Armée Britannique

[Dragunov]

IMG_20200812_222030.jpg

[Dragunov]

Britain may halve fighter jet purchases

_methode_times_prod_web_bin_a15853be-e716-11ea-9b25-18353d361fa2.jpg

Britain could buy only half its target of 138 F-35 Lightning II fighter jets, according to sources close to the government’s defence review.

The UK has agreed to buy 48 of the stealth multirole jets by the end of 2025 for £9.1 billion. It is the most expensive weapons system in military history.

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/brit ... -nk2hfns8c

[guidher]

Des ecrits sur le net relayant des declarations de rrsponsable britanique disant que la grande bretagne reflichie serieusement a abondoner les chars de combat en estimant que c est une arme depasse et que son temp est revolu

[Dragunov]

Nouveau AW-159 Wildcat en tests Leonardo UK

IMG_20200830_233857.jpg

IMG_20200830_233858.jpg

IMG_20200830_233900.jpg

[Dragunov]

HMS Queen Elizabeth

IMG_20200831_223544.jpg

[Dragunov]

British Army test new hybrid technology on its Foxhound and Jackal 2 vehicles

4666842.jpg

On 20 August, the UK Ministry of Defense has announced new hybrid technology is being tested on the Army’s Foxhound and Jackal 2 vehicles following a £3 million investment.

Offering improved silent mobility, hybrid and electric drive systems will provide sustainability benefits and deliver potential military advantages, reducing noise and increasing stealth capability. Electric systems will also provide game-changing power off-board, while increased power onboard will allow the vehicles to operate the latest technologies.

The innovative hybrid electric-drive system will be developed by NP Aerospace. The Coventry-based company will work in collaboration with General Dynamics UK, Supacat and Magtec to create prototypes of the Foxhound and Jackal 2 vehicles to test the new technology.

https://defence-blog.com/news/army/brit ... icles.html

[Dragunov]

_20200902_161027.JPG

Counting down to the UK Carrier Strike Group 2021 deployment

In May 2021 the UK Carrier Strike Group will set sail on its first operational deployment. Here we look at the programme for the next 10 months to prepare the many participants involved in this landmark for UK defence capability.

Autumn rehearsal

After returning from two months at sea in early July, HMS Queen Elizabeth will spend the Summer alongside in Portsmouth preparing for an Autumn Group Exercise (GroupEx) which will be part of the Joint Warrior (JW202) construct. The Joint Warrior exercises are usually run twice each year in March-April and September-October off the West coast of Scotland. (There was no JW in April 2020). The GroupEx will also see a bigger surface escort group join the UKCSG and will include Dutch and US warships.

The September GroupEx will be a big step-up in complexity from the modest scale of the recent exercise Crimson Ocean, consisting of 10 days of work-up, followed by two weeks of ‘free play’ in combat scenarios. The plan is to have an air group consisting of 5 UK and 10 USMC F-35 jets, plus 6 Merlin helicopters. With 15 jets on board, this will be the largest embarkation of F-35s afloat in the world so far.

US Marine Corps F-35B aircraft and personnel from Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 211 (VMFA-211) will arrive at RAF Marham in the late summer for a period of quarantine and preparation before going to sea. The RN is keen to learn from the USMC who have considerable flying and sea-going experience with the F-35B. Captain Essenhigh said “I was fortunate enough to spend two years serving [on an exchange posting] with the US Navy and I’m keen to return their hospitality”. The Marine personnel who have already served onboard HMS Queen Elizabeth have fitted in very well and although the captain noted wryly they “love lifting lumps of metal, we will need to embark more gym equipment”.

During the summer dedicated USMC C2 and IT systems will be installed in the ship. Operating the same F-35B aircraft means there is commonality with the UK and spares, weapons and support can be shared.

For their part, the US Marines enjoy the high standard of accommodation on board the QNLZ, dedicated recreation areas and the option of a beer at the end of a busy day. HMS Queen Elizabeth is the first ship ever designed from the outset for F-35, in contrast to the assault ships of the US Navy which were designed in the era of the AV-8B Harrier and have more austere arrangements for the crew. Onboard the US assault ships it is the helicopters that have priority over jets whereas the jets are the primary armament of the British carrier.

Exercise Joint Warrior will be followed by exercise Crimson Warrior, a flying exercise based at RAF Marham which will see USMC and UK Lightning jets conduct synthetic live combat training together. RN helicopters will also participate in this land-based exercise as the ‘CV Wing’ works up more complex flying scenarios.

HMS Queen Elizabeth will return to Portsmouth in mid-late October for her last major Capability Insertion Period (CIP). This will include fitting the four 30mm ASCG Cannons (with their 4 EO Directors), the addition last of the three Phalanx CIWS mounts and the addition of further equipment for USMC use.

CSG-1-768x369.jpg

2021

At the start of 2021 personnel from the CSG staff and ships warfare teams will undergo synthetic training at the Maritime Composite Training Facility (MCTS) at HMS Collingwood. In March the complete CSG will put to sea for a final 3-4 week certification exercise (CertEx) as part of Joint Warrior (JW211). This will include both Type 45 destroyers and both Type 23 frigates which are programmed to join the May deployment.

Under current plans, HMS Queen Elizabeth will deploy in May 2021 with a submarine, HMS Diamond, HMS Defender, HMS Kent and HMS Richmond supported by RFA Fort Victoria and a Tide-class tanker. Planning for the air group continues to evolve and should consist of 8 UK and 6 USMC F-35s and 9 Merlins Mk2s of 820 Squadron. An unspecified number of Wildcats will also be deployed armed with the new Martlet missile.

Crowsnest will not formally achieve Initial Operating Capability until September 2021 but 3 of the 9 Merlins are planned to be fitted with pre-IOC standard kits. At least the CGS will have some kind of Airborne Surveillance and Control capability, even if not properly certified and complete. In a significant change of plan, 849 Naval Air Squadron, which had been the ASaC squadron equipped with Sea Kings and was supposed to transition to Crowsnest, was disbanded in April 2020. The role will now be absorbed into 820 NAS. The squadron will have two streams of observers that specialise in either, anti-submarine warfare or ASaC. The RN has just 30 Merlin Mk2 helicopters, airframes are in short supply.

Merlin Mk4s will also be deployed and maybe ‘FOBed’ (Forward Operating Base) on RFA For Victoria or the tanker. For parts of the deployment, the RFAs and warships may detach and operate independently of the main CSG. USMC V-22 Ospreys will not be permanently embarked on the carrier but, together with CH-53E Stallions, may be used to provide Maritime Intra-Theatre Lift to the carrier group as it moves around the world, supported by the global US military logistic support footprint...

https://www.savetheroyalnavy.org/counti ... eployment/

[AT 15 KHRYZANTEMA]

Je trouve qu'ils ont de la gueule les 2 portes avions britannique

[Dragunov]

£317m contract to develop next generation radar for the Royal Air Force Typhoon

A £317m contract to develop the next generation of radar for the Royal Air Force's (RAF) Eurofighter Typhoons will sustain hundreds of jobs and develop technologies for the UK’s Future Combat Air System.

BAE Systems and Leonardo have been awarded a contract to develop the Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) European Common Radar System Mark 2 (ECRS Mk2) to a standard ready to be integrated on to RAF Typhoons.

It will sustain more than 600 highly skilled jobs across the country, including more than 300 at Leonardo's site in Edinburgh, over 100 electronic warfare specialists at the company’s site in Luton, and 120 engineers at BAE Systems' site in Lancashire. The ECRS Mk2 is a multi-functional array (MFA) that will give UK Typhoons a world-leading Electronic Warfare capability, in addition to traditional radar functions, including wide band Electronic Attack.

It will equip RAF pilots with the ability to locate, identify and suppress enemy air defences using high-powered jamming. They can engage targets whilst beyond the reach of threats - even when they’re looking in another direction - and operate inside the range of opposing air defences, remaining fully protected throughout.

This game-changing capability will replace the mechanically-scanning radar that RAF Typhoons are currently equipped with and will ensure the UK retains the freedom to deliver air power wherever and whenever it is needed. It also enables Typhoon to link up with future data-driven weapons to combat rapidly evolving air defences, ensuring that UK Typhoons can continue to dominate the battlespace for years to come.

Andrea Thompson, Managing Director Europe & International for BAE Systems’ Air sector, said: "This capability will allow Typhoon to take its place in the future battlespace for decades to come, maturing key technologies for future combat air systems and ensuring interoperability.
As well as securing highly-skilled jobs, it will sustain the key skills needed to keep the UK at the forefront of the global Combat Air sector. We look forward to continuing to work alongside the Eurofighter nations and our industry partners to ensure Typhoon delivers the needs of today and answers the challenges of tomorrow.”

Mark Hamilton, Senior Vice President Electronic Warfare, Leonardosaid: “This contract is great news for the UK, which will get the world’s most capable fighter radar, and great news for British engineering. Inventing, developing and building advanced technology here in the UK allows us to understand and meet the specific requirements of our Armed Forces and to secure export orders all around the world, boosting the whole UK economy.”

The new radar will be based on Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) technology and will provide game-changing capabilities based on a revolutionary MFA.

It has significantly more Transmit-Receive Elements than other radars, making Mk 2 the most capable fighter AESA radar in the world, maintaining the same power and precision of traditional radars but also enabling the simultaneous operation of its wide-band Electronic Warfare functionality.

BAE Systems, the UK’s prime contractor for the Typhoon, will integrate the new sensor which will be developed by Leonardo, the UK’s defence electronics champion. Both companies are currently working as part of a four-nation development programme alongside Eurofighter consortium partners in Germany, Spain and Italy on a baseline version of the AESA radar. The ECRS Mk2 is a completely new approach designed to meet the operational needs of the RAF and future export customers.

The UK's commitment follows a similar commitment from Germany and Spain to deliver their own national requirements for an AESA radar.

https://www.leonardocompany.com/en/pres ... ce-typhoon

[Dragunov]

_20200903_140223.JPG

[Dragunov]

AW-101 Merlin

IMG_20200906_035049.jpg

IMG_20200906_035051.jpg

[Dragunov]

IMG_20200906_035726.jpg

IMG_20200906_035727.jpg

IMG_20200906_035729.jpg

IMG_20200906_035731.jpg

[Dragunov]

Cockpit A-400M

IMG_20200906_040022.jpg

IMG_20200906_040023.jpg

IMG_20200906_040025.jpg

[Dragunov]

HMS Queen Elizabeth, HMS Prince of Wales

IMG_20200908_041437.jpg

[KHAYBAR]