FlightGlobal.com
Home
Premium
Archive
Video
Images
Forum
Blogs
Jobs
Shop
RSS
Email Newsletters
You are in:
Home
Aviation History
2004
2004-09 - 1501.PDF
DEFENCE COMMUNICATIONS STEPHEN TRIMBLE / WASHINGTON DC US military adjusts network aims Ambitious vision for network-centric warfare is sidelined as connecting systems effectively becomes priority The US military's Joint Exped itionary Force Experiment (JEFX) 2004, which ended last week, sug gests the loftier aims of network- centric warfare are giving way to the more immediate goals of connect ing existing aircraft and systems. The underlying thrust of the JEFX experiments this year was not to show off new data collection sys tems, but to take existing assets and connect them using machine- to-machine interfaces. The ultimate goal is to automate the task of processing all data- streams into a single operational picture, which is now mostly an error-prone and time-consuming manual process. JEFX included 15 separate exper iments performed over a three- week period. Each experiment rep resented a new technology selected by operational commanders as a needed capability, an endorsement that is designed to smooth approvals for continued develop ment funding. The air force has classified details of several experiments, such as Project Suter III, named after the late Col Richard Suter, a pioneer of air-power theory. It is known the Suter experiment attempted to leverage networked intelligence to track small groups of terrorists that are not easily picked up by radars or signals intelligence systems. But the service has identified four projects that could yield near- term results in operations - net work-centric collaborative target ing, the datalink automated reporting system (DLARS), Gridlock, and the satellite commu nications interference response sys tem (SIRS). DLARS uses the Link 16 datalinks on board aircraft to keep track of real-time mission data, such as current weapon and fuel loads, showing which aircraft are available to strike new targets. Gridlock overlays geospatial co ordinates on imagery provided by satellites or surveillance aircraft. The system should automatically correlate images to targeting co ordinates in under 10s. The man ual process can range from dozens of minutes to several hours. SIRS is an effort to detect attempts by ground-based jammers to disrupt satellite communica tions. The Mitre-developed system tracks the source of the interfer ence, and also shows which mili tary users are being jammed. SPECIAL OPERATIONS Snowgoose set to fly Mist Mobility Integrated Systems Technology (MMIST) of Canada is to take its Snowgoose para- sail-based unmanned air- logistics vehicle into full-scale production for the US Special Operations Command (SOCOM). MMIST has received a $75 million contract for a vehi cle modified to airdrop leaflets and printed propaganda. First deliveries of the variant - designated the CQ-1OA Wind Supported Air Delivery System (WSADS) - begin soon. Training at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, will begin in October, and deployment to Iraq and Afghanistan is set for December. SOCOM has previously taken delivery of four systems, which have undergone extensive trials over the past two years. WSADS deputy programme manager Maj Roger Harris says the new order includes 18 systems, each comprising two air vehicles, ground control systems, launch cradles and system spares. Production WSADS will incor porate an Iridium satellite datalink to allow for in-flight course and waypoint updates, an identifica- tion-friend-or foe transponder and integrated blue force tracker. ACQUISITION BRENDAN SOBIE / SINGAPORE Malaysia eyes wet-lease maritime deal before purchase decision . Malaysia is looking to wet-lease up to 16 aircraft for its new maritime enforcement agency before moving forward with separate acquisitions for maritime patrol and airborne early warning requirements. Manufacturers expect a tender to be released in the fourth quarter for the operation of six to eight medium search-and-rescue heli copters and six to eight fixed-wing surveillance aircraft. Local opera tors expect to be asked to submit bids for three-year wet leases with optional extensions and are now discussing potential tie-ups with interested manufacturers. For the helicopter requirement, aircraft being pitched include the AgustaWestland A109, Bell/Agusta AB139, Bell 412, Eurocopter AS365 Dauphin and Sikorsky S-76. Malaysian Helicopter Services is likely to front the S-76 proposal and Bell is poised to select Sabah Air over Hornbill Skyways for its 412 proposal. Both are large Bell opera tors, but Hornbill's reputation has been tarnished by the fatal crash of a Bell 206 LongRanger last month. The Dauphin is operated by sev eral Malaysian operators, including Berjaya Air. There are no civil AgustaWestland operators in Malaysia, but the manufacturer's new partner, DRB-Hicom, is pitch ing the A109 and AB139, with the latter appearing more suitable given the 2005 in-service requirement. On the fixed-wing side, the Beechcraft 1900 and King Air, Pilatus PC-12 and Socata TBM 700 are among the candidates. Berjaya Air and Transmile Group are poten tial operators. DISPLAY Team tactics Russian airforce display teams the Russian Knights - flying Sukhoi Su-27s - and the Mikoyan MiG-29-equipped Strizhy are pictured practising together in a nine-aircraft for mation at Kubinka before this month's Air Fleet Day. The teams performed loops in the nine-aircraft formation- five Su-27s and four MiG-29s - which is considered difficult using two aircraft types. 18 17-23 AUGUST 2004 FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL www.flightinternational.com
Sign up to
Flight Digital Magazine
Flight Print Magazine
Airline Business Magazine
E-newsletters
RSS
Events
