Arie Egozi: December 2012 Archives

The undertones are important. When the Israeli Air Force (IAF) commander talked on 19 December about chemical weapons in Syria, he was not very specific about what his pilots would do to foil any attempt by the dying regime to use them in an act of panic.

Maj Gen Amir Eshel said that Syria was falling apart rapidly and that the situation was creating a host of security threats that were "very, very close to Israel".

He added that Damascus is in possession of stockpiles of advanced weapons, including unconventional ones.

He said: "We don't know what will happen the day after [president] Assad falls. We are preparing ourselves for this, and for the eventuality of weapons flowing out of Syria."

Monitoring of Syrian bases in recent weeks has resulted in evidence that engineers have loaded the chemicals - which combine to form the deadly nerve agent Sarin - into bombs that could be dropped from fighter aircraft. 

Satellites have detected a movement of vehicles among the bunkers where the weapons and agents are believed to be stored.

As always, Israel, and this time the chief of the IAF, is not specific about the plans to cope with the threat from Syria, but one can assume he is like a coiled spring.

Simulation is becoming an integral part of every phase of training an Israeli Air Force (IAF) pilot goes through. 

In the past simulators were another tool to improve capabilities of a pilot. 

Not anymore.

New simulators, or rather simulation systems, are a valued substitute for many of the actual flight hours that in the past were a must for training a pilot for operational behaviour.

The IAF has selected the Aermacchi M-346 as its advanced trainer.

Elbit Systems is developing a flight training centre for the new aircraft. This is a good opportunity to see how far simulation has penetrated areas of flight training.

The Israeli company was awarded the contract to develop the centre as part of the contract awarded by the Israeli ministry of defence to TOR, which is jointly owned by Elbit Systems and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI). 

TOR was established to carry out the IAF's future trainer aircraft programme for the Aermacchi M-346.

With the introduction of the M-346, more emphasis will be given to ground-based training for the IAF's flight school cadets, combat pilots and navigators.

The ground-based centre is expected to begin operation in mid-2014.       

According to Elbit Systems, once ground-based training is completed, the cadets will proceed to airborne training using embedded virtual avionics, which allows the trainee to gain vital experience operating advanced systems, such as radar, optical sensors and early warning systems, as well as virtual weapons.

The simulation that the IAF will be using for the M-346 will be in addition to other simulation tools that are already being used for other types of aircraft including the IAF's frontline fighter aircraft, the F-15s and F-16s.

Training for IAF pilots has completely changed thanks to the very advanced technology that brings the outside, real world into closed quarters.

New technologies will not completely replace the human sensors in the security apparatus that secures Ben-Gurion international airport in Tel-Aviv. 

This is in spite of some very advanced technological tools that have been developed recently.

Many efforts are being made to streamline the security process and according to plans, high-end technology will be implemented in the airport in coming years. 

This will enable the use of human sensors, known here as the profile system, on fewer passengers, though it will still be used.

Security for Israeli aviation is unique. Circumstances lead to unique solutions, most of them highly classified. When the danger is constant and very real the result is inventions that lower it to a "reasonable" level.

That happens on a daily basis in the Israeli defence industry and it happens in the other security organisations.

Recently, one such development affected security measures at Ben-Gurion. The system at this airport is different from any other in the world. Most of the ingredients of this huge system are under wraps, but from time to time something is presented, even if partially.

The development I refer to is the decision to allow passengers flying from Ben-Gurion to the US to carry liquids bought in the airport without the security limitations that apply elsewhere, mainly on US-bound flights.

The decision could be made thanks to the deployment of a unique security system that screens the liquids supplied to the duty free shops in the airport.

After they are cleared by the new system, the liquids will be sold to passengers and sealed in bags, in accordance with American security standards.

More automated systems are planned for Ben-Gurion, aimed at using the profile system only when automation will not be enough.

But as time passes, it is becoming very clear that in spite of all high-end technology, the human instincts of trained security personnel will continue to be very important.

In recent years, a warfare legend said air-to-air missiles were obsolete because fighter aircraft no longer engaged in dogfights.

The legend officially died recently, at least in its Israeli form.

The country's leading manufacturer of air-to-air missiles has, for the first time, very clearly said it is developing a new, very advanced weapon.

"We are developing advanced air-air missiles as the threat it has to counter is not over," says Roni Potasman, Rafael's executive vice president for research and development.

He added that the belief that the air forces of some Arab nations are now less capable may change with the significant developments in the region.

Watching even the unclassified videos of the Rafael Python-5, which is operational in the Israeli air force and others, you can conclude that it has all the capabilities one can think of.

Rafael is working on a "very advanced, very surprising missile that will surpass any other air-air missile in the world".

Experts have said many times that the Python-5 is a "super agile" missile.

So far, the Israeli company has only admitted that is is developing "building blocks" for a sixth generation air-to-air missile.

Rafael said that the Stunner missile, developed for the David's Sling rocket interceptor system, is the basis for any sixth generation air-to-air weapon the company may develop in the future.

The advanced dual sensors to be used in air-to-air missiles developed by Rafael will probably involve the "dolphin head" nose section that was used in the Stunner.

The dolphin head shape allows the two seekers to function simultaneously with no interference even in extreme conditions.

The Stunner, which is 4.60 metres long, uses a multipulse rocket motor and is equipped with a dual seeker. This, say company sources, will ensure high sensitivity in all weathers and immunity from deception and countermeasures.

The technology included in the Stunner and what Rafael knows about missiles that can hit a "needle in the skies" are the best destroyers of warfare legends.

Politics have a special logic - or rather illogic.

Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, has decided not to sign an aviation agreement with Europe. The ceremony was scheduled for next week.

The reason behind the decision? - the short time before the general elections in Israel. The official statement says that the decision stems from the need to "not make far reaching steps in such a time".

In July, Israel and the EU initially signed a comprehensive aviation agreement. The agreement was scheduled for ratification on December 20.

If and when signed, the agreement will allow all EU airlines to operate direct flights to Israel from anywhere in the EU, and Israeli carriers will be able to operate flights to airports throughout the EU.

The EU-Israel air transport market will be opened gradually, so that by the start of the summer season in 2017 the market would be fully open, with no restrictions on the number of weekly flights between Israel and the EU.

Based on the experience of similar agreements signed with other EU-neighbouring countries, the gradual opening of the market is expected to encourage a larger number of direct flights from Israel to destinations in Europe at lower prices, while also reducing flight prices to Israel for European travellers.

In parallel to gradually opening up the respective markets, the agreement also aims to integrate Israel into a wider Common Aviation Area with the EU.

Israel will implement regulatory requirements and standards equivalent to EU aviation rules in areas such as aviation safety, the environment, consumer protection - including passenger rights - air traffic management, economic regulation, competition issues and social aspects.

The prime minister's decision is connected to the coming elections - but not for the stated reason. If you are not convinced, let me remind you - a day after the initial signing, the Israeli workers' union declared a work dispute in three airlines, claiming that the signing breached promises made by the minister of transport.

So now, the prime minister simply needs the votes of the Israeli airlines' employees and their families.

Things that should be seen in black and white are often painted in grey to avoid action.

Israeli air space is very small and congested. Commercial traffic, general aviation, air force manned aircraft and unmanned air systems are growing in number. The problems of control are obvious.

A few day ago, two pilots of Israeli Air Force (IAF) F-16s, in a training mission over northern Israel, suddenly spotted a paraglider in front of them at the same low altitude they used for training. Only the immediate reaction of the pilots avoided a fatal accident.

This incident, which is under investigation, is further proof that something drastic has to be done to control the flying objects that are not considered aircraft and therefore are not under the strict regulations of the Israeli Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).

Israeli law does not require people who use a paraglider to register or obtain official permission to use airspace. Normally, the altitude in which paragliders operate does not bring them into close proximity with aircraft, but there have been incidents.

The CAA says its hands are tied. The fact is that no-one in the Israeli aviation authorities wants to deal with the problem.

I know that someone will act only after a fatal accident. This is the way things are handled by the authorities. They have a tendency to hide problems under the carpet, hoping they stay there. But from time to time someone moves the carpet. 

In spite of that, the recent incident may bring some change as it involved the IAF, which is the "ruler" of Israeli airspace.

It seems that network centric warfare (NCW) is the phrase of the moment in many armies and airforces. 

But many that use it do not fully understand what it means. In some places the meaning is clear, critical and demands everyday solutions.

When you talk with the Israeli Air Force (IAF), you hear the phrase a lot. The reason is obvious - in recent years the IAF has attacked thousands of targets, mainly in Lebanon and Gaza in the Mediterranean and, according to the international press, in places as far away as Sudan.

There was a common denominator to all the targets that were attacked or allegedly targeted by Israeli jet fighters or combat helicopters - the need to know when the target was vulnerable. But even more important was the need to know that it was a legal target.

To achieve this companies such as Rafael are developing very fast and reliable communication networks that can take the output of a sensor and present it to all the relevant people in such a way that a green light for an attack can be given in seconds. 

In many cases that is the timeframe to achieve a precise hit without affecting the surrounding area.

This is, in my opinion, only the first phase of NCW. 

The elusiveness of the targets and their "popping up" simultaneously will demand that a great part of the loop will be fully automatic. 

Will that happen? Not in the near future. But circumstances will stretch the capabilities of NCW to a point where a change will be required to the way technology rules the combat.

The aerospace and defence business is greatly affected by fluctuations in the global economy. 

Companies have to adapt their type of business, or rather the volume of each type, according to the numbers, which are known fully only to the board of directors and top management.

A recent assessment by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) has resulted in a decision to make a strategy change.

I understand it is based on increasing the company's sales in the civil market, mainly by subcontracting to aerospace companies around the world.

In the first nine months of 2012, IAI sales totalled $2.45 billion, compared with $2.61 billion in the same period of of 2011, a 6% decrease.

The sales of the company's civil aircraft division totalled $349 million compared with $356 million in the same period of 2011.

The sales of IAI's Bedek division was $373 million compared with $478 million in 2011.

The decrease in sales of the civil aircraft division was mainly because of the lower sales of business jets made by the company and marketed by Gulfstream.

The decrease in sales of the Bedek division was affected mainly by fewer conversions of old passenger aircraft to a cargo configuration.

The new strategy will focus on getting more subcontracting from other manufacturers around the world. IAI will also offer its design capabilities, testing services and assistance in certification processes, to different manufacturers.

While IAI is perceived as a defence company, it has a very strong civil arm. IAI is manufacturing business aircraft for Gulfstream and is a leading centre for the conversion of old passenger aircraft to cargo-configured aircraft.

So, without giving up any of its diversified defence activities, the Israeli state-owned company will dive deeper into the civil aerospace market.

Even after the impressive success of the Rafael Iron Dome rocket interceptor, there are still some people in Israel - in the defence establishment and outside it - that dream about a laser-based defence system against rockets.

This has been a real war between two totally opposed approaches - one that said that only a laser gun can do the job, and the other that wanted an interceptor. The rest is history. Even after the recent announcement by Lockheed Martin of a successful demonstration of a portable, ground-based military laser system in a series of tests against representative airborne targets, the chances that Israel will invest in such a system are slim.

Lockheed Martin developed the Area Defence Anti-Munitions system to provide a defence against short-range threats such as rockets and unmanned aerial systems.

Since August, the ADAM system has successfully engaged an unmanned aerial system target in flight at a range of about 0.8nm (1.5km) and has destroyed four small-caliber rocket targets in simulated flight at a range of approximately 1.1nm.

Designed for short-range defence of high-value areas including forward operating bases, the ADAM system's 10kW fiber laser is engineered to destroy targets up to 1.1nm away. The system precisely tracks targets in cluttered optical environments and has a tracking range of more than 2.7nm. The system has been designed to be flexible enough to operate against rockets as a standalone system and to engage UAS with an external radar cue. The ADAM system's modular architecture combines commercial hardware components with the company's proprietary software in an integrated and easy-to-operate system.

While tests with the new laser system continue - not only by Lockheed Martin but also by Boeing and other companies, operational use looks very remote.

Coming back to reality, the Israeli Air Force expects to deploy at least another five Iron Dome systems to bolster the capabilities of the five operational ones.

I can only guess  that somewhere, scientists in Israel continue to dream about a laser defence system. But for the foreseeable future, the Iron Dome and its bigger sister, David's Sling, will continue to intercept rockets of different types and ranges.

With a growing interest in countries like the USA and South Korea, the two Israeli developed systems may find their way to the Israeli defence industries' exports list.

Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) has appointed a corporate VP to deal with one main task - increasing the company's sales in one of its main markets: India.

This proves again that IAI sees India's huge market potential, and plans to exploit it aggressively.

Defence ties between India and Israel have been very good in the last 10-15 years. Sources in Israel assess that the total value of Israeli-made defence systems sold to India in the past decade is $9 billion.

The delivery of the Phalcon airborne early warning (AEW) system on a Russian-built Ilyushin II-76 in May 2009 and March 2010 was one on the highlights of these ties. This contract alone had a price tag of $1.2 billion.

In 2000 a similar deal with China was cancelled by Israel after heavy pressure from Washington.

The Americans claimed that they fear the Chinese would use these systems in the event of a military confrontation with Taiwan.

The deal with India also attracted attention from Washington. This time the argument was that the AEW aircraft may be involved in a war between India and Pakistan.

Other Israeli defence companies are also active in India, but IAI is dominant in the market.

The appointment of a corporate VP for this market is another sign that IAI plans to increase its marketing efforts in India.

An Israeli source says the potential in the Indian market for Israeli aerospace and defence companies is huge - IAI knows it, and is going to make a massive marketing effort to benefit.

The problem is huge - and growing. The stakes are high - and growing. The complexity is almost unpredicted - and growing.

All the above describes the situation in which a country has to defend itself from rockets, long range ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, attacking aircraft and armed unmanned air vehicles - and all while passenger and cargo aircraft continue to fly in and out on schedule.

Iron Dome, David's Sling, Arrow-2 - all these are systems that launch projectiles designed to defend Israel from the above-mentioned threats.

The problem is twofold - how to use such a multi-layered defence system efficiently, and how to enable the coexistence of civil aviation in an area that is so heavily defended.

Rafael, a leading Israeli developer of advanced defence systems, took the challenge, and what it offers now is its Modular Integrated C4I (MIC4AD) system, which is supposed to put all the elements in order, kill the right target efficiently and still allow air traffic to move in the skies with minimum disturbance.

When rockets and missiles are launched against you and you operate a variety of defence systems, you need a unified air situation picture at all times - and that is exactly what the Israeli company is trying to do.

Despite all the security restrictions, it can be said that MIC4AD can be used as a decision-support tool or to allocate the optimal defence system automatically, when the time from detection to hit is measured in seconds.

Rafael designed MIC4AD based on an operational concept that takes into account several defence circles. It exploits offline resources (databases, digital terrain models,and intelligence) and real-time data (radar, identification friend or foe systems), all connected to the air traffic control overlook and to the mission planning system. Together they build a national air situation picture.

MIC4AD's powerful correlation engine collects data from multiple sensors/platforms (radars, datalink and electro-optics) and delivers a real-time, unified, coherent tactical picture.

MIC4AD also performs threat assessments and provides hostile target classification, interception plans and effective command of the weapon system launching process.

Both the problem and the solution are now Israeli, but reading intelligence reports that are published in other countries creates the impression that this problem may sooner or later be shared by other nations.

The proliferation of rockets has made it the preferred weapon of many terror organisations.

The huge interest, some of it low-profile, in the Israeli-developed Iron Dome rocket interceptor is an indication that experts have started to understand the quickly proliferating threat.

The operational need is urgent. The solutions are under development - but one, without any doubt, looks superior to the others.

A NATO report states that Urban Aeronautics' AirMule ducted fan unmanned craft is currently the only VTOL UAV that has been specifically designed for unmanned evacuation of wounded soldiers from combat zones.

This report documents the findings of NATO Research and Technology Group 184, which was tasked with identifying safe-ride standards for patient evacuation using unmanned aerial vehicles.

The report states: "It must be noted that of all the VTOL UAVs described in this report, only one - the Israeli Urban Aeronautics' "Air Mule" has been specifically designed for logistics and medical missions (resupply and MEDEVAC). All other VTOL UAVs are being, or have been, developed for ISTAR, utility, or cargo delivery missions."

The report says that battlefields such as Afghanistan have increased the threat to aircraft crews and platforms conducting manned MEDEVAC and CASEVAC operations, and adds: "This increased threat places additional lives at risk - not only are the casualties at risk, but so are the evacuation crews.

"Combat operations may be conducted in a variety of environments, which are often characterized by rugged terrain and obstacles to ground vehicle transportation. "Some missions can be conducted up to hundreds of kilometers from forward operating bases and medical care facilities, with the only medical support available on scene being unit medics or fellow soldiers"

The report says that moving an individual only a few hundred yards can take an hour or more, as has clearly been shown by Israeli experience in the Lebanon War.

Development of the AirMule continues. It was fitted with a fully functional, double-redundant hydraulic system to enable uninterrupted rotor pitch control in case of a failure in one of the pressure supply lines.

The Israeli company is building a second prototype and plans an automatic precision landing demonstration. A small stabilised electro-optic payload was installed on the AirMule prototype.

The D-STAMP payload, made by Israeli company Controp, is part of the AirMule's auto-land system, which will enable the aircraft to guide itself to a touchdown over any high contrast marker in the combat zone.

Rafi Yoeli, president of Urban Aeronautics, said that in cases where it will not be possible to mark the landing spot by placing a physical marker, a laser spot from an airborne designator can also be used to achieve the same result.

So the Israeli company's solution seems the right one. The coming years will be crucial in proving that it is working as designed under real-life conditions.