Fórum Defesa Brasil

Russians offer MiG-31s to Middle Eastern customers
Bill Sweetman, IDR Aerospace & Technology Editor, Farnborough


MiG and Russian defence export agency Rosboronexport are proposing to supply MiG-31 fighters to a number of Middle Eastern countries, company officials said at Farnborough. The MiG-31s would be offered to countries that already operate the fighter's predecessor, the MiG-25. These include Libya and Syria.

MiG also asserted here that the MiG-31 has a demonstrated capability against low-observable targets.

Under the proposed deal, the operators would trade in their older MiG-25s for the MiG-31E version of the fighter, drawn from Russian surplus stocks. Various upgrades have been proposed for the MiG-31E, including the integration of more modern missiles. It is not only the fastest fighter on the market today but also has the largest radar and one of the longest-range missiles in the shape of the Vympel R-33E.

The MiG-31 would give Middle Eastern operators a new level of capability against distant and high-flying targets such as Global Hawk UAVs. It was also regarded as a potential threat to high-value airborne assets such as AWACS and Joint STARS (Surveillance Target Attack Radar System).

The MiG-31 system has been tested against cruise-missile-sized targets, according to MiG deputy general designer Vladimir Barkovsky. "We have had no problems in that area."

Novo prototipo de UAV/UCAV, parece um B2 sem pilotos...

"Skunk Works unveils secret Polecat UAV
Nick Cook, JDW Aerospace Consultant, Farnborough*


The Lockheed Martin Skunk Works revealed on 19 July that it has secretly built and flown a large, high-altitude unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that has been designed to test a range of new technologies critical to what the company foresees as a ‘third-generation’ of unmanned platforms that will emerge in the US in the next decade.

Nicknamed Polecat, the high-altitude flying wing demonstrator was launched in March 2003 with USD27 million of internal Lockheed Martin funding and was completed 18 months later. It did not fly, however, until last year. Its key feature is an advanced laminar flow wing that confers a blend of high aerodynamic efficiency with a very low observable (VLO) radar cross-section.

Polecat, also known as the P-151, resembles a mini-B-2 but was inspired by flying wings designed by Germany’s Horten brothers during the Second World War. The Polecat’s wing has been “shaped for low observable [LO], but not treated for LO,” according to Lockheed Martin officials.

The vehicle could ultimately lead to a highly stealthy intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) platform to replace the Lockheed Martin U-2 and complement the Northrop Grumman Global Hawk, as well as to “establish Lockheed Martin’s credentials”, as one official put it, in the emerging race between it, Boeing and Northrop Grumman to build a long-range strike aircraft – either manned or unmanned – for the US Air Force.

The one-off, twin-engined demonstrator has a span of 90 ft – as large as the wingspan of a turboprop-powered 50-seat regional airliner such as the Bombardier DHC-8 Dash 8. It has a gross weight of 9,000 lbs and a payload capacity of 1,000 lbs. Critically, it is also designed for ‘contrail-suppression’, a key factor in the battle to add visual stealth to the radar frequency and infrared portions of the LO matrix.

Lockheed Martin officials would not disclose where Polecat conducted its test-flying programme, but it is assumed it flew out of the US government’s secret test facility at Groom Lake, Nevada, the epicentre of most classified US test-flight activity over the past 50 years. The company would not reveal either whether the US Air Force or the Central Intelligence Agency had acted as co-sponsor for the trials, but given that permission of a ‘customer’ had to be sought for the unveiling, the air force, at the very least, is believed to be monitoring the programme closely.

The last full-scale classified aircraft to emerge out of the shadows was Boeing’s Bird of Prey manned stealth demonstrator in 2002.

According to Frank Cappuccio, the head of Skunk Works, the Polecat demonstration programme was configured to give Lockheed Martin an insight into three areas critical to next-generation UAVs: reducing the manufacturing costs associated with new, largely composite airframe designs; lowering the capital cost of UAV manufacture through advanced tooling techniques; and integrating a fully autonomous flight control and mission-handling system that will allow future UAVs to conduct their missions, from take-off to landing, without the intervention of human operators.

The vehicle has completed an initial round of flight-testing and is now being prepared for a further series of demonstrations – most likely with sensors integrated – later in the year. Continuing to explore the Polecat’s performance above the 60,000-65,000 ft band, where contrails no longer form, will also be a key ingredient of the next round of trials, Lockheed Martin officials said.

Eliminating contrail emissions from future high-altitude long endurance (HALE) ISTAR UAVs is seen by the company as an essential ingredient in the stealth-mix of a ‘third generation’ of UAVs that is expected to emerge from a debate within the US user-community that is still some way from being resolved over an all-embracing concept of operations (CONOPS) governing UAVs and their combat equivalents, UCAVs.

Confusion within the community is manifest, observers say, in the rolling series of changes to the US Joint Unmanned Combat Air Systems (J-UCAS) programme over the past four years. A year ago, J-UCAS was primarily focused on a suppression of enemy air defences/electronic attack mission for the USAF; now it is being led by the US Navy, which has shifted its unmanned requirements from an emphasis on ISR to a predominant strike mission.

Polecat technology could lead to two operational vehicles, according to Cappuccio: an intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) vehicle with a U-2-like (1,800 kg) sensor payload and a 24-hour endurance; or a long-range strike aircraft with a 6,800 kg payload and a 3,700 km operational radius. He added, however, that Lockheed Martin is still pushing the idea of a supersonic UCAS for the LRS mission, citing studies that show that it would be seven times more survivable than a subsonic UCAS and five times better than the FB-22 bomber derivative of the F-22 fighter.

Polecat is part of a concerted, and largely hidden, technology demonstration programme launched by Lockheed Martin at the beginning of the decade in a bid to redress the industrial balance, after Boeing, Northrop and General Atomics forged what then looked like an unassailable lead to develop first- and second-generation UAVs and UCAVs.

Through its recently disclosed ‘Morphing UAV’ programme, the Skunk Works has already demonstrated ‘shape-shifting’ techniques that will allow future UAVs and UCAVs to change their roles mid-mission – for example, from an extended-wing long-loitering ISR planform, to a swept-wing attack configuration.

Cappuccio revealed that a future step could see the integration of morphing technology with a Polecat follow-on design – the addition of a tail, for example, that could morph from a horizontal into a vertical configuration – to allow a laminar-flow wing to fly and manoeuvre without undue risk in the thin air above 60,000 ft. A morphing tail might also be a desirable feature for a carrier-borne UAV/UCAV, Cappuccio said.

“All these programmes are feeding into us getting into a third generation of UAVs,” he told Jane’s.

Other integrated aspects of the Polecat demonstrator programme include an advanced ground station from an LM affiliate in Denver, Colorado and a fly-by-wire system adapted from the flight control laws developed for the short take-off/vertical landing variant of the Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. Radar and situational awareness sensors derived from technology pioneered for the F-35 could also be integrated into the Polecat or a derivative in future phases of the programme.

* Additional reporting by Bill Sweetman, IDR Aerospace & Technology Editor, Farnborough"




Polecat, a previously secret UAV from Lockheed Martin, was unveiled at the Farnborough Air Show.

Nossa, imagina a FAB com dois esquadrões de MiG-31. Seria muito poder.

Putz...Fazem uns 15 anos que vem falando que vão vender Mig-31 para Líbia e Síria, tá ficando pior que FX....

A russa VSMPO-Avisma, maior produtora mundial de titânio, assinou um contrato de longo prazo para fornecer componentes produzidos com o metal à fabricante brasileira de aviões Embraer, informaram as empresas na quinta-feira.

"O contrato é válido até 2011 e cobre a maior parte das necessidades de titânio dos programas de aviões da Embraer. Isso aumenta a relação entre as duas companhias, que existe desde 2000", disseram as companhias em comunicado.
O diretor-geral da VSMPO-Avisma, Vladislav Tetyukhin, não quis detalhar o valor do contrato. "É um bom contrato", disse, sem dar mais detalhes.

Segundo o acordo, a VSMPO-Avisma continuará fornecendo a maior parte de produtos tradicionais de titânio como placas, folhas, barras e vergalhões, necessários para os programas de jatos da Embraer.

Além disso, a companhia russa começará a entregar peças forjadas de alto valor agregado.

A VSMPO-Avisma é uma importante fornecedora de produtos de titânio para as gigantes aeroespaciais Boeing e Airbus. A companhia estatal russa Rosoboronexport divulgou esta semana que vai adquirir em breve o controle da produtora de titânio.

As ações da Embraer subiam 0,43 por cento, cotadas a 18,88 reais na Bolsa de Valores de São Paulo, às 11h32, quando o Ibovespa, referência do mercado, cedia 0,75 por cento.

Reuters

JB, 23/07/06

GILBERTO AMARAL
Vôo alto

A FAB está comprando 12 aviões franceses modelo Mirage 2000 C, por cerca de 60 milhões de euros. Quatro unidades serão entregues ainda este ano e oito em 2008. Os aviões estavam sendo usados pela Força Aérea Francesa e têm estimativa de 20 anos de vida útil.

jacquessantiago escreveu:JB, 23/07/06

GILBERTO AMARAL
Vôo alto

A FAB está comprando 12 aviões franceses modelo Mirage 2000 C, por cerca de 60 milhões de euros. Quatro unidades serão entregues ainda este ano e oito em 2008. Os aviões estavam sendo usados pela Força Aérea Francesa e têm estimativa de 20 anos de vida útil.

Mirage 2000C, F-5M e A-1M até 2025.

Que terror.

Gosto muito da modernização do F-5M, mas odeio a plataforma F-5. Se a modernização fosse feita numa aeronave mais moderna e relativamente barata, como o F-16A, não estariamos tão perdidos como estamos hoje.

Video no Youtube sobre o Gripen (Avionicos, Missões, Motorização, Datalink, etc).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OGJOF0RjzdA

Boeing 707 da FAA paralisados

A frota de aeronaves de transporte Boeing 707 da Fuerza Aérea Argentina encontra-se paralisada por problemas orçamentários. Já haviam sido iniciados os trabalhos para recolocação em serviço das aeronaves, mas os trabalhos foram subitamente suspensos, sendo inclusive “groundeado” o único exemplar ainda em vôo (por razão de ter sido atingido o limite de horas entre revisões, apesar de já terem sido concedidas prorrogações, aceitas pelo fabricante). Para recolocar em uso as três aeronaves em melhores condições entre as cinco disponíveis seriam necessários cerca de US$10milhões, valor de que a FAA não dispõe no momento. Atualmente é incerto o destino do Escuadrón V (Boeing 707); entretanto, o retorno dos aviões ao serviço ativo é um imperativo que decorre da necessidade de apoiar as tropas estacionadas em Chipre e no Haiti. (Hernán Casciani e Juan Carlos Cicalesi)


Um abraço e t+

Agora já foi assinado...

30 SU-30!!! Putz!

MOSCOW, July 21 (RIA Novosti) - Russia has signed a contract on supplies of military planes and helicopters to Venezuela worth over $1 billion, the defense minister said Friday.

Sergei Ivanov said 30 Su-30 Flanker air-superiority fighters and 30 helicopters would be supplied to Venezuela.

The Russian Su-30 Flankers will replace a Venezuelan contingent of U.S. F-16 multi-role fighters after Washington imposed an embargo on arms sales to the country May 15, which it says poses a threat to regional stability.

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, who has moved to curb American influence in the region and consolidate ties with other South American nations since he came to power in 1998, earlier accused the United States of breaching an agreement to supply parts for Venezuela's F-16s.

Oil-rich Venezuela is a major purchaser of Russian weapons and hardware. In late 2004, the two countries signed a $54 million contract for the supply of 100,000 automatic rifles. In June this year, the outspoken Chavez said he planned to build a plant to make Kalashnikov rifles and cartridges in the country.

In mid 2005, Caracas signed a contract to buy six Mi-17 Hip and eight Mi-35 Hind multi-purpose helicopters from Russia, which has already supplied three of the aircraft.

[]s
CB_Lima

Como é bom ter din-din... a Arabia Saudita vai pegar os seus EF-2000 antes do que o esperado (inclusive pegando aeronaves antes destinadas aos ingleses e aos austríacos!)...

Saudi to get jets earlier
By Rupert Steiner
23 July 2006



SAUDI Arabia has agreed a deal with the British government to deliver Eurofighter jets, at present earmarked for the RAF and Austria, to the Kingdom because of the worsening situation in the Middle East.

The government is close to concluding a £5.4bn (E7.8bn, $10bn) contract with the Royal Saudi Airforce involving 72 Eurofighter Typhoon Jets being made by BAE Systems, part of the four-nation European consortium building the aircraft.

As part of the final terms of that contract, defence sources in Saudi Arabia said this weekend that Saudi Arabia has requested some of its Eurofighter order much earlier than BAE can deliver.

To meet the Saudi request, the government has agreed to divert some of the 144 planes being built for the RAF – and possibly some of 18 planes ordered by the Austrian Airforce – to Saudi instead.

Partner nations Germany, the UK, Italy and Spain have ordered more than 600 aircraft.

Des Browne, the UK Defence Secretary, will travel to Riyadh imminently to sign the final agreement on the Typhoon Acquisition Project with Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz al-Saud, the Saudi Crown Prince and Defence Minister.

The deal includes infrastructure contracts worth £30bn

[]s
CB_Lima

Parece que a Arabia Saudita escolheu os europeus como seus principais fornecedores.

Elas esta para comprar 142 helicopteros da frança, incluindo 62 NH-90, 12 Tigers, 42 Fennec, 20 Cougar C-SAR e 4 Panther SAR

http://www.defense-aerospace.com/cgi-bi ... ele=jdc_34


Um abraço e t+

Pablo Maica escreveu:Parece que a Arabia Saudita escolheu os europeus como seus principais fornecedores.

Elas esta para comprar 142 helicopteros da frança, incluindo 62 NH-90, 12 Tigers, 42 Fennec, 20 Cougar C-SAR e 4 Panther SAR

http://www.defense-aerospace.com/cgi-bi ... ele=jdc_34


Um abraço e t+

Premio de consolacao!

cb_lima escreveu:Como é bom ter din-din... a Arabia Saudita vai pegar os seus EF-2000 antes do que o esperado (inclusive pegando aeronaves antes destinadas aos ingleses e aos austríacos!)...

Saudi to get jets earlier
By Rupert Steiner
23 July 2006



SAUDI Arabia has agreed a deal with the British government to deliver Eurofighter jets, at present earmarked for the RAF and Austria, to the Kingdom because of the worsening situation in the Middle East.

The government is close to concluding a £5.4bn (E7.8bn, $10bn) contract with the Royal Saudi Airforce involving 72 Eurofighter Typhoon Jets being made by BAE Systems, part of the four-nation European consortium building the aircraft.

As part of the final terms of that contract, defence sources in Saudi Arabia said this weekend that Saudi Arabia has requested some of its Eurofighter order much earlier than BAE can deliver.

To meet the Saudi request, the government has agreed to divert some of the 144 planes being built for the RAF – and possibly some of 18 planes ordered by the Austrian Airforce – to Saudi instead.

Partner nations Germany, the UK, Italy and Spain have ordered more than 600 aircraft.

Des Browne, the UK Defence Secretary, will travel to Riyadh imminently to sign the final agreement on the Typhoon Acquisition Project with Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz al-Saud, the Saudi Crown Prince and Defence Minister.

The deal includes infrastructure contracts worth £30bn

[]s
CB_Lima

Pressao da ameaca iraniana

Irianiana é?