FWSAR (CC130H, Buffalo, C27J, V22): Status & Possibilities

[Ostrozac]

Purchases from the US military are considered as "Foreign Military Sales" and are a real PITA to execute.  Rentals are even more so, particularly when you remove the property from the USA.

I disagree. I have found the FMS process to be no more cumbersome and daunting then the standard CF procurement system. But I guess that's small praise.

 

[dapaterson]

At the front end, they are equally frustrating.  FMS cases, however, suffer from the two national FYs being out of sync by 6 months, plus the US affinity for keeping FMS cases open forever, and conducting a final settling of the account years after the main activities are complete.  This imposes a significant accounting burden, and adds exchange rate risk to any Canadian purchase.


For example: Today the CAF acquires a widget through an FMS case.  On 31 March 2014, the CAF sets aside $100US = $100 CAD to pay for it, using a PAYE.  (This assumes the $ CAD is at par)

Finally, in 2018, the FMS case is settled, and payment is due for the $100 USD.  Normally, you'd just pay it out of the PAYE.  However, exchange rates have changed since then - that $100 USD now costs $120 CAD.  Now, in 2018, the purchasing unit has to scramble to find an additional $20 CAD to make up the difference between the PAYE - $100 CAD - and the current exchange rate - $120 CAD.

 

[KevinB]

As a manufacturer I love FMS sales...
Mainly as UNLIKE the typical Foreign Sale it is a simple item/system that is on .gov contract, and not some Nationlistically modified setup I will only build for Country X.
Generally the Country buying via FMS sale will get a much better price - as items is sold to the USG at the contracted price -- the FMS entity will tack on 25-30% for admin fees --- but generally due to the contract with the USG, the FMS buyer will save around 30%.
Now the wheels come off the cart when the FMS item is not a standard US contracted item (like Weapon NV, where the FOM needs to be less than 1800 and no auto-gated/film-less tubes can be exported**).
  Also the wheels come off the cart if the Manufacturer no longer builds the items and the USG is "surplusing" items via FMS, or the Manufacturer did not want the sale to go FMS...


Of course I am then no obligated to support the item to Country X - as my sale was to the USG, so logical support has to be negotiated either via FMS (unlikely) or direct with the Manufacturer.


** DOS regulated NV systems - most non weapon mounting systems are fairly easy to export, however depending on country of destination and how the USG feels towards them at the time of the sale, it can affect what is allowed to be sold.


It also depends which FMS entity is selling the items, SOCOM via Crane, SOCOM via Tampa, US Army, USMC, USN, or USAF - which most of the services having at least two FMS locations (for different items) and how it is done/contracted can vary greatly.
   

 

[Zoomie]

Kevin - I bet you can't include more acronyms in your next post.... 

 

[Kirkhill]

Reading between the letters I thought he was trying to say Foreign Military Sales are easy...... except when they're not.

 

[Kirkhill]

Defense Aerospace

Alternatives:  FWSAR/MarPat/SovPat/CAS-Gunship/Short Field Lifter - all on one platform. How much can be done with rolling things in and out of the Cargo Bay?

Alenia Aermacchi and Italian Air Force Sign An Agreement to Provide Development and Industrialization of MC-27J Praetorian


(Source: Alenia Aermacchi; issued Nov. 18, 2013)
 


DUBAI --- Alenia Aermacchi and the Aeronautica Militare (Italian Air Force) signed today, during the Dubai Airshow 2013, an agreement to provide development, testing, certification, industrialization and logistic support of the Praetorian. The Praetorian, a specialized version of the MC-27J, will support missions for the Italian Special Forces, Comando Operativo Forze Speciali (COFS).

The Praetorian project will consist of two phases. During Phase One, Alenia Aermacchi will develop and deliver a prototype of the Praetorian to the Italian Air Force in spring 2014, immediately followed by testing in an operational scenario. Phase Two will encompass the industrialization of the Praetorian configuration and related logistic support.

The Italian Air Force plan to transform three C-27J’s, currently in service, into the Praetorian configuration during 2016 and will include mission systems, C3ISR equipment and palletized support / fire systems. An additional three aircraft will also have the same mission package capabilities.

Alenia Aermacchi, in partnership with US based ATK, will develop the Praetorian mission and air-to-ground support systems. Selex ES will partner with Alenia Aermacchi for the communication and data link equipment.

The MC-27J is an advanced defense system jointly developed by Alenia Aermacchi and ATK. The MC-27J is based on the C-27J, the most state-of-the-art twin-engine turboprop tactical transport aircraft currently available on the market providing unequalled performance. The ability to accommodate NATO standard pallets allows a wide range of palletized roll-on/roll-off solutions increasing the effectiveness of its tactical and strategic mission capabilities at lower costs, benefitting the Comando Operativo Forze Speciali (COFS) particularly strict operating requirements.

-ends-

 

[CougarKing]

Although Canada was already identified as potential V22 customer in the list below from earlier this year, we can already scratch-off Israel from the list as they already ordered 6 units.

100 Export Orders Expected for V-22

Jun. 17, 2013

Quote:
PARIS — The V-22 Osprey tilt-rotor is set to see 100 export orders over the next nine years, the program manager predicted at the Paris Air Show on Monday.

US Col. Greg Masiello said that more than three potential customers are “at paperwork stage.”

“I could see a scenario of 100 export sales over nine years,” he added.

Among the three potential customers for the Bell-Boeing Osprey are Israel and probably the United Arab Emirates. “In one year we will have multiple countries named,” as possible customers,” he said.

The UK, France, Canada, Libya, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the UAE, Italy, Colombia, Brazil, Israel, India, Japan and Singapore were on the list.


More at:
Defense News

---

 

[Kirkhill]

.....How much can be done with rolling things in and out of the Cargo Bay?

ARLINGTON, Va. --- ATK announced that the Alenia/ATK team has been notified by the Italian Air Force they have been selected for the integration of the Roll-On/Roll-Off (RORO), palletized Command and Control, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (C2-ISR) and gun systems onto the Italian Air Force (ITAF) MC-27J multi-mission aircraft.

...The gun system incorporates ATK's GAU-23 30mm cannon in a side-firing configuration, and is designed to fire numerous types of NATO 30MM X 173 rounds, including the 30MM PGU-46/B munitions. The gun suite will use a simple, automatic feed system in order to minimize crew size and reduce overall operating costs. .....

Defense Aerospace

 

[Zoomie]

Interesting article from The Aviationist

Pentagon has recently announced  the decision to assign seven C-27J Spartan airlifters to the U.S. SOCOM (Special Operations Command).

The aircraft are part of the batch of 21 tactical transport aircraft procured by the U.S. Air Force before the service took the controversial decision to store them all because they were too expensive to operate.

Therefore, instead of laying in the desert in near active condition at the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group (AMARG), at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona, seven aircraft will be assigned to SOCOM (Special Operations Command).

Three SOCOM aircraft were reportedly moved to Pope Field, in North Carolina, whereas the remaining four (two of those are still being assembled in Turin, Italy) will be delivered by the first half of 2014.

What about the remaining 14?

Along with U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Coast Guard has shown interests in the C-27J. In an interesting interview with Defense News, U.S. Coast Guard Commandant Admiral Papp said that the service wanted all 21 aircraft scrapped by the Air Force. However, they will get 14 or less (considered that U.S. Forest Service will eventually get a few of them).

“Ideally, out of the remaining aircraft, we’d like to get 14 because that allows us to fully outfit three air stations. Anything less than that and we would have to go back and really re-evaluate the project,” Papp told Defense News.

Dealing with the ending purchase of the CASA C-295 he explained: “We would do a new lay down of aircraft because the C-27J has a lot of the avionics and the engines that our C-130Js have. So there’s a lot of logistics compatibility there that we can gain synergies from. It’s a little bit more capable aircraft. It’s one of the aircraft we looked at when we started the Deepwater project. So we’re going to press ahead and get as many of those as we can.”

Coast Guard, that plans to equip an Alaskan station with the Spartan, could employ the same special SAR (Search And Rescue) configuration pitched to Canada for a fixed wing solution with SAR capability.

Although the new configuration is under definition and is going to be tailored to the customer’s requirements, it should include, Mission System (palletized solution), a SAR/MTI radar on the nose, a EO/IR turret on the nose, spotter windows and launcher in the cargo bay.

USCG has further determined their purchase of the C-295 was in error - they should have gone with the C-27J for their Deepwater project - why do we bother with SORs when our closest ally can make all the mistakes and spend the $ only to come up with our same aircraft choice that was made in 2001?

Original article found here :  http://theaviationist.com/2013/11/19/uscg-wants-c-27j/

 

[Rescue Randy]

The article is in error.  The USCG bought the CN235, not the C295.  Further, the reason for the USCG interest in the C-27J is that they can get them for free.

 

[fireman1867]

Coasties rejoice this is the end of the CASA project as it has been a complete failure for their service.

http://www.defensenews.com/article/20140106/DEFREG02/301060008/Coast-Guard-Take-Control-Last-USAF-C-27Js

 

[McG]

It seems keeping the Buffalo flying has surpassed replacing it as far as severity of concern goes.

Military going to the ends of the earth to keep search-and-rescue airplanes flying
Lee Berthiaume
Postmedia News
07 January 2014

OTTAWA – The Canadian military has been going across the globe to keep its aging search-and-rescue airplanes flying, reiterating the desperate need for replacement aircraft following decades of delays and political squabbling.

Top Defence Department officials were told in a secret briefing last year that the military had been forced to “purchase spare parts from around the world” to ensure the “continued airworthiness” of the Air Force’s 47-year-old Buffalo airplanes.

“In addition, we have purchased 16 used engines of a different variant than those of the Buffaloes for parts,” reads a briefing note obtained by Postmedia News. “By using common parts, we can maintain and prolong the operational life of the existing Buffalo engines.”

The briefing came after Auditor General Michael Ferguson reported last spring that the federal government’s search-and-rescue capabilities are in danger of crumbling, in part because the Air Force’s six Buffalo and eight Hercules rescue aircraft are on their last wings.

The airplanes are used to respond to thousands of emergencies across the country every year, but Ferguson noted they are becoming prohibitively expensive to operate and maintain.

Senior defence officials were told in the briefing that “other avenues” were being considered to keep the Buffaloes flying, “but only those strategies that represent good value for public funds will be pursued.”

At the same time, they stated search-and-rescue is a “no-fail mission” for the military, meaning it must be able to respond when Canadians’ lives are in danger.

NDP defence critic Jack Harris said National Defence had previous chances to upgrade the Buffalos and collect spare parts when the replacement project started running into problems nearly a decade ago, but refused to do so.

“It seems like opportunities for due diligence have been passed up,” he said. “Now they face a situation where these planes are going to have to be flying for another couple of years and they’re in panic mode.”

Efforts to replace the Buffaloes, first purchased in 1967, and the Hercules were launched in 2002, with money set aside in 2004 in anticipation of the first new plane being delivered in 12 to 18 months.

But the Defence Department was accused by some companies of rigging requirements for the new search-and-rescue airplane so one specific aircraft, the Italian C-27J Spartan, would win.

The military denied it rigged the process, but a National Research Council report published in March 2010 backed up the allegation and called for the requirements to be rewritten.

The project was subsequently taken out of National Defence’s hands and given to the Department of Public Works, which has overseen a complete restart.

Aircraft manufacturers were asked last month to indicate whether they are interested in having their airplanes compete for what will likely be a $3-billion contract.

But new airplanes aren’t expected until at least the second half of 2017, according to National Defence, and an entire fleet won’t be fully operational until 2019.

Even that may be optimistic as Public Works is bending over backwards to hold a completely fair and transparent competition, which some fear will draw out the process.

Ferguson found the Buffaloes already cost about $20 million per year to maintain, and even then they were unavailable on 119 occasions in 2011.

In five of those cases, there was no other airplane available to perform the mission.

Those numbers are expected to rise until replacements are obtained as the Buffaloes and Hercules continue getting older and breaking down.

The auditor general said the situation facing the Air Force fleet has gotten so bad that “the risk associated with aircraft replacement is significantly lower than the risk of maintaining the old fleet.”

Then-defence minister Peter MacKay said in December 2008 that there was “no greater priority” than replacing the Buffaloes and Hercules with new aircraft.

http://news.nationalpost.com/2014/01/07/military-going-to-the-ends-of-the-earth-to-keep-search-and-rescue-airplanes-flying/

 

[The Bread Guy]

Ladies and gentlemen, we appear to have a short list!

.... Sorted alphabetically, the following vendors have positively responded to the referenced LOI and are now incorporated on the Fixed-Wing Search and Rescue Aircraft Replacement (FWSAR) Source List:

· Airbus Defense and Space (formerly Airbus Military)
· Alenia Aermacchi
· Bell Boeing Joint Project Office
· Embraer Defense and Security
· Lockheed Martin

The goal of the FWSAR Source List is to ensure faster and more efficient communications. Vendors listed on the Source List will be automatically and directly provided information as soon as it becomes available, including the communication of the final competitive solicitation documentation. Vendors that are not listed on the FWSAR Source List will still be allowed to request and receive a copy of the FWSAR solicitation documentation. The final qualification will be applied against the FWSAR Request for Proposal (RFP) ....

 

[stonington]

At the same time, they stated search-and-rescue is a “no-fail mission”

Just wondering what a "fail" mission would be.

 

[Eye In The Sky]

In general, say something like a pilot proficiency flight, where they are just going to pound the circuit for a while, etc.  Something like that, if the aircraft goes U/S during pre-flights, the flight just gets pushed back/rescheduled.

 

[Colin Parkinson]

According to a recent article, the aircraft supplier is also responsible for selecting the site that the aircraft is going to operate out of. Which could mean that we like the aircraft, but their deployment plan sucks, not to mention the political wanking that would go on. Please tell me that incorrect?

 

[jdl902]

I will surprised in fact, if any aircraft is bought by the
Federal government for the fixed-wing S&R role in the next decade, having been involved in what
is now called the MHP for nearly twenty years. MacLeod

With only 4 months to go until the above post is 10 years old, it looks pretty prophetic!

 

[Kirkhill]

Aussie's again.  Private Challengers for the nonce, until a better aircraft is provided.

Would this leave the RCAF free to pursue a dedicated light transport aircraft which has SAR as a secondary role?

Private coverage in the populated south.  RCAF coverage in the north.

New Search And Rescue Aircraft Contract Awarded


(Source: Australian Maritime Safety Authority; issued Oct 24, 2014)
 


The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) has awarded a new contract to continue its dedicated airborne search and rescue capability when the current contracts expire.

Cobham SAR Services Pty Ltd will begin providing a search and rescue service for AMSA from August 2016.

AMSA utilises aircraft based in strategic locations across the country to perform search and rescue tasks such as searching for missing people, locating activated distress beacons, providing communications support during an incident, and dropping survival equipment to people in distress.

AMSA Chief Executive Officer Mick Kinley said following an open tender process, Cobham SAR Services Pty Ltd had been chosen to provide this service.

“This contract will continue the search and rescue capability for AMSA utilising Bombardier Challenger CL-604 jet aircraft specially modified for this role. The future capability will use faster and longer range aircraft to provide a similar level of capability to our current service, but using fewer aircraft,” Mr Kinley said.

Mr Kinley said the aircraft that will be provided by Cobham SAR Services will be fitted with a suite of electronic sensors, and will also be drop capable to allow for equipment such as life rafts, satellite phones, food and water to be dropped to a person in distress.

The contract is for a period of 12 years with an option to continue for up to a further three years.

The contract value, including estimated flying charges, is expected to be $640 million over 12 years. Under this contract, Cobham will provide a comprehensive service to AMSA that includes owning, modifying, maintaining and operating the aircraft. The aircraft will be available for search and rescue tasking by AMSA at short notice 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Cobham SAR Services will commence search and rescue operations for AMSA from August 2016 in Perth, while operations will commence by the end of 2016 from Cairns and Melbourne. The current contractor, AeroRescue Pty Ltd, will continue to provide the service until that time.

Cobham SAR Services currently operates aviation services throughout Australia and is an experienced provider of special mission services internationally and across Australia.

AMSA would like to take this opportunity to thank those companies who responded to the initial market engagement and subsequent tender for their invaluable input into the process.

-ends-

http://www.defense-aerospace.com/article-view/release/158263/cobham-wins-a%24640m-sar-contract.html

 

[YZT580]

640 million over 12 years seems like an extremely low price.  There was no indication of the number of aircraft involved but there were 3 locations given so I would guess at a minimum 4 aircraft with one at each location and one active reserve  and it seems unreasonable to imagine a country the size of Australia making due with only 4 aircraft.

 

[Kirkhill]

Some more tools in the toolbag - I debated whether to put this article here or on the "Ships without sailors" thread

Courtesy of Defense-Aerospace

Next step is to integrate UUVs/AUVs (Uninhabited Underwater Vehicles / Autonomous Underwater Vehicles) into the mix.

As the paragraph at the bottom suggests, successful completion of these projects could have broad implications beyond the Search and Rescue world.

CMRE Enhances Autonomy and Integration Between Unmanned Vehicles As Part of the ICARUS Search and Rescue Project


(Source: NATO Science & Technology Organisation; issued Oct 24, 2014)
 


Floating and flying robots have been successfully tested and demonstrated at CMRE during the 2014 sea trials.

The NATO Centre for Maritime Research and Experimentation (CMRE), part of the NATO Science and Technology Organization, recently hosted maritime sea trials delivered in the context of the ICARUS (Integrated Components for Assisted Rescue and Unmanned Search operations) project, which is funded by the European Commission under the Seventh Framework Programme for Research and Innovation (FP7). The trials were held between 13 October and 24 October 2014.

ICARUS has been developing advanced robotic platforms which can support crisis intervention teams in detecting, locating and rescuing humans in danger, in maritime and land disaster scenarios, since 2012. Unmanned Search and Rescue (SAR) devices offer a valuable tool for saving human lives and for speeding up the SAR process. This is particularly crucial for maritime incidents, in which survival times are short and during which even SAR teams take considerable risks. For such events, Unmanned Surface Vehicles (USVs), capable of transporting SAR equipment and deploying first aid devices, can greatly improve the efficiency of
operations.

The integration of robotic platforms, including Unmanned Surface Vehicles (USV) and Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS), was successfully tested and demonstrated at CMRE during the ICARUS 2014 sea trials.

Existing technologies have been improved to strengthen resilience, and new developments include robotic vehicles that can deploy autonomous lifesaving capsules, using mission planning software, new sensors and new data acquisition capabilities to detect and track survivors. CMRE has world-leading expertise in maritime robotics and target recognition.

In the framework of the ICARUS project, the Centre is collaborating with INESC (Laboratory of Microgrids and Electric Vehicles, Portugal), to enhance the autonomy of the robotic surface vehicles and is also involved in the integration of the main USV into the ICARUS Command, Control and Interface (C2I) station for collaborative operations with aerial robots.

The ICARUS project is managed by a consortium of 24 partners from 10 countries which includes stakeholders from industry, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises, research institutes and end-users, such as the Portuguese Navy and the Belgian First Aid and Support Team (B-FAST).

One of the main objectives of the project is to bridge the gap between robotic laboratories and the application of novel robotic devices to real-life situations in the field, paving the way for cutting-edge technologies to be used in Search and Rescue operations.

The technologies developing during the ICARUS project will be tested in 2015 during two major demonstration events: a simulated earthquake exercise in Belgium and a maritime accident exercise in Portugal.


The STO-CMRE (Science and Technology Organization – Centre for Maritime Research and Experimentation) is located in La Spezia, Italy. Formerly the NATO Undersea Research Centre (NURC), the Centre focuses on research, innovation and technology in areas such as defence of maritime forces and installations against terrorism and piracy, secure networks, development of the common operational picture, the maritime component of expeditionary operations, mine countermeasures systems, non-lethal protection for ports and harbours, anti-submarine warfare, modelling and simulation, and marine mammal risk mitigation.