Air Force

Estonia improves air defense with Mistral missiles

2018-06-16 By Anders Puck Nielsen Leave a Comment

Estonia has signed a contract to buy another batch of Mistral M3 air defense missiles from the French manufacturer MBDA France. The contract has a value of € 50 million and includes both missiles and training equipment. The contract includes an option to buy additional missiles for up to € 100 million. That reports ERR.

Mistral is a man portable very short range air defense missile. It has a range up to 6 kilometers and an altitude up to 3,000 meters. The weight of the man portable system is just below 20 kilograms.

Air defense is a weak spot in the Estonian defense. The country lacks medium or long range systems, and they don’t have any fighter aircraft. So the Mistral missiles play an important role in Estonia’s efforts to create its own air defense deterrent. With these missiles the country is able to at least complicate an adversary’s access to Estonian air space.

The man portable design fits nicely into Estonia’s defense concept where it is expected that a war can quickly turn into a guerrilla resistance. With a number of mistral launchers distributed in Estonia’s large forests, low altitude air operations would be a dangerous undertaking.

Estonia first ordered Mistral M2 missiles in 2007, and deliveries began in 2009. In 2010 they also acquired 25 additional launchers from Belgium. In 2015, Estonia signed a € 23.8 million contract for new Mistral M3 missiles which have an improved accuracy and a longer lifespan. These missiles are delivered from 2015 to 2019.

The newest contract boosts the number of available missiles for Estonia. This has been a wish for Estonia for some time. Announcing the new contract, colonel Rauno Sirk of the Estonian Centre for Defense Investment said that “this acquisition of ammunition is one of our top priorities and critical defence investments along with the soon-to-be-completed procurement of automatic rifles and K9 Thunder howitzers”.

Deliveries of the new missiles will begin in 2020.

In somewhat related news, MBDA also announced that they are working with the Estonian company Milrem Robotics to create an unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) specially designed for anti-tank purposes. MBDA will provide the turret, while Milrem Robotics will use their THeMIS tracked vehicle.

How could Israel destroy a cutting edge Russian air defense system?

2018-05-15 By Anders Puck Nielsen Leave a Comment

The Israeli air strikes in Syria last week have made some headlines in the Russian media. The attacks caused serious damages to the Syrian air defenses which consist of Russian produced weapons. The debate is whether the incident says something about the quality of Russia’s air defense technology.

How could these systems fail to protect themselves against an air strike? This question is especially apt in the light that last month the Russian Ministry of Defense made remarkable claims about outstanding performance by the Syrian air defense systems during missile strikes by USA, France, and Britain.

Israel apparently destroyed S-75, S-200, Buk, and Pantsir-S components. The first three are somewhat old technology, but Pantsir-S is considered a state-of-the-art medium range air defense system. Israel apparently felt the urge to brag about the accomplishment, so they published this video of the missile impacting the Pantsir-S.

This is not good news for the Russian weapon industry, which uses Syria as a showroom for their products to potential buyers. Voenno-Promyshlennyi Kurier (The Military-Industrial Courier) even speculates that Israel’s goal with the publication of the video was to damage the reputation of Russian air defense technology.

So in Russia there is a strong incentive to explain the Syrian fiasco in a way that saves the honor of the Russian weapon systems.

The newspaper Vzglyad has covered the incident closely, for example in this article under the title Who is to blame for the destruction of Buk and Pantsir in Syria. I will not go into all the details, but the newspaper finds that the Syrians are to blame. Had the equipment been manned with Russian professionals, it would have performed much better. (That may well be correct.)

After pictures of the damaged Pantsir-S have shown up, it seems clear that the system was inactive when the missile hit. The radar was in stowed position, so it has not been in use at the time of impact. All missile tubes were empty, so the Pantsir has probably fired all missiles and was waiting for resupplies. However, Pantsir-S is a combined gun and missile system, so just because the missiles were fired, it doesn’t mean that the system was defenseless.

Air defense can be organized as area defense or as point defense, and different systems can be distributed to complement each other. Air defense systems are inherently vulnerable as targets of an air strike, so it is important that different systems cover each other. In addition, passive measures like camouflage are essential for keeping the vehicles safe, especially when the adversary uses UAVs.

It appears that the Syrian forces neglected to take measures to coordinate their air defense. When it was hit, the Pantsir-S was inactive, uncamouflaged, standing still in the open with no cover from other air defense systems.

The crew of the Pantsir-S wasn’t even at the vehicle when the missile stroke. A lieutenant can be seen on the video running towards the cabin of the truck when he saw the incoming missile. Perhaps he thought there would be time to move the vehicle before the missile hit. He paid with his life for that piece of bravery which only accentuates that the Syrians neglected to take proper precautions before the incident.

So for now, the honor of the Pantsir-S weapon systems seems intact.

Germany buys six C-130 transport and tanker planes for French-German squadron

2018-05-07 By Anders Puck Nielsen Leave a Comment

The U.S. State Department has approved the sale of three C-130J transport aircraft and three KC-130J tanker aircraft to Germany. The expected value of the contract is $1.4 billion.

Germany will use these aircraft in a combined French-German transport squadron based in Évreux, Normandy. The squadron will consist of four French C-130J and the six German aircraft. This gives both countries flexible and reliable transport and in-flight refueling capabilities. In addition to the airplanes, the cooperation also includes shared logistics, infrastructure, maintenance, support, and training.

The first French C-130J arrived in December. The squadron is expected to reach initial operational capability in 2021 and to be fully operational in 2024.

The German and French interest in the C-130 platform caused attention when it was first voiced in 2015. Both countries are heavily invested in the development of the Airbus A400M transport aircraft, and it was unexpected that they would also invest in the smaller American competitor.

However, the A400M is delayed, and the retirement of the countries’ old Transall C-160 transport aircraft is well overdue. Germany is retiring C-160 in 2021, and France does the same in 2023. This could potentially leave a capacity gap as the A400M is not ready to take over all their tasks yet.¹

Germany has so far received 18 of the 53 A400M that the country has ordered, and France has received 14 of its 50 aircraft. This is well behind schedule, and the performance of the aircraft has disappointed. For example it is still not possible to perform in-flight refueling from the A400M, and the plane does not meet the requirements for dropping parachute troops. So the combined French-German fleet of C-130J and KC-130J will fill a gap after the Transall C-160 leaves service.

It is worth noticing that the American C-130J and the Airbus A400M are two very different types of aircraft with partially complementary strengths. The C-130J is much smaller and capable of using a stretch of dirt road as a runway. So the C-130J will also be useful alongside the A400M for missions that the larger aircraft cannot solve.

The story is similar to Sweden’s purchase of Blackhawk helicopters. The NH90 got so delayed that it wasn’t operational in time for the Super Puma’s retirement, so Sweden had to buy extra helicopters from a reliable producer to fill the gap. What is it with European aircraft factories? ↩

Leadership culture and a reckless instructor led to U.S. Navy plane crash

2018-04-16 By Anders Puck Nielsen Leave a Comment

The U.S. Navy has finished investigations of a plane crash with a T-45C Goshawk aircraft from the Training Squadron 7. The accident happened on 1 October in Tennessee. That reports Navy Times.

Investigators found that the crash happened as the result of recklessness on the part of the pilot-instructor. The instructor flat-hatted just before the crash, which means to fly low in an airplane in a reckless manner for the thrill of it.

The official report found that the instructor was overly confident, nonchalant, and aggressive at low altitude training with limited awareness of the performance capabilities of the aircraft.

At the time of the accident, the instructor had decided to deviate from the approved route and simply follow the terrain. 10 seconds before the crash he directed the student to perform a hard right turn at low altitude. Unfortunately the speed was too slow for the rising terrain in front of them, and the attempted recover maneuver was beyond the limitations of the aircraft which entered into a stall. Due to the low altitude there was not enough reaction time for the aircrew to eject safely.

I find it commendable that the report points to cultural explanations for the crash. The reckless instructor was himself a product of a leadership culture which allowed the safety standards to slip. Apparently it had become commonplace in the squadron that instructors lacked sufficient qualifications, and that students were challenged with techniques that were too advanced for them to handle.

Powerful maritime patrol UAVs to Germany

2018-04-10 By Anders Puck Nielsen Leave a Comment

The U.S. State Department has approved the sale of MQ-4C Triton maritime surveillance drones to Germany.

Triton is a maritime development of the Global Hawk. It is expected to become operational in the U.S. Navy in 2019, but it will be another few years before it reaches full operational capability. The first German Tritons are not expected to be delivered before 2025.

Germany has expressed interest in buying four Tritons, and the State Department estimates a price of up to $2.5 billion including support equipment and a Mission Control Station. The actual price will depend on the negotiations between Germany and Northrop Grumman who produces the UAV, and it will probably be lower than the State Department’s estimate.

The Triton UAV is one leg in the new American concept for Maritime Patrol Aircraft. The other is the P-8 Poseidon jet which is built on a modified Boeing 737 platform. In rough terms the drone will be used for surveillance of the sea surface, while the P-8 Poseidon will focus on anti-submarine warfare.

MQ-4C Triton has an endurance of more than 24 hours at 55.000 ft (17.000m) with speeds up to 330 knots (611 km/h). It has a wingspan of almost 40 meters which is more than a Boeing 737 jet. The total weight is over 14 tons.

It has a powerful sensor package including surface radar, AIS, real-time video transmission, and electronic support measures (ESM). It can also be integrated into military link networks to provide an alternative to satellite based solutions. In the case of the German version, there will be some modifications to the sensor package with a signals intelligence system from Airbus.

Compared to the Global Hawk, Triton has been optimized for maritime tasks. It has a more robust construction which makes it possible to descend quickly for closer investigation of targets. It is also equipped to withstand the sometimes rough weather conditions over sea, and it has better de-icing, lightning, and bird strike protection.

With the MQ-4C Triton, Germany will get a capable maritime UAV. An important factor for Germany in choosing exactly this UAV has probably been its traffic alert and collision avoidance system. Triton has the safety measures required for operating inside European airspace.

In 2013 Germany had to cancel its previous EuroHawk drone project because it would be terribly expensive to modify the drone to meet European safety regulations. By choosing Triton, Germany will get a UAV which is cleared to fly inside national airspace of NATO members.

Predator retired

2018-03-09 By Anders Puck Nielsen Leave a Comment

Joe Chapa in War on the Rocks:

Today, the U.S. Air Force “sunsets” the Predator, permanently retiring it from service. Though individual squadrons have been transitioning from the Predator to the Reaper for some time, that transition is now complete. This provides a good opportunity to look back at the Predator to learn what we can of its impact on contemporary war and on future combat.

Few weapons have changed warfare the way the Predator drone has.

Helicopter scandals for everyone, Blackhawk to the rescue

2018-02-19 By Anders Puck Nielsen Leave a Comment

Helicopters are a common problem for the scandinavian countries. Everyone seems struggling with deliveries, reliability, and costs. It is not a flattering story for European helicopters NH90 and AW101, and the American Blackhawk and Seahawk may be the solution everyone is turning to.

Recently it made headlines that Sweden is considering not using NH90 helicopters for tactical transportation because it is too expensive to use the helicopter. Apparently the operating costs amount to 200,000 SEK per hour, which is a ridiculous number.

Sweden’s adventure with NH90 has been a horror story of bad news. In 2001 Sweden signed a contract for 18 helicopters that were supposed to be delivered before 2009. Nine of these were of the maritime version (NFH: NATO Frigate Helicopter) for anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare (ASW and ASuW), and nine were for tactical transportation and search-and-rescue (TTH: Tactical Transport Helicopter). Unfortunately, helicopter producer NHIndustries proved absolutely unreliable.

By 2011 Sweden had to make an urgent purchase of 15 UH-60M Blackhawk helicopters from Sikorsky to replace the aging Super Pumas that were used in Afghanistan. Sikorsky was able to deliver the first Blackhawk in only 10 months, and by 2013 Swedish Blackhawks were flying operationally in Afghanistan.

Finland will buy 64 new fighter jets

2017-11-25 By Anders Puck Nielsen Leave a Comment

Finland’s Ministry of Defense has announced that they expect to buy 64 new fighter jets. That means that the country’s F/A-18 Hornets will be replaced on a one to one basis.

Manager of the acquisition program Lauri Puranen says to yle.fi that since the new jets are not faster than the old ones, and they can’t stay longer in the air, Finland needs the same number of jets to maintain the performance of the air defense. And 64 fighter jets is according to Puranen the minimum number to defend a country of Finland’s size.

Finland expects to make a purchasing decision in 2021, and the new fighters must be in place by 2030 when the current fleet of Hornets are due for retirement. Five aircraft are in the competition:

F/A-18E/F Super Hornet
F-35 Joint Strike Fighter
Eurofighter Typhoon
JAS 39 Gripen E
Dassault Rafale

As Corporal Frisk points out, Finland has a tradition of buying defense equipment that is just a little behind the cutting edge, aiming for the sweet spot where the R&D work is done and the costs are known but the product is still modern. Finland expects to spend €7-10 billion on the purchase, of which 10-20 percent is dedicated to the weapons’ package.

Finland’s inclination to buy well tested equipment means that the choice of fighter jet is less obvious than in Norway and Denmark where the F-35 seemed the inevitable winner. The Finnish Ministry of Defense has hinted that they expect their new fighter to be able to launch long-range ground attack cruise missiles, and that they are not willing to participate in development work. It may be difficult to get this fully developed for the F-35 before 2030, so that may put other manufacturers at an advantage. (Corporal Frisk’s post is a very good elaboration on this argument.)

The Finnish message that the old fighter jets will be replaced by a similar number of new ones is in contrast to the Danish decision to replace 44 old F-16s with only 27 F-35s. The Danish assumption is that the new planes need less maintenance, so they can deliver more flight hours per year.

Lithuania hopes for NATO air defense agreement in 2018

2017-11-24 By Anders Puck Nielsen Leave a Comment

Lithuanian defense minister Raimundas Karoblis says he hopes that the NATO countries can reach an agreement in 2018 on the principles for a comprehensive air defense concept for the Baltic region, writes Delfi.lt.

According to the Lithuanian minister the problem is political, as the technical details are mostly worked out. He therefore hopes that air defense can be included in NATO’s existing plans for a forward presence in the Baltic countries.

Air defense is considered by Lithuania as the weak link in the defense of the country. In October the country signed a €109 million deal for the Norwegian air defense system NASAMS, but Lithuania hopes that the Polish acquisition of Patriot missiles can integrate into a broader comprehensive system. Patriot has a longer range and a better capability against missiles than NASAMS, and the Polish missiles could provide protection over Lithuania if they are placed close to the border.

It is unlikely that NATO can have a permanent deployment of ground based air defense systems in the Baltic Countries, because the alliance doesn’t have enough of them. But a stronger mandate for the air policing mission in the Baltic Countries is seen by the minister as a possible step to a comprehensive air defense.

Russia’s new strategic bombers will fly soon

2017-11-23 By Anders Puck Nielsen Leave a Comment

Dave Majumdar for The National Interest:

Early next year in February, the first of Russia’s new production Tupolev Tu-160M2 Blackjack supersonic strategic bombers will take to the air.

The new bomber is essentially a prototype of a next generation variant of the venerable Blackjack, the first generation of which was built during the 1980s in the last days of the Soviet Union. Russia operates 16 of the surviving aircraft as long-range cruise missile carriers as a key part of its strategic bomber force. The aircraft have performed well during Russia’s Syria campaign acting as launch platforms for the stealthy MKB Raduga H-101 cruise missile, which is thought to have a range between 4,500MKm and 5,500Km.

[…]

The Russians plan to buy about fifty of the new Tu-160 variant. It is also likely that the 16 original model Tu-160 airframes will be upgraded to the new standard. Moscow can make do with the upgraded Tu-160M2 for its strategic bomber force because unlike the United States Air Force, the Russian Air Force does not expect the massive aircraft to penetrate into enemy airspace to deliver its payload. Instead, the Tu-160—which is capable of speeds of over Mach 2.0—would dash into position to launch long-range standoff cruise missiles. As such, stealth is not considered to be particularly important. Indeed, one of the advantages of a highly visible strategic bomber is that it enables nuclear signaling.

Interesting point that if the missiles have a range of over 4000 kilometers, the aircraft doesn’t need to be stealth.