Saturday, October 10, 2009

DTN News: UAVs At The Forefront Of Future Warfare

DTN News: UAVs At The Forefront Of Future Warfare
*Source: DTN News / Airforce-Technology.com (NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - October 10, 2009: In the modern world, technology is the name of the game. Until recently, piloted aircraft were thought to be the core strength of any air force. Now, that concept is changing as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) enter the field. Heron is a medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) UAV that has been developed by IAI. The pace of technological progress in the development of UAVs is astonishing, and they are already supporting ground forces in Iraq and Afghanistan. Over the next few years, however, their use is likely to become even more widespread. It is estimated that that the UAV market could soar to $160bn over the next ten years. There are two countries that have made spectacular progress in the field of UAVs – the US and Israel. In the US, two companies, Northrop Grumman and General Atomics, dominate the production of the UAVs, while in Israel, the most prominent company for producing world-class pilotless machines is Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI). There are two main UAVs in great demand – the Heron and the Reaper. Produced by Israel and the United States, respectively, these UAVs are able to be in one country with their control team in another, allowing the UAV to fly over Iraq and Afghanistan while being controlled by ground forces in the home nation. "There are two main unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in great demand – the Heron and the Reaper." The effectiveness of the UAV as a weapon was demonstrated when one fired two Hellfire missiles on the Pakistani Taliban chief Baitullah Mehsud and killed him when he was in his relative's home in South Waziristan in August. Heron vs Reaper Heron is a medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) UAV that has been developed by IAI. It has an endurance of up to 52 hours at an altitude of 35,000ft. Reaper MQ-9, also known as Predator B, was developed by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems in the US and is the first hunter-killer type that has a long endurance of 30 hours. It is used for land surveillance, maritime patrol missions and wide-area real-time intelligence and can carry a payload of 250kg. Heron TP is a new version of Heron, which is focused on reconnaissance and is a larger-than-traditional model. It is designed to fly at high altitude, on missions lasting for several days. It is a low-cost competitor to the more expensive Global Hawk UAV, which has far more range than required by most countries. Heron TP can operate at 45,000ft and carries sensors that can give a detailed view of the ground even from that high altitude. Long endurance of 36 hours makes Heron TP a competitor for the US MQ-9 Reaper. The Reaper MQ-9, also known as Predator B, was developed by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems in the US and is the first hunter-killer type that has a long endurance of 30 hours. It can carry out surveillance at an altitude of 50,000ft and its strength lies in better intelligence, target acquisition and reconnaissance capabilities (ISTAR). In size, the Reaper is similar to a small business jet and can carry 14 Hellfire missiles. The cost of the craft and associated ground stations is $100m a system. Each Reaper drone is operated remotely by two people, a pilot and a sensor operator that are positioned at a ground control station. The pilot flies the plane, while the sensor operator monitors the performance of various sensor systems used by the Reaper. Extra competitors Also making its mark on the UAV field is the Predator (MQ-1), which is produced by General Atomics (GA) and comprises four sensored air vehicles, a ground control station and a satellite link. Predator (MQ-1) is produced by General Atomics (GA) and comprises four sensored air vehicles, a ground control station and a satellite link. "Two countries have made spectacular progress in the field of UAVs – the US and Israel." Also from GA is the Avenger (Predator C), which is slightly bigger than the Reaper. The Avenger is jet-powered and can fly up to 460mph while the Reaper has a top speed of 230mph. It also uses stealth technology to rise to an altitude of more than 60,000ft. In short, it is designed to operate in the same hunter-killer role as Reaper but its response time is much faster. Global Hawk (RQ-4) is also used by the US Air Force as a surveillance aircraft for intelligence collection and is of a similar concept to the U-2 spy plane of the 1950s. Global Hawk has a range of 14,000nm with an endurance of 42 hours. Like the Avenger it also flies at 60,000ft and the RQ-4A variant has the distinction of being the first to fly non-stop from the US to Australia. Euro Hawk, a European Version of the US Global Hawk UAV, is being developed for Germany by the European Aeronautic Defence and Space company (EADS) and Northrop Grumman to replace its aging fleet of Atlantique ATL1 aircraft. It is equipped with an EADS-built SIGINT mission system that will be the heart of the Euro Hawk's intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance system. It has an endurance of 30 hours. Around the world France has developed a competitor for the US Predator. Its EADS SIDM is actually a modified version of the Israeli Eagle. SIDM can stay in the air for up to 24 hours, at an altitude of up to 30,000ft and has a total payload capacity of 600lb. France-based Aeroart has unveiled a very-low-cost micro UAV known as Featherlite. The entire system, including control, visual systems and an on-board video camera, costs only $11,400. This model is powered by an electric engine, is 1.2m long with a wingspan of 1.9m, weighs just 1.5kg and can carry a 250g payload for an hour and a half. It is used for training UAV pilots and for conducting surveillance or taking photographs. Rather than going into the space alone Pakistan and Italy have teamed up to produce the Falco, an advanced tactical UAV. It is being produced by Selex Galileo with Pakistan manufacturing many parts of it and is due to roll out shortly. Meanwhile, back in the US, the innovation just keeps on coming, with the nation developing a bomber that will be flown by ground personnel. "UAVs are expected to change the total scenario of future warfare." Wherever in the world they are being produced, UAVs are expected to change the total scenario of future warfare. Predictions are that human pilots will soon be obsolete and with the introduction of UAVs, the risk to pilot life and costly air to air combats will be eliminated. UAVs are being used to monitor the border to check infiltration, identifying and attacking those who plant roadside IEDs and locating and killing the most wanted terrorists. It's a game of innovation in technology; with whoever possesses the state-of-the-art model, with better lethal power, likely to prove the eventual winner. As prior intelligence is a force multiplier in any warfare scenario, the UAVs will provide such intelligence to the theatre commander and enable him take action with confidence. Efforts are now in hand to build solar-powered UAVs which will bring a revolution in this field. In short, it could be said that the UAVs are the mainstay of the future warfare.

DTN News: Algerian Official Says Insurgency Over In 18 Months

DTN News: Algerian Official Says Insurgency Over In 18 Months
*Source: DTN News / Reuters By Christian Lowe and Lamine Chikhi (NSI News Source Info) ALGIERS, Algeria - October 10, 2009: The last of Algeria's Islamist insurgents will either surrender or be killed within a year to 18 months, the official overseeing a programme to persuade fighters to give themselves up said on Thursday.
Newly graduated special forces officers take part in a ceremony to commemorate Algeria's national police day in Algiers recently.
Algerian officials have in the past predicted an end to the insurgency -- which has caused instability in the oil and gas exporting country for over 15 years -- but have never previously issued such a precise timetable.
Farouk Ksentini, Chairman of Algeria's National Consultative Commission for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights, said his contacts with ex-fighters who have surrendered indicated the remaining insurgents were deeply demoralised.
"This is why I think things are going to come to a definitive conclusion very soon," Ksentini told Reuters in an interview.
"In my opinion (that will take) one year or 18 months at the most ... I am talking about the surrender, and, I don't like this word but we have to use it, the extermination of terrorism."
The insurgents in Algeria are operating under the banner of al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb. Their leader, Abdelmalek Droudkel, has said repeatedly that his group will not surrender and will continue its "jihad" or "holy war".
The last major insurgent attack in Algeria was in late July, when gunmen killed 14 soldiers in an ambush. But since then the security situation has been unusually calm, with only a handful of minor attacks.
Algeria, a North African nation of 35 million people, descended into violence in 1992 when the military-backed government cancelled a legislative election that Islamists were poised to win.
The fighting killed 200,000 people, according to estimates from international non-governmental groups.
REBEL FIGHTERS "DEMOBILISING"
In the past few years the violence has subsided dramatically as security forces established greater control and some insurgents accepted immunity from prosecution in exchange for laying down their arms.
Ksentini acts as an intermediary between the government and militants seeking to surrender under the amnesty scheme. While he has close ties to Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, former insurgents have told Reuters they respect him.
He said 7,000 fighters had taken up the amnesty offer since 1999, leaving not more than 400 insurgents still active.
"There is a marked tendency at the moment towards their demobilisation because they are ... demoralised," he said.
"They know very well that the population has dropped them and ... they no longer have the popular logistical (support) that they benefited from at the beginning."
He said he had not been briefed on any negotiations the government might be conducting to secure the surrender of al Qaeda leaders in Algeria.
But he added: "That would not surprise me because that is the way these things happen. We should never stop exploring all possible routes."
Ksentini said a final end to the violence would allow Algeria's government to switch its focus from the problems of security to pressing social and economic challenges that were neglected during the conflict.
Algeria has high levels of unemployment, a chronic housing shortage and is vulnerable to fluctuations on the oil market because oil and gas account for 97 percent of its exports.
"We no longer have the right to waste our time, money and energy on fighting terrorism and focusing on security issues. We must focus now on economic development," he said.

DTN News: Iranian Official ~ We'll Blow Up Heart Of Israel If Attacked

DTN News: Iranian Official ~ We'll Blow Up Heart Of Israel If Attacked *Source: DTN News / Int'l Media
(NSI News Source Info) CAIRO, Egypt - October 10, 2009: Iran will "blow up the heart of Israel" if the United States or the Jewish state attacked it first, a top official with Iran's most powerful military force, the Revolutionary Guard, warned Friday. An Israeli flag is symbolically burned near to a Mosque at the Felestin (Palestine) Sq. in Tehran, Iran, Friday, Oct. 9, 2009, by Iranian worshippers following Friday payers. Cleric Mojtaba Zolnour, who is Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's representative in the Guard, said that if a US or Israeli missile lands in Iran, Iranian missiles will hit Israel in retaliation. "Should a single American or Zionist missile land in our country, before the dust settles, Iranian missiles will blow up the heart of Israel," Zolnour was quoted as saying by the state IRNA news agency. In March, Iran's deputy army chief made similar remarks, warning that his country will eliminate Israel if it attacks the Islamic republic. "Should Israel take any action against Iran, we will eliminate Israel from the scene of the universe," Gen. Muhammad Reza Ashtiani said at the time in Teheran. Ashtiani claimed Israel was "very vulnerable" and dismissed allegations that Iran was worried about Israeli maneuvers. "Due to its special conditions, Israel is very vulnerable in the region," he said. "The aggressors will face a crushing response." Iran Related Headline News....for full stories click on the links below ~ Iran to 'blow up heart of Israel' if attacked AFP ~ Clinton to talk Iran, Afghanistan on Russia trip Reuters ~ US lawmakers call for Obama's report on Iran by January 31 AFP ~ Iran Nuclear Diplomacy: Can U.S. Accept a New Outcome? Time.com ~ Correction: Iranian nuclear scientist story AP

DTN News: Pakistan TODAY October 10, 2009 ~ The Long Road To Chaos In Pakistan, Gunmen Attack Army Headquarters In Rawalpindi

DTN News: Pakistan TODAY October 10, 2009 ~ The Long Road To Chaos In Pakistan, Gunmen Attack Army Headquarters In Rawalpindi
*Pakistan's military says it has killed four men who attacked an army headquarters in Rawalpindi, and that some soldiers also died during the assault. The attack comes a day after a massive suicide car bomb killed 52 in the city of Peshawar. *Source: DTN News / Int'l Media
(NSI News Source Info) ISLAMABAD, Pakistan - October 10, 2009: An attack on Pakistani army headquarters in Rawalpindi, near Islamabad, ended on Saturday with all four attackers killed, a military spokesman told Pakistani television.
"All the four terrorists have been killed. The fighting is over now. The situation is under control," Major General Athar Abbas told private TV channel Geo in a live interview. Abbas said some security guards were also killed.
"We are examining how many of our security guards have been martyred," he said, adding that the attackers were wearing camouflage uniform. Soon after the attack army commandos encircled the entire zone and helicopter gunships began to fly overhead.
"They came in a van and tried to enter from gate 1 to gate 2 in the sensitive area. They were stopped and now the situation is under our control," Abbas added. An AFP journalist at the scene reported that the gunbattle lasted an hour and a half.
The attack comes as the Pakistani Taliban have vowed to increase attacks to avenge the killing of their leader Baitullah Mehsud in a US drone strike in August. Local police officer Amjad Ali earlier told AFP:
"A car was signalled to stop outside army headquarters. The occupants opened fire and threw grenades at security guards who retaliated. The fighting still continues outside the HQ. Commandos encircled the entire zone and gunship helicopters are flying over." Pakistan, on the frontline of the United States' battle with worlwide terrorism, has been hit by a wave of bombings that have killed nearly 2,200 people across the nuclear-armed country over the past two years.
A massive suicide car bomb ripped through a packed market in the Pakistani city of Peshawar on Friday, killing 52 people and injuring over 100, in a region beset by Taliban attacks.
Pakistan Related Headline News....for full stories click on the links below
~ Brazen Attack on Pakistan Army Base International Herald Tribune

DTN News: India Set To Discuss Overhaul Of Su-30MKI Fighter Jets With Russia

DTN News: India Set To Discuss Overhaul Of Su-30MKI Fighter Jets With Russia *Source: DTN News / RIA Novosti (NSI News Source Info) NEW DELHI, India - October 10, 2009: India will discuss the modernization of the Russian-made Su-30MKI aircraft in service with its air force during an upcoming military-technical cooperation meeting in Moscow, the country's Defense Ministry said on Friday. The Sukhoi Su-30M is a multi-role two-seater fighter, broadly comparable to the American F-15E. The Indian Air Force ordered 40 aircraft in 1996 and an additional ten aircraft in 1998. 18 Su-30K have been delivered which will be upgraded to MKI standard, starting in 2006. First deliveries of ten Su-30MKI full specification aircraft with thrust vectoring and phased array radar took place in September 2002 and deliveries were completed in December 2004. Hindustani Aeronautics (HAL) is also contracted to build 140 aircraft in India between 2003 and 2017, under a licensed production agreement. The first indigenously assembled aircraft was delivered in November 2004. 38 Su-30MKK and 24 navalised Su-30MK2 aircraft, which do not have thrust vectoring capability, are in service with the Chinese Air Force. In 2003, Malaysia ordered 18 Su-30MKM aircraft. The first two were delivered in May 2007. Four more were delivered in 2007 and four in March 2008 Deliveries are scheduled to conclude by the end of 2008. Also in 2003, Indonesia ordered two Su-30MKK aircraft. A further three Su-30MK2 aircraft were ordered in August 2007. In March 2006, Algeria placed an order for 28 Su-30MKA aircraft. The first was delivered in December 2007. In July 2006, Venezuela placed a contract for 24 Su-30MKI aircraft. The first eight were delivered in May 2007 and deliveries concluded in August 2008. An order for 12 additional aircraft is planned. The Indian Air Force currently has 105 Su-30MKIs mainly deployed at airbases close to the Chinese border. "The aircraft, contracted in 1996, are due for overhaul shortly and Russia has offered an upgrade of the aircraft with incorporation of the latest technologies during the major overhaul," the ministry said in a statement. The IAF originally ordered 50 Su-30MKI aircraft from Russia in 1996 and an additional 40 planes in 2007. India's Hindustani Aeronautics (HAL) was also contracted to build 140 aircraft in India between 2003 and 2017 under a licensed production agreement. India previously said it was satisfied with the performance of Russian Su-30MKI fighters and has recently expressed interest in buying another 50 Su-30MKIs. The 9th meeting of the Russia-India Inter-Governmental Commission on Military-Technical Cooperation will be held on October 14-15 in Moscow and will be chaired by Russian Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov and his Indian counterpart A. K. Antony. The main focus of discussions during the meeting will be the extension of the existing bilateral agreement on military-technical cooperation for another 10 years, from 2011 to 2020. Russian-Indian intergovernmental commission sessions are held annually and alternate between New Delhi and Moscow. The current cooperation program until 2010 comprises about 200 joint projects, including the modernization of the Vikramaditya aircraft carrier (formerly the Admiral Gorshkov) for the Indian navy, the transfer of technology for the licensed assembly of T-90 tanks in India, the production of BrahMos missiles and the purchase of Smerch MLRS by India. Russia & India Related Defense News....for full stories click on the links below ~India gives names to 3 frigates built by Russia ~Russia tests Indian fighter jets on board its aircraft carrier ~India launches rocket with seven satellites ~Russia to complete overhaul of 63 Indian fighter jets in 2013

DTN News: BAE Systems Debuts New Generation Fighting Vehicle

DTN News: BAE Systems Debuts New Generation Fighting Vehicle
*Source: DTN News / BAE Systems (NSI News Source Info) LONDON, UK - October 10, 2009: BAE Systems launched the latest 6x6 addition to the battle-proven RG range at the Defence Systems & Equipment International (DSEi) exhibition today – the RG35 Mine Protected multi-purpose fighting vehicle. BAE Systems launched the latest 6x6 addition to the battle-proven RG range at the Defence Systems & Equipment International (DSEi) exhibition Oct 8., – the RG35 Mine Protected multi-purpose fighting vehicle. RG35 combines the high levels of survivability of the RG31 Mine Protected Vehicle with much of the tactical capability of a modern combat vehicle. RG35 incorporates the best of 30 years experience in mobility, protection and sustainability, while meeting current challenges and threats. It meets modern warfare protection requirements, but also offers tactical on- and off-road mobility. “RG35 offers unprecedented versatility and will be equally suitable in peace support and conventional operations,” said Johan Steyn, Managing Director, BAE Systems Land Systems South Africa. “We continuously develop and enhance our vehicles to support our customers’ operational needs.” The versatile RG35 can carry light and medium turrets and direct and indirect-fire weapons. It can also be configured in all the variants of a fighting unit (ambulance, weapon carriers, command posts and others) and can be customized in various sizes such as the 4x4 and 6x6, for various missions to meet customer needs. RG35 is a 6x6 mine protected multi-purpose fighting vehicle 7.4 meters in length, 2.5 meters in width and 2,7 meters in height with a ground clearance of 458 millimeters. The RG35 gross vehicle mass is 33,000kg with a payload of 14,870kg and 15sqm volume under armour. The RG35 has a turning circle of 15m and seats driver plus 15 crew members. About BAE Systems BAE Systems is the premier global defence, security and aerospace company delivering a full range of products and services for air, land and naval forces, as well as advanced electronics, security, information technology solutions and customer support services. With approximately 105,000 employees worldwide, BAE Systems' sales exceeded £18.5 billion (US $34.4 billion) in 2008.
BAE Systems Related News....for full stories click on the links below ~BAE Systems appoints Paul Anderson as new Non-Executive Director 8 Oct

DTN News: BAE Systems ~ Demon's Apprentices Gear Up For Flight Tests

DTN News: BAE Systems ~ Demon's Apprentices Gear Up For Flight Tests *Source: DTN News / BAE Systems
(NSI News Source Info) LONDON, UK - October 10, 2009: Engineering apprentices at BAE Systems are adding the final touches to an experimental aircraft that will test radical new methods of controlling it in flight. The demonstrator has been built under a project to explore technologies destined for use on future unmanned aircraft systems (UAS). Known as Demon, the aircraft is the outcome of a project called FLAVIIR (Flapless Air Vehicle Integrated Industrial Research). This is a five-year, £6.5 million programme jointly funded by BAE Systems and the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC). FLAVIIR brings together 10 universities, led by Cranfield University and BAE Systems. Its major focus is to develop the technologies needed to build a low-cost, low maintenance UAS with no conventional control surfaces, such as wing flaps and without losing any performance compared to conventional aircraft. Matt Pearson, Demon Delivery Manager, said the aircraft is an 80kg, jet-powered UAS with a wing span of 2.7 metres. It was designed at Cranfield University, with the support of the other partner institutions, and manufacture and assembly has been carried out jointly by Cranfield's Composite Manufacturing Centre and BAE Systems apprentices. Matt described the apprentices working on Demon as the "engineers of the future, working on the products of the future". He said they had taken the air frame, fitted it out, and added all the wiring and electrical systems needed to create a working, functioning aircraft. Now in the final stages of assembly, Demon will make its first test flights later this year. The project has developed a number of ways of doing away with flaps and the flight tests will evaluate which of these is best. Richard Williams, Programme Director Future Capability, is delighted with the Demon's progress: "Projects such as Demon have several advantages for BAE Systems. "They help to ensure we get the greatest benefit from our invested research money and offer continued benefit from the increase in the capability and competencies of the universities involved."
BAE Systems Related News....for full stories click on the links below

DTN News: Northrop Grumman-Built LCROSS Satellite Impacts Moon

DTN News: Northrop Grumman-Built LCROSS Satellite Impacts Moon
*Source: DTN News / Northrop Grumman (NSI News Source Info) REDONDO BEACH, Calif., - October 10, 2009: Astronomers and space enthusiasts worldwide cheered as the Lunar CRater Observation and Sensing Satellite (LCROSS) successfully impacted the moon's Cabeus crater October 9., at 4:31 a.m. Pacific Daylight Time. LCROSS was built and integrated by Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) under contract to NASA Ames Research Center. The dramatic impact represents the end of a 112-day mission to find water ice on the moon that could serve as a resource for future lunar outposts. According to NASA, the debris cloud created by LCROSS' impact produced good telemetry and was recorded by space and ground-based observatories. NASA will gather and analyze impact data from professional and amateur astronomers worldwide over the next several months to determine if water ice is present. "The success of this mission is a tribute to the tremendous engineering skills and partnership between Northrop Grumman and NASA Ames Research Center," said Steve Hixson, vice president of Advanced Concepts-Space and Directed Energy Systems for Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems. "We believe LCROSS will open the doors to new research and exploration missions based on the LCROSS model." Built on a tight budget and schedule, LCROSS uses a standardized structural element; commercial-off-the-shelf hardware, sensors and components; flight-proven payload instruments and sophisticated risk management. The spacecraft was ready for delivery in just 29 months for a total mission cost of $79 million. Northrop Grumman Corporation is a leading global security company whose 120,000 employees provide innovative systems, products, and solutions in aerospace, electronics, information systems, shipbuilding and technical services to government and commercial customers worldwide.
Northrop Grumman & NASA Related News....for full stories click on the links below

DTN News: ThalesRaytheonSystems Improved Sentinel Radar Performs Successfully During Recent Army Demonstrations

DTN News: ThalesRaytheonSystems Improved Sentinel Radar Performs Successfully During Recent Army Demonstrations *Shows higher power for greater counter rocket, artillery and mortar capabilities *Source: DTN News / Raytheon (NSI News Source Info) WASHINGTON, USA - October 10, 2009: A ThalesRaytheonSystems (TRS) AN/MPQ-64 Improved Sentinel Multi-Mode radar has performed successfully during recent demonstrations held with the U.S. Army. "The demonstrations are a positive step toward development of next-generation radar capabilities that are critical for the Army," said Kim Kerry, chief executive officer of ThalesRaytheonSystems, U.S. Operations. "This advanced capability will ensure that Sentinel radar systems continue to maintain mission-critical status in the fight against terrorism and in areas of operation where their ability to detect and counter a variety of 21st century, tactical threats is necessary." In a joint initiative with the U.S. Army Cruise Missile Defense Systems program office, TRS successfully demonstrated a version of the U.S. Army's Sentinel air defense radar that operates at a higher power and fulfills a variety of mission roles, including 360-degree counter rocket, artillery and mortar capabilities. It also provides greater performance on missions against unmanned aerial vehicles. In a modification of the U.S. Army's existing AN/MPQ-64 Improved Sentinel, the radar increases the Sentinel baseline from two power amplifier modules to four. As the premier air surveillance and target acquisition-tracking sensor for the Army's Cruise Missile Defense Systems program, the Sentinel radar's primary mission is protecting maneuver forces and critical assets from cruise missile, unmanned aerial vehicle and rotary and fixed-wing threats. The Sentinel accurately acquires targets far enough forward of friendly troops to provide sufficient reaction time for the air defense weapons to engage hostile targets at optimum ranges. About ThalesRaytheonSystems ThalesRaytheonSystems is an international company specializing in air defense systems and a global leader of air operation command and control systems, 3D air defense radars, battlefield and counter-battery radars. The company's annual revenue in 2008 was $900 million, and it employs 1,600 people. ThalesRaytheonSystems is equally owned by Raytheon Company and Thales Group.
Raytheon Related News....for full stories click on the links below

DTN News: Rheinmetall To Equip New German F125 Frigates With MLG 27 Light Naval Guns

DTN News: Rheinmetall To Equip New German F125 Frigates With MLG 27 Light Naval Guns *Source: DTN News / Rheinmetall AG
(NSI News Source Info) DUSSELDROF, Germany - October 10, 2009: Rheinmetall Defence has booked an order from the German Navy for another twelve MLG 27 light naval guns. The order is worth around €11.6 million.
Four new F125-class frigates will each be equipped with two new MLG 27 guns. Another four will be integrated into the German Navy's new combat supply ship, the Bonn. The frigates will be delivered starting in 2014.
By April 2012 – including earlier orders – Rheinmetall will have supplied the German Navy with a total of 99 light naval guns for various classes of surface combatants. Since its international market breakthrough in 2007, three foreign governments have ordered 49 of these guns, some of which are already entering service.
This state-of-the-art 27mm naval weapon system provides navies with a reliable self-defence capability in new operational scenarios such as counterterrorism, combating piracy and stopping smugglers.
The combination of a dynamic gun carriage, high-precision optics and highly advanced ammunition technology assures effective engagement of light, agile surface targets in all sorts of scenarios. The MLG 27 can be installed on practically any surface combatant without penetrating the deck. The system can be remotely operated from a command unit, and is equipped with day/night target tracking sensors which permit automatic tracking of targets as well as manual control of the system.
Rheinmetall AG Related News....for full stories click on the links below
~09/30/2009: Major UK order goes to Rheinmetall – Propellant systems worth €200 million for Her Majesty’s Armed Forces ~09/23/2009: Rheinmetall and Krauss-Maffei Wegmann hand over first serially produced Boxer vehicle ~09/08/2009: Rheinmetall Defence at DSEI 2009 in London ~09/02/2009: Oerlikon Contraves Deutschland GmbH is now Rheinmetall Soldier Electronics – a centre of excellence for advanced infantry technology ~08/27/2009: Gaining ground in the US market – Rheinmetall and ATK agree to cooperate in the propellant domain ~07/22/2009: Rheinmetall to create simulation and test environment for the Bundeswehr ~07/13/2009: Rheinmetall takes the lead in European development programme ~07/06/2009: Billion plus order for Rheinmetall – Go-ahead given for serial production of 405 Puma infantry fighting vehicles for the Bundeswehr