Daily News

Quantum3D's Visual Simulation Platform Selected for Civil First Responder Helicopter Training

Quantum3D has been selected by Reiser Simulation and Training (RST) to provide image generators and synthetic visual databases for its civil full-flight simulator (FFS) for 4t class helicopters. As both enterprises recently announced the planned FFS will be used for helicopter emergency medical services (HEMS) training primarily in civil urban traffic environments and in offshore scenarios around Germany.

"HEMS pilots face challenging missions every day, and our goal is to provide the most realistic training experience including NVG missions with their real goggles which will maximize their safety and professionalism,"Frank Thieser, Managing Director at RST subsidiary Reiser Training Services, which will run the simulator, said. "After an extensive evaluation, Quantum3D's IDX 8000 and MANTIS technology and capabilities give us the most realistic, robust, and highest-performing solution for our application."

As illustrated below Quantum3D’s solutions simulate a vast range of scenarios including among others adverse weather conditions and restricted visibility. (Images: Quantum3D)

The INDEPENDENCE IDX 8000 series developed by Quantum3D offers both out-the-window and night-vision capability to drive the 15 visual channels in Reiser's simulator. The solution is built on Intel's Haswell-based Xeon CPUs and NVIDIA's Quadro M-series GPUs, which according to the developers guarantee maximum performance and reliability, and MANTIS - Quantum3D's software for real-time visual simulation that includes vast array of plug-ins for special effects.

Reiser will be training pilots on Quantum3D developed high-resolution synthetic visual database providing extremely realistic cues in critical near-ground helicopter search and rescue scenarios. The first version of this training platform will target the Airbus Helicopters model H145 (formerly known as Eurocopter EC145T2). The FFS including its visual system will be qualified to CS-FSTD(H) Level D.

"Reiser is giving H145 pilots, a powerful training platform to enhance safety for the most demanding tasks,"Pratish Shah, president & CEO, Quantum3D, said. "We are excited that Reiser chose our IDX 8000 and MANTIS technology and our visual database services for their simulators to train pilots for this high-risk environment."

Narda Safety Test Solutions Presents New Area Monitor

Narda Safety Test Solutions recently has released its new selective area monitor AMS-8061. The mobile measuring unit monitors electromagnetic fields from 100 kHz to 6 GHz in up to 20 user-definable frequency bands. AMS-8061 works autonomously, being equipped with solar cells and accumulator which according to its developers allow the asset to gather data for a practically unlimited time. The findings are stored internally, for instance at six-minute-intervals over the last 30 days, and can be read out locally via Ethernet, USB or RS232, downloaded to a SD Card or remotely via mobile radio.

Picture shows AMS-8061 on a rooftop in Pfullingen, Germany. (Foto: narda Safety Test Solutions)

Together with its findings the monitor always communicates its GPS coordinates, thus facilitating mobile operations. In cases of limit value violations or malfunctions AMS-8061 automatically sends a SMS to its operators.

Airbus Defence and Space Continues to Operate German Military Satellite System

As Airbus Defence & Space (DS) announced on 3 March 2016, the company has been awarded a €145 million contract by the procurement agency of German Armed Forces (BAAINBw) for the long term operation of the SATCOMBw secure satellite communications system. Airbus Defence and Space has been operating the SATCOMBw system since 2006. This contract, which has been renewed for the next seven-and-a-half years, includes the in-orbit operation of the military COMSATBw1 and COMSATBw 2 satellites as well as the operation of their teleport and associated networks in Weilheim, Germany, until 2022.

The two combined COMSATBw communication satellites cover a wide range. (Photo: Airbus)

The two military communication satellites COMSATBw-1 and COMSATBw-2 provide German armed forces (Bundeswehr) in operation with military UHF- and X-band plus additional capacity in C and Ku-band over a coverage stretching from the Americas to Eastern Asia.

In addition to the two satellites, the SATCOMBw programme provides a secure ground communications network and control system. Command centres, vehicles, aircrafts and ships deployed around the world are linked directly into the base communications networks for voice, video, database access and IP (Internet Protocol) services.

“We are proud to support German armed forces for its worldwide missions and to keep managing the operation after our successful delivery of the SATCOMBw system”, Stefan Gramolla, Head of SATCOMBW programme at Airbus Defence and Space, said.

Transfer of DAVID’S SLING to the Israeli Air Force Started

After a series of concluding trials of the DAVID'S SLING aerial defence system, Israel's Missile Defense Organization (IMDO) at the Ministry of Defense, together with the US Missile Defense Agency (MDA), began delivering major components of the interceptor system to the Israeli Air Force (IAF).

DAVID’S SLING is to serve as a central part of Israel's multi-layered defence array, designed to provide an additional layer of protection against short and medium range missiles and rockets, particularly against precise strikes.

The prime contractor for the weapon system is Rafael, with Raytheon Missile Systems as a sub-contractor. The Multi-Mission Radar (MMR) is developed by Elta, a subsidiary of Israel Aerospace Industries. The Battle Management Control (BMC) system is developed by Elisra, an Elbit Systems subsidiary.

The delivery process of DAVID'S SLING according to Rafael will be taking place gradually, over the course of several weeks, in accordance with its development plan. The first phase of delivery is being conducted by a team from IMDO, along with the defence industries, led by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems. In this stage, the delivery of the radar, interception and command and control systems will take place.

For further information on DAVID’S SLING see this blogpost.

Another SORYU-class submarine for the Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force

On 7 March 2016, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) delivered the submarine JINRYU to the Japanese Ministry of Defense (MOD) at its shipyard in Kobe, Hyogo Prefecture. The JINRYU is the seventh SORYU-class submarine supplied to the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF), and the fourth built by MHI, which to date has produced a total of 26 submarines at its Kobe Shipyard over the last 70 years.

The delivery ceremony was attended by a number of MOD officials including State Minister of Defense Kenji Wakamiya, JMSDF Chief of Staff Tomohisa Takei, and Acquisition, Technology and Logistics Agency Commissioner Hideaki Watanabe. MHI was represented by Hisakazu Mizutani, Executive Vice President of MHI and President & CEO of MHI Integrated Defense & Space Systems.

SORYU-class submarines are considered the world's largest conventionally powered submarines, being equipped with air-independent propulsion (AIP) systems that enable them to remain fully submerged for long periods of time, and advanced stealth technologies that make them extremely difficult to detect.
Alexander Kolberg

Major specifications of "JINRYU":
- Length overall: 84,0 m
- Breadth: 9,1 m
- Depth: 10,3 m
- Displacement: 2.950 t (submerged displacement: 4.100 t)
- Main engine: Diesel-Stirling-electric, one shaft
- Maximum output: 8.000 PS
- Maximum speed: 20 knots
- Complement: about 65
 

Lockheed Martin Awarded Contract for Additional Polish Air Force Integration

Lockheed Martin recently received a U$7.9 million Foreign Military Sales contract from the US Air Force to support additional integration of the Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM) onto the Polish Air Force F-16C/D aircraft, including support for a broad range of certification and flight activity. Integrated logistics support programme and technical oversight will conclude in 2018.

Poland became JASSM's third international customer in September 2015. Armed with a penetrating blast-fragmentation warhead, JASSM is a stealthy, precision-guided cruise missile that employs an infrared seeker and digital anti-jam Global Positioning System receiver. JASSM is integrated on the U.S. Air Force's B-1, B-2, B-52, F-16 and F-15E. Internationally, it is also carried on the F/A-18A/B and the F-18C/D aircraft.

"Our airworthiness efforts expand and refine JASSM's employment flexibility on Polish jets, ensuring the Polish Air Force has this vital cruise missile capability,"Bob Adams, long range strike systems international program manager at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control, said. "JASSM's high reliability and effectiveness allows the missile to defeat current and future threats in challenging environments."

Fincantieri delivers transport platform ITARUS to Russia

Fincantieri recently delivered ITARUS, a semisubmersible floating platform, to RosRAO, the Russian federal state unitary enterprise for radioactive waste management, at the shipyard in Muggiano (La Spezia). The platform, just over 79 meters long, about 29 meters wide with a deadweight capacity of 3000 tonnes, will be used for the transportation of nuclear submarine reactor compartments, decommissioned by the Russian Navy, from the storage area of Sayda Bay to the Nerpa Shipyard (and vice-versa), facing the Kola Peninsula in the Barents Sea.

The vessel’s maximum draught is 24.5 meters, achievable during the cargo docking, by means of 45 ballast tanks for a total capacity of 25,000 cubic meters of ballast water, fed by 4 pumps of 2000 cubic meters per hour capacity. Moreover, the vessel will be equipped with living areas, to host a crew of 6 members on board.

ITARUS has been constructed in the integrated shipyard of Riva Trigoso and Muggiano with the support of the facility of Palermo, supervised by the Russian Maritime Register of Shipping. The unit’s construction contract was signed by the Italian Ministry of Economic Development, RosRAO and Fincantieri in November 2013 during the Italy-Russia Business Forum, held in Trieste. It follows the 2003 cooperation agreement between the Russian and Italian government for the decommissioning of nuclear submarines and the safe management of radioactive waste and nuclear fuel, defined within the framework of the Global Partnership, started in the 2002 G8 summit in Canada.

Airbus Helicopters H215 Performing Demonstration Flights in the USA

The H215 helicopter, latest development of Airbus Helicopters, since 4 March is performing demonstration flights the USA after being showcased at the Heli Expo Trade Show in Louisville (Kentucky). The scheduled stages include Huntsville (Alabama) and later on Los Angeles and Sacramento (California), where it will also take part in the static display for the Aerial Fire Fighting International 2016 conference.

At Heli Expo Trade Show, Airbus Helicopters already could announce that it recently has delivered the first of two H215s to join the Finnish Boarder Guard fleet. The first H215 arrived in Finland on February 28 following a training session at the Airbus Helicopters headquarters in Marignane, France. The second is set to arrive upon completion of a second training session in April. More than 140 flight hours will be performed during the training.

The Finnish Boarder Guard already operates three AS332 aircraft and has in addition signed a maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) contract to retrofit these AS332s to the new H215 multirole configuration. The H215s will be used to perform border security and maritime SAR duties from the Turku and Helsinki bases.

The helicopter, whose production started November 2015 in Brașov (Rumania) as a derivative of the AS332 C1e/L1, is designed for a full range of missions, in particular utility airlift with internal and external loads, firefighting, law enforcement and search & rescue missions, federal and military operations as well as peace-keeping and humanitarian deployments. According to its manufacturer the H215 combines advanced avionics and a reliable platform for rugged multi-mission capabilities, offering long range capabilities, power, speed, a large useful payload and lifting performance in hot and high environments.

The helicopter is equipped with a glass cockpit and the renowned 4-axis autopilot already used on the H225, which is to provide flight envelope protection, unrivalled precision, and stability in harsh operating conditions.

NATO Strengthening Afghanistan’s Close-Air Support Capabilities

The Afghan Air Force (AAF) on 7 March has received two Embraer A-29 Super Tucano light attack aircraft as part of NATO’s efforts to bolster the capabilities of the Afghan forces in fight against terrorism.

The light attack aircraft have been deployed in Mazar-e-Sharif city, the capital of northern Balkh province. As security has sharply deteriorated in northern Balkh and Kunduz provinces over the last months security officials say they are hopeful that the new equipment (two MD-530 helicopters and two A-29 Super Tucano) will help the Afghan forces to fill the gap of close-air support.

According to Afghan security officials, the A-29s can carry heavy weapons to target the anti-government armed militants by carrying out precise airstrike using laser technology, 250 kgs of bombs, guided and unguided rockets. It also is equipped with aerial reconnaissance capabilities to support the country’s counterinsurgency operations.

Eight Afghan Air Force pilots completed their training on the aircraft late last year and graduated from a programme hosted by the 81st Fighter Squadron at Moody Air Force Base in United States and will return to Afghanistan for combat.