Insights Hub

India’s aspiration of a modernised blue-water navy is coming to fruition. Under Project 75, six Scorpene class submarines are under construction at the East Yard of Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) in collaboration with and transfer of the latest naval technology from French company DCNS (the contract of which is estimated at $3.5 billion). Technologies include the SUBTICS integrated combat system, a computerized central management system managing the submarine’s sensors and weapons. The Scorpene class of submarines are designed to be stealthily silent under water.

Written by Sylvia Caravotas (Satovarac Consulting) for OIDA. The full article is available from OIDA.

Boeing’s dispute with rival Bombardier over the Canadian company’s government subsidy enabling it to sell its C Series passenger aircraft in the U.S. at below market prices is placing Canada’s order (estimated to be worth around $2 billion) of 18 Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter jets in jeopardy. A precursor to the dispute is Bombardier’s Delta Air Lines deal (estimated at $5.6 billion) for 75 C Series aircraft, with aggressive pricing strategies and discounts to seal the deal.

Written by Sylvia Caravotas (Satovarac Consulting) for OIDA. The full article is available from OIDA.

Essentially an island and its own continent surrounded by the Indian and Pacific Oceans, it’s not hard to see why Australia’s defence of its maritime domain is a priority. However despite the nation’s maritime needs, the country’s shipbuilding facilities are attracting foreign defence clients as well. Australia is stepping up with regards to shipbuilding and repair with the construction of state-of-the art facilities in the pipeline, and the Australian government investing A$89 billion in the naval ship and submarine upgrading programme.

Written by Sylvia Caravotas (Satovarac Consulting) for OIDA. The full article is available from OIDA.

The GBU-43/B Massive Air Blast, nicknamed the Mother of All Bombs (MOAB), a powerful U.S. non-nuclear weapon, made headlines recently when on April 13, 2017 it was dropped for the first time in Afghanistan against the Islamic State (ISIS). The bomb was first available for The Global War on Terror on April 1, 2003 created as a deterrent to former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein.

Written by Sylvia Caravotas (Satovarac Consulting) for OIDA. The full article is available from OIDA.

The Denel Overberg Test Range, a division of South Africa’s largest government-owned defence manufacturer Denel, is a multi-purpose, fully integrated aircraft and missile flight test facility located on the South-Eastern coast of the Western Cape between Arniston and Cape Infanta. The facility performs a variety of tests offering technical capabilities, flexibility, and logistical support to clients with mobile instrumentation systems that can be deployed to prepared sites.

Written by Sylvia Caravotas (Satovarac Consulting) for OIDA. The full article is available from OIDA.

Drones or Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) are one of the most advanced warfare technologies of our time and have significantly changed the way warfare is conducted by eliminating the human element in the sky. There are two types of drones for military use: Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS), with RPAS used mostly for complicated and high-risk missions. Drones are the military’s “eye in the sky”, delivering real-time imagery of activities on the ground. They are relatively cheap and have higher endurance compared to combat aircraft. RPAS require a team of pilot, sensor operator, mission intelligence coordinator, and ground commander and are piloted remotely through a satellite link.

Written by Sylvia Caravotas (Satovarac Consulting) for OIDA. The full article is available from OIDA.

Aerospace and defence manufacturing could potentially move away from mass-produced cookie cutter technologies towards precise, on-demand customization with the advent of technology known as additive manufacturing or 3D printing. The technology builds a three-dimensional object one layer at a time from a digital file out of a variety of materials such as steel, aluminium, titanium, and plastic.

Written by Sylvia Caravotas (Satovarac Consulting) for OIDA. The full article is available from OIDA.

The Helicopter Association International (HAI) Heli Expo 2017 held from March 7 – 9 in Dallas, Texas showcased 731 exhibiting businesses and organizations with 62 aircraft on display. Repeated themes at the expo were adjustability, customization, and integration providing insight into what the future holds for helicopters. Manufacturers should focus their attention on offering helicopters with systems that provide greater flight flexibility through single-integrated systems which can adjust at a moment’s notice to flight conditions and mission requirements across the board from military and law enforcement to emergency services operations.

Written by Sylvia Caravotas (Satovarac Consulting) for OIDA. The full article is available from OIDA.

The movement of weapons and sensitive arms cargo is a complicated business. Each country has its own regulations regarding the importing and exporting of arms, as do the airlines that carry them. Even though there is a global slump in several markets, arms sales are not slowing down and significant countries are adjusting their exporting regulations to better position themselves on the regional and global stage. Last month, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) reported that within the last five-year period, the worldwide arms trade has risen to its highest level since the Cold War mostly driven by a demand from the Middle East and Asia. Africa too has seen growth with Algeria and Egypt imports steadily increasing in the period 2014 to 2016.

Written by Sylvia Caravotas (Satovarac Consulting) for OIDA. The full article is available from OIDA.

Pressure from Hellenic Air Force chiefs has Greece looking at modernizing and adding to its fighter jet capability by upgrading its existing F-16 fleet, with dreams of investing in 20 fifth generation F-35’s from American aerospace company Lockheed Martin. The decision is partly fuelled by Turkey’s plan to order 24 Lockheed Martin F-35s to replace its F-16 fleet.

Written by Sylvia Caravotas (Satovarac Consulting) for OIDA. The full article is available from OIDA.

 

The military satellite market is far from stagnant and according to analysts will continue to grow at an expected compound annual growth rate of 5.6%. Satellites play an important role for militaries providing intelligence gathering, communication, and navigation services. They are essential in delivering real-time data of troop movements and weaponry, tracking enemy incursion, and transferring high-bandwidth communication. Secure and efficient communications are a priority for militaries and C4ISR (Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance) systems are being strengthened to provide better global coverage.

Written by Sylvia Caravotas (Satovarac Consulting) for OIDA. The full article is available from OIDA.

 

Paramount Group was founded by African industrialist and businessman Ivor Ichikowitz in 1994 during South Africa’s transition. Over a 23-year period, Paramount has established itself as Africa’s largest independently-owned defence and aerospace business. At the onset of the new millennium, Paramount experienced a shift becoming a prime contractor selling surplus South African National Defence Force (SANDF) equipment. Fast-forward six years and we see the business delve into innovation by developing and launching the Marauder (armoured vehicle) in addition to acquiring a fleet of Mirage F1s from the South African Air Force (SAAF). Over the next few years, Paramount expanded into combat systems launching the Matador and Maverick armoured vehicles. More recent innovations include the Mbombe 6X6 in 2010, a high level ballistic and mine protected vehicle with a flat bottom hull. The Mbombe 6X6 was selected by the Jordanian Armed Forces in February 2015. The Mbombe series has continued to evolve with the launch of the Mbombe 8X8 in 2016.

Written by Sylvia Caravotas (Satovarac Consulting) for OIDA. The full article is available from OIDA.