Defense Technology International - March 2008 - (Page 8)

AROUND THE WORLD NEWS BRIEFS SCHELDE NAVAL SHIPBUILDING CONCEPT MOROCCO BUYS MISSILE FRIGATES Morocco ordered three Sigma-type missile corvettes from Schelde Naval Shipbuilding in the Netherlands on Feb. 6. The deal calls for design, build and delivery by 2012 of the vessels Morocco designates multi-mission frigates. The program means signiﬁcant business for MBDA, as each will be equipped with the French company’s Mica vertical-launch, local area airdefense missile system. They will also be armed with MBDAsupplied MM40 Exocet surface-to-surface missiles and an Oto Melara 76-mm. main gun. Schelde says the choice of systems was determined by interoperability so Morocco can pursue plans for joint operations with NATO. The contract includes one 2,300-ton ship (designated Sigma 10513) 105 meters (344 ft.) in length and two 2,100-ton ships (Sigma 9813s) 98 meters long. The stretched variant will have additional command and control facilities. The ships will feature a Thales Nederland combat system with air, submarine, surface and electronic-warfare capabilities. Each will have twin Pielstick diesel propulsion, ﬂight deck and helicopter hangar, and Eurotorp launchers for MU90 torpedoes. I ISRAEL GETS EYE IN SPACE Israel launched its new TecSar satellite on Jan. 21, from the Satish Dhawan Space Center in India. TecSar is a high-resolution imaging satellite with synthetic aperture radar (SAR). Developed with defense ministry funding, its ﬁrst images came in Jan. 31, and were reportedly of high quality. The 100-kg. (220-lb.) EL/M-2070 SAR payload has multi-beam electronic steering developed by IAI/Elta Systems. Resolution is classiﬁed, but claimed capabilities include highresolution spot, strip, mosaic and wide-area coverage. Image enhancement is supported by multi-polarization. Three days before the launch, Israel successfully tested a rocket propulsion system that can be used with different missiles. News sources indicate that the Jericho III missile, capable of hitting ground targets beyond 4,000 km. (2,485 mi.), was trialed. Unconﬁrmed reports claim that for safety, U.S. Sixth Fleet warships cordoned off the landing area of the test missile and prevented Russian ships from closely tracking its course. The test coincided with a tactical Russian missile launch that landed in the same area. Observers say Moscow wanted to send a signal: its missiles can reach the entire Mediterranean region. I IAI CONCEPT BAE SYSTEMS BUDGET SHORTFALL KILLS SEP VEHICLE Sweden has canceled the development program for its next-generation SEP family of armored combat vehicles. The decision was announced Feb. 4. Concept and technology studies started at Hagglunds (now part of BAE Land Systems) in 1994. Development began in 2006, but the armed forces, facing budget cuts, decided there wasn’t enough money to continue. One reason is that neither Sweden nor BAE found an international partner for the program to share development costs. The SEP didn’t make the U.K.’s shortlist last year for a new armored utility vehicle for the British Army’s FRES program (DTI September 2007, p. 38). Sweden wanted the SEP to be a common platform that would ﬁll various roles. The country spent 950 million kronor ($150 million) on the program. Four prototypes were built. Sweden’s defense materiel administration states the armed forces might end up buying armored combat vehicles off the shelf. I 8 DEFENSE TECHNOLOGY INTERNATIONAL MARCH 2008 AviationWeek.com/dti http://www.aviationweek.com/dti

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Defense Technology International - March 2008 Contents Sweden Cancels SEP; Israel Launches Imaging Satellite; Geotextiles Secure Ammo Dump U.S. Navy Taps Neural Architecture Software to Assure Job Satisfaction Shrapnel-Like Pieces of Reactive Materials Increase Explosive Force of Bombs Technology is Rapidly Closing the Gap Between Sensors and Shooters Italian Army Program Aims to Develop a Fully Networked Land Force Political and Military Uncertainties Plague U.S. Defense Budget Democrats Put Pentagon on Notice Over Spending and Policy at DTAR Conference Russian Combat Vehicle Protects Tank Formations from Anti-Armor Weapons European Battlelabs Use Simulation to Verify Technologies and Stretch Defense Funds Malaysia Accelerates Fleet Modernization to meet Long-Term Goals U.S. Navy Says Composite Raiding Boat May Reduce Injuries From Wave Shocks Seeing Isn’t Believing When it Comes to Deciphering Funds for Secret Projects Advances in Sensors and Propulsion Make Torpedoes Ever More Lethal FAA is in No Rush to Approve Rules that Let UAVs Fly in Civil Airspace USS Truman Carrier Strike Group Patrols a Rough Neighborhood 24/7 U.S. says Sino-Russian Space Disarmament Plan is Riddled with Pitfalls Hyperspeed Projectile; “Sound Cloak” Hides Subs; Improving Nuclear Forensics Dutch Air Commodore Theo ten Haaf Analyzes the Impact of Rotary-Wing Operations One Soldier’s War is a Behind-the-Headlines Look at Russia’s Campaigns in Chechnya Black Budgets are Huge and Growing, and Often Conceal Amazing Failures

Defense Technology International - March 2008

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