International Aerospace Discussion - Jan 2018

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NRao
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Re: International Aerospace Discussion - Jan 2018

Post by NRao »

Pratyush wrote:This is the first time I am seeing this Beta eVTOL. The full scale test article has not made the flight flight till date. Yet UPS has purchased it and it is expected that UPS will have 150 of these.

A cursory examination of the UPS fleet mix shows no helos or short haul aircraft. So I must wonder where exactly this eVTOL will fit in the operations for UPS.

...............
There are two threads, the first thread is what you talk of. That is in some phase of "testing" - there is the civilian certification and the DoD angle. The vid addresses both, very briefly granted.

The second is the next step. From my in-box:
Join us in exploring digital engineering and key technologies to develop a new state-of-the-art High-Speed Vertical Take-Off and Landing (HSVTOL) concept.

AFWERX, United States Special Operations Command (SOCOM), United States Air Force (USAF), and Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) are gathering thought leaders and subject matter experts to explore digital engineering and critical technologies for a High-Speed Vertical Take-Off and Landing (HSVTOL) concept to address the future of warfighting and runway independence.

Based on your areas of expertise and/or project interests from previous engagement with AFWERX, we think this opportunity is for you.
(bold content is from the original email)

This provides *some* insight into where they *think* the likes of Beta vTOL are headed - IF they were not confident that Beta is doing well/headed in the right direction, they would have issued a BAA to address Beta's problems (it is far more complex than I am posting - includes IP, etc, but hopefully you get the picture).

So, to answer your question, IMO they are confident the ROI is good on the items you rightly list. Here on out it is a matter of satisfying SOCOM, etc (a very important source of funding AND excellent marketing material for the civilian sector - which the DoD will assist in (marketing). Nothing better than to tell a civilian that DoD approved my product.)



Along similar thoughts, something to think about:

As an aside, in the hal kya hai folder, the call to improve the performance of both TPQ-50 and TPQ-53 went out two weeks ago. "ML" (the latest trend everywhere) solutions due in May!!! (There is a particular segment where both are under performing - rather badly. Hey, tech improves faster than counter solutions.)
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Re: International Aerospace Discussion - Jan 2018

Post by Rakesh »

https://twitter.com/CcibChris/status/13 ... 76435?s=20 ---> Viggen coming out of hardened shelter. Note folding fin.

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Image

https://twitter.com/esbjott/status/1382 ... 33570?s=20 ---> Also handy when replacing the fin tip aerial

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Pratyush
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Re: International Aerospace Discussion - Jan 2018

Post by Pratyush »

brar_w wrote:

Watched it some time ago and was waiting for my thoughts to settle down on this thing.

The primary concern was the issue of dead weight of the top rotors and it's real world interaction with the wings during the take off and landing.


Even the first test article is not fully functional.

The video made it clear that the aircraft is not a pure VTOL platform, nor it should be seen as one.

That is a good acknowledgement of the reality of such a vehicle.

Having said this, it is remarkable that the massa system both commercial and government allows for a purchase of a vehicle that has not fully demonstrated it's full capacity.
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Re: International Aerospace Discussion - Jan 2018

Post by brar_w »

Pratyush wrote:
Having said this, it is remarkable that the massa system both commercial and government allows for a purchase of a vehicle that has not fully demonstrated it's full capacity.
The deal with UPS is a commercial deal and it is a safe bet that they are getting a great deal and only making payments contingent upon completion of certain milestones with probably a clause to walk away from it if certain promised performance criteria are not met. The USAF made a seed investment in promising technology and systems after shortlisting a couple from a large number of proposals that were put forward to them. Their idea is to develop this sector and form the early partnerships before these companies turn fully commercial and become hard to work with for the government. Its really a tiny amount (for the USAF) but the association and help can mean a great deal to these promising startups.

https://www.airforcemag.com/article/prime-investments/
Last edited by brar_w on 17 Apr 2021 18:09, edited 1 time in total.
arvin
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Re: International Aerospace Discussion - Jan 2018

Post by arvin »

Pratyush wrote: The primary concern was the issue of dead weight of the top rotors and it's real world interaction with the wings during the take off and landing.

Having said this, it is remarkable that the massa system both commercial and government allows for a purchase of a vehicle that has not fully demonstrated it's full capacity.
Yes, the vertical lift rotors become dead weight in forward flight. Plus the drag of the long boom rotor housing.
MTOW at 6000 lb = 2721kg. And since it looks like 4 seater, max payload maybe 400 kg. A 4 seater Robinson R44 heli weighs 1134kg.
Dont know if high upfront cost for EV will cancel out long term feul savings.
A fixed oversize battery pack also becomes dead weight if flight time is short.
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Re: International Aerospace Discussion - Jan 2018

Post by brar_w »

Max payload for the version that has had customers/investors (they are concentrating on the cargo variant at the moment) is in excess of 600 kg, with a 200 cubic feet capacity and a 450+ km range out to which it can be delivered (and turned around in under an hour). At least these are the specs they are pushing to achieve. This is a very young industry with lots of folks with ideas who are bending metal and building stuff. Most of that is going to fail and very little is going to go out and begin to compete with the traditional options available for similar needs. This is one of the more promising set of engineers and designers. And they have customers and investors so pretty safe to assume that their design decisions, up to this point, have at least stood up to some preliminary technical scrutiny though the ultimate proof will be when they fly their fully built up vehicle which could happen as soon as this summer. It is an interesting time to sit back and watch this market get more and more crowded as investors bet on winners.
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Re: International Aerospace Discussion - Jan 2018

Post by arvin »

In my opinion the sweet spot for battery propulsion for flying currently is MTOW of between 700 kg to 1000kg. That is cheetah, pipistrel class of machines. Just about sufficient to lift 2 people for training or leisure for short time.
All these innovations are good and will feed into future clean aero tech hydrogen etc which will have better thrust to weight ratio.
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Re: International Aerospace Discussion - Jan 2018

Post by brar_w »

There's probably no money in that market with the current design. Beta is focusing on logistics, cargo, both from an air-vehicle side of things, and the charging and operating infrastructure side of things. For urban air mobility certification and acceptance challenges are a serious obstacles (at least in the short term). This is why the niche cargo delivery, and even a similar niche role in the military side of things is an important first track to pursue for several of these companies. It gets them initial customers and more importantly cash flow to fund future iterations as the market and the overall regulatory environment matures at its own pace. Beta is a very small company and if it succeeds with the current ALIA-250 Cargo variant then they could produce well in excess of 200 vehicles for UPS, Blade, pharmaceutical and the USAF/DOD customers. That's a lot of work, for a small company and should allow them to raise a ton of money to fund future designs and explore other markets.



The leisure side of this market has some interesting designs and companies as well.

https://www.archer.com/maker
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Re: International Aerospace Discussion - Jan 2018

Post by arvin »

Ingenuity helicopter achieves first flight on Mars.

https://twitter.com/NASAJPL

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VinodTK
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Re: International Aerospace Discussion - Jan 2018

Post by VinodTK »

Taiwan Is Developing A New Fighter Jet—It Might Last Minutes In A War With China
Taiwanese industry is developing a new manned fighter jet. It might be a bad idea.

The Republic of China Air Force might not survive the fiery early moments of a Chinese attack on the island country. The People’s Liberation Army could pummel Taiwanese air bases with thousands of rockets and cruise missiles.

Any ROCAF fighters that manage to take off could face dire odds in the air. China can sortie hundreds more planes than Taiwan can do.


It’s for those reasons that some experts have proposed Taipei take a different approach to defending its air space. Rather than trying to match China fighter-for-fighter—an impossibility given China’s much bigger economy—Taiwan should exploit “asymmetric” advantages, they’ve advised.

Field long-range missiles and bombard Chinese airfields. Hide surface-to-air missile batteries in the mountains. Deploy swarms of drones.

But Taipei seems determined to operate manned fighters, even if they might not last long in wartime. Taiwan is spending billions of dollars to buy new F-16s, build locally designed light fighters and work up blueprints for a future jet.

Combined, these efforts could cost $12 billion. And it would cost billions more for Taiwan actually to build the future fighter.

Today the ROCAF possesses around 300 front-line fighters, including a couple dozen F-5s, a hundred or so F-16As, slightly fewer than 50 Mirage 2000s and around 100 locally-produced F-CK-1s.

An additional 100 jets belonging to training squadrons could, in an emergency, fly combat missions.

The fighter fleet is growing old. Taiwan’s humid climate isn’t helping—corrosion is a constant problem. To refresh the fleet, Taipei in 2020 signed an $8 billion deal with Washington for 66 new F-16Vs. Lockheed Martin LMT -1.1% also will help Aerospace Industrial Development Corporation, Taiwan’s state plane-maker, to upgrade the older F-16As to the new standard.

Meanwhile, AIDC is building at least 66 AT-5 combat-capable trainers based on the F-CK-1. The AT-5 is slightly bigger and more capacious than the F-CK-1 is and boasts composite airframe components. But its American F124 engines lack afterburners, a performance downgrade that could limit its usefulness in wartime.

The F-16V and AT-5 together represent a modest capability boost for the ROCAF. Aiming for a more profound air-power upgrade, Taipei in 2017 launched a $2 billion effort to design a new fighter—and its engines.

National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology is doing the design work. AIDC would manufacture the new plane. According to recent comments by NCSIST President Chang Chung-Chung, the blueprints and the new F125XX engine—an up-rated F124—should be ready in 2024.

We don’t know for sure what the new fighter might look like. The ROCAF has taken an evolutionary approach to domestic fighter design. F-16Vs are replacing F-16As. The F-CK-1 is the basis for the AT-5. To keep down cost and risk, NCSIST could further evolve the F-CK-1, perhaps by improving its sensors and flight-control systems and adding the F-125XX engine.

But one leaked document hints that Taipei’s designers want the next fighter to have a new wing. In 2016, screenshots of a ROCAF briefing circulated online. It includes a rendering of a fighter concept that appears to combine the nose and cockpit of an F-CK-1 with a tailless delta wing similar to that on the Mirage 2000.

A delta wing could lend the new fighter greater range and maneuverability. But it almost certainly would be more expensive and, for AIDC, harder to build. Is it worth it to spend extra billions on planes that might get blown up on the ground five minutes after war breaks out?

Of course, that same question applies to any Taiwanese warplane, regardless of how low-tech or high-tech it is.
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Re: International Aerospace Discussion - Jan 2018

Post by brar_w »

Israeli report (translated from Hebrew) indicating that Israel plans to have both drop tanks, and indigenous weapons on its F-35 I fleet in about 2-years time. Israel's test squadron received its instrumented test F-35I late last year and the squadron has begun working with Israeli and US companies to begin planning for testing upgrades and IDF specific additions.
Experimental Squadron Flight Center (tank) of the Air Force promotes development drop tank for the huge aircraft (35-F), which will allow direct flights diverse destinations in Iran, an extended stay over targets and return to Israel - without the need for air refueling.

The development process to take part in the Ministry Defense, the Air Force and defense industries in Israel, and is expected to upgrade the IDF's strategic arm against targets in the third circle.

At this stage, it is a matter of planning, but according to IDF sources, the development and production process will not exceed two years. The most advanced armaments in the world, which are usually adapted to the needs of the Air Force and in accordance with the targets of the attack.
LINK
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Re: International Aerospace Discussion - Jan 2018

Post by NRao »

Brazilian Air Force, Embraer to work on advanced UAS development
Image

The Brazilian Air Force has entered into an agreement with aircraft manufacturer Embraer for the conceptual design and development of an advanced unmanned aerial system (UAS) to meet the air force’s needs.

“This is a unique opportunity for the Brazilian Air Force to deepen its studies in disruptive technologies that may cause an imbalance in current and future scenarios,” Brazilian Air Force Commander Lieutenant-Brigadier Carlos de Almeida Baptista Junior said.

“In modern war, it is essential to use unmanned aerial platforms, operating alone or in conjunction with conventional aircraft. Such technology makes it possible to reduce costs and risks, without losing effectiveness in fulfilling the missions assigned to the Brazilian Air Force.”

Neither the air force nor Embraer provided details on the expected capabilities of the UAS, or the desired weight class. A graphic shared by Embraer, which the company noted was for illustration purposes only, appeared to show an unmanned system similar in size to Boeing’s MQ-25 or “loyal wingman” unmanned aerial systems.

The company said the project would allow the air force to evaluate the necessary capabilities for its missions, as well as the understanding and prioritization of operational and logistical elements related to the development of a “superior class unmanned aircraft system of multiple capacities.”

“This study is of fundamental importance for the maintenance and expansion of Embraer’s competencies in the development of aerial defense systems with high technological content and great integration complexity,” said Jackson Schneider, president and CEO, Embraer Defense & Security. “A major challenge for this aerial system will certainly be its integration and joint operation with other systems and aircraft, manned or unmanned.”

This will be the second unmanned aerial system project Embraer is undertaking in Brazil, after the first one was cut off due to a lack of funding. Embraer established a joint venture with AEL Sistemas and Avibras in 2011 with the aim of developing Brazil’s largest UAS under the Falcão project. The partners in the Harpia Sistemas joint venture announced in December 2015 they would disband the JV citing budget constraints in Brazil.
Rakesh
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Re: International Aerospace Discussion - Jan 2018

Post by Rakesh »

Looks like a MiG-29 of the Polish Air Force....

https://twitter.com/GODOFPARADOXES/stat ... 11584?s=20 ---> MiG-29 firing its GSh-30-1 single barreled, recoil operated 30mm auto cannon.

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chetonzz
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Re: International Aerospace Discussion - Jan 2018

Post by chetonzz »

NRao wrote:Brazilian Air Force, Embraer to work on advanced UAS development
Image

The Brazilian Air Force has entered into an agreement with aircraft manufacturer Embraer for the conceptual design and development of an advanced unmanned aerial system (UAS) to meet the air force’s needs.

“This is a unique opportunity for the Brazilian Air Force to deepen its studies in disruptive technologies that may cause an imbalance in current and future scenarios,” Brazilian Air Force Commander Lieutenant-Brigadier Carlos de Almeida Baptista Junior said.

“In modern war, it is essential to use unmanned aerial platforms, operating alone or in conjunction with conventional aircraft. Such technology makes it possible to reduce costs and risks, without losing effectiveness in fulfilling the missions assigned to the Brazilian Air Force.”

Neither the air force nor Embraer provided details on the expected capabilities of the UAS, or the desired weight class. A graphic shared by Embraer, which the company noted was for illustration purposes only, appeared to show an unmanned system similar in size to Boeing’s MQ-25 or “loyal wingman” unmanned aerial systems.

The company said the project would allow the air force to evaluate the necessary capabilities for its missions, as well as the understanding and prioritization of operational and logistical elements related to the development of a “superior class unmanned aircraft system of multiple capacities.”

“This study is of fundamental importance for the maintenance and expansion of Embraer’s competencies in the development of aerial defense systems with high technological content and great integration complexity,” said Jackson Schneider, president and CEO, Embraer Defense & Security. “A major challenge for this aerial system will certainly be its integration and joint operation with other systems and aircraft, manned or unmanned.”

This will be the second unmanned aerial system project Embraer is undertaking in Brazil, after the first one was cut off due to a lack of funding. Embraer established a joint venture with AEL Sistemas and Avibras in 2011 with the aim of developing Brazil’s largest UAS under the Falcão project. The partners in the Harpia Sistemas joint venture announced in December 2015 they would disband the JV citing budget constraints in Brazil.
this is like 2005 movie 'Stealth'
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Re: International Aerospace Discussion - Jan 2018

Post by Prem »

https://www.safran-aircraft-engines.com ... f-20210429
( Rolls Royce is not part of this agreement)
Safran Aircraft Engines, MTU Aero Engines and ITP Aero came to an overall agreement on the cooperation to provide a jointly developed, produced and supported engine to power the Next-Generation Fighter (NGF), which is a core element of FCAS (Future Combat Air System).
ITP joining the program as a main partner of MTU's and Safran Aircraft Engines' new joint venture EUMET will allow an equal workshare between France, Germany and Spain. EUMET will be the soleprime contractor with the nations for all engine activities related to the Next-Generation Fighter, with ITP Aero.FCAS is a highly strategic program, enabling to maintain our fundamental competencies in military engines, while also strengthening national and European defense capabilities", noted Jean-Paul Alary, Chief Executive Officer of Safran Aircraft Engines. "As leader of the NGF engine design and integration, Safran Aircraft Engines is looking forward to building solid foundations and solidifying the partnership with MTU and ITP Aero."
Kartik
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Re: International Aerospace Discussion - Jan 2018

Post by Kartik »

Korean KAI to resume Apache helo fuselage production

So it seems that TBAL isn't the only agency that can build the Apache AH-64E fuselages for exports..KAI will resume it's Apache fuselage manufacturing as well which will supplement TBAL's Apache fuselage production.

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Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) has signed an agreement with Boeing to resume production of AH-64E Apache Guardian attack helicopter fuselages in South Korea, Janes has learnt.

Boeing officials told Janes on 29 April that the deal, which was signed in the fourth quarter of 2020, is meant to support the production of AH-64Es for international customers.

In 2002 KAI signed a contract with Boeing for the exclusive supply of Apache Guardian fuselages, marking the first time Boeing outsourced AH-64E airframe production overseas. This included fuselage production for the 36 AH-64Es ordered for the RoKA in 2013. Production continued in the northeast Asian country until 2017.

Around the same time the Tata Boeing Aerospace Limited (TBAL) joint venture in Hyderabad, India, began producing aero-structures for the Apache helicopter, including fuselages, secondary structures, and vertical spar boxes, for the US Army and international customers.

To meet current production and delivery contract milestones for the AH-64E Apache helicopter, both TBAL and KAI will continue to produce the fuselages, said the Boeing official.


The deal between Boeing and KAI comes after South Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) confirmed on 31 March plans to acquire 36 more foreign-made attack helicopters for the Republic of Korea Army (RoKA).
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Re: International Aerospace Discussion - Jan 2018

Post by Vips »

Egypt has ordered 30 Rafale for $4.8 Billion(To be paid through a 10 years loan). If you think India's fleet is a logistical challenge, just check the fleet of Egyptian Air Force:

24 + 30 Rafale
30 Su-35
44 MiG-29
19 Mirage 2000
218 F-16
Vips
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Re: International Aerospace Discussion - Jan 2018

Post by Vips »

Egypt buys 30 Rafales for $4.5 Billion

The deal is worth a total of $4.7 Billion if MBDA contract for armaments is grouped in. French Government is providing 85% loan guarantee to French commercial Banks and the loan is to be paid back in 10 years.

Interestingly, The first 24 Rafales cost Egypt $5.93 Billion
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Re: International Aerospace Discussion - Jan 2018

Post by Manish_P »

How are they able to pay for such equipment? Aid? Suez canal charges?
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Re: International Aerospace Discussion - Jan 2018

Post by brar_w »

Manish_P wrote:How are they able to pay for such equipment? Aid? Suez canal charges?
A 10 year loan with France's guarantee (likely based on favorable terms). With Israel being the largest regional operator of F-35's (having added a third squadron to its initial 2 squadron plans), KSA, buying (and upgrading) a large F-15SA fleet, Qatar with new built Rafale and F-15QA's and the UAE getting F-35's this decade, they probably needed to order these to keep up with the joneses.
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Re: International Aerospace Discussion - Jan 2018

Post by Manish_P »

And the 200+ F16s? The Sukhois?

They operate the Apaches and will get the Ka 52 as well. :shock:

If the IAF is accused of operating a zoo of imported types then these guys operate an entire nature preserve!

I need to check up on the history of Eygpt (some 'peace vector' treaty?), but looks like they can give the Pakis a run for the bowl. Maybe the Pakis will make a father of them in the future...
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Re: International Aerospace Discussion - Jan 2018

Post by LakshmanPST »

Except for Israel, do they have any other enemies...? Why such a huge airforce...?
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Re: International Aerospace Discussion - Jan 2018

Post by Manish_P »

With the Ummah it doesn't take much to be at each other's throat. It's only against the Kaffirs that they will unite.

Anyway what I am primarily trying to understand is what is their source of revenue which makes buying and operating of such a big number (and varied) aircraft possible?
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Re: International Aerospace Discussion - Jan 2018

Post by Rakesh »

@ LakshmanPST: Yes, Iran. There are a number of issues to consider:

1) Balance out the fleet. Relying solely on one nation would be short sighted. So buy from France, Russia and Amreeka. Similar strategy used by Qatar and Saudi Arabia.
2) Prestige & Honor plays a big role as well. After the Saudis and Qatari shopping spree, the Egyptians do not want to be looking limp and weak.
3) Enemies - Israel and Iran. Although none of the new purchases that these Arab nations are acquiring will prevail over the F-35 with the Israelis. But war with Israel seems moot for now, with Iran being the much bigger threat.

By the way, just a point to think about....none of these nations bought Chinese maal. Not a single one of them. And we are being told on BRF, that India must buy Amreeki planes to counter the onslaught of the dragon. Barring the J-20 which China will not sell...no J-16, J-15, J-10, JF-17 or anything else has been acquired by these Arab nations. They bought Russian maal, but not Chinese maal. Reflect on that for a moment.
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Re: International Aerospace Discussion - Jan 2018

Post by Manish_P »

Not entirely accurate, Rakesh ji

The eygptians have inducted Chinese drones.

So they, and I suspect other Arab states, will try and get those platforms from China, which are refused to them by the Americans.
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Re: International Aerospace Discussion - Jan 2018

Post by Kartik »

European Next Gen Fighter engine team takes shape

M88 engines will power the NGF demonstrator it seems. Can't be much larger than the Rafale then..
The French-German-Spanish team responsible for developing the engine that will power the European Next-Generation Fighter (NGF) has been formed. As a first step, France’s Safran Aircraft Engines and Germany’s MTU Aero Engines announced a 50/50 joint venture known as EUMET GmbH (European military engine team) on April 29, following earlier letters of intent and terms of agreement. On the same day, a partnership was announced between EUMET and Spain’s ITP Aero.

To be headed by a Safran-nominated CEO and based in Munich, Germany, EUMET will oversee the development, production, and support of the engine for the NGF, which is itself part of the wider Future Combat Air System (FCAS) program. In addition, the joint venture will oversee the integration of the existing Snecma (Safran) M88—which powers the Rafale fighter—into the flying demonstrator planned for the NGF.

Safran is tasked with leading the engine’s overall design and integration, while MTU will lead the engine service activities. ITP Aero has joined as a main partner of EUMET, which will result in an equal workshare across the three nations. The companies will be the sole prime contractors within their respective countries. ITP will be fully integrated into the engine design process and will lead the development of the low-pressure turbine and nozzle, as well as other components.

“We have set a reliable and solid framework for pragmatic and focused decisions among the partners over the entire life cycle of the engine,” said Michael Schreyögg, chief program officer of MTU and first chairman of the Shareholders’ Meeting of EUMET. “Having reached this we will jointly focus on the major next steps ahead: securing the contract for the demonstrator phase during the next few months and ramping up development activities in line with our highly ambitious timeline until 2040.”

The three partner nations have established a timetable for FCAS, with the next research and technology phase (R&T 1B/2) due to have received national approvals around mid-year. Earlier in April, France’s La Tribune reported that Airbus and Dassault had reached a tentative agreement following differences over their respective positions on workshare, intellectual property, and other issues. The agreement was subsequently confirmed by a release from the French Senate, although neither company has officially made a comment.
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Re: International Aerospace Discussion - Jan 2018

Post by Aditya_V »

ANy idea what standard are the Egyptian Rafales- F3R standard or F4 standard. Does F-3 standard bought by Egypt earlier have Aesa radar?
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Re: International Aerospace Discussion - Jan 2018

Post by brar_w »

Kartik wrote:European Next Gen Fighter engine team takes shape

M88 engines will power the NGF demonstrator it seems. Can't be much larger than the Rafale then..
This fits the bill of what they would want, can afford, and can use to compete for export orders (important to the French given their single supplier situation and limited domestic buy rates). The aircraft is probably going to be no more than F-35 +/- 10-15% so very much a Medium class stealth fighter. This will also steer them away from any American 6GFA (the USAF version) competition since that platform is going to be significantly larger given that they are going to be using a common scaled XA100/XA101 45,000 lb/200kN class core which likely means that the twin engine aircraft will have at a minimum of 160 kN of thrust in AB per engine.
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Re: International Aerospace Discussion - Jan 2018

Post by brar_w »

Posting this here since this was where the topic was being discussed earlier:

US Air Force awards first airworthiness approval for human flight in electric aircraft program

The U.S. Air Force has awarded the first airworthiness approval for a manned electric aircraft to BETA Technologies, a partner in the AFWERX Agility Prime program. This enables BETA to begin flying its ALIA aircraft in the Agility Prime program. The airworthiness award from the Air Force is the latest milestone in BETA’s test program after recently entering its next phase of flight testing.

“U.S. Air Force engineers spent more than a year examining BETA’s ALIA aircraft, evaluating its design and flight capabilities against the demanding MIL-HDBK-516C standard,” said Camron Guthrie from BETA. “U.S. Air Force personnel and subject matter experts evaluated the aircraft’s design and maintenance requirements along with the company’s operations and flight test plans.

“Electric aviation is a National Security priority and fortunately this was recognized early by the Air Force,” said Kyle Clark, BETA’s founder and CEO. “The speed and efficiency of the Air Force Agility Prime program to support sustainable electric aviation has been remarkable. The people and expertise that the Air Force has brought to the electric aviation industry and specifically our ALIA program is accelerating the development of incredibly capable, safe and reliable aircraft.”

Under a new contract to be signed in June, the Air Force will have access to the first of its kind, manned 7,000-pound class electric aircraft, and first of their kind immersive electric vertical takeoff and landing simulators located in Washington, D.C. and Springfield, Ohio.

“This agreement will enable Air Force acquisition professionals to make data driven decisions informed by real assessments of military utility,” said Col. Nathan Diller, AFWERX director.

BETA’s aircraft simulation and training facilities allow Air Force pilots and engineers to experience the future of electric vertical flight by rehearsing and testing the ALIA aircraft in a variety of potential mission sets and scenarios. The advanced urban air mobility technology simulator near the Air Force Research Laboratory in Springfield, Ohio, provides easy access to the Air Force’s greatest technical experts and acquisition professionals. The Washington, D.C. facility provides an ideal venue for future operational concept developers across the Air Force, joint force, and interagency to conduct research, assessing the opportunities of the electrified future. These state-of-the-art simulators are physics based and include weather, emergency handling, and mission scenarios with multiple aircraft.

Agility Prime seeks to expand technology transition paths to accelerate emerging dual-use markets by leveraging government resources for rapid and affordable fielding. In a first-of-a-kind arrangement, AFRL engineers used unique equipment and analysis capabilities to conduct structural testing on the ALIA aircraft. This valuable data will advance the flight test program safely while providing valuable insight to the Air Force on a unique and novel aircraft design.

“Agility Prime is about creating a new path to adopt advanced technologies in the Department of Defense by working with innovative companies like BETA in ways that enable new markets,” Diller said. “The engineering, test, and acquisition professionals in Air Force Materiel Command have phenomenal expertise to help accelerate this and other emerging markets.”

In March, BETA advanced to the next phase of its flight testing program, completing an interstate flight with ALIA from its Plattsburgh, New York, home airport test facility to the company’s headquarters near Burlington International Airport in Vermont. To abide by Federal Aviation Agency protocols concerning the flight of experimental aircraft beyond designated test areas, BETA completed rigorous testing to ensure reliable and predictable aircraft performance. In the same week ALIA flew its first interstate flight, BETA also set a new record for range and altitude in ALIA of 130 nautical miles and 8,000 feet respectively.

BETA added to its growing customer list securing agreements with BLADE and UPS for its ALIA aircraft and charging stations. BETA partners now span medical, logistics, defense and passenger segments.
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Re: International Aerospace Discussion - Jan 2018

Post by brar_w »

ViaTwitter - ARS Phorographer, Trever Mahlmann
SpaceX's fifth full-scale prototype -- launching into a low cloud deck and re-emerging mid way through the flip maneuver just minutes later, performing a historic first successful landing LINK


Image
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Re: International Aerospace Discussion - Jan 2018

Post by wig »

https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/world ... ual-250770

French pilot says he was tied to firing target in hazing ritual
excerpts
The pilot said in the complaint, which was seen by Reuters, that the hazing occurred in March 2019, soon after he arrived at a combat fighter unit at the Solenzara air base on the French Mediterranean island of Corsica.
The pilot had a hood put over his head, and was forced into the back of a pick-up truck by several colleagues who drove him to the firing range, according to the complaint.
Photos, which were included in the complaint, showed a man in military fatigues with his legs and hands bound, attached to the firing range target with heavy-duty nylon straps.
Video footage, which is cited in the complaint and was provided to Reuters by the pilot's lawyer, Frederic Berna, also showed combat jets making several low passes nearby.
The complaint alleges that, during some of these passes, the pilot tied to the target could hear the sound of live munitions being fired from the aircraft.
Spet did not dispute the authenticity of the images, but he said they created the mistaken impression that the aircraft were directing fire at the pilot who was tied to the target.
He said that the firing the pilot heard was from aircraft that were on a training exercise at a different location, and that the closest any munition round came to him was about one kilometre (0.6 miles).
Philip
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Re: International Aerospace Discussion - Jan 2018

Post by Philip »

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/4 ... e-to-leave

The End Of Iraq's F-16 Fleet Is A Real Possibility As Lockheed Contractors Prepare To Leave

Without U.S. technicians, the fall from grace of the Iraqi Air Force’s Viper fleet could be complete.
BY THOMAS NEWDICK MAY 10, 2021

Xcpts:
The saga of the Iraqi Air Force’s troubled Lockheed Martin F-16IQ Viper fighter jet fleet has taken another turn for the worse, with the announcement that manufacturer Lockheed Martin is to withdraw its maintenance teams supporting the jets from the country. The move has been taken amid continuing concerns for the safety of foreign contractors working on behalf of Iraq and the U.S.-led coalition in Iraq, where Iranian-backed militias are still waging a campaign of violence.
Earlier this year, the Iraqi Air Force succeeded in getting 23 F-16s airborne over Baghdad for a military parade to commemorate 100 years of the Iraqi Army. Previous accounts had suggested that less than 20 percent of Iraq’s remaining 34 F-16s were fully airworthy. The latest New York Times report states that “few” of these jets are now still operational.

Regardless, this same story concludes that, without Lockheed Martin’s assistance in Iraq, the remaining F-16s are likely to be grounded. Returning them to airworthiness would likely be difficult, if not impossible, without renewed assistance from the United States or potentially another country with established F-16 support infrastructure. Even if that could be arranged, it would also require U.S. approval. Either way, there remains the possibility that Baghdad instead chooses to invest its limited resources elsewhere in its military, perhaps in its Czech-made L-159 attack jets, currently flying but non-operational, or its AC-208 Armed Caravans that can deliver AGM-114 Hellfire missiles. However, the subsonic Su-25 Frogfoot attack jets have been grounded for the first quarter of 2021 due to a lack of spares.
Iraq acquired its F-16IQ jets — equivalent to the F-16C/D Block 52 — under a 2011 Foreign Military Sales deal, but there have been repeated questions about their airworthiness and even their use in combat. As for their capability, it’s also worth noting that they fall below most equivalent Block 52 jets, being provided with less sophisticated armament to secure export approval.

Iraq experiencing the perils of operating US milware ,dependent upon US MRO,support,etc. Now that the Yanquis are quitting in quick step,the Iraqis are up the Tigris in a leaky kuphar (coracle) without a paddle!

These F-16s-one isn't sure what the deal was,could theoretically be sold to anyone and the Pakis will be on the scavenging trail for any F-16 memorabilia.
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Re: International Aerospace Discussion - Jan 2018

Post by NRao »

Russian-Founded Space Start-Up Faces National Security Pressure
MAY 12, 2021, 5:15 PM
The Biden administration is worried that a Silicon Valley space start-up backed by Russian founders could be helping Moscow make off with U.S. technological secrets, a U.S. official briefed on the matter told Foreign Policy.

Momentus, which helps ferry commercial satellites between orbits by means of an unconventional water-based propulsion system, is seen as a major boon to expanding the business, drawing comparisons to Uber and FedEx for outer space. But it has faced trouble at nearly every turn, due to its former Russian owners, as the Biden administration becomes more aware of a technology race with Russia and China.

The U.S. official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive investigation, said government agencies are particularly concerned about the water plasma propulsion system onboard Momentus’s space transportation vehicle that could help make satellites less detectable in space. If the Russian government obtained the technology, it could be used to improve the ability of Russian satellites to tail and destroy their U.S. counterparts, the official added. The U.S. Defense Department believes that Russia began testing technologies last year that could be used to destroy other satellites already in orbit.

The issue has come front and center for U.S. regulators like the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS). Momentus, a California-based space transportation company co-founded by the Russian exile Mikhail Kokorich, will vote Wednesday to determine whether the company can go public through a reverse merger that cannot be blocked by the U.S. government. That’s despite a U.S. government review into the foreign capital behind the company and a ruling by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on Monday nixing a June test launch, the latest blow to the company’s ambition to become the go-to provider for dropping off satellites in space.

But the merger could also be another sign of foreign entities and adversarial capital breaching the U.S. national security sector in ways that the Biden administration is unprepared to stop. Though the Momentus satellite project so far hasn’t broken any U.S. laws, it points to a growing fear inside the government that Russia and China will increasingly catch up by leveraging U.S. research and development money to buy and expand their technology. The U.S. official compared the situation to being handcuffed while the gates of Rome were raised to let in the Visigoths.

“China and Russia are not looking at us as competitors or an economy that they can evolve with and evolve into a peaceful future,” said Steven Kwast, a retired U.S. Air Force lieutenant general, who last led the service’s air education and training command. “They are looking at us as the king of the hill that they need to take down.”

Already, national security concerns arising from the Russian origins of the company have given pause to industry partners. In April, Lockheed Martin dropped Momentus from a NASA contract to develop technologies for lunar exploration. And the FAA-ordered delay of the Momentus test launch, which the company said in a filing to the SEC on Tuesday was due to ongoing U.S. government concerns about the firm’s corporate structure, is raising new questions about its commercial viability.

The departure of Kokorich, who left the company amid concerns of foreign ownership in January, could help Momentus get around onerous U.S. export control regulations that prevent U.S. companies from sharing sensitive technology with foreign nationals. The Delaware-based Brainyspace, owned by the wife of an executive in the Russian state-owned SberBank, also placed its shares in the company into a trust that would divest within three years.

In a statement, Momentus President Fred Kennedy said the company’s objective was to “be above reproach” and that the California-based firm was “completely committed” to resolving any U.S. government concerns about its operations, technology, and ownership.

“Since being notified of concerns by the U.S. government in January, Momentus has been open and transparent throughout the U.S. government review process and has sought to obtain more information from the U.S. government regarding the exact nature of the concerns,” Kennedy said. “Momentus also has taken the extraordinary measures to obtain the resignation of its co-founder and former CEO and to ensure that the shares of its co-founders can only be voted by U.S. citizens, voluntarily filed for CFIUS review to enable CFIUS and its member agencies to scrutinize any and all records of Momentus, and proactively proposed a U.S. national security mitigation plan intended to resolve all of the national security concerns that CFIUS and its member agencies have raised.”

But officials and industry sources who spoke to Foreign Policy still have doubts that the firm will be cut off from Russian money entirely. The U.S. official briefed on the matter said the company is currently funded by overseas capital that washes up through limited liability corporations.

“When you peel the onion of Russian ownership, I think it’s very rare that you see true divestiture of [ownership positions],” a space industry source, speaking on condition of anonymity for fear of retribution, told Foreign Policy. “Some foreign money that’s flowed into the industry, you’ve got to peel the onion three or four times to find out who the ultimate stakeholders are.”

“I don’t believe they’ve been scrubbed clean, and even if they have been, it takes a while for the scent to dissipate,” the source added.

But despite the concerns, Momentus has gained momentum, including with a spot in the coveted Y Combinator start-up program, a start-up accelerator that has helped launch companies like Airbnb, Dropbox, and Reddit. It markets itself almost like a ride-sharing company for the booming space industry. CNBC reported last year that Momentus, which was founded in 2017, had raised nearly $50 million in capital. And by some estimates, it is valued at more than $1.2 billion.

Even though U.S. government concerns have managed to slow down the project, Momentus still plans to vote to go public on a Wednesday deadline, using a vehicle called a “special purpose acquisition company,” or SPAC, a blank-check company with no operations or business plan designed to help accelerate a firm’s push to the public market. Some experts are worried that the billion-dollar boom in these ventures is creating a market bubble in the space industry. The U.S. official said SPACs can enable companies to move quickly to market before federal investigations are finished.

The combination of possibly adversarial capital entering the U.S. market while Russia and China look to move further ahead in space weaponry has put U.S. officials further on edge. The U.S. Space Force, the Pentagon’s nascent space service, has become increasingly worried about Russia’s efforts to test space-based weapons systems. Gen. Jay Raymond, the leader of the service, first called out Moscow when two Russian satellites appeared to stalk a U.S. spy satellite early last year. But the July 2020 release of a mysterious object by a Russian satellite in orbit has raised further concerns, with Raymond condemning the launch as evidence of a test of a weapons system.

“If there is significant influence over things like launch vehicles and space transportation systems, one person’s access to space is another person’s potential weapon,” the space industry source said. “That can get really scary very quickly.”
Kartik
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Re: International Aerospace Discussion - Jan 2018

Post by Kartik »

Aditya_V wrote:ANy idea what standard are the Egyptian Rafales- F3R standard or F4 standard. Does F-3 standard bought by Egypt earlier have Aesa radar?
Yes, all F3 Rafales have the RBE2 AESA as standard. The current 30 Rafales for the Egyptian order are to be F3-R standard apparently.
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Re: International Aerospace Discussion - Jan 2018

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SpaceX’s first flight-proven Starship heads back to launch pad for round two
ByEric RalphPosted on May 11, 2021

Defying most expectations, SpaceX has moved the first full-size flight-proven Starship back to the launch pad less than a week after the prototype survived a high-altitude launch and landing.

Two days after that spectacular launch and four days ago, CEO Elon Musk revealed that SpaceX “might try to refly [Starship] SN15 soon,” indicating that the rocket landed in excellent condition. While Starship SN15’s ~10 km launch was far less stressful than those experienced by orbital-class Falcon boosters, reusing the first successfully recovered Starship prototype mere weeks after that first landing would be an extraordinary achievement given that SpaceX took more than 15 months to reuse a Falcon booster after the rocket’s first landing.

...............
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Re: International Aerospace Discussion - Jan 2018

Post by tandav »

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/wor ... 650819.cms

The Chinese Tiawen spacecraft has successfully landed on Mars and will deploy its rover Zhurong next week.

This makes China only the second nation to land successfully on Mars. Only USA has successful rover missions and Russian rover mission in 1970s failed after 110seconds. ESA and Japan have yet to send rover missions
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Re: International Aerospace Discussion - Jan 2018

Post by chola »

tandav wrote:https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/wor ... 650819.cms

The Chinese Tiawen spacecraft has successfully landed on Mars and will deploy its rover Zhurong next week.

This makes China only the second nation to land successfully on Mars. Only USA has successful rover missions and Russian rover mission in 1970s failed after 110seconds. ESA and Japan have yet to send rover missions
They entered orbit in February. They waited three months to finally land their rover? This doesn't seem normal (Perserverance reached Mars after Tianwen but landed shortly after orbit.) News report said they were mapping Mars for a place to land. But three months? What were they looking for? Suspicious if not nefarious.
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Re: International Aerospace Discussion - Jan 2018

Post by arvin »

Yes, it does look shady that they landed 3 months after entering orbit. Normally the place to land is decided years in advance. Most likely they were carrying some other payload like projectiles which they used to determine the optimum reentry trajectory.
Russians had penetrator experiment with telemetry on their Mars 96 orbitor. Something similar to that. The 3 months would have been used for creating mathematical models for reentry based on data from projectiles.
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Re: International Aerospace Discussion - Jan 2018

Post by arvin »

China has not even released an image of its landing. Only images are of scientists celebrating in the control room. Rover is supposed to roll off in 8 days. Cant understand why so much of secrecy.
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