Mil-Tech

Only Have Analog Transmitters For Your UAV? Enerdyne Can Move All To Digital

The Enerdyne division of ViaSat Inc. (Nasdaq:VSAT) has added a new operating mode for its EnerLinksIII Ground Modem Transceiver (GMT) that enables it to interoperate with airborne vehicles that use analog FM technology to transmit NTSC, PAL, or RS170 sensor video over a line-of-sight, air-to-ground communications link.

While unmanned system programs such as Shadow and Predator operate with analog ISR data links, digital EnerLinks technology has been deployed in hundreds of advanced data links for use in classified and other surveillance applications. As the EnerLinksIII system is software programmable, it can adapt to new digital waveforms as the DoD expands its demands for digital interoperability beyond common data link (CDL), such as the anticipated digital data link (DDL) for small unmanned systems. EnerLinks is used by DRS Technologies to upgrade its Sentry and Neptune unmanned aerial system (UAS). Recently, Insitu informed the use of EnerLinks for its future Integrator and Scan Eagle UAS. To date Insitu has shipped more than 1,000 Scan Eagles. Enerdyne will be demonstrating this new product feature under the ViaSat canopy at the AUVSI 5th biennial flight demonstration at Webster Field in Patuxent River on August 10th.

Dozor-3 Development For Russian Military.

Russia’s Kronshtadt defense company has developed a new-generation heavy unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) for military purposes, a senior company official informed.

“The Kronshtadt engineers have developed a heavy Dozor-3 UAV with a lift-off weight of 600 kg and a payload of 100 kg, which could be used as a strike aircraft,” stated Viktor Godunov, member of the company’s board of directors. “It can carry various types of reconnaissance equipment and weaponry,” he added. The Russian military stressed the need to provide its Armed Forces with advanced means of battlefield reconnaissance. According to various estimates, the Russian military needs as many as 100 UAVs and at least 10 guidance systems to ensure effective battlefield reconnaissance. At present, Russia’s Vega Radio Engineering Corp. is the only domestic company which manufactures UAVs for the Russian Armed Forces. The company’s new-generation Tipchak mobile aerial system has been designed for reconnaissance and target designation purposes on the battlefield in any weather conditions. The first Tipchak system was placed into service at the end of 2008. Tipchak operates up to six UAVs launched from a pneumatic catapult. Each UAV has a range of 40 kilometers (25 miles) and a 3-hour endurance. It can deliver targeting for artillery and theater-based ballistic missiles at distances up to 350 km (about 220 miles). The new Dozor-3 UAV takes off and lands as a regular aircraft, and has a 6-hour endurance. Russia has also purchased 12 unmanned aerial vehicles from Israel in a recent deal worth $53 million.

Not Intimidated TSF Returns With Results To Pakistan

The timeline that reveals the persistent efforts of Télécoms Sans Frontières (TSF) to assist is as follows: May 18th, TSF deployed to Pakistan to respond to the emergency in the North Western Frontier Province. Over 2 million people have been displaced since the latest outbreak of the conflict between the Pakistani army and the Taliban last April. TSF partnered with a local NGO called Youth Resources Center (YRC) and trained on site 20 local employees for its humanitarian calling operations.

Despite the fact that their team evacuated after the terrorist attack on the Pearl Continental Hotel in Peshawar, TSF offered, from June 8th to the 15th, more than 1500 calls to the displaced population in the Mardan district.

The calling operations resumed on July 28th; with the head of the mission returning to Islamabad to coordinate and monitor the mission on the ground that would cover districts other than Mardan, where many IDPs are sheltered, keeping in mind that over 25 refugee camps are installed in the six districts of the region. What is more, there are a number of “humanitarian hubs” set up to deliver help to people who are staying outside of the camps, such as those settled with family, friends or host communities.

Currently there are 10 registration centers and 34 humanitarian hubs, which distribute food to IDPs. Ten more distribution points are inside the camps. Six teams (four teams comprised of male members and two teams of female members) are then covering different camps in Nowshera, Swabi and Mardan districts:

• Chota Lahore and Shah Mansoor Camp-I & II in Swabi, where the activities began
• Jalozai-I and Jalozai-II in Nowshera
• Jalala, Mardan, Shankar College and Tarakai Camp in Mardan district

An example of help provided: Naheed lives in the village of Tahirabad. She now has a new born 3-day-old baby, and in order to reach Jalala camp, 15 kms far from her village, she had to walk, while pregnant for more than 13 hours. Her feet were swollen and legs were aching, but she was grateful for the phone services as she called her husband who is working in Karachi. She was happy to hear he was safe and sound and could reassure him of their situation.

Jalozai-2 is the biggest camp where more than 57,000 people are sheltered. From July 28th to August 1st, using mobile telecommunication equipment provided by TSF, the six teams were able to offer 1,378 calls to the displaced civilians (33 percent of the calls were international). The two teams of female personnel provide phoning services to women displaced in Shah Mansoor, Jalala, Jalozai-I & II and Tarakai camps. TSF is the only organization offering free international calls. Many Pakistanis have relatives abroad in the Middle East, in the UK or in other countries of Asia.

Malaysian UAV Climbs New Heights

The ALUDRA (Allianced Unmanned Developmental Research Aircraft) UAV, deployed by the Malaysian Joint Forces in Ops Pasir at Pandanan and Sipadan Resorts, will be launched early next year.

Defence Minister Datuk Ahmad Zahid Hamidi informed the UAV was capable of sending data and photographs to the operation center for analysis in order for quick follow-up action to be taken. “Although I am happy with the UAV, I hope that it can be improved, particularly the area of coverage and length of flying time during operations. We have to make some improvements so that the UAV is suited to the local climate, wind circulation, and topography,” he added after visiting Kem Sri Wangsa and witnessing a test drive of the ALUDRA UAV. Zaid said Malaysia needed six UAV for surveillance and intelligence work to assist the army, air force and navy in protecting the country’s 1,700 kilometre coastline. He added Malaysia also had a prototype UAV which did not need a runway to take-off, thus saving the cost of building infrastructure. The ALUDRA UAV was manufactured by Unmanned Systems Technology Sdn Bhd (UST).

Civilian Focus For Dominator II UAV

The Dominator II (“Oz”), developed by Israel-based Aeronautics, is the world’s first UAV based on a certified civilian aircraft.

The Dominator II is based on the manned DA-42 aircraft produced by Austrian Diamond Aircraft, and which has logged over 360,000 flight hours and is a fully certified all-weather civilian aircraft. Over 640 manned units of this type have been produced since 2005. The Dominator II is the world’s first UAV based on a manned aircraft with full civilian certification. If until now the global UAV market focused predominantly on the defense sector, the Dominator II is the first UAV also designed for the civilian market. The fact that the UAV is based on an existing platform with many hours of accumulated operating experience lends the Dominator II high credibility and efficiency, and actually paves the way for UAVs to enter the civilian market, which to date has abstained from operating UAVs, as they have lacked civilian aircraft certification for these systems.

Indian Armed Forces Getting What They Have Asked For — UAVs

The Indian Defence ministry has approved another major induction of UAVs for armed forces, with surveillance and intelligence-gathering missions becoming critical on the western and eastern fronts as well as along the huge coastline.

The Indian Army is going in for two more “troops” (six to eight birds each) of sophisticated Heron UAVs from Israel for Rs 1,118 crore, after getting the nod from the Defence Acquisitions Council headed by defence minister A. K. Antony. The 1.13-million strong force has also projected a demand of seven “troops” of the Rustom drones being developed by Defence Research and Development Organisation and Aeronautical Development Establishment in a Rs 1,000 crore project with Israeli help. As a MALE (medium-altitude, long-endurance) drone, Rustom will be capable of operating for 24 hours, with a 300-km range and a 10,000-metre maximum altitude. The Army is already inducting the indigenous Nishant and Lakshya UAVs.

Similarly, the Indian Navy’s case for two more Israeli UAVs at a cost of Rs 386 crore has also been approved, in addition to the ongoing Rs 1,163 crore joint project between Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) and DRDO for NRUAVs (naval rotary UAVs). Thev Navy is already using its UAV fleet of eight Searcher-II and four Herons for maritime surveillance up to 200 nautical miles. With Army planning to induct these miniature spy drones right down to the battalion-level by 2017, it’s keen they also be capable of carrying explosives for “hard kill” of “light targets”.

Apart from regular infantry units, Para (Special Forces) battalions will also get “stealthy” drones for covert missions beyond enemy lines and counter-terrorism operations. The armed forces had gone in for a major infusion of Israeli UAVs after the 1999 Kargil conflict and the 2002 Operation Parakram in the wake of Parliament terror attack. At present, they have more than 100 UAVs, primarily Israeli ones such Searcher-II and Heron, as also some “killer drones” crafted to detect and destroy enemy radars by functioning like cruise missiles. While the aim in the 11th Plan (2007-2012) period is to also induct armed drones like the American ‘Predators’, which are being successfully used to take on Taliban in Af-Pak region with their ‘Hellfire’ missiles, the eventual objective is to have full-fledged UCAVs (unmanned combat aerial vehicles). The plan, as of now, is to further boost the snooping capabilities of armed forces as well as fully-integrate UAVs with weapon platforms for delivering precision-guided munitions.

Concentrated UAV Roles In Afghanistan.

The U.S. military plans to use more drone aircraft to target Taliban militants in Afghanistan while focusing less on hunting down Al-Qaeda figures.

Although defeating the Al-Qaeda terror network remains an overriding goal for Washington, officials now believe the best way to pursue that objective is to ensure stability in Afghanistan and neighboring Pakistan instead of Al-Qaeda manhunts, the paper said, citing U.S. government and Defense Department officials. It was more important to prevent a slide towards violence and anarchy that could be exploited by Al-Qaeda, which used Afghanistan to stage its attacks on the United States on September 11, 2001, the officials said. Eight drones that have been devoted to tracking Al-Qaeda in remote Afghan mountains will be transferred to the fight against insurgents, the paper said. And the U.S. Central Command plans to send about 12 more drones to the Afghan front, including some aircraft that have been assigned to Iraq — a move resisted by U.S. commanders there.

The drones are highly demanded and the military faces difficult choices in deciding how best to deploy the aircraft which are in short supply. The armed Predators and Reapers can loiter over targets for hours and are viewed as an invaluable resource for both intelligence and military operations. The drones are also used to target Al-Qaeda and the Taliban in neighboring Pakistan, though the U.S. government does not publicly discuss those operations. The new commander of U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan, General Stanley McChrystal, has ordered an elaborate review of how the mission uses surveillance aircraft. McChrystal favors using the drones in a more concentrated way, instead of spreading the aircraft across the country, so regional commands can use the plans for short periods each day. The military also plans to increase the number of flights of U2 spy planes in Afghanistan and all of the Air Force’s unmanned Global Hawks —a much larger plane crafted for surveillance — will be shifted to Afghanistan, officials said.

Particularly Adept Interdiction Is The Predator

Chris Batcheller, at Aero-News.Net, authored an interesting article entitled “U.S. Customs Predator UAV Operates in National Airspace.”

For the last four years, the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol Office has been operating the Predator MQ-9 UAS in the national airspace system. The topic of operating unmanned vehicles in the national airspace system (NAS) has raised many questions. The CPB Assistant Commissioner Michael Kostelnik informed that the office brought the MQ-9 Predator B UAS to display at Oshkosh. The CBP decided to bring the MQ-9 Predator to the annual air show so that pilots could see the physical size of the air vehicle and talk about their operations in the NAS.

Kostelnik said that the office has a model of the Predator that it often has on display in their booth. As some unmanned vehicles are the same size as the model, some visitors confused the models size with the real vehicle. They assumed that the model on display was the same size as the real Predator. “I can understand that people would be very concerned if we were flying many small vehicles” he said. The model has approximately a 7 foot wing span, where the real Predator has a wingspan of 64 feet! The MQ-9 on display is a much larger and more powerful version of the older MQ-1 Predator. The MQ-1 was powered by a 115 hp piston engine, where the MQ-9 is powered with a 950 shaft horse power turboprop engine. The MQ-9 can carry roughly 3,000 lbs of payload and fly up to 52,000 feet. Unlike a manned aircraft the MQ-9 Predator operates as a system. Supporting any one MQ-9 will be a pilot, sensor operator, intelligence officers, legal officers and other team members. Having a team allows the CBP to the MQ-9 asset very effectively. Not only will the vehicles support their normal missions, but they will also assist in times of natural disaster such as hurricanes and floods. The Assistant Commissioner said that the Predator “doesn’t replace agents, but it makes them more effective”.

The aircraft are always flown IFR. They can fly 20 hours unrefueled, limiting the numbers of takeoffs and landings required. They typically fly at 19,000 to 20,000 feet and operate from military bases. Because they loiter at IFR altitudes, and as they spend very little time at airport environments, Kostelnik said they pose little threat to manned aircraft. He also said that the agency operates a command center that has all the radar feeds in the United States and Canada. He noted that agents monitor the radars when the Predators are operational. The agency operates 280 aircraft and 200 boats with 75 operations to complete their border patrol mission. That mission is immigration, drug interdiction and other illegal activities. The Assistant Commissioner said that the operations are not “military, but special operations” and that their mission is law enforcement and they must operate as such. In addition to the MQ-9 Predator, the BCP operates Citation Jets and P-3 Orion aircraft. The agency currently has two aircraft in production as maritime aircraft. These aircraft will be outfitted with different radios and some other modifications. They will be stationed at coastal bases and will be used to support the BCP mission.

New Intelligence Options For German MoD With EuroHawk UAS.

Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) has finished assembling the first Euro Hawk(r) UAS for the German Ministry of Defence (MoD).

With a wing span larger than a commercial airliner and endurance projected at up to 30 hours, the Euro Hawk will serve as the German Air Force’s high-altitude, long-endurance signals intelligence (SIGINT) system. The Euro Hawk is a derivative of the Block 20 Global Hawk, and will be equipped with a new SIGINT mission system developed by EADS Defence & Security (DS). The SIGINT system delivers standoff capability to detect electronic intelligence radar and communications intelligence emitters. EADS DS will also deliver the ground stations that will receive and analyze the data from Euro Hawk as part of an integrated system solution.

Following successful testing and introduction in German operational service, Northrop Grumman anticipates subsequent systems will be delivered between 2016 and 2017. The Euro Hawk will replace the aging fleet of Breguet Atlantic aircraft, which have been in service since 1972. On Jan. 31, 2007, the German MoD awarded a $559 million contract to EuroHawk GmbH, a 50-50 joint venture company formed by Northrop Grumman and EADS, for the development, test and support of the Euro Hawk unmanned SIGINT surveillance and reconnaissance system. Under the contract, EuroHawk GmbH will also provide aircraft modifications, mission control, and launch and recovery ground segments, flight test, and logistics support. EuroHawk GmbH is the national prime contractor for the German MoD through the entire lifecycle of the Euro Hawk system. The limited liability company is based in Immenstaad, Germany.

UK Ministry of Defense Reveals Latest UAS.

A gathering on July 30, at an exhibition at the UK Ministry of Defence’s London headquarters revealed the latest Unmanned Air Systems (UAS) delivering an opportunity of both military and civilian to gather their own intelligence on the future of military aviation.

Artist’s impression of Taranis concept UAV in flight. (Illustration: BAE Systems)

The Ministry of Defence inked a contract for the third phase of Typhoon described as an aircraft so advanced that it takes a hugely complex suite of on-board computers just to keep it in the sky. The urgency for such technology is evidenced in battlefields such as Afghanistan where the Unmanned Air Systems round-the-clock real-time aerial intelligence could possibly replace manned combat aircraft altogether within a generation.

Lockheed Martin’s Desert Hawk III, operated by the Royal Artillery, is a low-cost, hand-launched mini-UAS used for short-range, low-altitude intelligence-gathering, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance (ISTAR) capable of being operated day or night from a portable ground control station.

Also operated by the Royal Artillery is the Elibit Systems Hermes 450, a medium-sized, medium-altitude UAV capable of remaining airborne for over 20 hours at a time, sending ISTAR information to battlefield commanders on the ground. The Hermes is scheduled to be replaced by the Watchkeeper UAS in 2010, which offers a de-icing capability allowing it to fly for longer periods through the winter months and will be fitted with an advanced Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) able to produce incredibly detailed imagery of the area of operations below.

The Reaper Hunter/Killer UAV is operated jointly between the Royal Air Force and the United States Air Force. The Reaper is currently the UK’s only UAS capable of locating and engaging enemy targets on the ground, and can carry various combinations of smart weapons including Hellfire missiles and laser-guided bombs.

Some of the more advanced UAS such as Reaper use intelligent on-board systems based on technology found in the head up displays (HUD) of the latest manned combat aircraft to process incoming information and make autonomous decisions on what is important enough to send back to battlefield commanders on the ground. This saves analysts hours or days of processing the mass of data gathered during a single flight.

One of the more advanced systems was QinetiQ’s spindly, solar-powered Zephyr high-altitude long-endurance (HALE) UAV, which, in August 2008, completed an 82-hour flight, unofficially breaking the record for the longest unmanned flight. QinetiQ is developing the Zephyr to operate at altitudes in excess of 55,000 feet (16,800m) for months at a time.