Armada Aug/Sept 2014

THE TRUSTED SOURCE FOR DEFENCE TECHNOLOGY INFORMATION SINCE 1976

Issue 4/2014 August/SeptemberINTERNATIONAL


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03INTERNATIONAL 4/2014


INTERNATIONAL

Contents4/2014

www.armada.ch

19SOLDIER PROTECTION

Until they is entirely replaceable on thebattlefield by robotised systems, or better still

fighting androids, soldiers need to be protectedagainst a constantly updated threat.

PROTECT THAT SOLDIER!I Paolo Valpolini

COMPENDIUM SUPPLEMENTRADIOSBETTER COMMUNICATIONSSAVE LIVESI Peter Donaldson

06GEOSPATIAL INFORMATION – IIIMAPPING THIN AIRI Wesley Fox

14AEROSTAT OBSERVATIONA BLIMP’S POINT OF VIEWI Peter Donaldson

45SHOW REPORTSOFEX 2014I Paolo Valpolini

36GUIDED BOMBSPIN-POINT ACCURATE BOLTFROM THE BLUEI Roy Braybrook

28LANDING HELICOPTER DOCKAMPHIBIOUS ASSAULTSHIPS GAIN MOMENTUMI Luca Peruzzi

Contents_Armada Sep 14:Armada 8/14/14 4:34 PM Page 3

Index

3M Peltor 36

Aegis 16

Aeronautics 17

Aeroscraft Corporation 17

AGI 08, 10, 12

AgustaWestland 33

Alenia Aermacchi 45

Alliant Techsystems 38

Allsop 17, 18

Aselsan 12, 24, 31

AT Electronics & Comm. Inter’l 12

ATK 45

Atlantic Signal 31

Ayesas 31

BAE Systems 20, 21, 25, 30, 31, 42

Barrett Communications 12, 25

Bell 29

Benelec 12

Beretta Defence Technologies 25, 49

Boeing 08, 10, 29, 37, 38, 39

Bose 32

CA&ST 41

China South Industries Group 42

CJ Component Products 32

Cobham 12

Codan 25

Codan Radio Communications 12

Controp 17

CSOC 33, 34

DS&ME 34

Dassualt Rafael 44

DCNS 31, 32, 33

Denel Dynamics 42, 43, 44

Dicom 13, 25

Diehl BGT 43

Dyneema 21, 23, 24

EID Tactical Radio Systems 13, 26

Elbit Systems 14, 17, 18, 39, 42

Elbit Systems Land & C4I Tadiran 13

Elbit Systems of America 13, 26

Eris 08

ESM 34

Esterline 33

Eurofighter 38

Exelis 03, 04, 08, 31

Fincantieri 32, 33

General Atomics 37

General Dynamics 06, 07, 08, 37, 40

General Dynamics C4 Systems 05, 16

Gentex 20

Gulf 08

Hanjin Heavy Industries 33, 34

Harbin Jiangcheng 41

Harris 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 08, 09, 10

Harris RF Communications 04

Harris Tactical Communications 16

Havelsan 31

Honeywell 38

Huntington Ingalls Industries 29

IAI 16

Information Systems Laboratories 15

Invisio 34

Israel Aerospace Industries 42

Israel Military Industries 42

Jeppesen 08, 09

Kannad 18

KIG 49

Kongsberg Defence Systems 18

L-3 Communications 18, 31

L-3 Wescam 14, 45

Lighter Than Air Systems 17, 18

Lockheed Martin 07, 10, 14, 29, 37

Logos Technologies 17

Martin Marietta 44

MBDA 31, 33, 40, 44

Mechlab 22

Morgan Advanced Materials 21

Motorola Solutions 18

MSA 35

Navantia 29, 30, 31

Norinco 41

Northrop Grumman 15, 38

Orizzonte Sistemi Navali 32

Oshkosh 50

OSK 32

Oto Melara 34, 40

Otto Engineering 36

Panavia 38

Radmor 19

Rafael 31, 41, 42, 43

Rafale 44

Raytheon 11, 16, 36, 38, 40

Reutech 19

Rheinmetall 17, 23, 24, 46

Rockwell Collins 09, 10, 10, 36, 37

Rohde & Schwarz 20

RT 17, 18

Saab 31

Sagem 31, 32, 44

Sapura Thales Electronics (STE) 20

Sedef 31

Selex ES 06, 21, 32, 34, 48

Silynx 38

Silvus Technologies 18

Singapore Technologies Marine 34

SkySentry 17, 18

Sperry and Kevin Hughes 31

STX France 31, 32, 34

Tawazun Dynamics 43, 44

Tawazun Holding 43, 44

Tencate 24

Thales 08, 08, 09, 10, 31, 38, 45

Thales Defence and Security 22

Thales Group 22

Ultralife Corporation 10

Xacore 38

Yaroslavi Radioworks 23, 24

3M PELTOR 7

ADEX AZERBAIJAN 43

AR MODULAR 37

ARMADA DIGITAL 9

ASELSAN 17, 19, 21

AUSA C3

AVALON AUSTRALIA 47

BARRETT 15

ELBIT C4

EXELIS 5

FLIR 13

IDEX UAE C3

INVISIO C2

LAAD BRAZIL 35

LAND FORCES AUSTRALIA 39

NORTHROP GRUMMAN AEROSPACE C2

ODU 23

ROSOBORONEXPORT 1 26, 27

TEXTRON C4

TECHNICAL COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION 11

I INDEX TO ADVERTISERS

I INDEX TO MANUFACTURERSCompanies mentioned in this issue. Where there are multiple references to a company in an article, only the firstoccurence and subsequent photographs are listed below:


Issue 4/2014

August/September

INTERNATIONAL


A Mechlab photo of its V-shield body armourbeing field tested. As explained on page 19the war against weight is a difficult one to winand part-exoskeleton structures are envisagedto help soldiers bear increasing loads.

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Volume 38, Issue No. 4,August-September 2014Entries highlighted with RReedd nnuummbbeerrss are

found in Radios Compendium 2014

04 INTERNATIONAL 4/2014

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W e’re all sons of FlightSimulator. For a long time,we used to consider terraininformation as a convenient

green andbrowncarpet overwhichwe couldfly, using a few visual references to plot ourcourse and keep track of our position andtargets. This notion is being challenged bymultiple new trends:� increased air-to-ground missions inpermissive airspace;� increased need for accurate effects of airmissions, in allweather, day andnight,with agrowing air-land integration and battlemanagement;� increasedcongestionof airspace inmilitaryoperations,withmultipledrones, helicopters,aircraft sharing the third dimension withoccasional ballistic paths of rising or fallingordnance and last butnot least,� increased necessity of civil-militaryintegration requirements tomanage airspaceat all altitudes.

Digital geospatial information thusenables air control to leverage the full set ofbattlespace dimensions: sea, land, air, space,information, and more importantlyelectromagnetic spectrumand timedata.

“Air” is a key dimension for battlespacemanagement; it provides freedom of actionand higher observation positions free fromthe frictionof terrainobstacles (although still

impactedbyweather). Its commandalso callsfor dynamic coordination between terrainfeatures and navigation procedures. This iswhy aeronautical charts have little incommon with topographic maps. They doleverage terrain information though,augmenting itwithdedicated information tosegment, navigate, andmitigate airspaceuse.Visual flight route air maps thus look liketopographicmaps at first glance, but they areloadedwith flight-related informationaboutinvisible volumes, corridors, visuallandmarks and obstacles, and numberedinformationabout runwayapproachor radiofrequencies. For instrument flight rules,topographic information disappearsaltogether, to center on procedures, airwaysand navigation information. Aeronauticalcharts mark invisible walls in the sky, anddisplay codes to enteror avoid them.Militaryair dominance further adds to thiscomplexity, combiningprocedural control tonavigate airspace, as well as positive controlfrom sensors (radars, IFF) and weaponsystems to identify, track, authorize or denythe use of particular areas. In representingsuch multi-layered physical and semanticinformation, digitization and informationsystems come in handy, whereas advancedinformation visualization, supported by 3Ddisplay technologies, free airnavigation fromthe flat representations of paper maps. Byintegrating static information (terrainfeatures, airspacevolumes, radio frequencies)with dynamic information (altitude, speed,

and time computations for fast-moving airvehicles), new geospatial informationproducts have emerged to enable aircraftpilots to focus on their mission, whileplanners and controllers cande-conflict andsynchronise air operations at combined, jointandallied levels.

Typical aeronautical charting products(such as 1:250000 JointOperationsGraphicsor 1:500 000 Tactical Pilotage Charts,distributed by East View Geospatial) still

Airspace is probably themost demanding dimension foraccurate ground and 3D positioning information.Nowhere else is extensive environmental descriptionmore in demand from fast movers and ground controlalike, to provide air safety, plan navigation routes andapproach in dense environments, or orchestratecomplex air operations atmultiple altitudes betweenmanned and unmanned air vehicles, missiles and artillery.Today, as airspace coordination increasingly relies onmerged topographic and aeronautical data, the need fordigitized, integrated geospatial information risestowards Earth orbit too.


Geospatial Information-III

Mapping thin air

Wesley Fox

Geospatial III:Armada 8/14/14 4:39 PM Page 2


provide the bases of air navigation but areused as the basic information layer overwhich automation and computation featuresare integrated to maximize use of airspace.This is why raster air maps, with or withoutvector or elevation data, are the bread andbutter of drone ground control stations. Foron-board systems though, all electronicnavigation aids require certification fromboth civil and military authorities to begranted access to the cockpit. In the United

States for example, the National Geospatialintelligence Agency’s aeronautical divisionis responsible for the dissemination ofaeronautical charts, themselves compliantwith the Federal Aviation Administration.In the late-2000s, NGA embarked in anenterprise-scale roadmap to industrialisedigitized aeronautical map production andupdate, to ease integration into electronicnavigation systems. A new AeronauticalInformation eXchange Model (AIXM) was

developed to share standardized routeplanning, in-flight navigation or take-off andlanding information update betweenincreasingly connected devices, on-board oron the ground. On the vendor side, leadingaeronautical chart providers have started toteam with geospatial information companiesto enhance accuracy, information content,and interoperability of their products; forexample, the same East View Geospatial(EVG) teamed in 2012 with the younger

An air operations centre equippedwith Omnyx Air C2 leverages

digital geospatial information inthe air and space domain to

control airspace and orchestratefriendly air and space assets.

(LockheedMartin)


PlanetObserver, to distribute global andup-to-date terrain data. Combined with richaviation-related metadata maintained inEnglish,Arabic,Chinese andRussian,EVGisready tomove to full electronic charting.

I ELECTRONIC FLIGHT BAGSThe electronic charting revolution startedin the late 1970s in the mission-criticalaeronautical sector, to equip 4th generationfighter-bombers with moving maps. Asound reference is the family of HarrisFlitescene digital maps, supporting vector(navaids, airways, airports, etc), verticalobstruction points, and tactical symbology.Flitescene software still equips most of theAmerican special operations aircraft. Thislevel of digital information, which replacesthe pilot’s kneepad map display, is alreadyvaluable to plan airmissions and support in-flight navigation. In turn, standardization

and dissemination of informationtechnologies impact defence applications,and civil aviation electronic air navigationproducts now changes military flightoperations. Jeppesen, a Boeing companyfamous for its aeronautical charts, providesintegrated ground and air information onmobile devices, pioneering the concept ofelectronic flight bags (EFB).Not only do thelatter reduce paper volume carried by flightcrews, but they also act as computingdevices and thereby are able to matchaircraft performance and navigation datawith terrain, airspace and airport databasestomaximize an airmission.

iPad-based electronic flight bags wereadopted in 2012 by both US SpecialOperations Command and Air MobilityCommand, sometimes replacing legacymoving maps. Not only do they replacepaper maps and manuals, but some dulycertified versions can also be taken onboard to manage flight missions in realtime. Design-controlled EFBs type C,undergoing airworthiness and softwarecertification, can even replace multi-function displays.

View of a joint command & control system during French operations over Libya in 2011:a legacy raster aeronautical chart is used as a base layer, while Webmap services displaylocation of Libyan air defence and ballistic missiles, as well as information on their typeand range. Georeferenced friendly air tracks can be seen over the Mediterranean (Esri/Thales)


“This level of digitalinformation, whichreplaces the pilot’skneepadmap display, isalready valuable to planair missions and supportin-flight navigation.”

A typical VFR air navigation chart displaysprocedural information over terraindescription. This kind of support, in paper ordigital form, provides basic air navigationtools worldwide (Jeppesen)

A raster aeronautical chart is augmented witha drone flight path against adverse radardetection patterns andmissile ranges over thePersian Gulf, provided by AGI’s System ToolKit. This kind of simulated or live data isextensively used in planning and control ofdrone operations worldwide (AGI)



I INTEGRATED FLIGHTMANAGEMENT SYSTEMSIn the mission-critical domain, flightmanagement systems (also known as FMS)have replacednavigators and flight engineers(and in some cases navigation computers) asthe ultimate on-board aeronauticalinformation application. flight managementsystems handle flight plan from multipledatabases, updated on a monthly basis, todetermine aircraft position and compute thecourse to be followed by the pilot or theautopilot. Military aircraft can augmentnavigational sensors (radio beacons, aircontrol radars, or differential GPS) withdedicated on-board sensors (inertialnavigationsystems, terrain-followingradar) toprovideveryaccuratepositional information.

Themostdemandingairmissions, suchascloseair supportor specialoperations, requirehigh integration and automation betweenmultiple information databases to providevery strict platformcontrol. For example, theGarmin GTN 750/650 helicopter-specificdatabase manages 30,000 low altitudeobstacles, navigation information, combinedwith heliports, helicopter landing zone, andhigh-resolution terrain mapping. Takingintegration furtherwith cockpit avionics andflight controls, theRockwellCollinsHelisurefamily of integrated flight decks for criticalmission helicopters combine flightmanagement systemswith a synthetic visionsystem, helicopter terrain awareness andmultiple threat warning systems. A similartop-of-the range solution is proposed by

The Flitescene 2.7 digital map softwaredisplays aeronautical information in theflight management system of a specialoperations C-130 (Harris)


Helisure flight situational awareness solutions combine helicoptersynthetic vision with terrain awareness and warning system to allow

safe flight in poor visibility conditions (Rockwell Collins)

An electronic flight bag uses digital aeronautical charts to compute route and approach andmaximize fuel consumption, combining navigation and avionics information (Jeppesen)




Thales for its Topdeck military helicopteravionics suite, adopted by the RAF for itsupgraded CH-47 Chinook Mk 4s after initialsuccess on the civilian Sikorsky S-70.

I AIR C2 AND BATTLE MANAGEMENTGeospatial information integration intactical mission systems are key enablers ofnetwork-centric operations. Managing theair battle calls for simultaneous sharing ofterrain, navigation, and real-time tracking

information about friends, neutrals andhostiles. For on-board missions, provensystems such as the Rockwell Collins JointMoving Map Tactical Information DisplaySystem (JMMTIDS) combine networkingand messaging information from tacticaldatalinks with navigation and terrain

information (from imagery, digital terrainmodels, and aeronautical charts). Theresulting local situational awareness enablesfighter crews to focus on delivering theiraircraft and its payload over recognizedtargets, maintaining situational awarenesswhile navigating around obstacles, threatsand collision risks. Sharing tactical situationsover tactical networks paves the way to air-land-integration between fighter aircraft,tactical air control parties on the ground,and supported army or special forces units.

For ground-based air defence, latest-generationairC2smergemultiple sensordata(radar and military navigation aids) withaccurate terrain mapping to generate andmanage multiple airspace volumes. Theresulting positive control, arrayed on tacticalcommunications networks between radars,missile batteries and command centres,provides safe orchestration of complex airoperations while accommodating civilaviation requirements. The Nato Air

An interactive flight management system,such as the Topdeck fitted here in an S-70helicopter, merges air informationsystemwith flight control avionics (Thales)

3D computation of radar energy over terrain data displays fine-grain radar detection rangesand resolution at various flight level. This level of performance is achieved through a specialplug-in developed by Thales for AGI’s System Tool Kit (TRS/AGI)



Command&ControlSystem(ACCS)unifiedairC2deliveredbyThalesRaytheonSystemshas the benefit of such capabilities. It canprovide allocation and monitoring ofextendedairspacewhileperformingplanningand coordination of unmanned aircraftvehicles and helicopters (in so-calledstandard-usearmyaircraft flight routes)withmultiple aircraft flight profiles (combat,combat support,mobilityor specialmissions)at coalition level. Its interoperabilityrequirements enable ACCS to exchangeinformation with civil aviation authorities,Army aviation or field artillery unitsrequesting ballistic trajectory corridors fortheir firemissions.A fewcountriesboast suchan advanced capability as Nato ACCS; theThales Skyview Air C2 can integrate withextensive Army air defence (Martha) andartilleryC4I (Atlas) systems tomaximizeuseof airspace volumes and trajectories. TheAmericanOmnyx-10AirC2 fromLockheedMartinMission Systems & Sensors has beenprovided toTaiwan, Kazakhstan, Jordan andmore recently to Irak (through ForeignMilitary Sales); its cots-based, service-oriented architecture eases interoperabilitywithcivil air trafficmanagementandrequiresa less expert operatorbase.

I NAVIGATING ORBITAL SPACEThe increasing integration of space assets incurrentoperationshasdrawnattentionontheneed tobettermanageEarthorbit, inorder tomaximize access to it, ensure availability ofspaceassets, andtheir survivabilityagainst themany natural or man-made threats to spacevehicles. The growing congestion of lowEarth orbit or geostationary positions byactive or inactive satellites and a risingnumber of debris posing risks to activesatellites, adds to intentional threats tounattended space platforms.

Thiscongestedandcontestedenvironmenthasgivenrise tospacesituationalawarenessasa new, vital component to informationsuperiority in network-centric operations.One might be tempted to wonder about thevalidity of geospatial information in spacethough. Indeed ground references lie farbelow, and orbit is free from airspacerestrictions on safety and sovereignty.However, space is not without trajectories,flight paths and obstacles, even if all abide bythe predictable laws of space mechanics. Aspaceobjectcanachieveastabilized trajectoryin orbit, but is always subjected to slightoscillations, and its orbital parameters can bealtered to avoid slow erosion from residual

atmosphere, or collision risks with spacedebris. Also, space weather, from cosmicradiation or solar activity (solar winds oreruptions which trigger sudden chargedparticle flows), canhave a disrupting, or evendamaging impact on space systems, aswell asground communications infrastructure. Lastbutnot least, a satellitegroundfootprintmustbe assessed with accuracy, to compute itssensor swath forobservationsatellites (whichnormallyover flyagiven target siteonceadayand for a few minutes), ground spots forcommunications satellites, or their line-of-sightwithgroundcontrol stations for sendingcommandsordownloading information.

Space control is not only a boon forcommercial or government satelliteoperators worried with quality of service, italso is the privilege of a few space-richmilitary powers whose space assets areparamount to information superiority.Indeed communication satellites ensureconnectivity on a global scale, free fromgroundnetworks, while navigation satellitesmaintainpositioning accuracy andcommontime references, granting subscribers withsub-metricnavigationand targeting facilities.Observation satellites, for their part, provideregular access to areas of interest, free from

Space weather, generated by cosmicrays and the solar activity cycle (solar

flares, coronal mass ejections, andgeomagnetic storms), can compromise

communications and informationsystems, and also affect satellite orbits.

Understanding it is critical to air andspace operations (ESA)




interference from ground or air, to map,discover or assess damage.All these strategicassetsmust be controlled though,not only tofulfil their individual mission (sensor andplatform alignment, tracking of groundantennae) and surviving the hostile orbitalenvironment, but to synchronise flightoperations as constellations (e.g. optical andradar surveillance).

This is why military space operationcentres in a handful of countries (essentiallyUnited States, Russia, France, China andIsrael) share a mix of commercial andbespoke tools to provide situationalawareness and ensure accurate control oftheir space assets. One such tool is theSatellite Tool Kit (STK) from AGI,augmentedby a specialized space situationalawareness software suite. Connected to liveor simulated sensor information (groundradars or optical telescopes) andusing spacetracking algorithms, the STK can providereal-time tracking of space objects, analyseinteraction between payload and terrain,alert on collision risks, and mitigateelectromagnetic interferenceordegradation.The US Space Command in ColoradoSprings is a long-time user of STK.Memorandaofunderstandingbetween JointSpaceOperationsCommand inVandenbergAFB and allied countries (France, Israel orABCA allies) often rest on exchange of

informationmanagedby, or compatiblewithSTK. The growing need to maintain spacesituational awareness, notably a catalogue ofsome23,000 trackedobjects ofmore than10cminorbit, or earlydetectionof solar activity,has fuelled a service-based initiative fromAGI and theprivate SpaceDataAssociation,to provide commercial services to proven oremerging space powers. The recentCommercial Space Operations Centreinitiative (ComSpOC) is thus challenginglegacy space surveillance systems, that canbetempted to augment their non-critical spacetracking activity by the AGI-providedSpacebook catalogue of orbital objects, orleverage sensorsonaglobal scale. Since spacepower is increasingly linked to sovereigntythough, progress may be slow before spacesurveillance is put into the hands of non-national, private entities. A more pragmaticapproach is a burden sharing betweeninternationalbodies (e.g. theEuropeanSpaceAgency), national space agencies,commercial providersorpart of the scientificcommunity, to provide common services totrack hazardous objects in orbit andwarnings of re-entry of large objects, oranticipate andmitigate space weather.Moremission-critical tasks, such as the safeoperation of national satellites, or thetracking of adverse space capabilities (in-orbit or through their ground footprint) canthus be left to military forces. In any case,such capabilities are drawing interest from agrowing number of countries outside space

powers, either because they have recentlyacquired valuable space assets, or becausethey worry about the use adverse countriescoulddoof their own.

I BETTER, BUT DIFFERENTAerospace geospatial informationrequirements thus differ from classicalground mapping, integrating much moredynamic (semantic or spectrum-related)knowledge, while powerful decision supportand asset optimisation potential rests onsuccessful and accurate integration ofaerospace and terrain information withweather (space or atmospheric) data, sharedbetween fast movers and operational ortactical commandcentres. The trendhas justbegun to exploit information of aeronauticalinterest in all dimensions of the battlespacewithaviewtoservingcommunitiesof interestwith high-resolution, accurately located andstandardized geospatial information. Fewcompanies combine the know-how of high-grade geospatial information production,integration into standardised, enterprise-based architectures, and dissemination ofhigh-value services to operational users. Butthe growing role of geospatial informationsystems, and the increasingly matureinteroperability standards in both thecommercial and military spheres, showsevery sign of a bright future for theexploitation of the immaterial fields of thebattlespace to augment ground andatmosphericphysical information.

The CSpOC initiative is aiming at combining various national space surveillance sensors to mapEarth orbit andmaintain a shared catalogue of tracked space objects, in order to maximizeaccess to orbit, now considered as a common area of development (Space Data Association)

An Ikonos imaging satellite manoeuvres inlow Earth orbit in a cluttered environment,displayed in terms of areas of uncertaintyaround each tracked orbital object.Maintaining accurate orbital parameters andanticipating collision risks in orbit isparamount to ensure safe operations ofsatellites (AGI)



I MILLION-HOUR PERSISTENCEThe US Army/Lockheed Martin PersistentThreatDetection System (PTDS)has loggedmore than a million mission hourssupporting forces in Iraq and Afghanistansince 2007, boosting real-time situationalawareness to help troops identify IEDs andtrack insurgents. LockheedMartinhas built,delivered and crewed 66 systems comprisedof aerostats, sensors and ground stations.Airborne around the clock for weeks, the

craft is based on Lockheed Martin’s 74KAerostat, the number referring to its 74,000cubic feet (2,100 cubic metres) envelope.Measuring 35 metres long, it can lift a 500-kg payload to its 5,000-ft operating altitude,extending the radar horizon to 160-km. It isconnected to amovablemooring by a tetherthat includes optical signal fibre and powercabling. Communication to the wider forcegoes through a secure backbone.L-3 Wescam’s MX20, an “ultra-long-

range”multi-spectral imaging and targetingsystem with up to seven sensors in astabilised turretweighing91-kg.The turret is

stabilised to four microradians, the innergimbal in pitch, roll and yaw, the outerazimuth and elevation. There is a choice ofmid-wave thermal imagers, onewith a 640 x512 element detector and an HD optionwith a 1,280 x 1,024 chip, each with fourfields of view. TheHD imager, for example,offers 31.5°, 6.4°, 1.3° and 0.86° with 1,080presolution. The second sensor is a colourHD TV camera with continuous zoombetween 40.5° and 2.8°. Sensors three andfour are long lens daylight and low-lightspotter cameras, the latter offering fourfields of view between 0.73° and 0.14°.


Aerostats occupy a sweet spot, providing a lessmobile but farmore persistentsurveillance than aeroplanes and drones. This old idea revitalised by newmaterials,sensor and communications technologies has proved invaluable for counter-insurgency. The United States has been very enthusiastic, operates several large,long-endurance types and smaller tactical systems. Israeliindustry has developed a number of integrated systems,and France, Germany and Britain also have companiesactive in the area offering innovative envelopes,sensor combinations and operational concepts.

Aerostat Observation

A Blimp’s Point of View

Peter Donaldson

Aerostat:Armada 8/14/14 4:44 PM Page 2


Sensor five is an eye-safe laser range finderaccurate to 10 metres at up to 30-km.Sensors six and seven are laser illuminators.TheArmyPTDS teamalso has evaluated the99.8-kgMX25.The radar is Northrop Grumman’s 29.5-

kg AN/ZPY-1 StarLite synthetic apertureradar offering strip and spot modes, plusgroundmoving target indication capable ofspotting vehicles and dismounts. In stripmode, the StarLite generates imagery along aspecifiedpath,while in spotmode it images aselected area. The moving target indicationmodes overlay symbols on a digitalmap.

I MOBILE REAPA smaller, moremobile system operated bytheUSArmy and theUnitedArab Emiratesis the Rapidly Elevated Aerostat Platform(or REAP) XLB from Information SystemsLaboratories (ISL). It can be carried by anFMTV truck or towed by a Humvee. Itdeploys automatically on command from ahand-held controller, inflating itself as itemerges from its container, and rising to its1,000-ft operating altitude in 20 minutesand remaining there for up to seven days.

While assembly and recovery require threepeople, REAP can be deployed by one.The balloon has a volume of 5,000 cubic

feet (142 cubicmetres) and is 12metres longand six metres tall. ISL quotes a payload of20-kg carried on a bar assembly, which cansupport sensors including cameras, lasers,signals intelligence, direction finders andcommunications relays, etc.Withouthelium,the REAPweighs around 1,134-kg ready fordeployment. Power comes from a 24 Vbattery. Made from urethane impregnated

The Persistent Ground Surveillance System(PGSS), a 22-metre aerostat, provides

surveillance at heights of up to 2,000 feet,its camera feeding full motion video

directly to a tactical operations centre.PGSS aerostats have found bombmakers

and improvised explosive devices andhelped locate weapon caches. (US DoD)

Amember of an American provincialreconstruction team in Afghanistan

watches as a REAP is inflated. Built byInformation Systems Laboratories, itcan carry 20-kg to 5,000-ft, needs a

team of just three and can be operatedfrom a truck or trailer. (US Navy)


nylon, the envelope can be repaired in thefield if it suffers damage from small armsfire. Small holes and lowpressuremean veryslowdeflation.

I IRAQ REQUEST TACTICAL 17MSExperience with American aerostatoperationshas led the Iraqimilitary torequestup to seven of TCOM’s 17M aerostats, asreported by the US Defense SecurityCooperationAgency (DSCA)on13May.Therequest also covers up to 14 Rapid AerostatInitialDeployment tower systemsalongwitha trainingandsupportpackagewortharound$90 million. TCOM, which builds aerostatsforprimecontractorRaytheon,buildswhat itterms tactical, operational and strategic classaerostat systems.The company’s systems have served

extensively in Iraq andAfghanistan andhelpmonitor America’s border with Mexico.Optimised for inland surveillance, thehighlymobile 12M and 17M aerostats can bedeployed in hours from trailers and remainaloft for up to sevendays, normally at 1,000-ft. Both operate in winds of up to 40-kt andsurvive 55-kt. Larger current “operational”aerostats include 22M and 28M vehicles.Carrying radar, signals intelligence andcomms relay equipment, they are oftenusedin coastal andport surveillance.IAI Elta Systems based its EL/I-330

Multi-PayloadAerostat System (MPAS) on a

TCOM 32M that carries a GMTI radarcapable of detecting vehicles at 20-km andpeople on foot at 10-km, pairedwith an IAITamamMosp turret housing television andthermal imaging sensors. With a typicaloperating altitude of 3,280-ft, it can carry a363-kg payload, operate in winds of 55-kt,gusting to 70.TCOM’s largest systems are the 71Mand

74M “strategic” aerostats. Operated fromfixedmooring stations because of their size,they can carry 1,600-kg to 15,000-ft or twicethat weight to 10,000-ft respectively. Bothcan remain airborne for 30 days and canoperate in 70-kt winds and survive at 90 or100-kt. The Raytheon Joint Land AttackCruise Missile Defense Elevated NettedSensor (JLENS) system is based on TCOMvehicles of this size.Still a developmental system, the JLENS is

arguably the most ambitious aerostatsurveillance system ever. It has shownpromise in cruise missile and ballisticmissile defence tests and is on the way tobecoming a fixture in the United States’integrated air defence system as part of theNoble Eagle low-altitude air defence effort.Known as an orbit, a JLENS consists of apair of aerostats and their ground segment.One carries a wide area surveillance radarsupplied by Raytheon Space and AirborneSystems, the other a fire control radar fromRaytheon IDS.

I JLENS COMBINES SURFACESURVEILLANCE, MISSILE DEFENCEThe last three years have been marked bymilestones for the JLENS, which proved itsability to track cruise missile surrogates,drones, fighters andsurface targets ina seriesof tests inUtah at the endof 2011. It followedthis with a test in which it provided firecontroldata toaPatriotbattery thatdestroyedacruisemissile surrogateoverUtah.In June 2012, soldiers qualified using the

system todetect, track and engage swarmingboats and cruise missiles from hundreds ofmiles away.The JLENSalso generated target-quality data on multiple speedboats on theGreat Salt Lake. In September 2012,Raytheon reported that the system hadworked with Aegis to cue a Standard SM-6to the destruction of an anti-ship cruisemissile surrogate. Thiswas followedby a testinwhich the systemsimultaneously detectedand tracked “double digit” swarming boats,hundreds of cars and trucks, other boats andaircraft including drones.Announced in January 2013, the next

event was a multi-sensor demonstration inwhich it employed an electro-opticalMulti-SpectralTargeting System(MTS-B) towatcha terrorist role-player planting a roadsidebomb while the radar tracked multiplesurface targets, groundwork for laterintegration of these sensors. It went on todetect and track four ballistic surrogates in

A JLENS aerostat onWhite Sands Missile Range in NewMexico. The full system includestwo aerostats, one with a surveillance radar, the other with a fire control radar. Over the lastthree years it has proved its ability against a wide range of airborne, ballistic and surfacethreats over sea and land. (White Sands Missile Range)




their boost phase, an achievementannounced inFebruary 2013. In sixweeks ofEarly User Testing completed in July, USArmy soldiers ran it through several realisticscenarios and tested its endurance with 20days of continuous operation. In July 2013the JLENS successfully cued an Amraamfired by an F-15E onto an anti-ship cruisemissile surrogate.While the JLENS combines two radars

carried by two aerostats, Israeli companyAeronautics tookadifferentapproachwith itssmallerPersistent SurveillanceSystem(PSS),pairing the aerostat with a tower. ThePersistentSurveillanceAerostat (PSA)carriesits electro-optical sensor up to 300 metres,providing a range of up to 20-km. ThePersistentSurveillanceTower (PST)canraiseits electro-optics and optional radar sensorsup to32metres, extending its reach to10-kmin all weathers. Control software adds valueto the imagery with meta data such as thesensor’s field of view, target range andposition. The Canadian Army deployed thedevice in Afghanistan, an application forwhichRheinmetall actedasprimecontractor.

I DEDICATED SENSORSWhile aerostats successfully employ sensorsdeveloped for other airborneplatforms suchas fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters anddrones, sensors designed specifically forthempromise greater things. In 2009, Israel’sControp introduced roll stabilisationwith its23-kg Speed-Acamera system to counter therolling motions characteristic of lowrelatively low-altitude aerostats. TheCanadian Armywas an early adopter, usingthe system aboard its RT SkyStar 300s, withother operators in Europe and elsewhere inaddition to Israel. Exhibited publicly for thefirst timeat the2013ParisAir Show, Speed-Afeatures continuous zoom lenses on itsthermal and day cameras, an optional laserrangefinder and a laser pointer.The company’s new 27 kg DSP-HD

payload is intended for aerostats as well ashelicopters, light reconnaissance aircraftand drones, the company announced on 4April 2014. DSP-HD features a full HDcolour day camera, optical zoom in itsthermal camera as well as a black andwhiteor colour HD day spotter channel, eye-safelaser rangefinder and a laserpointer/illuminator. Unlike the Speed-A,the DSP-HD has no roll stabilisation, butControp explains that it is not needed forhigh altitude aerostat operations.Logos Technologies in America took a

new approach to dedicated aerostat sensors,emphasising wide area electro-opticalcoverage.Airborne systemsoftenpair radarsand optical sensors, the radar scanningcontinuously through 360° and cueing thecameras to take a closer look at targets ofinterest. Logos rethought thiswith itsKestrelsystem,usingaspinningelectro-optical turretwith mid-wave infrared sensors to collectimageryall aroundwhat it describes as a city-sized area,with camera resolutionoptimisedtodetect and trackvehicles anddismounts.The 68-kg system monitors multiple

“watch boxes” at once, says the company,enabling operators to look at several areas ofinterest at the same time, with unlimitedpanning and digital zooming contributingmuch tooverall situational awareness.Whenit detects activity in a selected watch box,Kestrel sends a cue to the operator, whomight respondbyputtingFMVsensors ontothe area. With recording capability and aninterface to aGeospatial InformationSystem(see our article – the third of a series of five onthe subject – elsewhere in this issue), theKestrel can track targets in real timeor tracethemback to their point of origin.Managedby the Naval Air Systems Command anddeployed in Afghanistan sinceMarch 2012,theKestrel passedanoperationalmilestoneof60,000 hours in theatre last summer.

I SMALL AEROSTATS SOARSmaller aerostats systems represent an areainwhich there is significant innovation andgrowth, driven by the need for low-costpersistent surveillance capabilities that canbe launched, operated, recovered andmoved using small vehicles and fewpersonnel. It is a competitive area withcompanies such as Allsopp in Britain, Elbitand RT in Israel, Aeroscraft Corporation(“Aeros”), Lighter Than Air Systems andSkySentry in the United States offering agrowing range of innovative aerostats andintegrated systems and participating inmilitary operations and exercises.Aeros announced the seventhorder for its

new low-cost, rapidly deployable Sky Crowsystem at the end of March. The company issupplying the system to the DoD foroperations outside theUnited States informssenior military programmemanager MarioPantuso pointing to growth in the productline and the company’s pursuit of newmilitarymarketopportunities.TheSkyCrowoperates at 1,000-ft inwindsup to40-kt.Aeronautics’ subsidiary RT reported in

March this year that it has been invited to


Controp’s new 27-kg DSP-HD is intended foraerostats as well as helicopters, lightreconnaissance aircraft and drones. The DSP-HD features a high-definition colour camera,optical zoom in its thermal camera, a high-definition black-and-white or colour dayspotter channel, an eye-safe laser rangefinderand a laser pointer/illuminator. (Controp)

Built by RT in Israel, Skystar 180 has apayload capacity of 6.5 kilos and can bereadied for launch in 15 minutes from a smalltrailer by a crew of only two (RT)


provide a SkyStar 180 system for the nextiterationof theArmyExpeditionaryWarriorExperiment, known as Spiral J. Theexperimentputsavarietyofnewtechnologiesin the hands of soldiers to explore theirpotential and scope their strengths andweaknesses. They also complement theArmy’s Network Integration Evaluation(NIE)process.With83 technologies selected,Spiral J is scheduled for January-February2015 and has improvement of small unit ISRamong itsmanyobjectives.Based on a single-axle trailer that can be

towed behind a civilian pick-up truck, theSkyStar 180 can lift up to 6.5-kg to about1,000-ft, can operate for three dayswith a 20minute re-inflationbreak after 72hours andis operated from a portable ground controlstation. Twopeople can inflate and launch itin 15minutes, says the company.RT’s systemshad loggedmore thanhalf a

million flight hours around the world. Aswell as Israel, the company has systemsoperating in Africa, South America, the FarEast,NorthAmerica andAfghanistan. Since2002 in Gaza and Afghanistan there havebeen constant attempts to shoot the aerostatsdown, butwithout success, according toRT’sChief ExecutiveOfficerRami Shmueli.Local competition comes from Elbit

Systems, whose Oasis deployable aerostatsurveillance system includes the company’sMicroCompass electro-optical and laser-capable turret, which weighs less than ninekilos, trailer inflator, ground anchor, controlstation and a digital video recorder. Thesystem can be deployed from its trailer to its590-ft operating height in 20 minutes, Elbitfigures indicate.Lighter Than Air Systems, part of the

World Surveillance Group, was invited toNIE14.2,which tookplace inApril andMay,with a pair of its self-contained, trailermounted BiB 250 “ Blimp in a Box” systemsfollowing successful participation in NIE14.1, where they were referred as WinchAerostat Small Platforms (Wasps). The BiB250 uses a four-metre diameter Kingfisheraerostat that can remain airborne for days at1,000-ft in 50-ktwinds. Like the SkyStar 180,it can be deployed in 15 minutes andoperatedby twopeople.Kingfisher aerostatshave a spheroid shape and a fabric wingunderneath, features that enhance theirstability inhighandvariablewinds andmakebalancing the systemwith apayload easier. Ituses two-axis stabilised three-gimbal systemssimilar to thoseusedbydrones,with aweighof less than3.5-kg.On21 January, SkySentry announced the

release of a new mooring platform for itsTactically Expedient Aerostat (TEA) range.Developed over the previous year, the self-contained platform can support aerostatsfrom34 to 75 cubicmetres in volume, canbeplaced on flat-bed trailers, trucks, boats orground sites and is heavy enough tohold theaerostats inplacewithout further anchoring,says the company.SkySentry builds systems with payload

capacities between two and 50-kg that useAllsopp’s hybrid Helikites, which usebuoyancy fromheliumand aerodynamic liftfrom the integral kite. SkySentry says thatthe resulting lift measured in kilos is abouthalf of the aerostat’s volume in cubicmetresin zero wind conditions, with much moreavailable in a steadywind. This combinationis claimed to provide payload and altitudeperformance usually associated with largervehicles. A 45 cubic metres TEA-45, forexample, can lift about 22-kg to 1,000-ft,providing a line of sight of about 66-km tothe horizon and needs helium topping upapproximately every five to seven days. Twooperators can launch it in about anhour andrecover it in about 20minutes.Lighter than air systems may be the

oldest practical aviation technology, but it isfar fromoutdated.


The unusual combination ofMilitary Sealift Command high-

speed vessel Swift (HSV-2) and atethered Raven Aerostar TIF-25K

aerostat demonstrated theirpotential counter illicit trafficking

and other transnational organisedcrime at sea during Operation

Martillo in the Caribbean inspring 2013. (US Navy)




Under the auspices of ProgramExecutive Office Soldier, the USArmy is developing its SoldierProtection System (SPS), with

three major objectives:� achieve a 5-15% weight reduction over thecurrent soldier’s load using maturetechnologies to reduce risks and to be sureto reach the desired results.�obtain better efficiency in the design form,fit and function to increase soldier comfort,

and – importantly – preserve compatibilitywith current systems in use.� guarantee modularity and missionadaptability in dichotomy with today’sapproach which sees the addition of multiplesystems that often present redundancies.

Integration must involve two sides of theprotective skin: first the inner skin of thesystem itself to ensure that all the protectionelements fit perfectly together to achievemaximum protection for a minimumweight, then the outer side to ensurecompatibility with external elements suchas night vision goggles and the modular

lightweight load carriage equipment(basically a modern rucksack).

The SPS includes a number ofcomponents such as protective undergarment, enhanced army combat pants,ballistic knee pads/elbow pads, enhancedarmy combat shirt, enhanced ballistic gloves,protective outer garment, plate carrier,

Until they is entirely replaceable on the battlefield by robotised systems, or better stillfighting androids, soldiers need to be protected against a constantly updated threat.Gone are the days when men were sent out on the muddy field of Verdun to stopraining steel shells with their chests, and when their alternative was to face the pistolmuzzle of their own commanders.

Soldier Protection

Protect that Soldier!

Paolo Valpolini Since 2007 the US Army has adopted fireresistant combat uniforms to cope with the

threat posed by the flash of improvisedexplosive devices. (US Army)

Soldier Protection:Armada 8/14/14 4:50 PM Page 3

ballistic plates, enhanced combat helmetwith nape protection, transition combat eyeprotection, integrated soldier sensor suiteandhearing protection.

For many items the programme foreseestwo Developmental Testing (DT) phasesknown as DT1 and DT2, involving amaximum of three competitors, that willeventually lead to a low-rate initialproduction phase and ultimately equip aBrigade Combat Team with 6,518 kits.Currently the programme is at DT1, withsome contracts already announced. Two ofthemare linked to the IHPS(IntegratedHeadProtection System) and have been assignedto Gentex and Revision. BAE Systems haswonaDT1contract forballisticplates and forthe Integrated Soldier Sensor System (ISSS).These are part of the Vital Torso Protectionwhich aims at reducing weight whilemaintaining the current baseline ballisticplate performance. The requirements alsocall for the incorporation of a sensorcapability to gaugeplate serviceability at userlevel. The programme requires a weightdecreasebetween10%and15%.Forexample,a medium-size Esapi plate (front or rear)currently weighs 5.5 lb (2.5 kg), thresholdrequirement is 4.91 lb (2.23 kg) while

objective requirement is 4.63 lb (2.1 kg).Within the DT1 phase BAE Systemsmanaged to reduce weight by 4-10% – amajor part of this being attributable to theadoptionofnew formulationceramics,whilethe remainingsavingwasdue inequalparts tothe use of next-generation polyethylenefibres and toan improved internalprocessingfor producing the armourpackage.

Turning to DT2, BAE Systems believes

that a further weight reduction is possiblethrough further materiel refinements andnew bonding resins to improve traumareduction. According to BAE Systems, evenmore improvements might be obtainedthrough a better integrationof soft andhardelements. Incidentally the company hasshelved its liquid armour programme forVital Torso protection applications, as thishas shown an insufficient weight versus

BAE Systems developed the IntegratedSoldier Sensor Systemwhich, beside ballisticprotection, also includes a power and dataarchitecture that can be embedded in beltsand harnesses, plate carriers and ballisticvests. (Armada/P. Valpolini)

BAE Systems Gen II helmet sensor is being replaced by the Gen III system that will improvethe gathering of information for diagnosis. (US Army)

For the time being technology jumps did not materialise, body armour weight reductionsbeing more an evolution than a revolution. (US Army – PEO Soldier)


Soldier Protection


performance in this particular application.Better hopes are promised by carbonnanotubes and nanotype structures whenthese are not yet producible in sufficientquantities and at acceptable costs.The ISSS is an integrated suite of body-

worn sensors thatmonitors and recordsheadaccelerations andblast overpressures duringanenergetic or impact event. It alsomonitorsand displays real-time physiological statussuchasheart rate, corebody temperature andheat stress. It includes a display device and acommondata retrieval systemusing unifiedsoftware and a wireless data acquisitionsystem to minimise field servicerepresentative support. The correlation ofhead acceleration and body overpressure intandemwithembeddedalgorithmswill allowmedical teams to gather better informationfor use in diagnoses and treatment. TheBAESystems approach utilises the Gen III HeadSensor (thecompanyhasalreadysupplied theUSArmywithaGenIIHeadSensorcurrentlyinuse) togetherwith twocots systems–ablastoverpressure gauge and a basic health statusmonitoring system – that are currently intheir lastphaseof adaptation tomeet the ISSSstandards. Because the amount of produceddata is considerable, BAE Systems isproposing a system that will only transmit“flaggeddata”of events that exceed thresholdlimits. This will reduce both throughput andenergy consumption. The ISSS contract wasawarded in August 2013, with the prototypedelivery scheduled forAugust-September forfield evaluation, followed by low-rate initialproduction inFY15.

I MATERIALSMorgan Advanced Materials in Britain,formerly NP Aerospace, has recentlyintroduced its Lasa, with the aimof offeringmaximum protection for a minimumweight with increased freedom ofmovement. The Lasa consists of threemajorelements: the helmet, torso protection andlower body armour.The new helmet uses the latest upgrades

inmateriel developed byMorgan AdvancedMateriel. The company adopted a hybridapproach, exploiting Kevlar’s rigidity whileleveraging theDyneema fragmentprotectionperformance. This reduced shell weight bysome400grams, bringing thehelmetweightunder the one-kilo mark, while keeping thesame shape and protected surface as thestandard Mark 7 helmet in service in theBritish Army. A key factor has been thedevelopment of the manufacturing process

that allowed the Kevlar-Dyneema couplingto be achieved. This R&Dwork led to a newBritishArmyhelmet, knownas theMark7A.Known as the AC904 on the export marketthis features only marginal differences andmaintains the same four-point chinstrap andthe good blunt trauma performances thatproved their worth in mine accidents thatpropelled British soldiers against theirvehicle’s roof. A high-cut version providing

better situational awareness is alsoavailable astheAC905whichweighs 100grams less.Thenew process allows a saving of 40% on theAC904 shell (50%on theAC905s), bringinga29% weight saving on the helmet system(36%on theAC905).A similar path was followed in the

manufacturing of the ballistic plates, with athirdmateriel added in the formof ceramics.MorganAdvancedMateriel produces its own

Morgan AdvancedMaterials Lightweight Armour Soldier Architecture allows an overall savingof around six kilos between helmet, torso protection and lower body armour. (Morgan AM)



ceramics which allows the company to fullycontrol theprocess.AllMorganplates featurethe company’s Crack Mitigation System(CMS) which adds further multi-hitperformance.According toMorgan the newprocess saves around twokilos for eachof thetwomain plateswhich, added to a 200-gramlighter soft armour, results in a vest assemblysaving of 500 grams. Further savings of 200to 700grams in theTier 2/3 garments lead toanoverallweight savingof over six kilos.

In Italy MechLab, a start-up companyspecialised in military R&D, starteddeveloping an innovative concept in 2011based on a fully-rigid body armour ratherthan the typical soft-rigid package. A mostinnovative development, however, was thefirst-generation torso-rachid exoskeletonthat that transfers the shoulder-borneweightto the leg muscles and thereby decreases

stress levels and allow for a potential loadincrease. The MechLab exoskeleton is asystem that merely allows optimising load-carrying. While it does have someelectrically powered regulation actuators, itsenergy consumption is extremely lowwhencompared to the more complex solutionsdesigned to carry a soldier’s load. Thesystem, knownasV-Shield (also see cover), ispart of the Advanced Individual ProtectionSystem(AIPS)programme launched in2011by MechLab with Italian MoD financing. Itaims at improving thermal regulation,optimising ergonomics and powerconsumption, reducing rachis stress andincreasing protection. Thanks to itsexoskeleton configuration the V-Shieldplates have minimal contact with thesoldier’s body thus easing perspiration andbody cooling either naturally or through the

use of powered ventilation. It also has ahydration system.

Still under development, theV-Shield hasevolved considerably over time. The MkIIversionadded shoulderplates andadditionalprotection for arms and legs and a manualsettingof the structure,while theMkIII sawarestylingofall armourplates togetherwith theadoption of a release system for the spinalstructure. In the Mk IV the V-Shield wasequipped with a harness for heli-winchoperations and easy extraction fromarmouredvehicles; sideplateswere separatedfrom the front plate, while a motorisedstructure settingsystemwasadopted.TheMkIV Plus adopts a spherical joint, a newanatomic back, and features more compactplates. MechLab is currently working on theMark V, which will see a redesign of armourplates to meet army requirements and theadoptionof abiometric sensor.Qualificationof the ballistic package andharnesswill soonstart inviewofdeliveryof theV-ShieldMkVI


Soldier Protection

Mechlab is co-operating closely with the Italian Army in testing the V-Shield prototypes.The final version should be delivered to the Army by the end of 2014. (Mechlab)


with its optimised and industrialised version of the newbody armour byyear end to theMoD.

According todataprovidedbyMechLab, a comparisonof theV-Shieldwith the current Italian Army body armour show that the 34% lighterweight configuration V-Shield provides 29% more protected surfaceagainst 7.62x39 mm ball ammunition. As for the heavy configuration,theV-Shield ensures 79%moreprotection for only a 6%weight increaseagainst theAK-47ball ammo.MechLabunderlines that the key elementto take into consideration is reduced soldier effort, around30%, thanks toreducedback stress, improved thermal regulationand increasedmobility,whichdecreases theweight impressionby asmuchas –35%.

I ERGONOMICS AND FIREMany othermanufacturers are working on both ballistic properties andergonomics. In its Thor load-bearing system NFM has adopted fullmodularity. Indeed the systemis able toact as aplate carrier, a chest rigora vest. To improve ergonomics a lumbar belt ensuresweight distributionaround the waist and hip while an X-yoke ensures optimal burdenredistributionon the shoulders.Ventilation channels help improvebody

Exploiting DSM Dyneema Force Multiplier Technology Rheinmetallimproved its Verha ballistic plates further reducing weight and improvingprotection. (Armada/P. Valpolini)



Soldier Protection

cooling during intense activity. As forprotection–NFMiswellknownfor itsplates–the Thor system guarantees optimal platealignment,whichensures identicalprotectionfront andrear aswell asoptimalbalancing.AtMilipol 2013 Rheinmetall of Germany

exhibited its improvedVerhaballisticplates,anacronym standing for Versatile RheinmetallArmour, while Tencate showcased its Multi-light insert. Both plates use DSMDyneemanewForceMultiplierTechnologybuilt on theRadical Innovation platform, the company’snewest product development programme.Dyneema Force Multiplier Technologycombines breakthroughs in polymerscience, and is considered the next-generation fibre technology the uni-directional engineering ofwhich delivers upto 25% higher ballistic protection whilereducingweight by up to 20%.Protection is by no means limited to

ballistics. Resistance to flame has become akey issue due to the increased number ofburns causedby roadsidebombs in Iraq after

the second Gulf War. Of course flame-resistant fabrics were already available, butweremostly aimed at nichemarkets such asfire-fighters and other operators for whomfirewas a daytime threat. Aircraft pilots andarmoured vehicles crews also useduniformsmostly made from Dupont Nomex.Extremely resistant to flames, this fabricwashowever not optimised for use ininfantrymen combat uniforms. While acombat soldier will not have to dare flameslike a fire-fighter, hemight be exposed to theflash caused by a nearby explosion. Actualexposure time is thus very limited. The firstmajor company reacting to thenewneedwasTencate. In 2006 the company unveiled itsDefender M, a flame-resistant, lightweightand breathable fabric that self-extinguisheswhen exposed to fire.At theheart of thenewfabric is the Lenzing viscose fibre, a naturalrawmaterial that features a flame retardantsubstance incorporated throughout the crosssection of the fibre. In its most recentversions of its DefenderM Tencate declares

64% Lenzing fibre, with 24% para-aramidicfibre, 10% polyamid and 2% antistatic. Inthis mix the para-aramid and polyamidpercentage was optimised to increasedurability. Since 2007 theDefenderM fabrichas been adoptedby theUSArmy for its FireResistantArmyCombatUniform(FRACU)and by the Marine Corps for its FlameResistantOrganisationalGear (FROG).TheAustralianDefence Force also adopted it, aswell as the Italian Army that is fielding it inthenewcombatuniformspart of the SoldatoFuturo programme.One of the last nations to have adopted

Tencate’s product are theNetherlands for themanufacture of the uniforms of the specialunits operating inMali.Overall 19 countriesare currently using Tencate’s Defender M,which initiallyweighed 210 g/m2, but that isnowalso available in 180 g/m2 form.InOctober 2011W.L. Gore&Associates

announced the introduction of the GorePyrad flame retardant which can be used totransform the non flame-retardant fabrics,often used in military garments such asnylon and polyester based fabrics, intoflame-retardants. The Pyrad can thus be

Tencate Multi-light plates exploit the new Force Multiplier Technology unveiledin 2013 by DSM Dyneema. (Armada-P. Valpolini)



used for battledress uniforms as well as forrainproof breathable jackets. Nylon andpolyester face fabrics are inherently abrasionand pilling resistant. Moreover they are aperfect support for printing infraredcamouflage patterns. Garments can bewashed at high temperatureswithout losingtheir camouflage pattern, colour stabilitybeing another key advantage, mechanicaldurability remaining also unaltered aftermultiple washing cycles. Talking aboutouter shells, compared to a standardGoreTex garment, a Pyrad one is 5-7%heavier and has a slightly lowerbreathability. However, according to Gore,the latter factor remains higher than thatobtained with other flame-retardantsolutions. Pyrad garments are currently inusewith French special forces units, thougha major customer appears to be Italy, whohas adopted the Gore solution for the outershell in its Soldato Futuro programme, thebattledress of its Joint Landing Force aswellas those of some of the units of its jointspecial forces. At least another undisclosedcustomer adopted the Gore solution for itsSpecial Forces units, while some countriesare currently testing the product.

While some systems are alreadybeingused in the wake of the

demonstration organised in November2013, September 2014 should mark thestart of the Talos (Tactical Assault LightOperator Suit) programme launched bytheUSSpecialOperationsCommand.Theprogramme is basedonnine key elements.Requirements call for an advanced armourmade ofmaterials capable to support nextgeneration full-body NIJ-IV ballisticprotection, including thehead. Some formof blast pressure wave mitigation is alsobeing considered.A solution that could beadopted to improve current ballistic platesperformance is the use of nano-particlebasedSheraThickeningFluid in theKevlarfabric, which might considerably reducethe number of layers (hence the weight)needed toprovide an equivalent protection

level. This technology is still underdevelopment since the 2000s, but mighteventually allow ceramics – whichrepresent a considerable part of today’sballistic package weight – to be discarded.Because protection should not hampermobility and agility, the Talos shouldfeature apoweredexoskeletons capability torestoremobility once theoperatordons thefull-body vest. Body worn and remotesensor integration, fusion, anddisplaywill

improve the understanding of the tacticalenvironment.TheC4suitewill bepivotal tothat, allowing the operator to be fullynetworked. Weight reduction remains amust, thus wearable antennae, computersandadvanced radios are required.Toavoidinformation overload proper human-machine interface is also needed; non-visual means of information display arebeing looked into including the use ofcognitive thoughts and the surroundingenvironment to display personalisedinformation. Discretion remains a must,thus systems enhancing light and noisediscipline will be included, with thermalmanagement an important part of thegame. Improved medical assets mightinclude embedded monitoring, oxygensystems, wound stasis, and so on. All thiswill require power, thus new forms ofpower generation and management arebeing considered.

Talos: the Socom approach

Beretta Defense Technologies developed acomplete line of combat garments most ofthem being flame retardant and adopting theGore Pyrad technology. (Armada/P. Valpolini)


In the 21st century naval warfare in opensea and oceanic regions requires navalcommanders and headquarters to plan

combat actions taking well-groundeddecisions in a complex and volatile tacticalsituation under a systematic timeshortage pressure. Enemy massed fire,electronic and informationcountermeasures make this combatenvironment even more complex. Theabove factors greatly raise requirementsfor tactical training levels of admirals andnaval officers.

Theory and practice of modern warfaredictates that commanders and their staffofficers should have perfect command ofskills that allow them to properly evaluatebattle situation, quickly make decisions,and provide all-round support andinteraction for task forces.They must beable to prepare optimal plans at shortnotice, offering most effective weaponsdelivery options for current situation andnonstandard tactical maneuvers. At thesame time commanders and officers musthave full and clear vision of real-time battlesituation at the sea theater, exercise covertand swift control over subordinate forces,maintain communications with superior

commanders/headquarters, forecastfurther development of the situation.

Such skills, knowledge and experienceare needed to exercise efficient controlover naval, mixed forces and task forces,and, ultimately, to ensure successfulaccomplishment of assault, antisubmarine,landing and other operations.

However, the question is how to get allthis knowledge in good time, as well ashow to gain adequate combat experiencein the peaceful period.

Usually for this purpose were conductedlarge-scale naval training exercisesburdened with high financial spendingsand, sometimes, with serious damage ofcostly ships and shipborne equipment.

Nowadays, the best way to raisetraining levels of naval officers and navaltask forces is to actively introducecomputerised education methods,training classes and combat/tacticalexercises conducted with the help ofcomputer-based simulators. They provideunlimited opportunities for reviewing andanalysing trainees’ actions,identifying errors, and allow repeatedpracticing in most complicated andchallenging situations.

Well-known Russian enterprises,recognised as world leaders in maritimesimulator design, have developed Laguna-family naval task force tactical simulatorsproviding Navy’s combat training of varioustypes and at different levels within a singleinformation field.This high-technologysimulators are promoted to theinternational market by Rosoboronexport,the Russian state trade company for exportand import of the whole range of militaryand dual-purpose end items and services.Experts have expressed great interest inthis simulators at the Defexpo India 2014exhibition.This year Rosoboronexport alsoplans to introduce them at world’s largestnaval exhibition Euronaval, which will beheld in October in Paris.

Modern information and networkingtechnologies normally realised bysoftware engineers and programmers inthe Laguna integrated simulators providerealistic operational models of both singleships/boats and various-purpose navaltactical forces, such as search-and-strike,antisubmarine, reconnaissance, landingand other teams.

To realise this potential the tacticalsimulator has an open architecture

REALISTIC NAVAL BATTLE SIMULATOR:EFFECTIVE, EFFICIENT AND SAFE

ROE-Armada-approved:Armada 8/14/14 5:02 PM Page 2

Armada Marketing Promotion

allowing its structure to be tailored tomatch the assigned task and forcecomposition. Its backbone component is aheadquarters module integratingsimulators of ships and other tactical itemsinto a joint local area network. On the otherhand such simulators also integratesimulators of ship’s weapons and technicalsubsystems used for crews’ combattraining. In the group training mode of anaval task force these simulators are notstandalone any more, but are entered intoa joint information space with a jointtactical background. The newsystem/technical capabilities allow crewsof ships/submarines/aircraft/helicopters, aswell as coastal units, to hone their combatcoordination/interoperation skills in jointcombat actions.

The naval tactical simulator offered byRosoboronexport is designed to teachand train commanders and operativeofficers at headquarters and commandposts in order to improve their practicalskills in managing task force/tacticalformation operations. It ensuresimplementation of:� training tasks and tactical (specialtactical) exercises carried out by singleships within flagship command posts oftask forces in preparing and conductingcombat actions, delivering weapons, andemploying joint technical facilities;� combat shakedown of naval task forcesand training of their interoperability withother arms;� training of ships’ combat crews inperforming joint ship evolutions andweapons delivery both independently and

within tactical groups;� information support for data collection,situation evaluation, tactical calculationsand analysis of effectiveness to justifymade decisions and plans;� debriefing and analysis of trainingactivities.

Besides other tasks the simulator’smodeling system is designed to verifydecisions made which allows not onlytraining officers but also studying tacticaland weapons delivery techniques. Amplecapabilities offered by high-performancecomputer simulation allow the navy toelaborate and test new tactical conceptsin basic conditions, to assess combateffectiveness, to evaluate tactical andtechnical solutions implemented in

prototypes of navalweapons underdevelopment.

Since this tacticalsimulator is computer-based it costs severaltimes less than full-scaletrainers, and itsemployment allowssaving ships’ fuel,service life andammunition.

The tactical simulatorcan be used to educateand train military cadets

and personnel of active military units attheir home bases. Navy’s combat trainingpractice shows that these navalsimulators help increase tactical trainingintensity by 20-25 percent, irrespectivelyof weather conditions, time of the yearand other factors. Thanks to earlymastering of joint maritime activities withthe help of the simulator at naval stations,the number of ship accidents at sea hasbeen decreased by 1.7-1.8 times, andweapon/equipment failures by 2.5 times.Carrying out special tactical trainingexercises within naval task forces hasallowed elaborating new tacticalconcepts, forms and methods of weaponsdelivery and employment of electroniccountermeasures and other systems, aswell as cutting periods of theirassimilation by 1.3-1.6 times.

The tactical simulator composition andcompleteness can be changed to satisfycustomer requests. It’s cartographic andreference data bases can be reduced.Specialised software written to simulatetactical activities is unchangeable,allowing instructors to increase thenumber of training tactical groups torequired quantity. Rosoboronexport alsooffers education of instructors comingfrom national naval training centers,helping them to master training anddatabase preparation methodology.

ROE-Armada-approved:Armada 8/14/14 5:02 PM Page 3

T heUSMarineCorps is returning to itstraditional maritime and sea-basedexpeditionary operations after morethan a decade of ground combat in

Iraq and Afghanistan. The new concept ofoperations called “Expeditionary Force 21”presented lastApril during theNavy LeagueSea-Air-Space Exposition indicates a rangeof missions to be accomplished, whichnow need to include crisis response,


Amphibious AssaultShips Gain Momentum

Landing Helicopter Dock

The increasing number of peace-keeping operationscombined humanitarian assistance and disasterrelief missions in recent years have pushed bothshipbuilders and governments to develop newmultipurpose vessels, including Landing HelicopterDock/Assault platforms. European andAmericanshipbuilding companiesmaintain the edge in this sector,although Eastern Asian shipyards are attemptingto break into thismarket.

Luca Peruzzi

Amphibious AssaultShips Gain Momentum

Amphibious LHD:Armada 8/14/14 5:05 PM Page 2


international securityassistance training, andhumanitarian assistance and disaster relief(HA/DR), focusingprincipallyon thePacifictheatreofoperations.

I US NAVY AND MARINE CORPS“BIG DECKS” AND CONNECTORSThe “BigDeckAmphib”LandingHelicopterDock/Assault platform (LHD/LHA)requirement is gaining momentum withfunding fornewLHAreplacement–LHA(R)class ships and theplannedmid-life upgradeof the Wasp class LHDs. The new LHA(R)

class ships are flexible, multi-missionplatforms with capabilities that span therangeofmilitaryoperations.These shipswillreplace the remainingTarawa-class LHAs, ofwhich only the Peleliu (LHA 5) remains inservice and the eight aging Wasps as theybegindecommissioning in the late 2020s.On 11 April 2014, the US Navy officially

accepteddelivery of amphibious assault shipAmerica (LHA 6), the first-of-class ofLHA(R) platforms, which was built byHuntington Ingalls Industries alongsideprevious and current LHAs/LHDs. Itwill be

commissioned next October. The America(LHA 6) as well the second-of-class Tripoli(LHA 7), under construction for delivery in2018, are an aviation-centric modifiedversion of the Wasp-class LHDs using thesame gas propulsion plant with auxiliaryelectricmotors for low speed propulsion.Keydifferences between thenewLHA(R)

Flight 0 and the LHDclass ships include thedeletionof thewell deck, an enlargedhangardeck with enhanced aviation maintenancefacilities forBell/BoeingMV-22Ospreys andLockheed Martin F-35B Lightning IIs,

Navantia’s BPE, or strategic projection ship,design has been selected as the basis forboth Australian and Turkey LHDs. Here

depicted is the Royal Australian Navy’s first-of-class Canberra. (Australian DoD)

The America (LHA 6), here see during sea trails, will becommissioned in October 2014. As her twin ship Tripoli (LHA 7)

under construction, she belongs to ‘Flight 0’ sub-class withaviation-centric capabilities. (US Navy)

The first-of-class America (LHA 6) is an aviation-centric modified version of theWasp-class, without the well deck but enlarged and enhanced facilities for F-35B STOVLversion aircraft andMV-22B tiltrotor operations. (US Navy)


increased cargo stowage and aviationfuel, in addition to an electronicallyconfigurable C4ISR (Command, Control,Communication, Computer, Intelligence,Surveillance andReconnaissance) suite.

The third-of-class LHA 8 is a modifiedrepeat of the Flight 0,which restores thewelldeckwith capacity for twoLcacs allowing toconduct simultaneous vertical and surfaceconnector operations, a key flexible elementfor independent or aggregate US MarineCorps operations. An additional feature isthe reduced island while retaining theenhanced aviation support capabilities ofLHA(R)Flight 0. Being funded inFY2017 tobe delivered in FY2024, the LHA 8 sees a

competitive early industry involvement inorder to develop a more affordable,producible detail design andbuild strategy.

The Wasp class mid-life upgradeprogramme is however critical for sustainedamphibious warship readiness and to makethebestof themajor investmentrepresentedbytheF-35B.Withanexpectedservice lifeof40-50years, thisprogrammeisplannedtosee theeight LHDs to be subjected to mid-lifeupgrades in the FY16-23 period. Theseupgrades include structural modifications tosupportMV-22andSmallTacticalUnmannedAir System operations andmaintenance, theintroductionofConsolidatedAfloatNetworkandEnterpriseNetwork Services (CANES),

latest Ship SelfDefence System (SSDS) suitewith Link 16, and JSF external environmentand supportmodifications.

The new Marine Corps “ExpeditionaryForce 21” concept of operations also focuseson the ship-to-shore “connectors” thatwill beessential tooperate intheatrescharacterisedbyadversary longer-rangeandgreaterprecisionweaponsystems.TheNavyandMarineCorpsteamis looking intonewconcepts suchas theUltra Heavy-lift Amphibious Connector(UHAC) launched by the Office of NavalResearch (this is in addition to the Lcacservice life extension programme involving72craft tobe completed inFY18and thenewSSC ship-to-shore connector programmeintended to introduce theLcac-100class craftreplacement between 2020 and 2029). Adisplacement craft with buoyancy andpropulsion provided by an innovativecaptive air-cell technology, a future scaleUHACwouldhave three times thepayloadofthe new SSC connector and approximatelythe payload of 1600-series Landing CraftUtility (LCU), maintaining the same welldeck footprint of SSC with speeds twice ofan LCU.Ahalf-scaleUHACdemonstrationis planned for this year’s AdvancedWarfighting Experiment in conjunctionwithRIMPAC2014.

Atanyrate,an“analysisofalternatives”waslaunched in2013 toworkout thereplacementof theLCU1610heavy lift displacement classcraft under the Surface Connector (X)Replacementprogramme.Critical is capacityfor twoM1A1 tanks with track-width mineplough and the ability to provide intra-theatre/shore-to-shore manoeuvre of up to170 tonnesof equipment.

I EUROPEAN SHIPBUILDERSEXPORT FOCUSTheOldContinentdefencebudgetconstraintsare continuing to push shipbuildingcompanies to turn to theexportmarket.

I NAVANTIACommissioned into service in September2010withSpanishNavy, theNavantiaBuquede Proyección Estratégica, or strategicprojection ship, has also been selected as thebasis for both Australian and Turkish LHDsacquisition programmes. Under theAmphibious Deployment and SustainmentJP2048 phase 4A/B programme, which wasassigned in 2007 by Australia to a BAESystems Australia-lead team includingNavantia and combat system suppliers, theteam is building the two 27,800 tonne


The new Ship-to-Shore Connector (SSC)programme is planned to introduce the

Lcac-100 class craft to replace the currentLcac Sleps between 2020 and 2029,

providingmore lift, lower fuel consumptionand less maintenance compared to the

current connector. (US Navy)

The Ultra Heavy-lift Amphibious Connector (UHAC), here depicted in a reduced-scaledemonstrator, is an amphibious craft that has three times the lift capacity and greater coastalaccess than the current Lcac. (USMarine Corps)



Canberra-class LHDs, of which the first-of-class,Canberra (L 02), is tobe commissionedthis yearwhile the second ship, theAdelaide,will follow in 2016. These LHDs differ fromthe JuanCarlos classmainly for its equipmentsuite including a derivative of Saab 9VLMk3E combat management system, SaabGiraffe AMB multifunction radar, SagemVampir-NG electo-optical sensor suite, L-3Communications integratedcommunicationsystems, SperryandKevinHughes integratednavigationandhelicopter control radar suite,a self-defencepackagebasedon theExelisES-3701 ESM, BAE Systems Nulka decoys plusRafael Typhoon 25 mm remote-controlweapon systems. In addition to up to eightmedium-sized helicopters housed in thehangar, the 1,050 troops, 110 vehicles andmateriel canbedeliveredwith the12orderedNavantia-built LCM1E-type landing craft(the first four have already reachedAustralia). With the capability to carry anM1A1 Abrams tank, the 120 tonne full loadand23.3metres long roll-in/roll-off craft canreachover 13knotswhen loaded.In December 2013, Turkey’s Defense

Industry Committee directed the SSMprocurement agency to begin contractnegotiationswithshipbuilderSedef,partneredwithNavantia, to offer the same class design.Based on the BPE design, customer changesinclude a derivative of Genesis CombatManagement System (CMS) supplied by thelocalHavelsan-lead industrial consortiumforthe Turkish navy’s “G” class frigates. Shipprofile will be very similar except for the ski-

jumpremoval.Otherplatformmodificationsinclude accommodation changes, hatchinstead of the forward aircraft elevator,increased capacity deck crane and so forth.Local companies, including Havelsan,Aselsan and Ayesas will perform the mainwork. Negotiations are underway withcontracts awards expected before the end ofthis year. Provisional hand-over is expected67 months from contract date, while finaldelivery is planned after the 12-monthguaranteed period.

I DCNS AND STXThe DCNS shipbuilder group and STXFrance company, together with Frenchdefence equipment and electronicscompanies is offering the family ofBâtimentde Projection et Commandement (BPC)platforms. A major breakthrough on theinternational market was achieved with theFrench Government-supported effectivesale of “two plus two BPCs” to the RussianFederation in late 2011.These platforms are based on the French

Navy’sMistral class,whichsawthedeliveryofthree vessels, the Mistral, Tonnerre andDixmude, between 2005 and 2012. Despitethird-of-class enhancements, includingbetterview from the island’s modified bridge area,all vessels boast a DCNS Senit 9 combatmanagement systemwith a ThalesMRR3D-NG multirole radar and Aquilon fullyintegrated communications suite, SIC 21command support system. The Mistral cantransport abattle group including450 troopsin addition to 60 armoured vehicles,including 13 Leclerc main battle tanks. Thedesign also offers ample capacity for hospitalservices, extensive joint commandoperationsmodular facilities and a self-protection suiteincluding twoMBDA Simbad twin-Mistralmissiles launchers and twoNexter 20mmF2guns. Troops, materiel and vehicles can bedelivered ashore by medium size transporthelicopters (max. 16 in the hangar),in addition to four CTM (Chaland deTransport de Matériel) landing crafts or


The first-of-class Vladivostok BPC for Russian Federation Navy is scheduled for delivery later in2014. The two LHDs ordered from DCNS will havemodifications to hull, equipment andarmament to satisfy customer requirements. (DCNS)

The first-of-class Canberra (L 02) LHD is to be delivered to Royal Australian Navy later thisyear with twin ship Adelaide to follow in 2016. (Australian DoD)


twoL-CAT/EDA-R(EngindeDébarquementAmphibie-Rapide)high-speed landingcraft.A sensors suite upgrading for all FrenchNavy’s amphibious fleet is introducing theSagem EOMS-NG electro-optical system,providing both 360 degree surveillance andweaponsystemcontrol.The Russian platforms, however, will

differ from theFrenchNavy’s ships.Hangarsare taller to accommodate Kamov Ka-52KAlligator attack and Ka-29 armed transporthelicopters, fully closing well dock doors.On-board systems meet Russian standardsand are to withstand cold temperatures,while the island is modified and the hullslightly reinforced.An exportable versionofthe Senit combat management system isreportedly being installed, together with acommunications suite including bothRussian and French equipment. Self-protectionwill be basedonRussian-suppliedAK630 30mm Gatling guns and SA-N-10/Gibkha 3M-47 missile-launchers. STXFrance is building the vessel platforms as asubcontractor to DCNS, while RussianUnited Shipbuilding Corporation (OSK) iscontributing to the construction of bothvessels as a subcontractor to STX. Theprogramme is progressing as planned.Floating out of the first vessel, theVladivostok, took place in October 2013,followed by initial sea trails last March andplanneddelivery inOctober 2014.The second-of-class Sevastopol rear-hull

section is being built in Saint Petersburg byOSKas alreadydone for theVladivostok, andlater transferred by sea to STX Franceshipyard at Saint-Nazaire to be joined with

the bow hull section, with delivery plannedforOctober 2015. The contract also involvesRussian crew training and the delivery offour French ‘NewGenerationCTM’ landingcraft, which are being built by STX FranceunderDCNSdesign.No official Russian comment is made on

the construction of the two following ships,but French Government has recentlyreassuredRussiaaboutdeliveriesandcontractprogress despite the Ukraine crisis. At thetimeofgoingtopress,however, thedowningofMalaysian flight MH17might see the futureof theprogrammechangedramatically.

I FINCANTIERIItaly’s Fincantieri shipbuilder is marketingan updated and enlarged version of SanMarco/San Giusto-class of amphibiousassault ship and is working on a new LHD

project with the Italian Navy. The LHDprogramme could be launched within thisfiscal year and involves a largeLHD- capableplatform with full-length flight deck andstern dock with extensive C4ISR, hospitalfacilities and combat system.In July 2011, Algeria assigned a contract

for anewBDSL (BâtimentdeDébarquementet de SoutienLogistique) platform, togetherwith LCMs and extensive training packagetoOrizzonte SistemiNavali, which is a joint-venture betweenFincantieri (51%) andSelexES (49%). Built andoutfitted atRivaTrigosoand Muggiano integrated shipyard in 30months, the 8,000 tonne Kalaat Beni-Abbesmulti-purpose landing helicopter dockplatform started sea trails ahead of schedulein spring 2014. Platformand combat systemcustomer acceptance trails are to becompletedbefore September 2014,when the


The EDA-R connector represents a hugetechnology development compared tocurrent air- cushion craft. The ConstructionsIndustrielles de la Méditerranée hasdelivered four EDA-R connectors to FrenchNavy. (US Navy)

America LHA 6 / LHA 8 Juan Carlos I BPE

MainCharacteristics

Prime/ShipbuilderCustomersDeliveries/OrdersCommissionDisplacementLengthBeamCrewPropulsionSpeed (knots)Range/knotsAmphib ForceDock capacityAmphibious craftFlight Deck dimSki-jumpHelo spotsAirWingMaxV/STOLMaxHangarElevatorsHospital

Huntington Ingalls IndustriesUS1/12014

45,693/43,000t257.3m32.31,059

2GT, 2 ElectrMot22+

9,500/201,687

No/2 LCAC*2 LCAC in the dock

------Not Necessary

99 F-35B + 25mix helos23 F-35B/2 helo2,409m2

224 beds

NavantiaSP/AUS/TK

1/3201027,560t230.80m32m

254+1721GT,2DG+2Pod

219,000/151,009

4 LCM-1E4 LCM+ 4 Supercat

5,440msqYes6

12 NH90 10 AV-8B19 AV-8B985m22

18 beds



ship is scheduled to be handed over toAlgerianNavy. She will, however, remain inItaly until the first quarter of 2015 for crewand maintenance staff training andqualification under the supervision of theItalianNavy at its facilities.

The Kalaat Beni-Abbes can carry morethan 600 personnel, including a 152-strongcrew, flight operations detachment andembarked amphibious force. It can host anamphibious force command-and-controlfacility, and embark up to 15 armouredvehicles in the deck/hangar space, pluscontainers and soft-skinned vehicles on theflight deck. The latter has two helicopterlanding spots, one ahead of the island andthe other behind for AgustaWestlandAW101or Super Lynx 300helicopters.Withextensive hospital facilities, the ship has astern dock for three landing craft based on


Mistral BPC San Marco Mod/BDSL Dokdo LPH 20,000T LHD

DCNS STX FranceFR/RUS3/2+22006

21,300t199m32m180

4DG + 2 Pod19

11,000/15450

2 EDA-R4 CTMor 2 EDA-R

5,200msqNo6

6 deck 16 hangarNo

1,800m22

69 beds

OSN FincantieriItaly-Algeria

3/11988/2014*6.687/8.800t133/142.9m20.5/21.5m168/152+

2D21/20

7,000/15400+

3 LCM*3 LCM /2-3 LCVP/ 1 LCPL

----/----No4/2

4/2+ deckNo

No dedicated1

10/58 beds

Hanjin Heavy IndRoK1

200718,860t199.40m31,4m3404D23

10,000/18700+2 LCAC2 LCAC------No6

5 deck 15 hangarNoYes1No

CSOCChina----------

22,000t198m21.8m350+2D22

7,000/16700+Yes------------No4

4 deck 8 hangarNoYes2----

Built under Italy’s Rina latest safety, environment protection, construction andplatform-combat system integration standards, the BDSL will be handed over toAlgerian Navy in September 2014. (Luca Peruzzi)


the Italian Navy’s Cantiere Navale Vittoriacraft design, but built locally inAlgeria. Thecombat system and radar are from Selex ESwhile MBDA supplies the surface-to-airdefencemissile systembasedon theAster 15.SelexES/GEMElettronica integrated bridgeand navigation, Elettronica ESM and OtoMelara 76/62 mm Super Rapid, two 25 mmguns and decoy launchers round up thesystemsdescription.

I EASTERN ASIAThe economical development and recentstrategic shift towards Asia-Pacific regionhas pushed different regional mainshipbuilders todevelop exportable solutions.Drawing heavily on the Singaporean

Navy’s experience with its four 141-meterEndurance-class tank landing ships (LST),which was also built for the Thai Navy,Singapore Technologies Marine ismarketing the 14,500 tonne and 163.7metreEndurance 160 variant. Amodel of an LHDdesign was showed during Singapore airshow in February 2014 and in connectionwith the Ministry of Defence’s allegedinterest in the F-35B.China Shipbuilding & Offshore

International Co is promoting a 20000TLanding Patrol Dock design, which formedthe basis for a Turkish tender. The 22,000tonne, 198 metre LHD design would be

powered by four diesel engines to offer a 22-knot max speed and a 7,000 nm range at 16knotswitha30-dayendurance.Characterizedby a stern dock, a flight deck with four spotsand a hangar for eight helicopters, the LHDcould accommodate up to 1,068 personnel,including 700 troops and over 50 armouredvehicles. According to Chinese and foreignsources a similar but larger platform designclass is being built for the People’s LiberationArmy Aviation Navy, but no confirmeddetails have emerged (earlier designrequirement involveda40,000 tonne ship).South Korean shipyards are also actively

promoting multirole and amphibiousplatforms. Daewoo Shipbuilding &Marine

Engineering has delivered and is buildingLPDs for different international customerswhileHanjinHeavy Industries have built theDokdo LPH, whichwas commissioned intoSouth Korean navy service in July 2007under a contract awarded in October 2002.The still single 19,000 tonneLPHcan lift 720troops and10 tanks, operate twohovercraftsfrom a stern dock and has a ten UH-60helicopter-capablehangar.A second-of-classDokdo LPH with a ski jump to operateshort-take off and vertical landing aircraftand to be deployed before 2019 is beingconsidered as an interim solution before theacquisition and delivery of two light aircraftcarriers in the 2030s.


The Chinese CSOC group is marketing a20,000 to 22,000 tonne design. The People’sLiberation Army Navy is however looking into asimilar but larger design, which was previouslyset at around 40,000 tonne. (Luca Peruzzi)

The follow-on class twins of Hanjin Heavy Industries-built DokdoLPH seen here could be equipped with a ski jump to operate short-

take off and vertical landing (STOVL) aircraft. (US Navy)

The Singapore Technologies Marine is marketing the 14,500 tonne, 163.7 metre ‘Endurance160’ design variant of the same family. It could become the basis for a light short take-offand vertical launch aircraft carrier. (Luca Peruzzi)




America’s involvement in Vietnam(1962-75) generated an urgentneed to destroy strongly-built,well defended bridges with the

minimum sorties.There were then two lines of US guided

bomb development: the Texas Instruments(TI) Paveway 1using laser guidance, and theRockwell Paveway 2using television (black-and-white contrast-lock) guidance. Thelatter produced the 1,027-kg GBU-8/BHobosbasedon the 900-kgMk84GPbomb,but reliability was poor and it cost over fourtimes asmuch as Paveway 1.

I THE PAVEWAY SERIESFrom1972over 10,000LGBswere usedoverVietnam by the US Air Force alone, and theUS Navy dropped a further 1,000. Theprincipal members of the Paveway I familywere theGBU-10/B based on theMk84, the1,360-kgGBU-11/Bwith theM118, and theGBU-12/Bwith the 225-kgMk82.

The Paveway II series introduced animproved laser seeker and fold-out wings.The principal variants are the 900-kg classGBU-10 based on the Mk 84 bomb or theLockheedMartinBLU-109/Bpenetrator, the1,360-kgGBU-11with theM118, and theUSNavy’s 450-kg GBU-16C/B with the Mk 83.Later Paveway II versions include the 115-kgGBU-58, based on the Mk 81 bomb. The

225-kg classGBU-51/Buses theBLU-126/Blow collateral damage bomb (LCDB).

The TI Paveway business was purchasedbyRaytheon in1997.MostPaveway IIs (over350,000 for 43 customers) have beenmanufactured by Raytheon, but LockheedMartin is now a second approved source,with over 70,000LGBand7,000Dual-ModeLGB kits and around 130,000 trainingrounds delivered.

The Enhanced Paveway II (EP2) addsGPS/INS guidance. The 503-kgGBU-48 is adual-mode derivative of the GBU-16 LGB,often referred to as theEGBU-16.The285-kgGBU-49 is likewise an EGBU-12, and the953-kg GBU-50 is an EGBU-10. The GBU-59EP2 is based on the 115-kgGBU-58LGB.

Targets that are hardened ormoving can be engaged cost-effectively by the use ofguided ordnance. Theseweapons used an enormous number of different techniques anddevelopments over the years, but the very later-generation guidedweapons all havethe common endeavour to reduce collateral effects and attrition of the attackers.


Guided Bombs

Pin-point AccurateBolt from the Blue

Roy Braybrook

Pictured over the Atlantic Test Range offPatuxent River US Naval Air Warfare Center,

Maryland, a 225-kg class GBU-12/BPaveway II LGB is released from the port

weapons bay of BF-01, the first LockheedMartin F-35B Lightning II development

aircraft. (Lockheed Martin)

Guided Bombs:Armada 8/14/14 5:18 PM Page 2


The Paveway III was introduced by theUSAir Force in 1986, with larger wings andtwo-stage proportional guidance. PavewayIII variants include the 327-kg GBU-22/Bwith the Mk 82 bomb, the 1,050-kg GBU-24/B with the Mk 84, the GBU-24B/B withthe BLU-109/B penetrator, and the 987-kgGBU-27/B with cropped aerofoils forinternal carriage.

I DESERT STORM ERAThe 2,130-kgGBU-28A/BSuper PenetratorWeaponwas developed for very hard targetsduringDesert Storm, employing theGeneralDynamics BLU-113A/B warhead. The laterGBU-28C/B has GD’s further improvedBLU-122/B. Over 27,000 Paveway IIIs havebeenproduced.

Another guidedordnance used inDesert

Storm (thoughon amuch smaller scale)wastheEO/IIR-guided1,140-kgRockwellGBU-15 glide bomb. The US Air Force retains anundisclosednumber ofGBU-15s.

Enhanced Paveway III (EP3) dual-modebombs are used by the US Air Force as the984-kgGBU-27A/BwithBLU-109warheadon the Boeing F-15E and Lockheed MartinF-16. The 2,232-kg GBU-28B/B with BLU-

The US Navy uses the 450-kg class GBU-16 version of the Paveway II LGB, herebeing loaded on a Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet of VFA-32 ‘Fighting Swordsmen’strike fighter squadron on board CVN-75 USS Harry S Truman. (US Navy)

Shownmounted on a General Atomics MQ-9Reaper drone, this 285-kg GBU-49 or EGBU-12 Enhanced Paveway II has both a laserseeker and GPS receiver to combine all-weather capability with precision in clearconditions. (US Air Force)

Desert Storm produced a need for specialpenetration bombs, such as this two-tonneGBU-28 Paveway III LGB, shown releasedfrom Boeing F-15E-62-MC serial 98-0133 ofthe 48th Fighter Wing, based at RAFLakenheath, England. (US Air Force)

Over 7,000 Dual-Mode Paveway IIkits have been supplied byLockheedMartin. This 285-kg GBU-49 orEGBU-12F/B is mounted on aUSMarine Corps Boeing AV-8B Harrier II.(LockheedMartin)


113, and theGBU-28C/BwithBLU-122, areused on the F-15E andNorthropGrummanB-2A.TheUSNavyuses on theBoeing F/A-18 series two 1,077 kg EP3 variants: theGBU-24E/B with the BLU-109 and theGBU-24G/B with BLU-166. The 1,050-kgGBU-14(V)9/B with Mk 84 warhead, plusthe 1,077-kg GBU-24(V)10/B and EP3DMLGB(UK), both with the BLU-109, areall cleared for thePanaviaTornado.

Released from 20,000 ft, the EP3 has arange of 36.5km, compared to 21.5 km forthe EP2, and 5.0 km for a Paveway I. Morethan 1,600EP3s have beenproduced.

I THE PAVEWAY IVBritain’s RoyalAir Force, having earlier useda 557-kg EP2 variant with Mk 13/20warhead and 1,077-kg EP3 with BLU-109penetrator, now uses the 308-kg RaytheonSystems Paveway IV with Mk 82E(Enhanced) penetration warhead and aThales/Alliant Techsystems fuze. The RAFhas received 4,000 Paveway IVs, of whichover 1,000 have been released in operationsoverAfghanistan and Libya.

The first export contract for the PavewayIV has recently been signed, reportedly foraround 2,400 units, worth approximately $240 million. This order is believed to be forthe Royal Saudi Air Force, for use on theTornado andEurofighterTyphoon.

I SatNavThe leader inGPS/INSweapons is theBoeingJdam (Joint Direct AttackMunition), whichconsists of a tail-mounted guidance andcontrolmodulewith aRockwell CollinsGPS

receiverandHoneywell inertialmeasurementunit. The tail surfaces are moved by HRTextron actuators, powered by a thermalbattery. The kit also includes body strakes toextendmaximumrange to28km.TheJdamisa jointUSAirForce/Navyprogramme.

Jdam unit production cost dipped to $24,000 in FY14, when 10,415 werepurchased. Low rate production continues,with 2,973 requested in FY15. Some 28nationshaveordered Jdam.Boeinghas so farproduced around260,000 units.

Jdam was first employed over Kosovo in1999 in Operation Allied Force, duringwhich 651 were released from B-2As. Theprincipal Jdamvariants are the946- to981-kgGBU-31 series with Mk 84 or BLU-109/117/119 warhead, the 468-kg GBU-32with Mk 83 or BLU-110 warhead, and the253-kg GBU-38 equipped with Mk 82, theBLU-111penetrator orBLU-126LCDB.

In 2008 tests began with a Jdam-ER(extended-range) developed by Boeing incooperationwith theAustralianDepartmentof Defence, based on the lightweight GBU-38, but with fold-out wings. Productiondeliveries of the wing kit for the RAAF areexpected to begin in 2015.

In 2009 Boeing began development of awing kit for 900-kg class Jdams incooperation with Times Aerospace Korea(TAK), but this heavier Jdam-ERprojectwas

This 250-kg class Boeing GBU-54 Laser Jdamis mounted on LockheedMartin F-16AM serial89-0008 of the 510th Fighter Squadron‘Buzzards’, deployed from Aviano AB in Italy toBagram Airfield in Afghanistan. (US Air Force)


Guided Bombs

Hitler’s Germany led theworld in guided bombswith radio-controlled, anti-ship 1,565-kgRuhrstahl FX-1400 or

‘Fritz-X’, which entered service in July 1943. The ‘Fritz-X’debuted on September 9, 1943, when six LuftwaffeDornierDo217K-2s attacked the Italian fleet, en route to surrender to theAllies. The battleshipRomawas sunk and its sister-ship Italiawas badly damaged.

TheUSArmyAir Force’sradio-controlled 450-kgVB-1Azon followed in June1944. As its name implies,theAzon (AZimuthONly)could be guided only toeither side. Developed todestroy Japanese-operatedbridges in Burma, it reachedUSArmyAir Forces in Indiain early 1945. Then came theUSNavy’s radar-guidedASM-N-2Bat anti-ship glidebomb inApril 1945. TheKoreanWar (1950-53) sawuse of the radio-controlled450-kgVB-3Razon and theVB-13Tarzon, based on the

5,400-kg British Tallboy penetration bomb.France, for its part, pioneered theuse of a guidedmissile – the

joystick-controlled,wire-guidedNordAviationAS-11– fromhelicopters in itswar inAlgeria.However, the appearanceofmodern-ageweapons really startedduring the 1960s inVietnam.

Historical Background


later “mutually terminated”. In 2012 Boeingselected a new (unspecified) developmentpartner to complete the design.

Thewish to attackmoving targets led to aCentaf (Air Force Central) UrgentOperational Need (Uon) for a Laser Jdam(Ljdam) and to Boeing adding an ElbitSystems seeker to Jdam.

Shownmounted on a four-unit rack under aBoeing F-15E, the same company’s 130-kgGBU-39/B Small Diameter Bomb Increment-1(SDB-1) is equipped as standard with anMBDA Diamond Back wing kit. (US Air Force)

Brisbane, Australia

22-25 September

LAND FORCES MEANS BUSINESSwww.landforces.com.au

This artist’s impression illustrates how Boeing’s Laser Jdamwillappear with a fold-out wing for extended range. (Boeing)


The standard Ljdam is currently theGBU-54, based on the GBU-38, but Ljdamversions of the GBU-31 and -32 are underdevelopment. The GBU-54 made itsoperationaldebut inUSAirForce strikesoverIraq in2008andoverAfghanistan in2010.

Ljdamhas beenordered byGermany andsix other international customers. In 2012an improved version of Ljdam entered full-rate production to fulfil the US NavyDAMTC (Direct Attack Moving TargetCapability) requirement for ordnance with

aCEPbetter than 6.0metres, to defeatmorechallenging manoeuvring targets. TheDAMTCkit can be applied to theMk83 and84 bombs, and the BLU-109, -110, -111, -126 and -129/Bwarheads.

I SDBTheSmallDiameterBomb(SDB) isa jointUSAir Force/Navy programme, aimed atequalling the penetration of a one-tonnebombwithanewdesignweighingonly125kg.

In 2003 Boeing was selected to develop

and produce the GPS/INS-guided 123-kgGBU-39/BSDBIncrement-1 (SDB-1),whichhas a blast-fragmentationwarhead, fold-outfinsandtheMBDADiamondBackwingkit togive amaximumrangeof 110km. Itwas firstused operationally on US Air Force F-15Esover Iraq in late2006.TheSDB-1 isbelieved touse differential GPS guidance to give anaccuracyof around fivemetres.

TheUSAir Force purchased 12,300 SDB-Is at an average cost of $ 22,675. The servicehas also acquired 500 examples of a lowcollateral damage version known as theFocused Lethality Munition, developed inresponse to anotherUon issued byCentaf.

Export sales of the SDB-1were launchedwith a $ 77million Israeli order for 1,000 foruse on the F-15I, with deliveries beginningin 2010. In 2010 a licence agreement wassigned between Boeing and Oto Melara for500 SDB-1s to bemanufactured in Italy.

The second-generation SDB-II has aseeker and two-waydata link to allowattackson moving targets. In 2010 Raytheon wasselected todevelopandmanufacture the93-kgGBU-53/BSDB-II,whichhasa75kmrange, aGeneralDynamicsmulti-effectswarhead thatuses a plasma jet to penetrate armour, aRockwell Collins data link, and a Raytheontrimodeseeker, combining imaging-infrared,activemm-wave radar and laser sensors.

Low-rate initial production (Lrip) of theSDB-II was launched with FY14 funds. Afurther 246 units have been requested forFY15. It is being introduced first on the USAir Force F-15E, and later on the MarineCorps Lockheed Martin F-35B and theNavy F-35C.

It is planned that 17,163 SDB-IIs will beprocured for theUS services, withAir Forcereceiving around 12,000 units and the Navyaround 5,000. Full-rate production isscheduled for FY17.

The SDB-II currently costs almost $300,000 tomanufacture, and itwill remain amuch more expensive weapon than thesimple SDB-1, a programme unit cost of $225,000 being estimated in 2013.

ThecostofSDB-IIhas ledCentaf to issueafurtherUonstatement,callingfor theSDB-1tobe fitted with the laser sensor from Ljdam.This Laser SDB (LSDB) provides a moreaffordable precision attack capability in clearweather conditions thanSDB-II, butdoesnothaveall-weather/zero-visibility capability.

TheLSDBwas launched in late 2012withan initial $ 8.9million contract, awarded byUS Special Operations Command with aview tousing it on theAC-130W/J.Themost


Inspired by the success of America’s Paveway LGB series, theSoviet Union developed various guided bombs, including thislaser-homing 534-kg Region KAB-500L. (Armada/Roy Braybrook)

Guided Bombs

The 93-kg Raytheon GBU-53/B SDB-II has a range of 75km, a General Dynamics multi-effects warhead, and aRaytheon tri-mode seeker, combining imaging-infrared,active mm-wave radar and laser sensors. (Raytheon)


recent LSDB contract (of which no detailsare available) appears to be for a $ 131million follow-on batch, awarded by theUSAir Force toBoeing in February 2014.

I RUSSIAThe Soviet Union followed the US lead indeveloping guidance kits for existingbombs.The principal laser-guided examples are the534-kgKAB-500Land1,560-kgKAB-1500Lseries, while EOguidance is used in the 560-kg KAB-500Kr and the 1,525-kg KAB-1500Kr (among others). The KAB family

was developed by Region, now part ofTacticalMissilesCorporation.Jdam’s Russian rivals are the 500-kg

Region KAB-500S-E and 540-kg BazaltPBK-500U. Both have a Glonass/Navstarreceiver, but the PBK-500U (which isavailablewith cluster andunitarywarheads)also has an infrared seeker and a wing kit,giving a range of up to 50 km.

I CHINAThere so far appear to be fourmainChinesefamiliesof guidedbombs: theFT- series from

the CALT (China Academy of LaunchVehicle Technology) subsidiary of CASC(China Aerospace & Science TechnologyCorp), the LS- and LT- series from LuoyangEOTDC (Electro-Optical TechnologyDevelopment Center), which is anotherCASCoffshoot, and theTD-/TG- series fromtheNorinco subsidiaryHarbin Jiangcheng.Catic (China National Aerospace

Technology Import & Export Agency) listsonly the laser-homing 570-kgLT-2,which issimilar to the KAB-500L, the 564-kg LT-3,which has satellite/inertial mid-courseguidance, strakes and tail controls, and theLS-6, which has a fold-out wing andsatellite/inertial guidance. Catic states thatthe LS-6 kit can be applied to both the Type250-3 and 500-3 bombs, but there are alsoreports of a 50-kg class LS-6-50 and a 100-kgclass LS-6-100.The FT- series uses only satellite/inertial

navigation. In the 500-kg class, the 540-kgFT-1has strakes and amaximumrangeof 18km,while theFT-2 replaces the strakeswith awing kit, increasing range to 90 km. In the250-kg category the 230-kg FT-3has strakesand the 320-kg FT-6 has a wing kit, withsimilar benefit to range.The100-kgFT-5hasstrakes. The FT-6A reportedly has an anti-radiation seeker.Norinco is believed tobe responsible for a

new family of PGMs, with the designationsTG-100, TG-250, TG-250-ER,TG-500, TG-500-ER andTG-1000.It may be noteworthy that when China

announced completion of the second phaseof its Beidou satellite programme inSeptember 2013, specific reference wasmade to its application in the FT-series of

The Rafael Spice glide bomb entered Israeli service in 2003 as the 900-kg class Spice 2000,shown here on an F-16. It combines GPS/INSmid-course navigation with EO/IIR scene-matching terminal guidance and aMk 84 warhead. (Rafael)


China’s 320-kg FT-6 has satellite/inertialguidance and a fold-out wing kit, giving arange of up to 90 km from high levelrelease. The FT-6A is an anti-radiationdevelopment. (Armada/Roy Braybrook)

China’s equivalent of America’s Jdam is the 540-kg FT-1, which has satellite/inertialnavigation and amaximum range of 18 km. It was reportedly developed by the ChinaAcademy of Launch Vehicle Technology. (Armada/RB)


42

PGMs, the 150-kg CM-506KG smalldiameter bomb (with a remarkable claimedrange of 130 km) and the 500-kg classCS/BBC5 cluster bomb series developed byCSG (China South IndustriesGroup).

I ISRAELRafael Advanced Defense Systems producesthe Spice family of glide bombs usingGPS/INS navigation and EO/IIR scene-matching terminal guidance. First came thecombat-proven, cruciform-wing Spice 2000,basedon theMk84.Thiswas followedby theSpice1000with fold-outwingsandtheMk83.The latest development is the130-kg class

Spice250,with fold-outwings, anda two-waydata link for mid-course target updates andbattle damage indication.Maximumrange is100km. The Spice 250 is mounted on SQRs(Smart Quad-Racks), allowing an F-16I tocarry 16 andanF-15Iup to28.Elbit Systems produces the Lizard series

of laser guidance and control kits, applicableto the Mk 80 family and the 435-kg Israel

Military Industries (IMI) PB-500A1penetrator. It beganwith the Lizard 2,whichwas suitable for fixed and slow-movingtargets. This was followed by the Lizard 3,which has proportional navigation andprovides better effectiveness againstmovingtargets. The Lizard 4 adds GPS mid-coursenavigation. Aside from the PB-500A1 andMPR-500/1000 warhead series, IMI alsoproduces the 15/45-kg Fastlight GPS/INS-guided gliding bomb.IsraelAerospace Industries’MBTMissiles

Division has developed a number of guidedbombs, notably the Griffin 3 Next-Generation LGB with Mk 80-serieswarhead, and the Medium LGB withGPS/INSmid-course navigation, a fold-outwing and tail controls.

I REST OF THE WORLDSouth Africa’s Denel Dynamics (thenKentron) developed theRaptor I EO-guidedglide bomb in the 1980s for use in theAngolan conflict. The 1,200-kg Raptor II

Guided Bombs

In developing the lighter 450-kg class Spice1000, Rafael achieved extended range by

adopting fold-out wings in place thecruciformwings of the Spice 2000. (Rafael)

The Elbit Systems Lizard series of laser guidance and controlkits is used by the air forces of Israel and Italy. This example wasphotographed under a Saab Gripen, evidently during efforts tosell Lizard to South Africa. (Armada/RB)

INTERNATIONAL 4/2014


added GPS mid-course navigation and arocket motor, extending range to 130 km. Itwasneverusedby theSAAF,but is believed tohave been exported toPakistan.

The Denel Umbani (Lightning) is aguidance and range-extensionkit forMk80-series bombs. Inbaseline 40-kmMk82 formit has been cleared on the BAE SystemsHawk, and has been sold to one overseascustomer. The later Umbani-LR with fold-out wing kit is being produced under thenameAlTariqbyTawazunDynamics, a jointventure by Denel Dynamics and TawazunHoldings in Abu Dhabi. The proposedUmbani-ERwould have a jet engine.

SouthKorea’s ADD (Agency forDefenseDevelopment) has funded the 250-kg (class)Korea GPS-Guided Bomb (KGGB), whichwill have awingkit and is intendedprimarilyfor use againstNorthKorean artillery.

Iran’sMinistry ofDefence has reportedlyfunded twoEO-guidedbombdevelopments:the M117-class Qadr and Mk 84-classZoobin. The 900-kg laser-homing Qased isused both as a guided bomb and (with atandembooster) as a surface-surfacemissile.

Other nations that have developed bombguidance kits include Turkey, where

Tubitak-Sage produces the ‘HGK’GPS/INStail for Mk 84 bombs. The Ukraine’s Adronhas developed the nose-mounted BAU-01KT GPS-guidance kit for Russian 100- ,250- and 500-kg bombs.

In 2008 Germany carried out limitedflight trials with the Diehl BGT DefenceHopeoblique-wingpenetrator bomb, and in2010Diehl signed a teaming agreementwithRafael on the proposedPilumderivative.

In baseline form, the Denel Umbani (Lightning) is a Mk 82 bombwith fixed canard surfaces anda tail-mounted GPS/INS guidance and control kit. It has been cleared on the BAE Systems Hawkand sold to one overseas customer. (Armada/Roy Braybrook)


I AASMThis report has been primarily concernedwith relatively low-cost guidance and range-extension kits for standard bombs, whichrepresent the core of themarket.However, there is also a limited demand

for rocket-powered bomb developments, toallow launch fromvery low level and furtherextend range. Examples include the 1,313-kg Rockwell AGM-130 development of theEO/IIR-guided GBU-15. The US Air Forceretains a classified number. Various air-surfacemissilesmake use of standard bombwarheads, aswas the casewith theVietnam-era command-guided 810-kg MartinMarietta AGM-12 Bullpup, which used the115-kg Mk 81. However, a noteworthymodern examples include the SagemAASM,which is now internationally marketed byMBDA under the name Hammer. The onlyexport customer to date is Morocco, butIndia appears an excellent prospect.The Hammer is a modular system,

combining a nose-mounted guidance andcontrol kit and a tail-mounted rocketbooster, giving a range of over 60 km fromaltitude. It is designed to be fitted tostandard bombs in the 125-, 250-, 500- and1,000-kg categories. The baselineweapon isthe SBU-38, with a 250-kg warhead andGPS/INS navigation. This was followed bythe SBU-64with IIR terminal guidance. Thelatest version is the SBU-54 with GPS/INSand laser homing.France’s DGA ordered 744 AASMs in

2000, and 680 more in 2009 (out of aplanned total of at least 3,000). Accordingto the French 2012 defence budget, the

average unit cost is Euros 164,000, or252,000 if development is included. TheAASM was first used operationally overAfghanistan in 2008. The first of 225 usedover Libya in 2011was likewise fired from aDassault Rafale.Much of the AASM’s reduced collateral

damage characteristics are not only owed tothemetric precision of its homing head, butalso to the weapon’s ability to follow aprogrammedtrajectory that allows it to climbto a suitable altitude and then take an almostperfectly vertical dive onto its target.

A trio of AASM under the wing of a French Air Force Ralale,as used over Lybia in 2011. (Armada/Eric H. Biass)

The Denel Umbani-LR with fold-out wings isthe basis for the Al Tariq glide bombmanufactured by the Abu Dhabi-basedTawazun Dynamics, a joint venture by DenelDynamics and Tawazun Holdings.(Armada/Roy Braybrook)

44

Guided Bombs

INTERNATIONAL 4/2014


The 2014 edition of the biannual exhibition of military equipment dedicated toSpecial Forces was inaugurated on Tuesday 6 May in Amman, Jordan, by His Majesty

King Abdullah II, himself a former special forces commander. Air and ground segmentsdominated the exhibition, with numerous aircraft on stand in the outside area,

while three main halls hosted respectively international, US and Jordan exhibitors.Weather forecast announced some rain for the last day, but that materialised in

an intense night storm that managed to flood two of the halls, an unfortunate eventthat reduced by one day the exhibition for a number of participants (although some

American media wrongly informed that the whole exhibition had closed).All pictures ©Armada/Paolo Valpolini

SOFEX 2014

I LIGHT GUNSHIP DUELTheAmman exhibitionmarked the public début of therecently deliveredAC-235, the light gunshipdeveloped byATKwithJordan’s KADDB (KingAbdullah IIDesign andDevelopment Bureau). Thetwo ordered aircraft (theprogrammewas announced atIDEX2011) have beendelivered.One featured on thestatic display, while the otherflew by during the openingceremony. Flying under thecolours of Jordan’s SpecialOperationsAviation, that isthe 5th PrinceHashimBinAbdulah II Royal AviationBrigade, theAC-235 featurestwo stubwings carryingHellfiremissiles as well asrocket launchers. Thoseinstalled can fire 2.75-inchrockets, but the keyweapon isATK’sM230LF 30mmChainGun installed in the rear of the

cabin to fire through the port-side door (see red arrow, left).TheM230 is the low recoilversion of theATK30mmgunand fires 30x113 ammunitionat a rate of 625 rounds perminute. Target acquisitionand tracking are carried by aThales I-Master radar (aKu-band synthetic aperture radarwith groundmoving targetindicator capability) and anL-3WescamMX-15 electro-optical day/night sensor, thatalso includes a laserdesignator to home theAGM-114s. BAE Systemsannounced that Jordan haddecided to acquire its2.75-inchAPKWS laser-guided rockets to the tune of$5.5million. The agreementbetween theUSNavy andJordan for this FMS contractwas signed on 14April withdeliveries planned for2016 (more details on theAPKWS further on).

Separatedon the exhibitiongrounds fromtheAC-235bysome JordanSpecial Forceshelicopters anda trainingaircraft as if to ensure thatno30mmgunduelbetween the twocontenderswould takeplace,wasAleniaAermacchi’sMC-27J– theother lightgunship currentlyon themarket. Like theAC-235 it isbeingdevelopedbyATK,but incooperationwith the Italianaircraftmanufacturer.Themock-upof thegunsysteminstalledon theaircraft hasconsiderably evolved since thelastParisAir show, as theguncannowbemovedboth inelevationandazimuth (see redarrow, abovepicture).Basedona roll-on/roll-offpallet systemthat allowseasyreconfigurationof theaircraftforothermissions, this is aphasedprogrammethat led tofiring testswitha fixedgun inSpring2013, followedby

prototype flight lastApril inTurinequippedwith theL-3WescamMX-15Dioptronicsensor installedunder thenoseof theaircraft.Themaindifferencebetween theAC-235and theMC-27J is that the latteris fittedwith theGAU-23whichfires themorepowerful 30x173mmammunition.Thegun firesthroughamodifiedport-sidedoor.Anextphasewill see theinstallationofCommonLaunchTubes in the rearof theaircraft to allow theMC-27J toengageopponentswithguidedprecisionmunitions.Air-refuelling capable, theMC-27Jcanensure a considerable timeon-station.The ItalianAirForce is tohave sixof itsC-27Joutfitted to receive thepalletised systemand is alsoenvisaging theacquisitionof aPhase1versionkit (with fixedgun) todeploy it toAfghanistanbefore thewithdrawalof theItalian troops.

Show Report


Show Report Sofex:Armada 8/14/14 5:27 PM Page 3

I KADDB NEWDEVELOPMENTSThe role of the KingAbdullahIIDesign andDevelopmentBureau is to provide theJordanian armed forceswithnew equipmentwith state-of-the-art technology orrefurbishing existingequipment. The JordanianPavilion exhibited its lastproducts, either developed inhouse or in cooperationwithforeign companies.

Starting fromvehicles,KADDBunveiled its newStallion II light armouredtroop transport, which in thebase troop transportconfigurationhas a grossweight of around 7.5 tonnes,themaximumnumber ofpassengers being sevenplusthe driver. Its 272hp Steyrengine is located at the frontand is protected by themonocoquewelded steel hullthat provides an all-crewbaseLevel 1 protection.Access isvia the twodoors on each sideand the rear door, all of themfeaturing an armouredwindow, full 360° vision beingincreased by two small side-windows in the rearcompartment. The bonnet issloped to ensure good shortdistance visibility to the driverand commander. The StallionII has independentsuspensionswith rear, frontand central differential locks, acentral tyre inflation systemand automatic 5-speedgearbox.Maximumroadspeed is 125 km/h,with a roadrange of 500 km.Nodimensionswere given excepta turning radius of 6.8metres.The Stallion II can copewith60 percent front and 40percent side slopes and is ableto cross a 900mmwide trenchor a 500mmhigh obstacle.Standard armament includes apintle-mountedM607.62x51mmmachine gun, but the roof

canwithstand theweight of alight remote-controlweaponstation. The displayedprototypewas equippedwithRheinmetall Rosy grenadelaunchers and aDRSEnhanced SituationalAwareness systemprovidingimproved view to the driver.KADDBplans further versionsof the vehicle, such as double-cab logistic and antitankvehicles, the latter armedwithKornet-Emissiles, and single-cab versions armedwith Iglaair defencemissiles or lightmultiple rocket launchers.

Usingolder systems toprovidenew improvedcapabilities to the Jordanian

Armywas clearly shownby thenew truck-mounted self-propelledhowitzer that isbeingdevelopedusing theoldM102105/32mmtowedweapon systemofAmericanorigin installedonto a 4x4DAF4440 cross-country truckchassis. Strippedof its carriage,thehowitzer ismountedonabaseplate fittedwith an electro-hydraulic control system thatallows to traverse theweapon45° left or right, the elevationarc being -5°/+75°.Amanual-hydraulic backup traverse andelevation system is fitted.Theprototype shownhadalreadyundergone two firing trials,demonstrating an in-action

timeof less than210 secondsandanout-of action timeofless than45 seconds.ThisPhase 1developmentvehicle carries aGPS/inertial/odometernavigation systemand36105-mmrounds locatedbehind thecabin.TheM012has amaximumrangeof 11.5 kmanda first three-minute rate offire of 10 rpm.Twooutriggersare locatedbehind the first axleto improve stabilitywhenfiring and the sides andback ofthe truck open to increasingplatform surface. The systemweighs 11.17 tonneswithoutthe crew that consists a driverplus three artillerymen– aconsiderablemanpower savingcompared to the sevenneededfor the towed version. Phase 1should be concluded inOctober 2014with the deliveryof the first prototype to theArmy for test and evaluation.Phase 2will include numerousimprovements, including a firecontrol systemderived fromthat developed byKADDB forheavymortars, an increase inthe number of ammunitionand the installation of thesystemon apallet, to allowquick installation on anysuitable chassis.


Show Report


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I BAE APKWSWith over 200 rockets fired incombat by theUSMarineCorps, which uses themon itsAH-1WSuper Cobra attackhelicopters, the BAE SystemsAdvanced PrecisionKillWeapon System (APKWS)2.75-inch guided rockets fullydeserves its combat-proventag, something that certainlyweighed in Jordan’s choice toinstall the weapon on itsSpecial Forces AC-235,marking the first export orderfor the system. At Sofex timeover 3,000 rockets had beenbuilt and tested frommultipleplatforms, includingunmanned rotary-wing andfixed-wing aircraft. The keyelement of the weapon is theWGU59/B guidance kit,equippedwith a distributed

aperture semi-active laserseeker (Dasals)mountedbetween theMk66 propulsionsection and the front warheadsection. Its laser seekers areinstalled on each one of thefour flip-out flaperons, whichensures that before optics areprotected before launch,including fromplume of aneighbouring rocket. Theseeker has a 40° field of view,which ensures a broad area tocapture the laser designatorbeam. The system alsoenables themissile to beguided onto the last knowntarget position in case of laserbeamdisruption. Accordingto BAE Systems theUSMarine Corps scored an over95 percent hit rate inoperations, withmost of themisses intentional,

particularly when anexcessive risk of collateraldamagewas detected afterlaunch. The optimal launchdistance for the weapon isthree kilometres. At thisdistance the systemhas themaximumoff-axis capacity of±15° in azimuth and ±7.5° in

elevation. BAE Systems isworking on a version forfaster aircraft, since higherlaunch speeds requireadjustments to the flaperonsand their deploymentmechanism. Fulldevelopment depends onAmerican intentions.

I NEW SATCOM ANTENNAAND PRR EVOLUTIONFROM SELEX ES

The ability to carry a radio in arucksack and deploy thesatcom antenna in amatter ofseconds is any special forceoperator’s dream, but hasbecome a reality with the SelexES Tacsat Razor antenna. Theantenna is opened by pulling astrap, the two series of fourrods being installed in a waythat they do not interfere withthe operator’s head. According

to Selex ES thorough testingshowed that there is noradiation hazard.Whentransmission is over, theantenna goes back into itscontainer, which is 420mmlong, just by pulling the strap inthe other direction. Overall theantennaweighs one kilo,operates in the 240-320MHzfrequency band and can acceptamaximumof 20W.With over 20,000 Personal

Role Radios sold to Jordanyears ago, Selex ES exhibitedthe whole evolution of its PRRradios. The firstmodelprovided only voice linkwith a500-metre range in the open,due to the 50mWoutput andthe original antenna; anincremental evolutionwas thencarried out adopting add-onfeatures in successivemoments.While remaining onthe original 2.4 GHz frequency,a high gain antenna as well asan increase in the outputpower, up to 100mW, allowedtomore than double the range.In themeantime a data variantwas introduced, as well as a

dual push-to-talk switch packallowing the team commanderto operate both the PRR andthe CombatNet Radio. Theaddition of an encryptionpackage brought to the EZPRR,which still maintains the shellof the PRR. The next step hasbeen the adoption of the “in theear” capacity, providing earprotection. The last step ismore visible, as the FrontlineSoldier Radio (FSR) features a

new case; but themostimportant change is theadoption of a dual bandsystem, which adds to theoriginal 2.4 GHz bandUHFwaveform, a soldiernarrowband in the 350-400MHz, the squad commanderbeing now able tomonitor boththe squad and platoon netssimultaneously. Next step?Full software-defined radiocompatibility, of course.

Show Report



I BERETTAWith considerable interests intheMiddle East Region and inJordan, BerettaDefenceTechnologies was definitelyamongst themajor exhibitors.Its pistols and assault riflesbeing already in service innumerous countries in theregion, the firm is nowpresenting itself as a completesolutions supplier, havingincorporated in the groupnumerous accessorymanufacturers, withmore tojoin. Innovative solutionsinclude the iProtect (prototypeunveiled atMilipol 2013) thatrecords andmanagesautomatic alerts. In addition toweapons, Beretta’s standshowcased two othermainsubjects, clothing and training,including a full suite ofclothing (fromunderwear tocoldweather, in standardfabric, for training or low-riskmissions, and full flame-retardant fabric) alreadyordered by the ItalianMoD.Possibly amost visited item

was theVirTra trainingsimulator. TheArizona-basedvirtual training specialist hasrecently clinched an agreementwith BDTbywhich the latterwill promote the simulator toits customers around theworld. Available in differentversions, V-100, V-180 andV-300, the numbers indicatingthe angles covered by thescreens, the system allows fullimmersion and, according tooperators that tested it,provides a considerable level ofstress on trainees.

I ARAB DEFENCEINDUSTRIES: JORDANAND SOUTH AFRICAUNITE FORCES

TheKADDB InvestmentGroupmade amajorannouncement regarding itsintention to join forceswithSouthAfrica’s Paramount

Group, the latter active both inthe air and land sectorswith theaimof bringing the productionof battle-tested and provendefence technologies to Jordanfor armed forces across theMiddle East andNorthAfrica.The birth ofArabDefenceIndustries – orADI in short –

wasmaterialised by the signingof the agreement by ShadiRamziAlMajali, Chairman ofKIG, and Ivor Ichikowitz,executive chairman ofParamountGroup and by thepresence of aMbombe 6x6 IFValready bearing theADI badge.The first visible result of the

joint venture came on the lastday of the exhibition, whenADI announced that theJordanianArmed Forces hadsigned a contract for 50Mbombe 22-tonne all-Level 4protected vehicles to beproduced in Jordan, quiteprobably in a new facility.



NEXT ISSUEOCTOBER-NOVEMBER 2014:1 OCTOBER,ADVERTISING: 16 SEPTEMBER 2014

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� Submarines and SystemsThey don’t call it the Silent World for nothing. Yetthat of the submarines is a world that is constant-ly developing and spreading: it no longer consti-tutes the privilege of the sole great powers of theCold War period.

�Geospatial Information 4"Mapping the Seven Seas" will address geospa-tial information in the maritime world, from thecomplex coastal environment and its stringentnavigation procedures to the high seas, includingthe distinctively complex undersea space.

� EurosatoryIf the era of massive equipment – too oftendeveloped in a rush and as an afterthought(under the euphemistic “urgent operationalrequirement” term) – is over for a while,the door has definitely open on a number ofdevelopments that have required a lotmore grey cell work. And this, as we shall see,was quite evident at the Eurosatoryexhibition held in the northern suburbs ofParis last Summer.

� Compendium: Robotics – from throwablesto lorries, and from surface to underwaterHaving a machine to do one’s dirty work hasalways been one’s dream – the dish washer is avivid example of dream come true. But the addi-tion of the word dangerous to the concept is rel-atively new, even if it has already somewhatmaterialised with the drone. Expanding dirty anddangerous to other systems is a challenge, partic-ularly if we need to add a pinch of smartness tomake it work. The oxymoron is that robots areoften used to gather intelligence, but still lackadequate intelligence.

I NEW OSHKOSH M-ATVSIn service in numbers in theUSmilitary andone of the twoMraptypes thatwill bemaintained in service, theM-ATV is looking atnewmarkets and thusOshkoshdevelopednewversions tounderline the flexibility of its successful vehicle. InAmman themanufacturer announced the launchof six newversions, withthree on an extendedwheelbase. The three versions build on thestandard chassis are the SXB (base), SXU (upgrade) and SXF(special forces). The SXB features increased blast protection,which increases the curbweight from the 11,340 kg of theoriginal vehicle to 12,747 kg,whilemaintaining the same 1,814kg payload capacity. Compared to the SXB the SXU features anUnderbody ImprovementKit (UIK) including energy absorbingseats. It also has new larger tyres (16.00R20 compared to thestandard 395/85R20), and its curbweight is increased to 14,182kg. Payload capacity is 2,000 kg. The SXF’s fifth seat converts togunner stand and is compatiblewith a remote-controlweapon.The variant also features a rear cargo access hatch, hood steps andhandholds, an increased crew compartment volume, and aprotected cargo area.As forweights, curb is increased to 14,273while payload capacity increases to 2,500 kg.

Thenew extended chassiswheelbase is increased from3,929mmto 4,447mm, and comes inEXI (intervention), EXE(engineer) andEXC (command) versions, all with a singleextended crew capsule aswell as theUIKand the 16.00R20wheels. TheEXI allows the transport of up to 11military, two inthe front seats, three in rearward facing seats and six on two rowsof inward looking folding seats at the rear, thewhole vehiclebeing protected.At 16,700 kg curbweight, it is the heaviest of thethree extendedmodels, though the 2,000 kg payload capacity iscommon to all three EXs. Two rear hatches hinged at the bottomact as small ramps, adding to the standard four side doors, adouble door roof hatch allowing vertical deployment.

TheEXEand theEXChave the same 16,500 kg curbweight.The former normally seats five (two front and three rear).Wide

storage space is available for various equipment including robotswith tie-downpoints for robots. The extra-wide rear hatchensures easy transit of big robots. Anoptionalmodular systematthe rear can increase the seating to 11. TheEXE ismine roller-readywith integratedmounts, electrical interfaces and interiorcontrollermounts. TheEXC for its part features a single rearhatch on the rightwith a spare tyre on the left, leaving the left ofthe rear compartment free forC4I equipment. It has the sameseating arrangement as theEXE.The standard baseM-ATVhasalready scored some success in the area, 800having beendelivered to theUnitedArabEmirateswhile SaudiArabia isanother user, and the extended chassis versionhas alreadychalked up anorder fromanundisclosed customer.According toOshkosh executives, further variants are in the pipeline.

TheotherOshkoshvehicleon showwas theL-ATV, thecompanyname for the JLTVproposal, ofwhich22prototypes arebeing testedby theUSArmyandMarineCorps. It is the firstappearanceof theL-ATVin theMiddleEast, andaclear indicationofOshkosh’s intention topromote it on the exportmarket.

Show Report




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Armada Aug/Sept 2014