French Armed Forces

[Timmymagic]

French MoD Names Futures Light Joint Helicopter “Guepard”, Speeds Up its Procurement

Xav is there any indication that the sea based H-160 will gain a folding tail? Or a 360 radar fit?
Can the Gazelle hang on until 2026+

[Frenchie]

French MoD Names Futures Light Joint Helicopter “Guepard”, Speeds Up its Procurement

Xav is there any indication that the sea based H-160 will gain a folding tail? Or a 360 radar fit?
Can the Gazelle hang on until 2026+

Sorry Xav, if I can afford, that link explains a lot.

https://www.edrmagazine.eu/airbus-h160m ... even-types

Next, the Gazelle availability rate is 49% for a fleet of 99 aircraft, with a maintenance cost of € 63 million. It's pretty good for an old helicopter.

[Frenchie]

https://www.edrmagazine.eu/the-scarabee-crawls-forward

Perhaps the substitute of the VBL, either the Scarabée or the Hawkei, this is exciting

[Caribbean]

https://www.edrmagazine.eu/the-scarabee-crawls-forward

Perhaps the substitute of the VBL, either the Scarabée or the Hawkei, this is exciting

An interesting idea - the M230 chaingun would seem like a natural companion

[Lord Jim]

This is the sort of platform we could use as a Recce platform in the Mechanised Brigades, fitted with a RWS with a 12.7mm M2 and sensor mast with EO and GSR.

[ArmChairCivvy]

Looks like a Tonka toy... but it is not: "With a GVW of 8 tonnes, the Scarabee has a payload of 2 tonnes, 60% more than the VB2L, the long chassis version of the VBL light armoured vehicle in service "

Also, being of hybrid propulsion, the battery could be (dual-)used for an anti-UAV system. The latter is mentioned in the passing, without any details
- a new version of recce by force
- in which the main virtue was the ability to kill the opponent's recce force, should one also be 'on an outing. More chance of that with UAVs, which are 'meant to be' ubiquitous in the way they are deployed.

[Lord Jim]

It does sort of remind me of both the Scarab submitted in the competition the Panther won and the German/Dutch recce platform.

[abc123]

https://www.edrmagazine.eu/the-scarabee-crawls-forward

Perhaps the substitute of the VBL, either the Scarabée or the Hawkei, this is exciting

Why use sliding doors?

[Frenchie]

https://www.edrmagazine.eu/the-scarabee-crawls-forward

Perhaps the substitute of the VBL, either the Scarabée or the Hawkei, this is exciting

Why use sliding doors?

Choice of engineers, we do not know, the CRAB had doors opening upwards, the Scarabee has sliding doors, it seems that they do not block if we put debris, I want to believe the people doing the tests

[Frenchie]

I made a mistake in answering to the question posed by Timmymagic to Xav?

[xav]

https://www.edrmagazine.eu/the-scarabee-crawls-forward

Perhaps the substitute of the VBL, either the Scarabée or the Hawkei, this is exciting

Why use sliding doors?

According to http://forcesoperations.com/sous-la-car ... -scarabee/

Difficile, au premier regard, de ne pas saluer un design avant-gardiste, qui se démarque premièrement par ses deux portes latérales coulissantes. Une innovation au profit de l’ergonomie qui permettra de faciliter l’accès au véhicule tout en conservant un encombrement minimal particulièrement adapté aux missions en environnement urbain. Dépourvues de poignée apparente, ces portes s’ouvrent de l’extérieure au moyen d’une technologie qu’Arquus n’a pas souhaité détailler. Près de 5000 mouvements « ouverture-fermeture » ont déjà été réalisés sur les prototypes en y injectant des éléments naturels propres à enrayer le mécanisme (boue, sable, poussière). Cette configuration n’est néanmoins pas exclusive, le Scarabee pouvant être équipé de portes à gonds.

It is difficult not to appreciate the "avant-garde" design at first sight. Immediatly notieceable are the two lateral sliding doors. An innovation for the sake of ergonomics that will facilitate the access and keep the footprint of the vehicle to a minimum, especially during urban operations. The doors do not feature handles, a technology that Arquus didn't want to disclose. Nearly 5,000 "open-close" movements have already been made on the prototypes by injecting natural elements that are able to stop the mechanism (mud, sand, dust). This configuration is nevertheless not exclusive, the Scarabee can be equipped with regular hinged doors.

[abc123]

You may call me conservative, but in such class of vehicles I would like doors that I can take with my hands and open/close ( purely mehanical fool-proof as possible system ) and/or take down from vehicle ( or put back ) if I think I need to do it. With strongest tool to do that screwdriver.
The more complicated some system is- higher probability of malfunction when I need it. Such vehicles are for combat and for harshest conditions, not for driving in Monte Carlo and trying to impress the girls.
Last thing I want in such vehicle is that I can't go out or enter it because some electronical or overly-complicated mechanical part malfunctioned. And of course, such things will happen when that's the least thing I need.

[Lord Jim]

Imagine the possible issues if the design actually uses a form of "Keyless", entry, with no handle as a manual back up , for example the enemy jams the signal so the doors cannot be opened at an unfortunate moment

[NickC]

Car theft numbers rising in England and Wales, blamed on keyless entry.

[xav]

France Reaffirms Defense & Security Commitment to Indo-Pacific

France's Minister of the Armed Forces, Florence Parly, presented the new version of the document of reference on French defense in Indo-Pacific: "France and security in the Indo-Pacific" during the 2019 Shangri-La Dialogue.

https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/20 ... o-pacific/

[Frenchie]

The European MALE drone project proposed by industry is too expensive as it is, criticized Monday the French Minister of Armies Florence Parly at the Paris Air Show.

This program can only go to the end if the drone which is proposed is competitive. We need to our manufacturers to be reasonable (Airbus, the French Dassault Aviation and the Italian Leonardo), for the moment it's too expensive, insists the minister's entourage. This is a question not only for buyers already in the running, I want to talk about France, Germany, Spain and Italy, but also for future export customers.

We have a period of intense negotiations ahead of us, and I hope we will be able to jointly announce good news by the end of the year. In March, the European Commission announced the release of 100 million euros for the development of this European military drone by 2025.

Florence Parly announced Monday the development and acquisition of three militarized Falcon 8X, equipped with a Thales sensor, by the end of 2019 to strengthen the electromagnetic intelligence capabilities of French armies. The development of this "spy" aircraft is part of the "Universal Electronic Warfare Capacity" program launched in February 2018. "By the end of 2019, we will launch the development and acquisition of three Falcon 8X built by Dassault Aviation equipped with a new sensor developed for nearly 10 years by Thales, "said the Minister of Armies.

"These aircrafts will come from 2025, replacing the two Transall C-160 Gabriel strengthening the intelligence capabilities of electromagnetic origin," she added. The Falcon tri-racers can travel more than 13,000 meters above sea level and collect enemy electromagnetic data over millions of square kilometers thanks to the Thales-developed Epicure system, which allows for the interception of radio and radar transmissions.

[Frenchie]

Emmanuel Macron and its industrial partners, Dassault Aviation has unveiled this Monday, June 17 scale model 1 Next Generation Fighter (NGF), the future European fighter aircraft on the initiative of Germany, Spain and France. It is the essential part of the future air combat system and must enter the forces by 2040 to replace the Rafale and Eurofighter of French and German armies.

What is striking above all is the impressive size of the successor to the Rafale. If the dimensions are conserved, the NGF will be about 19 meters long and 14 meters wide, for a mass of less than 40 tonnes (loaded with all its armaments). In comparison, the Rafale is about 15 m long and 11 m wide. In terms of size, the NGF is more like a Mirage IV or an American F22.

An aircraft cut for stealth

This evolution towards larger dimensions has one main goal: the search for maximum stealth. To be invisible to the enemy radars, it was necessary to integrate all the armaments into melted bunkers in the fuselage. Dassault draws all the experience gained with its prototype nEUROn, a European combat drone designed for stealth. This search for discretion has also conditioned the very special shape of the tail, doubled as the two wings apart like a butterfly. This will provide the necessary maneuverability for air combat and without making it a prime target for air defenses. Exit the vertical tail of the Rafale too visible.

Extreme temperatures

For such a device, the engine remains the critical element. Armies demand a more powerful engine than the current Rafale M88 to be able to carry more weapons at supersonic speed. The engine will have to withstand temperatures of 2100 ° C, against 1850 ° C for the Rafale. This will require developing new technologies and considering the use of new materials because at these temperatures, conventionally used metals melt!

The NGF will be distinguished from the Rafale by its collaborative dimension. On the tarmac of Bourget, Dassault Aviation's partners presented the models of two support drones designed respectively by Airbus and MBDA.

[abc123]

If the French are forced to do it alone, what will suffer instead?

[Frenchie]

We will not have the means to do it alone, we will be less ambitious if we are alone.

[Jake1992]

We will not have the means to do it alone, we will be less ambitious if we are alone.

So perhaps something like a 5th gen Rafale in those circumstances instead of taking the jump to a new 6th gen design ?

[inch]

Just ask Germany to pay out more to France for the fighter then you can be ambitious as you like , problem solved ,they gots lots of dosh

[inch]

Plus just shows you how big the new future French aircraft carrier they must be considering when the new fighter going to be 19 MTRS long ,prob must be thinking a carrier version so must be American side carrier next for France ?

[Jake1992]

Plus just shows you how big the new future French aircraft carrier they must be considering when the new fighter going to be 19 MTRS long ,prob must be thinking a carrier version so must be American side carrier next for France ?

I heard they were looking at something around the 300m by 75m coming in at around 80,000-85,000t, so sitting bang between a QE and a Ford Class.

Iv heard they’re looking at going conventional power this time though, does anyone know if this is right ?

[inch]

But how many planes of this size could a carrier of this carry ,prob 40-60 I think

[Jake1992]

But how many planes of this size could a carrier of this carry ,prob 40-60 I think

I’d think a carrier that size could operate 70-75 aircraft all in if the jets were F35 size, if they are on the larger size like these look I’d say 60 is reasonable but that’s taking in to account that a good number will be helos or V-22 style aircraft say around 15 plus 3 Hawkeyes, so say 35-40 of the Fighters