UAVs and UCAVs

[nandu]

Nishant undegoes confirmatory trials at Pokhran

Four Nishants from the LSP block are undergoing confirmatory trials at Pokhran. Photos: DRDO


India's Nishant UAV is undergoing crucial confirmatory user trials at Pokhran. The trials began April 20 and will last for one more week. A senior official overseeing the program at DRDO headquarters in New Delhi confirmed to Aviation Week that the UAV's confirmatory trials are crucial for the Indian Army. Senior scientists and engineers from DRDO and the India Army are witnessing the flights. During the last trials, the Army wanted to improve some features which are being tested during the current trials. Two flights have been completed and four more are planned in the coming days, the official said.

http://tarmak007.blogspot.com/

 

[enlightened1]

^^ dude repost...........

 

[bhramos]

HAL,BEL beat pvt rivals to win Rustom project!!!

Bangalore: State-run Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) and Bharat Electronics Ltd (BEL) have jointly won a bid to design and build Rustom, an unmanned aerial vehicle, or drone, for India's defence research agency.
HAL and BEL edged out private firms in the race for the project—the first Indian military aircraft programme to invite the private sector to design and build a plane. Larsen and Toubro Ltd (L&T), Tata Advanced Systems Ltd (TASL) and Godrej and Boyce Manufacturing Co. Ltd were the other contenders.
Rustom would be a medium-altitude, long-endurance aircraft, to be designed to fly at least 250km at a stretch.
It's the third large Indian defence project in the race for which private firms lost out to public sector rivals. India opened up defence equipment development and manufacturing to the private sector in 2002 in a move aimed at stepping up indigenization of military equipment. India still imports nearly 70% of its weapons and aircraft.
In the US, the government encourages"Šprivate"Šsector firms such as Boeing Co. and Lockheed Martin Corp. to compete for military projects and funds only the development cost of planes and weapon systems.
"HAL-BEL gave us a clear road map for manufacture," said Prahlada, chief controller of research and development at the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). He goes by one name.
In 2008, HAL was preferred over Godrej, L&T and Mahindra and Mahindra Ltd to build Saras, a 14-seat passenger plane, by National Aerospace Laboratories after its main customer, the Indian Air Force, insisted on the military plane maker.
BEL was selected in March this year to build the Indian Army's tactical communication system, a contract of at least $1 billion (Rs4,450 crore). It was to be the biggest military project till date thrown open to domestic private companies. Seven firms, including L&T, the Tatas and Roltas Thales Ltd, a joint venture of Roltas India Ltd and France's Thales Group, bid for the contract.
"This is a disappointment for us since we had been told that the projects would be open for participation by the private sector on a competitive basis," said M.V. Kotwal, vice-president for the aerospace and defence business at L&T, India's largest engineering firm. "Otherwise we would not have spent the time and efforts in preparing for the bids. Detailed plans for execution had also been presented as required," he said.
L&T, which makes submarines and ships for the Indian Navy, bid for all the three contracts. TASL did not respond to emails for comment.
A defence ministry official, who is familiar with two of the three projects mentioned, said decisions were taken in favour of the defence public sector undertakings after assessing the capability of vendors for specific projects. He did not want to be named due to the sensitive nature of the business. An HAL official, who did not want to be named, said though the firm had been invited for technical talks, the Aeronautical Development Establishment, a DRDO agency, is yet to place an order.
In the Rustom contract, firms need to invest Rs400 crore in prototypes and trials that could take at least a decade, but there was no guarantee of an order from the armed forces once it is completed, said one official at a private firm who did not want to be named or his company to be identified. An HAL official confirmed this.
"If there is no assurance of an order, why should the private industry come forward and invest? We know it takes time to profit, but at least we don't want to lose money," the same company official said.
Analysts say that it would take time for the defence ministry to involve private participation in equipment design and manufacturing.
"The process does take a little time. There are efforts made in DPP (the defence procurement procedure) to involve private industry. But I think much more can be done," said N.S. Sisodia, director general of the Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses. He did not comment on individual contracts.
The defence ministry has brought in a made-in-India category in its latest DPP, which favours local firms in defence equipment design and manufacturing.

http://www.livemint.com/2010/04/25205157/HALBEL-beat-pvt-rivals-to-win.html

what the heck is this???
is this a scam to give money to babu's !

 

[A.V.]

Arming Small UAVs - US experience

By 2007, US Army RQ-7 Shadow battalion-level UAVs had seen their flight hours increase to up 8,000 per month in Iraq, a total that compared well to the famous MQ-1 Predator. Those trends have gained strength, as workarounds for the airspace management issues that hindered early deployments become more routine. Some RQ-7s are even being used to extend high-bandwidth communications on the front lines.

The difference between the Army's RQ-7 Shadow UAVs and their brethren like the USAF's MQ-1A Predator, or the Army's new MQ-1C Sky Warriors, is that the Shadow has been too small and light to be armed. With ultra-small missiles still in development, and missions in Afghanistan occurring beyond artillery support range, arming the Army's Shadow UAVs has become an even more important objective. It would take some new technology, but that seems to be on the way for the US Army's RQ-7B Shadow UAV fleet"¦

SecDef Robert Gates' has consistently offered strong support for more attention to the needs of the counterinsurgency fight. Surveillance is part of that, but it needs to be backed by action. Pending and emerging approaches tie UAVs, manned propeller planes, artillery, and helicopters into a cohesive, fast, and flexible solution for finding, identifying, and capturing or killing opponents.

Larger RQ-5 Hunters have been tested with Viper Strike mini-bombs, and MQ-1C Sky Warriors can carry up to 4 Hellfires – but both UAV types are far outnumbered by the Army's smaller RQ-7 Shadows. Precision weapons can also be dropped by fighters or bombers, but the planes' $10,000 – $25,000 cost per flight hour is prohibitive, they require extensive planning processes to use, and their declining numbers affect their potential coverage and response times.

As "CENTCOM Looks to Boost ISR Capabilities in 2008-2009" explained, small UAVs can still pack a punch without weapons by providing GPS targeting data to M30 GPS-guided MLRS rockets, long-range ATACMS MLRS missiles, or 155mm Excalibur artillery shells – as long as those weapons are (a) appropriate and (b) within range.

Using an ATACMS missile to take out an enemy machine gun position seems a bit silly, but that's exactly the sort of help that could really make a difference to troops on the ground – and has been used in urban fights, against building strongholds. With that said, maximum effectiveness comes when battalion-level "Tactical UAVs" like the RQ-7B Shadow can perform the full spectrum of missions: surveillance, laser or GPS target designation, or close support for infantry fights.

Step 1 requires a lightweight laser designator that would add the ability to actively mark targets for common helicopter and UAV weapons like Hellfire missiles, laser-guided 70mm rockets, or Paveway bombs. That way, the small and relatively cheap RQ-7s could mark targets for any component of Task Force ODIN, or its equivalent. That effort is now underway.

Step 2 involves arming even RQ-7 size UAVs, but their payload weight limits make that a very challenging task. Small missiles like the US Navy's Spike are in development, but solutions are needed now.

General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems makes the US Army's mortar rounds, and had an interesting idea. What if their 81mm mortars could receive a small add-on GPS guidance kit, similar to the JDAM kits used on larger air force bombs? The Army's 81mm mortars weigh just 9-10 pounds each, and GD-OTS' clip-on Roll Controlled Fixed Canard (RCFC) is an integrated fuze and guidance-and-flight control kit that uses GPS/INS navigation, replacing current fuze hardware in existing mortars. A standard M821 81mm Mortar with fuze weighs 9.1 pounds, and the same mortar with an RCFC Guidance system and fuze weighs just 10.8 pounds.

Application of RCFC technology to 81mm air-dropped mortars was sponsored by the U.S. Army's Armament Research Development and Engineering Center (ARDEC) at Picatinny Arsenal, NJ, in order to provide "Tactical Class Unmanned Aircraft Systems (TCUAS)" with a low-cost weapon option for rapid fielding. In the end, however, its reach is likely to extend past small UAVs, in 2 ways.


MC-130W: next?
(click to view full)
One is the growing trend away from sole USAF control of air support, and toward a much more responsive era of "federated airpower" that includes high-end aircraft and UAVs operated by the US Air Force, and lower-tier propeller planes and small UAVs operated by the US Army and Marines. Those lower-tier options use lower-cost platforms that are far more affordable to operate, which means they can be bought and operated in numbers that provide far wider battlefield coverage for small-unit engagements. The USAF's long-running and pervasive deprecation of relevant counter-insurgency capabilities, and strong institutional preference for high-end, expensive platforms, has left them vulnerable to lower-cost disruptive technologies that meet current battlefield needs. While the service still has a key role in maintaining American power, strategic control of the air, and high-end capabilities, the new reality involves a mix of high and low-end aerial capabilities, with some control nested closer to battlefield decision-making.

The other change will reach beyond UAVs, and into USAF and USMC aircraft. The nose-mounted RCFC guidance has now been successfully demonstrated on multiple mortar calibers, in both air-drop and tube-launch applications. The tube-launched application has been successfully demonstrated at Yuma Proving Grounds, AZ in a tactical 120mm guided mortar configuration known as the Roll Controlled Guided Mortar (RCGM), which uses the existing 120mm warhead and the M934A1 fuze.

That tube-launched weapon is likely to find its way to USMC KC-130J and Special Operations MC-130W Hercules, which are receiving roll-on/ roll-off weapon kits that can turn them into multi-role gunship support/ aerial tanker aircraft.


http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/Mortars-from-Aircraft-The-Shadow-Knows-05226/

 

[pavanvenkatesh]

This was expected i don't know why Mr.A.K.Anthony keeps saying that they want more pvt company partnership when they do nothin to encourage them??

 

[bhramos]

This was expected i don't know why Mr.A.K.Anthony keeps saying that they want more pvt company partnership when they do nothin to encourage them??

its just a public say, they get income or commission through Govt established firms.

 

[Yusuf]

It is always the other way. You get commission from private players. On other threads we say the indian govt companies making weapons systems like arjun are not preferred as the govt cant make money from them so they prefer imports.

 

[nandu]

Nishant Nears End Of Confirmation Trials

Nishant UAV photo: DRDO

India's Nishant UAV entered its last lap of confirmation trials in Pokhran April 26.

Officials with India's Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) say that the unmanned aircraft has met all requirements.

The final flight is scheduled for April 27, according to a member of DRDO's 60-strong contingent at Pokhan.

The trials, which began on April 20, are testing the quality of the UAV's high-resolution video images and tracking abilities, which are both crucial for forward operations (Aerospace DAILY, April 26). "Nishant has proved that it is better than other UAVs during extreme wind, temperature and sandy conditions at Pokhran. Its visibility during extreme hostile conditions has been proved to the user," a source said.

Four UAVs from the limited series production (LSP) family were active during the Pokhran trials. DRDO is confident that the Indian army, will now go ahead and place orders for another eight aircraft in phases.

"We are keen to hear from the users now," a source added. "Apart from the army, we had senior officials from other internal Indian forces present during the trials. We have done our bit and now let's wait and see what the user has to say."

http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/NEWS/newsrf.php?newsid=12814

 

[LETHALFORCE]

http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/CIA_uses_smaller_missiles_in_attacks_report_999.html

CIA uses smaller missiles in attacks: report

The US Central Intelligence Agency has started using smaller missiles in its hunt for Al-Qaeda and other Islamic militant leaders in Pakistan in hopes of minimizing civilian casualties, The Washington Post reported Monday.

Citing unnamed current and former officials in the United States and Pakistan, the newspaper said the new technology had resulted in more accurate strikes that have provoked relatively little public outrage.

According to the report, one such missile was used by the CIA last month in Miram Shah, a Pakistani town in the tribal province of South Waziristan.

The projectile, which was no bigger than a violin case and weighed about 35 pounds (16 kilograms), hit a house there and killed a top Al-Qaeda official and about nine other suspected terrorists, the paper said.

The mud-brick house collapsed and the roof of a neighboring house was damaged, but no one else in the town was hurt, The Post said.

The CIA declined to comment on the article.

 

[LETHALFORCE]

http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/Sanswire_Awarded_Contract_For_Skysat_UAV_999.html

Sanswire Awarded Contract For Skysat UAV

Sanswire has announced that defense contractor Global Telesat Corp. (GTC) has agreed to purchase a 50% interest in one SkySat airship for $250,000, with an option to purchase the remaining 50% for an additional $750,000.

The SkySat is Sanswire's mid-altitude, lighter-than-air, UAV platform. The airship was initially designed for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) missions performed at altitudes up to 45,000 ft. Sanswire and Global Telesat intend to upgrade the airship to improve its viability for multipurpose defense and communications operations.

More specifically, the two companies plan to develop a flexible platform allowing the SkySat to accommodate a range of customer requirements.

The agreement states that Sanswire will initially receive $250,000 from Global Telesat in exchange for a 50% interest in one SkySat airship.

Sanwire will immediately deliver the existing airship to a facility designated by Global Telesat, whereupon GTC will make a first payment of $50,000 within three days of inspection. This payment will be followed by four additional payments of $50,000, each at 30-day intervals.

Sanswire also granted Global Telesat the option to acquire the remaining 50% interest in the airship for an additional $750,000. GTC must make an initial payment of $250,000 within ten business days upon exercising the option, followed by two additional payments of $250,000, each at 30-day intervals. The option expires on December 31, 2010.

Global Telesat agreed to the purchase following recent meetings with potential customers, strategic partners and defense contractors. GTC requires that Sanswire utilize the $250,000 in proceeds to complete development work that will enable the airship to be tested and demonstrated to potential customers.

The companies plan to work closely together, as well as with third-party US government-certified defense contractors, to integrate approved ground station controls and electronics packages into the airship.

GTC has already partnered with Sanswire to develop the STS-111 UAV, a flexible multi-segmented airship that began flight-testing in December 2009.

Sanswire's Chairman of the Board, Major General Wayne P. Jackson (US Army, Ret.), stated: "We are keenly focused on leveraging our existing airships and technologies to generate near-term revenue. We also are expanding our product portfolio of integrated, near-space UAV designs. Our goal is to offer a broad range of low-cost, long-duration surveillance solutions for our customers that can be delivered in a timely and cost-efficient manner."

 

[LETHALFORCE]

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcon...N-drone_28tex.ART.State.Edition1.4c2da2f.html

Aerial drone will fly on Texas border soon, Napolitano says

WASHINGTON – Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano told a Senate hearing Tuesday that an unmanned aerial drone will soon fly through Texas skies as drug-cartel violence continues to escalate on the U.S.-Mexico border.

Texas is the last border state to receive a Predator drone, and Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, said the absence of one has hurt intelligence capabilities of federal, state and local law enforcement.

"I'm concerned that some of the assets that could be deployed to help not only quell the violence, but also keep our borders secure, are not being deployed because of unnecessary foot-dragging," Cornyn said.

Napolitano said Texas was the last Southwest border state to receive a drone because "Texas airspace is more crowded."

Napolitano, under questioning by senators, said the timeline for placing a drone in Texas remains a decision for the Federal Aviation Administration.

"The FAA now has to go in and carve out, as I understand it, space for the Predator," she said.

The drone tentatively would be stored in Corpus Christi. It would help law enforcement officers identify drug and immigrant smugglers and relay that information to authorities on the ground.

Napolitano testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee, which held an oversight hearing into programs under the Department of Homeland Security.

The secretary said that over the past 15 months, federal law enforcement initiatives have made the border more secure than at any other time in history.

Operation Stonegarden, which provides federal aid for local law enforcement assistance, sent $90 million to states, counties and cities for police and investigative efforts. Of that, 85 percent went to the Southwest border.

She said the number of Border Patrol agents has doubled from 10,000 to 20,000 in five years, and 653.3 miles of border fence have been built.

Still, she said, more needs to be done to build partnerships with the Mexican government, which remains in an intense battle against narcotics cartels.

Napolitano said the recent deaths of a Douglas, Ariz., rancher and U.S. consulate employees in Juarez, Mexico, were tragedies "that serve to remind us of how drug violence can directly affect Americans and our nation's interests."

More than 23,000 people have died in Mexico in the "drug war" since 2006, Cornyn said.

 

[LETHALFORCE]

http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/afghanistan/2010-04-26-intel_N.htm

U.S. shifts Afghan mission

LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Va. — Air Force spy planes flying above Afghanistan have shifted their focus from solely tracking insurgents to monitoring developments in daily life for Afghan citizens, commanders say.

That's a reflection, they say, of top commander Gen. Stanley McChrystal's emphasis on improving the lives of Afghans and limiting civilian casualties.

"What he's looking at is, how well is this school being built?" said Col. Dan Johnson, the top commander for intelligence-gathering operations here. "What's the status of that? We're going into this next area, can we move our construction teams into this area? Is it safe? Those are the different things that he wanted to shift to and the thought process. That goes against the kind of traditional security that we provide our troops out there."

McChrystal has changed many elements of military policy since his arrival in Afghanistan last year. In January, his top intelligence aide, Maj. Gen. Michael Flynn, issued a paper that criticized the military for gathering information almost exclusively on enemy activity. That focus, he wrote, failed to provide information that can help commanders understand Afghan culture and the everyday concerns of its people.

The shift in intelligence-gathering makes sense given McChrystal's strategy of protecting civilians, said Stephen Biddle, a defense expert at the Council on Foreign Relations who also has served as an adviser to McChrystal. Commanders need to know where the Taliban have set up shadow courts and governments to cow local populations, he said. Knowing that allows commanders to send troops to where they are needed most.

"The intelligence system has been designed to kill insurgents," Biddle said. "If you want to protect civilians, you need information about a whole collection of things we weren't collecting."

To gather more intelligence about Afghan life, the Air Force has shifted the bulk of its fleet of drones and manned spy planes in the Middle East to Afghanistan. Now, 85% of those aircraft are in Afghanistan compared with 30% last year, according to Johnson. The remainder are in Iraq.

The Air Force relies on piloted planes such as the high-flying U-2 spy plane and new, twin-prop MC-12 Liberty planes as well as drones such as the Reaper and Predator, to deliver photo and video feeds of activity on the ground. Some planes also have sensors that intercept phone and radio communication.

The top new challenge for intelligence officers: finding the right way to measure success in Afghanistan, said Col. Mark Cooter, commander of the 497th Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Group at Langley.

That may mean, for example, monitoring lines at a gas station to help determine whether there are local shortages, said Lt. Col. Brendan Harris, who commands an intelligence squadron.

Images that show people active at night — or holed up in their homes — can help commanders determine areas that are free of insurgent activity, Biddle said.

"It's getting down into the different tribes, the different communities that are out there," Johnson said. "It's understanding their culture, their needs."

Better cultural understanding won't be enough to cure drug trafficking and corruption, Afghanistan's biggest problems, said John Pike, director of GlobalSecurity.org. The drug trade helps finance the Taliban and corruption kills Afghan support for the government. Spy planes won't do much to change that, he said.

"No amount of improving the quality of life of the Afghan people is going to diminish funding for the Taliban," Pike said. "As long as the Taliban is fully funded, they're always going to find more trigger-pullers."

Meantime, traditional spy-plane missions remain in demand in Afghanistan, Johnson said.

In the offensive to retake the town of Marjah from the Taliban in March, Johnson's airmen were asked to scout a road to be used by a U.S. convoy. Secret information about the operation, declassified at the request of USA TODAY, showed that airmen analyzing images from spy planes found three caches of weapons and a roadside bomb on the route.

Demand for spy planes will increase this summer, Johnson said, as the U.S.-led coalition aims to secure Kandahar, Afghanistan's second-largest city.

 

[LETHALFORCE]

http://www.ga.com/news.php?read=1&id=285

GA-ASI Introduces Sea Avenger UAS for UCLASS Carrier Operations

Carrier-based Predator C Derivative Offers Navy Low-risk Strike & Surveillance Solution

NAVY LEAGUE SEA AIR SPACE, WASHINGTON – 3 May 2010 – General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA"‘ASI), a leading manufacturer of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), tactical reconnaissance radars, and surveillance systems, today introduced Sea AvengerTM, a carrier-based derivative of its Predator® C Avenger® UAS, to fulfill the U.S. Navy's need for an unmanned carrier-launched airborne surveillance and strike (UCLASS) system. The company formally proposed Sea Avenger to the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) via a Request for Information (RFI) submitted on 30 April.

"Sea Avenger fulfills the Navy's need for a carrier-based unmanned aircraft system that offers long-endurance, proven ISR [Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance] and precision-strike capabilities," said Frank Pace, president, Aircraft Systems Group, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc.

Like Predator C Avenger, Sea Avenger presents a low-risk, high technology ready procurement option as it leverages more than 18 years of Predator-series UAS development, manufacturing, and system support, along with one million flight hours of operational experience. In addition, many Predator-series elements, components, and subsystems already provide mature, proven, and affordable mission capabilities desired by the Navy for a UCLASS system.

Anticipating a future requirement for a carrier-based UAS, GA-ASI designed specific features into its Predator C Avenger to facilitate subsequent development of an aircraft uniquely suitable for carrier operations that would also integrate seamlessly into the carrier air wing. These include a highly fuel-efficient engine and inlet design, retractable electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) sensor, internal weapons bay, and folding wings. The aircraft's structure was also designed with the flexibility to accommodate carrier suitable landing gear, tail hook, drag devices, and other provisions for carrier operations.

"Sea Avenger is an affordable and transformational technology that will provide commanders with enhanced situational awareness and time-sensitive strike," noted J. Neal Blue, chairman and CEO, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc.

Sea Avenger is based upon its predecessor, Predator C Avenger. Predator C is designed to perform high-speed, multi-mission persistent ISR and precision, time-sensitive strike missions over land or sea. The current configuration features a 44-foot long fuselage and 66-foot wingspan, is cable of flying at 400 KTAS for 20 hours, and can operate up to 50,000 feet. Avenger incorporates a pure jet power plant and carries a Lynx® Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR), various EO/IR camera systems, and up to 3,000 pounds of internal ordnance, as well as other sensors. The aircraft is based on an open, modular architecture that provides "plug and play" system configuration, configuration management, and significant flexibility for rapid, controlled change, adaptation, and growth. Developed on company funds for near-term military use, Predator C Avenger is successfully continuing through its planned test program, with a second aircraft currently under development and expected to be completed by the end of the year.

The U.S. Navy has experience operating both Predator and Predator B aircraft manufactured by GA-ASI.

High-resolution images of Sea Avenger and photos of Predator C Avenger are available from the GA-ASI media contact listed below.

About GA-ASI

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc., an affiliate of General Atomics, delivers situational awareness by providing unmanned aircraft, radar, and electro-optic solutions for military and commercial applications worldwide. The company's Aircraft Systems Group is a leading designer and manufacturer of proven, reliable unmanned aircraft systems, including Predator A, Predator B, Sky Warrior®, and the new Predator C Avenger. It also manufactures a variety of solid-state digital ground control stations (GCSs), including the next-generation Advanced Cockpit GCS, and provides pilot training and support services for UAS field operations. The Reconnaissance Systems Group designs, manufactures, and integrates the Lynx SAR/GMTI radar and sophisticated CLAW® sensor control and image analysis software into both manned and unmanned aircraft. It also integrates other sensor and communication equipment into manned ISR aircraft and develops emerging technologies in solid-state lasers, electro-optic sensors, and ultra-wideband data links for government applications. For more information, please visit www.ga-asi.com.

Sea Avenger is a trademark and Predator, Avenger, Lynx, Sky Warrior, and CLAW are registered trademarks of General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc.

 

[LETHALFORCE]

http://www.globes.co.il/serveen/globes/docview.asp?did=1000556244&fid=942

Elbit Systems wins IDF UAV deal

The Hermes 900 flies at over 30,000 feet.
Globes' correspondent2 May 10 11:21
Elbit Systems Ltd. (Nasdaq: ESLT; TASE: ESLT) has won a $50 million contract to provide the IDF with Hermes 900 and 450 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) over the next three years. The Israel Army will acquire the new Hermes 900 UAVs and also expand its current Hermes 450 fleet. Elbit Systems will also upgrade current UAV intelligence capabilities.

The Hermes 900 is a development of the Hermes 450. It has a flight altitude of over 30,000 feet, large payload capacity and flight capabilities in poor weather.

 

[LETHALFORCE]

http://www.wpafb.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123202299

Improving UAVs Using Holographic Adaptive Optics

4/29/2010 - ARLINGTON, Va. -- Air Force Office of Scientific Research-supported holographic, adaptive, optics research may help transform software into computer-free, electronics for unmanned aerial vehicles, high energy lasers and free-space optical communications that will enable each to run faster and more efficiently than before.

Dr. Geoff Andersen, senior researcher at the Laser and Optics Research Center at the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, is leading a team of researchers who have successfully demonstrated the latest new type of adaptive optics, which incorporate holograms. The conventional, computer-based technology has been in use for over two decades, but is not suitable to some military applications, including UAVs because of its required calculations and high computing costs.

The new technology will be able to be incorporated on unmanned aerial vehicles because it is very compact and lightweight.

"We will see hugely improved images from these new surveillance platforms that holographic adaptive optics will make possible," said Andersen.

"The current system for UAV imagery, lasers and optics is computer software driven, but the next phase is to replace that with an electronics system called High Altitude Large Optics," he said. "Such a system would be orders of magnitude faster than anything else available, while being much more compact and lightweight."

It is hoped that HALOS will become the standard in adaptive optics of the future. It may also create entirely new markets for sharper telescopes and camera images that will be used for military purposes.

 

[nandu]

Cross posting

UAVs 'crash-landed' in Jaisalmer village

JAISALMER: Villagers at Indo-Pak border in Jaisalmer district had some awful moments when two unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) landed in their fields recently. A few villagers, after finding the vehicles unmanned, dismantled them and took away some of its parts.

Though Air Force officials are mum over the incident, it was learnt that the two Nishant UAVs, during a trial, had lost their way due to change in wind direction and they were landed through parachute. The vehicles were towed away from the spot and are being repaired at present.

With two UAVs crash landings in three days, effectiveness of Defense Research and Development Organization's (DRDO) Nishant UAVs has come under scanner. Though officials of the armed forces through their portal have expressed satisfaction over the test results, situation at ground zero tells a different story.
Last week on April 28 and 30, two trial runs at the Pokhran field firing range resulted into crash landing and that too outside the set range, resulting in damage to the vehicles.

DRDO maintains that these landings were a result of sudden change in wind direction and some minor technical faults which drove them in a different direction, but they were well controlled and were landed safely using parachutes. It is learnt that ever since incident took place, video quality, tracking ability, firing rage of the UAV is being evaluated.

According to sources, on April 28 Nishant was launched from mobile hydro-pneumatic launcher, but in a matter of a few minutes, it deviated from the set path and landed in Chacha village near firing range. Similar incident happened a day after on April 30, when the UAV lost the track and landed merely 200 metres from Lathi police station. Cops at the PS confirmed the crash landing.

While the UAV was damaged by the crash landing, on both the occasions, before air force personnel could reach the site, villagers managed to break into the aircraft and took away quite a few equipment.

Confirming the news, a DRDO official said, "The user trials were going on and during the flight there were some technical snags owing to which the craft was landed using parachutes." He said, "But the landing was done safely and no one was hurt in the process. Though before our officials could reach to get the craft back, villagers damaged the aircraft and took away some equipment."

The official maintained that it wasn't a crash landing and that they were in control of the vehicle. "The wind direction and minor technical snag did us in, but we at no moment lost control of the UAV," the officer asserted. The technical team working on UAVs says that the vehicles will fly after repair.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/c...ow/5904608.cms

 

[LETHALFORCE]

http://www.china-defense-mashup.com/?p=5773

China plans to export Advanced UAV, carrying with air-surface missiles

Feb.01 (China Military Power Reporting by Johanthan Weng) — Recently, Xi'an Modern Control Technology Institute was successfully passed a design review of missile and parts used by an unmanned reconnaissance and attack aircraft, by the Project Management Department of AVIC. This event tells a truth that the Xi'an Modern Control Technology Institute have made a major breakthrough in the field of Attacking UAV development.

The institute self-financed and carried out three projects development. Especially, the distinguished performance of UAV in counter-terrorism, targeted killings, maintaining border stability has been dig out. At present, the reconnaissance-attack UAV made by this institute has successfully air-launched missile and hit the target for the first time in China. The unmanned surveillance attack aircraft for PLA will be formally engineering projected. The variant type of similar UAV has been signed exportation agreement for expanding overseas market.

 

[LETHALFORCE]

http://www.zeenews.com/news619381.html

India tests UAV for anti-Naxal operations

Kanker (Chhattisgarh): Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, used by US forces to track down Taliban militants, successfully flew over the dense forests of Bastar in the first trial run for anti-Naxal operations.

The trials, which assumed urgency after the Dantewada massacre in which 76 security personnel were killed by Maoists, were aimed at generating real-time intelligence information to help ground forces in any offensive. The first trial involved an American UAV.

The decision to have UAV flights was taken by the Union Home Ministry after the April six attack and their field trials were ordered immediately.

An UAV of US' Honeywell, whose pilotless planes are reportedly used successfully by allied forces in the hunt for targets in war-hit Afghanistan and Iraq, flew during the night trial.

The compact UAV, weighing nearly 10 kgs, was put through the rugged terrains of the hills overlooking Kanker after its take off from Counter Terrorism and Jungle Warfare College here.

The trials which commenced yesterday and continued till the wee hours of this morning was witnessed by officials not only from Chattisgarh and the Union Home Ministry, but also by police officials of Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, Bihar, Jharkhand and Andhra Pradesh.

Cruising over the hills, the UAV was checked for providing thermal images of any movement on the ground, detection of Improvised Explosive Devices(IED) and ammunition dumps.

The UAV known as T-MAV (Micro Air Vehicle) is a compact machine manufactured by 'Honeywell'. The company, during its briefing for officials, claimed that its deployment and stowing operations can be accomplished in less than five minutes.

This UAV was selected first for field trials as it has been claimed that it has been useful to the US forces in tracking down Taliban militants in high mountain passes and dense Waziristan area of Pakistan.

The UAVs are urgently required as the forces engaged in anti-Naxal operations need real-time information to achieve greater success.

It can go up to a height of 10,000 feet, fly at a speed of 70 kms per hour and can provide 240 minutes of sensor imagery to the ground station. The night-long trials also saw its use in detecting people in pitch dark and dense forests.

In certain cases of mine detection, the UAV could not pick up signals properly and only showed some disturbance on the surface.

A UAV of Defence Research and Development Organisation, which has claimed to have a similar product, may be tried soon. However, its UAV trials two years back had not got the desired results.

With intelligence gathering still a problem in Naxal areas, the UAVs are expected to help in gathering advanced reconnaissance and situational awareness functions would be critical in protection of security personnel.

 

[LETHALFORCE]

http://homelandsecuritynewswire.com/india-build-hunter-killer-uav-fleet-uavs-will-come-israel

India to build a hunter-killer UAV fleet; UAVs will come from Israel

India is set to augment its fleet of reconnaissance UAVs with killer-hunter UAVs; the Indian military has been impressed with the effectiveness of the UAV campaign against al Qaeda and the Taliban in Afghanistan and Pakistan, and wants to adopt the same approach to India's problem with Muslim terrorists; Israel, which sold India the intelligence-gathering drones, will be the source of the attack UAVs as well

The Harop: Israeli hunter-killer drone // Source: knol.google.com

A considerable, if unnoticed, addition to the much discussed acquisition of big conventional weapons by India, is the silent build-up of the country's fleet of reconnaissance and "killer" unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), specifically aimed at neutralizing threats from Pakistan, and possibly China in the future.

Official sources have told Asia Times Online that if everything goes as planned, within the next two years India should possess a fleet of at least 25-30 attack UAVs compared to fewer than five now with such capabilities. Until now, India has never admitted to using the killer UAVs.

Asia Times's Siddharth Srivastava writes that reports suggest that some surveillance UAVs may be deployed in Maoist-infested areas, following the deadly attack on Tuesday on paramilitary forces in Chhattisgarh that killed 75 security personnel.

The sources say that the moves to acquire attack UAVs gained momentum after the Mumbai terror attacks in November 2008, with Indian defense commanders pressing for their procurement as they have been used by American in the Afghanistan-Pakistan campaign to good effect.

Srivastava writes that India has been procuring unmanned drones since the India-Pakistan Kargil conflict in 1999, having inducted more than 100 UAVs in the decade that followed. These UAVs, though, were mainly used for detecting incoming missile attacks or border incursions.

The ongoing contracts for the Indian Army, Navy and Air Force comprise mainly Israeli eye-in-the-sky drones for spying on the enemy. These have mainly included the unarmed Heron and a few Harpy killer drones that function like cruise missiles.

This is set to change. Sources told Asia Times Online that Israeli arms suppliers have been briefed by New Delhi that future UAV fleets to India should comprise a "bigger dose" of attack UAVs. In keeping with new threats, the Indian Air Force (IAF) is looking to induct the Israeli Harop killer UAVs from 2011 onwards that resemble the Harpy attack drones. Other parts of the armed forces are likely to follow.

Integration issues are not expected to be severe as the UAV technology is considered relatively simple and does not require complementary hardware installations. The Indian defense forces already have dedicated satellite links and channels that can be used by the attack UAVs.

Srivastava notes that there is a possibility that India may pitch for American UAV versions given the deepening defense relations between the two countries, though Washington's decision will be weighed by Pakistani reactions, which will not be positive. Israel poses no such strategic and geopolitical issues for India.

India's new UAV procurement sets follow considerable discussion at the highest political and military levels of targeted assaults and hot pursuit' by Indian forces in known terror zones in Pakistan - and now possibly Afghanistan.

Military officials have been impressing upon the political leadership in New Delhi that an inadequate and obsolete arsenal is at their disposal, especially in the context of latest arms supplied to Pakistan by America and China.

Officials say that over the longer term, India will look to procure or develop the next generation UCAVs (combat UAVs) that will substitute missile-fitted fighter jets for conventional attack missions. Harpy and Harop versions destruct at the target, while American Predator and Reaper drones resemble fighter-jets in that they can return to base to replenish arms for fresh missions.

Spy drones are among a clutch of "intelligent arms" being procured by India from Israel. The IAF is inducting three Israeli Phalcon airborne warning and control systems, at a cost of over $1 billion. These are capable of tracking missiles attacks and can keep an eye on neighboring nations without infringing airspace.

Another system procured from Israel last year for $600 million was aerostat radars, which can spot guerilla attacks such the Mumbai assault, where the attackers used small dinghy boats to infiltrate the city.

Pakistan has been pushing for multi-utility drones, apart from big armaments such as F-16 fighter jets, from America as part of its military aid package in exchange of taking on al Qaeda and now the Taliban in Afghanistan. Following recent talks, the United States is poised to supply state-of-the art arms, including laser-guided bomb kits, helicopter gun ships, surveillance drones and the latest version of F-16 fighter jets to Pakistan.

So far, however, Washington has apparently limited the supply of tactical unarmed Shadow UAVs for intelligence-gathering purposes to its ally, while also withholding killer Predator drones.

Pakistani officials have been quoted as saying they are hopeful of procuring the killer drones in the near future. Some reports also suggest the possibility of a Predator equivalent being jointly produced by China and Pakistan.

Srivastava writes that India has held for long that American weapons provided to Pakistan can only be used against India and are ineffective against guerilla tactics adopted by militants holed in various remote regions.

The simmering conflict between India and Pakistan in South Asia and the push for strategic space between India and China in the Asian region has fueled the arms race. India's arms acquisitions in the five years from 2004-9 were $35 billion, more than double the $15.5 billion spending from 1999 to 2004, as defense plans after the Kargil conflict were followed to fruition. In the decade after Kargil the value of India's total arms purchases — from domestic state-owned weapons companies and abroad — has exceeded S$50 billion, with every sign the momentum will be maintained over the next decade.

The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) said in its report for 2009 that India is the world's second-largest arms buyer from 2005 to the end of 2009, importing 7 percent of the world's arms exports. The top spot went to China, though as India's procurements continue to rise and China turns self-sufficient for arms, India could well become the biggest buyer of arms over the next five years.

 

[LETHALFORCE]

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com...-UAV-crashes-in-Kochi/articleshow/5896602.cms

Naval UAV crashes in Kochi

KOCHI: An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) belonging to the Indian Navy came crashing down near the Southern Naval Command airstrip here Wednesday, informed sources said.

The Israeli-built Searcher UAV lost contact with the special control tower of the naval base at 7.25 p.m and soon came crashing down, the sources said. No damage was caused since the 63-kg aircraft fell in an uninhabited area.

The UAV is fitted with a few cameras and is used to monitor sea traffic. It is capable of flying for close to 10 hours at a stretch and beams live pictures in real time to the control tower.