MoD unveils unmanned fighter jet 'of the future'

LONDON (AFP) – An unmanned jet capable of striking long-range targets has been dubbed the "combat aircraft of the future" by the Ministry of Defence.

The Taranis -- named after the Celtic god of thunder -- was unveiled at a ceremony at BAE Systems in Warton, Lancashire, on Monday.

The £142.5 million prototype is the size of a light aircraft and has been equipped with stealth technology to make it virtually undetectable.

In a press release, the MoD described the Taranis as "a prototype unmanned combat aircraft of the future."

It is built to carry out intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions while its crew stays safely on the ground and can control the aircraft from anywhere in the world.

The unmanned fighter jet can also carry bombs and missiles and, if the trials prove successful, the MoD said it should "ultimately be capable of striking targets at long range, even in another continent."

The current generation of propeller-driven drones -- such as the Predator and Reaper -- are capable of carrying missiles, but these unmanned planes can only be used in areas where the military has air dominance, such as Iraq and Afghanistan.

The first flight trials are due to start next year.

"Taranis is a truly trailblazing project," said Minister for International Security Strategy Gerald Howarth.

"The first of its kind in the UK, it reflects the best of our nation's advanced design and technology skills and is a leading programme on the global stage."

The Taranis was created by the MOD in partnership with BAE Systems, Rolls-Royce, QinetiQ and GE Aviation.

"Taranis has been three-and-a-half years in the making and is the product of more than a million man-hours," said Nigel Whitehead, group managing director of BAE Systems' Programmes and Support business.

"It represents a significant step forward in this country's fast-jet capability.

"This technology is key to sustaining a strong industrial base and to maintain the UK's leading position as a centre for engineering excellence and innovation."

Laser Weapon: Could the Military Soon be Equipped with Laser Weaponry?

The idea of armies equipped with solid-state high-energy laser weapons immediately conjures images of stormtroopers firing red beams at a lightsaber-wielding Luke Skywalker. It is an image research specialists have tried for decades to turn into real life as they struggled to create a level of mobile technology capable of sustaining a high-energy laser system.

While the possibility of a transportable, durable and affordable ultra-precision energy weapon system is still a long-term vision, several recent demonstrations by leading industry players signify considerable progress in the field.

Setting new records

In March 2009, aerospace and defence technology giant Northrop Grumman, in partnership with the US military, produced the most powerful light ray yet created by an electric laser. Measuring at more than 105kW, the new record also included a turn-on time of under a second and a continuous operating time of five minutes. Throughout this period, the beam reportedly operated with good levels of efficiency and quality.

"High-energy laser research at Northrop Grumman first began in 1970."

For Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems media relations manager Bob Bishop the milestone test results have been a long time coming.

"High-energy laser research at Northrop Grumman first began in 1970. We have been developing and demonstrating high-energy lasers continuously since then. We are the only company that has provided the US military services with all of their high-energy laser systems in existence today," Bishop says.

"In particular Northrop Grumman has made great progress on solid-state lasers during the last six years under the joint high-power solid state laser [JHPSSL] programme, which is managed by the US military services."

A number of advances in various technologies have made the latest breakthrough possible. Of these, developments to the high-energy laser's power source or 'engine' has proved pivotal. Typically, the systems are either powered by chemical or electrical engines, but Northrop Grumman's tactical high-energy laser (THEL) test bed at White Sands missile range in New Mexico proved that chemical lasers were fastest – reaching the necessary power levels required to shoot down rockets, artillery and mortar rounds. The laser, which has been developed in conjunction with the US army and Israel's Ministry of Defence, has so far destroyed 46 such targets in-flight.

Reductions to the laser's size and weight combined with enhanced levels of mobility and ruggedisation have also proved instrumental to the technology's overall advancement. The miniaturisation of components and subsystems has allowed for smaller and lighter high-energy laser systems, which Northrop Grumman believes portends for even greater reductions in the near future.

Furthermore, it has allowed Northrop Grumman to apply a greater degree of durability or ruggedisation to the laser systems – to the extent that integrating the systems onto tactical military ground vehicles will come sooner rather then later.

Evidence of this is found with the company's participation in the US Army's high-energy laser technology demonstrator that aims to integrate a high-energy solid-state laser capable of defeating rockets, artillery and mortars onto an army ground combat vehicle.

"Transportable, durable and affordable ultra-precision energy weapon system is still a long-term vision."

"To put this all in context," Bishop says, "we see the 100kW threshold as part of a much larger accomplishment of delivering on the promise to the US military services of solid-state lasers that enable revolutionary, robust, speed-of-light defences."

"Our approach leverages compact 15kW 'building blocks' that can be readily combined in the appropriate number to enable the performance needed for a specific mission. This therefore allows us to provide lasers of various powers without the need to design a new laser – we simply add more building blocks.

Furthermore this approach also offers – if units should fail in the field – graceful degradation and straightforward repair. Should one block fail, the others will continue to operate."

Having already delivered on the promise of solid-state lasers with speed-of-light defence capabilities, the next stage for Northrop Grumman is to allow the US government to determine the timeline for integrating laser weapons into the battlefield. The laser's capability could potentially be implemented on a wide range of missions for deployed forces – namely for self defence from threats as diverse as rockets, artillery, mortar, swarming boats, unmanned aerial vehicles, aircraft and cruise missiles.

"We have seen a great amount of increased military interest as a result of our recent achievement. Ultimately though, the US government will decide the pace at which it will introduce laser weapons onto the battlefield," Bishops says. "We believe it is important to move forward to give US forces a distinct advantage in this technology and to maintain that critical edge in the years to come."

Mobilising power

Similar historic developments have also been happening at one of the world's largest space and defence businesses – Boeing Defence Systems. In March, the company successfully demonstrated its redeployable high-energy laser system (RHELS). The prototype weapon system was quickly relocated from its Albuquerque development site in New Mexico to a test range, where it tracked ground and airborne targets and fired at a ground target.

For Lee Gutheinz, Boeing's programmme director for high-energy laser / electro-optical systems, the breakthrough is particularly important in highlighting the increasingly mobile nature of laser technology.

"Solid-state lasers would enable revolutionary, robust, speed-of-light defences."

"The demonstration shows that a solid-state, high-energy laser weapon system can be made to be transportable, rugged, supportable and affordable. RHELS is the initial step at driving mobile, tactical directed energy laser systems out of the laboratory and into the hands of the warfighter," Gutheinz says.

"Its transportability also means developers and warfighters will have the opportunity to test this transformational, ultra-precision directed energy weapon system demonstrator at a number of ranges under varying conditions and against a diverse set of targets."

Development of laser technology at Boeing Defence Systems can be traced back as far as the 1960s to its heritage companies such as Rockwell and Rocketdyne. Like Northrop Grumman, Boeing points to electronic component miniaturisation and greatly increased computing power as a strong factor behind recent developments. It also believes the manufacturing industry has been a strong driver behind recent laser achievements.

"We did something that's never been done before. We took a number of components – a solid-state, thin-disk laser and its power and thermal management systems; an acquisition, pointing and tracking capability; beam and fire control; and a weapons operator station – and integrated all of them into a modified 40ft-long shipping container transportable on a semi-trailer," Gutheinz says.

"Doing something like that for the first time is always challenging but we didn't encounter any challenges we couldn't overcome and in the process we learned a great deal that will make subsequent developments easier and more productive."

While Boeing Defence Systems will continue to test RHELS against moving ground and airborne targets throughout the summer, it is also developing several other directed energy systems with speed-of-light capability. The airborne laser (ABL) hopes to provide a boost-phase capability for missile defence, the advanced tactical laser (ATL) aims to enable ultra-precision engagements of ground targets from the air, and the high-energy laser technology demonstrator (HEL TD) intends to give warfighters the ability to counter difficult threats posed by rocket, artillery and mortar projectiles.

"Solid-state, high-energy laser weapon system can be made to be transportable, rugged, supportable and affordable."

Later this year, Boeing Defence Systems hopes ABL will be conducted in a ballistic missile shoot-down demonstration while ATL will engage ground targets from the air. It also plans to begin testing of HEL TD's beam control system next year. From these demonstrations, Boeing hopes to go on to use internal investments to examine the laser's potential uses in other critical missions, including defending against cruise missiles and surface-to-air missiles.

"We want to get these systems into the hands of warfighters, who are in the best position to test and critique laser weapons. That would facilitate the continued development and fielding of such weapons," Gutheinz says.

"It is safe to say that industry interest in laser weapons is growing and that you will see more industry activity and announcements in the coming months and years. The industry recognises that laser weapons are the future."

Future Warfare: Light Utility Vehicles of the Future

A modern fighting force needs good land transport, whether it is for reconnaissance and intelligence gathering; routine patrols; or transportation of troops, small or large fighting forces, or vehicles. Iraq and Afghanistan have shown that the theatre of warfare is forever changing and allied troops continue to fight a deadly insurgent and guerrilla war where roadside bombs and mines form a large part of the attacks made on allied vehicles.

The rules have changed and vehicles need to change with them to guarantee the safety of troops. As international forces continue active service, their organisations are beginning to step-up to protect them with a number of new vehicle systems in development.

Against attack

The most important factor to consider during R&D is the vehicle's purpose.

Mike Sweeney of BAE Systems Land Systems says that if the vehicle is to go into a combat situation it needs to be armoured to protect troops against small arms attack as well as the possibility of mine attack. But with this additional armour the vehicle becomes heavier, cumbersome and difficult to manoeuvre.

To make a vehicle resistant to roadside bombs and mines side armour is needed for defence against lateral attack, while an armoured hull can resist mine attack from beneath. Shaped hulls and chassis underneath the vehicle can direct the blast away from the cabin but injuries can still occur if the shock of the blast is transferred to the personnel inside the vehicle. The only way to reduce this is for the armour to be thick and heavy – again making the vehicle weightier.

Increasing the mobility of the machine to ensure optimum safety also needs to be considered. Many light utility vehicles are based on four wheels but an attack might make the vehicle immobile and a sitting duck by virtue of losing a wheel. Therefore, newer vehicles are now adopting six and eight-wheel drive systems.

Weapons systems for these types of vehicles also have to be relatively light – 7.62mm and 12mm heavy machine guns or light recoil-less cannon weapons offer a good rate of fire and effective stopping power. For patrols conducted by forces in recent conflicts, lower-echelon vehicles have been subject to substantial attack and so measures need to be adopted for these protected mobility vehicles to secure the survival of the troops being carried.

In conjunction with the actual body of the vehicle, electronic countermeasures against roadside bombs, shock-mounted seating, inner spall liners against small arms attack and run-flat tyres, all offer additional safety.

Two-pronged approach

Light utility vehicles are now becoming much more specialised and the days of the modified, all-purpose vehicles like the Snatch Land Rover could be almost over. To ensure that troops are protected to the best level that technology can offer there are two ways to go: either make a vehicle very light, fast and manoeuvrable, or produce a highly armoured heavy vehicle for maximum protection of forces on patrol.

For both of those extremes there are light vehicles in use. On the one hand is the BvS 10 Viking which runs on rubber tracks and has a low ground pressure (to avoid mine detonation) but still has armour and is commonly used by the Royal Marines.

In addition there is the Mastiff, which was introduced into the Iraq theatre at the end of 2006. It has substantial blast and ballistic protection being based on the 6x6 Cougar platform used by the US Marines (a similar vehicle in this vein is the BAE Systems Land Systems RG-33). This 23.5t vehicle can proceed at 90km/h and provides the highest level of protection, but is not highly manoeuvrable.

"Roadside bombs and mines form a large part of the attacks made on allied vehicles."

At the other end of the scale are the quad bikes being used by some special forces which have no protection but are highly mobile and very light. In support of this second approach is the fact that the lighter a vehicle is, the less likely it will give the pressure required to set off larger mines. However, the latest Afghan Taliban tactics favour using a lighter anti-personnel mine on top of a heavier mine because much less weight and pressure is required to detonate the smaller mine.

An important development in vehicle development is the US joint light tactical vehicle (JLTV) programme, which will produce a range of four or more vehicle types based on the same platform but for different duty levels that will replace today's models. The scheme has set a number of design demands for the vehicles including a 30kW generator to support operations, a trailer, a standard spare ammunition carrying capacity, jam-resistant doors, automated fire-extinguishing system, extra spall liner to give further protection to troops and multiple additive armour kits for different duties.

Fit for purpose

An example of a range of armoured vehicles designed for varying operational and combat situations is that from Force Protection Inc. The range includes the Cheetah, the Cougar 4×4, the Cougar 6×6 and the Buffalo (mine handler).

The Cheetah is a light utility vehicle for urban operations and reconnaissance of just 16,000lb but with a capability of being able to go over 80mph. It is lightly armoured but still with the good design of the V-shaped monocoque hull. The more highly armoured, thus heavier, Cougar is available in two basic variants – 6×6 or 4×4 – and these have been designed with mine-resistant armoured protection in mind. More importantly they can be easily modified to fit the electronics and armour specification required by a range of different armed forces.

The Cougar 6×6 has already been very successful, as the Mastiff for the British Army, the Badger ILAV for the Iraqi Army and of course in several variants for US forces such as the HEV (hardened engineer vehicle) and the JERRV (joint EOD rapid response vehicle). Other variants have also been sold to the Italian and Canadian Armies.

"An important development in vehicle development is the US joint light tactical vehicle (JLTV) programme."

In many ways the range of vehicles from manufacturers like Force Protection Inc has provided a good base for the JLTV programme because of the extensive vehicle range and the customisability of these vehicles.

Other refinements are now being introduced to light utility vehicles to increase their operational usefulness. These can include additional power units that can be used in case of engine failure to get the vehicle out of trouble or allow the vehicle to be used as a remote control drone for unmanned reconnaissance, as is the case with the spider light strike vehicle.

Remote control is also becoming popular with weapons systems, whereby the troops have the ability to operate them from the inside of the vehicle – this is possible in both the Cougar and Ridgback. In addition, weapons active protection systems such as the 'Quick Kill' from Raytheon are being introduced to intercept and destroy attacking anti-tank missiles, rockets and grenades.

As individual vehicles become more specialised to fit varying purposes so the cost implications of the build and the training needed to handle the machines rise. But critically, so does the safety of the troops and their ability to tackle enemy forces. As active service continues for troops across the globe, this has to be a priority and a critical spend for international militaries.