity of 1.500kg, the variety of its weapon loadouts and its 24+-hour endurance mean that it is also well suited to take over many of the ground attack missions currently assigned to Turkey's 240-strong F-16 fleet. [2] Replacing the F-16 in at least some of these roles frees up precious airframes which can then be used for air-to-air combat roles, at least partiallly decreasing the gap left now that Turkey has been excluded from the F-35 project.


Apart from debuting a unique set of abilities, the Akıncı also significantly expands on Turkey's existing unmanned warfare capabilities through a massive increase in payload capacity compared to systems such as the Bayraktar TB2 and TAI Anka. In addition to enabling the carriage of guided bombs that were too heavy to be carried by these UAVs, the Akıncı's increased payload capacity also allows for a far greater number of smaller munitions such as the MAM-L to be carried. Indeed, up to 24 MAM-Ls can be brought to bear by the Akıncı compared to just four on the TB2.

(https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-50k0YIMB1LM/YSqKH03Cy6I/AAAAAAAAVSo/nn5LIH3eIJcgonExGucItsdY8JytoWz_ACLcBGAsYHQ/s1571/3332.jpg)

As Baykar continues weapons systems integration on the Akıncı, several types of guided munitions are currently being tested to verify their use from the new platform. This already included the MAM-T with a range of just under 40km (compared to upwards of 14km on the MAM-L). The MAM-T will serve alongside the Teber, LGK, KGK and (L)HGK family of precision-guided munitions also destined for use on the Akıncı. These munitions consist of indigenously designed guidance kits mated to locally produced Mark-82, Mark-83 and Mark-84 iron bombs.


Especially the 900kg weighing Mark-84 is a daunting piece of armament, and also the heaviest bomb ever to be integrated on a drone. When fitted with a GPS/INS guidance kit, the bomb is known as the HGK-84. The HGK-84 can attain ranges of up to 28km (or 22km when launched from lower altitude), while a different variant known as the LHGK-84 is fitted with a laser-guidance kit for increased accuracy. [3] Yet another variant, the NEB-84, is a (guided) penetrator bomb designed for use against hardened surface and underground targets such as bridges and bunkers.

(https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gfyE1ozn6C8/YSudZX2pNPI/AAAAAAAAVWM/ZNkD16jGt0weEmUrXpGE-zEWmsGEzVKJwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1920/Screenshot+%286851%29.png)

To accommodate the seemingly endless variety of munitions, the Akıncı features up to eight underwing hardpoints and another one under its fuselage for a total of nine hardpoints. The latter is set to carry the heaviest ordnance cleared for carriage on the Akıncı, comprising the HGK-84 and the SOM-series of cruise missiles. A typical loadout could consist of two KGK-82 glide bombs with wing kits on the inboard pylons, two Teber-82 precision-guided bombs and eight MAM-Ls, as shown in the rendering below. This allows the Akıncı to set out to engage some high-value hardened target at long range, come across a convoy of enemy vehicles along the way and promptly destroy it, and then continue on to complete its mission.

(https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QHl5C9xPMxc/YNTRawA5sYI/AAAAAAAAUSs/1rMS-hA4blAn6K4LHk4Psz09SbLS5vrNwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1053/akinci_render.png)

Arguably the most innovative aspect of the Akıncı is its future capability to use air-to-air missiles (AAMs), consisting of the indigenous Bozdoğan IR-guided AAM and the (fire-and-forget) Gökdoğan BVRAAM, which uses an active solid-state radar to guide itself towards its target. The Akıncı's AESA radar should enable it to autonomously pick out its targets at great range, and then engage them to hunt enemy slow-flying aircraft, drones and helicopters and to guard other drones. Though BVRAAM-armed Akıncıs would present a greater challenge than most air forces could hope to face, medium-range AAMs like the Bozdoğan could present a threat even to opposing fighter aircraft, being fast, very manoeuvrable (having off-boresight capabilities) as well as highly resistant to electronic countermeasures.


Another feature is the ability to carry several variants of the SOM family of cruise missiles designed to be used against enemy command posts, SAM sites, ships or any other target that requires a precision hit with a 230kg heavy explosive warhead. Though two variants of this family were designed specifically to be used against naval vessels, the range of the much smaller MAM-T already exceeds the air defence systems on all but four of the Greek navy's ships. Though those are unlikely to be used in that role, this fact shows how swiftly the capabilities UCAVs and the precision-guided munitions they can carry have grown in the past decades.

(https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fFYcdDtZ7eI/YSueOC3lZQI/AAAAAAAAVWU/Z7pARYJUCFQytMHPS3jasYoMcjEJP-EQgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1920/Screenshot+%286852%29.png)

Once in active service, the Bayraktar Akıncı will herald a new chapter in unmanned warfare – whether by firing cruise missiles at enemy targets from well within friendly airspace, destroying underground bunkers with NEB-84 penetrator bombs, bringing armoured columns to a grinding halt with up to 24 MAM-L munitions, targeting enemy air defence systems well outside of their range or by shooting down enemy aircraft, UAVs and helicopters. The variety in weapon loadouts means the Akıncı can easily be repurposed to carry out other tasks during the same (day-long) mission, allowing greater flexibility in operations than any drone of the past.


For countries interested in buying the Akıncı the fact that all the munitions (and their guidance kits) used for these tasks can be sourced directly from Turkey will surely be appreciated as well. Furthermore, the fact that the new UCAV adheres to the NATO standards for munitions means that NATO countries can integrate other or local manufactured munitions on the Akıncı. This does not extend to NATO countries only, and countries that are currently developing their own precision-guided munitions can expect relatively simple integration with the Akıncı. Its attractiveness to foreign customers might be precisely what ensures the Akıncı's success, escaping the fate of a number of promising UCAV designs the world over that were ultimately only produced in scarce numbers. As such, it may well soon secure its role as one of the most significant upheavals in the annals of unmanned warfare.

https://www.oryxspioenkop.com/2021/08/a ... e.html?m=1
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Zander op 31/08/2021 | 06:22 uur
Citaat van: Jooop op 29/08/2021 | 21:32 uur
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E9-HyW2XsAECwc1?format=jpg&name=large)

En hops, de Turken hebben zomaar 4 MALE UCAV's in ontvangst genomen. Ach ja, het zijn maar een verzameling van componenten van derden en CGI.

Slaap lekker verder!
Zeker geen last van COVID daar....
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Stoonbrace op 31/08/2021 | 11:32 uur
Jamaar, tech support en zomeer en het is allemaal zo eenvoudig niet.
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Ace1 op 31/08/2021 | 14:48 uur
Citaat van: Zander op 31/08/2021 | 06:22 uur
Zeker geen last van COVID daar....


Is de lockdown als voorbij in Turkey of is iedereen daar al gevaccineerd?
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Parera op 13/09/2021 | 13:33 uur
Als ik deze print op de MQ-9B zo zie dan mag je er toch wel vanuit gaan dat Nederland interesse heeft in deze toestellen? Ja we organiseerde deze oefening samen met de Britten maar dat doen we toch niet voor niks ?

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E-6lNwAXIAAFh2J?format=jpg&name=large)

Source: twitter.com/UKDefenceBeLux
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Sparkplug op 13/09/2021 | 22:23 uur
Citaat van: Parera op 13/09/2021 | 13:33 uur
Als ik deze print op de MQ-9B zo zie dan mag je er toch wel vanuit gaan dat Nederland interesse heeft in deze toestellen? Ja we organiseerde deze oefening samen met de Britten maar dat doen we toch niet voor niks ?

Dat gebeurde inderdaad niet voor niets. Het moet echter nog blijken hoeveel interesse Defensie voor de MQ-9B heeft. Las overigens in de nieuwste Onze Luchtmacht dat de verwachting is dat 306 Squadron met de MQ-9 Reaper Block 5 in februari 2022 de Initial Operational Capability (IOC)-status bereikt en dan in 2023 de Full Operational Capability (FOC)-status.
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Poleme op 13/09/2021 | 23:47 uur
Citaat van: Parera op 13/09/2021 | 13:33 uur
Als ik deze print op de MQ-9B zo zie dan mag je er toch wel vanuit gaan dat Nederland interesse heeft in deze toestellen? Ja we organiseerde deze oefening samen met de Britten maar dat doen we toch niet voor niks ?     Source: twitter.com/UKDefenceBeLux
LEEUWARDEN, Netherlands, Sept. 02, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In cooperation with the UK and Netherlands airspace authorities, the Royal Air Force, and the Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF), General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) flew a company-owned, MQ-9B SeaGuardian® Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) today from RAF Waddington across the North Sea to Leeuwarden Air Base in the Netherlands, completing a two-day series of flights between the two airspaces.

This multi-day demonstration displayed SeaGuardian's maritime surveillance capabilities in support of international allies. SeaGuardian returned to RAF Waddington at the conclusion of the event.

The flight is part of a maritime demonstration series that began in August and continues through September. The goal of the flight series is to showcase the many operational capabilities of the MQ-9B, including the platform's advanced maritime Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR), Detect and Avoid System (DAAS), industry-leading endurance, and interoperability with NATO partners.

The RNLAF has ordered four MQ-9A RPA and the first is expected to be delivered to Leeuwarden later this year.

"Today's flight is a major milestone for us. It demonstrates the ability of the MQ-9 to operate in our airspace and validates the procedures for air traffic control. It also familiarizes the air traffic controllers with Remotely Piloted Aircraft, which is an opportunity we have not had before," said Lieutenant-Colonel Boudewijn Roddenhof, commander of the RNLAF's 306 squadron, which will operate the new MQ-9A Reapers.

"We're thrilled to showcase the game-changing capabilities of our RPA for the Royal Netherlands Air Force," said Robert Schoeffling, vice president of International Strategic Development for GA-ASI. "We appreciate the international cooperation we've received from the RAF, the RNLAF and civil aviation authorities such as the UK Civil Aviation Authority. Our MQ-9B series is built and equipped to meet certification standards that will allow it to fly in non-segregated airspace."

The flight to Leeuwarden was conducted as Operational Air Traffic, under the control of UK military air traffic controllers at Swanwick, up to the boundary between the UK's and the Netherlands' controlled airspace. At the agreed crossing point, Dutch military air traffic controllers took responsibility for the flight.

Next up, SeaGuardian will participate in the UK-led Joint Warrior exercise, which will showcase how the MQ-9B's maritime capabilities can be integrated with other air, surface and land platforms. SeaGuardian's maritime capability includes a multi-mode maritime surface-search radar with Inverse Synthetic Aperture Radar (ISAR) imaging mode, an Automatic Identification System (AIS) receiver, Electronic Surveillance Measures (ESM) along with the standard High-Definition, Full-Motion Video sensor equipped with optical and infrared cameras.

The flights also demonstrate GA-ASI's revolutionary Detect and Avoid System, a safety and situational awareness enhancement designed to support MQ-9B flight in non-segregated airspace worldwide. DAAS enables MQ-9B to operate among civilian aviation traffic in the national airspace, unlike any other aircraft in its class.

SeaGuardian is the maritime version of the MQ-9B SkyGuardian®.

bron:  https://www.globenewswire.com/en/news-release/2021/09/02/2291106/0/en/GA-ASI-SeaGuardian-Flies-From-UK-to-the-Netherlands.html
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Sparkplug op 14/09/2021 | 09:43 uur
Citaat van: GlobeNewswire op 13/09/2021 | 23:47 uur
LEEUWARDEN, Netherlands, Sept. 02, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In cooperation with the UK and Netherlands airspace authorities, the Royal Air Force, and the Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF), General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) flew a company-owned, MQ-9B SeaGuardian® Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) today from RAF Waddington across the North Sea to Leeuwarden Air Base in the Netherlands, completing a two-day series of flights between the two airspaces.

This multi-day demonstration displayed SeaGuardian's maritime surveillance capabilities in support of international allies. SeaGuardian returned to RAF Waddington at the conclusion of the event.

.../...

bron:  https://www.globenewswire.com/en/news-release/2021/09/02/2291106/0/en/GA-ASI-SeaGuardian-Flies-From-UK-to-the-Netherlands.html

Dit GlobNewswire artikel is een kopie van het General Atomics Aeronautical bericht dat ook in het KLu MALE topic staat.
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Parera op 14/09/2021 | 09:49 uur
Citaat van: Sparkplug op 13/09/2021 | 22:23 uur
Dat gebeurde inderdaad niet voor niets. Het moet echter nog blijken hoeveel interesse Defensie voor de MQ-9B heeft. Las overigens in de nieuwste Onze Luchtmacht dat de verwachting is dat 306 Squadron met de MQ-9 Reaper Block 5 in februari 2022 de Initial Operational Capability (IOC)-status bereikt en dan in 2023 de Full Operational Capability (FOC)-status.

Nou dan in November 2024 kunnen we dus het contract ondertekenen voor de order van 6 a 8 MQ-9B's ? :angel:

Ik heb begrepen dat de huidige MQ-9's die we aangekocht hebben ook helemaal niet in ons eigen luchtruim mogen vliegen. Ideaal gezien kopen we natuurlijk een RPA die zowel boven land (bewapend) inzetbaar is als boven zee (MPA).
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Sparkplug op 14/09/2021 | 10:09 uur
Citaat van: Parera op 14/09/2021 | 09:49 uur
Nou dan in November 2024 kunnen we dus het contract ondertekenen voor de order van 6 a 8 MQ-9B's ? :angel:

Als ze een goede deal kunnen maken om de boel te kunnen ruilen  ;) ;D

Citaat van: Parera op 14/09/2021 | 09:49 uur
Ik heb begrepen dat de huidige MQ-9's die we aangekocht hebben ook helemaal niet in ons eigen luchtruim mogen vliegen. Ideaal gezien kopen we natuurlijk een RPA die zowel boven land (bewapend) inzetbaar is als boven zee (MPA).

In het zelfde Onze luchtmacht artikel staat dat ze in Nederland initieel alleen in een afgeschermd luchtruim kunnen vliegen. Die beperking heeft de MQ-9B SkyGuardian inderdaad niet.
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Huzaar1 op 14/09/2021 | 10:29 uur
Citaat van: Parera op 13/09/2021 | 13:33 uur
Als ik deze print op de MQ-9B zo zie dan mag je er toch wel vanuit gaan dat Nederland interesse heeft in deze toestellen? Ja we organiseerde deze oefening samen met de Britten maar dat doen we toch niet voor niks ?

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E-6lNwAXIAAFh2J?format=jpg&name=large)

Source: twitter.com/UKDefenceBeLux

Gewoon een samenwerking met een niet EU land die wel met elkaar luchtruim delen. En in deze tijd plakt GB er graag een NL - GB sticker op om te laten zien hoe internationaal ze nog zijn..na de brexit. Niets spannends.
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Parera op 14/09/2021 | 10:55 uur
Citaat van: Sparkplug op 14/09/2021 | 10:09 uur
Als ze een goede deal kunnen maken om de boel te kunnen ruilen  ;) ;D

In het zelfde Onze luchtmacht artikel staat dat ze in Nederland initieel alleen in een afgeschermd luchtruim kunnen vliegen. Die beperking heeft de MQ-9B SkyGuardian inderdaad niet.

Een 4 tal aanvullend op de MQ-9A's zie ik rond 2025 nog wel als haalbare toevoeging voor de KLU. Dit zou betekenen dat we rond 2028 een 8 tal MQ-9's hebben rond vliegen. Wat de MQ-9B natuurlijk nog (veel) interessanter maakt is de samenwerkings mogelijkheden met zowel de Britten als de Belgen.

Als we 4 MQ-9B's aankopen naast de 4 huidige MQ-9 block 5's dan heeft Nederland voor haar krijgsmacht formaat een behoorlijke RPA capaciteit. Dat we in de toekomst de MQ-9's vervangen door betere en modernere systemen daar is geen twijfel aan mogelijk maar dan spreken we minimaal over 2035 - 2040 voor de KLU.

Citaat van: Huzaar1 op 14/09/2021 | 10:29 uur
Gewoon een samenwerking met een niet EU land die wel met elkaar luchtruim delen. En in deze tijd plakt GB er graag een NL - GB sticker op om te laten zien hoe internationaal ze nog zijn..na de brexit. Niets spannends.
Natuurlijk is het officieel niks meer dan een sticker maar we zijn toch niet achterlijk? Natuurlijk heeft NL interesse in meer en betere RPA's dan die nu zijn aangekocht. Het is een feit dat de RPA naast de bemande fighter de toekomst is en zeker voor de taken die we er nu mee (gaan) uitvoeren. De taak van MPA is wat mij betreft ook heel goed mogelijk met een onbemand systeem en daar heb je geen hele dure grote UCAV's voor nodig maar dat kan gewoon met een kist zoals de MQ-9B.

Ik zeg ; 2024 contract ondertekening voor de aankoop van (minimaal) 4 MQ-9B's  voor de KLU inclusief 2 Sea Guardian paketten als aanvulling op de 4 block 5's die dan operationeel zijn.
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Sparkplug op 15/09/2021 | 10:09 uur
MQ-25 conducts first air-to-air refueling with F-35C

Published: Sep 14, 2021

NAVAL AIR SYSTEMS COMMAND, Patuxent River, Md. -- The Navy's Unmanned Carrier Aviation (PMA-268) program completed its first aerial refueling of an F-35C Lightning II aircraft by the Boeing-owned MQ-25 test asset, known as T1, as part of the Navy's broader initiative to field unmanned systems that transform and enhance the fleet's capability, capacity and lethality.

The integrated Navy and Boeing MQ-25 team, in coordination with the F-35 program, conducted the refueling flight Sept. 13 near MidAmerica St. Louis Airport in Mascoutah, Illinois.

"Every T1 flight with another Type/Model/Series aircraft gets us one step closer to rapidly delivering a fully mission-capable MQ-25 to the fleet," said Capt. Chad Reed, the Navy's PMA-268 program manager. "Stingray's unmatched refueling capability is going to increase the Navy's power projection and provide operational flexibility to the carrier strike group commanders."

This event marked the third refueling flight for the T1 test aircraft.  During the three-hour flight, a Navy F-35C pilot from Air Test Wing and Evaluation Squadron Two Three (VX-23) approached T1, performed formation evaluations, wake surveys, drogue tracking and plugged with the MQ-25 test asset at 225 knots calibrated airspeed (KCAS) and altitude of 10,000 feet. From the ground control station, an air vehicle operator then initiated the fuel transfer from T1's aerial refueling store to the F-35C.

Once operational, MQ-25 will refuel every receiver-capable carrier-based aircraft. Each unique aircraft platform will have a different aerodynamic interaction in the wake of MQ-25. Conducting refueling test missions with various aircraft allows the program to analyze data and determine if any adjustments to guidance and control are required.

Earlier this summer, the program completed unmanned refueling missions with an F/A-18 Super Hornet and E-2D Advanced Hawkeye. Each aircraft platform is aerodynamically unique so how they respond in the wake of a tanker is different. Flying different aircraft behind the MQ-25 lets us assess how they will interact, Reed said.

Following this flight, T1 will enter into a modification period to integrate the deck handling system in preparation for a shipboard demonstration this winter. To date, T1 has conducted 36 flights, providing the program with valuable information on aerodynamics, propulsion, guidance and control in advance of the MQ-25 engineering and manufacturing development aircraft deliveries.

The MQ-25 will be the first operational carrier-based unmanned aircraft and will provide critical aerial refueling and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities to support the Air Wing of the Future - a mix of fourth and fifth-generation aircraft, manned and unmanned platforms, and netted sensors and weapons.

Along with organic tanking, the MQ-25 will pave the way for manned and unmanned teaming (MUM-T) of carrier-based aircraft that will extend the strike range and enhance maneuverability.  As unmanned tanking capacity increases, the manned tanker requirement decreases, promoting additional service life and capacity available for manned strike-fighter missions.

Public Affairs Officer Contact:
240-925-5305

(https://www.navair.navy.mil/sites/g/files/jejdrs536/files/styles/crop_16_9/public/MQ-25_F-35_Refueling_1_Large_res.jpg?h=1b84666a&itok=t7IBBCt6)
An MQ-25 test asset, known as T1, conducts its first aerial refueling test flight with an F-35C Lightning II Sept. 13 near MidAmerica St. Louis Airport in Mascoutah, Illinois.  (Photo courtesy of Boeing)

(https://www.navair.navy.mil/sites/g/files/jejdrs536/files/styles/crop_16_9/public/MQ-25_F-35_Refueling_wF-18_ext%20%281%29.jpg?h=8d5ba174&itok=e73ntuDC)
The F-35C Lightning II is refueled by the MQ-25 test asset as an F/A-18 chase aircraft hovers nearby during a test flight Sept. 13 near MidAmerica St. Louis Airport in Mascoutah, Illinois. (Photo courtesy of Boeing)

https://www.navair.navy.mil/news/MQ-25-conducts-first-air-air-refueling-F-35C/Mon-09132021-1531
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Stoonbrace op 21/09/2021 | 13:33 uur
(https://i.ibb.co/9nsprjf/E-y81-Me-Vk-AI9t-F4.jpg) (https://ibb.co/0qhnG3W)

Nieuwe render van het Turkse UCAV-carrier idee.
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Huzaar1 op 21/09/2021 | 15:45 uur
Citaat van: Sparkplug op 15/09/2021 | 10:09 uur
MQ-25 conducts first air-to-air refueling with F-35C

Published: Sep 14, 2021

NAVAL AIR SYSTEMS COMMAND, Patuxent River, Md. -- The Navy's Unmanned Carrier Aviation (PMA-268) program completed its first aerial refueling of an F-35C Lightning II aircraft by the Boeing-owned MQ-25 test asset, known as T1, as part of the Navy's broader initiative to field unmanned systems that transform and enhance the fleet's capability, capacity and lethality.

The integrated Navy and Boeing MQ-25 team, in coordination with the F-35 program, conducted the refueling flight Sept. 13 near MidAmerica St. Louis Airport in Mascoutah, Illinois.

"Every T1 flight with another Type/Model/Series aircraft gets us one step closer to rapidly delivering a fully mission-capable MQ-25 to the fleet," said Capt. Chad Reed, the Navy's PMA-268 program manager. "Stingray's unmatched refueling capability is going to increase the Navy's power projection and provide operational flexibility to the carrier strike group commanders."

This event marked the third refueling flight for the T1 test aircraft.  During the three-hour flight, a Navy F-35C pilot from Air Test Wing and Evaluation Squadron Two Three (VX-23) approached T1, performed formation evaluations, wake surveys, drogue tracking and plugged with the MQ-25 test asset at 225 knots calibrated airspeed (KCAS) and altitude of 10,000 feet. From the ground control station, an air vehicle operator then initiated the fuel transfer from T1's aerial refueling store to the F-35C.

Once operational, MQ-25 will refuel every receiver-capable carrier-based aircraft. Each unique aircraft platform will have a different aerodynamic interaction in the wake of MQ-25. Conducting refueling test missions with various aircraft allows the program to analyze data and determine if any adjustments to guidance and control are required.

Earlier this summer, the program completed unmanned refueling missions with an F/A-18 Super Hornet and E-2D Advanced Hawkeye. Each aircraft platform is aerodynamically unique so how they respond in the wake of a tanker is different. Flying different aircraft behind the MQ-25 lets us assess how they will interact, Reed said.

Following this flight, T1 will enter into a modification period to integrate the deck handling system in preparation for a shipboard demonstration this winter. To date, T1 has conducted 36 flights, providing the program with valuable information on aerodynamics, propulsion, guidance and control in advance of the MQ-25 engineering and manufacturing development aircraft deliveries.

The MQ-25 will be the first operational carrier-based unmanned aircraft and will provide critical aerial refueling and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities to support the Air Wing of the Future - a mix of fourth and fifth-generation aircraft, manned and unmanned platforms, and netted sensors and weapons.

Along with organic tanking, the MQ-25 will pave the way for manned and unmanned teaming (MUM-T) of carrier-based aircraft that will extend the strike range and enhance maneuverability.  As unmanned tanking capacity increases, the manned tanker requirement decreases, promoting additional service life and capacity available for manned strike-fighter missions.

Public Affairs Officer Contact:
240-925-5305

(https://www.navair.navy.mil/sites/g/files/jejdrs536/files/styles/crop_16_9/public/MQ-25_F-35_Refueling_1_Large_res.jpg?h=1b84666a&itok=t7IBBCt6)
An MQ-25 test asset, known as T1, conducts its first aerial refueling test flight with an F-35C Lightning II Sept. 13 near MidAmerica St. Louis Airport in Mascoutah, Illinois.  (Photo courtesy of Boeing)

(https://www.navair.navy.mil/sites/g/files/jejdrs536/files/styles/crop_16_9/public/MQ-25_F-35_Refueling_wF-18_ext%20%281%29.jpg?h=8d5ba174&itok=e73ntuDC)
The F-35C Lightning II is refueled by the MQ-25 test asset as an F/A-18 chase aircraft hovers nearby during a test flight Sept. 13 near MidAmerica St. Louis Airport in Mascoutah, Illinois. (Photo courtesy of Boeing)

https://www.navair.navy.mil/news/MQ-25-conducts-first-air-air-refueling-F-35C/Mon-09132021-1531

Dit toont wel het niveau verschil tussen drones in de VS en de rest van de wereld.
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Sparkplug op 06/11/2021 | 22:49 uur
Boeing Uncrewed Teaming Aircraft Advances Flight Testing

AUSTRALIA, Nov. 4, 2021 – Boeing [NYSE:BA] Australia has expanded its flight-test program of the Boeing Airpower Teaming System, with two aircraft successfully completing separate flight missions at the Woomera Range Complex recently.

The first Loyal Wingman aircraft developed with the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) demonstrated a range of key characteristics during the test flights to continue to expand the flight envelope. A second aircraft also successfully completed its first flight mission.

"It is so exciting seeing two aircraft in the air as the Loyal Wingman continues to excel in the flight-test program," said Air Vice-Marshal Cath Roberts, RAAF Head of Air Force Capability. "This opens up significant capability agility for Air Force, particularly with features such as the reconfigurable nose."

"We're heavily engaged in the payload development and the element of surprise that it gives us in the battlespace. You never really know what's in the nose," said AVM Roberts.

Throughout the flight-test missions, the teams gathered aircraft performance data that will be used to inform and refine the digital twin of the Boeing Airpower Teaming System, with the view to accelerate the aircraft's development where possible. The digital twin models the system's entire lifecycle, from design and development to production and sustainment, and contributes to speed and first-time quality.

"We're in a steady rhythm of flight testing on the way to mission and operational testing, enabling Boeing Australia, RAAF and our Australian industry team of more than 35 companies to progressively advance the flight characteristics and capabilities of the uncrewed teaming system," said Glen Ferguson, director of Boeing Airpower Teaming System – Australia and International. "I'd like to extend my thanks to our capability partner BAE Systems Australia, and to RUAG Australia for their specific roles in this latest test block."

The flight tests of aircraft one included the first time the landing gear was raised and engaged. RUAG Australia supplied the landing gear systems to the aircraft, and BAE Systems Australia was integral in the design, supply and support of the flight control and navigation systems tested as part of the flights.

"This is a great achievement for homegrown, Australian autonomous capabilities," said BAE Systems Australia CEO Gabby Costigan. "Our partnership underpins a shared commitment to develop sovereign technologies and deliver a cutting-edge program for the nation's defence."

The first batch of Loyal Wingman aircraft are serving as the foundation for the Boeing Airpower Teaming System being developed for various global defence customers. The aircraft will fly alongside other platforms, using artificial intelligence to team with existing crewed and uncrewed assets to complement mission capabilities.

https://boeing.mediaroom.com/news-releases-statements?item=130957#Closed

Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Harald op 15/11/2021 | 10:02 uur
EXCLUSIVE: General Atomics is secretly flying a new, heavily armed drone

The new yet-unnamed drone can carry up to 16 Hellfire missiles at a time — double the load of an MQ-1C Gray Eagle.

General Atomics has built and flown a prototype of a deadly new drone with significantly more firepower than the US military's current unmanned aircraft inventory, including the capability to launch a whopping 16 Hellfire missiles.

The unmanned aerial system — whose existence has not been previously been reported — made its first flight this summer at the company's Desert Horizon test grounds in the Mohave Desert, two sources with knowledge of the program told Breaking Defense.

General Atomics spokesman C. Mark Brinkley declined to comment on this story.

The new drone, which was funded with internal investment funds, features key enhancements meant to make it more suitable to operate in austere conditions. It needs less than 800 feet to take off or land the aircraft, making it possible to launch and recover it from rough airfields, dirt roads, dry riverbeds, or possibly even onboard ships, one source said.

Its maximum payload of 16 Hellfire missiles is double the MQ-1C Grey Eagle's Hellfire loadout, and four times as much as the typical number carried by the MQ-9 Reaper.

..../.....

https://breakingdefense.com/2021/11/exclusive-general-atomics-is-secretly-flying-a-new-heavily-armed-drone/
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Harald op 09/12/2021 | 13:10 uur
General Atomics unveils Mojave STOL combat UAV for dirty strips and naval operations

(https://www.airrecognition.com/images/stories/news/2021/december/General_Atomics_unveils_Mojave_STOL_combat_UAV_for_dirty_strips_and_naval_operations.jpg)

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems unveiled a new medium-altitude, long-endurance unmanned air vehicle (UAV) on 9 December that can take off and land in as little as 152m (500ft), including from dirt runways or aircraft carriers, Garrett Relm reports in Flight Global. "Mojave is designed with an eye toward dirt roads, hard-packed sand, dry riverbeds and other atypical runways", GA-ASI.

GA-ASI sees the UAV as useful for expeditionary warfare or naval operations – missions the US Department of Defense is eyeing in the Western Pacific. The UAV could also be used to support special operations missions, the firm says. General Atomics first flew a prototype of the short take-off and landing (STOL) aircraft "this summer". A test campaign for the UAV is ongoing. The STOL aircraft borrows avionics and flight control systems from USAF's MQ-9 Reaper and US Army's MQ-1C Gray Eagle-Extend Range. It is built around the fuselage of the latter model.

The design's short take-off capability means that the Mojave might be able to operate from US Navy's nuclear-powered aircraft carriers or even smaller amphibious assault ships, which often carry US Marine Corps expeditionary units.

The UAV uses enlarged wings for STOL performance. It can fly for more than 25 hours and is powered by a 450hp (336kW) turboprop engine. The Mojave has a payload capacity of 1,630kg (3,600lb) and hardpoints for up to 16 Lockheed Martin AGM-114 Hellfire air-to-surface missiles. The UAV can carry several sensors, including an electro-optical/infrared camera, a synthetic aperture radar, ground-moving target indicator and a signals intelligence payload.

General Atomics claims that its Mojave UAV should be considered for Special Operations Command's (SOCOM's) Armed Overwatch programme. SOCOM is indeed looking for 75 light-attack aircraft to perform close air support and armed reconnaissance for its ground troops. The command has so far excluded UAVs from the Armed Overwatch competition, focusing instead on manned fixed-wing aircraft, Garrett Relm reports.

https://www.airrecognition.com/index.php/news/defense-aviation-news/2021/december/7949-general-atomics-unveils-mojave-stol-combat-uav-for-dirty-strips-and-naval-operations.html
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Sparkplug op 20/12/2021 | 23:02 uur
Navy completes initial carrier demo for MQ-25 program

Published: Dec 20, 2021

Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md. -- The Navy completed an Unmanned Carrier Aviation Demonstration (UCAD) of its MQ-25 unmanned air system prototype in December aboard USS George H.W. Bush (CVN-77), laying the groundwork for future carrier-based UAS operations.

The government team, along with industry partners Boeing and Lockheed Martin, conducted a demonstration aboard the carrier with both ground control system (GCS) and aircraft to evaluate the MQ-25 system's integration into the carrier environment.

"There is no better way to determine the success of a carrier aircraft design and its integration into the air wing then to put that new aircraft through testing at sea," said Capt. Chad Reed, Unmanned Carrier Aviation program manager. "I am extremely proud of our team for the stellar execution of both engine and aircraft tests, as well as the approaches flown in a surrogate aircraft.  It's an exciting time as we progress toward the air wing of the future."

During the in-port portion of the UCAD, Lockheed Martin installed the prototype MD-5 ground control station in the Unmanned Aviation Warfare Center (UAWC), the CVN-based control room.  The team specifically demonstrated the functionality of the GCS to the MQ-25 fleet integration team, giving them the opportunity to assess design constraints driven by shipboard installation and capture feedback on human system interfaces.

"This was the first opportunity to have the MD-5C prototype control station installed in the UAWC," said Cmdr. Karl Orthner, UCA mission control station installation lead.  "It gave the chance for leadership, test pilots, and future air vehicle operators to experience the look and feel for how the MQ-25 will operate onboard a carrier as well as inform the program office on items to consider for future UAWC layout development."

Once underway, the MQ-25 test asset, known as T1, completed a series of test points that evaluated the functionality and capabilities of the deck handling system during both day and nighttime operations. Maneuvers included taxiing and parking on the flight deck, connecting to the catapult and clearing the landing area. Data was collected related to deck motion and wind over deck impacts to controllability and the propulsion system.

The team also coordinated the first Joint Precision Landing System (JPALS) surrogate flight with a King Air. Ship motion data collected during these first representative hardware and software approaches will be extremely valuable in refining the software, Reed added.

MQ-25 "deck operators" used Boeing's new Deck Control Device (DCD) during all phases of the deck handling system evaluation.  The deck operators were co-located with the Navy taxi directors (yellow shirts) and provided the corresponding control inputs on the DCD responding to the yellow shirt's taxi directions. 

"Early testing allowed our team the opportunity to evaluate many new systems for the first time at sea with T1," said Reed. "Our initial look at taxi operations on the flight deck successfully demonstrated the MQ-25's ability to maneuver just like a manned aircraft in the shipboard environment."

When operational, the director and deck operators will be able to taxi the MQ-25 on the carrier flight deck to the catapult launch position and to a parking location after landing.  The MQ-25 will be controlled while airborne from the UAWC where the air vehicle operator executes a pre-planned mission.

The MQ-25 will be the world's first operational, carrier-based unmanned aircraft and is integral to the future carrier air wing (CVW). It will provide an aerial refueling capability that extends the range, operational capability and lethality of the CVW and carrier strike group (CSG).

Public Affairs Officer Contact:
240-925-5305

(https://www.navair.navy.mil/sites/g/files/jejdrs536/files/styles/crop_16_9/public/211213-N-SY758-1114%20%281%29.jpg?itok=IlNh6tGK)
An MQ-25 Stingray test asset conducts deck handling maneuvers Dec.12 while underway aboard USS George H.W. Bush (CVN -77). This unmanned carrier aviation demonstration marked the first time the Navy conducted testing with the MQ-25 at sea. (U.S. Navy photo)

https://www.navair.navy.mil/news/Navy-completes-initial-carrier-demo-MQ-25-program/Wed-12152021-1336

Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Sparkplug op 23/03/2022 | 22:55 uur
Boeing's Australian-Produced Uncrewed Aircraft to be Named 'MQ-28A Ghost Bat'

- Australian Government, RAAF unveil official designator and name for the Airpower Teaming System

(https://boeing.mediaroom.com/image/BDA_LW_Woomera_031822_medres.jpg)
Mar 18, 2022
The newly-named MQ-28A during the second test flight series at Woomera Range Complex in South Australia.


AUSTRALIA, March 21, 2022 – Boeing [NYSE:BA] Australia congratulates the Australian Government and Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) on their selection of 'MQ-28A Ghost Bat' as the military designator and name for the first Australian-produced military combat aircraft in over 50 years.

Australia's Defence Minister, the Hon Peter Dutton MP, announced the designator and name at a dedicated ceremony held at RAAF Base Amberley, Queensland.

"The introduction of the new popular name is a rare and special moment in aviation history for our RAAF partners and industry team of over 35 Australian suppliers," said Glen Ferguson, director Airpower Teaming System Australia and International.

"Selecting the Ghost Bat, an Australian native mammal known for teaming together in a pack to detect and hunt, reflects the unique characteristics of the aircraft's sensors and Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance abilities, and is a fitting name for this pioneering capability," said Ferguson.

With a rapid development timetable of just three years from ideation to first flight, the development program leverages advancements in digital engineering, advanced manufacturing and unique Australian supply chain technologies.

While the RAAF Loyal Wingman development program name will phase out, Boeing's product name for global customers will remain the Airpower Teaming System.

"Our enduring partnership with Commonwealth of Australia and Australian Defence Force (ADF) is fundamental to the successful development of MQ-28A's complex technologies and capabilities, and has global export potential for Australia," said Dr Brendan Nelson AO, president Boeing Australia, New Zealand and South Pacific.

During 2022, the program will continue to accelerate the development and testing of the MQ-28A Ghost Bat, with a focus on sensor and missionisation capabilities to deliver on RAAF commitments. These requirements will continue to expand as Boeing moves towards the aim of delivering an operational capability for the ADF.

For more information about the Boeing Airpower Teaming System, visit https://www.boeing.com/defense/airpower-teaming-system/.

https://boeing.mediaroom.com/news-releases-statements?item=131020
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Jooop op 24/03/2022 | 00:30 uur
Heeft het potentieel om een prima UCAV te worden. Zou mooi zijn als de luchtmacht er een stuk of 10 van aanschaft naast de F35 en Reaper.
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Sparkplug op 24/03/2022 | 09:54 uur
Citaat van: Jooop op 24/03/2022 | 00:30 uur
Heeft het potentieel om een prima UCAV te worden. Zou mooi zijn als de luchtmacht er een stuk of 10 van aanschaft naast de F35 en Reaper.

Ook voor toekomstige ontwikkelingen van grotere types. De MQ-28A heeft in de huidige vorm geen plaats voor ophangpunten en en al helemaal niet voor interne weapon bays.
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Harald op 01/04/2022 | 10:44 uur
Australia axes its Reapers in surprise cancellation    :omg:

The 1st of April turned into a rather ominous day for the Australian species of the MQ-9B. Defence officials admitted at a Senate Estimates hearing that this Project Air 7003 programme was being axed.

The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) was expecting to receive 12 MQ-9Bs to be based at Edinburgh near Adelaide, representing the country's first-ever armed UAVs. The US had approved the $1.65 billion sale on 23 April 2021.

Little justification has been given for the surprise cancellation. However, it is believed to be primarily budgetary in nature.

https://www.shephardmedia.com/news/air-warfare/reaper-comes-a-cropper-in-australia/


Air Force's SkyGuardian or Reaper lethal drones cancelled to pay for Project REDSPICE


The Morrison government has cancelled Australia's only armed drones project as it diverted Defence's long-term programs to pay for its cyber capability upgrade, known as project REDSPICE.

Officials revealed during budget estimates hearings on Friday the SkyGuardian lethal remotely-piloted aircraft, also known as Reapers, had been cancelled as part of the government's $9.9 billion REDSPICE decision.

Officials also revealed Australia's cancelled French submarine program could cost taxpayers $5.5 billion after reparations were made to contractor Naval Group.

The drone cancellation was not mentioned in the budget papers on Tuesday and Defence Minister Peter Dutton on Wednesday dodged providing detail on changes to his department's Integrated Investment Program when questioned by the Canberra Times.

"There's new money going into this [REDSPICE] program and it's paid for within the IIP. We'll make more announcements about more projects that are coming up that I think we must fund to defend our country - we're in a very uncertain time," Mr Dutton said.

Labor's defence spokesperson Brendan O'Connor criticised the government for not having "the good grace to tell Australian defence industry the program was scrapped". The decision demonstrated the government did not care about Australian manufacturing, he said in a statement.

"Cancelling a $1.3 billion project without notice will reverberate around Australian defence industry, already reeling from the Attack Class cancellation and the secret-offshoring of the Pacific Support Vessel," he said.

"Defence industry firms will rightly ask what is next on this government's secret chopping block?"

Australia had sought to purchase the drones for about $2 billion since 2018, but only received permission last April when the US government gave the green light to "assist our ally in developing and maintain a strong and ready self-defence capability".

Air Force intended to use the long-range drones for combat and surveillance capability. They were to be based in South Australia where contractors had invested more $30 million.

While Air Force is losing its combat drones, the Australian Army will acquire 24 new surveillance drones to be manufactured in Brisbane. ( Insitu Integrator )

https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/7682864/morrison-govt-cancels-countrys-only-armed-drones-project/
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Mourning op 01/04/2022 | 11:38 uur
Dat is, zeker gezien Nagorno-Karabach en Oekraine, opvallend te noemen...
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Huzaar1 op 01/04/2022 | 11:40 uur
Helemaal met Australie haar uitgestrekte AOI. Zullen een goede reden hebben.
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Mourning op 01/04/2022 | 11:43 uur
Er wordt gesproken over budgettaire redenen...

Slachtoffer van bijv. kosten gemoeid met aankoop en instandhouding F35A en/of de geplande nucleaire subs? Of de versnelde afdanking van de NH90 en Tigre heli's? Geen idee, maar het contract is nog geen jaar geleden gesloten en ik kan me voorstellen dat je de bestelling kleiner maakt, maar totaal annuleren? Echt opvallend.
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Harald op 01/04/2022 | 11:54 uur
Defence cancels SkyGuardian drones to fund REDSPICE cyber plan
https://www.itnews.com.au/news/defence-cancels-skyguardian-drones-to-fund-redspice-cyber-plan-578192
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Lynxian op 01/04/2022 | 14:17 uur
Dus eh, de fabrikant heeft straks een gaatje voor 12 bewapende reapers op de productielijn? *kuch*
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Zander op 01/04/2022 | 14:19 uur
Citaat van: Lynxian op 01/04/2022 | 14:17 uur
Dus eh, de fabrikant heeft straks een gaatje voor 12 bewapende reapers op de productielijn? *kuch*
Er zijn dus ook wat 2e hansjes op de markt....
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Ace1 op 01/04/2022 | 18:59 uur
Citaat van: Zander op 01/04/2022 | 14:19 uur
Er zijn dus ook wat 2e hansjes op de markt....

Leg uit.
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Lynxian op 02/04/2022 | 01:07 uur
Citaat van: Zander op 01/04/2022 | 14:19 uur
Er zijn dus ook wat 2e hansjes op de markt....
De Australiërs hebben ze nog niet ontvangen, dus zijn er nog elders landen die van gloednieuwe reapers afwillen?
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Sparkplug op 02/04/2022 | 10:49 uur
Citaat van: Lynxian op 02/04/2022 | 01:07 uur
De Australiërs hebben ze nog niet ontvangen, dus zijn er nog elders landen die van gloednieuwe reapers afwillen?

Even voor de duidelijkheid. De MQ-9B SkyGuardian (https://www.ga-asi.com/images/products/aircraft_systems/pdf/mq9b-skyguardian-datasheet.pdf) is een ander ontwerp dan de MQ-9A Reaper (https://www.ga-asi.com/images/products/aircraft_systems/pdf/Predator_B021915.pdf). Alleen qua uiterlijk lijken ze op elkaar.
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Ace1 op 02/04/2022 | 12:15 uur
Citaat van: Sparkplug op 02/04/2022 | 10:49 uur
Even voor de duidelijkheid. De MQ-9B SkyGuardian (https://www.ga-asi.com/images/products/aircraft_systems/pdf/mq9b-skyguardian-datasheet.pdf) is een ander ontwerp dan de MQ-9A Reaper (https://www.ga-asi.com/images/products/aircraft_systems/pdf/Predator_B021915.pdf). Alleen qua uiterlijk lijken ze op elkaar.

Is het casco wel hetzelfde maar de systemen niet?
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Sparkplug op 02/04/2022 | 12:32 uur
Citaat van: Ace1 op 02/04/2022 | 12:15 uur
Is het casco wel hetzelfde maar de systemen niet?

De casco's verschillen al. Zie de zijkanten van de diverse modellen van General Atomics (https://www.ga-asi.com/products-services).
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Zander op 02/04/2022 | 14:46 uur
Citaat van: Lynxian op 02/04/2022 | 01:07 uur
De Australiërs hebben ze nog niet ontvangen, dus zijn er nog elders landen die van gloednieuwe reapers afwillen?
Excuus. Daar ging ik even aan voorbij.
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Reinier op 02/04/2022 | 15:07 uur
Citaat van: Sparkplug op 02/04/2022 | 10:49 uur
Even voor de duidelijkheid. De MQ-9B SkyGuardian (https://www.ga-asi.com/images/products/aircraft_systems/pdf/mq9b-skyguardian-datasheet.pdf) is een ander ontwerp dan de MQ-9A Reaper (https://www.ga-asi.com/images/products/aircraft_systems/pdf/Predator_B021915.pdf). Alleen qua uiterlijk lijken ze op elkaar.
Als ik mij niet vergis, gaan de Belgen SkyGuardians aanschaffen en wij hebben de Reaper.
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Sparkplug op 02/04/2022 | 15:49 uur
Citaat van: Reinier op 02/04/2022 | 15:07 uur
Als ik mij niet vergis, gaan de Belgen SkyGuardians aanschaffen en wij hebben de Reaper.

Dat klopt. Australië valt nu af en dan blijft het Verenigd Koninkrijk als tweede Skyguardian koper over.
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Harald op 07/04/2022 | 08:20 uur
Boeing floats idea of tailhook-equipped Ghost Bat for USN 

Could the newly christened MQ-28A Ghost Bat UAV find work with the USN?

The Australian-designed and -built MQ-28A Ghost Bat UAV, formerly known as Loyal Wingman and developed as part of the Boeing Airpower Teaming System (ATS) programme, was illustrated in notional USN markings with a retracted tailhook in a ventral fairing at the 2022 Navy League meeting in Washington DC.

Ghost Bat is currently being tested in Australia as an aircraft capable of autonomous operation in cooperation with manned combat aircraft, although the design's multi-mission capability would also allow it to be used as an ISR platform or as a target, along with other missions.

https://www.shephardmedia.com/news/uv-online/boeing-floats-idea-of-tailhook-equipped-ghost-bat/

(https://www.shephardmedia.com/media/cache/images/images/article/IMG_7013_Ghost_BatatNavyLEagueDISBYfoto/4fef32bb68ce04d721d36c7c7ef5ab59.JPG)

Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Jooop op 08/04/2022 | 01:33 uur
https://www.bmvg.de/de/aktuelles/bewaffnung-der-heron-tp-drohnen-mit-praezisionsmunition-5389376

En de Duitsers hebben besloten hun drones te bewapenen.

Hopelijk huppelen we met de Duitsers mee, bewapenen die hap!
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Ace1 op 08/04/2022 | 07:21 uur
Citaat van: Jooop op 08/04/2022 | 01:33 uur
https://www.bmvg.de/de/aktuelles/bewaffnung-der-heron-tp-drohnen-mit-praezisionsmunition-5389376

En de Duitsers hebben besloten hun drones te bewapenen.

Hopelijk huppelen we met de Duitsers mee, bewapenen die hap!

Zolang je partijen hebt als D66, Groen Links en de SP gaat dit niet gebeuren.

https://d66.nl/nieuws/internationaal-verbod-op-killer-robots/

https://www.wetenschappelijkbureaugroenlinks.nl/artikelen/impressie-groenlinks-symposium-burgers-beschermen

https://www.sp.nl/standpunt/drones
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Huzaar1 op 08/04/2022 | 08:13 uur
Citaat van: Ace1 op 08/04/2022 | 07:21 uur
Zolang je partijen hebt als D66, Groen Links en de SP gaat dit niet gebeuren.

https://d66.nl/nieuws/internationaal-verbod-op-killer-robots/

https://www.wetenschappelijkbureaugroenlinks.nl/artikelen/impressie-groenlinks-symposium-burgers-beschermen

https://www.sp.nl/standpunt/drones

Zie niet in waarom drones niet bewapend zouden kunnen worden. Het is hier geen belgie.
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Harald op 11/04/2022 | 11:30 uur
Bell offers Vigilant tiltrotor UAV for FVL maritime strike requirement

(https://www.shephardmedia.com/media/cache/images/images/article/Credit_Bell_2022_V-247_Cloud_Cruise/ebab734c494713329e402d5ffbd0bb67.jpg)

At the Navy League meeting on 4-6 April, Bell displayed a model of a specially adapted V-247 crewless tiltrotor for the USN's Future Vertical Lift Maritime Strike requirement.

Boeing and Sikorsky submit FLRAA proposal setting up crunch downselect decision Boeing and Sikorsky submit FLRAA proposal setting up crunch downselect decision
The USN Office of the Chief of Naval Operations is carrying out an analysis of alternatives (AoA) study to recommend a way forward for the Future Vertical Lift Maritime Strike (FVL-MS) requirement, which received its initial validation from the Joint Requirements Oversight Council (JROC) of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in November 2019.

This analysis, to be completed later in 2022, is intended to identify cost-effective alternatives to fill USN capability gaps, especially in roles currently filled by different models of the Sikorsky SH-60 Seahawk helicopter and the Northrop Grumman MQ-8 Fire Scout rotary-wing UAV, which will start to reach the ...

https://www.shephardmedia.com/news/defence-helicopter/bell-offers-vigilant-tiltrotor-uav-for-fvl-maritim/

Bell V-247 Vigilant tiltrotor
https://www.bellflight.com/products/bell-v-247

(https://thaimilitaryandasianregion.files.wordpress.com/2016/09/d4av2-new-1024x595.jpg?w=625)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUEw8PgR1cE
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Parera op 11/04/2022 | 13:09 uur
Een prachtig systeem voor op een LHD  :angel: Al ben ik bang dat als er ooit een NL LHD gaat komen we het niet zo snel gaan uitrusten met dit soort ''fancy'' materiaal.
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Jooop op 13/04/2022 | 22:59 uur
Slovakije gaat voor Turkse drones

https://twitter.com/visegrad24/status/1514318222203539463
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter) op 13/04/2022 | 23:23 uur
Citaat van: Parera op 11/04/2022 | 13:09 uur
Een prachtig systeem voor op een LHD  :angel: Al ben ik bang dat als er ooit een NL LHD gaat komen we het niet zo snel gaan uitrusten met dit soort ''fancy'' materiaal.

Naast fregatten, onderzeeboten amfibische- en MCM schepen zal er vermoedelijk wel behoefte ontstaan aan drone-carriers.... dus wie weet wat de komende decennia zullen brengen.
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Huzaar1 op 13/04/2022 | 23:31 uur
Toekomst lijkt me ook weggelegd onderzeeboot drone carriers.  Met drones die terug het water in duiken, of niet meer terug hoeven te komen.

Maar ik denk dat de eerstvolgende nieuwe maritieme oorlog zal aantonen dat grote oppervlakteschepen aan hun eind zijn.
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Flyguy op 14/04/2022 | 00:30 uur
Citaat van: Huzaar1 op 13/04/2022 | 23:31 uur
Toekomst lijkt me ook weggelegd onderzeeboot drone carriers.  Met drones die terug het water in duiken, of niet meer terug hoeven te komen.

Maar ik denk dat de eerstvolgende nieuwe maritieme oorlog zal aantonen dat grote oppervlakteschepen aan hun eind zijn.
Denk ik ook. Niet per se onderwater alleen. Dat kan niet overal en is ook veel moeilijker en intuïtiever dan je zou verwachten, dus niet te doen voor AI nog. Drones hebben de toekomst op het water, alleen alle galons zijn keihard in ontkenning.

Onze gehele wijze van oorlogsvoering op zee moet op de schop. We baseren alles nu op een paar korte en intense weken in een baai omgeven door bergen en een afgeschermde 'arena' rondom een eilandengroep ergens in de vroege jaren 80 (40 jaar geleden alweer trouwens, Jesus Christ). Ontwikkelingen op het land en in de lucht gaat nu keihard, terwijl de laatste échte moderne zeeslag ergens in '44 was. Sindsdien zijn er alleen nog schermutselingen geweest.

Een v-LCF zoals wij die nu gaan invullen is naar mijn mening daarom ook een kolossale geldverspilling, maar goed ik ben maar een subalterne trekpop die scheldt in de kerk. De marine gaat haar trots nooit opzij zetten en échte stappen maken.   
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Huzaar1 op 14/04/2022 | 16:43 uur
Citaat van: Flyguy op 14/04/2022 | 00:30 uur
Denk ik ook. Niet per se onderwater alleen. Dat kan niet overal en is ook veel moeilijker en intuïtiever dan je zou verwachten, dus niet te doen voor AI nog. Drones hebben de toekomst op het water, alleen alle galons zijn keihard in ontkenning.

Onze gehele wijze van oorlogsvoering op zee moet op de schop. We baseren alles nu op een paar korte en intense weken in een baai omgeven door bergen en een afgeschermde 'arena' rondom een eilandengroep ergens in de vroege jaren 80 (40 jaar geleden alweer trouwens, Jesus Christ). Ontwikkelingen op het land en in de lucht gaat nu keihard, terwijl de laatste échte moderne zeeslag ergens in '44 was. Sindsdien zijn er alleen nog schermutselingen geweest.

Een v-LCF zoals wij die nu gaan invullen is naar mijn mening daarom ook een kolossale geldverspilling, maar goed ik ben maar een subalterne trekpop die scheldt in de kerk. De marine gaat haar trots nooit opzij zetten en échte stappen maken.

Helemaal mee eens. Maar ik zeg al langer; er is een Prince Of Wales moment voor nodig. Of beter die komt er bij het eerstvolgende grote conflict.

Onze VLCF kan geldverspilling zijn, ik vind de Fransen met hun klassieke megacarrier nog veel meer getuigen van vasthouden aan oud denken, met name omdat er maar 1 komt is dat apparaat per direct veel te kostbaar om kwijt te raken. En juist die schepen, daar zie ik geen plek meer voor in de toekomst.

Wat ga je met je carrier doen met al die drones. Iedereen die oplet op hoe drone oorlog op land anno 2022 eruit ziet kan een voorspelling doen hoe dat er op zee uitziet in zeg 2032. En dat wordt denk ik een factor 10 intenser qua geweld. Geen colletoral damage, geen restricties en bovenal, geen camera's.

Zou zo graag zien dat NL eens een plan maakt, industrie betrekt en voorwaarts gaat. Durft te doen. Veel meer investeren in de onderwatervloot en drones. 
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Parera op 24/04/2022 | 12:27 uur
Turkey's New UCAV AKINCI Engages Sea Target For The 1st Time

https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2022/04/turkeys-akinci-engages-sea-target-for-the-1st-time/


(https://www.navalnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/akinci-teber-4-scaled.jpg)



Ik ben hier geen expert in of iets dergelijks maar volgens mij raken ze het doel nauwelijks. Natuurlijk zal een explosieve lading wel helpen maar om dit nu bullseye te noemen... :cute-smile:
Het gaat hier om een mk82 met een lokaal geproduceerde TEBER geleidings set.
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Harald op 25/04/2022 | 14:29 uur
V-247 Tiltrotor Drone Downsized For Strike Role Aboard Navy Ships

Initially designed for the Marine Corps, a smaller, more potent V-247 Vigilant is aimed at meeting Navy shipboard requirements.

Bell has resurrected the unmanned V-247 Vigilant designed for the Marine Corps and scaled it down for use as a strike and surveillance aircraft aboard Navy ships, where the autonomous tiltrotor can fit in the same space as an MH-60R and perform any of the manned helicopter's missions.

Designed as a contender for the Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF) Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) Experimental, or MUX program, Bell's V-247 Vigilant is now on offer to the larger sea service for the Future Vertical Lift Maritime Strike (FVL-MS) development effort. That called for shaving several thousand pounds from the aircraft's fuselage and "right-sizing" the rotor blades, nacelles, and other elements of the aircraft to meet Navy requirements, Todd Worden, Bell's senior manager for advanced vertical lift systems sales and strategy, told The War Zone.

..../.....

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/v-247-tiltrotor-drone-downsized-to-maritime-strike-for-navy-warships?utm_source=War+Zone+Wire&utm_campaign=b1107bc00e-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2022_01_26_08_22_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_51665f3aba-b1107bc00e-180056853

(https://www.thedrive.com/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thedrive.com%2Fuploads%2F2022%2F04%2F19%2FV-247-Vigilant-Navy-Missile.jpg%3Fauto%3Dwebp&w=1920&q=75)
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Parera op 10/05/2022 | 16:26 uur
General Atomics Unveils MQ-9B STOL For Small Flat Tops

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) today unveiled a new MQ-9B variant at INDO PACIFIC 2022, the international maritime exposition currently held in Sydney, Australia. The MQ-9B STOL (for short take off and landing) is designed to operate from flat top amphibious ships.


(https://www.navalnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/MQ-9B-STOL-1.jpg)

The MQ-9B STOL can operate from amphibious assault ships without the need for a ski jump or catapult. The new design features folding wings optimised for short takeoff and landing (STOL), as well as an enlarged v-tail.

Talking to Naval News at the show, General Atomics explained that the design is capable of operating from the U.S Navy's America-class Landing Helicopter Assaults (LHA) and Wasp-class Landing Helicopter Dock (LHD) ships. They can also operate aboard the Royal Australian Navy's Canberra-class LHDs.

General Atomics is pitching the MQ-9B STOL to the United States Marine Corps (USMC) as an expeditionary, shipborne alternative to the service's new MQ-9As. The USMC currently plans to procure 16 MQ-9As through the Marine Air Ground Task Force (MAGTF) Unmanned Systems Expeditionary (MUX) program of record. 

In addition to the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia have reportedly expressed interest in the design for operations from their Queen Elizabeth-class and Canberra-class vessels respectively. General Atomics is also in talks with unspecified "Pacific" countries. Naval News understands these countries are likely Japan (with the Izumo-class and Hyūga-class "helicopter destroyers") as well as South Korea (with the upcoming CVX carrier).

While the MQ-9B STOL sacrifices some range so that it can fly from flat top amphibious warships, it still has a significant endurance of roughly 30 hours, far more than smaller ship-launched unmanned aerial systems.

Like the MQ-9B Sea Guardian, the MQ-9B STOL can carry and dispense sonobuoys, allowing it to provide long range, high endurance, anti-submarine warfare capabilities to any naval task force. Promotional videos released by GA-ASI also depict the MQ-9B STOL carrying AGM-114 Hellfire and AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles.

(https://www.navalnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/MQ-9B-STOL-2-1024x768.jpg.webp)

(https://www.navalnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/MQ-9B-STOL-4.jpg.webp)

(https://www.navalnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/MQ-9B-STOL-3.jpg.webp)

(https://www.navalnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/MQ-9B-STOL-5.jpg.webp)

https://www.navalnews.com/event-news/indo-pacific-2022/2022/05/general-atomics-unveils-mq-9b-stol-for-small-flat-tops/

https://www.ga.com/ga-asi-grows-mojave-line-with-new-mq-9b-stol-package
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Parera op 10/05/2022 | 16:37 uur
Deze video is ook erg interessant, het laat de huidige MQ-9 zien maar ook de nieuwe Mojave. Maar veel interessanter zijn de kleinere UAV die afgeworpen kan worden door andere UAV's en de twee grotere UAV's waarbij de grootste en laatste een stealth UAV is.



(https://i.imgur.com/ZZQqlYi.png)
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Harald op 10/05/2022 | 16:41 uur
 ;D ik had het bericht ook net gepost, maar weer verwijderd.
Maar een interessante ontwikkeling, voor toekomstig gebruik vanaf LHD schepen met UAV's zoals MQ-9B voor meerdere Marine's, niet alleen de grote.
Ook voor NL, zeker in ook de ASW rol.     
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Parera op 10/05/2022 | 16:43 uur
Citaat van: Harald op 10/05/2022 | 16:41 uur
;D ik had het bericht ook net gepost, maar weer verwijderd.
Maar een interessante ontwikkeling, voor toekomstig gebruik vanaf LHD schepen met UAV's zoals MQ-9B voor meerdere Marine's, niet alleen de grote.
Ook voor NL, zeker in ook de ASW rol.     

+1

Ik kwam ook deze ontwikkeling tegen van Northrop Grumman voor de US Navy onderzeeboten, maar men bied het ook aan voor de MH-60 helikopters. Ik zie ook mogelijkheden voor de onbemande toestellen (van de toekomst). Men spreekt over 4 Very Lightweight Torpedo's i.p.v. 2 Mk54's op een heli.  Niet alleen is deze torpedo 50% lichter dan de mk 54 LWT maar ook zou het ongeveer 50% minder kosten.

https://www.northropgrumman.com/what-we-do/sea/manufacturing-the-very-lightweight-torpedo/
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Harald op 10/05/2022 | 17:24 uur
Citaat van: Parera op 10/05/2022 | 16:43 uur
+1

Ik kwam ook deze ontwikkeling tegen van Northrop Grumman voor de US Navy onderzeeboten, maar men bied het ook aan voor de MH-60 helikopters. Ik zie ook mogelijkheden voor de onbemande toestellen (van de toekomst). Men spreekt over 4 Very Lightweight Torpedo's i.p.v. 2 Mk54's op een heli.  Niet alleen is deze torpedo 50% lichter dan de mk 54 LWT maar ook zou het ongeveer 50% minder kosten.

https://www.northropgrumman.com/what-we-do/sea/manufacturing-the-very-lightweight-torpedo/
Dat is idd ook een erg interessant ontwerp, ze spreken over 1/3 van het gewicht mk54.
Interessant voor gebruik vanaf heli's , maar juist ook vanaf UAV's

Maar ook wel voor onderzeeboten, om meer kleine torpedo's snel achter elkaar te lanceren om een trefkans te vergroten.
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Parera op 10/05/2022 | 20:06 uur
Ook nog video beelden  8)

Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Sparkplug op 10/05/2022 | 22:12 uur
Toch heb ik mijn twijfels aan de de veiligheidsmarges bij het landen op een recht dek met zo'n spanwijdte t.o.v. landen op een hoekdek. Verder ben ik benieuwd hoe het landingsgestel zich zal houden bij dit soort landingen.
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Huzaar1 op 10/05/2022 | 22:28 uur
Turkije is slim, ze gaan van haar geplande 'carrier' een drone carrier maken. Dat is de way to go en moet ook voor NL mogelijk zijn. Helemaal nu drones bewapend mogen worden ligt de weg open voor maritieme bewapende drones.
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Parera op 07/07/2022 | 03:07 uur
GA-ASI: The Future of Small UAS

https://www.ga-asi.com/ga-asi-the-future-of-small-uas

(https://www.ga-asi.com/images/BlogFeaturedImages/sparrowhawk-render-1200x630.jpg)
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Harald op 07/07/2022 | 08:25 uur
Greece to purchase SeaGuardian MQ-9B UAV amid tensions with Turkey   ( vink, weer een nieuwe aankoper van de B-versie )

According to information published by Defence Review on July 6, 2022, the Greek parliament approved new arms programs, one of which is the $400 million acquisition of the SeaGuardian MQ-9B Unmanned aerial vehicle.

MQ-9B SeaGuardian is the maritime-focused sibling of the revolutionary SkyGuardian remotely piloted aircraft system (RPAS) that has been missionized using "bolt-on/bolt-off" maritime sensors.

In addition to its Lynx Multi-Mode Radar, advanced electro-optical/infrared sensor, automatic takeoff and landing capability, and the same impressive 79 ft (24m) wingspan as SkyGuardian, SeaGuardian includes a centerline wide-area maritime radar mission kit, and automatic identification system.

SeaGuardian integrates the most advanced maritime intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities and is the first RPAS in its class to enable real-time search and patrol above and below the ocean's surface.

The MQ-9B Seaguardian has a length of 11.7 meters and wingspans of 24 meters with a maximum gross take-off weight of 5,670 kg and a fuel capacity of 2,721 kg.

It can carry 363 kg of payloads in the fuselage and 1,814 kg of payloads externally. It can fly at a maximum speed of 210 knots with a maximum range of 5,000 NMI at a maximum altitude of 40,000 MSL.

The Remotely Piloted Aircraft System is equipped with precision-guided munitions, Paveway IV laser-guided bomb, and Brimstone 2 air-to-surface missiles.

https://www.navyrecognition.com/index.php/naval-news/naval-news-archive/2022/july/11887-greece-to-purchase-seaguardian-mq-9b-uav-amid-tensions-with-turkey.html

(https://www.navyrecognition.com/images/stories/news/2022/july/Greece_to_purchase_SeaGuardian_MQ-9B_UAV_amid_tensions_with_Turkey.jpg)
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Jooop op 09/07/2022 | 10:21 uur
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Harald op 21/07/2022 | 17:02 uur
Leonardo Wins Contract To Develop VTOL UAV For Royal Navy    ( Ook best interessant voor de NL KM )

The Royal Navy is moving a step closer to operating crewless helicopters. The UK MoD has awarded a £60 million contract to Leonardo to design and develop a cutting-edge uncrewed helicopter.

(https://www.navalnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Leonardo-Wins-Contract-to-Develop-VTOL-UAV-for-Royal-Navy.jpg)
Leonardo SW-4 SOLO remotely piloted helicopter

Royal Navy press release

The three-tonne demonstrator – less than a third of the weight of a Merlin helicopter – could provide an innovative alternative to existing aircraft for tracking adversary submarines.

Trials will test the capability of the aircraft to drop "sonobuoys" – small tube-shaped buoys that track and communicate submarine activity – enabling the aircraft to alert a crewed helicopter and call for support if a submarine is located.

Cost-effective to run, the platform will also reduce exposure of Royal Navy crews to potential threats.

Project Proteus will support up to 100 highly-skilled engineering jobs at Leonardo's Yeovil site.

Leonardo – the firm behind the Wildcat and Merlins which are the mainstay of Fleet Air Arm operations – will test the demonstrator on lengthy and demanding anti-submarine warfare patrols – currently performed by Merlin Mk2 helicopters – but other potential uses will also be investigated, including evacuating casualties.

Turning to drone helicopters, would mean crews wouldn't need to swap due to fatigue, fuel costs could be reduced, while the crewed aircraft could be used for other critical tasks.

Proteus – named after a mythological Greek god of the sea – is due to take its first flight in 2025 and, once airborne, will generate evidence helping decision-making when it comes to future investment in the Royal Navy and Fleet Air Arm.

The Royal Navy's Director Develop, Rear Admiral James Parkin, said: "Proving the benefits of larger uncrewed aircraft, rotary and fixed wing, will be key to understanding whether such aircraft can effectively contribute to future Royal Navy capabilities, particularly for anti-submarine warfare."

Minister for Defence Procurement, Jeremy Quin, said:

Citaat"The global threat is changing, and it is crucial we remain at the forefront of defence innovation. Exploring cutting-edge, new defence capabilities through programmes with key British manufacturers, will help to ensure our Armed Forces are equipped to deal with the latest threats."

If successful, the new aircraft would provide a platform capable of delivering improved surveillance and intelligence, enabling crewed Royal Navy helicopters to re-deploy on alternative missions if required and bolstering UK defence capability.

Capable of carrying a large payload, combined with the ability to operate in harsh environmental conditions, the aircraft could also demonstrate its utility across a range of requirements.

Beyond anti-submarine warfare, the project will address other potential uses including ship to ship resupply and casualty evacuation.

The four-year contract will deliver a demonstrator as part of the existing UK Defence Rotary Strategy, setting out plans to improve and upgrade the readiness of UK Defence's key helicopter capabilities.

https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2022/07/leonardo-wins-contract-to-develop-vtol-uav-for-royal-navy/#prettyPhoto
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Harald op 26/08/2022 | 11:07 uur
The U.S. Air Force secretary has confirmed that the service could buy the Australian drone as part of the NGAD tactical air combat program.

The U.S. Air Force could be the next customer for the MQ-28 Ghost Bat drone that Boeing Australia is building for the Royal Australian Air Force, or RAAF. That revelation came about during a recent event in Australia that hosted U.S. Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall, who confirmed that "preliminary discussions" were underway with a view to buying the MQ-28 as a loyal wingman-type adjunct to the forthcoming Next Generation Air Dominance, or NGAD, program, a wide-ranging 'system of systems' intended to ensure U.S. tactical air dominance for years to come.

https://www.realcleardefense.com/2022/08/25/usaf_eyeing_mq-28_ghost_bat_for_ngad_850034.html
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Harald op 06/10/2022 | 08:22 uur
US Air Force to start new experiments with Boeing's MQ-28 Ghost Bat drone

Lt. Gen. Clint Hinote told Breaking Defense that the service is "getting ready to take delivery" of a drone prototype, now confirmed as Boeing's Ghost Bat.

(https://sites.breakingmedia.com/uploads/sites/3/2022/10/20210227raaf8185068_0089-copyright_960x640-e1664914694881.jpg)

The US Air Force is set to begin flight experiments with Boeing's MQ-28 Ghost Bat, a combat drone developed for the Australian air force that may help its American counterpart learn how to operate unmanned aircraft alongside fighter jets.

Lt. Gen. Clint Hinote, who leads Air Force Futures, told Breaking Defense in a September 20 interview that the service is "getting ready to take delivery" of a drone prototype through the Pentagon's research and engineering office, also known as OSD (R&E).

"It might look a lot like an Australian thing," he joked, referring to the Ghost Bat, which first flew in 2021 at Royal Australian Air Force Base Woomera.

Pentagon spokesman Lt. Cdr. Tim Gorman confirmed that the research and engineering office is involved in development and experimentation efforts involving Ghost Bat, saying that "OSD (R&E) continually works with the services to validate technologies that are key to advancing and fielding next generation capabilities."

He declined to give further details except to confirm that Ghost Bat is not being funded through the Rapid Defense Experimentation Reserve (RDER), an OSD (R&E) -led effort wherein the services propose experiments and compete for funding.

Boeing deferred comment on the matter to the Air Force.

In recent weeks Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall has hinted that the Ghost Bat could be a useful tool for the US Air Force as it seeks to understand how semi-autonomous combat drones — what the service calls Collaborative Combat Aircraft — could interface with the service's fifth and sixth-generation fighters. Both CCA and a manned sixth-generation fighter are planned to be part of the service's Next Generation Air Dominance family of systems, and Kendall has said a CCA competition could begin as early as fiscal 2024.

..../....

https://breakingdefense.com/2022/10/us-air-force-to-start-new-experiments-with-boeings-mq-28-ghost-bat-drone/
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Harald op 11/10/2022 | 17:09 uur
CitaatAnd one here onboard @HMSQNLZ for #AFF22 in New York last week @FutureAtlantic
Hugely impressive capability.

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FeYrcnaWAAMLoYv?format=jpg&name=small)

https://twitter.com/StephenWatson39/status/1577996500424163329?cxt=HHwWgoC8iZzdleYrAAAA

Krijgen Britse vliegdekschepen dit onbemande vliegtuig?

Aan boord van het Britse vliegkampschip HMS Queen Elizabeth is een onbemand vliegtuig gepot tijdens het Atlantic Future Forum in New York. Stephan Watson, voorzitter van het congres over Defensie en diplomatie twitterde een foto van een Protector aircraft aan boord van het schip, zo zag UK Defence Journal. Het leidde tot geruchten dat dergelijke drones in de toekomst vanaf Britse vliegkampschepen operationeel kunnen worden.

..../...

https://marineschepen.nl/nieuws/Krijgen-Britse-vliegdekschepen-onbemande-vliegtuigen-111022.html
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Harald op 19/10/2022 | 10:00 uur
Euronaval 2022: Airbus showcases its VSR700 UAS

At Euronaval, started on 18 October 2022, Airbus is showing the many range of ways our teams are pioneering to help protect these critical areas including its VSR700 Unmanned Aircraft System.

(https://www.navyrecognition.com/images/stories/west_europe/france/exhibition/euronaval-2022/pictures/Airbus_showcases_its_VSR700_UAS.jpg)

70.8% of Earth is covered by water equating to a massive 361 million km2 of seas and oceans to be monitored. Gathering intelligence over maritime areas is a challenge of colossal proportions and Airbus has taken it on with the development of several dedicated systems - which includes an array of unmanned aerial systems ranging from light to long-endurance aircraft.

VSR700, the unmanned aerial system that is currently under development and has been designed to operate alongside other shipborne naval assets, will provide commanders with an improved tactical picture, greater search and rescue power, and bring to bear a highly capable autonomous platform in times of heightened threats.

Its compact size and discreet silhouette enhance stealth, and its payload accommodates a host of long-range, high-performance sensors ? the optimal capability enhancement for modern navies.

With a maximum take-off weight around 700 kg (1,500 lb), it is a larger aircraft than the Austrian Camcopter S-100 which the French Navy has trialled before.

The drone is designed to eventually deploy from Mistral-class amphibious assault ship, as well as from frigates. The prototype VSR700 performed its first flight at a drone test centre near Aix-en-Provence, France, on 8 November 2019.

https://www.navyrecognition.com/index.php/naval-news/naval-exhibitions/euronaval-2022-news-show-daily/12359-euronaval-2022-airbus-showcases-its-vsr700-uas.html
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Parera op 21/10/2022 | 09:06 uur
Schiebel Teases New Camcopter S-300 UAV At Euronaval

As UAVs competition grows including in the naval domain, Schiebel decided to fill a gap in the heavy-lift-capable unmanned air system (UAS) market with the Camcopter S-300, a larger version of the Camcopter S-100.

https://www.navalnews.com/event-news/euronaval-2022/2022/10/schiebel-teases-new-camcopter-s-300-uav-at-euronaval/#prettyPhoto

(https://www.navalnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Camcopter-S-300-scaled.jpeg)

(https://www.navalnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/S-300-2-1024x485.jpg)

Een interessante ontwikkeling met een MTOW van 660 kg een flinke verbetering t.o.v. de S-100. Een directe en mogelijk sterke tegenstander van o.a. de VSR-700.
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Parera op 22/10/2022 | 08:47 uur
Poland Will Lease MQ-9A Reapers To Fill The UAV Capability Gap
https://theaviationist.com/2022/10/20/poland-will-lease-mq-9a-reapers-to-fill-the-uav-capability-gap/

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FfgEmNoXkAIzv3L?format=jpg&name=medium)
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Ace1 op 22/10/2022 | 12:47 uur
Citaat van: Parera op 21/10/2022 | 09:06 uur
Schiebel Teases New Camcopter S-300 UAV At Euronaval

As UAVs competition grows including in the naval domain, Schiebel decided to fill a gap in the heavy-lift-capable unmanned air system (UAS) market with the Camcopter S-300, a larger version of the Camcopter S-100.

https://www.navalnews.com/event-news/euronaval-2022/2022/10/schiebel-teases-new-camcopter-s-300-uav-at-euronaval/#prettyPhoto

(https://www.navalnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Camcopter-S-300-scaled.jpeg)

(https://www.navalnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/S-300-2-1024x485.jpg)

Een interessante ontwikkeling met een MTOW van 660 kg een flinke verbetering t.o.v. de S-100. Een directe en mogelijk sterke tegenstander van o.a. de VSR-700.


Je vergeet Leonardo nog die hebben ook iets vergelijksbaars.

https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2022/07/leonardo-wins-contract-to-develop-vtol-uav-for-royal-navy/

https://www.airforce-technology.com/projects/sw-4-solo-rotorcraft-unmanned-air-system-optionally-piloted-helicopter/
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Harald op 25/10/2022 | 08:20 uur
Camcopter S-100 Relays Sonobuoy Data During NATO Exercise

Thales and Schiebel successfully tested the reinforcement of conventional underwater capabilities with a CAMCOPTER? S-100 Unmanned Air System (UAS) during the NATO REPMUS 2022 exercise in Tr?ia, Portugal.

(https://www.navalnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/schiebel-camcopter-s-100-repmus-2022-scaled.jpg)

Thales and Schiebel validate the use of Schiebel?s CAMCOPTER? S-100 Unmanned Air Vehicle (UAV) to relay acoustic buoy surveillance during the NATO exercise REPMUS 2022

Thales press release

The underwater environment is becoming increasingly crowded and hostile; hence, navies must acquire more and more resources that are progressively responsive, flexible and interconnected.

Indeed, fighting under the sea requires the deployment of considerable capacities and the coordination of means can sometimes meet limits. To reduce the risk of threat saturation, Thales and Schiebel successfully tested the reinforcement of conventional underwater capabilities with a CAMCOPTER S-100 Unmanned Air System (UAS) during the NATO REPMUS 2022 exercise in Tr?ia, Portugal. 


REPMUS22 was a real opportunity for the industry and the armed Forces to collaborate on the test and development of maritime unmanned systems, with 25 navies, and more than 20 research and development companies, two universities and eight NATO entities related to maritime operations and/or maritime unmanned systems.

The scenario chosen by the NATO was that of surveillance of a strategic access to a port, in order to detect and classify possible enemy submarines, using the best of innovative technologies.
To this end, Thales and Schiebel deployed a CAMCOPTER S-100 UAV equipped with a data relay box, allowing the transmission distance of data from the acoustic buoys deployed in surveillance along the coast to be optimised.

The data was successfully processed on land by the Thales Bluetracker system. The data could have also been processed on board a frigate cruising off the coast, in addition to the airborne means usually used (helicopters, maritime patrol aircraft).

The use of UAS allows navies to face new challenges with increasingly limited human resources. Fast, durable, flexible (multi-mission) and are a useful and efficient complement to an anti-submarine system.

This first participation in REPMUS 2022 for the Thales-Schiebel partnership opens perspectives on the force multiplier effect obtained through interoperable and interchangeable systems. Thanks to innovative technologies, whose basic building blocks already exist (buoys and UAVs) and soon thanks to the use of the new SonoFlash buoy developed by Thales, these unmanned systems will be able to demonstrate their usefulness in many theatres of operation.


https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2022/10/camcopter-s-100-relays-sonobuoy-data-during-nato-exercise/

(https://www.navalnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/1666508067126.jpg)
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Jooop op 20/11/2022 | 14:54 uur
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Harald op 07/03/2023 | 08:36 uur
CitaatMight @GeneralAtomics be about to land its first DoD customer for Sky/SeaGuardian, as @USNavy issues request for a COCO MQ-9B ISR services within CONUS? Both company and service tight lipped for now, with neither willing to expand on RFI as it appears at https://sam.gov/opp/9c79f6166e51473184b15d5838495be8/view

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FKrdJ3QXEAENSJw?format=jpg&name=small)

https://twitter.com/GarethJennings3/status/1489249004420542465
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Harald op 08/03/2023 | 11:55 uur
USAF Special Ops Buys MQ-9B SkyGuardians To Test Air-Launched Drone Concepts

The Air Force Special Operations Command will acquire three MQ-9B SkyGuardians to help develop the new Adaptive Airborne Enterprise concept.

(https://www.thedrive.com/uploads/2023/03/07/MQ9-Drones.jpg?auto=webp&crop=16%3A9&auto=webp&optimize=high&quality=70&width=1920)

US. Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) will be procuring MQ-9B SkyGuardian remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) to prove a concept that would see them used as launch platforms for smaller, more expendable drones. The SkyGuardians would employ the smaller drones at a safe distance from enemy air defenses, sending them into riskier, less permissible environments.

The SkyGuardian is an evolution of the earlier MQ-9A Reaper that has been designed with more range, payload capacity, and endurance, along with other improvements. General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI), which makes the Q-9 family of aircraft, announced the new contract with the AFSOC in a Monday press release. Under the deal, the company will provide AFSOC, which has already been flying the Reaper for over 14 years, with three SkyGuardians.

.../...

The GA-ASI press release says that the SkyGuardians will play a key role in fleshing out the AFSOC?s new Adaptive Airborne Enterprise (A2E) concept. In fact, this will be SkyGuardian?s primary objective with the outfit. As Lt. Col. Rebecca Heyse, director of public affairs for the AFSOC told The War Zone, the MQ-9Bs currently slated for AFSOC will not be used operationally.

Heyse explained that the AFSOC?s SkyGuardians will instead ?be used to rapidly pathfind A2E concepts and technologies, planned to include sUAS and autonomy integration, beginning in calendar year 2024.? She also added that AFSOC expects to take possession of its first SkyGuardian by the end of this year.

.../...

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/usaf-special-ops-buys-mq-9b-skyguardians-to-test-air-launched-drone-concepts
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Harald op 15/03/2023 | 09:34 uur
MQ-9 Reaper Is Capable Of Defending Itself With Air-To-Air Missiles

The MQ-9 Reaper can engage aerial targets with the AIM-9X Sidewinder missile, but the will to field it operationally is another story.

(https://www.thedrive.com/uploads/2023/03/14/AIM9X-Reaper.jpg?auto=webp&crop=16%3A9&auto=webp&optimize=high&quality=70&width=1920)

oday's incident between a Russian Su-27 Flanker and a U.S. MQ-9 Reaper that saw the latter crash into the Black Sea after the jet collided with its propeller has people questioning the defenselessness of the Reaper to nearby aerial threats. In particular, people want to know why they can't be armed to protect themselves. The answer to that question may be surprising to some ? they can!

A quick history lesson is needed as well as a reminder about a far more recent revelation.

The Q-9 Reaper's progenitor, the Q-1 Predator, an aircraft that blazed the trail to the unmanned revolution we are still in the depths of today, was less capable than its successor in every way. But, two decades ago, when faced with a menacing aerial threat, the little Predator quickly went from a defenseless lamb to a wolf that could bite back.

The Predator was outfitted to carry AIM-92 Stinger air-to-air missiles under an urgent development initiative led by the USAF's Big Safari office 16 years ago. Air Force Magazine recounts the lightning fast initiative and its wild outcome:

"Some Predators were armed with the AIM-92 Stinger missile, to defend themselves against Iraqi fighters. Getting the Stinger certified on the Predator took only 91 days.

.../...

Today, a self-protection pod for the Reaper that provides electronic and expendable countermeasures, and spherical situational awareness of threats, exists. It was designed to counter ground-based air defenses primarily, but it may be possible to utilize it in conjunction with AIM-9X, at least for awareness purposes. In fact, concept art of the pod shows this exact configuration:

(https://www.thedrive.com/uploads/2023/03/14/message-editor_1621558782468-reaper-2-copy.jpg?auto=webp&optimize=high&quality=70&width=1440)

Modern data-links can also provide Reaper crews with additional situational awareness and potentially targeting data, as well, as discussed in the quote from our piece six years ago. This is especially relevant for employing the 'networked' AIM-9X Block II that supports third-party targeting and lock-on after launch capability.

At this time there is no indication of MQ-9s being armed with air-to-air missiles on operational missions, but it clearly would not be hard to do so. This capability would have to be deployed in an operational state and tactics and procedures would have to be built around it, along with training for the crews that operate the Reapers.

So yes, the Reaper can fight back in the air-to-air realm, but there needs to be a will to deploy such a capability and the rules of engagement need to be carefully planned around it.

At the very least, it would provide some deterrence to marauding fighters, but the aforementioned rules of engagement, at least under the current circumstances, would limit its utility as it is unlikely Reapers would be allowed to fire without being fired upon. This would be a different story in an openly hostile environment where kinetic engagements are expected against a fully declared adversary with deadly intent.

Regardless, I hope this answers the question of if one of these drones can be armed to protect itself.

The answer, quite remarkably, is now 20 years old.

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/yes-the-mq-9-can-defend-itself-with-air-to-air-missiles
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Huzaar1 op 15/03/2023 | 10:20 uur
Kan me de super tucano discussies nog wel herinneren hier van de afgelopen jaren. Dat is nu totaal niet meer relevant.

Na de oorlog zal drone ontwikkeling veel meer gaan verdringen. Met veel type helikopters op 1. Japan vervangt nu al meerdere types aanvals en verk. heli door drones.

https://www.businessinsider.com/japan-plans-to-replace-its-attack-helicopters-with-drone-aircraft-2023-3

Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Harald op 20/03/2023 | 16:30 uur
U.S. Navy Uses E-2D And MQ-9 UAV For Simulated Anti-Ship Strike

The U.S. Navy demonstrated the ability to share data between an MQ-9 unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), an E-2D Advanced Hawkeye, F/A-18s and AV-8B Harriers to execute a simulated long-range missile strike on a simulated adversarial ship...

.../....

The U.S. Navy demonstrated the ability to share data between an MQ-9 unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), an E-2D Advanced Hawkeye, F/A-18s and AV-8B Harriers to execute a simulated long-range missile strike on a simulated adversarial ship...
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Harald op 11/05/2023 | 15:58 uur
PteroDynamics X-P4 Transwing   ( interessant )

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kA1ENhxLqTo

https://pterodynamics.com/

Pterodyamics scales up its remarkable dihedral Transwing eVTOL

Fresh video shows that one of the most fascinating eVTOL aircraft designs we've seen is now flying at larger scale. The Transwing platform uses a unique dihedral folding wing system to move between hover and cruise modes, unlocking huge advantages.

Transitioning electric VTOL aircraft can take off and land more or less like multicopter drones, but then cruise efficiently in forward flight supported by wing lift. There are literally hundreds of companies racing to bring different designs to market, and they all have to deal with the same set of problems.

The most efficient winged flight requires large, wide wings, but large wings are a headache when you're trying to land, and take up a lot of space on the ground. The simplest way to handle both vertical and cruise flight is to run separate propellers for each mode, but then you add parasitic drag and weight.

Pterodynamics ? as we've covered before ? says it's created an exceptionally efficient eVTOL airframe that's also exceptionally small on a landing pad, and mechanically quite simple.

This unique and patented design looks just like a plane in forward flight, with props distributed along its wings. But when it's time to land, the wings fold back, ending up stowed against the sides of the fuselage.

The key here is the dihedral hinges upon which the wings rotate; the wings tilt as they fold, so by the time they're resting back against the body of the aircraft, they're facing upward, along with the propellers. The entire transition is "aerodynamically benign," simple and smooth, and it's driven mechanically by little struts extending from the fuselage, on a linear actuator.

As a result, these things can run significantly wider wings than any other eVTOL design where ground space or helipad access is a concern. And for portable drone-style applications, they can sit in a compact box, completely ready to fly.

Pterodynamics has built its X-P4 prototype with a 4 m (13.1 ft) wingspan, and a fuselage about 2 m (6.6 ft) long. It runs only two props in forward flight according to Unmanned Systems Technology magazine, allowing the other two to passively fold back against their nacelles until they're needed for a vertical landing.

It's been undergoing testing with the US Navy as a ship-to-shore logistics platform, a job in which it could ferry roughly a cubic foot of cargo, held within its fuselage, vastly cheaper than the current solution ? which is apparently to fly things out to Navy ships on Black Hawk helicopters or V-22 Osprey VTOL aircraft.

But the concept is capable of scaling much larger, up to eVTOL air taxi size and beyond. Indeed, a Transwing design could potentially fly 10 or more people from rooftop to rooftop, while fitting on the same helipad that a five-seat Joby or seven-seat Lilium might use.

And with the ability to run very large wings, as well as the capability to start transitioning toward cruise flight almost immediately upon takeoff, it promises to be one of the most efficient eVTOL designs around, capable of squeezing more range out of a battery than competing designs.

https://newatlas.com/aircraft/pterodyamics-transwing-x-p4/

Citaat#PteroDynamics' X-P4 #Transwing aircraft that we're building for the U.S. Navy was featured in the Dec/Jan 2022 edition of Unmanned Systems Technology magazine that was published yesterday. This is a pretty deep technical dive: https://ust-media.com/ust-magazine/UST041/
https://twitter.com/pterodynamics/status/1479606360853540864?cxt=HHwWgMCroauJz4gpAAAA

https://www.ust-media.com/ust-magazine/UST041/36/
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Ace1 op 23/05/2023 | 16:43 uur
53rd Wing tests Angry Kitten Pod on MQ-9 and completes Full Integrated Combat Turn in record time

EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. --  The 556th Test and Evaluation Squadron completed the first round of MQ-9A Reaper ground and flight testing with the Angry Kitten ALQ-167 Electronic Countermeasures (ECM) Pod at Creech Air Force Base, Nevada Apr. 10-28, 2023.

The pod provides the MQ-9 elevated Electronic Attack (EA) capability against relevant ground and airborne threats.  This capability enhances survivability for the Reaper and other friendly forces, and complicates adversary planning efforts. The test focused on proving the concept of conducting EA from the MQ-9 to provide operational planners new force application options when confronting Pacing Challenge threats.

?The goal is to expand the mission sets the MQ-9 can accomplish,? said Maj. Aaron Aguilar, 556th TES assistant director of operations. ?The proliferation and persistence of MQ-9s in theater allows us to fill traditional platform capability gaps that may be present. Our goal is to augment assets that already fill this role so they can focus and prioritize efforts in areas they are best suited for.?

The Angry Kitten Pod represents the beginning of what the 556th TES hopes to achieve with the MQ-9 in the EA sphere. Through participation in future Large Force Exercises (LFEs) such as Red Flag 23-3 and integrating with the U.S. Air Force Weapons School, the squadron aims to further develop Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures (TTPs) against complex target sets.

?Electronic Attack on the MQ-9 is a compelling capability,? said Lt. Col. Michael Chmielewski, 556th TES commander. ?15 hours of persistent noise integrated with a large force package will affect an adversary, require them to take some form of scalable action to honor it, and gets at the heart of strategic deterrence.?

Earlier in April, the 556th TES also executed a Cold Integrated Combat Turn on an MQ-9 aircraft, which included simultaneous refueling and rearming of four hellfires.

Overall, the event took less than 25 minutes, a record that crushes the standard three-hour typical turn time for the MQ-9 and only added 4 minutes to the previously demonstrated rapid refuel procedures that did not include weapon reloading.

?The Cold Integrated Combat Turn furthers our validation efforts on the MQ-9 agile combat employment model and further maximizes the MQ-9?s relevancy across the continuum of strategic competition and the phases of combat operations in all theaters that require agile operations,? said Chmielewski.

Following the successes in April, the 556th TES is slated to work on multiple tests during Northern Edge 2023, a joint field training exercise at various locations in and around Alaska, beginning May 4, 2023.


https://www.53rdwing.af.mil/News/Article/3394752/53rd-wing-tests-angry-kitten-pod-on-mq-9-and-completes-full-integrated-combat-t/

(https://media.defense.gov/2023/May/13/2003222427/-1/-1/1/230420-F-CF572-9883.JPG)
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Ace1 op 29/05/2023 | 11:42 uur
British aircraft carrier to trial ?Project Mojave? drones

The Royal Navy has announced its intention to award a contract to General Atomics to trial ?Project Mojave? drones onboard a British aircraft carrier.
The contract, which has a non-qualifying single-source status, is worth up to ?1,500,000 (ex VAT) and is projected to span a period of seven months.

Under the ambitious Project Mojave, General Atomics is set to undertake trials and experiments aimed at showcasing the threshold capabilities of a Short Take off and Landing Uncrewed Air Vehicle aircraft.

(https://ukdj.imgix.net/2022/10/mojave1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&ixlib=php-3.3.0&s=f4c6e20241ed8c00c37601b4582858dc)

The contract notice reads:

?The Royal Navy, part of the UK Ministry of Defence, intends to award a Single Source Non-Qualifying Defence Contract valued at up to ?1,500,000 (ex VAT) with General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Limited (?the Contractor?) for a period of [7] months for the delivery of work to undertake trials/experiments in order to demonstrate a threshold capability for a Short Take off and Landing Uncrewed Air Vehicle (UAV).?

This trial forms part of the UK?s move to integrate cutting-edge drone technology within its armed forces, potentially revolutionising its military operations.

As we reported last year, the possibility of this initiative was on the horizon. General Atomics had demonstrated a concept for a carrier-capable MQ-9B drone, a type already being integrated into service with the Royal Air Force.

The manufacturer previously announced plans to develop a short takeoff and landing (STOL) capable MQ-9B aircraft, a model which includes the SkyGuardian and SeaGuardian variants.

The STOL capability, initially tested on a modified Gray Eagle Extended Range platform in 2021, is now being developed on the MQ-9B. This model has already been chosen by the Royal Air Force, the Belgium Ministry of Defence, and the Japanese Coast Guard.


The MQ-9B STOL configuration involves an optional wing and tail kit that can be installed in less than a day, allowing operators to modify the aircraft in a hangar or on a flight line.

This proof-of-concept trial will utilise existing technology and services provided by General Atomics. By addressing a range of capability problem sets, the initiative is set to determine the future scope of UAV integration and support.

C. Mark Brinkley, spokesman for General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc, tweeted:


?There?s a lot of speculation today about the possibility of our Mojave STOL aircraft launching from a carrier in the near future. From the moment we announced our Mojave concept, operating from ships was always on the table. But let?s not all rush up to the flight deck just yet.

We have already demonstrated Mojave?s short take-off and landing capability in less than 300 feet. That was under optimal conditions on the ground, so add some feet for fuel, weapons and payloads. Regardless, our engineers know that a tactically-relevant Mojave can take off from a runway shorter than the decks of many carriers or amphibious ships used around the world. Moving from a ground-based STOL demo to a ship-based STOL demo has always been a priority for the Mojave project, and we?ve been discussing that with fleets worldwide.

We have also discussed modifying the MQ-9B with a STOL conversion kit that replicates many of the attributes of our Mojave demonstrator, and we?ve shared those ideas publicly at trade shows and on social media. We have conducted feasibility studies for both platforms, and continued our experimentation. We have big plans, but plans take time to execute. Mojave is a remarkable aircraft, and I?m impressed by it every time I see it fly. Our team is working hard on it. But whether it flies from a ship in the near future still remains to be seen. Fingers crossed.?

https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/british-aircraft-carrier-to-trial-variant-of-reaper-drones/
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Ace1 op 29/05/2023 | 11:44 uur
Royal Navy to trial General Atomics Project Mojave STOL drone

A UK MoD pre-contract notice has revealed that the UK RN plans to trial General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc's (GA-ASI) Project Mojave Short Takeoff and Landing (STOL) UAS.

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According to MoD documents, the ministry intends to award a single-source contract worth ?1.5 million to GA-ASI for a seven-month trial and experimentation period to demonstrate 'a threshold capability for a Short Takeoff and Landing Uncrewed Air Vehicle (UAV).'

Mojave is a STOL-capable version of the MQ-9B MALE UAV which is designed to fly from aircraft carriers.

In its lightest configuration, the Mojave can take off in around 122m, less than half the length of the UK's Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers' 284m flight deck. Carrying 12 Hellfire missiles, the take-off distance increases to 304m.

Key to its potential capabilities

https://www.shephardmedia.com/news/air-warfare/royal-navy-to-trial-general-atomics-project-mojave-short-take-off-and-landing-drone/

De rest zit helaas achter de betaalmuur.
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Harald op 30/05/2023 | 10:27 uur
MQ-9B SeaGuardian?: Ready Today for Peer Competition in the Maritime Domain

(https://www.ga-asi.com/images/BlogFeaturedImages/MQ-9B-SeaGuardian.jpg)

Anti-submarine warfare

And MQ-9B SeaGuardian is the only platform of its kind that can carry, release, and monitor sonobuoys ? indeed, the platform has revolutionized anti-submarine warfare.

In demonstrations and exercises, the SeaGuardian has proven repeatedly how well it can integrate with U.S. Navy and international forces. With a maximum endurance of around 30 hours in some configurations, the aircraft can supply a strike group or other commander with intelligence of a richness and quantity that nothing else can, including overhead assets. MQ-9B can detect and identify a vessel of interest and then preserve custody of that target for hours. With other aircraft working in teams, navies or coast guard officials can watch a key waterway or a target of interest for as long as they want.

In exercises with the U.S. Navy off the West Coast of the United States, the SeaGuardian has shown it can release sonobuoys, detect submarines, and monitor them over time. The SeaGuardian also can monitor sonobuoys released by other aircraft, increasing the utility of integrating unmanned platforms with the Navy?s existing human-crewed ones.

(https://www.ga-asi.com/images/BlogFeaturedImages/MQ-9B-for-NATO-Event_High_Res.jpg)

https://www.ga-asi.com/mq-9b-seaguardian-ready-today-for-peer-competition-in-the-maritime-domain
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Harald op 30/05/2023 | 12:32 uur
New Kit Will Allow MQ-9 Reaper To Fly From Navy Flattops

A STOL MQ-9 has the potential to provide persistent eyes in the sky for big deck amphibious assault ships, carriers, and Marines operating from austere locations.

(https://www.thedrive.com/uploads/2022/05/10/MQ-9B-STOL-e1652224505207.jpeg?auto=webp&crop=16%3A9&auto=webp&optimize=high&quality=70&width=1920)

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/new-kit-will-allow-mq-9-reaper-to-fly-from-navy-flattops
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Harald op 31/05/2023 | 11:36 uur
Tests met drones vanaf Britse vliegdekschip gepland  ( interessante ontwikkelingen ! )

De Amerikaanse vliegtuigbouwer General Atomics zal vanaf een Brits vliegkampschip tests gaan uitvoeren om met drones te vliegen. De intentie voor het gunnen van een contract aan General Atomics maakte de Britse marine onlangs bekend. General Atomics is bezig met het project Mojave, een drone voor een korte start- en landingsbaan.

https://marineschepen.nl/nieuws/Tests-vanaf-Brits-vliegdekschip-met-drones-310523.html
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Sparkplug op 31/05/2023 | 12:07 uur
Citaat van: marineschepen.nl op 31/05/2023 | 11:36 uur
Tests met drones vanaf Britse vliegdekschip gepland  ( interessante ontwikkelingen ! )

De Amerikaanse vliegtuigbouwer General Atomics zal vanaf een Brits vliegkampschip tests gaan uitvoeren om met drones te vliegen. De intentie voor het gunnen van een contract aan General Atomics maakte de Britse marine onlangs bekend. General Atomics is bezig met het project Mojave, een drone voor een korte start- en landingsbaan.

https://marineschepen.nl/nieuws/Tests-vanaf-Brits-vliegdekschip-met-drones-310523.html

Zat ruimte op het vliegdek van de Queen Elizabeth-klasse. De spanwijdte van de Mojave is ook ingekort t.o.v. de MQ-9B (16 meter om 24 meter). De Mojave is ongeveer net zo breed als een Fairey Gannet.

(https://marineschepen.nl/nieuws/images/mojave-carrier.jpg)
Illustratie van een Mojave, landend op een carrier. De wingspan van de Mojave is 16 meter. (Foto: General Atomics)
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Harald op 31/05/2023 | 16:34 uur
Royal Navy Plans Carrier Trial For Mojave STOL UAS

https://www.navalnews.com/event-news/cne-2023/2023/05/royal-navy-plans-carrier-trial-for-mojave-stol-uas/

(https://www.navalnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/MQ-9B-SeaGuardian-STOL.jpg.webp)
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Ace1 op 05/06/2023 | 14:18 uur
Rheinmetall Unveils Multi-Purpose ?Game Changer? Drone

(https://www.thedefensepost.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Capture-1.png)

Rheinmetall recently unveiled a multi-purpose unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) with reconnaissance and combat features.

The Rheinmetall Combat Drone is based on the German arms maker?s Luna NG reconnaissance drone and can carry the Hero-R type loitering munition.

?The Rheinmetall Combat Drone is the game changer for protecting your troops and fighting tactically relevant targets,? the company stated.

?Effectors as payloads transform the multipurpose drone from a sensor-to-shooter system into a highly efficient means of reconnaissance with com/network relay and SIGINT (Signals Intelligence) capabilities.?

Based on Luna NG
The NG is the latest in the Luna family of reconnaissance drones, with an endurance of 12 hours and a data link range of 100 kilometers (62 miles). Satellite Communication would provide it with increased range.

The robust fiberglass composite drone has a take-off weight of 40 kilograms (88 pounds) and a service ceiling of 5,000 meters (16,404 feet).

The runway-independent vehicle can be launched with a rope hoist catapult and landed with a parachute and has stealth features with low acoustic, thermal, and radar signatures.

https://www.thedefensepost.com/2023/04/20/rheinmetall-game-changer-drone/
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Ace1 op 05/06/2023 | 14:19 uur
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Ace1 op 05/06/2023 | 19:23 uur
Wat meer info over de LUNA drone van Rheinmetall.

https://www.rheinmetall.com/en/products/unmanned-systems/luna#anchor-luna-ng
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Harald op 27/06/2023 | 17:07 uur
India confirms AoN to acquire 31 MQ-9Bs

(https://gagadget.com/media/cache/28/c4/28c4aae14b006f9b70cd9a72cc6d24a2.jpg)

The Indian government has accorded an Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) for the procurement of General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc (GA-ASI) MQ-9B high-altitude long-endurance (HALE) remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS).

India's Ministry of Defence (MoD) said on 25 June that the country's Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) had accorded the AoN on 15 June to acquire 31 MQ-9Bs for the three services of the military. According to the statement, 16 of the aircraft to be acquired are SkyGuardians and 15 are SeaGuardians. The announcement was made via state-owned information network Press Information Bureau (PIB).

Janes understands that the acquisition will provide the Indian Army and the Indian Air Force with eight SkyGuardians each. The Indian Navy is to operate all 15 SeaGuardians.

The aircraft are to be acquired through a Foreign Military Sales (FMS) programme, the MoD said. The AoN also includes associated equipment acquisitions. According to the MoD, the US government has cited an estimated price of USD3.072 billion for the aircraft and equipment.

https://www.janes.com/defence-news/defence/latest/india-confirms-aon-to-acquire-31-mq-9bs
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: silvester herc op 28/06/2023 | 13:08 uur
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Sparkplug op 08/09/2023 | 09:34 uur
LongShot Air-To-Air Combat Drone Bid Won By General Atomics

The LongShot program is centered on developing an air-to-air missile-armed drone that fighters and bombers can launch and control.

byJoseph Trevithick| PUBLISHED Sep 7, 2023 9:17 PM EDT

(https://www.thedrive.com/uploads/2023/09/07/general-atomics-longshot-drone.jpg?auto=webp&crop=16%3A9&auto=webp&optimize=high&quality=70&width=1920)
GA-ASI

he U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency has picked General Atomics to build an air-launchable uncrewed aircraft (https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/41719/general-atomics-unveils-new-longshot-aircraft-launched-air-to-air-combat-drone-rendering) capable of firing air-to-air missiles as part of its LongShot program (https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/39152/aircraft-launched-missile-like-drones-that-fire-their-own-air-to-air-missiles-are-in-the-works). General Atomics says that it hopes to begin flight testing this drone, which could give fighters and bombers new flexibility to engage aerial threats across longer distances, before the end of the year.

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) revealed its selection as the sole awardee for the next phase of the LongShot program late this evening. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency announced that it awarded its first round (https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/39152/aircraft-launched-missile-like-drones-that-fire-their-own-air-to-air-missiles-are-in-the-works) of LongShot contracts to General Atomics, Lockheed Martin, and Northrop Grumman, back in 2021, but work on the project had actually begun the previous year.

.../...

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/longshot-air-to-air-combat-drone-bid-won-by-general-atomics
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Harald op 08/09/2023 | 11:48 uur
https://www.navalnews.com/event-news/dsei-2023/2023/09/royal-navy-uas-trial-demonstrates-carrier-operations-capability/

Royal Navy UAS Trial Demonstrates Carrier Operations Capability

The UK Royal Navy (RN) has flown an uncrewed air system (UAS) onto and off an aircraft carrier for the first time. The successful trial demonstrated new capability for the navy and a new approach to procurement.

UAS trials reflects Royal Navy's focus on new procurement approaches

The UAS – developed and built by W Autonomous Systems (WAS) – flew from Predannack airfield (part of Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose) on Lizard Peninsula, southwest UK, to the Queen Elizabeth-class carrier HMS Prince of Wales, operating offshore. The UAS delivered its payload, and returned to Predannack.

The WAS HCMC twin-engine heavy-lift UAS can carry a 100 kg payload at ranges up to 1,000 km. To launch and land, it needs a 150 m runway, which will be found at a shore base or onboard a carrier. Its flight operations are supported by an autopilot system.

In an 8 September press statement, the RN noted that its UAS capability development programme has twin aims: developing capacity to re-supply carriers at sea with food, spares, and other stores, without using crewed helicopters; and taking initial steps in building safe integration when operating uncrewed aircraft from RN platforms that also operate crewed aircraft.

.../...


Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Harald op 15/09/2023 | 09:07 uur
Our First Look At Boeing's Pre-Production MQ-25 Stingray

The new video shows the MQ-25 airframe moving from the production line to static testing at Boeing's St. Louis plant.

(https://www.thedrive.com/uploads/2023/09/15/Screenshot-2023-09-14-at-9.12.34-PM-copy.jpg?auto=webp&crop=16%3A9&auto=webp&optimize=high&quality=70&width=1920)

Boeing has provided visuals of its first pre-production example of the MQ-25 Stingray tanker drone, which the company is currently developing for the U.S. Navy. Up to this point, the MQ-25 demonstrator — which is also known as the T1 — has been the public 'face' of the Stingray program. Although Boeing does describe the airframe as a real MQ-25, we do not know for sure what the plan for this particular example is.

In a video released by Boeing today, we see the main fuselage of the pre-production MQ-25 being moved off the production line at Boeing's St. Louis plant to its static testing space. Static testing allows engineers to analyze the structural integrity of an airframe without flying it.

../..

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/our-first-look-at-boeings-pre-production-mq-25-stingray
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Harald op 27/09/2023 | 09:06 uur
Army picks Griffon, Textron to proceed with RQ-7B Shadow replacement competition

Griffon Aerospace and Textron Systems have been selected to move ahead with the second phase of the Army's Future Tactical Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (FTUAS) Increment 2 competition, the service announced today.

(https://sites.breakingmedia.com/uploads/sites/3/2023/09/textron-e1695749291902-1536x865.jpg)
The Griffon Aerospace Valiant (shown above) and Textron Systems' Aerosonde are proceeding onward for the Army's FTUAS Increment 2 competition.

After selecting five companies for the first phase of its RQ-7B Shadow replacement completion earlier this year, the Army evaluated "submissions against requirements of performance, Modular Open Systems Approach (MOSA), cost, schedule, risk... and Army priorities" before conducting a preliminary design review, the Army wrote. Ultimately, it opted to cut AeroVironment, Northrop Grumman and Sierra Nevada Corporation from the next competition phase, and only award Griffon and Textron with deals for the Increment 2 of the program, which starts today.

"During this period, the Uncrewed Aircraft Systems Project Management Office will continue to evaluate project agreement holders' weapon system designs leading to a critical design review, which will establish the final system design and initial product baseline," the Army said.

After that critical design review, there are additional agreement options covering flight demonstrations and MOSA verification before the duo deliver production representative FTUAS for developmental testing and operational demonstrations, to include soldier touch points.

"These systems will undergo numerous evaluation activities such as environmental testing, electromagnetic environmental effects testing, transportability testing, MOSA verification, flight testing, and technical manual verification," the Army said. The ultimate goal, it added, is to field a new unmanned aircraft fleet with increased maneuverability, enhanced command and control, a reduced logistics footprint, and is less noisy.

Textron Systems is offering its Aerosonde UAV for this phase of the FTUAS program, while Griffon is offering up its Valiant, according to previous Army pictures.

Meanwhile, the Army's to pare down the field to these two contenders means AeroVironment's interim solution, the Jump 20, is out. Last year the service awarded the company with a $8 million contract to buy one Jump 20 system, which includes six air vehicles, ground data terminals and ground control stations. The Pentagon also announced plans to send that unmanned system to Ukraine.

https://breakingdefense.com/2023/09/army-picks-griffon-textron-to-proceed-with-rq-7b-shadow-replacement-competition/
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Harald op 28/09/2023 | 08:26 uur
T-600 Drone Deploys Sting Ray Lightweight Torpedo

BAE Systems and Malloy Aeronautics have demonstrated the capabilities of the T-600 heavy lift uncrewed air system (UAS) during a large NATO exercise in Portugal to integrate the very latest maritime technologies across allied forces.

(https://www.navalnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/T-600-Drone-Deploys-Sting-Ray-Lightweight-Torpedo-2-1024x586.jpg.webp)

(https://www.navalnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/T-600-Drone-Deploys-Sting-Ray-Lightweight-Torpedo.jpg)

BAE Systems press release

The T-600 is an electric-powered demonstrator aircraft capable of vertical take-off and landing, can carry a payload of 200kg and can travel at up to 140km/h. It also has a range of up to 80km depending on payload. It is around the size of a small car and is designed to be easily disassembled for transportation. During the multinational exercise, the demonstrator successfully released an inert Sting Ray training variant anti-submarine torpedo during a flight mission at sea for the first time.

The exercise known as REPMUS (Robotic Experimentation and Prototyping with Maritime Uncrewed Systems) involved 15 NATO partners, along with Ireland and Sweden. It provides a safe and controlled area to test concepts, requirements, new and advancing technologies in respect of Maritime Uncrewed Systems.

.../...

https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2023/09/t-600-drone-deploys-sting-ray-lightweight-torpedo/#prettyPhoto


https://www.baesystems.com/en/article/t-600-electric-uncrewed-demonstrator-aircraft-achieves-significant-milestone-at-nato-exercise?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=baesystemsair&utm_campaign=SocialCT&utm_content=Post&utm_term=b64984b8-1bc1-44e8-97c3-b19a8759600d
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Harald op 17/10/2023 | 11:22 uur
Drones at sea: GA counts down to UK Mojave aircraft carrier trial next month

"The intent is to launch the [Mojave] aircraft from the aircraft carrier and if conditions are suitable, we'll look at recovering it," said Jaime Walters, vice president of international strategic development at GA-ASI.

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. (GA-ASI) wants to use a forthcoming Mojave short take-off and landing (STOL) UAV demonstrator trial off UK aircraft carrier Prince of Wales to shape development of a MQ-9B STOL configuration program.

As part of a four-month deployment by the warship to the eastern US seaboard, designed to mature operations with drones, fighter jets, helicopters and tiltrotors, Mojave for the first time will take-off and attempt to land on the vessel's 901-foot-long deck, weather permitting.

"The intent is to launch the [Mojave] aircraft from the aircraft carrier and if conditions are suitable, we'll look at recovering it," said Jaime Walters, vice president of international strategic development at GA-ASI. "This is an experimentation so we don't want to push the envelope too hard. We think this will really be the kick starter to a future MQ-9B STOL configuration and development program."

.../...

https://breakingdefense.com/2023/10/drones-at-sea-ga-counts-down-to-uk-mojave-aircraft-carrier-trial-next-month/
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Sparkplug op 30/10/2023 | 12:55 uur
Turkey's Bayraktar TB3 Drone Has Taken Its First Flight

The drone will serve as the primary fixed-wing capability of the Turkish Navy's amphibious assault ship TCG Anadolu from 2024 on.

by Oliver Parken| PUBLISHED Oct 28, 2023 4:13 PM EDT

Turkey's Baykar company says its Bayraktar TB3 armed drone has completed its first flight. TB3 is slated to become the primary uncrewed platform of the Turkish Navy's 'drone carrier' TCG Anadolu, providing both light strike capabilities and persistent surveillance at sea.

The drone took to the sky for its inaugural flight on October 27, according to Baykar. This took place at the Çorlu Flight Training and Test Center, which is located in northwest Turkey.


.../...

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/turkeys-bayraktar-tb3-drone-has-taken-its-first-flight
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Harald op 14/11/2023 | 10:00 uur
CCA Loyal Wingmen Drones To Cost Quarter To Third Of An F-35

We are slowly learning more about the Collaborative Combat Aircraft initiative, including cost and operational performance targets.

.../...

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/cca-loyal-wingmen-drones-to-cost-quarter-to-third-of-an-f-35
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Sparkplug op 19/11/2023 | 22:53 uur
Mojave uncrewed air system successfully flown from HMS Prince of Wales (lang artikel)

https://www.navylookout.com/mojave-uncrewed-air-system-successfully-flown-from-hms-prince-of-wales/

Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Master Mack op 20/11/2023 | 10:25 uur
Zou het mogelijk zijn om met aanpassingen deze Drone vanaf de KD te laten starten en landen. Ik weet niet of het zinvol is maar zou het kunnen.
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Huzaar1 op 20/11/2023 | 10:33 uur
Denk het niet.

Overigens vraag ik me tot vandaag nog af wat precies de toegevoegde waarde van de KD is. Voor een logistiek oat schip veel te geoot en veelzijdig, en duur. En we hebben al 2 van die joekels.

Lijkt me wijs voor de KD een koper te zoeken en zsm zelf aan drone carrier capaciteit te gaan werken. Roep dit al zo'n 15 jaar.

De toekomst ligt in onderwater drone carriers.
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Sparkplug op 20/11/2023 | 10:38 uur
Citaat van: Master Mack op 20/11/2023 | 10:25 uurZou het mogelijk zijn om met aanpassingen deze Drone vanaf de KD te laten starten en landen. Ik weet niet of het zinvol is maar zou het kunnen.

En hoe wil je deze dan laten landen op een schip zoals de KD? De Mojave heeft een spanwijdte van 16 m. Dat zou misschien nog op een LHD/LHA kunnen. Een MQ-9B heeft al een spanwijdte van 24 m. Die wil je liever op een schip met een hoekdek.
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Master Mack op 20/11/2023 | 11:25 uur
Vangnet. Weet ik veel. ;D Maar ik keek naar het filmpje en het leek mij dat het toestel aan een korte start en landing genoeg had.
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Harald op 20/11/2023 | 12:27 uur
Citaat van: Master Mack op 20/11/2023 | 11:25 uurVangnet. Weet ik veel. ;D Maar ik keek naar het filmpje en het leek mij dat het toestel aan een korte start en landing genoeg had.
Dat vond ik ook al, hij was snel in de lucht.
Ik dacht ook al kabels over het dek en een landings/vanghaak aan de UAV, maar dat lijkt niet nodig. Maar het lijkt met wel zo veilig, ook zo'n vangnet.
De zee is niet altijd mooi rustig en met een stampend en rollend schip moeten ze ook kunnen landen. 
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Ace1 op 20/11/2023 | 12:41 uur
Citaat van: Master Mack op 20/11/2023 | 10:25 uurZou het mogelijk zijn om met aanpassingen deze Drone vanaf de KD te laten starten en landen. Ik weet niet of het zinvol is maar zou het kunnen.

Marineschepen.nl heeft de lengte van het vliegdek van KD naar de hangaar berekend.

Ongetwijfeld zal vanuit Nederland ook met interesse worden gekeken naar de tests bij onze westerburen en bij de Amerikanen. Starten en landen binnen 91 meter is nog iets te lang voor het grootste vliegdek van de Nederlandse marine, maar komt behoorlijk dichtbij. Het formele helidek van het schip is (door Marineschepen.nl berekend) ongeveer 86 meter, het totale dek van hangardeur tot einde dek is zo'n 120 meter. De ontwikkelingen gaan echter hard en er komen ongetwijfeld meer van dergelijke toestellen op de markt.

https://marineschepen.nl/nieuws/Tests-vanaf-Brits-vliegdekschip-met-drones-310523.html
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Master Mack op 20/11/2023 | 20:02 uur
Misschien een uitschuifbaar hoekdek aan de KD lassen zodat het toestel tegen de wind in langs de Bos kan starten. Jaja ik sla weer door😁
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Harald op 27/11/2023 | 09:06 uur
CitaatMoD tells me @RoyalAirForce expects to fly @GeneralAtomics #Protector #drone in civil controlled airspace from 2024, with arrival of Military Type Certificate from the UK Military Aviation Authority. Flights currently restricted to segregated airspace. @JanesINTEL story to come.

https://twitter.com/GarethJennings3/status/1726929763326189812?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1726929763326189812%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Harald op 15/12/2023 | 09:05 uur
Deze "Blackjack" had Nederland toch ook aangeschaft ?

RQ-21 Blackjack Can Now Strike With Miniature Precision Munitions

Being able to employ precision-guided munitions provides an entirely new business case for what has been a reconnaissance drone.

(https://www.thedrive.com/uploads/2023/12/14/Insitu-Integrator-precision-munition-test-copy.jpg?auto=webp&crop=16%3A9&auto=webp&optimize=high&quality=70&width=1920)

The Boeing Insitu Integrator drone, also known as the RQ-21 Blackjack within the U.S. military, recently demonstrated its ability to drop a pair of small, precision-guided Shryke munitions. The demonstration comes as part of a larger effort to give the relatively small Integrator drone kinetic capabilities, which has taken important strides in recent months.

Insitu announced the successful demonstration, and released video footage of an Intergrator with the registratopm N76NT performing said tests, on December 12. Where and when it took place exactly remains unclear.

The test itself involved dropping two inert GPS-guided Shryke munitions from Integrator, which were trained on specific targets on the ground. The demonstration was conducted in collaboration with Corvid and L3Harris Technologies.

"The two rounds of munitions were seamlessly fitted into Integrator's CG [centre-of-gravity] payload bay and several mission sorties were executed demonstrating advanced navigation, targeting, and payload delivery systems," Insitu's Vice President of Programs, Engineering & Flight Justin Pearce said.

(https://www.thedrive.com/uploads/2023/12/14/Shryke_DropTest_Pendleton_ZZ104449-Enhanced-NR-2048x1365-1.jpg?auto=webp&optimize=high&quality=70&width=1920)

Integrator is a multi-mission, long-endurance uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV). The baseline configuration has a wingspan of 16 feet and a length of 8.2 feet. It features a maximum endurance of over 24 hours and a ceiling of 19,500 feet, and can travel at a maximum horizontal speed of 90+ knots (over 103 miles per hour).

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/rq-21-blackjack-can-now-strike-with-miniature-precision-munitions


Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Harald op 22/12/2023 | 09:12 uur
Canada orders fleet of General Atomics MQ-9B SkyGuardian RPAS

The Government of Canada has entered into an agreement to procure a fleet of MQ-9B SkyGuardian Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) from General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI). This contract encompasses the acquisition of Certified Ground Control Stations and associated support equipment from GA-ASI, with the initial delivery anticipated in 2028.

https://www.airrecognition.com/index.php/news/defense-aviation-news/2023-news-aviation-aerospace/december/9465-canada-orders-fleet-of-general-atomics-mq-9b-skyguardian-rpas.html
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Ace1 op 26/12/2023 | 21:36 uur
Drone én droom: autonoom containervliegtuig

LONDEN – De Britse start-up Droneliner heeft een droom: het verwezenlijken van twee nieuwe vliegtuigmodellen die meer vracht kunnen vervoeren dan huidige toestellen en geen piloot nodig hebben. Én uiterst zuiniger én geschikt zijn voor containervervoer.

Droneliner beoogt de bouw van de DL200 en DL350. De eerste is een eenmotorig hybride-elektrisch vliegtuig met twee vrachtdekken waar plaats moet zijn tot wel veertig 20-voet-containers. Met een belading van 160 tot 200 ton vracht zou de DL200 wat capaciteit betreft vallen tussen de Boeing 747-8F (140 t) en de Antonov An-225 (247 t). Van de An-225 bestond maar één vliegend exemplaar; het toestel werd begin 2022 vernietigd door de Russische inval in Oekraïne.

De DL350 overtreft alle huidige maatstaven. De naam geeft het al aan: het moet tot wel 350 ton vracht kunnen vervoeren in tachtig 20-voet-containers, verdeeld over drie dekken. Ondanks die enorme verwachtingen zijn er voor de DL350 maar twee hybride-elektrische motoren nodig, berekent Droneliner. Het bedrijf meent dat de nieuwste generatie krachtige motoren van Roll-Royce en General Electric in potentie al geschikt kunnen zijn. Voorwaarde is dat ze gecombineerd kunnen worden met een elektrisch voortstuwingssysteem, al dan niet op basis van waterstoftechnologie, en dat ze volledig op duurzame vliegtuigbrandstof (SAF) kunnen draaien, stelt Droneliner.

Geen tussenstops
Hoewel de kolossen geschikt moeten zijn voor containervervoer, spreekt de Britse start-up van een 'aerodynamisch ontwerp' en 'uiterst zuinige' prestaties. Het verwijderen van mensen uit het vliegtuig zorgt voor veel meer flexibiliteit bij het plaatsen van de motoren en brandstofbeheer, aldus de nieuwkomer. Doordat er geen mensen aan boord zijn en de toestellen een vliegbereik krijgen van wel 6.500 nm (12.000 km), zijn technische tussenstops volgens Droneliner niet meer nodig. Ter vergelijking: de Boeing 777F, die bekend staat om z'n lange adem, heeft een vliegbereik van 4.880 nm (9.038 km).

De de door de computer gegenereerde beelden van Droneliner zien er prachtig uit. Of het bedrijf van droom ook realiteit van kan maken, moet de komende jaren blijken. Zelf denkt het bedrijf dat een eerste vlucht nog voor het einde van dit decennium haalbaar is. De praktijk leert dat de ontwikkeling van nieuwe, grote toestellen bijna altijd langer duurt (en duurder wordt) dan voorzien.

https://www.pilootenvliegtuig.nl/2023/12/22/drone-en-droom-autonoom-containervliegtuig/

(https://www.pilootenvliegtuig.nl/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Droneliner_2-1024x599.jpg)
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Parera op 26/12/2023 | 21:57 uur
Ja dit is ongetwijfeld de toekomst! Zowel civiel als militair zeer interessant concept en niet alleen als vracht vliegtuig. Ik zie ook een hele grote weaponsbay mogelijkheid in deze romp ondanks dat de kist totaal niet stealth is.

Ik zie mogelijkheden voor de eerste echte Unmanned Maritime Patrol System (UMPS).
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Ace1 op 26/12/2023 | 22:03 uur
Citaat van: Parera op 26/12/2023 | 21:57 uurJa dit is ongetwijfeld de toekomst! Zowel civiel als militair zeer interessant concept en niet alleen als vracht vliegtuig. Ik zie ook een hele grote weaponsbay mogelijkheid in deze romp ondanks dat de kist totaal niet stealth is.

Ik zie mogelijkheden voor de eerste echte Unmanned Maritime Patrol System (UMPS).

Klopt voor het vervoeren van tanks zal er een vloer van titanium inmoeten.

Voor Unmanned Maritime Patrol System (UMPS) is dit toestel veel te groot je gaat niet met een Boeing 747 mpa taken doen, daar gebruik je een Boeing 737 voor.
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Parera op 26/12/2023 | 22:19 uur
Citaat van: Ace1 op 26/12/2023 | 22:03 uurKlopt voor het vervoeren van tanks zal er een vloer van titanium inmoeten.

Voor Unmanned Maritime Patrol System (UMPS) is dit toestel veel te groot je gaat niet met een Boeing 747 mpa taken doen, daar gebruik je een Boeing 737 voor.

Is dit toestel zo groog? :omg: Ik moet zeggen dat ik de tekst niet gelezen heb en die mogelijkheid puur was op basis van de 3D impressie.
Maar met een kleinere variant is het zeer goed mogelijk om een UMPS te ontwikkelen. Maar deze modellen zijn dan wel interessant voor Defensie als je puur kijkt naar de vervanging van de ingehuurde civiele zware transport capaciteit en de C-17 capaciteit.
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Ace1 op 27/12/2023 | 06:08 uur
Citaat van: Parera op 26/12/2023 | 22:19 uurIs dit toestel zo groot? :omg: Ik moet zeggen dat ik de tekst niet gelezen heb en die mogelijkheid puur was op basis van de 3D impressie.

Maar met een kleinere variant is het zeer goed mogelijk om een UMPS te ontwikkelen. Maar deze modellen zijn dan wel interessant voor Defensie als je puur kijkt naar de vervanging van de ingehuurde civiele zware transport capaciteit en de C-17 capaciteit.

Dit staat er in de tekst.

Droneliner beoogt de bouw van de DL200 en DL350. De eerste is een eenmotorig hybride-elektrisch vliegtuig met twee vrachtdekken waar plaats moet zijn tot wel veertig 20-voet-containers. Met een belading van 160 tot 200 ton vracht zou de DL200 wat capaciteit betreft vallen tussen de Boeing 747-8F (140 t) en de Antonov An-225 (247 t). Van de An-225 bestond maar één vliegend exemplaar; het toestel werd begin 2022 vernietigd door de Russische inval in Oekraïne.

De DL350 overtreft alle huidige maatstaven. De naam geeft het al aan: het moet tot wel 350 ton vracht kunnen vervoeren in tachtig 20-voet-containers, verdeeld over drie dekken. Ondanks die enorme verwachtingen zijn er voor de DL350 maar twee hybride-elektrische motoren nodig, berekent Droneliner. Het bedrijf meent dat de nieuwste generatie krachtige motoren van Roll-Royce en General Electric in potentie al geschikt kunnen zijn. Voorwaarde is dat ze gecombineerd kunnen worden met een elektrisch voortstuwingssysteem, al dan niet op basis van waterstoftechnologie, en dat ze volledig op duurzame vliegtuigbrandstof (SAF) kunnen draaien, stelt Droneliner.
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Parera op 27/12/2023 | 08:50 uur
De site van Droneliner geeft nog wat meer info

Droneliner is a multi-purpose platform for:
- Military & Civilian Containerised Intermodal Freight
- Air-to-air refueling (tow-and-lock fuel tanks)
- Military air-drop (with remote 'pinch-point' release)
- Disaster relief & virus-free unmanned delivery
- Emergency aid and supplies

DL200
(https://img1.wsimg.com/isteam/ip/5abd22d2-8b82-4c2e-b5f7-e815435d223a/DL200.jpg)
Single boosted engine + EV power
Two decks
36 – 40+ containers
350 tons MTOW
160 - 200 tons payload
6,500nm/12,000km range

DL350
(https://img1.wsimg.com/isteam/ip/5abd22d2-8b82-4c2e-b5f7-e815435d223a/DL350.jpg)
Twin engines + EV power
Three decks
70 – 80+ containers
600 tons MTOW
300 - 350 tons payload
6,500nm/12,000km range

https://droneliner.com/
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Harald op 11/02/2024 | 22:37 uur
https://hushkit.net/2024/02/10/we-look-at-a-look-at-the-new-saab-supersonic-killer-drone/

Swedish defence company SAAB has revealed a radically shaped supersonic uncrewed combat air vehicle study.

(https://hushkit.files.wordpress.com/2024/02/image-5.png)
(https://hushkit.files.wordpress.com/2024/02/image-3.png)
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Harald op 12/02/2024 | 09:20 uur
Citaat van: Harald op 11/02/2024 | 22:37 uurhttps://hushkit.net/2024/02/10/we-look-at-a-look-at-the-new-saab-supersonic-killer-drone/

Swedish defence company SAAB has revealed a radically shaped supersonic uncrewed combat air vehicle study.


Extra info ;

This Is Saab's Concept For A Supersonic, Stealthy Loyal Wingman Drone

A low-observable, high-speed drone concept is an intriguing addition to the growing field of loyal wingman contenders.

Saab is working on a supersonic, stealthy 'loyal wingman' type drone concept. The program has been running for some time as a company-funded effort but has gone largely unnoticed until recently. Ultimately, however, the appearance of such a drone concept is entirely in keeping with the company's status as one of Europe's active developers of uncrewed systems and could be indicative of what Saab offers its customers in the future.

Photos of the concept drone, developed under Saab's Future Combat Air System (FCAS) program, have recently been doing the rounds on social media. At this point, it's worth noting that the FCAS nomenclature is used by rival British and pan-European future air combat initiatives, each with a crewed fighter at its heart. Further confusing matters, Saab had previously been cooperating with the United Kingdom on its FCAS program, about which more later.

The most intriguing photos show wind-tunnel tests of a scale model for the Saab Loyal Wingman drone, which took place in December 2021.

.../...

https://www.twz.com/air/this-is-saabs-concept-for-a-supersonic-stealthy-loyal-wingman-drone
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Parera op 12/02/2024 | 17:51 uur
U.S. AFSOC Demonstrates Simultaneous Control Of Three MQ-9A RPAs By A Single Crew

The test is part of the Adaptive Airborne Enterprise concept development, which also demonstrated the Reaper's capability to release an Altius 600 sUAS from a launch pod.
The U.S. Air Force 27th Special Operation Wing recently disclosed the successful demonstrations of new capabilities for the Remotely Piloted Aircraft community throughout December 2023. The demos are part of Air Force Special Operations Command's Adaptive Airborne Enterprise (A2E) development, which envision an evolution beyond using the MQ-9 Reaper exclusively for Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) and strike operations.


https://theaviationist.com/2024/02/12/u-s-afsoc-demonstrates-simultaneous-control-of-three-mq-9a-rpas-by-a-single-crew/
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Harald op 13/02/2024 | 08:38 uur
General Atomics unveils XQ-67A sensing drone for US Air Force

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. (GA-ASI) has unveiled its new unmanned aerial vehicle, the XQ-67A, specifically designed for the US Air Force Research Laboratory's Off-Board Sensing Station (OBSS) program. This program, shrouded in secrecy, aims to deploy drones capable of guiding fighter jets and transmitting essential information on targets and threats to pilots.

(https://www.airrecognition.com/images/stories/news/2024/february/General_Atomics_unveils_XQ-67A_sensing_drone_for_US_Air_Force_925_001.jpg)

On February 8, 2024, GA-ASI shared images and videos showing the XQ-67A performing high-speed taxi tests, thereby preparing for its inaugural flight. Although it has not yet been confirmed whether the drone has flown, the US Air Force had planned for a first flight within the first six months of the fiscal year 2024.

C. Mark Brinkley, spokesperson for GA-ASI, emphasized the revolutionary aspect of the XQ-67A in the field of unmanned combat air systems. He highlighted the methodical approach adopted to progress through the phases of the OBSS project in collaboration with government partners, focusing on rapid development, accelerated design, and the delivery of effective combat capabilities.

The OBSS program, initiated in 2021, originally awarded contracts to GA-ASI and Kratos, with the latter being phased out in 2023. The objectives of the program, although not fully disclosed, appear to focus on the deployment of drones equipped with advanced sensors. These drones would operate ahead of combat jets, collecting and relaying critical data on targets and threats. It is reported that the XQ-67A will be remotely piloted.

The US Air Force's exploration of unmanned capabilities is not limited to the XQ-67A. Tests have also included Kratos's XQ-58A Valkyrie and Boeing's MQ-28 Ghost Bat, the latter having been imported from an Australian development project for further testing in the United States.

Alongside the OBSS program, the US Air Force's Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) initiative envisions a fleet of drones fulfilling multiple roles: missile carriers, sensing units, electronic warfare platforms, and decoys to draw enemy fire. These drones are expected to bolster the US Air Force's capabilities by providing an economical solution to enhance its aging fleet, aiming to counter the numerical superiority of adversaries such as China.

https://www.airrecognition.com/index.php/news/defense-aviation-news/2024-defense-news-aviation/february/9554-general-atomics-unveils-xq-67a-sensing-drone-for-us-air-force.html


General Atomics debuts new XQ-67A Air Force sensing drone

Details of the AFRL's Off-Board Sensing Station program remain highly classified, though the effort is expected to field an unmanned aircraft that can fly ahead of fighters and relay targeting information and other threat data back.

https://breakingdefense.com/2024/02/general-atomics-debuts-new-xq-67a-air-force-sensing-drone/

(https://sites.breakingmedia.com/uploads/sites/3/2024/02/OBSS-GA-ASI-e1707500205775-1536x865.jpg)

https://twitter.com/i/status/1755667827691057169
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Parera op 13/02/2024 | 10:29 uur
Thousands Of Networked Microphones Are Tracking Drones In Ukraine

Ukraine is using a network made up of thousands of acoustic sensors across the country to help detect and track incoming Russian kamikaze drones, alert traditional air defenses in advance, and also dispatch ad hoc drone hunting teams to shoot them down. This is according to the U.S. Air Force's top officer in Europe who also said the U.S. military is now looking to test this capability to see if it might help meet its own demands for additional ways to persistently monitor for, and engage drone threats.

Gen. James Hecker, head of U.S. Air Forces in Europe (USAFE), as well as Air Forces Africa (AFAFRICA) and NATO's Allied Air Command, provided the details about Ukraine's acoustic sensor network and related air and missile defense issues at a press roundtable that The War Zone and other outlets attended earlier today. This gathering took place on the sidelines of this year's Air & Space Forces Association Warfare Symposium, which opened today.

https://www.twz.com/land/thousands-of-networked-microphones-are-tracking-drones-in-ukraine
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Huzaar1 op 14/02/2024 | 07:26 uur
Citaat van: Parera op 13/02/2024 | 10:29 uurThousands Of Networked Microphones Are Tracking Drones In Ukraine

Ukraine is using a network made up of thousands of acoustic sensors across the country to help detect and track incoming Russian kamikaze drones, alert traditional air defenses in advance, and also dispatch ad hoc drone hunting teams to shoot them down. This is according to the U.S. Air Force's top officer in Europe who also said the U.S. military is now looking to test this capability to see if it might help meet its own demands for additional ways to persistently monitor for, and engage drone threats.

Gen. James Hecker, head of U.S. Air Forces in Europe (USAFE), as well as Air Forces Africa (AFAFRICA) and NATO's Allied Air Command, provided the details about Ukraine's acoustic sensor network and related air and missile defense issues at a press roundtable that The War Zone and other outlets attended earlier today. This gathering took place on the sidelines of this year's Air & Space Forces Association Warfare Symposium, which opened today.

https://www.twz.com/land/thousands-of-networked-microphones-are-tracking-drones-in-ukraine


Bedankt US top officer. Met zulke praatgrage vrienden heb je geen vijanden nodig. Dit was toch echt geen openbare en niet gerubriceerde informatie.

Wat een pannekoek
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Parera op 14/02/2024 | 09:48 uur
Citaat van: Huzaar1 op 14/02/2024 | 07:26 uurBedankt US top officer. Met zulke praatgrage vrienden heb je geen vijanden nodig. Dit was toch echt geen openbare en niet gerubriceerde informatie.

Wat een pannekoek

Niet iedereen is zo verstandig maar je mag van dit soort niveau militairen wel mogen verwachten dat men beter na denkt.

Maar het systeem op zich vind ik zeer interessant, ik kan me herinneren dat er ook enkele jaren geleden een NL bedrijf was die een geluidssensor ontwikkelde voor defensie. Dit was de Microflow, een systeem dat naar mijn idee makkelijk en relatief goedkoop door defensie aangekocht kan worden en (waar nodig) geplaatst kan worden om een gebied / object te beveiligen tegen drones.
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Harald op 14/02/2024 | 10:30 uur
Citaat van: Parera op 14/02/2024 | 09:48 uurMaar het systeem op zich vind ik zeer interessant, ik kan me herinneren dat er ook enkele jaren geleden een NL bedrijf was die een geluidssensor ontwikkelde voor defensie. Dit was de Microflow, een systeem dat naar mijn idee makkelijk en relatief goedkoop door defensie aangekocht kan worden en (waar nodig) geplaatst kan worden om een gebied / object te beveiligen tegen drones.

jij bedoeld dit, zie onderstaande artikel. Is getest bij de KL idd en is op missie getest in Mali

https://magazines.defensie.nl/landmacht/2018/09/12_innovatie_sensor_09-2018
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Huzaar1 op 14/02/2024 | 18:01 uur
Citaat van: Parera op 14/02/2024 | 09:48 uurNiet iedereen is zo verstandig maar je mag van dit soort niveau militairen wel mogen verwachten dat men beter na denkt.

Maar het systeem op zich vind ik zeer interessant, ik kan me herinneren dat er ook enkele jaren geleden een NL bedrijf was die een geluidssensor ontwikkelde voor defensie. Dit was de Microflow, een systeem dat naar mijn idee makkelijk en relatief goedkoop door defensie aangekocht kan worden en (waar nodig) geplaatst kan worden om een gebied / object te beveiligen tegen drones.

Kon ik maar meer duiden over de rol die NLD hierin heeft gespeeld. Heel interessant.
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Harald op 14/02/2024 | 18:53 uur
Citaat van: Harald op 14/02/2024 | 10:30 uurhttps://magazines.defensie.nl/landmacht/2018/09/12_innovatie_sensor_09-2018

Ik moet zeggen dat dit idd erg interessant is, ook de optie, onderzoek om dit bij helicopters toe te passen om inkomend grondvuur te bepalen.

Helaas is het nu met deze ontwikkelingen erg stil geworden.
Titel: Re: U(C)AV ontwikkelingen
Bericht door: Huzaar1 op 14/02/2024 | 19:39 uur
Citaat van: Harald op 14/02/2024 | 18:53 uurIk moet zeggen dat dit idd erg interessant is, ook de optie, onderzoek om dit bij helicopters toe te passen om inkomend grondvuur te bepalen.

Helaas is het nu met deze ontwikkelingen erg stil geworden.

Oekr gebruikt een ander systeem, door kaasland geleverd. Maar hebben ze zelf totaal gemodificeerd.