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Brave new world?The future of the European UAS industry

Volume 18 Number 3

June/July 2013

VISIBLEIMPROVEMENT

ISR software plug-ins

BROADSPECTRUM

EO/IR payloads

www.UVonline.com

KNOWINGWHERE ITS AT

UGV navigation technology


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8

C O NT ENT S

1

3 Editorial CommentDarren Lake reflects on European industry progress

(or the lack thereof) and the perennial problem of

public perception of unmanned systems.

News

4 Turkey launches armed UAV project

A review of some of the latest developments

from around the global unmanned systems

industry.

8 Catching up

European operators of UAS are still largely reliant

on imported aircraft. Beth Stevenson and Joyce

de Thouars look at the continents development

and procurement programmes, and examine

whether the region can compete with Israel

and the US.

17 Visible improvement

The Australian Defence Force is introducing

software add-ons to enhance the ISR coverage

provided by its frontline UAS fleet, reports

Nigel Pittaway.

20 Halcyon days

Thales and ASV have come together to design,

build and demonstrate a new multirole mine

countermeasures USV. Richard Scott examines the

origins of their concept, and assesses progress to date.

23 Show business

AUVSI will hold its annual event in Washington,

DC, on 12-15 August. James Masey considers the

trend towards civil/commercial UAS utilisation in

the US, as well as what this years exhibition will

offer attendees.

27 Shifting power

As UAS become more widely utilised, the engines

powering them must not only evolve to meet

emerging requirements, but be designed cost-

effectively, both in terms of initial price and

maintenance levels. Jonathan Tringham speaks to

industry about these implications, as well as how

the UAS powerplant landscape is changing.

32 Knowing where its at

Driverless car technology is on the cusp of

becoming a reality. Scott R Gourley traces the

history and likely future of the navigation

techniques that are making it possible.

35 Broad spectrum

UAVs are carrying more sophisticated payloads

than ever before, with EO/IR systems as the market

mainstay, providing operators with high-definition

imagery and the highest possible targeting

accuracy, reports Claire Apthorp.

40 Interview

Roger II Grande, director of airborne systems

programmes at Lockheed Martin Mission Systems

and Training, speaks to Darren Lake about recent

and future developments of the VTOL K-Max UAV.

EditorAndrew [email protected]+44 1753 727023

North America EditorScott R [email protected]

Staff ReportersBeth StevensonJonathan Tringham

Defence AnalystJoyce de Thouars

ContributorsClaire Apthorp, Gordon Arthur,Pieter Bastiaans, Angus Batey,Jean-Michel Guhl, Richard Scott,Lubomir Sedlak, Matthew Smith,

Tom Withington

Production Department Manager

David HurstSub-editorAdam Wakeling

Head of Advertising SalesMike [email protected]+44 1753 727007

Junior Sales ExecutiveRanjit [email protected]+44 1753 727 018

Editor-in-ChiefTony Skinner

Managing DirectorDarren Lake

ChairmanNick Prest

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The Shephard Press Ltd, 2013.ISSN 1351-3478

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Volume 18 Nu mber 3|June/July 2013|UNMANNED Vehicleswww.UVonline.com


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ED IT O R IA L C O M M ENT

High hopesAs the biennial festival of aviation that is the

Paris Air Show rolls around again, it is worth

taking stock of the European UAV market and

how it has progressed over the past few years.

It is clear that major structural challenges to

unfettered development of the industry remain

in place, much as they did seven years ago when

I first became involved in the unmanned sector.

However, there are a few glimmers of hope.

Several projects aimed at delivering open

access for UAS to civil airspace are now gaining

significant traction, and a number of companies

have been able to demonstrate how larger UAVs

could operate safely alongside manned aircraft.

Airspace access is the critical hurdle that

must be overcome before large companies

see value in investing in the technology.

There is no doubt that major aircraft fleet

operators, such as FedEx and UPS, would gain

huge value from being able to operate UAS.

Replacing costly and mistake-prone human

pilots would save some of the operating

expense and also allow companies to work

their aircraft harder.

At the innovation end of the spectrum,

an active and open market would spur

companies on to further technological

developments. This pioneering approach is

currently lacking in Europe.

As Beth Stevenson points out in her market

report, in the more active defence sector

European countries remain heavily reliant on

US and Israeli technology when it comes to the

provision of UAS that is not acceptable in a field

that will revolutionise flight in the next 20 years.

There are some bright spots, but no way

near what is needed in order to provide a

critical mass of indigenous technology. The

fact that many countries in the region are

facing tough economic decisions also means

that there is less cash to support innovation.

With that being the case, the onus must

be on national governments and European

institutions to help where they can. The area

where the most can be done with the least

investment is probably in assisting those

companies that are serious about opening up

the sector to overcome bureaucratic inertia.

It is not that we would advocate aviation

safety being compromised by a rush to fill

the skies with UAVs, however, the snails pace

of change in the rules and regulations must

have the potential to be sped up.

There is an increasing amount of evidence

to suggest that unmanned systems have the

potential to actually increase safety in the skies by

decreasing the likelihood of operator error. Yes,

there may be other risks involved in increasing

the use of autonomous systems in aircraft, but

these will be outweighed by the benefits.

Public perception will probably be the last

major hurdle to overcome, and regulators will

only be able to do so much to ease worries.

However, what is striking is that there

seems to be far less concern about driverless

cars, which would use many of the same

technologies. Scott Gourley explores the

interest surrounding the technology for

automated cars in his feature, which points to

DARPA-backed challenges that have led to

the development of these vehicles.

In addition, road safety advocates and

legislators are increasingly of the opinion that

unmanned technologies have the potential to

cut road deaths as well as increase traffic flow,

while a US Senate hearing in May considered

driverless technology to be on par with other

safety and performance technologies.

The question here is why should cars be

any different to aircraft? For those of us in the

industry at least, Id say there isnt much in it.

Darren Lake, Acting Editor

n Data links

n Civil UUVs

n Take-off and recovery

n Ground robotics

IN THENEXTISSUE

Unmanned Vehicleseditorial team is

always happy to receive comments on

its articles and to hear readers views

on the issues raised in the magazine.

Contact details can be found on p1.

RESPONSE

3



6/44

4

NEWS

UNMANNED Vehicles |June/July 2013|Volume 18 N umber 3 www.UVonline.com

The USN plans to acquire a total of 68 Tritons.

(Photo: Northrop Grumman)

EARTH moves into border security UGV marketWith an eye on border surveillance and

security requirements across South America,

one company from the UAE brought its

Autonomous Ground Vehicle (AGV) to the

LAAD event in Rio de Janeiro in April.

Shown to the public for the first time at

the IDEX exhibition in Abu Dhabi back in

February, the AGV has been developed by

Emirates Advanced Research and Technology

Holding (EARTH).

The configuration on display at LAAD

featured an Arctic Cat quad bike fitted with

4x4 tracks, a .50cal machine gun and four

rocket-propelled grenades.

EARTHs senior mechanical designer

Johan De Wet said the vehicle had been

designed to autonomously carry out border

patrol missions, which he noted was a

requirement just as applicable across South

America as it is in the Middle East.

Once you start it and let it off, the AGV

takes GPS waypoints to patrol the area

needed. The operator can wait in his air-

conditioned control room and observe

what is happening on a TV screen, De Wet

told Unmanned Vehicles.

The vehicle is fitted with a driver

vision enhancer, comprising a suite of three

day cameras providing separate feeds that

are stitched together to generate a 180 view

on the operators console. The system also

includes a thermal imager, enabling it to see

through dust or smoke.

The 800cc petrol engine provides a nominal

range of around 200km, although the effective

control range would depend on customer

requirements and the communication system

fitted to the vehicle.

De Wet explained that when a contact

is detected, the AGV can switch from

autonomous to remote-control mode to let

the operator make a response as required.

The vehicle is equipped with a second sensor

suite for target acquisition.

While the armament fit at LAAD attracted

a lot of attention, De Wet noted that the

vehicle can be equipped with a smaller

5.56mm remote weapon station, giving it a

lower profile, if that was deemed more

appropriate to the mission.

EARTH was established two years ago

by former employees of the UAE Armys

R&D department.

By Tony Skinner, Rio de Janeiro

The USNs MQ-4C Triton next-generation

maritime UAS has achieved its first flight

milestone, completing an 80-minute test

mission on 22 May. It took off from prime

contractor Northrop Grummans facility in

Palmdale, California, reaching a maximum

altitude of 20,000ft

The big day was measured in the

significant programmatic and technical

accomplishments that are what, combined, the

navy and Northrop Grumman has brought to

bear, R Adm Mat Winter, USN PEO for

Unmanned Aviation and Strike Weapons, told a

media roundtable on 23 May.

First flights are normally focussed on the

airframe, and likewise yesterday we watched

the MQ-4C airframe taxi down the runway,

take off and do its test, come back safely and

soundly. What we didnt visually see were the

other two segments of an unmanned system

the command and control and launch

and recovery.

Northrop Grumman was awarded a

development and demonstration contract to

build and test two MQ-4Cs in 2008, while the

navy plans to acquire 68 aircraft in total.

As we have it programmed now we

will be able to take custody of and begin to

employ Triton in the Fifth Fleet AOR [area of

responsibility] in the Arabian Gulf in FY2016,

and the intent is to then introduce an

operational orbit of Triton in each of our fleet

AORs, R Adm Sean Buck, commander of the

Patrol and Reconnaissance Group, explained.

The second orbit will stand up in the seventh

fleet area of responsibility, the third orbit will be

back over in the Mediterranean in the sixth fleet

area of responsibility, and then we will include

the introduction both on our east and west

coasts supporting our fleets at home in our

homeland defence mission.

A standard full orbit will comprise four

aircraft, giving constant surveillance over a

maximum of 3,700km.

The first flight was later than anticipated

because of technical issues, while budgetary

challenges have pushed the Milestone C date

out by a year, with a low-rate initial production

award now expected in 2015.

Well be looking at something between

seven and ten days for each subsequent event

[test], Mike Mackey, Northrop Grummans

Triton deputy programme director, said. We

have eight missions planned for our initial

envelope expansion activities, and as we go

through that well continue to look at some of

the other parameters of it, including altitude

changes and those types of activities.

The final stages of sensor integration and

subsequent flight tests will take place in late

2013/early 2014, Mackey explained.

By Beth Stevenson, London

Triton surges ahead


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NEWS

5


Asian naval unmannedmarket potential emerges

On the webUAS Europe announces Spy

Owl 200 UAV contracts

3 June 2013

Saab receives AUV62 order

30 May 2013

Aeryon Labs unveils new

SkyRanger SUAS

24 May 2013

Insitu furthers

payload offerings

23 May 2013

X-47B conducts carrier touch-and-go landing operations

21 May 2013

Australia to issue LOR forMQ-4C Triton UAV

17 May 2013

SHARC makes waves in Asia

15 May 2013

X-47B completes first

carrier-based catapult launch

15 May 2013

Skeldar V-200 reaches test

programme milestones

15 May 2013

Insitu Pacific delivers ScanEagle

for JGSDF evaluation

14 May 2013

TAI pursues Ankaproduction contract

8 May 2013

Visit

www.UVonline.comfor the full stories and latest news

region will continue to grow at a sustained and

steady pace.

Nugent used India as an example of a nation that

has advanced its approach to unmanned technology,

investing in land-based UAVs that augment manned

maritime patrol aircraft.

Elsewhere, Australias Aerosonde has continued its

UAV development programmes, South Korea has

tested maritime UAVs from Europe as well as keeping

indigenous ventures in mind, and Singapore has

acquired foreign USVs such as Rafaels Protector in

parallel with domestic development of systems by

ST Electronics.

USVs in general are a hot topic in the region, and

such platforms could be integrated into new

manned vessel programmes, particularly in the mine

warfare role. This would involve something like the

US LCS [Littoral Combat Ship] mission package

concept for mine warfare in which USVs serve as the

host platform for mine warfare sensors and

countermeasures, Nugent added.

The LCS USS Freedomwas showcased at this years

IMDEX exhibition after its deployment to the region

in April, and Nugent said that this was significant

because it relies on unmanned vehicles in many

of its mission packages.

Schiebel displayed its Camcopter UAV, which is

operated by three undisclosed navies in the region,

for the first time at the show.

There is no ship without a radar and there

should be none without a UAV, Hans-Georg

Schiebel, MD of the company, explained to UV.

There is no recession for UAVs. Although there are

austerity measures under way in many countries

there isnt when it comes to UAVs.

The company works with shipbuilders to ensure

ease of integration onto vessels, and Camcopter is

also flown by commercial customers in the region,

with 140 systems operated in total worldwide.

As naval procurement proliferates in Asia, Schiebel

predicted that all vessels will need a beyond-line-of-

sight capability, which a UAV is well suited for.

By Beth Stevenson, Singapore

With UAVs at the forefront of many Asian militaries

thinking, the market over the next ten years for ship-

based tactical UAVs in the region is predicted to be

some $3 billion.

Bob Nugent, VP of advisory services at AMI

International, told Unmanned Vehicles that the Asia-

Pacific market for ship-based aerial platforms,

manned and unmanned, is $10 billion over this time

frame, with UAVs expecting to account for almost a

third of it.

VTOL systems such as Camcopter and Fire Scout,

as well as fixed-wing platforms like Aerosonde and

ScanEagle could be procured. The small footprint of

these aircraft fits local requirements for UAVs to be

operated off the increasing number of corvettes, patrol

vessels and frigates entering service in the region.

He said that militaries in Asia are keeping pace as

the technology matures, and unmanned platforms

are gradually becoming programmes of record

alongside their manned counterparts.

This new normalcy will help unmanned systems

be further accepted as valuable capabilities rather

than exotic curiosities, he explained.

However, he cautioned that many military systems

being introduced within the region are still at the

test stage, while some are operational but only in a

civilian capacity with interior ministries, emergency

services and research institutes.

I will say with confidence that every country in

the Asia-Pacific region is actively engaged in some

sort of unmanned system development or operation,

and the numbers of operational systems in the

Camcopter is already operated by three navies

in the Asia-Pacific region. (Photo: Schiebel)


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6

NEWS


TAIs follow-on project to Anka will be the

SIHA armed UAV, which may use the same

avionics and control system. (Photo: TAI)

Gray Eagle to gain electronic attack capabilitiesThe US Armys MQ-1C Gray Eagle platform

will be fitted with an electronic attack payload

capable of jamming enemy communications

systems for the first time. Raytheon has

delivered two of the payloads in support

of the armys Networked EW, Remotely

Operated (NERO) system.

The payloads were handed over as part of a

2012 contract awarded by the Naval Surface

Warfare Centers Crane Division.

NERO builds on the success of the armys

Communications Electronic Attack with

Surveillance and Reconnaissance (CEASAR)

programme. By migrating the same pod

system and capability to the Gray Eagle,

NERO is capable of two or three times longer

missions with reduced operating costs

compared with the current C-12-based

CEASAR system. It also reduces risk to

the warfighter by being mounted on an

unmanned platform.

Glen Bassett, director of advanced

communications and countermeasures at

Raytheon Space and Airborne Systems, said:

NERO provides critical jamming capabilities

to warfighters in counter-insurgency

environments. We leveraged our combat-

proven success from the manned CEASAR

programme to deliver this key tactical

electronic attack capability onto an

unmanned application.

CEASAR, first fielded in 2010, was mounted

onto a Beechcraft C-12 aircraft and uses the

same lightweight pod as NERO. Both systems

enable the army to control use of the

electromagnetic spectrum by providing

beyond-line-of-sight jamming to support

ground operations.

The US Army deployed its first full company

of 12 Gray Eagle aircraft to Afghanistan in

June 2012.

By Claire Apthorp, London

Turkey is moving ahead with plans to develop

an indigenous armed UAV to meet Turkish Air

Force (TAF) requirements.

The Strike UAV (SIHA) project was formally

given the go-ahead by Turkeys Defence

Industry Executive Committee in July 2012 and

the Undersecretariat for Defence Industries

(SSM) is currently preparing an RfP for the

programmes preliminary concept phase.

The work will be carried out by Turkish

Aerospace Industries (TAI), using its Anka MALE

UAV as the point of departure for development

of SIHA, which is expected to weigh around

5,000kg with an external payload capacity of

1,000-1,500kg.

Speaking to Unmanned Vehicles at the

IDEF exhibition in Istanbul, TAIs executive VP

for unmanned systems, Serdar Olez, said it was

hoped that a contract for the conceptual design

phase would be signed with the SSM by the

end of the year.

The committee has taken the decision to

start the SIHA programme and TAI will be the

prime contractor for this. The start will be the

preliminary and conceptual design phase and

as of today we are awaiting the release of the

RfP, he said.

While SIHA will be significantly larger than

the 1,500kg Anka, which is currently intended

for ISR purposes only, the company believes

the its sophisticated avionics and flight control

software would be a functional fit for the

armed platform.

Olez noted that once TAI was under contract

for the manufacture of a prototype, the first

flight would take place within four years.

The new UAV is expected to have an

endurance of more than 20 hours, a ceiling

of 40,000ft, and a cruise speed of around

200-250kt. Engine manufacturer TEI will

develop a new indigenous turboprop

powerplant for the project.

Under the TAFs concept of operations,

SIHA would have a dual ISR/armed strike role

and would be equipped with air-to-ground

missiles and laser-guided bombs.

Olez said that TAIs experience with Anka

left it confident about the development of the

airframe, and the main challenge would be

development of the mission systems and

weaponisation of the platform.

Meanwhile, under Turkeys UAV roadmap,

the programme currently projected to follow

SIHA will be the National Unmanned Combat

Aircraft (MISU). This is forecast to be delivered

to the TAF by 2030 with the first squadron

stood up by 2035.

The ambitious development plans for SIHA

and MISU are characteristic of Turkeys defence

industry and reflect a constant progression of

UAV development.

Following the Bayraktar and Malazgirt

mini-UAVs, the Caldiran and Karayel tactical

UAVs were developed and now the Anka

MALE UAV has finished development and is

soon to enter production.

By Tony Skinner, Istanbul

Turkey launchesarmed UAV project


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UNMANNEDVehicles|June/July 2013|Volume 18 N umber 3 www.UVonline.com

8

EU R O P EA N O V ER V IEW

Catching upbeen $3.1 billion, according to the MoD. The

UKs 2010 Strategic Defence and Security

Review pledged to invest in UAVs in both

combat and reconnaissance roles, and the

ministry is expected to spend 1.2% of its total

annual budget on science and technology.

This equates to some $619 million per year,

as outlined in the 2012 paper National Security

Through Technology: Technology, Equipment

and Support for UK Defence and Security.

In January 2013, a defence equipment

plan of $247 billion over a ten-year period was

released, with $29 billion being allocated to

combat air power, inclusive of UAVs. This also

covered cooperation with France.

Of the total, $4.4 billion will be spent on

ISTAR programmes, covering deployable and

fixed communications networks and services,

CBRN detection and countermeasures

programmes, plus special operations

equipment, in addition to UOR procurements

such as the Reaper purchases, which are met

from the Treasurys special reserve.

These visions may be admirable, but

the UK has been plagued by problematic

development pathways for some time.

One example is the British Armys WK450

Watchkeeper programme, which was

originally expected to have its first operational

deployment in Afghanistan, but this now

seems unlikely before UK forces withdraw.

nnPOOR PUNCTUALITY

The UKs track record on unmanned systems

is patchy, Doug Barry, senior fellow for military

aerospace at the International Institute for

Strategic Studies, told Unmanned Vehicles.

Never mind Watchkeeper, if you go back to

its predecessor, the [GEC-Marconi] Phoenix

that was a miserable development programme

and it took so long to get it into service. When

everybody else was coming up with reasonable

recovery solutions for UAVs, this would land

upside down using a parachute.

The Phoenix did turn out to be a valuable

asset during operations in Iraq, although

it suffered high attrition rates during the

campaign. The delay to Watchkeeper is

nonetheless somewhat reminiscent of its

predecessors development programme.

Barry continued: Its late, and it makes you

think what is the problem? It seems there

have been a number of developmental issues

that are hardly surprising in some ways, but it

has gone on for a long time. Watchkeeper is

significantly delayed and Im sure that it hasnt

been hugely enjoyed by the UK MoD that

yet another procurement programme in the

unmanned systems environment is late when

they could really have done with the capability

The development of UAVs in Europe has

been, unsurprisingly, a priority across

both the military and civil sectors. For

the former, operations in Iraq and Afghanistan

have served to promote the effectiveness of

such capabilities, and while European defence

budgets have shrunk, demand for UAVs

remains high and appears to be unaffected

by declining economies.

On the other hand, the potential for civil

applications of these platforms has also been

identified, with efforts under way to integrate

aircraft into national airspace.

Europe seems to know where it wants to

be, however the path to achieve the goal of

operating more UAVs has been problematic,

and currently the continent is falling behind

Israel and the US in this regard.

nnSPENDING SPREE

The Teal Group reports that UAV spending

over the next decade will double, rising to

$11.3 billion in 2020. Of the international

market share, 66% is held by the US, with

Europe representing less than 10% Israel

alone takes 10% of the global share. However,

these statistics are hardly surprising considering

that most European nations operate mainly

US and Israeli systems.

One such country is the UK, for which

total expenditure on development and

procurement of UAVs in the past five years has

European operators of UAS are still largely reliant on importedaircraft. Beth Stevenson andJoyce de Thouars look at thecontinents development and procurement programmes, andexamine whether the region can compete with Israel and the US.


11/44



9

in Afghanistan, hence why you end up with the

Hermes 450 situation.

The Watchkeeper programme is led by the

UAV Tactical Systems (U-TacS) joint venture

between Elbit and Thales. It is based on the

formers Hermes 450, which the MoD is using

as an interim solution until Watchkeeper enters

service. Current expectations are that a total of

54 systems will be built for the UK under the

$1.6 billion programme.

In July 2012, the UK and France re-examined

their 2010 defence cooperation treaty,

which led to an increased focus on UAV

development and France trialling the

Watchkeeper. The latter will run until mid-2013

in an $11 million effort to see whether or not

Paris will choose the system.

nn ISRAELI INVESTMENTS

Meanwhile, a paper published in May by

Frost & Sullivan on the Israeli UAV industry

found that the countrys UAS export revenue

totalled $4.62 billion from 2005 to 2012, making

it the largest exporter of UAVs, with the UK

being its biggest customer.

At the MALE end of the scale, the Predator/

Reaper system in particular is an example of a

US system that is not only successful

domestically, but also with European militaries.

Aside from the UK, Italy and Turkey also operate

it, while Germany has requested the purchase

of three Reapers through FMS, which has been

approved, and France is believed to have

submitted a similar request.

In October 2012, the UK MoD said it was

to double its Reaper fleet to ten systems at

a cost of $210 million. The total financial

burden for delivering and supporting the

Reaper from 2007 when it entered service up

until the end of operations in Afghanistan in

2015 is cited as $788 million.

However, what happens to the fleet post-

Afghanistan is also an issue, as it was procured

under a UOR and is therefore not in the MoD

core inventory. Notably, the ministry confirmed

to the press that it is considering arming the

Reaper with the MBDA Brimstone air-to-surface

missile, a weapon currently used on the RAFs

Panavia Tornado GR4 strike aircraft operating in

Afghanistan. Adding it to Reaper would

suggest that the MoD plans to bring the aircraft

into the core fleet.

The Royal Navy does not have any UAVs

in service, although it is seeking a UOR ISR

capability for its warships, as well for use on

board Royal Fleet Auxiliary vessels.

The competition was re-launched in

February 2013 after the requirement was not

met under previous efforts. The contract is

expected to run to March 2015 with a budget

of $54.3 million, and contractor-run systems

are open to bid, with Boeing and Cassidian

expected to participate.

The navy is also planning the acquisition

of a permanent (ie non-UOR) rotary-wing

system, for which Northrop Grumman has

teamed with Qinetiq. Schiebel has confirmed

it will offer the Camcopter S-100, and

AgustaWestland is expected to offer

the SW-4 Solo developed by its Polish

subsidiary PZL-widnik.

nnQUIET MALES

One of the other programmes within the

Anglo-French treaty is the MALE development,

which has gone very quiet, particularly from

the French side, added Barry. It may have

Reaper has been a success in UK service, and

is on the shopping lists of other European

nations. (Photo: UK MoD Crown Copyright)

Unlike Western European nations, Turkey

has already developed an indigenous MALE

platform in the form of the Anka. (Photo: TAI)


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10



been caught up in a number of things, like theLivre blanc[white paper].

The French white paper, released in April,

outlines cuts and spending in new areas,

including more emphasis on intelligence-

gathering and investment in MALE UAVs,

although priorities in some other sectors

remain uncertain. The paper said that some

$179 billion was to be allocated to the 2014-19

defence budget.

While the French Army is expected to

procure 30 tactical UAVs, which could be the

Watchkeeper, the air force will get a fleet of 12

surveillance aircraft Reaper could also be

purchased and there are rumours that the

Heron TP is being considered.

On the UK side, the Scavenger programme

embodies the countrys MALE development

efforts, seeking a next-generation system

of this type, although progress appears to

have slowed.

BAE flew its Mantis demonstrator, which

would have provided the basis for and input

into a MALE programme for both nations, but

until it becomes clear what French intentions

are then the UK element remains in a state of

flux, as Barry explained.

France currently operates three UAV types,

the DRAC, Sperwer and Harfang. However,

operations in Afghanistan, and more recently

Frances intervention in Mali, have shown

that it needs a more powerful and up-to-date

unmanned platform.

The EADS Harfang contract is due to expire

at the end of 2013, although the government is

in discussions with the company to extend the

arrangement to 2017.

Germany, meanwhile, operates the

EMT Penzberg Luna X-2000, and Predators

are also being considered by the country.

In addition to military requirements, the

Federal Police is looking at acquiring medium-

sized UAVs.

The FY2013 defence budget for Germany

is set at $43.4 billion, representing an

increase of some $1.8 billion over 2012. In the

medium term, this budget is expected to

reduce to around $42.3 billion by 2015-16,

while the allocation for procurement and

maintenance will shrink by $294.4 million to

$13.5 billion.

German Defence Minister Thomas de

Maizire announced in April 2013 that the

country would team with France to develop

armed UAVs that will join the unarmed

platforms already deployed.

nnCOOPERATING COUNTRIES

In September 2012, the French and

German governments signed a cooperation

agreement on MALE aircraft, which involved

the development of a common operational

requirement and possible joint operation of an

interim solution, although talk of this effort has

since gone quiet.

A hurdle in Germanys UAV procurement

came in May 2013 when it announced that it

was to cancel the Euro Hawk programme,

which would have seen a modified Northrop

Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk operated on

SIGINT missions.

The cancellation was due to problems

with airspace integration and airworthiness

certification that would make the $1.3 billion

programme too costly and difficult to

proceed with, it was reported. Doubts over

future support also emerged, since the US

seems to be scaling down the Global Hawk

programme.

However, the USN is moving forward with its

MQ-4C Triton, which is also based on the Global

Hawk platform. In May, the aircraft made its

first flight, just after the rumour mill began to

speculate that Euro Hawk was to be cancelled.

At the senior naval level, there is

communication between our international

programme leadership in the navy and our

German counterparts to provide them insight

and understanding in the way that we do

flight tests and airworthiness certification, and

how we certified our Triton for flight,

R Adm Mat Winter, Program Executive Officer

for Unmanned Aviation and Strike Weapons

in the USN, told a media conference.

He said there were ongoing discussions

about how the German MoD can carry out

certification of the platform. Global Hawk is

obviously the sister of our Triton airframe, so

the German government is asking how to do

flight certification. That is the extent of my

knowledge and I am not sure if they are

pursuing the cancellation.

It is believed that, instead of spending

another $770-900 million on the additional

airframes and equipment for the Euro Hawk

programme, and an equivalent amount to

attempt EASA certification, Germany will

opt for an alternative platform, which is

unlikely to be an indigenous programme due

to cost concerns.

nnSTAYING COMMITTED

A statement from Northrop Grumman, EADS

and Euro Hawk GmbH, released on 27 May,

explained that all three companies remain fully

committed to the Euro Hawk programme of

record, and the critical capabilities the system

will provide the German armed forces and

its allies, adding that the full system had

performed flawlessly throughout the entire

test programme.

Media reports that indicate there are

challenges with the aircrafts flight control

system, as well as excessive costs associated

with completing airworthiness certification,

are inaccurate, it continued. Euro Hawk will

continue to work with the customer to address

any concerns they may have with the system,

and the team will provide an affordable and

achievable plan to complete flight testing

of the initial asset and the eventual

production and fielding of the full system

of four additional aircraft.

European industry could use

its manned combat aircraft

experience to develop

UCAVs. (Image: Dassault)


13/44

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Cassidian, developer of the SIGINTpayload for Euro Hawk, has said that it is

covering its back with regards to any potential

lost revenue, as the sensor suite can be used on

other UAVs or manned aircraft.

The mission system developed by Cassidian

is state of the art, said Bernhard Gerwert,

CEO of the company. The first flight tests have

verified the functional maturity and superb

performance of this system. The experience

made right now shows to a full extent how

important it is to have unlimited access to the

technologies and information of a system.

This also applies for future contracts. Costly

certification processes afterwards can be

avoided only if certification standards are

considered in the design and development

phase of a flight system.

Meanwhile, Turkey is appearing to outdo

its European cousins as it makes clear efforts

to develop its own indigenous capability.

The Bayraktar and Malazgirt mini-UAVs

and the Caldiran and Karayel tactical UAVs

have been developed, and now the Anka

MALE UAV, manufactured by TAI, is to enter

production soon.

The Anka programme was a politically

motivated one, with the air force wanting to

get rid of its Israeli Heron UAVs due to tensions

between the two nations.

In January, Anka completed validation

tests for the Turkish Air Force, a notable

feat for a country that previously chose to

purchase foreign designs. The air force was

refused the sale of armed Reaper UAVsby the US, which drove it to develop its own

indigenous capability. The service is currently

negotiating through Turkeys Undersecretariat

for Defence Industries (SSM) with TAI for ten

platforms.

nn INTERNATIONAL INTEREST

A number of nations are believed to have

expressed interest in Anka, including

some in North Africa and the Middle East. It

is understood that Egypt has entered into

discussions with the company regarding

the acquisition of ten aircraft, although TAI has

been unable to comment so far.

The platform will eventually have an

endurance of 24 hours, having achieved

an 18-hour flight during the final test series

in January. TAI is also developing a Block B

variant, integrating an Aselsan SAR/GMTI

payload that is expected to be ready by 2014.

The Karayel tactical UAV, meanwhile, has

been developed by Vestel Defence, and the

Turkish Land Forces is anticipating the arrival

of the first of six on order, with all of them

expected to be delivered by the end of 2013.

The Bora is a smaller UAV that will be offered as

a training tool for those that will operate the

Karayel. TAI is also developing the R-300 VTOL

as a technology demonstrator, which has

conducted ten flights so far.

Turkey has also announced the Strike UAV

(SIHA) programme, aiming to develop an

armed indigenous platform for the air force,

for which the SSM is preparing an RfP coveringthe preliminary concept phase. The

programme will be developed by TAI using the

Anka as a starting point (see p6).

After SIHA, Turkey plans to begin work on

the National Unmanned Combat Aircraft,

(MISU) which is expected to be delivered to the

air force in 2030.

Meanwhile, Italys Selex ES and Piaggio Aero

Industries have teamed to launch a new UAV.

The MALE P.1HH HammerHead was unveiled

at IDEX in Abu Dhabi in February, with test

flights expected by the end of 2013.

The company also develops the Falco UAV

a MALE system operated by Italy, Jordan, Libya,

Pakistan and Saudi Arabia arguably a platform

with a Middle Eastern focus while the Italian

Air Force also operates the Reaper.

nn ENGINEERING LEGACY

Aside from individual interests, one area in

which Europe may leap ahead of other regions

is in multilateral development of UCAVs, due to

its fighter jet engineering legacy.

It will be a fairly limited circle of nations that

operate this kind of technology for quite some

time to come, noted Barry. You just need to

look at the European environment where

youve got Taranis and the Neuron. Both of

these are not even full-blown technology

demonstrators theyre some of the way

towards exploring the technology required for

a full-blown demonstrator. In the European

context, its a question of what happens next?

The Neuron programme, estimated at

approximately $527 million, is half funded by

France (Dassault), while the other half is shared

between Greece (HAI), Italy (Alenia Aermacchi),

Spain (EADS CASA), Sweden (Saab) and

Switzerland (Ruag), for which the contract

was awarded in 2005.

The Neuron UCAV made its first flight in

December 2012 under a test programme

which is scheduled to continue until mid-2014.

Neuron partners hope this milestone will lead

to a follow-on programme, which would aim

to convert the aircraft to a more capable

configuration and allow an extensive

operational evaluation of its capabilities.

Euro Hawk is facing the axe, but its sensor

suite could live on in another platform.

(Photo: Northrop Grumman)


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BAE Systems has developed the Taranisdemonstrator, designed to have a low radar

cross-section, and is expected to fly some time

this year in Australia.

nnCOMMON GROUND

A tentative roadmap within the Anglo-French

context is that the two countries will consider

joint development, with some funding already

provided that looks, in general terms, at

possible common ground in the UCAV

environment, led by BAE Systems in the UK and

Dassault in France.

This would lead to a decision some time

around 2015 as to whether or not the UK

and France pursued a common technology

demonstrator. Barry said: Because its a very

sensitive area, as soon as you start talking

about LO [low observable], it gets very touchy,

understandably. So they are building up where

they are coming from.

I think theres a bigger industrial

picture in that if you look at the European

defence aerospace industrial base on the

airframe side, at the moment you have

three types in production. You have Typhoon,

Rafale and Gripen, and at some point,

probably in the next decade depending on

what happens with export, all of these types

[will] go out of production, so theres a

considerable amount of industrial output

which will at this point have no obvious

follow-on because there isnt another crewed

combat aircraft design in development in

Europe. So from an industrial base viewpoint,

what is there to replace that which would fill

up manufacturing capacity?

Barry said that, for the moment, a UCAV

allows industry to provide work for some

of the specialised aerospace engineers with

LO research backgrounds. What Neuron

and Taranis and any follow-on programme

will do would be to support in the broadest

possible sense the high-end defence

France has identified a need for a more capable replacement for Harfang. (Photo: SIRPA Air)


17/44

EUR OP EAN OV ER V IEW

15


aerospace skills to develop next-generationcombat platforms, manned or unmanned,

he explained.

He noted that there is clear room for a

UCAV to operate alongside fighter jets

already in service in Europe, but the exact ratio

between manned and unmanned in the strike

environment still needs to be determined.

nnCOMMERCIAL GAINS

On the other side of the coin, Europe is looking

outside of the military domain towards civil

applications for the UAVs that it operates.

Over the last decade, UAV manufacturers

have moved beyond pure military sales and

have shown a significant amount of interest

in potential UAV applications in civil and

commercial markets, explains Frost and

Sullivans paper The Future of the Civil and

Military UAV Market.

It states that in line with general defence

trends, the military has been an early adopter

of the technology, which is encouraging the

idea of their use in a large number of non-

military applications, such as law enforcement,

border security, Earth observation and

communications.

Historically, industry has often been accused

of unrealistic optimism in expecting the rapid

emergence of a viable civil and commercial

UAV market, it continues. However, at the

same time, industry has played an effective

advocacy role in driving initiatives in the area,

particularly in Europe and to some extent

North America.

On a broader European scale, the integration

of UAVs into the continents airspace is

scheduled for 2016, with full operational

capability (FOC) to be achieved in 2020.

In September 2012, the European

Commission released the staff working

document Towards a European strategy

for the development of civil applications of

Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems. According

to the study, the emergence of a civil market is

hampered by the absence of an operational

concept and associated technical enablers as

well as a supporting regulatory framework.

Nevertheless, it is working towards FOC in 2020.

The European Aviation Safety Agency hascalled for an effort to allow UAVs to fly in

non-segregated airspace, as well as aiming

to align the standards in Europe with those

being developed in the US. It also has an

interim policy document for the certification

of UAVs in national airspace, aiming to facilitate

such integration.

nnUK AIRSPACE

In the UK, the Watchkeeper is being tested at

the West Wales UAV Centre at ParcAberporth,

which facilitates the evaluation of UAVs by

industry and institutes and is an example of

forward thinking in the UK domain. The

number of organisations that currently have

permission to use small UAS for surveillance,

data or commercial use in the UK should they

wish to is 227, the CAA confirmed toUV.

In 2006, the Autonomous Systems

Technology Related Airborne Evaluation and

Assessment consortium began developing

the technology and certification procedures

required to operate UAVs in national airspace,

part of which saw a Jetstream research aircraft

complete a 800km autonomous flight through

UK airspace in April in partnership with NationalAir Traffic Services.

Europe could therefore potentially take

a lead in this domain, because no other

country has fully opened up its airspace

to this type of aircraft, even if it is falling

behind in its own development of platforms.

If airspace integration and airworthiness was

overcome, Germany, for example, might

not have faced such issues in the Euro Hawk

programme, thus the civil element can help

facilitate military requirements.

Despite being largely reliant on aircraft

developed elsewhere, Europe could lead

the market in this integration process, and

its historical experience in developing

sophisticated fighter jets could ultimately

stimulate UCAV development.

Europe is clearly seeing the potential in

operating UAVs, and is trying to develop its

fleets for future operations in the civil and

military markets. Whether these are a foreign

purchase, multilateral long-term cooperation

plan or indigenous development, it is striving

for what it wants, even if it has not quite

achieved it yet. uv

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19/44


SU R V EIL L A N C E T EC HN O L O G Y

17

Visible improvementGD Mediaware has developed a processing,exploitation and dissemination (PED) capabilityfor the Australian Armys Shadow 200 tactical

UAS (TUAS), which digitises analogue video

feed from the air vehicle, fuses it with other

data received off-board, such as position,

altitude and airspeed, and then archives it for

future reference. Known as Shadow 200 PED,

it uses the companys D-VEX software housed

in a ruggedised box and plugged into the

aircrafts GCS.

Sentient has already achieved export

success with Kestrel and there is potential

for Shadow PED to be sold to other UAS

operators, including the US Army.

nnDEMONSTRATOR PROGRAMME

Kestrel was developed under the ADFs

Capability and Technology Demonstrator

Program (CTD), which is funded by the Defence

Capability Group, but overseen by DSTO. The

purpose of CTD is to fund the development

of promising Australian technology to a

point where relevance and market potential

can be demonstrated.

Not all capabilities identified by CTD reach

maturity, but those which do, like Kestrel, often

lead to enhanced capability for the ADF and

export success for local industry.

Kestrel Land MTI was developed in 2008 and

first deployed to Afghanistan the following year,

integrated with the ScanEagle UAS operated by

the Australian Army, but owned and supported

by Insitu Pacific. Today it is aboard the AAI RQ-7B

Shadow 200, which replaced ScanEagle

in-theatre, and the larger IAI Heron, operated

by the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). It is also

installed aboard the RAAFs AP-3C Orions which

until recently performed overwater and overland

ISR missions in the Middle East. Altogether, it has

amassed well over 15,000 hours of operational

service with the ADF.

A development of the original product,

Kestrel Maritime is optimised for ocean and

littoral regions and is capable of detecting

targets as small as a life jacket in a wide range

of environmental conditions.

In 2011, Sentient signed a long-term

licensing agreement with AAIs parent Textron

Systems and last year reached similar accords

with AeroVironment and Insitu.

In 2012 Sentient demonstrated an

automated MTI and 360 ground change

detection (GCD) capability fitted

to an Australian Army Bushmaster Protected

Mobility Vehicle, aimed at providing greater

situational awareness for land forces.

The company is working with USN project

offices, with activities including a foreign

comparative test programme with PMA-263

(Small Tactical Unmanned Systems), and

has ongoing contracts with US Customs

and Border Protection and US Special

Operations Command.

The software also been integrated into the

products of two undisclosed US companies

active in the ISR space, while Canada has

integrated Kestrel into its CP-140 Aurora

Australian and coalition unmanned ISR

operations in Afghanistan are being aided

by two separate but complementary

software developments that greatly enhance

the viewing and recording of video feed.

The software has been developed by two

Australian companies, Sentient Vision Systems

of Melbourne and Canberra-based General

Dynamics (GD) Mediaware. Both products

have been developed to meet an individual

Australian Defence Force (ADF) operational

requirement and both have received assistance

in some form from the Defence Science and

Technology Organisation (DSTO).

Sentient has developed the Kestrel Land

MTI software, which detects motion in EO

and IR airborne full motion video and cues

the operator to the area of interest. It has also

adapted it for use in the maritime environment,

and recently released an upgraded version

of Land MTI with the capability of keeping

persistent track of a moving target and

providing a history of its movements.

The Australian DefenceForce is introducingsoftware add-ons toenhance the ISRcoverage provided byits frontline UAS fleet,reports Nigel Pittaway.

Shadow 200 PED takes the form of a

ruggedised box that plugs into the aircrafts

GCS. (Photo: GD Mediaware)

Software developments have added new capabilities to Australias Shadow 2000 fleet. (Photo: ADF)


20/44


18


patrol aircraft and the Colombian Air Force usesit to assist surveillance over the dense South

American jungle.

The latest version, Kestrel MTI 3.0, released

in March 2012, has the capability to add

breadcrumb tracks allowing operators to

see where a target of interest has moved from.

We are constantly developing Kestrel,

both on our own initiative and in response to

customer requirements, said Simon Olsen,

director of business development strategy

and partnerships at Sentient. We have worked

extensively with customers who have Kestrel

MTI deployed in support of their ISR operations

and significantly extended the performance of

the software. This major upgrade is the direct

result of feedback from payload operators

and image analysts in-theatre.

nn FEED CONVERTOR

When delivered under the purview of Joint

Project 129, the ADFs TUAS programme,

Shadow 200 came with a data archiving and

retrieval (DAR) capability, but it was an interim

and non-integrated system and did not fully

meet international standards, including NATOs

STANAG 4609 motion imagery standards profile.

Early operational test and evaluation of

the Shadow system in Australia resulted in an

urgent operational requirement to convert

the analogue video feed to digital format and

embed telemetry and other metadata into

the file before archiving it.

The requirement was to have a system

designed, built and tested before the next

rotation of Australian troops into Afghanistan in

late 2012 and, after writing a formal requirement,

DSTO helped to assemble a government/industryteam which comprised the Defence Materiel

Organisation (DMO) via the JP129 Project Office

and Unmanned Aerial Systems Management

Unit (UASMU) and GD Mediaware.

GD Mediaware is an Australian technology

company supplying compressed digital

video processing products, and its D-VEX

video exploitation software was determined

to offer the best solution for what had become

the Shadow 200 PED system.

An earlier version of D-VEX had previously

been tested by the DSTO in 2006, during a

UAS trial off the coast of Western Australia.

Funding for development of the PED was

made available last February, and in a remarkable

example of government/industry co-operation,

the system was designed and built by the end of

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19

June. It was operationally tested at Woomera in

central Australia in July-August 2012 and, after

cleaning and checking, was deployed on

schedule at the end of the year.

Shadow 200 PED requires no modification

to the air vehicle, is easily transportable and, by

virtue of the D-VEX software, complies with

international standards.

The digital imagery is stored on a hard

drive that can currently hold up to six months

of operational data and be fed into the wider

C2 network, allowing it to be exploited in

multiple locations.

Under the PED system, an operator can

click on a feature of interest in the video

footage and the D-VEX software algorithms will

search and display all archived footage of the

same location, allowing the rapid assessment

of changes. A further feature is a digital map

which, when a location is selected, can bring

up all stored imagery of that particular point.

We have simplified the difficult and complex

task of exploiting airborne ISR video by using

best-of-breed workflow technology, said Kevin

Moore, GD Mediawares chief technology

officer. The evolution of D-VEX is directly based

on lessons learned from customers in allied

forces over a decade of in-theatre experience.

Moore said that the company was invited to

use the UASMU facilities at Enoggera Barracks in

Brisbane, which is also home to the armys 20th

Surveillance and Target Acquisition Regiment

(STAR), operators of the Shadow UAS. This,

together with GD Mediawares participation in

operational testing at Woomera, enabled close

cooperation between the stakeholders.

The project ran smoothly with excellent

support from both DMO and DSTO, Moore

remembered. And we also obtained access to

US government-controlled specifications for

the GCS metadata format in a timely manner, as

this had been identified as a critical requirement

very early in the development process.

nnWORKING TOGETHER

With the arrival of the Shadow 200 PED system in

Afghanistan at the end of last year, both software

components were in regular use with the

deployed troops from the 20th STAR and it soon

became obvious that when integrated with one

another they could realise significant synergies.

Rather than just using Kestrel from a real-time

perspective, the operators are now using it in

the post-processing stage after [data] has been

archived by the PED system and they are now

using it as a forensic analysis tool, said Olsen.

So rather than just providing a cue,

customers wanted to extrapolate further

information such as geo-location from the

detection. They also wanted to be able to

disseminate that information which is of

interest to other parties, such as the ability

to discern friendly forces from enemy forces

within the field of view.

Because Sentient had previously donea significant amount of development to

ensure Kestrel was able to work with other

applications, Olsen says the work with GD

Mediaware was not too difficult to complete.

Prior to working with Mediaware we had

done work with other organisations and that

helped us to craft our technology. We worked

independently for between four and six

months prior to the collaboration, making

sure we were compliant with international

standards for full motion video, he explained.

That has enabled us to plug into other

compliant technologies fairly easily and

because Mediaware has the same sort of

capabilities established as well, the actual

engineering to integrate the two products

was not overly complex. Both of us had done

the hard yards already.

Individually, Kestrel and Shadow PED

contribute towards the shortening of the

sensor-to-shooter kill chain, but together

they provide even greater efficiencies and

the feedback from Afghanistan has shown

enthusiasm for the way in which video feed

can now be exploited.uv

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Kestrel Land MTI can keep track of an individual moving target. (Image: Sentient Vision Systems)


22/44


20

MCM USVs

Halcyon daysHowever, there is an acknowledgement

that net-centric off-board MCM remains a work

in progress, with efforts continuing to mature

many of the techniques and technologies

intended to underpin the migration away

from legacy platform-centric operations.

The role and function of the USV in the MCM

architecture of the future is a case in point.

Recognising this, Thales decided in 2011

to invest in the acquisition of a USV testbed to

allow it to demonstrate and de-risk the vehicle

and its potential payloads to satisfy both itself

and potential customers.

We developed a series of key user

requirements specific to the MCM mission,

continued Robinson. These included payload

flexibility for all MCM systems [UUVs, towed

sonar, disposal systems and influence

minesweeping gear]; a stable platform

with excellent slow speed and towing

characteristics; a capability to deploy from

military platforms, craft of opportunity or

shore/harbour; and a size/weight to enable

air transportation [using either C-17 or A400M

aircraft] and launch and recovery from the aft

deck of the Royal Navys existing Hunt-class

MCM vessels.

Having framed our requirements, we

then conducted a market survey of existing

off-the-shelf USVs, and conducted detailed

analysis of different hullform options. At the

end of this exercise, we identified the C-Sweep

design proposed by ASV as the basis for a

reconfigurable multirole USV designed for

future off-board MCM operations.

This selection came at an important

juncture for ASV, explained the companys

managing director Dan Hook. Autonomous

Surface Vehicles was originally registered in

1998, and for the main part of its life operated

as a small UMV concept development and

experimentation house, he said. That included

the build of a semi-submersible unmanned

vehicle for C&C Technologies in the US for

hydrographic survey operations in support

of an Office of Naval Research project.

nnACQUISITION CATALYST

Things changed in June 2010 when ASV was

acquired by Global Fusion, a privately owned

international marine services group based

in Lafayette, Louisiana, and parent of C&C

Technologies. This was the catalyst for change,

continued Hook. Since becoming part of

T

here is now an overwhelming tide of

evidence to suggest that maritime mine

countermeasures (MCM) is on the cusp

of a revolution. Rather than sending expensive

low-signature MCM vessels into the perils of the

mine danger area, the next generation of MCM

practitioners will conduct their business from

an altogether less risky place well outside of

the minefield, relying on AUVs, sensors and

effectors to detect, classify and, if necessary,

neutralise mine threats at stand-off ranges. The

goal is to take the man out of the minefield,

and enable MCM to be effected from

non-specialist mother ships, craft of

opportunity or shore sites.

nnUSV DELIVERY

What is also clear, according to Stuart

Robinson, director sales and marketing for the

underwater business of Thales Underwater

Systems, is that the USV has a pivotal enabling

role to play in this new style of MCM. That

may be as a taxi by which to transport AUVs

into the mined area, or as a host to different

payloads, such as side-scan sonars, influence

minesweeps and mine neutralisers, he told

Unmanned Vehicles.


23/44


MCM USVs

21

Thales and ASV have cometogether to design, build anddemonstrate a new multirolemine countermeasures USV.Richard Scott examines theorigins of their concept, andassesses progress to date.

Global Fusion, weve grown fast and seen our

customer base expand. Weve also moved

our premises to a facility at Portchester [in the

upper reaches of Portsmouth harbour in the

south of England].

ASV had already conceptualised the generic

semi-planing C-Sweep platform as a multirole

MCM USV. However, Thales wanted ademonstrator that was customised to meet

its specific requirements, marrying broad

application as a testbed platform with the

ability to transition naturally into a marketable

product. The outcome of this joint design and

development activity is Halcyon, an optionally

manned 11.5m craft constructed from glass-

reinforced plastic (GRP).

Powered by twin 480hp Yanmar 6LY-ETP

diesel engines (driving two 60cm diameter

propellers for a maximum speed of about

30kt and a tow force in excess of that required

for all envisaged payloads), the general

arrangement of Halcyon is characterised by a

flexible well deck area behind the wheelhouse

and a working deck aft. The latter is designed

to be able to accept a range of what Thales

characterises as light reconfigurable

mission packages.

Seakeeping performance is recognised as a

significant challenge for USVs, particularly if user

requirements demand operation in conditions

up to Sea State 4 or 5 (rough seas of up to 4m

wave height). At the same time, a balance

has to be struck with regard to size if the USV

platform is going to be sufficiently compact

and lightweight to allow embarkation on a

minor war vessel, or transported as air freight.

Some MCM USV concepts have consideredthe use of rigid-hull inflatable boats (RIBs) as

platforms. However, Hook observed that RIBs

tend to suffer from a high trim angle and thus

poor directional stability, and believes that the

semi-planing displacement hullform adopted

by Halcyon provides an excellent balance in

terms of size and seakeeping performance.

He emphasised its ability to operate in

rough seas (up to Sea State 4-5), pointing out

that the underwater form characterised by

centreline skegs, twin shafts and tunnelled

propellers offers excellent directional and

lateral stability.

nnOPTIMISED SIGNATURE

The main hull of Halcyon is moulded in thick

solid-skin GRP. The upper deck and deckhouse

are formed from a lightweight sandwich of the

same material. GRP was selected to optimise

signature characteristics, explained Robinson.

We were not just talking here of knocking up a

boat to pull a sweep. Magnetic hygiene was a

big requirement of ours from the outset, and

that meant that ASV had to model and evaluate

the metallic content of every single item

be it a hatch, door or valve on board. It also

required a detailed magnetic hygiene survey

of the construction facility in Portchester.

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Halcyon is an optionally manned 11.5m craft

constructed from glass-reinforced plastic.

(Photo: ASV)


24/44

22

MCM USVs


About two thirds of the upper deck area is

available for payload. The recessed well deck

has been configured with a standard grid of

fixing points to allow installation of equipment

rafts with interfaces/connections available for

water, fuel, electrical power and data/control,

added Hook. Generators producing up

to 150kW can be dropped in behind the

wheelhouse. A watertight cover pod can

be installed to protect the well deck area

from environmental effects.

The aft deck is characterised by a low

freeboard over the stern. This allows easy

articulation of payloads over the stern. We

also have significant additional payload

space beneath the working deck.

Remote piloting is supported by radar,

AIS and a 360 camera fit. Fixed cameras face

forward, port and starboard a pan/tilt/zoom

camera is fitted on the aft mast to provide

coverage over the payload space. The vessel is

fully MCA-compliant and optional manning is

enabled through a two-man wheelhouse at the

forward end of the boat.

One clever feature of Halcyon is an auto-

anchor function. Robinson explained: The

fully electric auto-anchor is a good way to

ensure precision station-keeping. Also, if there is

a situation in which we cant recover the vessel

owing to sea state, then we can send it off to

anchor itself until bad weather blows through.

Initial manned trials of Halcyon were carried

out in late December 2012, with unmanned

trials beginning at the end of January 2013.

Undertaken in the Solent, and to the south of

the Isle of Wight in the English Channel, these

have demonstrated unmanned operations at

line-of-sight ranges. Final sea acceptance trials

were completed on 24 April, said Robinson.

Everything went well, and we have now

formally accepted the craft from ASV.

Signature ranging, undertaken in Portland

harbour, has shown Halcyon to be well within

magnetic tolerances. Similarly, tow force

trials (using drogues) have demonstrated

performance well in excess of 20kN at 15kt,

according to Robinson, who added: Thatcomfortably meets our requirements for sweep

gear, side-scan sonar or any other towed body.

First payload trials are due to begin in

August. Thales remains tight-lipped as to

the MCM system to be tested, with Robinson

revealing only that it comes from a third-

party supplier.

nnPROACTIVE APPROACH

Initial market opportunities are already

being addressed, with the hottest iron in the

fire being the UKs Mine Countermeasures,

Hydrography and Patrol Capability (MHPC)

Sweep Demonstrator programme, intended

to lay the ground for a USV-based influence

mine-sweeping capability for the Royal Navys

Hunt-class MCM vessels. Outline requirements

call for a system remotely operable at a range of

up to 22km from the control position, and fitted

with highly versatile electric, magnetic and

acoustic influence sweep systems, providing

target-setting, mine-setting and mine-jamming

modes. As for the USV itself, it is required to

be suitably shock protected or hardened,

and capable of occasional operation in a

manned role.

Thales UK, bidding a solution based

on Halcyon, is one of three companies

shortlisted, alongside Atlas Elektronik UK and

Ultra Electronics, to compete for the MHPC

Sweep Demonstrator programme. Tenders

were submitted during April, with a contract

award currently anticipated in the second

half of 2013. uv

The fully electric auto-anchor

is a good way to ensure

precision station-keeping.

Tow force trials using drogues have demonstrated performance of over 20kN at 15kt. (Photo: ASV)

One opportunity for Halcyon is providing

a USV sweeping capability for the RNs

Hunt-classMCM vessels. (Photo: UK MoD)


25/44

A UVS I 2 013 PR EVIEW

23


Show businessfundamental issues affordability, availabilityand acceptance that continue to restrictcommercial UAS operations in the US. In

conjunction with these issues, the International

Civil Aviation Organization and the FAA have

identified more specific issues, as noted by

the US Government Accountability Office

in its document entitled Non-proliferation

(GAO-12-536) published in July 2012. These

include: signal frequencies and bandwidth for

UAS; standards for sense and avoid technology;

and airworthiness certification standards.

Yet again, these are not new issues, but ones

that have existed for a decade or more, and thus

need resolving if civil and commercial markets

are to fully realise their growth potential.

Therefore, whether attendees are from

industry, government, civil/commercial end

users or academia, the knowledge that the

value of the global UAS market is estimated at

around $6.6 billion today must be a significant

factor in their decision to attend AUVSI 2013,

particularly as this upward trend is forecast

to continue if the challenges of access to the

NAS are met.

nnCLOSING THE GAP

As part of this forward-looking perspective

and as Gretchen West, AUVSIs executive

VP, alluded to in 2012 the financial gap

between the defence market and the civil/

commercial market is closing and therefore

more non-military applications for UAS are

being realised.

Indeed, it remains a relevant point raised

by West that companies traditionally reliant on

manned platforms/technologies will have the

option to become unmanned along with

companies, agencies and organisations who

In 2002, it was estimated that there were

2,400 UAS military and civil in operation

worldwide, of which 66% were categorised

as commercial, 31% military, 2% civil and less

than 1% academic. At the time, analysts argued

that the challenges for unmanned aviation

included improving reliability and establishing

a regulatory infrastructure and stable

customer base, in that order, for future sector

development to occur.

More than a decade later, having clearly

had a head start from a non-military UAS

perspective, industry is still grappling with the

same aspects identified above granted some

have moved ahead, but probably the most

challenging, that of regulatory infrastructure,

still eludes the unmanned community when

it comes to emulating manned aviations

file-and-fly capability.

nnDELIVERING ANSWERS

The answers to this continued challenge

are many and varied, as they always have

been, and therein lies the premise for vital and

critical discussions which AUVSI 2013 allows for.

However, will this event be the one that actually

delivers answers, or will industry and civil/

commercial end users continue to rely on AUVSI

as an organisation to fight on their behalf in

accessing the National Airspace System (NAS)?

Once again, the collective opportunity exists

to add weight and momentum to the various

AUVSI will hold its annualevent in Washington, DC, on12-15 August.James Maseyconsiders the trend towardscivil/commercial UASutilisation in the US, as wellas what this years exhibitionwill offer attendees.

Photos: Robert Bruni/Ambience Photography

As the chairman of the

board, I would like to

personally invite you

to the worlds premier

unmanned systems

event AUVSIs 2013

Unmanned Systems.

From our humble

beginnings 41 years

ago, we have continued to expand, grow

and offer more services and support to

our most important part of the industry, YOU.

This year, we have kicked it up another

notch, showcasing a whole new side to the

organisations growth. Our international

participation has expanded already, so we

are looking forward to this.

Please spread the word and we look

forward to seeing you in DC in August.

Peter Bale, chairman of the board, AUVSI

All are welcome


26/44

24

AUV SI 2 013 PR EVIEW


thought they would not be able to afford orneed UAS capability, now having this

technology at their fingertips.

To highlight the importance of NAS access,

AUVSI published The Economic Impact of

Unmanned Aircraft Systems Integration in the

United States in March, and once again the lack

of a regulatory structure is of primary concern.

The report states: Because of current

airspace restrictions, non-defence use of UAS

has been extremely limited [However], the

combination of greater flexibility, lower capital

and lower operating costs could allow UAS

to be a transformative technology in fields as

diverse as urban infrastructure management,

farming and oil and gas exploration.

While there are multiple uses for UAS in the

NAS, this research concludes that precision

agriculture and public safety are the most

promising commercial and civil markets.

These two markets are thought to comprise

approximately 90% of the known potential

markets for UAS.

The economic impact of the integration

of UAS into the NAS will total more than

$13.6 billion in the first three years and

grow sustainably for the foreseeable future,

cumulating in more than $82.1 billion of value

between 2015 and 2025.

Integration will also create more than

34,000 manufacturing jobs and more than

70,000 new jobs in the first three years,and by 2025 total employment is estimated

to reach over 100,000. The manufacturing roles

will be high paying ($40,000) and require

technical baccalaureate degrees. Furthermore,

related tax revenue to the US will total more

than $482 million in the first 11 years following

integration (2015-2025).

nnSHOW SPOTLIGHT

AUVSI 2013 will begin on 12 August at the

Walter E Washington Convention Center,

with keynotes, panels and discussions set to

take up, among others, the above-mentioned

opportunities and challenges facing the

unmanned systems world. The programme

begins at 1pm and concludes with an

evening reception.

The 12 August session includes a workshop

on preparing the public safety community for

UAS operations. The panel will feature officials

talking about the ins and outs of using UAS,

as well as issues of getting airspace access,

gaining public acceptance and finding funding

opportunities.

The show will also focus on cutting-edge

research on maritime and ground robotic

and unmanned systems, as well as the latest

applications for those systems that are starting

to emerge. Morning general session speakers

will address the audience on Tuesday,

Wednesday and Thursday, followed by acombination of technical, panel and hot topic

sessions each afternoon.

Its a very exciting time to be part of the

unmann

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