International | Soldier Systems Daily Soldier Systems Daily

Archive for the ‘International’ Category

AeroVironment Secures $20.86 Million in Puma 3 AE Unmanned Aircraft Systems Foreign Military Sales Awards for Allied Nations

Wednesday, September 21st, 2022

• Portable, rugged Puma 3 All Environment (AE) unmanned aircraft system provides immediate tactical reconnaissance capabilities for land and maritime operations

• Foreign Military Sales program promotes interoperability among U.S. and allied forces for joint operations

• Customers are among the more than 50 allied governments employing AeroVironment’s unmanned aircraft systems

The powerful propulsion system and aerodynamic design of the Puma 3 All Environment (AE) unmanned aircraft system makes it efficient and easy to launch for ISR missions in the most challenging environments. (US Marine Corps photo by Pfc. Audrey Rampton) Disclaimer: The appearance of US Department of Defense (DoD) visual information does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement.

ARLINGTON, Va., Sept. 20, 2022 –AeroVironment, Inc. (NASDAQ: AVAV) a global leader in intelligent, multi-domain robotic systems , today announced it received two firm-fixed-price US Department of Defense Foreign Military Sales ( FMS) contract awards totaling $20,868,105 to provide Puma™ 3 AE small unmanned aircraft systems (SUAS), initial spares packages, training and Contractor Logistics Support (CLS) to two allied nations.

“Deployed for well over a decade, our Puma UAS have continued to be a low-cost, man-portable, easy-to operate UAS for our customers,” said Trace Stevenson, AeroVironment vice president and product line general manager for SUAS. “With each new generation of Puma, optimizations have been made for more robust flight, durability and operational flexibility but its purpose of providing reliable and persistent situational awareness, critical force protection and force multiplication capabilities to our customers remains the same.

“Our allies are continuing to adopt and deploy Puma 3 AE and other AeroVironment systems as they recognize the importance of equipping their frontline forces with lifesaving, force overmatch solutions,” Stevenson added.

AeroVironment’s Puma 3 AE delivers mission critical capabilities in all environments. Puma 3 AE has a wingspan of 9.2 feet (2.8 meters), weighs 15.4 pounds (7 kilograms) and can operate up to 37.2 miles (60 kilometers) with AeroVironment’s Long-Range Tracking Antenna (LRTA). Multi-mission capable, operators can easily swap Puma 3 AE’s payloads quickly, selecting between the Mantis™ i45 and the enhanced night variant, Mantis i45 N. Puma 3 AE is launchable by hand, bungee, rail, or vehicle, and is recoverable by deep-stall landing, providing class-leading capabilities in challenging environments around the world.

Posted in Contracts, International, Press Release, UAS | Comments Off on AeroVironment Secures $20.86 Million in Puma 3 AE Unmanned Aircraft Systems Foreign Military Sales Awards for Allied Nations

Rolling Filling Stations: Rheinmetall Wins Bundeswehr Order for Airfield Fuel Tank Trucks

Wednesday, September 21st, 2022

Rheinmetall has won an important order for special vehicles for the Bundeswehr. The German Armed Forces have contracted with the Düsseldorf-based technology group to supply a total of 48 fuel tank trucks for use at numerous German Army and Air Force airfields. Moreover, an option exists for procurement of five more vehicles of this type.

Booked in June 2022, the order is worth a figure in the mid-two-digit million-euro range. In winning this order, Rheinmetall continues to strengthen its strong ties with the Bundeswehr, especially with the company in charge of supporting and maintaining its fleet of vehicles. Now, two years after the Bundeswehr ordered 342 roll-off tippers from Rheinmetall, the utilization spectrum continues to expand.

Rheinmetall MAN Military Vehicles (RMMV) succeeded in overcoming the competition in a public request for tenders. Delivery starts in July 2023; per customer specification, the last vehicles will ship before the end of 2024. The order encompasses not only the vehicles but also the supply of fuelling components for the tank build-on as well as special tools. Furthermore, a service contract was concluded for a period of twelve years beyond the delivery period.

Rheinmetall is one of the world’s leading makers of military trucks of many different types with a huge variety of special build-ons. The TGS 8×4 airfield fuel tank truck was developed in close cooperation with Esterer GmbH & Co. KG of Helsa near Kassel, a renowned producer of build-ons for tank trucks for civil and military use.

Several features set the vehicle apart, including a very high tank volume of up to 22,000 litres, a latest-generation filter, and a digitized build-on that can be linked to information systems. Extensive vehicle and spare part documentation is available in digital format, backed by a global military service and support network.

This order is important to Rheinmetall not only because it deepens the Group’s business relations with the Bundeswehr; it is also the first time it has been able to demonstrate – in cooperation with Esterer – its special expertise in the field of military tanks trucks.

A component of Rheinmetall’s Vehicle Systems division, Rheinmetall MAN Military Vehicles is the Group’s centre of excellence for specifically military and militarized logistic vehicles.

Headquartered in Munich, the joint venture is co-owned by Rheinmetall AG, with a 51% stake, and MAN Truck & Bus SE, with 49%. It is one of the world’s top suppliers of defence solutions in the logistic land mobility domain. Together with its predecessor companies, RMMV can point to over a century of building trucks that meet the most exacting military standards. All Rheinmetall MAN Military Vehicles are produced at the company’s plant in Liesing near Vienna.

Posted in Advertiser, Contracts, International, Press Release | Comments Off on Rolling Filling Stations: Rheinmetall Wins Bundeswehr Order for Airfield Fuel Tank Trucks

Kosovo Security Force Members Make History, Earn U.S. Air Assault Badge

Saturday, September 17th, 2022

JOHNSTON, Iowa– Two Kosovo Security Force members made history by becoming the first KSF soldiers to graduate from a U.S. Air Assault course Sept. 9, 2022, at Camp Dodge in Johnston, Iowa.

Maj. Gen. Ben Corell, the Adjutant General of Iowa National Guard, along with representatives from the Des Moines Consulate of the Republic of Kosovo and senior KSF leadership, were present to congratulate Pvt. Sead Berisha, a psychological operations soldier, and Staff Sgt. Lorik Ramaj, a civilian affairs soldier, on earning their U.S. Air Assault badges. Sead and Ramaj stood at attention alongside U.S. Soldiers and Airmen as their mentors and loved ones pinned them with their “wings” on graduation day.

On the first day of the course, Berisha described feeling strange being in a different uniform from the U.S. service members surrounding him, but said that his fellow students were approachable and encouraging.

“It’s my first time in the U.S. and in Iowa, and I feel really special to be here,” said Berisha.

Berisha and Ramaj represent their countrymen in their admirable achievement but also the flourishing National Guard State Partnership Program that joins Kosovo and Iowa in military-to-military engagements in support of defense security goals and cooperation objectives that also foster cultural exchange.

Over 290 service members converged at the post to earn the coveted Air Assault Badge, Pathfinder Badge or title of Rappel Master throughout August and September.

It was the first time in four years that Mobile Training Teams based out of the Army National Guard Warrior Training Center at Fort Benning, Georgia, traveled to Camp Dodge to teach the courses. The cadre led the Soldiers and Airmen through grueling tasks that were both physically and mentally challenging.

The U.S. Army Air Assault course trains service members across all branches in sling load operations and rappelling, as well as being a true test of grit. It includes phases that test not only their technical aptitude, but their ability to negotiate a tough obstacle course between repetitions of various exercises and — for those who pass all other tests — finishes with a timed 12-mile ruck march.

As for the Pathfinder course, a 2020 Army Times article stated the course would get the axe as projected at the time, but Sgt. 1st Class Josh Ludecke said that’s not the case. Ludecke is the primary Pathfinder instructor assigned to Company B, ARNG WTC.

“We’re still here for the Army National Guard, and our training center has absorbed executive agency of the Pathfinder school,” said Ludecke. “We’re doing things that we can to fit [the course] more toward the force we need.”

1st Lt. Tanner Potter is an Iowa National Guard Soldier currently serving on active duty orders as the executive officer of Company B, ARNG WTC. He explained the difference between the Army’s Pathfinder and Air Assault courses.

“Pathfinders are able to be off on their own establishing drop zones and can go in ahead of a unit,” said Potter. “It’s just extremely in-depth, almost like college-level classes. Air assault is much easier for younger Soldiers to understand, strictly focusing on tower rigging and rappelling, that sort of thing.”

Each course has overall objectives and knowledge that culminates with each skill level. Air Assault is meant to lay the foundation for Pathfinder as well as the Rappel Master course, which is currently being held at Camp Dodge.

Sgt. Briton Ensminger, a cavalry scout with Troop A, 1st Squadron, 113th Cavalry Regiment, IANG, said the Pathfinder course involved “very, very rigorous studying.” Yet, the long hours of mental strain paid off when he earned his badge on graduation day alongside his twin brother, Sgt. Bergen Ensminger, and was pinned by the primary Air Assault instructor. The Ensminger brothers are from Mount Pleasant, Iowa.

“The non-commissioned officer-in-charge of Air Assault is an old squad leader of mine [from] when I deployed,” said Ensminger. “He got to pin on my torch for me, so that was pretty cool.”

The Rappel Master course at Camp Dodge, which also offers a valuable and specialized set of skills focusing on aircraft rigging and rappelling, is set to graduate approximately 27 service members Sept. 15. This will close out a significant joint training event that gives service members a chance to both stand out and stand together with others who’ve earned these skills and badges.

Story by SSG Samantha Hircock

Photos by SSG Tawny Kruse

Posted in Army, Guest Post, International, Training | 2 Comments »

Rheinmetall and Helsing – Partners for the Next Generation of Armed Forces

Friday, September 16th, 2022

Rheinmetall, a longstanding, tried-and-tested partner of digitized armed forces around the world, and Helsing, the leading European provider of software and AI for defence systems, have announced a strategic partnership to transform land defence capabilities.

Through the joint development of software-based defence systems and retrofitting of existing platforms, this partnership will provide the armed forces with advanced and future-proof capabilities, enabling them to meet current and future challenges.

The unprovoked attack on Ukraine has forced Europe into a new era of land-based warfare. With the return of peer-to-peer conflicts and the emergence of novel, digital capabilities on the battlefield Europe must modernise its armies at speed. One of the key lessons of the Russo-Ukrainian War is that digitization and AI-supported mission systems can give armies a meaningful edge on the battlefield. They are destined to play a key role in defensive operations.

The Rheinmetall/Helsing partnership combines world-leading, battle-tested components, platforms, systems and software with modern, military-grade AI capabilities in order to deter and, if necessary, successfully take on an adversary. By investing in technology development upfront and delivering new products at speed, this partnership will provide the armed forces with fast access to the latest technological innovations.

“Rheinmetall has been supplying advanced networked products, systems, software and technologies in the defence and security realm for many decades, for which we are very grateful. Our partnership with Helsing will further augment our capabilities in the field of artificial intelligence, enabling us to equip our products with the latest technologies faster than ever. This lets us modernize legacy platforms and systems, providing our customers with new, world-leading capabilities”, states Christoph Müller, CEO of Rheinmetall Electronic Solutions.

Dr Gundbert Scherf, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Helsing adds: “Helsing is a new type of defence company, focused purely on software and AI, funding our own product development. We are therefore delighted to partner with Rheinmetall and combine our advanced AI capabilities with their world-leading land platforms. Recent geopolitical events have shown that democracies need to be able to protect and deter. But democracies also need to out-innovate and out-pace autocratic regimes. We believe this partnership has the potential to do that, equipping land forces for the future at pace.”

About Rheinmetall Electronics GmbH
Rheinmetall Electronics GmbH supplies the world’s armed forces, government agencies and civilian customers with mission equipment and learning and training solutions. The company, which belongs to Rheinmetall AG’s Electronic Solutions division, has been in the business for decades.

Working in close cooperation with customers, Rheinmetall Electronics develops high-end products and integrates advanced system solutions.

Its Integrated Electronic Solutions portfolio encompasses reconnaissance, fire control, soldier systems and command and control technology as well as training, learning and development applications for individuals, groups and entire customer organizations. Security solutions and specific IT and cyber systems round out the company’s portfolio.

Customers in over forty countries place their trust in technology from Rheinmetall Electronics. Eager to be close to its customers, the company maintains a significant international presence, with multiple subsidiaries around the world as well as an extensive supplier network.

Posted in Advertiser, Industry, International, Press Release | Comments Off on Rheinmetall and Helsing – Partners for the Next Generation of Armed Forces

HENSOLDT Showcases its Land Solutions at DVD 2022

Friday, September 16th, 2022

Enfield, 16 September 2022 – Sensor solutions specialist HENSOLDT will be showcasing its broad portfolio, which includes solutions for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance operations, and sensors to improve safety and operational effectiveness. Visit HENSOLDT’s Stand No. SP-16 at DVD 21-22 September, for more information on its latest technology offerings in Radar, Optronics, self-protection and C2 solutions for defence and security applications.

HENSOLDT will present advanced solutions for the armoured vehicle sector, such as MUSS – Multi-functional Self-protection System and SETAS – See Through Armour System.

SETAS is a key element of HENSOLDT’s land portfolio and is a high performance Local Situational Awareness System (LSAS) for armoured vehicles, such as armoured personnel carriers, reconnaissance vehicles, engineering support vehicles and main battle tanks. The system is designed to provide all the crew with a real time panoramic view of what is outside the vehicle. In addition to the system’s 360° coverage in azimuth, a high vertical field of view provides awareness of potential threats from above, such as those encountered when operating in urban environments. The system supports detection and identification of threats such as snipers or RPGs, so that when soldiers have to disembark, they know exactly what awaits them outside, which is extremely advantageous when operating in a contested environment.

HENSOLDT will also present its TRML-4D air defence and weapon location radar and its Twinvis passive radar, as well as its portable battlefield solutions SPEXER 360 and 600 radars, all of which are designed to provide excellent performance in all weather conditions.

A selection of boresights, weapon sights and other high-performance optics will also be showcased.

HENSOLDT’s CxEye Command and Control (C2) Software will be featured as well. This modular system combines and integrates numerous sensors (radar, electro-optics, direction finders) and target neutralization effectors such as jammers and drone catchers.

Rohan Dearlove, Business Development Director, said :

“HENSOLDT exhibited at DVD 2018 and now that COVID has subsided, we are delighted to be back once more to participate in this prestigious event. Our UK footprint has expanded through the intervening years through investment in our UK facilities and SQEP, and we relish the opportunity to showcase best-in-class technologies relevant to the British Army’s current requirements and future programmes.”

www.uk.hensoldt.net

Posted in International, Press Release, Sensors, Tradeshow | Comments Off on HENSOLDT Showcases its Land Solutions at DVD 2022

USAF Selects Persistent Systems for Airborne Network for African Partners

Monday, September 12th, 2022

African countries interested in AERONet following successful Continued Light Attack Experiment (CLAE)

Persistent Systems, LLC (“Persistent”), a leader in mobile ad hoc networking (MANET) technology, announced today that it received a request from the U.S. Air Force to supply the Airborne Extensible Relay Over-Horizon Network (AERONet) to a country in Africa.

The request comes on the heels of a successful demonstration in May of the exportable AERONet airborne communications relay at the Continued Light Attack Experiment (CLAE).

“We showed partner nations how AERONet could be used to support missions such as close air support and high-value target takedowns,” said Robert Truglia, AERONet program manager for Persistent.

At CLAE, U.S. Air Force pilots taking off from Moody Air Force Base, in Georgia, flew AT-6E Wolverine turboprop aircraft with Colombian, Nigerian, Thai, and Tunisian personnel and conducting simulated bombing runs and high-value takedowns, in which the aircraft aided in the capture drug smugglers and violent extremist role players.

During this experiment, the platform-agnostic AERONet kit provided the communication backbone for participating nations linking aircraft, Joint Terminal Attack Controllers, and three geographically dispersed command-and-control centers in Georgia, Florida, and Arizona, Truglia said. This allowed partner nations to view full motion video and participate in the event from their home countries.

Lt. Col. Gerald Ferdinand, CLAE collaboration director, called CLAE a success, concluding, “AERONet can advance joint all-domain command and control (JADC2) capabilities by expanding our network with existing partners.”

As part of the post-CLAE AERONet order from the African country, Persistent Systems will supply equipment and services to both the U.S. Air Force and the partner nation. Meanwhile, interest in light attack aircraft for surveillance and strike missions grows elsewhere.

“We’ve just seen the U.S. Special Operations Command’s Armed Overwatch program sign an IDIQ contract with L3Harris for AT-802U Sky Warden aircraft,” Truglia said. “Like the aircraft tested in CLAE, these Sky Wardens will be used in coordinated close air support and precision strike efforts in irregular warfare operations.”

www.persistentsystems.com

Update: system going to Nigeria and Tunisia.

Posted in Comms, Contracts, International, Press Release | Comments Off on USAF Selects Persistent Systems for Airborne Network for African Partners

Services Charity Veterans With Dogs introduces Assistance Dog “Ferris” to the Defence Industry at DVD

Friday, September 9th, 2022

The services charity Veterans With Dogs is introducing their example assistance dog “Ferris” to the UK defence industry at the DVD 2022 Exhibition, taking place at Millbrook, 21/22 September. Ferris will be joined by his Army veteran owner, Bryan Maddams – himself a seasoned member of the defence industry having worked for General Dynamics, and Ultra Electronics on some major programmes such as Ajax, Warrior CSP and CR2 LEP. Bryan and Ferris are attending DVD to raise awareness of Veterans With Dogs across the industry with the aim of generating support and funds, through donations.

Veterans With Dogs is the UK’s leading organisation that trains and provides assistance dogs exclusively for current and former British Armed Forces service personnel diagnosed with a mental health condition, including Post Traumatic Stress Disorder – a prevalent condition in post-Afghanistan veterans. The charity uses a unique PALS (Partner Animals Life Skills) training programme which combines home support and residential courses, with annual assessments thereafter to maintain the fully accredited assistance dog status. The dogs that undergo this training are always ‘on shift’, providing the veteran with 24/7, 365 days of assistance. They not only change the lives of the veterans – in some cases, they save them too.

At the DVD event, Veterans With Dogs is being supported by the defence industry focussed PR company, Chamois. Chamois are providing PR support to the charity, free of charge. The Chamois team will be helping Bryan and Ferris achieve maximum exposure throughout the event using their media contacts and through a targeted social media campaign.

Bryan Maddams, a volunteer Fundraiser for Veterans With Dogs said: “Ferris and I are very much looking forward to attending DVD. We’ll be on the ground for both event days meeting as many people as possible with the aim of raising awareness of and support for our charity. I’m also looking forward to seeing many of my own industry contacts as we walk around together”.

Jamie Clarke, CEO at Chamois said: “I’m delighted to be helping Bryan, Ferris and Veterans With Dogs at DVD this year. As a veteran and a dog owner myself, I can associate with this charity and having spent time understanding more about what they do, I believe it’s a charity that deserves support from across our fantastic UK defence industry. The work we’re doing will hopefully assist in generating further support”.

Posted in Charity, Industry, International, K9, Press Release | Comments Off on Services Charity Veterans With Dogs introduces Assistance Dog “Ferris” to the Defence Industry at DVD

TacJobs – CTOMS Seeks Casual Training Support Specialists

Friday, September 9th, 2022

CTOMS looking for casual Training Support Specialists. The position includes logistical management, battlefield simulation, opposing force, and casualty roles. Contracts will occur on a casual basis and may include travel. If you want to join the CTOMS Training Team or for more information contact training@ctoms.ca

Posted in Advertiser, International, Medical, TacJobs | Comments Off on TacJobs – CTOMS Seeks Casual Training Support Specialists