Meggitt Defence Systems UK

Members of the Ecuadorian Air Force attended an Engine Training Course at MDSL Ashford which they passed with flying colours!!

They are currently using the 342 Engines with great success on their UAV projects.

We expect to see further members of the Air Force for Engine Training later on this year.

Italian MOD, ARMAEREO, has signed a contract with MDSL, for the supply of Banshee Aerial Target Systems and Sprite Boat Target Systems.

The systems will include Catapult Launchers, Radar and IR enhancements, MDI scoring etc.

Deliveries of equipment and training, will commence in May 2012.

Demonstrations of the target equipment were carried out in 2010, and a competitive tender held in 2011.

After extended negotiation, the contract was signed in Rome, on the 22nd December.

Live Firings of AMRAAM air-to-air missiles and ground-to-air Mistral missiles have recently been conducted by the Norwegian Armed Forces. A number of Banshee Targets were destroyed.

New orders have been placed in November, not only for Banshee Targets, but also for Sprite II Boat Targets, which operate from the same “Wizard” Ground Station as used for Banshee.

After evaluation, the Brazilian Air Force has selected and contracted MDSL to supply Banshee Aerial Targets for air–to-air firings. The Targets will include Hot Nose, Miss Distance Indicators (MDI) and Countermeasure Dispensing Systems.

Banshee has been in service with the Brazilian Navy for 11 years, which includes the sea skimming variant.

MDSL has been awarded a contract by the NATO Maintenance & Supply Agency (NAMSA) for 122 Aerial Targets and 12 “Sprite II” Marine Surface Targets. The contract, which is valued at several million pounds sterling, also calls for 6 “Merlin” Ground Stations, 6 Catapult Launchers and other Supporting Equipment, including I.R. and Radar Enhancements and Countermeasures. Also Radar Altimeters which give the Aerial Targets a sea skimming capability. Delivery of all equipment will be completed by June, 2012. All Equipment is NATO codified.

Meggitt Defence Systems Ltd was awarded the contract for an air to air exercise with the Spanish Air Force in late October. MDSL has subsequently completed this air to air exercise with the Air Force who operated Eurofighter – Typhoon, F18 Hornet and Mirage F1. Banshee targets were engaged by AIM-9 and IRIS-T missiles, plus 20mm, 27mm and 30mm Cannon. Missions were conducted out to ranges of 100km and up to 26’000 feet using 18 Banshee targets to perform 29 flights over 4 days. The targets were configured for Infrared and Miss Distance Indicator (MDI) missions. The exercise concluded with a number of Banshee targets being shot down.

Meggitt, a leading international company specialising in high performance components and sub-systems for aerospace, defence and energy, is pleased to announce that its contract with the Ministry of Defence for the supply of its Dismounted Close Combat Trainer (DCCT) to the British Army has been amended.

This involves a £13 million modification and upgrade to the DCCT in which devices needed to support Future Integrated Soldier Technology (FIST) enhancements will be added.

FIST enhancements to 59 of the MoD’s 154 DCCTs include three simulators: an underslung grenade launcher sight, a thermal sight and a commander’s target locator, for which Meggitt will provide associated ballistics and round effects for SA80/UGL rifle simulators, modifying them to accommodate new thermal sights.

As allowed for under the original contract, the work will enhance the DCCT’s capability in line with FIST requirements and complement associated live-fire training.

FIST integration will be supported by Meggitt’s new FATS® M100 system architecture which is compatible with the wide range of devices and software packages needed to build on the DCCT’s inherent capability.

Meggitt Defence Systems, Ashford, will co-ordinate equipment integration support logistics, using simulator components and new software designed and produced by its sub-contractor Meggitt Training Systems in Suwanee, Georgia, USA.

Ronald Vadas, President of Meggitt Training Systems commented: “The UK MoD is one of our most important customers for virtual and live fire training systems. It is a testament to the confidence our products and systems engender that we are able to continue to work with the UK MoD to meet their requirements.”

Meggitt’s FATS® DCCT has been the UK MoD’s primary small arms training system since 2003. Meggitt delivered the first DCCT to the British Army in 1992. Similar systems are in service with US forces, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and many countries in the Far and Middle East.

Following the successful completion of qualification flights in September, The Aerospace Industrial Development Corporation (AIDC) have ordered and taken delivery of 4 further Jet Banshee targets. The targets feature an avionics unit that utilises fully synthesised RF selection. This allows the user to select the operating frequencies of the target to suit his local requirements. The targets were delivered together with the latest development, six target “Wizard” ground control station that also allows user selection of its operating frequencies.

To make full use of the Jet Banshee as a tool for weapon and crew evaluation, the latest in Meggitt Defence Systems’ Miss Distance Indicator (MDI), scoring systems and radar altimeter kits to enable a low altitude, (Down to 5 metres) sea-skimming capability were also supplied for use in the targets.

Further to receiving boat target orders from NATO Navies during 2010 and 2011, operational acceptance trials, which included safety systems and autonomous operating profile verification using “Merlin” Control Stations, have been completed.

Over 60 “SPRITE” boat targets and 18 “MERLIN” Control Stations have been delivered this year, with more deliveries to be made before the year end.

The “SPRITE” boat target has also been sold to the UK MOD and is in use with the Royal Navy.

A firing exercise was conducted in Norway using the Norwegian Advanced Surface to Air Missile System (NASAMS) against Norwegian owned Jet Banshee targets. A total of three Banshee targets were destroyed during the successful night firing exercise flying at high, medium and low level. The targets were operated by the Norwegian target team.

MDSL operated simultaneous multiple Banshee and Snipe targets for the Austrian Armed Forces at the Todendorf Range in Germany with 9 targets being destroyed during the successful tactical firing exercise.

April 2011 – Taiwan Orders 15 Banshees and Synthesized Six Target Wizard Ground Station

Following a successful air-to-air firing campaign the Aerospace Industrial Development Corporation (AIDC) has ordered a further 15 Banshee targets and a Fully Synthesized Wizard Ground Station fitted with user selectable, switchable, RF operating frequencies.

The Austrian Armed Forces issued a contract for the provision of Banshee and Snipe targets with enhancements and countermeasures.

March 2011 – Danish Armed Forces Mobile Ground Control Units Accepted and Delivered

Danish Armed Forces personnel visited MDSL Ashford in March to conduct acceptance of two military standard mobile ground control units mounted on MAN military trucks, for which MDS received a contract in December 2010. MDSL installed the latest standard of synthesized Wizard Ground Stations into the truck mounted military mobile control units. These mobile units are now capable of simultaneous multiple UAV and target operation using synthesized data transmitters and receivers for both command and telemetry links on the latest NATO allocated frequencies. Fully synthesized CASPA avionics systems have also been provided.

New 5 year contract from French DGA for supply of Aerial Targets and Wizard Ground Control Stations. Value £7m.

First delivery in year one is 150 Banshee 600 Targets and 8 Ground Control Stations. All fitted with synthesized R.F. Electronics.

New Contract for the LDS for the F.I.S.T. Programme of £603K

Orders received for Snipe Spares and a new Catapult Launcher

The French DGA has recently ordered another batch of 20 Banshee Aerial Targets and Spares for delivery in 2010. The Banshee Targets are in service on the French ranges at CEL Biscarrosse, and CEM Levant (Toulon), providing a variety of target services for many ground to air and air to air firings. Banshee has established itself as the most cost effective, capable and reliable target in their inventory. MDSL have delivered in excess of 540 Banshee targets and 12 “Wizard” Ground Control Stations to France over the last 8 years.

Earlier this year, the DGA also ordered MDSL’s smaller “Snipe” Target System for use on French ranges worldwide. This 5 year contract was won against international competition with an initial order of 50 Snipe Targets, a number of Ground Control Stations and all ancillary equipment now delivered and accepted into service.

Snipe Targets are fitted with MDSL’s Mini Active Radar Enhancement, Acoustic MDI, Infra-red Enhancement and Smoke Flares for visual enhancement.

On the 6^th October, 2010, Meggitt Defence Systems provided a full turn-key Banshee Target Service in support of live firings that took place during the Fourth International Air Defence Symposium in Germany.

This is an annual event over 4 days, where the Germany MOD invited 350 selected international military Air Defence Forces, as well as weapon system manufacturers.

Banshee was selected as the target to demonstrate all the various weapon systems during the live firing element of the Symposium conducted at the Todendorf Range. 4 Banshee targets were flown simultaneously in a variety of profiles for the various weapon systems, including the new Rheinmetall “Mantis” Weapon System, Geppard, LaFlasys with Stinger, Skyguard 35mm, and MANPADS Stinger.

During the 4 days of live firing, 12 Banshee Targets were destroyed, and a further 3 severely damaged by weapon system action, but recovered and repairable.