Defense Technology International - December 2007 - (Page 22)

DISPATCHES GLOBAL SYSTEMS ANALYSIS Gulf states seek to upgrade ISR and missile defense ROBERT WALL•DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES P ersian Gulf states are moving to enhance their regional network, surveillance and air-defense capabilities, while assuring interoperability with potential partners. For years, prestige projects such as ﬁghter purchases dominated. Now the focus is rounding out air-defense capabilities. One of the biggest competitions in the area set for award next year is the United Arab Emirates’ airborne early warning and control program. The UAE ing technology transfer concerns that slowed progress, says an industry ofﬁcial. To take advantage of the interest in surveillance, Raytheon used the Dubai air show to promote the “Global ISR” (intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance) initiative. The company sees a $20-billion market from 2008-12 for land-based, airborne and space ISR equipment, says Raytheon’s James Hvizd. Rather than selling individual BOEING Saudi AWACS in test ﬂight at Boeing Field in Seattle. Persian Gulf states want to upgrade ISR and missile defense capabilities. is expected to buy E-2Cs as an interim system, but is sorting through offers from three bidders to address longterm needs. Northrop Grumman is offering the E-2D, and company o cials say the UAE could get the ﬁfth aircraft from that production run. Boeing is in the running with the 737 Wedgetail, and brought the ﬁrst aircraft, for Turkey, to November's Dubai air show. Saab is offering the Saab 2000 turboprop with Erieye radar. Saudi Arabia also is looking to upgrade its air surveillance system, with a major modernization being discussed for its ﬁve E-3 Airborne Warning and Control System aircraft. They were bought in the 1980s and completed a mission computer upgrade four years ago. Discussions between Washington and Riyadh have picked up, address22 sensors, Raytheon wants to work with countries to deﬁne surveillance needs. Resulting e orts would involve not just new equipment, but integrating sensors and fusing data, Hvizd says. Several Middle East countries are working more closely to strengthen their situational awareness. The Gulf Cooperation Council countries of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the UAE, Oman, Qatar and Bahrain have partly integrated their air-surveillance sensor coverage. One country can now get radar information collected by a sensor in another country. Moreover, the command-and-control facility in each country can serve as the master for the entire system. Interoperability that allows forces to be part of coalition activities is a major emphasis, UAE air force chief Maj. Gen. Mohammed bin Sweidan Saeed Al-Qa- mzi told a conference on the eve of the air show. But that’s not always easy due to technology release considerations, says his predecessor, retired Maj. Gen. Khalid bin Abdullah al Buainain. He laments that access to Link 16 data link networks isn’t easy. But without Link 16 “we face problems from an interoperability point of view,” Khalid says. Countries also must address threats from ballistic missiles, Mohammed says. The UAE’s Air Force Strategic Analysis Center has helped spell out missile-defense needs for the country, with a focus on ﬁelding multiple systems to achieve a layered defense, a philosophy Saudi Arabia also embraces, industry o cials say. To take advantage of the market, MBDA is promoting not just its Aster 30-based missile-defense system, but its upgrade potential to deal with longerrange threats up to 2,000 km. (1,243 mi.) away, with high closing speeds. Iran has been upgrading its Shahab-3s, and ranges now reach the point where a Block 2 interceptor might be needed. Lockheed Martin has its eye on a UAE program, and has been talking with military o cials for years about the Patriot PAC-3 system, coupled with the longerrange Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense System (Thaad). While PAC-3 is releasable now, the customer would have to wait a few years for Thaad, as the system is in the ﬁnal development stages. Next year will be important for Thaad, with test ﬁrings at separate targets that are more difficult to engage than unitary missiles, says Shirley Gray-Lewis, Lockheed Martin’s director of Thaad business development. Delivery to the U.S. Army is planned for 2009. Talk of networks and air defense doesn’t mean traditional platforms are o the table. The UAE is slated to pick an advanced jet trainer next year, with the Korea Aerospace Industries T-50 and Aermacchi M-346 in the running. The basic trainer competition, which trails by about a year, is down to the Aermacchi M-311 and Pilatus PC-21. Moreover, several countries are looking for airlift. Demonstrations of the C-17 and C-130J were performed in Qatar, Oman and Kuwait. The UAE also wants to beef up capabilities, and Saudi Arabia is considering an upgrade of its ﬂeet. Industry officials warn that many of these competitions, as well as some emerging ﬁghter upgrades and replacements, will take a long time to turn into orders. Despite the strong ﬁnancial situation of countries in the region, decision timelines remain protracted. I www.aviationweek.com/dti DEFENSE TECHNOLOGY INTERNATIONAL DECEMBER 2007 http://www.aviationweek.com/dti

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Defense Technology International - December 2007

Defense Technology International - December 2007 Contents Around the World Science Watch Tech Watch BrahMos: Ramjet Ship Killer r-e-s-p-e-c-t Deja Vu Trump Card Dubai Demos Agile Helos Joint Force Online Charge UGVs Creep, Crawl to Victory Sweet Ride Fast, Lethal Ship Defense Networking Stealth: Why Raptors Can't Talk The Net Cutting Edge First Person In Review Insight

Defense Technology International - December 2007

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