Julien Mercier, Author at DEFENSE-AEROSPACE

F-35 Engine Unit Costs Continue to Grow Even As Production Increases

Early F-135 advocates promised a smooth learning curve. They said each production lot would cost less than the one before. Fresh data show the opposite. Unit prices still hover near $30 million, even though annual output has more than doubled since 2011.

April 28, 2015

Aircraft

F-35 Program Massages Flight Test Results

The latest annual report from the Pentagon’s Director of Operational Test & Evaluation (DOT&E) states that the F-35 Joint Program Office (JPO) claimed improved reliability by adjusting the way it records equipment failures rather than by delivering technical corrections.

January 19, 2015

Electronic Warfare

F-35 Report: Overview of Problems with F-135 Engine

KESTEREN, Netherlands --- Last week’s grounding of the F-35 fleet puts the Pratt & Whitney F-135 engine back in the public spotlights, just one week before the planned international debut of the F-35B at the RIAT 2014 and Farnborough Airshows.

July 9, 2014

AI & Autonomy

Spacecom and Israel Aerospace Industries Signed a Purchase Agreement for Amos-6 Satellite; Deal Estimated at $195 Million

Israel Aerospace Industries President and Chief Executive Joseph Weiss sat beside Spacecom head David Pollack at Ben Gurion Airport yesterday and signed a single document that binds both companies to deliver, launch, and operate the Amos-6 communications satellite for roughly $195 million.

November 13, 2012

Middle East

The New Norwegian Long-term Defence Plan

On 23 March the Norwegian Government presented a fresh long-term plan for the Armed Forces. The document repeats the core security goals set after the 2004 re-orientation, yet it answers two new pressures at once: higher front-line costs in Afghanistan and sharper

April 17, 2012

Aircraft

Rafale in Combat: “War for Dummies”

Pilots walk to their jets before sunrise, climb the ladder, key the INS, and watch the route and target files flow in by Link 16. A typical launch leaves the chocks with the following kit:

May 31, 2011

Land Systems

Saudi Arabia – M1A1 and Upgrade of M1A2 to M1A2S Abrams Tanks

Washington has alerted Congress to a possible $2.9 billion Foreign Military Sale that bundles fresh M1A1 Abrams tanks with a fleet-wide rebuild for every Saudi M1A2. The Royal Saudi Land Forces want fifty-eight surplus M1A1 hulls, plus the teardown and refit of

June 28, 2006

Europe & NATO

Thales Signs £700 Million Watchkeeper Contract with MoD

The Ministry of Defence has signed a £700 million agreement with Thales UK to develop, manufacture, and support the Watchkeeper unmanned system. The single signature secures every major phase of work, from completing design through initial sustainment, under one integrated schedule.

August 4, 2005

AI & Autonomy

Milestone for AIR 5391

The Systems Division of Tenix Defence Systems today closed the Critical Design Review for the ELTA EL/L-8222 electronic-countermeasures pod Software Support Facility. Built at Mawson Lakes, South Australia, the new suite will stand ready for the Royal Australian Air Force’s Electronic Warfare

February 22, 2001

Electronic Warfare

Three UV Stimulators Ordered

Ian Will, Manager of Electro-optic EW Systems at Tenix Defence Systems, confirmed today that a foreign customer has placed an order for three Mallina long-range ultraviolet stimulators. Each unit will ship from the company’s Welshpool facility before the end of the calendar

February 22, 2001

Julien Mercier

F-35 Engine Unit Costs Continue to Grow Even As Production Increases

F-35 Program Massages Flight Test Results

F-35 Report: Overview of Problems with F-135 Engine

Spacecom and Israel Aerospace Industries Signed a Purchase Agreement for Amos-6 Satellite; Deal Estimated at $195 Million

The New Norwegian Long-term Defence Plan

Rafale in Combat: “War for Dummies”

Saudi Arabia – M1A1 and Upgrade of M1A2 to M1A2S Abrams Tanks

Thales Signs £700 Million Watchkeeper Contract with MoD

Milestone for AIR 5391

Three UV Stimulators Ordered

Authors

Julien Mercier

Clara Nguyen

Priya Shah

Michael Adler

Lena Kovacs

Diego Ramos

Peter Johansson

Lucas Meyer