Author: Defence Street Editor

Haifa, Israel, 4th May 2023. Elbit Systems will participate at the DEFEA exhibition in Athens, Greece between 9-11^th of May 2023 and exhibit a wide range of products and systems at its booth with both visual and interactive displays.

Elbit Systems views the display of its state-of-the-art portfolio of solutions at stand in Hall 2 stand B2 at DEFEA as an important contribution to the strengthening of its relationships with Greece, NATO and Europe. The war in Ukraine has highlighted the increasing releavance of our solutions to the European Market. In 2022 Elbit Systems reported a 40% increase in sales to European countries. As a reflection of the growing demand, the Company will display a range of cutting edge technological solutions that can be customized to the customers’ requirements.

Elbit has recently completed a significant joint milestone with the Greek Airforce with the upcoming arrival of two of the M-346 aircraft for the International Flight Training Center in Kalamata as well as the completion of the training infrastructure including 5^th Generation simulators for the center. More details regarding the landing of the M-346 will be announced in the coming days.

Aerial & Ground Precision Guided Munitions

Elbit Systems will display a portfolio of highly accurate rockets including the 40km Accular, 150km EXTRA and 300km Predator Hawk. Also on display will be the GATR (Guided Advanced Tactical Rocket), REST (Range Extension and Smart Tail) guidance kit for general purpose warheads and SPEAR fully autonomous, vehicle-mounted 120mm soft recoil mortar system for high-mobility platforms. The Precise & Universal Launching System, PULS, capable of launching a range of rockets and missiles, as well as local and foreign made rockets will also be on display.

The Company offers state-of-the-art combat proven General Purpose Bombs, delivering advanced capabilities with configurations for 500, 1000, and 2000-pound advanced warheads. The MPR Family bombs feature concentrated blast and controlled fragmentation for high strike probability with minimal collateral damage against a wide range of ground targets in open terrain.

Unmanned Aerial Systems – UAS

A model Skylark 3 tactical mini UAS has up to six hours endurance and with a range of 100km it delivers ISTAR capabilities to the division, brigade and battalion levels. Battle-proven, the Skylark 3 has an electric engine and enables performance of ongoing covert operations and provides real-time intelligence during the day or night. The SkyStriker UAS fully autonomous loitering munitions (LM) can locate, acquire and engage operator designated targets with a flexible warhead of up to 10 Kg installed inside the fuselage, enabling high-precision performance. The UAS operator can also abort the mission and recover the UAS. Its electric propulsion generates a low acoustic signature. As a silent, invisible, and surprise attacker, SkyStriker delivers high performance precision and reliability, providing a critical advantage on the modern battlefield.

Airborne Solutions

Elbit Systems will showcase the SkyTouch end-to-end, multifunctional Planning, Command and Control solution. The SkyTouch gathers and analyzes vast amounts of data to create a complete and accurate aerial Common Operational Picture that can be distributed to the entire chain of command- to increase threat-detection probability and enable optimal real-time operational response. The Helmet Display and Tracking System family (HDTS) features enhanced situational awareness capabilities including color symbology and Line-of-Sight technology for improved mission effectiveness and survivability. The solution can be installed on any helicopter, Eastern and Western, and is in operation on thousands of helicopters, accumulating over 2.5million operational hours on different platforms. BrightNite unique night vision pilotage solution that overcomes visibility limitations and enable to safely and effectively fly mission helicopters in pitch dark nights and in DVE conditions including poor weather conditions, brownouts, whiteouts and sandstorms; Xplore Airborne Imaging RADAR DVE terrain and obstacle mapping that allows pilots to perform missions in full degraded visibility environments and in GPS denied areas. Fully compatible with the HMDS, the low-cost solution improves situational awareness and flight safetly and improves mission success probability.

Advanced EW & SIGINT Solutions

With advanced solutions for land, sea and air, Elbit Systems will display a number of passive and active solutions including:

The ReDrone operational counter-UAS defense solution against all drone types. Designed for military, paramilitary, homeland security and civilian uses, ReDrone provides complete, multi-layered, multi-mission, and operationally-proven protection against the full spectrum of UAS threats across a wide range of scenarios. A unique set of seamlessly-integrated countermeasures detects, identifies, classifies, locates, tracks, neutralizes, manipulates and defeats multiple threats simultaneously, in urban and rural environments, day and night and in all weather conditions. The mini-Music is the smallest and most advanced system with a powerful laser for small to medium helicopter and fixed wing aircraft. The compact, lightweight system has a powerful fiber laser for efficient operation and a thermal camera for accurate acquisition and tracking.

The Spectro multi-spectral electro-optical payload that is suitable for today’s operational complexity. The lightweight playload system provides continuous target scanning capabilities for enhanced situational awareness and is designed for day-and-night and all weather extended-range surveillance. The DAiR multi-mission 3D tactical radar can simultaneously detect and classify thousands of targets in the area of various sizes and velocities, in the air, on land and at sea including humans, small quadcopters, aircrafts, helicopters, UAV and artillery. The lightweight mobile tactical radar is a leading solution for air situational awareness, border security missions and maneuvering tactical forces. The company will also display the Electronic Countermeasure (ECM) Pod and the COAPS-L stabilized panoramic sights that provide and day night target dection, acquisition and tracking capabilities using high-end sensors and advanced AI/ML video-analytics.

C4I & Cyber Demo Room

E-LynX radios are a key enabler of networked warfare capabilities and deployed at group and platoon levels and installed on board various combat vehicles. The E-LynX radios are capable of dynamic and autonomous optimization and enable fast, resilient and secure communications in any terrain; The GRX-8000 high capacity and frequency hopping LOS radio system for tactical .communication with advanced electronic counter-measures for secured, interference-free communications and jamming immunity.

The THOR mini UAS is a fully autonomous military tactical mule platform designed for a wide range of military operational applications and reconnaissance missions. The powerful platform that can carry a payload of up to 10kg is foldable and stored in a backpack, for easy deployment in less than two minutes, is suitable for operation in urban areas as well as in marine zones.The Magni-X micro-UAS is a military fully autonomous multi-rotor platform, developed to provide the most advanced close-range observation system. Though suited for a wide range of missions and applications, the Magni-X is specially designed for Short Range Reconnaissance (SRR) and for the urban arena, providing day and night intelligence imagery powered by advanced AI algorithms for tactical combat units. The HattoriX next generation fire support and intelligence solution for dismounted forces is designed to shorten the sensor-to-shooter cycle while engaging fire effectively and accurately. Tailor made for customer’s specific requirements, the HattoriX enables the integration of various electro-optics, LRF, designators, C4i, radar, radio and more.

SAN DIEGO, 4th May, 2023. General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems (GA-EMS) announced today that it has been awarded a contract from General Dynamics Electric Boat for manufacturing, production, and delivery of Virginia Payload Tubes (VPTs) for upcoming Virginia-class submarines. GA-EMS will prepare manufacturing and quality systems, and will build, test and ship two VPTs for use by Electric Boat and HII’s Newport News Shipbuilding in their construction of the submarines.

“Our Manufacturing Center of Excellence in Tupelo, Mississippi offers world-class fabrication and precision machining industrial base capabilities, supported by an experienced program management team and manufacturing engineering and quality assurance experts that are critical for on-time production of large, complex submarine assemblies,” stated Scott Forney, president of GA-EMS. “We are very proud to be working with Electric Boat, as we bring demonstrated expertise in manufacturing to tight tolerances, exacting specifications, and documented first-time-quality performance to deliver these critical payload tubes that allow the Virginia-class submarines to support critical national security missions.”

About General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems

General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems (GA-EMS) Group is a global leader in the research, design, and manufacture of first-of-a-kind electromagnetic and power generation systems. GA-EMS’ history of research, development, and technology innovation has led to an expanding portfolio of specialized products and integrated system solutions supporting aviation, space systems and satellites, missile defense, power and energy, and processing and monitoring applications for critical defense, industrial, and commercial customers worldwide.

• MQ-9B Training at FTTC Will Become Benchmark for Future Training

SAN DIEGO, 4th May, 2023. On May 1, the Royal Air Force (RAF) began training its first cohort of pilots, sensor operators, and mission intelligence coordinators on operating its new Protector Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS) at the Flight Test & Training Center (FTTC) in Grand Forks, N.D. The FTTC is owned and operated by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI), which has begun deliveries of Protector RPAS to the RAF. Protector is a derivative of the MQ-9B SkyGuardian® and is initially being flown in the USA for training.

GA-ASI is training the first four Operational Conversion Units (OCUs), each comprising of eight crews, including pilots, sensor operators (SOs), and mission intelligence coordinators (MICs). Upon completion, the crews will operate the Protector Air system as part of 31, 54 or 56 Sqn. Training for the pilots and SOs is scheduled to run for 12 weeks; six weeks for MICs.

The scope of the training is focused on foundational skills required to operate the Protector air vehicle and its equipment, including the Multi-Spectral Targeting System (MTS), Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR), Mission Intelligence Station (MIS), and System for Tasking and Real-Time Exploitation (STARE). Training involves building solid foundations for both normal and emergency operations in Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) systems, instrument flying, and Automatic Takeoff and Landing Capability (ATLC).

The training includes simulation and live flight of the air vehicle. The synthetic training includes a desktop procedural trainer and a mission trainer.

“The training services performed at our Grand Forks center for the RAF represent an important benchmark for future MQ-9B training for other partners,” said GA-ASI President David R. Alexander.

MQ-9B has garnered significant interest from customers throughout the world. After the UK Ministry of Defence selected MQ-9B SkyGuardian for its Protector program, the Belgian Ministry of Defence signed a contract for SkyGuardian. The Japan Coast Guard is currently operating MQ-9B in the SeaGuardian® configuration, which the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) also recently selected for its Medium-Altitude, Long-Endurance (MALE) RPAS Trial Operation Project that began in April. Additionally, the U.S. Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) signed a contract for three MQ-9B SkyGuardians, becoming the first U.S. customer for those aircraft.

DULLES, Va., 3rd May, 2023. Raytheon Technologies, announced the launch of NexGen Optix, a tactical Free-Space Optical Communications system that enables high-speed, secure data transfer in challenging environments.

NexGen Optix, developed by Raytheon Blackbird Technologies, provides greater bandwidths in a form factor that is smaller, weighs less, uses less power and costs less than conventional optical systems and can securely send more data within the same bandwidth over longer distances. The system uses lasers instead of radio frequencies as a means of communication, which makes the signal less susceptible to detection, interference and jamming.

“NexGen Optix represents a significant advancement in secure communication and shared networking technology,” said Troy Smith, director of Raytheon Blackbird Technologies. “We’ve developed a solution that enables organizations to communicate effectively in challenging environments where traditional communication systems may not be reliable.”

The ultra-low size, weight and power-cost (SWaP-C) communications has been optimized for peer and near-peer operational environments and provides rapid, secure communication and connectivity. Offering a tactical advantage to forces, the system has been tested and approved during U.S. government exercises.

In addition to its high-speed data transfer capabilities, NexGen Optix is lightweight and portable, making it easy to deploy in the field. The system is also designed with rugged components that can withstand harsh environmental conditions, ensuring reliability even in the most extreme situations.

• RAF’s VIP Voyager refuels four Eurofighter Typhoons with SAF blend over the North Sea

UK, 3rd May, 2023. One-hundred years since the first ever air-to-air refuelling of an aircraft, the British Royal Air Force (RAF) has carried out a landmark in-flight refuelling exercise with blended sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) using an Airbus Multi Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) Voyager aircraft.

On a crisp Spring morning in the Oxfordshire countryside, the RAF’s VIP Voyager – emblazoned with Union Flag tail and gold-lettered ‘United Kingdom’ livery – taxied on to the Brize Norton runway filled with 43% SAF.

On board were UK Business and Trade Minister Nusrat Ghani MP, members of the media and Airbus’ Filton-based engineer Loraine McIlree, who had led the team which successfully flew the Voyager on 100% SAF from Brize in November.

Loraine said: “Last year, we had the opportunity to push the boundaries and performed a flight test on an in-service military aircraft. I led the technical team for this project and we successfully flew an RAF Voyager A330 MRTT with 100% SAF on both engines, with no fossil fuel on board.

“All our aircraft have been designed to operate with normal jet fuels. SAF has different properties but from our testing we are able to demonstrate how capable our aircraft are for flying with a new type of fuel.

“To clear the aircraft to fly with 100% SAF requires a thorough analysis of all parts of the aircraft impacted by fuel. All materials need to be checked for compatibility, together with the systems adjacent to the fuel tanks. It took months of work to obtain the clearance and it was a great moment to witness the Voyager fly last November with 100% SAF. The flight crew reported no difference in performance during the flight and we captured a lot of data to help us progress towards clearing SAF on our aircraft.”

April’s demonstration flight took sustainability to a new level – refuelling four Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jets with blended SAF. The exercise was timed to coincide with the start of the Farnborough Sustainable Skies World Summit, and the VIP Airbus Voyager performed a 500ft low fly-past over Farnborough before landing back at Brize Norton.

Air Vice-Marshal Paul Lloyd said: Providing increased reliability and range, the Voyager aircraft gives the RAF an enhanced capability in support of troop mobility, the movement of military assets, and supports UK air defence.

“With a payload of 43 tonnes of freight and 291 seat passenger capacity, plus an aeromedical evacuation capability, Voyager also delivers flexibility in air mobility to the UK Armed forces in support of military and humanitarian operations.”

During the two days of the Sustainable Skies World Summit, the Jet Zero Council – a partnership between industry and government with the aim of delivering at least 10% SAF in the UK fuel mix by 2030 and zero emission transatlantic flight within a generation – also met.

Defence Minister Baroness Goldie added: “The RAF has identified that using SAF and alternative aviation fuels will be critical for the future operational capability of the RAF and wider military aviation.

“The UK’s SAF programme is already one of the most comprehensive in the world and supports our vision to set the UK up to be a global leader in the development, production, and use of SAF.”