The A330-900neo is configured with 286 seats in a three-class layout, including 30 comfortable lie-flat business class, 21 premium-class, and 235 economy-class seats.

The A330-900neo is the latest generation of the A330 aircraft, with reduced fuel consumption and minimized CO2 emissions by about 25%-per-seat compared to previous-generation aircraft.

The aircraft is powered by two Rolls Royce Trent 7000 engines, with an increased wingspan and modified winglets for efficient aerodynamical performance.

Air Belgium plans to operate the aircraft on routes connecting Brussels for the long-haul destinations.

The airline currently operates an all-Airbus fleet of six aircraft, including four A330-200s and two A340-300s.

The AHEL primarily underwent factory acceptance testing before it was delivered to the USAF, Lockheed indicated on October 6, 2021.

“Completion of this milestone is a tremendous accomplishment for our customer,” said Rick Cordaro, vice president, Lockheed Martin advanced product solutions. “These mission success milestones are a testament of our partnership with the U.S. Air Force in rapidly achieving important advances in laser weapon system development.

The AHEL is undergoing rapid testing under a contract awarded by the USAF to Lockheed in January 2019 to integrate, test, and demonstrate the system onboard the AC-130J Ghostrider fleet. Even though the system is undergoing operational and functional testing on the AC-130J, Cordaro indicated that the technology was ready for fielding already.

According to Lockheed, the US Navy is also interested in the AHEL system, with the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Dahlgren Division, awarding a five-year and $12 million worth indefinite-delivery contract in July 2021 for technical services, integration, test, and demonstration of the weapon.

Lockheed has been focusing on developing laser-based weapons over the past few years under the United States’ first laser weapon program. 

The specifications of the AHEL are unknown, but it is speculated that its intensity is the same as that of the High Energy Laser and Integrated Optical-dazzler with Surveillance (HELIOS) currently being developed by Lockheed for the US Navy destroyers.

Lockheed is also involved in several other laser-based solutions for the USAF, including the Self-Protect High Energy Laser Demonstrator (SHiELD) system.

The AC-130 is the ground attack and heavily armed gunship variant of the C-130 Hercules heavy transport aircraft with an extensive combat history dating back to the Vietnam war. The arsenal of its latest variant, the AC-130J Ghostrider, includes a precision strike package with 30mm and 105mm cannons, GBU-39 small diameter bomb, GBU-69 small glide munition, AGM-114 Hellfire, and AGM-176 Griffin missile.

The contract, valued at $947 million, will help the USAF modernize the B-52 heavy bomber’s avionics system for combat operations until 2031.

L3Harris will enhance the Stratofortress’s electronic warfare (EW) self-protection system and integrate a combat-proven radiofrequency system that can simultaneously counter multiple electronic spectrum threats without interfering with the aircraft’s operations. 

“Competition for the electromagnetic spectrum is fierce, and without spectrum dominance, our armed forces lose competitive advantage,” stated Ed Zoiss, president of L3Harris space and airborne systems, on October 5, 2021. “It’s critical to continue upgrading our platforms to maintain spectrum superiority.” 

L3Harris says it has an option to expand the scope of its work from software sustainment to hardware upgrades under the new contract.

The B-52 bomber aircraft have specially-designed countermeasure systems to avoid aerial defensive systems, including radar detection and jamming. L3Harris has supported the B-52 heavy bomber aircraft’s electronic warfare systems for the past five decades.

The workhorse of US deterrence

The USAF has been focusing on modernizing its B-52 heavy bombers for warfare and combat operations. 

Rolls-Royce was recently awarded a contract to supply F130 engines for the B-52 Stratofortress fleet under the Commercial Engine Replacement Program (CERP).

The B-52 Stratofortress aircraft is a long-range strategic bomber aircraft built and designed by Boeing in the 1950s. The plane can carry weapon payloads up to 70,000 pounds (32,000 kilograms) and fly more than 8,800 miles (14,080 kilometers) without aerial refueling. It is powered by eight engines and was designed to carry nuclear bombs for missions during the cold war.

The USAF currently operates 58 of the B-52 bombers in its fleet, which are expected to serve until the 2050s.

Rolls-Royce F130 engine selected by USAF to power the B-52 Stratofortress

• Defense

byParam Agarwal

2021-09-28

The ESM-2 will be transported from its Germany-based storage site to the Kennedy Space Center in Florida by an Antonov cargo aircraft.

Airbus was selected as the prime contractor by the European Space Agency (ESA) to develop and manufacture six ESM’s for NASA’s space missions.

“Delivery of the second European Service Module for NASA’s Orion spacecraft marks another huge step forward on the journey to return astronauts to the Moon,” said Andreas Hammer, head of space exploration at Airbus. 

The ESM-2 is considered a significant element of the Orion spacecraft, built to transport astronauts beyond Earth’s lower Orbit for the first time since the Apollo program in the 1970s. 

“Working hand in hand with our customers ESA and NASA, and our industrial partner, Lockheed Martin Space, the program is moving apace, and we are ready to meet the challenges of returning to the lunar surface in 2024,” added Hammer.

The ESM module will provide propulsion, power, and thermal control to produce water and oxygen for astronauts in the upcoming space missions. 

The Orion spacecraft is designed to carry four astronauts, providing life support for the crew’s sustenance during the flight and will facilitate the safe return to Earth’s atmosphere at high re-entry velocity.

The Orion spacecraft is planned to be docked with the international lunar gateway, an orbiting platform built for sustainable space exploration. 

The ESM Module comprises more than 20,000 parts and components, weighing just over 13 tons, which will provide thrust and propulsion to the Orion spacecraft during launch.  

The first ESM module will fly on NASA’s Artemis I mission to assist and enable human exploration of the Moon and Mars.

The KARGO Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) will be able to carry out cargo hauling in its conformal pod or external sling load configuration. The UAV can be deployed automatically because of its autonomous system design and can carry payloads up to 800 pounds. (362.8 kilograms). 

Kaman intends to conduct a full-scale flight-testing of the KARGO autonomous drone by 2022 after validating the vehicle design over the past six months. 

“We are extremely excited to provide this advanced, game-changing technology to the market and leverage Kaman’s 75 years as a pioneer in aerospace and defense,” said Darlene Smith, Kaman Air Vehicle’s president. “Our vision is to propel our customers forward by imagining and delivering highly engineered products that solve our customer’s toughest problems.”

Kaman is collaborating with United States-based robotics and aerospace company Near Earth Autonomy for its pilot KARGO UAV program. Near Earth is providing expertise and solutions for obstacle avoidance and other technologies such as precision landing, sense and avoid, and navigation in a GPS-denied environment.

The agreement between the two companies was revealed during a signing ceremony at the China International Aviation & Aerospace Exhibition in Zhuhai on September 28, 2021.

GAMECO plans to add capacity by opening two new 767-300BCF conversion lines in 2022 due to continued strong market demand.

“It was mutually beneficial to continue building our relationship with GAMECO to provide additional conversion capacity for the 767-300BCF while supporting growth in the region,” said Peter Gao, vice president, Boeing Commercial Sales and Marketing for China. “GAMECO has demonstrated excellent execution on the 737-800BCF program.”

The deal means GAMECO will be the first MRO in China to have the 767-300BCF capability and the only MRO globally converting both the 767-300BCF and the 737-800BCF.

“The introduction of the 767-300BCF program further grows GAMECO’s regional presence and enhances our strategic focus around meeting the strong customer demand,” said Norbert Marx, general manager at GAMECO. “We will open the 767-300BCF conversion lines in our new hangar.”

Boeing has forecast that 1,720 freighter conversions will be required over the next 20 years, out of which 520 modifications will be for wide-body aircraft from Asian carriers, accounting for almost 40% of the demand.

The fifth-generation fighter jets took off from the Nellis Air Force Base (LSV) near Las Vegas and flew northwest towards the Tonopah test range, where they released two B61-12 JTAs from operationally practical flight envelopes.

“The B61 series weapons are tactical gravity nuclear weapons that can be used on Dual Capable Aircraft like the F-15E and F-16C/D,” said Lieutenant Colonel Daniel Jackson, division chief, headquarters ACC strategic deterrence and nuclear integration.

The nuclear certification process to certify the fighter jet’s nuclear carriage capability includes nuclear design certification and operational certification.

The USAF conducted the preliminary flight test on October 4, 2021, concluding the on-aircraft testing for the initial nuclear certification effort. The data collected from the test is currently under evaluation by the United States Department of Defense and the Department of Energy.

“Having a 5th Generation DCA fighter aircraft with this capability brings an entirely new strategic-level capability that strengthens our nation’s nuclear deterrence mission,” added Jackson.

The air combat command portion of the nuclear design certification process with the F-35A fighter jet was led by the 422nd and 59th test and evaluation squadrons. At the same time, the 926th aircraft maintenance squadron led the maintenance efforts for the process.

“Adding ‘nuclear capable’ to a 5th-Gen fighter that already brings several conventional-level capabilities to the table adds strategic-level implication to this jet,” stated Jackson.

The tentative date and timeline for the F-35A operational nuclear certification are unknown, but the test would play a critical role in the complete nuclear certification process for the fighter aircraft.

The B61-12 nuclear gravity bomb is the latest variant of the B61, which was introduced in the 1960s. It is not only critical for the United States nuclear deterrence as the main component of its nuclear arsenal, but also to some of its allies which are part of the NATO Nuclear Sharing agreement. A number of B61 are currently stored in several bases in Europe, namely in Belgium, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, and Turkey. Coincidentally, all but Germany and Turkey are to operate the F-35A Lightning II.

USAF F-35A achieves supersonic nuclear bomb drop-test

• Defense

byClement Charpentreau

2020-11-24

On October 5, 2021, the US State Department reported that the US military maintained a stockpile of 3,750 active and inactive nuclear warheads, down by 55 compared to 2019 and by 72 in 2017.

The Alabama-based plant will include a new 65,000 square foot (6,038 square meters) facility called the Hypersonic Missile Assembly Building – 4 (MAB-4).

The MAB-4 “is built on the digital foundation that Lockheed Martin has prioritized through mission-driven transformation efforts across the enterprise to meet customer needs with speed and agility while bolstering US manufacturing capability.”

Lockheed has integrated critical digital transformation tools at its facility, including robotic thermal protection application, innovative torque machinery, and mixed-reality capabilities for training and virtual inspections. The hypersonic programs on-site will include the US Navy’s Conventional Prompt Strike (CPS), the Army’s Long Range Hypersonic Weapon (LRHW), and the Air Force’s Air-Launched Rapid Response Weapon (ARRW).

“Lockheed Martin has manufactured defense systems in Courtland since 1994, providing increasingly sophisticated capabilities to protect our nation, allies, and security partners,” stated Sarah Hiza, vice president and general manager of strategic and missile defense systems at Lockheed Martin Space.

The facility’s machinery will be connected to Lockheed’s intelligent factory framework in 2022, which will digitally link the company’s production activity and assets to a common source for insights into the health, status, and optimization of operations. 

“Our long-time partnerships with Alabama, the Department of Defense, and academic researchers have paved the way to develop the most advanced hypersonic strike capabilities using the best-of-the-best digital technologies from across our enterprise,” added Hiza in the statement.

Lockheed is reportedly making significant investments in hypersonic weapon systems to “counter rapidly emerging threats from near-peer adversaries” of the United States.

Programs such as the CPS, LRHW, and the ARRW produced at the new facility are intended to support several US military branches, as well the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA).

“Hypersonic strike capabilities are critical to combat evolving threats, giving our warfighters the tools they need to complete complex missions,” said Jay Pitman, vice president of air dominance and strike weapons at Lockheed Martin missiles and fire control.

The MAB-4 is estimated to create 70 jobs in the area, adding to the already 26,000 employee workforce based in Alabama.

The US has successfully tested its Hypersonic Air-breathing Weapon Concept (HAWC) on September 27, 2021, after its Air-Launched Rapid Response Weapon (ARRW) failed twice in April and July 2021.

Countries such as the US, Russia, and China have prioritized the development of hypersonic weapon systems over the past few years as a means of global deterrence.

The contract valued at $136 million is the US Army’s first step towards fleet modernization to ensure preparedness for future heavy-lift rotor operations.

The first batch of the upgraded Chinook helicopters will be delivered in 2023.

The US Army also signed an advance procurement contract with Boeing worth $29 million for the second production lot of the Block II Chinook helicopters.

“This is a big step in Chinook modernization, supporting the Army’s future multi-domain vision,” said Andy Builta, vice president of cargo and utility helicopters and H-47 program manager. “The Block II technologies will drive commonality across the fleet and enable our soldiers to return home safely for decades.”

The CH-47 Chinook is a twin-engined heavy-lift tandem-rotor helicopter, having one of the highest heavy lifting capabilities in the western rotor aircraft spectrum.

The Chinook’s initial operations conducted by the US Army can be dated back to the Vietnam War. 

The new Block II Chinook helicopters feature various upgrades intended to provide additional lift capability and reduce maintenance costs.

The H-47 Chinook helicopter is currently operated by 22 countries, including Australia, Canada, China, Egypt, Greece, India, Indonesia, Iran, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Libya, Morroco, Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Spain, Thailand, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

The Chinese military fleet that violated the Taiwan airspace included eight J-16s and four Su-30s fighter aircraft, two Y-8 ASW transport aircraft, and two KJ-500s airborne early warning and control aircraft.

16 PLA aircraft (J-16*8, SU-30*4, Y-8 ASW*2 and KJ-500 AEW&C*2) entered ’s southwest ADIZ on October 3, 2021. Please check our official website for more information:

— 國防部 Ministry of National Defense, R.O.C.  (@MoNDefense)

Taiwan had also reported another wave of 39 Chinese military aircraft violating its national airspace on October 2, 2021, a record number to date.

19 PLA aircraft (J-16*12, SU-30*6 and KJ-500 AEW&C) entered ’s southwest ADIZ on the night of October 2, 2021. Please check our official website for more information:

— 國防部 Ministry of National Defense, R.O.C.  (@MoNDefense)

The United States condemned what it described as “China’s provocative military activity near Taiwan, which is destabilizing, risks miscalculations, and undermines regional peace and stability.”

“We urge Beijing to cease its military, diplomatic, and economic pressure and coercion against Taiwan,” stated the United States Department of State on October 3, 2021.

Via arms contracts, the United States assisted Taiwan in maintaining a sufficient self-defense capability as China is known to send its military aircraft near Taiwan’s border regularly as a display of power and force. 

Throughout Donald Trump’s presidency, over ten arms sales were concluded. In August 2020, Taiwan ordered 66 Lockheed Martin F-16V fighter jets, the latest variant of the best-seller, to modernize the Taiwan Air Force (ROCAF) fleet. 

“We will continue to stand with friends and allies to advance our shared prosperity, security, and values and deepen our ties with democratic Taiwan,” added the United States in its statement. 

The previous reports of China violating Taiwan’s airspace date back to September 24, 2021, when a fleet of 19 Chinese military aircraft reportedly violated Taiwan’s air defense zone.

Taiwanese jets scramble as Chinese aircraft enter Taiwan’s air defense zone

• Defense

byJean Carmela Lim

2021-10-04