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How difficult hitting a remotely piloted aircraft can be  - Big Sandy MG Shoot 4/2014

Machine Guns vs DRONES

Photos: Russia reveals secret UAV Altius

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Triton UAS completes initial testing

The Navy's MQ-4C Triton completed its initial flight test phase at Northrop Grumman's Palmdale, Calif., facility March 13, bringing the unmanned air system one step closer to introduction to the fleet in 2017.

The flight testing, called Initial Envelope Expansion, is designed to measure the air vehicle’s performance under a variety of speeds and altitudes.  The combined Navy and Northrop Grumman team completed this phase of testing in 13 of the 14 scheduled flights for the test.

"The system performed exceptionally well during flight test, which is a reflection of years of hard work and dedication by our team," said Capt. Jim Hoke, Triton UAS program manager. "Our job is far from over with fleet delivery still a few years away, but each of our team members should reflect on how far we have come and be proud of this accomplishment."

During IEE, the MQ-4C flew a total of 81 hours, reached a maximum altitude of 59,950 feet and executed 568 data points.

The Triton’s software and sensor systems are being tested separately on a surrogate aircraft. This includes a multi-function array sensor (MFAS), configured to function in a maritime environment.

After testing completion at Palmdale, the team has a planned maintenance period to prepare for the system's transition to Naval Air Station Patuxent River. The MQ-4C will take its first cross-country flight in the June/July timeframe, followed by the second test aircraft shortly after. Sensors will be integrated onto both aircraft before resuming flight test this summer.

As an adjunct to the manned P-8A aircraft, the Triton will cover more than 2.7 million square miles in a single mission. Its ability to perform 24/7 intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance with a range of 2,000 nautical miles will allow P-8A, P-3C and EP-3E aircraft to focus on their core missions, adding the capability the Navy's Maritime Patrol and Reconnaissance Force.

MBDA's Brimstone Completes Drone Test Trials on a MQ-9 Reaper

MBDA has successfully demonstrated the operation of Dual Mode Seeker Brimstone (DMB) missile from an MQ-9 Reaper Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA), scoring nine direct hits against a range of targets including very high speed and manoeuvring vehicles.

The main advantage of Brimstone is its dual-mode operating capability, combining millimetre guidance with semi-active laser targeting, enabling the operator to accurately designate a target, after the milimeter-wave seeker locks on the designated target the missile independently follows that target independent of further laser designation, through the engagement. The tests pave the way for the deployment of the weapon on Britain’s MQ-9 Reapers. Beyond their use with aerial platforms, Brimstones were also been tested on fast naval crafts, fired against speedboat simulating swarm attacks.

The trials began with captive carry of Avionics and Environmental Data Gathering Missiles, proving the successful integration of the two systems and gathering additional evidence to support future clearance activities. These were quickly followed by a series of live Operational Missile and inert Telemetry Missile firings. The firings were taken from realistic ‘middle of the envelope’ profiles; typically 20,000ft release altitude and 7km – 12km plan range, with the platform being remotely piloted in operationally representative beyond line of sight (SATCOM) conditions, with tracking and designation of targets being conducted in a mixture of manual-track and auto-track modes. Two of the more challenging scenarios were against trucks travelling at 70mph in a crossing target scenario.

At times, the targets were manually tracked by the REAPER crews, showing how the integrated Semi-Active Laser and Active MMW radar seeker works in tandem to ensure direct hits, even while operators are tracking and designating targets manually over satellite communications. “Every Operational and Telemetry missile performed as designed” MBDA announced, ”Following the successful demonstration Brimstone can now provide more flexibility to Reaper operators, reducing collateral damage risk while retaining first pass, single shot lethality against high speed manoeuvring targets on land, at sea and in complex environments.”

Surplus F-16 Fighting Falcon's Converted Into Target Drones for Live Fire Combat Training!

Is this Russia’s Skat Mockup at the Tver RCS Range?

Military modernization has been of chief importance for Russia over the last few years with at least a quarter of the defense budget allocated to ensure that Russia regains its former position. With the changing nature of warfare, one category of modernization includes the design and manufacture of more advanced unmanned combat aerial vehicles.
The latest satellite imagery from 27APR11 acquired by DigitalGlobe appears to show Russia advancing towards that goal with a mock-up of the Skat UCAV at the Tver RCS range located northwest of Moscow.

The measurements taken from Google Earth would appear to match the dimensions released to the public. Despite the low fidelity of the imagery, measurements of the length and wingspan suggest the mock-up is around 10 and 11 meters, respectively. However, what’s also interesting to note, this mock-up does not appear to have the large air-intake on the nose of the aircraft, which may suggest this is a different UCAV. Unfortunately, due to imagery quality, it may be too early to say.

Developed by MiG, the Skat is a stealthy flying wing design, and the most advanced UCAV known to be in development in Russia. The design was first unveiled at MAKS in 2007.

The aircraft  is reportedly powered by a RD-5000B turbofan engine, which is a modified derivative of the Klimov R-33D, used on the MiG-29 Fulcrum. According to the Russian press, it is expected to have a service ceiling of 12,000 m and a range of 4000 km.

In August, MiG announced it was ready to go ahead with a R&D project for a sixth-generation UCAV based upon its Skat prototype.

More test flights of UK's Taranis stealth drone scheduled over summer

Australian government eyes purchase of Triton drone aircraft

Australia’s defence minister David Johnston informed the media this month that he intends to recommend the purchase of seven MQ-4C Triton drones for the Australian military, at the cost of up to $3 billion.

The Triton has a wingspan of 39.8 metres, comparable to a Boeing 757. It is designed to stay airborne for up to 30 hours, flying at altitudes as high as 18,000 metres and at a speed of up to 575 kilometres per hour. With a range of 16,000 kilometres in a single flight, its intended purpose is long-range surveillance of vast areas, such as the waters of the Indian and Pacific Oceans. The US Navy claims that a Triton can monitor an area of close to seven million square kilometres in one operation.

The aircraft was put through a series of reportedly successful test flights in January by the US Navy, which has ordered 68 Tritons from manufacturer Northrop Grumman. Tritons are expected to go into operational use by the US Navy in 2017 and Australian acquisitions would be active by 2018 or 2019.

The purchase of Tritons was opposed in military circles in 2012, when longstanding plans to acquire drones were revived by the then Labor government. Critics at the time raised concerns over the fact that the aircraft is not designed to carry weapons, unlike the much cheaper Mariner drone, which is a modified version of the Predator used extensively for assassinations in Afghanistan and Pakistan. A Mariner does not have the same range or flight time of the Triton, but can carry a payload of missiles, enabling it to be used to attack ships.

It’s about the Indian Ocean and securing sea lanes. In the Indian Ocean we see growing competition between the navies of China, India and the US. US attention is now pivoting toward this part of the world.

Over the following months, the preparations by the United States and its main Asia-Pacific allies—Japan and Australia—for a military confrontation with China have become increasingly public.

The military strategies for war with China all involve a naval blockade that prevents Chinese shipping using the main sea lanes between the Indian and Pacific Oceans, in particular the key Malacca, Lombok and Sunda Straits. Australian territory would be one of the main bases for naval and air operations. The objective would be to starve China of energy and raw materials and collapse its export-dependent economy. The US military’s AirSea Battle concept also includes unleashing air strikes and missile attacks on command and control and air defence systems on mainland China itself, and attacking the Chinese Navy if it attempted to break the blockade.

The US and Australian navies would require constantly updated information on the movement of commercial shipping from the Middle East and Africa across the Indian Ocean, as well as Chinese naval movements, in order to be able to intercept them.

New Support Shelters for Turkey’s Drone Apron at Incirlik AB, Sarıçam, Turkey

Digital Globe imagery from 12 February 2013 shows the US Drone Apron at Incirlik

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British Taranis Stealth UCAV is Expanding Flight Envelope over Australia

A side view of the Taranis UCAV in flight. Photo: BAE Systems/MOD

The serrated contour of the weapon’s bay is clearly seen in this photo, where the stealthy Taranis shows its belly and underwing area on a banking turn. Photo: BAE Systems, UK MOD.

Taranis awaiting takeoff at Woomera Test Range, South Australia. Photo: BAE Systems/UK MOD

Taranis on the runway. Photo: BAE Systems/UK MOD

Last week the UK Ministry of Defence (MOD) and BAE Systems confirmed that the Taranis stealthy Unmanned Combat Air Vehicle (UCAV) demonstrator surpassed all expectations during its first flight trials last year. Since the first flight, conducted August 10th, 2013 the UCAV has been expanding the flight envelope in preparation for the follow-on operational demonstration phase.

Taranis is designed to demonstrate the UK’s ability to create an unmanned air system which, under the control of a human operator, is capable of undertaking sustained surveillance, marking targets, gathering intelligence, deterring adversaries and carrying out strikes in hostile territory.

Taranis made its maiden flight at the Woomera test range in South Australia on Saturday 10th August 2013, under the command of BAE Systems’ test pilot Bob Fraser. The first flight lasted only 15 minutes, in which the demonstrator aircraft took off, rotation, ‘climb-out’ and returned for landing. In a number of follow-on flights that took place last year, Taranis extended flight duration to one hour, operating at a variety of altitudes and speeds, as part of the envelope testing.

“The findings from the aircraft’s flight prove that the UK has developed a significant lead in understanding unmanned aircraft which could strike with precision over a long range whilst remaining undetected.” BAE Sources said, indicating the technological advances made through Taranis will also help the UK MOD and Royal Air Force make decisions on the future mix of manned and unmanned fast jet aircraft and how they will operate together in a safe and effective manner for the UK’s defences. The MOD is considering a yet undefined ‘Future Combat Air System ‘FCAS’ – possibly a UCAV to replace the Eurofighter Typhoon in RAF service as the Typhoon reaches retirement by 2030. The UK and France announced an agreement to explore collaborate in the development of such platform, at an investment of £120 million. The two countries are expected to sign a formal memorandum of understanding (MOU) to launch the two-year program in July 2014.



“The first flight of Taranis represents a major landmark for UK aviation. The demonstrator is the most advanced air system ever conceived, designed and built in the UK. Nigel Whitehead, Group Managing Director of BAE Systems said, commenting on the Taranis flight announcement, ”It truly represents an evolution of everything that has come before it. This milestone confirms the UK’s leading position as a centre for engineering excellence and innovation.”

Costing £185 million ($300 million) and funded jointly by the UK MOD and UK industry, the Taranis demonstrator aircraft was formally unveiled in July 2010. The Taranis demonstrator is the result of 1,500,000 man hours of work by the UK’s leading scientists, aerodynamicists and systems engineers from 250 UK companies, but only few scientists and engineers have ever been given full access to the top secret aircraft.

About the size of a BAE Systems Hawk aircraft – Taranis has been designed and built by BAE Systems, Rolls-Royce, the Systems division of GE Aviation (formerly Smiths Aerospace) and QinetiQ working alongside UK MOD military staff and scientists. In addition to prime contracting the project, BAE Systems led on many elements of the Taranis technology demonstrator, including the low observability, systems integration, control infrastructure and full autonomy elements (in partnership with QinetiQ).

Ground testing commenced later in 2010 at BAE Systems’ military aircraft factory in Warton, Lancashire in the UK, followed by a comprehensive and highly detailed programme of pre-first flight milestones including unmanned pilot training, radar cross section measurements, ground station system integration. Taxi trials began in April 2013 taxi trials on the runway at Warton. Following those tests the aircraft and its ground station were shipped to Australia where it was re-assembled and prepared for further tests. The aircraft resumed high speed taxi tests in July 2013 before its maiden flight in August.

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