March 29, 2012: A Russian UAV manufacturer is helping Vietnam design and build a new, 100 kg (220 pound) UAV for civilian (and later military) use. This UAV will probably be a smaller version of the Irkut 200, which is itself still in development. The Irkut 200 is a 200 kg (440 pound) aircraft with a 50 kg (110 pound) payload and 12 hours endurance. The radio link can control the UAV up to 200 kilometers from the operator. Cruising speed is 140 kilometers an hour. The 200 can fly up to 5,000 meters (15,500 feet) but it normally operates at 500 meters (1,550 feet). The Irkut 200 has a wingspan of 5.34 meters (16.5 feet) and is 4.53 meters (14 feet long). It lands and takes off like an aircraft and can do so on 250 meters (775 feet) of straight road.
The technology transfer and assistance deal will cost Vietnam $10 million. Irkut already has a similar deal with Belarus, where the Irkut 10 (an 8.5 kg/18.7 pound) is built.
Friday, March 30, 2012
Vietnam Builds A UAV Factory
Vietnam Builds A UAV Factory
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Turkey Exports UAVs
Turkey Exports UAVs
March 19, 2012: Qatar has become the first export customer for the Turkish Bayraktar Tactical UAV. This is a 450 kg (990 pound) aircraft with an endurance of ten hours. It enters service this year. The price for ten Bayraktars Tactical UAVs sold to Qatar was reported to be $25 million.
There is also a Bayraktar Mini UAV which is a 4.6 kg (9.9 pound) aircraft that is battery powered and hand launched. Endurance is 60 minutes and the Bayraktar can operate up to 15 kilometers from the operator. The Turkish Army has been using the Bayraktar Mini for the last six years.
Another Turkish firm has produced the Anka UAV. Looking very similar to the American Predator, the Anka is a 1.5 ton aircraft propelled by a rear facing propeller. Payload is 200 kg (440 pounds) and endurance is 24 hours. A UAV like this would sell for over $2 million each. The Turkish Army is to receive its first Anka this year.
Turkey's government has been booming during the last decade, as a new government made good on its pledge to crack down on the corruption that had long crippled the economy. As the economy grew the government sought to make Turkey more self-sufficient in military equipment.
March 19, 2012: Qatar has become the first export customer for the Turkish Bayraktar Tactical UAV. This is a 450 kg (990 pound) aircraft with an endurance of ten hours. It enters service this year. The price for ten Bayraktars Tactical UAVs sold to Qatar was reported to be $25 million.
There is also a Bayraktar Mini UAV which is a 4.6 kg (9.9 pound) aircraft that is battery powered and hand launched. Endurance is 60 minutes and the Bayraktar can operate up to 15 kilometers from the operator. The Turkish Army has been using the Bayraktar Mini for the last six years.
Another Turkish firm has produced the Anka UAV. Looking very similar to the American Predator, the Anka is a 1.5 ton aircraft propelled by a rear facing propeller. Payload is 200 kg (440 pounds) and endurance is 24 hours. A UAV like this would sell for over $2 million each. The Turkish Army is to receive its first Anka this year.
Turkey's government has been booming during the last decade, as a new government made good on its pledge to crack down on the corruption that had long crippled the economy. As the economy grew the government sought to make Turkey more self-sufficient in military equipment.
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Israel Faces The C Music
Israel Faces The C Music
March 7, 2012: Israel has ordered two local airliners to stop using ATR 72 and ATR 42 twin prop transports because these models are too small to be fitted with anti-missile defenses that all Israeli air liners are equipped with. The ATR 72 is a 22 ton transport, while its predecessor, the ATR 42 is a very similar looking 18 ton aircraft. About a thousand of these aircraft have been built in the last three decades and most are still in service.
Israel is speeding up equipping its airliners with anti-missile systems. The recent collapse of the Kaddafi dictatorship in Libya allowed several Libyan arms depots to be looted, and Israel believes arms smugglers have moved shoulder fired anti-aircraft missiles to Gaza and sold them to Hamas (who would use them against Israeli aircraft). Military aircraft already have anti-missile defenses (which detect the launch of the missile then blinds its guidance system with a laser).
For its civilian airliners Israel is using the locally made C Music system. A typical airliner missile defense system has two components. First, there are six or more ultraviolet detection sensors (weighing 3-4 kg/6-9 pounds each) mounted on different parts of the aircraft to detect an approaching missile. These sensors are linked to a 3-5 kg (7-11 pound) computer that contains software for determining that the object is indeed a missile and where it is headed. The detection computer is hooked to a countermeasures system that uses a laser to confuse the missiles guidance system (that is homing in the heat of the aircraft's engines). The C-Music system weighs 50 kg (110 pounds).
March 7, 2012: Israel has ordered two local airliners to stop using ATR 72 and ATR 42 twin prop transports because these models are too small to be fitted with anti-missile defenses that all Israeli air liners are equipped with. The ATR 72 is a 22 ton transport, while its predecessor, the ATR 42 is a very similar looking 18 ton aircraft. About a thousand of these aircraft have been built in the last three decades and most are still in service.
Israel is speeding up equipping its airliners with anti-missile systems. The recent collapse of the Kaddafi dictatorship in Libya allowed several Libyan arms depots to be looted, and Israel believes arms smugglers have moved shoulder fired anti-aircraft missiles to Gaza and sold them to Hamas (who would use them against Israeli aircraft). Military aircraft already have anti-missile defenses (which detect the launch of the missile then blinds its guidance system with a laser).
For its civilian airliners Israel is using the locally made C Music system. A typical airliner missile defense system has two components. First, there are six or more ultraviolet detection sensors (weighing 3-4 kg/6-9 pounds each) mounted on different parts of the aircraft to detect an approaching missile. These sensors are linked to a 3-5 kg (7-11 pound) computer that contains software for determining that the object is indeed a missile and where it is headed. The detection computer is hooked to a countermeasures system that uses a laser to confuse the missiles guidance system (that is homing in the heat of the aircraft's engines). The C-Music system weighs 50 kg (110 pounds).
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