Le flotte des MQ-9 "Reapers" pour le Royal Air Force

[Invité Rob]

Bon! Ces sont des tres bons UAVs. En avenir on va avoir peut-etre 12 MQ-9 "Reapers". Le RAF va utiliser les MQ-9s dans No. 39 Squadron. Je prefer des UAVs britannique (plus grands Herti UAVs avec des armes peut-etre) pour aider l'industrie britannique, mais c'est un UOR ("Urgent Operational Requirement") et nous avons deja des bons programmes UAVs (Herti, Watchkeeper, Taranis, etc... .).

UK looks to arm expanded Reaper force

By Tim Ripley

UK Royal Air Force (RAF) chiefs want to arm their soon-to-be-delivered General Atomics Aeronautical Systems MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for strike operations against Taliban insurgents in Afghanistan later this year.

The Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Sir Glenn Torpy, told Jane’s that the RAF has also increased its requirement for the upgraded version of the Predator UAV from two to three air vehicles. When urgent operational requirement (UOR) approval for the purchase of the Reapers was approved by the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) in 2006 it was not envisaged that the UAVs would be armed.

"Predator B [Reaper] is coming later this year to give us a persistent striking capability, which is key to attacking the type of targets we need to attack," said ACM Torpy. "It is cleared for [the Lockheed Martin AGM-114 laser guided] Hellfire. We will use the same weapons as the Americans at first because that is the quickest way to get capability," he added.

"We will not need convincing of what [the Reapers] will deliver for us. We are buying three, up from two. Our aspiration is that the [Predator force] will get bigger, 12 for a start," said ACM Torpy.

Link: http://www.janes.com/defence/news/jdw/jdw070504_1_n.shtml

Image:

Information:

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS

* Contractor: General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Incorporated

* Landing Type: runway

* Launch Type: runway

* Power Plant: Honeywell TP331-10 turboprop engine, 670 kW

PERFORMANCE

* Ceiling: 50,000 ft (15 km)

* Endurance: 15 h

* Fuel Capacity: 1,300 kg (3,907 lb)

* Length: 11 m (36 ft)

* Payload: 1700 kg (3800 lb)

* Weight: 1400 kg (5400 lb) empty; 4500 kg (10,500 lb) max

* Wingspan: 20 m (66 ft)

* Velocity: 400 km/h (250 mph, 220 knots)

ARMAMENT

* 4x AGM-114 Hellfire air to ground missiles

* 2x GBU-12 Paveway II laser-guided bombs

COST

* Unit cost: USD 8 million (approximate, varies by configuration)

Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MQ-9_Reaper#United_Kingdom

[Tiger]

c'est une évolution du Predator B si je comprends bien ?

[Invité Rob]

Je pense que c'est le Predator B avec un autre nom. Le prochaine Predator est le Predator C, mais il est encore en developement.

[Invité Rob]

UK Predators to be weapons equipped

The chief of the Royal Air Force (RAF), Air Chief Marshal Glenn Torpy, confirmed on 1 May that the Predator B UAVs being acquired by the UK as an urgent operational requirement (UOR) will be armed with the hellfire missile.

ACM Torpy said that the RAF was looking forward to the persistent strike capability that the Predator B would offer. He added that the UAVs would come with the same weapons fit as the US to begin with. The first platform is due to come on line in Autumn and the RAF will have 3 airframes available.

Until now the Ministry of Defence (MoD) had not confirmed whether the UAVs would come with hellfire or just be used as an intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance platform. However, one official from Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control told uvonline.com in March that the company had been in discussions with the MoD about supporting the missile on the Predator, which already equips the British Army’s Apache attack helicopters.

The Predators being procured through the UOR will give the RAF a toe-hold in the UAV business and in the past ACM Torpy has acknowledged that the RAF has been slow to exploit the possibilities of the UAV as a platform. However, he said that the RAF had got a vast amount of experience from its participation in predator operations at Creech Air Force Base in the US where RAF pilots have conducted a lot of missions.

ACM Torpy said that in order to have a sustainable fleet of Predator Bs he would like to see the number eventually procured increase to around 12 systems. Further out the RAF is awaiting the outcomes of the Taranis study to evaluate the potential of procuring an advanced UCAV system.

Link: http://www.shephard.co.uk/UVOnline/default.aspx

[Chris.]

une explication sur les différentes versions désignations du predator/reaper/warrior: http://www.designation-systems.net/dusrm/app2/q-1.html et http://www.designation-systems.net/dusrm/app2/q-9.html

[Invité Rob]

J'aime l'idee d'un Squadron de 12 MQ-9s pour le RAF, je pense que ce sera un squadron tres utile. Mais, en ce moment, les "facts" disent que le No 39 Squadron va avoir 3 MQ-9s en "B Flight" et des MQ-1s en "A Flight". Les MQ-1s sont operer avec l'USAF. Le 39 Squadron est un "Photographic Reconnaissance Unit", mais avec les MQ-9s il va etre plus "multirole".

[Neo]

ARMAMENT

* 4x AGM-114 Hellfire air to ground missiles

* 2x GBU-12 Paveway II laser-guided bombs

Dommage qu'on ai décider de ne pas métre ce genre de chose sur nos futur EuroMale!

[jeune]

C'est vrai que c'est dommage, car cela permet d'attaquer des objectifs ultra protégés ! Ils auraient pu permettre de commencer à former les futurs utilisateurs du neuron.

[Chris.]

ou même d'assurer un support à moindre frais. Un euromale ou un MQ-9 coutant moins cher à faire voler qu'un Rafale décollant depuis le CDG a des milliers de km de la zone d'action. Et en plus il peut rester en vol plus longtemps.

[GALIL10]

les anglais devrai devloppé leurs propres drones ,ils ont les moyens financiers et pour la techniques il doivent étre capable de faire des drones equivalent au drones américains et israéliens.

[Invité Rob]

les anglais devrai devloppé leurs propres drones ,ils ont les moyens financiers et pour la techniques il doivent étre capable de faire des drones equivalent au drones américains et israéliens.

Oui, je suis d'accord, mais comme je dit les MQ-9s sont achetes comme un "UOR", le mot de jour est "vitesse". Developer notre "MQ-9" equivalent n'est pas assez vite pour des operations en Iraq et Afghanistan. Et un UOR n'est pas mauvais pour le UAV budget propre parce que un "UOR" est paye directement par le "Treasury". Le MoD doit seul paye pour le "support" d'equipment apres le premier ans, iirc. Pour parler des UAVs/UCAVs britannique, il y a beaucoup des projets, comme le Taranis (8000kg UCAV), le Herti (450kg MALE UAV), le Zephyr (UAV "ultra long range"), le Watchkeeper (450kg MALE UAV develope avec l'Israel), etc...

[Invité Rob]

Le programme Watchkeeper pour le RAF a eu "design freeze" en Mai 2007. Je doit dire, j'aime le look. En total, je pense que le RAF achete 99 Watchkeepers. En le temps entre l'entree en service du Watchkeeper et maintenant, le RAF va utiliser des Hermes 450 avec un "lease arrangement".

Picture: Thales UK reveals new look for Watchkeeper UAV

By Craig Hoyle

Thales is exhibiting a full-scale, final configuration model of the British Army's future Watchkeeper tactical unmanned air vehicle at the Paris air show, having completed a critical design review of the airframe in late May.

Now ready to enter its manufacturing phase, the £700 million ($1.4 billion) Watchkeeper programme will deliver battlefield intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance services to the UK armed forces from 2010, with the UAV to offer an all-weather capability.

Selected in August 2005, Thales UK is partnered with Elbit Systems in developing the Watchkeeper air vehicle, which is a further development of the Israeli company's 450kg (990lb) Hermes 450. The newly revealed version incorporates a dual mission payload comprising the Thales I-Master synthetic aperture radar/ground moving target indication sensor (pictured front) and Compass IV electro-optical/infrared system (rear) from Elbit subsidiary Elop. Also referred to as DCompass, the latter sensor is claimed by its manufacturer to be the first of its type to use a fully digital open-architecture design.

Compared with the baseline Hermes 450, the new Watchkeeper design also features a retractable and strengthened nose wheel and improved fixed main undercarriage, and its wing has been blended with the aircraft's upper fuselage and will now carry de-icing equipment. Thales says the enhanced design also offers an increased fuel capacity, identification friend-or-foe equipment, wide- and narrow-band datalinks and will be equipped to perform automatic take-off and landing. The changes have resulted in an increase to the UAV's previously estimated 450kg maximum take-off weight, but the extra fuel will enable it to deliver its planned endurance of around 17h.

"The finalisation of the UAV design represents another step towards the successful delivery of the system at the end of the decade," says Thales UK. A system critical design review was also scheduled to conclude earlier this month. The Ministry of Defence has also today signed a contract with the Elbit/Thales partnership company U-Tacs to deliver interim UAV services in Iraq using leased Hermes 450 air vehicles. Israeli sources say the urgent operational requirement deal values around £55 million.

Link: http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2007/06/07/214484/picture-thales-uk-reveals-new-look-for-watchkeeper.html

U-TacS Awarded $110 Million Order by Thales UK to Provide ISTAR Capability for UK Armed Forces

HAIFA, Israel, June 7 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Elbit Systems Ltd.

(NASDAQ:ESLT) announced that its UK company with Thales UK - UAV Tactical

Systems Ltd. (U-TacS) has been awarded a contract worth approximately $110

million by Thales UK to provide an urgent intelligence, Surveillance,

Target Acquisition and reconnaissance (ISTAR) support capability for the UK

Armed Forces. The program, will commence immediately and will take place

over the next few years.

The contract includes the provision of Hermes® 450 UAV systems, as

well as training of the UK MoD staff in use and maintenance of the system,

and the provision of contractor logistic support (CLS) and program

management services. This work will be managed from the U -TacS facility in

Leicester, UK, which currently employs approximately 100 personnel. U -TacS

also provides the core UAV systems for the Thales UK Watchkeeper UAV

system.

The President and CEO of Elbit Systems, Joseph Ackerman said: "Once

again, we are proud to be a part of a winning team together with Thales UK

in a project based on the High End tactical Hermes® 450 UAV, globally

recognized as a brand name for UAV customers worldwide."

U-TacS is held 51% by Elbit Systems with the balance being owned by

Thales UK.

About Elbit Systems

Elbit Systems Ltd. is an international defense electronics company

engaged in a wide range of defense-related programs throughout the world.

The Elbit Systems Group, which includes the company and its subsidiaries,

operates in the areas of aerospace, land and naval systems, command,

control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance and

reconnaissance ("C4ISR"), advanced electro-optic and space technologies, EW

suites, airborne warning systems, ELINT systems, data links and military

communications systems and equipment. The Group also focuses on the

upgrading of existing military platforms and developing new technologies

for defense and homeland security applications.

Link:

http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/06-07-2007/0004603697&EDATE=