Defense Technology International - April 2008 - (Page 8) AROUND THE WORLD NEWS BRIEFS The Royal Danish Air Force has completed initial F-16 flight tests of the Enhanced Smart Triple Ejector Rack (Ester), developed by Terma A/S of Denmark and ITT Corp. as an upgrade for the TER-9 triple ejector rack. The TER-9 carries laser-guided and ballistic weapons, which it can individually release. Ester adds the ability to carry smart weapons that operate on the MIL-STD1760 interface. These include the Joint Direct Attack Munition and Enhanced Paveway II. Provisions for Small Diameter Bomb (SDB) carriage are also part of Ester. Tests on SDB compatibility will be run this spring. RDAF flight tests verified the functionality and reliability of the cable-retention unit. Bombs were released from Ester with the retention unit, which was installed in place of an umbilical cable-retention system. Ester also JORIS JANSSEN LOK/DEFENSE TECHNOLOGY INTERNATIONAL BOMB EJECTOR ACES FLIGHT TEST passed F-16 MLU M5 system integration lab testing at Lockheed Martin in Fort Worth as part of the European Participating Air Forces MLU M5 program. I UGV SET FOR GAZA PATROL Israel Defense Forces will begin deploying unmanned ground vehicles to patrol the Gaza border this summer. A prototype developed by Genius Unmanned Ground Systems, a joint venture between Israel Aerospace Industries and Elbit Systems, is being tested by the IDF. The UGV is based on an all-terrain Jeep Wrangler-size platform similar to the vehicle that participated in the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency’s Urban Challenge last year (DTI December 2007, p. 32). The UGV will replace troops on routine security operations and secure the perimeters of military bases and installations. The IDF began testing UGVs after the Second Lebanon War in 2006 for use along the separation zones between Israel, the West Bank and Gaza. The tests included the Guardium autonomous observation and target intercept system from IAI/Lahav and Elbit’s futuristic AvantGuard. Both were based on the Tomcar all-terrain vehicle used by the IDF and Israeli border police. I DEFENSE ADVANCED RESEARCH PROJECTS AGENCY AVDD/NETHERLANDS DEFENSE MINISTRY NEW SCOOTER FOR DUTCH DIVERS The Maritime Special Operations unit of the Royal Netherlands Marine Corps has acquired eight Diver Propulsion Devices (DPD) from Stidd Systems Inc. of Greenport, N.Y. DPDs are batterypowered underwater delivery vehicles for combat swimmers and are typically used to transport special forces from a submerged submarine to a coastal landing site. The torpedo-shaped, aluminum DPDs, also called underwater scooters, are 2.2 meters (7.2 ft.) long and weigh 72 kg. (158 lb.). Each transports two operators, though four can be carried in an emergency. Requirements include compatibility with the operating depths of the Royal Netherlands Navy’s Walrus-class submarines, enough power to overcome underwater currents, and range sufficient for the submarine to maintain a standoff distance from the coast when inserting forces. Stidd says the DPD has a maximum speed of 3.2 kt., range of up to 10 naut. mi., and battery endurance of more than 2 hr. I AviationWeek.com/dti 8 DEFENSE TECHNOLOGY INTERNATIONAL APRIL 2008 http://AviationWeek.com/dti
For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.