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Reaper, ready…
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New ground bases, French opportunity? (June 25/10)

The MQ-9 Reaper UAV, once called “Predator B,” is somewhat similar to the famous Predator. Until you look at the tail. Or its size. Or its weapons. It’s called “Reaper” for a reason – while it packs the same surveillance gear, it’s much more of a hunter-killer design. Some have called it the first fielded Unmanned Combat Air Vehicle (UCAV).

The Reaper UCAV will play a significant role in the future USAF, even though its capability set makes the MQ-9 considerably more expensive than MQ-1 Predators, whose price benefits from less advanced design and volume production orders. Given these high-end capabilities, and expenses, one might not have expected the MQ-9 to enjoy better export success than its famous cousin. Nevertheless, that’s what appears to be happening. MQ-9 operators currently include the USA and Britain, who have both used it in hunter-killer mode, and Italy. Other countries are also expressing interest, and international deployments are accelerating.

• The MQ-9 Reaper, and its Little Brothers
• Contracts & Key Events, 2005 SDD – Present [updated]
• Additional Readings & Sources
  
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ER/MP, armed
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$38.5M support contract, as use ramps up. (May 25/10)

In August 2005, “Team Warrior” leader General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. in San Diego, CA won a $214.4 million cost-plus-incentive-fee contract for research, development, test and evaluation (RDT&E) of the Extended Range/ Multi Purpose Unmanned Aerial Vehicle System (ER/MP UAS).

The Sky Warrior ER/MP program is part of the US Army’s reinvestment of dollars from the canceled RAH-66 Comanche helicopter program, and directly supports the Army’s Aviation Modernization Plan. ER/MP could be a $1 billion effort, and recently strengthened its position when a 2007 program restructuring cut the Future Combat Systems Class III UAV competition. Now, in FY 2010, the MQ-1C “Gray Eagle” prepares to move into low-rate production, following tentative resolution of the first big “Key West” battle of the 21st century between the USAF and US Army.

• The MQ-1C Sky Warrior, and its Band of Brothers
• The Army’s Sky Warrior Program
• ER/MP UAS – Enter the Warrior: Contracts & Key Events [updated]
• Appendix A: US Army et. al. vs. USAF Over UAVs
• Appendix B: Additional Readings – Who Controls the UAVs? [updated]
• Appendix C: Additional Readings [updated]
  
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EMALS Components
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Software issue causes hardware accident, program delays. (May 5/10)

As the US Navy continues to build its new CVN-21 Gerald R. Ford Class carriers, few technologies are as important to their success as the next-generation EMALS (Electro-MAgnetic Launch System) catapult. The question is whether that technology will be ready in time, in order to avoid either costly delays to the program – or an even more costly redesign of the first ship of class.

Current steam catapult technology is very entertaining when it launches cars more than 100 feet off of a ship, or gives naval fighters the extra boost they need to achieve flight speed within a launch footprint of a few hundred feet. It’s also stressful for the aircraft involved, very maintenance intensive, and not really compatible with modern gas turbine propulsion systems. At present, however, steam is the only option for launching supersonic jet fighters from carrier decks. EMALS aims to leap beyond steam’s limitations, delivering significant efficiency savings, a more survivable system, and improved effectiveness. This free-to-view spotlight article covers the technology, the program, and its progress to date.

• From Steam to Magnets: EMALS vs. Current Approaches
• Program Teams
• Contracts and Key Events [updated]
• Additional Readings
  
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• 2 months after its 1st request, the Pentagon asks for another 5 month extension, in order to negotiate a 3rd multi-year procurement deal for Boeing’s F/A-18 Super Hornet family fighters. Tough sledding, or just bureaucrats stalling?

• BAE providing 16 RG-32M vehicles to Finland, upgrading 25 Norwegian M113 tracked APCs to M113E3 standard.

• Adapted ISR trend: Lockheed Martin showing its Gulfstream G3 “Dragon Star” ISR aircraft in the Middle East, will take it to Farnborough 2010.

• General Atomics submits navalized “Sea Avenger” to US Navy as carrier reconnaissance & strike UAV candidate. The jet-powered “Predator C” would implicitly compete against options like Northrop Grumman’s X-47B N-UCAS.

• Saudi Arabia upgrading its Black Hawk helicopters to UH-60L standard.

• US deploys 850 trainers to Afghanistan to fill gap in European effort.

• US nuclear weapon stockpile down to 5,113 warheads as of Sept 30/10, an 84% reduction since 1967, the Pentagon discloses [pdf].

• Strategy Analytics: Aegis Combat System to drive 5% annual growth in advanced electronics market demand.

• ATK gets $52 million order to supply 120mm training tank ammunition for the US Army’s M1A1/A2 Abrams main battle tank, including M865 kinetic energy and the M1002 multi-purpose anti-tank training rounds.

• CAE snags C$50 million in orders for helicopter and transport aircraft training and simulation support for the Germany, Dutch and Canadian defense ministries.

• US Navy to upgrade its Distributed Common Ground System with $72 million contract to BAE Systems.

• UK parliamentary panel says defense budget gap could reach GBP 36 billion, 6 times the MoD’s estimate. Defense programs could be slashed. Panel report | Reuters | Bloomberg | Telegraph | Daily Mail

• World Trade Organization hands down ruling on Airbus subsidies from 2004 case. Airbus plans to continue launch subsidy practices for the post-case A350, however, lengthening EADS’ odds in any KC-X tanker bid.

• US House of Representatives approves Rep. Skelton’s [D-MO] TRICARE Affirmation Act (H.R. 4887) 403 – 0. The bill explicitly deems that TRICARE and nonappropriated fund (NAF) health plans meet all of the minimum requirements under Obama’s new health care laws, and will not force military families to buy extra coverage or face fines.

• US Missile Defense Agency chief takes contractors to task over quality control, even as review confirms the growing need for ABM/BMD capabilities.

• Israelis finally lift the lid on their G550 Eitam AWE&C/ Shavit ELINT fleet, may have an eye on potential orders from India.

• Lockheed employee says General Atomics has a customer for its “Predator C/ Avenger” jet-powered, high-altitude UAV.

• Israelis going slower on the AirMule ducted-fan vertical take-off and landing cargo and medical evacuation UAV.

• Pakistan tells US it wants more military aid for war on terror. Christian Science Monitor | Reuters | Wall Street Journal | New York Times | AFP | See also “US GAO Criticizes Aid to Pakistan”

• The human element: USAF, Chilean medics learning from each other in EMEDS facility post-quake. US DSCA director is also in town.

• Red Hot Chili Peppers: India’s chili grenade delivers deep kick if dosed. Future versions may offer one hot minute to one big mob.

• General Dynamics gets $37 million contract to beef up M-1 Abrams tank design.

US “Chair” Force?
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UAVs have played a crucial role in gathering intelligence in the US military’s wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. There are thousands of UAVs gathering and distributing valuable data on the enemy, but each system uses its own proprietary subsystem to control the air vehicle as well as receive and process the data. Yet commanders need access to information gathered by all types of UAVs that are flying missions in their area of operation.

Recognizing this shortcoming, the Pentagon began an effort in 2008 to break down the proprietary barriers between UAV systems and create a single GCS that will fly all types of drones.

This free-to-view DID Spotlight article examines the problem of proprietary UAV systems and efforts to break down barriers to sharing vital UAV-generated information.

• Ground Control to Major Tom: The Role of GCS
• Come Together: The Pentagon’s UCS-WG
• Are You Going STANAG?: NATO’s Standard
• One is the Loneliest Number: AAI’s OneSystem
• Red ROVER, Red ROVER: The ROVER Datalink
• Masters of the Universe: Raytheon’s UCS
• Too Close to the Sun: ICARUS and Autonomy
• Contracts and Key Events
• Additional Readings
  
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BAMS Operation Concept
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FY 2009-2011 budgets, $25 million to Curtiss-Wright. (March 2/10)

The world’s P-3 Orion fleets have served for a long time, and many are reaching the end of their lifespans. In the USA, and possibly beyond, the new P-8 Poseidon Multi-mission Maritime Aircraft will take up the P-3’s role. While the P-8’s base 737-based airframe offers strong service & maintenance arguments in its favor, the airframe is expensive enough that the P-3s cannot be replaced on a 1:1 basis.

In order to extend the P-8 fleet’s reach, and provide additional capabilities, the Poseidon is expected to work with at least one companion platform under the BAMS (Broad Area Maritime Surveillance) and/or PUMAS (Persistent Unmanned Aerial Surveillance) programs. This DID FOCUS Article explains the winning BAMS concept, the program’s key requirements, and its international angle. We’ll also cover ongoing contracts and key events related to the program, which chose Northrop Grumman’s navalized RQ-4N Gloal Hawk.

• Next-Gen Maritime Patrol Systems: Issues and Options
• BAMS: Requirements and Missions
• BAMS: The RQ-4N Maritime Hawk
• BAMS: The International Angle
• BAMS: The Program [updated]
• BAMS: Contracts & Key Events [updated]
• Additional Readings & Sources
  
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UCAS-D concept
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Competition from the Predator family? (May 4/10)

In early 2006 the future of the J-UCAS program seemed uncertain. It aimed to create Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicles (UCAV) for the USAF and Navy that could approach the capabilities of an F-117 stealth fighter. Boeing’s X-45C was set to face off against Northrop Grumman’s X-47B Pegasus, the program had demonstrated successful tests that included dropping bombs, and aerial refueling tests were envisioned.

J-UCAS was eventually canceled, but the technologies have survived, and the US Navy remains interested. A May 2007 non-partisan report discussed the lengthening reach of ship-killers. Meanwhile, the US Navy’s carrier fleet sees its strike range shrinking to 1950s distances, and prepares for a future with 11 operational carriers – but just 10 carrier air wings. Could UCAV/UCAS vehicles with longer ranges, and indefinite flight time limits via aerial refueling, solve these problems? Some people in the Navy seem to think that they might. Hence UCAS-D/ N-UCAS, which has received a major push in the FY 2010 defense review.

• The N-UCAS Program
• The X-47B
• Contracts and Key Events [updated]
• Additional Readings
  
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DDG-51 Destroyer
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General Atomics in San Diego, CA won a $32.7 million not-to-exceed, cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for development of a prototype hybrid electric drive (HED) system on DDG-51 Arleigh Burke Class destroyers. Under the contract, General Atomics intends to demonstrate the capability for significant fuel savings by incorporating advanced electric machine technology.

General Atomics will perform the work in San Diego, CA (50%); Milwaukee, WI (24%), and Hudson, MA (26%), and expects to complete it by June 2014. This contract was competitively procured under a Broad Agency Announcement, with 23 offers received by the Naval Sea Systems Command at the Washington Navy Yard, DC (N00024-09-C-4222).

DID has more on DDG-51 improvements and the troubles with the DDG-1000 Zumwalt Class destroyer program that are prompting the U.S. Navy to look at beefing up the DDG-51…

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MQ-1 Predator
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General Atomics Aeronautical Systems received a $9.8 million firm-fixed-price contract for Predator receiver terminals, installation, and software updates from the USAF. At this time, the entire amount has been obligated. Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, OH, manages the contract (FA8620-05-G-3028). The receiver terminals are ruggedized laptops that are compatible with both the MQ-1 Predator and the MQ-9 Reaper.