DTN News - DEFENSE NEWS: French Army And The Sperwer UAV

DTN News - DEFENSE NEWS: French Army And The Sperwer UAV

Source: DTN News - - This article compiled by K. V. Seth from reliable sources Strategy Page

(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - February 26, 2014: The French Army has purchased five more Sperwer UAVs with an option to get two more. Although not as successful as American and Israeli competitors, the French made Sperwer continues to serve the French military and is expected to continuing doing so until the end of the decade. A French firm is developing a replacement, the Patroller, which is designed to appeal more to the export market. Most of the 150 Sperwers produced since the 1990s were bought by the French Army. Sperwer got its first heavy use during the Balkan peacekeeping missions in the 1990s. Five other nations also bought Sperwer, but most have since retired theirs and bought American and Israeli UAVs.

Starting in 2003 Canada, for example, bought 21 Sperwers, including ten second hand ones obtained from Denmark. The Canadians used their Sperwers heavily in Afghanistan and paid to improve the Sperwer flight control software, to make the UAV more stable when landing under windy conditions. It's often windy in Afghanistan. Still, troops were envious of UAV models they saw used by other nations. Canada stopped using Sperwer in 2009.

The $2.6 million Sperwer LE (Long Endurance) weighs 351 kg (772 pounds), carries a 50 kg (110 pound) payload, is 3.9 meters (12 feet) long, and has an endurance of 12 hours. Sperwer can operate up to 200 kilometers from its ground control unit. It is launched from a vehicle mounted catapult but lands conventionally.

The Sperwer uses a noisy engine (think lawnmower) and flies low enough to be heard. This has not proved to be a problem, as the people below, if they are Taliban, either start shooting at the UAV or try to run away. Despite this, Canadian troops came to depend on their Sperwers and many preferred to have more of them rather than another, newer UAV. The troops learned that operator experience is a major factor in UAV success, and much of that would be lost if they switched a new model. Canada eventually replaced their Sperwers with Israeli Herons.

The Sperwer suffered from the heat, dust, and wind that is so abundant in Afghanistan, and there were several attempts to get an improved UAV to the troops. For a while, Canada was going to buy some Predators, not just because these one ton UAVs are more capable than Sperwer but because Predator could carry Hellfire missiles. But this became a political issue in Canada, where many politicians did not like the idea of an unmanned aircraft carrying, and using, missiles, even if the actual firing was done by a human operator on the ground. Everyone agreed that a larger UAV would be better, especially one that could carry a laser designator and be more stable in the wind. By 2009 Canadian troops in Afghanistan began using the Israeli Heron and that proved satisfactory.

Related ~ Sperwer UAV

*Link for This article compiled by K. V. Seth from reliable sources Strategy Page
*Speaking Image - Creation of DTN News ~ Defense Technology News 
*Photograph: IPF (International Pool of Friends) + DTN News / otherwise source stated
*This article is being posted from Toronto, Canada By DTN News ~ Defense-Technology News Contact:dtnnews@ymail.com 
©COPYRIGHT (C) DTN NEWS DEFENSE-TECHNOLOGY NEWS

DTN News - DEFEXPO 2014: Israel's IAI To Unveil Unmanned Fast Patrol Boat At Defexpo 2014

DTN News - DEFEXPO 2014: Israel's IAI To Unveil Unmanned Fast Patrol Boat At Defexpo 2014

Source: DTN News - - This article compiled by K. V. Seth from reliable sources JP +
(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - February 5, 2014: The Indian defense systems exhibition Defexpo 2014 opens on Wednesday of this week, in New Delhi. Focusing on land, naval and internal homeland security systems, companies from round the world will be competing head on with their latest concepts and products.

Israeli Aerospace Industries Ltd, or IAI, will be present with an important new naval concept which seeks to replicate the use of UASs, unmanned aerial systems, and sometimes known as “drones”, in a maritime context.

Israel Aerospace Industries unveiled on Tuesday the "Katana", an unmanned surface vessel (USV) combat marine system for use guarding Israel's coast and growing offshore investments.

As Israel’s Exclusive Economic Zone in the eastern Mediterranean is filling up with large-scale natural gas drilling, the navy is working with the government to approve a budget that will add four missile ships, drones, unmanned sea vessels and patrol air craft to protect it.

The zone, which includes natural gas fields Leviathan and Tamar, is the size of the State of Israel, and it will up be to the navy to defend this vital national asset from terrorist threats and hostile states.

IAI's Katana is a multifunctional vessel and 'marine system' that provides various capabilities such as advanced communications, weapons systems, and varied payloads.

The system can also be adapted to existing vessels and has the option of being used as an unmanned surface vessel from a remote control center, or by a live crew. 


*Link for This article compiled by K. V. Seth from reliable sources JP +
*Speaking Image - Creation of DTN News ~ Defense Technology News 
*Photograph: IPF (International Pool of Friends) + DTN News / otherwise source stated
*This article is being posted from Toronto, Canada By DTN News ~ Defense-Technology News Contact:dtnnews@ymail.com 
©COPYRIGHT (C) DTN NEWS DEFENSE-TECHNOLOGY NEWS

DTN News: China ~ Steal The Best Hardware, Not The Best Ideas

DTN News: China ~ Steal The Best Hardware, Not The Best Ideas

*Source: Strategy Page

(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - October 19, 2009: Only five years ago, it was believed that Chinese UAV designs were a decade or more behind the West. But recent (unofficial) photos have shown China testing local designs that look like clones of the Israeli Heron and the U.S. Predator. There are also persistent rumors that China is also building a clone of the American Global Hawk. Currently, China considers all UAVs to be "strategic assets", and their existence, and development, are kept top secret. The Chinese military has apparently been copying American UAV designs for a while now. After they got bored simply rebuilding Uncle Sam's models, they decided to design a few of their own. And they blow ours out of the water. Above is the Dark Sword, the Chinese military's newest drone. Not only does it look a lot cooler than any American model, it's apparently much more maneuverable and highly capable in air-to-air combat. This is on top of the Chinese having carbon copies of the Predator and Global Hawk UAVs ready to go in their arsenal. But there are some less advanced UAVs in use by army combat units. The most common of these is the ASN-105, a 374 pound aircraft with a payload if 88 pounds. Each UAV unit has six of these, and half a dozen trucks to carry the aircraft, radio control equipment and even a film processing lab. The film lab is apparently gone, in most ASN-105, with digital cameras replacing them. The Chinese army is still a low budget operation, and old equipment is kept in service a lot longer than in the West. Even when older gear, like UAVs, are retired from military service, they are usually handed over to civilian or paramilitary organizations. Older UAVs are being used for border patrol and land survey (checking on crops and infrastructure.) For the moment, the Chinese treat UAVs like pilotless reconnaissance aircraft. But senior officers are aware of Israeli and American troops using them in real time, with infantry and tank crews getting overhead real time video from UAVs above. It will be a while before the Chinese can afford that. The army is in big trouble, as the government has ordered a lot more of the military budget to be shifted from the army to the air force and navy. Despite the success of the U.S., and other Western armies, with UAVs in the combat zone, this technology is not a high priority item to Chinese army leadership. While the Chinese are spending heavily on strategic UAVs, there does not appear to be much new available for smaller units (divisions, brigades, battalions and so on). While the U.S. provides UAV capability to infantry companies and platoons, China seems to be dedicating most of their UAV effort on longer range, and endurance, aircraft. They got started in this direction, when they worked closely with Israeli companies in the 1990s. The U.S. pressured Israel to stop that, but the Chinese have been caught buying, or stealing, Israeli UAV technology regularly in the last decade.

Disclaimer statement Whilst every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information supplied herein, DTN News ~ Defense-Technology News cannot be held responsible for any errors or omissions. Unless otherwise indicated, opinions expressed herein are those of the author of the page and do not necessarily represent the corporate views of DTN News ~ Defense-Technology News.

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: Israeli Firm Makes UAVs For U.S.

DTN News: Israeli Firm Makes UAVs For U.S. *Source: DTN News / Int'l Media (NSI News Source Info) TEL AVIV, Israel - August 28, 2009: Israel-based Aeronautics Defense Systems will build two additional demonstrators for the unmanned version of the two-engine, propeller-driven Diamond DA42 for the U.S. market, according to Flight Global. The Dominator 2, Israel’s ‘Strategic’ Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) Unmanned Aerial Vehicle, has conducted a series of test flights ranging between 2 and 4 hours. The all composite aircraft is a derivative of the twin engine Diamond DA42 Twin Star general aviation aircraft. Codenamed ‘Oz’ and manufactured by Aeronautics Defense Systems, the UAV is 8.5 meters long, with a 13.5 meter wingspan and weighing two tons ( with a .4 ton payload). Speed varies from a minimum of 138 kilometers an hour to a maximum of 351. Maximum altitude is 30,000 feet. Endurance is 28 hours. The company's president, Avi Leumi, was quoted as saying that the decision followed a first string of test flights in July. "We will resume the test flights in September," Leumi said. But at the same time, he added, "we will prepare a marketing effort to potential customers, mainly in the USA." In July, the prototype of the Aeronautics Dominator-2 "Oz" unmanned air vehicle flew for the first time, according to Flight Global. The Israeli firm had converted the DA42 into a UAV powered by two Thielert diesel engines. It can be equipped with a variety of payloads. The Dominator-2 is built to carry a payload of 400 kilograms for 28 hours, with a line-of-sight range of 300 kilometers. Developed in less than a year by the Yavne-based Israeli firm, the Dominator is a light commercial aircraft converted into a strategic, multi-mission UAV. With a wingspan of 13.5 meters, it is designed to fly up to 190 knots per hour at altitudes of up to 30,000 feet. "We are very careful to work within the limitations of MTCR (the Missile Technology Control Regime)," said Itay Sherman, director for marketing and communications. "This way, the Dominator we are able to offer high performance on a proven, existing airframe to as many customers as a possible around the world." Sherman said the size, quality and endurance of the system "is designed from the outset to operate safely and in coordination with civil aviation authorities on a full spectrum of missions." He estimated that over the next decade, the Dominator could generate "sums of $1 billion and above." Leumi said the UAV was an important addition to the company's swelling portfolio of UAVs, which now span the spectrum of tactical support to long-endurance, strategic missions, according to Defense News. In recent weeks the company has also unveiled another non-flying prototype based on a commercial helicopter by Dynali SA Helicopters of Belgium. Called Picador, the prototype is aimed at the ground and maritime defense market, Sherman said.

DTN News: Poland Considering Israeli Drones

DTN News: Poland Considering Israeli Drones

*Source: DTN News / Int'l Media

(NSI News Source Info) WARSAW, Poland - August 14, 2009: Poland is considering buying drones from Israel, Defence Minister Bogdan Klich said Aug. 12, after Warsaw's announcement that it was bolstering its deployment in Afghanistan. Klich told reporters he had recently traveled to Israel to visit arms manufacturers. "Three companies there produce top-quality pilotless aircraft," he said. "Without predicting which of the three - or even another, non-Israeli firm - will win the tender, I can't imagine that we'll buy them one by one. We're going to buy a whole range of drones, from short- to medium-range," he added. Poland currently has 2,000 soldiers in Afghanistan fighting Taliban-led militants under the banner of the NATO-run International Security Assistance Force, which draws together around 64,500 troops from more than 40 nations. Drones, armed with lethal missiles and controlled by a "pilot" using a joystick at bases in the U.S. and elsewhere, have become an American weapon of choice in the fight against the militants. On Aug. 10, one Polish soldier was killed and four were injured during a clash in Afghanistan's central province of Ghazni. It was Warsaw's 10th fatality since it first sent troops to Afghanistan in 2002. On Tuesday, Poland said it had created a back-up force of 200 soldiers ready for deployment in Afghanistan. Poland, a former communist country turned staunch ally of Washington, joined NATO in 1999 and has over the years gradually upgraded its military equipment.

DTN News: Russia Buys 12 spy Drones From Israel

DTN News: Russia Buys 12 spy Drones From Israel *Sources: DTN News / Defense Media (NSI News Source Info) MOSCOW- June 23, 2009: Russia has bought 12 unmanned aerial vehicles from Israel in a recent deal worth $53 million, a Russian government official said on Monday. "The contract envisions the purchase of 12 UAV, including two heavy vehicles and 10 small vehicles. The delivery has not yet been made because the contract was signed only recently," Vyacheslav Dzirkaln, deputy head of the Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation, said in an exclusive interview with RIA Novosti. Dzirkaln said the main goal of the purchase was to study the Israeli achievements in the development of spy drones in order to build reliable UAVs domestically. "We must take their know-how and put it to practical use [in developing our own craft]," the official said. The Russian military stressed the need to provide its Armed Forces with advanced means of battlefield reconnaissance in the wake of a brief military conflict with Georgia last August, when the effectiveness of Russian military operations was severely hampered by the lack of reliable intelligence. The Russian Air Force has launched a number of UAV development programs for various purposes. Air Force Commander, Col. Gen. Alexander Zelin said last year that Russia would deploy advanced unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) with a flight range of up to 400 kilometers (250 miles) and a flight duration capability of up to 12 hours by 2011. However, Russian defense companies, including the Irkut aircraft maker and the Vega Radio Engineering Corp., have failed so far to provide the military with effective spy drones. According to various estimates, the Russian military needs up to 100 UAVs and at least 10 guidance systems to ensure effective battlefield reconnaissance in case of any military conflict.