Paris Airshow 2003
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Boeing 737-200 with Israeli Aircraft Industries/Elta experimental modular multi-mission aircraft, including Signals Intelligence (SIGINT), Image Intelligence (IMINT), Satellite Communications (SATCOM) and maritme surveillance equipment. -
wad the heck is that plane?
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The plane in the first picture looks rather comical. What is that plane?
In the last picture at the bottom there a small plane with 2 diagonal tail fins, it also looks unusual. -
Would be interested in finding out what aircraft it is too, interesting use of an older 737 (note the turbojet engines)Originally posted by LXC:The plane in the first picture looks rather comical. What is that plane? In the last picture at the bottom there a small plane with 2 diagonal tail fins, it also looks unusual.
The smaller plane would be the Fouga Magister, a French trainer dating from the 50s
http://www.kiwiaircraftimages.com/fouga.html
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More specifically, notice the hump-like thing on the top of the plane...I checked it out, the lettering IAI ELTA is actually a company which is a subsidiary of the Israeli Aircraft Industries which makes radar systems, electronic warfare systems etc...anything pretaining to electronic warfare...i think its some sort of a radar system or something...not too sure yet...
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http://www.iai.co.il/site/en/iai.asp?pi=23860&doc_id=24906
IAI/Elta Systems Brings Multi-Mission Boeing Demonstrator to The 2003 Paris Air Show -
Thanks for the article cavsgOriginally posted by cavsg:http://www.iai.co.il/site/en/iai.asp?pi=23860&doc_id=24906
IAI/Elta Systems Brings Multi-Mission Boeing Demonstrator to The 2003 Paris Air Show -
Some Show News from AWST
Elta's Missile Protection System Goes Commercial
Aviation Week & Space Technology
06/16/2003, page 160
David A. Fulghum
Tel Aviv
Approval Sought for Flight Guard
At the simple, cheap and available end of the spectrum for devices to protect airliners from infrared missile attack is Elta Electronics Industries' Flight Guard system.
It's already installed on about 150 aircraft including those operated for the presidents of several countries, and it reportedly also protects signals intelligence gathering aircraft operated by the Israel Air Force. Company officials say they hope to have the system FAA and Israeli Civil Aviation Administration (CAA) certified by the end of the year and that it will cost "less than $1 million per aircraft."
The 200-lb. system detects approaching missiles with pulse Doppler radar (with a continuous 360-deg. scan), alerts the crew to the danger and simultaneously activates the automatic chaff and flare dispensers. The radar uses six antennas--four in the radome and two in the tail cone. The miniaturized, 1 in. X 1 in. X 1/8-in. flares come in two dispensers filled with 10-in. magazines, one on each side of the aircraft.
The current threat from 600,000 shoulder-fired missiles available in the black and gray markets (about 10,000 of them unaccounted for) include the SA-7, SA-14, SA-16, SA-18, Stinger and QH-1 and several homegrown derivatives from Asia, Eastern Europe and the Middle East, said an Elta official. They can sell for as little as $3,000, and they can make the airspace lethal for airliners at a range of 3 mi. and up to 12,000ft., if properly used.
The missiles can cover the distance to an airliner in less than 10 sec., making evasion difficult, he said. Current tactics are to use two or four shooters positioned off the end of a runway with at least two types of the light, portable surface-to-air missiles to make it hard for defensive systems to cope with the varied threat. Because the missiles are so small and light, they can be transported and positioned without being detected.
Rafael System Fools Missiles With Unified Jamming Code
Aviation Week & Space Technology
06/16/2003, page 158
David A. Fulghum
Upper Galilee, Israel
New Rafael system fools missiles with unified infrared countermeasures code
Jamming Cocktail
Rafael's new Britening protection system against infrared missiles has two main building blocks: a missile warning system to give notice of the direction of the threat and a countermeasures turret with a pointer-tracker and an infrared source to shine--in a mix of frequencies--into the seeker of the incoming missile to produce false targets, said Patrick Bar-Avi, director of the company's directional IR countermeasures effort.
The 350-lb. package was developed from Rafael's Dircm program for helicopters, to protect large passenger aircraft instead. It was designed to foil both surface-to-air and anti-tank missiles that might be fired at an airliner during taxi, takeoff and landing. Advocates of the system say there have been 29 incidents worldwide when missiles were shot at commercial aircraft. Of the aircraft attacked, 60% were shot down, according to Rafael data.
Large airliners have two major problems compared with smaller aircraft like helicopters, said Bar-Avi. Their thermal signature is much larger, perhaps 40-50 times. In addition, there are two or four engines acting as separate, spread out heat sources a missile can lock onto, he said. Using many conventional protection systems, airlines would have to buy one for each engine, Bar-Avi said. He contends that one, at most two, of his systems (at a cost of about $1 million each for a fleet of 100 or more aircraft) would protect any four-engine aircraft.
The first ground test of the system was conducted Mar. 9 at an isolated Israel Air Force Base using the Boeing 757 aircraft that was targeted at Mombasa, Kenya. Real missiles, employing several generations of technology, were used to ensure accurate seeker data was collected. Researchers put the aircraft on tripods, retracted the landing gear and ran the engines at up to 90% thrust. The first tests were conducted from directly behind the aircraft to produce the maximum heat signature. The test was conducted at relatively short ranges, Bar-Avi said, which would mean that flares from many conventional systems would be out of the missile-seeker's field of view before it could affect the missile's flight.
To counter the new lineup of threats, Israel's defense industries are pulling a broad range of new products out of their workshops.
Saddam Hussein's forces used at least five GPS jammers during their recent conflict with the U.S. The jammers were destroyed by air attacks and appear to have had little effect on bombing accuracy. However, the jamming effort sent shock waves through the military communities that depend heavily on the relatively cheap and accurate GPS guidance for many of its weapons.
A number of companies are now proposing new, all-weather guidance schemes for military forces that confront a foe who can put perhaps 1,000 or more jammers, of much higher quality than were used in Iraq, into action. New products include:
* Spice air-to-surface missile. Rafael's missile division has introduced its Spice air-to-surface missile kit, a derivative of the Popeye and Have Nap weapons. The guidance system kit turns 1,000-lb. and 2,000-lb. dumb bombs (Mk.83, Mk.84 and BLU-109) into precision strike weapons, even in the face of heavy GPS jamming, with a standoff range of about 40 mi. from 42,000 ft., said Alon Amitay, business development manager for air-to-surface systems. That is considered sufficient standoff range to attack SA-2, SA-3, SA-6 and SA-8 anti-aircraft missile sites. The BLU-109 can achieve significant penetration of targets from up to 25 mi., he said.
An optional data link can even offer battle damage assessment. The weapon can use GPS navigation from even before launch from the aircraft when the effects of jamming are least noticeable. If GPS is unavailable or jammed, the weapon can be directed by an inertial navigation system that can put it near the target's location. For the terminal part of the weapon's flight, the Spice guidance kit switches to an electro-optical sensor (IIR/CCD) that uses target-matching templates--automatic target recognition (ATR)--to positively identify the target, factor out target location error and ensure a precision strike, he said. What's new is a high-performance imaging sensor and increased processing power for the ATR. On the ground, weaponeers can load tens of targets into the weapon's guidance system and the pilot has only to make his selection from the menu and fly into the launch basket. While terrain and scene matching is used for a high-value target like a command bunker, the pilot or weapons system officer also has a mode for visual delivery. The kit costs $150,000-200,000.
* Litening pod enhancements. Rafael also is offering two new capabilities in its famed Litening navigation and targeting pod, of which the U.S. operates 250 so far. The pod offers an integrated forward-looking infrared sensor, target range finding as well as laser designation and marking. When used with a Paveway 3 precision guidance kit with its enhanced flight surfaces and a data link, the system has the capability to intercept moving targets, company officials claim.
The company is also working on an addition to the Litening pod's sensor system that will allow it to target and locate electronic jammers. This would be a key improvement that would let the user air forces quickly locate and destroy GPS jamming devices designed to ruin the accuracy of GPS-guided weapons. The system could obviously be paired with missiles equipped with Rafael's Spice guidance package.
* Spike-ER air-to-surface missile. While Israeli government, military and airframe manufacturers are pointedly refusing to discuss their efforts to arm unmanned aircraft, Rafael contends its Spike-extended range anti-tank missile, designed for use from attack helicopters, will be far more effective than the missiles currently used to provide an offensive punch to U.S.-operated unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). The missile offers a dual electro-optical and infrared seeker that can help locate concealed targets, target identification and a standoff range of about 5 mi. The missile also has a fire, observe and update mode that lets the pilot lock onto the target and then allow the missile to fly autonomously or monitor its flight to update the aim point or change targets.
Israel's military space goals are deceptively simple.
Planners want a constellation of small, low-Earth orbit satellites carrying a range of sensors, including a synthetic aperture radar (SAR) with a resolution of well under a meter for day/night, bad-weather observations. They consider such observations critical for keeping track of potential foes, such as Iran and Libya, which have long-range ballistic missile programs.
"We need intelligence," said Chaim Eshed, head of the defense ministry's space programs. "We can't survive without it." He predicts that in "three to five years, Israel will start its breakthrough in space. For us it is a question of life."
A bit further off is the development of very small nano-satellites that could be used to disable satellites. The thought is that someday a Middle Eastern power (some analysts suggest that the effort could be supported by North Korea's space program) might launch a satellite that could gather intelligence on Israel, try to intercept data gathered by its space constellation or even attack individual satellites. "You need to defend yourself," Eshed said. "We're not at that stage yet, but we're thinking about it. There is an open, wide band of information that is vulnerable. Piracy or guerrilla warfare in space has to be considered seriously.
"Two years from now, we will have a SAR demonstrator in the 650-lb. class," he said. "It will need lots of processing capability, but that's not a big challenge. The challenge will be to enhance and distribute the data just the same as electro-optical imagery." -
Israel new air-air python 5 missile...
ISRAEL --- Rafael has introduced Python 5, the latest member of the Python air-to-air missile family.
Python 5 is a fifth generation air-to-air missile that provides the pilot engaging an enemy aircraft with a full sphere launch capability. The missile can be launched from very short to beyond the visual range with greater probability of kill, excellent resistance to countermeasures, irrespective of evasive target manoeuvre or deployment of countermeasures.
Python 5 is an innovative combination of advanced new technologies and the operationally proven Python 4 components. The missile incorporates a new dual waveband imaging seeker, advanced computer architecture, INS, sophisticated IRCCM and flight control algorithms. The Python 5 maintains Python 4 unique aerodynamic airframe, INS, powerful rocket motor, warhead and proximity fuze.
Python 5Â’s revolutionary full sphere capability is achieved by the lock-on-after-launch combined with excellent acquisition and tracking capability. Its dual waveband Focal Plane Array (FPA) seeker and sophisticated algorithms enable acquisition of even small, low signature targets at Look-Down, adverse background and clouds environments.
Developmental and operational testing has already been carried out including extensive captive carry evaluation tests and free flight homing tests.
The Python 5 IR Air-to-Air missile compliments the EO Derby Medium Range Air-to-Air missile; together they offer superior war fighting capability to ensure air superiority for pilots in the 21 century.
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Originally posted by gary1910:
[b]Israel new air-air python 5 missile...
Python 5Â’s revolutionary full sphere capability is achieved by the lock-on-after-launch combined with excellent acquisition and tracking capability. Its dual waveband Focal Plane Array (FPA) seeker and sophisticated algorithms enable acquisition of even small, low signature targets at Look-Down, adverse background and clouds environments.
[/b]
wow....full sphere IR capabilitly -
Gripen to target Asian, Middle East markets
By Craig Hoyle, JDW Aviation Editor, Paris
Eighteen months since its formation, the Anglo-Swedish Gripen International concern is expanding its sales quest to new markets: the Middle East and Asia, said Bob Kemp, the company's sales and marketing manager on 16 June. In a bid to expand international interest in the single-engine fighter, the aircraft will be exhibited at December's Dubai air show and at the Singapore air show in early 2004, he said.
Noting that sales "don't happen overnight", Kemp said the Gripen is being promoted as a "natural replacement" for the F-5, MiG-29 and Mirage fighters. Thailand is eyed as a potential launch customer in the Asian region, with the country in need of replacing its F-5s in the near future.
Europe, meanwhile, is viewed as holding strong potential to expand on Hungary's selection of the NATO-standard Gripen, said Kemp. Bulgaria, Romania and Slovakia are all viewed as potential customers for the design, with the countries to be offered the ability to operate new-build aircraft under a similar lease-to-buy structure as that selected by Hungary, he said.
One of the strengths of the Gripen International structure is its ability to offer weapons from numerous sources, said Kemp, claiming that "nobody can offer the range of weapons that we can". Systems now on offer with the aircraft are drawn from countries including Brazil, Israel, South Africa, the UK and the US, he said. -
wah.. look like a comic plane that suffered a heavy blow to the head...
Buah luku plane.
Hur hur.
The Python5 comes as no surprising news anyway. Its about time they really had an " full-sphered, ALL aspect" missile anyway. Takes the fun out of dogfights though. -
Lockheed Martin Aeronautics President
Discusses Future Military Technology
And Current Programs During 2003 Paris Air Show
Iraqi War Shows Continued Importance of Air Dominance
PARIS, – Dain M. Hancock, president of Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., said lessons learned in the Iraq war are likely to drive aerospace technology development for the next several years, with the continuing importance of air dominance emerging as one of the main lessons.
“Operation Iraqi Freedom is producing lessons and observations that will have profound effects on international defense policies and the industry,” Hancock said, speaking to the news media at the 2003 Paris Air Show at Le Bourget airfield.
“One of the things we saw was an unprecedented degree of networking and connectivity of information,” he said. “However, the war demonstrated, once again, the critical importance of having air dominance and the benefits it holds for enabling a swift victory and minimal loss of lives.”
He added that the Iraq experience “serves as an inarguable endorsement of the need for next-generation aircraft systems such as the F/A-22 and F-35 (Joint Strike Fighter).”
In other comments, Hancock discussed the next generation of technology as it relates to “cognition” in the battlespace – that is, how force commanders and warfighters can use all the information that will be made available to them from sensors, satellites and other assets.
“There has been a realization within defense agencies that the cognitive domain is where battles are truly won and lost. Having vast amounts of information is of marginal value if it cannot be quickly interpreted and applied to strategic decision-making,” he said.
Hancock also summarized changes that have occurred in Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co. during the past two years, when major milestones have included starting F/A-22 production, progressing in F-35 Joint Strike Fighter development and receiving a multi-year order for 60 C-130J aircraft from the U.S. government. Employment at Lockheed Martin Aeronautics has increased by about 5,000, to a total of 28,000, since 2001. Other changes have included facilities improvements in support of the F/A-22, F-35 and C-130J programs.
Other Lockheed Martin news briefings this week at Paris will focus on details of the companyÂ’s aircraft programs.
Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., a business area of Lockheed Martin, is a leader in the design, development, systems integration, production and support of advanced military aircraft and related technologies. Its customers include the military services of the United States and allied countries throughout the world. Products include the F-16, F/A-22, F-35 JSF, F-117, T-50, C-5, C-130, C-130J, P-3, S-3 and U-2.
Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin employs about 125,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture and integration of advanced technology systems, products and services. The corporation reported 2002 sales of $26.6 billion.
http://www.lmtas.com/news/gen_news/business/bnipr_03/bnipr030616.html -
Close-up view of the Eurofighter Typhoon clearly showing the Pirate infra-red search and track (IRST) system.
This Dassault Aviation Rafale is fitted with a fixed Air-to-Air Refuelling (AAR) probe, Damocles targeting pod (right shoulder station) and the OSF IR/CCD sensor system (above radome).
Mock-up of the Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike fighter (JFS) cockpit showing the large multi-function displays (MFDs). -
Typhoon nears service milestone
The partner nations behind Europe's Typhoon fighter project are expected to approve type acceptance of the aircraft within the next few days, clearing it for operational service from 30 June, said senior Eurofighter officials on 17 June
Revised Euro Hawk demonstration schedule revealed
Northrop Grumman and EADS Dornier have finalised a revised schedule for a demonstration of Euro Hawk to the German government after the original plan was knocked off schedule by the Iraq War.
UAV role in 'Enduring Freedom' detailed
Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are receiving an unprecedented amount of attention at the 2003 Paris Air Show, not least because of their recent deployment in Iraq in April/May 2003 during Operation 'Enduring Freedom'. -
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 19, 2003
Lockheed MartinÂ’s Evolving F-16 Maintains WarfighterÂ’s Edge In Modern Combat
PARIS – Lockheed Martin’s [NYSE: LMT] F-16 Fighting Falcon continues its historic evolution, honing its edge in meeting new operational requirements both in the defense marketplace and in combat, according to John Bean, Vice President for Lockheed Martin F-16 programs.
Bean said at the Paris Air Show today the F-16 is still the most modern, capable and sought-after international production fighter today. It has been proven in combat time after time, including recent operations in Bosnia, Kosovo, Afghanistan and both wars in Iraq.
“Our F-16s respond to modern conflict by employing the latest precision munitions and providing effective air defense suppression,” Bean said. “As a multi-role fighter, the F-16 provides battle commanders with dependability and excellent mission flexibility.”
In Operation Desert Storm, the F-16 was known as “the workhorse of the war,” and its combat-proven tradition continued in Operation Iraqi Freedom, as F-16s flew some 4,000 sorties in continuous, all-weather operations that accomplished precision-strike, time-critical mission objectives.
In addition to its unmatched battlefield capabilities, the F-16 stays on the cutting edge of ever-changing operational requirements. The Advanced Block 50/52 and Block 60 F-16 fighters incorporate the latest technologies and capabilities, most notably advanced radars and additional precision weapons, which, in combination, provide true, autonomous, adverse-weather strike capability. Other features include higher thrust engines, upgraded avionics, advanced internal Electronic Warfare suites and conformal fuel tanks, which provide the F-16 with a mission radius and loiter time equivalent to or better than any other fighter available.
In addition to the F-16 production programs, Lockheed Martin continues to develop and integrate upgrade programs for existing F-16 aircraft. Upgrades such as the Mid-Life Update (MLU) and the Common Configuration Implementation Program (CCIP) join older models with new production aircraft, forming Lockheed MartinÂ’s Roadmap of Convergence, merging into a common path and plan that result in maximum commonality throughout the fleet.
“This convergence in roadmaps for fielded aircraft and new aircraft provides an opportunity for F-16 operators to benefit from the latest developments in technology and capabilities for fighter aircraft,” Bean said. “This synergy will parallel technology and provide a transition into the F/A-22 and F-35 programs.”
In the immediate future, the F-16 will still be in demand as the worldÂ’s most advanced and dependable multi-mission fighter today. Firm orders will provide production line work until at least 2008, with anticipated new orders and deliveries lasting through 2011. Since 1999, nine new countries have joined the F-16 family, giving Lockheed Martin the largest firm backlog of fighter aircraft in the world, with the potential for 200-400 new or follow-on aircraft.
“The F-16 international family marks its 25th anniversary this year,” Bean said. “Since 1979, partnerships with our allies and coalition countries have grown to 24, including the United States. And we have every reason to believe that our international family will continue to grow. With a win rate of 100 percent in competitions for authorized programs, the F-16 proves time and again it is the world’s most sought-after fighter jet.”
The F-16 is the choice of 24 countries. More than 4,000 aircraft have been delivered, hundreds more are on order, and production is expected to continue beyond 2010. Major upgrades for all F-16 versions are being incorporated to keep the fleet modern and fully supportable over the aircraftÂ’s long service life.
Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., a business area of Lockheed Martin, is a leader in the design, development, systems integration, production and support of advanced military aircraft and related technologies. Its customers include the military services of the United States and allied countries throughout the world. Products include the F-16, F/A-22, F-35 JSF, F-117, T-50, C-5, C-130, C-130J, P-3, S-3 and U-2.
Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin employs about 125,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture and integration of advanced technology systems, products and services. The corporation reported 2002 sales of $26.6 billion.
http://www.lmtas.com/news/programnews/combat_air/f16/f16_03/f16pr030619.html -
Israel unveils Python 5 dogfight missile
Aviation Week & Space Technology
06/23/2003, page 41
Douglas Barrie
Le Bourget
David A. Fulghum
Le Bourget
Israel reveals dual-waveband I2R dogfight missile
Double Vision
The Israel Air Force will introduce an imaging-infrared-guided version of its high-agility Python 4 dogfight missile starting early in 2005.
In unveiling the Python 5 here, Israeli guided-weapons developer Rafael said the missile would first be fielded on the IAF's F-16s. The new version has the same airframe configuration as the Python 4, relying on aerodynamic surfaces, rather than thrust-vector control, for its high agility.
The Python 5 replaces the Python 4's "pseudo-imaging" seeker with a focal plane array. This provides greater resistance to infrared countermeasures, and allows for aimpoint selection. The seeker gives a "recognizable" target image, thereby allowing the guidance computer to select the most effective impact point. In the case of the Python 5 attacking a fighter-class aircraft, this is understood to be slightly to the rear of the target cockpit canopy.
The development marks Israel's membership in a relatively small number of nations that have the ability to develop an imaging-infrared (I2R) air-to-air missile (AAM). So far, only France and the U.K. have developed in-service I2R missiles--the Mica IR and Asraam, respectively.
The U.S., with AIM-9X, and Germany, with the international IRIS-T, are also developing I2R dogfight missiles. The AIM-9X is in low-rate initial production and undergoing service evaluation. South Africa, China, Russia and Ukraine also have aspirations in this arena.
A senior Rafael official said the Python 5 uses an Israeli-developed, cooled focal plane array, with the seeker operating in two wavebands to increase its resistance to countermeasures. Test footage showed the missile engaging a target that was deploying flares in an attempt to decoy it. The seeker tracker box momentarily followed the flare before rejecting it for the actual target. The official said the missile's computer compares images in both wavebands, as well as utilizing software algorithms predicting how the target should behave.
Rafael has been working on the development of I2R seekers for more than a decade, though work on the Python5 was begun in 1997-98. The Python 4 entered service with the IAF in 1993.
In addition to replacing the seeker, Rafael has also upgraded the missile's signal processor and added a fiber-optic gyro-based inertial navigation system. The missile can be used in either lock-before or lock-after-launch modes. In the former case, the pilot would receive an aural tone when the seeker has acquired a target.
The length of time the missile remains operative following launch has also been extended, allowing Rafael to further exploit the lock-after-launch mode.
The Python 4 remained live for a maximum of 40 sec. after launch; with the Python 5, this figure is doubled. While the solid-propellant motor burn is the same at 7-8 sec., the extended missile life allows for longer range lock-after-launch engagements.
Trial footage of the Python 5 showed the missile launched against a target at 15 naut. mi. Following launch, the missile flies a lofted trajectory, predicting where the target will be based on data provided by the aircraft's radar before missile launch. In this particular test, the missile seeker went live and locked on to the target at 5 naut. mi.
The official said this kind of engagement required the seeker to have a comparatively large field of view in order that the target aircraft remain inside its acquisition "basket." Further testing of the lock-after-launch modes is planned at ranges greater than 15 naut. mi.
Development funding for the Python 5 was provided by the Israeli defense ministry. A production line startup is anticipated in 2004. The IAF is already utilizing captive-carry missiles for training and tactics purposes.
Along with fielding an I2R Python version, Rafael is looking at options for providing its Derby medium-range AAM with alternative seekers. The official said one idea is to use the I2R seeker on a surface-to-air derivative of the active-radar guided Derby.
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Dassault To Build Its First Unmanned Strike Aircraft
Aviation Week & Space Technology
06/23/2003, page 40
David A. Fulghum
Le Bourget
Dassault will build its first unmanned strike design as a complement to the Rafale
Big Duke Hits Town
Although Dassault Aviation has only just been selected to build and fly by 2008 the French military's first unmanned strike aircraft, engineers are already fleshing out the design and operational details.
While not intended to be an operational aircraft, the design would be used to gather UCAV know-how until the launch of a production program (see story p. 3
. No design or dimensions for the UCAV demonstrator were released, but Dassault officials said it would resemble the company's B-2-like UCAV demonstrator concept. Up to four unmanned strike aircraft would be controlled, or at least overseen, by a weapons systems officer (WSO) flying in the back seat of a specialized Rafale fighter, also a product of Dassault. The pilot will concentrate on situational awareness of the local area, while the WSO monitors the UCAVs, verifies or modifies targets selections and approves weapons release.
Dassault officials aren't particularly concerned about building and designing the airframe.