The U.S. Army is planning to field at least 36 Beechcraft 350ER aircraft equipped for persistent surveillance and reconnaissance, under the Enhanced Medium Altitude Reconnaissance Surveillance System' (EMARSS), Photo: U.S. National Guards
The U.S. Army is embarking on an acquisition program of a new aerial surveillance manned aircraft designated ‘Enhanced Medium Altitude Reconnaissance Surveillance System’ (EMARSS), augmenting tactical ground units with persistent surveillance, intelligence gathering and situational understanding, supporting their ‘Overwatch’ capability. The new program of record represents a low-risk approach to field advanced, critical intelligence gathering capabilities based on the field operationally Hawker Beechcraft 350ER (C-12) aircraft.
The EMARSS will be equipped conduct reconnaissance, surveillance and target acquisition operations in support of ground combat units in overwatch and to maintain a persistent presence over demonstrated at-risk areas. The program calls for the delivery of four engineering and manufacturing development aircraft within 18 months of contract award. The Army will have an option to buy four additional aircraft as part of the low-rate initial production phase. These aircraft will support the Army’s Aerial Exploitation Battalions (AEB), operated under the Army Intelligence and Security Command (INSCOM).
Proposals for the program were submitted in June 2010. The program calls for the delivery of four engineering and manufacturing development aircraft within 18 months of contract award. The Army will have an option to buy four additional aircraft as part of the low-rate initial production phase. Northrop Grumman, Boeing and L-3 are known to compete for the program as prime contractors. While Boeing and Northrop Grumman are eying the program which surfaced as a major C4ISR program of record, L-3 is well positioned to compete with the experience it gathered through the Liberty MC-12 platform. The C-12 has also been operating successfully on airborne counter-IED missions, supporting Task Force ODIN in its IED hunting activities in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Germany's first Euro Hawk unmanned aircraft, built by Northrop Grumman and EADS Defence & Security, approaching landing on its maiden flight June 29, 2010. The Euro Hawk landed at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., where it will undergo a final series of operational testing and evaluation prior to its ferry flight to Germany. Photo: Northrop Grumman
The Euro Hawk unmanned aircraft system (UAS), built by Northrop Grumman Corporation and EADS Defence & Security, successfully completed its first flight June 29. The high-flying aircraft took off at approximately 10:32 a.m. PDT from Northrop Grumman’s Palmdale, Calif., manufacturing facility and climbed to 32,000 feet over Palmdale’s desert skies before landing nearly two hours later at 12:24 p.m. PDT at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif.
The German Ministry of Defense awarded a contract in January 2007 to EuroHawk GmbH a 50-50 joint venture company by Northrop Grumman and EADS Defence & Security, for the development, test and support of the Euro Hawk SIGINT surveillance and reconnaissance system.
Based on the Block 20 Global Hawk, Euro Hawk will be equipped with new signals intelligence (SIGINT) mission system developed by EADS, providing standoff capability to detect electronic and communications emitters. A ground station consisting of a mission control and launch and recovery elements will be provided by Northrop Grumman. EADS Defence & Security will also provide a SIGINT ground station, which will receive and analyze the data from Euro Hawk as part of an integrated system solution.
The Euro Hawk has a mission endurance of 30 hours and a maximum altitude of more than 60,000 feet. It is an interoperable, modular and cost-effective replacement to the aging fleet of manned Breguet Atlantic aircraft, which have been in service since 1972 and will be retired in 2010. Subsequent systems are anticipated for delivery between 2016 and 2017 following successful testing and introduction in German operational service.
CONTROP specializes in the development and production of Electro-Optical and Precision Motion Control Systems. The company’s specialists have over 35 years of experience in Electro-Optical / Infra-Red (EO/IR) products for surveillance, defense and homeland security.
CONTROP’s main product lines include automatic passive intruder detection systems for coastal surveillance, port and harbour security, border surveillance, security of sensitive sites, perimeter security surveillance and ground troops security; High performance stabilized observation payloads used for day and night surveillance on board UAVs, mini 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. The company’s range of surveillance, defense and homeland security systems include:
Canberra will be the lead ship of the Australian Navy new amphibious landing dock ship class
Saab will supply the Sea Giraffe Agile Multi-Beam (AMB) radar to equip the Australian Canberra class amphibious ships. The value of the order is US$15.6 million.
Sea Giraffe AMB 3D naval multi-mission radar from Saab Microwave
The Sea Giraffe AMB system comprises a multi-mission capable surveillance systems providing simultaneous air defense, air and sea surveillance, air/land integration, military air traffic control and rocket, artillery and mortar alert. Saab’s Sea Giraffe naval surveillance radar is in operational service on the Australian and New Zealand Anzac Class frigates. The Giraffe radars are currently in production and in use with armed forces including Sweden, France, Estonia and the UK. HMAS Canberra is the lead ship of two new amphibious landing dock ships to be delivered in 2012 – 2014, replacing the current amphibious support vessels operated by the Royal Australian Navy.
Australia has also leased from Saab a land based Giraffe ABM radar to provide early warning from mortars and rocket attacks for troops deployed to Uruzgan, Afghanistan. The lease contract value is approximately $32 million including operations and support. It is considered as an interim measure until more radars are acquired and fielded.
