According to news sources, Switzerland will buy 1,900 DUROs, 500 model 90 rifles, six HERMES 900 UAS, 879 light vehicles, and will procure RUAGCOBRA mortar systems in proposed double digits. By 2020, CHF6 billion Swiss military budget will be available, money that has not been used in the GRIPEN referendum that led to Switzerland not opting the GRIPEN. Furthermore, the country will spend CHR560 million for F-18 upgrades.

Boeing is committed to performance excellence on the Swiss HORNET U25 programme, and is also committed to Life Cycle Planning with the industry team in Switzerland and Finland (RUAG, Patria, Insta, and Boeing) to complete a support programme that encompasses structural upgrades, mission systems upgrades, software updates, and logistics support throughout the life of the HORNET fleets in Switzerland and Finland, until 2030 and beyond.

Upgrade 25 capabilities include digital-radar warning system, cockpit displays, an upgraded digital recorder, an advanced targeting infrared pod, an upgraded GPS, and armament computer memory upgrade. To date 23 F-18 HORNETs  have received the upgrades, with a total of 32 F-18 HORNETs receiving the upgrades by the close of 2015. The first flight of an upgraded Swiss F/A-18 HORNET outfitted with new technologies and innovations was in 2011. Boeing is working with the US Navy and Swiss to define a future upgrade programme.

Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) issued a Combat Mission Need Statement in March 2014 to develop new armor plates to protect the V-22 OSPREY's passengers. Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR)  worked with a Florida-based composite armour company and the Army Aviation Development Directorate to develop an armour solution in only 179 days, beginning deliveries in October 2014. The Advanced Ballistic Stopping System kit consists of 66 plates sized to fit along the OSPREY's interior bulkheads and deck. The whole kit adds 800lbs (360kg) of weight to the aircraft, affecting payload and unrefueled range, so it can be installed or removed when needed in hours and partially assembled in pieces to only protect certain parts. Each full kit costs $270,000. As of May 2015, 16 kits had been delivered to the US Air Force, and procurement is available for Marine Corps MV-22s if they choose.

Boeing, at the end of this year, will be starting up a production line for a Middle Eastern customer, with deliveries of 24 AH-6i aircraft to be complete by 2017, with a Performance Based Logistics (PBL) - Light package. According to Brad Rounding Manager BD Attack Helicopers, Boeing is, “working with several others; excited about more.” Development for the LITTLE BIRD is derived from AH-64 and A/MH-6M, the latter from SOF, who developed all the weapons on this programme, and Boeing currently upgrading existing airframes.

24 AH-6i will be delivered to an international customer. (Photo: Mönch)

Weapons and pay load include an open systems architecture (MX-15Di EO/IR sensor currently installed); an advanced glass cockpit; NVG compatibility; qualified M-134 mini gun (7.32mm); .50 cal GAU-19B (12.7mm); M260 7 shot rocket podes (70mm); HELLFIRE missiles; semi-active laser (SAL); improved performance via dual channel FADEC; an optional Goliath tank (63gal) to be put behind the aircraft plus two conformal outside tanks; and more.

Commonalities with APACHE include weapons management, obstacle avoidance, and crashworthy protected seat for SOF customer.

The AH-6i can be modified into an unmanned configuration, optionally manned, flown via laptop, and Boeing is always interested in pursuing customers for its Unmanned LITTLE BIRD programme and recently finished modifying a Korean manned MD500D helicopter into an optionally piloted helicopter and is preparing for flight test later this year.

Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAV) are becoming an integral part of modern warfare and provide increased situational awareness for troops and commanders on the ground. General Dynamics European Land Systems (GDELS) has recently signed a Memorandum of Interest (MOI) with Danish UAV company Sky-Watch in Støvring, which allows the two companies to explore potential areas of
cooperation within next generation applications of the UAV technology in the battlefield.

"Sky-Watch is constantly striving to be at the forefront of the rapidly developing UAV technology.
We offer our vast accumulated know-how within sensor fusion to our partners, in the pursuit of finding new ways to solve tomorrow’s challenges," said Michael Messerschmidt, Sky-Watch Chief Business Development Officer. "We constantly re-think and re-define the value
proposition, of our own as well as our partners’ ideas and concepts and I believe that we can identify
some very exiting avenues of cooperation with GDELS."

Sky-Watch currently offers the HUGINN X1 multi-purpose Quadrotor UAV deployed all over the world and is currently developing the MUNINN X1, a next-generation fixed-Wing VTOL UAV. The future of UAVs in the battlefield will be explored by Sky-Watch Labs, the research and development arm of Sky-Watch, in cooperation with partners such as the Technical University of Denmark on a variety of projects.

With regard to the acquisition of new Armored Personnel Carriers (APC) for the Danish Army, GDELS is prepared to take its partnerships with Danish industry to the next level and explore business in adjacent markets like the one of Sky-Watch. GDELS has signed Industry Cooperation agreements with 40 Danish companies of all sizes across the country and has already defined projects in excess of 3,7 billion kroner covering all of the technology areas defined in the Danish Government´s Defence industry strategy.

"Throughout the past 20 years GDELS Industry Cooperation program has been one of the catalysts for the development of the Danish defence industry,"Jens Bauer, GDELS Senior Director International Business & Services, responsible for Industrial Participation. "We have executed projects of almost KR1,7 billion with the industry, which has helped to contribute to the development of new products and technologies in a variety of companies. By engaging with an innovative and creative company such as Sky-Watch, we help plant the seed for the future of the Danish defence industry."

GDELS´s Industry Cooperation plan for the APC programme is based on 20 years of experience and
partnership with Danish industry. The programme expands relationships beyond production and
sustainment contracts to also include research & development projects, which will lay the foundation
for growth in the Danish Defence industry for decades to come.

Rolls-Royce has received an order from General Dynamics European Land Systems (GDELS) for the delivery of 589 MTU Series 199 diesel engines for use in the new SCOUT Specialist Vehicle (SV) for the British Army.

The future SCOUT SV armoured fighting vehicles of the British Army will be powered by MTU 8V 199 TE21 engines. (Photos: Rolls-Royce)

The contract value is approximately €80 million and will be the first time that MTU engines have been utilised in British Army platforms. The vehicles will be delivered by General Dynamics UK in six variants and will form the backbone of the British Army’s future fleet of armoured fighting vehicles. Delivery of the engines will start in 2016, and the last engines will be delivered in 2022.

“We are delighted that our MTU engine has been trusted for this important project,” Dr. Ulrich Dohle, Rolls-Royce Power Systems, CEO, said. “This order once again proves that when it comes to performance and reliability, the Series 199 engine is benchmark in its power range.”

The MTU 8V 199 TE21 engines each have a power output of 600kW and are the most powerful engines of the series.

The 8V 199 TE21 engines each have a power output of 600kW and are the most powerful engines of the series. Engines of Series 199 have established themselves in various armoured vehicles, among them the Austrian ULAN and the Spanish PIZARRO vehicles. MTU’s scope of delivery includes the cooling system and two generators with 550A with each engine.

Rheinmetall MAN Military Vehicles (RMMV) has recently signed a cooperation agreement with Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa (PGZ) and its subsidiary Obrum for a new amphibious vehicle for the Polish military. Specifically, Rheinmetall and its Polish partners have agreed to develop a state-of-the-art 6x6 wheeled armoured vehicle, oriented to the requirements of the Polish Army’s light armoured reconnaissance vehicle (LOTR) procurement programme, and systematically designed to meet Poland’s – and other nations’ – future military needs. Design and development of the LOTR will take special account of experience gained in current asymmetric conflicts, the first vehicle of its kind to do so. It is slated to replace the Soviet-era BRDM-2 still in service with the Polish Army. Fully amphibious, the LOTR will feature a high level of protection and an excellent payload-to-total weight ratio. With an authorised total weight of up to 20t, the new vehicle will have a carrying capacity of 3.5t, opening up a wide variety of options during reconnaissance missions and other military operations.

Already contemplating the next step, RMMV and PGZ (or rather Obrum) plan to create a sales joint venture, laying the groundwork for marketing the vehicle – and possible derivatives – internationally.

The Royal Canadian Air Force’s (RCAF) CH-146 GRIFFON will soon receive modernised training, thanks to major updates to be performed by CAE to the GRIFFON full-motion flight simulator (FMFS) , located at Canadian Forces Base Gagetown.

Royal Canadian Air Force’s (RCAF) CH-146 GRIFFON helicopter. (Photo: Candian MoND)

CAE was awarded a contract from the Government of Canada to perform a major visual system update including the latest generation CAE MEDALLION-6000 image generator and new display system to deliver great image quality. In addition, CAE will be implementing the Common Database (CDB) architecture capability on the CH-146 FFS to significantly enhance the RCAF’s ability to correlate, re-use, and rapidly update databases to support training and mission rehearsal requirements. The CH-146 FFS will be the fifth platform in the RCAF’s inventory to standardise on the CDB architecture, joining the CC-130H, CC-130J, CH-147, and CP-140.

CAE has delivered a suite of CH-147F Chinook simulators to Canadian Forces Base Petawawa and Royal Canadian Air Force CH-147F aircrews are now beginning to train at their new world-class training centre. (Photo: CAE)

By 2025, the Royal Canadian Air Force will have a simulation-focused training system, which will optimise how RCAF pilots achieve and maintain readiness by taking advantage of advances in both technology and training methods. “Our government is committed to supporting the Canadian Armed Forces and we’re determined to provide its men and women with the right equipment to do their jobs. Upgrading aircrew training is an important part of this commitment,” Jason Kenney, Canada's Minister of National Defence said. “The New Brunswick community is proud to be home to GRIFFON training and I am honoured to announce this investment in modernising the training available for Canada’s brave men and women of the Canadian Armed Forces.”

From 20 to 29 May 2015, Centre for Maritime Research and Experimentation (CMRE) scientists, along with colleagues from the Royal Netherlands Navy Defence Diving Group, Naval Mine Warfare
Centre of Excellence (EGUERMIN), and UK Royal Navy Maritime Autonomous Systems Trials Team (MASTT) experimented using different underwater robots in a joint scientific mine countermeasures (MCM) sea trial. The North Sea MCM Experiment 2015 (NSMEX’15) sea trial took place over 10 days in the North Sea off the coast of Ostend, Belgium. For the first time, the NATO Research Vessel (NRV) Alliance, a 93m 3,180t open-ocean ship, operated in the Belgian waters for a successful sea trial developed by CMRE, along with the Royal Netherlands Navy Defence Diving Group, EGUERMIN, and UK Royal Navy MASTT.


The experiment aimed at exercising state-of-the-art high-resolution underwater acoustic imaging systems and adaptive vehicle behaviours using different Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) in order to assess the performance of different sonar systems and enhance interoperability and collaboration in the field. During NSMEX‘15 multiple simultaneous underwater robot surveys were successfully conducted in the very challenging North Sea environment characterized by strong currents and complex seafloors. The strong results from this trial will allow NATO and the Nations to gain experience in how these types of systems can be used in joint mine countermeasure missions, and will also permit CMRE to further generalize the performance of its systems in different environments and contexts.

Initial results from this scientific campaign, including data from the MUSCLE AUV (CMRE robot for MCM experimentation) are being presented at EGUERMIN on 1 June 2015. The presentation is conveniently coinciding with the “Ostend at Anchor” event, which is hosting for the first time NRV Alliance. These initiatives will further reinforce the strong ties with Belgium, host Nation of EGUERMIN and the NATO HQ.

The Science and Technology Organization – Centre for Maritime Research and Experimentation (STO-CMRE) is located in La Spezia, Italy. Formerly the NATO Undersea Research Centre (NURC), the Centre focuses on research, innovation and technology in areas such as defence of maritime forces and installations against terrorism and piracy, secure networks, development of the common operational picture, the maritime component of expeditionary operations, mine countermeasures systems, non-lethal protection for ports and harbours, anti-submarine warfare, modelling and simulation, and marine mammal risk mitigation. CMRE operates two ships, NATO Research Vessel Alliance, a 93m 3,180t open-ocean research vessel, and Coastal Research Vessel Leonardo, a smaller ship designed for coastal operations. In addition to its laboratories the Centre is equipped with a fleet of autonomous underwater and surface vehicles and a world-class inventory of seagoing sensors.

Innovative military technologies are crucial for Israel's ability to survive and thrive. The protracted strain on relations between Israel and its neighbours has created an unexpected level of success for the young nation: One of the world's top defence industries that uniquely offers combat-proven performance.

The IDF differ from most Armed Forces in the world in many ways, with close relations between the Ground Forces, Air Force and Navy, including a mixed-gender infantry unit. (Photo: IDF)

Israel provides key capabilities, across the spectrum of conflict. The nature and duration of Israel’s domestic and external security challenges has created a strong, indigenous independent defence sector unusually well adapted to meeting the needs of conventional military forces against peer competitors, as well as those of homeland security without creating an artificial barrier between the two. Equally the modest domestic defence budget has, from the very start obliged those same companies to address international markets as a priority in order to ensure their commercial survival.
Since its inception, the IDF continually strives to be a successful military service fitting Israel's unique national requirement - survival. This could not happen without the help of the Israeli defence industry, which is divided into state owned and publicly- and privately-held companies. Israel produces an enormous range of products, ranging from ammunition, small arms and artillery pieces to sophisticated electronic systems, communication, and unmanned vehicle systems.

Having the disadvantage of fighting wars in its own territory – and on a 360° front, Israel built the IDF and furnished it with an arsenal of highly-advanced military hardware.

Israel invests more money in research than most other countries, as research institutes, the defence industry, the military, and politics are interwoven, resulting in a high-tech defence factory that successfully exports its goods globally.

An example for state and industy is Israel Military Industries (IMI), which will be sold as one entity but, in accordance with cabinet decisions, and a new state-owned company to be called Tomer Systems will maintain the secret and classified elements of the firm. IMI will have to move to Ramat Baka in the Negev to free up prime real estate starting in 2020. In preparation for the privatisation, the state let go some 1,170 employees (with early retirement packages), while another 950 will be let go as part of the privatisation, in accordance with collective labour agreements. The state expects to complete the sale by the end of 2015. The sale will be open to Israeli companies or Israel- based companies, but also to foreigners that hold at least a 90% stake in an Israeli company.

Israel Weapon industries (IWI) UZI PRO and ACE. (Photo: IWI)

Innovative Technology from the Far East

At Eurosatory 2014, Commtact, a leader in advanced wireless communication solutions for military and civilian applications, launched a line of tactical multi-band UHF/VHF radios, and displayed its Advanced Mini Link System (AMLS) with a new algorithm suitable for UGVs. The new line of tactical broadband UHF/VHF (UVR) radios is based on an advanced analog/digital system with open architecture that enables handling large amounts of both audio and data/Ethernet transmissions. The system - consisting of building blocks - is modular, versatile and suitable for a variety of applications on land, sea and air. The solution is made up of a multi-band, multi-mode transceiver, providing the platform with clear, secure voice and data communications facilities over an extended frequency range. The UVR family provides a wide range of functional options to meet diversified operational requirements including ATC UHF radio.“We are pleased to launch our new UVR solution, which is a natural direction for the company,” Sharon Shlomo, VP Marketing of Commtact told MT. “The UVR development was based on the experience and know-how gained by Commtact over many years of activity in the field of airborne radio communications. The systems have been sold and deployed by a number of customers around the world, and we are already seeing interest expressed by additional customers. The system will be displayed at our stand during the exhibition, and we invite everyone to visit us and learn more about our solutions.”

Controp specialises in the development and production of EO and Precision Motion Control Systems. The company’s specialists have over 35 years of experience in EO/IR products for surveillance, defence and homeland security. Controp’s main product lines include: Automatic passive Intruder Detection Systems for airport perimeter surveillance, coastal surveillance, port and harbour security, border surveillance, the security of sensitive sites and ground troops security; high performance Stabilised Observation Payloads used for day and night surveillance on board UAVs, small UAVs and aerostats/balloons, helicopters, light aircraft, maritime patrol boats and ground vehicles; thermal imaging cameras with high performance continuous zoom Lens and state-of-the-art image enhancement features, and more. Controp’s products are in daily operational use in many of the most critical surveillance, homeland security and defence programmes worldwide. At Aero India 2015, in addition to the new MICRO-STAMP (story elsewhere in this magazine), Controp demonstrated its M-STAMP lightweight gyro-stabilised Multi Sensor Payload for small UAVs and small aircraft. Weighing only 1.3kg, the M-STAMP has a CCD with Continuous Zoom Lens, Uncooled IR Camera with state-of-the-art Continuous Zoom Lens and Laser Pointer.

CONTROP Precision Technologies, a world leader in EO/IR- and homeland security solutions, at this year's GSA Global Security Asia 2015 showcased its recent technological breakthrough: The new 3D-GUARD – Advanced 3 Dimensional Video Motion Detection System, designed for the protection of borders, strategic facilities and perimeters. 3D-GUARD is a day/night system for 24/7 automatic detection and alert of moving targets/intruders. (Photo: Controp)

In January, Israel's MoD has awarded Elbit Systems rights to develop the next generation of the Israeli Army's digital C4I network under a series of multiyear contracts estimated at $117 million.

Under the contracts, Elbit Systems, developers of the Israeli Army's operational network known as TZAYAD (Digital Army Programme), will develop what it described as a master programme that computerises all operations in the land forces, connecting all field and command echelons into a central data transfer network. The project is part of the IDF's plan to support advanced, interoperable communications systems through the smart transfer of huge amounts of bandwidth. Furthermore, the company will upgrade, maintain, supply, and support communications systems and wideband radio systems on behalf of the Israeli military under a private financing initiative outsourcing deal with MoD.

Gilat Satellite Networks work on providing integrated end-to-end C4I solutions using VSATs operating using the DVB-S2 and DVB-RCS standard optimised for military use and necessary features. The firm’s solutions include low profile on the move solutions as well as MANPACK, Flyaway and On The Halt solutions with products such as the dual axis S-200 low profile antenna which support throughput of 1Mbps.

Today's wide-area surveillance missions require a powerful combination of UAS with sophisticated airborne elements and capabilities. To meet the growing demand for such highly advanced applications, Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) has integrated Rafael's RECCE-U payload into the HERON UAV. This new configuration created a breakthrough, according to the company, as operational capabilities, traditionally perceived as a mission for fighter aircraft only, can now be performed by HERON, including wide-area scanning and mapping, automatic change-detection and motion-detection.  RECCE-U is an advanced airborne reconnaissance payload, based on Rafael's RECCELITE payload, in operational use by leading Air Forces in different parts of the world.

RECCE-U is considered to be one of the world's most advanced real-time Wide-Area Surveillance Systems. The combination of HERON's mission versatility, reliability and long endurance, together with RECCE-U's multi-role intelligence capabilities provides a cutting-edge solution for total area dominance. The new HERON configuration allows persistent, high-quality intelligence gathering, transferred in real time through wide-band communication to the ground exploitation and control station for analysis and decision making. This includes updated mission plans uplinked in real-time, automatic GES processing for speedy image interpretation, and advanced GES change detection software for IED detection. Accomplished by highly autonomous technology, the process requires only a minimal operating crew.

“IAI is concluding 2014 as Israel's largest hi-tech and defence company with record sales of nearly U$4 billion to the defence and commercial markets,” Rafi Maor, Chairman of the IAI Board stated. “We are displaying improvement in all the profit parameters, despite the significant decrease in net income, which mainly results from recording deferred tax expenses due to the increase in the US dollar exchange rate. It is important to note that although in the short term the net income has been affected by recording tax expenses for accounting purposes, the increase in the US dollar exchange rate means positive news for IAI in the future, given that the company focuses mainly on exports with 80% of sales going to global markets. The diversity of its operations allows IAI to offer its customers comprehensive, wide system solutions and efficiently cope with the challenges in the different segments. The company is simultaneously continuing to examine the different issues involving the preparations for an IPO of minority shares.” (Photo: IAI)

Concluding 2014 with an order backlog at a scope of approximately $9.2 billion, representing 2.3 years of operation, Joseph Weiss, IAI President & CEO explained that, “in addition to this major volume of transactions, IAI has been performing intense marketing activities for a variety of products and systems to numerous and diverse customers worldwide, which we believe will bear significant fruits in 2015. The company has also taken steps in identifying and focusing on several major growth engines for the coming years. For example, the area of UAS continues to represent a central growth engine and this year we have also entered new and innovative areas in this segment. The air defence and mission aircraft fields have reached major achievements in 2014 which cannot be elaborated upon for security reasons. We estimate that these fields will continue to represent a significant growth engine at the technological front.” (Photo: IAI)

IAI also invests resources and focuses on the conversion of defence technologies to commercial markets in order to leverage the vast knowhow and huge accomplishments in the defence market. IAI also sees a great deal of potential in its cyber activities that are designed for both the defence and the commercial markets. This year, the company has conducted major transactions in its target markets based on its innovative and idiosyncratic capabilities in the cyber field.

Rafael’s MATADOR (RGW-90) AS incorporates an advanced tandem warhead concept that makes it highly effective against structures, fortified positions, and light armour vehicles. It can operate in two modes: Emplacement against structures and fortified positions and mouse holing against walls and light armour vehicles. (Photo: Rafael)

In 2014, Rafael continued its efforts to expand existing markets and enter developing markets, while creating new local partnerships. During the year, Rafael signed a joint-venture agreement with Bharat Forge of India, aimed at strengthening the sales potential in the important Indian market. In addition, the year 2014 was characterised by Rafael’s continued investment and professional development of its human capital, while maintaining its R&D (8% of its sales), in the professional development of its employees, and its significant cooperation with academic institutions. VAdm. (ret.) Yedidia Yaari, President and CEO of Rafael, said that in 2014 Rafael's contribution to Israel's security was well-witnessed during Operation “Protective Edge,” with IRON DOME's high interception rates of some 90%, as well as the central role of other Rafael technologies, including its SPIKE family missiles, the TROPHY APS for MBTs, and other system that acted as force multipliers with the IDF. This was supported by round-the-clock work by many of Rafael's scientists, engineers and technicians. At the same time the company continued its marketing efforts as well as expansion of its global partnerships. Yaari added that the company's human resource is at the forefront of its ability to deliver some of the most advanced technologies to the IDF and to customers around the world, thereby enabling Rafael's continued growth both in Israel and globally. Brig.Gen. (ret.) Itzhak Gat, Chairman of the Board at Rafael, said that Rafael continues to be a main pillar in Israel's security, economy and society, thanks to Rafael's managers and employees and managers.

Rafael continues to offer its customers and partners a wide variety of advanced solutions and systems for specific needs and requirements. Many of these have already proven themselves in combat. In 2014 we increased our activity in the fields of intelligence and Cyber warfare, as well as homeland security and strategic asset and infrastructure protection,”, VAdm. (ret.) Yedidia Yaari, President and CEO of Rafael said. (Photo: Rafael)

"Our technological and financial resilience and robustness enable us to make substantial investment in two significant fields: Nurturing our human capital and investing in R&D,” Brig.Gen. (ret.) Itzhak Gat, Chairman of the Board at Rafael explained. “This will ensure the next generations of advanced defense systems that will secure Israel's military supremacy in the air, on land and at sea. Such capabilities, developed by Rafael's employees enable the IDF to achieve successful operation capabilities such as the ones we witnessed during Operation ‘Protective Edge.’ The realisation of Rafael's potential in the international markets is a central component in the company's growth path. This will allow us to continue to invest substantial resources in R&D." (Photo: Rafael)

Elbit Systems recently reported its consolidated results for the fourth quarter and full year ended 31 December 2014. Revenues for the year were $2,958.2 million, as compared to $2,925.2 million in 2013. The leading contributors to Elbit Systems’ revenues were the airborne systems and C4ISR systems areas of operations. The increases in the airborne systems and C4ISR systems areas of operation were primarily due to increased revenues from airborne EW systems worldwide and HLS systems sold to Latin America. Revenues from land systems in Israel and electro-optic systems in the US decreased slightly. On a geographic basis, the increase in revenues in Asia-Pacific was mainly due to increased sales of a project to upgrade tanks for a customer in this region. The strong growth of revenues in Latin America was mainly due to increased sales of HLS and EW systems as well as unmanned airborne systems in this region.

We are pleased with our performance for the fourth quarter and the full year for 2014, which indicates a solid business base,” Bezhalel (Butzi) Machlis, President and CEO of Elbit Systems, commented. "We are encouraged by the growth in our backlog over the past year which, as expected, led to an increase in revenues. This is an indication of our growth potential, while providing us with good visibility into the coming years. Another important element of our results is the solid growth in two important target regions for us, Latin America and Asia-Pacific. These results, combined with a somewhat more favorable macro-environment for defense spending, lead us to be optimistic with regard to 2015."

On 4 January 2015, the company announced that it was awarded an approximately $90 million contract from the Israeli MoD (IMOD) for the maintenance of the Israeli Air Force's F-16 array’s avionics systems. A day later, the company was awarded an approximately $100 million contract from the MoD to procure six new firefighting aircraft and operate the firefighting squadron, which will consist of a total of 14 aircraft, including eight aircraft previously procured by Elbit Systems. On 14 January, the company was awarded contracts in a total amount of approximately $54 million by the MoD, for the supply and maintenance of advanced EO systems, and another day later another contract in a total amount of approximately $117 million, for the supply of C4I systems and communications systems. On 19 January, Elbit Systems was awarded a contract from an Asian Army to provide the mini MUSIC™ IR MWS based DIRCM systems for the customer’s BLACK HAWK helicopters.

An undisclosed MoD has selected RADA Electronic Industries’ high-performance Multi-Mission Hemispheric Radar (MHR, an S-Band, Software-Defined, Pulse-Doppler, AESA radar) -based tactical radars for the country’s national alert system. Deliveries are expected to be completed during 2015. The has contributed to border protection during Operation “Protective Edge” on the Israel-Gaza border, making it the operational debut of the system. RADA offers advanced Pulse-Doppler, multi-mission, AESA radars for tactical applications. The company's INS solutions provide some of the best value solutions for aerial and land tactical vehicles. RADA is a leading provider in the field of airborne video and data recorders, and complete avionic upgrade suits for combat and ISR aircraft.

In space, ImageSat International is a global provider of advanced, integrated, remote sensing based solutions. The company is the owner and operator of the EROS-A and EROS-B high/very high resolution earth observation optical satellites. A wide variety of services is offered by the company, utilising the EROS satellites high quality imagery and other sources of data. These services include: Satellite-based imaging: Rapid tasking and archive imagery; integration of imaging sensors; interpretation and analysis of imagery; photogrammetry and mapping; training in geospatial intelligence topics; and rstablishment of imaging satellites ground stations. Throughout 17 years of activity, since it was established in 1997, the company has gained extensive operational experience in the fields of defense and intelligence, maritime surveillance, oil and gas, urban development, environmental monitoring, agriculture and forestry, disaster control and others.

Ground Forces

Ground forces can bring in weapon effects, inorganic to their unit with advanced designation systems with solution such as Elbit Systems’ Portable Light Weight Laser Designation system and RATTLER G hand held designator market. IAI’s Ground Target Acquisition and Designation System provides a tripod mounted stabilised system, which combines an EO payload with a laser pointer, laser range finder and laser designation.

Overcoming the limitation of Line of Sight is Camero’s XAVER range of sensors designed to see through walls and provide 3D imaging of targets behind walls with tits XAVER 800 portable device and the more compact XAVER 400 and 100.

The Camero XAVER 800 is a portable, high performance imaging system, optimised for gathering instant and accurate real-time information from behind solid walls or barriers, providing a true 3D imaging of objects behind walls. (Photo: Camero)

Carmor, a public company formerly called Hatehof, recently was awarded a contract for the design, manufacture and supply of armoured vehicles for approx. U$26 million, to be completed during 2015.

ESC BAZ offers a range of turn-key systems, has implemented wired, wireless and man-portable observation systems for in man-portable configurations, and in fixed and mobile solutions is often linked to border security tasks.

IAI have a range of radar technologies for the ground domain. These include the solid state AESA ELM-2180 Watch Guard Multi-Mode Ground Surveillance Radar using up to four non-rotating antenna each covering a 90° arc, the ELM-2112 (V10).

One of Meprolight’s addition to their range includes the MEPRO M5, a compact and lightweight red-dot sight weighing less than 300g, specifically optimised for “both eyes open” shooting. The company has reported repeat orders from customers for other product lines – the NOA and NOA NYX Uncooled Thermal Weapon Sights,and MEPRO MOR, a Multi-Purpose Reflex Sights. In 2014, the company strengthened its position in the area of night vision with the purchase of New Noga Light’s operations and assets. At Eurosatory 2014, Meprolight introduced the new MEPRO LRF 20-70 - a compact, very fast, Erbium Glass Technology-based Laser Range Finder with a range of 20,000m and a repetition rate of 1pps and 3pps in burst mode. The company also displayed the MEPRO LRF 15-02 - a new LRF configuration with an APD receiver that enables a significant extension of the range up to 10,000m, while still remaining lightweight and compact and keeping the same size.

Israel Weapon industries’ (IWI) bolt-action DAN .338 Lapua Magnum long-range rifle, developed in close collaboration with IDF snipers, with Meprolight’s MEPRO MESLAS, a compact, lightweight, programmable, multi-function, fire-controlled sniper’s riflescope 10×40 system that incorporates a single-pulse laser range finder operating in an eye-safe spectral range (invisible to night vision devices), a sniper’s telescope, and a fire-control computer. When measuring distance, it automatically calculates the elevation angle according to the ranged target accurate adjustability. The robust system withstands all environmental conditions as well as shocks and vibrations, and offers optional measurements of temperature, humidity, and axis angle sensor for ballistic calculations. (Photo: Meprolight)

In 2015, Meprolight launched two new families of Tritium night sights for pistols. The MEPRO FT family of Fibre and Tritium, and the new MEPRO R4E series of Tritium night sights. The Fibre and Tritium combination enables an extremely bright aiming point in any light conditions, day or night. The new sights have a single dot at the rear sight, allowing extremely rapid and intuitive target acquisition. Developed through close and comprehensive collaboration with leading police units (SWAT, CRT), Israeli Special Forces, and shooting instructors from all over the globe, MEPRO FT sights are a cost-effective, intuitive and low-profile aiming solution that facilitates quick, instinctive, and accurate shooting. Designed by Special Forces veterans, the MEPRO R4E sights are designed for a clearer sight picture and faster shots. They have multiple horizontal and vertical alignment lines that enable exceptionally quick target acquisition. The series also features angle facets on the rear sight to allow the shooter greater target visibility while maintaining sight alignment. Amir Karo, Director of Sales and Marketing said to MT: "We are pleased to introduce two new families of sights for pistols. These families have been added to our extensive portfolio of Tritium-based night sights in order to provide additional capabilities for accurate nighttime pistol shooting, without the need for additional devices. We continue to expand our product lines in order to meet the needs of our customers."

Netline is at the forefront in the global war on terrorism working closely with leading military forces and government agencies, offering a wide range of electronic warfare, jamming, interception and detection systems, used on a daily basis in conflict zones around the world. Netline defence solutions are operationally proven and rapidly. Netline electronic countermeasures and spectrum dominance solutions for land, marine and airborne platforms protect personnel and equipment in conflict zones and target hostiles in the war against terror, insurgency, drugs, and crime.

Nimda’s main business is development and manufacturing of powerpacks and powertrains for commercial and military vehicles. The IDF has been a major customer of the group for many years, as well as active field in testing and evaluation the group’s products enhancing its developments for new technologies. A few years ago the company has won a contract in the Czech Republic to supply Czech MOD modern powerpack units for the T-72 tank and recently also for the T-72 recovery tanks, teaming-up with Perkins Engines and Allison Transmission. Nimda has also won a few IDF ACHZARIT heavily APC projects and is currently working on them and other improvements.

Detecting incoming forces is the first step to defeating their source with for detection systems such as Rafael’s SPOTLITE family designed to be integrated on vehicles or at fixed position as capable of detecting and locating the enemy shooter, day and night in a 360° coverage an immediately passes this information to the operators, potentially also serving a weapon system to this information as well.

The need to survey a target without endangering the RECON team has always been one of greatest challenges in warfare. Furthermore, in today's operational environment the RECON team is required to not only follow the target but quickly close the sensor to shooter cycle as effectively as possible since the target's life-span has reduced dramatically due to better counter-intelligence and advanced MO developed during years of fighting in theatres worldwide. Using Serpahim’s ROSS\MUGI\Chameleon 2 as a covert forward observer allows the soldier to stay safe behind cover while following the target in real time and receiving automatic alerts on its each and every move and having the ability to extract exact target coordinates from the video feed without exposing their location using advanced video analysis. The ROSS's open architecture allows for easy integration with various S\W applications. It is already integrated with a target coordination extraction S\W that allows the operator to extract precise coordinates from full motion video and send them to HQ, thus shortening the sensor-to-shooter cycle dramatically. Other applications such as face recognition and LPR can be seamlessly integrated with the ROSS to give the user a tool kit that solves every surveillance and intelligence need.

Established in 1990, TAR Ideal Concepts has evolved into a leading global defence contracting company. TAR is well connected to the leading defence industry suppliers and represents some of the most respected and well established companies in the global defence and security arena. TAR'S focus is, as a One Stop Shop, TAR is a client orientated company, that strives to build and maintain a close relationship as a prime vendor with all of our customers. TAR, focuses on delivering fully customised turnkey solutions, from risk analysis, defence systems, and equipment to training, tailored to meet our customers' most challenging needs. Recently, TAR presented a functional and lightweight Ballistic Plate Carrier which has been successfully retailed to Eastern Europe. Over 2,000 ballistic plate carriers have been sold and purchased.

The Super DVORA MK3 multi-mission patrol and attack boats, manufactured by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) Ramta, are in operation with the Israel Navy. IAI recently received a contract worth tens millions of dollars to supply four boats to an African military customer; to be delivered during 2016. (Photo: IAI)

Lethality and Precision Strike

Ultimately, once a threat is detected and targeted, its own sensors spoofed or jammed by EW and its position communicated throughout the force, it must be engaged and defeated. Again, Israel’s industry has been able to provide a range of effects in delivering the final link in the kill chain.

Elbit Systems’ ATHOS autonomous towed howitzer system is a self-manoeuvrable, towed design. It joined the truck mounted ATMOS (Autonomous Truck Mounted Howitzer System) 2000, which can be matched with range of ordnance in different calibres and integrates an inertial navigation system, muzzle velocity radar and day and night vision systems. Another system in the indirect fore arena is the firm’s CARDOM or HATCHET Recoil Mortar System that can be mounted on vehicles as small as a HMMWV or VAMTACs although it is perhaps best known for its integration on the Stryker vehicles in US BCTs.

Elbit Systems Soltam Athos 155mm autonomous towed howitzer system

IAI’s Laser Homing Attack Missile Air/Ground /Naval configuration and Laser Homing Attack Missile Tank Gun configuration provide a potent anti-armour capability.

IMI have developed a number of tank round including the 105mm APAM-MP-T M117/1 cartridge, the 120mm APAM-MP-T M329 cartridge, as well as a low cost anti-personnel round. More recently, it has also added the M710 125mm HE-MP-T (High-Explosive Multi-Purpose Tracer) tank round to its inventory.

The Rafael SPIKE family remains one of the most internationally significant ATGM, which can be forced dismounted, as well as being been integrated on range of tactical vehicles. The scope of the family range from the Mini-SPIKE up to the SPIKE NLOS, which as its name suggest can be used in the indirect fire role are ranges of up to 25km with the operators using its EO guidance systems to provide terminal guidance, switching targets, as well as aborting an attack to avoid collateral damage of key value in an urban environment, while simultaneously providing an ISR feed.

Rafael’s SAMSON family of Remote Weapon Stations (RWS) is offered in four land configurations and two naval versions with interchangeable weapons and sensor supporting cannon, 12.7mm, 7.62mm, and 5.56mm weapons, as well and 40mm grenade launchers and anti-tank missiles with numerous international operations including the Czech Republic, the UK, and Israel for whom it is the sole RWS supplier to the IDF. Other RWS providers include Elbit with the UT-30 and Overhead Remote Controlled Weapon Stations.

MTC Industries and Research (MTC) recently presented its Mortar and Rocket Steering Unit, a high performance, exceptionally accurate, and reliable steering system for mortars and rockets. As part of a flagship project, MTC has developed steering units that can adjust or steer the rocket or mortar towards the target at any time and under any weather conditions while in the air. According to Yechiel Cohen, President and Founder of MTC Industries & Research: “Mortars and rockets have a significant drawback - they are not very accurate, and can thus potentially cause harm to uninvolved populations and untargeted structures in the area. In order to give armies around the world a solution minimising injuries to civilians and damage to neutral structures, MTC has developed a mechanical-engineering system that enables control over mortars and rockets until they reach their targets.”

In the era of small arms, IWI constantly add new weapons to their impressive and combat proven range, notably the TAVOR Flattop 5.56mm Assault Rifle, which is lightweight, compact and ergonomically designed to become a natural component of the soldier. Among its advantages, its bull pup configuration- the rear centre of gravity enables a rapid acquisition of the target and provides the ability to fire the weapon with one hand. It comes in the following configurations: TAVOR TAR 21 Flattop (Standard), TAVOR CTAR 21 Flattop (Compact), TAVOR STAR 21 (Sharpshooter), and TAVOR GTAR 21 (Grenade Launcher). The company also released the ACE N 5.56mm Assault Rifle, in ACE 21 N Assault Rifle/Carbine and ACE 22 N Assault Rifle configurations. The ACE family of assault rifles are based upon the reliable mechanism of the famous GALIL assault rifle. The ACE incorporates enhanced human engineering and ergonomics with the demands of the modern battlefield.

Defeating airborne threats from the ground is ably taken on by Rafael with its SPYDER system based on the DERBY and PYTHON 5 missiles, allowing both active radar and imaging IR based engagement, mixed and matched, on launched on a variety of ground platforms. Multiple systems and sensors can be tied together with the firm’s MIC4AD system. In is joined in the ground based air defence domain by IAI BARAK 8 with capabilities against point as well as missile defence. Against rocket threats, Rafael’s IRON DOME is deployed in Israel, designed to use its TAMIR interceptors to engage short range rockets and mortar rounds, as well as being able to engage VSHORAD targets at ranges of 10 kilometres.

Rafael's IRON DOME. (Photo: Rafael)

Rafael's DAVID's SLING STUNNER.  (Photo: Rafael)

Unmanned Platforms

The modern UAV concept was effectively invented by the IDF and the country’s industry and has given the forces their own organic aerial tier for the deployment of persistent surveillance and weapon systems. Tactical, Small- and Micro-UAV’s designed to directly support tactical operation from Israel are in operation at some point in the globe every second of the day, whether that is launching a missile to target a window or sending the next generation of Micro-UAVs through that window to scan each room in the building at a time. According to news sources, the majority of Israeli UAS exports go to Asia, with India viewed as the largest growth market for Israel's defence goods.

Switzerland recently acquired six HERMES 900 UAS.

To name a few, Aeronautics’ AEROSTAR and ORBITER platforms; Elbit Systems’ SKYLARK and HERMES families; Flying Production’s DA-VINCI; G-Nius’ AVANTGUARD and GUARDIUM UGV; Innocon’s FALCON family and SPIDER UAV; IAI’s GHOST, HERON, and PANTHERs; Roboteam's MTGR (Micro Tactical Ground Robot), IRIS (Individual Robotic Intelligence System), and PROBOT (Professional Robot); Top I Vision’s Casper 250 Mini UAS; and UVision’s cost-effective UAS solutions.

In 2014, Flying Production launched DA-VINCI, a compact, lightweight, multi-rotor VTOL sUAS platform, which is ideal for urban warfare observation missions, includes a Portable Ground Control Station and Dual Sensor EO/IR Payload. A number of DA-VINCI systems have already been sold to an Eastern European country. (Photo: Flying Production)

Homeland Security (HLS)

Israeli companies with a HLS background have found ready customers for their expertise around the world, with countries keen to draw on their extensive experience, such as for security for specific large scale events such as the Olympic Games and the World Cup. While companies associated with battlefield systems play a significant role in this sector, notably Elbit Systems, IAI, IMI, Scopustech (impressive 360° spherical vision system for total situational awareness and medium-range surveillance), and Rafael, a number of companies less well known to the international defence sector play a key role in providing security at home and abroad.

(Photo: Elbit Systems)

Faced with a shrinking market for defence products and budget cuts everywhere, Israeli defence concerns have made a concerted effort to employ their R&D teams in devising products for non-military markets and, more frequently, in adapting defence technology for civilian applications (this having been to attention to many primes and a direction the international defence industry will and have to be look ).

Modern surveillance and defense systems are becoming even more power-hungry. More and more defence and protection devices are operated in the field.

Conventional solutions are limited: Batteries alone cannot meet the requirements in multi-day missions, forcing soldiers to carry large and heavy spare batteries – weight and volume not available for water, food or ammunition. Generators require maintenance and produce detectable signatures. Solar modules are weather dependent. SFC power supplies with fuel cells are a silent, lightweight, non-detectable alternative. They produce no detectable signatures.

Fuel cells recharge batteries fully automatically. Thanks to the high energy density of their fuel (30 times higher than that of lead acid batteries and seven times higher than that of Li-ion batteries) soldiers can carry along much power at minimum weight and volume. Intelligent power management enables hybrid operation with other energy sources, e.g. solar panels.

Power for Fielded Missions and Military Vehicles - EMILY Fuel Cell

Surveillance and border protection equipment is often situated in locations difficult to access. Frequent site visits for battery exchanges cause cover loss and costly logistics. EMILY provides silent, undetectable power as a field charger. It recharges batteries automatically on demand, 24/7, in any weather, without user attention. EMILY can also be used as on board power supply for equipment in military vehicles.

EMILY Cube as a power supply for ground surveillance radar. (Photos: SFC Energy)

Intelligent Power Management - SFC Power Manager

In the field soldiers want to use any available power sources to operate any kind of device they need. This requires intelligent power management. The SFC Power Manager can be integrated into existing systems to simplify power logistics and reduce overall weight while increasing operation efficiency. It enables use of any power source including batteries, vehicle power, solar, and fuel cells. The configurable system automatically adapts output voltage to the connected systems. Use the Power Manager for recharging batteries or for directly operating devices.

JENNY 600S and the SFC Power Manager in a functional power network – the network can power devices such as ruggedised laptops and radios directly and charge batteries simultaneously.

Portable Power - SFC Energy Network

Fuel cells enable 80% weight savings in fielded missions. The SFC energy network consisting of the portable JENNY 600S fuel cell and the SFC Power Manager is a man portable, flexible off grid power system. It supplies 24/7 reliable power without emissions or detectable signature. It powers electric devices directly. Operation in combination with the SFC Power Manager enables use of different power sources and charging batteries.

SFC Energy fuel cell products are used by numerous international police, defence, and intelligence organisations. SFC Energy has been cooperating closely with the German Armed Forces (Bundeswehr) and the US Army for over 10 years. It is the world’s first company with a fuel cell approved for use by the Bundeswehr, according to SFC Energy. The US Army Test and Evaluation Command uses SFC fuel cells on their test ranges to power instrumentation. SFC Energy has sold over 33,000 fuel cell systems in defence and security, industry and consumer applications worldwide.

For over 60 years Israel has stood in the face of enemies surrounding its borders and has fought several wars. Whether confronting a nuclear rival in the form of Iran, terrorist and rocket attacks inside its territory, dealing with conflicts over its various disputed territories, and continuing constant readiness against the effects of multiple conflicts in the region, its military advances continue apace.

Israeli soldiers during Operation “Brothers' Keeper” 2014 armed with Israel Weapon Industries (IWI) Micro-TAVOR. (All photos via author)

Advances in Israel’s considerable indigenous military arms production industry have been greatly driven by such continual and perennial circumstances. In January 2015, the Israeli military strengthened its forces on the northern border with Syria; tensions had been (and still are) high since the heavily armed militant group Hezbollah (mainly responsible for launching rockets into Israeli territory at regular intervals) and its Iranian patrons charged that Israel carried out a raid on Syria that killed militants from the Lebanese group and an Iranian general. Additional Israeli infantry and artillery units were deployed to the north, along with more IRON DOME rocket-defence batteries, and the Air Force's mandatory response time was shortened.

Just one recent example of this readiness was an unannounced two-day drill begun in March on the West Bank, with the mobilisation of about 13,000 reserves in two full-scale training operations covering the entire West Bank region and involving air, armoured and artillery forces. Soldiers will train for possible kidnapping and arrest scenarios in the first such surprise drill in three years aimed at testing the readiness of reservists for a possible escalation of tensions. Several lone terrorist attacks have recently occurred, such as car-ramming incidents becoming popular with lone attackers. On 6 March, a Palestinian militant drove a car into a crowd near the entrance of a border police base in central Jerusalem, injuring seven people, including several border guards. Also in Jerusalem, in November 2014 two terrorists killed five and wounded seven in a synagogue.

In early March, the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) terminated a long-standing security cooperation agreement with Israel that originated in the 1993 Oslo Accords. This will end intelligence-sharing on militant groups such as Hamas and is viewed as a response to Israel's decision to cut tax transfers, which are a key source of funding for the Palestinian Authority (PA) after the PA’s decision to join the International Criminal Court in January.
   

Israeli F-15 refuelling.

Small State, Big Exporter

Even with its territorial acquisitions, Israel is very small, while being the world’s largest per capita exporter of weapons. By 2012, Israeli arms exports had reached a peak of U$7 billion. When marketing their products abroad, Israeli defence companies have the advantage of claiming they have been tested in actual combat. Aside from the vagaries of US-Israel relations, Israel’s defence industry, like the country, continues close cooperation with its US equivalents and has bought sophisticated US weaponry to maintain a qualitative advantage over its potentially hostile Arab neighbours.

Israel Air Force HERCULES.

US Dependence

Some observers have suggested that Israel has been over-reliant on advanced US systems at the expense of greater self-sufficiency in its defence system developments. The US provides funding for Israel’s missile defences, including the IRON DOME interceptors (see box) for fending off Hamas rockets from Gaza. Since 2011, US Congress has appropriated more than $1.2 billion for IRON DOME. This is separate from the annual $3.1 billion from the US to Israel for it to buy weapons through the budget for the State Department and foreign operations.

IRON DOME at a Glance: The IRON DOME is a prime example of an indigenously developed and manufactured defence system. Developed by Rafael as the only dual mission counter rocket, artillery and mortar (C-RAM) and Very Short Range Air Defence (VSHORAD) system to intercept short-range rockets with ranges of up to and over 70km, mortar shells, and aircraft, helicopters, UAVs, and PGMs (precision-guided munitions), it was first deployed in the south in 2011 to intercept GRAD rockets from the Gaza Strip. Using cameras and radar to track incoming rockets and detonate their warheads, its specific elements are a Mobile detection and tracking radar, a Battle Management and Control Unit, sensors, and a Mobile Missile Firing Unit (MFU) with 20 TAMIR interceptors. It is a prime example of a defence system that has to be deployed quite often at short notice in real time. It may indeed be kept busy in the coming years; according to Israeli press reports in March, a senior Hamas commander announced that the group intends to double its arsenal of rockets and missiles. (Photo: Rafael)

In February and for the second consecutive year, Israel requested an increase of $317 million in US President Barack Obama’s budget request from Congress in funding for Israel’s missile defence programmes. The request would provide first-time production funds for DAVID’s SLING and the ARROW missile defence programmes. Israel is requesting $35 million for initial production of ARROW 3 on top of the $55.7 million the US administration is seeking for development.
Funding for Israel’s missile defence systems can also result in Israel using US defence contractors, having had IRON DOME built solely as an indigenous system by Rafael. In 2014, the Israeli government agreed to spend more than half the funds provided by the US DoD for IRON DOME - in the US. This has ironically coincided with a decline in US-Israel relations, highlighted by Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech to Congress on 3 March that railed against the US administration’s planned nuclear deal with Iran.
   

Regional Conflicts 

There is also possible ‘conflicts of interests’ in a growing market among Middle Eastern countries, such as Jordan, aligning themselves against Islamic State (IS), and purchasing high-tech systems from the US, which the Israelis have in the past worried could be used against their forces – such as advanced AW&C systems which could detect Israeli aircraft.

However, this may be changing, as Israeli officials have urged the US to arm the Jordanians and Iraqi Kurds in their fight against IS in Iraq and Syria, and Egypt in its own fight against IS in the Sinai. And Israel has itself received requests from Iraqi Yazidis for arms and training. But the Israelis stop short of highly sophisticated systems to Middle Eastern states and groups fighting IS, such as anti-ship missiles and Russian-made ground-to-air S-300 missiles; the Israelis bombed military targets in Syria in August 2014 in an attempt to stop Hezbollah gaining access to S-300s.

Many critics of Israel and other observers say that Gaza in particular is an ongoing theatre and a ‘laboratory’ for the IDF to try out weapons systems or gain experience from ones in service. There is no doubt that such wars are costly for the Israeli economy. But the experience of Israel fighting asymmetric wars in recent times has set many defence products and innovations onto the world stage especially in the great number of countries which face terrorism and unrest.

This Israeli made UGV is one of Israel's most important weapons on its border with Gaza. Equipped with 360° cameras, the GUARDIUM is conserving IDF soldier's lives.

World Leaders, New Markets

Israel has many homegrown hi-tech industries that specialise in military technology. These companies are taking advantage of the move by some countries to develop their own indigenous industries, most notably, India. VADM (Ret.) Yedidia Yaari, President and CEO of Rafael said: “This enables us to exploit one of our major advantages as a developer – our ability to cooperate, transfer know how and support local production…”

At Aero India 2015, Rafael showcased C-DOME, a compact naval air defence system, superior versions of the LITENING targeting pods and RECCELITE reconnaissance systems, as well as advanced C3 recently selected for the Indian Air Force. This has followed the restructuring of Rafael into three divisions – Land and Naval Systems Division, Air and C4ISR Systems Division and Air Dominance Division.

Star Wars: IRON BEAM

The IDF is expected to deploy IRON BEAM - as the world’s first laser-based air defence system to shoot down Hamas rockets. IRON BEAM will use a laser to target and short-range rockets, artillery shells, and mortar bombs with trajectories too small for the IRON DOME anti-rocket batteries to engage and intercept. According to Rafael, the new system is the result of five years of R&D in solid-state lasers. First revealed at the 2014 Singapore Air Show, IRON BEAM is the fifth layer or element of the air defence system and is modified for multiple lasers each capable of striking multiple targets.
   

ARROW and DAVID’s SLING

The ARROW-3 Upper Tier system is an upgrade of the existing ARROW Weapon System to intercept longer-range ballistic missiles. ARROW is a central component in Israel’s multi-layered defence system and is based on five layers: IRON DOME, DAVID’s SLING, the operational ARROW 2 system, the BNEI RESHEF system against ballistic missiles, and the ARROW 3 interceptor.


The ARROW has endured failed tests and delays while DAVID’s SLING has progressed well. In February, the MoD admitted that in a test in September 2014 of the ARROW 2, the missile missed its target despite locking on. It turned out, however, that the interceptor missile did indeed pass very close by the target missile – but failed to hit it. During a further test in December of the ARROW 3, the missile could not lock on to its target, so the launch was aborted for safety concerns. The problem with the ARROW 2 has been repaired.

The DAVID’s SLING Weapon System is designed to fire STUNNER interceptors against large-calibre artillery rockets, cruise missiles and short-range ballistic missiles. The system is believed to be of critical importance for home front defence, specifically against Hezbollah. DAVID’s SLING integrates powerful Multi Mission Radar (MMR), a battle management and control system, launcher, and the STUNNER interceptor missile.

The STUNNER missile is the result of Rafael, the main contractor of the programme, subcontracting Raytheon for the co-development of the interceptor and the missile component of DAVID’s SLING. Raytheon is also responsible for the development and production of the launch system of DAVID’s SLING, the missile firing unit (MFU). The STUNNER integrates into DAVID’s SLING and bridges the gap between IRON DOME, which gives protection in range of 4-7km, and the ARROW 2 shield against long-range ballistic missiles.

The STUNNER acquires information on a missile warning from onboard sensors and off-board sensors such as national airspace control radars. As a two-stage missile, it is equipped with a rocket motor, which issues the first two motor pulses to drive the missile in its mid-course flight, then activates a third pulse once the intercept course is determined - to increase speed to maximise the impact of interception. The Battle Management and Control (BMC) system predicts the path of the target and calculates the interception point. Stunner uses a data link to communicate with the ground station and DAVID’s SLING launch unit can hold 16 missiles at a time.

DAVID’s SLING will undergo further testing in the coming months which, if successful, the system will become operational in 2016. The IRON DOME system, too, has undergone various upgrades and is now better equipped to deal with long- and short-range threats.
   

Aircraft Systems

In February, IAI announced the completion of all test flights for the M-19HD multi-sensor system for aircraft. The system, which has been test-flown on both manned and unmanned aircraft, is a high-definition, compact, multi-spectral, multi-sensor, single line-replacement unit payload that can accommodate up to seven sensors at once.

Designed to reduce the operator's workload and improve situational awareness through a multi-mode automatic video tracker, the M-19HD also provides accurate geo-location using an embedded inertial measurement unit/GPS. According to IAI the M-19HD can conduct day and night surveillance under all weather conditions, and has the acquisition range is excellent due to powerful sensors, high-stabilization and unique image-processing capabilities.
   

India is set to order two additional PHALCON AEW&C aircraft from IAI, along with four aerostat-borne radars, as part of a $1.5 billion buy.

C4I 

Elbit Systems has developed many highly advanced C4I systems for the IDF. In January, it won contracts worth $117 million to supply C4I systems for the IDF over a six-year period. This forms the next generation of the Digital Army Project (DAP), which sets out to computerise all operations in the land forces, connecting all field and command echelons into a central data network. Elbit will also develop communications systems and wide band radio systems. There is also a $54-million contract awarded by the MoD to supply and maintain advanced electro-optics (EO) systems.

India: SPIKE and PHALCON

Israel has become one of India's top three arms suppliers, specifically, in ship defence missiles and UAVs. It is supplying the advanced systems that are critical for the effective operation of India’s main platforms. The Indian Modi nationalist party has for some time begun to court Israel as an ally to supply the means to counter militant Islamic groups.

Partnerships between their respective companies include the formation of a Joint Venture Company between Rafael and the Kalyani Group, with the Israeli company having won a contract to supply more than 8,000 SPIKE anti-tank guided missiles for the Indian Army and including technology transfer to India, which will in turn enhance its indigenous capabilities. The Israeli missile was selected rather than the US JAVELIN as the SPIKE opened up possibilities for local production and technology transfer, which are of considerable importance for Indian procurement policy.

India has also planned to buy two Israeli PHALCON advanced AEW&C systems made by IAI for the Indian Air Force, in a record $800 million contract between the two countries (see next paragraph).

In March, India’s MoD confirmed that he Indian Navy is to equip its frontline warships with the Israeli BARAK-8 medium-range shipborne air defence (MRSAM) by the end of 2015. It will be jointly developed by Rafael and IAI with Indian companies Bharat Dynamics, Tata Power, SED, and Larsen & Turbo on a $1.5-billion order. This is the result of a joint development agreement between the two countries in 2006 to create a new-generation BARAK-NG missile based on the BARAK-1 system in service with both Navies, out of which the counterpart MRSAM project evolved to develop a medium range SAM for use with India’s land forces. The BARAK was successfully test-fired in November 2014 and 32 of the missiles will be fitted first on the missile destroyer INS KOLKATA, commissioned in July 2014. In two contracts worth over $600 million, the Indians have ordered 262 BARAK I missiles for 14 ships that presently lack missile systems, delivery scheduled for December 2015.

Israel is also involved in providing and integrating India’s avionics and sensors for its jet fighters, helicopters, armoured fighting vehicles, naval vessels, and submarines. Systems involve represent state of the art military technology: Air to air missiles, helmet mounted sights, radars, precision guided weapons and targeting pods, digital displays and avionic modules for modernised glass cockpits, and advanced electronic warfare systems.

Israel Showcases Innovation at Aero India 2015

Showing its wide range of special mission aircraft at the latest edition of Aero India, Israel Aerospace Industries' (IAI) ELTA Systems is pursuing new orders in the ISR segment. "Selling the systems of tomorrow,"Deputy General Manager Marketing, Business Development and Sales Avishai Izhakian explained that besides the ELI-3360 MPA offering that is available for both executive jet and turboprop aircraft such as the Bombardier Global 5000 and Dash 8 Q400, there is also the ELI-3001 Airborne Integrated Signal Intelligence System (AISIS).

Complementing the ELI-3150 SAR/GMTI Multi-Mission Airborne Reconnaissance and Surveillance System (MARS2), ELI-3001 leverages technology that is used in the SIGINT equipped Gulfstream 550s that are in operational service with the Israeli Air Force.

Meanwhile, IAI ELTA's ELW-2090 AEW&C package builds on experience that was first gained when upgrading Boeing 707s for Chile with conformal radar arrays, with this system being known as the PHALCON. ELW-2090 is IAI ELTA's third generation AEW&C system, installed on the Ilyushin Il-76. Used for wide area persistent radar coverage, the Il-76 based solution is operated by India where it will be supplemented by the new indigenous AEW&C system based on the Embraer EMB145 platform that is about to enter service. Fitted with three AESA L-band radar arrays in a massive dome on top of the Il-76 transport aircraft, ELW-2090 offers 360° coverage with accurate 3D tracks, low false alarm rates, ECCM and programmable search and track regimes.
For the first time at Aero India, Rafael showcased its new SPICE-250 precision guided munition (PGM) and the C-DOME naval point air defence system. SPICE-250 is the latest addition to the SPICE family of PGMs, being a stand-off air-to-ground gliding bomb that uses Rafael's self developed scene matching technology for terminal guidance. Whereas SPICE-1000 and SPICE-2000 are respectively kits for 1,000lbs pounds Mk-83 class and 2,000lbs Mk-84 class munitions, one of which can be carried on a standard ejector rack, the latest kit turns the smaller and lighter Mk-81 class free falling bomb into a highly accurate stand-off weapon. Like SPICE-1000, the latest member of Rafael's PGM family of gliding bombs is fitted with a folding wing and has an effective range of approximately 100 kilometres. The larger 2,000lbs variant has a fixed wing with a range of 60km being reached.

The C-DOME naval point defence system consists of a multi-round launcher assembly loaded with vertically launched canisterised interceptors. The launcher is installed under the ship deck and can handle saturation attacks by engaging multiple targets simultaneously with all interceptors ready for instant firing. Integrated with the ships's combat management system, the system has two launch modes that enable automatic and semi-automatic engagements with C-DOME using the ship's surveillance radar for detection. The interceptor used is the combat proven IRON DOME ,which has been used during 1200 C-RAM and VSHORAD interceptions.

A leading systems integrator for special mission aircraft (SMA), S.G.D. Engineering is pursuing new business opportunities during Aero India 2015. The company's engineering skills span from concept phase to fielding and may include design, testing, installation, integration and certification of modifications, electrical systems, avionics, environmental systems, mock ups and airframes. It also offers a wide range of mission systems that are integrated in cooperation with major defence companies or through subcontractors. These include personnel locator systems (PLS), EWSP systems, ballistic protection and optical surveillance systems. In addition, S.G.D. Engineering works on communications systems, cooling systems, radars and radomes.

Japan – A New Market

Israel is looking even further east – to Japan. Tokyo is interested in Israel’s military industries to enhance its defence capabilities, especially to counter an increasingly belligerent North Korea. Israel’s defence exports to several countries in Europe and North America have fallen partly due to budget cuts and the withdrawal of troops from Iraq and Afghanistan. So Israel turned to Asia – including, as well as India – Singapore (where IAI subsidiary Elta opened a new R&D cyber security centre in 2014), South Korea, the Philippines, and Vietnam to market its advanced weapons systems. In 2013, Israel exports to the Far East amounted to $3.91 billion compared with $4 billion in 2012.
Israel has already expanded relations with South Korea and China, and bilateral relations with Japan have also improved since reciprocal visits and enhanced cooperation not only in defence, but also in cyber security, science and technology - although exports are still catching up with imports: In 2013, imports of $1.1 billion exceeded Israeli exports to Japan totalling $0.72 billion. Clouding this is Japan’s close links with oil-producing Middle Eastern countries and its continuing support for the Palestinians (and opposed Israel’s military actions in Gaza in 2014). But these are common stances of governments of other countries already doing business with Israeli’s defence industry.

Israel is the largest military-industrial “laboratory." It presents friendly governments with combat-proven, price-competitive solutions quickly and efficiently. MT focuses on a select number of innovations that are appropriate for national defence and civil security.

Having to fight five major wars in its first four decades, Israel built a comprehensive standing army – the IDF - and furnished it with an arsenal of highly advanced military hardware. The government also encouraged the formation of private companies to equip the IDF. The development of a sophisticated defence industry inevitably led to exports, which today account for a majority of its revenues and allows the country's defence industry to compete against some of the largest companies in the world for foreign contracts, in addition to producing many of the arms needed for Israel's own defence. (All Photos and Graphics: IDF)

There are approx. 150 defence firms in Israel, with combined revenues of an estimated $3.5 billion, all of which produce a wide range of conventional arms and advanced defence euipment. In all, the industry employs close to 50,000 people, all of whom share a commitment to high levels of research and development and the ability to make use of the IDF's combat experience. Israel's defence exports are coordinated and regulated through SIBAT - the Foreign Defense Assistance and Defence Export Organisation - which is run by the Israeli MoD. SIBAT's tasks include licensing all defence exports as well as marketing products developed for the IDF, from electronic components to missile boats and tanks. Each year, SIBAT publishes a defence sales directory, an authoritative guide to what the industry has to offer.

From UAV/UGV/MTGR to Self-Protected Armoured Vehicles Optimised for Urban Battles…

In July 2012, in the face of new conflicts in urban settings, the IDF was developing new robotic systems that it hoped will provide soldiers with an edge on a future battlefield. One of the systems – the AIRMULE – is a revolutionary UAV that can fly like a helicopter and evacuate wounded soldiers in its hull from any terrain. Developed by Urban Aeronautics, the AIRMULE has VTOL capabilities and would likely to be deployed on a division level. A full-fledged mission demonstration is slated for 2015.

Another system, the ADVANCE GUARD, is a new UGV that the IDF Ground Forces Command has been developing for long-range reconnaissance missions. The new UGV would operate like the GUARDIUM UGV that is equipped with advanced sensors, including video and thermal cameras and is used along Israel’s border with Gaza Strip for routine patrols in all weather conditions. An additional UGV, called BORDER GUARD is discussed further below.

ADVANCE GUARD’s basic configuration will carry a number of video cameras, with the ability to connect to the IDF’s Digital Army Network and transfer data between other land systems. It will also be capable of carrying a variety of lethal and non-lethal weapons. An officer in the Ground Forces Command explained that, “this UGV would be able to go ahead of a force and scout out what is happening before sending troops ahead.”

An officer from the Technological and Logistics Directorate explained that, “the FLYING ELEPHANT will help us get supplies to forces operating behind enemy lines in a way that does not endanger soldiers.” Powered by a propeller engine and launched by a catapult system, the parachute uses a special handle to lift cargo once airborne. It then uses GPS to locate the landing site and has a level of accuracy of about 30m within the designated coordinates and an operational range of about 30 kilometres.

Another system that was developed by the IDF’s Combat Engineering Corps and handed to the elite Yahalom unit in August 2013 was a new robot called TALON IV to uncover and neutralise IEDs. The robot, which uses an automatic navigation system, would enter enemy territory ahead of troops and serve as a “tracker” with the capability to detect hidden bombs.

Dealing with a fame-hungry enemy places IDF soldiers in a delicate situation in which they are required to control the terrorist and prevent the terrorist from controlling them.

The issue of IEDs has attracted a lot of attention in Israel. The recently introduced SAHAR all-terrain UGV is a joint development of Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), QinetiQ NA, and Watairpoll SAHAR is an autonomous robotic system designed for the efficient performance of combat engineering missions that are currently executed using manned and remote-controlled mechanical engineering equipment. The challenges of dealing with these missions using existing methods include high-risks to equipment operators and to the security forces providing protection; specialised skills are required to operate the mechanical engineering equipment, as well as extremely high-levels of accuracy are required which result in slow implementation of the required tasks. SAHAR was developed to overcome these challenges. As a result, the UGV handles the process of route clearance including functions such as environmental terrain mapping, surveillance, removal of road blocks, and disposal of IEDs. The system’s execution is based on pre-defined path plans and its major features include a remotely-controlled platform, smart terrain awareness sensors and an autonomous manoeuvring and manipulator module.

In addition to the SAHAR UGV, IAI Ramta developed a semi-autonomous capability to detect and detonate mines and IEDs. In late October 2014, the Mine and IED Detection System (MIDS) was unveiled, which is outfitted with both a metal detector and an above-surface detection system, developed by Ramta, and a ground penetrating radar (GPR) from IAI Elta Systems. When an unburied road mine is detected, MIDS can push it aside. In the case of a buried mine, MIDS will mark off the area, enabling troops to safely manoeuvre it. MIDS is also equipped with a weapon system to detonate roadside IEDs. MIDS can operate day and night and through any weather at a rate of 10km/h for a 270° radius.

MIDS can also be remotely controlled from a vehicle at a stand-off distance or it can be programmed with waypoints for semi-autonomous operation. Ramta’s spokesman said that, “if a customer wants a fully autonomous capability, there are divisions within IAI that can provide that.”
MIDS can also directly link with an overhead UAV to receive ISRdata on roadside obstacles or changes in the road that could be the result of a planted mine.

In order to reach the next level of coordinated development between UAV, UGV and unmanned maritime system (UMS), in late July 2013 it was reported that Israel’s defence industry was working on a “networked” system that will enable joint operations of unmanned assets. Industry sources say that the effort is directly connected to a decision made in early July by the IDF to make the Air Force, Navy and Ground Forces “slimmer,” in order to save money and be able to “adapt to new threats.”

In early August 2014, it was reported that in 2015, a new UGV, called BORDER GUARD, is expecting to begin patrolling border with Gaza Strip. The remote-control system is based on a Ford 350 pickup truck platform and, according to Maj.Gen. Lior Trabelsi, Head of the IDF’s Mobility and Robotics Department, will have its own surveillance sensors and weapon system: “Its means of communications will be improved, and the control will be different. This is an upgrade of all aspects of the existing system.”

Finally, the interagency Combating Terrorism Technical Support Organisation (CTTSO) operating under the US DoD in 2013 has allocated U$15.6 million to evaluate and field Micro Tactical Ground Robot (MTGR) through 2015. Some 100 MTGR robots are already operational with combat teams of the US Army Special Forces. Roboteam’s executives says that the MTGR weighs less than 9kg, carries its weight in payload and is built to clear obstacles, climb stairs and conduct complex manoeuvres in extreme terrain. Its five on-board cameras, internal microphone and IR laser pointers generate intelligence and targeting data 360° around the vehicle, and has line-of-sight operating range of 530 metres. It uses secure encrypted radio voice and video streams to communicate tactical operators and higher command staff. It can be carried by one soldier and has a top speed of 3.2km/h. In mid-July 2014 Roboteam won a bid to deliver MTGR to the IDF.

The MTGR is Roboteam’s first of a family of tactical ground robots. It has also 1.1kg Individual Robotic Intelligence System (IRIS), which functions as a mobile camera for a squad, and can be sent through air vents into a basement or balcony for reconnaissance. It has also developed the Professional Robot (PROBOT), a 120kg 4x4 that carries nearly double its weight in payload, which was designed for logistics delivery, medical evacuation, and a range of public safety missions. The PROBOT joins an infantry squad in the field.

…To Self-Protected Armoured Vehicles Optimised for Urban Battles and Anti-Tunnels System

In mid-December 2012 was reported that Israel’s MoD was about to launch initial development of RAKIYA (Horizon), a family of light, lethal and self-protected armoured vehicles optimised for urban battles beyond 2020. The IDF hopes for the Future Manned Combat Vehicle (FMCV) family of vehicles be operational by 2020. Managed by the recently established Rakiya unit with MoD’s Directorate of Defence R&D (DDR&D), the programme involves nearly all branches of MoD and Israel’s Ground Force Command, starting with MERKAVA Programme Directorate and Armoured Corps and extending through Infantry, Artillery, Ordnance and Combat Engineering. Military officers says that the new vehicles are likely to be wheeled, agile and nearly half the weight of the 65t MERKAVA Mk-4.

Sources in Israel insist that the FMCVs will not replace MERKAVA Mk-4s or LEOPARD (Namer MERKAVA APC) but rather the envisioned FMCV variants will be “integrated” with heavy armour into the same digitalised C2 network, providing war planners with more options that can be tailored to specific scenarios for manoeuvring warfare. An Israeli defence source says that,  “we are not talking about a multi-mission vehicle, but rather a family of vehicles, each of which will have its own mission.”

In an extensive report on the Israeli tank MERKAVA MK-4, Brig.Gen. Baruch Matzliakh, Director of the MERKAVA Tank Programme Administration at the MoD, said: “The tank has outstanding ability to move through the rough terrain of the Golan Heights. It passes through boulders and rocks without trouble, faster than any other tanks, with a 1,500hp engine and firepower that enables it to identify, locate, and destroy the enemy. The supremacy in battle on land is achieved only through good manoeuvrability, which is achieved by the tank and the LEOPARD.”

Every MERKAVA tank delivered to the IDF in the past few years is equipped with Rafael’s TROPHY active protection system. During operations in Gaza, the TROPHY-HV succeeded in neutralising attempts to use missiles to hit tanks before the crews were even aware of them.

On 7 July 2014, following incessant rocket fire from Gaza at Israel, the IDF initiated Operation “Protective Edge.” On the 10th day of the operation, after continued terrorist assaults on Israel from land, air and sea, the IDF commenced the ground phase of the operation.

Brig.Gen. Eitan Eshel, Head of R&D for the MoD’s Administration for the Development of Weapons and Technological Infrastructure (known as Mafat), said that the US was weighing the purchase of Rafael Advanced Defence System’s TROPHY-HV tank protection platform that automatically intercepts ATGMs and RPGs. The US was testing TROPHY out on its Ground Combat Vehicle (GCV). TROPHY offers 360° defence against incoming threats and was first used operationally in 2011 by an IDF tank crew near Gaza. Eshel added that TROPHY, “also identifies the source of fire and enables the tank’s weapon systems to quickly take aim at the source.”

Yiftah Kleinman, the Marketing and Business Development Manager at Rafael’s Advanced Armoured Systems Directorate, informed MT: “The TROPHY-HV version is capable of transmitting the coordinates of the source of the fire to ground platforms, enabling a rapid closure of the sensor-to-shooter cycle. This allows ground manoeuvres in environments with intense anti-tank threats to become significantly more offensive.”

In late July 2014, it was reported that Magna BSP founder and CEO Haim Siboni believes that just like an IRON DOME missile intercepts a rocket, a tunnel 30m deep loaded with sensors and radar on the border with the Gaza Strip can provide a decisive solution to attack tunnels designed to enable terrorist squads to penetrate into Israel and commit massacres. He explained that, “we are proposing an operative engineering solution that consists of digging a 70km tunnel along the border. When it is completed, our underground radar can be installed fairly easily. Maintaining the system is not complicated. According to our plan, convenient access can be provided to maintain the components installed in the tunnel. The system will provide real-time alerts of any tunnel digging that crosses our tunnel, whether above or below it. The IDF will know exactly where the attack tunnel is and how many people are in it, and can monitor the progress of digging it in real time, and decide accordingly.”

Israeli troops at a tunnel entrance during Operation “Protective Edge.”

Marine Environment: From Unmanned Underwater Vehicles (UUV) to Aqua Shield

Mafat has set the next challenge for Israel’s defence industry: Do for UUVs what it did for unmanned aerial warfare. While Israel rushes ahead with UAVs, and is developing UGVs and UMS, Mafat says that the challenges of developing UUVs are huge: In contrast to UAVs, which are operated by command from ground C2 systems via satellite communications, these are unavailable beneath the oceans. Undersea communications is acoustic-based and thus have limited volume and range. UUVs will therefore need high level of automation and independent navigation. Unmanned submersibles, which are linked to the supply ship by cable, already exist, but they are short-range vehicles and have limited utility. Nonetheless, UUVs have huge potential, if only because in a future battlefield, they can replace Navy Commandoes for special operations or plant intelligence devices off a hostile shore.

In late August 2014, scuba terrorists, who made their way from the Gaza Strip to Israel, came through an area of “shallow water” [author’s italics] a few dozen metres from the coast, where swimming is possible, but not deep enough for naval vessels to patrol and operate there. DSIT’s AQUA SHIELD Diver Detection Sonar (DDS) gives marine terrorists no chance. A senior analyst noted that, “over the years, sonar technology has been improved. The quality of the signal and its processing have undergone about the same process as [improvement] of radar. The technology has become more miniature; now a person in a boat can carry sonar for detecting divers, lower it from the side of the boat, and operate it. There is almost no need for an operator to decode the signal. The system does it.”

In addition to its mobility and reliability, AQUA SHIELD has extended the detection range from a radius of a few hundred metres to several kilometres, giving the coast guard or the navy some time to prepare to meet the threat. AQUA SHIELD is a land-based sonar designed to protect stationary targets, such as coastal facilities and drilling sites. DSIT also offers POINT SHIELD, a smaller mobile system with a shorter range, designed for vessels moving about in the open sea.

And the Civilian Market

In mid-June 2013 was reported that Elbit Systems was expanding its civilian activity. Elbit has unveiled its CLEAR VISION system, designed to allow commercial aircraft to land safely even in stormy weather and in low visibility conditions. CLEAR VISION is a spill-over from military aviation particularly from a system mostly installed on F-15 and F-16 fighters. Dror Yahav, Elbit System VP for Civilian Aviation, told MT that, “the need for a new civilian system arose following an increase in cases of delays in craft landings and disruption to air traffic as a result of bad weather conditions such as rain and thick fog. Those conditions cause visibility problems and made landing difficult.”

The new system is based upon an advanced multi-spectral camera that displays its pictures on transparent glass in front of the pilot, enabling him to receive real time information even when he is looking outside the aircraft in preparation for a safe landing. The pictures streamed to him and thus enable him to identify the landing area without interference from the weather.

Yahav added: “At a time of economic constraints, many airlines will be glad to save the high cost of the fuel consumed when a flight is extended and diverted to land somewhere other than the destination airport because of the problematic weather conditions. At some airports, the system can improve landing capability by 70%, and at some by 100 per cent.”

In early November 2014, Israel has adopted the FLIGHT GUARD missile protection system to protect its national airliners from the threat of MANPADS. Flight Guard utilises the Elbit Commercial Multi-Spectral Infrared Countermeasures (C-MUSIC) system adapted for the mission under the Israeli government’s SKYSHIELD programme. FLIGHT GUARD is a passive system that employs a FLIR missile-tracking camera and an IR, ultra-violet, or radar missile-approach warning system sensor to detect a missile launch in the very early stages of an attack. Once detected, a laser beam is fired at the missile, jamming its seeker and causing it to be diverted away from the aircraft. The system is self-contained and housed on the underside of fuselage in a single aerodynamic and unobtrusive pod, and so is relatively easy to install.

Looking Into Future

According to Joseph Weiss, IAI Chief Executive, “the upcoming innovations will mainly be in the area of UAV payloads which the platform will carry.” At the moment defence industrial companies have developed payloads for long-range intelligence gathering, marine operations, real-time surveillance of targets, and even Electronic Warfare.

In late November 2013, for the first time ever a possibility of unmanned air-to-air combat was mentioned. Although it may sound like science fiction, in the words of retired Maj.Gen. Eitan Ben-Eliahu it is a feasible option. Ben-Eliahu said that although, “we pilots are the decision-makers and the claim to fame of fighter pilots are dogfights, part of the process of replacing combat craft with UAVs will be the ability to start dogfights between UAVs.” Ben-Eliahu added that UAVs are highly dependent on networked C2, which renders them more vulnerable to cyber-attack than manned fighters, “which know how to perform their mission in total silence.” Still, Ben-Eliahu envisages a time when UAV platforms will replace manned fighters, provided that UAVs are sufficiently equipped to perform traditional fighter missions. Perhaps high reliance of UAVs on C2 and their not so silent performance should also be taken into consideration. Shaul Shahar, General Manager of the IAI’s Malat Division, said that Ben-Eliahu’s support for dogfighting UAVs reflected a serious, albeit embryonic R&D trend.

To conclude, the sheer volume of industrial solutions shows that captains of the Israeli defence industry together with their military counterparts are constantly seeking solutions for saving life of soldiers. As a result, Israeli solutions have a strong appeal to the customers worldwide that for the time being operate in a slightly lesser violent environment. Spill-over into commercial market underscore the importance that Israeli defence companies also pay to the untapped possibilities in the commercial sector.

Halo Maritime Defense Systems (HMDS) has completed installation of a fully automated marine gate at a naval base in Israel, and is exhibiting at ISDEF on booth #C60. The gate spans the entire breakwater-to-breakwater length of the opening to the base, fully completing the security perimeter. A simple push of a button retracts the barrier and allows vessels to pass.

"Normally, the waterside opening to a base like this would be secured with surveillance cameras and possibly patrol boats but never before with a proven, automated 24/7 protective gate," said HMDS President Brendan Gray, a 30-year veteran of the US Navy whose responsibilities included force protection for eight naval bases in Europe and the Mediterranean. "The marine gate provides ease of access while offering unparalleled security, and at significantly less life-cycle cost than the alternatives with a Return on Investment (ROI) of less than 2 years."

The HMDS GUARDIAN Gate has been under development for the past two years with the help of the US Navy and the Ocean Engineering Program at the University of New Hampshire. Boasting a 15-year design life, the HALO barrier is the only barrier in the world to have been validated in independent, fully instrumented crash testing by the US Navy. Applications for the new technology include ports and harbors, oil and gas assets, nuclear power plants and other sensitive waterside infrastructure.

Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) unveiled a unique, highly advanced family of modular Ultra High Frequency (UHF) Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) Radars. The new ULTRA family of AESA UHF radars, developed by IAI's ELTA Systems Group and subsidiary, represents a formidable capability of Early Warning and long range search and tracking of low observable Air Breathing Targets (ABTs), and ballistic missiles.  The radars offer an advantage of low RCS targets detection at long ranges, operation under all weather conditions, and in the presence of dense electromagnetic environments.

The ULTRA radars, already operationally proven, use a modular, common UHF-band cluster architecture capable of wide angle electronic scan in both elevation and azimuth. The basic cluster can be modularly scaled to 6 and up to a 22 cluster configuration which offers extended detection ranges and tracking accuracies. Other cluster configurations are possible to meet specific customer's requirements. Shown ULTRA C-22

The ULTRA-C1 (single cluster configuration) is a lightweight mobile system designed to provide an autonomous search and detection capability up to 500km for a typical fighter aircraft. The ULTRA-C6 (six clusters configuration) is designed for an Early Warning and long range of   satellites, ballistic missiles and airborne targets  at   long ranges, while the ULTRA C-22 (22 clusters configuration) is a strategic system for ballistic missiles and space objects  detection and tracking at very long ranges. The ULTRA radars can be used as autonomous search radar, supporting all defence layers: Air Defence Surveillance for medium range, Early Warning system for long ranges, and a strategic system for very long ranges.

"Ballistic missiles present a significant global threat to nations, expeditionary forces and global peace-keeping missions," explained Nissim Hadas, IAI Executive VP & ELTA President, "We note increasing requirements worldwide for Early Warning radars, in order to extend the currently available Air Situation Picture and allow commanders and decision makers the valuable extra time for making informed and educated decisions concerning necessary defensive  measures."

Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) recently completed a series of flight demonstrations of its HAROP Loitering Munitions in Israel for a foreign customer. These demonstrations follow various other successful operational exercises performed in the last few months for different customers.
The HAROP demonstrated augmented capabilities in the field of observation, flight altitude and loitering, in addition to better maneuvering and target destruction. During the exercises, the missile loitered for several hours until the target was selected. Then, with maximum precision it dived directly on to it.

A HAROP unit is comprised of launchers and a Mission Control Shelter (MCS) which enables missile control with a man-in-the-loop operation, engagement or abort attack capability in real time, thereby avoiding collateral damage. HAROP, with a warhead of 15kg. can be used in a range of battle scenarios, including low and high intensity conflict, urban warfare and counter terror operations. HAROP is launched from transportable launchers and navigates towards the target area, where it can loiter and search for targets for up to six hours. Once a target, whether stationary or moving, is detected, it is attacked and destroyed. The attack can be performed from any direction and at any attack angle, from flat to vertical.

To date, hundreds of HAROP systems have been sold to different customers, for an accumulated amount of hundreds of millions of dollars.

"The successful flight demonstrations and operational tests reflect HAROP's reliability and quality, together with its advanced technological capabilities,"Boaz Levi, IAI Corporate Vice President and General Manager of the Systems, Missiles & Space Group said. "IAI is a world pioneer in the field of loitering munitions. Products from IAI's line of loitering munitions are based on innovative and technological breakthroughs and upgrade the future combat array that includes unmanned systems. There is no doubt that HAROP gives its users significant operational advantages. We consider HAROP as a leading system with considerable sales potential." 

The Netherlands, Belgium and Luxemburg have opted for Elbit Systems together with Thales Netherlands for their joint “smart vest” project, it has emerged. One of three nations involved, Belgium will sign a contract for an initial batch of 40 preproduction vests in June, it has been announced by Belgian minister of defence Steven Vandeput. On 4 June, the Dutch MoD informed parliament indicating it has decided to award a contract to Elbit for both preproduction and production series systems unlike the other two participating nations which still need to decide about the next step. The Dutch MoD is the single contracting nation on behalf of all Benelux participants since Belgium and Luxemburg joined the “smart vest” project in April 2011. The “smart vest Benelux” project has been hampered by delay, in no small part due to one of the bidders, Sagem, going to court after the Dutch-Israeli consortium had been selected as the winning bid in May 2014.

In addition to Thales Netherlands/Elbit Systems Land and C4I, Sagem, and Cassidian (now Airbus Defence & Space) had also been downselected earlier on as preferred bidders for the new “smart vest,” after another proposal by Rheinmetall had been rejected.  The project attracted a lot of media attention in the Netherlands last year when it emerged that in December 2013 documents containing financial details of all three bids had been stolen out of the car of one of the Dutch Defence Materiel Organisation officials involved in the project. The Dutch MoD was cleared of all charges by a Dutch court on 31 October, this clearing the way for procurement of the soldier modernisation system to be finalized despite Sagem lodging an appeal with a court decision expected in late this year at the earliest.

Award criteria included life cycle costs, logistics and quality assurance together with three direct criterions that were part of the technical evaluation. These were operational capabilities, system design and support. Operational capabilities that were looked into included survivability, C2, mobility and sustainability while design features that were deemed important included system architecture, electrical and software architecture, transmission aspects and the load carriage and protection (LCP) system architecture. Training and education, sustainment and maintenance together with system deployment were weighed as part of the overarching support criterion. The dominant factor for Elbit’s number one ranking was its score during the technical evaluation which was done under the guidance of the Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research TNO.

A derivative of the DOMINATOR system, Elbit’s “smart vest” solution is believed to include a Tadiran PNR-1000 MANET software defined radio. Sagem which was ranked second is known to have proposed a solution using experience from the FELIN programme for the French army. The French company selected Raytheon’s MicroLight DH500 radio after it had earlier opted for the Harris RF-7800S series Secure Personal Radio, also selected by Cassidian, since known as Airbus DS, for its bid. The Benelux requirement is for more than 10,000 vests. This includes 5,500 vests for lead customer the Netherlands as part of its current VOSS or Improved Operational Soldier System programme which followed the earlier Soldier Modernisation Programme started in 1998. Belgium has a need for approximately 4,500 systems under its Belgian Soldier Transformation (BEST) programme while Luxemburg will likely receive a couple of hundred systems as part of its Cooperative Modernisation Program of the Army for a Soldier System (COMPASS). Initially, a small number of preproduction vests will be procured, 80 for the Netherlands, 40 for Belgium and 15 for Luxemburg, which will be used for operational tests that will build on trials that were conducted from mid 2012 using test models delivered by the three bidding parties. The latest tests which are planned to end in late 2016 should pave the way for series production of the “smart vest” with deliveries to be completed in 2020 A separate support contract will also be awarded once these trials have been completed succesfully.

In a series of flights between 2 and 12 June 2015, Schiebel´s CAMCOPTER S-100 Unmanned Air System (UAS) has successfully demonstrated its multi-sensor capability to the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) and other Australian Government Departments. The demanding trials took place near Nowra, on the South East Coast of Australia, and encompassed multiple scenarios, performed during both the day and night. The primary goal was to provide RAN with a comprehensive understanding of how an advanced rotary wing UAS could be effectively used to support maritime and littoral Intelligence Surveillance Reconnaissance (ISR) tasks.

The three key mission payloads; the Finmeccanica - Selex ES SAGE ESM and PicoSAR radar and the L-3 Wescam MX-10 were operated in realistic maritime security scenarios in the littoral and open ocean.

Hans Georg Schiebel Chairman of Schiebel said „This multi-sensor capability of the S-100 is a key element, showing the comprehensive flexibility of our proven system. We feel honored that we were invited by RAN to this demonstration.”

Selex ES highlighted how the combination of the CAMCOPTER S-100 with their SAGE ESM and PicoSAR radar can extend the surveillance horizon of naval vessels and enhance situational awareness. The data provided by the ESM and radar sensors is crucial to understanding the maritime environment, which was proven in demanding conditions throughout the demonstration. Additionally the demonstration allowed RAN personnel to study the pre-flight, operation and post-flight procedures of the CAMCOPTER S-100 UAS.

At Paris Air Show, Brazil’s Embraer is focusing much of its activity and energy on showcasing the great steps forward it has made in Europe. At a briefing by the company’s senior executives in Évora, southern Portugal, MT has learned much of what lies behind a growing success story as Embraer builds on significant investment and expands the impact its European activities are having on its own programmes – in both the civil aviation and the defence and security fields – and on its major customers in both domains.

Of the 210 A-29 Super TUCANO light strike and training aircraft ordered, 190 have already been delivered to ten air forces and the fleet has over 230,000 flight hours and 30,000 combat hours under its belt. Six of the aircraft ordered by the US Air Force under the LAS programme have already been delivered since the aircraft was rolled out last September and training of 30 Afghan pilots and 90 maintenance crew is already under way at Moody AFB in Georgia.

Embraer’s investment in its Portuguese manufacturing and research & development facilities stems from a review of the company’s future started in 2006, according to Joao Pedro Taborda, the company’s Director of External Relations for Europe, Middle East and Africa, based in Paris. The resulting ‘Global Strategy 2008-2018’ focused on three essentials for continuing development: consolidating the technology portfolio in key areas for development and manufacturing of future products; improving production capacity and operational efficiency, particularly in critical supply areas; and implementing an infrastructure aimed at enabling growth in manufacturing and customer service.

The result has been, in part, the establishment of two Centres of Excellence at Évora, sat side by side in a purpose built plant with in excess of 300 employees overall. The final investment decision, totalling €177 million, was taken in 2008 and the plants officially opened for business in September 2012. Embraer Compósitos SA and Embraer Metálicas SA, focused respectively on composite and metallic components engineering and manufacturing, have been seen from the very start as integral parts of Embraer’s global activities. “These are the only 100% Tier 1 companies in the group outside of Brazil: it’s important to recognise these are unique plants – not just extensions of the corporate footprint,” says Taborda.

The proof that these are not just words but represent a true commitment to global development by Embraer come when the facilities of the two plants are reviewed. For example, as well as the largest autoclave in the group, Évora houses the longest milling machine tool anywhere in Embraer’s manufacturing facilities. At 20m, the tool is the only one capable of manufacturing the wing skin for the KC-390 transport/tanker – 18.4m of high quality manufacturing process. Thus the continuing development of the aircraft will involve the development of expertise and manufacturing technology across continents, “which proves the whole concept behind developing Centres of Excellence,” in Taborda’s words.

EMB 145 Multi Intel

The investment in the Évora facilities has been substantial – but there is significant involvement, too, from Portugal and the European Union. “The Portuguese government is very keen to develop its aerospace industry,” says Taborda and adds that the company has a framework agreement with the Évora University – one of Portugal’s leading engineering schools. This becomes obvious when touring the plants, where a significant number of the engineering staff are young local graduates. Of particular interest is the high proportion of female members of the engineering staff – over 30% of the total, according to Taborda.

Embraer’s involvement with the EU goes beyond the use of regional funds for development, however. The company is ramping up involvement in a number of EU research and development projects, with one such project already approved and several more at the bid development process. Already approved is the ‘Future Sky Safety’ project, in which the company is contributing to collaborative safety research for the entire aerospace community. In current development are projects examining the contribution of materials technologies to aviation safety, morphing wing profiles and the ‘Internet of Things,’ – examining the potential for integrating smart objects into manufacturing processes. “In other words, we’re trying to work on fields like materials and technologies that can also be applied to automation in plants, structures and shapes – mainly on low Technology Readiness Levels at the moment, so far from commercial applications,” says Taborda.

A good deal of the focus at Le Bourget will undoubtedly be on the commercial aspect of Embraer’s aircraft line, which has boosted the company to market leader for aircraft in the 70-130m seat market. But the defence and security market, while not currently as large as the civil domain, is certainly receiving attention and investment from the company, as Jackson Schneider, President and CEO of Embraer Defense & Security (DS), pointed out.

“In 2014, Defense & Security accounted for just over 22% of corporate revenues,” he said, going on to say that the future looks quite bright. “Just taking a look at the KC-390 programme, for example, at the last Latin American Defense exhibition we had 44 separate foreign delegations to our stand – some at a very high level – all expressing serious levels of interest in the aircraft. We have a very good prospect of being able to announce a second customer for KC-390 in the near future,” he said.

Embraer KC-390

The interest can, in part, be ascribed to the increasing attractiveness of multiple mission platforms at a time when existing fleets are being stretched to their limits and the constraints of fitting particular airframes to specific missions are being felt more than ever before. “The whole concept of ‘one platform, multiple missions’ is gaining traction on a daily basis, and the ability of the KC-390 to undergo a customer-managed configuration change in a matter of hours is something that potential users are really interested in,” says Schneider. With the Brazilian requirement for 28 aircraft confirmed last year and a successful first flight test in February this year, the programme seems set for some interesting positive developments in the immediate future.

He also takes seriously the concept of the company being a ‘strategic defense company,’ with capability in depth in areas such as complex project management and a proven ability to establish strategic partnerships to develop and retain advanced technologies. “Our supply chain [for the KC-390] for example is very international already – and it can change significantly is that change contributes to greater competitiveness,” he says.

Other aircraft programmes within Defense & Security are also continuing to evolve. Of the 210 A-29 Super TUCANO light strike and training aircraft ordered, 190 have already been delivered to ten air forces and the fleet has over 230,000 flight hours and 30,000 combat hours under its belt. Six of the aircraft ordered by the US Air Force under the LAS programme have already been delivered since the aircraft was rolled out last September and training of 30 Afghan pilots and 90 maintenance crew is already under way at Moody AFB in Georgia.

A good example of the company’s intent to develop success-oriented strategic partnerships, according to Schneider, is the agreement inked with Saab in April this year for joint programme management of the GRIPEN bid for the Brazilian Air Force – which will include joint development of the two seater variant.

But Embraer is not just about platforms: It is a serious player in several other areas of the defence and security business, both directly and through its growing network of subsidiary companies. Its plan for OGMA, which it co-owns with the Portuguese government, is set to expand the company’s aerostructures manufacturing and maintenance, repair and overhaul facilities – for engines as well as airframes – over the next ten years. Radar manufacturer BRADAR is heavily involved in synthetic aperture radar for defence and security applications – including the massive Amazon Basin surveillance project currently under way in Brazil. ATECH is developing ever more advanced command and control systems for the Brazilian and other armed forces, as well as being a significant player in the air traffic control business – and is tasked with development of the power control and nuclear electrical generation systems for the future Brazilian nuclear submarine.

Multi-faceted, globally committed and technologically advanced, Embraer in all its guises is well worth a visit during Le Bourget – particularly to examine the way in which globaol companies are leveraging the opportunities a European footprint offers.

Schiebel and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) ELTA Systems are preparing to demonstrate the ELTA ELK-7065 3D High Frequency (HF) Band COMINT interception and geo-location system installed on the Schiebel CAMCOPTER S-100 UAS (Unmanned Air System) during Q3 2015.

The ELK-7065 3D HF COMINT provides quick labelling and identification of HF signals, creating a reliable Electronic Order of Battle (EOB) picture and accurate geolocation. The HF airborne antenna configuration, measuring 30x50cm, is optimally suited for the CAMCOPTER. The patented compact HF system is currently going through installation phases.

HF communications play an increasingly significant role for military, para-military and civilian applications. Beyond Line-Of-Sight (BLOS) communications are achieved today through HF radios without the need of using expensive satellite communication, and risk of being intercepted through SATCOM communication servers. Whether using sky wave propagation or a close range network utilizing ground waves, HF communication is proving to be a practical solution in growing use by contraband smugglers, pirates and terrorists; which is creating increasing interest for HF intelligence systems. Schiebel’s CAMCOPTER S-100 is a proven capability for military and civilian applications with more than 200 systems in operational use worldwide. It operates in day and night, under adverse weather conditions, with a beyond line-of-sight capability out to 200km, both on land and at sea.

Installed on the S-100 UAS, with automatic shipborne vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) capability, the ELK-7065 3D HF COMINT SENSOR can operate autonomously or as part of Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) networks in joint operations.

Chris Day, Head of Capability Engineering at Schiebel commented: “IAI ELTA’s  ELK-7065 3D HF COMINT SENSOR integrated with the CAMCOPTER S-100 system offers a unique, highly flexible capability, able to deliver time critical intelligence in the most complex operational environments.”

"The compact HF COMINT system has been unveiled in the 2013 Paris Air Show and aroused keen interest from multiple customers around the world," said Nissim Hadas, IAI Executive VP & ELTA President. "We are pleased to cooperate with an outstanding UAS company such as Schiebel and intend to offer this capability to current and future customers of the UAS for maritime and other applications."