Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) hopes to sell the Harop loitering missile (LM) type platform to Japan, and several other South East Asian nations. The standoff loitering attack weapon system, designed to locate and precisely attack targets, serves as an electro-optically guided attack weapon. A Harop unit is comprised of LM launchers and a mission control shelter (MCS) that enables missile control with a man in the loop operation, and real time engagement or abort attack capability to avoid collateral damage. Harop LMs are launched from ground-based launchers and controlled via a two-way data link for full man-in-the-loop operation.
According to sources, there is a huge interest in the Harop LMs in the region, including Japan, as the weapon system can be used to attack high-value targets, and is capable of full mission capabilities, from search, through attack and up to battle damage assessment. “Combining characteristics of a missile and a UAV, Harop enables effective mission execution without relying on other external systems for targeting and mission intelligence,” according to a company statement.
The Harop LMs are programmed before launch by the ground control station to autonomously fly to a pre-defined holding area, where they loiter. The MCS periodically checks their position and status during the route to the holding area. The MCS operator can thus control a number of Harop LMs that loiter over a holding area, he can select one LM for target search and attack, while the others are monitored periodically. The operator directs the selected LM to the target area and uses the video image to select a target, and to attack it. The Harop tracks the target and then dives on it, detonating the warhead upon impact. If required the attack can be aborted and the operator can re-attack with the same LM.
IAI is also displaying advanced, multi-domain capabilities for security and defence, including special mission aircraft, command, control and communications and surveillance, systems, and remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS). Naval combat suits that include sensors and missiles are also featured, along with artillery solutions including multi-mission radar and precision fires.
The company is also showcasing ground surveillance systems, advanced robotics technologies, tactical VTOL UAS, and integrated AI solutions for modern and future combat vehicles.
Bell Looks to Grow Presence in Japan
With its Bell’s long-term partner in Japan, Subaru, having delivered the first UH-2 to the JGSDF in July 2022 and the first Subaru BELL 412EPX delivered to the Japan National Police Agency in 2021, Bell is eyeing future requirements from the Japanese armed forces. Bell leads the way in Future Vertical Lift with its V-280 Valor and Bell 360 Invictus weapons systems. These next generation aircraft deliver major gains in speed, agility, lethality, and reach to support the manoeuvre force.
The JGSDF was also the first operator of the V-22 outside of the US military, with the first Japanese V-22 delivered in 2020. “Japan has been and remains a key market for Bell in both our military and commercial business, given the strength of the Japanese helicopter segment. We look forward to showcasing our Future Vertical Lift and armed commercial helicopter solutions with the Japanese military and commercial helicopters with Japanese government parapublic agencies such as the Japan National Police Agency, who utilize helicopters in many of their operations,” a company spokesperson told Daily News over email.
Bell is offering defence enhancements on most of its commercial product line, including the Bell 407, 429, 412, 505 and 525 platforms. With US Government approval, these aircraft can be equipped with a range of armament to carry out armed reconnaissance, special operations, light attack, anti-piracy and other missions. “They can offer a high level of capability for our customers in need of advanced rotorcraft performance,” the spokesperson said.
Subaru was awarded the contract in 2015 for the Japan UH-X program to replace Japan Ground Self Defence Force’s (JGSDF) fleet of UH-1J aircraft with a militarized derivative of the Subaru Bell 412EPX. Bell has delivered more than 1,500 helicopters since 1952 with more than 300 in use today. Bell officially opened its office in Tokyo 2015, which now performs the sales and marketing efforts for new aircraft in the commercial and government sectors in Japan and is also responsible for supporting Bell’s authorized Customer Service Facilities in Japan.
BMT’s New Revolution Sparrow
BMT’s Sparrow, an autonomous air-ground payload transfer device has been granted a patent by the U.K. Intellectual Property Office. The Sparrow concept was initially developed by a team at BMT for defence applications, where drones are being trialed to resupply troops and deliver items such as sterilized medical equipment to dispersed, unpredictable, and potentially hostile locations. Still early in its development, Sparrow was selected by the UK Ministry of Defence for the highly competitive annual flagship innovation event called the “Army Warfighting Experiment”. The world-first demonstration took place in HM Naval Base Portsmouth, UK, in November 2022 with the associated” Exploitation Event” in February 2023.
The Sparrow concept enables the large, noisy, vulnerable drone to remain much higher above the complex ground environment at the destination. Just how high depends on the use case; safe controlled delivery is possible using this approach from 200ft in windy conditions, and 500-1000ft in light winds, with additional options for higher drops.
In comparison to using a traditional winch from a low hover, a Sparrow delivery offers a much smaller, quieter physical presence and a safer, more precise delivery to a wider variety of locations, including confined spaces close to vertical surfaces and urban infrastructure.
Alongside applications in defence, the approach may also offer value to manned helicopter operations and across other sectors such as maritime ship-shore deliveries, support to maintenance engineers on tall structures, emergency services, and e-commerce deliveries to domestic addresses.
The project is looking to partner for further research and development and license the technology to a range of leading established operators. If development of the experimental platform proves successful, BMT is offering a glimpse of an alternative future in which the environment is not filled by the incessant noise of drones buzzing around at low level in close proximity to people, but one where drones remain safely at height, out of sight, out of earshot and out of mind. BMT’s development partner, Dr Steve Wright from Wright Airborne Computing, commented: “During 30 years of working in aerospace, I have not seen anything like the surge in new aircraft, systems, and applications that has happened in the last five years. Sparrow is a perfect example of this revolution, fuelled by a happy convergence of 21st century technologies harnessed together by computers and software that engineers like me could only dream about 30 years ago.”
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