Industrie Militaire

[tchpako]

Advanced Sighting System for Snipers

Posted by Bethany Crudele | September 26th, 2012

DARPA's One Shot system provides a measured profile of downrange crosswind and range to target to help increase first round hit probability for snipers. (Photo Credit: DARPA)

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency is working on a high-tech sighting system to help snipers dramatically increase first round hit probability and accuracy. “One Shot XG” is a laser-equipped scope that will provide shooters with an offset aim point and measured profile of downrange crosswind and range to target.

“As a round goes downrange, the elevation and wind can impact the velocity and direction of the bullet,” said Robert McKinney, science and technology programs manager for the Marine Corps Warfighting Lab.

“One Shot XG” uses an invisible laser to measure range to target and cross-wind velocity to calculate and display a continuously updated and precise aim point. McKinney said the scope will help shooter’s counteract environmental factors that can impact a bullet’s trajectory and will provide increased accuracy on a target.

While the program has been in development since 2007, McKinney said DARPA has made significant improvements to the scope’s weight and overall laser capability during the last year.

The 2 lb. scope is designed to eliminate the need for a spotter/observer.

“One Shot XG will mount on the observation telescope for conventional two man operations and can provide an accurate solution to multiple shooters. The system is also small and robust enough to mount directly on the sniper rifle for one man or multi-shooter operations,” according to DARPA.

McKinney said the Warfighting Lab expects to have snipers test “One Shot XG” during a live-fire evaluation in January 2013. In December 2013, eight systems will be available for operational testing throughout the Corps.

“At that point, we’ll get a true user evaluation from Marines,” McKinney said.

http://blogs.defensenews.com/modern-day ... r-snipers/

[tchpako]

Marines Plan Experiment With Armed MAARS UGV

Posted by Bradley Peniston | September 25th, 2012

The Modular Advanced Armed Robotics System (MAARS) on display by the Marine Corps Warfighting Lab at Modern Day Marine 2012 in Quantico, Va. (C4ISR Journal photo by Bradley Peniston)

The Modular Advanced Armed Robotics System (MAARS) on display by the Marine Corps Warfighting Lab at Modern Day Marine 2012 in Quantico, Va. (C4ISR Journal photo by Bradley Peniston)

Next spring, a Marine squad or two will take the field somewhere in California with an unusual battle buddy: a 400-pound unmanned ground vehicle equipped with various ISR gear and armed with several weapons.

A successor version to the SWORDS robot the Army used in Iraq, the MAARS has been under development by the Marine Corps Warfighting Lab at Quantico, Va., for a few years. (Here’s DoD video from 2010.) It’s meant to help the Corps understand how such robots might be used during operations, said Maj. John Fraser, who leads the Ground Combat Element branch of the Lab’s technology division.

Controlled remotely by a Marine operator, the MAARS carries a camera, loudspeaker, green-laser dazzler, a machine gun, and — when deemed desirable — a launcher that can fire grenades of lethal and non-lethal varieties.

The Lab hasn’t yet certified any individual Marines to fire the weapons; that’s only done by contractors at this point, Fraser said. But by next spring, the Marines intend to send the MAARS out to California, where it will be taken out for squad maneuvers. The idea is to get a sense of what such vehicles might be useful for and how Marines might incorporate them into various tactics.

Fraser said the unusual combination of radios and radio signals used to control and get sensor data from the MAARS meant that the testing would likely be done at some National Guard facility rather than at a Marine Corps base.

http://blogs.defensenews.com/modern-day ... maars-ugv/

[tchpako]

New Medical Gear Being Considered

Posted by Gina Harkins | September 26th, 2012

Marines might see some new additions to their packs to help tend to battle wounds.

Being considered for every Marine are new items made by Combat Medical Systems. Mike Langley, director of Navy and Marine Corps programs, said the items will be considered as part of the Corps’ scheduled review. But the products are some he would’ve liked Marines having access to in the field — and he would know since he treated Marines at forward operating bases as a retired senior chief corpsman.

The two items every Marine could soon be carrying include a Chest Trauma Kit and Battle Wrap. The trauma kit would be used to treat casualties with collapsed lungs due to gunshots.

The innovative kit includes a wipe to clean away blood and debris before a piece of clear plastic would seal the wound. It also includes a needle that can be used to allow trapped air out of the lung. The needle is unlike any others on the market in that it can be removed, cleaned out — in case it becomes clogged with blood or tissue — and re-inserted into the same patient.

The second item is a clear, plastic wrap made of the same material as the seal in the Chest Trauma Kit. It’s called Battle Wrap and functions the same way an ace bandage would, but only about 18 inches would be needed to wrap an upper arm wound. It’s also clear, allowing for continued bleeding to be monitored.

Both items come in small, crush-proof tubes.

Also being considered is a clamp that would be part of a corpsman’s pack or vehicle bag that would help to stop major arterial bleeds.

http://blogs.defensenews.com/modern-day ... onsidered/

[tchpako]

BAE Shows Marine Personnel Carrier

Posted by Paul McLeary | September 25th, 2012

BAE Systems unveils its Marine Personnel Carrier // Mike Morones, staff

BAE Executives said today that even though they’re submitting a variant of IVECO’s Italian-made Superav 8×8 to the Marine Corps in consideration for the amphibious Marine Personnel Carrier competition, if they end up winning the contract all work on the program will be done at its York, Pa., manufacturing facility.

The company officially unveiled the vehicle on the Modern Day Marine show floor this morning, and John Swift, BAE’s MPC Program Manger said that BAE has added some some slight modifications to the Italian design, including making the interior space bigger to accommodate 12 fully loaded Marines, and adding bolt-on underbelly armor solutions to the vehicle. The vehicle is capable of righting itself if toppled over by the surf, is fully operational in sea state 2, and has been tested in sea state 3, Swift added.

The 24-ton Superav 8×8 is currently being used by the Italian Army, and clocks in at a combat weight of 58,000 lbs, Swift said. BAE Systems Vice President Ann Hoholick said that the company is working on an MPC to deliver to the Corps in March for sea tests, with two more hulls being delivered in June for blast testing.

The company is also finishing up a trade study by December to help the Marines identify survivability upgrades for the Assault Amphibious Vehicle (AAV) vehicle that has been in service since 1972. The company is also delivering two Amphibious Combat Vehicle (ACV) blast test hulls to the Corps in mid-2013, one is based on the current AAV, and one is a brand-new design said Monica Mills, for the company’s AAV program. Mills added that the company is pulling on its experience with the Bradley and PIM programs, among others, in order to develop the second new hull.

http://blogs.defensenews.com/modern-day ... l-carrier/

[dil@w]

Boeing fait une démonstration virtuelle du Super Hornet (F/A-18E/F) au Brésil

grâce a un simulateur conçu en collaboration avec Elbit, Boeing a pu faire une démonstration de des capacités du Super Hornet aux pilotes brésiliens qui ont pu voler virtuellement en formation avec des F-5 au dessus du Brésil et même détruire des menaces aériennes simulées.
http://bit.ly/PreWRk

[dil@w]

Boeing commence la production de kits senseurs laser JDAM pour bombes lisses pour l'US Navy


Boeing a un contrat avec l'US Navy pour la fourniture de plus de 2 300 JDAMs senseurs laser (Laser Joint Direct Attack Munition) conçus pour transformer les bombes lisses de type free-fall en bombes guidées le tout en low-cost, le tout pour offrir à la Navy sa capacité Direct Attack Moving Target Capability (DAMTC).
http://bit.ly/OX03ua

[dil@w]

BAE joue son va-tout avec EADS

Réussir sa fusion avec EADS est primordial pour BAE Systems si le groupe ne veut pas se retrouver marginalisé en raison d'une stratégie floue, voire devenir une proie pour des concurrents américains.
Si cette fusion de 35 milliards d'euros avec la société-mère d'Airbus tourne court, le groupe de défense britannique pourrait envisager soit de s'allier à un groupe américain, soit de vendre ses actifs outre-Atlantique ou encore rester autonome et tenter de tirer son épingle du jeu dans un marché de la défense guère florissant.
Cette opération, la plus importante survenue dans le secteur européen de la défense depuis une décennie, doit de fait surmonter bien des obstacles.
La parité de 60/40 proposée pour la fusion d'EADS et BAE au sein d'une nouvelle entité suscite des débats, tout comme la protection des contrats militaires sensibles. Autres réticences à surmonter : celle des Etats français et allemand, qui souhaitent préserver leurs intérêts dans EADS.
"BAE voit ses bénéfices tirés de la défense diminuer. Que faire ? Soit se fiancer à quelqu'un en croissance comme EADS soit s'allier à quelqu'un qui peut l'aider à faire de grosses économies, notamment d'échelle, comme Rockwell Collins, General Dynamics ou Lockheed Martin", observe un gérant d'un fonds d'investissement britannique détenant une participation dans BAE.
"Les amateurs des théories du complot disent que BAE espère amener l'un des gros groupes américains de la défense à se déclarer", observe-t-il.
Si tel était le cas, BAE jouerait gros car le Pentagone n'est généralement pas favorable à un mouvement de consolidation qui réduirait le nombre de ses interlocuteurs et qui pèserait ainsi sur la concurrence. Certains analystes estiment toutefois que la situation pourrait évoluer car BAE est l'un des principaux fournisseurs étrangers du Pentagone.
"La stratégie de BAE l'a amené à exploiter à fond les marchés militaires britanniques et américains mais à moyen terme ces marchés vont avoir de sérieux problèmes; donc BAE ne peut se permettre de ne pas réagir", dit Zafar Khan, analyste de la défense de Société Générale.
STRATÉGIE SOUPLE
Dans le dernier rapport annuel de BAE, le président Dick Olver définit ainsi les priorités stratégiques: développer l'export, tirer partir de la diversification géographique, alimenter la croissance de la branche cybersécurité.
Il estime aussi que cette stratégie est assez souple pour s'adapter aux changements de situation. Quant au projet de fusion avec EADS, BAE ne peut s'exprimer publiquement comme l'exige la réglementation britannique des OPA.
BAE avait vendu en 2006 sa participation de 20% dans Airbus pour 3,5 milliards de dollars afin de financer sa percée dans un marché de la défense américain alors en pleine expansion. Un an auparavant, il avait créé sa filiale américaine, BAE Inc, devenu l'un des principaux fournisseurs d'armements des Etats-Unis.
BAE Inc a grossi par le biais d'acquisitions et concurrence désormais des groupes américains comme Lockheed, Northrop Grumman et Boeing. Son chiffre d'affaires a atteint 14,4 milliards de dollars en 2011, à peu près la moitié de celui du groupe BAE.
"Si la fusion ne se fait pas, BAE est de fait libre et une alliance aux USA est possible mais dans ce cas je pense que BAE devrait vendre ses actifs US", note Khan, estimant que la vente de BAE Inc pourrait rapporter jusqu'à 10 milliards de livres (16,20 milliards de dollars), hors dette.
La capitalisation boursière de BAE était de 10,7 milliards de livres (13,45 milliards d'euros) et son endettement de 1,23 milliard fin juin 2012 (1,55 milliard d'euros).
Dans la mesure où BAE Inc pense que les restrictions budgétaires vont l'affecter dans les années qui viennent, tout projet d'alliance doit se concrétiser rapidement. Les Etats-Unis, de loin le premier marché mondial de l'armement, comptent réduire les dépenses militaires de 487 milliards de dollars dans les 10 ans à venir. Le Congrès pourrait geler 500 milliards supplémentaires en janvier dans le cadre d'une procédure dite de séquestre.
BAE, qui a déjà supprimé plusieurs milliers d'emplois ces dernières années pour s'adapter à la baisse des budgets militaires, envisage d'en supprimer 2.000 de plus pour s'adapter à la baisse des commandes de l'avion de combat Typhoon.
LE ROI EST NU
Une fusion avec EADS permettrait également à BAE de revenir indirectement dans Airbus et de se diversifier en une période où les armées se serrent la ceinture. A l'inverse, cette fusion permettrait de rééquilibrer les activités d'EADS entre civil et militaire, alors qu'elles sont aujourd'hui dominées par celles du constructeur aéronautique européen.
BAE a amorcé il y a déjà plusieurs années sa diversification, notamment en développant sa filiale de cybersécurité Detica, ce qui ne permet pas toutefois de compenser la baisse tendancielle des marchés militaires traditionnels.
Si le mariage avec EADS est consommé, les tentatives de percée de BAE dans l'automobile, la construction et divers segments des services, à la recherche de la croissance et d'une dépendance moins forte vis-à-vis de la défense, ne seront plus qu'un souvenir.
Londres détient une "action spécifique" dans BAE, ce qui lui permet de bloquer toute tentative d'OPA hostile, mais le Premier ministre David Cameron semble assez souple sur son usage. Si un concurrent américain venait courtiser BAE, il semble qu'il ne serait pas trop sourcilleux dans la mesure où cela ne ferait que renforcer la "relation particulière" que la Grande-Bretagne entretient avec les Etats-Unis.
En tout état de cause, Ian King, l'actuel directeur général de BAE, risque sa place si la fusion avec EADS ne se fait pas, estime Ed Stacey, analyste d'Espirito Santo.
"Le risque est que tout le monde se défausse et que le roi BAE soit nu. S'il fait affaire avec EADS, King jouira d'un énorme recours en grâce; dans le cas contraire, BAE sera très exposé", explique-t-il.

http://bit.ly/QWG3Eg

[dil@w]

SAAB obtient un contrat aux USA


L'US Army signe un contrat avec SAAB pour la fourniture de canons sans recul du modèle Carl-Gustaf de 84mm pour un total de 31 millions $. longtemps en service dans les forces spéciales US ce n'est que dernièrement que l'US Army a passé commande pour cette arme et ce contrat est le second pour cette arme que SAAB ne cesse d’améliorer, la version actuelle est le Carl-Gustaf M3.
http://bit.ly/QyUPTV

[Flanker]

BAE Systems Awarded Contract to Develop Model for Integration of JSF in Australia


(Photo: U.S. Air Force, Samuel King Jr)
14:28 GMT, September 27, 2012 Richmond, Australia | BAE Systems Australia has been awarded a contract from the New Air Combat Capability (NACC) Program to develop an operational model to integrate the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) into the Australian Defence Environment.

Under the nine month contract BAE Systems will work closely with the Australian Defence Force and NACC to develop a model that outlines all requirements for JSF operations and sustainment including maintenance, supply, training needs and fleet asset management.

Director Aerospace John Monaghan said: “This contract will play a critical role in ensuring that Defence, industry and our ADF men and women are ready and prepared for a smooth transition when the JSF comes into service.

“Our team will work to define the processes and information that will be required to ensure that the aircraft achieves its maximum operational effectiveness in any deployed environment.”

The company has leveraged its global experience and appointed an employee from the UK JSF team to lead the project. F-35 Tech Specialist Dave Harrison has more than 10 years experience with the aircraft and played a pivotal role working with the British Joint Combat Air Project to support the integration of the aircraft into the UK defence force.

The project also requires plans for follow-on phases that will support the continued integration of the aircraft through to achievement of its Initial Operating Capability in 2019/20.
http://www.defpro.com/news/details/39752

[Flanker]

ASC Recognised for Engineering Excellence
14:20 GMT, September 27, 2012 Australian submarine and shipbuilding company ASC has been awarded the 2012 Engineering Excellence Award in the category of Innovation Research and Development by the Engineers Australia South Australia Division for the Submarine Structural Life Validation (SLV) Project.

The innovative project addressed whole life fatigue and fracture analysis of the Collins Class submarines (CCSMs) allowing for a rapid assessment of the hull areas, a minimised docking time, an extended boat life and a safer submarine.

Over eight years ago, ASC identified that the initial data and analysis used to develop the design life of the hull structure was not of sufficient level of detail to allow decisions to be made regarding maintenance efficiencies over the life of the CCSMs.

As a result ASC created a research and development plan, known as the Hull and Structural Integrity Plan for assessing these aspects of the CCSM. This plan defined the need for research into the Stress Corrosion Cracking, Hydrogen Assisted Cold Cracking, Corrosion Fatigue, Fracture Toughness, and Residual Stress and the need to combine these into a comprehensive analysis tool via the Structural Life Validation (SLV) Project.

Margaret Law, ASC’s Innovation Manager, said submarines are the most complex military vessel built in Australia. They are produced in significantly fewer numbers and are over engineered to ensure the safety of the submarine and the human lives on board.

“A submarine is not only a working environment for submariners, but a home for the duration of their operations at sea,” Dr Law said.

“The confidence in the safety and integrity of the submarine directly affects the morale of the men and women who serve in Australia’s elite submarine service.”

“The SLV Project will ensure ASC has the knowledge, tools and skills in place to allow for a safe submarine to be delivered back into the water on time and therefore maximising time at sea and ensuring the safety of those on board.”

“The project output will also provide a tool for undertaking smart design of future submarines.”

The SLV Project has been achieved through collaboration with external bodies to create a rigorous programme of training, materials testing, research, streamlined computer modelling and tailored fatigue and fracture assessments.

“This project is a prime example of ASC employees delivering a world-class solution to deliver the best possible service and value to the Commonwealth,” Dr Law said.

“We are very proud of the hard work and achievements of our employees and it is fantastic to have their efforts recognised by a leading industry body such as Engineers Australia through the SA Engineering Excellence Awards.”

A second submission, the AWD Block Movement Project received a commendation award in the category of Products and Manufacturing Facilities. This project involved the transportation of ship modules, known as blocks by barge from Williamstown, Victoria to the Common User Facility (CUF) at Osborne, South Australia where they will be consolidated into three of the most complex warships ever built in Australia.
http://www.defpro.com/news/details/39749

[Flanker]

South African Defence Industry Grabs Global Insterest

14:51 GMT, September 27, 2012 Last week’s Africa Aerospace and Defence Exhibition in Tshwane was an important opportunity to showcase the achievement of the local industry and confirm its capacity to compete successfully with global manufacturers.

More than 40 000 industry players visited the AAD2012 during its three trade days, including official delegations from 31 countries.

Mr Saloojee says the exhibition confirmed Denel’s position as the premier manufacturer of cutting-edge defence products and provider of security-related services on the African continent. “We made great strides in expanding business opportunities in both the aerospace and landward defence sectors in the market during the week.”

Denel Dynamics, the company in the group responsible for the development of advanced tactical missiles announced a joint venture with the Abu Dhabi-based Tawazun Holdings. The new company, Tawazun Dynamics, will be responsible for the development, integration and manufacturing of precision-guided weapon systems to the air force of the United Arab Emirates and other international clients.

Denel Dynamics is also on track to start with the production of the A-Darter air-to-air missile, jointly developed with Brazil, within the next two years.

In the aerospace sector Denel signed partnership agreements with four of the world’s largest manufacturers of helicopters and fixed-wing aircrafts. The agreement with Italy-based Alenia Aermacchi will enable Denel Aerostructures to participate in future manufacturing and assembling of aeronautical structures and spare parts.

This follows closely on the signing of a renegotiated agreement with Airbus Military confirming Denel Aerostructures as the only top-tier supplier of parts, outside Europe, for the A400M the world’s most advanced airlifter.

Mr Saloojee says Denel’s new strategic focus to position itself more prominently in the African market already paid dividends at the AAD2012. Denel Aviation signed agreements to be the preferred provider of maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) services to aircraft manufactured by Russian Helicopter and Irkut Corporation as well as Ukraine-based Antonov.

This adds to earlier similar agreements with Eurocopter and Lockheed Martin. “We are now able to maintain and repair a large cross-section of defence and civilian aircraft flying on the continent, right here, in Africa. Our proximity and knowledge of local geography and environmental conditions make us the obvious partner of choice for northern hemisphere manufacturers,” says Mr Saloojee.

Another growth market – the provision of humanitarian demining services – was strengthened with the release of the latest version of the CASSPIR mine-protected vehicle. The upgraded CASSPIR NG2000 will be in great demand from multinational peacekeeping forces because of the unequalled protection it provides against landmines, roadside bombs and automatic rifle fire.

Denel also announced a strengthening of its landward defence manufacturing capabilities through a partnership with Pamodzi Holdings to acquire LMT Holdings, a local manufacturer of armoured vehicles.

“The deals we confirmed at AAD also underlined Denel’s commitment to grow the local defence industry,” says Mr Saloojee. “We are growing the participation of empowerment companies in the defence sector and bringing an increasing number of small- and medium sized companies into our supply chain and network of service providers,” he says.
http://www.defpro.com/news/details/39759

[Flanker]

Embraer Defense and Security Announces Aerotron and LH Colus as KC-390 Suppliers

14:49 GMT, September 27, 2012 São Paulo, Brazil | Embraer Defense and Security yesterday announced the selection of two Brazilian companies as suppliers to the KC-390 military transport jet program. Aerotron, headquartered in Itajubá, Minas Gerais, will provide ballistics protection and LH Colus, from São José dos Campos, São Paulo, seats and stretchers.

“We are quite pleased to announce another two Brazilian companies as suppliers of the KC-390 program”, said Eduardo Bonini Santos Pinto, Vice President of Operations & COO, Embraer Defense and Security. “Both companies bring to the program excellent solutions and we are certain that they will deliver technologically advanced products of the highest quality.”

“Aerotron is proud of its participation in the KC-390 program and also of the trust deposited by the Brazilian Air Force and by Embraer”, said Carlos O. Camara Reis, Aerotron’s General Director, which will develop the aircraft’s entire ballistics protection following Embraer requirements, whose initial components for the prototype will be delivered in 2013. “We are pleased to contribute to the commercial success of the KC-390.”

LH Colus will develop and deliver the first set of seats and stretchers for the KC-390 test flights, scheduled to begin in 2014. According to Luiz Henrique Colus, CEO of LH Colus, “our staff is very proud of its participation in the KC-390 program, developing the seats for the troops and the stretchers. This is evidence that we can manufacture in Brazil items that meet the stringent requirements of FAB related to the safety and comfort of the crew.”

The KC-390 is the largest plane ever built by the Brazilian aeronautics industry, and will establish a new standard for mid-size military transport aircraft in terms of performance, payload capacity and operational costs, with advanced mission and flight systems.
http://www.defpro.com/news/details/39758

[tchpako]

LEA Nears Delayed Hypersonic Ground Test Milestone
By Guy Norris
Source: Aerospace Daily & Defense Report

September 27, 2012

TOURS, France — Full-scale wind tunnel tests of the LEA, the European hypersonic technology demonstrator vehicle, are poised to get under way in France, setting the stage for the buildup to flight tests in Russia.

Although details of the dual-mode ramjet powered vehicle project are increasingly difficult to ascertain, program officials confirm that it is ready for testing under Mach 6 flight conditions in the specially modified S4 wind tunnel in the French Alpine city of Modane.

The LEA hypersonic test vehicle is in development by MBDA and the French research agency Onera, and is scheduled to be air-dropped from a Russian Tupolev Tu-22M3 “Backfire-C” supersonic bomber.

Laurent Serre, program manager for LEA flight test at Onera, says the concept will be “validated by flight tests at Mach 4 to Mach 8. Flight tests are scheduled in 2014 and 2015, and preparations are under way for full-scale free jet tests at Mach 6 in the S4 blowdown wind tunnel.” Serre was speaking at the Space Planes and Hypersonics conference here, organized by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics and the AAAF, which is its French equivalent.

In the run-up to the final round of French wind tunnel tests, which originally were scheduled for early 2011, Russia’s Central Aerohydrodynamic Institute (TsAGI) has completed captive-carriage and release wind tunnel tests of a Tu-22M3 model fitted with the LEA hypersonic test vehicle. For the actual test, the 4.2-meter-long vehicle will be accelerated to ramjet transition speed using a booster derived from a modified Raduga Kh-22 (AS-4) anti-ship missile supplied by Russia’s Tactical Missile Corp.

The combined stack will be 12 meters long and weigh around 5.6 tons. Target drop altitude will be 42,600 ft. at a separation speed of Mach 1.7. Four planned test shots were originally planned from Zhukovsky over a Russian range in 2013-2015, and it is not known if the compressed schedule still allows for all of these to take place.

The LEA vehicle will be boosted to speeds between Mach 4 and Mach 8 for between 20 and 30 sec., of which at least 10 sec. is expected to be powered solely by combustion within the vehicle’s dual-mode ramjet/scramjet. If light-off is successful, the LEA is expected to fly under autonomous control for up to 40 km before running out of fuel and terminating on the Russian range.

http://www.aviationweek.com/Article.asp ... 500333.xml

[dil@w]

Le couple EADS-BAE Systems s'engage à préserver les emplois français, allemands et britanniques

Les deux groupes, qui travaillent sur un projet de rapprochement, sont prêts à garantir l'emploi, la préservation des sites industriels et les bureaux de recherche et développement (R&D) dans les trois pays. Un document spécifique serait sur le point d'être signé par chacun des trois pays.
C'est une des conditions sine qua non de la réussite de l'opération. Et les négociateurs en ont bien conscience. De quoi parle-t-on ? Des préoccupations sociales et industrielles des gouvernements français, britannique et allemand. Ces derniers défendent dans el cadre de cette opération les emplois, les sites industriels et les bureaux de recherche et développement (R&D) situés sur leur sol. "C'est le tronc commun des revendications des trois Etats, confirme-t-on à "latribune.fr". Tout les pays veulent la même chose".

Dans ces conditions, les négociateurs mettent la dernière main à un document avec chacun des trois pays sur des engagements écrits du futur groupe en vue de donner des garanties sur l'emploi et la préservation des sites, selon une source proche du dossier. "On peut leur dire par écrit", affirme-t-on à "la tribune.fr". Sous réserve bien sûr que les Etats respectent de leur côté leurs engagements auprès de EADS et BAE Systems en termes de commandes et que le marché de l'aéronautique reste tel qu'il est aujourd'hui. C'est-à-dire en croissance. Un avertissement sans frais à l'Allemagne qui cherche à réduire de 40 exemplaires chacun ses commandes de l'hélicoptère de combat, Tigre, et l'hélicoptère de transport, NH90... après avoir beaucoup diminué sa commande d'avions de transport A400M. Ce qui a mis ce programme en danger de mort. Chez EADS, on a beau jeu de rappeler que "ces commandes sont des emplois allemands".

Une opération complémentaire

Préserver l'emploi, les sites et la R&D, c'est d'autant plus facile pour BAE Systems, qui a déjà beaucoup restructuré dans ses effectifs à la suite des coupes dans les budgets de la défense américain et britannique, et EADS que leurs actifs et leur positionnement géographique ventes sont très complémentaires, à l'exception de quelques actifs dans la défense. Ce qui inquiète Berlin, qui a peur de voir partir en Grande-Bretagne certaines de ses activités. Ainsi, le député du Parti libéral FDP, partenaire de la chancelière, Martin Lindner, a estimé mercredi que ce qui comptait "ce n'est pas l'influence des gouvernements sur EADS ou ses composantes, il s'agit de garder certaines technologies dans ce pays". Pour autant, l'ex-patron de Cassidian, Stefan Zoller, n'avait pas hésité à tailler à la hache dans les sites français au profit de ceux basés en Allemagne. "Il n'y aura pas de fermetures de sites de Cassidian, assure une source proche du dossier. C'est de l'ordre du fantasme. Non il n'y aura pas de bouleversement mais il y aura un peu de réorganisation dans la défense et peut-être dans le temps une organisation plus efficace".

Airbus, Eurocopter et Astrium pas concernés pas les synergies

En revanche "Airbus, Eurocopter et Astrium ne sont pas concernés par les synergies industrielles", explique une source proche du dossier. Classiquement les synergies dans ce type d'opération seront possibles dans les fonctions siège, achat, informatique... S'agissant de BAE Systems, le groupe a démontré qu'il savait très bien résisté en période de basses eaux. Les Britanniques ont maintenu leur marge de rentabilité, rappelle-t-on à "latribune.fr". Soit 10 % de marge. "BAE a réussi à s'adapter à un monde moins guerrier et il n'y pas eu un effondrement de la rentabilité de BAE Systems", précise-t-on de sources proches du dossier.

http://bit.ly/QfmZA9

[dil@w]

Raytheon MALD-J Decoy Goes 4 for 4 in Operational Flight Tests


L'US Air Force en association avec Raytheon a commencé le test opérationnel du MALD-J (Miniature Air Launched Decoy Jammer) un leurre lancé low-cost et programmable ayant des capacités de brouillage de radar en plus.
Après avoir réussi les tests de développement avec succès, s'y ajoute 4 réalisés durant les tests opérationnels.
http://bit.ly/PsFGkp