Armada Feb Mar 2014

THE TRUSTED SOURCE FOR DEFENCE TECHNOLOGY INFORMATION SINCE 1976

Issue 1/2014 February/March

03INTERNATIONAL 1/2014


INTERNATIONAL

Contents1/2014

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06NAVAL DRONESSEA-WATCHINGDRONES

I Roy Braybrook, inputs from Eric H. Biass

26SMALL CAL AMMOLETHALITY AND RANGEVS MOBILITY: THESMALL ARMS AMMO DILEMMAI Paolo Valpolini

36HARBOUR PROTECTIONTHE HUNT FORHARBOUR INTRUDERS

I Luca Peruzzi

56SHOW REPORTAUSA 2013

I Paolo Valpolini

46SPECIAL MISSION AIRCRAFT

The best way to respond to some missionneeds is to add sensors, work stations, extra

communications equipment, defensive aids (andeven armour and armament) to existing utility ortransport aircraft. This can provide a relatively

low-cost, well-proven platform that minimises thetime and funds required for development.

COMPENDIUM SUPPLEMENT

LIGHT ARMOURED VEHICLES

I Paolo Valpolini

16TRANSPARENT ARMOURWEIGHT-PERFORMANCE-COST:THE GOLDEN TRIANGLE OFTRANSPARENT ARMOUR SOLUTIONSI Paolo Valpolini

SPECIAL MISSIONAIRCRAFTI Roy Braybrook

Index

04 INTERNATIONAL 1/2014

AAI 10,26,29

ABDS System 32,33

Aerovironment 62

Allison 22,24

AM General 3,4,5,6,8,9

ArmorLine 24

ATK 28,30,47,54

Atlas Elektronik 41,42

BAE Systems 5,6,11,18,30,52

Beechcraft 54,55

BMW 58

Boeing 13,50,52,55,56,60

Boeing /Insitu 8,11

Bombardier Global Express 54,55

Cassidian 8

Ceradyne 32

CeramTec 22

Cessna 47

CMRE 44

DCNS 10

Defense Venture Group 24

DRS Technologies 60

Elbit Systems 13

Embraer 55

Emirates Defence Technology 22

Flir Systems 7,38,58

FNSS 11

Gaz 28

GDELS 15,22,23

GDLS 17

General Atomics 13,14,52,55

General Dynamics 16,24,26,60

Glas und Optik Gmbh 21

Gulfstream 55

Hatehof 26,28,30

Hema Defence Industry 12,30

IAI 10,13,14,28,44,55

IAI Ramta 28

IBD Solution 23

IMI 33

Isoclima 25

ITT Exelis 55

Iveco DV 14,16

Jenoptik Defense & Civil Systems 22

Kaman 8

KMW 5,15,17

Komatsu Defence System 34

Kongsberg 15,38,40

L-3 Wescam 52,54,55

LIG Nex1 42

Lockheed Martin 3,5,8,13,47,55,60

MAN 17

Mercedes Benz 16,17,58

Meritor Defence 8,9

Mitsubishi 10

Nammo 29,30,32,33

Northrop Grumman 6,12,14,47,50,55

Nurol Makina 12

Oran Safety Glass 18,20

Oshkosh 3,5,6

Oto Melara 3,14

Otokar 9,10,11,12

Panhard 12,13,14

Pilatus 47,48

QinetiQ 32

RADA 60

Rafael 42,60

Raytheon 14,54,55

Renault Truck Defence 12,13,14,15

Rheinmetall 5,15,17

Rock Strike Glass 21

Rolls-Royce 14

Ruag Ammotec 32,33,34

Saab 10,42,54,55,59

Saint-Gobain 17

Schiebel 8,10

Schott 17,18,20

Selsx 13

Sonardyne 37,38

ST Electronics 38

Steyr Motors 4,13,30

Streit Group 17

Supacat 24

Telephonics 6

TenCate 33

Textron 26,59

Textron Marine & Land Systems 6,7,8

Thales 30, 32,33

Thales 10,30,32,33,48

Urovesa 26

Volvo 12

Zephyr 17

ADAS PHILIPPINES

29

AFRICAN AEROSPACE 57

AIRSHOW CHINA 53

AR MODULAR 51

ARMADA SUBSCRIPTION 49

ARMADA WEBSITE AD 25

AUVSI C3

BRUNSWICK 39

ELBIT 9

ELBIT SYSTEMS Ltd: Land and C4I C2

EURONAVAL 45

EUROSATORY C3

GENERAL ATOMICS 15

IAI 5

IAI RAMTA 23

IDEAS PAKISTAN 27

ILA BERLIN 35

MTU 19

NAVDEX 61

NEXTER ARAVIS 11

ODU 43

OSHKOSH C4

OTOKAR 13

RAFAEL C4

RUAG AMMOTECH 29

RUAG DEFENCE 7

SOFEX 29

VIKING AIR C2

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:

Small calibre munitions manufacturers have gone outof their way to produce lead-free rounds asexemplified here by ATK’s M855A1, but otherconsiderations like ballistic performance require farmore studies than expected. See the story on page 26.

INTERNATIONALis published bi-monthly by Media Transasia Ltd.

Copyright 2012 by Media Transasia Ltd.Publishing Office: Media Transasia Ltd,1205, Hollywood Centre 233, Hollywood Road, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong.Tel: (852) 2815 9111, Fax: (852) 2815 1933Editor-in-Chief: Eric H. BiassRegular Contributors: Roy Braybrook,Paolo Valpolini, Thomas Withington

Chairman: J.S. UberoiPresident: Xavier Collaco Sr. Manager International Marketing: Vishal MehtaManager Marketing: Jakhongir DjalmetovSales &Marketing Coordinator: Atul BaliCreative Director: Bipin KumarDeputy Art Director: Sachin JainAsstt. Art Directors :Mukesh Kumar, Ajay KumarVisualiser: Sujit SinghProduction Manager: Kanda ThanakornwongskulGroup Circulation Manager: Porames ChinwongsChief Financial Officer: Gaurav KumarAdvertising Sales Officesn AUSTRIA, BENELUX, SWITZERLANDCornelius W. BontjePh: +41 55 216 17 81, [email protected] FRANCEPromotion et Motivation, Odile OrbecPh: +33 1 41 43 83 00, [email protected] GERMANYSam Baird Ph: +44 1883 715 697,[email protected] ITALY, NORDIC COUNTRIESEmanuela Castagnetti-GillbergPh: +46 31 799 9028, [email protected] PAKISTANKamran Saeed, Solutions Inc.Tel/Fax: (92 21) 3439 5105 Mobile: (92) 300 8238200 Email: [email protected] SPAINVía Exclusivas, Macarena Fdez. de GradoPh: +34 91 448 76 22, [email protected] UK, EASTERN EUROPE, GREECE, TURKEYZena CoupéPh: +44 1923 852537, [email protected] RUSSIAAlla Butova, NOVO-Media Ltd,Ph: (7 3832) 180 885 Mobile : (7 960) 783 6653Email :[email protected] USA (EAST/SOUTH EAST), CANADAMargie Brown, Ph: (540) 341 7581,[email protected] USA (WEST/SOUTH WEST), BRAZIL Diane Obright, Ph: (858) 759 3557,[email protected] ALL OTHER COUNTRIESVishal Mehta, Tel: (91) 124 4759625,Mobile: (91) 99 999 85425, (44) 11 5885 4423, E-Mail: [email protected] subscription rates:

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Controlled circulation: 24,351,certified by ABC Hong Kong, valid from1st April 2012 to 30th June 2012.Printed by Media Transasia Thailand Ltd.75/8, 14th Floor, Ocean Tower II,Soi Sukhumvit 19, Sukhumvit Road, Klongtoeynue,Wattana, Bangkok 10110, Thailand.Tel: 66 (0)-2204 2370, Fax: 66 (0)-2204 2390 -1Subscription Information: Readers should contactthe following address: Subscription Department, Media Transasia Ltd. 1205, Hollywood Centre 233,Hollywood Road, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong.Tel: (852) 2815 9111, Fax: (852) 2851 1933

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www.armada.chwww.armadainternational.com

Volume 38, Issue No. 1,February-March 2014

Entries highlighted with Red numbersare found in Light Armoured Vehicles

Compendium 2014

I f a drone is to be operated from a ship, itwill almost certainly be designed to takeoff and recover vertically, or to becatapulted to flying speed and perform an

arrested deck landing (the French ‘appontage’saying it better). The following discussiondeals firstly with these two ship-basedcategories and then with land-based designs.

I ROTARY-WINGThe first ship-based rotary-wing unmannedaircraft was the US Navy’s 1,067-kg GyrodyneQH-50 Dash (Drone Anti-Submarine

Helicopter), of which 755 were built in the1960s. It was designed as an expendableplatform to deliver a MK57 nuclear depthcharge or two MK44 torpedoes. Around 80%of its many losses were due to avionics failures.The US Navy cancelled the Dash in 1969,partly because it had no relevance to theVietnam War. Japan’s JMSDF, which achieveda lower attrition rate (500 hours betweenlosses), continued to use the QH-50 till 1977.Today there is renewed interest in using

rotary-wing drones from naval vessels. TheUS Navy has performed extensive trials with

the 1430-kg Northrop Grumman MQ-8BFire Scout, based on the Sikorsky/Schweizer333. Some 30 MQ-8Bs have been purchased.They have been evaluated in Afghanistan andsix deployments aboard frigates (FFGs),leading to trials on a guided missile destroyer(DDG) and interface tests on a LittoralCombat Ship (LCS). The LCS will deployroutinely with one or two Fire Scouts and amanned Sikorsky H-60 Seahawk.Under an urgent operational request, the

MQ-8B is being cleared to fire the BAE SystemsAPKWS laser-homing 70 mm Hydra 70rocket, carried in two three-round pods. NineMQ-8Bs will be fitted with the TelephonicsZPY-4(V)1 StarLite (RDR-1700B+) Sar/Gmti


As with standard aircraft, operating drones from surface vessels involvesheightened risks during launch and recovery. There is consequently astrong argument for performing as much overwater surveillance as possible fromland bases. Whether launched from ship or shore, maritime drones must cover largeareas, while identifying individual targets. This suggests either a yo-yo missionprofile, or a combination of different designs.

Sea-Watching Drones

Roy Braybrook, inputs from Eric H. Biass

The first of two NorthropGrumman MQ-4C Tritondevelopment aircraft,BuAer No 168457, isshown on its maiden flighton May 22, 2013. The USNavy plans to buy 68production Tritons.(Northrop Grumman)

Naval Drones

Sea-Watching Drones

radar, in addition to the standard Flir SystemsBrite Star II stabilised electro-optical sensorwith laser ranger/designator.The MQ-8B was to have led to the more

capable Mrmuas (Medium-Range MaritimeUAS), but economies led to the latter beingcancelled in 2012 and replaced by the 2720-kgNorthrop Grumman MQ-8C EnduranceUpgrade Fire Scout, based on the Bell 407.The very first prototype known as the Fire-Xtook to the air in December 2010, while thefirst representative of the “deployable” itemhad its maiden flight on 31 October 2013.According to latest news from NorthropGrumman at the Dubai Air Show, the firstdeployment of the type with the US Navy isexpected in late 2014 (see below).

According to Northrop Grumman, some14 aircraft are now under contract as part ofan urgent operational requirement for aninitial batch of 20. While final numbers willunsurprisingly be inferior to the planned 168MQ-8Bs (this type is now to be forgottenonce and for all) a figure hovering above the100 unit mark and spread over the years isgenerally muttered. Unmanned Helicopter Reconnaissance

Squadron No1 (HUQ-1) was formed at NASNorth Island, California in October, 2013. Asthe fleet replacement squadron for the MQ-8C, it will train operators, supply currentsurface combatants with 32-man UASDetachments (UDets) and later provideUnmanned Aviation Detachments (AVDets)for the LCS, of which 55 are planned. Thefirst MQ-8C deployment is expected to takeplace in late 2014 aboard the USS JasonDunham (DDG-109). Navair (Naval Air Systems Command)

insists that the MQ-8C is only an interimsolution, and does not satisfy the Mrmuasrequirement, which will have to be addressedwhen funds are available. The Mrmuas requirement is believed to

have been sparked by the US Navy anti-piracy operation in 2009, depicted in the TomHanks movie “Captain Phillips”, released inOctober 2013. Two destroyers and an air-dropped Seal sniper team were deployed todeal with Somali pirates who hadcommandeered the US-registered freighterMaersk Alabama and removed its captain in a


The US Navy’s Mrmuas (Medium-RangeMaritime UAS), exemplified here by an AVXAircraft design, was to follow the MQ-8B.Following cutbacks, the MQ-8C will act as ashort-term substitute for Mrmuas, which isonly delayed, not cancelled. (AVX)

The Northrop Grumman MQ-8C Endurance Upgrade Fire Scout is based on the Bell 407,taking the unmanned system architecture from the MQ-8B Fire Scout, based on the lighterSikorsky/Schweizer 333. It first flew on October 31, 2013. (Northrop Grumman)

lifeboat, hoping to take him ashore forransom. Although valuable day/nightimagery was provided by a Boeing/InsituScanEagle drone (discussed later) operatingfrom the USS Bainbridge (DDG-96), it wasevidently felt that the US Navy should havevtol air vehicles, operable from smallervessels, and with more range and payload.The broad aim of Mrmuas was that a

single ship should be able to providesustained 24/7 ISR capability at a range of555 km to support special operations. Theequipment fit was to include EO/IR sensors,radar, ESM, Sigint and communicationsrelay. The Navy originally aimed to achieve alimited operational capability by 2016. In July 2013 the British MoD awarded

AgustaWestland a £2.3 million capabilityconcept demonstrator contract under itsRWUAS (Rotary-Wing AUS) programme toevaluate the usefulness of a multi-role dronehelicopter. The roles to be studied includemine countermeasures, offensive surfacewarfare and situational awareness. The RWUAS tests will use the optionally-

manned 1800-kg PZL-Swidnik SW-4 Solo,and pave the way for the Royal Navy’sTMUAS (Tactical Maritime UAS). This is toenter service around 2020, operating initiallyfrom the Type 45 air defence destroyer andlater the Type 26 Global Combat Ship.

I CARGO DRONESThe US Marine Corps and Army both havean interest in cargo drones to supply forward-deployed forces, with the long-term aim of

adding casualty evacuation. In early 2012 theUS Army issued an RFI for a cargo drone thatcould deliver a load of 2250-3600 kgover a distance of 555 km at a cruise speed of463 km/hr. Once such assets are fullydeveloped, they will almost certainly also beused to supply ships at sea and to supportamphibious landings.Marine Corps trials with two optionally-

manned 5443-kg Kaman/Lockheed MartinK-Max in Afghanistan began in November2011. Operations are carried out mostly atnight to avoid ground fire and benefit fromlower temperatures. They have largely beensuccessful, despite one accident. Loads arelimited to 2000 kg, and radius to around 100km to avoid the need for satcom.

Cargo drone R&D effort is nowconcentrated on achieving greater autonomy.The US Navy’s Aacus (Autonomous AerialCargo/Utility System) aims to develop asensing and computing capability that can beapplied to any fly-by-wire helicopter. AuroraFlight Sciences with Boeing as subcontractor isto demonstrate its system on the latter’s H-6UUnmanned Little Bird, competing againstLockheed Martin’s system in the K-Max. In2015 the chosen Aacus is to be tested on theSikorsky JUH-60A Rascal (Rotorcraft AircrewSystem Concepts Airborne Laboratory) atMarine Corps Base Quantico in Florida.The JUH-60A (serial 78-23021, Nasa 750)

is currently being used in various trials underthe US Army’s Atuas (AutonomousTechnologies for UAS) programme. Oneseries achieved precision load drops, thedrone homing on to a ground beacon toprovide deliveries within three metres.Another involved use of a high-definitionEO/IR sensor (Wescam MX-10) to provide aremote pilot with real-time video via a high-bandwidth satcom link, synchronised to emitbetween the rotor blades. A Fairchild ControlsHellas lidar has been used to autonomouslysurvey the ground, detect obstacles and select asafe drop area. Atuas also aims to allow thedrone to identify a specific load on the groundand autonomously attach its hook.

I SMALLER HELOSThe lower end of the rotary-wing scale isrepresented by drones in the 150-300 kg class,of which one pathfinder has been Sweden’s180-kg CybAero Apid 60. This has inspiredfurther developments by other companies,including the Cassidian Tanan 300, the 200-kgIndra Pelicano and the 235-kg Saab Skeldar


Kaman’s Unmanned K-Max was flown (with a safety pilot) in the US Marine Corps Burro(Broad area Unmanned Responsive Resupply Operation) trials of 1999. The Burro K-Max isshown on the deck of the Lockheed Martin Sea Splice. (US Navy)

The most successfuldrone in its class is

the SchiebelCamcopter S-100, withover 200 already sold.Just aft of the sensor

turret is thevertical

harpoon thatsecures the

naval S-100 to a grid in the ship’shelicopter deck. (Schiebel)

Naval Drones

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Comprehensive array of payloads

NEW TOOLS FOR NEW RULES

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Naval Drones

V-200. Against all odds, the Skeldar scoredits very first sales success with the Spanishnavy beating the Indra-developed Pelicanoin the process. The Spanish Skeldar is beingused as part of the Atlanta counter-piracysurveillance operation in the Gulf of Aden.The pace-setter, however, is the 200-kg

Schiebel Camcopter S-100, of which over 200have already been sold under more than adozen international contracts. Sea trials havebeen performed with the maritime servicesof France, Germany, India, Italy, Malaysia,Pakistan, Russia and Spain. The S-100 is

available with a heavy fuel engine and theThales I-Master radar. In Russia, a version of the S-100 is to be

built under licence by OAO Gorizont. TheRussian Coast Guard has bought the ‘GorizontAir S-100’ for use from its 630-tonne AlmazRubin-class (Project 22460) patrol boats,which will also carry the manned 3400-kgKamov Ka-226. The Russian Navy is alsobelieved to be interested in the S-100.In 2010 China reportedly purchased 18 S-

100s. In May 2012 the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force released an image of three S-

100s on the helicopter deck of a 4000-tonnePLA Navy Type 054A guided missile frigate.Later in 2012 China Maritime Surveillance(CMS) awarded a contract to the DCNSGroup for two helicopter landing grids for itsplanned 1500-tonne offshore patrol vessels,grids known to be compatible with theharpoon of the naval S-100. The French Navyfor its part has been test-flying an S-100 fromits frigates for a while now and the Adroiteven paid a visit to the Dimdex exhibition inAbu Dhabi in February 2013 with a Schiebeldrone on its deck.

I FIXED-WINGThe first drone used by the US Navy andMarine Corps was the 189-kg RQ-2A Pioneer,a development of the lighter IAI Scout. TheRQ-2A was produced by Pioneer UAV, a jointventure by IAI and AAI. It entered service in1986 and was first used operationally inDesert Storm of 1991. In US Navy serviceaboard Iowa-class battleships, the RQ-2A wasrail-launched with rocket assistance, andrecovered by flying it into a net. Nets still havetheir advocates. For example, the at-sea trialswith Russia’s Zala Aero 421-08 in 2008 and2012 employed recovery nets. Similar testswith the company’s 421-16E/EM are plannedfor 2014. Aeronautics uses a four-by-fourmetre net to recover its Orbiter in operationsfrom Israeli Navy patrol boats.The 22-kg Boeing/Insitu ScanEagle is

launched by the company’s SuperWedge(now being superseded by the Mk IV)pneumatic catapult and recovered with itsSkyhook system. In this a spring-loadedhook on the tip of the drone’s swept wingengages with a 15-metre vertical cablesuspended alongside the vessel. In 2004 the ScanEagle set an endurance

record for a drone launched and retrieved atsea, with a flight of 16 hours 45 minutes. Itentered service with the US Marine Corps in2004 and the US Navy in 2005, followed by theUS Air Force. It also serves with the militaryforces of Australia, Canada, Italy, Japan(through Mitsubishi Heavy Industries),Malaysia, Netherlands, Poland and Singapore.Some 1700 ScanEagles have been produced,and most systems are leased. Insitu’s recent successes include winning

Britain’s competition for a contractor to

The Saab Skeldar V-200 is a 235 kg dronewith a 40 kg payload and an enduranceof six hours. A Maritime version with ventralradar is also marketed. (Saab)

The Schiebel Camcopter S-100 has been fully tested with a Thales I–Master radar inearly 2013, demonstrating smooth flow of information from the sensor. The I-Master is thesynthetic aperture radar carried by the Watchkeeper. (Schiebel)

provide ISR services aboard selected RoyalNavy frigates and support ships, generating 300hours of cover per month, using drones withan endurance of eight hours at 60 km radius.A Chinese copy of ScanEagle is

marketed as the CASC CH-803. Iran beganmanufacturing its own copy at the end of2012, and in September 2013 unveiled the‘Yasseer’ development, which adds twinbooms and an inverted V-tail.In 2010 the US Navy chose the 61.2-kg

Boeing/Insitu RQ-21A version of thecompany’s Integrator as its Small Tactical UAS(Stuas), and awarded Insitu the developmentcontract. The Stuas is a multi-intelligencesystem to fulfil the needs of the MarineExpeditionary forces, US Navy L-Class(amphibious warfare) ships and Naval SpecialWarfare (NSW) units. The Navy plans to buy36 Stuas systems, each with five air vehicles.Service tests began in 2011 with an early

operational capability (EOC) version of theRQ-21A at Marine Corps Air GroundCombat Center (MCAGCC) at TwentyNinePalms Base, California. The first sea-baseddevelopment tests were carried out from theUSS Mesa Verde (LPD-19) in February 2013.Low-rate initial production was approvedthree months later. Integrated operational test and

evaluation (IOT&E) of the RQ-21A beganin October 2013, and IOC is scheduled forthe second quarter of FY2014. Possiblefuture Stuas developments include theaddition of a magnetic anomaly detector tofind submarines.

I TERNRussia’s Zala is proposing small (nine-metre)unmanned aircraft carriers designedspecifically to operate lightweight drones, butDarpa hopes to explore novel operatingconcepts to allow relatively large fixed-wing Male drones to use ships withoutthrough-decks. Darpa’s Tern (Tactically Exploited

Reconnaissance Node) aims to achieve aradius of 1650 km in deep overland ISR andstrike missions, carrying a 270 kg ISR payloador an unspecified strike warload. It is to

Under its Tern (Tactically ExploitedReconnaissance Node) programme, Darpahopes that industry will invent some way to

operate relatively long-span fixed-wingdrones from ships that lack through-decks.

(Darpa artist’s concept)

Selected as the US Navy Stuas (Small Tactical UAS), this Boeing/Insitu RQ-21A Integratoris being recovered by the company’s Skyhook system, aboard the USS Mesa Verde,LPD-19 amphibious transport dock during 2013 trials. (US Navy)


operate from 25,400-tonne LCS-2 class ships,and possibly LPDs, LSDs and Military SealiftCommand cargo ships. Tern is a three-phaseprogramme, with concept definition andtechnology maturation scheduled to lead toprototype flight demonstration in 2017.In August/September 2013

AeroVironment, Aurora Flight Sciences,Carter Aviation Technologies, MaritimeApplied Sciences and Northrop Grummanreceived Darpa contracts to design, developand demonstrate Male drones under the Ternprogramme.

I STRIKE FROM THE SEAThe practicality of a naval strike drone isbeing explored initially under the Ucas-D

programme with the 20,215-kg NorthropGrumman X-47B. The first autonomouscarrier launch took place on May 14, 2013,and the first autonomous arrested landing atsea followed on July 10, 2013, both tests usingthe USS George H W Bush (CVN-77). On current plans the X-47B will have

three more carrier deployments, ending inearly 2015. In-flight refuelling is one of theoptions proposed by Northrop Grumman forinvestigation under the contract it recentlyreceived for continued flight tests.The $ 1.4 billion Ucas-D programme is

laying the foundations for the US Navy’splanned Uclass (Unmanned Carrier-Launched Airborne Surveillance and Strike)drone. This was originally seen as a stealthy


Naval Drones

long-range penetrating strike drone with in-flight refuelling and a warload of 24 GBU-39117-kg SDBs. It was envisioned as a flyingwing, possibly a larger derivative of the X-47B.However, in December 2012 the

Pentagon’s Jroc (Joint RequirementsOversight Council) dumbed down the Uclassconcept, indicating that the US Navy’smanned strike aircraft (Boeing F/A-18E/Fand Lockheed Martin F-35C) can fulfil strikerequirements into the 1930s, hence there isno urgent need for carrier-based killerdrones. The real need is evidently for long-range sea-based ISR and targeting assets tosupport counter-terrorist operations.Uclass is (currently) seen as an affordable,

semii-stealthy sensor platform to providepersistent sea-based ISR&T in a permissiveor low-end contested environment, and with

a only secondary light strike mission. In-flight refuelling has been dropped, but mightbe added later. The Uclass air vehicles on acarrier are to be capable of maintaining twoorbits at 1100 km radius, or one at 2200 km. Total Uclass payload is 1360 kg, but the

ordnance component reportedly consists ofonly two 450 kg GPS-guided bombs, for alightly defended target at 3700 km radius.Preliminary design review contracts (each

worth $ 15 million) were awarded to Boeing,General Atomics, Lockheed Martin andNorthrop Grumman in August 2013, toinform the US Navy of the technical risk, cost

and maturity of their Uclass designs. An RFPis to be issued to industry in 2014, leading toselection in the first quarter of 2015, maidenflight in 2017 and EOC in 2020.There is concern that, before operational

testing is completed and the Milestone-Breview takes place, the US Navy plans tospend $ 3.7 billion in the FY14-20 period tofield four Uclass air wings of up to 24 airvehicles. There is also concern that thesystem depends critically on successfuldevelopment of Common Control Systemsoftware and Jpals (Joint Precision Approachand Landing System).

I LAND-BASEDOperation from airfields removes carrier-type restrictions on air vehicle weight andwingspan. Although small drones may be

operated in coastal patrol, the lower end ofthe maritime ISR scale is currentlyexemplified by the 1250-kg IAI Heron, with aspan of 16.6 metres and an endurance of over40 hours. It can be equipped with an EltaSystems EL/M-2022U radar and EL/K-1891satcom, and a Tamam Mosp sensor turret.The Heron is used for maritime patrol byIsrael and India, and is being evaluated inthis role by Vietnam.In early 2013 Elbit Systems announced

development of a maritime surveillanceversion of the 1180-kg Hermes 900, with aSelex-SE Gabbiano radar and an endurance

The Northrop Grumman X-47Bperformed trials aboard theUSS Harry S Truman, CVN-75

in April and May 2013, makingits first at-sea catapult launchand the world’s first at-seaarrested deck landing for a

drone. (Northrop Grumman)


Preliminary contracts for the US Navy’sUclass (Unmanned Carrier-Launched

Airborne Surveillance and Strike) systemhave been awarded for projects by

Lockheed Martin (as illustrated), Boeing,General Atomics and NorthropGrumman. (Lockheed Martin)

A Hermes 900 boasting a radome housing a Selex Gabbiano radar at the Pik testrange in the Golan Heights during summer 2013. It is being promoted in India andChile, inter alia. (Armada/Eric H. Biass)

of 36 hours. This variant has been promotedin India, and is being evaluated by theChilean Navy.A turboprop drone is more expensive

and provides less endurance, but offers aheavier payload and higher speed (and

thus greater hourly coverage). The USCustoms and Border Protection agencyoperates the General Atomics Guardianversion of the Predator-B, with a RaytheonSeaVue radar and 27-hour endurance. Themanufacturer is now marketing the 5310-

kg Extended Range Predator-B, withexternal tanks and increased wingspan,and an endurance of 42 hours. The US Navy’s Bams (Broad Area

Maritime Surveillance) contest was wonby the 14,628-kg Northrop Grumman MQ-4C Triton. It will be equipped with thecompany’s ZPY-3 Multifunction ActiveSensor Radar and powered by a Rolls-RoyceAE3007H turbofan, providing an enduranceof 24 hours. The first of two development MQ-4Cs

flew on May 22, 2013. The US Navy plansto buy 68 production Tritons to act asan unmanned complement for its 117Boeing P-8As. The first three MQ-4Csare scheduled to achieve IOC in FY16. The first Triton unit will be unmannedpatrol squadron VUP-19, which is to beestablished at NAS Jacksonville, Florida inlate FY14. It will be followed by VUP-11at NAS Whidbey Island, Washington.Australia and India are expected to be earlycustomers for the MQ-4C, followed later byCanada, Japan and the UK.


Naval Drones

This General Atomics Mariner prototype, with US Air Force serial 02-0003, wasphotographed during demonstrations off Australia. America’s Customs and BorderProtection, partnered with the US Coast Guard, operates one Mariner under the nameGuardian. (Commonwealth of Australia)

A maritime patrol version of the IAI Heron,exemplified here by 4X-UMI/268, is operatedby the Israeli Air Force on behalf of the IsraeliNavy. The Heron mounts both the EltaSystems EL/M-2022U radar and a TamamMosp EO/IR turret. (IAI)


Transparent Armour

The need for better situational awareness that surfaced with asymmetric warfaremissions, when military units had to move in a civilian environment and avoidcollateral damages, led to a dramatic increase in the number of military vehiclesfeaturing large armoured glass surfaces allowing a much better view of thesurroundings to the driver and a better understanding of the local situation for soldierstransported in the rear compartment.

Weight-Performance-Cost:The golden triangle oftransparent armour solutions

To increase transparent armourlife, users should adopt ad hocprotection measures in harshenvironmental conditions, hereM-ATVs parked in Afghanistan.(Armada/Paolo Valpolini)

A lthough protection was prioritynumber one, all Mraps featuredwide glass surfaces, and whilesome new vehicles falling in the

combat category also began to boast glasswindscreens, these were still of reducedsurface. With the increase in protectionlevels, weight, transparency and distortionhave become an issue. For a same protectionlevel, standard armoured glass has an arealdensity that is over four times that ofarmoured steel, an issue that has to beconsidered during the design phase.Transparent armour dimensions are alsoincreasing, which poses some problems,especially where new technologies areinvolved; some armies consider that in a lightpatrol vehicle a two-panel windscreen withits central strut gives an aggressive aspect,and thus prefer a single glass windscreen. Inaddition since many vehicles are now built ata base protection level, they have to bethen upgraded with add-on armour kits.This means that these must also includeadequate transparent armour upgrade,which is of course a huge problem with anoverall bolt-on approach.

Weight of tougher windscreens and lateralwindows is not the only negative factor,thickness is as well as that increases at a muchhigher factor compared to opaque armour,not to mention impoverished opticalproperties, since light transmission tends to

decrease and distortion increase withthickness. Faced with a growing market anddemand during the past few years, armouredglass manufacturers worked hard to improvethe weight-protection conundrum. This wasachieved both by increasing the efficiency ofstandard laminates and looking intoalternative solutions such as transparentceramics. In addition to improvements indensity versus protection and visual qualities,some manufacturers are also consideringtransparent armour as an ideal medium toconvey more information to the driver andeven possibly to the other occupants of thevehicle, with inspiration from the aviationsector’s head-up displays - an interestingevolution that might help improveergonomics and reducing workload.

Recent missions in areas with heavytemperature gradients (resulting in hightemperatures differentials between outsideand air-conditioned inside temperatures),sandstorms and so forth, put a considerablestrain on transparent armour, with direconsequences on durability. Considering thatland vehicles cannot be compared to aircraftin terms of maintenance costs, the latter haveto be reduced as much as possible and thisshould become part of the equation as well as

weight and performances – both fromindustrial and operational use standpoints.Users should indeed also adopt bothmeasures for protecting the vehicles whenparked, as well as specific procedures for theircleaning process. Reparability should also betaken into account to rein costs.

I THE TRENDSThe purpose of this article is not to reviewthe production of all transparent armourmanufacturers around the word (and theyare growing by the day: in October 2013 theMexican Secretaria de la Defensa Nacionalannounced the creation of an armouredglass manufacturing plant) but to point tothe most recent trends in this field. Mostproducers look at both the civilian and themilitary market. Those with the largestvolumes include American Glass Products(with production facilities in Colombia,Brazil and Peru), and Saint-Gobain Sully inFrance. America is home to many othercompanies, like PPG Aerospace, whichproduces transparent armour to bothStanag protection levels (usually 1 to 3) andUS ATPD 2325P levels (1 to 3).

Another major player in the militarytransparent armour arena is Schott, theJena-based German company. In additionto its German operation, which producesStanag-rated transparent armour, thecompany also has an American arm, SchottNorth America, which produces US-standard, but International Traffic in ArmsRegulations-independent, solutions. The


To improve performances and lower weightsof its transparent armour, Schott of Germanyuses Borofloat, a proprietary borosilicateglass that presents very good opticalcharacteristics. (Schott)

Paolo Valpolini

current European product for military useis the Resistan, which ranges from Stanag4569 Level 1 to 4, in which the identificationnumber indicates the thickness in mm. Forits transparent armour production Schottuses the Borofloat 33, a high qualityborosilicate glass with outstandingproperties that allows a 12-15% weightsaving over soda-lime glasses while boastingoptimal optical characteristics.

In 2013 three new types of glass wereintroduced in the Level 2 and 3 range. ForLevel 2 applications the NY 52 BF wasdeveloped by optimising design and

lamination – aimed at vehicles operating inthe normal temperature range, that is –32°Cto +49°C, it has an areal density of 112kg/m2 and ensures an 86% lighttransmittance. It is tested against 20 mmFragment Simulating Projectile (FSP) singlehit at 630 m/s and against multi-hit 7.62x39mm API. Weight and thickness gains arearound 10% compared with the 124 kg/m2 ofthe NY 58 BF, which is however a hightemperature range glass (up to +75°C) and istested against higher velocity FSP (700 m/s)and 7.62x51 API rounds.

Two new products are available at Level 3.They allow considerable weight savings overthe NY 92 BF although this is qualified forhigh temperatures and is definitely tougherwith its capacity to withstand 20 mm FSP atover 1,250 m/s, and 7.62x54R API, 7.62x51API and 12.7x109 ball, with an areal densityof 195 kg/m2. The new NY 80 BF features a174 kg/m2 density (10% reduction), testingnot including the 12.7 mm, while the NY 69BF comes at 153 kg/m2 (-22% over NY 92),this being tested only against 7.62x54R API.As for Level 4 Schott proposes two membersof its Resistant family, the NY135, at 284


OSGs Digital Visual Window (ltop)integrates a digital display into theglass without reducing protection, while theSilk-light technology (bottom) allows toinject short warning messages into thewindscreen. (OSG)

Transparent Armour

According to BAE Systems its Clearguardcastable transparent provides better ballisticperformance than their conventional acrylicand polycarbonate counterparts. It is used inmonolithic or laminated form to stopfragments and hand gun-fired projectiles.Used as backing layer behind highperformance glass, it also providesconsiderable weight saving.(BAE Systems)

kg/m2, and the NY 194 at 398 kg/m2, bothwithstanding a 20 mm SFP at over 1,550 m/sand the 14.5x114 API round, although thethinner glass is tested only with single-hitwhile the thicker is multiple-hit capable.

According to Schott the NY 194 is the onlyfully approved and certified full Level 4solution, as it was certified by the GermanBAAINBw (the Federal Office ofBundeswehr Equipment, InformationTechnology and In-Service Support formerlyknown as BWB). The Resistan catalogueincludes numerous other members, theVPAM family meeting EN 1063 and VPAMBRV 2009 standards, and the DV family theATPD Revision T standards. To betteranswer market requirements, andconsidering not only the increase in militaryproduction but also that for civilianpurposes, Schott has recently converted itsJena flat glass lamination and framing plant

into a fully integrated production line thatalso includes bending, with 500-1,000 mmcurvature radius, and edge processing.

Looking ahead Schott is closely lookingat new materials, such as transparentceramics and spinel. Due to Germany’s tightroad regulations the company considers thatoptical performances offered by suchalternatives might not be accepted forwindscreen applications, but given their

lighter weight they might well be suitable forside windows. However costs of suchinnovative materials are still to be workedout. As for classical laminated glass Schottexperts consider that currently availabletechnologies will not allow any majorimprovements in the coming years, Level 3being close to the limit that is considered to bearound 75 mm thickness and 160 kg/m2surface density. Schott North America isspecialised in glass-ceramics, polycrystallinematerials produced through controlledcrystallization of base glass essentiallythrough thermal treatments. The treatmentproduces a 35 nm crystallized surface layerwhile the rest of the glass-ceramics features an80% crystallised structure. This materialdoes not provide weight saving, but meetsUS ATPD-235 standards (though resultsobtained remaining classified).

Another key player in the armoured glassfield is Oran Safety Glass (OSG) from Israel,which is IDF’s sole supplier. The companyprovides flat and curved armoured glass tonumerous manufacturers in first tier nationssuch as the United States, France, Germany,Italy, etc. OSG is particularly focused on theUS market though, its armoured glassesequipping two out of three JLTV teams. Tomeet that goal the company, which runs twoplants in Israel, has set up a sister company inVirginia, OSG Inc., in Virginia. OSG isobviously striving to lower weights for a givenprotection level, but it is also aiming atfurther evolutions, combining differenttechnologies into its products to addamenities such as defrosting with the ability ofclearing vision within in 30 seconds at –42°C.

Using semi-exotic material OSG hasrecently developed a Level 3 solution at 170kg/m2, with an 83 mm thickness. In order toextend as much as possible its laminated


Oran Safety Glass of Israel has developed the Adi, a technology that renders inner anti-spall polycarbonate layer redundant,which, according to OSG, doubles the glass field life cycle. (OSG)

Protection Exist. Technol. CM Technol. Differencelevel Stanag [kg/m2] [kg/m2] %

1 96 51 46.9

2 125 71 43.2

3 190 126 33.7

4 284 146 48.6

Transparent Armour

I COMPARISON BETWEEN EXISTING GLASS AND OSG’S CRYSTALLISED MATERIAL

glass life cycle the company has developed aspecial sealing to cope with heat, humidity,sand, and air conditioning effects. OSG isalso proposing its Crystallised Material(CM) technology, which allows a weightreduction of between 30 and 50% (seetable) with thickness reductions rangingfrom 40 to 60%, bearing in mind thatfurther weight reduction can be achievedin the related frame itself. Here the problemis not only technical but also economical,as ceramic-type glasses tend to costconsiderably more than standardarmoured glass.

Crystallised material technology enables

OSG to produce transparent armour atabout three times the cost of laminated glassequivalents. The Israeli company has alsodeveloped two new technologies to improvethe performance of its laminated glass. Thefirst is known as Rock Strike Glass (RSG)and is aimed at preventing the inner glasslayers to shatter in case of impact from high-

velocity items like gravel or stones. Not onlydoes this allow the driver to continue withthe mission with an only marginallyreduced vision, but also in most cases screenwill not requite urgent replacement, whichsaves time and ensures higher fleetavailability. As in the military no standardsrelated to this problem has yet beenestablished, OSG’s took the French railwaystandard as a basis, which requires zerodamage after a 40 m/sec hit by a 90.5 mmdiameter conical object weighing 20 grams;the limit for military use was increased to140 m/sec, the OSG RSG showing aresistance at over 160 m/s with multipleimpact capacity.

The other technology is known as “Adi”(adi meaning jewel in Hebrew), which wasunveiled at DSEI 2013. Today typicallaminated glasses have a polycarbonate innerlayer preventing the spreading of shards andspall inside the vehicle when the glass is hit.According to OSG the coupling of the glassand polycarbonate tends to acceleratedelamination, polycarbonate being alsosubject to damage due to improper use orcleaning. Statistics provided by the companyindicate a life expectancy of three to five yearsfor normal transparent armour in the field.The Adi technology will ensure anti-spallperformance sans polycarbonate, plus adouble field life cycle. OSG has worked forover two years on this technology. Lastballistic tests were carried out in Fall 2013 andproduction of Adi glass are starting in 2014.

OSG is also looking at ways of using glasssurfaces as display media. Silk-lighttechnology uses a built-in light-drivenelectronic system that permits to displaysimple (mostly emergency) messagesdirectly on the armoured glass. Also, aDigital Visual Window allows to integratean LCD display into transparent armourwithout decreasing the protection levelthanks to an armoured steel overlap,allowing to save space in the vehicle. Thedisplay is linked to a separate electronic unitthat can be easily repaired and replaced.

Glas und Optik GmbH, better known asGuS, is another major German player. Inearly September 2013 the GermanBAAINBw qualified the new Level 3laminate glass from the company thatreduces density from 215 to 170 kg/m2 (-20% weight) and thickness from 91 to 83mm, while extending temperatureoperating limits to –32° to +49°. Moreover itsmulti-hit capabilities were tested on atriangle with a 120 mm base instead of the


Level II and Level III transparent armour by German GuS. The company supplied thetransparent surfaces for the German Dingos used in Afghanistan and is nowconsidering to move on to ceramics.(Armada/Paolo Valpolini)

usual 300 mm base, and the indent was verylimited, the rear polycarbonate sheet jobbeing thus much reduced. Sole supplier ofthe German Army, GuS has shown its repaircapabilities in Afghanistan where stones androcks damaged some 3,500 windscreens(over 600 Dingos were deployed) many ofwhich were repaired by the companyteam. GuS also has numerous R&Dprograms underway, with Plochingen-based CeramTec GmbH in the transparentceramic field. While protection level seemsnot to be a major problem, the companyfinds hurdles in the German road trafficregulations, as the glue that allows to keepthe ceramic tiles together generates a visualeffect that has still to be evaluated in terms ofeye fatigue, headaches and disorientation.Currently GuS is working closely with theBAAINBw to analyse those possible sideeffects before moving further down theceramics road.

Still, in Germany, ESW GmbH, part ofthe Jenoptik Defense & Civil Systemsdivision, has shown at DSEI 2013 a plastictransparent armour that ensures over90% light transmission. One of the hugeadvantages of the Jenoptik solution is thatthe windshield can be bent, thus makingthe central bar, typical of militaryvehicles windshields composed of two flattransparent armoured glass panels,redundant thus ensuring maximum frontalvisibility. In addition, the Jenoptik plastic-based transparent armour does not produceany distortion even where the glass iscurved. Currently the company proposestwo types of surfaces, respectively at Level 2and Level 3 protection. The former comesat approximately 144 kg/m2 and a thicknessof 121 mm, while the latter has an arealdensity of 238 kg/m2 and a thickness of 201mm. The Level 3 solution is also beingcertified for EFP coherent and multi-slugresistance in the 0° to 45° arc and for RPG 7resistance at 45°. De-icing and EMCprotection are available upon request.According to Jenoptik its transparentarmoured plastics are able to maintain ahigh degree of visibility even after a hit.

IBD being one of the major Europeanopaque armour solutions experts, it wasclear that a solution had to be found to


At DSEI 2013, Jenoptik exhibited an all-plastictransparent armour. Still heavier and thickercompared to laminates, it has the advantageof showing no distortion when curved.(Armada/Paolo Valpolini)

IBD Deisenroth has developed transparent ceramic tiles as well as a technology to cement them together that generates transparent armour that saves up to 70% weightcompared to conventional laminated glass. (IBD)

Transparent Armour

decrease the weight of transparent armour.Indeed, not only does a typical windowarea of 3 m² on a truck weigh around 600kg, it is also high up on a vehicle withdisastrous effects on the center ofgravity. With the NanoTech developmentexperience feather in its cap IBD developeda transparent ceramic protection, the keyfactor being the development of specialbonding processes for the assembly ofceramic tiles (“Mosaic TransparentArmour”) and the lamination of theseassemblies with strong carrier layers toform large window panels.

Due to the outstanding ballisticperformance of the ceramic material and

the elastic absorption of the remainingkinetic energy of the threats, the companymanaged to produce transparent armourpanels with a drastically reduced weight.Compared to the 200 kg/m2 of a Stanag4569 Level 3 standard armoured glass thenew technology allows to reduce the weightof the transparent ceramic armour for thesame protection to 56 kg/m² only, that is a72% gain which, in absolute terms for the

truck windows taken as an example, wouldmean 170 kg. According to IBD opticalperformances of the new transparentceramic protection are at least as good asthose of laminated armour glass, as it is lesstinted and shows a lower diffraction, and nobonding edge of the tile assembly appear.Those optical properties also apply to theinfrared spectrum, meaning that nightvision goggles can be used as well. A Natocountry was faced with the option ofreducing protection or adding a furtherfront axle to its trucks, but the IBD solutionallows either to maintain a single axleconfiguration and save money, or to doublethem and increase protection. According to


ArmorLine is producing the spinel, apolycrystalline material that allows to reduceweight and thickness used in laminatedtransparent armour. (ArmorLine)

IBD its transparent ceramic armour isfully qualified and is currently in theindustrialization phase, with processoptimization solely focused on reducingcosts; the company’s aim is to have a productthat is only 50% more expensive thanstandard glass. However for the time being acost of less than twice that of currentsolution is considered viable.

ArmorLine, a South Carolina-basedcompany part of the Defense VentureGroup, has developed an optical gradetransparent spinel ceramic that allowsto produce transparent armour witha considerable weight saving. TheArmorLine spinel is a polycrystallinematerial that features extreme hardness andstrength, and while it boasts an abrasionresistance that is typical of ceramics, itensures transmission in the 0.2μm –5.5μmband, thus allowing applications in the UV(0.2–0.4μm), visible (0.4-0.7μm), near-IR(0.7–3μm), and MWIR (3-5μm) bands,

typically used in military applications notonly for vehicle transparent armour but alsofor sensor protection. The advantage ofArmorLine spinel is that it is produced indimensions that are definitely larger thanthose of transparent ceramics, currentlarger panels being around 70 x 50 cm, thecompany aiming at producing 85 x 60 cmpanels within the year, both flat and curved(with a 2,500 mm curvature radius), andreach the half windscreen dimensionproduction, that means 100 x 75 cm flatpanels, in 2014.

The ability to supply curved transparentarmour items is considered a plus over othersystems, allowing vehicles designers to havegreater flexibility. Spinel transparentarmour, which replaces some layers within alaminated glass, has improved multi-hitresistance and ensures weight and thicknessreduction of between 50 and 60%. As anexample a laminated armoured glasscapable of withstanding a 12.7x99 mm


Transparent Armour

A 400 x 400 mm laminated transparent armour produced using an ArmorLine spinel, seenafter six shots. The company aims at producing a half-windscreen by late 2014. (ArmorLine)

APM2 single shot round has a thickness of103 mm and an areal density of 227 kg/m2while the ArmorLine spinel lowers thosefigures to 49 mm and 100 kg/m2, in otherwords by 53% and 56% respectively. Thosedata are confirmed looking at an ATPD2352 Class 3A transparent, where thicknessdecreases from 112 to 52 mm and arealdensity from 249 to 109 kg/m2. ArmorLineis not a laminator however, thus weightsmentioned are for non-optimised testingitems and could be further optimised. InStanag parlance, aerial density obtained forLevel 2 transparents is around 69 kg/m2while for Level 3, against 7.62 x 54R B32API, this is increased to 84 kg/m2.

Isoclima of Italy started working on

transparent armour in the early 1980s, forboth civil and military markets, and hassince developed proprietary technologiesto optimise the lamination of glass andpolycarbonate. It has provided most of theIveco DV LMV glass solutions, tailored tothe requirement of the various customersof the 4x4 light multirole vehicle. Forexample, the transparent adopted onRussian LMVs is capable of withstandingtemperatures of between –45°C and +70°C,the coupling being here a key element asthe polycarbonate thermal expansioncoefficient is eight times that of the glass.Among its products we find a Level 2solution with 58-59 mm thickness and anareal density of 125-130 kg/m2, and aLevel3 with corresponding data of 79-80 mmand 157-162 kg/m2, both for standardtemperature operations.

The company is currently consideringnew solutions for improving performanceswhile lowering weights; it is thus testing newmaterials such as spinel and others, althoughthe management is pretty convinced thatimprovement stays with the completepackage and therefore improving glasscharacteristics as well as those of laminationmaterial, such as films, will allow Isoclima toimprove its position on the market.The company also has developed solutionsto improve the transparent armour life,such as anti-scratch treatments on thepolycarbonate backing as well as aproprietary magnetically fixed outer ply thatprotects the ballistic window from rock andstone damage known as AntistoneProtection Solution (AspS). The removableprotective layer is based on a dual sealingmagnetic gasket holding an outer protectionshield made of external glass and internaltecnopolymer, an air chamber being createdbetween this and the transparent armour. Allpossible drawbacks were considered andverified, i.e. condensation, optical distortion,etc., tests having shown minimal impacton those characteristics. On the other handthe AspS contributes to hugely reducemaintenance and increase transparentarmour life. Many of the solutions developedby Isoclima are due to the involvement of thecompany in the advanced aerospacetransparent solutions.


Among the technologies used to increase transparent armour durability,Isoclima developed an encapsulation method that ensures maximum life to itslaminates. (Isoclima)

Isoclima in Italy supplies Iveco with most of thetransparent armour for the LMV Lince; here awindow after a test firing at the Nettunoproving ground. (Armada/Paolo Valpolini)

Small Cal Ammo

This being said, the pressure for newand more efficient ammunitionsolutions – especially in terms ofweight and volumes – is still present,

although how and when these efforts willmaterialise on the battlefield is stillunknown. When many thought that theLightweight Small Arms Technologies(LSAT) programme was closing to a deadend, last August the Department of DefenseOrdnance Technology Consortiumawarded the LSAT team, led by AAI, part ofTextron Systems, and including Alliant

Techsystems, Veritay Technology and St.Marks Powder, a General Dynamicscompany, a $2.05 million contract to pursuethe development effort in variousdirections. The first thrust is towards thetesting and the characterization of prototype5.56mm Caseless ammunition. “This ismainly an effort supported by the Office ofNaval Research, which is looking at longterm technology,” Paul Shipley, LSATProgramme Manager at AAI tells ArmadaInternational. The original roundsdeveloped by the LSAT team leveraged theH&K experience with the G11, carried out inthe late ’80s. “The propellant formulationwas giving problems in terms of cost and

environment issues,” Shipley continues,“therefore we came up with a newformulation that solves those problems andconsiderably improves manufacturability.Laboratory tests proved successful and theLSAT team will start firing tests by the end ofNovember 2013.” Tests will be carried outwith test barrels, as the contract does notinclude the development of an automaticweapon. “We did developed such a weapon,that was tested with previous ammunition.However here we are looking mostly atballistic performances, in order to matchcurrent 5.56 ammunition muzzle velocityand external ballistics,” Shipley explains.The team is looking at maintaining the same

Paolo Valpolini


Lethality and Range vs Mobility: the Small Arms Ammo DilemmaAssault rifles range seems to have become an issue in Afghanistan,as insurgents were all lining up 7.62 mm weapons against most ofthe Isaf’s troops 5.56 mm. The need for accurate fire led to a revivalof the 7.62 x 51 mm calibre, especially for marksman rifles thatadded that range and accuracy in the firing team that was badlyneeded according to some combatants. To what extent accuracywas not more a matter of better training and sights is open todiscussions, but highly professional armies such as the BritishArmy are currently revising their training syllabus. Heavier weightof weapons and ammunition as well as a more visible muzzleflash are all reasons that talk against a 7.62 mm come-back,without even mentioning the financial aspect.


Belted Nammo7.62x51 BNT 6 RRammunition; this

round was developedon request fromcustomers that

needed reducedrange ammo for

machine gun trainingonboard vehicles.

(Nammo)

This picture of the LSATmachine gun gives aclear view of thetelescoped ammunitionit uses. The LSAT Teamalso received financialresources to push thedevelopment ofcaseless ammo. (AAI)

geometry adopted for the previous rounds,thus in the next iteration a fine-tuning of theprevious weapon might prove sufficient.

The LSAT team is also to demonstratethe scalability of the cased telescopedtechnology, developing the 7.62x51 mmversion of such a round. “We aim at a weightreduction of about 35% while volumeshould decrease by 10-15% compared tocurrent rounds,” Shipley underlines, “whilethe weight reduction for the weapon shouldbe of 25% if compared to the M240L, thelight version of the current machine gun, or35% if we take the standard M240B.” This ismeans an overall reduction of about 9 kg forthe gunner and 4 kg for the assistant gunner.Leveraging experience acquired with thedevelopment of the 5.56 mm ammunition,first firings should start before the end of2013. Here too the aim is not that ofdeveloping a full-scale weapon but to verifyballistics using test barrels. Where theweapons come into count is the third sliceof the contract, which aims at continuing torefine the LSAT 5.56mm Cased Telescopedammunition and Light Machine Gun. TheLSAT team also supported the Army live fireexperiment carried out in September 2013at Fort Benning, Georgia, known asDismounted Non Networked EnabledLimited Objective Experiment, DNNE inshort. The LSAT was not the onlytechnology or system tested in the DNNE,but it was definitely one of the mostinnovative and the 72-hour experiment,which started with zeroing the weapons andthen squad-level Mout training, allowed toassess the systems’ performances undermany aspects. Beside obvious weight andvolume reduction, the improvements interms of recoil, controllability and accuracywere among the new weapon system’sadvantages. The LSAT team provided10,000 live ammunition for the experiment,and purposely developed a blank cartridge,of which 8,000 were used at Fort Benning.“We expect experiment results to beformally published before year end,” Shipleysays. These results will be used to furtherfinalise future small arms requirements,which should come in the form of anindividual weapon and a squad weapon.

The US military being definitely one ofthe major users of small calibre ammunitionconsidering manpower and trainingroutines, the decision to move to a newhigher performance round compared to theissue M855 was coupled with the “green”need to get rid of lead as much as possible.

The new M855A1 Enhanced PerformanceRound (EPR) thus increased efficiency andreduced pollution. The lead slug used on the62-grain projectile was replaced by a copperone, the steel penetrator adopting now anarrow head, while flash suppressant and de-coppering agent were added to the powder.No muzzle velocity and chamber pressureincrease figures are given, but what is statedis that a 9.5 mm mild steel target is nowpenetrated at 350 metres (better thancurrent M80 7.62 mm ball ammo) while theM855 could do the same at only 160 metres –“improved consistency and range” being theArmy description of the new bullet effectagainst soft targets. This is due to the factthat the new M855A1 is not yaw dependantand thus provides the same performanceagainst a soft target regardless the yaw angleand pitch. Trajectory remains identical tothat of the M855, which helps in terms oftraining adaptation.

The main partner of the Army in theM855A1 EPR is ATK, and since its fieldingin 2010 over 921 million rounds have beendelivered. According to the latest PicatinnyArsenal figures, provided in mid-2013, theswitch to the new round allowed to eliminatearound 2,000 tonnes of lead from the wastestream. The Picatinny's EPR team, together

with ATK, is now applying the sametechnology to improve M80 7.62 mm ballammunition; the new M80A1 EPR lead-freeround should become available in 2014,together with the M62A1 EPR Tracer.According to Picatinny over 3,600 tonnes oflead could be eliminated in the 2013-18timeframe considering M855A1 and M80A1projected ammunition procurements.

In 2012, Israel Military Industriesintroduced a frangible 5.56 x 45 mm roundthat provides extremely high accuracy,company officials stating that the dispersionis reduced by half compared with standardammunition. The 42-grain ball is made ofsintered copper and tin powder whichmakes it ideal not only for training but alsofor use in enclosed area operations wherethe risk of ricochet is normally high.

Another new round has emerged freshout of development in mid 2013, based on a54-grain harder-core bullet that providesmuch higher performance than standardball ammo. Being capable of penetratingover 5 mm steel, it challenges 7.62 mmammunition and its accuracy, ensuring an 8 cm grouping at a range of 100 metresdistance. It muzzle velocity reaches 970m/sec when using a 20-inch barrel. IMI didnot expand on ball details, however it is clear


Small Cal Ammo

that the intention was similar to the onemade across the Atlantic with the M855A1.According to IMI the price of the new roundwill be much closer to that of a standard 5.56than to that of armour piercing rounds (a20-30% extra cost compared to ball ammois forecast). On its recently acquiredmomentum, the company intends comingup with hard-core versions of 7.62 x 51 mmand 12.7 x 99 mm rounds during 2014,though no frangible versions are foreseen inthose calibres. Another improvement to theIMI 5.56 mm ammunition family is the 77-grain, 835 m/s muzzle velocity version ofthe round providing an under 50 cmgrouping at 550 metres.

Nammo was the first company todevelop a full family of non-hazardous orNon-Toxic (NT) small calibre ammunitionin the 5.56mm, 7.62mm and 9mm calibres tomeet the Nato Stanags. Since 1999 the firmdelivered over 400 million rounds, saving

This close-up view of the 5.56 mmtelescoped ammunition clearly reveals theconfiguration of the round. The new round ofR&D will lead to the development of a 7.62mm telescoped cartridge. (AAI)

Mother Nature the burden of having to copewith more than 1,800 tonnes of lead. In the5.56 mm and 7.62 mm ball projectiles leadwas replaced by a gilded metal jacketsurrounding a steel core and a steelpenetrator. Lead-free primers helped turnthis into a truly lead-free cartridge.

In mid 2009 Nammo decided to develop aMk2 version, the Nammo 5.56 mm lead-freeball cartridge, to improve accuracy and in-

target effect at the same time reduce barrelerosion and cartridge emissions. The R&Dphase saw Nammo considering numerousalternatives as three different powders (twoball and one extruded) and four differentnon-toxic primers with varying compoundswere evaluated, while nine different projectilevariants were designed, featuring differentsurface coatings and geometrical shapes. Thenew 5.56x45 mm round was qualified by the

Norwegian Defence Forces in 2011 anddesignated BNT 4 HP Mk2, for Ball NonToxic 4 High Performance. Norway iscurrently undergoing the procedure to getfull Nato qualification for this round, which isexpected in 2014. Nammo states that it offersimproved lethality, maintains excellentpenetration and avoids projectile fracture insoft-targets. The Mk2’s increasedpenetration (Nato 3.5 mm steel plate at more


Production of the ATK M855A1 EnhancedPerformance Round is approaching the one billionunit mark. The new round’s noxious impact on theenvironment is close to nil. (ATK)

Small Cal Ammo

than 700 metres), is not only attributable tosteel core improvements, but also to a lowerdrag design that allows to deliver higherkinetic energy on the target. Its four-gram (62grains) projectile has a muzzle velocity of 930m/sec and a standard deviation of less than25 mm. In soft targets the round startsyawing earlier, the Mk2 cavity starting at 70mm from the entry point in a gelatine block,while the Mk1 starts at 150 mm and the


Nammo has developed a second-generation“green” 5.56 mm ammunition known as the5.56x45 BNT 4 HP Mk2, where HP stands forHigh Performance (read better performanceand accuracy). (Nammo)

This picture clearly reveals one of the verticalgrooves – or dimples – in the Nammo 7.62x51BNT 6 Reduced Range ammunition thatincrease drag and reduce spin, eventuallycausing the bullet to tumble. (Nammo)

SS109 at 125 mm. Nammo has won a longterm contract with Norway, first deliveries ofthe Mk2 having started in early 2012.

The Nammo 7.62 x 51 mm BNT 9 HP’sperformances, for their part, stand wellbeyond those of the standard M80 roundand the round is thus still deemedsatisfactory. This does not mean, however,

that the Scandinavian company does nothave anything new on its 7.62 mm drawingboard. With experience gained a few yearsago with the development of the largercalibre 12.7 x 99 mm RR (for ReducedRange) family – this included match grade,linked and normal, and tracer – Nammodeveloped the 7.62 x 51 BNT 6 RR with aview to reducing the danger zone duringtraining and in urban warfare operations,since the round is fully apt for use in combatoperations at ranges of 200 metres range.The problem is that a standard 7.62 mm canfly as far as 4,000 metres at almost fullenergy throughout its trajectory. Nammothus looked into solutions to solve theproblem, and developed a family of 100%

lead-free 7.62x51 mm RR ammunition thathave full combat performance and

matched trajectory compared to theM80 to at least 200 metres, but with a

safety fan of only 1,500 metres. This wasobtained thanks to groovings (or dimples)

Small Cal Ammo


Developed for aFrench tender, theRuag Ammotec 5.56x 45 mm LF HC+ SXHorizon is nowattracting interestfrom numerousnations as it providesnear-APperformance at afraction of the cost.(Ruag Ammotec)

Ruag Ammotec 5.56mm x 45 LF HC SXobtained full Natocertification in May2013, but lead-free

rounds are alsoavailable in larger

calibres. (RuagAmmotec)

along the 6.2-grams (96 grains) projectile,which increase drag, but even moreimportantly reduce spin rate and inducetumbling past the 200-metre mark. The ballammunition has been internally qualified,and the first production batches were issuedto potential customers in late 2013. Twomore 7.62x51 mm RR rounds are beingdeveloped, a tracer and a dim tracer version,which might be finalized by mid-2014,allowing delivery of RR ammo tactical packswith different linked configurations of balland tracers or dim tracers as for “standard”ammunition. Nammo thought of applyinga similar solution to the 5.56x45 mm, butthis does not appear to be a priority forcustomers for the time being.

Developed following an interest fromFrance for a 5.56 x 45 mm round withimproved penetration capabilities formachine guns, but without having to paythe price of a full armour piercing round,the Ruag Ammotec 5.56 x 45 mm LF HC+SX Horizon has been on the market fornearly two years and is now attractingconsiderable interest from Middle Eastnations. Its 62-grain projectile is made of ahardened steel penetrator that is able to

drive through a 7 mm HB 350 steel plate at arange of 300 metres, while the brass shoe,which makes up for one-third of the bulletweight, ensures optimal twist andmaximum accuracy. The round uses Sintoxpriming technology, which de facto makes ita lead-free round.

Pollution-free rounds are becoming astandard feature in the Thun-basedcompany. In May 2013 Ruag Ammotec ofSwitzerland obtained full Nato certificationfor its 5.56 mm x 45 LF HC SX, the fullylead-free ammunition that can be producedeither with the SS-109 or with the M-855ball. Qualification was carried out inBritain and at the Nato European RegionalTest Centre in Pendine, West Wales.Certified with the Luxembourg ArmedForces, the LF HC SX is totally lead free,featuring heavy metal-free primers, a lead-free bullet and optimised propellants that

In early January 2014 Israel Military Industry Yitzhak Division, specialized insmall calibre ammo, announced that its new 77 grain 5.56 mm round, that provides greater

accuracy and stopping power up to 600 metres, had been named Razor Core and thatit was combat proven by an undisclosed customer. (IMI)

To considerably reduce the safety area whenusing its 12.7x99 mm Short Rangeammunition Ruag Ammotec worked on theaerodynamic shape to considerably increasethe drag factor. (Armada/P. Valpolini)


generate no harmful emissions. RuagAmmotec has extended its lead-freetechnology to bigger calibres and is nowoffering the 7.62 mm Lead Free Tracerround and, in the 12.7 x 99 mm calibre, theLead Free Armour Piercing Incendiary. Inthe latter calibre the Swiss ammunitionmanufacturer also proposes two roundsaimed at reducing training problems: thesecome in the form of the Short Range Solidand Short Range Solid Tracer, respectivelywith 698- and 664-grain bullets. The all-metal copper-zinc projectile is purposelydesigned with a high-drag shape and doesnot feature any plastic tip, which ensuressafe use from helicopters, where discardedtips are prone to being ingested by engines.Effective up to 800 metres, the Short RangeSolid family allows to considerably decreasethe range danger zone, which for normalrounds is of some 7 km, but half this for theAmmotec SR Solid. The SR Solid family willbecome available in 2014.

Metallwerk Elisenhütte GmbH ofGermany, better known as MEN, alsodeveloped a 5.56x45 mm round dedicated tooperations in crowded areas. Known as theLow Penetration Bullet, its 56-grain bulletfeatures a compressed tungsten powder corethat ensures both a very high energy transferand a low over-penetration (in gelatine teststhe ball shows a penetration of about 20 cm).With a muzzle velocity of 1025 m/s and aprecision of under 1 MOA, the round isessentially intended for use by marksmen. Inthe 7.62x51 mm arena MEN developed anHPC (High Performance Core) high-penetration round able to defeat the standardNato steel target plate at 1,100 metres. Its ballis made of hard steel, with some lead in theback area to increase weight up to 150 grains,close to the 151 grains of the DM151 armour-piercing ball. The use of hard steel rather thantungsten carbide, as used in the AP round,brings a marginal reduction in penetratingcapacities, the two rounds having the samemuzzle velocity of 827 m/s. There apparentlyare no intentions of transferring this patternonto the 5.56mm calibre. Price-wise,however, the HPC stands between thestandard DM41 ball and the DM151 AP, but atad close to the latter.


The two members of the Ruag AmmotecSolid family, the 12.7 mm reduced rangeseries of ammo: the tracer version,with the standard round in the background.(Armada/P. Valpolini)

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In the wake of the attack on the US Navy’s Cole DDG-51 type destroyer in October2000 and on the French-registered tanker Limburg two years later, military,homeland and private security customers started to look at ways of countering thethreats posed by underwater terrorists or divers attempting to infiltrate coastalfacilities or attaching limpet mines to ships in ports or attack civilian targets, thelatter with an evident quest for psychological effects on population.

The Hunt forHarbour Intruders

Harbour Protection


The higher level of alert and responsetoward such a threat have last year ledthe American defence authorities tocome up with ways of countering

waterborne explosive devices, maritimesuicide missions and other threats of thatnature. The Joint Improvised ExplosiveDevice Defeat Organization (JIEDDO) hasthree developmental level programmes onthe stove intended to improve the USmilitary's ability to defeat potentialimprovised explosive devices in a maritimeenvironment. Similarly, other military andagencies in America and around the world(Nato, European Defence Agency and so

forth) are developing tools to identify andaccordingly neutralize threats.

Underwater, such threats have justifiedthe development of diver detection sonarsand other tools to provide adequate warningin the difficult environmental conditionsthat prevail in harbours, ports and shallowcoastal waters. High-frequency activesonars operating in the 85-100 kHz rangehave become the answer to diver detection,tracking and classification, adding anunderwater loudhailer to inform the diverthat he is being tracked and to summon him to surface, or else! However, novelsystem solutions and signal-processingdevelopments have opened the door topassive acoustic detection solutions.Examples include the Stevens PassiveAcoustic Detection System, or Spades. Aspart of the Sobek programme, TNO’sNetherlands Organisation for AppliedScientific Research has conducted tests inthe Rotterdam port with a passive array ofhydrophones and processing algorithms,achieving what is claimed to be the firstreported detection of a closed-circuitbreathing apparatus-equipped diver in aharbour by passive sonar, at ranges of up to120 metres in the presence of other targets.

To cover large underwater areas with thebest probability of detection, diver detection

systems and acoustic and magnetic barriersare networked as part of a dedicated ormulti-environment command and controlsystem, which can react accordingly toneutralize the threat with airguns and othernon-lethal underwater weapons. In thiscontext, surface and underwater roboticvehicles are also beginning to be deployedfor the detection and positive identificationof targets, including makeshift mines.

Introduced in 2007, Sonardyne’s Sentinelhas be acquired in numbers by the US Navyand other national and worldwide military,homeland agencies and commercialcompanies, for a range of applications thatinclude high value facilities and luxuryvessels. Sonardyne’s ongoing developmentprogramme has ensured that the Sentinelconstantly remains abreast with user needs.Three variants are available. The baselineversion comes with a Scylla underwaterloudhailer and is configured for mostcommercial infrastructure protection,including support for networked sonararrays and integration with third-party C2systems. The Sentinel RD (RapidDeployment) meets the needs, according toSonardyne, for small, low-cost solutions,where ultimate detection range is not anissue. Its small footprint allows it to be easilyinstalled on board yachts, small patrol boats


Luca Peruzzi

The Sonardyne Sentinel XF variant for military and government security applications hasboth active and passive detection and classification modes. It can protect an underwatersquare area of more than seven kilometres with a single sonar location. The Sentinel can beconnected to third-party C2s, including the Flir Systems’ Nidar. (Sonardyne)

and temporary sites. The third variant, the extended capability

variant Sentinel XF (eXtra Functionality)was designed for military and governmentsecurity applications, with additionalsoftware tools and display systems. It also hasboth active and passive detection andclassification modes, protecting anunderwater area greater than seven squarekilometres with a single sonar location. Witha 70kHz centre frequency and a 35kg sonarhead (in the air if not specified), the Sentinelhas a maximum diver and vehicle detectionrange of respectively around 900 and 1,500metres, and is built on an Window-basedopen architecture system, with raw data andtrack information exported to an external C2such as Flir Systems’ Nidar for integration

with electro-optical and radar systems. In June 2013, Sonardyne and Stevens

Institute of Technology have paired for intellectual property licence of theStevens Passive Acoustic DetectionSystem (Spades). This is a portable,passive diver detection system that can be used independentlyor as a complement to a Sentinelactive sonar, enhancing the Sonardyne underwatersurveillance proposal.

A joint development of USScientific Solutions (SSI) andSingapore’s ST Electronics companies,under the auspices of the American ONR(Office of Naval Research) and Singapore

DSTA (Defence Science and TechnologyAgency), the Swimmer Detection SonarNetwork (SDSN) is a scalable multi-nodeswimmer detection sonar network systemoffering detection, classification,localization and tracking capabilities,including the implementation of multi-static approach, as well as automatic targettracking, determination of target data(bearing, range, course, depth, speed, etc.),and initiation of counter-measures, such ashigh-power sound source. A prototypesystem has been successfully tested inSingapore, although involvement in Bahrainfacilities have also been alleged.

Kongsberg Mesotech in Norway todayoffers an enhanced derivative of the SM 2000,which is the subsurface intruder-detectionelement of the integrated anti-swimmersystem provided to the US Coast Guard forhigh-value asset protection. Operating at 90kHz, and suitable for both military andsecurity applications, the family includes theDDS 9000 which covers a 200-degreehorizontal sector, while the DDS 9001 is an


Harbour Protection

The Kongsberg Defence Systems active Lasar40 is designed for multi-sensor networkintegration using the company’s MSI Systemfor signal processing and system operation.The Lasar 40, in a single sonar configuration,can be run from a rugged workstation.(Kongsberg)

Sonardyne’s Sentinel DDS isavailable in three variants, allequipped with Scylla underwaterloudhailer: the baseline for mostcommercial and infrastructureprotection, the Rapid Deployment(RD) with reduced footprint for smallvessel and deployments, and the XF(eXtra Functionality) designed formilitary and government securityapplications. (Sonardyne)

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omnidirectional sonar head. The DDS 9000comes with the latest Kongsberg DefenceSystems’ Defender III tactical processor anddisplay, allowing Mesotech sonar heads towork as diver detection systems. The DDS9000 is given with a maximum range of 1,000metres with detection of diver-like targets atranges in excess of 600 metres.

The maximum range of the DDS 9001sonar is 800 metres. With a sonar headweighing less than 90 kg, allowing a smallcrew to deploy it in less than one hour, theopen architecture DDS 9000 allowsintegration of third or sameKongsberg Multi SensorIntegration Unit (MSI) integratedinto a C-Scope USP (UnderwaterSurveillance and Protection) system,which is also at the heart of the Kongsbergpackage deployed under contract from theNorwegian Ministry of Defence. It also uses


The Kongsberg MSI display used for signalprocessing and system operation, as part ofC-Scope Underwater Surveillance andProtection (USP) system. The lasar 40 canoperate in active and passive modes with ademonstrated detection range of 1,100metres. (Kongsberg)

DSIT has supplied its AquaShieldstandard and PointShield

portable DDSs to the Israeli Navyand numerous customers

worldwide. The system has adetection range of 1,000, 700

and 1,500 metres againstrespectively open, closed-circuitbreathing apparatus-equipped

divers and SDVs. (DSIT)

Harbour Protection

active a Lasar 40 (long range awarenesssonar), which also comes in the -40M rapiddeployment version with a lightweight 25kgsonar head. It operates in active and passivemodes simultaneously or separately, with anactive 30-45kHz and passive 1-45kHz bandcoverage and has demonstrated detectiondistances of 1100 metres or more againstdivers with closed or semi-closed systems.The C-Scope USP has been sold to civilianand military customers, including Turkey, toprotect two naval bases with an integratedabove- and underwater surveillance systemprovided by Aselsan.

In 2012 Israeli Navy has admitted the longuse of AquaShield and PointShield portableDDSs from underwater warfare specialistDSIT for round-the-clock protection ofcritical coastal sites and marine assets.According to DSIT, its main customers areundisclosed worldwide navies, homelandsecurity agencies, oil and gas companies,nuclear power facilities, port authorities, aswell as yachts and coastal properties, withsales exceeding the $30 mark.

The AquaShield is being marketed as a5th-generation DDS with a unique modular,open architecture and windows-baseddesign, operating at ‘a 60 KHz centralfrequency’ and offering a long rangedetection coverage of up to 3,000 metres indiameter. Able to handle more than 1,000targets simultaneously, the AquaShield isindicated to have a detection range of 1,000,700 and 1,500 metres respectively againstopen, closed circuit breathing apparatus-equipped divers and SDVs.

The PointShield is the smaller system ofDSIT DDS family, incorporating the latestsoftware and hardware developments, withan underwater unit weight in air of less than45 kg. In March 2013, DSIT’s US AcornEnergy subsidiary announced anotherround of orders from an undisclosed navyfor its AquaShield underwater securitysystem. The same undisclosed navy hasbeen operating both DDSes for years toprotect national critical assets. DSIT iscurrently in the process of deploying whatis considered by many sources to be one ofthe world’s largest oil and gas underwatersecurity projects. The Israeli Navy has amajor requirement for diver detectionsystems to protect the new offshore nationalO&G facilities, which are developing fast.

In June 2013, Atlas Elektronik UKconfirmed the successful completion of theCerberus Mod2 DDS’s factory acceptancetest at its facilities in Southern England,

before it reaches the Germany Navy forpersonnel training at Bundeswehr’s in-country facilities. The German Navy isacquiring five Cerberus Mod2s, one forashore training and one each for its four TypeF125 frigates. Atlas claims the F125 to be thefirst Nato vessel class to be fitted with a DDS.

The system will operate as a stand-alonesystem, without integration into the combatsystem. The components were required tomeet additional requirements andstandards, including a completely newdesign and build of a bespoke power supplyand processing unit (PSPU) qualified tocustomer rigorous standard. Designed tomeet the demands of both portable andship-borne applications, the CerberusMod2 provides improved performanceover the Mod1, allowing open- and closed-circuit breathing diver detectionrespectively at over 900 and 700 metres.Operating within a frequency range of 70 to130 kHz, the Cerberus Mod2 features asonar head of compact design (400x300 mmand 23kg in air), while the complete systemincluding the deployment cable, powersupply and processing unit (PSPU) andremote laptop weighs around 72 kg.

During DSEI 2013 last September, AtlasElektronik UK announced two additional

Atlas Elektronik UK’s Cerberus Mod2 DDS willbe embarked on board Type F-125 classfrigates, and can be deployed as a single unitor within a networked package. The CerberusMod2 has a compact sonar head weighing 23 kg in air and has better performancecompared to its bigger brother Mod1 system.(Atlas Elecktronik)


Like its bigger AquaShield DDSstablemate, the PointShield boasts aunique modular design that enablestailoring the system to customer and

site specific geographyrequirements. (DSIT)

significant contracts from undisclosedcustomers for the supply of Cerberus Mod 2s.Both contracts, according to the company, arefor permanently deployed systems to be usedfor the protection of key overseasinfrastructures, with one of the installationsbeing an integrated, multiple-head systemearmarked for the protection of a high valuenational location. One of the two is a repeatorder, but both commanding delivery withinearly 2014. These add to previous orders,including for Cerberus Mod 2 DDS to SouthKorean company's LIG Nex1 under a five-yearcontract awarded in April 2012. The system isexpected to protect strategic harbours, withinstallation carried out by LIG Nex1 and theRepublic of Korea Navy (ROKN).

Based on its heavy- and lightweighttorpedo and underwater heritage, Wass lastyear presented an intruder warning system(IWS), based on a 360° lightweight panoramicsonar, designed to be dropped by vessels atanchor. With a wet-end sonar head of 26 kg,according to Wass documentation, the IWScan detect underwater threats such as diversat distance of 500 metres. The eleven-kilodry end, which includes signal processing,human interface and underwater scenariovisualization display tailored to military andgovernment agencies requirements, is sharedwith the obstacle warning system sonarthat Wass is promoting for commercialapplications.

Teledyne Reson’s range of watersidesecurity systems (WSS) deployed world-widely, is based on the new-generation 7karchitecture with advantages in terms ofcomponent interchangeability, commondata format sharing and user interface for

mine counter measures operations. ADanish company, Reson presented its latestPDS2000 ADT software for use by its SeaBat7128 sonar in a live diver detection exercise.The new system configuration is designedto be highly portable for rapid deployment attemporary threat sites such as watersideexhibitions, sports events and conferences. Itcan be deployed and made operational inless than an hour and can be mounted on aharbour wall, quayside or on a small vesselfor mobile operations in ports, rivers andestuaries. According to Reson, the SeaBat7128 is the world’s only dual-frequencydiver detection sonar that operates in excessof 200 kHz. The latest version of thePDS2000 ADT software enabling users tooverlay sonar images and detected targetson a digital map for ease of identification inhighly cluttered environments.

Saab Dynamics Underwater Systemsmarkets its omnidirectional Portable DiverDetection System (PDDS) as a standaloneand readily deployable unit designed forseamless integration into third party C2system. It can easily adapt to the rapidlychanging circumstances of highly dynamicoperations where its small size allows it tobe used as dipping sonar from ship decks,being fully operational within minutes ofdeployment. With a 300mm diameter and855mm length, the sonar weighs 35 kg andhas a 120kHz operating frequency with arange scalable to 500 metres. Equipped withan inertial measurement unit to compensatefor motion, and battery powered for smallvessels deployment, it comes with a ruggedlaptop which is used as the PDDS operatorconsole, providing a complete situationaloverview, and acting as the signal processingunit for detection and classification.

Among other systems on the market(which include the Polish CentrumTechniki Morskiej proprietary DDS, the


Saab Dynamics Portable Diver DetectionSystem (PDDS) is an omnidirectionalstandalone and readily deployable DDS,designed for seamless integration with thirdparty C2 system. (Saab Dynamics)

Atlas Elektronik Uk’sCerberus Mod2 complete system

including the deployable cable, power supplyand processing unit, together with remote laptop has a

total weight of around 72 kg. (Atlas Elektronik)

Harbour Protection

In service with differentnavies and homelandagencies worldwide, theRafael Protector fast roboticpatroller comes with amodular missionsystem and a tailoredplatform to match missionrequirements,including underwatersurveillance. (Rafael)

Spanish Electronica Submarina SAES’ DDS-03, the BritishTritech’s Seaking Hammerhead, and the Canadian Marport C-Tech CSDS-85), the American Wesmar’s Web 850 has been sold,inter alia, to Gulf Cooperation Council customers in 2012. TheWeb 850 searchlight sonar system has been designed andmarketed to provide a waterside electronic barrier to protectvessels, harbour, oil facilities and valued assets. Searchlight sonartechnology utilizes a powerful, concentrated sonar beam forhigh-resolution detection of large and small targets. The systemis capable of long-range detection in challenging shallow watersof harbours. The inclusion of electronic stabilization allows theWesmar sonar to be installed with a system-supplied buoy andanchor system instead of an underwater platform.

I LIGHTWEIGHT RADAR FORHOMELAND MARITIME SURVEILLANCE Under the request of the CGOM (Commandement de laGendarmerie Outre-Mer) that needed a system forintercepting light boats and pirogues carrying out illegalactivities in French overseas territor, Teknisolar Seni developeda specific light radar. The radar system weighs 10 kg and isinstalled on a tripod, while a 20 kg case contains the battery aswell as the control system, with a 14” sun-readable colourscreen, allowing to locate and track up to 10 targets at a time.According to the French company based in St. Malo, rangedepends on above-water height: at a 100-metre heightmaximum range against an 8-metre rubber boat is 25 km,dropping to 14 km at a 25-metre height and 10 km at 5 metre,but ranges are halved in sea state 3 to 5. Signal processingallows to identify polyester as well as rubber boats, althoughdetection is mostly based on the boat’s wake. The radaroperates in the 10 GHz band with a beam aperture of 1.9°horizontal and 22° vertical, horizontal coverage being of 350°,the system using a 640 mm, 4 kW output helical high-gainantenna. Battery-powere, it has an 8 to 12-hour autonomy thatcan be increased using a solar panel in daytime. Being aimedat Gendarmerie personnel not specialised in radar operationthe HMI provides straight data such as target boat direction,speed and distance from the radar, as well as its geographicgrids. The radar proved its effectiveness in the last four yearsand is now offered on the export market.

I TALON 13 DEMONSTRATIONLast November (2013) La Spezia harbourarea around the Nato Centre for MaritimeResearch and Experimentation (CMRE)(former NURC) staged the demonstrationof new concepts with a view to showinghow technology may contribute to portand harbour protection. The Talon 13demonstration, performed in co-operationwith the Italian Navy’s mine countermeasurescommand, focused on countering the smallboat and swimmer/diver threat by enforcing aset of layered exclusion zones without theneed for fixed barriers (and thereby minimiseharm to non-threat third parties).

The Talon 13 system design draws onyears of CMRE work in Port Protection andinvolves the integration of multiple types ofsensor networks and non-lethal warningdevices, in order to implement the “rapidcontact designation and warning concept”.Developed entirely by CMRE, the Talonsoftware is able to set up autonomousreactions, while the human operator keepsthe activities under control in real-time witha user-friendly internet browsing window,which can be run on mobile devices (no needfor a dedicated control room). Compared toprevious Talon demonstrations, in whichcontacts from detection/tracking sensorswere mostly simulated, this year’s editionhighlighted the use of state-of-the art “datafusion” algorithms which integrate datacoming from various deployed sensors aswell as collected info coming from fixed portsurveillance systems for incorporation intoone common picture.

This year’s event also marked the début ofCMRE’s new Manet (Mobile Ad hocNetwork) self-reconfigurable network for awearable, tactical video system based onwireless connection to transmit images frommobile helmet cameras to a command centrefor viewing. Finally, sensor/effector clusterautomation for automatic alert and warning,mobile hand-held C2 for contact query,manual contact designation/alert/warning,and last-resort non-lethal response deviceshave been tested. The non-lethal devicestested included entanglement devicethrowers for small boat interdiction, a laserdazzler and an air gun system.

View of Sonardyne Sentinel DDS displaysystem during CMRE-executed Talon 13demonstration in La Spezia harbour. Theimage shows the sonar-covered area as wellas targets and their data. (CMRE)


I ISRAEL AEROSPACE INDUSTRIES SOLUTION TO MARITIME SECURITY Israel Aerospace Industries proposes a comprehensive solution known as ELI-3320 Port-Guard that can be tailor-cut to the infrastructures to be protected - from harbour to oil rig.The company leveraged experience with drones, radars, and special mission aircraft, addingsystems from other companies where necessary. Among the purely water-based items IAIproposes an underwater electronic net with penetration location indication, and a diverdetection sonar. A harbour fence denying passage of vessels is also part of the suite. As forradars, these range from coastal surveillance radars to over-the-horizon radars, the latterbeing the ELM-2270 EZ Guard HF radar offering a maximum range of 200 NM dependingon target size. A number IAI drones, Herons in the first place, can obviously be part of theintegrated system, the vertilift Panther being particularly suited for operating from oil rigs,thus considerably extending the optical surveillance range (from, inter alia, the SeaMosp)while sigint systems can also be integrated into the Port-Guard. The Port-Guard is in servicein various configurations, though customers have not been disclosed.

A view of the CMRE-developed Talon software at work with Flir Systems camera imageslayered over a digital map of the 2013 demonstration with contacts and targets. The systemdoesn’t require a dedicated, stationary, control room. (CMRE)

Harbour Protection

D eveloping special mission variantsof existing aircraft is an approachthat is applicable to several militaryand paramilitary roles, such as

border patrol, search-and-rescue, targettowing, small-scale personnel infiltrationand exfiltration, airborne early warning andmaritime surveillance. Starting at the lightweight end of the scale,

Cessna markets ‘Enforcer’ special missionversions of its single-engined range, startingwith the 1157-kg Model 172 Skyhawk with134 kW piston engine. The Enforcer 172 hasa gimballed sensor on the starboard wingstrut, feeding imagery to a laptop in the cabin.


Roy Braybrook

Special Mission Aircraft

The best way to respond to some mission needs is to add sensors, work stations,extra communications equipment, defensive aids (and even armour and armament) toexisting utility or transport aircraft. This can provide a relatively low-cost, well-provenplatform that minimises the time and funds required for development.

The Pilatus Spectre is a special mission versionof the PC-12 with options that include a retractableEO/IR turret in the unpressurised tail cone,hiding its ISR role when on the ground. (Pilatus)

SPECIAL MISSION AIRCRAFT

This example of the paramilitary Cessna Enforcerseries is based on the Model 206 Stationair. It has a

gimballed sensor on the right-hand wing strut,feeding images to a laptop in the cabin. (Cessna)

Aimed primarily at law enforcementagencies, it offers longer endurance than ahelicopter. In its basic form the Cessna 172has a flyaway price of $ 289,500. Topping the Cessna single piston-engined

range, the 1633-kg Model 206 TurboStationair with 230 kW engine sells from $597,500. Moving up to a single turboprop(645-kW P&WC PT6A), the sticker-price for

a 3995-kg Cessna 208 Grand Caravan EXstarts at $ 2.149 million. Maximum payloadgoes up with size, from 412 kg for theSkyhawk and 573 kg for the Stationair to 1463kg for the Grand Caravan.The Iraqi Air Force operates three RC-208s

in the reconnaissance role, and three AC-208‘Combat Caravans’ with EO/IR sensors andlaser designators. The AC-208 is cleared tocarry and fire two Lockheed Martin Hellfire

missiles. All Iraqi Model 208s were suppliedby ATK Integrated Systems, which has alsodelivered two AC-208s to the Lebanese AirForce under a $ 14.7 million contract. In 2011the US Air Force contracted Cessna to supply26 Models 208 Caravans for the Afghan AirForce, with options on 24 more. The Northrop Grumman Air Claw is

based on the 3290-kg Quest Kodiak 100 with560-kW PT6A-34 turboprop. Systemintegration is provided by NG’s AberdeenIntegration Center. The baseline fit includes aFlir Systems Star Safire 380-HD EO/IR turretand a Hawkeye Wide Area Motion Imagery(Wami) camera array by PersistentSurveillance Systems. It has two operator


This Hellfire-armed, sensor-equipped AlliantTechsystems AC-208B Combat Caravan of theIraqi Air Force is a special mission version of theCessna 208 Grand Caravan. (MultinationalSecurity Transition Command Iraq)

The Northrop Grumman Air Claw is based on the Quest Kodiak 100. It has aPersistent Surveillance Systems Hawkeye camera array and a Flir Systems Star Safire380-HD EO/IR turret. (Northrop Grumman)

stations and an observer position. Enduranceexceeds eight hours. The basic Kodiak costs $1.7 million, but the surveillance version sellsfor around $ 4.0 million.The fastest single-turboprop business

aircraft is probably the 3353-kg Daher-SocataTBM 850, with a 1360-kW PT6A-66D flat-rated at 635 kW, giving a maximum cruisespeed of 593 km/hr at 26,000 ft. The TBM850 has a payload of 654 kg, and is offeredwith a retractable Thales Agile 2 multi-sensorturret in the rear.The Pilatus PC-12/47 has been adopted by

US Afsoc (Air Force Special OperationsCommand) as the 4960-kg U-28A componentof its NSAv (Non-Standard Aviation) fleet.Powered by 895-kW PT6A-67Bs, U-28As

were purchased as pre-used PC-12s and fittedwith an advanced communications andnavigation suite, survivability equipment andEO/IR sensors. Funding was provided bySocom (Special Operations Command) andunit cost is given as $ 16.5 million. The U-28A was first deployed in 2006 in

Operation Enduring Freedom and IraqiFreedom. The US Air Force currently lists 21with active duty units, namely the 34th and319th Special Operations Squadrons (SOS)with the 1st Special Operations Wing (SOW)at Hurlburt Field, Florida, and the 318th SOSwith the 27th SOW at Cannon AFB, NewMexico. The service purchased at least 34 PC-12s between FY04 and FY09. The U-28s arecurrently in use in ISR operations over Africa,

codenamed Creek Sand and Tusker Sand.Pilatus markets in America the Spectre

special mission version of the PC-12.Options include a utility/jump door built intothe large freight door, and a retractableEO/IR sensor turret in the unpressurised tailcone. In October 2012 Sierra Nevada (SNC)was awarded a $ 218 million contract toprovide 18 specially equipped PC-12/47Esfor the Afghan Air Force, to support AfghanNational Army Special Operations Forces.

I LIGHT TWINSAnother component of Afsoc’s NSAv fleet isthe PZL-Mielec M28, designated C-145ASkytruck. Powered by two 610-kW PT6A-65Bs, the 7500-kg M28 has a maximum


Wearing two-tone grey camouflage, this US Air Force PilatusU-28A serial 05-0477 (formerly N477PC, c/n 477) is assignedto the 318th Special Operations Squadron. It wasphotographed beside the ramp badge of the 27th SpecialOperations Wing. (Cannon AFB)


Painted to look like a civil M28, this PZL-Mielec C-145A Skytruck serial 11-0326(formerly N326DD, c/n AJE-00326) was assigned to the US Air Force318th Special Operations Squadron for night-time infiltrationand exfiltration duties. (US Air Force)

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payload of 2500 kg, and can operate fromshort, unpaved airstrips.Socom acquired eleven M28-05s (which

PZL refers to as M28 Alfas) between FY09and FY11. They were originally purchasedby Sierra Nevada and ferried across the NorthAtlantic to the US under Polish registrations.At Sparks, Nevada, SNC modified them,presumably with equipment for night-timeoperation, precision navigation and militarycommunications. Ten C-145As were assigned to the 318th

SOS of the 27th SOW at Cannon AFB, NewMexico, and the eleventh was reportedlybased at Hurlburt Field. The task of the 318thwas night-time infiltration, exfiltration andresupply of joint special operations forces. InMarch 2013 the aircraft were reassigned tothe 6th SOS of the 1st SOW, to be based atDuke Field, Florida, an auxiliary airfield ofEglin AFB. The 6th is tasked with trainingthe personnel of foreign air forces.

I KING AIR IS KING!The current Northrop Grumman Guardrail isthe end product of a whole family of sigintdevelopments, the earliest of which wereconversions of the 4580-kg U-21 Ute, the USArmy version of the Beech King Air A90 with410-kW PT6A-20A turboprops. Guardrail (GR) operations were launched

in 1971 with the GR-I, equipping the RU-21E. It was used in standoff mode, trackingWarsaw Pact troop movements in EastGermany and Czechoslovakia. The RC-21Egraduated to the GR-II mission system in1972 and to the GR-IV in 1974. Operations inKorea began in the mid-1970s, monitoringthe demilitarised zone. The GR-V entered

service with the RU-21H in 1978. Beginning in 1984 and while still

operating the RU-21, the US Army switchedSigint developments to the 7345-kg C-12Huron, the military Super King Air, poweredby two 635-kW PT6A-41s. The first of thesewas the RC-12D, equipped with ImprovedGuardrail V (IGV).The RC-12D was operated from bases in

West Germany, by the 1st MilitaryIntelligence Battalion (MI-BN) at Wiesbadenand the 2nd MI-BN at Stuttgart Airport. InDecember 1990 some German-based RC-12Ds were deployed to Al Qaisumah in SaudiArabia for operations against Iraq. From late1991, following dissolution of the SovietUnion, most RC-12Ds were withdrawn toStateside bases.Five RC-12Ds have also been operated

(alongside two RC-12Ks) under the nameKokiya (Cuckoo) by the Israeli Air Force No191 Sqn, No 15 Wing, from Sde Dov Airport(Tel Aviv). Israel also developed its ownSigint C-12, named Tzufit.The next major step was the RC-12H,

which entered service in 1988 with theGuardrail Common Sensor (GR/CS) SystemThree. It was followed by the RC-12K withGR/CS System Four in 1991, and the RC-12Nwith GR/CS System One in 1995.In 1998 the US Army introduced the

heaviest in the series, the 7480-kg RC-12Pwith GR/CS System Two. This was joined in2000 by the RC-12Q (distinguished by adome-shaped dorsal radome), mounting thesame system, plus Direct Air Satellite Relay.These two models operate together, the

RC-12Q serving as the airborne relayfacilities (ARF) ‘mother-ship’ to one or more


IED-related casualties in Iraq andAfghanistan led to multiple airborne sensorplatforms being deployed to theatre. Onesuch was the Angel Fire SKA, a US Air Forceproject used to support Marine Corpsoperations in Iraq. (US DoD).

The Boeing Emarss (Enhanced Medium-AltitudeReconnaissance/Surveillance System) BeechcraftSKA-350ER is shown on its first flight, on May 22, 2013.Note the dorsal satcom radome. (Boeing)


This US Army RC-12X is one of 14 that Northrop Grummanproduced by converting existing RC-12N/P/Qs under theGuardrail Modernization Program. The RC-12X is to remainin service until 2025. (Northrop Grumman)

RC-12Ps, transmitting data from the group via satcom to anintegrated processing facility (IPF) on the ground. Each RC-12 iscrewed only by the two pilots, its mission system being controlledremotely from the IPF. Guardrail integrates IGV with a Communication High

Accuracy Airborne Location System (CHAALS) and the ALQ-133Advanced Quick Look (AQL) radar data collection system. Itprovides near-real time intelligence, precise geo-location of highvalue target (HVT) emitters, and persistent targeting for artillery.All Guardrail units are assigned to the US Army’s Inscom(Intelligence & Security Command).The basing of US Army Guardrail units has been (at least until

recently) as follows. The 3rd MI-BN, equipped with the RC-12D/H has been at Yongsan (Seoul), South Korea, where it operatesalongside the de Havilland Canada/Northrop Grumman RC-7BAirborne Reconnaissance Low (ARL), but it is being moved south,to Camp Humphreys, Pyeongtaek. The 1st MI-BN with the RC-12Khas been based for many years at Wiesbaden, Germany. The 15thMI-BN with the RC-12P/Q is based at Fort Hood, Texas, but is

currently deployed to southwest Asia. The224th MI-BN with the RC-12N is based atHunter Army Airfield, Savannah, Georgia.The 304th MI-BN is a training unit at FortHuachuca, Arizona. Each battalion has anominal establishment of twelve aircraft.Following cancellation of the Aerial

Common Sensor (ACS) programme toreplace the Guardrail, in September 2007Northrop Grumman was awarded a $ 462million contract for the GuardrailModernization Program or GR/CS Upgrade.The US Army’s 44 RC-12s of five differentmodels are thus to be replaced by anadvanced standardised development, theRC-12X. A total of 14 late-model Guardrailaircraft (selected from 14 RC-12Ns, nine RC-12Ps and three RC-12Qs) have now beenbrought to RC-12X standard. The first twowere delivered to the US Army in January2011, and deployed to Afghanistan. The lastof the batch was handed over by the end of2013. The RC-12X is expected to remain inservice until 2025.

I MISCELLANYThe US services had meanwhile introducedinto service various quick-reaction EO/IRand radar sensor platforms, responding tothe large number of casualties produced byIEDs in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The US Air Force C-12R Horned Owlaircraft was equipped with the SRIInternational PenRad Six foliage/earth-penetrating radar, and a Wescam 14 SkyballEO/IR turret. It was evaluated in Iraq in 2005,making over 680 sorties and detecting 21IEDs and 24 weapons caches. The US Armyevaluated the PenRad Seven in its Desert Owlprogramme, using a similar aircraft.

“It was evaluated in Iraqin 2005, making over 680 sortiesand detecting 21 IEDs and 24

weapons caches”

Under the US Army Constant Hawkprogramme, seven aircraft (C-12s and Shorts360s, the latter owned by Air Cargo Carriers ofMilwaukee) were equipped with the BAESystems Awapss (Airborne Wide AreaPersistent Surveillance System), whichproduced 100 megapixel images at one/twoframes per second. Each would fly at 17,000 ft,orbiting around a fixed point at fourkilometre radius, producing one-metreresolution images of the enclosed area.In 2006 the US Army established Task

Force Odin (Observe, Detect, Identify andNeutralize) with a fleet of 25 drones andmanned aircraft, specifically to detect IEDsin Iraq. Based at Camp Speicher near Tikrit,the fleet included seven C-12s with the SierraNevada Marss (Medium-AltitudeReconnaissance/Surveillance System),combining a General Atomics APY-3 Lynxradar, an L-3 Wescam MX-15 EO/IR turret,Sigint equipment, and Ku-band Satcom.Marss-II added Elint and Comint. Other

Odin elements included the ScienceApplications International (Saic) SaturnArch, again based on the King Air.The Boeing Emarss (Enhanced Marss) is

an SKA-350ER with a retractable EO/IRturret, three workstations and extra fuel tanksto give an endurance of seven hours. Theinitial contract was awarded to Boeing inNovember 2010, when Emarss was seen as a48-aircraft programme. A prototype flew inOctober 2012. Boeing is contracted to buildfour development aircraft, the first of whichflew in May 2013. Following cutbacks, it isnow anticipated that there will be two moredevelopment aircraft, plus four Lrip aircraftfunded in FY14, and two in FY15.The need for additional sensor platforms

in Afghanistan and Iraq led the US Air Forceto deploy contractor-owned, contractor-operated Beech A90s under codenamesAngel Fire and Blue Devil One. The Angel Fire was a persistent wide-area

surveillance system with multiple sensors,detecting changes in the chosen area.Developed by the US Air Force ResearchLaboratory and the Los Alamos NationalLaboratory, it provided near-real timeimagery to tactical units. In 2008 it wasevaluated by the 922nd ExpeditionaryResearch Flight at Al Asad AB in Iraq, tosupport US Marine Corps units. The four Blue Devil A90s, owned by Saic,

each combine a wide-area EO/IR sensor withSigint, specifically aimed at cellphone usage.

I LIBERTYA total of 37 MC-12W Liberty aircraft werepurchased by the US Air Force between FY08


This US Air Force L-3 CommunicationsMC-12W Liberty serial 09-0626 (c/n FL-626)was visiting RAF Mildenhall, Suffolk in May2013. Note the ventral sensor pod withEO/IR turret, dorsal satcom radome and17 mission symbols. (US Air Force)


and FY10, in the form of SKA-350ERs withL-3 Pennant Race Sigint, a L-3 Wescam MX-20Di EO/IR turret and Ku-band Satcom. Asprime contractor and systems integrator, L-3 Communications performed most of theconversions, but some were subcontracted toATK to speed deliveries. The MC-12W hastwo pilots, a sensor operator and acryptological operator. It can achieve anendurance of over seven hours at low level.Unit cost is around $ 17.0 million, comparedto $ 10.0 million for the basic aircraft.

In June 2009 the MC-12W entered servicewith the 362nd ERS (ExpeditionaryReconnaissance Squadron) at Joint Base Baladin Iraq, followed by the 4th ERS at BagramAirfield in Afghanistan, to be joined by the451st ERS at Kandahar Airfield in April 2010.By mid-2010, 30 MC-12Ws were deployed tosouthwest Asia, while seven were retained fortraining with No 9 RS at Beale AFB inCalifornia, the home base for the fleet. It hasrecently been reported that the MC-12W will‘Buddy Laze’ for other aircraft dropping LGBs.

Looking beyond Afghanistan, it isplanned that a reduced MC-12W fleet willequip Air National Guard units at Key Field,Mississippi, Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth,Texas, Bradley ANG Base, Indiana, and thetraining unit at Beale AFB.It is believed that Britain’s five Beechcraft

Shadow R1s are generally similar to the MC-

The Saab 340 MSA (Maritime Security Aircraft) demonstrator (SE-MCG) is equipped with aTelephonics 1700B radar and thermal imaging camera. Based on a pre-used aircraft,unit cost is around $ 20 million. The Japan Coast Guard operates similar aircraft. (Saab)

Britain has five Raytheon Sentinel R1battlefield surveillance aircraft assigned toRoyal Air Force No 5 (Army Cooperation)

Squadron. Based on the Bombardier GlobalExpress, Sentinel may later be modified foroverwater operations. (Raytheon Systems)



12W. There is talk of them later beingmodified for the maritime patrol role. Iraq,Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey all operateISR Beechcraft aircraft with mission systemsby L-3 or Raytheon. Colombia operates ElintSKA-350s with Elta avionic systems.The US companies offering ISR/Elint

conversions of aircraft such as the King Airinclude Boeing with Ramis (ReconfigurableAirborne Multi-int ISR System), GeneralAtomics with Griffin Eye, L-3 with theSpyder, Lockheed Martin with the DragonStar, Sierra Nevada (teamed with ITT Exelis)with the Vigilant Stare wide-area persistentsurveillance system, and Aerial SurveillanceSystems with the SkyEye 350. Canada and

Saudi Arabia are seen as early customers.Boeing estimates an export market as high as90 aircraft.

I LARGER AIRCRAFTThis discussion has been largely concernedwith relatively small, affordable platforms thathave been used intensively since the VietnamWar, and which will probably dominate theinternational market for years. However,larger aircraft are easier to deploy over largedistances, provide higher ceilings and heavierpayloads, and are more self-contained, relyingless on supporting ground vehicles.Turboprops have the advantage in

missions requiring endurance at low/

medium altitude, hence the maritime patrolconversions of the Saab 340, BombardierDash 8-400 and the ATR42/72. Turboprops also represent a less expensive

way to acquire an AEW&C aircraft,exemplified by Saab Erieye conversions ofthe Saab 340B, used by Sweden, Thailand andthe United Arab Emirates. The US Army’s Airborne Reconnaissance

Low (ARL) fleet of RC-7Bs is deployed toSouthern and Central Commands from the204th MI-BN at Biggs Army Airfield inTexas. In July 2013 the service released anRFI for an ARL – Enhanced (ARL-E),envisioning a fleet of nine aircraft withadvanced sensors and satcom. NorthropGrumman, prime for the current RC-7BARL, is proposing a ‘Quick Mission’ system,which could be applied to a variety of aircraft.Jets provide better speed and altitude,

and thus a higher rate of terrain coverage.Examples include Britain’s RaytheonSentinel battlefield surveillance aircraftwith sar/gmti radar based on theBombardier Global Express. LockheedMartin proposes its Dragon’s Eye ISR systemfor business jets, and is flying its AirborneMulti-INT Laboratory (AML), a convertedGulfstream GIII. As instanced by the Boeing E-3 Awacs

development of the 707, high-flying jetsprovide greater distance to the radar horizonthan turboprops, and are thus the naturalchoice for AEW&C applications. Hence theEmbraer ERJ-145 Erieye conversions used byBrazil, Greece, Mexico and India, and theIAI/Elta CAEW (Conformal AEW) aircraft,based on the Gulfstream G550 and used byIsrael and Singapore.The traditional viewpoint is that jets are less

suitable for the maritime patrol role, but thatdid not stop the US Navy from choosing theBoeing P-8A, based on the 737-800, to replaceits Lockheed Martin P-3C. Finally, it may benoted that in 2012 an undisclosed Chinesecustomer purchased seven BombardierCRJ700 “special mission aircraft”. It is nowknown that they will be completed byOntario-bassed Flying Colours, withemphasis on VIP modifications. The lastwill be delivered in early 2015.

In 2008 India ordered three EmbraerERJ-145s to serve as platforms for AEW radarsdeveloped by its own Defence Research andDevelopment Organisation. The first flew inBrazil in late 2011 and was delivered toDRDO in August 2012. (Embraer)

The IAI/Elta CAEW (Conformal Airborne Early Warning) aircraft is based on the Gulfstream G550and is equipped with the Elta EL/W-2085 radar with IFF, plus Elint and Comint equipment. TheCAEW is used by Israel and Singapore. (IAI)


Show report


AUSA 2013 Held in the American capital at the Walter E. Washington Convention Centre

between 21 and 23 October, AUSA 2013 managed to escape the governmentalshutdown by only a few days. The authorisation signed in early September

by the Army Secretary to allow service personnel to take part in the event increasedthe presence of Army personnel at the convention. Not much new in terms

of programmes, with uncertainty still dominating future budgets, but the presence oftwo of the Joint Multi Role Technology Demonstrators, which should lead to theFuture Vertical Lift programme, probably put flying assets ahead of ground

ones at this edition. Paolo Valpolini reports.

I GLSDB: AN AFFORDABLESTRIKE WEAPONFROM BOEING Coupling a combat-provensurface-to-surface rocket withan existing air-to-surfaceweapon might add considerablestrike capabilities at low cost andlow risk to the current US Armyinventory. This is the idea thatled Boeing to develop theGround Launched SmallDiameter Bomb, a system thatwill allow the US Army andpossibly other foreign groundforces deploying the MLRSartillery rocket launcher to

reach targets at long ranges –over 150 km – with the precisionprovided by a standard SDB.Following the ban on clusterammunition, the US Armystarted demilitarising its M26rockets. Their warheads werearmed with 644 M77 anti-personnel/anti-materielgrenades that were dispersedover the target in mid-air,something that is longertolerated. The rocket itself has arange of 32 km and can thus beused to launch somethingdifferent. Instead of destroyingthem Boeing started developing

an inter-stage adapter thatallows to connect the SDB to therocket; once the altitudeplanned by the fire controlsystem is reached, the adapterseparates the SDB from therocket and thanks to itsdeployable wings the bombglides towards its target, guidedby its INS/GPS system. TheSDB penetrating-blastfragmentation warhead weighs93 kg, features a shaped nose,contains 16 kg of insensitiveexplosive, and is equipped withan electronic safe/arm fuse withpre-launch selectable air burst,

height sensor and delayedmodes. It can be used againstbunkers, since the warheadpenetration in reinforcedconcrete reaches nearly onemeter. The GLSDB iscompatible with the M270A1MLRS and M142 HIMARSlaunchers, each pod hosting sixrockets, that is 12 rockets in thetracked version and six in thewheeled light version of themultiple rocket system.Following the completion of theinter-stage adapter developmentBoeing should conduct groundand flight testing.


I A CHAT WITHFLIR’S CEO ANDY TEICHAt AUSA ArmadaInternational met Andrew C.Teich who on May 19, 2013became Chief ExecutiveOfficer of Flir Systems. Sincethe mid-1980s Mr. Teichserved with Inframetric, whichwas acquired by Flir in 1999.He thus has almost 30 years ofexperience in the thermalvision world. In his view theconcept of commercially-developed/military-qualified(CDMQ) productdevelopment is the keyelement in his companybusiness. “The CDMQapproach, developed in theearly 2000 timeframe, reallydefines the way Flir developsits products and technologiesfor its customer base, and it isbecoming particularlyimportant these days lookingat what is going on withdefense spending,” Mr. Teichunderlines. With some 10% ofits yearly revenues invested inresearch and development. Flirdevelops its core technologiesand system level solutions thatcan be deployed globally for abroad base of applications.

“Our customers benefit fromthat in three ways,” says Mr.Teich: “first, they get a solutionthat has been developed forbroad base customers so whenthey deploy it in their own fieldthey can look for referencesaround the world and getfeedbacks, second, they do notneed to use procurementdollars to fund R&D forsomebody else’s, and third,those solutions being deployedglobally they can also besupported globally.” Accordingto the new Boss, the numberone factor for having a globalsupport is to have a sufficientnumber of systems deployed inthe countries around the world,and this is a consequence of the

CDMQ approach wherecommon core elements areused in many different systems.“By funding ourselves ourR&D we have total control overour technologies, whethercommercial or military, ITAR-controlled or not. If you look atthe Quark core that wedeveloped last year, which isthe world's smallest, lightest,lowest power thermal imagingcore, we initially looked at it formilitary applications such as

UAS or weapon sights, wheremaximising SWAP is criticallyimportant,” Teich says, adding“and it has now migrated intonumerous other applicationswidening the customerbase.”(Mr. Teich shows us atechnology demonstratorwhere a Quark-based TI isattached to a smartphone,potentially providingevery soldier with a low-costthermal device).

The CDMQ model alsoapplies to vehicle applications.“We invested quite a lot ofmoney in developing acommercial driver's visionenhancer (DVE) solution,something which is in servicein the US military on some 20-

30,000 vehicles, but it is stillvery expensive a systemcosting between 13 to 15,000dollars apiece; we then decidedto partner with a companyworking in the safety sector ofthe automotive market todevelop a commercial-gradeDVE and this is now deployedinto BMW and Mercedes Benzvehicles, which is provided asoptional at around 2,000dollars. Considering that thereare 60 million cars and light

trucks produced annually, asthe cost of that solution will godown, a higher number ofvehicles will be equipped withthem and it will be at that pointthat the cycle technologyspyral will kick in bringingback advantages to the militarythat will have themselveslower cost systems”.

In recent years Flir Systemsevolved considerably. “Thecompany started as a solutionprovider, however the solutionstended to be just a gimbal of ahand-held thermal binocular;today we really see aourselves asolution provider, however it isthe customer to define whichlevel of solution he buys fromus.” Since 2004 Flir adopted a

highly vertically integratedstructure, while in 2010 itacquired ICX, which broughtin integration capacities thatnow allows the company toprovide solutions at all levels,from system-of-systems, tosystems, to subsystems. Thisbeing said, systems remain thecore business, generatingaround 80% of the revenues,integrated systemsand subsystems providingsome 10% each.

Show report


I DIRECT FIRE FOR THETEXTRON COMMANDOThe star of the Textron Marine& Land Systems stand was thevery last version of theCommando 4x4 vehicle, aimedat providing the family with afire support vehicle to sustaininfantry operations. It isequipped with a CMI CSE 90LPturret cradling a Cockerill Mk336 calibres 90 mm rifled gunthat is also capable of engaginglight armoured vehicles. ItsAPFSDS round ensures apenetration of a 100 mm RHANato target at 60° and at a rangeof 1,000 metres while theHEAT-T defeats 130 mm ofRHA. Increasing to the gun’sversatility is a set otherammunition that includes aHESH-T to deal a blow tobunkers, walls and lightvehicles, while against infantryin the open the HE round has alethal radius of 15 metres.Canister and smoke rounds are

also available. The turret wasinstalled on a CommandoSelect, the intermediate-levelversion of the 4x4 which is alsoavailable in the mortar andambulance versions. TheDirect Fire Vehicle has a crew offour, with gunner and loaderlocated in the turret. TextronM&LS supplied 550Commando Select vehicles tothe Afghan National Army,these being deployed by MobileStrike Force units. Threedifferent variants weredelivered, two armouredpersonnel carriers hosting athree-man crew and sevendismounts (352 equipped witha light turret armed with a 12.7mm machine gun or a 40 mmAGL, 142 fitted with theObjective Gunner ProtectionKit, and 23 ambulances withraised rooftop and able to hostthe two-man crew plus amedical attendant, two seatedand two littered casualties.

I SAAB MERGES ITSAMERICAN OPERATIONS More and more aninternational group, Saabannounced at AUSA themerging of all its defenceactivities in the United Statesunder a single umbrella, thenewly established Saab Defense

and Security USA LLC – SDASin short. “We had severaloperations in the US such asSaab Training USA LLC, SaabBarracuda LLC, Saab Supportand Services LLC and SaabSensis Corporation”.Lars Borgwing the newlyappointed SDAS boss said at a

press briefing “we decided to putthem together, including thedefence component of SaabSensis,”. The main reason is thatalthough the crisis dealt strongblow to the American defencemarket, it still remains theworld’s bigger market, meaningthat even a small percent gain

there represents a considerableincrease in the Saab groupturnover. The new company isnow a fully American company,headquartered in Stirling,Virginia. It employsapproximately 250 of whichonly two are Swedish citizens.Saab has considerablydiversified its offer in the UnitedStates, and the former SensisCorp. is supporting thedevelopment and production ofthe new ground-based radar forthe US Marine Corps known asthe G/ATOR (Ground/Air TaskOriented Radar). The SeaGiraffe radar is on board theLittoral Combat Ship USSIndependence while groundbased versions have been usedin theatre to protect USEmbassies. Barracudacamouflage systems, weaponsystems such as the Carl Gustafrecoilless gun and the AT-4disposable rocket launcher havebeen widely adopted.


Show report

I RAFAEL TROPHYINTEGRATEDINTO GDLS LAV IIIDRS Technologies and Rafael,partners on the Trophy systemin the United States and workingin close co-operation withGeneral Dynamics LandSystems, successfully integratedthe Israeli active protectionsystem into the GDLS CanadaLAV III armoured vehicle.Initially an internal companyinitiative later joined by theCanadian government as apartner, the process started in

Q1 2012 with the tenderannouncement for an activeprotection system with a shortmarketing time, to improveCanadian vehicle protection,especially against RPGs. TheTrophy was selected in August2012, integration started in late2012 and was completed in June2013. Mechanical integrationtests were carried out in July2013, while the three-monthperformance tests wereconcluded the week prior toAUSA. These were carried out atthe Suffield test range in Alberta

and included testing againstRPGs, both with unitary andtandem warheads, recoillessguns and antitank missiles; theTrophy was challenged withconsecutive shots, multipleshots, shots at short distance,with clutter and at differentangles. DRS carried out alsoconnectivity tests with the battlemanagement system, showinghow the Trophy can help inhostile fire detection, thusincreasing the crew situationalawareness. Tests also took intoconsideration collateral effects,

residual penetration, safety issueboth for vehicle and crew, andelectronic safe/armperformances. Theconfiguration adopted on theLAVIII included four antennaefor 360° coverage and twocountermeasures, the sameinstalled on Israel DefenseForces Merkava 4s. The systemin service is the Trophy-HV. TheMV version aimed at 10 to 30-tonne vehicles is at TRL-7 withRafael now awaiting a launchcustomer to complete itsdevelopment.

I RADAMULTI-MISSIONHEMISPHERIC RADAR Rada, the Israeli defenceelectronic systems housespecializing in the design,development, production andsales of advanced airborne andland applications was selected byBoeing to supply its Multi-Mission Hemispheric Radar(MHR) as part of the Americancompany’s Future DirectedEnergy Tactical Systemsprogramme. The Rada pulse-doppler MHRs well exceed therole of simple ground surveillanceradars since they in fact ensure fullhemispheric coverage. As a matterof fact field testing did not startwith ground surveillance, butwhat is probably the most difficulttask, which is an applicationknown as C-ram, followed bydrone detection and tracking,showing the system’s capacity to

pick very small targets. Groundsurveillance modes are underdevelopment to provide a radarcapable of full 3-D protection.According to a Rada official’s ownwords, the RPS is a family ofsoftware-defined radars. Whilesmaller radars working in C-bandare mostly used in conjunctionwith active protection systemsand hostile fire management, theRPS 40 series, working in S band,provides full coverage againstrockets, artillery missiles, dronesand ground targets. The RPS-40has an aesa aerial covering 90° inazimuth and from 0° to 70° forindirect and 0° to 40° for directfire. Each aerial weighs 21 kg, thusa 360° system made of four weighs95 kg with its electronics. Inhemispherical search themaximum range is 5 km, howeverthe RPS-40 can also operate insector mode, reaching a 10 kmrange in each sector.

I C-RAM: THE WAY AHEADFOR THE EAPSLockheed Martin is pursuingthe development of its Eaps(Extended Area Protectionand Survivability), a hit-to-killC-RamM system based on amini-missile. At thecompany’s stand it waspossible to see the mock-up ofthe mini-missile near thewreck of a mortar bombdestroyed during warheadeffectiveness tests. The latterwere carried out against twoclasses of rocket and all classesof mortar bomb. The Eaps isintended to provideprotection to both the militaryunits and the populationbeyond the immediate area ofattack. The request from theUS Army was for a relativelylow cost system, as it had toengage low cost threats, theaverage unit production costper round established in 2006

being of $16,000 ($22,000 attoday’s value). The five-kilomissile is 75 cm long with a 70mm diameter and has a rangein excess of 3 km. It currentlyis a semi-active projectile thatdoes not contain any explosiveand homes onto the targetilluminated by the guidanceradar. While the lethalitydemonstration of the semi-active version continues, thecompany has already startedto develop an active nose tipthat will bring in numerousadvantages. Compared to thefirst design, where most of the“intelligence” was to be keptinto the fire control system inorder to reduce as much aspossible projectile cost, thecurrent configuration alreadysees most of the processinginstalled on board themunition. Lockheed Martinlooks forward to test this newversion in two years time.

NEXT ISSUE APRIL-MAY 2014:1 APRIL,ADVERTISING: 17 MARCH

n Aerostat-borne Radio Relays: With anoperational history stretching back to theAmerican Civil War, tethered lighter-than-airballoons constitute the most venerable class ofair vehicles in service. Requirements stemmingfrom modern counter-insurgency warfare andborder security concerns have made suchaerostats more relevant than ever in their originalrole of persistent surveillance, while theinsatiable need for connectivity in remote anddifficult locations is making them increasinglyimportant as platforms for radio communicationsrelay equipment.

n Armed Helicopter Market: Dedicated attackhelicopters combine heavy forward-firingarmament with minimum frontal area, to achievehigh speed and the lowest possible vulnerability toreturn fire. Some situations are better resolved bya multi-role assault helicopter with a squad of

troops, plus forward-firing armament to suppressfire from the landing zone and side-firing guns forself-defence. Scouting missions call for alightweight helicopter with limited weapons to dealwith targets of opportunity.

n Corvette & Frigate Market: The componentsof frigates and corvettes have always representedthe combatant backbone of Navies around theworld. The more recent budget reduction and thechanging world security scenario pushed towardsmore flexible platforms, which can perform arange of missions as well as less costly andpossibly smaller platforms. However high intensitytheatre of operations still require sophisticatedplatforms to conduct specialized missions such asballistic missile defence or deep strike with maingun and cruise missiles.

n Geospatial Information 1: Principles:georeferencing, geo tagging, the worldof GIS, etc): Spatial information and geolocatedevents are the bread and butter of militaryoperations, and the newly digitized battlespacebrings new promises of shared situational

awareness and synchronized maneuvers. But thefact is, NATO went to Afghanistan with Soviet papermaps, and operations in Africa are still carried outwith poorly-detailed country-wide maps orobsolete terrain descriptions. In this first part ofGeospatial Information Series, Wesley Fox,Armada C4ISR editor, analyses the technologiesand tools to build the foundation layer of currentnetwork-centric operations.

n COMPENDIUM — SPECIAL OPS: Once calledto operate behind enemy lines, in today scenariosspecial forces are still called to move stealthyalthough “enemy lines” does not mean much inasymmetric warfare conditions. This said,depending on their method of insertion,operational detachments or teams, as you preferto call them, still have to move on long distancescarrying heavy equipment, the water problem indeserted areas only adding weight to theirconsiderable burden, which is also made heavyand cumbersome by the increase incommunications and sighting equipment, that alsomeans spare batteries.


Show report

I AEROVIRONMENT:INCREASED ENDURANCEAND REDUCED DIMENSIONSTwo major announcementscame from AeroVironment. Thefirst was related to the RQ-20APuma AE (All Environment),now featuring significantlyincreased endurance. Leapingfrom 2 to over 3.5 hours, thisexceeds what is expected from aTier 1 system. This was achievedthrough improvedaerodynamics and propulsion,the latter including a more

powerful motor and a largerpropeller, associated with ahigher energy density battery.The power system is also plug &play, and can incorporatealternative energy sources,AeroVironment consideringsolar cell wings to extendendurance up to nine hours. Thefuselage was redesigned, notonly for aerodynamicconsiderations but also to obtaina reinforced construction forbetter durability, and a secondpayload bay to carry additional

payloads while retaining currentday/night video capability. Thenew Puma AE’s weight grewfrom 5.9 to 6.12 kg. It will beavailable in early 2014 as a newitem or as an upgrade kit(modifications being carried outat depot level).

The other new item unveiledby AeroVironment was a 112-gram secure video and datareceiver allowing remote access

to aerial networks. Known as thePocket DDL (Digital Data Link)it allows any element on the fieldto receive drone video and datathrough a secure link fromAeroVironment UAS but alsofrom other systems. The PocketDDL can be used in conjunctionwith commercially availableitems such as smart phones,tablets or USB equipped end-user display devices.

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